Tag: paranormal

Cloak of the Vampire by. Sapir A. Englard | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Cloak of the Vampire (#1)

Author: Sapir A. Englard

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 349

Publication Date: 6/18/24

Categories: New Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

From the author of The Millennium Wolves series comes the hauntingly romantic story of a young woman’s descent into a League of vampires, and the Lord who means to keep her there.

Aileen Henderson’s unassuming life conceals a dark past. Outside of work, she hides behind her larger-than-life best friend, Cassidy, whose constant need for attention suits Aileen—and her secrets—just fine.

Until the night Aileen dies.

Awakening to a new world of brutality, bloodlust, and betrayal, Aileen plots revenge against Ragnor Rayne, the monster who cursed her with the Imprint. The demon who turned her into a vampire. The man whose eyes haunt her dreams.

She is going to make this vampire Lord regret the day he kissed her with the curse of immortality and made her his. If she can survive the Auction, and resist temptations of the flesh…


Content Warning: violence, death, mentions of rape and child abuse, trafficking

I needed a palate cleanser book and thought to read this one about vampires. I really enjoyed the world-building about Vampires and their different Leagues around USA. Instead of vampires going around changing people, there is an exclusive list that humans can try to get on to be changed into a vampire. I like the choice in that! Of course then comes along Aileen. There are other things in this world that will probably be more explained in book two.

Aileen is a very mysterious character – someone playing a role to erase whatever is in her past. And her past is DARK. Super dark because her dad was a convicted rapist and child abuser – and those topics made this one at times a bit too dark to read. But because she’s keeping her past secret, we get bits and pieces here and there and still not even the full story by the end of this book.

Ragnor is her Lord – the vampire that changed her. And of course right away there is an attraction between them which I really enjoyed since I was looking for an easy, smutty read filled with tension. But then Aileen’s messed up feelings about attachment started to test my patience and honestly I do not blame her much because she comes from a very MESSED up childhood. Like…it’s bad. I wanted to put her back into therapy – she needs therapy more than falling for a vampire! Ragnor also got his own issues about falling in love.

The leagues are like academies (I love academies) but a lot of the academic parts are weak. Like their fighting classes kind of sucked – did anyone improve? And the friendships in Aileen’s life are SO bad. It made me angry for her but also…that’s what she did choose on purpose which also made me angry AT her. LOL. Yeah it was messy but I was there for the drama. At times it felt young adult – but the spiciness definitely makes it new adult.

Final Thoughts:

This one is spicy with very dark topics. I like the world building a lot with the different vampire leagues. I think Aileen is a very interesting character and we shall see what develops for her story – she has a scary past but I kind of want her strong and cold like she claims. Ragnor has definitely brought out her needy, attachment side and I don’t love it. Lots of people will love the romance between Aileen and Ragnor – it’s spicy, full of some angst on her part but they are definitely a work in progress. I was definitely entertained. I’m reading book two now because I am so curious about the other creatures in this world building.

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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.

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Book Links:

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Other Books I’ve Read By This Author:

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

The Fate of Magic By. Sara Raasch and Beth Revis | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Fate of Magic (Witch and Hunter, #2)

Author: Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 10/29/24

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Witches, Historical 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 Sourcebooks Fire for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


The breathtaking sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller Night of the Witch culminates with a sweeping romance and an epic battle to determine the fate of magic…and the world.

Fritzi is a champion. After escaping the clutches of Dieter Kirch, the sadistic leader of the witch hunters, Fritzi and Otto have taken refuge among the witches of the Black Forest. Fritzi is finally ready to assume her place on the council as the coven’s goddess-chosen champion. Plagued by distrust and self-doubt, Fritzi throws herself into her duty to serve the goddesses . . . until she uncovers a powerful secret that could mean the very undoing of magic itself.

Otto is a warrior. He swears himself to Fritzi as her bonded protector, certain the peaceful unity of a witch and hunter will heal the wounds he helped make. But as the horrifying plot that threatens the Black Forest’s magic comes to light, Otto will have to face his both his past and what it means to bind himself to a magic he does not fully understand.

Shadows loom. Truths are revealed. And as dangers new and old arise, Fritzi and Otto must stand together against everything that threatens magic—even if the biggest threat might be the very bond they share.

Content Warning: violence, possession

I read Night of the Witch last year, which is book one of this series. So I decided to read book two and here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ Like the first book, I thought there was good world-building. This is set in Germany when witches were being burned so I always like a little historical fiction in my fantasy books, and this particular part of history is one that I don’t know much about.

+ There are new challenges Fritzi and Otto have to deal with like the return of Dieter who can take possession of Fritzi. But I love how Fritzi and Otto’s bond has really grown and though there is romance, I feel like it wasn’t the main focus. They are a pretty solid couple with no drama between which was kind of nice!

+ Even thought this is a dark book, I love the humor some of the secondary characters brought into the story like Liesel, she such a fun character always checking up on Fritzi and Otto.

Dislikes:

~ I felt like this book was slower for me to get into. For a minute I had to get my bearings and remember what happened in book one but once I did, I thought not much was happening like in book one.

~ The ending felt rushed.

My Thoughts:

I think this was a solid conclusion to the duology and overall an interesting series if you are into witches, history, romance, magic and fantasy!

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Book Links:

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Night of the Witch by. Sara Raasch and Beth Revis | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Filthy Rich Fae by. Geneva Lee | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Filthy Rich Fae (Filthy Rich Fae, #1)

Author: Geneva Lee

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 392

Publication Date: 6/25/24

Categories: Romance, Urban Fantasy, Series, Enemies to Lovers, Paranormal

“You made a bargain…
Your soul for his—and now, you are mine.”

Cate Holloway knows the unspoken rule of New avoid the powerful Gage crime family at all costs. Of course, that was before her brother got caught in their chaos. Now 

Cate has no choice but to confront the dark and forbidding prince of New Orleans himself and beg for her brother’s life.

But Lachlan Gage is as lethal as he is beautiful…and the only currency he’s interested in is her soul.

Because Lachlan isn’t just some ruthless criminal. He’s fae. And he has his own secret reasons for binding her to him.

Tricked and desperate, Cate is torn between humanity and the breathtaking Otherworld. A place filled with shadows and secrets, with members of each fae court plotting against her just as her captor’s motives for trapping her become more mysterious.

And if she can’t break this sinister bargain in the next thirty days, she’ll be bound to the inscrutable yet infuriatingly tempting fae prince and his deadly world…forever.


Content Warning: violence, mentions of sexual assault/rape

I saw this book on Kindle Unlimited, loved the cover and also wanted to read something with Fae and so I borrowed it. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ Pleasantly surprised that this was an urban fantasy set in New Orleans! There is just something so dark and mysterious about New Orleans and I can definitely see vampires, fae, and all the other monsters living there.

+ I like Cate and her need to help people even though she barely has anyone in her life. She is an orphan who was passed around in foster care and got close to Channing who is now her brother. She tries her best to look out for him but his choices in life has gotten him trouble with the Gage family, who run New Orleans.

+ The cast of characters are great! I like that even though Lachlan Gage is a dangerous man, he has a dysfunctional family who Cate gets kind of close to, especially with his sister.

+ The romance is the slowest burn ever and I will say I thought with a title with the word “Filthy” in it, I thought it was going to be super spicy but it actually wasn’t! That was surprising, but there was spice but I found it pretty mild or not as detailed as I thought it would be. But I did love the connection that was growing between Cate and Lachlan, even with all the drama happening around them, and the slow burn between them. Their banter was fun and I love how she never backed down with him.

+ Love the twist at the end and look forward to book two!

Dislikes:

~ Just wanted a little more spice! It’s a closed door kinda story.

Final Thoughts:

I think this hit the spot for what I was craving for at the moment which was an urban fantasy story with a sexy Fae, lots of banter, some Fae politics, found family, and a MC with a secret background. All the tropes I love in one place! I’ll definitely be reading the next book.

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The House at Watch Hill by. Karen Marie Moning | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The House at Watch Hill (Watch Hill Trilogy, #1)

Author: Karen Marie Moning

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 10/1/24

Publisher: William Morrow

Categories: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Series, Gothic

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

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


#1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning is back with a gripping, imaginative, and seductive new series in which a young woman moves to Divinity, Louisiana, to inherit a large fortune and a Gothic mansion full of mysteries and ominous secrets…

Zo Grey is reeling from the sudden death of her mother when she receives a surprising call from an attorney in Divinity, Louisiana, with the news she has been left an inheritance by a distant relative, the terms of which he will only discuss in person. Destitute and alone, with nothing left to lose, Zo heads to Divinity and discovers she is the sole beneficiary of a huge fortune and a monstrosity of a house that sits ominously at the peak of Watch Hill—but she must live in it, alone, for three years before the house, or the money, is hers.

Met with this irresistible opportunity to finally build a future for herself, Zo puts aside her misgivings about the foreboding Gothic mansion and the strange circumstances, and moves in, where she is quickly met by a red-eyed Stygian owl and an impossibly sexy Scottish groundskeeper.

Her new home is full of countless secrets and mystifying riddles, with doors that go nowhere, others that are impossible to open, and a turret into which there is no visible means of ingress. And the townspeople are odd…

What Zo doesn’t yet know is that her own roots lie in this very house and that in order to discover her true identity and awaken her dormant powers, she will have to face off against sinister forces she doesn’t quite comprehend—or risk being consumed by them.

Content Warning: death, violence, death of parent, illness

I was obsessed with Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series so I was very curious to see what this new series would be about. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

  • I really enjoyed the world building especially because it’s centered around a town and a monstrosity of a house. There is a lot of mystery about the town and the house itself. It’s dark and fits the vibe of something bad coming. I like the paranormal themes of the story and we have witches and vampires and who knows what else as the series continues. I usually find mysteries slow but I was mostly engrossed in this one.
  • Zo is a fighter. Her mom just died and it’s turned her world upside down. She’s now supposedly the heir to a fortune, but that’s not all. There are conditions of her inheritance and she finds out there’s is more to the town than what is presented. We learn a lot about her upbringing by her stories of struggle and I don’t necessarily feel like I know a lot about her to like her, but I admire her strength in taking care of her mom. She’s a woman who has learned not to make connections with people, because she never had a chance to do so.
  • There are a a lot players in this story and I can’t say I have a good grasp on any of them yet. But many of them are intriguing. Este, seems like Zo’s only friend. The rest of the cast is untrustworthy at this point of the story.

Dislikes:

  • Nothing much happens in this book except it’s building the story for whatever is coming. I didn’t mind that so much until the second half of the book when I wanted Zo to stop wallowing in her thoughts so much. But there are conditions to her will and she has a lot of waiting to do – that makes us wait as an audience too. When Zo sleeps with men, we don’t get any real details, it’s more telling than showing and I hope that changes in book two.
  • I thought with how the beginning was written that the house was sentient and it would have been cool if it was! But it’s not (at least so far), it’s got weird energy though, that’s for sure, and I have to say there is a lot of detail about the house which I thought was nice. I love the darkness of the atmosphere but yeah, a sentient house would have been very interesting.

My Thoughts:

This book has the best vibes for fall reading and that’s actually what kept me reading. It’s dark, mysterious, and there are plenty of secrets and also so many sexy men. But I feel like not much happened in this book except for laying the groundwork for what’s to come. I feel like Zo is strong which is admirable but she was also about to hurt the one person she has on her side. So clearly she needs help and control and it will be interesting to see who she can actually trust going forward. So I’ll be waiting for book two and hope we get so much more out of this story because it has so much potential to be amazing. I have lots of questions so I hope we get answers in the next book.

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Book Links:

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Darkfever (Fever, #1) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bloodfever (Fever, #2) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Faefever (Fever, #3) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dreamfever (Fever, #4) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shadowfever (Fever, #5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Iced (Fever, #6) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Burned (Fever, #7) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Feverborn (Fever, #8) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Feversong (Fever, #9) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

High Voltage (Fever, #10) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beyond the Highland Mist (Highlander, #1) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Immortal Highlander (Highlander, #6) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

**I’m pretty sure I read the whole Highlander series but it was at a time I was not consistently using Goodreads to rate the books so that’s all the info I have on the books I did rate on the site.**

The Monstrous Kind by. Lydia Gregovic | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Monstrous Kind

Author: Lydia Gregovic

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 9/3/24

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Gothic, Paranormal, Romance

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

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

An atmospheric, haunting, romantasy inspired by Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, set in a Regency England about two sisters fighting to hold on to their manor while deadly monsters prowl along its perimeters—perfect for fans of House of Salt and Sorrows and Anatomy: A Love Story.

Merrick Darling’s life as daughter of the Manor Lord of Sussex is better than most. Unlike the commoners, she is immune to the toxic fog that encroached on England generations earlier. She will never become a Phantom—one of the monstrous creatures that stalk her province’s borders—and as long as the fires burn to hold them back, her safety is ensured. She wants for nothing, yet she will never inherit her family’s Manor. She must marry smartly or live at the kindness of her elder sister, Essie.

Everything is turned on its head, though, when Merrick’s father dies suddenly. Torn from her New London society life of ball gowns and parties, Merrick must travel back to her childhood home, the Darling estate of Norland House, and what she finds there is bewildering. Once strong and capable, Essie is withdrawn and frightened—and with good cause. A recent string of attacks along the province’s borders has turned their formerly bucolic countryside into a terrifying and unpredictable landscape. The fog is closing in and the fires aren’t holding, which makes Merrick and Essie vulnerable in more ways than one. Because the Phantoms are far from the only monsters in Merrick’s world, and the other eleven Manor Lords are always watching for weakness.

Revealing her and her sister’s current state to the rest of the Manors is out of the question, but when Essie goes missing, it’s clear that Merrick needs help. Only, who can she trust when everyone seems to be scheming, and when all she holds true feels like it’s slipping right out of her grasp?

Content Warning: violence, death, loss of a parent

I went into this one not knowing it was inspired by Sense and Sensibility until after I read it. With that said, I loved how it is written because I felt like it was regency era inspired so I think the author did a great job capturing that era and the gothic vibes.

As for it being inspired by Sense and Sensibility, I can definitely see that with a few twists here and there. The world building and history is interesting with this encroaching fog that kills people, so over generations it has pushed territories to defend and protect their borders. Merrick’s family has had a change in head of household with her father’s death and her sister is the named the next lord of their manor. What I found fascinating in the stories was the relationship between the sisters and how complicated it is. Bottom line is both girls are trying to survive and keep their house in order but one is head of household and the other has to marry. It’s not so easy to do either though when their borders are being breached, and they seem weak.

I did enjoy how the story unfolded though it can feel slow at some parts because a lot of it is a mystery until all is revealed. I loved the gothic atmosphere. I mean the fog has Phantoms (zombies?) that kill people! It took me only two days to read but I can’t say I loved Merrick. She is pitted as the most vulnerable of the sisters because she has no power, and has to marry to survive but she seems willing to fall for any guy who pays her attention. Is that survival or is she just too trusting? Especially when she has a cousin-in-law, Cressida who is trying to teach her to be more aware of the games the people in power play? I just wanted Merrick to be a little more smarter about some situations. But as a comparison to Marianne from Sense and Sensibility then I can totally see that she stacks up well to her. I did want more from Essie also.

My Thoughts:

Regency era mystery, gothic vibes, zombies in the mist, and inspired by Sense and Sensibility – I think the author pulled it off. I do wish I loved the characters more though and the romance had a chance to take off, but is there a book two because the ending did feel like it was left open? Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

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Ghostsmith by. Nicki Pau Preto | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Ghostsmith (House of the Dead, #2)

Author: Nicki Pau Preto

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 8/13/24

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Series, Paranormal, Romance

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

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

In this action-packed finale to the House of the Dead Duology, Wren and her friends put everything they know to the test as they battle the living and the undead to save their world.Wren is still reeling from the revelation that the mother she thought was dead is actually the Corpse Queen, a ghostsmith with the terrifying power to control the undead. It was Wren’s own mother who created the iron revenants—an army of near unbeatable undead soldiers. When the iron revenants attack, no one in the Dominions will have the strength to stand in their way.

Now Wren, Leo, and Julian find themselves once more in the Breach, this time on the run from Wren’s father, who is determined to secure more power for himself and the House of Bone. The three are desperate to stop the upcoming war, but working together is easier said than done with Julian still furious about Wren double-crossing him. And to make matters worse, Wren is plagued by powerful new abilities that force her to reassess everything she knows about being a bonesmith.

When Wren’s long-lost twin brother shows up and vows to help her destroy the well of magic that feeds the iron revenants, she must decide if trusting him is worth potentially playing right into their mother’s hands. After all, the dead might be dangerous, but it’s the living who can betray you.

Content Warning: violence, death, war, evil parents

+ Once I got this arc I read it right away because I loved Bonesmith. The world-building in this book is consistent and it widens up now that we meet Hawke, who is Wren’s brother. He’s lived a very different life from Wren where he is help making the revenants as Wren is on the opposite end trying to kill them. We get more information about their horrible mother, Ravenna.

+ I like how this story keeps moving forward with action, betrayal and the conclusion. I think it’s a great duology!

+ The story has a lot of things going on with Ravenna’s plans to rule with her undead army, Julian and Wren trying to forgive one another, Prince Leo trying prove himself, and Hawke coming to terms how his mother is not a good person and Wren might be the only sane family member he has. I loved that the romance didn’t overtake the story – I like how Julian and Wren eventually work things out in the end. I also liked Hawke and Wren’s story – it was hard to trust Hawke, but he’s got some issues to work out with himself and his mother. They eventually team up together and I love that for them.

+ And how can I not mention Leo who is as charming as ever and brought the humor in the story where it needed it since it’s kind of a dark read.

~ I honestly love how tightly edited this duology is and it wasn’t too long! But I do wish there was more time for Hawke and Wren to get to know one another. I was surprised at how fast Wren forgave Hawke but it did show how Hawke was basically abused and controlled by Ravenna. Still, I wish the siblings had more time to get to know one another.

My Thoughts:

I appreciate how nicely this story actually moved. I loved the action which kept me interested in the story. It’s a dark story about the undead but I also liked the discussion about the dead – one side thinking they need to be set free, and the other that thinks the dead wants to be close to the living. Wren’s mother is an awful person but I’m glad despite having two horrible parents she turned out to be a fighter who was on the right side of things. The characters are great, the romance was just enough, and it’s a great conclusion to the duology!

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Bonesmith by. Nicki Pau Preto | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

ARC Review | Heart of Flames ⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review: Crown of Feathers (Crown of Feathers, #1) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by. Megan Bannen | Audiobook Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

Author: Megan Bannen

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 8/23/22

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy, Paranormal


Hart is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the strange and magical wilds of Tanria. It’s an unforgiving job, and Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness.

Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.

After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to “A Friend”. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.

If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most – Mercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares – each other?

Content Warning: death, violence, grief

I finally got around to reading or listening to this book and I can see why so many readers love it! This was a fun, engrossing and heart warming story all wrapped up in a sort of “You’ve Got Mail” situation but in a contemporary fantasy world. The world-building is unique and really fleshed out with gods, demigods, talking creatures/animals, and zombies! But what I really loved about this book were the characters.

Mercy is an undertaker and I really love her family dynamics. They are chaotic, but such a lovable bunch. Hart, is gruff and grumpy and he and Mercy do not get along at all. But then they are writing letters without knowing they are writing to each other. Of course they will have to deal with the moment they finally meet and know the truth. There is a lot of chemistry between Mercy and Hart and they have some very spicy moments together.

The secondary characters really rounded this feeling of community in this story from Mercy’s family members, to Hart’s found family.

I might have not caught on to some things because I was listening to the audiobook for about 60% of the book. The last 40% I read the ebook because I felt like I wasn’t getting all the details. I did with Mercy and Hart had more good times together before the fall out and that she gave him a chance to explain at least.

My Final Thoughts:

This was such a unique romance with so much going on but what I really loved were the characters and their interactions with one another. Mercy’s family was just so much fun and the whole world of Tanria was fascinating. I look forward to reading the next book!

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Castle of the Cursed by. Romina Garber | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Castle of the Cursed

Author: Romina Garber

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 7/30/24

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Horror, Thriller, Fantasy, Mystery, Gothic, Paranormal, Romance

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

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

A delicious and dark gothic romance from bestselling author Romina Garber!

THE HOUSE IS ALWAYS HUNGRY…

After a mysterious attack claims the lives of her parents, all Estela has left is her determination to solve the case. Suffering from survivor’s guilt so intense that she might be losing her grip on reality, she accepts an invitation to live overseas with an estranged aunt at their ancestral Spanish castle, la Sombra.

Beneath its gothic façade, la Sombra harbors a trove of family secrets, and Estela begins to suspect her parents’ deaths may be linked to their past. Her investigation takes a supernatural turn when she crosses paths with a silver-eyed boy only she can see. Estela worries Sebastián is a hallucination, but he claims he’s been trapped in the castle. They grudgingly team up to find answers and as their investigation ignites, so does a romance, mistrust twined with every caress.

As the mysteries pile up, it feels to Estela like everyone in the tiny town of Oscuro is lying and that whoever was behind the attack has followed her to Spain. The deeper she ventures into la Sombra’s secrets, the more certain she becomes that the suspect she’s chasing has already found her . . . and they’re closer than she ever realized.

Content Warning: violence, kidnapping, death, loss of a parent, depression, grief

+ The gothic vibes in this book is nice. Estela moves in with her estranged aunt who lives in a Spanish castle called la Sombra. It’s dark, it’s falling apart, it’s old and she feels like someone is watching her. The town around la Sombra, feeds into the lore of the castle and the families that have lived there, almost like they are the rulers of the town. Estela learns about her family’s dark past and I thought where the story took me was quite unexpected.

+ Estela feels like an unreliable narrator at first because things that have happened in her life without a normal explanation. Also, because of her parents death – she’s being treated for PTSD and she doesn’t at times trust her own memories so I thought that made more engaged in the story because I didn’t know where it would be heading. I thought her growth and journey was strong though.

+ I did like the twists in the story, especially the ones I wasn’t expecting. There is a whole theme of family in this story that I thought was done well, especially when it’s about family secrets and there is a lot that Estela uncovers about her family, good and bad.

~ There is a paranormal romance in this story. Sebastián is a dark presence in the castle that is trapped and only Estela can see him. She finds out that he’s a vampire which even more fantastic given the gothic atmosphere of the book and I love paranormal romance. But I didn’t love the romance in this one. I didn’t feel the chemistry between them, even though there were heated moments, it fell kind of flat to me. It’s a bit too insta-love for me especially for someone like Estela going through so much trauma. I wish there was more build-up to their attraction.

My Thoughts:

I like how this book took me on an unexpected, twisty, and mysterious journey with Estela who is overcoming some difficult things like grief and trauma. I thought the gothic vibes were great and la Sombra was definitely creepy but I felt like I needed more from the story and wish the romance wasn’t so insta-love.

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The Warm Hands of Ghosts by. Katherine Arden | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Warm Hands of Ghosts

Author: Katherine Arden

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 325

Publication Date: 2/13/24

Categories: Historical Fiction, Paranormal, War



During the Great War, a combat nurse searches for her brother, believed dead in the trenches despite eerie signs that suggest otherwise, in this hauntingly beautiful historical novel with a speculative twist from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale

January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, she receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. Soon after arriving, she hears whispers about haunted trenches, and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else?

November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two men form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.

As shells rain down on Flanders, and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely.

Content Warning: war, injuries, death

Laura and Freddie are siblings, both have been sent to the front lines, Laura as a nurse and Freddie as a soldier. And now Laura is trying to find out her brother and only family left, is dead or alive.

I found Laura to be such an intriguing character. She’s a nurse in World War I who was injured badly but survived, got sent home where she loses both her parents in one day and her only other family is out in the front lines. She’s alone but thriving and still holding hope that her brother Freddie is alive. Laura is not afraid, even with everything she’s been through, she’s ready to help the injured, she’s a good friend and a devoted sister. Personality wise, she’s not a warm person, but she’s efficient and was determined in her job being a nurse and trying to find her brother which I admired.

Freddie, oh poor Freddie, is in the bowels of hell and many times on death’s doorstep. In fact, where he is, we don’t really know. We meet a mysterious character Faland who is holding Freddie at some hotel which I think was symbolic of Freddie’s broken mind because of the war. I’m not sure – there were some parts of Freddie and Faland’s story that confused me for awhile until I just had to tell myself to go with it. I did determine that Faland was the devil and he was stealing souls, but for a time I thought maybe Faland was some mythical creature part of Belgium that I didn’t know about. Freddie’s story had a sort of surprise ending that I thought came out of nowhere. I see what the author was trying to do with the story but I definitely read the author’s note at the end of the book to get more insight. I’ll admit some of the times the story went over my head.

My favorite parts of the book were about Laura’s job as a nurse and her determination to find out what happened to Freddie. Even though all the war parts are gruesome and dark it’s real because war isn’t glamorous. I also like that this is set in World War I because it is a war we don’t hear much about, at least here in America. The historical fiction aspect of this story was really good.

My Final Thoughts:

For the most part I thought this was a pretty good book though some parts went over my head. I enjoyed the historical setting and it made me learn a lot of new things about World War I. In the end, I felt the full gravity about war being horrifying on both sides of enemy lines – everyone is in hell when they are in war, no matter what side they are on.

Quotes From the Book:

“Do not despair. Endings – they are beginnings too.”

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by. Katherine Arden

“The whole world’s made up of systems now. Systems that are too big for any one person to understand or control, or stop. Like the timetables. Alliances. Philosophies. And so now we’re here, even though no one wanted to be. “

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by. Katherine Arden

“That there’s no such thing as a coward, or a brave man – not out there. There’s no man’s will stronger than the war.”

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by. Katherine Arden

“But it was over. The fighting would stop. The killing would stop. And perhaps the world had learned. Perhaps this was the war that would end war. Perhaps.”

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by. Katherine Arden

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