Category: Uncategorized

BY G.A. Aiken. NOW AVAILABLE FROM KENSINGTON BOOKS!

Rating:

PUBLISHER’S SYNOPSIS

“LONG LIVE THE QUEEN

Gemma Smythe dedicated her life to the glory of battle. With her fellow War Monks, she worshipped the war gods, rained destruction on her enemies, and raised the dead when the fancy took her. Until her sister Keeley became the prophesied Blacksmith Queen, and Gemma broke faith with her order to journey to the Amichai Mountain and fight by Keeley’s side.
 
The Amichai warriors are an unruly, never-to-be-tamed lot, especially their leader-in-waiting, Quinn. But when the War Monks declare support for Gemma’s ruthless younger sister Beatrix, the immaturity of her key ally is the least of Gemma’s problems. She has to get to the grand masters, dispel their grudge against her, and persuade them to fight for Keeley and justice. If her conviction can’t sway them, perhaps Quinn’s irritating, irreverent, clearly unhinged, ferocity will win the day . . .”

THOUGHTS

BOOK 2 in the series, and it’s still a really great fantasy series. I would class this as an epic akin to stories like LOTR, though what can honestly compare to Tolkien? There are various races and species represented from all over the fantasy genre and it is honestly hilarious if you’re into nerd culture. You definitely cannot treat thisnlike a standalone, regardless of the changes in POV between books. It’s just a real feel good series and I’m about to jump into the final one. Get on board…or saddle up. Whatever you prefer.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!

BY Kristin Cast. Pub NOW AVAILABLE FROM BLOOM BOOKS

Rating:

PUBLISHER’S SYNOPSIS

“The Arcana aren’t just figures in a tarot deck—they’re real. Terrifyingly real. That’s what I learned when I found a tarot card in the snow and was yanked from my world and into Towerfall. The first thing the people of this harsh, cruel realm did was try to kill me, and they probably would have succeeded if Kane hadn’t taken me to his hideout in the woods and nursed me back to health.

I don’t know if I can trust him. He’s too hot to be good news, he’s definitely hiding secrets, and I’ve already seen him kill two people to protect me. If I hadn’t just been helplessly dumped into his world, the blood on his sword and his dark, brooding mood would have me running in the opposite direction.

But right now, convincing the Kingdom of Pentacles that Kane and I are married is my best chance of getting into the palace, and back to my own world.

Because there’s something wrong with Towerfall. Something deeply, deadly wrong. And if anyone finds out Kane and I aren’t really husband and wife?

Well, then both of us are dead.”

THOUGHTS

I am usually not a fan of the “fell through a portal” trope, but it was a Kristin Cast book, so I thought I’d give it a try. It was pretty well executed. It was fun, sexy, and fantastical. The FMC kind of bugged me at times, but I enjoyed the setting and the magic aspects. It was definitely different and I will absolutely be checking out the next installment when it comes out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!

By Eloisa James

Rating: 3* – Cute and Cozy

Publishing Date: April 29, 2025

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Desperate after her Season comes to a spectacularly disastrous end, the Honorable Miss Clara Vetry jumps into a carriage hired to take a housekeeper to Scotland. The laird of Castle CaerLaven has no interest in a wife, especially a love match—but when Caelan sees his new housekeeper, he changes his mind. Marriage to a delectable bookworm strikes him as a perfect arrangement.

To his surprise, Clara refuses his proposal once…and again…yet again. When her true identity is revealed, and they’re forced to marry, Caelan realizes he has a far more crucial challenge. 

He finally has Clara’s hand—but how will he ever win her heart?”

REVIEW

This is a cute and fast read. Clara isn’t my favorite Eloisa Jams heroine, but she is certainly different! She’s one of those people who falls into trouble due to impulsive decisions and always seems to land in a bed of roses. However, she is one to put in the work! I did love the setting, the tertiary characters, and our hero.

This was definitely a situation where it felt like insta-lust-love. Not my favorite by Eloisa James, but still worth a read if you want that historical fiction formula with a cozy, easy read feel.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

By Isabel Ibañez

Rating: 4*s

NOW AVAILABLE FROM ST. MARTIN’S PRESS!

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.

When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and a golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.

With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.”

REVIEW:

This book had everything. ANCIENT EGYPT, family secrets,  a smart and brave FMC, an MMC with a troubled past, dubious motives, and almost unhealthy heaps of tragedy that brought some very real feelings to the table. I was on the edge of my seat.

The felt like I was in Egypt making discoveries alongside the characters and could feel the dust and heat and fear and longing that plagued Inez. Ibanez always does a fantastic job setting a scene and a story, and the world building around magic felt so very subtle that you could see the artifacts actually existing here.

I usually have a really hard time with books that set out to break my heart over and over, but the raw emotions made the spicy, dramatic bits all the more delicious, and the pull between Inez and Whit is what kept me going. I definitely will need to pick up the sequel asap, but I am not sure I can let Ibanez keep breaking my heart yet. I know the adventure isn’t over for me, though, and there is still so much to discover!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

By EB Asher, Rating: 4*s of Epic Fun.

NOW AVAILABLE FROM Avon and Harper Voyager!!

“Everyone in Mythria knows the story of how best friends Beatrice and Elowen, handsome ex-bandit Clare, and valiant leader Galwell the Great defended the realm from darkness. It’s a tale beloved by all—except them. They haven’t spoken in a decade, devastated by what their quest cost them.

But when they all receive an invitation to the queen of Mythria’s wedding, it’s a summons they can’t refuse . . . and a reunion for the ages—with Clare secretly not over his long-ago fling with Beatrice, Beatrice fighting the guilt she feels over how everything ended, Elowen unprepared for the return of her ex-love (the cunning Vandra), and all of them lost without Galwell. And if reuniting with former friends and lovers wasn’t perilous enough, dark forces from their past have also returned.

Dusting off old weapons and old instincts, Beatrice, Clare, and Elowen will face undead nemeses, crystal caves, enchanted swords, coffee shops, games of magical Truth or Dare, and, hardest of all, their past rife with wounds never healed and romances never forgotten.

This time around, will their story end in happily ever after?“

Thoughts:

This was honestly such a great epic adventure read with second chance romance and friends turned strangers opening back together, resolving their b*llsh**, and uniting to save the kingdom once again.

If there had been a first book, it would have been epic fantasy adventure, but the second chance thing is always cozier. The author handled the world building through the lens of times passed and it was well done and subtle without being so overbearing it detracted from the story, which tends to happen. This was just great. I really loved it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ebook copy in exchange for an honest review!

By Kayla Olson

Rating:

Now Available from Atria Books!

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Alix Morgan just got her big break as the ghostwriter of a memoir by Sebastian Green, a former member of the boy band True North. And when he offers her a penthouse at a luxurious resort in Vermont, she jumps at the chance to work far away from her noisy, cramped apartment.

Her career as an entertainment journalist has been building toward this dream job—after all, she used to cover True North and was one of the last people to interview former front man Jett Beckett before he disappeared. As she combs through her client’s voice memos, the specter of the missing lead singer remains, and fans are desperate to know the full story.

But Alix also has time for some fun at this glamorous resort, where she begins ski lessons with a handsome instructor named Tyler. As Alix and Tyler fall in love on the slopes, Alix’s work takes a complicated turn—and the mystery of True North’s downfall may be hers to solve.”

REVIEW

Think 90s boy band craze and Charlotte Steins “When Grumpy Met Sunshine” had a baby that was conceived on the board game Clue. I really like this book. It was a little predictable for me but the romance was good and the plot was fast and the ending tied up all the loose ends.

Honestly, I couldn’t ask for more in a romcom. I actually like when my suspicions play out and the author did it WELL. I love an HEA, and this was the perfect cozy read for a cool wintery day.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the Advanced Copy in Exchange for a fair and honest review!

By Beth Revis. 5*s!

NOW AVAILABLE FROM DAW!

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Ada had no intention whatsoever to continue working for the rebel group that hired her to retrieve the government’s plans for a nanobot climate cleaner if they weren’t willing to pay her for it, but then they offer a different perk: an undercover mission to a charity gala where Rian will be in attendance. Rian, meanwhile, has volunteered his services for the gala believing that the rare items up for auction will attract Ada’s eye. Hoping to catch her in the act and pin her with a punishable crime, Rian has no idea Ada’s really after.

In a high-stakes game of theft and deception, Ada plays to win…and Rian will do anything to stop her.”

REVIEW:

REVIS! How can you do this TWICE with the same amazing characters? Another amazing scifi space heist story with a morally grey FMC and lawful MMC set in a museum full of Sol Earth artifacts on a far off planet. The villain is finally revealed and is entirely hateable and we get more background on Ada that gives more background on the struggles of OG Earth to stay alive. Plus there’s more push and pull with Rian, which gives that little spice that amps up the tension and character dev.

I am again super obsessed. I absolutely LOVE this short series and will recommend this to ANYONE who enjoys a good mystery/heist/scifi/romance situation. So excited for the next installment coming out soon!

Thanks to NetGalley and DAW for the advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review. Loved it!

By Darcy McGuire

Rating 4.5* – Daring and Spicy

Pub Date February 9, 2025

Publishing Synopsis:

“In the world of upstairs/downstairs, Housemaid Penny Smith anticipates her employer’s needs and blends into the background making her the perfect spy for the prime minister against a suspected member of the Devil’s Sons. There’s only one problem. When she meets the guilty marquess, his actions don’t match the evidence against him. Lord William Renquist defies her every expectation and sets her traitorous heart racing.

Lord William Renquist, Marquess of Stoneway and secret spy to Queen Victoria, must infiltrate the Devil’s Sons, tearing the brotherhood apart from the inside. His mission – to bring evil men to justice while atoning for the sins of his family, proving honour is stronger than tainted blood. There’s only one problem. A canny maid who is always in the right place at the wrong time and who deliciously challenges his every order.

Liam and Penny are unknowingly playing a dangerous game from opposite sides of justice. And at a masked ball, forbidden attraction burns into something far more complex as their secrets spin into daring confessions. This battle against their enemy will only be won if Penny and Liam can work together. But can a maid from downstairs ever trust an upstairs marquess?”

REVIEW

I have found my way into the ‘feral romance’ portion of the literary world and I’m not complaining. The tension and lusty madness that takes place in this book kept me up until 2:30am and I finished it in 2 sittings. I am in love with Penny and Liam, both super tough, both wanting better for the world even at their own expense, and both ready to fight figuratively and literally to make it happen. The touch her and die is strong with this one.

The plot is also dark and deep and related to stopping sex trafficking, which is one thing I really love about this series. It’s something I make an effort to learn about in my personal life and rooting for characters in a fictional story gives me hope that good will prevail in reality, too.

I have a feeling I know whose storyline next and I am highly anticipating it!

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Breath of Things Part 1

By by Stéphane Fert

Rating: 4*s – Gorgeously witchy and body positive with a hint of dark fantasy.

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“One day, everything was lost in the mist. No, not those little morning wisps or the thin type that follows rain. The really dense stuff. A pea-souper, a dark fog, thick and black like atomized ink. A mist that engulfs everything. But the mist also left something behind: a mutant, an ogress—or perhaps just a little girl that a grouchy old witch would decide to call Temperance and who would be brought up in a quiet village by a group of contented old women. Then one day, the mist returns. It wants her back. Now it’s time for the witches to dust off their charms and try to remember their old incantations and kung fu techniques as they set out on a great adventure that will determine young Temperance’s destiny.”

REVIEW:

The Mist-Walker is an English translation from a French graphic novel an it is magnifique! has some AWESOME art and is so body positive and still has that witchy vibe. I loved temperance and all of the members of her witchy community. There is a section of the book with some really body positive nudity (as a warning) but it’s super respectful and lovely. The story is also excellent and I’m really hoping that there’s a second volume out soon!

Thanks to Netgalley and Europe Comics for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.