Book Review: Violet Among Thieves by A.J. Wynn

The wonderful thing about reading the next installment in a favorite book series is the chance to spend some more time with the characters you've come to love over the course of several books. I truly loved The Other Side and I loved the banter and connection between Violet and Chance from the start. Each story since has just been an opportunity to see how much they've grown together while at the same time proving that they have a great partnership and Violet Among Thieves shows all that and more.

Each book in the series has had a different main location for our couple to flourish. The Other Side introduced us to the couple and showed us their home location working at Montgomery Prep while trying to solve the disappearance of a student. Last Chance Christmas gave us the couple visiting Chance's family for the holidays while trying to solve the mystery of some newly discovered love letters. Violet Among Thieves gives us one last location, following our lovely leads to Chance's sister's home in California for spring break where the couple has to figure out who broke into a safe and stole all the family jewelry. Every location gives the couple a chance to spend time outside of what is familiar, showing that they have the trust and compatibility to work in new surroundings without there being any unnecessary tension. Last Chance Christmas expanded the circle to people that Violet could consider family by introducing her to Chance's sister, Amanda, and his parents. After hitting it off with his sister, in this story Amanda insists on getting her brother and his new fiancée to come stay with her for a week. The world is familiar and lovely to step back into and it's easy to feel the comfort that these books evoke because of the fact that we love the leads so much that we will follow them anywhere. To spend time with them is enough but the fact that they work together to solve a mystery is just the cherry on top and I loved how Amanda accepted Violet so wholeheartedly into her life that she invited them to stay with her for as long as they wanted.

The characters are just as wonderful as they've always been. Violet is more confident this time around, having fun proving that she can fit in at Amanda's home when she's surrounded by people who want to look down on her. Chance is still the best partner ever and his belief in Violet makes my heart warm. I loved their back and forth and the spice between them is still fiery while their quiet moments together made me smile. I also loved the time we got to spend with Amanda and her husband Hiram, showing that Violet's family is expanding by having Amanda so quick to trust Violet with secrets and how much she wants to spoil Violet by showering her with gifts that she knows Violet would love. All of them together are wonderful which made the addition of Amanda's unwanted houseguests all the more jarring in effect. The three new secondary characters were rotten in different ways and their being in the book helped to highlight how healthy Violet and Chance are together compared to these other people. 

As for the plot, it was fairly straightforward but the motivations behind the theft were ridiculous, and the sad part about it is I could definitely see how the reasoning could be part of someone's desperate scheme. I loved how Violet moved through the possibilities and how the four of them together worked through every scenario to explain the missing jewelry. I would have wanted a little more comeuppance on the page for the culprit but we do see some retribution come about so I'm very satisfied with that. The way this book ended though, it was a truly heartwarming way to come to the final pages of this series. In the end, I am so happy with how this book wrapped up. These books have become a bit of a comfort read for me and I'll be so happy when they are all together on my shelf of favorites.

Read this series if you like competent characters who love and support each other while solving mysteries. You can't go wrong with that combination.

Rating on my Scale: 10 Stars for this book and for the whole series. I can't wait to see what AJ Wynn writes next. In fact, let me make room on my shelf now for any and all new books by Wynn. Best to plan ahead in these types of situations.

My thanks to Behind the Pages and AJ Wynn for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: The Wolf Queen's Curse by Kaylee Archer

I'll be honest, I found this series because I know the identity of the author behind this book and I have previously stated that I would follow their writing everywhere. So far I have not regretted that statement and that definitely goes for this new series, which has echoes of what I've come to love about this author's writing while also being able to stand just far enough apart that these books feel a little more fun in the sense of the banter and the smoldering and the spice that has developed with the leads. After the events and reveals of the first book, I was eager for the chance to read the sequel and Archer made great strides in the reveals of the world and the new circumstances the characters face in this installment. The way this book ends left me reeling, once again, and I can't wait to hear new of when the next book will be in readers hands.

Witch of the Wolves introduced the reader to the world of Cordelia Levine, who over the course of the first book learns about her heritage and is taken to stay with her father, the Alpha of a pack, for the sake of her safety. She learns the truth about her father and works with Bishop Daniels, her father's second in command, to change things for the pack that will help her future. The Wolf Queen's Curse picks up immediately after the events of book 1, leaving what is left of the pack to make their way out in the world in search of aid. With this change, Archer was able to expand the scope of the book, showing the way other packs are run when Cordelia and Bishop and the rest of their friends and family have to seek help from other packs. The remaining group goes to two separate packs in this book, each one distinctly different from the other, allowing the world to expand and show just how much change is necessary and how Cordelia and Bishop are working to change things in ways that could benefit all lycan. Readers are also given more background information that will show how things fare for Cordelia and her witch connections, which she is working on expanding her power in ways that will help herself and the pack to succeed. All of this worked for the development of the story, showing how much the changes that began in the first book are things that can affect the world. Bishop had a vision for the future and with Cordelia as his motivation, real change is coming for all the wolves, no matter what pack they are in.

As for characters, I'm still utterly charmed by Delia and Bishop. Their banter and the connection they have forged was sweet and spicy in equal measure, showing just how much the two of them together are a force that keeps the other motivated, that their partnership is a working alliance, something that can be an example for others in the supernatural world of this book. I loved how Delia still questioned moments but was able to reasonably work out the truth without adding unnecessary conflict to the story or relationships. I love a lead with a good head on their shoulders. As for Bishop, I greatly enjoyed how much of a natural leader he was, able to defer to his pack mates for the help or information he needed as the story continued on its course. By the time the ending hit, I was impressed with just how many different scenarios Bishop had been developing and the outcome of everything left me surprised and eager to see where things will go in book three. I loved the addition of new character Rufus and the connection he had to Ann, Delia's cousin. I really hope to see more of these two characters in the next installment. Julius is still a sweetheart and I still want to protect Tabitha with all my heart. There are a few more additions in this book but to name more could veer into spoilers so we'll move on.

It's hard to talk about just what transpired in this book without completely spoiling what happened with absolutely everything in this book. What started simply with trying to find aid after losing their home, the pack travels around and manages to show the ways in which other packs are lacking with the way things are run. One pack had a hierarchy in place that only benefited those at the top of the power while another showed a pack with barely any rules with only the hope of finally getting a place to truly call their own. Each revelation showed things that desperately needed to change and Delia and Bishop were perfectly placed to help some changes to start. So many things have changed but one threat still hangs over everyone's heads and the resolution to that is still far into the future. I can't wait to see exactly how Delia will work her way back and finally find peace and safety where she truly belongs.

Read this series if you love strong leads and stakes that get higher with every book. But beware, each book ends on a cliffhanger of impressive proportions that will only make you desperate to read the next book whenever it is finally out in the world.

Rating on my Scale: 9 Stars. I'm not a fan of cliffhangers, they always make me feel a little anxious and I'm left feeling bereft for the characters I love until the next book is out. I loved this book but it's not an absolute favorite as so much is still left in the air for the characters I love. I'm sure I'll love this book more in terms of the entire series when it's complete but for now, 9 Stars for a very respectable read and another great adventure for a series I'm starting to really love.

My thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Kaylee Archer for the eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Death in Verse by Julie Lew

There was something about the title that called to me. The word "verse" made me pause as once upon a time I fancied myself something of an amateur poet, writing my own pieces in childhood until well into high school before setting that aside. As such, I spent a lot of time reading poetry and verse and it's always held a soft spot in my soul. So here was a magical title, Death in Verse, and the cadence of the words rang in my head and I knew I needed to read this book. The fact that it was also a mystery just made me that much more determined to read this book and I'm happy to report that I loved, LOVED, this story in the end and I sincerely hope there will be more in this world to come in the future.

First off, the world-building was so very intricate and interesting. I found myself easily believing in the magic of the story, the way "poets" has been changed to indicate the people who have been devoting their entire lives to learning and writing poems, or spells, and how their work has been shaping the world. The fact that the lead was an outsider, not a poet but the daughter of one, allowed for the reader to learn the ins and outs of the school where a large portion of the book takes place. The "Radley School of Poetry" felt familiar in the sense of being an institution of learning devoted to the teaching of a craft and its existence felt like a necessary location to truly show the divide that lead character, Bronte Cade, felt as someone who was not magical and therefore had been barred entry to a school where her own mother spent a large amount of her time. The fact that her mother going missing was the catalyst that led to Bronte finally setting foot at the school also helped with presenting the turmoil the location represented. This place was supposed to help shape poets and instead, it's carefully revealed over the course of the writing that it was actually a place of torment in more ways than one and that fact was handled with a deft eye for detail by Lew.

Every reveal led to something more that made the story evolve, showing the pain and anguish of certain characters trying to find their place in the world and being forced to spend years attending this school because it was considered their place and their right as being people with magic. With the story going back and forth between Bronte and also Marlowe Fang, Marlowe's brother Eliot and several of the other gathered poets at the school, Lew was able to show a hidden side to the world of magic in this story while also revealing that this school and what it represented was a double-edged sword, causing pain in more ways than we readers will probably ever know. The fact that Lew showed how those in power used poets to work for them, developing spells for war and so on, filled in the ideas of the world beyond the scope of the book and there is so much more I can't wait to see Lew develop should this story continue.

As for the characters, I loved Bronte and Marlowe. I wanted to protect these two darlings with everything I had and I was eager to see when their motivations would finally align and a partnership would form. I was impressed with Bronte and the fact that despite being practically cast aside by her mother after learning she didn't have magic, the fact that she would still go out of her way to try to find her mother after she went missing was just astounding. I would have left mummy dearest to her own machinations as I'm sure she would not have done the same for her daughter had the situations been reversed, that was the impression given of Dr. Sappho Cade. As for Marlowe, every reveal given about them made my heart ache. I wanted to scoop Marlowe and Eliot up and keep them safe from harm and their treatment at the school by their peers and their teachers made me sick to my stomach. I felt like every snide remark and, well, Marlowe's entire attitude, was well-warranted after seeing the way they grew up. They deserved so much more and I hope now that Bronte is in the picture with them, that the two of these kids will find some measure of peace in the future. Please? If it's not too much to ask?

As for the plot, I was intrigued by the start with the setup Lew created for this story. Seven poets have been drawn back to the school and tasked with completing a poem. They have six days to complete the poem but as the days pass, they start to get picked off, one by one. The various points-of-view helped to fill in so many different aspects of the story and each character had a different part to play and various details revealed about them that I did not see coming at all thanks to the talent of Lew's writing. I was drawn in from the start, trying to carefully consider al the facts but I did not see that final reveal at all until it was on the page in front of me. The difficult part about talking about a mystery book is trying to explain exactly what impressed me the most about the story without spoiling the experience of it so I hope when I say that the mystery is only half of the fun of this book, people will understand that there is so much more to expect with this book if they give it a try. I, for one, will be going back to read Lew's previous release, The Wives of Herrick Hall, and silently wait for news of another book set in this world.

I called this one of my new favorite reads of 2026 but honestly, this is just a new all-time favorite book of mine. It was just that awesome for me.

Rating on my Scale: 10 Stars, obviously. I finished this book nearly a month ago and I'm terribly behind in writing my reviews but I can still recall so much of this story in intricate detail so yeah, definitely a favorite of mine.

My thanks to NetGalley, Union Square & Co. and Julie Lew for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: The Witch Fix by Kennedy Rhodes

If a book is about witches, it usually catches my attention. Throw in an accidental demon summoning and of course I'm going to read this book. I was charmed from the start of The Witch Fix and I greatly enjoyed the banter and connection between the leads.

When it came to the world-building, it was easy to fit in with the town and the flow of the story. Rhodes has a way of making the small town feel real and easy to understand with the cafe that Eva run and the way the coven works together and the teaching of the younger generation. It felt comforting to be in this world and the threat that hangs over their heads with the loss of magic made me want to help them figure out what was going on.

As for the characters, I thought Eva and Sorren were very cute together. I loved the back and forth between them. I also loved the fact that even though he was a demon, Sorren was the sweetest golden retriever of a love interest for Eva. I will say that I wasn't too keen on how quickly the two fell in love although it was funny when it was pointed out in the book itself. As for the other characters, I did enjoy the supportive best friend Riley and the unexpectedly supportive Malachi, Sorren's brother. Both worked as good sounding boards for the leads to bounce their concerns off of and they both were able to offer hard truths when they were needed. It was lovely to see such a great support system around the story.

The plot seemed fairly straightforward. In an attempt to fix the magic fading in the town, Eva performs a spell she finds in a book that showed up on her counter. She ends up summoning a demon who ends up unable to leave the house. Now Eva needs to find a way to send Sorren safely back home and still figure out how to restore the magic. As the story continues, it becomes a lot about Eva figuring out who was best for her. She had a boyfriend who seemed determined to ignore the fact that Eva was a witch but she stuck with him because of how long they had been together. Eva deserved someone better for her and the opportunity came in the form of someone she would never expect, a demon who was a literal sweetheart. As for Sorren, the story turned in to exploration of figuring out how to honor the company his father left behind but also trying to understand what was best for him, what would make him happy in the long run. There was also the way that Eva seemed to take in the fact of the magic fading as something personal and how her attempts to fix it were to almost rid herself of the guilt she felt. All of it together made for a heart-warming story about a couple finding the happiness they both deserved and trying to keep all of their loved ones safe and happy.

In the end, I thought this was a very sweet story. I do wish we'd gotten to spend a longer amount of time with the leads, allowing them to fall in love gradually as opposed to the instant connection they had. If Rhodes decides to continue on with stories in this universe, I would be willing to read more about this world. I'll raise my hand up now to say I would love to read a story about Riley or Malachi in the future, so you know, just putting that out into the universe.

Rating on my Scale: 8.5 Stars. I wanted a little more but overall this was a very sweet story. This is a definite feel-good, cozy read for any time of the year.

My thanks to Rattle the Stars PR and Kennedy Rhodes for the eARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Book Review: Treasured by Tentacles by Mel Braxton

The artwork caught my eye for this one. The beauty of the colors and the adoring looks on the faces of the characters on the cover. All of it just called to me and honestly? Who can resist a title like that?

First of all, Braxton has a talent for giving more than enough about the characters even with the fact that this is a novella, and the course of the book has to move just a little bit faster than it would need. Within pages we know exactly what kind of characters we are following, a woman with the resolve to do what it takes to survive, and a kraken kind enough to visit the last place he saw his brother year after year. Neo saves Marisol and it goes from there. Every moment spent with these characters showed just who they were and how well they worked together. I loved every moment they spent together, learning about each other.

I especially appreciated how Neo did not try to keep Marisol from her wish to obtain the Wishing Sun. Neo was the perfect example of support and love that Marisol needed, basically proof that she had something to fight for in her future, and his love as motivation was moving. The fact that it was not a problem for them to really come together as a potential couple, showing how Marisol could become a part of Neo's community, was something that made me smile.

Overall, this was such a sweet story. I can see the potential for this to continue on with another specific character, and if it turns out that such a book is potentially in the future, I will be quick to obtain a copy of my own. Read this story if you just love "love" stories with characters that deserve to be happy together.

Rating on my Scale: 9.5 Stars. Why? I wanted more time with these characters. I loved it a lot, highly recommended, I just hope to see more from Braxton with this world in the future. 

Book Review: What Lies Within the Willows by Nicole Kaye

I'll be perfectly honest, sometimes I pick books based on their title alone. Something about the music of the words will stick in my head and just makes me think yes, THIS BOOK I need to read. That's what caught my attention with Nicole Kaye's What Lies Within the Willows. I was keeping my fingers crossed that I'd get an eARC but I made sure to pre-order a copy as well because I knew without a doubt, I wanted to read this book. I'm so grateful for the chance I got to read this one because it was MAGNIFICENT!! I love this book, it was everything I wanted and more, it kept me up all night reading and then lived in my dreams when I finally let myself sleep.

First of all, the writing here is superbly done. The book opens up with one lead character on the run and readers immediately learn so much about this character. With one scene alone, the tension was set, stakes were obvious, and the lead was shown to be extremely resilient and determined and I was convinced in that opening scene alone that I would love this book. Kaye has a knack for giving enough information to keep the reader moving with the story while at the same time, holding enough back so that the reader is able to see the many threads woven into the tale that make the reveals hit that much harder when they come. What I also enjoyed was the fact that while the book was written as a dual narrative, the chapters weren't titled with the character names which I found to be an interesting choice. Instead, symbols were used to show whose perspective we were following, sometimes even changing mid-chapter, and I grew to enjoy seeing the symbol for each of our leads when it was their turn to tell us their story. The back and forth kept things moving naturally while we learned more about each character, and each point-of-view helped with learning more about the various townsfolk, so many incredible people who accepted these new characters into their town, just by showing who each lead interacted with the most.

As for the characters, by the time Cassidy and Beckett brought me to the end of this book, I loved both of them equally. I thought Cassidy was amazing for a lead, the tenacity she had and her determination to learn as much as possible to make herself indispensable to the town felt familiar to me. I wanted this girl to find the peace she was looking for and I was so grateful to the people of Bronn, the village she found refuge in, for recognizing her potential and being willing to help her with everything she wanted to learn. As for Beckett, yes, it took me time to love this guy but Kaye made the journey with his struggles worthwhile. In the beginning I wanted to wring his neck or just bash him in the back of the head but the point of his journey was to recognize his trauma and see the efforts he made to change both the way he perceived the world and his place in it. I was proud of the growth he showed and when he and Cassidy came together, I was giddy with the sweetness of their growing care for each other. Their every move showed how far they'd come to be something more than their families thought they'd be able to be and I wanted to wrap them up and keep them safe. For now, I'll content myself with the fact that we will hopefully see them again in another book.

As for the plot, Kaye had a fairly straightforward plot, or at least that is what we were led to think. Cassidy and Beckett have both found themselves in a town where their existence depends on trading for the goods they need. They each need to learn how to help in the town and contribute to the care of everyone that calls Bronn home. Beckett's background means that his time in the town comes with an expiration date and Cassidy's means that she is in hiding. Like I said, seems straightforward enough but there are so many different points that Kaye juggles in this story, like Cassidy's true origin, and the threat that comes with Beckett's previous home. There's also the idea of what both find in the town and the significance of the willows that surround it, the way the title is inspired by these trees and what it means to each lead, what they found within the willows. Suffice to say, when those lines hit, I found my heart struggling to beat. There are so many different ways this story can go from here and I have no idea what will come next but after loving this book, I'm confident the next tale will break my heart and mend it again, in that order.

With the way this book ended, I can confidently say that I will be waiting with bated breath to find out what happens next. I can only hope that Kaye will have mercy on us readers and have something for us soon. I am desperate to know what comes next for our two leads.

Read this book if you like books about learning new ways of thinking, finding true families, and becoming better than you realized you could be.

Rating on my Scale: 10 Beautiful Stars! This book kept me up late reading and I didn't even realize how much time was passing. When my copy arrives, it will live on my shelf of favorites for the rest of all time.

Book Review: Kobra

August kicked me in the teeth and i am so behind on reviews but i finally finished this amazing book and i have one thought screaming in my head:

NO!! IT CAN'T END THERE!!

full review to come once i get sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Technically, I haven't slept yet. I haven't been able to sleep since the second week of August but I figure, hey, if I'm not sleeping, I might as well write. So Kobra was pitched as for fans of "The Mummy" and "Indiana Jones." I grew up watching Indy (thanks Dad), and I was in the theaters when "The Mummy" was released at the dollar theater because yes, I remember that detail. And guess what? Kobra fits in with those titles easily and manages to stand apart with enough pizazz that I'm still reeling over the loss of that ending. I can only hope book 2 is not that far behind because really, my heart can't take any more breaking.

First of all, the world-building here caught my attention and did not let go. The idea about how the people get their powers and the experiments to figure out how to get certain powers, then the struggle between the countries, ALL OF THIS just hooked me from the start. Wells gave enough information to keep readers moving through the story. The world was established and our characters moved in ways that kept readers engaged. The dual narrative really helped with the whole setup of the book, having most of the events being told as a recount of things from one lead's point-of-view. The back and forth in time also kept me from truly figuring out things before Wells gave us that information and I love when a book can keep me on my toes.

Character wise, I'm not sure who I liked more, Davina or Zephyr. Truly, Davina was a force and I wanted to know so much more about her childhood but I can be patient to see what happens in the next book. I'm not usually a fan of characters that strike out on their own so many times in a row but I was actually charmed by Davina's methods. This is a woman who knows how to accomplish what she sets out to do so hey, she wants to sneak out to investigate? By all means, let's follow her to see what she finds next. As for Zephyr, I greatly enjoyed how the book worked to show his viewpoint in questioning Davina. I loved how quick he was to start to protect Davina, not that she needed it but a guy willing to act on good instincts and has honorable intentions is one to respect. I want to say more but I can't for fear of spoilers but I will say that Wells wielded a deft hand with the detail and I did not see that ending coming. Okay, moving on.

As for the plot, the search for the artifact in question was a great driving point for the story. I wanted to see what would happen when Davina and Zephyr found what they were looking for and while some of that was the focus, a lot of this book also delved into the ethics of what these nations would do with what they found and in turn how it affected their citizens. My heart broke for a particular character and even though she had a happy life in the present of the book, I still think about her in my head, wondering at the people who created her gift and everything that came for others like her. I have questions but while I will have to wait for the next book to get those answers, I'm still very happy with how this book came together in the end.

Read this book if you're a fan of adventures and hidden agendas and strong characters. I can't wait to see how Wells picks up things in the next book.

Rating on my Scale: Yeah, giving this one the whole 10 Stars because yup, I ended up loving this one. I did not see those reveals coming and I am left on tenterhooks waiting to see what happens next.

My thanks to The Nerd Fam and Cris G. Wells for the eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.