I'm starting to catch up thanks to a very productive month. I still have two books left to read before I can officially start dipping into my personal TBR!
August reading wrap-up
Lights Out by Navessa Allen
Synopsis
Trauma nurse Aly's darkest fantasy becomes reality when a masked stranger, Josh Hammond, shows up in her bedroom after she sends one drunken text, turning their thrilling game of hunter and hunted into obsession. But when a far more sinister figure sets his sights on Aly, Josh must decide just how far he'll go to protect the woman he's fallen for.
Get your annotated books of the Into Darkness series here
Book review
Rating: 3/5 stars
To be honest, I didn’t think I’d like this book. Yet I was pleasantly surprised by the first part. A cute couple with no pointless drama, good communication, and a guy who’s strangely a green flag despite his stalking.
However, once we reach the book’s turning point, I find it becomes less interesting (especially because the person in question was barely introduced or related to the main characters). I even got the impression that the author didn’t know how to wrap up this plotline. The morals behind their actions were also pretty questionable, especially on Josh’s part, since he regularly downplays serious crimes, which I found quite problematic. This is reinforced by the fact they get away with it without much difficulty.
Speaking of plotlines that go nowhere, the fact that Josh is the son of a serial killer isn’t really explored that much either. It’s limited to Josh spending his time fearing he’ll turn out like his father, repeating virtually the same fears over and over.
More books like Lights Out:
- My Masked Savior by Arden Hart
- Prey Upon Me by Nina Carpenter
- Corrupt by Penelope Douglas
Caught Up by Navessa Allen
Synopsis
Caught Up is a second-chance dark romance, second book in the Into Darkness series.
Junior has been secretly obsessed with Lauren, his childhood crush, for years but kept his distance believing she was too good for him. When he discovers she's grown into a bold, independent woman connected to a play club, his quiet obsession ignites into an all-consuming need to make her his.
Get your annotated books of the Into Darkness series here
Book Review
Rating: 2/5 stars
The romance was well done in Lights Out, so I thought it would be just as good in Caught Up, but I didn’t feel any chemistry between Nico and Lauren. Their relationship relies heavily (solely) on sex. It’s pretty underwhelming, from their random meet-cute to the story that drove them apart. The story’s structure is pretty repetitive: Nico and Lauren do something together, and then she talks about it with her friends. Every conflict is resolved quickly, which is a shame because the Italian lore was enjoyable to follow. The themes explored were quite unique and interesting too, especially the protagonists’ professions.
A side note also applicable to the first book: the number of trigger warnings is astronomical compared to the book itself, which is actually quite tame for a dark romance. The marketing also places a lot of emphasis on the “ready to play?” angle, which I feel is barely present in the books in my opinion.
More books like Caught Up:
- Twisted Lies by Ana Huang
- Ruthless Enforcer by Lucy Monroe
- Kotik by Alina Dobrova
Game On by Navessa Allen
Synopsis
This is a dark romance, third book in the Into Darkness series.
Underground bookie Tyler has spent years plotting revenge against his father, and his path to doing so runs directly through Stella McCormick, a wealthy tattoo artist he intends to use as his way into her family's elite social circle. Blackmailed, she’s forced into fake dating in this enemies-to-lovers romance.
Get your annotated books of the Into Darkness series here
Book Review
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
My favorite book in the series. It subverts expectations and gradually builds excitement and anticipation for what’s to come. It’s fun and funny, with great banter and chemistry. Even their arguments are enjoyable. I’d also add that it’s the only book in the series that’s actually playful, as the series is advertised.
More books like Game On:
- Revenge & Ruin by J.L. Brannick
- Dark Obsession by K.C. Crowne
- Ruined by Revenge by Sherry Blake
Little Stranger by Leigh Rivers
Synopsis
In this dark romance duology, Malachi Vize becomes obsessed with his foster sister Olivia the moment he sees her, but after she sends him to prison, he returns with a desire for revenge.
Get your annotated books of the Web of Silence duet here
Book Review
Rating: 1/5 stars
I’m going to give this book several negative awards: it’s the most disgusting and worst book of the year for me. I doubt anything will come close to it.
We have very little information about the characters, even though they’re supposed to be orphans with significant trauma. We don’t even know what they do for a living as adults. They have no character traits and are only there to act out this twisted fantasy. Everything is designed to get us to the next steamy scene as quickly as possible, resulting in a hollow story with no chemistry, even though the events take place over many years.
Poor Olivia is mistreated by absolutely everyone except her adoptive father, yet the story tries to make it seem as though her adoptive brother (who has abused her her entire life) is a saint. We’re supposed to root for her, but her attitude often annoyed me, especially because of her flat reactions like “oh no, he’s my brother” and “I hate my mom” and idiotic/nonsensical behavior.
Malachi’s POV, on the other hand, was quite well done, in my opinion. You could really sense a mental instability that was both convincing and unsettling.
In terms of dark romance, I doubt you could do better. I imagine fans of the genre would get their money’s worth.
More books like Little Strange:
- Credence by Penelope Douglas
- Forbidden Harvest by Selena Winters
- Sinful Stepbrother by Eden James
Little Liar by Leigh Rivers
Synopsis
This is the last book in the Web of Silence Duet.
Get your annotated books of the Web of Silence duet here
Book Review
Rating: 2/5 stars
Part 1 tells their childhood story again, but this time from Malachi’s perspective. Some chapters provide new information, while others simply repeat scenes without adding much. I was eager to finally get to part 2 and find out what happened next. However, part 2 is both the best and the worst part of the series to me. It actually has a real plot and shows just how toxic Malachi can be in a relationship. Their adoptive father steals the show, reaffirming his status as my favorite character. The evolution of his relationship with Malachi is very satisfying. On the other hand, this second part is unoriginal and boring, even ridiculous at times. I also feel like it drags on. Overall, I don’t think this story deserved two books.
From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Synopsis
Poppy is a chosen Maiden: sheltered, forbidden from all earthly pleasures, and destined to Ascend for the sake of her kingdom. Her carefully controlled life is shattered when a guard named Hawke awakens desires she was never meant to feel as a rising darkness threatens everything around them.
Get your annotated books of the Blood and Ash series here
Book Review
Rating: 3.18/5 stars
From Blood and Ash is a good, fairly fast-paced introduction to a romantasy series. Perhaps the only enjoyable book in it. I had a good time reading, but I would have enjoyed it even more if the book hadn’t been so predictable. The “plot twist” is dragged out for what feels like an eternity, as if it weren’t obvious from the very first pages, making the revelation unsatisfying and lacking in impact.
As for the characters, I really liked Hawke, even though he’s exactly like every other guy in fantasy, minus the adoring monologues directed at Poppy. He spends his time analyzing her in overly explanatory rants that annoyed me a bit, though I wasn’t surprised since the book falls into info-dumping at several points.
I had a harder time with Poppy, who acts like Aelin from Throne Glass and all those other badass girls you know in fantasy. She spends her time acting as if she’s the only one who can solve problems, even though she knows nothing about the world, having been locked away her whole life. She also gets herself into trouble for no reason at all with the dumbest choices. And of course, no guard can step in, even though she’s the most closely watched person in the country.
As for the world-building, it’s pretty basic but still confusing. This confusion often stems from the way it’s written. Indeed, there are some fairly simple concepts that are explained over an entire page, when a single sentence would have been enough to get the point across.
In conclusion, it’s a book I can easily recommend, but I don’t feel like it lays the groundwork for a series that needs so many books or a story that really interests me.
More books like From Blood and Ash:
- The Wolf King by Lauren Palphreyman
- Veins of Power by Becky Jane Fox
- The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen
Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Synopsis
This is the second book in the Blood and Ash series.
Get your annotated books of the Blood and Ash series here
Book Review
Rating: 2.59/5 stars
This second installment almost feels like a spin-off focusing solely on the romantic aspect of the story. All they did was figure out their relationship. Nothing much happens besides that. They argue about the same thing over and over again for 200 pages, even though they don’t really disagree.
Casteel is far less likable than Hawke, falling into the cliché of the overprotective, caveman boyfriend. It’s much less interesting and fun, even though their banter remains entertaining. As for Poppy, her becoming basically invincible is the most boring thing that could’ve happened to that series and to any fantasy book, in my opinion. Plus, here, they keep adding more special abilities to her. She’s basically the final boss of the Chosen One trope.
Together, they force a fake dating trope on us when we all know they’ve been in love since book 1. Yet they keep talking about “pretending,” which really annoyed me.
All the characters in their inner circle are pretty similar to them, way too perfect to be interesting or realistic: they’re all brave, selfless, kind, and they love to show it. So much so that they sometimes come across as self-righteous, especially Poppy, whom I found unbearable. She has an idyllic view of life even though she doesn’t know its rules, and so she believes that everyone else is wrong.
This latter point is actually the real downside of this book for me: the lack of nuance it creates. We’re told very clearly who the bad guys are and who the good guys are. There’s no middle ground. The bad guys have no redeeming qualities, and the good guys are angels sent from heaven to save us from oppression. Not only is this simplistic, but it’s also not very entertaining or thought-provoking.
The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Synopsis
This is the third book in the Blood and Ash series.
Get your annotated books of the Blood and Ash series here
Book Review
Rating: 2.59/5 stars
This third installment is pretty slow and uneventful. Everything happens at the end. I found the book very chatty, between the repetitive declarations of love and the characters telling Poppy she’s changed but not knowing how. Yet the dialogue doesn’t feel like a real conversation. It’s either an info dump or an over-explanation of something.
They’ve been making assumptions about Poppy’s nature since the second book. Most of the discussions revolve around that, and it’s as uninteresting as it is repetitive. We can guess that she’s the most powerful thing in your universe, obviously. Let’s move on.
The writing also falls short when it comes to Casteel. Here’s his limited vocabulary, which he overuses: “awe,” “worthy,” “unworthy,” “brave,” “intrigued.” He spends his time praising Poppy, reassuring her that she never does anything wrong and that she’s fantastic. I thought it was cute at first, but it always ends up being the same thing and gets cheesy.
Poppy isn’t far behind in this regard, with long speeches of her own to express her love for him as well. They’re way too perfect and powerful making it impossible to relate to them. She’s still self-righteous, so obsessed with being a saint that she came across as performative to me.
The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Synopsis
This is the fourth book in the Blood and Ash series.
Get your annotated books of the Blood and Ash series here
Book Review
Rating: 2.64/5 stars
You know the world-building is far-fetched when the main character’s powers change every other page, yet it’s still used as a plot twist… You even start to wonder what really sets all the creatures the author created apart. Poppy’s nature isn’t the only thing that keeps coming up over and over: Casteel spends his time saying he’s “unworthy,” as if that hadn’t already been resolved. It’s as if he refuses to move forward, just like the plot. In fact, I just don’t think I’m a big fan of the story itself. It’s confusing and basic at the same time. The revelations are either predictable or convoluted.
The characters could raise the bar, but that’s not the case for me. They’re still extremely self-righteous. It feels like a competition: who can most effectively show just how much better they are than everyone else? They’re so convinced they’re the only ones with the solution that they stand up to Casteel’s parents, who’ve been ruling for hundreds of years, even though they’ve never ruled for even a minute in their lives. They act as if they’re going to be able to wage a war without killing anyone, you know, because they’re so nice. Unbearable hypocrites.
Lastly, it’s a minor detail, but I was bothered by the way the titles of each book were incorporated. It felt very random, but the characters behaved as if it made sense and had been around for a long time, even though it had never been mentioned before.
A Soul of Ash and Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Synopsis
This is the fifth book in the Blood and Ash series.
Get your annotated books of the Blood and Ash series here
Book Review
Rating: 1/5 stars
This is without a doubt the most annoying and frustrating book I’ve read this year. Imagine you’re reading a high-stakes fantasy series, but when you get to the FIFTH book, the action stops so the first book can be retold from the male lead’s point of view. This pointless recycling enraged me. 600 pages with no progress, where you’re forced to read what you’ve already read and learn things you already know. It was boring and a waste of time. If there’s room to take a break for an entire book, maybe there just isn’t that much to tell.
September TBR
This month, I’ve got fewer annotated books to read (for now) so this TBR is mostly mine. It’s been months since I’ve been able to do some reading for myself, choosing books I think I’d enjoy from my favorite genres.
An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister
Long-time academic rivals Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher, both desperate for the same coveted university teaching position, hatch a plan to get legally married in order to take advantage of a partner-hire clause in Sadie's contract. This marriage of convenience forces them to live and work in close proximity, soon rekindling old tension and sparking new feelings.
Oleander by Scarlett Drake
An MM reimagining of Great Expectations following Jude and Caspien, opposites in every way, as Caspien is shaped by a bitter and careful hand, is both poison and obsession when Jude finds that loathing and love can exist at once.
Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer
Camille Deming is a young influencer living in an isolated farmhouse with her increasingly distant husband, desperately trying to grow her following and her family by embodying the perfect traditional wife online. When she makes a wish into a mysterious well on her property, she finds herself pregnant, but what follows is far from the idyllic life she performs for her followers.
What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally
High school senior Hannah is thrilled to spend spring break in Puerto Vallarta with her best friend Emmy and Emmy's family, but a day sail on a charming new boyfriend's chartered catamaran turns dangerous as a storm rolls in. Stranded at sea and questioning the intentions of the people around her, Hannah and the group are forced to fight for their lives.
The Break-Up Retreat by Camilla Sten
Undercover journalist Isobel Anderssen infiltrates Himlafall, a secluded Swedish woods clinic that promises to heal women from heartbreak, but where some guests have been known to disappear. Once inside, her contact goes missing and the clinic's founder proves harder to outwit than expected, leaving Isobel racing to uncover the truth before she becomes the next to vanish.
The Last Page by Katie Holt
Ella Sanchez has grown up at The Last Page, a beloved NYC bookstore whose owner was like a grandfather to her, but when he dies and leaves the store to his estranged grandson Henry instead, she's blindsided. They have to work together when they discover the store is in dire financial straits in this enemies-to-lovers romance.
This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2026 since Not in My Book was part of my favorite books last year. I can’t wait to read it even though the story seems a little less unique.
Married with Benefits by Ellie Palmer
Lainey Davis unexpectedly acquires one of the most famous houses in modern architectural history through an obscure legal doctrine, but the surrounding lakeside property belongs to architect Elliot Hodges, meaning neither can sell without the other's cooperation. Elliot proposes a marriage of convenience: health insurance for her, access to the property for him.
Another one I just can’t wait to read. I’m craving a good romance book.
The Primal of Blood and Bone by Jennifer L. Armentrout
This is the last book in the Blood and Ash series (for now). I cannot say I’m excited about reading it. The previous book, A Soul of Ash and Blood annoyed me so badly I would’ve been okay to never hear of this series ever again. But this is an annotated book I was paid to read so… let’s go back. Who knows, that might be the best one. I only enjoyed the first one, From Blood and Ash so the competition is isn’t that fierce.
Happy reading month!
Related posts
This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase a book through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
0 commentaire