Den of Liars by. Jessica S. Olson | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️

Title: Den of Liars

Author: Jessica S. Olson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 7/1/25

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Heist, Fantasy, Casino, 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 Feiwel & Friends for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A young thief attempting a daring casino heist during a high-stakes tournament is torn between two warring brothers in Den of Liars, a thrilling YA fantasy romance by acclaimed author Jessica S. Olson.

Lola St. James is the world’s best kept secret. When her father’s loss in the Liar’s Dice Tournament–a high-stakes competition where players are forced to gamble with their deepest secrets–made her a target, she was rescued by the Thief, the notorious leader of the Tentacles. But the Thief’s kindness came with a Lola’s heart. In the years that followed, she and the Thief formed a bond like no other, able to feel each other’s emotions because of their shared heart.

Now, living under the pseudonym Astra, she is determined to prove herself and become a full-fledged Tentacle. But when a critical heist goes sideways, the only way forward is for Lola to compete in the Liar’s Dice Tournament herself. Lola is confident in her ability to pull off any heist, but the Thief’s mysterious brother, the Liar, runs the game and he turns out to be more than she bargained for. As her attraction for him grows and illusions run wild, she will be forced to confront the secrets of her past, the truth of the brothers’ shared history, and the lies she tells herself.

Content Warning: violence

+ This story starts with a heist and ends with secrets coming unraveled and I had a great time with it! This is set in a casino which I found fun and dark. This is a world revolving around magic and secrets. The magic system is unique and there is a competition taking place to win an Unbreakable Lie. A game always makes things interesting!

+ Lola was saved by the Thief (Enzo), but now they have a mission to infiltrate the world of the Liar (Nic), so they can find the moonshard to break Enzo’s curse. Lola is a pretty good thief but even she isn’t strong enough to withstand some of the Liar’s magic or how much she comes to learn about him and desire him later on. I liked Lola, she was strong and wanted to prove her worth, but she’s also gone through some trauma. When she’s caught in the web of lies around her she has to make a choice on whether she wants to know the full truth. And that’s a hard choice to make. There is lots of growth for her from beginning to end.

+ Enzo and Nic are brothers but something major came between them and they hate each other. I loved getting to know these two different guys and getting a glimpse of their back story also. Enzo being the edgier of the two and addicted to thieving, and Nic who can weave a spell and make people love him with his lies. This is not a love triangle – I feel like it’s pretty obvious Enzo and Lola treat each other like siblings. Whereas Nic and Lola want each other but can’t be with one another because of mistrust, lies and Enzo.

+ It’s enemies to lovers and forced proximity but I really enjoyed how the story explored trust, lies and questioning who was manipulating who. It’s not spicy but there are some scene filled with heat and tension that was really good. Obviously, neither Lola or Nic, trust each other enough to take a chance on each other which is sad but I’m looking forward to see if that changes in book two (and I am assuming there will be one or else I’ll be crushed).

~ I would have liked more information about the magic and moonshard. We get a little bit of a backstory, very little. There is a lot more in this world to explore, like trying to find Laurel, Nic’s ex and someone important to the brothers finding this moonshard. Also, I’d like to know if Lola and her dad ever reunite and we can learn more about Lola’s past. Basically all of these things would give more information about the moonshard and magic so I hope we get that in book two.

Final Thoughts:

I read this one in two days. I got sucked into this magical, dark, casino world and the feud between two brothers, and Lola, a girl with a secret identity at the middle of the web of lies. I loved the tension in the romance between Lola and Nic and I hope there is a sequel so I can find out what happens next!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BLOG TOUR} A Forgery of Roses by. Jessica S. Olson | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Forgery of Fate by. Elizabeth Lim | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Forgery of Fate

Author: Elizabeth Lim

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 480

Publication Date: 6/3/25

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Dragons

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

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

A breathtaking romantic fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast about a girl who paints the future and a cursed dragon lord, bound by love and deception in a plot to bring down the gods.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes!

Truyan Saigas didn’t choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father’s disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King’s inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms. . . .

Content Warning: gambling debt, violence

+ I always expect this author to write a beautiful story and she never disappoints. Here we are again in a world of water dragons and it’s as magical as ever. There is even a cameo from someone in the Six Crimson Cranes duology so I think it’s safe to say this is the same world. A lot of this story takes place in the undersea which is so unique.

+ Truyan, or Tru, paints forgeries to help her family survive. But she also has the ability to paint prophecies and it’s this talent that gets her into a marriage of convenience with the Demon Prince who is actually not a demon but half human and half dragon. I love Tru, she’s quick thinking, loves her family, a bit sassy but filled with hope and strength.

+ The romance is a slow burn. Elang, is closed off, a grump, but he’s keeping some secrets and by the end their love story is an epic one. I loved them together and was rooting for them.

+ The story had a lot of action and the sea creatures like the turtles, were amazing characters. I even loved Shani who is the most infuriating, mischievous demon but definitely matches sass with Tru. I thought their reluctant friendship was so heartwarming (after from betrayal and secrets). I loved that Tru was a good person and didn’t give up on Shani, even after everything.

~ I felt the romance was too slow building – it was amazing by the end of the book but maybe a hint of Elang’s feelings earlier would have been nice because this is a standalone.

~ I love the world-building but maybe wanted a tad bit more in the undersea just to get a full grasp of the world.

Final Thoughts:

Elizabeth Lim’s novels are magical! I love the writing, the characters, the magic, the theme of family, and the slow building romance with it’s yearning at the end did crazy things to my heart. This is another wonderful book from this author and I look forward to everything else she writes next.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Six Crimson Cranes by. Elizabeth Lim | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Dragon’s Promise by. Elizabeth Lim | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Her Radiant Curse by. Elizabeth Lim | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Arc Review: Spin the Dawn (The Blood of Stars #1) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Unravel the Dusk (The Blood of Stars, #2) | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Serpent and the Wolf by. Rebecca Robinson | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Serpent and the Wolf (Dark Inheritance Trilogy, #1)

Author: Rebecca Robinson

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 11/19/24

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Romantasy, Slow-Burn, Witches, Magic

Perfect for fans of Raven Kennedy and Thea Guanzon, Rebecca Robinson’s thrilling romantasy debut combines high-stakes political intrigue and a steamy, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance.

All her life, Vaasa Kozár has been sharpened into a blade.

After losing her mother—her only remaining parent—to a mysterious dark magic that has since awakened within her, Vaasa is certain death looms. So is her merciless brother, who aims to eliminate Vaasa as a threat to his crown. In one last political scheme, he marries her off to Reid of Mireh, a ruthless foreign ruler, in hopes that he can use her death as a rallying cry to finally invade Reid’s nation. All Vaasa has to do is die.

But she is desperate to live. Vaasa enters her new marriage with every intent to escape it, wielding the hard-won political prowess and combat abilities her late father instilled in her. But to her surprise, Reid offers her a deal: help him win the votes to rise in power, and she can walk free. In exchange, he will share his knowledge about the dark magic running through her veins—and help keep it at bay.

This proposal may be too good to refuse, yet Vaasa and Reid’s undeniable attraction threatens to break the rules of their arrangement. As her brother’s lethal machinations take form, everything is at stake: Vaasa must learn to trust her new husband, but how can she, especially when their perfect political marriage begins to feel like the real thing?

Content Warning: violence, death, torture

+ I was excited to borrow this one because I heard good things about it and I can see why! It’s got a strong female main character, witches, magic, political intrigue and a simmering slow burn. But before the slow burn, I’d say this book starts off with a bang!

+ My favorite thing about this besides the romance between Vaasa and Reid is the witches! I love how Vaasa is hating everything about herself, hating her magic and power until she meets a coven of witches in Incuria (her new husband’s homeland) and she is accepted into it with open arms. I LOVE how the women were gentle with her but also pushed her to become better at controlling her power and become better at loving herself. I loved the sisterhood and it carried throughout the story.

+ The romance is a slow burner, and I think I would have loved the two of them to have more scenes. I liked how how Reid is the most powerful foreman, who is trying to become a headman, and has a ruthless reputation is anything but with her and he gives Vaasa a lot of distance. Vaasa needs a lot of space to grow and he gives her that which I think is the biggest green flag about him. There are spicy scenes but because these two have taken the time to really get to know one another, I felt like by then we know they are falling in love, even if it doesn’t seem like it because of the space they give one another.

+ Vaasa has experienced a lot of trauma and she grows a lot in this first book, and that was really nice to see.

~ An issue I had with the story was the pacing. It felt choppy. It started off strong, then it got slow then picked up in the end.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a pretty good debut and I really enjoyed the witches and sisterhood in the story. The pacing was an issue for me but I did still find most of the story entertaining.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Stranger Skies by. Pascale Lacelle | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Stranger Skies (Drowned Gods, #2)

Author: Pascale Lacelle

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 608

Publication Date: 11/5/24

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Categories: Young Adult, Series, Fantasy, Magic, Paranormal, Romance, LGBT+, Dark Academia

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

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

Ninth House meets The Hazel Wood in this riveting sequel to the New York Times bestselling dark academia fantasy Curious Tides, following Emory, Baz, Romie, and Kai on their desperate quests through space and time!

Opening locked doors has a price—even for those who hold a key. After going through the door that called to them both in dreams, Emory and Romie find themselves in the the same verdant world written of in Song of the Drowned Gods, albeit a twisted, rotting version of it. A sinister force has awoken with their arrival, intent on destruction as it spills across realms, and now Emory and Romie must stop it before it reaches their own shores.

Meanwhile, Baz and Kai are desperate to follow their friends through the door to other worlds, but a mishap pulls them back in time instead—where they come face to face with Cornus Clover himself, famed author of Song of the Drowned Gods. Stuck together in the past, they must navigate a very different Aldryn as they unravel the school’s darkest secrets. Across time and worlds, Emory, Romie, Baz, and Kai find their fates eerily interwoven with the heroes from Clover’s book. But when stories can’t be trusted, friendships are put to the test, and deadly enemies are not always as they seem, they must decide who gets to be a hero—and who is desperate enough to see themselves become a villain.

Content Warning: violence

I enjoyed Curious Tides, which is the first book in this series so I was very curious to see where this story went. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ I like the dual stories going with Romie and Emory in one place and Kai and Baz in another. I think it worked well seeing both worlds happening at the same time. I thought the world building was really good and expanded.

+ There was a little romance stirring in this book between two people that was hinted in book one. I love to see it, but it definitely comes at the end of the book and we’ll see what happens in book three. It’s definitely a slow burn. On the other hand where Emory had all the romance in book one, her relationship with Romie is what needs to be fixed and I liked to see their friendship journey.

+ There is magic, lots of action and so much going on in both worlds. Baz as a Timespinner even gets to go into the past with Kai to the point where I’d say things really changed for these magic wielders. I thought that part was very interesting and realized how large this world building is.

Dislikes:

~ I found this one a little too long and the pacing was off and there were parts that dragged. I do think it’s long because there was so much happening with the story, and lots more characters being introduced. But I did take a few weeks to finish this one.

Final Thoughts:

I did like how this world opens up in this book. There is so much going on and different worlds to explore. There is also a lot more characters introduced but at times I felt it dragged and was a bit too long for me. I think people who love fantasy though will love this one.

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram📚) | Instagram (crafts🎨) | Twitter (X) | Etsy (Shop)

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read By This Author:

Curious Tides by. Pascale Lacelle | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kingdom Claw by. Demi Winters | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Kingdom Claw (The Ashen, #2)

Author: Demi Winters

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 736

Publication Date: 2/21/24

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Magic

Return to the Kingdom of Íseldur, where enemies become lovers and dark secrets hide around each corner, the second novel in the Ashen series.

In the aftermath of a harrowing journey, Silla Nordvig’s dreams of a simple life have been shattered. Beaten, betrayed, and reeling from the revelation of her true name, she flees Kopa with Reynir Galtung, ruthless leader of the Bloodaxe Crew. But when they’re forced into hiding together, Silla soon discovers that Rey has been keeping secrets of his own.

Stuck in a shield-home with the murderous man she thought she knew, Silla forms a new master the magic flowing through her veins to save her sister. But before she can do that, Silla must face her most formidable opponent yet—her own inner demons.

Saga Volsik has nothing to lose. They’ve murdered her family. Stolen her throne. And now they expect her to marry their son, but not if she can dismantle Queen Signe’s plans first. The only problem? The handsome Zagadkian dignitary who knows far too many of her secrets.

Silla and Saga will need to find the strength to step into their destiny and stop chaos from sweeping across the land. Meanwhile, dark threads continue to weave themselves through Íseldur as magic long thought dead begins to wake.

Content Warning: violence, death, abuse

I read book one of this book, Road of Bones, couple weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Book two just came out earlier this year so I had to read it! Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ The story continues on right after Road of Bones and I love Silla’s journey after the betrayal she went through at the end of book one. It’s not an easy journey for her, but Rey is with her throughout.

+ The romance is a very slow burn but I loved what Silla and Rey had to go through to get to where they needed to be in their relationship. There is more steam in this one but it’s an emotional romance so I love that for them! He is grumpy to her sunshine, and they make a wonderful couple after they let their guards down.

+ Silla’s story is not the only one told in here. Now we get Saga’s story which I enjoyed a lot because she’s in a challenging spot and her struggle is different from Silla’s but still as horrible. Saga is trying her best to find a way to survive and I admired her effort even when she kept hitting dead ends. She gets a a little romance in her life too though and I was so happy she had some hope. I also love her relationship and love for Silla – which is mostly lived through memories but there is a moment where they finally make a connection. I can’t wait to see what happens with Saga’s journey.

+ Even though this story is over 700 pages and it took me about four days to finish, I actually enjoyed the whole story.

Dislikes:

~ I really hate Jonas. Like how could I go from liking a character in book one, to loathing him by the end of it and continuing into book two? He is hateful. I wish he would go away, but he’s one of the villains in this story so I guess he has to be there.

Final Thoughts:

I’m bummed I have to wait for book three because I am really enjoying this series! I like the personal journeys of Saga and Silla, the romance for both sisters and the kingdom politics going throughout the story. I am definitely invested!

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram📚) | Instagram (crafts🎨) | Twitter (X) | Etsy (Shop)

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read from This Author:

The Road of Bones by. Demi Winters – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Road of Bones by. Demi Winters | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Road of Bones (The Ashen, #1)

Author: Demi Winters

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 560

Publication Date: 11/5/24 (but was first published 6/27/23)

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Vikings, 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 Delacorte Press for giving me a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A woman on the run. A crew of Viking mercenaries. A forbidden romance. And the secret which threatens them all.

Silla Nordvig is running for her life.

The Queen of Íseldur has sent warriors to bring Silla to Sunnavík, where death awaits her. When her father is killed, his last words set Silla on a perilous travel the treacherous Road of Bones–a thousand-mile stretch haunted by warbands, creatures of darkness, and a mysterious murderer–and go to Kopa, where a shield-house awaits her.

After barely surviving the first stretch of road, a desperate Silla sneaks into a supply wagon belonging to the notorious Bloodaxe Crew. To make it to Kopa, she must win over Axe Eyes, the brooding leader of the Crew, while avoiding the Wolf, his distractingly handsome right-hand man. But the queen’s ruthless assassin has other plans and hunts Silla obsessively.

Will Silla make it safely to Kopa? Or will she fall prey to the perils of the Road of Bones?

Featuring an immersive world blending fairy tale with Vikings, The Road of Bones leads you on an adrenaline-fueled chase with fun banter and a slow-building enemies to lovers romance. The first book in the Ashen Series, you are one click away from reading it!

Content Warning: violence, drug use, death

I was gifted an arc of this book although I saw it was already published in 2023 and I thought why not? I haven’t read a Viking book in a long while so I thought it would be fun. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ Great world building! Silla is on the run and she finds the Bloodaxe Crew and begs them to take her to her destination. So there is a lot of traveling in this book but I enjoyed it! The forests are teeming with paranormal creatures plus soldiers and other nefarious crews. I thought this book moved on nicely with a lot of things keeping me invested. The book is under 600 pages and I read it in two days because I was hooked. There is romance, politics, secrets, betrayal and magic!

+ Silla is miss sunshine, and the leader of the crew, Rey is mister grumpy and I thought their interactions were great. There were times Silla’s personality got on my nerves because she came off naive but I also like how she was strong, learned to cope in hard situations, learned to defend herself and kept herself alive.

+ The romance was fun, until it wasn’t. And that’s all I can really say about that. There is spice though!

+ I love the found family theme. The Bloodaxe Crew has a vicious reputation but everyone on the crew mostly accepts Silla right away. There was humor but also sadness as we learn about their pasts. Right away you get a feel for this harsh land and way of life.

Dislikes:

~ There were times I wanted to shake Silla because of her actions. It’s understandable because she had to survive but people get hurt and I didn’t like that. There is another character who I liked a lot and in the end showed his true self and made me hate him a lot.

~ Story is just a little bit too long.

My Thoughts:

I was really pleasantly surprised with this book and I’m glad I read it. This book is entertaining and it took me on a wild ride. I now have to read book two because of what was revealed at the end!

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram📚) | Twitter (X)

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Shadow of Perl by. J. Elle | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Shadows of Perl (House of Marionne, #2)

Author: J. Elle

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 9/3/24

Publisher: Razorbill

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

The dazzling romantic fantasy world of House of Marionne continues in this dark and deadly sequel full of forbidden magic, devastating lies, and broken hearts.

A must read for fans of Stephanie Garber, Leigh Bardugo, and Alex Aster.

Unleash the darkness. Claim your power.

Quell Marionne’s explosive final Rite of Induction to House Marionne sent shockwaves through the magical world, unearthing long buried secrets and her own deadly power. But she paid a steep price: her family and her love. Fleeing Chateau Soleil for House of Perl, for once Quell is celebrated instead of shunned. She has finally found somewhere to belong. But secrets lurk in every House, and Quell’s quest to find her mom threatens to lead her deeper into the shadows.

Assassin Jordan Wexton, second-in command of the Dragun brotherhood, must protect the source of all magic, the Sphere. Yet the biggest threat to the Sphere is Quell Marionne—the girl he loved, until she claimed the deadly, outlawed toushana. As the Sphere cracks and war brews among the Houses, can the only way to save the world be to kill his own heart?

Now, these two lovers-turned enemies must confront their competing ambitions and conflicting loyalties. Or die. The future of magic hangs on their decision.

Content Warning: violence, loss of a parent

This is the second book in the House of Marionne series and with the way it ended in book one, I was excited to see how this sequel would turn out.

Likes:

I liked when Yagrin was in the story because the first book ended with him and it got me excited to see what would happen to his character.
The troubled romance between Quell and Jordan goes through more turmoil here. They hate one another, but underneath it all, they still feel strongly for one another. So I did like when they finally had scenes together – it was my favorite parts because I love romance in my fantasy books.
There is a lot of movement in the book since Quell is on the run and there is a lot of action at the end. I liked the political drama and Jordan coming to realize what the order demands of him.

Dislikes:

This was too slow for me and it was hard for me to get into it because it starts off with Nore and I was clueless as to who she was. So I was a bit lost in the beginning of this book and was trying to get my bearings and remember things from book one.
I couldn’t connect to the characters.

My Thoughts:

I think this book does move the series forward but it took me awhile to get into. My favorite parts were when Quell and Jordan finally confront each other but I did also like all the political drama happening with the houses. I think if you liked book one, you will enjoy this one.

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram📚) | Instagram (crafts🎨) | Twitter (X) | Etsy (shop)

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books By This Author:

House of Marionne by. J. Elle | ARC Review (House of Marionne, #1) – 3.5 stars

Wings of Ebony | ARC Review (Wings of Ebony, #1) – 4 stars

A Magic Fierce & Bright by. Hemant Nayak | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: A Magic Fierce & Bright

Author: Hemant Nayak

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 7/9/24

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Magic, Dystopian

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

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

A young technomancer teams up with a handsome thief to save her sister in this propulsive, magic-filled young adult fantasy that is perfect for fans of Gearbreakers and Iron Widow .

Adya wants nothing more than to be left alone. Content to be loyal to no one but herself in the isolated jungles of South India, she dreams only of finding her lost sister, Priya, and making enough money to take care of their family. It’s too bad that her rare ability to wake electric machines—using the magic that wiped them out five centuries ago—also makes her a coveted political pawn. Everyone seems to believe that her technomancy can help them win the endless war for control over the magic’s supernatural source.

These senseless power struggles mean little to Adya. But when her enemies dangle news of her sister before her, she’s all too quick to leap at the chance to bring Priya home—even if it means teaming up with a rakish, disreputable thief in order to do it. With the threat of invasion looming ever larger on the horizon, Adya must reconcile the kind of person she is with the kind of person she wants to be and untangle the web of intrigue, conspiracy, and deceit that threatens to take all of India down with it.

Content Warning: violence, death

+ The world building in this one is very unique. It’s a mixture of sci-fi and fantasy, in India. There is technomancy which is about magic and machines, which I thought was neat but maybe a better explanation of how this world came to be would have been helpful.

+ Adya is the main character and she’s gifted with technomancy. And she’s really connected to her sentient Yamaha motorbike, it’s like a friend to her which I thought was cool. I’d say she is very brave and loves her family. Her family is gone, except for her brother and maybe a sister, who she hasn’t given up hope on finding. Dsouza is her rival but we learn he’s more than a thief or renegade or whatever dangerous guy he’s portraying. I’d say there is some rivalry flirting going on between them but it’s not a focus at all. I think the two of them were fun together.

+ This story has a lot of action and violence that I wasn’t expecting. I think it made the story move fast. There was mention of Indian mythological creatures like the naga, drongo and yaksha.

~ The reader gets thrown into the story which made it hard to get my bearings at first. I would have liked more history about this world and what happened. I could grasp that Britain was trying to invade India but I don’t know why and at first I thought this was taking place in the past but then realized it was in the future since they had modern things.

~ Would have loved to connect more to the characters.

My Thoughts:

I thought this was an interesting and unique story because of the technomancy and sentient motorbike. Adya is an interesting character who can make machines magical. The Indian mythology added a lot to the story to make it more fascinating. I do feel like I didn’t quite connect to the characters but the story did move fast because it had so much action, sometimes very brutal. I think if you are into India, rebellion, sci-fi, magic and dystopia, this one may interest you.

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram📚) | Twitter (X) | Etsy (shop)

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Curious Tides by. Pascale Lacelle | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Curious Tides (Drowned Gods, #1)

Author: Pascale Lacelle

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 544

Publication Date: 10/3/23

Categories: Academia, Romance, LGBT+, Witches, Series, Fantasy, Young Adult

Ninth House meets A Deadly Education in this gorgeous dark academia fantasy following a teen mage who must unravel the truth behind the secret society that may have been involved in her classmates’ deaths.

Emory might be a student at the prestigious Aldryn College for Lunar Magics, but her healing abilities have always been mediocre at best—until a treacherous night in the Dovermere sea caves leaves a group of her classmates dead and her as the only survivor. Now Emory is plagued by strange, impossible powers that no healer should possess.

Powers that would ruin her life if the wrong person were to discover them.

To gain control of these new abilities, Emory enlists the help of the school’s most reclusive student, Baz—a boy already well-versed in the deadly nature of darker magic, whose sister happened to be one of the drowned students and Emory’s best friend. Determined to find the truth behind the drownings and the cult-like secret society she’s convinced her classmates were involved in, Emory is faced with even more questions when the supposedly drowned students start washing ashore— alive —only for them each immediately to die horrible, magical deaths.

And Emory is not the only one seeking answers. When her new magic captures the society’s attention, she finds herself drawn into their world of privilege and power, all while wondering if the truth she’s searching for might lead her right back to Dovermere…to face the fate she was never meant to escape.

Content Warning: grief, violence

This one has a slow start but I didn’t give up on and I’m glad I didn’t.

I love the world-building where magic is based on when a person is born and under what moon. It had the dark, gloomy academia vibes which was nice. I love the secret societies intrigue. We have two POVs from Emory and Baz. Emory survived a ritual that killed a bunch of her classmates, but she wasn’t even supposed to be there. Baz is the older brother of her best friend, Romie, who was lost in the ritual. They are both back at Aldryn College – a college for magic users, but this time Emory has new powers and she and Baz are trying to figure what went wrong during the ritual that went bad and they uncover so many things about magic, lies they were told, and secrets about other worlds.

My favorite characters so far are Baz, Kai, and Vera. Emory, I didn’t love because she kept making mistakes and trusting the wrong people. I didn’t see her as a good person, especially with how she treated Baz! She leads him on for her benefit and he deserves better. I hope there is growth for her in book two – there was some at the end of this one, but she really needs to do much more to win me over.

The beginning was too slow and repetitive at times but it picks up at the halfway mark and from then on it gets good mostly because of Kai, who I love but it just moves faster and has more action. There is a love triangle which infuriated me because I could tell from the start that Keiran wasn’t trustworthy but Emory had to learn the hard way I suppose, because she is so stubborn.

My Final Thoughts:

I definitely wanted to read this one because of the beautiful cover and I love the whole moon magic concept. It’s also an academia book and I was in the mood for it. I didn’t love Emory, the love triangle, or the slow beginning and the repetitiveness of some things that could have probably been cut to shorten this 544 page book. But once it picks up in the middle, I really couldn’t put it down! I love Baz, Kai, and Vera. I love the world building and magic system. I do hope there is growth for Emory in book two because I do not think she deserves Baz at all. I am looking forward to reading book two because of how this one ended. I’m curious to see these other worlds that have been hinted at!

Quotes From the Book

“The dead move on and so must we.”
Curious Tides by. Pascale Lacelle

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram📚) | Instagram (crafts🎨) | Twitter (X) | Etsy (shop)

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

So Let Them Burn By. Kamilah Cole | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: So Let Them Burn (Divine Traitors, #1)

Author: Kamilah Cole

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 1/16/24

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Jamaica Inspired, Dragons, Romance, LGBT+

Whip-smart and immersive, this Jamaican-inspired fantasy follows a gods-blessed heroine who’s forced to choose between saving her sister or protecting her homeland.

Faron Vincent can channel the power of the gods. Five years ago, she used her divine magic to liberate her island from its enemies, the dragon-riding Langley Empire. But now, at seventeen, Faron is all powered up with no wars to fight. She’s a legend to her people and a nuisance to her neighbors.

When she’s forced to attend an international peace summit, Faron expects that she will perform tricks like a trained pet and then go home. She doesn’t expect her older sister, Elara, forming an unprecedented bond with an enemy dragon—or the gods claiming the only way to break that bond is to kill her sister.

As Faron’s desperation to find another solution takes her down a dark path, and Elara discovers the shocking secrets at the heart of the Langley Empire, both must make difficult choices that will shape each other’s lives, as well as the fate of their world.

“By turns hopeful and devastating, So Let Them Burn is a masterful debut with a blazing heart. I was captivated from beginning to end by Cole’s sharp, clever prose and by her protagonists—two remarkable sisters with an unforgettable bond.” — Chelsea Abdullah, author of The Stardust Thief

Content Warning: violence

I thought the premise of this book was very intriguing – Jamaican inspired and dragons?

I love the sister bond between Faron and Elara. Faron is the Child Empyrean – chosen by the Gods, and gifted with power. She is the chosen but is the younger sister and makes a few mistakes in this books showing her immaturity. Elara is the older sister and is always in her sister’s shadow but longs to shine on her own. The sister are apart for most of the book but I think it helps to see them apart because Elara grows a lot from her new situation, whereas I think Faron alone needed her sister’s guidance.

I liked learning all about the dragons and the world-building is great. I would have liked more about the dragon academy since I think the best thing about this book was about the dragons. There is an interesting plot twist that occurs and I can see how this is going to complicate things a lot for the sisters. There are two romances happening for each sister, I’d say I was more into Elara’s building romance than Faron’s. But with everything that happened in the end of the book, I’m now much more curious how it’s going to end up for Faron. I think Gael Soto’s character is very intriguing and it will be interesting to see what happens to him in book two.

I did feel like this is more for younger young adult audiences.