Kiss of the Black Flame by. Helen Scheuerer| ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Kiss of the Black Flame (The Bookbinder’s Bargain, #1)

Author: Helen Scheuerer

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 464

Publication Date: 9/22/26

Publisher: Atria Books

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Series

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

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

Some bargains are sealed with blood…Others with fire…The deadliest are sealed with a kiss…

Saige Grayson has always believed stories could heal—even when her own body refuses to. As the most promising bookbinder in the capital, she’s learned to work through chronic pain and crushing debt, restoring other people’s treasures while trying not to fall apart herself. But when the man she owes decides her rare talent is worth more than her payments, Saige is traded to the Azkari—an immortal race forged by the gods for war—and imprisoned in their ancient stronghold.

Her only chance of survival lies with Archer, a fallen Azkari general imprisoned beside her —cursed, dangerous, and impossible to ignore. He offers her a way out, and in return, Saige must help him retrieve and restore an ancient book. But the book is made of living magic, powerful enough to stop a great evil—or unleash it. And as Saige works with Archer, the tome begins to awaken something dark and dangerous—both in the realm and within her.

As their enemies close in and buried memories resurface, Saige and Archer must decide what they’re willing to their freedom, their fragile trust…or the spark that could ignite the world.

Content Warning: violence, death

Archer is an Azkari general who has been trapped in prison with his half corporeal form for 200 years. With his enemy, Malevron, on the move he has to beat him to finding the Confluence – a book that contains all the knowledge about the Azkari people and their magic. He needs a bookbinder who has the talent to restore the book, and he’s found one but not the one he’s looking for. But Saige makes a pact with Archer because she needs help from thugs, but the bargain she makes is unknowingly more than she agreed to.

This is quite a story and I was hooked from the very beginning! I’ve read a few of this author’s books, but I didn’t read the last book of her last series only because sometimes trying to stick to a series longer than 3 books can be difficult when I’m short on time and motivation. But I’ve always loved her writing. This book reminds me why I was a fan of her work in the first place. It’s easy to read and the characters are easy to connect to and invest in. And there are a few things going on like a bargain, a journey, action, a quest, a book restoration, political intrigue, a slow burn romance and a story about family – found and bio. There are a few secrets and some betrayals, so there was always something happening in this story whether it was the quest to find the book and the events that came after it to restore the book. I loved learning about the Askari and hope we get to know more in book two.

Saige is 35 years old, which I absolutely love since I feel like there should be more older FMC’s in stories. I love the found family that Saige has with her adopted mother Yev and her best-friend, Raven. And I can’t forget Yev’s hound, Grim – he was adorable, especially when he was getting on Archer’s nerves. Saige is for the most part, mostly positive and has a happy disposition – even when bad things happen. But she does have a hard time asking people for help and has gotten into debt with a bad man. As for Archer, he is very grumpy, and has a few secrets. I thought his interactions with his friends, family, Saige and her family were funny because he’s such a grump!

The romance is a delicious slow burn because Archer and Saige are very much opposites and come into the bargain reluctantly. It goes from dislike to lovers to…enemies? It ends with a cliffhanger. But oh did I love Archer when he was a tortured general with tattoos of plants or flowers on his back. He also wears glasses and sketches with charcoal, but yes he is also a killing machine made for war. He was such a contradiction and a mystery but we do find out a lot about him at the end – some things I didn’t like knowing, so I don’t know how I felt about him at the end, I’ll wait until book two to judge him. Saige was an interesting character because I think she’s older? So she didn’t need a man and was very big about being independent but she didn’t deny she wanted Archer and I kind of like that she didn’t hide it. Their spicy moments were fun too.

Final Thoughts:

I devoured this one! I love so many things about it like the romance, the quest, the grumpy x sunshine characters, the found family and bio family. There was action, secrets, betrayals and I want more. Can’t wait for book two!

Read if you like:

found family
grumpy x sunshine romance
secrets and betrayal

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Fate & Furies by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Vows & Ruins by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review– ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Blood & Steel by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fabric of Chaos by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

With Dagger and Song by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Lair of Bones (Curse of the Cyren Queen #1) by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Wildborn by. Perri Torani | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Wildborn (Starborn, #1)

Author: Perri Torani

Pages: 606

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 6/28/26

Categories: Alien Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Series

To walk the path of a morazir, I will exist in three states of being:

Untouched.

Untaken.

Unconquered.

Airik, a battle-scarred warrior serving the cruel intergalactic empire of the Veynari, craves silence from the nightmares tormenting his mind. But while on post to decommission a failed experiment of a planet, a rogue human spacecraft crashes, and a reckless decision leaves him stranded—entangled with a woman he never should have saved.

Nora wakes light-years from Earth, broken in body and spirit, at the mercy of an alien soldier who refuses to let her die. Devastatingly beautiful, terrifyingly competent, and bound by a warrior’s oath that permits touch only to destroy, he’s the reluctant guardian angel she neither wants nor believes she deserves.

Trapped together, they’re forced to navigate a brutal landscape, vicious beasts, and the deadly remnants of an abandoned world. Duty demands Airik’s cold indifference. Yet Nora sparks something deliciously alive—and entirely forbidden—within him. What begins as necessity ignites a primal hunger: scorching, consuming, and impossible to resist.

But even if they survive, the Veynari—ever present and ruthless—won’t allow its warriors weakness like love. For Airik and Nora to be together, they must risk everything.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ I’m opening up to reading more Alien Romance and saw this as a popular one on Kindle Unlimited so I wanted to try it. Airik is a warrior for the Veynari but he’s also an outcast because of his parents’ love for each other – love is not something the Veynari do. So he’s this really tortured guy, trying to stay in his lane and do what he’s told until he ends up on another planet for a mission. He finds Nora, a human who has crash landed on this same planet. They are forced to be together and that’s how things grow between them.

+~ Nora and Airik are both broken people/species. They have trauma from their past and it was fitting that they met and fell in love. I thought it was fun to see how they learn how to communicate, it helps that Airik was already studying some English and learning about humans. He learns a lot more while around Nora and she learns about his species as well. I don’t think there is anything about Nora that stood out though, I was way more interested in Airik and his past. There is one secondary character in here that I was intrigued by and loved and that’s Torren, Airik’s best friend.

+~ I think I was going into this just thinking it was going to be a romp in space, a little smutty, but fun but I was wrong. There are a lot of tears shed between Nora and Airik, I actually wondered why they couldn’t stop crying, because it was a little too much for me. I didn’t expect this to be so emotional but I really felt for Airik. It’s a forbidden romance between two broken people who just want to be loved and belong somewhere. They want a future together but don’t know how to make that happen and by the end I was hoping they could be together someway, somehow. It’s an alien romance so the spice has some creative elements to it which makes it fun, but yeah, these two have a rough time of it trying to carve a path for a future together.

+~ I did enjoy the world building but I do think the length of this book was too long. Most of the time is spent on the planet with Nora and Airik spending time together, which is fine, and they get all their spicy scenes in, but I did wish some of it would have been cut out to make the story move faster. Pacing was an issue but there is a lot of action at the end though which I enjoyed.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this started off good, and I love when Nora and Airik meet and learn from one another, the spice was fun too but then the story got too long and started to drag a little before the action came in at the end to make things interesting again. So for an alien romance I thought this was not bad and I did find the world building really detailed. There was more emotion in this than I was expecting and I would like to read book two if it’s about Torren but I also hope it won’t be as long as this one but a tighter story.

Read if you like:

alien romance
sci-fi/fantasy
forbidden romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Ice Beyond by. Olivia Wildenstein | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

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

Author: Olivia Wildensteiin

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 9/22/26

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

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

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

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

HE DEFIED HIS PACK TO LOVE ME.

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

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

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

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

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

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

A truth about my past.

One that ruined us all.

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

Content Warning: violence

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts:

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

Read if you like:

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

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

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

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

Stone Bound by. Jocelyn James | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Stone Bound

Author: Jocelyn James

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 350

Publication Date: 9/4/26

Publisher: Jocelyn James

Categories: Romantasy, Dark Academia, New Adult

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Content Warning: violence, death

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

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

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

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

Final Thoughts:

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

Read if you like:

military academy
trials
ex-childhood to lovers

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Wretched Divine by. Adalyn Grace | ARC and ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Wretched Divine (The Wretched Divine, #1)

Author: Adalyn Grace

Format: eBook (NetGalley) and audiobook (netgalley)

Pages: 512

Listening Hours: approx. 19 hrs 44 min

Narrator (s): Kristin Atherton; Major Curda; Marisa Calin; Shane East

Publication Date: 9/21/26

Publisher: FEIWEL & 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 FEIWEL & Macmillan Audio for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Aurelie Chantelune was born to serve. Raised as a knight in a kingdom ravaged by demons, she’s spent her life honing her blade, driven by the memory of the monsters who tore her family apart and by the knowledge that she’s one of the few who can stop them.

If Aurelie can claim her first kill, she’ll inherit a legacy passed down through the Chantelune a soulbond with Yuriel, an angel whose power is vital to her kingdom’s survival. But when those she loves begin turning into the very monsters she’s sworn to destroy, Aurelie is forced to seek help from the last place she ever imagined. Desperate, she forges a second and far more dangerous bond with Severin, a demon she can hardly trust, but who claims to know how to end the war for good.

With their lives and fates entwined, Aurelie, Yuriel, and Severin must team up to hunt down a cure capable of turning demons back into humans. But the more they learn about one another and the deeper their relationships grow, the more Aurelie begins to question the war and her place in it. With both of her bonded on opposing sides, she’ll have to make a continue to stand with the angels, or risk everything by trusting a demon.

Content Warning: death, violence

+ Knights, angels and demons. The audiobook was fantastic and very entertaining. I loved all the narrators and their voices.

+~ The world-building is great and I really love how the story build and builds into the climax at the end but I did find the beginning a little slow. The pacing was a bit up and down because it starts off with a lot of action then it pulls back for when they are trying to find ingredients for the cure – which is where things slow down but we do get to know the characters more. But it finishes with twists, betrayals, and makes me want to read book two right away. There are a lot of questions in the book about who is the real villain – is it the angels or the demons? They have been locked in war for so long and everyone is tired, but revenge and hate runs deep on both sides so how can they stop killing each other?

+~ Aurelie is a knight and her life is dedicated to killing demons but when her father starts turning into a demon she does anything and everything to find a cure, even bonding with a demon. Thing is, she’s also bound to an angel, Yuriel. Some of Aurelie’s actions were questionable but I get that her motivation was to save her father after losing so many other people in her life already.

+ There are so many fascinating characters in this story like Yuriel the angel with a past, Severin – a very mischievous demon who likes to sing and make wine, Illaria – the princess who was almost Aurelie’s sister in law, and Vex the little vesper who is a big help to Aurelie and Yuriel. I was invested in everyone and some of the interactions were so funny, because Severin is such a trouble maker and Vex was funny too.

+~ This is more fantasy than romance, there are some spicy moments and even some confusing moments where Aurelie is enticed by Severin but also feels admiration for Yuriel, so I’m not sure if this will be a love triangle or a why choose or what. Or is it heading towards a throuple? I have no clue but oh the possibilities!

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed this one, especially the second half of the book! The audiobook was wonderful and all the narrators did a great job voicing the characters. There is action, a little spice, secrets, betrayal, knights, angels and demons. I can’t wait for book two!

Read if you like:

knights
war between angels and demons

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Wisteria by. Adalyn Grace | Book Review – 3.5 stars

Foxglove by. Adalyn Grace | Book Review – 4 stars

Belladonna by. Adalyn Grace | Book Review – 5 stars

Heart of Thieves by. Jessica S. Olson | ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: Heart of Thieves (The Devious, #2)

Author: Jessica S. Olson

Pages: 384

Format: audiobook

Listening Hours: 12 hours (approx.)

Narrator (s): Dylan Reilly Fitzpatrick; Emily Ellet

Publisher: Macmillan Young Listeners

Publication Date: 9/15/26

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Audiobook, 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 Macmillan Young Listeners for giving me a chance to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review!

A cunning thief turns the tables on the feuding brothers who betrayed her in this thrilling conclusion to the Den of Liars Duology, perfect for fans of Powerless and Lightlark.

Lola St. James is trapped in a web of lies and deceit. But that only makes her more determined to find the truth. The truth about her past. The truth about her magic. And the truth about the curse that binds her to two warring brothers who she both hates and loves.

With the Liar’s Dice Tournament now only a painful memory, Lola dons a new alter ego, Nocturne, and creates her own elaborate game designed to lure both the Liar and the Thief into her clutches, certain this is the only way to give them a chance to break their curses.

But Lola is not the only one with plans for the brothers. When a powerful figure from their past comes back to haunt them, will Lola’s love be enough to hold them all together? Or will the lies they’ve told tear them apart forever?

Content Warning: death, violence, loss of body autonomy

This is book two in The Devious serious and I really loved book one, Den of Liars, and wanted to see what happened next in the story. The narrators did such a great job, the female narrator was practically acting out all her scenes, especially a dramatic one at the ending! I loved the sound of the male narrator also but at times I couldn’t distinguish when it was Nic or Enzo speaking.

The world building really goes more into the magic in this sequel and conclusion. We learn about Laurel, Nic’s first love, and I totally didn’t like her. She’s controlling Nic, and making him out to be someone he is not. Lola is trying to help break the brothers’ curse but she has to accomplish this by keeping secrets and trust with Enzo is already so shaky. I honestly wish I had the ebook to read while reading because a lot of the magic and world-building kind of went over my head.

I did like Lola’s relationship with Enzo which was strictly platonic and more of a found family vibe. Whereas it was clear her relationship with Nic was a romance. But Lola is barely with Nic in this book because he is stuck in Laurel’s clutches. Speaking of relationships, the brothers never got along because of their past but it does end cordially and happily for them. The other loose end in the story was Lola’s dad, the crime lord who is looking for her. Things are complicated there but there is closure.

Overall, I’d say this was a solid conclusion.

Final Thoughts:

This one was filled with secrets, lies, betrayal, and some very interesting magic and world-building. There was only a little bit of romance. The narrators were fantastic, but story-wise I don’t think this held my attention like book one did. I think it was a pretty solid conclusion though.

Read if you like:

Den of Liars (first book)
magic
found family

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Den of Liars by. Jessica S. Olson | ARC Review -4.5 stars/1 🌶️

Pretty Savage by. Lexi Davis | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️.5

Title: Pretty Savage (The Order, #2)

Author: Lexi Davis

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 389

Publication Date: 9/10/26

Categories: Dark Romance, Secret Society, Series

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

Getting sucked into a secret society was bad.
Falling for its ruthless heir was worse.

Now I’m part of a secret society preparing to brand me, bind me to him, and turn our most intimate promise into a public ritual.

Carrson will destroy anyone who threatens me. But the enemy is no longer one man. It’s the world that made him, the father he can’t escape, and the secrets buried in my own blood.

To survive, I have to learn The Order’s rules faster than they can use them against me. I must decide which truths to hide, which alliances to risk, and how far I’m willing to go to claim a future with the man I love.

Carrson thinks he’s the dangerous one.
He’s about to discover I can be savage too.

Pretty Savage is an obsessive secret society dark romance with a ruthless, morally gray hero who is only soft for her, touch-her-and-die possessiveness, dangerous rituals, forced bonding, an us-against-the-world romance, and an increasingly powerful heroine. It is the second book in The Order series and should be read after Pretty Vicious.

Want more from this world? Read the prequel Pretty Ruthless, set thirty years before the events of Pretty Vicious. She’s an outsider on the hunt for answers. He’s the cruel, reluctant ruler who will one day become Carrson’s father. When these two collide, sparks fly and blood spills.

You’re not ready for what happens next.

Content Warning: violence, voyeurism, secret society/cult, death, abuse, knife play, drug use

+ This is part two in The Order series and it continues right where book one leaves off – Laurel is taken to the enemy, Silas. And yes he’s a scary drug dealer but I kind of liked him because he didn’t harm Laurel – also I want to know his story and it definitely ties into the Order. His drug is becoming a problem for The Order, so it will be interesting to see how it plays into this civil war taking place in the group.

+ We learn more about The Order, which is a secret society but I think it’s a cult. We get a little more of a brief history of Carrson’s ancestor. The way the Order raise their kids to be powerful members in society is disgusting and horrible, but it’s all for “the cause”, they are raising politicians, presidents, etc…so they have to basically abuse them to teach them how to be tough. But I love that Laurel’s outsider presence is encouraging the girls to take a good look around them and try to rise up. The ending was an interesting cliffhanger which has me curious to see what happens next. We also learn more about Laurel’s dad which was an interesting twist.

+ Carrson and Laurel are solid. They might have a fight or two but I love how they work things out and how they love one another. They are ride or die for one another and I’m just hoping they can break free from the chains of The Order. There is a pretty spicy scene in this one that includes knife play.

~ This is dark romance and The Order is basically a cult, so there is one scene where Carrson and Laurel have to consummate their bond in from of others. It’s ritualistic, archaic, and disgusting. I felt horrible for Carrson and Laurel throughout the whole story!

Final Thoughts:

I think this sequel moves the story along nicely but it does get darker in this one, to the point of grossing me out a little with the voyeurism. But I do love Carrson and Laurel’s romance – they are there for one another, through thick or thin. I’m also very happy to see some of the girls in the Order waking up to what is going on around them and it will be interesting to see them grow more in the next book. I found this one to be a quick read and I look forward to the next book!

Read if you like:

secret society
dark romance
dark themes

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Pretty Vicious: The Order by. Lexi Davis | Book Review – 3.5⭐️/2 🌶️

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

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Our Strange Duet

Author: Erin A. Craig

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 9/1/26

Publisher: Delacorte Press

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

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

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

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

She was never just the voice he shaped . . .

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

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

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

Content Warning: violence, stalker, obsession

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

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

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

Final Thoughts:

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

Read if you like:

Phantom of the Opera
gothic atmosphere

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

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

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

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

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

Book Review | House of Salt and Sorrows – 5 ⭐️

The Heart Trials by. J. Elle | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Heart Trials (#1)

Author: J. Elle

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 9/1/26

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

Categories: Dystopian, Fantasy, Young Adult, Series

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

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

Welcome to The Heart Trials.
The prize is love.
The cost is everything.

In Ethyria the highborn may love; the lowborn may only feel what the Benevolent allows.

Saltblood lowborn Axira Merreri survives the decaying districts by keeping her heart locked tight, couriering goods by day — and smuggling the ruler’s euphoric Heartfillers to the highborn by night. Until a drop goes wrong and her execution looms.

When she strikes a dangerous bargain to steal something from the Tournament of Hearts, a ruthless dating competition for highborn citizenship, she enters. Not for love. For freedom. But as the twisted allure of the competition turns deadly, an unexpected connection cracks her defenses, forcing her to confront a truth she In a regime built on engineered happiness, the most dangerous weapon she has is her heart.

Content Warning: violence, death, drug use

+ The Heart Trials has some really unique world building. People are named after districts they are from for example Saltborn (place with water), Grainborn, Skyborn (wealthy), etc…so trying to learn about this world took some time to get used to. Also, low borns are prevented from falling in love, meaning they have to wear a chain across their mouth to avoid kissing, they have to wear gloves to not be able to touch, and these lower born citizens are monitored heavily by Mercyenforcers. People are also given drugs to stay compliant – can’t have people sad or angry, so the Benevolent (the ruler) can stay in power comfortably. Now the Heart Trials is a competition held by the Benevolent, contestant have to show they have fallen in love at the end of the trials. The winner gets to become a Skyborn, also there is some magic released in the kiss between two people who are truly in love that helps the Benevolent.

+ Axira is a smuggler of heartfillers, the drugs that keep people happy, but one meeting with a client ends up in disaster and she ends up joining the Heart Trials in agreement with the prince. Their goal is to steal the magic of the last kiss in order to take power away from the prince’s father. I thought Axira was an interesting mix of naive but also being savvy. The thing she has no experience in is the falling in love part, which was interesting to see. She’s new to touch, to a kiss, to feelings that involve love for another person that isn’t family or a friend. But I did think she kept herself aware of who was plotting against her.

+~ The romance is young adult and very clean. Axira spends a lot of time with Caelus, the prince, because they have a plan together. But she does start to feel things for him by the end except there is a twist in the story. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

+~ I do think the first half of the story moved slow even though there were deadly rials that helped show a lot of mistrust among the contestants. It was giving Hunger Games vibes throughout the trials, but I thought it was so funny to have a deadly trial and then they had to get to know a potential lover in the next moment. It wasn’t exactly the environment for romance to bloom! I was thinking this was a 3 star read until that ending. There was good tension that built from the slow start all the way to the cliffhanger ending, which I enjoyed a lot. The second half was my favorite part, especially with the twist in the end.

Final Thoughts:

I think the first half of this story moved a little slowly but there is some world building to acclimate to because it was so unique. I love the creativity. The trials gave Hunger Games with speed dating vibes at times, which was strange but refreshing also. I did like the tension! I also liked the romance and that the twist in the end led to a cliffhanger and now I need book two! Can’t wait to see what happens next.

Read if you like:

young adult dystopian
deadly trials
cliffhanger ending

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

House of Marionne by. J. Elle | ARC Review – 3.5 ⭐️

Shadow of Perl by. J. Elle | ARC Review – 3 ⭐️

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: