Category: Serena’s Reviews

Serena’s Review: “The Infinite State”

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

Book: “The Infinite State” by Richard Swan

Publishing Info: Tor Books, August 2026

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

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

Book Description: WHO GIVES YOU LIFE?
PATER AETERNUS.

Katherine Fuller’s husband is dead. As an esteemed member of Pater Aeternus—governing party of the fascist, galaxy-spanning Decurion Empire—he has left behind an estate of immeasurable wealth. And Katherine is going to inherit it.

WHO GIVES YOU PURPOSE?
PATER AETERNUS.

Life under the Eternal Father is rigidly stratified, surveilled, and controlled—each new day to be endured, not lived. But with Katherine’s newfound fortune, she is presented with a rare and dangerous opportunity: purchase a virgin world, and create a better, fairer society.

WHO GIVES YOU JOY?
PATER AETERNUS.

But the Empire cannot allow its wayward daughter to succeed. And as Katherine works in secret, recruiting allies she’s not even sure she can trust, she will discover exactly how far Pater Aeternus is willing to go to stop her. Because Katherine is going to create something nobody has seen for many years.

A democracy.

Review: I went into this one fairly optimistic. I had heard great things about this author and his various fantasy series and had been waiting for a chance to jump on the band wagon. Based on my experience here, I’ll definitely still be looking into his previous fantasy titles, but I don’t think the jump between genres worked as well for him as it may have for others making a similar switch.

To start with what I did like and the reason that I’ll continue to keep an eye on this author and try to read his previous titles, the writing itself was very strong. It’s clear that he has a particular talent for writing complex, interesting characters, and I was quickly drawn in to the stories of the various personalities we found here. Each was compelling in their own way, with their own rich histories and particularities of viewpoint that they brought to their experience of the events in this book. There was a lot of variety between them, which I really appreciated. In particular, I enjoyed the perspective of Katherine, a middle-aged (ish) woman who has struggled with fertility and goes on to lose her husband in a mysterious way. Hers is a perspective that we don’t often see in books like this, and I think it balanced nicely against some of the more expected perspectives.

Beyond characterization, the author has a great overall style to his writing. “Voice” is a hard concept to write about in a book review, but so often it is the one, nebulous element that really makes certain books stand out. The storytelling just flows in a way that is easy to read and enjoyable, and such was the case here.

Unfortunately, when we get into the nitty-gritty of this particular story and the worldbuilding/dystopian elements, that’s where things start to fall apart. Right from the very beginning, I was put on the backfoot by the fairly generic set up of it all. We’re introduced to an extremely authoritarian world with a heavy dose of social monitoring. Insert grand leaders and an obsession with fertility, and you’ve got most of the generic bases covered. And while many dystopian novels follow a similar vein, I kept reading for quite some time expecting some further depth to be revealed about this all. WHY was this society so obsessed with fertility? What was the original driving force behind this regime?

Instead of any actual depth, it felt like certain aspects of the world building (the fertility thing is the best example) were inserted just because they felt like hot button issues or coded towards certain viewpoints. But without something behind them, it all just felt kind of weak and silly. And then the regime itself felt evil simply because…they are evil? For an adult sci-fi dystopian novel, I needed more. Authoritarianism is bad, obviously. But if that’s all you got, it’s a pretty dull, generic, and ultimately, derivative reading experience.

There were also some issues with pacing and an over emphasis on certain plot points. I, for one, could have lived without some of the page count devoted to the world of racing that made up one character’s plot line. But even these scenes were written well, so while I don’t think the balance was quite right, had the overall dystopian worldbuilding aspects been better fleshed out, I don’t think these would have stood out to me so starkly.

Overall, this was a frustrating reading experience. On one hand, I think this author is very talented. On the other, I’m not sure what this book was trying to accomplish. Like I said at the start, transitioning from one genre to another can sometimes be a challenge, and this was a case where it felt like the author didn’t quite have enough to back up the story he was trying to tell and relied too strongly on basic genre conventions to hold the entire thing up. Fans of this author may still want to check this out, however, as well as those who perhaps care less about intricate world-building.

Rating 7: Way too generic on the dystopian front for my taste, but the author is clearly a talented writer and had some great characters, so I look forward to exploring his back catalog.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Infinite State” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Best Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction and Excellent Space Opera.

Serena’s Review: “The Lion and the Deathless Dark”

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

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

Publishing Info: Bramble, August 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: It’s always great picking up books like this, ones that come from authors who have never let you down in the past. In the case of Broadbent specifically, the first book in a new duology has historically been the best, in my opinion, which made this book all the more exciting! And so it continues; I loved this book!

There was a lot to love about this one, but what stood out the most for me was the main character. I’ve enjoyed all the main characters in this series to different extents. Oraya was probably the more stereotypical stabby, sassy romantasy heroine, but her conflicts with her father gave her an extra edge to stand out from a crowded pack. And I enjoyed the change to a quieter, more optimistic heroine, Mische. But in that duology, it was the hero who really ticked the box for my favorite sort of romantic interest more than a particular attachment to Mische.

But Kyrene, oh Kyrene. Ever since I was a child whose favorite character was Rachel from the “Animorphs” series, I’ve always loved the warriors, especially the brave, blunt, impulsive sort who hide deeper layers within, often some sort of self-hatred or self-fear. And Kyrene ticked all of the right boxes. Every moment in her head was a joy, from watching her bullishly barge into any situation with a “hit first, ask questions later” mentality, to seeing her struggle with the concept of heroism and whether it could ever apply to a person like her.

By this point in the series, the general stakes have been set for this world: everything is awful, and it’s mostly the gods’ fault. So Kyrene’s arrival to the series with her single-minded focus on revenge fits perfectly to drive these final books forward. What’s more, we finally get to see more of Septimus, a character who has popped in and out of the series for several books now and who has always had something brewing under the lid. His focus on cool, meticulously laid plans, juxtaposed by Kyrene’s single-minded approach to vengeance, led to a really excellent pairing.

By this point in the series, we can always expect some major twists to come by the end of the first book in a new duology, and this one delivered on that promise. While I could see at least one of these reveals coming, there were also several that took me completely by surprise. There was even one that came around the 75% mark that totally blindsided me and completely reset the stage of what had come before and what was possible going forward.

And, of course, the romance was great. After Mische’s more romantic duology, it was a change of pace to follow Kyrene, a woman who has as few inhibitions around sex as she does violence. What’s more, the unavoidable tragedy that lies before them both set a different sort of tone for their developing relationship. The tension that was built was much less focused on the physical than it was on the emotional. Both Septimus and Kyrene have their own reasons for not wanting to become emotionally attached.

By this point in the series, it also shouldn’t surprise anyone that this book ends on a pretty big cliffhanger. But Broadbent has always been an efficient writer, so hopefully the wait for the last book in the duology (and the series as a whole!!) shouldn’t be long in coming. If you’ve enjoyed the series so far, this is a must-read. And it will be especially pleasing for any readers who enjoy the warrior woman archetype and who have been desperately longing for Septimus’s book for some time now!

Rating 9: Kyrene has my whole heart! Septimus was great, too, but I do love me a warrior woman protagonist!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Lion and the Deathless Dark” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2026.

Serena’s Review: “Want Me, Take Me, Haunt Me, Make Me” by Isabel Crowley

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

Book: “Want Me, Take Me, Haunt Me, Make Me” by Isabel Crowley

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Casablanca, August 2026

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

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

Book Description: Hazel Lewis has a serious problem. The guy who hired her to conduct a seance before he died turned out to be a serial killer with a demonic contract, and the seance itself was a trap. Hazel escaped with her life, but not as she knew it: the bite of a demon is spreading through her body, letting the supernatural bleed into the world around her, and the now-dead serial killer is waiting to take over her body if she dies. 

Hoping to contain the damage, Hazel moves to a small house in a remote location. She figures she’ll stay on her own until she gets a handle on her new dark reality, but she soon finds out that she’s not alone. There’s the reporter demanding answers, the friendly neighbor with chemistry she doesn’t need and problems he can’t talk about…and the mysterious face she sees beyond her window, watching her every night with glowing red eyes.

Making her hunger.

Hazel knew a little bit about the world beyond the physical. Now she’s learning how much she doesn’t know, including who she can trust…and who she can become if she trusts herself enough to give in to the shadows stalking her dreams.

Review: This book started off on a high note, but unfortunately dropped off a bit as I continued reading. From the start, however, I appreciated the simple fact that this book was written in third-person perspective. This is definitely a preference thing, for sure, but more and more books that I pick up like this are written in first person and are often worse for it. I honestly think first-person perspective is harder to write, and I wish it wasn’t the default for romantasy authors nowadays, as I think a huge percentage of these books would be improved with the one neat trick that is third person! Here, the writing immediately felt more elevated simply for being written in this style.

Further, the book starts off with a strong first quarter to third of the story that is highly focused on action and horror. Hazel, as a medium, was an interesting character from the start, and the plot throws a lot at the reader right away. I was fully on board during this section and had high hopes for the rest of the book. Some of the horror elements were surprising in how far they went, and this is one of those cases where I appreciated the commitment to the darkness.

But then the romance started, and it all went wrong so quickly. Mostly because the romance itself happened so quickly. There were strong instalove/instalust vibes almost immediately, with almost no buildup of tension, emotional attachment, or much of anything. The spicy scenes themselves weren’t bad, but I do feel like once the spice started up, the balance between horror, romance, and action fell out of sync. It was at this point that the reading experience started to feel like a struggle.

What’s more, while I liked Hazel initially, as the story went on and more characters were introduced, I found it hard to maintain much interest in any of them or their personal stories. While the writing was strong enough, there was a distinct lack of “voice” to the entire affair, which left me feeling removed from much of the action as the story continued.

Overall, this was just an ok book. I do think that the writing was fairly good for the most part, and I appreciated that the author committed to some of the darker moments of the horror, especially in the beginning. I’d definitely be interested in reading another book from this author, as this could be a case where she grows into a greater talent. But the instalove and tepid characterization did make this one a struggle, especially in the back half. However, if you’re looking for another paranormal romance and you don’t mind instalove, this might be for you!

Rating 7: I appreciate the commitment to the horror elements, but the instalove really took me out of it in the end.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Want Me, Take Me, Haunt Me, Make Me” can be found on this Goodreads list: Upcoming Horror (2026, 2027, 2028).

Serena’s Review: “The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood”

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

Book: “The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood” by H.G. Parry

Publishing Info: Redhook, July 2026

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

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

Book Description: Wales, 1941. As the second world war ravages the globe and bombs fall from the sky, people all over the world begin to dream of King Arthur. The dreams spread like a fantastical plague, flooding people’s sleep night after night. Whispers arise of wonders and unexplained sights—dragons in the London Underground, and strange lights over Stonehenge. Self-proclaimed prophets claim they are miracles, heralding Arthur’s return at the time of Britain’s greatest need.

Elaine Ambrose has never dreamed of Arthur, and she doesn’t believe in miracles. A librarian at the British Museum, she wants only to protect the museum’s collection from the London Blitz, and is frustrated to be sent instead to catalogue a reclusive professor’s private library on the coast of North Wales. But all is not as it seems. Soon Ellie must confront what she’s tried to she dreams not of Arthur, but of Nimue—the Lady of the Lake. And her dreams promise not salvation, but a return to the darkness of the last days of Camelot. 

Review: This sounded like a match made in heaven when I came across it this spring! I’ve really loved everything I’ve read by Parry, and I’ve been desperately searching for a good Arthurian fantasy for several years now. There have been quite a few to come out, but for whatever reason, none of them have really scratched my particular itch. Well, that ends today!

There was so much to love about this book! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with the format of this book, told in two timelines, one following Elaine during WWII and the other featuring Nimue recounting her life at Camelot. The latter sounded familiar enough, but how would Elaine and WWII figure into things? Well, I can’t get into how it all ties together, as that would include massive spoilers, but the twists and turns that wove it all into one cohesive tale were very impressive.

Further, I appreciated the historical fiction aspect that was explored through the WWII sections, with Elaine’s experiences and thoughts while living through the bombing of London and the national crisis that followed. Hers is a story of a nation living in a constant state of fear and desperately looking for heroes, even if they have to turn to long-lost myths. At first, I thought this general theme (the comfort found in stories during times of trouble) was as deep as this would go. But, again, the twists really pulled this all together in a deeper, more meaningful way.

Nimue’s tale, of course, gets into the more traditional Arthurian myths. However, even here, there were just enough twists and turns woven through the stories we’re more familiar with to keep me on my toes. Indeed, the very fact that there are so many variations on these tales is pulled into the narrative in a fantastic manner. And, of course, I loved the simple joy of getting to experience these characters on the page, all under the steady hand of an author who knows how to bring out what’s most important about each character without overdoing it. Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere, Arthur. All fantastic.

I also loved Elaine and Nimue themselves. Elaine’s story is much more mysterious, as we’re never quite sure what’s going on with the dreams she is having. But through her attempts to unravel the mystery, there was a lovely friendship built up between her and Tom, the groundskeeper. This relationship was so lovely and, again, progressed toward a conclusion that was as beautiful as it was heart-wrenching.

And for Nimue, I loved the relationship between her and Merlin. This was an interesting relationship as, on its face, the romance is very much a subplot. But on the other hand, by the time you get to the end, it also becomes clear that the romance itself almost IS the plot. It was one of those love stories that you can’t fully appreciate until the book is over.

Overall, I loved this book. It was beautiful, heartbreaking, and full of deep themes. In particular, the core theme that fighting for what is right is enough on its own. Even if you can’t win, even if it feels hopeless, even if you know that doing what is right will lead to your own doom. I strongly recommend this to all fantasy fans, particularly those who enjoy Arthurian legends!

Rating 9: Absolutely brilliant! Parry takes familiar Arthurian legends and breathes new life into them!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood” can be found on this Goodreads list: 2026 Arthurian releases

Serena’s Review: “Vicious”

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

Book: “Vicious” by V.E. Schwab

Publishing Info: Tor, September 2013

Where Did I Get this Book: copy provided by the publisher!

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

Book Description: Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

Review: Somehow, even though I’ve loved V.E. Schwab’s work for years, I’ve never gotten around to this book. In this case, however, this has worked out for me since what was once a stand-alone novel has now turned into a soon-to-be-completed trilogy! So I thought now was the time to jump in so that I’d be all ready to pick up the final book when it drops this fall.

Right from the start, this is one of those compulsively readable books. The writing jumps off the page, and I was immediately drawn into the story and quickly invested in the characters. This is all the more unique as neither Eli nor Victor are particularly good people. But man, are they, especially Victor, the sort that you quickly grow to love in spite of (or because of??) these very same flaws.

The story alternates between two timelines. One is set when Eli and Victor are both students, sharing a room and dreaming of the limits of their world. The other is set years later, with Victor finally freed from the prison in which he’s languished for years, dreaming of his revenge against his former friend. Sometimes I struggle with dual timelines like this, but in this case it works really well. We get to see very different versions of both characters and slowly piece together how they go from that version to the ones we see in the current day.

Naturally, given the subject matter, there was a detailed exploration of what it means to be both a hero and a villain. Victor is very much an anti-hero, and Eli, the more “villainous” of the two, is the one the world looks to as a hero and who sees his own mission as the more virtuous. Through both characters, there’s much reflection on what makes one a hero or a villain: actions, intentions, or some nebulous combination of the two.

I will say that the ending left a bit to be desired. It’s an interesting thing, as when it first came out, it very much felt like a stand-alone affair, and this ending would have been even more frustrating. As it stands, I’m glad there are two more books to delve more fully into both of these characters and to get a better resolution to the entire storyline. If you enjoy fantasy novels with a strong focus on morally gray characters, I definitely recommend this one!

Rating 8: Compulsively readable, I really enjoyed this book and its greater exploration of what makes a hero…or a villain.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Vicious” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Super Hero Books [Not Graphic Novels] and Superhero Fiction.

Serena’s Review: “Among the Thorns”

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

Book: “Among the Thorns” by Jennifer K. Lambert

Publishing Info: Bramble, July 2026

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

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

Book Description: Ambitious young sorceress Rose of Northbrooke is about to graduate. She’s the only known dream sorcerer of her generation and she’s a remarkable one—formidably powerful, strikingly beautiful, and destined for greatness. No wonder she has a prince of the realm trailing her skirts.

But when rumors of dream magic gone awry reach her ear, Rose discovers she’s not the only oneiromancer of her generation. And she might not be the most powerful.

In a faraway cottage, Thorn has lived a simple and isolated life. She’s kept hidden by magic that prevents her from wandering past the cottage fence. Thorn longs to be a part of the world, to learn more about her magic, to be rescued by a prince who could love her with his whole heart.

When she discovers there’s another dream sorceress out there who has everything Thorn has ever wanted—freedom, education, prince and all—her acceptance of her isolation transforms into a hunger for everything she has been denied. Everything Rose has.

When Rose and Thorn meet, they realize their lives have been a lie and their fates have been carefully planned by political schemers. The outcome is only one sorceress can live in the open, reap all the glory of her kingdom, and claim the prince’s loving hand… condemning the other to a life of perpetual non-existence.

Previously Reviewed: “Never the Roses”

Review: This one didn’t quite hit the highs of “Never the Roses,” but I still think it was an enjoyable, quieter fantasy read all the same. This quieter approach is one of the things that made both the first book and now the second stand out in the romantasy genre. We often see books in this genre rely on either spunkier heroines, quippy dialogue, or snappy action. But here, the pacing takes its time introducing the three characters, and much of the plot revolves around the dynamics formed between them.

I did enjoy all three of the characters, for the most part. Rose could come across as harsh at times, especially in the beginning chapters, but as she came into her own and understood the true circumstances of her life and Thorn’s, I loved her arc. Thorn was a great character from the start, much more reserved and needing to deal with the trauma inflicted upon her throughout her life. Hers is a story of discovering the strength within and the bravery of finally reaching out to take what is yours. Sebastian had his moments (I enjoyed his relationship with his half-sisters), but he was also the least interesting of the three. As this is very much Rose and Thorn’s story, I was ultimately fine with this, but it did leave me feeling a bit less interested in his particular parts of the story.

I did struggle a bit more with the writing here. There was nothing overtly bad about any of it, but for whatever reason, I continuously felt a bit removed from the action. It was one of those books where I never felt drawn into the story and was always very aware of the process of reading. I’m not sure exactly where the change came from, however, between this one and the first. Perhaps the writing here simply felt a bit more simplistic and didn’t flow as nicely. Perhaps the pacing was just a bit too slow in this one to really grab my attention like the first book did.

It was an enjoyable read, however, and I liked how things were wrapped up in the end. I’m still waiting on some sort of resolution for our main characters from the first book, though, so I hope a third book is on the horizon! But if you’re a fan of slower-paced, quiet romantasy, this is definitely one that might be of interest to you!

Rating 7: I struggled to fully connect with this one as much as the first book, and I’m not sure why. But it was still a lovely romantasy with a heavy focus on two strong women, each demonstrating that there are different ways to have strength.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Among the Thorns” can be found on this Goodreads list: July 2026 Most Anticipated Romance Releases.

Serena’s Review: “Rites of the Starling”

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

Book: “Rites of the Starling” by Devney Perry

Publishing Info: Red Tower Books, April 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: from the library!

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

Book Description: Calandra’s five kingdoms are on the verge of destruction. The crux migration is coming. And in the wake of a devastating attack, I’ve been separated from the man who owns my heart.

I’m lost. Terrified. Homesick. Hunted by monsters, driven to exhaustion, and kidnapped by a powerful priest, the only thing keeping me going is the little girl counting on me to keep her safe. It’s my turn to become the Guardian.

Our lives change one fateful night. A night of death. A night of monsters. A night of truths. That night, I learn the real meaning of fear—and the depth of my own strength. Everyone wants me to be something I’m not—a queen, a spy, a sacrifice. But what if I embrace my crown? What if the secrets I uncover save our realm?

What if my sacrifice means salvation for the man I love? For too long, I’ve feared the monsters we make. It’s time to discover the monster within.

Previously Reviewed: “Shield of Sparrows”

Review: I’m a bit late to the game, but I finally managed to get my hands on this sequel! “Shield of Sparrows” was kind of a sleeper hit for me last year; on its face, it sounded much like every other romantasy title coming out that I often struggle to get through. But it surprised me with its detailed world-building, fast-moving plot, and a romance that felt properly balanced with the rest of the plot. It also ended on a fairly substantial cliffhanger, so I was excited to see how that was all resolved here!

While this one didn’t quite live up to the high of the first book, it still stands miles ahead of other titles of its sort, in my opinion. In this book’s case, much of what makes it stand out comes down to the world-building and the effective use of twists. Like I said, the first book’s world-building was surprisingly robust. But here, the book introduces an entirely new main character and, through her, an entirely new perspective on this world. I can’t go into many details without getting into spoilers, but suffice it to say, this world is much larger than was known and its history much longer. What makes this so great is the fact that this is presented as not only new information to the reader, but is also woven into the story itself, with explanations for why none of this was referenced in the first book.

The second point is the effective use of twists. It was already a fairly ballsy move to introduce a new POV character who isn’t just the romantic interest, but Devney carefully weaves this story in and out of the continuation of Odessa and Ransom’s story. Through her chapters, we get little pieces doled out, just enough to allow the reader to form their own theories about what is going on. But often, those theories only last until the next chapter, where some new puzzle piece is laid out, shifting all of the theories in a new direction. By the end, I had put most of it together, but every turn along the way felt fresh, and there were definitely guesses that I started with that turned out to be completely off base. There was one particular twist that I had wrong the entire time!

I also continued to enjoy the balance between romance and plot in this series. Our new character has her own developing romance, which works nicely as Odessa and Ransom are separated for a large chunk of this book. While this delay may frustrate some readers, I think it effectively built the tension and nicely prioritized the actual life-and-death stakes of the ongoing situation in this world. Too often, romantasy sequels have to either introduce contrived conflict into the romance to keep up interest or simply begin to sound repetitive, as the two characters tread familiar ground throughout the story. Here, we get a nice payoff from Ransom and Odessa’s eventual reunion, and by the end, they have an entirely new host of challenges ahead of them.

The story also continued its trend of tragedy and violence. Things do not go well for all of the characters here. The stakes were high throughout, and this was reflected in the fact that not everything works out the way we may wish.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read. The pacing was perhaps a bit more uneven, simply due to jumping back and forth between two POVs and two very different stories, but the incredible world-building really makes it stand out in the crowded romantasy field. If you enjoyed the first book, particularly if you loved it for its main plot and the fantasy elements, definitely continue on with this one!

Rating 8: Devney has really cracked the romantasy nut with this one, managing to weave a complicated, expansive world while also not skimping on the romance!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Rites of the Starling” is on these Goodreads lists: 2026 Most Anticipated Romantasy & Fantasy Romance Releases and Adult Romantasy.

Serena’s Review: “The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy”

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

Book: “The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy” by Brigitte Knightley

Publishing Info: Ace, July 2o26

Where Did I Get this Book: the publisher!

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

Book Description: Osric is a member of the Fyren Order, a guild of assassins who gleefully murder for money. Aurienne is a Haelan, a scholar-healer whose Order’s motto is Harm to none. Clear-cut absolutes separate them: good and bad, right and wrong, light and dark . . .Until they don’t.

When Osric first bribed Aurienne to heal him, he never imagined those lines would begin to blur. But every healing session draws them closer together. He finds himself developing unwanted feelings for Aurienne as her capable hands heal his body—and his heart.

Aurienne’s perfect life has been flung into chaos in the form of a devastatingly handsome assassin. She should be in her research lab, not illicitly healing a Fyren every full moon—nor wrestling an attraction to him that threatens to slip into something else.

Things go superbly sideways when Osric and Aurienne discover more about the deadly Pox deliberately unleashed through the Tīendoms. The plague may be the work of another Order—an Order far nastier than either of them can handle.

As the lines between Osric and Aurienne continue to blur, the balance between peace and war, and love and hate, trembles, shifts, and hinges on a heartbeat.

Previously Reviewed: “The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy”

Review: While I had mixed feelings on the first book in this duology, this is one of those pleasant instances when the series actually ends stronger than it begins! Across the board, from pacing, to characterization, to the use of humor, all were improved here. So, from the start, if you were like me and not quite sure after the first book, I definitely recommend finishing up the duology!

One of my struggles with the first book was the use of humor. It was a weird experience, because there was a lot that I found genuinely funny. But there was also a strong reliance on fairly crude humor that’s just not really my style. Well, here, there was much more of the former and only a few instances of the latter. Indeed, the balance all around of humor to plot to romance was much better done, so when the comic moments or banter came, it landed much stronger for not being layered on so thickly throughout the entire read.

I also enjoyed the love story here more. The first felt like it dragged the “enemies” portion of the romance on just a bit too far. Here, the book still needs the entire page length to get to the true HEA, but both characters are in the process of managing their own growing feelings and then transition more into the challenges of the relationship as a whole. Further, the plot itself gave us more instances to see these characters come into these feelings through their actions rather than the strong reliance on inner monologues that we had in the first book. That still was here too, of course, but I appreciated the more action-based approach to the love story in this book.

The plot and pacing were also more interesting. The first book did a lot to set up the characters (less so the world, which was left fairly unexplained). But here, we got more into the true stakes of the story and the villainous players. I will say, I still struggled with some of the world-building and whether some of it was truly necessary. For example, like the first book, I continued to not understand why it was necessary to have different countries as unique entities involved at all. The entire plot of this book is based around a conflict between the magical faction, and then there is a throwaway line, essentially, that various factions are working with such-and-such country. But we never meet any of these countries’ leaders, never travel to their capitals, literally never get any reason why we should care about them at all.

All in all, this was a great conclusion to the duology. In every way, it felt like a more mature book, with better plotting, characterization, and a proper balance between romance, action, and humor. The romantic storyline wraps up well; however, the state of this world at the end is still very much up in the air. It definitely makes me wonder whether we’ll see more in this world following new characters! If you were a fan of the first book, definitely finish out the experience with this one.

Rating 8: A stronger finish than it was a start, this duology ended up being a blast, full of romance, action, and a healthy dose of humor.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy” can be found on this Goodreads list: 2026 Romance Duets.

Serena’s Review: “A Tangled Magic”

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

Book: “A Tangled Magic” by Andrea Eames

Publishing Info: Erewhon Books, July 2026

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

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

Book Description: All her life, Netta has only known the Tower—its musty shelves of books she cannot read, ink-splattered quills, and endless scrolls of paper. Her mother, ambitious and analytical, has spent decades perfecting her greatest masterpiece: a spellbook of unspeakable power. Netta’s only companions are her long red Hair, which moves of its own accord, and a telepathic raven named Baldbeak. Her only amusement lies in crafting intricate embroidery from scraps of silk and thread.

When attackers storm the Tower, her mother and the spellbook vanish. Determined to find her, Netta ventures into a kingdom on the brink of civil war. The monarch lies dying, while pious Temple fanatics and the noble elite scheme for the throne, forging secret alliances and building hidden armies. For reasons she cannot yet fathom, all these factions seek Netta—and the dangerous, uncontrollable magic in her Hair.

But whom can she trust? The sharp-eyed pickpocket bent on revolutionizing the use of magic? The elusive black market trader known only as the Book Man? The charming magician who slips between shadow and light? From masked carnivals to opulent ballrooms, from hidden monasteries to catacombs, Netta must untangle a web of lies and intrigue – not only to find her mother, but also to uncover the true nature of the power that has shaped her life.

Review: Given the title and the comps listed for this one, I did go into this expecting a closer “Rapunzel” retelling. However, I was more than happy with what we got instead! This is a slow, quiet fairytale that clearly draws from many traditions but is more focused on highlighting a softer sort of heroine than it is on retelling a specific plot, like that from “Tangled” or “Six of Crows” (another comp title, which I get even less than the “Tangled” one!).

Luckily, I very much enjoy this sort of quieter fantasy tale. It’s not cozy, but it does remind me of some of Juliet Marillier’s books, and as she is one of my favorite fantasy authors, this is quite the point in this book’s favor! Like Marillier, Eames has created a heroine who is soft, reserved, and not prone to grand gestures. Hers is an inner strength, and one that she needs to build throughout the book, having started from a quite naive, sheltered perspective early in the book. So too, there’s a strong focus on “womanly” work, such as the embroidery that Netta works so diligently at.

I also enjoyed the complicated mother-daughter relationship that is explored in this book. I always find this particular relationship so interesting both in the original fairytale and in other adaptations, like “Tangled.” What a complex knot of emotions, a parent-child relationship all caught up in exploitation and lies.

For all that I did enjoy Netta’s quieter type of heroism, she was quite naive even long into the book. On one hand, I think this makes sense given her circumstances, but it did make the character read younger than she is supposed to be. That being the case, the entire affair felt more on the YA side than adult, which is fine, but will make its task of finding the right readership perhaps a bit more difficult. So too, I felt like the very small romantic subplot was largely unnecessary. As much as I enjoy a good love story, it didn’t feel like it fit well here. It either needed more to resolve things and make it stand more on its own as an arc, or it could easily have been removed altogether.

Overall, this was a nice read. It didn’t amaze me, but it was also the sort of slow-paced, quieter fantasy novel that you don’t see as often. Fans of this sort of fairytale fantasy should definitely give it a shot!

Rating 8: This was a lovely little fairytale read that, if it gets into the hands of the right readers, I think will be very much enjoyed!

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Tangled Magic” is not on any Goodreads list yet, but it should be on Fairy tales & Retellings.

Serena’s Review: “The Demon Star”

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

Book: “The Demon Star” by Jesse Aragon

Publishing Info: DAW, July 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher

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

Book Description: Gods rule this planet. Demons stalk its canyons while Kings beg for mercy. Can three mere humans rewrite its destiny?

The otherworldly religious conflict of Dune, the cosmic strangeness of Gideon the Ninth, and the heart-pounding action of Red Rising converge in this horror-tinged epic science fantasy debut.

Ysira Naktis was a human sacrifice, marked for death. Unlike the thousands ‘harvested’ each year, though, she did the unthinkable. She survived—and what she brought back with her could change the fate of worlds.

When Ysira’s estranged son is chosen to become the vessel of a god-killing demon, she is faced with a choice: allow him to harness cosmic power at an unspeakable cost, or doom millions to save him. She finds an unlikely ally in Brother Jacen Kheris, once a gifted exorcist, now a guilt-ridden addict, desperate for purpose.

From a demon-haunted canyon to a starbound satellite, they must battle their way through cultists, aliens, and the gods themselves. The truths they unearth are deeper and more sinister than anything they could have imagined.

Review: This was such an odd mashup of so many things that don’t seem like they should work together, but somehow do. Theology and exorcisms! Dune-like worms! Telepathy! And all told through a multitude of POVs, all of whom are morally gray to some extreme or another.

Let’s start with the characters. While there are various perspectives throughout, there are three primary characters, each with their own arcs and struggles. Through these three main characters, the story dives into themes such as addiction, the desperate drive for approval from others, and the toxic side of motherhood. “Toxic” is really the right word for many of the characters in this book. These are messy people who form messy relationships to one another, and this is by no means a “feel good” story when it comes to any of this.

There is sort of a romantic subplot, but it’s definitely not of the traditional sort. As I said, everything here is messy, including the relationships that form between these three. I didn’t love this aspect of the story, as it played into a few romantic themes that aren’t my favorite. Alas, I’m one of those romance readers who enjoy more straightforward, happy love stories, so this aspect of the story wasn’t my favorite.

But the main elements of a fantastic fantasy book were all here, including a hefty dose of horror. Everything exists on a grand scale, and the book neatly balanced introducing its complex world while also side-stepping into deep philosophical topics regarding religion, power, and the roles of gods and demons in this world. Again, like the characters, the book is heavy, complicated, and on the darker side. I found all of this so interesting, however, that I never felt bogged down by the bleakness of some of its themes.

And then comes the second half, with tons of twists and turns and gut punches around every corner. In the first half, the reader begins to settle into this world, as uncomfortable as it is, but the second half neatly rips away any sense of stability that was formed in that first half. Like the characters, the reader will simply stumble, reeling, from one crushing scene to the next.

Overall, this was a great fantasy read! It’s definitely on the darker, more horror-centric side, but I think it did a fantastic job with its world-building and exploration of complex themes. I struggled a bit with some character beats, but much of that comes down to personal preferences with regards to POV characters and their arcs. If you’re a fan of cosmic fantasy, definitely check this one out!

Rating 8: Heart-wrenching, horrific, and freakishly compelling, it’s the kind of book where you’re constantly waiting for the next twist to rip your heart out, but you can’t stop reading in spite of it!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Demon Star” can be found on these Goodreads lists: 2026 Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction and 2026 Debuts