Moth Dark by. Kika Hatzopoulou | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: Moth Dark

Author: Kika Hatzopoulou

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 10/28/25

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Dystopian, Sci-fi, Romance, Young Adult, LGBT+

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

From the bestselling author of Threads that Bind and Hearts that Cut comes a brand-new compulsive romantasy about a girl obsessed with the dark and the shadowy magical prince she falls in love with, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Laini Taylor.

The dark has come alive . . .

Six years ago, vicious creatures began to crawl out of the dark crevices of the world, and with it Sascia’s fascination with the darkness was born. Now eighteen, that fascination has become an obsession, and while exploring an area known for its connection to the Darkworld, Sascia sees a person climb out of the darkness. But Nugau is no ordinary person, they’re a genderfluid elf prince with one mission . . . to kill Sascia.

Except, the second time they meet, Nugau is younger and doesn’t recognise Sascia. And the third time, Nugau stumbles out of the darkness with poison running through their veins, expressing their undying love for her.

Piecing together the puzzle, Sascia makes two shocking the timelines of her world and Nugau’s are not linear, and she is inexplicably enmeshed in a war between humanity and elves. But with their worlds at battle, is it worth fighting for each other . . . ?

Content Warning: violence

+ I was captivated by this book cover and the premise sounded good so I requested it . I’m glad I did because this was such a fascinating story set in a dystopian world who has seen a phenomenon of dark spots growing. Scacia is from New York City and has an internship working with a company that is studying all things from the Dark. But clearly Scacia has a connection to it more so than other people and even she is curious as to why that is. I loved the secondary characters who were the other kids she was doing research him and her cousin Danny who is her bestie. And also Mooch – a creature that is always helping her!

+ The story is told in present time but flashbacks to moments in Scacia’s past where she encountered the Dark. I don’t usually like flashbacks, but I think it worked in this one because it’s a fast-moving story.

+ I found the Dark so fascinating. I love the world building. We learn about the types of plants, animals and creatures that live in the Dark. These creatures come through these Dark spots or portals and now a war is brewing between them and the humans. Scacia’s job is to stop this war. There are a few trials she has to get through in the Dark though and that’s where all the action comes in.

+ The romance is supposed to be enemies to lovers but we find out there has been different timelines where Scacia’s has met the elf prince, and in different forms too. The Dark is home to a people that are gender fluid and I loved how Nugau changed on a whim, according to how they were feeling. The romance between them, even though it started with some animosity on Nugau’s part, was lovely.

~ It is a fast moving story and a standalone but at times I wish there was more time spent in the Dark. I felt like the trials happened so quick, I wanted more suspense.

~ Also, I’m bad at following jumping timelines. And in this story it explores a knotted timeline.

Final Thoughts:

I loved the creativity of this story and the gender fluidity of the humanoid creatures (or elves). This story had a combination of dystopian, fantasy, and sci-fi which worked so well together! It has action, romance, family themes, and I enjoyed it a lot.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Terror at the Gates by. Scarlett St. Clair | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Terror at the Gates (Blood of Lilith, #1)

Author: Scarlett St. Clair

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 495

Publication Date: 7/8/25

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romance

She is the beginning and the end.

She is peace and chaos.

She is terror knocking at the gates.

Estranged from her powerful family, Lilith Leviathan finds refuge in Nineveh, a district in the city of Eden devoted to sin. There, she uses her magic to steal for a living, attracting the attention of the five governing families as well as the church, which expects women to remain pious and silent. When Lilith comes into possession of a beautiful blade, she thinks all her worries are over…until her usual buyer dies while inspecting it.

Frantic, Lilith turns to the only man who can help her: Zahariev, head of the Zareth family and ruler of Nineveh. His currency is information, and his power is extortion, though he’s always had a soft spot for Lilith. But when the dagger appears, he isn’t sure he can protect her from what’s to come.

Together, they embark on a mission to discover the true power running their world. As their lives intertwine, Lilith realizes Zahariev is more than just a friend, but their devotion to each other is a threat—to the truth, to the church, and to those who want to tear it all down.

Content Warning: violence, grief, death, mention of sexual assault and rape

+ I found the world-building in this story to be very interesting. Eden is separated into different district and each district has a head of family – kind of like organized crime but these families have are Elohim and have the blood of God in them. I thought the biblical fantasy was pretty unique! Especially since this Eden is full of sin. There of course is a ruling church in this story that of course, abuses woman, as we learn through our FMC, Lilith.

+ Lilith is from a ruling family but escaped her fate (marriage) for a little while and is struggling to get by in Nineveh which is run by Zahariev. But he’s keeping an eye out for her and helping her when he can despite her protests and calls for independence. She grew up pampered and rich, so this life is different for her but from what I gathered she’s made her own family with new friends, people that genuinely care about her. Lilith is stubborn, but also very loving, as expressed to her closest friends.

+ The romance is a very slow burn between Lilith and Zahariev but things eventually get spicy for them. It’s a forbidden romance, since they are from different ruling families, but it seems they have a friendship or understanding between one another. And clearly Zahariev is down bad for her – I love him! She’s stubborn and fights him but he is so patient with her. He takes care of her and keeps boundaries with her even if she wants him to break them. She has a good man and I’m glad realizes it by the end.

+~ Now part of this story is a mystery. There is a dagger that Lilith has found but she’s learned that wherever someone without Elohim blood sees is, they die. So Lilith is trying to figure out what the dagger is and realizes there is something big happening that involves the church, a secret order, and maybe Gods.

~ Lilith is a good person but a flawed one because there was a part of the story where she should have been there for a friend but because of her own grief and feelings of guilt, she couldn’t show up. I thought in my head, damn, she’s not a good friend but grief affects everyone in different ways. Still…that kind of stuck with me because she was not shy with telling her friends “I love you” constantly throughout the book! But when she had to show up and be there for one of them? Sigh…that was kind of frustrating.

~ Needed more world-building. What we got was a good start, it’s interesting – Eden? Organized crime? Blood of the Gods? But I don’t feel like I got a good sense of these head families that rule Eden. They are at peace right now, but Zahariev wants Lilith and that could start a war…why? Is Zahariev’s family the lowest rank? I had a lot of questions about a few things.

~ I think pacing was okay until the middle. There is the mystery about the dagger, murders and strange globs of slime that could be demons (that felt so random), which slows down the story until it ramps up in the end again. But what is up with the demon blobs? Maybe we will find out more in book two.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I thought this was an interesting and entertaining read even though at times it felt like it was going all over the place. I love Zahariev and how he showed he cared for Lilith by trying to keep her safe and staying patient with her, even though she had no clue. I would love more details in the world-building and maybe some growth with Lilith so I’m looking forward to book two.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Red City by. Marie Lu | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Red City (The New Alchemists, #1)

Author: Marie Lu

Narrator(s): André Santana; Eunice Wong; Natalie Naudus; Sid Sagar

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432. Listening Time: Approximately 15 hours 20 min

Publication Date: 10/14/25

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Dystopian, Alchemy, Romance, Organized Crime

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

The Godfather meets The Magicians in the sweeping adult debut from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Red City is a dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles.

Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation. An exclusive power wielded by crime syndicates that market it to the world’s elites in the form of sand, a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of themselves: more beautiful, more charismatic, simply more.

Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city―and the paths of their lives―will be irrevocably transformed.

The daughter of a poor single mother, Sam would do anything to claw her way into the ranks of Grand Central in search of a better life. Plucked away from his family as a boy to become a Lumines apprentice, Ari is one of the syndicates’ brightest rising stars. Once, they might have loved each other. But as the two alchemists face off across opposite sides of an ever-escalating conflict, ambition becomes power, loyalty becomes lies, and no transformation may be perfect enough for them both to survive the coming war.

Content Warning: violence, torture, grooming, death

+ Marie Lu did her thing with this adult fiction debut! I listened to this as an audiobook and usually, I struggle with audiobooks but this one had me riveted. The voices were perfect for the characters and I could not stop listening to this.

+ Los Angeles is run by organized crime using alchemy. There are two main syndicates, the Lumines and Grand Central and there have been calculated moves against each other over the years but now it’s come to real blows and violence and Ari and Sam are caught in the crossfire of these groups. I loved the world building – I actually hope this becomes a show because I think it would be so cool to see mafia style alchemists battle out in the streets of LA.

+ The story follows Ari and Sam from childhood, both didn’t have ideal ones, but they are “saved” from it by being noticed. Ari is taken from his family and raised by the head of the Lumines. Sam is noticed by the head of Grand Central – both Ari and Sam keep alchemy a secret from one another but in essence they are best friends, at least as kids. As they grow, alchemy pulls them in opposite directions and without knowing it until years later, they are enemies.

+ Ari is described as the light of the party. People gravitate towards him, he is like the sun when surrounded by people. And it’s a good power to have since his main job is persuading and convincing powerful people to make deals. Whereas, Sam is invisible – has always felt invisible but now with alchemy and sand she can use it to be powerful in her own way. No one notices her, and she can do things without being caught. I love how they are opposites – love how their powers are so different and how they used them to their advantage.

+ This is an organized crime novel so it is brutal, and violent. There were so many creative and different ways these alchemists could torture and kill someone! I loved the politics and the war between the to sides.

+ I loved the storyline between Sam and her mother. I thought that packed the emotional punch this story needed.

+~ The romance isn’t easy. This story is dark. Ari has been in love with Sam since childhood but they go their separate ways. It’s not happily ever after for them and they both know it – that isn’t their path in life. They both signed their fates to a life of manipulation and killing if need be. So Ari’s first sexual encounter is not with Sam, but someone who actually wants to teach him so he can use it to manipulate people. As for Sam, she is groomed by Will, the leader of Grand Central’s son. He mentions he’s wanted to be intimate when he first saw her – she was 15 and there is a 9 age year gap. They don’t do anything until she’s much older but still…she is obsessed with him because he was her “savior” and that was uncomfortable. Do Ari and Sam come back together at least to speak about their past? Yes, but even with Ari telling Sam how he felt back then didn’t feel like they could bridge that gap between them now because they are both different people. They have killed, they have done bad things and I think they need to get to know each other again.

~ The only part that dragged for me in the story is the parts where it was full on alchemy studies, which is in the beginning. It’s setting up the story and showing how important it was for Ari and Sam to learn alchemy but all the science went over my head. Also, When Sam and Ari graduate and go on with their lives I wanted to know more about Ari. I had a good grasp of Sam, her motivations, her upbringing but Ari still remains a little bit of a mystery.

Final Thoughts:

I loved this one and that’s a surprise for me because audiobooks are not my favorite way of consuming a book. But I loved the narrators who kept me hooked to the story. The story itself was so entertaining I could not stop listening to it. I am so invested in this world of alchemy and organized crime, I have to see what happens next for Sam and Ari. I’ll be impatiently waiting for book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Skyhunter | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review | The Kingdom of Back – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Warcross by. Marie Lu – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wildcards by. Marie Lu – ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Young Elites by. Marie Lu – ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bitten by. Jordan Stephanie Gray | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Bitten (#1)

Author: Jordan Stephanie Gray

Narrator(s): Avery Caris, Katharine Chin, Matt Mercurio, Chase Brown, Marni Penning, Jordan Stephanie Gray

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 9/30/25

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romantasy, Young Adult/New Adult, Romance, Werewolves

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

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

After a vicious werewolf attack on the night of her seventeenth birthday party, Vanessa Hart loses everything she loves in a split second. Her best friend, her father, and even her home.

Bitten and imprisoned without explanation, Vanessa endures an agonizing transformation into the very beast that maimed her, and her captors make it clear she cannot escape: she will either swear her life to the Wolf Queen’s Court, or she will die.

With no other choice, Vanessa joins their enchanted Castle Severi—where flowering vines grow through the walls, gifts are bestowed by the stars, and a claw can break through skin as easily as silk—but she hasn’t forgotten what they stole from her.

Vanessa still seeks vengeance, scheming in the shadows even as she finds herself mesmerized by the golden prince Sinclair Severi, who threatens to steal her heart though he is promised to her nemesis. And by his brooding, disgraced cousin, Calix, whose smoldering gaze hides even darker secrets. Immersed in the magic of their whimsical yet cruel society, Vanessa soon learns not all is as it seems.

The Court is at war, and she may simply be a pawn in its lethal game.

Content Warning: violence, injuries, death

+ I love that this audiobook had multiple narrators. They did a great job bringing this story to life!

+ I really loved Vanessa when she was a human. She had her best friend Celeste, who was fun and sweet! I loved her actually, and wish we had more of her. Her being bitten really changes her into a character full of rage and at times I was losing patience with her. In her werewolf world, I loved Una (not sure of spelling), her only real friend because Vanessa doesn’t even think of making any friends.

+ The world-building in this story about this world of werewolves is really good. There is werewolf court politics, and rules that Vanessa have to learn. She goes through instruction in school and learn combat too but she’s not exactly the top of her class. There is also a murder mystery and a few twists.

+ The romance is nothing new. Vanessa desires the werewolf prince, Sin. But she also feels something about his cousin, Calix. It’s sort of a love triangle. The enemies to lovers is more in lined with Calix, whereas a forbidden romance is lined up with Sin.

~ This has so much potential but I did not like the main character Vanessa. I get that she is in shock, and she’s angry and grieving but it becomes so repetitive. She never learns and she’s naive. It was so frustrating. She’s full of rage, which is fine, I love that she wants to fight for her humanity, she wants to find her best friend’s killer. But because of all her rage, she doesn’t get far in her murder mystery investigation and goals because she’s so focused on killing everyone without any power.

~ I didn’t feel the romance between Vanessa and Sin. It starts off as desire, but he ignores her a lot because of his reputation and I didn’t like that. I felt like he could’ve treated her better. But they fall for each other, and I didn’t believe it because Vanessa was easily physically attracted to Calix when she was around him. I actually like that Calix called her out on a lot of things though.

~ This is marketed as young adult, Vanessa turns 17 in the beginning of the book. But there are a few spicy scenes. So if that is a problem for you as a reader, just beware. It’s why I say it’s a young adult/new adult book. Also the characters do curse. I do wish the characters were aged up at least to 18.

Final Thoughts:

The narrators for this audiobook were really good! But all I could think of throughout this whole story is that Vanessa is not made for this werewolf world. She’s not made for the violence and lifestyle and I’m hoping something about that changes in book two. I get that she’s dealing with grief and she’s only seventeen. But her anger was blinding and it made her miss important things happening around her. I hope she gets it together in the next book. Overall, I did enjoy the world-building and politics though, this world is ruthless and violent, and the ending had a big twist. Romantasy and Twilight lovers, will devour this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Spellcaster by. Jaymin Eve | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Spellcaster (Weatherstone College, #1)

Author: Jaymin Eve

Narrator(s): Savannah Peachwood, Jason Clarke

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336 Listening Time: Approximately 10 hours

Publication Date: 9/23/25

Publisher: Harlequin Audio

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Dark Academia, Witches, Romance, 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 Harlequin Audio for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

SPELLCASTER is an intense enemies-to-lovers romantasy with steamy heat, magical creatures, fast pacing, and stakes that will keep you hooked. Dive into a world where love is as dangerous as power—and nothing is ever as it seems.

Welcome to Weatherstone College…

Don’t walk the halls late at night.
Don’t disturb the ancient magic.
And don’t, under any circumstances, ever trust a spellcaster.

When my magic bloomed at twenty-two, the last thing I expected was to receive an acceptance letter to the most prestigious witch college in the world. It’s not that I don’t have magic. It’s just…unpredictable. But with Weatherstone a part of my family legacy, I’m determined to live up to their expectations.

A task that’s almost derailed on my very first day when I come face-to-face with Logan Kingston, the son of my father’s enemy. I’m warned to avoid the powerful spellcaster at all costs, but apparently Logan did not receive the same memo. The more time I spend around him, the more I crave his unsettling attention, and as hate flirts with obsession, I’m left wondering if there’s another side to the decades-old feud between our fathers.

On top of that, Weatherstone is not at all like I expected. Built on the ancient blood of necromancers and battle, the magic here is as unpredictable as mine, and I sense a dark energy stalking my footsteps. When a monster attacks me, I have no choice but to turn to the strongest warlock in our school: Logan.

After all, to fight a monster, I’ll need a monster.

Content Warning: violence

+ This is an urban fantasy, dark academia story that is high on the vibes, less on the world building but is highly addictive.

+ Paisley finally got into Weatherstone College, where all her older siblings have been going to school. All is well until they learn that Logan Kingston, a warlock, is transferring to their school. Apparently there is a family feud happening between Paisley and Logan’s families. Also Paisley seems to be missing memories of the two of them when they were children. Another thing happening at the college is monster like creatures are appearing and attacking Paisley and no one knows why.

+ Paisley and her new friends are a fun group. They’re college kids, looking for hot boys to hook up with, passing their classes and having fun – the usual things on a college campus but Paisley’s hung up on trying to find out her power and also trying to stay out of Logan’s way but they are drawn to one another. She can’t stop having erotic dreams about him.

+ I love Paisley’s big family.

+~ The romance isn’t quite there yet – it’s pure desire and there are a few spicy scenes. But spice that doesn’t show an emotional connection yet. Alyth can’t stand Logan but that doesn’t stop them from wanting each other. It will be interesting to see Logan open up more and we get to learn more about him. But would love to see an emotional growing between them.

~ I listened to this as an audiobook and though I liked the female narrator, I think the male narrator’s voice was too low for me. I also couldn’t differentiate between Noah and Logan’s voice, except with the very slight accent Logan had…but still they sounded too alike.

Final Thoughts:

It’s been a few years since I’ve read a Jaymin Eve book! This is the kind of dark academia that is more fun and addictive than strict and serious academia. It’s set in college, has a slow-burn but very spicy enemies to lovers romance, that hasn’t reached the romance stage quite yet. It’s definitely the type of book I pick up when I want to escape and not get too bogged down with details. I look forward to book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Book Review: Supernatural Academy – Year One ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Review: Broken Wings (Dark Legacy – Book One) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Review: Broken Trust (Dark Legacy Book 2) ⭐️⭐️

Thief of Night by. Holly Black | ALC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Thief of Night (The Charlatan Duology, #2)

Author: Holly Black

Narrator(s): Jonathan Davis, Sara Amini, Vikas Adam

Format: audiobook (NetGalley)

Pages: 288

Publication Date: 9/23/25

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Mystery

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

The highly anticipated sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black’s stunning adult debut, Book of Night . This program features multicast narration.

“Award-winning YA author Holly Black has created an imaginary masterpiece yet again with her first foray into adult fantasy, narrated with perfection by Sara Amini.”— AudioFile on Book of Night (an Earphones Award winner)

“Sara Amini’s narration is exceptional, providing unique voices for the broad range of characters.”— Library Journal on Book of Night

There’d always been something wrong with Charlie Hall. Crooked from the day she was born. Never met a bad decision she wasn’t willing to double down on. She may be good enough to steal a shadow from a tower, but will she be good enough to steal back a heart?

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books

Content Warning: violence

+ The narrators for this story really kept me invested in the story even when the story itself moved slow – they did an amazing drop bringing the characters to life. I feel like the narrator for Charlie really did a great job and it’s how I imagine Charlie’s voice to be.

+ Charlie is such an interesting character. She’s a con-artist, and is always lying but she’s good at what she does. She’s the hierophant and trying to find out who is leaving these dead bodies. While trying to investigate she has to deal with other things like her sister and Red/Vincent.

+ Charlie and Red/Vincent’s relationship is so complicated because of what happened to him in book one. There is very little heat, but they did have some moments. I like that Charlie had to finally realize he was different. The romance was not the focus of the story though.

~ I feel like I should have re-read Book of Night so I remembered what happened. I got confused because I didn’t remember the whole thing about shadows.

~ It took me until 50% into this story to really get into it. I do feel like the first part was slower than the second half. And it’s a mystery but I honestly couldn’t follow what exactly Charlie was trying to do because I had a hard time paying attention, I was bored in the first half.

~ I think I enjoyed book one better than this one.

Final Thoughts:

I thought the narrators did a great job but it took me until 50% into the book to get invested in the story. The first half moved to slow for me and I was trying to remember things from book one. And I do recommend re-reading book one, Book of Night, if you are going to read Thief of Night. Maybe I would have enjoyed this one better if I had remember all the details from book one. Overall, I think mystery lovers would enjoy this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Prisoner’s Throne by. Holly Black | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Stolen Heir by. Holly Black | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book of Night by. Holly Black | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by. Holly Black | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Cruel Prince by. Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Wicked King by. Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Queen of Nothing by. Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Lost Sister’s by. Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tithe by. Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Darkest Part of the Forest by. Holly Black ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Soul of Shadow by. Emma Noyes | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Soul of Shadow

Author: Emma Noyes

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 7/29/25

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Norse Mythology

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!

Charlie Hudson just wants to get through junior year. Since the death of her twin sister two years earlier, she’s drifted through life, going through the motions at school and parties and even at home. The spark that once burned so brightly within her has all but flickered out.

Until her classmate goes missing in the forest, leaving nothing behind but a pair of shoes and strange symbols carved into a tree.

Drawn to the disappearances by forces she can’t explain, she finds herself investigating the mysterious, alluring newcomer in town, Elias Everhart. With piercing eyes and sharp wit, he dances around her questions, only intriguing her further. Elias has a secret. More than one.

But what Charlie doesn’t know is that those secrets will lead her to a place she never a world hiding in plain sight, made of magic, gods, and monsters – and a first love fated to fall apart.

In Emma Noyes’s Soul of Shadow, truths and temptations lurk in the darkness, and for Charlie, the only thing more dangerous than facing her past, is the boy with the power to change her future.

Content Warning: violence

+ There are missing kids in town and Charlie is curious about them when a new boy comes to town, Elias, and he starts getting close to her brother. When he explains he’s a creature from Norse mythology and he opens her eyes to it all around them, Charlie’s world is changed.

+ I did like the Norse mythology in this urban fantasy book. I thought Elias was an interesting character, a very mischievous. And I felt like the world building was dark and at the end filled witha lot of action. He’s a dark character but kind of easy to also fall in love with, which is what is happening with Charlie. But clearly he is not one to trust.

+ Charlie and her friends are going through high school and focusing on things like the homecoming dance when Elias shows up and throws Charlie’s life in disarray. But I like her friendship group and her issues with her older brother. I think this story would appeal to teen readers rather than adult YA readers.

~ When I first read this I kind of did not get how Charlie and her siblings being in the circus as kids tied into the missing kids at school and then Norse mythology. So I had to push through with the story and I am glad I stuck with it but I do think there was too much to follow in the beginning. Once Elias comes into the picture and the Norse mythology information comes through then it makes more sense.

~ The pacing is a bit uneven because it will slow down when Charlie is doing all this research on google about norse mythology. There is a lot to learn.

~ Like I said above, this would appeal more to younger readers so if you are not into young adult, this might not be for you.

Final Thoughts:

After kind of a confusing start to the book, I got settled in and the Norse mythology tying into the contemporary world really fascinated me. I think Elias is a great character because he’s an attractive and charming guy, but for sure he’s a character you couldn’t trust. I liked all the action at the end of the book and wonder what will happen next. I do think it will appeal to younger YA readers and yes the pacing was slow at some parts but overall I thought this was an entertaining read.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Fallen Court by. Geneva Lee | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Fallen Court (Filthy Rich Fae, #2)

Author: Geneva Lee

Narrator: Raquel Beattie and Aiden Snow

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 384 / Audio Reading Time (approx.): 15 hours

Publication Date: 5/19/25

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romantasy

One fae prince. One deadly bargain. And a mortal caught between desire and damnation.

Cate thought she knew darkness. As a trauma nurse, she had witnessed the worst of humanity. But nothing―not the blood, the violence, or the despair―could have prepared her for the fae underworld. A realm where beauty is a weapon, desire is a trap, and mortals who stray too far don’t return.

She almost didn’t.

Until Lachlan Gage―shadowed, ruthless, and feared even among his own kind―bound her to him with a deadly bargain. As the prince of New Orleans and ruler of the Nether Court, he is as much a curse as he is salvation. And with the Wild Hunt at his heels and war stirring between the fae courts, even his protection may not be enough to save her.

Because Cate is more than just his reluctant mortal. She is wanted. Coveted. And the prince of the Hallow Court will do anything to claim her.

But something ancient is rising in the dark, warping fae magic into something unnatural and cruel. It has nothing to do with Cate’s past―or so she tells herself. Even though the ring left behind by her mother whispers otherwise.

There is only one thing more dangerous than the fae who would kill for her.

The fae who would die for her.

And Lachlan Gage has never been one to lose.

Content Warning: violence

+ I thought the narrators did well and I liked that there were two different voices for the different POVs.

+ I enjoyed the world building once more and it doesn’t only take place in New Orleans this time. In the beginning, the story takes place in Europe. So I like that there were different locations but then it goes back to New Orleans which is a great place for an urban fantasy to take place because it is dark and mystery. This time witches are introduced into the story which I enjoyed.

+ Cate and Lachlan’s relationship grows and this time their spicy scenes aren’t so closed door, which was fun! This is a fated mates kind of love story and I do enjoy them as a couple.

+ I enjoy a lot of the secondary characters like Ciara, Lachlan’s sister. But why does Cate’s brother always get into trouble? He is so frustrating.

~ I felt like the pacing was an issue but I don’t know if it’s because I was listening to the story instead of reading it? There was a lot of action and excitement and the beginning and the end. The middle feels like nothing much is happening except Cate and Lachlan’s relationship and the investigation into murders around the city. But I think it felt slow because that’s the mystery part of the story?

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I think this was a solid sequel but I did enjoy book one a little bit more. Once again, there is a twist at the end of this story but I’m not sure if I will continue the series. But again, it might be because I listened to it (and I don’t love audiobooks but I’m trying to get used to them) than read it that I feel this way so when book three comes out, maybe I will read it instead.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Filthy Rich Fae by. Geneva Lee | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Unhallowed Halls by. Lili Wilkinson | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Unhallowed Halls

Author: Lili Wilkinson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 464

Publication Date: 2/18/25

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Dark Academia, Young Adult, Gothic, Urban Fantasy, Romance, LGBT+

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

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

A teen girl travels to an exclusive boarding school located deep within the Scottish moorlands after a deadly incident at her old school, but the wood-paneled halls of Agathion are built over centuries of secrets—including an ancient society which may have ties to demonic magic—in this dark academia fantasy perfect for fans of Curious Tides.

Page Whittaker has always been an outcast. And after the deadly incident that destroyed her single friendship at her old school, she needs a fresh start. Which is why when she receives a scholarship offer from Agathion College, an elite boarding school folded deep within the moors of Scotland, she doesn’t even consider turning it down.

Agathion is everything Page has ever wanted: a safe haven full of dusty books, steaming cups of tea and rigorous intellectual debate. And for the first time in her life, Page has even managed to become part of a close group of friends. Cyrus, Ren, Gideon, Lacey and Oak help her feel at home in Agathion’s halls–the only problem is, they’re all keeping secrets from her.

Page doesn’t know it yet, but her perfect new school has dark roots–roots that stretch back to its crooked foundation, and an ancient clandestine society with rumored ties to demonic magic. Soon, Page will be forced to learn that not everyone at Agathion is who they say they are. Least of all, her friends.

Agathion claims to teach its students history…but some histories should stay buried.

Content Warning: self-harm, violence, demon possession

This book definitely got the gothic, dark academia part down with it being set in Scotland. The setting is perfect for a boarding school filled with misfits. It’s dark, gloomy, always raining and cold, and surrounded by moors.

As for the story – something mysterious is happening at Agathion and it’s not only all the Greek philosophy being studied at the school. Something dark and sinister. That also was done very well in the book I feel, the whole atmosphere of impending doom.

Page is trying to find where she fits in at Agathion and she thought she finally found her place until she figures out what is happening at the school. Who can she really trust? Even with her new found friends, I didn’t feel like she could trust anyone until the very end. As a character, I didn’t really connect to her but I thought she had a lot of growth as the story went on. There is a little romance which I found to be kind of sweet.

I did like the chaos of everything happening in the book, there are a few twists and turns but I think there were times where too much was happening and at times it got confusing. It may just be a pacing issue for me and it being just a tad bit too long.

Final Thoughts:

I thought overall this was an entertaining read. It did take me a few days to read because of the pacing issues but I did push through even when things got confusing because a lot was going on. It’s got all the gothic vibes, a little romance, a little magic, some fantasy, and some demon possession. If you like dark academia, demons and Scottish mores, you might enjoy this one.