Tag: book series

In Stormy Weather by. Chelsea Curto | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: In Stormy Weather

Author: Chelsea Curto

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 7/14/26

Publisher: Atria Books

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, STEM 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 Atria Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


From USA Today bestselling indie author Chelsea Curto comes an academic rivals-to-lovers romance about storm-chasing meteorologists during hurricane season in Florida—perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and B.K. Borison.

Nothing can rain on Quincy Monroe’s parade. She’s a woman-in-STEM with a PhD in atmospheric sciences, the host of a successful online weather show, and has one million followers on her meteorology Instagram.

Quincy has spent endless hours forging her path in this male-dominated field, becoming one of the best in the industry. And with a new job opportunity, nothing can derail her success. Except for the ill-timed arrival of Sebastian Dunn.

Sebastian is her best friend’s brother, her long-suffering academic and professional rival, and a flashy TV weatherman from New York City that everyone swoons over. Everyone but Quincy.

Over a scorching Florida summer and record-breaking hurricane season, Sebastian and Quincy are forced into close proximity. Setting aside their grudges to chase storms and stay alive is one thing, but can they weather the inevitable collision of their hearts?

Content Warning: destructive weather events

+ Quincy and Sebastian have been rivals since high school. Sebastian is Quincy’s best-friend’s brother, so they are always in the same friend circles. Now he’s back in town, and ready to antagonize Quincy the way he always does.

+ This is set in Florida which is perfect because of all the hurricanes they experience. There is a lot of weather talk in this story, some I didn’t understand, some I did since I live on a tropical island, but I did enjoy how much Quincy and Sebastian would geek out over weather.

+ Quincy is a very smart woman with a PhD but she wants to be taking more seriously in the meteorology field. She is always trying her best and giving her all – especially on her social media weather account, but it doesn’t stop men from judging her because of her looks. Sebastian has had an easier and more successful path as a weather reporter but he’s not happy. I liked seeing both Quincy and Sebastian figure out their career paths, while being together and chasing storms.

+~ The romance is so cute and filled with fun moments because of their rivalry, competition and banter! It’s also spicy. Sebastian is flirty, funny, cocky and smart. It’s clear he loves to drive Quincy because he likes her so much. Quincy can’t help but be turned on when Sebastian speaks about the weather too – so it’s not a surprise they hook up. But I did kind of wish there was more of a build-up to the moment they hook up, because they are rivals. I think it’s clear Sebastian wants her physically but I don’t think Quincy shows it as much as he does, so when it happens, it feels a bit uncharacteristic of her. I love their romance though, and it left me feeling all the feels when they give into their love.

+ I also loved the friend group! They were fun and supportive. I also liked how there wasn’t a big break-up between Quincy and Sebastian, because I loved them together, but I love that their rivalry didn’t come between them.

Final Thoughts:

This is a fun summer romance filled with tumultuous weather, storm chasing, a close-knit friend group; and a fun, spicy and sweet rival to lovers romance. Definitely add this to your summer beach read list!

Read if you like:

  • STEM romance
  • storm chasing
  • rivals to lovers
  • friendship

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Our Wicked Gifts by. Kathryn Foxfield | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Our Wicked Gifts

Author: Kathryn Foxfield

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 422

Publication Date: 7/7/26

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Romance, Fantasy

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

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


The daughter of a sinister magical family who made a deal with the devil must stop the man killing them off, one by one, in this deliciously dark fantasy thriller that’s House of Hollow meets Succession, laced with a kiss-or-kill romance.

Cicely is the black sheep daughter of the powerful Winter family, who made a deal with the devil in exchange for riches and ruthless magic. Soren is the boy her family banished to the underworld. Their fates intertwine when Cicely’s loathsome Uncle Dorian winds up dead at a masquerade ball.

Once overlooked for her lowly gift of discovering secrets, Cicely is now her family’s only chance at survival, tasked with finding the killer before he takes out every last Winter. With time running out, Cicely narrows her sights on Soren, who she suspects is back for vengeance.

Yet the more Cicely investigates Soren–and gets to know him–the more she begins to question how much family loyalty is worth. After all, when it comes to being a Winter, one can have love or power, but rarely both…

Content Warning: violence, death

World Building: The story is set in a contemporary world but with some fantasy because of the magic and deal with the devil the Winter Family has made. There is also a place called the Ruin which is where their magic comes from or something to that effect and I likened it to hell or the underworld. The Winters are wealthy and powerful and they are trying to hold onto that power, no matter the cost.

Characters: I love the complicated characters in the Winter Family. Told through Cecily, we see every aspect of her flawed family. Her mother who is like the queen of their family, her siblings who are more favored in their mother’s eyes. Her uncle Dorian and his family add to the dysfunction as well – and all of them have some kind of magical power because of the deal with the devil their ancestor made. Then there is Soren, a boy that the family killed to keep a secret, but he isn’t quite dead yet and has come back to cause havoc to the Winter family. Cecily herself is someone who loves her family, wants badly for her mom to love her as much as she loves her siblings, but also realizes how wrong her family is for wielding their power the way they do – yet Cecily will do the same if need be. It made for a lot of drama – fun drama though!

Romance: Cecily is the only one who can go into the Ruin and come back out, so it’s not a surprise that the boy she is falling for is dead and part of the Ruin. Soren wants revenge on her family, and Cecily knows her family isn’t good and she’s trying to uncover all the secrets but there are some hard choices that have to be made where Soren is concerned. I feel like the ending left it open for a book two and I hope there is one so I can see if Cecily and Soren’s romance progresses.

Story: I was very into this story. The Winters are trying to stay the top dog but lately it hasn’t been easy with so many scandals brewing. Most of them are not good people, and when their power starts to crack and someone starts murdering members of the family, it leads to a search for who is trying to kill them. I enjoyed the different magic each family member had, I thought it was unique. I enjoyed the complicated relationship between all of them, how they kind of despise one another but it’s family over everything and everyone. I liked the mystery and the suspense! There were some moments in the middle where it slowed down a little but it does pick up again. There are a few twists and the ending feels like it’s setting up for a book two, which I hope is the case.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a fun young adult story with magic, so much family secrets and drama, a murder mystery and even a little romance. I hope there is a book two!

Read if you like:

  • rich family drama
  • magic

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rewrite the Stars by. Lindsay Hameroff | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Rewrite the Stars

Author: Lindsay Hameroff

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 7/7/26

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Beach Read, Women’s Fiction, Small Town Romance

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

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


A sparkling romance between an ex-actress and her contractor, reminding us that it’s never too late to rewrite our destiny.

Semi-retired actress Marissa Morgan has played many parts in her life. But these days, her primary role is mother of two. Since hitting pause on her career, she’s worked hard to give her kids a normal childhood and shield them from the spotlight. So when her ex-husband announces his high-profile engagement and a media storm ensues, Marissa and her kids flee Los Angeles for a summer at her recently inherited Poconos lake house.

The long-vacant house needs major TLC, so Marissa hires a home renovation company to do repairs. But when the project hits a snag and Marissa finds herself sharing space with the crew, including Jesse, the handsome (and vaguely familiar) foreman, her plans for a drama-free summer hit choppy water.

Jesse doesn’t expect Marissa to remember him; they were just kids when they last played together at the lake. But he’s never forgotten her; he’s spent the last two decades quietly following her career, even as his own dreams fell apart. And now that she’s stumbled back into his sleepy hometown, Jesse’s predictable life has gotten a lot more complicated.

As the summer days pass, Marissa finds herself centering her own needs for the first time in years—and that includes giving into her mounting attraction to Jesse. Soon, she finds herself wondering if their fling could become something more.

After an unexpected career opportunity falls into Marissa’s lap, it feels like the stars have finally aligned. But when new complications arise, the pair wonder how they’ll fit into each other’s future. Can Marissa and Jesse chart a new course together, or is it too late to rewrite the script for a happily ever after?

Content Warning: divorce

+ Marissa is an actress who had big acclaim before she got married and had kids. She’s been a stay at home mom for years now and she’s afraid to get back into acting, but with her ex-husband in the tabloids again, she decides to go to the lake house in a small town in the Poconos (Pennsylvania), to get away from all the chaos. While there she meets the man who is helping to renovate the house and sparks fly.

+ I totally related to Marissa on the motherhood elements of this story – the whole stay at home mom thing. Marissa has a lot more on her plate than I do though, like a playboy ex-husband who tries to manipulate her by using the kids, and a son who is autistic. I love how the story navigated all aspects of Marissa’s life. I love how Marissa learns to put herself first.

+ The romance is such a Hallmark movie kind of romance, Marissa is a famous actress and she escapes to a small town, where she has immediate sparks with the carpenter who is doing the flooring in her house. But I love that they knew each other briefly as kids. Marissa is a good person, I thought she was even too nice to her ex-husband, but I can see how he used the kids to get to her. Jesse though is a walking green flag, he’s good with her kids, loves his family and dog and he’s just an all around nice guy. There is spice, which kept it fun.

+ Loved the autistic representation in Levi, Marissa’s son.

Final Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this one and related to the motherhood aspects of the story. I love that Marissa learns to put herself first after putting everyone else first for a few years. The romance was cute with a little spice! The setting is perfect to make this a summer read or beach read. I hope to read more from this author!

Read if you like:

  • motherhood
  • small town romance
  • actress and a regular guy
  • summer romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Witch Season by. Julia Bianco | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Witch Season

Author: Julia Bianco

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 6/30/26

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Witches

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

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


The villain isn’t supposed to be king.

That is the price of magic – not just the blood, but the pain to bring it out.

Katherine Barnes is an enforcer, charged with upholding the rules of the notorious Los Angeles-based Aestas coven. It’s her job to maintain order and bring unsettled witches – people who aren’t aware they have magic until it explodes out of them in a catastrophic burst – into the coven’s fold. As a former unsettled witch, Katherine owes her life to Sylvia Page, coven leader and silver-haired rebel who founded Aestas years ago.

When Silas Khatri, heir to Noctis, the most powerful coven in the world, arrives to take Aestas to task for some of their more unconventional practices, Katherine’s dislike for him reaches blistering levels. She hates his money, his good looks, and his coven’s dangerous attitude towards unsettled witches. She can absolutely overlook that he sets her off in more ways than one.

But a powerful threat is about to rise. Stronger than any one coven. More insidious than the decades-long power struggle that exists in the hidden witch world. One that will pull Katherine and Silas together despite their differences. And one that will lead to an all-out war.

Content Warning: violence, death

World Building: This is an urban fantasy set in Los Angeles, but one where there are witches and covens. There are power families like the Khatris. Ordinaries are people without magic. And sometimes people can “snap” where magic starts growing in them which makes them unsettled, volatile and dangerous. Katherine is someone who did snap as a teenager but now is an Executor for a coven, so she knows there is hope for those who have snapped.

Characters: Katherine is an Executor or enforcer for the Aestas coven and I like her as a character. She’s had a traumatic past but she cares about the young who has snapped, because she sees herself in them. She wants to do the right thing, always. Silas Khatri, is from a powerful witch family, but he’s lived a privileged life. But now his parents want him to take over a leadership role he doesn’t want. Sylvia is the leader of Aestas and Katherine’s mentor. She has a past with the Khatris and right now she’s trying to keep her leadership role but the Khatris are suspicious of her.

Romance: Silas has a reputations as a charmer, flirt and womanizer but something about Katherine gets under his skin. He is attracted to her right away maybe because she doesn’t like him. But with more time spent together the attraction grows, and even Katherine can’t deny she wants him. There is spice, but I didn’t feel like it was prolonged or too graphic. I did find one of the spicy moments happening at a very interesting time. I would have loved a little more build-up in the romance for them. Though there are some things that happen in the story that indicate these two wouldn’t be together, I was still rooting for them. The ending does feel a little abrupt though.

Story: I enjoyed this urban fantasy and the coven politics. I like the characters like Katherine and her best friend, and even love the attraction between her and Silas. Sylvia was an interesting character because she doesn’t seem like a villain at first but her betrayal is unforgivable. I did feel the ending was abrupt and wonder if there will be a book two? I would love to see what happens with Katherine and Silas!

Final Thoughts:

This urban fantasy has coven politics, witches, betrayal, twists, interesting characters and a romance I want to see more of. I hope we get a book two!

Read if you like:

  • urban fantasy
  • witches

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Arcana Academy by. Elise Kova | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Arcana Academy (Arcana Academy, #1)

Author: Elise Kova

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 576

Publication Date: 7/22/25

Publisher: Del Rey

Categories: Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Political Intrigue, Dark Academia, Magic

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

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


A woman who wields magical tarot cards lands herself in a false engagement with the headmaster of a mysterious academy in this first installment of an enthralling romantasy series from the bestselling author of A Deal with the Elf King.

Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards-a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy.

Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy’s enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape-for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time.

In order to conceal her identity and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.

Thrust into a world of arcane magic and royal intrigue, where one misstep will send her back to prison or worse, Clara finds that the prince she swore to hate may not be what he seems. But can she risk giving him power over the world-and her heart? Or will she take it for herself?

Content Warning: violence, death, grief

+ I haven’t read an Elise Kova book in awhile, but I had to read this one because of it’s premise. Tarot card forgery, magic, and an arcana academy sounded very intriguing!

+ In this world of Arcana, a deck of cards is all you need to fight and defend yourself and Clara is talented in making tarot forgeries which is illegal. And it ends her up on the most notorious prison, Halazar. Clara has a second chance now, posing as the second prince’s fiance and attending Arcana Academy. While she’s there working with him to execute his plans of changing the world, she’s also trying to find her sister Arina, who was at the academy and has disappeared. I thought the setting of Arcana Academy was lush, dark, mystery and even opulent for a school. Clara makes some new friends and enemies.

+ I found the magic of the tarot card deck really fascinating! Also throughout the story, Prince Kaelis has a plan to steal some Major Arcana cards from his father, the king, so at some parts of the story it felt like a heist, which I thought was fun and engaging. I also liked the politics. There is still so much secrecy about some of the characters in this book that I hope will be revealed in book two. Also there is a found family trope.

+ The romance was full of tension but I didn’t feel it was a main focus of the book for awhile. Prince Kaelis has an agenda and though Clara is helping him to keep herself from going back to prison, she doesn’t fully trust him either but is definitely attracted to him. He is the misunderstood, brooding prince with a bad reputation, but he is also headmaster at Arcana Academy. The attraction grows between them – reluctantly, since they are enemies, but by the end they do become lovers. There is some spice, where clearly they choose to keep this relationship casual and physical but I think that works out fine since Clara has a lot going on.

~ The story is under 600 pages, but I did read it in two days. The pacing is slow but not in a way that I got too bored. I was steadily curious throughout. I think there was so much information about how the tarot magic worked that sometimes it tended to get info-dumpy and I still was confused about some things because I felt like I needed actual visuals of these cards. But I was also equally fascinated and wanted to learn more!

~ The romance though fun at moments, wasn’t a lot. I wish Kaelis and Clara had more interactions. Clara is really focused on her studies, finding her sisters, and trying to forge cards for Kaelis.

~ There is so many more secrets to be revealed and there is a cliffhanger ending. So now I will be eagerly waiting impatiently for book two!

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a really good start to a new series and I found the magic system fascinating even though sometimes confusing. I enjoyed the enemies to lover romance, the politics and the found family and I’m always a sucker for a dark academia book. The cliffhanger ending makes me eager for book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

A Duel with the Vampire Lord by. Elise Kova | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Dance with the Fae Prince (Married to Magic #2) by. Elise Kova| Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Deal with the Elf King | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Jasad Crown by. Sara Hashem | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Jasad Crown (The Scorched Throne, #2)

Author: Sara Hashem

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 692

Publication Date: 7/15/25

Publisher: Orbit

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

In the thrilling conclusion to the Egyptian-inspired Scorched Throne duology, a fugitive queen must risk everything and everyone she loves for the chance to restore her lost kingdom of Jasad.

Held deep in a mountain refuge, Sylvia has been captured by the Urabi, who believe the Jasad Heir can return their homeland to its former power. But after years of denying her legacy and a forbidden alliance with Jasad’s greatest enemy, Sylvia must win the Urabi’s trust while struggling to hide the dangerous side effects her magic is having on her mind.

In a rival kingdom, Arin must maneuver carefully between his father’s desire to put down the brewing rebellion and the sacred edicts Arin is sworn to uphold. He is determined to find Sylvia before it’s too late, but Arin’s search unravels secrets that threaten the very core of his beliefs about his family and the destruction of Jasad. 

War is inevitable, but Sylvia cannot abandon her people again. The Urabi plan to raise the Jasadi fortress, and it will either kill Sylvia or destroy the humanity she’s fought so hard to protect. For the first time in her life Sylvia doesn’t just want to survive. She wants to win.

The fugitive queen is ready to reign.

Content Warning: violence, death, grief, parental abuse

+ This is part two in The Scorched Throne series and what I loved about the first book was Arin and Sylvia/Essiya. I wanted to see what would happen to them in the conclusion and what a conclusion it is.

+ The enemies to lovers romance in this series is top notch. The tension between Arin and Essiya is so good. And they are always fighting and I don’t mean arguing but physical fighting. And I wanted more in this book but I felt like we still got bread crumbs. There are some exceptional moments though where Arin is telling Essiya what lengths he would go to save her, be with her, love her. It made me melt! It hurts my heart just knowing what they had to go through in this story. But what a love story it turned out to be!

+ Sylvia/Essiya was the compelling character in book one because of who she was and what she was hiding. She’s still amazing in this one – strong, impulsive, but learning to be a leader. It’s Arin that stole my heart in book two. He has to deal with a lot of truths, betrayals, guilt and with his brilliant mind, with him always trying to figure out a puzzle or plan for the future – he of course has to figure out how to save Essiya. I loved both their personal journeys, but more so Arin’s.

+ The world-building was great and the twists in the story did surprise me. I love this lush world of magic, with magical creatures and beasts coming to life.

~ Like book one, I felt like this book again was too long. This is longer than book one, coming in just under 700 pages. I wonder why this was never made into a trilogy because it definitely could have been! Also, I’m starting to question if I just don’t enjoy long books?

~ Because I felt like it was too long, the pacing was uneven. The beginning was slow, it took me a few days to get through it, I was trying to get my bearings and remember who Sefa and Marek were. This time they have their own POVs. I was not-so-patiently waiting for Arin and Essiya to be in scenes together. And then I would be riveted to the story and then it would slow down again. The second half was much better. The ending plot-twist felt a little rushed and I wish there was more to explore that which is why I wish this would have been a trilogy!

Final Thoughts:

Even though it was too long and the pacing was uneven, the Arin and Essiya love story really bumped up my rating from 3.5 to 4 stars. I love them together and was rooting for them hard. I loved the world building and the twists in the story. This was a good conclusion to the duology. If you like fantasy and romance (not so much romantasy – there is no smut in this) then you will enjoy this series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Jasad Heir by. Sara Hashem | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Looking Back on 2024: Series That I Started or Finished

I did a similar post last year to see what series I started and finished during the year. It’s very interesting to see if I stick to a series or not. It’s so hard sometimes to get back into a series after waiting so long for the next book since I don’t re-read a lot of books anymore.

Series That I Started or Finished in 2024

Here’s what I started:

  • A Tempest of Tea (Blood and Tea, #1) by Hafsah Faizal
  • Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth, #1) by. Kristen Ciccarelli
  • A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated, #1) by. Danielle L. Jensen
  • Snowglobe (Snowglobe Duology) by. Soyoung Park
  • The Last Bloodcarver (The Last Bloodcarver) by. Vanessa Le
  • The Veiled Kingdom (The Veiled Kingdom) by. Holly Renee
  • Curious Tides (Drowned Gods) by. Pascale LaCelle
  • When the Moon Hatched (Moonfall) by. Sarah A. Parker
  • Heavenbreaker (Heavenbreaker) by. Sara Wolf
  • The Ever King (The Ever Seas Series) by. LJ Andrews
  • Butcher & Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy) by. Brynne Weaver
  • Heir (Heir Duology) by. Sabaa Tahir
  • The Dagger and the Flame (The City of Fantome series) by. Catherine Doyle
  • Dishonestly Yours (Webs We Weave series) by. Krista & Becca Ritchie
  • The House at Watch Hill (The Watch Hill Trilogy) by. Karen Marie Moning
  • Fledgling (The Keeper’s Records of Revolution series) by. S.K. Ali
  • A Fire in the Sky (A Fire in the Sky series) by. Sophie Jordan
  • Fear the Flames (Fear the Flames series) by. Olivia Rose Darling
  • The Road of Bones (The Ashen series) by. Demi Winters
  • The Games Gods Play (The Crucible series) by. Abigail Owen
  • Filthy Rich Fae (Filthy Rich Fae series) by. Geneva Lee
  • Fangs for Nothing (The Nevermore Murder Club & Smutty Book Coven) by. Steffanie Holmes
  • The Wren in the Holly Library (The Oak and Holly Cycle series) by. K.A. Linde
  • Zodiac Rising (Descendants of the Zodiac series) by. Katie Zhao
  • The Half King (The Half King series) by. Melissa Landers
  • Bloodguard (Old Erth series) by. Cecy Robson

The ones I won’t be continuing are:

  • Snowglobe (Snowglobe Duology) by. Soyoung Park – from what I remember it was intriguing but don’t know if it’s enough for me to read part two.
  • When the Moon Hatched (Moonfall) by. Sarah A. Parker – this first book was SO long, but I pushed through. I don’t know if I have the patience to read a book two.
  • Butcher & Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy) by. Brynne Weaver – read this because of the hype and this was entertaining but not interested in the rest of the series.
  • Fledgling (The Keeper’s Records of Revolution series) by. S.K. Ali – entertaining dystopian read but would have to be in the right mood to read it.
  • Fear the Flames (Fear the Flames series) by. Olivia Rose Darling – I liked this one but didn’t love the flow and wasn’t connecting to the characters.
  • Fangs for Nothing (The Nevermore Murder Club & Smutty Book Coven) by. Steffanie Holmes – this was fun but no interest in continuing unless I have nothing else to read
  • The Wren in the Holly Library (The Oak and Holly Cycle series) by. K.A. Linde – bought this because the book cover was pretty but ugh, I didn’t love the story, wanted more from the story.
  • Zodiac Rising (Descendants of the Zodiac series) by. Katie Zhao – interesting world building but didn’t love.
  • Bloodguard (Old Erth series) by. Cecy Robson – another pretty cover but story was okay.

Here are the series that I finished:

I finished 12 series this year! Many were duologies which makes it easier to finish.

  • Ruthless Vows (Letters of Enchantment series) by. Rebecca Ross
  • Destroy the Day (Defy the Night series) by. Brigid Kemmerer
  • The Prisoner’s Throne (The Stolen Heir Duology) by. Holly Black
  • A Fire Endless (An Elements of Cadence series) by. Rebecca Ross
  • Ghostsmith (House of the Dead series) by. Nicki Pau Preto
  • The Mirror of Beasts (Silver in the Bone series) by. Alexandra Bracken
  • Nothing Like the Movies (Better Than the Movies series) by. Lynn Painter
  • The Blood Orchid (The Scarlet Alchemist series) Kylie Lee Baker
  • Wisteria (Belladonna series) by. Adalyn Grace
  • Fangs for Nothing by. Steffanie Holmes
  • The Whispering Night (The Luminaries series) by. Susan Dennard
  • The Darkness Within Us (The Shadows Between Us series) by. Tricia Levenseller

What series did you start or finish in 2024?

Let me know in the comments!

Looking Back on 2023: Series That I Started or Finished

I did a similar post last year to see what series I started and finished during the year. It’s very interesting to see if I stick to a series or not. It’s so hard sometimes to get back into a series after waiting so long for the next book since I don’t re-read a lot of books anymore.

Series That I Started or Finished in 2023

Here’s what I started:

  • One Dark Window (The Shepherd King series) by. Rachel Gillig
  • Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos series) by. Nisha J. Tuli
  • Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom series) by. Sue Lynn Tan
  • Song of Silver, Flame Like Night (Song of the Last Kingdom series) by. Amelie Wen Zhao
  • Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment series) by. Rebecca Ross
  • Blood & Steel (The Legends of Thezmarr series) by. Helen Schuerer
  • The Foxglove King (The Nightshade Crown series) by. Hannah Whitten
  • Silver in the Bone (Silver in the Bone series) by. Alexandra Bracken
  • The Liar’s Crown (Dominions series) by. Abigail Owen
  • Fourth Wing (The Empyrean series) by. Rebecca Yarros
  • Lightlark (Lightlark series) by. Alex Aster
  • Immortal Longings (Flesh and False Gods series) by. Chloe Gong
  • Stealing Infinity (Stolen Beauty series) by. Alyson Noel
  • A Taste of Torment (Shadow Hills Academy series) by. Stacey Trombley
  • Twin Crowns (Twin Crowns series) by. Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber
  • Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde series) by. Heather Fawcett
  • House of Marionne (House of Marionne series) by. J. Elle
  • The Scarlet Alchemist (The Scarlet Alchemist series) by. Kylie Lee Baker
  • King of Wrath (Kings of Sin series) by. Ana Huang
  • The Stolen Heir (The Stolen Heir duology) by. Holly Black
  • The Jasad Heir (The Scorched Throne series) by. Sara Hashem
  • Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy series) by. Lauren Roberts
  • Heart of Night and Fire (The Nightfire Quartet series) by. Nisha J. Tuli
  • Night of the Witch (Witch and Hunter series) by. Sara Raasch and Beth Revis
  • The Hurricane Wars (The Hurricane Wars series) by. Thea Guanzon
  • To Kill a Shadow (Mistlands series) by. Katherine Quinn

The ones I won’t be continuing are:

  • The Liar’s Crown – Dominions series. I actually read book two but have no interest in finishing the series.
  • Lightlark – this was okay for me but didn’t spark my interest to keep going on in the series.
  • Emily Wilde series is fascinating but a little too slow for me at times. I’d have to be in a really cozy mood to read the next book or I’ll listen to it as an audiobook so this one is a maybe.
  • House of Marionne series is a maybe also. I was intrigued by the ending, but we’ll see how my mood is when book two comes out.
  • Night of the Witch – this was another okay book for me. Don’t think I’ll continue.
  • To Kill a Shadow – I didn’t feel anything new with this series to set it apart from other romance fantasies out there. So I won’t continue this one.

Here are the series that I finished:

  • The Sweetest Betrayal (The Kinder Poison series) by. Natalie Mae
  • Immortality: A Love Story (The Anatomy Duology series) by. Dana Schwartz
  • The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King (Crowns of Nyxia – The Nightborn Duet series) by. Carissa Broadbent
  • These Twisted Bonds (These Hollow Vows series) by. Lexi Ryan
  • Tokyo Dreaming (Tokyo Ever After series) by. Emiko Jean
  • A Dose of Agony (Shadow Hills Academy series) by. Stacey Trombley
  • Forestfall (World at the Lake’s Edge series) by. Lyndall Clipstone
  • Foul Heart Huntsman (Foul Lady Fortune series) by. Chloe Gong
  • Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King series) by. Rachel Gillig
  • This Cursed Light (The Last Finestra series) by. Emily Thiede
  • A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart series) by. Stephanie Garber

Duologies are way easier for me to finish than trilogies for sure! So many of the series I finished were duologies.

What series did you start or finish in 2023?

Let me know in the comments!

Looking Back on 2022: Series That I Started or Finished

I haven’t been the best lately and finishing a series – but that’s why I’ve found duologies really work well for me! This year there were some series I got to finish (YAY!) and some series that I started and hope to eventually…someday. Let’s take a look at the series I read this year:

Series That I Started or Finished in 2022

Here’s what I started:

Okay that’s a long list of series I just started! lol…this is why I end up not finishing some series. 😅

The ones I won’t be continuing are:

  • A Deadly Education by. Naomi Novik (maybe)
  • Forging Silver into Stars by. Brigid Kemmerer (maybe? I rather finish the Defy the Night series!)
  • The Witch Collector by. Charissa Weaks (maybe)
  • House of Beating Wings by. Olivia Wildenstein (definitely will not)

Here are the series that I finished:

I did pretty good in finishing some series this year and mostly because a bunch of these are duologies! I hope I can finish a bunch of series in 2023.

What series are you looking forward to finish or start in 2023?

Let me know in the comments!

A Curse of Queens by. Amanda Bouchet | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: A Curse of Queens (#4)

Author: Amanda Bouchet

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 10/4/22

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Categories: Greek Mythology, Romance, Adventure, Fantasy, 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 Sourcebooks Casablanca for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The queen has been cursed, and no one knows who’s behind the plot to threaten the realm’s fragile peace. Desperate to help, Jocasta hatches a plan to find Circe’s Garden, a fabled island where she hopes to discover an antidote. But she can’t do it alone. She needs the strong arm and unflinching bravery of the warrior she’s loved since childhood—her brother’s right-hand-man and captain of the guard, Flynn of Sinta.

Together they can do the impossible. Yet with treachery brewing on Mount Olympus, one thing is clear: Thalyria and its new royals are still pawns in an epic game of power—one that might end in a War of Gods.

Content Warning:

I read the last Kingmaker Chronicles book when it was published back in 2018 so I advise anyone who hasn’t read them to read it first before this one because you will be very lost. I actually didn’t realize this was a book four of that series. I saw the author’s name, and the cover and requested the book. As I read it I vaguely remembered these characters but not having read the last book in four years meant that I got lost a bunch of times!

What’s fun about this series is the Greek Mythology, plus I loved the series because of the romance. Once more the romance shines here with Jocasta and Flynn. It’s a very slow burn though but they have history. Jocasta has always been in love with Flynn and it’s the same for him but he’s had to deal with some traumatic situations in his life that has scared him off the idea of marrying and having kids.

Jocasta’s character really goes through some challenges and transformation in this book. She starts off as the daughter who is pretty much forgotten since she isn’t much of a warrior. She is a healer and sometimes overlooked in her family. But by the end of this story she is the heroine.

There are a lot of characters in this series and this being book four, it was hard to get situated and remember what happened to certain ones in past books. I had to just push through though. Also there is so much Greek Mythology characters alongside the human ones, there was just many times I wished I had reread the first three books.

The fun parts of the book are the adventures Jocasta and her little crew go on to get to Circe’s island. Carver, Jo’s brother is always arguing with Bellanca. I think their story would be less slow burn and lots of burning haha so I’m excited to see how their story ends up.

Why you should read it:

  • a slow burn romance
  • Greek mythology
  • lots of adventure and battling Greek Gods

Why you might not want to read it:

  • you haven’t read the previous three books in a while or ever…(I recommend you read them!)

My Thoughts:

I would have enjoyed this book more if I had reread the other books in the series. The parts I did enjoy was the adventure to Circe’s island and watching Jocasta and Flynn push and pull towards one another. It’s a slow burn romance but I did like both characters and they deserve their happy ending. I am interested to see what happens to Jo’s brother Carver and if he can get a happy ending as well.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble