Thank you to Hopewell Media for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Tame her wild. Fan his flame.
A Burgeoning Peace
Two realms sit on the edge—not only of the physical chasms that divide them, but of the fragile truce forged between Arcanians and humans in the wake of the Arcane Crucible.
A Shadow Unleashed
Elyria Lightbreaker may have survived the Celestial Sanctum, but she remains haunted by all that occurred, all that she did, within. Determined to reclaim the Crown of Concord and unmask the dark sorcerer behind its theft, she must master her own inner darkness if she’s to survive the journey ahead—and untangle the dangerous feelings pulling her toward Cedric.
A Victor Unmoored
Cedric Thorne sacrificed everything to conquer the trials. Now, burdened by a power he cannot control and truths he refuses to face, he finds himself in a kingdom splintering beneath the surface—and bound to Elyria by something he cannot, will not, sever. But some secrets are meant to stay buried, and uncovering them could be the key to lasting peace . . . or the spark that ends it.
A Bond Reforged
As twin victors of the Crucible, Elyria and Cedric soon learn there are many roles they must play in the pursuit of a new Arcanis. With enemies lurking in plain sight, they will have to fight with a whole new array of weapons, all the while trying to understand the bond that thrums between them: reforged, rekindled, renewed.
Now the real game begins.
Content Warning: violence
+ Okay I enjoyed book one Smoke & Scar, and I requested book three, not having book two yet so I picked it up this weekend and could not put it down.
+ The trials are over and Elyria and Cedric are co-victors and in the spotlight. Cedric is back home but he cannot get Elyria out of his mind. Elyria and her delegation heads to the human kingdom to ask for help so she can hunt down an evil sorcerer and find the other half of the crown. So when their paths cross, it’s a challenge for them to keep their hands off each other but it’s hard because of the bond between them. This story is mostly set in the human kingdom and I liked learning about it. We also get to know Cedric’s background and the people he cares about. And I love Elyria and her group too.
+ My favorite thing about this story is the romance which gets so much time to develop! Cedric is such a bleeding heart and he’s so good and honorable – I love when Elyria gets under her skin and it’s so cute when she teases him. There are challenges between them like her wanting to run away from her feelings and him not knowing how to express his feelings correctly but I absolutely love them together! They have an epic romance!
+~ I love how this story had humor, suspense, found family, yearning and romance. There was a point at the end where I did think it was getting too long because though I love the romance, it was a big focus and I think the hunt for Melchior got pushed to the back burner which was a silly delay due to the human king and his advisor. But then the action kicked in and a twist in the story which got me into it again.
Final Thoughts:
This was an amazing sequel and I am in love with Cedric and Elyria. I love the found family, the romance and yearning! I’m excited to see what happens next.
Title: The Throwaways Author: Greta Kelly Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Suspense Pages: 400 Published: 10/20/26 Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble Book Links: Goodreads
Book Blurb:
The Calloway women are notorious for three things: Olympic-level banter, an inexplicable fear of dolls, and secrets.
And one of these things is going to get them killed.
Aster Calloway only sold her grandmother’s Fabergé music box on eBay to finance her mom’s mayoral campaign. It’s not like Poppy Calloway has any real business running for office, but the only other candidate is her book-banning high school nemesis―and she’s in the lead. But what Aster doesn’t realize is that selling the heirloom has toppled the house of lies her grandmother, Iris, has been living in for the past forty years.
Because hidden inside that jewel-encrusted music box was a list of names―names that protected defected KGB operative Iris, her daughter, and her granddaughter. Now the list is gone, and a creepy doll is on Poppy’s doorstep, which can only mean that the list is in play…and the three most dangerous spies in the world are on the hunt:
The one who broke Iris’s heart.
The one who gave her Poppy.
And the one who wants all the other spies, and especially those bickering Calloway women, dead.
They say love makes you foolish. At Bloodwing, it makes you dangerous.
I thought surviving a vampire academy was the hardest thing I’d ever have to do.
Then I fell in love with a boy who can turn into a dragon.
After the events in Veilmar, my only concern is for Blake. Will he survive the monster who possesses him? But as I fight a battle for the soul of the man I love, my dearest friend is up against the greatest danger a dragon rider can ever face.
Meanwhile, as Bloodwing reels from loss and betrayal, an ancient prophecy tightens its grip, and an unexpected triad is rising—one powerful enough to change the balance of power in Sangratha forever.
As the Veil cracks and the dead come back to haunt us, love becomes a weapon—sharp enough to destroy the world or strong enough to forge a new one.
This dark fantasy series tackles mature themes. Readers are advised to consult the trigger warnings before embarking on this intense, morally gray/black journey through the realm of Sangratha!
Aella is on the run. Abducted by the very person she risked everything to save, she is branded a traitor and has no choice but to flee with the silver-eyed stranger across the Empyrieos. As they evade capture, the two must grow to trust each other, but soon Aella discovers a truth that complicates everything.
With Aella accused of treason, her best friend, Nyssa, is under suspicion as an accomplice. Disguised as a servant, her sole aim is to find Aella and ensure her best friend’s safety. But between the upcoming Empyrieos Games, the threat of discovery, and a reluctant alliance with Aella’s brother, Prince Kallias, risk waits around every corner.
As both women fight to survive against the dangerous political power of the Southern Kingdom, the Aviary, and the Prince of Eretria, the two must also claim their identities and destinies in a world that seeks to define them.
Daughter of the Tempestfeatures dual perspectives, ride-or-die friendships, found family, unlikely alliances, and two slow-burn romantic arcs, raising the stakes of the thrilling Myths of the Empyrieos series.
Two homes, two holidays, and one spontaneous switch change everything for two women in this warm and festive holiday romance perfect for readers ofThe Holiday Honeymoon SwitchandA Winter Wish.
When go-getter Phoebe Keller is fired right before the holidays, the last thing she wants is to face her family—so she impulsively decides to swap homes with Arden Torres, a teacher desperate to escape her own holiday blues.
When Phoebe’s protective brother finds out Arden’s spending Hanukkah alone, he insists on inviting her to the family celebration. Neither expects the undeniable spark between them—or its messy implications. Phoebe is in for her own surprise when a night at a Christmas market turns into a run-in with her old college friend—whose heart she broke years ago.
A powerful knight and her handsome squire must stop the deadly schemes of a savior king in this romantic fantasy of dark deeds and court intrigue.
Calliope’s wish has always been to become a knight, an elite healer and protector who uses music to summon magic. Yet despite her exceptional skill, she’s stuck lifting up her talentless cousin, whose family begrudgingly took Cali in as a child. But when an opportunity to become the royal knight of the immortal God King arrives, Cali finally gets a chance at a fairytale life – until her cousin blackmails her.
Forced to bring her cousin to court so she won’t share Cali’s shameful past, Cali immediately snubs Beric, the alluring, handsome squire tending to her. Now she must contend with his ire, even while feeling helplessly drawn to him. If that wasn’t enough, her duty means accompanying the king into The Dark, a demonic entity that only the king’s magic is powerful enough to battle – a battle he has been waging for centuries. She must also keep the king’s secret under pain of death: that he’s not a god at all, and every royal knight’s magic that came before her was the only thing keeping him alive. It seems serving the God King isn’t a fairytale at all, and when people start dying around her, she and Beric realize that they have no choice but to take their fate – and that of an entire kingdom – into their own hands.
In Lauren Blackwood’s thrilling fantasy, Knight of the God King, a knight’s power and her squire’s love are the only things that can help her defeat a man playing at being a god.
Bring on the holiday cheer in this delightful collection of three feel-good novellas with bonus recipes and full-page illustrations!
Tis the season to fall in love in this three brilliant novellas from #1New York Times bestselling author of The Night We Met. Anna thought only the food would be a disaster at her Christmas dinner–until her high school ex shows up and they quickly have to hatch a fake-dating scheme to save face with their families. For Matty, the idea of sitting in a diner all day dressed as a zombie Santa after losing a bet has zero appeal. But his cute and funny server might just make him change his mind. And finally, will Lauren be able to convince her best friend that getting married after a three-day relationship is absolutely ridiculous? Or will the town called Little Christmas pull her in with its happily-ever-after magic once she meets the best man?
Within these stories, you’ll find: • The worst Christmas dinner imaginable • A granny determined to dismantle the patriarchy • Matching Christmas sweaters (by accident!) • A Mission Impossible-style cat rescue (with a saxophone) • Mouthwatering recipes from Abby for dishes like Disco Pancakes • Full-page illustrations throughout
Because this year, you deserve the perfect holiday gift.
A start to a new duology from Of Jade and Dragons author Amber Chen, perfect for fans of The Scorpion and the Night Blossom and A Forgery of Fate!
Meng Lingxi and her grandmother run a legendary auction house, Meng Wu—the House of Dreams. But when a mysterious traveler arrives bearing a fragment of a soul, all that Lingxi knows changes in an instant. Her grandmother mysteriously vanishes, and restless spirits descend upon Meng Wu.
Then two unlikely allies—Yan Jun and Yan Shan, guardians of hell itself—come to Lingxi’s aid, revealing a shocking secret about the only home she’s ever known: Meng Wu sits upon the gateway to hell, and her grandmother serves the god of the underworld himself.
Soon, Lingxi joins her two companions on a perilous journey to find her grandmother and unravel the mystery behind the dangerous fragment of soul. Along the way, the trio must outsmart humans, gods, and demons alike who try to stand in their way—before hell is let loose on earth.
From New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas—a sweeping, richly layered Victorian novel about a trailblazing female economist who’s determined to build Britain’s first women’s bank, but she must fight both financial corruption and a system intent on destroying the newly found family she’s created.
In Victorian England, no woman—not even a brilliant economist like Reina Martin—is allowed to open her own bank account. Men will take care of everything, women are told. But Reina knows better. As the illegitimate daughter of a Spanish immigrant mother, she’s haunted by the memory of living with unpaid grocer’s bills and no coal for the hearth.
So together with her mentor, the powerful banker William Farlow, Reina will build the first all-women’s bank, where women can manage their own financial security.
At home, Reina’s domestic staff of recently paroled prisoners are building new lives and becoming a found family. But soon Reina is shocked to discover that her enigmatic butler, John Pembroke, is an undercover police detective. He’s been assigned to investigate Farlow, who’s suspected of financial crime on a scale so massive, it could destabilize the British economy. Pembroke needs Reina’s expertise for a high-stakes nighttime heist to obtain incriminating evidence.
Now Reina faces the agonizing choice of betraying her mentor or turning her back on thousands of working-class families who stand to lose everything. Either way, her dream of the women’s bank may be over.
But courage and sacrifice aren’t limited to the battlefield—they also occur at the kitchen table, where women who believe in compassion and community are working to remake the future. And when the stakes are highest, Reina knows to trust her heart as well as her intellect.
Based on real-life trailblazers such as Mary Paley Marshall, Britain’s first female economist, and financial titan Hetty Green, Queen of Lombard Street brings to light the hidden history of extraordinary women whose achievements should be celebrated. How can we know who we are, if we don’t know who we were?
An angsty, slow burn, spicy F1 academy romance about fast cars and family secrets from WSJ and USA Today bestselling author Piper Lawson.
Shay MacDonald was raised to avoid two things: race cars and the Ashford family. But when an injury puts her mechanic father on bedrest, she vows to save his career by covertly covering his shifts at the Ashford garage and enrolling at Ashford Academy–an elite school that trains aspiring drivers and engineers, like herself, for the lucrative F1 circuit.
Keeping a low profile is out of the question when she has a run-in with the Ashford brothers on day one. Theo and Jameson are racing royalty who know they can get away with anything. Theo, the charming and reckless playboy, tempts her to break every rule, while Jameson, the brilliant prodigy, unsettles her with a cold intensity that cuts deeper than she expects.
Shay will always be the adopted daughter of a mechanic, trying to survive unnoticed in a world that was never meant for her. But Theo and Jameson’s only reprieve from their father’s sky-high expectations is Shay. She’s a shiny new pawn in their old rivalry—or a prize worth risking everything for.
When a competition to work on the F1 circuit brings her further into their orbit, Shay is forced to work harder to protect her secrets. But the deeper she’s pulled into the world of the rich and famous Ashfords, the more she realizes everyone is keeping secrets.
Secrets that could shatter her past, her future…and her heart.
Kestrel has trained her whole life to compete in the Tarot Trials. Her mother won once, earning a place among the five ruling Cinque—then paid for it with her life, executed for alleged treason against the Minor Court.
But fortune favors the bold.
Now it falls to Kestrel to take up her mother’s mantle as Champion of the Moon, enter the Trials, and face her fate. If she can master her new powers of shadow and illusion, navigate the poisonous game of alliances and lies, and corner the fellow Champion who dealt the killing blow to her mother years ago, she may uncover the truth she’s seeking without losing her head… or her heart. But in the Trials, betrayal is a question of when, not if. And winning the game isn’t about what she must do to win, but who she needs to survive.
Step into the mysterious, gothic world of Blackwood Academy eighteen years prior to the events of the New York Times bestselling Immortal Consequences in this darkly enchanting prequel novella that traces the origins of fan-favorite couple August and Wren’s heated rivalry and eventual romance.
She’d hate him for the rest of eternity. She’d hate him until the very end.
When Wren Loughty finds herself dropped outside the gates of Blackwood Academy, the infamous magical boarding school located on the fringes of the afterlife, she quickly realizes that she’s dead. Worse, she’s stuck between life and death, eternally tasked with learning the magical skills required to guide lost souls to the Other Side.
And her first assignment? A class project with the boy known as the notorious “Demon of Blackwood,” Augustine Hughes.
August doesn’t do friends. He has his own reasons for wanting to get close to the new girl…reasons that are quickly becoming more complicated the more time he spends with her.
As Wren and August navigate the darkly enchanting Blackwood campus and their cutthroat fellow students, an undeniable connection grows between them. But some connections can be twisted.
In this achingly romantic dark academia fantasy a young woman must embrace Dark Magic and an alliance with a deadly Wielder to fight a powerful threat cloaked in shadow.
After the war, ex-healer Mira Winters swore she’d never touch magic again. And yet here she is attending the newly reopened Ivercrest University, enrolled in the wrong magic department, paired up with the absolute wrong partner—the infuriating Aidric Dawson.
Instead of learning how to make a potion strong enough to heal her incurable scar, Mira attends demonology lessons, casts deadly spells…and is accidentally dragged into a murder investigation on campus—one with devastating ripples that bleed into the magical world far beyond the university.
Even more devastating? Aidric Dawson. Rumored to have been a high-ranking soldier during the war, the lethal Wielder is arrogant, aristocratic, and shrouded in secrets…but with his own wounds from the war, he may also be the only one who truly understands Mira.
A labyrinth of clues pulls Mira and Aidric deep into a sinister plot hiding in the shadows of magical society, threatening war once more. Can the two enemies work together without losing their hearts—or their lives—in the process?
The Calloway women are notorious for three Olympic-level banter, an inexplicable fear of dolls, and secrets.
And one of these things is going to get them killed.
Aster Calloway only sold her grandmother’s Fabergé music box on eBay to finance her mom’s mayoral campaign. It’s not like Poppy Calloway has any real business running for office, but the only other candidate is her book-banning high school nemesis—and she’s in the lead. But what Aster doesn’t realize is that selling the heirloom has toppled the house of lies her grandmother, Iris, has been living in for the past forty years.
Because hidden inside that jewel-encrusted music box was a list of names—names that protected defected KGB operative Iris, her daughter, and her granddaughter. Now the list is gone, and a creepy doll is on Poppy’s doorstep, which can only mean that the list is in play…and the three most dangerous spies in the world are on the
The one who broke Iris’s heart.
The one who gave her Poppy.
And the one who wants all the other spies, and especially those bickering Calloway women, dead.
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: Things That Make Up My Perfect Day
Witchy Books
Here are some witchy books – I love reading witchy books in October!
Tallow and Bone by. Rhiannon Hargadon
Hide the Witches by. Miranda Lyn
Hallowed Bones by. Lucy Smoke
The Wolf Queen’s Curse by. Kaylee Archer
Revenous by. Kresley Cole
The False Vow by. Lydia Gregovic
Witch Season by. Julia Bianco
Curses, Keys, and Secret Societies by. Breanne Randall
September 1: Books With Nationalities In The Title (e.g. The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Mexican Gothic, An American Mariage, etc) (submitted by Cathy @WhatCathyReadNext) September 8: Indie Freebie (This topic encompasses a lot: your favorite indie bookstores, indie books, indie authors, indie publishers/presses, indie books on your to-read list, indie authors I read before they became traditionally published, etc.) (submitted by @dark.shelf.of.wonders and Books Are The New Black) September 15: Authors I’ve Met September 22: Books on My Fall 2026 To-Read List (or Spring if you live in the Southern Hemisphere) September 29: Fall-Themed Freebie (or Spring if you live in the Southern Hemisphere) October 6: Books that Bring Me Happy Memories (Feel free to tell us about those memories if you’d like!) October 13: Book Covers Featuring Autumnal Colors (submitted by Wordy Witterings) October 20: Things That Make Up My Perfect Day (Share the people, places, activities, foods, circumstances, etc. that make a day perfect for you. Go into as much or as little detail as possible!) October 27: Halloween Freebie
Title: Daughter of the Tempest (Myths of Empyrieos, #2)
Author: Braidee Otto
Format: eBook (NetGalley)
Pages: 448
Publication Date: 10/20/26
Publisher: The Dial Press
Categories: Fantasy, 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 The Dial Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Princess Aella and her best friend become the kingdom’s most-wanted fugitives in the much-anticipated epic romantasy sequel to Songbird of the Sorrows—featuring dual perspectives, ride-or-die friendships, found family, unlikely alliances, and two slow-burn romantic arcs.
Songbird. Traitor. Runaway. Heroine.
Aella is on the run. After a life of being trained to follow orders, she finally defied them when the true purpose of the Aviary’s mission in Eretria was revealed. Still reeling from her lover’s betrayal and Prince Keres’s deadly trials—and now abducted by the very person she risked everything to save—Aella is branded a traitor and has no choice but to flee across the Emyprieos with only her secrets and the silver-eyed stranger by her side. As they evade capture, the two mustgrow to trust each other, but Aella soon discovers that she’s not the only one keeping secrets, and the truth only complicates their already fragile pursuit of freedom.
With Aella accused of treason, her best friend, Nyssa, is under suspicion as an accomplice. Disguised as a servant in the Southern Kingdom’s palace, her sole aim is to find Aella and ensure her best friend’s safety. But between the upcoming Empyrieos Games, the threat of discovery, and a reluctant alliance with Aella’s brother, Prince Kallias, risk waits around every corner.
As both women fight to survive against the dangerous political power of the Southern Kingdom, the Aviary, and the Prince of Eretria, the two must also claim their identities and destinies in a world that seeks to define them.
Content Warning: violence, death
+ I thought book one, Songbird of the Sorrows, was pretty good, with lots of potential and I was afraid this sequel would suffer from second book syndrome but no, it got better! This story is told between Aella and Nyssa’s POVs – they are best friends, like sisters, but torn apart by circumstances that happened at the end of book one. I love how even though they are apart and cannot contact one another, they are still thinking of one another and how to get to each other. That’s love. There is still some spying in this one, along with secrets, betrayal, political intrigue and a few twists. With dual POVs sometimes one stands out more than the other but the balance is so good with this one – I couldn’t put down the book!
+ The found family, outside of Aella and Nyssa, is done so well in this story. Aella meets Lyxander’s found family and kin. Some characters from book one reappear surprisingly in this one! Also Kallias has his guard/friend Max, who is the only person that is close to him outside of Aella. I was emotional about some of these characters.
+ The romance is slow burn, especially for Aella and Lyxander. But I do love that theirs is a very slow burn because book one Aella was in love with Raven. So I didn’t want to see her rushing into a romance with someone new. Because it’s a slow burn, Aella and Lyxander actually get to know one another through training, but he’s not pressuring her with anything. I loved that for Aella because there is a lot of things dumped on her in this sequel and she definitely needed the time to process things. I think the romance payoff for them in book three will be amazing! The spice doesn’t come with their romance though, it’s Nyssa and Kallias who go from dislike to like and lots of growing tension between them. I love them together but overall the story is low spice.
+ Aella’s character grows a lot especially with some new revelations about her mom. I can’t wait to see how much more she grows in book three.
Final Thoughts:
I loved this one – it had more spying, political intrigue, slow burn romance, and I really love the found family. I care about the characters and it was hard to put the book down. I can’t wait to see what happens in book three!
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: Red Tower Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
The stories we’re told aren’t myths. They’re warnings.
Santiago Rios didn’t plan to leave his quiet life in Los Angeles. But when his grandfather sends him a map to the lost tomb of the final Incan emperor, the young archaeologist is thrust into a brutal race across the Andes, pursued by ruthless tomb raiders who will stop at nothing to steal the emperor’s treasure.
His only hope is Ali, a fierce Peruvian woman whose secrets could unlock Santiago’s map―or spell his doom. The closer they grow, the more certain Santiago becomes. Ali is trouble…just the kind of trouble he likes.
To save their world, Santiago and Ali must solve ancient riddles, outwit deadly enemies, and lay a spirit to rest before it’s too late. Because if they fail, the past won’t stay buried―and neither will the curse.
Based on the true history of Atahualpa, the last emperor of the Inca people, indie sensation Natalia Hernandez delivers a powerhouse romantasy adventure set in the modern day.
Content Warning: violence
+ Santiago’s grandfather in Peru passes away which leads to a chain of events that has him in disbelief. He goes to Peru with bad men after him as he hurries to find the emperor’s treasure. This story had Indiana Jones vibes – it is so full of adventure, puzzles and riddles that need to be fun, it’s a fun read! Not only is it full of adventure in Peru but we get immersed in Incan and Peruvian culture and history which I enjoyed. We even get some astronomy.
+ Santiago is a hot nerd, which I totally adore. He’s smart, awkward, a little shy, and a nice guy. He was a refreshing and unexpected MMC. Ali is the young woman who is helping him find the treasure, explaining that she was tasked by his grandfather to do so. There are other interesting characters like Santi’s best friend Brooke, but we only get to know her in the beginning of the story. Then there is the professor, Jose, who I wanted more of.
+ I didn’t even expect this to have spice but Santiago and Ali are forced to be together and they get to know one another so a romance develops but it doesn’t take over the story. Through the harrowing adventures in Peru they grow close and since this is told from Santiago’s POV, it was so nice to see his thoughts about her and we see him falling for her.
+ I thought this was a standalone but there is a sneak peek into the next book which might be book two or interconnected to this one? Not sure.
Final Thoughts:
This was a fun read especially because it was different – it has adventure and history, plus a little romance. Santiago is not the typical MMC, he’s nerdy but still hot, but very awkward and passive at times. Ali is the strong character so it was a nice little reversal. I loved learning about Incan and Peruvian history and culture. Definitely read if you like adventure, riddles, history and some romance.
Took my kids to watch Forbidden Island ~ it’s so expensive to go to the movies, but the movie was great! Glad they could watch something with Filipino culture in it!
Football
How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!
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)
There are so many books I want to buy but…not in this economy! 😅☹️
Blessed with the power of illusion, Ivy Pomeroy has many tricks up her sleeve. However, none of them are a match for the enchanted collar at her throat that keeps her bound to a ruthless king. Forced to play the role of his obedient pet, she plots in secret to destroy him and claim the freedom she has always been denied.
When a mysterious reaper arrives in the city with his sights set on the same weapon Ivy needs, she must decide how far she’s willing to go for her freedom. With a tenuous alliance tying them together, Ivy learns there is more to her reluctant companion than meets the eye. He sparks her curiosity and ignites dangerous desires within her. But will their newfound connection lead them to triumph? Or will the secrets they harbor destroy each other?
“An uneducated cadet is a dead one” – Colonel Thadeus Palme
Welcome to Threshing Day, the brutal, high-stakes trial where would-be riders at Basgiath War College fight to earn the bond of a dragon or die trying. Amid rughtless competition and dragon fire, these thirteen cadets must survive a battlefield where desperate rivals will do anything to gain an advantage and dragons decide one’s ulltimate fate – and where a single choice can forge a rider … or destroy them.
Xaden Rioson, the powerful leader. Rhiannon Matthias, the clever friend. Dain Aetos, the dutiful rule-follower. Liam Mairi, the kindhearted protector. Ridoc Gamlyn, the jokester. Sawyer Henrick, the underdog. Garrick Tavis, the dependable aide. Imogen Cardulo, the impulsive fighter. Bodhi Durran, the second-in-command. Mira Sorrengail, the fearleass rider. Brennen Sorrengail, the brilliant tactician. Aaric Graycastle, the restless royal. Sloane Mairi, the determined sister,
On Threshing Day, there’s only one rule: don’t die
Rachel Gillig, the queen of gothic romantasy, returns with higher stakes, darker mysteries, and deeper longings in this gorgeous sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling sensationThe Knight and the Moth.
Aisling Cathedral is in ruins. Rodrick Myndacious, Bartholomew, and Maude Bauer are rumored to be dead—and the king has taken Sybil Delling as his bride. To show off their union and solidify his power over Traum, Benji proposes a series of tournaments throughout the hamlets. Captive and drugged, Sybil remains determined to vanquished him as she once did the Omens, even if she destroys the kingdom’s faith—and herself—in the process.
But then a mysterious knave rises to the top of the lists, a man with no name and no memory who may just be Sybil’s ticket to undoing Benji’s power. For in a land where stories repeat themselves, where a king can prove as cruel as a god, the only way to truly destroy the Stonewater Kingdom’s faith is to save it.
She caged the Dark King. Now she has to survive what comes after.
Sorrel bought Anathos a breath of peace when she cast the Dark King back into the Fulcrum—but victory leaves bruises. Merc, her fiercest protector and the man she’d burn kingdoms for, lies broken in Prosperitus… and Sorrel is forced to wait while enemies sharpen their smiles.
Because the court doesn’t celebrate heroes. It uses them.
As whispers turn to knives and intrigue turns lethal, the Prince—her only ally with real power—forces Sorrel toward a choice that reeks of treason. Obey, and she may betray everything she fought for. Refuse, and she may doom the realm.
When Merc can finally stand, Sorrel turns north to marshal more armies before demon hordes spill across the land. But the Forest of Reflection waits on the road—where truth becomes a weapon, love becomes a weakness, and the darkest part of Sorrel learns to answer back.
And as the Dark King strains at his cage, Sorrel must find the courage to win a war for Anathos…without losing her soul to the darkness rising inside her.
Aurora Evanselier’s graduation from Invictus Mage Academy is meant to be the most unforgettable night of her life. The glittering ball is supposed to begin with music and dancing and end with a single which of the empire’s four ruling kingdoms she’ll serve with her formidable magic.
As the emperor’s daughter, everyone expects Aurora to choose Daybreak, the most powerful kingdom in the empire. But when her father collapses, only one man can save him—Malek Ravenstorm, the brooding, magnetic prince of Night Tide. Malek has never forgiven the emperor for executing his brother, but he offers Aurora a his healing magic, in exchange for her allegiance. Desperate to save her father, she agrees.
Now Aurora is bound to a kingdom rumored to harbor witches and vampires, where the castle hides forbidden wings, and nothing is what it seems—especially Malek. He’s infuriating. Irresistible. Dangerous. And determined to keep her in the dark.
But Aurora didn’t trade her freedom to become a pawn. As whispers of a curse stir and Night Tide’s mysteries deepen, she uncovers a truth that threatens everything she thought she knew. Because the darkest secret of all isn’t Malek’s. It’s hers.
Night Tide begins a steamy, high-stakes romantasy trilogy where magic is power, desire is dangerous, and the shadows hold answers that can’t survive in the light.
TROPES YOU’LL FIND IN NIGHT TIDE:
Magical academy Brother rivalry (with Vampire Diaries‘ Stefan-Damon vibes)Enemies-to-lovers romance Found friendship Royals with secret identities Mysterious creatures that roam the night Bound by curses and fate
Secrets worth killing for. Love worth dying for. Nocturnus is Gossip Girl gone dark in an irresistible gothic romance.
…This is the start of the rest of your life. Don’t F*** it up.
My grandmomma killed my father to save my life. Now I’m trying to leave the past behind me and survive Graveston University’s cutthroat elite.
Carver Wilde ruins everything.
His obsession is barely caged, and his protective side made me feel free. But when a party and a rumor at Corvus House threatens to destroy me, my silence becomes my salvation and my burden.
He thinks I betrayed him. We were a kiss away from something perfect, and now he wants me gone for good. I’ll fight tooth and nail to stay.
Unless someone wants me buried instead… …
Order of Crows Code 1: The Missive controls the truth.
When you’re going to die in prison, any deal is a good deal. So freedom in exchange for murder? Kill to protect the secrets of Graveston’s elite? I’ve done worse for less.
Cadence Lee ruins everything.
She’s a breath of fresh air in Graveston’s suffocating fog. I can’t stop thinking about the girl who runs with blue fireflies. She’s everything I’m not, everything I need… until she becomes my target.
If I don’t kill the woman I love, the Order will.
Unless I stop them first…
NOCTURNUS is a dark academia, he-falls-first, secret society romance with hints of Edgar Allan Poe and Appalachian-inspired folklore.
Weeks have passed since Wren fell under the spell of Callie and Everett. Trapped in a gilded cage, she remains oblivious to their sinister plans, but can sense that something isn’t right. Each night, she is haunted by dreams of a mysterious stranger, leaving her restless and yearning for answers.
Damien is determined to rescue Wren from Everett’s clutches, but is thwarted by a rogue Fate, who draws him into a growing rebellion against the corrupt ruling class of Andalay. As Damien uncovers the truth about his dark powers, he is faced with a heart-wrenching to restore Wren’s memories, but at a steep price.
This sets the stage for a daring escape and a fragile alliance against Everett, Callie, and the Fates. With the support of the rebels, Damien and Wren gear up for an epic showdown, fueled by their quest for justice and a fierce resolve to reclaim their destinies—and their love.
New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean returns with the fiery conclusion to her blazingly sexy Hell’s Belles series.
The world knows her as the Duchess of Trevescan, the brightest star in London, the clever, beautiful wife of a hermit husband. What they do not know is that Duchess is no Duchess at all—she’s a fraud, having faked her marriage and stolen the title and the funds of the Trevescan name, all in service to a larger cause…with her “husband” none the wiser.
Except Branok Penrose, Duke of Trevescan, knows more about Duchess’s secrets than anyone else. He has been watching her for years, waiting for the right moment to return and collect on her unpaid debts…and his undeniable desires. When Duchess empties his accounts, Bran knows if he doesn’t claim her now, she’ll be gone forever.
The last thing Duchess needs is a man upending her well-laid plans, especially this one, a final adventure that will vanquish her past and lay the groundwork for her future. But Bran is unlike any duke she’s ever met—too clever, throws a wicked punch, and kisses like a proper scoundrel. A bit of his delicious chaos might be the perfect farewell, but once she’s tasted it—and his tempting promises—how will she ever give it up?
The Court of Venusis an ensnaring romantic fantasy in which a moon-blessed magician is summoned back to the deadly magical court she thought she had escaped; where power is determined by the stars—and the closer you are to the king, the more likely you are to die. Perfect for fans ofThe Knight and The Moth, The Familiar,andA Darker Shade of Magic.
In Alvion, magicians have always ruled beside kings. Blessed at birth by one of the seven planets, their abilities are miraculous and extremely rare. Magicians born under Jupiter influence luck. Saturnborn can speak to the dead. Venusborn read the desires of the living.
At the moment of Bianca Mortlake’s birth, the stars and planets aligned just so, making her the first Moonborn magician in over a thousand years. A sorcery so rare that even the history books cannot say what she is capable of.
After a childhood training under the realm’s most powerful magician—and alongside a most insufferable Venusborn named Roland—Bianca lives a quiet life far from court. Until a chilling missive arrives in the night, summoning her back.
A mad and deadly court awaits. Two queens have met the executioner’s blade, and one wrong move could see any of them next beneath its steel. As power is pulled between ruthless royals and courtiers like the tides by the moon, Bianca must rely on the last person she would ever want to—the infuriatingly alluring Roland.
Because something is terribly wrong in Alvion. And only this moon-blessed magician and her oldest rival can save the court—and each other—from the dark fate they see written in the stars.
The Court of Venus *rivals to lovers *courtly intrigue *magic tournament *slow burn *murder mystery *she falls first, he falls harder
WHERE THERE ARE GODS, THERE ARE ALSO MONSTERS . . .
For a thousand years, the Etherworld has known peace. Until now.
Many centuries ago, desperate to save her dying sister, Dianna made a deal with Kaden, a monster far worse than any nightmare. Locked in servitude to him, she is forced to hunt down an ancient relic held by her most dangerous enemies: an army led by Samkiel, the World Ender.
After the Gods War, Samkiel hid from everything, denying his crown and deserting his people. Now, an attack on those he loves sends him back to the realm he never wished to return to, and into the sights of an enemy he had hoped to forget.
With every world at stake, Dianna and Samkiel are forced to set aside their animosity and work together, before all is lost . . .
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A college student has more to lose than she can imagine in a funny and heartfelt romantic comedy by the author of Chasing Stardust.
Twenty-year-old Kennedy Beaman is a virgin, and she’s fine with that…most of the time. But her mother, who is full of regrets after a bad marriage, won’t stop pushing her to “experience life” while she can. So Kennedy and her best friend, Nicole, make a list of guys who get her heart racing. It’s all fun and games until the list goes missing.
When Kennedy’s “get laid” list goes viral, she’d rather own the campus-wide spectacle than be a victim. Nicole convinces her to turn her humiliation into a reality show–style competition—the last man standing will be her first after the spring formal. An online feminist magazine ups the ante by offering Kennedy a scholarship in exchange for her story.
But as she weathers one bad date after another, Kennedy finds herself drawn to Jordan Keller, a sullen, faux-hawked Mr. Wrong who didn’t even make the list. Can she figure out what she really wants in life before the final round? Otherwise, she may lose something she’ll miss more than her virginity—her heart.
Content Warning: attempted sexual assault
+~ The premise of this story was intriguing but I can see how some people will be turned off by some things in this book. Kennedy’s mom is really encouraging her to lose her virginity in college and date tons of guys so that she doesn’t end up like her mom, divorced and unhappy with not living up in her younger years. It’s a strange thing for a mom to promote but Kennedy’s best-friend Nicole comes up with a plan and make a list of guys she could potentially hook up with. When the list goes missing and viral, that’s when things get crazy.
~ I think the story of Kennedy and her virgin status is relatable for younger girls. But it’s crazy that in this story, this situation turns into a competition and there are guys lining up to be the one who takes it from her. Yikes. Even worse it turns into a competition that goes viral and a feminist blog will award Kennedy a scholarship prize when she picks the guy who will deflower her. And it’s Nicole her best-friend who actually turns this situation into a competition. I liked her at first, but knowing how she thought of Jordan and what she said about him – the guy Kennedy kind of liked, was such a turn off. And Jordan (a guy Kennedy liked), was right about the dangers of this competition and there was a scene depicting that. Also her mom trying to push her to lose her virginity was strange to me, I mean I’m glad she was very open with her daughter but shouldn’t she be supporting her daughter for not having lost her virginity yet?
+~ I did like the romance between Kennedy and Jordan, it’s a dislike to like situation where he turns protective and things get heated between them. It leads to a steamy scene between them. I like how protective he was of her but there is a twist in that relationship also that was bad and was the cause of their conflict. Both of them were wrong, but they do work things out and that was cute.
+ I’m a child of the 80’s so I recognized the John Hughes movie references and I thought that was cute. I think some of the things that happened in those movies would not work favorably in today’s society. The 80’s were really a different time!
Final Thoughts:
I think her virginity and losing it to someone special is a very relatable thing girls and guys feel in college, but there were just some things about this story that didn’t sit well with me like her friend Nicole. Also, I didn’t like the fact that turning losing her virginity into a competition for a scholarship could have been a dangerous situation. I did love Kennedy and Jordan’s romance though. I love how she liked his different style and I like how protective he got of her even after he didn’t like her at first. This was an easy, quick read and I’m glad not all the guys who were in the competition were awful but it was a very interesting read.
Format: eBook (NetGalley) and audiobook (netgalley)
Pages: 400
Listening Hours: approx. 14 hrs
Narrator: Lindsey Dorcus
Publication Date: 10/20/26
Publisher: Tor Books & Macmillan Audio
Categories: Fantasy, 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 Tor Books & Macmillan Audio for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
The deck has always been stacked against her.
Kestrel has trained her whole life to compete in the Tarot Trials. Her mother won once, earning a place among the five ruling Cinque—then paid for it with her life, executed for alleged treason against the Minor Court.
But fortune favors the bold.
Now it falls to Kestrel to take up her mother’s mantle as Champion of the Moon, enter the Trials, and face her fate. If she can master her new powers of shadow and illusion, navigate the poisonous game of alliances and lies, and corner the fellow Champion who dealt the killing blow to her mother years ago, she may uncover the truth she’s seeking without losing her head… or her heart. But in the Trials, betrayal is a question of when, not if. And winning the game isn’t about what she must do to win, but who she needs to survive.
Content Warning: death, violence
+ I think the narrator did pretty good with giving voice to the characters.
+~ The Tarot Trials is basically what the title indicates. People fight first to become a tarot card champion, and then they fight each other to the death. Five winners become Cinque, the ruling body of the city, voices of the Gods. During these trials there are alliances, betrayal, and mistrust. The first half of this story moved too slow for me. The second half is way much better with much more action.
~ I didn’t love the FMC, Kestrel. I understand she has had a tough life, she hates the wealthy, she wants to win the trials for her family but she complained from beginning to end and it got frustrating and tiring. She’s angry and bitter, though I did admire her fight but with all her talk of training and learning about the trials, she seemed so naive and inexperienced.
+~ Kestrel is bisexual but she is attracted to almost everyone she meets in the competition, which is fine but I just didn’t believe her. So I didn’t feel invested in her romantic connection with one of the competitors. There is one spicy scene but the romance didn’t do it for me.
Final Thoughts:
I think if you like deadly trials with a tarot theme, you might enjoy this one. I think this was okay – the first half was slow, the second half is better because there is more action. The trials have action, violence, alliances and betrayal. I do wish I cared more about the FMC, but I just didn’t connect to her.
