Persephone’s Curse by. Katrina Leo | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: Persephone’s Curse

Author: Katrina Leno

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 12/2/25

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Magical Realism, Romance, Mythology, Speculative Fiction

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

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

Are the four Farthing sisters really descended from Persephone? This is what their aunt has always told that the women in their family can trace their lineage right back to the Goddess of the Dead. And maybe she’s right, because the Farthing girls do have a ghost in the attic of their Manhattan brownstone —a kind and gentle ghost named Henry, who only they can see.

When one of the sisters falls in love with the ghost, and another banishes him to the Underworld, the sisters are faced with even bigger questions about who they are. If they really are related to Persephone, and they really are a bit magic, then perhaps it’s up to them to save Henry, to save the world, and to save each other.

Content Warning: mental health

+ The Farthing sisters are descended from Persephone or so their aunt likes to tell them. But they do have some kind of magic because Winnie can talk to ghosts, Clara is an artist that dreams of her paintings, Evelyn is musical and Bernadette experiences lots of emotions. I loved these sisters and their relationship was giving Little Women! Their sisterly bond was what kept me invested in the story, it’s a beautiful bond.

+ I like how the story of Persephone and her children were incorporated into the story. I think it’s fun how the girls are tied to her and may have a little something of magic because they are descended from her. I love the paranormal aspects of the story: the ghosts and witchcraft.

~ The story does start off a bit slow. We follow these girls and see how their family works, which I love. Sisters fight, even when they love one another and I loved seeing their relationships. But getting to the conflict takes awhile. It happens when Winnie gets rid of a ghost at their house, a ghost who is basically their brother – so that wasn’t really nice of Winnie even though she meant well and was trying to protect her sister. But from there the story picks up.

~ I felt like I needed more from some of the characters like Henry. I love that he’s this ghost boy and basically like a brother to them, but I wanted more from his character.

Final Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this story about the Farthing sisters and them having some powers because of their connection to Persephone. There are ghosts, magic, tight sister and family bonds, and romance. The beginning started off a bit slowly, and I wanted more from some of the characters but overall I enjoyed this one.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Fallen City by. Adrienne Young | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Fallen City (#1)

Author: Adrienne Young

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 11/4/25

Publisher: Saturday Books

Categories: Fantasy, 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 Saturday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In the great walled city of Isara, political turmoil ignites a rebellion one hundred years in the making. But when a legionnaire falls in love with a Magistrate’s daughter, their love will threaten the fate of the city and the will of the gods.

Luca Matius has one purpose—to carry on the family name, maintaining its presence in the Forum once his powerful and cruel uncle dies. But his noviceship with the city’s Philosopher places him in the middle of a catastrophe that will alter the destiny of his people.

Maris Casperia was raised amidst the strategic maneuvers of the Citadel’s inner workings, and she knows what her future holds—a lifetime of service to a corrupt city. But her years of serving as a novice to the last Priestess who possesses the stolen magic of the Old War has made her envision a different kind of future for the city. When she meets Luca, a fated chain of events is set into motion that will divinely entangle their lives.

As a secret comes to light and throws the city into chaos, Luca and Maris hatch a plot to create a calculated alliance that could tip the scales of power. But when an execution forces Luca to become the symbol of rebellion, he and Maris are thrown onto opposite sides of a holy war. As their fates diverge, they learn they are at the center of a story the gods are writing. And even if they can find their way back to each other, there may be nothing left.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ This story is full of tension from the setting and atmosphere – power of the Magistrates, political moves, and a fight with a rebel group of Legionnaires. Plus tension between our main characters Luca and Maris who are caught in a forbidden romance that seems to only head towards tragedy.

+ Maris is a Casperia, daughter of a Magistrate and Luca is the son of a Legionnaire. When deadly politics come between their love, they have to make hard choices. My favorite part of this story is their love which doesn’t show much build up but, does show the struggles they have to endure with their city about to fall. There is so much heartbreak and longing. They are caught in a war and I just felt so bad for them. I did enjoy both characters, and their opposite paths in this story. There is barely any spice, but a closed door scene.

+ The world-building is interesting, it felt like ancient Rome. The city of Isara has a governing body, the Magistrates, who have a lot of power, but a lot of corruption and the people are fed up. They have a military called the Legionnaires, who have turned rebel and there is a lot of politics and betrayal going on. Maris is caught in it because she takes her mother’s seat as a Magistrate, but Luca is caught also because he is on the side of the rebellion. I did like Luca’s relationship with his best friend, Vale, and want to see more of them together – it seems like a deep brotherhood between them. I also loved Theo, who is Luca’s guard.

~ The story is told through two POVs and the timeline shows the past and present and goes back and forth a lot. It shows how Maris and Luca came to be in their present situation but I think the back and forth took away from the story a bit. It helped to understand the tension between them but it pulled me out of the story at times.

~ I felt like I was thrown into the story which made it difficult to settle into it at first. The romance between Maris and Luca is shown in flashbacks, as a whirlwind attraction and romance between them, but we barely get scenes of them. It just has a feel of innocence until everything goes wrong but I wanted more. Same with the politics – the Magistrates are plotting. I understood the Legionnaires stance because they are the rebel group, but the Magistrates had something else going on within their group that had to do with Gods and magic. I felt like I needed more explanation there.

Final Thoughts:

The thing that stood out to me in this story is the tension – there is a war coming, and you feel it from the fear and desperation of the Magistrates and the determination of the Legionnaires. I felt like there was a war drum beating as the city starts crumbling. Same with the romance, because Maris and Luca are not in a good place presently, and it seems like no matter how much they want to be together, sides have been drawn and it feels impossible to bridge. The beginning does start off slow but the story got it’s hooks in me by the second half. I do feel like the time jumping back and forth didn’t work for me and I felt like I needed more information about the Gods, but mostly I did enjoy this story and look forward to book two to see what happens next.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

The Unmaking of June Farrow by. Adrienne Young | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Last Legacy by. Adrienne Young | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Namesake | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Fable | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC Review | The Girl the Sea Gave Back ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alchemised by. SenLinYu | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️

Title: Alchemised

Author: SenLinYu

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 1040

Publication Date: 9/23/25

Categories: Dark Fantasy, War, Romance

In this riveting dark fantasy debut, a woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy—and the man tasked with unearthing the deepest secrets of her past.

“What is it you think you’re protecting in that brain of yours? The war is over. Holdfast is dead. The Eternal Flame extinguished. There’s no one left for you to save.”

Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner—of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.

In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.

According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?

To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight—to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self—is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost.

Content Warning: violence, war, religious trauma, gore, rape, torture, drug use, death, suicidal ideation

This book has been everywhere on my socials, and let me just say I never read Manacled – the fanfic that was written before Alchemised and I’m not that knowledgable about the Dramione fanfic world that this is inspired by. That being said, I had a chance to borrow this one and wanted to see what they hype was all about.

+ I’ll get straight to what was my favorite part of this story – the love story. And when I say love, it’s not the pretty, sweet, happy, kind of love that people think about. Yes it’s a dark fantasy and dark romance story, it’s a captor/captive romance, and not for everyone. But these characters are stuck in a war that’s gone on too long, there is so much death, so much darkness, it’s all they know now: torture, blood, guts, gore, and zombies. Helena and Kaine, fall in love with one another during this very dark time. Kaine is a very red flag, but there is one thing he cares for in this hellhole of a world – Helena. His words to her are cruel, but he takes care of her. His actions spoke way louder than his words. As for Helena, she’s naturally caring because she’s a healer and she starts to see his actions beneath the mask of his words. And she’s lonely, they both are and that’s why they fall for one another. She saw him underneath all of the growling, cruelty and coldness. And no one has taken care of him like Helena has. Their love story is messy, scary, at times unforgivable, but the love or obsession between them really conquers all. Basically they are ride or die for one another and to hell with everyone else (even us reading the book! lol). Their story is emotional, heartbreaking, and I was hoping they were either going to get their happily ever after OR die together. 😅

+~ The world building is extensive and detailed. There was a lot to learn and a glossary would have helped because I felt like I was thrown into it and I was lost or my brain was not open to receiving this education in alchemy. I was like nope, I need it at beginner level please lol. But I definitely could envision this dark world embroiled in war. There is political intrigue, betrayals, and secrets. As far as the war, none of the sides sounded good to me. The Eternal Flame was so righteous in their cause and the Necromancers were so cruel and evil. The Eternal Flame seemed like the lesser of both evils. Also I think I was confused with the world-building of the Gods and such – maybe I would need to re-read it to understand it. The depiction of all the ugliness of war is done well in this story. It’s dark, it’s tragic, it’s like there is no way out of the constant killing and death. The story shows how high the cost of war is, and even I was tired of the war at the end of book.

~ I did have some issues with this book. First, the length. It is told in three parts and I actually had to push through Part One because it felt like it was moving too slow. There was a lot of info-dumping. I understand it’s setting the stage, but it was slow and I almost DNF’ed until a friend told me it gets better. The story did get better but then there would be other spots where again, too much info-dumping so I skimmed some of it. The pacing was not the best for me. I felt like there was a lot of repetition that could have been cut out. I think this would have been better for me as a series.

~ I had QUESTIONS: why was Helena so loyal to Luc and the Eternal Flame? I get that he befriended her in school and she was lonely, but that much loyalty to him? I needed to see how that friendship built. Also, how and when did Kaine get so obsessed with Helena? I wanted to see some moments in school where Kaine interacted with her or thought about her, because there’s a moment where Helena remembers how they were rivals in school but they never talked because he was a guild student and she was a scholarship student. So when did his obsession with her begin?

~ Helena and Kaine, kept going in a circle of don’t you dare die, no don’t YOU die and/or I’m going to save you, NO I’m going to save YOU. 😅. It was dramatic and I love angst, but I think it being so repetitive took out the emotional impact for me. Speaking of circle? This book is written in a way where you will want to go back to the beginning and see what you missed.

Final Thoughts:

I’d say my thoughts on this book are mixed, maybe because of the hype? But I did go into this without expectations. I think the love story between Helena and Kaine is what kept me in the story, I needed to see if they would make it out alive! The world building is dense, sometimes confusing, many things were repetitive and the pace was too slow for me. The story is long. The story is dark (check the triggers), but I like dark stories so I didn’t mind that. I liked that in the darkness of this story, came the tiniest spark of hope – and that hope was two people who did anything and everything to save one another. Two imperfect, misunderstood, broken, used, traumatized people found love, where love was hard to find and I thought that was pretty epic. I can see how people will either love this story and be devastated by it or dislike this book because it’s dark, and it’s triggering, but I’m glad I pushed through it and got to experience it.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Julia Song is Undateable by. Susan Lee | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Julia Song is Undateable

Author: Susan Lee

Narrator(s): Michelle H. Lee

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336 Listening Time: Approximately 10 hours 8 min

Publication Date: 10/28/25

Publisher: Harlequin Audio

Categories: Romance, Contemporary

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

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

CEO seeks dating coach

Critically acclaimed and reader-favorite author Susan Lee’s hilarious adult debut is a shimmering and joyful look at the magnificent—and sometimes suffocating—weight of family, the ways we limit ourselves, and the irresistible power of love.

Julia Song, CEO of Starlight Cosmetics, is at the height of her career. Then why does she feel like such a failure? Maybe because she’s thirty and single, with a terrible track record at dating. And in the eyes of her Korean family, that is just unacceptable. It never really bothered her—that is until her beloved grandmother drops the bomb that she is sick and her dying wish is for Julia to get married. Impossible. So in a moment of weakness, Julia asks her family for help. Set her up on three dates to help her find The One. But it will never work—Julia is undateable. If only there was a coach for that…

Tae Kim knows about the weight of familial expectation. He’s currently unemployed, living in his parents’ basement to care for his ill father. Sure, he’s become somewhat of a fix-it man for the Korean community around town, but that’s not a real job. And the pressure to get his life together is getting to be too much. So when the Julia Song—his childhood crush—asks for his help, it may be just the distraction he needs. He’ll do whatever it takes, even coach her for these three dates. Problem is, the more time they spend together and the closer they get, the more Tae wonders if anyone is good enough for Julia…including him.

Content Warning: cultural ad familial pressures

+ The lone narrator for this book really did a great job doing the voices for all the characters!

+ Julia is a CEO but single. Her Korean family want to set her up on dates because they want her to get married. Tae Kim, the boy across the street that she used to babysit, says he’ll help her find dates because according to Julia’s ex, she’s undateable. I like how this story had a little bit of everything, friendship, lots of family themes, and a sweet romance.

+ It’s not often I come across a romance with the female being older than the love interest. I think there is a 5 year age gap between Julia and Tae but I thought it was cute since they used to be neighbors and their families know each other so well. And I really appreciated that Julia was the rich CEO and Tae was the one who was finding his way but he was a good guy, helping all the neighbors with anything they needed plus he was a caretaker for his parents! Talk about a traditionally “good son”. But this is very much a friends to lovers kind of situation.

+ There are a lot of themes about family and cultural pressures. Julia and Tae are Korean and their families have high expectations on what they expect out of their children. It gets to be a lot, especially for Tae but I felt like it was so relatable even though as a reader, I’m not Korean. I found their situations to be very relatable.

~ I thought the romance was cute but I wanted more from them, more chemistry.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, this was a cute read especially if you like friends to lovers. There are a lot of good family and friendship themes in this story. The narrator did a great job also.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Name Drop by. Susan Lee | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Seoulmates by. Susan Lee | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Ship of Spells by. H. Leighton Dickson | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Ship of Spells (#1)

Author: H. Leighton Dickson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 11/4/25

Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books

Categories: Romantasy, Pirates, High Fantasy

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!

When Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn is rescued from the wreckage of her first naval post, she expects death or disgrace. Instead, she wakes aboard the Touchstone, a mythic vessel whispered of in dockside ballads and royal war rooms alike. With a crew of misfits. A mysterious, elven captain. And a mission tied to the Dreadwall, the crumbling barrier that has kept the Overland and Nethersea from open war for a hundred years.

But the tragedy that sank her last ship didn’t just take lives―it left something behind.

Now Renn carries a secret everyone wants. A magik that’s chimeric, arcane…and slowly killing her. But the captain’s mission may be her only chance to survive, even if he still doesn’t trust her.

Caught between privateers, princes, and spies, Renn knows each choice could sink her future―or set the sea on fire.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ I love this book cover and the deluxe edition with the sprayed edges looks even more amazing.

+~ This story is a high-seas adventure filled with pirates, battles at sea, magic, mages, politics, a sentient ship and a lot of pirate jargon. Although I enjoyed the setting on the seas and the pirate adventure I felt like I was thrown into the story. So it took me a few chapters in to actually get settled into the story and want to continue. This story has heavy world building with names of elves that are hard to pronounce, an elvish language that appears through the book and lots of names. There’s also magic terms to learn as well. I get that pirates have their own way of talking but I didn’t love some of the pirate language in this book. For example, “fog” is used for the F-word and honestly, this is an adult book, so I would have rather had the F-word in it than “fog”. I mean what pirate doesn’t curse?

+~ There are some interesting characters in this book, my favorite being Fahr. Since it’s a big cast of characters, Honor does create a found family on the ship eventually. Speaking of Honor, she is hard to like. She is so stubborn, doesn’t learn, and is so full of pride for someone of lower ranking. I felt like the first few chapters of the book as we get thrown into this world and follow her, there wasn’t anything about her that I wanted to keep reading about and I honestly wondered if this was a book I was going to DNF. I needed more description of her too – I felt like I didn’t know what she looked like. She does have some character growth by the end at least.

+~ The romance is such a very, very slow burn, there is nothing until almost the end. But there is spice. I did wish Honor and the captain spent more time together so that we could see the romance build though, because there really isn’t much there.

~ Pacing was a bit off at times, there were lulls and then scenes of full action. Although I was fascinated and made myself push through this book in the beginning, I’m not sure I can say I fully gelled with the writing style at times.

Final Thoughts:

This is high fantasy and it’s a world you are thrown into as a reader so I felt like it was a rough few chapters and I had to settle in and get used to the FMC, Honor, who is not very likable. And then there was a lot of learn, like the terminology for the use of magic, elvish words and then of course the pirate language. So there is a lot to process, but I did push through because I thought the sentient ship was unique, and the magic was interesting too. There was a lot of adventure and action in this one, but also the pacing was off at times and there were lulls. And even though Honor was the most stubborn character, I wanted to see if there would be growth. Plus, I definitely wanted to see where the romance storyline would go – but it’s a very slow burn. Overall, I’d say I found the story entertaining once I got myself immersed in the world.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

We Fell Apart by. E. Lockhart | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: We Fell Apart (We Were Liars, #3)

Author: E. Lockhart

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 11/4/25

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, 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 Delacorte Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The invitation arrives out of the blue.

In it, Matilda discovers a father she’s never met. Kingsley Cello is a visionary, a reclusive artist. And when he asks her to spend the summer at his seaside home, Hidden Beach, Matilda expects to find a part of herself she’s never fully understood.

Instead, she finds Meer, her long-lost, openhearted brother; Brock, a former child star battling demons; and brooding, wild Tatum, who just wants her to leave their crumbling sanctuary.

With Kingsley nowhere to be seen, Matilda must delve into the twisted heart of Hidden Beach to uncover the answers she’s desperately craving. But secrets run thicker than blood, and blood runs like seawater.

And everyone here is lying.

Content Warning: dementia, death, parental neglect

I read We Were Liars when it first published in 2014 and the tv series just came out on Amazon Prime so I did watch that and it refreshed my memory! I’m glad that show aired because jumping into We Fell Apart was easy as the Sinclair family and Beechwood was fresh in my mind.

We Fell Apart takes us back to Beechwood, just as the event of We Were Liars have concluded. Matilda gets an email from the dad she never knew and he asks her to come meet him at Hidden Beach, where he lives. Matilda has had quite a life with a mom who has basically chosen boyfriends over her – to the point after her mom decides to move away again with another guy, Matilda chooses to stay with her last boyfriend, a really nice guy who doesn’t mind having Matilda around.

Matilda goes to Hidden Beach and learns about this accident that happened with the Sinclairs. She meets her half-brother, his mom, and two other guys living at the run-down house. The summer is going by great but Matilda knows something isn’t right. Where is her dad? Why is the house so run-down? Why is June (Meer, her half-brother’s mom), not taking care of the boys and the house? What is going on at Hidden Beach.

I was sucked into this world again, and honestly love the family secrets in this world the Sinclairs built. The story moves quickly and the reveal in the end is shocking. It makes you question everyone’s motives and choices they’ve made to keep the secret they have been holding. I like Matilda and how she questions what is going on at the house. Also, there is a little romance but that’s not the focus. I thought it was also interesting how June thought she was this carefree, nonconforming wife because she didn’t want to be the Tipper Sinclair kind of housewife but in the end, was trapped in her own partnership with Kingsley. I felt like there were a lot of full circles with this book.

I did think the story moved too quickly though, it felt rushed and some moments – like when Holland (a Sinclair who befriends Matilda at the start of the book) takes her in and explains all about the Sinclairs. It was a lot of telling, and info-dumping.

Final Thoughts:

I actually enjoyed this one a lot because I had just watched the show and I was brought back to this place of summer, sun, family and most of all the secrets. Matilda knows something isn’t right at Hidden Beach and the reveal is devastating for her. I did like that there was a happy ending instead of another tragic one, though there is tragedy. Overall, a good addition to the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

We Were Liars by. E. Lockhart ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Terror at the Gates by. Scarlett St. Clair | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Terror at the Gates (Blood of Lilith, #1)

Author: Scarlett St. Clair

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 495

Publication Date: 7/8/25

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romance

She is the beginning and the end.

She is peace and chaos.

She is terror knocking at the gates.

Estranged from her powerful family, Lilith Leviathan finds refuge in Nineveh, a district in the city of Eden devoted to sin. There, she uses her magic to steal for a living, attracting the attention of the five governing families as well as the church, which expects women to remain pious and silent. When Lilith comes into possession of a beautiful blade, she thinks all her worries are over…until her usual buyer dies while inspecting it.

Frantic, Lilith turns to the only man who can help her: Zahariev, head of the Zareth family and ruler of Nineveh. His currency is information, and his power is extortion, though he’s always had a soft spot for Lilith. But when the dagger appears, he isn’t sure he can protect her from what’s to come.

Together, they embark on a mission to discover the true power running their world. As their lives intertwine, Lilith realizes Zahariev is more than just a friend, but their devotion to each other is a threat—to the truth, to the church, and to those who want to tear it all down.

Content Warning: violence, grief, death, mention of sexual assault and rape

+ I found the world-building in this story to be very interesting. Eden is separated into different district and each district has a head of family – kind of like organized crime but these families have are Elohim and have the blood of God in them. I thought the biblical fantasy was pretty unique! Especially since this Eden is full of sin. There of course is a ruling church in this story that of course, abuses woman, as we learn through our FMC, Lilith.

+ Lilith is from a ruling family but escaped her fate (marriage) for a little while and is struggling to get by in Nineveh which is run by Zahariev. But he’s keeping an eye out for her and helping her when he can despite her protests and calls for independence. She grew up pampered and rich, so this life is different for her but from what I gathered she’s made her own family with new friends, people that genuinely care about her. Lilith is stubborn, but also very loving, as expressed to her closest friends.

+ The romance is a very slow burn between Lilith and Zahariev but things eventually get spicy for them. It’s a forbidden romance, since they are from different ruling families, but it seems they have a friendship or understanding between one another. And clearly Zahariev is down bad for her – I love him! She’s stubborn and fights him but he is so patient with her. He takes care of her and keeps boundaries with her even if she wants him to break them. She has a good man and I’m glad realizes it by the end.

+~ Now part of this story is a mystery. There is a dagger that Lilith has found but she’s learned that wherever someone without Elohim blood sees is, they die. So Lilith is trying to figure out what the dagger is and realizes there is something big happening that involves the church, a secret order, and maybe Gods.

~ Lilith is a good person but a flawed one because there was a part of the story where she should have been there for a friend but because of her own grief and feelings of guilt, she couldn’t show up. I thought in my head, damn, she’s not a good friend but grief affects everyone in different ways. Still…that kind of stuck with me because she was not shy with telling her friends “I love you” constantly throughout the book! But when she had to show up and be there for one of them? Sigh…that was kind of frustrating.

~ Needed more world-building. What we got was a good start, it’s interesting – Eden? Organized crime? Blood of the Gods? But I don’t feel like I got a good sense of these head families that rule Eden. They are at peace right now, but Zahariev wants Lilith and that could start a war…why? Is Zahariev’s family the lowest rank? I had a lot of questions about a few things.

~ I think pacing was okay until the middle. There is the mystery about the dagger, murders and strange globs of slime that could be demons (that felt so random), which slows down the story until it ramps up in the end again. But what is up with the demon blobs? Maybe we will find out more in book two.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I thought this was an interesting and entertaining read even though at times it felt like it was going all over the place. I love Zahariev and how he showed he cared for Lilith by trying to keep her safe and staying patient with her, even though she had no clue. I would love more details in the world-building and maybe some growth with Lilith so I’m looking forward to book two.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Curious Kind of Magic by. Mara Rutherford | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: A Curious Kind of Magic

Author: Mara Rutherford

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 10/21/25

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Cozy Fantasy, 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 Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Everyone in Ardmuir knows that Willow Stokes is a charlatan, including Willow herself. Her father’s shoppe hasn’t sold anything magical in decades, and it’s only hanging on by the skin of the fake dragon’s teeth Willow sells as charms, along with “enchanted” ostrich eggs, taxidermied chimeras, and talismans made of fools’ gold.

Until outlander Brianna Hargrave appears and turns Willow’s fakes into exactly what they’re purported to be. But try as Willow might to enlist Bri’s help, she wants nothing to do with Willow and her curiosities.

Because Brianna is harboring a secret of her own: everything she touches turns to magic, and the consequences have chased her all the way to Ardmuir. All she wants to do is find a particular missing grimoire, which contains a spell that can finally put an end to her curse.

Desperate to keep her father’s shoppe, Willow proposes a bargain that could save them both. Together with the frustratingly handsome printer’s assistant, the girls will uncover a plot that goes far deeper than either could have imagined. But when Willow is forced to participate in an ambitious collector’s quest for the rarest magical object in the world-a quest that risks almost-certain death-she learns that not all treasure is for sale, and that true magic is closer than she ever could have imagined.

Content Warning:

+ Willow is all alone and she runs a shop of magical items – or at least that is what is advertised. Willow knows nothing in that shop is magical until one day, a person comes in, Brianna, touches an object and makes it magical. From then on Willow concocts a plan to use Bri’s help to turn the stuff in her shop into magical objects so that Willow can finally turn a profit and pay her bills.

+ This is a cozy fantasy filled with magic and the possibilities it can bring. Willow is all alone with only Finlay as her best friend, but when Brianna comes along it opens her up to a new friendship and learning to trust others. Willow has this mindset of thinking she’s a charlatan and a thief but mostly because she’s had to do it to survive. I like how her world opens up when magic is part of her world. There is also a quest in this story that brings Brianna, Willow and Finlay together.

+ The romance isn’t the focus and it’s a sweet romance. Finlay is clearly in love with Willow but he let’s Willow set the pace, even when she doesn’t know what she really wants or deserves.

~ If you aren’t into cozy fantasy, you might find this a slow read especially in the beginning as all they are doing is cleaning the shop and trying to find a grimoire to help break Brianna’s curse. It picks up a little more at the halfway point where Willow takes on another quest.

Final Thoughts:

This story had magic, friendship, romance, a magic store and a quest. I think cozy fantasy lovers will enjoy this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

The Poison Season by. Mara Rutherford | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️

Luminous by. Mara Rutherford | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

BLOG TOUR | Kingdom of Sea and Stone by. Mara Rutherford ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Arc Review: Crown of Coral and Pearl ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With Thoughts of Jason by. Caleb A. Mertz | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: With Thoughts of Jason

Author: Caleb A. Mertz

Format: eBook

Pages: 250

Publication Date: 10/15/25 (first published 8/7/06)

Publisher: MerCali

Buy Link: Amazon

Categories: Fiction, Queer

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

**He never wanted to be a secret, but in this town, secrets keep you alive**.

Jason has fantasized about being struck by lightning more than once. This time, after being outed by his now former best friend.

But betrayal yields refuge in a circle of misfits, just as the isolation becomes unbearable. Among them is Tameera with her fierce honesty, Abby who revels in her protective loyalty and the magnetic but reckless Danny whose eyes glint with the dangerous possibility of love. Laughter in smoky rooms, nights stitched together by music and magic, and the fleeting thrill of love makes Jason feel safe.

Yet secrets linger in every corner of this town threatening Jason’s newfound peace. When he discovers the truth his high school tormentor would kill to keep hidden, will his chosen family be enough to protect him—or will the truth cost him his life?

*With Thoughts of Jason* is a haunting portrait of youth and desire, of friendship and betrayal, and of the brutal silence that society demands of those who don’t fit the mold.

Content Warning: mention of suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, bullying, death, drug use (weed), mentions of other drugs, smoking, drinking, animal death

Jason is in high school and dealing with a few things. He’s gay, but in the closet. He is bullied at school, and raised in a Pentecostal home without a father. This story follows his life as someone who experiences his first encounters with a boy, making friends and learning who to trust, and trying to find love. I liked seeing him make friends and expanding his world, and eventually meeting other queer people. His growth was a journey I was invested in.

I felt like the start of this story is really eye-opening and makes a statement about who Jason is and how he has his first experience as a gay boy. I felt like the scenes of him hanging out with friends and partying was relatable and gave me a sense of nostalgia because you could tell this was before social media. And I’m glad Jason had his friends but it was sad that he had no support at home. He had no real bond with his brother, sister and mother. All Jason wanted was to be love and be loved in return.

There are a few topics and themes discussed in this story and some of them are dark. There is suicidal thoughts and attempts, there is bullying, and violence. And I had to remind myself that Jason was young, he was only in high school, trying to survive. There was a dangerous undercurrent to Jason’s life that I could feel throughout the story and I think it’s important that it’s there to give the reader a sense of what queer people may be feeling by being who they are. And it’s not okay that they cannot feel safe in society.

This was a quick read but there were a few times in the story where I felt like I missed something. I think because there is so much that happens to Jason in one year and sometimes the transition from one event to another wasn’t smooth.

Final Thoughts:

This is a heartbreaking, coming of age story about a boy named Jason who is trying to figure life out while being gay, and with no support from his family. There were so many times that his life took a turn for the worse, but through it all he did have some friends to help – and I loved that he at least had that. This story is eye opening, tragic and definitely an important one to tell.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Burning Daylight by. Emily McIntire | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Burning Daylight (Defying the Stars, #1)

Author: Emily McIntire

Format: ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 526

Publication Date: 9/30/25

Categories: Romance, Romeo and Juliet Retelling

Juliette Calloway lives in a world of luxury, legacies, and lies. The daughter of Rosebrook Falls’ most powerful family, her life is a carefully crafted performance, and she’s tired of being polished to perfection.

Roman Montgomery doesn’t exist. Not officially, anyway. He’s a shadow, a hidden weapon, the secret heir to an empire soaked in danger and a generations-old feud.

When their paths cross, sparks fly.
No names.
No pasts.

Just reckless smiles and an undeniable chemistry neither of them can shake.

Roman is charming. Mysterious. Infuriatingly flirty.

And Juliette? She’s simply…his.

When Roman is called back to claim his place as heir to the Montgomery empire, the truth crashes down: Their families are sworn enemies, and Roman’s very existence is a threat. Their love isn’t just forbidden, it’s impossible.

Now, every kiss feels like a betrayal. Every stolen moment a risk. And in a town built on secrets and blood, their passion might just be the most dangerous thing of all.

Content Warning: violence, parent with drug problem, parental pressures

+ This is a Romeo and Juliet retelling and I thought it did a pretty good job with doing that.

+ I liked some of the secondary characters like Juliette’s bestie, Felicity. She was fun! And Juliette has a bunch of brothers, all very different and interesting, I want to know more about them and wonder if the next books in the series will be about them?

+ Juliette is the only daughter of the Calloways and always falls in line, until she meets Roman. Roman/Ryder has had a challenging life so far – he’s dealing with so much, a mom who is drug addict, a sister who is constantly ill, and a dad who stays out of his life to keep him “safe”. I was really invested in Roman and rooting for him.

+ The focus of this story is the star-crossed, forbidden romance between Juliette and Roman. I thought the two of them were made for one another. Roman is obsessed with Juliette from the start, he brings the longing and yearning. Whereas Juliette is the princess of the Conway family, she’s ready to obey her family (even though she doesn’t want to), but when she meets Roman, he’s the only one she wants. I thought they were cute together and clearly he is down bad for her! And of course there is some good steamy scenes between them.

+ There are a few betrayals in this story and a few twists at the end. There are people who get away so I’m sure this will carry into the next book.

~ Because the focus was on the forbidden romance, I wanted more about the families and what made them dangerous. We are told the Calloways are basically the most powerful family in town but I wanted to see that power. I thought the betrayals and the twist was good but I just wanted to see the families exerting their power.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a pretty good Romeo and Juliet retelling! I loved the romance, that was my favorite part. I would love more family drama and politics – would love to see what makes the Calloways dangerous. Juliette’s brothers were interesting, so I’m wondering if the next book will be about one of them? I look forward to seeing what happens next in the series.