Sweet Heat by. Bolu Babalola | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Sweet Heat (Honey & Spice, #2)

Author: Bolu Babalola

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 9/2/25

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Second Chance

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

Thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Three years after their break-up, Kiki’s worked hard to forget her first love. But just as she thinks she’s got her life under control—jumping into the distractions of her romance-by-calendar-invite boyfriend, and plans for her best friend, Aminah’s, wedding—Kiki’s career implodes, the family business teeters on collapse, and Malakai returns. As Malakai takes up his role as best man opposite her maid of honour, suddenly Kiki can think of nothing but their simmering chemistry, what went wrong, and why it is now impossible to act normal around each other.

Juggling a new job, the prospect of her parents’ restaurant being sold, and keeping her best friend from going full bridezilla, dealing with The Ex is the last thing she needs. But somehow the spark between them is only getting hotter—and threatening to ruin everything.

Content Warning:

+ Kiki is going through a few things, her career is not where she wants it to be, her family is selling their restaurant, her friend is getting married, she just broke up with a boyfriend and now, her ex, Malakai is back in the picture. And it’s not hard to get away from him when their paths keep crossing, so the memories come up again and they are both remembering their past.

+ My favorite thing about this story is Kiki and her girlfriends and how much fun they seem to be having! They are so funny when they are hanging out together – made me think of me and my girlfriends. Kiki is Nigerian and I love the representation in this book.

+ Yes this is a romance, but on the other end, this story is about Kiki and her career as a podcaster that talks about music. I liked seeing her trying to figure things out about her career and though there is a lot of pop culture references in here like musical artists, I didn’t mind it because I like listen to some of these artists.

+ The second chance romance is full of regrets but the same desire they had for one another in the past. Kiki and Malakai’s relationship is filled with sexual tension.

~ Unfortunately I didn’t know this was book two in a series and so if I had read book one, I’d have met Kiki and Malakai then. I didn’t feel lost reading this book, but I did feel like I had missed something. I might have to go and read the first book.

~ The story comes in just under 500 pages, which I think is too long. And Malakai doesn’t appear right away.

Final Thoughts:

I wish I had known this was book two in a series, because maybe I would have enjoyed it a bit more but even without reading book one I enjoyed this book – especially the banter and fun between Kiki and her girlfriends. I thought the second chance romance had lots of tension, clearly these two never lost their sexual desire for one another, but relationships are more than just sex and I like how they eventually worked through some things and chose one another in the end. Overall, an entertaining story!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Wild Reverence by. Rebecca Ross | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Wild Reverence (Letter of Enchantment, #0)

Author: Rebecca Ross

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 544

Publication Date: 9/2/25

Publisher: Saturday Books

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Prequel

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

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

Born in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic. But in a land where gods often kill each other to steal power and alliances break as quickly as they are forged, Matilda must come of age sooner than most. She may be known to carry words and letters through the realms, but she holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest of allies to ensure her survival. And to complicate matters . . . there is a mortal boy who dreams of her, despite the fact they have never met in the waking world.

Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life―begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. When his request went unanswered, Vincent moved on, becoming the hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda. That is, until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

As Fate would have it, Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams. There may be a chance for Matilda to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, but at immense sacrifice. She will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: to be vulnerable, and to allow herself to finally be loved.

Content Warning: death, violence

+ I love Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows so when I saw this was a prequel to the series, I was intrigued! Wild Reverence is a story about the gods, and one in particular, Matilda. The storytelling is exceptional, beautiful, and poetic. It’s definitely what I come to expect from this author. She has a magical way of telling a story and I am always entranced by her books.

+ Matilda is such a fascinating character. She’s born to a Skyward father and and Underling mother, but Matilda wasn’t gifted any godlike powers that made her a threat to anyone. She was just there, just a nobody, but her character goes through a lot and being able to cross into realms was one of the most powerful characteristics she had – she just doesn’t know it until later.

+ I really enjoyed learning about this world of Gods. The world building as expected in a Rebecca Ross book is done so well. We even get a glimpse of how Enva and Dacre (the gods at war in Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows), and a hint of how their story begins. I love how we get a real sense of gods being all powerful, and caring about the human world really. And vice-versa with humans, some worshipping them, and some indifferent to them, not wanting to bend their whole lives to worshipping gods.

+ The romance starts off with Matilda and Vincent in their younger years. And the romance really doesn’t take off until later in their adulthood. It’s a sweet romance filled with yearning, longing, devotion, loyalty – a love that spans realms and time. I was rooting so hard for them.

+ Love the epilogue and how it ties into Divine Rivals!

~ I’m not sure why but the beginning of this book did not hook me right away. It was a slow build and I think I was looking for Enva and Dacre and not focusing on Matilda, who didn’t seem significant until her character grows. It took me a few days to really get invested in Matilda’s story but once I did, I could not put the book down.

~ Speaking of Enva and Dacre, I actually did want to see more of them in this prequel. I feel like they remain such a mystery still.

Final Thoughts:

It took me a few days to settle down with this book, the world-building is about Gods we have never heard of (except for Enva and Dacre really) so there was a bit of information and building to do. But when it finally clicked in my head I didn’t want to put down the book. We get to see this different realms, and learn of different Gods, learn about Matilda who seems insignificant at first but becomes one of the main Gods who’s impact is greatly seen in Divine Rivals. I loved Matilda’s journey from nobody to someone to reckon with – all while she stayed good and not power-hungry. All she wanted to do was lead a simple life with Vincent, the mortal man who she had a connection with as a child and now as an adult. I was rooting for their love story across realms and time – it’s heartbreaking and beautiful. Overall, this is a beautifully written prequel to the Letters of Enchantment series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Ruthless Vows by. Rebecca Ross | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Divine Rivals by. Rebecca Ross | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sisters of Sword and Song by. Rebecca Ross | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Fire Endless by. Rebecca Ross | Audiobook Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A River Enchanted by. Rebecca Ross | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Review: The Queen’s Rising ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Robin on the Oak Throne by. K.A. Linde | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Robin on the Oak Throne (The Oak and the Holly Cycle, #2)

Author: K.A. Linde

Narrator: Stephanie Németh-Parker

Format: audiobook (Libby)

Pages: 480 / Audio Reading Time (approx.): 19h

Publication Date: 6/16/25

Categories: Romantasy, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Series

The only thing worse than fearing a monster is falling for one …

Kierse McKenna just shattered the Monster Treaty. Again.

It wasn’t entirely her fault. The job was supposed to be steal a goblin-made bracelet off of the Queen of the Nymphs in her own palace. Trade the bracelet for a way to uncover the truth about her past. Except everything goes sideways.

And then he shows up to save her.

Graves—the warlock who ensnared her, betrayed her, and left her to fend for herself. He’s a villain. A monster draped in charm and shadows. And gods help her, he always knows exactly what she wants.

But Graves never does anything for free. He has a job for his favorite little thief. One that will pit her against the most powerful monsters in existence, including his mortal enemy, the Oak King.

An ancient artifact has been located, and only together can they hope to steal it. She just has to let him in.

But once she lets a monster in, he’s impossible to forget … and even harder to resist.

Content Warning: violence

+ There is one narrator for this audiobook and she really did a great job doing all the voices – and this is a big cast, so credit to her! I gave the first book The Wren in the Holly, 3 stars. I didn’t love it but I wanted to see if hearing the second book as an audiobook would make me enjoy this series more. I did like listening to it as an audiobook and I enjoy the world building of this urban fantasy world.

+ Kierse is a fun character – I like her personality. With everything going on, I feel like she stayed constantly upbeat. Graves was his usual dangerous self and the two of them have a few spicy scenes together. They have trust issues between them because of what happened in book one but they can’t deny their physical attraction to one another and they act on it a few times.

~ Kierse is trying to find a magical object, but she’s also trying to remember things from her past that have been repressed and for the first half of the story this is what is happening – but it was a slog to get through. The beginning is fine, but the middle was boring. It does pick up again in last 25% of the book, but I just wish things were happening. I felt like they kept coming to dead ends.

~ Not sure where this story is headed but I think I might stop the reading the series.

Final Thoughts:

This series isn’t for me. I thought listening to is as an audiobook would help me enjoy it more and I did enjoy it more than book one and even thought it would be a higher rating, but the middle was slow and boring. If you liked book one, you will definitely like this one but for me, I won’t continue the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read By This Author:

The Wren in the Holly Library by. K.A. Linde | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heir of Storms by. Lauryn Hamilton Murray | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice:

Title: Heir of Storms (Storm Weaver, #1)

Author: Lauryn Hamilton Murray

Format: hardcover – owned

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 6/3/25

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Magic

The very day Blaze came into the world, she almost drowned it. A Rain Singer born into one of the most powerful fire-wielding families in the empire, Blaze’s birth summoned a devastating storm that left thousands dead. She’s been hidden away ever since with a dark secret: the same torrential power that branded her an outcast disappeared that fateful day. And she’s not sure she wants it back.

When an unexpected invitation arrives for Blaze and her twin brother, Flint, to compete as future rulers of the empire, she’s suddenly thrust into the limelight again — and into battle. Threats abound at the Golden Palace, where intrigue and romance await with not one but two handsome suitors: the enchanting Crown Prince and a dangerously alluring newcomer at court.

As Blaze explores her untapped power, she discovers the throne may be within her grasp. But in order to take it, she’ll have to leave behind the stories that others have told about her, and find the courage to write her own.

Content Warning: violence, grief, death

+ I finally read my gorgeous Fairyloot edition of this book. It’s the prettiest book on my shelf!

+ This book has a lot going on in it like court intrigue, trials, balls, elemental magic, family and friendship bonds. I loved how the story flowed and it had great pacing. Once I got into the world-building I couldn’t put the book down.

+ Blaze is from a family with fire magic, but she doesn’t have that. Her power actually flooded the kingdom when she was younger which actually caused many deaths. So people who don’t know her only know of her devastating power and how it devastated families – they hate her, or are afraid of her but she has no choice now since the Gods have branded her as an Heir. So she has to take part in trials, while undergoing people’s perceptions of her. I like that she has an awesome family, and for someone who had no friends before the trials, she starts to make friends with the help of her twin brother, Flint. There is a lot of growth for Blake who starts off wanting to hide from people and in the end claiming her power.

+ There is a love triangle romance but I don’t want to spoil it so I’ll say it’s done pretty well. It’s young adult so there are only kisses in this story. Hal is the Crown Prince and takes an interest in Blaze. But then his half-brother, Fox, shows up and he’s got quite a reputation of his own. I liked the interactions between Fox and Blaze because he gets under her skin. We’ll see what happens in the next book.

~ There isn’t nothing new in this story, it’s the usual young adult fantasy story but I really did enjoy it a lot.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a fun young adult fantasy which had a lot of the things I enjoy in this genre: elemental magic, court intrigue, romance, fun side characters, and family themes. I look forward to reading book two.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

While the Dark Remains by. Joanna Ruth Meyer | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: While the Dark Remains

Author: Joanna Ruth Meyer

Narrator: Kimberly Woods

Format: audiobook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 450 / Audio Reading Time (approx.): 14h 45m

Publication Date: 8/1/25

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Brynja spent her childhood as a captive performer in Tenebris, the imposing mountain palace of King Kallias. Every night she risked death for the king’s entertainment until his rebellious son, Prince Ballast, helped her escape. Now twenty, Brynja has never forgotten the brutal king. Or forgiven him. Under the cloak of a three-month-long Winter Dark, Brynja is returning to Tenebris for revenge.

Accompanied by a rival court, including the alluring Prince Vil, Brynja poses as diplomatic royalty to barter peace between nations. No one is better equipped to infiltrate the palace than Brynja—she remembers every hidden passage like a bad dream. But her quest to destroy Kallias is complicated by her feelings for Prince Ballast, whom she isn’t sure she can still trust. And Kallias’s own quest to mine a catastrophic weapon of war buried in the mountain’s heart will threaten them all, and force Brynja to face the darkest parts of herself.

The lives of everyone she loves depend on the choices she must make. So, too, does the fate of the world.

Content Warning: violence, violence towards children

+ There is one narrator for this audiobook and I thought she did a great job with doing all the character voices.

+ I thought the world-building was pretty good. Three different kingdoms, with some animosities between them. The main kingdom this story takes place is in Tenebris who is ruled by King Kallias. He’s a cruel king who uses children as entertainment. These kids are abused and even killed if they don’t please him. Brynja and her friends Saga and Vil, part of the Skanda delegation to Tenebris, are going there under the pretense to make a trade deal, but their ultimate goal is to end his reign.

+ Brynja is an interesting character – she was one of these children in King Kallias’ collection of kids. Her talent was as an acrobat. At her time in Tenebris she befriends, Ballast, who is one of the king’s sons. Brynja does escape Tenebris eventually but coming back brings back bad memories of her time there. While she was at Tenebris, she also befriends Saga who is from Skanda, and in a way when they escape, Saga’s family becomes her found family.

+ The romance between Brynja and Ballast doesn’t really pick up until the end because of their complicated past. It’s a real slow burn and almost an enemies to friendship to lovers kind of story.

+ I enjoyed the politics and there is a plot twist that explains more about Brynja’s past and changes some relationships in the book.

~ This story is told in flashbacks which I don’t usually love and it happens a lot in the story but I did not have a hard time following even though I was listening to it as an audiobook. But I just don’t love the back and forth knowing what year we are in and the years are like 4150 or something like that.

~ The beginning is a bit slow as Brynja, Saga and Vil travel to Tenebris. There is a lot of stories about their gods which I think could be cut back a little because my attention wavered when those stories were told.

~ Brynja got sick a lot in this story when her anxiety hit. I don’t know why that stood out to me but I would always think – she’s gonna be sick, again?! 😅

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed the audiobook though I did think the story was a tad bit too long especially with all the time jumping I had to pay attention too. I like the world-building though and was invested in Brynja’s journey back to the place she was traumatized and learning more about her past. The plot twist was there for shock value but I’m glad it didn’t end in a cliffhanger but was at least explained afterwards.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Fallen & the Kiss of Dust

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Format: borrowed (Kindle Unlimited) – but I will buying myself a hardcopy!

Pages: 638

Publication Date: 8/5/25

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, Gods, Series

New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk.

Mische made the ultimate sacrifice to save those she loves – and plunged the world into an eternal night. Now, imprisoned by the gods and obsessed with revenge, Asar is desperate to find her again.

When a goddess offers them a final path to redemption – and back to each other – Asar and Mische embark on an extraordinary mission. Together, they must seize the power of the god of death so Asar may do the ascend to true divinity.

Their journey will take them through mortal and immortal realms, alongside both old friends and ruthless enemies. But as the underworld teeters on the brink of collapse and the gods prepare for a war, Asar and Mische must decide what they are willing to sacrifice for the power to defy death. In a game of vengeful gods and ancient betrayals, there are some debts that even love may not be able to repay.

Content Warning: violence, war, death, grief

We are back in the world of Nyaxia and I really have to commend the author on the world building of this underworld that Asar was taking care of for years. I love that the dead get a place to still belong and feel safe because of Asar and Mische. I love how it expands the world of this series and this time Asar and Mische really get into it with the Gods! These Gods are mad at what Mische did at the end of book one and they send their Sentinels – fearsome godlike warriors that even scared me, after her. They seek justice and that means ending Mische.

The action that was present in The Songbird & the Heart of Stone continues here in The Fallen and there is another quest! Asar and Mische goes through it in this book – there are monsters to fight, Sentinels, death, saving one another, again and again. I don’t even know how many times Mische passes out (she did this a lot in book one too 😅). And talk about growth for Mische – from an obedient worshipper of Atroxus to becoming almost a goddess in her own right. Yes there was some points in this story which frustrated me like when she could have told Raihn, her best-friend, what was going on but she chose not to. But I can see why she was afraid of involving people in the mess she thinks she created.

There are a lot of themes tackled in this one, especially grief, guilt and power (owning it and believing in yourself). I kind of love how while everything got worse and worse, Mische would always try to reassure Asar that they WILL fix it. It got down to the wire where Mische had lost basically everything but Vincent was there for the pep-talk she needed.

And then there is the romance. Asar practically rips the world apart to get to Mische! I wanted more romance in the previous book and wow, did I get it in this one. Their love knows no bounds, come on, their vows? 😭 Both of them will go to the ends of the earth and back again just to save one another. I feel like I haven’t read a romance like this in awhile, where it made me emotional.

Oh, and let’s talk about emotional – why oh why does Vincent always make me emotional?! I thought his interactions with Mische were so funny because she’s sunshine and he’s…Vincent! I love him – morally gray and all. Ugh…but I’m glad he was there, trying to get Mische to get up and fight when everything seemed hopeless. But his relationship with Oraya, the mistakes, the things unsaid, UGHHHH…always makes me shed a tear. And also, Luce? Our good doggy always helping them out even when things get crazy!

The fight between the Gods don’t seem to ever end, and will it ever? Looks like there will be a book five and I can’t wait to see what it will be about because this is a series, since book one, I am invested in. The world-building is detailed, lush and keeps expanding! The characters – all different and fleshed out, none of them perfect, but I love that about them. And the romance, it’s devastating and beautiful.

I didn’t do a re-read of any of the books when going into this one and I didn’t need to. That’s how this world and the books have stuck with me. But I miss Vincent, Oraya and Raihn so much, I might have to back and read book one and two.

Final Thoughts:

What an “end” to Asar and Mische’s story. I’m sure we’ll see them again in the next book but what these two had to go through in their lives and to find one another and hold on no matter the circumstances devastated me in a good way. I love their love. And I love this series. I love Vincent, Oraya and Raihn, and Luce! I can’t wait to read the next book and see how this world keeps expanding and find new characters to love.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read by This Author:

The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by. Carissa Broadbent| ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Six Scorched Roses by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Nightblood Prince by. Molly X. Chang | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️

Title: The Nightblood Prince

Author: Molly X. Chang

Format: hardcover – owned

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 7/1/25

Categories: Romantasy, Young Adult, Vampires, Chinese-Inspired, Love Triangle

Two princes. One prophecy. A fate she cannot outrun.

The night Fei was born, a prophecy was made: she would one day become the Empress of All Empresses.

Torn from her family as a child and raised in the palace to one day marry the Crown Prince of the most powerful empire in the land, Fei has only ever known loneliness. When the opportunity arises to seize her own destiny for the first time in her life, Fei sets out to hunt a legendary tiger, knowing it might cost her everything. What she doesn’t expect is to fall under the mercy of Yexue, the beautiful runaway prince from a rival kingdom. Blessed by the night, harboring a dangerous magic, and capable of commanding an army of deadly vampires, Yexue could be the key to Fei gaining more than just her freedom.

But to outrun destiny, Fei must spark a wave of events that will change the world as she knows it. Torn between two princes and plagued by nightmares of bloodshed, she finds that the stars might be more inescapable—and more irresistible—than she ever considered before. . . .

Content Warning: violence, misogyny, sexism, war

I have the Fairyloot edition of this book and just the gorgeousness of the book makes me want to give it 5 stars but this isn’t only about the cover! So here are my thoughts about the story itself.

I now understand what some book reviewers say they are here for “the vibes”. If I had to rate this one on vibes and the book cover, it would be 5 stars. A girl with a prophecy making her the empress of empresses, and anyone who marries her becomes the emperor of emperors? That alone will cause drama. Fei is born to a poor family but because a seer gave her a prophecy at birth, she is elevated to future wife of the emperor’s son, Siwang. They are raised from birth together and in essence become the best of friends.

But as Fei gets older and the emperor insists on their marriage, she realizes being an empress is not the life she wants. So she does something to try and get the emperor’s favor so she can ask to be free. Fei, is a naive 18 year old girl, who’s lived in the palace all her life and thinks the emperor will let her go. She learns the hard way, some strong life lessons in power and who has it, and who doesn’t – her. Thing is Fei gets what she wants, but it’s the grass isn’t always greener on the other side kind of situation. It does help her character grow though, in some ways.

For most of the book, I liked Fei. She’s young, she’s naive, but she has a strong will and is determined to shape her future the way she wants. I liked that she tried. But in the second half of the book she’s one year older, and her hormones must have been raging because she reunites with Siwang and fights all her feelings for him but something happens between them. Yet in the next few days she’ll run into the Prince from Lan, Yexue, and starts feeling things for him too. I was irritated with her for her feelings going all over the place, but after awhile, I was like, okay girl, two hot princes want you – you got this. 😅. I’m here for the love triangle drama.

Now Siwang is strong, intelligent, poised, and the perfect prince. Whereas Yexue had more personality because he is the bad boy prince, he’s a vampire, plus he’s funny, cares for his people and will actually help Fei pursue her freedom. These boys are OBSESSED with her and with power. But I get all her questioning thoughts about if they are obsessed because of her personality or the prophecy? I liked her choice in the end but also…what was that ending? Is there going to be a sequel?

The chapters are short – sometimes just one page or a paragraph! It moved quickly but at times felt a bit choppy and personally I needed more world building. But for readers who don’t like heavy world-building this is perfect for you. And this is more romance than fantasy. I would love more backstory about Lan and Yexue’s past. It gave Mulan vibes at one point of the story when it comes to the training of the army.

Final Thoughts:

This book is gorgeous, it’s a quick read and I had a fun time with it. It’s definitely for the readers who like light world-building and more romance than fantasy in their romantasy. And it is young adult, so Fei acts like it. I was reading for the vibes and the love triangle drama but personally would like book two (if there is one) to have more world-building!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Broken Souls and Bones by. L.J. Andrews | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Broken Souls and Bones (Stonegate, #1)

Author: L.J. Andrews

Format: borrowed (Libby)

Pages: 470

Publication Date: 4/29/25

Categories: Romantasy, Series, Viking-Inspired

Together they’ll restore a divided kingdom—or burn it down—in this new romantasy from USA Today bestselling author and TikTok sensation LJ Andrews.

Lyra Bien intended to live a quiet life to avoid the attention of the magic-obsessed king in the fortress of Stonegate. Until Roark Ashwood—the prince’s silent guard and rumored killer for the crown—invades her village and uncovers the truth behind the silver scars in her eyes. To save her best friend from death, she’s forced to reveal her abilities, and is immediately claimed by the crown as the next melder.

To be the King’s melder is to be revered and feared in equal measures, but above all it is a slow death sentence. Lyra is determined to find a way to free herself and her friends from bondage. But first she must get more information from the silent, brooding sentry who first took her captive: Roark.

As Lyra gets closer to Roark, she soon learns he’s nothing like she assumed—and in fact everything she needs. The more they work as allies, the harder it becomes to ignore the growing passion between them. After a sinister truth is revealed, Roark and Lyra must choose to stand against all they know, or accept their dark destiny.

Content Warning: violence, bodily injuries

+ I didn’t know this was the same author who wrote The Ever King series, which I love. But I shouldn’t have been surprised – I finished this book in three days (only because I was reading another book at the same time).

+ This is a viking-inspired romantasy and I found it refreshing especially with the unique magic system in place. The magic consists of bone magic – and there are some gruesome parts in this book where Lyra has to plunge her hand into a would to use her magic. Or she can manipulate someone’s bones – yikes! What a weapon to have! I found it fascinating and hope to learn more about it. There is political drama, secrets also and a few plot twists.

+ Our MMC, Roark, can’t speak and uses sign language so it was interesting to see him and Lyra go from enemies to lovers but I was definitely rooting for them the whole way. He is basically her bodyguard and with all the forced proximity their desire and like for one another grows substantially. I liked how protective he was of her but we shall see what happens in book two!

+ I loved the side characters like Emi and Prince Thane. I like the camaraderie and sense of family that Lyra observes between Thane, Emi and Roark. Lyra has her own found family as well with Kael and the other people in their group.

~ I did find it a little challenging to figure out what was happening with the magic they were using. I definitely could visualize it when they did it, especially bone craft but I think there is a lot more to learn about all the crafts and I hope we get that in book two. Lyra has all three, she’s a melder, but she learned the magic a little too fast I think for someone who was hiding that part of her and never used it before.

~ There is a major plot twist but I will admit I was confused for a minute as to what was happening. A lot was happening at the end of this story that shocked me. And it ends in a cliffhanger, of course!

Final Thoughts:

I’ve been in a reading slump and I feel like this pushed me out of it! I like that it was viking-inspired instead of all the same romantasy settings I’ve been reading lately and the magic system is unique, though would love to learn more about it. I loved Lyra and Roark’s romance story but with that cliffhanger ending and I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

The Mist Thief by. L.J. Andrews | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Ever Queen By. L.J. Andrews | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Ever King By. L.J. Andrews | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Once a Villain by. Vanessa Len | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: Once a Villain (Monsters, #3)

Author: Vanessa Len

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 8/19/25

Publisher: HarperTeen

Categories: Series, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Time Travel, LGBT+

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

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

The finale in the contemporary fantasy Only a Monster trilogy from Vanessa Len—which New York Times bestselling authors Holly Black, Chloe Gong, and Stephanie Garber called “delightful,” “captivating,” and “unputdownable”—will take Joan into the darkest timeline in the monster world, as she fights to restore the world she remembers.

Joan has failed to stop Eleanor.

Now, Eleanor rules over a cruel new timeline where monsters live openly among humans, preying on them and subjugating them.

Nick – once a hero to humans, and Joan’s first love – is tormented by the choice he made to save her over the timeline itself. And Aaron – the ruthless heir to a powerful monster family – now finds himself a world where monsters have power beyond imagining, while his feelings for Joan grow.

But, wrenched between love and rivalry, the three of them must negotiate their fractured pasts to survive the new world and restore what was lost. Because only they remember that there was once a better timeline.

To save the world they love, they’ll have to outmaneuver an all-seeing queen who controls time itself. Lethal consequences await any failure in this final breathless race against time.

Content Warning: violence

+ This is the conclusion to the Monsters series and we jump right into the story after all the events that happened in book two. Like the previous books, this story moves quickly, which I like! There are now in the timeline that Joan’s sister, Eleanor, has created and it’s a messed up timeline. Eleanor is Queen but there is electric cars and technology in a time that seems like it’s the 1600’s – so Joan and her friends have a goal to take down Eleanor and fix the timeline.

+ The found family of their friend group is back minus Tom but he reappears later in the story.

+ I always wanted more of Aaron Oliver in this series and it happens in this third book. He takes more of a roll since he’s the head of the family in this timeline.

+ There are some twists I was not expecting in this story and actually made my jaw drop because they kept happening one after the other in the last half of the book. But overall, I think most questions were answered and this was a solid conclusion!

~ It turned into a love triangle and one that was frustrating! Some things happen and immediately Joan is turning from one boy to another and I wasn’t happy with that. But things are resolved by the end of the story, not sure how I feel about it but all parties were happy so that’s what matters.

~ The ending is wild! There was one thing happening after the other at the end, and some of it felt rushed.

Final Thoughts:

This was a great conclusion to the series and I think most people who love the series should be happy with it. I like the fast moving pace, and having more of Aaron in this book. I think there were some parts in the end that moved too fast and it felt rushed but the twists did surprise me. Overall, I think this series was entertaining!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Never a Hero by. Vanessa Len | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Only a Monster by. Vanessa Len | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Forbidden Alchemy by. Stacey McEwan | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: A Forbidden Alchemy

Author: Stacey McEwan

Narrator:
Billie Fulford-Brown (Narrator), Joshua Riley (Narrator)

Format: audiobook (audible)

Pages: 480 / Audio Reading Time (approx.): 16 hours and 46 minutes

Publication Date: 7/1/25

Categories: Romantasy, Magic, Enemies to Lovers, Fantasy, Romance

This stunning slow-burn romantasy follows a fated pair who uncover a world-changing secret and are thrust into a violent class war, navigating love, loss, and devastating betrayals.

Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are twelve years old when they are whisked away from the shadows of their disenfranchised mining towns to dazzling Belavere City to discover their magical potential. Those who pass Belavere’s test will become Artisans, wielders of powerful elemental magic destined to fulfill the city’s grand ambitions. For Nina, the Artisan School symbolizes a dream and an escape from her harsh reality, while Patrick yearns to return to his Craftsman family, whose extraordinary physical strength serves the idium mines keeping the city alive.

And then they uncover a devastating Artisans aren’t born, they’re chosen. They part ways on very different paths, leaving them to carry the burden of this secret alone.

In the years that follow, a Craftsman revolution ignites, thrusting Nina and Patrick into opposing factions of a brewing war. Now an elite Artisan with the very rare talent for charming earth, Nina has turned her back on the fight, haunted by the loss of her found family. But fate intervenes when she is captured by Patrick’s rebel group. Despite the years and conflict that separates them, Patrick hasn’t forgotten Nina. He desperately seeks her help for a mission that could shift the tides against Belavere City. Reluctantly, she agrees, battling the sparks flying between them. But when Nina’s first love reappears, asking her to betray Patrick for the sake of the Artisans, Nina faces an impossible choice that could alter the fate of their world.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ The narrators are amazing on this audiobook. The accents are fantastic!

+ The world building is really good in this story. There is a magic system that is really interesting – where people can either be Crafters or Artisans. Miners are rebelling against the Lords who is looking for the Alchemist, which is someone who has considerable power.

+ I really enjoyed Nina and Patrick’s story of how they met, parted and met again. In between that time, both of them have lived different lives – Nina training as an earth charmer and falling for Theo, who is a son of a prominent Lord. When Nina and Patrick meet again, it’s under different circumstances but it starts off a romance where Patrick is falling hard. Patrick is a strong character, harsh because of the conditions he’s had to live in, but I love how he protects his own – he loves his family and community, and is falling for Nina and will do anything for her. Nina feels strongly about him too, even though Theo makes an appearance again, but it gets a little complicated between all of them. It is a slow burn between Nina and Patrick though with a little heat.

+ There are a few twists and turns in this story that kept me attention engaged. There is a lot of secrets and a betrayal. The ending is really good too but ends in a cliffhanger!

~ Nina at times wasn’t my favorite especially in the end. I don’t know if it was because I felt disconnected from her character due to me listening to this as an audiobook?

Final Thoughts:

This is the first book in a series I think and it’s a really good start. I loved learning about this unique world with magic, and miners rebelling against the House of Lords. Patrick is a very compelling character but I think I wanted a little more from Nina. Their romance is a slow burn, but Patrick falls hard, and we’ll see what happens next after that ending. This audiobook version was very entertaining and the narrators sounded really good with their accents. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!