en-US Wed, 09 Apr 2025 13:00:29 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 223854848 From the beloved USA Today bestselling author Falon Ballard comes a seductive romantasy that blends Macbeth and Moulin Rouge! into a hypnotic saga of sex, love, and murder.

The country of Avon is in deep turmoil. The Uprising has overthrown Avon's monarchial rulers, and a decree has been issued. Candidates for the first presidential election will be selected by the completion of a special to kill the former monarch of their home province.Ěý

Callum, the son of the recently dethroned king, is determined to be in the running. But to do so, he must come to terms with killing his father, the key to which lies in the hands of Lady Caterine, a Gifted courtesan at La Puissance, Avon’s premiere sex club.

Lady Caterine has always had the magical ability to manipulate the emotions of anyone who experiences an orgasm in her presence. If Callum can only open up to Cate, he will be able to commit the newly fated murder without suffering the guilt and take his place as the rightful candidate from his province. But Callum has a deep-seated mistrust of the Gifted. And the last thing he expects is to be confronted with an undeniable connection with Cate that neither of them understands, nor wants.

With the fate of the country at stake, Callum and Cate search for ways to bare themselves to each other, and discover a darker force building within La Puissance, one that might ruin the future of Avon for good.ĚýTo stop Avon from violently falling to ashes, they must sacrifice everything they have . . . even if it requires betraying each other.]]> 384 Falon Ballard 0593854675 Samantha 0 to-read, arc 3.40
author: Falon Ballard
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.40
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: to-read, arc
review:

]]> 207567884 These Burning Stars, the explosive space opera debut that launched the dangerous cat‑and‑mouse quest for revenge that will define a people forever.

The Jeveni have finally found freedom on the distant planet Capamame, delivered from Kindom oppression through their alliance with stoic Cleric Chono, intrepid caster Jun Ironway, and Six, the wildly unpredictable manipulator who has outwitted the Nightfoot family.

But when Six and Chono return to the Treble star systems, the dream of freedom meets a dangerous test. The Secretaries of the Kindom are intent on reclaiming power in the Treble, as well as control over the Jeveni. Meanwhile, Jun Ironway and Jeveni collector Masar Hawks struggle to protect Capamame from a population brimming with resentment, not to mention a faceless saboteur spreading mayhem and murder. Ěý As the two groups struggle to outwit their enemies, divergent battles wend toward a climatic reunion that will spark a revolution. But over it all hangs the cruel legacy of Esek Nightfoot, whose rippling effects may prove impossible to survive.]]> 480 Bethany Jacobs 0316463523 Samantha 0 4.28
author: Bethany Jacobs
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.28
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: arc, unread-owned, currently-reading
review:

]]> 58275716
The bestselling Queen's Thief novels are rich with political machinations, divine intervention, dangerous journeys, battles lost and won, power, passion, and deception. Features a cast list of the characters in the Queen's Thief novels, as well as two maps--a map of the world of the Queen's Thief, and a map exclusive to this edition.]]> 453 Megan Whalen Turner 0062874497 Samantha 0 to-read, unread-owned 4.42 2020
author: Megan Whalen Turner
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
shelves: to-read, unread-owned
review:

]]> 223222877 In a broken system, do you save yourself or fight for the people you love?

With the godspower waning, the queen of Ashvi has had to find another way to bolster her fight against her imperialist oppressors. The solution: wrenching children of other cultures from their homes and conscripting them into service.

Hammer was one of those children. Now, she’s a jaded soldier waging Ashvi’s perpetual war, thinking only of her own survival. But when she accidentally rescues Viridian, a child with rare and potentially devastating powers, her priorities shift. The girl appears to be the answer to the queen’s prayers—the perfect weapon to restore her kingdom’s ancient borders, even if the colonized cities they reconquer don’t want her version of liberation. Can Hammer protect Viridian from the system that broke her .Ěý.Ěý. before the girl’s power is unleashed on the world?

Cry, Voidbringer is a gripping saga of how far one will go for freedom and control—and how easily it can all be taken away.]]> Elaine Ho 1964721512 Samantha 0 to-read 4.92
author: Elaine Ho
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.92
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215149209 From Axie Oh, the New York Times-bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, Final Fantasy meets Shadow and Bone in this romantic fantasy reimagining the Korean legend of Celestial Maidens.

Sunho lives in the Under World, a land of perpetual darkness. An ex-soldier, he can remember little of his life from before two years ago, when he woke up alone with only his name and his sword. Now he does odd-jobs to scrape by, until he comes across the score of a lifetime—a chest of coins for any mercenary who can hunt down a girl who wields silver light.

Meanwhile, far to the east, Ren is a cheerful and spirited acrobat traveling with her adoptive family and performing at villages. But everything changes during one of their festival performances when the village is attacked by a horrific humanlike demon. In a moment of fear and rage, Ren releases a blast of silver light—a power she has kept hidden since childhood—and kills the monster. But her efforts are not in time to prevent her adoptive family from suffering a devastating loss, or to save her beloved uncle from being grievously wounded.

Determined to save him from succumbing to the poisoned wound, Ren sets off over the mountains, where the creature came from—and from where Ren herself fled ten years ago. Her path sets her on a collision course with Sunho, but he doesn't realize she's the girl that he—and a hundred other swords-for-hire—is looking for. As the two grow closer through their travels, they come to realize that their pasts—and destinies—are far more entwined than either of them could have imagined...]]> 368 Axie Oh 1250853087 Samantha 3 arc 4.21 2025
author: Axie Oh
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/07
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: arc
review:

]]> 214438316
Romance is the last thing on Charlie’s mind.

On his first day at Valentine Academy for Boys, Charlie’s carefully crafted plan to hide his identity as the school’s only trans student is set in motion. Only to be immediately destroyed. Charlie has been assigned the worst roommate in the world (possibly the universe): Jasper Grimes, the boy who broke Charlie’s heart the year before he transitioned.

Except, Jasper doesn’t recognize Charlie.

Who knows how long until Jasper realizes the truth? Charlie has one shot at freedom and a dorm room all to himself, but only if he helps Jasper write love letters on behalf of their fellow students first. No problem. Charlie can help Jasper with some silly letters.

Long nights spent discussing deep romantic feelings with Jasper? Surely, no unintended consequences will arise…]]> 320 Page Powars 1250347653 Samantha 0 to-read 3.93 2025
author: Page Powars
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 137230878 I can't understand why � out of the four hockey players I'm sharing a house with this semester � Finn Howard's the one who catches my eye.

The guy never smiles. He doesn't say much and disapproves plenty.

But, something about him feels familiar. Something about him feels safe.

I'm not falling for Finn, I'm just curious. Could I make him smile? It wouldn't hurt to try. I love a good challenge. And who knows, maybe it'll distract me from pining over a guy I meet online.

Finn
I don't get nervous unless I'm on the ice. So why does my chest feel tight whenever Naomi Lewis looks in my direction?

She's witty, kind, and happy. How is someone that happy all the time?

If her sunny disposition isn't enough to distract me, the fact that her voice sounds exactly like the streamer I anonymously moderate for will.

If Naomi is her, she's in for a huge disappointment. I'm not the guy she thinks I am...not anymore, at least. And for that reason alone, I should stay away from her. I should stop trying to get closer. I should stop wanting her because she fell for someone else. Someone I will never be again.

__

Sunny Disposition is a slow burn, hidden identity romance featuring a grumpy, amnesic hockey player and sunshine cozy game streamer.]]> 335 Deanna Grey Samantha 0 to-read 3.65 2022
author: Deanna Grey
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 202251782
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.]]> 640 M.H. Ayinde 0356525309 Samantha 0 to-read, illumicrate-books 4.07 2025
author: M.H. Ayinde
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: to-read, illumicrate-books
review:

]]> 214565619
Lord Nicholas Monterris, the last remaining heir of a crumbling ducal house, must marry to save his family from complete decline. His father chooses Lady Leaf Serral, eldest daughter of his greatest rival, at which point Nic is sure it can’t get any worse. Until he learns the head negotiator is to be Dashiell sa Vare, an old flame he has neither forgiven nor forgotten, a man their rigid class structure forbids him to love.

Locked in the mouldering grandeur of Monterris Court (a house more haunting manifestation of dynastic ambition and ancestral guilt than home), the first dead body is troubling. The second, a warning that someone doesn’t want the contract to go ahead. But while Nic and his wife-to-be team up to banter their way through a secret murder investigation, it’s Dashiell he can’t stop thinking about. What would be worse? To love and have to let go, or to wholly deny the yearning of one’s heart forever?

Perfect for fans of Freya Marske and Alexis Hall, The Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide is the perfect blend of gothic and romantic � including a locked room murder mystery, forbidden love and otherworldly automatons.]]> 464 Rebecca Ide 1668070936 Samantha 4 arc
Review to come]]> 3.81 2025
author: Rebecca Ide
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/31
date added: 2025/03/31
shelves: arc
review:
A very sweet historical fantasy with enough tension, angst, and yearning to keep things interesting and a locked room mystery that genuinely kept me guessing.

Review to come
]]> 221997138 A romantic epic fantasy featuring a fire-wielding nun grappling with her dark past and a young spy caught between her mission and a growing attraction to an enemy princess

With complex relationships, a rich and mythic world, and brisk pacing, House of Dusk is perfect for fans of Tasha Suri, Samantha Shannon, and Shannon Chakraborty

Ten years ago, Sephre left behind her life as a war hero and took holy vows to seek redemption for her crimes, wielding the flamesĚýofĚýthe Phoenix to purify the dead. But as corpses rise, a long-dead god stirs, and shadowy serpents creep from the underworld to hunt her, she has no choice but to draw on the very past she's been trying so hard to forget.

Orphaned by the same war Sephre helped win, Yeneris has trained half her life to be the perfect spy, a blade slipped deep into the palaceĚýofĚýher enemies. Undercover as bodyguard to Sinoe, a princess whose tears unleash prophecy, Yeneris strives to complete her true mission to recover the stolen bonesĚýofĚýa saint. Sinoe's prophecies may hold answers, but allying with the fiercely compassionate princess is perilous. Yeneris must find a way to balance her growing attraction for Sinoe with her duty to her people as they conduct a dangerous search for the sourceĚýofĚýthe king's power.

As Sephre investigates the signsĚýofĚýa looming apocalypse, she finds her beliefs tested by Nilos, a mercurial and charming agentĚýofĚýthe serpent. He should be her enemy, but when Sephre is wrongly accusedĚýofĚýheresy and desperate to rescue her innocent apprentice, she has no choice but to work with the enigmatic man. Together they embark on a treacherous quest, seeking answers in the labyrinthine underworld.

As gods are reborn and spirits destroyed, the world trembles on the edgeĚýofĚýa second cataclysm. When the true enemy makes their bid for power, Yeneris must find a way to remain true to her full self and save both her mission and her heart. And Sephre must decide whether to be bound by her past, or to forge a better future, even if it means renouncing her vows and accepting a new and terrible power.]]> 384 Deva Fagan 0756420105 Samantha 0 to-read, arc 4.70 2025
author: Deva Fagan
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.70
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/31
shelves: to-read, arc
review:

]]> 214986234 A thrilling historical mystery about a young woman searching for her father, a young man trying to solve an impossible problem, and the quest for the power to transcend time.

In Half Moon Bay, California, 2016, a young woman waits for her father's sailboat to arrive at port. They have agreed to meet on this day and time. Yet he never shows.

He has told her this event might come. And if it did, she was ready. Go to the library in Berkeley, find a certain book, follow the instructions. But what if the instructions lead to more questions than answers?

In 1933, a young man arrives in Vienna to begin a new post as a professor of mathematics at the university. There he finds himself part of the Engelhardt Circle, a group of intellectuals that have recently been targeted by a growing, anti-academic mob. The circle includes the preeminent minds of their time and a cast of characters desperate to get invited into their midst, many of whom will stop at nothing to get there. As fascism rises, and polarization increases, moderate voices are drowned out.

There are whispers of a machine, a music box, which can transport someone through time. But no one can confirm if it's a rumor or true. And the only people who know firsthand are not talking.

Between the young woman, who lives off the grid and spends her free time editing Wikipedia entries and picking fights with people online, and the circle of intellectuals debating space and time in Vienna on the eve of World War II, lie years of history that might easily be erased—unless old secrets are unraveled. Kirsten Menger-Anderson's beautiful meditation on time, love, and obsession shows us how we never truly know what happened in the past, and often how the past eerily mirrors the future.]]> 256 Kirsten Menger-Anderson 0593798309 Samantha 0 to-read 4.10 2025
author: Kirsten Menger-Anderson
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 26841427
One of the most gifted fantasy authors writing today, New York Times bestselling author Robin Hobb has dazzled readers with brilliantly imaginative, emotionally resonant, and compulsively readable tales set in far-flung realms not unlike our own. In this enthralling new novel, she returns to the territory of her beloved Liveship Traders and Tawny Man trilogies with a story of dragons and humans, return and rebirth, and the search for meaning, belonging, and home.

For years, the Trader cities valiantly battled their enemies, the Chalcedeans. But they could not have staved off invasion without the powerful dragon Tintaglia. In return, the Traders promised to help her serpents migrate up the Rain Wild River after a long exile at sea--to find a safe haven and, Tintaglia hopes, to restore her species. But too much time has passed, and the newly hatched dragons are damaged and weak, and many die. The few who survive cannot use their wings; earthbound, they are powerless to hunt and vulnerable to human predators willing to kill them for the fabled healing powers of dragon flesh.

But Tintaglia has vanished and the Traders are weary of the labor and expense of tending useless dragons. The Trader leadership fears that if it stops providing for the young dragons, the hungry and neglected creatures will rampage--or die along the river's acidic muddy banks. To avert catastrophe, the dragons decree a move even farther up the treacherous river to Kelsingra, their ancient, mythical homeland whose mysterious location is locked deep within the dragons' uncertain ancestral memories.

To ensure their safe passage, the Traders recruit a disparate group of young people to care for the damaged creatures and escort them to their new home. Among them is Thymara, an unschooled forest girl of sixteen, and Alise, a wealthy Trader's wife trapped in a loveless marriage, who attaches herself to the expedition as a dragon expert. The two women share a deep kinship with the Thymara can instinctively communicate with them, and Alise, captivated by their beauty and majesty, has devoted her life to studying them.

Embarking on an arduous journey that holds no promise of return, the band of humans and dragons must make their way along the toxic and inhospitable Rain Wild River--an extraordinary odyssey that will teach them lessons about themselves and one another, as they experience hardships, betrayals, and joys beyond their wildest dreams.]]> 560 Robin Hobb 0008154392 Samantha 4
Not a lot happens in this book but the audiobook really helped me move through the slower parts. It also feels like Dragon Keeper was the first half of a much longer book (something I’ve seen many people say about this series) ]]> 3.89 2009
author: Robin Hobb
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/29
date added: 2025/03/29
shelves:
review:
I see how this could be people’s least favorite series but I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I expected. I liked all of the characters and I’m very interested in their character arcs. The Rain Wilds were the most interesting part of the Liveship trilogy setting for me so I really enjoyed getting to explore it in more detail. I remain kind of indifferent towards the dragons but I did start to enjoy Sintara’s perspective.

Not a lot happens in this book but the audiobook really helped me move through the slower parts. It also feels like Dragon Keeper was the first half of a much longer book (something I’ve seen many people say about this series)
]]> 589979 421 Raymond E. Feist 055327211X Samantha 0 to-read 4.28 1987
author: Raymond E. Feist
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1987
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
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 Samantha 0 to-read 4.09 2025
author: B.K. Borison
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219268963 She knows the taste of death. He'll stoke her hunger for it.

Eighteen-year-old Sarai doesn't know why someone tried to kill her four years ago, but she does know that her case was closed without justice. Hellbent on vengeance, she returns to the scene of the crime as a Petitor, a prosecutor who can magically detect lies, and is assigned to work with Tetrarch Kadra. Ice-cold and perennially sadistic, Kadra is the most vicious of the four judges who rule the land - and the prime suspect in a string of deaths identical to Sarai's attempted murder.

Certain of his guilt, Sarai begins a double life: solving cases with Kadra by day and plotting his ruin by night. But Kadra is charming and there's something alluring about the wrath he wields against the city's corruption. So when the evidence she finds embroils her in a deadly political battle, Sarai must also fight against her attraction to Kadra - because despite his growing hold on her heart, his voice matches the only memory she has of her assailant...

A dazzling Ancient Rome-inspired romantasy debut, This Monster of Mine is a bloodbath of manipulation, deception, and forbidden love.]]> 416 Shalini Abeysekara 145495809X Samantha 2 arc
This Monster of Mine has an intriguing premise, but many of these interesting concepts and characters were underdeveloped and relied on tired cliches in the romantasy genre. The mystery surrounding Sarai’s attack had me just interested enough to want to see how everything played out. Unfortunately, I can't say that I enjoyed the reading experience.

The world-building in this book involves a lot of interesting ideas that are poorly delivered. A lot of world-specific terminology is delivered at once, creating a disorienting reading experience. Specific, small details are overexplained while the broad picture of the empire—its history, politics, religion, etc.� is left largely undeveloped. Yes, these small details mostly become plot-relevant. However, without a strong basis for the world, a lot of the events in the story feel hollow.

The magic is underutilized and underexplained. We barely see that characters use any of the many runes that are hinted at throughout the story. The magic we did see felt disconnected and inconsistent. Some of the rules to the magic Sarai uses daily contradict themselves. I think the story would have benefited from having a more limited magic system.

The characters were another area of the story that felt frustratingly underdeveloped. I enjoyed Sarai’s arc of feminine rage and vengeance. However, her motivation and attitude towards other characters felt contradictory at times. Kadra’s character doesn't go beyond a cliche dark, bad-boy, overpowered fantasy love interest. I would have loved to see more from his character, but Sarai was too busy going in circles trying to hate him despite all the evidence pointing to him being a good guy. Cisuré’s character was comically over the top. I understand the idea behind her character, but her behavior was so on the nose that it made her friendship with Sarai completely unbelievable.

The reveal around the suspicious Petitor deaths was, honestly, kind of boring. The guilty party could not have been more obvious, and I found their motivation disappointingly unoriginal. Especially because there is so much potential with the magic and the politics in this world. Sarai spends more time jumping to the wrong conclusions about Kadra than she does paying attention to the very obviously shady stuff happening around her.

Despite this being a romantasy book, I have very little to say about the actual romance. Somehow, there managed to be both too much and not enough romance in this story. The lack of tension and build-up between the two characters made the romantic scenes abrupt. It's insta-lust without a compelling romance.

Nothing about This Monster of Mine is fully developed, resulting in a mediocre, unsatisfying reading experience.

Thank you Union Square & Co for the eARC

Links to my | ]]> 4.28 2025
author: Shalini Abeysekara
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2025
rating: 2
read at: 2025/03/17
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: arc
review:
2.5 stars

This Monster of Mine has an intriguing premise, but many of these interesting concepts and characters were underdeveloped and relied on tired cliches in the romantasy genre. The mystery surrounding Sarai’s attack had me just interested enough to want to see how everything played out. Unfortunately, I can't say that I enjoyed the reading experience.

The world-building in this book involves a lot of interesting ideas that are poorly delivered. A lot of world-specific terminology is delivered at once, creating a disorienting reading experience. Specific, small details are overexplained while the broad picture of the empire—its history, politics, religion, etc.� is left largely undeveloped. Yes, these small details mostly become plot-relevant. However, without a strong basis for the world, a lot of the events in the story feel hollow.

The magic is underutilized and underexplained. We barely see that characters use any of the many runes that are hinted at throughout the story. The magic we did see felt disconnected and inconsistent. Some of the rules to the magic Sarai uses daily contradict themselves. I think the story would have benefited from having a more limited magic system.

The characters were another area of the story that felt frustratingly underdeveloped. I enjoyed Sarai’s arc of feminine rage and vengeance. However, her motivation and attitude towards other characters felt contradictory at times. Kadra’s character doesn't go beyond a cliche dark, bad-boy, overpowered fantasy love interest. I would have loved to see more from his character, but Sarai was too busy going in circles trying to hate him despite all the evidence pointing to him being a good guy. Cisuré’s character was comically over the top. I understand the idea behind her character, but her behavior was so on the nose that it made her friendship with Sarai completely unbelievable.

The reveal around the suspicious Petitor deaths was, honestly, kind of boring. The guilty party could not have been more obvious, and I found their motivation disappointingly unoriginal. Especially because there is so much potential with the magic and the politics in this world. Sarai spends more time jumping to the wrong conclusions about Kadra than she does paying attention to the very obviously shady stuff happening around her.

Despite this being a romantasy book, I have very little to say about the actual romance. Somehow, there managed to be both too much and not enough romance in this story. The lack of tension and build-up between the two characters made the romantic scenes abrupt. It's insta-lust without a compelling romance.

Nothing about This Monster of Mine is fully developed, resulting in a mediocre, unsatisfying reading experience.

Thank you Union Square & Co for the eARC

Links to my |
]]> 214295087
Madeline Galloway needs a job. Recently let go from her executive chef position in Las Vegas, she’s desperate as can be when she reaches out to an old acquaintance about a possible job opportunity�. in DC.

After hitting it off with her prospective employer, the blond hockey star who seems to have a heart of gold, she and her daughter, Lucy, make the move east.

The rules were simple: no personal relationships. No falling for the romantic guy who always made her smile, even if they were living together and spending all their free time with each other.

But after a kiss on New Year’s Eve, everything changes. The lines blur. Being Hudson’s friend—and only his friend—is the last thing on her mind.

And when Hudson learns American Sign Language for her daughter? It might be a slap shot to the heart.

Slap Shot is a spicy slow burn friends to lovers, private chef x hockey player romance with forced proximity and a man who if he wanted to, he would.]]> 530 Chelsea Curto Samantha 0 to-read 4.10 2025
author: Chelsea Curto
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211434035 A gorgeous, atmospheric debut fantasy that reimagines the Jewish myth of golem in a tale rooted in history, folklore, and sapphic romance—perfect for fans of Katherine Arden, Ava Reid, Hannah Whitten, and Naomi Novik.

The forest eats the girls who wander out after dark.

As the healer’s daughter, Malka has seen how the curse of the woods has plagued her village, but when the Ozmini Church comes to collect their tithes, they don’t listen to the warnings about a monster lurking in the trees. After a clergy girl wanders too close to the forest and Malka’s mother is accused of her murder, Malka strikes a bargain with a zealot Ozmini priest. If she brings him the monster, he will spare her mother from execution.

When she ventures into the blood-soaked woods, Malka finds a monster, though not the one she expects: an inscrutable, disgraced golem who agrees to implicate herself, but only after Malka helps her free the imprisoned rabbi who created her.

But a deal easily made is not easily kept. And as their bargain begins to unravel a much more sinister threat, protecting her people may force Malka to endanger the one person she left home to save—and face her growing feelings for the very creature she was taught to fear.]]> 400 Maddie Martinez 1035048795 Samantha 0 to-read, arc 4.30 2025
author: Maddie Martinez
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/24
shelves: to-read, arc
review:

]]> 17348286 It is a time of celebration in the Pingkang Li, where imperial scholars and bureaucrats mingle with beautiful courtesans. At the center is the Lotus Palace, home of the most exquisite courtesans in China...

Maidservant Yue-ying is not one of those beauties. Street-smart and practical, she's content to live in the shadow of her infamous mistress—until she meets the aristocratic playboy Bai Huang.Ěý

Bai Huang lives in a privileged world Yue-ying can barely imagine, yet alone share, but as they are thrown together in an attempt to solve a deadly mystery, they both start to dream of a different life. Yet Bai Huang's position means that all she could ever be to him is his concubine—will she sacrifice her pride to follow her heart?]]> 378 Jeannie Lin 0373777736 Samantha 0 to-read 3.78 2013
author: Jeannie Lin
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 45302789 England, 1948: Semi-retired spy Leo Page and country doctor James Sommers team up to solve a decades-old mystery.

When James learns that an uncle he hasn’t heard from in ages has left him something in his will, he figures that the least he can do is head down to Cornwall for a weekend to honor the old man’s parting wishes. He finds the family home filled with half-remembered guests and unwanted memories, but more troubling is that his uncle has tasked his heirs with uncovering the truth behind a woman’s disappearance twenty years earlier.

Leo doesn’t like any of it. He’s just returned from one of his less pleasant missions and maybe he’s slightly paranoid about James’s safety, but he’s of the opinion that rich people aren’t to be trusted where wills are concerned. So he does what any sensible spy would do and infiltrates the house party.

Together they unravel a mystery that exposes long-standing family secrets and threatens to involve James more than either of them would like.]]> 236 Cat Sebastian Samantha 4 libby 4.22 2022
author: Cat Sebastian
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/15
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: libby
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 Samantha 5 illumicrate-books 4.69 2025
author: Antonia Hodgson
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.69
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/15
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: illumicrate-books
review:
Everything I love about fantasy. This was excellent
]]> 122952333 A woman inherits a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets, and then embarks on a magical journey when a charming young physicist wanders into the shop, in this dreamlike and enchanting fantasy novel.

On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see a cozy ramen restaurant. And only the chosen ones—those who are lost—will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.

Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike its other customers, for he offers help instead of seeking it.

Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father and the stolen choice—by way of rain puddles, rides on paper cranes, the bridge between midnight and morning, and a night market in the clouds.

But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own—and risk making a choice that she will never be able to take back.]]> 336 Samantha Sotto Yambao 0857505335 Samantha 3 arc, illumicrate-books
Water Moon is a whimsical magical realism adventure reminiscent of a Studio Ghibli story. This book is overflowing with creative ideas and dream-like settings. Though I was pleasantly surprised by how everything came together at the end, there were a few things about the execution of the story that often had my interest waning.

Admittedly I am not a fantasy reader who gravitates towards soft, contemplative books. Though I found this whimsical book (that really is the only way to describe it) a nice change of pace, I wanted a bit more tension and agency from the story. The main characters are being chased for most of the book, yet it still feels like the story lacks tension. They are trailing after another, off-page character’s plot decisions while flitting between magical realms. This leads to odd pacing and an extremely convenient ending.

Hana and Keishin were a bit one-dimensional as characters and I really struggled with their instant connection. Though I understand that the quick escalation of their relationship was necessary for plot reasons, I struggled to suspend my disbelief. I often found myself thinking that this story would have been more impactful as a solo journey of self-reflection for Hana. Keishin and his ignorant wonder at the magical world dominated the story leaving little room for Hana’s character arc. Though Keishin’s role makes more sense in the end, the twists aren't enough to support the story.

Water Moon is a melancholy, reflective story about choice, identity, family, and regret. Some lines were beautiful and thought-provoking, but often the book felt like it was just trying so hard to be deeper than it actually is. The dialogue in particular was often awkward and stilted with some incredibly repetitive conversations.

I wanted to like this more than I did, but all of the whimsy in the world could not make up for insta-love.

Thank you Del Rey for the eARC

Links to my | ]]> 3.70 2025
author: Samantha Sotto Yambao
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/02
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: arc, illumicrate-books
review:
3/3.5 stars (leaning more towards a 3 as time goes on)

Water Moon is a whimsical magical realism adventure reminiscent of a Studio Ghibli story. This book is overflowing with creative ideas and dream-like settings. Though I was pleasantly surprised by how everything came together at the end, there were a few things about the execution of the story that often had my interest waning.

Admittedly I am not a fantasy reader who gravitates towards soft, contemplative books. Though I found this whimsical book (that really is the only way to describe it) a nice change of pace, I wanted a bit more tension and agency from the story. The main characters are being chased for most of the book, yet it still feels like the story lacks tension. They are trailing after another, off-page character’s plot decisions while flitting between magical realms. This leads to odd pacing and an extremely convenient ending.

Hana and Keishin were a bit one-dimensional as characters and I really struggled with their instant connection. Though I understand that the quick escalation of their relationship was necessary for plot reasons, I struggled to suspend my disbelief. I often found myself thinking that this story would have been more impactful as a solo journey of self-reflection for Hana. Keishin and his ignorant wonder at the magical world dominated the story leaving little room for Hana’s character arc. Though Keishin’s role makes more sense in the end, the twists aren't enough to support the story.

Water Moon is a melancholy, reflective story about choice, identity, family, and regret. Some lines were beautiful and thought-provoking, but often the book felt like it was just trying so hard to be deeper than it actually is. The dialogue in particular was often awkward and stilted with some incredibly repetitive conversations.

I wanted to like this more than I did, but all of the whimsy in the world could not make up for insta-love.

Thank you Del Rey for the eARC

Links to my |
]]> 203613906 Spirit away with a whimsical fantasy filled with dark magic and flirty, polyamorous romance.

Cursed to haunt the river running through the magical spa town where she drowned, Gisela is a water nymph who dreams of returning to the living world and the family she left behind. All it takes to regain her humanity is a kiss from a mortal...but everyone sees her as a monster.

And then there’s Kazik, the brooding, interfering, spirit-hunting grandson of a local witch. He's determined to rid the world of unholy creatures like Gisela. After Kazik botches Gisela’s exorcism, she strikes up a deal. She won’t tell the other spirits that he’s losing his magic, if he agrees to play matchmaker and helps her get a kiss. But Gisela’s plan goes awry when Kazik also falls for the devilishly handsome young man that she sets her heart on—someone who could be linked to Gisela’s troubled past.

Finely crafted with a magical setting, this delectable quest through the spirit world is an enchanting read for fans of queer romantasy.]]> 416 Alicia Jasinska 1682637360 Samantha 3 arc, audiobooks 4.00 2024
author: Alicia Jasinska
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/05
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: arc, audiobooks
review:
Considering it took me two months to get around to finishing this I don’t think I can possibly rate it higher. A bit unsatisfying because I didn’t realize it wasn’t a standalone. Cute and funny at times but overall just fine.
]]> 123158047 Follow a star investigator and her rival as they journey through layers of reality to save the world as they know it in this whip-smart adventure fantasy about rival guilds, reality-bending magic and unexpected mystery.

Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she's determined to enjoy the party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She's a member of the Guild of Hounds, after all, and she can't help picking up the scent of trouble.

She's not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what's causing the mayhem: a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood-soaked ritual.

As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they'll need to rely on their wits - and each other - to unravel the secret of the clock and save their city.]]> 384 Melissa Caruso 0356517551 Samantha 3
Fun and a great audiobook read. I really liked the multidimensional locked room mystery vibe. Started to drag on for me in the second half because I didn’t care as much about the characters. Also found some of the plot resolutions overly convenient. ]]> 3.91 2024
author: Melissa Caruso
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/13
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: illumicrate-books, audiobooks, libby
review:
3.5 stars

Fun and a great audiobook read. I really liked the multidimensional locked room mystery vibe. Started to drag on for me in the second half because I didn’t care as much about the characters. Also found some of the plot resolutions overly convenient.
]]> 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 Samantha 0 to-read, unread-owned 4.33 2025
author: Charlotte McConaghy
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: to-read, unread-owned
review:

]]> 210204151
When kings fall, queens rise.

Nothing about Semiramis's upbringing could have foretold her legacy or the power she would come to wield. A female ruler, once an orphan raised on the outskirts of an empire - certainly no one in Ancient Assyria would bend to her command willingly. Semiramis was a woman who knew if she wanted power, she would have to claim it.

There are whispers of her fame in Mesopotamian myth- Semiramis was a queen, an ambitious warrior, a commander whose reputation reaches the majestic proportions of Alexander the Great. Historical record, on the other hand, falls eerily quiet.

In her second novel, Costanza Casati brilliantly weaves myth and ancient history together to give Semiramis a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her. The world Casati expertly builds is rich with dazzling detail and will transport her readers to the heat of the Assyrian Empire and a world long gone.]]> 448 Costanza Casati 1464228213 Samantha 0 to-read 4.08 2024
author: Costanza Casati
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222376570 Sparks fly and lovers dance in this gorgeous, yearning Cinderella retelling from bestselling author Freya Marske—a queer Gothic romance perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and T. Kingfisher.

Ella is a haunting.

Murdered at sixteen, her ghost is furiously trapped in her father's house, invisible to everyone except her stepmother and stepsisters.

Even when she discovers how to untether herself from her prison, there are limits. She cannot be seen or heard by the living people who surround her. Her family must never learn she is able to leave. And at the stroke of every midnight, she finds herself back on the staircase where she died.

Until she forges a wary friendship with a fairy charm-seller, and makes a bargain for three nights of almost-living freedom. Freedom that means she can finally be seen. Danced with. Touched.

You think you know Ella's the ball, the magical shoes, the handsome prince.

You're halfway right, and all-the-way wrong.

Rediscover a classic fairy tale in this debut novella from "the queen of romantic fantasy" (Polygon).

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.]]> 144 Freya Marske 125034171X Samantha 0 to-read 5.00 2025
author: Freya Marske
name: Samantha
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/14
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 Samantha 2 arc
"They've loved each other in a thousand lifetimes. They've killed each other in every one."

I was immediately intrigued by the tagline for Our Infinite Fates. The comparisons to This Is How You Lose The Time War and The Invisible Life of Addie Larue were even more promising. However, this book ended up being a huge disappointment. Though the premise showed potential, the story was frustratingly simple and the characters were one-dimensional and irritating.

Our Infinite Fates completely fails to live up to any of those comp titles. I don't understand how you can compare something to This Is How You Lose The Time War and have it be the most boring approach to a reincarnation story I have ever read. Our Infinite Fates is far too rooted in its present timeline to pull off the concept it is trying to execute. All we get from the reincarnation side of the story are repetitive flashback chapters that show the same moments over and over again. There is no time spent adding depth to the characters, establishing their unique nature as ancient, timeless beings, or even properly establishing the relationship. We are told repeatedly that these characters are supposed to be in love and yet the book never shows us this love. I don't believe that these two have ever been in love, in any lifetime.

I didn't like the characters or find them compelling. The flashback chapters do nothing to give them any depth or substance. Evelyn's entire character comes down to the fact that she's "too nice." That's it. That's her character. Her inner dialogue gave me major "not like other girls/old soul" vibes. I don't care if she is literally an "old soul," her reflections on society, time, technology etc. were cringe and shallow. Arden is... mysterious? An asshole? These characters are immature and childish. I don't care if they never get to live past 18, they have lived hundreds of 18-year lifetimes and should not be behaving the way that they do.

Another major component of the book is the mystery behind Evelyn and Arden's reincarnation and the fact that they can't live past 18 years old. I was expecting more of an "inescapable cycle of fate" storyline rather than a one-sided mystery where the person in the know can't possibly tell the truth (until it's plot-relevant). I think there is a way to do the "cat and mouse" dynamic with this story well. But we needed more time in the different lifetimes to establish them as their own plot points instead of substanceless flashback chapters. There is no tension to the mystery, no effort to slowly build to a reveal or to add suspense and foreshadowing for the reader. We just get the same argument between Evelyn and Arden that goes nowhere until the book decides to finally drop the big reveal at the end.

I pushed through until the end of this book because I was curious to see if the reveal behind the reincarnation would make up for the lackluster story. And it was not worth it. The reveal was honestly ridiculous. It was so disconnected from the story that it was impossible to take any of the end events seriously. It was anticlimactic and filled with plot holes and I just didn't like it as an ending. There is one single detail of the ending that I think was clever but that is the only good thing I can say about it.

Thank you St Martins Press for the eARC

Links to my | ]]> 3.80 2025
author: Laura Steven
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2025
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/25
date added: 2025/03/13
shelves: arc
review:
I’m afraid my inner hater has won this round

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

I was immediately intrigued by the tagline for Our Infinite Fates. The comparisons to This Is How You Lose The Time War and The Invisible Life of Addie Larue were even more promising. However, this book ended up being a huge disappointment. Though the premise showed potential, the story was frustratingly simple and the characters were one-dimensional and irritating.

Our Infinite Fates completely fails to live up to any of those comp titles. I don't understand how you can compare something to This Is How You Lose The Time War and have it be the most boring approach to a reincarnation story I have ever read. Our Infinite Fates is far too rooted in its present timeline to pull off the concept it is trying to execute. All we get from the reincarnation side of the story are repetitive flashback chapters that show the same moments over and over again. There is no time spent adding depth to the characters, establishing their unique nature as ancient, timeless beings, or even properly establishing the relationship. We are told repeatedly that these characters are supposed to be in love and yet the book never shows us this love. I don't believe that these two have ever been in love, in any lifetime.

I didn't like the characters or find them compelling. The flashback chapters do nothing to give them any depth or substance. Evelyn's entire character comes down to the fact that she's "too nice." That's it. That's her character. Her inner dialogue gave me major "not like other girls/old soul" vibes. I don't care if she is literally an "old soul," her reflections on society, time, technology etc. were cringe and shallow. Arden is... mysterious? An asshole? These characters are immature and childish. I don't care if they never get to live past 18, they have lived hundreds of 18-year lifetimes and should not be behaving the way that they do.

Another major component of the book is the mystery behind Evelyn and Arden's reincarnation and the fact that they can't live past 18 years old. I was expecting more of an "inescapable cycle of fate" storyline rather than a one-sided mystery where the person in the know can't possibly tell the truth (until it's plot-relevant). I think there is a way to do the "cat and mouse" dynamic with this story well. But we needed more time in the different lifetimes to establish them as their own plot points instead of substanceless flashback chapters. There is no tension to the mystery, no effort to slowly build to a reveal or to add suspense and foreshadowing for the reader. We just get the same argument between Evelyn and Arden that goes nowhere until the book decides to finally drop the big reveal at the end.

I pushed through until the end of this book because I was curious to see if the reveal behind the reincarnation would make up for the lackluster story. And it was not worth it. The reveal was honestly ridiculous. It was so disconnected from the story that it was impossible to take any of the end events seriously. It was anticlimactic and filled with plot holes and I just didn't like it as an ending. There is one single detail of the ending that I think was clever but that is the only good thing I can say about it.

Thank you St Martins Press for the eARC

Links to my |
]]> 216972007 A vibrant and emotional science fantasy about cousins trapped in mirrored worlds � the resplendent and verdant summer city and the ice-carved wastes of the winter city. For fans of Every Heart a Doorway and This is How You Lose the Time War.

Welcome to Jamie Pike’s Fairharbour � a city stuck in perpetual winter, its windows and doorways bricked shut to keep out the freezing cold, its residents striving to survive in the arctic conditions.

Welcome to Esther Pike’s Fairharbour � a city stuck in constant summer, its walls crumbling in the heat, its oppressive sunlight a relentless presence.

Winter and Summer alike, have both fallen under the yoke of oppressive powers, that have taken control after the cataclysm.Ěý

But both Fairharbours were once a single, united city. And in certain places, at certain times, one side can catch a glimpse of the other. As Jamie and Esther find a way to communicate across the divide, they set out to solve the mystery of what split their city in two, and what, if anything, might repair their fractured worlds.]]> 304 Oliver K. Langmead 1835411444 Samantha 0 to-read, arc 3.50 2025
author: Oliver K. Langmead
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/12
shelves: to-read, arc
review:

]]> 205335957
Sybil Delling has spent nine years dreaming of having no dreams at all. Like the other foundling girls who traded a decade of service for a home in the great cathedral, Sybil is a Diviner. In her dreams she receives visions from six unearthly figures known as Omens. From them, she can predict terrible things before they occur, and lords and common folk alike travel across the kingdom of Traum's windswept moors to learn their futures by her dreams.

Just as she and her sister Diviners near the end of their service, a mysterious knight arrives at the cathedral. Rude, heretical, and devilishly handsome, the knight Rodrick has no respect for Sybil's visions. But when Sybil's fellow Diviners begin to vanish one by one, she has no choice but to seek his help in finding them. For the world outside the cathedral's cloister is wrought with peril. Only the gods have the answers she is seeking, and as much as she'd rather avoid Rodrick's dark eyes and sharp tongue, only a heretic can defeat a god.]]> 400 Rachel Gillig 0356522962 Samantha 5 arc, favorites 4.62 2025
author: Rachel Gillig
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/08
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves: arc, favorites
review:
I loved it. I loved it so, so much. The wait for the sequel is going to kill me.
]]> 228466301 In this thrilling sequel to the Sunday Times bestseller The Gods Below, loyalties will be tested, long-lost secrets will be revealed, and two sisters will face each other on the battlefield as the war between the gods ignites

Hakara risked her life to find her long-lost sister Rasha, only to lose her all over again. Now she and her Unanointed rebels hunt for the shapeshifter Lithuas, knowing that defeating her would strike a blow to the plans of the tyrant god Kluehnn.

Rasha once longed to be reunited with Hakara. No longer. Now she is a Godkiller and proud to serve Kluehnn's divine will. Yet she also harbours doubts about Kluehnn's teachings. When she is sent to destroy Hakara and her allies, Rasha will have to decide where her loyalty truly lies.

As the two sisters hurtle towards a bloody reunion, Sheuan continues her shadowy games of intrigue to uncover the secret that killed her father, while her cousin Mullayne seeks the tomb of Tolemne. There, Mull believes he'll find the answers he desires.

Answers that could shatter the history of the world.

Praise for The Gods Below

'An epic and heart rending struggle between gods and mortals, lovers and siblings . . . Stewart is a writer of genius and brilliance' Hannah Kaner

'Stewart's worlds are some of the most exceptionally inventive in modern fantasy. A must read!'
Shannon Chakraborty]]> Andrea Stewart 0356520714 Samantha 0 to-read, high-interest 5.00 2025
author: Andrea Stewart
name: Samantha
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves: to-read, high-interest
review:

]]> 222441250 �
Determined to discover how cosmographers pin down the islands of the Otherworld, Estevan seeks power with the Council of the Sea Beyond—but he risks the exposure of his own secrets, too. For he is a changeling, a faerie masquerading as a mortal. And for a faerie to enter the mortal world like that, a child must go the other way…�
�
The Hungry Girl, the nameless human daughter whose place he took, has grown up opposite her “brother.� Lost among the fae and desperate to find some purpose for her pitiful existence, she leaps at the chance to help a group of Spanish explorers in the Sea Beyond…only to be horrified at the atrocities they commit.�
�
Soon the unlikely siblings will need to overcome their rivalry–because only together can they bring down Spain’s worlds-spanning empire and save the homes they have come to love.�

A new historical fantasy duology by M.A. Carrick, inspired by the Fae and set within the remarkable backdrop of the Spanish Golden Age. To be published in summer 2026.�]]> M.A. Carrick Samantha 0 to-read, high-interest 0.0
author: M.A. Carrick
name: Samantha
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: to-read, high-interest
review:

]]> 228256271 A Human hybrid and an Alpha Were claw against the bonds of fate in the highly anticipated companion novel to the New York Times bestselling Bride.

Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left—if he’ll have her.

As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, nothing will stop him from keeping her safe.

But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her—and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation…]]> 432 Ali Hazelwood 0593955013 Samantha 0 to-read 4.36 2025
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 32494992 343 Megan Whalen Turner 0062568272 Samantha 4 libby 4.25 2017
author: Megan Whalen Turner
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/03
date added: 2025/03/03
shelves: libby
review:

]]> 11938752
Theophilus Mirkwood ought to be insulted. Should be appalled. But how can he resist this siren in widow’s weeds, whose offer is simply too outrageously tempting to decline? Determined she’ll get her money’s worth, Theo endeavors to awaken this shamefully neglected beauty to the pleasures of the flesh—only to find her dead set against taking any enjoyment in the scandalous bargain. Surely she can’t resist him forever. But could a lady’s sweet surrender open their hearts to the most unexpected arrival of all . . . love?]]> 346 Cecilia Grant 0553593838 Samantha 4 libby 3.68 2011
author: Cecilia Grant
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/01
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves: libby
review:

]]> 24427052
Dragons will fly over Kelsingra once more

Attacked by hunters, Tintaglia is dying of her wounds. If she perishes, her ancestral memories will die with her and the dragons in the ancient city of Kelsingra will lose the secret knowledge they need to survive.

The dragon keepers immerse themselves in the dangerously addictive memory-stone records of the city in the hope of recovering the lost Elderling magic that once allowed humans and dragons to co-exist.

But war is coming: war between dragons and those who would destroy them.]]> 535 Robin Hobb 0008154465 Samantha 0 to-read, unread-owned 4.07 2013
author: Robin Hobb
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/27
shelves: to-read, unread-owned
review:

]]> 26841446
The dragon keepers and fledgling dragons have discovered a route to the lost city of Kelsingra but there is one problem: they need to be able to fly to cross the treacherous waters and enter the fabled city. At first, only a few dragons are willing to try � the others are either too ashamed of their deformed wings and feeble muscles or too proud to risk failure and humiliation.

But the rewards waiting at Kelsingra for those brave enough to take to the air are worth more than they could possibly imagine. This was a city built for dragons and their keepers. Alise Finbok is overwhelmed by the treasures she finds there, and spends hours carefully uncovering wonder after wonder, recording her findings for posterity. She knows the knowledge will change everything the world thought about dragons and the Elderlings.

Yet rumours of the city’s discovery have floated down the Rain Wild River and reached envious ears in Bingtown and beyond. Adventurers, pirates and fortune hunters are coming in droves to pillage what they can from the city. Will the dragons, only just finding their strength, and their keepers, who are changing in their own mysterious ways, be able to fend them off?

And what has happened to Tintaglia, the dragon-mother who started it all? Has she really abandoned her offspring forever? Or will she too return to seek the riches of Kelsingra…]]> 425 Robin Hobb 0008154414 Samantha 0 to-read, unread-owned 3.97 2011
author: Robin Hobb
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/27
shelves: to-read, unread-owned
review:

]]> 59398164 The Nightshade Crown is in the hands of a ruthless god. Lore will stop at nothing to defeat him and save the troubled prince and tortured priest ensnared in his wicked plot, in this final installment of this lush, romantic, New York Times bestselling fantasy series from breakout star Hannah Whitten.

Lore has failed. She couldn’t save King Bastian from the rotten god speaking voices in his mind. She couldn’t save her allies from being scattered across the continent—their own lesser gods whispering to them in their dreams. She couldn’t save her beautiful, corrupt city from the dark power beneath the catacombs. And she couldn’t save herself.

Banished to the Burnt Isles, Lore must use every skill she earned on the streets of Dellaire to survive the prison colony and figure out a way to defeat the power that’s captured everything and everyone she holds dear. When a surprise ally joins her on the Burnt Isles she realizes the way forward may lie on the island itself. Somehow, her friends must help her collect the far-scattered pieces of the broken Fount—the source of all the god’s powers—and bring them back together on the Burnt Isles, returning all magic to its source and destroying, once and for all, the gods corrupting the land.

But as Lore gets closer to her goal, her magic grows stronger� and to a woman who’s always had to fight for survival, that kind of power may be hard to give up.]]> 480 Hannah F. Whitten 0356521575 Samantha 0 to-read, high-interest, arc 4.37 2025
author: Hannah F. Whitten
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: to-read, high-interest, arc
review:

]]> 185720358 This is a love story.

After a hunt gone wrong, a man-eating fox demon finds herself cast into the deepest circles of hell alongside the very hunter who banished her there. Forced into a tenuous alliance, they must work together to overcome the trials that await them as they attempt to return to the mortal plane—provided they don't kill each other, first.]]> Katrina Kwan 166805132X Samantha 0 to-read 4.89
author: Katrina Kwan
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.89
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 228046198 Hell's Heart is a queer speculative fiction retelling of Melville's classic story.

Here, a small party go hunting for a giant space creature � and experience grand adventure, love and loss along the way.

Earth is a ruin, and the scattered remnants of humanity scavenge what they can from the stars. This under the watchful auspices of a grab-bag of collectives, corporations, and churches. These are all that remains of what we once called society. Having long exhausted any conventional sources of energy, life in the solar system is now sustained by a volatile, hallucinogenic substance � this harvested from the brains of vast cetacean-like Leviathans that swim the atmospheric currents of Jupiter.

Finding herself with no money and little to occupy her groundside, the narrator (“I�) takes a commission aboard the hunter-barque Pequod as it sets out in pursuit of these Leviathans. However, once aboard, she finds herself pulled inexorably into the orbit of the barque’s captain, a charismatic but fanatically driven woman who the narrator names only as 'A'. As the Pequod plunges ever deeper into the turbulent, monster-haunted atmosphere of the gas giant, the narrator begins to lose herself in the eerie world of Leviathan-hunting and the captain’s increasingly insistent delusions. The only thing that might keep her grounded is the bond she develops with Q, a woman from the wreck of Old Earth, whose skin is marked with holographic light and who remembers things others have lost.]]> Alexis Hall 1035060531 Samantha 0 to-read 0.0
author: Alexis Hall
name: Samantha
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 228393488 Howl's Moving Castle meets Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries in this enchanting and nostalgic YA fairytale from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi in which a young prince destined to die by the hand of his bride, and a veritas swan who has escaped her treacherous father, seek protection in one another and discover that the only thing more formidable than a curse...is love.]]> 352 Roshani Chokshi 125087310X Samantha 0 to-read 0.0
author: Roshani Chokshi
name: Samantha
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 215749745 The first installment ofĚýUSA Today bestseller David Dalglish's latest epic fantasy trilogy about immortal demigods, civil wars,Ěýand ancient evil will be irresistible to classic fantasy fans and will appeal to readers of James IslingtonĚýand Anthony Ryan.â€�

Six immortal siblings.ĚýFive sworn to peace.ĚýOne 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.]]> 544 David Dalglish 0316576670 Samantha 0 arc, dnf
After putting this on pause for three weeks, I realized that the idea of finishing The Radiant King was starting to feel too much like a chore. I am vaguely curious about the plot and the story's direction but I just wasn't enjoying the reading experience enough to feel motivated to continue.

I may try again if I see glowing reviews from my friends. But for now, it's not for me. ]]> 3.67 2025
author: David Dalglish
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/23
shelves: arc, dnf
review:
DNF at 32%

After putting this on pause for three weeks, I realized that the idea of finishing The Radiant King was starting to feel too much like a chore. I am vaguely curious about the plot and the story's direction but I just wasn't enjoying the reading experience enough to feel motivated to continue.

I may try again if I see glowing reviews from my friends. But for now, it's not for me.
]]> 46263926
This edition of A Conspiracy of Kings includes a conversation between bestselling author Leigh Bardugo and Megan Whalen Turner, an introduction to the characters from the world of the Queen’s Thief, a map of the world of the Queen’s Thief, and an exclusive teaser to Thick as Thieves.

Winner of the LA Times Book Award

A New York Times Bestseller

A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

A School Library Journal Best Book]]> 371 Megan Whalen Turner Samantha 4 4.18 2010
author: Megan Whalen Turner
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/22
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves:
review:

]]> 213726350 I do not care what they think of me. I can’t. It only matters that I play.

Jeremy Knox is no stranger to damage control, but his last season on an Exy court is off to a disastrous start. The relentless crusade against his newest teammate threatens the haven he and his friends have worked so hard to build. He promised Jean a fun senior year, but tragedy and ugly truths make every step forward an uphill fight.

Jean Moreau promised the USC Trojans a championship trophy, and he intends to deliver. Granted, it would be significantly easier if they’d slide off their high horses and throw a few elbows on the court. Their steadfast refusal to do things his way is nearly as aggravating as their unwanted affection, but maybe they’re not the ones that need to change.

With so many ready to drag him down, how can he learn to fly?]]> 484 Nora Sakavic Samantha 0 to-read 4.61 2025
author: Nora Sakavic
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 55535618
Sancia, Clef, and Berenice have gone up against plenty of long odds in the past. But the war they’re fighting now is one even they can’t win.

This time, they’re not facing robber-baron elites, or even an immortal hierophant, but an entity whose intelligence is spread over half the globe—a ghost in the machine that uses the magic of scriving to possess and control not just objects, but human minds.

To fight it, they’ve used scriving technology to transform themselves and their allies into an army—a society—that’s like nothing humanity has seen before. With its strength at their backs, they’ve freed a handful of their enemy’s hosts from servitude, even brought down some of its fearsome, reality-altering dreadnaughts. Yet despite their efforts, their enemy marches on—implacable. Unstoppable.

Now, as their opponent closes in on its true prize—an ancient doorway, long buried, that leads to the chambers at the center of creation itself—Sancia and her friends glimpse a chance at reaching it first, and with it, a last desperate opportunity to stop this unbeatable foe. But to do so, they’ll have to unlock the centuries-old mystery of scriving’s origins, embark on a desperate mission into the heart of their enemy’s power, and pull off the most daring heist they’ve ever attempted.

And as if that weren’t enough, their adversary might just have a spy in their ranks—and a last trick up its sleeve.]]> 544 Robert Jackson Bennett Samantha 0 to-read 4.03 2022
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 45200535
But even the merchant houses of Tevanne might have met their match. An immensely powerful and deadly entity has been resurrected in the shadows of Tevanne, one that's not interested in wealth or trade routes: a hierophant, one of the ancient practitioners of scriving. And he has a great fascination for Foundryside, and its employees - especially Sancia.

Now Sancia and the rest of Foundryside must race to combat this new menace, which means understanding the origins of scriving itself - before the hierophant burns Tevanne to the ground.]]> 496 Robert Jackson Bennett 1524760382 Samantha 4 4.5 stars 4.16 2020
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/22
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves:
review:
4.5 stars
]]> 228040551 House of the azalea, where thorn meets bud;
Brother betrays brother, blood forgets blood.

Young rice farmer Yin Wei was forced to become concubine to Prince Guan Terren - a monstrous wielder of poetry magic, and heir to the Azalea throne - to save her family from the famine blighting the land of Tensha.

Now confined to the imperial court, Terren's cruelty is not the only danger Wei faces. He and his honourable older brother are locked in a deadly succession war, while Terren's thirty concubines are fighting a war of their own, for the position of future empress.

To survive, Wei must harden her heart, rely on her wit, and become dangerous herself - even if it means learning the one forbidden poem that can kill Terren and save both herself and the nation.

But there's a problem - for the spell to work against a man she hates, it must be written with love.]]> 432 Shen Tao 1399628992 Samantha 0 to-read 0.0 2026
author: Shen Tao
name: Samantha
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214011215
“You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose.�

In a world ruled by the cruel and merciless Stars, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy promises she will fall for a Star, but that it will kill them both.

So when Ariete, Star of Wrath, War and Chaos, descends to wreak havoc on Elara’s kingdom, she flees her home—the Kingdom of Night—for the neighbouring Helios, Kingdom of Light.

And strides straight into the arms of an enemy prince.

Fearing that Ariete might turn his sights to Helios next, Prince Lorenzo is forced to train Elara as a weapon—one worthy of battling against the tyrannical reign of the Stars. But there are shadows even within the Kingdom of Light—and they threaten to reveal the darkness in Lorenzo’s past and the ancient magic that slumbers in Elara’s veins.

And with it all comes an undeniable, star-crossed pull between Elara and Lorenzo that neither can seem to resist...]]> 496 Imani Erriu 1039012590 Samantha 0 to-read 4.14 2022
author: Imani Erriu
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 203578951
The Prophecy has arrived…and with her, war.

A prisoner caged within the walls of her own mind, the once-fierce assassin known as Shin Lina can do nothing but watch as a tide of blood and chaos sweeps across the Three Kingdoms. After all, Lina is the one who unleashed the malevolent Prophecy upon her world.

So many secrets. So many lies. And it’s all her fault.

Yet Haneul Rui—the immortal Dokkaebi Emperor who stole her heart—refuses to surrender. He alone leads the armies against the dangerous, serpentine Imugi. He alone wields his scorching fire atop blood-soaked battlefields, and he alone rallies his soldiers against a terrifying future of death and destruction.

Now the red thread of fate ties them all together in love and hatred—Rui, Lina, and the merciless Prophecy herself. And the more Lina fights against her destiny, the tighter the thread becomes.

For they are bound in both life and death; to wound one is to wound them all. To kill the Child of Venom is to kill them all.

And soon, not even the wrathful gods themselves can stop their inevitable ruin.]]> 480 Sophie Kim 1649374283 Samantha 5
Oh my god that was perfect. A heart wrenching story of healing and love]]> 4.35
author: Sophie Kim
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.35
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/15
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves:
review:
I will write a review when I stop SOBBING

Oh my god that was perfect. A heart wrenching story of healing and love
]]> 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 Samantha 5 arc liked it that much more than book one I get stuck. I am trying to stop talking myself out of giving five star ratings so I have decided to just round up and commit to the five star. The stories are tonally quite different so what (who) I missed from book one probably wouldn’t have fit in this story. (I’m a romantic and I am holding on to my hope for the next book you can’t stop me) Honestly I suspect I won’t feel confident in my rating on this book until I’m able to consider it in the context of the full series.

Know that this debate is literally between a 4.5 or a 5 star so it is a glowing review either way lol.

Full review to come but I will leave you with some initial thoughts:

- really enjoyed it overall and did not want to stop reading
- loved some of the darker, unsettling twists the story took
- loved exploring Din’s struggles with his work and his desire for justice/to have an impact
- a much more layered mystery than book one
- LOTS of monologuing and conversations needed to unpack each layer of the mystery
- I stand by the fact that the book isn’t always consistent with Din’s struggles with reading BUT it’s mainly contained to how he reacted to specific clues and therefore didn’t bother me much in the end
- Occasionally I found myself missing the emotional variance that some of the side characters from book one brought to the story. But in general this sequel is tonally heavier than the first book so it made sense
- Very excited for book three though I know I have a long wait ]]> 4.56 2025
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/11
date added: 2025/02/14
shelves: arc
review:
I don’t think I have ever struggled this much to rate a book. If I were one to give quarter stars I think this would likely be a 4.75. In many ways I think this is an improvement on book one but when I think about whether I liked it that much more than book one I get stuck. I am trying to stop talking myself out of giving five star ratings so I have decided to just round up and commit to the five star. The stories are tonally quite different so what (who) I missed from book one probably wouldn’t have fit in this story. (I’m a romantic and I am holding on to my hope for the next book you can’t stop me) Honestly I suspect I won’t feel confident in my rating on this book until I’m able to consider it in the context of the full series.

Know that this debate is literally between a 4.5 or a 5 star so it is a glowing review either way lol.

Full review to come but I will leave you with some initial thoughts:

- really enjoyed it overall and did not want to stop reading
- loved some of the darker, unsettling twists the story took
- loved exploring Din’s struggles with his work and his desire for justice/to have an impact
- a much more layered mystery than book one
- LOTS of monologuing and conversations needed to unpack each layer of the mystery
- I stand by the fact that the book isn’t always consistent with Din’s struggles with reading BUT it’s mainly contained to how he reacted to specific clues and therefore didn’t bother me much in the end
- Occasionally I found myself missing the emotional variance that some of the side characters from book one brought to the story. But in general this sequel is tonally heavier than the first book so it made sense
- Very excited for book three though I know I have a long wait
]]> 37173847
But unbeknownst to her, Sancia’s been sent to steal an artifact of unimaginable power, an object that could revolutionize the magical technology known as scriving. The Merchant Houses who control this magic--the art of using coded commands to imbue everyday objects with sentience--have already used it to transform Tevanne into a vast, remorseless capitalist machine. But if they can unlock the artifact’s secrets, they will rewrite the world itself to suit their aims.

Now someone in those Houses wants Sancia dead, and the artifact for themselves. And in the city of Tevanne, there’s nobody with the power to stop them.

To have a chance at surviving—and at stopping the deadly transformation that’s under way—Sancia will have to marshal unlikely allies, learn to harness the artifact’s power for herself, and undergo her own transformation, one that will turn her into something she could never have imagined.]]> 501 Robert Jackson Bennett 1524760374 Samantha 5
It has some info dumpy moments and takes a little bit too long to come to obvious conclusions. But I just adore Robert Jackson Bennett’s world building and the ending was explosive. I love the found family side to this story as well and the heist scenes were fantastic.

So excited to FINALLY continue this series lol]]> 4.16 2018
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/11
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves:
review:
This was such a fun reread because, to be completely honest, I remembered almost nothing about this book from the first time I read it (to be fair it was six years ago).

It has some info dumpy moments and takes a little bit too long to come to obvious conclusions. But I just adore Robert Jackson Bennett’s world building and the ending was explosive. I love the found family side to this story as well and the heist scenes were fantastic.

So excited to FINALLY continue this series lol
]]> 195791081 We choose our own gods here.

Karys Eska is a deathspeaker, locked into an irrevocable compact with Sabaster, a terrifying eldritch entity—three-faced, hundred-winged, unforgiving—who has granted her the ability to communicate with the newly departed. She pays the rent by using her abilities to investigate suspicious deaths around the troubled city she calls home. When a job goes sideways and connects her to a dying stranger with dangerous secrets, her entire world is upended.

Ferain is willing to pay a ludicrous sum of money for her help. To save him, Karys inadvertently binds him to her shadow, an act that may doom them both. If they want to survive, they will need to learn to trust one another. Together, they journey to the heart of a faded empire, all the while haunted by arcane horrors and the unquiet ghosts of their pasts.

And all too soon, Karys knows her debts will come due.]]> 432 Kerstin Hall 1250625432 Samantha 5 arc Asunder is a dark, gritty fantasy story with fascinating world-building and emotional character arcs. It quickly became one of my favorite books of the year and I need more people to read it.

Asunder is a book that will make you work to understand the world-building; something I really love. I was immediately hooked by all of these small references to things I didn’t fully understand. This book will not reveal information until you absolutely need it making for a satisfying and engaging reading experience.

The world of Asunder reminds me of a horror Studio Ghibli atmosphere. Karys and her companions traverse a very unstable land, divided by years of godly conflict. Magic has integrated itself into the land in ways that are sometimes whimsical and yet often strange and unsettling.

The gods of this world are grotesque, inhuman, and selfish. Some of the scenes where Karys is interacting with her pact holder really freaked me out. But I loved how these interactions captured the violent, bloody history between the gods and the twisted forms of faith that developed as gods tried to cling to power. Lurking in the background of this story are threads of messy, complicated political turmoil related to the role of gods in the world. I would love to explore these threads further in a sequel.

There are so many raw and emotional character moments in this. Karys is a deeply jaded and untrusting character. Along her journey, she picks up people who are determined to help her and we get some amazing interactions within this found family group. These characters have really complicated histories and are likely working towards their own hidden agendas.

The forced proximity bonding between Karys and Ferain was incredible. What starts as a selfish, temporary plan becomes a relationship that changes both of their lives. The progression of their relationship as they slowly learned to trust each other was so moving.

I don't believe that any news for a sequel has been confirmed but listen� TorDotCom� YOU CANNOT LEAVE ME WITH THAT ENDING UNRESOLVED FOREVER. I need a sequel desperately. Kerstin Hall ripped my heart out and stomped on it with that ending.

Links to my |
]]> 4.16 2024
author: Kerstin Hall
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/30
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: arc
review:
Asunder is a dark, gritty fantasy story with fascinating world-building and emotional character arcs. It quickly became one of my favorite books of the year and I need more people to read it.

Asunder is a book that will make you work to understand the world-building; something I really love. I was immediately hooked by all of these small references to things I didn’t fully understand. This book will not reveal information until you absolutely need it making for a satisfying and engaging reading experience.

The world of Asunder reminds me of a horror Studio Ghibli atmosphere. Karys and her companions traverse a very unstable land, divided by years of godly conflict. Magic has integrated itself into the land in ways that are sometimes whimsical and yet often strange and unsettling.

The gods of this world are grotesque, inhuman, and selfish. Some of the scenes where Karys is interacting with her pact holder really freaked me out. But I loved how these interactions captured the violent, bloody history between the gods and the twisted forms of faith that developed as gods tried to cling to power. Lurking in the background of this story are threads of messy, complicated political turmoil related to the role of gods in the world. I would love to explore these threads further in a sequel.

There are so many raw and emotional character moments in this. Karys is a deeply jaded and untrusting character. Along her journey, she picks up people who are determined to help her and we get some amazing interactions within this found family group. These characters have really complicated histories and are likely working towards their own hidden agendas.

The forced proximity bonding between Karys and Ferain was incredible. What starts as a selfish, temporary plan becomes a relationship that changes both of their lives. The progression of their relationship as they slowly learned to trust each other was so moving.

I don't believe that any news for a sequel has been confirmed but listen� TorDotCom� YOU CANNOT LEAVE ME WITH THAT ENDING UNRESOLVED FOREVER. I need a sequel desperately. Kerstin Hall ripped my heart out and stomped on it with that ending.

Links to my |

]]> 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 Samantha 4 arc
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is an enchanting conclusion to this trilogy. Though none of the books in this series have been completely cozy, this final installment takes on a more anxious, melancholy tone as Emily and Wendell explore a darker world.

I love the way Heather Fawcett weaves faerie lore throughout this series and I enjoy exploring a new side of the magic in each installment. Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales immerses Emily and the reader in the world of Faerie more than ever before. I really enjoyed exploring Faerie from Emily’s perspective. Her scholarly nature meant she was intrigued by everything but she was human enough to notice the dark, unsettling nature of the world.

I love Emily and Wendell’s relationship so much. It feels real and complex while also being heartwarming and endearing. I just love that the foundation of their relationship is that they both love and accept each other for who they are. The fact that everyone but Emily is low-key terrified of Wendell is so entertaining.

I do wish we had spent a bit more time with Wendell in this installment. The plot kept them apart more than in the previous books. Though the relationship is “built� at this point in the series, I still would have liked some more cute, coupley moments between them. The moments that we did get were incredible. However, this ties into my feeling that the book could have benefitted from slowing down occasionally.

The pacing was this installment’s biggest weakness and it really weakened the plot. The story felt like it couldn't sit still, trying to fit in too many different storylines without spending enough time on significant plot moments. I didn’t love that the entire plot was motivated by this connection to stories and the idea of stories repeating themselves. Perhaps I’m missing a connection to previous installments, but it felt like a weak basis for the plot at times. The entire last arc of the story felt completely unnecessary and contrived. This page time could have been better used to flesh out other character arcs or to give more time and weight to other plot moments.

I would read twelve more of these books. This series perfectly balances a charming romance and whimsical world-building with just enough tension and darkness to keep you hooked.

Thank you Del Rey for the ARC

Links to my |
]]> 4.21 2025
author: Heather Fawcett
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/26
date added: 2025/02/04
shelves: arc
review:
4.5 stars

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales is an enchanting conclusion to this trilogy. Though none of the books in this series have been completely cozy, this final installment takes on a more anxious, melancholy tone as Emily and Wendell explore a darker world.

I love the way Heather Fawcett weaves faerie lore throughout this series and I enjoy exploring a new side of the magic in each installment. Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales immerses Emily and the reader in the world of Faerie more than ever before. I really enjoyed exploring Faerie from Emily’s perspective. Her scholarly nature meant she was intrigued by everything but she was human enough to notice the dark, unsettling nature of the world.

I love Emily and Wendell’s relationship so much. It feels real and complex while also being heartwarming and endearing. I just love that the foundation of their relationship is that they both love and accept each other for who they are. The fact that everyone but Emily is low-key terrified of Wendell is so entertaining.

I do wish we had spent a bit more time with Wendell in this installment. The plot kept them apart more than in the previous books. Though the relationship is “built� at this point in the series, I still would have liked some more cute, coupley moments between them. The moments that we did get were incredible. However, this ties into my feeling that the book could have benefitted from slowing down occasionally.

The pacing was this installment’s biggest weakness and it really weakened the plot. The story felt like it couldn't sit still, trying to fit in too many different storylines without spending enough time on significant plot moments. I didn’t love that the entire plot was motivated by this connection to stories and the idea of stories repeating themselves. Perhaps I’m missing a connection to previous installments, but it felt like a weak basis for the plot at times. The entire last arc of the story felt completely unnecessary and contrived. This page time could have been better used to flesh out other character arcs or to give more time and weight to other plot moments.

I would read twelve more of these books. This series perfectly balances a charming romance and whimsical world-building with just enough tension and darkness to keep you hooked.

Thank you Del Rey for the ARC

Links to my |

]]> 202572406 A fugitive who will not be silenced

It is a dark time for clairvoyants. Scion is in league with the Rephaim, an extraordinarily powerful, otherworldly race that intends to make humans its slaves.

In an unprecedented feat of bravery, Paige Mahoney has succeeded in leading a mass break-out from the brutal camp, Sheol I, where she and other clairvoyants were systematically imprisoned.

Paige is desperate to reach the safety of the London underworld, but the ruthless leader of the Rephaim, Nashira Sargas, is not likely to let her escape so easily…]]> 548 Samantha Shannon Samantha 4
I COULD HAVE TOLD YOU THAT WAS GOING TO COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU PAIGE!! Omfg the ending made me want to throw the book.

Very good. Very stressful. Slow at times because the syndicate stuff didn’t really interest me for most of the book. But what an ending wow]]> 4.39 2015
author: Samantha Shannon
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/31
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves:
review:
4.5 stars

I COULD HAVE TOLD YOU THAT WAS GOING TO COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU PAIGE!! Omfg the ending made me want to throw the book.

Very good. Very stressful. Slow at times because the syndicate stuff didn’t really interest me for most of the book. But what an ending wow
]]> 218727747 In thisĚýswoony sequel to The God and the Gumiho, a trickster god must work with his reincarnated lost love to solve his brother’s murder on board a luxury underworld cruise ship.

Seokga the No-Longer-Fallen is working on himself. Reinstated as a god after saving the mortal world from a demon of darkness, the trickster now attends some much-needed therapy. He’s also been desperately searching for his lost love Hani ever since the red thread of fate tangled around his pinky finger, signaling her reincarnation. But when the thread leads Seokga to a luxury cruise down the river of the dead, the woman he finds waiting for him isn’t Hani . . . she’s Yoo Kisa, with no memory of him, and seemingly no interest in regaining it either.

Yoo Kisa is exhausted with her afterlife. While her untimely death wasn’t ideal, she hoped the underworld would be peaceful. Unfortunately for Kisa, whoever she was in a past life racked up quite the karmic debt, and now she has to pay it, working thanklessly aboard the SRC Flatliner. Even worse, the red thread wrapped around her pinky followed her into the underworld . . . and although her fated partner has finally found her, he seemingly finds her lacking.

When the Heavenly Emperor is murdered aboard the ship, Seokga and Kisa must solve the heinous crime before the cruise ends. And as the mystery draws them closer together, the god and the gwisin will have to decide what they truly mean to each other. Because there’s something bigger at play aboard the SRC Flatliner, something that holds the key to Kisa and Seokga’s fated connection—and the very fate of the mortal and heavenly realms.]]> Sophie Kim 0593599691 Samantha 0 to-read, arc 4.59 2025
author: Sophie Kim
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.59
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves: to-read, arc
review:

]]> 53152636
Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’s dreams with visions of blood and doom.

Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And NoemĂ­, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.]]> 320 Silvia Moreno-Garcia 0525620788 Samantha 0 to-read 3.66 2020
author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211004176 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…]]> 133 Amal El-Mohtar 1250341086 Samantha 5 arc
I would definitely go into this expecting something more akin to a fairy tale than a fantasy book. One of the few times I’ve finished a novella and not felt like it would have been better as a full length novel. ]]> 4.21 2025
author: Amal El-Mohtar
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/01
date added: 2025/02/01
shelves: arc
review:
Oh that was gorgeous. It had me captivated from the start.

I would definitely go into this expecting something more akin to a fairy tale than a fantasy book. One of the few times I’ve finished a novella and not felt like it would have been better as a full length novel.
]]> 61273146 One of Us is Lying meets A Deadly Education in this fantasy thriller that follows six teenage wizards as they fight to make it home alive after a malfunctioning spell leaves them stranded in the wilderness.

Ren Monroe has spent four years proving she’s one of the best wizards in her generation. But top marks at Balmerick University will mean nothing if she fails to get recruited into one of the major houses. Enter Theo Brood. If being rich were a sin, he’d already be halfway to hell. After a failed and disastrous party trick, fate has the two of them crossing paths at the public waxway portal the day before holidays—Theo’s punishment is to travel home with the scholarship kids. Which doesn’t sit well with any of them.

A fight breaks out. In the chaos, the portal spell malfunctions. All six students are snatched from the safety of the school’s campus and set down in the middle of nowhere. And one of them is dead on arrival.

If anyone can get them through the punishing wilderness with limited magical reserves it’s Ren. She’s been in survival mode her entire life. But no magic could prepare her for the tangled secrets the rest of the group is harboring, or for what’s following them through the dark woods…]]> 368 Scott Reintgen 1665918683 Samantha 0 to-read 3.83 2023
author: Scott Reintgen
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199635125
Sharply observant and outrageously funny, Rejection is a provocative plunge into the touchiest problems of modern life. The seven connected stories seamlessly transition between the personal crises of a complex ensemble and the comic tragedies of sex, relationships, identity, and the internet.

In “The Feminist,� a young man’s passionate allyship turns to furious nihilism as he realizes, over thirty lonely years, that it isn’t getting him laid. A young woman’s unrequited crush in “Pics� spirals into borderline obsession and the systematic destruction of her sense of self. And in “Ahegao; or, The Ballad of Sexual Repression,� a shy late bloomer’s flailing efforts at a first relationship leads to a life-upending mistake. As the characters pop up in each other’s dating apps and social media feeds, or meet in dimly lit bars and bedrooms, they reveal the ways our delusions can warp our desire for connection.

These brilliant satires explore the underrated sorrows of rejection with the authority of a modern classic and the manic intensity of a manifesto. Audacious and unforgettable, Rejection is a stunning mosaic that redefines what it means to be rejected by lovers, friends, society, and oneself.]]> 272 Tony Tulathimutte 0063337878 Samantha 0 to-read 3.89 2024
author: Tony Tulathimutte
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211742041 The Cruel Prince meets The Selection in this captivating duology opener brimming with heart-pounding romance, vicious competition, and beautiful, cruel fae, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Haven, Sasha Peyton Smith.

Every citizen of England is granted one bargain from their immortal fae queen.

High society girls are expected to bargain for qualities that will win them suitors: a rare talent for piano in exchange for one’s happiest childhood memory. A perfect smile for one’s ability to taste.

But Ivy Benton’s debut season arrives with a shocking twist: a competition to secure the heart of the Queen’s fae son, Prince Bram. A prize that could save Ivy’s family from ruin� and free her sister from the bargain that destroyed her.

Yet every glittering fae deal has a rotting heart—and at the center of this contest is a dark plot that could destroy everything Ivy knows.

Sweepingly romantic and deceptively enchanting, this alternate history romantasy will enthrall readers of Holly Black, Stephanie Garber, and Adalyn Grace.]]> 400 Sasha Peyton Smith 0063372525 Samantha 0 to-read 3.98 2025
author: Sasha Peyton Smith
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222376600 From the acclaimed author of The Stardust Grail comes the epic tale of two sisters who sail across oceans to find their missing third sister―and Earth’s environmental salvation.

In Earth's not too distant future, seas consume coastal cities, highways disintegrate underwater, and mutant fish lurk in pirate-controlled depths. Skipper, a skilled sailor and the youngest of three sisters, earns money skimming and reselling plastic from the ocean to care for her ailing grandmother.

But then her eldest sister, Nora, goes missing. Nora left home a decade ago in pursuit of a cure for failing crops all over the world. When Skipper and her other sister, Carmen, receive a cryptic plea for help, they must put aside their differences and set out across the sea to find―and save―her. As they voyage through a dying world both beautiful and strange, encountering other travelers along the way, they learn more about their sister's work and the corporations that want what she discovered.

But the farther they go, the more uncertain their mission becomes: What dangerous attention did Nora attract, and how well do they really know their sister―or each other? Thus begins an epic journey spanning oceans and continents and a wistful rumination on sisterhood, friendship, and ecological disaster.

--

Content warnings available on the author's website (see author bio).]]> 384 Yume Kitasei 1250380960 Samantha 0 to-read, high-interest 4.25 2025
author: Yume Kitasei
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves: to-read, high-interest
review:

]]> 220108787
No one really knows what happened to Victor Grayson � he vanished one night in late September 1920, having threatened to reveal all he knew about the prime minister's involvement in selling honours. Was he murdered by the British government? By enemies in the socialist movement (who he had betrayed in the war)? Did he fall in the Thames drunk? Did he vanish to save his own life, and become an antiques dealer in Kent?

Whatever the truth, Green Ink imagines what might have been with brio, humour and humanity; and is a reminder that the past was once as alive as we are today.]]> 321 Stephen May 180075468X Samantha 0 to-read 3.80
author: Stephen May
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.80
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 112975658 A gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.]]> 432 Ariel Lawhon 0385546874 Samantha 0 to-read 4.38 2023
author: Ariel Lawhon
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222376533 DELUXE EDITION―a stunning hardcover edition featuring dark crimson sprayed edges

The Godfather meets The Magicians in the sweeping adult debut from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Red City is a dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles.

Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation. An exclusive power wielded by crime syndicates that market it to the world’s elites in the form of sand, a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of themselves: more beautiful, more charismatic, simply more.

Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city―and the paths of their lives―will be irrevocably transformed.

The daughter of a poor single mother, Sam would do anything to claw her way into the ranks of Grand Central in search of a better life. Plucked away from his family as a boy to become a Lumines apprentice, Ari is one of the syndicates' brightest rising stars. Once, they might have loved each other. But as the two alchemists face off across opposite sides of an ever-escalating conflict, ambition becomes power, loyalty becomes lies, and no transformation may be perfect enough for them both to survive the coming war.]]> 432 Marie Lu 1250885671 Samantha 0 to-read, high-interest 4.82 2025
author: Marie Lu
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.82
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/24
shelves: to-read, high-interest
review:

]]> 221594317 A heretical storyteller partners with an ancient spirit to undo the magic that subjugates her to the crown, in this chilling debut fantasy filled with monsters, dark rituals, and corrupt deities.

The Emperor of Wyrecia is dying, and 17-year-old Lena has just gained the power to control fate itself, binding her to the young prince Dimas as the empire's next Fateweaver. Hunted by the empire's most ruthless soldiers, Lena escapes with a handsome smuggler toward enemy territory. But a former lover betrays Lena, and her magic becomes agony—compelling Lena to submit to a gilded cage. Still, an ancient spirit offers hope: to sever her bond to the throne, Lena must unroot a ritual hidden beneath the palace. As Prince Dimas struggles to forge friendship with Lena and bring his empire under peaceful rule, sinister cultists unveil a twisted plan to unleash an ancient evil that could tear the realm asunder. With every step Lena takes on her quest to freedom, she uncovers a troubling imperial past that tarnishes the nation’s matron goddess. Perhaps the oral histories passed down to Lena are not foolish heresy, after all.

Written with compelling mystery, sensual queer romance, and a dual point of view narrative, this dark fantasy roots its magic system in mythological lore. An engaging selection for young adult readers who don’t mind a little terror with their adventure!]]> 416 Rachael A. Edwards 1682637697 Samantha 0 to-read 5.00
author: Rachael A. Edwards
name: Samantha
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 214283593 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.]]> 448 Nnedi Okorafor 0063391147 Samantha 0 to-read 4.12 2025
author: Nnedi Okorafor
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62873378 One of the most remarkable true-crime narratives of the twenty-first the story of the world’s most prolific art thief, Stéphane Breitwieser.

In this spellbinding portrait of obsession and flawed genius, the best-selling author of The Stranger in the Woods brings us into Breitwieser’s strange world—unlike most thieves, he never stole for money, keeping all his treasures in a single room where he could admire them.

For centuries, works of art have been stolen in countless ways from all over the world, but no one has been quite as successful at it as the master thief Stéphane Breitwieser. Carrying out more than two hundred heists over nearly eight years—in museums and cathedrals all over Europe—Breitwieser, along with his girlfriend who worked as his lookout, stole more than three hundred objects, until it all fell apart in spectacular fashion.

In The Art Thief, Michael Finkel brings us into Breitwieser’s strange and fascinating world. Unlike most thieves, Breitwieser never stole for money. Instead, he displayed all his treasures in a pair of secret rooms where he could admire them to his heart’s content. Possessed of a remarkable athleticism and an innate ability to circumvent practically any security system, Breitwieser managed to pull off a breathtaking number of audacious thefts. Yet these strange talents bred a growing disregard for risk and an addict’s need to score, leading Breitwieser to ignore his girlfriend’s pleas to stop—until one final act of hubris brought everything crashing down.

This is a riveting story of art, crime, love, and an insatiable hunger to possess beauty at any cost.]]> 224 Michael Finkel 0525657320 Samantha 0 libby, audiobooks
An engaging and well-written account of "the world's most prolific art thief." However, I didn't find Breitwieser to be a particularly interesting subject outside of the sheer quantity of items he was able to steal. Though there is something to be said about the casual and relatively low-risk way he reached the status of "most prolific art thief," it left the book feeling rather one-note and repetitive. The themes of obsession—with art, his mother, and Anne-Catherine—were intriguing but not particularly well developed.

Enjoyable but not particularly memorable. ]]> 3.92 2023
author: Michael Finkel
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2025/01/21
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: libby, audiobooks
review:
No rating for nonfiction

An engaging and well-written account of "the world's most prolific art thief." However, I didn't find Breitwieser to be a particularly interesting subject outside of the sheer quantity of items he was able to steal. Though there is something to be said about the casual and relatively low-risk way he reached the status of "most prolific art thief," it left the book feeling rather one-note and repetitive. The themes of obsession—with art, his mother, and Anne-Catherine—were intriguing but not particularly well developed.

Enjoyable but not particularly memorable.
]]> 156024677
Nevada Baylor runs a small-time detective agency in Houston, Texas, busting scammers, exposing cheaters, and dealing with petty criminals. She’s very good at her job—helped by a magical ability to sense when someone tells the truth or lies. But when she’s forced into accepting a case to find a radical pyrotechnic who can conjure heat and fire at will, Nevada knows she’s out of her league. To bring him to justice, she’ll have to join forces with someone who wields an even more dangerous power.

Connor “Mad� Rogan is a former combat mage, a telekinetic singularly responsible for mass destruction in war-torn countries, and a member of one of the most powerful magic families in the world. His nephew has been kidnapped by the fugitive pyromaniac, and Nevada is his best chance at finding them both. But unlike Nevada, Connor could care less about societal law and order, and has no qualms about extinguishing his family’s enemy.

Bound by their mission, Nevada and Connor clash over their tactics and moral beliefs, even as things undeniably heat up between them. But the man they’re chasing is involved in a darker conspiracy that threatens to destroy the city—and destabilize the balance of power the elite magical families use to influence every nation on Earth.]]> 368 Ilona Andrews 0063353733 Samantha 0 to-read 4.00 2014
author: Ilona Andrews
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
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 Samantha 0 to-read 4.14 2018
author: Signe Pike
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 45857086 The exciting end to The Poppy War trilogy, R. F. Kuang’s acclaimed, award-winning epic fantasy that combines the history of twentieth-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating, enthralling effect.

After saving her nation of Nikan from foreign invaders and battling the evil Empress Su Daji in a brutal civil war, Fang Runin was betrayed by allies and left for dead.Ěý

Despite her losses, Rin hasn’t given up on those for whom she has sacrificed so much—the people of the southern provinces and especially Tikany, the village that is her home. Returning to her roots, Rin meets difficult challenges—and unexpected opportunities. While her new allies in the Southern Coalition leadership are sly and untrustworthy, Rin quickly realizes that the real power in Nikan lies with the millions of common people who thirst for vengeance and revere her as a goddess of salvation.Ěý

Backed by the masses and her Southern Army, Rin will use every weapon to defeat the Dragon Republic, the colonizing Hesperians, and all who threaten the shamanic arts and their practitioners. As her power and influence grows, though, will she be strong enough to resist the Phoenix’s intoxicating voice urging her to burn the world and everything in it?Ěý]]> 622 R.F. Kuang 0008339147 Samantha 0 to-read, unread-owned 4.29 2020
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/20
shelves: to-read, unread-owned
review:

]]> 41212753
With no other options, Rin joins forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who has a plan to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new Republic. Rin throws herself into his war. After all, making war is all she knows how to do.

But the Empress is a more powerful foe than she appears, and the Dragon Warlord’s motivations are not as democratic as they seem. The more Rin learns, the more she fears her love for Nikan will drive her away from every ally and lead her to rely more and more on the Phoenix’s deadly power. Because there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her country and her vengeance

The sequel to R.F. Kuang’s acclaimed debut THE POPPY WAR, THE DRAGON REPUBLIC combines the history of 20th-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating effect.]]> 654 R.F. Kuang 0062662635 Samantha 0 to-read, unread-owned 4.36 2019
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/20
shelves: to-read, unread-owned
review:

]]> 58779904 No man is above the law.

Sir Konrad Vonvalt is a Justice - a judge, jury and executioner all in one. He is sworn to travel the Empire and uphold the law by way of his sharp intellect, arcane powers and skill as a swordsman.

Yet these are dangerous times, even for a Justice. When Vonvalt investigates the murder of a provincial aristocrat, he unearths a conspiracy that stretches to the very top of Imperial society.

As the stakes rise and become ever more personal, Vonvalt must make a choice: will he abandon the laws he's sworn to uphold in order to protect the empire?

Introducing an unforgettable protagonist destined to become a fantasy icon, The Justice of Kings is an unmissable debut where action, intrigue and magic collide.]]> 413 Richard Swan 0356516423 Samantha 4
The pacing did have its slow moments where my interest waned a bit. And I didn’t always find Helena to be a compelling main character on her own.

Though I enjoyed this a lot I’m on the fence as to whether I want to continue the series. There is something overwhelmingly bleak about this story, even more so because it is told retrospectively with the occasional bit of metacommentary from Helena. I don’t know if I connect with the story or the characters enough to make it feel worth the depressing reading experience. But that just comes down to personal preference and could also be my current mood.]]> 4.09 2022
author: Richard Swan
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/19
date added: 2025/01/19
shelves:
review:
This captured my attention almost immediately. I really enjoyed exploring a complex and powerful character like Vonvalt from an outsiders POV. The mystery, scheming, and complex politics made for a really engaging story.

The pacing did have its slow moments where my interest waned a bit. And I didn’t always find Helena to be a compelling main character on her own.

Though I enjoyed this a lot I’m on the fence as to whether I want to continue the series. There is something overwhelmingly bleak about this story, even more so because it is told retrospectively with the occasional bit of metacommentary from Helena. I don’t know if I connect with the story or the characters enough to make it feel worth the depressing reading experience. But that just comes down to personal preference and could also be my current mood.
]]> 16054217 The #1 New York Times bestselling series finale and sequel to A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night

Bringing the magic and suspense of the All Souls Trilogy to a deeply satisfying conclusion, this highly anticipated finale went straight to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. In The Book of Life, Diana and Matthew time-travel back from Elizabethan London to make a dramatic return to the present—facing new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home, Sept-Tours, they reunite with the beloved cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency.]]> 561 Deborah Harkness 0670025593 Samantha 5 favorites 4.15 2014
author: Deborah Harkness
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2025/01/18
shelves: favorites
review:

]]> 220967612 A search for a missing person uncovers a galaxy-spanning conspiracy in this thrilling standalone space opera from award-winning author Megan E. O'Keefe.

The Black Celeste is a ghost story. A once-legendary spaceship collecting dust in a cosmic graveyard known as the Clutch. Only famed pirate Bitter Amandine knows better, and she’ll do anything to never go near it again. No matter the cost.
Faven Sythe is crystborn, a member of the near-human species tasked with charting starpaths from station to station. She’s trained to be a navigator her entire life. But when her mentor disappears, leaving behind a mysterious starpath terminating in the Clutch, she is determined to find the truth. And only Amandine has the answers.

What they will find is a conspiracy bigger than either of them. Their quest for the truth will uncover secrets Amandine has long fought to keep buried � secrets about how she survived her last encounter in the Clutch, and what’s really hidden out there amongst the stars...]]> 345 Megan E. O'Keefe 0316572039 Samantha 0 to-read, high-interest 5.00 2025
author: Megan E. O'Keefe
name: Samantha
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/14
shelves: to-read, high-interest
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 Samantha 0 arc, dnf 3.55 2025
author: Ed Crocker
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/14
shelves: arc, dnf
review:

]]> 62039259 A lonely, lovable, queer mountain lion narrates this star-making fever dream of a novel.

A queer and dangerously hungry mountain lion lives in the drought-devastated land under the Hollywood sign. Lonely and fascinated by humanity’s foibles, the lion spends their days protecting the welfare of a nearby homeless encampment, observing obnoxious hikers complain about their trauma, and, in quiet moments, grappling with the complexities of their gender identity, memories of a vicious father, and the indignities of sentience. “I have so much language in my brain,� our lion says, “and nowhere to put it.�

When a man-made fire engulfs the encampment, the lion is forced from the hills down into the city the hikers call “ellay.� As the lion confronts a carousel of temptations and threats, they take us on a tour that spans the cruel inequalities of Los Angeles and the toll of climate grief, while scrambling to avoid earthquakes, floods, and the noise of their own conflicted psyche. But even when salvation finally seems within reach, they are forced to face down the ultimate question: Do they want to eat a person, or become one?

In elegiac prose woven with humor, imagination, sensuality, and tragedy, Henry Hoke’s Open Throat is a marvel of storytelling, a universal journey through a wondrous and menacing world told by a lovable mountain lion. Both feral and vulnerable, profound and playful, Open Throat is a star-making novel that brings mythmaking to real life.]]> 160 Henry Hoke 037460987X Samantha 0 to-read 4.02 2023
author: Henry Hoke
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 211003759 In the tradition of Station Eleven, a literary thriller set partly on the roof of New York’s Museum of Natural History in a flooded future.

All the Water in the World is told in the voice of a girl gifted with a deep feeling for water. In the years after the glaciers melt, Nonie, her older sister and her parents and their researcher friends have stayed behind in an almost deserted New York City, creating a settlement on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History. The rule: Take from the exhibits only in dire need. They hunt and grow their food in Central Park as they work to save the collections of human history and science. When a superstorm breaches the city’s flood walls, Nonie and her family must escape north on the Hudson. They carry with them a book that holds their records of the lost collections. Racing on the swollen river towards what may be safety, they encounter communities that have adapted in very different and sometimes frightening ways to the new reality. But they are determined to find a way to make a new world that honors all they've saved.

Inspired by the stories of the curators in Iraq and Leningrad who worked to protect their collections from war, All the Water in the World is both a meditation on what we save from collapse and an adventure story—with danger, storms, and a fight for survival. In the spirit of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Parable of the Sower, this wild journey offers the hope that what matters most � love and work, community and knowledge � will survive.]]> 304 Eiren Caffall 1250353521 Samantha 0 to-read 3.58 2025
author: Eiren Caffall
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 127305900 In this romantic fantasy of manners from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker commissioned for a royal wedding finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her undeniable chemistry with the groom.

Niamh Ă“ Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.]]> 373 Allison Saft 125089283X Samantha 0 arc 3.49 2024
author: Allison Saft
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2024/01/11
date added: 2025/01/13
shelves: arc
review:

]]> 102615935 Robert Jackson Bennett Samantha 0 to-read, high-interest 5.00
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: Samantha
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/11
shelves: to-read, high-interest
review:

]]> 205762592 For fans of� The Princess Bride and Gideon the Ninth: a bloody� lesbian revenge tale and political fantasy set in a glittering world transformed by industrial change � and simmering class warfare.

Ichorite is progress. More durable and malleable than steel, ichorite is the lifeblood of a dawning industrial revolution. Yann I. Chauncey owns the sole means of manufacturing this valuable metal, but his workers, who risk their health and safety daily, are on strike. They demand Chauncey research the hallucinatory illness befalling them, a condition they call “being lustertouched.� Marney Honeycutt, a lustertouched child worker, stands proud at the picket line with her best friend and family. That’s when Chauncey sends in the guns. Only Marney survives the massacre. She vows bloody vengeance. A decade later, Marney is the nation’s most notorious highwayman, and Chauncey’s daughter seeks an opportune marriage. Marney’s rage and the ghosts of her past will drive her to masquerade as an aristocrat, outmaneuver powerful suitors, and win the heart of his daughter, so Marney can finally corner Chauncey and satisfy her need for revenge. But war ferments in the north, and deeper grudges are surfacing. . .

H. A. Clarke’s adult fantasy debut, writing as August Clarke, Metal from Heaven is a punk-rock murder ballad tackling labor issues and radical empowerment against the relentless grind of capitalism.]]> 448 August Clarke 1645660982 Samantha 3 arc
I hate to say it—I really hate to say it—but I think I might have found something that is too confusing for me. I love a confusing book, but Metal From Heaven did not quite have the payoff to outweigh the amount of effort I had to put in to follow the story.

Metal From Heaven is weird, complex, confusing, and ambitious. I admire it so much for what it brings to the fantasy genre and for its commitment to being insanely weird from start to finish. While there were a lot of things I really enjoyed about this story, every time I put the book down it was a struggle to find the motivation to pick it back up.

What is going to make or break this book for most readers is the writing style. I am incredibly torn about my feelings on the writing. On one hand, it is uniquely in character for Marney and incredibly ambitious. Metal From Heaven is told from the perspective of a narrator who is unhinged and completely unreliable. She is experiencing mental deterioration from her exposure to the magic in this world. She is also dealing with trauma and is fixated on her vengeance and her grief. All of these things warp her perspective of things. The story reflects this because it is a very bizarre, nonsensical, flighty narrative that captures Marney as a character.

However, the writing is also too often completely nonsensical. I would read paragraphs and unsure if what I had just read actually said anything. Some of the scene transitions or transitions between abstract thought and reality were honestly� bad. The abrupt transitions make it too disorienting for the reader at times even if the abruptness was intentional.

Being so in Marney’s head all of the time also kept me at a distance from the story and the other characters. I didn’t get enough of a sense of the other characters to really care about what was going on at times.

The world-building could be very info-dumpy at the most random times. There would be occasional tangents about the history of the world or the legacy of conflict between groups. It’s just not the kind of information that we needed in so much detail for this kind of story.

The pacing is also at odds with itself. Metal From Heaven has a surprisingly slow open, only reaching the events on the back of the book at the halfway point. In my opinion, that second arc needed to take up more of the book. As it is, it felt like the two halves of the book were fighting for control and, as a result, neither section ended up standing out as much as it could have. We could have spent more time meeting that second cast of characters, forming connections, and exploring the politics of the world. I don't feel like the first half of the story needed to be as detailed as it was.

This review feels unbalanced because some of the things I critique about this book go hand in hand with what I really enjoyed about it. I loved how wild, wacky, and ambitious this story was. I just don't feel like the ending gave me quite enough payoff to make it feel worth it. I love that the magic is completely unexplained and gross. The way that Marney fights to use her powers and how the ichorite uses her, in turn, was so interesting.

Metal From Heaven was a story that I admired but a reading experience that frustrated and underwhelmed me.

Links to my |
]]> 3.92 2024
author: August Clarke
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/13
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: arc
review:
3.5 stars

I hate to say it—I really hate to say it—but I think I might have found something that is too confusing for me. I love a confusing book, but Metal From Heaven did not quite have the payoff to outweigh the amount of effort I had to put in to follow the story.

Metal From Heaven is weird, complex, confusing, and ambitious. I admire it so much for what it brings to the fantasy genre and for its commitment to being insanely weird from start to finish. While there were a lot of things I really enjoyed about this story, every time I put the book down it was a struggle to find the motivation to pick it back up.

What is going to make or break this book for most readers is the writing style. I am incredibly torn about my feelings on the writing. On one hand, it is uniquely in character for Marney and incredibly ambitious. Metal From Heaven is told from the perspective of a narrator who is unhinged and completely unreliable. She is experiencing mental deterioration from her exposure to the magic in this world. She is also dealing with trauma and is fixated on her vengeance and her grief. All of these things warp her perspective of things. The story reflects this because it is a very bizarre, nonsensical, flighty narrative that captures Marney as a character.

However, the writing is also too often completely nonsensical. I would read paragraphs and unsure if what I had just read actually said anything. Some of the scene transitions or transitions between abstract thought and reality were honestly� bad. The abrupt transitions make it too disorienting for the reader at times even if the abruptness was intentional.

Being so in Marney’s head all of the time also kept me at a distance from the story and the other characters. I didn’t get enough of a sense of the other characters to really care about what was going on at times.

The world-building could be very info-dumpy at the most random times. There would be occasional tangents about the history of the world or the legacy of conflict between groups. It’s just not the kind of information that we needed in so much detail for this kind of story.

The pacing is also at odds with itself. Metal From Heaven has a surprisingly slow open, only reaching the events on the back of the book at the halfway point. In my opinion, that second arc needed to take up more of the book. As it is, it felt like the two halves of the book were fighting for control and, as a result, neither section ended up standing out as much as it could have. We could have spent more time meeting that second cast of characters, forming connections, and exploring the politics of the world. I don't feel like the first half of the story needed to be as detailed as it was.

This review feels unbalanced because some of the things I critique about this book go hand in hand with what I really enjoyed about it. I loved how wild, wacky, and ambitious this story was. I just don't feel like the ending gave me quite enough payoff to make it feel worth it. I love that the magic is completely unexplained and gross. The way that Marney fights to use her powers and how the ichorite uses her, in turn, was so interesting.

Metal From Heaven was a story that I admired but a reading experience that frustrated and underwhelmed me.

Links to my |

]]> 222376891 #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth pulls from Slavic folklore to explore family, duty, and what it means to be a monster in this sequel to the USA Today bestselling novella When Among Crows

A funeral. A heist. A mission born of desperation.

When someone in Dymitr’s family dies, he’s called back home for the Empty Night, a funeral rite intended to keep evil at bay.

The secret Dymitr is keeping from them makes returning home downright dangerous, but if he wants to get his hands on a book of curses that might appease Baba Jaga’s blood lust, he has no choice. And when that same funeral brings ferocious creature-of-legend Niko to town for his own bloody purposes, Dymitr’s charade becomes impossible to maintain.

Family gatherings can be brutal. Dymitr’s might just be fatal.]]> 240 Veronica Roth 1250855500 Samantha 0 to-read, high-interest 4.83 2025
author: Veronica Roth
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.83
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves: to-read, high-interest
review:

]]> 150247395
Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.

At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears--quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.

Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.

As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.

Featuring an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing, a gloriously labyrinthine plot, and a haunting and wholly original fantasy world, The Tainted Cup brilliantly reinvents the classic mystery tale.]]> 410 Robert Jackson Bennett 1984820702 Samantha 4 arc
Raising my rating to 4.5 stars after reread for two main reasons. 1) I could not get this book out of my head after reading it early last year. I love the world building and I see so much potential for this series. 2) I found the characters a lot more compelling on reread. I really enjoyed revisiting stoic, snarky, and slightly unhinged Din (Din I’m so sorry I said you only had a personality when it was plot relevant. It’s still true but now it’s funny)

Very excited to read A Drop of Corruption

_________________
The Tainted Cup blends the quirky and chaotic investigations of Sherlock with the towering coastal threats of Pacific Rim to create a fast-paced, entertaining fantasy story. Though I really enjoyed the story and am excited to see where Robert Jackson Bennett goes from here, I felt disconnected from the main characters and was underwhelmed by the predictability of the mystery.

This first installment introduces a fascinating world under the constant threat of titans attacking from the sea. A bizarre murder in the outermost ring of the empire uncovers a complicated web of politics and corruption among the empire’s elite. I was really intrigued by the intricate system of modifications introduced in this book. I thought the story did a good job of exploring the limitations and consequences of different modifications. The titans are a constant threat lurking in the background, adding tension and impending danger to the investigation. This sense of a countdown really helps keep the pacing fast and engaging. I love how the murder mystery slowly turns into a fight against corruption within the Iudex and the gentry. I am really excited to see Din and Ana’s investigations take on an empire-wide scope.

The mystery plot in The Tainted Cup is enough to keep you interested in the story. The reveals are well-paced, there is constant progress, and the clues are nicely woven throughout the story. However, I was a bit disappointed with how straightforward and predictable the mystery could be. The clues are hidden throughout the story but they aren't hidden particularly well. There are very few red herrings and, therefore, I found myself predicting most of the reveals and connections. This made Ana’s Sherlock-esque speeches with all the connections fall a bit flat. In general, I find these speeches to be a clunky way to advance the plot. The predictability of the reveals coupled with rather simple character motivations leaves the plot feeling a bit underwhelming.

I love the idea of Ana and Din but I felt so disconnected from them as characters. The lack of time spent with them as people, rather than just investigators, kept me from feeling a strong emotional connection. Ana works well as the quirky detective and mentor and I am intrigued by her character. However, we get shockingly little character development from her until the very, very end of the book. I realize that there are many secrets to come but she felt underutilized in this book.

Din had a personality when it was plot-relevant and then the rest of the time he listened and was confused. I want to like him as a character more. There are moments where he is snarky, sneaky, clever, and maybe a little bit unhinged. But for the majority of the book he comes across as flat and distant. Once again I get the sense that there will be a lot to discover about his character and that he will grow over the next books, but this restrained approach does not work when Din is the only POV character. That being said I LOVED the moments where we get to see Din in action. I also love the dyslexia representation.

Though I have spent most of the review dissecting small critiques, I really enjoyed The Tainted Cup and I am excited to see how the story grows in the next books. If you are looking for the tension of a mystery/thriller with the uniqueness of a fantasy world I would highly recommend picking up The Tainted Cup.

Thank you Del Rey for the eARC

Links to my | ]]> 4.28 2024
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/07
date added: 2025/01/07
shelves: arc
review:
Reread January 2025

Raising my rating to 4.5 stars after reread for two main reasons. 1) I could not get this book out of my head after reading it early last year. I love the world building and I see so much potential for this series. 2) I found the characters a lot more compelling on reread. I really enjoyed revisiting stoic, snarky, and slightly unhinged Din (Din I’m so sorry I said you only had a personality when it was plot relevant. It’s still true but now it’s funny)

Very excited to read A Drop of Corruption

_________________
The Tainted Cup blends the quirky and chaotic investigations of Sherlock with the towering coastal threats of Pacific Rim to create a fast-paced, entertaining fantasy story. Though I really enjoyed the story and am excited to see where Robert Jackson Bennett goes from here, I felt disconnected from the main characters and was underwhelmed by the predictability of the mystery.

This first installment introduces a fascinating world under the constant threat of titans attacking from the sea. A bizarre murder in the outermost ring of the empire uncovers a complicated web of politics and corruption among the empire’s elite. I was really intrigued by the intricate system of modifications introduced in this book. I thought the story did a good job of exploring the limitations and consequences of different modifications. The titans are a constant threat lurking in the background, adding tension and impending danger to the investigation. This sense of a countdown really helps keep the pacing fast and engaging. I love how the murder mystery slowly turns into a fight against corruption within the Iudex and the gentry. I am really excited to see Din and Ana’s investigations take on an empire-wide scope.

The mystery plot in The Tainted Cup is enough to keep you interested in the story. The reveals are well-paced, there is constant progress, and the clues are nicely woven throughout the story. However, I was a bit disappointed with how straightforward and predictable the mystery could be. The clues are hidden throughout the story but they aren't hidden particularly well. There are very few red herrings and, therefore, I found myself predicting most of the reveals and connections. This made Ana’s Sherlock-esque speeches with all the connections fall a bit flat. In general, I find these speeches to be a clunky way to advance the plot. The predictability of the reveals coupled with rather simple character motivations leaves the plot feeling a bit underwhelming.

I love the idea of Ana and Din but I felt so disconnected from them as characters. The lack of time spent with them as people, rather than just investigators, kept me from feeling a strong emotional connection. Ana works well as the quirky detective and mentor and I am intrigued by her character. However, we get shockingly little character development from her until the very, very end of the book. I realize that there are many secrets to come but she felt underutilized in this book.

Din had a personality when it was plot-relevant and then the rest of the time he listened and was confused. I want to like him as a character more. There are moments where he is snarky, sneaky, clever, and maybe a little bit unhinged. But for the majority of the book he comes across as flat and distant. Once again I get the sense that there will be a lot to discover about his character and that he will grow over the next books, but this restrained approach does not work when Din is the only POV character. That being said I LOVED the moments where we get to see Din in action. I also love the dyslexia representation.

Though I have spent most of the review dissecting small critiques, I really enjoyed The Tainted Cup and I am excited to see how the story grows in the next books. If you are looking for the tension of a mystery/thriller with the uniqueness of a fantasy world I would highly recommend picking up The Tainted Cup.

Thank you Del Rey for the eARC

Links to my |
]]> 139400713 Kaveh Akbar’s Martyr! is a paean to how we spend our lives seeking meaning—in faith, art, ourselves, others—in which a newly sober, orphaned son of Iranian immigrants, guided by the voices of artists, poets, and kings, embarks on a search that leads him to a terminally ill painter living out her final days in the Brooklyn Museum.

Cyrus Shams is a young man grappling with an inheritance of violence and loss: his mother’s plane was shot down over the skies of Tehran in a senseless accident; and his father’s life in America was circumscribed by his work killing chickens at a factory farm in the Midwest. Cyrus is a drunk, an addict, and a poet, whose obsession with martyrs leads him to examine the mysteries of his past—toward an uncle who rode through Iranian battlefields dressed as the Angel of death to inspire and comfort the dying, and toward his mother, through a painting discovered in a Brooklyn art gallery that suggests she may not have been who or what she seemed.

Electrifying, funny, wholly original, and profound, Martyr! heralds the arrival of a blazing and essential new voice in contemporary fiction.]]> 331 Kaveh Akbar 0593537610 Samantha 0 to-read, unread-owned 4.22 2024
author: Kaveh Akbar
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/07
shelves: to-read, unread-owned
review:

]]> 219446158 A breathtaking romantic fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast about a girl who paints the future and a cursed dragon lord, bound by love and deception in a plot to bring down the gods.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes!

Truyan Saigas didn't choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father's disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King's inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms. . . .]]> Elizabeth Lim 0593650638 Samantha 0 to-read, arc 4.49 2025
author: Elizabeth Lim
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/07
shelves: to-read, arc
review:

]]> 221179150
Imogen Nel is in hiding. Hiding from a cruel kingdom that believes Sirens are monstrous, blood-hungry creatures. Hiding from a king and his captain who viciously hunt her kind. Hiding from her own alluring abilities. By keeping herself from the sea, Imogen’s bloodlust is dulled, and her black wings remain hidden beneath her skin.

When a neighboring king comes to visit, Imogen can no longer hide. He knows precisely what she is, and he believes she can save both their kingdoms from an even greater monster. But Imogen’s power threatens to violently reveal itself, and the two form a blood bond that protects them both. They flee the kingdom together, traversing waters teeming with the undead. As the lines between duty to their people and desire for each other begin to blur, Imogen worries her own ancestral powers may not be enough to kill what hunts her—the only way to defeat a monster may be to become one herself.]]> 384 Kalie Cassidy 0316587605 Samantha 0 to-read 4.12 2025
author: Kalie Cassidy
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 26309792
With reality turned on its head, Dee has only a group of other deal-making teens to keep her grounded, including the charming but secretive James Lancer. And as something grows between them amid an otherworldy ordeal, Dee begins to wonder: Can she give someone her heart when it’s no longer hers to give?]]> 381 Emily Lloyd-Jones Samantha 0 to-read 3.88 2017
author: Emily Lloyd-Jones
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222505324 From award-winning andĚýUSA TodayĚýbestselling author Kosoko Jackson comes his adult fantasy debut, a stand-alone novel blending of art history, time- and globe-hopping adventure, and dark horror and fantasy about ten cursed paintings and the lengths people will go to collect them, destroy them…or be destroyed.

?A picture is worth a thousand nightmares.

A struggling painter, Lewis Dixon is shocked when the British Museum shows an unusual interest in his art. While he’s always felt there’s something powerful about what he puts on canvas, he also felt there was something disturbing just under the surface—especially as he was compelled to make a painting of a painting—one that he has a connection the object of his art is one of the ten paintings his great-grandfather created over a hundred years ago. Only Lewis’s version is surreal…and maybe just a touch horrific.

Still, he accepts the invitation, only to find not a curated show, but a to see if he not only has the magic necessary to enter the paintings, but also the strength to escape them. Because unbeknownst to Lewis, there is power in his art, just as the ten paintings carry with them both immense eldritch abilities and a terrible curse—making them, perhaps, the most valuable works of art in the world.

And Lewis has been asked to destroy them all.

With orders from a mysterious museum official, Evangeline, and partnered with an alluring agent in her employ, Noah Rao, Lewis must plunge into a world of black markets, gothic magic, ancient history, and unspeakable terror to save those unlucky enough to call any of the paintings their own, and to hopefully locate the tenth painting in the series, long missing, the powers of which are suspected to be most devastating of all…]]> Kosoko Jackson 0063394499 Samantha 0 to-read 3.58
author: Kosoko Jackson
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.58
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 123345328
On what should be Rumi's greatest night at the Golden Room, his life is turned upside down. A terrifying individual known as the Priest of Vultures attacks Rumi and his family. Before her death, Rumi's mother, Adunola, solicits the help of a dying god and saves Rumi, setting him on the path to become a Shadowwielder: warriors with the ability to use their shadow as a weapon. But Rumi's need for vengeance may be more important to him than the future of his people...]]> 541 Rogba Payne 1399612646 Samantha 0 to-read 4.24 2024
author: Rogba Payne
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 35887181
But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power � an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive � and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away.

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity ... and that it may already be too late.

]]> 527 R.F. Kuang 0062662562 Samantha 4
Told you all I would finally read this in 2024 (ignoring the fact that I LITERALLY saved it until the last minute)

You all know this is a great book. I really enjoyed it! Shockingly, the first part with the Academy was the strongest for me. Rin’s character is fascinating.

I will definitely continue the series ]]> 4.11 2018
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/31
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves:
review:
4/4.5 I am undecided

Told you all I would finally read this in 2024 (ignoring the fact that I LITERALLY saved it until the last minute)

You all know this is a great book. I really enjoyed it! Shockingly, the first part with the Academy was the strongest for me. Rin’s character is fascinating.

I will definitely continue the series
]]> 211426921
Anarchist poet Katya Efremova has spent ten months imprisoned in a covert government laboratory. When an escape attempt goes terribly wrong, she's transferred to a new prison colony being established on Solovetsky Island in the White Sea. She learns her arrest wasn’t due to her involvement in a magic-fueled resistance against the Bolsheviks—it was because of her murdered mother’s research into the legendary folk hero, Stenka Razin. Katya finds a clue her mother left for her the day she died, which may contain a cipher: Listen to the whisper of stars.

Given his title of nobility, imprisoned aristocrat Dima Danilov knows he’ll never leave Solovetsky Island alive. Dima finds a 250-year-old manuscript written by his ancestor which gives a first-person account of Stenka Razin’s rebellion against the tsar. Desperate for his life to mean something before it’s over, Dima decides to write an epic poem based on Razin’s life, hoping to encourage Russians to revolt against Bolshevik tyranny.

Natasha is a rogue witch who has been experimented on in the government laboratory for two years. When she’s offered her freedom in exchange for spying on Katya, she jumps at the chance, though she has her own reasons for wanting to solve the conspiracy surrounding Katya’s mother’s death.

As their goals intertwine, the three imprisoned Russians work together to uncover the secret behind Stenka Razin’s rebellion, a secret woven into the history of Solovetsky Island.

Discovering the island’s legendary power might be the key to overthrowing the Bolshevik regime, but as Katya solves the puzzle of her mother's murder she realizes she wasn't sent to Solovetsky by chance. The head of the government’s spy network is using her to find Stenka Razin’s power, and there will be no hope of a free Russia if he takes hold of the magic hidden beneath the White Sea snow.]]> Cristin Williams Samantha 0 to-read 4.00
author: Cristin Williams
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222246629 A debut near future romance, where Sea of Tranquility meets Winter's Orbit, told against the backdrop of the Moon's first lunar colony, with a multicultural and LGBTQ+ cast, about a cynical agronomist and charming Emirati businessman who fall in love, and battle eco-terrorists.

In 2073, controversial agronomist Dr. Alex Cole has dedicated her life to mutagenetic food, the only solution to feeding a world torn apart by climate change. When fierce opposition from radical environmentalists wipes out her lab funding, a surprising lifeline appears in the form of Mansoor Al Kaabi, a charismatic Emirati businessman who needs a sustainable food supply for his guests on the Moon’s first hotel.

Alex moves to the Moon colony with Mansoor, and they immediately dive into the challenging work. As she smuggles in illegal chickens, fights a vexing tomato fungus, and dreams of olive groves on the Moon, Alex is surprised to find herself falling in love not just with the lunar colony, but with Mansoor, whose vision for the future of the Moon extends far beyond luxury hotels.

Back on Earth, eccentric genius Victor Beard and Mansoor’s younger brother Rashid fight to push the Homestead Act through Congress. Without the support of the US government, they’ll never be able to achieve their goal to relocate humanity to the Moon and secure a second chance for life on Earth.

When eco-terrorists threaten the lunar colony, Alex, Mansoor, Victor, and Rashid must choose what they’re willing to die for–and what they’re really living for. Is it their grandiose visions of saving the planet–or is it each other?]]> 304 Claire Barner Samantha 0 to-read 5.00 2025
author: Claire Barner
name: Samantha
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 17333324
On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest.

Once, she was the Justice of Toren - a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy.

Now, an act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with one fragile human body, unanswered questions, and a burning desire for vengeance.]]> 386 Ann Leckie Samantha 0 to-read, unread-owned 3.98 2013
author: Ann Leckie
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/27
shelves: to-read, unread-owned
review:

]]> 195790867 Robin Sloan expands the Penumbraverse to new reaches of time and space in a rollicking far-future adventure.

In Moonbound, Robin Sloan has written a novel with the full scope and ambitious imagination of the very books that lit the engines of Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore: an epic quest as only Sloan could conceive it, mixing science fiction, fantasy, good old-fashioned literary storytelling, and unrivaled enthusiasm for what’s next.

It is thirteen thousand years from now . . . A lot has happened, and yet a lot is still very familiar. Ariel is a boy in a small town under a wizard’s rule. Like many adventurers before him, Ariel is called to explore a world full of unimaginable glories and unknown enemies, a mission to save the world, a girl. Here, as they say, be dragons. But none of this happens before Ariel comes across an artifact from an earlier civilization, a sentient, record-keeping artificial intelligence that carries with it the perspective of the whole of human history―and becomes both Ariel’s greatest ally and the narrator of our story.

Moonbound is an adventure into the richest depths of Story itself. It is a deeply satisfying epic of ancient scale, blasted through the imaginative prism one of our most forward-thinking writers. And this is only the beginning.]]> 432 Robin Sloan 0374610606 Samantha 0 to-read, unread-owned 3.98 2024
author: Robin Sloan
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read, unread-owned
review:

]]> 214161672
Yet the cautious Norrell is challenged by the emergence of another magician. Young, handsome and daring, Jonathan Strange is his very antithesis. So begins a dangerous battle between these two great men � which overwhelms that between England and France. And soon their own secret dabblings with the dark arts are going to cause more trouble than they can imagine…]]> 864 Susanna Clarke 1526681552 Samantha 0 to-read, unread-owned 4.23 2004
author: Susanna Clarke
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read, unread-owned
review:

]]> 215750158 "Wherever Emery Robin goes from here, I'm going to follow."Ěý—Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author

From one of the most original voices in science fiction comes the spectacular sequel to the epic, interstellar love story that began inĚýThe Stars Undying.Ěý

Goddess, tell me the story.Ěý

Matheus Ceirran, commander of half the known world, is dead. For the past year, his loyal captain Anita has hunted down his assassins—that is, when she can pull herself from the bed of Altagracia Caviro Patramata, queen and oracle of the client planet of Szayet. But when Anita’s quest for revenge takes her across the borders of an enigmatic neighboring empire, she uncovers a dangerous secret that could upend the fragile balance of the galaxy.Ěý
Ěý
Meanwhile, Ceirran’s heir apparent Otávio Julhan grows more and more powerful in the capital that Anita has left behind. Caught between home, Szayet, and a new and greater threat, Anita finds herself at the center of a war that threatens to collapse her world.
Ěý
The fate of empires dances on the tip of a knife, and history will be written by the victors in this sweeping tale of myth, imperial legacy, and the love affair of a lifetime.

Praise for the Empire Without Ěý

"Dazzling, transportive, boundless, precise—and dares to ask, what if Mark Antony was the hottest butch girl in space?"Ěýâ€�Casey McQuiston

"Gorgeously written, impeccably characterized, and profoundly aware of the way the ghosts of history linger."Ěýâ€�Emily TeshĚý

"A glittering triumph of a book that weaves together history and tragedy into a star-spanning epic."Ěýâ€�Everina MaxwellĚý]]> 512 Emery Robin 0316391697 Samantha 0 to-read, high-interest, arc 4.21 2025
author: Emery Robin
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/23
shelves: to-read, high-interest, arc
review:

]]> 60290692 A fledgling vampire and a headstrong vampire huntress must work together--against their better judgment—to rid the world of monsters in this irresistible romantic fantasy.

Carolina Fuentes has always wanted to join her family in hunting down the bloodthirsty monsters that plague her pueblo. But these days, her father wants her out of town with a husband of his choosing. That’s not happening. Carolina plans to show everyone that she’d make a better vampire slayer than wife. But when she runs into a sediento that is not only handsome but kind, she questions everything.

Lalo Villalobos doesn’t act on impulses. As the eldest of two, his duties were to carry on the family business, marry, and have children. But then he is turned into a sediento and must flee the city, taking lives as he goes north, where he believes the first vampire was made. Surely, the pueblo there will have the answers to reverse this curse or end sedientos altogether. Another unexpected turn? Lalo runs right into a beautiful young woman who’d gladly stake him.

Fortunately, mostly for him, they share a common enemy. They can stop these evil beasts. Together. And if along the way, Lalo and Fernanda discover what it is to truly live and love, then they’ll have won anyway.]]> 432 Angela Montoya 0593643372 Samantha 3 arc, audiobooks
I don’t want to rate it lower because I recognize this was likely intended for a younger YA audience. (Honestly take out one scene and I would say this could be middle grade) ]]> 3.86 2024
author: Angela Montoya
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/22
date added: 2024/12/22
shelves: arc, audiobooks
review:
It was cute but overall just a little bit too childish and corny for me. Character arcs were abrupt and plot relevant information was just dropped in the characters� laps.

I don’t want to rate it lower because I recognize this was likely intended for a younger YA audience. (Honestly take out one scene and I would say this could be middle grade)
]]> 217420653 An epic and romantic debut adventure fantasy, where a necromancer trying to resurrect her sister gets embroiled in bigger, world-ending plans instead

It's been thousands of years since the gods lifted the continents into the air so humanity could thrive, chaining the lands down with their bones and turning them into Anchor.

Azul del Arroyo doesn't care about gods or Anchor; she cares about being responsible for her sister's death and getting her bones from the capital so she can bring her back to life. Again. But in her way stands the Emissary of the Lord Death, who will do anything in his power to stop her, because a necromancer like her shouldn’t exist—no matter how alluring.

As Azul and the Emissary's cat-and-mouse game leads them to the dangerous Court of Cienpuentes, their fate becomes entwined with a count who begrudgingly works for a child king, a faceless witch who transforms Anchor into dreams she can peddle, and a long-lost half-brother with a secret of his own. It's a time of enlightenment, of rapiers and scientific prowess, in a country where Anchor ceased to be something worth revering a long time ago, and people have forgotten the gods' sacrifice.

But the gods haven’t. Because the gods want their bones back, and they're not opposed to becoming players in their own game.

Swashbuckling, grand, and tragically romantic, Mistress of Bones is a can't-miss debut about love, about loss, and, of course, about death.]]> 336 Maria Z. Medina 1250888239 Samantha 0 to-read 3.60 2025
author: Maria Z. Medina
name: Samantha
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217453576 From the author of Natural Beauty, set in the fiercely competitive art world, a novel about an obsessive friendship upended by a cutting-edge technology purported to enhance empathy and connection

Enka meets Mathilde in art school. Mathilde is a dizzyingly talented yet tortured artist whose star is on the rise—and Enka, struggling to make art that feels original, is immediately drawn to her. The two strike up an intense bond that soon turns codependent. But when Mathilde’s fame reaches new heights, Enka becomes desperate to keep her best friend close—no matter the cost.
Ěý
Enka quickly falls in love with and marries a billionaire whose family’s company is funding an unconventional technology purported to heighten empathy, which could allow someone else to inhabit Mathilde’s mind and absorb the trauma from her brain. Soon, the boundaries between Mathilde and Enka begin to blur even further, setting in motion a disturbing series of events that forever changes their lives.

Blisteringly smart, thought-provoking, and shocking, Immaculate Conception deftly navigates big questions of art, technology, authorship, and what makes us human. Ling Ling Huang offers us a portrait of close friendship—achingly tender and twisted—that captures the tenuous line between love and possession that will haunt you long after you turn the final page.]]> 304 Ling Ling Huang 0593850432 Samantha 0 to-read 4.23 2025
author: Ling Ling Huang
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 207297940 Perfect for fans of Raven Kennedy and Thea Guanzon, Rebecca Robinson’s thrilling romantasy debut combines high-stakes political intrigue and a steamy, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance.

All her life, Vaasa Kozár has been sharpened into a blade.

After losing her mother—her only remaining parent—to a mysterious dark magic that has since awakened within her, Vaasa is certain death looms. So is her merciless brother, who aims to eliminate Vaasa as a threat to his crown. In one last political scheme, he marries her off to Reid of Mireh, a ruthless foreign ruler, in hopes that he can use her death as a rallying cry to finally invade Reid’s nation. All Vaasa has to do is die.

But she is desperate to live. Vaasa enters her new marriage with every intent to escape it, wielding the hard-won political prowess and combat abilities her late father instilled in her. But to her surprise, Reid offers her a deal: help him win the votes to rise in power, and she can walk free. In exchange, he will share his knowledge about the dark magic running through her veins—and help keep it at bay.

This proposal may be too good to refuse, yet Vaasa and Reid’s undeniable attraction threatens to break the rules of their arrangement. As her brother’s lethal machinations take form, everything is at stake: Vaasa must learn to trust her new husband, but how can she, especially when their perfect political marriage begins to feel like the real thing?]]> 352 Rebecca Robinson 1668052482 Samantha 4 4.00 2024
author: Rebecca Robinson
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/18
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves:
review:

]]> 199871472 Cleopatra will retell the story of Egypt’s most famous queen. It opens at the moment she discovers that her father has died and she is Pharaoh.]]> 384 Saara El-Arifi Samantha 0 to-read 4.20 2026
author: Saara El-Arifi
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 53403588 In the great walled city of Isara, political turmoil ignites a rebellion one hundred years in the making. But when a legionnaire falls in love with a Magistrate's daughter, their love will threaten the fate of the city and the will of the gods.

Luca Matius has one purpose—to carry on the family name, maintaining its presence in the Forum once his powerful and cruel uncle dies. But his noviceship with the city's Philosopher places him in the middle of a catastrophe that will alter the destiny of his people.

Maris Casoeria was raised amidst the strategic maneuvers of the Citadel's inner workings, and she knows what her future holds—a lifetime of service to a corrupt city. But her years of serving as a novice to the last Priestess who possesses the stolen magic of the Old War has made her envision a different kind of future for the city. When she meets Luca, a fated chain of events is set into motion that will divinely entangle their lives.

As a secret comes to light and throws the city into chaos, Luca and Maris hatch a plot to create a calculated alliance that could tip the scales of power. But when an execution forces Luca to become the symbol of rebellion, he and Maris are thrown onto opposite sides of a holy war. As their fates diverge, they learn they are at the center of a story the gods are writing. And even if they can find their way back to each other, there may be nothing left.]]> 400 Adrienne Young Samantha 0 to-read 4.58 2025
author: Adrienne Young
name: Samantha
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>