Tag Archives: fantasy

Unknown's avatar

Fantasy RomCom Review: Assistant to the Villain

by

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Thank you to Red Tower for the review copy! 

Assistant to the Villain
By Hannah Nicole Maehrer
🎧 Narrated by: Em Eldridge
Series: Assistant to the Villain, Book 1
Book 45 of 2024

You know how there are DNFs and NFNs? (Did Not Finish / Not For Now) I started this book back when it came out and the humor was not for me in the mindset I was in. Fast forward to March, and suddenly it was PERFECT for the mood that I was in! That’s the trickiest part about getting review copies for me – sometimes my mood just doesn’t match a book until the right time, but I feel so bad for being late when the publisher is kind enough to send me a review copy!

Assistant to the Villain started as a series of TikTok skits, but the novel is fully developed into a cohesive storyline. 

I binge listened to the audiobook in a day, and had so much fun! I’m excited that more publishers are publishing these fantasy romcoms, where the world building is pretty light but you still get the elements you love in a romcom! 

I can’t wait for book 2!

🎧 This was perfect audiobook vibes for me. Fantasy can be hard for me on audio, all the worldbuilding tends to get muddled. Since the worldbuilding was light, I thought this was a lot of fun! Since I tend to listen to audiobooks while doing things around the house or playing games, this book was PERFECT -fast paced and light – and really kept me entertained. 

Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.

ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage’s employment status isn’t just important, it’s vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer—naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain—and his entire nefarious empire—out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.

.    .   .   .   .   .    .  Let’s Play a Game!   .   .   .   .    .   .   .   .  

Based on your first initial of your first name + your battery percentage, you’re reading a hybrid book – how excited are you for your hybrid? Have you read any books like that before? (If you get two of the same, just tell me the genre!)

A-E / 81-100% : Romance

F-J / 61-80%: Mystery / Thriller / Suspense

K-O / 41-60%: Fantasy

P-T / 21-40%: Historical fiction

U-Z / 1-20%: Science Fiction  

Unknown's avatar

Romantasy Novella Review: Feral is the Beast

by

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

“I will not be attracted to this a**hole, no matter how pretty he is.”

Thank you to the author for the review copy! 

Feral is the Beast 
By Nisha J. Tuli 
Series: Cursed Captors, Book 2 
Book 40 of 2024
Pub date: March 20, 2024

.    .   .   .   .   .    .  series info   .   .   .   .    .   .   .   .  

This is a series of standalones, and the books can be read in any order. I have not yet read Book 1, but after reading this, I definitely want to!

.    .   .   .   .   .    .  book review    .   .   .   .    .   .   .   .  

Do you ever find yourself wishing that SHE could be the centuries old immortal and HE was the 20-something? Well, I have the book for you!

I absolutely love Nisha J. Tuli’s writing, and this spicy novella has all of my favorite elements:

✨ sassy, strong willed heroine
✨ absolute disdain for alphaholes
✨ fast paced
✨ lots of romance!

Feral is the Beast is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but our Belle character – Vespera – is a 400ish year old witch in hiding. She’s been forced to work for power hungry kings in the past, and is looking for a quiet life where she can make up for the damage she has caused. She lives in a small town and works as an apothecary. But the town is also home to a castle – where the Feral King lives. This King becomes a beast and frequently attacks unsuspecting villagers, and everyone lives in fear of when he will strike next. 

Vespera soon becomes the King’s prisoner, but refuses to admit to her powers. It’s a fantastic enemies to lovers set up, and we get to learn to like the King right alongside Vespera. I loved the side character Celeste, who forms a friendship with Vespera that shows us Vespera’s softer side. They spend time swapping romance books, and it’s so cute. 

Feral is the Beast is just under 200 pages, so expect a pretty fast pace with lots of spice. 

.    .   .   .   .   .    .  book synopsis    .   .   .   .    .   .   .   .  

The Feral King thinks he’ll break me. But I will break him first.

I’m a 400-year-old witch covered in tattoos—the source of my magic—but I’ve been hiding them for years, trying to escape my past.

After spending centuries at the mercy of royals who thirst only for power and the desire to make up for their less impressive “assets,” I refuse to be used as a tool for evil ever again.

It’s any other night in my apothecary when the Feral King—a beast who eats the local villagers for sport—kidnaps me and demands my help.

When I deny him, he tries to torture me into compliance, but pain and I are long-acquainted friends, and I will never be the one who falls.

This is a high-heat immortal witch and mortal man age-gap fantasy romance with enemies to lovers and forced proximity. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Raven Kennedy, or Jennifer L. Armentrout. Feral is the Beast is book 2 in Cursed Captors, a series of interconnected standalone stories.

Unknown's avatar

Paranormal Romance Review: Heartsong

by

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Thank you to Tor Books for the review copy!

Heartsong
By TJ Klune
🎧 Narrated by: Kirt Graves
Series: Green Creek, Book 3 
Book 35 of 2024

The thing about the Green Creek series is that by this point you just feel like you are another member of the pack. So the beginning really confused me when Robbie was off with not the pack?? I thought it was about before he came to Green Creek, but that wasn’t the case.

The way Klune crafts the community feel of his stories – ugh. I feel like I could happily read about them watching paint try because the banter would be top-tier and someone would probably forgive themselves for something and it would be all beautiful and healing. (I’m not fixing that run on sentence, it’s for the vibes.) 

My only complaint is that I like watching people fall in love with each other for the first time, and that’s not what we got in this book. It was still a beautiful and satisfying story, but because of Robbie’s situation *I* also sometimes felt like I was missing part of the story. 

Overall – LOVED – can’t wait for Brothersong!!

🎧 Kirt Graves is the voice of Green Creek for me. If someone ever tried to make a graphic audio, I couldn’t listen to it unless the narrators sounded exactly like the voices Kirt creates. I think he makes Klune’s writing really come alive for me – some of the repetition I could never have made feel as strongly as Graves made me feel in his narration. 

[book synopsis]

Heartsong is the third book in the Green Creek series, the beloved fantasy romance sensation by New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune, about love, loyalty, betrayal, and family.

“Complex and startling… Green Creek is the perfect setting.” ― Charlaine Harris

The Bennett family has a They’re not just a family, they’re a pack. Heartsong is Robbie Fontaine’s story.

All Robbie Fontaine ever wanted was a place to belong. After the death of his mother, he bounces around from pack to pack, forming temporary bonds to keep from turning feral. It’s enough―until he receives a summons from the wolf stronghold in Caswell, Maine. Life as the trusted second to Michelle Hughes―the Alpha of all―and the cherished friend of a gentle old witch teaches Robbie what it means to be pack, to have a home. But when a mission from Michelle sends Robbie into the field, he finds himself questioning where he belongs and everything he’s been told.

Whispers of traitorous wolves and wild magic abound―but who are the traitors and who the betrayed? More than anything, Robbie hungers for answers, because one of those alleged traitors is Kelly Bennett―the wolf who may be his mate.

The truth has a way of coming out. And when it does, everything will shatter.

The Green Creek Series is for adult readers.

Now available from Tor Books.

Unknown's avatar

PNR Review: Deja Brew

by

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Deja Brew
By B. Perkins and Aimee Vance
Deadlights Cove, Book 2 
Book 26 of 2024

✨ On Kindle Unlimited ✨

Do you ever wish you could read a book with a diverse cast that feels like you’re hanging out in Stars Hollow…but with more magic? If so, you absolutely need to pick up the Deadlights Cove books!

First, I would highly recommend reading these in order. There’s a mystery plot line that has a full arc across the five books, so while you CAN read them out of order, you’ll get the full experience if you read them in order! (And I equally loved Book 1 – Smoke Show – and I think you will too!) 

Childhood best friends to strangers to lovers is one of my all time favorite tropes. The tension between Nimue and Kit was 🔥🔥🔥.

I wish I could go hangout in Deadlights Cove with all of these characters, but since they are fictional I will have to do the next best thing and continue to read the series! 

[ book synopsis ]

Nimue Fitzpatrick never really meant to leave Deadlights Cove, but after she’d impulsively kissed her best friend, Kit Sayana, it suddenly became easier to take freelance photography jobs out of town. Just what she needed to forget the mess and the amber eyes she couldn’t bear to face anymore in the Cove. Now, after four years away, it might be time to admit that she’s been avoiding him.

The last four years haven’t been the easiest for Kit as the pressure to assume his responsibilities as future Alpha for the Arrowwood skulk takes over his life. Needing space, he moved out of his family home and into the apartment above his tea shop, Immortali-Tea. Despite the closeness among the members of his skulk, there is one thing he hasn’t shared with anyone, even his closest friends: ever since he kissed Nimue all those years ago, he’s known she’s his mate. The problem is that an interspecies mate bond is impossible, so it can never be.

When Nimue returns home for her cousin Blaze’s Halloween party, everything changes. No matter how the two childhood friends try to avoid their feelings for each other, fate has other plans. With magic turning on the shifters, the town is set into a panic that requires everyone to work together — especially Kit and Nimue.

Can they recover their prior friendship enough to come together and solve the next mystery, before it has lasting effects on the shifters in town?

Follow Kit and Nimue’s story, along with the quirky band of local misfits, through the Deadlights Cove series, in book two, Deja Brew.

While each book follows a different couple, the Deadlights Cove series is best read in order. Catch up and find out what Petra and Blaze discover in book one, Smoke Show, first.

Unknown's avatar

Novella Review: Six Scorched Roses

by

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

✨ Spoiler Free Review ✨

Have you been seeing The Serpent and the Wings of Night series on Bookstagram and been wondering if you want to get into the series? Here’s why you won’t want to skip the novella Six Scorched Roses!

Six Scorched Roses
By Carissa Broadbent
🎧 Narrated by: Amanda Leigh Cobb
Crowns of Nyaxia 1.5
Book 22 of 2024

✨ Reading order ✨

I think this book can technically be considered a standalone, but it was recommended to me to read it in between Book 1 & 2, because the characters introduced in this book do show up in Book 2. I think the world building would be a little confusing if I hadn’t read book 1. 

✨ Review ✨

I am not generally a novella person – I tend to skip them honestly. However, this was a very purposeful and satisfying novella to me! After all of the fighting and action in Book 1, it was nice to spend time with Lilith and her medical experiments. 

Lilith’s town is being ravaged by an illness brought about by a god curse. Her sister is fading before her eyes, but Lilith is committed to finding a cure. 

Six Scorched Roses has a really good mix of plot and romance, and tells a complete story in just 187 pages! It’s a great palette cleanser before you dive into what I’m sure will be an action packed The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King! 

🎧 You might recognize Amanda Leigh Cobb from her work narrating A Court of Wings and Ruin and A Court of Frost and Starlight! She narrates all of the Crowns of Nyaxia books and I love her work. 

✨ KU subscribers can read Six Scorched Roses for free! ✨

[book synopsis ] 

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

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

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

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

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

Unknown's avatar

Spoiler Free Fantasy Review: House of Flame and Shadow

by

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

*No spoilers – just vibes* 

House of Flame and Shadow
By Sarah J. Maas
🎧 Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans
Book 13 of 2024

I have an instagram post with my advice about starting with the world of SJM, and after finishing Crescent City 3: House of Flame and Shadow, I stand by it. I think you will get the *best* reading experience reading the first 3 ACOTAR, all of TOG, the next 2 ACOTAR, and then the Crescent City series. The worlds build on each other, so I think that’s the simplest way to read and be able to catch all of the Easter Eggs sprinkled throughout the worlds.

The Crescent City series is urban fantasy, which I hadn’t read a lot of before diving in, and at first I didn’t like it. Fae, Angels, Demons, Wolf Shifters…and cell phones? And as we often see with SJM heroines, Bryce doesn’t really begin the books as her best self. But it went from jarring – the modern language, the swearing, and again – the cell phones – to something I was absolutely in love with. Bryce is the kind of sassy heroine that I fell in love with reading about since I was a kid, and she reminded me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who is one of my favorite fictional characters. 

I think Book 1 is entirely from Bryce’s POV, but by Book 2 we have multi-POVs. Book 3 switches around even in the middle of chapters, so I think reading it in print is really helpful. However, Maas does well starting each POV clearly, and Elizabeth Evans’ narration makes it pretty clear who we’re following. While I felt like Book 1 had SO MUCH worldbuilding, and Book 2 had SO MUCH hanging out and learning about characters, Book 3 was straight action. The characters didn’t always make decisions that I agreed with, but they were decisions that were true to who they are as people. Overall, it was a very satisfying experience! 

I think what makes reading SJM so fun is the fandom surrounding it. As someone who grew up reading Harry Potter, I crave having a series that I’m reading as it comes out that I can make fan theories about and talk about with other readers. I sometimes wonder if I’m really a true fantasy fan or if I just like to join the fandom of 1-3 ongoing series and ignore the rest of the fantasy books that are being published! 

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Fable buddy read! And thank you to all of the people who held my hand through my SJM journey!

Unknown's avatar

New Books February 20th

by

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Thank you to the listed publishers for the gifted books!

Happy belated pub day! I came back from our weekend getaway to the mountains with absolutely nothing prepped. I feel like pub day always sneaks up on me!! What are you looking forward to that comes out today or this week?

February is honestly so stacked with amazing new releases, there’s no way I will ever be able to read all of them – the worst of bookworm problems. 

🎁 ARC/ ALC / free publisher mail – noted even if I was sent a widget and didn’t accept it. Everything on this list is something I would like to one day read!

🎁 How (Not) to Hate a Duke, by Jennifer Haymore, Entangled Publishing
Historical Romance | Neighbors

🎁 Island Witch, by Amanda Jayatissa, Berkley Publishing
Historical fiction | Fantasy | Horror | Sri Lankan folklore 

🎁 Remedial Magic, by Melissa Marr, Bramble Romance
Romantasy | Witches | LGBTQ | Magical Community College 

🎁 Sun of Blood and Ruin, by Mariely Lares, Harper Voyager
Fantasy | Zorro Retelling | Mesoamerican mythology & Mexican History 

🎁 A Tempest of Tea, by Hafsah Faizal, Fierce Reads
YA fantasy | Historical fiction | Heist | Vampires 

🎁 Till There Was You, by Lindsay Hameroff, SMP Romance
Contemporary Romance | Jewish | New York Restaurants | Celebrity Romance

🎁 Heartless Hunter, by Kristen Ciccarelli, Wednesday Books
YA Fantasy Romance | Witch vs witch hunter 

🎁 The Diamond and the Duke, by Christi Caldwell, Berkley Romance
Historical romance | Beauty & the Beast vibes 

🎁 Night for Day, by Roselle Lim, Berkley Romance #berkleypartner #berkley
Fantasy Romance | Second chance romance 

📚 The Bad Ones, by Melissa Albert, Flatiron books
YA fantasy | Gothic horror 

QotD: Are any of these on your radar? What are you currently reading? 

Unknown's avatar

Fantasy Review: Ruthless Vows

by

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for my finished copy!

Ruthless Vows
By Rebecca Ross
🎧 Narrated by: Alex Wingfield, Rebecca Norfolk
Letters of Enchantment, Book 2
Book 15 of 2024

*Spoiler free review* 

When everyone started talking about Divine Rivals last year, I really wasn’t sure if it was the book for me. I don’t always love big wartorn fantasy worlds, even though those are so popular in fantasy. 

But Divine Rivals was so focused on the love story that I absolutely devoured it in 24 hours. I was so excited for Ruthless Vows and to see how their story ended!

Ruthless Vows focuses a lot more on the gods and the war, and with me also rereading Crescent City, it was just a lot of fantasy wars for me to wrap my head around. I think I would have liked it more if I’d saved it for after House of Flame and Shadow. 

I did really like it, and it felt like a satisfying conclusion to the duology. I do love that Rebecca Ross writes a lot of duologies and standalones – it’s so much less daunting than a giant series! 

QotD: Do you ever feel like your book ratings are affected by your mood?

 [ book synopsis ]

The epic conclusion to the intensely romantic and beautifully written story that started in Divine Rivals.

Two weeks have passed since Iris Winnow returned home bruised and heartbroken from the front, but the war is far from over. Roman is missing, and the city of Oath continues to dwell in a state of disbelief and ignorance. When Iris and Attie are given another chance to report on Dacre’s movements, they both take the opportunity and head westward once more despite the danger, knowing it’s only a matter of time before the conflict reaches a city that’s unprepared and fracturing beneath the chancellor’s reign.

Since waking below in Dacre’s realm, Roman cannot remember his past. But given the reassurance that his memories will return in time, Roman begins to write articles for Dacre, uncertain of his place in the greater scheme of the war. When a strange letter arrives by wardrobe door, Roman is first suspicious, then intrigued. As he strikes up a correspondence with his mysterious pen pal, Roman will soon have to make a decision: to stand with Dacre or betray the god who healed him. And as the days grow darker, inevitably drawing Roman and Iris closer together…the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.

Unknown's avatar

January Wrap Up

by

❄️January Wrap Up ❄️ 

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

Image 1: My physical reads

I started out January feeling a little slumpy after binge reading 9 books in a week, but I ended up having a good reading month! I honestly felt like I was just reading out of habit, but half of my brain was just counting down the days until HOFAS. 

Image 2: Reading Goal Check in

Reading Goals:
❄️ Physical TBR: 6 of 6 
❄️ Total read: 13 / total brought into my house: I don’t want to talk about it, it was my birthday month. More than 13. Thank you all so much for your generosity!!!
❄️ Diverse Authors: 8 of 7 planned
❄️ ARCs: 7 of 8 planned 
❄️ BOTM: 0 of 1 

Image 3: ARCs

Image 4: Diverse Author / Book breakdown (could be diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, physical difference, neurodiversity, or something else!) 

Star Breakdown:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧📓🖋🗣️ Out on a Limb: link to review
😍📖🎧📚🗣️ House of Sky and Breath
📖🎧📓 The Fury: link to review
📖🎧📚🖤 the Marriage Game 
📖🎧📚🗣️ House of Flame and Shadow 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
📖🎧📓🖋🖤 Say You’ll Be Mine – link to review
📖🎧🖋📚 The Bone Season – link to review
📖🎧📓 Bride
📖🎧📚 Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖🎧📓🖋📚🏳️‍🌈 The Curse of Penryth Hall – link to review
📖🎧🖋📚🏳️‍🌈 Electric Idol – link to review

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
📖🎧📓🖋📚🖤 Unladylike Lessons in Love 

Key:

😍 Reread
📖 physical/ebook
🎧 Audiobook
📖🎧 = mix of both
📓 ARC / ALC 
🖋 Reviewed 
📚 Series
🖤 BIPOC Author
🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Author
🗣️ Mind, Body, Spirit Diverse Author 

If it doesn’t have a 🖋, the review will be coming next month! 

Image 5: February plans
HOFAS: Fable link
ARC challenge
Diverse Reading Challenge

QotD: What was your favorite read in January? Do we have any books in common? Do you have any goals for February?

Unknown's avatar

Fantasy Review: The Bone Season

by

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you.

The Bone Season
Samantha Shannon 
🎧 Narrated by: Alana Kerr Collins
Book 3  of 2024

This is one of my good friend’s FAVORITE books, so when she decided to put a readalong together for the 10th anniversary edition, I jumped at the chance to read it with her!

I have been meaning to read this book for…years. Lucky for me, Dominique let me know all about Shannon’s plans to rewrite the books in this series and rerelease them, starting last year. So, if you don’t have a Dom in your life to keep you updated, what you need to know is that the new editions have a lot more added to them than the original books. So the 10th Anniversary edition isn’t just pretty…it’s kind of mandatory reading if you want to continue with the series!

The Bone Season has one of the most unique worlds I have read. It is complex and a little dense, but filled with absolutely fascinating characters. 

As is often my complaint…I could have used a little more romance – some pining, some longing looks, some grand gestures, SOMETHING. But that is not what Shannon was going for, so if you’re into books with lots of action, then you’ll love this one!

It kind of gives me Six of Crows meets Red Rising vibes, so I should probably give it to my husband to read…

[ book synopsis ]

The year is 2059. Nineteen-year-old Paige Mahoney is working in the criminal underworld of Scion London, based at Seven Dials, employed by a man named Jaxon Hall. Her job: is to scout for information by breaking into people’s minds. For Paige is a dreamwalker, a clairvoyant, and, in the world of Scion, she commits treason simply by breathing.

It is raining the day her life changes forever. Attacked, drugged, and kidnapped, Paige is transported to Oxford – a city kept secret for two hundred years, controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. Paige is assigned to Warden, a Rephaite with mysterious motives. He is her master. Her trainer. Her natural enemy. But if Paige wants to regain her freedom she must allow herself to be nurtured in this prison where she is meant to die.

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine and also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.