Pieces of Me (The Wilder Brothers #9) Carrie Ann Ryan

Pieces of Me (The Wilder Brothers #9)

By: Carrie Ann Ryan

Recommendation: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 - (Out of 5 🌕)

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance

Length: 396 Pages

Pace: Fast

Moods: Emotional, Tense, Hopeful, Challenging

Release Date: February 24, 2025

I am not even sure where to begin. This story gutted me. Carrie Ann Ryan's stories are always a win for me. She has made me laugh, made me cry, and once she even shocked the hell out of me but this story was so, so much more; it hit me like no other has. There were passages that literally gave me chills, ones that made me cry, and those that gave me so much hope. 

I have patiently waited for Gabriel Wilder's story and it did not disappoint. Gabriel is the guitarist and front man for the band Wilder. He and his best friend, Mal Ashford, started playing together when they were in high school. Mal and his siblings have had a tough upbringing, details that were never shared with Gabriel, but he always had an awareness of something bad. To make matters more complicated, Gabriel has always felt a magnetic attraction to Mal's sister Briar but he has strictly adhered to the 'bro code'. That was until one night when he didn't.

Briar Ashford is a force all on her own. Two time Grammy award winner, she has made a name for herself behind the music scene writing beautiful music for others to perform. Briar finds herself in a precarious position after a one night stand with the one man who should have been off limits. When tragedy strikes the Wilder band and the Ashford family, all parties involved blame themselves. Unforeseen circumstances means that Gabriel and Briar will have to try to find a way to move forward, move beyond their tragic loss and work together for a shared future.

I don't know how Ryan will top 'Pieces of Me'. It was an incredibly moving and extremely well written piece of work. As someone who has lost a person they loved very much, she fully encompassed that feeling of despair one feels when suffering grief.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

'Pieces of Me' will be available February 24th, 2025

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The Encanto's Daughter (The Encanto's Daughter #1) Melissa de la Cruz

 

The Encanto's Daughter (The Encanto's Daughter #1) 

By: Melissa de la Cruz

Recommendation: 🌕🌕🌕🌗 - (Out of 5 🌕)

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

Length: 320 Pages

Pace: Medium

Release Date: February 11, 2025

Age Range: 12 year+ 

Diwata is the Philappino word for fairy; creatures that are closely tied to nature. Mam babarang is a witch that utilizes insects to do their evil deeds.

'The Encanto's Daughter' taught me so many interesting things about Philappino mythology, a mythos that was completely unfamiliar to me. Cruz incorporated multiple cultural references to fairies from all over the world. I hope that if this series continues or has spin-offs she will delve into those other worlds. 

MJ Rodriguez and her mother have been on the run the entirety of her life. She has always known that she is a Princess and next in line to rule the Sirena Court. When her father suffers an unexpected death, MJ must return to Sirena. Unfortunately, maintaining her claim to the throne will not be easy. Insurgents are rising against her, claiming she is not the true heir to the crown, at school the other students prove to be bullies and no better than her classmates back in the human realm. To make matters more complicated, she believes that her father may have been murdered and no one seems to be investigating his death.

Cruz developed a beautiful world filled with bright descriptions of the flora and fauna as well as the unique creatures within the mythology. The story is easily rated 'PG' and appropriate for pre-teens. I am excited to see where the next installment will take me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

'The Encanto's Daughter' available now. 

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