Kate’s Review: “Death and Dinuguan”

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Book: “Death and Dinuguan” by Mia P. Manansala

Publishing Info: Berkley, November 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Love is in the air for the citizens of Shady Palms, but Cupid’s arrow isn’t the only thing striking the town—not with another killer on the loose.

Things are looking up for the Brew-ha Cafe, and Lila Macapagal can’t think of anything that could break the spell, especially with Valentine’s Day coming up—she can’t wait to celebrate with her boyfriend, Jae Park. Adding to the lovey-dovey atmosphere is Hana Lee, Shady Palms’s newest resident. She’s also Jae’s beloved cousin and chocolatier at Choco Noir, the latest addition to the town’s culinary offerings. Everything is coming into place for Hana, who left her old life in Minnesota behind to work at Choco Noir, owned by her best friend.

Unfortunately, beneath the sweet surface of Shady Palms runs a bitter undercurrent, as a series of attacks against women-owned businesses in the area escalates from petty theft to assault and murder when Hana is found knocked unconscious inside Choco Noir, and the chocolate shop owner is put out of business—for good.

With Hana left in a coma, a murderer hiding amongst them, and the safety of the women entrepreneurs of Shady Palms at risk, the Park brothers team up with the Brew-ha crew to put a stop to the villain before they strike again.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this novel!

Valentine’s Day is this weekend! I’ll be honest, we aren’t doing much to celebrate the day (we don’t usually make a big deal of it), I’m just going to make a nice dinner for me and my husband and we will probably watch a movie with champagne, and will also get my kid hepped up on chocolate because why not. But I do like picking out a romance or an on theme read for the holiday, and if you are also looking for a book to commemorate the day, “Death and Dinuguan” by Mia P. Manansala is a pretty solid choice. When I first requested this book I hadn’t realized that it was going to be the final story in the “Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mysteries” series, and was pretty sad when I found out. I have enjoyed this series so much over the years, and I had hoped that it would end on a high note for amateur detective Lila Macapagal. And it didn’t quite hit the heights I hoped for.

I’m going to switch it up this time around and talk about what didn’t work first. Overall, I wasn’t as invested in the mystery at hand. One pretty consistent issue is that when so many people are murdered in a small town population, it seems like it should be a bigger problem than the story acknowledges! That’s obviously not unique to Shady Palms, Illinois (thinking of Cabot Cove in “Murder, She Wrote”, or Midsomer in “Midsomer Murders”), but I do think that you have to do something to make each murder mystery interesting enough to be able to wave it away a bit. And in “Death and Dinuguan”, the murder of a chocolate shop owner (with Jae’s cousin Hana, who also runs the shop, left in a coma), I just wasn’t as interested as the story went on, hitting a lot of beats that are pretty familiar to the previous books in the series. I also was able to call the solution pretty quickly, and if a mystery and the journey is entertaining that usually won’t bother me. But I just felt like it was going through the motions this time around, so it was harder to ignore.

But Lila is still very fun and charming. It is so gratifying to see the way that she has evolved from the start of the series, starting as a bit of a prodigal daughter (well, niece) returning to her tight knit community from the big city, and ending as a pillar of the community with a huge village of people who care for her surrounding her. She’s still scrappy but imperfect, sticking her foot in her mouth a few times as she investigates, but always determined to help and solve the crimes that have hurt her loved ones. And while I was kind of underwhelmed by the way this one came together, I think that it did, ultimately, solidify Lila’s place in Shady Palms and shows just how much she cares about her community, and how much her community cares about her. And as a Valentine’s Day story, it’s a nice on theme mystery for the upcoming holiday.

Finally, the recipes. We once again get a nice set of recipes that go along with the story at hand, and I am always going to be on board with recipes included at the end of a cozy mystery, and these are a fun group that readers may not be as familiar with.

“Death and Dinuguan” may have been a bit of an underwhelming end to a series that I really enjoyed, but I think that overall I’m very satisfied with how it all turned out for Lila and her friends and her little dog Longganisa. I will definitely check out what other mystery series Manansala brings forth in the future. So long, Shady Palms! I’ll miss you!

Rating 6: Kind of a clunky ending for an overall fun series, but a nice fast read for Valentine’s Day.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Death and Dinuguan” is included on the Goodreads list “2025 Cozy Mystery New Releases”.

Serena’s Review: “Crown of War and Shadow”

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Book: “Crown of War and Shadow” by J.R. Ward

Publishing Info: Bramble, February 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: The Fulcrum is failing, and demons are slipping into the mortal world, stalking the night. No one is safe. Especially not Sorrel. An orphan and an outcast, she’s spent her whole life within the walls of her small village, ostracized for her mystical abilities. She wants to survive…and maybe find somewhere she can call her true home. But Fate has other plans.

Sorrel has been chosen. Cursed. She must cross the Badlands to return the Queen’s crown and convince the fearsome female to save their world from destruction. Well aware she’s no brave hero, Sorrel makes a dangerous deal with Merc, a brooding, commanding mercenary known only by his unscrupulous profession. The deal? A night in his bed that she will never forget, in exchange for her safe passage. But Merc has secrets of his own, and even though passion runs hot between them, enemies are around every corner, and danger and betrayal threaten at every turn.

Review: One of my fellow book club librarians is a big fan of this author, so I’ve been wanting to check out her books for a while. That said, her primary series is, uh, long. So I was excited to see she was releasing the first book in a brand new series this spring, an excellent place to jump in!

Overall, this book didn’t quite live up to my expectations. That said, I can definitely see the author’s strengths, so without having read her other books, I can’t say whether this was a diversion from quality or not. But to start, her writing is incredibly “readable” right from the start. Readers are quickly brought into this world and given enough information about it, its history, and our main character to quickly become invested in what was going on. So much so that there was one side character who, I believe, only appears in one brief scene who later brought me to tears, all in the first quarter of the book!

I also liked the broad strokes of Sorrel’s character. Unlike many romantasy heroines, she didn’t actively annoy me much of the time. That said, she also fell into a few too many silly tropes. We have her repeatedly denying her own beauty, impulsively throwing herself into dangerous situations where she is actively unskilled, and then miraculously discovering previously unknown abilities, etc., etc. You get the gist. It was all quite familiar and predictable, if still well executed overall.

I did enjoy the slow reveals of her history, even if it felt like these were too easily telegraphed at times. Naturally, it doesn’t make sense for Sorrel to put things together as quickly as the reader, but it was still frustrating to watch her stumble around for as long as she did. Part of this speaks to the pacing issues I had, however. This is a long book, and by the middle portion, I was definitely feeling it. The mysteries that had been hinted at were still only the barest brushes, even if the reader was already a mile ahead of things. And instead of making progress, the book became bogged down in tedious traveling adventures. Sure, there were action-packed scenes happening on the page, but the actual plot itself felt mired in tedium.

This was then contrasted by the breakneck speed of the romance, which jumped immediately into insta-lust on both sides. I liked the general idea of the MMC; he even had some interesting backstory that I enjoyed learning about. But the story opened with a truly ridiculous misunderstanding between these two characters and proceeded to just…go with it. The entire thing could have been cleared up so easily, and it was just such a stupid element that was thrown in as a wrench between these two understanding each other. Honestly, I rolled my eyes so many times at both of these characters.

Overall, I didn’t love this book. The author is clearly talented, and I think there are the bones of a good story to be found here. Unfortunately, this was badly in need of an editor to trim down the fat and focus the story on the plot that actually mattered. With some adjustments to pacing, both of the romance and the actual plot, this could have been a much more fun read. That said, I’d guess that this will still hit well for fans of this author, so if you’ve enjoyed her other books, this is probably for you!

Rating 7: At least a hundred pages longer than it needed to be, this book is a key example of failing to follow the mantra “sometimes you get more with less.”

Reader’s Advisory:

“Crown of War and Shadow” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2026 and 2026 Most Anticipated Romance Releases.

Kate’s Review: “Trad Wife”

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Book: “Trad Wife” by Saratoga Schaefer

Publishing Info: Crooked Lane Books, February 2026

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Every #tradwife needs a baby. She’ll get one at any cost.

When Camille Deming isn’t cooking, cleaning, or homesteading in her picture-perfect country farmhouse, she’s posting about her tradwife lifestyle for her online followers. She takes inspiration from other tradwives on social media, aspiring to be like them, but Camille’s missing a key component: a baby. And contrary to what she posts online, things with her husband Graham have been strained. Pressured by her eager followers, Camille fears that without a baby, her relationship will suffer and her social media will never grow out of its infancy.

When Camille discovers a mysterious, decrepit well in the wheatfield behind her house, she makes a wish for a baby. Afterwards, she has unsettling experiences that she convinces herself are angelic in nature, and when she’s visited one night by a strange creature, her wish comes true. 

Camille’s pregnancy announcement gets more engagement than anything she’s ever posted—so what if Graham’s reaction is lukewarm? Camille’s life is finally falling into place. Never mind that her pregnancy is developing freakishly rapidly and she’s suddenly craving raw meat. Being a traditional wife is worth it.

Rosemary’s Baby for the digital age, this disturbing horror novel is one you’ll want to devour in just one bite.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this novel!

If you’ve been following the blog for awhile you have no doubt seen that I have this weird hyper-fixation on the creepy rise of trad wife influencers online and how it is traditionalist and alt-right propaganda dressed up in wholesome family values. And you have probably seen that I’ve been seeking out various books about it because it’s all just so interesting and upsetting. When I saw “Trad Wife” by Saratoga Schaefer, with it’s neon cover of a pregnant woman being held by some demonic hands, my initial thought was ‘OBVIOUS’. With pregnancy and babies and fertility being such a driver of trad wife ethos it just seemed like a predictable direction to take the theme. But since I am still super into it, especially as satire, I figured I’d pick up a story about a woman so desperate for engagement on her trad wife social media page she’d literally sell her soul for a baby and fame, even if that baby is a devil spawn. It would at least be entertaining, I reasoned. And it was. BUT IT WAS ALSO SO MUCH MORE. I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. But I LOVED it.

First to talk about the horror elements, as that is the crux of the novel. Pregnancy horror is still pretty prevalent right now (I’ve talked about why many times), and here it is combined with the more recent ‘trad wife’ thriller sub-genre that has also risen in popularity in recent years due to the trad wife to alt-right/white supremacist pipeline online and high profile trad wife influencers making headlines (why just last week Ballerina Farm made the news because of bacteria ridden raw milk sold from their compound being taken off shelves! YUM!). These two themes mix well due to so much of trad wife content having children and pregnancy as a central tenant of the ideology/content. Saratoga Schaefer knows how to pull out the satire of these two sub genres and makes a fun and wicked horror tale. There are some unsettling imagery moments where Camille is seeing or hearing things, there are obviously some gnarly body horror beats (pregnancy itself is body horror, after all), and there is a growing tension as she grows something inside of her body that is not fully human. Schaefer also tweaks and twists very real pregnancy symptoms and ailments and ups the ante a bit to make them more horrifying, whether it’s hair falling out, bone pain, or severe fatigue. There are also the uncomfortable gaslighting of Camille’s husband Graham, who loves the idea of a submissive wife but wants her to stay a certain way, which adds to her desperation to have a child but also makes her feel more insecure, which drives her actions more desperately, which makes the tension all the higher. For awhile, anyway…

Camille could have been a maddening and stereotypical Ballerina Farms-esque personality that barely moves outside of the tropes that are expected or associated with trad wife influencers. And at first it seems like perhaps that is where we are heading as she obsesses about being a perfect help meet for her milquetoast husband Graham and boosting her social media engagement for validation about her perfection as a trad wife. But Schaefer instead decides to go on a different route with her protagonist, and while Camille is certainly flawed and at times grating, there are so many layers that are carefully and slowly pulled back that I found her to be completely understandable in the path she has chosen and the things that brought her to this point. We have a woman who had so many aspirations that were waylaid, and instead of persevering she has pivoted to a path that she has been told is a better fit ONLY because it would be better for those around her for her to be this way. And when she does start her pregnancy and motherhood journey and does have a baby, priorities shift, and she discovers what she CAN be on her own terms. Even if that involves a ‘demon’ spawn and insatiable urge for human flesh. And I say GOOD FOR HER. I was completely rooting for her and her feral-ness by the time the book was over.

But the thing that surprised me the most about this book were the completely unexpected romantic undercurrents flowing through it (SPOILERS AHEAD). So in the description of this book there is a reference to “Rosemary’s Baby”, which I suppose is an obvious story to reference when talking about a ‘demonic’ pregnancy horror tale. But it’s not a proper comparison at all, because, unlike in “Rosemary’s Baby”, Camille’s pregnancy by the demon/’creature’ (as she calls it)/whatever from the well in the woods is not only fully consensual (which I LOVED), it slowly evolves into something so incredibly sweet that I was floored by the story choice. But I loved it. I loved the idea of an aspirational trad wife so obsessed with the ‘culture’ of purity, perfection, and Godliness not only turning to a ‘demon’ to fulfill a pregnancy for online engagement, but also finding a connection to it that goes so much deeper and intimate than her picture perfect ‘Godly’ husband. Oh, and not only that, it was actually STEAMY. I’m not one who really reads monster romances, not because I dislike them, just because I haven’t really picked them up. But I’m a believer now. IT WAS SO GOOD.

Me repeatedly putting down and picking my Kindle back up during THE SCENE out of SHEER GIDDINESS (source)

“Trad Wife” hit every single high note I was hoping for and exceeded them. It wasn’t what I was expecting and it thought outside of the box of what we have been seeing with this newer reading trend, and I adored every bit of it.

Rating 10: A home run in every way. Great satire, great horror, and, interstingly enough, great monster romance.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Trad Wife” is included on the Goodreads lists “Tradwife Thrillers”, and “2026 Women in Horror”.

Isn’t It Romantic?: Romances We Are Looking Forward To in 2026

While it’s true that neither of us cover that many romances on the blog (there are, of course, exceptions, especially if you consider all of the romantasy Serena reads!), we do enjoy reading the genre from time to time! And with Valentine’s Day coming up this weekend we thought it would be fun to highlight some of the romance novels coming out this year that we are looking forward to! What better way to honor the holiday than a book list?

Serena’s Picks

Book: “This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me” by Ilona Andrews

Book Description: When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy and naked in a gutter, it doesn’t take her long to recognize Kair Toren. It’s a city she knows intimately from the pages of a famously unfinished dark fantasy series – one she’s been obsessively reading and re-reading, while waiting years for the final novel.

Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic and mayhem? Her encyclopaedic knowledge of the plot, the setting and the characters’ ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she’s coming to love – a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to return home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes – and attentions – of duelling princes, dukes and villains. This all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the ending she’s seen on the a cataclysmic war.

Book: “Seek the Traitor’s Son” by Veronica Roth

Book Description: Elegy Ahn did not ask for destiny to find her. She is happy with her life as a soldier, defending her small country from the Talusar, a powerful nation who worships a deadly Fever. A fever that blesses half of its victims with mysterious gifts.

But then she’s summoned to hear a prophecy–her, and the most ruthless of Talusar generals, Rava Vidar. Brought face to face, they learn that one of them will lead their people to victory over the other…but they don’t know which. And at the center of both of their fates: a man. A man that, Elegy is told, she will fall in love with.

In just one day, Elegy’s old life–her job, her purpose, and her future–is over. She and Rava are destined to collide, with the fate of their nations hanging in the balance. And when they do, only one will be left standing.

Elegy intends to make sure it’s her.

Book: “The Lion and the Deathless Dark” by Carissa Broadbet

Book Description: Under an eternal night, the world has been ravaged by ten years of war between humans and vampires. Kyrene scrapes by as a bounty hunter, bearing a blessed sword from the goddess of justice. But in the wake of a devastating loss, Kyrene commits a crime that makes her a target for mortals and gods alike – and she is still desperate for vengeance.

Her only chance at survival – and revenge – is making a deal with her enemy, the silver-tongue vampire prince, Septimus, who offers her one final to slay the gods themselves.

Together, Kyrene and Septimus must hunt the ultimate marks, all while navigating a web of prophecies and curses. Septimus is calculating and mysterious, masking secrets bloodthirsty enough to consume them both. Yet, most dangerous of all, Kyrene finds an unexpected kinship in him.

But their growing attraction is deadly in a world where the only currency is blood. And Kyrene will stop at nothing to fulfill her ultimate to kill the goddess of vampires, even if it means sacrificing love for revenge.

Book: “Daggerbound” by T. Kingfisher

Book Description: Four hundred years ago, three warriors were trapped inside enchanted swords, cursed to be immortal servants of whoever wielded the blade. One of them is the Dervish, a restless, fiery soul who hates his captivity and hates his wielders even more, but has never found a way to escape the sword’s magic.

Then one day, a disillusioned scholar named Learned Edmund is tasked with delivering the sword to a distant city, and, in the greatest of peril, draws the blade. The Dervish finds himself bound to a sweet, brilliant, and above all kind young man. And while he may be able to protect Edmund from bandits, cultists, dragons, and strange inhuman diplomats, he may find it much harder to protect his own heart.

Kate’s Picks

Book: “Star Shipped” by Cat Sebastian

Book Description: Simon and Charlie, actors on a long-running sci-fi show, can’t stand one another. Charlie is impetuous, outgoing, and basically feral, and Simon thinks he should have stayed in reality television where he belongs. They’ve spent the better part of a decade quarreling over the spotlight and pretty much everything else, and everybody in the industry knows it. Now that Simon’s contract is finally done, he can move to New York, start fresh with work he actually likes, and get away from Charlie.

Simon’s only problem is that people might assume he’s been pushed off the show due to being impossible to work with. And he is kind of difficult to work with. He doesn’t get along with people—unlike Charlie, who somehow tricked everyone on the show into adoring him despite some outrageously bad on-set behavior during the show’s first season. Simon would rather never have to see Charlie again, but reluctantly agrees to stage a very public friendship during the short time before he moves. When Charlie has to leave town to deal with a family emergency, this means Simon comes along. Their road trip brings Simon to places he would never have willingly chosen to visit—and he finds he’s actually not having a terrible time.

The more he gets to know Charlie, the more Simon suspects he’s underestimated his former coworker. Simon also realizes that after seven years, Charlie might know him better than anyone ever has. Even stranger, Charlie seems to be starting to actually like him, despite knowing him so well. Still, Simon is about to move three thousand miles away, so whatever’s starting between him and Charlie can’t really amount to anything… right?

Book: “Set Point” by Meg Jones

Book Description: Nothing fades faster than a former prodigy—and Inés Costa is dangerously close to disappearing. Once queen of the court, Inés is limping through qualifiers. And after losing her biggest sponsor to Chloe Murphy, the sport’s fiery new favourite, she and her bank account are running on fumes.

Chloe, known as much for her talent as her temper, is a top seed for the upcoming US Open. But thanks to broken rackets, code violations, and the inability to play well with others, her “favourite” status is slipping away.

However, when they are forced to share the same side of the court, and the world surprisingly doesn’t implode, Chloe makes an offer: she’ll fund Inés’s journey to the US open, but only if Inés agrees to be her hitting partner and teach her to keep a level head. It’s strictly business, but somewhere between practice drills and tour stops, the line between rival and something more begins to blur.

As the summer burns toward Flushing Meadows, their sizzling tension catches fire. With a trophy in sight and emotions running high, will their romance double fault at set point?

Book: “Devil Inside” by Clay McLeod Chapman

Book Description: After a traumatic accident that almost cost Jordan his life, he’s finally starting to feel normal again. Well, maybe not normal. Everything tastes like ash, and when he looks at the people around him, their faces start to melt. At least he’s not dead, right? His friends are doing their best to get him back on his feet, maybe find someone to talk to, perhaps even find someone to take his mind off his last failed relationship.

Then he meets Lilith. The two share an instant connection but after a wild and passionate night together, she ghosts him. Jordan searches the city for Lilith, desperate to see her again. But when a woman claiming to be Lilith shows up, wearing a different face but knowing intimate details about Jordan, he worries he’s losing his grip on reality. As he grows closer to this mysterious woman, he discovers that happily ever afters sometimes come at a cost. How far will Lilith take him, and how much darkness will he embrace to find love?

Book: “Unrivaled” by Rachel Reid

Book Description: A line has been drawn—and the hockey world is divided.

For the first time in their professional hockey careers, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander have nothing to hide. For more than a decade, they kept their love a secret, but now they’re out, married, and even playing on the same team. The support is incredible.

Most of the time.

They’ve gotten a lot of love from fans who are thrilled for them. But some people in the hockey world are still reeling from their relationship reveal, and the backlash—led by popular hockey podcast Top Shelf and the #TakeBackHockey movement—is getting louder.

Ilya and Shane are finally able to stand together in the light, the way they’d always wanted. And now they might be facing their biggest challenge yet.

What romances are you looking forward to this year? Let us know in the comments!

Serena’s Review: “Weavingshaw”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Weavingshaw” by Heba Al-Wasity

Publishing Info: Del Rey, February

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Three years ago, Leena Al-Sayer awoke with a terrible power.She can see the dead.Since then, she has hidden herself from the world, knowing that if she ever reveals her curse she will be locked away in an asylum.

When her beloved brother, Rami, falls fatally ill, Leena is faced with a terrible CHOICE: Let him die or buy the expensive medicine that will save his life by bartering the only valuable thing she has—her secret.

The Saint of Silence, a ruthless merchant who trades in confessions and is shrouded in unearthly rumors of cruelty and power, accepts her bargain, for a deadly price. Leena must find the ghost of Percival Avon, the last lord of Weavingshaw—or lose her freedom to the Saint forever.

As Leena’s search takes her and the Saint to Weavingshaw, she finds the estate and the surrounding moors to be living things—hungry for blood and sacrifice. Fighting against Weavingshaw’s might, Leena must also fight her growing pull toward the enigmatic Saint himself, whose connection to Percival Avon remains a mystery.

As the house begins to entomb them, time is running out on their desperate hunt for answers. For Leena has come to see that here in Weavingshaw, the dead are not hushed—and some secrets are better left buried with them.

Review: Gothic fantasy/horror has to be one of the more reliable subgenres for my own particular reading preferences. As long as the correct atmosphere is struck, the story will always start out a mile ahead of others. And here, that note was struck right away. This world is one of grim realities where the average person is caught between corporations trying to drain every last ounce from them and political forces in various countries working to subdue rebellions. Further, their history is one made up of demons and dark magic. And their only salvation? A mysterious trader of secrets for wealth, bargains that can turn deadly more often than not. And that’s not even getting into the location of Weavingshaw itself (to be fair, and to set expectations, the book doesn’t even move to this location until about halfway through) or the greater world-building/magical reveals that come later in the story.

And, of course, both of the main characters have their own ties to dark magic. The book takes place entirely from Leena’s perspective (again and always: well done for avoiding the trap of dual POVs that seem to always lead to a “telling” style of writing as far as relationship development!), so we learn a lot about her abilities to see ghosts. I really liked the various ways that her abilities were used, not only to move the plot along, but to bring together story elements and important pieces of characters’ histories. She was also a great character beyond her magic, determined to save her family and unwilling to fall under the thumb of her powerful employer. The slow-burn relationship between her and the Saint was so well done. These two have no reason to trust one another, especially Leena. It’s only slowly, as the story progresses, that she begins to understand the deeper, more tragic layers hidden beneath the Saint’s icy exterior.

I also really liked the Saint himself. It would have been so easy for him to come across as yet another shadow daddy love interest. There are definitely a few familiar notes of that even now. However, the book does a great job of including various other POV chapters sprinkled throughout that further develop his story, giving us greater insights into his past and motivations. While he and Leena grow slowly closer to one another, neither gives up their own goals. I can’t say too much about this character, as much of his story is a mystery that is only slowly revealed, but I loved what we got from him and the set up for the next book.

While the book starts out with a fairly straightforward setup (Leena indebted and working for the mysterious Saint of Silence), I was honestly surprised by the direction the story took. Given the title and cover, I went in expecting a gothic, haunted house story. But, like I said above, we don’t even get to Weavingshaw until about halfway through the story. And even then, it was much more of a setting for the plot than an integral part itself (usually in gothic stories, houses are a character in and of themselves, to some degree). Again, I don’t want to spoil the reveals, but this is much more a developed fantasy world than I had expected initially.

I really enjoyed this one! While it wasn’t quite what I was expecting, in many ways, it was even better for these changes! The slow-burn romance was well done, and the character work remained solid throughout. The story definitely ends in a setup for the next book, so readers should be aware of that going in. However, for me, this just made me all the more eager to get to the sequel as soon as possible!

Rating 9: Not what I was expecting in the best way possible! Gothic fantasy, but with a more developed fantasy world and swoon-worthy slow-burn romance!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Weavingshaw” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Gothic Fantasy and 2026 Most Anticipated Romantasy & Fantasy Romance Releases.

Fire’s Catching: “The Hunger Games”


This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

It’s been eighteen years since Suzanne Collins wrote “The Hunger Games”, the smash hit literary sensation that continues to feel relevant and capture the attention of readers. This ongoing series will be a review series of both the Suzanne Collins books, as well as the film adaptations of the novels. I will post my review on the last Thursday of the month as we revisit the totalitarian world of Panem and the hope of the Mockingjay.

Book: “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins

Publishing Info: Scholastic Press, October 2008

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun. . . .

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Review: I got back from a week long cruise with friends this past Monday, having to sink back into the real world like one always does after a vacation. As I was taking my kid to school on Tuesday and I was pulling into the drop off lane, I noticed something that hadn’t been there before I left: there were now people in green vests standing on the corners by the various drop off and pick up entrances to her elementary school, keeping an eye on the drivers who were coming and going. I immediately clocked that they were there to watch out for ICE. Coming back to reality after a fun trip with dear friends is already hard; it’s even harder when you come back to an occupied metro area that has an ever present anxiety of our neighbors being harassed and kidnapped and murdered, especially when those being targeted include children.

Welcome to “Fire Catching”, my series where I revisit “The Hunger Games”, the dystopia phenomenon written by Suzanne Collins. It had been some time since I read the first book in the series, almost fifteen years probably by my count, though my husband and I have watched the movies many times. When I read it originally it was a fun dystopia with complicated world building, nuanced characters, and a lot of action that fit well together and created a book that I read in about one afternoon. I really loved it then. I still really love it on this revisit, though it feels a bit closer to home these days. This will be a review for the most part! That’s what you are here for. But I’m sure I’ll also be reflective a bit. I feel like I have to be.

(source)

What strikes me about “The Hunger Games” this time around is just how much Collins trusts her readers to be able to handle dark and complicated themes, while also being able to break them down for the audience in ways that aren’t condescending but are easy to understand. Katniss Everdeen is our first person protagonist, a sixteen year old girl living in a poverty stricken community known as District 12, one part of multiple districts that have to answer for a rebellion against The Capitol years earlier. The districts answer by sending two kids, one boy and one girl, drawn by a lottery, to a battle to the death. Katniss isn’t selected, she volunteers so that her gentle younger sister Prim doesn’t have to go. It’s most likely that you know the story. But I never get sick of it, and re-reading it this time I was pleased with how harrowing her story of training, preparing, fighting, and having to perform for her oppressors as entertainment remains. Katniss is prickly, she’s had to grow up far too fast (not just because of life in the Districts but also because of her father’s death leaving her mother catatonic for a spell), and now she has been chosen to be a prop for an oppressive government’s bloodsport. She’s complex and hard headed, but Collins is also great and bringing her vulnerability out, more than happy to remind the reader that she is a child who has been put into a horrifying situation. We see everything through her eyes, and while sometimes it’s a bit on the nose as to how she is misinterpreting things (girl, of COURSE Peeta adores you and has adored you this whole time), but at the same time I fully believe that she has EVERY reason to be paranoid and to think the worst of people, whether it’s her drunk mentor Haymitch, or even the sweet and quiet Peeta.

And we are just starting to scratch the surface of the world building for Panem and its history here, and Collins gives us enough information to make a compelling story while also holding enough back to give us much more to work with as the series goes on. The idea of children’s peril and death being used as punishment and control isn’t new by any means (from The Minotaur to “The Long Walk” to “Battle Royale” it has been seen in so many stories throughout history), but the way that Collins builds this world makes it feel freshly horrifying. With Katniss giving tidbits about how the Hunger Games work, the various ins and outs of how the system can be rigged and gamed based on social standing (because even in the oppressed districts there are still class differences within themselves and between themselves), hints of how The Capitol crushes dissent with a veneer of beauty and wealth, and showing how death has been turned into eagerly eaten up entertainment due to years of propaganda, the world building is rich and incredibly well done. The games themselves are horrifying, more horrifying than I remembered from the first time I read it. I’m sure that’s in part due to the fact I now have a child of my own that I can’t help but project into the horrors, as well as the other stuff going on in my community that seems downright dystopian at the moment. Still so relevant, unfortunately.

This is going to be a gratifying and intense re-read, I can tell. “The Hunger Games” is still such a great start to the series. Next up I will tackle “Catching Fire”. Which I haven’t actually read! So that will be interesting!

And please take a look at this link for Stand With Minnesota, a resource hub for mutual aid, donation drives, and other resources to help communities all over my home state right now. We need help.

Rating 9: Still as harrowing and relevant as when it first came out, which is both a positive (for timelessness purposes) and negative (for the too real feels of it all).

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Hunger Games” is included on the Goodreads lists “Best Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction”, and “Best Survival Stories”.

Serena’s Review: “Nightshade and Oak”

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Book: “Nightshade and Oak” by Molly O’Neill

Publishing Info: Orbit, February 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: When Malt, the goddess of death, is accidentally turned into a human by a wayward spell, she finds she’s ill-equipped to deal with the trials of a mortal life.

After all, why would a goddess need to know how to gather food or light a fire?

Trapped in a body that’s frustratingly feeble, she’s forced to team up with Bellis, warrior daughter of Boudicca on a perilous journey across Roman-occupied Britain to the afterlife to try to restore her powers. As animosity turns to attraction, these two very different women must learn to work together if they are to have any hope of surviving their quest.

Review:I had read and enjoyed (for the most part) the first book I read from this author. But I’ll be honest, it was the mention of Boudicca and the promise of more Welsh/British folklore that really drew me in. And while I did struggle with some tone, pacing, and character work, I was very pleased with this aspect of the story! In many ways, the story reads as historical fantasy, with the author drawing from a real-world person (Boudicca) but then extrapolating from that into a wholly imagined story revolving around her daughter.

Of course, given that Boudicca’s story is one of rebellion and warfare, the themes of this book heavily focus on the violence, loss, and tragedy of war. One of the strongest scenes in the book was actually the first chapter, where we see the remains of a battlefield through the eyes of the goddess. This was a very poignant scene and definitely set up the story well.

That said, it did lead into one of my struggle points for this read: inconsistency with regards to tone and themes. After this amazing first scene, the book takes a sharp turn towards a more cozy, travelogue sort of story, following our two characters as they traverse the land. Much of this next forty percent or so of the story was made up of these smaller, more “slice of life”-like scenes. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the version of the book we had here. Much of this time was devoted to Mallt’s struggles to understand the ins and outs of existing as a mortal.

But then, about halfway through the book, the story took a massive shift back to the darker, more grim tones that the first chapter established. And again, I did not enjoy this portion of the book. Indeed, I think it had a lot of good things to say with these themes. However, the end result was that the pacing and tone of the story shifted entirely halfway through, which made for an awkward reading experience. Further, the very last portion of the book was made up of chapters that bounced back and forth between these cozy and darker tones, with the story feeling like it never really settled into what it wanted.

I also struggled a bit with the characters. For the most part, I really enjoyed Mallt. I thought her struggles with mortality were interesting and provided her with an excellent arc for the story. However, she also could be frustrating and annoying as she dealt with the limitations put upon her. I was also disappointed by Belis. Mostly this was because she was the sort of character I really enjoy! I love warrior woman characters, and Belis had a lot of potential. But as the story progressed, she was kind of just…there. Especially in comparison to Mallt’s more complicated character arc, Belis was unchanged and unchallenged throughout most of the book.

Overall, this was a mixed bag. I really wanted to like it more than I did. The uneven pacing and tone really threw me off, and I often found myself wanting more from the characters. However, fans of historical fantasy might still really enjoy this one!

Rating 7: While I enjoyed both the more serious historical fantasy elements as well as the cozy quest, I wasn’t sure that these two mixed particularly well here.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Nightshade and Oak” can be found on this Goodreads list: Adult Queer Romantasy 2026.

Kate’s Review: “Krackle’s Last Movie”

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Book: “Krackle’s Last Movie” by Chelsea Sutton

Publishing Info: Split/Lip Press, February 2026

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher

Where You Can Get This Book: Split/Lip Press

Book Description: When underground documentarian Minerva Krackle mysteriously disappears after an interview with the “Modern-Day Mummy of San Bernardino County,” her assistant Harper is left with a mess of footage and a tight deadline. During her review of thirty years of interviews Krackle conducted with real-life monsters—werewolves, vampires, invisible dancers, mermaids, sea monsters in the desert—Harper pieces together their links with Krackle’s disappearance and also with the tragic on-stage death of pop-magician The Great Merlan. With the help of Krackle’s former bodyguard Dr. Danger and small-town diner waitress Liz, Harper must decide whether to expose her own hidden history to finish the film, or to let Krackle’s legacy disappear right along with her.

Review: Thank you to Split/Lip Press for sending me an ARC of this novella!

I have found that a tight, easy to read and complex novella can be hard to find at times. I like short stories and novellas as quick reads, but man, sometimes the brevity can be a slight hindrance to the craft if not approached properly, especially if the premise is a bit of a leap of faith on its own. And while that kind of thing was admittedly in the back of my mind when I read up on “Krackle’s Last Movie” by Chelsea Sutton, the premise alone was enough to throw caution to the wind and check it out. Sometimes leaps of faith can be misguided, but when it comes to this novella the pay off was pretty substantial!

It was the premise that lured me in when it came into my inbox: Harper is a film assistant to a Gonzo documentarian named Minerva Krackle, whose works have focused on real life monsters (think werewolves, vampires, mermaids, etc), and who has presently been pursuing a story about a real life living mummy. After Krackle disappears during the production, Harper is left to try and piece it all back together to do her mentor proud and to get her final work out for the world to see. It’s part found footage, part monster tale, part mystery, and it combines to make a very strange and yet incredibly charming novella. I loved the interviews with the ‘monsters’, be it a couple of daffy mermaids or an affable sea monster, and I loved the way that these beings are given more relatable moments that can be very funny to very moving. It’s just such a cute idea, and the comparisons that some have made to a Guillermo del Toro film hit the nail on the head. It’s exactly the kind of fondness for the weird that his movies project, and it’s done in a way that’s compact yet very effective.

But it’s the story of outsiders finding a person who will champion them through thick and thin that really stood out to me as I read this novella. The idea of Krackle meeting these real life ‘monsters’ that are so out of the ordinary so as not to be believed, and to have a goal of telling their stories in their own words at the forefront. As Harper is piecing together these interviews as a final retrospective with the intention of giving them a voice, we see some charming, bittersweet, and sometimes cathartic sequences for the reader and Harper alike. It’s ultimately a journey of self discovery for Harper, as she herself has been suppressing her own ‘quirk’, shall we say, and as she is trying to do justice to Krackle’s vision she begins to look inward and to see her own loneliness and shame and starts to become more comfortable in her own skin. It’s a lovely and sometimes sad story arc as you watch her peel back her pain and trauma and finally start to accept who she is and always has been.

“Krackle’s Last Movie” is a whimsical and charming found footage tale that left me smiling as I was reading it. The epitome of short and sweet (with a twist of strange to even it all out).

Rating 8: A strange, dreamy, and ultimately touching story about being different, those who champion you, and finally coming to be comfortable in your own skin.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Krackle’s Last Movie” isn’t on any Goodreads lists, but the comparisons to Guillermo del Toro are well earned.

Highlights: February 2026

We are in the midst of a deep freeze in Minnesota, with lots of snow, plummeting temperatures, and the lack of motivation to leave the house. I guess it’s okay that we have Valentine’s Day to look forward to for some romance time and hopefully lots of candy! And like always we have some new titles coming out this month that we can’t wait to read!

Serena’s Picks

Book: “Weavingshaw” by Heba Al-Wasity

Publication Date: February 26, 2024

Why I’m Interested: The cover alone, with all of its gothic-goodness, was enough to entice my interest in this one initially! And looking further, it seems that the story may also include much more than the standard spooky house with hidden secrets. For example, the main character can see ghosts and there sounds like there is a potential love interest who buys secrets for…reasons? Color me intrigued!

Book: “Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter” by Heather Fawcett

Publication Date: February 17, 2026

Why I’m Interested: So many reasons! Not least of which is the fact that the cover features not one, but many adorable cats! And, of course, the title itself promises a cat-centric story. Beyond that, its written by the same author as the “Emily Wilde” series, one of my favorite trilogies of the last few years, from start to finish. My only question has to do with the balance between “coziness” and plot, always a struggle point for me with this subgenre. But I have high hopes!

Book: “A Rose of Blood and Binding” by Claire Legrand

Publication Date: February 24, 2026

Why I’m Interested: Well, it’s the third and final book in this trilogy. And I have to say, my biggest emotion going in is probably trepidation. There were definite points I liked in the first two books, but I’ve also struggled a lot with the portrayal of the main characters, finding them more interesting as side characters, only to then get in their head and find a completely different person (both remarkably similar to one another, mostly fueled by some level of self-hatred). So, while I have really enjoyed what we’ve seen from Mara in other books, I’m also really worried that this will go the same route where an excellent character is watered down beneath layers of misery and gloom to the point that she’s no longer recognizable as the same person as the one in other books. We shall see!

Kate’s Picks

Book: “Trad Wife” by Saratoga Schaefer

Publication Date: February 10, 2026

Why I’m Interested: The trad wife/feminine alt right satire continues, and this time we are delving into pregnancy horror to go with the biting commentary! Camille is an up and coming trad wife influencer, though her engagement isn’t as high as she’d like and her husband isn’t as perfect as her social media implies. She tells herself that having a baby would be the perfect thing to fix their marriange and to boost her viewership, but conceiving isn’t coming as easily as she has hoped. So it must be divine intervention when she finds a weird old well in the woods behind her new house, and after wishing for a baby she finds herself pregnant after a very strange encounter with something otherworldly. Having a baby will surely fix all of her problems! Even if her pregnancy is weird and her urges are going to dark places… Sounds like a devilishly good time to me!

Book: “Maria the Wanted” by V. Castro

Publication Date: February 10, 2026

Why I’m Interested: Okay so admittedly Castro’s previous swing at vampire fiction felt pretty flat for me. But given that I have really enjoyed a lot of her other books I wanted to give her newest one a try, and now that the protagonist vampire is less erotic and more of an on the run thriller I’m more on board. Maria is trying to run away from some cartels that she ran afoul, but finds herself turned into a vampire whilst on the lam. Now she wants to find out what it means to be a vampire, and how she can survive in this new form. Especially since now some violent vampire thugs are on her tail as well. I have hopes that this vampire tale from V. Castro will work better and the description gives me hope.

Book: “Nowhere Burning” by Catriona Ward

Publication Date: February 24 2026

Why I’m Interested: I haven’t been as enthralled with Ward’s horror novels in the past, but I have told myself that after taking a break from the past couple I need to give it one more go in case a new premise just clicks for me. And the premise of this book is DEFINITELY interesting, feeling like a weird mix of Lost Boys and Charles Manson. Riley and her brother Oliver are running away from home, hoping to find a new home at Nowhere, a ranch once run by a strange movie star that is now a colony of feral, unrestricted children. It sounds like the freedom Riley is craving. But something else is on the ranch property, and the children who live at Nowhere are far more dangerous than Riley ever anticipated. It sounds culty and weird, and I am totally into it.

What books are you looking forward to this month? Let us know in the comments!

Serena’s Review: “Silver & Bloood”

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Silver & Blood” by Jessie Mihalik

Publishing Info: Avon, January 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: There’s something in the woods…

Untrained and barely armed, Riela reluctantly agrees to enter the forest and kill the deadly beast that has been attacking her fellow villagers as she’s the only mage available—or so she thought. When one beast turns into two, she fears her death is at hand, but unexpected aid from a scarred, strikingly handsome man with dangerous moonlit magic means a second chance at life—and an opportunity to learn more about her own fickle power.

After being rescued and healed from her fight in the forest, Riela awakens in a magical castle complete with a gorgeous library, a strange wolf, and the surly man who saved her life. Riela soon learns Garrick is not a mortal mage at all—he’s a powerful Etheri sovereign who has been locked out of his kingdom in Lohka for nearly a century, and his powers are weakening.

Trapped in his castle and surrounded by the treacherous woods, the spark of attraction between Riela and Garrick slowly ignites into fiery desire. But the more they discover about Riela’s magic, the more suspicious Garrick grows of her identity. As they unravel the secrets connecting Riela’s past to Lohka, the tenuous threads of trust between them begin to fray because Riela’s life—or her death—might be the key to regaining everything Garrick has lost.

Review: I’ll be honest, I was sucked in on this one by the cover art. I don’t often love character art on covers, but something about this one was working for me! The book itself, while not terrible, didn’t hit quite as strongly.

I will say, it started off well. The plot takes off as if its life depends upon it, leaving the reader feeling swept along in a story that has already begun. There were numerous action scenes in the first few pages, and Riela’s POV added an intriguing element. She came across as competent, while also not slotting into the played-out “snarky badass” category. Indeed, I was pleased to see that she recognized that she was out of her depth several times early on.

Unfortunately, after the blistering pace of the first few chapters, once Riela reaches the enchanted castle and meets the MMC, the book seems to run smack-dab into a brick wall. Any pacing or tension that was built up immediately drained away, and the plot began circling the same few beats, chapter after chapter. Riela would explore the castle, look for food, have a brief interaction with the overly mysterious and withdrawn MMC, and then rinse and repeat. This took up the majority of the book, ultimately, with things only picking up again towards the final quarter of the story.

Further, once the pace slowed down and the plot became repetitive, I was left with too much time to think through the ins and outs of this world. And very quickly, much of it began to feel slightly derivative and unimaginative. I enjoyed the “Beauty and the Beast” vibes that made up the basic premise, but I was left wanting a bit more from almost every part of the book by the time we got to the end.

That said, I think the writing itself was fairly strong. Like I said, the book starts off strong, and the main character was written in a compelling manner. I didn’t hate my reading experience by any means, and I’ll definitely check out another book by this author. This just missed the mark a bit, unfortunately. That said, if you’re looking for a romantasy book that checks some familiar fairytale boxes and includes solid writing, this one might be for you!

Rating 7: While the writing and characterization were strong, there simply wasn’t enough plot or pacing to hold the story together through the lagging middle portion.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Silver & Blood” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Romantasy TBR 2026 and 2026 Fantasy Romance Releases.