The Wild Huntress by. Emily Lloyd-Jones | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Wild Huntress

Author: Emily Lloyd-Jones

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 10/1/24

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

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

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

Dive into a lush, standalone fantasy, set in the same world as The Drowned Woods and The Bone Houses, about a deadly competition—perfect for fans of Holly Black and Erin A. Craig.

Every five years, two kingdoms take part in a Wild Hunt. Joining is a bloody risk and even the most qualified hunters can suffer the deadliest fates. Still, hundreds gamble their lives to participate—all vying for the Hunt’s life-changing prize: a magical wish granted by the Otherking.

BRANWEN possesses a gift no other human has: the ability to see and slay monsters. She’s desperate to cure her mother’s sickness, and the Wild Hunt is her only option.

GWYDION is the least impressive of his magically-talented family, but with his ability to control plants and his sleight of hand, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his cruel older brother from becoming a tyrant.

PRYDERI is prince-born and monster-raised. Deep down, the royal crown doesn’t interest him—all he wants is to know is where he belongs.

If they band together against the monstrous creatures within the woods, they have a chance to win. But, then again, nothing is guaranteed when all is fair in love and the Hunt.

Content Warning: death, violence, illness

Emily Lloyd-Jones books are an auto-read for me so I couldn’t wait to read this one. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ I was engrossed in this story right away. I love the storytelling and how we have three compelling characters with different backgrounds, talents and very different goals. Branwen wants to cure her mom’s illness, Gwydion wants to put his sister on the throne and Pryderi is heir to a throne but doesn’t want it. These three come together and join in the Wild Hunt so they can win and get any boon they want. Also, there is a very lovable and moody cat! I love how complex each character is.

+ The world-building is wonderful and magical. I was really immersed in the setting. It’s a world where humans and otherfolk live together so it’s filled with scary creatures, beasts and lots magic. There is political intrigue and drama as well.

+ The Wild Hunt section of the story was action packed. The three characters become a found family which was fun to see. But there are a few twists in this story that kept me on my toes. The story took me on an emotional rollercoaster.

Dislikes:

+ The romance isn’t the main part of this story but I was rooting for it until things fell apart. It resolves in the very end but for me, I did not agree with it. It really is heartbreaking what happens to these three characters on this quest.

My Thoughts:

I was definitely entertained by this story and it took me only two days to read. It has a group of characters that make a found family, a sprinkle of romance, lots of action and magic. I really love this world the author has created which is all part of her other books The Drowned World and The Bone Houses (I loved the Bone Houses a lot) – it would be fantastic to have more books set in this world. I hope to read more from this author!

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Book Links:

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Book Review | The Bone Houses ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Hearts We Sold by. Emily Lloyd-Jones | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Drowned Woods by. Emily Lloyd-Jones | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Heir by. Sabaa Tahir | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Heir (#1)

Author: Sabaa Tahir

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 10/1/24

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

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, 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 G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Prepare for the action-packed, ruthless, and romantic new fantasy from the #1 New York Times bestselling and National Book Award winning author Sabaa Tahir about love, legacy, and vengeance.

An orphan.
An outcast.
A prince.
And a killer who will bring an empire to its knees.

Growing up in the Kegari slums, AIZ has seen her share of suffering. An old tragedy fuels her need for vengeance, but it is love of her people that propels her. Until one hot-headed mistake lands her in an inescapable prison, where the embers of her wrath ignite.

Banished from her tribe for an unforgiveable crime, SIRSHA is a down-on-her-luck tracker who speaks to the earth, air, and water to trace her marks. Destitute, she agrees to hunt down a killer who has murdered children across the Empire. All she has to do is carry out the job and get paid. But then, she falls for a charismatic and inconvenient fugitive who keeps getting in her way.

QUIL is the crown prince of the Empire, nephew of a famed and venerated empress, but he’s loathe to pick up the mantle when his aunt steps down. As the son of the most hated emperor in the history of his people, he, better than anyone, understands that power corrupts. When a vicious new enemy threatens the survival of the Empire, Quil must ask himself if he can rise above his tragic lineage and be the heir his people need.

Beloved storyteller Sabaa Tahir masterfully interweaves the lives of three young people as they grapple with the burdens of power, the treachery of love and the devastating consequences of unchecked greed. Get ready for a dark and breathless journey that will captivate readers and that may cost these young people their lives―and their hearts. Literally.

Content Warning: violence, death, death of children, war

This is a spin-off of the An Ember in the Ashes series – which was really amazing, but I never read the last book and not because I didn’t want to, but life happened and I kept meaning to get to it. But that didn’t stop me from wanting to read Heir. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ The story-telling and world building is amazing which is nothing less than I expected from this author. I liked how the Kegars had sails (aircrafts) that they built to fly! Helene, Elias and Laia make an appearance which is wonderful because it just brought me back to the Ember series and how much I loved these characters. But now they are older, with Helene being guardian to her nephew, Quil and Elias and Laia having kids together.

+ There are a few characters in this book and they are fun to get to know. Quil is Helene’s nephew and heir to the empire but I think my favorite was Sirsha who is a tracker. She’s tracking down an evil presence, she’s quick on her feet, has lots of personality and there is a romance between her and Quil. And then there is Aiz who is someone I was fascinated with in the beginning and then the story reveals her intentions, actions and her past and let’s just say she’s a very complicated character.

+ I did enjoy the second half of this book more than the beginning but that’s probably because of there is so much action and things being revealed in the second half.

Dislikes:

~ I don’t dislike that this is in the book because it is what shapes the villain but many children are sacrificed in this story and it’s heartbreaking (as it should be) and the author does an amazing job at writing this book that I hate the villain so much.

My Thoughts:

I do wish I finished the Ember series or even re-read the whole thing before reading this one but I think I found my footing in this story even though I didn’t finish the Ember series. I loved the new characters like Quil, Sirsha, Ruh and Sufi. I also loved seeing Helene, Elias and Laia in this book. The writing is fantastic as always and the world-building is detailed and expanded. This book made me feel so many emotions and it’s a dark story but so compelling. This is shaping up to be a really good spin-off and I can’t wait to see what happens in the conclusion!

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Book Links:

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Other Books I’ve Read By This Author:

All My Rage by. Sabaa Tahir | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An Ember in the Ashes (#1) by. Sabaa Tahir – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Torch Against the Night (#2) by. Sabaa Tahir – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

**I know I read book three of the Ember series but I didn’t rate it on Goodreads just probably forgot to but I feel like I should do a re-read of the whole thing. **

The Dagger and the Flame by. Catherine Doyle | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Dagger and the Flame (The City of Fantome, #1)

Author: Catherine Doyle

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 510

Publication Date: 10/1/24

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Categories: New Adult, Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Series, Enemies to Lovers

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

Thank you to Margaret K. McElderry Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In the dark underbelly of a beautiful city, two rival assassins are pitted against each other in a deadly game of revenge, where the most dangerous mistake of all is falling in love in this searing young adult fantasy.

In Fantome, a kingdom of cobbled streets, flickering lamplight, beautiful buildings, and secret catacombs, Shade-magic is a scarce and deadly commodity controlled by two enemy the Cloaks and the Daggers—the thieves and the assassins. On the night of her mother’s murder, seventeen-year-old Seraphine runs for her life. Seeking sanctuary with the Cloaks, Sera’s heart is set on revenge. But are her secret abilities a match for the dark-haired boy whose quicksilver eyes follow her around the city?

Nothing can prepare Sera for the moment she finally comes face-to-face with Ransom, heir to the Order of Daggers. And Ransom is shocked to discover that this unassuming farm girl wields a strange and blazing magic he has never seen before. As the Cloaks and the Daggers grapple for control of Fantome’s underworld, Sera and Ransom are consumed by the push and pull of their magic…and the deadly spark and terrible vengeance that keeps drawing them back together.

Content Warning: violence, death, domestic violence, abuse, profanity

I was looking for an enemies to lovers romance and I got it with this book! Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

I’ve been craving for an enemies to lovers romance and this one has banter, violence, and sizzling chemistry that had me riveted. Now I say this is new adult because there was steamy scene. But I loved the cat and mouse between them – and the sending notes to one another scenes? Loved it.
I enjoyed the world building and how the Cloak (thieves) and Daggers (assassins) are rival organized crime groups. Central to these two sides is Seraphine who’s mother was basically a drug manufacturer (the drug being Shade) and was killed by a Dagger. Now Sera is out for revenge and I like the twists in the story. It doesn’t help Sera’s dreams of revenge that Ransom is tasked to kill her.
I love Pippin, Sera’s dog.
Both Sera and Ransom have found families but Sera’s found family is tighter and more trustworthy whereas Ransom’s is a little more cutthroat. I definitely felt for Ransom, poor guy.

Dislikes:

I wanted more interaction between Sera and Ransom in the first half but it’s a slow burn between them.
The beginning of the story is slow but I’m glad I stuck it out.

My Thoughts:

I found this story pretty entertaining and I loved that it was enemies to lovers with some blood involved. This story has action, found family, a lot of chemistry between two rivals, magic and some interesting twists. I was rooting for Sera and Ransom until the end, so we’ll see what happens in book two!

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Book Links:

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Other Books By This Author:

Cursed Crowns by. Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Twin Crowns by. Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Review | The Storm Keeper’s Island ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Vendetta (Blood for Blood, #1) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Inferno (Blood for Blood, #2) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mafiosa (Blood for Blood, #3) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Medium by. Sarah Adler | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Happy Medium

Author: Sarah Adler

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 4/30/24

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Paranormal

A clever con woman must convince a skeptical, sexy farmer of his property’s resident real-life ghost if she’s to save them all from a fate worse than death, in this delightful new novel from the author of Mrs. Nash’s Ashes .

Fake spirit medium Gretchen Acorn is happy to help when her best ( wealthiest) client hires her to investigate the unexplained phenomena preventing the sale of her bridge partner’s struggling goat farm. Gretchen may be a fraud, but she’d like to think she’s a beneficent one. So if “cleansing” the property will help a nice old man finally retire and put some much-needed cash in her pockets at the same time, who’s she to say no?

Of course, it turns out said bridge partner isn’t the kindly AARP member Gretchen imagined—Charlie Waybill is young, hot as hell, and extremely unconvinced that Gretchen can communicate with the dead. (Which, fair.) Except, to her surprise, Gretchen finds herself face-to-face with the very real, very chatty ghost that’s been wreaking havoc during every open house. And he wants her to help ensure Charlie avoids the same family curse that’s had Everett haunting Gilded Creek since the 1920s.

Now, Gretchen has one month to convince Charlie he can’t sell the property. Unfortunately, hard work and honesty seem to be the way to win over the stubborn farmer—not exactly Gretchen’s strengths. But trust isn’t the only thing growing between them, and the risk of losing Charlie to the spirit realm looms over Gretchen almost as annoyingly as Everett himself. To save the goat farm, its friendly phantom, and the man she’s beginning to love, Gretchen will need to pull off the greatest con of her being fully, genuinely herself.

Content Warning:

A con woman, a goat farmer and a ghost? I thought this would be a quirky read and I was not disappointed! Gretchen is a fake spirit medium, that’s how she makes a living but when one of her clients asks her to do a job for her because a ghost is haunting a house, she has to take it because the money is good. But what happens when she becomes a real spirit medium and can see Everett, the ghost who is haunting Charlie’s house? Well I didn’t expect them to become besties, but they do and it is a lot of fun.

I loved the banter between Everett and Gretchen, the two of them together are so funny. As for Charlie and Gretchen – I can totally see why he didn’t trust her, but he calls her on it and once the trust builds and the walls come down, they tune into one another and things get steamy! But I did find Everett and Gretchen’s relationship more fun than hers with Charlie.

My Final Thoughts:

This was a fun, paranormal, rom-com story. I loved Gretchen’s interactions with Everett and seeing her break down her walls, make friends, get close to people and fall in love. This is the first book I’ve read from this author but definitely look forward to reading more from her!

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The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by. Megan Bannen | Audiobook Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

Author: Megan Bannen

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 8/23/22

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy, Paranormal

Hart is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the strange and magical wilds of Tanria. It’s an unforgiving job, and Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness.

Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.

After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to “A Friend”. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.

If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most – Mercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares – each other?

Content Warning: death, violence, grief

I finally got around to reading or listening to this book and I can see why so many readers love it! This was a fun, engrossing and heart warming story all wrapped up in a sort of “You’ve Got Mail” situation but in a contemporary fantasy world. The world-building is unique and really fleshed out with gods, demigods, talking creatures/animals, and zombies! But what I really loved about this book were the characters.

Mercy is an undertaker and I really love her family dynamics. They are chaotic, but such a lovable bunch. Hart, is gruff and grumpy and he and Mercy do not get along at all. But then they are writing letters without knowing they are writing to each other. Of course they will have to deal with the moment they finally meet and know the truth. There is a lot of chemistry between Mercy and Hart and they have some very spicy moments together.

The secondary characters really rounded this feeling of community in this story from Mercy’s family members, to Hart’s found family.

I might have not caught on to some things because I was listening to the audiobook for about 60% of the book. The last 40% I read the ebook because I felt like I wasn’t getting all the details. I did with Mercy and Hart had more good times together before the fall out and that she gave him a chance to explain at least.

My Final Thoughts:

This was such a unique romance with so much going on but what I really loved were the characters and their interactions with one another. Mercy’s family was just so much fun and the whole world of Tanria was fascinating. I look forward to reading the next book!

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Birding with Benefits by. Sarah T. Dubb | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Birding with Benefits

Author: Sarah T. Dubb

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 6/4/24

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Birding, Fake Dating

A divorcee embarks on her “year of yes” and crosses paths with a shy but sensitive birdwatcher who changes her life in this charming rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Ali Hazelwood.

Newly divorced, almost-empty-nester Celeste is finally seeking adventure and putting herself first, cliches be damned. So when a friend asks Celeste to “partner” with his buddy John for an event, Celeste throws herself into the role of his temporary girlfriend. But quiet cinnamon roll John isn’t looking for love, just birds—he needs a partner for Tucson’s biggest bird-watching contest if he’s ever going to launch his own guiding business. By the time they untangle their crossed signals, they’ve become teammates…and thanks to his meddling friends, a fake couple.

Celeste can’t tell a sparrow from a swallow, but John is a great teacher, and the hours they spend hiking in the Arizona wilderness feed Celeste’s hunger for new adventures while giving John a chance to practice his dream job. As the two spend more time together, they end up watching more than just the birds, and their chemistry becomes undeniable. Since they’re both committed to the single life, Celeste suggests a status upgrade: birders with benefits, just until the contest is done. But as the bird count goes up and their time together ticks down, John and Celeste will have to decide if their benefits can last a lifetime, or if this love affair is for the birds.

Content Warning:

Ok I was so curious about this book because it’s about birding but with romance? I wanted to learn about birding and I totally did while reading this book. But the fake dating was a wonderful part of this book also.

Celeste is 42, and a divorcee and her daughter will be going off to college so she’s trying to live a life of “yes”. Being married young made her feel trapped and now she’s trying anything and everything to find her joy again. She gets into a situation where she thought she would be helping a guy and be his fake-girlfriend but instead he needed help in a birding competition – but they decide to do both! Celeste is social, loud, and a go-getter whereas John is quiet, and more of an introvert so these two are polar opposites but it works.

I liked Celeste’s journey of trying new things after her divorce, I found her relatable when it came to feeling stifled in her marriage and trying to find herself. I like that her best friend Maria is a new mom and we get to see two women navigating parenthood and relationships at different phases of their lives. John has an interesting back story and where Celeste feels like everyone thinks she’s “too much”, with John he went through life with people expecting more from him which again, I felt was totally relatable. He’s a very quiet guy, but just because he’s quiet doesn’t mean he wasn’t feeling a lot of things for Celeste.

I thought their birding romance was pretty fun and unexpectedly steamy! I liked that Celeste was in her 40’s, I hardly read books with MC’s in their 40’s. She did at times come off younger but maybe if I was a new divrocee I might act younger too? Who knows! I did wish we had more scenes with her daughter because she’s a big part of her world and a main conflict near the end of the book.

My Final Thoughts:

I got to learn a little bit about birding and the fake dating romance between the two opposites was fun! I was surprised to see how steamy this book was – who knew birding could be so sexy? Overall, I enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more books from this author.

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The Paradise Problem by. Christina Lauren | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Paradise Problem

Author: Christina Lauren

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 5/14/24

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Marriage of Convenience

Christina Lauren, returns with a delicious new romance between the buttoned-up heir of a grocery chain and his free-spirited artist ex as they fake their relationship in order to receive a massive inheritance.

Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways.

Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.

Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents—his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.

But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.

Content Warning: family conflict, parent with illness

I thought this was entertaining and cute especially if you like rich people problems! Anna Green is not rich and just the first chapter alone painted who she was and the struggle she was going through in her life. Liam is rich and needs to attend his younger sister’s wedding but his family thinks he has a wife. Anna Green is that wife since they had a marriage of convenience a few years ago just to get some decent student housing on campus. Now they have to put on a show and convince Liam’s family that they are into each other.

Anna and Liam are total opposites. Anna’s a free spirit and Liam is a buttoned up professor. She makes him laugh and Liam is helping her financially which is a win-win. Plus the attraction between them is undeniable. I thought Anna and Liam made a cute couple and they had so many fun interactions and banter.

Speaking of banter though, I thought Anna and Viv (bestie) were fun and Blaire (sister-in-law) is such a character! Liam’s family or I should say dad, was something else. What a narcissistic, awful father. The way he treated people and his family was unbearable. There is a lot of tension between family members and I don’t know that Anna and Liam sold their act of being married but it was entertaining.

My Final Thoughts:

This is a fun summer read that has the perfect tropical setting, rich people drama, marriage of convenience, great chemistry and steamy scenes. I thought the romance was sweet without too much break up drama – since Anna is such a messy, free spirit, I liked how she went with the flow of the chaos and still stood up for herself and principles when it got to be too much. Liam’s dad is really such an awful human being, so I liked how things ended with the family. Overall, this was an entertaining read and perfect as a beach or pool read.

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Book Links:

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Other Books by this Author:

The True Love Experiment by. Christina Lauren | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Something Wilder by. Christina Lauren | Audiobook Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Soulmate Equation | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In A Holidaze | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review | The Unhoneymooners ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC Review | The Honey-Don’t List ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Mirror of Beasts by. Alexandra Bracken | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Mirror of Beasts (Silver in the Bone, #2)

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 576

Publication Date: 7/30/24

Publisher: Hachette Children’s Group

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Series, King Arthur, 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 Hachette Children’s Group for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

With the dream of Avalon in ruins, Tamsin and her friends are all that stands in the way of Lord Death’s plans to unleash the horrors of Anwnn on the world of the living. As the Wild Hunt carves a bloody path across continents, Tamsin is mustering allies, tracking down powerful artifacts, and traversing into new otherlands in search of a way to stop him.

Legend tells of a “Mirror of Beasts,” powerful enough to trap even Lord Death in its accursed glass, but the mirror is not all that it seems. Tamsin must confront her own darkest secrets if she hopes to tap the mirror’s strength to defeat her enemies.

Arthurian legend bleeds into contemporary action, and scars of the past are torn open anew by a starcrossed love that refuses to go quietly. This riveting conclusion to the Silver in the Bone duology will hold you in its thrall until the very last page.

Content Warning: violence, death

This story throws you right in after the events that happened in Silver in the Bone. It is action filled and for the most part moves at a quick pace. There are quests and the found family trope really brings these characters together. I enjoyed everything that was going on between Tamsin and her friends, Tamsin and Emrys, Tamsin and Cabell her brother who has had a hell of a journey being on the opposite sides of things. They all had stuff to work out and they do so with all this chaos going on.

The story about King Arthur and Excalibur being the basis for this adventure is really cool too. I like that there were some surprises I wasn’t expecting. I loved the romance storyline with Tamsin and Emrys, who have a ways to come back to trusting one another again but they work through it eventually!

I do think this book was long but it makes sense since it’s a duology and there were some things to wrap up. I wonder if it would have been better as a trilogy though? Not sure but I was losing some steam to read it at 75% into the book. There might have been too many characters for me to follow, not the main ones but the sorceresses that are new. I also thought Lord Death was a funny name for a villain, but he was not a funny guy at all – I hated that Cabell was working for him.

My Thoughts:

Overall, I was entertained with this conclusion to the duology! I think it’s a great end to the series that centers on found family. The action and quests really move this story along and the romance is resolved for Emrys and Tamsin which I’m happy about. If you liked Silver in the Bone, I think you’ll also enjoy this one!

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Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books By This Author:

Silver in the Bone by. Alexandra Bracken | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Lore by. Alexandra Bracken | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Unmaking of June Farrow by. Adrienne Young | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Unmaking of June Farrow

Author: Adrienne Young

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 10/17/23

Categories: Adult, Time Travel, Magical Realism, Mystery, Romance

A woman risks everything to end her family’s centuries-old curse, solve her mother’s disappearance, and find love in this mesmerizing novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Spells for Forgetting.

In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm—and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. The whole town remembers the madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance, leaving June to be raised by her grandmother and haunted by rumors.

It’s been a year since June started seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. Faint wind chimes, a voice calling her name, and a mysterious door appearing out of nowhere—the signs of what June always knew was coming. But June is determined to end the curse once and for all, even if she must sacrifice finding love and having a family of her own.

After her grandmother’s death, June discovers a series of cryptic clues regarding her mother’s decades-old disappearance, except they only lead to more questions. But could the door she once assumed was a hallucination be the answer she’s been searching for? The next time it appears, June realizes she can touch it and walk past the threshold. And when she does, she embarks on a journey that will not only change both the past and the future, but also uncover the lingering mysteries of her small town and entangle her heart in an epic star-crossed love.

With The Unmaking of June Farrow, Adrienne Young delivers a brilliant novel of romance, mystery, and a touch of the impossible—a story you will never forget.

Content Warning: death, murder, violence

This story was mind-boggling and honestly I don’t know if I followed the timelines presented to me in it. I need a white-board filled with explanations for this one but not in a bad way! Time travel stories always leave me a bit lost.

The Farrow women have an illness that has to do with the mind, or they also call it a curse. But what these Farrow women know is that they can time travel and it’s explained pretty well in the story but like I said, I’m a visual person so at times I just went with it even though I didn’t quite follow the time jumping.

All I know is the writing is immersive, I was so invested in June’s story. And when she jumps back to a time where she has to basically figure out her bearings and face the consequences of a past decision, it pulled my heart strings. I only wanted the best for June and her family. I’m just glad it worked out in the end. This story is filled with mystery and so much emotion packed into a very quick read. There are also very tense moments when June starts piecing together everything that happened in one fatal night that changed all their lives forever. But overall what a unique story!

My Final Thoughts:

I love this author’s books and so far only read fantasy from her. This one was different but I enjoyed the mystery and putting all the pieces together. I may not have followed how all the time jump works but what made me love this book was the emotions it made me feel. I’m glad I finally read this one!

Quotes From This Book:

“You may have ruined my life, June. But first, you gave me one.”
The Unmaking of June Farrow by. Adrienne Young

“I’d never felt fear like that. Not ever. And I didn’t think there was any way to ever come back from that explosion of light that had birthed a universe inside of me when she said that word. Mama.”
The Unmaking of June Farrow by. Adrienne Young

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Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books From This Author:

The Last Legacy by. Adrienne Young | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Namesake | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Fable | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC Review | The Girl the Sea Gave Back ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sky in the Deep by. Adrienne Young ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Calculation of You and Me by. Serena Kaylor | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Calculation of You and Me

Author: Serena Kaylor

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 6/18/24

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Neurodivergent, Romance

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

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

A calculus nerd enlists her surly classmate’s help to win back her ex-boyfriend, but when sparks start to fly, she realizes there’s no algorithm for falling in love.

Marlowe Thompson understands a lot of things. She understands that calculus isn’t overwhelmingly beautiful to everyone, and that it typically kills the mood when you try to talk Python coding over beer pong. She understands people were surprised when golden boy Josh asked her out and she went from weird, math-obsessed Marlowe to half of their school’s couple goals. Unfortunately, Marlowe was surprised when Josh dumped her because he’d prefer a girlfriend who was more romantic. One with emotional depth.

But Marlowe has never failed anything in her life, and she isn’t about to start now. When she’s paired with Ashton Hayes for an English project, his black clothing and moody eyeliner cause a bit of a systems overload, and the dissonant sounds of his rock band make her brain itch. But when she discovers Ash’s hidden stash of love songs, Marlowe makes a desperate deal to unleash her inner romantic heroine: if Ash will agree to help her write some love letters, she’ll calculate the perfect data analytics formula to make Ash’s band go viral.

As the semester heats up with yearning love notes and late nights spent with a boy who escapes any box her brain tries to put him in, Marlowe starts to question if there’s really a set solution to love. Could a girl who has never met a problem she couldn’t solve have gotten the math so massively wrong?

Content Warning:

Marlowe is neurodivergent, and for someone who struggles with social cues and expressing feelings, she was doing pretty good. She had the most popular boy in school as her boyfriend, and she was part of the “in” crowd. That is…until her boyfriend breaks up with her and her routine for the past two years is upended.

I thought this was such a cute romance. Marlowe is all about numbers and mushrooms, she’s analytical and her ex complained she wasn’t romantic enough. Yes, she had the golden-haired, perfect Southern boy, jock as her boyfriend but then she gets paired up with the dark-haired boy, Ash, who is in a band and has a lip ring. Her world is turned upside down and I loved seeing it happen! I love the opposites attract trope especially between a boy with a bad rep and a smart girl. But the thing is – Marlowe can’t let go of her routine, she wants Josh back and tries to learn to be more romantic to win him back. Marlowe and Ash help each other out but they fall in love with each other in the process.

There are some really great side characters in this story. I love her two best friends who are as unique as she is but I love how they had her back no matter what. Marlowe wanted Josh back, and even if they hated the idea, they tried to help her make it happen. They gave her space to make her mistakes and learn from them without judging her and that was so cool. I also enjoyed learning about Marlowe’s family dynamics too which play a part in how she feels about relationships.

My Thoughts:

This was such a cute, slow burn, teenage romance that has great side characters, a main character who has growth, and even a grand gesture! The romance progression is so good with Ash helping her get Josh back, to Marlowe realizing she didn’t want Josh back at all but Ash instead. I enjoyed this one and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.