Mate by. Ali Hazelwood | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Mate (Bride, #2)

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Narrator(s): Ellie Gossage and Teddy Hamilton

Format: audiobook (Libby)

Pages: 457 Listening Time: approximately 14 hours

Publication Date: 10/6/25

Publisher: Books on Tape

Categories: Paranormal Romance, Series

A Human hybrid and an Alpha Were claw against the bonds of fate in the highly anticipated companion novel to the New York Times bestselling Bride.

Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left—if he’ll have her.

As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, nothing will stop him from keeping her safe.

But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her—and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation…

Content Warning: violence, death

+ First off, the narrators did an amazing job with voicing the characters. And I think if I didn’t listen to this as an audiobook, the rating would have been a smidge lower. It’s the narrators that kept me invested in these characters and story.

+~ Back in the Bride series of Vampyres, Weres and Humans, now this book follows Serena who is a hybrid. There is a whole mystery about what she is and her background so most of the story is trying to uncover that. Her mate, Koen is a Were, and though they are mates he has pledged a covenant to basically not take anything far between them – even though they are mates. We learn more about the different packs, and Misery from Bride, who is Serena’s bestie, makes a few appearances – I do love their relationship. The one issue I had, which I didn’t mind a lot because I was listening to this story at 2x the speed…is not much happens for the first half of the book. Yes, Serena and Koen are getting to know one another but it’s more like Serena is learning about pack life, and learning about her biology because it’s different. I did enjoy the scientific angle about the biology of being a Were but it just felt like nothing much was happening.

+ Serena is miss sunshine and needy and so many things are happening to her and because of her. Koen is sarcastic, he acted like an alpha male alright. The two of them together was fun. But this is a SLOW BURN romance. Slow for the first like 75% of the book and then BURN for the last 25% of the book. I was waiting and waiting for some of their rising tension to even move into something more…and then we kind of get too much of it at the end. It’s smutty, and if you know anything about Werewolves having sexual relations, they get into heat and then there is the whole “knot” issue. So yes, by the end of this book these two couldn’t keep their hands off one another. But…I did love their relationship. He protected her and she brought joy to his life.

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed this audiobook and glad I decided to listen to it than read it because the narrators did a great job. I think this is a great edition to the Bride series and I did like Serena and Koen, one is sunshine, the other is full of sarcasm but in the end, they fall in love. There is a big cast of characters and I enjoy the community that is always so present in these packs. There is a lot of werewolf spice in this one – knot and all, but you have to wait until near the end of it to get your fill and it’s a lot. It will be interesting to see who’s story is next in the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Deep End by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Check & Mate by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bride by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Love Hypothesis by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Sun and the Starmaker by. Rachel Griffin | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: The Sun and the Starmaker

Author: Rachel Griffin

Narrator(s): Suzy Jackson

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448 Listening Time: Approximately 11 hours 7 min

Publication Date: 2/17/26

Publisher: Recorded Books

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Fairy Tale

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

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

There once was a village so far north that most considered it the top of the world… and in that village, the Sun fell in love with her Starmaker. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Witches comes a whimsical and sweeping romantic fantasy.

Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the small village of Reverie endures on a miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious Starmaker: every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.

Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker’s magic, never imagining she’d one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle at the mountain’s peak.

The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the dark woods, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle with only an immortal rabbit for company. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their ruinous attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. A deadly frost approaches, and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch.

Content Warning: death, grief

+ The narrator did a great job voicing all the characters in this story.

+ This is a beautifully told story that starts off with a fairytale. It definitely gave me Frozen + Beauty and the Beast vibes. Aurora loved the story of the Starmaker as a child, a Sun goddess who fell in love with a human, who then becomes the Starmaker. And when Aurora becomes the next Starmaker Rising, her whole world changes! I loved all the magical elements of the story. This story is set in a very cold climate and it felt like it from start to finish.

+ Aurora has a deep love for her family and she does a lot of things for them. I liked that about her. Her character goes through a few things and find that she wants to shine on her own, without being a bride until it was her choice to marry. She trains to be the next Starmaker with the current Starmaker’s help. The Starmaker (Caspian) is not a happy man, he’s a grouch and wants to be left alone – he’s been alive too long, lived with loss and pain and now with Aurora becoming the next Starmaker, he knows his own time was coming to an end. So they clash a lot because Aurora is so stubborn.

+ The romance is emotional, heartbreaking and bittersweet. Aurora and the Starmaker clash a lot, but being forced to train and live together, makes something more grow between them. Friendship and then love. There is a big price to being a Starmaker – it causes pain, it causes death, and yet without a Starmaker, a whole village could die. So there is big responsibility in the role, but the price that has to be paid is painful – as Aurora finds out. This is categorized as young adult, but there is one spicy scene which isn’t very graphic, but it is there. So I don’t know if this is more New Adult? Not sure.

~ I enjoyed the story a lot but Aurora was so stubborn and always fighting Caspian for no real reason except being mad at him because he revealed she was the next Starmaker and it changed her life. Yet it wasn’t his fault, it was the sun who chose her! He keeps telling her if she fights her role as Starmaker she will die, but she keeps fighting it and him. She took out her anger on him every chance she got…which was frustrating. I wanted her to grow up. So I didn’t totally love her character – there is growth at the end when she is again forced to face her responsibilities, but she is very stubborn.

Final Thoughts:

This story is told like a fairytale with magic, lovable creatures, and themes of family. I didn’t quite love Aurora all the time throughout the story but I guess her stubbornness is what kept her love with Caspian going. I still enjoyed her story about falling in love with the Starmaker, it’s beautiful and heartbreaking. This is a beautifully told and narrated story about love, magic, fate, sacrifice, stubbornness and grief.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Bring Me Your Midnight by. Rachel Griffin | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Nature of Witches by. Rachel Griffin | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Dawn of the North by. Demi Winters | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Dawn of the North (The Ashen, #3)

Author: Demi Winters

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 608

Publication Date: 2/2/26

Publisher: Delacorte Press

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

A new age begins in the Kingdom of Íseldur in this sizzling third installment of the Viking-inspired Ashen romantasy the series.

The lost Volsik heir has finally returned to the people of Íseldur, and even with the warrior who’s captured her heart standing by her side, Silla’s task is monumental. She must earn the loyalty of the northern jarls to drive Ivar Ironheart from the throne and restore peace in the kingdom. But the secret she vigilantly guards threatens to ruin all her plans: A shard of a god lives in her mind, twisting her thoughts and deeds to His will.

Meanwhile, held captive on the mysterious isle of Zagadka, Saga Volsik fights to return to her sister in Íseldur. But when King Ivar sets his sights on the Zagadkians, she’s forced to make an impossible choice: fight for the man who stole her—and is now hell-bent on marrying her—or let the innocent people of his kingdom die.

As a poisonous mist threatens the realm, the sisters will delve into the unknowns of their magic to battle against evil. Return to the land of ice and fire, where a god awakens, a queen finds her power, and sisters must unite against the darkness threatening their realm.

Content Warning: violence, death

I will say this about this book – for awhile I was not in the mood to read this. I tried but it is heavy world-building and my moods in January were up, down, anxious and I was not planning on re-reading any of the previous books. I looked back on my reviews of the past books and went from there.

+~ This is book three in The Ashen series, and unfortunately I did not get around to reading the novella before this book. With that said, I had a hard time remembering what happened in book two so definitely do a re-read beforehand because it will help a lot. I was trying to get into the for 30% of the book. Also because it’s heavy world-building I wasn’t in the mood to get through it, there are even footnotes, so I was pushing myself through it until things clicked. For anyone who loves detailed world-building, this book is fantastic and well-written. It follows Silla as she is trying to be a leader, and Saga as she is stuck with Kassandr and facing opposition there. Also we get moments with the Bloodaxe Crew.

+ Silla is a leader, or she’s trying to be and it comes with it’s challenges. She also has to deal with the God of Chaos inside of her – she does a really good job I’d say. Also Saga, her sister, is stuck with Kassandr and facing opposition there. With Saga we learn about the shapeshifters. Also we get moments with the Bloodaxe Crew which is always fun, they are what made me love this series in the first place. We also get a lot of time with Hekla (read Roots of Darkness, 2.5 for more of her story because I didn’t and should have) and what she’s going through. There is a lot going on with action, and character growth.

+ Silla and Rey are pretty solid in their love but Silla’s people want her to make an advantageous marriage since she is their leader. So though there are times Silla and Rey are apart, and some jealousy on Rey’s part – but despite that, these two are solid. Saga and Kass’s story drew me in more since I already knew Silla and Rey were pretty solid in their romance story. But Kass is a shifter and Saga is in enemy territory – I kind of love how their relationship progresses. We also get into Hekla’s situation with Eyvind, which again makes me wish I read the novella.

~ This book was long at 600 pages but for some reason, book two was 700 pages and I flew through that one. For some reason, this one moved more slowly for me maybe because there is a lot going on with all these different characters (it is a big cast) and I had to get caught up on being in this world again. Also when I was into Saga’s story it would switch to Silla’s and I wasn’t as invested. I did enjoy the ending though where there is lots of action and characters reuniting.

Final Thoughts:

If you love all the previous books in this series, you will love this one. I wasn’t in the right mood to read this one but even with pushing through, I started to get caught up in the story and really enjoyed the characters and the ending sets up everything for the next book. This story has romance, politics, action and characters you get attached to. This is a great edition to the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Kingdom of Claw by. Demi Winters | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Road of Bones by. Demi Winters | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Alchemy & Ashes by. Amy Yorke | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Alchemy & Ashes (The Shadowbound Duet, #1)

Author: Amy Yorke

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 495

Publication Date: 11/11/25

Categories: Romantasy, Fantasy, Romance, Series

Perfect for fans of Danielle L. Jensen, Carissa Broadbent, and Sarah J. Maas, Alchemy & Ashes is a high-stakes, enemies-to-lovers romantasy where two sisters’ plan to assassinate the king who killed their father goes awry when one of them falls in love with him.

The daughter of a failed rebellion. The king who killed her father. A love that could tear the kingdom apart.

Sylvie has always lived in her sister Adria’s shadow. But at the Great Festival, she finally has her chance to step into the by striking down God-King Ronan, the man who destroyed her family. Adria may have led the rebellion, but Sylvie will be the one to finish it.

Ronan has spent years rebuilding a kingdom broken by the war that claimed his father and shattered his faith. But peace has come at a price. Surrounded by enemies and burdened by secrets too dangerous to reveal, he’s losing of his court, his magic, and maybe even himself.

The closer Sylvie gets to Ronan, the more she’s drawn to the man she vowed to kill. Wanting him would mean betraying not just her sister, but her people and the memory of her parents. Trusting Sylvie could cost Ronan the throne—or his life. Because even if Sylvie refuses to strike, Adria won’t hesitate to finish the job.

The road to the throne runs through his heart. And only one sister will claim it.

Alchemy & Ashes is the first book in the Shadowbound Duet.

Content Warning: violence, death

I picked this one up randomly on Kindle Unlimited one day because of the cover and the synopsis. I was in the mood for a romantasy with all the usual tropes and this one has a few: a rebellion against the current ruling kingdom, a girl who’s plan is to get close to the God-King to kill him, trials, secrets and betrayals.

+ God-King Ronan is throwing the Great Festival, a festival that hasn’t been thrown in 10 years because the kingdoms have been warring. Now in this time of peace, he’s welcoming delegates from other kingdoms to come and partake in the festival and competition in different skills. Sylvie, her sister, guard and group attend this festival with an ulterior motive – to kill Ronan because he killed her father, and her people are starving under his rule, among other things on her list of grievances against him.

+ The world building was interesting and light – which was very easy to consume. There is a magic system based on what you are born with and also use of alchemy. There are different elemental powers people can be born with for example Sylvie is shadow-born, and can control shadows. Ronan is light-born and has powers of light and healing. He also has the power of feeling people’s emotions. There is an alchemist guild that stays a bit mysterious in the story until more is revealed at the end.

+ Sylvie is not like her siblings who are ruthless in battle and rule. Sylvie knows her limitations, she’s the spare and not skilled like the others, but her role is to get close to Ronan. Ronan, I thought was really unexpected. I was expecting him to be ruthless, but he’s not – he wants a peaceful world and is trying to achieve it. He’s kind of a softy! He is loved but also naive and too trusting at times, yet still powerful. I like that he is aware that all the war between their kingdoms have taken so much from everyone and that what he has done may not be forgivable but he’s looking for a way forward so the cycle of war ends. Unfortunately, Sylvie’s family is trying to start another war, and continue the cycle but I like how she learns for herself which side she should be on.

+ It does start of with a little insta-attraction but I love how the romance progressed because there is time for Sylvie and Ronan to get to know one another. There is an attraction growing between them though that eventually leads to some spicy scenes but I liked it because by then Sylvie has to make some hard choices about Ronan and her family. And it’s not an easy choice for Sylvie at all. I do hope we learn a little more about their power of communication that reveals itself in the second half of the story.

+ There is a little bit of romance. Lucan is the Vicar’s adopted son, and he’s been tasked to keep his eye on Isola. Isola doesn’t like him because an incident in the past, but during the Tribunal, they spend more time with one another and decide to team up. Being around one another makes their attraction grow. I was definitely rooting for Lucan and Isola but we’ll have to see what happens in book two.

~ I don’t think we got much of the alchemy part of the story, so hoping that will be explored more in book two.

Final Thoughts:

This is an easy to consume romantasy with light world-building and with the addictive usual tropes. I actually enjoyed that the MMC wasn’t ruthless and powerful though – he was still powerful, but kind of a softy, which I appreciated. I usually like my kings with alpha energy, but I liked that Ronan was still the leader but willing to look for solutions and wanted peace. Because don’t we just all want peace? Plus he is crazy about Sylvie – I loved their romance and the spice. I would like to learn about the alchemy though so hopefully that is explored more in book two. And after that cliffhanger ending, I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Love and Other Brain Experiments by. Hannah Brohm | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Love and Other Brain Experiments

Author: Hannah Brohm

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 2/3/26

Publisher: Atria Books

Categories: STEM, Romance, Contemporary

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

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

Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Christina Lauren, a STEM academic-rivals-to-lovers rom-com set at a New York conference about two neuroscientists who are forced to pretend they’re dating, leading to unexpected chemistry and a heartfelt journey of self-discovery.

Neuroscientist Dr. Frances Silberstein has success on the brain. As a grad student, she was offered a job by her brilliant boyfriend, but determined to make it on her own, she turned it—and him—down. Now, stuck in postdoc purgatory with no job security and no personal life to speak of, Frances is desperate to make a breakthrough. Her best shot is a summer conference packed with her field’s leading scientists. The only problem? It’s organized by her ex, who has found the success that’s eluded her. But backing out is not an option, because Frances desperately needs to network to save her career.

Enter Dr. Lewis North: her perceptive, meticulous, and inconveniently attractive rival. When their academic sniping gets mistaken for flirtatious chemistry, Frances doesn’t deny it—putting her integrity and career on the line. As soon as her prefrontal cortex is operational again, Frances realizes she needs to keep up the charade, or risk everything she’s worked for. Faking data is out of the question, but fake dating? That might just be the solution she needs.

But as Lewis starts to make her reward centers spark and a major setback has Frances questioning everything, she must confront what she’s willing to chase—for love, for science, and for the future she thought she wanted.

Content Warning: anxiety, panic attack

I thought the way the characters met was cute, and then right away we find out they are rivals in their field of study. Lewis did wrong Frances in the past but this is the first time they’ve met in person, all off the animosity Frances feels for him resurfaces. But then they both attend a conference together and get into a fake dating situation because Frances’ ex is there, and his fiancé assumes she and Lewis are together.

Some quick takeaways I got from this book while reading:

I would never make it in academia.
I never knew all the work post-docs go through with getting and losing funding for research, all the traveling, moving, competing, networking. It sounds exhausting!

With that said – I found the research Frances was doing very fascinating even though I barely understood it. I like how Frances’ motivation in her work stemmed from something that happened to her sister, who she loves so much. Frances as a character was very obsessive about her research, but also was riddled with anxiety and all these decisions about her career path and her life really weighs in on her. Eventually, it overwhelms her and she has to make some hard choices.

The romance is a nice slow burn and I was invested in seeing how Frances and Lewis worked together at fake dating. I love how they argued about science, but came together when it came to family, or supporting one another. There is even spice. There are some situations that challenge their relationship, but I thought the ending was very emotional, it gave me all the feels!

Final Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this and I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. I loved the fake dating, the science talk even if it’s out of my comfort zone, all the insight into what goes in pursuing a career in science and academia, and the rivals to lovers romance with an emotional ending. I look forward to reading more books from this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

We Who Have No Gods by. Liza Anderson | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: We Who Have No Gods

Author: Liza Anderson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 1/27/26

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Dark Academia, Witches, Horror

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

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

In a world of witches, a human woman must hunt or be hunted in this explosive gothic dark academia fantasy filled with war-bent rivals, guarded secrets, and simmering chemistry.

Vic Wood knows her priorities: scrape by on her restaurant wages, take care of her younger brother Henry, and forget their mother ever existed. But Vic’s careful life crumbles when Henry reveals that their long-missing mother belonged to the Acheron Order—a secret society of witches tasked with keeping the dead at bay. What’s worse, Henry inherited their mother’s magical abilities while Vic did not, and Henry has been chosen as the Order’s newest recruit.

Determined to keep him safe, Vic accompanies Henry to the isolated woods in upstate New York that play host to the sprawling and eerie Avalon Castle. When she joins the academy despite lacking powers of her own, she risks not only the Order’s wrath, but also her brother’s. And then there is Xan, the head Sentinel—imposing, ruthless, and frustrating—in charge of protecting Avalon. He makes no secret that he wants Vic to leave.

As she makes both enemies and allies in this mysterious realm, Vic becomes caught between the dark forces at play, with her mother at the heart of it all. What’s stranger is that Vic begins to be affected by the academy—and Xan—in ways she can’t quite understand. But with war between witches threatening the fabric of reality, Vic must decide whether to risk her heart and life for a world where power is everything.

Content Warning: death, gore, violence

+ This story hooked me right away! Vic and Henry has been on the run since their mother, a powerful witch, was murdered. But now The Order have found them and want Henry to study at Avalon Castle, where other witches are admitted there for training and learning. But while Henry has found his place there, Vic, has to figure out where she belongs. I like the dark academia and the witches learning about their powers, and how to fight different monsters. I also like the friendships Vic make at the school.

+ My favorite part of this story I think are the monsters! The monsters are creepy, scary and brought so much suspense and even a little horror. I loved it.

+ I also like the secrets and betrayals in this story. The Order has an enemy, The Brotherhood, and the leaders of both used to be friend’s with Vic’s mother. Now tensions have ramped up ever since Vic has come to the castle so I thought it was interesting to see how she tied into everything.

+~ There is romance but not much spice, and I think the romance took a backseat, which was fine. But I would love to see more between Xan and Vic. I wanted more banter and chemistry.

~ Vic and Henry are siblings and there are times we see their relationship but it’s clear that they are drifting apart. Henry wants her to leave to castle for safety, but Vic wants to be there to protect him. But from the beginning I didn’t feel a strong bond between them.

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed this one, especially the action filled parts where Vic encounters these scary monsters around the castle! I wasn’t expecting the creepy, horror and suspenseful vibes, but I loved it. I liked seeing Vic grow as a character and the ending makes me definitely want to find out what will happen in book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Shadows and Secrets by. Arcadia Rayne | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Shadows and Secrets (The Fatebreaker Trilogy, #1)

Author: Arcadia Rayne

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 614

Publication Date: 11/13/25

Categories: Romantasy, Fae, Fated Mates

She was sent to kill him. Now she might have to marry him.

Huntyr Lachlan is Velia’s deadliest assassin, and the fae prince who destroyed her family just walked into her kingdom.

But when her plan goes wrong, she’s thrust into the Conclave, an ancient competition for the prince’s hand.

Now trapped in a deadly game, Huntyr must navigate rival suitors, perilous trials, and a prince who is far more dangerous, and captivating, than she ever imagined.

In a world where nothing is as it seems, though, her greatest enemy may be the one she least expects.

Content Warning: violence, death, mentions of torture/training

I didn’t know anything about this book. It was one of those nights I was scrolling on Kindle Unlimited, saw this pretty cover, the synopsis sounded like the usual romantasy Fae story and I decided why not?

Even though this is 600+ pages, I felt like the story moved fast because the world-building is light, and there are a few typical tropes: deadly bridal trials, secret identities, enemies to lovers – all the things I enjoy in a romantasy.

Huntyr is a mortal and an assassin. Her contract assigns her to kill the Fae Prince, Derian. Huntyr is only happy to take the contract because she hates the Fae since in her memories, it was the Fae that killed her father. Her father dying when she was young set into motion a childhood of strife, starvation and fear. It’s what made her an assassin.

Derian, is one of the most power Fae in existence – he is a storm-wielder and the spare who is in charge of his brother’s forces. When his brother arranges a marriage for him to a mortal, Derian takes matters into his own hands and instead announces a Conclave – a competition to the death for his hand in marriage. And Huntyr is one of the contestants.

Derian and Huntyr’s relationship starts off with sparks. She can’t stand him but must play a part and hide her assassin identity. And Derian can’t seem to stay away from her. I thought their banter was fun, and I really loved how their relationship grew. They are enemies, but the attraction between them is strong, and soon they are both falling for one another. I loved seeing them fall for one another. It is a fated mates romance, which I usually steer away from, but I like how this one is done. I like how Derion gives Huntyr space when she needs it, but I like how they fight too – it sometimes leads to something which was fun.

The world-building is pretty light, with the deadly trials taking up most of the story. But I didn’t mind it because there was a lot of action. We didn’t get to know a lot of the contestants, but I still enjoyed the fight scenes. Huntyr is pretty bad-ass in a fight. There is an enemy the Fae are fighting, also, the Velkai, who is encroaching on their borders. I also enjoyed the secondary characters and found family that is growing for Huntyr.

I thought the ending was very emotional for Huntyr and a good set up for book two.

One of my issues with this story was some of the language and it wasn’t a lot, just a few here and there…but there would be a moment where the character would say something modern like “cool” and it would take me out of the story.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was such a pleasant surprise! I wasn’t sure if I would like it or I’d just be bored with the usual romantasy tropes, but this was an easy read filled with a strong FMC, romance, spice, and deadly fights. I’ll definitely be reading book two because I want to see how they deal with the Velkai, but definitely check this book out if you like the usual romantasy tropes.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Heavenly Bodies by. Imani Erriu | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Heavenly Bodies (#1)

Author: Imani Erriu

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 1/13/26 (First published 2/13/22)

Publisher: Random House Canada

Categories: Romantasy

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

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

“You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose.”

In a world ruled by the cruel and merciless Stars, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy promises she will fall for a Star, but that it will kill them both.

So when Ariete, Star of Wrath, War and Chaos, descends to wreak havoc on Elara’s kingdom, she flees her home—the Kingdom of Night—for the neighbouring Helios, Kingdom of Light.

And strides straight into the arms of an enemy prince.

Fearing that Ariete might turn his sights to Helios next, Prince Lorenzo is forced to train Elara as a weapon—one worthy of battling against the tyrannical reign of the Stars. But there are shadows even within the Kingdom of Light—and they threaten to reveal the darkness in Lorenzo’s past and the ancient magic that slumbers in Elara’s veins.

And with it all comes an undeniable, star-crossed pull between Elara and Lorenzo that neither can seem to resist…

Content Warning: violence, death, grief

I saw this book around on Amazon and on social media for awhile, but never got around to reading it though I was very interested in it. I know it was first published a few years ago but it seems like it’s going through another republish, maybe with a new cover? Not sure but the publisher reached out to me to ask if I would be willing to read this book and the sequel and of course I was excited about it!

Heavenly Bodies has really interesting world building. It is inspired by the zodiac. Each kingdom is ruled by a zodiac sign with a royal family, but there is also a ruling Star over that family and the people, almost like a God/Goddess.

Elara’s life is in turmoil. She is from Asteria (Piscea-Pisces), her parents have been killed by the King of Stars, Ariete, because of a prophecy that connects the two of them together – apparently Elara’s is supposed to be with him and it will kill them both.

Kidnapped, Elara, finds refuge in Helios (Leyon-Leo), where the king wants her to train to be able to kill Stars. Prince Lorenzo is tasked to train her and they have a rocky start, but eventually a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance grows between them. This story centers around Elara and Lorenzo no matter what the prophecy says and I loved watching their romance grow!

I enjoyed the found family that Elara has found in Helios despite the king being an enemy of her kingdom. I liked a lot of the secondary characters also. We do learn some things about Elara’s kingdom, Asteria and her past later on in the book. She is a political pawn in the first half of the book and is mostly training to use her skills, and learning more about the prophecy but things change in the second half. As a character I thought she was strong and brave and seemed to stand on her own against Ariete.

I think the beginning throws us into the story pretty fast, and right into Helios, without knowing much about Elara and where she is from, so I had to just assume a bunch of things about her kingdom. We do learn more as she compares things but I thought it was a jarring start to the story.

There are a few twists in the end of the story which I thought was fascinating and am eager to see how the story moves forward in book two.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was an engaging read and I was really invested in the world building but the romance is the main focus of this story and what a romance it is. I loved the slow burn between Elara and Lorenzo and the reveals at the end of the book was really unexpected. There are secrets, prophecies, betrayals, found family, action and everything I look for in a romantasy. I’m excited to read book two to see where the story goes after that surprise ending.

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An Arcane Inheritance by. Kamilah Cole | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: An Arcane Inheritance

Author: Kamilah Cole

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 12/30/25

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Categories: New Adult, Dark Academia, Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Magical Realism, LGBT+, 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 for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A modern-day dark academia fantasy with a twist, perfect for fans of Babel and A Deadly Education.

Warren University has stood amongst the ivy elite for centuries, built on the bones―and forbidden magic―of its most prized BIPOC students…hiding the rot of a secret society that will do anything to keep their own powers burning bright. No matter who they must sacrifice along the way.

Ellory Morgan is determined to prove that she belongs at Warren University, an ivy league school whose history is deeply linked to occult rumors and dark secrets. But as she settles into her Freshman year, something about the ornate buildings and shadowy paths feels strangely…familiar. And, with every passing day, that sense of déjà vu grows increasingly sinister.

Despite all logic, despite all reason, despite all the rules of reality, Ellory knows one thing to be true: she has been here before. And if she can’t convince brooding legacy student Hudson Graves to help her remember a past that seems determined to slip through her fingers as if by some insidious magic…this time, she may lose herself for good.d

Content Warning: violence, racism, classism

+ I was intrigued with this story right away. Ellory is a Jamaican immigrant, who’s parents sent her to America to live with her Aunt, so she could get a better life and education. She’s studied so hard but even with good grades, money was never easy to come by so she worked – saved and now is a 21 year old freshman at Warren University. Ellory wants to be a lawyer to make her family proud. I found Ellory so relatable. Her immigrant story is like many in this country and her trying to get a good education is her ticket to success.

+ There are many issues that are brought up throughout the story from colonialism, elitism, racism, and classism. It’s interesting to see how Ellory tries to uncover secrets of Warren University’s past to expose how the wealthy and privilege get away with atrocities. A few elements are woven together in this story and I think it worked, at least for me! I loved the dark academia, and the creepy atmosphere of the library and some other parts of campus. There is a sinister feel that is there throughout the story as Ellory tries to figure out what is going on with missing memories she is experiencing and feelings of being in another space/time. There are mentions of magic and alchemy and maybe a secret society at work. It gave me Legendborn and Inception vibes.

+ I loved how realistic Ellory’s life as a college student was from the studying, going to parties, living off of coffee and trying to make new friends. Now as strange things happen to her on campus and she does more digging though, she comes off as an unreliable narrator – because what are these memories, or missing memories and dejavu she has been experiencing?

+ I did like the slow burn love story between Ellory and Hudson. Clearly there is something there, a sense of dejavu and we don’t know why until the end. But they are rivals in their constitutional law class and I thought their interactions, the bickering and arguing was fun. Also, the reveal at the end was devastating but made me love their romance more.

~ As much as I was hooked onto this book, I did have some issues. This story leads up to a very unexpected and surprising plot twist but I would have liked more information on the secret society, and the magic leading up to it. Things felt vague, maybe on purpose, but I wish we got a just a little more information just so when the plot twist happens it doesn’t feel confusing or weak. I had to sit with it for a moment just to make sure it made sense in my head.

~ I wanted more between Ellory and Hudson. I loved that they were rivals, and then he starts helping her with trying to find out what’s going but I wanted a few more kisses in there! But that’s a personal preference. They are rivals, but except for their first meeting and a few descriptions about why they are rivals, we don’t see it in action. I just wanted more interactions between them since it is very important to the twist.

Final Thoughts:

I could not put this book down because I needed to find out what was going on. I liked Ellory and Hudson and the whole atmosphere of Warren University with the gothic library, and dark secret past. I do wish we had more information about the magic since there is a huge plot twist in this story that involves magic. Also would have loved more interaction with Ellory and Hudson because their love story is wonderful, and one of the main reasons everything devastating happens in this story. Overall, even with the issues I had with it I was very entertained.

Book Links:

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We Who Will Die by. Stacia Stark | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: We Who Will Die (Empire of Blood, #1)

Author: Stacia Stark

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 12/30/25

Publisher: Avon

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Political Intrigue

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

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

From the bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series comes a slow-burn romantasy set in a Roman-inspired world ruled by merciless vampires. Filled with breathtaking combat, vengeful gods, and magical creatures, We Who Will Die is the epic first installment in an enthralling new series perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent, Jasmine Mas, and Rebecca Yarros.

Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers. And the vampire standing on her doorstep is about to turn their world upside down.

Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros. But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.

She quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor. But the vampire under the armor is the last person Arvelle expects to encounter in the emperor’s court.

With her brothers’ lives in the balance, Arvelle has no choice but to ally with the man who once shattered her heart… and with the emperor’s sadistic son, Rorrik—two vampires whose motives are impossible to pin down. Rorrik holds the key to understanding the powers Arvelle is developing—abilities that would put a price on her head if discovered by the emperor.

To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…

Content Warning: death, violence, murder, mention of suicide, grief

+ I didn’t know what to expect from this book but wow was I pleasantly surprised. This story has gladiators, vampires, mythical creatures, a serial killer, a cult, and even zombies? Yes all of that in one book including trials, a slow burn second chance romance plus maybe a brewing love triangle!

+ Arvelle is a bodyguard trying to keep her younger brothers alive, especially Evren, who has bad lungs. But her plans of bringing him to the town who has healers is in jeopardy when a vampire makes her a deal – help him kill the emperor and her brother will be healed and they can be free. To carry out this plan she has to enter another fighting trial, which reminds her of the last one she had participated in where she won but had to watch her best friend die in front of her. Arvelle is a complicated character, frozen by grief, motivated by fear to keep her brothers alive, and just trying to survive.

+ I loved the world-building with everything mixed together – gladiators, vampires, and magic wilders called Sigilmarked. As Arvelle tries to navigate this world of cutthroat empire politics, and trying to train and survive the trials, I was really enjoying how the story was unfolding. There was even a murder mystery, bodies turning up and also someone trying to bring them back to life to build an army – there was a lot going on! I also loved some of the unexpected plot twists!

+ Arvelle is the main character, but Rorrick, the emperor’s son with a sadistic, ruthless reputation is the one I’m really interested. Speaking of Rorrick, this story story has a slow-burn second chance romance involving another guy but also a potential love triangle in the making?

~ Though the romance isn’t really the focus, Arvelle, has to figure out how to kill the king and save her brothers, I’m bummed that this could be a love triangle between brothers. I have found out this year, that I’m tired of romances involving a girl coming in between two brothers. And I also don’t want this to be a “why choose” because they are brothers! That’s a no for me. I am leaning a certain way already, but hope there’s more interactions between them in book two.

~ Arvelle is a complicated character but I needed more from her. I get that she was wallowing in guilt. Everyone could see she didn’t want to be at the trials, but wow was she so weak. And I am glad she went in with grief, bad memories, and a weak ankle but I needed some grit for her. For someone who relied on her instincts being a bodyguard, her instinct about people trying to befriend, was bad. I wanted growth in the second half of the book, is that too soon?

~ There was a lot going on in this book and most of it worked. The only one plot line that got lost among everything going on is the murder mystery. There are dead bodies showing up around these trials – I loved the reveal at the end, but there is no real investigation in the middle of the story about this important development in the story. Pacing of the story also felt choppy at times.

Final Thoughts:

I binged this book in two days. I loved all the elements thrown together: gladiators, vampires, magic, betrayal and everything else. I don’t love a love triangle between brothers but I’ll be here for the mess, drama, and whatever is going to happen in book two. Hopefully there is more growth in Arvelle and she grows some tough skin, especially because she is among vampires. It’s an addicting read and a fun story. I can’t wait for book two!