New Book Releases This Week | 8/12/25

Happy book birthday to these new releases this week!

Warrior Princess Assassin by. Brigid Kemmerer

New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer makes her adult debut with this irresistible and steamy fantasy about three characters whose paths will collide in surprising ways – two royals pushed into a political engagement, and the assassin tasked with hunting them down.

WARRIOR. King Maddox Kyronan’s fire magic has earned him a ruthless reputation on the battlefield, but now his kingdom is slowly burning. Ky’s only chance to save his people is to enter a marriage alliance with the neighboring nation of Astranza, and hope that the royal family’s power to manipulate the weather will help his land flourish once more. He just needs to ensure no one finds out how the blaze began.

PRINCESS. With war looming on the horizon, Princess Jory’s home needs the protection of the fearsome warrior king, but she is hiding a dangerous her family’s magic is fading. Tempting as it is to reject her duties and run away with her childhood friend, Asher, Jory knows that she is the kingdom’s last hope. When she meets her intended, Jory is surprised to discover that beneath Ky’s daunting exterior is a compassionate and sharp-witted man who sets her heart aflame. But what will he do when he realizes she’s deceiving him?

ASSASSIN. Asher’s done what he must to survive, even if that means getting his hands dirty. Once a young nobleman in Astranza’s palace, where he and Jory caused mischief together, now he’s part of the Hunter’s Guild, employing much darker skills. When a lucrative job comes his way, Asher can’t say no—until he discovers the targets. Someone wants Ky and Jory dead. With the Guild watching, Asher must decide what he’s willing to do to protect the woman he loves.

A tale of three complex characters torn between chasing, betraying, and falling in love with each other, Warrior Princess Assassin marks the beginning of a thrilling new fantasy trilogy filled with enchantment, adventure, and passionate romance.


For the Record by. Emma Lord

An electrifying rom com of rivalry and redemption, perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Daisy Jones and the Six, from New York Times bestselling author Emma Lord.

Once the most notorious rivals in the music scene, pop princess Mackenzie Waters and punk rockstar Sam Blaze electrified audiences as their bands clashed on stage. But behind the scenes, their simmering tension grew into something more — until suddenly both bands fell apart, and the idea of Mackenzie and Sam did, too.

Two years later, Sam has traded the rockstar lifestyle for a quiet life raising the son he didn’t know about. Meanwhile, Mackenzie is dealing with a postoperative change in her voice by only singing under a pseudonym. The only way to revive their public careers? A joint comeback album.

With fans over the moon and their futures on the line, Sam and Mackenzie face their biggest challenge yet: giving up the old rivalry and learning to work together. But as old sparks fly and new secrets emerge, they set off a chain reaction neither of them could have anticipated — one that proves that sometimes, the greatest hits are the ones yet to be written.


Woven From Clay by. Jenny Birch

In this fresh and imaginative contemporary fantasy, a golem must master the magic that binds her together and finds an unexpected ally in the mysterious boy sent to ensure her demise.

Terra Slater might not know anything about her birth family or where she comes from, but that’s never stopped her, and she fully intends her senior year to be her best yet. Until the dark and mysterious Thorne Wilder―a magical bounty hunter―moves to town, bringing revelations that wreck all of her plans.

When Terra learns she is a golem, not born but crafted from mud and magic by a warlock, her world is upended. Worse, Cyrus Quill, the warlock who made her, is a fugitive, on the run from the witches who want to hold him accountable for his past crimes. But Quill’s sentence is death, which would unravel the threads of magic that hold Terra―and all of the other golems that he crafted―together.

Desperate to save herself and her friends, Terra strikes a deal with Thorne and his coven to preserve the warlock’s life and his magic. If she can prove her worth to the coven by mastering the magic within her, the golems will survive. If she can’t, they’ll perish along with Cyrus. As Thorne helps her to see and manipulate the tapestry of magic that surrounds them, their unexpected alliance evolves into something more and Terra comes to understand the depths of her magic, her humanity, and her love for the people most important to her.


Are you getting any new books this week?

Happy Reading!

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Books To Read For Spooky Season | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday | 8/12/25

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: Books Guaranteed to Put an End to Your Book Slump

Books To Read For Spooky Season

I didn’t want to think too much for this topic so I changed it and since we are in August (I know it’s technically summer still), here are some books that will get you in the mood for spooky season!

The Executioners Three by. Susan Dennard

What’s on your TTT?

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram📚) | TikTok | Etsy | youtube


Top Ten Tuesday Topics:

July 1: Freebie/Throwback (Come up with a topic you’d like to do or go back and do an old topic you missed or just want to do again!)
July 8: Books I’d Like to Re-read (Share either your favorite books that you enjoy re-reading or books that you’d like to read again!) (Submitted by Becky @ Becky’s Book Blog)

July 15: Books with Honorifics in the Title (“…an honorific is a form of address conveying esteem, courtesy or respect. These can be titles prefixing a person’s name, e.g.: Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms., Mx., Sir, Dame, Dr., Cllr, Lady, or Lord, or other titles or positions that can appear as a form of address without the person’s name, as in Mr. President, General, Captain, Father, Doctor, or Earl.” For more info, click here.) (Submitted by Joanne @ Portobello Book Blog)
July 22: Books Set in/Take Place During X (Pick a place, time, era, etc. Examples: Books set in Europe/Italy/Australia/Chicago, books set in Regency England, books that take place during the 1900s, books set in imaginary worlds/post-apocalyptic/dystopian worlds, books set on the ocean, books set it castles, books that take place during WW2, etc.)
July 29: Beach/Beachy Reads (Share books you’d take to the beach OR books that take place at the beach.)
August 5: Genre freebie (Pick any genre you’d like and build a list around it. You can even narrow the topic if you’d like, such as: thrillers with unreliable narrators, fantasy romance with fae characters, or historical romance with suspense elements.)
August 12: Books Guaranteed to Put an End to Your Book Slump (Which books would you recommend to someone (it’s me, I’m someone) dealing with the dreaded book slump? No book is grabbing their attention or making them excited to sit down and read and they are suffering for it.)
August 19: Books with a High Page Count (Share those doorstop books!)
August 26: Non-bookish Freebie (The sky is the limit here. Make a top ten list on any topic of your choosing, bookish or not!)
September 2: Books With Occupations in the Title (Submitted by Hopewell’s Public Library of Life)
September 9: Villains (favorite, best, worst, lovable, creepiest, most evil, etc.)
September 16: Literary/Bookish Candles I’d Make (Pick a book and assign it a fragrance or fragrance combo that would make a nice candle.) (Submitted by Heather @ The Frozen Library)
September 23: Books on My Fall 2025 to-Read List
September 30: Book Covers that Give off Fall Vibes (Or, if you’re not a cover person, share the books in general that feel like Fall.)

The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Fallen & the Kiss of Dust

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Format: borrowed (Kindle Unlimited) – but I will buying myself a hardcopy!

Pages: 638

Publication Date: 8/5/25

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, Gods, Series


New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk.

Mische made the ultimate sacrifice to save those she loves – and plunged the world into an eternal night. Now, imprisoned by the gods and obsessed with revenge, Asar is desperate to find her again.

When a goddess offers them a final path to redemption – and back to each other – Asar and Mische embark on an extraordinary mission. Together, they must seize the power of the god of death so Asar may do the ascend to true divinity.

Their journey will take them through mortal and immortal realms, alongside both old friends and ruthless enemies. But as the underworld teeters on the brink of collapse and the gods prepare for a war, Asar and Mische must decide what they are willing to sacrifice for the power to defy death. In a game of vengeful gods and ancient betrayals, there are some debts that even love may not be able to repay.


Content Warning: violence, war, death, grief

We are back in the world of Nyaxia and I really have to commend the author on the world building of this underworld that Asar was taking care of for years. I love that the dead get a place to still belong and feel safe because of Asar and Mische. I love how it expands the world of this series and this time Asar and Mische really get into it with the Gods! These Gods are mad at what Mische did at the end of book one and they send their Sentinels – fearsome godlike warriors that even scared me, after her. They seek justice and that means ending Mische.

The action that was present in The Songbird & the Heart of Stone continues here in The Fallen and there is another quest! Asar and Mische goes through it in this book – there are monsters to fight, Sentinels, death, saving one another, again and again. I don’t even know how many times Mische passes out (she did this a lot in book one too 😅). And talk about growth for Mische – from an obedient worshipper of Atroxus to becoming almost a goddess in her own right. Yes there was some points in this story which frustrated me like when she could have told Raihn, her best-friend, what was going on but she chose not to. But I can see why she was afraid of involving people in the mess she thinks she created.

There are a lot of themes tackled in this one, especially grief, guilt and power (owning it and believing in yourself). I kind of love how while everything got worse and worse, Mische would always try to reassure Asar that they WILL fix it. It got down to the wire where Mische had lost basically everything but Vincent was there for the pep-talk she needed.

And then there is the romance. Asar practically rips the world apart to get to Mische! I wanted more romance in the previous book and wow, did I get it in this one. Their love knows no bounds, come on, their vows? 😭 Both of them will go to the ends of the earth and back again just to save one another. I feel like I haven’t read a romance like this in awhile, where it made me emotional.

Oh, and let’s talk about emotional – why oh why does Vincent always make me emotional?! I thought his interactions with Mische were so funny because she’s sunshine and he’s…Vincent! I love him – morally gray and all. Ugh…but I’m glad he was there, trying to get Mische to get up and fight when everything seemed hopeless. But his relationship with Oraya, the mistakes, the things unsaid, UGHHHH…always makes me shed a tear. And also, Luce? Our good doggy always helping them out even when things get crazy!

The fight between the Gods don’t seem to ever end, and will it ever? Looks like there will be a book five and I can’t wait to see what it will be about because this is a series, since book one, I am invested in. The world-building is detailed, lush and keeps expanding! The characters – all different and fleshed out, none of them perfect, but I love that about them. And the romance, it’s devastating and beautiful.

I didn’t do a re-read of any of the books when going into this one and I didn’t need to. That’s how this world and the books have stuck with me. But I miss Vincent, Oraya and Raihn so much, I might have to back and read book one and two.

Final Thoughts:

What an “end” to Asar and Mische’s story. I’m sure we’ll see them again in the next book but what these two had to go through in their lives and to find one another and hold on no matter the circumstances devastated me in a good way. I love their love. And I love this series. I love Vincent, Oraya and Raihn, and Luce! I can’t wait to read the next book and see how this world keeps expanding and find new characters to love.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read by This Author:

The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by. Carissa Broadbent| ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Six Scorched Roses by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Nightblood Prince by. Molly X. Chang | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️

Title: The Nightblood Prince

Author: Molly X. Chang

Format: hardcover – owned

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 7/1/25

Categories: Romantasy, Young Adult, Vampires, Chinese-Inspired, Love Triangle


Two princes. One prophecy. A fate she cannot outrun.

The night Fei was born, a prophecy was made: she would one day become the Empress of All Empresses.

Torn from her family as a child and raised in the palace to one day marry the Crown Prince of the most powerful empire in the land, Fei has only ever known loneliness. When the opportunity arises to seize her own destiny for the first time in her life, Fei sets out to hunt a legendary tiger, knowing it might cost her everything. What she doesn’t expect is to fall under the mercy of Yexue, the beautiful runaway prince from a rival kingdom. Blessed by the night, harboring a dangerous magic, and capable of commanding an army of deadly vampires, Yexue could be the key to Fei gaining more than just her freedom.

But to outrun destiny, Fei must spark a wave of events that will change the world as she knows it. Torn between two princes and plagued by nightmares of bloodshed, she finds that the stars might be more inescapable—and more irresistible—than she ever considered before. . . .


Content Warning: violence, misogyny, sexism, war

I have the Fairyloot edition of this book and just the gorgeousness of the book makes me want to give it 5 stars but this isn’t only about the cover! So here are my thoughts about the story itself.

I now understand what some book reviewers say they are here for “the vibes”. If I had to rate this one on vibes and the book cover, it would be 5 stars. A girl with a prophecy making her the empress of empresses, and anyone who marries her becomes the emperor of emperors? That alone will cause drama. Fei is born to a poor family but because a seer gave her a prophecy at birth, she is elevated to future wife of the emperor’s son, Siwang. They are raised from birth together and in essence become the best of friends.

But as Fei gets older and the emperor insists on their marriage, she realizes being an empress is not the life she wants. So she does something to try and get the emperor’s favor so she can ask to be free. Fei, is a naive 18 year old girl, who’s lived in the palace all her life and thinks the emperor will let her go. She learns the hard way, some strong life lessons in power and who has it, and who doesn’t – her. Thing is Fei gets what she wants, but it’s the grass isn’t always greener on the other side kind of situation. It does help her character grow though, in some ways.

For most of the book, I liked Fei. She’s young, she’s naive, but she has a strong will and is determined to shape her future the way she wants. I liked that she tried. But in the second half of the book she’s one year older, and her hormones must have been raging because she reunites with Siwang and fights all her feelings for him but something happens between them. Yet in the next few days she’ll run into the Prince from Lan, Yexue, and starts feeling things for him too. I was irritated with her for her feelings going all over the place, but after awhile, I was like, okay girl, two hot princes want you – you got this. 😅. I’m here for the love triangle drama.

Now Siwang is strong, intelligent, poised, and the perfect prince. Whereas Yexue had more personality because he is the bad boy prince, he’s a vampire, plus he’s funny, cares for his people and will actually help Fei pursue her freedom. These boys are OBSESSED with her and with power. But I get all her questioning thoughts about if they are obsessed because of her personality or the prophecy? I liked her choice in the end but also…what was that ending? Is there going to be a sequel?

The chapters are short – sometimes just one page or a paragraph! It moved quickly but at times felt a bit choppy and personally I needed more world building. But for readers who don’t like heavy world-building this is perfect for you. And this is more romance than fantasy. I would love more backstory about Lan and Yexue’s past. It gave Mulan vibes at one point of the story when it comes to the training of the army.

Final Thoughts:

This book is gorgeous, it’s a quick read and I had a fun time with it. It’s definitely for the readers who like light world-building and more romance than fantasy in their romantasy. And it is young adult, so Fei acts like it. I was reading for the vibes and the love triangle drama but personally would like book two (if there is one) to have more world-building!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Weekly Wrap Up | 8/10/25

Aloha friends!

Another week is over and here’s what happened:

+ Kids are back in school so I’m back in the drop off and pick-up routine! And it’s been HOT this week – every time I go out to pick up my kids, I come home dripping in sweat. Yuck!

+ I am seeing Halloween candy and decor at the stores. 😩. It kind of freaks me out because I know that means the next 5 months are gonna go by FAST. School and the holidays always go by so fast.

Blog Posts:

Books I Finished


Currently Reading:

Roots of Darkness by. Demi Winters

Neverthorn by. Shannon Mayer

Reckoning by. Gillian Eliza West

Girl, Goddess, Queen by. Bea Fitzgerald

Sweet Heat by. Bolu Babalola

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

  • The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime Video) – Season 3 – so glad Conrad and Belly are finally spending time again. Honestly cannot stand Jeremiah right now.
  • Chief of War – Apple+ – Episode 3 – so good! My son and I are learning so much of Hawaiian history and culture.

Videos I Posted to Youtube:

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!

Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube

Broken Souls and Bones by. L.J. Andrews | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Broken Souls and Bones (Stonegate, #1)

Author: L.J. Andrews

Format: borrowed (Libby)

Pages: 470

Publication Date: 4/29/25

Categories: Romantasy, Series, Viking-Inspired


Together they’ll restore a divided kingdom—or burn it down—in this new romantasy from USA Today bestselling author and TikTok sensation LJ Andrews.

Lyra Bien intended to live a quiet life to avoid the attention of the magic-obsessed king in the fortress of Stonegate. Until Roark Ashwood—the prince’s silent guard and rumored killer for the crown—invades her village and uncovers the truth behind the silver scars in her eyes. To save her best friend from death, she’s forced to reveal her abilities, and is immediately claimed by the crown as the next melder.

To be the King’s melder is to be revered and feared in equal measures, but above all it is a slow death sentence. Lyra is determined to find a way to free herself and her friends from bondage. But first she must get more information from the silent, brooding sentry who first took her captive: Roark.

As Lyra gets closer to Roark, she soon learns he’s nothing like she assumed—and in fact everything she needs. The more they work as allies, the harder it becomes to ignore the growing passion between them. After a sinister truth is revealed, Roark and Lyra must choose to stand against all they know, or accept their dark destiny.


Content Warning: violence, bodily injuries

+ I didn’t know this was the same author who wrote The Ever King series, which I love. But I shouldn’t have been surprised – I finished this book in three days (only because I was reading another book at the same time).

+ This is a viking-inspired romantasy and I found it refreshing especially with the unique magic system in place. The magic consists of bone magic – and there are some gruesome parts in this book where Lyra has to plunge her hand into a would to use her magic. Or she can manipulate someone’s bones – yikes! What a weapon to have! I found it fascinating and hope to learn more about it. There is political drama, secrets also and a few plot twists.

+ Our MMC, Roark, can’t speak and uses sign language so it was interesting to see him and Lyra go from enemies to lovers but I was definitely rooting for them the whole way. He is basically her bodyguard and with all the forced proximity their desire and like for one another grows substantially. I liked how protective he was of her but we shall see what happens in book two!

+ I loved the side characters like Emi and Prince Thane. I like the camaraderie and sense of family that Lyra observes between Thane, Emi and Roark. Lyra has her own found family as well with Kael and the other people in their group.

~ I did find it a little challenging to figure out what was happening with the magic they were using. I definitely could visualize it when they did it, especially bone craft but I think there is a lot more to learn about all the crafts and I hope we get that in book two. Lyra has all three, she’s a melder, but she learned the magic a little too fast I think for someone who was hiding that part of her and never used it before.

~ There is a major plot twist but I will admit I was confused for a minute as to what was happening. A lot was happening at the end of this story that shocked me. And it ends in a cliffhanger, of course!

Final Thoughts:

I’ve been in a reading slump and I feel like this pushed me out of it! I like that it was viking-inspired instead of all the same romantasy settings I’ve been reading lately and the magic system is unique, though would love to learn more about it. I loved Lyra and Roark’s romance story but with that cliffhanger ending and I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

The Mist Thief by. L.J. Andrews | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Ever Queen By. L.J. Andrews | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Ever King By. L.J. Andrews | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Once a Villain by. Vanessa Len | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: Once a Villain (Monsters, #3)

Author: Vanessa Len

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 8/19/25

Publisher:  HarperTeen

Categories: Series, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Time Travel, LGBT+

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

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


The finale in the contemporary fantasy Only a Monster trilogy from Vanessa Len—which New York Times bestselling authors Holly Black, Chloe Gong, and Stephanie Garber called “delightful,” “captivating,” and “unputdownable”—will take Joan into the darkest timeline in the monster world, as she fights to restore the world she remembers.

Joan has failed to stop Eleanor.

Now, Eleanor rules over a cruel new timeline where monsters live openly among humans, preying on them and subjugating them.

Nick – once a hero to humans, and Joan’s first love – is tormented by the choice he made to save her over the timeline itself. And Aaron – the ruthless heir to a powerful monster family – now finds himself a world where monsters have power beyond imagining, while his feelings for Joan grow.

But, wrenched between love and rivalry, the three of them must negotiate their fractured pasts to survive the new world and restore what was lost. Because only they remember that there was once a better timeline.

To save the world they love, they’ll have to outmaneuver an all-seeing queen who controls time itself. Lethal consequences await any failure in this final breathless race against time.

Content Warning: violence

+ This is the conclusion to the Monsters series and we jump right into the story after all the events that happened in book two. Like the previous books, this story moves quickly, which I like! There are now in the timeline that Joan’s sister, Eleanor, has created and it’s a messed up timeline. Eleanor is Queen but there is electric cars and technology in a time that seems like it’s the 1600’s – so Joan and her friends have a goal to take down Eleanor and fix the timeline.

+ The found family of their friend group is back minus Tom but he reappears later in the story.

+ I always wanted more of Aaron Oliver in this series and it happens in this third book. He takes more of a roll since he’s the head of the family in this timeline.

+ There are some twists I was not expecting in this story and actually made my jaw drop because they kept happening one after the other in the last half of the book. But overall, I think most questions were answered and this was a solid conclusion!

~ It turned into a love triangle and one that was frustrating! Some things happen and immediately Joan is turning from one boy to another and I wasn’t happy with that. But things are resolved by the end of the story, not sure how I feel about it but all parties were happy so that’s what matters.

~ The ending is wild! There was one thing happening after the other at the end, and some of it felt rushed.

Final Thoughts:

This was a great conclusion to the series and I think most people who love the series should be happy with it. I like the fast moving pace, and having more of Aaron in this book. I think there were some parts in the end that moved too fast and it felt rushed but the twists did surprise me. Overall, I think this series was entertaining!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Never a Hero by. Vanessa Len | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Only a Monster by. Vanessa Len | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Let’s Talk Bookish:  Reading Slump vs Bookish Hangover | 8/8/25

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly bookish meme originally created by Rukky @ Eternity Books and hosted by Aria @ Book Nook Bits, where every Friday, bloggers write discussion posts based on a weekly prompt and Dini @ dinipandareads has cohosted since the beginning of 2025.


This week’s topic is:

August 8: Reading Slump vs Bookish Hangover (Jillian @ Jillian the Bookish Butterfly)

Prompts: What’s the difference between a reading slump and bookish hangover—do you think there’s a difference? How do you get out of both situations? What are examples of books that put you in a reading slump and books that caused you to have a book hangover? For more information, Book Riot has some really interesting articles about using neuroscience to understand reading slumps and the psychology of a book hangover.

**********

What’s the difference between a reading slump and bookish hangover—do you think there’s a difference?

I think a reading slump just happens when book after book isn’t hitting or your mood is off, not in the mood to read. A bookish hangover I feel is like any hangover after you had something so good and fun. So a hangover comes after reading what you think is the best book ever or maybe not ever, but a book that got your jaw dropping and your heart pumping. You want that same high but the next book doesn’t hit as good.

How do you get out of both situations?

Pushing through the book you are reading or switching up genres OR taking a break from reading, like a week.

What are examples of books that put you in a reading slump and books that caused you to have a book hangover?

So reading July arcs put me into a sort of slump/hangover because I was reading so many good books! I do feel like I’m in a slump right now only because I think I read so much for July (before July), it was like a reading marathon and now I need a break. So I’ve been reading slower or none at all. But here are some of the books I think that I had so much fun reading this year so far!

August Topics:

August 1: Multiple Copies of Books

Prompts: Do you have multiple copies of any books? What makes you want to get more than one copy of a certain book? What books do you have multiple copies of? Are there any books that you want to get more copies of in the future?


August 8: Reading Slump vs Bookish Hangover (Jillian @ Jillian the Bookish Butterfly)

Prompts: What’s the difference between a reading slump and bookish hangover—do you think there’s a difference? How do you get out of both situations? What are examples of books that put you in a reading slump and books that caused you to have a book hangover? For more information, Book Riot has some really interesting articles about using neuroscience to understand reading slumps and the psychology of a book hangover.


August 15: A Change in Bookish Opinions

Prompts: Have your bookish opinions changed over the years, and if so, in what ways have they changed? Do you think your bookish opinions have changed because of being part of the bookish community (including on social media), reading more books, or book blogging? Have your bookish opinions changed in ways you didn’t expect?


August 22: Quotes & Excerpts/Extracts (Davida Chazan @ The Chocolate Lady)

Prompts: Do you like to use quotes from books in your book review? If so, do you prefer to keep them at a minimum or do you include as many as you can? Do you like to make posts with excerpts or extracts from novels? Do you think that quotes and excerpts/extracts make readers more or less interested in reading the book? Why or why not?


August 29: Six Years of LTB: An Anniversary Freebie

Prompts: How quickly does time fly for us to now be celebrating six years of bookish discussions?! 🎉 Whether you’re new to LTB or have stuck around for years, thank you for joining us in these weekly bookish discussions! To celebrate, we’re making this week an anniversary freebie. Revisit a topic that you’ve done before, go back to a topic that you’ve missed, or write about something else you’re interested in. Check out our blogs—AriaDini and Rukky—for ideas!


For the Record by. Emma Lord | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: For the Record

Author: Emma Lord

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 8/12/25

Publisher:  St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Musician Celebrity Romance

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!


An electrifying rom com of rivalry and redemption, perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Daisy Jones and the Six, from New York Times bestselling author Emma Lord.

Once the most notorious rivals in the music scene, pop princess Mackenzie Waters and punk rockstar Sam Blaze electrified audiences as their bands clashed on stage. But behind the scenes, their simmering tension grew into something more — until suddenly both bands fell apart, and the idea of Mackenzie and Sam did, too.

Two years later, Sam has traded the rockstar lifestyle for a quiet life raising the son he didn’t know about. Meanwhile, Mackenzie is dealing with a postoperative change in her voice by only singing under a pseudonym. The only way to revive their public careers? A joint comeback album.

With fans over the moon and their futures on the line, Sam and Mackenzie face their biggest challenge yet: giving up the old rivalry and learning to work together. But as old sparks fly and new secrets emerge, they set off a chain reaction neither of them could have anticipated — one that proves that sometimes, the greatest hits are the ones yet to be written.

Content Warning:

+ This is such a fun, quick read especially if you like musician celebrity romance which I do! Mackenzie used to be the front-woman for a pop girl band, and Sam used to be in a punk rock band. When they were blowing it up big in the past their agents made them put on a show for fans – give them a teaser of maybe them being in a relationship, even if they weren’t. Now the band days are behind them but they still want to put out their own music.

+ I loved all the characters in this book from Mackenzie and Sam to his son, Ben, and Mackenzie’s old bandmates who are like sisters to her. There is a big found family and family vibes to this story which I adored. Even if Mackenzie was in a rocky relationship with her friend, Serena, I love that this story explored friendships going through tough times.

+ This is a “what-if”, “bad timing” kind of romance which actually took me on an emotional rollercoaster. It’s a second chance romance and this time Sam doesn’t want to lose her. Because Mack and Sam were pushed together for the media and fans, their chemistry was normal but behind the scenes they never dated. Secretly though, they both yearned for one another. Sam is crazy for Mack. I really did love both of them together. I loved their moments together and I was rooting for them hard because they both deserved a happy ending!

~ So Taylor Swift is mentioned in this book, and yes the cover totally looks like her. I kind of wish that wasn’t the case because I felt like Mackenzie is her own character without needing that comparison. And also, why was Sam’s punk rock band called Candy Shard? It sounds so awkward.

Final Thoughts:

This one is a light-hearted second chance romance with some emotional moments. It’s also a quick read. I loved the characters. I also liked how the story explored friendship and a love relationship that maybe was bad timing in the past. It left me with all the happy feelings!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Rival by. Emma Lord | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Break-Up Pact by. Emma Lord | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Getaway List by. Emma Lord | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Begin Again by. Emma Lord | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When You Get the Chance by. Emma Lord | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

You Have a Match | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC Review | Tweet Cute ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Forbidden Alchemy by. Stacey McEwan | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: A Forbidden Alchemy

Author: Stacey McEwan

Narrator:
Billie Fulford-Brown (Narrator)
Joshua Riley (Narrator)

Format: audiobook (audible)

Pages: 480 / Audio Reading Time (approx.): 16 hours and 46 minutes

Publication Date: 7/1/25

Categories: Romantasy, Magic, Enemies to Lovers, Fantasy, Romance


This stunning slow-burn romantasy follows a fated pair who uncover a world-changing secret and are thrust into a violent class war, navigating love, loss, and devastating betrayals.

Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are twelve years old when they are whisked away from the shadows of their disenfranchised mining towns to dazzling Belavere City to discover their magical potential. Those who pass Belavere’s test will become Artisans, wielders of powerful elemental magic destined to fulfill the city’s grand ambitions. For Nina, the Artisan School symbolizes a dream and an escape from her harsh reality, while Patrick yearns to return to his Craftsman family, whose extraordinary physical strength serves the idium mines keeping the city alive.

And then they uncover a devastating Artisans aren’t born, they’re chosen. They part ways on very different paths, leaving them to carry the burden of this secret alone.

In the years that follow, a Craftsman revolution ignites, thrusting Nina and Patrick into opposing factions of a brewing war. Now an elite Artisan with the very rare talent for charming earth, Nina has turned her back on the fight, haunted by the loss of her found family. But fate intervenes when she is captured by Patrick’s rebel group. Despite the years and conflict that separates them, Patrick hasn’t forgotten Nina. He desperately seeks her help for a mission that could shift the tides against Belavere City. Reluctantly, she agrees, battling the sparks flying between them. But when Nina’s first love reappears, asking her to betray Patrick for the sake of the Artisans, Nina faces an impossible choice that could alter the fate of their world.


Content Warning: violence, death

+ The narrators are amazing on this audiobook. The accents are fantastic!

+ The world building is really good in this story. There is a magic system that is really interesting – where people can either be Crafters or Artisans. Miners are rebelling against the Lords who is looking for the Alchemist, which is someone who has considerable power.

+ I really enjoyed Nina and Patrick’s story of how they met, parted and met again. In between that time, both of them have lived different lives – Nina training as an earth charmer and falling for Theo, who is a son of a prominent Lord. When Nina and Patrick meet again, it’s under different circumstances but it starts off a romance where Patrick is falling hard. Patrick is a strong character, harsh because of the conditions he’s had to live in, but I love how he protects his own – he loves his family and community, and is falling for Nina and will do anything for her. Nina feels strongly about him too, even though Theo makes an appearance again, but it gets a little complicated between all of them. It is a slow burn between Nina and Patrick though with a little heat.

+ There are a few twists and turns in this story that kept me attention engaged. There is a lot of secrets and a betrayal. The ending is really good too but ends in a cliffhanger!

~ Nina at times wasn’t my favorite especially in the end. I don’t know if it was because I felt disconnected from her character due to me listening to this as an audiobook?

Final Thoughts:

This is the first book in a series I think and it’s a really good start. I loved learning about this unique world with magic, and miners rebelling against the House of Lords. Patrick is a very compelling character but I think I wanted a little more from Nina. Their romance is a slow burn, but Patrick falls hard, and we’ll see what happens next after that ending. This audiobook version was very entertaining and the narrators sounded really good with their accents. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Ledge by. Stacey McEwan | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️