The Lost Guardian by. Natalia Hernandez | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Lost Guardian (#1)

Author: Natalia Hernandez

Pages: 439

Format: ebook

Categories: Adventure, Romance, Peru

Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books

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

Thank you to Entangled: Red Tower Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The stories we’re told aren’t myths. They’re warnings.

Santiago Rios didn’t plan to leave his quiet life in Los Angeles. But when his grandfather sends him a map to the lost tomb of the final Incan emperor, the young archaeologist is thrust into a brutal race across the Andes, pursued by ruthless tomb raiders who will stop at nothing to steal the emperor’s treasure.

His only hope is Ali, a fierce Peruvian woman whose secrets could unlock Santiago’s map―or spell his doom. The closer they grow, the more certain Santiago becomes. Ali is trouble…just the kind of trouble he likes.

To save their world, Santiago and Ali must solve ancient riddles, outwit deadly enemies, and lay a spirit to rest before it’s too late. Because if they fail, the past won’t stay buried―and neither will the curse.

Based on the true history of Atahualpa, the last emperor of the Inca people, indie sensation Natalia Hernandez delivers a powerhouse romantasy adventure set in the modern day.

Content Warning: violence

+ Santiago’s grandfather in Peru passes away which leads to a chain of events that has him in disbelief. He goes to Peru with bad men after him as he hurries to find the emperor’s treasure. This story had Indiana Jones vibes – it is so full of adventure, puzzles and riddles that need to be fun, it’s a fun read! Not only is it full of adventure in Peru but we get immersed in Incan and Peruvian culture and history which I enjoyed. We even get some astronomy.

+ Santiago is a hot nerd, which I totally adore. He’s smart, awkward, a little shy, and a nice guy. He was a refreshing and unexpected MMC. Ali is the young woman who is helping him find the treasure, explaining that she was tasked by his grandfather to do so. There are other interesting characters like Santi’s best friend Brooke, but we only get to know her in the beginning of the story. Then there is the professor, Jose, who I wanted more of.

+ I didn’t even expect this to have spice but Santiago and Ali are forced to be together and they get to know one another so a romance develops but it doesn’t take over the story. Through the harrowing adventures in Peru they grow close and since this is told from Santiago’s POV, it was so nice to see his thoughts about her and we see him falling for her.

+ I thought this was a standalone but there is a sneak peek into the next book which might be book two or interconnected to this one? Not sure.

Final Thoughts:

This was a fun read especially because it was different – it has adventure and history, plus a little romance. Santiago is not the typical MMC, he’s nerdy but still hot, but very awkward and passive at times. Ali is the strong character so it was a nice little reversal. I loved learning about Incan and Peruvian history and culture. Definitely read if you like adventure, riddles, history and some romance.

Read if you like:

adventure
romance
history and culture

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Cursed City by. Kate Golden | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Cursed City (Harker Academy, #1)

Author: Kate Golden

Pages: 523

Format: ebook

Publication Date: 9/29/26

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Dark Academia, Romance, Series

Welcome back to Harker Academy for Deviant Defense, where the line between hunter and hunted has never been thinner.

To rescue someone close to her, Viv Abbot must team up with Reid’s violent, unpredictable older brother, Deacon. Her uneasy truce with him offers Viv something Reid never could: the chance to embrace her darkness.

Viv’s mission takes her to the center of Astera’s seedy underbelly with none other than the White Stag as her guide. But when a bounty on Viv’s head puts those she cares about in danger, Viv will be forced to go to lengths she never dreamed in order to protect them.

With enemies closing in from all sides and a ticking clock on her life, Viv must save the Half City from destruction while surviving a betrayal that strikes at the heart of everything she’s fighting for. Because in a world where monsters wear familiar faces and temptation cuts deeper than any blade, making it through her second semester at Harker will take more than skill—it will take everything Viv has left to give. Who can she really trust in a city that thrives on lies?

Content Warning: violence, death

+ I was going to re-read book one but had no time so I just jumped into book two hoping I’d remember things. And thankfully I did remember! Viv is looking for Reid, and she’s enlisted his annoying brother Deacon, to help her. But Viv has a curse on her back and she needs to learn how to get rid of it before she hurts someone she loves and loses her mind. So the story is about finding Reid and finding an answer to Viv’s curse. We learn about the Elders, and who the High Thane is – I liked the twist and turns in the story!

+ I love the found family in this story! Viv doesn’t have a great relationship with her own blood family but the friends she’s made at Harker become her found family and I love them together – they are the support and friendship she needs!

+ I love Deacon, even though he’s such an a-hole sometimes. But I so loved how his relationship with Viv grows. I didn’t even care about Reid while she was with Deacon. It is a love triangle but nothing happens between her and Deacon, he has a spicy fantasy, but outside of that there is barely any steam or spice in this one, just some unspoken yearning on both their ends. I was hoping for a kiss but didn’t even get that. I hope that means book three is going to have more of them and a romance going between them.

+~ There were times I thought Viv was just so naive. Deacon’s old…he’s been around since Genghis Kahn and yet she doesn’t believe his knowledge on some things. Which of course is true to her age but it was frustrating too at times.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down because Deacon and Viv are amazing together. I loved their banter but also love how their relationship evolves. Not sure what’s going to happen in book three but I’m rooting for them! I also love the found family and twist and turns in this story. I look forward to reading the next book!

Read if you like:

love triangle
found family

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Half City by. Kate Golden | Book Review – 4 stars/1 🌶️

Bloodbound by. J.A. Good | ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Bloodbound (The Scrolls of the Eshani, #1)

Author: J.A. Good

Pages: 465

Format: audiobook

Listening Hours: 16 hours (approx.)

Narrator (s): Ri Paige

Publisher: Tantor Media

Publication Date: 10/6/26

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy

Six strangers. One soul-bound Ring. No way out.

Isara Virelle has spent her entire life avoiding people. Unfortunately, becoming Eshani means binding your soul to five of them.

When the Binding Ceremony assigns her to Ring Six—the most elite fighting unit in Veryuun—Isa is forced into the last place she wants to surrounded by strangers who can hear her thoughts, feel her emotions, and know her secrets. Worst of all, their commander is Niko Veyshar.

Feared across the continent as Rathvenorn’s deadliest weapon, Niko is everything Isa has been taught to hate. Cold. Dangerous. Untouchable. And now they’re bound together.

As political tensions rise between nations and whispers of forgotten gods begin to spread, cracks appear within Ring Six. Ancient powers stir beneath the surface, forbidden magic awakens in Isa’s blood, and the bond tying her to her team may be unraveling before it has a chance to hold.

To survive, Isa must learn who she can trust. Because in Veryuun, loyalty is sacred. And betrayal can cost far more than your life.

Content Warning: violence

+ I thought this narrator did a really good job with the big cast of characters in this book. She brought the story to life, and I got a really good sense of the FMC, Isara, because of how she was narrated.

+ This story follows Isara who is curse-born. Her dad was killed by his wife (her mom) and everyone knows her story. It makes Isara a very distrustful, sarcastic and snarky character. She builds walls to not let people in but she’s forced to bind to 5 other people to make Ring Six – a fighting unit who need to rely on one another to survive. Most of the story is about training to be Eshani and in this Ring Six, and controlling her powers. Even though the story was mostly training and missions, I think it moved quickly enough because of the found family element which was my favorite thing about this book. Isa’s ring/her found family grew on me as they grew on her. She went from not having a family to getting a new one and it changes her.

+ The romance between Isa and her unit leader and enemy, Niko, is not the typical enemies to lovers where they hate one another openly. Isa is taught to hate him because her mother was Rathvenorn like he is. But the more time he spends training her, she can’t help the attraction. Plus he’s always in a mask that covers the bottom of his face which adds to the appeal. They get close through training and missions, there are some spicy scenes but then something happens at the end which makes me curious how their relationship will continue. So it’s a forbidden romance that they try to keep hidden,

+~ In the beginning I did think nothing much was happening in the story except for the training but I think there was something happening – the building of the found family, which is very important to Isa in the end. The second half picks up more as they go on missions. I liked seeing Isara grow throughout the story. There is political intrigue, Eshani lore, magic, betrayal and a twist at the end.

Final Thoughts:

I thought the narrator did a great job with bringing this audiobook to life. I love Isara because of her sarcastic personality and it was nice seeing the walls come down as she let friends into her life. I enjoyed the romance too but the twist in the end makes me wonder what will happen in book two. I’ll be looking forward to the next book!

Read if you like:

fighting unit/training/missions
forbidden romance
found family
betrayal

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The House of Gardenias by. Isabel Cañas | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The House of Gardenias

Author: Isabel Cañas

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 228

Publication Date: 9/29/26

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers

Categories: Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Young Adult, Gothic, Horror

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

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

Sixteen-year-old Minerva has spent her whole life in the slums of the capital city of an unnamed country that resembles colonial Mexico. Though she lives in the shadow of constant government turmoil, her empty belly and her father’s brutality don’t leave time for politics—especially since her older brothers ran away. Minerva can’t take another beating or miss another meal, so she steals flees to a wealthy loyalist neighborhood to win a job as a lady’s maid to an elderly widow.

Minerva and Encarnación del Valle—the proud and acerbic widow—form an unlikely duo. They are both survivors in their own ways, stubborn and used to being underestimated. For a time, Minerva is happy. She has food and safety in a house lit and warmed by magical chispa. Why should she care who runs the country or how her employer afford the magic?

But when the viceroy sweeps back into power on a wave of horrific bloodshed that sweeps away any hope Minerva had of seeing her brothers again, Encarnación retreats to the del Valle’s mountainside estate, the Casa de la Gardenias. Minerva finds herself surrounded by dozens of more experienced servants and the cruel, scheming younger del Valles, but the living are the least of anyone’s worries at the Casa de las Gardenias, and soon Minerva discovers that this ancient estate is home to forces far older and more bloodthirsty than the fascist del Valles or the liberal guerrillas amassing in the surrounding wilderness.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ I feel like fall season is in full swing when I have a Isabel Cañas book to read. She just does historical fiction, paranormal, horror books so well! The setting is lush and has all the gothic, spooky vibes you would want. In this story it even has political unrest and intrigue with the Viceroy (leader of country) fighting the rebels. Minerva is starving and desperate but she finds a job with Encarnación del Valle, who is related to the Viceroy.

+ Minerva’s growth in this story is wonderful. She goes from a starving girl, who’s family has broken up – brothers joining the rebellion and a dad who abuses her to someone who is helping the rebellion take the Viceroy and his family down. She gets help by a spirit or ghost in the house, who is there to eventually take her chispa (which is like a person’s soul or life force). At first he comes off sinister and scary but their relationship changes when Minerva doesn’t show fear!

+ This one is a slow burn of a story but it escalates so nicely that I was racing to the end! I thought Encarnación taking in Minerva as a servant but teaching her things high society ladies know – like games and strategy was very interesting. She was Minerva’s employer but Minerva saw her as almost family, since she had none. There are a few complicated relationships in this story which kept things interesting.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoy the gothic and paranormal vibes of this one. The relationships are complicated and there is even political intrigue in this one. I loved Minerva’s growth from scared girl to someone who was tired of being stepped on and I even adored her strange relationship with Ygnacio. This was a quick read and perfect for spooky season!

Read if you like:

young adult paranormal, horror
gothic vibes

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Possession of Alba Díaz by. Isabel Cañas | Book Review – 4 stars

Vampires of El Norte by. Isabel Cañas | Book Review – 4 stars

Hide the Witches by. Miranda Lyn | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Hide the Witches (#1)

Author: Miranda Lyn

Pages: 558

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 4/20/26

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Enemies to Lovers

Some bonds are forged in blood. Others burn everything to ash.

In Grimora, secrets burn faster than witches, and Syneca Black is both. Forbidden fire magic courses through her veins, hidden behind a lifetime of lies because Hunters don’t spare phoenix blood.

When her best friend vanishes and resurfaces on execution scrolls, accused of crimes that she couldn’t have possibly committed, Syn risks everything and volunteers for a hunt that could see both of them killed. It’s the only way to protect the woman who is like a sister to her. But taking that oath means binding herself to Wickett, the legendary Hunter whose sharp eyes and lethal grace have ended countless witches’ lives.

Every moment beside him threatens to shatter her carefully built lies. Every stolen glance fans flames she can’t afford to kindle. He’s sworn to his cause. She’s everything he’s trained to destroy. But in a city where Sprites carry desperate messages and ancient Furies keep secrets, the most dangerous discovery isn’t the growing fire between them. It’s realizing that both hunter and hunted are dancing to someone else’s deadly design.

When the blood debts come due, Syneca must save the woman who stood with her in shadows or trust the man whose touch feels like salvation.

Will the world burn or will she?

Content Warning: violence, death, grief, abuse

+ Syneca Black is the Phoenix that the Magistrate and everyone else is hunting down because there is a prophecy that her power would burn down the world. Thing is, she’s been hiding her identity well but then one of her roommates and best friend, Vitoria, gets accused of being the Phoenix. Vitoria goes missing and the Magistrate puts together a group to hunt her down. Syn and her other friend Calder join the group so they can find her and help her, but also the Magistrate’s son who is a notorious hunter, Wickett is part of the group. I enjoyed the world building and the different species like sprites, shifters, witches, dragons, etc…

+ I love the found family in this story, especially the one between Syneca and Calder, but more people are added to the group. Syneca has a familiar that’s a grumpy griffin, and there is an Oracle, and Furies. It’s such an interesting cast of characters.

+ The romance is a slow burn and enemies to lovers between Syneca and Wickett, but I can’t say he was easy to get to know. He’s a hunter, he kills easily, and he marked Syneca as a person he will kill after their mission. So when the attraction grows between them, it does give us a spicy scene but also a twist in the story.

+~ I enjoyed this one and read it kind of slow, but it is almost 600 pages, so it was a bit long. But I was invested in the characters and the search for Vitoria. The twist in the story is very interesting and that cliffhanger ending has me downloading book two asap.

Final Thoughts:

I really enjoy the world building, characters, the slow burn romance and the twist and turns at the end of this book! I’ve already downloaded book two so stay tuned for that review.

Read if you like:

hunter x witch, enemies to lovers
found family
good world building

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Tallow and Bone by. Rhiannon Hargadon | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Tallow and Bone

Author: Rhiannon Hargadon

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages:

Publication Date: 10/6/26

Publisher: HRS Books

Categories: Dark Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Historical Fantasy

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

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

If Salem would rather kill witches than let them exist, how much will one witch sacrifice to save it?

After her family flees allegations of treason in Europe, Amity Merriweather hopes Salem will be a fresh start. Instead, she finds a land poisoned: Toxic relationships. Crop failures. Sick children. Deep-seated superstition and irrational fear. With every death, the curse buried beneath Salem’s cobblestone streets grows stronger.

Gifted with rare earth magic, Amity has spent her entire life hiding, suppressing her magic. She has a chance to heal the town before hysteria turns neighbor against neighbor. But Salem doesn’t want saving. Every acre of poison she clears will risk discovery, and she’ll get no thanks from its citizens.

Meanwhile, Amity must choose between two very different men:

A male witch hardened by abuse, who would gladly burn Salem to its poisoned roots… Or a scarred shoemaker with a heart too generous for its own good. Knowing which path to take requires knowing both men, but more importantly, it requires knowing herself.

Amity has worn as mask for so long, she no longer can be sure of who she truly is.

As accusations mount and innocents are dragged to the gallows, Amity faces an impossible choice. Keep sacrificing herself for people who would rather see her burn—or abandon Salem to the curse consuming it.

Tropes and Triggers:

Love Triangle with a masked MMC
Surprise (unwanted) pregnancy
Elemental magic
Generational curse
Witch Trials
Religious Trauma
Morally gray characters

TALLOW AND BONE is a dark paranormal romance. It is a retelling of the Salem Witch Trials with a healer witch, a cursed village, and the choice between mercy or retribution.

Content Warning: violence, death, abuse, whipping, sexual harassment, hanging

+ Amity and her family are always on the run because she and her mother are witches. They’ve fled England, where they lived comfortably at court and now are barely thriving in the colonies, surviving with her father’s skill at lying, and her and her siblings talent at thieving. And when they reach Salem, they decide they want to stop running, but at what cost. The townspeople of Salem are Puritans and are run by a pastor who holds a lot of power and turns that power into a witch hunt because of the failing crops.

+ Amity is someone who’s been told to hide her power since she was a child, so she’s used to lying and being someone else – but in Salem she actually finds other witches and she learns a little more about her powers and magic. I kind of like that her magic wasn’t all powerful, yes she used it to help herself when she was in danger, but her magic was for growing things, it wasn’t anything malicious at all. I would have loved more magic in the story actually. But Amity has her flaws, she can’t be herself and tell the truth of who she is, so she’s never been real to other people only with her family. She can’t want the things she wants if she wants to survive in this world. Also she goes through some dark mentally challenging times in this book that I think women can relate to.

+ I loved Amity’s siblings, even Elizabeth at first, who was a bit more strict than most, until I hated her later. I love her big family, but their dad is an awful man. Amity’s siblings know she’s a witch and that is why they are on the run, Elizabeth is who resents her the most. This family is very complicated – their dad is abusive, yet he provides as best he can – he loves their mother (a witch) with a passion, but when she is gone there is no one to protect them from him. The sibling closeness was heartwarming. Some other characters I found fascinating in the story were the women of Salem. I love that the characters are complicated and flawed.

+ Amity is 23 and single and that’s a problem during that day and age. She’s beautiful and the men in Salem notice her. But she’s obsessed with a masked man who is also a witch, who isn’t very friendly towards her but there is a wild attraction between them. I suspected who it was fairly early in the book. But this witch isn’t the only man who is in Amity’s life. There is George, the hero of the town, who has burn scars because an event that happened in the past – he’s so good, kind, patient and protective. He gave Amity protection when the other man couldn’t step up to do it himself and I loved him for Amity. He deserved better. I don’t mind love triangles but this one broke my heart – devastated me at the end, and even though there is a resolution at the end…I wasn’t happy with it. Whenever I think about this book I’ll always remember George. I would have been happy as them in a throuple or a Why Choose situation, but this is that type of book where you don’t get what you wish for. 💔

+ There was a strong sense of foreboding from start to finish in this book. The setting and atmosphere of Salem really came through in the writing. The story is dark, the women aren’t safe, the people were hungry because of failed crops, there is violence, death, and family turning on family. There are deaths in this story that broke my heart, it seemed never ending that Amity was going to lose people and I hated that for her and hated how her big family fell apart. I wanted to scream in anger and pain for Amity and the women in Salem. There is a sort of happy ever after in the end, but it is so bittersweet that whenever I think of this story I’m just heartbroken.

Final Thoughts:

If I wanted a book to rip my heart out then this would be five stars, but my heart was so broken at the end of this one, which I wasn’t expecting. I was so shocked at the culmination of events at the end, I had no time to cry but my heart felt hurt and then hollow. I don’t think I’ll ever be happy thinking about what happened to George. This story sucked me in even though I knew something bad was coming, since I know the gist of the Salem witch trials. I couldn’t put it down. I understood Amity’s feelings of wanting to be free and not hiding herself but that wasn’t possible in a town like Salem, and I just wish they had all left and ran. To see everything fall apart around Amity, and her lose people she loved – oh this story is devastating. The ending is bittersweet and I felt emotionally exhausted. Though it didn’t end the way I wanted, I have to say I won’t be forgetting this book for awhile.

Read if you like:

dark fantasy
family
love triangle

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Bloody Black by. Rhiannon Hargadon| Book Review – 4 stars/2 🌶️

Bonetide by. Karina Halle | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Bonetide

Author: Karina Halle

Pages: 496

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 8/24/26

Categories: Dark Romance, Monster Romance, Horror, Paranormal

When Iris Galloway inherits her great-aunt’s cottage on a remote Scottish loch, the terms are live there one year, and it’s hers.

She doesn’t know about the disappearances yet, nor does she know about the handsome man who swims in the loch at night, who watches her cottage from the dark water, and who appears at her door very wet, very naked, and asking to come in.

Meanwhile, the locals warn her about a murderer on the loose, the police are in over their heads, and her aunt’s letters say to keep the salt lines around the house and the doors locked after sundown.

And never, ever invite him inside.

But Iris has spent her whole life being careful.

And this wicked stranger is going to ruin her for it.

Bonetide is a dark gothic romance that’s tinged with horror. While this book starts off almost like a cozy gothic mystery, it does pivot later into darker territory. Which also gets a little weird. If you’re here for the cozy, know that it doesn’t stay cozy. If you’re here for the dark romance, know that it’s coming. Please see inside the book or author’s website for the content warnings.

Content Warning: mentions of murder, death

+ Bonetide is a dark romance with all the creepy and spooky yet sexy vibes for spooky season or whenever you feel like reading something that make your spine tingle a little with anxiety. I loved the setting of Scotland – there is fog, a castle, a very small town and a loch with a gorgeous stranger always swimming in it. I felt like I could feel the chill in the air while reading this. There is also lore and mystery about some mythological creatures around the area which I found really fascinating.

+~ Iris’s great-aunt leaves her a cottage in Scotland but she has to stay there for a year. Iris goes there to help restart her life after her divorce but between the salt lining the windows and the hot, strange man swimming in the loch, she doesn’t really know what she’s gotten herself into. And then there are reports about missing women in the area. I don’t really blame Iris for not knowing anything about Scottish lore and the area because her great-aunt left her barely information about the house or the situation with the man. She went in blind, so her hormones got the best of her but I do say Iris was not scared off so easily – which I liked about her.

+ The romance is dark – Alasdair is not what he seems, but Iris is drawn to him, despite the warning in her mind and red flags about him. Her hormones were overriding the warning signs. But I will say, for a monster, he was gentle with her until she told him to stop being that way. The spice is quite hot between them, and I was really invested in their situation to see if it would work out since he is who he is. Like I said, Iris, is kind of made of strong stuff to stick by him after learning about what he is. He’s a monster but he’s her monster.

+ The story did really give me the chills and made me feel unsettled but there was some humor in it too because of Iris’ personality and how she deals with Alasdair being a monster. Any normal woman would run, but this monster has a Scottish brogue and is well endowed haha, so look I don’t blame her being seduced and falling for him. But I liked the mix of horror, humor and the creepy setting.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this had a little bit of everything and it worked for me: small town, creepy setting, Scottish folklore, humor, horror, spice, monster romance and a gorgeous guy swimming in a loch. This one gave me some chills and it’s perfect to read for spooky season!

Read if you like:

dark romance
Scottish folklore/mythology
spicy monster romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Hallowed Bones by. Lucy Smoke | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Hallowed Bones (Sons of Salem, #1)

Author: Lucy Smoke

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 10/6/26

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Why Choose, Witches, Dark Academia, Romance, New Adult, Mystery, Paranormal, 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 Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The first in the Sons of Salem series— a seductive, dark why-choose romance filled with cursed bloodlines, secret societies, and a powerful heroine destined to save the coven.

Four cursed heirs. One forbidden witch. A desire that burns bright.

I was warned to stay away from the Sons of Salem. Not because they’re monsters—but because they’re broken enough to recognize one.

Ezra Bishop.
Cameron Goode.
Lyall Corey.
Reyes Scott.

And me—Haven Wardwell.

Legacies. Witches. Something far worse than myths.

Now that I’m here, there’s no telling what Now that I’m here, there’s no telling what the Dark Gods will ask for in return.

Ghosts haunt the corridors of Ipswich College, and if I’m not careful, I might just become one of them.

Content Warning: violence, death, gore, self harm

Set in Ipswich College in Massachusetts, I love the vibes of this book. It’s got the cobwebbed filled, creepy college (that’s the dark academia element of it); the Salem Witch Trials history in the background, and rich, hot boys who are in a coven. All of it worked for me! I even love the scary monsters from the Veil, and the murders leaving bodies in ritualistic, gory poses. I kept thinking this would be a perfect book for spooky season!

I do think the murders get a little bit overshadowed by the main story of Haven figuring out she’s a witch and one the Sons of Salem need badly, in a provocative and practical sense. They have to convince her she’s a witch and need to learn how to control her powers but Haven gives them a hard time. I like Haven though, she’s practically alone, and has been dealing with visions and nightmares for years, so I would be skeptical like her too, plus she’s brave and strong enough to deal with these four guys.

As for these Sons of Salem – Cameron, Ezra, Reyes and Lyall, all hot, all with different powers, temperaments and ways of seduction – I’m not the biggest Why Choose romance, it has to be done right and so far I think this is starting off good. Is there instant lust? Yes, but it’s a slow burn and hey a new witch is coming into her wild powers and have to be a priestess in a male dominated coven? The instant lust feels normal honestly and all it came with was a few kisses. There is one full spicy scene and I was actually pleasantly surprised by this because I thought she was gonna get with all the guys in this first book. I wasn’t ready for all of that yet! So I’m glad this only had one graphic spice scene. I actually want to see how she connects with each guy as the story goes on.

So I do hope we get more of the murder mystery, but I felt like this first book did a good job of setting the stage for things to come.

Final Thoughts:

I kind of devoured this one because I loved the setting, the paranormal elements, monsters and even the gory murders! I think it all fits together and though this was insta-lust it was also a slow burn when it comes to the spice, I think it’s setting us up for way more to come though. I think out of all the guys Ezra is the one that intrigues me, but I like all the guys so far. I would like more about the murder mystery though so I look forward to reading the next book.

Read if you like:

cursed bloodlines, Witches, Werewolf
Why Choose romance but low spice so far
creepy setting, dark academia
murder mystery

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Trust Fall by. Lynn Painter | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Trust Fall

Author: Lynn Painter

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 9/29/26

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Fall Romance, Enemies to Lovers

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

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies, Lynn Painter, comes a rags-to-riches rom-com about a small-town girl whose family inherits a fortune and moves to New York City, where she meets a big-city boy hiding an explosive secret.

Julia is just a small-town girl from Nebraska who loves her peaceful life. But when her elderly next-door neighbor—who just happens to be a secret multi-millionaire—leaves everything to Julia and her family after his passing, Julia is swept away to live in a historic brownstone in New York City and attend an elite private school for the super-rich.

It should be a dream come true. Wrong. Julia doesn’t fit in at her new school; worse, she’s failing. Enter Damion, the mysterious and handsome tutor who will get Julia back on track. Except Damion has a secret. He is the great-nephew of the man who left everything to Julia’s family. Damion doesn’t buy for a second that the person who was like a father to him would leave his home to strangers. And he’s determined to prove it.

To uncover the truth, Damion schemes to earn Julia’s trust. Not an easy task with Julia unsure about this rich boy with a rebellious personality. But the more time Damion spends with Julia, the more his plan begins to backfire. Because he is falling for the enemy—and the enemy is falling for him.

As Damion and Julia figure out where they belong, can they see past their differences and act on their feelings, or will the trust Damion has worked so hard to gain fall apart?

Content Warning: grief, bullying

+ A Lynn Painter YA rom-com, fall romance? I had to read this one, plus that cover is screaming pumpkin spice everything.

+ Julia’s family has come into wealth by a mysterious donor. To get the house they have to move into and live there for a time. Going from Nebraska to NYC is a book move and culture shock for Julia. I hated all the bullying she got from the private school she started to attend but I also love how she adapted to life outside of school and fell in love with the city. Damion is a rich boy, it is his grand-uncle who gave away his fortune and he is pissed about it because he thought he would get the house that was his refuge. So this starts off as an enemies to lovers romance.

+~ The romance is cute because of the bickering, and enemies to lovers but Damion was mean at first. I thought he was such a jerk but that’s what made me love when he had to grovel. And it was some good groveling too, so I love how everything played out between them.

+~ I thought this was a quick read and I enjoyed it. I love that both Julia and Damion were tied to his great-uncle in different ways, but it didn’t mean one didn’t love him more or less than the other person. It just took Damion a moment to realize that his great-uncle loving other people doesn’t mean he didn’t care about Damion. One of my issues with the story was with Julia’s family. Her brother is a twin and goes to the same school, so why wasn’t he doing more to protect her there. Same with her parents, they just didn’t seem very involved in what was happening in Julia’s life which maybe is realistic, but sucks because she was having a hard time fitting in. I was expecting her brother to step up a little more to her bullies. He really stepped up to Damion when he hurt Julia but really he could have done more earlier.

Final Thoughts:

Overall this one is a cute YA rom-com that definitely gave me fall vibes. I’m a sucker for a rom-com set in New York City and this one didn’t disappoint.

Read if you like:

fall romance
enemies to lovers
young adult romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Maid for Each Other by. Lynn Painter | ARC Review– 3 ⭐️

Nothing Like the Movies by. Lynn Painter | ARC Review – 3 ⭐️

Happily Never After by. Lynn Painter| Book Review – 3.5 ⭐️

Betting on You by. Lynn Painter | ARC Review – 4 ⭐️

Love Wager by. Lynn Painter | Book Review – 4 ⭐️

Better Than the Movies | ARC Review – 4.5 ⭐️

Ignite the Infernos by. Ivy Asher| Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Ignite the Infernos (Secret of the Syphon, #2)

Author: Ivy Asher

Pages: 339

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 9/8/26

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Dragon Shifters, Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Series

After her family curse is lifted, Ever’s on the run from her enemy, a shifter who’s both her foe and her fate, in this slow-burn sequel to Spark the Flames.

With one murderous act, Ever Tenebrae has freed the Syphons. But breaking the curse was only the beginning of the daunting journey ahead . . .

Ever’s once again on the run from the Horde and the dragon prince who’s become something far more dangerous than a mere enemy. Aeson Noctis is on the hunt, and the deeper he digs through the sands of the Scorch, the more truths he uncovers.

Though the road’s fraught with peril, Ever will have to move quickly if she’s to reunite with her people and ensure their survival. Staying hidden should’ve been easy for the Syphons, but their protection weakens as the bond between Ever and Aeson grows stronger each day.

Now, with old adversaries closing in and new threats rising from the shadows, Ever must decide once and for all who to trust. Because the Syphons’ secrets are coming to light, and what’s revealed could save them—or lead to their ultimate destruction.

Content Warning: violence, death, mentions of torture, trauma, memories of trauma

+ After reading book one, I went straight into book two without taking a break! Ever is on the run, and Aeson is on the chase because that’s his bonded. And even though Aeson was on the chase, I really wanted Ever to go back home to her sister and the Syphons so she could catch them up on everything going on. Would it have been easy for Ever to just trust Aeson and tell him everything? Definitely. But the people who killed her family were still out there living among The Horde, so I totally get why she can’t trust him with everything yet.

+ I feel like we get to see more of Ever’s bad-assery in this sequel. She’s leading Aeson on a chase and he is flustered. Ever bends a little eventually because she knows she needs help. She knows what she’s doing and as she said, has the ovaries to do it. I love her bravery but yes she can be frustrating because all Aeson wants to do is love her and all she knows how to do is run. We finally get to meet her sister and get to know her better. They have some issues to work out but their bond and love is strong. I loved getting to know their found family of wyverns and sorcai.

+ The romance is complicated because of all the trust issues between Ever and Aeson. He wants her to bend and let him in. She wants to because of her dragon’s needs but she’s also afraid because letting someone in means the potential to get hurt and she’s been hurt a lot. I’m rooting so hard for them though. They bicker and fight, but they also have some tension filled spicy scenes that are fun. And I actually like how there isn’t many spicy scenes between them – just the right amount because they really have a lot to work through. Clearly, he is crazy about her but wants her to choose him not because of the bond. I feel like the payoff for their romance is going to be so good because Ever is right, she is his mate, but he is not her master. And he is sticking by her even when she pisses him off 😅 – he’s a good man!

+ There is more political intrigue in this one because the Dukes and other powerful people of The Horde want a chance to meet Ever and court her too. There are power plays and people making moves and still Ever is trying to weed out who massacred her family – they get somewhere at the end but it leaves the story with another plot twist.

Final Thoughts:

I absolutely devoured books one and two back to back and I cannot wait for book three. I want more of this world, more of Ever and Aeson bickering and having steamy scenes, but I also want to know more about her twin and the Syphons. The secrets are coming out and they are so intriguing – I can’t wait to see how this all plays out. I will be waiting patiently for book three!

Read if you like: