The Weaver Bride by. Lydia Gregovic | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: The Weaver Bride

Author: Lydia Gregovic

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 480

Publication Date: 9/30/25

Publisher: Delacorte Press

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

A sweeping fantasy about a witch who must navigate a ruthless marriage competition—and try not to fall in love along the way. Part twisting mystery, part thrilling romance, The Weaver Bride is an unputdownable romantasy steeped in a lush magical world.

Lovett Tamerlane is a silkwitch. Like all girls of her kind, she holds a rare magic—a magic that can be harnessed only through marriage to a Weaver. But finding a Weaver husband requires status, refinement, and money, all of which Lovett sadly lacks. Her one secret ability, to open any door, is her saving grace. Hidden in plain sight, Lovett spends her days using her gift to steal from wealthy families and her nights avoiding the fate imposed on all unwed silkwitches: a life confined to the cloisters.

But opening doors can be dangerous, and when Lovett steals from the wrong person, she finds herself face to face with Eliot Lear, the notorious son of a prominent Weaver. It turns out Eliot’s been watching Lovett. He knows she’s a silkwitch, and he offers her a life-altering opportunity: entrance to the Vainglory, a competition with the ultimate prize—marriage to Noé Alaire, heir to generations of Weaver wealth. The catch? Last year, the Vainglory ended in tragedy. The winner died. And the winner was Eliot’s sister.

The arrangement is simple: If Lovett solves the mystery of Ophelia Lear’s death and unmasks her killer, Eliot will ensure she has her pick of Weaver suitors, regardless of who wins the competition. Yet unraveling Ophelia’s murder proves far more complicated than either of them anticipated. And Lovett should know better than to take a Weaver at his word.

After all . . . what is love without betrayal?

Content Warning: violence, death

+ I’ve read one other book from this author and enjoyed it so I couldn’t wait to see what The Weaver Bride was about. The premise is intriguing and the world building sounded different plus the book cover is gorgeous.

+ I enjoyed the unique world-building in this story. This story has sorcerors – Weavers and silkwitches. Silkwitches hold power in their hair, and it can be woven into magical, power items. But silkwitches need to be married by their 21st birthday or they will end up in a cloister, which means, wealthier families had more of an advantage getting their daughters married and Lovett was not from one. Lovett had parents who was afraid that she was a silkwitch and a community that feared them or coveted their hair. So Lovett has been surviving on her own as a thief. But when she comes across an opportunity given to her by Eliot, a who comes from a powerful family, it’s hard to pass it up. But the opportunity involves a competition of the most worthy silkwitches in society, and Lovett has to pretend to belong for their ruse to work.

+ The tension between Eliot and Lovett was so thick, I was hoping for more scenes between the two of them. Both characters are morally gray and come into an agreement based on their own selfish reasons, Eliot wants to find out who murdered his sister, and Lovett wants to stop surviving and have wealth. It’s a dislike to like romance, they are always arguing and there is so much push and pull between them. There is also betrayal and just so much distrust between them but so much angst and longing too.

+ The mystery about Eliot’s sister was very interesting and kept me invested. I love how it ties into more information about silkwitches and the truth about their history and powers. I’m not sure if there is a sequel, but with the way this book ended, I hope there is!

~ I wanted more of Eliot and Lovett. They seemed doomed as lovers, especially since Lovett is trying to win the hand of Noé, who is Eliot’s best friend but also heir to a powerful family. This is not a love triangle, but the way this book ends has no closure for Eliot and Lovett and I want to see what happens next.

~ Would also love more growth for Lovett. I like her character a lot. She’s had a rough upbringing, had to survive on her own and she’s used to using her looks to get her out of certain situations and did hold her own again Eliot and some of the other men. But I hope after that ending, we see her grasp more power.

~ Pacing was kind of choppy, there were times where things are happening quickly – like the beginning, although the competition trials seemed kind of weak, and then times where it slowed down because there is a murder investigation taking place with Lovett doing all the investigating.

Final Thoughts:

I read this book in one sitting! I loved the unique world-building, the romance filled with tension and betrayal, the murder mystery and learning more about the silkwitches. I had some issues but it didn’t stop me from enjoy this story and I hope there is a sequel!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

The Monstrous Kind by. Lydia Gregovic | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Weekly Wrap Up | 9/21/25

Aloha friends!

Another week is over and here’s what happened:

+ How are we all getting through the week? I’ve thrown myself into books – and why, why, why do all my audiobook requests come through at the same time? 😩

+ Kids had Friday off from school but it was a busy weekend with my dad’s birthday (we had lunch at our house), kids going to piano and swim, and then a cousin’s daughter’s birthday is today – so we are going to that!

Blog Posts:

What Fury Brings by. Tricia Levenseller | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Literary/Bookish Candles I’d Make | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday | 9/16/25
New Book Releases This Week | 9/16/25
WWW Wednesday | 9/17/25
Thief of Night by. Holly Black | ALC Review | Audiobook ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Steeping of Blood by. Hafsah Faizal | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Let’s Talk Bookish: Favourite Genre Recommendations | 9/19/25
To Cage a Wild Bird by. Brooke Fast | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Witch of the Wolves by. Kaylee Archer | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Books I Finished

Currently Reading:

Immortal Consequences by. I.V. Marie

Red City by. Marie Lu (audiobook)

The Scammer by. Tiffany D. Jackson

The Crimson Throne by. Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

Great Big Beautiful Life by. Emily Henry

Spellcaster by. Jaymin Eve

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime Video) – Season 3 – It’s over and it took awhile but there was growth when Belly and Conrad finally just talk about things. I hear there’s a movie next? Hope it’s the wedding!
Chief of War (Apple +) – episode 8
Football – Eagles/Rams play today!

How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!

Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube

Witch of the Wolves by. Kaylee Archer | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Witch of the Wolves by (Witch of the Wolves, #1)

Author: Kaylee Archer

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 9/30/25

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Categories: Paranormal, Werewolves, Series, 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 St. Martin’s Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

When a powerful witch discovers she’s the daughter of an Alpha werewolf and is taken by his Pack, she’s determined to break free all the while denying her attraction to her abductor. Witch of the Wolves is perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and From Blood and Ash.

Cordelia Levine comes from a long line of powerful witches. She’s been flying under the radar in the human world, focused on strengthening her magic. She loves working at her aunt’s apothecary in London, secretly serving supernaturals.

Until the truth about her family is revealed.

She always assumed her enhanced sense of smell came from her French perfumer father. But when Bishop Daniels abducts Cordelia at the request of her father, the Alpha, Cordelia learns she’s a lycan–sharing both witch and werewolf traits. She’s brought to Trevelyan, the pack estate, under the guise of protection from foreign threats who want to use her to continue their bloodline.

She quickly learns that to keep her from being sold off to another pack, her father intends to give Cordelia as a mate to Bishop. His second in command and the future Alpha.

Cordelia refuses to accept this as her fate. She can’t rely on her magic alone to escape and when she learns Bishop plans to challenge her father’s power, she reluctantly begins to trust him. The cracks within the Pack become evident and something is bound to break. And Cordelia and her growing desire for the man who shouldn’t set her on fire are right at the center of it all.

Witch of the Wolves is the first book in this Victorian romantasy series, featuring an intense and sexy romance and a world on the brink of change.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ Cordelia is a witch but then she gets taken by a mysterious man, Bishop Daniels. She finds out right away that she is not only a witch but half werewolf. You get thrown into the story without much build-up so it’s a fast start.

+ I did like how this story moved quickly. We learn about Cordelia’s father, Silas, who is the alpha of a werewolf pack and Bishop is part of the pack. I like the Victorian setting, Bishop is such a proper gentleman of a werewolf, even though he is dangerous. There is a lot Cordelia has to learn about the werewolves, and there is even betrayal I didn’t expect at the end.

+ The romance is a slow burn, I liked the progression, but maybe would have loved more interactions between them to see the build-up of their feelings. Cordelia’s father is forcing her to marry Bishop just for the sake of breeding. So they both agree they don’t want to be in a forced arranged marriage but eventually the desire between them grows. I thought their spicy scenes were intense but fun and playful also.

~ The whole story takes place at Silas’ estate. Cordelia is basically a prisoner there so we don’t get to see too much of anything surrounding this place except for maybe the woods. Would have loved maybe a little more world-building.

~ Would have liked to see more witchcraft also. Cordelia already knows how to do spells and uses her powers in a fight but it would have been nice to learn about the witches. Maybe in book two since the events at the end of the book hint that the witches are now their enemies?

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a solid start to the series. I liked the Victorian era setting and the story is filled with with witches, werewolves, romance, werewolf politics and even betrayal. Would have loved more world-building and witchcraft but overall I enjoyed it!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

To Cage a Wild Bird by. Brooke Fast | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: To Cage a Wild Bird (Divided Fates, #1)

Author: Brooke Fast

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 9/9/25; deluxe edition 3/3/26

Publisher: Avon

Categories: Dystopia, Romance, 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 St. Martin’s Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A deadly prison. A forbidden romance. A fight for survival.

THERE’S ONLY ONE RULE IN OBEY OR DIE.

In Dividium, all crimes are punishable by life in prison. A prison that’s a life sentence in more ways than one. Where the wealthy can hunt the inmates for sport.

Raven’s mission is infiltrate the infamous and deadly Endlock Prison to save her brother.

There’s just one Raven has a target on her back. Her reputation as the most ruthless bounty hunter in Dividium precedes her, and the inmates she’s sent to Endlock want their revenge.

So when the prison guard she’s sworn to hate becomes her only chance to survive, Raven has no choice but to trust the one person she shouldn’t…

Content Warning: violence, death, sexual harassment, torture, hunting humans for sport

+ Raven is a bounty hunter and her skill helps her survive in one of the deadliest prisons in Dividium. This is set in a dystopian world where society is divided in three different tiers. People in the Lower Sector have been suffering while everyone above them have it less challenging. The world building was typical dystopian, but most of the story takes place in the prison so I can’t say too much about the world outside of it. The prison has it’s share of evil guards and Raven realizes too late that the people she put in prison were not going to be happy to see her. Also, Upper Sector people come to the prison and pay to hunt criminals. There is a rebel group called the Collective who is trying their best to help people and make a difference.

+ I liked Raven. Raven’s goal in life is to always protect her younger brother and when a rebel group tells her she can go to the prison to free him, she takes her chances. I like that she was smart and kept her cool, plus she’s brave and wasn’t afraid to get into a fight.

+~ The romance is forbidden but that adds to the tension. Plus Vale for the most part of the story was a bit mysterious – we didn’t know much about him but it seemed Raven’s new friends trusted him a lot. There’s some spice and I actually was rooting for the two of them because both seem like good people. But they did fall kind of fast.

+ Raven meets a bunch of people in prison because she’s supposed to figure a way out. I liked this found family she is brought into.

~ I do think the story was predictable but that’s why I read it so quick. It had the known elements of dystopian romance – which I enjoyed. But I did want more out of Raven, Vale but maybe we get more out of them in book two. Also want to feel that it is high stakes – it’s a prison break and yes hunting criminals added to the suspense, but I wanted more tension I think.

Final Thoughts:

This is the type of book you can binge and read quickly! It’s got all the dystopian elements – oppressed people and a secret rebellion, it’s set in a prison, and has a forbidden guard/prisoner spicy romance. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I hope we get more out of the main characters in book two.

**Book is available now on Kindle Unlimited but deluxe edition will be published on 3/3/26**

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Let’s Talk Bookish: Favourite Genre Recommendations | 9/19/25

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly bookish meme originally created by Rukky @ Eternity Books and hosted by Aria @ Book Nook Bits, where every Friday, bloggers write discussion posts based on a weekly prompt and Dini @ dinipandareads has cohosted since the beginning of 2025.

This week’s topic is:

September 19: Favourite Genre Recommendations

Prompts: What is your favourite genre(s) and what makes it your favourite? If someone wanted to try your favourite genre(s), what are five books that you would recommend to them and why those books specifically? Has your favorite genre changed over time?

**********

What is your favourite genre(s) and what makes it your favourite?

Right now my favorite is fantasy (adult or young adult) with romance. It used to be romantasy until the genre got flooded with books with the same tropes. 😅

If someone wanted to try your favourite genre(s), what are five books that you would recommend to them and why those books specifically?

ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses) series by. Sarah J. Maas – I get that people love or hate it, but I love it! But the world building is great and the romance. Same with the Thorn of Glass series – world building.

The Bridge Kingdom by. Danielle L. Jensen – love this first book of the series so much. Love the characters, the betrayal, the high stakes and action!

Legendborn Series by. Tracy Deonn (but I think this is more YA Urban Fantasy? I still recommend it.) – the world building, characters, black girl magic/power.

Crowns of Nyaxia series by. Carissa Broadbent – world building, the romance, Vincent!

The Folk of the Air series by. Holly Black – scary Fae, love how Jude had to navigate this dark/threatening world

Has your favorite genre changed over time?

I’ve been reading since I was in middle school (a long time ago LOL – I had the original Vampire Diaries books back in 1991 😅 and let me tell you my first book boyfriends were Stefan and Damon Salvatore). So yes I went from young adult horror/paranormal, young adult romance, historical romance, fiction, contemporary romance, then back to young adult when Twilight and Divergent and all those vampire books came out (what a time!), back to historical romance fiction lol…then contemporary romance, fantasy (with romance) for a long time, then romantasy. I think I’m back to mostly reading fantasy (young adult or adult with romance) sprinkled with contemporary romance, and horror. I can’t stick to one genre or I will get bored.

September Topics:

September 5: In Which Season Do You Do Your Best Reading? (Jillian @ Jillian the Bookish Butterfly)

~~Prompts~~~~: Is there a month, quarter or other specific time of year when you do your most reading and why do you think that is? Does this tend to fluctuate every year or is your reading pretty ‘steady’?~~

September 12: Following the Reader

~~Prompts:~~ What makes you want to follow a bookish account on social media? What makes you want to follow a book blog? Are you very discerning or do you follow back whoever follows you? Do you prefer or find it easier to engage with other readers on one platform over the other (i.e. blogs vs. bookstagram or booktok)?

September 19: Favourite Genre Recommendations

September 26: Are Published Books Losing Quality? The Impact of Social Media Platforms and Trope-Based Marketing

Prompts: Reading has become increasingly more “popular” due to platforms like booktok and bookstagram, which tend to promote certain types of books. It has also given rise to the “trope only” marketing trend. Do you think the hype that’s been created on these platforms has impacted the quality of books that are published these days? Do you think it’s impacting only certain genres or do you notice it across all genres? How do you think this will impact book quality and publishing in the years to come (i.e. is it just a phase or will it continue)?

A Steeping of Blood by. Hafsah Faizal | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: A Steeping of Blood (Blood and Tea, #2)

Author: Hafsah Faizal

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 9/23/25

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Categories: Young Adult, Historical Fantasy, Vampires, Series, 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 Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The epic conclusion to the #1 bestselling A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal; the gritty fantasy duology about an orphan girl and her crew who get tangled in a heist with vampires, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows.

She’s had her tea, now she’s out for blood.

White Roaring is sharpening its fangs after the deadly night that left the city in shambles. The press are dead, the public calls for justice, vampires are in danger, and amid the turmoil, the Ram announces a celebration.

Still reeling from the bloodshed, Arthie Casimir has no time to mourn the death of anyone, let alone her own. She has no time for love, either, but it had saved her life. As Arthie navigates new emotions and new allies, she must reassemble her scrambled crew and scrape what little they have left to fight one last time – and she will need to face the ghosts of her past to do it.

In Ceylan.

After the jaw-dropping ending of #1 bestselling A Tempest of Tea, Arthie and her crew still have plenty of hearts to break and crimson-red secrets to uncover. Hafsah Faizal crafts a deliciously twisty and seductive sequel that will leave readers breathless until the very last page.

Content Warning: violence, death, torture

+ This is the conclusion to the Blood and Tea duology and I thought it was a pretty good end to the story.

+ I still love the found family that is Arthie, Jin, Flick and the others. After the wild events of book one, Arthie and her family are picking up the pieces and trying to take down the Ram. Everyone has their role and parts to help with the mission which makes them strong together. Although there is a part where this found family breaks apart for a little bit.

+ I enjoyed the vampirism and politics. There is a lot of action as Arthie and her friends try to stop the Ram. They travel to Ceylan, where they find out things have changed and there is a new type of vampire among them. A lot of the action come in the second half of this book.

+ I loved the relationship and romance between Flick and Jin – they are so sweet together! I thought Flick’s POV in book was the weakest but in this book she really shines. As for Arthie, Matteo is there for her this time and it was nice to see her open up, fall for his charms and let him in.

~ I don’t know why but with book one, I read it in one day. This book took me a whole week or more. I think it’s because the beginning moves slow but everything picks up in the second half. But there was something about the story that wasn’t hooking me like book one.

~ There are a bunch of heartbreaking moments in the second half of this book. It made me so sad!

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a solid conclusion! Arthie and her friends completed their mission, taking down the Ram but with a lot of loss. I loved the romance relationships, especially between Flick and Jin. The beginning was slow but it picks up at the halfway point and ends in a heartbreaker. It’s a bittersweet conclusion.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

A Tempest of Tea by. Hafsah Faizal | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We Free the Stars | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review | We Hunt the Flame ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thief of Night by. Holly Black | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Thief of Night (The Charlatan Duology, #2)

Author: Holly Black

Narrator(s): Jonathan Davis, Sara Amini, Vikas Adam

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 288

Publication Date: 9/23/25

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Mystery

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

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

The highly anticipated sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black’s stunning adult debut, Book of Night . This program features multicast narration.

“Award-winning YA author Holly Black has created an imaginary masterpiece yet again with her first foray into adult fantasy, narrated with perfection by Sara Amini.”— AudioFile on Book of Night (an Earphones Award winner)

“Sara Amini’s narration is exceptional, providing unique voices for the broad range of characters.”— Library Journal on Book of Night

There’d always been something wrong with Charlie Hall. Crooked from the day she was born. Never met a bad decision she wasn’t willing to double down on. She may be good enough to steal a shadow from a tower, but will she be good enough to steal back a heart?

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books

Content Warning: violence

+ The narrators for this story really kept me invested in the story even when the story itself moved slow – they did an amazing drop bringing the characters to life. I feel like the narrator for Charlie really did a great job and it’s how I imagine Charlie’s voice to be.

+ Charlie is such an interesting character. She’s a con-artist, and is always lying but she’s good at what she does. She’s the hierophant and trying to find out who is leaving these dead bodies. While trying to investigate she has to deal with other things like her sister and Red/Vincent.

+ Charlie and Red/Vincent’s relationship is so complicated because of what happened to him in book one. There is very little heat, but they did have some moments. I like that Charlie had to finally realize he was different. The romance was not the focus of the story though.

~ I feel like I should have re-read Book of Night so I remembered what happened. I got confused because I didn’t remember the whole thing about shadows.

~ It took me until 50% into this story to really get into it. I do feel like the first part was slower than the second half. And it’s a mystery but I honestly couldn’t follow what exactly Charlie was trying to do because I had a hard time paying attention, I was bored in the first half.

~ I think I enjoyed book one better than this one.

Final Thoughts:

I thought the narrators did a great job but it took me until 50% into the book to get invested in the story. The first half moved to slow for me and I was trying to remember things from book one. And I do recommend re-reading book one, Book of Night, if you are going to read Thief of Night. Maybe I would have enjoyed this one better if I had remember all the details from book one. Overall, I think mystery lovers would enjoy this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Prisoner’s Throne by. Holly Black | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Stolen Heir by. Holly Black | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book of Night by. Holly Black | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by. Holly Black | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Cruel Prince by. Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Wicked King by. Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Queen of Nothing by. Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Lost Sister’s by. Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tithe by. Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Darkest Part of the Forest by. Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

WWW Wednesday | 9/17/25

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over on Taking on a World of Words.

The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

Trying to lose myself in books this week because my head is tired – the real world is a hard place to be right now! These holiday romances are really appealing to me right now.

What are you currently reading?

Tusk Love by. Thea Guazon – 4%

Great Big Beautiful Life by. Emily Henry – audiobook – 40%

Yours For the Season by. Emily Stone – 10%

With Thoughts of Jason by. Caleb A. Mertz – I got asked to read this one! 14%

Bitten by. Jordan Stephanie Gray – (audiobook) 38%

What have you just finished reading?

Fevered Star by. Rebecca Roanhorse – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (audiobook)

Heartsick by. Kristina Forest – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Hekate by. Nikita Gil – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Moth Dark by. Kika Hatzopoulou – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What are you going to read next?

The Scammer by. Tiffany D. Jackson

The Crimson Throne by. Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

Immortal Consequences by. I.V. Marie

Eldritch by. Keri Lake

Mirrored Heaves by. Rebecca Roanhorse

My Favorite Holidate by. Lauren Blakely

What are YOU reading right now?

New Book Releases This Week | 9/16/25

Happy book birthday to these new releases this week!

The Things Gods Break by. Abigail Owen

She has won the games of the gods, can she stand against the titans? Lyra may have survived the Crucible, but now she faces an even more dangerous test – a deadly race against time begins in Tartarus.

The games continue in the thrilling and highly anticipated follow-up to the bestselling romantasy The Games Gods Play. Welcome to Tartarus!

If Looks Could Kill by. Julie Berry

From Printz Honor–winning and New York Times bestselling author Julie Berry, a true-crime-nailbiter-turned-mythic-odyssey pitting Jack the Ripper against Medusa. A defiant love song to sisterhood, a survivors’ battle cry, and a romantic literary tour de force laced with humor.

It’s autumn 1888, and Jack the Ripper is on the run. As London police close in, he flees England for New York City seeking new victims. But a primal force of female vengeance has had enough. With serpents for hair and a fearsome gaze, an awakened Medusa is hunting for one Jack.

And other dangers lurk in Manhattan’s Bowery. Salvation Army volunteers Tabitha and Pearl discover that a girl they once helped has been forced to work in a local brothel. Tabitha’s an upstate city girl with a wry humor and a thirst for adventure, while farmgirl Pearl takes everything with stone-cold seriousness. Their brittle partnership is tested as they team up with an aspiring girl reporter and a handsome Irish bartender to mount a rescue effort, only to find their fates entwine with Medusa’s and Jack’s.

Hekate: The Witch by. Nikita Gill

A propulsive, electrifying and enraging retelling of the life ofGreek goddess Hekate, child of war turned all-powerful goddess of witchcraft and necromancy, by internationally bestselling poet Nikita Gill.

Born into a world on fire, Godling Hekate has never known safety. After her parents are on the losing side of the war between the ruling Titans and new Olympian Gods, Hekate is taken by her mother Asteria to the Underworld, where Styx and Hades agree to raise her. Meanwhile, Asteria is pursued across the world by Zeus and Poseidon and, to escape their clutches, transforms herself into an island in a stormy sea.

Orphaned and alone, Hekate grows up amongst the horrors and beauties of the Underworld, desperate to find her divine purpose and a sense of belonging in the land of the dead.

When Hekate finally uncovers her powers and ascends to Goddess status, she realises that even the most powerful Olympians are terrified of her. But when immortal war breaks out again, threatening to destroy everything from Mount Olympus to the Underworld itself, the Goddess of witchcraft and necromancy is the only one who can bring the deadly conflict to an end. . .

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR HEKATE
‘In Hekate, we are plunged into a vivid and imaginatively wrought divine world that is monstrous, magical and beautiful through the perspective of a bewildered child of war who grows up to understand and embrace her power. It’s a timely and achingly resonant reflection on conflict, fear and the unbreakable bonds of family conveyed in exquisite, evocative poetry.’ – Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne

‘In a wholly original, incandescent take on the myth of Hekate, Nikita Gill captures the beauty, brutality and otherworldly strangeness of the ancient world like no other writer. This beautifully imagined tale of a Refugee Goddess’s. . . quest to find her destiny among a kingdom of outcasts is both deeply moving and absolutely captivating. . . This poem is pure magic.’ – Elodie Harper, bestselling author of The Wolf Den trilogy

The Austen Affair by. Madeline Bell

Two feuding co-stars in a Jane Austen film adaptation accidentally travel back in time to the Regency Era in this delightfully clever and riotously funny debut

Tess Bright just scored her dream role starring in an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. It’s not just the role of a lifetime, but it’s also her last chance to prove herself as a serious actress (no easy feat after being fired from her last TV gig) and more importantly, it’s her opportunity to honor her mom, who was the biggest fan of Jane Austen ever. But one thing is standing in Tess’s way—well, one very tall, annoyingly handsome person, actually: Hugh Balfour.

A serious British method actor, Hugh wants nothing to do with Tess (whose Teen Choice Awards somehow don’t quite compare to his BAFTA nominations). Hugh is a type-A, no-nonsense, Royal Academy prodigy, whereas Tess is big-hearted, a little reckless, and admittedly, kind of a mess. But the film needs chemistry—and Tess’s career depends on it.

Sparks fly, but not in the way Tess hoped, when an electrical accident sends the two feuding co-stars back in time to Jane Austen’s era. 200 years in the past with only each other to rely on, Tess and Hugh need to ad-lib their way through the Regency period in order to make it back home, and hopefully not screw up history along the way. But if a certain someone looks particularly dashing in those 19th century breeches…well, Tess won’t be complaining.

A wickedly funny, delightfully charming story, The Austen Affair is a tribute to Jane Austen, second chances, and love across the space-time continuum.

The Dead of Summer by. Ryan La Sala

Stephen King meets Holly Jackson by way of We Were Liars in this action-packed story of queer horror from the acclaimed author of The Honeys!

Two days before…

Ollie Veltman is finally coming home to the quaint island of Anchor’s Mercy after a year away while his mom battled cancer. It should be a celebration — his mom is cancer free, and she’s determined to have the best summer ever — but Ollie’s (now ex) best friends think he abandoned them, and he’s returning with a lot questions. Because for a place that’s perfect on the outside, a secret rots inside. A secret that could explain his mom’s illness, and the illness of so many other locals.

Ollie’s desperate search for the truth turns life or death when a storm descends upon the island. In its wake, a long-sunken horror rises . . .

Three weeks after…

Ollie is being held in isolation aboard a military hospital ship in the harbor. They say he’s a survivor, but they only know half the story. The truth is more dangerous than Ollie ever believed, and he suspects his saviors aren’t here to save anyone. Only Ollie can stop what comes next, but that means getting back to Anchor’s Mercy before it vanishes below the waves, taking with it everyone he has ever loved.

Are you getting any new books this week?

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Literary/Bookish Candles I’d Make | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday | 9/16/25

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Please check out her website for more TTT topics!

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