Category: Serena’s Reviews

Serena’s Review: “Green and Deadly Things”

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Book: “Green and Deadly Things” by Jenn Lyons

Publishing Info: Tor, March 2026

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

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

Book Description: Mathaiik has trained all his life to join the sacred order of the Idallik Knights, charged with defending their world from the forces of necromancy. Only vestiges of that cursed magic remain, nothing like the fabled days of the Grim Lords, the undead wizards who once nearly destroyed the world.

But when an even stranger kind of monster begins to wake, the Knights quickly prove powerless to stop them. Whole forests are coming alive and devouring anyone so foolish as to trespass, as if the land itself has turned upon humanity.

It’s a good thing, then, that the Grim Lords were never truly destroyed. One of their number sleeps below the Knights’ very fortress. And when an army of twisted tree monsters attacks the young initiates in his charge, Math decides to do the unthinkable: he wakes her up.

This is only the beginning of his problems. Because said necromancer, Kaiataris, knows something history has forgotten. The threat of this wild magic is part of a cycle that has repeated countless times–life after death, chaos after order. And if she and Math can’t find a new way to balance the scales, this won’t just be the end of the world as they know it, but the end of all life, everywhere.

Review:I feel like deadly, horrific plants have been having a bit of a moment in horror and fantasy recently. I can think of a number of titles that have played around with this concept, all horrifying in their own ways. And this book starts off with more of the same! A walking, murderous forest, and not in the “Cool! Look at the Ents!” kind of way.

From there, the world-building just expands, and I loved learning more about this world. Math is a great entry point, having grown up in an order of Knights meant to fight evil necromancers, but with his feet on both sides of the magical divide, with his own secret plant magic. And even here, with the good guy of the book, the ways in which his plant magic is described… yeah, pretty gross. But also very cool, especially as the lore of this world explodes outward once he raises one of the long-thought-defeated necromancers of old and realizes there is much more to this world than he thought.

This reveal was one of the coolest factors of the book, and it immediately shifted not only the stakes of the conflict but also revealed some truths about Math and everything he thought he knew. Kai was also a fantastic character, bringing in a wealth of knowledge. She and Math had great chemistry, and I enjoyed the push-and-pull nature of their growing trust. It was very much a “two steps forward, one step backward” affair with these two.

Some of the late reveals I felt were a bit more predictable. And there definitely came a point when I wanted to smack Math upside the head to get with the real program going on here. But, even with that being the case, his perspectives and priorities made sense for him as a character, so I wasn’t overly frustrated by it.

The one drawback was the pacing. The story starts off incredibly quickly and does a neat job of setting up the primary players and the situation ahead. But then, toward the middle, the story started to drag. Math and Kai spend a lot of time traveling, always interrupted by the fairly predictable return of some bad guys to get in their way. While I was interested in the greater evil that was building in the background, some of these more minor action scenes began to feel repetitive. At the same time, Math and Kai’s relationship also stuttered a bit in the middle, so it was a bit of a struggle to retain interest during this portion.

However, things picked up again, and by the end, I was once again invested in what was taking place. It’s also refreshing to read a stand-alone fantasy novel with a story that feels contained and complete. Readers who are looking for a unique action fantasy story should definitely give this one a go!

Rating 8: While the middle portion lagged a bit, the creepy plant magic and endearing characters kept me invested throughout!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Green and Deadly Things” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Can’t Wait Books of 2026 and Horror to Look Forward to in 2026.

Serena’s Review: “Queen of the Night Sky”

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Book: “Queen of the Night Sky” by Amalie Howard

Publishing Info: Avon, March 2026

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

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

Book Description: The Kingdom of Oryndhr has been saved by the will of the Royal Stars. But King Roshan, once Sura’s best friend and chosen love, has changed. She can sense corruption growing in him, and her own magic is being twisted by his command to dangerous ends. As dreams of her strange shadow guardian return in force, she is left unsure of her path—and of her heart.

When an attempt on her life leads to her rescue on the back of an azdaha, the dragon-like creature she once thought a myth, Sura truly finds herself in uncharted territory—in a land far beyond Oryndhyr’s borders. Everlea is full of magic, ruled by the deadly and enigmatic Night King, Darrius. And to Sura’s shock, Darrius is none other than the man in her dreams…and possibly her soul fated mate.

As a prophecy unfolds, the old gods awaken, and a war between kingdoms looms, Sura has no she must fully embrace her destiny as Starkeeper and the entirety of her power before it’s too late. But all power comes at a cost…and darkness has a way of slithering into the smallest spaces.

Previously Reviewed: “The Starlight Heir”

Review:Once more for the people in the back: no more bait-and-switch in romance/romantasy! I honestly am at the point where it’s incredibly hard to review some romantasy books that I read. Mostly because authors/publishers seem to refuse to properly label their books/series initially, which then leads me to epic levels of rage when I run into tropes and themes that I know that I don’t care for and would otherwise simply have avoided rather than read and end up needing to write a negative review. Because, at the end of the day, book reviews and reading experiences are entirely subjective. I can’t speak to the quality of any particular romantasy book outside my own experience of it. Sure, those who enjoy certain tropes may love it! But how could I say when I am not the reader for that book? I don’t like certain tropes, and thus, I don’t usually like those books, which then leads to negative reviews. Simple.

All of this to say, while I read the first book in this series and didn’t strongly connect with it, I was still interested enough to see where the story would go from there. It wasn’t doing anything extraordinary, but the general set-up was fine, and I was happy enough to see how the romance would play out. Well, color me surprised when I opened up this second book and discovered I was suddenly reading a “why choose” romantasy, not at all what had been set up in the first book.

Like I said, there are plenty of readers who enjoy this trope, and I am by no means saying that it is objectively bad. Just not for me. But here I am, now having committed to reviewing the second in a duology based on the set-up from the first book, which was your fairly standard romantasy fare, only to find it swerve straight into a trope that I avoid so as not to be writing negative reviews for books that just aren’t for me. Well, the publisher/author really has no one to blame for this but themselves. Had I known in the first book that this is where it was going, I would have just passed, and this negative review wouldn’t exist. Hate to do it, but… properly label your dang romantasy titles from the very start!

So, I won’t talk any more about the romance. I didn’t like it. I didn’t care for the characters involved, and I particularly didn’t care for the imbalanced level of connection and history between various pairings, thus making the entire “why choose” premise feel poorly weighted in one direction. The emotional stakes were definitely weighted one way, and the character assassination that had to happen to set up the other romantic interest was frustrating to read. Even by “why choose” standards, I don’t think this one was done particularly well.

Probably not a surprise, but this book goes hard on its spicy scenes. Given the balance between spice and plot is weighted heavily toward the former, I will say that these scenes were written well. I wasn’t terribly invested in the characters involved, but the author did a good job avoiding cringe-worthy descriptions or oddness, something that isn’t always a guarantee with romance. Readers who are enjoying the romance of it all will be pleased, I think, with how the love scenes play out.

However, the book also feels way longer than it needs to be. Actually stepping back and looking at what happens in the plot, it’s very little. And the book itself is not short by any means. I think some healthy editing would have tightened this up into a more streamlined affair and a more enjoyable read all around. While the spice scenes were good for what they were, this balance between romance and plot did feel off, and one or two fewer erotic scenes might have helped the plot feel more relevant.

Shocking no one, I didn’t love this one. I hate having to write negative reviews, especially when I’ve been contacted directly to review a book. But I’m committed to honest feedback first and foremost, so here we are. As I’ve harped on ad nauseam at this point, I really do try my best to simply avoid romantasy reads that contain tropes that I’m not going to enjoy. It’s incredibly frustrating that I can list off a handful of books within the last six months alone where I went in being sold one thing and then ran headfirst into the brick wall of these very same “avoid at any cost” tropes. And here, had I known going in that the duology was taking a hard turn into this trope, I would have simply passed when asked to review this. Alas.

Note: I want to include a few points for transparency and clarity.

I received a copy of this book from a marketer who did identify it as a “why choose” trope. But I also think this makes part of my point even stronger: most readers are not hearing directly from publishers and thus would not have been given the opportunity to note that the type of romance series they started was definitively NOT the one they would be continuing if they picked up this second book.

The marketer has also since informed me that this book is identified as “why choose” on retail sites. That said, I think it is fairly unreasonable to expect romance readers to be on the constant look out for major switches to the type of romance they are reading between one book in the series and another. If I started a cozy romance novel, and then book two suddenly became a dark romance, I don’t think an updated listing on Amazon could counter the justified frustration at a bait-and-switch of that kind.

Rating 5: Not for me. “Why choose” fans will likely be pleasantly surprised, but if you thought the first book was representative of where the duology was headed, you’d be wrong.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Queen of the Night Sky” can be found on this Goodreads list: March 2026 Most Anticipated Romance Releases.

Serena’s Review: “Mother of Death and Dawn”

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Book: “Mother of Death and Dawn” by Carissa Broadbent

Publishing Info: Bramble, March 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: In the wake of a crushing defeat, Tisaanah and Maxatarius have been ripped apart. Tisaanah is desperate to rescue Max from his imprisonment, even as her people’s fight for freedom grows more treacherous. But within the walls of Ilyzath, Max’s mind is a shadow of what it once was… leaving his past a mystery and his future at the mercy of Ara’s new, ruthless queen.

Meanwhile, in the Fey lands, Aefe has been dragged back into this world by a king who vows to destroy civilizations in her name. But even as her past returns to claim her, her former self is a stranger.

Tisaanah, Max, and Aefe are thrust into the center of a cataclysm between the human and Fey worlds. The unique magic they share is key to either winning the war, or ending it.

But that power demands sacrifice. Tisaanah may be forced to choose between love and duty. Max cannot forge his future without confronting his past. And Aefe must decide between reclaiming who she was, or embracing who she has become.

The choices they make will either reshape this world forever…or end it.

Previously Reviewed: “Daughter of No Worlds” and “Children of Fallen Gods”

Review: At this point, I’ve read a few different duologies from this author, as well as a few standalones. Looking back, I think the standalones are the strongest of the group, mostly because both of the series fell off a bit in their final book. Still great reads, of course, but with a few hiccups with pacing and plotting. So, while I really enjoyed this book, it does reinforce this idea: this is a good book, but it’s not as strong as the ones that came before it and once again stumbles a bit in its landing.

But let’s start with the unqualified good things, and that is mostly the characters! Max and Tisaanah remain excellent, both as separate characters experiencing their own arcs throughout this story and as a couple working toward their romantic resolution. And, like both of the previous books, this story doesn’t go easy on them. Both experience some truly traumatic things, and it’s only through the force of their will (and in Tisaanah’s case, her unceasing hope) that they pull through. They are motivated not only by the betterment of those around them, but also to get through their challenges to be there for one another. Amidst all of the darkness and trauma, there’s a truly lovely romance here, and I enjoyed the heck out of it.

As for the other characters, I have mixed feelings. I truly appreciate the inclusion of the villain arcs for Aefe and Caudan. It’s rare for an author to truly make me understand and sympathize with a villainous character. There’s a bunch of drama and angst here, which is an interesting contrast to Max and Tisaanah’s steady, solid love. However, I also felt like Aefe’s chapters were retreading a lot of ground from the first book, hitting repetitive emotional beats and, overall, simply a bit lackluster in comparison to the rest. Perhaps some simple editing—cutting these down to what was truly necessary—would have helped.

I also think the pacing was fairly uneven. The story starts off incredibly slowly and takes a while to truly build momentum. By the midpoint of the book, things begin to pick up. But then, once we get to this point, the book becomes a whirlwind in which one thing after another happens back-to-back in a way that left me looking for an emotional touchstone to connect back to the characters, the obvious heart of the story. Much of what I’ve just written sounds almost word-for-word like my experience reading her latest book in the Nyaxia series. It’s an odd thing, to be both too slow and also too much at times in the same book.

However, this was still a solid read and an excellent conclusion to the trilogy. I really loved following Tisaanah and Max’s story especially, and I think their romance is one of my favorites from Broadbent. If you enjoyed the first two, this is definitely a must-read! And, overall, this is a great fantasy romance trilogy for those looking for love stories that don’t skimp on the world-building and epic stakes of fantasy novels.

Rating 8: A bit of uneven pacing throughout, but the strong characters and swoon-worthy romance make it all well worth it!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Mother of Death and Dawn” can be found on this Goodreads list: Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2026.

Serena’s Review: “This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me”

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

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

Publishing Info: Tor, March 2026

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

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

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.

Review: To this day, Andrews’ Kate Daniels series is my favorite urban fantasy series. For one thing, she knew when to end the darn thing (side-eyeing the Mercy Thompson series right now). But it was also a solid run of books with very few missteps along the way. What’s more, not only was Kate herself an excellent heroine, but the romantic interest was excellent, and the love story managed to retain drama and tension without resorting to contrived angst. All of this to say, I was thrilled when I saw that Andrews was starting up a new series, and this time in one of my favorite subgenres of fantasy: portal/epic fantasy!

There’s so much to love about this book that I barely know where to start! But let’s just start with the world-building. This book makes one of the best uses of the “portal fantasy” concept that I’ve seen in a while. Andrews doesn’t get too bogged down in the “how” of it all, simply starting up the story several days after the fact, with our heroine doing quite poorly living on the streets. The realization that she can’t die is a welcome, if terrifying and painful, game-changer. But what’s so fun about this set-up is subtle nods and jabs to epic fantasy and G.R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones that are scattered throughout this story.

Much of the world-building is explained and built out through our heroine’s encyclopedic knowledge of the original books, the first two in a trilogy that now seems destined to never be finished, as its author seemingly abandoned it (you see what we’re doing there). Maggie’s wealth of information comes from the plethora of POV characters who were given chapters in the original books (sometimes only a single chapter), insights which she uses to gain the upper hand when meeting these people in this world. Again, sound familiar? For those familiar with some of the criticisms of Game of Thrones, so much of this was laugh-out-loud funny while also perfectly working within the scope of this book. It’s not just lip service; Andrews nimbly weaves together these references and inside jokes alongside equally important plot points.

What’s more, even some of the greater scope of this world sounded familiar, with numerous families all vying for power and control, even down to an aloof, brutal, and, crucially, necessary lord from the north who is on touchy ground with the throne. But before you worry that it’s all just copying other fantasy novels, while it’s apparent that the author is making some key references with the “book within a book” that Maggie has read, this story itself is completely new and fresh. She herself begins to realize the limits of the knowledge she gathered from the books, necessitating re-evaluating characters/people she thought she understood.

The pacing is excellent. This is a long book, but I read it in only a few days. It starts off in the middle of the action and really never lets up, in the best of ways. What’s more, I’m impressed with Andrews’ ability to balance a lighter overall tone (something in the manner and styling of the writing, perhaps) while also dealing with some incredibly dark themes and scenes. Maggie’s whole “can’t die” thing is explored in all of the worst ways. Readers should definitely not go into this expecting a cozy fantasy, regardless of what that cover art is selling.

And, of course, the characters were all excellent. Maggie is similar to Kate in all of the best ways: smart, independent, and understanding of her limits and the necessity of building up a crew around herself. This group is made up of a wide cast of fantastic side characters, of which it would be hard for me to pick favorites. And, of course, a rock-solid love interest.

I have to say, while reading this book, I almost had a “romantasy PTSD” moment. From the beginning, Maggie meets a number of good-looking male characters. There was one that felt like he was set up as the main love interest, but as I was reading, I kept getting shivers of worry that the rug was going to be pulled out from under me and one of the “dark, bad boys” who made an appearance a time or two would pull the old “bait and switch” that I hate so much. I can’t get into too many details, as there are some surprising twists and turns, but I’m hopeful that Andrews has set up a primary romance here, and I’m excited to see it play out going forward. Please, PLEASE, do not give me another fake-out, for the love of everything. As it stands, I really enjoy the romance we had here and want to see how things play out going forward.

The only thing that holds this back from being a “10 rating” is the fact that there were a handful of times where we had the narrative writing out terms like “oof” and “yikes,” which I always hate. It wasn’t too often, thankfully, but I do think the book would have been stronger to have avoided it altogether. In some ways, it felt like a carryover from urban fantasy, where this sort of narration is more prevalent. You see it less in epic fantasy, and this one would have been better without it.

That said, this is by no means a deal-breaker, and I highly recommend this one to pretty much any fantasy fan! Readers familiar with epic fantasy and Game of Thrones will perhaps enjoy the meta commentary the most, but this is a romp of a good time that shouldn’t be missed!

Rating 9: A banger of a good time! Andrews brings the fun to epic fantasy, while also delivering solid characters and fantastic world-building.

Reader’s Advisory:

“This Book Will Not Kill Me” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2026 and 2026 Most Anticipated Romantasy & Fantasy Romance Releases.

Serena’s Review: “The Book of Fallen Leaves”

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Book: “The Book of Fallen Leaves” by A. S. Tamaki

Publishing Info: Orbit, March 2026

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

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

Book Description: Sen Hoshiakari is an exiled prince of a clan that lost everything in his father’s failed rebellion. Deprived of his birthright, Sen is determined to restore his family’s lands and honor at any cost.  Rui is a peasant girl who saved Sen’s life on the night his family were put to the sword. But now, she is adrift and unsure of her place in the world, not knowing that the gods themselves have plans for her …

As civil war throws the empire into chaos, and demons seek vengeance on the living, Sen and Rui must fight for both their clan and their shared future … But vengeance demands a bloody price.

Review: There was a lot to enjoy about this book, especially if you enjoy epic/political fantasy à la Game of Thrones. And I mean that with all the pros and cons that come with that book series. This is a dense, detailed story, packed with a number of POVs, all of whom give brief glimpses behind an ever-expanding array of curtains. Likewise, the plot itself takes time to build, carefully crafting all the moving pieces before beginning to move in the latter half. It’s not a book for the faint of heart or those looking for an action-packed romp, but if you are the right reader for it, you’re going to really enjoy it!

As mentioned, the book doesn’t spare much concern for quick pacing. The story starts off fairly slowly, taking its time to set the political stage. At first, it was fairly overwhelming with the sheer scope of the situation and the parties involved. The reader must place a lot of faith in the fact that things that may not be clear immediately will be revealed through later chapters. And, for the most part, this does work, even if it is a challenge to get through the first half of the book due to the slower pacing.

While I think this pacing and structure is standard for this sort of book, I do think that this one did struggle a bit with including some of the flavor that is necessary to hook readers in through these early chapters. I never felt like I was getting quite enough of the culture behind this world. It’s hard to quite put my finger on what was missing here, but I was often left with the feeling of wanting something more. I will say, I was pleased to see the book take a hard turn from the too-typical approach to sexism in medieval fantasy. Here, the women are often powerful, intimidating warriors and commanders as well, and any sexism shot their way is rightly identified as ridiculous in that light.

While we do have a lot of POV characters, there are two primary ones mentioned in the book description. I enjoyed both of these quite a lot! They each had interesting arcs and growth throughout the story, particularly Rui. I also enjoyed the deep friendship that grew between these two, though I’m not sure the story did quite enough to properly show us this development. All told, we see very few interactions between these two and are more often told that time passes during which their bonds are further solidified. So while I loved the end result, I felt a bit cheated in the manner in which we got there.

Overall, this was a solid start to a series! While there were a few things here and there that held me back from absolutely adoring it (slower pacing and some weaker moments in character work), I’m definitely invested enough to want to see where things go from here! I would recommend this for fans of political fantasy most especially, as the slower pacing and detailed political maneuvering of the first half will likely land best with this subgenre’s fans.

Rating 8: Rich in political detail and morally gray characters, readers should try to stick through the slower pacing of the first half for the payoff in the latter part!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Book of Fallen Leaves” can be found on this Goodreads list: Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2026

Serena’s Review: “Entwined”

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

Book: “Entwined” by H.M. Long

Publishing Info: Titan Books, March 2926

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: Ottilie Rushforth hides from the mighty Sorcerer’s Guild as secretary to a has-been detective. She is Entwined – threads of magic run beneath her skin, and the Guild would trap her in service.

But Ottilie has a plan to escape the Guild forever with her estranged fiancé, the enigmatic poet, soldier and smuggler Lewis Illing. All she must do is track down a mysterious artefact, claim the bounty, and leave the city forever. But Ottilie’s sisters – Pretoria, a quick-witted sorceress and thief recently emerged from exile, and Madge, a guild mage to the core, appear to make equally unwelcome offers. A new life at the cost of everything she has ever wanted, or prestige and safety in a gilded cage.

With her life on the line, Ottilie must track down the artifact in a city torn apart by prejudice and violence, and choose between the two sides of herself – the fugitive and the Entwined.

Review: H.M. Long is a “must-read” author for me at this point, so I went into this book with high hopes. And, mostly, it lived up to those expectations. It’s perhaps not my favorite of her books, but all the important points are there, and I had a fun time reading it.

To start with the positives, Long’s writing is solid, as always. She has an excellent way of instantly creating a connection between her characters and the reader. Even more impressive, all three series I’ve read from her have included deep lore making up her worlds, and she manages to slowly, clearly convey this information to the reader as the story progresses without info-dumping or overwhelming the plot.

Here, I really enjoyed the magic system and the complicated nature of magic users within this society. Long slowly reveals the long history of this world, where power has shifted, and with it, opinions on the “otherness” of those with abilities. Many of the themes of this book revolve around rebellion, bigotry, and the fear of those who are different. Honestly, I was pretty surprised by how dark this went in regard to these themes. This is a dangerous world, with only limited options available to those born with magic—often quite tragic in their own right. If they stray beyond these strict lines, more than cruel words or looks await them. Death is a very real possibility.

Beyond that, I thought the magic itself was so interesting. There were several creative magical abilities that I don’t think I’ve ever come across before, such as the ability to paint away memories or emotions into a piece of art. So odd! And yet, one of the more deeply painful threads of the story. I also really liked the way the magic presented on people’s bodies, each ability tied to a specific time of day that would reveal these “threads” on their skin. In this way, Long neatly sidestepped a common problem with books with this basic premise. I’ve read a bunch of fantasy novels where magic users are persecuted, and the question always is: why don’t they just… not use their magic in front of people? It often seems as if it would be quite easy to go unnoticed in these other stories. But here, the characters have to go to great lengths to disguise themselves and be aware of the time of day. However, their magic is also at its most potent at this time, introducing a nice conflict to their management of this problem.

I also really liked the main character. She starts off very focused on her own plans to escape her circumstances, regardless of anything else. As the story progresses, we learn more about her childhood and early years and what made her the way she is now. However, as the story continues, her arc is one of coming to terms with the reality of living in this dark, painful world and questioning whether running is even a viable option.

However, while I liked the primary story and the buildup to what is coming next, the book did struggle a bit in the pacing. There were a handful of story beats that began to feel like a “rinse and repeat” situation. For example, I can count numerous times where Ottilie was captured, had to escape, and then was on the run before this all happened once again. Toward the final third of the book, when this all happened once again, I did find it a bit tiring.

But, like I said, I was invested enough in this intriguing world and magic system, and in Ottilie herself, to be excited to see where the story goes from here. The romance, such that there is, is a very secondary element, so I think it’s important that readers don’t go into this expecting any sort of romantasy situation. There is an interesting subplot to be found there, and I’m curious to see how it will play out going forward. But the central relationships of the book rest solidly on the shoulders of Ottilie and her two sisters.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this one! Like I said, it’s probably not my favorite of Long’s books, but it was a fun time for sure, and I’m always happy to find an original-feeling world and magic system in adult fantasy. Definitely recommend this one for similar fans!

Rating 8: While the pacing was a bit wobbly at times with repeated plot points, I really enjoyed the writing, world-building, and main character! Excited to check out the second book!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Entwined” can be found on these Goodreads lists: 2026 Romance Duets and Victorian Fantasy.

Serena’s Review: “Across the Vanishing Sky”

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

Book: “Across the Vanishing Sky” by Catherine Cowles

Publishing Info: Bloom Books, March 2026

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

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

Book Description: Braedyn Winslow never expected to return to Starlight Grove—the town that took everything from her. Not after her best friend, the one who’d sacrificed so much for her, vanished without a trace. But with a young son to raise and a past that won’t stay buried, Brae is back…and determined to uncover the truth.

She just didn’t count on the brooding, reclusive mountain man living next door.

Dex Archer is the stuff of local legend—silent, rugged, and surrounded by whispers of his and his brothers’ violent father. But Brae sees through the scowl and his parentage to the man beneath: fiercely loyal, unexpectedly kind…and just dangerous enough to protect her when someone starts warning her off her search.

The closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to stay away from Dex. And as things get more perilous, Brae realizes the only person she can rely on is the one man who swore never to trust again.

Only someone isn’t happy that Brae has been digging, and they’ll do anything to stop her. But Dex? He’ll do anything to save her, even slip back into the dark…

Review: I went into this not having read the previous series that it’s a spinoff of (I think?) or anything by this author at all. But since reading Devney Perry’s Shield of Sparrows last year, I went back and read some of her contemporary romance novels and really enjoyed them. Thus, with my interest in this genre restoked, I was happy to check this one out when the publisher sent an ARC my way.

First off, I can tell why this author is popular. Her writing is the kind that I would call supremely “readable.” Everything flows easily, and she quickly sets up the characters, stakes, and a steady pace that is maintained throughout. Even when there isn’t a ton of actual action on the page, the story still felt like it was constantly progressing, and I made my way through this entire book fairly quickly and easily. There were, perhaps, a few too many modern slang terms/modes of speaking that did throw me off a bit. But I know that this is purely a subjective dislike on my part, and as the book is a contemporary work, I guess I can’t complain, objectively, about using language like this—even if it does throw me out of a book to some extent.

Oddly, I ended up enjoying the mystery/thriller portions of this book more than the romance. As I was reading, I kept flipping pages mostly to find out what had happened to her best friend and to find out how the current thriller situation would resolve. That being the case, I was less invested in the romance itself. Partly, I think this has to do with the strength of the mystery, but I also think it speaks to some weakness in the romance itself. Neither of these characters is bad or anything, but it felt like their connection happened incredibly quickly, especially given the tense circumstances that would, rightly, direct most people’s attention elsewhere from romantic entanglements.

Overall, this was a fun read, but just an okay romance novel. I’m definitely curious to check out other books by this author to see if the love stories might work better in those. But if you enjoy this author and you want to check out a contemporary romance with a solid mystery/thriller subplot, then this one might be for you!

Rating 7: While I enjoyed the mystery aspects of this book, the romance developed too quickly for me to feel truly invested in it.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Across the Vanishing Sky” can be found on these Goodreads lists: 2026 Adult Romance Releases and 2026 – Contemporary Romance (1st in Series).

Serena’s Review: “The Half-Hearted Queen”

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Book: “The Half-Hearted Queen” by Charlie N. Holmberg

Publishing Info: 47North, March 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: Nym never told Prince Renn she loved him. And now, as a captive and political pawn to the ruthless King Nicosia, Nym finds herself guarding more than her forbidden feelings for Renn as the kingdoms of Cansere and Sesta clash and the bloodshed of war rages. Nym’s connection to Renn is more than just romantic—it’s magical, and King Nicosia will stop at nothing to find Renn’s weakness and claim the kingdoms as his.

Now Nym must find a way to escape the cruel and twisted fate of imprisonment as she faces the unimaginable horrors and dangerous secrets hidden within King Nicosia’s palace walls. With the succession of kings on the line and a dangerous prophecy unfolding, Prince Renn faces his own impossible choice. The future of the throne hinges on a political alliance that means forsaking his love for Nym. If he can’t fulfill his destiny and unite the kingdoms, King Nicosia will destroy them all.

Previously Reviewed: “The Shattered King”

Review: Ok, let’s just get this out of the way from the start: I absolutely adored this duology. There, review spoiled and we can all go on our way! But seriously, this duology really took me by surprise. Like I said in my last review, I had read a book by this author previously, but while I enjoyed it, it didn’t blow me away. But man, she really came with this new book, writing a fantasy romance that feels tailor-made for me!

The story picks up directly after the events of the first book (so mild spoilers if you haven’t read that one), and things are looking bleak. Nym and Renn’s sister is captured by enemy forces and taken deep into enemy territory. Honestly, I was surprised by how dark this book went in this portion, and it’s not a small portion either! There’s probably a solid third of the book that is taken up by Nym’s travails and the ways in which she copes with and deals with the situation she finds herself in. But while these scenes were definitely tough to read at times, they also deeply reinforced what an awesome lead character Nym is.

Her strength is unparalleled, alongside her cool-headed evaluation of the truly desperate situation she finds herself in and the limited options before her. She’s badass in the more realistic ways, the kind that rely on true strength of character in the face of horror. Through this portion of the book and the fallout of these experiences, the author does an amazing job dealing with themes regarding pain, PTSD, and resilience. Nym’s experiences aren’t gotten over easily, but we also follow a character whose strength leads her to rise to meet any and all challenges placed before her.

Readers should also be aware that due to these circumstances, it takes quite a while for our two lovebirds to be reunited. And even then, their path forward is littered with new challenges. I loved the development of this romance and the obstacles they faced. Nothing felt like unnecessary angst or silly miscommunication drama. Instead, the conflict was rooted in their circumstance and the dire state of the war. Renn was such a great love interest throughout this book, and there were a bunch of moments between them that were peak romance for me.

The book also gets more into Renn’s story in the second half, and here, again, the author carefully digs into warfare, violence, and the scars that even justified killing leaves on a person. For Renn in particular, an individual who had been sequestered from participating in the world for so long, these new roles are particularly challenging.

I also really enjoyed the deeper look into the magic system. Nym’s choices at the end of the last book opened up a completely new pathway for the magic system of this world, and I loved learning more about how this worked. The story also addressed the tension between magic users and the rest of the population, noting that it’s not as easy as waving a magic wand to make both groups work well together.

Overall, this was a fantastic sequel and a great conclusion to this duology. I enjoyed the heck out of my read, and if forced to ding it in any way, it would be that it wrapped up too quickly!

Rating 9: Absolutely brilliant! The Half-Hearted Queen manages to be both deeply romantic while also dealing with some incredibly dark themes in a careful, intentional manner.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Half-Hearted Queen” can be found on these Goodreads lists: My favorite Medieval Fantasy novels and A book with a character who has curly hair.

Serena’s Review: “Half City”

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

Book: “Half City” by Kate Golden

Publishing Info: Ace, February 2026

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

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

Book Description: Viv Abbot is an average twenty-one-year-old girl. She lives in an expensive city where the rent is too high, works long hours at a thankless job, and is dating a guy she doesn’t even like in the hopes of winning her prickly mother’s approval.

She just also happens to be a demon hunter.

Ever since her father’s murder, she’s been forced to hunt deviants alone, meaning everyone, including her family, sees her as an outsider. . . . Until the day she crosses paths with a dangerously alluring demon, Reid Graveheart. The reformed deviant tells her of a school for people just like her: Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. If she enrolls, she’ll learn to hone her craft, work with other hunters, and never be alone again.

But Viv has a deadly secret. One that not even her new friends at Harker can know about. Not when the school might hold the answers to untangling the mystery surrounding Viv’s father’s death. When strange occurrences begin to plague the students, Viv will have to figure out who she can trust, and fast. All while trying to ace her classes, not fall for a demon, and make it through her first year at Harker in one piece. How hard could that be?

Review: So, part of the problem with my experience of this book was the disconnect between what I expected based on the cover art and what the book was. It’s hard to even put my finger on exactly what that disconnect was. Perhaps something to do with its atmosphere and overall tone? The cover looks dark, grim, slightly Victorian, perhaps, and promising a strong female lead and romantic interest. But instead, this book leaned hard into urban fantasy conventions in the worst way, with an overly quippy “pick me” main character and a deluge of unnecessary scenes and events.

For the pros, I think readers who enjoy urban fantasy first and foremost are most likely to enjoy this one. While I do enjoy this subgenre at times, it’s not necessarily a go-to for me. I often seem to bounce off the sorts of main characters that dominate this genre, finding them abrasive more than sympathetic more often than not.

I also thought the general idea of the book was interesting—not hugely original, perhaps, but interesting nonetheless. Unfortunately, the author didn’t seem to have a good handle on what made up the actual story itself. Far too often, I would find myself mired in scenes that, after finishing them, felt pointless and repetitive. These scenes dragged down the pacing of the story and, too often, left me disliking the main character more and more.

As I said above, she had strong “pick me” energy from the very start, and this was only worsened once she reached the school, where we were then treated to an endless recitation of her numerous judgments passed freely on those around her. She’s meant to come across as a badass character, but instead I found her whiny and unlikable much of the time.

As for the romantic interest, at least he didn’t actively frustrate me the same way that Viv did. But, on the other hand, he read the same as every other demon romantic lead you’ve ever read, falling prey to the same insta-lust tendencies that we’ve seen before and that have become increasingly tired.

Overall, this was a pretty disappointing read. Quality-wise, it’s not badly written, and I do think it will connect with readers who are looking for an urban fantasy romance novel. But I was held back by the slow pacing and my dislike for the main character.

Rating 7: Meh in pretty much every sense of the word, unfortunately.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Half City” can be found on these Goodreads lists: 2026 Fantasy Romance/Romantasy books to look forward to and All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in February 2026.

Serena’s Review: “The Sun and the Starmaker”

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

Book: “The Sun and the Starmaker” by Rachel Griffin

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Fire, February 2026

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

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

Book Description: Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the small village of Reverie endures on a miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious Starmaker: every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.

Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker’s magic, never imagining she’d one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle at the mountain’s peak.

The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the dark woods, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle with only an immortal rabbit for company. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their ruinous attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. A deadly frost approaches, and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch.

Review: I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I received a surprise ARC of this book. I’ve read this author in the past, and while I didn’t hate those reads, they also didn’t quite connect with me. But this book took me completely by surprise!

Right from the start, the author manages to perfectly lock in on the sort of whimsical style of writing that exemplifies the fairytale genre. And while there are familiar elements to be found here, it was a wholly unique fairytale on top of that! From the location (a remote village trapped in a deep valley in the mountains) to the magic (rare individuals draw in the light from the sun and “hook” it to a lamppost to light the village every day) to the side companions (girls made of snow, eternal bunnies, etc.), everything about this book was lush and lovely.

To top it off, the story follows an excellent main character. Her feelings and reactions to the situations she found herself in were so grounded. She feels rage, terror, and grief. But the story remains rooted in its message of hope in the face of tragedy and the worth of love above all. So every moment of anger is quickly tempered by a character who is empathetic to those around her as well, not simply caught up in her own experiences. And when she falters, not only is it relatable, but following her path back to her roots is compelling.

And, of course, there’s a lovely romance at its heart. I do wish, perhaps, that a bit more was done here. While I really like the romance and the romantic interest, and the book did deliver a solid love story in the end, I was always left wanting just a bit more…something. I did like the attention that went into drawing out the history of the Starmaker, elaborating on his own experiences approaching the same situation our lead character is now going through. Through his eyes, we see the very different approaches people can take when facing what feels like an impossible situation. I also think the banter between these two characters was well done. Their gripes with one another felt rooted in the differences in their personalities and experiences; they weren’t simply bantering because that is what is expected in romance novels nowadays.

I also really liked the lore of this world and the secondary story regarding the Sun and the original Starmaker. Not going to lie, towards the end of the book, I was in tears at times, and perhaps not in the moments you’d expect. I do wish that the end of the book clarified a few factors a bit more, as I was left with some questions about the future of this little village and its magic. But, as it so often is with fairytales, this was also a completely satisfying little read on its own. I definitely recommend this one for fans of fairytale romances, especially in these last bits of the winter season!

Rating 8: A lovely exploration of love, grief, and, above all, hope in the face of impossible odds.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Sun and the Starmaker” can be found on these Goodreads lists: YA Cozy Fantasy and Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2026.