Sorrow and Strangers by. Jeanette Rose & Alexis Rune | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Sorrow and Strangers (Avalon University, #2))

Author: Jeanette Rose & Alexis Rune

Format: eBook (Simon Maverick) and paperback (Simon Maverick)

Pages: 754

Publication Date: 9/8/26

Publisher: Simon Maverick

Categories: Dark Academia, Dark Romance, Fantasy, Series

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

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

Fear. Fury. And Fire.

To Know is Never Enough.

Summer Tuatha De Daanan reluctantly returns to Avalon University for her second year after spending the summer with her vampire best friend in Draculea. She’s a shell of her former self, and the peace promised to her has never felt further from her reach. All Summer wants is to keep her head down and get through the year cloaked in her depression, but looming threats linger, and she quickly finds herself thrust into a dangerous position once again; entangled with a friend turned enemy, the protector of her beloved family, and the target of two very powerful kings.

Unwilling to suffer any further loss, Summer must push through her emotions to prepare herself for the enemies who threaten everything she holds dear. Through runic training with the revered and brooding Headmaster Emrys, combat with the aloof and strong-willed Max, and improving her mental walls with the dark and mysterious stranger, each step pulls her further from the edge of despair. Yet, nothing will be simple for Summer, and the more she trains, the more she discovers who she truly is, forcing her to confront her inner darkness. The beast within that purrs for her enigmatic stalker.

A darkness that is waiting to be explored. A darkness that will not be denied.

Content Warning: grief, violence, *read the trigger warnings at the start of the book*

+~ I think this sequel is more character driven than plot driven, which was a little frustrating because I needed more plot. It’s a long book and if constant spice is not your thing, you might want to skip this one because there is a lot of it. We are back at the school but we hardly see these characters go to school, it’s everything to do with outside school hours like partying and training at the gym. I wanted more plot, but it happens at the end of the book. It’s one of those addictive reads that don’t require much brain power though, I even guessed who Stranger was earlier in the book.

+ The portrayal of grief in this book is so real. A little too real that I was missing Connor so much in this book. He really was the character I loved the most in book one and I can’t even believe he’s gone. Summer is grieving in the beginning of the book and she goes through it. She’s wasting away before Alice’s eyes and goes through all the stages of grief.

+~ Summer as a character was never one who I totally loved, not even in book one. So there are a lot of moments in this book she was testing my patience especially with the back and forth with Stranger. Again, her mental state was going through some trauma, but it was whiplash. I would really love to know more about Summer. I need more about her history, being Seelie, what makes her powerful and I’m sure that’s coming in book three but I need more.

+ My favorite characters in this book are Alice and Rafe, the secondary characters who I feel deserves books of their own. Alice is an amazing best friend who is there for Summer thick and thin, through the grief, through the boy drama (she’s the no-judgment best friend), I love her. Rafe is Connor’s brother and I love the Morningside family, they are just good people including Rafe even though he’s going through a hard transition in his life. I also loved Mira, a new character. Stranger is also very intriguing and we get to know him a bit more in this one, he’s still a major stalker though but he has a lot of patience with Summer.

+~ The romance between Summer and Stranger, it’s inevitable, and it’s tumultuous. It’s toxic. There is a lot of spice in this one, and it felt like it was half the story. The spice with Max, it was exciting at first and then got stale because it was repetitive. At least the ones with Stranger were different but it was hard seeing Summer go back and forth between them, putting boundaries and then breaking them without putting up any real fight. My favorite romance in the story was actually Rafe and Mira’s! Sure it was insta-lust and love but those two had the romance I was waiting for between Summer and Stranger.

Final Thoughts:

After reading two books in the series, I think it’s safe to say, the books will always be long. I miss Connor and the book did accomplish relaying the “sorrow” and grief Summer was experiencing after losing him. I would love more world building and a plot that isn’t overshadowed by the spice. The highlights of the book for me were Alice, Rafe and Mira. I also find Stranger fascinating and I can’t wait to learn more about Uncle Luc and Hell.

But if you loved book one, you will love this one too because you will get more of Summer and her boy drama, and lots of spice. For me I just needed a little more world building and a little less spice and hope I get that in book three.

Read if you like:

relationship drama, dark romance
lots of spicy scenes
found family

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Blood & Betrayals by. Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune | Book Review – 2.5 stars/3 🌶️

Turncloak by. L.K. Steven | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Turncloak (The Silvercloak Saga, #2)

Author: L.K. Steven

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 544

Publication Date: 9/15/26

Publisher: Del Rey

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 Del Rey for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Revenge drove Saffron Killoran to go undercover in the Bloodmoon gang. But now, with any chance of retribution gone, she sees only one path forward: harnessing a long-dormant power to fix her ruinous mistakes.

Meanwhile, the new kingpin of the Bloodmoons has discovered Saffron’s true identity as a Silvercloak—and her ultimate goal of bringing his empire down. As old wounds resurface and fresh enemies close in, he finds himself torn between the cause to which he has devoted his life and the fate of the traitorous mage he loves.

Hot on their heels is an ambitious rookie detective sent to stake out the Bloodmoons’ growing rivals. She will stop at nothing to destroy both gangs—and anything or anyone who dares to stand in her way.

Caught in a cat-and-mouse game of trust and betrayal spanning continents, Saffron must choose where her loyalties lie—and determine if her quest to unmake time itself is worth becoming a villain to the whole world.

Content Warning: violence, death, drug addiction symptoms

World Building: The world of Silvercloak is really interesting. It’s a society of mages, with organized crime – the Bloodmoons – who’s leader’s goal is to resurrect his mom’s body so she can get the throne; the Whitewings – a rival gang who is trying to produce a drug that rivals or is better than what the Bloodmoons pedal in the streets. And Silvercloaks are the police force trying to take all of them down. There is a king that rules this world, who has heard of the Bloodmoons thirst for the throne, so he is trying to thwart them too. With all these things at play, it is a place of violence, spying, betrayal, going undercover and trading information – not knowing who you can really trust. I enjoy that political intrigue a lot. I also enjoy the mages and their magic wands, especially when they are battling one another.

Characters: Saffron is trying to rebuild the trust she broke with Levan. Yet she’s still lying, still has cards up her sleeve. As for Levan, though he was made to be a ruthless killer, he is very vulnerable, a recovering drug addict who still craves a hit, someone who trusts too easily, and just someone in a lot of pain. He’s lost so many people. I was really rooting for the two of them – even though their shared goal of turning back time and bringing their parents back, would upend everything. I just kept thinking, it’s a bad idea and wish they gave up their plans and let the dead stay dead. A character that we get to know better is Auria and honestly…I didn’t totally love her. I know she’s law-abiding, but I wanted her to bend a little. We also get to know more about Levan’s past and the brother he once had.

Romance: There is barely any spice, just some steam and honestly, I wanted some spice. But I also respect that Saffron and Levan’s relationship is not so easy to repair. Their relationship is very complicated. I just wish by the end of the book things turned a corner for them and in a way it did, but it will not get any easier for them.

Story: I really enjoyed Saffron and Levan’s story and loved when the focus was on them. I was taken out of the story a bit when Auria came into the picture. I do think this sequel moves the story forward a lot, especially when it comes to Saffron’s powers as a Timeweaver and the search for the Fifth prophecy. We get to learn so much about Levan’s upbringing and his obsession with bringing his mother back. It does start off a little slow because Saffron is trying to earn Levan’s trust but it picks up a lot in the second half and ends with a bang.

Vibes: cat and mouse game

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a pretty good sequel to Silvercloak. I kind of miss the growing tension between Saffron and Levan from book one, but their relationship has turned in another direction, and one day I hope they can find themselves back to what they had. The cat and mouse game gets even more involved in book two because of the addition of the Whitewings who is causing havoc for the Bloodmoons and there is always the Silvercloaks in the background, I really enjoy the political intrigue of this series so far. I’ll definitely be reading book three to see what happens next with Saffron and Levan.

Read if you like:

political intrigue
magic wands
enemies to lovers

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Silvercloak by. L.K. Steven | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Storm Caller by. Nisha J. Tuli | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Storm Caller (Storm Breaker, #2)

Author: Nisha J. Tuli

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 9/1/26

Publisher: Entangled: Mayhem Books

Categories: Upper Young Adult, Dystopia, Romance, Series

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

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

Poet Graves has only ever wanted to be free. But no matter where she turns, she’s held captive―by a power she doesn’t understand, a truth she no longer believes in, and a love she can’t deny.

As Poet is drawn further into Rook’s world, his secrets force her to question who she can trust. But when friends turn into enemies, enemies prove to be allies, and the place that was once a safe harbor is revealed as the eye of the storm, Poet’s only choice is to fight for what she believes in.

When New Manhattan’s darkest secrets refuse to stay hidden, the cause Poet and Rook fight for will be called into question. The answers are out there…and they could destroy everything.

Content Warning: violence, death

+~ In this sequel to Storm Breaker, the world opens up for a little bit and Poet travels pasts The Wastes and gets to meet Rook’s family and friends at Cloudspire. Her eyes are open to the truth of the world around her now. I do wish they stayed in Cloudspire longer so we could get to know it better. But Poet and Rook go back to New Manhattan to find out more about what’s going on there.

+ The romance between Poet and Rook is solid. There is no wondering if these two will be together, they love one another, already confessed it and it’s them against the world or against New Manhattan. I like that they don’t have drama with one another because it lets all the rest of the story happen without wondering if their relationship is rocky.

+~ I can’t really pinpoint what it is that made me feel like the first half of this book was slow and not as engaging as what I read in the first book. Maybe it’s the second book syndrome for me. I love the ending with all the action, secrets, betrayals and it moved faster. But the first half had Poet and Rook coming back to New Manhattan and dealing with a lot of people I don’t like, like her ex best-friend, Trinity. Also, Poet’s relationship with her dad is not good, she gets more clarity about some things about him but it just doesn’t feel good that she doesn’t have a family that she can really count on, which is why Rook is so important to her.

+ So much is happening in the end and then it ends in a cliffhanger. I don’t really know what will happen in book three after the way this ended.

Final Thoughts:

I think this was a solid sequel but I do wish we got more time in Cloudspire with the rebels because I love seeing Rook in his element. I do love Rook and Poet together, and so glad their love is established. It has less romance because of it but many cute moments of them together, some steamy but not very detailed steam. This one had more political intrigue than book one. And I do not like Trinity (Poet’s ex bestie) at all, maybe that’s why I didn’t love the middle of this book. My favorite part is the ending which is filled with so much action, secrets revealed, betrayal, and then it ends with a cliffhanger.

Read if you like:

dystopian romance
secrets and betrayals
political intrigue
complicated relationships

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Storm Breaker by. Nisha J. Tuli | ARC Review – 3.5 ⭐️/1 🌶️

Queen of Shadows and Ruin by. Nisha J. Tuli | ARC Review – 3.5 ⭐️

Storm of Ink and Blood by. Nisha J. Tuli | ARC Review – 3.5 ⭐️

Dance of Stars and Ashes by. Nisha J. Tuli | ARC Review – 4 ⭐️

Heart of Night and Fire by. Nisha J. Tuli | ARC Review – 3.5 ⭐️

Fate of the Sun King by. Nisha J. Tuli | ARC Review – 3 ⭐️

Rule of the Aurora King by. Nisha J. Tuli | Book Review – 4 ⭐️

Trial of the Sun Queen by. Nisha J. Tuli | Book Review – 3 ⭐️

In the Veins of the Drowning by. Kalie Cassidy | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: In the Veins of the Drowning (The Siren Mage, #1)

Author: Kalie Cassidy

Pages: 377

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 7/15/25

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series

The monster is always slain…

Imogen Nel is in hiding. Hiding from a cruel kingdom that believes Sirens are monstrous, blood-hungry creatures. Hiding from a king and his captain who viciously hunt her kind. Hiding from her own alluring abilities. By keeping herself from the sea, Imogen’s bloodlust is dulled, and her black wings remain hidden beneath her skin.

When a neighboring king comes to visit, Imogen can no longer hide. He knows precisely what she is, and he believes she can save both their kingdoms from an even greater monster. But Imogen’s power threatens to violently reveal itself, and the two form a blood bond that protects them both. They flee the kingdom together, traversing waters teeming with the undead. As the lines between duty to their people and desire for each other begin to blur, Imogen worries her own ancestral powers may not be enough to kill what hunts her—the only way to defeat a monster may be to become one herself.

Content Warning: self harm, violence, death, gore

I finally read this book and I don’t know why it took me so long to get to it. It starts off like most romantasy books, an FMC who is trapped and needs help fleeing the king that oppresses her. There are the usual tropes in this book that are found in romantasy but what stood out to me was how the Imogen and Theodore bicker! It was so much fun. I like how they are honest and tell each other off, to their faces. It’s kind of refreshing! So I loved the enemies to lovers romance in this one, or is it dislike to like? Whatever it is, I loved it even though Theo is reserved and dutiful at first, he very much so reminded me of Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice so it was fun to see Imogen getting under his skin. It was my favorite part of the whole story.

But there is also a lot going on in this story – Imogen is a Siren and bound to multiple people and she needs to break free of them, but doing so has it’s own consequences. I was very invested to see what path Imogen would choose and what choices she would make. There is political intrigue, travel, some action, romance, and secrets. I loved learning about the Sirens and the world building was good.

Final Thoughts:

I’m so glad I finally finished this one and I’m not sure why it took me so long to finally read it. It has a lot of things I enjoy in a romantasy like political intrigue, and romance of course, but what I really loved was Imogen and Theo. Seeing them interact and eventually fall for one another was very, funny and entertaining. I also want to see how this story plays out so I’m eager to read book two.

Read if you like:

romantasy
forced proximity

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 0

Title: Hawk & Sparrow

Author: Ayana Gray

Pages: 352

Format: audiobook and ebook

Listening Hours: 10 hours 20 min (approx.)

Narrator (s): Renika Williams-Blutcher

Publisher: Balzer + Bray, Macmillan Young Listeners

Publication Date: 9/1/26

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

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

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

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

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

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

Content Warning: death, violence

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts:

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

Read if you like:

Gilded Age – historical fantasy
young adult fantasy
murder mystery

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

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

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

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 🌶️

Roses & Ruin by. Hazel Cross | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Roses & Ruin

Author: Hazel Cross

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 9/1/26

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult/New Adult, Romance, Vampires

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

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A steamy paranormal YA romance with deadly stakes for a new generation of Twilight and Vampire Academy readers.

A year ago, Rose was in an accident that nearly claimed her life. In the chaos of that night, a mysterious boy pulled her from the brink of death, then vanished before anyone else could see him. No one believes he was there. But Rose knows the truth.

When Rose moves across the country for college, she’s expecting a fresh start, one that’s not haunted by the memory of this mysterious stranger. But then she sees Hayden. He’s cold and distant and claims he wasn’t there that night. Yet Rose can’t shake the pull she feels toward him. She pursues him, daring him to reject her. Daring him to explain himself.

That’s when she learns the truth about who—or what—Hayden really is, and that the bond between them goes deeper than the night he saved her life. Fate has woven their paths together, and no matter how hard they fight, it refuses to let them go. But loving Hayden may come at a cost . . . one that could destroy them both.

Content Warning: violence

Roses & Ruin is about a girl, Rose, who was saved by a boy from an accident (sound familiar?) but no one believes her because no one saw him there. That moment has haunted her and then she goes to college and coincidentally runs into him there.

The beginning of this book mostly about Rose going to college. And in college she’s doing the typical college girl things – checking out the hot teachers, making new friends, dressing up and going out her friends, and even going on a date. So I feel like it starts off good though nothing that really made me interested in Rose, except maybe her interactions with Julian, her TA. The mystery about Hayden was interesting – we find out what he is and who he is to Rose. There are secrets that are revealed, and even betrayal which I liked.

It had a lot of the elements I would want in a paranormal, vampire young adult story but it didn’t work for me. I think the writing just wasn’t my style. There is a lot of angst between Hayden and Rose, and it was a little too much for me – I know she is reincarnated and they have a history but I still want to still see a build-up in this present time between them. So I wasn’t invested in them at all when all the confessions start. And this is being pushed as young adult, but at least they do disclose it is steamy, but I don’t know why it’s not being pushed as New Adult since the characters are in college and it’s not only steamy, there are spicy scenes.

Final Thoughts:

I love young adult vampire stories, but this one didn’t work for me. I just didn’t gel with the writing style – there was a little too much angst in the romance for me and spice when I was expecting steam. So I do think it’s New Adult instead of Young Adult. I liked the second half more than the first half of the book because of the betrayal that is exposed. I think if you like books like Twilight, you will enjoy this one, but this one sadly wasn’t for me.

Read if you like:

vampire
spicy, angsty romance
secrets, betrayal

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Once Swindled by. Laura Sebastian | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Once Swindled (Lack and Luster, #1)

Author: Laura Sebastian

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 350

Publication Date: 8/25/26

Publisher: 47North

Categories: Romance, Historical Fantasy, Historical 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 47North for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Ryskamp family fortune is in trouble. And Arden’s gift for invisibility can’t stave off his creditors…or the shame of catastrophic courtships. His only recourse is to marry a highborn Luster girl of his great-aunt’s choosing. But when Arden goes to meet her, another woman catches his the copper-haired beauty who ran away with his heart. And engagement ring.

Newly betrothed to yet another wealthy bachelor, Mavis has gone by many names—Arabella then, Delphinia now. Unlike the Lusters, however, Mavis lacks magical abilities, relying instead on her charms and her cons to get by. But no amount of money can repay her debts. And no amount of distance could prepare her for a reunion with her first mark.

Thrown together by fate, Arden and Mavis put aside their past to pull one last con that could save them both. The only price may be falling in love again. This time, for real.

Content Warning: death

There was a moment when I was reading this (I couldn’t put it down and read it in one day), where I was thought – wow this reminds me of the historical romances I would devour back in the day.

Mavis is a con-woman, it’s the way she’s learned to survive in Low City. But her luck might be running out with her latest con and it doesn’t help that her first love and first con is in the same town as she is and about to blow her cover. Arden fell in love with Mavis five years ago when he thought she was Arabella. Now he knows the truth but needs her help to secure a bride of his own so he can fix the family finances. But as the story goes on it’s hard to pinpoint who is conning who, or is everyone carrying out their own con?

I loved this story. The second chance romance between Mavis and Arden felt so steeped in mistrust, but he cannot help but love her, even when she’s lying. Mavis’ situation was so understandable though, her environment forced her to survive but I love how Arden is where she finally draws the line. I was rooting for them so hard.

Also, the setting is everything I love about historical romances. Set in the Gilded Age when old money and the way of aristocracy was being threatened by new money. But this one has a fantasy twist and the wealthy families not only have money but magic. There are balls, parties, dresses, rules and I enjoyed it all. I loved the main and secondary characters and happy to see it’s going to be a series.

Final Thoughts:

I devoured this book. Historical romance is my first love so this made me feel things I haven’t felt in awhile. I love how it gave historical romance but with magic. I was invested in the second chance romance and the characters (main and secondary). I can’t wait to see what will be in book two and I hope it’s Oriana’s story!

Read if you like:

historical fantasy
magic
second chance romance
cons

Book Links:

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Stardust in Their Veins by. Laura Sebastian| ARC Review – 3.5 stars

Castles in Their Bones by. Laura Sebastian | Book Review – 3.5 stars

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

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Pretty Vicious (The Order, #1)

Author: Lexi Davis

Pages: 303

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 1/13/26

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

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

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

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

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

Body. Mind. Soul.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts:

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

Read if you like:

dark romance
secret society

Book Links:

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

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: The Dark In Her Veins (#1)

Author: M.K. Lobb

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 8/25/26

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Categories: Dark Fantasy, Dark Romance, Series

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts:

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

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