Vows & Ruins by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Vows & Ruins (The Legends of Thezmarr #2)

Author: Helen Scheuerer

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 501

Publication Date: 9/21/23

Categories: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance, Romantasy

Against all odds, Althea Zoltaire emerged from her trials as a champion. Now, she must train even harder and prepare herself to become a true warrior of Thezmarr.

But Thea’s world is turned upside down as she struggles to navigate her newfound magic and uncover the secrets of her past. Slowly, she begins to untangle the truth about her family, her powers and the evil that threatens to engulf the kingdom.

When Wilder Hawthorne returns to be her official mentor, everything changes. Dark forces are gathering, and he will stop at nothing to prepare her for the challenges to come, even if it means breaking her.

As war looms and their quest for answers leads master and apprentice deeper into danger, the undeniable connection between them intensifies – defying all odds, but also threatening to tear them apart.

With secrets unravelling and evil closing in, Thea and Wilder fight to save the world, and each other. The fate of the realms rests in their hands – will they emerge victorious, or will the darkness consume them both?

Full of action, adventure and steamy romance, Vows & Ruins is the second book in the spellbinding epic romantic fantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr and is perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom, From Blood and Ash and The Witcher.

Content Warning: violence

This is book two in The Legends of Thezmarr series and though it’s filled with everything I usually like in a romantasy.

+ After the events in book one, Thea, has to deal with a few things. She is a lost princess and her sister has been keeping that a secret and Thea is angry with her for that. Wilder has left her after them sharing a very passionate moment so yes, she is going through it. But she has to face both of them eventually but she’s forced to be around Wilder since he is her mentor. Thea does a better job at avoiding her sister.

+ Thea is a more powerful character now because she’s training harder with Wilder and she’s learning more about her powers and her past.

+ This book is full of steam and spice! So if you think it was missing in book one, well it’s all here. Thea and Wilder are hot for one another but also have to try and stay away from each other because she’s training to be a warrior of Thezmarr. But it doesn’t work no matter how much they try, they can’t keep their hands off one another.

~ Book one was already such a slow burn, that I was kind of tired of the continuous push and pull between them in this book. It did allow them for a moment to grow as friends which I liked but it was a lot of work to get them to finally say okay, we’re going to be all in and try it out.

~ The book is a little too long and it took me a few days to push through this one. I don’t know if it’s because of my mood but I thought I would devour this and I didn’t. I think the back and forth about their relationship took too much time to figure out and I wanted the story to move forward (which it did in the end).

My Final Thoughts:

I did like that there was more spice in this one but I also wish the story didn’t take until the ending to move forward since it’s a long book. I think I liked book one more but it will be interesting to see what happens in book three after the twist in this ending.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Blood & Steel by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Lair of Bones (Curse of the Cyren Queen #1) by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

With Dagger and Song by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Fabric of Chaos by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Six Scorched Roses by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Six Scorched Roses (Crowns of Nyaxia #1.5)

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 187

Publication Date: 3/21/23

Categories: Novella, Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, Series

Six roses. Six vials of blood. Six visits to a vampire who could be her salvation… or her damnation.

Lilith has been dying since the day she was born. But while she long ago came to terms with her own imminent death, the deaths of everyone she loves is an entirely different matter. As her town slowly withers in the clutches of a mysterious god-cursed illness, she takes matters into her own hands.

Desperate to find a cure, Lilith strikes a bargain with the only thing the gods hate even more than her village: a vampire, Vale. She offers him six roses in exchange for six vials of vampire blood–the one hope for her town’s salvation.

But when what begins as a simple transaction gradually becomes something more, Lilith is faced with a terrifying realization: It’s dangerous to wander into the clutches of a vampire… and in a place already suffering a god’s wrath, more dangerous still to fall in love with one.

Six Scorched Roses is a standalone fantasy romance novella set in the world of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, perfect for those who love dark, romantic tales with bite and fans of Sarah J. Maas or Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Content Warning: violence, illness

I don’t read novellas because they novellas always feel they are too short and sometimes doesn’t feel complete or has me wanting more. But I was craving a book about vampires and miss the Nyaxia world so I took a chance on this one.

+ Even though this is a novella clocking in at 187 pages, this feels like a full complete story! I remember mentions of Lord Vale and Lilith in the series so I love that this is their story.

+ I love how Lilith is a scientist and she’s trying to help her people who are dying from the plague. She does this by experimenting with vampire blood but first she needs to get it. She’s a brave woman who is not afraid to go to Lord Vale’s home and ask for his blood. Vale is a grumpy vampire who is kind of a recluse but only because he is trying to stay away from the turmoil in his homeland. I like how he and Lilith share a common love of knowledge.

+ It’s a novella so the romance has to happen quick but I love how she only interacts with him once a month to get his blood. During their interactions they come together to do the research together. When there is a steamy scene between them it’s really good and heartfelt which I was not expecting. I ended up falling in love with them.

~ My only complaint was that this is a novella and I could have read a full length novel about them because the characters are so intriguing.

My Final Thoughts:

I’m glad I finally gave this one a chance! It fulfilled my craving for a vampire, romantasy and plus it’s a book from a series I love. It felt complete as a novella.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

What the River Knows by. Isabel Ibañez | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: What the River Knows

Author: Isabel Ibañez

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 10/31/23

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Historical Fantasy, Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Series, Young Adult, Adventure, 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!

Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.

When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and an ancient golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.

With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.

The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in this lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.

Content Warning: violence, alcohol use, kidnapping, profanity

This book has a little bit of everything and I read it in one sitting. It’s quite an adventure and takes the reader from Argentina to Egypt! Inez gets news that her parents are dead, thing is she barely saw her parents. They left her in Argentina and spent half of the year in Egypt without her – that already made me suspicious, because who could leave their child for that long is they didn’t have to? Inez wants the truth and she travels to Egypt to find it.

Inez is a stubborn character or as she puts it, “persistent”. She is also beautiful, resourceful, and very brave! When she gets to Egypt her guardian, her uncle, wants her back on a ship to Argentina but she does an amazing job evading his order. Whit, is her uncle’s right hand man, or that’s what it seems and he’s been entrusted to take care of Inez and get her on that ship but he realizes right away that Inez doesn’t follow orders. I love their banter, their antics and their growing romance. But we still don’t know everything about Whit – as evident with the cliffhanger ending!

The writing sucked me into this adventure. I was transported to late 1800’s Egypt when Britain occupied the country and basically loots Egypt. I loved the history and I also loved the magical realism. I could totally believe magic imprinted itself on ancient items and people that touch them can transfer the magic to them! But not only is there history, magic, archaeology, and romance in this story, there is also a mystery to solve – what happened to Inez’s parents? Who can Inez trust?

The only thing about the book that I had the tiniest issue with was the mystery (because mysteries feel so slow to me-it’s a personal thing!), I just wanted some parts to move faster but I know it was to build a situation full of intrigue and question the motives of some characters, which the book succeeded in doing. I would have liked more magic too!

This is an amazing story with some twists and a cliffhanger. I can’t wait to read book two.

Tropes: rivals to lovers

Why you should read it:

it’s got adventure, history, magic, mystery, intrigue, romance
I love the banter between Inez and Whit, she is not one to back down, which I love

Why you might not want to read it:

not into archaeology, Egyptology

My Thoughts:

This book was quite the adventure! I was swept away in the details, the magic, the story of Cleopatra, the sights of Egypt, the mystery and intrigue. I love the banter between Inez and Whit and can’t wait to see what’s in store for them in book two after that cliffhanger ending.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Books I’ve Read This Year That Has Spooky Season Vibes

I’ve read a few books this year that would be perfect for spooky season. These books are thrillers, witchy, mysteries, paranormal, monsters, zombies, horror and just make for some good fall reads because they are dark.

Witches, demons, the paranormal…and some romance too!

Bring Me Your Midnight by. Rachel Griffin – witchy vibes, angst, forbidden love

Night of the Witch by. Sara Raasch and Beth Revis – witch and witch hunter falling for one another

Bittersweet in the Hollow by. Kate Pearsall – strong women/family bond, Mothman urban legend mystery

A Hunger of Thorns by. Lili Wilkinson – dark fairytale

Bewitched Shadows by. Autumn Blake – spicy paranormal romance

Fighting zombies, the dead, vampires, monsters, monster hunters…

The Scarlet Alchemist by. Kylie Lee Baker – alchemy, monsters, political intrigue, family

Bonesmith by. Nicki Pau Preto – zombies, ghosts, fighting

The Hunting Moon by. Susan Dennard – sequel, monsters, monster hunters

Unholy Terrors by. Lyndall Clipstone – girl falls for monster boy, dark

Sign of the Slayer Sharina Harris – vampire slayer

Vampires of El Norte by. Isabel Cañas – vampires, history and romance

Gothic, dark academia, some horror, lots of creepy…

All That Consumes Us by. Erica Waters – dark academia

Mexican Gothic by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia – gothic horror, creepy house

Immortality: A Love Story by. Dana Schwartz – gothic romance, secret society, women in medicine

All the Dead Lie Down by. Jylie McCalley – gothic mystery and horror

The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by. Hester Fox – sentient library, alchemy,

House of Roots and Ruin by. Erin A. Craig – plant experiments, romance, paranormal, gothic

Mystery, who done it, who to trust or not, suspense, thriller, murder…

Stranger Danger by. Maren Stoffels – suspense, secluded house

The Last One to Fall by. by. Gabriella Lepore – murder mystery

Hatchet Girls by. Diana Rodriguez Wallach – murder mystery, Lizzie Borden axe murders, paranormal

Lying in the Deep by. Diana Urban – murder mystery, surprising twist

The Black Queen by. Jumata Emill – suspense, thriller, murder mystery, twisty

Play the Fool by Lina Chern – twisty, quirky MC, murder mystery

Strange small towns, strange magic, strange weather, secrets, horror, missing people, body horror, cults…

Starlings by. Amanda Linsmeier – small town, family secrets, mysterious, monster

Wildblood by. Lauren Blackwood – jungle with monsters, suspicious characters, dark themes

Where Darkness Blooms by. Andrea Hannah – strange small town, missing women, strange weather

In Nightfall by. Suzanne Young – The Lost Boys retelling, strange mysterious small town, vampires

Together We Rot by. Skyla Arndt – body horror, cult, missing people, dark themes

Swarm by. Jennifer D. Lyle – giant scary butterflies, zombies

These are titles I’ve read in 2023 so far but I will be hopefully adding more spooky reads this month since it’s officially spooky month! Have you read any of these titles? Are you planning to?

The Hunting Moon by. Susan Dennard | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Hunting Moon (#2)

Author: Susan Dennard

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 272

Publication Date: 11/07/23

Publisher: Tor Teen

Categories: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Series, Mystery, Contemporary

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

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

The highly anticipated sequel to The Luminaries by New York Times bestselling author Susan Dennard.

Winnie Wednesday has gotten everything she thought she wanted. She passed the deadly hunter trials, her family has been welcomed back into the Luminaries, and overnight, she has become a local celebrity.

The Girl Who Jumped. The Girl Who Got Bitten.

Unfortunately, it all feels wrong. For one, nobody will believe her about the new nightmare called the Whisperer that’s killing hunters each night. Everyone blames the werewolf, even though Winnie is certain the wolf is innocent.

On top of that, following her dad’s convoluted clues about the Dianas, their magic, and what happened in Hemlock Falls four years ago is leaving her with more questions than answers.

Then to complicate it all, there is still only one person who can help her: Jay Friday, the boy with plenty of problems all his own.

As bodies and secrets pile up around town, Winnie finds herself questioning what it means to be a true Wednesday and a true Luminary—and also where her fierce-hearted loyalties might ultimately have to lie.

Content Warning: violence

I loved the first book of The Luminaries because Winnie’s test to become a luminary made this book exciting. This sequel felt slower and a little more like a filler.

I did love that Jay and Winnie’s relationship gets somewhat resolved, but it’s slow to get there. There is some complicated feelings between them and some things that has to be said out loud but I was happy that there was progress between them because I just want them together.

Winnie is trying to figure out clues maybe her dad has left her but it’s a challenge for her. And the community is still looking for the werewolf, while Winnie still is insisting there is a Whisperer creature on the loose. Her family has now earned their right to come back into the fold and she doesn’t want to jeopardize anything but when she finds out something about Jay, she puts everything on the line.

The first half is slow, but the second half picks up and just as I was invested in the story it ends abruptly. I was actually shocked that it was over. But I did enjoy the second half of the book more than the first.

I probably went in with high expectations because I loved book one. I did enjoy some parts of it but it does slow down and becomes more of a mystery with Winnie trying to put all the clues together.

Tropes: slow burn romance, friends to lovers

Why you should read it:

you enjoyed book one, but this one is more of a mystery and slower
Winnie and Jay’s angsty romance
a few things happen, but at the end

Why you might not want to read it:

abrupt ending and shorter than I expected, wanted more

My Thoughts:

I had high expectations which this sequel didn’t quite meet mostly because mysteries are too slow for me and this becomes a mystery that Winnie is trying to solve. It’s definitely not a high stakes challenge anymore for her. I did love that FINALLY she and Jay make some headway into their slow burn romance, because it was frustrating seeing these two not being able to communicate. I’ll definitely read book three after that ending – but I do wish the ending wasn’t so abrupt and the book was longer.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Luminaries by.Susan Dennard | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Holiday Mix-Up by. Ginny Baird | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Holiday Mix-Up

Author: Ginny Baird

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 10/10/23

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Categories: Romance, Holiday Romance, Contemporary

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

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

While You Were Sleeping meets The Wedding Date with a fun Puerto Rican holiday twist in NYT and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird’s latest romance, in which a diner waitress agrees to be her patron’s fake date…only for him to land in a coma and her to be stuck playing his sweetheart with his family all week long.

Lonely-hearted waitress Katie Smith has nowhere to go for Christmas, and a huge crush on her gorgeous diner patron Juan Martinez. So when Juan asks Katie to pose as his girlfriend for holiday festivities at his family’s winery, Katie leaps at the chance…that is, until an accident lands Juan in a coma right after giving his folks the “news.” Katie knows she should tell the Martinezes the truth, but when they immediately embrace her, Katie is reluctant to let her fantasy of a family holiday go. And then there’s Juan’s brother, Mateo, whose smile tugs at her heartstrings just right―and who tells her perfect Juan might not be everything he seems. Second son Mateo Martinez loves his brother, but Juan’s plan to “rebrand and expand” Los Cielos Cellars has cost their family too much and put its entire tradition in jeopardy. Katie seems to understand, but she’s still committed to Juan…even when Mateo starts to wish her gentle heart and beautiful smile were committed to him instead. With the winery at stake, secrets on all sides, and Juan due to wake up any day, can Katie and Mateo follow their hearts to a Christmas miracle, or will this mix-up ruin their chances?

Content Warning:

I grew up watching rom-coms like While You Were Sleeping and this book definitely follows the script!

Katie is a waitress who has a crush on her customer, Juan and he asks her to be his fake girlfriend for Christmas. But before they can even carry their plan out, there is a freak accident and Juan is in a coma. Juan’s family believes Katie is his girlfriend and she goes along with it. What she didn’t expect being around Juan’s family was having her fall for his brother Matteo instead.

I got lots of While You Were Sleeping similarities in this book and knew how the story would end but I still thought it was cute. It’s a light hearted read and set leading up to Christmas.

I did like the family themes and the cast of characters in Matteo’s family. As for the romance, though it was cute and I knew how it would end – I kind of wanted more from Katie and Matteo. I just thought they were a little bland. There’s no steam between them, just some kisses but it makes for a wholesome holiday romance.

Tropes: chaste romance, falling for the brother of the guy in the coma, fake girlfriend

My Final Thoughts:

You will definitely like this if you are a fan of the movie While You Were Sleeping. This one was a sweet, light-hearted holiday romance heavy on family themes.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Right Girl, Wrong Side by. Ginny Baird | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

House of War and Bone by. Leia Stone | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: House of Ash and Shadow (#1)

Author: Leia Stone

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 9/26/23

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Fae

“And what if I go dark?” I whimpered.
His face sobered. “Then I will jump into the shadows and pull you back to the Light.”

Seventeen-year-old Fallon Bane was born with a a single touch from another person will always cause her excruciating pain. Thus, she has accepted that she will die without ever being kissed, without even hugging her own father.

But when her beloved father falls ill, she breaks into the magical Gilded City to find a healer fae that can save him. When handsome healer Ariyon Madden agrees to help, everything she knows about herself and her curse changes. Because during her father’s healing, Ariyon reaches out and touches her bare skin. She waits for the agony… but it never comes.

For the first time in her life, she imagines a new future for herself. However, that fantasy is short-lived, because not only does Ariyon flee from her in disgust when he learns of her curse; he also reveals her existence to powerful fae who want to hurt her.

Fallon is then swept away to a magical academy, there she learns the terrifying truth about her family history and her dark magic. Her life and the future of fae everywhere hang in the balance, and all the while Fallon is dreaming of being touched by Ariyon Madden one more time before she dies…

Content Warning: violence

I’ve read a few Leia Stone books off and on through the years but I think the last book I read from her made me realize her books aren’t for me anymore. But I wanted to try out this one because I can’t resist the Fae but reading this has reinforced my stance on her books not being for me because I’m not the target audience.

This is a young adult romantasy and I can usually enjoy anything young adult but for some reason this just felt too young for me. It’s perfect for younger readers, but I’m too old for this one – I kept rolling my eyes and Fallon giggling and falling so easily for cute boys. The romance drama is very much something teenagers will love. It’s full of angst and there’s kind of a love triangle with two brothers but kind of not also because only one of them can touch her without activating her curse so we know who she is going to end up with.

Fallon is a cursed girl, who everyone loves but her mother was a dark magic wielder who hurt and killed people and they are afraid Fallon will be the same. But there are people on her side determined not to let her “go dark”. She goes to an academy where she’s supposed to learn about magic and how to control her powers. The story is pretty predictable and I skimmed through the halfway point to the end. My favorite character surprisingly was a bird name Yanric!

My Final Thoughts:

I’m giving it 3 stars because I would have devoured this book in my 20’s. But at my age now I want a little more depth to the characters and story. This one is good for a quick read, and if you are in the mood for some teenage romantasy. But it’s not for me and I won’t be continuing the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Dark Bite (Vampire Hunter Society, #1) by. Leia Scott | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Dark Bond by. Leia Stone | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Vampires of El Norte by. Isabel Cañas | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Vampires of El Norte

Author: Isabel Cañas

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 371

Publication Date: 8/15/23

Categories: Historical Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Adult Fiction, Romance

Vampires and vaqueros face off on the Texas-Mexico border in this supernatural western from the author of The Hacienda.

As the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, Nena knows a thing or two about monsters—her home has long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from the north. But something more sinister lurks near the ranch at night, something that drains men of their blood and leaves them for dead.

Something that once attacked Nena nine years ago.

Believing Nena dead, Néstor has been on the run from his grief ever since, moving from ranch to ranch working as a vaquero. But no amount of drink can dispel the night terrors of sharp teeth; no woman can erase his childhood sweetheart from his mind.

When the United States attacks Mexico in 1846, the two are brought abruptly together on the road to war: Nena as a curandera, a healer striving to prove her worth to her father so that he does not marry her off to a stranger, and Néstor as a member of the auxiliary cavalry of ranchers and vaqueros. But the shock of their reunion—and Nena’s rage at Néstor for seemingly abandoning her long ago—is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of a nightmare made flesh.

And unless Nena and Néstor work through their past and face the future together, neither will survive to see the dawn.

Content Warning: violence

I loved this author’s book The Hacienda so I was excited to read Vampires of El Norte and I was not disappointed. I love how this author blends historical fiction and gothic horror together. Her writing is beautiful and I just get so swept away in the story.

There are many things I love about this book. I mentioned the writing, which only makes me want to read more of her work. But I love the historical aspects of the story. This takes place in 1837 and at the border of what is Texas and Mexico. The Yanquis (yankees) are trying to take land from the Mexicans that already own land there. So there is a war between them and the yankees are also described as vampires as well. I was expecting vampires (the kind with fangs) and horror, but I can say that this wasn’t scary at all. I love the setting of the ranchero and how I never realized how creepy and isolated a ranch could be. I also love Abuela’s ghost stories that she tells the children. I could envision a dark ranch, lands for miles, and pitch dark nights as Abuela told her stories. If I was a kid living there, I’d be terrified of the night! And there are vampires but I like the different take on them, where they don’t necessarily kill but can leave a person in susto – a shock to their aura – almost like they are spiritually dead but can be revived by calling them back, calling their spirit forth. I thought that was really fascinating! They do have the fangs in this story and there were some gruesome scenes but not anything that scared me.

Another thing I loved was the romance between Nestor and Nena. They are childhood sweethearts, torn apart by an incident that left both of them broken hearted and now they have a second chance at romance. I love their story and how they have to learn to trust and fight for one another.

I would have liked a little more horror factor to the story just to get some chills and thrills but even without it, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

My Final Thoughts:

I think this author is about to be put on my must-read list! I love her writing and the historical fiction aspect of her stories which I feel makes her books so exciting to read. I do think this one was more historical romance than historical gothic horror but I was entertaining regardless and look forward to her next book!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Hacienda by. Isabel Cañas | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Jasad Heir by. Sara Hashem | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Jasad Heir (The Scorched Throne, #1)

Author: Sara Hashem

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 523

Publication Date: 7/18/23

Categories: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Political Intrigue

Ten years ago, the kingdom of Jasad burned. Its magic outlawed; its royal family murdered down to the last child. At least, that’s what Sylvia wants people to believe.

The lost Heir of Jasad, Sylvia never wants to be found. She can’t think about how Nizahl’s armies laid waste to her kingdom and continue to hunt its people—not if she wants to stay alive. But when Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, staying one step ahead of death gets trickier.

In a moment of anger Sylvia’s magic is exposed, capturing Arin’s attention. Now, to save her life, Sylvia will have to make a deal with her greatest enemy. If she helps him lure the rebels, she’ll escape persecution.

A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity even as hatred shifts into something more. Soon, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind. The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen.

In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, a fugitive queen strikes a deadly bargain with her greatest enemy and finds herself embroiled in a complex game that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever.

Content Warning: violence, trauma, death

The Jasad Heir is an adult fantasy novel with wonderful world building and the slowest slow burn enemies to lovers romance ever. Maybe not EVER…but it sure felt like it. And it will probably be even slower in book two!

Sylvia is the lost heir of a kingdom that was ruled by magic. It’s a kingdom that is no longer one because the surrounding kingdoms put an end to their magic use. Now having and using magic is a crime, so Sylvia stays undercover because if people found out she was the heir to Jasad who supposedly died in the uprising, well – that wouldn’t be good news for the kingdom of Nizahl. I really enjoyed the world building and learning about the different kingdoms. I like that there was two sides to the story of Jasad’s demise. I also love the political intrigue.

I really liked the cat and mouse game between Sylvia and Nizahl’s own heir, Arin. He is cold, doesn’t show much emotion, always steps ahead everyone else and constantly planning traps. Sylvia is his opposite in every way. It’s hard for her to hide her emotions and she is constantly in conflict about her situation. Her people are looking for her, they want someone to lead them but she wants nothing to do with it. She also has powers that are hindered by the magic cuffs her grandparent put on her when she was younger. So she’s constantly questioning her role and responsibilities, if she has any, to her people. I like that she’s not perfect, and wonders if she is truly a horribly selfish person and how being a leader is not something she wants. She’s been traumatized and comes from a scary place of hurt and fear. She can’t even stand people touching her. There is growth for her in the book though as she remembers more of her past, hears recollections of the massacre from both conflicting sides and starting to care for people in her life.

The romance between Arin and Sylvia is such a slow burn. For an adult book, I was hoping for more steam but I can see they have a few things to work between them since they are from rival kingdoms. Arin abhors magic, but Sylvia has tons of magic – so where does this leave them? We’ll see in book two but I really love the tension between them!

It is a long book, coming in at 529 pages so sometimes when a new character’s name would appear I would try to remember who that was because there is a lot of information about the different kingdoms, and many names to know. I think there is some pacing issues also because there was also a lull in the middle and that’s when I put it down to finally go to sleep and picked it up the next day again.

Quotes from the Book:

“When you choose who you are willing to fight for, you choose who you are.” ― Sara Hashem, The Jasad Heir

“You think your mind is a blank slate, where you can build your own networks of information from scratch, through pure logic and reason. You ignore that each child enters a completely unique world, founded on different truths. We build our reality on the foundation our world sets for us. You entered a world where magic is corrosive and Jasadis are inherently evil. I entered one where turning a shoe into a dove made my mother laugh. Have you considered, in that infinite mind of yours, that the truly brilliant people are the ones who understand the realities we build were already built for us?”
― Sara Hashem, The Jasad Heir

Tropes: enemies to lovers, slow burn

My Final Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this debut book and I’m glad I picked it up. I was very much into the political intrigue, world building and characters. The enemies to lovers slow burn was full of tension and that is one thing I’m crazy about in a fantasy with romance is tension! There were some pacing issues but I was still entertained and am looking foward to book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Unholy Terrors by. Lyndall Clipstone | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Unholy Terrors

Author: Lyndall Clipstone

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 10/17/23

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

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

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

Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A bloodstained tale of a girl torn between her vows and her heart, where falling in love may be the deepest sin of all…

Everline Blackthorn has devoted her life to the wardens—a sect of holy warriors who guard against monsters known as the vespertine.

When a series of strange omens occur, Everline disobeys orders to investigate, and uncovers a startling truth in the form of Ravel Severin: a rogue vespertine who reveals the monsters have secrets of their own.

Ravel promises the help she needs— for a price. Vespertine magic requires blood, and if Everline wants Ravel to guide across the dangerous moorland, she will have to allow him to feed from her.

It’s a sin for a warden to feed a vespertine— let alone love one— and as Everline and Ravel travel further across the moorland, she realizes the question isn’t whether she will survive the journey, but if she will return unchanged. Or if she wants to.

Content Warning: self harm, violence

I was wary going into this book because I just finished Forestfall, the conclusion to Lakesedge, and didn’t love it. But whereas Forestfall disappointed me, this new book, Unholy Terrors, is really amazing. I might love it even more than Lakesedge!

Here we are with another book about vespertines, and I’m always wondering what a “vespertine” is now that more books are including them. But in this book, they are monsters. And Everline is a warden, a holy warrior, but one and maybe the only one who doesn’t have magic – which her half-sister, Briar, likes to always remind her of at every chance she gets. Everline wants answers about her birth, the death of her mother, and why her father treats her differently. All she wants is his love and attention, but she feels like a burden instead.

This author does such a great job with dark fantasy. The setting, the lore, the magic, Everline’s search for truth, the boy who is a monster, and the fight against evil are some of the things I love about this book. I loved the romance too which is an enemies to lovers, forbidden romance. There are hard choices to be made between them because of who they are and how they were raised. But I love how in the end they choose one another.

Tropes: forbidden romance, enemies to lovers

Why you should read it:

dark vibes, dark fantasy perfect for Fall
romance between a girl and a monster

Why you might not want to read it:

not into dark stories

My Thoughts:

This one will be perfect for Fall and releases just before Halloween. It’s a dark romance fantasy with monsters, warriors and a love that unites both sides.