A Crown of Blood and Magick by. Amy De La Force | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: A Crown of Blood and Magick (Fated for Hael, #2)

Author: Amy De La Force

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 9/15/26

Publisher: Canelo Romance

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series

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

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

Now Empress of Hael’stromia, Cahra is supposed to be ruling the three kingdoms. But Ozumbre is seceding, Kolyath’s nobles sow division and King Thierre of Luminaux is lost to grief. Her only solace is her magickal protector Hael, their bond deepening into something… forbidden.

When Kolyath and Luminaux are attacked by an unknown enemy, Cahra dispatches Hael, leaving her exposed. He never returns, and Wyldaern is granted a vision: Hael, beaten to within an inch of his immortality, has been captured.

Cahra must master her power if she’s to find Hael in time, but there are traitors in her midst who will do whatever it takes to strip her of her title. As friends and allies drift further out of reach, who can she rely on to save Hael – and protect the kingdoms from an enemy so mighty, it could change the fate of her world forever?

Content Warning: violence

Book two in this series follows Cahra on her rise as an Empress, with Hael backing her and protecting her. There is a lot more political intrigue in this sequel but I felt like it took me a little longer to get into this book than book one. There is a large cast of characters and it took me awhile to remember who was who.

I didn’t really feel connected to Cahra in this one, and I’m not sure why. It could be that I didn’t believe she was ready to be an Empress over three kingdoms but there was enough to show her struggles and challenges. I did enjoy her relationship with Wyldaern though, I was invested in that.

The romance between Cahra and Hael finally go somewhere after so much yearning between them, and they even get a spicy scene.

Though it does start slow, the story picks up in the second half.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I think I liked book one better than this one. It took me awhile to get into this sequel. The world-building is still interesting and I did enjoy the friendship between Cahra and Wyldaern. I was happy to see the romance move along with Hael, but for some reason I had a hard time connecting to this one. If you liked book one, I do think you will enjoy this one.

Read if you like:

romantasy

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame by. Amy De La Force | ARC Review – ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Ice Beyond by. Olivia Wildenstein | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Ice Beyond (The Empress of Thorns, #1)

Author: Olivia Wildensteiin

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 9/22/26

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Categories: Romantasy, Age Gap, Werewolves, Vampires, Valkyries, Nordic-Inspired

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!

HE DEFIED HIS PACK TO LOVE ME.

I had two childhood dreams: to shift into a wolf, and to win Nordin Stormsson’s forbidden heart.

My first dream shattered the day my mother confessed I wasn’t a shifter, but a valkyrie—stranded in a land far from my people. My second was crushed when Nordin rejected me…only to claim another as his mate.

Heartbroken, I crossed beyond the wards in search of my birth clan. My freedom came at a cost. Dragons, vampyrs, and enemy wolves stalked me through the dark. They weren’t the only ones who came after me, though.

Nordin came too. He seized me before they could, stealing my body and then my heart.

For a time, I dared to dream once more, to imagine a future with Nordin in the land of ice and wolves.

Until I uncovered my beloved’s most closely guarded secret.

A truth about my past.

One that ruined us all.

The Ice Beyond is the first book in a fiercely romantic, Norse-inspired fantasy filled with forbidden love, warring supernaturals, and a spirited heroine who must decide whether to cling to the life she was given or step into the legacy she never asked for.

Content Warning: violence

World Building: This is a Nordic-inspired romantasy, which mention the Nordic Gods like Loki and Fenrir. Zas is ready to shift into a werewolf when she comes of age but when it doesn’t happen, she finds out it’s because she is not a werewolf but something else. This world is not only filled with werewolves though but also vampires and valkyries.

Characters: Zas’s character has lots of potential, but would like more depth – she’s been raised by werewolves but is something else. But she’s young and acts that way because she’s been so sheltered and I wanted to see her grow more. Nordin is her “cousin”, and the one who found her when she was a child but now as she turns into a young woman, there is an attraction between them that he is trying not to act on because people in the pack think they are cousins (which they are not), and he is the Alpha’s son. I did like other characters like Zas’ adoptive mom, Eira and Nordin’s sister, Saga. There are a few characters we don’t know much about, like the vampires and I do want to know more about them.

Romance: So I wasn’t totally in love with the romance. It’s an age gap romance but Nordin is the one who found her when she was a child. He and Zas were raised as cousins, though they are not blood-related, but she is in love with him and wants to tell him badly. But when she is 20, she negotiates with the Alpha to change her age to 21 so she and Nordin can get physical. I didn’t care for that. I just couldn’t get over how he helped raise her and now wanted to sleep with her. And things do get spicy between them. While reading I was hoping another love interest would appear. Plus I just want to see her grow a little and do things for herself, because she seems so young and acts that way. Nordin has protected her since he met her…so some growth is needed.

Story: This story was easy to read even at 500 pages. I felt like the world building was on the lighter side, maybe because it was concentrated on the wolf pack, and I did enjoy that it didn’t take a lot of brain power to read through it. I liked learning about the pack, the politics, and the betrayal. But I wanted to also learn more about the vampires and valkyries which I am sure we will get more of in book two because of the way it ended. The romance wasn’t my favorite, but I kind of want to see what happens in book two before I totally judge the romance. One thing that threw me off, was a few times there was modern speech, like the word “unalived” was used.

Final Thoughts:

I think overall this is a solid start to a new series. There are some things I liked, and some things I didn’t. I will read book two when it comes out just to see what the vampires are all about and maybe we get more about the valkyries too.

Read if you like:

age gap romance
romantasy – werewolves, vampires, valkyries
easy read

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

House of Beating Wings by. Olivia Wildenstein | Book Review – 3 stars

House of Pounding Hearts by. Olivia Wildenstein | Book Review – 3.5 stars

Stone Bound by. Jocelyn James | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Stone Bound

Author: Jocelyn James

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 350

Publication Date: 9/4/26

Publisher: Jocelyn James

Categories: Romantasy, Dark Academia, New Adult

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

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

In Anvarus, every life is divided into sectors, assigned not by choice but by the will of the Infidium. When Peyton Lancaster comes of age, she expects to follow in her father’s footsteps in the Science Sector. Instead, she is forcibly placed into Anvarus’s brutal military academy, stripped of the future she has spent her entire life preparing for and thrown into a world built on discipline, survival, and obedience.

Her situation becomes even more complicated when she discovers her commanding officer is Jude Augustine—the future prince of Anvarus, her childhood best friend, and the boy who abandoned her when she needed him most. Forced into the same chain of command, old wounds resurface alongside a tension neither of them is prepared to navigate.

Jude knows he should treat her like every other cadet, but the moment he sees her name on his roster, instinct overrides reason. He is compelled to protect her at all costs. Peyton refuses to be protected. Determined to prove she is not a liability, she throws herself into training, but her refusal to blindly comply with the academy’s rigid expectations begins to draw dangerous attention.

As the Twelfth Moon Trials approach—where cadets must fight one-on-one for the chance to earn a temper stone—Peyton finds herself walking a knife’s edge between defiance and survival. During the Trials, she nearly dies, and in that moment Jude watches his entire future fracture before his eyes. Peyton survives, but she does not leave the arena unchanged. Her temper stone awakens an ancient, forbidden power—one the Infidium would execute her for possessing.

Now Jude must balance the weight of the crown he is destined to inherit with his growing need to shield Peyton from a kingdom that would destroy her if it discovered the truth. As Peyton struggles to control a power that threatens to consume her, their loyalty to the throne, to the kingdom, and to each other is tested in ways neither of them anticipated.

In a city carved from stone and ruled by secrets, power is never freely given—and love may be the most dangerous rebellion of all.

Content Warning: violence, death

+~ I loved this book cover and title so I was intrigued about this book. It starts off with 18 year olds taking a test to determine what sector they will be in and Peyton is trying into alchemy to follow her dad’s footsteps but when that doesn’t happen and she’s thrown into the sector that basically is the military she is devastated but has to learn quick to survive. I like a story with a military academy and trials, but I didn’t understand why as new students they get thrown into sparring without being taught how to spar first. Jude is Peyton’s childhood best friend but now the leader of her unit and he does no teaching at all which was confusing. So there were moments in the book like that where there needed to be more detail or explanation about something. There were also some things mentioned at one part of the book and never touched on again so it felt disjointed in some areas.

+~ I like that there is magic but we need to learn more about the magic. So the world building is interesting but I just needed more information. I loved the found family aspect of the story but what happened with Peyton’s best friend Davina? They are close in the beginning, then get thrown into the same sector and then barely have scenes together. That was strange to me.

+ I like Peyton as a character, she has a lot of growth and is a very resilient character.

+~ For the most part I thought this was a quick read but there were grammatical errors so more editing would really be great. I had to stop and reread a phrase. Also, I enjoyed the ex-childhood friends to lovers storyline, it’s what made me keep reading but there were some awkward dialogue or moments between Peyton and Jude.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I think this one has tons of potential, especially for an indie author, it just needs some polish. I found it to be a quick read and I enjoyed the romance for the most part but would like more information on the world building and magic.

Read if you like:

military academy
trials
ex-childhood to lovers

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Our Strange Duet by. Erin A. Craig | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Our Strange Duet

Author: Erin A. Craig

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 9/1/26

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Phantom of the Opera Retelling, Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Gothic, Thriller

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!

A reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, spotlighting Christine Daaé as she rises to fame while torn between love, ambition, and the haunting secrets of the opera house from #1 New York Times bestselling author Erin A. Craig.

She was never just the voice he shaped . . .

A rising soprano with a gift she is only just learning to embrace, Christine Daaé has moved through the glittering world of the Opera Populaire longing to find her purpose. Instead, she finds herself caught between two men who refuse to let her slip quietly into the chorus.

One is Raoul, her childhood friend turned devoted admirer, offering her a future filled with warmth, safety, and a love that feels like sunlight. The other is a mysterious masked figure who lurks beneath the Opera House: The Phantom. His brilliance, obsession, and dangerous devotion to nurturing Christine’s talents ignites a dark and complicated passion in her heart.

As Christine’s star ascends, so does the tension between Raoul and the Phantom. She must decide who she is when the curtain falls—and what she’s willing to risk for the life she wants.

Content Warning: violence, stalker, obsession

+~ I love The Phantom of the Opera – it was the first musical I ever saw and so I will always love it. This reimagining follows the story very closely but it’s told through Christine Daaé’s perspective. It had all the things I love about the musical, the dark gothic atmosphere of the Opera house, and the things that happen behind the scenes with the singers and performers. With that said, I felt like nothing new was introduced into the story.

+ In the musical I feel like the phantom, Erik, and his obsession with Christine is very much romanticized. I thought it started to feel like that in this book version also, but through Christine’s voice, his obsession gets frightening.

+ I did enjoy the moments when I saw some of the lyrics of the songs used in the musical in the story. I would find myself singing the songs.

Final Thoughts:

I think if you are a huge fan of The Phantom of the Opera you will enjoy this story told by Christine’s POV. I was curious to see how it would be reimagined, but I felt like nothing new was really introduced, so maybe I was expecting too much. I felt like the phantom/Erik was much scarier in his obsession with this version. I did like seeing things play out though I knew how it goes and I loved the gothic atmosphere. I also loved when lyrics from the songs in the musical would appear.

Read if you like:

Phantom of the Opera
gothic atmosphere

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

A Land So Wide by. Erin A. Craig | ARC Review – 3.5 ⭐️

The Thirteenth Child by. Erin A. Craig | ARC Review – 5 ⭐️

House of Roots and Ruin by. Erin A. Craig | ARC Review – 4.5 ⭐️

Small Favors by. Erin A. Craig | ARC Review – 3.5 ⭐️

Book Review | House of Salt and Sorrows – 5 ⭐️

The Wolf Queen’s Curse by. Kaylee Archer | ARC and ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Wolf Queen’s Curse (Witch of the Wolves, #2)

Author: Kaylee Archer

Format: eBook (NetGalley) and audiobook (netgalley)

Pages: 384

Listening Hours: approx. 13 hrs 30 min

Publication Date: 9/1/26

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin & Macmillan Audio

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series

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

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin & Macmillan Audio for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The previously quiet life of Cordelia Levine, half-werewolf, all witch, has been turned upside down. Both of her parents are now dead, and her grandmother’s vicious attack on Trevelyan, her pack’s home, has left the Albion Pack fleeing and severely reduced in number.

As they recover and strategize a path forward, Cordelia is navigating her role in the pack as well as her feelings for her new husband, the Alpha. But even as their love grows stronger, the fate of the pack lies in their hands, and they must focus on finding a way to survive.

The pack decides that the only way to defeat the cabal and forge a path back home is to rekindle old alliances. The journey proves complicated, however, as each Alpha they encounter has an agenda of his own. But Cordelia and Bishop will stop at nothing to protect their pack – and reclaim their rightful home.

Content Warning: violence

+ This is the second book in the Witch of the Wolves series and I got to listen to the audiobook which I thought was good. The narrator did a great job voicing the characters with all their different accents.

+~ Most of the story is about Bishop and Cordelia trying to strengthen the Albion pack after everything that happened at the end of book one. Unfortunately, the story moves slowly and I just wish more things were happening besides negotiations and visiting other packs. I did like the ending of the story though.

+ Bishop and Cordelia get closer to one another and partake in some spicy scenes but a lot of it is closed door, or not very detailed and quick. I do love the two of them together, they compliment each other very well. I’m wondering how Bishop will react to what happens at the end of this book though.

Final Thoughts:

This one felt like filler plus it was way slower than book one. So for me, it was a little more difficult being invested in all the details about strengthening the Albion pack. I do like Bishop and Cordelia though and wonder what will happen in book three.

Read if you like:

werewolves, witches

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Witch of the Wolves by. Kaylee Archer | ARC Review – 3.5 stars/2 🌶️

The Queen’s Bodyguard by. Lauren Blackwood | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️.5

Title: The Queen’s Bodyguard

Author: Lauren Blackwood

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 8/18/26

Publisher: Delacorte Press

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 Delacorte Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In a matriarchal society with nature-based powers, Queen Theora Umbra is the new, unexpected ruler of the thriving Aranean colony. Her predecessor was assassinated by a rival queen, igniting a year-long war. To finally bring peace, Theora must now grudgingly engage in diplomacy with an unscrupulous enemy.

But peace talks mean no armor or weapons, and Theora has no intention of following her predecessor to the grave. To protect herself, she needs a weapon of a different sort—a bodyguard. But the only way to bring one along without suspicion is to marry one. She quickly selects Argos, a prickly and formidable Warrior with a fearsome reputation, to be her new husband. Once peace is secured, she can easily annul the marriage, and they can go their separate ways.

But like all Warriors, Argos’s ruthless tendencies can only be tempered by dominant will and powerful magic . . . magic that Theora lacks. With the help of a trusted advisor who knows her secret, Theora might just be able to assert her command over Argos and get through peace negotiations alive. But she doesn’t expect to feel so affected by Argos’s protective personality. Pretending to be married and in love is not nearly as difficult as pretending she doesn’t desperately want him—all of him.

The Queen’s Bodyguard unleashes a torrent of blazing romance, set against a vibrant fantasy world with webs of corruption and sexy scheming.

Content Warning: power dynamics, violence

+ I thought this was a unique story. Queen Theora needs protection for peace talks that would last 2 weeks and she decides the best way to get that is to marry a Warrior. Warriors are genetically more aggressive that Dociles and even have magic but there is a way to deal with Warriors – through commands which makes for very interesting dynamics between her and her chosen Warrior, Argos.

+~ This is a quick read with light world building so though I got through it quick, I can’t say I connected much to any of the characters. Also because there isn’t much world building I didn’t feel like I got a good grasp of the magic system. I just needed more. It’s an easy read though.

+~ The romance is basically a two week relationship so it is insta-lust and insta-love. Theora is Queen and Argos is a proud Warrior. The power dynamics show Theora in control but there are clearly times, especially when Argos takes control, that makes her feel a type of way, so that was very interesting. There is a hint of maybe a love triangle in the mix with Theora’s best friend Apollo but it’s not anything that becomes a huge conflict between them.

Final Thoughts:

I think the most interesting thing about this book was the power dynamics between Theora and Argos. I would have loved more world-building and even more depth to the characters so I could connect to them. I did like the political intrigue and it’s a quick read.

Read if you like:

fantasy
insta-romance
power dynamics

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Dangerous Ones by. Lauren Blackwood | ARC Review – 3 stars

Wildblood by. Lauren Blackwood | ARC Review – 3 stars

Within These Wicked Walls by. Lauren Blackwood | ARC Review – 4 stars

Want Me, Take Me, Haunt Me, Make Me by. Isabel Crowley | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Want Me, Take Me, Haunt Me, Make Me

Author: Isabel Crowley

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 8/11/26

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Categories: Paranormal, Romance, Horror

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!

Hazel Lewis has a serious problem. The guy who hired her to conduct a seance before he died turned out to be a serial killer with a demonic contract, and the seance itself was a trap. Hazel escaped with her life, but not as she knew it: the bite of a demon is spreading through her body, letting the supernatural bleed into the world around her, and the now-dead serial killer is waiting to take over her body if she dies.

Hoping to contain the damage, Hazel moves to a small house in a remote location. She figures she’ll stay on her own until she gets a handle on her new dark reality, but she soon finds out that she’s not alone. There’s the reporter demanding answers, the friendly neighbor with chemistry she doesn’t need and problems he can’t talk about…and the mysterious face she sees beyond her window, watching her every night with glowing red eyes.

Making her hunger.

Hazel knew a little bit about the world beyond the physical. Now she’s learning how much she doesn’t know, including who she can trust…and who she can become if she trusts herself enough to give in to the shadows stalking her dreams.

Content Warning: violence, stalking, gore

+ The title for this book caught my interest and the premise sounded intriguing. Hazel is a medium who performs a seance and gets marked by a demon instead. The demon sends his henchman, Ligat, to keep an eye on Hazel and report to him but instead Ligat is attracted to Hazel. So plans change for him and her.

+~ I did enjoy the paranormal elements of the book. I love that Hazel can do rituals, and her job is very interesting. She even has a group of friends who help her out with research and there is the cutest ghost dog named Casper! The house she lived in has some hauntings but overall I just didn’t feel it was creepy enough. Hazel has to figure out how to fight this demon and so I was expecting more horror, but this mostly felt like a paranormal romance rather than a thriller story. There’s even a twist in the story but I wasn’t shocked about it, just maybe a little confused until it is explained.

+~ Speaking of the romance, even this felt a tiny bit lackluster. The spice is fun, and there are frequent moments of it but it isn’t anything super spicy. I don’t know if it’s because Hazel and Ligat are mature people who are just mature and hook up because they are attracted to one another, but I wanted more from them, a little more emotion. I think with a title like this I was expecting way more darker devouring and more passion.

+~ The story starts off strong but the pacing slows down from middle to the end of it, which surprised me. It’s why I felt like it turned more into a romance than a thriller.

Final Thoughts:

I think I went into this story with different expectations because of the title, and the synopsis. It started off strong and I was expecting something really dark and expecting the spice to maybe fit it but overall the story was kind of mild. I did like Hazel and her unique talent and job. Ligat was unexpected because I was expecting a scary demon henchman but instead he’s a nice one. The paranormal romance had spice, but I wanted a little emotion from the two characters. I did respect that they were mature adults and actually acted like it though! Overall, I wanted a little more thrills and chills from the story. It was an okay read, I just wanted more.

Read if you like:

paranormal romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Nest of Tongues by. Randy Ribay | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Nest of Tongues

Author: Randy Ribay

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 8/11/26

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Vampires, Filipino Mythology/Folklore

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

Thank you to Random House Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A lyrical, evocative horror about vampires from the Philippines . . . and a hunter on their tail. A brother and sister fight to protect their secrets, their community, and most of all, each other, in this evocative novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Patron Saints of Nothing.

As Filipino vampires known as manananggal, Lily and her brother Caleb understand the value of a secret. After all, to hide is to survive. To lie is to live. They’d never harm another person—but people only believe their worst fears around creatures of myth. So the siblings stay quiet. They follow their community’s rules.

Until a monster hunter turns up and kills a fellow manananggal, anyway.

Until Caleb is marked as the hunter’s next prey.

Suddenly, he and Lily realize there’s always been more at stake than the lives of their people. Because when doing everything “right” is still a death sentence, what can they take as truth? As the hunter nears, the siblings must decide if they’ll be driven from the only home they’ve ever known . . . or fight to protect a community that may already be lost.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ I was ecstatic to get my hands on this arc because I read one book from this author and loved it. Plus this one was about the manananggal (I’m Ilocano so all I ever knew them as was the Aswang). So the fact that all these scary Filipino mythology and folklore monsters was being feature in a book was exciting to me! I loved learning all about the different creatures and monsters I didn’t know about and was delighted when I read something familiar like the white lady apparition that seems to be common in Filipino ghost stories.

+~ I love that the manananggal was the good guys in this book. I like how it explores the theme of good and evil. I mean there are always two sides to a story right? So most of the story is a mystery about who this bayani could be that is killing the manananggals and it’s a race to stop them before it kills Caleb. And Lily is not about to let that happen. Also, I loved their Lola (grandmother) she made me laugh a few times, and there were times I wished Lily treated her with a little more respect, but I get it – families are complicated, which is explored in the story as well.

+~ Mysteries always feel a little bit slow to me, so there were times I wish it moved faster. There is action, mostly in the second half, and secrets that are revealed in the end. Mostly, I just enjoyed being immersed in the Filipino-American culture that was featured in the book, especially the family and community elements.

+~ This is a young adult book and yes Lily and Caleb, are very young adult in the way they act and speak. These kids curse a lot, which is realistic, but it was a lot more than I was expecting and a bit too much for me at times. But I did enjoy how close they were as siblings, they looked out for one another. Lily was a protective big sister and would do anything to keep Caleb safe.

Final Thoughts:

I’m very excited to see a story based on Filipino mythology and folklore since that’s what I grew up with. Some of the creatures in the book were monsters my parents used to tell me about so I felt seen by that. I’m glad more people will get to learn something about these stories and creatures from this book. I enjoyed the sibling bond, family and community elements that are themes in the book, even if some of these family connections were complicated. There was a little more cursing than I would have liked in a young adult book, but I do think the teens were portrayed very well. I did like the second half of the story more because it had more action and secret reveals. Overall, I think this is a young adult book that people can learn from and also enjoy if they are into vampires, mystery and mythology.

Read if you like:

Filipino mythology/folklore
sibling bond, family
young adult mystery

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Review | Patron Saints of Nothing – 5 stars

Dreamland by. Olivie Blake | ARC and ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Dreamland

Author: Olivie Blake

Format: eBook (NetGalley) and audiobook (netgalley)

Pages: 368

Listening Hours: approx. 12 hrs 45 min

Publication Date: 8/11/26

Publisher: Tor Books & Macmillan Audio

Categories: Horror, Fantasy, Gothic, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller, 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 & Macmillan Audio for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From New York Times bestselling author Olivie Blake comes a tantalizing story of power, seduction, and the omens you’ll ignore when everything you’ve dreamed of feels just within reach.

The headlines are calling it the “summer of exsanguination” in LA—girls are being murdered, the Santa Ana winds are blowing a strange energy into the city, and all signs point to fire season.

More pressing for Anya Morris, though, is the drudgery of living at home, working part time at the family store, and contending with her mother’s disdain for the acting career Anya knows she’s destined for but that feels more impossible by the day.

It’s in this suffocating late summer heat that Anya receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, an invitation to work for the de Witt family, one of LA’s most influential film dynasties. Soon, she’s spending her days and nights at their strange villa high in the Hollywood hills, where she meets Jude, a recluse who is both the family’s heir apparent and its most closely guarded secret.

There’s a magnetism to Jude that Anya cannot resist, despite warning signs that scream like sirens in the night. Because the villa holds generations of bloodstained history, and an occult family curse may even live within its walls—or within Jude himself.

In this city, everyone cuts a deal with the devil. When Anya comes face to face with a devil of her own, she’ll learn just how far she’s willing to go to get everything she’s ever wanted.

Content Warning: murder, gore, violence

World Building: Set in present day, Los Angeles, Anya is half white and Filipino, struggling to become an actress. She gets a job offer by a powerful family in the movie industry, that pays good, but the job is a little strange. Anya loves the perks of being on the inside though even if she’s basically a baby-sitter for a grown man. I really enjoyed Anya’s Filipino family that was represented. But another thing is happening in this story, there are murders happening around Los Angeles, and Anya might somehow gotten herself tangled in the middle of it all. So there is a very dark undercurrent to this story.

Characters: Anya is a morally gray character who is trying to break into the movie industry but also dealing with feelings of inadequacy because her mom expects more from her. But we learn just how far she will go to see her dreams come true. I also liked how she had a complicated relationship with her mom and how that plays out. Jude, is a very mystery character – but is he a killer? We are in his thoughts and head a lot, which got confusing because there are two voices in his head! There are other characters from the De Witt family that is central to this story.

Romance: I was not expecting any romance in this and it’s definitely not the kind that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. I was kind of disgusted and scared for Anya at the same time. There is spice, but like I said, it’s a confusing situation because Anya is attracted to the mystery of Jude, but also enticed by his darkness because she thinks there is a darkness in her too.

Story: This story is wild, chaotic and weird. It’s a story about power and how much one will do for it. Was it easy to follow? No, not really. Because at times it felt like a fever dream! Of course so much is revealed at the end, but I couldn’t tell if Jude’s reality and his thoughts were something I could trust. And though I liked Anya, she would slip into delusions, as if her life was a movie script. I did like how the murder mystery is played out but again, it was not straight forward.

Narrator(s): It is dual narrators and both did such an amazing job, especially the male narrator who had to voice a mentally unstable character! He brought the right amount of crazy and creepiness to the character. The female narrator did so good with the Filipino accents, I felt like I was listening to my own family. I actually switched back and forth from ebook to audiobook and I have to say the audiobook really added something more to the story compared to when I just read it as an ebook.

Final Thoughts:

This was unique, strange, confusing, weird and not exactly for me. But did I listen to this audiobook to the end? Yes, because the narrators did a fantastic job keeping me interested and I had to find out who was committing the murders. There were some things I liked about the story, Anya trying to navigate her world as half white and half Filipino – and her complicated relationship with her mom. Trying to figure out Jude was a little harder. I enjoyed the murder mystery too but overall, I think people who want a story where that is a little out there will enjoy this one more than I did.

Read if you like:

murder mystery – serial killer

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Atlas Six by. Olivie Blake | Book Review – 4 stars

Song For Another Home by. Bora Lee Reed | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Song For Another Home

Author: Bora Lee Reed

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 7/21/26

Publisher: 37 Ink

Categories: Historical Fiction, Korean War

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

Thank you to 37 Ink for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko meets Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing in this powerful story of family separation and reunion, as well as love and war from a Reese’s Book Club LitUp fellow.

When news hits that the Americans have entered the war between North and South Korea, everyone believes the war is all but over. Surely it is only a matter of time before Oksoon’s dad and brother will return from the south where they have gone to look for opportunities. As they wait, they are surprised to see the Chinese have also now entered the war, bombing their capital city Pyeongyang. They must quickly decide if they too should flee south toward Seoul or wait for their family. With winter closing in and very few resources left, the trek won’t be easy—and their father is the head of the family, after all. But neither will it be easy living under a communist regime.

Meanwhile, far to the south near Jinju, Oksoon’s cousin Junho flees the war to find refuge at the Lord’s Beloved Home for Children. As the orphanage struggles to keep its doors open, Junho is put in charge of drafting letters to rich American benefactors, convincing them to send money to Korea. But when the enigmatic orphanage director brings her aristocratic niece to stay at the Home, Junho finds himself caught between his impulse for survival and his growing affections, which put him at risk of being expelled from the only safe place he knows.

Movingly rendered, Song for Another Home highlights the tension between personal dreams and duty to family, the power of resilience, and how choices made in a brief moment have consequences that reverberate for lifetimes.

Content Warning: death, sexual harassment, violence, starvation, suicidal ideation

World Building: Set in Korea during the Korean war between North and South. There are two POVs told in 3rd person. Oksoon and her family flee Pyongyang because of the war but also they are in search of her father and older brother. Junho is Oksoon’s cousin who ended up helping at at orphanage because who fled to avoid going into the military. Both characters have different stories to tell, each dealing with the effects of the war on the people, and their situations but their stories merge by the end.

Characters: I was drawn most to Oksoon because she’s a young woman desperately hoping to find her father and brother while helping her mom and other brother survive their trek from Pyongyang. They meet people along the way, others who are suffering but trying to make the best of things until again they are torn from their safe place. I felt for Oksoon and her family, but mostly for her from beginning to end. Her mom is a strong lady who is trying to keep her kids close and help them survive. Her brother also is trying to help where he can. Junho had an interesting situation at the orphanage which had it’s own dramas with the director trying to find funding for the place and her niece, who comes to help at the orphanage but hiding a secret. The Boatman was an interesting character, as well as Dolly who was a prostitute.

Story: I did find the story riveting but also the ending left me so empty because I was just super sad for Oksoon and the circumstances that led to the decision at the end. I was also mostly drawn to her story. Junho story at the orphanage was important too but for some reason I kept looking forward to Oksoon’s story. The story explores so many themes like family, duty and even women’s roles back then. Overall the story captures the realities of living in a war very well – the strength and determination to survive, families split apart, death, dying, prostitution, lack of food and resources…just everyone trying their best to survive such a harsh reality. It didn’t go into the explanation of the war, it’s more about what happens to the victims of war.

Final Thoughts:

This story captures the ugly side of war, where it comes down to the people caught in the crossfire. Oksoon and her family makes a harrowing journey south to find her father and brother. Junho is pretty much safe at an orphanage but it still isn’t easy when everyone is starving and desperate to keep the place open. I was mostly drawn to Oksoon’s story but overall, I thought this was a riveting read.

Read if you like: