To Cage a Wild Bird by. Brooke Fast | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: To Cage a Wild Bird (Divided Fates, #1)

Author: Brooke Fast

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 9/9/25; deluxe edition 3/3/26

Publisher: Avon

Categories: Dystopia, Romance, 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 St. Martin’s Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A deadly prison. A forbidden romance. A fight for survival.

THERE’S ONLY ONE RULE IN OBEY OR DIE.

In Dividium, all crimes are punishable by life in prison. A prison that’s a life sentence in more ways than one. Where the wealthy can hunt the inmates for sport.

Raven’s mission is infiltrate the infamous and deadly Endlock Prison to save her brother.

There’s just one Raven has a target on her back. Her reputation as the most ruthless bounty hunter in Dividium precedes her, and the inmates she’s sent to Endlock want their revenge.

So when the prison guard she’s sworn to hate becomes her only chance to survive, Raven has no choice but to trust the one person she shouldn’t…

Content Warning: violence, death, sexual harassment, torture, hunting humans for sport

+ Raven is a bounty hunter and her skill helps her survive in one of the deadliest prisons in Dividium. This is set in a dystopian world where society is divided in three different tiers. People in the Lower Sector have been suffering while everyone above them have it less challenging. The world building was typical dystopian, but most of the story takes place in the prison so I can’t say too much about the world outside of it. The prison has it’s share of evil guards and Raven realizes too late that the people she put in prison were not going to be happy to see her. Also, Upper Sector people come to the prison and pay to hunt criminals. There is a rebel group called the Collective who is trying their best to help people and make a difference.

+ I liked Raven. Raven’s goal in life is to always protect her younger brother and when a rebel group tells her she can go to the prison to free him, she takes her chances. I like that she was smart and kept her cool, plus she’s brave and wasn’t afraid to get into a fight.

+~ The romance is forbidden but that adds to the tension. Plus Vale for the most part of the story was a bit mysterious – we didn’t know much about him but it seemed Raven’s new friends trusted him a lot. There’s some spice and I actually was rooting for the two of them because both seem like good people. But they did fall kind of fast.

+ Raven meets a bunch of people in prison because she’s supposed to figure a way out. I liked this found family she is brought into.

~ I do think the story was predictable but that’s why I read it so quick. It had the known elements of dystopian romance – which I enjoyed. But I did want more out of Raven, Vale but maybe we get more out of them in book two. Also want to feel that it is high stakes – it’s a prison break and yes hunting criminals added to the suspense, but I wanted more tension I think.

Final Thoughts:

This is the type of book you can binge and read quickly! It’s got all the dystopian elements – oppressed people and a secret rebellion, it’s set in a prison, and has a forbidden guard/prisoner spicy romance. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I hope we get more out of the main characters in book two.

**Book is available now on Kindle Unlimited but deluxe edition will be published on 3/3/26**

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Steeping of Blood by. Hafsah Faizal | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: A Steeping of Blood (Blood and Tea, #2)

Author: Hafsah Faizal

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 9/23/25

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Categories: Young Adult, Historical Fantasy, Vampires, Series, 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 Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The epic conclusion to the #1 bestselling A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal; the gritty fantasy duology about an orphan girl and her crew who get tangled in a heist with vampires, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows.

She’s had her tea, now she’s out for blood.

White Roaring is sharpening its fangs after the deadly night that left the city in shambles. The press are dead, the public calls for justice, vampires are in danger, and amid the turmoil, the Ram announces a celebration.

Still reeling from the bloodshed, Arthie Casimir has no time to mourn the death of anyone, let alone her own. She has no time for love, either, but it had saved her life. As Arthie navigates new emotions and new allies, she must reassemble her scrambled crew and scrape what little they have left to fight one last time – and she will need to face the ghosts of her past to do it.

In Ceylan.

After the jaw-dropping ending of #1 bestselling A Tempest of Tea, Arthie and her crew still have plenty of hearts to break and crimson-red secrets to uncover. Hafsah Faizal crafts a deliciously twisty and seductive sequel that will leave readers breathless until the very last page.

Content Warning: violence, death, torture

+ This is the conclusion to the Blood and Tea duology and I thought it was a pretty good end to the story.

+ I still love the found family that is Arthie, Jin, Flick and the others. After the wild events of book one, Arthie and her family are picking up the pieces and trying to take down the Ram. Everyone has their role and parts to help with the mission which makes them strong together. Although there is a part where this found family breaks apart for a little bit.

+ I enjoyed the vampirism and politics. There is a lot of action as Arthie and her friends try to stop the Ram. They travel to Ceylan, where they find out things have changed and there is a new type of vampire among them. A lot of the action come in the second half of this book.

+ I loved the relationship and romance between Flick and Jin – they are so sweet together! I thought Flick’s POV in book was the weakest but in this book she really shines. As for Arthie, Matteo is there for her this time and it was nice to see her open up, fall for his charms and let him in.

~ I don’t know why but with book one, I read it in one day. This book took me a whole week or more. I think it’s because the beginning moves slow but everything picks up in the second half. But there was something about the story that wasn’t hooking me like book one.

~ There are a bunch of heartbreaking moments in the second half of this book. It made me so sad!

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a solid conclusion! Arthie and her friends completed their mission, taking down the Ram but with a lot of loss. I loved the romance relationships, especially between Flick and Jin. The beginning was slow but it picks up at the halfway point and ends in a heartbreaker. It’s a bittersweet conclusion.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

A Tempest of Tea by. Hafsah Faizal | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We Free the Stars | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review | We Hunt the Flame ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Fevered Star by. Rebecca Roanhorse | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Fevered Star (Between Earth and Sky, #2)

Author: Rebecca Roanhorse

Narrator(s): Christian Barillas (Narrator), Nicole Lewis (Narrator), Darrell Dennis (Narrator), Shaun Taylor-Corbett (Narrator), Cora Gee (Narrator)

Format: audiobook (Libby)

Pages: 388

Publication Date: 4/23/22

Publisher: Saga Press

Categories: Fantasy, LGBT+, Series

There are no tides more treacherous than those of the heart. —Teek saying

The great city of Tova is shattered. The sun is held within the smothering grip of the Crow God’s eclipse, but a comet that marks the death of a ruler and heralds the rise of a new order is imminent.

The Meridian: a land where magic has been codified and the worship of gods suppressed. How do you live when legends come to life, and the faith you had is rewarded?

As sea captain Xiala is swept up in the chaos and currents of change, she finds an unexpected ally in the former Priest of Knives. For the Clan Matriarchs of Tova, tense alliances form as far-flung enemies gather and the war in the heavens is reflected upon the earth.

And for Serapio and Naranpa, both now living avatars, the struggle for free will and personhood in the face of destiny rages. How will Serapio stay human when he is steeped in prophecy and surrounded by those who desire only his power? Is there a future for Naranpa in a transformed Tova without her total destruction?

Content Warning: violence, torture, death

+ This is book two in the Between Earth and Sky series and I really enjoyed book one, Black Sun. So I wanted to see what happened next in the series.

+ The world-building was great. I did enjoy the second half of this book more than the first half because I felt like the first half was world-building and setting up everything for book three. It picks up in the second half with more action.

+ I really enjoyed Naranpa’s growing relationship with her brother, Denoachi. I thought it was the one link in the story I felt emotional about.

~ I listened to this as an audiobook but the last 10% I read the book because I read faster. I felt like the beginning was slow because it was setting up a lot of things that happened at the end of the book and what will happen in book three. Although I enjoyed the narrator, there was just too many names to keep track of.

Final Thoughts:

I’m glad I finally can knock this one off my TBR list and I’m looking forward to see how it ends. I did find it slower than book one mostly because it’s building up for the conclusion but I did enjoy the second half of the story.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Black Sun by. Rebecca Roanhorse | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Endless Anger by. Sav R. Miller | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Endless Anger (Monsters Within, #1)

Author: Sav R. Miller

Format: ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 452

Publication Date: 8/19/25

Categories: New Adult, Dark Romance, Dark Academia, Childhood Friends to Lovers

Sometimes the pomegranate doesn’t fall far from the tree…

Asher Anderson is angry―at the world, at himself, at the way his best friend Lucy Wolfe seems determined to tune out this buzzing connection between them. He doesn’t mean to solve all his problems with violence, but maybe he has too much of his father in him. That’s why the faculty at Avernia College hates him, right? Because of the “evil” blood in his veins?

He should know better than to darken the old, ivy-covered university’s door, but it’s practically a law of the universe: wherever Lucy goes, Asher follows. Even if that means entering a twisting labyrinth of secret societies, human sacrifices, and a very personal history soaked in blood.

Lucy is used to being an outcast. She’s even used to Asher being her dark, brooding shadow. What she isn’t used to is him shattering her resolve by taking her up against library bookshelves as she desperately pretends her heart hasn’t always been his. She should know better than to play with fire, but with unexplained deaths and pointed threats ripping apart the university’s fabric, Asher and Lucy soon find themselves at the center of the turmoil…where they’ll have to confront their feelings or die trying.

Content Warning: violence, death, sexual assault, torture

+ I think the book started off strong and intriguing. Asher is in love with Lucy and I love how they knew each other since kids. He’s protective of her and they know the best and worst of each other. There’s a lot of no communication between them which was a bit frustrating, lots of angst but everyone knows they want each other and basically waiting for them to get together.

+ Their parents all know each other and I also liked the other characters in their friend/family group like Foxe and Aurora. Overall, I could tell this was a tight knit group.

+ If you want smut, it’s there but it comes in the second half of this book. So it’s a bit of a slow burn until then, but it is spicy! There is a lot of pent up longing and desire between these two.

+~ The premise of this one caught my eye and I saw it on booktok. I do wish I knew that this was a spinoff because I could tell while reading this I was missing something that regarded the parents of these kids in the book.

~ I was lost. Probably because I didn’t read the previous series that came before this book. I was missing the connection between the parents who all know one another. I didn’t know what was up with this college and what was so bad about it, even though everyone kept saying it was bad. It took so long for the story about the “bad things” at the college to develop. Like what was this curse? While the relationship between Lucy and Asher kept me invested, the plot was lacking and made me lose interest.

~ Book was too long for a story where not a lot was explained or happening.

Final Thoughts:

Read the series, Monsters & Muses before reading this book or else you might be as lost as I was. My favorite thing about this story was the childhood romance between Lucy and Asher – it’s full of longing and desire but also my least favorite trope -no communication, which was their only downfall really but still frustrating. There’s a lot of spice between them once they cave into their feelings for one another. The rest of the story has potential but I just needed more. Overall, just an okay read for me.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Sweet Heat by. Bolu Babalola | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Sweet Heat (Honey & Spice, #2)

Author: Bolu Babalola

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 9/2/25

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Second Chance

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 Paperbacks for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Three years after their break-up, Kiki’s worked hard to forget her first love. But just as she thinks she’s got her life under control—jumping into the distractions of her romance-by-calendar-invite boyfriend, and plans for her best friend, Aminah’s, wedding—Kiki’s career implodes, the family business teeters on collapse, and Malakai returns. As Malakai takes up his role as best man opposite her maid of honour, suddenly Kiki can think of nothing but their simmering chemistry, what went wrong, and why it is now impossible to act normal around each other.

Juggling a new job, the prospect of her parents’ restaurant being sold, and keeping her best friend from going full bridezilla, dealing with The Ex is the last thing she needs. But somehow the spark between them is only getting hotter—and threatening to ruin everything.

Content Warning:

+ Kiki is going through a few things, her career is not where she wants it to be, her family is selling their restaurant, her friend is getting married, she just broke up with a boyfriend and now, her ex, Malakai is back in the picture. And it’s not hard to get away from him when their paths keep crossing, so the memories come up again and they are both remembering their past.

+ My favorite thing about this story is Kiki and her girlfriends and how much fun they seem to be having! They are so funny when they are hanging out together – made me think of me and my girlfriends. Kiki is Nigerian and I love the representation in this book.

+ Yes this is a romance, but on the other end, this story is about Kiki and her career as a podcaster that talks about music. I liked seeing her trying to figure things out about her career and though there is a lot of pop culture references in here like musical artists, I didn’t mind it because I like listen to some of these artists.

+ The second chance romance is full of regrets but the same desire they had for one another in the past. Kiki and Malakai’s relationship is filled with sexual tension.

~ Unfortunately I didn’t know this was book two in a series and so if I had read book one, I’d have met Kiki and Malakai then. I didn’t feel lost reading this book, but I did feel like I had missed something. I might have to go and read the first book.

~ The story comes in just under 500 pages, which I think is too long. And Malakai doesn’t appear right away.

Final Thoughts:

I wish I had known this was book two in a series, because maybe I would have enjoyed it a bit more but even without reading book one I enjoyed this book – especially the banter and fun between Kiki and her girlfriends. I thought the second chance romance had lots of tension, clearly these two never lost their sexual desire for one another, but relationships are more than just sex and I like how they eventually worked through some things and chose one another in the end. Overall, an entertaining story!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Wild Reverence by. Rebecca Ross | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Wild Reverence (Letter of Enchantment, #0)

Author: Rebecca Ross

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 544

Publication Date: 9/2/25

Publisher: Saturday Books

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Prequel

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

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

Born in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic. But in a land where gods often kill each other to steal power and alliances break as quickly as they are forged, Matilda must come of age sooner than most. She may be known to carry words and letters through the realms, but she holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest of allies to ensure her survival. And to complicate matters . . . there is a mortal boy who dreams of her, despite the fact they have never met in the waking world.

Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life―begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. When his request went unanswered, Vincent moved on, becoming the hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda. That is, until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

As Fate would have it, Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams. There may be a chance for Matilda to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, but at immense sacrifice. She will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: to be vulnerable, and to allow herself to finally be loved.

Content Warning: death, violence

+ I love Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows so when I saw this was a prequel to the series, I was intrigued! Wild Reverence is a story about the gods, and one in particular, Matilda. The storytelling is exceptional, beautiful, and poetic. It’s definitely what I come to expect from this author. She has a magical way of telling a story and I am always entranced by her books.

+ Matilda is such a fascinating character. She’s born to a Skyward father and and Underling mother, but Matilda wasn’t gifted any godlike powers that made her a threat to anyone. She was just there, just a nobody, but her character goes through a lot and being able to cross into realms was one of the most powerful characteristics she had – she just doesn’t know it until later.

+ I really enjoyed learning about this world of Gods. The world building as expected in a Rebecca Ross book is done so well. We even get a glimpse of how Enva and Dacre (the gods at war in Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows), and a hint of how their story begins. I love how we get a real sense of gods being all powerful, and caring about the human world really. And vice-versa with humans, some worshipping them, and some indifferent to them, not wanting to bend their whole lives to worshipping gods.

+ The romance starts off with Matilda and Vincent in their younger years. And the romance really doesn’t take off until later in their adulthood. It’s a sweet romance filled with yearning, longing, devotion, loyalty – a love that spans realms and time. I was rooting so hard for them.

+ Love the epilogue and how it ties into Divine Rivals!

~ I’m not sure why but the beginning of this book did not hook me right away. It was a slow build and I think I was looking for Enva and Dacre and not focusing on Matilda, who didn’t seem significant until her character grows. It took me a few days to really get invested in Matilda’s story but once I did, I could not put the book down.

~ Speaking of Enva and Dacre, I actually did want to see more of them in this prequel. I feel like they remain such a mystery still.

Final Thoughts:

It took me a few days to settle down with this book, the world-building is about Gods we have never heard of (except for Enva and Dacre really) so there was a bit of information and building to do. But when it finally clicked in my head I didn’t want to put down the book. We get to see this different realms, and learn of different Gods, learn about Matilda who seems insignificant at first but becomes one of the main Gods who’s impact is greatly seen in Divine Rivals. I loved Matilda’s journey from nobody to someone to reckon with – all while she stayed good and not power-hungry. All she wanted to do was lead a simple life with Vincent, the mortal man who she had a connection with as a child and now as an adult. I was rooting for their love story across realms and time – it’s heartbreaking and beautiful. Overall, this is a beautifully written prequel to the Letters of Enchantment series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Ruthless Vows by. Rebecca Ross | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Divine Rivals by. Rebecca Ross | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sisters of Sword and Song by. Rebecca Ross | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Fire Endless by. Rebecca Ross | Audiobook Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A River Enchanted by. Rebecca Ross | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Review: The Queen’s Rising ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Robin on the Oak Throne by. K.A. Linde | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Robin on the Oak Throne (The Oak and the Holly Cycle, #2)

Author: K.A. Linde

Narrator: Stephanie Németh-Parker

Format: audiobook (Libby)

Pages: 480 / Audio Reading Time (approx.): 19h

Publication Date: 6/16/25

Categories: Romantasy, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Series

The only thing worse than fearing a monster is falling for one …

Kierse McKenna just shattered the Monster Treaty. Again.

It wasn’t entirely her fault. The job was supposed to be steal a goblin-made bracelet off of the Queen of the Nymphs in her own palace. Trade the bracelet for a way to uncover the truth about her past. Except everything goes sideways.

And then he shows up to save her.

Graves—the warlock who ensnared her, betrayed her, and left her to fend for herself. He’s a villain. A monster draped in charm and shadows. And gods help her, he always knows exactly what she wants.

But Graves never does anything for free. He has a job for his favorite little thief. One that will pit her against the most powerful monsters in existence, including his mortal enemy, the Oak King.

An ancient artifact has been located, and only together can they hope to steal it. She just has to let him in.

But once she lets a monster in, he’s impossible to forget … and even harder to resist.

Content Warning: violence

+ There is one narrator for this audiobook and she really did a great job doing all the voices – and this is a big cast, so credit to her! I gave the first book The Wren in the Holly, 3 stars. I didn’t love it but I wanted to see if hearing the second book as an audiobook would make me enjoy this series more. I did like listening to it as an audiobook and I enjoy the world building of this urban fantasy world.

+ Kierse is a fun character – I like her personality. With everything going on, I feel like she stayed constantly upbeat. Graves was his usual dangerous self and the two of them have a few spicy scenes together. They have trust issues between them because of what happened in book one but they can’t deny their physical attraction to one another and they act on it a few times.

~ Kierse is trying to find a magical object, but she’s also trying to remember things from her past that have been repressed and for the first half of the story this is what is happening – but it was a slog to get through. The beginning is fine, but the middle was boring. It does pick up again in last 25% of the book, but I just wish things were happening. I felt like they kept coming to dead ends.

~ Not sure where this story is headed but I think I might stop the reading the series.

Final Thoughts:

This series isn’t for me. I thought listening to is as an audiobook would help me enjoy it more and I did enjoy it more than book one and even thought it would be a higher rating, but the middle was slow and boring. If you liked book one, you will definitely like this one but for me, I won’t continue the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read By This Author:

The Wren in the Holly Library by. K.A. Linde | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heir of Storms by. Lauryn Hamilton Murray | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice:

Title: Heir of Storms (Storm Weaver, #1)

Author: Lauryn Hamilton Murray

Format: hardcover – owned

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 6/3/25

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Magic

The very day Blaze came into the world, she almost drowned it. A Rain Singer born into one of the most powerful fire-wielding families in the empire, Blaze’s birth summoned a devastating storm that left thousands dead. She’s been hidden away ever since with a dark secret: the same torrential power that branded her an outcast disappeared that fateful day. And she’s not sure she wants it back.

When an unexpected invitation arrives for Blaze and her twin brother, Flint, to compete as future rulers of the empire, she’s suddenly thrust into the limelight again — and into battle. Threats abound at the Golden Palace, where intrigue and romance await with not one but two handsome suitors: the enchanting Crown Prince and a dangerously alluring newcomer at court.

As Blaze explores her untapped power, she discovers the throne may be within her grasp. But in order to take it, she’ll have to leave behind the stories that others have told about her, and find the courage to write her own.

Content Warning: violence, grief, death

+ I finally read my gorgeous Fairyloot edition of this book. It’s the prettiest book on my shelf!

+ This book has a lot going on in it like court intrigue, trials, balls, elemental magic, family and friendship bonds. I loved how the story flowed and it had great pacing. Once I got into the world-building I couldn’t put the book down.

+ Blaze is from a family with fire magic, but she doesn’t have that. Her power actually flooded the kingdom when she was younger which actually caused many deaths. So people who don’t know her only know of her devastating power and how it devastated families – they hate her, or are afraid of her but she has no choice now since the Gods have branded her as an Heir. So she has to take part in trials, while undergoing people’s perceptions of her. I like that she has an awesome family, and for someone who had no friends before the trials, she starts to make friends with the help of her twin brother, Flint. There is a lot of growth for Blake who starts off wanting to hide from people and in the end claiming her power.

+ There is a love triangle romance but I don’t want to spoil it so I’ll say it’s done pretty well. It’s young adult so there are only kisses in this story. Hal is the Crown Prince and takes an interest in Blaze. But then his half-brother, Fox, shows up and he’s got quite a reputation of his own. I liked the interactions between Fox and Blaze because he gets under her skin. We’ll see what happens in the next book.

~ There isn’t nothing new in this story, it’s the usual young adult fantasy story but I really did enjoy it a lot.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a fun young adult fantasy which had a lot of the things I enjoy in this genre: elemental magic, court intrigue, romance, fun side characters, and family themes. I look forward to reading book two.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: The Fallen & the Kiss of Dust

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Format: borrowed (Kindle Unlimited) – but I will buying myself a hardcopy!

Pages: 638

Publication Date: 8/5/25

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, Gods, Series

New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk.

Mische made the ultimate sacrifice to save those she loves – and plunged the world into an eternal night. Now, imprisoned by the gods and obsessed with revenge, Asar is desperate to find her again.

When a goddess offers them a final path to redemption – and back to each other – Asar and Mische embark on an extraordinary mission. Together, they must seize the power of the god of death so Asar may do the ascend to true divinity.

Their journey will take them through mortal and immortal realms, alongside both old friends and ruthless enemies. But as the underworld teeters on the brink of collapse and the gods prepare for a war, Asar and Mische must decide what they are willing to sacrifice for the power to defy death. In a game of vengeful gods and ancient betrayals, there are some debts that even love may not be able to repay.

Content Warning: violence, war, death, grief

We are back in the world of Nyaxia and I really have to commend the author on the world building of this underworld that Asar was taking care of for years. I love that the dead get a place to still belong and feel safe because of Asar and Mische. I love how it expands the world of this series and this time Asar and Mische really get into it with the Gods! These Gods are mad at what Mische did at the end of book one and they send their Sentinels – fearsome godlike warriors that even scared me, after her. They seek justice and that means ending Mische.

The action that was present in The Songbird & the Heart of Stone continues here in The Fallen and there is another quest! Asar and Mische goes through it in this book – there are monsters to fight, Sentinels, death, saving one another, again and again. I don’t even know how many times Mische passes out (she did this a lot in book one too 😅). And talk about growth for Mische – from an obedient worshipper of Atroxus to becoming almost a goddess in her own right. Yes there was some points in this story which frustrated me like when she could have told Raihn, her best-friend, what was going on but she chose not to. But I can see why she was afraid of involving people in the mess she thinks she created.

There are a lot of themes tackled in this one, especially grief, guilt and power (owning it and believing in yourself). I kind of love how while everything got worse and worse, Mische would always try to reassure Asar that they WILL fix it. It got down to the wire where Mische had lost basically everything but Vincent was there for the pep-talk she needed.

And then there is the romance. Asar practically rips the world apart to get to Mische! I wanted more romance in the previous book and wow, did I get it in this one. Their love knows no bounds, come on, their vows? 😭 Both of them will go to the ends of the earth and back again just to save one another. I feel like I haven’t read a romance like this in awhile, where it made me emotional.

Oh, and let’s talk about emotional – why oh why does Vincent always make me emotional?! I thought his interactions with Mische were so funny because she’s sunshine and he’s…Vincent! I love him – morally gray and all. Ugh…but I’m glad he was there, trying to get Mische to get up and fight when everything seemed hopeless. But his relationship with Oraya, the mistakes, the things unsaid, UGHHHH…always makes me shed a tear. And also, Luce? Our good doggy always helping them out even when things get crazy!

The fight between the Gods don’t seem to ever end, and will it ever? Looks like there will be a book five and I can’t wait to see what it will be about because this is a series, since book one, I am invested in. The world-building is detailed, lush and keeps expanding! The characters – all different and fleshed out, none of them perfect, but I love that about them. And the romance, it’s devastating and beautiful.

I didn’t do a re-read of any of the books when going into this one and I didn’t need to. That’s how this world and the books have stuck with me. But I miss Vincent, Oraya and Raihn so much, I might have to back and read book one and two.

Final Thoughts:

What an “end” to Asar and Mische’s story. I’m sure we’ll see them again in the next book but what these two had to go through in their lives and to find one another and hold on no matter the circumstances devastated me in a good way. I love their love. And I love this series. I love Vincent, Oraya and Raihn, and Luce! I can’t wait to read the next book and see how this world keeps expanding and find new characters to love.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read by This Author:

The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by. Carissa Broadbent| ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Six Scorched Roses by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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

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

The Nightblood Prince by. Molly X. Chang | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️

Title: The Nightblood Prince

Author: Molly X. Chang

Format: hardcover – owned

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 7/1/25

Categories: Romantasy, Young Adult, Vampires, Chinese-Inspired, Love Triangle

Two princes. One prophecy. A fate she cannot outrun.

The night Fei was born, a prophecy was made: she would one day become the Empress of All Empresses.

Torn from her family as a child and raised in the palace to one day marry the Crown Prince of the most powerful empire in the land, Fei has only ever known loneliness. When the opportunity arises to seize her own destiny for the first time in her life, Fei sets out to hunt a legendary tiger, knowing it might cost her everything. What she doesn’t expect is to fall under the mercy of Yexue, the beautiful runaway prince from a rival kingdom. Blessed by the night, harboring a dangerous magic, and capable of commanding an army of deadly vampires, Yexue could be the key to Fei gaining more than just her freedom.

But to outrun destiny, Fei must spark a wave of events that will change the world as she knows it. Torn between two princes and plagued by nightmares of bloodshed, she finds that the stars might be more inescapable—and more irresistible—than she ever considered before. . . .

Content Warning: violence, misogyny, sexism, war

I have the Fairyloot edition of this book and just the gorgeousness of the book makes me want to give it 5 stars but this isn’t only about the cover! So here are my thoughts about the story itself.

I now understand what some book reviewers say they are here for “the vibes”. If I had to rate this one on vibes and the book cover, it would be 5 stars. A girl with a prophecy making her the empress of empresses, and anyone who marries her becomes the emperor of emperors? That alone will cause drama. Fei is born to a poor family but because a seer gave her a prophecy at birth, she is elevated to future wife of the emperor’s son, Siwang. They are raised from birth together and in essence become the best of friends.

But as Fei gets older and the emperor insists on their marriage, she realizes being an empress is not the life she wants. So she does something to try and get the emperor’s favor so she can ask to be free. Fei, is a naive 18 year old girl, who’s lived in the palace all her life and thinks the emperor will let her go. She learns the hard way, some strong life lessons in power and who has it, and who doesn’t – her. Thing is Fei gets what she wants, but it’s the grass isn’t always greener on the other side kind of situation. It does help her character grow though, in some ways.

For most of the book, I liked Fei. She’s young, she’s naive, but she has a strong will and is determined to shape her future the way she wants. I liked that she tried. But in the second half of the book she’s one year older, and her hormones must have been raging because she reunites with Siwang and fights all her feelings for him but something happens between them. Yet in the next few days she’ll run into the Prince from Lan, Yexue, and starts feeling things for him too. I was irritated with her for her feelings going all over the place, but after awhile, I was like, okay girl, two hot princes want you – you got this. 😅. I’m here for the love triangle drama.

Now Siwang is strong, intelligent, poised, and the perfect prince. Whereas Yexue had more personality because he is the bad boy prince, he’s a vampire, plus he’s funny, cares for his people and will actually help Fei pursue her freedom. These boys are OBSESSED with her and with power. But I get all her questioning thoughts about if they are obsessed because of her personality or the prophecy? I liked her choice in the end but also…what was that ending? Is there going to be a sequel?

The chapters are short – sometimes just one page or a paragraph! It moved quickly but at times felt a bit choppy and personally I needed more world building. But for readers who don’t like heavy world-building this is perfect for you. And this is more romance than fantasy. I would love more backstory about Lan and Yexue’s past. It gave Mulan vibes at one point of the story when it comes to the training of the army.

Final Thoughts:

This book is gorgeous, it’s a quick read and I had a fun time with it. It’s definitely for the readers who like light world-building and more romance than fantasy in their romantasy. And it is young adult, so Fei acts like it. I was reading for the vibes and the love triangle drama but personally would like book two (if there is one) to have more world-building!