Crown of Briars (Crowns of the Fae #2) R.L. Perez

 

Crown of Briars (Crowns of the Fae #2)

By: R.L. Perez

Recommendation: 🌕🌕🌕 - (Out of 5 🌕)

Genre: Fiction, Romantasy, Fantasy, Romance, Fairytale Retelling

Length: 624 Pages

Pace: Slow

Moods: Romantic, Happily Ever After, 

I love a fairytale retelling and one based on my favorite fairytale, Beauty and the Beast, will always be a win for me. R.L. Perez has written a unique retelling of Beauty and the Beast with all of the expected easter eggs; there is a rose, a library, a sentient castle, a blue dress, a handsome male villain who is full of himself, characters who do not appear in their true form, a main female character with 'Belle' in her name, a curse and a beast. 

Crown of Briars is the second book in the Crowns of Fae series. Each installment can be read as a stand alone and you can jump in and begin your journey at any point in the series. I didn't hate this book but I also didn't love it. There was a lot going on, many moving parts, and  sometimes it was too much to take in and follow. For example, Sybelle's best friend is a dragon that no one else knows exists. While reading, I never really grasped why there was a single dragon in the story and what it's purpose was. Ater finishing the book, I read the book blurb and discovered that the dragon was Sybelle's familar, even though Sybelle was not a witch. The book contains several contradictions, Sybelle comes from a human kingdom that despises Fae and yet she is half human and half fae. Some of the storylines are too much, both Varius and Sybelle's fathers were beyond evil. So evil, they excessively used and tortured the females in their lives. These things don't make the book unreadable, they just make it harder to focus on the storyline.

Synopsis:

The Court of Shadows and the Earthen Court have a long standing contract, every generation a human female will be married to the Wraith King. This agreement is beneficial to both parties, but for the human court it ensures that the deadly, poisonous shadows created by the Shadow King stay out of their kingdom. Sybelle was born, bred, and trained to infiltrate the Court of Shadows and assassinate their king. After arriving in the Court of Shadows she discovers that not everything is as it seems, not everything is as she was brought up to believe, and the Wraith King is not what everyone believes him to be. Sybelle develops feelings for Varius and the people in his court. She believes she is the key to save them and lift the curse that has been plaguing them for hundreds of years.

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

Available August 4, 2025

Amazon - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Barnes & Noble

You Can Scream (Laurel Snow #5) Rebecca Zanetti

 

You Can Scream (Laurel Snow #5)

By: Rebecca Zanetti

Recommendation: 🌕🌕🌕🌕 - (Out of 5 🌕)

Genre: Romantic Suspense, Thriller

Length: 320 Pages

Pace: Medium

Moods: Adventurous, Mysterious, Tense

The next installment of Rebecca Zanetti's Laurel Snow series did not disappoint. Her last book felt like a conclusion to the series involving Special Agent Snow, with her father dead and sister charged. I wasn't sure if we would see anymore from this thrilling world. I very rarely read suspense but Zanetti's ability to develop great stories and characters have me captivated by the this storyline and the interesting people she has written.

Special Agent Laurel Snow has evolved greatly since book #1, 'You Can Run'. As a highly intelligent individual, she has always been a little different. She doesn't quite understand societal norms or how to develop meaningful relationships. Her boyfriend, the Fish and Wildlife Captain, Huck Rivers has a lot to do with Laurel's growth. Working closely together, the duo have solved some fascinating cases.

Laurel's half-sister, Abigail, is being tried for the murder of their father. Like Laurel, Abigail is a highly intelligent individual. Unlike Laurel, Abigail has the inability to feel emotions or understand the difference between right and wrong. Laurel certainly does not sanction the actions of her sister, especially as it relates to the death of their father. Fact is, he was not a good man but as a member of law enforcement, Laurel believes he deserved the right to a fair trial. A sniper taking a close shot at Abigail on the stairs of the courthouse propels the FBI and local agencies into their next investigation. From there, everything seems to escalate tenfold. It is a race against time for Agent Laurel and Captain Huck as they try to figure out who is behind the latest strings of murders in their rural Washington town.

I am very happy to have more exciting adventures with Laurel Snow and am looking forward to Zanetti's next book in the series.

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

Available December 16, 2025

Amazon

Barnes & Noble