The House Saphir by. Marissa Meyer | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: The House Saphir

Author: Marissa Meyer

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 11/4/25

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Paranormal, Retelling of Bluebeard

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

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

Mallory Fontaine is a fraud. Though she comes from a long line of witches, the only magic she possesses is the ability to see ghosts, which is rarely as useful as one would think. She and her sister have maintained the family business, eking out a paltry living by selling bogus spells to gullible buyers and conducting tours of the infamous mansion where the first of the Saphir murders took place.

Mallory is a self-proclaimed expert on Count Bastien Saphir—otherwise known as Monsieur Le Bleu—who brutally killed three of his wives more than a century ago. But she never expected to meet Bastien’s great-great grandson and heir to the Saphir estate. Armand is handsome, wealthy, and convinced that the Fontaine Sisters are as talented as they claim. The perfect mark. When he offers Mallory a large sum of money to rid his ancestral home of Le Bleu’s ghost, she can’t resist. A paid vacation at Armand’s country manor? It’s practically a dream come true, never mind the ghosts of murdered wives and the monsters that are as common as household pests.

But when murder again comes to the House Saphir, Mallory finds herself at the center of the investigation—and she is almost certain the killer is mortal. If she has any hope of cashing in on the payment she was promised, she’ll have to solve the murder and banish the ghost, all while upholding the illusion of witchcraft.

But that all sounds relatively easy compared to her biggest learning to trust her heart. Especially when the person her heart wants the most might be a murderer himself.

Content Warning: violence, death, murder

+ I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book because I haven’t read a book from this author in awhile and I am not totally familiar with the Bluebeard story. So I can speak to how good of a retelling this is since I don’t know Bluebeard’s story too well. But what an enjoyable story this turned out to be.

+ Mallory and her sister are hacks – they claim to be witches and have powers, and maybe they are part of a bloodline of witches but something happened in the past that messed it up for them. Now someone from the Saphir bloodline has come asking for their help to rid his estate of dangerous ghosts. Mal and her sister agree because they need money but how are they going to get rid of ghosts if they don’t really know how to do that?

+ My favorite part of this book – it is funny! I was laughing out loud, literally! Mallory and her sister are such characters and the ghosts of the wives Monsieur Le Bleu had murdered were funny as well. I haven’t had this much fun reading a book in a long time! Also later on in the story Mal solicits helps from some other characters who have magical powers and hunt down monsters, and they were a fun duo as well.

+ Mallory is such a fun character because she loves everything spooky. She gives people tours of a haunted house (she’s basically trespassing and scamming people). Thing is though she can actually see ghosts, but I love that the more morbid something was, she wasn’t afraid, she was delightfully obsessed with it.

+ There is a little bit of romance in the story and I adored it. I also loved the twists and turns of the story. Monsieur Le Blue as a villainous ghost did a great job at being an awful person/spirit. I was hoping Mallory would end him. There is monster hunting, ghost hunting and the ending is chaotic but again, fun.

~ The only thing about the story that maybe I had a little issue with is – how was Mallory going to fake her way into getting rid of Monsieur Le Bleu’s ghost? She had no clue what she was doing at all (and her sister liked to point this out). I was hoping her being at the estate and meeting the ghost wives would teach her something about magic. Eventually she figures out she needs help but I did want more witchcraft in the story.

Final Thoughts:

I loved this book because I had such a fun time reading it and that’s kind of rare to find now especially in a romantasy type of of book. It’s actually perfect for a fall read because it has haunted houses, ghosts still in their murdered form, mythological monsters, possession, murder, magic and mystery! Even a little romance.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Cinder by. Marissa Meyer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Renegades by. Marissa Meyer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Moth Dark by. Kika Hatzopoulou | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: Moth Dark

Author: Kika Hatzopoulou

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 10/28/25

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

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Dystopian, Sci-fi, Romance, Young Adult, 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 G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From the bestselling author of Threads that Bind and Hearts that Cut comes a brand-new compulsive romantasy about a girl obsessed with the dark and the shadowy magical prince she falls in love with, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Laini Taylor.

The dark has come alive . . .

Six years ago, vicious creatures began to crawl out of the dark crevices of the world, and with it Sascia’s fascination with the darkness was born. Now eighteen, that fascination has become an obsession, and while exploring an area known for its connection to the Darkworld, Sascia sees a person climb out of the darkness. But Nugau is no ordinary person, they’re a genderfluid elf prince with one mission . . . to kill Sascia.

Except, the second time they meet, Nugau is younger and doesn’t recognise Sascia. And the third time, Nugau stumbles out of the darkness with poison running through their veins, expressing their undying love for her.

Piecing together the puzzle, Sascia makes two shocking the timelines of her world and Nugau’s are not linear, and she is inexplicably enmeshed in a war between humanity and elves. But with their worlds at battle, is it worth fighting for each other . . . ?

Content Warning: violence

+ I was captivated by this book cover and the premise sounded good so I requested it . I’m glad I did because this was such a fascinating story set in a dystopian world who has seen a phenomenon of dark spots growing. Scacia is from New York City and has an internship working with a company that is studying all things from the Dark. But clearly Scacia has a connection to it more so than other people and even she is curious as to why that is. I loved the secondary characters who were the other kids she was doing research him and her cousin Danny who is her bestie. And also Mooch – a creature that is always helping her!

+ The story is told in present time but flashbacks to moments in Scacia’s past where she encountered the Dark. I don’t usually like flashbacks, but I think it worked in this one because it’s a fast-moving story.

+ I found the Dark so fascinating. I love the world building. We learn about the types of plants, animals and creatures that live in the Dark. These creatures come through these Dark spots or portals and now a war is brewing between them and the humans. Scacia’s job is to stop this war. There are a few trials she has to get through in the Dark though and that’s where all the action comes in.

+ The romance is supposed to be enemies to lovers but we find out there has been different timelines where Scacia’s has met the elf prince, and in different forms too. The Dark is home to a people that are gender fluid and I loved how Nugau changed on a whim, according to how they were feeling. The romance between them, even though it started with some animosity on Nugau’s part, was lovely.

~ It is a fast moving story and a standalone but at times I wish there was more time spent in the Dark. I felt like the trials happened so quick, I wanted more suspense.

~ Also, I’m bad at following jumping timelines. And in this story it explores a knotted timeline.

Final Thoughts:

I loved the creativity of this story and the gender fluidity of the humanoid creatures (or elves). This story had a combination of dystopian, fantasy, and sci-fi which worked so well together! It has action, romance, family themes, and I enjoyed it a lot.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

We Fell Apart by. E. Lockhart | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: We Fell Apart (We Were Liars, #3)

Author: E. Lockhart

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 11/4/25

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, 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 Delacorte Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The invitation arrives out of the blue.

In it, Matilda discovers a father she’s never met. Kingsley Cello is a visionary, a reclusive artist. And when he asks her to spend the summer at his seaside home, Hidden Beach, Matilda expects to find a part of herself she’s never fully understood.

Instead, she finds Meer, her long-lost, openhearted brother; Brock, a former child star battling demons; and brooding, wild Tatum, who just wants her to leave their crumbling sanctuary.

With Kingsley nowhere to be seen, Matilda must delve into the twisted heart of Hidden Beach to uncover the answers she’s desperately craving. But secrets run thicker than blood, and blood runs like seawater.

And everyone here is lying.

Content Warning: dementia, death, parental neglect

I read We Were Liars when it first published in 2014 and the tv series just came out on Amazon Prime so I did watch that and it refreshed my memory! I’m glad that show aired because jumping into We Fell Apart was easy as the Sinclair family and Beechwood was fresh in my mind.

We Fell Apart takes us back to Beechwood, just as the event of We Were Liars have concluded. Matilda gets an email from the dad she never knew and he asks her to come meet him at Hidden Beach, where he lives. Matilda has had quite a life with a mom who has basically chosen boyfriends over her – to the point after her mom decides to move away again with another guy, Matilda chooses to stay with her last boyfriend, a really nice guy who doesn’t mind having Matilda around.

Matilda goes to Hidden Beach and learns about this accident that happened with the Sinclairs. She meets her half-brother, his mom, and two other guys living at the run-down house. The summer is going by great but Matilda knows something isn’t right. Where is her dad? Why is the house so run-down? Why is June (Meer, her half-brother’s mom), not taking care of the boys and the house? What is going on at Hidden Beach.

I was sucked into this world again, and honestly love the family secrets in this world the Sinclairs built. The story moves quickly and the reveal in the end is shocking. It makes you question everyone’s motives and choices they’ve made to keep the secret they have been holding. I like Matilda and how she questions what is going on at the house. Also, there is a little romance but that’s not the focus. I thought it was also interesting how June thought she was this carefree, nonconforming wife because she didn’t want to be the Tipper Sinclair kind of housewife but in the end, was trapped in her own partnership with Kingsley. I felt like there were a lot of full circles with this book.

I did think the story moved too quickly though, it felt rushed and some moments – like when Holland (a Sinclair who befriends Matilda at the start of the book) takes her in and explains all about the Sinclairs. It was a lot of telling, and info-dumping.

Final Thoughts:

I actually enjoyed this one a lot because I had just watched the show and I was brought back to this place of summer, sun, family and most of all the secrets. Matilda knows something isn’t right at Hidden Beach and the reveal is devastating for her. I did like that there was a happy ending instead of another tragic one, though there is tragedy. Overall, a good addition to the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

We Were Liars by. E. Lockhart ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Starchaser by. R. M. Gray | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: Starchaser (Nightweaver, #2)

Author: R.M. Gray

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 11/4/25

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Series, Romance, Pirates

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

Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am vengeance. Fury. Power.

Seventeen-year-old pirate Aster Oberon faces a stunning new reality, gifted with magical ability that she’s struggling to master. Worse, both she and Will—the Nightweaver who has captured her heart—have been cursed. In mere weeks, they will become ferocious Underlings, creatures forced to serve the evil Queen Morana. The only way to break the curse is by procuring Morana’s blood.

To track down the cure, Aster teams up with both Will and Titus, the infuriatingly handsome prince of the Eerie who secretly aims to overthrow his royal family’s tyrannical reign. The trio’s journey takes them to Castle Grim where danger is around every corner, and no one is who they seem.

Between deadly dinners, extravagant balls, and shifting desires toward Will and Titus, Aster will have to keep her daggers at the ready and determine who she can trust before the ticking clock of her curse runs out.

Layered with devastating revelations and twisty romance, this heart-pounding sequel to Nightweaver will leave readers racing toward the truth about Aster and her destiny.

Content Warning: violence, death, torture

+ I don’t know why I thought this was a duology but I was wrong, and I didn’t realize this until 50% into the book. But, despite my own misunderstanding of which book in the series this is, I actually enjoyed this sequel.

+ Aster, Titus and Will have a plan. But it involves sussing out who Morana’s spirit has possessed. Titus has a clue, but Aster’s power to see Sylks’s is what is supposed to help him confirm it. But Aster doesn’t see it, so who could it be? Time is running out before Will turns into a beast, and Titus marries Leo, so they have to figure this out quick. I did like the mystery and trying to figure out who it could be. I had my suspects but even I was thrown off. And that’s not the only thing Aster is trying to figure out because someone is after her, and she doesn’t know who it is.

+ There is also the bigger picture of taking down the kingdom but again, plans are changed with the not knowing of who Morana has been embodying. But there is a lot revealed at the end of the story, lots of twists. I also like that we learn more about Titus in this story!

+ The ending is wild. There are reveals, betrayals, and I need book three to know what will happen to Will and Titus!

+~ The love triangle. I don’t totally love it because I’m leaning a certain way and it’s between two best friends. Why does have to be between two best friends? I don’t like it. None of these people are perfect, Titus, turns into a killer, but Will is about to turn into one too. So…I’m gonna chose the guy who remembered her favorite color. 😅. But yikes…Aster doesn’t know what she feels. I guess we’ll see what happens in book three.

~ Aster is supposedly coming into her power but I actually didn’t see much of it in this sequel. Titus even says he’ll train her but we got only one or two scenes of that and that was it. I hope her power comes through in book three.

Final Thoughts:

There is a lot that happens in this sequel. We get a lot of twists, reveals, betrayal, and time ticking down on executing the plan Aster has with her friends. But I did want more out of Aster’s character in aspects to her power, which was pretty non-existent. If you like a love-triangle, you might enjoy this one, but because I’m leaning towards one guy in particularly and still don’t know how Aster feels about both of them, I’m not really enjoying this love triangle. Overall, this is a solid sequel and can’t wait to see what happens in book three!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Nightweaver by. R.M. Gray | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Immortal Consequences by. I.V. Marie | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️

Title: Immortal Consequences (The Souls of Blackwood Academy, #2)

Author: I.V. Marie

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 7/29/25

Categories: Dark Academia, Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, LGBT+

Six students at Blackwood Academy, an enigmatic boarding school located at the edge of the afterlife, must compete for the once-in-eternity chance to change their fate—or risk remaining stuck in purgatory forever. An unputdownable debut full of hairpin twists, shock betrayals and world-defying love, for fans of The Atlas Six.

Welcome to Blackwood Academy: the legendary school located at the fringes of the afterlife, where students are fated to spend the rest of eternity shepherding lost souls. Once a pupil enters the school’s arched gates, there is no way out…except for the Decennial, a once-in-a-decade celebration that rewards nominees who pass its trials with a choice: formally graduate and join Blackwood’s magical elite, or venture into the unknown and cross over to the mysterious Other Side.

Wren Loughty is certain that this Decennial, she has what it takes to earn the nomination—unless, that is, her academic archrival Augustine Hughes steals her spot.

Irene Manette Bamford has never cared about playing by the rules. She’s willing to break whatever (and whoever) stands between her and getting the hell out of Blackwood, including her best and only friend, Masika Sallow.

Olivier Dupont gave up on securing the nomination ages ago. But after he meets Blackwood’s newest student, Emilio Córdova, he’ll do anything to keep Emilio from leaving him and crossing over to the Other Side—even if it means claiming the victory for himself.

All of them are determined to be Blackwood’s chosen candidate–and all of them would do anything to win. But none of them are prepared for what’s to come. Because this Decennial will be different. This time, the Decennial isn’t a celebration…it’s a competition. And there can only be one victor.

Six nominees. Four trials. Untold danger. Wren, August, Irene, Masika, Olivier and Emilio are about to learn: there are some fates worse than death.

Content Warning: violence, grief, death, trauma

+ I thought the world-building was very interesting. It’s an academy in the afterlife! So all these characters are deceased, which I thought was unique.

+ There are 6 POVs and the chapters for each are short, which moved the story quickly. These students are all competing in a Decennial trial where the rules have changed. So there is a lot of action in the middle of the book which was nice, and we see these character who aren’t friends in the beginning start to form some bonds with one another.

+~ There is romance! One is a rivals to lovers romance between Wren and August – I thought I would be into this one but I didn’t feel like I connected to either of them, not sure why. There is a closed door scene between them. Then there is Emilio and Olivier and I thought their romance was sweet. But it is young adult so there is teen drama, and angst.

~ Although I enjoyed the short chapters and the action helped moved the story, I think there were too many things going on because there are so many POVs to follow. And not only those POVs, there were other kids in the trial, not main characters, but sometimes a name was mentioned and I would be like…wait who is that? Some characters got on my nerves like Irene and Wren.

~ As unique as I thought the setting and the world-building was, I had questions – like how did these students get their unique set of powers in the afterlife? I also thought it was kind of crazy that these dead people could still die (even more? lol).

Final Thoughts:

I thought this story had interesting world-building but would love to know more about it. I don’t feel like I had a good grasp of some of it. There are a few characters to follow but the chapters are short and the story moves quickly. I think because there is a lot going on I couldn’t connect to the characters fully. But I did like the action that came during the trials. It’s a maybe for me on if I’ll end up continuing this series, definitely will be dependent on my mood.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Curious Kind of Magic by. Mara Rutherford | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: A Curious Kind of Magic

Author: Mara Rutherford

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 10/21/25

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Cozy Fantasy, Romance

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!

Everyone in Ardmuir knows that Willow Stokes is a charlatan, including Willow herself. Her father’s shoppe hasn’t sold anything magical in decades, and it’s only hanging on by the skin of the fake dragon’s teeth Willow sells as charms, along with “enchanted” ostrich eggs, taxidermied chimeras, and talismans made of fools’ gold.

Until outlander Brianna Hargrave appears and turns Willow’s fakes into exactly what they’re purported to be. But try as Willow might to enlist Bri’s help, she wants nothing to do with Willow and her curiosities.

Because Brianna is harboring a secret of her own: everything she touches turns to magic, and the consequences have chased her all the way to Ardmuir. All she wants to do is find a particular missing grimoire, which contains a spell that can finally put an end to her curse.

Desperate to keep her father’s shoppe, Willow proposes a bargain that could save them both. Together with the frustratingly handsome printer’s assistant, the girls will uncover a plot that goes far deeper than either could have imagined. But when Willow is forced to participate in an ambitious collector’s quest for the rarest magical object in the world-a quest that risks almost-certain death-she learns that not all treasure is for sale, and that true magic is closer than she ever could have imagined.

Content Warning:

+ Willow is all alone and she runs a shop of magical items – or at least that is what is advertised. Willow knows nothing in that shop is magical until one day, a person comes in, Brianna, touches an object and makes it magical. From then on Willow concocts a plan to use Bri’s help to turn the stuff in her shop into magical objects so that Willow can finally turn a profit and pay her bills.

+ This is a cozy fantasy filled with magic and the possibilities it can bring. Willow is all alone with only Finlay as her best friend, but when Brianna comes along it opens her up to a new friendship and learning to trust others. Willow has this mindset of thinking she’s a charlatan and a thief but mostly because she’s had to do it to survive. I like how her world opens up when magic is part of her world. There is also a quest in this story that brings Brianna, Willow and Finlay together.

+ The romance isn’t the focus and it’s a sweet romance. Finlay is clearly in love with Willow but he let’s Willow set the pace, even when she doesn’t know what she really wants or deserves.

~ If you aren’t into cozy fantasy, you might find this a slow read especially in the beginning as all they are doing is cleaning the shop and trying to find a grimoire to help break Brianna’s curse. It picks up a little more at the halfway point where Willow takes on another quest.

Final Thoughts:

This story had magic, friendship, romance, a magic store and a quest. I think cozy fantasy lovers will enjoy this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

The Poison Season by. Mara Rutherford | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️

Luminous by. Mara Rutherford | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

BLOG TOUR | Kingdom of Sea and Stone by. Mara Rutherford ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Arc Review: Crown of Coral and Pearl ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With Thoughts of Jason by. Caleb A. Mertz | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: With Thoughts of Jason

Author: Caleb A. Mertz

Format: eBook

Pages: 250

Publication Date: 10/15/25 (first published 8/7/06)

Publisher: MerCali

Buy Link: Amazon

Categories: Fiction, Queer

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

**He never wanted to be a secret, but in this town, secrets keep you alive**.

Jason has fantasized about being struck by lightning more than once. This time, after being outed by his now former best friend.

But betrayal yields refuge in a circle of misfits, just as the isolation becomes unbearable. Among them is Tameera with her fierce honesty, Abby who revels in her protective loyalty and the magnetic but reckless Danny whose eyes glint with the dangerous possibility of love. Laughter in smoky rooms, nights stitched together by music and magic, and the fleeting thrill of love makes Jason feel safe.

Yet secrets linger in every corner of this town threatening Jason’s newfound peace. When he discovers the truth his high school tormentor would kill to keep hidden, will his chosen family be enough to protect him—or will the truth cost him his life?

*With Thoughts of Jason* is a haunting portrait of youth and desire, of friendship and betrayal, and of the brutal silence that society demands of those who don’t fit the mold.

Content Warning: mention of suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, bullying, death, drug use (weed), mentions of other drugs, smoking, drinking, animal death

Jason is in high school and dealing with a few things. He’s gay, but in the closet. He is bullied at school, and raised in a Pentecostal home without a father. This story follows his life as someone who experiences his first encounters with a boy, making friends and learning who to trust, and trying to find love. I liked seeing him make friends and expanding his world, and eventually meeting other queer people. His growth was a journey I was invested in.

I felt like the start of this story is really eye-opening and makes a statement about who Jason is and how he has his first experience as a gay boy. I felt like the scenes of him hanging out with friends and partying was relatable and gave me a sense of nostalgia because you could tell this was before social media. And I’m glad Jason had his friends but it was sad that he had no support at home. He had no real bond with his brother, sister and mother. All Jason wanted was to be love and be loved in return.

There are a few topics and themes discussed in this story and some of them are dark. There is suicidal thoughts and attempts, there is bullying, and violence. And I had to remind myself that Jason was young, he was only in high school, trying to survive. There was a dangerous undercurrent to Jason’s life that I could feel throughout the story and I think it’s important that it’s there to give the reader a sense of what queer people may be feeling by being who they are. And it’s not okay that they cannot feel safe in society.

This was a quick read but there were a few times in the story where I felt like I missed something. I think because there is so much that happens to Jason in one year and sometimes the transition from one event to another wasn’t smooth.

Final Thoughts:

This is a heartbreaking, coming of age story about a boy named Jason who is trying to figure life out while being gay, and with no support from his family. There were so many times that his life took a turn for the worse, but through it all he did have some friends to help – and I loved that he at least had that. This story is eye opening, tragic and definitely an important one to tell.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Crimson Throne by. Sara Raasch and Beth Revis | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: The Crimson Throne (#1)

Author: Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 10/7/25

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Categories: Young Adult, Historical Fantasy, Romance

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!

Samson Calthorpe’s father is a court favorite—but that alone won’t take him far without money and so many people depending on him. So when the opportunity arises to become a royal spy, he has to take it, using every bit of the skills and resolve he’s picked up on the streets of London to prove his worth in Queen Elizabeth’s court.

Alyth Graham has kept her eyes on Queen Mary’s husband, Lord Darnley, for years—her eyes and her magic. She may be a member of the Scottish court, but she’s no lady. A bastard child of a fae prince and a human mother, Alyth is among the most powerful protectors in guardians sworn to support the barrier keeping the Red Caps, a bloodthirtsy clan of fairies, away from the Fae Land portals.

As Alyth and Samson circle each other in the volatile and glamorous Scottish court, both seek to uncover threats to their own countries. They have only one unifying their shared hatred and suspicion of Lord Darnley. Using secret codes, hidden messages, and a little bit of magic, Alyth and Samson unravel a plot centuries in the making. Lord Darnley is only a pawn, and in this game, the queen takes all.

Content Warning: violence

+ I wasn’t sure how to feel about this story and thought I would need to really in the mood to enjoy it but I thought the story was really intriguing. Alyth, is Fae, and she is the protector of Mary Queen of Scots. That’s a fresh take on the war between Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth! I thought it was really interesting how Lord Darnley who is Mary’s husband is the prime suspect of who might harm her but they had no real way of stopping him. There is a lot of royal politics and I also loved all the Fae creatures.

+ Samson is a thief and sent to Scotland to find a magical item for his father but he learns that’s not the extent to the plans his dad has for him there. He meets Alyth and they fall for one another. At first Alyth is suspicious of him, but it’s an enemies to lovers romance and I thought it was fun seeing them fall for one another. As the story unravels, Alyth has to make a choice about Samson.

+ Alyth was an interesting character because she has insecurity issues – her father thinks doesn’t think much of her because she’s half human, but that doesn’t stop her from using all her abilities, like seeing auras around people to help her keep Mary protected.

~ It wasn’t strong on the enemies to lovers or the romantasy. I think they fell for each other pretty quick.

Final Thoughts:

This was a refreshing take on the war between Mary Queen of Scots and Queen EIizabeth of England. It included the Fae, magic and mythical creatures. It also had a little romance and strong character in Alyth. I thought this was a fun read and will appeal to those who like historical fiction!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Night of the Witch by. Sara Raasch and Beth Revis | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Fate of Magic By. Sara Raasch and Beth Revis | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Scammer by. Tiffany D. Jackson | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: The Scammer

Author: Tiffany D. Jackson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 10/7/25

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Grief, Cult

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

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

New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers another stunning, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller, following a freshman girl whose college life is turned upside down when her roommate’s ex-convict brother moves into their dorm and starts controlling their every move.

Out from under her overprotective parents, Jordyn is ready to kill it in prelaw at a prestigious, historically Black university in Washington DC. When her new roommate’s brother is released from prison, the last thing Jordyn expects is to come home and find the ex-convict on their dorm room sofa. But Devonte needs a place to stay while he gets back on his feet—and how could she say no to one of her new best friends?

Devonte is older, as charming as he is intelligent, pushing every student he meets to make better choices about their young lives. But Jordyn senses something sinister beneath his friendly advice and growing group of followers. When one of Jordyn’s roommates goes missing, she must enlist the help of the university’s lone white student to uncover the mystery—or become trapped at the center of a web of lies more tangled than she can imagine.

Content Warning: violence, mention of suicide, death, bullying, gaslighting, sexual assault

+ Tiffany D. Jackson is a must-read author for me and this one did not disappoint! What makes this story even more interesting is that this is based on a true story the author saw in the news – she makes a note of it in the beginning of the book. And it made me even more intrigued on how she would write this story.

+ Jordyn has defied her parents wishes and chose to go to Frazier, an HBCU, rather than Yale. She is Black but her parents did not raise her in the culture, and her reasoning to go to Frazier was to do just that and experience a place where she belonged and didn’t stand out according to her skin color. But Jordyn is also dealing with some heavy grief from losing her older brother to suicide. Going to Frazier is her fresh start but though college starts off fun, things start to take a very dark turn when her roommate’s brother, Devonte, who just got out of prison starts to live with them in their dorm room.

+ I didn’t know where this story was going for a minute because I couldn’t believe how Devonte suckered Jordyn and her friends into his conspiracy theories. But it happens quick because Jordyn is a broken person before meeting Devonte. He says the right things, luring these girls into conspiracy theories but it clicks – they fall for his scam fast! And seeing him create this cult, and this hive mentality, was familiar because it’s relatable to the current state of affairs in our world today.

+ Jordyn as a character did keep me on my toes because I believed her to be a smart girl and wondered why she wasn’t questioning Devonte more about the things he made them learn, wear, act, eat. The cult was getting violent too and everything is explained at the end but I thought wow, she put herself in so much danger! There is a twist in the end and I kind of figure some of it out earlier but I had to see it play out. It was definitely more than I was expecting.

+ There’s even a little romance between Jordyn and the only white boy on campus, Nick. He had an interesting background that we got to learn about once he started opening up but I liked that no matter what Jordyn was going through, he was there for her without judging. They were cute together.

~ Throughout the story, I wanted to shake some sense into Jordyn and her friends but it’s also why the story was so gripping. I had to see how at least Jordyn was going to come out of this alive. I was frightened for her and couldn’t for the life of me figure out why she kept going back to the dorm when it was scary to be there. You do have to suspend your belief because why didn’t they just kick this guy out? Also this cult happens in a matter of a few days – weeks! But these are college kids and still impressionable and wanting to belong especially when being away from home. Devonte just got into their heads, which is scary!

Final Thoughts:

I finished this one in two days because it was hard to put down! It’s based on a true story which is actually really frightening. This was a gripping story and I enjoyed the suspense, the mystery, the twist and even the romance. But you do have to suspend your belief a little (even if this is based on a true story!), because Jordyn and her friends fall into this cult mentality so fast and you think how can that be? But this stuff does happen in real life way too much unfortunately.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Weight of Blood by. Tiffany D. Jackson | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Monday’s Not Coming by. Tiffany D. Jackson | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

White Smoke by. Tiffany D. Jackson | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Grown | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For No Mortal Creature by. Keshe Chow | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: For No Mortal Creature

Author: Keshe Chow

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 480

Publication Date: 10/7/25

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

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 teen girl with the power of resurrection must venture into the afterlife, but to survive the death realm, she’ll need the help of her two mortal enemies–both of whom she is inexplicably drawn to–in this romantic, gothic fantasy inspired by Wuthering Heights.

When Jia Yi suddenly finds herself alive again after being stabbed through the heart by an enemy’s sword, she realizes she possesses a rare power: the ability to move between the living realm and the shrouded world of ghosts. Ghosts including Lin, her ex-best friend and former love, whose betrayal she still hasn’t recovered from.

At first, Jia wants nothing to do with Lin, or any ghosts–metaphorical or otherwise. But when her beloved grandmother abruptly passes away, Jia is forced to travel into the afterlife to save her.

To survive the treacherous death realm, Jia will need to rely on both Lin and her longtime enemy, the cold and enigmatic Prince Essien Lancaster. Only, she isn’t sure whether she can trust either of them. With tensions high and new and old connections blooming, Jia must confront the ghosts of her past…or risk becoming one herself.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ I really liked how this started. Jia Yi is caught trespassing on Lancaster land, but she’s there to get an herb that could help her sick grandmother. When things escalate and she dies, she realizes she can walk in both worlds, living and dead. There is also a prophecy that involves Jia Yi saying she will be the one to find this deadly and powerful sword, but to retrieve it she needs to search in the afterlife.

+ The world-building is great! I loved the world of the after-life, which has different layers. And to retrieve this infamous sword Jia Yi has to travel to the lowest level. In the afterlife she encounters ghosts, some of the ghosts are family members and also a ghost of someone who had her heart in the living world, Lin.

+ Jia Yi was is a feisty character, and I enjoyed her personality. She gets into some tense with Lin but there are things he isn’t telling her. I liked her power of being able to die and resurrect.

+~ The romance was interesting. There is so much angst and longing on Lin’s part, she is the only one he’s ever loved. She felt the same before he died but there is now another love interest in the living world, who is a Yske (her enemy) and a prince. I didn’t love the love story on either part. With Lin, we get thrown into the story right away, so there is animosity between them before he confesses everything. As for the prince, Essian – his people are her enemy. But there just wasn’t room to build their romance in this story since she was mostly in the afterlife.

~ I’ve seen the movie Inception multiple times and the ending is one of my favorite parts! But using something similar in this story just are ending feel too abrupt.

Final Thoughts:

My favorite part of this story is the world-building. I loved how Jia could jump between the land of the living and the dead. Plus the afterlife and all it’s levels were really fun. I liked the themes of family, death and life. I didn’t care for the love triangle – I think there should have been more time for things to build with the prince, but I loved how Lin loved Jia in life and the afterlife. I also didn’t love the ending which just felt too abrupt. Overall, it was still entertaining read despite my little issues with it.