Tag: Romance

Kate’s Review: “Lore Olympus: Volume Six”

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Book: “Lore Olympus: Volume Six” by Rachel Smythe

Publishing Info: Inklore, May 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

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

Book Description: “We have to make an example of her.”

Chaos reigns in Olympus as Zeus publicly declares Persephone a traitor and issues a warrant for her arrest. But Hades defies his brother’s decree, sheltering Persephone in the Underworld—and as the pair spend more time together, they are able to speak openly about their pasts. The goddess of spring admits the truth behind the bloody secret that led to Zeus’s ire, and the king of the Underworld shares the trauma he suffered at the hands of his power-hungry father, Kronos.

But as Hades and Persephone’s relationship grows stronger, others begin to fall apart. The bond between Hades and Zeus is stretched to its limit, threatening to fracture the peace between their realms. Persephone and Artemis’s friendship hangs by a thread as the goddess of the hunt slowly uncovers the vile truth about her twin, Apollo. A line is being drawn in the heavens, putting everyone’s loyalties into question as all the gods are forced to choose sides.

And as the cracks in the foundation of the pantheon spread, something darker and more earth-shattering might soon be released. . . .

Review: I’m starting to really enjoy being able to count down to new “Lore Olympus” volumes as they have come out, usually one in the Spring and one in the Fall. It’s nice having a guaranteed amazing read to look forward to, and this Spring we are now on “Lore Olympus: Volume Six”. I try not to let myself bank too heavily on the quality of a highly anticipated read, but in the case of Rachel Smythe and her amazing reimagining of Greek Mythology I am pretty sure that I have no need to worry. She knows what she is doing. And what she is doing is putting some of my favorite deities through the ringer. Like, repeatedly. And skillfully. So on we go into the newest “Lore Olympus” collection, and man, did it once again blow me away.

When we left off, we saw Zeus demanding that Persephone and Demeter be returned to Olympus as fugitives so that Persephone could be punished for her crime of smiting morals, with Demeter punished for covering it up. Persephone ran into hiding, and Hades went looking for her. We don’t take too much time dilly dallying about Persephone on the run, and once Hades does reunite with her he now has some choices to make. He can either be loyal to his brother, who is also his ally in their alliance as Gods, or he can be loyal to Persephone, the woman he is falling in love with. It’s a great conflict and it’s a really good way to showing what a fucking narcissistic buffoon Zeus is, as the Gods all argue (over zoom call) as to what should be done next. Also, this zoom call is hilarious even thought it’s discussing some pretty heavy stuff. I especially liked Artemis being stuck on mute and not realizing it, and Hera just chain smoking in disdain for her husband and peeking into his frame every once in awhile. Smythe still has so many hilarious moments even as the story gets more and more intense and high stakes, and it never feels out of place or jarring.

In this volume, we are finally starting to get some full on answers about Persephone’s secret as the Bringer of Death. Earlier we got one version of the story, in that it was said that she massacred a number of mortals for pulling flowers in a forbidden area, which resulted in the deaths of many of Persephone’s flower nymph friends. What I really loved was that that initial explanation had been originally hyped up and sensationalized, and we had another version that seemed far more reasonable, if still disturbing. But Smythe decided that go even deeper, and to explore the idea that perceptions and realities might not line up still, and by letting Persephone tell it in her own words, and to open up to Hades about this, was a clever twist on its own. But this also leads to us learning more about Hades, and his own traumatic past of being swallowed and imprisoned by his father Kronos, and how that has affected his life going forward. In the previous volume Hades mentions that he didn’t really KNOW Persephone, and in this volume they now know each other in incredibly intimate ways, and their relationship is evolving and growing apace in a healthy way because of it. It is making this romance a slow burn for sure, but it’s also showing how two damaged people CAN find love and intimacy in spite of their baggage, and in a healthy way, and that they deserve to heal and be loved. It’s pretty clear to me that so much of “Lore Olympus” is about unpacking and healing from trauma, and I love seeing these two heal together.

It’s also the attention and expansion of the supporting characters that has always made Smythe stand out, and in this volume we not only expand upon previous characters and their motivations, but we also get to see new interactions between the characters that clearly set up or harken back to the source mythology. I really love seeing nods to tertiary players like Echo and Daphne, and Smythe opts to make these originally quite passive characters into three dimensional beings that I have fully come to care about (and which makes me nervous for their fates as the series goes on). The thing that really caught me by surprise was how suddenly invested I was in the burgeoning romance between Daphne, a flower nymph who is striving to be a fitness and beauty influencer, and Thanatos, God of Death who has been a resentful lackey to Hades and who has been plotting against Persephone with Minthe and Thetis. I never would have imagined these two interacting, and yet Smythe has built it up in a way that feels wholly natural, and gives Daphne the agency that she doesn’t get in the original myth (though as mentioned above, I’m very worried about where this is going).

Oh and new characters too! New characters that are fully representative of their original characterization, but still feel like their original intent. The biggest one in this Volume is that we finally get to meet Hephaestus, one of Zeus and Hera’s sons who, in the original myth, was ostracized from Olympus by Hera due to his disability (two club feet and inability to walk), but became a master craftsman and blacksmith. In this, it seems that he has extricated himself of his own choosing, and has an estrangement with his parents that is a bit more muddled. Perhaps it’s because he is an amputee, but you get the sense that it’s more about emotional unavailability from his parents (and the more we learn about Hera’s backstory, the more it becomes clear that being a neglected wife to Zeus is the LEAST of her traumas, which almost certainly affects her relationships with everyone). He is also more of a computer and tech wiz as opposed to a metallurgist, and I really, really loved that update. Oh, and now Leto is here too, aka the mother of Apollo and Artemis, and it’s pretty clear that HER appearance is going to set up the another big antagonistic arc for Apollo in this story. God he’s just the worst, and now we know that his mother played a part in that.

I’ve once again gone on and on in a review for this series, but “Lore Olympus: Volume Six” is another home run from Smythe. I’m always worried that it’s going to fall off, or start showing cracks, but man, it’s still going strong. I’m still wholly enamored.

Rating 9: New revelations, new relationships, and new threats are all emerging, but Smythe keeps the joy, humor, and heart in play.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Lore Olympus: Volume Six” isn’t included on many Goodreads lists just yet, but it would fit in on “Hades and Persephone”.

Serena’s Review: “The North Wind”

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Book: “North Wind” by Alexandria Warwick

Publishing Info: S&S/Saga Press, May 2024

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

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

Book Description: Wren of Edgewood is no stranger to suffering. With her parents gone, it’s Wren’s responsibility to ensure she and her sister survive the harsh and endless winter, but if the legends are to be believed, their home may not be safe for much longer.

For three hundred years, the land surrounding Edgewood has been encased in ice as the Shade, a magical barrier that protects the townsfolk from the Deadlands beyond, weakens. Only one thing can stop the Shade’s fall: the blood of a mortal woman bound in wedlock to the North Wind, a dangerous immortal whose heart is said to be as frigid as the land he rules. And the time has come to choose his bride.

When the North Wind sets his eyes on Wren’s sister, Wren will do anything to save her—even if it means sacrificing herself in the process. But mortal or not, Wren won’t go down without a fight…

Review: I’ve had some trouble recently with fantasy/romantasy stories that are billed as read-alikes to “Beauty and the Beast” or “Hades and Persephone.” To be fair, these are fairly difficult romances to represent in a way that both tells a good love story but also doesn’t make one or both characters fairly unlikable or hard to empathize with. Too often the “Beauty/Persephone” character gets too easily distracted by the hero’s hotness to remember she’s angry and a prisoner. And too often the “Beast/Hades” character is more of a raging a**hat than a romantic interest. All of that to say, I was both excited and nervous to pick up this book, which clearly was going to a tell a story involving these types of characters.

Well, this is how you write these sorts of characters! The story itself is great as well, but I really think that books like this really live and die on how well the main characters are represented. And here, both of them are fantastic. Wren, of course, being our perspective character, was the most important of the two, and I really enjoyed her character arc. As I mentioned above, here is a heroine who retains her sense of self, not one to be distracted into forgetting her anger or suspicion by the sight of a chiseled jaw. Instead, Wren’s story focuses more on her own journey, one that tackles not only trust, but also coping with her life choices (particularly her struggle with alcoholism) and with the toxic familial relationships that have severely impacted her sense of self. While I think the discussion of addiction was well handled, I was even more impressed by the way this author navigated the complicated sibling relationship between Wren and her twin sister. Wren’s story is one of coming to understand how she has previously defined herself and reclaiming her own agency over her actions, choices, and life.

And while she is exploring these concepts, a significant amount of the story is still devoted to her challenging relationship with the North Wind. She doesn’t trust this man, and indeed, I was pleased to see her following through on her distrust and anger throughout a large chunk of the book, almost the entire first half. This very much makes the story a slow burn romance, of the sort that I prefer. Because as both Wren and Boreas come to understand one another, we slowly see them dropping their shields. Love cannot come from lust alone, and this book does an excellent job of prioritizing their growing emotional connection before delivering the goods in the spicey scenes. I also loved the excellent snark and banter between the two, something that continues throughout the book, even when the characters begin to grow closer. Their dynamic is compelling to the end.

I also enjoyed the North Wind and his story. The book doesn’t shy away from grappling with the harsher points of his character, and I was also surprised with some of the reveals that came later in the story. There were some real wallops that come in heavy towards the end of the book, which I think helped add some true depth to this character. He’s also the quiet, stoic romantic hero that always particularly appeals to me, so there’s that.

Aside from the characters, I very much enjoyed the world-building that went into this story. There were many familiar elements, but it also all came together in interesting ways. I also know that this is the first book in a series, each seeming to follow one of the four brothers, the gods/Winds. That being the case, we meet a few characters here that are sure to show up in future books, and I’m especially interested in how one character will be dealt with, given the events of this story.

Overall, if you enjoy romantasy, this is a great slow-burn romantic tale. There was an excellent balance between the fantasy and the love story, and the two main characters were well-written and conceived. I’ll definitely be picking up the next book when it comes out!

Rating 8: A perfect example of how to blend the fantasy and romance genres, with two incredible characters at its heart!

Reader’s Advisory:

“The North Wind” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Feel-good romantasy and Best Books About Mythology

Serena’s Review: “Twelfth Knight”

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Book: “Twelfth Knight” by Alexene Farol Follmuth

Publishing Info: Tor Teen, May 2024

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

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

Book Description: Viola Reyes is annoyed.

Her painstakingly crafted tabletop game campaign was shot down, her best friend is suggesting she try being more “likable,” and school running back Jack Orsino is the most lackadaisical Student Body President she’s ever seen, which makes her job as VP that much harder. Vi’s favorite escape from the world is the MMORPG Twelfth Knight, but online spaces aren’t exactly kind to girls like her―girls who are extremely competent and have the swagger to prove it. So Vi creates a masculine alter ego, choosing to play as a knight named Cesario to create a safe haven for herself.

But when a football injury leads Jack Orsino to the world of Twelfth Knight, Vi is alarmed to discover their online alter egos―Cesario and Duke Orsino―are surprisingly well-matched.

As the long nights of game-play turn into discussions about life and love, Vi and Jack soon realise they’ve become more than just weapon-wielding characters in an online game. But Vi has been concealing her true identity from Jack, and Jack might just be falling for her offline…

Review: I knew this one would be a bit out of my wheelhouse when I requested it, but as I’ve seemed to move into also covering the romance genre to some extent on this blog, and the fact that I’ve loved this author’s fantasy work (she also writes under the name Olivie Blake), I thought it was worth a shot! Plus, this is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, so I was excited to see it re-imagined into a contemporary setting. Plus, plus, I really loved playing “Baldur’s Gate” which is essentially video-game DnD, so I was definitely interested in a story that focused on this type of gaming.

Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite land the way I wanted it to. But let’s start with some of the positives. And for me, that largely comes down to the male lead character, Jack. I thought it story was really well done, following the tragic but hopeful arc of a young man who was a rising football star before he suffered a debilitating injury. I thought the exploration of this topic was so well done: the upheavals of identity, the loss of purpose and floundering to find direction, the very real mourning for a life that will now not happen. It was all very touching and well done.

There were also elements of the romance I liked, especially the fact that it came across as believable and relatable. All too often, romcoms seem to get caught up in overly complicated “meet cutes” and then a “paint by numbers” style conflict/resolution in the third act. This one hits many of the expected notes, but I think one of this author’s strong suits has been her dialogue, and with this book, the very natural, realistic dialogue helped ground the love story in a way that I appreciated. That said, I was surprised to see the romance essentially take a back seat to some of the gaming stuff for the first half of the story. And, even for me, someone who enjoys gaming quite a bit, this was frustrating. Not only did I pick this one up first and foremost for the romance, not the gaming, but it also forced the actual love story to have to go through all of the stages in a rather short period of time in the second half of the book.

I also struggled to enjoy Viola. And this made for a complicated reading experience, because on one hand, her anger is justified and much of her arc is her learning how to lower her shields, even when she’s been hurt in the past. But on the other hand, even if some of her anger is earned, she was also incredibly unlikable for much of the first half of the story. And as much as my brain could understand this, especially the fact that she is a teenage character which makes all of these big emotions even harder to wrangle, the rest of me was so often annoyed at her that I struggled to enjoy her. I had to keep stopping and essentially explaining to myself why she behaved the way she did, but…having to give yourself a pep talk about enjoying a book doesn’t make for, well, enjoyment.

Overall, this was kind of a “meh” read for me. There were elements that I liked, but there were enough issues with the pacing of the love story and the likability of one of the lead characters that left me feeling rather cold on the story by the end. Fans of YA contemporary romance might still want to give this one a shot, however, as the author’s quippy dialogue is still as fun as ever! Plus, there’s a nice little barb launched at the “Game of Thrones” finale towards the end of the book. Always love to see it.

Rating 7: Just ok. I thought the book touched on some important themes, but the love story felt oddly paced and I struggled to like Viola as a character.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Twelfth” can be found on this Goodreads list: YA Novels of 2024

Serena’s Review: “Empire of Shadows”

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Book: “Empire of Shadows” by Jacquelyn Benson

Publishing Info: Crimson Fox Publishing, April 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: Netgalley

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

Book Description: One trifling little arrest shouldn’t have cost Ellie Mallory her job, but it’s only the latest in a line of injustices facing any educated woman with archaeological ambitions.

When Ellie stumbles across the map to a mysterious ancient city, she knows she’s holding her chance to revolutionize Pre-Colombian history. There’s just one teensy complication. A ruthless villain wants it, and Ellie is all that stands in his way.

To race him to the ruins—and avoid being violently disposed of—she needs the help of maverick surveyor Adam Bates, a snake-wrangling rogue who can’t seem to keep his dratted shirt on.

But there’s more than Ellie’s scholarly reputation (and life) on the line. Her enemies aren’t just looters. They’re after an arcane secret rumored to lie in the heart of the ruins, a mythical artifact with a power that could shake the world.

Between stealing trousers, plummeting over waterfalls, and trying not to fall in love with her machete-wielding partner, will Ellie be able to stop the oracle of a lost empire from falling into the wrong hands?

Empire of Shadows is the first book in Jacquelyn Benson’s smart, swashbuckling Raiders of the Arcana series. Read it now and dive into a rip-roaring historical fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Romancing the Stone and The Mummy.

Review: After the letdown that was “What the River Knows,” especially after learning that book had been hyped as a read-alike for “The Mummy,” I’ve found myself with a hankering to truly find a book that meets that bill. But while in the past this urge would typically draw me back towards whatever book comes next in the Amelia Peabody list, I strayed upon this book when perusing NetGalley and low and behold! There was “The Mummy” right there in the promotional material! And, luckily for me, this one more closely hit the mark, if not quite perfectly.

There are a few core pieces that I think readers are looking for when they pick up a book like this: action-packed adventure, a healthy dose of comedy, and a sweet, slow burn love story. This book delivers on all fronts! I will say that the book does take a bit to really get going, but when it does, boy, does it move. I think from a structure point, the book might have been better served if it had started a bit more forward in the story with some of Ellie’s backstory about how she came to be where she was being told through flashbacks. As it stands, it takes several chapters and a fairly significant chunk of text to get to the real meat of the story. I think the character work and overall comedic tone of the writing is strong enough to carry readers through, but I’ll admit to a temptation to skip ahead to the part where she finally gets to South America and meets Adam.

But like I said, once they team up and get started on their adventure, the pacing really moves. There are plenty of side adventures and mini action-packed set pieces that sweep the reader through the book, never knowing what will come next. There was also a good balance of action driven from the environment through which they’re travelling as well as from the villains of the story that they are racing from and against. On the last point, I was surprised with some of the directions the story took with this regard. There was a mid-point switch in the book that definitely took me by surprise, but I think worked very well to change up the structure of the story.

And, of course, I very much enjoyed both Ellie and Adam as characters. Again, I think Ellie’s backstory could have been given to us in a different manner, but I still liked what we got from her: a woman who is dissatisfied with the choices in front of her and, fairly recklessly but bravely, decides to take things into her own hands at last. Adam’s story is more subtle, but I also enjoyed some of the details of his own history and the way his life up to this point impacted his choices and priorities after meeting Ellie. I also really enjoyed their sweet, slow-burn romance. There are a few obstacles here and there, but this definitely falls on the cozy side of the genre, and I really loved it.

Overall, this was a thrilling adventure, and I loved every minute of it! I think it truly will appeal to fans of “The Mummy” and other romantic adventures of its ilk. Just make sure to give it a shot for the duration of the slightly slow start.

Rating 8: With adventure around every river bend and a swoon-worthy slow-burn romance at its heart, this book is sure to please readers looking for a “The Mummy” read-alike!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Empire of Shadows” isn’t on any Goodreads lists but it should be on “The Mummy” Inspired Books.

Serena’s Review: “Funny Story”

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Book: “Funny Story” by Emily Henry

Publishing Info: Berkley, April 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: Edelweiss+

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

Book Description: Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.

Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?

Review: I really don’t read contemporary romance other than my two exceptions: Emily Henry’s books and now, more and more, Ali Hazelwood’s books (though here we’ve had the best case scenario where she’s also written a paranormal romance!). But Henry was my first love as far as the genre goes, so I always schedule in time to review her new books when I see them coming out. Let’s dive in!

First of all, I would like to congratulate Emily Henry on her wise decision to make her heroine a children’s librarian. There is no better way to make yourself more beloved in librarians’ eyes (a profession that notably buys a lot of books both personally and professionally) than to write a character who works for libraries or in other ways goes on and on about how great libraries are. That said, I don’t think this is a cynical move by authors either. It’s not hard to imagine that most authors grew up with a love of reading, and often libraries play a central role in that development, and thus hold a lot of nostalgic power for adult writers.

All of that to say, beyond the central romance plot line, I loved reading about Daphne’s experience as a children’s librarian. I also appreciated that her profession was worked centrally into the story, and not just as another “character trait” that is just loosely draped on her shoulders but never shown. Indeed, the long work of putting together a large community event at her library serves as a time piece by which the rest of the book is measured. There were also some very cute moments where Daphne’s friends and love interest come to her storytimes and are all duly impressed. *sigh* Every children’s librarian’s dream: adults to appreciate the work that goes into storytime!

But, all of that aside, most readers will be picking this one up for the romance, not the library side plot. And, of course, Henry delivers with flying colors! I loved this take on fake dating (very different from her previous foray into this trope with “Happy Place”) as well as the forced proximity aspect of the story. All of the cute and satisfying scenes that readers often expect from these tropes play out in adorable, and yet still fresh-feeling, ways. However, I think the real strength to not only the romance but the book itself comes in the exploration of how these two characters are attempting to re-build their lives after their ex’s cheat on them with each other. It’s a kind of ridiculous concept at its core, and yet Henry tackles it all with such a careful and sincere manner that the reader can’t help but buy in totally. I also really enjoyed how much this re-building was seen on an individual level for both Daphne and Miles, beyond their coming together as a couple. It was nice to see them both grappling with their own life choices that lead them to where they were, rather than simply using a new relationship as a band-aid to not deal with the previous one.

I also appreciated the way that Petra and Peter were dealt with. They only make brief appearances here and there, but their presence was felt strongly through much of the narrative. But instead of taking the easy way out and writing them each as soulless villains, Henry was more realistic in their portrayal. They aren’t given a pass on their more despicable moments, but by the end of the novel, the reader, alongside Daphne and Miles, comes to view them more with pity as the rather broken people they are, than as horrible beings who would just hurt their loved ones for fun.

And, of course, I very much enjoyed Daphne and Miles and their romance. It builds up nicely, and I also felt that the necessary third act conflict felt believable and in line with both of their characters (rather than shoed-in for necessity’s sake, as you so often see in romance stories). I will say, that while I loved Miles, he probably wasn’t my favorite of Henry’s romantic leads. But this is just a personal preference thing for sure. He is often described as a bit of a “golden retriever” of a man, and as much as he’s lovable, I tend to gravitate towards the more serious romantic heroes, if given my druthers.

This was another solid romance from Emily Henry. It delivers in all of the areas I’ve come to expect from her, and I’m sure it will please all of her many fans as well as any new contemporary romance readers who pick it up!

Rating 9: Sweet, heart-wrenching, and achingly romantic, Henry proves once again why she’s the GOAT of contemporary romance!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Funny Story” can be found on this (and many others just like it) Goodreads list: 2024 Contemporary Romance Releases

Serena’s Review: “Mountains Made of Glass”

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

Book: “Mountain Made of Glass” by Scarlett St. Clair

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Bloom Books, March 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

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

Book Description: All Gesela’s life, her home village of Elk has been cursed. And it isn’t a single curse—it is one after another, each to be broken by a villager, each with devastating consequences. When Elk’s well goes dry, it is Gesela’s turn to save her town by killing the toad that lives at the bottom. Except… the toad is not a toad at all. He is an Elven prince under a curse of his own, and upon his death, his brothers come for Gesela, seeking retribution.

As punishment, the princes banish Gesela to live with their seventh brother, the one they call the beast. Gesela expects to be the prisoner of a hideous monster, but the beast turns out to be exquisitely beautiful, and rather than lock her in a cell, he offers Gesela a deal. If she can guess his true name in seven days, she can go free.

Gesela agrees, but there is a hidden catch—she must speak his name with love in order to free him, too.

But can either of them learn to love in time?

Review: Scarlett St. Clair is a powerhouse of a romantasy writer. She’s prolific and beloved, and I hadn’t read anything by her up to this point. So I was excited to check this book out when I was approached by the publisher for a potential review. I won’t lie, I was especially excited to check out a novella and one that is pulling from various fairytales. I best know St. Clair through references to her “Hades and Persephone” series, and that’s a tough one to get right, so I felt more confident with a fairytale re-telling as an initial entry point to this author’s work.

After now reading this book, I feel like I’m just as unclear on whether or not St. Clair’s books are for me or not. That said, I can now easily understand the appeal for many romantasy fans. Let’s start with that part. Right away, the style of writing appealed to me. There was a nice balance between quick pacing and descriptive prose. The author had clearly read a bunch of fairytales and had no problem capturing the correct tone, writing a story that felt both whimsical and beautiful at times, and violent and disturbing at others. I especially liked just how many fairytale sources were all drawn upon to craft this story. The author even included a note with more details on all of the points of inspiration she pulled upon when writing this book, which I found fascinating.

I also really enjoyed the dialogue and much of the inner monologues we saw from both the hero and the heroine. And while I enjoyed Gesela, Casamir’s chapters turned out to be the most fun. There were a bunch of side characters with whom he interacted, and I loved the ridiculousness of their scenes attempting to point out to their great Fae lord just how inept his attempts at wooing Gesala really were. There was also a captured fairytale prince whose own story veered off into some truly surprising directions.

However, almost from the very start, I struggled with the balance being struck here between plot and spicy scenes. In that…there really was no balance and it was predominantly the latter. No judgement, of course, to readers who are happy with books that lean more in this direction, but for me, I still have fairly high expectations as far as plot goes for my romantasy books. I still want a story, you see. And while yes, there was one here, it was sometimes hard to keep sight of it through all of the insta-lust we had going on.

I was especially put off when, during the very first scene between Gesala and Casamir, we have Gesala completely losing her wits and falling into immediate lust over this complete stranger. And not just “oh, he’s good looking” lust, we’re talking “let’s jump in bed now!” lust. From there, I felt like there were numerous moments where any of the tension or build to the actual love story were undercut by these moments of straight spice. And at a certain point, it became so comical how often Gesala was ending up in contrived situations where she was naked that I started counting. Which really isn’t what I want from a story: to be so distracted by some sort of silliness that I start counting.

I’m not quite sure where to go from here. Reading between all of the spicy scenes, there was a lot to like about this book. I thought the characterization was great, the dialogue was witty and often hilarious, and the fairytale inspiration was spot on. I just didn’t like how much the spicy scenes seemed to overshadow any actual story that was being drawn. The author’s note said she plans on writing stories for all of the other Fae brothers, so maybe I’ll check out the next one of those and go from there. That said, if you enjoy romantasy books with insta-lust/lots of spice, this may be for you. But if you’re looking for more story or plotting to hold things together, this one is on the weaker side.

Rating 7: A bit of a hit or miss reading experience, I really enjoyed the story we had here, but unfortunately the plot often fell to the wayside in lieu of romance scenes.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Mountains Made of Glass” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Romantasy for Adults and Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2023

Kate’s Review: “A Dowry of Blood”

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

Book: “A Dowry of Blood” by S.T. Gibson

Publishing Info: Redhook, October 2022

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

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

Book Description: S.T. Gibson’s sensational novel is the darkly seductive tale of Dracula’s first bride, Constanta.

This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. . .

Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things.

Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband’s dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death.

Review: Earlier this month I reviewed the book “Thirst” by Marina Yuszczuk, a sapphic historical horror tale in which a woman in modern day Buenos Aires is caught up with a woman vampire who has been around for centuries. I made mention of thinking about the “Buffy” characters Darla and Drusilla as I read, and mused that I wish there had been a prequel book about Darla and Drusilla galavanting around Europe with Angelus and Spike being a sexual foursome together. Well, the synchronicity of the Universe kicked in a bit, because shortly after that review was written up, I picked up “A Dowry of Blood” by S.T. Gibson, which had been ALL OVER my social media feeds from various horror influencers. I bought it on a whim with a birthday book gift certificate from my sister, not sure of what to expect. And then when I began reading, I nearly fell out of my chair. Because as the story went on, it was clear that it was going to scratch that Darla/Angelus/Drusilla/Spike itch and all the nasty complications that come with it.

You should have made it clear they were all sleeping together, you cowards!!! (source)

“A Dowry of Blood” is from the perspective of Constanta, a medieval peasant woman turned bride of Dracula after the Count discovers her near death and changes her into a vampire. It’s Constanta finding a newfound supernatural power and an exciting life with her husband, but also finding his dark and manipulative side as he takes on more romantic companions and manipulates them all into loyalty and servitude. I’ve read a few “Dracula” retellings or spin off remixes, but I had never read one from the perspective of his Brides, and this one is such a dark yet also empowering read. Constanta’s story is one of a woman who finds herself in a bad and toxic relationship, and who has to go through the process of understanding it, accepting it, and extricating herself from it, while also feeling a loyalty to her fellow companions, Magdalena and Alexi. The three of them coming together to lean on each other, while trying to figure out how to remove themselves from Dracula, is a nail biter the closer we get to the eventual showdown, and while Gibson basically lays out the outcome from the jump, the suspense is still there.

I hesitate to call this story a romance, as it can be bleak and unsettling seeing how Dracula can hold such abusive power over Constanta, Magdalena, and Alexi, but at the same time there are shades of romanticism between the Brides (and Husband) as they bond, commiserate, and eventually strive for more. There is certainly intimacy, and I loved seeing the relationships between Constanta, Magdalena, and Alexi grow and evolve and strengthen. Watching Constanta evolve and shift and start to find her own power, even against the vampire that she feels she owes everything to, is at times difficult given the content, but is also a story that feels inherently like an unshackling of abusive chains. Hell, even just seeing Constanta go from a dying peasant to a vengeful vampire, who takes out the men who killed her family and tried to kill her, starts this off on an empowering note and shows that Constanta has it in her, even when she is under Dracula’s spell, or at least under his gaslighting, his manipulations, and his abusive tendencies. Looking back at my up-page comparisons to pop culture, maybe it would be more accurate to say this reads like Darla leaving The Master behind and choosing her lovers over him. Regardless, it’s satisfying as hell.

BUT, that said, there are also some really sumptuous and erotic moments in this book when it comes to Constanta exploring her burgeoning sexuality and intimacy with not only her husband, but also the other spouses. Much like Coppola’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”, “A Dowry of Blood” does have a bit of a romantic undercurrent about it in spite of the horror and the more toxic thematics. There are so many descriptors and so many beats that make it feel like an indulgence of beauty and decadence (especially if you take into account the epilogue/novella that is included in the edition I have, “An Encore of Roses”. That one was just full on sexy and spicy, and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND SEEKING IT OUT REGARDLESS), while also keeping the tension and the horror there . It also has a lot of really knowing nods to the source material itself, giving these characters a complicated backstory while also harkening to moments from Stoker’s vampire novel without dwelling or relying too much upon them.

“A Dowry of Blood” was a really enjoyable and bloody good read. I love historical vampire horror, and I love it when an author can bring in romantic elements that feel real, scary, and also tender. If Gibson wrote more stories about this group of vampires, I’d absolutely read them.

Rating 9: Erotic, empowering, indulgent, and bloody as hell, “A Dowry of Blood” is a sweeping and entertaining vampire novel that finds the darkness in an abusive situation, while also finding the light in actual love and support and tenderness.

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Dowry of Blood” is included on the Goodreads lists “Bisexual Vampire Books”, and “Classic Retellings and Spinoffs: Monster Mash”.

Book Club Review: “Much Ado About Nada”

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

We are part of a group of librarian friends who have had an ongoing book club running for the last several years. Each “season” (we’re nerds) we pick a theme and each of us chooses a book within that theme for us all to read. Our current theme is Centuries, where we were given a random century and had to pick a book based during that time period.  For this blog, we will post a joint review of each book we read for book club. We’ll also post the next book coming up in book club. So feel free to read along with us or use our book selections and questions in your own book club!

Book: “Much Ado About Nada” by Uzma Jalaluddin

Publishing Info: Berkley, June 2023

Where Did We Get This Book: The library!

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

Century: 21st

Book Description: Nada Syed is stuck. On the cusp of thirty, she’s still living at home with her brothers and parents in the Golden Crescent neighbourhood of Toronto, resolutely ignoring her mother’s unsubtle pleas to get married already. While Nada has a good job as an engineer, it’s a far cry from realizing her start-up dreams for her tech baby, Ask Apa, the app that launched with a whimper instead of a bang because of a double-crossing business partner. Nothing in her life has turned out the way it was supposed to, and Nada feels like a failure. Something needs to change, but the past is holding on too tightly to let her move forward.

Nada’s best friend Haleema is determined to pry her from her shell…and what better place than at the giant annual Muslim conference held downtown, where Nada can finally meet Haleema’s fiancé, Zayn. And did Haleema mention Zayn’s brother Baz will be there?

What Haleema doesn’t know is that Nada and Baz have a past–some of it good, some of it bad and all of it secret. At the conference, that past all comes hurtling at Nada, bringing new complications and a moment of reckoning. Can Nada truly say goodbye to once was or should she hold tight to her dreams and find their new beginnings?

Kate’s Thoughts

We all know that I am probably the least Jane Austen knowledgable person in our book club, as I always mention it whenever we tackle something Austen related because I can almost guarantee that I won’t have the context of the story in my mind. And this is very much the case in terms of “Persuasion”, as unlike the likes of “Pride and Prejudice”, “Emma”, “Sense and Sensibility”, and “Northanger Abbey”, not only have I not read it (or a zombie iteration of it), I haven’t seen ANY adaptations of it. So I was going in pretty much clueless with “Much Ado About Nada”, with no knowledge and only a Wikipedia summary to guide me. And that was just the first in a series of things that didn’t really click for me with this book.

First the good. I am always looking to expand my romance knowledge, especially when it is from more diverse perspectives which can lead to themes that may not be seen in other romances I’ve read before. And in this case, I really enjoyed following Nada, our modern Muslim protagonist who is trying to navigate a few pretty substantial setbacks in her life, such as a career defining idea being stolen from her, as well as running into an old flame named Baz at a Muslim convention. I think I’ve only read one other romance novel that has a modern Muslim couple, and which explores the dynamics of their romance through their cultural values and expectations, and I love having more at the ready for when I do find myself recommending books to others or to colleagues who are looking for certain stories for their community. This is all great.

But the downside is that 1) having no knowledge of “Persuasion” made it hard to find the comparisons and analogs, which is half the fun of these kinds of adaptations, and 2) the romance between Nada and Baz was a bit hard to buy. I think that Jalaluddin was fairly successful and translating the main romantic conflict in “Persuasion” to this more modern story (no spoilers from me here), and I generally liked the inner conflict of Nada and her somewhat prickly personality, but the chemistry wasn’t really there for me. And on top of that, this is a more chaste romance, and while that isn’t inherently a bad thing when it comes to romances for me, as while I do like a slow burn with a sexy pay off I also enjoy PG rated cuteness from time to time, if there’s no chemistry for said cuteness it just isn’t going to click for me.

I wholly get who the target audience is for “Much Ado About Nada”, but it isn’t me. This is a classic ‘Your Mileage May Vary” situation.

Serena’s Thoughts

Hi, it’s me! The resident “Jane Austen” expert! Not only have read all of the Jane Austen novels, but I devoted an entire year of the blog to reviewing the books and various adaptations. So, to say I’m familiar with “Persuasion” is an understatement. But in this case, I’ll say that Kate really didn’t miss out on much being unfamiliar with the story! Other than a few character names that are pulled from the original story and the broadest definition of “loose” references to the story, this book wasn’t served at all by being marketed as a “Persuasion” adaptation. Not to mention the wild decision to give it this title, clearly implying that this should be an adaptation of “Much Ado About Nothing,” not “Persuasion. Seriously, it’s crazy to me that anyone thought this was a good idea!

I’ll agree with Kate about the book being a useful lens through which to learn more about modern Muslim culture and dynamics, and some of Nada’s exploration of the challenges before her were definitely interesting. It’s also useful from a librarian perspective to have book like this to point readers towards when they’re looking for romances that are closed door or prioritize different values with regards to intimacy and marriage.

That said, I didn’t particularly enjoy this read. Not only is this simply not my preferred style for a romance story, but I struggled to really like Nada or Baz. At various points I thought each of them could do better than the other. Nada, in particular, was perhaps the harder for me to swallow, simply because this had been marketed as a “Persuasion” adaptation. The original character, Anne, is one of the most solidly “good” heroine of all of Austen’s leads, perhaps rivaled only by Eleanor from “Sense and Sensibility.” That being the case, it was hard for me to reconcile that character as an inspiration for Nada, a woman who could come across as a bully at times and as someone who blamed those around her for her own situation at others. Neither of these traits could ever be laid at the feet of Anne Elliot. Now, Captain Wentworth was a more conflicted character, so some of Baz’s more frustrating moments could be argued as more in line with the original. But regardless, purely from an enjoyment perspective, I struggled to care about either of these two, either alone or together.

Overall, I didn’t love this one. It’s useful for reader’s advisory purposes for specific readers, but I’d not likely recommend it to general romance fans.

Kate’s Rating 5: I’m not as familiar with the source material and it wasn’t really for me as a romance, but I definitely know exactly who I would recommend this to and that’s always a plus.

Serena’s Rating 5: In this case, knowledge of the source material wasn’t necessary; and when readers do have it, they may find themselves more annoyed than anything with some of the major changes here that made an originally beloved heroine less likable in her new form.

Book Club Questions

  1. Did you think this was a successful retelling of “Persuasion”? Why or why not?
  2. What were your thoughts on some of the themes within this novel, like trauma, relationship dynamics, and secrets within families?
  3. What did you think of Nada and Baz’s relationship? Did you think it was an intriguing romance?
  4. How do you think that this novel fits within 21st Century Literature, specifically the romance genre? Are there aspects that you feel represent romance themes in the 21st Century?
  5. If there were more books in this series following other characters, would you read them?

Reader’s Advisory

“Much Ado About Nada” is included on the Goodreads lists “Derivatives of Jane Austen’s ‘Persuasion'”, and “South Asian Contemporary Fiction”.

Next Book Club Pick: “The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne” by Elsa Hart

Book Club Review: “An Extraordinary Union”

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

We are part of a group of librarian friends who have had an ongoing book club running for the last several years. Each “season” (we’re nerds) we pick a theme and each of us chooses a book within that theme for us all to read. Our current theme is Centuries, where we were given a random century and had to pick a book based during that time period.  For this blog, we will post a joint review of each book we read for book club. We’ll also post the next book coming up in book club. So feel free to read along with us or use our book selections and questions in your own book club!

Book: “An Extraordinary Union” by Alyssa Cole

Publishing Info: Kensington, March 2017

Where Did We Get This Book: The library!

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

Century: 19th

Book Description: As the Civil War rages between the states, a courageous pair of spies plunge fearlessly into a maelstrom of ignorance, deceit, and danger, combining their unique skills to alter the course of history and break the chains of the past . . .

Elle Burns is a former slave with a passion for justice and an eidetic memory. Trading in her life of freedom in Massachusetts, she returns to the indignity of slavery in the South–to spy for the Union Army.

Malcolm McCall is a detective for Pinkerton’s Secret Service. Subterfuge is his calling, but he’s facing his deadliest mission yet–risking his life to infiltrate a Rebel enclave in Virginia.

Two undercover agents who share a common cause–and an undeniable attraction–Malcolm and Elle join forces when they discover a plot that could turn the tide of the war in the Confederacy’s favor. Caught in a tightening web of wartime intrigue, and fighting a fiery and forbidden love, Malcolm and Elle must make their boldest move to preserve the Union at any cost–even if it means losing each other…

Kate’s Thoughts

It’s a bit of an anomaly that I have read a romance author before reading the book selected for book club should that author be a romance author. But in the case of “An Extraordinary Union”, I actually had read TWO books by Alyssa Cole! One of them was her “Hamilton” inspired novella “That Could Be Enough”, which was cute, and the other was her thriller novel “When No One Is Watching”, which I really loved. So I had read Alyssa Cole before book club met, and I MAY have been the only one? ANOMALY I SAY! And while “An Extraordinary Union” wasn’t the usual book that I pick up on my own, I kind of knew what to expect.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I really liked the idea of spies for the Union during the Civil War, and that one of said spies is a Black woman who has gone deep undercover in hopes of turning the tides of the war. I liked Elle a lot, and I found her motivations believable and was invested in her getting out of her dangerous position while also sticking it to the Confederacy. While I don’t usually do spy books, this one kept my interest because of my background in learning about and presenting this time period at my historical society job. But at the same time Cole balances this aspect with the charming romance between Elle and Malcolm, while also bringing up and parsing out the complications that would arise during this time period for a mixed race couple. I was worried that there might be some sticky aspects to this given the historical context, not only with societal racism, but also misogyny/ misogynoir, but I did feel that Cole did a pretty good job of addressing these things and making sure that Elle and Malcolm were on equal footing, or as close to equal footing as possible.

And this is an ongoing series! So if you like “An Extraordinary Union” and the themes and plot points, you can keep on going! I am considering it, as the set up for the next book is pretty intriguing. Overall I found it to be a solid romance novel with a setting that felt unique.

Kate’s Rating 7: A historical romance filled with intrigue and a backdrop of a critical time during the Civil War, “An Extraordinary Union” is entertaining and sure to please people who like the genre!

Book Club Questions

  1. What did you think of having Elle as a protagonist in this book? Along with that, what were your thoughts on Malcolm as a love interest for her?
  2. What did you think of Cole comparing and contrasting between the two backgrounds that Elle and Malcolm came from, and how they are both from marginalized backgrounds?
  3. What did you think of Susie as one of the antagonists in this book? How did she hold up or subvert the Southern Belle stereotype in literature?
  4. Have you read any fiction books that take place during the Civil War that have stuck with you? What was it about that book or books that resonated?
  5. How does this story compare to other historical romances that you have read?
  6. Would you keep reading on in the series?

Reader’s Advisory

“An Extraordinary Union” is included on the Goodreads lists “#ReadPOC: List of Romance Books by Authors of Color”, and “Historical Romance with Unusual Settings”.

Next Book Club Pick: “Much Ado About Nada” by Uzma Jalaluddin

Blog Tour & Joint Review: “Bride”

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

Book: “Bride” by Ali Hazelwood

Publishing Info: Berkley, February 2023

Where Did We Get This Book: eARC from blog tour!

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

Book Description: Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again…

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she’s ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.

Serena’s Thoughts

I was super excited when I saw this book pop up! Not only am I always on the look out for the next (finally!) great urban fantasy story, but I was intrigued to see Ali Hazelwood venturing into paranormal romance after releasing several contemporary romances over the last few years. I’ve read a few of them and really enjoyed them, but, still, contemporary books are never my real preference. So this was a best of both worlds situation!

And, overall, I found myself really pleased with this one! Frankly, at this point it’s just a relief to read a book that is told from only one perspective (I feel like recently all I’ve read are books with 2, 3, or more POVs). And on top of that, Misery is a fantastic leading character. She has a strong voice, both sympathetic and hilarious, and an interesting character arc. Her story explored the abuses that can be served on children by parents, as well as the prejudices that can rule groups of people. I also enjoyed that her motivation throughout this book was centered around her love and devotion to her best friend/adopted sister. Yes, the romance is the main relationship, but as far as Misery’s decisions, they were largely focused on this female friendship. It was a great balance to the love story and really rounded out the text; too often I feel that romances rely so heavily on their central romance that the characters don’t feel like people who have had any other relationships in their lives. Here, Misery is not only falling in love, but she’s also missing her friend and trying to understand her shifting relationship with her brother.

But, of course, this is a romance, and I really loved that as well! I feel like it would have been very easy for Lowe’s character to go very wrong. Indeed, there were several times where the character walked right up to the edge of a trope and I was halfway through an eye roll before Hazelwood neatly sidestepped the entire issue. I also really liked the brief little passages at the headings of the chapters that gave us glimpses into Lowe’s mindset. Honestly, more authors should do this! It gave us some insights into the other romantic partner, but saved us from what would have been a redundant second perspective.

Kate laughed at me for this next part, but somehow, even as a reader of urban fantasy/paranormal romances/fan fiction, I’d missed out on a certain, um, aspect of werewolf romances stories that apparently does pop up fairly often. That said, I’m super curious to see how readers deal with this aspect of the book! Hazelwood is an author who has previously appealed to largely normie readers, and this…is not normie! All of that to say, this book is definitely on the spicy side, so readers should take that into account when they pick it up!

Overall, I really enjoyed this! There were a few moments towards the end that did fall into a few romance pitfalls, which knocked it down from a 10, but it was still a highly enjoyable read!

Kate’s Thoughts

At this point I have read all of Ali Hazelwood’s romance novels, and have been a huge fan of hers since I got “The Love Hypothesis” on NetGalley based on the cover alone. I really love her characters, I love her banter, and I love how she can bring in some fun science-y topics to her contemporary romance (or at the very least geeky; “Check and Mate” wasn’t really science-y as I don’t consider chess STEM). But I, like Serena, was VERY intrigued by the idea of her taking on a paranormal romance! I’ve not read many of those in my life (though I have read a LOT of “Buffy” fanfic), so the idea of her doing it was out there. But I also trusted her to do something with it that I would like, and yep, she didn’t disappoint. “Bride” was just as enjoyable as her other books. Sub genre jumps come naturally to her I guess!

I’m probably going to kind of echo a lot of what Serena said, so to avoid just a repeat of her thoughts I will try and focus on some other aspects of this book that I noticed. For one, as someone who does love some interesting and expansive monster lore in my horror and dark fantasy reads, I very much enjoyed the social structure and world building Hazelwood had for the Vampyres and the Weres in this book. The long feuding factions held together by tentative but fragile tolerance is a tried and true trope, but I thought it was very clever to throw in how alliances with humans can so easily throw wrenches into these complicated relationships, and how corruption in leadership can make things that much worse. Having Misery and Lowe be somewhat reluctant bridge builders through a marriage, with their own places in their societies being tenuous and somewhat challenged, made for higher stakes than a mere forced proximity romance.

And like Serena I really liked Misery as a main character. She is definitely funny and scrappy, but she is also someone who has NEVER felt like she fits in outside of her relationship with her surrogate sister, due to never really being raised with vampyres but also not being human. It’s a great way to tap into the ‘not like other girls’ trope while actually making it feel genuine and totally understandable in this specific instance, and seeing her try to adjust to yet another group where she doesn’t really belong makes for an interesting growth arc for her. Making connections to others obviously doesn’t come easy, so having her connect with Lowe, and his younger sister Ana, led to some very lovely moments of a protagonist finding connection when she thought she could only have it with one person. And that made the slow burn romance between her and Lowe that much more satisfying for my reading experience.

“Bride” is another great romance from Ali Hazelwood! She is really showing her prowess as a chameleon in the romance genre, and I love to see it and hope she keeps on surprising me!

Serena’s Rating 9: Hazelwood does it again, this time mastering the paranormal romance genre as easily as she did contemporary! She makes it look easy!

Kate’s Rating 9: A charming romance, some well done vampire and werewolf lore, and some slow burn steamy goodness makes for a very fun and enjoyable new romance from Ali Hazelwood!

Reader’s Advisory

“Bride” is on this Goodreads list: Upcoming Romantasy Releases 2024