Web of Vows and Vengeance by. Aria Ashbrook | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Web of Vows and Vengeance (The Hirathean Path, #1)

Author: Aria Ashbrook

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 542

Publication Date: 1/23/26

Categories: Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy, Series

Stripped of power. Fuelled by vengeance.

She lost everything because of his lie. Now the only way to save her sister is to win a deadly competition that could cost her the only thing she has left: her life.

When Prince Kyor twisted the truth about his mother’s death, Rose paid the price. Her family was stripped of their magic, cast into the slums, and abandoned by the kingdom they once served. Now her parents are gone, and her younger sister’s future hangs in the balance.

Rose’s only hope is the Tournament of the Gifting, a brutal competition held once a century, where the victor earns a blessing from the Goddess of Life. The catch? Every other contender wields the very power she was robbed of.

And Prince Kyor is among them. Commander of the armies. Rider of a bonded dire wolf. Wielder of lightning. He doesn’t just want to win for vanity – he wants the gift for himself. But what could a man who has it all possibly want?

Thrown into a world of magic, monsters, and merciless trials, Rose must fight not only for survival but for the chance to reclaim her future. Along the way, she’ll find unlikely allies, ruthless rivals, and a dangerous connection with her greatest enemy – one that could ruin or remake her.

Web of Vows and Vengeance is a dark, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy, set in a Nordic-inspired world, featuring deadly trials, found family, gods and goddesses, political intrigue, and an underdog heroine who refuses to stay broken.

This is a story of heartbreak, vengeance, and the kind of power that can never be taken.

Content Warning: violence, death

+~ This is romantasy with many of the common tropes: enemies to lovers, found family, slow burn romance. The story focuses on deadly trials called the Rettenheld, where the winner gets to ask a gift from the Goddess Etta. Rose desperately wants to win so she can restore her family name, magic, and wealth (for her sister’s sake). I didn’t feel like the “Nordic” part of the story came through except for it being cold where they lived. Some of them have dire wolves. I thought it was interesting how this story was about a deadly trial (there are a few), and then right after the trials, a ball. So it does become repetitive in that sense. Now there is a tiny mention, fleeting really, about rebels, but nothing detailed and left kind of open, I think.

+ I did like the found family trope happening in this story since Rose is basically alone. She makes some really good connections and friends during the trials. There are some tragic moments in this story though, which I wish didn’t happen. There is also the issue of trusting people in the trial and waiting to see who would betray who in the end.

+ Rose has been training all her life ever since her family was shunned by high society for a lie told by a young prince who claimed Rose’s mom (a healer), let his mom die during childbirth. The consequences of that lie led to the death of Rose’s baby brother (life for a life), plus her mother and dad fell apart – which led to their deaths. So Rose is angry and she wants everything the way it was before for her younger sister’s sake. But when she hears the Prince has entered the trials, she also wants to kill him to get her reserve. Rose is full of heart but as an FMC, she doesn’t have very good fighting skills, no matter how much training she gets – she just comes off kind of mediocre. Also she has no magic so she’s at a disadvantage. She’s very brave, standing up to bullies, and she makes friends easily which helps her throughout the trials. Also, the attention of the prince also helps her.

+ The romance is a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance between Rose and Prince Kyor. There at first seems to be other options, but once Rose and Kyor get over their hate and anger over with one another and addresses what happened in the past – it accelerates their desire to want to explore their attraction. I thought their flirtation was fun. And I did like the journey of their growing feelings, until the ending twist. Looks like it’s not going to be easy for them if they want to be together.

~ The story is a little long at over 500 pages, and for the most part I think the pace was steady. There were parts that did feel like it was dragging. Some things felt thrown in like I would have loved more insight into the rebels since there was a hint of it in the beginning but nothing more until near the end, but again, nothing that makes it relevant though there is a feeling that the King isn’t a loved ruler. Even the dire wolves are mentioned kind of once or twice and never again.

Final Thoughts:

This one is an easy read with the usual romantasy tropes so sometimes it feels like it brings nothing new to the genre, but sometimes, that can mean it’s a comforting read too if you aren’t looking for major twists and turns. I did find it a little too long though. I loved the secondary characters that made up the found family Rose finds herself with and I thought the trials were dangerous (though sometimes over with kind of quick). The romance is a slow burn and I did like the progress of it, but it does leave me questions about what will happen to them in book two. If I read book two I would like to see more world-building.

Read if you like:

enemies to lovers
found family
deadly trials
underdog FMC

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Lies that Summon the Night by. Tessonja Odette | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Lies that Summon the Night (Songs for the Sinless, #1)

Author: Tessonja Odette

Format: ebook – borrowed (Libby)

Pages: 301

Publication Date: 2/17/26

Categories: Romantasy, Vampires, Series

Lies, beauty, and seduction mingle in the first book of an enthralling romantasy series where making art is considered a sin, and the shadows born from it aren’t the only danger to the creators—from the bestselling author of Curse of the Wolf King .

From the art of liars, the monsters came…

Ever since art gave life to bloodthirsty shadows, creative works have been forbidden and the talented creators sacrificed to the Sinless—the immortal royals who feast on human blood in return for their protection.

Inana’s secret storytelling nearly got her killed once, and she’ll be damned if she’s ever caught again. With a bounty on her head, she keeps to the city’s dark underbelly where she earns a meager living from thrill-seeking patrons desperate to hear her illicit fiction. Until Dominic, a Shadowbane, catches one of her performances. . .

Dominic is a half-Sinless monster hunter as fearsome as his prey. But to complete his hunt, he needs an artist to summon the shadows . . . he needs Inana. Dominic delivers an ultimatum: serve him or he’ll claim her bounty. When survival is all Inana has left, the choice is clear. At least until she can betray him and leave him for dead.

As their tense alliance leads them into the heart of danger, dark secrets unravel—about each other, their world, and the threats they face. But the greatest risk of all is the desire growing between them. There’s something more sinful than lust at play, and it could bring the world to its knees.

Content Warning: violence, death

+~ The world-building in this story is very detailed and dense – to the point at some parts of the story I had to really sit with what was explained to me and process it to understand what was happening. It’s fascinating that this world is one where Sinless are the upperclass and they are basically vampires. “Sinless” and “vampires” aren’t usually two works I would put together but that’s how it is in this world. The sinners in this world…creators, artists, even people that procreate are sinners, which I thought was quite a mind bend and I had to suspend my belief a lot. I thought it was very creative though because I’ve never heard a vampire story like this one. But like I said, there is a lot of information to process.

+ One thing that I really enjoyed was this cast of characters who I guess could be a found family, but I don’t see the affection between them yet. They are put together to survive though and I loved their interactions because together, they were funny at times. Inana’s skill is storytelling, Harlow draws, and the Bard plays his instrument and all of this combined is to draw Shades to them so that they can be captured. I really didn’t believe the skills of these Summoners would be something special, but I was wrong and the author managed to make believe how their skills could draw an enemy close in order to make them go away.

+ The romance brewing between Inana and the Shadowbane, Dominic, is filled with tension and yearning on his part. He’s been void of feelings for so long that Inana is bringing to surface emotions he hasn’t felt in awhile. And he is kind of shadow-daddy but a unique one because his Shades are Lust, Pride and Sloth. I love Sloth because he’s basically a shadow dog! Lust and Pride are funny “characters” also. And during the spicy scenes, Lust and Pride, get to play along too which makes it very interesting!

+ I did like the twist in the end and look forward to seeing what happens next. This book is only 301 pages, so it’s a quick read!

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed how creative this vampire story is and I didn’t know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised with the magic and romance. I do think the world-building is very detailed and made if sometimes hard to get into – but I just needed time to process information. It’s a lot of information in a very short book though, but I still thought it was all fascinating and makes me want to learn more. I look forward to reading book two after that ending and hopefully see this world open up.

Read if you like:

vampires
dense but creative world-building
spicy romantasy
quick read

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Tethered by. Elayna R. Gallea | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: Tethered (The Binding Chronicles, #1)

Author: Elayna R. Gallea

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 2/13/23

Categories: Romantasy, Vampire, Series,Young Adult/New Adult

What could be worse than an arranged marriage to a vampire prince?

When Luna is sold into marriage to the Prince of Darkness, she thinks she knows what to expect. Arranged marriages happen all the time, right? Wrong. No one could have prepared her for the reality of being married to the vampire prince.

Ever since the day he was Made, Sebastian has been living according to Queen Marguerite’s rules. After all, he’s only alive because of her. When she orders him to marry and Bind himself to Luna, a human hailing a neighboring kingdom, he has no choice. He agrees to the marriage but never expects to feel anything for Luna.

When their Binding Ceremony goes awry, and they are magically Tethered, everything is thrown into upheaval. Unable to leave each other’s presence, they must learn to live with each other. Or die.

Tethered is a slow-burn arranged marriage epic romantic fantasy and is filled with forced proximity, magical bindings, vampires, and world-building.

Tethered takes place in the same world as Of Earth and Flame. It can be enjoyed on its own or alongside The Ithenmyr Chronicles.

NOTE: This series is upper YA/NA and has moderate steam. There are some instances of violence, language, and mature situations. Recommended for ages sixteen and up.

Content Warning: violence

I’ve been seeing this one recommended to me on KU, maybe because I’m reading so many vampire books? Also it’s an indie book that is getting traditional published and a new book cover on September 8th, so I was curious. Anyway, I borrowed it a few weeks ago and finally finished it.

+~ Luna is arranged to marry the Prince of Darkness, a vampire prince, shadow daddy named Sebastien. He doesn’t want the marriage either, but his mother is forcing him to do it. But not only are they married and bound, the person who married them tethered them also – which means they cannot be no more than 30 feet apart from one another or else they face the physical consequences of it, even death. So this is forced proximity at it’s maximum. Where Bastien goes, Luna must go and vice versa. Bastien tries to track down the person that married them, Ciro, so he can undo the tether but it’s a mystery to where he went. There is some political intrigue and even a murder mystery, but I wasn’t as invested as I hoped I would be.

+~ World-building is a bit light. But it makes this a very quick read. Now as for the characters – I didn’t connect to them at all. Luna comes off childish at times and acting immature but this is a young adult book so she is acting her age.

+~ I liked the tether trope but Bastien falls for Luna right away. Personally, I felt things moved to fast for that. I feel like I barely know Luna and Bastien, I would like a little more depth to them before they fall for one another but I guess the forced proximity did it’s job. There is no spice, there are a lot of kisses but no spice.

Final Thoughts:

This one was okay. It doesn’t help that I just read some very good vampire romantasy before this one and I compared it to those. I would like more depth to the characters, but I don’t think I’ll continue to the series. It has tons of potential and maybe the other books are better, but I didn’t have enough of a connection to the characters to want to read more about them.

Read if you like:

young adult romantasy
no spice, just some steamy kisses
vampires
arranged marriage
forced proximity

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Wings That Bind by. Briar Boleyn | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Wings That Bind (Bloodwing Academy, #3)

Author: Briar Boleyn

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 3/10/26

Publisher: MIRA

Categories: Dark Academia, Romance, Fantasy, 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 MIRA for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The night’s chaos left us breathless. Now the real nightmare begins.

In the wake of last winter’s tragedies, through loss and heartbreak, we somehow made it to a new year. But our fight is far from over.

A second dragon has awoken–her heart tainted, and her power commandeered by two ruthless highbloods who will stop at nothing to uncover the dangerous, bloody secrets at the borders of Sangratha. Their cruelty knows no bounds.

Florence, my dearest friend, teetered on the brink of death. A dragon saved her, but now she’s tied to him in a way I can scarcely understand. What will this new bond do to the woman I’ve come to love as a sister?

And then there’s Blake. Once my relentless tormentor, then the keeper of my heart… he betrayed me again, nearly condemning Nyxaris to a cursed, stone-cold fate. But something has shifted in him. His gray eyes hide a secret he’s desperate to protect. I saved Blake’s life, despite everything. Yet with every heartbeat, I have to question where we go from here.

With Bloodwing Academy in turmoil and a new headmaster no one saw coming, only one thing is certain: This is going to be one hell of a year.

This dark fantasy series tackles mature themes. Readers are advised to consult the trigger warnings before embarking on this intense, morally gray/black journey through the realm of Sangratha!

Content Warning: violence, death

+ I don’t have a great love for this series, but I did binge the first two books because there is so much going on and wanted to know what happens next. So I was going to wait to borrow book three, but got a chance to read the arc instead. I still enjoy the elements of this dark academia campus which has vampires, and dragons, but also secret shifters.

+~ If you love Medra and Blake’s story, I think you might not love this book as much because there are two side characters who kind of become the main characters. But for me, I liked seeing other characters grow besides Medra and Blake, because I felt like we had too much about their romance drama in book two. So this kinds of gives us a break from that and I appreciated it. Regan has a redemption arc in this one – is it deserved? I think some people might say no, because she chose power – but we also get to see she cares about her brother too and that maybe this was the only path she saw to finding him. Florence, is Medra’s friend and the studious one who now gets a dragon. So she goes from the studious to trying to believe in herself that she can be a dragon rider.

+~ Because we get a little break from Medra and Blake’s relationship drama, I actually liked the moments we get with them in this book. They have some spicy scenes but we can see their bond turn into something different, something more meaningful as Medra sees the beast in him, literally. But theirs is not the only romance happening here, there are a few new ones, very surprising ones I’d say and I’m not sure how I feel about it yet.

+~ I think the writing in this one flowed better than the first two books, but the story is still just okay for me and it could be the stye of writing that I don’t gel with. I can’t say much happens in the beginning of the book and most of the action comes at the end of this book, so pacing wise, the beginning is slow as we see Regan run the academy and Florence trying to figure out her relationship with her dragon.

Final Thoughts:

If you are a fan of the series, I think you won’t be too disappointed in this book, but Medra and Blake do take a backseat to the other characters that get more page time. I do think the first half moves a little slow, with all the action and new trouble coming at the end of the book. It will be interesting to see how Blake’s character will grow in the next book because that guy has been going through it! Talk about a transformation, and I didn’t love him in book two but I think I like him better in this one. It will be nice to see everyone united on one side trying to fight the villain now, hopefully we get to see more growth in book four and since we got to know more about Regan and Florence, maybe we will get to know more about Kage.

Read if you like:

the first two books
dragons, vampires, shifters
dark academia
romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Bond That Burns by. Briar Boleyn| Book Review ⭐️⭐️💫

On Wings of Blood by. Briar Boleyn| Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Never Ever After by. Sue Lynn Tan | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: Never Ever After (#1)

Author: Sue Lynn Tan

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 10/28/25

Categories: Chinese Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Young Adult, Series

Not all fairy tales end happily ever after in this Cinderella-inspired fantasy by the bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

Yining stopped believing in dreams the day her beloved uncle died. Driven to survive, she’s become a good thief and an even better liar. When she acquires an enchanted ring that could yield the key to a better life, it is stolen by her grasping stepaunt, and Yining must venture into the imperial heart of the Iron Mountains to seize it back.
Amid the grandeur of the palace, Yining catches the eye of the ruthless and ambitious Prince Zixin, who tempts her with a world she’s never imagined. But nothing is as it seems as she’s soon trapped in a tangle of power, treachery, and greed-her only ally a cunning advisor from a rival court who keeps dangerous secrets of his own. Desperate to secure her freedom, Yining embarks on a perilous quest where she must choose who to trust, unravel the mystery of her past, and fight for a future that both frightens and calls to her.

Content Warning: violence, death, animal death

+ The beginning of this fantasy book is Cinderella-inspired for sure. Yining is a young woman who is surviving as a thief under the guardianship of her step-aunt. Her Uncle was the one who took care of her but when he dies, she ends up with her step-aunt, who is always getting in trouble. But one day Yining comes across a magic carp who gives her a wooden ring, a gift, from her mom who she never knew. Yining isn’t supposed to take off the ring but an incident happens where it does come off – the thief being her aunt and she attends the Prince’s ball to find her aunt and the ring. But this Cinderella story has a big twist, where the Prince isn’t exactly charming.

+~ Though I did like how this story started, I do think the beginning moved a little slow as we try to figure out Prince Zixin’s personality and motivations. He seems like a charming prince, but then Yining finds out more about him and her mind changes. On the other hand there is Jin who is part of the envoy from Thorn Valley. Yining strikes a bargain with him to get her ring back from the prince. I did enjoy the second half of the story where there is more action, and we learn about Yining’s mysterious past. I enjoyed the political intrigue happening between the different kingdoms.

+ This looks a love triangle is brewing. Jin and Yining get close, but can she trust him? Then she finds out something about the Prince that can’t make her totally hate him, but I don’t know why at the end it felt like something could be explored between them too? I’m glad it doesn’t end with either guy because there is more to explore about Yining and her past. But it will be interesting to see which guy comes out the winner in her eyes.

~ I’m sure this will be more explored in book two but it would be nice to have more information about the magic. And I think that will all happen on Mist Island, or at least I hope. Because there are many magical elements in this story, a magic carp, a dragon, nature magic, but I don’t feel like we get to know much about it in this book, so hopefully we get it in the next one.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I thought pacing was an issue and I loved the second half more than the first off. Starting off as a Cindrerella-inspired story was intriguing but the story changes and soon it doesn’t resemble the fairy tale at all. I enjoyed the political intrigue and even the love triangle because I can’t tell who Yining will choose in the end. I’d love to learn more about the magic system so I hope we can get that in book two.

Read if you like:

Cinderella-inspired/Chinese Fairytale
love triangle
magic, magical animals

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Heart of the Sun Warrior by. Sue Lynn Tan | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by. Sue Lynn Tan | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Serpent’s Sin by. Kathryn Ann Kingsley | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: The Serpent’s Sin (Bloodlines, #2)

Author: Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 318

Publication Date: 1/23/26

Categories: Dark Romance, Vampires, Fae

To destroy the vampires who killed her family… she must become one of them.

Nadi is trapped in a deadly alliance with Raziel Nostrom. After a honeymoon soaked in blood and desire, they make a pact—to take down his criminal family together.

Now Nadi is at the heart of the Nostrom empire, pretending to be a vampire. If her act slips even for a moment, they will tear her apart.

Raziel holds Nadi’s life in his hands. And her heart… His wicked smile sets her body aflame, drawing her closer and closer. Still, he is a born killer—alluring and utterly ruthless. He could turn on her in an instant.

But Raziel is not the only one in his family with a taste for betrayal…

When his brother and sister approach her with proposals of their own, Nadi faces a desperate choice. Will she stand by Raziel, as the world turns against him? Or seize the perfect chance to destroy his family forever?

Content Warning: violence, death, torture, abuse

+ I like how Nadi and Raziel are always circling around each other, pushing, pulling, not sure what to make of what they are together. Because Nadi has had many changes to kill Raziel, and vice versa but here they are, not dead, but still with one another, not wanting to admit that maybe their relationship has changed into something different. They can’t put the words to it yet and I’m glad because as much as I want them to fall for one another, I didn’t want it to happen quickly because he killed her family. She has to work through some of those complicated feelings of hate turning into love.

+ We learn more about Raziel in book two! He’s just a morally black sadistic killer in book one, but in this book we know more about what he endured when he was growing up, how his family treated and how the things he loves gets taken away from him. I warmed up to him and realize he is a broken vampire with lots of issues and I can see why he hates his family. I like seeing him vulnerable but I also don’t want to see him lose his killer edge – and can’t wait to see what happens in book three.

+ I like that the spice is creative! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 And it meets my expectations of how I assume Raziel would be in bed, so I’m glad he lives up to it. I love how as their relationship changes it shows in the spice also, sometimes dominating, sometimes soft, sometimes desperate. And speaking of their relationship, what a journey it goes through in this story! There are so many trust issues but that ending…I think that ending says it all about what they mean to one another and I love it. I am rooting for them.

~ This is a short book at barely over 300 pages which I love but I also wish it was 350 pages. Here I am complaining about books being too long these days and now I want this one to be longer! 😅. Again, it is light on the world-building but we did get a little more here because we are introduced to another vampire family, and we learn more about Raziel’s family. There are games afoot, and everyone is trying to entice Nadi to be on their side and she has to try and play it right. Though there is family political intrigue between the siblings, it’s never anything heavy – this is a light fantasy read, mostly all vibes, so it’s not like the cat and mouse game between any of them is super intense with surprising plot twists. At times I don’t even feel like Raziel and Nadi is staying ahead of anyone – they keep getting trapped, maybe because of their feelings for one another being their weakness? I’m not sure. Even the violence I feel could be more intense but it isn’t. But I don’t mind because this is one of those addictive reads that you can consume really quick.

Final Thoughts:

This one lived up to my expectations because I like seeing how Nadi and Raziel’s complicated relationship unfolds. I love them together and their spice is just right as much as their questions about what they feel for one another. They are becoming Bonnie and Clyde and I love it. I’m glad we learn about Raziel and his family. And that cliffhanger ending makes me eager for book three right away – I’m glad I don’t have to wait long because it comes out in July! This is an addictive series, light on the world building and easy to consume, I’m really enjoying it so far.

Read if you like:

mermaid/vampire
light world-building
kinky spice, power dynamics
to kill or not to kill
family drama/politics
complicated relationships

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Serpent’s Bride by. Kathryn Ann Kingsley | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: The Serpent’s Bride

Author: Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 306

Publication Date: 8/22/25

Categories: Dark Romance, Vampires

I will disguise myself as the vampire’s bride. I will win over his family.And then I will murder every last one of them.

All my life I’ve been training to take revenge on the vampire who killed my parents. But Raziel Nostrom is a prince of the city’s most powerful mafia clan—completely untouchable.

When I learn that Raziel is marrying a woman he’s never seen before, I know my chance has finally come…

I will disguise myself as Raziel’s sacrificial bride. I will gain access to his vicious and beautiful family. And I will murder every last bloodsucking one of them.

Raziel is just as ruthless and deadly as I expected, but I had no idea how magnetic he would be up close, with an intoxicating smile and ruby-red eyes that seem to look right into my soul. There’s a dangerous tension between us that I’m struggling to ignore.

I have to strike fast. Every second I wait brings new danger to my life—and my heart. But as I sharpen my blades and prepare to take my revenge at last, I need to face the truth…

I’m falling in love with Raziel Nostrom.

The first book in a spicy vampire romantasy series perfect for fans of true enemies-to-lovers romance and marriages of convenience tropes. Readers who could not get enough of The Serpent and the Wings of Night and Haunting Adeline will love The Serpent’s Bride.

Content Warning: violence, death

I saw someone recommend this on Tiktok and she got me at “vampire mafia”, so I decided to try it out since it was on kindle unlimited:

+ Nadi is a Fae, an Iltani, enemy of the vampire mafia family the Nostrom’s. And now she wants revenge against them. First on his list, Raziel Nostrom, the man who murdered her family. He’s about to get married so Nadi uses her shapeshifting skills to pose as his human wife and hope she can get close enough to him, so she can kill him.I like Nadi because she’s willing to do anything to avenge her family’s death and she’s a one woman show. Raziel on the other hand is a killer that loves what he does. There is nothing soft about him! He has a very interesting family and would like to learn more about his siblings in the other books.

+ I assumed because this dark romance that it would be spicy right away but it was surprisingly not, which was nice since I wanted to get into the story instead of the smut. It’s a quick read, which I like, and a slow burn. But when the spice does hit, it’s creative and kinky as I expected out of Raziel! 😅. Will there be an emotional connection between them? Is Raziel capable of that? We shall see as the series goes on.

+~ There is a cliffhanger ending but honestly, I was waiting for Nadi to take him out! This is a vibe read, so I wasn’t expecting detailed world-building but I think I got enough from this that in this world there are different species vying for power. Would love to learn more about the Wilds where Nadi grew up though.

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed this one and glad I took a chance on it! I love the enemies to lovers dark romance going on and wonder what is going to happen next after that ending. I’ll be reading book two right away, so stay tuned for the review for that one.

Read if you like:

a quick, vibe read
enemies to lovers, arranged marriage
vampire mafia
kinky spice

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Poison Daughter by. Sheila Masterson | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: The Poison Daughter

Author: Sheila Masterson

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 668

Publication Date: 10/3/25

Categories: Romantasy, Dark Romance, Vampires

To err is human. To avenge is Divine.
Every person Harlow Carrenwell kisses dies immediately, and that’s the way she likes it. The poison-lipped youngest daughter of Lunameade’s magical founding family has used her power to annihilate their opposition.

Her first husband is in the ground. Her new betrothed is next.

But the merry widow has a secret. When she’s not acting as an assassin at her parents’ whims, she moonlights as a vigilante for abused women in their walled-off city.

Meet a man. Lure him in. Kill him with a kiss. Until one night Harlow kisses a mark and he doesn’t die.

Worse, her invincible partner in passion is her new betrothed, Henry Havenwood, and now he knows about her double life. Instead of selling her out and bringing the rival families to blows, he does something much more sinister—whisks her away to wed in his wild mountain fort.

Harlow doesn’t trust Henry, but the only way to protect her family and the city of Lunameade is to figure out what his family is planning.

Cursed with a husband she can’t kill and trapped in a fort miles of vampire-infested woods from home, Harlow’s survival requires her to do the impossible: Make the man who knows she’s a killer fall in love with her anyway.

Content Warning: violence, death, abuse, murder, toxic family, grief, trauma, debilitating migraines

**Check book trigger warnings**

I saw this on Kindle Unlimited and saw it had good reviews so I wanted to try it out. Here are my thoughts:

+ There are 2 POVs in this story, Harlow and Henry. Harlow is from a ruling family of magic users. What makes them the top family of magic users is they are the only ones who can see magic – which comes in the form of auras. I thought Harlow’s family was interesting because they are all under the thumb of their father. Harlow’s parents are not the affectionate type – their goal, to stay in power and they use their children for that purpose. But you can tell Harlow is close to some of her siblings – mostly, Aidia and Kellen. Everyone else, we don’t know much about and I believe there are 8 children in the family. Henry is from a place everyone thought was destroyed years ago. In this story, there are magic users and non-magic users. Non-magic users pay a blood tithe so that the elite magic users can protect the city but the public is getting tired of the demand for tithes and now there is a rebellion trying to take her family down. Also in this world, there is a forest with creatures called the Drained (basically vampire monsters).

+~ There is a lot of female rage in this story and a theme of women being abused. It gets dark. There are a few twists, turns, political intrigue, secrets, betrayals, magic, and vampires. But there were parts of the story that I felt some of the twists and turns didn’t have a punch like I was expecting. Also Henry was contradictory – he’s all for not controlling a woman, but then picks out her clothing. He’s a nice guy and is all about consent but he also wants her to behave in his society because his image matters. Pacing was a little off also and it’s a long book.

+ I love that Harlow is 30 – we need more older heroines. Harlow has been honed into a weapon for her family. Her power? A deadly poison kiss. Harlow is moonlighting as the Poison Vixen, a woman going around the kingdom, killing men (but not just any men – abusers, etc…). Things change when her parents marry her off again but to a man from a stronghold they thought was annihilated 10 years ago by the Drained. Harlow has attitude and keeps Henry on his toes. She is rage in disguise and I liked her a lot because I knew all of her bravado came from something traumatic. She was always in survival mode. And as the story goes we learn what made her this way and I found it so heartbreaking.

+ I loved Harlow’s relationship with her best-friend/sister, Aidia. I felt like that was the most emotional part of the story – the relationship between the siblings. There is a lot of trauma, lots of grief that both Harlow and Henry have to navigate because of their love for their sisters.

+~ I for the most part enjoyed the romance between Harlow and Henry. Both are motivated by different things and are thrust into this arranged marriage. I love the banter between them because Harlow has attitude and she keeps Henry on his toes for sure. I think the two of them are fun together because of it. Desire is there from the start but it was a slow burn – but once they give into their desires, it’s very spicy, and where the dark romance part comes into play. Voyeurism is big in this one, and I’m not sure how I feel about it? I don’t know that it did anything for me maybe because of the circumstances. For me, I was missing an emotional connection between them during the spice scenes and I get it, they are enemies, they both have ulterior motives, and it was just a physical act, but I wanted to see more emotion. I think that was the thing I felt was kind of missing between them…both are reluctant to fall in love, they don’t believe in it, they’ve been hurt badly, they are both playing the other. Also I don’t think I loved Henry as much as I wanted to, he didn’t handle some situations very well.

Final Thoughts:

I loved beginning, the middle kind of slowed down, and the ending was good. I know it’s a romantasy and this is mostly about Harlow and Henry’s enemies to lovers romance, which had fun banter but the emotional part I loved about this story was between Harlow and her sister Aidia. Their story made me cry. The whole story tackles trauma, abuse and grief. The romance is a slow burn but the spicy scenes are very spicy, if you like voyeurism – this one is for you 🤭. Harlow is an FMC, 30 years old, with lots of rage and I loved her attitude because I get it girl, I get it! I enjoyed the political intrigue but I did feel at times it didn’t pack the punch I was expecting. Though I had some issues with it, I still enjoyed it!

Read if you like:

FMC who is 30 years old, female rage
vibe read
enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, banter
unique magic
spicy spice
and don’t mind – trauma, abuse and grief

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Blood & Betrayals by. Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Blood & Betrayals (Avalon University, #1)

Author: Jeanette Rose & Alexis Rune

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 1026

Publication Date: 3/23/25

Categories: Romantasy, Dark Academia, Series

Fear, Fury and Fire.

To Know is Not Enough.

Power flows through the ancient halls of Avalon University like a neverending flood. Admission to the elite institution enables students to hone their magic under the watchful eye of their icy headmaster.

Summer Tuatha De Daanan planned to slide through her tenure at Avalon, unnoticed and inconspicuous. She has no interest in learning more about her past or why someone applied to the school on her behalf. Her emotional walls keep everyone at bay, and her sharp tongue makes people give her a wide berth. Yet, despite her best attempts, her emotional armor begins to melt from her feral vampire roommate to the angelic senior who is never dissuaded by her feigning disinterest. Maybe this could be good for her, a new life. Yet, dark secrets lurk in the halls of Avalon, and soon those same halls are drenched in blood.

Summer finds herself as the obsession of the sadistic stalker with the Seven lessons to learn. With the help of her new friends, she races against the clock to solve the mystery, hoping to save lives and catch the killer before it’s too late.

Content Warning: violence, death

I saw this on Kindle Unlimited and saw it was dark academia and took a chance on it. Here are my thoughts:

~ Right off the bat, I will say this book did not have to be 1026 pages – although on my ipad where I was reading it, it said 703 pages. This book didn’t have to be anything above 350 pages, or less. I really wish someone took a scalpel to this story and I don’t mean that in a bad way. There was a story but it was hard to find it with all the extra fluff.

+ The things I did like? Summer is a Freshman at Avalon University – lots of different species go there: fae, angels, vampires, shifters, sorcerers, etc…they are there to hone their magic. So I expected the typical dark academia story and we do get that: there is sex, there is romance, there is drama and also a serial killer? I liked Summer’s (a fae) new friendship with Alice (a vampire), and seeing them grow into best-friends. I liked the Morningstar brothers, especially Connor who becomes Summer’s boyfriend – he’s good and a he’s a golden retriever. I even liked some of the silly relationship drama. A lot of this story made me laugh because some things were getting ridiculous!

~ But why are these characters 27-30 years old and act like teenagers? Why didn’t they just make them 18-21? There was no need to make them older unless it’s because of the spicy scenes? 🤷🏻‍♀️. Speaking of characters – there is a mystery character that I hope will be revealed in book two.

+~ Summer, the FMC, has a secret past. It’s so secret and troubling for her, she doesn’t even want to talk about being a Fae. Apparently their realm has been wiped off the face of the planet or realm world. So we basically learn nothing about her. I know she loves sex with Connor, because they have it every other chapter and there is….almost 80+ chapters?! She loves when men think she is hot, even though she loves Connor. She does love Alice, and that was a relationship I did like seeing grow. She has power she hasn’t tapped into yet. But yeah…I was fine that she was needy and needed attention, but…I wish their relationship didn’t drag out for 700 pages.

~ The romance started out cute. Connor is a good guy, and I think he’s why I kept reading because a good guy like him is hard to find in books. He’s a unicorn – he doesn’t get jealous? Like…what? And look I like my MMC’s bad, and filled with trauma…so Connor was actually refreshing. Maybe boring, but I thought it was cute how much he loved Summer. And okay so she’s never been loved and he has the perfect family full of love, but what was up with her flirting with other guys? If that’s the case, then make it a reverse-harem! Let her explore, let Connor be open to it …but that’s not how this story goes and this girl is making emotional connections with someone online she calls Stranger? Just…NO. Even though he sounds intriguing. I was ready to be all in on Connor and Summer’s love story if she just didn’t search for more, in other guys. Connor was done dirty and he didn’t deserve it. But the romance was 95% of this book! It’s about Connor and Summer dating, having lots of sex, and moving on to talking about marriage. Also, Summer’s nickname for Connor is “Big Guy” and she says it a lot. I didn’t mind him calling her Babe all the time, but the Big Guy was said way too much. Another issue I had…the spicy scenes, it was quantity over quality. This story made me wish for a good quality, creative, steamy scene instead of all the ones we got.

~ So there is a mystery serial killer on the loose? Nothing much happens with that storyline except halfway into the book, and a little more at the end. There is no urgency and Summer is always leaving the safety of her dorm, to venture out for a jog alone even though she knows someone is out there killing girls that look like her. The story could have been tighter and maybe the threat of a killer more thrilling if a lot of the fluff was cut out.

+ Speaking of Connor – the ending is emotional, and I was surprised how much I felt about him, since I almost DNF’d the book a few times. Why didn’t I DNF? I actually wanted to see if something would happen in the story, other than the romance portion of the story. 😅 And the story is so easy to consume since it’s light on the world-building. Also maybe I wanted to torture myself and couldn’t believe how many times this couple had spicy scenes or how many times Summer said Big Guy so I had to see it through to the end. 😂

Final Thoughts:

This story needed major editing, because it didn’t need to be as long as it is. I also needed more depth from the characters and it would be nice if they acted their age (which is supposed to be late 20’s/early thirties). I kept reading because I wanted to see if something would actually happen with the serial killer, but most of this book was about Summer and Connor’s romance which moved fast and had spicy scenes every other chapter. Yet, I was bored with the spice. And then Summer talking to other guys and flirting with them even though she is so in love with Connor? Yeah….poor Connor. My 2.5 stars goes to Connor, the friendship with Alice and the ending where we finally get some action. It does end with a cliffhanger though…so am I reading book two? Most likely – but will I DNF it if it is as long as this one and she’s trying to figure out how she feels about three guys, then maybe! 😅.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Vow in Vengeance by. Jaclyn Rodriguez | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: A Vow in Vengeance (Immortal Desires, #1)

Author: Jaclyn Rodriguez

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 471

Publication Date: 1/13/26

Categories: Romantasy, Dark Academia, Romance, Series

Deadly tarot, wicked schemes, dangerous alliances . . . can you survive the Forge?

Sexy, action-packed, and brimming with magic, A Vow in Vengeance is an unputdownable romantasy debut.

Rune Ryker has nothing left to lose. Everything’s been stolen by the Immortals—her family, her home, her freedom. But she’s done playing by their rules.

Each year, humans are forced to journey into the Immortal Realms, but twenty-year-old Rune orchestrates her own selection, determined to find her family and destroy anyone who stands in her way. Rune is used to doing whatever it takes to survive, and now she must endure the Forge, a cutthroat college for the Immortal druids’ elusive tarot magic. When Rune’s magic reveals itself to be the rarest and most powerful, she must live with its only other wielder—Prince Draven. As arrogant as he is ruthlessly ambitious, he’s the last person she can trust.

Rune’s abilities also draw the eyes of the most dangerous druids in the realms. Some want to use her. More want her dead. Draven offers to train her . . . for a price. As Rune becomes ensnared in Draven’s dangerous games, she learns there are secrets at the heart of the kingdom that some will kill to protect.

And Rune and Draven’s growing attraction may be the spark to ignite a brewing war.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ I’m always fascinated to see how an author will use tarot magic in a story and I thought the way it was done in this book was interesting. This world comprises of druids, changelings, seraphs, and elves. There is a lot of history between each kingdom, and politics between them kept me invested. The story takes place at the Forge Academy where the chosen ones are sent to learn about the magic tied to their cards. Like with most dark academia books, the characters are there to learn, train for battle and learn to get along. There’s also some drama.

+ Rune is a Wraith on the run with a secretive background. She needs to be chosen in the selection because she it will bring her one step closer into looking for her family. I liked Rune because she’s sassy and strong. Prince Draven and Rune catch each other’s eye right away, and they get into a dislike to like relationship that is full with fun bickering.

+ I enjoyed Rune getting to know the other students at the academy and I thought her growing friendship with Ember was cute. She is definitely finding her found family at this academy.

+~ The attraction between Rune and Draven is obvious but they are always fighting and then they get into a fake fated mates situation tied with the politics going between the different kingdoms. The fake situation helps Draven get himself out of an engagement and he promises to help Rune find her parents. I actually enjoyed the way their romance progresses. Clearly they are attracted to one another. The romance has some drama and angst. And I’m not sure why I was expecting a lot of spice in this, but I was wrong – there is a lot of flirting but it’s low on the spice meter.

+ I loved the ending where the twists happen! I wasn’t expecting it at all. It was a little unexpected violence, but it really made an emotional impact in the story. There are a few secrets, twists and betrayals in this one.

Final Thoughts:

Tarot magic will always fascinate me I think. I would have liked to learn more about the magic, because tarot magic seems always so complicated. I liked the world building with the different Immortals, Rune’s story about finding her family, and her romance with Draven. I really like the twist at the end where a lot of the action shows up. I thought this was pretty good debut and we’ll see what happens in book two.