Tag: Fantasy

Serena’s Review: “Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue”

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Book: “Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue” by Kate Pearsall

Publishing Info: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, January 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

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

Book Description: As Caball Hollow slowly recovers after a tumultuous summer, the James family must also come to terms with their own newly revealed secrets.        18-year-old Rowan James has spent her whole life harboring unpleasant truths—that’s what happens when you can smell people’s lies—and building walls around herself to block them out. Like her younger sister, Linden, who can taste the feelings of others, Rowan has long resented her gift, which has taught her that everyone lies and no one is who they seem to be. So when her old nemesis, Hadrian Fitch, the biggest liar of them all, shows up on her front porch—bloodied, broken, and asking for help only she can give—her first instinct is distrust. But something new is stalking the Forest that surrounds Caball Hollow.       Now things are disappearing. At first, it’s small stuff—like letters, photos, and keys. But then, Rowan notices people around her are losing their memories. And when the body of a neighbor is found in the middle of town, Rowan knows there’s a link between this death and all the events disturbing the Hollow. Can she find what—or who—the link is before it takes another life?

Previously Reviewed: “Bittersweet in the Hollow”

Review: While “Bittersweet in the Hollow” wasn’t a perfect read for me, it got a lot of things right, particularly with regards to the atmosphere of mystery and creepiness that surrounds Caball Hollow. I also always enjoy stories about a bunch of sister with magical powers, so there’s that. Rowan didn’t play a huge role in that story, but I was definitely intrigued by her character and excited to see where her story would go in this sequel!

So, to get it out of the way, this one probably came in at around or a bit below the same level as “Bittersweet:” in that, I definitely see parts that I appreciate, but it also failed to capitalize on its strengths in a way that would have elevated it to a higher level for me. But let’s start with the good, as always. Like “Bittersweet,” one of the biggest strengths of this book is its overall tone and the vibe of this small town and the dark woods that surrounds it. It worked out in a strange way that I was reading two books back-to-back with this general setting (Adrienne Young’s “A Sea of Unspoken Things” was the other), and I found that I appreciated the use of this setting just as much here as I did there.

Beyond the mysteriousness of the woods and the dangers it contains, I also liked the exploration of small-town life. Particularly, the challenge of living in a town with such a limited population where you know everyone, for better or worse. Forgive and forget becomes a necessity to functioning in an environment like this, sometimes for very practical, economic reasons, as we see here with the family’s café that depends on the town folk for business even if some of them have behaved in truly terrible ways.

However, as I read, I found myself really struggling with the pacing and some of the plotting of this book. It’s just a very slow read, taking a long time to really get started, with what feels like numerous “false starts” to the plot. Further, as I continued to read, I was dismayed to see so much time spent on events and characters from the first book. In some ways, Lindon was allowed to overshadow Rowan in Rowan’s own book, which is always disappointing. I’m not sure whether the author simply didn’t have a robust enough storyline for Rowan herself or what. But I do think this book may have been more successful as a novella or shorter companion piece. As it stands, it feels as if Rowan was short-shifted as a main character.

In a similar way, the romance was very lackluster. It wasn’t bad, and I did enjoy moments with the romantic lead. But at the same time, I failed to really feel any chemistry between these two characters. I felt as if I was being told they were developing feelings for one another, but I wasn’t getting any of that on the page. For a character like Rowan with her particular ability with lying, there should have been plenty of material to build a complex romantic relationship, so it was disappointing to see the book flounder in this way.

Overall, this was an ok read. If you enjoyed the first book and Lindon as a character, this one is probably worth reading simply for the large emphasis on the events of that book and that character. If you were hoping for a truly fresh-feeling story and a clear development of Rowan as her own character, however, you may find yourself as disappointed as I was.

Rating 7: The story shines with regards to its atmosphere and mysterious vibes, however, weaker characters brought it down a bit in the end.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue” can be found on this Goodreads list: YA Novels of 2025.

Serena’s Review: “A Sea of Unspoken Things”

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Book: “A Sea of Unspoken Things” by Adrienne Young

Publishing Info: Delacorte Press, January 2025

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: The only thing James and Johnny Golden have ever had is each other. For as long as she can remember, James’s deep connection with her twin brother, Johnny, has gone beyond intuition—she can feel what he feels. So, when Johnny is killed in a tragic accident, James knows before her phone even rings that her brother is gone and that she’s alone—truly alone—for the first time in her life. 

When James arrives in the rural town of Hawthorne, California to settle her brother’s affairs, she’s forced to rehash the ominous past she and Johnny shared and finally face Micah, the only person who knows about it. He’s also the only man she’s ever loved. 

But James soon discovers that the strange connection she had with Johnny isn’t quite gone, and the more she immerses herself into his world, the more questions she has about the brother she thought she knew. Johnny was keeping secrets, and he’s not the only one. What she uncovers will push her to unravel what happened in the days before Johnny’s death, but in the end, she’ll have to decide which truths should come to light, and which should stay buried forever.

Review: Adrienne Young has been reliably a “one book a year” author for a while now, and I feel like I’m getting quite spoiled. I look ahead to the fall and the winter and mentally assume that I’ll be getting to enjoy her most recent release somewhere in there! It also helps that I’ve been enjoying this turn towards adult novels with a closer feel towards magical realism than straight fantasy. So, like clockwork, I’m back with another review for her latest entry!

While this one didn’t quite hit as hard as some of her other books, there was still a lot to like about this one! First of all, I think the cover on this book, while beautiful, is a missed opportunity. So much of the book is taken up with the oppressive, claustrophobic, wild nature of the forest that surrounds the small town of Hawthorne, that a cover picture of a wide open seascape seems very misplaced. Especially since this unique atmosphere and nature of the woods is so omnipresent throughout the book. While reading it, you can almost feel the trees pressing in.

I grew up in the mountains and the woods, so I love forests. But Young also deftly captured the unique experience of feeling closed in, even while outside, that can come from thick woodlands. Here, she cashes in on the tension that comes from reduced sight lines, not being able to see the shifts in the landscape or what they can hide. This sense of the unknown is then woven through the various mysteries of not only Johnny’s death, but also James’ past that drove her to flee her hometown many years ago.

I also enjoyed the complicated nature of the sibling relationship between Johnny and James. We never see Johnny alive on page except for flashbacks, but again, Young masterfully captures the lingering feeling of presence after someone as close as a sibling passes away. Of course, this is fantasy realism, so this ghost-like presence is explored in more mystical senses as well. But even small things, like coming into a place that was suddenly abandoned by an unexpected death and then trying to piece together that person’s last days or moments…it was all quite well done. Even more so due to the complicated relationship between Johnny and James, one that was both as close as it could be, but also full of tension and whips of darkness. The flashbacks were incredibly effective at building up James’ feelings towards this mercurial brother and the ways in which he directed so many of her life choices.

On the other hand, while the romance was sweet, this was the relationship that felt a bit short-shifted. In many ways, it felt very similar to the romance we saw in another of Young’s books, “Spells for Forgetting,” focusing again on small towns and second-chance romances. Instead, I found the dynamic between Johnny, James, and Micah together as a trio to be of more interest. Micah wasn’t really given enough on the page to fully flesh him out as a character. Instead, he felt more like a sounding board character for Johnny and James. Not saying I’d rather there have not been a romance, as I did enjoy the love story. Just that if you’re going in looking for romance, then you might be a bit underwhelmed.

The mystery was also fairly good. There were a number of reveals and connections that I thought were done quite well, red herrings that would go back and forth between being red herrings at all. On the other hand, at least one of these reveals felt like it came a bit out of nowhere and didn’t have much to truly back it up. A person did a thing because of…reasons. Ultimately, as I was mostly invested in the mysteries surrounding the past and on the dynamics between the Micah, Johnny, and James, I was mostly ok with this. But it did feel a bit weaker than some of Young’s past entries in this regards.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book! It didn’t quite live up to some of the highs of past books by Young, but it was also a solidly enjoyable mystery/romance/fantasy realism book on its own! If you’ve enjoyed her books in the past, odds are good that you’ll like this one as well!

Rating 8: The true triumph is Young’s ability to capture the beautiful yet oppressive nature of a deep, dark woods.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Sea of Unspoken Things” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Book titles with all the vowels in it. A E I O U

Serena’s Review: “The Starlight Heir”

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Book: “The Starlight Heir” by Amalie Howard

Publishing Info: Avon, January 2025

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

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

Book Description: When the gold-dusted court invitation arrives at Suraya Saab’s forge, she believes it’s a joke. Nobles might seek her skills as a bladesmith—one of few who can imbue her work with precious jadu, the last source of magic in the realm—but she has no qualifications as a potential bride for the crown prince. Still, the invitation is the chance at adventure, and the means to finally visit the capital city her late mother loved.

But what awaits her in Kaldari is nothing she could have imagined—and fraught with danger. It’s not the crown prince, but his impossibly handsome, illegitimate half-brother, Roshan, who draws her interest…and her ire. The invitation isn’t a quest to find a suitable bride, but a veiled hunt for the starbringer—a girl rumored to hold the magic of the stars in her blood. And across the city, unrest is brewing between the noble houses and the rebel militia.

When the rebels carry out a brutal strike, Suraya and Roshan find themselves on the run, trying to deny their simmering attraction and the knowledge that Suraya herself might be the starbringer. But Roshan is hiding secrets of his own. And with no control of the power that seems to be stirring within her, Suraya has drawn the attention of the old gods themselves…and the interest of one dark god in particular might be the biggest threat of all.

Review: Not going to lie, a major appeal point for this book was the beautiful cover! So all props to the artist who put this together! I was also excited by the general premise of the story, especially a story focusing on a female blacksmith and all of the potentially badass moments that could exist for a character like that. On top of all of that, I was simply excited to see this marketed as an adult fantasy novel, as I’ve struggled more and more to find books that fit within this category, with most fantasy falling in either YA or romantasy subgenres. So, let’s dive into what the book actually had to offer!

Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite work for me, all the more frustrating because I think the author had the bones of a good story here. First and foremost, the world-building was interesting, especially everything that drew from Persian culture and history. I particularly enjoyed all portions of the story when we really got a chance to dig into some of these aspects of the world; unfortunately, these bits were few and far between. There were even some glaring missed opportunities to explore this further, particularly with some of the fashion choices at the ball scenes early in the book.

This ball scene also lead into one of my primary points of struggle with the story: it felt like the author couldn’t fully commit to what sort of story she was trying to write. The first thirty percent or so of the book is taken up with this rather silly bride competition (not sure how an author can make that concept NOT silly, especially in an adult book, but I’d be happy to be proven wrong if someone can provide an example!). But then, as the story progresses, we quickly learn that the entire premise of this competition was completely pointless and the story switches gears into a much more action-packed adventure story. The bride competition would likely have always been a bit of struggle point for me, but it was all the worse when it was immediately undercut in this way. Further, the overall pacing of the book felt very strange, with the first bit so fully committing to a much slower “Bridgerton”-esque style plot and then, with whiplash inducing speed, changing pace completely into a high stakes adventure.

As for the characters, I will say that I appreciated that the romantic lead was not of the brooding sort, and instead a much more light-hearted character. I swear, if I read one more romantasy title where the hero is a shadow daddy with black hair and grey eyes, I’m going to swear off the subgenre for many moons. That said, I did feel that this character’s attachment to our heroine walked right up to the line of instalove, coming on very quickly and with very little real foundation to it.

I was much more frustrated with Suraya, however. Part of this comes down to the unfortunate dialogue often given to the character, her speeches chock full of modern lingo that grated on my nerves every time I came across it. At best, this style of dialogue gives me secondhand embarrassment for the author, and at worst, I’m actively cringing. Luckily, by the second half of the book, the story has picked up its pace to the point that the dialogue needed to be devoted to actual plot points, thus reducing these lingo bits. However, throughout it all, I also found myself just wanting…more from Suraya. Her entire concept is one of power and potential, and yet, again and again, she comes across as unable to think for herself or make a decision on her own without reference to those around her. She also spends way too much of her internal musing focused on Roshan’s looks, to the point that it began to be distracting from the rest of the story.

Overall, I didn’t love this book. I feel like the pacing was disjointed and the heroine was let down by poor dialogue. That said, it was also quite readable and I whipped through it fairly quickly. It also reminds me of a lot of other popular romantasy titles that are currently fairly beloved, so I think there are definitely readers out there! I’ll say, it you, too, are tired of brooding heroes, this one might be worth checking out just for the change of pace in the romantic lead!

Rating 7: While there was potential in the world-building and certain plot twists, I struggled with the modern dialogue and the weaker characterization of the heroine.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Starlight Heir” can be found on this Goodreads list: Romantasy 2025

Serena’s Review: “Six Scorched Roses”

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Book: “Six Scorched Roses” by Carissa Broadbent

Publishing Info: Bramble, September 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: Six roses. Six vials of blood. Six visits to a vampire who could be her salvation… or her damnation.

Lilith has been dying since the day she was born. But while she long ago came to terms with her own imminent death, the deaths of everyone she loves is an entirely different matter. As her town slowly withers in the clutches of a mysterious god-cursed illness, she takes matters into her own hands.

Desperate to find a cure, Lilith strikes a bargain with the only thing the gods hate even more than her village: a vampire, Vale. She offers him six roses in exchange for six vials of vampire blood–the one hope for her town’s salvation.

But when what begins as a simple transaction gradually becomes something more, Lilith is faced with a terrifying realization: It’s dangerous to wander into the clutches of a vampire… and in a place already suffering a god’s wrath, more dangerous still to fall in love with one.

Review: This novella was independently published before it was picked up by Bramble, so it’s been a choice to not read it until now. Mostly, I’ve been trying to draw out the process of making my way through Broadbent’s back catalog, as I’ve loved everything I’ve read from her so far. But it did make for an interesting reading experience here, as I had briefly met the main couple of this book in another book already! While I only got a snippet of them there, I was excited to read their origin story in full!

Sometimes I think the ability to write a compelling and rich shorter book is more proof a writer’s talent than whipping together a massive tome. There are fewer pages to get across the themes, character arcs, and hit any plot points that are needed for the story. I’m not surprised that Broadbent was up to the task, as, first and foremost, she’s always had a steady hand on the sorts of characters she writes. And here, that was on even greater display, particularly with the heroine who seems to be mildly autistic, struggling to put words to emotions and often hyper-fixating on her scientific endeavors. As the story is casually pulling in “Beauty and the Beast” references, Vale, as the romantic hero, is a bit more of a straight-forward character. That said, I did like the brief looks we get into the long history of the vampires and the toll that these long-lasting wars and feuds would have on the soldiers and leaders who waged them.

As I said, this book was definitely hitting some “Beauty and the Beast” vibes, and, as such, was a much more romantic tale than Broadbent’s other works. The others that I’ve read from her, while also heavily featuring romance and spice, also involved classic fantasy plots with lots of fighting and exploration. Here, as the story is much smaller in scope, the focus of the book is honed in on the two characters at its heart and the growing love story between them. And it was as lovely as I could have wished for, with a nice slow-burn and a proper balance of romance to spicy scenes.

That said, I was also impressed with some of the side relationships, particularly between Lilith and her sister who is slowly dying of a wasting disease. As its a short book and the primary focus is obviously on the romantic duo, not much time is really devoted to this relationship. But, at the same time, what we do get really packs a punch, with almost all of Lilith’s inner motivation and focus revolving around this relationship, rather than the love story. We also got another confirmation that all the gods of this world are world-class a-holes.

Overall, this was an excellent novella. While I love the full novels, I almost think that, purely with regards to the love story, this is one of the stronger entries. If you’re favorite parts of this author’s other books was the romance, than this is definitely a must read!

Rating 9: Full of romance and sisterly bonds, this book was right up my alley!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Six Scorched Roses” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Fantasy, Horror, and Sci-Fi Novellas.

Serena’s Review: “The Ledge”

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Book: “The Ledge” by Stacey Mcewan

Publishing Info: Angry Robot, September 2022

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: After being randomly selected as a human sacrifice, instead of death, Dawsyn finds herself on a quest to save her people from their icy prison…

In a place known as the Ledge, a civilization is trapped by a vast chasm and sheer mountain face. There is no way for anyone to escape the frozen wasteland without befalling a deathly drop. They know nothing of the outside world except that it is where the Glacians reside – mystical and vicious winged creatures who bring meagre rations in exchange for a periodic human sacrifice.

Dawsyn, ax wielder and only remaining member of her family, has so far avoided the annual culling, but her luck has run out. She is chosen and ripped from her icy home, the only world she knows. No one knows what will happen to her on the other side, least of all Dawsyn. Murdered? Enslaved? Worse?

Fortunately, a half-Glacian called Ryon offers to help them both escape, but how can she trust one of the very creatures that plagued her life? Dawsyn is a survivor, and she is not afraid to cut anyone down to live.

Review: This is another title that I requested on Netgalley way back when it was recently released. And here I am, getting to it years later! Shame on me! But I am getting to it, so let’s just focus on that part. Plus, now that I’ve been so late, the remaining two books of this trilogy have also released, so, as I plan on continuing this trilogy, I can jump right into those! But on with the review!

This book did have the dreaded “TikTok sensation” included in its promotional material, but I am pleased to say that this is one of the times that proves why I can’t just immediately discount every book that is tagged in this way! I actually really enjoyed this read! Yes, there are a few predictable tropes and the ending got a little muddled. But at the same time, the skill of the writing and characterization were much better than I usually find in comparable romantasy titles, and I blew through this read in only a few sessions!

It started out on a high note right away with the introduction of the main character and the brutal life she’s lived up to this point. It’s a fairly simple concept: a small group of humans stranded to live on the shelf of a mountainside, vulnerable to not only the harsh climate and one another, but also waiting for the inevitable day when they are cruelly whisked away by winged monsters, never to be seen again. The descriptions of life on this ledge were brutal, harsh, and necessarily violent.

And to survive in this place, Dawsyn (don’t get me started on the names…we have Dawsyn and Ryon…someone needed to take away this author’s “Y” key!) has had to become a warrior. But what makes this truly great is that we aren’t simply told this. We see, again and again, Dawsyn put these skills to the test, not only fighting off other humans but also the much stronger Glacians. There was one moment early in the book that particularly drove this point home, with Dawsyn choosing to end a conflict in the most brutal way imaginable. It’s these moments, where an author fully commits to the world and character they are writing, that raise a book in my estimation.

Further, when Dawsyn and Ryon inevitably begin working together, they don’t simply do away with the conflict between them. For her part, Dawsyn has no reason to trust Ryon and every reason to attempt to escape him, and I was pleased to see her remain in this mindset for a significant amount of time. In this way, by the time the romance begins to kick up more, it felt more earned and I was able to invest in them as a couple because I’d also had the time to come to understand them, especially Dawsyn, as individuals.

As I said, I liked the overall world-building as well. The story moves from the ledge itself fairly quickly, but I also enjoyed learning more about the Glacian civilization and the humans living below in the valley. While some of these twists and turns were a bit predictable, they mostly worked, with only a few stumbling blocks of unnecessary secrecy and “chosen one” plot points. My only true hiccup was a plot decision made at the very end of the book. Essentially, Dawsyn and Ryon come up with a plan to storm a location and seem to go about it in crazily risky manner. From a reader standpoint, I can see why this needed to happen, as part of this plan involved them gaining certain abilities that I’m sure will be necessary in the upcoming books. But as far as an actual plan? It essentially saw them sneak into a guarded location, intentionally get caught, be removed from said location to be executed, escape, and then….storm the exact same location to get back inside. It was just odd and clunky at times.

Overall, however, I had a lot of fun with this book! I think the one thing that really stands out is the overall strength of the writing. The dialogue was good, but there was also proper emphasis placed on descriptive elements. The pacing flowed, and I felt invested in the story from start to finish. If you’re looking for a solid romantasy read, this one is a good start to a trilogy!

Rating 8: Fast-paced and full of action, this is a romantasy worth checking out!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Ledge” can be found on this Goodreads list: Best enemies to lovers

Serena’s Review: “Upon a Frosted Star”

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Book: “Upon a Frosted Star” by M.A. Kuzniar

Publishing Info: HQ, November 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

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

Book Description: When the snow falls, she will be free…

The invitations always arrive the same way – without warning, appearing around the city on the first snowfall of the year, simply inscribed with ‘Tonight.’

When struggling artist, Forster, finds an invitation, he’s bewitched by the magic of the evening, swept up in the glamour of this notorious annual party and intrigued as to who is behind them.

Determined to find out more about the mysterious host, Forster discovers an abandoned manor house silent with secrets and a cursed woman who is desparate to be free…

Review: First of all, thanks to Sophia for reaching out about coverage for this book! Somehow, I had totally missed this title, and it’s one of those books where the cover alone promised that it would be the sort of fantasy novel that I should be checking out! There are big time “Seven Swans”/”Swan Lake” vibes happening here, and both of those are two of my favorite fairytales to start with!

While this one didn’t quite hit all of the highs I had hoped for, there were a couple of strengths I wanted to highlight first. The overall feel of this book was very fairytale-like and romantic, you could almost feel the wintery themes jumping off the page! While it’s still fall here in MN, I can see how this would be a perfect read to cozy up with in the midst of winter.

Another strong point was was the rather simple decision to frame the story from the MMC’s perspective. Honestly, I tend to gravitate towards and prefer stories that follow female main characters, but that also makes it all the more refreshing to read a fantasy story like this that follows the male character instead. For his part, Forster was an intriguing character to follow, and I enjoyed viewing this world through his lens. That said, once he becomes enthralled by Detta, many of his inner monologues became a bit repetitive, all too prone to cycle through pining and complaints about the unfair nature of the situation. Some of this is to be expected, but after a while it also started bogging down the tone and pacing of the story.

The pacing itself was also a bit of a struggle. I enjoyed the set-up of the world, meeting the characters, and the first foray to one of these mysterious parties. But as the plot progressed, many of these things began to feel as if they were spinning their wheels. It all began to feel too repetitive, with some of the chapters between these events feeling like filler. By the end, I was left wondering why so much time was spent on side characters (like Forster’s friends) who really played no major role in story or why, if we’re going to get chapter perspectives from Detta, they were introduced so late in the story.

Overall, I think this book is strong in the wintery vibes of its worlds and in the quality of writing, particularly with regards to the dialogue, which I thought was very well done. However, the actual plotting and some of the characterization felt a bit more wobbly. If you’re a fan of this author’s other book, this one is probably worth checking out. And if you’re looking for a nice wintery story, this might also hit the spot!

Rating 7: The strengths lie in the seasonal tone of the story and the strength of some of the writing, however the pacing and plotting are a bit more hit-and-miss.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Upon a Frosted Star” isn’t on any Goodreads lists, but it should be on Fairytale Like Books.

Serena’s Review: “The Fate of Magic”

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

Book: “The Fate of Magic” by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Fire, October 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: Fritzi is a champion. After escaping the clutches of Dieter Kirch, the sadistic leader of the witch hunters, Fritzi and Otto have taken refuge among the witches of the Black Forest. Fritzi is finally ready to assume her place on the council as the coven’s goddess-chosen champion. Plagued by distrust and self-doubt, Fritzi throws herself into her duty to serve the goddesses . . . until she uncovers a powerful secret that could mean the very undoing of magic itself.

Otto is a warrior. He swears himself to Fritzi as her bonded protector, certain the peaceful unity of a witch and hunter will heal the wounds he helped make. But as the horrifying plot that threatens the Black Forest’s magic comes to light, Otto will have to face his both his past and what it means to bind himself to a magic he does not fully understand.

Shadows loom. Truths are revealed. And as dangers new and old arise, Fritzi and Otto must stand together against everything that threatens magic—even if the biggest threat might be the very bond they share.

Previously Reviewed: “The Night of the Witch”

Review: As promised, December is full of back catalog titles that released earlier in the year but that I hadn’t gotten a chance to read yet. “The Fate of Magic” has been on my radar all year (so much so that I tried to snag an ARC at ALA, but apparently everyone else had the same idea, so alas for me!). The first book was a great read, full of magic, romance, and an interesting blend between witchy/fantasy elements and historical elements, especially religion in Germany during this time period. While the book ended with the revelation that the big bad hadn’t actually died, it also finished in a vary satisfying manner. That being the case, I went into this one with only one wish: don’t un-do any of the great work that had already been already completed!

And I’m pleased to report that this was an excellent sequel! It built on the concepts that were introduced in the first book and expanded on the world and plot in a way that added to the entire experience. I particularly enjoyed learning more about the three goddesses and their history with the way that magic has interacted with and been available to the human world. There were some interesting twists and turns added, and I loved getting a better understanding of these goddesses as actual characters, something I was definitely not expecting going in. I also appreciated that the book introduces what felt like a significant choice that needed to be resolved by the end of the story. There were no obvious or easy answers, and I liked the way the characters were forced to truly grapple with the trade offs either way.

I also really appreciated the way the romance played out. Other authors take note! It IS possible to continue a romantic plotline after the characters have gotten together without inserting stupid, unnecessary drama. If I never read another last scene in a romantasy book where the couple is immediately broken up by the discovery of some secret or another it will honestly be too soon. Fritzi and Otto are facing real challenges, but their relationship ain’t one of them!

Not only is it nice to see perspective kept in check (again, I hate it when characters obsess over personal problems, often that can be solved with a simple conversation, in the middle of world crises), but it was also nice to actually get to see an established couple work together for an entire book! Honestly, I’m struggling to think of another book/series like this, where the couple is just straight-forwardly together through an entire book and just, you know, goes through the plot without interpersonal drama. Instead, the conflict in their relationship was based around learning how to work together, how to best use the new magical bond between them, and how to balance their own approaches to dealing with problems. You don’t need unnecessary drama and constant bouts of distrust and indecision to keep a romantic plotline interesting!

As far as the plotting and pacing, I think the overall story was good. However, there were moments throughout the book that felt like leaps, with the author simply needing to get the characters from point A. to point B. without much room for exploring how this would really work. There was one moment in particular in the middle of the book where the characters jump through so many logical hoops to get to the right choice that it was honestly a bit baffling. I wish there had been a more graceful way to tie in clues to some of these mysteries, rather than the characters seeming to just pull the solution straight from a bag.

Overall, however, I really enjoyed this book! It was a refreshing read in many ways, especially how the duology approached its romantic plotline. Both Fritzi and Otto were incredible characters on their own, which made the balance between their perspectives work perfectly, and the further deepening of the magical system was very intriguing. There were, perhaps, a few odd moments with some of the plotting points, but nothing that was truly immersion breaking. If you enjoyed the first book, I’d definitely recommend this one! And if you’re a fan of YA fantasy, I think this duology on the whole is an excellent return to form for a genre that often feels a bit tired and thin.

Rating 8: With expanded world-building and increasingly high stakes, this book wraps up an excellent fantasy duology!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Fate of Magic” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Witchy Season and Baroque Fantasy.

Serena’s Review: “The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door”

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Book: “The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door” by H. G. Parry

Publishing Info: Redhook, October 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley!

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

Book Description: Camford, 1920. Gilded and glittering, England’s secret magical academy is no place for Clover, a commoner with neither connections nor magical blood. She tells herself she has fought her way there only to find a cure for her brother Matthew, one of the few survivors of a faerie attack on the battlefields of WWI which left the doors to faerie country sealed, the study of its magic banned, and its victims cursed.

But when Clover catches the eye of golden boy Alden Lennox-Fontaine and his friends, doors that were previously closed to her are flung wide open, and she soon finds herself enmeshed in the seductive world of the country’s magical aristocrats. The summer she spends in Alden’s orbit leaves a fateful mark: months of joyous friendship and mutual study come crashing down when experiments go awry, and old secrets are unearthed.

Years later, when the faerie seals break, Clover knows it’s because of what they did. And she knows that she must seek the help of people she once called friends—and now doesn’t quite know what to call—if there’s any hope of saving the world as they know it.

Review: I really loved “The Magician’s Daughter” when I read it a few years ago! Best of all, it took me by surprise, packing a deeper punch into what I had taken as a rather superficial cozy read at first glance. That being the case, I went into this next book by H. G. Parry with fairly high expectations! And while I will say that I think I preferred “Magician’s Daughter” on the whole, this was still an excellent read on its on right.

This is really a book of two halves. The first one starts off as a fairly straight-forward, HP-like dark academia story, following our main character, Clover, as she first comes to her new school, meets a group of friends, and begins uncovering the mysteries of magic that are tightly wound all around them. But then, as the story continues, the book fast-forwards and we see these characters again later in their lives as they must deal with the repercussions of the decisions they made while in school. It was definitely an interesting structure, and one that I hadn’t been expecting, being at first fully immersed in the school days aspects that made up the first half.

But the second half is where the story really starts to shine, especially as a character-driven narrative. Not only do we see these characters at different points in their lives, but we see how their ambitions and goals have directed their paths forward, sometimes in unexpected ways. They are all compelling, but flawed, people who make mistakes, sometimes correcting and sometimes doubling down all the more. I really enjoyed these themes, especially the way the author explored the way that ambition can begin to corrode relationships between people.

The pacing was a bit on the slow side, but I think that this largely worked given the emphasis on characterization and the exploration of the inner workings of these people. The world-building was also good, though some of the details regarding the fantasy elements were a bit slow to arrive, requiring some patience on the reader’s part to trust that answers will come. I don’t want to go into spoilers, but there were some twists and turns that were truly heart-wrenching, and I’d definitely put this one in the “bittersweet” category, for what it’s worth.

Fans of dark academia and especially readers who are looking for character-driven stories should definitely check this one out!

Rating 8: Exploring themes of ambition and its impact on relationships, this book is as heart-wrenching as it is beautiful!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door” can be found on this Goodreads list: 2024 Dark Academia Releases

Serena’s Review: “Wisteria”

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Book: “Wisteria” by Adalyn Grace

Publishing Info: Little, Brown and Company, August 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: own it!

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

Book Description: Blythe Hawthorne has never let anyone tell her what to do—not society, not her overprotective father, and certainly not the man she’s bound herself to, no matter how rude and insufferable he is. In fact, she’s determined to be a thorn in his side for the rest of her days, even as he ensures that her life in his palace is anything but a fairytale. But as Blythe discovers a new side of herself linked to his past, she’ll have to decide if she’s willing to let an unexpected spark ignite…and to discover the truth about who she really is.

Previously Reviewed: “Belladonna” and “Foxglove”

Review: I often use December as a month to check back in to books that published earlier in the year but that I didn’t get around to in a timely manner. And yes, that is the case here. However, it’s also the case that I’ve delayed writing this review because it’s been a challenge to get my thoughts in order, mostly about how disappointing I found this book to be. All the more shocking given the high that was “Belladonna” when I read it two years ago.

That said, there were some positives, and those all came in the first half of the book. Reading this first half, I was having such a blast that I felt confident that we had finally returned to much of what I loved about this series. While “Foxglove” was a bit of a mixed bag, I did very much enjoy a deeper introduction to Blythe as a main character, and she shone here in this first half, with all the spirit and spunk that I came to expect from a woman who had lived through what she had and who had made the choices she did at the end of the last book. I also really loved the “enemies” portion of this enemies-to-lovers romance that we explored in this first section. Aris was such a pill, and it was hilarious. The two had great banter during this section, and I appreciated the slow build of respect he had towards Blythe’s bravery and determination in the face of his ridiculousness and the various challenges placed before them.

Unfortunately, even here, problems began to arise. First and foremost, the contrived nature of the plotting. At the end of “Foxglove,” the reader, Signa, and Death are all aware of the true situation between Aris and Blythe. But then, through sheer authorial shenanigans and contrived magical circumstances, Signa is never given a chance to tell Blythe any of this. I get that this reveal coming early would have materially changed the story, but this is the kind of fact that must be dealt with when plotting out an entire trilogy. The author could have ended the previous book in a way that left Signa and Death unaware, thus removing the need to come up with excuses for them not to inform Blythe. Or perhaps some more believable means could have been constructed to delay the knowledge, but that’s tough, as we saw here. The way it is handled is incredibly plot convenient and there is nothing done to really hide this from the reader.

This problem with plotting carried on through the middle and, especially, the end of the book. Not only do Blythe and Aris go from a fairly good slow burn build to “now we’re instantly in love!” with very little explanation, but the author introduces world-changing new characters halfway through the book. Characters who should definitely have been present, if not at least referenced, in the previous books. Not only did the presence of the new character muddle this story, but it opened a million plot holes in the previous books as well, which is the worst thing you can do in a final book to a trilogy. Additionally, entire subplots are dropped in whole cloth, like Signa’s sudden obsession with uncovering the truth behind her mother’s murder. And, in a similar manner, these new subplots are never truly dealt with or pulled into the main story in any way that justifies their presence in the first place.

And all of this together, bad on its own, is all the worse for only coming up halfway through the last book a trilogy! Which, surprising no one, greatly damaged the end of this book. If I had to come up with a word for it, I’d choose “silly.” Events and choices that are clearly meant to land a significant emotional punch instead induced a massive eye roll. Every bit of it was frustrating and left gaping questions about how any of this really worked. Worse, some of these choices directly conflicted with themes regarding choice and personal agency that had been built up as so important earlier in the book.

Given how much I enjoyed the first book in this series and even the first half of this book, it’s so disappointing having to write this review. Looking back at the entire venture, it feels as if the author had a great idea for a stand-alone fantasy book and then somewhere along the line was pushed into extending it by two books. But there was never a truly good story there to support this decision. I’d still recommend the first book to readers, but I’d probably tell them to just quit before the final few pages and leave it as a single entry story, as this is one of those truly unfortunate situations where the last book retroactively harms the entire story as a whole.

Rating 6: So disappointing. Not great on its own, but it was even more frustrating seeing the affect this book has on some of the characters and story arcs of the previous books.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Wisteria” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Gothic Fantasy Romance and Magic, Adventure, Romance.

Serena’s Review: “A Monsoon Rising”

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Book: “A Monsoon Rising” by Thea Guanzon

Publishing Info: Harper Voyager, December 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: NetGalley!

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

Book Description: After a lifetime of war, Alaric and Talasyn were thrust into an alliance between their homelands that was supposed to end the fighting; however, being married to their sworn foe feels far from peaceful. Now Talasyn must play the part of Alaric’s willing empress while her allies secretly plot to overthrow his reign. But the longer the couple are forced together, the harder it becomes to deny the feelings crackling like lightning between them. When the time comes to act, can she trust him, or must she ignore her heart for the sake of so many others?

As the master of the Shadowforged Legion, Alaric has trained for battle all his life, but marrying a Lightweaver might be his most dangerous challenge yet. With tensions between nations churning, he needs to focus on the greater threat—the Moonless Dark, a cataclysmic magical event that could devour everything. Only he and Talasyn can stop it, with a powerful merging of light and shadow that they alone can create together. But saving their world from this disaster is a mere preface to his father’s more sinister schemes, and his wife is a burning flame in the darkness, tempting both his loyalties and his desires.

The Hurricane Wars aren’t over. It’s time to choose what—and who—to fight for. The world holds its breath amidst a whirlwind of new magic and old secrets that could change everything.

Previously Reviewed: “The Hurricane Wars”

Review: December is always a slow month for new books. That being the case, I was relying on this sequel as one of my few newly released books to cover (I often devote my other review days during December to catching up on various sequels that I couldn’t fit in during the months in which they came out). I very much enjoyed “The Hurricane Wars” when I read it last year and thought that it did a great job setting up the world and the characters, leaving an intriguing pathway forward for the story to take! But, while I still enjoyed a lot of what this book had to offer, this is one of those titles that I can hold up in the future as an example of “middle book syndrome.”

Let’s start with the good however! Much of what I enjoyed from the first book is still strong here. For one thing, the writing is compulsively readable. While I could step back and have critiques of the pacing, plotting, and some of the character beats, while I was reading it I felt fully immersed. I read it over a few days and largely enjoyed the entire experience. Not a lot really happens in this book (one of my main criticisms) so it speaks to the author’s talent with readability that I never felt bored as I was making my way through the book.

I also still very much enjoyed our main characters and their love story (mostly). One thing that I appreciated the most was the fact that Talasyn and Alaric are following a more traditional “enemies to lovers” path. In that, this book doesn’t easily do away with the fact that these two have been on opposing sides of the war for years, have fully realized histories before they began falling for one another, including loyalties, friendships, and ideologies. None of these could or should be easily set aside just because they meet someone they begin to have feelings for (honestly, I can’t count the number of romantasy titles that really struggle with this aspect of the entire “enemies to lovers” trope. If your characters can get over being “enemies” within the first book, let alone the first half of the book, then they were either A.) never enemies to begin with or B.) are simply poorly written with no actual characterization to them outside of this burgeoning love story). The love story does make progress throughout, but the book also takes place over a few months time, adding another layer of believability to this relationship. But even still, by the end, they are by no means clearly on the same side, even still.

And now, the counter argument to everything I said above: while I appreciate the slow-burn nature of this book, I’m not convinced this needed to be a trilogy. For all that the slower nature of the plot works for the romance, it also doesn’t work for the trilogy as a whole. There were numerous scenes in this book that felt wholly unnecessary or as if they were simply inserted into the story because an editor had pointed out that no actual action had taken place for chapters and chapters, with the focus only being on the characters’ inner thoughts and building love story.

Part of this has to do with how the book has tried to balance two different points of conflict: one is the upcoming apocalyptical event that only Talasyn’s and Alaric’s combined magic can save everyone from and the other is the actual war that they both have been fighting. By essentially saving the entire war conflict for the next book, it made this book’s handling of this huge threat, the Moonless Dark, feel almost like a strange side quest that didn’t really matter.

And then there were even some fairly major reveals and twists in this area that are revealed towards the end, but, again, by the nature of the structure of the trilogy as a whole, I wasn’t quite sure what I was supposed to do with this revelation. It was this big moment, and then it just felt like it landed with a thud and was quickly kicked into the corner to set up the final events for the third book. Was this plotline really necessary? Instead, it felt like this entire set-up only existed as an excuse to make Talasyn and Alaric work together over the course of the first and now this book; I felt like I could see behind the curtain and spied the author wrangling the plot into place only in service of getting the romance from point A to B, not something you ever want to see.

But, as I said, I read this book very quickly and still enjoyed the actual reading experience. If I came away wondering a bit why this had to be an entire book, instead of re-structured into a more tightly plotted duology…well, that’s unfortunately often the case in fantasy fiction these days. That said, the set up for the third book is very good and I’m excited to see where it all goes!

One last note on the romance: while I appreciate the true slow-burn nature of the love story, I truly hope that the betrayals/secrets/lies aspect gets dealt with early in the next book. I’d love to see a significant portion of the plot devoted to these two finally working together. Two books as “enemies” and one book as “lovers/allies” is, for me, the correct balance.

Rating 7: Fans of the first book will likely enjoy this one, and, at its peak it highlights a true commitment to telling an “enemies to lovers” romance. But, on the other hand, there’s very little true plot to be found here.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Monsoon Rising” can be found on this Goodreads list: Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2024.