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

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: A Curious Kind of Magic

Author: Mara Rutherford

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 10/21/25

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Cozy Fantasy, Romance

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

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

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

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

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

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

Content Warning:

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts:

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

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

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

Luminous by. Mara Rutherford | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

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

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

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: With Thoughts of Jason

Author: Caleb A. Mertz

Format: eBook

Pages: 250

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

Publisher: MerCali

Buy Link: Amazon

Categories: Fiction, Queer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts:

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

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Burning Daylight by. Emily McIntire | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

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

Author: Emily McIntire

Format: ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 526

Publication Date: 9/30/25

Categories: Romance, Romeo and Juliet Retelling

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

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

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

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

Roman is charming. Mysterious. Infuriatingly flirty.

And Juliette? She’s simply…his.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts:

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

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Scar in the Bone by. Sophie Jordan | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: A Scar in the Bone (A Fire in the Sky, #2)

Author: Sophie Jordan

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 10/14/25

Publisher: Avon

Categories: Romantasy, Dragon Shifters, Series, 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 Avon for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

MAGIC AWAKENS.

DARKNESS SWELLS.

AND A HERO RISES.

It’s been a year since Tamsyn transformed from the enemy in Fell’s bed to the wife he sacrificed himself to save. From an ordinary girl to Penterra’s best hope to keep magic from disappearing forever.

With Fell torn from her side in the dangerous swirling mists of the Crags, Tamsyn is alone among the dragon pride. An outsider learning to survive in her new home, she trains until her muscles burn and her blood spills. And slowly, a warrior emerges.

But is Fell truly beyond Tamsyn’s reach? Their bond pulls at her, as does the fierce drive to protect both humans and dragonkind from a relentless enemy determined to destroy her – and all magic.

Magic stirs in the darkness, strengthening all who believe in it. But will it be enough to save the pride, the kingdom, and a love fated to endure for centuries?

Content Warning: violence, whipping, buried alive

This is the sequel to A Fire in the Sky which I rated 3 stars. And I was very curious after the cliffhanger in book one to see what would happen in book two and things got interesting.

One year has passed and Tamsyn is dealing with the lost of Fell. Vetr, Fell’s twin brother, has taken her into their dragon pride and is teaching her how to fight but she is lost in grief. She feels the bond with Fell still and cannot let go. She finds out that Stig (once her good friend but has turned evil) is now married to her younger sister and is Lord of the Borderlands, now that Fell is gone.

Vetr is not trustworthy and even when his desire for Tamsyn is made known, he kind of gave me the ick especially during an event where he made her go into alone to test her. I did not like him and really balked at how maybe she started to feel something for him. But I did like that we get to learn how Vetr runs things in his pride and how things worked among his dragons.

Tamsyn does grow a lot in this book but I was getting frustrated with her for the first half of this book. She’s stuck between thinking she can be both human and dragon but to be human she has to hide her dragon side. To be a dragon she has to forget her human family.

Once more the last 25% of this book was full of action, some twists and turns and then there was an abrupt ending. There is also the addition of a new character. There is an epilogue but I felt unsatisfied.

Final Thoughts:

I read this in one sitting because it’s a fairly easy romantasy to read that isn’t bogged down with detailed world-building. Also there are a few twists and turns that kept me invested. The animosity between humans and dragons is strong, but now the author has thrown in a third enemy – witches. The ending is too abrupt and leaves me wanting to know more and I feel like the epilogue is hinting that there will be a book three. I liked that Tamsyn has lots of growth and I did like the romance storyline (not with Vetr though) and will probably be reading the next book.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

A Fire in the Sky by. Sophie Jordan | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sounds Like Love by. Ashley Poston | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Sounds Like Love

Author: Ashley Poston

Narrator: Patti Murin, Ashley Poston

Format: audiobook (Libby)

Pages: 384 Listening Time: approximately 11 hours

Publication Date: 6/16/25

Publisher: Books on Tape

Categories: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Magical Realism

A hitmaking songwriter and a bitter musician share a startling and inexplicable connection that they’ll do anything to shake, in the next sparkling, magical book from Ashley Poston.

Joni Lark is living the dream. She’s one of the most coveted songwriters in LA…and she can’t seem to write. There’s an emptiness inside her, and nothing seems to fill it.

When she returns to her hometown of Vienna Shores, North Carolina, she hopes that the sand, the surf, and the concerts at The Revelry, her family’s music venue, will spark her inspiration. But when she gets there, nothing is how she left it. Her best friend is avoiding her, her mother’s memories are fading fast, and The Revelry is closing.

How can she think about writing her next song when everything is changing without her?

Until she hears it. A melody in her head, lyric-less and half-formed, and an alluring and addictive voice to go with it—belonging, apparently, to a wry musician with hangups of his own.

Surely, he’s a figment of her overworked imagination.

But then the very real man attached to the voice shows up in Vienna Shores. He’s aggravating and gruff on the outside—nothing like the sweet, funny voice in Joni’s head—and he has a plan:

They’ll finish the song haunting them both, break their connection, and hope they don’t risk their hearts in the process.

Because that song stuck in their heads? Maybe it’s there for a reason.

Content Warning: dementia, anxiety, grief

+ I really enjoyed the narrator for this audiobook – she did a great job capturing each of the characters.

+ This is a fun, sweet and heartwarming story especially if you are a fan of music and songwriting. Joni is a successful songwriter but she has a mental block right now and can’t write so she goes home to North Carolina. While at home Joni is surrounded by friends, and family. But so much has changed, especially with her mom dealing with dementia.

+ I loved Joni’s personal journal whether it was facing her mom’s deteriorating mental state, growing and having hard conversations with her best friend, trying to figure out why she felt so empty and then falling for Sasha (Sebastian). I also like how she had to figure out her path, where does she belong? In Los Angeles or was it okay to come back home – when she was the one who made the decision to leave and chase her dreams?

+~ There is a magical realism element to this story where where Joni and Sebastian have a connection from a spontaneous meeting. Farfetched? Sure! But I thought it was cute how they were in each other’s head and they start to help one another in a way. Eventually they fall for one another and then try to work on a song together, but Joni is afraid that when the song is gone, he’ll be gone from her head also and leave her to the emptiness again.

~ Since it was the magic allowing them to be in each other’s heads I kept wondering, how this story would play out without the magical realism. Would they have met again? Would they have liked one another?

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed this story about music, songwriting, friendship, family, finding where you belong and also falling in love.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

A Novel Love Story by. Ashley Poston | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Dead Romantics by. Ashley Poston | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Middle of the Night by. Riley Sager | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Middle of the Night

Author: Riley Sager

Format: ebook (Libby)

Pages: 376

Publication Date: 6/18/24

Categories: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Paranormal

The worst thing to ever happen on Hemlock Circle occurred in Ethan Marsh’s backyard. One July night, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend and neighbor, Billy, fell asleep in a tent set up on a manicured lawn in a quiet, quaint New Jersey cul de sac. In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. During the night, someone had sliced the tent open with a knife and taken Billy. He was never seen again.

Thirty years later, Ethan has reluctantly returned to his childhood home. Plagued by bad dreams and insomnia, he begins to notice strange things happening in the middle of the night. Someone seems to be roaming the cul de sac at odd hours, and signs of Billy’s presence keep appearing in Ethan’s backyard. Is someone playing a cruel prank? Or has Billy, long thought to be dead, somehow returned to Hemlock Circle?

The mysterious occurrences prompt Ethan to investigate what really happened that night, a quest that reunites him with former friends and neighbors and leads him into the woods that surround Hemlock Circle. Woods where Billy claimed monsters roamed and where a mysterious institute does clandestine research on a crumbling estate.

The closer Ethan gets to the truth, the more he realizes that no place—be it quiet forest or suburban street—is completely safe. And that the past has a way of haunting the present.

Content Warning: death, grief, insomnia

+ This is the first Riley Sager book I’ve read and I thought the narrator really did a great job bringing this story to life. I liked how it jumped from the present and to the past where we get to learn of the kids in the neighborhood and the families. The present shows a great picture of how time have past and how things have changed or stayed the same. There were a few factors in this story that made this mystery very interesting.

+ Ethan is an unreliable narrator – he is dealing with trauma from that night his best friend was taken from the tent in his backyard. Because of it he has insomnia and at times in the book think he is losing his mind. I really like how the past is set in 1994 – it was nostalgic for me and I really liked Ashley, Ethan’s babysitter, and how she always looked out for him.

+ I like the mix of paranormal, possible occult rituals, the mysterious academy behind the neighborhood and the different relationships between the guy friends trying to lead us in different directions in the story. But who killed Billy really was a mystery and one I didn’t figure out.

~ It’s a mystery so I felt like the beginning moved slow as Ethan is back in the neighborhood, facing trauma and memories of the past while thinking he was losing his mind.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook version of Middle of the Night! The story picks up more at the halfway mark and from there on, I was hooked. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Red City by. Marie Lu | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Red City (The New Alchemists, #1)

Author: Marie Lu

Narrator(s): André Santana; Eunice Wong; Natalie Naudus; Sid Sagar

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432. Listening Time: Approximately 15 hours 20 min

Publication Date: 10/14/25

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Dystopian, Alchemy, Romance, Organized Crime

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

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

The Godfather meets The Magicians in the sweeping adult debut from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Red City is a dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles.

Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation. An exclusive power wielded by crime syndicates that market it to the world’s elites in the form of sand, a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of themselves: more beautiful, more charismatic, simply more.

Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city―and the paths of their lives―will be irrevocably transformed.

The daughter of a poor single mother, Sam would do anything to claw her way into the ranks of Grand Central in search of a better life. Plucked away from his family as a boy to become a Lumines apprentice, Ari is one of the syndicates’ brightest rising stars. Once, they might have loved each other. But as the two alchemists face off across opposite sides of an ever-escalating conflict, ambition becomes power, loyalty becomes lies, and no transformation may be perfect enough for them both to survive the coming war.

Content Warning: violence, torture, grooming, death

+ Marie Lu did her thing with this adult fiction debut! I listened to this as an audiobook and usually, I struggle with audiobooks but this one had me riveted. The voices were perfect for the characters and I could not stop listening to this.

+ Los Angeles is run by organized crime using alchemy. There are two main syndicates, the Lumines and Grand Central and there have been calculated moves against each other over the years but now it’s come to real blows and violence and Ari and Sam are caught in the crossfire of these groups. I loved the world building – I actually hope this becomes a show because I think it would be so cool to see mafia style alchemists battle out in the streets of LA.

+ The story follows Ari and Sam from childhood, both didn’t have ideal ones, but they are “saved” from it by being noticed. Ari is taken from his family and raised by the head of the Lumines. Sam is noticed by the head of Grand Central – both Ari and Sam keep alchemy a secret from one another but in essence they are best friends, at least as kids. As they grow, alchemy pulls them in opposite directions and without knowing it until years later, they are enemies.

+ Ari is described as the light of the party. People gravitate towards him, he is like the sun when surrounded by people. And it’s a good power to have since his main job is persuading and convincing powerful people to make deals. Whereas, Sam is invisible – has always felt invisible but now with alchemy and sand she can use it to be powerful in her own way. No one notices her, and she can do things without being caught. I love how they are opposites – love how their powers are so different and how they used them to their advantage.

+ This is an organized crime novel so it is brutal, and violent. There were so many creative and different ways these alchemists could torture and kill someone! I loved the politics and the war between the to sides.

+ I loved the storyline between Sam and her mother. I thought that packed the emotional punch this story needed.

+~ The romance isn’t easy. This story is dark. Ari has been in love with Sam since childhood but they go their separate ways. It’s not happily ever after for them and they both know it – that isn’t their path in life. They both signed their fates to a life of manipulation and killing if need be. So Ari’s first sexual encounter is not with Sam, but someone who actually wants to teach him so he can use it to manipulate people. As for Sam, she is groomed by Will, the leader of Grand Central’s son. He mentions he’s wanted to be intimate when he first saw her – she was 15 and there is a 9 age year gap. They don’t do anything until she’s much older but still…she is obsessed with him because he was her “savior” and that was uncomfortable. Do Ari and Sam come back together at least to speak about their past? Yes, but even with Ari telling Sam how he felt back then didn’t feel like they could bridge that gap between them now because they are both different people. They have killed, they have done bad things and I think they need to get to know each other again.

~ The only part that dragged for me in the story is the parts where it was full on alchemy studies, which is in the beginning. It’s setting up the story and showing how important it was for Ari and Sam to learn alchemy but all the science went over my head. Also, When Sam and Ari graduate and go on with their lives I wanted to know more about Ari. I had a good grasp of Sam, her motivations, her upbringing but Ari still remains a little bit of a mystery.

Final Thoughts:

I loved this one and that’s a surprise for me because audiobooks are not my favorite way of consuming a book. But I loved the narrators who kept me hooked to the story. The story itself was so entertaining I could not stop listening to it. I am so invested in this world of alchemy and organized crime, I have to see what happens next for Sam and Ari. I’ll be impatiently waiting for book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Skyhunter | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review | The Kingdom of Back – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Warcross by. Marie Lu – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wildcards by. Marie Lu – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Young Elites by. Marie Lu – ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Crimson Throne by. Sara Raasch and Beth Revis | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: The Crimson Throne (#1)

Author: Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 10/7/25

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

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

Samson Calthorpe’s father is a court favorite—but that alone won’t take him far without money and so many people depending on him. So when the opportunity arises to become a royal spy, he has to take it, using every bit of the skills and resolve he’s picked up on the streets of London to prove his worth in Queen Elizabeth’s court.

Alyth Graham has kept her eyes on Queen Mary’s husband, Lord Darnley, for years—her eyes and her magic. She may be a member of the Scottish court, but she’s no lady. A bastard child of a fae prince and a human mother, Alyth is among the most powerful protectors in guardians sworn to support the barrier keeping the Red Caps, a bloodthirtsy clan of fairies, away from the Fae Land portals.

As Alyth and Samson circle each other in the volatile and glamorous Scottish court, both seek to uncover threats to their own countries. They have only one unifying their shared hatred and suspicion of Lord Darnley. Using secret codes, hidden messages, and a little bit of magic, Alyth and Samson unravel a plot centuries in the making. Lord Darnley is only a pawn, and in this game, the queen takes all.

Content Warning: violence

+ I wasn’t sure how to feel about this story and thought I would need to really in the mood to enjoy it but I thought the story was really intriguing. Alyth, is Fae, and she is the protector of Mary Queen of Scots. That’s a fresh take on the war between Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth! I thought it was really interesting how Lord Darnley who is Mary’s husband is the prime suspect of who might harm her but they had no real way of stopping him. There is a lot of royal politics and I also loved all the Fae creatures.

+ Samson is a thief and sent to Scotland to find a magical item for his father but he learns that’s not the extent to the plans his dad has for him there. He meets Alyth and they fall for one another. At first Alyth is suspicious of him, but it’s an enemies to lovers romance and I thought it was fun seeing them fall for one another. As the story unravels, Alyth has to make a choice about Samson.

+ Alyth was an interesting character because she has insecurity issues – her father thinks doesn’t think much of her because she’s half human, but that doesn’t stop her from using all her abilities, like seeing auras around people to help her keep Mary protected.

~ It wasn’t strong on the enemies to lovers or the romantasy. I think they fell for each other pretty quick.

Final Thoughts:

This was a refreshing take on the war between Mary Queen of Scots and Queen EIizabeth of England. It included the Fae, magic and mythical creatures. It also had a little romance and strong character in Alyth. I thought this was a fun read and will appeal to those who like historical fiction!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Night of the Witch by. Sara Raasch and Beth Revis | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Fate of Magic By. Sara Raasch and Beth Revis | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

My Favorite Holidate by. Lauren Blakely | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: My Favorite Holidate (How to Date, #5)

Author: Lauren Blakely

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

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

Publisher: Atria Books

Categories: Holiday Romance, Christmas, Billionaire 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 Atria Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wanted: one hot billionaire to pose as my Christmas boyfriend. Must be willing to make my cheating ex jealous when you kiss me under the mistletoe at all the holiday parties. Bonus points if you make him cry.

To my surprise my billionaire boss is more than up for the challenge of coming down the chimney as my holiday boyfriend. The sexy single dad desperately needs a plus one at a Christmas Eve wedding, where he’s the best man and I’m the maid of honor.

And since my ex is in the wedding party too, my boss and I team up as a pair of insta-lovebirds for the holiday season, including during the annual week-long Christmas competition leading up to the snowy destination wedding.

But soon staying up late to string the best popcorn balls ever turns into a scorching night in his arms where the chestnuts aren’t the only thing roasting on the open fire.

Can all these winter wonderland nights seeking revenge turn into the real thing when we return to the office? Or are we destined to go the way of a Christmas tree on New Year’s?

Content Warning: gambling addiction, cheating

+ The holiday vibes is everywhere in this Christmas romance. From start to finish, there is Christmas decor, a Christmas wedding, snow, and Christmas games!

+ This a fake dating, billionaire, workplace, single dad, holiday romance and I think it all worked together well! I liked both characters – Wilder owns a football team and other business. He’s also a sweet single dad to a little girl, Mac. The only really challenging part in his life is dealing with his dad who has a gambling addiction but Wilder’s a good guy. As for Fable, she’s the creative type with a fun personality. I thought they were cute together, with lots of chemistry and they brought the holiday spice for sure!

~ I didn’t know this was a book in a series but I think this does well as a standalone. I did find it curious that there were a lot of characters there for a story (all of Fable’s friends), but it being book 5 in a series makes sense as to why there are so many characters.

~ I saw in Goodreads reviews that people said this book was too long, and in this revised version I think it’s cut down by 100 pages from the first publication and I thought it was a good length.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, this was a fun holiday romance filled with Christmas, family, friends, spice and romance!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Scammer by. Tiffany D. Jackson | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: The Scammer

Author: Tiffany D. Jackson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 10/7/25

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Grief, Cult

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

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

New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers another stunning, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller, following a freshman girl whose college life is turned upside down when her roommate’s ex-convict brother moves into their dorm and starts controlling their every move.

Out from under her overprotective parents, Jordyn is ready to kill it in prelaw at a prestigious, historically Black university in Washington DC. When her new roommate’s brother is released from prison, the last thing Jordyn expects is to come home and find the ex-convict on their dorm room sofa. But Devonte needs a place to stay while he gets back on his feet—and how could she say no to one of her new best friends?

Devonte is older, as charming as he is intelligent, pushing every student he meets to make better choices about their young lives. But Jordyn senses something sinister beneath his friendly advice and growing group of followers. When one of Jordyn’s roommates goes missing, she must enlist the help of the university’s lone white student to uncover the mystery—or become trapped at the center of a web of lies more tangled than she can imagine.

Content Warning: violence, mention of suicide, death, bullying, gaslighting, sexual assault

+ Tiffany D. Jackson is a must-read author for me and this one did not disappoint! What makes this story even more interesting is that this is based on a true story the author saw in the news – she makes a note of it in the beginning of the book. And it made me even more intrigued on how she would write this story.

+ Jordyn has defied her parents wishes and chose to go to Frazier, an HBCU, rather than Yale. She is Black but her parents did not raise her in the culture, and her reasoning to go to Frazier was to do just that and experience a place where she belonged and didn’t stand out according to her skin color. But Jordyn is also dealing with some heavy grief from losing her older brother to suicide. Going to Frazier is her fresh start but though college starts off fun, things start to take a very dark turn when her roommate’s brother, Devonte, who just got out of prison starts to live with them in their dorm room.

+ I didn’t know where this story was going for a minute because I couldn’t believe how Devonte suckered Jordyn and her friends into his conspiracy theories. But it happens quick because Jordyn is a broken person before meeting Devonte. He says the right things, luring these girls into conspiracy theories but it clicks – they fall for his scam fast! And seeing him create this cult, and this hive mentality, was familiar because it’s relatable to the current state of affairs in our world today.

+ Jordyn as a character did keep me on my toes because I believed her to be a smart girl and wondered why she wasn’t questioning Devonte more about the things he made them learn, wear, act, eat. The cult was getting violent too and everything is explained at the end but I thought wow, she put herself in so much danger! There is a twist in the end and I kind of figure some of it out earlier but I had to see it play out. It was definitely more than I was expecting.

+ There’s even a little romance between Jordyn and the only white boy on campus, Nick. He had an interesting background that we got to learn about once he started opening up but I liked that no matter what Jordyn was going through, he was there for her without judging. They were cute together.

~ Throughout the story, I wanted to shake some sense into Jordyn and her friends but it’s also why the story was so gripping. I had to see how at least Jordyn was going to come out of this alive. I was frightened for her and couldn’t for the life of me figure out why she kept going back to the dorm when it was scary to be there. You do have to suspend your belief because why didn’t they just kick this guy out? Also this cult happens in a matter of a few days – weeks! But these are college kids and still impressionable and wanting to belong especially when being away from home. Devonte just got into their heads, which is scary!

Final Thoughts:

I finished this one in two days because it was hard to put down! It’s based on a true story which is actually really frightening. This was a gripping story and I enjoyed the suspense, the mystery, the twist and even the romance. But you do have to suspend your belief a little (even if this is based on a true story!), because Jordyn and her friends fall into this cult mentality so fast and you think how can that be? But this stuff does happen in real life way too much unfortunately.