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

Thorn Season by. Kiera Azar | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Thorn Season (Thorn Season, #1)

Author: Kiera Azar

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 464

Publication Date: 9/2/25

Publisher: Storytide

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Political Intrigue

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

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

In the Kingdom of Daradon, a persecuted few are Wielders – able to exert a physical power that extends beyond her visible a shimmering tendril that can pick a lock, a gentle coil that reaches out to give a loving caress, or an inexorable rope that will kill a man before he knows it is around his neck. Feared and mistrusted for this ability, Wielders have always been Hunted.

Alissa Paine – heiress of a noble lineage, daughter of a Hunter family – is also a Wielder. And as she approaches her eighteenth Season, Alissa knows she has escaped execution so far only through painful self-control, and the fragile efforts of her beloved father.

Summoned to the harsh and glittering royal court for the debutante season, Alissa finds herself trapped in a web of hidden intentions – and caught between two equally dangerous men. One is a brutal ruler with the handsome face of a fairytale prince, who would see her destroyed in an instant if the truth were known – and the other a beguiling foreign ambassador with secret agendas of his own.

It’s Rose Season at the palace, but Alissa knows that survival will depend on being the most vicious of the thorns…

Content Warning: violence, death, grief

+ I didn’t know what to expect with this one – honestly I requested the arc because I was so in love with the cover! But I love when a book cover is beautiful and the story is just as good! The political intrigue and mystery about a certain object really kept me on my toes, especially in the second half of this book.

+ Alissa is an heiress and King Erik has his eye on her. In this Kingdom of Daradon, Wielders are being hunted because they have power that isn’t allowed. Alissa’s families are renowned hunters, but they don’t know but only a select few that she’s a Wielder herself, just in hiding, except she hasn’t done a good job at that. Alissa is beautiful, cunning, has the King’s ear, plays court politics well, and she loves her father. I found her character fascinating. She’s tough, and I can’t see what happens for her next.

+ The court politics was really what kept me invested in this book. I enjoyed the mystery and plot twists. Alissa and the King seemed to be playing a cat and mouse game. The King is a real villain even though at first, it doesn’t seem like it. But his character is written so well, that I hate him so much. He is the kind of evil that comes in a pretty package.

+ There wasn’t a lot of romance in this story but I didn’t mind it at all. In the beginning I thought it would be a love triangle, but I don’t think it will be. But I could be wrong. Garrett, her ex-best friend is an interesting character with a rough childhood. And Keil, an ambassador from another kingdom where Wielders are allowed, looks like the one who will be Alissa love interest. They do a lot of flirting in this book but not much else.

~ Alissa talks about her specter a lot but I couldn’t fully grasp what it was except that it is power. I would have loved more history about it, and to learn more about what Wielders can do.

Final Thoughts:

It took my two days to read this book and the second half of the book had me hooked. I love the political intrigue and how Alissa navigates court. The politics, the magic, the complicated characters and the beginnings of a romance was melded together in an entertaining book. The power play between her and the King kept me riveted. I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

House of Hearts by. Skyla Arndt | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: House of Hearts

Author: Skyla Arndt

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 288

Publication Date: 9/2/25

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Paranormal, Family Curse, Romance, Gothic

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

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

Solving her best friend’s murder means infiltrating a secret society, resisting a forbidden love, and running from a vengeful ghost in this sophomore novel by the author of Together We Rot.

Violet Harper knows her best friend was murdered. Even if everyone else has labeled her death a “freak accident,” Vi is sure she’d been trying to tell her something right before she died. Cryptic messages about her friend’s elite boarding school, her whirlwind romance, and the mysterious secret society she was entangled in all point to a more sinister fate.

So, Violet does what no one else seems willing to do: She transfers to the same fancy school to dig into the society’s murky history and find out what really happened to her friend. She knows the truth might not be pretty, but what she doesn’t bargain for is the handsome boy at the center of it all—Calvin Lockwell, the brother of her prime suspect and descendant of the school’s founder. He’s obnoxious and privileged, and Violet can’t deny their haunting attraction. It soon becomes clear his family is hiding a dark secret that may not be of this world, and suddenly Violet’s following her friend’s doomed footsteps down the rabbit hole. Even as details emerge of a deadly curse plaguing the school, she can’t escape her true feelings for Calvin. But loving him may be the last thing she ever does.

Content Warning: violence, murder, death

+ This is a dark academia story with horror and paranormal events. The setting is a gothic academy for wealthy kids, and Violet is enrolled there through scholarship because she wants answers to her best-friend’s death. She thinks she has it figured out and blames Percy Lockwell, the Headmistress’ son, for her death but while she is at the school she finds out there is more to the story.

+ There is a family curse on the Lockwell family, and the remaining siblings Calvin and Sadie are trying to break it and also find their older brother Percy, who disappeared. They create a secret society at school to gather kids who aren’t afraid of the paranormal so that they can solve this mystery about the curse and find their brother. I enjoyed the paranormal and horror aspects of the story a lot! It just added the right amount of creepiness and especially one part gave me chills.

+ The romance between Violet and Calvin is doomed because of the curse but from the start it was dislike mostly on Violet’s part and secret insta-love on Calvin’s though he hid it well. I loved their interactions and was rooting for them!

~ This is an arc but there was a lot of typos that I hope will be fixed by the time of publication. Also I don’t know if it was because the way it was formatted as an e-book but some sections blended into the next and I had to re-read because I was afraid I missed a scene or didn’t understand where I was in the story.

~ This is a quick read, just under 300 pages so I would have like a little more pages focused on the romance to draw out the tension more between them. I did love their romance journey, I just wanted more.

Final Thoughts:

I’ve been reading a lot of dark academia this year but I did love how this one stands out a little bit because of the paranormal and horror elements in the story. I loved the setting, the secret society, the dislike to lovers romance between Violet and Cal, and the family love curse. I had a few issues with typos (but this is an arc) and I did wish it was a tad bit longer just so there was more tension and yearning between Violet and Cal but overall, I enjoyed this one and will make for a thrilling, creepy fall read!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Together We Rot by. Skyla Arndt | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Dream by the Shadows by. Logan Karlie | ARC Review | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: Dream by the Shadows (The Shadow Weavers Duology, #1)

Author: Logan Karlie

Narrator(s):
Jared Zeus (Narrator), Mia Hutchinson-Shaw (Narrator)

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 8/26/25

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Gothic, 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 Christy Ottaviano Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

No one told me that damnation could be beautiful.

For the last 500 years, the Kingdom of Noctis has been plagued by Corruption, a curse that spreads through dreams. Only an elixir, taken each night before sleep, can ward off the curse. But for some, the allure of the Dream Realm proves too strong.

Esmer Havenfall desperately wants to escape her curse-struck village. But as her family starts to succumb to Corruption, Esmer’s life swiftly unravels into a nightmare – especially when she
begins to dream herself.

In Esmer’s dreams, she meets her greatest fear, the Shadow Bringer, who rules from his castle in the Dream Realm, stealing souls one dreamer at a time. As Esmer follows the Shadow Bringer deeper into his kingdom she starts to feel a strange kinship to his sinister magic. But the prince of darkness has a haunted past, one that might change the fate of Esmer’s kingdom – and her
heart – forever.

Lush and vividly imagined, Logan Karlie creates an immersive nightmare in this seductive gothic fantasy, infused with shadow-haunted romance and an exhilarating thread of horror.

Content Warning: violence

+ I thought the premise for this story was very interesting – drinking an elixir to keep dreams away, because dreams were bad? I wanted to learn more and I found this world-building very dark and gothic. I also caught the Labyrinth vibes (one of my favorite childhood movies), so I liked that!

+ The narrators did a great job with bringing the main characters to life. All the demon voices were different and well done also.

+ There is a strong theme of family in this story because Esmer loses most of her family she is protective of her youngest brother.

+~ The romance is enemies to lovers and a slow burn but it’s not the main focus of the story. I didn’t feel invested in their romance though, but it might be because I wasn’t connecting to the characters.

~ I don’t know if it’s because it’s an audiobook and that’s already a challenge in holding my attention but the middle of this book was a bit slow. There’s always a demon in every corner asking to be let free and that stood out but it also became repetitive, at least in my listening experience.

~ Would like more world-building.

Final Thoughts:

This one wasn’t for me although I thought the narrators did such a great job with trying to bring this book to life. I liked the dark, gothic fantasy vibes but I had a hard time connecting to the characters.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Executioners Three by. Susan Dennard | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Executioners Three

Author: Susan Dennard

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 8/26/25

Publisher: Tor Teen

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

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

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

From New York Times bestselling author Susan Dennard comes The Executioners Three, a mystery filled with rivalry, romance, best friends, and a gruesome curse that dates back centuries.

Freddie Gellar didn’t mean to get half the rival high school arrested. She’d simply heard shrieks coming from the woods, so she’d called the cops like any good human would do. How was she supposed to know it was just kids partying?

Except the next day, a body is found. And while the local sheriff might call it suicide, Freddie’s instincts tell her otherwise. So, like the aspiring sleuth (and true X-Files aficionado) she is, Freddie sets out to prove there’s a murderer at large.

Content Warning: violence, murder, death

+ This was a really interesting book and one I wasn’t quite expecting. This book is set in the 1990’s and the clues was definitely how Freddie loved the X-Files and NSYNC (she LOATHES The Backstreet Boys and hi, I was a BSB fan, not NSYNC 😅). This story gave me Stranger Things vibes minus the demi-gorgon, it was the time period that was similar and the way the characters talked and acted.

+ Freddie is a fun character. She’s trying to investigate something that has been happening in town but also, she’s a prankster. Her and her best-friend Divya are literally hanging with a group of kids at school who does pranks at their rival school. These kids are in high school, so it’s very young adult.

+ Freddie and Theo’s romance is too cute! I loved it.

+ The murder mystery was interesting and I liked how it built. The ending reveal was full of suspense and thrills.

~ I wasn’t sure what I was reading at first and how I felt about it but I’m glad I pushed through because things get dark. But for all it’s darkness because of the murders I felt like there was enough humor to keep things light.

Final Thoughts:

Here is another book you should pick up for the fall season! It’s dark (but fun) with a murder mystery and it has Stranger Things vibes. I thought it was cool it was set in the 1990’s, Freddie and her friends are fun and pranksters, and the romance is really cute.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Whispering Night by. Susan Dennard | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Hunting Moon by. Susan Dennard | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Luminaries by.Susan Dennard | ARC 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

While the Dark Remains by. Joanna Ruth Meyer | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: While the Dark Remains

Author: Joanna Ruth Meyer

Narrator: Kimberly Woods

Format: audiobook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 450 / Audio Reading Time (approx.): 14h 45m

Publication Date: 8/1/25

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Brynja spent her childhood as a captive performer in Tenebris, the imposing mountain palace of King Kallias. Every night she risked death for the king’s entertainment until his rebellious son, Prince Ballast, helped her escape. Now twenty, Brynja has never forgotten the brutal king. Or forgiven him. Under the cloak of a three-month-long Winter Dark, Brynja is returning to Tenebris for revenge.

Accompanied by a rival court, including the alluring Prince Vil, Brynja poses as diplomatic royalty to barter peace between nations. No one is better equipped to infiltrate the palace than Brynja—she remembers every hidden passage like a bad dream. But her quest to destroy Kallias is complicated by her feelings for Prince Ballast, whom she isn’t sure she can still trust. And Kallias’s own quest to mine a catastrophic weapon of war buried in the mountain’s heart will threaten them all, and force Brynja to face the darkest parts of herself.

The lives of everyone she loves depend on the choices she must make. So, too, does the fate of the world.

Content Warning: violence, violence towards children

+ There is one narrator for this audiobook and I thought she did a great job with doing all the character voices.

+ I thought the world-building was pretty good. Three different kingdoms, with some animosities between them. The main kingdom this story takes place is in Tenebris who is ruled by King Kallias. He’s a cruel king who uses children as entertainment. These kids are abused and even killed if they don’t please him. Brynja and her friends Saga and Vil, part of the Skanda delegation to Tenebris, are going there under the pretense to make a trade deal, but their ultimate goal is to end his reign.

+ Brynja is an interesting character – she was one of these children in King Kallias’ collection of kids. Her talent was as an acrobat. At her time in Tenebris she befriends, Ballast, who is one of the king’s sons. Brynja does escape Tenebris eventually but coming back brings back bad memories of her time there. While she was at Tenebris, she also befriends Saga who is from Skanda, and in a way when they escape, Saga’s family becomes her found family.

+ The romance between Brynja and Ballast doesn’t really pick up until the end because of their complicated past. It’s a real slow burn and almost an enemies to friendship to lovers kind of story.

+ I enjoyed the politics and there is a plot twist that explains more about Brynja’s past and changes some relationships in the book.

~ This story is told in flashbacks which I don’t usually love and it happens a lot in the story but I did not have a hard time following even though I was listening to it as an audiobook. But I just don’t love the back and forth knowing what year we are in and the years are like 4150 or something like that.

~ The beginning is a bit slow as Brynja, Saga and Vil travel to Tenebris. There is a lot of stories about their gods which I think could be cut back a little because my attention wavered when those stories were told.

~ Brynja got sick a lot in this story when her anxiety hit. I don’t know why that stood out to me but I would always think – she’s gonna be sick, again?! 😅

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed the audiobook though I did think the story was a tad bit too long especially with all the time jumping I had to pay attention too. I like the world-building though and was invested in Brynja’s journey back to the place she was traumatized and learning more about her past. The plot twist was there for shock value but I’m glad it didn’t end in a cliffhanger but was at least explained afterwards.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Spell to Wake the Dead by. Nicole Lesperance | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Spell to Wake the Dead

Author: Nicole Lesperance

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 8/26/25

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

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Horror, Witchcraft, Cult, Romance

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

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Two teen girls must uncover the dark, occult secrets lurking in their Cape Cod town to solve a series of murders—and save themselves from the same fate—in this twisty, witchy thriller.

When Mazzy and her best friend Nora sneak down to the beach one moonlit night to cast a spell, they don’t expect to find a dead body. But as the tide rolls in, it carries the remains of a woman who is missing her hands and teeth.

The girls know they should leave the investigation to the police, but they can’t shake the weird, supernatural connection they feel with the dead woman. Using spellwork and divination, they set out to find answers of their own. But after they uncover a rash of local disappearances stretching back years—and both girls start having occult visions and hearing ghostly, whispering voices—Mazzy worries that she and Nora are in danger.

Then, Nora finds a second body. And a whispering voice is telling her where to find more. With everything spiraling, Mazzy needs to figure out who to trust and how to sever this supernatural connection—or she and Nora might be the next bodies to wash up on the beach.

Content Warning: violence, murder, death, kidnapping, ritual, possession

+ Mazzy and Nora are best friends and dabble with witchcraft. One night they are doing a spell when they stumble upon a dead body, and then a few others. The girls try to make sense of going on and realize maybe they are next.

+ I loved Mazzy and Nora’s friendship (even with the challenges they faced), also their friend Elliot who Mazzy has a crush on. The story doesn’t focus on the romance, but I like how it’s woven in between the mystery and thrills happening throughout this book.

+ Some mysteries are too slow for me but I liked the pacing in this one because of the witchcraft and then the rumors about a cult in the town that could be behind the murders. The girls get tangled up in all of it and it’s fun to see where it all ends up! It was a nice blend of mystery, horror, suspense and thriller.

+ This book is atmospheric and set in Cape Cod. It captured the small coastal town feel, and even felt creepy especially with these bodies being found in the water. I just love how it blended the witchcraft and coastal vibes.

~ Mazzy already has a crush on Elliot when the book starts and it’s noted something was changed between them so it was just getting to the part of both of them admitting it. I did wish we knew a little more about Elliot because he is helping these girls a lot on figuring out this cult.

Final Thoughts:

This is the perfect book for the fall season when you are looking for something witchy and thrilling to read. I enjoyed it!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Once a Villain by. Vanessa Len | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating:

Title: Once a Villain (Monsters, #3)

Author: Vanessa Len

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 8/19/25

Publisher: HarperTeen

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

The finale in the contemporary fantasy Only a Monster trilogy from Vanessa Len—which New York Times bestselling authors Holly Black, Chloe Gong, and Stephanie Garber called “delightful,” “captivating,” and “unputdownable”—will take Joan into the darkest timeline in the monster world, as she fights to restore the world she remembers.

Joan has failed to stop Eleanor.

Now, Eleanor rules over a cruel new timeline where monsters live openly among humans, preying on them and subjugating them.

Nick – once a hero to humans, and Joan’s first love – is tormented by the choice he made to save her over the timeline itself. And Aaron – the ruthless heir to a powerful monster family – now finds himself a world where monsters have power beyond imagining, while his feelings for Joan grow.

But, wrenched between love and rivalry, the three of them must negotiate their fractured pasts to survive the new world and restore what was lost. Because only they remember that there was once a better timeline.

To save the world they love, they’ll have to outmaneuver an all-seeing queen who controls time itself. Lethal consequences await any failure in this final breathless race against time.

Content Warning: violence

+ This is the conclusion to the Monsters series and we jump right into the story after all the events that happened in book two. Like the previous books, this story moves quickly, which I like! There are now in the timeline that Joan’s sister, Eleanor, has created and it’s a messed up timeline. Eleanor is Queen but there is electric cars and technology in a time that seems like it’s the 1600’s – so Joan and her friends have a goal to take down Eleanor and fix the timeline.

+ The found family of their friend group is back minus Tom but he reappears later in the story.

+ I always wanted more of Aaron Oliver in this series and it happens in this third book. He takes more of a roll since he’s the head of the family in this timeline.

+ There are some twists I was not expecting in this story and actually made my jaw drop because they kept happening one after the other in the last half of the book. But overall, I think most questions were answered and this was a solid conclusion!

~ It turned into a love triangle and one that was frustrating! Some things happen and immediately Joan is turning from one boy to another and I wasn’t happy with that. But things are resolved by the end of the story, not sure how I feel about it but all parties were happy so that’s what matters.

~ The ending is wild! There was one thing happening after the other at the end, and some of it felt rushed.

Final Thoughts:

This was a great conclusion to the series and I think most people who love the series should be happy with it. I like the fast moving pace, and having more of Aaron in this book. I think there were some parts in the end that moved too fast and it felt rushed but the twists did surprise me. Overall, I think this series was entertaining!