Category: Serena’s Reviews

Serena’s Review: “A Waltz of Sinister Import”

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

Book: “A Waltz of Sinister Import” by Stephanie Burgis

Publishing Info: October 14, 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: from the author!

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

Book Description: When the notorious Lady Riven is summoned to Vienna to solve a supernatural mystery, her debonair vampiric husband insists on accompanying her. However, neither of them is prepared for the true scope of the danger lurking within the sprawling Hofburg Palace… and by the time they uncover the truth behind every glittering illusion, their relationship may change forever.

The third and final (for now!) sparkling installment of The Supernatural Adventures of Lady and Lord Riven contains copious amounts of delicious cake, a protective vampire husband, unexpected new friendships, and a waltz that might just sweep the whole continent into war unless Margaret is stubborn enough to prevent it.

Previously Reviewed: “A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience” and “A Honeymoon of Grave Consequence”

Review: I really enjoyed the first two novellas in this trilogy, so I was thrilled when the author reached out about a review for the final book in the series. The story picks up right where the second one left off, essentially, and immediately jumps back into the action.

It was easy to slip back into the world and rhythm of this story. There’s an ease to the storytelling, a perfect balance of coziness, mystery, and, of course, romance, all held together by the steady characterization of our leading lady. As I noted in my reviews for the first two books, Margaret is a familiar heroine, à la characters like Amelia Peabody and Emily Wilde. But in many ways, these notes of the familiar feel like friendly faces, not tired repeats. And, indeed, Margaret stands on her own with her unique blend of confidence and social wariness. Here, we see her once again thrust into the midst of high society, a place where she has only ever felt spurned and misunderstood. But this time she comes with renewed confidence from previous success, as well as the unwavering support of her vampire spouse.

Like in the first two books, other than the main character, my favorite part of this series is the use of less well-known magical creatures. Burgis clearly dives deeply into her fairytale folklore to find some of these beings, and while our delightful love interest may be a “common” vampire, the cast of supporting characters are often beings I’ve never heard of before and that then send me down my own research rabbit holes. Such was the case here, and I loved learning about some of these new (to me!) creatures.

I will say that this one felt a bit more uneven in its pacing than the previous books did. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there were bits that did seem to drag a bit, especially in the beginning as Margaret ran into wall after wall in her quest to uncover what was happening. On one hand, her frustration was palpable to the reader. On the other hand, that still left me, the reader, frustrated as well, which wasn’t always the best. I also feel like this entry was lighter on the romance and that Lord Riven took even more of a back seat than he has in the other two books. There were also a few moments where events that should have been challenging to solve or escape from were instead wrapped up in a bit too convenient of a manner.

Overall, however, I still very much enjoyed this book. I’m sad to hear that it’s currently the final book planned for the series, as I think there is a wealth of opportunity still left in this world and with these characters. But I still enjoyed all the time I spent with them and recommend it to readers who are looking for more bite-sized cozy fantasy options!

Rating 8: For those who may be missing Emily Wilde, this entire trilogy is sure to be a balm to the soul! Margaret and Lord Riven are a delight!

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Waltz of Sinister Import” isn’t on any Goodreads lists currently, but it should be on 12 Dancing Princesses.

Serena’s Review: “Stormheart”

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

Book: “Stormheart” by Julia Makin

Publishing Info: Books Fluent, October 2026

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

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

Book Description: Once an enslaved princess, now a fugitive, Tan is hunted across the Empire after a fatal mistake brands her its most wanted criminal. Desperate to survive, she strikes a perilous bargain with Kier—a cold, calculating pirate from the rebel stronghold of Stormheart. His promise: freedom on the open sea aboard the Revenge, a ship ruled by the sadistic Captain Blackthorn.

The price: her soul, bound to Blackthorn in an eternal blood-oath.

Unless she can win it back. To break the bond, Tan must defeat one of Blackthorn’s criminals in a deadly game, relying on Kier’s brutal training—and navigating the dangerous pull between them. But when passion awakens an ancient power even the Empire fears, Tan becomes the spark that could ignite a war.

As dark tides rise and loyalties fracture, she must choose: surrender to the darkness rising within her, or carve her own destiny before it’s too late.

Review: This book had a lot of potential, and there were definitely some high points. However, I struggled with inconsistent characterization and some of the world-building that made up the foundations of this society and the conflicts therein. But, like always, let’s start with the positives!

The book definitely starts on a strong note, and I was immediately pulled in by the greater concept: a princess who has been shunned and locked away as an outsider for her entire life must escape and find her own freedom. Of course, pirates are also always a pro, and I found myself enjoying any bits that focused more strongly on her experiences on the high seas.

However, while it started out with an interesting concept, it did quickly fall into some familiar fantasy tropes. I really could go for quite some time without a fantasy novel feeling the need to include some sort of deadly competition into the mix. And this one already had a lot of moving parts what with the caste system it had set up, the various political maneuverings between foreign bodies and the rebels, and then, of course, Tan’s own journey of self-empowerment and her budding romance with Kier.

I also struggled with Tan’s characterization at times. In the very first chapter, I began to have trouble reconciling Tan’s motivations or general motivations with her actions and her goals. For example, in this first chapter, an ally presents her with a risky but viable plan for them both to escape the palace once and for all. Not only is Tan incredibly hesitant (understandably), but by the time she does decide to move forward with this plan, she warns this other character to behave carefully, to not draw attention to himself or do anything that might throw this plan into disarray. From this, Tan seems to be a cautious but methodical character. Perhaps slow to act, but careful and thoughtful once she decides to move forward.

But then, only a few pages later, Tan, the very character who just lectured another about not creating waves, suddenly transforms into the ubiquitous “strong female character” who can’t keep her mouth shut and immediately must prove herself through snark and rebellion. She walks down a hallway from the room where she gave this lecture and immediately creates a massive scene with one of the most dangerous people in the palace and promptly blows up the entire plan before it even gets a chance to start. It was an incredibly frustrating bout of confused characterization, and it was a problem that persisted throughout the book. Characters would say one thing, or express a motivation to behave in one way, and then for no reason whatsoever, do the very opposite thing.

All of this said, there were still strong flourishes to the writing, and I’m definitely curious to read more from this author. Perhaps a stronger hand on the editorial wheel could help iron out some of the character wrinkles, and from there, you are left with a lot of potential. That said, if you enjoy feisty heroines and are able to roll with some punches, this is still a fun fantasy novel that is worth checking out!

Rating 7: A bit bumpy with its characterization (our main lead can’t decide whether she’s a cautious planner or a rebellious firebrand), but still a fun time, especially if you enjoy pirates and magical competitions!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Stormheart” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Swashbucklers and Pirates!

Serena’s Review: “The Scarlet Ball”

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

Book: “The Scarlet Ball” by Nghi Vo

Publishing Info: Tor Books, October 2026

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

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

Book Description: Judith Ban, former convent girl, courtesan, and failed thief, is on the lookout for her next identity. The daughter of a Vietnamese adventuress and a French naval officer, she’s no stranger to risk, but she’s unprepared for the secrets of New York’s legendary Four Hundred, or for the women who build their power at the city’s heart through blood-soaked, gold-etched rituals of demonic marriage.

In exchange for enough wealth to outrun her past, Judith strikes a deal with the matriarch of the powerful Howard family: she will stand in for the missing Howard granddaughter, who was poised to make her debut when she disappeared. With Miss Iphigenia Marshall’s face stitched over her own, Judith is white, rich, and about to risk body and soul in the deadly games that determine which girls will find a match—and which will be devoured. If she can keep her wits and her life, her reward will be a husband with undreamt-of power who will be hers to command… so long as she can keep his infinite hungers fed. But to survive the season, Judith will have to seduce a storm in the shape of a man, before the night to which everything has been leading—the Scarlet Ball where the demons choose their brides.

A razor-sharp subversion of romance tropes and nightmare of manners, Vo’s fusion of history and fantasy does for Edith Wharton what her acclaimed debut The Chosen and the Beautiful did for F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Review: I’ve read a few books from this author and really enjoyed them. In fact, if I had one criticism about my experience with her titles, it was the fact that each time I turned the last page, I was always left wishing there was just a bit more. Her worlds are always incredibly creative and her style lush. But I’ve only read novellas, so I was excited to see how her talents would play out over a full-length novel where more management of plotting and pacing is required. Well, I’m pleased to say that I was blown away by this book in almost every way.

I’ve used this term before, but I would describe this one as “hard fantasy.” What I mean by that is, like “hard science fiction,” this sort of fantasy doesn’t hand-hold the reader. Vo has created a truly wondrous and horrifying version of Gilded Age New York, a place rife with terrific magic and danger, but also compelling beauty. But there is no hand-holding given or magic system detailed. Things are simply thrown at the readers, who are left to either accept what they’re given or spend the rest of their reading experience banging their heads against a wall.

For me, this added to the beauty and horror of this world. When we’re told that women swallow songbirds to perfect their voices, we are given no more and no less than that horrifying image. This manner of presenting the fantasy elements as straightforward facts allows them to shine an even starker light on the themes and motifs of this story: the value placed on beauty, the pursuit of power, the inherent sacrifices that are placed at the altar of both. And, above all, the choices that remain.

The most obvious example, of course, is the central premise of women pursuing husbands who are the literal embodiment of natural disasters, beings of incredible power who, through their consuming obsession with their wives, both grant those women access to their power but also loom as an inevitable destruction that awaits them. There are the low-hanging-fruit approaches to a topic like this, but Vo sidesteps them all. Instead, tropes are subverted at every angle. But while this subversion is happening, Vo also lets you somehow eat your cake, too, writing a disturbing love story into the background of the tale.

Like the world-building, Judith is a complex and complicated woman. Her background is presented only slowly, and the book often simply presents facts about her life with very little commentary to be offered. It was oddly refreshing to read a character like this who was herself unapologetic for her choices but also free of the shadow of authorial self-awareness that you often see peeking out between the pages.

I also loved the interplay between fantasy and historical fiction. The fantasy elements were wondrous (and truly, the body horror here was on the next level, which surprised me), but I also loved the framework of historical fiction and historical romance that underpinned much of the pacing of the story. Familiar beats were struck, but each filtered through the lens of the fantastic and horrific.

Overall, this was an incredible read. I really didn’t have many expectations going in, other than a confidence that it would be well-written. But this was absolutely fantastic. I highly recommend it to all fantasy readers, especially those who enjoy dark fantasy and historical fiction.

Rating 10: Luscious and dark like velvet, Vo will sweep you up in the fantasy of it all before sweeping you away into the night where monsters lurk.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Scarlet Ball” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Gothic Fantasy  and Romance Novels with Asian Heroines… Upcoming and Current

Serena’s Review: “Mortal Things”

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

Book: “Mortal Things” by Marie Lu

Publishing Info: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, October 2026

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

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

Book Description: Rose despises Raven, the god of Death. His mysterious commands. His mercurial moods. His closed heart. But most of all, she loathes that she was forced to become his Harbinger, a human mercenary tasked to fulfil their god’s every want and whim. Still, she would do it again, because being a Harbinger is the only thing keeping her best friend alive.

When a murder rocks the world of the gods, Rose is suddenly thrust into the immortal realm’s spotlight as Raven’s heir. This is her chance to free her friend once and for all. But in order for her to ascend, she must first prove herself to the other gods—and the one person standing in her way is a fellow Harbinger.

Étienne Beauchard is notorious for his sly wit and charming good looks. Rose can’t stand that he is the one assigned to test her abilities, but as their initial hostility evolves into an intense attraction, they find that the gods’ secrets go deeper than they ever expected. Something is wrong in the immortal world, something that threatens to break their bond and engulf them all in war.

As Rose and Étienne fight to uncover the truth and trust each other with their hearts, they realize that everything hinges on the same How far would you go to save the person you love?

Review: Unfortunately, I’m starting to come to the conclusion that Marie Lu’s books might just not be for me. I really enjoyed her original YA trilogy, and I even met her once at an ALA conference, and she was wonderful to talk with. However, I’ve now read several of her other books, and none of them have quite hit the way I’d like them to, and such was the case here again.

My main takeaway when I turned the last page on this book was an overwhelming sense of “fine-ness.” There was nothing offensive about it, it didn’t lack in technical skill, the story had its moments…but there also wasn’t anything that would make me ever think about it again. Everything we see here is familiar in one way or another. Gods toying with mortals and using them in complex political games. A chosen one-type main character who “defies” the gods. And, of course, the enemies/rivals romantic subplot. But on each of these counts, Lu didn’t add anything to make her version of these tropes stand out.

The world-building had its moments of interest, and when the world was first introduced, I was intrigued. But the story quickly introduced so many plot holes that I immediately was drawn out of the story. For such powerful gods, we never really see them do anything. And the system for how they become gods quickly becomes incoherent the moment you think about it too hard. Further, the way that our main character ends up in the position she does is also highly questionable. Wouldn’t this happen all of the time in this system?

As for our main character, again, there were moments that I liked from her. The flashbacks to her time as a mere mortal and the friendship that set her on her current trajectory were interesting. But as the story continued, it became more and more apparent that I was simply going to be told everything I needed to know both about our main character and about the relationships that are important to her. Again and again, Lu defaulted into a telling style of writing rather than showing, leaving me to begin questioning whether our main character had really shown anything that we were being told she was capable of.

As for the romance, there were moments that I liked here, especially the introduction of these two and their original dynamic. But again, the contrived nature of the plot that puts them at odds did very little to add anything to this relationship. Instead, it took anything that might have felt original about them and watered it down with overly familiar interactions. By the end, I couldn’t tell you what uniquely drew either of these characters to the other. Like everything in this book, they were interested in each other because that’s what the story needed.

Underwhelming, that’s my main takeaway. By the time I got to the end of this book, half of my mind was already thinking ahead to what I was going to read next. I didn’t hate this one by any means; I simply didn’t care. That said, I have to now assume that some of this disconnect is simply on my side. I know that Lu remains a very popular author for many fans, so if you’ve enjoyed many of her books in the past, I’m sure this one will also be up your alley. But if you’re on the fence, there are perhaps more original and interesting books to pick up this fall.

Rating 7: “Inoffensive” is the word that comes to mind. There were moments where I felt like this could have been something special, but those quickly sunk back beneath the wave of overly familiar story beats that made up most of this book.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Mortal Things” can be found on this Goodreads list: 2026 – Paranormal Romance (Standalones and 1st in Series).

Serena’s Review: “Reap and Sow”

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

Book: “Reap and Sow” by Charlotte B. Plumb

Publishing Info: Berkley XO, October 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: The penniless in Blackbridge have only two choices: Sell the body or sell the soul. And thanks to Eda Shaw, business is booming.

Indentured to a capricious demon known as Mr. Night, Eda and her brothers arrange illicit Pacts on his behalf, luring the city’s most desperate into trading years of their lives for their deepest desires. When a Pact goes awry and her brothers are arrested, Eda realizes she’ll need an infernal ally of her own: Kit’rath, an infuriating demon with a curious penchant for humanity and the only being in Blackbridge that Mr. Night seems to fear. As they race to rescue her family and save the city from ruin, an undeniable connection sparks between mortal and demon.

But Kit’s help doesn’t come cheap. Now, Eda risks losing her heart to the one who claims her years—and saving herself may prove the steepest cost of all.

Review: I honestly can’t even remember how this ended up on my TBR list. I mean, the cover art is pretty, but not particularly memorable. And then the general description sounds fairly familiar. Honestly, there was a period this month where I was having a really hard time connecting with any book I picked up, so I think I was probably just cycling through my backlist on NetGalley and randomly opened this one. And this right here, folks, is a good lesson in sometimes giving those unknowns a fighting chance, because boy did I enjoy this one!

Something about the writing clicked with me right away. Honestly, part of it could come down to my desperate wish for third-person perspective to come back into fashion, so any book that chooses this style starts out a step ahead. But beyond that, from the very start, Plumb writes in a smooth, confident style that easily draws the reader into this world. The plotting and pacing throughout were tight, with the book deftly maneuvering between fast-moving and thrilling action scenes and then lulling back into heartfelt and often very comedic character beats. Many of these story beats are indeed familiar: young woman must save her siblings from danger, promptly gets in over her head in a magical setting, proceeds to become emotionally attached to an unavailable or inappropriate love interest. But man, somehow it all felt fresh and new in Plumb’s hands!

What’s more, the narrative voice and the dialogue were superb! Way too many romantasy authors essentially write something like “characters then banter banteringly” and call it good. But here, Plumb had me laughing out loud more than once and then swooning the very next moment. It also helped that the romance itself developed in what felt like a natural manner. Eda and Kit are never enemies, per se, but more reluctant allies. This dynamic worked incredibly well, and even while they drew closer together, it was a delight watching them still rub each other the wrong way with their own particularities.

I also really enjoyed the cast of side characters and the various villainous characters the book had to offer. This was particularly fun with one specific character who, when first introduced, I was worried would go in a certain, very currently popular romantasy direction. But instead, the book went the complete opposite route and even used Eda’s own perceptions of this character as an important arc of self-reflection for her to follow. I also really liked the dynamics between Eda and her brothers. We don’t get a ton of them all together (naturally, since the brothers still need to be rescued for much of the book), but I did like the bits we did see.

And, of course, Eda was a fantastic lead. Her story is one of learning to recognize her own strengths, but also to come to understand and appreciate those around her. Her love story with Kit is a delicious slow burn, and by the time I got to the end, I was sighing with happiness.

And then came the last paragraph…

Seriously, this was such an odd moment. The book felt fully wrapped up, a nice stand-alone story tied up in a perfect bow. And I’m not sure what happened? It honestly feels like the publisher recognized that this book and the author had a ton of potential and shot off a quick note to the author saying, “Hey, how about we make this a duology??” And the author was like, “Sure!” and then just tacked on this random selection of like three sentences that are just soul-crushing and called it a day. I mean, I’m excited to spend more time in this world and with these characters. But this last paragraph felt so disconnected from the rest of the book, lacking any foreshadowing or really anything to tie in to the book actually in hand, that the entire thing felt off.

I still enjoyed the heck out of this book, so it doesn’t affect my rating, but I couldn’t end without noting that there is a massive cliffhanger now. Of course, you could simply read the book and skip the last paragraph and honestly you’d be perfectly fine! Then just pick it back up and read that last bit right before the sequel releases!

Rating 9: If this is what comes from making a deal with a demon, sign me up! A delightfully charming romantasy that I can’t recommend enough!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Reap and Sow” can be found on this Goodreads list: 2026 Most Anticipated Romantasy & Fantasy Romance Releases

Serena’s Review: “This Shattered Tempest”

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

Book: “This Shattered Tempest” by Thea Guanzon

Publishing Info: Harper Voyager, October 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley

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

Book Description: Throughout their political marriage, Alaric and Talasyn struggled to resist the undeniable pull between them, even as rising tensions forced them on opposite sides of a looming war. Hand in hand, they vanquished the cataclysmic threat of the Moonless Dark—and started to hope for a future together.

That hope is shattered when a devastating attack sets off a chain of events that tears them apart once more. Now, as two rival nations prepare for a final, decisive clash, the Master of the Shadowforged Legion and the last Lightweaver fight to find their way back to each other. But the odds are stacked against them, and time is running out…

Is love enough to rewrite destiny? Can a new beginning rise from the ruins of the past? Or are Alaric and Talasyn doomed to meet as enemies on one last battlefield? This explosive third and final book brings the beloved Hurricane Wars series to a stunning conclusion—where passion and power collide, and the fate of a divided world hangs in the balance.

Previously Reviewed: “The Hurricane Wars” and “A Monsoon Rising”

Review: My review of this one could probably be summed up with one big, drawn-out sigh. I remember distinctly writing about two things in my review of the second book. One, that I was concerned that this didn’t need to be a trilogy, based on the pacing of the plot and its conflicts. And two, that I hoped the miscommunication/deception/general angst of the romance would finally cease in the third book. Well, unfortunately, both of those concerns feel well-founded, and, in hindsight, I think the fact that this was originally a fanfiction story shows more than it should in a traditionally published series.

It’s tough, because there are still things that in a vacuum I enjoyed about this book. But because it was wrapping up the trilogy and was retroactively lowering my opinion of the entire series as a whole, it was difficult to step back and try to evaluate this one on its own merits. I will say that I think this author’s writing is still incredibly strong. For all that I’m going to rant about fanfiction later, there are incredibly talented authors who write fanfiction, and many of them, like this author, deserve to make the leap to traditional publishing. When Guanzon publishes another book, I will definitely be first in line to read it. Her world-building is creative, her characters are complex and interesting, her dialogue is distinctly non-cringy (something I shouldn’t have to say, but unfortunately really does stand out when you finally see good dialogue on the page in romantasy novels), and while I think the romance here was too drawn out, she does write romantic tension well.

But yeah, this book and its place as the cap of the trilogy just didn’t work for me. It started off well enough, picking up immediately after the cliffhanger at the end of the second book. I had high hopes that would help the pacing along, but unfortunately, no. This entire situation was wrapped up so comedically fast and easily that I ran into the exact same question I had in the second book: was any of this really necessary? Instead of feeling like an actual plot point, it instead felt like only a small speed bump inserted to break up the romantic angst.

And, unfortunately, right after this is all wrapped up, we immediately dive right back into the same angst that we’ve been reading about for two books already. I like a slow burn as much as the next person, but this is an example of an author refusing to allow her characters to travel an actual romantic arc. They simply quickly climbed the first half of yearning, got to the angst, and have now hung out here for hundreds upon hundreds of pages.

And at a certain point, it doesn’t matter how strong an author is at writing romantic tension, it’s going to get pretty dull spending your time in the heads of two people who continue to travel the same tired ground of drama over and over in their own minds. It’s incredibly frustrating to read, and I was increasingly annoyed at both of these characters. We’re well past the “enemies” stage, so instead the author threw in tons of miscommunication, misunderstanding, and a truly baffling amount of time spent on each character internally bemoaning the secrets they were keeping from each other. It was honestly awful, and I wish that some editor had taken the author gently by the hand and said, “It’s ok to move on to the ‘lovers’ stage now, honey. Let it go…”

This romantic “tension” took up so much of the third book that the greater conflict largely fell to the side. At the end of the second book, Talasyn loses her magic. This is a pretty big deal. But she doesn’t even really bother with trying to get it back until nearly halfway through the book because instead so much energy must be focused on the romantic travails.

And this gets to the fanfiction roots of it all. Fanfiction, especially long-form fanfiction of the sort that this came from, is often a relationship-focused medium. Likewise, the longer fics out there are truly behemoths, going on for thousands of pages. And this was one of those, originally. But what works for fanfiction, a medium that releases periodically and is consumed in a very different manner than traditional books, doesn’t necessarily translate straight over to traditional publishing. This entire trilogy needed editing. I’m now fully convinced that with a firm editor at the helm, this could have been trimmed down to a duology and would have been a million times better for it. Every aspect would have been strengthened, from the actual plot and conflict to the progression of the romance. Needless side plots could have been removed, since it’s clear they were mostly there to break up the romantic drama. And that same romantic drama could have been pared down to a tight, satisfying romantic arc, instead of leaving readers stranded on a frustrating angst plateau for almost two entire books.

So it’s tough to know who to recommend this one to. Because, like I said, the writing was still strong, and some of the romantic beats were truly good. But the pacing and the romantic drama were all too much for me. If you don’t mind miscommunication/misunderstanding tropes and really enjoy angst, I’d say you’re much more likely to enjoy this book and this trilogy as a whole.

Rating 6: While I can still see the potential of this author, this book was a frustrating conclusion to a trilogy that started off so well.

Reader’s Advisory:

“This Shattered Tempest” can be found on these Goodreads lists: October 2026 Most Anticipated Romance Releases and End of Series in 2026.

Serena’s Review: “The Sixth Faction”

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

Book: “The Sixth Faction” by Veronica Roth

Publishing Info: HarperCollins, October 2026

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

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

Book Description: Beatrice Prior stands on the brink of a decision every person in her world must make: five factions, five futures, five lives.

She has a plan: she’s going to make the bravest choice, and leave Abnegation behind to join Dauntless, even though it means leaving her family behind.

But when tragedy strikes at her Choosing Ceremony, everything changes—her world, her plans, even Beatrice herself.

Her ensuing decision thrusts her into the crosshairs of an underground rebellion, and into the path of a boy with secrets as dangerous as her own—a boy with only a number for a name.

One choice will change everything.

Review: I have to say, I feel like I’m probably the perfect reader for this book. I read the first “Divergent” book back when it came out, and while I didn’t dislike it, I also didn’t continue with the series. Mostly, there were just so many YA dystopian series coming out at this time, and this one didn’t particularly catch my eye. That being the case, I did not experience the extreme upset that seems to have been the ending of that series. I can even say that if anything, I remember reading about how the story tied things up and mentally applauding the author for having the guts to buck current trends in YA that seemed to ensure happy, fluffy endings for all. But it was only after the high (and low) that was this series that I really discovered Roth’s writing and grew to adore her books.

Since I read “Chosen Ones,” she’s gone on to be a must-read author for me, and I’m pretty sure I’ve read everything she’s written since that point. So, with this history, when I heard that she was revisiting her original blockbuster YA series, I was thrilled! I had missed the boat the first go-around, and how often do you get a second chance at something like that? What’s more, as a reader, I was excited to dive back into this world without the baggage of the previous series (other than my vague memories of the first book). And so, while I can’t speak to all the tie-ins or nods to the original series that may be contained within this title, I can say that this book stands fully on its own as a fantastic read.

Having only brief memories of the first book (something about jumping in a massive pit as part of an initiation process), I won’t be spending much of this review comparing and contrasting it to the original. I’m sure other reviewers will have that angle covered. Instead, the entire book felt incredibly fresh to me. The broad strokes of this world remain, and the general impression I remember of Tris persists as well. But everything was given additional depth.

The world-building, while still adhering to the basic principles, feels much more developed than I remember it being from the first book. Yes, you have the basic factions, but the story spends additional time diving behind the scenes into each one, exposing their various strengths and weaknesses. Not one of them comes out cleanly, while there were also various points throughout the book where members of each group made a good argument for why their approach was the most sympathetic. Even the factionless, the group we spend the most time with, was painted in these shades of grey. True to the message of the book, while the factions (and factionless) seem to unite around singular principles, they are ultimately made up of individuals who all interpret those values differently.

Likewise, the characters were expanded upon here as well. Beyond Tris herself feeling like a more nuanced individual and less of a “chosen one” archetype, Roth wisely breaks the story up between several POVs, including, alongside Tris, her love interest, Four, as well as her brother. While her brother gets less page time than the other two, his chapters did much of the heavy lifting in some of the overall world-building and the lead-up to the greater conflict. But from there, the story really does now feel equally split between Tris and Four.

I really enjoyed both of these characters. For her part, Tris’s story is one of finding her place in this world. Ostensibly, this was the same arc she traveled in the original book. But here, Tris’s struggles felt much more grounded. Instead of simply struggling with her Divergent status, the conflicts Tris faces have much more to do with the connections she has to those around her, from her original family to the ones that she forms in her new factionless group. While her being Divergent got the ball rolling, it wasn’t the primary driving force behind her arc, and I greatly preferred this approach to the character.

Four was also an interesting character. Much of his story was a surprise to me, because if we learned much about his background way back in the first “Divergent” novel, I for one had completely forgotten it. He was a bit too “perfect” in a few ways, but I appreciated the look at the complicated nature of his relationship to his mother and the ways that this history has shaped him as a person.

I also enjoyed the love story between these two. I remember rolling my eyes a bit at the romance between Tris and Four in the original story, as there it very much came across as Tris spotting the first hot guy she came across and them immediately, mutually falling in lust with one another. This may just be a testament to the author honing her skills over time, but it felt like the relationship built up between Four and Tris in this book felt much more organic and earned.

Beyond this, this was simply a fun book to read. It was well-paced, action-packed, and the world felt interesting with new secrets to be revealed around every corner. Again, I can’t speak to how much of this was known from the first book, but I for one was gobbling up all the twists and turns as they came, especially in the final quarter of the book. I also think it was a wise choice by the author to reduce the original trilogy to a duology. This book felt tightly plotted and paced, and I’m incredibly excited to see where the story goes from here. While I’m sure that “Divergent” fans will have a unique experience ahead reading this book, I can also say that as a reader who didn’t complete the first series and had only the vaguest memories of the first book, this was definitely approachable as an entry point for new readers. I definitely recommend giving this one a go (yes, even you, reader who is still bitter about the original ending a decade later!)

Rating 9: At this point, I will follow Veronica Roth’s writing journey wherever it takes me. Even if it is back in time to a re-imagining of her blockbuster “Divergent” series that I gasp didn’t even finish at the time. This was a brilliant read, and well worth it for new and old fans alike!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Sixth Faction” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Dystopias I Would Like To Make An Exception For and 2026 Romance Duets.

Serena’s Review: “Victorious”

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

Book: “Victorious” by V.E. Schwab

Publishing Info: Tor, October 2018

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

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

Book Description: Eli Ever. Victor Vale.

Two men, first best friends, then mortal enemies, each destined to be the other’s shadow.

One left standing—but the game isn’t over yet

Against all the years—and the odds—a group of allies and archrivals meet on a chessboard set by an opponent they couldn’t have predicted….to see who will be victorious.

Previously Reviewed: “Vicious” and “Vengeful”

Review: As I said, I think there’s definitely been a benefit in reading these books now, almost back to back. I think consuming the trilogy in this way both helped me appreciate the overarching story that Schwab was telling and lessened some of the frustrations that I think fans will have with this last entry.

To speak to the purely positive things first, Schwab continues to be a simply excellent storyteller. This world, the special abilities, the dynamics between the characters—it’s all so creative and interesting. While I didn’t necessarily love having a greater and greater cast of characters to follow and I had mixed feelings about the continued use of time jumps, the story was still incredibly compelling and well-paced throughout. Sometimes the strength of an author’s writing forgives many sins, and I think that was the case here.

This story picks up immediately after the first book, and the stakes should be incredibly high. However, some of my lower moments in this read did come in this early portion. Yet again, we were given new characters to get to know with their own complicated histories. This, of course, included a new antagonist. It’s tough, because I didn’t actively dislike any of these characters. But given the start of the series (so tightly focused on Eli and Victor) and the explosive conclusion of the second book, it was tough to pick this one up and have that gratification of seeing these two interact again delayed even further. And, like I said, I was only dealing with having had to wait a few weeks between books. Readers who have been on this ride from the beginning might find this continued delay even more frustrating. Of course, once we get closer to the end, we did get some of these scenes that I know readers were craving.

In hindsight, the trilogy seems to be trying to do much more than tell the story of two friends who become bitter rivals. However, it’s a bit of a tough sell at this point. The first book was so solid on its own, and Victor and Eli and their complicated relationship were so firmly placed at the center of the story, that the entire trilogy feels a bit wobbly with this refocus on these newly introduced characters in each book. For better or worse, readers are largely in it for these two characters, so even for me, reading these three books within a few months, it’s been tough to not resent page time that is devoted to any characters other than these two, no matter how interesting they are on their own.

That said, I think the ending of this book and the trilogy as a whole was the natural conclusion of the story. I was also having such a great time in the final third that it helped soothe some of the frustration of the slow start. Readers who have been enjoying the series so far are sure to enjoy this one. If, however, you were hoping for a hard switch back to a closer focus on Eli and Victor here in the final entry, you may be a bit disappointed.

Rating 8: A satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, though I do wish we had gotten to spend more time with Eli and Victor here at the end of it all.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Victorious” can be found on this Goodreads list: Can’t Wait Adult Fantasy & Sci-Fi of 2026

Serena’s Review: “Winterveil”

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

Book: “Winterveil” by Ava Reid

Publishing Info: HarperCollins, September 2026

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

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

Book Description: There is no application process for Valeran Academy, but it boasts the brightest – and precociously criminal – students in the nation.

A disgraced politician from a powerful American dynasty.

A coldly brilliant strategist who will sacrifice anything to win.

A former pageant queen with a talent that could change the world.

A prodigious female soldier with an enigmatic past – and a dangerous secret.

With eerie war simulations, cutthroat competitions and foreboding new technology, Valeran trains its students to be elite assets in a Cold War that has dragged on for nearly a century. But as a sinister conspiracy takes shape and these four are drawn together for a mysterious mission, their loyalties are tested, their convictions shaken and they all begin to are they ushering in a new era of freedom, or tyranny?

Review: I don’t know if there’s another author who I have a more complicated relationship with as a reader than Ava Reid. On one hand, when I enjoy her books, they are absolute favorites, of the sort that I will rave about to whomever gives me an opportunity. But on the other hand, when her books don’t work, I find myself not only struggling to finish them but sometimes actively repulsed by some of the story beats. Part of this last point is on me, as I should just expect certain themes to always show up in her work. And yet, I do think it’s also a mark against some of these titles, as it begs belief that every single story needs some of the sexual darkness that pervades Reid’s work.

Let’s start with what I did like, which was the bare-bones concept of the story. Reid often writes straight fantasy, and this was more of a sci-fi/dystopian-type thriller. There were some interesting concepts introduced with AI and virtual reality and the ways these tools would be used to train teens. At the very least, it was fun to follow students in a school where their training was focused on more than simply bashing each other with swords, as much as I do love a good battle school fantasy novel.

But, as the story continued, I kept having to actively refocus myself on the action, because if I ever stopped and thought too hard about how any of this worked or whether it even made sense for the stated purpose, my brain would start hurting. At one point, a character describes something as “like magic,” and this unwittingly pointed to the entire problem. This wasn’t a fantasy story, and things should be understandable beyond some woo-woo, handwaving “like magic” explanation when things get complicated.

Things really fell apart, however, when it came to the characters and the sexualization explored here. Look, I’m not a prude or anything, but this book is marketed as YA. That doesn’t mean that there can be no sexual content, but I do think it puts a greater onus on the author to handle these topics responsibly. And what we had here was the exact opposite of that.

Firstly, the main female love interest was repeatedly being described as ugly throughout the book. It’s totally fine to not have a hottie as the main character, and there are ways to represent an average girl in this situation in a healthy way. But over and over, this girl’s looks were harped upon in a way that seemed to emphasize the fact that she was the love interest despite her looks.

Secondly, Julian’s inner thoughts were so off-putting that I really struggled to enjoy him. Again, there is a way to represent teenage boys and the different ways they can think about sexuality from girls, but Julian’s inner thoughts were so gross that it was so far and away from this as to be laughable. The use of sexual assault paired with his inner thoughts was really upsetting at times.

There were also several interactions between adults and students that were incredibly creepy and icky. And look, none of these things on their own would necessarily be deal breakers, but it did add up to feeling like quite a lot of darker sexual themes throughout the book. And unfortunately, this does seem to be a trend with Reid’s books. I don’t know what is going on in the background, but there seems to be some inability to resist using sexual assault or darker sexual themes/thoughts in a way that feels exploitative, like it’s all there for shock value and nothing else. When every book I pick up by her includes these themes, it starts to feel a bit weird.

So yes, I struggled to enjoy this book. The general concept was interesting, but there wasn’t enough structure for how things worked to not leave me with constant questions. Beyond that, I was increasingly uncomfortable with the incredibly unhealthy depictions of sexuality and physical appearances, and the use of sexual assault throughout the book. With an adult novel, I may have given some of this more of a pass. But as a YA book, I think this presents these themes in incredibly poor ways, which is a disservice to the teen readers who could pick it up. I guess I would recommend this to Reid fanatics who enjoy all of her books. But if you’re like me and have found yourself bouncing off some of her titles, this might be another one in the “pass” column.

Rating 5: I just don’t think this book did enough to justify its use of dark sexual themes, and instead set up some truly unhealthy dynamics between characters.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Winterveil” can be found on these Goodreads lists: September 2026 Most Anticipated Romance Releases

Kiss of the Black Flame

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

Book: “Kiss of the Black Flame” by Helen Scheuerer

Publishing Info: Atria Books, September 2026

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

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

Book Description: Saige Grayson has always believed stories could heal—even when her own body refuses to. As the most promising bookbinder in the capital, she’s learned to work through chronic pain and crushing debt, restoring other people’s treasures while trying not to fall apart herself. But when the man she owes decides her rare talent is worth more than her payments, Saige is traded to the Azkari—an immortal race forged by the gods for war—and imprisoned in their ancient stronghold.

Her only chance of survival lies with Archer, a fallen Azkari general imprisoned beside her —cursed, dangerous, and impossible to ignore. He offers her a way out, and in return, Saige must help him retrieve and restore an ancient book. But the book is made of living magic, powerful enough to stop a great evil—or unleash it. And as Saige works with Archer, the tome begins to awaken something dark and dangerous—both in the realm and within her.

As their enemies close in and buried memories resurface, Saige and Archer must decide what they’re willing to their freedom, their fragile trust…or the spark that could ignite the world.

Review: This was a frustrating read. At times, I was really clicking with the general style of writing, the concepts being introduced for this world, and the broad strokes of the characters we were following. But as the story continued, I was equally often thrown out of my reading experience with eye-roll-inducing instalove and weaker world-building moments.

Let’s start with what I did like. First off, the introduction of this world and its characters was very strong, as was the writing in general. I was intrigued by the greater stakes at the heart of the plot, but I also enjoyed the smaller moments, especially early in the story between the FMC and her friends. The idea of a bookbinder as a main character was also incredibly endearing.

Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that these broad-stroke introductions of the world, the magic, and, to some extent, the characters were all that the story was going to have on offer. This was especially egregious with the world-building and the overall stakes. There is a “villain,” yes, but they are absent for large chunks of the story. In theory, there were things happening, but the reader was never given enough information to really feel any sense of urgency or weight to the action happening on the page. As the story continued, I was increasingly lost behind an ever-growing pile of questions about how any of this worked. There were small contradictions sprinkled throughout the entire read, made all the worse by glaring plot holes and conveniences that popped up with increasing frequency.

The romance itself was also incredibly frustrating. The MMC literally gets one glance of her and then is obsessed for years. And then she, likewise, seems to fall in lust within hours of meeting him. Things don’t improve from there. The relationship between them lacked any chemistry, and I struggled to believe that either of these characters could possibly enjoy the other. He was rude and insufferable. And she was a 35-year-old woman who threw tantrums with the best of her teenage non-peers.

However, like I said in the beginning, the actual writing itself, on a line basis, was very strong. I do think the pacing struggled in the middle, and the plotting also was a bit starved. But I would still be interested in checking out another book by this author, simply on the strength of the prose itself. That being the case, I do think there are plenty of readers who will connect with this one more than I did. Romantasy readers in general will likely be pleased, but be warned that “slow burn” this is not.

Rating 7: While the writing itself was strong, the world-building was lacking and the main characters suffered from a pretty bad case of instalove.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Kiss of the Black Flame” can be found on this Goodreads list: We Fire the Darkness And Flame At Night.