Book Review: The Guardians of Alistile: The Ashborn by Samantha Vargas

After the ending to book 1, I immediately opened book 2 and got to reading. I'll admit, I was trying to ignore the myriad of things that were just bringing me down in life, but there's nothing better for the soul than opening an anticipated sequel and diving in. Vargas has created this expansive landscape, a world that feels like something you could believe in, and has filled it with so many familiar faces while also expanding it in ways that were unexpected. I had some new favorite faces and while some information was discovered, there are still so many questions left unanswered which means I am sitting patiently while waiting for book 3 to arrive.

After the events that ended the first book, Kienna and Moira have decided to try to make a home in Dove Port, where they first stay with someone who turns out to have been a friend to both of their mothers. They are told that they will find an occupation so that they can earn funds that will pay for everything they need, including a place of their own. Kienna decides to work for a woodcarver, a person she was told to find to help her. It was interesting to see the group placed in different settings. Dove Port was a piece of the past for Kienna and Moira and it showed how their lives could have been different had Vaerin not stolen them away. Both women manage to establish a home and set down roots that start to feel like a real home, somewhere that they would not only feel safe but would also want to defend. Seeing the both of them work hard and come together as family was heart-warming to see which definitely left me on edge because with the way these books go, I knew the peace would only last so far. Danek is still working on his magic but Broan has been sent to find his family and ask for their aid in the war. There are so many moving pieces and while readers have an idea of what the end goal is, there are still so many moving pieces in play before we get there. Showing more of the world helped to up the stakes, showing exactly who was at risk while Vaerin was still in a position of power.

As for characters, Kienna still got to me but her relationship with Ruva and with the woodcarver helped me to like her a little more. Ruva is the voice of reason in Kienna's head, literally, and I liked the pair of them together more than keeping them apart. The woodcarver was the perfect example of what I thought Kienna was turning into, someone keeping themselves cut off because of losses and haunted by things in the past that are painful. The fact that Kienna was able to change the way things were for the woodcarver showed me that there was hope for Kienna and that's why I liked her more in this book. I loved the developing friendship that Moira had with Tislin, the trust she had in him to help her when she needed it. I liked how she could see what she had before and how this new friendship was already better than her past and I want Moira to have everything possible to keep her happy. Danek grew so much in this book but I'll admit, I wish he wasn't so hung up on Kienna. Kienna had too much around her going on for them to really feel like their relationship was developing into something more and I just feel like he deserved more. Thankfully, Kienna agreed with me. As for Broan, he was much of the same, which I could appreciate because as much as his circumstances have changed, he was still the same Broan I was growing to appreciate. After a particularly gut-wrenching development, there was a moment where Broan made a stand that made my eyes get misty and suddenly Broan became so much more important to me. I just hope my favorites continue on to fight for more and than they get what they want when all is said and done in this series.

As for the plot, there are several key turning points in this book that just made me sit up straight and others that just flat out made me gasp. I have a few questions about where Kienna grew up that still need to be answered so here's hoping we see some more come from the reveals that Vargas gave us in this book. There are so many pieces moving across the board, some have changed sides, others are more important than we thought, and everything has been woven into a story that still has so many twists and turns to come and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Read this book if you love stories about finding where you belong and making a stand.

Rating on my Scale: 9 Stars. There was a particular twist that felt like a knife to my gut and I'm still not over it, two whole weeks later, writing this review. I need time to mourn and recover.

My thanks to Rattle the Stars PR and Samantha Vargas for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Guardians of Alistile: Risen from Ash by Samantha Vargas

I've said it before, how sometimes cover art manages to catch my eye and I just can't get that image out of my head so I go back to find out more about the book. That is what happened with Risen from Ash, the first book of the Guardians of Alistile. The burgundy offsets an image of a wolf and it just stayed in my head. I had to read this book but at the same time, I had to recover from reading this book. Vargas has created a truly brilliant, realized world, while at the same time, has made us care so deeply for the people in it. There are questions that have had answers and answers that still need to be found. Once I was done reading Risen from Ash, I had to take time to myself, to really consider the events, and then dove right into book 2. I loved this world and I can't wait to see where the series goes in the future.

The world-building caught my eye from the start. The Guardians live behind an orb that circles their city of River Storm. They train and fight together on a daily basis and are responsible for keeping the orb up so the city will be safe. Right away, Vargas throws us into a training, showing lead character Kienna trying hard to prove her worth in a fight, basically hitting the ground running, and the book keeps a steady pace as everything continues. We have multiple points-of-view, seeing things from the point of view of every Guardian as well as a few other important characters we meet along the way. By having so many voices, the book is able to show every aspect that could be explored while also giving the personal impressions of every character. We know some are impulsive while others hate certain characters. We know that some have pinned their hopes on others and others could not care less about certain people. All of this builds the world into something that lives and breathes on its own, filled with people with real emotions and a real threat hanging over their heads.

Here's where things get a little awkward though, so bear with me. I do not like Kienna. There, I said it, and really I'm so sorry about that and after two books with her, I still only barely think she's okay. I'm much more interested in Danek and Moira, sometimes Broan and only a little bit of Baila. Vaerin could take a long walk off a short pier. I don't know, there was something about Kienna that I couldn't relate to as much as the others. I didn't understand her motivation and a lot of the book had it so that Kienna figuring out who she is was the point, it just felt like she waited for things to happen instead of actively trying to understand herself. She could fight and she made so many strides that proved she was brave but I still felt a little removed from her so I'm not much of a fan. As for the rest, I loved Danek and his ability to really see the best in people. I loved Moira's sunny attitude and the secret she was keeping as her driving force to get somewhere safe. Broan grew on me but it took a while but I did love how much he loved his brother Danek, his chosen family after growing up in the orphanage together. It took time to understand Baila but at the same time, I could only stand so much of her. She felt like the other side of Kienna, what Vaerin wished Kienna to be but wasn't turning out that way. As for Vaerin himself, his actions appalled me and the less seen of him the better. And who could resist Ruva and her steady support?

Plot-wise, readers have to know from the start that a city that keeps a magical barrier up to keep them "safe" probably has more than a few skeletons in the closet. What I was not expecting was the true origin of each Guardian and how they came to be in River Storm. Vargas didn't pull any punches here and the circumstances continued to be more and more intense as events passed. The reality of the situation served as wake up call and now the Guardians were going to have to figure who they each truly were and what that meant in the war they were thrust into and it all was so much to take in but so deftly written that the story just flowed. I wanted so much more for these characters by the time the story ended and I was so grateful that I had book 2 to start once I was finished.

Read this book if you like magical wars and people who are meant for greater things being the ones that will save the day.

Rating on my Scale: 8.5 Stars. The less said about Vaerin the better but his actions in this book but my stomach turn a bit so when I compare this book to book 2, that one rates higher than this one.

My thanks to Rattle the Stars PR and Samantha Vargas for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: The Phantom of the Opera: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Paul and Gaetan Brizzi

I don't remember all the points of the original novel and I'm only marginally familiar with the musical. I have read several adaptations of this book, The Phantom of the Opera, and I've come to conclusion that I'm just not a fan of the love story at all. I'm a fan of the Phantom and Christine but not necessarily the two of them together (awkward, I know), so why did I pick this up?

That cover art is exceptional.

So I thought, yes, give this a read, if the book is half as beautiful as the cover, it'll be worth it. And it is worth that and more because I was awed by every page of this graphic novel.

I don't profess to be any kind of expert in art. I can't tell you what tools were used in the creation of this work, only the impressions that I got from the style. It seems to have been done in graphite, giving the impression of someone sketching this out in practice for themselves only they are a genius, so nothing more it needed to convey the scenes of the book. There are shadows and blurring, adding to the mystery of the Phantom at the center of the story. There is more grays and blacks than white used in the artwork, the idea being the shadows where the Phantom feels safest being everywhere in the art for this adaptation. Details can be seen on every page in the clothes and the surroundings. The design for Erik is particularly impressive, the choice to use a full mask paired with the hat and long hair giving Erik more of an aristocratic appearance as opposed to the usual impression given as the tragic outcast hiding in the depths under the theater. The impression also seems to be that of a plague mask, emphasizing the distance that Erik feels because of his appearance and his treatment by others. The half mask seemed to be for the sake of showing the two warring sides of the character, the angel of music and the phantom, so to switch to a full mask makes it intentional. Erik is no longer the tragically misunderstood figure of the past and he has cut himself off from everyone, including himself.

A lot of the emotion comes through in the eyes of the characters. Christine could run the gamut of emotions within a couple of pages, her pain and anguish coming through with a shift in her eyes and her brows. At the same time, the lack of eyes for the Phantom helped with showing how far his obsession with Christine went because when the art actually showed his eyes within the mask, one could tell that emotions were running higher for the Phantom.

I found it interesting that several of the men in this story handle the women with violence. There's the page where Madame Giry is thrown out of office by the new owners and the way it's drawn made me recoil a bit. There are a few instances where Erik throws Christine aside when she goes against him and I thought yes, this makes sense, she won't love him because he's violent, there's no middle ground with the way he treats her in person compared to when he tutored her for her singing. There's also the way Raoul comes across with his eyes, almost the other side of the same coin that Erik is, because as quickly as he looked concerned, he could switch to being judgemental and controlling and it was all seen in the eyes. Both men want to control Christine, they want more from her than they should, that's what I've always thought, and in this art, I can really see that coming through, at least for me.

I guess I need to finally pull my book off the shelf and give it a read again. This adaptation has inspired me to rediscover that classic and if anything, it will help me appreciate this work of art all the more for the way it brought this story to life.

My thanks to NetGalley, Abrams ComicArts, Paul Brizzi and Gaetan Brizzi for the eARC of this graphic novel in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Don't Fall by B.B. Reid

When the cover of Don't Fall first caught my eye, it was the red hood that I paid attention to. That red hood is familiar and I figured this would be a Red Riding Hood inspired story which the synopsis proved right. What really caught my attention was the idea of our lead character, Nyx, being a descendant of Red Hood Witches. I immediately thought, SOLD, and was looking forward to reading this book. Of course it would have the wolf and the hunter, necessary elements of the original fairytale but I wanted to see exactly how the lead character would come into their own as a witch and how she would be pulled between the wolf and the hunter.

That is not this story.

I don't know how else to explain it except that there is no choice made and if that had been apparent in the synopsis, I most likely would not have picked this up to review. I might have given it a shot in the future but who knows because right now, I had to call it quits at the 75% mark. I know, I had about 100 pages left to go, why not just finish the book? But, ack, I just can't anymore with these characters, I don't like them and the story about witchcraft and a curse is still so up in the air and it's been 300 PAGES, so yeah, I'm moving on.

First of all, pacing wise things are moving fast. We start with Nyx getting fired from her job and then she's home with her sister who reads her mail telling her that Nyx's grandmother is sick and this might be her last chance to meet her. So onto a plane she goes and fine, things are moving along to getting Nyx to France, where her witch family is, so we need to get her there quick. Nyx is supposed to be extremely smart and has made learning and hard work her entire life. But if she's so smart, how does she accept an empty plane so easily when she gets there? It just BUGS me because okay, the plane is empty, sure, find a seat and focus on your destination. Instead, Nyx seats herself right next to the only other passenger, a man she immediately lusted over once she laid eyes on him, and I'm left thinking REALLY?? The whole plane to practically to yourself and you sit right next to him? She should have just climbed onto his lap to begin with because there was just no real connection between them. We were "told" they had been talking for hours and that Nyx really likes Michael, and then she's off to the bathroom and he's waiting outside the door when she's done. Three guesses what happened next, the first two don't count.

If there had been more development, I might have understood this supposed connection more but we are only about 30 pages in at this point. There has been no time for anything to really develop between these two and I find it hard to believe that a woman who has not had relations with anyone before would be so quick to jump a guy she just met. And then she does it again back in their seats and they get caught?! I'm starting to side-eye this book because this was not the story I thought I was going to find. I need development before characters get intimate, I need to believe that yes, this scene has been placed here for the emotional development of the story, isn't their deepening connection moving?

Nope.

So we get to France and Nyx meets her aunts and after 300 pages I really can't tell you a lot about them because Nyx does not spend a lot of time with them learning about her magic because she's exploring the town and meeting the rest of the Volkov wolves and the hunter, Gray, who is also supposed to turn her head. I wanted more spells, I wanted more acceptance and learning. It was good that Nyx was a sceptic but it got to the point where I wanted to smack her upside the head because come on, MOVE ON already. She's supposed to be the Volkov wolves last chance to lift their curse and she's acting like Michael stabbed her in the back because he left her behind at the airport when they landed. What exactly did she expect? To bring him home to meet the family she literally met 2 minutes ago? Not that I wanted him to join her, I think Michael is the worst and he did not get any better by the time I put this book down. 

I was under the impression that Nyx would be learning about her heritage, and that this would create tension because why is this curse so important? Instead, yes, we learn about the curse but good grief, overreaction is not even sufficient enough to explain the pain wrought by the curse or even why every woman in the family does not fall in love or get married. Someone make it make sense because I just don't get it, I'm with Nyx on this one. But the book spends so much time having Nyx "struggling" with her feelings for Michael that I just ended up not caring after a while. I wanted to rip her aunts' heads off because they were kind of despicable, but I guess the supposed love connections were more important.

There's a lot of telling in this book. They talked for hours. Nyx misses her mom who has refused to speak to her since she went to France. I wanted to see more time spent developing this supposed love connection between Nyx and Michael. I needed to see more interactions with Nyx's mother because with the way things were in the book, I thought the woman should have been cut out of Nyx's life forever. I don't believe any of these emotions because there is nothing there to see. Instead, Nyx meets Gray and she maybe cares about him but the truth is he had more of a relationship with Michael, which fine, okay, let's see how this goes except again, Michael is the absolute WORST so I wanted Gray to find someone better. Which is when this book switches gears and makes it that apparently these three are meant to all be together and now I've got a headache because why?? Why did it have to be that because I don't buy it. I barely saw any attraction between Gray and Nyx and I really didn't think Michael and Gray worked together so why mix all three of them together? At this point it feels like "just because" and I don't see it working out at all.

I didn't like Nyx. I didn't like Michael. Gray was marginally better but again, that's not saying much.

I cared about the curse. When the full details of it were revealed, I was absolutely appalled. The idea of it left me chilled almost and instead of really focusing on that, we get a lot of Michael deciding that he wants everyone and everything and Gray and Nyx just go with it because that's their dynamic and I just can't read this anymore. I don't want to shame anyone that loves this book. It's just definitely not for me.

I wanted to love this book. Instead, I'm taking it off my TBR. I'm truly sorry, it's just not what I expected at all. I'm leaving this as 2 Stars because I didn't finish it and I'm sure I'm in the minority on this one so there we go.

My thanks to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books and B.B. Reid for the eARC of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: The Velvet Knife by Maureen Johnson

It probably goes without saying now that this is, let me check my notes, yes, the SIXTH Truly Devious novel but I am a big fan of this series. I've followed Maureen Johnson since The Name of the Star in 2011, so when the original opening book came out in 2018, I knew I had to read this book. I've held a fascination with mystery novels since discovering The Boxcar Children when I was in elementary school and anything that sounds like it has a good hook will grab hold of my sternum and yank me along. Hearing this idea of a student, Stevie Bell, who has planned to solve the cold case that is centered in the school she will start attending was just the right amount of everything needed for me to grab that first book and here we are, eight years and six books later and I still want to be Stevie Bell when I grow up.

Having Ellingham Academy as one of the main settings of these books is always a plus for me. This is a place where Stevie has been able to grow into herself, where her fascination with solving mysteries, finding the things the others don't see and putting the puzzles together in her head actually makes her belong amongst her peers. This is their home, more so than any other place and The Velvet Knife opens with Stevie back at Ellingham, trying to understand the bombshell that blew up what she thought she knew at the end of Nine Liars. Stevie needs to make a change, to snap out of what is bringing her down, so she asks Nate if she can go with him to New York for the winter holidays. Each book has Stevie and her friends start at their home base and then they move on to another location, where Stevie's luck usually leads her to another case to solve. This time around, Stevie and Nate are staying in an apartment building that is filled with various kinds of people, where a lot of them are focused on the writer (Nate) staying in the apartment on the eighth floor. One person recognizes Stevie for the cases she has solved and this brings Stevie into the fray of solving another mystery, this one being the mysterious sudden death of a neighbor. We have the same back and forth in time, showing the case as it unfolded in the past and then joining Stevie again in the present as she starts to find the pieces of the case and puts them in the right order. I love how accepting her friends are about her ability to solve cases and I loved the fact that someone recognized Stevie because I truly believe it's impressive, the way her brain works. The case itself was a little more on the tragic side but I still loved the way the world of this book worked and how Stevie fit in it.

I said it before and I'll say it again, I want to be Stevie Bell when I grow up. The way her mind works felt familiar, made me smile and laugh because she felt like someone I could be and for the length of a book, I get to watch her be brilliant and solve another mystery. I loved the fact that Stevie, in her way of realizing that her future would be changing soon, has decided to push back on her parents and the way their relationship has been going. Stevie is definitely growing up and the break she took away from her parents for the winter holidays was exactly what I thought should happen for her. She needed that space to be independent and then see how things would be when she reached out to her parents again. The fact that she had her friends around her proved that she'd found the people she belongs with and I have no idea what college will bring them but I do hope this group stays together. I love Nate, Janelle and Vi. I love the trust that Nate has in Stevie and the love that he has for his friend, knowing she needed somewhere to run to and agreeing to let her accompany him to New York even though he needed to focus on his own work. I love and adore Janelle and Vi, Janelle especially though, the mama bear best friend who would take down the world if it hurt Stevie. Vi is the balance to Janelle, the voice of reason and the three of these friends together are the pillars that Stevie needs while at the same time the kick she needs to be better for them in return.

As for the plot, Johnson has these mysteries fine-tuned, without a doubt. Everything unfolds at the pace needed, clues are found with some effort and pieces are put together in ways that lead Stevie and the reader wherever they need to go. This one was a little sad for me but Johnson handles the case with deft care and by the time Stevie is back home in Ellingham, I was happy with where the group had ended up. I know this series will eventually end but I really hope there is another book after this one. I'm not ready to let Stevie go yet and I'm not sure if it's possible to follow her to college after we've spent so much time with this group at Ellingham. So, in conclusion, fingers crossed we readers get one last hurrah with our girl, Stevie. No matter what, I'll read the book as long as Maureen Johnson has written it.

Read this book if the ending of Nine Liars left you wanting more. Read this series if you love smart kids being awesome at different things and mysteries that only make sense once all is said and done. If you haven't read this series yet, what are you waiting for?! Go meet Stevie Bell and marvel at the way she solves mysteries and gaze in wonder at the amazing school she attends.

My thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books and Maureen Johnson for the eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: These Bloody Thoughts by Auden Patrick

There are a lot of things I can remember clearly, like the fact that the first time I learned about Shakespeare, I was 12 years old and all the girls in my class were celebrating my birthday by watching the latest big screen adaptation of Romeo and Juliet in my living room. I didn't care for it and went to sleep in my parents' room, leaving them to watch the movie on my couch. The next Shakespeare I remember was trying to convince my parents to go watch another Shakespeare adaptation, this time it being an adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew, but I didn't get the chance to watch it until it premiered on television after which no one in my entire grade could stop singing that song from the grand gesture on a soccer field. I studied Shakespeare my freshman year of high school, officially reading Romeo and Juliet for the first time and also studying Much Ado About Nothing. But it was senior year where I was introduced to Macbeth and to Hamlet, two plays that I have gone back to again and again in my head for years. I went on to study Shakespeare again for my undergrad and for my graduate studies, slowly expanding the total number of plays I'd read but I'll admit, there has been something about Hamlet that has haunted my thoughts whenever I consider the plays in general. The story about a young man driven to enact revenge for his father's death and the many consequences that come from that. Where was the line supposed to be drawn, who was the most responsible for every pain and death in that story? I've always felt the play was exactly what it was meant to be, a tragedy, but in Thoughts Be Bloody, this was the first time I truly sat and became angry with what transpired in that story. In some ways I LOVE this book but in others, I am sitting with the mirror that Auden Patrick has put in front of this play and I am enraged by the events I have witnessed in this book. Those stories are always the best, the ones that rearrange what you though you knew and showed you something you never actually considered could be true.

The world-building is straight-forward with the idea of Elsinore as a school for magic, hidden away in a dome that keeps non-magic people from discovering it. The setting was easy to imagine, this college out in the middle of a forest, hidden away with it's own way of life and the quirks of its weather and the protection it is supposed to provide. But what is truly impressive is the magic system. Patrick has put a lot of thought into the addition of magic in this play and the way it has been woven into the threads of this story still leave me a little dumbfounded because the possibilities are endless and what readers see here is only a piece of what could be. The choice to follow Horatio as a character allowed the reader to see the world through the lens of someone who has a foot in both worlds, having gained magic but not having been born with it, therefore having been from our regular world before joining the ranks at Elsinore. Horatio is struggling to catch up on a lifetime's worth of knowledge and the journey of this story only works because of our ability to learn with Horatio. Close enough to the main part of the story to be important but far enough away because of the only recent joining to the world of magic allows our lead to consider the ways that those with magic have cut themselves off, for the betterment of themselves as opposed to helping the rest of the world. Patrick has created a world that seems like it would have been the ideal escape for Horatio but, again with the mirrors, we are shown the true reflection of this school and those who run it and those who graduate from there and that is something that Horatio comes to terms with by the end of the book.

Horatio, dear, loyal to a fault, Horatio. I wanted the world for you but I'm happy with where you will leave the world instead. This was a character that yearned for so much, a person who has made so many difficult decisions, hoping to finally get to that more moment of finally having everything. I could understand the appeal that Hamlet and Lia had for Horatio, to finally feel accepted and wanted but at the same time, I wondered if Horatio had built up these figures in his head. That and more is explored in the book and Horatio's growth made me, if not smile, then at least feel satisfied at the way the events unfolded or will unfold, as the story liked to move between tenses for Horatio. I loved Lia but I wanted more time spent with her. Ophelia was always the character I respected the most from the play and Lia was a worthy and respectable incarnation of her. I just wish Horatio had the opportunity to spend more time with her compared to the amount of time spent with Hamlet. As for Hamlet, the idea of giving a character like that the amount of power he had is a frightening concept to accept. Patrick has done something unique here, giving the tragic title character of the play the power to do anything they wish and then showing how no one would want someone like that to have that kind of power. I never truly considered the fact that in a lot of ways, Hamlet was a monster, determined to wreak his havoc for the sake of his revenge, uncaring towards everyone who stood in his way or ended up a victim of his actions. The play almost moves too fast to truly have that settle in one's mind but in book form, we are given the chance to really sit and absorb what Hamlet does, to see the ways he manipulated and plotted, and I'm sitting here thinking he deserved worse but I know we have to work within the confines of the play so bravo Auden Patrick, for creating such complex characters that stand apart from what has been seen so many times before.

The story starts off with a simple idea of getting revenge and then quickly developed into an exploration of power. Who deserves to have such power and influence? How can anyone justify the actions that have taken place at this school? Horatio wanted to gain power over his life, to finally be the one in control but was magic really what he needed to get away from his life or was magic just something that almost destroyed it? There are so many threads to consider in this story and it will haunt my thoughts just as much as the play ever has. Patrick has taken something familiar and managed to rework it into a story that asks the question, just because you can do something, does it mean that you should? When there are so many possibilities to consider, how does anyone know if they are right or wrong?

Read this book if you like considering the possibilities that magic could bring to everyday life and then seeing just how much better it is that it doesn't exist after all. Or if you're just a fan of magic and have wondered who was the actual, true villain, or even villains, of Hamlet. 

Rating on my Scale: 9.5 Stars. I loved this book but in a lot of ways, it has left me feeling almost bereft after absolutely everything that happened in this book. It'll live on in my head for decades but I won't be able to read it again after the wounds it left behind.

My thanks to NetGalley, Daw and Auden Patrick for the eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Book Review: Chateau Valmont and an Inheritance of Thirst

Due to unforeseen life events, I am hideously behind schedule on my writing reviews but coming back to this book, I can say I still distinctly remember that ending and all I can say is, "Don't end it there!!"

I loved this book. It has been ages since I read a vampire novel that I can honestly say that I enjoyed but I did love this story and its characters and I have recommended these books to a lot of people in the time since I devoured this book. I love the characters and the lore and Somerset has created something so interesting here that I still have so many questions but really, I can't wait to see what comes next for Jacques and Annie. 

In terms of world-building, Somerset brings readers right back into the thick of things, opening the story moments after the ending of Beecham. After the first book being set in London, Jacques takes Annie and Amah with him to his home in Paris where he has an established home life and neighbors who have known him for ages. Due to the changes Jacques has undergone since the first book, we see a lot of Jacques learning the limits of what he has become while trying to understand where these changes will take him. I thought it was interesting to bring the story back to where Jacques calls home, showing the way the house is kept and the things that have been left behind by his departed family. It felt like Jacques had been living at a standstill, waiting for something to help him move on from his loss and now with the addition of Annie, he is ready to make the place he called home in name an actual place where he could make a family. The fact that the only family he has left comes in contact and readers travel with our characters to that abode really served to highlight how different Jacques is overall in terms of his peers and endeared him to me because of how open he was with change and acceptance.

As for characters, I keep waffling between who I loved more, Jacques or Annie, but sometimes, I think Amah is the best out of all our characters. I loved the fact that Annie kept Jacques at a distance, forcing him to work hard to gain her trust and prove that it wasn't a mistake that she was now in his home. She had been forced to flee everything she had created for herself in London and that loss was something truly important to her and the fact that Jacques understood that and tried to make amends made my heart grow three sizes because it took a while but the evolution of their connection was worth the wait over the course of the story. The fact that they challenged each other and at the same time would do what they could to keep each other safe made them couple goals by the end of the story. Notice I did say the "end" though because come on, Jacques, that was a poor decision at the start of the story. As for Amah, I loved her no nonsense attitude and the way she knew everything about the truth to Jacques while at the same time working behind the scenes to make sure Annie and Jacques were safe. I hope Amah is in every installment because she was that pillar of strength you want your leads to have in their corner.

The plot had so many different threads and Somerset wove them together brilliantly. Everything was revealed at a pace that felt natural, keeping readers interest in turning pages and making each new discovery something that kept the tension building as we worried about what would happen to our new favorite characters. I want to say so much more but honestly, the experience of reading this book is best without spoiling the story and can I say again, that ending? I'm still reeling from it a month later because oh goodness, that was so completely unexpected. I have no idea where readers are going to be taken next but I can confidently say that I will follow this series to the end.

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.