Juliet and Juliet by Mel V. Vargas

Juliet and Juliet by Mel V. Vargas

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Random House Graphic through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Juliet Montague crashed a Capulet party, she never expected to meet a really sweet and amazing woman… Juliet Capulet! Now the two are running around in secret with the help of their closest friends. When friendships and family relationships are on the line, Juliet and Juliet have to be extremely careful with where they go and who they trust. It’s too bad a Capulet is about to kickstart the drama!

As a Shakespeare girly, I had to pick this up ASAP! I really enjoyed reading this LGBTQ+ retelling of Romeo and Juliet. I also loved that this is a modern take that combines modern clothing with period clothing, which the artwork really brought to life. The cast of characters are wonderful and mostly supportive, and that’s always nice to see. Juliet and Juliet are my favorite characters, but I did really like several of the supporting characters. Plus, almost everyone seemed mostly reasonable and supportive, and that was really nice to see.

That said, I don’t think this book captured the essence of the source material. There was significantly less drama on top of there not being much conflict between the families. Plus, no one remembered why their families were beefing even though they had access to technology and years of tabloid rumors and whatnot. At the end of the day, I think this could’ve easily been its own story because it wasn’t really much of a retelling. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy every second I spent reading it, but as a retelling, it’s loosely inspired by the source material.

Cozy Cottage Cross-Stitch: 25 Charming Patterns to Make You Feel Perfectly at Home by Elle Noonan

 
Cozy Cottage Cross-Stitch: 25 Charming Patterns to Make You Feel Perfectly at Home by Elle Noonan

My Rating: ★★★★★

If you’re a cross stitcher who loves cottage core, then this may be the book for you! Inside, you will find 25 wonderful patterns ranging in size and skill levels. While skill levels aren’t listed on the patterns, it’s pretty easy to spot whether or not you’ll be ready for it if you’re a beginner. There’s also some information on tools, materials, and some stitching basics to help new stitchers understand the stitches and how to read a pattern. Plus, there’s little bonus tips included with the patterns!

All in all, I really love this pattern book. I’ve also been a fan of Elle’s/stitchsprout’s patterns for a while and have been a member of their patreon on and off, so I knew this would be up my alley. I’m so excited to cross stitch some of these patterns. They are just too perfect!

Thunderstruck by Lissa Layland

Thunderstruck by Lissa Layland

My Rating: ★★★

I received a copy from Avon through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Althea Leos, aka Thea, is extremely family oriented, and choosing to work on her thesis in Norway is something she struggles with. It doesn’t help that her prestigious thesis advisor immediately dumped her onto one of his colleagues. So what’s Thea going to do? Knock her thesis out of the park, join a local activist group, and develop feelings for the leader of the group! Only Thea isn’t sure what she really wants, and what was supposed to be a drunken apology turns into her stumbling into Asgard itself. Now she just has to pass a couple tests and prove that she won’t breathe a word about the gods being real, which is hard to do when she’s got a thing for both Thor and Loki!

I really liked this book, but I wasn’t sold on the romance plot at all. There was zero romantic chemistry unless things were starting to get a little spicy. Thea kept thinking about how she was trying to get her libido under control while it was off having a nice vacation. I do like that Thea, Thor, and Loki developed pretty good friendships. I just wasn’t seeing the romantic energy.

That said, I enjoyed reading the rest of the book. There’s a wonderful cast of characters, strong family bonds, and excellent worldbuilding. I really liked how the author made our climate change impact the Norse gods, which was a really interesting take on things that I hadn’t seen before. I just wish the story leaned more into this and less into the romance plot. I don’t know if this is the first book in a series, but it seemed like a series opener that could be left as a stand alone. If the story does continue, I will definitely check it out.

My Sister Took My Fiance and Now I'm Being Courted by a Beastly Prince, Vol. 2 Kiduki Hoshikawa (artist), Yū Sakurai (author)

My Sister Took My Fiance and Now I'm Being Courted by a Beastly Prince, Vol. 2 Kiduki Hoshikawa (artist), Yū Sakurai (author)

My Rating: ★★★★

After accidentally catching Prince Leonhart’s eye, Cordelia’s life is quickly changing now that she finally has someone on her side. Unfortunately for her, her family doesn’t see eye to eye, and she’s about to clash with not only her sister, but also her parents. Meanwhile, Leonhart’s own family troubles are coming to a head as his brother plots against him and tries to drag Cordelia into it!

I really enjoyed the first volume, which had a surprisingly amount of depth. However, this volume is closer to what I was expecting the first time around. So much happened and there were several times that we skipped straight over the believability factor with Cordelia’s responses. I guess this is the start of her healing journey, but in a crazy way since she’s being kept on her toes elsewhere.

That said, I still really enjoyed the volume. It was fast paced, the story was mostly good, and we started to see some justice of sorts in action. I do think we should’ve seen Cordelia’s family begin to face the music at a different time than we see Leonhart’s own brother’s shenanigans rear its ugly head at full force. Everything happening at the same time rather than focusing on one or the other took away from both plots in the end, but that’s just my opinion.

All in all, I did enjoy the book, I just wish it explored the way things impacted Cordelia and Leonhart differently than it did. I also wish that the plot points with the two families came to a head at different times. Otherwise, it was a fast paced read that had me absolutely glued. It’ll be interesting to see how things go from here, especially with the way things ended with Cordelia’s family.

Goodbye, Horrible Fiancé, Hello, Fun Magic School Life! Vol. 2 by Mashimesa Emoto, Nitou Akane (Illustrator)

Goodbye, Horrible Fiancé, Hello, Fun Magic School Life! Vol. 2 by Mashimesa Emoto, Nitou Akane (Illustrator)

My Rating: ★★★★

Free of her ex-fiancé, Misha is free to make her dreams come true, so that’s exactly what she’s doing. Now she’s happily studying and making friends at magic school with her familiar by her side. In fact, she’s even joined the organizing committee and is scrambling to figure out what type of menu she wants to propose! Misha is also becoming incredibly close to Vil, but right as she realizes that she’s developed feelings for him, she hears some damning rumors about him that could change everything. Is she doomed to always have her heart broken, or is Vil being framed?!

This was another cute and enjoyable read following Misha at magic school. There’s a little bit of mystery in the same breath as the first volume, which was interesting to see pan out. However, I think the friendships and other connections are the strong points of these books. I just can’t wait to see all of Misha’s relationships continue to develop. Plus, I enjoyed getting to know more about the characters, especially Ehr. I also like that we get an extra from Noah’s point of view at the end, which gives us some additional insight.

My only complaint is that Misha is extremely naive, and remembering her past life doesn’t give her much experience on that front. I was actually taken straight out of the story a few times because of it. Otherwise, this continues to be a fun vibe read. Gem continues to be my favorite character, and I’m interested in seeing what we learn about them when the next volume eventually drops.

My Sister Took My Fiance and Now I'm Being Courted by a Beastly Prince, Vol. 1 by Kiduki Hoshikawa (artist), Yū Sakurai (author)

 

My Sister Took My Fiance and Now I'm Being Courted by a Beastly Prince, Vol. 1 by Kiduki Hoshikawa (artist), Yū Sakurai (author)

My Rating: ★★★★

As the eldest daughter of a count, Cordelia grew up with a very strict education befitting her family’s status. Unfortunately, she also grew up in the shadow of her extremely spoiled younger sister, Priscilla. The sisters couldn’t be any more different, and their parents are too busy doting on Priscilla to notice that their entire family’s reputation is in the trash. Priscilla has always taken anything her older sister likes, but even Cordelia was stunned when she discovered that included each of her fiances! Four broken engagements later, Cordelia is resigned to life as a spinster. What she didn’t expect was to accidentally catch the eye of Prince Leonhard!

I picked this up looking for a semi-light read and got sucked in right away. We follow Cordelia as her latest fiance is about to leave her for her younger sister. At this point, she’s accepted life as it’s always been for her. She’s carrying a lot of hurt, trauma, anger, and resentment thanks to the way her parents and sister have treated her for a long time. Cordelia’s healing journey hasn’t begun yet, and I think a lot of people will be able to relate to her feelings and responses to both positive and negative attention.

Despite the heavy layers to the story, the author balances it out with their world building, a touch of humor, and positive characters and plots. It may not have been the light read I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it. There’s an excellent cast of characters, and Prince Leonhardt crashes into the picture with a positive force. He’s also got the heart of a lion. Literally! Their interactions also bring in some hilarious moments that had me cracking up.

All in all, I’m looking forward to picking up the next volume. I really liked the characters, the world-building was excellent, it has a lot more depth than I was expecting. Plus, the artwork was beautiful and really helped bring the story to life.

The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy (Dearly Beloathed #2) by Brigitte Knightley

The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley

My Rating: ★★★★

When Osric finds out he’s in need of some specialized healing, he manages to bribe Aurienne to let him be her experiment. What the unlikely duo never expected was for this experimental healing to actually start to work, or that they would fall for each other along the way. While Osric and Aurienne avoid sorting out their feelings, they also begin to look for who is behind the pox outbreak. Something weird is going on and lives are at risk, especially if Aurienne and Osric get caught!

While I enjoyed the first book, it wasn’t exactly my favorite. However, I liked it enough that I was really looking forward to reading this when it dropped. I’m excited to say that I ended up loving it! We follow Aurienne and Osric through their rotating perspectives as they fall in love and prepare for a war they just discovered is coming. The romance itself was a pretty slow burn at first. I was pleasantly surprised when it eventually began picking up speed and busted a move from that point forward. I think my favorite part about this romance is the emotional connection between Aurienne and Osric. This is my favorite type of romance, but it also made a lot of sense for the characters.

I also really liked the world building and getting to know some of the other characters more. Plus, the humor cracked me up this time around, which I really enjoyed since some of the humor in the previous book felt forced. That said, I did reach the end of the book and felt like the story was a little incomplete. I don’t think it’s actually incomplete, but that we spent so much time leading up to the start of the war only for the story to wrap up seemingly early into that plot point. 

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this enough that I will likely reread it in the near future. The romance and humor went hard this time around, but the emotional connection was really top tier. I do wish we saw more of the supporting characters, and I don’t think we needed all three epilogues, but I ended up really loving the story.

The Alien Jungle Warlord's Bride (Starfallen Brides of Xytheos #1) by A.V. Wilcott

The Alien Jungle Warlord's Bride by A.V. Wilcott

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from NMZ Fantasy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When war threatens Elena Parks and her friends' lives, they’re forced to flee New Terra on an ancient spaceship that’s barely running. Lucky to make it out alive, the twenty survivors find themselves crash landing on Xytheos and getting married off by the Concord Stone. Now Elena’s married to Rythar, the Warlord of the Green Reach, and she’s about to be split up from the rest of her friends. Pissed about her predicament, she’s determined to hate Rythar while taking off to save her friends and regroup. The only problem? It’s hard to make a run for it when you don’t know anything about the planet you’ve landed on, and Elena’s discovering that she’s more attracted to Rythar than she wants to admit.

We follow Elena, an engineer and trauma nurse, from the moment she’s about to flee New Terra. We also occasionally follow Rythar, but we mostly follow Elena. I do wish we switched off to Rythar’s perspective more often, but I’m happy with the chapters we got. I really loved both characters and enjoyed all of the world building as well as some of the supporting characters that we got to know. There was also a lot of information to take in, but it never felt overwhelming because we never got too much at once.

My only complaint is that for someone who is supposed to be so smart, Elena kept getting riled up and jumping into action without properly formulating a plan. It bothered me because she seemed to learn from how going from A to Z without much planning never panned out, but then would do it all over again. Otherwise, she was a great character to follow. I just wished we got to see Elena learn from her mistakes when she’s supposed to be the leader of her friends.

That said, this won’t be a book for everyone. Elena is from New Terra and was part of the breeding program since humans are dying out. Xytheos is facing the same problem, and while they are genetically modified to the point that they’re no longer human, technology can’t cure the high infertility rates or low birth rates. The Concord Stone selects its so-called perfect matches with the best chances of success at procreation in mind, so think fated mates meets sci-fi. While the relationship that Elena and Rythar slowly build is based on communication and consent, the marriages happened because of rules that Elena and her friends had no say in. Check your trigger warnings before picking this up so you can pass on it if you need to.

Goodbye, Horrible Fiancé, Hello, Fun Magic School Life! Vol. 1 by Mashimesa Emoto, Akane Nitou (Illustrator)

 

Goodbye, Horrible Fiancé, Hello, Fun Magic School Life! Vol. 1 by Mashimesa Emoto, Akane Nitou (Illustrator)

My Rating: ★★★★★

When Misha von Ritual’s fiancé reveals that he’s been cheating, everything from her previous life in another world comes flooding back to her. Double as mad, Misha makes sure to throw hands before calling off the engagement. Now that she’s not working herself into an early grave to take care of her two timing ex-fiancé, she has a chance to think about what she wants to do with her life. Misha always wanted to go to magic school, and now she finally has a chance to make it happen!

This was such an enjoyable, cute, and light-hearted read. We follow Misha from the moment she realizes that it’s finally time to live for herself. She has a heart of gold and is always happy to help if she can. I loved most of the characters, but Misha’s familiar, Gem, turned out to be my favorite. We don’t know too much about them yet, but I loved seeing them hanging out and working with Misha. Gem has such a great personality that it was hard not to love them!

While this is a light and fun story, I really enjoyed learning about the world Misha lives in. The magic system is pretty interesting so far, and the characters are more complex than they seem on the surface. There’s also a bit of mystery, and anyone who knows me can tell you that I love mystery plots. Plus, the artwork that comes up every so often is so cute. I’m looking forward to checking out the next volume and seeing where the story goes from here!

Fleet of Wonders (Fleet of Wonders Duology #1) by Erin Hànyù Lynch

Fleet of Wonders by Erin Hànyù Lynch

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Eliza’s abusive parents throw her out, she decides that it’s time for her and her best friend to finally get out of the slums. She and Jules just have to pose as foreign nobles and compete in the naval competition with prizes worth the risk of trapping themselves on a ship with their teammates. It’s how they find themselves on the Belladonna where they make enemies, find romance, and quickly discover that this competition doesn’t care who makes it out alive.

We follow Eliza and Jules through their rotating POVs as they work their way toward the front of the competition that asks them to face death at the hands of their rivals. They face racism at every turn in a world inspired by different points in history that you will quickly recognize. This story heavily deals with racism, diaspora, verbal and physical abuse, parental death, and deportation.

I loved Eliza and Jules in this medium paced steampunk historical fantasy. I also found Eliza’s smithy abilities interesting, so I’m interested in learning more about the magic system all together. The challenges were kind of all over the place whenever they were actively solving a riddle or building something, which kept taking me out of the story. Otherwise, it was an excellent read that was often character driven, which I really enjoyed. While I love my fast-paced books, I always really enjoy reading character driven stories. I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes next, especially after that cliffhanger.

Pupposites Attract, Vol. 3 by Hono Natsuna

 

Pupposites Attract, Vol. 3 by Hono Natsuna

My Rating: ★★★★★

When Kiyotaka and Chiharu spend some time at a relaxing and dog friendly bed and breakfast, they manage to make new friends along the way. Is romance in the air, or is that just Kiyotaka and Chiharu starting to fully realize they have feelings for each other? It turns out it’s more than just them because Chako has a longtime crush on Kiyotaka’s brother, and she’s been mistaken as his friend!

I really enjoyed reading this volume. It was cute and fun, but we also got to know Chako and her best doggy bud, Aniki! I really enjoyed learning more about her and how she’s always struggled with making friends. I also liked learning about her relationship with her grandfather and how she and Aniki became so close. While the focus of the volume wasn’t them, I really liked getting to know them better and seeing how they’re going to fit in the story as it continues.

This is such a heartwarming series. It’s really nice to see the series start to really blossom now that we’re three volumes in. If you like slice of life stories with slow burn romances, this will be an excellent series for you. Plus, the artwork is stunning and I love seeing all the dogs! I’m really excited to pick up the next volume and see how all of the characters will continue to develop.

Between the Veil (Between the Veil #1) by Zoe Zeman

Between the Veil by Zoe Zeman

My Rating: ★★★

When Auden lost her parents, she was sentenced to a lifetime of beatings and nightmares for reasons she doesn’t understand. Despite that, she’s managed to build a life with her two closest friends who make life worth living. Everything changes when the blood sucking immortals from another kingdom arrive claiming it’s time to take her back with them. It’s also when she learns she’s trading one prison for another, and that the only true thing she’s ever known is the prophecy that’s haunted her every step of the way.

For some reason, I wasn’t expecting this to be a slow-paced story, but I really enjoyed it. We mainly follow Auden as her life gets turned upside down, but we also get rotating POVs of Everette and Azriel along the way. I really enjoyed following Auden and Azriel, but not really Everette. I found he has next to no personality and I really ended up just disliking him the longer I read. I also wish there was more world building early into the story, which would’ve made it easier to get into the story. I just felt more in the dark than Auden was for the first 10 chapters, and she didn’t even fully learn what was going on until toward the end of the book.

I knew there was going to be a love triangle, but I wasn’t expecting to have absolutely no interest in Everette. He and Auden have no romantic chemistry, and their friendship felt super forced. This becomes even more glaringly obvious when Azriel enters the picture because he has excellent chemistry with everyone, and the romantic chemistry between him and Auden is fire. I just couldn’t take the friendship or romance between Auden and Everette seriously, especially as we got deeper into the story and we learned more about the real reason he was there. We kept being told how close their friendship was when it felt forced, and how in lust the two were with each other when that also felt forced.

Despite my issues with the love triangle and lack of world building, I really did enjoy this. I liked a number of the characters and was interested enough in the premise to keep reading even when the world building was lacking. I’m obviously not a fan of the love triangle, so I’m hoping Auden ends up with Azriel because I honestly don’t see a single reason why she’d choose Everette in the end. I don’t want to say too much about the prophecy or who Auden is, but I think it was worth the wait to get some big answers. I’m hoping the next book is more polished than this one, but I did enjoy reading this debut novel from the author.

The Bone Altar Bride (The Blood Oath Cycle #0.5) by E.C. Gregory

 

The Bone Altar Bride by E.C. Gregory

My Rating: ★★★

I received a copy from BookBaby through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Liora Hale’s name was selected as the next sacrificial bride, she’s numb. It’s a Blood Moon, and if the Unnamed King doesn’t get a new bride, her village will go through a rough year for disobeying the curse. However, Liora knows the truth behind her name coming up, and she’s desperate for answers to questions she’s always been lectured for daring to ask. When it turns out the Unnamed King and the curse are completely different from what she’s been told her whole life, Liora is ready to fight back.

I thought this novella sounded pretty interesting, and the first half had me totally hooked! We follow Liora from the moment she’s about to learn she’s been selected as the latest bride. I think the plot was an interesting concept, and I really did enjoy seeing all the lies unravel. However, I think it would’ve worked better as a full-length book rather than a novella. There just wasn’t enough time to properly build up a romance, so it ended up falling completely flat on that front.

That said, I really did enjoy the first half of the novella. It had a lot of potential and I think it would’ve worked really well as a full-length book or a novella without the romance plot. Unfortunately, I’m on the fence about checking out the first installment when it comes out. By the time I reached the final page, I had forgotten that this is the opening to a series rather than a stand-alone romantasy novella. The story wrapped up pretty well for me, so I’m not feeling particularly drawn to continuing, but we’ll see what happens.

Breaking Up Was the Plan, the Duke Falling For the Villainess Was Not! Vol. 2 by Kotoko, Ataka

Breaking Up Was the Plan, the Duke Falling For the Villainess Was Not! Vol. 2 by Kotoko, Ataka

My Rating: ★★★★

When Grace was reincarnated as the villainess in one of her favorite books, all she wanted was to make sure that Zane and Charlotte got together. What she didn’t plan for was for things to go completely off the rails when she saved Zane’s sister! Now he’s fallen crazy in love with Grace and is refusing to let her break things off. What’s worse is that something is strange about Charlotte, and Count Gardner is putting in his best effort to try to seriously court her. Poor Grace. Nothing is going right!

I almost dropped this book during the first chapter because I was just not vibing with it, but I’m glad I stuck with it! I was fully sucked back into the story by the end of chapter two and ultimately really enjoyed reading this. However, Grace is unnecessarily dense, and some of the things Zane has said and done are quite alarming. Those are my only real complaints about the book.

Otherwise, it’s an enjoyable story. I like several of the characters, and the world building is pretty interesting. Haniwa is my favorite character, and I really want to see what happens as their abilities get stronger alongside Grace. There were some things about a few characters, Charlotte included, that were confirmed for me as well. It’s made me more interested in seeing how one particular plot will unfold, so I’m excited to pick up the next volume.

Cozy Kawaii Christmas: 50 Adorably Festive Coloring Pages by Editors of Cider Mill Press

Cozy Kawaii Christmas: 50 Adorably Festive Coloring Pages by Editors of Cider Mill Press

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Cider Mill Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for the perfect cute and cozy Christmas coloring book, then this may be the book for you! Inside you will find 50 festive coloring pages depicting a range of scenes with adorable animals featured in each scene. The festive pages are on the more detailed side, so this may be a coloring book for middle schoolers and older. I love that the coloring pages are printed on only one side of each page, so I won’t have to choose which page I want to color in and which page will be sacrificed to my alcohol markers bleeding through. All in all, it’s an adorable coloring book!

Perfectly Fine on My Own, So My Fiancé Can Twist in the Wind, Vol. 2 by Jun Hareta, Yahiro Arase

Perfectly Fine on My Own, So My Fiancé Can Twist in the Wind 2 by Jun Hareta, Yahiro Arase

My Rating: ★★★★★

Now that Keios has learned that he accidentally rejected Nicole at every turn, he’s doing everything he can to win her back. Unfortunately for him, every time he tries to make things right, everything goes completely wrong! Meanwhile, Nicole is as happy as can be now that she’s put her expectations on the table. She’s discovered her independence and is content with the future she sees for herself, and it doesn’t involve romance… or possibly Keios at all?!

I’ve been really enjoying this series so far. This time around, Keios has learned the error of his ways and is trying to fix it. Along the way, we get to know some of the characters a little more, especially Keios and the reasons behind his previous actions. It was another fun volume! I especially loved watching Nicole really embrace doing what makes her happy while Keios chases after her.

What I enjoy most about this series is that there aren’t any quick fixes that magically make everything better. While it’s fun to see things run a lot more smoothly than they do in reality, it’s always good to see someone have to actually try to learn from their mistakes and put in the work to fix things with the person they hurt. I also love that Nicole has moved on, so it’s going to be pretty hard for Keios to mend things. It’s been fun watching his misadventures while Nicole is living her best life with the support of her peers the whole way. I’m looking forward to checking out the next volume!

The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts (The Marlow Murder Club #5) by Robert Thorogood

 

The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts by Robert Thorogood

My Rating: ★★★

I received a copy from Poisoned Pen Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When a new killer starts up in Marlow, the Marlow Murder Club is ready to find out who is going after celebrities. At least, part of the club is because Judith is out of it thanks to a surprise from someone linked to her past. To make matters worse, Tanika has been suspended, so they’ve lost the only person officially on their side. Will the trio figure things out, or does this spell the end of the Marlow Murder Club?

I’ve mostly really enjoyed this series, so I was a little sad to discover that this was almost a miss for me. This installment fizzled out fast and felt like two books smashed together for the first half of the book. I was honestly just bored unless it pertained to Judith’s past turning up at her front door or if someone was being questioned for the investigation. I really struggled my way through and almost gave up a few times during the first half, especially because of the lack of cohesion.

Thankfully, things picked up halfway through and I really enjoyed the majority of the second half of the book. Everything started pulling together and it was pretty solid. It also felt like the early books in the series, which was really nice. I enjoyed seeing all my favorite characters, though it sucked to see Tanika sidelined for the entire story.

While I ultimately enjoyed the book, I feel like this was a read for big fans of the series. I honestly would’ve ditched it if I wasn’t a big fan going back to its debut, but I’m really glad I stuck with it because it really pulled together around chapter 18. I’m not sure if this is the final book in the series, but it sure felt like it, so we’ll see what happens!

Breaking Up Was the Plan, the Duke Falling For the Villainess Was Not! Vol.1 by Kotoko, Ataka

 

Breaking Up Was the Plan, the Duke Falling For the Villainess Was Not! Vol.1 by Kotoko, Ataka

My Rating: ★★★

When Grace was reincarnated as the villainess in one of her favorite books, she’s determined to make sure things go according to plan so that her OTP can get together! Now she’s on a mission to appear as mean as the Grace everyone in this world knows without actually hurting anyone. Things begin to go off the rails when she saves a character who doesn’t survive in the original story, but nothing prepares her for Zane to fall more deeply in love with her than she intended. How is he supposed to meet his true love if he won’t let Grace break things off?!

I really enjoyed following Grace as she tried to keep the original story on track. It was interesting to see how she got along with others before she had “amnesia” as well as seeing who was truly on her side as this new and reformed Grace! However, I had a hard time believing she was an adult in her original life because she came off as a very sheltered teenager suddenly thrown into her favorite book. I understand having a lack of dating experience, but she seemed to be 100% naive and lost in every single area.

That said, I did enjoy the story. It did get a little boring around the middle, but then it picked up again and hit the ground running. I’m loving all the characters, the world, and just the story itself. I just wish Grace wasn’t basically a very sheltered teenager rather than an adult from our world. However, the story is funny and even heartwarming at times, so it’s worth checking out if you can get past the inconsistencies with Grace in the present vs who she was in her former life.

Magical Karina, Vol. 1 by Coyuri Tono

Magical Karina, Vol. 1 by Coyuri Tono

My Rating: ★★★

I received a copy from Kodansha Comics through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Karina’s grandmother passes away, she barely has time to start grieving because there’s a monster on a mission to feed on her! Some guy called Zen hopped in to help, but he’s calling on her to transform, and she doesn’t want to get involved. Unfortunately for her, she needs to transform to survive the monster’s attack, and Zen just got eaten?! Now she’s on a mission to save Zen from staying dead, but she’s going to have to squeeze it in between work and school. There’s only so long she can outrun her grief even when it’s not intentional, and it’s lurking around every corner no matter where she goes.

I haven’t read that many magical girl stories, but I thought this was an interesting one since Karina doesn’t really want to jump into that life. She’s got enough on her plate between school and work, and that’s not even including the fact that her grandma just passed away. Karina is also riddled with guilt because while she loved her grandma, she’s also relieved to escape the person dementia turned her into. Due to the heavier plot, this may not be a story for everyone, but I think the author is handling it well so far.

Not everything is bleak, because there’s a fantasy plot where Karina can transform into a magical girl and fight evil, even if it’s just for now! Though, it’ll be interesting to see who is really evil, who falls in the middle, and if Karina and her friend Yuni will have to choose a side depending on what gets revealed later. Speaking of Yuni, she turned out to be my favorite character. I’m looking forward to seeing what she uncovers while helping Karina and being the voice of reason. Something isn’t adding up, and Yuni isn’t going to let Zen fool her.

While I think the series has a lot of potential, I also think that this volume was unintentionally chaotic. There’s a lot going on to set up the series, but it was a little too much in one go. I’m hoping it settles down a little in the next volume so we can really see the author’s vision and watch the story unfold.

The Failure at God School, Vol. 3 Modomu Akagawara (Artist), Natsu Hyuuga (Original Story), SEIKAISHA (Character Design)

 

The Failure at God School, Vol. 3 Modomu Akagawara (Artist), Natsu Hyuuga (Original Story), SEIKAISHA (Character Design)

My Rating: ★★★★

Now that midterms are sneaking up on her, Nagi is stressed but determined to do well. Once she learns Touta has the best test scores, she seeks him out in hope that he can help. Unfortunately, things go awry once Touta sees the plushie her brother uses to stay in touch with her! Things make even less sense when he tears the plushie apart, revealing there’s a curse doll inside. This turn of events becomes illuminating in ways Nagi never could’ve predicted.

I’ve been enjoying this story a lot, so I was excited to finally pick this up! This time around, we pick up right as Nagi thinks she can relax only for her to discover that mid-terms have snuck up on her. Things take an unexpected turn as we begin to dive deeper into Touta’s story while also expanding things on the mystery front. I’m not going to say much about the mystery because that’d be spoilers, but things took a big jump and the details don’t quite add up. However, I’m willing to suspend belief on that unless it turns into a major plot hole at some point.

Otherwise, I was fully absorbed in the story. I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes and how the mystery plot will play out now that there’s been a big jump on that front. I’m also excited to get to know more of the characters since each volume has let us see behind the exterior of various folks.

Spellfire by Agatha Willow

Spellfire by Agatha Willow

My Rating: ★

I received a copy from Harper 360 through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Bryn graduated from the Grimoire Academy, she thought she’d never return. She has a love/hate relationship with the old school, especially after her first girlfriend publicly humiliated her there. Unfortunately for Bryn, she’s back on campus since her favorite professor passed away and left her their entire personal library. It also requires her to return to campus to pack up the collection and potentially run into Amelia, her former crush and now headmistress of the academy!

It’s a cute story with a lot of potential, but it reads more like it’s really Bryn’s diary without the diary format. Unfortunately, the longer I read it, the more I had a hard time believing these two characters were 23/24. They read more like two 18-year-olds while having roles that didn’t match up to that. I didn’t make it past the 20% point because I just got bored with how technical it was about Bryn’s work details. I also just feel like the character’s ages don’t match up with how the characters thought and acted, which kept taking me straight out of the story. I’m looking forward to seeing what Agatha publishes in the future, but this sadly turned out to be a miss for me.

Betrothed to My Sister's Ex, Vol. 1 by Chikage Nakakura, Tobirano

Betrothed to My Sister's Ex, Vol. 1 by Chikage Nakakura, Tobirano

My Rating: ★★★★★

As the second daughter, Marie was always considered the ugly and useless daughter doomed to be her family’s servant. Everything in her family is skin deep, and Marie has never met their standards. Even at what was supposed to be her own birthday celebration, her older sister Anastasia was set to take the spotlight from the start! Little did she know that she’d accidentally meet Count Kyros at the same party, or that it would lead to his engagement to Anastasia?! Unfortunately, the count confused which sister he fell in love with because he never got Maria’s name! In a crazy turn of events, Maria finds herself engaged to the count, and has a chance to escape her abusive family.

I can never pass up a Cinderella retelling, so of course I had to pick this up! My heart absolutely broke for Marie. She grew up with verbally and physically abusive parents, and her older sister silently went along with it even in her adult life. The verbal abuse and Marie having absolutely no self-esteem hits a little too close to home, so I feel really close to Marie because I completely understand her. I’m also curious about Anastasia because we really didn’t see much of her, but apparently she was nice? I guess we’ll see if it turns out she did indeed fake her death like I think she did, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out she went through a different kind of abuse from their parents.

All in all, this is among my favorite reads for the year. The story is well written, there’s a range of characters to both love and hate, and there’s so many ways the story can move forward as Marie slowly unpacks everything she’s gone through and begins her healing journey. I can’t wait to pick up the next volume and eventually check out the light novels and the manga! I have a feeling that this will become one of my favorite Cinderella retellings.

Perfectly Fine on My Own, So My Fiancé Can Twist in the Wind, Vol. 1 by Jun Hareta, Yahiro Arase

Perfectly Fine on My Own, So My Fiancé Can Twist in the Wind, Vol. 1 by Jun Hareta, Yahiro Arase

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Vertical Comics through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since Nicole met her fiancé, she’s felt nothing but stone-cold rejection. Keios only has eyes for his childhood friend, Princess Caroline, and barely even pays attention to her even when she’s sitting in front of him. After many hurtful encounters, Nicole decides that enough is enough. If Keios is going to ignore her even when they eventually marry, then she’s going to embrace her interests and do what makes her happy! Unfortunately for Keios, the entire academy has noticed every time she turns up solo around town or to an event, and happier than they’ve ever seen her! He can’t figure out what she’s doing or why. Will he lose her before they ever have a chance, or will he face the music?

I was 100% sold on this story from the moment I started reading it. As soon as Nicole realized she was worth so much more than Keios and what he was putting her through, she chose herself over destroying herself for someone who has never shown they care. 5 out of 5 stars? This was 10 out of 5 stars; no notes. I wish I could somehow send this book to teenage me even though my situation was completely different because I really needed to see a character like Nicole back then. I can’t wait to see how Nicole continues to blossom as the series continues, but I’m also looking forward to learning more about some of the supporting characters!

Marrying the Dark Knight (For Her Money) 1 by sometime, Suoh

 

Marrying the Dark Knight (For Her Money) 1 by sometime, Suoh

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Kodansha Comics through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Clarice sees an opportunity to save her noble family and her younger sister, she jumps on it without a second thought. Of course, this means she’ll have to marry the super scary Dark Knight who can punch through walls and defeat even the scariest of monsters! Who needs romance when the Dark Knight can pay for the medical treatment her sister needs while also saving her family from complete financial ruin? Clarice has a plan, but it all flies out the window as soon as it turns out the Dark Knight is disguised as a man thanks to society refusing to allow women to become knights. Now Clarice is on a mission to get to know her new spouse and make sure her sister is saved!

I picked this up because it sounded like it would be fun, and I’m happy to confirm that it met my expectations! We follow Clarice as she embarks on a journey to make sure that her sister receives the medical treatment she urgently needs while also saving her family from entering the final stages of financial ruin. Of course, the Dark Knight doesn’t make it easy for her to get close to! Once Clarice stumbles onto her secret, she’s faced with certain death or making things work even if Frost makes it difficult.

Personally, I really enjoyed this. Despite the reasons behind Clarice jumping face first into a political marriage even her parents didn’t want to agree to, it’s a light and hilarious read. I really needed something light and fun, so it was the perfect pick-me-up read. Plus, there’s an interesting cast of characters that I can’t wait to get to know as the series continues. I’m curious to see what the Dark Knight, aka Frost, is like once she eventually lets Clarice see past the surface.

The Last Best Quest Ever by F.T. Lukens

The Last Best Quest Ever by F.T. Lukens

My Rating: ★★★

I received a copy from Margaret K. McElderry Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ellinore is more than ready to retire from her adventurous life as a quester. It’s too bad that fate has other plans for her because her twin brother, Zig, will lose his life if she doesn’t get her hands on the horn of a mythical Elder Beast! The problem? Her entire questing history is a lie! Ellinore always finds a way around killing the beasts on her quests, but now she has to put off her retirement one last time and go on a quest with her brother and Princete Aven or risk losing her brother forever.

This is one of those books that I really enjoyed while also struggling to read it. It had a really fun and upbeat vibe with a fairly slow pace, and the two didn’t quite align for me. That said, it was really enjoyable to follow Ellinore as she embarked on her final quest. Unlike her previous quests where she occasionally had her good friend and dragon, Dave, by her side, she has two people she wouldn’t choose to take with her: Zig and Aven. If there’s one thing I love, it’s people going on an adventure with people they wouldn’t choose and then seeing the shenanigans start to unfold.

There are some truly excellent characters. Dave, Zig, and Aven were easily my favorite characters. I personally feel they really brought a bright light into the story. There were other characters that I loved too, like Farrah and Rylan, but what I loved most is that there was such a range of characters that really added to the story. Honestly, I almost wished this was told in rotating perspectives over just following Ellinore because that’s how good several of the characters are.

All in all, this was a fun read. The humor was excellent, I had my favorite characters, and I just enjoyed watching everyone come together. My only issue came down to the pace, which didn’t really match the overall vibe. Otherwise, if this sounds up your alley and you don’t mind modern slang being used in a fantasy universe, then it might be worth picking up.

Stella Must Die 1 by Yasunori Mitsunaga, Ine Ohtaka

Stella Must Die 1 by Yasunori Mitsunaga, Ine Ohtaka

My Rating: ★

I received a copy from Kodansha Comics through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When the King of Hillvalley passes away without a male heir, the question of succession becomes an outright battle. Princess Stella is content to sort things out peacefully, but her two step siblings just painted a target on her back! Unfortunately for them, Stella is mysteriously indestructible and seems to survive everything they try. Little do they know that she has a terrifying parasite protecting her, and he’s originally from another world!

This started out great. Then it turned out that this is actually a story about a Japanese man reincarnated as a parasite living inside of Princess Stella, and he’s determined to make sure they both live. Based on the official summary, there is absolutely no way anyone could ever predict the direction this book takes. I think it could’ve worked if it was a comedy, but it was a weird horror with zero humor. The artwork is great and the opening of the story pulled me in, but the rest was just really bizarre. This is one of those stories that you need to know what you’re getting into or there’s a good chance you’re going to struggle your way through it. I think there’s definitely an audience for it. Unfortunately, I am not among that audience.

Black Torch, Vol. 5 by Tsuyoshi Takaki

Black Torch, Vol. 5 by Tsuyoshi Takaki

My Rating: ★★★★

This was a great volume, but I was left wondering if there was supposed to be a second series or something with how it ended. So many plots were left open! It turns out the series was cancelled during its run, which makes so much sense. However, the character panels at the end should've wrapped things up; it made me think a follow-up series was coming because this major arc had finished. It turns out there's an anime adaption, so hopefully it'll run long enough to wrap the series up properly.

Bull Moon Rising (Royal Artifactual Guild #1) by Ruby Dixon

Bull Moon Rising by Ruby Dixon

My Rating: ★★★★★

As the daughter of a Holder, Aspeth Honori grew up around her family’s powerful magical artifacts that were excavated from Old Prell. Unfortunately, her family is broke, and her father’s gambling addiction has left them without the artifacts that protected them. Aspeth’s knowledge combined with her fascination with Old Prell leads her to cook up a plan: she’s going to join the Royal Artifactual Guild and steal some artifacts to restore the Honori Hold! Armed with Squeaker the cat, Aspeth and her close (and only) friend, Gwenna, are about to shake things up and join a heavily male field not open to accepting women. One thing leads to another, and Aspeth marries her teacher, Hawk, because it turns out she needs a chaperone to join!

I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting into when I picked this up since Hawk is a minotaur, but Ruby Dixon is always putting out excellent books, so I decided to check it out anyway. It turned out I didn’t have anything to be scared of, especially since this turned out to be a fantasy adventure vs a fantasy romance! That said, the romance has a large plot. Just don’t jump in expecting a super spicy story. I would say this was 1-2 chili peppers out of 5 if anyone asked what the spice rating was! Just tuck in and prepare yourself for the Conquest Moon, which is when Hawk and all Taurians go into a rut. Spice? It’s going down!

Plus, the story is absolutely hilarious on and off. I had such a good time reading this. There’s an excellent cast of characters, but Gwenna, Lark, and Sleth are my favorites! I also liked that we saw Aspeth learn that you should never meet your heroes. I feel for her! I’m looking forward to continuing to get to know the supporting characters as the series progresses, especially since there’s new leads in each book. I’m not sure how many books this series will turn out to be, but I’ll be along for the ride either way.

Voices in the Sea Foam by Kotaro

Voices in the Sea Foam by Kotaro

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Vertical Comics through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The first time Aioto fell in love, he remembered his past life as a mermaid princess who gave everything up for a chance at love. Things didn’t end well for the mermaid princess, but now that he’s human, he’s determined not to suffer the same fate. Love’s a curse, and in Aioto’s case, he loses his voice and walking is incredibly painful every time he’s in Toru’s presence. Will he find a way to break the curse or swear off love forever?

I’ve always been a huge fan of The Little Mermaid, so of course I had to pick up this retelling! We follow Aioto as he tries to figure out how to break the curse he’s carried with him into his first life as a human. Along the way, we get to know him, his close friend and roommate, and of course Toru! I enjoyed watching them get to know each other and eventually watch Aioto come to terms with the trauma that his very soul has been carrying. It was a wonderful story, and of course the artwork was amazing!

Strange Lights by Mira González

Strange Lights by Mira González

My Rating: ★★★

I received a copy from Bindery Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Reggie enjoys life on the road in their beat up old Winnebago. It’s not exactly a normal RV… and their daughter may or may not be a Chupacabra. They spend their days investigating all things paranormal while making sure their so-called mortal enemy and paranormal podcaster crush, Calvin, doesn’t stumble on anything legit. Things were going well until the anti-supernatural agency that Reggie’s been hiding from finally catches up to them, and their poor daughter, Eldi, is caught in the cross-fire! Now Reggie is ready to put everything on the line as long as they’re able to help Eldi escape to safety.

While I enjoyed reading this, I felt like the story was told out of order. We follow Reggie through the book, which is told in five parts. The first half was one crazy and wild ride that’s told in two parts. There was so much going on that it occasionally got overwhelming, but I was fully entertained and having a great time while reading it. Part 3 was totally out of place and should’ve actually been part 1. I was extremely confused at first because the story suddenly jumped into a very serious prequel detailing years of parental abuse without warning.

Other than this feeling like three books squished into one while being told slightly out of order, I did enjoy reading this. Just prepare to get your heart stomped on several times! I highly recommend starting with part 3 and then read parts 1-2 and 4-5. Trust me, it will make so much more sense this way!

The Book of Blood and Roses (The Callisto Chronicles #1) by Annie Summerlee

The Book of Blood and Roses by Annie Summerlee

My Rating: ★★★★★

Rebecca Charity is a vampire hunter working her way up the ranks, and her latest mission is to go undercover at a vampire university that’s recently started accepting human students. Finding the rumored Book of Blood and Roses will help Rebecca finally get closer to finding out who killed her parents, but at what cost? Not only is her roommate a vampire, but she’s also from the extremely powerful Astra family! Things only get worse when she accidentally becomes Aliz Astra’s familiar, amping up the attraction she was already failing to hide.

I liked this book so much that I forgot it was a new release and was ready to go buy the next book and start it ASAP! We follow Rebecca in this slow burn romance that makes her question everything she’s learned from the moment she learned of her parent’s murder at the hands of vampires. I don’t read a lot of dark academia, but this checked off every single box. I especially loved the supporting characters, which I hope to learn more about in the next book. Plus, the romance is on fire. The chemistry between Rebecca and Aliz was sizzling from the second they were finally face to face. I’m looking forward to the next book!

Honey Bee & Lemon Balm, Vol. 1 by Jil Hashikura

Honey Bee & Lemon Balm, Vol. 1 by Jil Hashikura

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Kodansha Comics through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fresh out of prison, Kaoru Mitsuya just discovered that not only have the people he once ran with abandoned him, but he also has nowhere to go! Running into the gentle and kind Yuichiro Shirouzu turns out to be life changing, and not just for Kaoru! It turns out that helping each other is just what they both need. Will this adorable and unlikely duo confess their feelings for each other, and will any secrets come between them?!

This manga had me at florist shop romance! We follow Kaoru and Yuichiro as they slowly fall in love in this funny and adorable story. The artwork is stunning, the story is cute and funny, and I really enjoyed following the leads and one of the supporting characters. However, I was surprised at how abruptly this volume ended. I was happily reading when it suddenly ended without warning, which was a strange way to go about things! Otherwise, I really enjoyed reading this and am excited to check out the next volume in what appears to be a trilogy.

Fly by Night by Tara O'Connor

Fly by Night by Tara O'Connor

My Rating: ★★★

When Dee’s twin sister goes missing, she returns to her hometown to finish the last of her senior year of high school while the search for Beth is on. Right after arriving at her mom's, she quickly discovers that she may no longer know her own sister after their parent’s divorce separated them. Restless, Dee searches for Beth and finds herself caught up in the race to save the pinelands in the name of building a pipeline. The more she becomes involved, the more she thinks her sister’s environmental activism may be the key to finding out what happened to her… unless it turns out to be the local cryptid she just discovered is real!

After checking out one of Tara’s other books, I finally picked this up and started it. We follow Dee while she searches for her missing sister and becomes involved in the efforts to save the pinelands. Along the way, we discover a local cryptid is real, and Dee is about to find out if they’re her friend or foe! First off, the artwork is absolutely phenomenal and really helps bring the story to life. I think it will be hard for any reader to not notice how stunning the artwork is!

The story has a lot of depth with Dee’s home situation with divorced parents who are fighting like nothing has changed, Beth’s disappearance, grief, and a huge dose of environmentalism. There’s even more, but you’ll have to find that out for yourself! However, I think the environmental activism would have been far more fitting if Dee and her sister were in college rather than high school. Because of this, it feels like two different stories mashed together and the activism plot feels super out of place at times. 

While I loved the book, I just wish it didn’t feel like two completely different stories collided at times. I really like the environmental activism plot, but how huge of a plot it was seemed shoehorned into a story about sibling bonds, stress, grief, and betrayal. I think the activism plot should’ve either been the main plot of a different story or scaled back while still remaining important to the story. Otherwise, it was a good read, so prepare yourself to be emotionally wrecked.

Cry Out Loud by Tara O'Connor

Cry Out Loud by Tara O'Connor

My Rating: ★★★★

Nell is a super independent and stubborn teenager who just got suspended from school. Now she’s angry about being forced to spend the rest of the term with relatives she’s never even met, especially when she’ll be completely cut off from her friends. Her distant relatives are just as crappy as her mom, and she’s about to discover why: she’s this generation’s blood sacrifice for an ancient ritual that’s been performed for generations! At least there’s one person on her side, but can Nell really trust her?

This was such a good read! We follow Nell as she’s being sent to stay with some distant relatives after being suspended from school. Her mom has always acted like her existence was an inconvenience, so it’s easy to see why Nell is rebellious and struggling. Once she’s at her aunt’s place, things get a little spoopy when what appears to be a ghost keeps appearing to her. It seemed like things were going to lean toward the paranormal side with the ghost that was actually a banshee, but don’t let that fool you! This is very much the monster lives inside your own house type of story that I thought it’d be.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much town lore, and we get briefed on banshees at one point, but that’s about it. Banshees aren’t that scary when it turns out that poor Nell’s family has been plotting to kill her since the moment she was born, but because there’s next to no town lore and we never learn how Nell’s family got involved with the ritual or how far back it goes, it doesn’t hit as hard as it could’ve. However, I do think that part of the target audience likely won’t notice this while reading.

That said, I really enjoyed reading this. The artwork was beautiful and helped tell the story, Nell was an excellent and multi-layered character to follow, and the love story was cute. I just wish that we got more lore about the town and Nell’s family involvement in the ritual. I’m left with so many questions, including whether or not her parent’s marriage was an arrangement and if her dad knew she was this generation’s sacrifice. Otherwise, it was a good read and I felt bad for Nell the whole way through. I think a lot of readers are going to identify with a lot of what Nell is going through outside of the magical realism part of the story.

Behind Five Willows by June Hur

Behind Five Willows by June Hur

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Feiwel & Friends through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Set in late 1700s Korea, Shin Haewon and her sisters spend as much time as they can at their local secret book lending shop, Five Willows. Not only does Five Willows secretly loan out books censored under Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty’s rule, Haewon is also an illegal book transcriber for them under the name Magpie. Everything changes when Haewon’s older sister, Jade, falls in love with a wealthy man who is accompanied by his uptight friend who looks down on Haewon and her family. The more time she spends with this irritating man, the more she realizes they may have misjudged each other on a colossal level because they have a lot more in common… including their secret identities with Five Willows!

I absolutely loved every second I spent reading this. We follow Shin Haewon and Lord Yu Seojun through their rotating perspectives in this excellent Pride and Prejudice retelling. Every time I picked up this book, I had a really hard time putting it down because it was just so good! I loved the characters and the story itself so much that I can’t wait to purchase the book when it comes out toward the end of May.

If you’re not familiar with the era and you want to pick this up, I encourage you to do at least a little research to familiarize yourself with what was going on politically at the time. While it’s not a must, and the author does give context in the opening and author’s note, I think it really can’t hurt before you get started!

All in all, this is an excellent book. If you’re a fan of June Hur, like Pride and Prejudice, enjoy a slow burn romance, strong sibling bonds, and/or top tier writing, you cannot go wrong with this. I enjoyed the previous novel I read from June Hur and got excited when I saw she had something new coming soon. I think this is going to make it into my top 5 books of 2026 even though we’re still early into the year.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy (Dearly Beloathed #1) by Brigitte Knightley

The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley

My Rating: ★★★

When Osric Mordaunt finds out he’s in need of some very specialized healing, he receives even worse news: Aurienne Fairhrim is his only hope. There’s little chance that she’d agree… unless he makes a very hefty donation toward the Platt’s Pox inoculation fund! One large anonymous donation later and the two are in business, but it requires Aurienne to turn away from science and jump into the Old Ways. Will these natural enemies find a way to work together before they tear each other’s heads off?

I really liked the plot, but it was trying way too hard to be super witty at every single turn. If I didn’t like the characters and the plot itself so much, I might’ve closed the book and never turned back. Thankfully, I kept on reading because I ended up really enjoying it. However, I think I would’ve liked it more if it wasn’t trying so hard on the cheeky front.

Overall, it was a really fun and entertaining book. Aurienne and Osric are entertaining to follow, and some of their antics were absolutely hilarious. Honestly, I think the book had me when Aurienne got attacked by a sentient piece of paper. I also enjoyed meeting the variety of characters who come and go, though I hope to get to know some more of the characters a little better in the second book.

All in all, it’s a fun book to read. If you’re looking for an ultra slow burn romance, then this might be something for you because the slow burn starts very late in the game. At one point, I almost forgot they were supposed to eventually fall in love, so keep that in mind if you pick it up.

This Deadly Touch by Aimee Donnellan

This Deadly Touch by Aimee Donnellan

My Rating: ★★★

I received a copy from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tia grew up in a convent thanks to the rare condition she was born with that kills people with necrosis magic if she has skin to skin contact with them. The convent is all she’s ever known, but a letter from someone intent on curing her was just too good to pass up. One easy escape from the convent later, Tia and her potential savior, Asha, embark on an adventure in hopes to cure her of the condition that’s actually an ancient curse placed on multiple bloodlines.

This is such a cute feel good romance following Tia and Asha through their rotating perspectives. I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but this book might’ve been a little too fluffy because the stakes were almost always non-existent. Every time they came up against something or someone that could put them through the wringer, it was immediately solved or turned out to not have been an issue.

That said, I really did enjoy this book for the most part. I really enjoyed following Tia and Asha as they slowly fall in love and introduce Tia to the world she’s never been allowed to see before. It’s a light read, but if you’re not used to books that are at this level of fluffy, it’s possible that it’s not the right book for you. For me, it felt like we weren’t going anywhere for a while just because everything went too smoothly and some of the plot points were random at times. Plus, the ending left me feeling like a portion of the story was missing.

However, I liked the book and liked the characters. It was just too fluffy for me, especially when I didn’t expect it to be anywhere near as light and fluffy as it turned out to be. The romance plot was amazing once it got rolling, but I wish the rest of the story was a little more focused and that the curse itself had a bigger plot point.