a GREAT read

Books from the Backlog #190

2026-06-11T00:00:00.001-05:00

Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread. If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks. This is a fun meme hosted by Carole's Random Life in Books!

Le Grand’s Carnival Fantastic isn’t like other traveling circuses. It’s bound by a charm, held together by a centuries-old curse, that protects its members from ever growing older or getting hurt. Emmaline King is drawn to the circus like a moth to a flame…and unwittingly recruited into its folds by a mysterious teen boy whose kiss is as cold as ice.

Forced to travel through Texas as the new Girl in the Box, Emmaline is completely trapped. Breaking the curse seems like her only chance at freedom, but with no curse, there’s no charm, either—dooming everyone who calls the Carnival Fantastic home. Including the boy she’s afraid she’s falling for.

Everything—including his life—could end with just one kiss.

I added Jaime Questell's By a Charm & a Curse to my TBR pile in February of 2018 for real this time! Lol. I remember reading good reviews on it and it made me want to give a it a try. So on the TBR pile it sits still. It sounded mysterious enough and who doesn't love a mystery with magic surrounding a circus? I just hope there aren't killer clowns.

Can't Wait Wednesday #252

2026-06-10T00:00:00.001-05:00

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan is back with an epic romantasy set in the world of A Fire in the Sky, about a girl on the hunt for the witch who cursed her, unaware of her own dormant power…waiting to emerge.

For ten long years, Arden has been invisible, trapped in her village by a spell she cannot break. She listens to friends chatter, watches her family grieve, but can never touch, speak, or be seen. Living like a ghost among those who’ve forgotten her, she dreams of vengeance against the witch who cursed her.

Until one fateful day, her village is devoured in flame, and everything changes.

From the wreckage rises a pride of dragons that can transform into humans. Their piercing eyes slice through her curse, and for the first time in a decade, Arden can be seen.

Swept off to the Crags by the enigmatic alpha dragon, Tage, Arden is forced into a world of fire and power, where danger lurks in every shadow. Though she plots her escape at every turn, Tage’s fiery intensity and undeniable magnetism spark an unwilling response in her.

But Arden’s fate is bound to a secret she has yet to uncover, a magic older and more perilous than she could ever imagine. With war on the horizon, Arden must decide whether to trust the dragon she swore to defy, harness the wild magic around her, or risk losing everything.

Sometimes all it takes to break a curse… is to cast another spell.

I loved Sophie Jordan's A Fire in the Sky series! The first two books concluded with those characters' arcs, from the sounds of this one, we're looking at new characters. I remember they were mentioned in the epilogue of the final book. What I want to know is, if this will be another "duology" within the series or not. My mentality and heart cannot handle the wait between those duologies and I've made the mistake of starting a few still and not having the time to get back to that final book still! Ack!

TITLE: Spellcast
AUTHOR: Sophie Jordan
PUBLISHER: Avon
GENRE: Fantasy Romance
RELEASE DATE: July 28, 2026

From New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, The Lion & the Deathless Dark – the first book in the Bloodborn Duet.

Some blood tastes like vengeance. Some blood tastes like grief. Some blood tastes like nothing at all.

Under an eternal night, the world has been ravaged by ten years of war between humans and vampires. Kyrene scrapes by as a bounty hunter, bearing a blessed sword from the goddess of justice. But in the wake of a devastating loss, Kyrene commits a crime that makes her a target for mortals and gods alike – and she is still desperate for vengeance.

Her only chance at survival – and revenge – is making a deal with her enemy, the silver-tongue vampire prince, Septimus, who offers her one final to slay the gods themselves.

Together, Kyrene and Septimus must hunt the ultimate marks, all while navigating a web of prophecies and curses. Septimus is calculating and mysterious, masking secrets bloodthirsty enough to consume them both. Yet, most dangerous of all, Kyrene finds an unexpected kinship in him.

But their growing attraction is deadly in a world where the only currency is blood. And Kyrene will stop at nothing to fulfill her ultimate to kill the goddess of vampires, even if it means sacrificing love for revenge.

Falling so behind on this series! I still need to read the last "duet" AND the mega novella!

TITLE: The Lion & The Deathless Dark
AUTHOR: Carissa Broadbent
PUBLISHER: Bramble
GENRE: Fantasy Romance
RELEASE DATE: August 4, 2026

Review--Lost Girls of Hollow Lake by Rebekah Faubion

2026-06-09T09:41:32.384-05:00

After a group of teens visits a dangerous island where three are left behind, the surviving girls realize they must return to confront the sinister force hunting them. This dark YA thriller is perfect for fans of Yellowjackets.

Eight were lost. Five were found. None will ever be free.

For Evie Williams, life is about to get a lot more complicated. Haunted by the events of a school trip to Hollow Lake National Park that went disastrously wrong, Evie and her friends returned changed, their lives forever marked by the mysterious Island they encountered—and the three girls they left behind.

Now, someone is picking off those who were involved, one by one. Their families, friends, and even online investigators are all caught in a deadly game. The stakes are raised when Evie receives a chilling to save her loved ones, she must return to the Island.

As Evie and the other "Lost Girls" navigate the treacherous terrain of the Island once more, they must confront the secrets they’ve buried, the horrors they witnessed, and the person—or thing—that’s hunting them. But some secrets refuse to stay hidden, and the Island demands a price for freedom.

Rebekah Faubion's debut, Lost Girls of Hollow Lake was a chilling supernatural thriller that has so many twists and turns and deadly intrigue that it was hard not to devour this book in one go! I nearly would've if I started this earlier than I did! Lol.

I'm always up for a good YA thriller and if there's a supernatural twist, I am even more intrigued! I've never seen an episode of Yellow Jackets, so I can't speak to how the comparison of that works with this one. That being said, I definitely got a bit of LOST and The Lord of the Flies vibes going on. Not explicit comparisons but the vibes were definitely ringing true!

Evie is our heroine and she was one of five survivors when eight girls went missing on an island that no one can see...or at least that not everyone can see. That part itself was trippy, and very resonate with LOST too! Evie and a class of students were doing extra credit type activities in the woods across from this mysterious island and when all of the girls in her cabin could see it, they decide to sneak out at night and "visit" it, because why not? But honestly, with all the local legends and horror stories surrounding this island, why would you want to? But that's just me!

The girls end up getting lost for nearly a month. They can't tell if they made it to the mysterious island or if they are still on the mainland. It's foggy and their sense of direction is cloudy, so they are essentially stuck on a creepy island where creepy things are seen and felt.

The book largely takes place in present day which is few months after the girls made it home. We are treated to alternating chapters that show us what happened during that time and it's essentially whackado! It's so bizarre and confounding, but it does eventually paint an eerie picture.

Back in the present day, however, people connected to the incident are being murdered. We even get excerpts of seeing this happen which is always surreal! But when the evidence points to one of the missing and confirmed dead girls being the possible culprit, Evie isn't convinced, but it's clear someone connected to what happened to them might be behind these grisly murders.

This was quite the chilling tale! It's got definitely slasher vibes when it came to the murdery bits. Like any YA thriller, there is a thread of romance between Evie and one of the girls, but the romantic interludes were sparse, which is my preference when it comes to thrillers. There's a psychotic killer on the loose, now's not the time to make out! Lol.

I do want to forewarn any fellow animal readers out there, there is a dog in here who is loyal to a fault to Evie. The sweetest and most protective dog. But Rebekah herself has an animal menagerie as said in her bio, so you can deduce how she will do things when things happen. I did not need tissues, so take faith in that!

All in all, Lost Girls of Hollow Lake was a chilling supernatural thriller with an eerie mystery to it. The murderous rampage of the killer made it a struggle to figure out whodunit, but the answer made sense in the end...in its own way! Needless to say, I didn't figure it out this go around, but that's just as exciting as figuring out sometimes! Lol. If you're looking for a creepy read for when you go camping (or just anytime!) be sure to check this one out!

Overall Rating 4/5 stars

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

2026-06-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Purple Princess of The Purple Booker.

Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc.

"'And by the Chosen One, you mean me? All because it says so in some book someone found buried in a wall? Oh, come on.' I guffawed, but the air around me did seem to be getting chillier. 'You know this is basically the beginning of every supernatural horror film ever made, right? You can't actually believe it.'" p 24

TITLE: Enchanted to Meet You
AUTHOR: Meg Cabot
PUBLISHER: Avon
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
RELEASE DATE: September 5, 2023

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and The Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week's topic is: Top Ten Books with Handwriting on the Cover

*in no particular order

10. RHAPSODIC by Laura Thalassa
9. SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING by Kelley Armstrong--bonus, it's multiple handwriting looks!
8. I FEED HER TO THE BEAST... by Jamison Shea--definitely a creepy kind of handwriting!

7. PRINCE OF GLASS & MIDNIGHT by Linsey Miller
6. SWEET UNREST by Celia Crosby--apparently GR removed this version from their library as I had a helluva time trying to find it! I had to login to my account to find it and was told I could no longer rate/review it because it had been removed. Weird.
5. WE TOLD SIX LIES by Victoria Scott--apparently I equate cursive to handwriting!

4. JULIET IMMORTAL by Stacey Jay
3. THE SHADOW by Marianne Curley
2. EMBERS by Laura Bickle

1. ENCHATED TO MEET YOU by Meg Cabot--ironic timing! Lol.

ARC Review--The Raven at the Ash Door by K.A. Linde

2026-06-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

Can love survive an unbreakable curse?

Kierse McKenna’s magic is bound to a man she hates―one who has spent lifetimes fighting the man she loves.

To end this binding, Graves―her winter god, her monster―will stop at nothing. He discovers that the only hope of freeing Kierse is to locate a stone relic of legend, rumored to lift any curse.

The only problem? The stone has been missing for a century.

And the Oak King is on their trail.

Now Kierse is trapped at the heart of a centuries-long battle while the rest of the world comes unraveled. The Fae Killer is hunting. The peace with monsters is fracturing. And as the very rules of their myth start to shift, escaping the Oak King’s hold may demand more than stolen artifacts and clever heists.

For Kierse and Graves, it may mean risking the only thing they have left to lose.

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

K.A. Linde's The Raven at the Ash Door was a rollercoaster of emotions! This book grips you tight and doesn't let go until you're freefalling at the very end after that cliffhanger of an ending! Be forewarned, this book had me in a rage and a messy tangle of emotions! It's positively haunting!

When we last left Kierse, she had been forcedly bonded to Lorcan, making them soulmates who are completely entwined with one another. The only problem us, Kierse still loves Graves and would do anything to break this bond that she doesn't want. The rumor is that the magical stone that Graves has been searching for can possibly break the bond. Kierse is determined to chase down any lead that will help rid her of this thing she doesn't want.

But naturally, Lorcan is there to continue to thwart her plans and show her why she should choose him even though her heart belongs to Graves. Now, don't get me wrong. Kierse does admit to some feelings for Lorcan, but it is truly Graves that she loves and wants to be with. Honestly, it was Lorcan forcing the bond on her without her consent that did him in for me. I've been rooting for his death ever since, but thinking he's not a character that will be killed off so easily! Lol. The feminine rage I had throughout this book was intense! Of course, I was sometimes yelling at Kierse too, because there were times I felt like she was leading him on. Yes, her feelings were mixed over the two, she didn't loathe Lorcan like I did. But I felt like she let him get away with too much. There were too many touches she allowed Lorcan to get away with when she kept telling him no, that it was Graves who she wanted. He kept at her and she allowed it.

So yes, even Kierse was driving me nuts with what she allowed him to get away with. And I totally understood about her mixed feelings. The bond somehow brought up feelings she might not have realize she had, but she kept making her choice clear and Lorcan kept ignoring it. I do not like that. To me when anyone says NO, that should be the end of it. But obviously, if that were the way of things, this story would've been a LOT shorter! Lol.

There were other things going on throughout the story as well. We dealt more with the Fae Killer, Kierse exploring her new powers that Lorcan can't control (another reason why I can't stand that man!), learning of new enemies, and seeing some familiar faces and of course, planning more heists! Tons of action and drama and just this mass intensity that kept me on edge until the very end!

The relationship between Kierse and Graves of course had its highs and lows. There was drama, but there was still plenty of heat and some spicy moments. Well, I suppose spicy in my book! Lol. I guess it depends on your preference of spice. There were frequent moments but definitely not as graphic as my last read! Lol.

The ending of this book was what really kills! It was INTENSE and insanity inducing! Yes, I am spiraling into a pit of craziness! Be prepared to shout and yell and scream because omigosh I can't believe I have to wait a whole year until the next book! That is the truly scary part! I can handle cliffhangers--to some extent--it's the waiting until the next book that drives me up the wall! And holy cats I was not expecting THIS kind of cliffhanger at the end and I'm going to go bananas before 2027 finally rolls around! So...be prepared! Take that into consideration for sure! Lol.

The Raven at the Ash Door was an emotional rollercoaster ride! My heartstrings were tugged, my rage flared several times and my heart might have been broken at least twice. K.A. Linde is a mastermind of the emotional minefield and still produces one helluva read with all the paranormal goodness of a dystopic future! This book truly had it all and I highly recommend reading this series as it is mind-blowing!

I need the next book yesterday.

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

The Raven at the Ash Door releases June 16, 2026

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

2026-06-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Last Week I Read:

The Rebel and The Final Blood War by K.A. Linde (5 stars)
For She is Wrath by Emily Varga (4 stars)
Enchanted to Meet You by Meg Cabot (4.5 stars)

Review That Was Posted:

It Came from Neverland by Cynthis Pelayo (ARC) (3.5 stars)

Currently Reading:

Lost Girls of Hollow Lake by Rebekah Faubion

What I Plan to Read Next:

The Other Half of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Other Posts of Interest:

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays
May Wrap-up
Can't Wait Wednesday #251
Books from the Backlog #189
Book Blogger Hop #414
Stacking the Shelves--The I May Be Losing My Mind Edition

Review--Enchanted to Meet You by Meg Cabot

2026-06-07T12:07:28.455-05:00

A witchy rom-com from New York Times bestseller Meg Cabot about a plus size witch who must team up with a handsome stranger to help protect her village from an otherworldly force—but will she be able to protect her heart?

It’s Magic When You Meet Your Match In her teenage years, lovelorn Jessica Gold cast a spell that went disastrously wrong, and brought her all the wrong kind of attention—as well as a lifetime ban from the World Council of Witches.

So no one is more surprised than Jess when, fifteen years later, tall, handsome WCW member Derrick Winters shows up in her quaint little village of West Harbor and claims that Jess is the Chosen One.

She’s the Chosen One Not chosen by West Harbor’s snobby elite to style them for the town’s tricentennial ball—though Jess owns the chicest clothing boutique in town. And not chosen finally to be on the WCW, either—not that Jess would have said yes, anyway, since she’s done with any organization that tries to dictate what makes a “true” witch. No, Jess has been chosen to help save West Harbor itself...

As Summer Ends, Her Power Grows But just when Jess is beginning to think that she and Derrick might have a certain magic of their own—and not of the supernatural variety—Jess learns he may not be who she thought he was. And suddenly Jess finds herself having to trust Derrick and work with him to combat the sinister force battling to bring down West Harbor, or use her gift as she always to keep herself, and her heart, safe. Can she work her magic in time?

I love a good cozy paranormal romance and Meg Cabot certainly delivers that with Enchanted to Meet You! This is the start of a new series that seems to be a collection of standalones all taking place in the same town! So it should be fun just as its first installment was!

Jessica--gotta love when the heroine has my name, lol--is a 30-something year old witch, but not one who's truly "accepted" by the witch community, particularly the World Council of Witches. Her high school nemesis/antagonizer, Rosalie definitely loves to remind Jessica that she is the true witch! It always amazes me that people still like to live out their high school glory days as if that was the standard of life. But unlike me, this Jessica doesn't let Rosalie drag her down. Jessica knows she's capable of magic, even if it's not in the way Rosalie does it.

Her life gets uprooted when a mysterious man named Derrick comes to town and tells her she's the Chosen One. Yup, a glorified Chosen One! Jessica is to help train the Bringer of Light with their magic in order to stop a growing evil that is threatening the town. The kicker is that this Bringer of Light is a teenager in high school named, Esther. Which I thought would prevent a whole new challenge for Jessica, but Esther was a surprising kind of character who was pretty easy going for such a young age. She was a force to be reckoned with, that's for sure but her acceptance of magical things was definitely surprising since in this world magic is kept secret from those who are deemed "normal."

This was such a delightful book to read! It's always kind of nice to have a more relaxing book to read even if the plot does get to some pretty high stakes. There's danger, there's secrets galore, and plenty of high school snobbishness happening about even after all the years since those days. It was light-hearted and fun while still being magical and mysterious!

Naturally, the chemistry between Jessica and Derrick pretty much started from their first meeting. But if you're looking for spice, you're going to be a bit disappointed. There's romance for sure, but it's a closed-door kind of romance.

Pacing wise, things move at a pretty brisk pace once things get going. We get both Jessica and Derrick's point of views throughout, plus some excerpts of Jessica's high school journal which helped to show how the rift between her and Rosalie got started and Jessica's journey with her magic.

Overall, this was a quaint and delightfully fun magical romance read. Yes, that was a mouthful! Lol. If you're looking for a cozy romance that has just a bit of magic and mystery then this is a read I highly recommend! Meg Cabot has always written incredible magic filled books and this is yet another shining example!

Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars

Stacking the Shelves--The I May Be Losing My Mind Edition

2026-06-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks! The meme is now hosted by Reading Reality.

What a week. This was an exhausting week for me and I felt like each night I only got about 4 hours of sleep, if I was lucky enough for that! Work was moderate, as we continue to slowly pick up speed on items. It's the calm before the storm really. But our team works well together and we should be fine...now our vendors who are sending the stuff to us is another thing entirely! I attended two signings this week and saw Melissa Albert on Wednesday, who remembered me from previous signings--which is always so exciting! I'm excited to (eventually) read her adult debut which has promise to be one strange and mysterious read! Then yesterday I saw Sabrina Blackburry again at Main Street Books! She also remembered me as she's did signings with my favorite indie store for each of her releases and I always attend! Lol. This week I will attend a multi fantasy author signing on Monday which should be fun. Hopefully I can catch up on sleep starting Tuesday then! Lol. Then next Sunday, I will be MIA as I will be road-tripping to Nashville to see Brynne Weaver! I signed up at the beginning of the year practically and since I enjoyed her books to a point--lol--I decided to go ahead and go! Naturally, I will be missing out on more sleep on that Sunday to Monday night but it is what it is! I'll hopefully catch up again somewhere in that coming week!

More mail snafu this week. Oddly enough, it was not with my books! Those actually arrived early! Who'd thought! I vented my frustration on Threads yesterday, but it turns out I had the day wrong! My missing mail should have been delivered on FRIDAY and it STILL wasn't delivered on Saturday, so my frustration was still justified, more so even! I just HATE when my important bookish mail doesn't get delivered when USPS says they will deliver it. So yeah...I'm not happy right now. Hoping it comes in Monday's mail, I know this has happened occasionally with some pieces where it scanned for one day's mail but didn't show up for 2-3 days later, this is just a very important, highly anticipated piece of bookish mail that I desperately needed!

But anyway, onto the goods!

Shadow Reaper by Lynette Noni
The Secret Attic by Chelsea Conradt--one of my favorite authors (who may or may not be retired, not sure on that) recommended this one and when I read what it was about I was immediately hooked and ended up buying a copy this weekend! Lol.
The Children by Melissa Albert--SIGNED!
Half Wylde by Sabrina Blackburry--SIGNED!

Then my Fairy Loot copy of Throne of Nightmares came in this weekend and it is SO pretty!

Throne of Nightmares by Kerri Maniscalco--Fairy Loot edition

*ironically it was just this week, I think--time is getting so hard these days, lol--that I realized I forgot [again!] to add this to my Goodreads list back when it released earlier this year! Sigh...

And that was it for me this week! What all did you get?

Review--For She is Wrath by Emily Varga

2026-06-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

What if the man you loved was the very person who betrayed you?

Dania has been betrayed by her lover and falsely imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit. She's counting down the days until she can exact her revenge, when a fellow prisoner offers a chance at escape and the keys to a dangerous jinn magic.

Armed with a brand new identity and all the power she could want, Dania enacts a plan to bring down those who cheated her and her family. But when the one person standing in her way is the very man who signed her life away, retribution becomes a complicated game of cat and mouse.

Because betrayal isn't simple and revenge certainly isn't easy, not when your heart is involved.

Emily Varga's For She is Wrath was the gender-swapped Fantasy retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo that was I was looking for! I've had this on my TBR for ages and I finally decided to crack it open (this is the Fairy Loot edition, by the way)! It was exactly what I was hoping for when it came to my favorite tale of revenge and I thought that Varga played it out sooo well, paying homage to its origin story while still staying original and unique!

One year ago, Dania was accused of a murder she didn't commit but was locked away anyway, all while the man she loved, the guard, and the king himself got away with the injustice of it all. Dania has been planning her revenge for a good long year, while also trying to escape her hellish prison. Then finally, an opportunity comes crawling up from the ground and she meets Noor, another prisoner who is trying to escape the prison and they team up, naturally.

Noor was in prison because she has knowledge that she won't relinquish for anything. She knows where a horde of treasure is that also includes zoraat seeds which contain djinn magic. Noor also wants revenge against the king because he is the reason her father was killed and she wants revenge and justice. They devise their plan that Dania will use the zoraat seeds' magic to disguise herself into one of the rich and elite to weedle her way into places where her targets will be.

I think what I really enjoyed about this story was the revenge! Yes, I have a bit of a dark side sometimes, lol. But I really liked that Varga kept the plot for revenge alive in this book. And not just wanting to kill people, death is too easy sometimes, which is what I loved about the original classic, the Count decimates the people who wronged him and leave them in ruin (which considering their time and place was a fate worse than death) and the same is applied here with Dania plotting her revenge. And like with the original classic, some things...happen. Lol.

But since this is a YA Fantasy, there was a bit of romance happening between the pages. Although, here, we learn that it's Dania's ex-lover who betrayed her. But naturally, old feelings are harder to get rid of than not. While she's out to break his heart this time around, we are treated to a series of flashbacks that show us how their romance came about and eventually, the betrayal. Now, some of these flashbacks I felt like were unnecessary. Some were long and just seemed out of place. I mean, I get the need to show there was an established relationship. There was no insta-love going on, Dania hated Maz in the first flashback, but eventually hate turns to companionship and just keeps going further after that.

We also have more magical elements happening in this one as well, that really amped up my enjoyment! The djinn and their magic are involved. I don't want to get too into it, but basically Dania is able to pull off her new disguise as the rich and elite thanks to magic and hide her identity from the people who might know her, who she's out to destroy!

I think one of the few issues I had with this book were the flashbacks. Some of them just felt ill-timed. I would be really getting into a scene or a moment and then suddenly the next chapter puts us back in time and it just throws you out of the story for awhile. And sometimes, the flashback just didn't seem to work with what was happening. I mean, there was a small connection or so, but I felt like a lot of the flashback chapters could've been shorter to contain those moments and get you back to the present day where the action was happening.

But overall, I did really enjoy this one! This is how I enjoy seeing a retelling of a classic done! It still has the main drive or story element of its predecessor but puts a new spin or twist on it. That this story has Pakistani roots gives it a new flare that was enjoyable; a new environment with different rules and lore, make for a fresh new setting to a familiar tale.

As a bonus in this Fairy Loot edition, I loved seeing a collection of letters passed between Dania and Noor! It was reminiscent of the letters and journal entries I vaguely remember from the original tale as well. Perhaps it was a little nod to the classic, or it truly was just for fun!

For She is Wrath was the perfect tale of revenge done right! I loved The Count of Monte Cristo for this very reason and I enjoyed reading Varga's YA Fantasy take on this beloved classic of mine! This is probably my favorite retelling of the classic to date and I highly recommend it if you too love a story of good old fashioned revenge!

Overall Rating 4/5 stars

Book Blogger Hop #414

2026-06-05T00:00:00.001-05:00

This meme is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addict!

This week's question is: What’s the quirkiest or most unexpected place you’ve ever read a book, and why? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee-Addicted Writer)

MY ANSWER: Hmm...I can't really think of any that could be considered "quirky." I mean, everyone reads and walks right? I remember sometimes in school, depending on where I was walking to, I might have read while I walked to my next class. Or you know, read my book while following my mom on a trip to the hardware store.

Books from the Backlog #189

2026-06-04T00:00:00.001-05:00

"Once upon a nightmare, her fairy tale begins..."

This high-fantasy gothic fairytale, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea, takes place in an alternative medieval world split apart by magic. To win back her kingdom of perpetual day, save her night prince, and reunite the sun with the moon, a princess incapable of speech or sound must prove herself everything a traditional princess is not: tough enough to sleep on a bed of nails, and loud enough to be heard without a voice.

According to Goodreads, I added A.G. Howard's Stain to my TBR pile in February of 2018. The book released in January of 2019, so I am guessing this was another I "added it to my TBR pile before I actually had it" scenario. Still trying to get better about that! Lol. This was another fairy tale retelling focusing on The Princess and the Pea, so naturally, I had to have it! But alas I still need to read it! I enjoyed her first series which was an Alice in Wonderland retelling. I had mixed feelings on her "ending" of it, but overall, I still liked it!

Can't Wait Wednesday #251

2026-06-03T00:00:00.001-05:00

After a cheesy ghost tour in one of California’s oldest towns stumbles upon an actual haunting, a skeptical historian of the occult becomes entangled in solving a murder case.

When Professor Harper Grae loses a bet with a friend, she finds herself on a local nighttime tour of “haunted” locations in Monterey. Harper’s a lifelong non-believer in the occult, though her academic career is devoted to the historical and societal significance of witchcraft, ghosts, and medicinal poisons of all sorts. But her skepticism immediately gets tested when the tour stumbles on the body of local artist Delilah Mason—who’s found murdered on the grounds of a nearly two-hundred-year-old mansion, once home to the infamous Perles family.

On the night Mason’s body is found, Harper catches sight of something in the house that she can’t shake, something that’s impossible to explain, at least not rationally. Soon the murder investigation reveals that this is the second time a woman has been found murdered beneath a sprawling cypress tree in the gardens of the Perles Mansion. And when Harper’s closest friend is questioned by the police, Harper fears the authorities will fail to uncover the real killer.

As Harper asks questions around town and digs deeper into the supernatural speculation and rumors surrounding the murders—two women killed in similar circumstances, separated by nearly two centuries —she sees evidence she can’t ignore that the notorious mansion truly is haunted by the ghost of Isabel Perles.

What will it cost Harper to rethink everything she’s always believed to admit that the veil between the living and the dead might actually be crossed?

I still need to read her mystery from last year as well as finishing up another series entirely! But this one sounded too good to pass up!

TITLE: The Seance Garden
AUTHOR: Juliet Blackwell
PUBLISHER: Berkley
GENRE: Mystery
RELEASE DATE: July 28, 2026

Revisit Rapunzel and Eugene from Disney's Tangled as they race to protect their kingdom, in this thrilling new fantasy adventure penned by New York Times bestselling author Margaret Owen.

Rapunzel knows nothing about her neighboring kingdom, Astera – and not just because she only left her tower a month ago. The famously reclusive island has limited its contact with outsiders for decades. So when a suspicious invitation arrives welcoming Rapunzel to the Asteran princess’s coming of age ceremony, and offering her a chance to be useful for the first time since she lost her healing powers, Rapunzel accepts – and unwittingly plunges herself and her companion, Eugene, into a tangled knot of political intrigue and magical secrets.

Eugene is just happy to get one last adventure with Rapunzel before his criminal background catches up with him and prevents their happy ending. Yet as they’re drawn further into the country’s problems, they uncover truths about Eugene’s parentage that point to deeper unrest in Astera, and suddenly the fate of their own kingdom, not just their personal dreams, is at stake.

Thrust into a power struggle between Astera’s beloved princess, Verette, its domineering king, Enver, and a mysterious secret society, Rapunzel and Eugene race to protect their home from an unsettlingly familiar threat and discover that the past can either hold them back, or help them blossom.

A cunning king. A devious princess. Best. Week. Ever.

Another one I am looking forward to! I remember Margaret talking about this one last year at a signing and then it was delayed for whatever reason. I LOVED the movie Tangled so I am excited for this "extra" story about what came after the movie! I believe she did say in this story, the animated series does not exist. So those adventures didn't happen.

TITLE: Rootbound
AUTHOR: Margaret Owen
PUBLISHER: Random House/Disney
GENRE: Disney
RELEASE DATE: July 28, 2026

Review--The Rebel and the Final Blood War by K.A. Linde

2026-06-02T10:00:00.000-05:00

Before The Wren in the Holly Library, there was The Rebel and the Final Blood War―the stunning conclusion to the Blood Type series finds the world in chaos and turmoil with one final battle left to determine who will survive―humans or vampires.

She had the world on her shoulders. Now she has nothing.

Reyna Carpenter was twenty-one when she became a live-in blood escort for the ruthless and brutally handsome vampire Beckham Anderson. She thought this was a small price to pay for feeding her brothers back home.

But nothing went as planned. Not even her tumultuous relationship with Beckham. And now she wonders if anything will ever be the same again.

As she finds herself in the midst of a losing rebellion, she and her trusted friends must flee from a city conquered by the vampire elite. With their plans blown to pieces and everything they knew and loved gone, their future hangs in the balance.

Despite all she has lost, Reyna must rise from the ashes, reclaim the life that was stolen―and complete her mission, once and for all.

The Rebel and The Final Blood War is K.A. Linde's final book of the Blood Type trilogy and brings us the epic conclusion we had all been aching for! This was definitely a surprising kind of ending I felt like, yes, I knew some turn outs since I read the next The Oak and Holly Cycle book, but I still needed the know the hows of the outcome! Lol.

Be forewarned, there are spoilers from previous books after this point!

Reyna is struggling to keep it together after the earth shattering events of the second book. Beckham is gone, killed by Harrington and now Reyna and the few surviving members of Elle must recoup and figure out their next steps. So much has been lost, so much is still unknown, but we won't have to wait too long for answers and action.

Granted, I knew going in that certain deaths weren't final. But I also go in with the knowledge that in paranormal or fantasy reads, no one is truly dead until those very final words: THE END. So when we learn a certain someone is back, it really didn't come as a surprise, even with the appearance in the other series! Lol.

But knowing what happened to the other members of Elle was the more worrisome matter. Secondary characters are always fair game I feel like, so it did take some time for those numbers and names to come in. Eventually though, the team is reformed with those who remain standing and the plan to take Harrington down once and for all begins. But it wasn't done without more loss and heartbreak and earth-shattering surprises!

I really enjoyed the cameo appearance by a certain character we "meet" in the next series. Now keep in mind, this trilogy originally published before The Oak and Holly Cycle, so while it's a cameo appearance now, it didn't have much impact with its original release date. But then the same can be said for the upcoming cameo in the third installment of said series if you haven't read this series yet! Oh the tangled webs we weave!

While I still refuse to come out and say certain things, you can probably figure out what's what. So that being said, we do still get some steamy romantic interludes between certain characters that reminded the reader of who was alive and such. Expect the usual steam and toe curling romance from the previous books!

All in all, this was a fantastic conclusion! Although, I feel like I missed something in the spinoff series when we saw a certain cameo from this series. As now I am wondering if I read something wrong, or if it was mentioned in the earlier books of The Oak and Holly Cycle. But again, this is a me problem and doesn't effect THIS story in any way! Lol. This was a fantastic paranormal dystopian series that definitely kept me on the edge of my seat and eating up the pages. I'm hoping certain characters will be seen in future books as well as what I already know will come! If you're looking for that perfect vampire romance--and who isn't, really? lol--then be sure to pick up the Blood Type trilogy as it was phenomenal from start to finish!

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

May Wrap-up

2026-06-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

Another check-in on how my reading is going this year! As far as reading goes I did pretty good all things considered, but then I just looked and I didn't do any other kind of discussion post. I had one idea, but then I realized I wrote about that already. Recently too I believe! So that nixed that random post! Anyway, onto the report!

ARC Reads

The Raven at the Ash Door by K.A. Linde (6/19/26)--review to come next week!

New Release Reads

King of Ravens by Clare Sager (1/27/26)

TBR Reads

Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver (2/11/25)
The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert (2/20/24)
Scavenge the Stars by Tara Sim (1/7/20)
Ravage the Dark by Tara Sim (3/9/21)
Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver (9/23/25)
The Captive and The First Blood Game by K.A. Linde (6/26/18) -> original pub date

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

2026-06-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Purple Princess of The Purple Booker.

Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc.

"'You're prone to danger, Little One.'

'It finds me.'" p 130

TITLE: The Captive and The First Blood Game
AUTHOR: K.A. Linde
PUBLISHER: Red Tower Books
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
RELEASE DATE: June 26, 2018

This week's topic is: Top 10 Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read

*in no particular order
**this topic had me wincing and crying and wishing I didn't need to sleep! If I could spend those 9 hours--4 where I try to fall asleep and 5ish where I actually sleep--reading instead of being in bed I could decimate my TBR pile! I could (eventually) RE-READ books while I waited for new releases just like the old days! Lol.

10. WITH MALICE by Eileen Cook--I've had this since June 2016. I love a good YA thriller mystery and it was taking place in Italy so I had to jump on it.
9. THE MASKED TRUTH by Kelley Armstrong--added in October of 2015. So many Kelley Armstrong books in my TBR pile. I want to know what Kelley does to not sleep. She puts out SOOO many books a year, she has to have figured out the trick to not need sleep! Lol.
8. VERONICA MARS: MR. KISS AND TELL by Jennifer Graham & Rob Thomas--added in January of 2015. Still need to read this last adventure of Veronica's because that Hulu season no longer exists for me. That was blasphemy! So where's that season 5, Rob? Yeah. That's why. Honestly, you could've ended that season differently and everyone would've been happy with 4 seasons!

7. SILVER by Rhiannon Held--I added this one to my TBR in July of 2014! It involved werewolves so I was immediately intrigued...and here it still sits!
6. NIL by Lynne Matson--I got this one in September of 2014ish (again I am terrible about remembering to add books to Goodreads accurately!). Sentient island? Yeah, I NEED to read this! And ugh, I just saw that I forgot to add the third book to my GR list!
5. THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater--added in July of 2014! Ironically, I do believe I bought Silver when I was buying this book which was at a signing of Maggie's! Lol.

4. TOUCH OF FROST by Jennifer Estep--added in April of 2012! I picked up nearly this entire series at the RT Conventions from back in the day! Still haven't started it.
3. DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY by Terri Garey--added in June of 2011, RIP Borders. Yes, I purchased this one and I think the other two books from the Borders closing sales.
2. A TASTE OF THE NIGHTLIFE by Sarah Zettel--added in April of 2012. Another book I picked up at RT! I even got the second book that same year too. I miss those cons!

1. THE RETURN by Jennifer L. Armentrout--the one that haunts me still! Added this back in July of 2017 and still haven't circled back around to it!

ARC Review--It Came from Neverland by Cynthia Pelayo

2026-06-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

Peter Pan meets Stephen King's It in this twisted horror retelling of a classic childhood fairytale set during WWI.

1914, Wendy Darling works by day as a school teacher and by night, she assists soldiers who have returned home from the Western Front. There is one mysterious patient who despite all the care they’ve given him, is in a deep sleep, unable to wake up. One night, when he murmurs the words “Peter Pan,” Wendy is thrown back to a darker time, one that she wishes she could forget.

When one of her students goes missing, it brings back memories of when children went missing and were later found murdered in London many years ago. Wendy believes that Peter Pan, the entity that she believed killed those children, is back. She and her brothers had a close encounter with Peter Pan, after all. But her brothers only remember Peter Pan and Neverland as a fantasy of childhood games.

When another child goes missing and signs start to point to Wendy, Scotland Yard digs into old reports, finding that Wendy knew the names of all the children who had been killed. As Wendy tries to prove her innocence, she also has to find a way to stop Peter Pan once and for all.

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

I've always loved the story of Peter and Wendy aka Peter Pan; a magical story about a boy who never wanted to grow up and lived on an island with mermaids and pirates and fairies and could fly! It was always a magical story. Being forced to grow up, I have become quite fond of retellings or different takes on the Peter Pan story and Cynthia Pelayo takes it into a whole different direction with It Came from Neverland!

This version, I feel like, goes in a more horrifying direction! I mean, if you read the blurb it pretty much says it all! Wendy and her brothers ended up leaving Neverland and grew up. But life isn't necessarily the grand adventure that they had hoped for. And lately, Wendy has been noticing odd things happening; hearing voices, seeing shadows, crows that seem to be following her. An eerie kind of suspense builds up and the true story begins to unfold.

Wendy and her brothers did indeed go to Neverland, but it wasn't the grand adventure we all thought it was. It may have started out that way, but then things began to take a darker spin and the horrors of Neverland slowly revealed itself to Wendy. We do get some flashbacks to Wendy's time in Neverland when she was just a child. She's a grown woman now and works at a children's home and volunteers at the hospital at night as well, for the story takes place during WW2.

As a whole, I did find that I enjoyed the story, but at times I felt a sort of disconnect with the book. I'm not sure if it was due to my reading it on my kindle and just not getting a good feel for the formatting. Sometimes it wasn't always easy seeing the flashbacks begin and end and when present time took over. Then it seemed like the story was constantly building up and up and up...and up to the horrors of what was really going on. We can easily get an idea, but getting the actual answers takes a while, but I don't know. I guess I just felt like the buildup was taking a little too long. It was still intriguing and creepy and I kept turning the (proverbial) pages, but at the same time, I kept wondering when would we hit the peak?

We do get to see bits of John and Michael in the story as well, but for the most part this is told from Wendy's point of view. Familiar character names and faces from the classic tale make appearances, all except one, though I felt like it was offhandedly mention but never really named. I was a little forlorn on that front and also wondered about a few other Neverland characters who never made it onto the page. I know not everything can go into a retelling, but the absence always makes me wonder...are they in this version of Neverland or not?

The story is told at a slower pace, but since it's regarding Neverland, I was still pretty invested in it. I guess when you have that connection to the source material, some things like pacing become irrelevant. But if you enjoy darker fairy tale imaginings then this would be the read for you. It's not a retelling per se, but puts a different twist on the story we (may) all know (and love). While it may not have been everything I was hoping for, it was still a quick and enjoyable read that will be marked down as one of the most unique takes on Peter and Wendy that I have read.

Overall Rating 3.5/5 stars

It Came from Neverland releases June 9, 2026

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

2026-06-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Last Week I Read:

Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver--I technically finished this one late Sunday last week, but was too lazy to update my post! (4 stars)
The Raven at the Ash Door by K.A. Linde (ARC)--Review to come next week!
The Captive and The First Blood Game by K.A. Linde--read this one in a record 2 days! (5 stars)

Currently Reading:

The Rebel and The Final Blood War by K.A. Linde

What I Plan to Read Next:

For She is Wrath by Emily Varga

Other Posts of Interest:

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays
Can't Wait Wednesday #250
Books from the Backlog #188
Book Blogger Hop ##413
Stacking the Shelves

Review--The Captive and The First Blood Game by K.A. Linde

2026-05-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

Before The Wren in the Holly Library, there was The Monster and the Last Blood Match and as the provocative, sensual Blood Type series continues, the rare bond between Reyna and Beckham is threatened by betrayal, greed, and twisted secrets.

Everyone wants a piece of her.
He wants it all.

Reyna Carpenter trusted the wrong people…and paid the price.

Held captive in the heart of a vampire empire, her freedom stripped and blood claimed, Reyna survives the only way she knows how—hope. Hope that she’ll find a way to escape. Hope that she’ll be reunited with Beckham. Hope that when she gets out of here, love will be waiting on the other side.

Except escape isn’t salvation. It’s only the beginning.

Because the world outside has changed. Lines have been drawn. Allegiances have shifted. And Reyna? She’s no longer the girl who walked willingly into the dark.

But she’d do it all over again for Beckham.

Now she has to decide how far she’ll go to reclaim her freedom…and the vampire she’s fallen for. Because power runs through Reyna’s veins, power others will do anything to control—which means she’ll have to do more than just survive.

She’ll have to fight back.

The Captive and The First Blood Game by K.A. Linde picks up where we left off in the first book of this trilogy that takes place years before The Oak and Holly Cycle series begins! I belatedly realized I should've finished this trilogy before reading the latest installment of the other series, but oh well. At least I won't go crazy while I write this review and start the next book! Lol. This second installment of the trilogy was a true nailbiter! The tension runs thick in this story as the ante and danger are amped up. No one will walk away unchanged from this book!

It has been almost two months since Reyna was taken from Beckham, since she became Harrington's prisoner and personal blood bag. Reyna is given the shocking information that she was never meant to be a blood match for Beckham, that it was always Harrington who she was meant to "serve" but Beckham intervened to help protect her, but things epically fell apart.

Reyna now spends her days in a luxe bedroom with a library of her own, a personal gym, a big comfy bed, but a prison cell is still a prison cell even with gilded bars. She's forced to donate blood to Harrington test tube style, which is its own blessing in some ways. Reyna hasn't given up hope that Beckham will eventually come for her, but the wait is agonizing.

As you might imagine, Reyna does not stay prisoner for long and eventually makes an escape and joins the rebel group known as Elle who is working to put an end to Visage, the vampire led company that has been matching up humans with vampires who share the same blood type. Things eventually become a hot mess as Reyna begins to learn who Elle really is as a rebel group and who its members are. There's a dark, sordid history behind all of the inner workings and we learn about some of the highlights throughout the book. This book was definitely what you would call a gamechanger.

Beckham does eventually make his appearance back into Reyna's life and though they have issues they need to work through, it's not long before their romance picks up right where they left off. Although, I must say, I completely forgot about Penny's intentions in things. Penny is also a part of Elle and has been acting as Beckham's fake girlfriend and secret blood donor for years. She becomes one of the many obstacles to Reyna and Beckham's relationship and for some reason, I do not remember her being so unlikable! But apparently, I forgot to make a note of that! Because yes, this woman is definitely an obstacle! Lol. But nonetheless, it was refreshing to see Beckham and Reyna persevere.

I guess depending on your preferences, this book will either be a fast paced read or not so fast paced. To me, I found it incredible fast paced and finished it in record time because I did not want to put it down. Going from being a prisoner to planning a great escape and joining the rebel group to take down the evil vampire corporation, this book was a delightfully fast paced thrill ride! I kept needing to know more about what was going on and seeing if any of my developing theories proved fruitful, which at least one did!

Of course, now we get to the somewhat problematic cliffhanger. Yes, I have the next book, but now I learn that I should not have read The Raven at the Ash Door just yet, because of minor spoilery things. But in the same sense, I can't help but wonder if I would've thought anything differently. Things happen in this book that would've made the wait for the next book painful. But since I read "ahead" I know the eventual outcome. So I'm not quite driven to the insanity that I would've normally had. But given the genre, I of course, would've been pondering certain things anyway. I spoiled it for myself by reading ahead, but I would've suspected certain things as well.

Needless to say, The Captive and The First Blood Game was an epic paranormal romance set in a dystopic future that really shook things up for the characters. I would not call this a middle book at all, as truly things were only just getting started before and now everything has gone up a level! I am most eager to dive into the final book of this trilogy and see how things will play out! This is not a series any book loving vampire reader should pass up! You can essentially read this trilogy without needing to dive into the Linde's other series, but that one is truly amazing as well and I highly recommend it too! Just maybe read this one first to not jumble things up like I did for myself! Lol.

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

Stacking the Shelves

2026-05-31T00:00:00.000-05:00

Another ugh week. It was only 4 days so that helped, but then a lot of people at work took off so we were short staffed a few days which just ended up being crazy naturally! Our busy season is fast on the horizon, so not really looking forward to that, but it is what it is. We're a good team, so it'll be okay, but work has just been crazy lately as it feels like the people we help on the regular have forgotten all of the processes we have put into place the last 2-3 years! So it's been nuts in some sense! I did attend a signing this week to see Rachel Moore! I read one of her YA books and liked it enough that I wanted to meet her. Plus her new adult rom-com thriller sounded entertaining, so I splurged on that! It wasn't too bad a of a week all in all.

Here's what I picked up this week:

A Curse of Beasts and Magic by Jeaniene Frost--keeper copy!
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn--so for B&N's big Memorial Day sale I bought this one and the next book in the row!
Thistlemarsh by Moorea Corrigan--this was the second book I picked up at the B&N sale! It came out last month and I somehow missed it! It sounds sooo intriguing and I loved just finding it on my own at the store as it reminded me of those early days of searching the shelves for a new book to read and finding one based on a captivating cover or title!
A Shadow in the Reaping by Brynne Weaver--I liked her bloody thrillers enough that I wanted to see her take on paranormal romance. So we'll see how this goes! Lol.
Safari Murder Party by Rachel Moore--SIGNED!

Then here's the fun swag I got from the Rachel Moore signing:

a bookmark and a postcard map of the island the book takes place on

Then on my trip to B&N I impulse purchased this throw...I keep wanting to find a nice lightweight blanket for those summer days where the AC is perfectly chilled and I just want a little bit of coverage on top of me as I read and this one was so pretty I had to buy it! I still need to open it, but since I am still fruitlessly house-hunting I decided to keep it intact.

And then I was eligible for my free tote from B&N and I thought their newest color was fresh and fun looking so I decided to get that. Although I really keep hoping they'll make a new design as I've like 4 other colors of this same one. I like the colors for sure, but a new design would be nicer. Maybe next year.

I had to use their image from the website as my picture turned out orange. My camera did not want to truly capture it's pink-peachy color which is so fun for summer I feel like. lol. So this is the best I can do even though it's not even perfect either.

And that was it for me this week! What all did you get?

Book Blogger Hop #413

2026-05-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

This meme is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addict!

This week's question is: Does the headline “Must-Read Books” grab your attention? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee-Addicted Writer)

MY ANSWER: Honestly? No. Not really. Granted when I pass these tables at the store I'll browse them, but it's not like the headliner for me. Unless I'm hunting down a copy of a book that is said to be in the store but it was not on the new shelf or the genre shelves...so THEN I am really looking like is my book over here? Lol.

Books from the Backlog #188

2026-05-28T00:00:00.001-05:00

Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia's family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess--a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner.

For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She's endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.

Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn't always won on the battlefield.

For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.

I added Laura Sebastian's Ash Princess to my TBR pile in February of 2018, which it released in April of 2018, so I probably was marking it as "want to read" early and then just left it as such when I got it! I've been trying to do better about removing and readding it to my Goodreads list when I actually get the book! Lol. I still can't believe I haven't read this series yet as it sounds right up my alley!

Can't Wait Wednesday #250

2026-05-27T00:00:00.001-05:00

Prepare for a deliciously dark standalone, set in the same world as Of Flame and Fury, where star-crossed enemies gamble with their hearts, their empires, and the fate of a lost god.

On an island ruled by pageantry and pain, power comes at an impossible price.

Inna is the perfect heiress to the Pallo crime family: poised, cunning, untouchable. Behind this glamorous facade, she hunts for the sinister truth behind her older sister's death. Despite the cover-up she’s been led to believe, Inna can feel an enemy lurking in the shadows, or perhaps even hiding in plain sight.

Rylan has sculpted himself into a talented thief. His heart may be guarded, but his purpose is clear: retribution for his family, murdered by Inna's mother. Armed with illusion magic, Rylan plans to steal an ancient riddle from the Pallo vault, one that leads to a sleeping god. Whoever wakes the Serpent King will be granted any wish they desire. Rylan means to claim this power, and with it, Inna's ruin.

But when Inna catches Rylan sneaking past her family’s security, he proposes a deadly alliance that each desperately needs but neither intends to keep – even as bitter attraction threatens to unravel into something more.

I still need to read Mikayla's first book but with this stunning and maybe creepy cover, I couldn't help but add it to my list!

TITLE: Of Venom and Vengeance
AUTHOR: Mikayla Bridge
PUBLISHER: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)
GENRE: YA Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2026

The second adult novel from New York Times bestselling author Shea Ernshaw, in which a woman rediscovers the mythical island she stumbled upon as a child—and the man she once met who apparently hasn’t aged—and must choose between the life she’s built and a love that defies the laws of time and nature.

The night Clay Lockhart’s wife dies, a violent storm tears their home—and the eight hectares of land beneath it—away from the Scottish coast, sending it adrift into the Atlantic. Thirty years later, twelve-year-old Ellie Mills discovers the fabled floating island off the coast of Nova Scotia and finds Clay still living in the weatherworn farmhouse perched on its highest hill.

When the island vanishes overnight, Ellie is left questioning whether it ever existed at all. But decades later, now in her thirties, the island resurfaces—and Ellie returns, determined to uncover the truth. What she finds is even Clay hasn’t aged a single day.

Faced with the impossible, Ellie learns that some mysteries aren’t meant to be solved—and that a life shaped by wonder may hold more promise than one bound by certainty.

Spanning centuries and coastlines, Habits of the Sea is a haunting, romantic journey through time, memory, and the invisible tides that pull us home.

Still want to read Shea's first adult novel as well, but yet another mysterious sounding read that made me want to add it to my list anyway! Lol.

TITLE: Habits of the Sea
AUTHOR: Shea Ernshaw
PUBLISHER: Atria Books
GENRE: Mystery
RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2026

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

2026-05-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Purple Princess of The Purple Booker.

Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc.

"'And now I'm helping a woman I want to kill cover up murders committed by another serial killer. This is the most incestuous murder party I've ever heard of.'" p 124

TITLE: Tourist Season
AUTHOR: Brynne Weaver
PUBLISHER: Slowburn
GENRE: Dark Romantic Comedy
RELEASE DATE: September 23, 2025

This week's topic is: My Top Ten Favorite Books by My Favorite Authors

*in no particular order

10. STOLEN by Kelley Armstrong--normally, I gravitate towards the first book as my fave but I really liked this one as it was when we first met Cassandra and as I mentioned last week, I really wanted her to have a book of her own! Lol.
9. THE FOREVER SONG by Julie Kagawa--I think it was this book that realllly cinched me wanting Jackal to have his own! Lol. But I remember really liking this finale!
8. POISON STUDY by Maria V. Snyder--the book that started my obsession with Maria's books!

7. OLD MAGIC by Marianne Curley--I still need to read her most recent novels--one of which includes a trilogy re-read! But this was her first one and still remains my absolute favorite!
6. DEMON IN MY VIEW by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes--this was Amelia's second book and I think might have been the first one I read by her? Kind of blanking on that part, but out of all the books I read of hers--which might have been all of them--this is still me favorite!
5. STRAY by Rachel Vincent--another first! Rachel's first book and probably my favorite though I still need to read her latest one!

4. HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost--another first book! This one was so incredible and is still one of my favorites of hers!
3. IMMORTAL REIGN by Morgan Rhodes--this series was epic! But I think the finale was my fave just because after everything the characters went through I wanted that HEA! I always thought of this one as my Birthday series as the first 5 books always released around then, so I was always reading it on my winter break!
2. REMEMBRANCE by Meg Cabot--I ADORED Meg's Mediator series! This adult installment came later on and is probably my fave! It has a Veronica Mars feel to it, but with ghosts! So you know, perfection!

Are you ready to guess the #1?

I'll give you a moment...lol, you have 8 to choose from...9 if it were after September! ;)

1. LEGENDARY by Stephanie Garber--how did you do? Lol. Yes, Legendary is probably my favorite as I ADORE Tella! She's got a feisty personality and I just adore that girl!

Review--Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver

2026-05-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

From No.1 New York Times bestselling author Brynne Weaver comes a wickedly delicious new series where dark romantic comedy meets thrilling suspense - and where falling in love can be a killer.

Welcome to Cape Carnage! Visit Once, Stay Forever.

You can hide in the farthest reaches of the deepest hell, and I will still drag you out. Even the devil can't save you from me.

Cape Carnage is a seaside town of colourful houses, quirky shops, and an unusually high body count. But with tourists comes trouble, and Harper Starling won't let anyone ruin her picture-perfect home. A skilled gardener with killer instincts, Harper protects her sanctuary at any cost - especially for her aging mentor with a fading memory. Troublesome tourists don't check out of Carnage. They compost beneath Harper's award-winning flowerbeds.

But Nolan Rhodes isn't your average tourist. Devilishly handsome, disarmingly charming, and skilled with a blade, Nolan is relentless in the pursuit of revenge. On every anniversary of the hit-and-run accident that fractured his life, Nolan slays another target. And he's saved the best for the undeniably beautiful Harper Starling. The problem? Harper isn't the monster he expected. And she won't go down without a fight.

When an amateur true crime investigator comes to Cape Carnage on the trail of a long-lost serial killer, Harper and Nolan strike an uneasy truce. If Nolan helps Harper protect her town, she'll keep quiet about his hunting habits . . . for now. But their alliance soon spirals into obsession, one that threatens to shatter every secret in Carnage - including their fragile love.

Tourist Season is a darkly funny, slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance where destruction and desire are balanced on the edge of a blade - and where love is the most dangerous battleground of all.

Brynne Weaver's Tourist Season is the start of a new grizzly dark rom-com that takes place in the same world as The Ruinous Love Trilogy! If you read Scythe & Sparrow, you get a hint at who's the heroine of his novel. I'll admit I was a bit baffled at first when I read the blurb and thinking, what...? But then once I started reading it, I was like OHHH! Lol. Yeah, that's what happens when you read between series! Lol.

Harper Starling is a young woman living in Cape Carnage caring for Arthur who is an elderly man with Alzheimers who has his own dark history. When Nolan Rhodes comes to town, he's a man on a mission, and that mission is to kill Harper. Four years ago, Nolan was in a car accident that killed his younger brother. He's made it his mission ever since recovering from that accident to hunt down the people who were in the car that crashed into his and kill them...and he'd down to just one more murderer, the driver, aka Harper.

But Harper is not one to go down without a fight. She's a woman with her own dark past, one that she doesn't feel like hashing out to Nolan, because he plans to kill her anyway! So naturally, there's this whole enemies to lovers vibe going on, because it's a dark rom-com, you know they'll get over the hating game eventually. Harper is a killer as well, as you would've guessed from Brynne's previous books. Harper takes care of the troublesome tourists who aren't just annoying, but down right evil.

When she learns that land of her employer's has been sold, she's worried because she knows what Arthur has hidden on said land and she will do everything she can to protect him. So she makes a deal of sorts with Nolan, asking for his help to uncover a dozen or so bodies that are buried on the property and they only have three weeks to do it. She managed to steal something important to Nolan and promises to give it back, if he helps her.

Throwing in another round of complications, we have a shady true crime seeker in town who is investigating the past murders connected to Cape Carnage and the fact that one...or maybe more than one, of its citizens may in fact be a serial killer. He also happens to be staying at the same inn as Nolan, so expect the usual shenanigans!

This was yet another entertaining read from Weaver! Granted, I am once again here for the Dexter/murdery vibes more so than the romantic bits. I like romance fine and all, but these darker romance aspects really aren't my cup of tea, but since they are kind of sporadic in this first installment, at least, I was able to just roll my eyes a few times and get back to the bloody good parts! Lol.

That Nolan and Harper are both serial killers falling in love is yet another riot. It's like a reverse Murder She Wrote, that no matter where Jessica went, someone dies. Well here, no matter where we go in the Weaver universe, there's always more than one serial killer in town! Almost makes you rethink Murder She Wrote and wonder...lol.

There was a teeny tiny mystery of sorts going on here in the background. If you pay attention, you'll hear a few things but might not be able to put together any kind of story until the verrrry end! Just as I was reading that epilogue, I started thinking one thing, then after a few more paragraphs my theory proved correct, but then that last line totally threw me and I was like OMG! Thankfully, the next installment isn't too far off...but my plate is pretty full right now so who knows when I will get to it!

This one was pretty well paced. I mean the characters are forced together with a goal in mind where helping one helps themselves so things move along at a decent pace. Naturally, we get the interludes of romantic tension and bloody good times as well. There were laughs, there were grimaces...all in good fun or as much fun as you could say is being had in a murder fest type book. Definitely can't wait to see what will happen next in this aptly named little murdertown! If you enjoy your dark romances with a side of comedy and a healthy dose of murder, be sure to check out this new series of Weaver's! You don't have to have read the previous trilogy in order to dive into this one and it can completely stand on its own without any kind of prior needed knowledge, so it's a win-win situation here!

Overall Rating 4/5 stars

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

2026-05-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Last Week I Read:

King of Ravens by Clare Sager (5 stars)

Review That Was Posted:

A Curse of Beasts and Magic by Jeaniene Frost (ARC) (5 stars)

Currently Reading:

Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver

What I Plan to Read Next:

The Raven at the Ash Door by K.A. Linde (ARC)

Other Posts of Interest:

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays
Can't Wait Wednesday #249
Books from the Backlog #187
Book Blogger Hop #412
Stacking the Shelves