Tag: books

New Book Releases This Week | 10/28/25

Happy book birthday to these new releases this week!

Julia Song is Undateable by. Susan Lee

CEO seeks dating coach

Critically acclaimed and reader-favorite author Susan Lee’s hilarious adult debut is a shimmering and joyful look at the magnificent—and sometimes suffocating—weight of family, the ways we limit ourselves, and the irresistible power of love.

Julia Song, CEO of Starlight Cosmetics, is at the height of her career. Then why does she feel like such a failure? Maybe because she’s thirty and single, with a terrible track record at dating. And in the eyes of her Korean family, that is just unacceptable. It never really bothered her—that is until her beloved grandmother drops the bomb that she is sick and her dying wish is for Julia to get married. Impossible. So in a moment of weakness, Julia asks her family for help. Set her up on three dates to help her find The One. But it will never work—Julia is undateable. If only there was a coach for that…

Tae Kim knows about the weight of familial expectation. He’s currently unemployed, living in his parents’ basement to care for his ill father. Sure, he’s become somewhat of a fix-it man for the Korean community around town, but that’s not a real job. And the pressure to get his life together is getting to be too much. So when the Julia Song—his childhood crush—asks for his help, it may be just the distraction he needs. He’ll do whatever it takes, even coach her for these three dates. Problem is, the more time they spend together and the closer they get, the more Tae wonders if anyone is good enough for Julia…including him.

Hazelthorn by. C.G. Drews

Evander has lived like a ghost in the forgotten corners of the Hazelthorn estate ever since he was taken in by his reclusive billionaire guardian, Byron Lennox-Hall, when he was a child. For his safety, Evander has been given three ironclad rules to follow:

He can never leave the estate. He can never go into the gardens. And most importantly, he can never again be left alone with Byron’s charming, underachieving grandson, Laurie.

That last rule has been in place ever since Laurie tried to kill Evander seven years ago, and yet somehow Evander is still obsessed with him.

When Byron suddenly dies, Evander inherits Hazelthorn’s immense gothic mansion and acres of sprawling grounds, along with the entirety of the Lennox-Hall family’s vast wealth. But Evander’s sure his guardian was murdered, and Laurie may be the only one who can help him find the killer before they come for Evander next.

Perhaps even more concerning is how the overgrown garden is refusing to stay behind its walls, slipping its vines and spores deeper into the house with each passing day. As the family’s dark secrets unravel alongside the growing horror of their terribly alive, bloodthirsty garden, Evander needs to find out what he’s really inheriting before the garden demands to be fed once more.

The Everlasting by. Alix E. Harrow

From Alix E. Harrow, the New York Times bestselling author of Starling House, comes a moving and genre-defying quest about the lady-knight whose legend built a nation, and the cowardly historian sent back through time to make sure she plays her part–even if it breaks his heart.

Sir Una Everlasting was Dominion’s greatest hero: the orphaned girl who became a knight, who died for queen and country. Her legend lives on in songs and stories, in children’s books and recruiting posters―but her life as it truly happened has been forgotten.

Centuries later, Owen Mallory―failed soldier, struggling scholar―falls in love with the tale of Una Everlasting. Her story takes him to war, to the archives―and then into the past itself. Una and Owen are tangled together in time, bound to retell the same story over and over again, no matter what it costs.

But that story always ends the same way. If they want to rewrite Una’s legend―if they want to tell a different story–they’ll have to rewrite history itself.

Our Vicious Oaths by. N.E. Davenport

Enter a new world of romantic fantasy from award-winning author N.E. Davenport—a journey of powerful magic, enemies-to-lovers, and political intrigue—as a warrior-princess and a vengeful king from rival fae courts form a fierce alliance to take down a merciless despot.

Princess of the Aether Dominion, Kadeesha wants nothing to do with fae politics. She is a warrior, first and foremost, and believes her greatest strength is leading her squadron of elite winged serpent flyers to protect her homeland. But bound since infancy to be betrothed to the Hyperion High King, ruler of all Dominions, she has no choice but to do what men have chosen for her.

Repulsed by the idea, she decides to spend one last night of freedom—in the arms of a dangerous stranger who takes her to sexual heights she’s never experienced before…but who is only using Kadeesha to set a trap for the High King.

For the High King and the kings of his six Dominions were responsible for the decimation of the Apollyon Court, and its new king, Malachi, wants his pounds of flesh.

On Kadeesha’s wedding day, Malachi and his special forces attack. Her father is killed, and Malachi wounds the High King, ultimately taking Kadeesha as hostage back to his land.

But she is no true hostage. The two form a pact: she will help lure the High King so Malachi can kill him once and for all, and he in turn will not harm Kadeesha or the Aether people. And as much as Kadeesha hates politics, she is now the Queen of her folk. Fae bonds are unbreakable…and so, perhaps, is the attraction Kadeesha and Malachi feel for each other. For even as they must publicly display their connection to provoke the High King’s jealousy, they struggle to resist the powerful allure between them in order to achieve their ultimate goals.

Bonds of Hercules by. Jasmine Mas

HERCULES IS BACK. AND YOU’RE BOUND TO LOVE HER.

In this hotly anticipated follow-up to Jasmine Mas’s BLOOD OF HERCULES, the stakes are higher and the villains darker than ever…

Every hero has their monsters.

And Alexis is bound to hers: tied eternally, irrevocably to the Underworld’s dark heirs in a marriage that has shaken the foundations of Olympus – and everything Alexis once believed. Reeling, she enlists in the Assembly of Death with her mentors, set on wrecking vengeance on her husbands and uncovering the truth behind her deadly powers.

She will soon teach them all that a god can’t be manacled. And a monster can’t be caged…

Never Ever After by. Sue Lynn Tan

Not all fairy tales end happily ever after in this Cinderella-inspired fantasy by the bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess—for fans of Renée Ahdieh, Tahereh Mafi, and Stephanie Garber.

Life in the Iron Mountains is harsh and unforgiving. After the death of her beloved uncle, Yining has survived by becoming a skilled thief and an even better liar. When she acquires an enchanted ring that holds the key to a brighter future, it is stolen by her step-aunt, and Yining must venture into the imperial heart of the kingdom to seize it back.

Amid the grandeur of the palace, Yining catches the eye of the ruthless and ambitious prince, who tempts her with a world she’s never imagined. But nothing is as it seems, for she’s soon trapped in a tangle of power, treachery, and greed—her only ally the cunning advisor from a rival court who keeps dangerous secrets of his own. To break free, she must unravel the mystery of her past and fight for a future that both frightens and calls to her.

This sweeping fantasy romance inspired by Cinderella and a Chinese fairy tale is the first in a breathtaking new series by the acclaimed author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

Are you getting any new books this week?

Happy Reading!

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Julia Song is Undateable by. Susan Lee | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Julia Song is Undateable

Author: Susan Lee

Narrator(s): Michelle H. Lee

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336 Listening Time: Approximately 10 hours 8 min

Publication Date: 10/28/25

Publisher: Harlequin Audio

Categories: Romance, Contemporary

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

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


CEO seeks dating coach

Critically acclaimed and reader-favorite author Susan Lee’s hilarious adult debut is a shimmering and joyful look at the magnificent—and sometimes suffocating—weight of family, the ways we limit ourselves, and the irresistible power of love.

Julia Song, CEO of Starlight Cosmetics, is at the height of her career. Then why does she feel like such a failure? Maybe because she’s thirty and single, with a terrible track record at dating. And in the eyes of her Korean family, that is just unacceptable. It never really bothered her—that is until her beloved grandmother drops the bomb that she is sick and her dying wish is for Julia to get married. Impossible. So in a moment of weakness, Julia asks her family for help. Set her up on three dates to help her find The One. But it will never work—Julia is undateable. If only there was a coach for that…

Tae Kim knows about the weight of familial expectation. He’s currently unemployed, living in his parents’ basement to care for his ill father. Sure, he’s become somewhat of a fix-it man for the Korean community around town, but that’s not a real job. And the pressure to get his life together is getting to be too much. So when the Julia Song—his childhood crush—asks for his help, it may be just the distraction he needs. He’ll do whatever it takes, even coach her for these three dates. Problem is, the more time they spend together and the closer they get, the more Tae wonders if anyone is good enough for Julia…including him.

Content Warning: cultural ad familial pressures

+ The lone narrator for this book really did a great job doing the voices for all the characters!

+ Julia is a CEO but single. Her Korean family want to set her up on dates because they want her to get married. Tae Kim, the boy across the street that she used to babysit, says he’ll help her find dates because according to Julia’s ex, she’s undateable. I like how this story had a little bit of everything, friendship, lots of family themes, and a sweet romance.

+ It’s not often I come across a romance with the female being older than the love interest. I think there is a 5 year age gap between Julia and Tae but I thought it was cute since they used to be neighbors and their families know each other so well. And I really appreciated that Julia was the rich CEO and Tae was the one who was finding his way but he was a good guy, helping all the neighbors with anything they needed plus he was a caretaker for his parents! Talk about a traditionally “good son”. But this is very much a friends to lovers kind of situation.

+ There are a lot of themes about family and cultural pressures. Julia and Tae are Korean and their families have high expectations on what they expect out of their children. It gets to be a lot, especially for Tae but I felt like it was so relatable even though as a reader, I’m not Korean. I found their situations to be very relatable.

~ I thought the romance was cute but I wanted more from them, more chemistry.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, this was a cute read especially if you like friends to lovers. There are a lot of good family and friendship themes in this story. The narrator did a great job also.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Name Drop by. Susan Lee | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Seoulmates by. Susan Lee | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Death-Made Prince by. Lisette Marshall | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Death-Made Prince (Runewitch Saga, #1)

Author: Lisette Marshall

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 547

Publication Date: 10/21/25

Categories: Fantasy, Dark Romance, Enemies to Lovers


A runewitch on the run has only one option join forces with the sarcastic, unpleasantly gorgeous necromancer she loathes

The man Thraga loved is dead, and her future is in shambles. When she’s sentenced to the gallows for killing her lover’s murderers, it’s a relief more than anything… until, the night before her execution, a necromancer is thrown into her cell.

Escaping with him is her only chance to bring Lark back to life – and also the start of all her troubles.

Because her new almost-ally is not just any man returned from death. Fire mage, rogue prince, and son of the man who killed her mother, sharp-tongued Durlain Averre is everything Thraga hates. Worse, he won’t revive her lover unless she joins him on a mission of his own first, using her forbidden rune magic to free his sister from the dungeons of an enemy king.

But their quest turns into a deadly chase when Thraga’s violent past catches up with her. And as the net of court intrigue and old fears closes around them, she begins to find out Lark was not at all the man she thought he was…

And neither is Durlain.

The Death-Made Prince is the first book of the Runewitch Saga, an epic enemies to lovers fantasy romance featuring two morally grey leads, OCD rep, and a Norse mythology-inspired world. While it is a slow burn romance, the first book does contain spicy content intended for 18+ readers.


Content Warning: violence, death, sexual assault, torture

+ I don’t really know what I expected from this book but I could not put it down. Thraga is in a prison cell when a man is thrown into the cell and her life changes forever.

+ The world-building is great because our characters Thraga and Durlain are on the run and also searching out information so that Durlain can save his sister. He needs Thraga because she is a runewitch – but runewitches are reviled in this world, so she has to keep it secret or she will be killed or worse, taken prisoner again and used. So we get to see a whole lot of this world as Thraga and Durlain are traveling thrown different towns and terrains. I love how that gave me a better sense of the world. It is a Norse-mythology inspired world, hence the runewitch but there is also necromancy. There is political intrigue, secrets and betrayals that added a lot to the story and made the stakes higher. There is violence, battles, and mentions of torture.

+ Thraga is a powerful runewitch and she is mourning the loss of her loved one, Lark. She decides to help Durlain because he agrees he could bring him back from the dead. She was with him for four years but we learn through her memories of him that what she thought was safety and protection was actually him placing her in a cage and making her think less of herself. I was so mad on her behalf and was really rooting for her to break from the memories and grow. Thraga is neurodivergent and also has OCD, and it’s represented really well in this story where even her thoughts started making me anxious. She really is a character who is finding her strength and I love that about this story. But there is a lot we still don’t know about her, especially after that ending!

+ Durlain, the MMC, is a prince and he’s already died once. He is a firemage and he has horns! Honestly I’ve read so many romantasy books where the MMC is downright gorgeous and I have been really, really craving an MMC that isn’t gorgeous but interesting and compelling. Durlain is that guy! He’s scarred (internally and externally), and he wears an eye-patch. He is flawed, sharp edges and angles, witty, cunning and intense – not gorgeous but he’s riveting. He’s everything I’ve been craving for lately! It’s like this author read my mind 😅. He’s doing all of this to find his sister, who loves dearly. He’s morally grey. He’s been tortured and killed and back for revenge and I was all for it!

+ The romance is a slow burn and enemies to lovers. Durlain’s people hate runewitches, and vice versa, so there is a lot of animosity there, but they are companions on this crazy journey and there is a lot of forced proximity. Durlain has a sharp tongue but Thraga gave back as good as he gave, which I loved for her because she was conditioned not to fight. I loved their interactions and verbal sparring! It’s a slow burn but eventually there is spice. But their situation is a challenging one because Durlain is used to pushing people away, he’s been through hell, literally, but Thraga has gotten under his skin. But I need book two because of what happened at the end!

~ I’m not usually one to like books where the characters go on a long journey. There is a lot of hopping around from place to place but in this story I didn’t mind it too much because we got the lay of the land as they traveled plus we meet some interesting people that are important to Thraga and Durlain’s goals.

~ There are a lot of characters they meet along the way and I did get confused at times who Durlain was impersonating, especially if it was one of his family members!

Final Thoughts:

I loved this one. Loved the enemies to lovers romance, loved the characters who are complex, and that ending…I need book two asap! Also, I’ve had one of her books, Court of Blood and Bindings on my Goodreads TBR list so maybe I’ll just jump into this series while I wait for book two.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Weekly Wrap Up | 10/26/25

Aloha friends!

Another week is over and here’s what happened:

+ My daughter was sick in the beginning of the week and then my son didn’t have school on Wednesday. I’m just glad she’s better and this week is parent conference week so she gets short days at school for two weeks!

+ Halloween is on Friday – my daughter made her own mask, she’s Dandy from the Roblox game Dandy’s World. My son and hubby are characters from Demon Slayer (which they have been watching for the past few months – plus they went to the movie). ME? Halloween is always so HOT these days so I’m wearing a tank top and passing out candy. Usually I go around the block with my daughter but since they are all dressing up I told my hubby he can take the kiddos since I usually do it. 😅

Blog Posts:

Books I Finished

Currently Reading:

The Rebel and the Rose by. Catherine Doyle

The Last Vampire by. Romina Garber

Alchemised by. SenLinYu

Vesselless by. Cortney L. Winn

Atmosphere by. Taylor Jenkins Reid

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

  • Football

I’ve been listening to a lot of oldies but goodies from the 80’s/90’s. But I also listened to EJAE’s new single! EJAE is Rumi’s singing voice in K-Pop Demon Hunters and it’s so exciting to see her putting out new music. EJAE – In Another World.

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!

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Ship of Spells by. H. Leighton Dickson | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Ship of Spells (#1)

Author: H. Leighton Dickson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 11/4/25

Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books

Categories: Romantasy, Pirates, High 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 Entangled: Red Tower Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


When Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn is rescued from the wreckage of her first naval post, she expects death or disgrace. Instead, she wakes aboard the Touchstone, a mythic vessel whispered of in dockside ballads and royal war rooms alike. With a crew of misfits. A mysterious, elven captain. And a mission tied to the Dreadwall, the crumbling barrier that has kept the Overland and Nethersea from open war for a hundred years.

But the tragedy that sank her last ship didn’t just take lives―it left something behind.

Now Renn carries a secret everyone wants. A magik that’s chimeric, arcane…and slowly killing her. But the captain’s mission may be her only chance to survive, even if he still doesn’t trust her.

Caught between privateers, princes, and spies, Renn knows each choice could sink her future―or set the sea on fire.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ I love this book cover and the deluxe edition with the sprayed edges looks even more amazing.

+~ This story is a high-seas adventure filled with pirates, battles at sea, magic, mages, politics, a sentient ship and a lot of pirate jargon. Although I enjoyed the setting on the seas and the pirate adventure I felt like I was thrown into the story. So it took me a few chapters in to actually get settled into the story and want to continue. This story has heavy world building with names of elves that are hard to pronounce, an elvish language that appears through the book and lots of names. There’s also magic terms to learn as well. I get that pirates have their own way of talking but I didn’t love some of the pirate language in this book. For example, “fog” is used for the F-word and honestly, this is an adult book, so I would have rather had the F-word in it than “fog”. I mean what pirate doesn’t curse?

+~ There are some interesting characters in this book, my favorite being Fahr. Since it’s a big cast of characters, Honor does create a found family on the ship eventually. Speaking of Honor, she is hard to like. She is so stubborn, doesn’t learn, and is so full of pride for someone of lower ranking. I felt like the first few chapters of the book as we get thrown into this world and follow her, there wasn’t anything about her that I wanted to keep reading about and I honestly wondered if this was a book I was going to DNF. I needed more description of her too – I felt like I didn’t know what she looked like. She does have some character growth by the end at least.

+~ The romance is such a very, very slow burn, there is nothing until almost the end. But there is spice. I did wish Honor and the captain spent more time together so that we could see the romance build though, because there really isn’t much there.

~ Pacing was a bit off at times, there were lulls and then scenes of full action. Although I was fascinated and made myself push through this book in the beginning, I’m not sure I can say I fully gelled with the writing style at times.

Final Thoughts:

This is high fantasy and it’s a world you are thrown into as a reader so I felt like it was a rough few chapters and I had to settle in and get used to the FMC, Honor, who is not very likable. And then there was a lot of learn, like the terminology for the use of magic, elvish words and then of course the pirate language. So there is a lot to process, but I did push through because I thought the sentient ship was unique, and the magic was interesting too. There was a lot of adventure and action in this one, but also the pacing was off at times and there were lulls. And even though Honor was the most stubborn character, I wanted to see if there would be growth. Plus, I definitely wanted to see where the romance storyline would go – but it’s a very slow burn. Overall, I’d say I found the story entertaining once I got myself immersed in the world.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Moth Dark by. Kika Hatzopoulou | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: Moth Dark

Author: Kika Hatzopoulou

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 10/28/25

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

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Dystopian, Sci-fi, Romance, Young Adult, LGBT+

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 eARC in exchange for an honest review!


From the bestselling author of Threads that Bind and Hearts that Cut comes a brand-new compulsive romantasy about a girl obsessed with the dark and the shadowy magical prince she falls in love with, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Laini Taylor.

The dark has come alive . . .

Six years ago, vicious creatures began to crawl out of the dark crevices of the world, and with it Sascia’s fascination with the darkness was born. Now eighteen, that fascination has become an obsession, and while exploring an area known for its connection to the Darkworld, Sascia sees a person climb out of the darkness. But Nugau is no ordinary person, they’re a genderfluid elf prince with one mission . . . to kill Sascia.

Except, the second time they meet, Nugau is younger and doesn’t recognise Sascia. And the third time, Nugau stumbles out of the darkness with poison running through their veins, expressing their undying love for her.

Piecing together the puzzle, Sascia makes two shocking the timelines of her world and Nugau’s are not linear, and she is inexplicably enmeshed in a war between humanity and elves. But with their worlds at battle, is it worth fighting for each other . . . ?

Content Warning: violence

+ I was captivated by this book cover and the premise sounded good so I requested it . I’m glad I did because this was such a fascinating story set in a dystopian world who has seen a phenomenon of dark spots growing. Scacia is from New York City and has an internship working with a company that is studying all things from the Dark. But clearly Scacia has a connection to it more so than other people and even she is curious as to why that is. I loved the secondary characters who were the other kids she was doing research him and her cousin Danny who is her bestie. And also Mooch – a creature that is always helping her!

+ The story is told in present time but flashbacks to moments in Scacia’s past where she encountered the Dark. I don’t usually like flashbacks, but I think it worked in this one because it’s a fast-moving story.

+ I found the Dark so fascinating. I love the world building. We learn about the types of plants, animals and creatures that live in the Dark. These creatures come through these Dark spots or portals and now a war is brewing between them and the humans. Scacia’s job is to stop this war. There are a few trials she has to get through in the Dark though and that’s where all the action comes in.

+ The romance is supposed to be enemies to lovers but we find out there has been different timelines where Scacia’s has met the elf prince, and in different forms too. The Dark is home to a people that are gender fluid and I loved how Nugau changed on a whim, according to how they were feeling. The romance between them, even though it started with some animosity on Nugau’s part, was lovely.

~ It is a fast moving story and a standalone but at times I wish there was more time spent in the Dark. I felt like the trials happened so quick, I wanted more suspense.

~ Also, I’m bad at following jumping timelines. And in this story it explores a knotted timeline.

Final Thoughts:

I loved the creativity of this story and the gender fluidity of the humanoid creatures (or elves). This story had a combination of dystopian, fantasy, and sci-fi which worked so well together! It has action, romance, family themes, and I enjoyed it a lot.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Let’s Talk Bookish:  Recapping Anticipated Reads | 10/24/25

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly bookish meme originally created by Rukky @ Eternity Books and hosted by Aria @ Book Nook Bits, where every Friday, bloggers write discussion posts based on a weekly prompt and Dini @ dinipandareads has cohosted since the beginning of 2025.

This week’s topic is:

October 24: Recapping Anticipated Reads

Prompts: With two months left in the year following October, let’s recap your anticipated releases so far. How have you fared with your most anticipated releases in 2025—have they mostly met with your expectations or have you been let down? Were you surprised by 2025 releases you weren’t anticipating but ended up being more enjoyable than expected? Are there any 2025 releases you’re still waiting on? If you like, share your top 2025 releases so far!

**********

With two months left in the year following October, let’s recap your anticipated releases so far. How have you fared with your most anticipated releases in 2025—have they mostly met with your expectations or have you been let down?

I think yes – most of the my anticipated reads met my expectations except maybe Onyx Storm. I might borrow the audiobook though just to see if it can change my mind about it. 😅

Were you surprised by 2025 releases you weren’t anticipating but ended up being more enjoyable than expected?

Yes, so many books were surprisingly so enjoyable this year and I’m grateful for Netgalley for helping find books I wouldn’t have been aware of at all.

Are there any 2025 releases you’re still waiting on?

Only a few more anticipated reads for me left in 2025!

October Topics:

October 3: Authors Branching Out (Melanie @ Melanie’s Book Blog)

Prompts: How do you feel when an author you love does something new and not at all like their previous work? Do you still read all their books, or do you stop after a point? If they write in a new genre that you don’t read, do you read it for the author, or stop following every title the author releases (in the new genre)? What are some of your favourite books where the author veered away from their previous work quite drastically?

October 10: TBR Roulette

Prompts: What makes you keep a book on your TBR? Find a random number generator, put in the number of books on your TBR and roll 5 times! Note down the book each number corresponds to on your list (or just pick 5 books at random off your TBR) and tell us: what made you add the book to your shelf—was it a cover add? Does it have your favourite tropes? How long has it been on your TBR? If it has been on your TBR for a long time, do you still want to read it or have you lost interest?

October 17: Oh, the Horror (Snapdragon @ Snapdragon Alcove)

Prompts: Do you read horror? What do you think of when you hear the word horror? Are there any books you read that are not practically horror but have some horror element in them?

October 24: Recapping Anticipated Reads

Prompts: With two months left in the year following October, let’s recap your anticipated releases so far. How have you fared with your most anticipated releases in 2025—have they mostly met with your expectations or have you been let down? Were you surprised by 2025 releases you weren’t anticipating but ended up being more enjoyable than expected? Are there any 2025 releases you’re still waiting on? If you like, share your top 2025 releases so far!

October 31: Halloween Freebie! 👻

Prompts: Happy Halloween, folks! 🎃 To celebrate the spooky fest, we’re making today a Halloween freebie! You can check out our blogs for inspiration (Aria and Dini) or write about something else you’re interested in!


We Fell Apart by. E. Lockhart | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: We Fell Apart (We Were Liars, #3)

Author: E. Lockhart

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 11/4/25

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Series

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

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


The invitation arrives out of the blue.

In it, Matilda discovers a father she’s never met. Kingsley Cello is a visionary, a reclusive artist. And when he asks her to spend the summer at his seaside home, Hidden Beach, Matilda expects to find a part of herself she’s never fully understood.

Instead, she finds Meer, her long-lost, openhearted brother; Brock, a former child star battling demons; and brooding, wild Tatum, who just wants her to leave their crumbling sanctuary.

With Kingsley nowhere to be seen, Matilda must delve into the twisted heart of Hidden Beach to uncover the answers she’s desperately craving. But secrets run thicker than blood, and blood runs like seawater.

And everyone here is lying.

Content Warning: dementia, death, parental neglect

I read We Were Liars when it first published in 2014 and the tv series just came out on Amazon Prime so I did watch that and it refreshed my memory! I’m glad that show aired because jumping into We Fell Apart was easy as the Sinclair family and Beechwood was fresh in my mind.

We Fell Apart takes us back to Beechwood, just as the event of We Were Liars have concluded. Matilda gets an email from the dad she never knew and he asks her to come meet him at Hidden Beach, where he lives. Matilda has had quite a life with a mom who has basically chosen boyfriends over her – to the point after her mom decides to move away again with another guy, Matilda chooses to stay with her last boyfriend, a really nice guy who doesn’t mind having Matilda around.

Matilda goes to Hidden Beach and learns about this accident that happened with the Sinclairs. She meets her half-brother, his mom, and two other guys living at the run-down house. The summer is going by great but Matilda knows something isn’t right. Where is her dad? Why is the house so run-down? Why is June (Meer, her half-brother’s mom), not taking care of the boys and the house? What is going on at Hidden Beach.

I was sucked into this world again, and honestly love the family secrets in this world the Sinclairs built. The story moves quickly and the reveal in the end is shocking. It makes you question everyone’s motives and choices they’ve made to keep the secret they have been holding. I like Matilda and how she questions what is going on at the house. Also, there is a little romance but that’s not the focus. I thought it was also interesting how June thought she was this carefree, nonconforming wife because she didn’t want to be the Tipper Sinclair kind of housewife but in the end, was trapped in her own partnership with Kingsley. I felt like there were a lot of full circles with this book.

I did think the story moved too quickly though, it felt rushed and some moments – like when Holland (a Sinclair who befriends Matilda at the start of the book) takes her in and explains all about the Sinclairs. It was a lot of telling, and info-dumping.

Final Thoughts:

I actually enjoyed this one a lot because I had just watched the show and I was brought back to this place of summer, sun, family and most of all the secrets. Matilda knows something isn’t right at Hidden Beach and the reveal is devastating for her. I did like that there was a happy ending instead of another tragic one, though there is tragedy. Overall, a good addition to the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

We Were Liars by. E. Lockhart ⭐️⭐️⭐️

WWW Wednesday | 10/22/25

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?

My kiddo caught a cold, and I had to catch up on sleep because for 2 nights in a row I read past midnight lol. I don’t even know why, I just couldn’t sleep? 🤷🏻‍♀️. At least I got a lot of reading done – hopefully I don’t catch my daughter’s cold. She was home with me the past two days but she went to school today.

What are you currently reading?

Fallen City by. Adrienne Young – 31%

The Last Vampire by. Romina Garber – 5%

The Rebel and the Rose by. Catherine Doyle – 9%

Alchemised by. SenLinYu – just got this on Libby and I’m a bit intimidated by the length of the book, not because I can’t read a long book. But there is a lot of hype with this book and I hope I like it.

Vesselless by. Cortney L. Winn – 2%, actually saw this book on Allurial (a book box subscription), and was curious about it. I didn’t buy it but it’s on Kindle Unlimited so I’m trying it out. – 2%

What have you just finished reading?

Terror of the Gates by. Scarlett St. Clair ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Ship of Spells by. H. Leighton Dickson ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Possession of Alba Díaz by. Isabel Cañas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The House Saphir by. Marissa Meyer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What are you going to read next?

Never Ever After by. Sue Lynn Tan

I’ll Find You Where the Timeline Ends by. Kylie Lee Baker

Something Wicked by. Falon Ballard

Trail Rides & Starry Eyes by. Katrina Emmel

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame by. Amy De La Force

What are YOU reading right now?

Terror at the Gates by. Scarlett St. Clair | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Terror at the Gates (Blood of Lilith, #1)

Author: Scarlett St. Clair

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 495

Publication Date: 7/8/25

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romance


She is the beginning and the end.

She is peace and chaos.

She is terror knocking at the gates.

Estranged from her powerful family, Lilith Leviathan finds refuge in Nineveh, a district in the city of Eden devoted to sin. There, she uses her magic to steal for a living, attracting the attention of the five governing families as well as the church, which expects women to remain pious and silent. When Lilith comes into possession of a beautiful blade, she thinks all her worries are over…until her usual buyer dies while inspecting it.

Frantic, Lilith turns to the only man who can help her: Zahariev, head of the Zareth family and ruler of Nineveh. His currency is information, and his power is extortion, though he’s always had a soft spot for Lilith. But when the dagger appears, he isn’t sure he can protect her from what’s to come.

Together, they embark on a mission to discover the true power running their world. As their lives intertwine, Lilith realizes Zahariev is more than just a friend, but their devotion to each other is a threat—to the truth, to the church, and to those who want to tear it all down.


Content Warning: violence, grief, death, mention of sexual assault and rape

+ I found the world-building in this story to be very interesting. Eden is separated into different district and each district has a head of family – kind of like organized crime but these families have are Elohim and have the blood of God in them. I thought the biblical fantasy was pretty unique! Especially since this Eden is full of sin. There of course is a ruling church in this story that of course, abuses woman, as we learn through our FMC, Lilith.

+ Lilith is from a ruling family but escaped her fate (marriage) for a little while and is struggling to get by in Nineveh which is run by Zahariev. But he’s keeping an eye out for her and helping her when he can despite her protests and calls for independence. She grew up pampered and rich, so this life is different for her but from what I gathered she’s made her own family with new friends, people that genuinely care about her. Lilith is stubborn, but also very loving, as expressed to her closest friends.

+ The romance is a very slow burn between Lilith and Zahariev but things eventually get spicy for them. It’s a forbidden romance, since they are from different ruling families, but it seems they have a friendship or understanding between one another. And clearly Zahariev is down bad for her – I love him! She’s stubborn and fights him but he is so patient with her. He takes care of her and keeps boundaries with her even if she wants him to break them. She has a good man and I’m glad realizes it by the end.

+~ Now part of this story is a mystery. There is a dagger that Lilith has found but she’s learned that wherever someone without Elohim blood sees is, they die. So Lilith is trying to figure out what the dagger is and realizes there is something big happening that involves the church, a secret order, and maybe Gods.

~ Lilith is a good person but a flawed one because there was a part of the story where she should have been there for a friend but because of her own grief and feelings of guilt, she couldn’t show up. I thought in my head, damn, she’s not a good friend but grief affects everyone in different ways. Still…that kind of stuck with me because she was not shy with telling her friends “I love you” constantly throughout the book! But when she had to show up and be there for one of them? Sigh…that was kind of frustrating.

~ Needed more world-building. What we got was a good start, it’s interesting – Eden? Organized crime? Blood of the Gods? But I don’t feel like I got a good sense of these head families that rule Eden. They are at peace right now, but Zahariev wants Lilith and that could start a war…why? Is Zahariev’s family the lowest rank? I had a lot of questions about a few things.

~ I think pacing was okay until the middle. There is the mystery about the dagger, murders and strange globs of slime that could be demons (that felt so random), which slows down the story until it ramps up in the end again. But what is up with the demon blobs? Maybe we will find out more in book two.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I thought this was an interesting and entertaining read even though at times it felt like it was going all over the place. I love Zahariev and how he showed he cared for Lilith by trying to keep her safe and staying patient with her, even though she had no clue. I would love more details in the world-building and maybe some growth with Lilith so I’m looking forward to book two.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble