en-US Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:45:35 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 219551319 A woman who wields magical tarot cards lands herself in a false engagement with the headmaster of a mysterious academy in this first installment of an enthralling romantasy series from the bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf King.

Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards-a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy.

Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy's enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape-for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time.

In order to conceal her identity and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.

Thrust into a world of arcane magic and royal intrigue, where one misstep will send her back to prison or worse, Clara finds that the prince she swore to hate may not be what he seems. But can she risk giving him power over the world-and her heart? Or will she take it for herself?]]> 576 Elise Kova 0593726340 Sam 0 to-read 4.34 2025
author: Elise Kova
name: Sam
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217171544 Fear the monsters we make.

A swoon-worthy, spicy romantic fantasy filled with legends and monsters. The Witcher meets “Cinderella.�� A princess is chosen to fulfill the terms of an ancient treaty and finds herself traveling with an infamous monster slayer.]]> 528 Devney Perry 1649378513 Sam 0 to-read 4.37 2025
author: Devney Perry
name: Sam
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 223927257 NATIONAL BESTSELLER - An exiled princess teams up with the last man she thought she could trust in the start of a dazzling and unforgettable epic fantasy romance series.

As a child, Elowen Atarah was ripped away from her dragons and imprisoned by her father, King Garrick of Imirath. Years later, Elowen is now a woman determined to free her dragons. Having established a secret kingdom of her own called Aestilian, she's ready to do what's necessary to save her people and seek vengeance. Even if that means having to align herself with the Commander of Vareveth, Cayden Veles, the most feared and dangerous man in all the kingdoms of Ravaryn.

Cayden is ruthless, lethal, and secretive, promising to help Elowen if she will stand with him and all of Vareveth in the pending war against Imirath. Despite their contrasting motives, Elowen can't ignore their undeniable attraction as they combine their efforts and plot to infiltrate the impenetrable castle of Imirath to steal back her dragons and seek revenge on their common enemy.

As the world tries to keep them apart, the pull between Elowen and Cayden becomes impossible to resist. Working together with their crew over clandestine schemes, the threat of war looms, making the imminent heist to free her dragons their most dangerous adventure yet. But for Elowen, her vengeance is a promise signed in blood, and she'll stop at nothing to see that promise through.

An immersive fantasy filled with a sizzling reluctant-allies-to-lovers romance, a world to get lost in, dangerous quests, dragon bonds, and an entertaining band of characters to root for, Fear the Flames marks the stunning debut of Olivia Rose Darling.]]> 400 Olivia Rose Darling 0593873912 Sam 0 to-read 4.00 2022
author: Olivia Rose Darling
name: Sam
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 209220944
But Sarah has begun to wonder... Who is she without her other half?

When she decides to take on a project of her own, a fundraising gala in memoriam of her late mother, Sarah wants nothing more than to prove to herself—and to everyone else—that she doesn’t need Caleb’s help to succeed. She’s still her mother’s daughter, after all. Independent and capable.

That is until the event fails and Caleb uninvitedly steps in to save the day.

The rift that follows unearths a decade of grievances between them and doubts begin to grow. Are they truly the same people they were when they got married at nineteen? Are they supposed to be?

In a desperate attempt to fix what they fear is near breaking, Sarah and Caleb make the spontaneous decision to join a grueling hiking trip intended to guide couples through rough patches.

What follows is a life-affirming comedy of errors as two nature-averse people fight their way out of the woods in order to find their way back to their roots.]]> 336 Hannah Bonam-Young 0593871863 Sam 0 to-read 4.01 2025
author: Hannah Bonam-Young
name: Sam
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211004089
Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers. But with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants, packing up the seeds before they are transported to safer ground. Despite the wild beauty of life here, isolation has taken its toll on the Salts. Raff, eighteen and suffering his first heartbreak, can only find relief at his punching bag; Fen, seventeen, has started spending her nights on the beach among the seals; nine-year-old Orly, obsessed with botany, fears the loss of his beloved natural world; and Dominic can’t stop turning back toward the past, and the loss that drove the family to Shearwater in the first place.

Then, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman washes up on shore. As the Salts nurse the woman, Rowan, back to life, their suspicion gives way to affection, and they finally begin to feel like a family again. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting her heart, begins to fall for the Salts, too. But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers the sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own dark secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, the characters must decide if they can trust each other enough to protect the precious seeds in their care before it’s too late—and if they can finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together.]]> 303 Charlotte McConaghy 1250827957 Sam 0 to-read 4.33 2025
author: Charlotte McConaghy
name: Sam
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215755502 The first installment of��USA Today bestseller David Dalglish's latest epic fantasy trilogy about immortal demigods, civil wars,��and ancient evil will be irresistible to classic fantasy fans and will appeal to readers of James Islington��and Anthony Ryan.��

Six immortal siblings.��Five sworn to peace.��One demands a throne.

Radiance, the mysterious power of life and creation, is theirs to command. Death cannot claim them. For hundreds of years, the ever-living ruled with ease. Yet when the world is nearly broken beneath their reign, the humbled six swear a They will sit upon no thrones, wear no crowns, and no longer teach humanity the gifts of radiance.

But after centuries of peace, Eder rejects their vow, anoints himself Voice of Father, and spreads a new, cruel faith across the land.

Faron cannot allow such indiscretion. Returning from a self-imposed exile, he swears to crush Eder’s kingdom, and he will not do so alone—Sariel, their cold and calculating brother, knows all too well that an ever-living’s dominion is bound for brutality and destruction. But to overthrow a nation, they will need more than each other. They will need an army and a ruler who can take the throne their own vow forbids. And so, they pledge themselves to the fanatical Bastard Princess, a woman with incredible powers she insists were given to her by the goddess Leliel.

But Eder’s conquest is not what it seems, and it will take more than a holy war to stop an immortal who has heard the desperate plea of a god.]]> 525 David Dalglish 0316576689 Sam 0 to-read 3.90 2025
author: David Dalglish
name: Sam
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 195025380 plaguing the blissful Summer woodland with their magic
of frost and decay.

Ornella will protect her king, even if she must face
the infamous Wild Hunt.

The cadre of the Autumn Prince.

But she never expected to survive the encounter,
much less become a captive of the riders
in ghoulish skull helms and armour made from
thorn and bone.

Now, the Summer dryad is trapped
in the Autumn Court with a reluctant warden.
A gorgeous rider with violet eyes
who has been ordered to train her
so she can take her place in the Wild Hunt.

And he hates her as much as she wants to hate him.

Ornella is determined to destroy
the Wild Hunt before they can march against her homeland.
But there is an even greater evil spreading in Autumn
that would soon threaten all feykind.

She will need to ally with her reviled captors to defeat it,
but how can she bring herself to trust an enemy
who will some day destroy her home?]]> 524 A.A. Gordon 1777083346 Sam 0 to-read 4.31
author: A.A. Gordon
name: Sam
average rating: 4.31
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 36578543
Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn't be more different. Annie's lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee's aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet.

But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.

With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he's come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.]]> 432 Rosaria Munda 0525518215 Sam 4
I've heard people say this book is what Fourth Wing should be (obviously those people not being Fourth Wing lovers), and I disagree. This book serves a very different purpose than Fourth Wing, so don't get mixed up about what you're going to read. This is more Hunger Games with dragons in that it's 16/17 year olds being forced to grow up too fast and governments being awful. You could argue that's what Fourth Wing is too (slightly aged up), but I'd disagree and I like that book.

Also, a heccin lot of awkward teenage moments. I get it. They're 16/17, and they read that way, which is a good thing. Don't get me wrong. They literally read the way they should for a YA, but as a 40 year old woman? Definitely so many eye roll moments. On the plus side, something I can recommend to my niece.

My other biggest struggle with this book is some definite gaps in the world building. Again, things that I, as an adult reader, probably peer to closely and think too critically about. It's something you'll want to be able to shut your brain down to and just be able to vibe along with which I was able to do; just don't ask me to talk about it in depth without sarcasm.

Annie and Lee. Our FMC and MMC, respectively. Hands down, I love Lee. My little trauma childhood turns into loyal, fierce, protective, good person kink is still going strong. Annie, well... I'm cautiously on the fence about her. I can't really say more without spoilers.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. While reading, it was easy to vibe through the plot holes/world building questions I had with my buddy read friends, although some moments still caught some definite eye rolls. It's well paced, has good action, and some strong emotional moments. And that ending. Man. It's hard to be upset at a book that ends with a punch like that.]]> 3.89 2019
author: Rosaria Munda
name: Sam
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/06
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves:
review:
it's always hard to write a review for a book when the ending packs such a punch because goodness I want nothing more than to go grab book 2. Alas, a review can not just be about the ending.

I've heard people say this book is what Fourth Wing should be (obviously those people not being Fourth Wing lovers), and I disagree. This book serves a very different purpose than Fourth Wing, so don't get mixed up about what you're going to read. This is more Hunger Games with dragons in that it's 16/17 year olds being forced to grow up too fast and governments being awful. You could argue that's what Fourth Wing is too (slightly aged up), but I'd disagree and I like that book.

Also, a heccin lot of awkward teenage moments. I get it. They're 16/17, and they read that way, which is a good thing. Don't get me wrong. They literally read the way they should for a YA, but as a 40 year old woman? Definitely so many eye roll moments. On the plus side, something I can recommend to my niece.

My other biggest struggle with this book is some definite gaps in the world building. Again, things that I, as an adult reader, probably peer to closely and think too critically about. It's something you'll want to be able to shut your brain down to and just be able to vibe along with which I was able to do; just don't ask me to talk about it in depth without sarcasm.

Annie and Lee. Our FMC and MMC, respectively. Hands down, I love Lee. My little trauma childhood turns into loyal, fierce, protective, good person kink is still going strong. Annie, well... I'm cautiously on the fence about her. I can't really say more without spoilers.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. While reading, it was easy to vibe through the plot holes/world building questions I had with my buddy read friends, although some moments still caught some definite eye rolls. It's well paced, has good action, and some strong emotional moments. And that ending. Man. It's hard to be upset at a book that ends with a punch like that.
]]> 6033933 384 Adam Ardrey 1590201914 Sam 0 currently-reading 3.31 2008
author: Adam Ardrey
name: Sam
average rating: 3.31
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 220061020 Game of Thrones meets Outlander in This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me

When Maggie wakes up, cold, naked, and filthy in Kair Toren, a city in the kingdom of Rellas, she recognizes it immediately. It’s the world she knows intimately from the pages of an unfinished dark fantasy series she’s been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel. With no idea how or why she landed in this gritty, violent world, she’s determined to survive until she can figure out how to get home with her only tools �� an encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, setting, and the characters�� actions, motivations, and fates: information she can sell to the highest bidder �� all while staying under the radar so as not to change the very information she plans to barter.

Soon Maggie discovers another surprising “skill��: she cannot be killed (though many will try.) And as she becomes more attached to the motley band she’s somehow gathered �� which includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, a dangerous soldier, and various outrageous magic creatures �� she abandons all thoughts of lying low for her own good. Instead she finds herself trying to save them, and the Kingdom of Rellas from the cataclysmic war she knows is coming.]]> Ilona Andrews Sam 0 to-read 5.00 2026
author: Ilona Andrews
name: Sam
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62300945
When King Uther Pendragon murders her father and tricks her mother into marriage, Morgan refuses to be crushed. Trapped amid the machinations of men in a world of isolated castles and gossiping courts, she discovers secret powers. Vengeful and brilliant, it's not long before Morgan becomes a worthy adversary to Merlin, influential sorcerer to the king. But fighting for her freedom, she risks losing everything �� her reputation, her loved ones and her life.]]> 347 Sophie Keetch 0861545192 Sam 0 currently-reading 4.17 2022
author: Sophie Keetch
name: Sam
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 218624103 448 T. Kingfisher 1250400228 Sam 0 to-read 4.11 2018
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Sam
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220213435 An unforgettable tale of revenge and rebellion unfolds when an inexperienced king implements a doomed plan to end a thousand-year war in this relentlessly gripping epic fantasy debut from a “master storyteller�� (Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter).

“The exhilarating must-read fantasy debut of 2025.�� —Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

A SONG OF REBELLION. A SONG OF WAR. A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST.

In the Nine Lands, only those of noble blood can summon the spirits of their ancestors to fight in battle. But when Temi, a commoner from the slums, accidentally invokes a powerful spirit, she finds it could hold the key to ending a centuries-long war.

But not everything that can be invoked is an ancestor. And some of the spirits that can be drawn from the ancestral realm are more dangerous than anyone can imagine.

Drawing on multiple pre-colonial cultures, including Yoruba and Filipino, and set in a non-Western-inspired world, A Song of Legends Lost is not just a tale of vengeance but a stunning debut novel of identity and heritage.

��A whirlwind debut of ferocious talent and compulsive storytelling that lifts you up from the first page and never lets go.�� —Lavie Tidhar, World Fantasy Award–winning author]]> 655 M.H. Ayinde 1668086840 Sam 0 to-read 3.50 2025
author: M.H. Ayinde
name: Sam
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 38355440 ��Outlander meets Camelot�� (Kirsty Logan, author of The Gracekeepers) in the first book of an exciting historical trilogy that reveals the untold story of Languoreth—a powerful and, until now, tragically forgotten queen of sixth-century Scotland—twin sister of the man who inspired the legendary character of Merlin.

Intelligent, passionate, rebellious, and brave, Languoreth is the unforgettable heroine of The Lost Queen, a tale of conflicted loves and survival set against the cinematic backdrop of ancient Scotland, a magical land of myths and superstition inspired by the beauty of the natural world. One of the most powerful early medieval queens in British history, Languoreth ruled at a time of enormous disruption and bloodshed, when the burgeoning forces of Christianity threatened to obliterate the ancient pagan beliefs and change her way of life forever.

Together with her twin brother Lailoken, a warrior and druid known to history as Merlin, Languoreth is catapulted into a world of danger and violence. When a war brings the hero Emrys Pendragon, to their door, Languoreth collides with the handsome warrior Maelgwn. Their passionate connection is forged by enchantment, but Languoreth is promised in marriage to Rhydderch, son of the High King who is sympathetic to the followers of Christianity. As Rhydderch's wife, Languoreth must assume her duty to fight for the preservation of the Old Way, her kingdom, and all she holds dear.

“Moving, thrilling, and ultimately spellbinding�� (BookPage), The Lost Queen brings this remarkable woman to life—rescuing her from obscurity, and reaffirming her place at the center of the most enduring legends of all time. “Moving, thrilling, and ultimately spellbinding, The Lost Queen is perfect for readers of historical fiction like The Clan of the Cave Bear and Wolf Hall, and for lovers of fantasy like Outlander and The Mists of Avalon�� (BookPage).]]> 527 Signe Pike 1501191411 Sam 5
The Lost Queen unearths the story of the boy who would become known as Merlin through the eyes of his twin sister, Languoreth, destined to become a Queen in her own right, and I was not ready for it. This book slowly sinks into your bones like an oak tree spreading its roots until you're just so immersed in this world. I truly felt like I was in 6th c Britain to the point that well... can I go visit? I want to walk in the woods with Ariane, visit sacred grounds with Cathan, and go for a gallop on Fallah.

However, don't let these idyllic sounding adventures lull you into thinking this book is not full of tension. I was on the edge of my seat for every dangerous interaction involving any character because I loved them all, and no one felt safe. Seriously, it's a steady page turner because I just needed to get to the end where everyone would be happy and safe. Ha.

I will say that "dangerous interaction" may give you the wrong idea about what this book is. It's not a high action book full of battles. The dangers are much more subtle but no less worrisome. The villains are some of my most hated characters now. There is true evil in the depths of humanity.

Languoreth. The book takes place solely from her POV but never felt stunted for that. This is truly her story, and there's honestly nothing I love more than a woman lost to the footnotes of history finally being given her due. I see you, Queen. She's a girl living a bit of a sheltered life with a loving family, then forced into the intrigues of a court torn between Christianity and the Old Ways. I'm not going to lie and say I didn't want to shake her at times... but truly, I love her spirit and determination.

I don't know what else to say to encourage you to pick up a copy. If you love Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy or Shauna Lawless's Gael Song, then you need to read this book. If you're into all the Greek mythologies of forgotten women being published, then you need to come read about a forgotten Celtic Queen. I'm so in love that I'm trying to hunt down her nonfiction sources already. ]]> 4.14 2018
author: Signe Pike
name: Sam
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/04
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves:
review:
Oh. My God. Y'all are sleeping on this book. SLEEPING.

The Lost Queen unearths the story of the boy who would become known as Merlin through the eyes of his twin sister, Languoreth, destined to become a Queen in her own right, and I was not ready for it. This book slowly sinks into your bones like an oak tree spreading its roots until you're just so immersed in this world. I truly felt like I was in 6th c Britain to the point that well... can I go visit? I want to walk in the woods with Ariane, visit sacred grounds with Cathan, and go for a gallop on Fallah.

However, don't let these idyllic sounding adventures lull you into thinking this book is not full of tension. I was on the edge of my seat for every dangerous interaction involving any character because I loved them all, and no one felt safe. Seriously, it's a steady page turner because I just needed to get to the end where everyone would be happy and safe. Ha.

I will say that "dangerous interaction" may give you the wrong idea about what this book is. It's not a high action book full of battles. The dangers are much more subtle but no less worrisome. The villains are some of my most hated characters now. There is true evil in the depths of humanity.

Languoreth. The book takes place solely from her POV but never felt stunted for that. This is truly her story, and there's honestly nothing I love more than a woman lost to the footnotes of history finally being given her due. I see you, Queen. She's a girl living a bit of a sheltered life with a loving family, then forced into the intrigues of a court torn between Christianity and the Old Ways. I'm not going to lie and say I didn't want to shake her at times... but truly, I love her spirit and determination.

I don't know what else to say to encourage you to pick up a copy. If you love Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy or Shauna Lawless's Gael Song, then you need to read this book. If you're into all the Greek mythologies of forgotten women being published, then you need to come read about a forgotten Celtic Queen. I'm so in love that I'm trying to hunt down her nonfiction sources already.
]]> 210191773 Two graduate students must set aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul, perhaps at the cost of their own.

Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality—her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world—that is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.

Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands, and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams. Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the same conclusion.]]> 560 R.F. Kuang 0063021471 Sam 0 to-read 4.24 2025
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Sam
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 186442
"What makes de Lint's particular brand of fantasy so catchy is his attention to the ordinary. Like great writers of magic realism, he writes about people in the world we know, encountering magic as part of that world."-- Booklist


Read the other books in Brian Froud's Faerielands series, each one inspired by a piece of the famous artist's

Something Rich and Strange by Patricia A. McKillip
The Wood Wife by Terri Windling
Hannah's Garden by Midori Snyder]]> 205 Charles de Lint 0765302586 Sam 4
This novella follows Eithnie, a painter who's moved into the Canadian woods in hopes of rekindling the passion in her art. Instead, she comes face to face with the faerie instead.

I wanted to love this one as I typically love all of De Lints' works, but I think it's a bit obvious that this is an early work. The beginning is clunky and meandering, but I did think the end sharpened up to be exactly what I love about his works. Poetic, inspiring, and deeply connected to nature with a touch of faerie showing humanity what we've lost.

"Whatever we do makes a difference," Eithnie said. "Doesn't matter how small our efforts might seem to us. It'll still make a difference."
"But what about all the people who don't do anything or who don't do anything positive? Won't their actions, or lack of actions, cancel out the good we're trying to do?"
"I guess I'm thinking that it's also like dominoes. You know how when you knock one over, more and more fall, one after the other, until they all come down? Lorenz's theory assures me that what I do will make a difference. I can't tell how I can't predict when or where, but it will affect a change. I just have to concentrate on maintaining that effort so that one day, all the dominoes will come down in the right way."

While overall I ended up enjoying the novella, reading it in one sitting, it's not where I would recommend de Lints works. I would say read this if you're a fan, but if you're just starting out, read one of his newer works.

TW: miscarriage]]> 3.96 1994
author: Charles de Lint
name: Sam
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1994
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/26
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves:
review:
One of Charles de Lints' earlier works that I recently came across at Half Price Books. I was excited because it's hard to always track down his earlier stuff since it wasn't published as widely.

This novella follows Eithnie, a painter who's moved into the Canadian woods in hopes of rekindling the passion in her art. Instead, she comes face to face with the faerie instead.

I wanted to love this one as I typically love all of De Lints' works, but I think it's a bit obvious that this is an early work. The beginning is clunky and meandering, but I did think the end sharpened up to be exactly what I love about his works. Poetic, inspiring, and deeply connected to nature with a touch of faerie showing humanity what we've lost.

"Whatever we do makes a difference," Eithnie said. "Doesn't matter how small our efforts might seem to us. It'll still make a difference."
"But what about all the people who don't do anything or who don't do anything positive? Won't their actions, or lack of actions, cancel out the good we're trying to do?"
"I guess I'm thinking that it's also like dominoes. You know how when you knock one over, more and more fall, one after the other, until they all come down? Lorenz's theory assures me that what I do will make a difference. I can't tell how I can't predict when or where, but it will affect a change. I just have to concentrate on maintaining that effort so that one day, all the dominoes will come down in the right way."

While overall I ended up enjoying the novella, reading it in one sitting, it's not where I would recommend de Lints works. I would say read this if you're a fan, but if you're just starting out, read one of his newer works.

TW: miscarriage
]]> 62987104 A CAGE.

Owned by a ruthless Assassin Lord, Scarlett Monrhoe and her two sisters have been trained since they were children to torture and take life. They are the most feared trio on the continent, but they are also wild and unpredictable. A tragic night has Scarlett finding herself locked away in a noble's household, trapped and forgotten, until she's ready to fall into line.

A CHOICE.
Until the day she is presented with a job. If she completes the assignment, her payment will be something she has coveted for ten years. Revenge against the Fae Fire Prince who brutally killed her mother ten years ago. Is she willing to sacrifice her ideals for retribution?

A MYSTERY.
But when children begin disappearing from her home, all her plans are put on hold as she races to save the most innocent. With the help of old friends, a jilted lover, and a mysterious newcomer who claims the magic of the Fae is possible in the mortal lands, Scarlett delves into the darkest corners of the world. Forgotten secrets will come to light, and she will discover the darkness extends far beyond her own kingdom.

Lady of Darkness is a new adult, fantasy, enemies-to-lovers romance and adventure novel that will appeal to lovers of possessive Fae, wicked Witches, sexy Shifters, and arrogant Vampires. It may have triggers of love-hate themes, sexual scenes (both consensual and non), violence, and jealous/possessive themes.]]> 525 Melissa K. Roehrich Sam 0 to-read 3.98 2020
author: Melissa K. Roehrich
name: Sam
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217387935 Naomi Novik's Scholomance series meets Plain Bad Heroines in this sapphic dark academia fantasy by instant national and international bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards.

"Look at you, eating magic like you're one of us."

Doctor Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood Academy and one of the most powerful magicians in England. Her days consist of meetings, teaching A-Level Invocation to four talented, chaotic sixth formers, more meetings, and securing the school's boundaries from demonic incursions.

Walden is good at her job―no, Walden is great at her job. But demons are masters of manipulation. It’s her responsibility to keep her school with its six hundred students and centuries-old legacy safe. And it’s possible the entity Walden most needs to keep her school safe from―is herself.]]> 432 Emily Tesh 1250835011 Sam 0 to-read 4.31 2025
author: Emily Tesh
name: Sam
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217182392 From an electrifying new voice in epic fantasy comes The Raven Scholar, a masterfully woven and playfully inventive tale of imperial intrigue, cutthroat competition, and one scholar’s quest to uncover the truth.

Let us fly now to the empire of Orrun, where after twenty-four years of peace, Bersun the Brusque must end his reign. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven contenders compete to replace him. They are exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists—the best of the best.

Then one of them is murdered.

It falls to Neema Kraa, the emperor’s brilliant, idiosyncratic High Scholar, to find the killer before the trials end. To do so, she must untangle a web of deadly secrets that stretches back generations, all while competing against six warriors with their own dark histories and fierce ambitions. Neema believes she is alone. But we are here to help; all she has to do is let us in.

If she succeeds, she will win the throne. If she fails, death awaits her. But we won’t let that happen.

We are the Raven, and we are magnificent.]]> 672 Antonia Hodgson 0316577227 Sam 0 to-read 4.69 2025
author: Antonia Hodgson
name: Sam
average rating: 4.69
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58885776 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780593336489.

Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors in the industry, and she has a problem—after a terrible breakup, she no longer believes in love. It’s as good as dead.

When her new editor, a too-handsome mountain of a man, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. But then she gets a phone call she never wanted to receive, and she must return home for the first time in a decade to help her family bury her beloved father.

For ten years, she’s run from the town that never understood her, and even though she misses the sound of a warm Southern night and her eccentric, loving family and their funeral parlor, she can’t bring herself to stay. Even with her father gone, it feels like nothing in this town has changed. And she hates it.

Until she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor’s front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he’s just as confused about why he’s there as she is.

Romance is most certainly dead... but so is her new editor, and his unfinished business will have her second-guessing everything she’s ever known about love stories.

A disillusioned millennial ghostwriter who, quite literally, has some ghosts of her own, has to find her way back home in this sparkling adult debut from national bestselling author Ashley Poston.]]> 368 Ashley Poston Sam 0 to-read 3.90 2022
author: Ashley Poston
name: Sam
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62926938 An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.

Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.

So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone—she isn’t sure her heart can take it.

And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again.

Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future.

Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed.

After all, love is never a matter of time—but a matter of timing.]]> 336 Ashley Poston Sam 5
I think if I had read this book in one sitting, I would have been obsessed. I was all in for the beginning. I quickly slipped into Clementime's world, granted it's just like mine but New York, but it's cute and catchy with a woman trying to pretend she's OK while fighting grief, trying to figure out if this is really the life she wants to be living.

I also loved the magical realism: an apartment that slips 7 years into the past or future when it feels like it or when the occupant needs it and what Clementine needed was a reconnection to what makes her feel alive.

The romance is cute. I instantly fell for the love at the wrong timing vibe. Give me a touch of angst, and I'm sold.

What didn't work so well for me was the last 1/3 or so of the book. I think this book is more than the romance. It's about finding yourself, grief, how people change and yet remain the same, and that life is too short. I just felt like the themes could have used a bit more time to be fulfilled by the end aka it's a bit rushed. I wanted Clementine to just... feel a bit more.

Overall, this was a perfect palette cleanser. The right book at the right timing.

TW: Suicide]]> 4.18 2023
author: Ashley Poston
name: Sam
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/25
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves:
review:
4.5 but rounding up.

I think if I had read this book in one sitting, I would have been obsessed. I was all in for the beginning. I quickly slipped into Clementime's world, granted it's just like mine but New York, but it's cute and catchy with a woman trying to pretend she's OK while fighting grief, trying to figure out if this is really the life she wants to be living.

I also loved the magical realism: an apartment that slips 7 years into the past or future when it feels like it or when the occupant needs it and what Clementine needed was a reconnection to what makes her feel alive.

The romance is cute. I instantly fell for the love at the wrong timing vibe. Give me a touch of angst, and I'm sold.

What didn't work so well for me was the last 1/3 or so of the book. I think this book is more than the romance. It's about finding yourself, grief, how people change and yet remain the same, and that life is too short. I just felt like the themes could have used a bit more time to be fulfilled by the end aka it's a bit rushed. I wanted Clementine to just... feel a bit more.

Overall, this was a perfect palette cleanser. The right book at the right timing.

TW: Suicide
]]> 228175359 The future of storytelling is here.

Life has thrown Zelu some curveballs over the years, but when she's suddenly dropped from her university job and her latest novel is rejected, all in the middle of her sister's wedding, her life is upended. Disabled, unemployed and from a nosy, high-achieving, judgmental family, she's not sure what comes next.

In her hotel room that night, she takes the risk that will define her life - she decides to write a book VERY unlike her others. A science fiction drama about androids and AI after the extinction of humanity. And everything changes.

What follows is a tale of love and loss, fame and infamy, of extraordinary events in one world, and another. And as Zelu's life evolves, the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur.

Because sometimes a story really does have the power to reshape the world.]]> Nnedi Okorafor 0063391171 Sam 0 to-read 4.07 2025
author: Nnedi Okorafor
name: Sam
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 208430658 Magic has made the city of Tiran an industrial utopia, but magic has a cost—and the collectors have come calling.

An orphan since the age of four, Sciona has always had more to prove than her fellow students. For twenty years, she has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry. When she finally claws her way up the ranks to become a highmage, however, she finds that her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues will stop at nothing to let her know she is unwelcome, beginning with giving her a janitor instead of a qualified lab assistant.

What neither Sciona nor her peers realize is that her taciturn assistant was once more than a janitor; before he mopped floors for the mages, Thomil was a nomadic hunter from beyond Tiran’s magical barrier. Ten years have passed since he survived the perilous crossing that killed his family. But working for a highmage, he sees the opportunity to finally understand the forces that decimated his tribe, drove him from his homeland, and keep the Tiranish in power.

Through their fractious relationship, mage and outsider uncover an ancient secret that could change the course of magic forever—if it doesn’t get them killed first. Sciona has defined her life by the pursuit of truth, but how much is one truth worth with the fate of civilization in the balance?

A standalone dark academia brimming with mystery, tragedy, and the damning echoes of the past. For fans of Leigh Bardugo, V. E. Schwab, and Fullmetal Alchemist.

(Content warnings for gore, sexual assault, and suicidal ideation)]]> 430 M.L. Wang 0593873351 Sam 5
But anyway, this is a book review, and this book is magnificent, and yet I see how maybe it's not for everyone. It's in your face with the cruelties of our world mirrored into a fantasy land, and yet it's not bashing you about the head with them. It's a knife slipping between your ribs in the dark. If you don't like it, may I be so bold as to say you're missing many of the points currently? *gestures wildly* Or maybe you just prefer to be oblivious.

Is Sciona likable? Not really, and yet I love her. She rails against sexism while being racist herself. Oh, the delicious irony. Yet it's the fact that she comes face to face with her own delusions and doesn't back down from them that makes her to me. Sciona is all Ego, and Ego will push her to any finish line. She's human. She has and will make mistakes, but confronting oneself and learning is what makes someone a good human.

Then there's Thumil. In a society forcing women into the role of demure wives may there always be men like Thumil. I love his pragmatism. I love his stubborn loyalty to his tribe.

And then there's Carra. Carra, the flamed haired hope for the future. Carra, the sass, the fire, the strength, and yet still the love and laughter. I may have rolled my eyes sometimes in my English classes at demanding meaning from everything, but I truly think there's a reason her wild red hair is mentioned so often.

I focused on the characters because that's what makes or breaks a book for me, but the prose, the pacing, the plot. A's across the the board. If I have one nitpick, it's that the understanding of the magic system in the beginning is a little dumpy and clunky. I'll never understand why glossaries are in the back because I don't want to look for fear of spoilers. (Thanks a lot, Pierce Brown) It was never horrible, but there was a moment of ruh roh wondering I'd catch on, and it would smooth out. Spoiler alert: I did, and it did. ]]> 4.40 2023
author: M.L. Wang
name: Sam
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/19
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves:
review:
How do you rate a book like this? There aren't enough stars in the night sky. Reading things like this makes me sad that I'm not a better writer. I wish to convey, to drive points home, to make people feel, to give people hope. I wanna point out systemic evils and drive light into the darkness.

But anyway, this is a book review, and this book is magnificent, and yet I see how maybe it's not for everyone. It's in your face with the cruelties of our world mirrored into a fantasy land, and yet it's not bashing you about the head with them. It's a knife slipping between your ribs in the dark. If you don't like it, may I be so bold as to say you're missing many of the points currently? *gestures wildly* Or maybe you just prefer to be oblivious.

Is Sciona likable? Not really, and yet I love her. She rails against sexism while being racist herself. Oh, the delicious irony. Yet it's the fact that she comes face to face with her own delusions and doesn't back down from them that makes her to me. Sciona is all Ego, and Ego will push her to any finish line. She's human. She has and will make mistakes, but confronting oneself and learning is what makes someone a good human.

Then there's Thumil. In a society forcing women into the role of demure wives may there always be men like Thumil. I love his pragmatism. I love his stubborn loyalty to his tribe.

And then there's Carra. Carra, the flamed haired hope for the future. Carra, the sass, the fire, the strength, and yet still the love and laughter. I may have rolled my eyes sometimes in my English classes at demanding meaning from everything, but I truly think there's a reason her wild red hair is mentioned so often.

I focused on the characters because that's what makes or breaks a book for me, but the prose, the pacing, the plot. A's across the the board. If I have one nitpick, it's that the understanding of the magic system in the beginning is a little dumpy and clunky. I'll never understand why glossaries are in the back because I don't want to look for fear of spoilers. (Thanks a lot, Pierce Brown) It was never horrible, but there was a moment of ruh roh wondering I'd catch on, and it would smooth out. Spoiler alert: I did, and it did.
]]> 211721797 The third installment in the heartwarming and enchanting Emily Wilde series, about a curmudgeonly scholar of folklore and the fae prince she loves.

Emily Wilde has spent her life studying faeries. A renowned dryadologist, she has documented hundreds of species of Folk in her Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Now she is about to embark on her most dangerous academic project studying the inner workings of a faerie realm—as its queen.

Along with her former academic rival—now fiancé—the dashing and mercurial Wendell Bambleby, Emily is immediately thrust into the deadly intrigues of Faerie as the two of them seize the throne of Wendell’s long-lost kingdom, which Emily finds a beautiful nightmare filled with scholarly treasures.

Emily has been obsessed with faerie stories her entire life, but at first she feels as ill-suited to Faerie as she did to the mortal How can an unassuming scholar such as herself pass for a queen? Yet there is little time to settle in, for Wendell’s murderous stepmother has placed a deadly curse upon the land before vanishing without a trace. It will take all of Wendell’s magic—and Emily’s knowledge of stories—to unravel the mystery before they lose everything they hold dear.]]> 358 Heather Fawcett 0593500229 Sam 4
I'm not sure what the fault was here. A bit of a difference in plot setup? While there's still a sort of faerie mystery about, it felt different from the previous mysteries. This is vague because I'm struggling to articulate how or what the difference is, but I kind of appreciated the setup and subsequent mystery to solve the first and second books. This one felt... too easy? Too rushed? Not as set in faerie lore? Unsure exactly. All I know is that I wasn't as into the plot this time.

I also felt like there was a bit of a step back to Emily and Wendell. Wendell was more of a secondary character almost here, and he didn't feel that involved with the book. He kind of had his own things and just wasn't the same... well, Wendell. I think this is sometimes just the struggle when two characters are together and usually why romance books are more about people falling in love than staying in it.

I did, however, still love Emily, and she kept the book going for me. The same plucky dry smart academia woman of the first books, and she continues as proof that I don't only love sword wielding fighter FMCs. ]]> 4.21 2025
author: Heather Fawcett
name: Sam
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/16
date added: 2025/03/16
shelves:
review:
I loved books 1 and 2, and I've been so excited to read book 3 since i got my grubby little paws on it. Unfortunately, it didn't hit quite as hard as the first two. Alas. I still enjoyed my time reading it, but I wasn't as all in.

I'm not sure what the fault was here. A bit of a difference in plot setup? While there's still a sort of faerie mystery about, it felt different from the previous mysteries. This is vague because I'm struggling to articulate how or what the difference is, but I kind of appreciated the setup and subsequent mystery to solve the first and second books. This one felt... too easy? Too rushed? Not as set in faerie lore? Unsure exactly. All I know is that I wasn't as into the plot this time.

I also felt like there was a bit of a step back to Emily and Wendell. Wendell was more of a secondary character almost here, and he didn't feel that involved with the book. He kind of had his own things and just wasn't the same... well, Wendell. I think this is sometimes just the struggle when two characters are together and usually why romance books are more about people falling in love than staying in it.

I did, however, still love Emily, and she kept the book going for me. The same plucky dry smart academia woman of the first books, and she continues as proof that I don't only love sword wielding fighter FMCs.
]]> 222376665 The next novella in the New York Times bestselling Sworn Soldier series, featuring Alex Easton investigating the dark, mysterious depths of a coal mine in America

Alex Easton does not want to visit America.

They particularly do not want to visit an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia with a reputation for being haunted.

But when their old friend Dr. Denton summons them to help find his lost cousin—who went missing in that very mine—well, sometimes a sworn soldier has to do what a sworn soldier has to do...]]> 192 T. Kingfisher 1250354927 Sam 0 to-read 5.00 2025
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Sam
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211665070 Follow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters who cannot be separated, even in death.

“Oh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.��

In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family.

There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family’s latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees.

But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters�� bond but also their lives will be at risk…]]> 144 Amal El-Mohtar 1250341094 Sam 0 to-read 4.19 2025
author: Amal El-Mohtar
name: Sam
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217388174 A new Queer, Asian-inspired fantasy novella about a renowned dragon slayer who never takes her armor off in public, Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame reads like She Who Became the Sun meets The Mandalorian, with dragons!

The fiercely independent nation of Quanbao is isolated, reclusive, and something of a mystery to the rest of the world. It is rumored that there, dragons are not feared as is right and proper but instead loved and worshiped.

Yeva is perhaps a strange emissary to these people. Not only because their face has never been seen in public, but because they are a hero born to a birthright that makes them suited for their task—hunting dragons.

And so the dragon hunter must woo Quanbao's queen—the Lady Sookhee—to understand what secrets she is hiding. A woman reasonably suspicious of Yeva's intentions, and the imperial might of the throne she represents, Sookhee bears the burden of the safety of her entire people. How can she trust this stranger newly arrived to her court, a weapon forged in blood and fire, to understand what her people need and how best to safeguard their future?

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.]]> 176 Neon Yang 1250357349 Sam 0 to-read 3.97 2025
author: Neon Yang
name: Sam
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214229691 From an outstanding new voice in cozy fantasy comes��Greenteeth,��a ��tale of fae, folklore, and found family, narrated by a charismatic lake-dwelling monster with a voice unlike any other, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher.

Beneath the still surface of a lake lurks a monster with needle sharp teeth. Hungry and ready to pounce.

Jenny Greenteeth has never spoken to a human before, but when a witch is thrown into her lake, something makes Jenny decide she's worth saving. Temperance doesn't know why her village has suddenly turned against her, only that it has something to do with the malevolent new pastor.

Though they have nothing in common, these two must band together on a magical quest to defeat the evil that threatens Jenny's lake and Temperance's family, as well as the very soul of Britain.]]> 304 Molly O'Neill Sam 0 to-read 4.01 2025
author: Molly O'Neill
name: Sam
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211004130 Don't Sleep with the Dead, a standalone companion novella to The Chosen and the Beautiful, her acclaimed reimagining of The Great Gatsby.

Nick Carraway―paper soldier and novelist―has found a life and a living watching the mad magical spectacle of New York high society in the late thirties. He's good at watching, and he's even better at pretending: pretending to be straight, pretending to be human, pretending he's forgotten the events of that summer in 1922.

On the eve of the second World War, however, Nick learns that someone's been watching him pretend and that memory goes both ways. When he sees a familiar face at a club one night, it quickly becomes clear that dead or not, damned or not, Jay Gatsby isn't done with him.

In all paper there is memory, and Nick's ghost has come home.]]> 112 Nghi Vo 125036261X Sam 0 to-read 3.78 2025
author: Nghi Vo
name: Sam
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219134676 From World Fantasy Award-winning author Tasha Suri comes The Isle in the Silver Sea, a heart-shattering romantasy of sapphic longing, medieval folklore and a love that spans the centuries.

In a Britain fuelled by stories, the knight and the witch are fated to fall in love and doom each other over and over, the same tale retold over hundreds of lifetimes.

Simran is a witch of the woods. Vina is a knight of the Queen's court. When the two women begin to fall for each other, how can they surrender to their desires, when to give in is to destroy each other?

As they seek a way to break the cycle, a mysterious assassin begins targeting tales like theirs. To survive, the two will need to write a story stronger than the one that fate has given to them.

But what tale is stronger than The Knight and the Witch?]]> 384 Tasha Suri 0356524418 Sam 0 to-read 4.67 2025
author: Tasha Suri
name: Sam
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211004190
It's a whole new moooooon.

One day soon, suddenly and without explanation, the moon as we know it is replaced with an orb of cheese with the exact same mass. Through the length of an entire lunar cycle, from new moon to a spectacular and possibly final solar eclipse, we follow multiple characters -- schoolkids and scientists, billionaires and workers, preachers and politicians -- as they confront the strange new world they live in, and the absurd, impossible moon that now hangs above all their lives.]]> 326 John Scalzi 0765389096 Sam 0 to-read 3.93 2025
author: John Scalzi
name: Sam
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220513519
The peace of Heartwood is shattered when a group of soldiers descends, under orders from the Ruler of the Northlands. Their to hack a path through the forest and find the fabled treasure said to lie deep within. Under the grueling decree, Stasya’s village falls into chaos. The task is clearly impossible. The forest is alive with bears and wolves, and the old tales speak of evil spirits, monsters and uncanny beings. Nobody has ever gone deep into Heartwood Forest and returned safe and well.

When Stasya raises her voice in protest she is removed from her beloved home and transported to court �� a different world. Word of her special skills has reached the Ruler’s ears, and Lady Elisabeta has a job for her. But Stasya will not break her vow to protect the forest, even under the most appalling threat. Help comes from an unlikely quarter.
Secrets abound; dangers lie everywhere; and it is hard to tell friend from foe. As Stasya and her band of unlikely allies embark on a perilous mission, it becomes apparent that uncanny forces may indeed be involved. Maybe the old tales of the Hermit are true.]]> 433 Juliet Marillier 1763662535 Sam 0 to-read 4.03 2025
author: Juliet Marillier
name: Sam
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215124421
But when Lukan’s past catches up with him, his key to the vault ends up in the hands of a mysterious thief known only as the Rook. As Lukan and his companions race to recover the key, they soon find themselves trapped in a web of murder and deceit. In desperation, Lukan requests the help of Lady Marni Volkova, scion to Korslakov’s most powerful family.

Yet Lady Marni has secrets of her own. Worse, she has plans for Lukan and his friends. Plans that involve a journey into Korslakov’s dark past, in search of a long-lost alchemical formula that could prove to be the city’s greatest discovery . . . or its destruction.]]> James Logan Sam 0 to-read 5.00 2025
author: James Logan
name: Sam
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62064986
While his title may be gone, his duties are not. Celehar contends with a municipal cemetery with fifty years of secrets, the damage of a revethavar he’s terrified to remember, and a group of miners who are more than willing to trade Celehar’s life for a chance at what they feel they’re owed.

Celehar does not have to face these impossible tasks alone. Joining him are his mentee Velhiro Tomasaran, still finding her footing with the investigative nature of their job; Iäna Pel-Thenhior, his beloved opera director friend and avid supporter; and the valiant guard captain Hanu Olgarezh.

Amidst the backdrop of a murder and a brewing political uprising, Celehar must seek justice for those who cannot find it themselves under a tense political system. The repercussions of his quest are never as simple they seem, and Celehar’s own life and happiness hang in the balance.]]> Katherine Addison Sam 0 to-read 4.35 2025
author: Katherine Addison
name: Sam
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222376572 Return to the cozy fantasy world of the #1 New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes series with a new adventure featuring fan-favorite, foul-mouthed bookseller, Fern.

Fern has weathered the stillness and storms of a bookseller’s life for decades, but now, in the face of crippling ennui, transplants herself to the city of Thune to hang out her shingle beside a long-absent friend’s coffee shop. What could be a better pairing? Surely a charming renovation montage will cure what ails her!

If only things were so simple��

It turns out that fixing your life isn’t a one-time prospect, nor as easy as a change of scenery and a lick of paint.

A drunken and desperate night sees the rattkin waking far from home in the company of a legendary warrior surviving on inertia, an imprisoned chaos-goblin with a fondness for silverware, and an absolutely thumping hangover.

As together they fend off a rogue’s gallery of ne’er-do-wells trying to claim the bounty the goblin represents, Fern may finally reconnect with the person she actually is when there isn’t a job to get in the way.]]> 336 Travis Baldree 1250334888 Sam 0 to-read 4.03 2025
author: Travis Baldree
name: Sam
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217388100
Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.]]> 384 Sarah Beth Durst 1250333989 Sam 0 to-read 4.43 2025
author: Sarah Beth Durst
name: Sam
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217388302 From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Hemlock & Silver, a dark reimagining of “Snow White�� steeped in poison, intrigue, and treason of the most magical kind.

Healer Anja knows little of politics but much of poisons. When she is summoned to treat the mysterious illness afflicting the king’s daughter, she finds herself against the clock, desperate to track down the source of the poison killing Princess Snow. But the chance discovery of a strange alternate world inside a magic mirror leads Anja to darker discoveries, including what really happened to Snow’s dead sister, Rose, and why their mother seemingly went mad and cut out her heart.

Aided by a taciturn bodyguard, a narcissistic cat, and a late Renaissance understanding of the scientific method, Anja must navigate the mysteries of the mirror world before the dark queen that dwells within rises to threaten them all.]]> 368 T. Kingfisher 1250342031 Sam 0 to-read 4.34 2025
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Sam
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 210223811 Two graduate students must set aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul, perhaps at the cost of their own.

Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality—her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world—that is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.

Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands, and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams. Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the same conclusion.]]> 400 R.F. Kuang Sam 0 to-read 4.12 2025
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Sam
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 224970641
In this gritty, haunting tale about doing whatever it takes for love, a small-town storyteller resolves to keep the local monster—and her own secrets—safe from a legendary knight.

Nestled deep in the steep hills, valleys, and surrounding woodlands lies Iron Hollow, a rural community beset by demons. Such horrors are common in the outlands, where most folks die young, if they don’t turn into monsters first. But what’s causing these transformations?

No one has the answer, not even the town’s oral historian, seventeen-year-old Shrike. And when a legendary knight is summoned to hunt down the latest beast to haunt their woods, Shrike has more reason than most to be concerned. Because that demon was her wife. And while Shrike is certain that May still recognizes her—that May is still human, somewhere beneath it all—she can’t prove it.

Determined to keep May safe, Shrike stalks the knight and his demon-hunting hawk through the recesses of the forest. But as they creep through toxic creeks and overgrown kudzu, Shrike realizes the knight has a secret of his own. And he’ll do anything to protect it.]]> 36 Alix E. Harrow 1662527233 Sam 0 to-read 4.07 2025
author: Alix E. Harrow
name: Sam
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 210395729 The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue meets This is How You Lose The Time War in this fantastical love story that defies death as two souls reincarnate through the centuries.

They've loved each other in a thousand lifetimes. They've killed each other in every one.

Evelyn remembers all her past lives. She also remembers that in every single one, she’s been murdered before her eighteenth birthday by Arden, a supernatural being whose soul―and survival―is tethered to hers.

The problem is that she’s quite fond of the life she’s in now, and her little sister needs her for bone marrow transplants in order to stay alive. If Evelyn wants to save her sister, she’ll have to:

1. Find the centuries-old devil who hunts her through each life―before they find her first.
2. Figure out why she’s being hunted and finally break their curse.
3. Try not to fall in love.]]> 352 Laura Steven 1250333881 Sam 0 to-read 3.80 2025
author: Laura Steven
name: Sam
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 213243908 A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.

Aiden Valentine has a secret: he's fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore's romance hotline, that's a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.

Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life-or lack thereof—she begins to question if she's as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending... even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.]]> 448 B.K. Borison 0593641191 Sam 0 to-read 4.09 2025
author: B.K. Borison
name: Sam
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222376983 With the awakening of fire-breathing dragons, Among the Burning Flowers sees the first sparks of danger that threaten to consume the world in The Priory of the Orange Tree.

Take your first steps into the epic.
Yscalin, land of sunshine and lavender, will soon be ablaze.

It has been centuries since the Draconic Army took wing, almost extinguishing humankind.

Marosa Vetalda is a prisoner in her own home, controlled by her cold father, King Sigoso. Over the mountains, her betrothed, Aubrecht Lievelyn, rules Mentendon in all but name. Together, they intend to usher in a better world.

A better world seems impossibly distant to Estina Melaugo, who hunts the Draconic beasts that have slept across the world for centuries.

And now the great wyrm Fýredel is stirring, and Yscalin will be the first to fall . . .

A story of human resilience in the face of dire circumstances, Among the Burning Flowers leads readers through the gripping and tragic circumstances that pave the way for the opening of the million-copy bestseller The Priory of The Orange Tree.

Richly illustrated with magical artwork by Rovina Cai (@rovinacai).]]> 288 Samantha Shannon 1639736018 Sam 0 to-read 4.33 2025
author: Samantha Shannon
name: Sam
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 205044632 A woman on the run. A crew of Viking mercenaries. A forbidden romance. And the secret which threatens them all.

Silla Nordvig is running for her life.

The queen of Íseldur has sent warriors to bring Silla to Sunnavík, where death awaits her. When her father is killed, his last words set Silla on a perilous quest: travel the treacherous Road of Bones–a thousand-mile stretch haunted by warbands, creatures of darkness, and a mysterious murderer–and go to Kopa, where a shield-house awaits her.

After barely surviving the first stretch of road, a desperate Silla sneaks into a supply wagon belonging to the notorious Bloodaxe Crew. To make it to Kopa, she must win over Axe Eyes, the brooding leader of the Crew, while avoiding the Wolf, his distractingly handsome right-hand man. But the queen’s ruthless assassin has other plans and hunts Silla obsessively.

Will Silla make it safely to Kopa? Or will she fall prey to the perils of the Road of Bones?

Featuring an immersive world blending fairy tale with Vikings, The Road of Bones leads you on an adrenaline-fueled chase with fun banter and a slow-building enemies to lovers romance. The first book in the Ashen Series, you are one click away from reading it!]]> 500 Demi Winters 173899600X Sam 3 4.21 2023
author: Demi Winters
name: Sam
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/13
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves:
review:
That was... hm... that was something.
]]> 209753199 The first in a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romantasy duology featuring a scholarly healer and a gentleman assassin, set in an exquisite fantasy world, perfect for fans of The Love Hypothesis and Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

Osric Mordaunt, member of the Fyren Order of assassins, is in dire need of healing. Naturally �� such is the grim comedy of fate �� the only healer who can help is Aurienne Fairhrim, preeminent scientist, bastion of moral good, and member of an enemy Order.

Aurienne is desperate for funding to heal the sick - so desperate that, when Osric bribes her to help him, she accepts, even if she detests him and everything he stands for.

A forced collaboration ensues: the brilliant Woman in STEM is coerced into working with the PhD in Murders, much to Aurienne's disgust. As Osric and Aurienne work together to heal his illness and investigate the mysterious reoccurrence of a deadly pox, they find themselves ardently denying their attraction, which only fuels the heat between them.

Romance tropes
Enemies to lovers
High interaction slow burn
Hypercompetent idiots
He falls first and harder
Evisceration as a love language]]> 416 Brigitte Knightley 0356524736 Sam 4
I was super excited to hear Dramione fanfic is getting revamped in order to be traditionally published but also hella worried. There's so much history of the HP world that fanfic relies on and isn't easily invented and added to an existing work. For me, that's exactly where Irresistible Urge falls short. It's an enemies to lovers slow burn without the delicious tension necessary for a slow burn because these characters aren't actually enemies; it's just that their respective Orders happen to hate each other. There's no backstory of Draco and Hermione to give you those feels and interesting dynamics because even the fact that those two are in the same room together is a Thing. That just doesn't exist in this story, nor was anything new built in to give you the same vibes. Healers are just good, and Assassins are bad because obvi.

I will say it's cute and funny in a romcom sort of way with maybe some Butcher and Blackbird vibes in that's there's "gore" and murder but everything remains lighthearted and silly. There are inns named things like the Randy Unicorn and clinics for things like ripped nipples. It's fine. I smirked, but it's almost overdone unless you just go with the flow that this world is rather... weird. I chose to go with the flow and imagine a silly world.

The worldbuilding is minimal. It's an England that exists if William the Conqueror had lost. Lots of Celtic names for things as if the Anglo-Saxons hadn't still existed? But let's not murky things just because I know history. ]]> 4.24 2025
author: Brigitte Knightley
name: Sam
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/10
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves:
review:
It's probably more of a 3.5 that I'm rounding up because I felt like it got better and ended on a high.

I was super excited to hear Dramione fanfic is getting revamped in order to be traditionally published but also hella worried. There's so much history of the HP world that fanfic relies on and isn't easily invented and added to an existing work. For me, that's exactly where Irresistible Urge falls short. It's an enemies to lovers slow burn without the delicious tension necessary for a slow burn because these characters aren't actually enemies; it's just that their respective Orders happen to hate each other. There's no backstory of Draco and Hermione to give you those feels and interesting dynamics because even the fact that those two are in the same room together is a Thing. That just doesn't exist in this story, nor was anything new built in to give you the same vibes. Healers are just good, and Assassins are bad because obvi.

I will say it's cute and funny in a romcom sort of way with maybe some Butcher and Blackbird vibes in that's there's "gore" and murder but everything remains lighthearted and silly. There are inns named things like the Randy Unicorn and clinics for things like ripped nipples. It's fine. I smirked, but it's almost overdone unless you just go with the flow that this world is rather... weird. I chose to go with the flow and imagine a silly world.

The worldbuilding is minimal. It's an England that exists if William the Conqueror had lost. Lots of Celtic names for things as if the Anglo-Saxons hadn't still existed? But let's not murky things just because I know history.
]]> 198678954
Yet old Beran has no love of bards' songs. Nor of people, unless they are paying him to steal or kill. He is a mercenary, in the employ of the cutthroat Nabor ap Nabor, and he has been ordered to murder a boy fleeing a burning city. No ordinary boy either. No, this boy is the son of King Constantine and the grandson of High King Ambrosius. And he could be the hope of Britain . . . if he lives.

Betraying his companions and returning to a world he thought he had left forever, Beran gives his word that he will take the boy to the one place that still holds out against the Camelot.

Crossing a hostile land, they will meet the runaway lovers, Tristan and Isolde. They will seek the help of Guivret, called the Little King, and the Saracen, Palamedes, who once rode beneath Arthur's banner.

Hunted by Saxons, Nabor ap Nabor, and Queen Morgana, this unlikely band must fight for their lives and for each other. For if there's to be any hope for Britain, Beran must deliver the boy to Camelot. But to do that, he must also face his own past . . .]]> 505 Giles Kristian 1473595258 Sam 4
And yet... it's almost so at odds with everything you think you know about Arthur that I feel... well, let down is not the answer but just like... this isn't how it's supposed to end. I wanted more of a blaze of glory, which is so often how the tale is told, but who's to say that's right? Why can't Arthur have had this ending instead.

Sorry for all the ellipses, I'm just very in my feelings right now and unsure what to say without spoilers. This feels like the grimmest thing I've read in a long time, and I'm very melancholy for having finished it. It's also one of the most brilliant things I've read, and I can't deny the power Giles Kristian has with words. Dude knows how to invoke imagery and cut to the soul.

I will say I thought there was a bit of a pacing issue, but that might also have been the dual timeline. Again, I struggle with them, and that's a personal issue. I appreciated the chance at the end of the tale to get to see Arthur in the glory of his youth. I almost wish this book had been longer, though, because I would have enjoyed even more flashbacks. But again, that's me thriving in the tale of Arthur, the hero, I know and love.

I will also say you all are sleeping on this trilogy and this author. I'm off to order his entire backlog, maybe even including his contemporary thriller, because this series has made a fangirl out of me. He's so good at small evocative moments between characters, and his poetic descriptions are next level. I don't think you have to be an Arthur fan to enjoy these books because the tales are spun so uniquely it almost made me struggle to sort how I think things were supposed to go. Anyway I can't wait to reread these books and I suppose that's probably all you need to know.]]> 4.50 2024
author: Giles Kristian
name: Sam
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/06
date added: 2025/03/07
shelves:
review:
I... I just don't know how to feel. In a way, this book is mesmerizing and haunting. It feels burned into me. I feel dead for having finished it... or did it finish me?

And yet... it's almost so at odds with everything you think you know about Arthur that I feel... well, let down is not the answer but just like... this isn't how it's supposed to end. I wanted more of a blaze of glory, which is so often how the tale is told, but who's to say that's right? Why can't Arthur have had this ending instead.

Sorry for all the ellipses, I'm just very in my feelings right now and unsure what to say without spoilers. This feels like the grimmest thing I've read in a long time, and I'm very melancholy for having finished it. It's also one of the most brilliant things I've read, and I can't deny the power Giles Kristian has with words. Dude knows how to invoke imagery and cut to the soul.

I will say I thought there was a bit of a pacing issue, but that might also have been the dual timeline. Again, I struggle with them, and that's a personal issue. I appreciated the chance at the end of the tale to get to see Arthur in the glory of his youth. I almost wish this book had been longer, though, because I would have enjoyed even more flashbacks. But again, that's me thriving in the tale of Arthur, the hero, I know and love.

I will also say you all are sleeping on this trilogy and this author. I'm off to order his entire backlog, maybe even including his contemporary thriller, because this series has made a fangirl out of me. He's so good at small evocative moments between characters, and his poetic descriptions are next level. I don't think you have to be an Arthur fan to enjoy these books because the tales are spun so uniquely it almost made me struggle to sort how I think things were supposed to go. Anyway I can't wait to reread these books and I suppose that's probably all you need to know.
]]> 54017820 Once upon a time, there was a horrible girl...

Vanja Schmidt knows that no gift is freely given, not even a mother’s love―and she’s on the hook for one hell of a debt. Vanja, the adopted goddaughter of Death and Fortune, was Princess Gisele's dutiful servant up until a year ago. That was when Vanja’s otherworldly mothers demanded a terrible price for their care, and Vanja decided to steal her future back�� by stealing Gisele’s life for herself.

The real Gisele is left a penniless nobody while Vanja uses an enchanted string of pearls to take her place. Now, Vanja leads a lonely but lucrative double life as princess and jewel thief, charming nobility while emptying their coffers to fund her great escape. Then, one heist away from freedom, Vanja crosses the wrong god and is cursed to an untimely end: turning into jewels, stone by stone, for her greed.

Vanja has just two weeks to figure out how to break her curse and make her getaway. And with a feral guardian half-god, Gisele’s sinister fiancé, and an overeager junior detective on Vanja’s tail, she’ll have to pull the biggest grift yet to save her own life.]]> 512 Margaret Owen 1250191904 Sam 4 4.24 2021
author: Margaret Owen
name: Sam
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/26
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves:
review:
Oh man, I found a YA novel to enjoy. Who am I?
]]> 222361642 From New York Times bestselling author of the Empire of the Vampire and Empire of the Damned, Jay Kristoff, comes the epic conclusion to the #1 internationally bestselling series.

From holy cup comes holy light;
The faithful hand sets world aright.
And in the Seven Martyrs�� sight,
Mere man shall end this endless night.

Gabriel de León has lost his family, his faith, and his last hope of ending the endless night—the Holy Grail, Dior. With no desire left but vengeance, he and a band of loyal brothers journey into the war-torn heart of the Augustin Empire to claim the life of the Forever King.

Unbeknownst to the Last Silversaint, the Grail still lives—speeding towards Augustin’s besieged capital in the frail hope of ending Daysdeath forever. But deadly treachery awaits within the halls of power, and the Forever King’s legions march ever closer. Gabriel and Dior will be drawn into a final battle that will shape the very fate of the Empire, but as the sun sets for what may be the last time, there will be no-one left for them to trust.

Not even each other.]]> Jay Kristoff 1250245389 Sam 0 to-read 4.69 2025
author: Jay Kristoff
name: Sam
average rating: 4.69
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 212174157 From an electrifying new voice in epic fantasy comes The Raven Scholar, a masterfully woven and playfully inventive tale of imperial intrigue, cutthroat competition, and one scholar’s quest to uncover the truth.

Let us fly now to the empire of Orrun, where after twenty-four years of peace, Bersun the Brusque must end his reign. In the dizzying heat of mid-summer, seven contenders compete to replace him. They are exceptional warriors, thinkers, strategists—the best of the best.

Then one of them is murdered.

It falls to Neema Kraa, the emperor’s brilliant, idiosyncratic High Scholar, to find the killer before the trials end. To do so, she must untangle a web of deadly secrets that stretches back generations, all while competing against six warriors with their own dark histories and fierce ambitions. Neema believes she is alone. But we are here to help; all she has to do is let us in.

If she succeeds, she will win the throne. If she fails, death awaits her. But we won’t let that happen.

We are the Raven, and we are magnificent.]]> 656 Antonia Hodgson 152933988X Sam 0 to-read 4.49 2025
author: Antonia Hodgson
name: Sam
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199285128 Kennedy

I’m the only woman on staff for the Windy City Warriors, and after years of putting up with a sexist lead doctor, I’m desperate to land my dream job with a new team next year. All I have to do is maintain my professional reputation for my final season in Chicago.

But a Las Vegas run-in with the team’s shortstop threatens it all, leaving me with a fuzzy memory and a ring on my left hand.

Now, not only am I legally bound to the most persistent man I’ve ever met, but thanks to Isaiah’s scheme to save my job, I have to pretend the whole thing was a planned elopement and not a drunken mistake.

Isaiah Rhodes is reckless, impulsive, and frustratingly charming. He’s also my brand-new husband.

They got the saying wrong. What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas�� sometimes it follows you right back home.


Isaiah

As the shortstop for Chicago’s professional baseball team, I’ve had my fair share of fun. But that all ended the day Kennedy Kay became a single woman.

I’ve crushed on the team’s athletic trainer for years. I’ve flirted to no avail, so imagine my surprise when I woke up in Sin City with a ring on my finger and my favorite redhead in my bed.

We agree to stay married for one baseball season, just long enough to keep her job safe, but in my mind, I’m using our time together to prove to her I’m husband material.

Kennedy might be reluctant to join in on our game, but it’s one I refuse to lose.

So come on, wife�� play along.]]> 384 Liz Tomforde Sam 5
Isaiah. I wasn't sure if I'd be sold, but I totally was. The cocky comedic jock had such a perfect soft insecure side. I love it, and I love male representation when it comes to anxiety.

Kennedy. Probably not my favorite of the windy city fmcs, but I love that she held her own against Isaiah. She had her own insecurities, and I think I wanted a longer book to work through them, but I feel like the length of this one was cut to be more in line with traditional published romances especially considering how long Mile High is. Some things happened off the page, and I would have loved to see them included.

But overall, I loved this book and this series. The ending was a little clunky? I like how it wasn't really a traditional third act breakup, but it felt like a weird, backwards way to get to what we all knew was coming. Lack of sense to keep it spoiler free. But this is one of my all time fave romance series and I can't wait for book 5 in May.]]> 4.44 2024
author: Liz Tomforde
name: Sam
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/17
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves:
review:
Another easy love from me. I adore the writing style, the men, the smut, the banter, all of it.

Isaiah. I wasn't sure if I'd be sold, but I totally was. The cocky comedic jock had such a perfect soft insecure side. I love it, and I love male representation when it comes to anxiety.

Kennedy. Probably not my favorite of the windy city fmcs, but I love that she held her own against Isaiah. She had her own insecurities, and I think I wanted a longer book to work through them, but I feel like the length of this one was cut to be more in line with traditional published romances especially considering how long Mile High is. Some things happened off the page, and I would have loved to see them included.

But overall, I loved this book and this series. The ending was a little clunky? I like how it wasn't really a traditional third act breakup, but it felt like a weird, backwards way to get to what we all knew was coming. Lack of sense to keep it spoiler free. But this is one of my all time fave romance series and I can't wait for book 5 in May.
]]> 216156650
When I was eleven, my family moved next door to his.
When I was thirteen, he was my first crush.
When I was sixteen, we fell for each other.
And when I was nineteen, we broke each other’s hearts.

Six years later, I’ve landed an internship with a big-name interior designer in a new city. Unfortunately, that city just so happens to be the one he plays hockey for.

I thought Chicago was big enough to avoid him, until I get the surprise of a lifetime and unknowingly move in right next door. Even worse? The renovation project I’m assigned to in hopes of turning that internship into my full-time dream job...

It’s 𝘩𝘪𝘴 house.

But how am I supposed to update his bachelor pad into a family home when we can’t even stand to be in the same room?

I may have loved Rio DeLuca once, but I’m not that same girl anymore.

𝑹𝒊𝒐

I never thought I’d be the only single one left in my friend group. But after years of trying to find love, I’ve concluded it may not exist for me anymore.

That is, until I accidentally hire Hallie Hart to renovate my house and our jaded history has me rewinding memories I’ve kept secret for years.

You see, there’s something that my friends don’t know.

That connection I’ve been looking for since I moved to Chicago, that one person some search their entire lives to find... I had already found her when I was twelve years old.

And now the only girl I’ve ever loved is moving into the house next door.

Again.]]> Liz Tomforde Sam 0 to-read 4.67 2025
author: Liz Tomforde
name: Sam
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199335111
I’m a single dad and starting pitcher for Chicago’s MLB team.
I’m stretched too thin, but I don’t want help raising my son.

Each of his previous nannies only lasted a few weeks before I let them go.
Now, my coach is putting his foot down by hiring the one person I can’t fire—his daughter.

Miller Montgomery is the last woman I should fall for. Too wild, too young, and too unattached.

Chicago is just a quick stop for her. I thought I’d be counting down the days until she left, but summer feels too short when I start thinking about forever.


Miller

As a high-end pastry chef who recently won the most prestigious award in my industry, I’m desperate to prove I deserve it. But with a new title comes new pressure, and I can’t create a fresh and inspiring dessert to save my life.

With only two months to get back on track, I should be focusing in the kitchen, but instead, I let my dad talk me into using my time off to nanny for his star player’s kid.

Kai Rhodes forgot how to have fun, and I’m eager to jog his memory. But when he and his son start to feel like home, I have to remind us both that my time in Chicago ends with the summer.

Besides, I’ve always been a runner, and the last thing I want is to get caught.]]> 408 Liz Tomforde 139972858X Sam 5 4.37 2023
author: Liz Tomforde
name: Sam
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/02/16
shelves:
review:
Loved this one, and I'm not usually for the nanny x single dad trope. I mean, maybe it's ok when you're a single dad, but look... don't f the nanny.
]]> 127611580 ��
And they can’t stand each other.��
��
Indie singer-songwriter Lark is the sunshine and glitter that burns through every cloud and clings to every crevice that Lachlan Kane tries to hide inside. The surly older brother of her best friend’s soulmate, Lachlan thinks she’s just a privileged princess, but Lark has plenty of secrets hiding in the shadows of her bright light. With her formidable family in a tailspin and her best friend’s happiness on the line, she’s willing to make a vow to the man she’s determined to hate, no matter how tempting the broody assassin might be.��

As Lachlan and Lark navigate the dark world that binds them together, it becomes��impossible to discern��their��fake marriage from a real one. But it’s not just familiar dangers that haunt them.��
There’s another phantom lurking on their doorstep.��

And this one has come for blood.]]> 416 Brynne Weaver 0349441588 Sam 3
The smut was fine until the epilogue, which just isn't my thing. Hopefully book 3 is back on book 1s level.]]> 3.98 2024
author: Brynne Weaver
name: Sam
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/13
date added: 2025/02/13
shelves:
review:
Meh. There just seemed to be zero chemistry between Lachlan and Lark. It was a fake marriage book that never felt real. I thought I would really like Lachlan, but for a contract killer, he's a giant wuss. I never thought he'd have the balls to unalive anything, and Lark was an equal snooze.

The smut was fine until the epilogue, which just isn't my thing. Hopefully book 3 is back on book 1s level.
]]> 224103430 The new novel from the bestselling author of If We Were Villains and Graveyard Shift—a vivid and immersive tale of one woman’s reckless mission to make sense of the events that shattered her childhood, and made her who she is

Summer, 1989: ten-year-old Suzanne is drawn like a magnet to her father’s forbidden world of electric guitars and tricked-out cars. When her mother remarries, she jumps at the chance to tag along on the concert tour that just might be Gil and the Kills�� wild ride to glory. But fame has sharper fangs than anybody realized, and as the band blazes up the charts, internal power struggles set Gil and his group on a collision course destined for a bloody reckoning—one shrouded in mystery and lore for decades to come.

The only witness to a desperate act of violence, Suzanne spends the next twenty-nine years trying to disappear. She trades the music and mayhem of her youth for the quiet of the suburbs and the company of her mild-mannered husband Rob. But when her father’s sudden death resurrects the troubled past she tried so hard to bury, she leaves it all behind and hits the road in search of answers. Hitching her fate and Gil’s beloved car to two vagabonds who call an old Airstream trailer home, she finds everything she thought she’d lost desire, adventure, and the woman she once wanted to be. But Rob refuses to let her go. Determined to bring her back where she belongs, he chases her across the country—and drives her to a desperation all her own.

Drenched in knock-down drag-out rock and roll, Hot Wax is a raucous, breakneck ride to hell and back—where getting lost might be the only way to find yourself and save your soul.]]> 400 M.L. Rio 1668070022 Sam 0 to-read 3.94 2025
author: M.L. Rio
name: Sam
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 218153843 From the internationally bestselling author of Tigana, All the Seas of the World, and A Brightness Long Ago comes a majestic new novel of love and war that brilliantly evokes the drama and turbulence of medieval France.

Thierry Villar is a well-known--even notorious-- tavern poet, familiar with the rogues and shadows of that world, but not at all with courts and power. He is an unlikely person, despite his quickness, to be caught up in the deadly contests of ambitious royals, assassins, and invading armies.

But he is indeed drawn into all these things on a savagely cold night in his beloved city of Orane. And so Thierry must use all the intelligence and charm he can muster as political struggles merge with a decades-long war to bring his country to the brink of destruction.

As he does, he meets his poetic equal in an aristocratic woman and is drawn to more than one unsettling person with a connection to the world beyond this one. He also crosses paths with an extraordinary young woman driven by voices within to try to heal the ailing king--and help his forces in war. A wide and varied set of people from all walks of life take their places in the rich tapestry of this story.

A new masterwork from the internationally bestselling author of All the Seas of the World, A Brightness Long Ago, and Tigana, Written on the Dark is an elegant tour de force about power and ambition playing out amid the intense human need for art and beauty, and memories to be left behind.]]> 320 Guy Gavriel Kay 0593953983 Sam 0 to-read 4.52 2025
author: Guy Gavriel Kay
name: Sam
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217536270
In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn't much a girl wouldn't do for a glass of water.

Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen's reservoirs for as long as she can remember.

But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone.

When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently re-opens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares... but it turns out they're real, and Saeris has landed herself in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.

The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist's magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him . . . or her.

Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he's the only way Saeris is going to make it home.]]> 624 Callie Hart 1538774194 Sam 0 to-read 4.30 2024
author: Callie Hart
name: Sam
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 206780522 An orphan.
An outcast.
A prince.

And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees.

Growing up in the Kegari slums, AIZ has seen her share of suffering. An old tragedy fuels her need for vengeance, but it is love of her people that propels her. Until one hotheaded mistake lands her in an inescapable prison, where the embers of her wrath ignite.

Banished from her people for an unforgivable crime, SIRSHA is a down-on-her-luck tracker who uses magic to trace her marks. Destitute, she agrees to hunt down a killer who has murdered children across the Martial Empire. All she has to do is carry out the job and get paid. But when a chance encounter leads to an unexpected attraction, Sirsha learns her mission might cost her far more than she's willing to give up.

QUIL is the crown prince of the Empire and nephew of a venerated empress, but he’s loath to take the throne when his aunt steps down. As the son of a reviled emperor, he, better than anyone, understands that power corrupts. When a vicious new enemy threatens the survival of the Empire, Quil must ask himself if he can rise above his tragic lineage and be the heir his people need.

Beloved storyteller Sabaa Tahir interweaves the lives of three young people as they grapple with power, treachery, love, and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed, on a journey that may cost them their lives―and their hearts. Literally.]]> 484 Sabaa Tahir 0593616944 Sam 3
After finishing an ember in the ashes, I was not excited to start this one. That series went from great to the dumpster over the course of four books, and I was exceedingly worried this one would be in the dumpster, too, after ending on such a low. Fortunately, or unfortunately, because now I want book 2, it was much better than the end of ember.

Heir is a continuation of that series in that we follow the next generation and still get to see quite a bit of the characters from Ember. We follow Quil, the heir to the Empir, Sirsha, on the hunt for a killer, and Aiz, an orphan looking for vengeance. 2 out of 3 POVs were my jam!

I loved Quil and Sirsha's povs. Quil is sweet baby mans good with blades. He could use some more depth of character, but the surface is my favorite type of book boyfriend, the capable touch her and die sort of type. Sirsha is a capable smart mouth woman with a tragic past, aka my favorite sort of female character. Both of these povs aren't reinventing the wheel of their stereotypes, but I enjoyed them for exactly what they are.

The wheels fell off this book with Aiz... she's basically Laia 2.0 but worse. So much worse. I can't really get into the ins and outs of why she sucks so much without spoilers, but she really really sucks. Like please just die because I don't want to read your chapters sucks. ]]> 4.25 2024
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Sam
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/08
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves:
review:
I'mmmmm very back and forth on this one. I didn't hate it! I didn't love it either, though. I was able to vibe along, but I still fell into a bunch of plot holes. Let's discuss!

After finishing an ember in the ashes, I was not excited to start this one. That series went from great to the dumpster over the course of four books, and I was exceedingly worried this one would be in the dumpster, too, after ending on such a low. Fortunately, or unfortunately, because now I want book 2, it was much better than the end of ember.

Heir is a continuation of that series in that we follow the next generation and still get to see quite a bit of the characters from Ember. We follow Quil, the heir to the Empir, Sirsha, on the hunt for a killer, and Aiz, an orphan looking for vengeance. 2 out of 3 POVs were my jam!

I loved Quil and Sirsha's povs. Quil is sweet baby mans good with blades. He could use some more depth of character, but the surface is my favorite type of book boyfriend, the capable touch her and die sort of type. Sirsha is a capable smart mouth woman with a tragic past, aka my favorite sort of female character. Both of these povs aren't reinventing the wheel of their stereotypes, but I enjoyed them for exactly what they are.

The wheels fell off this book with Aiz... she's basically Laia 2.0 but worse. So much worse. I can't really get into the ins and outs of why she sucks so much without spoilers, but she really really sucks. Like please just die because I don't want to read your chapters sucks.
]]> 61219635 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781250886088.

A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes.

After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.

The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success—not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.]]> 304 Travis Baldree Sam 0 to-read 4.17 2022
author: Travis Baldree
name: Sam
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214229274 From critically acclaimed author Richard Swan, Grave Empire begins the epic tale of an empire on the verge of industrial revolution, where sorcery and arcane practices are outlawed �� and where an ancient prophecy threatens the coming end of days.

Blood once turned the wheels of��empire. Now it is money.

A new age of exploration and innovation has dawned, and the��Empire��of the Wolf stands to take its place as the foremost power in the known world. Glory and riches await.

But dark days are coming. A mysterious plague has broken out in the pagan kingdoms to the north, while in the south, the��Empire’s proxy war in the lands of the wolfmen is weeks away from total collapse.��

Worse still is the message brought to the Empress by two heretic monks, who claim to have lost contact with the spirits of the afterlife. The monks believe this is the start of an ancient prophecy heralding the end of days—the Great Silence.��

It falls to Renata Rainer, a low-ranking ambassador to an enigmatic and vicious race of mermen, to seek answers from those who still practice the arcane arts. But with the road south beset by war and the��Empire��on the brink of supernatural catastrophe, soon there may not be a world left to save...��]]> 529 Richard Swan Sam 5
What. An. Opening. To. A. Trilogy. My mind is reeling, having just set the book down, and I'm unsure what to do next. Like a part of me doesn't want to go to sleep now? In the most perfectly spooky haunting way, this book creeped me out. I'm a bit of a chicken, though, so take that with a grain of salt. I'm also not scared scared. I just feel a bit mindfcked right now, and I'm worried about what my dreams will bring. ]]> 4.18 2025
author: Richard Swan
name: Sam
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/04
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves:
review:
Full disclosure - I received an arc from the author and Orbit Books, but that in no way affects my rating.

What. An. Opening. To. A. Trilogy. My mind is reeling, having just set the book down, and I'm unsure what to do next. Like a part of me doesn't want to go to sleep now? In the most perfectly spooky haunting way, this book creeped me out. I'm a bit of a chicken, though, so take that with a grain of salt. I'm also not scared scared. I just feel a bit mindfcked right now, and I'm worried about what my dreams will bring.
]]> 213263148 London, 1837.
Boston, 2019.

Three young women, their bodies planted in the same soil, their stories tangling like roots.

One grows high, and one grows deep, and one grows wild.

And all of them grow teeth.]]> 544 Victoria E. Schwab 1250320526 Sam 0 to-read 4.55 2025
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Sam
average rating: 4.55
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217388109 Status is hereditary, class is bestowed, trust must be earned.

When an arrogant prince (and his equally arrogant entourage) gets stuck in Orledder Halt as part of brutal political intrigue, competent and sunny deputy courier Elen―once a child slave meant to shield noblemen from the poisonous Pall―is assigned to guide him through the hills to reach his destination.

When she warns him not to enter the haunted Spires, the prince doesn’t heed her advice, and the man who emerges from the towers isn’t the same man who entered.

The journey that follows is fraught with danger. Can a group taught to ignore and despise the lower classes survive with a mere deputy courier as their guide?

The Witch Roads is the latest epic novel by fan favorite, Kate Elliott.]]> 448 Kate Elliott 1250338611 Sam 0 to-read 4.33 2025
author: Kate Elliott
name: Sam
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 53239311 Life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. It is up to you.

Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, a Jew second. He was proud of his country. But all of that changed in November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp.

Over the next seven years, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors every day, first in Buchenwald, then in Auschwitz, then on a Nazi death march. He lost family, friends, his country.

Because he survived, Eddie made the vow to smile every day. He pays tribute to those who were lost by telling his story, sharing his wisdom and living his best possible life. He now believes he is the 'happiest man on earth'.

Published as Eddie turns 100, this is a powerful, heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful memoir of how happiness can be found even in the darkest of times.]]> 208 Eddie Jaku 1760980080 Sam 5
Please think about giving this book a read. It's short and eye-opening. We all know it was horrible, but to read the reality from a survivor is another level. Yet, Edie speaks almost as much about kindness, how small acts from others saved his life constantly, and how we can all be better off by helping others. For a Holocaust survivors story, this is also an incredibly uplifting and moving book, and I think that's more the tribute my friend, Eddie, wanted to leave behind.]]> 4.59 2020
author: Eddie Jaku
name: Sam
average rating: 4.59
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/26
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves:
review:
On the one hand, it's impossible to review this book, and on the other, it's impossible not to. When men feel free to embrace nazi propaganda again, nothing matters more than sharing these stories, the horrors of facisim, and how quickly humanity can turn on itself. It's a horrifying gut-wrenching read, and yet, Eddie was an incredible survivor. The fact that anyone faced these conditions and experiences is a tragedy. The fact that so many died to them leaves me at a complete lose of words.

Please think about giving this book a read. It's short and eye-opening. We all know it was horrible, but to read the reality from a survivor is another level. Yet, Edie speaks almost as much about kindness, how small acts from others saved his life constantly, and how we can all be better off by helping others. For a Holocaust survivors story, this is also an incredibly uplifting and moving book, and I think that's more the tribute my friend, Eddie, wanted to leave behind.
]]> 209439446
Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.]]> 527 Rebecca Yarros 1649374186 Sam 2
It was... not good, and it took a lot to get me to finish this and not dnf it. My biggest problem with this book is that the core concept makes zero sense. So Violet and crew are back at Basgiath, and we're taking classes and answering to the complete trash we spent the whole last book rebelling against... even so far as to abide by a ridiculous code of conduct... for... reasons... we know they lie and are just basic terrible human beings, but suddenly we're going to do exactly what they tell us and not question the chain of command... I couldn't get over this because it's literally so assine.

Second biggest problem. All the new inventions to the world for the sake of padding the series to five books. I mean all the stupid side quests, still taking classes at Basgiath, 4 billion new characters including a made-up boyfriend when we already had a convenient character for that, etc etc There's just so much irrelevant waste here, and it's not fun or entertaining, I was so fing bored for the majority of the book.

I will say as soon as the core concept of the book changed aka we left Basgiath, I didn't completely hate the book, although I still skimmed parts where I knew nothing important would happen. I do believe that's there's a good story here, but I don't think Yarros is a good enough fantasy writer to do it justice or really much of anything resembling justice at this rate. She's a romance writer wanting to follow the SJM money, so she figured she could write a romantasy. Granted, it's worked for her so far, but I don't like SJM either, so potato potato. Tangent aside, I am curious about the lore and how everything will work out, I just don't think any of it is going to satisfy me.

Violet... better than IF still not as good as FW. She has moments but tends to bug me with the dramatics. Xaden... I still love him. I wish it was a dual pov to read some torment, but I'm sick like that. I hate his new ridiculously over the top flowery declarations of love, but I guess when you gotta do it for the tiktok sound bytes...

Anyway I finished it. It sucked. The first half was basically unreadable. The second half kept my interest because it felt like we were finally back to advancing the plot. Will I read book 4? TBD. I might just go for spoiler roundups but then again I might forget the pain when it comes out and try again.

Oh, and of course, it has a ridiculous cliffhanger, so the books can stay relevant with mindless fan theories while she takes her break .]]> 4.18 2025
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Sam
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2025
rating: 2
read at: 2025/01/24
date added: 2025/01/24
shelves:
review:
Im going to say 2.5 because I liked this more than Iron Flame, but barely...

It was... not good, and it took a lot to get me to finish this and not dnf it. My biggest problem with this book is that the core concept makes zero sense. So Violet and crew are back at Basgiath, and we're taking classes and answering to the complete trash we spent the whole last book rebelling against... even so far as to abide by a ridiculous code of conduct... for... reasons... we know they lie and are just basic terrible human beings, but suddenly we're going to do exactly what they tell us and not question the chain of command... I couldn't get over this because it's literally so assine.

Second biggest problem. All the new inventions to the world for the sake of padding the series to five books. I mean all the stupid side quests, still taking classes at Basgiath, 4 billion new characters including a made-up boyfriend when we already had a convenient character for that, etc etc There's just so much irrelevant waste here, and it's not fun or entertaining, I was so fing bored for the majority of the book.

I will say as soon as the core concept of the book changed aka we left Basgiath, I didn't completely hate the book, although I still skimmed parts where I knew nothing important would happen. I do believe that's there's a good story here, but I don't think Yarros is a good enough fantasy writer to do it justice or really much of anything resembling justice at this rate. She's a romance writer wanting to follow the SJM money, so she figured she could write a romantasy. Granted, it's worked for her so far, but I don't like SJM either, so potato potato. Tangent aside, I am curious about the lore and how everything will work out, I just don't think any of it is going to satisfy me.

Violet... better than IF still not as good as FW. She has moments but tends to bug me with the dramatics. Xaden... I still love him. I wish it was a dual pov to read some torment, but I'm sick like that. I hate his new ridiculously over the top flowery declarations of love, but I guess when you gotta do it for the tiktok sound bytes...

Anyway I finished it. It sucked. The first half was basically unreadable. The second half kept my interest because it felt like we were finally back to advancing the plot. Will I read book 4? TBD. I might just go for spoiler roundups but then again I might forget the pain when it comes out and try again.

Oh, and of course, it has a ridiculous cliffhanger, so the books can stay relevant with mindless fan theories while she takes her break .
]]> 127305606 The Dead Cat Tail Assassins are not cats.

Nor do they have tails.

But they are most assuredly dead.

Nebula and Alex Award winner P. Djèlí Clark introduces a brand-new world and a fantastical city full of gods and assassins.

Eveen the Eviscerator is skilled, discreet, professional, and here for your most pressing needs in the ancient city of Tal Abisi. Her guild is strong, her blades are sharp, and her rules are simple. Those sworn to the Matron of Assassins―resurrected, deadly, wiped of their memories―have only three unbreakable vows.

First, the contract must be just. That’s above Eveen’s pay grade.

Second, even the most powerful assassin may only kill the contracted. Eveen’s a professional. She’s never missed her mark.

The third and the simplest: once you accept a job, you must carry it out. And if you stray? A final death would be a mercy. When the Festival of the Clockwork King turns the city upside down, Eveen’s newest mission brings her face-to-face with a past she isn’t supposed to remember and a vow she can’t forget.]]> 213 P. Djèlí Clark 1250767040 Sam 5 Nor do they have tails.
But they are most assuredly dead.

Eveen is a Dead Cat Tail Assassin, a legit undead assassin. On the flip side, her resurrection came with a contract to Ariel, Mistress of Blades, and no memory of her past life. There are 3 rules for assassins, and what happens when you rescue the mark instead of killing her?

I loved this for what it was, a unique charming tale of an undead assassin. It's one of the better crafted novellas I've ever read, definitely up there with Murderbot. The word feels fleshed out. There's a well crafted storyline, and Eveen is a great main character. Like Murderbot, I hope this turns into a series of novellas, although there's no indication of this. Also, like Murderbot, this story has some great humor to it.

There's a really great mystery to this, and I'm impressed with how much plot is packed into such a short book. Honestly, I've read full books with less plot, but at no point was I upset this was only a novella. Not that I wouldn't read a longer book, but I just mean I wasn't wishing it was longer, so things could be explained.

Anyway, definitely recommend this. My first Clark book but won't be my last.]]> 3.86 2024
author: P. Djèlí Clark
name: Sam
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/01/20
shelves:
review:
The Dead Cat Tail Assassins are not cats.
Nor do they have tails.
But they are most assuredly dead.

Eveen is a Dead Cat Tail Assassin, a legit undead assassin. On the flip side, her resurrection came with a contract to Ariel, Mistress of Blades, and no memory of her past life. There are 3 rules for assassins, and what happens when you rescue the mark instead of killing her?

I loved this for what it was, a unique charming tale of an undead assassin. It's one of the better crafted novellas I've ever read, definitely up there with Murderbot. The word feels fleshed out. There's a well crafted storyline, and Eveen is a great main character. Like Murderbot, I hope this turns into a series of novellas, although there's no indication of this. Also, like Murderbot, this story has some great humor to it.

There's a really great mystery to this, and I'm impressed with how much plot is packed into such a short book. Honestly, I've read full books with less plot, but at no point was I upset this was only a novella. Not that I wouldn't read a longer book, but I just mean I wasn't wishing it was longer, so things could be explained.

Anyway, definitely recommend this. My first Clark book but won't be my last.
]]> 60028924
THE TIME OF JUDGEMENT IS AT HAND

The Empire of the Wolf is on its knees, but there's life in the great beast yet.

To save it, Sir Konrad Vonvalt and Helena must look beyond its borders for allies - to the wolfmen of the southern plains, and the pagan clans in the north. But old grievances run deep, and both factions would benefit from the fall of Sova.

Even these allies might not be enough. Their enemy, the zealot Bartholomew Claver, wields infernal powers bestowed on him by a mysterious demonic patron. If Vonvalt and Helena are to stand against him, they will need friends on both sides of the mortal plane—but such allegiances carry a heavy price.

As the battlelines are drawn in both Sova and the afterlife, the final reckoning draws close. Here, at the beating heart of the Empire, the two-headed wolf will be reborn in a blaze of justice . . . or crushed beneath the shadow of tyranny.]]> 496 Richard Swan 0356516474 Sam 5
The beginning half of this book feels like weird side quests to gather allies to face the coming evil. I totally understand why we're doing these things because you obviously need an army to stop an army, but it feels a little slow. We all know where the baddie is and what's he's doing, and as a reader, it feels strange that we're not zooming to go fight him. Logically, it makes sense, but for storyline pacing, I was left chomping at the bit to get to the big battle already or at least feel like we're doing more. We know the big bad has all this demonic magic available to him and it felt weird to be prepping bodies more than magic to fight back.

I'm also still just left overall confused about the arcana/magic in these books. It's hard to go into without spoilers, but suffice it to say for every answer we get, I have more questions. There's a moment in the book where a character remarks the same thing, so maybe that's the intention. However, it just kinda irked me. I don't like ending a trilogy and not feeling satisfied that all my questions were answered. I don't mean little things either, but I feel like i have big questions as to why things happened that way.

I think books 1 and 2 just had such a cool mystery to them and we spent the whole books trying to figure big things out and get ahead of the baddies who's plan always seemed to be 2 steps ahead. This book didn't have any of that same feeling of unraveling a mystery and I wish with all my questions about the arcana still more time had been set to that mystery and we could have had something better to combat the big bad with.

I did really enjoy the bit more of a philosophical bent to the writing of this book. I tabbed it the most out of all three and had some truly awkward moments where the story hit far too close to current political climates. However, I'll always love a story that makes me think.

Oh, Helena. I think as a character, she swung back to being more annoying than not, which also might be a bit of why this book didn't hit as hard for me. She clings so stubbornly to her ideals and values that good should triumph because it's good. I feel for her, I do, and I wonder if she was written intentionally as a foil to Vonvault. I can appreciate the use of the character in this way, but it's a little annoying to cry foul about killing in the midst of war. Constantly. Babes, we get it. You don't agree with the methods, or maybe I'm just too violent...

I did, however, enjoy how these books are written from Helenas' pov rather than Vonvaults, although you could argue he's the obvious main character. She's starts as just his law clerk, and while she comes to have her own integral part of the plot, he's still the driving factor for everything. But I think it was interesting to look at such a character from the outside and wonder if the power was going to completely corrupt him from the character we knew in book 1. Since we weren't in his head, it was an interesting sort of rumination on the lengths main characters sometimes have to go to in order to succeed and whether they should or not. I really loved what his character did at the end but not going to spoil what it was.

Overall, I still enjoyed this book, and I will recommend the trilogy. I think on reread, I might better appreciate the first half of this book, although right now, I wish it had been a quartet, and maybe I could feel more satisfied with the lore. I did enjoy the books coming full circle, and there was a heartfelt epilogue, which I really enjoyed. Just a warning this one delved the most into horror fantasy, but it's more grotesque descriptions of things , so I probably would avoid if guts and gore aren't your thing.

On further reflection, I'm rounding this book up to 5 stars. It's not perfect, but I'm still thinking about it and thinking about the series and the character study of Vonvault and any book and series that can do to me deserves all the stars. Maybe it's the timing of when I read this, but I don't care.]]> 4.07 2024
author: Richard Swan
name: Sam
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/19
date added: 2025/01/20
shelves:
review:
After enjoying the first book and adoring the second book, I had high hopes for the conclusion of this trilogy. While I still enjoyed my time reading, the book overall ended up feeling a bit anticlimactic.

The beginning half of this book feels like weird side quests to gather allies to face the coming evil. I totally understand why we're doing these things because you obviously need an army to stop an army, but it feels a little slow. We all know where the baddie is and what's he's doing, and as a reader, it feels strange that we're not zooming to go fight him. Logically, it makes sense, but for storyline pacing, I was left chomping at the bit to get to the big battle already or at least feel like we're doing more. We know the big bad has all this demonic magic available to him and it felt weird to be prepping bodies more than magic to fight back.

I'm also still just left overall confused about the arcana/magic in these books. It's hard to go into without spoilers, but suffice it to say for every answer we get, I have more questions. There's a moment in the book where a character remarks the same thing, so maybe that's the intention. However, it just kinda irked me. I don't like ending a trilogy and not feeling satisfied that all my questions were answered. I don't mean little things either, but I feel like i have big questions as to why things happened that way.

I think books 1 and 2 just had such a cool mystery to them and we spent the whole books trying to figure big things out and get ahead of the baddies who's plan always seemed to be 2 steps ahead. This book didn't have any of that same feeling of unraveling a mystery and I wish with all my questions about the arcana still more time had been set to that mystery and we could have had something better to combat the big bad with.

I did really enjoy the bit more of a philosophical bent to the writing of this book. I tabbed it the most out of all three and had some truly awkward moments where the story hit far too close to current political climates. However, I'll always love a story that makes me think.

Oh, Helena. I think as a character, she swung back to being more annoying than not, which also might be a bit of why this book didn't hit as hard for me. She clings so stubbornly to her ideals and values that good should triumph because it's good. I feel for her, I do, and I wonder if she was written intentionally as a foil to Vonvault. I can appreciate the use of the character in this way, but it's a little annoying to cry foul about killing in the midst of war. Constantly. Babes, we get it. You don't agree with the methods, or maybe I'm just too violent...

I did, however, enjoy how these books are written from Helenas' pov rather than Vonvaults, although you could argue he's the obvious main character. She's starts as just his law clerk, and while she comes to have her own integral part of the plot, he's still the driving factor for everything. But I think it was interesting to look at such a character from the outside and wonder if the power was going to completely corrupt him from the character we knew in book 1. Since we weren't in his head, it was an interesting sort of rumination on the lengths main characters sometimes have to go to in order to succeed and whether they should or not. I really loved what his character did at the end but not going to spoil what it was.

Overall, I still enjoyed this book, and I will recommend the trilogy. I think on reread, I might better appreciate the first half of this book, although right now, I wish it had been a quartet, and maybe I could feel more satisfied with the lore. I did enjoy the books coming full circle, and there was a heartfelt epilogue, which I really enjoyed. Just a warning this one delved the most into horror fantasy, but it's more grotesque descriptions of things , so I probably would avoid if guts and gore aren't your thing.

On further reflection, I'm rounding this book up to 5 stars. It's not perfect, but I'm still thinking about it and thinking about the series and the character study of Vonvault and any book and series that can do to me deserves all the stars. Maybe it's the timing of when I read this, but I don't care.
]]> 60028919 From a major new debut author in epic fantasy comes the second book in a trilogy where action, intrigue, and magic collide. Sir Konrad Vonvalt is an Emperor's Justice: a detective, judge, and executioner all in one. But these are dangerous times to be a Justice....

A Justice's work is never done.

The Battle of Galen's Vale is over, but the war for the Empire's future has just begun. Concerned by rumors that the Magistratum's authority is waning, Sir Konrad Vonvalt returns to Sova to find the capital city gripped by intrigue and whispers of rebellion. In the Senate, patricians speak openly against the Emperor, while fanatics preach holy vengeance on the streets.

Yet facing down these threats to the throne will have to wait, for the Emperor's grandson has been kidnapped - and Vonvalt is charged with rescuing the missing prince. His quest will lead him - and his allies Helena, Bressinger and Sir Radomir - to the southern frontier, where they will once again face the puritanical fury of Bartholomew Claver and his templar knights - and a dark power far more terrifying than they could have imagined.

"Richard Swan's sophisticated take on the fantasy genre will leave readers hungry for more." - Sebastien de Castell on The Justice of Kings

"A fantastic debut." - Peter McLean on The Justice of Kings

Also by Richard Swan:

The Empire of the Wolf
The Justice of Kings
The Tyranny of Faith]]> 496 Richard Swan Sam 5
Thankfully, in The Tyranny of Faith, Helena is no longer the same annoying teenage girl she was before. She's still young, but this Helena has seen some sht and done some sht, and thankfully, that seems to have matured her a lot, or Swan's writing has just improved, but I'm going to say it's character development. She's still naive in a lot of ways, laws and justice, humanity, and men, but I no longer wanted to bash her face in for her internal monologs. Not sure I like her yet, but she's made huge strides in that direction.

My sole nitpick of this book is a personal problem. As a medieval nerd, a lot of names and place names already have meaning to me. I had a huge problem disassociating the Templars from our world with the Templars of this world, given that they're both military religious orders and operate out of a place called Kerak (ours) or Keraq (book). Like I literally almost named my dog Kerak. ]]> 4.27 2023
author: Richard Swan
name: Sam
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/12
date added: 2025/01/12
shelves:
review:
I love love love when a sequel improves on an already good first book. Love love love it. While I did really enjoy the Justice of Kings, I had one small problem with it that was large in the overall scheme of things. I didn't like the POV character, Helena.

Thankfully, in The Tyranny of Faith, Helena is no longer the same annoying teenage girl she was before. She's still young, but this Helena has seen some sht and done some sht, and thankfully, that seems to have matured her a lot, or Swan's writing has just improved, but I'm going to say it's character development. She's still naive in a lot of ways, laws and justice, humanity, and men, but I no longer wanted to bash her face in for her internal monologs. Not sure I like her yet, but she's made huge strides in that direction.

My sole nitpick of this book is a personal problem. As a medieval nerd, a lot of names and place names already have meaning to me. I had a huge problem disassociating the Templars from our world with the Templars of this world, given that they're both military religious orders and operate out of a place called Kerak (ours) or Keraq (book). Like I literally almost named my dog Kerak.
]]> 212924038 From the bestselling M. R. Carey comes an utterly unique and enchantingly dark epic fantasy fable like no other.

This is the tale of Once Was Willem, who - eleven hundred and some years after the death of Christ, in the kingdom that had but recently begun to call itself England - rose from the dead to defeat a great evil facing the humble village of Cosham.

Pennick for all its beauty was ever a place with a dark reputation. The forests of the Chase were said to be home to nixies and boggarts, and there was a common belief, passed down through many generations, that the castle housed an unquiet ghost of terrible and malign power. These rumours I can attest were all true; indeed they fell short of the truth by a long way . . .]]> 320 M.R. Carey 0316505021 Sam 0 to-read 4.10 2025
author: M.R. Carey
name: Sam
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 216246677 The secret war that defines the Library has chosen its champions and set them on the board

The fate of an infinite library hangs on one book, a book that holds the power to break the unbreakable. In the face of such forces, fragile things like hearts, family, and the world seem certain to fail.

The people most vital to Livira are scattered across time and space, lost, divided into factions, in mortal peril. Somehow, she must bring them together and resolve the unresolvable argument that fuels the library’s war. The bond between Livira and Evar has stretched and stretched again. Can it hold at the end, when things fall apart? Can it bring them together against impossible odds? This is the last chapter, the final page. The end threatens and no one, not characters, readers, or even the author, will emerge unscathed.]]> 384 Mark Lawrence 0593437993 Sam 0 to-read 4.19 2025
author: Mark Lawrence
name: Sam
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 216488999 A Deadly Education meets Rivers of London in this captivating contemporary fantasy from Sunday Times bestselling author Emily Tesh, winner of the Hugo and World Fantasy Awards.

Dr. Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood Academy and one of the most powerful magicians in England. Her days consist of meetings, teaching A-Level Invocation to four talented, chaotic sixth formers, more meetings and securing the school’s boundaries from demonic incursions.

Walden is good at her job �� no, Walden is great at her job. But demons are masters of manipulation. It’s her responsibility to keep her school with its six hundred students and centuries-old legacy safe. But it’s possible the entity Walden most needs to keep her school safe from, is herself . . .]]> 368 Emily Tesh 0356525643 Sam 0 to-read 4.26 2025
author: Emily Tesh
name: Sam
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214175244 Blood once turned the wheels of empire. Now it is money.

A new age of exploration and innovation has dawned, and the Empire of the Wolf stands to take its place as the foremost power in the known world. Glory and riches await.

But dark days are coming. A mysterious plague has broken out in the pagan kingdoms to the north, while in the south, the Empire's proxy war in the lands of the wolfmen is weeks away from total collapse.

Worse still is the message brought to the Empress by two heretic monks, who claim to have lost contact with the spirits of the afterlife. The monks believe this is the start of an ancient prophecy heralding the end of days-the Great Silence.

It falls to Renata Rainer, a low-ranking ambassador to an enigmatic and vicious race of mermen, to seek answers from those who still practice the arcane arts. But with the road south beset by war and the Empire on the brink of supernatural catastrophe, soon there may not be a world left to save . . .]]> 527 Richard Swan 0316577006 Sam 0 to-read 4.25 2025
author: Richard Swan
name: Sam
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 213618143 The brilliant detective Ana Dolabra may have finally met her match in the gripping sequel to The Tainted Cup—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, an impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—abducted from his quarters while the door and windows remained locked from the inside, in a building whose entrances and exits are all under constant guard.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial investigator, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Before long, Ana’s discovered that they’re not investigating a disappearance, but a murder—and that the killing was just the first chess move by an adversary who seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and who can predict every one of Ana’s moves as though they can see the future.

Worse still, the killer seems to be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud. Here, the Empire's greatest minds dissect fallen Titans to harness the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the destruction would be terrible indeed—and the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Din has seen Ana solve impossible cases before. But this time, with the stakes higher than ever and Ana seemingly a step behind their adversary at every turn, he fears that his superior has finally met an enemy she can’t defeat.]]> 465 Robert Jackson Bennett 0593723821 Sam 0 to-read 4.57 2025
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: Sam
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211003763
As she makes her way back to the revolution, her journey takes her to Venice, where she learns a dangerous secret �� one that could change the face of the war between humans and immortals. Before she can return to London, she must help the Domino Programme unravel the sinister Operation Ventriloquist.

And it soon becomes clear that the one person who could recover her memories �� Arcturus Mesarthim �� might also hold the key to saving Italy.

Lyrical and action-packed, The Dark Mirror drives the Bone Season series forward, showing Samantha Shannon at the height of her powers.]]> 576 Samantha Shannon 1639733965 Sam 0 to-read 4.69 2025
author: Samantha Shannon
name: Sam
average rating: 4.69
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211003690 An epic fantasy of vampires, werewolves and sorcerers, Lightfall is the debut novel of Ed Crocker, for fans of Jay Kristoff’s Empire of the Vampire and Richard Swan’s The Justice of Kings.

No humans here. Just immortals: their politics, their feuds—and their long buried secrets.

For centuries, vampires freely roamed the land until the Grays came out of nowhere, wiping out half the population in a night. The survivors fled to the last vampire city of First Light, where the rules are simple. If you’re poor, you drink weak blood. If you’re nobility, you get the good stuff. And you can never, ever leave.

Palace maid Sam has had enough of these rules, and she’s definitely had enough of cleaning the bedpans of the lords who enforce them. When the son of the city’s ruler is murdered and she finds the only clue to his death, she seizes the chance to blackmail her way into a better class and better blood. She falls in with the Leeches, a group of rebel maids who rein in the worst of the Lords. Soon she’s in league with a sorcerer whose deductive skills make up for his lack of magic, a deadly werewolf assassin and a countess who knows a city’s worth of secrets.

There’s just one problem. What began as a murder investigation has uncovered a vast conspiracy by the ruling elite, and now Sam must find the truth before she becomes another victim. If she can avoid getting murdered, she might just live forever.]]> 384 Ed Crocker 1250287731 Sam 0 to-read 3.55 2025
author: Ed Crocker
name: Sam
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215020997 London, 1837.
Boston, 2019.

Three young women, their bodies planted in the same soil, their stories tangling like roots.

One grows high, and one grows deep, and one grows wild.

And all of them grow teeth.]]> 560 Victoria E. Schwab 1035064642 Sam 0 to-read 4.38 2025
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Sam
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 207677131 A woman investigates her brother's mysterious death while coming to terms with her own haunting past in this atmospheric novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Unmaking of June Farrow

The only thing James and Johnny Golden have ever had is each other. For as long as she can remember, James’s��deep connection with her twin brother,��Johnny,��has gone beyond intuition—she can feel what he feels.��So, when Johnny is killed in a tragic accident, James knows before her phone even rings that her brother is gone and that she’s alone—truly alone—for the first time in her life.��

When James arrives in the rural town of Hawthorne, California to settle��her brother’s��affairs,��she’s��forced to rehash the ominous past she and Johnny shared and finally face Micah, the only person who knows about it. He’s also the only man she’s ever loved.��

But James soon discovers that the strange connection she had with Johnny isn’t quite gone, and the more she immerses herself into his world, the more questions she has about the brother she thought she knew. Johnny was keeping secrets, and he’s not the only one. What she uncovers will push her to unravel what happened in the days before Johnny’s death, but in the end, she’ll have to decide which truths should come to light, and which should stay buried forever.]]> 288 Adrienne Young 0593598709 Sam 0 to-read 3.71 2025
author: Adrienne Young
name: Sam
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211642122 A stunning, standalone romantic fantasy filled with dangerous secrets, forbidden magic, and passion, of a young ruler who fights to protect her kingdom, from bestselling author Sue Lynn Tan and set in the breathtaking world of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

“What the gods did not give us, I would take.��

As the heir to Tianxia, Liyen knows she must ascend the throne and renew her kingdom’s pledge to serve the immortals who once protected them from a vicious enemy. But when she is poisoned, Liyen’s grandfather steals an enchanted lotus to save her life. Enraged at his betrayal, the immortal queen commands the powerful God of War to attack Tianxia.

Upon her grandfather’s death, Liyen ascends a precarious throne, vowing to end her kingdom’s obligation to the immortals. When she is summoned to the Immortal Realm, she seizes the opportunity to learn their secrets and to form a tenuous alliance to safeguard her people, all with the one she should fear and mistrust the most: the ruthless God of War. As they are drawn together, a treacherous attraction ignites between them—one she has to resist, to not endanger all she is fighting for.

But with darker forces closing in around them, and her kingdom plunged into peril, Liyen must risk everything to save her people from an unspeakable fate, even if it means forging a dangerous bond with the immortal�� even if it means losing her heart.]]> 464 Sue Lynn Tan 0063267616 Sam 0 to-read 3.89 2025
author: Sue Lynn Tan
name: Sam
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 213075289 Prepare for the jaw-dropping finale of Sabaa Tahir's beloved New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series, and discover: Who will survive the storm?

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off...

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

By his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory--or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life--and love--he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save--or destroy--all that he knows.]]> 544 Sabaa Tahir 044849454X Sam 2
Laia. I've never liked the character, but at least in the earlier books, I recognized what could be likable about her. No more. The girl could not have screwed up more from being a Mary Sue idiot if she had tried.

Elias. A few tiny redeemable moments, but mostly a wet blanket of will he, won't he. Don't worry. He'll just windwalk away at any moment needed and be a dull turd without a brain because he's brainwashed. Convenient.

Helene. Sweet baby Helene. Honestly, the only thing that kept me reading this book which should be a surprise since literally nothing good happens for her ever. I read grimdark, and yet this girl has worse luck than any character in any grimdark novel ever.

Look. I love the idea of this series, but the execution is not for me. It's too YA for how big a scope the world and plot is because we're never going to dig into things in a meaningful way, and too much is left by the wayside. I couldn't even turn off my brain and read on vibes because Laia's chapters are like nails on a chalkboard. Plus, there started to just be so many random, convenient, and unexplained things to hurry the story along to end. Every time I had to roll my eyes, I got pulled out of the book.

The only good thing I have to say is that I'm finally done with the series.]]> 4.24 2020
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: Sam
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2025/01/08
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves:
review:
A disappointing end to a series that went rapidly downhill. This book (and this series) is bloated and yet not enough all at the same time. Too many random ridiculous scenes that had no merit on the plot and too many integral plot moments that were given almost no space. All for a bunch of deus ex machina to show up and conveniently save the day.

Laia. I've never liked the character, but at least in the earlier books, I recognized what could be likable about her. No more. The girl could not have screwed up more from being a Mary Sue idiot if she had tried.

Elias. A few tiny redeemable moments, but mostly a wet blanket of will he, won't he. Don't worry. He'll just windwalk away at any moment needed and be a dull turd without a brain because he's brainwashed. Convenient.

Helene. Sweet baby Helene. Honestly, the only thing that kept me reading this book which should be a surprise since literally nothing good happens for her ever. I read grimdark, and yet this girl has worse luck than any character in any grimdark novel ever.

Look. I love the idea of this series, but the execution is not for me. It's too YA for how big a scope the world and plot is because we're never going to dig into things in a meaningful way, and too much is left by the wayside. I couldn't even turn off my brain and read on vibes because Laia's chapters are like nails on a chalkboard. Plus, there started to just be so many random, convenient, and unexplained things to hurry the story along to end. Every time I had to roll my eyes, I got pulled out of the book.

The only good thing I have to say is that I'm finally done with the series.
]]> 204640542
For Dan Jones, Henry V is one of the most intriguing characters in all medieval history, but one of the hardest to pin down. He was a hardened, sometimes brutal warrior, yet he was also creative and artistic, with a bookish temperament. He was a leader who made many mistakes, who misjudged his friends and family, but he always seemed to triumph when it mattered. As king, he saved a shattered country from economic ruin, put down rebellions, and secured England’s borders; in foreign diplomacy, he made England a serious player once more. Yet through his conquests in northern France, he sowed the seeds for three generations of calamity at home, in the form of the Wars of the Roses.

Henry V is a historical titan whose legacy has become a complicated one. To understand the man behind the legend, Jones first examines Henry’s years of apprenticeship, when he saw the downfall of one king and the turbulent reign of another. Upon his accession in 1413, he had already been politically and militarily active for years, and his extraordinary achievements as king would come shortly after, earning him an unparalleled historical reputation. Writing with his characteristic wit and style, Jones delivers a thrilling and unmissable life of England’s greatest king.]]> 432 Dan Jones 0593652738 Sam 5
Thankfully, Henry V is just another example of Jones' ability to showcase the story that history is. Dan Jones mentions in the introduction his decision to write in the present tense and move away from the tradition of writing history in the past tense. I think it really works here as it gives Henry so much more agency than is typical in nonfiction. He commands. He rides. He reigns.

I also love that as a biography, the story begins before kingship. So much happened to create the man who becomes king, and a lot of books focus on bouncing from ruler to ruler as they rule. It was interesting to do such a deep dive into a character before they become king.

On the flipside, I do think the later years were maybe not quite as fleshed out. I'm not sure if it's assumed more is already available on his war with France that it wasn't necessary here? Or there's just not much interesting bits available while sitting at seiges for months on months. It's a small quibble, though, and maybe I was just lamenting the book ending.

Overall, I definitely recommend for anyone looking for medieval nonfiction. It's a fun deep dive into the life of one of England's most famous Kings and though this lens into the medieval world at large.]]> 4.40 2024
author: Dan Jones
name: Sam
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/07
date added: 2025/01/07
shelves:
review:
It's been way too long since I've picked up a nonfiction book, and this one made me remember all my days in college in the best way. Dan Jones is probably one of the most easy to read nonfiction writers out there, and I think... actually, I know that's no mean feat with some of the mind-numbing nonfiction I have read. Trust me, I get it when a lot of people say they don't read nonfiction.

Thankfully, Henry V is just another example of Jones' ability to showcase the story that history is. Dan Jones mentions in the introduction his decision to write in the present tense and move away from the tradition of writing history in the past tense. I think it really works here as it gives Henry so much more agency than is typical in nonfiction. He commands. He rides. He reigns.

I also love that as a biography, the story begins before kingship. So much happened to create the man who becomes king, and a lot of books focus on bouncing from ruler to ruler as they rule. It was interesting to do such a deep dive into a character before they become king.

On the flipside, I do think the later years were maybe not quite as fleshed out. I'm not sure if it's assumed more is already available on his war with France that it wasn't necessary here? Or there's just not much interesting bits available while sitting at seiges for months on months. It's a small quibble, though, and maybe I was just lamenting the book ending.

Overall, I definitely recommend for anyone looking for medieval nonfiction. It's a fun deep dive into the life of one of England's most famous Kings and though this lens into the medieval world at large.
]]> 51820795 Following his acclaimed Sunday Times bestseller, Lancelot, Giles Kristian's new novel returns us to the realms of Arthurian legend . . .

Britain is a land riven by anarchy, slaughter, famine, filth and darkness. Its armies are destroyed, its heroes dead, or missing. Arthur and Lancelot fell in the last great battle and Merlin has not been these past ten years. But in a small, isolated monastery in the west of England, a young boy is suddenly plucked from his simple existence by the ageing warrior, Gawain. It seems he must come to terms with his legacy and fate as the son of the most celebrated yet most infamous of Arthur's warriors: Lancelot. For this is the story of Galahad, Lancelot’s son �� the reluctant warrior who dared to keep the dream of Camelot alive . . . ]]> 450 Giles Kristian Sam 5
This book ought to be called Galahad, as the author states in his end notes, but went instead with Camelot as a more recognizable name. While I kind of wish he had stuck with Galahad, I also am glad for the change because while this is Galahad's book, he's not the Galahad anyone familiar with Arthurian canon would recognize.

This book was... so good. I always find myself struggling with rave reviews because even little things that bugged me, I'm just like yea whatever but like all these cool things!! I will say maybe the only nitpick is a little bit of pacing. This book is a like a slow tide. You always know you're in the ocean, but before you know it, the tide is up, and you're drowning... but in a good way because you're drowning in a good book. ]]> 4.26 2020
author: Giles Kristian
name: Sam
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/04
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves:
review:
Such a happy thing to start off a year with a 5 star read. Plus doing it going back to my King Arthur roots? I'm doing a happy little nerd dance.

This book ought to be called Galahad, as the author states in his end notes, but went instead with Camelot as a more recognizable name. While I kind of wish he had stuck with Galahad, I also am glad for the change because while this is Galahad's book, he's not the Galahad anyone familiar with Arthurian canon would recognize.

This book was... so good. I always find myself struggling with rave reviews because even little things that bugged me, I'm just like yea whatever but like all these cool things!! I will say maybe the only nitpick is a little bit of pacing. This book is a like a slow tide. You always know you're in the ocean, but before you know it, the tide is up, and you're drowning... but in a good way because you're drowning in a good book.
]]> 217213016
Scales is the best at what she does. She is an enforcer who keeps the peace in Ashtown; a rough, climate-ravaged desert town. But that fragile peace is fractured when a woman is mangled and killed within Ash's borders, right in front of Scales's eyes. Even more incomprehensible is that there was seemingly no murderer.

When more mutilated bodies start to turn up, both in Ashtown and in the wealthier, walled-off Wiley City, Scales is tasked with finding the cause—and putting an end to it. She teams up with a frustratingly by-the-books partner and a brusque-but-brilliant scientist in order to uncover the truth, delving into both worlds to track down the invisible killer. But what they find points to something bigger��and more corrupt than they could've ever foreseen—and it could spell doom for the entire world.]]> 384 Micaiah Johnson 059349752X Sam 0 to-read 4.14 2024
author: Micaiah Johnson
name: Sam
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 205825264 The new novel from the bestselling author of If We Were Villains and Graveyard Shift—a vivid and immersive tale of one woman’s reckless mission to make sense of the events that shattered her childhood, and made her who she is

Summer, 1989: ten-year-old Suzanne is drawn like a magnet to her father’s forbidden world of electric guitars and tricked-out cars. When her mother remarries, she jumps at the chance to tag along on the concert tour that just might be Gil and the Kills�� wild ride to glory. But fame has sharper fangs than anybody realized, and as the band blazes up the charts, internal power struggles set Gil and his group on a collision course destined for a bloody reckoning—one shrouded in mystery and lore for decades to come.

The only witness to a desperate act of violence, Suzanne spends the next twenty-nine years trying to disappear. She trades the music and mayhem of her youth for the quiet of the suburbs and the company of her mild-mannered husband Rob. But when her father’s sudden death resurrects the troubled past she tried so hard to bury, she leaves it all behind and hits the road in search of answers. Hitching her fate and Gil’s beloved car to two vagabonds who call an old Airstream trailer home, she finds everything she thought she’d lost desire, adventure, and the woman she once wanted to be. But Rob refuses to let her go. Determined to bring her back where she belongs, he chases her across the country—and drives her to a desperation all her own.

Drenched in knock-down drag-out rock and roll, Hot Wax is a raucous, breakneck ride to hell and back—where getting lost might be the only way to find yourself and save your soul.]]> M.L. Rio Sam 0 to-read 4.38 2025
author: M.L. Rio
name: Sam
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 34532
Where is the big jolly fat man? Why is Death creeping down chimneys and trying to say Ho Ho Ho? The darkest night of the year is getting a lot darker...

Susan the gothic governess has got to sort it out by morning, otherwise there won't be a morning. Ever again...

The 20th Discworld novel is a festive feast of darkness and Death (but with jolly robins and tinsel too).

As they say: "You'd better watch out..."]]> 448 Terry Pratchett 0552154288 Sam 4
Hogfather is book #4 of the Death series in the Discworld. Basically, the plot is that the Hogfather aka Father Christmas has gone missing, and it's up to Death to take his place while his granddaughter, Susan, solves the mystery of Hogfathers disappearance.

Pratchett's humor is 10/10 as always, and I loved the commentary on the development of myth, the power of belief, and a bit of a social/economic look at Christmas. Death has to learn you can't just give everyone anything they want after all.

Where this book lacks a little is the villain department. The Auditors are confusing and abstract and don't provide much in the way of a focus. There is a scene at the end where their mens rea is explained, and it helps so much, but I kind of wish I had been able to figure it out along the way better.

Still, I love Death more than anything. Susan is always fun. Plus the Death of Rats and the Raven. Bonus points for the Wizards of Unseen University appearing for their shenanigans. I forgot how much they made me laugh.

Perfect Christmas vibes read. I needed something I could just pick up at night after long days of shopping and wrapping and being social. I didn't want to think too hard, and yet Pratchett always gives the perfect thought-provoking commentary hidden by humor.]]> 4.25 1996
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Sam
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1996
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/27
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves:
review:
A reread review since I don't have an original review.

Hogfather is book #4 of the Death series in the Discworld. Basically, the plot is that the Hogfather aka Father Christmas has gone missing, and it's up to Death to take his place while his granddaughter, Susan, solves the mystery of Hogfathers disappearance.

Pratchett's humor is 10/10 as always, and I loved the commentary on the development of myth, the power of belief, and a bit of a social/economic look at Christmas. Death has to learn you can't just give everyone anything they want after all.

Where this book lacks a little is the villain department. The Auditors are confusing and abstract and don't provide much in the way of a focus. There is a scene at the end where their mens rea is explained, and it helps so much, but I kind of wish I had been able to figure it out along the way better.

Still, I love Death more than anything. Susan is always fun. Plus the Death of Rats and the Raven. Bonus points for the Wizards of Unseen University appearing for their shenanigans. I forgot how much they made me laugh.

Perfect Christmas vibes read. I needed something I could just pick up at night after long days of shopping and wrapping and being social. I didn't want to think too hard, and yet Pratchett always gives the perfect thought-provoking commentary hidden by humor.
]]> 58490567 The New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code returns with an unforgettable World War II tale of a quiet bookworm who becomes history's deadliest female sniper. Based on a true story.

In 1937 in the snowbound city of Kyiv, wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son--but Hitler's invasion of Ukraine and Russia sends her on a different path. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper--a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her three hundredth kill makes her a national heroine, Mila finds herself torn from the bloody battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America on a goodwill tour.

Still reeling from war wounds and devastated by loss, Mila finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC--until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila's past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life.

Based on a true story, The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever.]]> 435 Kate Quinn 0062943510 Sam 4
12/10? 15/10? Honestly, that alone encouraged me to pick up this book because how cool. I love me a bamf woman.

Unfortunately, the book has one big flaw that kept me from loving it, and it's a personal issue, so don't let it sway you. Time Jumps. I'm learning that I just hate them in books. I'm struggling to think of a book where they don't bug me to some degree. Honestly, though, they interrupt the narrative too much. We hopped from detailed combat and life on the front to boring America of speeches and the White House. An element was added to the book to try and up the ante of the America chapters as if the author knew those were boring af by comparison, too. ]]> 4.26 2022
author: Kate Quinn
name: Sam
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/22
date added: 2024/12/22
shelves:
review:
The plot? 12/10. This historical fiction is about a young mother in Russia studying for her degree in history and writing her dissertation when the Germans invaded the Soviet Union during WWII. Mila enlisted and became a sniper with 309 confirmed kills, earning her the nickname Lady Death. She even came to the US before we sent troops to Europe as part of a delegation and toured giving speeches to encourage Soviet Union sympatheies. (Pre Cold War, of course) Seriously, the cool things left out of the history books... I keep thinking of the Kameron Hurley article entitled "We Have Always Fought."

12/10? 15/10? Honestly, that alone encouraged me to pick up this book because how cool. I love me a bamf woman.

Unfortunately, the book has one big flaw that kept me from loving it, and it's a personal issue, so don't let it sway you. Time Jumps. I'm learning that I just hate them in books. I'm struggling to think of a book where they don't bug me to some degree. Honestly, though, they interrupt the narrative too much. We hopped from detailed combat and life on the front to boring America of speeches and the White House. An element was added to the book to try and up the ante of the America chapters as if the author knew those were boring af by comparison, too.
]]> 195391688 The lavishly reimagined 10th Anniversary Edition of the New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller.

The year is 2059. For two centuries, the Republic of Scion has led an oppressive campaign against unnaturalness in Europe.

In London, Paige Mahoney holds a high rank in the criminal underworld. The right hand of the ruthless White Binder, Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare and formidable kind of clairvoyant. Under Scion law, she commits treason simply by breathing.

When Paige is arrested for murder, she meets the mysterious founders of Scion, who have designs on her uncommon abilities. If she is to survive and escape, Paige must use every skill at her disposal �� and put her trust in someone who ought to be her enemy.]]> 624 Samantha Shannon 163973418X Sam 5
I have a complicated history with this book. When the revised editions were announced, I thrifted an original hardcover to see if I wanted to splurge on them. I dnfed it in 50 pages, and I'm honestly not one to dnf that fast. Yet I set down and didn't think of it again, so I sold off that copy.

Then the broken binding ran some giveaways, and I happened to win books 1 and 2. I laughed. The universe is not without irony. I figured I'd give it another try as plenty of friends rave on the series.

I was skeptical, but with another friend raving as she read them, my mood reading had me pick up book 1. Within 50 pages, i was hooked.

I can't say what's been revised after 50 pages, but I can say those 50 pages are a true testament to what 10 years of writing experience can bring although I also question how the first was published. ]]> 3.99 2013
author: Samantha Shannon
name: Sam
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/13
date added: 2024/12/13
shelves:
review:
From dnf to... 5 stars? Or very near to 5.

I have a complicated history with this book. When the revised editions were announced, I thrifted an original hardcover to see if I wanted to splurge on them. I dnfed it in 50 pages, and I'm honestly not one to dnf that fast. Yet I set down and didn't think of it again, so I sold off that copy.

Then the broken binding ran some giveaways, and I happened to win books 1 and 2. I laughed. The universe is not without irony. I figured I'd give it another try as plenty of friends rave on the series.

I was skeptical, but with another friend raving as she read them, my mood reading had me pick up book 1. Within 50 pages, i was hooked.

I can't say what's been revised after 50 pages, but I can say those 50 pages are a true testament to what 10 years of writing experience can bring although I also question how the first was published.
]]> 56776636 "A richly woven carpet of a book." Historical Novel Society

Brothers bound by blood but fated to be enemies. Can their Empire survive or will it crumble into myth?

Istanbul, 1903.

Since his younger brother usurped the Imperial throne, Sultan Murad V has been imprisoned with his family for nearly thirty years.

The new century heralds immense change. Anarchy and revolution threaten the established order. Powerful enemies plot the fall of the once mighty Ottoman Empire. Only death will bring freedom to the enlightened former sultan. But the waters of the Bosphorus run deep: assassins lurk in shadows, intrigue abounds, and scandal in the family threatens to bring destruction of all that he holds dear��

For over six hundred years the history of the Turks and their vast and powerful Empire has been inextricably linked to the Ottoman dynasty. Can this extraordinary family, and the Empire they built, survive into the new century?

Set against the magnificent backdrop of Imperial Istanbul, The Gilded Cage on the Bosphorus is a spellbinding tale of love, duty and sacrifice.]]> 530 Ayşe Osmanoğlu 1916361412 Sam 0 to-read 3.81 2020
author: Ayşe Osmanoğlu
name: Sam
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 10485751
Khamsin Coruscate, Princess of Summerlea and summoner of Storms, has spent her life exiled to the shadows of her father's palace. Reviled by her father, marriage to Wintercraig's icy king was supposed to be a terrible punishment, but instead offers Kham her first taste of freedom—and her first taste of overwhelming passion.

As fierce, indomitable Wynter weathers even Khamsin's wildest storms, surprising her with a tenderness she never expected, Kham wants more than Wynter's passion—she yearns for his love. But the power of the Ice Heart is growing, dangerous forces are gathering, and a devastating betrayal puts Khamsin and Wynter to the ultimate test.]]> 594 C.L. Wilson 0062018973 Sam 0 to-read 3.97 2014
author: C.L. Wilson
name: Sam
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 61280442 Two best friends fake date to reach their holiday happily ever after in this first romantic comedy in the Lovelight series.

A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.

In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, Stella enters a contest with Instagram-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, Stella might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on her application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only…there is no boyfriend.

Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just stopped by for some hot chocolate and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. But fake dating his best friend might be the best Christmas present he’s ever received.]]> 416 B.K. Borison Sam 5 3.94 2021
author: B.K. Borison
name: Sam
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/12/07
shelves:
review:
My first holiday read... ever? Well, christmas romance holiday read, I should say
]]> 210134467 New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, Songbird and the Heart of Stone, where A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Dante's Inferno, in an epic fantasy romance of love and treachery between mortals and gods. Features beautiful case art and a detailed map.

In the descent to the underworld, a bride of the sun must choose between the light of her redemption�� or a dark love that defies the gods themselves

Mische lost everything when she was forcibly Turned into a vampire �� her home, her humanity, and most devastating of all, the love of the sun god to whom she had devoted her life. Now, sentenced to death for murdering the vampire prince who Turned her, redemption feels impossible.

But when Mische is saved by Asar, the bastard prince of the House of Shadow with a past as brutal as his scars, she’s forced into a mission worse than execution: a journey to the underworld to resurrect the god of death himself.

Yet, Mische’s punishment may be the key to her salvation. In a secret meeting, her sun god commands her to help Asar in his mission, only to betray him�� by killing the very death god she’ll help resurrect.

Mische and Asar must travel the treacherous path to the underworld, facing trials, beasts, and the vengeful ghosts of their pasts. Yet, most dangerous of all is the alluring call of the darkness �� and her forbidden attraction to Asar, a burgeoning bond that risks invoking the wrath of gods.

As her betrayal looms, the underworld closes in and angry gods are growing restless. Mische will be forced to choose between the redemption of the sun or the damnation of the darkness.]]> 498 Carissa Broadbent Sam 3
The thing is, this book starts like a continuation of the series, which it is, but we're with new characters in a new place so everything thing has changed. The only familiar thing is Mische, and I didn't feel like she read the same Mische as books 1 and 2. Now, maybe I need to go back and read those because my memory is wrong, but what I remember did not match. Also, with the trauma of this girls backstory, I don't know how she was the Mische of books 1 and 2? Because dang. Girl went through it.

Anyway, I just felt like this book did a crappy job of setting the new stage. Even as a continuation, we've swapped so much stuff, and I think that needed to be built so much better than it was. More about the Shadowborn and all their politics? Because really, Mische is just wounded and delirious and then shunted off. Either that or play it off as more of a fever dream? Idk. I do know that it sucked. Ok, it wasn't terrible terrible but it was bad enough that I set it down.

Thankfully, the book picks up. I had seen a glimmer of that, but it wasn't until I picked it back up that it got better. I think the book thrives on Mische's backstory which is so slowly unveiled that it's not until we have a fuller picture of everything she's gone through and what that means to her and present day implications that everything starts to click and feel weighty. So much is tied to who she believes herself to be, and I just never knew how much that all meant to her. It takes a long time to fully grasp how much her past as a human is still integral to her now.

Asar is a bit of a cliche in the beginning. He's a shadow daddy. Which like yay! But also, who isn't anymore? ]]> 4.02 2024
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: Sam
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/06
date added: 2024/12/06
shelves:
review:
So... this book is a conundrum for me to review. On the one hand, I put it down for a while and read something else. On the other hand, when I picked it back up, I really enjoyed it. I wonder if it was mood, but I had no problem getting immediately swallowed by my other read, so... no? I also don't seem to be alone in thinking the first half of this book sucks.

The thing is, this book starts like a continuation of the series, which it is, but we're with new characters in a new place so everything thing has changed. The only familiar thing is Mische, and I didn't feel like she read the same Mische as books 1 and 2. Now, maybe I need to go back and read those because my memory is wrong, but what I remember did not match. Also, with the trauma of this girls backstory, I don't know how she was the Mische of books 1 and 2? Because dang. Girl went through it.

Anyway, I just felt like this book did a crappy job of setting the new stage. Even as a continuation, we've swapped so much stuff, and I think that needed to be built so much better than it was. More about the Shadowborn and all their politics? Because really, Mische is just wounded and delirious and then shunted off. Either that or play it off as more of a fever dream? Idk. I do know that it sucked. Ok, it wasn't terrible terrible but it was bad enough that I set it down.

Thankfully, the book picks up. I had seen a glimmer of that, but it wasn't until I picked it back up that it got better. I think the book thrives on Mische's backstory which is so slowly unveiled that it's not until we have a fuller picture of everything she's gone through and what that means to her and present day implications that everything starts to click and feel weighty. So much is tied to who she believes herself to be, and I just never knew how much that all meant to her. It takes a long time to fully grasp how much her past as a human is still integral to her now.

Asar is a bit of a cliche in the beginning. He's a shadow daddy. Which like yay! But also, who isn't anymore?
]]> 216522630 She’s the one that got away. He’s the one that never let her go.

From the bestselling author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance in which past lovers get a second chance to rediscover what they lost.

Camille Ashwood had always loved a plan. Her latest was her best yet. She was going to get married so she could secure her daughter’s future, get her overbearing parents off her back, and finally start building her own life in small town Meadowlark, Wyoming. Easy, right?

But when her groom doesn’t show up to the wedding, Cam’s life is turned upside down—she doesn’t even have a place to live. That is, until she finds out the house she’s loved since high school is available to rent. There’s only one problem: the neighbor.

Dusty Tucker has spent nearly all of his adult life running. Running from what, though? More like who: Cam Ashwood. But ever since he returned home last year, the girl who was his first, well, everything has become a woman seemingly determined to keep him at arm’s length. And he was okay with that—at least, that’s what he kept telling himself. She was getting married, after all. But now she’s single and living next door. Dusty wants to show her that they can be friends, and that he can stay put.

Despite her best attempts to stay far away from Dusty Tucker, Cam realizes that being close to him is like slipping on her favorite jeans. Easy. Comfortable. That is until past wounds start to open and feelings—both old and new—wreak havoc. Nearly ten years after they first met, Dusty and Cam begin to wonder if their first love can also be their last. And this time, will it be forever?]]> 368 Lyla Sage 0593732472 Sam 0 to-read 4.32 2025
author: Lyla Sage
name: Sam
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199797571
Wren is still reeling from the revelation that the mother she thought was dead is actually the Corpse Queen, a ghostsmith with the terrifying power to control the undead. It was Wren’s own mother who created the iron revenants—an army of near unbeatable undead soldiers. When the iron revenants attack, no one in the Dominions will have the strength to stand in their way.

Now Wren, Leo, and Julian find themselves once more in the Breach, this time on the run from Wren’s father, who is determined to secure more power for himself and the House of Bone. The three are desperate to stop the upcoming war, but working together is easier said than done with Julian still furious about Wren double-crossing him. And to make matters worse, Wren is plagued by powerful new abilities that force her to reassess everything she knows about being a bonesmith.

When Wren’s long-lost twin brother shows up and vows to help her destroy the well of magic that feeds the iron revenants, she must decide if trusting him is worth potentially playing right into their mother’s hands.

After all, the dead might be dangerous, but it’s the living who can betray you.]]> 448 Nicki Pau Preto 1665910623 Sam 4
Ghostsmith picks up exactly where the first leaves off, which I always enjoy in an installment. I enjoyed the return to the group banter and characters, which I enjoyed so much in the first book. Unfortunately, the beginning of this book is a little bogged down by the dread fantasy travel bug.

I get it's hard to move characters around, add interesting events, and keep the plot moving. No one wants their characters to teleport around the map, but sometimes just being with characters as they travel can also be a slog, especially with the amount of time in this book spent on it. Then, so much happens at the end, which could have maybe used some of these pages stolen by traveling. I just think all of this could have been better served, perhaps by making this book a trilogy.

I also wanted more Inara. I loved her character addition and the thing she was doing. I think more time could have been spent on her pov.

Everything at the end... got a little too YA cheese for me. Not that I expected characters to die, but everything just felt so... easy. There were too few pages left for me to really feel danger and threat because I knew we had to wrap this up shortly. All the plans were working, the big danger was easily handled, and it just felt... too easy. But I understand I'm an adult judging ya fantasy, and a fair amount of ease is to be expected.

Overall, i really enjoyed this YA duology. The world and ideas were fresh, new, and fun. The characters maybe aren't my favorite, but I enjoyed Wren's character development. I could have used a little more personality from Julian, and I do think Leo stole the show. There's enough action and adventure to keep the show interesting, and if the twists aren't always the most unpredictable, I think there's enough lore and world building to keep things entertaining and suitably complex.]]> 4.18 2024
author: Nicki Pau Preto
name: Sam
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/22
date added: 2024/11/22
shelves:
review:
A fairly solid conclusion to this little ya fantasy duology that I think should have been a trilogy.

Ghostsmith picks up exactly where the first leaves off, which I always enjoy in an installment. I enjoyed the return to the group banter and characters, which I enjoyed so much in the first book. Unfortunately, the beginning of this book is a little bogged down by the dread fantasy travel bug.

I get it's hard to move characters around, add interesting events, and keep the plot moving. No one wants their characters to teleport around the map, but sometimes just being with characters as they travel can also be a slog, especially with the amount of time in this book spent on it. Then, so much happens at the end, which could have maybe used some of these pages stolen by traveling. I just think all of this could have been better served, perhaps by making this book a trilogy.

I also wanted more Inara. I loved her character addition and the thing she was doing. I think more time could have been spent on her pov.

Everything at the end... got a little too YA cheese for me. Not that I expected characters to die, but everything just felt so... easy. There were too few pages left for me to really feel danger and threat because I knew we had to wrap this up shortly. All the plans were working, the big danger was easily handled, and it just felt... too easy. But I understand I'm an adult judging ya fantasy, and a fair amount of ease is to be expected.

Overall, i really enjoyed this YA duology. The world and ideas were fresh, new, and fun. The characters maybe aren't my favorite, but I enjoyed Wren's character development. I could have used a little more personality from Julian, and I do think Leo stole the show. There's enough action and adventure to keep the show interesting, and if the twists aren't always the most unpredictable, I think there's enough lore and world building to keep things entertaining and suitably complex.
]]> 214310631
But then the Silveria Circus finds him.

Motorcycle performer Rose Evans has spent a decade on the road with Silveria, and it suits her just fine, especially when she has the urge to indulge in a little murder and mayhem when she’s not in the spotlight. But when a kill goes awry and she ends up with a broken leg, she finds herself stuck in Nebraska at the home of the adorably nerdy town doctor.

The problem is, not every broken heart can be sewn back together.

. . . And the longer you stay in one place, the more likely your ghosts are to catch up.]]> 390 Brynne Weaver 163893181X Sam 0 to-read 4.20 2025
author: Brynne Weaver
name: Sam
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 203518955 Diana Bishop journeys to the darkest places within herself—and her family history—in the highly anticipated fifth novel of the beloved #1 New York Times bestselling All Souls series.

Deborah Harkness first introduced the world to Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and witch, and vampire geneticist Matthew de Clairmont in A Discovery of Witches. Drawn to each other despite long-standing taboos, these two otherworldly beings found themselves at the center of a battle for a lost, enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. Since then, they have fallen in love, traveled to Elizabethan England, dissolved the Covenant between the three species, and awoken the dark powers within Diana’s family line.

Now, Diana and Matthew receive a formal demand from the Congregation: They must test the magic of their seven-year-old twins, Pip and Rebecca. Concerned with their safety and desperate to avoid the same fate that led her parents to spellbind her, Diana decides to forge a different path for her family’s future and answers a message from a great-aunt she never knew existed, Gwyneth Proctor, whose invitation simply reads: It’s time you came home, Diana.

On the hallowed ground of Ravenswood, the Proctor family home, and under the tutelage of Gwyneth, a talented witch grounded in higher magic, a new era begins for Diana: a confrontation with her family’s dark past, and a reckoning for her own desire for even greater power—if she can let go, finally, of her fear of wielding it.]]> 444 Deborah Harkness 0593724771 Sam 0 to-read 3.96 2024
author: Deborah Harkness
name: Sam
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211826907 A woman on the run. A crew of Viking mercenaries. A forbidden romance. And the secret which threatens them all.

Silla Nordvig is running for her life.

The Queen of Íseldur has sent warriors to bring Silla to Sunnavík, where death awaits her. When her father is killed, his last words set Silla on a perilous travel the treacherous Road of Bones–a thousand-mile stretch haunted by warbands, creatures of darkness, and a mysterious murderer–and go to Kopa, where a shield-house awaits her.

After barely surviving the first stretch of road, a desperate Silla sneaks into a supply wagon belonging to the notorious Bloodaxe Crew. To make it to Kopa, she must win over Axe Eyes, the brooding leader of the Crew, while avoiding the Wolf, his distractingly handsome right-hand man. But the queen’s ruthless assassin has other plans and hunts Silla obsessively.

Will Silla make it safely to Kopa? Or will she fall prey to the perils of the Road of Bones?

Featuring an immersive world blending fairy tale with Vikings, The Road of Bones leads you on an adrenaline-fueled chase with fun banter and a slow-building enemies to lovers romance. The first book in the Ashen Series, you are one click away from reading it!]]> 560 Demi Winters 0593975618 Sam 0 to-read 4.26 2023
author: Demi Winters
name: Sam
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211081092
A queen now in exile as a traitor, Lara has watched Ithicana be conquered by her own father, helpless to do anything to stop the destruction. But when she learns her husband, Aren, has been captured in battle, Lara knows there is only one reason her father is keeping him alive: as bait for his traitorous daughter.

And it is bait she fully intends to take.

Risking her life to the Tempest Seas, Lara returns to Ithicana with a plan not only to free its king, but for liberating the Bridge Kingdom from her father's clutches using his own weapons: the sisters whose lives she spared. But not only is the palace inescapable, there are more players in the game than Lara ever realized, enemies and allies switching sides in the fight for crowns, kingdoms, and bridges. But her greatest adversary of all might be the very man she's trying to free—the husband she betrayed.

With everything she loves in jeopardy, Lara must decide who—and what—she is fighting for: her kingdom, her husband, or herself.]]> 416 Danielle L. Jensen 0593975219 Sam 3
I will say I liked her character more in this book. I guess when she's not supposed to be brainwashed but acting completely different, she makes more sense as a character. Lara does make Aren look a bit like a wimp, though. ]]> 4.17 2020
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Sam
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/17
date added: 2024/11/17
shelves:
review:
It's better than book 1 but still had some major issues. I liked the characters better this time around, but honestly, it was a much better focused and paced book because we weren't monkeying with made-up insane politics and nonsense. Thr issues this time were more of a consistency of what Lara is and is not capable of at any given moment and the limits of the human body.

I will say I liked her character more in this book. I guess when she's not supposed to be brainwashed but acting completely different, she makes more sense as a character. Lara does make Aren look a bit like a wimp, though.
]]> 211081101
The only route through a storm-ravaged world, the Bridge Kingdom enriches itself and deprives its rivals, including Lara's homeland. So when she’s sent as a bride under the guise of peace, Lara is prepared to do whatever it takes to fracture its impenetrable defenses. And the defenses of its king.

Yet as she infiltrates her new home and gains a deeper understanding of the war to possess the bridge, Lara begins to question whether she’s the hero or the villain. And as her feelings for Aren transform from frosty hostility to fierce passion, Lara must choose which kingdom she’ll save�� and which kingdom she’ll destroy.

Passionate and violent, The Bridge Kingdom is a seductive fantasy perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.]]> 448 Danielle L. Jensen 0593975189 Sam 3
I will say don't read this book for the politics because I'm pretty sure none of them make any sense and way too much of the beginning of the book is spent on them. I don't know where they all are only that there's a bridge spanning between them and I'm fairly certain it doesn't make sense for how this bridge kingdom survives as an actual kingdom.... but again, you don't peak behind the wizards curtain, right?

Lara and Aren are fine. I liked Aren although he's a little basic. Lara is pretty fcking dumb. Sorry there's just not really a better way to say it. Girl weebles and wobbles, is a badass assasin but jumps and screams at nothing, and is just... dumb. I don't hate her but she's exasperating af.

Again I liked this book enough to continue to book 2 but I don't recommend it as like a good book. There's too many inconsistencies and plot holes although I will say i have read worse indie debuts. But if you just want to read something for the vibes it's a pretty good book at that.]]> 4.01 2018
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Sam
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/15
date added: 2024/11/15
shelves:
review:
Honestly I'm scared to write a review because if I look too closely at anything in this book, I feel like it'll all fall apart. Meaning if I try to write a review, it'll sound mean, but I actually did enjoy my time reading this... mostly.

I will say don't read this book for the politics because I'm pretty sure none of them make any sense and way too much of the beginning of the book is spent on them. I don't know where they all are only that there's a bridge spanning between them and I'm fairly certain it doesn't make sense for how this bridge kingdom survives as an actual kingdom.... but again, you don't peak behind the wizards curtain, right?

Lara and Aren are fine. I liked Aren although he's a little basic. Lara is pretty fcking dumb. Sorry there's just not really a better way to say it. Girl weebles and wobbles, is a badass assasin but jumps and screams at nothing, and is just... dumb. I don't hate her but she's exasperating af.

Again I liked this book enough to continue to book 2 but I don't recommend it as like a good book. There's too many inconsistencies and plot holes although I will say i have read worse indie debuts. But if you just want to read something for the vibes it's a pretty good book at that.
]]> 203747795
1348. As the Black Plague ravages Italy, Ginevra di Gasparo is summoned to Florence after nearly a decade of lonely exile. Ginevra has a gift—harnessing the hidden powers of gemstones, she can heal the sick. But when word spread of her unusual abilities, she was condemned as a witch and banished. Now the same men who expelled Ginevra are begging for her return. Ginevra obliges, assuming the city’s leaders are finally ready to accept her unorthodox cures amid a pandemic. But upon arrival, she is tasked with a much different she must use her collection of jewels to track down a ruthless thief who is ransacking Florence’s churches for priceless relics—the city’s only hope for protection. If she succeeds, she’ll be a recognized physician and never accused of witchcraft again. But as her investigation progresses, Ginevra discovers she’s merely a pawn in a much larger scheme than the one she’s been hired to solve.��And the dangerous men behind this conspiracy won’t think twice about killing a stone witch to get what they want…]]> 368 Anna Rasche 0778310450 Sam 3
The Stone Witch of Florence is a historical fantasy set during the Black Plague of Italy. Ginevra is a woman able to make use of the magical properties of various stones. She's summoned back to Florence, after previously being exiled for the use of her magic, in order to solve a mystery of missing relics and hopefully have her exile remitted.

I appreciated the richness of the history in this book. Florence and Italy are brought to life but also the dire and catastrophic effects of the Black Plague, where 3 in 5 people died. Lots of little touches are added from the lengths people went to avoid contagion, the fear it wrought but also the carpe diem atmosphere, and the terrible songs the people carting the dead would sing. I love history, and I always love books that show their research and bring these periods to life.

I was also a fan of the storyline. Although the mystery is a touch too easy to solve, there is a twist to it I wasn't expecting. I did want to shout at the characters "dude that's a mfing clue" more than once when they were taking forever to catch on.

Unfortunately, the characters and the writing itself fell flat. Ginevra is a bit one-dimensional, and I think I appreciated the younger, more willful version from some of the flashbacks more than the adult version of the main storyline. She's much more world weary and not quite as inspiring a character. I wish maybe she had retained some sass or willfulness or even was just hella clever at figuring the mystery out. Lucia is a background note. She has a couple of pov chapters and one or two good scenes, but there's not a whole lot to her either. Michelle, I think, could be an interesting character, but he doesn't really have much to do in the story until the end. The best character is probably the hilarious Becchino, but he's such a minor side character that he can't carry the story.

Overall, I think my biggest gripe is how I never felt immersed in the story, and the whole time, I felt like someone was telling me this tale. I guess that's a fault of the writing style? It's hard to pinpoint exactly what made me feel that way, but a lot of moments are told to us, or even if we're in the action, then the final wrap up will be told to us. We're also told the characters' thoughts rather than being more in their heads to know what they're thinking.

All in all, it's not a bad debut although I'm not sure how strongly I'll recommend it. If you're looking for just a pleasant little historical fantasy to read, I think this might be an enjoyable little listen or read. Just don't expect it to knock your socks off.]]> 3.62 2024
author: Anna Rasche
name: Sam
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/12
date added: 2024/11/12
shelves:
review:
It's a solid little debut, but I just unfortunately never fully felt immersed in the story.

The Stone Witch of Florence is a historical fantasy set during the Black Plague of Italy. Ginevra is a woman able to make use of the magical properties of various stones. She's summoned back to Florence, after previously being exiled for the use of her magic, in order to solve a mystery of missing relics and hopefully have her exile remitted.

I appreciated the richness of the history in this book. Florence and Italy are brought to life but also the dire and catastrophic effects of the Black Plague, where 3 in 5 people died. Lots of little touches are added from the lengths people went to avoid contagion, the fear it wrought but also the carpe diem atmosphere, and the terrible songs the people carting the dead would sing. I love history, and I always love books that show their research and bring these periods to life.

I was also a fan of the storyline. Although the mystery is a touch too easy to solve, there is a twist to it I wasn't expecting. I did want to shout at the characters "dude that's a mfing clue" more than once when they were taking forever to catch on.

Unfortunately, the characters and the writing itself fell flat. Ginevra is a bit one-dimensional, and I think I appreciated the younger, more willful version from some of the flashbacks more than the adult version of the main storyline. She's much more world weary and not quite as inspiring a character. I wish maybe she had retained some sass or willfulness or even was just hella clever at figuring the mystery out. Lucia is a background note. She has a couple of pov chapters and one or two good scenes, but there's not a whole lot to her either. Michelle, I think, could be an interesting character, but he doesn't really have much to do in the story until the end. The best character is probably the hilarious Becchino, but he's such a minor side character that he can't carry the story.

Overall, I think my biggest gripe is how I never felt immersed in the story, and the whole time, I felt like someone was telling me this tale. I guess that's a fault of the writing style? It's hard to pinpoint exactly what made me feel that way, but a lot of moments are told to us, or even if we're in the action, then the final wrap up will be told to us. We're also told the characters' thoughts rather than being more in their heads to know what they're thinking.

All in all, it's not a bad debut although I'm not sure how strongly I'll recommend it. If you're looking for just a pleasant little historical fantasy to read, I think this might be an enjoyable little listen or read. Just don't expect it to knock your socks off.
]]> 207611511 She thrives in chaos. He prefers routine. The only thing they have in common? How much they hate each other.

From the author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the highly anticipated next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance in which enemies turn to lovers when they're forced to work together during one hot summer.

Teddy Andersen doesn’t have a plan. She’s never needed one before. She’s always been more of a go with the flow type of girl, but for some reason, the flow doesn’t seem to be going her way this time.

Her favorite vintage suede jacket has a hole in it, her sewing machine is broken, and her best friend just got engaged. Suddenly, everything feels like it’s starting to change. Teddy’s used to being a leader, but now she feels like she’s getting left behind, wondering if life in the small town she loves is enough for her anymore.

Gus Ryder has a lot on his plate. He doesn’t know what’s taking care of his family’s 8,000 acre ranch, or parenting his spunky six-year-old daughter, who is staying with him for the summer. Gus has always been the dependable one, but when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he has to admit that he can’t manage everything on his own. He needs help.

His little sister’s best friend, the woman he can’t stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy's the only option he’s got. Teddy decides to use the summer to try and figure out what she wants out of life. Gus, on the other hand, starts to worry that he’ll never find what he needs.

Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light. As new feelings start to simmer below the surface, they must decide whether or not to act on them. Can they keep things cool? Or will both of them get burned?]]> 313 Lyla Sage 0593732456 Sam 3
Honestly, I think it was rushed. The new publishing MO seems to be forcing out books as fast as possible while an authors name is hot. That's actually probably not a new MO? But I live in the fantasy world where sequels take years, and maybe nobody likes that, but nobody expects faster. Bk 1 was Oct 2023. Bk 2 was Mar 2024, and now Nov 2024 brings book 3. Maybe these were all written when she got a deal? But I doubt it. Plus, it showed in the book itself. I caught 3 easy grammar errors before pg 70, and there were more after that.

The characters felt flat to me. I'd loved both of them as side characters, but they struggled under the weight of the main characters. Gus felt like he had the personality of a wet rug. I am a macho cowboy. I am a working man protector. There's a throwaway mention he's dyslexic but it never even comes up between him and Teddy.

Teddy was also fine? I enjoyed her more than Gus, but she didn't seem to have that spark still from the previous books. Her feelings of being lost and left behind by a friend were totally valid but I didn't like that we mostly learned about them from her basically talking to herself in her head rather than actually experiencing them.

The storyline was weirdly contrived. Sure, it works, but like was that really the best way to bring them together? There's a throwaway moment with a side characters Nicole, that never gets used further. It just felt very directionless, and the chemistry between them was apparently only a thing in bk 1 and 2. There's also this nonexistent background "issue" between them that turns out to be ridiculous and dumb.

All in all, I'm just so disappointed. I know I'll read bk 4, but I won't race out to get it like I did this one, and I definitely hope it gets copyedited at the very least.]]> 4.33 2024
author: Lyla Sage
name: Sam
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2024/11/08
shelves:
review:
It's never fun when a book you've been waiting for... bombs. I've wanted Gus and Teddy's book since the first time they gave each other sht in book 1. It's not that this book is bad probably but I had high expectations going in, and I was just kinda... bored.

Honestly, I think it was rushed. The new publishing MO seems to be forcing out books as fast as possible while an authors name is hot. That's actually probably not a new MO? But I live in the fantasy world where sequels take years, and maybe nobody likes that, but nobody expects faster. Bk 1 was Oct 2023. Bk 2 was Mar 2024, and now Nov 2024 brings book 3. Maybe these were all written when she got a deal? But I doubt it. Plus, it showed in the book itself. I caught 3 easy grammar errors before pg 70, and there were more after that.

The characters felt flat to me. I'd loved both of them as side characters, but they struggled under the weight of the main characters. Gus felt like he had the personality of a wet rug. I am a macho cowboy. I am a working man protector. There's a throwaway mention he's dyslexic but it never even comes up between him and Teddy.

Teddy was also fine? I enjoyed her more than Gus, but she didn't seem to have that spark still from the previous books. Her feelings of being lost and left behind by a friend were totally valid but I didn't like that we mostly learned about them from her basically talking to herself in her head rather than actually experiencing them.

The storyline was weirdly contrived. Sure, it works, but like was that really the best way to bring them together? There's a throwaway moment with a side characters Nicole, that never gets used further. It just felt very directionless, and the chemistry between them was apparently only a thing in bk 1 and 2. There's also this nonexistent background "issue" between them that turns out to be ridiculous and dumb.

All in all, I'm just so disappointed. I know I'll read bk 4, but I won't race out to get it like I did this one, and I definitely hope it gets copyedited at the very least.
]]> 204593711
It began long before my time, but something has always hunted our family.

Orphaned heiress Kidan Adane grew up far from the arcane society she was born into, where human bloodlines gain power through vampire companionship. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her—the very vampire bound to their family, the cruel yet captivating Susenyos Sagad.

To find June, Kidan must infiltrate the elite Uxlay University—where students study to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires and inherit their family legacies. Kidan must survive living with Susenyos—even as he does everything he can to drive her away. It doesn’t matter that Susenyos’s wickedness speaks to Kidan’s own violent nature and tempts her to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill Susenyos at all costs.

When a murder mirroring June’s disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. There she discovers a centuries-old threat—and June could be at the center of it. To save her sister, Kidan must bring Uxlay to its knees and either break free from the horrors of her own actions or embrace the dark entanglements of love—and the blood it requires.]]> 432 Tigest Girma Sam 2
My biggest problem was just not liking the FMC, Kidan. She's actually so bland because she's just a caricature of hate. Girl hates with supposed passion, but I never actually felt or understood it. Ots just insufferable. Her sister is missing but idgaf about the sister because I've never met her. There's no flashbacks, no allusions to their relationship, no nothing. Just a vampire kidnapped her and all this mystery that's alluded to when they were kids but goes unresolved forever. Wah wah wah, vampires are bad, and yet there's a whole community of humans living with vampires, so like... I understand nothing here. I just could not stand the depths of this girls hate without any understanding to back it up. Also, she destroys a whole room of priceless historical artifacts in a hissy fit within the first 50 pages, and I don't think I ever got over that.

I also really have no understanding of the point of these magical houses or like what they do or the point of them. There's like a law that exists in them, but only the founding houses can change that law, and for the others, the law just exists to keep everyone else off campus. But to change the law, you have to master the house that's like fing with your mind? But only in the hallways cause you know the whole house would be cruel? Oh, and the observatory cause reasons.

Susenyos, the MMC, is a big blob of boring, too. I have no idea what he even does for the majority of the book except to conveniently be around for Kidan to hate. He finally gets a backstory, maybe the last 15% of the book? But the details are so sparse. You can call these true enemies to lovers because I guess they actually do hate each other, but the relationship was a snoozefest for me. Again, it's just a fault of the characters not clicking for me at all.

The publisher blurb says this is Cruel Prince meets Ninth House. I haven't read cruel prince so no comment there, but this couldn't be less Ninth house if it tried. I guess cause there's... a school they're going to? But it serves no real purpose except you can't be an heir to a house without passing. Plus, they're only really ever shown in one class that has these bizarre tests. That ultimately, again, don't really have any purpose to the plot. You could 100% just lift the school out of the pages and have this be a community of vampires and humans because we're all running around interacting with people's parents and other vampires rather than really that many other students.

It sucks. I really wanted to like this book. It tried to be dark cause Kidan hates herself or whatever, but I just didn't feel anything. The plot is murky and confusing af. The magic system is inexplicable, and the characters are bland. I was about to dnf, so I read the last chapter as a hail Mary and was curious enough to figure out how we got there. I will say all the plot of the book is probably in the last 10%, and sadly, if the whole book had been the same, I would have enjoyed the sht out of it. Things actually happened. Characters had backstories and motives. It was a wild time. I have a feeling book 2 could pull a 180 and be good now that we've actually reached the plot but I doubt I'll be picking it up.]]> 3.67 2024
author: Tigest Girma
name: Sam
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2024/10/17
date added: 2024/11/05
shelves:
review:
I... I really wanted to like this book. Vampires and dark academia? True enemies to lovers? On paper, I should have been eating this up, but unfortunately, I struggled to not dnf.

My biggest problem was just not liking the FMC, Kidan. She's actually so bland because she's just a caricature of hate. Girl hates with supposed passion, but I never actually felt or understood it. Ots just insufferable. Her sister is missing but idgaf about the sister because I've never met her. There's no flashbacks, no allusions to their relationship, no nothing. Just a vampire kidnapped her and all this mystery that's alluded to when they were kids but goes unresolved forever. Wah wah wah, vampires are bad, and yet there's a whole community of humans living with vampires, so like... I understand nothing here. I just could not stand the depths of this girls hate without any understanding to back it up. Also, she destroys a whole room of priceless historical artifacts in a hissy fit within the first 50 pages, and I don't think I ever got over that.

I also really have no understanding of the point of these magical houses or like what they do or the point of them. There's like a law that exists in them, but only the founding houses can change that law, and for the others, the law just exists to keep everyone else off campus. But to change the law, you have to master the house that's like fing with your mind? But only in the hallways cause you know the whole house would be cruel? Oh, and the observatory cause reasons.

Susenyos, the MMC, is a big blob of boring, too. I have no idea what he even does for the majority of the book except to conveniently be around for Kidan to hate. He finally gets a backstory, maybe the last 15% of the book? But the details are so sparse. You can call these true enemies to lovers because I guess they actually do hate each other, but the relationship was a snoozefest for me. Again, it's just a fault of the characters not clicking for me at all.

The publisher blurb says this is Cruel Prince meets Ninth House. I haven't read cruel prince so no comment there, but this couldn't be less Ninth house if it tried. I guess cause there's... a school they're going to? But it serves no real purpose except you can't be an heir to a house without passing. Plus, they're only really ever shown in one class that has these bizarre tests. That ultimately, again, don't really have any purpose to the plot. You could 100% just lift the school out of the pages and have this be a community of vampires and humans because we're all running around interacting with people's parents and other vampires rather than really that many other students.

It sucks. I really wanted to like this book. It tried to be dark cause Kidan hates herself or whatever, but I just didn't feel anything. The plot is murky and confusing af. The magic system is inexplicable, and the characters are bland. I was about to dnf, so I read the last chapter as a hail Mary and was curious enough to figure out how we got there. I will say all the plot of the book is probably in the last 10%, and sadly, if the whole book had been the same, I would have enjoyed the sht out of it. Things actually happened. Characters had backstories and motives. It was a wild time. I have a feeling book 2 could pull a 180 and be good now that we've actually reached the plot but I doubt I'll be picking it up.
]]> 60018635 A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family--and a new love--changes the course of her life.

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don't mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she's used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.

But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and...Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he's concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.

As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn't know she was looking for....
]]> 318 Sangu Mandanna 059343935X Sam 3
I really don't think this is a bad book. I think it's just not for me. The premise is cool. I loved the use of magic. I love the characters and all the side characters so what went wrong? Everything is just so cutsy. So sweet. And that's just not my thing. It's not a bad thing, I'm just never going to vibe with it 100%.

I did love the FMC feelings of never quite fitting in and belonging anywhere. I understand that feeling 100%.]]> 4.05 2022
author: Sangu Mandanna
name: Sam
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/25
date added: 2024/10/25
shelves:
review:
Just too sickly sweet for me. It's like eating a really sweet dessert and you're still enjoying it because you know it's dessert but it's so sugary, it almost makes you sick. Probably not the best explanation of this because that makes it sound bad.

I really don't think this is a bad book. I think it's just not for me. The premise is cool. I loved the use of magic. I love the characters and all the side characters so what went wrong? Everything is just so cutsy. So sweet. And that's just not my thing. It's not a bad thing, I'm just never going to vibe with it 100%.

I did love the FMC feelings of never quite fitting in and belonging anywhere. I understand that feeling 100%.
]]> 34507 240 Terry Pratchett 0060855908 Sam 5
Eskarina is a young girl who wants to be a wizard given that she's the 8th son of an 8th son who just happened to be born a daughter. But only men can be wizards for reasons, just as only women can be witches. Duh duh duuhhh.

The first book of Pratchetts witches series within his Discworld series, so we're treated to the introduction of Granny Weatherwax, one of my all-time favorite characters. She's the epitome of no nonsense smarts, gets sht done, and is home in time for tea. I want to be her when I grow up.

Of course, as a Pratchett book, it's a delightful sarcastic look at a modern problem. In this case, sexism and glass ceilings or how we get equal rites for all. Yes, it is exactly that clever of a title as so many of his are.

Honestly, Pratchett is meant to be experienced rather than reviewed. If you love British humor, I don't know how you could not like his books. And if you don't like that sort of humor than what's wrong with you?]]> 4.06 1987
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Sam
average rating: 4.06
book published: 1987
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/23
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves:
review:
Delightfully hilarious, of course, as only Terry Pratchett can be.

Eskarina is a young girl who wants to be a wizard given that she's the 8th son of an 8th son who just happened to be born a daughter. But only men can be wizards for reasons, just as only women can be witches. Duh duh duuhhh.

The first book of Pratchetts witches series within his Discworld series, so we're treated to the introduction of Granny Weatherwax, one of my all-time favorite characters. She's the epitome of no nonsense smarts, gets sht done, and is home in time for tea. I want to be her when I grow up.

Of course, as a Pratchett book, it's a delightful sarcastic look at a modern problem. In this case, sexism and glass ceilings or how we get equal rites for all. Yes, it is exactly that clever of a title as so many of his are.

Honestly, Pratchett is meant to be experienced rather than reviewed. If you love British humor, I don't know how you could not like his books. And if you don't like that sort of humor than what's wrong with you?
]]> 59475768 Three girls, one supernatural killer on the loose . . .

Zara Jones believes in magic because the alternative is too painful to consider—that her murdered sister is gone forever and there is nothing she can do about it. Rather than grieving and moving on, Zara decides she will do whatever it takes to claw her sister back from the grave—even trading in the occult.

Jude Wolf may be the daughter of a billionaire, but she is also undeniably cursed. After a deal with a demon went horribly wrong, her soul has been slowly turning necrotic. It’s a miserable existence marred by pain, sickness, and monstrous things that taunt her in the night. Now that she’s glimpsed what’s beyond the veil, Jude’s desperate to find someone to undo the damage she’s done to herself.

Enter Emer Byrne, an orphaned witch with a dark past and a deadly power, a.k.a. the solution to both Zara’s and Jude’s problems. Though Emer lives a hardscrabble life, she gives away her most valuable asset—her invocations—to women in desperate situations who are willing to sacrifice a piece of their soul in exchange for a scrap of power. Zara and Jude are willing, but they first have to find Emer.

When Emer’s clients start turning up dead all over London, a vital clue leads Zara and Jude right to her. If a serial killer is targeting her clients, Emer wants to know why—and to stop them. She strikes a tenuous alliance with Zara and Jude to hunt a killer before they are next on his list, even if she can’t give them in return what Zara and Jude want most: a sister and a soul.]]> 400 Krystal Sutherland 0593532260 Sam 3
Of the three women, I loved Jude the most. She's brash, forward, hilarious, and just a wild personality. The daughter of a billionaire who's a social outcast from her family. She's looking for a witch because she tried to do her own magic, and it went horribly wrong.

Then there's Zara, who just fell flat for me. She's the nerdy quiet one, and once the three are together, it seems as if she really melts into the background. She's a part of the plot, but not really integral to it. I didn't completely hate her storyline, but I wished for more from it.

The last of the three is Emer, an orphaned witch with a tragic past. She was a little flat for me, too, and maybe Jude's personality was just too big for the others to compete with. She's got the power and secrets, and maybe I just wanted her to kick more ass with them.

Overall, it's not a bad book. I think I just didn't connect to any of the characters enough to make it a great book. I did really enjoy the plotline, but I think there's a lot that happens at the end of the book, and the beginning and slow are very meh and muddled by comparison.]]> 4.08 2024
author: Krystal Sutherland
name: Sam
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/22
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves:
review:
I just... wasn't as gripped by this as I hoped to be. Loved the premise so much: three young women and magic involving demons and invocations. The execution just didn't knock it out of the park.

Of the three women, I loved Jude the most. She's brash, forward, hilarious, and just a wild personality. The daughter of a billionaire who's a social outcast from her family. She's looking for a witch because she tried to do her own magic, and it went horribly wrong.

Then there's Zara, who just fell flat for me. She's the nerdy quiet one, and once the three are together, it seems as if she really melts into the background. She's a part of the plot, but not really integral to it. I didn't completely hate her storyline, but I wished for more from it.

The last of the three is Emer, an orphaned witch with a tragic past. She was a little flat for me, too, and maybe Jude's personality was just too big for the others to compete with. She's got the power and secrets, and maybe I just wanted her to kick more ass with them.

Overall, it's not a bad book. I think I just didn't connect to any of the characters enough to make it a great book. I did really enjoy the plotline, but I think there's a lot that happens at the end of the book, and the beginning and slow are very meh and muddled by comparison.
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