Recruitment by. K.A. Riley | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Recruitment (The Resistance Trilogy, #1)

Author: K.A. Riley

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 439

Publication Date: 11/3/26 (first published 11/28/18)

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Categories: Dystopian, Young Adult, 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 Fire for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In the Valta, no matter what month you were born, everyone is assigned the same birthday. November 1st. It’s the anniversary of the day when the government declared war on the Eastern Order. The day you turn seventeen, the Recruiters come to take you away. And no one ever hears from you again.

It’s October 31st. Today, Kress is sixteen years old. Tomorrow, she’ll be taken.

The good news? So will her best friend Cardyn, and Brohn, the handsome, enigmatic boy she’s avoided all her life. The bad news? Recruitment isn’t what any of them expected.

Weeks of training await. Military and psychological tests, escape rooms, hand-to-hand combat. The Recruits are told they’re the key to winning the war. But with each day that passes, things begin to make less sense.

If only Kress had been able to bring her trained raven, Render, with her. If only none of them had ever had to come to this place.

Content Warning: violence, simulated death

This dystopian story follows Kress, a girl turning seventeen who will now be taken for training to fight in a war. Most of the story is straight forward and follows the training process the seventeen year olds are put through. Something interesting about Kress is she has a bird, named Render, that is attached to her. We get to know the other people in her group as they go through these trials together.

There were parts of the story that was just lagging with nothing much happening and there wasn’t anything new about the training that got me interested. Things pick up near the end with a twist in the story but by then I wasn’t really invested in it.

I didn’t connect to the characters, but I think I’m just not the target audience for this story but I think teen readers would relate more to this one.

Final Thoughts:

This was just an okay read for me maybe because I’m not the target audience. I do think this would appeal to younger teen readers.

Read if you like:

YA dystopian

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Wrath of the Fallen by. Amber V. Nicole | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: The Wrath of the Fallen (Gods and Monsters, #4)

Author: Amber V. Nicole

Pages: 673

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Series

When Gods dance with Monsters, the world will tremble.

With the return of Samkiel, the rightful heir to the throne, tensions grow in the remaining realms. Battle lines begin to form between those pledging their loyalties to either Samkiel or Nismera. War looms on the horizon, and Samkiel must deal with his growing power. Without the Ring of Oblivion, the dark ancient force living under his skin begins to lash out.

Meanwhile, an ancient power calls to Dianna, plaguing her dreams with messages of retribution. Samkiel, seeking to protect the woman he loves, sets out on a desperate search for answers, but the solution will mean a dangerous voyage to the one place he dares not go—the Otherworld.

Forces, primal and eternal, have taken notice, forcing Ig’Morruthens and gods to work together on a quest to reclaim an object capable of unraveling reality. An unlikely bond is formed in blood and fire, leaving all affected with no choice but one—save the realms or themselves.

It is a race against time as Nismera hunts for Vincent and Camilla, seeking what they stole. Her thirst for power and her armada only grow stronger as she rampages across the realms.

Content Warning: death, violence, grief, possession

+ Once more this worlds open up even more and we get to trek to The Otherworld, and meet some of the princes that rule there. We also learn more about Gatharriel and Death. There are so many more secrets revealed in this story, secrets that reveal the timeline that led to what is happening in present day. Even Unir’s ghost makes an appearance and we learn what his role is in the destruction of the realms. There is also a reluctant alliance between Kaden, Isaiah and Dianna.

+ As the world opens up we meet more fascinating characters. There are still multiple POVs but I still hate Vincent and I’m meh about Camilla. I’m also adding more people to the hate list like Nismera and Milani. Xavier is kind of on it too (but I know he is being manipulated), oh and the Gods are on the list also. What I did like about this book was getting to know Kaden and Isaiah more but mostly Kaden because he had a past with Dianna and we know it wasn’t good but now we kind of know why. I feel like this helped bring closure between them.

+ Dianna and Samkiel are still my most favorite couple, there is love, hardship, they are always working on their relationship and trust, but most of all they are best friends. They are funny together even in the most stressful times. I love how they love one another unconditionally and will burn the world down for one another.

+ All the books in this series end in a betrayal and this one doesn’t, but it ended in a way that brought tears to my eyes. This author is not afraid to kill of characters and the one she chose to kill in this story killed me. Especially since Vincent is still hanging around. 🙄. I need to read book 5 the minute it comes out because I need this constant despair in this story to turn around. I need Samkiel and Dianna to start winning.

Final Thoughts:

I am addicted to this story and love how we get to know more about Kaden and Isaiah. We learn so much in this book as the world opens up even more and more characters are added. I cannot wait to read book 5!

Read if you like:

fantasy
gods vs. monsters
epic romance
reluctant allies

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Book of Azrael by. Amber V. Nicole – 4 stars/2 🌶️

The Throne of the Broken Gods by. Amber V. Nicole – 4 stars/2 🌶️

The Dawn of the Cursed Queen by. Amber V. Nicole – 4 stars/3 🌶️

The Dawn of the Cursed Queen by. Amber V. Nicole | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: The Dawn of the Cursed Queen (Gods and Monsters, #3)

Author: Amber V. Nicole

Pages: 689

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Series

Ask her, boy. Ask her what she begged the stars for and what lives now. Ask her what she ripped from the very heavens. And then ask her if she cares. The old blood runs through her veins.
Nismera and her legions rule the realms as Samkiel’s power fills the sky. With him gone, she strives to solidify her spot on the throne, no matter the cost.

Dianna struggles beneath the weight of half-truths, lies, and deceptions. After overcoming what she thought was her hardest battle, she soon learns she is at risk of losing everything.

Samkiel strives to heal, but he has more on his plate than ever before. The Hand is dismantled, the realms are in turmoil, and the one person he can trust keeps him at arm’s length. Can the two work out their differences, or will they both fall to the blade of the Goddess of War?

The one true king returns, but is it the king or queen who shall rule them all?

Content Warning: death, violence, grief, depression

+ I am addicted to this series! I went straight to book three after reading book two and this world opens up even more. We get to know our villains: Nimsera, Kaden and Isaiah. And we learn what has happened to The Hand after the betrayal in book two. I hated Vincent in this whole thing but I feel there is a redemption arc coming for him but I don’t know if I can forgive him. Samkiel is resurrected but he doesn’t know and Dianna is withholding that information from him, which is making her feel all kinds of guilty.

+ With the world opening up there are more new characters and we even get multiple POVs in this book. But the found family Dianna had and lost is being reshaped again with some of these new characters, which I love.

+ Dianna and Samkiel are one of my new favorite couples because of how they fight, how he won’t let her go, how he makes her feel safe, how they both are so protective of one another, how they push through major challenges together. And their love and bond only grows even tighter in this one. Theirs is truly an epic love story, worthy of the gods! And if books one and two had only one or two spicy scene, this one has many. I chalked it up to them making for lost time when they were apart in book two haha, and hating one another in book one. But in book three they have more time with one another and I didn’t mind because they make spicy time fun. They are the real deal and I feel protective of them too!

+~ All the books in this series are long, but the story isn’t slow I think because of the different POVs we get and usually I am more addicted to one character than the others but in this series, I enjoy reading all the different POVs except Vincent’s (but like I said, I think his will have a redemption arc, but I don’t know if I can forgive him – we shall see! He has to earn it.). I cannot put these books down even though I know I should space it out before book 6 is released. I love the humor, the tragedies and the action scenes are so good.

Final Thoughts:

I loved this book because Dianna and Samkiel are my favorite couple – and they are finally together. They are always trying to protect one another, they can’t keep their hands off one another but also, they work through their problems big and small. I just love how Samkiel is down bad for Dianna, and I love how Dianna doesn’t know what to do with her big feelings for him. As for everything else in the story, there are more characters, and we get to know Kaden and Isaiah more, we get to see a different ruler trying to rule the realms with fear, things are still broken but in this book you can see Dianna and Samkiel try to pick up the pieces. I love that about this story, that’s it’s always about getting up and fighting when you feel lost and defeated. On to book four!

Read if you like:

fantasy
gods vs. monsters
epic romance
found family

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Book of Azrael by. Amber V. Nicole – 4 stars/2 🌶️

The Throne of the Broken Gods by. Amber V. Nicole – 4 stars/2 🌶️

Mortal Things by. Marie Lu | ARC and ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Mortal Things

Author: Marie Lu

Format: eBook (NetGalley) and audiobook (netgalley)

Pages: 368

Listening Hours: approx. 10h 23m

Publication Date: 10/27/26

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); Macmillan Young Listeners

Categories: Young Adult, Gods, 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 Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) & Macmillan Young Listeners for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rose Lin Fairchild didn’t believe in gods, but one chose her anyway.

Rose despises Raven, the god of Death. His mysterious commands. His mercurial moods. His closed heart. But most of all, she loathes that she was forced to become his Harbinger, a human mercenary tasked to fulfil their god’s every want and whim. Still, she would do it again, because being a Harbinger is the only thing keeping her best friend alive.

When a murder rocks the world of the gods, Rose is suddenly thrust into the immortal realm’s spotlight as Raven’s heir. This is her chance to free her friend once and for all. But in order for her to ascend, she must first prove herself to the other gods—and the one person standing in her way is a fellow Harbinger.

Étienne Beauchard is notorious for his sly wit and charming good looks. Rose can’t stand that he is the one assigned to test her abilities, but as their initial hostility evolves into an intense attraction, they find that the gods’ secrets go deeper than they ever expected. Something is wrong in the immortal world, something that threatens to break their bond and engulf them all in war.

As Rose and Étienne fight to uncover the truth and trust each other with their hearts, they realize that everything hinges on the same How far would you go to save the person you love?

Content Warning: violence

+ The narrator for the audiobook did such an amazing job doing all the voices for this story.

+ Rose is a harbringer for the God of Death, Raven. She carries out tasks for him but now he has to pick a regent and it’s going to be Rose, but another God is challenging her. So in order to become regent for Raven, she has to pass a few trials. I thought this world of Gods and harbingers was very interesting. To become a harbinger someone must die so there are some crucial backstories to the characters in this book that are essential to the storyline.

+ There is a found family trope in this story especially because Rose was a foster child and then when she becomes a harbinger, she makes some friends. So I did like how this story was about relationships and it’s something I’ve come to notice about Marie Lu books and why I love them – relationships are complicated but explored a lot in her books, including this one. It gives depth to the story.

+ This is a young adult book and sticks to it, so the romance doesn’t have steam or spice, just some longing between two people who aren’t supposed to be together. I did like how it progressed.

+~ For some strange reason, I thought this was a standalone but I don’t think it is after that ending. I think pacing of the story was up and down – there were some slow parts in the middle, but it picks up again when some truths are revealed. And there are many that I didn’t expect so I enjoyed the twist and turns.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed this story about Gods and their harbingers. Though there were some slow parts in the story, the narrators voice kept me engaged and I liked the twist and turns that show up at the end of the story. I look forward to seeing what happens next!

Read if you like:

Gods
twist and turns
young adult fantasy

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Red City by. Marie Lu | ALC Review | Audiobook – 4.5 stars/2 🌶️

Skyhunter | Book Review – 3.5 stars

Book Review | The Kingdom of Back – 4.5 stars

The Throne of Broken Gods by. Amber V. Nicole | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Throne of Broken Gods (Gods and Monsters, #2)

Author: Amber V. Nicole

Pages: 728

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Series

Descended into darkness . . .
Wronged beyond comprehension, and grieving, Dianna is hellbent on revenge against those who betrayed her. As a legendary Ig’Morruthien, she thirsts for blood and can take any form. But her true form is the most terrifying of all. As the last shred of her humanity is ripped from her, she decides to embrace her monstrous side and set the worlds alight.

Only love can bring her back . . .
Samkiel, an immortal God, was once the sworn enemy of Dianna and her kind. Yet now he alone refuses to believe that the woman he loves has become the monster whom everyone else sees—and he’ll do anything in his power to save her from herself, even if it means losing her forever.

With every realm now at risk from Kaden’s army, and a myriad of new threats on the horizon, Samkiel can’t afford to let his guard down. Only he can pull Dianna back from the brink of damnation. And as Dianna’s thirst for blood only increases, he is running out of time to save them both.

Content Warning: death, violence, grief, depression

+ I had to jump straight into book two after that crazy ending in book one and you know what book two is? A revenge tour massacre for Dianna because they messed with her sister. They betrayed Dianna and took the one thing she loved and I was livid for her and honestly…I’m so glad she didn’t hold back. She is a killer and I was there for it! Once again, I love the epic fight scenes!

+ We get more POVs in this book which made me wonder why at some points…like why Cameron? As for Vincent – hate him. Maybe he has a devastating back story but I never liked him since book one, we’ll see what happens there. We learn a little more about Kaden. We get to know The Hand much more.

+ The romance in this one is devastating because Samkiel is trying to reach Dianna in her grief but he cannot find her, he’s afraid to lose her and bless this man to the high heavens, he is amazing with her. He is patient and he is strong and everything she deserves in a soul mate. He loves her but he gives her space, he won’t give up on her and I love their love story. They are an amazing couple.

+~ This is a long story but I still devoured it – there is some repetition but I think having it revolve around Dianna’s grief was perfect because Gabby was what tethered her to her morality. I felt like this whole book described grief so wonderfully that I hurt for Dianna. Her journey through grief is wrought with so much emotion, I just wanted her to get through the rough parts and with Samkiel there by her side. But her getting to know people in The Hand helped her heal also which was so nice to see. Now there are things at the end of this book that reveal so much, things I wasn’t expecting at all…so I am going straight into book three. I do have to say though the betrayal in this whole series has been well done!

Final Thoughts:

What a sequel! This story is addictive, almost like I’m binge watching a tv series or something…but I cannot put it down. I love how the story moves forward and I was here for Dianna’s revenge tour! I absolutely love Dianna and Samkiel and how their love is epic, I can’t get enough of them so I’m going straight into book three.

Read if you like:

fantasy
gods vs. monsters
slow burn, enemies to lovers romance
grief

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Book of Azrael by. Amber V. Nicole – 4 stars/2 🌶️

The Book of Azrael by. Amber V. Nicole | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Book of Azrael (Gods and Monsters, #1)

Author: Amber V. Nicole

Pages: 572

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Series

World Ender meets Ender of Worlds…
A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life in the deserts of Eoria to save her dying sister. She called upon anyone who would listen, not expecting a monster far worse than any nightmare to answer. Now she does what Kaden asks, even if that means securing an ancient relic from the very creatures that hunt her.

A King thought long dead and long forgotten.
In the old world his name was Samkiel. In the new world it is Liam, but one title remains true throughout time. He is the World Ender, a myth to his enemies, a savior and King to those loyal to him. After the Gods War, he locked himself away, hiding from the world. He denied his crown and responsibilities, leaving the very ones who needed him most to deal with the fallout of the death of their homeworld. Now an attack on those he holds dear sends him back to the one realm he never wished to visit again and into the sights of an enemy he thought imprisoned eons ago.

Now enemies older than time must put aside their differences and work together in hopes of saving both their world and every realm in between.

Content Warning: death, violence, grief, depression

+~ I’ve put off reading this since it came out years ago but I finally sat down and read it and I’m glad I pushed through the beginning of the book which was a little slow because it introduces us to a lot of characters and world-building. Once I kind of understood the different realms and worlds of this story things started to click for me, but it did take me until 15% into the book until things started making sense.

+ The FMC, Dianna is really fleshed out along with the MMC, Liam/Samkiel. She has a past which I would love to learn more about, but this woman has sacrificed herself because she loves her sister Gabby that much. She’s a badass shape shifting assassin who doesn’t give up – love her! I love Dianna and Gabby’s sister relationship, it’s flawed but also very loving. It’s what makes me love Dianna even though she is morally gray and have done monstrous things in order to protect her sister. As for Liam/Samkiel, he is arrogant because he is a powerful king but he has a very traumatizing past. He is, the World Ender, but this man is so tortured from what he’s had to endure, his obligations, his nightmares of the past – I loved seeing his transformation with Dianna’s help as she offers him friendship. There is a big cast and I’m enjoying getting to know everyone so far.

+ The romance is very enemies to lovers. Liam is a god and Dianna is the enemy, an Ig’Morruthens (beasts/monsters), there has been war, death, and killing between these two sides for centuries. Liam and his celestial see them only has monsters, so the fact that he gets to know Dianna and things start to change was amazing to see. They bicker a lot in the beginning but when an offer of friendship is extended from Dianna to Liam, it changes everything. Their forced proximity helps push things along to lovers which was a nice slow burn.

+ The story focuses on the search for a powerful book, the book of Azrael but we learn a lot about the celestials and Ig’Morruthens while on this search. I love the fighting scenes because Dianna is such a badass, it’s a given that Liam is too since he’s all powerful, but Dianna is amazing because she’s been turned into this beast but still has pieces of her mortality clinging on to her.

Final Thoughts:

It did take me a few days to get into this book but once everything clicked for me, I devoured it. I love Dianna and Liam, this world full of gods and monsters, and cannot wait to see what happens in book two which I am reading right away!

Read if you like:

fantasy
gods vs. monsters
slow burn, enemies to lovers romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Threshing Day by. Rebecca Yarros | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: Threshing Day (The Empyrean, #3.5)

Author: Rebecca Yarros

Pages: 204

Listening Hours: 5 hours 33m (approx.)

Narrator (s): Narrated by Gabriel Michael as Xaden Riorson, Torian Brackett as Dain Aetos, Taylor Coan as Rhiannon Matthias, Robb Moreira as Ridoc Gamlyn, Henry W. Kramer as Sawyer Henrick, Rayner Gabriel as Garrick Tavis, Jessica Schly as Imogen Cardulo, James J. Johnson as Bodhi Durran, Casie Platt as Mira Sorrengail, Danny Gavigan as Brennan Sorrengail, Rob McFadyen as Liam Mairi, Renee Dorian as Sloane Mairi, Belsheber Junior Rusape as Aaric Greycastle and GM Hakim as Colonel Thadeus Palme. Featuring Julian Dailey as Aotrom, JW Rone as Sliseag, Joel David Santner as Prince Alic Tauri, Jessica Threet as Glane, Scott McCormick as Professor Kaori, Jillian Levine-Sisson as Trina, Michael Glenn as Marbh, Jon Vertullo as Cath, Tia Shearer as Eya, Wyn Delano as Asher Sorrengail, Stephanie Németh-Parker as Sgaeyl, Dawn Ursula as Thoirt, John Kielty as Chradh, Danny Montooth as Cuir, Steven Carpenter as Teine, Jenna Sharpe as Feirge, David Burke as Baylor, Patrick Boylan as Deigh, Delton Engle-Sorrell as Molvic, Yenni Ann as Joelle, and T. Shyvonne Stewart as Avalyn. With additional performances by Amanda Forstrom, Sara Matsui-Colby, Sarah Ruth Thomas, Nickolette Kong, and Khaya Fraites.

Format: audiobook (Libby) – Graphic Audio Version/Full Cast

Publication Date: 10/13/26

Categories: Fantasy, Series

Welcome to Threshing Day, the brutal, high-stakes trial where would-be riders at Basgiath War College fight to earn the bond of a dragon or die trying. Amid ruthless competition and dragon fire, these thirteen cadets must survive a battlefield where desperate rivals will do anything to gain an advantage and dragons decide one’s ultimate fate―and where a single choice can forge a rider…or destroy them.

Xaden Riorson, the powerful leader. Rhiannon Matthias, the clever friend. Dain Aetos, the dutiful rule-follower. Liam Mairi, the kindhearted protector. Ridoc Gamlyn, the jokester. Sawyer Henrick, the underdog. Garrick Tavis, the dependable aide. Imogen Cardulo, the impulsive fighter. Bodhi Durran, the second-in-command. Mira Sorrengail, the fearless rider. Brennan Sorrengail, the brilliant tactician. Aaric Graycastle, the restless royal. Sloane Mairi, the determined sister.

On Threshing Day, there’s only one rule: don’t die.

Content Warning: death, violence

+ This was my first time listening to a full cast, graphic audiobook and it was an interesting experience. I loved all the different voices and characters and the dragon’s voices being dramatized. The only thing that threw me off sometimes was the sounds of the characters supposedly running while finding their dragons, sometimes it was distracting. But overall it was a cool listening experience.

+ I love this novella because you get to learn about so many of the other characters outside of Violet. Of course I loved Xaden’s story but I loved getting to hear the others and their personalities. It makes me appreciate them, especially because I didn’t totally love Onyx Storm at first (I don’t know why, but I’m going to give it another chance with the full cast audiobook) – it might have been because I read the book right when it came out and it had so much hype and I had very high expectations. We’ll see what I think in my re-read but having this novella about each of the characters gives me more perspective and reminds me of why I enjoyed Fourth Wing in the first place, the romance was one part of it but the characters were the other part of it.

Final Thoughts:

This was a fantastic audiobook, with the full cast making the story really come to life and definitely a book where I need the book trophy on my shelf. It makes me eager for not only book four but also the tv adaption of the series! Definitely read this one if you are a fan of the series.

Read if you like:

Fourth Wing series
dragons

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Fourth Wing by. Rebecca Yarros | Book Review – 5 stars

Iron Flame by. Rebecca Yarros | Book Review – 4 stars

Onyx Storm by. Rebecca Yarros | Book Review – 2.5 stars

Shadow and Son by. Gretchen Powell Fox | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Shadow and Son (Shattered Crown, #3)

Author: Gretchen Powell Fox

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 561

Publication Date: 10/20/26

Publisher: Hopewell Media

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, 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 Hopewell Media for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Scorch the realm. Bring the dawn.

Throne of Glass meets The Return of the King in the highly anticipated conclusion to the Best of #BookTok Shattered Crown trilogy.

A Fractured World

The fragile peace forged in the wake of the Crucible is unraveling. With the rise of an old foe and ancient magic stirring, the scars dividing Arcanis have begun to bleed anew, and the future of the realm hangs by a thread.

A Queen of Shadow

Elyria Lightbreaker has paid a devastating price to save her loved ones. Now, she faces a whole new darkness—and must decide how much more of herself she is willing to give to save a world that has already taken so much.

A Man on the Brink

Rocked by the secrets of his past and the truth behind his power, Cedric Thorne scours the continent in search of the woman he loves. But as enemies emerge from hiding and Elyria is pulled ever farther from reach, he must face the terrifying possibility that saving her may mean becoming something unforgivable. And once his fire is unleashed, there may be no putting it out.

A Final Reckoning

Bound by love but burdened by prophecy, Elyria and Cedric stand at the crossroads of Arcanis’s future. Together, they will confront a truth neither can Not all wounds can be healed, and the price victory demands may not be worth paying.

SHADOW AND SON is the third and final installment in the Shattered Crown trilogy, perfect for fans of realm-shattering high stakes fantasy, character-driven plots, rich world-building, a diverse cast of characters, elemental and shadow magic, and steamy, tension-filled romance—as well as authors like Carissa Broadbent, Penn Cole, Helen Scheuerer, Raven Kennedy, and Sarah J. Maas.

Content Warning: violence, death, torture, suicidal ideation

+ Shadow and Son picks up right after Splintered Kingdom ends and it’s a race to find Elyria and end Malakar. And Cedric, is determined to carry this mission out. Thank goodness he has a lot of help from his friends and found family.

+ This series has a big cast but it has amazing characters I cared about and I love how they all work together to find Elyria, and take down the enemy. There is so much growth for Cedric! I was lukewarm to liking him in book one but wow…from book two to book three, he really transforms which I love. I’ve always loved Elyria – she’s fierce but also a likable person.

+ The romance is so beautiful, I absolutely adore Elyria and Cedric’s love story. I hated them being apart, but the reunion was everything. I love how they are there for one another and got each other’s back. And the way she teases him – I love her funny nicknames for him and he is so patient with her.

+~ Lot of loose ends are tied up wonderfully in this conclusion – seeing Cedric coming into his power was really special. The found family trope was fantastic, I love all these characters and what they bring to the story. But I think I wanted more from Nox, I love them, but just wanted to know more of what they were doing in some parts of the story because they kind of go away and then come back again. And the thing with Kit and Tenny at the end was kind of a surprise because I didn’t feel like it was developed but thrown in? Is there going to be a spin-off? I love this world so I wouldn’t mind more stories in it.

Final Thoughts:

What a conclusion to a series I didn’t even know I was going to continue after book one – not that I didn’t love book one, but I thought it would be a series I’d continue eventually just not right away. I’m actually glad I got to read book two and book three back to back! I love the main characters, secondary characters, the world building, and the found family trope. The romance is epic and full of yearning and love ~ I adore Elyria and Cedric together. And Cedric growth from book one to book three was a satisfying journey. This is a great conclusion to the series!

Read if you like:

epic romance
found family
great world building

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Splintered Kingdom by. Gretchen Powell Fox | Book Review – 4.5 stars/ 2🌶️

Smoke and Scar by. Gretchen Powell Fox | Book Review – 3.5 stars

To Dream in Darkness by. Ann Liang | ARC and ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 0

Title: To Dream in Darkness

Author: Ann Liang

Format: eBook (NetGalley) and audiobook (netgalley)

Pages: 368

Listening Hours: approx. 12 hrs

Publication Date: 10/27/26

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press & Macmillan Audio

Categories: Chinese Mythology, Gods, 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 St. Martin’s Press & Macmillan Audio for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Two gods strike a bargain that leads them on a journey with devastating consequences in this lush historical fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Ann Liang.

China in the age of brilliance, where gods freely wander the three realms. Amongst them is the cruel and beautiful Death God, who has never failed to collect a soul on time. Until now. For when he seeks out Rujia, the noble god of healing―and the only god he is fated to kill with his own hands―she makes him an offer he can’t refuse: she will help lift the excruciating, century-old curse placed upon him if he gives her a one-month reprieve.

Rujia knows she isn’t as noble as everyone believes. Her deal with Death is merely an excuse to buy herself time while she figures out an escape plan. But when her plan causes the Celestial Palace’s collapse and the beloved crown prince’s disappearance, she and Death are both held responsible. The only way to avoid the wrath of all the other gods is to travel across the realms and safely retrieve the crown prince themselves.

Yet the journey proves far more treacherous than expected. As the unlikely alliance between them blooms into more, and Death’s resolve to kill Rujia weakens by the day, neither can outrun their intertwined fate without devastating consequences: A mysterious plague. An empire-destroying flood. A thousand deaths―and rising―to restore the balance Rujia’s disrupted. And if Rujia continues to live despite the will of the Heavens, this is only the beginning…

Content Warning: death, violence

First off, the narrator did a fantastic job and she’s becoming one of my favorite narrators when listening to audiobooks!

Ann Liang is a must read author for me so I was very excited to get the arc and alc for this book. I started off with the audiobook and I would refer to the ebook when I got confused about something. I did finish off the book by reading the ebook.

The story is about the god of healing Rujia, she’s minor god and the death god, Keran – who obviously is a big deal. Both have tragic pasts but when he comes for Rujia and she’s not ready to die yet, they enter into a reluctant pact. He will give her a month for her to figure out how to cure his pain, but while she has the month Rujia will come up with a plan to escape him. Only that doesn’t happen because as Rujia prolongs preventing her death, the Celestial Palace starts to collapse and the crown prince, Junyi, is missing, and now they have the task of finding him or else they will both be punished.

While listening to the audiobook and it switched to Junyi’s POV, I got confused. So that’s where the ebook helped a lot. I did feel like the pacing was off, it was slow in the beginning but it does pick up in the second half. We learn about how Junyi and Keran’s lives intersect and what caused Keran’s pain. We learn about Rujia’s parents and how she wants to make them proud. I loved learning about the different gods and their world. I also really enjoyed the humor woven throughout the story.

The romance between Rujia and Keran is a slow burn with no spice and it was entertaining because he is a grumpy death god, and Rujia is the first one to accept him for all that he is. Their banter was fun once he opened up more. And when the love confessions come, they are so beautiful, Keran had a way with words and describing how much he loved her but the ending is so heartbreaking. Their destinies are bound to one another, in the saddest way.

There is no happy ending here, it’s a story about trying to escape your fate and the consequences of doing so only for fate to play out as it was supposed to. 💔 But I understood why it ended that way because Keran’s job as a death god – he cannot be escaped.

Final Thoughts:

I love this author’s writing, but the pacing for this one was off for me. I still enjoyed the story about Rujia, Keran and Junyi and how their destinies are intertwined. There is no happy ending in this one, it broke my heart after watching Rujia and Keran fall for one another – ugh, this one hurt, but no one escapes death.

Read if you like:

tragic love story
Gods – Chinese mythology
destiny/fate

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

I Could Give You the Moon by. Ann Liang | ALC Review | Audiobook – 3.5 stars/1 🌶️

If You Could See the Sun by. Ann Liang | Audiobook – 4 stars

I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by. Ann Liang | Book Review – 4.5 stars

This Time it’s Real by. Ann Liang | Audiobook Review – 4 stars

A Song to Drown Rivers by. Ann Liang | Book Review – 4 stars

Firstborn by. M.J. Hastings | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Firstborn (#1)

Author: M.J. Hastings

Pages: 464

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Categories: Dystopian, Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Magic, Series

In this epic dystopian romantasy, one eldest daughter must fight for her survival in a world where birth order determines your fate—and defiance comes at a deadly cost.

The first children take up arms. The second children take up books. The third children are taken.

The Long Night is the final trial for Firstborn soldiers, and Bryn Ruelle must prove she can take a life—or face immediate exile. If she survives, she’ll graduate to defending the country’s borders against their magic-wielding neighbors. Bryn has never made a kill before tonight. By dawn, someone will be dead by her hands.

But when Bryn discovers a plot to kidnap the Lastborn, she must discern if the threat to her youngest sister is real, or merely a ruse to throw Bryn off her game. Her search for the truth forces her to work side-by-side with an alluring traitor-born enemy. As adrenaline and rage ignite a dangerous desire she refuses to name, Bryn must choose: her country, or her family? Her siblings, or herself?

Content Warning: death, violence, kidnapping, child abuse

+ Durst and Arcania are enemies and to help fight the war the Durst government put out a rule that mothers have to give brith to 3 children. First one enters the military, second one goes to study at university, and the third…well it’s a mystery what they do with them but Bryn is desperate to find out because her youngest sister is about to be taken away since she is the third born. I thought this world was very fascinating. Arcanist have magic, and Durst deems magic is evil (except when they use it to their own advantage). We mostly learn more about Durst because that’s where this story takes place.

+~ Bryn is the FMC and oh my is she stubborn to the point of unlikable. She frustrated me with how arrogant she was, always fighting people who try to help her and trying to dominate them and yet she can’t even kill someone in a trial. She’s supposedly the best and yet I didn’t see her real fighting skills until the end of the book. So she was not my favorite. She’s deep in her Dursti propanga and training even though she sees things that are wrong, feels that it’s wrong and yet her mind tries to convince her everyone else is wrong. There is growth, but it is slow and she has to see with her own eyes that she has been lied to all her life. But I did love the other characters like Ash and Poe – Poe is my favorite. Someone had to tell Bryn off at times and I’m glad it was Poe! Oberst, was a character we barely got to know. But Bryn’s siblings are interesting, Asa and Wren but would like to learn more about them. The program of having 3 children sacrificed to the government also left broken families because the kids are taken away and put into their perspective jobs so Bryn’s relationship with both is almost nonexistent and tense.

+~ Right away I liked Ash’s vibe but there is a love triangle in this story that wasn’t needed and also didn’t have real time to develop so I’m not sure how or why Bryn cared for the other guy, Oberst at all. It feels so forced and just wasn’t needed. Bryn has issues with figuring out what love is because she was never shown or given love, but this situation with her and Ash, grew because of forced proximity. And I just didn’t buy the feelings she supposedly has for Oberst ~ seems a bit toxic but we’ll see what happens in book two. Also it’s a slow burn but there is spice so I’m not sure why this is tagged as young adult on Goodreads.

+~ This was a story that was hard to put down but also I felt like the story was a little all over the place maybe because Bryn’s emotions are so volatile. There are a few POVs which I did like because some things are happening separate from what is happening to Bryn. But also a lot of changing POVs in the sense Bryn’s is told in first person, and then other characters in third person so I think it was jarring at times. There are a lot of moments of info-dumping also, which I think made the pacing for me a bit off. There is a lot going on here I found fascinating with the world building and the technology they were using but also the magic. So I was hooked on the story but there were just times I wish things were reigned in or tighter.

Final Thoughts:

I couldn’t put this book down because I liked the world building and premise, but I also had some issues with Bryn, the info dumping and the pacing. Bryn is a force, but she’s ignorant and arrogant, she’s broken and hiding a lot of pain, but she eventually sees the light at the end, I’m just amazed it took so much bad things to happen for her to open her eyes. I’ll definitely be reading book two, after all the twist and turns that happened at the end but I do hope book two shows us Bryn growing even more.

Read if you like: