Tallow and Bone by. Rhiannon Hargadon | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Tallow and Bone

Author: Rhiannon Hargadon

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages:

Publication Date: 10/6/26

Publisher: HRS Books

Categories: Dark Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Historical Fantasy

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Rhiannon Hargodon for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

If Salem would rather kill witches than let them exist, how much will one witch sacrifice to save it?

After her family flees allegations of treason in Europe, Amity Merriweather hopes Salem will be a fresh start. Instead, she finds a land poisoned: Toxic relationships. Crop failures. Sick children. Deep-seated superstition and irrational fear. With every death, the curse buried beneath Salem’s cobblestone streets grows stronger.

Gifted with rare earth magic, Amity has spent her entire life hiding, suppressing her magic. She has a chance to heal the town before hysteria turns neighbor against neighbor. But Salem doesn’t want saving. Every acre of poison she clears will risk discovery, and she’ll get no thanks from its citizens.

Meanwhile, Amity must choose between two very different men:

A male witch hardened by abuse, who would gladly burn Salem to its poisoned roots… Or a scarred shoemaker with a heart too generous for its own good. Knowing which path to take requires knowing both men, but more importantly, it requires knowing herself.

Amity has worn as mask for so long, she no longer can be sure of who she truly is.

As accusations mount and innocents are dragged to the gallows, Amity faces an impossible choice. Keep sacrificing herself for people who would rather see her burn—or abandon Salem to the curse consuming it.

Tropes and Triggers:

Love Triangle with a masked MMC
Surprise (unwanted) pregnancy
Elemental magic
Generational curse
Witch Trials
Religious Trauma
Morally gray characters

TALLOW AND BONE is a dark paranormal romance. It is a retelling of the Salem Witch Trials with a healer witch, a cursed village, and the choice between mercy or retribution.

Content Warning: violence, death, abuse, whipping, sexual harassment, hanging

+ Amity and her family are always on the run because she and her mother are witches. They’ve fled England, where they lived comfortably at court and now are barely thriving in the colonies, surviving with her father’s skill at lying, and her and her siblings talent at thieving. And when they reach Salem, they decide they want to stop running, but at what cost. The townspeople of Salem are Puritans and are run by a pastor who holds a lot of power and turns that power into a witch hunt because of the failing crops.

+ Amity is someone who’s been told to hide her power since she was a child, so she’s used to lying and being someone else – but in Salem she actually finds other witches and she learns a little more about her powers and magic. I kind of like that her magic wasn’t all powerful, yes she used it to help herself when she was in danger, but her magic was for growing things, it wasn’t anything malicious at all. I would have loved more magic in the story actually. But Amity has her flaws, she can’t be herself and tell the truth of who she is, so she’s never been real to other people only with her family. She can’t want the things she wants if she wants to survive in this world. Also she goes through some dark mentally challenging times in this book that I think women can relate to.

+ I loved Amity’s siblings, even Elizabeth at first, who was a bit more strict than most, until I hated her later. I love her big family, but their dad is an awful man. Amity’s siblings know she’s a witch and that is why they are on the run, Elizabeth is who resents her the most. This family is very complicated – their dad is abusive, yet he provides as best he can – he loves their mother (a witch) with a passion, but when she is gone there is no one to protect them from him. The sibling closeness was heartwarming. Some other characters I found fascinating in the story were the women of Salem. I love that the characters are complicated and flawed.

+ Amity is 23 and single and that’s a problem during that day and age. She’s beautiful and the men in Salem notice her. But she’s obsessed with a masked man who is also a witch, who isn’t very friendly towards her but there is a wild attraction between them. I suspected who it was fairly early in the book. But this witch isn’t the only man who is in Amity’s life. There is George, the hero of the town, who has burn scars because an event that happened in the past – he’s so good, kind, patient and protective. He gave Amity protection when the other man couldn’t step up to do it himself and I loved him for Amity. He deserved better. I don’t mind love triangles but this one broke my heart – devastated me at the end, and even though there is a resolution at the end…I wasn’t happy with it. Whenever I think about this book I’ll always remember George. I would have been happy as them in a throuple or a Why Choose situation, but this is that type of book where you don’t get what you wish for. 💔

+ There was a strong sense of foreboding from start to finish in this book. The setting and atmosphere of Salem really came through in the writing. The story is dark, the women aren’t safe, the people were hungry because of failed crops, there is violence, death, and family turning on family. There are deaths in this story that broke my heart, it seemed never ending that Amity was going to lose people and I hated that for her and hated how her big family fell apart. I wanted to scream in anger and pain for Amity and the women in Salem. There is a sort of happy ever after in the end, but it is so bittersweet that whenever I think of this story I’m just heartbroken.

Final Thoughts:

If I wanted a book to rip my heart out then this would be five stars, but my heart was so broken at the end of this one, which I wasn’t expecting. I was so shocked at the culmination of events at the end, I had no time to cry but my heart felt hurt and then hollow. I don’t think I’ll ever be happy thinking about what happened to George. This story sucked me in even though I knew something bad was coming, since I know the gist of the Salem witch trials. I couldn’t put it down. I understood Amity’s feelings of wanting to be free and not hiding herself but that wasn’t possible in a town like Salem, and I just wish they had all left and ran. To see everything fall apart around Amity, and her lose people she loved – oh this story is devastating. The ending is bittersweet and I felt emotionally exhausted. Though it didn’t end the way I wanted, I have to say I won’t be forgetting this book for awhile.

Read if you like:

dark fantasy
family
love triangle

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Bloody Black by. Rhiannon Hargadon| Book Review – 4 stars/2 🌶️

This Shattered Tempest by. Thea Guanzon| ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: This Shattered Tempest (The Hurricane Wars, #3)

Author: Thea Guanzon

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 10/6/26

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Categories: Fantasy/Sci-Fi, 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 Harper Voyager for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

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.

Content Warning: violence, death

+~ It’s been 2 years since the second book came out so I did go into this without doing a recent re-read of that book and there were times I had to wait for things to click because it’s a big cast of characters. The world-building includes a few different regions, so it took me a little while to remember people and places. Of course Tala and Alaric stand out the most to me, but because there is a lot of political intrigue taking place, it’s important to know who is on who’s side – and yes I did get lost at times.

+ Tala grows so much in this book! She has to make hard choices about her ruler, her people, her husband (who is the enemy) and which side to chose. I don’t blame her for choosing her people because that is how she was raised, familial duty is strong in her. But I felt bad for her because she loved Alaric too. There is a moment in the book where she has to break away from him and find strength within herself to do the right thing. Alaric was frustrating me though because he couldn’t break free from his father soon enough, he eventually learns and does the right thing in the end.

+ The romance is so filled with challenge, strife, and betrayal. I almost had no hope for them! I didn’t know how they would forgive each other. Their relationship comes with costs, but eventually they get things right and I didn’t know it would make me emotional. I love their ending. I will say I think Tala bent more than Alaric did – it took him awhile to see the light, and I know that’s trauma on his part because of his relationship with his father. He really was lucky that Tala fought to have him in her life. But someone had to fight for their love and of course it would be Tala because she overcomes a lot and by the end she’s not afraid to be vulnerable and fearless. There are a few spicy scenes between them though which absolutely matched their enemies to lovers vibe.

+ I enjoyed the political intrigue when I could follow who was betraying who, but I also loved the aether magic and the dragons that protect Tala’s people! The story touches on the cost of war on all sides involved and the tension that grew inside me while reading this was almost off the charts near the end. I wanted it to work out for everyone so badly but there was a moment of hopelessness before everything is resolved. There were some emotional parts to this story especially at the ending. I also love that this is by a Filipino author and there is a word in the story that pulled at my heart strings because it’s a word in the Filipino culture for mother or grandmother. Just having that in there was everything to me and connected me more to Tala.

Final Thoughts:

This conclusion to The Hurricane Wars series is tense, heartbreaking but also healing at the end. Tala grows to become the Empress she is destined to be, by making hard choices, confronting the past and even people considered family who is trying to hurt her. She loses a lot in order to become stronger and bring about the hope for the future she and Alaric had. There were times I was a little lost because of so much going on and all the names I had forgotten but I couldn’t put this down. I was rooting for Tala and Alaric and their dream of a future with no war. The story was filled with political intrigue, betrayal, darkness but also hope. I loved it!

Read if you like:

political intrigue
character development
secrets, betrayals
enemies to lovers
tension

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Tusk Love by. Thea Guanzon | Audiobook – 5 ⭐️/ 2🌶️

A Monsoon Rising by. Thea Guazon | ARC Review – 4 ⭐️

The Hurricane Wars by. Thea Guanzon | ARC Review – 3.5 ⭐️

Monthly Wrap Up | September 2026

September was a strange month for reading, I was reading a bit slow, then I ramped up my reading then at the end of month I got lazy again. Maybe it’s the change in season? My mood was all over the place, maybe I had too many arcs and I wasn’t in the mood to read them? Not sure but hopefully October is better.

I read 24 books in September:

Our Strange Duet by. Erin A. Craig (arc)
The Age of Blood and Magic by. Hannah Mathewson (arc)
The Heart Trials by. J. Elle (arc)
Stalkers Anonymous by. Dana Leeann (arc)
White Raven by. Stacey Marie Brown
The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing by. Marshall J. Moore (arc)
A Crown of Blood and Magick by. Amy De La Force (arc)
The Museum of Modern Love by. Mariko Turk (alc)
Who Needs Mistletoe? by. Sarah Estep (arc)
The Shattered Tempest by. Thea Guanzon (arc)
Pretty Savage by. Lexi Davis (arc)
Captive Traitor King by. Brigid Kemmerer (arc)
Queen of Lombard Street by. Lisa Kleypas (arc)
Stone Bound by. Jocelyn James (arc)
Spark the Flames by. Ivy Asher
Ignite the Infernos by. Ivy Asher
The Wildborn by. Perri Torani
Tallow and Bone by. Rhiannon Hargadon (arc)
Bonetide by. Karina Halle
Love, Lies and Too Many Guys by. Erica Lucke Dean
Harbinger by. Geneva Lee
The Scarlet Ball by. Nghi Vo
The House of Gardenias by. Isabel Cañas
Hide the Witches by. Miranda Lyn

Reviews I Posted On My Blog:

5 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Who Needs Mistletoe? by. Sarah Estep | ARC Review

4.5 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

4 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫:

3 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️:

2.5 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️💫

2 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️

How was your month?

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Harbinger by. Geneva Lee | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Harbinger (#1)

Author: Geneva Lee

Pages: 496

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 9/22/26

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series

Arden Icaros was never supposed to matter. From the poorest of five noble bloodlines, she prefers life on the family farm with dirt under her nails over the fine dresses at court. She just needs to get through one boring ceremony, inherit her earth magic, and return home.

Instead, she’s handed a dagger and with it, an impossible choice.

Now Arden is branded an omen of war, half the nobility wants her dead, and assassins are tracking her every move.

Her only chance of survival lies with the most feared man in Antares.

They call him Bishop. No one remembers the name he had before he dedicated his life to his order. Empowered to execute first and question later, Bishop is ruthless, terrifying, and utterly loyal to the kingdom that wants Arden dead.

He should kill her.

Instead, he offers her sanctuary.

But the longer Arden stays under Bishop’s protection, the more dangerous he becomes. Because Bishop has secrets powerful enough to topple kingdoms…and a need for Arden that could ruin them both.

Content Warning: violence, death, complicated family relationships, grief

+~ I tried a few books from this author before but I couldn’t gel with the writing but Harbinger is way different and the writing got better! Harbinger has unique world building – a world ruled by the Stars and the magic it gives some people. But maybe because I’m new to this world and getting use to it there were times that I was wanting more information about some things like this great war that happened long ago and that is about to be unleashed again. Would love to learn more about it since it’s a big deal and Arden is the harbinger to this coming new war.

+ Arden Icaros is her family’s hope to get the magic they need to help cultivate their land. But when the Stars change her fate, she’s labeled a witch, and a harbinger to a new war. I love Arden – lI ove how strong she is and how she says what’s on her mind. She’s not perfect but she loves her family and best friend Kieran. I understood her frustrations with being kept in the dark because as a reader, I felt the same frustrations when it came to the secrets Bishop was keeping. But Arden is so resilient – she goes through a lot in this first book and I liked seeing her trying to rise from her despair. I love Bishop, but would love to learn more about him. The secondary characters are great and then there are the animals!

+ The romance is epic! At first I didn’t quite feel the attraction between them, she had more chemistry with her best friend, Kieran. But when Bishop brings her to his home to protect her things change. Bishop, for the most part kept distant from her but I loved their interactions and how she got under his skin because she wasn’t afraid of him. When the sparks finally fly between them and they act on it, it’s so good, not because they finally get their spice scene but their relationship evolves and they have to work out what a future means between them and if they want to take the risk. I absolutely love them together.

+~ I didn’t expect the emotional impacts that this book gave me. The story touches on family obligation, and complicated relationships. When we first meet Arden’s family, I love them but when challenges come, there are choices to be made and I was sad to see how quick things fall apart. I love her relationship with Kieran. But this story is dark and there are some heartbreaking moments. There are a lot of twists in the story but I have a feeling there is just so much more to learn and reveal in this story. One thing I would have liked to get a better feel for is the ruling kingdom – something happens in the beginning and Bishop whisks her away to his home, so we don’t know what’s happening with the new royal. I think I’d have liked more of the political intrigue to emerge in the story, especially with how it’s tied to the last war but hopefully we learn more in book two.

Final Thoughts:

It was hard to put this one down! I love the magic, world building, found family, Arden’s personal journey, the complicated relationships, the twists and turns and the epic romance. I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!

Read if you like:

magic
found family
epic romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Fallen Court by. Geneva Lee | Audiobook Review – 3 stars/2 🌶️

Filthy Rich Fae by. Geneva Lee | Book Review – 3.5 stars

Filthy Rich Vampire by. Geneva Lee | Book Review – 2.5 stars

WWW Wednesday | 9/30/26

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over on Taking on a World of Words.

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?

Goodbye September and tomorrow, Hello October! Wow! We are really in the last stretch of 2026 – madness. I have about 22 arcs to go for 2026.

What are you currently reading?

Revived by. Bree L. Mina – arc

Sharpest Court by. Kiera Azar – arc

The Divines by. Rachel Greenlaw – arc

Bloodbound by. J.A. Good – alc

What have you just finished reading?

The Scarlet Ball by. Nghi Vo – arc – 3.5 stars/2 🌶️

Harbinger by. Geneva Lee – 4.5 stars/2 🌶️

Hide the Witches by. Miranda Lyn – 4 stars/2 🌶️

What are you going to read next?

Steelborn by. Taylor J. LaRue

Mortal Things by. Marie Lu

Cursed City by. Kate Golden

Hunt the Dragons by. Miranda Lyn

Splintered Kingdom by. Gretchen Powell Fox

What are YOU reading right now?

Bonetide by. Karina Halle | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Bonetide

Author: Karina Halle

Pages: 496

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 8/24/26

Categories: Dark Romance, Monster Romance, Horror, Paranormal

When Iris Galloway inherits her great-aunt’s cottage on a remote Scottish loch, the terms are live there one year, and it’s hers.

She doesn’t know about the disappearances yet, nor does she know about the handsome man who swims in the loch at night, who watches her cottage from the dark water, and who appears at her door very wet, very naked, and asking to come in.

Meanwhile, the locals warn her about a murderer on the loose, the police are in over their heads, and her aunt’s letters say to keep the salt lines around the house and the doors locked after sundown.

And never, ever invite him inside.

But Iris has spent her whole life being careful.

And this wicked stranger is going to ruin her for it.

Bonetide is a dark gothic romance that’s tinged with horror. While this book starts off almost like a cozy gothic mystery, it does pivot later into darker territory. Which also gets a little weird. If you’re here for the cozy, know that it doesn’t stay cozy. If you’re here for the dark romance, know that it’s coming. Please see inside the book or author’s website for the content warnings.

Content Warning: mentions of murder, death

+ Bonetide is a dark romance with all the creepy and spooky yet sexy vibes for spooky season or whenever you feel like reading something that make your spine tingle a little with anxiety. I loved the setting of Scotland – there is fog, a castle, a very small town and a loch with a gorgeous stranger always swimming in it. I felt like I could feel the chill in the air while reading this. There is also lore and mystery about some mythological creatures around the area which I found really fascinating.

+~ Iris’s great-aunt leaves her a cottage in Scotland but she has to stay there for a year. Iris goes there to help restart her life after her divorce but between the salt lining the windows and the hot, strange man swimming in the loch, she doesn’t really know what she’s gotten herself into. And then there are reports about missing women in the area. I don’t really blame Iris for not knowing anything about Scottish lore and the area because her great-aunt left her barely information about the house or the situation with the man. She went in blind, so her hormones got the best of her but I do say Iris was not scared off so easily – which I liked about her.

+ The romance is dark – Alasdair is not what he seems, but Iris is drawn to him, despite the warning in her mind and red flags about him. Her hormones were overriding the warning signs. But I will say, for a monster, he was gentle with her until she told him to stop being that way. The spice is quite hot between them, and I was really invested in their situation to see if it would work out since he is who he is. Like I said, Iris, is kind of made of strong stuff to stick by him after learning about what he is. He’s a monster but he’s her monster.

+ The story did really give me the chills and made me feel unsettled but there was some humor in it too because of Iris’ personality and how she deals with Alasdair being a monster. Any normal woman would run, but this monster has a Scottish brogue and is well endowed haha, so look I don’t blame her being seduced and falling for him. But I liked the mix of horror, humor and the creepy setting.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this had a little bit of everything and it worked for me: small town, creepy setting, Scottish folklore, humor, horror, spice, monster romance and a gorgeous guy swimming in a loch. This one gave me some chills and it’s perfect to read for spooky season!

Read if you like:

dark romance
Scottish folklore/mythology
spicy monster romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Fall Themed Book Covers | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday | 9/29/26

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: Fall-Themed Freebie

Fall Themed Book Covers

I got some fall themed covers and just some covers in fall colors.

Fall Me Maybe by. Laney Hatcher
Love Felt Like This by. Julie Olivia
Prince of the Sun by. Emma Noyes

Trust Fall by. Lynn Painter
Bonfire & Bliss Bookstore by. Brittanée Nicole
The Inadequate Heir by. Danielle L. Jensen

The Someday Garden by. Ashley Poston
Manor of Decay by. Maxym M. Martineau
Curses, Keys and Secret Societies by. Breanne Randall

An Immaculate Deception by. Isabela Livino

What’s on your TTT?

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New Book Releases This Week | 9/29/26

Happy book birthday to these new releases this week!

The False Vow by. Lydia Gregovic (The Weaver Bride, #2)

Love will be tested in this high-stakes, spellbinding sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller The Weaver Bride—the perfect read for fans of The Rose Bargain and Thorn Season.

The gorgeous first edition of The False Vow will feature stunning, stenciled edges and printed endpapers!

Lovett Tamerlane is engaged.

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.

Trust Fall by. Lynn Painter

Julia is just a small-town girl from Nebraska who loves her peaceful life. But when her elderly next-door neighbor—who just happens to be a secret multi-millionaire—leaves everything to Julia and her family after his passing, Julia is swept away to live in a historic brownstone in New York City and attend an elite private school for the super-rich.

It should be a dream come true. Wrong. Julia doesn’t fit in at her new school; worse, she’s failing. Enter Damion, the mysterious and handsome tutor who will get Julia back on track. Except Damion has a secret. He is the great-nephew of the man who left everything to Julia’s family. Damion doesn’t buy for a second that the person who was like a father to him would leave his home to strangers. And he’s determined to prove it.

To uncover the truth, Damion schemes to earn Julia’s trust. Not an easy task with Julia unsure about this rich boy with a rebellious personality. But the more time Damion spends with Julia, the more his plan begins to backfire. Because he is falling for the enemy—and the enemy is falling for him.

As Damion and Julia figure out where they belong, can they see past their differences and act on their feelings, or will the trust Damion has worked so hard to gain fall apart?

Who Needs Mistletoe? by. Sarah Estep

Full of sparkling wit, swoon-worthy romance, and toe-curling heat, Who Needs Mistletoe? is a small-town, girl-next-door romance that will wrap your holiday season in big fun and bigger heart.

Ivy Weaver learned the hard way that some confessions are better left unsaid―like the one meant for her longtime crush, Austin, that was accidentally delivered to his older brother, Grant, instead. His brutal reaction made leaving town easy. Staying away for ten years? Even easier.

Until now.

When Ivy’s parents announce they’re leaving Coeur-de-Lac for good, Ivy can’t avoid the inevitable. She’ll return just long enough to celebrate the Christmas season while packing up her parents’ house, and her past, for good.

Grant Underwood has spent his life doing exactly what was expected of him―taking over the family business, keeping everything running smoothly, never making the same mistake twice. But when Ivy comes back to town, he sees a second chance he didn’t think he’d get.

The problem? Ivy has spent the past decade thinking she was in love with the wrong brother.

Between a chaotic family holiday, Austin’s sudden interest in Ivy, and one extremely mischievous orange cat, Grant is running out of time before the Christmas season ends and he loses his chance to prove the boy Ivy once loved isn’t the man she was meant to end up with.

It’s going to take more than mistletoe to seal this love story with a kiss.

Escape Me by. Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me: Series Two, #3)

The scorching third volume in a new series set in the #1 global bestselling Shatter Me universe ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment.

James Anderson needs a new plan. He’s ready to make real moves to destroy the looming threats against their world, but no one is taking him seriously. James is tired of being underestimated by his own family. He wants five uninterrupted minutes alone with Rosabelle. He wants to kill Sebastian.

And he’s done waiting for permission.

Rosabelle Wolff needs to stick to the plan. Which means she needs to stay away from James and the dangerous feelings he brings out in her. When she’s near him she loses control, and she’ll need absolute control if she has any hope of convincing Sebastian—and through him, Klaus—that she’s still carrying out the original plan to destroy the rebel regime.

In the meantime, Warner needs to stay out of her business.

Aaron Warner Anderson is trying not to kill Rosabelle. They might be reluctant allies, but that doesn’t mean they get along. Every day is a new kind of hell for Warner. He’s worried about his wife; he’s worried about his world. He can’t decide what to do about James until he understands Rosabelle’s true motives—and when he’s finally delivered the answers he needs, the stakes prove astronomical. All roads lead to heartbreak and destruction, no matter what choice he makes.

Gut-wrenching discoveries, blistering romance, non-stop explosive action, and a world determined to control their thoughts and actions:

When the eyes of the world are upon you, who do you hope is watching?

The House of Gardenias by. Isabel Cañas

Sixteen-year-old Minerva has spent her whole life in the slums of the capital city of an unnamed country that resembles colonial Mexico. Though she lives in the shadow of constant government turmoil, her empty belly and her father’s brutality don’t leave time for politics—especially since her older brothers ran away. Minerva can’t take another beating or miss another meal, so she steals flees to a wealthy loyalist neighborhood to win a job as a lady’s maid to an elderly widow.

Minerva and Encarnación del Valle—the proud and acerbic widow—form an unlikely duo. They are both survivors in their own ways, stubborn and used to being underestimated. For a time, Minerva is happy. She has food and safety in a house lit and warmed by magical chispa. Why should she care who runs the country or how her employer afford the magic?

But when the viceroy sweeps back into power on a wave of horrific bloodshed that sweeps away any hope Minerva had of seeing her brothers again, Encarnación retreats to the del Valle’s mountainside estate, the Casa de la Gardenias. Minerva finds herself surrounded by dozens of more experienced servants and the cruel, scheming younger del Valles, but the living are the least of anyone’s worries at the Casa de las Gardenias, and soon Minerva discovers that this ancient estate is home to forces far older and more bloodthirsty than the fascist del Valles or the liberal guerrillas amassing in the surrounding wilderness.

The Thief and the Traitor Bride by. V.L. Bovalino

A ruthless spy. A deadly mission. A thief who could ruin it all.

The Thief and the Traitor Bride is a standalone romantic fantasy set in the world of the Sunday Times and USA Today bestselling novel The Second Death of Locke.

Nore Gordon is a woman of many talents: she can speak a variety of languages, disguise herself in plain sight, and has made a name for herself as a successful wine merchant. But unbeknownst to those closest to her, it is all a front for Nore’s true role as the favoured spy of the Lindle crown.

Tasked with infiltrating enemy lands in search of a powerful relic, Nore is forced to engage the services of a great thief. Unfortunately, the only person for the job is her estranged husband Caspian. Both Nore and Caspian bear the scars of the disastrous end of their marriage, but if they are to survive their deadly new assignment, they must pose as a happily married couple to avoid detection.

As danger closes in, Nore finds herself tangled in a web of lies and deceit-and though Caspian is at the centre of it all, she may not hate him as much as she once did. But Caspian has betrayed her before, and trust can be far more deadly than deception.

Christmas at Honeycombe Bay by. Lilac Mills

Two Scrooges come together for a festive-free holiday season by the sea and find all their anti-Christmas plans going up in smoke when they decide to play Santa for a single mom and her child.

Eloise Garrett thinks Christmas is overpriced, overhyped, and overrated, and without any family to share it with, she feels sad, lonely and isolated. The “season for giving” is just a constant reminder that she’s single, sixty(ish), and staring down retirement. But not this Christmas. Determined to avoid the most magical time of the year, Eloise decides to spend Christmas in Honeycombe Bay. Surely a seaside village in the middle of winter won’t be too festive?

Ever since his wife passed away, Bartholomew Knott hasn’t felt up to welcoming visitors to his guest house. With the prospect of another long, lonely winter, and having become more Scrooge than Santa over the years, Bart is dreading Christmas. However, when he’s contacted by someone who dislikes decking the halls just as much as he does, Bart has the brilliant idea of opening the guest house to people who want to escape all things festive.

Christmas isn’t easy to ignore, though, not even in off-season Honeycombe Bay. So when fate forces Bart to give shelter to a single mother and child whose holiday has been devastated by a terrible fire, Eloise finds herself playing Mrs. Claus to Bart’s Santa—dragging the house’s other guest, a heartbroken teacher looking for a break during the holidays, into the action as well. But holiday cheer isn’t the only thing sparking under the mistletoe. Will the guests at Honeycombe Bay realize that, sometimes, the best way to escape Christmas is to let it into your heart?

Christmas at Honeycombe Bay features two heartwarming romances and all the holiday romance tropes a small-town that is “all in” for Christmas, a later in life romance, a widower hero, forced proximity in a charming B&B, a grumpy/sunshine couple with a single mom character, and plenty of carols, cocoa, and decking the halls.

Are you getting any new books this week?

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Hallowed Bones by. Lucy Smoke | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Hallowed Bones (Sons of Salem, #1)

Author: Lucy Smoke

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 10/6/26

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Why Choose, Witches, Dark Academia, Romance, New Adult, Mystery, Paranormal, 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 St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The first in the Sons of Salem series— a seductive, dark why-choose romance filled with cursed bloodlines, secret societies, and a powerful heroine destined to save the coven.

Four cursed heirs. One forbidden witch. A desire that burns bright.

I was warned to stay away from the Sons of Salem. Not because they’re monsters—but because they’re broken enough to recognize one.

Ezra Bishop.
Cameron Goode.
Lyall Corey.
Reyes Scott.

And me—Haven Wardwell.

Legacies. Witches. Something far worse than myths.

Now that I’m here, there’s no telling what Now that I’m here, there’s no telling what the Dark Gods will ask for in return.

Ghosts haunt the corridors of Ipswich College, and if I’m not careful, I might just become one of them.

Content Warning: violence, death, gore, self harm

Set in Ipswich College in Massachusetts, I love the vibes of this book. It’s got the cobwebbed filled, creepy college (that’s the dark academia element of it); the Salem Witch Trials history in the background, and rich, hot boys who are in a coven. All of it worked for me! I even love the scary monsters from the Veil, and the murders leaving bodies in ritualistic, gory poses. I kept thinking this would be a perfect book for spooky season!

I do think the murders get a little bit overshadowed by the main story of Haven figuring out she’s a witch and one the Sons of Salem need badly, in a provocative and practical sense. They have to convince her she’s a witch and need to learn how to control her powers but Haven gives them a hard time. I like Haven though, she’s practically alone, and has been dealing with visions and nightmares for years, so I would be skeptical like her too, plus she’s brave and strong enough to deal with these four guys.

As for these Sons of Salem – Cameron, Ezra, Reyes and Lyall, all hot, all with different powers, temperaments and ways of seduction – I’m not the biggest Why Choose romance, it has to be done right and so far I think this is starting off good. Is there instant lust? Yes, but it’s a slow burn and hey a new witch is coming into her wild powers and have to be a priestess in a male dominated coven? The instant lust feels normal honestly and all it came with was a few kisses. There is one full spicy scene and I was actually pleasantly surprised by this because I thought she was gonna get with all the guys in this first book. I wasn’t ready for all of that yet! So I’m glad this only had one graphic spice scene. I actually want to see how she connects with each guy as the story goes on.

So I do hope we get more of the murder mystery, but I felt like this first book did a good job of setting the stage for things to come.

Final Thoughts:

I kind of devoured this one because I loved the setting, the paranormal elements, monsters and even the gory murders! I think it all fits together and though this was insta-lust it was also a slow burn when it comes to the spice, I think it’s setting us up for way more to come though. I think out of all the guys Ezra is the one that intrigues me, but I like all the guys so far. I would like more about the murder mystery though so I look forward to reading the next book.

Read if you like:

cursed bloodlines, Witches, Werewolf
Why Choose romance but low spice so far
creepy setting, dark academia
murder mystery

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing by. Marshall J. Moore | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing

Author: Marshall J. Moore

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 9/22/26

Publisher: Bantam

Categories: Horror, Humor, Fantasy, Paranormal

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Bantam for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A mad scientist’s apprentice, a witch’s cat, and a vampire’s wife walk into a haunted mansion…

Humor meets horror in this heartwarming tale of friendship, solidarity, and stolen body parts.

As the laboratory assistant to the brilliant but demanding Doctor, Igor spends his nights robbing graves, stitching together body parts, and ensuring that his master doesn’t electrocute himself (too badly). It’s thankless work, but Igor knows it’ll all be worth it once they finally succeed in the Doctor’s all-encompassing quest to create new life from dead flesh.

When a mob of peasants wielding torches and pitchforks drives them out of town (again), Igor and the Doctor relocate to the isolated Ravenwald Manor to resume their experiments. But Igor and the Doctor are not the only ones seeking refuge within the walls of Ravenwald. The manor is already home to a vampiric Count and his highly dissatisfied bride, Cornelia—and an enigmatic witch and her feline familiar, Grimalkin, intend to use it as the site of a magical ritual.

At Igor’s suggestion, the three pairs come to an uneasy agreement to cohabitate in Ravenwald, lest they attract the suspicion of the nearby village. In the wake of this truce, Igor, Cornelia, and Grimalkin soon begin to realize that they might have more common with one another than their respective masters. When the trio discovers that they’ve been unwitting participants in a horrible plan to destroy the world as they know it, they must work together to stop their masters from bringing on armageddon… and stop the increasingly suspicious villagers from reaching for their pitchforks and torches.

Igor, Grim, and Cornelia must unite to cast off the chains of their masters and embrace life on their own terms in the hilarious, heartwarming, and just-spooky-enough The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing.

Content Warning: grave robbing, body horror

This was gifted to me by the publisher and it is not usually the type of book I would pick up or read but I was curious. The writing is great and it kind of gave me The Nightmare Before Christmas vibes in that it’s horror but kind of cozy. Like I adored Igor and Grim. Igor is the Doctor (mad scientist) assistant and he is not being treated well by his master so it was nice to see him Igor grow and come into his own at the end.

There’s a bunch of interesting characters from all walks of the paranormal world in this one, and it was fun getting to know them.

But because it’s not the type of book I usually read and I needed to be in the right mood to read this I found myself taking awhile to read this one.

Final Thoughts:

If you love horror with humor and a little bit of cozy vibes I think you will enjoy this one. For me, it was outside of the genres I usually read so it took me awhile to get into the mood to read this but the writing is great and the characters were charming.

Read if you like: