Review: Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz

Name: Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore

Author: Emily Krempholtz

Publisher: Sphere

Date published: November 2025

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, cosy

Pages: 359

Rating: 4/5

Guy Shadowfade is dead, and after a lifetime as the dark sorcerer’s right-hand, Violet Thistlewaite is determined to start over - not as the fearsome Thornwitch, but as someone kind. Someone better. Someone good.
The quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, Violet decides, will be her second chance - she’ll set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (mildly homicidal) houseplant in check, and prune dark magic from the twisted boughs of her life.
Violet’s vibrant bouquets and cheerful enchantments soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, though nothing seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. With a struggling business and his own second chance seemingly out of reach, Nathaniel has no time for flowers or frippery - and certainly none for the intriguing witch next door.
When a mysterious blight threatens every living plant in Dragon’s Rest, Violet and Nathaniel must work together through their fears, pasts, and growing feelings for one another to save their community. But with a figure from her past knocking at her door and her secrets threatening to uproot everything she’s worked so hard to grow, Violet can’t help but wonder... does a former villain truly deserve a happily-ever-after?

- From Goodreads. 

This was a very heartwarming and cosy fantasy romance, and I would definitely recommend it if you enjoy other cosy fantasy stories like Sarah Beth Durst's The Spellshop or Sangu Mandanna's The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

My only problem with the story was the conflict between Violet and Nathaniel towards the end that only seemed to be included to add to the tension and felt a little forced, like their character development was undone for a scene to make the end more suspenseful. I think that could have been done without forcing the conflict. Otherwise, I think the plot was very compelling and I was rooting for the two main characters to find their happy ending together.

I liked the concept of the story, I think the main character having a past in which she was very close to and helped a villain who did terrible things, and her feeling very confused and torn about how she felt about him made for a lot of interesting depth to her character and it was understandable that she felt so unsure of what her future would be without him. I really felt sympathy for her and hoped she would be able to live the peaceful life she wanted.

I do recommend this if you are looking for an easy-to-read, light-hearted fantasy romance, it's not perfect but it is comforting and I think has a lovely happy ending. I would definitely be happy to read more from this author. 

BOOKS | Review: Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig

Name: Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King #2)

Author: Rachel Gillig

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: October 2023

Genre: Fiction, new adult, fantasy, romance, gothic

Pages: 437

Rating: 5/5 

Elspeth and Ravyn have gathered most of the twelve Providence Cards, but the last, and most important one remains to be found: The Twin Alders.
If they are going to find it before the Solstice and cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it, they will need to journey beyond the dangerous mist-cloaked forest that surrounds their kingdom.
And the only one who can lead them there is the monster that shares Elspeth's head. The Nightmare. And he's not eager to share any longer.

- From Goodreads. 

Rachel Gillig is excellent at writing dramatic moments and making them feel very epic and monumental. My favourite moments were when the Nightmare could really show what he was capable of, his connection with the land and trees and how he could use that really made for some very thrilling moments that were so enjoyable to read.

I think the Nightmare's link to Elspeth and their relationship was so fascinating and it was so well done how it built emotionally up to the very end. I really felt attached to both of the characters and wanted to see what would happen with their bond in the end.

It was interesting to see more from the other characters in this book as we got some additional perspectives and learnt more about the world than what we had previously just seen from Elspeth's point of view. Elm was especially compelling and I really liked following his development and watching him decide what was important to him and what he would decide to fight for.

Overall, I really loved this duology and will definitely be coming back to reread it at some point. I am looking forward to reading more from Rachel Gillig as I think she has a wonderfully atmospheric writing style, can create some truly cinematic scenes and creates very fascinating characters. 

BOOKS | Review: One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

Name: One Dark Window (The Shepherd King #1)

Author: Rachel Gillig

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: September 2022

Genre: Fiction, new adult, fantasy, romance, gothic

Pages: 432

Rating: 5/5

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder - she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.
But nothing comes for free, especially magic.
When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder... and guilty of high treason.
Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards - the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

- From Goodreads. 

This story was incredibly atmospheric and wonderfully intense and so suspenseful in the plot. 

Elspeth was such a fascinating character to follow along, she had a lot of depth to her and so much heart, she cared a lot about the people close to her, but could not truly be herself with them because of the secrets she had to keep. Her relationship with the Nightmare was so intriguing and it was so interesting seeing their dynamic.

I really enjoyed the romance, I think Ryvan was a very compelling character, full of mystery at the beginning, but very empathetic once you got to know more about him, and I love that they wanted to be together and to be able to care for each other, despite everything around them working against them.

I found the plot very thrilling and all of the other characters very intriguing, the ending was very dramatic and exciting and I am curious to see what will happen in the next book and the parts each character will play in the events that follow on from this book.

I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy gothic and atmospheric fantasy romance stories, like Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson. I will definitely be reading the second book very soon as I'm excited to see how the story continues! 

BOOKS | Review: Swordheart by T. Kingfisher

Name: Swordheart (Swordheart #1, The World of the White Rat)

Author: T. Kingfisher

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: First published November 2018, this edition June 2025

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 448

Rating: 5/5

Halla is a housekeeper who has suddenly inherited her great-uncle's estate... and, unfortunately, his relatives. Sarkis is an immortal swordsman trapped in a prison of enchanted steel. When Halla draws the sword that imprisons him, Sarkis finds himself attempting to defend his new wielder against everything from bandits and roving inquisitors to her own in-laws... and the sword itself may prove to be the greatest threat of all.

- From Goodreads. 

I have really enjoyed starting to read T. Kingfisher in the past year and this book was certainly no exception. It was another brilliant story with excellent humour, a fascinating word and a really wonderful romance.

The concept of a warrior trapped in a sword, enchanted to serve whoever wields it, made for a very fun and adventurous plot, with some delightful hijinks throughout, and Halla and Sarkin were both such compelling characters to follow along for that plot. Both of them were very endearing and it was lovely to see them come to admire and trust each other so much.

There were some very brilliant side characters too, especially Brindle and Zade, who it was wonderful to see again as they have both appeared before in books set in the same world, and I would be happy to see them both again as they added a lot of enjoyable moments to the story. 

All of the books I have read so far from T. Kingfisher have been amazing and this one has just made me even more excited to pick up another one. 

BOOKS | Review: Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

Name: Empire of Sand (The Books of Ambha #1)

Author: Tasha Suri

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: November 2018

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 432

Rating: 5/5

Mehr is a girl trapped between two cultures. Her father comes from the ruling classes of the empire, but her mother’s people were outcasts, Amrithi nomads who worshipped the spirits of the sands.
Caught one night performing these forbidden rites, Mehr is brought to the attention of the Emperor’s most feared mystics, who try to force her into their service by way of an arranged marriage. If she fails in their bidding, the gods themselves may awaken and seek vengeance...

- From Goodreads. 

This was a very intricately detailed story, with a lot of thought put into the world-building, and wonderfully well-written characters. 

It definitely hooked me in and made me worried for both Mehr and Aman, I really felt emotionally invested in their journey and hoped they found a way to escape the horrible situation they were in together.

It felt like a very complex world with a lot of different stories to explore within it, so I'm glad there's another book where we can see more of the world and what the consequences of what happened in this book will be.

I think if you love fantasy with in-depth world building, well-rounded and complicated characters and a lovely romance where two characters find hope and comfort in each other despite the darkness surrounding them, then I can definitely recommend this book to you. I will certainly be going on to read more of Tasha Suri's work after this. 

BOOKS | Review: Paladin's Hope by T. Kingfisher

Name: Paladin's Hope (The Saint of Steel #3, The World of the White Rat)

Author: T. Kingfisher

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: April 2025

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, mystery

Pages: 288

Rating: 5/5

 

Piper is a lich-doctor, a physician who works among the dead, determining causes of death for the city guard's investigations. It's a peaceful, if solitary profession... until the day when he's called to the river to examine the latest in a series of mysterious bodies, mangled by some unknown force.
Galen is a paladin of a dead god, lost to holiness and no longer entirely sane. He has long since given up on any hope of love. But when the two men and a brave gnole constable are drawn into the web of the mysterious killer, it's Galen's job to protect Piper from the traps that await them.
He's just not sure if he can protect Piper from the most dangerous threat of all...

- From Goodreads. 

This was another wonderful book in the Saint of Steel series, it still had the brilliant humorous writing style and intriguing mystery in the plot, along with a very compelling romance. I do like that, although each book has had a mystery in its plot, the structure of the plot has been different in each one, and I've always been surprised by how each mystery unfolds.

I loved the characters that we followed in this book, both Galen and Piper had their problems to work through, and it was good seeing them have to face their own demons and overcome them through the course of the book. I loved that their romance was quite sweet with how much they cared about each other and how much comfort they found in each other and I thought that was balanced well with their physical attraction to each other.

Earstripe was another great character, who was very funny at times but also had great depth and fit in well with the other two characters.

I'm intrigued by the overarching plot of the series, I like how it goes on in the background of each book and each book adds bits and pieces to the mystery, but none of them have completed the full picture yet. I'm definitely curious to see what will happen in the next book and how things will conclude when the series finishes.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this series, all the books so far have been a lot of fun and I haven't found anything to fault in any of them! 

BOOKS | Review: The Tomb of Dragons by Katherine Addison

Name: The Tomb of Dragons (The Cemeteries of Amalo #3, The Chronicles of Osreth #4)

Author: Katherine Addison

Publisher: Solaris

Date published: March 2025

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, steampunk, mystery

Pages: 380

Rating: 4/5

This review contains major spoilers.  

Thara Celehar has lost his ability to speak with the dead. When that title of Witness for the Dead is gone, what defines him?
While his title may be gone, his duties are not. Celehar contends with a municipal cemetery with fifty years of secrets, the damage of a revethavar he’s terrified to remember, and a group of miners who are more than willing to trade Celehar’s life for a chance at what they feel they’re owed.
Celehar does not have to face these impossible tasks alone. Joining him are his mentee Velhiro Tomasaran, still finding her footing with the investigative nature of their job; Iäna Pel-Thenhior, his beloved opera director friend and avid supporter; and the valiant guard captain Hanu Olgarezh.
Amidst the backdrop of a murder and a brewing political uprising, Celehar must seek justice for those who cannot find it themselves under a tense political system. The repercussions of his quest are never as simple they seem, and Celehar’s own life and happiness hang in the balance.

- From Goodreads. 

I really enjoyed this story in the Cemeteries of Amalo series, it continued the excellent character development of the previous books, had wonderful subtle humour woven throughout the narration, and included another intriguing mystery. There were only a couple of things that kept it from being five stars and they didn't really stop me from enjoying the reading experience.

First I was quite surprised that Iäna didn't turn out to be a love interest for Thara, as it had seemed to be building towards that in the first two books, but I did like that their friendship was still shown to be very important and it was nice to see two male characters who were allowed to show their feelings for each other and care for each other intensely, even when it wasn't romantic. I also did like the love interest that was introduced for Thara, Captain Olgarezh. He was very captivating and I would have been fascinated to learn more about him, and I thought the relationship that built between him and Thara was very sweet. My only problem was that it felt like we didn't really get enough time to see their relationship, and the end of the book did feel quite abrupt, so it felt like the story cut off before we really got the chance to see how they would be together.

That was my only other problem with the book, that the ending happened quite suddenly. It felt like not everything had been properly resolved with each character and like we hadn't seen the end of all their journeys. It does make me wonder if this is not the last we'll see of these characters and if we'll see them again in future books.

It was delightful to briefly return to the royal court for part of the book, and especially delightful to see Maia again. It was interesting to see him outside of his own persepective and wonderful to see him continue to be such an excellent emperor. It made me want to see more from him again, even if he's not the main character, in another book, although it would be amazing if he was! I certainly hope everythig goes well with his wedding!

Overall, although there were a couple of things that stopped me from rating this as highly as the other books in the series, I still really enjoyed it and think it's worth reading and I'm still excited to read any further books set in this world! 

BOOKS | Review: Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood

Name: Rewitched (Rewitched #1)

Author: Lucy Jane Wood

Publisher: Pan MacMillan

Date published: September 2024

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, cosy, witches

Pages: 416

Rating: 5/5

Belladonna Blackthorn hasn’t lost her magical spark... but she hasn’t seen it in a while, either.
Balancing work at her beloved Lunar Books with protecting it from her toxic boss, who’s running it into the ground, and all the while concealing her witchcraft from the non-witches around her - Belle is burnt out. Perfecting the potential of her magic is the last thing on her mind.
But when her 30th birthday brings a summons from her coven, and a trial that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle risks losing her magic forever. With the month of October to fix things, and signs that dark forces may be working against her, Belle will need all the help she can get - from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure, and even an (infuriatingly handsome) watchman who’s sworn to protect her...

- From Goodreads. 

This was so lovely and charming, and a very sweet story about finding confidence in yourself and being brave enough to take risks and do things that might be scary but will result in amazing things for you if you take the chance. 

I loved how the magical world was fit into our own, it was very fun to see how the magic worked and how different witches and warlocks used it.

All the characters were very enjoyable to read about and all of them had interesting and full lives and stories to tell. I liked that Bella learnt a lot from each different character and they all really contributed something to the story and Bella's journey of finding more confidence in herself.

I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy cosy fantasy stories like Sangu Mandanna's The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping, it had the same whimsical magic and wholesome found family, along with a little bit of heartwarming romance. 

BOOKS | Review: Paladin's Strength by T. Kingfisher

Name: Paladin's Strength (The Saint of Steel #2, The World of the White Rat)

Author: T. Kingfisher

Publisher: Orbit

Date published: April 2025

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 448

Rating: 5/5

He’s a paladin of a dead god, tracking a supernatural killer across a continent. She’s a nun from a secretive order, on the trail of the raiders who burned her convent and kidnapped her sisters.
When their paths cross at the point of a sword, Istvhan and Clara will be pitched headlong into each other’s quests, facing off against enemies both living and dead. But Clara has a secret that could jeopardize the growing trust between them, a secret that will lead them to the gladiatorial pits of a corrupt city, and beyond...

- From Goodreads. 

This was as equally delightful as the first Saint of Steel book. T. Kingfisher has a wonderfully funny writing style and a great skill at writing characters who are full of personality and life.

I really adored the romance in this story, both Clara and Istvhan were so endearing, even when they were at their most awkward and felt like they were messing things up. They were both so thoughtful and caring and it was lovely to see them realise their feelings for each other and to see them work together and look out for each other.

It was thrilling following the mystery set up in the first book and to see how it came to a conclusion, I think it was very clever and unique and I am curious to see what mysteries will unfold in the next books! 

I'm really enjoying this series so far, and I'm excited to see how it continues, what new characters we'll meet and where the storyline will go. I think T. Kingfisher has built a very fascinating world with plenty of room to explore so it will be fun to find out more about it. 

BOOKS | Review: Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan

Name: Jade Fire Gold

Author: June C.L. Tan

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Date published: November 2024

Genre: Fiction, young adult, fantasy, adventure

Pages: 464

Rating: 3/5 

 

Her destiny. His revenge.
In an empire on the brink of war...
Ahn is no one, with no past and no family.
Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away as a child.
When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her lethal magical abilities.
But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.

- From Goodreads. 

This had a lot of potential and I did enjoy reading it, especially in the beginning, but I think I struggled with the pacing and the way the plot unfolded. There were a lot of plot threads that were only touched on briefly that I thought could have been explored more, but since this seems to be a stand-alone for now, we won't get to find out any more about them.

I did like our two main characters, but I felt Jin had a stronger personality and journey, while with Ahn I felt like the writing for her wasn't so certain and it felt like we needed more time to really understand who she was and what she wanted. It also felt like we spent a lot of time on the build up of the romance between them, for it not to really get anywhere, and I think the romance storyline could have been stronger, if the author had really committed to making this a really powerful love story between them, either that or made it two books and built up the friendship in the first book and focused on the romance in the second book.

The world-building had a lot of interesting elements, once again that I think would have been fascinating to explore more if there had been more time, it felt like there was a lot more depth to the world that we didn't get to see and that could have been intriguing to learn more about.

Overall, I think the premise and the ideas in the story were great, but it was a bit disappointing that the story didn't live up to its potential when it could have been really great if there had been more follow-through on the things it set up. 

BOOKS | Review: The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

Name: The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea

Author: Axie Oh 

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Date published: February 2022

Genre: Fiction, young adult, romance, fantasy, mythology, retellings

Pages: 325

Rating: 5/5

 

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.
Many believe that Shim Cheong, the most beautiful girl in the village - and the beloved of Mina’s older brother Joon - may be the legendary true bride. But on the night Cheong is to be sacrificed, Joon follows Cheong out to sea, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong’s stead.
Swept away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical beasts, Mina seeks out the Sea God, only to find him caught in an enchanted sleep. With the help of a mysterious young man named Shin - as well as a motley crew of demons, gods and spirits - Mina sets out to wake the Sea God and bring an end to the killer storms once and for all.
But she doesn’t have much time: A human cannot live long in the land of the spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God from waking... 

- From Goodreads. 

This was such a lovely and immersive story, it really felt like being dropped right into a myth. I can see why people have compared this to Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away, not just because of the plot, but I think it also feels reminiscent of the way Studio Ghibli movies really sweep you away into a magical world with characters full of real depth and emotion.

The storyline was very compelling and I was always wondering how it would resolve in the end, I did have an idea of the answer to the mystery, but I wasn't sure how it would be revealed, and I think the reveal was executed in a satisfying way.

I really liked how the story explored the themes it included, how important family was and what people will do for those they love, but also what destiny and fate can really mean to you, and how important it can be to make your own choices and choose your own path. 

The romance was very sweet and I loved how, as Shin came to trust Mina, he never stood in her way and always let her make her own decisions, it was lovely how devoted he was and how much he believed in her.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy myth retellings with loveable characters and sweet romance, and if you love stories like Spirited Away. 

BOOKS | Review: A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

Name: A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping 

Author: Sangu Mandanna

Publisher: Hodderscape

Date published: July 2025

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, cosy, witches 

Pages: 340

Rating: 5/5

Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps her aunt run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep said talking fox in check, and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power...
Enter Luke Larsen, handsome and icy magical historian, who arrives on a dark winter evening and might just know how to unlock the spell’s secrets. Luke has absolutely no interest in getting involved in the madcap goings-on of the inn and is definitely not about to let a certain bewitching innkeeper past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he agrees to help Sera with her spell. Worse, he might actually be thawing.
Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera Swan is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone... and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.

- From Goodreads. 

This was truly such a wonderful story, so comforting and with lovely meaning. Despite it being of course fantastical and delightfully magical, it still felt very real and relatable, and had me feeling quite emotional in some moments.

Luke and Sera were such loveable characters, the fact that they had both had such difficult pasts but both ended up finding family and a sense of belonging at the inn was so heartwarming. 

The setting of the inn was so charming and very creative and fun, all the characters that lived there and all the quirks of the place really made for some entertaining moments in the story.

I definitely recommend this if you enjoyed The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, it has the same wholesome feeling, brilliant humour, characters you just have to care about, and a well-done and thoughtful message. 

BOOKS | Review: A Honeymoon of Grave Consequence by Stephanie Burgis

Name: A Honeymoon of Grave Cosequence (The Unexpected Adventures of Lady and Lord Riven #2)

Author: Stephanie Burgis

Publisher: Five Fathoms Press

Date published: September 2025

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, vampires, historical

Rating: 5/5

Thank you to the author for sending me an early review copy of this book! 

Margaret, Lady Riven, never expected to find herself married, much less enjoying a honeymoon with her vampiric husband. Obviously, they’ve only agreed to stay married for logical, practical reasons, but Lord Riven has kept his promise to supply her with excellent tea and even better company as they travel together across the continent. Unfortunately, her newfound notoriety has traveled along with them - so she’s delighted when they arrive at a secluded inn deep within the Black Forest, far from high society.
However, the inn is full of lethal supernatural creatures who find Margaret’s arrival anything but welcome - and for all of Margaret’s academic prowess, she’s infamously inept at making friends. When a new threat appears in her own mirror, she realizes that the greatest danger is to her heart... and she’ll have to rely on a remarkable assortment of newfound allies to help her save the immortal vampire who holds it.

- From Goodreads. 

This was a very heartwarming and charming follow-up to A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience, I really enjoyed that this story was a little longer and we got to spend more time with Lord and Lady Riven and see how their relationship was developing. It was also fun to explore a new location and meet quite an eclectic set of new characters! There was an intriguing mystery to solve, some exciting confrontations and of course more delightful romance.

Margaret and Lord Riven's relationship is definitely my favourite part of these books, they work so well together, have such great chemistry and obviously care so deeply about each other. Every scene between them is so wonderful to read.

If we ever get more in this world, I will definitely be reading it, I would love to see more of Lady and Lord Riven's adventures, and I'll certainly continue to read more from Stephanie Burgis as she has a very engaging and clever writing style. I would recommend this series for you if you love other fun and charming fantasy romance series like the Emily Wilde trilogy by Heather Fawcett, or the Love's Academic series by India Holton.

BOOKS | Review: Blood Sanctuary: Part Two by Vela Roth

Name: Blood Sanctuary: Part Two (Blood Grace #4)

Author: Vela Roth

Publisher: Five Thorns Press

Date published: April 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, romance, fantasy, vampires

Pages: 480

Rating: 5/5

 

When an ancient evil rises, can they save the peace talks and their love?
Lio and Cassia spend their nights in each other’s arms, but sit on opposite sides of the negotiation table. Their clandestine partnership has brought his immortal kin and her fellow humans close to a treaty after generations of violence. Lives hang in the balance. Failure means war. Peace would bring the future they hope for, when their love will no longer be forbidden.
Just when success is within reach, they realize their plan has played into the enemy’s hands. A threat lurks within the delegation, an old nemesis with magic unlike any they have ever faced. Together, are they strong enough to stop the destruction of everything they love?

- From Goodreads. 

This was a very thrilling and action-packed part of this series, it definitely felt like the stakes were raised! The plot became a lot more intense and I really wasn't sure how the main characters would get out of the complicated situation they found themselves in. The ending was certainly a surprise, and I thought it was a great climax and wrapped things up well, setting up a very interesting storyline for the rest of the series. I'm very curious to see where it goes from here!

I thought the side characters were all written very well and had real depth. I really love Callen and Perita and their love story and I hope we see them again in future books. I also thought the First Prince was a really empathetic character and it was emotional to see the pain he had been going through. I hope we see more of him too and see what happens with his story.

I love how Lio and Cassia continue to be so devoted to each other and how you can really tell they would do anything for each other. They're a wonderful couple to follow and you really believe they could get through anything together.

I really recommend this series so far, it's so fascinating and compelling and there's so much world and plot to dive into and explore and so many interesting characters to follow. I'm excited to keep reading! 

BOOKS | Review: Blood Sanctuary: Part One by Vela Roth

Name: Blood Sanctuary: Part One (Blood Grace #3)

Author: Vela Roth

Publisher: Five Thorns Press

Date published: March 2022

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, vampires

Pages: 474

Rating: 5/5

Their love could last for all time - unless the king’s assassins cut her life short...
Cassia has reunited with her beloved Lio in the land of eternal night. She longs to become an immortal Hesperine like him so they can stay together forever. But she’s torn between their happiness and her duty to the kingdom her human father rules. To free herself from the king, she must convince his ambassadors to ally with the Hesperines, despite centuries of conflict.
Lio will die if Cassia leaves him, but he won’t force her to stay by revealing their blood bond. While they negotiate for peace in public, he tempts her in private with the promise of everlasting passion. But their future may end before it begins when enemies within the embassy threaten her with a lethal spell.

- From Goodreads.

This was another very enjoyable installment in this series. Not everyone may enjoy the slow pace, but I really like how it takes its time to set each part of the plot in motion, helping us really understand the world and everything taking place in it, and I think all the plot twists and surprises are even more exciting due to the slow build up of the tension.

I loved how Lio and Cassia's relationship continued to grow and build in this book. Each problem they faced, even when it was due to their own feelings and insecurities, they found a way to work through it together and to talk through how they were feeling. I really loved reading about them together and look forward to seeing how their relationship develops in the future books.

The world-building continued to be very impressive in this book, it was very intricate and detailed, and I especially enjoyed the wonderful descriptions as we continued to learn more about the Hesperine's home and see all the magic of the land they had created for their sanctuary.

Overall, I'm continuing to really enjoy this series and I'm excited to keep reading and see what happens next and eventually see how it all wraps up! Lio and Cassia's journey is really compelling and I'm always curious to see how they face each obstacle and overcome them together. 

BOOKS | Review: The Tales of Arcana Fortune by Hafsa A. Jawad

Name: The Tales of Arcana Fortune

Author: Hafsa A. Jawad

Publisher: Independently published

Date published: June 2025

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, fairy tales

Pages: 466

Rating: 4/5

Seven nights, Seven tales
Young healer Serena Rose has always dreamed of fairytales, but the chances of finding true love living alone in the a cottage by the wood are... slim. Instead, she spends her days chasing down mischievous woodland critters, brewing tonics, and taking care of her family's ancient records of fairytales, many of which have been outlawed in the kingdom of Lumina where she resides.
However her quiet life is upended when she is approached by a dark haired stranger searching for a book in her family’s collection, The Tales of Arcana Fortune. In between searching for more information on the book, and fighting their budding attraction, they accidentally free a malicious immortal sealed with an ancient spell.
Cursed to be trapped in a different fairytale each night, Serena must find a way through her trials all the while trying not to lose her life, her freedom, and her heart.

- From Goodreads. 

This was a very delightful story and I think anyone who enjoys fairy tales will have a great time reading it. I thought it was quite clever how the fairy tales used in the book became a part of the story and how they slowly began to change and become more relevant to the main characters as the curse they were in came to understand them better and gave them more difficult challenges.

I thought the villain of the story was a great character, even though he was clearly a sinister enemy, he was still interesting, and it was fascinating to learn more of his story, and his interactions with the main characters were always exciting to read.

The romance was really sweet and lovely, their affection for each other did happen quite quickly and occasionally felt very sudden, but mostly it was just so nice to see them face the challenges of the curse together and grow to trust and understand each other.

I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a very sweet and comforting love story with plenty of fairytale adventure and nostalgia. 

 

BOOKS | Review: The Wraith King by Juliette Cross

Name: The Wraith King (The Rise of Northgall #1)

Author: Juliette Cross

Publisher: Independently published

Date published: September 2024

Genre: Fiction, adult, romance, fantasy

Pages: 454

Rating: 3/5

A brutal, bloody war against the ruthless Wraith King has cost the light fae more than innocent lives. Una Hartstone, Princess of Issos, learns the price the Wraith King demands to end the war once and for all. Her. In exchange for the safety of her people, she agrees to give her life - and her body - to her greatest enemy.
Gollaya Verbane is determined to fulfill his destiny and his god’s prophecy. When his seer points to the Princess of Issos as the key to the rise of the dark fae, he demands her submission. But when she finally yields, he realizes Una is much more to him than a priceless weapon.
A mystery that has haunted Una for years awakens when she is abducted and dragged back to Näkt Mir. The palace hides many dark secrets... and at least one traitor. A traitor determined to take King Goll’s throne - and all he possesses. What he doesn’t know is that Una’s magick is more powerful than he can imagine, and that Goll will burn the whole world to save her.

- From Goodreads. 

This was an enjoyable story and had a lot of potential but unfortunately did not quite meet that potential. I liked the premise of the princess agreeing to marry the king of an enemy kingdom and to give him an heir to end the war and bring peace to both of their kingdoms, but the execution of the plot was not as great as it could have been. I think it could have been as good as Radiance by Grace Draven, which I really love, but it just had some parts that let it down and fell a bit flat for me.

The romance was good, I liked that they were such different people but once they had time to know and understand each other they made good companions for each other. However, I think it would have been good to spend a little more time building their emotional connection, as I think a lot more time was spent on their attraction to each other and their physical connection. Their attraction was written well and I did believe it, but it did also feel quite sudden, and I think a little more time spent not focused on that aspect of their relationship would have helped to build the tension for the more physical scenes. Speaking of which, there were some intimate moments between them where the phrases or descriptions did pull me out of the momet, and I think a few different choices in phrasing could have kept the moments more immersive, but that could be down to personal preference.

I did find the world very interesting, especially the differences between the dark and the light fae and how they interpreted the old myths of their world. I was curious to learn more and would be happy to discover more from other books set in the world. I think the plot and writing did keep me invested enough to continue reading from this author and series, even though it was not perfect for me.

BOOKS | Review: The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

Name: The Enchanted Greenhouse (Spellshop #2)

Author: Sarah Beth Durst

Publisher: Tor UK

Date published: July 2025

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, cosy

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the Great Library of Alyssium.
When Terlu wakes up, she finds herself on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. The only other human on the island is a grumpy – but surprisingly sweet – gardener. He offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes and freshly baked honey cakes – at least until she’s ready to sail home.
But Terlu can’t return and doesn’t want to. And when she learns that the magic that sustains the greenhouses is failing – causing the death of everything within them – Terlu knows she must stay and help. Even if that means breaking the law again. Assisted by the gardener, a sentient rose and a winged cat, Terlu must uncover the spell that will save the island – and possibly also find a fresh chance at love and happiness along the way.

 - From Goodreads. 

This was such a cute and wholesome book, and it definitely lived up to the expectations set by The Spellshop as to how enjoyable it would be to read.

The world continued to be very creative, the greenhouse was such a fun and magical setting and all the different creatures and plants that lived inside were so inventive. It really was so enjoyable just to read the descriptions of each different part of the greenhouse and to see what new and exciting things we would see in each one.

The characters were also just as loveable as in The Spellshop. Terlu was so sweet and empathetic in the way she worried about being too much and failing the people she cared about, and she was so kind and thoughtful, it was so lovely to see her find a place where she really felt like she belonged with people who really appreciated her. Yarrow was such a wonderful love interest, and very relatable with the way he didn't like to talk too much or to be around a lot of people for too long. It was really sweet to see them balance each other out and learn how to respect each other's needs and be a comfort to each other.

This book was very delightful and heartwarming to read and I was happy the whole time I was reading it. I will definitely be looking forward to reading any further books set in this world as I am sure it will be wonderful getting immersed in this cosy and fantastical world again. 

BOOKS | Review: Eidolon by Grace Draven

Name: Eidolon (Wraith Kings #2)

Author: Grace Draven 

Publisher: Independently published

Date published: April 2016

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance

Pages: 323

Rating: 5/5

In a bid for more power, the Shadow Queen of Haradis has unleashed a malignant force into the world. Her son Brishen, younger prince of the Kai royal house, suddenly finds himself ruler of a kingdom blighted by a diseased darkness and on the brink of war. His human wife Ildiko must decide if she will give up the man she loves in order to secure his throne.
Three enemy kingdoms must unite to save each other, and a one-eyed, reluctant king must raise an army of the dead to defeat an army of the damned.

- From Goodreads. 

This was definitely different to Radiance, with a lot more drama, angst and action, but it was still a great story, although it probably won't become as much of a comfort read as Radiance has become for me.

It was interesting to learn more about the world in this book, especially the politics and relationships between the different kingdoms. We saw some of it in the first book, but it was good to see it in more detail in this one.

It was certainly a more angst-filled storyline for Brishen and Ildiko, but it was clear they always cared for each other throughout the story and wanted to look after each other, and it was lovely to see them get through the difficulties and be stronger together at the end.

I think there were some wonderful new characters introduced, and we got to see more of Kirgipa, who we only saw briefly during the first book, and was a very sweet, likeable character. I really liked the start of the relationship that began between her and another new character, Necos. He was very kind and protective and I thought the two of them together were very wholesome. I would have loved to see more of them, and I did not expect to enjoy another perspective or point of view outside of Brishen's and Ildiko's, but I really liked all of Kirgipa's parts in the story.

Overall, it was a very thrilling and captivating story and a great conclusion to the conflict that was begun in the first book. I really love the characters and world and would always be happy to read more, even when it's just a cosy story about the characters with less focus on the plot. 

BOOKS | Review: My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine

Name: My Roommate is a Vampire (My Vampires #1)

Author: Jenna Levine

Publisher: Penguin

Date published: August 2023

Genre: Fiction, adult, fantasy, romance, vampires

Pages: 341

Rating: 5/5

Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch - only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.
Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean...
Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.

- From Goodreads. 

This was such a fun, entertaining book! It was delightful in its humour and I laughed out loud multiple times. And although it was very lighthearted, the charaters still felt sincere and their feelings still felt meaningful.

Both Cassie and Frederick were very loveable characters. It was endearing how out of place Frederick was and how eager he was to learn about the world around him, and it was so sweet how earnest and serious he was about his attraction and feelings for Cassie. And it was wonderful to see how Cassie went from feeling so lost and unhappy with her circumstance to really finding somewhere she could fit in and where people believed in her and her passion and creativity.

I loved that it was a less serious vampire story and that the author had a lot of fun with it, I will definitely look forward to reading more from Jenna Levine and more in this world. I'm curious to see how she expands on this world and what her new characters will be like.