Tag: 7 Rating

Serena’s Review: “Dealing with a Desperate Demon”

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Book: “Dealing with a Desperate Demon” by Charlotte Stein

Publishing Info: St. Martin’s Griffin, October 2025

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

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

Book Description: Nancy has just about given up on finding her special person when Jack Jackson—big, scary and the town loser—walks into her bookstore. He’s apparently even more desperate for help in the romance department than she is. And after a bit of gentle persuasion, he finally accepts her guidance in securing his dream girl. Practice dates, lessons in tenderness—you name it, she can teach it.

There’s just one his dream girl might have more than an issue with his dating skills. Because Jack isn’t just a little clueless; he’s actually the demonic son of Satan, from the deepest depths of hell. He’s spent his entire long underlife dragging evildoers to their fates, while really trying not to live up to his Dad’s expectations.

Now, it isn’t just about getting a date with his dream girl. He needs to become a better man to win over the woman he’s been cosmically bound to, in a Beauty and the Beast style pact. If he fails, everyone he cares for will face a terrible fate. Luckily for him, Nancy may well be the witch she’s always tried to pretend she wasn’t. She can save him, he knows it—and she’s starting to know it too. Even if every day spent with him is an agonising reminder that she isn’t the girl he’s fated for.

But as the deadline approaches she’s starting to wonder… Could it be that she’s finally found her Prince? Or is she about to lose her heart to hell?

Review: This book was a bit of a hit-and-miss experience for me, similar to the first book in this world that I read by this author. Like that book, the strengths lie in the cozy vibes that are strewn throughout. Indeed, the book routinely comments on the fact that this town is known as one of the coziest places on earth! That vibe carries through the descriptions of the town itself, from the characterization of our main couple, all the way down to the homey, approachable style of writing. If nothing else, this book was a fun read to simply sink into while holding a mug of steaming tea.

After reading the first book, it was easy enough to spot potential candidates for upcoming sequels, and Nancy was one whom I was particularly interested in! Who doesn’t want to read more about the lovely bookstore owner who has forgotten her own magic? Unfortunately, as a main character, Nancy was less charming than I found her to be in the first book. By no means was she unlikable, and I’d even say I enjoyed her personal arc of rediscovering her own magic. However, she also came across as incredibly obtuse and dense at times, particularly with regard to the romance. A fairly major plot point is her giving the romantic interest “dating tips” for the mysterious girl he’s interested in. “Mysterious”… right. But apparently, to poor, dull Nancy, it truly was a mystery—which boggled the mind.

This was a problem I had in the first book as well. In theory, we’re supposed to be reading about adult characters who have lived adult lives. But, perhaps in pursuit of “coziness,” the author seems prone to dumbing down her characters to a point where I struggle to find them believable as mature people. In both that book and this one, the leading ladies read too much like rather dimwitted teenagers with very little understanding of other people and romance in general.

I liked Jack better, for the most part. His shtick became a bit tiresome after a while, but I still liked his stumbling attempts to charm Nancy. That said, the curse of the nicknames struck again, and I inwardly cringed every time he called Nancy “kid.” Of course, this particular nickname didn’t help my ongoing struggles to envision Nancy as an adult woman.

The pacing was also fairly slow at the start of this book. Things did pick up toward the middle, but it was still a slight slog getting to that point. Fans of the first book will likely be happy to go along, as the pacing is helped by familiarity with the world and some of the side characters. But for new entrants, it takes a bit of time to fully feel invested in the story.

Overall, this was a sweet, cozy fall read. It didn’t blow me away, and I did struggle with the main character at times, but I think the romance itself was nice. I’m rather picky with my cozy reads, so I think more tried-and-true fans of this subgenre are going to gobble this one up!

Rating 7: Full of charm and coziness, this one will likely appeal to readers looking for a sweet, fall read. That said, I felt like the main character was unnecessarily childish at times and the pacing was slow to start.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Dealing with a Desperate Demon” can be found on these Goodreads lists:

Serena’s Review: “Never Ever After”

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

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

Serena’s Review: “Bitten”

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Book: “Bitten” by Jordan Stephanie Gray

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

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

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

Book Description: After a vicious werewolf attack on the night of her seventeenth birthday party, Vanessa Hart loses everything she loves in a split second. Her best friend, her father, and even her home.

Bitten and imprisoned without explanation, Vanessa endures an agonizing transformation into the very beast that maimed her, and her captors make it clear she cannot escape: she will either swear her life to the Wolf Queen’s Court, or she will die.

With no other choice, Vanessa joins their enchanted Castle Severi—where flowering vines grow through the walls, gifts are bestowed by the stars, and a claw can break through skin as easily as silk—but she hasn’t forgotten what they stole from her.

Vanessa still seeks vengeance, scheming in the shadows even as she finds herself mesmerized by the golden prince Sinclair Severi, who threatens to steal her heart though he is promised to her nemesis. And by his brooding, disgraced cousin, Calix, whose smoldering gaze hides even darker secrets. Immersed in the magic of their whimsical yet cruel society, Vanessa soon learns not all is as it seems.

The Court is at war, and she may simply be a pawn in its lethal game.

Review: This was one of those frustrating reads where I wanted to like it a lot more than I actually did. Part of this could be on me, as I’m an adult reading a YA fantasy book. But I also don’t think it’s only that, as there are plenty of YA stories that I still enjoy. However, this one frustrated me more often than it did anything else.

Part of that frustration stems from the fact that I did enjoy the overall world-building and setup for the plot that we got in the early parts of the book. True, much of this world felt familiar, especially if you’ve read many paranormal books. But I don’t think familiarity is an automatic mark against it, and I think it’s use of the werewolves combined a healthy balance of trademark plot points and new political/cultural flourishes. To that last point, I do wish there had been a bit more fleshing out to be had with regards to just why this society operates the way it does. I don’t need a straight, blow-by-blow explanation or anything, but as it stands, much of it felt too close to “that’s just how it is” rather than tied to any lore-centric reason for why things have come to be done in certain ways.

However, what started out as an interesting plot fueled by revenge and anger quickly devolved towards the middle part of the book. And it was here that I had the most problems. I don’t think even as a teen reader myself I would have enjoyed the sheer avalanche of mean girl drama that overtook this portion of the story. At best it was tedious and at worst it was stereotypical. This could have been saved, perhaps, had Vanessa had a stronger POV. But while I didn’t actively dislike her, she didn’t have enough going for her to counterbalance some of the silliness of the high school drama going on around her. At times, her inner monologue became incredibly repetitive even.

I’ll also note that this book rates high on the gore factor and the explicitness of its romantic interactions. And my discomfort with that comes down fully to the fact that I’m now an adult reading this. I’m by no means saying that teens should only read closed-door romances or anything like that! But, as an adult myself, it does feel a bit voyeuristic and icky to be reading fairly explicit romance scenes between teen characters. This is especially true in books that are set in a high school setting. It’s easy enough to turn my brain off in a more general fantasy novel where the teenage protagonist is taking care of her family in a cabin and fighting dragons and what have you; in every way that matters, that kind of character is an adult in that world. But when the main character is literally in school and then I get whacked down into a pretty graphic romance scene…yeah, it just feels icky. But again, this would be a very different experience if I was an actual teen reader picking this one up, so take this all with a huge grain of salt! More so, this is just a note of forewarning for other adult fantasy readers who may struggle in a similar way.

Overall, this was only an ok read. I think the author has potential, and I did enjoy the paranormal werewolf aspects of the story, even if they felt fairly familiar at times. That said, Vanessa herself wasn’t a very strong main character and the teenage drama of it all was a big “no” for me. I think this is one that may appeal greatly to its target audience, but I don’t think I’d recommend it to adult fantasy fans.

Rating 7: I’m not the audience for this book, and that was clear throughout. However, there were some interesting world-building moments and werewolves are always a good time!

Reader’s Advisory:

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

Kate’s Review: “The Captive”

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Book: “The Captive” by Kit Burgoyne

Publishing Info: Hell’s Hundred, September 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC and a finished copy from the publisher.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: A darkly comedic, cinematic horror about a revolutionary group who kidnap an heiress, only to discover she’s pregnant with the antichrist, and she’s about to give birth.

From Ned Beauman, the Man Booker Prize longlisted author of The Teleportation Accident and Clarke Award winning author of Venomous Lumpsucker. Perfect for fans of Grady Hendrix and Joe Hill.

Underground revolutionary group, The Nail, and their newest member, Luke have kidnapped 23-year-old heiress Adeline Woolsaw, whose wealthy parents run the Woolsaw Group, a vast outsourcing company. They run everything from prisons and hospitals to military bases – quietly suffocating the country with the help of powerful friends in government.

The Nail’s to use the kidnapping to draw attention to the Woolsaw Group and their terrible practices. But with Adeline bundled into their van, The Nail discover two things. The first is that she’s just about to give birth. And the second is that this isn’t a normal baby. In fact, it has devastating supernatural powers. Because the father of this baby wasn’t a man, it was… something else. Something that her parents make human sacrifices to on an altar in the basement of their Highgate mansion. And all this time the Woolsaw Group has been preparing the ground for the Woolsaws’ real an infernal new kingdom that will rise with Adeline’s son sitting on its throne.

Review: Than you to Hell’s Hundred for sending me an ARC and a finished copy of this novel!

When I was in tenth grade, one of my friends and I watched “The Omen” during a sleepover the night of the Halloween Dance. Ever since it’s been a horror movie I enjoy, and it along with “Rosemary’s Baby” and “The Exorcist” brought the idea of the antiChrist and demonic children to the forefront of horror storytelling (there is a whole argument to be made about these sorts of stories being told at this time due to people freaking out about Vatican II, as there is an argument to be made about movies like “The First Omen” being made in response to reproductive rights being under attack and more awareness of religious institution corruption, but that’s a different TED talk for a different time). It’s not a sub- genre I really seek out, but I do like checking it out every once in awhile if the opportunity presents itself. Fast forward to receiving “The Captive” by Kit Burgoyne as book mail! Looking it over it sounded like it could be a lot of fun, so I added it to the TBR pile!

I feel like this is less of a straight up ‘horror’ novel and more of a dark fantasy thriller, as I don’t think there were any moments of true dread or terror. But that didn’t make it any less fun to read for me, as I do love dark fantasy, and this one had not only fun world building, but also interesting satirical elements. We follow a leftist/anti-Capitalist group called The Nail, that is trying to expose the abuses and corruption of a sleek billionaire family with its fingers in many damaging pies, whether it’s poorly run mental facilities, detainment centers, or other places that cause harm (that can be easily ignored by the greater public all in the name of lining their pockets but under the radar). Their big plan is to do a Patty Hearst-esque sting in which they kidnap the heiress, Adeline, hoping to use her to get people to look into the Woolsaw Family and start asking questions. But two things catch them by surprise: 1) she is more than happy to go with them, and 2) she gives birth to a baby they had no clue existed, and who seems to have strange powers. It’s been a bit of a pattern when it comes to ‘antiChrist’-esque stories that it’s a religious or political group or cult or what have you behind it. So what fun to see it being a billionaire family that just keeps wanting more, more, MORE for themselves. Not that it shocks me that we’re seeing this kind of shift, given that we’re living in a new Gilded Age with billionaires getting richer and more powerful and influential as others struggle more and more. I enjoyed how Burgoyne developed that narrative with that context. I also liked that The Nail was in WAY over its head, specifically idealistic Luke to has his own reasons for wanting to take the Woolsaw Family down, but then starts questioning his compatriots actions when a postpartum woman and her child, dangerous as he may be, are being used as pawns not just by her family, but by his group as well.

But I think that what connected most with me (and I’m such a sap for this, but eh, this is me now!) was the way that Burgoyne portrayed Adeline’s relationship with her children, specifically her six year old daughter Mia…. who was a first attempt at a magical/demonic heir but then cast aside because she was a girl. While Adeline was forced to be a vessel for these children against her will due to her parents ambitions, I thought that her conflicted but also protective feelings towards her kids was very interesting, as it would have been easier for her to be portrayed as either ‘a mother’s love conquers all’ or ‘I have no connection at all to these things!’ With Mia especially I found myself teary as she wants to save her daughter at all costs.

I enjoyed “The Captive”. It wasn’t as scary as I had hoped, but it was a fun dark fantasy nevertheless. And timely in its own way!

Rating 7: Fast paced and, interestingly enough, topical in a way! “The Captive” is a pretty fun dark fantasy story that plucked at my heartstrings more than I anticipated.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Captive” is included on the Goodreads list “Horror to Look Forward to in 2025”.

Joint Review: “The House of Quiet”

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Book: “The House of Quiet” by Kiersten White

Publishing Info: Delacorte Press, September 2025

Where Did We Get This Book: ARC from ALA!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: To save her sister, she must enter the House.

In the middle of a deadly bog sits the House of Quiet. It’s a place for children whose Procedure triggered powers too terrible to be lived with—their last hope for treatment. No one knows how they’re healed or where they go afterward.

Birdie has begged, bargained, and blackmailed her way inside as a maid, determined to find her missing sister, Magpie. But what she discovers is more mysteries. Instead of the destitute children who undergo the Procedure in hopes of social advancement, the house brims with aristocratic teens wielding strange powers they never should have been burdened with.

Though Birdie wants to ignore them, she can’t help being drawn to stoic and silent Forest, charmed by clever River, and concerned for the youngest residents. And with fellow maid Minnow keeping tabs on everything Birdie does, danger is everywhere.

In her desperate search for Magpie, Birdie unearths terrifying threats and devastating truths, forcing her to confront just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save her own sister. Because in the House of Quiet, if you find what’s lurking beneath . . . you lose everything.

Unravel the mystery. Ignite the rebellion.

Serena’s Thoughts

Long time readers of the blog may remember the last joint review Kate and I posted of a Kiersten White book….Suffice it to say, we didn’t love it. So I went into this one with trepidation. However, I’m happy to report that this one worked much better for me!

For one thing, it had a lot going for it with themes and tropes that play well into my preferences. I’m curious to see how Kate felt, because unlike another recent joint review (“The Library at Hellebore”), this one felt like it more closely aligned with the fantasy genre than with horror. Though it definitely still had its creepy moments, particularly in some of the other POV chapters highlighting the kids’ powers. Most strongly, however, this read as a gothic mystery, which I gobbled up. I think this sort of slow-burn, highly atmospheric story plays well to White’s strengths as an author which left me much more satisfied with it than with her last.

I will say that while I enjoyed the sibling relationship at the heart of the story, it took me a while to become too invested in our main character, Birdie. There was nothing wrong with her, per see, (other than the fact that she missed what were some fairly obvious clues), but I never felt strongly connected to her as a character. The story is also on the slower side, so readers looking for a more fast-paced read may struggle a bit here.

Overall, however, I was happy to see return to form for White. While this wasn’t my favorite book of hers, I think it was successful for what it set out to do, especially for readers looking for gothic YA fiction.

Kate’s Thoughts

Hooray! After not enjoying the previous Kiersten White book that we joint reviewed on the blog I’m happy to report that “The House of Quiet” was a return to form! This was an anticipated read for me this year, though I was feeling a bit nervous after the last of her novels, but overall I found this one to be much more enjoyable.

I do agree with Serena that this is more of a Gothic Fantasy, or perhaps Dark Fantasy, tale as opposed to the horror-esque cover, but that was fine for me! I enjoyed the world building that White did, with different regions having different cultural touchstones, and different characters from different areas having different motivations depending on what their life experience was like. I enjoyed Birdie enough as one of our main characters, as her trying to find her sister Magpie in The House of Quiet by pretending to be there strictly as a maid, but actually looking for information.

But I think that the character I enjoyed even more was the mysterious and acerbic Minnow, who was also hired on as a maid, but who is clearly hiding her cards and has other motivations that she is trying to fulfill. White is always quite skilled when it comes to creating characters that you can’t quite suss out at first, peeling back layers to reveal interesting truths, and Minnow was a good example of that. I also enjoyed the mystery at hand as Birdie finds herself in a dangerous web with more questions popping up as she gets deeper and deeper into her investigations.

“The House of Quiet” was a fun Gothic tale from Kiersten White! Set this one aside for the upcoming spooky season, I’d say!

Serena’s Rating 8: Perhaps a bit slow at times, but a nice option to scratch that gothic YA fantasy itch!

Kate’s Rating 8: I’m so glad that I’m back on the Kiersten White bandwagon! “The House of Quiet” is strange, layered, and a well pieced together Gothic mystery!

Reader’s Advisory

“The Library at Hellebore” is included on these Goodreads lists: Twisted Tales for Beautifully Damaged Minds and 2025 Dark Academia Releases.

Kate’s Review: “Body of Water”

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

Book: “Body of Water” by Adam Godfrey

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Landmark, September 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Don’t let the water drag you down…

It’s been six years since Glen Masters lost his wife in a tragic accident. In hopes of reconnecting with his grieving teenage daughter, Lauren, he decides to take her on a road trip through the Appalachian mountains, where he has fond memories of their past as a family. But what was supposed to be a quick diner pit stop suddenly transforms into a nightmare when armed men stumble in, ranting about a mysterious and deadly “living water” that attacked several people up the road. The story the men spin seems to be the rantings of drunken lunatics, but soon Glen, his daughter, and the other diners find themselves hostages to both the gunmen and the inexplicably terrifying entity. 

Because there’s truly something wrong with the water, and it has no mercy.

Panic grows as the diners play witness to a nature-defying being that seeks only to swallow everything in its path. With help nowhere in sight, the group of strangers must work together to devise an escape, and ultimately, Glen will have to face his worst fears to reconcile with the past or risk losing everything.

A chilling story from a brand-new voice in fiction, Body of Water explores the complicated nature of grief, terror, and the ghosts we must confront to survive.

Review: Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for sending me an ARC of this novel!

I am someone who has always been drawn to water. I love visiting the ocean, I love going up to Lake Superior and just vibing by the shore, and I have been known to really luxuriate in a bath, sometimes a couple times a day! I love water, but because I love it I ALSO love the idea of water becoming a villainous and carnivorous entity in a horror novel. Because I mean, how fun! So when I was sent “Body of Water” by Adam Godfrey, I was very, very amped to read it, as the idea of a bunch of people being trapped by a dangerous and hungry water-like being was just such a fun premise! And for awhile it lived up to my expectations!…. Until it kind of didn’t.

But first the good! “Body of Water” reminded me a lot of a few different things. The first is “The Mist”, which seems to be a big comparison that is being used by lots of people, but hey, if the shoe fits! We have a group of people, Glen and daughter Lauren at the forefront, stuck in a rural diner while a strange type of water lurks outside, killing and sucking the life out of anything that gets in its path. I was also thinking a lot about another Stephen King story “The Raft” as I read, as well as “The Blob”, with the viscous water entity doing a LOT of nasty body horror to anything that gets in its way much like those two stories. Throw in rising tensions between the trapped survivors in the diner (again, “The Mist” is an apt comparison) and you have a very suspenseful and dread filled story that had me on the edge of my seat as I was reading.

But we have to talk about the reason that this book has a lower score than one might assume with my previous paragraph’s praise. I won’t spoil anything here because I don’t want to ruin anyone else’s fun when this could very well be a ‘me’ thing. BUT. There is a crazy, CRAZY twist in this book that completely reframes basically the entire plot within the last couple of chapters of the story, negating basically everything before it. This one is particularly out there, as while looking back the seeds were certainly planted throughout the narrative, it still felt like whiplash. And as someone who has recently had a very difficult time abiding nutty twists for the sake of twists and shock value, this one really didn’t work for me.

But that won’t necessarily apply to everyone! And until that moment, “Body of Water” was, indeed, a suspenseful horror novel that I was enjoying. Just because it didn’t work for me, it doesn’t mean that it won’t work for you!

Rating 6: A really suspenseful and solid horror novel was derailed a bit by a very random twist.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Body of Water” is included on the Goodreads list “Horror to Look Forward to in 2025”.

Kate’s Review: “When We Were Monsters”

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

Book: “When We Were Monsters” by Jennifer Niven

Publishing Info: Knopf Books for Young Readers, September 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher at ALAAC25

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: A simmering psychological thriller about a dead teacher at an elite boarding school, the students who had every reason to want her gone, and the tangled web of rivalry and romance concealing the truth—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places.

At an elite boarding school, 8 students are selected for an exclusive program, but only one will walk away with a lifechanging opportunity to realize their creative dreams. 

Effy is piecing together a story about the tragic betrayal that led to her mother’s death. Arlo hopes to publish a novel—but he’s also trying to start a new chapter with Effy after he broke her heart and ghosted 3 years earlier. Everyone has a compelling reason to be there—they all want a big break—but only the most ambitious will prevail as the students are eliminated one by one.

Their mentor is the one and only Meredith Graffam, an enigmatic writer, director and actress, whose unorthodox teaching methods push them past the breaking point. Under Graffam’s tutelage, the students reveal their darkest secrets, take unthinkable risks, and slowly start to turn on one another. But Graffam never expected they would turn on her . . .

Review: Thank you to Knopf Books for Young Readers for giving me an ARC of this novel at ALAAC25!

There were times at ALAAC25 that I would find myself in a line that I hadn’t intended to join. What can I say, I sometimes go full lemming mode and follow the crowd, especially when books are involved. So when I found myself in a signing line to get an ARC of Jennifer Niven’s new book “When We Were Monsters”, I didn’t really have any expectations, I just knew that if others were in line, I should be in line (in my defense in this case, Serena was in line too and I was following her lead). But once I had it in my hands, and read the description, I was pretty interested. Sometimes just jumping in line pays off!

We have two perspectives in this book, both students at the workshop of the mysterious and possibly nefarious Meredith Graffam, famous and notorious author who is running a writing workshop for J-Term at a boarding school wtih a dark history. The first is Effy, a girl who is trying to unpack the trauma of her mother being killed in a drunk driving accident where her father was the drunk driver. The other is Arlo, Effy’s ex who is trying to work through his own trauma where he feels like he is the one at fault, and who also feels bad about hooking up with Effy and then ghosting her. I enjoyed both of their perspectives, as they felt different enough that there was a contrast between the two, but at the same time I liked seeing how each of them approached the unfolding mystery, and also their past and their feelings for each other. I think that I liked Arlo a bit more, as his voice felt a bit more well rounded than Effy, but Niven did both of them justice. And I also enjoyed their romance, call me sappy or whatever. I just enjoyed seeing them reconnect and strengthen a bond between each other.

As for the mystery and thriller aspects of this book, it’s a promising foundation. I love the idea of a sinister authority figure pressuring and manipulating those under their authority, especially seeing how the manipulated players fall into trap after trap and the intensity that comes with it. Meredith Graffam is a pretty well developed antagonist, lording over her eight students who depend on her not only for their potential future dreams as creators and artists, but also as one of the only adults at the program, and pushing them to the limits until they get close to breaking. It has the frog in the boiling water moments, it has gaslighting, it has a lot of tension as things get worse but Effy, Arlo, and the others aren’t certain if they are overreacting. I will say, however, that sometimes the frog in the pot of boiling water felt like it could move a little bit faster. I like a slow burn, but there were times I felt like things were dragging a bit.

As a whole, I enjoyed “When We Were Monsters”. It’s a solid psychological thriller with an enjoyable romance, and it’s a good dark academia read.

Rating 7: I liked the perspectives and I liked the unfolding of the mystery within this thriller, though the slow burn may have been a LITTLE slow at times.

Reader’s Advisory:

“When We Were Monsters” is included on the Goodreads list “2025 Dark Academia Releases”.

Kate’s Review: “Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests”

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Book: “Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests” by K.J.Whittle

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Landmark, September 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Three courses. Seven guests. One card. It’s a deadly evening they’ll never forget. 

Seven strangers meet for an anonymously hosted dinner party. As the evening winds down, seven cards appear, one in front of each of the guests. On each card is a number – the age at which the guest will die. Spooked but skeptical, the guests disperse into the rainy night with the hope of forgetting the morbid turn of events. 

Two weeks later, one guest is dead. At exactly the age the card predicted. 

More guests begin to die as the years go on, each one dead at the same age as their card. It soon becomes clear that something much more sinister is abound. Now, it’s up to the quickly dwindling group of dinner guests to figure out who (or what) was behind that fateful dinner party all those years ago, before their numbers catch up with them too. 

Told from the perspectives of each of the seven guests, which span from hilarious to hateful, Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests is a spellbinding and mysterious exploration of mortality, begging the how would you live your life if you knew your number was up?

Review: Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for sending me an ARC of this novel!

Well I was all excited because last week it really felt like Fall had arrived, and then THIS week we were once again in the 80s with sun and humidity. Once we get to mid-September, my attitude turns to Autumn things in all their forms, and that includes looking for books that have a certain feel to them. That can be cozy, or spooky, or an undefinable third thing that has me like ‘yeah, this feels like a Fall book’ as I read. The book “Seen Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests” by K.J. Whittle definitely had that feeling to me as I was reading, as an Agatha Christie-esque whodunnit just feels like Fall.

As a mystery, “Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests” has a pretty standard set up: seven strangers are called to a mysterious dinner party with no obvious host, and at the end of the night they all receive envelopes that tell them at what age they are going to die. For many of them, it’s in the very near future, and when it starts happening they realize that someone, for whatever reason, wants them all dead. Throw in some Seven Deadly Sins themes, and you have a solid premise and a mystery that mostly kept me guessing, or at the very least invested and interested. I liked that we got different perspective points in the book so that we could get clues from different people that added to the whole, and I found myself surprised a few times. I also have always loved a Seven Deadly Sins theme, and liked seeing how various players lined up within that theme. Did I figure some stuff out? Sure. But there were some twists that had me guessing.

The characters run the gamut from complicated but relatable to genuinely frustrating and terrible. They all had their flaws, but some were a bit more well articulated than others. I liked Vivienne, the cold but intrepid and determined journalist who is our main perspective as she tries to figure out what is going on with all of her compatriots dropping dead after the ill fated and mysterious dinner party. She’s not very kind or nice, but I thought that she felt pretty realistic, and has her moments. I also liked how Whittle explores other unlikable characters and gives them SOME humanizing edges, whether it’s the outlandish and somewhat vapid Janet, who has experienced trauma and sadness around her inability to have a baby, or the closeted cop Melvin who pines for his partner in secret but feels guilt with a sick wife at home. There are also interesting plays on people who are full on hypocrites, like the famous Doctor Gordon who preaches stringent and health conscious lifestyles, but is hiding an eating disorder to maintain his own physique. Other characters were kind of bland or two dimensional, but it was the little quirks of these characters that stood out the most as I was reading.

“Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests” is solid and serviceable as a mystery, and it just felt like the perfect Fall read as we head towards a changing of the seasons. Cozy up with some unlikable characters and just have fun with it!

Rating 7: A solid whodunnit with an enjoyable take on the Seven Deadly Sins, “Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests” is an entertaining mystery that just feels like an Autumn read.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests” isn’t on many relevant Goodreads lists as of now, but would probably fit in on the shelf “Culinary Mystery Books”.

Serena’s Review: “Song of the Hell Witch”

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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

Serena’s Review: “It Happened on a Sunday”

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Book: “It Happened on a Sunday” by Tracy Wolff

Publishing Info: Entangled: Amara, September 2025

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

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

Book Description: They call her the Black Widow. A pop star. A tabloid tragedy. A girl who set the world on fire—and got burned in return.

But Sloane Walker doesn’t care what they say. Not anymore. The headlines, the hashtags, the rumors that never die? Let them come. She’s survived worse—like the ex who tried to kill her and the fans who blamed her for surviving. These days, she’s armor and eyeliner, singing songs that hurt and pretending they don’t.

She’s halfway through a sold-out tour and dangerously close to unraveling when a meet-and-greet throws her into the path of Mateo Sylvester—a rising star quarterback with a devastating smile and a grandmother who’s Sloane’s biggest fan. He’s got stadiums at his feet and the press eating from his hand. She’s got a flask full of sweet tea, a voice full of ghosts, and no patience for golden boys with good intentions.

She tells herself it’s just a photo op. Just another handshake. Just another charming fan with perfect cheekbones and no idea what it means to bleed for your art.But Mateo sees more than the stage persona. He sees the cracks in her smile. The songs she’s too scared to write. The girl underneath the glitter, still fighting to stay.They weren’t supposed to fall. Not in the spotlight. Not when the world is watching. And definitely not when the people closest to them would do anything to keep them apart.

This isn’t a fairy tale. It’s a slow-motion car crash. And if they’re not careful, it might just cost them everything.

Review: As I’ve ventured further into romantasy and fantasy romance fiction, I’ve also started dipping my toes back into other subgenres of romance. I’ve most regularly enjoyed historical romance novels (Sherry Thomas, one of my favorite authors, has written several!), though I’ve been known to read a few contemporary romances sprinkled throughout. I’ll be honest, these are the hardest sell for me, most of the time. But I’ve also read a few recently that I’ve enjoyed (after loving “Shield of Sparrows,” I’ve gone back and read a few of Devney Perry’s contemporary books and really enjoyed them, though I haven’t reviewed those here on the blog.) All of this to say, I was happy to jump on board when I was given the opportunity to review an early copy of this title!

So, this one both worked really well for me in some areas, but also was a struggle in others. First off, there’s no escaping the obvious and intentional parallels to Taylor Swift and and Travis Kelce (the book leans into this, in fact, with several references to Swift’s songs). I don’t particularly enjoy Taylor Swift, but that’s more due to the fact that her style of music isn’t my preferred style, and less to do with anything to do with her particular songs. Further, I’m by no means caught up on all of the celebrity gossip and drama to be found there. That said, there’s no avoiding the basic points, so it was easy to see the lines being drawn within the book.

However, I think the author did a very good job of distancing this story enough from these real life individuals. While there are similarities to be found, the core of the story revolves around an almost “thriller-like” plot line involving the mysterious deaths of Sloane’s previous boyfriends and the present danger of an increasingly threatening stalker. And, of course, this gives the book plenty of opportunities to place our romantic hero in a protective role as the couple tries to cope with these increasingly dire circumstances. All of this gives the book a lot of action, as well as fully centers the story around unique characters who aren’t simply carbon cut-outs of their real-life counterparts.

I will say, there were quite a few moments that push the limits of credibility with the way many things played out, particularly with the stalker plot-line. However, this is a romance novel first and foremost, so I didn’t go in with expectations of a hard-nosed thriller/mystery. That being the case, it was easy enough to sit back and enjoy this plot line for what it was. And by far, this mystery and built up sense of danger was my favorite part of the book.

Unfortunately, while I liked the the thriller aspects of the story, I struggled more with the romance itself. For one thing, there was exactly zero build up or progression of feelings. Instead, by date number two, love is being expressed and devotion committed. While I expect romance novels to move a bit more quickly than my slow-burning heart desires, this one was fast even by comparative standards. There was no tension, no push and pull, just instant gratification. It was all too much and too fast for me to ever feel fully invested in their relationship.

Further, some of the writing was a bit off-putting to me at times. While most of the book is written in a very casual style, there would be random moments where the author would throw in obscure, lesser-used terms. These moments always stood out to me, almost as if a second editor had went through and used a thesaurus sporadically to “smarten up” the text. It just read as off. Similarly, some of the spicey scenes also included phrases and descriptions that felt oddly clinical or even eerie at times, leaving me feeling as if perhaps there was some deeper mystery being built up between the two. But nope, in the end, it seems like it was just odd writing choices.

Overall, this was an ok read. I enjoyed the stalker plot line and the tension that was built up as this threat intensified. However, the love story itself didn’t quite land for me. That said, I do think this book will work well for a lot of contemporary romance fans, particularly those who have enjoyed following Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s love story!

Rating 7: I enjoyed the stalker plot line quite a bit, but the romance took off too quickly and never quite struck the right chord (chord…get it??) with me.

Reader’s Advisory:

“It Happened on a Sunday” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Musicians Romances and September 2025 Sports Romance Release.