New Year’s Grieve by. Elizabeth Foscue | ARC and ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: New Year’s Grieve

Author: Elizabeth Foscue

Pages: 256

Format: audiobook and ebook

Listening Hours: 6 hours (approx.)

Narrator (s): Cecily Bednar Schmidt

Publisher: HarperAudio Children’s

Publication Date: 11/17/26

Categories: Young Adult, Murder Mystery, Romance

In this romp of a country house mystery for fans of Truly Devious and Knives Out, when Jojo’s grandad is found dead at a winter family gathering, Jojo is determined to uncover which of her horrible relatives is responsible—and to avoid her maddening ex-boyfriend who crashed the party.

Jojo had planned to spend her winter break healing her heart in the surf of the Pacific. Instead, she’s being forced to attend Grandad’s New Year’s birthday at his estate in the snowy North Carolina mountains—along with her whole horrible family, each one competing to be the most insufferable person at the dinner table.

But things are even worse than Jojo had feared. For some ungodly reason, Fritz is here—Fritz, the childhood friend who broke her heart last summer, whom she’s sworn to loathe for all eternity. And, worst of all, he looks great in winter wear.

The trip takes a turn for the tragic when Grandad is found dead. No one else in the snowed-in house suspects foul play, but Jojo knows the Someone here has committed a murder. Now, she just has to figure out who, and murder them back.

And, because the universe hates her, she might need Fritz’s help…

Content Warning: death, drugging someone

+ The narrator did such an amazing doing all the voices and accents for the characters in this book. She really brought Jojo’s interesting character to life.

+~ Jojo and her mom go to North Carolina to celebrate her grandpa’s 90th birthday. Both are reluctant to go but they have to represent their family. I felt like the dining table scene in this story was wild and funny with all the political comments and other inappropriate comments that were made ~ it is realistic though, especially during this time where politics are volatile. What makes it crazier is Jojo and her very out there personality. She has ADHD I believe and is on different medication, but she comes off rude at times or just does her own thing, to her mom’s detriment. She doesn’t listen to reason. I don’t know if I liked her, but I do say Fritz, her ex, has a lot of patience for her!

+~ Among the drama of being stuck in a winter storm in North Carolina with crazy relatives and friend of the family, there is a romance going on or at least Fritz trying to fix things with Jojo. I thought they were cute only because like I said he has a lot of patience when it comes to her.

~ This is a super quick read, just under 300 pages but the murder mystery doesn’t show up until almost the end of the book. I wish it happened right away. We do get a gist of the family drama and her grandpa in the process of rewriting his will, but I felt like the murder mystery part of the story was barely there.

Final Thoughts:

Though I enjoyed the narrator a lot, I think the story was just okay mostly because I was expecting more of a murder mystery. I thought the messy family was kind of fun and relatable but Jojo was something else and Fritz was the only one who could really reign her in, and he could barely do that! I just thought what she did to find the killer was kind of diabolical and I kept thinking, what is wrong with this girl? Overall, an interesting read.

Read if you like:

messy family drama
murder mystery
young adult mystery

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

WWW Wednesday | 11/11/26

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?

Today is my dog’s birthday, yup, he’s a Scorpio like me! 🥰 I feel like November is moving really fast! I have to register my son for HIGH SCHOOL. That’s crazy…

What are you currently reading?

Reap & Sow by. Charlotte B. Plump

The Throwaways by. Greta Kelly – arc

Riftborne by. Bree Grenwich & Parker Lennox – alc

Christmas in Caville by. Alix Nichols – arc

Deadlock by. Chloe Gong – arc

An Edge Sharp Enough by. Jesse Q. Sutanto – arc

The Favorite Girl by. Monica Arya – gifted paperback

What have you just finished reading?

Vices & Virtues by. Alexis L. Menard – arc & alc – 3.5 stars/2 🌶️

My Unfamiliar by. Mara Rutherford – arc & alc – 4 stars

The Trial of Magdalena Overmorrow by. Caitriona Moran – arc – 3.5 stars/1.5 🌶️

In the Wake of the Ruined by. Kalie Cassidy – 3 stars/2 🌶️

What are you going to read next?

The Court of Venus by. Bel Banta

Dreams of Ruin by. Emma Noyes

The Dragon and the Dove by. Catherine Doyle

Counting Down to You by. Emily Stone

A Snake Among Swans by. Hannah Kaner

What are YOU reading right now?

Whatever the Case May Be by. Kara Collins | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️.5

Title: Whatever the Case May Be

Author: Kara Collins

Pages: 378

Format: ebook (kindle+)

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Lawyer Romance, Second Chance Romance

Shira Wexler has had her fair share of trials (maybe tribulations too, whatever those are).

But now, at thirty-two, she’s on track to make partner at her law firm. Her perfect-on-paper boyfriend just handed her an engagement ring. She’s finally embraced life as a New Yorker and has *almost* forgotten about her former life in rural, small-town Texas.

Then she’s assigned to a career-changing case in Dallas, and the opposing counsel is all too familiar—Cole Wilson, Shira’s first-ever courtroom rival during the mock trial competition in high school. He was her first… well, a lot of things. And now Shira’s carefully planned future is clear as mud.

Cole hasn’t heard a word from Shira since she mysteriously fled Texas as a teenager, breaking his heart in the process. Sixteen years later, he’s facing a pending divorce while suffocating under the impossible task of trying to prove himself at his father’s law firm. The realities of adulthood mean he’s far from the hopeful romantic he used to be.

But coming face-to-face with Shira forces them both to examine the outwardly perfect lives they’ve built.

As they battle each other by day and relitigate their past by night, old feelings begin to emerge, and long-buried truths come to light.

Both really need a win right now, but focusing on work isn’t easy when you’re staying in the same hotel as the one who got away.

Content Warning: suicide attempt

+ Shira is a lawyer trying to make partner at the law firm she is working at and is determined to get on a case that will help her do that. She’s also 32 and ready to settle down with her perfect boyfriend, Miguel, except things are really perfect with him. It’s something she has to deal with but her career comes first. But when this case has her working oppose her ex high school boyfriend, old memories and feelings come up and this time Shira can’t run away from these problems, it’s time to face it. I like that this story is a romance with depth because although it’s a second chance romance, Shira and Cole are also trying to find their way through challenges in their personal lives.

+ This second chance romance between Shira and Cole had it’s ups and downs. They had an innocent high school love but something came between them that ended things, some of these things were things Shira kept secret which sucks for Cole. I can see why Cole was so hurt, but I can also understand that Shira was young and a mess with what was happening in her family life. I love how they reunite, the lawyer stuff brought the tension since they are on opposing sides. There are lots of unresolved issues between them but it was nice seeing them work things out eventually because there is undeniable sparks between them.

+~ The story is told with flashbacks to 16 years ago when Shira and Cole first met and fell in love in high school. I didn’t mind the flashbacks. There are a lot of things happening in Shira and Cole’s personal lives. She’s trying to make partner, she’s estranged from her mother, and now Cole is back in her life. Cole is going through a divorce, working for his father (and hates it because his dad is awful), he’s a dad and now Shira is back in his life. So these adults have a lot going and I think at times the pacing was off because of it. A lot of the lawyer stuff were so detailed and some things just went over my head. I kept thinking, wow, this author must have been a lawyer or they did their research very well! (btw, She’s a lawyer!). Though the pacing felt off at times, everything is tied up nicely at the end – I just wish some things weren’t rushed, like her talking to her mom again. There are some dark times in this story which I did not expect.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was an engaging read that was hard to put down. I enjoyed the second chance romance between Shira and Cole and loved how they were lawyers on opposing sides. Some of the lawyer stuff was so detailed it went over my head, and sometimes the pacing felt off because there is a lot going on in the story – there are family issues, things unresolved from the past, and the characters going through changes in their life path. But I’m glad Shira and Cole get a happy ending. Definitely check this out if you want to read a lawyer romance. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Read if you like:

lawyers
second chance romance
family issues

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

This Wretched Alchemy by. Tina Mars | ARC and ALC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️.5

Title: This Wretched Alchemy (Ruinous Fate, #1)

Author: Tina Mars

Pages: 400

Format: audiobook

Listening Hours: 15 hours 45 min (approx.)

Narrator (s): Jennifer Ikeda; Soneela Nankani

Publisher: Macmillan Audiobooks

Publication Date: 11/10/26

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Audiobook, Series

BETRAYAL.

In a fractured realm ruled by warring noble Houses and the tyrannical Prime, the most coveted power lies in god-shards – divine fragments that grant extraordinary abilities to those who possess them.

Revel’s brother was murdered in pursuit of one.

A DEADLY GAME.

For avenging him, Revel’s life is on the line. Forced into a treacherous bargain, she must compete in the Call – a bloody contest of heirs vying for the throne – on behalf of her enemies, and assassinate the realm’s most formidable alchemist, the Warbringer.

Victory means her family’s freedom. Failure means death.

A MONSTROUS POWER.

The Prime sets the heirs on a brutal race to find the god-shard that could shift the balance of the realms. Everyone wants the win, but Revel just wants the kill. Except, the Warbringer isn’t the monster she was promised. Bound by secrets of his own, he is as dangerous as he is disarming.

With betrayals mounting and desire warring with duty, Revel must decide who to trust in a game where even the gods have their favorites. This Wretched Alchemy by Tina Mars is a dark, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy where love and loyalty become the very weapons that could destroy everything.

A LOVE THAT CAN CUT DEEPER THAN ANY BLADE.

Content Warning: death, violence

+ The narrator did a great job doing all the voices for this story! Her voice kept me engaged.

+ This is a world of alchemy where there are different houses with different powers. It sounds like the world takes inspiration from ancient Rome plus some Asian mythologies and culture which I thought was quite fascinating. Revel is traumatized by the death of her older brother and father – her sister and mother hate her because of events that took place involving the deaths. So Revel wants to prove to them she can fix things. She is forced to participate in a trial whose mission is to retrieve a shard with elemental magic and the journey to get the shard is full of danger and monsters. I felt like the story was a little slow moving with more action in the middle and the end, which I enjoyed. The plot twist at the end, which I sort of guessed, made things very interesting. I do wish I felt more connected to the characters.

+~ Revel is not the most lovable character. I thought she was funny at times though because she was full of rage and just didn’t care about people. But she did have a soft spot for Chloe, which I thought was sweet. Trusting is not something that comes easy to Revel because people have let her down, but trusting anyone during this trial is even more deadly. I felt bad for Revel because of what happened when she was younger and how her sister and mom perceives her. All she wanted was love but is also afraid of it because of what she lost in the past.

+ I enjoyed the cast of characters like Dex, Chloe and Mauve. Axus, the MMC felt like someone that was hard to crack. Yes, he was menacing and had a reputation and Revel is supposed to kill him as part of her mission, but there were times he couldn’t help himself around Revel and a romance brews between them. I also loved Orphy which is a like a sentient serpent tattoo on Revel.

+~ The romance is a slow burn, and yet insta-love by the end? There is not a lot of spice, so I’d call this one steamy instead. And yes it’s one of those books where spice comes at an inopportune time in the book. I feel like I needed more build up between Revel and Axus, but the ending clears up some things on his end. It doesn’t end happily for them in this book because of some secrets and betrayal so it will be interesting to see if they can make it work in book two.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was pretty good though I wish I had the ebook to read along with the audiobook because there were details about the world building I felt like I missed or maybe I would have felt more connection to the characters if I read it? I’m not sure but I did love the narrator – she did an awesome job bringing this story to life. I enjoyed the alchemy, found family and the action. The romance is one to watch since it went from enemies to lovers to enemies. There are some secret and betrayals in this one though that was surprising so I’ll probably pick up book two when it comes out.

Read if you like:

alchemy magic
enemies to lovers
fierce FMC

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Tame the Dark by. Ella Fields | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Tame the Dark

Author: Ella Fields

Pages: 491

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Categories: Fantasy, Dark Romance, Romantasy

When enemy heirs shelter together from the war, forbidden love sparks between bookshelves and behind dormitory doors…

When war erupts, heirs from across the continent shelter on sacred ground at the Archives of Avyshla. But our sense of safety is shaken when the enemy king sends his heir to join us.

Voran is not merely a prince but his uncle’s hunter and assassin. And what his uncle seeks belongs to my family—control of the wyverns—the Scale Crown. Although no one can spill blood on sacred ground, I fear the prince’s intentions are as sinister as he seems. He proves as much when danger breaches the isle, and he saves me to have me in his debt.

To survive, I make a secret deal with him.

Except survival soon becomes longing. A hunger for calloused hands, stifled breath, and accented murmurs that doesn’t end with the war. Instead, it blooms into something even more forbidden.

Something that could be my salvation—and the downfall of my kingdom.

A standalone romantasy with evil sunshine, enemies to lovers, and dark romance.

Content Warning: death, violence

+~ I’ve read one Ella Fields book and I thought it was pretty good and wanted to try her newest book. Ayla and other royal heirs/children are taking refuge on an island which houses The Archives of Avyshla, but then the enemy shows up, the Wolf Prince, Voran. He’s morally gray and a beast (literally he is a shapeshifter). The first part of this story takes place on this island where these royals have jobs the priestesses give them to stay busy. I thought it was strange at first that all of them are hanging out on the island staying safe. But while reading I didn’t see the point of knowing when they were going to do their chores or who’s turn it was to take a bath. It only gets interesting when Voran and Ayla interact because she’s an innocent and he’s got a scary, ruthless reputation. We learn a little about the conflict happening between the kingdoms, Voran’s uncle is laying siege to Ayla’s kingdom, but they can’t do much from the island and news comes sporadically which I thought was a little frustrating. I would have liked to know what was going on outside of the island.

+ I liked a few of the secondary characters, especially Celestine, who is Ayla’s best friend. I loved the baby wyvern, and later on I thought Ruvus was an interesting character. I think the person with the most growth is Ayla, she is someone who follows directions and doesn’t fight but I think near the end, she’s a tiny bit more assertive.

+ The romance is an enemies to lovers, forbidden romance. Voran is obsessed with Ayla but Ayla is so innocent she doesn’t know much about guys, just that he helped her so she is in his debt. He allows her to help him how to read but that means they spend a lot of time together. And all that forced proximity leads to kisses and then more. So in a way I felt like they were horny, college kids trying to find places to be alone and fool around! They get to know one another, and things get spicy! She likes him being in control. But things change when Ayla’s dad surrenders and Ayla is set to marry Voran’s uncle. I loved all the love confessions at the end though, swoon! I did love the two of them together and how opposite they were but so attracted to one another.

~ Throughout the book I kept thinking, this can’t be a standalone, because I felt like things weren’t progressing in the first part like I would have liked. I just kept wondering what was going on and why were they stuck at the Archives? I think I wanted more of the political intrigue and that does come in the second half of the book. But it didn’t feel balanced, and the pacing felt off because of the two parts. And even near the ending I was wondering if this was truly a standalone because Celestine’s story feels like could be a whole new book. Also, I want to know how Dusk will turn out. On a side note, there were some phrases that were repeated a bit too much throughout the book like “wriggled my lips”. 😅

Final Thoughts:

This is the kind of book that is good to vibe to plus it’s a standalone, which is nice. Though I do want a book about Celestine! It’s got a dark romance that isn’t super dark, and spice that’s is frequent but not too crazy. I think the two parts of the story made things unevenly paced so I did have some issues with that but Ayla and Voran’s romance kept me invested. They really are cute together because she’s soft and innocent and he’s hard and ruthless, but he’s obsessed with her. The love confessions were so sweet. I would have enjoyed it more if there was more political intrigue in the beginning as much as the end. But overall, this was a good escape.

Read if you like:

fantasy
fae and shapeshifters
dark romance, spicy
forced proximity

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Amid Clouds and Bones by. Ella Fields | Book Review – 3.5 stars

WWW Wednesday | 11/4/26

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?

Today is my birthday! And all I want is to buy some new books 😅. I’m still working on my arcs for the last 2 months of this year. Can you believe 2027 is right around the corner?

What are you currently reading?

Vices & Virtues by. Alexis L. Menard – arc

My Unfamiliar by. Mara Rutherford – alc

The Trial of Magdalena Overmorrow by. Caitriona Moran – arc

Reap & Sow by. Charlotte B. Plump

The Throwaways by. Greta Kelly – arc

What have you just finished reading?

Revived by. Bree L. Mina – arc – 3.5 stars/2 🌶️

Of Blades and Wings by. Eliza Raine – arc – 2.5 stars/1.5 🌶️

A Court of Splintered Harmony by. Sarah J. Maas – audiobook – 3.5 stars/2 🌶️

All Nighter: The Undergrads by. Julie Murphy – alc – 3.5 stars/2 🌶️

Wicked Spirit by. Debbie Cassidy – arc – 4 stars/2 🌶️

What are you going to read next?

The Court of Venus by. Bel Banta

Dreams of Ruin by. Emma Noyes

An Edge Sharp Enough by. Jesse Q. Sutanto

Deadlock by. Chloe Gong

The Dragon and the Dove by. Catherine Doyle

What are YOU reading right now?

In the Wake of the Ruined by. Kalie Cassidy | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: In the Wake of the Ruined (The Siren Mage, #2)

Author: Kalie Cassidy

Pages: 432

Format: ebook (Libby)

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Series

The realm has a new queen… and a new monster.

Imogen can no longer hide. She has claimed her ancestral crown, and now the corrupted bond she shares with the ancient deity Eusia is stronger than ever. Though she is determined to sever it, doing so is no easy feat. The threat of war looms. Shifting alliances, a hunger for magic, and her feelings for Theodore, King of Varya, attempt to thwart her at every turn.

Meanwhile, Theodore is battling the strain of his own crown and commitments. When Imogen suddenly appears on his ship, every dutiful resolution he’s ever made threatens to snap. As they draw nearer to ending Eusia, lurking dangers and their perilous desire for one another prove more insurmountable than they could have imagined.

Will the chaos, ruin, and death that Imogen was prophesied to usher into the realm be the end of all things, or the beginning?

Content Warning: death, violence

+~ I was eager to read this sequel after enjoying book one. Imogen has to find Eusia and end her for good, but to find her she needs help. She’s also looking for her friend Agatha. Theodore is about to marry someone else, a political marriage with Halla, to keep the peace. Though I understood Theo’s duty, I did not like him marrying someone else other than Imogen.

+ Imogen is afraid that her monster will hurt people she loves so she tries to stay away but she needs help to find Agatha and kill Eusia. She gets Lachlan to help her since he loves Agatha. And Imogen has to ask Halla for help to take down Eusia – but can she trust her? I didn’t like Halla but I could see how Imogen didn’t have much options.

~ As much as I loved Imogen and Theo in book one, I really hated him needing to marry Halla. I don’t care if it was just a half-marriage and they weren’t bonded. Imogen has to be around them and they even have spicy scenes while he is married. I get it’s a political marriage but it still felt wrong – even though Theo yearns for Imogen so badly and has some pretty words expressing his feelings. I hated the back and forth between them.

+~ There are a few betrayals in this book which I did enjoy but I felt like even though goals are met at the end, everything felt dark even when Theo and Imogen get their happy ending. I did like how the story touched on the complicated relationships with mothers, but overall it really felt like a sad story.

Final Thoughts:

This one was just okay mostly because I didn’t love the romance, and that’s what I did love in book one and made me want to keep reading the duology. I felt like most of the loose ends were tied up but I thought it was interesting how they kind of left Halla with a magic book and her anger. Will there be more books in this world? I feel like there could be.

Read if you like:

fantasy
political marriage
political intrigue

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

In the Veins of the Drowning by. Kalie Cassidy | Book Review – 4 stars/2 🌶️

A Court of Splintered Harmony by. Sarah J. Maas | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: A Court of Splintered Harmony (ACOTAR, #6)

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Pages: 352

Listening Hours: 11 hours 45m (approx.)

Narrator (s): Elizabeth Evans

Format: audiobook (Libby)

Publication Date: 10/27/26

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Fae

Romance, danger, and intrigue await you in the breathtaking sixth book in the #1 bestselling Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series.

What was broken will be remade.

Deep in the heart of the continent, Koschei the Deathless is stirring. Though he’s been bound to a mountain lake for millennia, the insidious threat of his return now spreads across the Fae territories, attracting powerful allies hell-bent on reclaiming what was once theirs: the human lands.

The Night Court will not stand idly by while innocents are attacked. But with Prythian still piecing itself together in the wake of the devastating Hybern War, the task of uniting is proving more difficult by the day.

To make matters worse, those who rule and protect the Night Court are reeling from recent betrayals and revealed truths. The rifts dividing them seem insurmountable.

But to defeat Koschei’s creeping shadow, they must find a way back to each other and resurrect their former alliances. To survive, they must find a way to repair the splintered harmony all around them.

Content Warning: death, violence

+ I thought the narrator did a great job especially since there is a big cast of characters.

+~ There are multiple POVs in this book and everyone is going through something. That’s why it’s called “splintered harmony” because yeah….everyone is playing a wrong chord in this one and but I didn’t mind it. Things are going to get worse before it gets good again. I will say that this book is basically a set up for the next one, A Court of Forgotten Melody, which is coming out in January. The beginning is a bit slow only because if you are like me and didn’t re-read any book in ACOTAR or Crescent City then you were left trying to remember things. 😅. There are lots of names, most I remembered, some I forgot who they were. And not only names but places, and events that took place – so it took me a few chapters in to get situated.

+ I do believe each POV contributed something pretty good to the story except maybe Mor’s? I feel like there was a lot of Azriel in this story and we get to learn more of his past, and how he is struggling presently with feeling left out, or feeling like he’s an unwanted demon (childhood trauma). Azriel is acting out and being a bad boy 🫢 and he doesn’t give af. Anyway, his choices has pissed some people off. So I’m eager to see how his story develops.

+ Nesta gets so much hate but again this story proves why she’s my favorite of all. And if you didn’t read book 3 of Crescent City, you might want to before reading this one. Her actions in book 3 of Crescent City come back to haunt her though and creates a riff with Cassian ~ they work things out but something about Cassian and her didn’t work for me which surprises me because I LOVE them together. But there is so much more to Nesta and her story, I can’t wait to see where it leads.

+~ Feyre and Rhys are happy, very much in love but trying to prevent a coming war between Koschei and the humans. They are trying to unite Prythian but so many are tired of war. They pull some power trips in this book which surprised me because it rubbed me the wrong way, but it’s on theme with this being “splintered”. They are parents now so it makes things more scary for both of them because they love him so much and is afraid for the future they leave behind for him.

+~ Elain 🤦🏻‍♀️…I will just say…I hope we get more of her in book 7 because I need her to have her transformation. She’s the one who’s been protected since book 1 and maybe she got comfortable with that but it’s time for her to grow. I’m ready for her to just burst out of her shell.

+~ Lucien – I don’t feel like there was much of him in this book. But he was there for some significant parts and I’m very curious to see how his story develops.

+ I do like the questioning of mating bonds in this one only because Feyre and Rhys has almost a perfect relationship, their mating bond was truly meant to be. But Nesta and Cassian…are they right for one another? And Elain with Lucien is a big problem since she doesn’t even want to talk to the guy. I think mating bonds are beautiful when it works but I also like this complicated side and glad the story touches on what if it doesn’t work or the people are not compatible?

+~ All in all, this book was messy. Messy feelings, messy situations and so much drama. Most of the story was about each character, and their feelings and struggles, they are fighting with one another, there is discord – they are splintered. And it only had one major action scene. So at times it felt like filler and the bonus scenes felt like a recap.

Final Thoughts:

I think the narrator did a great job but I do need to re-read the physical copy to see if I missed anything. Everyone is going through something, it’s messy and dramatic and I was kinda there for the reality tv vibes of it 😅. Some of the alliance talks felt a bit slow but the drama with everyone makes things more interesting. Nesta was my favorite and will always be. Will these people come together in unity again to stop Koschei? I guess we shall see in book 7!

Read if you like:

ACOTAR series
Fae
political intrigue
romance
messy drama

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

A Court of Thorns and Roses by. Sarah J. Maas | Book Review | Re-read – 4.5 stars

A Court of Mist and Fury by. Sarah J. Maas | Book Review | Re-read – 5 stars

A Court of Wings and Ruin by. Sarah J. Maas | Book Review | Re-read – 4 stars

A Court of Frost and Starlight by. Sarah J. Maas – 3.5 stars

A Court of Silver Flames | Book Review – 5 stars

House of Flame and Shadow by. Sarah J. Maas | Book Review – 3.5 stars

House of Sky and Breath by. Sarah J. Maas | Book Review – 3.5 stars

Book Review | House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1) – 4 stars

**I’ve read all of Throne of Glass but that was before my blog**

WWW Wednesday | 10/28/26

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?

I’m chipping away at November arcs! Slowly but surely. I was sidetracked by reading a series this weekend that I could not put down. 🤭. And of course now I’m listening to A Court of Splintered Harmony before getting back to my arcs.

What are YOU reading right now?

The Wrath of the Fallen by. Amber V. Nicole | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: The Wrath of the Fallen (Gods and Monsters, #4)

Author: Amber V. Nicole

Pages: 673

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Series

When Gods dance with Monsters, the world will tremble.

With the return of Samkiel, the rightful heir to the throne, tensions grow in the remaining realms. Battle lines begin to form between those pledging their loyalties to either Samkiel or Nismera. War looms on the horizon, and Samkiel must deal with his growing power. Without the Ring of Oblivion, the dark ancient force living under his skin begins to lash out.

Meanwhile, an ancient power calls to Dianna, plaguing her dreams with messages of retribution. Samkiel, seeking to protect the woman he loves, sets out on a desperate search for answers, but the solution will mean a dangerous voyage to the one place he dares not go—the Otherworld.

Forces, primal and eternal, have taken notice, forcing Ig’Morruthens and gods to work together on a quest to reclaim an object capable of unraveling reality. An unlikely bond is formed in blood and fire, leaving all affected with no choice but one—save the realms or themselves.

It is a race against time as Nismera hunts for Vincent and Camilla, seeking what they stole. Her thirst for power and her armada only grow stronger as she rampages across the realms.

Content Warning: death, violence, grief, possession

+ Once more this worlds open up even more and we get to trek to The Otherworld, and meet some of the princes that rule there. We also learn more about Gatharriel and Death. There are so many more secrets revealed in this story, secrets that reveal the timeline that led to what is happening in present day. Even Unir’s ghost makes an appearance and we learn what his role is in the destruction of the realms. There is also a reluctant alliance between Kaden, Isaiah and Dianna.

+ As the world opens up we meet more fascinating characters. There are still multiple POVs but I still hate Vincent and I’m meh about Camilla. I’m also adding more people to the hate list like Nismera and Milani. Xavier is kind of on it too (but I know he is being manipulated), oh and the Gods are on the list also. What I did like about this book was getting to know Kaden and Isaiah more but mostly Kaden because he had a past with Dianna and we know it wasn’t good but now we kind of know why. I feel like this helped bring closure between them.

+ Dianna and Samkiel are still my most favorite couple, there is love, hardship, they are always working on their relationship and trust, but most of all they are best friends. They are funny together even in the most stressful times. I love how they love one another unconditionally and will burn the world down for one another.

+ All the books in this series end in a betrayal and this one doesn’t, but it ended in a way that brought tears to my eyes. This author is not afraid to kill of characters and the one she chose to kill in this story killed me. Especially since Vincent is still hanging around. 🙄. I need to read book 5 the minute it comes out because I need this constant despair in this story to turn around. I need Samkiel and Dianna to start winning.

Final Thoughts:

I am addicted to this story and love how we get to know more about Kaden and Isaiah. We learn so much in this book as the world opens up even more and more characters are added. I cannot wait to read book 5!

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