Category: Serena’s Reviews

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

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

Publishing Info: Orbit, March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reader’s Advisory:

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

Serena’s Review: “Entwined”

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Book: “Entwined” by H.M. Long

Publishing Info: Titan Books, March 2926

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reader’s Advisory:

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

Serena’s Review: “Across the Vanishing Sky”

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Book: “Across the Vanishing Sky” by Catherine Cowles

Publishing Info: Bloom Books, March 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reader’s Advisory:

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

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

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

Publishing Info: 47North, March 2026

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

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

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

Previously Reviewed: “The Shattered King”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reader’s Advisory:

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

Serena’s Review: “Half City”

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Book: “Half City” by Kate Golden

Publishing Info: Ace, February 2026

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

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

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

She just also happens to be a demon hunter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reader’s Advisory:

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

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

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

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Fire, February 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reader’s Advisory:

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

Serena’s Review: “A Secret in the Garden”

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Book: “A Secret in the Garden” by Jeneane O’Riley

Publishing Info: Bloom Books, February 2026

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

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

Book Description: Some secrets were never meant to be unearthed.

Perched on a windswept cliff, Blackwood Manor looms like a dark monument to a mysterious family. Behind its grand iron gates, one part of the estate has been left to rot since the tragic death of Hester Blackwood: the once-glorious conservatory, now choked by vines and shattered glass. The rest of the family is gone—only her brooding son, Jasper, remains, the heir to a weapons empire.

Desperate to save her job and out of options, botanist Eliza Arnold makes a bold gamble—drive to the manor and beg the elusive millionaire for a donation. Jasper agrees…on one chilling condition: restore the conservatory. Alone. No help. No leaving.

But the manor is not empty.

As Eliza battles thorns and secrets, a magnetic tension builds between her and Jasper—dark, dangerous, and impossible to ignore. And something else stirs among the roots and ruins…whispers in the walls, confusing disturbances, and a presence watching her every move.

The deeper Eliza digs, the more she uncovers a garden of grief, longing…and desire. Because in Blackwood Manor, even buried things can bloom again.

Review: I’ve had a lot of luck with gothic fantasy novels recently, so I guess I was due for one to not hit for me eventually. And, perhaps not surprisingly, it was the contemporary one that did it. To be fair, there are plenty of contemporary romances that I do really enjoy; this one just didn’t hold up.

Much of this book didn’t work for me, so I’m struggling a bit with the positives. I’ll say that the overall concept was appealing. Gothic fantasy/romances often have a similar premise: some call to action brings in the protagonist to a mysterious manor/castle/what-have-you where they discover much is not as it seems, including, often, the truth regarding some sort of brooding caretaker. So this one set up in a similar way, and the book took no time in getting our main character on location. The story moves quickly, so I was well into it before really settling into why it wasn’t working.

I think my problems with this book come down to two factors: structure of the plot and characterization. To start with the plot, quite quickly the book settles into a pattern of every day: Eliza gardens and Jasper broods. For all that we’re meant to believe there is a great mystery brewing here, the story itself does very little to move this plot forward. Honestly, it all became very tiresome, very quickly. Gothic novels are usually a bit on the slower pace, devoting a lot of time to the development of atmosphere and tension before the inevitable payoff, often late in the story. But here, nothing that was going on contributed to this atmosphere. Instead, it all felt tedious, and I was left frustrated that Eliza was so passive with regards to the mysteries surrounding her circumstances.

And this leads into my primary issue with the book: the characters and the romance itself. First, Eliza. Like I said, she’s an incredibly passive character, and even if you try to make the case that this is part of her emotional arc, I don’t think it makes her a particularly compelling or sympathetic character to follow. While the story sets up a deeper backstory for her, one that includes past traumas that would reflect her behaviors today, I don’t think enough was done to really address these things. Eliza’s thoughts and choices, particularly with regards to the romantic interest, remained deeply unhealthy throughout.

And look, I’m not a dark romance fan for a reason. I get that it works for others, but it very much doesn’t for me. And I think this book strayed a bit too far in this direction for my particular taste. See, there is a very important distinction to be found between fantasy romance and contemporary romance, for me. In a fantasy world, life is often violent, dangerous, and cruel. In this way, the characters that people these worlds have very different views of life and the ways in which death plays a role in their everyday life. In a romantasy, for example, if a romantic lead is slightly murderous, this is often completely reasonable, even necessary, for survival in this world; an attractive trait, to boot, for the heroine in these books. But here, we have a contemporary setting, a romantic interest who seems quite murderous at times, and a passive heroine who seems not only not warned off by these toxic traits, but actively turned on by it all. And combined with her other traumas, I was left feeling like Eliza needed therapy more than a boyfriend. And if she did find love, Jasper is the last person she should be turning to.

Beyond this, the romance itself was very insta-lust-y. Jasper has been a recluse, but for some reason, he’s immediately into Eliza. And like I said, Eliza’s interest in him is portrayed as quite unhealthy, the speed of which it occurs only solidifying this point.

Now, much of what I described above is probably quite tame as far as contemporary dark romance goes, so it’s all quite subjective. If you enjoy this style of romance, all of these complaints may actually be points in its favor.

That said, I also think the writing itself was quite juvenile at times, too often spiraling into repetitive thoughts spinning through our heroine’s head again and again. At best, I felt distanced from the story itself, and at worst, downright bored. Even for dark romance readers, I have to imagine there are better options out there.

Rating 6: Unfortunately, even the gothic setting couldn’t save this one for me. The characters were unlikable in different ways, and the romance relied too heavily on insta-lust.

Serena’s Review: “Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter”

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

Publishing Info: Del Rey, February 2026

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

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

Book Description: Agnes Aubert leads a meticulously organized life—and she likes it that way. As the proudly type-A manager of a much-needed cat rescue charity, she has devoted her life to finding forever homes for lost cats.

But after she is forced to move the cat shelter, Agnes learns that her new landlord is using her charity as a front—for an internationally renowned and thoroughly disreputable magic shop. Owned by the disorganized—not to mention self-absorbed, irritating, but also decidedly handsome—Havelock Renard, magician and failed Dark Lord, the shop draws magical clientele from around the world, partly due to the quality of Havelock’s illicit goods as well as their curiosity about his shadowy past and rumors of his incredible powers. Agnes’s charity offers the perfect cover for illegal magics.

Agnes couldn’t care less about the shop—magical intrigue or not, there are cats to be rescued. But when an enemy from Havelock’s past surfaces, the magic shop—and more importantly, the cat shelter—are suddenly in jeopardy. To save the shelter, will Agnes have to set aside her social conscience and protect the man who once tried to bring about the apocalypse—and is now trying to steal her heart?

Review: The ways this book immediately landed on the top of my TBR list are numerous and probably obvious. Heather Fawcett, author of the awesome Emily Wilde trilogy? Yes. Title/cover/subject matter having to do with cats? Hell yes! The only factor holding me back a bit, however, was the cozy factor, as too often I find myself bouncing off that subgenre, especially when it strays into the “day in the life” type of coziness. Ultimately, this book was a bit more of a mixed bag than I had hoped, but I also enjoyed it for the most part.

To start, I think I have to acknowledge the basic fact that this book’s subject matter carried me through a lot of complaints that I may have had with it had it been focused on some other topics. Per my usual preferences, I struggled with the day-in-the-life moments of this book. However, as here these moments focused on cats and the quirky personalities of the various cats in residence, I found myself smiling and nodding along much of the time. What can I say? Cats are charming, and what could have been slow-moving scenes were helped by my inclination to identify the various cats with my own real-world companions. That said, if I was less interested in cats, I do think some of these cozy moments were a bit lackluster. The book had a lot of charm, but I’m not sure it had an equal amount of heart.

This extended to our main character and the love interest. Perhaps it isn’t fair to compare these two to Emily and Wendell from the Emily Wilde series, but it’s unfortunately a reality that must be dealt with by all authors who find great success with a trilogy. Comparisons are inevitable. Unfortunately, neither of these two characters quite lived up to the previous two. There were clear, defining traits about them both, but, again, it felt like there was no true depth to be found or connection to these characters to be made.

Agnes is a very different person than Emily, and once I realized that and I was better able to settle in to the sort of character I was following. I particularly enjoyed the way the book grappled with her grief over the loss of her husband years prior. I just recently read a book (The Trident and the Pearl) where this same topic was handled and, in my opinion, bungled badly. But here, Fawcett devotes just the right amount of time and depth of feeling to give this prior relationship its due without undercutting the development of Agnes’s new relationship.

What I liked the most about this book, however, was the magic and setting of this world. In many ways it reminded me of Howl’s Moving Castle in the best of ways. Of course, much of this was also tied closely to the actual plot of the book and thus more disconnected from the day-in-the-life portions that I didn’t connect with as well. Here, the book established a nice balance between whimsy and dark menace and even took a few wild turns towards the end that I didn’t expect at all!

I also liked the romance, for the most part. It felt very familiar, but in a good way. Again, the Howl vibes are clear, and as long as readers clearly disconnect these new characters from Emily/Wendell, I think the romance works well. That said, I do think the book would have benefited from a bit more page time devoted to these two interacting with one another. While their love story was slow and sweet, looking back on how much page time they actually have with one another, it’s fairly limited.

So, I liked this book, but didn’t love it. It wasn’t nearly the high of the Emily Wilde books, unfortunately. Everything was just slightly…less. Part of this may come down to my own preferences with cozy fantasy, but I also think the character work simply wasn’t as strong here. And for books like these, they really live and die on the strength of the leads. That said, it was by no means a bad time, and I definitely think fans of Fawcett’s other books should check this out, as well as any/all cozy fantasy readers!

Rating 8: The cats definitely carried a decent portion of this book! However, I don’t think the characters were quite as strong as I would have liked.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Clowders, Glarings: Cat Hoarding, etc. in Fiction and Best Cozy Fantasy Books.

Serena’s Review: “A Rose of Blood and Binding”

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

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Casablanca, February 2026

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

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

Book Description: The battered Middlemist can barely hold itself together. Olden monsters terrorize the land. The gods are awakening from their ancient slumber, but if the vengeful Kilraith destroys them, all will be lost. And it’s up to the Ashbourne sisters—demigods, daughters of the goddess Kerezen—to stop him.

But the sisters are spread thin. Gemma and Talan travel the world in a desperate search for the gods. In the capital, Farrin and Ryder shelter countless refugees amid roiling unrest. And Mara Ashbourne, bound to the Middlemist and longing for a home she can never return to, is just trying to survive.

Every day is chaos as Mara battles invaders and fights to protect her fellow Roses. The presence of librarian Gareth Fontaine—assigned to aid the Roses’ war efforts—doesn’t help. Charming, brilliant, far too confident, and annoyingly reverent of the Roses—Mara most of all—he’s a distraction Mara can’t avoid or afford. Especially since she can see the shadows of Mhorghast brimming underneath his dazzling smile. Shadows of violence and shame that she knows all too well. Shadows that terrify her more than any monster.

As Mara and Gareth search the Old Country for Kilraith’s final three curse-anchors, a slow-burning passion born of sorrow and solace sparks between them, one that could finally bring Mara to the very home she longs for…or drive her toward the dark fate she secretly craves, and bring both worlds crashing down alongside her.

Previously Reviewed: “A Crown of Ivy and Glass” and “A Song of Ash and Moonlight”

Review: I’ve had a bit of a bumpy ride with this trilogy. Overall, I kept wanting to really love it, but finding myself struggling more often than not. My biggest stumbling block was the main characters in both of the first two books, each seeming to merge into the same self-loathing, fairly whiny person when all was said and done. And here, in the last book, we finally got to follow Mara, the brave warrior daughter who has been an absolute hit during her cameos in the other books. The thought of her getting the same treatment…oof.

But before I get into all of my feelings there, let’s go over other parts of this book and how it holds up as a novel itself and as a conclusion to this trilogy. First of all, I want to again go back to the often-visited trough of writing quality with regards to this trilogy. Like the first two books, this one was tightly written, balancing both detailed world-building and some truly poetic quieter moments of inner reflection. For a series that has dealt so strongly with mental health issues, I want to commend the author for exploring some truly complicated subjects without getting caught up in purple prose or simply telling readers about these struggles, rather than showing them on the page.

Further, I enjoyed the epic nature of much of the plot. As the trilogy has progressed, the world and lore have greatly expanded, so much so that by this book, we are dealing with gods and their fallout so often that it makes the political dramas of the first book seem a bit trite in comparison. Just remember, the first book was likened to “Bridgerton”…. And then here, by the end, we’re fully in epic fantasy with massive, galactic conflict taking up the majority of the plot. It’s truly a wild swing, but one that I think Legrand pulls off well. I’d definitely read more epic fantasy from her!

Unfortunately, I once again struggled with the main character and the romance. At this point, I think these books just aren’t for me as far as my own preferences go with character reading and romance. Critically, however, I do think that the manner in which Legrand explored important mental themes ultimately resulted in her writing three characters who not only sounded very similar, but all dealt with (or didn’t deal with) their individual mental health struggles in exactly the same way. All three: pushing away those they love, incredible levels of self-loathing, an unfortunate tendency to come across as whiny in their own narratives. It was incredibly frustrating each and every time, and all the more so here.

Mara’s story is clearly tragic, being taken away from her family so young and the scars this would leave on her psyche. Further, I loved the exploration of her relationship with the Warden, a deeply unhealthy bond of manipulation and dependence. But for all of these unique factors, and the fact that we’ve had two other books in which to see Mara presented as a strong, brave warrior character, Mara’s narration sounded almost exactly the same as the previous two characters. I can’t speak to every aspect of mental health that has been covered in these books, but from a writing level, it’s frustrating to see these topics covered in a way that now only seems repetitive. Mara’s experiences of her struggles are almost identical to her sisters’, and her arc through the story thus feels incredibly familiar and tired. What’s more, people are more than their mental health struggles, and I have to imagine that different people will respond differently to different challenges. But here we had essentially a bait-and-switch where everything we saw about Mara before was wiped away beneath the burdens of yet more self-loathing and self-isolation, just like the other two.

As for the romance, I was a bit lukewarm on this as well. There was nothing wrong with this relationship, but I do think it suffered a bit in comparison to the more deep and intricately complicated relationship we saw between Mara and the Warden.

Overall, this book was only fine, and I’m truly sad to say it. I was very nervous going in and, unfortunately, that now feels well warranted. Like I said, I do think Legrand is a strong writer, and I enjoyed her character work with pretty much any character whose head we were NOT in at the moment. I’ll definitely consider giving her books another chance, but if there is another strong focus on mental health (for all that it’s a worthy topic!), I might have to pass. I’ve already read that book three times now.

Rating 7: As an epic fantasy, I think this succeeds. But on a character level, I struggled in the same way I did with the first two.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Rose of Blood and Binding” can be found on these Goodreads lists: All the New Romantasy Books Arriving in February 2026 and “Bind” Titles.

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

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

Publishing Info: Bramble, February 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reader’s Advisory:

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