The Library of Amorlin by. Kalyn Josephson| ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: The Library of Amorlin (The Age of Beasts, #1)

Author: Kalyn Josephson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 3/3/26

Publisher: Erewhon Books

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

A brilliant con artist and a secretive librarian collide in New York Times bestselling author Kalyn Josephson’s enchanting new adult fantasy debut packed with twists, tricks, and magical creatures, perfect for fans of S.A. MacLean’s The Phoenix Keeper and The Book that Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence.

Kasira used to be a masterful con choosing her target, building trust, judging the precise moment to make her move. Now, she’s working off a lengthy prison sentence by hunting dangerous magical creatures on behalf of the fanatical kingdom of Kalthos.

But Kasira’s past catches up to her when the ambassador from Kalthos arrives at her camp with a her freedom in exchange for infiltrating and destabilizing the magical institution meant to protect all six kingdoms—the Library of Amorlin.

When Kasira assumes the role of the new Assistant Librarian, she enters an enchanting world brimming with books and beasts, tempting her with a life she can never have. But Kasira’s real future depends on her long con to bring down the Librarian. Unfortunately, Allaster is as prickly as he is handsome, and his monstrous secrets are about to catch up with them both . . .

Content Warning: death, violence

+ First off, I love this book cover and might have to get the book trophy for my shelf. It’s one of the reasons why I requested this book on NetGalley. Also, it’s about a library? So I had to read it.

+ The world building is great. The Library of Amorlin is a neutral, and independent body of the 6 kingdoms surrounding it. There is a political battle going on – a religion that deems beasts to be monsters and sympathizing with them a sin, is sweeping the kingdoms. The Library is a place of study, and sanctuary to some of these wild beasts in the land. It’s not a library in the common sense, but a place to research and study the beasts and other things about all the kingdoms. The Librarian in this space is powerful and almost it’s own ruler of the Library, it’s Assistant, the second in command. But an Ambassador from one of these kingdoms will do anything and everything to infiltrate the Library, and take it for it’s own uses and power. There is magic in the Library, which makes this story very magical and the beasts adds to the fantasy.

+ Kasira, is our morally grey con-artist. Love her or hate her, she kept me on my toes and I was wary of her. As a kid she was taunted for being a beast sympathizer, as an adult she turned into a beast killer. But she grew up an orphan and joined a crew of con-artists to survive until a con went wrong and killed her friend. Kasira will do anything to survive. Allaster can sense something isn’t right with her and he’s right about her motives but she worms her way into everything at the Library to make them believe her con. I sympathized with her rough upbringing but oh did she frustrate me the longer she was at the Library. Her character couldn’t stop conning and lying and my patience was wearing so thin with her! But I pushed through the story because I had to see what she would choose in the end and I wasn’t disappointed.

+ I also loved the secondary characters, like the spirit leopard, Iylis! May, who is First Mage, and others.

+ There are so many twist, turns, political intrigue and moments I was surprised. But I loved it all – it kept me on my toes and I could not put the book down. I love how the con-woman was being conned and I wanted to see who was going to win out at the end! The way it ends felt satisfying but there are some things left open since this is a series.

+~ There is barely any romance in this story and maybe it’s coming in book two but this is light on the romance, with no spice at all. There are some moments of closeness. But Kasira is a liar and Allaster is distrustful (rightly so), so it all comes down to the end but I’m rooting for these two and hope Kasira can help Allaster out!

Final Thoughts:

I could not put this book down! If you like fantasy that is detailed on the world-building, but easy to read and light on the romance – definitely try this one out. I loved the magical Library and all the beasts they are protecting. I loved the politics, twist and turns that kept me on my toes and the morally-grey FMC who I didn’t trust but like Allaster, hoping I could trust by the end. I even enjoyed the very little romance between Kasira and Allaster, she with her schemes, and he with his love for the Library and everything in it. I’m looking forward to book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Book Review: The Storm Crow ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

ARC Review | The Crow Rider (The Storm Crow, #2) ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Dragon and the Sun Lotus by. Amélie Wen Zhao | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Dragon and the Sun Lotus (The Three Realms Duology, #2))

Author: Amélie Wen Zhao

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 3/3/26

Publisher: Delacorte Press

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

In the breathtaking sequel to The Scorpion and the Night Blossom, the battle has just begun. With Àn’yīng’s kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction, and amidst a budding forbidden romance, she must now risk everything to protect her world.

A decade ago, the Kingdom of Night began the war against the Kingdom of Rivers, ravaging the lands and releasing mó—beautiful, ravenous demons—to roam free, drinking the souls of mortals. Now the mó have made it beyond the magical wards of the immortal realm—the Kingdom of Sky—and will not stop until the entire world falls to darkness.

Àn’yīng is determined to banish the mó to their realm and return the mortal realm to peace. But a stunning betrayal has turned the tides of this Her handsome rival from the Immortality Trials and the man she was falling in love with, Yù’chén, is now the enemy. Yù’chén is half mó, his mother none other than Sansiran, the Demon Queen of the Kingdom of Night . . . and the monster responsible for killing Àn’yīng’s father.

There is one hope for the future, though. The boy in the jade—Àn’yīng’s lifelong mystery guardian and heir to the last mortal Emperor—Hào’yáng. Together, Àn’yīng and Hào’yáng must join forces to rally an army that stretches across realms, from the Four Seas of the Dragons to the Phoenixes of the Golden Desert. But first she must awaken to the immortal power slumbering in her own veins.

Content Warning: death, violence

+ I loved book one of this series, The Scorpion and the Night Blossom. Book two starts off right after the events of that book one ending. Hào’yáng and Àn’yīng are betrothed and back in her home town. She is with her mom and sister again but they still have to plan on defeating the demons that have made their way through to the mortal world because of Yù’chén.

+ There is a race against time to defeat the demons and seal the world off to them. And Àn’yīng learns the truth about what is letting the demons come through to their mortal world. Which means for her there is only one choice in how to defeat them. Also the dragons make more of an appearance in this book and there is an epic battle.

+ This story took me on an emotional whirlwind and though there is a a fight between good and evil happening, it’s the romance that gutted me. This was a love triangle I did not want because both guys are guys I loved. Hào’yáng is the golden one, the good one, the one who will be a good emperor. He has a past with Àn’yīng that has just been revealed – he was her best friend when she didn’t even know it was him. But Yù’chén, the half-demon prince, who is abused and tortured and when he meets her he finally knows something good – she fell in love with him first and he was always my choice for her. I loved the both of them in book one.

+ I didn’t expect to shed tears but I cried because of Yù’chén and just thinking of him and what he had to endure makes my heart hurt.

~ I didn’t love Àn’yīng’s choices and not only when it came to choosing between these two guys. I’m glad she is thinking about the bigger picture, defeating the demons, saving her friends and family, choosing the good side. But some of her choices about Yù’chén, made me upset. Could he help the circumstances he was born to? If she didn’t want him, then do what you have to do and let him go. There’s an intimate scene which she initiates, and clearly she’s thinking of someone else but it’s in his POV and we just get more of his heartbreak. I was so sad for Yù’chén throughout this whole story.

~ I did feel the ending (though I will take it because I couldn’t take the alternative to it), was a bit of a cop-out. She made her choice but she kind of gets to have both at the end? But like I said, I’ll take it, if at least to know there is some hope for Yù’chén.

Final Thoughts:

I didn’t expect this sequel and conclusion to break my heart. I still loved it, despite it making me cry but wow what an emotional rollercoaster. I think my heart will hurt every time I think of this series because of Yù’chén.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by. Amélie Wen Zhao | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White by. Amélie Wen Zhao | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by. Amélie Wen Zhao | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Red Tigress by. Amélie Wen Zhao | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Review | Blood Heir ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Midnight on the Celestial by. Julia Alexandra | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Midnight on the Celestial

Spice Rating:

Author: Julia Alexandra

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 3/3/26

Publisher: St Martin’s Press

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mystery, Horror, Paranormal

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

Roe Damarcus has never been afraid of the dead. Her power to summon spirits has awed the guests of her esteemed family’s galas for as long as she can remember. Her future is certain, and her gift will be another shining jewel in the Damarcus legacy.

But when she fails her realm’s trial to keep her magic and is deemed too dangerous for society, she faces a harrowing choice: give up her gift or serve a punishment sentence aboard the Celestial, a luxurious magical cruise ship where staff members compete for guest votes to earn a coveted retrial.

As a concierge, Roe juggles the demands of affluent guests, cruel bosses, and the suspicion that an infuriatingly handsome silks performer, Ivander, is determined to keep her from a retrial.

But the true dangers surface after her shift ends when the Celestial transforms into halls of nightmares that kill staff members after dark. Faced with the reality of serving aboard, Roe begins to question the ship, trials, and the system that put her there. But the moment Roe sinks into the ship’s dark history, she’s wrongly framed for a guest’s murder. Vowing to conjure her own second chance, Roe will use whatever power she has to uncover the secrets of the ship, her family, and their entwined bloody past… before she becomes the Celestial’s next victim.

Content Warning: torture, death, gore

+ I didn’t know what to expect with this book but it was like horror and magic on the Titanic, which I thought was a very fascinating combination. It was more gory than I expected. I enjoyed the horror elements because it made things unpredictable on the ship.

+ I thought the magic system was very interesting. Some people are born with magic and they are called Morphics, but they have to show control of their magic. If they have no control and don’t pass their trial they can choose to have their magic extracted fully or they can serve time on the Celestial, which is an interesting cruise ship where non-Morphic tourists get to experience magic in a “safe” way. The Morphics serving time on the Celestial get a chance for a retrial, as long as they are on good behavior and people on the ship vote for them.

+ Rosaline/Roe’s magic is resurrection, which is very rare and dangerous. She ends up on the ship by choice, but finds out it’s hard work and they get tortured each night by the bosses who extract a tiny bit of magic from Morphics on the ship to keep it powered. Roe meets Ivander, who is supposed to show her the ropes on the ship, but they kind of have a little enemies to lovers relationship going on – barely enemies…more like dislike to like. It’s a slow and sweet romance though. Roe also meets all of Ivander’s friends, good kids, who all have a different story of why they ended up on the ship.

~ The pacing was a bit off. I was engaged for the first half, especially when learning about the ship and then the second half, I struggled to stay invested. Roe and her friends work on the ship and we get to see a lot of that happen, then they undergo this torture every night from the Bosses on the ship, it’s a bit repetitive. I wanted to know more about why the horror happens on the ship and why it’s contained to certain parts. Also wanted the story to lean more into the horror.

~ The ending feels rushed but it is a standalone, so I think that’s why things were wrapped up quickly.

Final Thoughts:

I thought the magic ship idea was really creative. I also found the magic interesting and I like the horror elements. I was invested in the first half of the story but I kind of struggled in the second half. The world-building on the ship was much stronger than when the story shifts to being on land, so the ending feels a bit rushed but overall, a good debut.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

She Drinks the Light by. Yasmin Angoe | ALC and ARC Review | Audiobook and Ebook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: She Drinks the Light

Author: Yasmin Angoe

Narrator(s): Ashley J. Hobbs

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336 Listening Time: Approximately 7 hours 50 min

Publication Date: 3/3/26

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends Audio Publisher: Macmillan Young Listeners

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy, Paranormal, LGBT+

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

Thank you to Feiwel & Friends and Macmillan Young Listeners for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

For fans of Sinners and Immortal Dark, a teen girl must uncover her family’s deadly secrets in order to save her best friend and her island in this heart-pounding YA debut.

Addae has spent her whole life on the Golden Isle, a private island off the coast of South Carolina that has been in her family for centuries. Island residents don’t really fraternize with mainlanders, and for good reason. Golden Isle was founded by the Kinfolk, descendants—including Addae and her Nana Ama, the island matriarch—of escaped enslaved Black people.

But the Isle and the Kinfolk have secrets that must be protected from the outside world. Secrets of spirituality, mythology that are deeply rooted in their West African culture, beliefs, and traditions. The Kin are bound to protect the Golden Isle and, in turn, it protects them.

When Addae’s best friend Naria goes missing and one of the Kin turns up drained of blood, Addae’s way of life is threatened. It looks like the work of the Adze, West African supernatural beings that drink human blood in order to survive—also known as vampires.

Believing Naira is alive, Addae travels to the mainland. But as Addae gets closer to finding Naria, she uncovers deep secrets about Nana Ama’s past, and about her own… secrets that could change how she feels about the Golden Isle and her lineage.

Torn between two worlds, Addae will have to decide how far she is willing to go—and who she is willing to cross—to save her best friend, and even herself.

Content Warning: violence, death, slavery history, cursing

** I listened to this as an ALC but I also had the ebook arc, and I’m glad I had the ebook because the audiobook had issues and I don’t know if it’s on my end, but many chapters would cut out or skip. Parts of the audio would go silent and come back again. I did mostly listen to it though because I love how the narrator brought the story to life. But for me, this ALC copy wasn’t the best and it was helpful that I had the ebook. **

+ Addae lives on Golden Isle, off the coast of South Carolina and her family’s West African roots are preserved on this island. Her grandmother, her only guardian used to be a slave so she has come a long way to owning her own island. So there is a lot of anger, resentment and a need to protect themselves and the island from mainlanders. But when Addae’s best-friend Naira goes missing, she has to find help on the mainland where she discovers her cousin was involved with a boy, Luke, who’s family was all about collecting artifacts and maybe wanted something from Golden Isle. I think there is a lot of growth for Addae. She didn’t like that Naira wanted to leave the island because she didn’t see any reason to want to be anywhere else, or that she was dating a white boy. But her search for Naira opens her eyes to a lot of things. Also, her relationship with her grandmother is one of respect, but there is a lot of secrets between them that gets revealed in the end.

+ I don’t know much about West African culture, but I did hear some familiar mythological names like Anansi (I used to read my kids the story about Anansi the spider) and Nyame. I kind of got excited that those names were familiar to me and it made me more interested in the story to see what more I could learn about them. Also I didn’t expect the paranormal elements in the story, the vampires and zombies.

~ The first half off the book is slower than the second half. We meet Addae, and see her life on the island with her grandmother and other families. But Naira goes missing, and she goes missing for awhile. It seems people are quick to say she is gone except Addae. So Addae is basically trying to find Naira on her own until she runs into Luke’s sister, Hailey. Still, there doesn’t seem much urgency in finding Naira and except for some stories of strange sighting or going-ons, there are no leads. I found that part slow. But things pick up in the second half because it’s like the story turns in another direction.

~ The ending feels rushed because so many things are revealed and happening at once. I do wish more hints about vampires were dropped earlier in the book.

Final Thoughts:

I love the West African history and heritage that was represented in this story and it also doesn’t shy away from slavery that was part of South Carolina’s past. I do think pacing was an issue, first half went a little too slow but it switches up and picks up but then the ending feels rushed. I really liked the family and vampire elements of the story. I thought Addae had a lot of character growth throughout the book. Definitely check this one out if you are into vampire stories.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Still Fighting by. Syianne Horne | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Still Fighting

Author: Syianne Horne

Format: eBook

Pages: 111

Publication Date: 1/15/26

Publisher: indie author

Categories: Fiction, Novella

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

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

Trouble has always followed Torres, and by eighth grade, his reputation feels impossible to escape. Beneath the tough exterior, he struggles with low self-esteem and doubts his ability to be anything more than his past mistakes. He leans on his friends Carlos and Arlin, but even their bond may not be enough when the pressure starts to build.

When a new teacher, Ms. Jenkins, refuses to give up on him, Torres is pushed to see himself differently. Now he must decide if he has the courage to believe in his own worth and choose a better future.

Content Warning: violence, drug dealing, grief

The author reached out to ask if I would read and review her book and I’m so glad I agreed to do it because this book is powerful, impactful and relevant to today’s political and social climate.

Told in multiple POVs from four people: Carlos, Arlin and Torres and their teacher, Ms. Jenkins, we get insight into the children’s lives. And yes they are children – middle school kids who still need guidance and support and Ms. Jenkins is there to give it the best she can even with opposition with school admin.

I have a child in the 7th grade and this hits home – especially with the personal narrative assignment, because givings kids a way to express themselves and tell their stories is so important. Arlin’s story brought tears to my eyes, and I felt Torres and Carlos’ frustrations and fears about what they went through and going through.

This story is heartbreaking, but also so very hopeful.

Final Thoughts:

This story is powerful and everyone should read it. It tells an important story about struggle, and yet left me hopeful for the future. I hope to read more books from this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Author Website

We’re A Bad Idea, Right? by. K.L. Walther | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: We’re a Bad Idea, Right?

Author: K.L. Walther

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 3/3/26

Publisher: Delacorte Romance

Categories: Young Adult, Romance

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

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

The business of love gets messy when two best friends decide to fake a romantic relationship in this uproarious and swoony novel by the bestselling author of The Summer of Broken Rules.

Audrey Barbour has had enough of following the rules. Eighteen years of being the perfect daughter—exceptional grades, enviable college acceptances, tame dating history—and still, her parents don’t trust her enough to let her study her passion, glassblowing, on a prestigious fellowship.

So when her best friend Henry proposes an outrageous fake-dating scheme to win back his ex-girlfriend, it feels like the first step to shaking up her perfect life. And the second? That comes when Audrey’s parents go out of town, sparking a high-risk, high-reward solution to pay for her fellowship—renting out her family’s Connecticut mansion online. With the help of her new fake-boyfriend, it shouldn’t be hard to pull off… right?

But when her best intentions start to unravel, Audrey will have to reckon with who she is, what she wants, and what it really means to play life by her rules—all with her heart on the line.

Content Warning: alcohol use

+ This is a wild ride of a young adult romance! Audrey is a glass blower and sells her creation on her own Etsy shop. Henry is her best-friend and he helps her run her shop, but he’s also dating her good friend, Ellie…until recently. Henry wants to get Ellie back so he proposes they fake date to make Ellie jealous, and then maybe Audrey’s crush, Griff, will also look at her in a different way.

+ The fake dating is fun because they are best friends and have their own way of interacting with one another using movie lines or calling each other by character names. It’s very silly, very cute, and I loved Audrey and Henry together. When they do feel something more, which comes really easily and without any real drama – all it takes is a few talks between them when they do have a challenge before they get their happy ever after. I liked how the topic of a long distance relationship was Henry’s hang-up about continuing a relationship, but there was Audrey’s parents in a long-distance marriage that worked!

+ Outside of the fake-dating though is the crazy things happening in Audrey’s life. Her parents are on a trip, and she accidentally pays ten thousand dollars for tuition to a school her parents haven’t agreed to. So…the rest of the story is her trying to come up with a way to make the 10K back before her parents get back home. The plan involves all her friends, but what Audrey learns about herself is that she really is good under-pressure and can actually run a business! It’s kind of crazy but it works, and I thought it made this story pretty fun to read.

+ I found all the characters to be good people, which was kind of nice! Audrey is a chill girl, and nothing seems to get her totally down. And her group of friends, even her parents, seem like really relaxed people – I cannot relate! haha…but it’s nice. I like that everyone was trying to help her out in some way.

~ If you don’t like pop culture references then you won’t enjoy this book because there is mention of Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and even Gracie Abrams. 😅. Even the title takes from Olivia’s song Bad Idea, Right?

~ There is a moment where Audrey and Henry take their relationship to the next level but it’s closed door, with barely any details except him pulling out a condom. I found it pretty realistic but I did kind of want more of a hint that they were headed that way in their relationship.

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed this one! I thought it was fun and funny. The characters were all likable and I kind of wish my parents were as chill as Audrey’s. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Summer of Broken Rules by. K.L. Walther | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

In Time With You by. Kristin Dwyer | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: In Time With You

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Author: Kristin Dwyer

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 3/3/26

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Magical Realism, Grief, Time Travel

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!

Can she get it right the second time(line) around?

You’ve Reached Sam meets Before I Fall in this gripping speculative romance about one girl saving her first love’s life by falling for the last person she ever should – his best friend.

Nieve Monroe is devastated after her boyfriend Carter dies saving her from drowning. Even worse she blames herself for his death… and so does his best friend, Max. He was there with them on that fateful day, and he’s never liked Nieve.

Unable to pull herself from her grief and wanting to hide from the accusation in his eyes, Nieve goes to stay with her grandmother, who has always had strange stories to tell of uncanny happenings, of magic and make believe. The next morning, Nieve wakes up on the first day of college, the year before.

This time she plans to make sure Carter never follows her into that river. She’ll do everything in her power to keep him safe, even if it means losing him in other ways. But the more distance she puts between her and Carter, the closer she gets to Max, drawn to him in ways she never expected. But is she betraying Carter if the only way she can save him is to move on? And can she ever forget her past to embrace her future?

Kristin Dwyer’s In Time with You is a heartbreaking story of first love, loss, and one chance to change everything.

Content Warning: grief, death, drowning, PTSD, anxiety, underage drinking, family estrangement

+ I don’t know what I was expecting from this story but what an emotional rollercoaster. I have lost someone in the past, in an accident, so a lot of the questions Nieve has in this book – hit a little too close to home. So if you lost someone, just know this story can be triggering.

+ Nieve’s boyfriend Carter dies in an accident that involves her. She is lost in the darkness of grief and can’t quite move on. She blames herself. She tries to go back to college but she can barely get out of bed and then her grandmother rips the yarn threads from her blanket. Now Nieve’s grandmother and their ancestors before them are very superstitious and they are artists who founded this college that Nieve and her cousin goes too. But yarn is magical in their family, each color represents emotions, and certain colors can help do things like ward off nightmares – Nieve and her cousin Linden have been working on their own blankets all their lives, and the yarn being stitched a little at a time represented a time of their life or something special too them. This blanket is their timeline and when Nieve’s grandmother rips out the threads that was Nieve’s memories of Carter – Nieve travels back in time to the moment she meets Carter. Her goal? Not to date him so she can change his future – but will it work?

+ I was hooked on this story because I needed to see how this would work out. I don’t particularly love time travel stories and there were times while reading this my mind said no, Nieve can’t do this, or else she will mess everything up. But it’s because I was afraid for her, I was afraid what her actions may mean, and what outcome would be or what if she tries to change his future but he dies again anyway. Because yes, she lost Carter in the first timeline, but isn’t she also losing him again in this second timeline? She’s losing him as a boyfriend, but keeping him alive. It’s emotional devastating and bittersweet.

+ And because Nieve is pushing Carter away, someone else (who she thought hated her in the first timeline) becomes the person she wants and it’s confusing feelings all around. I was rooting for her with this other guy but also gutted about it because things change drastically and in unexpected ways. There is romance but not with who I thought it would be with – which was a bittersweet feeling. But I did love him for her, come on, Max reads Pablo Neruda poems – I fell in love with him for that alone! There is a little spice, but it was just enough. But it was just really interesting to see how Nieve could see Carter with a different perspective in this second timeline.

+ I love Nieve’s family and their traditions. There’s a rumor her grandmother is a witch and I could definitely see the witchy and magical elements of the story. I love how close she is to her grandma and cousin, because she clearly wasn’t close to her mom but it was…expected. It just seemed like in Nieve’s family, it is what it is. I’m just glad she had her grandma and cousin. I also love how this story revolves around art – the college they go to is a small college focusing on art whether it’s writing, dancing, or creating with paint and pencil.

~ Like I said above, time travel is not my favorite trope, and there were times when I thought how could Nieve even function when she changed one thing, a ripple would happen and altogether things would change. I felt like I was going crazy with her because it was out of her control! That part got a little frustrating for me because she could kiss someone and the next day it didn’t happen because the timeline would change a little. Her grandma’s advice was to make only ripples of changes not big changes and I felt like Nieve followed the instructions as best she could but still something huge would change. So I felt her madness and anxiety as she neared the day Carter would die. I just wish she had more guidance and explanation about the yarn and the ripples and the timeline. But grandma just trusted Nieve whole-heartedly, she was kind of bad-ass.

~ Things change a lot in the new timeline and when Nieve pushes Carter away, he ends up with someone else and yikes, I would have hated to be in Nieve’s shoes. You can tell she really loved him enough to keep him alive and look past him dating other people.

Final Thoughts:

I found this story emotional, engrossing, heartbreaking, and complicated. I was hooked on this story from the start and I found myself feeling everything Nieve was feeling. I may not have understood some of the timeline changes but I went with it and found myself invested until the very end. It’s definitely the kind of story that will stick with me for awhile. I’ve read three books now from this author and each time, it grabs me by the heartstrings. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Some Mistakes Were Made by. Kristin Dwyer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Atlas of Us by. Kristin Dwyer | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Caged by Fallen Crows: Part One by. Ava Larksen | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Caged by Fallen Crows: Part One (Of Crows and Thorns, #2)

Author: Ava Larksen

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 635

Publication Date: 2/11/26

Categories: Romantasy, Dark Romance, New Adult, Series

Living together? That’s a war Graysen was never trained for.

Imprisoned in Graysen’s tower, Nelle Wychthorn finds herself ensnared by something far more dangerous than chains.

The sway is awakening. His tamer influence bleeds into her thoughts, seizing hold of her will—and he doesn’t even know it.

If he ever discovers the hold he already has… she’s lost.

Escape is her only chance. Convince him to open the door, find the hidden tunnel, and run.

Graysen Crowther walks a knife’s edge. He defies his family by keeping Nelle in his tower instead of the dungeon. She’s a pawn to force her father’s hand—surrender the god‑forged weapon, or lose his daughter.

But living together?
He’s utterly out of his depth.

Nelle wages war, tormenting him mercilessly, upending his carefully ordered world. Yet within the intimate chaos as roommates, fury and heat collide. Wild. Consuming. Ruinous.

When Graysen is ordered into the catacombs to hunt an elusive beast, long‑buried memories resurface of his mother’s secret life—and a mysterious Horned God who may know the truth about her final day.

To right the terrible wrong that haunts him, he must find the Horned God to unlock everything he desperately needs… if his family doesn’t uncover his true intentions first.

Content Warning: violence, death

This is book two in the Of Crows and Thorns Saga, so I’m not sure why this one is called Part One?

~ I gave book one three stars because though I was intrigued with the characters, I thought book two would have more world building which it needed badly in book one. Once again, this story is focused on the characters and there is no new world-building at all. I need world-building. This story mostly stays in the Crowther family fortress or keep. Graysen does leave and we sort of follow him on a mission but again…it needs more world-building.

+~ This is a very character-driven story. Graysen is stuck between a rock and a hard place, either to save his mom, or save Nelle. He knows what he and his family is doing to Nelle is wrong, but he needs to find a way to appease everyone, which sucks. Nelle is a prisoner at the Crowther’s fortress and they plan to auction her off in order to find their mother. I liked learning more about Graysen’s home life, but I need him to step it up big time and do the right thing and let Nelle go. As for Nelle, I wish she was older than 19, because she does act like a teenager. The bickering should be funny, but they were just like two kids fighting at times. So I’m still waiting for Nelle to grow, but I know there isn’t much she can do stuck at the fortress- actually I want to see her carry out her promise and burn the place down but nothing like that happened. I do love her wolf-wraith, Sage.

+~ I can’t believe I’m happy about a book having LESS smut, but yay, it has less smut than book one. Though Graysen and Nelle are forced to be together, there is the issue of him betraying her and her being a prisoner that keeps them apart emotionally and physically for most of the book. There is eventually some spice because she’s a Wyrm and he’s her Tamer and it is a kind of mating bond that is hard for them to deny. I feel like they finally get to know each other better in this book but I still want to see more of an emotional connection between them. And speaking of smut…it felt so comical at times! I think it’s supposed to be funny because these two are always fighting. I was laughing at times but also rolling my eyes at these two – I could not take them seriously.

~ At this rate, I want to learn more about Silas Boone and less about the Crowthers. 😒. The story barely budged forward and this is a 635 page book (but it does read quickly because I kept waiting for something to happen). We learn a lot about Tabitha, Graysen’s mom, but I want to learn more about the Horned Gods – what is their deal? I mean, can Nelle have another romance option, like maybe Silas? I’m open to it because Graysen needs to lose her and hurt about it. 😅

~ I wanted Graysen to grovel, but he hasn’t even said sorry…it’s the only reason I read this book actually. To see how Nelle would punish the Crowthers…but except for some pranks she pulls on Graysen, there is no punishing happening, except to Nelle. I actually haven’t read a book that’s made me so mad at the characters before 😂.

~ And speaking of lack of world-building…I have no sense of what this world is, but they name drop brand names a little too much.

Final Thoughts:

This book feels like filler, because nothing much happens to move the story forward. I still want more world-building, character growth, and emotional connection in the romance. I want to see Nelle enact her revenge and leave Graysen actually, which I know won’t happen – maybe that’s why I’m mad at the story 😅. She’s going to forgive him and help his family out, isn’t she? I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Bound in Inked Flame by. Ava Larksen| Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Wicked and the Damned by. Rebecca Robinson | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: The Wicked and the Damned (Dark Inheritance Trilogy, #2)

Author: Rebecca Robinson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 2/24/26

Publisher: S&S/Saga Press

Categories: Romantasy, 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 S&S/Saga Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In the exhilarating second romantasy novel in Rebecca Robinson’s Dark Inheritance Trilogy, a fiery couple forced apart must navigate a deadly maze of politics and power to reunite across a continent at war.
Torn from her husband Reid’s arms and dragged back to her homeland in chains, Vaasa is no longer a ruler, but a political pawn. Now under the control of Ozik—a cunning Zetyr witch with a stranglehold on her magic—she faces annulment, forced betrothal, and a kingdom that no longer feels like her own. As Ozik’s machinations aim to install himself as the true power behind the Asteryan throne, Vaasa is forced to take part in his game.

Meanwhile, across the continent, Reid is done playing politics. But waging war is never simple, and a soldier’s fury cannot stand up against Icruria’s bureaucracy. With allies fading and time slipping away, Reid may have no choice but to infiltrate Asterya on his own to find the woman he loves and bring her home.

As Vaasa’s magic begins to flare, she desperately seeks control, even if Ozik is the only one who can offer it. She then finds a cryptic final message from her mother about a precious missing necklace that might just be the answer to finally freeing her magic from Ozik. Yet when a ghost from Vaasa’s past reemerges among the suitors vying for her hand, escape might be within reach—but will it demand a betrayal that real love may not survive?

Content Warning: violence, death

This is book two in the Dark Inheritance Trilogy, the first book being The Serpent and the Wolf. I really enjoyed Vaasa and Reid’s story in book one, but this time around they are apart for half the book.

I did feel like the first half moved slower for me, maybe because I was trying to remember all the characters and what happened in book one. By 50% into the book, I was hooked and it was a action filled second half filled with political intrigue, and Vaasa and Reid’s reunion.

I felt like a lot of this book focused on Ozik and we learn a lot about him and by the third book I think we’ll see if Vaasa can keep her promise to him. There was another character introduced in this book, Roman, who is from Vaasa’s past and I did not like him at all.

I enjoyed the twists and turns and hope book three starts off a bit faster.

Final Thoughts:

I do feel like this book moved the story forward though I did find the first of it slow. The second half was filled with a little spice, lots of political intrigue, twists, turns and action. I’ll definitely be looking forward to see how this series concludes in book three.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Serpent and the Wolf by. Rebecca Robinson | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Last Wish of Bristol Keats by. Mary E. Pearson | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats, #2)

Author: Mary E. Pearson

Narrator(s): Brittany Pressley

Format: audiobook (Libby)

Pages: 449 Listening Time: approximately 14 hours

Publication Date: 11/10/25

Publisher: MacMillan Audio

Categories: Romantasy, Series

Everyone needs something to hold onto, even if it’s a lie.

After Bristol nearly loses Tyghan to the monsters her mother unleashed, their love deepens to a whole new level. Together, Bristol and Tyghan work to understand and reconcile their differences, moving forward with their common goal of saving Elphame. But, when a daring rescue attempt turns disastrous and a beloved knight dies, Bristol is forced to confront the fact that her mother is more powerful than she could ever have imagined – and more dangerous, too.

Meanwhile, Tyghan’s heart is laid bare when he re-encounters his betrayer, Kierus, and must wrestle with a new secret that throws everything he thought he knew about his past into question. Bristol is Elphame’s last chance for survival, but where do her loyalties truly lie? If she embraces the magic that has always been her birthright, she could become a monster just like her mother. Is she willing to risk losing the people she loves most if it means keeping them safe?

Discover the stunning second book in the Bristol Keats fantasy duology, from New York Times bestselling author Mary E. Pearson.

Content Warning: violence, death, grief

+ This is a series with a large cast of characters and yet, there one only one narrator and she did quite a job! I think the only voice I didn’t love was for Tyghan – but that’s just a personal preference. She was amazing doing all the voices for this book. And I’m glad I listened to this book because I don’t think I would have been as invested if I sat down and read it.

+~ I felt like this story moved quicker than book one, which I appreciated. Maybe because it finally gets to to big battle. The ending is gets very emotional but also kind of gave me whiplash. I can see why Bristol does what she does out of grief, but again with their communication issues.

+~ There is so much conflict for Bristol in this story. Her parents are enemies of Tyghan and his court. She loves them so much that she wants to save them which is totally understandable. Tyghan has lost people due to her parents though so I can understand his anger too. Throughout the whole story it was just this back and forth of who was right and what the right choice was for dealing with her parents. I felt bad for Bristol. It still felt weird to me that Tyghan was raised with and is ex-best friends with her dad though – just something I can’t really shake. 🤦🏻‍♀️ It kinda gives me the ick.

+~ Because of Bristol’s conflict, there were many times where Tyghan and her and to work through their relationship because of the issues that came between them. I did not like Tyghan keeping things from her about her dad. So communication was something they had to work on a lot. Clearly they loved one another and really wanted to make things work out. There are some spicy scenes. And the ending? It’s very emotional for both of them.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook except how Tyghan’s voice was done – it just didn’t work for me but for all the other voices this amazing narrator had to do? Outstanding. This is not my favorite series from this author, I think it might be my least favorite of them all but I’m glad I got to finish it.