All posts by Jo-Anna W

#Review – Book 2: Zodiac Academy: Ruthless Fae by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

They tried to break us.
They almost did.
But we’re not going anywhere.

The Celestial Heirs think the stars are on their side. But they don’t know what’s coming. We have to be smart. Fighting them one on one isn’t an option so we have to be stealthy. Remaining under the radar won’t be easy, but if we pull it off, they’ll never suspect our involvement when their lives start falling apart.

Besides, they’ve already taken us to the brink of hell, what more can they really do?

I finished this book in 24 hours. I completely devoured it and I have to say that I haven’t been this invested in a series in a long time. I’m so glad the whole series is published because there is no way I could have waited patiently between books.

So the story continues with Tory and Darcy fighting for their rightful place within Zodiac Academy. While the Heirs are a little nicer to them, they still can’t be trusted. Tory and Darcy get their revenge and I haven’t laughed out loud while reading in such a long time. It was amazing and so funny. Once you get to the pitball chapters, I couldn’t read fast enough.

This book had action, suspense, lust and the spice is definitely increasing. I have to stop myself from googling spoilers. Clearly I am not patient when it comes to slow burns/enemies to lovers.

I can’t wait to see what happens next with but I am so rooting for Darcy and Orion. Their little moment was hot AF. Then you get Tory and…well, I’ll let you read the book to find out who she ends up with.

Can be read in Kindle Unlimited: https://amzn.to/4bXpJmn

#Review – Book 1: Zodiac Academy: The Awakening by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

Amazon.com and Wall Street Journal #1 bestselling dark fantasy romance series from authors Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti – a Booktok sensation!

I’m a Gemini. Impulsive. Curious. Headstrong. A twin. Heir to a throne I know nothing about. And it turns out, I’m Fae.

But of course there’s a catch – all I have to do to claim my birth right is prove that I’m the most powerful supernatural in the whole of Solaria. And sure, technically that’s true as I’m the daughter of the Savage King. But the bit they didn’t put in the brochure was that every single Fae in this Kingdom would claim my throne if they could.

The school they’ve sent me to is both dangerous as sh*t and one helluva party. Vampires bite weaker students in the corridors, the Werewolf pack has orgies in the Wailing Wood at every full moon and don’t even get me started on the dark and twisted ways the Sirens use their powers on people’s emotions, or how my sinfully tempting Cardinal Magic teacher hosts detentions that leave people needing therapy.

Classes are totally interesting if you manage to live through them. And that Gemini star sign I mentioned? It now determines my elemental magic and affects my destiny, so learning astrology is essential if I’m going to beat down my classmates – which is actively encouraged by the way.

My biggest problem is the drool worthy Dragon shifter who has his eyes on my throne. He and his three psycho friends are determined to make my time here hell.

All I’ve got to do is survive. But fate might have other ideas.

Dammit, why couldn’t I have gotten a letter to Hogwarts?

***This is a enemies to lovers romantasy – don’t go expecting a sweet school for magic with friends around every corner. Fae fight for everything they own and Zodiac Academy is a cutthroat school for students aged 18+ where only the strongest prevail. There’s no Dumbledore here to save anyone’s ass and Lionel Acrux will give Voldemort a run for his money in the evil dictator category. So hold onto your stardust (broomsticks not required) and get ready for a bumpy ride***

Oh boy where do I even begin? So first off, if bullying isn’t your jam, you will wanna skip this series. I know it’s a bit older but if you’re like me and just checking it out for the first time, please be warned that the bullying isn’t subtle. Now I’m not usually one for the bully trope but I kept seeing this series every where. After reading Rebecca Yarros’s fantasy world, I needed more. So I decided to check this out and I devoured book 1. Like absolutely devoured. It’s an easy read and I really enjoyed the world building. I even downloaded a horoscope app because of this series. lol

So we meet Darcy and Tory, who are twins and are super down on their luck. After turning 18, they find out that they’re actually Fae and from another world. No more cold windy Chicago for these girls.

The girls find out that they’re heiresses to the throne but 4 other heirs will have none of that.

The stuff these poor girls go through is unreal. I had issues in highschool but man, I am so glad I am not these girls.

Most of the characters I absolutely loathe but the one guy, Orion, is actually coming around. I can’t wait to see his relationship with Darcy grow. If they even end up together. I have no idea and I’m trying not to read spoilers but it’s killing me. This is why I tend to stay away from the slow burn enemies to lovers thing because I want the spice right away.

Anyway, if you want a fun ride with 4 beyond grumpy guys who would stop at nothing to claim their throne and two girls who refuse to back down, this is for you.

Available in KU – https://amzn.to/4isLywH

#Promo – Onyx Storm (The Empyrean Book 3) by Rebecca Yarros

Discover the instant #1 New York Times bestseller! TV series now in development at MGM Amazon Studios with Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society.

Accolades for Fourth Wing
Amazon Best Books of the Year, #4 • Apple Best Books of the Year 2023 • Barnes & Noble Best Fantasy Book of 2023 • NPR “Books We Love” 2023 • Audible Best Books of 2023 • Hudson Book of the Year • Google Play Best Books of 2023 • Indigo Best Books of 2023 • Waterstones Book of the Year finalist • Goodreads Choice Award Winner • Newsweek Staffers’ Favorite Books of 2023 • Paste Magazine’s Best Books of 2023 • TikTok Book Awards UK and Ireland Book of the Year (International) 2024

There was so much happening in this book that I’m definitely going to have to do a re-read before the next one. This is jam packed with action and I enjoyed every moment of it! Also, Xaden. *sigh* He’s just the perfect book boyfriend and I love his love for Violet.

https://amzn.to/43RzMHp

#Review – XXX by Rayne Havok


Xavier: “I escaped from prison, hauling ass in a stolen car, putting space between me and that barbed wire fence- when the damn thing runs out of gas.Luckily, I come across an old farmhouse that looks empty, even luckier, it is not.The threats about daddy coming home don’t scare me… maybe they should have.”

First off, this book deals with sexual assault and is quite detailed, so if you have triggers, please do not read this. This is extreme and short but packs a punch.

This book starts off with Xavier or X is released from jail and is on a mission. He ends up finding a house in the middle of nowhere that he thought was abandoned but learns that it is not. He meets a family and does unspeakable things to the mom and her two daughters living there. I’ve read a lot of extreme horror but these scenes definitely made me wince. 

Then we meet the dad. I don’t want to give too much else away but let’s just say, X gets what’s coming to him and I enjoyed every second of it.

Can be read in KU – https://amzn.to/4jVqPTd

#Review – Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

An instant New York Times bestseller! “Grown exposes the underbelly of a tough conversation, providing a searing examination of misogynoir, rape culture, and the vulnerability of young black girls. Groundbreaking, heart-wrenching, and essential reading for all in the #MeToo era.” —Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles 

Award-winning author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers another riveting, ripped-from-the-headlines mystery that exposes horrific secrets hiding behind the limelight and embraces the power of a young woman’s voice.

When legendary R&B artist Korey Fields spots Enchanted Jones at an audition, her dreams of being a famous singer take flight. Until Enchanted wakes up with blood on her hands and zero memory of the previous night. Who killed Korey Fields?

Before there was a dead body, Enchanted’s dreams had turned into a nightmare. Because behind Korey’s charm and star power was a controlling dark side. Now he’s dead, the police are at the door, and all signs point to Enchanted.

“Never have I read a story that so flawlessly hits the highest high and lowest low notes of Black girlhood in pursuit of the American Dream.” —Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Jackpot

This book was chef’s kiss in the best of ways. Now I’ll start by saying that as a white woman, I liked being educated as to what black women face when they need help from authorities. It definitely helped open my eyes, so thank you to the author for helping with that.

Now this book…first, it has several triggers. I never thought I had triggers. I read extreme horror. I should be immune right? Well, I was wrong. I told a friend who read this book at the same time I did, that it bothers me because I would have been the exact same way if I was in Enchanted’s shoes. I’m beyond thankful I met my husband when I did.

Okay now for the review. Enchanted wants to be a singer and she has the voice for it. She goes to an audition at the help of her friend and catches the eye of Korey Fields. He grooms her into being someone she isn’t and it all goes down hill from there.

From their very first interaction, my hackles rose and I instantly didn’t like him. I think I was infuriated for most of the book. So kudos to the author for bringing that out in me.

This book is fast paced, action packed, filled with drama, a strong female lead and more. I absolutely loved it and it fits right up there with my love for Allegedly.

If only people listened to the first girl. Maybe then it wouldn’t have taken over 16 to get something done.

Can be read in KU – https://amzn.to/3DRiteV

#Review – App by Rayne Havok

Salem logs on to her favorite app. Her and Kyle are a match. The night starts out fun, with both of them eager to take things further.

The next morning, however, Salem wakes with no recollection of the evening.

Salem joins a dating app that is used for a one night thing only. Those are the rules. No commitments or anything. Just some fun. She comes across Kyle’s profile and decides to choose him for her fun. They meet up and go on a date. But the night doesn’t exactly go as planned. Or does it? She wakes up with no memory of the night before but ends up getting proof of what happened. There’s a nice little twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting. This story is a short, fun read that proves that they do in fact have an app for anything. 

Can be read in KU – https://amzn.to/3W91PgQ

#Review – Test Town by Leigh Kenny

Welcome to Test Town.
Population: Zero

When Savannah and her friends decide on a sightseeing pit stop at a long-abandoned nuclear testing facility, something feels off from the outset.
Dilapidated houses. Quiet, dusty streets. And mannequins.
So many mannequins.

With a growing sense of unease, the group soon learns that even in an abandoned town in the middle of nowhere, you’re never truly alone.

Oh this was a fun and super creepy little read. There’s just something about dolls and mannequins that give me the heebie jeebies. 

Savannahs, her brother and his friends, are driving through the dessert and decide to stop at Test Town. There’s no human life and only mannequins. So not unsettling in the least right? Unfortunately for the group, things take a turn for the worse.

Although this was a super short story, I really enjoyed it! Now I need to find more books about creepy dolls and mannequins.

Can be read in KU – https://amzn.to/3PJdmQJ

#Review – Writer’s Block: How a desperate search for inspiration went terribly wrong by Geoff A. Wilson

A psychological short story by the author of ‘Depravity’, ‘The dream’, ‘Meltdown’, ‘The machine’ and ‘(Un)happy Christmas’.

Ross Stubbard is a failed, angry, and depressed writer who struggles to find inspiration for his next book. One night a strange apparition stands by his bedside – an apparition that embodies Ross’s ghostly alter ego. The apparition urges Ross to write a short story. At first, working with the apparition helps Ross to rediscover his lost writing skills, get him out of his writer’s block, and to develop a gripping story. But then what his alter ego suggests takes on a much darker hue and urges Ross to write a tale of darkness and despair based on himself and his own failed life.

The apparition unlocks a Pandora’s box of Ross’s suppressed emotions and memories where accounts of his deep depression intermix with his fear of alcoholism, where the abuse he has metered out on his wife and kids bleeds into narratives about his darkest suicidal thoughts, and where memories of wanting to hurt people and his readers, who have so selfishly abandoned him, intertwine with his darkest visions of extreme violence and murder.

Too late, Ross realises that his alter ego has become his puppet master, guiding him down a path of self-destruction. The apparition has made him slip further into the abyss, forcing him to lose his grip on reality, urging him to re-enact the horrors he has written, to make the story a reality. The failed, angry, and depressed author, has himself become the embodiment of the darkness he has conjured up in his own, final, story. He, who has sought solace in the cold embrace of his alter ego’s story writing, has unwittingly become the protagonist of his own macabre masterpiece, a story of a man consumed by his own demons, and a cautionary tale of the perilous path that lies at the intersection of creativity and madness.

Oh this one is creepy and disturbing. Especially since I’m an author as well. 

We meet Ross who is a failed author and tries so desperately to find his words again. He looks to an unknown source for inspiration and while it helps him get the words down, he slowly slips into insanity as a result. 

Can be read in KU – https://amzn.to/40jGXX2

#Review – The Zed Conspiracy by Meera Masen

Previously published under S.M. Phoenix
Based on a writing prompt.


These short stories will have you second guessing how much control the government has over its citizens and whether zombies can be created in a science lab.

PART ONE
On trial for murder, Jonathan Bigwell must prove his innocence after killing what he thought was a zombie. But how innocent is the judge?

PART TWO
Successfully creating a genetic mutation isn’t easy, but scientist Tonya Farris did it. What will her new gene do and why does the government want it?

PART THREE
The government elite must now tie up loose ends and figure out their next move. Will they successfully launch Project Zed?

This was a fun short little zombie read. The government has a gene created that can turn people into zombies. Nothing could go wrong with thay right? Clearly these people have never watched a zombie movie in their life. The story shows the gene being created, the zombies being formed and an attack from some zombies. Cause again, creating zombies is alwahs a good idea. Insert eye roll here. The story also shows a court hearing and how one guy gets convicted of murdering a zombie. While this is just a story, it makes me wonder if it could actually happen. Good thing I’ve watched a lot of zombie movies. You know…for research purposes and all. 

Can be read in KU – https://amzn.to/40hErjG

#Review – Sewer Rat by Meera Masen

Ben Jansen has been bullied relentlessly since the third grade by his ex-best friend, Jimmy Norton, after he spills an important secret that destroys not only each of their families but also their friendship.

In an odd twist of fate, Ben finds friendship and comfort in a new and unlikely ally under the city streets. His new friend, Henry encourages Ben to stand up for himself.

Armed with newfound confidence, Ben seeks revenge on Jimmy and his Goon Squad, one by one.

This is an extreme psychological horror story. If you are not familiar with the genre, please note that this is extremely dark and twisted.

I really liked this one. I knew something was off, especially when the author said that she hopes the ending makes the reader mad. But I wasn’t sure how it was going to play out.

Ben had been bullied by the Goons for years for reasons that he truly honestly believed happened. But did they?

He ends up meeting a rat, Henry, and this rat and his family help Ben. Not sure it ends exactly how Ben expected though.

I read this one in a single sitting and while it was short, it didn’t feel like it. I think it packed the perfect punch for the length it was. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Can be read in KU – https://amzn.to/4a21odW