Category: Serena’s Reviews

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Book: “Never Ever After” by Sue Lynn Tan

Publishing Info: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, October 2025

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

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

Book Description: Life in the Iron Mountains is harsh and unforgiving. After the death of her beloved uncle, Yining has survived by becoming a skilled thief and an even better liar. When she acquires an enchanted ring that holds the key to a brighter future, it is stolen by her step-aunt, and Yining must venture into the imperial heart of the kingdom to seize it back.

Amid the grandeur of the palace, Yining catches the eye of the ruthless and ambitious prince, who tempts her with a world she’s never imagined. But nothing is as it seems, for she’s soon trapped in a tangle of power, treachery, and greed—her only ally the cunning advisor from a rival court who keeps dangerous secrets of his own. To break free, she must unravel the mystery of her past and fight for a future that both frightens and calls to her.

Review: Unfortunately, I’m starting to think that this author just isn’t for me. This is incredibly disappointing since so many other fantasy readers absolutely love her work, and, on paper, I should, too! I mean, the book summary alone on this one (love triangle aside) definitely sounds up my alley! A fairytale re-telling but mixed and reimagined with Chinese folklore? Sign me up! But somewhere within the actual reading experience, I’m missing what others love so much about these books.

To start with the positives, objectively I can see the appeal of the storytelling and writing. There’s no denying Sue Lynn Tan has a way with words, and when the writing is focused on the worldbuilding, lore, or the action of the plot itself, I was easily drawn in to the story. While I think the mixing of the “Cinderella” story with some of the Chinese folklore bits were a bit clunky at times, not naturally aligning as well as they could have, I also think the ambition was well served in the end with a story that was compelling and interesting. Readers who are looking for a new take on a very well-trod fairytale are sure to appreciate the twists and turns offered up in this one.

However, I’m a character reader first and foremost, and I think that’s always where I bounce of Tan’s stories. There’s nothing wrong with her FMCs, but I also never feel particularly invested in their stories either. Like my previous experiences with these leads, Yining is just kind of…there. The story happens, she participates, but I just couldn’t seem to care to strongly one way or the other. I turned the page because the plot was interesting enough, but not because I was particularly excited about what came next for Yining.

Predictably, I also had low tolerance for the indecision regarding the love interests. The romance in this one is definitely low key, which is probably one of the better points in its favor for me, considering how I feel about love triangles. But even with that being the case, I still struggled to not zone out whenever Yining began to reflect on either of these two characters. I also feel like the ending is set up in a way that is incredibly overplayed at this point. Perhaps the author will surprise me and change things up in the sequel, but as it stands, it feels like the entire dynamic of this love triangle has been done before and often. I don’t think I’ll read it to find out, but I may scroll through some other reviews to see how it plays out.

Ultimately, I think much of this was a “me” problem. I don’t connect with this author’s characters for whatever reason, and love triangles are almost always a huge turn off. That said, I appreciated the mixing of “Cinderella” with Chinese folklore, and I think fans of this author in general will probably really enjoy this one.

Rating 7: The highlights include the mixing of Chinese folklore and the classic fairytale “Cinderella.” The lowlights were the love triangle and my general “meh” towards the main character herself.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Never Ever After” can be found on this Goodreads list: Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2025

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

Book: “Wild Reverence” by Rebecca Ross

Publishing Info: Saturday Books, September 2025

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

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

Book Description: Born ​in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic. But in a land where gods often kill each other to steal power and alliances break as quickly as they are forged, Matilda must come of age sooner than most. She may be known to carry words and letters through the realms, but she holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest of allies to ensure her survival. And to complicate matters . . . there is a mortal boy who dreams of her, despite the fact they have never met in the waking world.

Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life―begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. When his request went unanswered, Vincent moved on, becoming the hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda. That is, until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

As Fate would have it, Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams. There may be a chance for Matilda to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, but at immense sacrifice. She will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: to be vulnerable, and to allow herself to finally be loved.

Review: When I started reading this one and immediately fell in love with it (as I always do with Ross’s books it seems), I realized something: In many ways, Ross has taken up the reigns from Juliet Marillier in regards to these sorts of whimsical, lyrical, heartbreakingly romantic fantasy tales. Of course, Marillier is still writing, but her books are terribly difficult to get nowadays (her most recent one only released in Australia), so this makes Ross’s much more accessible titles all the more appealing. This little aside probably doesn’t mean much if you’re not familiar with Juliet Marillier’s works. But if that’s the case, and you enjoy Rebecca Ross and are looking for more, definitely give Marillier’s extensive back catalog a look!

It’s always a bit worrying when an author returns to a world/story that feels complete (I feel like Ava Reid’s “A Theory of Dreaming” is a good example of how it can go wrong). So when I heard that this was a prequel to “Divine Rivals,” I had concerns. But Ross proves here that there is a correct formula for making this work! For one thing, this book would be perfectly approachable to readers who have no knowledge of “Divine Rivals” and the world that was set up in that duology. Indeed, this book takes place so far in the past from those events that almost nothing is recognizable between one and the other. There are only the barest references to characters and places that show up in those books, and even these are of the sort that feel earned to this book alone, and not simply as empty “easter eggs” for fans of the other series.

The other factor that makes this successful as a prequel is the fact that the focus is on characters, places, and conflicts wholly unreferenced in the other duology. From my memory, there are only two gods mentioned in this book that showed up in the other books. And, indeed, the two gods at the heart of the conflict in “Divine Rivals” were some of the more obscure parts of that series, for better or worse. So getting a clearer look into what these pantheons looked like centuries in the past felt like being introduced to a fully unique world and lore.

And boy does Ross make up for that obscurity here! Not only does she create one pantheon, but two! Each with their own cultures, stories, and hierarchies. And then on top of those, she builds up the complicated dynamics that exist between them. Matilda’s story is told slowly and carefully, with the first third of the book devoted to her childhood and early adolescence. But what could have felt as slow pacing as we await the main action of the plot, instead felt like crucial world building and the introduction of a whole host of side characters, all of whom I wished to spend more time with, ultimately.

Matilda was fantastic, to put it simply. She’s a child between worlds and we see both the strengths and insecurities this brings to her. Because of how disconnected the two pantheons are, much of her existence has been shrouded in secrets and unknowns. There were a number of interesting twist and turns throughout the story that explored the tricky ways that her unique place between these worlds allowed her to manipulate events in surprising ways, even to her! I also enjoyed her internal journey, one that begins in fear, moves into a place where she has been taught how gods “should” behave, and then slowly comes into her own power, embracing that which her peers have deemed weaknesses.

Vincent is also a great romantic lead. He gets less page time than Matilda, but what we do see from him is so, so good. I was never quite as enraptured with the love story from “Divine Rivals” as other readers were, instead preferring the quieter, more adult romance found in other titles by Ross. So I was thrilled to see a return to that sort of love story play out here. Matilda and Vincent’s relationship hit on all of the right notes, mutual wariness that lead to deep feelings based on more than simple passion.

The conflict was also incredibly well done, with antagonists ranging from the mortal to the immortal. Once the plot starts up, it never really stops, with Matilda literally running from one action scene to another. And yet, at the same time, the story always felt keenly focused, precisely tuned to Matilda and Vincent and there journeys through these troubled times.

So, yes, I loved this book. In many ways, it was a return to the sort of love stories that I look for from Rebecca Ross. But it was also an incredibly well-drawn, detailed fantasy world with a twisting and intricate plot that will keep you on your toes throughout. If you’re a fan of Ross, than this is a must read! And I also strongly recommend it to romantasy fans and readers looking for a fairytale-like fantasy standalone!

Rating 10: Where romantasy meets epic fantasy, Ross is the reigning queen of the genre!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Wild Reverence” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Best Books of 2025 and “Matilda”.

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

Book: “The Faerie Morgana” b y Louisa Morgan

Publishing Info: Redhook, September 2025

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

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

Book Description: To the other priestesses of the Nine, a powerful council at the Lady’s Temple, Morgana is haughty and arrogant as she performs feats of magic no human should be capable of. Rumors start that she must be a fearsome fae.
 
To King Arthur, Morgana is a trusted and devoted advisor, but his court is wary of her and her prodigious talent at divination. But his wife sees Morgana as a rival and a malevolent witch.
 
To Braithe, Morgana’s faithful acolyte, she is simply the most powerful priestess Camelot has seen.
 
Morgana doesn’t know why she’s so different from everyone else, and she doesn’t much care. But when she aids Arthur to ascend the throne before his time, she sets off a series of events that will change everything Morgana believes about her power.

Review: There are a million and one Arthurian books out there, and yet I always pick up the next one when I see a new title enter the field. This one was particularly interesting with its re-focusing the story on Morgan Le Fay, this time as the priestess Morgana.

And I will say, this is a heavily character-driven story, so you’re investment in not only Morgana but the other characters that surround her will likely heavily influence your enjoyment of this story. Morgana herself could be frustrating for me at times; she seems to start out as incredibly powerful and than simply remains so throughout the story. That being the case, some of her plot felt more like a “day in the life” story than much of an actual character arch.

However, I did enjoy many of the other characters. As always, for fans of Arthurian legends, half of the fun in exploring new interpretations of these tales is seeing different versions of these characters come to life. I think most of these are approachable enough to even those with only a passing knowledge of Arthurian legends, but, of course, the more you know, the more you’ll get here. I also really enjoyed a new side character, Braithe. Unlike Morgana, we see more of a transformation in this characters, as she grows from a fairly naive to more confident in herself.

Most of all, I enjoyed the writing. This was a very lyrical, atmospheric style of story. In many ways, this neatly aligns with the character-driven nature of the story, with less emphasis placed on an action-packed plot (indeed, many of these sorts of scenes take place off page) and more focus on quieter reflection. Again, I think this is the sort of stylistic choice that will really work for readers who are a fan of this kind of writing (like me) but perhaps less so for those looking for a more plot-driven story.

Overall, I enjoyed this one! I perhaps would have liked to see more development for Morgana herself, but I appreciated the quieter nature of the story being told. Fans of lyrical writing and Arthurian tales in general should definitely give this one a go!

Rating 8: With a nice mixture of new interpretations and familiar faces, this lyrical take on the Arturian legend will be a hit for many readers!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Faerie Morgana” can be found on this Goodreads list: All the New Fantasy Books Arriving in September 2025.

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

Book: “Song of the Hell Witch” by Taylor Hartley

Publishing Info: Alcove Press, September 2025

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

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

Book Description: Once a vicious street rat, Prudence Merriweather has clawed her way to the top of society and now enjoys newfound power as the Duchess of Talonsbury. All she has to do to protect her fragile position is maintain the act of gentility, make her husband happy—and keep her monstrous magic a secret. 

Puck Reed, the Thief Lord of Talonsbury, once delighted in taking risks and humiliating the social elite at any cost, but now lives a quieter criminal lifestyle. With a daughter of his own to protect, Puck tries to lay low and stay safe for her benefit. His daughter, Bea, suffers from a mysterious illness bent on killing her, and Puck will stop at nothing to find a cure.

When Prudence’s magic betrays her, she has no choice but to flee—and who better to smuggle her out of the city than her childhood best friend and former sweetheart, Puck Reed? With the help of old friends and new allies, they learn about Stormlash, a safe haven miles beyond the city walls where women and their magic can flourish beyond the oppressive eye of Leora’s religious fanatics. Stormlash may also hold the key to curing Bea’s illness. The challenge? Keep her alive long enough to get there. 

With Bea’s illness claiming more of her strength, Puck and Pru must work together to reach Stormlash and, in the process, confront a growing evil threatening to devour the country they call home.

Review: This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I initially requested it for review because it looked to be offering up something new in the often stagnant-feeling romantasy genre. And in some ways, that was definitely true! For one thing, I really liked the overall world-building and setting of the story. I’m always a sucker for gaslamp fantasy (something we see far too little of) and Victorian settings, and this one really came through in this area. I’ve seen other reviewers liken it to “Carnival Row,” and while I have mixed feelings about that show due to my burning dislike of season 2, I think the vibes between that and this are on point.

I also really liked the general idea behind hell witches, and the exploration of the idea that power can be built from trauma. This added a layer of nuance to what was, at times, a fairly straight-forward commentary on patriarchy and feminism. I won’t say that the book adds any great depth of nuance to these topics, but there were tidbits here and there with this form of magic that kept me interested.

However, I struggled to really connect to the main characters. There wasn’t anything bad about them; indeed, I found each quite enjoyable at times. But they also felt incredibly one dimensional and, while not objectionable, they also weren’t particularly inspirational. For example, the idea of having the romantic hero, Puck, be a father was a fresh take on the typical roles we see in romantasy. But, as the book went on, this fact was mentioned in every other interaction it seemed. It quickly felt like this was the one and only trait that really defined Puck, and thus, as interested as I had been initially by this fresh take, I quickly found myself falling off my investment in this character. Pru followed a similar pattern, where I was most interested in her and her story in the first 25% or so of the book, but as things continued, that initial interest began to wane. This is, of course, the opposite of the ideal trajectory for reader engagement.

Overall, however, I still appreciated the freshness of many aspects of this book, from its setting to some of the choices made with the characters (particularly, Puck’s role as a father). Romantasy readers who are looking for something new should definitely still check this one out. At the very least, I think this author is one to keep an eye on!

Rating 7: While I found myself losing interest in the characters as the story progressed, I loved the worldbuilding and interesting take on magic that the author included.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Song of the Hell Witch” can be found on these Goodreads lists: All the New Horror, Romantasy, and Other SFF Crossover Books Arriving in September 2025

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

Book: “A Forgery of Fate” by Elizabeth Lim

Publishing Info: Knopf Books for Young Readers, June 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: Truyan Saigas didn’t choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father’s disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King’s inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms..

Review: Obviously, I’m probably going to read almost anything that bills itself as a new version of “Beauty and the Beast.” And, while I didn’t fully connect with previous books I’ve read by this author, I still think she has a strong, compelling style to her writing that, at the very least, will be good reading on its own. So reading this book was an odd mixture of expected points of interest and strange disconnects.

First of all, I very much enjoyed the main character. Not only was she an engaging lead, full of spunk, smarts, and a refreshing streak of pragmatism, but her magical abilities tied to painting and prophesy were incredibly interesting. The author wisely crafted this magic system to be just useful enough, often giving Tru (and the reader) glimpses of a future that may end up presenting itself in a completely different manner than how one might at first interpret it.

Beyond Tru’s abilities, I really liked the magic and world-building of this story. Much of these fantasy elements were of the whimsical sort, such that if you perhaps spent too much time trying to picture how any of this worked, it could be frustrating. But if simply accepted and viewed through a lens of wonder, much of it was fantastical and beautiful. Yes, I did get caught up with movement in the underwater scenes more times than I want to admit, but that might just be a “me” issue. Obviously, I also really liked the dragon lore and the way this was tied up in the classic “Beauty and the Beast” tale.

As for characters, I also enjoyed many of the side characters and Tru’s intimate family. Tru’s relationship with her family is strained by the circumstances they find themselves in, but I enjoyed the layers this added to their dynamics, particularly between Tru and her mother. And, of course, I loved Tru’s devotion to her sisters. I was sad when they disappeared for large chunks of the middle of the book, though that’s probably to be expected in a retelling of “Beauty and the Beast.” I also really liked many of the inhabitants of the “castle” that Tru meets and befriends.

Unfortunately, the one real sticking point for me was the romance itself. It started off strong, with a spark-filled first scene, but then things seemed to peter out completely as the story continued. For one thing, they simply didn’t seem to spend enough time together to justify any growing interest, at least on Tru’s part. There was a lot of action, but much of it was spent apart, which then made Tru’s growing interest feel disconnected from anything we’d seen on the page. Even as I was told that the attraction was growing, I never felt it. Beyond this, there was a “twist” that was introduced late in the story that I think only complicated this relationship, and not in a good way.

Overall, I think this was a successful fantasy adventure story, and Tru was a great main character on her own. However, as a “Beauty and the Beast” re-imaging, I think it struggled with a lackluster romance. Fans of this author, however, should definitely still give it a go and I’m still committed to checking out new books by her in the future, as I think her storytelling is only improving over time!

Rating 8: A whimsical, fantasy adventure, though a bit lacking in the love story itself.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Forgery of Fate” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Fantasy and Favorite Retellings.