Tag: 7 Rating

Kate’s Review: “A Spell to Wake the Dead”

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Book: “A Spell to Wake the Dead” by Nicole Lesperance

Publishing Info: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Where Did I Get This Book: I received a hardcover from the publisher

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

Book Description: Two teen girls must uncover the dark, occult secrets lurking in their Cape Cod town to solve a series of murders—and save themselves from the same fate—in this twisty, witchy thriller.

When Mazzy and her best friend Nora sneak down to the beach one moonlit night to cast a spell, they don’t expect to find a dead body. But as the tide rolls in, it carries the remains of a woman who is missing her hands and teeth.

The girls know they should leave the investigation to the police, but they can’t shake the weird, supernatural connection they feel with the dead woman. Using spellwork and divination, they set out to find answers of their own. But after they uncover a rash of local disappearances stretching back years—and both girls start having occult visions and hearing ghostly, whispering voices—Mazzy worries that she and Nora are in danger.

Then, Nora finds a second body. And a whispering voice is telling her where to find more. With everything spiraling, Mazzy needs to figure out who to trust and how to sever this supernatural connection—or she and Nora might be the next bodies to wash up on the beach.

Review: Thank you to Penguin Randomhouse for sending me a finished copy of this book!

We are approaching the end of August, and here in Minnesota the first big symbol of the end of summer is the Minnesota State Fair, which started a couple of days ago. Whenever it’s time for the fair, I know that means that Autumn is just around the corner, and my Fall loving self starts to get excited and emotional. It’s my very favorite time of year, where I steep in all the spooky and cozy and scary and witchy things. And just in time for the turning of the seasons is a very witchy and Autumnal feeling book, “A Spell to Wake the Dead” by Nicole Lesperance. Seriously, if you are jonesing for Autumn like I am, this is probably going to be the book for you, because it felt like the perfect read to kick off the upcoming Fall.

“A Spell to Wake the Dead” feels like “The Craft” meets “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”, as we have two dabbling in witchcraft teens Mazzy and Nora as our main focus, who find themselves in way over their heads when they stumble upon a body after casting a mysterious spell. The book grabbed me from the jump, with a creepy body, implied potential possession, and the hints of a witchcraft cult that dabbles in human sacrifice, all against the spooky and yet serene backdrop of Cape Cod. Lesperance knows how to set an eerie mood, and I could practically smell the sea salt and feel the ocean mists as I was reading the book. Oceanside witches aren’t as common as other witch tropes, so it was extra fun seeing Mazzy and Nora use the sea and its bounty in their spellwork and explorations. I also enjoyed seeing the more casual use of spellwork in this book, with Mazzy and Nora not just doing huge spells that lead to the finding of dead bodies and perhaps ghostly influences, but also references to anti-anxiety spells and more simple and practical uses for magic. It just helped make it feel like these are two teenage witches who are interested in spellwork in their every day lives, which made it feel more genuine.

As for the creepy stuff and the mystery at hand, it definitely reads like a YA story, which is definitely not a bad thing. It didn’t send shivers down my spine, but I did like the mystery as Mazzy and Nora are trying to figure out who killed ‘May’ (as Nora has been referring to the body they found thanks to a strange supernatural connection) and as they find MORE bodies and evidence of a witch cult. It had a good number of twists and turns, and while I was able to predict some things, other things were genuinely surprising to me as I was reading. The stakes felt like they were climbing at a well done rate, and while the end felt a little bit frazzled and chaotic in some ways, overall I thought that everything generally pays off. It’s not a terribly scary story, but if you want your Autumn reading to be more “Practical Magic” than “The Witch” this will scratch that itch.

“A Spell to Wake the Dead” is an enjoyable witchy tale, the perfect way to kick off Autumn. I’m ready to kick summer to the curb and this made my need for Fall all the more pressing.

Rating 7: A spooky and witchy tale that will properly kick off the Fall season, “A Spell to Wake the Dead” is fun and vibes filled YA dark fantasy.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Spell to Wake the Dead” is included on the Goodreads list “YA Novels of 2025”.

Kate’s Review: “A Game in Yellow”

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Book: “A Game in Yellow” by Hailey Piper

Publishing Info: S&S/Saga Press, August 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley

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

Book Description: Euphoria meets Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke in this latest novel by the Bram Stoker Award–winning author Hailey Piper, following a couple whose search to spice up their sex life leads them down a path of madness.

A kink-fixated couple, Carmen and Blanca, have been in a rut. That is until Blanca discovers the enigmatic Smoke in an under-street drug den, who holds pages to a strange play, The King in Yellow. Read too much, and you’ll fall into madness. But read just a little and pull back, and it gives you the adrenaline rush of survivor’s euphoria, leading Carmen to fall into a game of lust at a nightmare’s edge.

As the line blurs between the world Carmen knows and the one that she visits after reading from the play, she begins to desire more time in this other world no matter what horrors she brings back with her.

Bram Stoker Award–winning author Hailey Piper masterfully blends horror, erotica, and psychological thriller in this captivating and chilling story.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this novel!

I hadn’t actually heard of “The King in Yellow”, a collection of short stories with a horror play at its center with the same name, until I had picked up Hailey Piper’s new erotic horror tale “A Game in Yellow”. I’m not sure how I missed it, as researching it more makes me feel like it would be something I’d enjoy, but this was certainly an interesting introduction with the backdrop of a queer BDSM couple falling under the erotic spell of a stranger with a creepy little play that can grant absolute pleasure or absolute madness. I’ve been meaning to read more Hailey Piper, and thought that this one sounded creepy and out there. Which was compelling to say that least.

Our protagonist is Carmen, a woman who is in love with her girlfriend Blanca but whose sexual appetites have stalled out, so much so that even their BDSM kink play isn’t doing it for her. But Blanca hooks them up with a mysterious woman named Smoke who has a mysterious play called “The King in Yellow” that makes the reader tread to the very edge of euphoric pleasure… though should the reader go too far they will fall into insanity. As Carmen reads more her urges become more insatiable and their sex life is saved, but obviously at what cost as things start to get more and more out of control in her life and her mind. This is a horror story, but it is also filled with a lot of eroticism and kink that didn’t really hold back. Piper is more than happy to put all of the sexual thriller elements on the page, and the kinkiness combines with the building dread in a way that makes the reader feel like the reading process could very well teeter into some kind of voyeuristic experience. Piper’s writing is gorgeous at times, even if it is unrelenting in some of the rawer and ‘uglier’ elements of this dangerous game that Carmen is playing as she chases the dragon.

As for the horror elements, this book is very, very strange and weird with so much anxiety as Carmen perhaps slowly descends into madness. I do love a good ‘is it something supernatural or just someone losing their mind?’ trope, and Piper is very clever with how she ever so deliberately takes her time as Carmen spirals and becomes more paranoid as well as more insatiable for the pages of “The King in Yellow”. I will say that I did find the tension building to be effective, but do wish that we had gotten to the really weird and nutty ending a bit faster, or at least had more in your face nuttiness as the story led up to it. I’m not sure if this would have been different had I been familiar with the source material, but as it was I felt like I was waiting a bit for the fireworks factory to finally show up. That being said, the ending was INCREDIBLE, so that basically makes up for any criticisms about the pacing up until that point. Piper goes out with a bang with this one and I was left gobsmacked.

“A Game in Yellow” is off putting and weird. I think that if you are a little wary of kink or eroticism it may not be a good fit, but if you have an open mind and like stressful and beautifully written high strangeness horror it may be a good one to check out.

Rating 7: A deeply weird erotic horror story that drips with strangeness, “A Game in Yellow” is kinky and tension filled.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Game in Yellow” is included on the Goodreads list “Queer Releases August 2025”.

Serena’s Review: “Voidwalker”

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Book: “Voidwalker” by S. A. Maclean

Publishing Info: Orbit, August 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher

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

Book Description: Fionamara is a smuggler. Antal is the reason her people fear the dark.

Fi ferries contraband between worlds, stockpiling funds and stolen magic to keep her village self-sufficient – free from the blood sacrifices humans have paid to Antal’s immortal species for centuries.

Only legends whispered through the pine forests recall a time when things were different, before one world shattered into many, and the flesh-devouring beasts crept from the cracks between realities, with their sable antlers and slender tails, lethal claws and gleaming fangs. Now, mortal lives are food to pacify their carnivorous overlords, exchanged for feudal protection, and the precious silver energy that fuels everything from transport to weaponry.

When Fi gets planted with a stash of smuggled energy, a long-lost flame recruits her for a reckless heist that escalates into a terrorist bombing – and a coup against the reigning immortals, with Fi’s home caught in the crossfire.

She’s always known the dangers of her trade – and of the power she’s wielded since childhood, allowing her to see the secret doors between dimensions, to walk the Void itself. But nothing could have prepared her for crossing paths with Antal. For the deal she’ll have to make with him, a forced partnership to reclaim his city that begins as a desperate bid for survival, only to grow into something far more dangerous.

A revolution.

And a temptation – for how sweet the monster’s fangs might feel.

Review: This book has such a wacky cover, I can’t decide whether I love it or hate it! Either way, between that and the author (though I didn’t love “The Phoenix Keeper,” I still felt it had a lot of potential), I thought this one was definitely worth checking out. Unfortunately, I still didn’t completely connect with this story, but that’s not to say there were things to enjoy!

For one thing, in a lot of the ways that matter, this book reminded me strongly why I felt the way I did about “The Phoenix Keeper.” There, I struggled a bit with characters and worldbuilding, but felt the writing was, overall, quite strong. The same exact thing happened here. The story started off incredibly well. The plot took off quickly, full of action and stage-setting, laying before the reader a dark world full of monsters and danger. And throughout it all, the prose was strong, especially in a surprisingly dark and bloody prologue. Honestly, that prologue remains one of the best parts of the story! It felt serious, dangerous, and intriguing.

However, once our main character showed up, much of that seriousness quickly seeped from the story. Fi shows up and pretty much right from the start presents herself as your typical fantasy badass heroine. We’re told repeatedly how savvy a smuggler she is, how well she can read people and situations, and how deftly she has navigated her life living between the lines of what is allowed. However, for all that bravado (both in her inner descriptions of herself and her life, as well as in the actual dialogue between her and other characters), these traits are immediately called into question. The reader is told one thing (Fi is a great smuggler with a long history of success under her belt) but are shown a completely different thing (Fi makes incredibly stupid decisions against her explicitly expressed better judgement for pretty much no reason at all). Frankly, the first few scenes played out this dynamic so strongly that I was immediately on a back foot from there.

Beyond that, I haven’t read a ton of monster romance books, but this one did solidify a few things for me. While I’m not against them (ahem, how can anyone be when their favorite fairytale is “Beauty and the Beast??”), there are some incredibly important caveats to my enjoyment. Physical traits really don’t matter. I really enjoyed Ruby Dixon’s “Bound to the Shadow Prince” and that character is described as quite outside of human norms. But, importantly, Nemeth’s “monstrosity” was limited to physical characteristics. In that particular case, he was the direct opposite of a monster: bashful, bookish, and incredibly caring.

Here, however, the monstrous aspects went well beyond physical differences. While I loved the prologue for the true darkness that it set out for this world, it quite effectively killed my ability to see this character as a romantic lead. I don’t want to spoil things, but if you read the very first chapter, you’ll see what I mean. For some, this isn’t an issue. But I’ve discovered, for me, I really do have a line where I just can’t see how humans can cross to love this sort of monster. And this issue isn’t explained away! Fi has to confront it head on, and somehow is…fine with it?

Beyond all of this, there was something rather childish about the way Fi was written. Again, the prologue set up what felt like a serious, adult world. But I just couldn’t buy into Fi as a woman in her 30s. Her swearing was so childish, and don’t even get me started on the horrible nicknames (can we please PLEASE just kill this idea of giving each other cutesy nickname in romantasy novels??).

Overall, I didn’t love this one. Personally, I’d say it was around a “6 rating” for me, but I’ve bumped it up since I know that the romance (a large part of the story) was killed for me on a very subjective basis that may not apply to many other readers. Beyond that, I still think the writing had many strengths. I just really hated Fi.

Rating 7: I have a line for monster romances, and this one crossed it. However, I can see it worked well for others who really enjoy this sort of romantasy story.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Voidwalker” can be found on these Goodreads lists: All the New Horror, Romantasy, and Other SFF Crossover Books Arriving in August 2025

Serena’s Review: “Warrior Princess Assassin”

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Book: “Warrior Princess Assassin” by Brigid Kemmerer

Publishing Info: Avon, August 2025

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

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

Book Description: WARRIOR. King Maddox Kyronan’s fire magic has earned him a ruthless reputation on the battlefield, but now his kingdom is slowly burning. Ky’s only chance to save his people is to enter a marriage alliance with the neighboring nation of Astranza, and hope that the royal family’s power to manipulate the weather will help his land flourish once more. He just needs to ensure no one finds out how the blaze began.

PRINCESS. With war looming on the horizon, Princess Jory’s home needs the protection of the fearsome warrior king, but she is hiding a dangerous her family’s magic is fading. Tempting as it is to reject her duties and run away with her childhood friend, Asher, Jory knows that she is the kingdom’s last hope. When she meets her intended, Jory is surprised to discover that beneath Ky’s daunting exterior is a compassionate and sharp-witted man who sets her heart aflame. But what will he do when he realizes she’s deceiving him?

ASSASSIN. Asher’s done what he must to survive, even if that means getting his hands dirty. Once a young nobleman in Astranza’s palace, where he and Jory caused mischief together, now he’s part of the Hunter’s Guild, employing much darker skills. When a lucrative job comes his way, Asher can’t say no—until he discovers the targets. Someone wants Ky and Jory dead. With the Guild watching, Asher must decide what he’s willing to do to protect the woman he loves.

Review: While I’m on the record as not really clicking with many poly or “why choose” romances, I’m always on the lookout for exceptions. I’ve also had a bit of a hit and miss experience with this author. But as I have enjoyed some books by her in the past, I thought this new title might be a good opportunity to further explore this sort of romantic plot line.

So, this book didn’t fully turn me around on poly/why-choose romances, but there were definitely things I liked about it. For one, the book is very character driven, with much of the “action” centering around the development of its three main characters. I enjoyed both of the male main characters, for the most part. Each were fairly easily slotted into some familiar archetypes, but this well-trodden ground didn’t make them less enjoyable. There is the sweet, childhood friend romantic interest, plus the more dynamic “touch her and die” character on the other end of the spectrum. Like I said, neither one was really pushing any boundaries as far as detailed character work go, but they were also satisfying as they were, with a few twists and turns thrown in to keep things interesting.

I also appreciated that this was a slow-burn style of romance. For me, that’s the only approach that even makes sense with a poly romance like this. The more characters you have involved in a developing romance, the more time must be devoted to fleshing out their various dynamics. Otherwise they don’t feel like true characters at all, and instead read as mere plot vehicles simply there to deliver on the smutty goods. To that last point, this book is very late and comparatively light on the spicey scenes, so if you’re going in with expectations for early romance scenes, be warned.

That said, I did struggle with the female main character. It’s clear that she’s meant to be naive, but so often throughout the book I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated with her simplistic views of things. The author does make an attempt to show growth for her, but it never felt like quite enough.

And, for that it being a character-driven book is a positive, this was definitely a slower read, one that often left me wondering when (or if!) anything was really going to happen. Large chunks of this book could have been edited down or out altogether. This made it all the more frustrating when the book ended on a significant cliffhanger. Instead of feeling satisfied to have finished it, I felt as if I’d been handed an incomplete draft of the first half of a book.

Overall, this was an ok read. Ultimately, while it didn’t make me actively mad at any points, it also didn’t really offer up anything new. Readers will be familiar with these characters and this general (rather limited) plot. Their enjoyment, therefore, will come down to how much they enjoy experiencing over again a rather familiar story. I would probably recommend this one to readers who love poly/why choose romances, while those looking for a more plot-focused fantasy novel might need to look elsewhere.

Rating 7: Familiar in both good and bad ways, this one will likely work for “why choose” romance readers but may not have much cross-over appeal to other readers.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Warrior Princess Assassin” isn’t on any Goodreads lists but it should be on Why Choose Romance Books.

Serena’s Review: “The Deathless One”

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Book: “The Deathless One” by Emma Hamm

Publishing Info: Gallery Books, August 2025

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

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

Book Description: Jessamine was raised to be a leader for her people, but when the land is overrun by an incurable plague, she must enter a political marriage to save them all. A union that should have brought hope only brings death as her new husband murders her at the wedding altar and seizes the throne.

But her death is just the beginning. Her spirit is met by the Deathless One, a god of death yearning to return to the mortal plane, and he needs her help. The two of them make a deal—her life and the return of her kingdom in exchange for his resurrection. But the Deathless One is a known trickster, and a deal with him is one made in blood.

Jessamine knows the Deathless One is a dangerous ally, but the longer they work together, the more she wants him and the less she can stay away. As their connection deepens, soon she wonders if she even wants this contract to end. Perhaps the more appealing throne is the one by his side, but she’d have to turn her back on her people to get it.

Review: My main take away after finishing this book was a reflection on the importance of pacing. Most of the time, complaints about pacing present in the form of things moving too slowly or dragging. But pacing that moves too quickly can be just as disconcerting! And that’s what I found right when I picked up this book. Yes, action was happening, sometimes at a nonstop rate! But I spent most of that time wondering what was going and, more importantly, why I should care.

This could be seen in both smaller and greater examples. Here is a kind of throwaway scene/example, but it came right in the first few chapters. A character is described as entering a room, and then there is a description of a crunching sound and gore on this character’s shoe. So, what happened here? What did he step on? Well, believe it or not, I had to go several pages further to find a passing reference to the fact that it was a rat (as opposed to a cute kitten, fluffy bunny, who knows what!) that he had stepped on. So yes, action was happening, but it was so poorly described that I literally didn’t know what was happening for a decent chunk of time, until the actual descriptive word “rat” was finally thrown in.

So, too, I struggled to connect to the main characters. The action was galloping along, but I never felt like I was given any time to get to know them, to understand why I should feel invested in what is happening to them, and to be excited to see where the story was going. Bam! Meet the main character. Bam! She’s murdered horribly. Bam! Enter shadow daddy love interest.

On the other end, once I got to the middle of the book, the author slammed the brakes on the pacing and the story lulled almost to a stop. Much of the action here came in the building of romantic tension between the love interests. Many pages were devoted to these two fighting their attraction for one another. Some of this was well done and compelling, but it did feel as if the primary revenge plot that was set up at the beginning of the book was lost in the romantic angst.

I did like the general premise of the story and the world-building, especially what we got about the deathless one himself. I was incredibly interested in hearing more about his backstory, and gobbled up the tidbits we received throughout. He did get a lost a bit to the general “brooding” romantic interest role after a while. But I think the second book has a lot of potential now to explore some of these world-building/magical elements to a greater degree.

Overall, this was just an ok read. I could enjoy the basic story that was being told, but I struggled with the pacing, having a hard time connecting to the characters early in the story and then getting lost in the doldrums a bit towards the middle. Things picked up towards the end again, and I’m definitely curious to see where the story goes from here. Readers looking for a unique romantasy read will likely enjoy this one, especially those who enjoy spending a decent amount of time in the dramatics of relationship tension that makes up the majority of the middle of this book.

Rating 7: Too fast at the start and too slow in the middle. The ending was just about right, though!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Deathless One” can be found on this Goodreads list: Can’t Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy of 2025

Serena’s Review: “A Theory in Dreaming”

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Book: “A Theory in Dreaming” by Ava Reid

Publishing Info: HarperTeen, July 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: Edelweiss+

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

Book Description: All stories come to an end.

Effy learned that when she defeated the Fairy King. Even though she may never know exactly what happened at Hiraeth, she is free of her nightmares and is able to pen a thesis with Preston on the beloved national fairy tale Angharad. She has finally earned a spot at the literature college, making her the first woman in history to enroll.

But some dreams are dangerous, especially when they come true. The entire university—and soon the entire nation—is waiting for her to fail. With the Fairy King defeated and Myrddin’s legacy exposed, Effy can no longer escape into fantasy. Who is she without her stories?

With Effy under threat, Preston is surprised to discover a rage simmering inside him, ringing in his ears like bells. He begins to dream of a palace under the sea, a world where he is king—visions that start to follow him even in waking.

As the war between Llyr and Argant explodes, Effy and Preston find themselves caught in the crossfire: Effy losing her dreams and Preston losing himself in his.

Are dreams ever truly just dreams?

Previously Reviewed: “A Study in Drowning”

Review: I loved “A Study in Drowning.” It felt like such a tightly plotted YA title that incorporated a strong personal arc for the main character, Effy, as well as a tension-filled gothic mystery that built to an incredible climax at the end. As you can expect from this, it was a fantastic stand-alone read. That said, while I was satisfied with its ending, I was more than happy to return to this world and these characters. Especially to see more of the burgeoning love story between Effy and Preston.

Unfortunately, this one didn’t live up to the highs of the first book, mostly because of how perfectly insulated that story felt. But there was still much to enjoy here, so let’s start with that first. Per Reid’s typical style, many of the themes explored within this story are dark but important. Through careful crafting, the author explores the slow descent into isolation and withdrawal that can come with serious depression. Both Effy and Preston also constantly struggle to find a place for themselves in an institution and society that is built for others, Effy as a woman in the man’s world of academia, and Preston as a man of two heritages, both of which are at war with one another. These themes were richly detailed, and while it didn’t necessarily make for a “fun” reading experience, I definitely felt like I was getting a stark window into the struggles of these two characters and others like them.

That last point speaks to one of my struggles with this book, however. While well-represented and thoroughly explored, the reading experience itself quickly began to feel heavy and almost tiring; I found myself needing to put the book down after only short reading sessions. Part of this, I think, comes down to the fact that both Effy and Preston’s inner arcs are fairly similar. They are each dealing with similar feelings of isolation and like they are outsiders intruding where they are not welcome. This then leads to a lot of inner dynamics centered around feelings of weariness and fear. So, while the book does alternate between their perspectives, much of the story felt the same between the two, and it began to feel a bit draining.

The romance itself also suffered a bit from this as well. Both Preston and Effy spend much of the book hiding things from one another, both preoccupied with not wanting to place a burden on the other. And, again, the fact that both characters had such similar experiences with in the romantic plotline, it began to feels as if their relationship was spinning its wheels, with a lot of words spent saying the same or similar things over and over again.

I did enjoy some of the deeper looks into the magic of this world. Most of this came through Preston’s side of the story, and I would argue that this is largely his story. But even here, while I enjoyed getting a better understanding of this history and magic, there didn’t feel as if there was enough of a plot to serve as a structure upon which to hang these descriptive elements.

Overall, this book felt like what it was: an unplanned sequel to a stand-alone fantasy story that had been complete on its own. The writing was luscious, as always, and I did enjoy elements of the love story. But ultimately, I came away from this one feeling as if it didn’t really add anything. I felt like Preston and Effy had ended the previous book with challenges ahead but with a new will to overcome, comfortable in themselves and their new relationship. And perhaps this book was honest about the reality of the hardships they would face and that that same will to move forward could begin to crumble in the face of these struggles. I just…am not sure those realities really make up a story, all on their own?

Fans of Reid’s will likely still want to check this one out. Quality wise, it’s still a well-written book with an interesting world. Effy and Preston also remained characters whom I loved and rooted for. I simply couldn’t get into the limited amount of actual “story” to be found here.

Rating 7: I still enjoyed the world, the characters, and the love story. But it felt clear that with the first book being planned as a stand-alone, this one didn’t really have anywhere to take the story.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Theory in Dreaming” can be found on this Goodreads list: omg i love this cover.

Joint Review: “The Library at Hellebore”

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Book: “The Library at Hellebore” by Cassandra Khaw

Publishing Info: Tor Nightfire, July 2025

Where Did We Get This Book: ARC from the publisher!

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

Book Description: The Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted is the premier academy for the dangerously the Anti-Christs and Ragnaroks, the world-eaters and apocalypse-makers.

Hellebore promises redemption, acceptance, and a normal life after graduation. At least, that’s what Alessa Li is told when she’s kidnapped and forcibly enrolled.

But there’s more to Hellebore than meets the eye. On graduation day, the faculty go on a ravenous rampage, feasting on Alessa’s class. Only Alessa and a group of her classmates escape the carnage. Trapped in the school’s library, they must offer a human sacrifice every night, or else the faculty will break down the door and kill everyone.

Can they band together and survive, or will the faculty eat its fill?

Serena’s Thoughts

There are definitely specific sorts of books that Kate and I target for joint reviews: often some sort of dark fantasy/horror lite title. That being the case, the balance between dark fantasy and horror elements often determines where each of lands on any given read. And this one leaned a bit too far into the horror side for me to fully appreciate.

I did, however, enjoy the dark academia vibes of the story. I definitely understand the comparisons to Naomi Novik’s “Scholomance” trilogy. However, for me, this worked a bit against the book too, as Novik’s series is one of the more fully realized, complex world/magical systems that I can remember reading. In contrast, while this book leaned heavily into similar areas of dread and constrained claustrophobia within the school setting, there wasn’t quite as much actually backing up how this world operated.

In place of some of these scene setting or worldbuilding elements, the author peppered in a seemingly inexhaustible number of deep cut word selections. It sometimes felt like a thesaurus was required reading for getting through certain sections (perhaps this is just revealing my own limited vocabulary, but it’s a fairly unique problem I had with this book.) At the same time, there was a lot of emphasis on modern references peppered throughout. Between the high-end academic vocabulary, the modern references, and the choice to swap between two different points in time within the story, the book had a distinctly choppy feel to it as I read through.

I appreciated a lot of what this book was trying to do, and towards the back half I definitely started to become more invested. I also think that, when disconnected from some of the more elaborate word choices, there was a lot of skill to the writing itself. There were some incredibly poetic turns of phrase, and, even if I didn’t enjoy some of the darker horror moments, there’s no denying the author’s ability to write in a way that elicits a strong emotion.

However, in the end, this was simply too gross and too depressing for me to really enjoy. It may work better for true horror fans than the dark fantasy readers who enjoyed “Scholomance” so much.

Kate’s Thoughts

As someone who has read previous works by Cassandra Khaw, this was not my first time the gruesome body and cosmic horror rodeo, as it were, so I think that I was little more prepared for some of the elements than Serena was (also, SORRY SERENA, I should have warned you that Khaw is BRUTAL). I think that going in expecting something truly disgusting along with flowery turns of phrase made my experience a bit better than my blog partner’s, but I also think that I agree in a lot of ways with her review.

Since I’m the horror gal here I can focus on that for the most part, and I still think that Khaw has this true knack for pulling truly beautiful words and phrases and literature from unrelenting balls to the wall descriptions of viscera, violence, and despair. This was the first full length novel I’ve read of theirs, and I will say that MAN the body horror and gore just kept going because it wasn’t a novella, and it made for a harder read. But at the same time, I really appreciated the visuals and the descriptions because Khaw is more than willing to go to some disgusting places, and I gotta respect that even if it can be stomach churning. And I also have to give credit where credit is due; they are VERY creative with some of the kills in this book.

I also didn’t mind the time jumps as we went on, as I generally enjoyed getting juxtaposition of the present danger of being trapped in a library with a ravenous faculty outside the door with the background of our main players, and getting to know Alessa and her changing relationships with her dangerous cohorts turned unlikely allies. I also just liked Alessa. She’s not particularly likable but I found her refreshing in her candor and ruthlessness.

“The Library at Hellbore” is exactly what I expected from Cassandra Khaw, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t wholly repulsed as I was reading. I mean that as a compliment.

Serena’s Rating 7: This one was a bit too horrific for me, but if you’re truly looking for a dark DARK academia read, this one might be for you!

Kate’s Rating 7: Gory and horrific but sure to please those who love some really gnarly body horror.

Reader’s Advisory

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

Serena’s Review: “In the Veins of the Drowning”

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Book: “In the Veins of the Drowning” by Kalie Cassidy

Publishing Info: Little, Brown and Company, July 15

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

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

Book Description: The monster is always slain…

Imogen Nel is in hiding. Hiding from a cruel kingdom that believes Sirens are monstrous, blood-hungry creatures. Hiding from a king and his captain who viciously hunt her kind. Hiding from her own alluring abilities. By keeping herself from the sea, Imogen’s bloodlust is dulled, and her black wings remain hidden beneath her skin.

When a neighboring king comes to visit, Imogen can no longer hide. He knows precisely what she is, and he believes she can save both their kingdoms from an even greater monster. But Imogen’s power threatens to violently reveal itself, and the two form a blood bond that protects them both. They flee the kingdom together, traversing waters teeming with the undead. As the lines between duty to their people and desire for each other begin to blur, Imogen worries her own ancestral powers may not be enough to kill what hunts her—the only way to defeat a monster may be to become one herself.

Review: This book had so much potential, but ended up falling a bit flat for me, unfortunately. The concept itself is really interesting, with the focus on sirens rather than the much more common mermaids. I especially appreciated that the author didn’t “clean up” the nature of sirens. Yes, they are hunted and our main character is in hiding. But they are also incredibly powerful and vicious in their own right. At its peak, the book highlighted the dichotomy of beauty and terror, with sirens perfectly representing the mixed emotions we feel when admiring deadly, powerful beings.

The main character also had an interesting set-up, and in the first few chapters, I was definitely drawn into her story and excited to see where she went from there. Unfortunately, it was kind of nowhere? Much of the middle of the book felt as if it was made up of Imogen flailing around, primarily reacting to whatever was happening around her, but not driven by any goals or motivations of her own. I couldn’t latch on to anything as a true driving force for her, and struggled to remain invested in her story.

The writing, while beautifully strung together at times, also lacked in the world-building department. As the book continued, I kept waiting for more clarity with regards to this world’s history, politics, and the lore of the sirens. But unfortunately that information never really came. I’m ok with initial nebulousness in fantasy books, but as the story continued, I was disappointed to find that there simply wasn’t anything more coming and many of my questions would remain unanswered. That said, worldbuilding is very important to me, and those who are more interested in the romance than the fantasy elements may not be as bothered by this lack of clarity.

I also enjoyed the love interest. I thought he was incredibly interesting and well-written. However, the romance itself moved way too quickly for my preference. Yes, I enjoyed what we got, but I would have enjoyed it even more had the book pumped the brakes a bit more and allowed these two to settle in to their burgeoning feelings before jumping right into the actual romance of it all.

I think this is one of those fantasy romance titles that will definitely work better for romance readers than it will fantasy readers. The love story, while too quick for me, was well done and the MMC was appropriately swoon-worthy. There was also just enough worldbuilding to add a fantasy flavor to it all, especially with the interesting subversion of the “monster romance” subgenre with the FMC being the “monstrous” one. However, if you’re more of a fantasy reader who enjoys fully thought out world-building and established lore, this might be a more frustrating read for you.

Rating 7: Scores well on the “romance” side but struggles a bit with the “fantasy” elements.

Reader’s Advisory:

“In the Veins of the Drowning” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2025 and “Imogen”.

Kate’s Review: “It Was Her House First”

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Book: “It Was Her House First” by Cherie Priest

Publishing Info: Poisoned Pen Press, July 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: Ronnie doesn’t know it yet, but her fate rests in the hands of the dead. 

Silent film star Venita Rost’s malevolent spirit lurks spider-like in her cliffside mansion, a once-beautiful home that’s claimed countless unlucky souls. And she’s not alone. Snared in her terrible web, Inspector Bartholomew Sloan—her eternal nemesis—watches her wreak havoc in helpless horror, shackled by his own guilt and Venita’s unrelenting wrath.

Now the house has yet another new owner. This time it’s Ronnie Mitchell, a grieving woman who buys the run-down place sight unseen. She arrives armed with an unexpected inheritance, a strong background in renovation, and a blissful ignorance regarding the house’s blood-soaked history. But her arrival has stirred up more than just dust and decay. In the shadows, unseen eyes watch. Then, a man comes knocking. He brings wild stories and a thinly veiled jealousy, as well as a secret connection to the house that can only lead to violence.

Venita’s fury awakens, and a deadly game unfolds.

Caught between a vengeful ghost and a ruthless living threat, Ronnie’s skepticism crumbles. The line between living and dead isn’t as sharp as it seems, and she realizes too late that in Venita’s house, survival might be just an illusion.

Review: Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for sending me an ARC of this novel!

I’ve read a few titles from the sub-genre so far this year, but MAN I love a haunted house horror story. It’s a gift that keeps on giving for me, as I love ghosts, I love strange occurrences in a new home, and I love the way that horror authors can pull out truly unsettling and scary things from the trope but in so many different ways. I was definitely interested to read “It Was Her House First” by Cherie Priest, because it promised not only a haunted house but also the ghost of Venita, a glamorous Hollywood starlet who now haunts her mansion and brings woe to anyone who moves in. All of this was top notch in theory, and I dove in hoping for a creepy read.

I think that a truly strong haunted house narrative needs to have hauntees that you can engage with and root for, and we definitely got that in protagonist Ronnie. She’s the kind of main character that has some rough edges but still shines brightly, and I found her very enjoyable. Her motivation for buying this house without even seeing it first was believable (she’s mourning, she had an unexpected inheritance, she needs SOMETHING to distract her AND she’s handy!), and seeing her and her friend Katie work through their shared grief of losing Ronnie’s brother to cancer made for bittersweet moments, especially as we learn more about Ronnie’s feelings of guilt. I really liked her, and therefore was invested when this house started messing with her and she started realizing that things weren’t as they seem, whether it was because of strange occurrences in the house or the strange man who has started visiting, claiming a family connection to Bartholomew Sloane, who died on the property. Ronnie having to unravel the history of the home and this man’s motivations were compelling and suspenseful story beats. Especially after she finds the diary of tragic starlet Venita, whose angry spirit is said to haunt the house and bring death to anyone who moves in.

And what of the ghosts themselves? It was a little of a mixed bag. I do think that Venita wasn’t as fury filled as I had hoped she would be, which kind of cut down on the scares. But on the flip side of that, I thought that getting into her thought process through her diary did a good job of peeling back her motivations, and perhaps I didn’t find her as scary as I thought I would because I kind of felt like she was correct and justified about a lot of the things that made her such an angry and unwilling to leave spirit. I did, however, enjoy some of the eerie descriptions of the way that the hauntings would make themselves known, be it furniture moving about or the POV of the other ghost in the home Bartholomew Sloan, who has a connection to Venita and has a lot of guilt associated with that connection as they lead separate afterlives within the halls of the house.

I did enjoy a lot about “It Was Her House First”. It had a pretty stellar main character and some well executed shifts between POVs, and a creepy haunted house with a lot of tragedy attached to it. Ultimately, that’s what I look for in a story like this.

Rating 7: A mysterious haunted house story with an engaging main character bolstered this up, though I admittedly anticipated more scares. But that said, I found “It Was Her House First” enjoyable!

Reader’s Advisory:

“It Was Her House First” is included on the Goodreads list “2025 Horror I Can’t Wait For”.

Kate’s Review: “Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes”

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Book: “Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes” by Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Publishing Info: Minotaur Books, July 2025

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley

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

Book Description: A sparkling debut mystery set on the south side of Chicago, featuring the quick-witted, unforgettable Savvy Summers, proprietor of a soul food café.

When Savvy Summers first opened Essie’s soul food café, she never expected her customer-favorite sweet potato pie to become the center of a murder investigation. But when Grandy Jaspers, the 75-year-old neighborhood womanizer, drops dead at table two, she suddenly has more to worry about than just maintaining Essie’s reputation for the finest soul food in the Chicagoland area.

Even as the police deem Grandy’s death an accident, Savvy quickly finds herself—and her beloved café—in the middle of an entire city’s worth of bad press. Desperate to clear her name and keep her business afloat, Savvy and her snooping assistant manager, Penny Lopés, take it upon themselves to find who really killed Grandy.

But with a slimy investor harassing her to sell her name and business, customers avoiding her sweet potato pie like the plague, and her police sergeant ex-husband suddenly back in the picture, will Savvy be able to clear the café’s name and solve Grandy’s murder before it all falls apart?

After all, while Savvy always said her sweet potato pie was to die for, she never meant literally.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this novel!

I am kind of at the point where I am seriously asking myself if I just add the ‘cozy mystery’ sub-genre to my rotation of review topics, because I keep having my attention caught by books that fit that description. I’ve already committed to reading the “Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mysteries”, and when I saw the book “Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes” by Sandra Jackson-Opoku on one of my general NetGalley browses I really wanted to read it. So hey, maybe we are at the start of a new coverage point for me. Because, much like the “Tita Rosie’s Kitchen” series, I could see this one being pretty fun to follow judging from the debut.

The mystery itself is what I usually expect from the cozy mystery sub-genre. It’s easy to follow, has a clear group of suspects who all have pretty believable motives, and it doesn’t go too hard or get too messy when it comes to the casualties that are inevitable. I wasn’t terribly shocked by any of the twists and turns, and didn’t find myself in any particular suspense, but it was palatable and easy to read, and I was definitely entertained as I was going. I wasn’t really surprised by the final reveal, but the journey getting there was a ride I didn’t mind taking.

Because that’s kind of the thing with me and cozy mysteries; I’m not really looking for a plot that keeps me guessing and keeps me on my toes. I’m almost always looking for a cast of characters I like to follow and an enjoyable time and place, and I felt like Jackson-Opoku achieved that in this book. I enjoyed Savvy as our amateur detective, as not only is she a Black woman who owns a soul food restaurant, she is also older than I usually read when I pick up a mystery, being well into middle age. She has seen and experienced things that make her less impetuous and more prudent, and I liked having her perspective and her history in place as we were introduced and as we followed her on her first mystery. I also liked our supporting characters who will surely show up as the books continue, whether it’s her friend/colleague Penny, or her ex-husband Falon (who, it seems to me, may be being set up to be a romantic interest as they are still quite close, and I wouldn’t be mad about it). I also just really enjoyed how Jackson-Opoku brings the Southside of Chicago to life, as I could see the people and see the neighborhoods as she was establishing the time and place.

And of course, the food based elements really spoke to me. It’s always fun having a story based around food, cooking, and the community and culture that comes with it, and it’s even better when it comes with recipes (and this one does!). I just really liked reading about the different foods that Savvy was creating in her restaurant and how it connects her to her family history, loved ones that she has had to say goodbye to, and to the community and culture of Chicago’s Southside and the Black population that calls it home. And I do love some sweet potato pie every now and again. You know, so long as it isn’t poisoned.

“Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes” is a fun and easy going cozy mystery that will surely please those who like the genre.

Rating 7: A solid debut cozy mystery with a fun main character and a cast filled with potential, “Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes” is a promising beginning to a new series.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes” is included on the Goodreads list “Cozy Mysteries Published by African-Americans in Decade: 2020s”.