Tag: book review

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

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

Weekly Wrap Up | 10/4/26

Aloha friends!

+ It was a regular week and now it’s Fall Break for my kids! So we will be mostly chillin’ at home, maybe we will go see the Forgotten Island movie. But it’s expensive out there!

Blog Posts:

Books I Finished

  • Hide the Witches by Miranda Lyn
  • Bloodbound by J.A. Good
  • The House of Gardenias by. Isabel Cañas
  • The Scarlet Ball

Currently Reading:

  • Revived by. Bree L. Mina
  • Sharpest Court by. Kiera Azar
  • Cursed City by. Kate Golden
  • The Taming by. Eve Holllenbeck
  • The Divines by. Rachel Greenlaw
  • The Lost Guardian by. Natalia Hernandez

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

  • The Love Hypothesis (Amazon Prime) – this was kinda cute, I loved the female actress, the male actor was okay. I don’t remember the details of the book but I still enjoyed it.
  • Unabomber (Netflix) – I just needed to watch something on Netflix because why pay for it if I’m not using it? This was about Ted Kaczynski the Unabomber and though we get to learn about what triggered him to be the way he was, it was kind of anticlimactic.
  • Football

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

Instagram | Tiktok

The Scarlet Ball by. Nghi Vo | ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Scarlet Ball

Author: Nghi Vo

Pages: 336

Format: audiobook

Listening Hours: 11hours 21 min (approx.)

Narrator (s): Natalie Naudus

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Publication Date: 10/6/26

Categories: Gilded Age, Paranormal, Gothic, Dark Romance

From USA Today bestselling author Nghi Vo, this all-consuming tale of ballrooms and bloodshed weds The Gilded Age with the Gothic vision of Guillermo del Toro.

Pick a face, pick a fate.

Judith Ban, former convent girl, courtesan, and failed thief, is on the lookout for her next identity. The daughter of a Vietnamese adventuress and a French naval officer, she’s no stranger to risk, but she’s unprepared for the secrets of New York’s legendary Four Hundred, or for the women who build their power at the city’s heart through blood-soaked, gold-etched rituals of demonic marriage.

In exchange for enough wealth to outrun her past, Judith strikes a deal with the matriarch of the powerful Howard family: she will stand in for the missing Howard granddaughter, who was poised to make her debut when she disappeared. With Miss Iphigenia Marshall’s face stitched over her own, Judith is white, rich, and about to risk body and soul in the deadly games that determine which girls will find a match—and which will be devoured. If she can keep her wits and her life, her reward will be a husband with undreamt-of power who will be hers to command… so long as she can keep his infinite hungers fed. But to survive the season, Judith will have to seduce a storm in the shape of a man, before the night to which everything has been leading—the Scarlet Ball where the demons choose their brides.

A razor-sharp subversion of romance tropes and nightmare of manners, Vo’s fusion of history and fantasy does for Edith Wharton what her acclaimed debut The Chosen and the Beautiful did for F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Content Warning: death, violence, body horror, self harm, drug use

+ I am a fan of this narrator, since I’ve listen to her narrate a few books now. She did a great job with this one as always.

+ This is a dark story about Judith, who is half French and Vietmanese, trying to survive New York City during the Gilded Age. She takes a job to stand in for someone’s granddaughter, she wears her face – it is stitched on and entertain men, but these are not just men, under their skin they are demon lords. And demon lords need to be fed or else they will eat you. The atmosphere of the balls and wealth with the darkness of the men being entertained was really intriguing, especially when one man, Sebastian starts to single Judith out.

+ There are some very interesting characters in this story, like the Howard family who are powerful in society. Mrs. Howard is who takes Judith in, entices her with money, but also throws her out to the wolves, knowing what these men are. Sebastian is a man but a monster underneath, he is an actual “storm” come to life and he needs to eat or no matter how much he wants and loves Judith, she will be consumed – he was fascinating.

+ The romance is unconventional because Judith is not who she is pretending to be, she’s trying to survive this world of the powerful, wealthy and demon lords. Sebastian though, wants her and even with the strange circumstances between them an attractions builds. I thought the ending and what happens between them was very interesting!

+~ I did think the first half of the book was a slow build and maybe I would have connected more if I read it as an ebook so I could visualize everything better, but things definitely pick up in the second half which was my favorite part. That’s when horror comes into play and I found the body horror quite gruesome, but so fitting for the climax of the story. We watch Judith finally able to fight and be herself.

Final Thoughts:

This is the first book I’ve read from this author but I’ve seen her name around. I think the narrator was great, but I do think the first half of the story moved too slowly for me. I did like the setting of the Gilded Age, the balls, gowns, wealth, debutants and then the demon lords. It definitely touches on a woman’s lack of power in a wealthy society. The second half was great and there is action, a monster romance, and some horror too. Overall, I enjoyed and will hopefully read more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Monthly Wrap Up | September 2026

September was a strange month for reading, I was reading a bit slow, then I ramped up my reading then at the end of month I got lazy again. Maybe it’s the change in season? My mood was all over the place, maybe I had too many arcs and I wasn’t in the mood to read them? Not sure but hopefully October is better.

I read 24 books in September:

  1. Our Strange Duet by. Erin A. Craig (arc)
  2. The Age of Blood and Magic by. Hannah Mathewson (arc)
  3. The Heart Trials by. J. Elle (arc)
  4. Stalkers Anonymous by. Dana Leeann (arc)
  5. White Raven by. Stacey Marie Brown
  6. The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing by. Marshall J. Moore (arc)
  7. A Crown of Blood and Magick by. Amy De La Force (arc)
  8. The Museum of Modern Love by. Mariko Turk (alc)
  9. Who Needs Mistletoe? by. Sarah Estep (arc)
  10. The Shattered Tempest by. Thea Guanzon (arc)
  11. Pretty Savage by. Lexi Davis (arc)
  12. Captive Traitor King by. Brigid Kemmerer (arc)
  13. Queen of Lombard Street by. Lisa Kleypas (arc)
  14. Stone Bound by. Jocelyn James (arc)
  15. Spark the Flames by. Ivy Asher
  16. Ignite the Infernos by. Ivy Asher
  17. The Wildborn by. Perri Torani
  18. Tallow and Bone by. Rhiannon Hargadon (arc)
  19. Bonetide by. Karina Halle
  20. Love, Lies and Too Many Guys by. Erica Lucke Dean
  21. Harbinger by. Geneva Lee
  22. The Scarlet Ball by. Nghi Vo
  23. The House of Gardenias by. Isabel Cañas
  24. Hide the Witches by. Miranda Lyn

Reviews I Posted On My Blog:

5 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

4 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫:

3 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️⭐️:

2.5 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️💫

2 Star Reads – ⭐️⭐️

How was your month?

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram) | TikTok | Etsy

Harbinger by. Geneva Lee | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Harbinger (#1)

Author: Geneva Lee

Pages: 496

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 9/22/26

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series

Arden Icaros was never supposed to matter. From the poorest of five noble bloodlines, she prefers life on the family farm with dirt under her nails over the fine dresses at court. She just needs to get through one boring ceremony, inherit her earth magic, and return home.

Instead, she’s handed a dagger and with it, an impossible choice.

Now Arden is branded an omen of war, half the nobility wants her dead, and assassins are tracking her every move.

Her only chance of survival lies with the most feared man in Antares.

They call him Bishop. No one remembers the name he had before he dedicated his life to his order. Empowered to execute first and question later, Bishop is ruthless, terrifying, and utterly loyal to the kingdom that wants Arden dead.

He should kill her.

Instead, he offers her sanctuary.

But the longer Arden stays under Bishop’s protection, the more dangerous he becomes. Because Bishop has secrets powerful enough to topple kingdoms…and a need for Arden that could ruin them both.

Content Warning: violence, death, complicated family relationships, grief

+~ I tried a few books from this author before but I couldn’t gel with the writing but Harbinger is way different and the writing got better! Harbinger has unique world building – a world ruled by the Stars and the magic it gives some people. But maybe because I’m new to this world and getting use to it there were times that I was wanting more information about some things like this great war that happened long ago and that is about to be unleashed again. Would love to learn more about it since it’s a big deal and Arden is the harbinger to this coming new war.

+ Arden Icaros is her family’s hope to get the magic they need to help cultivate their land. But when the Stars change her fate, she’s labeled a witch, and a harbinger to a new war. I love Arden – lI ove how strong she is and how she says what’s on her mind. She’s not perfect but she loves her family and best friend Kieran. I understood her frustrations with being kept in the dark because as a reader, I felt the same frustrations when it came to the secrets Bishop was keeping. But Arden is so resilient – she goes through a lot in this first book and I liked seeing her trying to rise from her despair. I love Bishop, but would love to learn more about him. The secondary characters are great and then there are the animals!

+ The romance is epic! At first I didn’t quite feel the attraction between them, she had more chemistry with her best friend, Kieran. But when Bishop brings her to his home to protect her things change. Bishop, for the most part kept distant from her but I loved their interactions and how she got under his skin because she wasn’t afraid of him. When the sparks finally fly between them and they act on it, it’s so good, not because they finally get their spice scene but their relationship evolves and they have to work out what a future means between them and if they want to take the risk. I absolutely love them together.

+~ I didn’t expect the emotional impacts that this book gave me. The story touches on family obligation, and complicated relationships. When we first meet Arden’s family, I love them but when challenges come, there are choices to be made and I was sad to see how quick things fall apart. I love her relationship with Kieran. But this story is dark and there are some heartbreaking moments. There are a lot of twists in the story but I have a feeling there is just so much more to learn and reveal in this story. One thing I would have liked to get a better feel for is the ruling kingdom – something happens in the beginning and Bishop whisks her away to his home, so we don’t know what’s happening with the new royal. I think I’d have liked more of the political intrigue to emerge in the story, especially with how it’s tied to the last war but hopefully we learn more in book two.

Final Thoughts:

It was hard to put this one down! I love the magic, world building, found family, Arden’s personal journey, the complicated relationships, the twists and turns and the epic romance. I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!

Read if you like:

  • magic
  • found family
  • epic romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Fallen Court by. Geneva Lee | Audiobook Review – 3 stars/2 🌶️

Filthy Rich Fae by. Geneva Lee | Book Review – 3.5 stars

Filthy Rich Vampire by. Geneva Lee | Book Review – 2.5 stars

WWW Wednesday | 9/30/26

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

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

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

Goodbye September and tomorrow, Hello October! Wow! We are really in the last stretch of 2026 – madness. I have about 22 arcs to go for 2026.

What are you currently reading?

Revived by. Bree L. Mina – arc

Sharpest Court by. Kiera Azar – arc

The Divines by. Rachel Greenlaw – arc

Bloodbound by. J.A. Good – alc

What have you just finished reading?

The Scarlet Ball by. Nghi Vo – arc – 3.5 stars/2 🌶️

Harbinger by. Geneva Lee – 4.5 stars/2 🌶️

Hide the Witches by. Miranda Lyn – 4 stars/2 🌶️

What are you going to read next?

Steelborn by. Taylor J. LaRue

Mortal Things by. Marie Lu

Cursed City by. Kate Golden

Hunt the Dragons by. Miranda Lyn

Splintered Kingdom by. Gretchen Powell Fox

What are YOU reading right now?

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

Weekly Wrap Up | 9/27/26

Aloha friends!

+ Happy last week of September! Can you believe we are going in October? I can’t! Nothing exciting happened this past week, just the usual routine with the kids.

Blog Posts:

Books I Finished

  • The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing by. Marshall J. Moore
  • Harbinger by. Geneva Lee
  • Love, Lies, and Too Many Guys by. Erica Lucke Dean

Currently Reading:

  • Hide the Witches by. Miranda Lyn
  • Shadoward by. Alison Archer
  • Revived by. Bree L. Mina
  • Sharpest Court by. Kiera Azar
  • Us Defiant Few by. Alexis Patton

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

  • You Seem Pretty For a Girl So In Love – Olivia Rodrigo – still on repeat!
  • It’s Football season, so I’ve been watching a few games.

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

Instagram | Tiktok

WWW Wednesday | 9/23/26

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

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

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

We are coming to the end of September and I am almost finished with my arcs for this month, I have one more. 😩. I had way too much to read this month.

What are you currently reading?

Revived by. Bree L. Mina – arc

Sharpest Court by. Kiera Azar – arc

Us Defiant Few by. Alexis Patton

Shadoward by. Alison Archer

The Scarlet Ball by. Nghi Vo – arc

The Divines by. Rachel Greenlaw – arc

Harbinger by. Geneva Lee

What have you just finished reading?

A Crown of Blood and Magick by. Amy De Le Force – arc – 3 stars/2 🌶️

The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing by. Marshall J. Moore – arc – 3 stars

Tallow and Bone by. Rhiannon Hargadon – arc – 4.5 stars/3 🌶️

Bonetide by. Karina Halle – 4 stars/3 🌶️

The Wildborn by. Perri Torani – 3.5 stars/2.5 🌶️

Love, Lies, and Too Many Guys by. Erica Lucke Dean – arc – 3 stars/1 🌶️

What are you going to read next?

Cursebreaker by. R.M. Gray

Firstborn by. M.J. Hastings

The Knave and the Moon by. Rachel Gillig

Steelborn by. Taylor J. LaRue

Mortal Things by. Marie Lu

What are YOU reading right now?