Hawk and Sparrow by. Ayana Gray | ARC and ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 0

Title: Hawk & Sparrow

Author: Ayana Gray

Pages: 352

Format: audiobook and ebook

Listening Hours: 10 hours 20 min (approx.)

Narrator (s): Renika Williams-Blutcher

Publisher: Balzer + Bray, Macmillan Young Listeners

Publication Date: 9/1/26

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Mystery, Historical Fantasy

Sparks fly in this Gilded Age novel of mystery, magic, and romance by the author of the New York Times–bestselling Beasts of Prey.

Nineteen-year-old Vesper Evans has always resented Basalton’s high society, and the sorcery that provides them with a luxurious life unimaginable to most. Orphaned as a child and rescued by the editor of TheBasalton Globe, Vesper is now an ambitious reporter determined to keep her newspaper afloat.

While covering a lavish society gala, Vesper happens upon a shocking the murdered body of an inventor whose new machine promised to bring the benefits of sorcery to everyone. Several of the powerful magical elite may want the man dead, but the prime suspect is wealthy industrialist Maximilian Kite.

Max soon makes Vesper a tempting Find the culprit and restore his reputation in exchange for a substantial fee. Despite her distaste for Max’s world, Vesper agrees—the money would save the Globe, and the story would be the scoop of a lifetime. There’s only one In order for her to infiltrate society, the two must pose as a courting couple.

Their investigation takes them from the highest echelons of privilege to the seediest backstreets of Basalton. As they unearth the city’s secrets and scandals, Vesper finds herself in grave danger—while falling for one of the most infuriating, arrogant, handsome men she has ever met . . .

Content Warning: death, violence

+ The narrator did a good job keeping me engaged in this story.

+ Set in the Gilded Age, Vesper is an investigative reporter for The Basalton Globe and she is caught in a murder mystery. A wealthy sorcerer, Maxmilian needs his name cleared so he hires Vesper to figure out who killed the inventor that Max was working with. If Vesper helps, she gets enough money to save the newspaper that is her whole life.

+ I thought Vesper was a very determined reporter and Max, her wealthy partner in crime made them an interesting pair. She opened his eyes to the world of people struggling and she got a taste of the way the upper crust in society was living. Which is why I think their sweet, slow romance was really cute. This is young adult and stays that way, there is no steam or spice in this one which was nice.

+~ If you like murder mysteries, you will love this one. Mystery always move a little too slow for my taste but I do love this author’s work and the narrator kept me engaged! So though it was slow, I admired how invested Vesper was into her investigation – it’s what makes her a good and dedicated reporter. I also like the magic element in the story.

Final Thoughts:

The narrator did a great job keeping me engaged in this story. Vesper is a smart and determined FMC, and Max was a charming partner, and there is a sweet little young adult romance between them. If you like a murder mystery and want to try one set in the Gilded Age and has magic, you might like this one.

Read if you like:

Gilded Age – historical fantasy
young adult fantasy
murder mystery

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

I, Medusa by. Ayana Gray | Book Review – 4.5 ⭐️/1 🌶️

Beasts of Prey by. Ayana Gray | Book Review – 4 ⭐️

Pretty Vicious: The Order by. Lexi Davis | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Pretty Vicious (The Order, #1)

Author: Lexi Davis

Pages: 303

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 1/13/26

Categories: Secret Societies, Dark Romance, New Adult, Series

Laurel just wanted to survive college, keep her father fed, and fly under the radar.

Delivering pizzas was supposed to be the safe kind of side hustle, until the night she witnesses a murder at Ashford House, the most elite and secretive fraternity on campus.

Now she’s a prisoner of The Order, a blood-bound society that controls everything from politics to police. They rule with ritual, obedience, and violence, and they’ve decided Laurel doesn’t get to leave.

At the center of it all is Carrson Ashford, heir to the powerful Ashford legacy.
Cold. Commanding. Infuriatingly magnetic.
Under the rules of The Order, he “bonds” her, marking Laurel as his.

Body. Mind. Soul.

But Laurel isn’t here to be claimed. Not without a fight.
To save her father and her future, Laurel must navigate a twisted realm of initiation rites, brutal secrets, and a bond that may destroy them both.

In this world, there’s one rule: obey or die.

But love doesn’t follow rules. And neither does Laurel.

★ Dark academia meets Southern Gothic in this emotionally intense, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, morally gray, twisted college romance filled with secrets, violence, and impossible love. Perfect for fans of Penelope Douglas, LJ Shen, Shantel Tessier, and Sierra Simone.

Content Warning: violence, death, assault, mention of rape, alcoholism, physical and emotional abuse, prostitution, *check triggers in book*, suicide, suicidal ideation

I’ve been slowly going back to contemporary dark romances after being picky about which ones to read for a few years now. But the sound of a Southern Gothic dark romance sounded so intriguing so I got this one on Kindle Unlimited and was pleasantly surprised.

Laurel is in the wrong place at the wrong time and that leads to Carrson Ashford, son of a powerful man, to take her and make her his Bonded to save her life. Laurel is thrust into this dark, strange, creepy world of The Order – a secret society of men and women who basically produces the people that will someday run the world in every aspect – financial, world leaders, and more. And Carrson is poised to inherit it all but nothing comes easy in The Order. Success comes at the hands of killing and lots of blood, so Carrson is now a good person – but Laurel sees something redeemable in him.

The Handmaid’s Tale is mentioned in this book a few times because the role of women in The Order is basically to procreate, and the rules for them are diabolical. But Laurel is questioning their culture and rules since she is forced to bond to Carrson. But this is a very dark world, a very dark upbringing for anyone who belongs and grew up in The Order.

I was wary about Carrson because he’s an alpha-male, a killer, and sometimes an a-hole but surprisingly Laurel softens him up. Which is why I actually enjoyed their romance. He becomes protective and possessive of her but not in a way to dominate her. There is more to Carrson than what he presents and we actually get a good insight to his heinous upbringing. Even the spicy scene to me was particularly tame for a dark romance but I loved it because it showed he had restraint and had come to care a lot for her. So I’m rooting for them to make it!

Final Thoughts:

I am surprised I enjoyed this one! The characters have depth, and the spice was meaningful instead of degrading or too dark. It’s a very dark story so please check the warnings beforehand! I am totally rooting for Laurel and Carrson’s love story and I hope we see them make changes to The Order as the story progresses in the series.

Read if you like:

dark romance
secret society

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Dark in Her Veins by. M.K. Lobb | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: The Dark In Her Veins (#1)

Author: M.K. Lobb

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 8/25/26

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Categories: Dark Fantasy, Dark 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 Sourcebooks Casablanca for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From critically acclaimed, bestselling author MK Lobb comes a noir romantic fantasy set in a world in which sin is a fatal disease, and the rich hire the poor to carry out their basest instincts—until the forbidden romance between a sinner and a mysterious figure threatens to destroy everything.

In Valestadt, everything has a price. Sinning leaves its mark in the form of the Bloodrot, a slow-creeping disease that leads to madness, then death. Most sins are negligible, but murder—committed enough—can be fatal. For the rich, violence is something to be outsourced. For the poor, it’s a paycheck that comes with a cost.

Talin Keller is a sinner. Employed by the holiest man in the city, the Prophet, she gets her hands dirty so his can stay clean. And with her Bloodrot rapidly advancing, Talin knows her next job could be her last. But when a new assignment puts Talin on a collision course with a shadowy figure known as “the Warden,” she begins to see a future for herself that doesn’t involve a body bag. If she can get close enough to the Warden, she can trade his life for her own freedom. That is, if she can keep her balance on the knife’s edge.

The closer Talin gets to the Warden, though, the more she finds herself falling for his sharp edges and twisted sense of justice. As savior and sinner bleed together, Talin finds the real threat isn’t either man – but a conspiracy tied to the past she hoped was dead.

Content Warning: violence, death, BDSM, cult, religious horror

World Building: This world is very fascinating and takes inspiration from religion. In Valestadt, sinning leaves you with bloodrot, a condition that leaves you with dark veins that will eventually kill you. And Talin is a sinner – a hired killer for the Prophet who is the holiest man in the city. How convenient that a holy man would let someone else get their hands dirty for him. Talin wants out, and to live the rest of her short life free – but she meets the Prophet’s brother, the Warden, a crime lord and a diabolist which is someone who feeds off of confessionals. Talin is caught in a trap of her making, but her goal is to come out of it hopefully alive. Check the trigger warnings for this one.

Characters: Talin is a sinner, she is a hired killer with no hope of a future but she wants out of her job. Her past is a mystery though, but I could kind of figure out the secret she was hiding. She is messy, traumatized, loves pain, is bisexual and surprisingly to her and the Warden, a submissive. The Prophet, Gabriel, is a holy man but as we find out – holy doesn’t equal to good. The Warden, Slade, is who Talin is drawn to because both are sinners in their own way and morally black. Both love pain, and are both equally not okay. Ceri and Emeric are secondary characters that brought a little humanity to these morally black characters, and I enjoyed them.

Romance: Talin and Slade are both bisexual, both love pain so yes there is BDSM. But surprisingly, I didn’t find this super spicy, just at times maybe uncomfortable since there is violence in their sex play but it is both consensual. Now I kind of want to say even though I characterize this as dark “romance” there is no romance here. Both characters do not want love and cannot give the happy love kind of romance. No…as Slade said, his idea of love is obsessing over someone. So yes, this is a dark romance, by the end of this they are both obsessed with one another.

Story: I could not put this story down because I thought the world was fascinating: the prophet, the warden, the cult and sinners. I found the morally black characters equally interesting and wanted to see how Talin would get herself out of the trap she was in. Now there were times I thought she was so incensed with rage that she wasn’t thinking right – and it felt like Gabriel and Slade were a step ahead of her most of the time. But I was definitely hooked to see how she would get out of the trap, and if she would survive it. The ending is a cliffhanger which left me disappointed because I wanted more! So I guess I have to wait patiently for book two!

Final Thoughts:

I was hooked on this one mostly because I wanted to see if Talin could find her way out of this trap between two brothers. All she wants is to live before the bloodrot takes her but…does she deserve to live? These characters are morally black, the story is dark, it’s violent, it’s twisty, there is no trust, there is no love blooming between the Talin and Slade, but maybe obsession is and I didn’t mind that at all. The world is fascinating but would like to learn more about the diabolists and how confessions fuel them, also more about the cult. I wanted more at the end but I had to settle for a cliffhanger. I’ll be looking forward to book two.

Read if you like:

BDSM, knife play
dark romance
political intrigue

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Full Throttle by. J.K. MacLaren | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Full Throttle (Love in the Fast Lane, #1)

Author: J.K. Maclaren

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 8/18/26

Publisher: Dell

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Sports Romance, Racing Romance, Second Chance 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 Dell for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

She’s the first-ever female driver. He’s her biggest competition. They broke each other’s hearts. Can they survive a cutthroat Formula 1 season . . . as teammates?

When Juliette Marchmont becomes the first female driver in F1, she knows it’s her one shot to prove she has what it takes to win. She has sceptical managers, rivals, and fans to prove wrong, all while driving the worst car on the grid…and her teammate is the man who broke her heart.

Dominic Hastings is the Prince of F1, but all his composure and accolades couldn’t stop his own father from firing him after a disastrous performance last season. He’s desperate to show his distant, secretive father and the rest of the racing world that he’s far from finished…but can he survive working with the woman who destroyed his life?

Forced to train in close quarters, Dominic and Juliette butt heads on and off the racetrack. As the competition grows ever more heated, and their connection undeniable, they start to wonder if the bruised love between them might be repaired after all…but they can’t afford distractions. Teammates or no, only one driver can emerge as world champion, and each is willing to do whatever it takes to cross the finish line first.

Content Warning: complicated parental relationship, harassment, misogyny

+ This second chance sports romance is filled with tension, complicated relationships, some spice and of course racing. All of it made a good combination and an entertaining read.

+~ The story is told with a dual timeline, the present and the past, it goes back and forth to show us how Juliette and Dominic met and why they are where they at in the present. I don’t usually like flashbacks but I actually liked how this dual timeline played out. I loved the peek into the racing world and I thought the racing scenes were fun and dramatic enough. The rivalry between racers added to the tension and high stakes of the racing world. The secondary characters were great also, but I do think Juliette’s twin brother could’ve had her back a bit more.

+ Juliette is a rising star in the racing world but she’s female so that means things are harder for her. If she wins they say she slept her way to the top, if she loses it’s because she’s female and not good enough. All she wants is to prove to everyone she has what it takes and I was cheering her on. Dominic is the Prince of Racing, he comes from a family of racing and winning but he hasn’t won a championship yet – but he’s come close. He feels that isn’t enough to please his father. So with Juliette back in his life and hating his guts, he has to make a choice eventually…racing or Juliette. I think Dominic’s story had more depth because of his relationship with racing and his dad but I totally sympathized to Juliette’s challenges being a woman in a male dominated field also.

+~ I think the second chance romance was well done. Juliette and Dominic are on bad terms but get thrown together as teammates. In the past timeline we see how Juliette is a student and Dominic is her instructor, so there is that trope. We do have to wait a little to figure out what went wrong between the two of them, and there is a little miscommunication but they eventually sort things out. I do wish we saw more of their past relationship and how in love they were before things went wrong. But I did enjoy their second chance among the drama of the racing world.

Final Thoughts:

This has romance, family drama, racing rivalries and even exciting races. It explores the women in sports theme and I enjoyed seeing Juliette prove them all wrong. Definitely check this one out if you like car racing romances!

Read if you like:

racing – sports romance
second chance romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Best I Never Had by. Amy Buchanan | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Best I Never Had

Author: Amy Buchanan

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 8/18/26

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Second Chance 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!

They staged a romance, faked a breakup, and this time around, anything can happen—even something real.

Thea Pappas has always been the storm in her own life—fiery and unpredictable—traits that led her and her younger sister, Addy, through a series of foster homes. But with Addy’s whirlwind engagement, Thea is determined to be the perfect maid of honor, even if she finds it odd that she hadn’t heard of the fiancé until the ring was on Addy’s finger. She believes she can survive a week in the Blue Ridge Mountains with a group of strangers without causing any trouble.

But upon arrival, Thea realizes these aren’t strangers. Among the familiar faces is Owen Hayes—the man who, three years ago, paid her to pretend to be his girlfriend at a family wedding. Now, he’s looking at her with the same panicked expression.

Owen’s life has always been about control—managing his mother’s matchmaking schemes, his family’s expectations, and the career path he never truly chose. Thea was his one rebellion, a beautiful lie that ended with a “heart-destroying” fake breakup. Now, with his younger brother’s wedding underway and his mother on the prowl, Owen begs Thea to reprise their roles. One week. Same fake breakup. No feelings.

But as old sparks reignite and the lines between pretense and reality blur, Thea and Owen will have to choose: carry on their greatest performance yet or admit the truth—that it was never fake at all.

Content Warning: complicated family

+ I thought this was a fun second chance romance! Thea and Owen fake dated in the past when Owen needed a date and now her sister Addy is engaged to Owen’s brother Harrison. So now they have to fake their relationship again so that Owen’s mom doesn’t find out and get upset.

+ The best thing about this story was the theme of family. Thea and Addy had a hard childhood and went into foster care, so they have only one another. Thea is the older sister and is overprotective about Addy. Owen became the man in his family after his father died and he does everything for the family business and tries to keep everyone happy. Both Thea and Owen know the burden of taking care of family and trying to please them, which makes them bond. And like any family, there are complicated relationships. Owen’s family is large and fun but can also be a pain, it was funny to see their interactions.

+ The romance was sweet with some spice. Owen is someone always taking care of people so being with Thea makes him feel a bit more free. Whereas Thea feels safe and taken care of by Owen. I thought they were cute together and I thought it sucked that they had to hide their feelings because of Addy and Owen’s mom!

~ I didn’t like Addy, especially how she acted towards Thea and asking Thea to stay away from Owen so that nothing bad happens to ruin the wedding. But honestly the both of them had a lot to work through when it came to their sister relationship.

Final Thoughts:

This was a cute read and it was interesting to see what happens after you fake date and are caught in the lie. Thea and Owen were cute together and actually deserve some happiness with one another. I didn’t like Addy and Owen’s mom but the rest of Owen’s family was so much fun!

Read if you like:

family themes
second chance romance
fake dating

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Love and Lies by. Lena Kiefer | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Love and Lies (Westwell, #1)

Author: Lena Kiefer

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 8/11/26 (first published 6/22/22)

Publisher: Atria Books

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Forbidden Romance, New Adult, Mystery

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

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

Their families rule New York’s high society. Their love could burn it to the ground. The first book in the internationally bestselling Westwell series.

Helena Weston has one goal when she returns to her glittering New York City life: clear her sister’s name. Two years ago, Valerie and her fiancé, Adam Coldwell, were found dead after their champagne-soaked engagement party—and ever since, the powerful Coldwells have blamed Valerie and the Westons for the tragedy. Determined to uncover what really happened that night, Helena throws herself into the same ruthless circle that destroyed her sister’s reputation…only to find herself face-to-face with the one person she should hate the most.

Jessiah Coldwell has spent years trying to survive his brother’s death—and break free from the world that whispered while they buried him. When Helena Weston storms back into his orbit, he knows she’s dangerous. She’s angry, impossible, and a walking reminder of everything his family lost. But she’s also the only one who sees him for who he is—and who understands the pain he’s been trying to outrun.

As the lines between loyalty and longing begin to blur, long-buried secrets rise to the surface—threatening to destroy them both. But some fates you can’t escape, and in a city where love and lies are two sides of the same coin, they’ll have to decide how much they’re willing to risk for the truth—and for each other.

Content Warning: death, mention of drug use, grief, complicated parental relationships, violence, mention of kidnapping

+ This story gave me Romeo and Juliet vibes plus some Gossip Girl. Helena Weston is back in New York City, after the death of her older sister Valerie due to a supposed overdose, and her family’s reputation has taken a big hit. But she wants to find out the truth about the night her sister and her fiancé, Adam, died. Jessiah, is the younger brother of Adam, and he hates the Weston family – blaming Valerie for his brother’s death. Helena hates Jessiah’s family for dragging Valerie’s name through the mud. So it’s very “two houses in Verona”, the feud between the two families is very Romeo and Juliet.

+~ I like how Helena and Jessiah both have depth to their. They both understand the pressures of belonging to families in high society with power. They have rules to follow, although Jessiah has a reputation for breaking them. Helena is more restricted because her parents threaten to send her back to England in order to control her. They are both experiencing grief. Now I would like to see them fight back against their parents a little more, especially Helena. There were some other interesting characters like Elijah, Jessiah’s youngest brother who has panic attacks. And I enjoyed Jessiah’s close friends – he seems to know some good people. I wish Helena had the same.

+ Because this is very Romeo and Juliet, it’s a forbidden romance. Two people who was taught to hate one another, meet and realize there is chemistry between them. Not only chemistry but they have shared grief, so they understand one another on levels other people cannot. But as with Romeo and Juliet, they cannot be together. Jessiah’s mom is doing everything she can to ruin Helena’s family for revenge. There is some spice, and I was definitely hoping there was a way they could be together.

+~ Helena is doing her best to find leads into her sister’s death. She wants to prove Valerie wasn’t the one who supplied the drugs that killed her and Adam, but this puts Helena in some dangerous situations. I also feel like once the romance really kicked in between Helena and Jessiah, the investigation was pushed to the side. So I did wish there was more to it because I too want to know if Valerie was innocent or not!

+~ There were some phrases I thought sounded strange when I read them but then I did some research and apparently this was a German publication that got translated. So that makes lots of sense!

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a solid first book in a romance series that set the groundwork with the forbidden romance. The setting of high society New York City is always enticing and filled with power plays and drama. There is no lack of it here and I was really rooting for Helena and Jessiah to be able to be together. But we shall see what happens in book two after that ending. I hope there will be more leads about Valerie’s death.

Read if you like:

Romeo and Juliet – forbidden romance
high society NYC
mystery

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Killing Rules by. Bree Despain | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Killing Rules

Author: Bree Despain

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 8/4/26

Publisher: Entangled: Mayhem Books

Categories: Young Adult, Horror, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Paranormal, 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 Entangled: Mayhem Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Seventeen-year-old Harper Westbrook isn’t afraid of monsters…she is one.

For the past three years, she’s been one of the Blood Bound―girls and women cursed with a bloodlust only satisfied by killing terrible men. Once every three months, she trades in her pom-poms for a lethal throwing axe. Her life is led by a strict set of rules to keep her dark secret as hidden as the bodies she buries.

And her number one rule? Stay away from Grayson Jones.

The boy she was totally falling for until the night her curse manifested, everything went horribly wrong, and she killed his father. It was self-defense. Or at least that’s what she keeps telling herself.

Grayson is an investigative reporter for their school paper, and he’ll stop at nothing to find the truth behind his father’s gruesome death.

As he follows new clues down darker and darker paths―to an unbelievable world of mythical beasts and the men who hunt them―Grayson doesn’t realize he’s on a collision course with Harper’s biggest secrets. Now, she must stop him before he exposes her family to the Hunters, even if it means risking her life and heart.

Because who could ever love a monster like her?

Content Warning: violence, death, injuries, gore, murder

The Killing Rules is about a popular cheerleader named Harper who has a very dark and gruesome secret. She’s a monster, a blood beast. She kills bad men.

This story is a little bit gory, there is a murder mystery and but there is even a romance. I think the first half builds a bit slowly because of the mystery of Grayson’s dad being murdered and other murders that are occurring in town. Harper is living a double life as the popular girl and a killer, plus if her ex-friend/crush Grayson knew her secret he would look at her differently – it’s why she pushed him away when his dad was killed. Everything picks up in the second half where there are a few twists, like Harper isn’t the only one going around killing people – so who is it? Also we learn about blood beasts and hunters!

I liked Harper, she couldn’t control what she was and I kind of love that the monster in her only killed bad people. This story kinda gave me vibes and energy of the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Final Thoughts:

This had mystery, action, gore and romance. I liked how it explored friendship, family, and feminine rage. I also enjoyed the second half with the twist and turns. Definitely check this out if you like YA thrillers!

Read if you like:

young adult thrillers
horror, gore

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Vow of Eternal Night by. Lily Crozier | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️.5

Title: Vow of Eternal Night

Author: Lily Crozier

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 8/4/26

Publisher: Entangled: Amara

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, Gothic

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: Amara for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Clara Wagner has always known that monsters are real, and the worst of them is Prince Raleigh of Rostenburg. But when he decides it’s time to marry, Clara inadvertently finds herself at the center of his attention.

Forced to accept Raleigh’s proposal, Clara would do anything to escape her fate. So when the prince provides an ultimatum―lift his vampiric curse before the end of the year, or become his bride for eternity―Clara knows what she must do.

Heal the prince. Stay alive. Try not to fall in love.

Content Warning: death, grief, violence

Set in world (I think in Austria) where vampires and other monsters are real, Clara is forced to be engaged to Prince Raleigh of Rostenburg. But they have a bargain, if Clara can figure out how to cure Raleigh from his vampirism, he will let her go.

This is a slow burn, low spice vampire romance with lots of gothic vibes. I actually loved Clara and Raleigh’s interactions – they are both grumpy characters which made things entertaining. She is not afraid of him and adjusts to her situation of captivity pretty well I think. Raleigh is not a very aggressive and alpha male type of vampire but yet at times can still be scary because he is what he is. He left her alone a lot, which was one of my issues. I would have loved to see them getting to know each other better and have more of a build up to the romance. It has one spice scene and though I loved their bickering at times, I wanted more. The story gave Beauty and Beast vibes, which I enjoyed and is told like a fairytale.

There is found family, secrets, betrayals and I was really interested to see how this would all play out and if Clara could break Raleigh’s curse. There is also action and some vampire fights which I thought were fun. I’m a sucker for relics like silver crosses being a weapon against vampires!

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a fun retelling of Beauty & the Beast, but with a vampire twist. It has a great gothic and fairytale atmosphere and the main characters were entertaining in the interactions. I just wanted a little more from the romance and maybe it was a bit predictable but I still had fun reading it, especially because of the action scenes. This is a pretty solid debut!

Read if you like:

standalone
vampires
Beauty and the Beast retelling

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Tides of Fortune by. Lauryn Hamilton Murray | ARC and ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: Tides of Fortune (Storm Weaver, #2)

Author: Lauryn Hamilton Murray

Format: eBook (NetGalley) and audiobook (netgalley)

Pages: 480

Listening Hours: approx. 16 hrs

Publication Date: 7/21/26

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Series, 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 Roaring Brook Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Return to the spellbinding world of Heir of Storms in the explosive second installment to the Storm Weaver trilogy, perfect for fans of Red Queen, Throne of Glass, and The Rose Bargain.

Having survived three treacherous trials to win her crown, Blaze is now Queen of the Aquatori. But before she can take the throne, she must set out to find the Eye of the Soul, one of the realm’s most powerful weapons, before another claims its power for themself.

Her journey will take her deep into the forests of Ostacre and into a temporary alliance with the infuriating but undeniably compelling Fox. She can’t help but feel drawn to him. . . but can she trust him? Fortune favors the brave, but will it protect the Storm Weaver on her most dangerous mission yet?

Narrated by not just Blaze, but her brother, Flint, and the newly-discovered Shadow Magi, Elva, the epic journey that began in Heir of Storms continues in the sweeping adventure of Tides of Fortune.

Content Warning: violence

World Building: There are 3 POVs in this sequel – Blaze, Flint and Elva. Elva’s POV gives us insight into what is happening with Hal and the kingdom he is ruling, but his grip on his power is fragile. Blaze and Fox are together and antagonizing one another, and Flint finds himself with Spinner and Sheen. There is a lot of traveling in this story which is very different than book one.

Characters: I think there is a lot of growth in these characters in this sequel because they are split up and dealing with their own situations. Flint is hilarious, and dealing with Sheen and Spinner makes things interesting. Blaze is trying to trust Fox, and I feel like they learn so much more about one another. As for Elva and Hal, Elva has to make some hard choices, but their story was sad.

Romance: There are three romances taking place. Of course my favorite is Blaze and Fox, who have a very enemies to lovers type of relationship. I was always looking forward to Blaze’s POV because of their banter. Flint has an interesting development in his love life. And there is Elva and Hal, and they have their own challenges.

Story: This is definitely different from book one, and I found it a little harder to get into. I think because there was a lot of travel and I didn’t feel like much was happening. But there was a lot of character development, which is fine, but it just felt slower and took me longer to read. I still love Blaze and Fox the best, whenever I read her POV, I felt like the story moved faster because I cared about them so much more.

Narrator(s): Loved the narrators voices, and their accents were great.

Final Thoughts:

I think this is a solid sequel and there is more character development. It did go a bit more slowly for me, compared to when I was reading the first book. The narrators did a great job and I loved their voices.

Read if you like:

fantasy
romance
banter

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Heir of Storms by. Lauryn Hamilton Murray | Book Review – 4 stars

Vows of Blood and Deception by. Aria Ashbrook | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Vows of Blood and Deception (The Hirathean Path, #2)

Author: Aria Ashbrook

Pages: 544

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 7/7/26

Categories: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Series

She won the Goddess’s blessing. She got everything she asked for. So why does it feel like she’s lost it all?

Rose Kultavaris survived the Retterheld. She reclaimed her magic. Her title. Her place at court. But victory can be a hollow thing.

The palace celebrates her as the gifted, yet behind gilded doors alliances shift, secrets surface, and the past refuses to stay buried. The pretty crown Prince Kyor chose over her remains firmly on his arrogant head – and every time their paths cross, the tension between them threatens to burn down the High Hold itself.

In transpired that the Goddess’s “gift” did not restore Rose’s life anywhere near as neatly as promised.

Old betrayals cut deeper than any blade, while new truths shatter everything she thought she knew. Rose is more alone than ever, and her power, now reclaimed, proves far more dangerous than anything else she has faced.

In a court built on lies and ambition, Rose must decide what she truly vengeance, love, or something far more dangerous … freedom.

Vows of Blood and Deception is the second in a dark, spicy slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy series, perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, The Serpent and the Wings of the Night, and Throne of Glass.

Content Warning: violence

World Building: In this sequel, the world opens up and instead of trials there is a quest. Rose needs to find the Issen so they can teach her about the ice magic she has and has to hide. She needs to figure this out before she hurts someone with it. So Rose and some of her friends go on a journey that is filled with some danger, but mostly them getting to know one another more.

Characters: Rose has ice magic and needs to learn more about it. Kyor is back, and he wants Rose back but they have a lot things to work through, most especially trusting one another. He is so stubborn! I love the found family. Rose’s friends Benny, and Ruben are fun! Caz is someone we get to know more about. I think there was growth for all the characters.

Romance: Things are complicated for Kyor and Rose, but clearly he is obsessed with her and she can’t stop loving him though she is angry with him too. So it takes a lot for them to act on their desires. Every time they make progress, something breaks them again, but I think by the end of this book, they are committed even though it seems like there is no hope between them. They are trying so I’m rooting for them! I just wish Kyor could say why he won’t turn his back on his horrible father.

Story: I do think this story moved forward but I did hope they would run into the Issen like in the middle of the story but that wasn’t the case. So for me, this sequel felt a little bit like filler – it was a back and forth between Rose and Kyor for sure. I did enjoy Benny and Ruben though! Also, the dire wolves were great. They brought some humor to the story. It ends with a cliffhanger but I hope we see Kyor grow a little more.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed this one though I wish we got to see Rose get answers about her magic. So yes this did feel like filler, but I did enjoy Benny, Ruben and the dire wolves. The romance was a lot of back and forth but I like that they are trying to work through their challenges and problems. It ends with a cliffhanger so I look forward to reading book three.

Read if you like: