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

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Dark Star Burning, Ash Falls White (#2)

Author: Amélie Wen Zhao

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 464

Publication Date: 1/2/24

Publisher: Delacorte

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Series, Duology, Asian Fantasy, Mythology, Dragons, Magic

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

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

The epic sequel to the book Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, is a fast-paced, riveting YA fantasy inspired by the mythology and folklore of ancient China.

Years ago, the Elantian colonizers invaded Lan’s homeland and killed her mother in their search to uncover the Last Kingdom’s greatest the location of its legendary four Demon Gods. Lan’s mother devoted her life to destroying the Demon Gods, and Lan is determined to finish her mission. Yet, there are others searching for the gods, too.

Zen knew his soul was forfeit the moment he made a deal with the Demon God known as the Black Tortoise, but he’s willing to lose himself if it means saving the Kingdom–and the girl–he loves. But to crush the colonizers who have invaded his land he needs more power than even a single Demon God can provide. He needs an army. And he knows exactly where he can find it–in the undead army his great grandfather lead decades ago.

The Elantians may have stolen their throne, but the battle for the Last Kingdom has only begun.

Content Warning: violence, death

The first book in this series really surprised me and I loved it! Let’s see how it ends:

+ The story takes places immediately after all the chaotic events that happened at the ending of the first book. Zen is on a mission to defeat the Elantians by any means possible but Lan doesn’t believe that’s the right thing to do. Both have their own path and it keeps them apart, which is sad because I loved them together.

+ There is so much conflict in this story. The Elantians want to take over but Zen is fighting tooth and nail to stop that from happening – does this make him a villain when he uses his demon god to try and fight them? Zen’s storyline is heartbreaking and I didn’t expect that. Lan is trying to achieve peace but feels it’s wrong to use the demon gods they are bound to because the demons could overtake their souls and she doesn’t want that for Zen but he makes a choice and she makes hers. I liked all the questions about power and about choices, and doing the right thing.

+ The love story is tragic and made me want to cry! They love each other but with everything going on they know it’s not going to end well. I loved their moment together where they confess what they feel and what kind of future they could have but their love is heartbreaking. This is a bittersweet love story.

+ I love the battles between the demon gods – they are so epic! Also I love the secondary characters and wish we had more time with them. I love Dilaya, who’s a fierce warrior and a leader. She becomes Lan’s closest friend and their interactions were so good.

~ There are a few villains in this story because of the way they are bound to a demon and want more power and will do anything to achieve their goals but I felt like the Elantians weren’t as present in this story as they were in book one. I actually feel like this should have been a trilogy and not a duology because some parts felt rushed. It’s such an epic world – I think it definitely deserve another book to at least feature more conflict with the Elantians.

My Thoughts:

I wish this series was a trilogy because I felt like there could have been more tension to draw out with the enemies because there are multiple. But despite that I enjoyed this book a lot because of the questions it asks about power and choices. I love the characters and all their different journeys no matter how hard it got for them. The battles between the demon gods were full of action and epic. And even though this is a tragic romance story between Lan and Zen, I loved them so much together and their love story almost made me cry at the end. My heart broke. Although it’s a bittersweet ending, I think it ended perfectly.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Review | Blood Heir ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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

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

A Study in Drowning by. Ava Reid | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Study in Drowning

Author: Ava Reid

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 378

Publication Date: 9/19/23

Categories: Young Adult, Gothic, Mystery, Romance, Academia

Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. Haunted by visions of the Fairy King since childhood, she’s had no choice. Her tattered copy of Angharad—Emrys Myrddin’s epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, then destroys him—is the only thing keeping her afloat. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to redesign the late author’s estate, Effy feels certain it’s her destiny.

But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming. Including Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar determined to expose Myrddin as a fraud. As the two rivals piece together clues about Myrddin’s legacy, dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspire against them—and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

Content Warning: sexual assault, neglectful parent, misogyny, grooming, smoking

Okay this book has been on my radar for awhile and I saw good and bad reviews for it so I had to read it for myself.

+ It has very gothic, academia vibes to it which was nice and it was what I was expecting. Effy is an architect and takes on a project for the estate of one of her favorite writers, Emrys Myrddin. The estate is a fantastic gothic setting with tales about the Fairy King and the “drowning”, and the mystery about Myrddin and his writings. I like how Preston and Effy were investigating his writings.

+ Effy is a fascinating character and at times an unreliable one. She’s beautiful, all the men tell her so and they are drawn to her – she even got into a situation with her professor, which has caused her to be an outcast at school. She’s afraid of men because of what happened to her and she deals with a lot of misogyny. Her mother basically hates her – which is awful. She’s alone and needs help but doesn’t have anyone on her side until she meets Preston, who off the bat, she doesn’t like at all. Effy also has these nightmares about the Fairy King and takes sleeping pills so she is mysterious herself. The themes about misogyny and power imbalances are very present in this book though and there were a few quotes that hit home.

There was an intimacy to all violence, she supposed. The better you knew someone, the more terribly you could hurt them.”
– A Study in Drowning by. Ava Reid

Lying was a form of survival, a way out of whatever trap had been set.”
– A Study in Drowning by. Ava Reid

You don’t have to take up a sword. Survival is bravery, too.”
– A Study in Drowning by. Ava Reid

+ I did like Preston and Effy’s interactions because he’s this stuffy, uptight literary student. I think the most Effy has ever stood up to a guy was to Preston – she wasn’t afraid of him and he didn’t make her feel unsafe, which I liked about him. As for the chemistry between them – there is tension for sure, but I also felt at times they would have been great just been really good friends.

~ I think there was a lot going on in this book and I chose to stay focused on the Myrddin mystery – basically that’s the whole reason Preston and Effy are at the estate in the first place. There is a war also going on in the book and there is Effy’s nightmares about the Fairy King and I was confused at times if Effy was experiencing things with this Fairy King or it was all in her head.

~ At times the setting or I should say time period, was confusing. I know it’s basically an alternate Earth, countries names are all made up, and the world they live in kind of felt like the 1940’s-ish and I’m just going off of them smoking cigarettes and drinking hard liquor a lot. Effy also mentioned something like girls at school usually come away with a ring and engaged – so that sounds like to 1940’s or earlier to me. I enjoyed the setting but at times I felt like I was confused about certain things about this world.

My Final Thoughts:

I think I read this at the right time – the weather here has been rainy and the gothic setting of this book and the lyrical writing was perfect for my mood. It is a dark story dealing with misogyny, parental neglect, power imbalances and even grooming. I do think the world building at times was somewhat confusing or something was mentioned and not explained fully. The romance was a sweet spot in the story with Preston and Effy being a sort of rivals to lovers relationship. I thought Effy’s journey from being alone to finally having someone in her corner and being kind to her without wanting anything in return was amazing for her. If you like lyrical prose and a gothic setting, you’ll like this one.

Book Links:

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Somewhere in the Deep by. Tanvi Berwah | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Somewhere in the Deep

Author: Tanvi Berwah

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 1/9/24

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Categories: Young Adult, Thriller, Fantasy, South Asian

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

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

Seventeen-year-old Krescent Dune is buried under the weight of her dead parents’ debt and the ruinous legacy they left behind. The only way she can earn enough money to escape her unforgiving island is by battling monstrous creatures in an underground fighting pit. After a fight goes terribly wrong, she’s banned from the pits. Now hopeless, she is offered a deal: in exchange for the erasure of her debts, she must join and protect a hunting party for a rescue mission deep within the mining caves beneath the island.

Krescent is determined to keep her head down and fulfill her role as the dutiful bodyguard, even though she is trapped underground with her childhood enemy and a company of people who would gladly kill her if they knew who her parents were. As they come across creatures she believed only existed in legends, it becomes clear they are in far more danger than she could have imagined. But someone doesn’t want her to make it out alive. And she’ll have to figure out who before she’s left alone… in the dark.

From the author of Monsters Born and Made comes an action-packed South Asian inspired fantasy that will have your heart racing at every turn.

Content Warning: violence, killer insects

+ I read a book by this author last year and thought it was pretty good and this book is set in that same world. What I really enjoyed about this book is that it’s in the same world, so we get to learn more about it but it’s inspired by South Asia and I love that representation. I like that is it unique.

+ This has a lot of action. Kress is a fighter in the ring, but she has a bad reputation because of something her parents did. I love that she’s a strong character. Kress is an outcast but because she’s a fighter she gets chosen to go on this expedition deep underground. She is part of this expedition group of miners and other people but not everyone is trustworthy so there is a lot of tense moments underground with this group of people and monsters coming for them.

+ There is a little bit of romance going on with Kress and her best-friend, Rivan. It’s a friends to lovers situation so it takes them awhile to really admit their feelings but there is a lot of angst and longing in both but they are kind of stuck in a harrowing situation so it takes them awhile to figure that out.

~ I didn’t totally connect to any of the characters but I did still enjoyed the story. Would have loved to be more invested into the characters though but for some reason I just couldn’t.

My Thoughts:

I like the South Asian inspired setting and the action is great. I just wish I could connect to the characters so I could be invested in the high stakes of their situation but despite all that I did enjoy this story for the most part.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Monsters Born and Made by. Tanvi Berwah ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Fragile Enchantment by. Allison Saft | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: A Fragile Enchantment

Author: Allison Saft

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 1/2/24

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, 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 Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In this romantic fantasy of manners from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker commissioned for a royal wedding finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her undeniable chemistry with the groom.

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.

Content Warning: self harm, alcoholism

+ Okay I said maybe I’m over historical romances, but I think if it’s a historical fantasy romance like this particular book then I’m not over it at all. I definitely like how this story had the drama of a gossip sheet (like Bridgerton), the balls, a royal wedding, a romance and a rebellion going on.

+ There’s magic in this book and Niamh’s craft is sewing. I thought it was pretty cool how she could create fashions that evoke emotions. Other characters have magic too like but not everyone has it. It definitely made the story feel enchanted with the element of magic that certain characters could wield.

+ This story has a strong cast of characters from the main ones Niamh and Kit to the rest of the group which consisted of Kit’s future wife, his best friend and his family. I like the LGBT+ representation, Niamh and Kit are both bi-sexual, and other characters are queer as well.

+~ Speaking of romance -I love a good enemies to lovers romance and there is a lot of tension between Niamh and Kit which for the most part I enjoyed. But there was something about their romance at times that frustrated me also maybe it’s the times he’s being rude – but his grumpiness is supposed to be attractive? I just felt like he was being a brat at times.

~ The political conflict in the book didn’t feel solved at the end, and honestly I think Jack and his wife could have their own book where they fall in love with one another and he figures out how to become a better leader.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book and loved that it was historical romance with magic elements I thought the writing was very lyrical and made the story enchanting.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Far Wilder Magic by. Allison Saft | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Curse for True Love by. Stephanie Garber | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Curse for True Love (#3)

Author: Stephanie Garber

Format: ebook (own

Pages: 385

Publication Date: 10/24/23

Categories: Series, Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

Two villains, one girl, and a deadly battle for happily ever after.

Evangeline Fox ventured to the Magnificent North in search of her happy ending, and it seems as if she has it. She’s married to a handsome prince and lives in a legendary castle. But Evangeline has no idea of the devastating price she’s paid for this fairytale. She doesn’t know what she has lost, and her husband is determined to make sure she never finds out . . . but first he must kill Jacks, the Prince of Hearts.

Blood will be shed, hearts will be stolen, and true love will be put to the test in A Curse for True Love, the breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy.

Content Warning:

I had to read this one to end the series but I think I went in with higher expectations? I love the first two books in this series. But this is what I thought about this conclusion.

+ Jacks is why I read this series and I felt like he came too late into the story. But once he is there, I get the Evangeline/Jacks romance I’ve been waiting for.

+ The writing is consistent with the other books and keeps that magical, fairytale storytelling.

~ I mentioned this above but I was reading this book for more Jacks and I think there was too much Apollo! I was not expecting that ugh…I had to skim through parts of the book because I wanted Jacks and wasn’t getting enough of him early enough in the book. I didn’t want to spend my time reading about Apollo.

My Final Thoughts:

I did like the fairytale storytelling but I feel like there was too much Apollo and not enough Jacks. And it was Jacks who I was here for throughout the whole series! I actually skimmed through parts of this book because it was not holding my attention. So unfortunately I didn’t quite enjoy it – but the three stars are for the first half I did read at least and the second half which I skimmed. I didn’t feel invested in this last book unfortunately.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Ballad of Never After by. Stephanie Garber ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Once Upon a Broken Heart by. Stephanie Garber ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

To Kill a Shadow by. Katherine Quinn | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: To Kill a Shadow (Mistlands, #1)

Author: Katherine Quinn

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 11/28/23

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Jude Maddox knows nothing of love or even light. He knows only his grim duty as the Hand of Death, to lead the Knights of the Eternal Star into a land filled with nightmares and certain demise. It’s only when he sees her ―a young woman with wild, amber eyes who’s as fierce, defiant, and swift as the shadow beasts themselves―that he feels the warmth of life in his blood…

The other Knights may fear their lethal commander, with his hard, merciless demeanor. Outcast Kiara Frey sees only a leader, a man who knows how to survive. Someone like her . But wanting him is as treacherous as the shadows themselves…and just as seductive.

With a kingdom on the verge of collapse, the Knights must now venture into the darkest heart of the land and uncover the secrets of the misted shadows, where evil will prey upon their minds and feast on their flesh.

It will betray their senses.
It will surpass their nightmares.
Most of them will die.

But they have no other choice. Because the only way to fight the darkness… is to become it.

Content Warning: violence

I was intrigued with the premise of this book and Goodreads has pretty good reviews for this book so I gave it a try:

+ I like that it had lots of action and it didn’t shy from being brutal at times. It made the Mist seem like a very dangerous place. Characters were getting killed off with no mercy!

+~ Kiara is a fighter. She’s bold, arrogant, the only girl among boys and men (which makes her super “special”) and she’s bi-sexual except this is definitely a romance between her and Jude. She mentions giving her all to a girl in the village very early in the book but there’s nothing else about it. I didn’t love her although I did admire her bravery and willingness to fight for her friends – I just felt like some things about her were so forced – like her relationship with Jude and then her becoming like a mother to her guy friends in her group.

+ Some interesting plot twists to the story that I wasn’t expecting, especially about one of the side characters.

~ I didn’t connect to any of the characters or the story and I think it’s because it lacks world building. I couldn’t even get into the found family aspect of the story because it just felt like it happened too quick. I wanted to know more about the curse and it didn’t seem like any of the characters really knew about it either.

~ The romance happens too quick for my liking. I wanted a little bit more tension between them. He thought she was the most amazing thing days after knowing her, so it’s a bit of insta-love.

My Final Thoughts:

I must be in a crazy mood because I like how characters were being killed off because that’s the thing that surprised me most about this book! I think the romance is okay if you are into insta-love romantasy and the “special girl” trope. I think it lacked the world building I needed to be hooked on the story. Not sure if I will continue with this series but I know a lot of people will enjoy this book.

Book Links:

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Her Dark Wings by. Melinda Salisbury | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Her Dark Wings

Author: Melinda Salisbury

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 12/11/23 (first published 7/6/22)

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Greek Mythology, Retelling, Friendship, Contemporary 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 Delacorte Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In this powerful, passionate reimagining of the Persephone myth for fans of Lore Olympus and Melissa Albert, two former best friends–split apart by betrayal–find themselves reunited in the Underworld. But will either one make it out, or will the darkness that’s growing in each of them consume them whole?

For all of Corey’s life, it’s been Bree and Corey, Corey and Bree. Best friends, the girls are inseparable—until a devastating betrayal leaves Corey shattered and alone. Corey is sure nothing could hurt more, until Bree suddenly dies. Now Corey is heartbroken and furious. How can she mourn her one-time friend when she is still so angry at her?

Yet Corey and Bree’s tale is far from finished. When Corey accidentally catches a glimpse of Bree’s spirit passing into the afterlife, she finds herself face to face with a god pulled from the darkest myths of her Hades, lord of the dead.

Turns out, the legends are real. But Hades is different from what Corey imagined—and so are the Furies, terrifying and beautiful creatures who encourage Corey to embrace her rage. The more Corey discovers about the Underworld, the more her own power stirs. But can she resist the lure of the darkness within?

Content Warning: death

+ I wanted to read this book because of the Hades and Persephone retelling. I think it did a fairly good job at keeping this story a modern retelling of the mythology but I do wish there was more romance between Corey and Hades since that’s what I like about the myth. I did like the trip to the Underworld and Furies in the story though – they added a little bit of danger to the story. I also like Hermes!

+ The young adult aspect of the story centered around Corey’s drama with her best friend Bree who basically stole Corey’s boyfriend and when Bree dies – Corey has no closure about their friendship and the betrayal. It is something she works through the story.

~ It’s a really quick read, which is great but I just wanted more, especially between Hades and Corey. They were barely together in the book I feel since Corey was stuck with the Furies.

My Thoughts:

I like that it was a quick read and it was a modern retelling about Hades and Persephone but I just wish there was more world-building and more chemistry and time between Hades and Corey. This was just an okay read for me.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Flower and Thorn by. Rati Mehrotra | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Flower and Thorn

Author: Rati Mehrotra

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 10/17/23

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, Historical Fiction

One girl. One boy.
A promise broken.
A magic stolen.

Irinya has wanted to be a flower hunter ever since her mother disappeared into the mysterious mist of the Rann salt flats one night. Now seventeen, Irinya uses her knowledge of magical flowers to help her caravan survive in the harsh desert. When her handsome hunting partner and childhood friend finds a priceless silver spider lily–said to be able to tear down kingdoms and defeat an entire army–Irinya knows this is their chance for a better life.

Until Irinya is tricked by an attractive imposter.

Irinya’s fight to recover the priceless flower and to fix what she’s done takes her on a dangerous journey, one she’s not sure she’ll survive. She has no choice but to endure it if she hopes to return home and mend the broken heart of the boy she’s left behind.

Content Warning: violence

I was definitely intrigued about this title because it’s cover – it’s so beautiful!

+ I thought the world-building was very unique with the magical flowers! I love that Irinya is from a nomad group and I enjoyed seeing the community between her kul. There is a tiny bit of romance, it’s not the center of the story. It didn’t even need to be in the story but it did make me question some of the men in Irinya’s life.

+ There is some historical fiction in this story which was another interesting and eye opening. It brings up how the Portuguese was on India’s coasts and trying to take over the country. Something I didn’t realize because usually I think about how the British colonized India, and didn’t realize that the Portuguese did as well.

+ The story moves quickly and is a stand alone book. The story has themes about power, and familly/community.

~ I did find Irinya’s penchant for falling for a guy a bit quick. I don’t blame her for feeling all these new feelings for guys she’s just met but it really sets off a series of events that harms the people she care about! For the most part she was a strong character which I loved, except when it came to the guys that came into her life.

My Final Thoughts:

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book but after reading two of this author’s books I have to say I like how her characters engage with one another and I like the action in her stories. I thought it was a nice treat to have some historical information about India and I came away learning something new along with being intrigued about the magical flowers. If only flowers had that much power! I look forward to reading more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by. Rati Mehrotra ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This Cursed Light by. Emily Thiede | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: This Cursed Light (The Last Finestra, #2)

Author: Emily Thiede

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 12/5/23

Publisher: Wednesday Books

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

The highly-anticipated sequel to the epic romance hailed as one of the best fantasies of the year!

When the gods make the rules, the players must choose: Sacrifice their love to save the world, or choose love and let it burn?

Six months after saving their island from destruction and almost losing Dante, Alessa is ready to live happily ever after with her former bodyguard. But Dante can’t rest, haunted by a conviction that the gods aren’t finished with them yet. And without his powers, the next kiss from Alessa could kill him.

Desperate for answers, Dante enlists Alessa and their friends to find the exiled ghiotte in hopes of restoring his powers and combining forces with them to create the only army powerful enough to save them all. But Alessa is hiding a deadly consequence of their last fight–a growing darkness that’s consuming her mind–and their destination holds more dangers than anyone bargained for. In the mysterious city of the banished, Dante will uncover secrets, lies, and ghosts from his past that force him to ask himself: Which side is he on?

When the gods reveal their final test, Dante and Alessa will be the world’s last defense. But if they are the keys to saving the world, will their love be the price of victory?

In This Cursed Light, Dante and Alessa face their most daunting challenge yet when the Gods demand they prove their worth by choosing the ultimate sacrifice to save humanity, once and for all.

Content Warning: violence

I enjoyed the first book in this series, This Vicious Grace a lot and was very interested to see where the story would go.

+ Alessa and Dante are back together with their banter but there are many challenges between them. Dante has lost his powers and Alessa’s powers hurt when they touch so they can’t be together physically which makes the tension between them rise. But I like how they can also focus on the matter at hand and that is trying to defeat Crollo. There is a few steamy scenes between them but it lacks the details to make it spicy so I’d say it’s pretty PG-13.

+ We get to learn more about Dante’s past and present and people who used to be in his life. He takes on a leadership role as he tries to make the ghiotte into an army that can help them in their fight. It takes a lot of trust and revisiting his feelings about his past though but Dante really overcomes and rises to the challenge.

+ The found family with Alessa and the side characters are one of the things I liked about book one. They are here again supporting Alessa and the fight against Crollo.

~ So this happened with me in the first book where the whole story is a lead up until the battle that lasts only a few chapters at the end of the book. It happens in this book as well where all we hear is Crollo is coming, the chapters even tick off the days leading up to the battle but I feel like nothing much is happening during those days except relationships being fixed. Yes they are building an army but there is so much going on like: Alessa and Dante’s relationship and not being able to touch, and the secrets they are both are keeping from one another. Also Dante’s past and being with his people again conjuring up all kinds of feelings that he has to work through. I felt like the battle again was anti-climatic after the whole book being so much about the build up to it.

My Final Thoughts:

I didn’t feel like this one was as good as the first one but I did enjoy Alessa and Dante’s romance – they are cute together. I do think it’s a solid conclusion to the duology.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

This Vicious Grace by. Emily Thiede | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Didn’t See That Coming by. Jesse Q. Sutanto | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Didn’t See That Coming

Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 11/28/23

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Gaming

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

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

A hilariously fresh and romantic send-up to You’ve Got Mail about a gamer girl with a secret identity and the online bestie she’s never met IRL until she unwittingly transfers to his school, from the bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties, The Obsession, and Well, That Was Unexpected.

Seventeen-year-old Kiki Siregar is a fabulous gamer girl with confidence to boot. She can’t help but be totally herself… except when she’s online.

Her secret? She plays anonymously as a guy to avoid harassment from other male players. Even her online best friend—a cinnamon roll of a teen boy who plays under the username Sourdawg—doesn’t know her true identity. Which is fine, because Kiki doesn’t know his real name either, and it’s not like they’re ever going to cross paths IRL.

Until she transfers to an elite private school for her senior year and discovers that Sourdawg goes there, too.

But who is he? How will he react when he finds out Kiki’s secret? And what happens when Kiki realizes she’s falling for her online BFF?

Content Warning: bullying

I’ve read a few books from this author, two adult books, and one young adult thriller so I wanted to check out a young adult romance from her.

+ This is very young adult and will definitely appeal to teens. Kiki Siregar has changed schools and now she attends a very prestigious private school Indonesia but it hasn’t been an easy transition for her. She caught the eye of the biggest bully on campus Jonas. To relax she’s a gamer and she uses a handle that suggests she’s a boy because she experienced bullying when she played as a girl. She has a friend online Sourdawg, who she’s crushing on a bit but he doesn’t know he’s a girl on the other side of the screen.

+ Kiki is a very strong character. She’s confident and says what she likes even when it gets her in trouble with Jonas, her teachers and the principal! She feels that her mom put her in that new school to help her climb the social ladder but Kiki hates her new school a lot and misses her old friends and old school. I do like how she tries to stand up for herself against Jonas and his bullying. I thought the scenes when she was with her new old friends were very fun, she’s very supportive girlfriends.

+ The romance between Kiki and Liam is really sweet because he’s pretty much the only who is nice to her at the school in the beginning and he mades an effort to be brave and stand up to Jonas too once he realizes it’s wrong to just stand on the side watching the bullying happens.

+ I love that this story takes place in Indonesia and we get to learn cultural things like how student have to behave at a prestigious school. Also I love all the food references because it’s so similar to filipino foods especially when they talk about desserts like ube and pandan.

~ Jonas is such a punk and such a villain. I hated how he had the upper-hand with Kiki and I’m glad that this didn’t turn into an enemies to lover romance because – NO. I didn’t love that this plot twist came so late in the book also! I think Kiki had enough drama with Jonas that she didn’t need to be forced to date him.

~ Kiki does come off as a brat at times with her parents but I felt it was realistic. The kids at these schools have mostly have money and Kiki’s family did have some, not on the level as Jonas though.

Tropes: online crush

My Thoughts:

I actually thought this was a fun read because I like how we get to see Kiki try to fit in at a new school when she used to be so popular at her old school. It’s a tough transition and she’s being bullied, which is awful but she learns to stand up for herself even when it’s not the thing to do. I liked her moments just being a teen and goofing off with her girlfriends, talking about their drama. She did have some bratty moments though but that was her personality – kind of hot tempered. The romance was sweet too – I love a good online crush romance, that ends in a happily ever after.