Tag: romance

We’ve Hit Turbulence by. Jessica L. Cozzi | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: We’ve Hit Turbulence

Author: Jessica L. Cozzi

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 1/13/26

Publisher: Delacorte Romance

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


When a girl is stuck on a cross-country flight with her ex, things get bumpy—a swoony YA rom com perfect for fans of K.L. Walther!

As if flying couldn’t get any worse.

Olive Austin just wants to get on her flight to visit her long-distance boyfriend in peace—a spring break filled with white-sand beaches, cute date nights, and soaking up the sun in Hawaii. It’s exactly what the doctor ordered…especially since lately she can’t shake the feeling that her relationship is on the rocks.

Unfortunately, when she boards her cross-continental flight she discovers that her seatmate for her 13-hour journey is none other than Tyler Ferris, her ex…a.k.a the boy that her heart never really got over.

Even though Olive’s prepared to ignore him and survive the flight with her heart unscathed, Tyler has other plans, and before long, with nowhere else to go, the past begins to resurface. Now, Olive’s feeling more confused than ever about her heart, what went down that tore her and Tyler apart, and—most importantly—what she’s going to do once the turbulence passes and the flight finally lands.

Content Warning:

+ This was a cute second chance romance story that is set in Hawaii, which appealed to me because it’s my home. Olive is on her way to Honolulu, to surprise her boyfriend Jack who is attending the University of Hawaii, thing is…he’s been ghosting her. She can’t get ahold of him and she’s suspicious as to why. And then coincidentally enough the person sitting next to her on the plane, is her ex-boyfriend Tyler, so that made for an interesting plane ride.

+ Olive is raised by a single mom who is always dating and trying to find the one. This gives Olive a lot of insecurities about guys and dating in general. She doesn’t want someone who isn’t responsible or planning their future like she is – she is a planner and Tyler was her opposite, he lived life to the fullest and didn’t have a plan.

+~ A lot happens in Hawaii, and Olive isn’t even there for a week, but she gets to see some parts of Oahu and gets to spend time with Tyler. They also get to really talk about what went wrong with them. But I kind of wished she was there a whole week, because the time spent with Tyler was way too fast. Also, I loved Tyler’s bestie, Delia – she was straight-up with Olive, which is what she needed, someone to tell her she was not being a good friend. Speaking of Tyler, he’s a great guy, he loves her, would do anything for her, it’s crazy how she let him go but I also get it because of her fears.

~ I sympathized with Olive’s fears but also, I was kind of annoyed at how she she jumped into a supposedly stable relationship with Jack even though she really loves Tyler. Things happens fast in this story – like she is having problems with Jack and then maybe falling again for Tyler. But the title of the book is appropriate for this story because Olive and Tyler’s relationship is really turbulent.

Final Thoughts:

Second chance romance isn’t usually my favorite of the romance tropes but I really enjoyed this one. Olive and Tyler are young and are prone to make mistakes and they do that in this story but I love how things come full circle with them and they eventually make things work.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A War of Wyverns by. S.F. Williamson | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: A War of Wyverns (A Language of Dragons, #2)

Author: S.F. Williamson

Narrator(s): Henrietta Meire

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368 Listening Time: Approximately 12 hours

Publication Date: 1/6/26

Publisher: HarperCollins

Categories: Historical Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Dragons, Series

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

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


Rebellion happens in the shadows. In the sequel to the New York Times bestseller A Language of Dragons, language is the greatest weapon in a war between humans and dragons—and one translator has the power to change the world. Perfect for teen fans of Fourth Wing and Babel.

Who is Vivien Featherswallow?

It’s the question on the lips of every human and dragon in Britannia, and even she doesn’t know the answer. Is she the Swallow, the face of the rebellion against the corrupt government and invading Bulgarian dragons? Is she a brasstongue, a translator on the cusp of discovering a new dragon language? Or is she just Viv, the girl who lost the love of her life after playing spy?

Viv isn’t sure, but she knows she has to fight back.

Armed with a machine that allows her to listen to dragons’ thoughts, a diary with the clues of a never-before translated dragon tongue, and her own need to avenge her lost love, Viv seeks out the elusive Hebridean Wyverns. If she can find them and convince them to join the war, the rebellion might have a chance.

Viv will soon realize that while translation is a weapon, it might not help her on her journey to victory—or to finding herself.

Content Warning: violence, death

In book two of the A Language of Dragons series, the story moves forward as Viv reunites with her colleagues and her cousin. But this time they need to try and get the help from Wyverns. There is more moments of Vivian trying to figure out echolocation and translating different dragon languages. And the message is very clear in this series of how erasing languages is one of the major ways to oppress people but in this case, it’s the dragons who’s language and culture is at the risk of being lost. There is political intrigue, betrayal, and even some emotional moments.

There is a lot of action in this one because Vivian and crew are in hiding and trying to figure out how to survive and who to trust when it comes to politics. But there is something about Viv that I wasn’t connecting to and even found her character a little annoying because she’s so full of pride and want to be right about everything. As the story goes on, it’s obvious Viv just wants to be important and useful and doesn’t know what she’s an expert at or how to help. I just didn’t love her whining all the time.

I do find the world-building of dragons in different countries, like they each have their own culture, really fascinating! And the narrator did a great job with the voices and accents but for some reason, it’s Vivian’s voice that comes off so snooty at times that I just didn’t enjoy her character.

Final Thoughts:

This one is action packed but I didn’t love Vivian though she did grow. I know she was finding herself but for some reason I just wasn’t vibing with her. But I loved learning more about the dragons, their differences, and their cultures! I think this is a good sequel to the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

A Language of Dragons by. S.F. Williamson | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Drive Me Crazy by. Lizzy Dent | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Drive Me Crazy

Author: Lizzy Dent

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 1/6/26

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Sports 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 G.P. Putnam’s Sons for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


Sparks fly when an up-and-coming team principle and her new hot-shot driver—and former childhood crush—are forced to work together to save their careers and team in this deliciously winning Formula 1 romance.

Can they navigate the twists and turns of love without crashing and burning?

As one of the first female team principles in Formula 1, Chloe Coleman is determined to prove herself and transform her failing team from underdogs to champions. Nothing can ruin her strategy—except maybe the surprising new addition of a cocky, top-tier driver who’s lost his edge. And he just so happens to be her estranged childhood crush who still sends her heart racing.

Matt Warner needs a comeback. A former champion, he hasn’t won a race since the disastrous crash that landed his best friend and teammate in the hospital. If there’s a silver lining to this scandalous demotion, it’s his fierce and familiar new boss, Chloe. But as the competition heats up, so does an unexpected spark that turns dangerously and passionately hot. With the world watching and pressures of the season mounting, will their chemistry lead them to victory, or spin them out of control?

Content Warning: sexism

+ F1 racing romance? I was definitely intrigued and I am not a race car watching girlie, so I was looking forward to learn something about F1 racing and I did! So I enjoyed that.

+ Chloe and Matt grew up together as kids, and Chloe had the biggest crush on him but Matt went on to do big things in the racing world, leaving her brokenhearted. Now, the race team Chloe is working for as the first female principal, has acquired Matt to race for them. Matt has been struggling with some things like anxiety and PTSD, after being in a race car crash that hurt his teammate. And being forced to work together, brings all the old feelings back for Chloe and new feelings for Matt.

+ The romance between Chloe and Matt has to be hidden from the team, since they work together – she’s the principal for the team, and he’s the race car driver, so they had to hide what was growing between them from the press. There some spice between them too. I like how this romance fit into the world of suspense that racing brings – I think it heightened the relationship between Chloe and Matt because so much was at stake with their team.

+ I really liked how even though there is a romance going on, Chloe and Matt, are trying to better themselves in their personal lives. Chloe is principal for the first time and a lot is riding on her. Matt has to deal with his PTSD and anxiety which affects his driving a lot. So I liked seeing both of them grow, I was rooting for them.

~ I loved Chloe, she’s a nice person, but I kind of was surprised how naive she was about the press, and how they can spin things to create their own narrative. I’m surprised because she was raised in this world and as principal who seems to have to deal with the press a lot, I would expect her to be a bit more savvy even if she was new to her role. She grew up in this world.

~ I wanted a little more about Chloe and Matt’s childhood since that’s where she fell for him.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a cute romance, with a little spice thrown in, and I learned about F1 racing! I loved the tense situations that came with the racing world in this story from the high stakes about making it to the podium, and careers on the line. Overall, I enjoyed this one.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Weekly Wrap Up | 1/4/26

Aloha friends!

Another week is over and here’s what happened:

+ We kind of had a few days of rest before New Year’s Eve. Hawaii loves to celebrate NYE with a lot of illegal fireworks, some legal too but mostly illegal. But last NYE there was a deadly accident, 3 people died, and like 10 or so people had burn injuries – it was horrendous. This year, there were stricter laws, so instead of people popping fireworks every night from November on….mostly everyone waited until NYE night (from 6pm-midnight) this time around. My dog struggles with it so I’m glad this year he only had to really struggle for one night instead of a whole 2 months of firework bombs going off.

+ My daughter’s birthday was yesterday so on Friday we took her to the Kroc Center Pool, they have a mini lazy river, and a kids play structure. She went there for swim lessons but because we aren’t members we always left the pool after lessons. So this was a nice way for her to have fun at the pool finally! It wasn’t crowded and we went a day before her birthday because the weather app was saying it was going to be cloudy during her birthday. And I hate to be in the pool with no sun – I can’t stand the cold. 😅

+ Today we are going to the Cheesecake Factory with my parents, my sister’s family and my family to celebrate my daughter and my nephew’s January birthdays! It’s supposed to rain hard today but I hope it doesn’t hit us until after we have lunch.

Blog Posts:

Books I Finished

  • A Language of Dragons by. S. F. Williamson
  • Heart’s Gambit by. J.D. Myall (audiobook)
  • The Night Ship by. Alex Woodroe
  • The Wicked and the Damned by. Rebecca Robinson
  • Shadows and Secrets by. Arcadia Rayne
  • Here Lie All the Boys Who Broke My Heart by. Emma Summerman

Currently Reading:

A War of Wyverns by. S.F. Williamson

Stolen Midnights by. Katherine Quinn

Love and Other Brain Experiments by. Hannah Brohm

The Cure by. Pedro Urvi

Fallen Stars by. Imani Erriu

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

  • Football
  • Stranger Things Season 5 Finale (Netflix) – What a series, what a show, people will either hate or love the ending but I found it bittersweet! What I love about the show is how it reminded me of my childhood in the 80’s – what a time to be alive SIGH…I miss it!

How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!

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The Lies of Lena by. Kylie Snow | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Lies of Lena (The Otacian Chronicles, #1)

Author: Kylie Snow

Narrator(s): Kieran Regan; Natalie Van Sistine

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 462 Listening Time: Approximately 12 hours 34 min

Publication Date: 1/6/26

Publisher: Gollancz

Categories: Romantasy, New Adult

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

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


A SECRET MAGE. A VENGEFUL PRINCE.
WILL FORBIDDEN LOVE UNITE THE REALM – OR BURN IT DOWN…
*please check trigger warnings before diving in

In Tovagoth, Mages like Lena Daelyra live in hunted, outlawed, and reviled. Even after fleeing to Otacia, Lena hides her magic, cloaked in silence. But when she meets Quinn Callon, a quick-witted swordsman from the Inner Ring, her walls begin to crack. He trains Lena to fight, never suspecting the truth she hides. But as their connection deepens, so does the danger… and Lena knows love is a risk she can’t afford.

Silas La’Rune, Crown Prince of Otacia, has been caged within the Kingdom castle since the kidnapping and murder of his sister, the Princess. Until one day beyond the castle walls reveals a Kingdom rotting beneath its guiled surface – and a girl who shouldn’t exist.

When tragedy tears Lena from Quinn, as destiny would have it, Lena and Silas’ paths collide. For the future of Magekind depends on them, and love could just about be the deadliest weapon…

Content Warning: violence, torture, sexual assault, rape, grief

I remember seeing this book all over the booktoks and book socials this past year and I even downloaded but I don’t know why I never read it. I can’t say I love the original cover, but I do like this new one for the audiobook. I decided to try it out the story this way to see if I could actually get into the book.

This story was a little all over the place. It’s got a lot of the usual romantasy tropes like secret identity and forbidden love. A teenage girl who is secretly a Mage, meets a handsome boy on the streets who has his own secret and from there they train together and a sweet romance grows. Sweet….but spicy. Yes, there as spicy scenes between teens in this story which was very surprising to me because it is graphic. Didn’t love that but I really did believe in their teenage love story and was rooting for them since both characters seemed like good people.

The world-building I thought was pretty light, a kingdom called Otacia is ruled by a king who has oppressed mages. In this world they use copper, silver, gold for currency, they wear tunics and then out of the blue a character will mention they have pizza as food? Sometimes modern clothing is mentioned. Even modern speech was used in this world so I had a lot of questions about the world-building. There is also a time-jump in part two of the story where it jumps ahead 5 years. I’m glad for the jump because the sixteen year olds having spicy scenes early on was kind of jarring. They also mention vampires, and the undead, so this world seems to have everything.

As for the characters? Lena is naive and acted like an impulsive, love-struck teenager, making wrong decisions. At least with the 5 year jump, I feel like there is a lot of growth there. Gone are the sweet teens. Lena’s stronger, has grown without Silas, knows her magic better and now is thrust into a position to lead. Silas, went from a sheltered prince to a cold, violent, damaged one. There are other characters, like Torrin, who just disappears, which I though was kind of strange.

As for the romance, like I said it’s a sweet love in the beginning. But with the time jump, and Silas and Lena having moved on with their lives, their reunion is not a happy one. Now they both have other options, trauma from the past, and I know it’s going to be very dramatic when these two ever get back together. It was just strange to me that they are fated but Lena is looking at every attractive guy – like what?

But despite all these issues the narrators did such an amazing job at bringing this story to life. All the stars I’m giving is mostly for them. I feel like if I read this book as an ebook or hardcover I would have DNF’ed because of the naivety of the characters, and the light world-building, but their voices made this story kind of addicting which surprised me!

Note the triggers for this book because there are some ugly scenes it in. It’s violent, there is grief, there is rape. But I will say even though it was awful, I felt like the author never stayed in the darkness for long and moved past certain events quickly. There was a feeling that things just moved quickly in the story, without dwelling in certain feelings, thoughts or emotions for the character. The story lacked depth.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, this audiobook was great. I really don’t think I would have been able to continue this book if I read it in another form, but this audiobook really brought the story to life. There are a lot of issues with the story but I will say because the audiobook was addicting, that this is the kind of story you sit back with your popcorn next to you and just read for the messiness of it all. It’s filled with drama, and eye-rolling moments to the point it made me cackle. I’m not here for the writing quality or the plot really – I think I’m here for the drama, so yes I will be reading book two soon.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Swan’s Daughter by. Roshani Chokshi | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: The Swan’s Daughter

Author: Roshani Chokshi

Narrator(s): Ell Potter

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400 Listening Time: Approximately 10 hours

Publication Date: 1/6/26

Publisher: Macmillan Young Listeners

Categories: Cozy Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale, Young Adult

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

Thank you to Macmillan Young Listeners for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


In this lush and romantic novel from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi, a prince is only as good as his beating heart and a maiden is only as good as her honest word. But when love and the truth become impossibly tangled, the two must figure out how to survive together, or fall completely apart.

To find love is a curse …

Prince Arris knows that marriage means murder. Thanks to a poorly worded wish to a sea witch, all one needs to rule the Isle of Malys is the heart and hand of the kingdom’s heir. Historically, this has been construed quite literally.

Thus, Arris expects that the day after his marriage and murder he will wake up as a sentient tree alongside the rest of his predecessors. His only chance at a long life is finding true and lasting love. When Arris’s parents announce a tournament of brides to compete for his hand and heart, a slew of eligible, lovely and (possibly murderous) bachelorettes make their way to Rathe Castle. Amidst glittering balls in ozorald caves, strolls through menageries of daydream trees and pearl crocodiles, tea time on glass boats and kisses that leave his head spinning, Arris cannot tell who is here out of love for him…or lust for power.

Until he meets Demelza.

As a veritas swan, Demelza’s song wrings out the truth. Forced into hiding, Demelza strikes a deal. Arris will provide her with safekeeping in exchange for her truth-telling song to sort through his potential brides.

While Arris is used to dodging death threats and Demelza is accustomed to fighting for her voice to be heard, to survive the tournament of brides requires a different kind of bravery. And perhaps the bravest thing one can do is not merely protect one’s life, but find the courage to chase a life worth living.

Content Warning:

+ The narrator really brought this magical story to life. I loved how she did all the voices, she infused so much life in these characters! I would say the beautiful prose made this magical story feel very lush!

+ I don’t usually vibe with cozy fantasies because they move too slow but this one was very enjoyable because it reads like a fairytale! The story of Demelza who is basically the runt of the litter, the swan born without wings, she can’t sing at all and she is not the most beautiful, so she leaves her family and ends up in a bridal competition for Prince Arris’ hand in marriage.

+ The characters were all very interesting and their interactions were funny! I found myself laughing out loud a few times. There are many relationships I found very fun in this story, especially Arris and his sister Yvelle. Demelza also makes friends with a lot of the girls in the competition. Also Demelza has a complicated relationship with her own parents. Her dad being a powerful sorcerer who wants more power. I like how all these different relationships were explored in the story.

+ This felt more like a friends to lovers romance because Aris finds out that Demelza is just there to escape her parents but she has the power to make people tell the truth, so he enlists her help to report on the contestants so he knows who is the best candidate as his bride. But the more they spend time together, the more the feelings grow. And I say friends because Aris is kissing all these girls left and right and sometimes he’s feeling a girl, but eventually in the end, it’s Demelza the girl he is so comfortable with that wins his heart.

Final Thoughts:

I love the narrator and her story-telling. I love the prose and how the story was magical, cozy, heart warming and funny. I enjoyed this enchanting fairytale!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Book Review: The Gilded Wolves ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC Review | The Silvered Serpents (The Gilded Wolves, #2) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Three Kisses, One Midnight by. Roshani Chokshi, Evelyn Skye, Sandhya Menon | ARC Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Heavenly Bodies by. Imani Erriu | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Heavenly Bodies (#1)

Author: Imani Erriu

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 1/13/26 (First published 2/13/22)

Publisher: Random House Canada

Categories: Romantasy

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

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


“You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose.”

In a world ruled by the cruel and merciless Stars, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy promises she will fall for a Star, but that it will kill them both.

So when Ariete, Star of Wrath, War and Chaos, descends to wreak havoc on Elara’s kingdom, she flees her home—the Kingdom of Night—for the neighbouring Helios, Kingdom of Light.

And strides straight into the arms of an enemy prince.

Fearing that Ariete might turn his sights to Helios next, Prince Lorenzo is forced to train Elara as a weapon—one worthy of battling against the tyrannical reign of the Stars. But there are shadows even within the Kingdom of Light—and they threaten to reveal the darkness in Lorenzo’s past and the ancient magic that slumbers in Elara’s veins.

And with it all comes an undeniable, star-crossed pull between Elara and Lorenzo that neither can seem to resist…

Content Warning: violence, death, grief

I saw this book around on Amazon and on social media for awhile, but never got around to reading it though I was very interested in it. I know it was first published a few years ago but it seems like it’s going through another republish, maybe with a new cover? Not sure but the publisher reached out to me to ask if I would be willing to read this book and the sequel and of course I was excited about it!

Heavenly Bodies has really interesting world building. It is inspired by the zodiac. Each kingdom is ruled by a zodiac sign with a royal family, but there is also a ruling Star over that family and the people, almost like a God/Goddess.

Elara’s life is in turmoil. She is from Asteria (Piscea-Pisces), her parents have been killed by the King of Stars, Ariete, because of a prophecy that connects the two of them together – apparently Elara’s is supposed to be with him and it will kill them both.

Kidnapped, Elara, finds refuge in Helios (Leyon-Leo), where the king wants her to train to be able to kill Stars. Prince Lorenzo is tasked to train her and they have a rocky start, but eventually a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance grows between them. This story centers around Elara and Lorenzo no matter what the prophecy says and I loved watching their romance grow!

I enjoyed the found family that Elara has found in Helios despite the king being an enemy of her kingdom. I liked a lot of the secondary characters also. We do learn some things about Elara’s kingdom, Asteria and her past later on in the book. She is a political pawn in the first half of the book and is mostly training to use her skills, and learning more about the prophecy but things change in the second half. As a character I thought she was strong and brave and seemed to stand on her own against Ariete.

I think the beginning throws us into the story pretty fast, and right into Helios, without knowing much about Elara and where she is from, so I had to just assume a bunch of things about her kingdom. We do learn more as she compares things but I thought it was a jarring start to the story.

There are a few twists in the end of the story which I thought was fascinating and am eager to see how the story moves forward in book two.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was an engaging read and I was really invested in the world building but the romance is the main focus of this story and what a romance it is. I loved the slow burn between Elara and Lorenzo and the reveals at the end of the book was really unexpected. There are secrets, prophecies, betrayals, found family, action and everything I look for in a romantasy. I’m excited to read book two to see where the story goes after that surprise ending.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Weekly Wrap Up | 12/28/25

Aloha friends!

Another week is over and here’s what happened:

+ Christmas knocked me out! I was busy days before Christmas and then when that day hit, I had no energy because we went to a lively Xmas Eve party, then had to get up and do Christmas morning and get to Christmas lunch at my parent’s house. I was on the verge of sleeping during lunch but I at least made it to the car ride home to shut my eyes and then I got home and I knocked out. I had a headache, I had to get some electrolytes in me and just SLEEP.

+ Now I gotta figure out what to buy my daughter for her birthday. 🫠

Blog Posts:

Books I Finished

  • The Sins of Silas (The Otacian Chronicles, #2) by. Kylie Snow
  • The Lies of Lena (The Otacian Chronicles, #1) by. Kylie Snow (audiobook)
  • King of Ravens by. Clare Sager (arc)
  • The Book of Blood & Roses by. Annie Summerlee (arc)
  • Good Spirits by. B.K. Borison
  • Heavenly Bodies by. Imani Erriu (arc)

Currently Reading:

A Language of Dragons by. S.F. Willamson

Heart’s Gambit by. J.D. Myall

The Night Ship by. Alex Woodroe

The Wicked and the Damned by. Rebecca Robinson

Fallen Stars by. Imani Erriu (audiobook)

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

  • Football
  • Stranger Things Season 5 Part 2 (Netflix) – I cannot believe the final episodes is on 12/31/25! Why they draw this out so long? 🤦🏻‍♀️

How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!

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An Arcane Inheritance by. Kamilah Cole | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: An Arcane Inheritance

Author: Kamilah Cole

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 12/30/25

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Categories: New Adult, Dark Academia, Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Magical Realism, LGBT+, 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 Sourcebooks for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


A modern-day dark academia fantasy with a twist, perfect for fans of Babel and A Deadly Education.

Warren University has stood amongst the ivy elite for centuries, built on the bones―and forbidden magic―of its most prized BIPOC students…hiding the rot of a secret society that will do anything to keep their own powers burning bright. No matter who they must sacrifice along the way.

Ellory Morgan is determined to prove that she belongs at Warren University, an ivy league school whose history is deeply linked to occult rumors and dark secrets. But as she settles into her Freshman year, something about the ornate buildings and shadowy paths feels strangely…familiar. And, with every passing day, that sense of déjà vu grows increasingly sinister.

Despite all logic, despite all reason, despite all the rules of reality, Ellory knows one thing to be true: she has been here before. And if she can’t convince brooding legacy student Hudson Graves to help her remember a past that seems determined to slip through her fingers as if by some insidious magic…this time, she may lose herself for good.d

Content Warning: violence, racism, classism

+ I was intrigued with this story right away. Ellory is a Jamaican immigrant, who’s parents sent her to America to live with her Aunt, so she could get a better life and education. She’s studied so hard but even with good grades, money was never easy to come by so she worked – saved and now is a 21 year old freshman at Warren University. Ellory wants to be a lawyer to make her family proud. I found Ellory so relatable. Her immigrant story is like many in this country and her trying to get a good education is her ticket to success.

+ There are many issues that are brought up throughout the story from colonialism, elitism, racism, and classism. It’s interesting to see how Ellory tries to uncover secrets of Warren University’s past to expose how the wealthy and privilege get away with atrocities. A few elements are woven together in this story and I think it worked, at least for me! I loved the dark academia, and the creepy atmosphere of the library and some other parts of campus. There is a sinister feel that is there throughout the story as Ellory tries to figure out what is going on with missing memories she is experiencing and feelings of being in another space/time. There are mentions of magic and alchemy and maybe a secret society at work. It gave me Legendborn and Inception vibes.

+ I loved how realistic Ellory’s life as a college student was from the studying, going to parties, living off of coffee and trying to make new friends. Now as strange things happen to her on campus and she does more digging though, she comes off as an unreliable narrator – because what are these memories, or missing memories and dejavu she has been experiencing?

+ I did like the slow burn love story between Ellory and Hudson. Clearly there is something there, a sense of dejavu and we don’t know why until the end. But they are rivals in their constitutional law class and I thought their interactions, the bickering and arguing was fun. Also, the reveal at the end was devastating but made me love their romance more.

~ As much as I was hooked onto this book, I did have some issues. This story leads up to a very unexpected and surprising plot twist but I would have liked more information on the secret society, and the magic leading up to it. Things felt vague, maybe on purpose, but I wish we got a just a little more information just so when the plot twist happens it doesn’t feel confusing or weak. I had to sit with it for a moment just to make sure it made sense in my head.

~ I wanted more between Ellory and Hudson. I loved that they were rivals, and then he starts helping her with trying to find out what’s going but I wanted a few more kisses in there! But that’s a personal preference. They are rivals, but except for their first meeting and a few descriptions about why they are rivals, we don’t see it in action. I just wanted more interactions between them since it is very important to the twist.

Final Thoughts:

I could not put this book down because I needed to find out what was going on. I liked Ellory and Hudson and the whole atmosphere of Warren University with the gothic library, and dark secret past. I do wish we had more information about the magic since there is a huge plot twist in this story that involves magic. Also would have loved more interaction with Ellory and Hudson because their love story is wonderful, and one of the main reasons everything devastating happens in this story. Overall, even with the issues I had with it I was very entertained.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

We Who Will Die by. Stacia Stark | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: We Who Will Die (Empire of Blood, #1)

Author: Stacia Stark

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 12/30/25

Publisher: Avon

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Political Intrigue

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

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


From the bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series comes a slow-burn romantasy set in a Roman-inspired world ruled by merciless vampires. Filled with breathtaking combat, vengeful gods, and magical creatures, We Who Will Die is the epic first installment in an enthralling new series perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent, Jasmine Mas, and Rebecca Yarros.

Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers. And the vampire standing on her doorstep is about to turn their world upside down.

Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros. But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.

She quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor. But the vampire under the armor is the last person Arvelle expects to encounter in the emperor’s court.

With her brothers’ lives in the balance, Arvelle has no choice but to ally with the man who once shattered her heart… and with the emperor’s sadistic son, Rorrik—two vampires whose motives are impossible to pin down. Rorrik holds the key to understanding the powers Arvelle is developing—abilities that would put a price on her head if discovered by the emperor.

To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…

Content Warning: death, violence, murder, mention of suicide, grief

+ I didn’t know what to expect from this book but wow was I pleasantly surprised. This story has gladiators, vampires, mythical creatures, a serial killer, a cult, and even zombies? Yes all of that in one book including trials, a slow burn second chance romance plus maybe a brewing love triangle!

+ Arvelle is a bodyguard trying to keep her younger brothers alive, especially Evren, who has bad lungs. But her plans of bringing him to the town who has healers is in jeopardy when a vampire makes her a deal – help him kill the emperor and her brother will be healed and they can be free. To carry out this plan she has to enter another fighting trial, which reminds her of the last one she had participated in where she won but had to watch her best friend die in front of her. Arvelle is a complicated character, frozen by grief, motivated by fear to keep her brothers alive, and just trying to survive.

+ I loved the world-building with everything mixed together – gladiators, vampires, and magic wilders called Sigilmarked. As Arvelle tries to navigate this world of cutthroat empire politics, and trying to train and survive the trials, I was really enjoying how the story was unfolding. There was even a murder mystery, bodies turning up and also someone trying to bring them back to life to build an army – there was a lot going on! I also loved some of the unexpected plot twists!

+ Arvelle is the main character, but Rorrick, the emperor’s son with a sadistic, ruthless reputation is the one I’m really interested. Speaking of Rorrick, this story story has a slow-burn second chance romance involving another guy but also a potential love triangle in the making?

~ Though the romance isn’t really the focus, Arvelle, has to figure out how to kill the king and save her brothers, I’m bummed that this could be a love triangle between brothers. I have found out this year, that I’m tired of romances involving a girl coming in between two brothers. And I also don’t want this to be a “why choose” because they are brothers! That’s a no for me. I am leaning a certain way already, but hope there’s more interactions between them in book two.

~ Arvelle is a complicated character but I needed more from her. I get that she was wallowing in guilt. Everyone could see she didn’t want to be at the trials, but wow was she so weak. And I am glad she went in with grief, bad memories, and a weak ankle but I needed some grit for her. For someone who relied on her instincts being a bodyguard, her instinct about people trying to befriend, was bad. I wanted growth in the second half of the book, is that too soon?

~ There was a lot going on in this book and most of it worked. The only one plot line that got lost among everything going on is the murder mystery. There are dead bodies showing up around these trials – I loved the reveal at the end, but there is no real investigation in the middle of the story about this important development in the story. Pacing of the story also felt choppy at times.

Final Thoughts:

I binged this book in two days. I loved all the elements thrown together: gladiators, vampires, magic, betrayal and everything else. I don’t love a love triangle between brothers but I’ll be here for the mess, drama, and whatever is going to happen in book two. Hopefully there is more growth in Arvelle and she grows some tough skin, especially because she is among vampires. It’s an addicting read and a fun story. I can’t wait for book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

A Court This Cruel and Lovely by. Stacia Clark| Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫