Born in dirt, raised in rot, I dig graves for the dead, while the living decay around me.
When my brother coughs blood, he appears.
A man too polished for the graveyard, with a bargain too cruel for the Seduce the King. Become the Queen. Die. And my brother lives.
Kael is a nightmare of living ruin, the rotting ruler of a festering realm. And Vale is his shadow, the cold architect of my demise.
One man needs my heart to beat. The other plans to stop it forever.
They think I’m a pawn. But I’m the gravedigger’s daughter. And I know exactly where to bury them.
Welcome to the funeral.
Content Warning: violence, death, body horror, maggots
World Building: This is a dark fantasy where a whole kingdom is rotting, and I don’t only mean the crops and buildings, but the people too. There is a curse that the current King Kael is trying to starve out, he’s supposed to take a wife he loves and slice her throat to feed his crown blood, but he refuses to do it but it means people will rot and die. There is body horror and…maggots. So if you are totally grossed out about both those things, this might not be for you.
Characters: I love Elara. She is always around death because she is a gravedigger along with her mom and brother. She’s not afraid of it and has seen so much of it that it doesn’t phase which makes her perfect to be King Kael’s bride since he is rotting. King Kael is someone who wants to end the curse, he’s rotting, he’s angry, lashes out but he softens towards Elara’s brash attitude and I was enjoying their growing friendship. Vale is a mystery – he’s handsome, and claims he is a steward for the king. His plan, to get Elara to make the king fall in love with her, so he can sacrifice her and feed the crown – which would remove the rot killing everything in the land.
Romance: For a moment in this book I thought there would be a love triangle. Elara is getting to know Kael, but her body wants Vale. And I was all for her attraction to the dark, mysterious man, even though I thought Kael was the nicer one of the two. There is a lot of mystery around both men, and you can never tell who is good or bad, who to trust. There is spice but nothing too overboard.
Story: I could not put this book down and I didn’t realize it was under 300 pages until I finished it so quick! I love Elara and how strong and brave she is. She loves her family and will do whatever it takes, even give up her life to save them from rotting. She gets under Vale’s skin and she befriends the Kael. There are secrets and lies and everything comes to a head in a cliffhanger. But thank goodness book two is out – because I had to read it right away. There were decisions that Elara made that I was frustrated about, but I understand she was trying to play her own game too and survive the situation she was in.
Vibes: dark vibes, some gross moments, but death is all around
Final Thoughts:
I love this book and only lowered my rating because some of the body horror was gross. But I was horrified and couldn’t look away – and I love Elara. I had to see if they could break the curse! It’s why I had to read book two right away.
I killed the king. Crowned myself in his blood, But the curse still festers.
To break it, I need Death, On his knees, A ring on his finger. My blade at his throat.
The god fights me to the grave, Evades my touch, Mocks my wanting.
He would rather tear himself apart, Than let me close enough to end this. But I didn’t come this far to lose. I came to crown him mine.
Welcome to your wedding, my love.
Content Warning: violence, death, body horror
Part two in this duet – this is a love story that makes me cry because what do you mean Elara makes Death fall in love with her? He tries his hardest to not succumb to her but he cannot resist. I love them together. There is spice and banter, it’s less dark than book one – less body horror and there is a battle of wills but Elara is a force.
And the ending chapters which is basically an epilogue? Ugh…my heart! For some reason it was reminding me of Jack and Sally in Nightmare Before Christmas 😅 maybe because of all the skeleton parts of Death when he is revealed as himself. But hello his heartstrings? I could not take it. 💔 What a beautiful ending to this story to show us that love is always worth it, even through loss and pain.
I will say this was shorter than book one and I feel like both books could have been combined since most romantasy books these days are long. I was totally engaged in this story and I really loved it.
Quote from the book:
“You can’t have love without embracing grief. Pain is the price we pay for participating in life.” – Liv Zander, Crown Me Yours
Final Thoughts:
I love this duology which I feel could have just been one book – but besides that, what a story. It’s dark, but so heartfelt at the end. It pulled at my heartstrings. I’ll be looking forward to reading more from this author!
I’ve seen Stacking the Shelves on a few blogs and I decided to do it to replace my book haul posts because, why not? It is hosted by Reading Reality and this is how the meme is described: “Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! And audiobooks. Don’t forget audiobooks!so go check out her blog!”
Book Purchases – (ebook or physical)
none for now – also I ended my YA Fairy Loot box but then got invited to the Romantasy box 🤦🏻♀️, so yeah…book ban – where? lol
Library Haul – (physical and online library):
I had a problem – almost all my Libby holds became available to borrow in one weekend! I borrowed them all then had a moment of clarity the other day and returned a bunch of them. I’m only human 😩 not a reading machine! I wish…
Calandra’s five kingdoms are on the verge of destruction. The crux migration is coming. And in the wake of a devastating attack, I’ve been separated from the man who owns my heart.
I’m lost. Terrified. Homesick. Hunted by monsters, driven to exhaustion, and kidnapped by a powerful priest, the only thing keeping me going is the little girl counting on me to keep her safe. It’s my turn to become the Guardian.
Our lives change one fateful night. A night of death. A night of monsters. A night of truths. That night, I learn the real meaning of fear—and the depth of my own strength.
Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice. But what if I embrace my crown? What if the secrets I uncover save our realm?
What if my sacrifice means salvation for the man I love?
Their love is the only thing that can save them from a cursed fate in the next dramatic installment in the bestselling Broken Souls and Bones series.
Lyra Bien never expected to leave the royal house at Stonegate in one piece after her rare melder magic was revealed. Once she discovered the truth behind the need for her magic and the brutality of her kingdom, Lyra vowed to put an end to the corruption of the crown. But is the enemy of her enemy her friend? Lyra must put her trust in the man who stole her heart . . . then deceived her.
Roark Ashwood rose through the ranks to become Sentry of Stonegate and personal guard to the prince, despite being born of the enemy clan, the Dravens. But in a single heartbeat he destroyed his ruthless reputation all to save Lyra. With his true identity unveiled, Roark revealed years of plotting and betrayal to everyone he loves.
As Roark’s two lives collide, he must fight to protect the woman he loves and outsmart those throughout the kingdoms who want his power for themselves. Lyra must wade through long-kept secrets, rising battles, and vicious court intrigue—all while keeping her feelings for Roark at bay.
Forbidden magic, a twisted mystery and deadly court conspiracies are all wrapped up in this dark fantasy set in a Roman-inspired republic where secrets will cost lives. 🔮
—
Secrets built this republic; one truth could burn it down.
High Priestess Kerasea Vestal has spent her life hiding the truth—that she’s the last surviving heir of the magical bloodline the republic slaughtered. One wrong step could be fatal. But when a senator is brutally killed and a temple blade is found at the scene, all eyes turn to her.
Praetorian Torren Morvane has made a career of dragging liars into the light, and Kerasea is the one person he’s vowed to ruin. But locked on a mountain with a murderer, scheming senators, and a prophecy of death, he’s forced to work at her side. The closer he gets, the more dangerous the truth—and their attraction—becomes.
With traitors closing in and a nation on the verge of shattering, Kerasea and Torren must risk everything to uncover the real killer. . .even if it means trusting their sworn enemy.
—
🖤 TROPES FOR VERITY GUILD 🖤 🪄Enemies-to-Lovers 🪄Slow Burn 🪄Forbidden Magic
The highly anticipated conclusion to the New York Timesbestselling Hurricane Wars trilogy makes landfall— and as the winds of war sweep through Lir, Talasyn and Alaric must confront the truth of their hearts and decide whether duty or desire will lead them forward.
When the storm swallows the world, who will be left standing?
Throughout their political marriage, Alaric and Talasyn struggled to resist the undeniable pull between them, even as rising tensions forced them on opposite sides of a looming war. Hand in hand, they vanquished the cataclysmic threat of the Moonless Dark—and started to hope for a future together.
That hope is shattered when a devastating attack sets off a chain of events that tears them apart once more. Now, as two rival nations prepare for a final, decisive clash, the Master of the Shadowforged Legion and the last Lightweaver fight to find their way back to each other. But the odds are stacked against them, and time is running out…
Is love enough to rewrite destiny? Can a new beginning rise from the ruins of the past? Or are Alaric and Talasyn doomed to meet as enemies on one last battlefield? This explosive third and final book brings the beloved Hurricane Wars series to a stunning conclusion—where passion and power collide, and the fate of a divided world hangs in the balance.
Hazel Lewis has a serious problem. The guy who hired her to conduct a seance before he died turned out to be a serial killer with a demonic contract, and the seance itself was a trap. Hazel escaped with her life, but not as she knew the bite of a demon is spreading through her body, letting the supernatural bleed into the world around her, and the now-dead serial killer is waiting to take over her body if she dies.
Hoping to contain the damage, Hazel moves to a small house in a remote location. She figures she’ll stay on her own until she gets a handle on her new dark reality, but she soon finds out that she’s not alone. There’s the reporter demanding answers, the friendly neighbor with chemistry she doesn’t need and problems he can’t talk about…and the mysterious face she sees beyond her window, watching her every night with glowing red eyes.
Making her hunger.
Hazel knew a little bit about the world beyond the physical. Now she’s learning how much she doesn’t know, including who she can trust…and who she can become if she trusts herself enough to give in to the shadows stalking her dreams.
A silkwitch whose magic can only be harnessed through marriage to a Weaver, Lovett was facing life in the cloisters when Eliot Lear offered the deal of a an invitation to the Vainglory to compete for wealthy Weaver heir Noé Allaire’s hand in marriage, in exchange for her solving his sister’s murder.
While they both got what they wanted, the competition was full of surprises. Lovett never expected to fall in love . . . and Eliot never anticipated that she’d betray him.
Now Lovett has one to take down Bastian Alaire and end his corrupt Weaver reign at any cost. But though the Vainglory may be over, danger still lurks at Fortblanche. And when Bastian presents Lovett with one last challenge—solve a murder that occurred within his walls, before the day of her wedding—she realizes the tests aren’t over. To pass this one, she’ll have to partner with the only person she hates more than her father-in-law his son, Noé.
But as Lovett will learn . . . sometimes love and hate are two sides of the same coin.
There is no application process for Valeran Academy, but it boasts the brightest – and precociously criminal – students in the nation.
A disgraced politician from a powerful American dynasty.
A coldly brilliant strategist who will sacrifice anything to win.
A former pageant queen with a talent that could change the world.
A prodigious female soldier with an enigmatic past – and a dangerous secret.
With eerie war simulations, cutthroat competitions and foreboding new technology, Valeran trains its students to be elite assets in a Cold War that has dragged on for nearly a century. But as a sinister conspiracy takes shape and these four are drawn together for a mysterious mission, their loyalties are tested, their convictions shaken and they all begin to are they ushering in a new era of freedom, or tyranny?
Within the walls of a secluded facility that reforms troubled girls into obedient daughters, there are only two outcomes: graduate or disappear. Erased and rebuilt from the ruins of herself, Maysie knows little about the future she’s training for, let alone the world outside. Daily sedatives, posture drills, and the constant reminder to smile shape the only life she’s ever known.
She considers herself lucky. She has friends who keep her calm, rules to keep her safe, and a future she’s been taught to want. The guidance of armed enforcers and watchful doctors is a small price to pay for the promise of perfection.
But perfection never lasts. Dreams bleed into memories of a girl they claim no longer exists. Girls who break vanish without explanation. And two rival mentors—each claiming to know what’s best for her—pull Maysie into a game she can’t afford to lose.
In the Advancement Program, being chosen is just as dangerous as being discarded. Every lie she uncovers threatens the version of her they’ve built, and the Program knows how to silence girls who know too much.
She chased her loved ones into the dark, and they stumbled out with monsters beneath their skin. Now they are less than they were, but destined for so much more.
If they survive training.
And if her new commander doesn’t kill her first.
The boy-prince she saved as a child is now the unforgiving, terrifying man in charge of her future. They are bound in a way neither can escape: two forces as opposite as sunrise and shadow, drawn together as inevitably as the dawn collides with the sky.
But don’t misunderstand.
This is not a love story.
The king has already decided that she will be married to one of his other sons—regardless of her opinion on the matter.
So let this be a story of war instead.
She will wage war on the magic awakening beneath her skin. On the power-ravenous king who would do anything to control her. On the many hands that seek to mould her, shape her, and shackle her.
But most of all … she will wage war on him. Prince Chasin. Her commander. Her tormentor.
Let this story end with a dagger in his treacherous heart.
She was raised to hate him. Now she shares his bed. Princess Mayah of Tundrayn isn’t allowed to want. Not freedom. Not love. Not even her own future. Instead, she’s spent her life healing others’ pain and swallowing her own. But when her father strikes a fragile alliance with enemy-kingdom Arbinj to crush a rising rebellion, she is bartered into a marriage she didn’t choose for a crown she doesn’t want.
She expects a prince. She gets the Dark Commander. Zevayr is ruthless, unyielding, and a stormwielder with a reputation soaked in blood. He is everything Mayah was taught to fear. Yet as they race across rebel-torn lands, the less certain she is of where the monster ends and where the man begins.
In Arbinj’s glittering courts, the Rebellion surges and dangerous secrets stir from Mayah’s past—secrets that could shatter her kingdom, and her heart, if she lets them.
The question is not if Mayah will betray, but who: her people, her love, or herself?
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Bloom Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Khalani is a Prisoner Takeshi is a Guard Both are slaves to the Underground
Khalani Kanes has never stood on the surface of the earth. In the underground city of Apollo, faith and dreams are as absent as the sun. She longed to visit Genesis, the infamous Domed City and the final place where humanity lives aboveground. But when Khalani is given a life sentence and thrown into prison for a theft she didn’t commit, those wishes shatter into oblivion.
In Braderhelm Prison, murderers are neighbors, ruthless and cold-blooded guards live to punish, and every second is a battle to survive. She thought the danger lay in befriending criminals and avoiding Takeshi Steele, the nefarious Captain who runs her cell block. But darker traps and secrets await her within the shadows of imprisonment. Khalani’s blood will coat the walls in flaming silk before her enemies let her escape to the surface, a feat no one has successfully achieved. If the reclusive and callous Takeshi Steele won’t kill Khalani, then the merciless prisoners and her fractured mind will.
Enter Braderhelm Prison, where only the Wicked remain.
Content Warning: violence, death, sexual assault
World Building: Apollo is a world built underground because of what happened to the Earth years ago. It’s where the poor people live and prisoners like Khalani. Whereas Genesis is a domed city on the surface where there is sunshine and the wealthy afford to live. Khalani is in prison so most of the story takes place there, I think we’ll learn more about the surface throughout the series. Another area that is mentioned is Hermes but we don’t get to know much about that place yet.
Characters: Khalani is an interesting character – she’s lost her parents, now she’s in prison but she doesn’t lose her sweetness in a sense, which made me wish she would toughen up faster so she doesn’t get hurt. She does learn to be harder, and a fighter, but she still doesn’t lose her humanity even with everything she experiences and sees in prison. Takeshi is her prison guard and a captain who is ruthless but he trains Khalani when she dares to ask him. There are some other characters, who make up Khalani’s new found family but would love to get to know them better.
Romance: It’s an enemies to lovers, prisoner/guard romance, and is filled with a lot of dramatic angst at the end. It feels a little young adult at times I think because Khalani comes off sweet and naive, but upper YA since there is a steamy scene but no real spice. But it goes from enemies to lovers to not sure until book two.
Story: Most of the story takes place in the prison where Khalani is adjusting to prison life, but she learns a little bit more about Apollo and Genesis, and even gets to go to Genesis and be around the Governor who seems friendly to Khalani but we aren’t sure why because he comes off evil also. But there is a twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting and sets up for book two.
Vibes: prison break, prison romance, a little bit of poetry (reminded me a tiny bit of Shatter Me)
Final Thoughts:
I think a lot of this story was predictable but it was a quick read. I liked the world building and learning about Apollo, Genesis and I hope we get to learn more about Hermes. The romance is enemies to lovers and for the most part I enjoyed it though it reminded me of some other dystopian romances. I did like the twist in the end and will probably continue the series.
Categories: Upper Young Adult, Dystopian, Academy, Romance, Series
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Entangled: Mayhem Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
For nineteen-year-old Poet Graves, New Manhattan has always promised safety―if she obeys. Raised within the ruling Houses and betrothed to a powerful heir, she enters Amery Academy knowing her future has already been decided.
But Amery is nothing like she imagined. Its trials are brutal, its loyalties conditional, and its rules designed to expose weakness. As Poet struggles to survive, she must hide the truth that could get her executed: the storms don’t fear her―they answer back.
When a dangerous outsider from beyond the city walls enters the academy, Poet is drawn to him despite everything she’s been taught to believe. He threatens the life she’s been promised. And choosing him could cost her not just her future, but her freedom.
A gripping dystopian romance filled with forbidden power, ruthless challenges, and a heroine who refuses to burn quietly―perfect for fans of Divergent and The Hunger Games.
+ I love Nisha J. Tuli’s romantasy books so when I saw she was coming you with a YA Dystopian story I was so grateful I got offered a copy of the arc! If you liked Divergent and Hunger Games, Storm Breaker will bring you back to when YA Dystopia was big. I would say this is more like Divergent than Hunger Games though.
+~ I really enjoyed the world-building in this story. It is set in New Manhattan, after the Warming Age led people to create a Society that brought order in their chaotic community. Society in New Manhattan is ruled by four prominent houses so there is some jockeying for power between these houses, especially between Faima and Aria (at least for now in book one). There is a Storm Keeper who can harness energy from the sky into generators. And a secret that Poet Graves is guarding. Some parts about academy life wasn’t new at all – there is drama, hook-ups, figuring out which house to pledge and doing trials. Poet is already engaged to someone and has a future of a Society wife after the academy but she wants more than that.
+~ Poet Graves, is our FMC, who on the outside has the perfect life being the Scion of Faima’s daughter but behind the walls of their home, there is domestic violence, there is abuse. It’s a scary situation for Poet and she makes decisions throughout this book because of the pressures from her father. So Poet is taking steps to be brave while she is at the academy but the consequences is losing her family and friends. I think Rook, who is a Solitude (someone from the Wastes) was the character I connected to most in the whole story. I do think some of the secondary characters needed a little more depth.
+ My favorite part was the romance between Poet and Rook, it starts off as enemies to lovers (because she only has her prejudices about Solitude and the Wastes) but it grows because they bond over the storms. There is a lot of steam in this one, and the one spicy scene isn’t super detailed. I love Rook because he’s the only one who stands up to Poet’s obnoxious fiancé, Knox. But Rook is a Solitude from the Waste so I think there is just so much more to learn about him, which I’m looking forward to in book two.
~ I don’t know if I went in with very high expectations but I feel like the first half was a bit slower because of the world-building. We get to know Poet, but some things fall apart way too easily in her world, like her relationship with her best friend, Trinity. Why did that break so easy when they seemed as close as sisters? I wanted to see more interactions between them but Trinity pretty much disappears until the end of the story. Or her other friends who was part of the group chat, they just kind of disappeared from her life too. So I would have liked to see more connections to people for Poet. Even her knew friendship with Domino doesn’t feel like much. Things just get way more interesting when she spends more time with Rook and that happens in the second half.
Final Thoughts:
I think this is a solid first book to a new series, where we get to learn about New Manhattan, the storms, the people that make up the Society and the political intrigue happening between the Houses. We also get to see Poet go through her first year in the academy and fight off the clutches of her father’s expectations. I loved the ending where things get a little crazy, but that ending definitely builds up what will take place in book two where this world opens up more, I’m sure. I enjoyed the world-building and romance a lot and I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Pages: 320 ListeningTime: approximately 10 hours 10 min
Publication Date: 2/24/26
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Categories: Fantasy, Chinese Mythology, Romance
Yue may be the last of her kind. At night, she stalks the streets of the capital city of Longhao, luring in unsuspecting victims with the mask of a beautiful woman, then consuming them in her true form of the nine-tailed fox.
When she is captured by a powerful demon hunter named Sonam and banished to Hell, she manages one final act of revenge: dragging him—and two of his subordinates—down with her.
Now trapped in an abyss with unimaginable terrors, they’ll need each other’s help to navigate Hell and bypass the gods who preside over each circle, each of whom presents the group with a unique and deadly challenge. Forced to depend on one another as they claw their way out of the underworld, both demon and demon hunter discover that there might be more to the other than meets the eye.
Content Warning: violence
World Building: Tied into the Chinese mythology of Chang’e (the moon goddess) and Hou Yi – Yue is a demon nine-tailed fox disguised as a beautiful young woman when she is wearing a mask. When demon hunter, Sonam, captures her and they banish her to hell, she drags him down with her, with a few of her guards. So most of this story is set in hell, with different tests they have to past to try and get out! I thought it was a fun venture through hell meeting these different Star Gods in hell and seeing Yue, Sonam and crew fight their way out.
Characters: I love Yue! Yes she’s a demon but she has heart, and it’s been broken. She has rules, she doesn’t eat children, and she’s such a fighter. Sonam is a captain of the guard and an infamous demon hunter. These two clash and fight but when they start seeing each other on a deeper level it’s fantastic. I loved the secondary characters too, Sonam’s friend and cousin who is dragged down to hell with them. The maskmaker is a very intriguing character also!
Romance: enemies to lovers with no spice! I was amazed but it totally worked because I was invested in seeing Yue and Sonam fight, and then fall for one another. I loved their banter too. And it isn’t instant because of what she is to him, a demon that he hunts, and what he is to her, a hunter who hunts her kind. But I was so happy when they fall. I love them. I just wish there was a little more than just a kiss, but that’s my personal preference, it really is perfect as is.
Story: The narrators did such an amazing job with this story! I felt like this was non-stop action and I loved it. It made the story move fast which I appreciated.
Vibes/Tropes: enemies to lovers, demon/demon-hunter, deadly trials
Final Thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed this story action packed story about a demon and a demon hunter. I was rooting for them to find their way through hell and fall in love in the process and I was not disappointed! I would have maybe loved a little more steam in the romance but that’s just a personal preference, it was still perfect. Definitely will check out more books from this author!
The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What have you just finished reading?
What are you going to read next?
Back to my schedule, and trying to get my May and June arcs done as much as I can because I have 2 trips in May, one to the BTS concert and then a 2 week trip to the Philippines with my kids and my parents! So I’m working on that and my Libby holds, some I’ll have to just let go because arcs are taking priority.
Categories: Fantasy, Gothic, Romance, Paranormal, Series
In this debut gothic fantasy, the first book of an enthralling fantasy romance trilogy, a young woman who can see the dead strikes a deal with a magnetic and dangerous purveyor of dark secrets to save her brother’s life.
Three years ago, Leena Al-Sayer awoke with a terrible power. She can see the dead.
Since then, she has hidden herself from the world, knowing that if she ever reveals her curse she will be locked away in an asylum.
When her beloved brother, Rami, falls fatally ill, Leena is faced with a terrible CHOICE: Let him die or buy the expensive medicine that will save his life by bartering the only valuable thing she has—her secret.
The Saint of Silence, a ruthless merchant who trades in confessions and is shrouded in unearthly rumors of cruelty and power, accepts her bargain, for a deadly price. Leena must find the ghost of Percival Avon, the last lord of Weavingshaw—or lose her freedom to the Saint forever.
As Leena’s search takes her and the Saint to Weavingshaw, she finds the estate and the surrounding moors to be living things—hungry for blood and sacrifice. Fighting against Weavingshaw’s might, Leena must also fight her growing pull toward the enigmatic Saint himself, whose connection to Percival Avon remains a mystery.
As the house begins to entomb them, time is running out on their desperate hunt for answers. For Leena has come to see that here in Weavingshaw, the dead are not hushed—and some secrets are better left buried with them.
World Building: I was so immersed in this gothic atmosphere of Weavingshaw. There is political unrest, and powerful players like the aristos, plus demons and worshiping of saints. One man, St. Silas, the Saint of Silence is one of the most powerful men in this country and Leena needs to make a bargain with him so she can get medicine to save her brother. I really loved the intrigue and secrets that are all over this story, it lends to the dark, gothic atmosphere. And the paranormal elements are fantastic – Leena can see ghosts and her ability is what St. Silas needs. Loved it all!
Characters: Leena loves her brother and she’s a survivor, they both are. But I love how she doesn’t show her fear even though St. Silas is someone feared – he deals in secrets. He has the power to take anyone down. Leena is determined, brave, and gets under his skin. St. Silas has so many secrets and I love how as the story goes on, Leena tries to uncover them. Leena also has a few secrets of her own though. I also love Rami her brother, though he’s a hot-head, and Mrs. Van, St. Silas’ housekeeper who has a history of her own. I love some of the ghosts too.
Romance: This is the slowest burn or slow burns EVER. It kept me hook on the story, as I waited to see if St. Silas would just give in to his yearnings for her. There is just a steamy kiss…that’s it! I think if there was maybe something a little more my rating would have jumped to 5 haha. But I love how she didn’t feel anything for him but fear, until she learns more about him and his actions spoke louder than words. I am kind of relishing the slow burn but I hope in book two, there is a little more steam.
Story: I read this one in two days – I was hooked and could not put it down. I love the gothic romance, the ghosts and deals with demons (they thrive on delicious secrets), the atmospheric writing, the strong willed FMC and the powerful MMC trying to hold himself together. I cannot wait for book two – oh and it has a cliffhanger ending.
Vibes: it might just be me but it was giving me Jane Eyre vibes – the gothic vibes.
Final Thoughts:
I really couldn’t put this book down it had everything I want in a gothic romance, I just want a little more steam but the the yearning, the secrets, demons, ghosts, and atmosphere is just so good. I can’t wait for book two!
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Please check out her website for more TTT topics!
This week’s topic is:
April Showers
(Interpret this however you’d like: rainy day reads, books that make you cry, books that give you happy tears, books to wash away a bad reading experience, books set in rainy places, books with rain/raindrops/umbrellas on the cover, blue book covers, etc.)
Nothing can rain on Quincy Monroe’s parade. She’s a woman-in-STEM with a PhD in atmospheric sciences, the host of a successful online weather show, and has one million followers on her meteorology Instagram.
Quincy has spent endless hours forging her path in this male-dominated field, becoming one of the best in the industry. And with a new job opportunity, nothing can derail her success. Except for the ill-timed arrival of Sebastian Dunn.
Sebastian is her best friend’s brother, her long-suffering academic and professional rival, and a flashy TV weatherman from New York City that everyone swoons over. Everyone but Quincy.
Over a scorching Florida summer and record-breaking hurricane season, Sebastian and Quincy are forced into close proximity. Setting aside their grudges to chase storms and stay alive is one thing, but can they weather the inevitable collision of their hearts?
A gripping speculative romance about one girl saving her first love’s life by falling for the last person she ever should – his best friend.
Nieve Monroe is devastated after her boyfriend Carter dies saving her from drowning. Even worse she blames herself for his death… and so does his best friend, Max. He was there with them on that fateful day, and he’s never liked Nieve.
Unable to pull herself from her grief and wanting to hide from the accusation in his eyes, Nieve goes to stay with her grandmother, who has always had strange stories to tell of uncanny happenings, of magic and make believe. The next morning, Nieve wakes up on the first day of college, the year before.
This time she plans to make sure Carter never follows her into that river. She’ll do everything in her power to keep him safe, even if it means losing him in other ways. But the more distance she puts between her and Carter, the closer she gets to Max, drawn to him in ways she never expected.
But is she betraying Carter if the only way she can save him is to move on? And can she ever forget her past to embrace her future?
Kristin Dwyer’s In Time With You is a heartbreaking story of first love, loss, and one chance to change everything.
When seventeen-year-old Eliza Lin’s essay about meeting the love of her life unexpectedly goes viral, her entire life changes overnight. Now she has the approval of her classmates at her new international school in Beijing, a career-launching internship opportunity at her favorite magazine…and a massive secret to keep.
Eliza made her essay up. She’s never been in a relationship before, let alone in love. All good writing is lying, right?
Desperate to hide the truth, Eliza strikes a deal with the famous actor in her class, the charming but aloof Caz Song. She’ll help him write his college applications if he poses as her boyfriend. Caz is a dream boyfriend — he passes handwritten notes to her in class, makes her little sister laugh, and takes her out on motorcycle rides to the best snack stalls around the city.
But when her relationship with Caz starts feeling a little too convincing, all of Eliza’s carefully laid plans are threatened. Can she still follow her dreams if it means breaking her own heart?
Get ready to fall in love in this hilarious romcom about a girl who begins a fake relationship with the famous actor in her class, perfect for fans of Meg Cabot and Jenny Han.
The very day Blaze came into the world, she almost drowned it. A Rain Singer born into one of the most powerful fire-wielding families in the empire, Blaze’s birth summoned a devastating storm that left thousands dead. She’s been hidden away ever since with a dark secret: the same torrential power that branded her an outcast disappeared that fateful day. And she’s not sure she wants it back.
When an unexpected invitation arrives for Blaze and her twin brother, Flint, to compete as future rulers of the empire, she’s suddenly thrust into the limelight again — and into battle. Threats abound at the Golden Palace, where intrigue and romance await with not one but two handsome suitors: the enchanting Crown Prince and a dangerously alluring newcomer at court.
As Blaze explores her untapped power, she discovers the throne may be within her grasp. But in order to take it, she’ll have to leave behind the stories that others have told about her, and find the courage to write her own.
Like everyone else in the settlement of Mistaken, Greer Mackenzie is trapped. Founded by an ambitious lumber merchant, the village is blessed with rich natural resources that have made its people prosperous—but at a cost. The same woods that have lined the townsfolks’ pockets harbor dangerous beasts: wolves, bears, and the Bright-Eyeds—monsters beyond description who have rained utter destruction down on nearby settlements. But Mistaken’s founders made a deal with the mysterious Benevolence: the Warding Stones that surround the town will keep the Bright-Eyeds out—and the town’s citizens in. Anyone who spends a night within Mistaken’s borders belongs to it forever.
Greer, a mapmaker and eccentric dreamer, has always ached to explore the world outside, even though she knows she and her longtime love, Ellis Beaufort, will never see it. Until, on the day she and Ellis are meant to finally begin their lives together, Greer watches in horror as her beloved disappears beyond the Warding Stones, pursued by a monstrous creature. Determined to rescue Ellis, she figures out a way to defy Mistaken’s curse and begins a trek through the cold and pitiless wilderness. But there, Greer is hunted, not only by the ruthless Bright-Eyeds but by the secret truths behind Mistaken’s founding and her own origins.
Playfully drawing from Scottish folklore, Erin A. Craig’s adult debut is both a deeply atmospheric and profoundly romantic exploration of freedom versus security: a stunning celebration of one woman’s relentless bravery on a quest to reclaim her lost love—and seize her own future.
When her older sister is found mysteriously drowned in the river that cuts through their small coastal town, Soojin Han disregards every rule and uses her ancestral magic to bring Mirae back from the dead. At first, the sisters are overjoyed, reveling in late-night escapades and the miracle of being together again, but Mirae grows tired of hiding from the world. She becomes restless and hungry . . .
Driven by an insatiable desire to finish what she started in life, to unravel the truth that crushed her family so many years ago, Mirae is out for revenge.
When their town is engulfed by increasingly destructive rain and a series of harrowing, unusual deaths, Soojin is forced to reckon with the fact that perhaps the sister she brought back isn’t the one she knew.
She was raised to hate him. Now she shares his bed. Princess Mayah of Tundrayn isn’t allowed to want. Not freedom. Not love. Not even her own future. Instead, she’s spent her life healing others’ pain and swallowing her own. But when her father strikes a fragile alliance with enemy-kingdom Arbinj to crush a rising rebellion, she is bartered into a marriage she didn’t choose for a crown she doesn’t want.
She expects a prince. She gets the Dark Commander. Zevayr is ruthless, unyielding, and a stormwielder with a reputation soaked in blood. He is everything Mayah was taught to fear. Yet as they race across rebel-torn lands, the less certain she is of where the monster ends and where the man begins.
In Arbinj’s glittering courts, the Rebellion surges and dangerous secrets stir from Mayah’s past—secrets that could shatter her kingdom, and her heart, if she lets them.
The question is not if Mayah will betray, but who: her people, her love, or herself?
Vampires and vaqueros face off on the Texas-Mexico border in this supernatural western from the author of The Hacienda.
As the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, Nena knows a thing or two about monsters—her home has long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from the north. But something more sinister lurks near the ranch at night, something that drains men of their blood and leaves them for dead.
Something that once attacked Nena nine years ago.
Believing Nena dead, Néstor has been on the run from his grief ever since, moving from ranch to ranch working as a vaquero. But no amount of drink can dispel the night terrors of sharp teeth; no woman can erase his childhood sweetheart from his mind.
When the United States attacks Mexico in 1846, the two are brought abruptly together on the road to war: Nena as a curandera, a healer striving to prove her worth to her father so that he does not marry her off to a stranger, and Néstor as a member of the auxiliary cavalry of ranchers and vaqueros. But the shock of their reunion—and Nena’s rage at Néstor for seemingly abandoning her long ago—is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of a nightmare made flesh.
And unless Nena and Néstor work through their past and face the future together, neither will survive to see the dawn.
Of all the worlds and life they created, the gods favored their children the most. But with that favor came the fear that their Legacy would one day become too powerful and overthrow them. Devram was created. A realm hidden amongst the stars. The gods gave their Legacy the best of all the worlds, and then they left, a sworn agreement to never return and to never interfere. Forced to a life of servitude, the Fae are required to provide for the Legacy in more ways than one. Every five years, the eligible Fae are gathered for the Selection and assigned to serve in one of the six Kingdoms. To be chosen as the personal Source for a Kingdom Heir is the greatest honor, and for the first time in a millennia, all six Kingdoms have heirs choosing a Source. But their selections could tip the power balance a little too far. Tessalyn Asura was as forgotten as the realm. But when she finds herself the personal Source to the Heir of Endings, she winds up serving in the darkest Kingdom of them all . The secrets within the Arius Kingdom are meant to be learned and kept, but this was never the life she wanted. Fighting not only the fate thrust upon her, but the temptation to lose herself to desire, Tessa will do anything to escape her new destiny. Until she starts to realize maybe their world wasn’t as forgotten as they thought, and maybe she’s the reason why.
April 7: Books About/Set In Places on My Bucket List (submitted by Rachel @ Sunny Side) April 14: Book Titles That Describe Me/My Life (Example titles: Well Traveled could describe you if you like to travel, Hotshot Doc could describe you if you’re an awesome doctor, Falling into Place could describe a life where things are starting to work out, An Infinite Love Story could describe your relationship, It Could Have Been Her could describe a thing you’re happy you avoided or a path you could have taken but didn’t. You can explain your choices or not, and they can be as specific or as abstract as you’d like.) (Submitted by Susan @ blogginboutbooks.com) April 21: April Showers (Interpret this however you’d like: rainy day reads, books that make you cry, books that give you happy tears, books to wash away a bad reading experience, books set in rainy places, books with rain/raindrops/umbrellas on the cover, blue book covers, etc.) April 28: Freebie (Pick any topic your heart desires.)
May 5: Authors You Wish Were Still Writing Today (These could be authors who have passed away or retired/are taking a long hiatus from writing. You could also spin this and share authors who have switched to a genre you’re not interested in.) (submitted by Rebecca @ Top100Books) May 12: May Flowers (This is a companion to the April Showers topic from last month. Interpret however you’d like: books with flowers on the cover, colorful covers, books set in springtime, books where flowers/plants are a common theme, titles with flower names in them, characters named after flowers, covers that are as pretty as flowers, books featuring gardens, etc.) May 19: Favorite Secondary/Minor Characters May 26: My Favorite Books by My Favorite Authors (Pick your ten favorite authors and your favorite book written by each one of them.) (submitted by Cathy @ WhatCathyReadNext)
June 2: Books I Can’t Believe I’ve Never Read June 9: Books with Handwriting on the Cover (Or fonts that look like handwriting. Titles, subtitles, covers with letters on them, etc.) June 16: Bookish Wishes (List the top 10 books you’d love to own and include a link to your wishlist so that people can grant your wish. Make sure you link your wishlist to your mailing address [here’s how to do it on Amazon] or include the email address associated with your ereader in the list description so people know how to get the book to you. After you post, jump around the Linky and grant a wish or two if you’d like. Please don’t feel obligated to send anything to anyone!) June 23: Books on My Sumer 2026 To-Read List June 30: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the Second Half of 2026
A fascinating, first of its kind exploration of Stephen King and his most iconic early books, based on groundbreaking research and interviews with King—all conducted by the first scholar to be given extended access to his private archives
After Caroline Bicks was named the University of Maine’s inaugural Stephen E. King Chair in Literature, she became the first scholar to be granted extended access by King to his private archives, a treasure trove of manuscripts that document the legendary writer’s creative process—most of them never before studied or published. The year she spent exploring King’s early drafts and hand-written revisions was guided by one question millions of King’s enthralled and terrified readers (including her) have asked What makes Stephen King’s writing stick in our heads and haunt us long after we’ve closed the book?
Bicks focuses on five of his most iconic early works—The Shining, Carrie, Pet Sematary, ‘Salem’s Lot, and Night Shift—to reveal how he crafted his language, storylines, and characters to cast his enduring literary spells. While tracking King’s margin notes and editorial changes, she discovered scenes and alternative endings that never made it to print, but that King is allowing her to publish now. The book also includes interviews Bicks had with King along the way that reveal new insights into his writing process and personal history.
Part literary master class, part biography, part memoir and investigation into our deepest anxieties, Monsters in the Archives—authorized by Stephen King himself—is unlike anything ever published about the master of horror. It chronicles what Bicks found when she set out to unearth how King crafted some of his scariest, most iconic moments. But it’s also a story about a grown-up English professor facing her childhood fears and getting to know the man whose monsters helped unleash them.
In Thrall, a young woman looking for a transformative college experience is bitten by a vampire and must team up with his other living victims to hunt him down.
Lucy Easting has at last broken free from her grim home life and is ready to truly live. But her long-awaited new beginning at Rollins University isn’t what she expected. After attending the first campus party of the year, Lucy awakens the next day with a memory block…and two puncture marks on her neck.
She tries to piece together what happened that night, but every lead brings her to another dead end. Until she receives a handwritten note from the campus radio station, inviting her to call. When she does, the host’s soothing voice over the line confirms her worst fear, and the simplest explanation of what’s happening to her: she’s turning into a vampire.
Lucy teams up with the show’s host, who narrowly escaped an attack her sophomore year, and a beautiful archery champion who, while exactly Lucy’s type, is as likely to shoot her as kiss her. They believe their “friend with the cold hands” is responsible for the disappearance of several women in town, and they’ve been tracking him via the airwaves since long before Lucy arrived.
As the vampire’s sway over Lucy grows and his plans become clear, she realizes she must fight for a future of her own, or she may not have any future at all.
Ember Reed is finally living her dream: chief stew on a Mediterranean superyacht, sun-kissed days at sea, and the star of Close Quarters, the hottest new reality TV show. But just as she finds her stride, the producers throw her a curveball—by hiring the one man who nearly sank her.
Finn Pearson was the one that got away. The boy who kissed her like they had forever, then left without a word. But now he’s the chef in her new crew, and the cameras are watching their every move, innocent, or not.
Even on a superyacht, there’s nowhere to hide from the past. Every stolen glance, every whispered argument, every lingering memory threatens to ignite what never fully burned out. And as the tension spills into their day jobs, even the dinner service is spiralling into disaster.
They’ve crashed before… but could eight weeks at sea be their second chance to get it right? Or will it be the storm that finally sinks them for good?
When two history professors and best friends are forced to fake hate to protect their reputations, chaos ensues, in the next rollicking historical-fantasy rom-com from beloved author India Holton.
Magical-antique experts Amelia Tarrant and Caleb Sterling have been best friends forever, although lately each has begun secretly wishing for more than friendship. But when rumors about their relationship spread, they’re forced to fake being enemies to protect their reputations and keep their jobs.
The resulting arguments spark havoc across Oxford University, and when they cause an explosion while fighting over a magical antique, it’s the final straw for their exasperated faculty head. He dispatches them to a job in Cumbria where even they can’t get into trouble.…
Which proves just how wrong one man can be. In a stormbound old manor house, Amelia and Caleb face magical mayhem and rampaging ghosts that make the previous havoc look mild in comparison. Most troublesome of all, though, is the secret of how they feel about each other. When it comes to tackling deadly antiques, hiding the truth in their hearts could destroy them for real.
Categories: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Series, Rom-Com
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Balzer + Bray for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
From #1 New York Times–bestselling author Julie Murphy comes a sexy rom com about a college marriage of convenience that goes way beyond chemistry 101…The first in a trilogy of romance novels that follows a group of girls as they navigate love, friendship, and new adulthood, this is perfect for fans of Elle Kennedy and Hannah Grace.
CLOVER ROWAN WALSH knows The Plan. 1. Get a full ride to her dream school, Wexley University. 2. Conquer the school of business. 3. Say goodbye to the paycheck-to-paycheck life she and her mom have known for years.
There’s just one hiccup. With the first semester rapidly approaching, Clover learns her housing grant has fallen through. But a loophole presents Married couples can live in the dorms for the price of one student. Clover is willing to sacrifice the sanctity of marriage . . . even if it means proposing to the one person she swore she’d never speak to again.
Bennett Andrew Graves is the only heir to the Graves Coffee empire. After spending his first year at Wexley, squeaking by in classes and becoming personally acquainted with the female student body, he is looking forward to living off campus. Until the girl he grew up with (and whom he completely devastated years ago) walks back into his life with the most absurd Will you marry me?
Bennett can’t refuse Clover. He owes her this, but that doesn’t change the fact that these two can barely carry on a conversation without getting at each other’s throats. Forget about sharing a dorm—much less one bed.
But as Clover and Bennett hide the true nature of their marriage, they find that playing house isn’t all that bad—especially with certain marital benefits in the mix. In fact, Clover and Bennett are soon forgetting the most important part of their fake marriage of convenience . . . that it’s supposed to be fake.
+ I’ve read a few books from Julie Murphy and love her work so when I saw this new adult rom-com from her, I had to request it, and I’m so glad I did because I was not disappointed.
+~ Clover has come up with a plan to afford going to Wexley University and having on campus housing – getting married. And there is one other person she knows who goes to Wexley – her ex-childhood friend, Bennett Graves. Bennett is gorgeous, rich and once upon a time her best friend until they grew apart. This story is told in 2 POVs though, so we get Bennet’s POV too and that boy is crazy about Clover, which I adored because it’s his POV where we get the yearning. Their romance was so good, and the spice too even though I thought getting married at 19 and 20 is too young, I couldn’t help love watching the two of them experience college and a marriage of convenience. I like how they had a talk about it when their contract of marriage was nearing it’s deadline though. Also, side note about Clover, love that she is a plus-sized girly!
+ This is set in college and I think it captures dorm life pretty well with the strange and unique people you meet – where some will turn out to be some of your closest friends! Also there is a bunch of partying that happens in this story too which also is realistic – even Clover working at the library (I did that too! lol) is just spot on, at least for me. We don’t see Clover in classes much except for pottery class though.
+~ I loved the secondary characters in this book, they were fun and funny. Even jerks like Tate was important to the story because yes those guys exist on campus too. And though the romance is the main focus, there are moments where Bennett is trying to navigate his relationship with his mom – he wants more from her. I would have loved to see if his mom and Clover’s could come back to being friends again. The story explores power dynamics too and the role of money and how it can change in relationships.
+~ I mean sure, Clover could have gotten the money for housing a bunch of different ways. She didn’t have to manipulate Bennett into doing it, but after learning about what happened between them in the past, I think it was a good deal! And it ended up really working out between them.
Final Thoughts:
I ate this up and read it in one day. I loved this book even though the marriage of convenience is happening between a 19 and 20 year old, which personally I think is too young (but that’s just me) – but I love that they are ex-childhood friends who turn into lovers. Bennett’s yearning for her warmed my heart and the story is just fun and reminded me of my college days! I’m looking forward to reading Daisy’s story next!
Past Midnight Book Reviews & More 