Month: June 2025

ALA Annual Convention 2025: Highlights!

While we are both currently out of the library field, one way that we like to stay in contact with the field is to attend the annual convention for the American Library Association. This year’s convention was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania so we hopped on a plane and spent a long weekend immersing ourselves in all things libraries and books! Here are a few highlights from our time!

Exhibition Hall

The Exhibition Hall itself is always one of the most fun parts of the convention! Both intimidating and exciting, you never know what you’re going to find around the next aisle corner. We got to nab a few anticipated ARCs, some cool new tote bags, and meet a lot of publishers to talk about their upcoming titles.

We also got to meet a lot of great authors, both some we had read before and some exciting debut authors! Serena was thrilled to get to meet K. A. Applegate for the second time and continue filling out her collection of signed Animorphs books from her childhood. Another few favorites included Alix Harrow with “The Everlasting,” Erin A. Craig with “A Land So Wide,” and Makilia Lucier wth “Dragonfruit.”

For Kate the highlights included seeing Tiffany D. Jackson with “The Scammer” and Clay McLeod Chapman with “Acquired Taste”. There were also a few panels that had some great horror representation (more on those in a bit), and she was able to get a signed book from Becky Spiegel Spratford with her upcoming anthology of “I Love Horror”, a title that she has been looking forward to for awhile.

We were also both very excited to meet Kiersten White! She was signing an older titles of her (“The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein”), but through some diligent scouting, we were both able to snag ARC copies of her upcoming title “The House of Quiet!” Definitely expect to see a joint review for that one!

Panels

There were also several excellent panels that we checked out! Serena was excited to check out the “New Voices in YA” panel which feature three very different sounding titles! Of course, the fantasy title about a world where bodies can be swapped at will (for a steep price, of course) definitely stood out, but all three looked interesting! She also went to a great panel called “Found Family in Speculative Fiction” and was able to meet Sarah Beth Durst and Marie Lu there and get signed copies of their upcoming titles.

Kate’s focuses were generally on horror, and she went to multiple talks on the genre, including “I Found My Thrill: What’s Trending in YA Horror & Thrillers”, and “Crossing Thresholds: The Rise of Transgressive Horror”. It’s always fun to listen to horror people gush about the genre, and Kate now has a lot of new titles to check out. We also both went to a Library Reads panel that hosted five different speculative fiction authors! This was a match made in heaven for us, as there were three fantasy authors present and two horror writers.

Philadelphia

Per our usual Friday escapades, we spent the first morning of the convention exploring the city, before all the book madness really took off. Luckily, our hotel and the convention center were located very near many of the hot spots, so we were able to quickly walk over to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. In a lack of foresight, we didn’t think to get tickets to Independence Hall ahead of time, and, of course, all of the other librarians had had the same idea and were more on top of things than us! So this pic from outside was the best we could do! We did get to go in and see the Liberty Bell though and meander through the incredibly informational museum that surrounds it, including the President’s House Site.

Our hotel was also not only right next to the Convention Center, but also right next to both Chinatown and the Reading Terminal Market. Which means we got some tasty foods between panels and book signings. But most uniquely, the first night we were there we went to Franklin Park for the Chinese Lantern Festival, where we got to see many gorgeous lantern statues that were all lit up. Granted, we had to leave before it got super dark, as a thunderstorm was coming, but it was still really neat and a great art experience that was beautiful.

Overall it was a very successful conference. We feel like we learned a lot, we got a lot of exciting new books that we can’t wait to dive into, and having a fun break in routine together was a pleasure. Next year the conference is going to be in Chicago, a city that we are familiar with but always manages to be exciting and interesting no matter how many times we go! So thank you, Philadelphia, for being a lovely host city, and thank you ALAAC for being a great time once again!

Serena’s Review: “A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace”

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Book: “A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace” by Emily Skrutskie

Publishing Info: Del Rey, June 2025

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

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

Book Description: On the eve of the battle that will decide the realm of Telrus’s fate, Katrien takes a hard look at her prospects. A mere legionnaire, she and her spear will be at the fore in the morning, facing off against the Demon Lord and his wretched army, and it’s all but certain she’ll perish in the fight. But if the end of the world is mere hours away, there’s no reason not to hook up with her handsome, dedicated battle partner Emory—despite any anti-fraternization policies their centurion may have in place.

Only, the world doesn’t end the next day. Instead, an insufferable prince raised in hiding comes out of nowhere with a plucky band of heroes, defeats the Demon Lord, and seals the rift to the hellish plane. The realm is saved. The war is over. And Kat suddenly has a lot more future than she knows what to do with. It’s a future that could include Emory . . . if only he weren’t so set on staying enlisted with the very army Kat was unwillingly drafted into.

And while the Demon Lord has been destroyed, peace is still a long march away. When Kat inadvertently draws the eye of the prince, she, Emory, and the rest of their motley unit are pulled to the fore of the formation—and the heart of the danger—as the army embarks on one last campaign. The mission: laying a road as a foundation for the prince’s future rule. The real mission: scouring the last of the Demon Lord’s servants from the material plane.

As Kat and Emory work to secure a lasting peace, they’ll have to decide what they want their futures to look like—and if there’s room for love at the end of the road.

Review: This was a breath of fresh air in the romantic fantasy/romantasy genre! I do think it skews more closely to romantic fantasy than romantasy, with a heavy focus on world-building and most of the conflict of the story coming down to plot points rather than the smaller amount devoted to internal, romantic conflict.

Some of this also has to do with the fact that we have a partners/friends-to-lovers love story, rather then yet another enemies/rivals-to-lovers. And boy, did I love that! The author makes the bold choice to start the story off right after Kat and Emory have gotten together for the first time. Of course, they both thought they would be dying the next day, so the rest of the story revolves around them now working out the consequences of changing their long-standing dynamic. Everything about their relationship was so lovely and wholesome. Their insecurities and fears were realistic and handled in a mature fashion (for once!), but I particularly appreciated the focus on how important their friendship remained to them. We see their growing passion, of course, but much of the emotional workings of the story relies on the deep friendship and respect that has driven their partnership for several years.

I also enjoyed the larger plot and fantasy elements. For one thing, in fantasy stories like this, we often follow characters who are either already leaders or rare in some way or are building towards a leadership role based on their emerging “special abilities.” Here, while Kat does have some magical growth, the story is much more narrowly focused on the lives of the foot soldiers. Kat is thrust into a leadership role against her will and spends the majority of the book trying to sidestep her way back to being a regular soldier. It was definitely refreshing to approach a story like this through this lens, with the bravery, teamwork, and skill of the regular people who make up these armies being the true heroes.

There were also some good themes explored regarding the balance between following one’s own dreams and what we owe to one another. Much of Kat’s internal struggle comes down to this fact. She is in a privileged position with her access to magic, so what does that mean for her choices going forward? Is she obligated to give up the life she wants in pursuit of using this rare ability for the greater good? For his part, Emory must also confront the realities of life after wartime. It’s not a huge focus of the story, but I think the book did a great job of exploring an aspect of military life that is often left unexplored.

Overall, this was a great read! There was an interesting world peopled with a great cast of characters, and the central love story felt fresh and new. What’s more, this was a stand-alone book, so it’s perfect for readers looking for perhaps their next beach read to bring along on vacation!

Rating 8: If you’re getting a bit worn out on enemies-to-lovers, this is the perfect book for you!

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Legionnaire’s Guide to Love and Peace” can be found on this Goodreads list: June 2025 Most Anticipated Romance Releases.

Kate’s Review: “The Root Witch”

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Book: “The Root Witch” by Debra Castaneda

Publishing Info: Second Rodeo Books, September 2022

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

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

Book Description: A beautiful forest. A terrifying legend.

It’s 1986. Two strangers, hundreds of miles apart, grapple with disturbing incidents in a one-of-a-kind quaking aspen forest.

Knox is a new Forest Service ranger assigned to a vast, remote territory in Utah.

Sandy is a producer fighting for her place in a tough TV newsroom.

Both have heard about the shadowy figure believed to menace visitors to the forest. When a man disappears and reports of the Root Witch begin coming in, Knox and Sandy are plunged into a living nightmare.

Their lives converge on Halloween. Sandy sends a news crew to investigate the sightings. But when the team goes missing, and a shocking video surfaces revealing the ghastly truth, Knox and Sandy face the biggest decision of their lives.

Review: I’ve spoken of this before, but my favorite horror movie of all time is “The Blair Witch Project”. I remember seeing it in the theater when I was 14, and how transformative the experience was for in when it came to horror. I think that my adoration of this film has really molded my tastes and preferences when it comes to horror as a whole, and nature horror/survival horror is near and dear to my heart. I don’t remember how I stumbled upon “The Root Witch” by Debra Castaneda, but it had been sitting on my Kindle for a couple of years before I stumbled upon it while cleaning up my storage. When I saw it I had an ‘oh yeah, this sounded like “The Blair Witch Project’ moment, and decided then and there to finally take it on.

I’ll start with what I did like. For starters, the premise alone is great: there’s an aspen clone forest in Utah (in real life it’s a real place known as Pando) that is rumored to have some kind of dark entity stalking it referred to as The Root Witch. In 1986 a rookie forest service ranger named Knox moves into a cabin near the forest with his restless young wife, while a Salt Lake City newsroom producer named Sandy, hoping to prove something, wants to send a team into the forest to do a story on the urban legend. The team goes missing, their tapes are found, and something otherworldly is lurking. All of this was solid and absolutely clicked for me. I really enjoyed Sandy’s storyline in particular, as her constant roadblocks in her career, usually due to misogyny, are very real, and because of this her motivations are completely understandable, which in turn makes her guilt over her missing crew all the more stressful. I also really love some good urban legend horror, and the background that Castaneda puts into the Root Witch lore was very enjoyable, and with all of that in mind when we DO get some answers (in the form of found footage described moments) I was very satisfied with the execution.

But there is a flip side to this, which brought the story down a bit for me. I really liked the due diligence of describing the Root Witch lore and legend, but we don’t really get much direct action with The Root Witch itself. We rely mostly on descriptions, or aftermath moments with dead things being discovered, but in terms of actual building suspense with in the moment reveals? Not so much. I did like the video once we got there, but I had hoped for more scary and tense moments instead of a lot of build up for Knox and Sandy. Had there been a more even distribution of build up AND satisfying payoff, I would have enjoyed it more, but as it is, it just felt uneven and unsatisfying. And on top of that, I wasn’t nearly as invested in Knox’s story, which was a little ironic given that I fully anticipated to enjoy the path following the ranger. But I thought his wife was a bit grating, there was a side plot with a rancher that wasn’t as fleshed out as I had hoped it would be, and there weren’t enough forest moments with him. I just needed more action!

“The Root Witch” was a bit of a disappointment, but I think that I may try out more stories from Debra Castaneda. There is so much promise here, and I would be curious to see if it comes out in other spooky tales.

Rating 6: I really liked the premise and it had some great moments of found footage transcriptions, but I wish that we had more interactions with the Root Witch instead of aftermaths.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Root Witch” is included on the Goodreads list “Botanical Gothic and Plant Horror”.

Serena’s Review: “The Rushworth Family Plot”

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Book: “The Rushworth Family Plot” by Claudia Gray

Publishing Info: Vintage, June 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney understand each other perfectly; it’s a pity their families do not. A series of misunderstandings, misplaced pride, and—indeed—prejudice, has led their parents to deem the pair unsuited to wed. Now, with the Season approaching, Juliet’s grandfather, General Tilney, has sent her to London with a new wardrobe and orders to prove herself worthy of someone better than the snobby Darcys. Meanwhile, Jonathan has been forced to accept an invitation to stay in town with old friends Edmund and Fanny Bertram at the house of Edmund’s brother, Sir Thomas. Oblivious to and undesiring of female attention outside of Juliet’s, Jonathan is at risk of being ensnared by Caroline Bingley’s previously rebuffed plans to make herself—or her daughter—mistress of Pemberley.

But when Mr. Rushworth, the former husband of Edmund’s sister Maria, is discovered dead in his home, Jonathan and Juliet find themselves with problems far weightier than the marriage market. In one of the greatest scandals of its day, Maria abandoned her new husband in favor of the notorious rake Henry Crawford, and when he wouldn’t marry her, was forced to flee to the continent in disgrace. Now Maria is back, accompanied by a daughter she claims Mr. Rushworth fathered after their divorce—and who he wrote into his will just before his death. To spare Edmund and Fanny further social shame, Jonathan and Juliet must unmask a killer before the drama surrounding the Rushworth family fortune claims another victim.

Previously Reviewed: “The Murder of Mr. Wickham” and “The Late Mrs. Willoughby” and “The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh”

Review: Another entry in the Mr. Darcy/Miss Tilney mysteries and just as enjoyable as the rest! I went into this one both excited (because Claudia Gray has yet to set a single step wrong) but also a bit nervous (because the characters from “Mansfield Park” and especially the dynamic between Edmund and Fanny seem like the most challenging of Austen’s originals to re-create). But, as always, I shouldn’t have worried at all!

Let’s start with the mystery itself! Like always, Gray does an excellent job setting the stage for the murder at the center of this story. There are a number of excellent suspects and red herrings, and every time the reader (or Miss Tilney or Mr. Darcy, for that matter) feel as if they might begin to get a reading on the situation, another twist will be thrown in. I also enjoyed the other, smaller mysteries that made up many of the subplots, such as the Bertrams’ handling of the sale of their plantation in Antiqua.

The story also delved into Fanny’s character and her struggles with childbirth in a very deep way. Poor Fanny. She’s always getting the most rough end of the stick, both in her original story and now here with all of this tragedy. However, I think the way that infertility and miscarriage was handled was incredibly sensitive, and some of Fanny’s internal thoughts and struggles are of the sort that you don’t often see portrayed well on the page. On a lighter note, I enjoyed her interactions with Edmund, and it we even got a bone thrown to some of the Edmund/Fanny/Mary Crawford drama from the original book.

Of course, the main draw is, as always, Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney themselves. Their relationship continues to be hindered by their ridiculous parents, but I was incredibly excited to see Catherine Tilney finally in person on the page! It’s also poetic justice that she immediately gathered a better reading on the situation between Jonathan and Juliet than her husband did in the last book. Their letters discussing the matter were particularly fun! Of course, as this is a series that is ongoing, sticks continued to be thrown in the cogs of them actually formally pursuing things (Darcy and Elizabeth really need to get their act together!). But the story definitely took a twist in this area that I wasn’t expecting and that lead to some of the major action at the end of the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one! It didn’t perhaps reach the highs of some of the previous books (mostly because the secondary characters are largely unlikable or fairly depressed through most of the book which lead to a bit less humor). But I really liked the mystery and I will be first in line to check out the next one!

Rating 8: Full of unexpected action and twists and turns galore, this is another incredibly showing in the series!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Rushworth Family Plot” isn’t on any Goodreads lists but it should be on: Austen Retellings.

Kate’s Review: “The Whyte Python World Tour”

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

Book: “The Whyte Python World Tour” by Travis Kennedy

Publishing Info: Doubleday, June 2025

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

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

Book Description: It’s Los Angeles, 1986, and metal rules the world. For aspiring drummer Rikki Thunder, life is good—even if he is sleeping in a condemned paint store and playing with a band that’s going nowhere. But when he gets a shot to join L.A.’s hottest up-and-coming band, Whyte Python, Rikki’s young life turns up to 11. Soon he has a hit single scorching up the charts, and the new love of his life in the audience. Rikki couldn’t ask for anything more.

But good fortune can be deceiving. With the Cold War breathing its last gasps and American music blasting through the Iron Curtain, a youth revolution is taking hold – and a hair band is unknowingly playing host to the final battle for the hearts and minds of the Eastern Bloc. Rikki Thunder soon realizes there is a deeper web of influence propelling Whyte Python, and the stakes for his mission—to spread peace, love, and epic shredding across the globe—are far more dangerous than he could ever imagine.

Raucously funny and refreshing, The Whyte Python World Tour is a head-banger of a debut, steeped in ‘80s music culture nostalgia and international suspense.

Review: Thank you to Wunderkind PR for sending me an ARC of this novel!

In the past few years I have fully embraced my love for glam metal. My husband has been a big Motley Crue fan since we were teenagers, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized that I, too, love the over the top melodramatics of hair metal and the spandex and make up and androgyny that goes with it. So when I was asked if I wanted to check out “The Whyte Python World Tour” by Travis Kennedy, I couldn’t help but say yes. The idea of a tongue in cheek music story with hints of “Spinal Tap” and ‘Behind the Music’ lunacy mixed with a Cold War Espionage tale is so funny to me. Because why would you want a hair metal band involved in global politicking and coups?!

This may be a deep cut, but it’s too perfect to pass up. (source)

This is part espionage thriller, part raucous coming of age rock and roll tale, and while it doesn’t take itself too seriously it also never treads into cheap laughs or lazy tropes. We follow Rikki Thunder, a young hair metal drummer in L.A. right as the Cold War is starting to see serious cracks in 1989. He is recruited to be the new drummer for the hot band Whyte Python, but what he (and the band itself) doesn’t know is that everything is being manipulated by the C.I.A. in hopes of brining the rebellion of hair metal to the U.S.S.R. and starting a rebellion by the youth. We have Rikki’s POV, but we also follow members of the agency, including his handler who calls herself Tawny and presents herself as a rock and roll groupie. I really enjoyed both of these perspectives, whether it’s golden retriever and deeply earnest Rikki, or the Cold War politics and spy thrills of Tawny and the agency trying to pull off a glam metal fueled revolution. It’s a bit of a goofy premise. but Kennedy leans fully in and I found it entertaining and at times very suspenseful. It is also very funny at times, and I found myself laughing throughout the story at the ludicrous situations and musings that Rikki and his fellow cast members would get into.

But this book is also such a love letter to glam metal and its entire essence and aesthetic. Whether that is the Southern California roots that Whyte Python has, or the fashion styles described in this book, or the little nods to other legendary bands, be it directly or indirectly (I mean come on, Rikki’s love interest/handler gives herself the name Tawny. I said to myself ‘yeah, as in KITANE!!!’ when we first met her), this book clearly adores the entire oeuvre of hair metal. I enjoyed the moments of Rikki interacting with his bandmates, and even real life people (there is a scene between him and Brett Michaels that was practically killing me), and I also enjoyed the way that Kennedy shows how powerful and unifying music can be for people of many backgrounds and experiences. It’s just such a wholesome concept, and it really reminded me of the original premise of the “Bill and Ted” movies about how hair metal could change the world for the better. In a time where cynicism has really taken root and some really dark things have been happening, it was just a nice balm, even if for a moment.

“The Whyte Python World Tour” is an entertaining and heartfelt read that centers a healthy affection for glam metal music and the power it holds. I really enjoyed it.

Rating 8: A tongue in cheek, goofy espionage thriller with a glam metal sheen, “The Whyte Python World Tour” is entertaining, funny, and filled with heart and a love for the power of music.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Whyte Python World Tour” isn’t included on any Goodreads lists a of now, but it would fit in on “Fiction Involving Rock/Pop Music”.

Not Just Books: June 2025

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

(We’re posting this one a week early since next week we are devoting our Monday post to a re-cap of ALA 2025!)

Serena’s Picks

Show: “Outlast”

Ever wonder what would happen if you mixed the serious, skilled approach to outdoors survival that is required for “Alone” and mixed it with the social “strategy” trash heap that is “Survivor?” Well boy, oh, boy, do I have the show for you! My husband and I binged this over a few nights, hating it, and ourselves, for every bit of it. This is a show that tries to take itself seriously while also being so incredibly ridiculous that you can’t help but laugh at almost all of the people involved. It’s also a whiplash experience from some of the actual hardships of living in the wild (the cold, for example) and the extreme craziness that is some of these peoples’ “strategy” towards the teamwork portion of it. I can’t really recommend it unless you’re looking for trashy tv. But if you are, this is a perfect example of it!

Video Game: “Mass Effect”

I only got into playing video games fairly regularly in the last ten years or so, so there are several older RPGs (my favorite type) that I haven’t gotten around to. And as I’m in a bit of a lull before my next anticipated release comes out, I decided to try out the Legendary version of “Mass Effect.” I’m still finishing up the first game but am definitely enjoying it. Yes, it shows its age with the repeated layouts for buildings and such, but the main story is compelling and I like a lot of the companion characters. That said, I think the next two games are supposed to be even better, so I’m excited to get through this one and see what comes next in the story.

Movie: “Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning”

It’s been soooo long since the first part of this movie came out. So long in fact that they dropped the “Part 1/Part 2” bit from the title altogether! But if there’s ever a movie franchise to prioritize seeing in the theaters, it’s these. And this one came through as always! Nonstop action, nonstop stunts! It’s also the first time that Tom Cruise was starting to look a bit older. Not in the quality of his stunt work, mind, just generally. I was also a bit sad to see that the balance between action elements and the other characters felt a bit off. Tom Cruise is great, yes, but what has made this franchise so fun has also come down to the team he works with. And here, there just didn’t seem to be as much time given to them as I would have liked. That said, it was still well worth the ticket price and I’m sure most fans of the series will be happy with it!

Kate’s Picks

TV Show: “Criminal Minds: Evolution”

Man, I never thought that I would still be into this reboot of a procedural that I didn’t REALLY get into when it was on, but lemme tell ya. The moment the first episode of the new season of “Criminal Minds: Evolution” dropped, I made a NIGHT of it. The BAU can’t seem to catch any breaks, given that Elias Voight, aka rampant serial killer Sicarius, was attacked in prison and now has legit amnesia, and they have to help him recover his memories in hopes that he can help THEM catch more serial killers. But since he has NO recollection of how he is or what he’s done, his (seeming) helplessness is making the team feel conflicted. Oh, and J.J. is also going through it when a horrible tragedy hits her family. Is it all a little melodramatic? Yes. Do I care? Not really! Melodrama is my jam, and this show is over the top in its sinisterness but I still find it to be a guilty pleasure watch. I’m not sure what I think about Voight’s sudden memory loss and supposed redemption arc (he’s murdered dozens of people, he can’t be redeemed can he?), but hey, if it gets more Zach Gilford on my screen, I’m not complaining.

TV Show: “King of the Hill”

It’s that time again! That time where I devote one of my non-book highlights to something that I’ve talked about before. But I decided to revisit one of my all time favorite shows “King of the Hill” for a couple reasons. One was that I was trying to stave off a huge anxiety spike like I had last summer, and a comfort show seemed like the perfect reason. Another is that the reboot is coming out in August (I will admit I’m skeptical; I just don’t know if it will hit the same way all these years later, especially with a few cast members no longer with us – see the next point), though I wanted to get in the right mindset. And 3), which is the saddest reason, Jonathan Joss, who voiced one of my favorite characters John Redcorn, was murdered at the start of the month, which is so awful and sad that it just felt right to keep watching. So I’m rewatching. And it’s still great, even if some of it feels bittersweet.

Documentary: “Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster”

The Titan Submersible Disaster happened about two years ago (almost to the date: Serena and I were starting our 2023 ALA trip when it was all going down and we leave for Philadelphia on Thursday for ALAAC25), and I remember being totally enthralled and horrified as it was happening. Because of this I was obviously going to watch a documentary about it, and now “Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster” is out and I jumped right in. This documentary is a pretty good examination of the history of OceanGate, its ambitious (and borderline sociopathic) founder Stockton Gates, and the disaster that claimed multiple lives and captured the world’s attention. I thought it was a solid background that gave a lot of good history and context, while also critiquing not only the capitalistic greed and cost cutting with Gates in charge (as well as a need for fame and his abusive treatment of anyone who would get in his way), but also the people left behind to mourn the deaths of their loved ones. I also liked the way it framed how so many people around the world are still so interested in the Titanic, and how far people will go to get a piece of that fame.

Serena’s Review: “Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night”

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

Book: “Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night” by Kresley Cole

Publishing Info: Gallery Books, June 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: finished copy from the publisher!

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

Book Description: Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed—until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

His slow, hot touch is irresistible…

Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It’s rumored that no one can tempt Bowen’s hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

No deed is too wicked for her seduction…

If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul—or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?

Review: It’s been a while since I’ve checked out a paranormal romance read on this blog, so I was excited to see that Kresley Cole’s “Immortals After Dark” series was getting a new look and republished. I’ve had the first one down on my TBR list for a while (but honestly, those OG covers threw me off every time). After looking into it, the series seems like the sort where the world is connected, but each book follows a new couple. So I felt comfortable picking up the series with this, the third book, that was releasing in June. Let’s dive in!

This was a bit of a mixed bag right from the start. And I really do mean “right from the start.” The first chapter left me very confused about how I was feeling about the book. We jump right into the action (great!) and I really enjoyed some of the early grumpy/sunshine banter that we got from our two main characters. On the other hand, within a page or two (I kid you not!), these two were already getting hot and heavy. We went from zero to 60 in no time flat! What’s more, after shooting out of the gate at a gallop, after the first chapter, the book screeches to a stop, separating our characters and adding a bunch of backstory and other characters. Now, all of this backstory and the extra characters themselves weren’t bad by any means (indeed, much of the backstory for the MMC was incredibly important), but it did leave the pacing in a strange place and me floundering to settle myself in this world.

As the book continued, I was better able to piece things together. I can confirm that it was approachable as a stand-alone book, but also that there were numerous references to characters and portions of this world that I likely would have better understood had I started with the first book.

This also read as rather dated with its approach to the love story. We have a large age gap (not something that I typically quibble with), fated mates, and a lot of internal conflict driving the love story. All of these tropes are quite delicate to handle well, in my opinion, and this book walked right up to the line on a few of them. Particularly with the way the werewolves and their need to “claim” their mate was handled. There was the tiniest bit of “ick” to the entire thing, with how compulsive it all felt. This in particular was a bit that made the book feel a bit dated, as it was the sort of thing you often found in older romance book but that is more carefully handled nowadays.

This carried over a bit to the dynamics between the FMC and the MMC. Again, I don’t have an issue with age gaps on their own, but this one felt a bit egregious, especially when paired with the grumpy/sunshine trope and the fact that Mari was “fated” for Bowen. None of these things were bad on their own, but there was something about the way they all layered on top of one another to make me not fully able to invest in their love story.

All of this said, I very much enjoyed the world and society of this series. There was a ton of creativity to be found in the ways these various different creatures interacted with one another and shared a world. I’m definitely interested in checking out another book in this series, just to see more of this world and experience the dynamics between two other characters. (I’m going to avoid the first book, however, as a cursory look at it highlighted the fact that the whole “claiming” thing is perhaps even worse there). However, if you enjoy paranormal romances, I can definitely see the appeal in this series and I’m excited to see if another book/couple might be a better fit for me!

Rating 7: I didn’t feel like a few of the romantic tropes worked well together, but the world itself was super interesting, and I’ll likely check out the next book!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night” can be found on these Goodreads lists: So you love a Bad Boy or Tortured Hero and Best Highland/Scotland Romance Novels.

Serena’s Review: “A Dance of Lies”

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Book: “A Dance of Lies” by Brittney Arena

Publishing Info: Del Rey, June 2025

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

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

Book Description: Vasalie Moran was once a dancer in King Illian’s court, until he framed her for murder. Barely surviving her two years in the dungeons, she’s suddenly called to face her king. He offers her a deal: become his spy at the six-week royal Gathering and he’ll grant her freedom.

As Illian’s orders grow bloody and dangerous, forcing her to harm and betray those around her, Vasalie discovers that the monster she serves may be aligned with a bigger monster—one far closer to home. With her world threatened, Vasalie enlists the help of Illian’s brother and greatest adversary, the infamous King of the East.

As the rivalry between brothers escalates, with Vasalie caught in the middle, the horrifying truth of her past comes to light. If she wants to survive, she must decide who to trust, who to fight for, and how much of her soul she’s willing to damn in the process.

Review: Well, another romantasy down in the books. Another mixed bag affair. At this point, I acknowledge that I’m probably just a picky reader when it comes to this subgenre, and more often than not, I’m better off in “romantic fantasy” than romantasy, a distinction you wouldn’t think would make as much of a difference as it does! This one had a lot of potential, but in the end, it didn’t work for me in the way I had hoped it would.

Not a lot really worked for me with this one, unfortunately. But some of that is definitely objective. The style of writing, for one thing, felt fairly simplistic, leaving me feeling distanced from the characters and action and not able to fully invest myself in what was happening on the page. Part of this came down to what I felt was an imbalance between inner monologues and outward action/description. Yes, our main character has had a rough go of it, but there came a point in the first third of the story where I simply didn’t need to revisit some of these hardships as often as we were. All of this said, however, readers who prefer a more straight-forward style of writing or who prefer more inward-reflecting main characters may not struggle with the writing as much as I did.

I also liked the general idea of Vasalie’s disability and the inclusion of a character like this. That said, I’m not sure the execution quite worked. Again, a lot of inner narration was devoted to the struggles and adjustments that Vasalie needed to make due to this disability. However, whenever she needed to perform, it felt as if this disability suddenly, magically disappeared! The story didn’t outright say this, but the implication and depiction was that a person affected by a disability could simply “get past it” whenever it was needed. There was nothing egregious in this area, but I did think there was a heavy disconnect between the inner reflections of Vasalie’s disablity and the actual affect it had on her life (very little, especially when her dancing was needed for plot purposes).

I also didn’t love the romance. I didn’t expect a love triangle situation, so I was displeased to see one emerging fairly early on. While not the worst I’ve read, I often found myself frustrated by Vasalie’s choices. I definitely had a preference of her two choices, and I felt like she spent way too much time chasing the wrong one. Beyond that, I’m not sure if I’ve ranted about it before, but I’m so over the cutesy little nicknames that seem to now be a requirement in the romantasy genre. Authors, they’re not cute. Please stop.

Me cringing so hard at the latest “clever” nickname to pop up in my romantasy read

So yeah, this was kind of a bummer of read. Nothing was horribly wrong with it, but on the other hand, nothing was really great. More general fans of romantasy (i.e. less picky ones) will likely enjoy this one, especially those who like love triangles/less defined romantic interests. However, if you’re just a casual fan, I’m not sure this is the read for you.

Rating 6: Unfortunately, this one just didn’t click with me, feeling at once too familiar and too remote to become invested in.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Dance of Lies” can be found on this Goodreads list: June 2025 Most Anticipated Romance Releases

Kate’s Review: “The Ground That Devours Us”

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Book: “The Ground That Devours Us” by Kalla Harris

Publishing Info: Entangled Teen, June 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from the publicist via NetGalley.

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

Book Description: The world ended ten years ago. Vampires showed up, took over, and turned the whole planet into their personal all-you-can-drink buffet. The president? Bloodsucker. The government? Bloodsuckers. My social life? Absolutely nonexistent.

But hey, at least I had one thing going for me—slayer training. My twin sister, Ripley, and I were about to go pro, officially joining the ranks of the last people on earth who actually do something about the whole “undead overlords” situation.

And then X had to show up. The vampire boogeyman. The worst of the worst. And instead of killing Ripley, like any decent monster would, he turned her. Now she’s technically a vamp, but something tells me my sister is still in there. Which means I can’t slay her.

What can I do? Break every rule. Lie to my friends. Strike a deal with the most dangerous vampire on the planet: X will protect Ripley from everyone else who wants her dead—like, really dead—until I can snag the cure for vampirism. The catch? Risking my own head to help him free his good-for-nothing BFF from the very slayers who taught me everything.

If I want Ripley back, I’m going to have to play nice with the thing that ruined my life. And the worst part? I think he’s enjoying this.

Review: Thank you to Kaye Publicity for sending me an eARC of this novel!

Anyone who has followed my reviews of vampire fiction on this blog can probably tell you that I am VERY particular about the genre, and that in many cases I have a really hard time getting into straight up human/vampire romance. THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS (love Spike and Buffy, I’ve really enjoyed the “My Roommate Is A Vampire” series by Jenna Levine), but overall it’s just not something I like. But when I was sent the description of “The Ground That Devours Us” by Kalla Harris, even though I knew it had romantic elements, I ALSO saw that it was a dystopia. And man I love dystopia. So I threw caution to the wind, hoping that the dystopic angles would outweigh the romantic ones.

This book gave me a mix of general dystopia, the book “The Coldest Girl in Cold Town” by Holly Black, the book/movie “Warm Bodies”, and some sprinkles of various CW vampire shows whether it’s “Buffy” or “The Vampire Diaries” (which was a direct influence according to Harris), and as a whole I found it very enjoyable and to be a well done mish mash. I liked the world that Harris built, with non-vampire survivors training and preparing to try and overtake the bloodsucker threat, while vampires are getting their own stuff in order, bringing more humans into the fold and turning them into vampires. And like with any dystopian stories worth their weight, we have a well established societal system, with our humans in one well guarded sanctuary compound, and our vampires (some sentient, some almost like zombies called ‘bloodwalkers’) outside the walls and living in their own society. I really enjoyed the vampires mythos, with there being more traditional vampires and the zombie-esque ones, and I liked the way that Harris slowly unveils the way that Vaille works, for better or for worse.

I also was a pretty big fan of our cast of characters, finding them all pretty well rounded and fleshed out. Our protagonist is Ruby, and she and her sister Ripley live in the compound Vaille and are training to be vampire slayers under the eye of Barnett, the head of their community. So when Ripley is turned into a vampire by notorious vampire X, Ruby wants to get her sister back because Vaille may be on the verge of a cure. It’s good hook, and Ruby is both an interesting and confounding protagonist, but confounding in a good way. She’s stubborn, bitter, and always on guard and ready to lash out at X, but when she teams up with him in hopes of getting Ripley back on her side, we really start to see her character growth. Especially as her worldview starts to be challenged the community she has put so much faith and devotion into starts to be revealed as not what she thinks. I was surprised by how well done this exploration of clannishness and blind devotion after being flooded with propaganda, and how Ripley has to start deconstructing what she thinks is true about her life in Vaille and being so tied to Barnett. It’s a pretty heavy theme, and Harris clearly trusts her reader to be able to parse out the nuance.

And okay, I probably have to talk about the romance, which was the element that I was the most nervous about. As mentioned above, I am really picky about my vampire romance. But I ended up really enjoying the relationship between Ruby and X. It wasn’t instalove, which is always a plus (and how could it be? He turned her sister into a vampire!), but it was done in a way that actually felt believable, going slowly enough that she could work through her anger, so he could help her understand his position, and so they could connect at a steady and acceptable pace (and there are some mitigating factors, too, but I won’t go into it here). X is a fun foil to Ruby, and I was definitely harkening back to some of the snide banter between Buffy and Spike in earlier seasons of “BTVS”.

I am such a predictable sucker for that kind of thing, take me back to swooning on the phone with my cousin after an episode of especially good Spike and Buffy banter! (source)

So overall, “The Ground That Devours Us” is a unique vampire dystopia tale that I found to be incredibly engaging. If Harris wanted to write more stories in this universe, I would read them for sure.

Rating 8: A unique and entertaining vampire dystopia that goes into some existential meditations on clannishness, blind allegiances, and propaganda. Oh, and vampire romance, too, and it didn’t make me want to pull my hair out.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Ground That Devours Us” is included on the Goodreads list “YA Novels of 2025”.

Serena’s Review: “The Palace of Illusions”

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Book: “The Palace of Illusions” by Rowenna Miller

Publishing Info: Orbit, June 2025

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

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

Book Description: In the run up to the 1900s World’s Fair Paris is abuzz with creative energy and innovation. Audiences are spellbound by the Lumiere brothers’ moving pictures and Loie Fuller’s serpentine dance fusing art and technology. But for Clara Ironwood, a talented and pragmatic clockworker, nothing compares to the magic of her godfather’s mechanical creations, and she’d rather spend her days working on the Palace of Illusions, an intricate hall of mirrors that is one of the centerpieces of the world’s fair.
 
When her godfather sends Clara a hideous nutcracker for Christmas, she is puzzled until she finds a hidden compartment that unlocks a mirror-world Paris where the Seine is musical, fountains spout lemonade, and mechanical ballerinas move with human grace. The magic of her godfather’s toys was real. 
 
As Clara explores this other Paris and begins to imbue her own creations with its magic, she soon discovers a darker side to innovation. Suspicious men begin to approach her outside of work, and she could swear a shadow is following her. There’s no ignoring the danger she’s in, but Clara doesn’t know who to trust. The magic of the two Parises are colliding and Clara must find the strength within herself to save them both.

Review: Not only have I enjoyed many of Rowenna Miller’s books in the past, but I’ve long been on the look out for a good re-imagining of “The Nutcrakcer.” And while this one wasn’t perfect, it is by far the best version of this story I’ve read so far!

As always, Miller’s style of writing is excellent. In this book in particular, her prose stood out most in the descriptions of not only the magical version of Paris, but also the real world itself. For the latter, she does incredible work of grounding the story in the specifics of the time and place, noting architectural details of Paris and many of the unique aspects of the city at this time. On the other hand, she does an incredible job with the creation of the fantasy world that mirrors this Paris. It’s easy to understand Clara’s almost inescapable draw to this place, especially given her focus on creation and invention, two themes that are heavily explored in this book.

I also really enjoyed the complicated nature of Clara’s relationship with her godfather. It wasn’t the primary focus of the story, but I think there were some really nice subtle points made about the strength of adult/child relationships and the ways they can be strained as life progresses. The other main relationship in the book was the romance, which, again, wasn’t a huge part of the story but was still quite sweet. It had a nice slow burn arc and it wrapped up nicely in the end.

I did struggle with Clara at times. She’s clearly presented as a very intelligent character, and while it’s understandable that she would be drawn into this magical world, there were several moments where she made incredibly silly decisions. In these moments, she read more like a teen character than the adult woman she was meant to be.

I also think the pacing was a bit hit and miss. The story starts out fast enough, with the introduction of the fairytale elements being introduced quite early on. But as the story continues, the pacing really started to drag towards the middle. Readers’ enjoyment of this section will really come down to how much they enjoy the lyrical style of writing and the many scenes that are more focused on the whimsical parts of this world.

I definitely think this is one to check out if you’re especially interested in “The Nutcracker,” and it will also likely appeal to fantasy fans who also enjoy historical fiction. As I am both of these, I largely enjoyed this read! It is on the slower side, however, so readers focused on fast-paced reads may struggle with it.

Rating 8: A lovely re-imagining of the classic “Nutcracker” tale!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Palace of Illusions” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Nutcracker Retellings and Edwardian Fantasy.