The Lies of Lena by. Kylie Snow | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Lies of Lena (The Otacian Chronicles, #1)

Author: Kylie Snow

Narrator(s): Kieran Regan; Natalie Van Sistine

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 462 Listening Time: Approximately 12 hours 34 min

Publication Date: 1/6/26

Publisher: Gollancz

Categories: Romantasy, 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 Gollancz for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A SECRET MAGE. A VENGEFUL PRINCE.
WILL FORBIDDEN LOVE UNITE THE REALM – OR BURN IT DOWN…
*please check trigger warnings before diving in

In Tovagoth, Mages like Lena Daelyra live in hunted, outlawed, and reviled. Even after fleeing to Otacia, Lena hides her magic, cloaked in silence. But when she meets Quinn Callon, a quick-witted swordsman from the Inner Ring, her walls begin to crack. He trains Lena to fight, never suspecting the truth she hides. But as their connection deepens, so does the danger… and Lena knows love is a risk she can’t afford.

Silas La’Rune, Crown Prince of Otacia, has been caged within the Kingdom castle since the kidnapping and murder of his sister, the Princess. Until one day beyond the castle walls reveals a Kingdom rotting beneath its guiled surface – and a girl who shouldn’t exist.

When tragedy tears Lena from Quinn, as destiny would have it, Lena and Silas’ paths collide. For the future of Magekind depends on them, and love could just about be the deadliest weapon…

Content Warning: violence, torture, sexual assault, rape, grief

I remember seeing this book all over the booktoks and book socials this past year and I even downloaded but I don’t know why I never read it. I can’t say I love the original cover, but I do like this new one for the audiobook. I decided to try it out the story this way to see if I could actually get into the book.

This story was a little all over the place. It’s got a lot of the usual romantasy tropes like secret identity and forbidden love. A teenage girl who is secretly a Mage, meets a handsome boy on the streets who has his own secret and from there they train together and a sweet romance grows. Sweet….but spicy. Yes, there as spicy scenes between teens in this story which was very surprising to me because it is graphic. Didn’t love that but I really did believe in their teenage love story and was rooting for them since both characters seemed like good people.

The world-building I thought was pretty light, a kingdom called Otacia is ruled by a king who has oppressed mages. In this world they use copper, silver, gold for currency, they wear tunics and then out of the blue a character will mention they have pizza as food? Sometimes modern clothing is mentioned. Even modern speech was used in this world so I had a lot of questions about the world-building. There is also a time-jump in part two of the story where it jumps ahead 5 years. I’m glad for the jump because the sixteen year olds having spicy scenes early on was kind of jarring. They also mention vampires, and the undead, so this world seems to have everything.

As for the characters? Lena is naive and acted like an impulsive, love-struck teenager, making wrong decisions. At least with the 5 year jump, I feel like there is a lot of growth there. Gone are the sweet teens. Lena’s stronger, has grown without Silas, knows her magic better and now is thrust into a position to lead. Silas, went from a sheltered prince to a cold, violent, damaged one. There are other characters, like Torrin, who just disappears, which I though was kind of strange.

As for the romance, like I said it’s a sweet love in the beginning. But with the time jump, and Silas and Lena having moved on with their lives, their reunion is not a happy one. Now they both have other options, trauma from the past, and I know it’s going to be very dramatic when these two ever get back together. It was just strange to me that they are fated but Lena is looking at every attractive guy – like what?

But despite all these issues the narrators did such an amazing job at bringing this story to life. All the stars I’m giving is mostly for them. I feel like if I read this book as an ebook or hardcover I would have DNF’ed because of the naivety of the characters, and the light world-building, but their voices made this story kind of addicting which surprised me!

Note the triggers for this book because there are some ugly scenes it in. It’s violent, there is grief, there is rape. But I will say even though it was awful, I felt like the author never stayed in the darkness for long and moved past certain events quickly. There was a feeling that things just moved quickly in the story, without dwelling in certain feelings, thoughts or emotions for the character. The story lacked depth.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, this audiobook was great. I really don’t think I would have been able to continue this book if I read it in another form, but this audiobook really brought the story to life. There are a lot of issues with the story but I will say because the audiobook was addicting, that this is the kind of story you sit back with your popcorn next to you and just read for the messiness of it all. It’s filled with drama, and eye-rolling moments to the point it made me cackle. I’m not here for the writing quality or the plot really – I think I’m here for the drama, so yes I will be reading book two soon.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Heavenly Bodies by. Imani Erriu | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Heavenly Bodies (#1)

Author: Imani Erriu

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 1/13/26 (First published 2/13/22)

Publisher: Random House Canada

Categories: Romantasy

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

Thank you to Random House Canada for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

“You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose.”

In a world ruled by the cruel and merciless Stars, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy promises she will fall for a Star, but that it will kill them both.

So when Ariete, Star of Wrath, War and Chaos, descends to wreak havoc on Elara’s kingdom, she flees her home—the Kingdom of Night—for the neighbouring Helios, Kingdom of Light.

And strides straight into the arms of an enemy prince.

Fearing that Ariete might turn his sights to Helios next, Prince Lorenzo is forced to train Elara as a weapon—one worthy of battling against the tyrannical reign of the Stars. But there are shadows even within the Kingdom of Light—and they threaten to reveal the darkness in Lorenzo’s past and the ancient magic that slumbers in Elara’s veins.

And with it all comes an undeniable, star-crossed pull between Elara and Lorenzo that neither can seem to resist…

Content Warning: violence, death, grief

I saw this book around on Amazon and on social media for awhile, but never got around to reading it though I was very interested in it. I know it was first published a few years ago but it seems like it’s going through another republish, maybe with a new cover? Not sure but the publisher reached out to me to ask if I would be willing to read this book and the sequel and of course I was excited about it!

Heavenly Bodies has really interesting world building. It is inspired by the zodiac. Each kingdom is ruled by a zodiac sign with a royal family, but there is also a ruling Star over that family and the people, almost like a God/Goddess.

Elara’s life is in turmoil. She is from Asteria (Piscea-Pisces), her parents have been killed by the King of Stars, Ariete, because of a prophecy that connects the two of them together – apparently Elara’s is supposed to be with him and it will kill them both.

Kidnapped, Elara, finds refuge in Helios (Leyon-Leo), where the king wants her to train to be able to kill Stars. Prince Lorenzo is tasked to train her and they have a rocky start, but eventually a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance grows between them. This story centers around Elara and Lorenzo no matter what the prophecy says and I loved watching their romance grow!

I enjoyed the found family that Elara has found in Helios despite the king being an enemy of her kingdom. I liked a lot of the secondary characters also. We do learn some things about Elara’s kingdom, Asteria and her past later on in the book. She is a political pawn in the first half of the book and is mostly training to use her skills, and learning more about the prophecy but things change in the second half. As a character I thought she was strong and brave and seemed to stand on her own against Ariete.

I think the beginning throws us into the story pretty fast, and right into Helios, without knowing much about Elara and where she is from, so I had to just assume a bunch of things about her kingdom. We do learn more as she compares things but I thought it was a jarring start to the story.

There are a few twists in the end of the story which I thought was fascinating and am eager to see how the story moves forward in book two.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was an engaging read and I was really invested in the world building but the romance is the main focus of this story and what a romance it is. I loved the slow burn between Elara and Lorenzo and the reveals at the end of the book was really unexpected. There are secrets, prophecies, betrayals, found family, action and everything I look for in a romantasy. I’m excited to read book two to see where the story goes after that surprise ending.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Something Wicked by. Falon Ballard | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Something Wicked (Idle Reputations, #1)

Author: Falon Ballard

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 12/2/25

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Categories: Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy

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

From the beloved USA Today bestselling author Falon Ballard comes a seductive romantasy that blends Macbeth and Moulin Rouge! into a hypnotic saga of sex, love, and murder.

The country of Avon is in deep turmoil. The Uprising has overthrown Avon’s monarchial rulers, and a decree has been issued. Candidates for the first presidential election will be selected by the completion of a special task: to kill the former monarch of their home province.

Callum, the son of the recently dethroned king, is determined to be in the running. But to do so, he must come to terms with killing his father, the key to which lies in the hands of Lady Caterine, a Gifted courtesan at La Puissance, Avon’s premiere sex club.

Lady Caterine has always had the magical ability to manipulate the emotions of anyone who experiences an orgasm in her presence. If Callum can only open up to Cate, he will be able to commit the newly fated murder without suffering the guilt and take his place as the rightful candidate from his province. But Callum has a deep-seated mistrust of the Gifted. And the last thing he expects is to be confronted with an undeniable connection with Cate that neither of them understands, nor wants.

With the fate of the country at stake, Callum and Cate search for ways to bare themselves to each other, and discover a darker force building within La Puissance, one that might ruin the future of Avon for good. To stop Avon from violently falling to ashes, they must sacrifice everything they have . . . even if it requires betraying each other.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ I thought this premise was really interesting and I wanted to see how the Macbeth and Mouline Rouge inspiration would take place in this story. Also I’ve read a few contemporary romances by this author and enjoyed them.

+ This really was a bold undertaking! I love Moulin Rouge and I could definitely see it all over this book. Caterine is a courtesan, and she is Gifted. Gifted have powers and hers is very unique – she can help people manage their emotions….through sex. But she can only perform her gift when they orgasm. Not sure what I thought about that but I went with it to see how everything would play out. Callum, on the other hand is a prince of Scota. But after the kingdoms find themselves on the losing end of war with the Uprising, he loses his title but has a chance to still represent his people by…killing the king, his father! Again…I wasn’t sure how I felt about this, but I guess this is where the Macbeth storyline comes in.

+~ I did like the spicy romance between Caterine and Callum. It’s very sensual and filled with so much heat. But because of Cate’s reputation and his status they do have challenges between them. But I did think they were good for one another. I do wish there were more intimate moments between them to get to know one another, because it is basically insta-lust.

~ The Uprising has new terms in order to join the new government – you have to kill the king of your kingdom. The person who kills the king, gets to represent their people – like why?! I felt like that was overkill, literally. And that’s why Callum sees Caterine, so if he works up the nerve to kill his own father, Caterine, can manage his feelings of guilt with her sex magic after the deed is done. I had to suspend my belief for that and it just didn’t feel right to me for some reason.

~ It needs more world-building but I get that this is a romantasy. So the world-building is light, but I needed more. I also wanted more from Callum. He had a problem with the Gifted (from a traumatic event in the past), he’s against the Uprising, and then he meets Caterine who sort of opens his eyes to the Gifted and why they deserves rights. I did see some growth but also he loses a lot of people, I just wanted to see more from his character.

Final Thoughts:

This was a quick read and I liked the Moulin Rouge inspired parts of the story, I think the Macbeth parts didn’t land so well – maybe I just needed more world-building. There is secrets, betrayal and politics, but again, the politics didn’t quite stick. There is lots of spice, so romantasy lovers will like that. But even with their romance, I wanted more of the intimate connection between them other than the lust. Overall, this had lots of potential, but some things just didn’t work for me.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Just My Type by. Falon Ballard | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Lease on Love by. Falon Ballard | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Rebel and the Rose by. Catherine Doyle | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: The Rebel and the Rose (The City of Fantome, #2)

Author: Catherine Doyle

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 528

Publication Date: 12/2/25

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, 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 Margaret K. McElderry Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The path of destiny burns with love, magic, and betrayal in this second book in the City of Fantome enemies-to-lovers romantasy series perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson and Caraval.

From a remote hilltop haven, far from the city of Fantome, Seraphine Marchant and her Order of Flames plot to eradicate shade magic with lightfire. But as Sera struggles to control her blooming powers, destiny calls her back to Fantome—and to the assassin who haunts her dreams.

Ransom Hale can’t get Sera out of his head. As their rivalry grows and he grapples with the responsibility of leading the Order of Daggers, he feels himself slipping further from who he wants to be. Is he doomed to a life in the shadows? Or can he forge another path?

Meanwhile, rebellion is stirring in the kingdom, and a dangerous prince grows in power. Forced to work together by order of the king, Sera and Ransom’s conflicted hearts are tested to their limits. And all the while, an ancient prophecy is unfolding that will change the fate of Valterre forever…

Content Warning: violence, drug use

+ This is book two in the series and I honestly wasn’t sure if this was a duology or trilogy but it’s definitely a trilogy.

+ I love that this sequel moves the series forward instead of being filler. Sera and Ransom are back with their enemies to lovers romance. Ransom is now the head of the Daggers and Sera has her own group now that uses Lightfire. I love when these two clash, even when their groups clash, because it’s very entertaining. This time, the king has put them together for a group project. Both Ransom and Sera get something out of this assignment once it is done so they are both committed to it until Sera has other ideas.

+ The storyline of the Saints is the big story in this sequel. I was definitely invested because I wanted to see how this would play out and what side Sera would take. But I love how instead of Ransom and Sera are fighting one another, now they are a team and they need to work together.

+ I was waiting for Ransom and Sera to be together again and though there isn’t much heat between them until the second half of the book, I love their interactions. Ransom is crazy about her and is doing everything to keep her safe even though she thinks he hates her, he’s pretty down bad for her. But she’s always trying to save him too, especially from his Shade use. I liked the private moments they had when they start opening up to one another.

~ I almost thought I wouldn’t love this book because the first 20% of this book was hard to get through! I didn’t even really know why – I think it’s because Ransom and Sera are apart and I had to remember what happened in book one. Eventually I got settled in the story, but that was a rough start.

Final Thoughts:

I’m so glad this story got better after that slow beginning but once I got settled in I was hooked. I loved being back in this world with Ransom and his Daggers and Sera and her little crew. When these two clash, it’s entertaining but this time they have to work together to take down a dangerous man. I loved the world-building and learning more about the Saints. And of course I loved Ransom and Sera’s romance. I’m looking forward to book three!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Dagger and the Flame by. Catherine Doyle | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cursed Crowns by. Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Twin Crowns by. Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Review | The Storm Keeper’s Island ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Vendetta (Blood for Blood, #1) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Inferno (Blood for Blood, #2) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mafiosa (Blood for Blood, #3) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Brimstone by. Callie Hart | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Brimstone (Fae & Alchemy, #2)

Author: Callie Hart

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 668

Publication Date: 11/18/25

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Romantasy

Duty. Blood. Honour. Power.

Saeris Fane doesn’t want power. The very last thing she needs is her name whispered on an entire court’s lips, but now that she’s been crowned queen of the Blood Court, she’s discovering that a queen’s life is not her own. A heavy weight rests upon her shoulders.

Her ward – and her brother – need her back in her homeland . . . but the changes that have strengthened Saeris have also made her weak. Born under blazing suns, Saeris will surely die if she makes her way home through the Quicksilver. Which means that, once again, she must send someone else in her stead . . .

‘Keep your mouth shut. Stick to the shadows. And for the love of all seven Gods, do NOT crack any jokes.’

Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate has defeated armies and survived all manner of horrors, but traveling back to Zilvaren with Carrion Swift might just be the death of him. The male just will not shut up. Hidden dangers await them down the narrow alleyways of the Silver City. Unfolding secrets pose impossible threats. Fisher must wrangle the smuggler and accomplish his goals quickly if he wants to see his mate again.

A darkness falls across Yvelia. The realm and their friends are in danger. Together, Saeris and Fisher will pass through fire and brimstone to save them.

Content Warning: violence, death

One of my most anticipated reads for 2025 has published and I just finished reading – here’s what I thought:

+ I loved Quicksilver, book one, for a few reasons: Kingfisher’s sarcasm, the romance, and Carrion Swift. And I definitely was wanting to read book two because of the cliffhanger from book one. Once more we are in this world of Quicksilver, where the Fae, humans, vampires and alchemy are thrown together but even more so in book two.

+ There is no questioning this romance between Saeris and Fisher – they are fated mates, if it wasn’t clear in book one. They are wild for one another and love each other very, very much. There is lots of spice in this one – some bite play, some blood sucking (among other things lol), but I think what I enjoyed most about them in this book is that we get Fisher’s POV. And honestly I loved when we didn’t get his POV in book one because he was so sarcastic…but with his POV, we get to know him on another level. He’s a good man, who loves his woman and his friends, and will do anything to save them. There are many times these two are apart in the book but that’s okay, because you know they can hold their own, plus she had to grow.

+ There are secondary characters I love like Carrion who surprisingly enough doesn’t spend a lot of time with Saeris in this book, but he bonds with Fisher, which was so funny to see unfold. Why was their chemistry better with one another than Fisher and Saeris? Fisher can’t stand him but Carrion’s charm wins almost everyone over. Of course I love Onyx the fox, and then there is Archer, the sprite, who was so funny.

+ A lot is going on in this book and it clocks in under 700 pages. Saeris is dealing with being Queen of vampires; Fisher is dealing with friends he left behind in Ammontreith, protecting Saeris, and his home estate Cahlish – so many things. There is a lot of action, which made the story go by fast. The ending is another cliffhanger with the story taking a new direction!

~ I don’t know why but this one didn’t engage me as much as book one. Maybe I went into with too much hype? I was excited going into it but then the more I read, it felt a lot like the usual second book syndrome that feels like filler but it’s filler that is explaining a lot of things and yes I felt explanations was needed but…it also felt like it was info-dumping in between the adventures and action. Pacing was slow, then adventure, action, then slow, and repeat. There is a lot going on, lots of character and not all of it easy to follow sometimes.

~ Some things got repetitive but this is a ME issue because whenever it is the fated mates trope, I cannot stand when they keep calling one another “my mate”, if that makes sense. I already know he’s your mate, does it need to be repeated all the time? Another thing that was repetitive and didn’t need to be? The two of them smelling like they just had sex and everyone commenting on it every time 😅.

Final Thoughts:

I think it’s a solid sequel with lots going on. There is growth for Saeris and we learn another side to Fisher. There is a lot of action, which I enjoyed a lot and weirdly enough my favorite couple (friendship) to come out of this is Fisher and Carrion! I mean, how can anyone hate Carrion? The romance is what I expected to be, Fisher and Saeris are mates. There are a lot of things that are revealed, and a cliffhanger ending. It’s all the things I expect in a romantasy, I just wish it didn’t feel like a filler book but I get it, this is a big world and it’s opening up even more. Will definitely read book three to see what happens next in the story!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Quicksilver by. Callie Hart | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame by. Amy De La Force | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: A Kiss of Hammer and Flame (Fated for Hael, #1)

Author: Amy De La Force

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 12/2/25 (first published 7/3/25)

Publisher: Canelo Romance

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy

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

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

An immortal bound in darkness. A shattered empire at war. And a blacksmith whose heart could tip the scales of fate.

When young blacksmith Cahra is commissioned to forge a sword, she uses her imagination to design a symbol. But this symbol invokes an age-old prophecy and awakens Hael – an immortal with the power to shape or shatter worlds – sealed away in a chamber deep in Hael’stromia, the lost capital at the heart of a civil war between three kingdoms.

Now hunted for the sword, Cahra must flee with the very stranger who commissioned it. But what does she truly know about the handsome and charming noble, Terryl?

On the run through the darkly magical Wilds, she is drawn ever closer to Hael, who visits and beguiles her in dreams. With tyrant kings vying to capture Hael and wield him as a weapon, she alone stands between Hael and their deadly ambitions. Will Cahra risk everything to free him in time to save the empire?

Content Warning: violence

+ I got this arc but it’s a book that is being republished with a super pretty sprayed edge. I have a soft spot for female blacksmiths in fantasy stories and in this one we have Cahra who has made a special sword for a lord. But that sword is tied to a prophecy and now her world has changed. Cahra is an orphan, who had a hard life, and everything seemed to be going sort of well until she makes this sword. I think Cahra was a strong character even though sometimes naive, but I feel like she handled some of the challenges, the prophecy and everything being revealed fairly well.

+ The story was interesting even if it’s filled with the usual romantasy tropes. But there was something about Cahra’s story that made me keep reading. Hael, the being inside the sword was very interesting. He reminded me of a jinn trapped in a bottle (but he is not), and the prophecy all ties into him being released and being a weapon that can help rule the three kingdoms. Plus he is tied to Cahra because of the prophecy and their relationship grows into something unexpected. I liked the action in the story which I feel kept the story moving. There are lots of secrets and also political intrigue that I enjoyed a lot – three kingdoms are trying to find this weapon, in order to rule over all, but there is even reveals that have to do with the Oracles.

+ Along Cahra’s journey she meets a few people but I really liked when she meets the Seers and Oracle. I felt like she was all alone, even if Lord Terryl was nice to her, so having these women take her in, kind of guide her and befriend was really nice to see.

~ The romance didn’t really have time to build in my opinion. Cahra and Terryl make a connection when they meet but things change later on. Cahra falls for Terryl because he’s nice and he touches her hand! I didn’t think that alone could do it but it did for her which was kind of frustrating.
She was agonizing over her feelings about him and then things take a different turn so I would have liked to see more build up with the romance.

Final Thoughts:

Surprisingly, I was really into Cahra’s story and journey, when usually in a romantasy – I’m there for the romance. The romance was not my favorite in this story but the political intrigue between three kingdoms and some Oracles really kept me engaged. Overall, I found this one entertaining but wish there was more build-up in the romance storyline. It’s a good start to a series and it will be interesting to see what happens in book two.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Curse of Shadows and Ice by. Catharina Maura | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: A Curse of Shadows and Ice

Author: Catharina Maura

Format: ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 312

Publication Date: 10/28/25 (first published 3/15/22)

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Beauty and the Beast Retelling

From BookTok sensation and USA Today bestselling author Catharina Maura comes a spicy and enchanting Beauty and the Beast retelling featuring a cursed emperor, a princess who possesses forbidden magic, and a marriage that could save them all.

Princess Arabella of Althea is left no choice when Felix Osiris, the Shadow Emperor, threatens to overthrow her country unless she agrees to marry him.

When she learns his empire is cursed and she’s destined to set them free, they come to an help him minimize the curse’s effect on his people, and he’ll let her go.

As Felix teaches Arabella how to control her forbidden and volatile magic, her feelings for him turn from hatred to passion … and she realizes that she must break the curse, or she’ll lose him forever.

Content Warning: violence, dubious consent

I’ve been seeing this one on Kindle Unlimited, thought the cover was really pretty and finally had some time to read it. And here’s what I think:

+ This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and it follows the story pretty well. It did make the story a little bit predictable but it made the story easy to read. It’s also a quick read at barely over 300 pages.

+~ I did like the world-building. Arabella is forced to marry Felix who is this mysterious Shadow Emperor with a dark reputation. Felix is cursed, his lands are cursed and they need Arabella to help them break the curse. This is light fantasy though, and I wanted a little more depth, but for people who like an easy fantasy read, you would enjoy this.

~ As for the romance, there is a lot of spice in this one and it starts fairly early…and with dubious consent. Arabella actually is in love with another at the beginning of the story so, the fact that she’s hot for Felix early was fast. But I just went with it. There are a few tropes that people will like: forced marriage, shadow daddy, and forced proximity. For some reason though I wasn’t invested in them as much as I wanted to be.

Final Thoughts:

I think this one was just okay and maybe not for me. It’s an easy read and I liked the Beauty and the Beast retelling aspects but I just wasn’t invested in the story.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Courting of Bristol Keats by. Mary E. Pearson | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️

Title: The Courting of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats, #1)

Author: Mary E. Pearson

Format: audiobook & hardcover (libby & owned)

Pages: 547

Publication Date: 11/12/24

Categories: Fantasy, Romance

From NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Mary E. Pearson comes a thrilling romantic fantasy full of dangerous fae, dark secrets, and addictive romance– the first book in a duology.

After losing both their parents, Bristol Keats and her sisters struggle to stay afloat in their small, quiet town of Bowskeep. When Bristol begins to receive letters from an “aunt” she’s never heard of who promises she can help, she reluctantly agrees to meet—and discovers that everything she thought she knew about her family is a lie. Even her father might still be alive, not killed but kidnapped by terrifying creatures to a whole other realm—the one he is from.

Desperate to save her father and find the truth, Bristol journeys to a land of gods and fae and monsters. Pulled into a dangerous world of magic and intrigue, she makes a deadly bargain with the fae king, Tyghan. But what she doesn’t know is that he’s the one who drove her parents to live a life on the run. And he is just as determined as she is to find her father—dead or alive.

Content Warning: violence

I borrowed the audiobook for this earlier in the year but – I was not connecting to it. So when I saw it on sale on Book Outlet, I bought the hardcover but it sat on my shelf. Now with book two just out, I wanted to finally finish this book. I borrowed the audiobook again, hoping the second try would be better but at the 23rd chapter I switched to the hardcover and glad I did.

+ The world-building is interesting. It follows Bristol Keats, who has two sisters, and their parents are gone. She’s trying to make things meet in the town they live in but it’s challenging. Now this is a portal fantasy – because on the other side of this world, is the Fae world and we learn that they need Bristol to close a door. Elphame is the world of Faerie and it has all kinds of mystical creatures. While there Bristol learns that her father could be alive and asks Tyghan, for help to find him in exchange for her helping them close this door.

+ So while Bristol is in Elphame, she goes to school and trains with other girls. The girls become a found family for her which is nice since she was missing her sisters. There is a big cast of characters in this story which is what made it hard for me to follow on audiobook.

+~ I did enjoy the romance for the most part. Tyghan is drawn to Bristol even though he knows he shouldn’t get involved with her. But spending lots of time together makes their feelings grow and they give into their desires. Their relationship is a challenge though when Bristol finds out the truth about everything – Tyghan, her dad, her mom, and that she’s half fae. I did enjoy the romance drama. But there is one thing that I couldn’t get over, and that is Tyghan and her father were friends. I get that time goes slower in Elphame than in the mortal world, but STILL…I couldn’t get over that Bristol is basically together with her dad’s ex best-friend. And there were some things Tyghan said about her to him that made me not like Tyghan.

~ Bristol is trying to find her dad, but she doesn’t know the whole story about her parents, or Tyghan – she’s being kept in the dark. And because of that, when the secrets are revealed I was kind of irritated with Tyghan’s response and his court as well. It’s understandable that they don’t trust her, but none of them could understand why she would want to save her dad? I was irritated that Tyghan felt justified in lying to her.

~ I felt like too many things were going on in this story at times. I didn’t feel like it flowed well at times because there were so many characters and at times I forgot who’s perspective we were on. Pacing was off also, sometimes it was too slow, but it does pick up in the end. There were times where I felt like it was just thrown in, like Bristol going to classes and training. I wanted more of that, but this isn’t an academia story so I felt like it was just there for her to make friends. But I would have liked to see her learning something about magic and powers because she needs it to close this door. Also wanted more of scenes with her and her sisters. There were also some parts that was more telling than showing.

Final Thoughts:

I was expecting a lot because I loved Dance of Thieves and Vow of Thieves so much, and this fell flat for me. I did like some parts, and I’m curious to see how Bristol balances her love for Tyghan and her father. But there are a lot of things that didn’t work for me. Hopefully the sequel is better, but I’ll be going in with lower expectations.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

ARC Review | Vow of Thieves ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dance of Thieves by. Mary E. Pearson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles, #1) by. Mary E. Pearson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles, #2) by. Mary E. Pearson ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles, #3) by. Mary E. Pearson ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spark of the Everflame by. Penn Cole | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️

Title: Spark of the Everflame (Kindred’s Curse, #1)

Author: Penn Cole

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 438

Publication Date: 6/1/25

Categories: Romantasy

When old secrets catch fire, everything will burn.

In a mortal world colonized by the gods and ruled over by the Descended, their cruel offspring, Diem Bellator yearns to escape the insular life of her poor village.

Her mother’s sudden disappearance—and the discovery of a dangerous secret about her past—offer Diem an unexpected opportunity to enter the dark world of Descended royalty and unlock the web of mysteries her mother left behind.

With the dying King’s handsome, mysterious heir watching her every move, and a ruthless mortal alliance recruiting her to join the growing civil war, Diem will have to navigate the unwritten rules of love, power, and politics in order to save her family—and all of mortalkind.

Content Warning: violence, death, wounded

So I’ve seen this on social media for awhile, but not lately. I still see it on KU so I wanted to check it out since I have more free time to read books that are not arcs. I was also looking for a light, binge-able fantasy

+~ Diem is a healer – and I love healers as main characters. The world building is interesting, there are mortals with no magic and Descended with colored eyes (mortals only have brown eyes) and powers. There is conflict between both sides and a mortal rebellion is brewing and the enlist Diem’s help to be a spy since she has access to the court. World-building sounded like it had the usual tropes for a romantasy, rebellion, a girl maybe with a secret identity, and an upper class with power. But I just wanted a little more from the world-building.

+ I did like the secondary characters like Maura, Teller (her brother, and her father. They were looking out for Diem and trying o keep her in line.

+~ I found Diem a strong character int he first half, but in the second half, yikes is she impulsive and makes mistakes. To the point where her decision causes harm. I didn’t like her after that much.

+~ Diem is a young woman who has something more going on with her best friend since childhood, Henri. But when he wants more, she can’t give him an answer. Whereas Prince Luther, the handsome, grumpy soon-to-be-heir gets under her skin. As much as I don’t think she’ll end up with Henri, Luther and her don’t have as much interactions as I wanted to warrant what happens in the end between them. It got intense too quick! But I’m sure something grows more in book two.

~ It is a little predictable for someone who reads a lot of romantasy, but the ending was interesting because it finally explains something about her missing mom.

Final Thoughts:

I’d say this was an easy romantasy to read without too much world-building. The story moved quick and I wish I enjoyed Diem’s character more. I liked getting to know her in the first half but then she becomes impulsive and makes mistakes in the second half of the book that I did not like. So I don’t think I’ll continue the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Ship of Spells by. H. Leighton Dickson | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Ship of Spells (#1)

Author: H. Leighton Dickson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 11/4/25

Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books

Categories: Romantasy, Pirates, High Fantasy

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

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

When Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn is rescued from the wreckage of her first naval post, she expects death or disgrace. Instead, she wakes aboard the Touchstone, a mythic vessel whispered of in dockside ballads and royal war rooms alike. With a crew of misfits. A mysterious, elven captain. And a mission tied to the Dreadwall, the crumbling barrier that has kept the Overland and Nethersea from open war for a hundred years.

But the tragedy that sank her last ship didn’t just take lives―it left something behind.

Now Renn carries a secret everyone wants. A magik that’s chimeric, arcane…and slowly killing her. But the captain’s mission may be her only chance to survive, even if he still doesn’t trust her.

Caught between privateers, princes, and spies, Renn knows each choice could sink her future―or set the sea on fire.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ I love this book cover and the deluxe edition with the sprayed edges looks even more amazing.

+~ This story is a high-seas adventure filled with pirates, battles at sea, magic, mages, politics, a sentient ship and a lot of pirate jargon. Although I enjoyed the setting on the seas and the pirate adventure I felt like I was thrown into the story. So it took me a few chapters in to actually get settled into the story and want to continue. This story has heavy world building with names of elves that are hard to pronounce, an elvish language that appears through the book and lots of names. There’s also magic terms to learn as well. I get that pirates have their own way of talking but I didn’t love some of the pirate language in this book. For example, “fog” is used for the F-word and honestly, this is an adult book, so I would have rather had the F-word in it than “fog”. I mean what pirate doesn’t curse?

+~ There are some interesting characters in this book, my favorite being Fahr. Since it’s a big cast of characters, Honor does create a found family on the ship eventually. Speaking of Honor, she is hard to like. She is so stubborn, doesn’t learn, and is so full of pride for someone of lower ranking. I felt like the first few chapters of the book as we get thrown into this world and follow her, there wasn’t anything about her that I wanted to keep reading about and I honestly wondered if this was a book I was going to DNF. I needed more description of her too – I felt like I didn’t know what she looked like. She does have some character growth by the end at least.

+~ The romance is such a very, very slow burn, there is nothing until almost the end. But there is spice. I did wish Honor and the captain spent more time together so that we could see the romance build though, because there really isn’t much there.

~ Pacing was a bit off at times, there were lulls and then scenes of full action. Although I was fascinated and made myself push through this book in the beginning, I’m not sure I can say I fully gelled with the writing style at times.

Final Thoughts:

This is high fantasy and it’s a world you are thrown into as a reader so I felt like it was a rough few chapters and I had to settle in and get used to the FMC, Honor, who is not very likable. And then there was a lot of learn, like the terminology for the use of magic, elvish words and then of course the pirate language. So there is a lot to process, but I did push through because I thought the sentient ship was unique, and the magic was interesting too. There was a lot of adventure and action in this one, but also the pacing was off at times and there were lulls. And even though Honor was the most stubborn character, I wanted to see if there would be growth. Plus, I definitely wanted to see where the romance storyline would go – but it’s a very slow burn. Overall, I’d say I found the story entertaining once I got myself immersed in the world.