Review: Beast Business (Hidden Legacy #6.5) by lona Andrews

Beast Business by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

A thrilling novella by #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews, set in the spellbinding Hidden Legacy World.

Show as little as possible. Make them think that illusion is all you have. Your life depends on it.

Augustine Montgomery is an Illusion Prime, the highest rank of magic user. The people who have seen his real face can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The people who've witnessed the full extent of his power are dead. Illusion isn’t just his brand of magic. It’s become his lifestyle.

One day Diana Harrison walks into the office of Augustine’s premier PI corporation. Diana is also a Prime, a mage who bonds with animals through her magic and prefers their company to humans. Something precious has been stolen from House Harrison. Something Diana must recover at all costs before it perishes.

Augustine is cold, rational, and calculating. He doesn’t get emotionally involved, but something about Diana disturbs the careful balance of Augustine’s inner world. She asks for his help, and he can’t refuse.

Neither Augustine nor Diana are who they appear to be. Both would die to keep their secrets. But the enemy they face is unimaginably powerful, and saving the life at risk will demand the ultimate price, one neither ever expected to pay – complete honesty.

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REVIEW

It is a truth universally acknowledged that I am part of the Book Devouring Horde, or BDH for short, the dedicated fandom and readership of Ilona Andrews. Their most recent book, This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me, is undoubtedly my top read of 2026. Yet the world of Hidden Legacy still has more stories to offer, particularly those told from the perspective of secondary characters such as Augustine Montgomery.

The Illusion Prime we met and, in a way, came to like (?) in the first and second trilogies of the series now gets the chance to tell his own story as he races against time to save a... magic-powered cub. By his side? The elusive and animal-mage Prime Diana Harrison, who may have a few secrets of her own.

As they navigate the power plays of Houston's magical society, they may discover that they have more in common than they initially thought.

I enjoyed this story immensely. I would recommend reading the Nevada Baylor trilogy first, followed by the Catalina Baylor trilogy, to get a better understanding of the characters and the society in which this story unfolds. That said, if you prefer a fast-paced read, this book also serves as a great introduction to an alternative world where magic exists thanks to a serum that grants people magical powers and has reshaped the course of history.

Augustine has always been something of an anti-hero in my eyes: ruthless yet intelligent, and a master of his magic. I particularly enjoyed seeing how he tried to avoid clashing with Diana, who, in turn, restrains both her magic and her emotions out of fear, but also because, deep down, she simply wants to be understood.

The action is interspersed with comedic moments, while the developing romance, although a subplot, is certainly there. I'd love to see more of these two, and I sincerely hope the power duo that is Ilona Andrews delivers!

Definitely recommended!

About the author: 

“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.

They have co-authored several bestselling series, including the #1 NYT bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, rustic fantasy of the Edge, paranormal romance of Hidden Legacy, and Innkeeper Chronicles, which they post as a free weekly serial. For complete list of their books, fun extras, and Innkeeper installments, please visit their website at Ilona-andrews.com.

Review: "S'more of You" (Summer Lovin' #1) by Tessa Bailey

S'more of You by Tessa Bailey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

In this steamy rivals-to-lovers short story from New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey, a drama-loving camp counselor confronts the crush she’s been nursing for years on her gruff, rule-following fellow counselor.

Senior counselor Margot Berry is finally going to tell Dean Ingram how she feels. Sure, she’s been pranking him for eight years and they’ve formed something of a rivalry. But surely that will all be set aside when she fesses up to her crush, right? Wrong. Dean assumes her confession is just another prank. Can she convince him she’s for real before the camp session ends?

Tessa Bailey’s S’more of You is part of Summer Lovin’, a sweet and sultry collection of short summer romances that turn up the heat—and the heart. Read or listen to each short story in one easy, breezy sitting. And to fully immerse yourself in the flirty fun, try out the direct-to-listener audio experience.

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REVIEW

In this delightful bite of a book, we get standard Tessa Bailey in her stellar writing about misunderstandings, emotional support, and swoony romance, even if it comes in marshmallow size.

Summer camp counselor Margot is in love with Dean, who is also after the death of his parents, the camp owner, and a fellow counselor. But Margot has a...weird way to show her love, mainly via pranks. So when she decides to finally confess her feelings, he, rightfully, thinks she is pranking him again.

This story is exactly that. Two people who confess their feelings over the summer camp and with the shenanigans of the children they take care of.

It's sweet, it's a delightful read, and it ends way too quickly, just like a marshmallow. If you enjoy Tessa Bailey's writing this book is for you.

About the author:

New York Times Bestselling author Tessa Bailey can solve all problems except for her own, so she focuses those efforts on stubborn, fictional blue collar men and loyal, lovable heroines. She lives on Long Island avoiding the sun and social interactions, then wonders why no one has called. Dubbed the “Michelangelo of dirty talk,” by Entertainment Weekly, Tessa writes with spice, spirit, swoon and a guaranteed happily ever after. Catch her on TikTok at @authortessabailey or check out tessabailey.com for a complete list of books.

ARC Review: "This Blade of Ours" (This Monster of Mine #2) by Shalini Abeysekara

This Blade of Ours by Shalini Abeysekara
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

Sarai believed the worst was behind her. However, months after exposing the government’s corruption in what has now been deemed “the Great Unravelling,” she faces scorn from citizens who preferred her and Kadra as the underdogs than victors. Worse, eerie omens rock the country: from a deadly plague outbreak to a sweeping madness that leave the afflicted ranting of an approaching reckoning. Accused of angering the gods, Sarai returns to the only place that can clear her name: Ur Dinyé’s frozen north. But among the secrets buried in its ice are Kadra’s.

Cursed with frightening, new abilities, Kadra struggles to protect Sarai against a land at odds with itself. When historical tensions worsen between the north and the south, a powerful religious order seizes control in the chaos, led by a man whose very voice can kill—Noceo bu Kader. Trapped between love and a crumbling country, Sarai and Kadra must outwit a power with roots as deep in fear as in cruelty. But the gods are always watching, and Sarai and Kadra may not escape a second time.

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REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

The second and final book of this series begins with a bang, bringing to a thrilling closing crescendo this amazing series. Shalini weaves intricate politics, backstabbing, plotting, romance, and magic in a tapestry of morally grey characters with the center of them being Kadra and Sarai. My beautiful stabby couple has a hard time managing a crumbling city from within, while at the same time, more danger lies on the horizon. Something dark and godly lurks, and it wants to devour the city of Edessa.

The story never lets you rest as the events unfold one after the other. The religious Order hunts Sarai, Kadra may or may not have visions of a god, and a new string of murders may be connected to a new epidemic.

The story is refreshing and vibrant in its descriptions, not to mention the romance between Kadra and Sarai. They complement each other so well despite both their traumas and pasts. I loved reading about them, and moreover, it was refreshing having a male character not being a Shadow Daddy. The series is a hidden gem, and it deserves more praise and love.

Absolutely recommended.



About the author:

Shalini Abeysekara (she/her/hers) is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of This Monster of Mine. As a former corporate lawyer, she enjoys using fantasy to interrogate reality, exploring monstrosity—perceived and real—and centering neurodivergent women of colour reckoning with themselves and their place in a world that tells them they’re too much and not enough. She is passionate about demystifying traditional publishing for all writers. When not writing, she games her life away and tries to make the perfect entremet. Most days though, she can’t believe she's an adult, and hope you don’t either.

Her debut dark fantasy romance, This Monster of Mine, is an Ancient Rome-inspired bloodbath of manipulation, deception, and forbidden love. A second novel will follow in 2026.

Follow her @shalini.writes on IG/Tiktok to be the first to hear about promotions and more! 

Review: "The Moon Raven" by Grace Draven

The Moon Raven by Grace Draven
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

Disaris jin Gheza's rare gift for code-breaking means she must flee a conquering army and a fanatical cult, or become their prisoner and pawn. To evade capture, she will cross perilous territories and sorcerous borders, her aim, rescue her sister from captivity and stop a goddess bent on remaking the world through destruction and bloodshed.

But she won't be facing danger alone. The battle mage known as the Moon Raven travels by her side. Once Disaris's best friend and lover, Bron is now an uneasy ally with a death bounty on his head for desertion.

Bound together by memories and a bond that they both believed broken, the two fugitives must outrun a deadly tracker, save a kingdom, and crush a savage deity - all without dying in the effort.

A tale of loyalty and longing.

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REVIEW

It has been a while since I enjoyed a good Grace Draven book. Not for her lack of trying, but mostly because I love all her books, I can not simply choose one. After the author's health issues, this book felt like a comeback to her trademark writing; beautifully crafted worlds feeling fleshed out even for a stand-alone book, romance that develops sweetly and has its trials, and characters both with strengths and weaknesses making them lovable.

Disaris is a prisoner, and the tower she is in is about to collapse from the siege, which has been going for almost two years. By a stroke of luck she is saved by none other than Bron the Moon Raven, warrior and magician of the enemy whoc also used to be her first love and best friend. As the story progresses and Disaris and Bron must unravel their own feelings, war closes in. Disaris has the magic gift of translating everything and anything with a glance, and that is not easy when everyone either wants to use her or simply kill her.

And Bron has to contest both her rejection a few years back and his own feelings, as he never stopped loving her.

The book strikes a delicate balance between storytelling and character development. It goes back and forth between past and present, showing how Bron and Disaris met as children and grew up together.

It does not feel stifling, yet at the same time gives room for more development, as for example we see through Draven's descriptions the everyday life of the village our characters live in. Or how magic manifests without having to memorize a whole glossary of terms seen in other fantasy books.

There is spice, and trust me, they both deserve it after everything they have been through, but it is not the main focus of the book; it just complements the story as a whole.

Overall, this was a great book by one of my top authors, and I surely wish I could have a sequel about a specific sister and another magician.

About the author:

Grace Draven is a Louisiana native living in Texas with her husband, kids and a big, doofus dog. She has loved storytelling since forever and is a fan of the fictional bad boy. She is the winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice for Best Fantasy Romance of 2014 and 2016, and a USA Today Bestselling author.

“Grace Draven is the gold standard for fantasy romance” ~ BookRiot

“When it comes to fantasy romance, Draven is in a class by herself”~ RT Book Reviews

ARC Review: "Vanguard" by Karina Halle

Vanguard by Karina Halle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

Her kiss may be deadly, but he’s indestructible.

Erasmia "Mia" Baxter is her agency's most lethal operative, genetically engineered to have poisonous saliva. But having the kiss of death is hell on her social life. Her future holds no romance, no family, no intimacy of any kind—only killing for her country.

When her special ops group hears rumors that America's first enhanced soldier—Vanguard—may be more deadly weapon than savior, Mia is tasked with infiltrating his inner circle to investigate. What she finds is a former military asset with a hidden dark side—and the only man she can kiss without consequence.

Intoxicated by the obsessive passion rising between them, Mia falls deeper into lust with each new sensual encounter. But the closer they become, the more she realizes there might be truth to the rumors. Vanguard is changing—becoming more violent, more devious, less…human. And the truth of her identity might push him over the edge entirely.

In a world where heroes and monsters are separated by the thinnest of lines, Mia must Is the man she's falling for worth saving? Or is he the weapon he was created to be—one that will destroy her first?

A dark romance special ops spy thriller with a post-dystopian sci-fi bent—VANGUARD has the gripping twists and turns of BLACK DOVES paired with the seductive intensity of Runyx’s DARK VERSE series.

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REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

TW: dub con

Karina Halle strikes again with a post-apocalyptic/dystopian book set in a future not so far away and feeling way too familiar with this reality we all face.

Erasmia, Mia is an elite spy from London, with a mission: learn everything she can about America's new hero, the enhanced human Vanguard, and if her is a threat, terminate him with a kiss. You see, Mia is also an enhanced human whose kiss is deadly, making her the perfect spy but also caging her in loneliness.

When her mission becomes more complicated than she anticipated, both she and Vanguard will face the consequences of their forbidden romance.

What drew me to this world was the world-building. This felt different from what Karina usually writes in a good way. The world the story is set on is not the distant 2040s, where the States come out from the so-called Dark Decade and corporations essentially rule behind the scenes. AI is dangerously incorporated into everyday life, and the surveillance is almost Big Brother-like. Mia and her team face a lot of difficulties, but nothing is more mysterious than Vanguard, or as he was known, Nate.

Nate was a very interesting character one I came to like despite what he faces and some of his very very wrong choices. Not to mention that in true Halle style the book ended in a spectacular cliffhanger with a revelation you do not expect! Definitely recommended!

About the author:

Karina Halle is a screenwriter, former music & travel journalist, and the New York Times bestselling author of Grave Matter, Blood Orange, & The Royals Next Door, as well as 80 other romances across all sub-genres, ranging from spicy rom coms to gothic horror and dark fantasy. Needless to say, whatever you're into, she's probably written an HEA for it.

When she's not traveling, she, her husband, and their pup Perry, split their time between a possibly haunted 120 year-old house in Victoria, BC, and their condo in Los Angeles. 

ARC Review: "A Curse of Beasts and Magic" (Beautiful and Beastly #1) by Jeaniene Frost

A Curse of Beasts and Magic by Jeaniene Frost
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

New York Times bestselling author of The Night Huntress series Jeaniene Frost returns with a brand-new series! It’s Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this dark fantastical retelling, except Beauty IS the Beast, and he’s the Warden keeping mythical beings in check in our world and beyond.

Raine Stone was the sole survivor of a horrific creature while camping. Her account of the attack was attributed to shock, but Raine knows all too well that her story is true because now she carries that same Beast inside her!

She’s been restraining its violent urges by letting it 'feed' on the pain and chaos she’s exposed to as an ER nurse, and by playing vigilante against would-be muggers at night. But when Raine uses the Beast’s energy to heal a frail elderly gentleman from a seemingly random attack, she opens herself to a new world of danger—literally.

Remington “Remy” Byrne knows that the wall between a realm of deadly mythic creatures and our own world is very thin; he’s the Warden who guards the gateways between them. He also rules the supernatural creatures living in secret among us. Raine’s Beast makes her an intruder on Remy’s territory, but the elderly gentleman she saved is Remy’s grandfather, and her Beast contains power that could tip the scales in a sinister plot against Remy’s rule—if Raine allies with him.

Will they be friends or foes…or will the dangerous attraction between them turn into something else? And can our world be saved by their explosive alliance?

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REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this amazing first book of the new series by my all-time favorite Jeaniene Frost! When I saw the cover reveal and the blurb, I made an offering to the book gods and they answered!

Our story follows Raine an ER nurse who is also possessed by a mysterious beast, which feeds on pain, violence, and negative feelings. Having no idea what this beast is and its origin, Raine fears for those around her and tries to find different ways to 'feed' it.

That changes when a kidnapping and a fight among supernaturals bring her to the attention of Remington “Remy”, Warden of realms, powerful magic user...and swoony all over. As they try to find a way to control the Beast inside Raine, they become entangled in magic politics, more monsters, Remy's family secrets and their growing attraction.

The story will not bore you. There is action, humor, and beautiful descriptions to complement this new world, which is similar to our own, not to mention that there are some scenes in the book that had me giggling. The dress scene is *chef's kiss*. Also, the romance did not feel forced, and both Remy and Raine grew from tentative allies to lovers in an interesting way.

This book may come out in 2026, but for me this is the best one in 2025, along with Ilona Andrews "This Kingdom will not Kill me". Definitely recommended!

About the author:

Jeaniene Frost is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author. Works include the Night Huntress series, the Night Prince series, the Broken Destiny series, the Night Rebel series, and the Beautiful and Beastly series. To date, foreign rights for her novels have sold to twenty-three different countries. Jeaniene lives in Maryland with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she rarely cooks and always sleeps in on the weekends. Aside from writing, Jeaniene enjoys reading, poetry, watching movies with her husband, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cook books frighten her.

For information on Jeaniene's books, please visit: www.jeanienefrost.com 

Review: "The Inheritance" (Breach Wars #1) by Ilona Andrews

The Inheritance by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

We are at war. The interdimensional invasion brought us unimaginable suffering, but it also awoke talents slumbering deep within us, a means to repel and destroy our enemy. Every day new gates open, leading to breaches filled with monsters and valuable resources. If you are a Talent, your country needs you. The world needs you. Be the hero you were born to be.

Adaline is a Talent. Ten years ago, she had a happy marriage and a job she loved. The invasion shattered both. Now she works for the government, searching the breaches for magic metals and medicine to help Earth repel an interdimensional enemy. Two kids, one cat, bills, benefits, mortgage and school tuition...Risking her life became routine.

She had gone into the dimensional gates hundreds of times. She was always well protected. This time everything goes wrong. Now Ada is trapped in the labyrinth of alien caves unlike any other. Her only companion is a scared German Shepherd named Bear. Together they must uncover the breach's secrets and escape, because Ada promised her children that she will come home.

The future of humanity depends on it.

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REVIEW

Solo Leveling meets the powerhouse that is the duo Ilona Andrews in this stunning new series, which is filled with action, exploration and hidden easter eggs!

Adaline's Earth changed when the first interdimensional hole opened and monsters poured out. The holes were omens of war but also awakened powers within some individuals. Ten years later, she is a Talent, great at sensing precious power sources as she travels into the pocket worlds within the holes. Divorced but happy with her children, she does her job pretty well, until a routine mission turns into a bloodbath, leaving her behind presumed dead...along with a dog and an alien whose powers she inherited. As she tries to find a way out of the pocket world she is in she will discover an ancient secret spanning millennia of galactic wars and the power she houses within her.

You must never underestimate the power os a mom. Ada does everything in her power in order to try and find a way back to Earth and to her children. She is smart and resourceful and always tries to find a solution to the problems presented to her and test the limits of her powers.

The POV moves between Ada, who is trapped inside the Breach, said interdimensional hole, and on Earth where her Guild Cold Chaos and its the leader of Elias McFeron, a powerful combat Talent, try to investigate what went wrong and lost such a unique Talent with Ada, as well as researching possible foul play. Knowing Ilona Andrews, I am pretty confident Elias is the future love interest, and I can not wait to see more of their interactions.

This book has no romance as it works in introducing the world and its mechanics, the worldbuilding and the power shifts that can easily manifest between Guilds and growing political interests. And it surely does. If you have watched Solo Levening, it is not that far behind in the idea of a world changed by the Invasion and the new power sources that can shift world power.

The ending was very satisfying. It set the way for the next book, giving us a solid start, and of course, the dog survives too. Definitely recommended!

About the author:

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

Review: "This Monster of Mine" (This Monster of Mine #1) by Shalini Abeysekara

This Monster of Mine by Shalini Abeysekara
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

She knows the taste of death. He'll stoke her hunger for it.

Eighteen-year-old Sarai doesn't know why someone tried to kill her four years ago, but she does know that her case was closed without justice. Hellbent on vengeance, she returns to the scene of the crime as a Petitor, a prosecutor who can magically detect lies, and is assigned to work with Tetrarch Kadra. Ice-cold and perennially sadistic, Kadra is the most vicious of the four judges who rule the land - and the prime suspect in a string of deaths identical to Sarai's attempted murder.

Certain of his guilt, Sarai begins a double life: solving cases with Kadra by day and plotting his ruin by night. But Kadra is charming and there's something alluring about the wrath he wields against the city's corruption. So when the evidence she finds embroils her in a deadly political battle, Sarai must also fight against her attraction to Kadra - because despite his growing hold on her heart, his voice matches the only memory she has of her assailant...

A dazzling Ancient Rome-inspired romantasy debut, This Monster of Mine is a bloodbath of manipulation, deception, and forbidden love.

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REVIEW

I keep trying to wrap my head around why no one is speaking more about this book. A Roman-inspired world filled with magic, political intrigue, murder mystery, and a forbidden romance?

Sarai's story is one of vengeance. Armed with the knowledge that someone tried and almost succeeded in killing her, she travels to the capital armed with her magic as a Petitor, capable of sensing lies, and remembering only a voice that was there the day she was killed.

What she finds is a web of intricate politics between the Tetrarchs, the ruling body of judges, and when she is assigned to work for Kadra she realizes that he was the voice she had heard that night four years ago.

As Sarai tries to discover the truth, she has to keep her story hidden from those around her, as well as one more secret that haunts her body and soul.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it was a great book filled with equal amounts of action, mystery, and romance. Sarai's and Kadra's story was very, very interesting, and I really want to read more about them. Plus, some side characters were good, others not so, but in the end, the final chapters were those that captivated me.

Definitely recommended!


About the author:

Shalini Abeysekara (she/her/hers) is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of This Monster of Mine. As a former corporate lawyer, she enjoys using fantasy to interrogate reality, exploring monstrosity—perceived and real—and centering neurodivergent women of colour reckoning with themselves and their place in a world that tells them they’re too much and not enough. She is passionate about demystifying traditional publishing for all writers. When not writing, she games her life away and tries to make the perfect entremet. Most days though, she can’t believe she's an adult, and hope you don’t either.

Her debut dark fantasy romance, This Monster of Mine, is an Ancient Rome-inspired bloodbath of manipulation, deception, and forbidden love. A second novel will follow in 2026.

Follow her @shalini.writes on IG/Tiktok to be the first to hear about promotions and more! 

Review: "Mate" (Bride #2) by Ali Hazelwood

Mate by Ali Hazelwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

A Human hybrid and an Alpha Were claw against the bonds of fate in the highly anticipated companion novel to the New York Times bestselling Bride.

Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left—if he’ll have her.

As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, nothing will stop him from keeping her safe.

But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her—and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation…

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REVIEW

The sequel to Bride caught me by surprise. Following Serena after the ordeal she had, being kidnapped by the vampires, I never expected her story to captivate me more than the first book. She slowly rediscovers her identity as a hybrid human-werewolf, and she also has to deal with the prospect of being mated to Koen, the Alpha of the Northwest pack.

Torn between duty and desire this was a really good, solid sequel. I enjoyed the humor of the wolf pack and how Serena slowly became part of the pack. What always got me were the small sentences in the beginning of every chapter from which Ali gave us Koen's inner thoughts. I loved those.

The story did not feel rushed and had a steady pace for me, at least, with a really good last part of the book. Ali never disappoints with her characters, and I would really like to see her experiment more with the genre.

About the author:

I’m originally from Italy, lived in Japan and Germany, and eventually moved to the US to pursue a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. I was a professor for about three years, but in 2022 I quit to write full time. When I’m not writing you can find me prowling around AO3, binge-watching shows with my three feline overlords (and my almost equally feline husband), crocheting, or eating candy.
(The name of the dog in the picture is Chica; she is not mine, but I wish she were. Love to Chandra Wicke for the photo, and to Barbara for introducing me to my new bestie.)

ARC Review: "All Superheroes Need Photo Ops" (Supers in the City #2) by Elizabeth Stephens

All Superheroes Need Photo Ops by Elizabeth Stephens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

A swooning photographer and a double-crossing superhero come together with electrifying chemistry in an out-of-this-world romantic comedy by the author of All Superheroes Need PR.

From the moment forty-eight alien superheroes crash-landed on Earth, photographer Monika Neumann had a favorite. She’s been crushing on the literally electrifying Taranis ever since she saw the cutie crawling out of his pod. Unfortunately, his popularity isn’t exactly crackling these days. He could use an image boost.

Monika is in. One right photo op and she’ll put her ridiculously hot lightning-bolt-wielding hero back in the public’s favor. The best part is, the mission will bring her closer to Taranis. She’s already looking forward to the sparks. Monika never imagined there’d be a worst an accidental recording that reveals Taranis could be more villain than hero. In fact, her pretty golden boy can get kind of ugly.

Going all 007 and spying on Taranis isn’t the adventure in romance and derring-do she expected. Can she trust him? Doubtful. Can she resist him? No way. Is she ready to risk everything on a shimmering Champion with the power to zap her heart in two? Well, yeah.

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REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from the author and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Getting an upcoming title by Elizabeth Stephens is always a treat! I couldn't be happier to have gotten the chance to read and review this beauty.

So our story this time focuses on the best photographer in the business Monika Newman, who also has a crush on the best of the best of superheroes, Taranis. But what no one knows is that Taranis actually is a huge jerk with an ego rivaling the sun. Knowing him, he would demand you honor him like the sun itself. And..he may be double-playing between Superheroes and villains. As Monika unwillingly becomes entangled in a tricky mission of uncovering his true motives, both may realize that they have a chemistry which will test Taranis's alliances and view of the world.

This was scorching! Freaking hot, I tell you! Do you want the action? The banter and the comedy? The spice? Scratch it, the spice was off the charts. I loved Monika, she is a strong, capable woman who also has vulnerabilities, making her even more realistic, and Taranis, while a jerk, he kind of became a cute jerk by the end of the book. Seeing also the possible next couple also made me even more excited for the next book!

Definitely recommended if you love extra spice with your superhero alien romance.

And don't miss the first book of the series.

                                                 

About the author:

Top 10 USA Today Bestselling author Elizabeth Stephens writes books where beastly men—or sometimes just beasts—always get the girl.
A full-time hybrid indie and traditionally published author, Elizabeth is best known for her Supers in the City series (Montlake) and her indie works like The Bone King and the Starling and Dark City Omega. In all of her books, readers can expect diverse casts, epic world-building, quests with unexpected twists, and women of color being celebrated loudly, Black and biracial women in particular.
When she isn’t writing, you might find Elizabeth enjoying the outdoors of the Pacific Northwest or traveling and making adventures of her own with her husband, tiny humans, and doggo, King Louis.

Review: "Alchemised" by SenLinYu

Alchemised by SenLinYu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

In this riveting dark fantasy debut, a woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy—and the man tasked with unearthing the deepest secrets of her past.

“What is it you think you’re protecting in that brain of yours? The war is over. Holdfast is dead. The Eternal Flame extinguished. There’s no one left for you to save.”

Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner—of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.

In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.

According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?

To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight—to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self—is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost.

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Kobo | BLACKWELL'S

REVIEW

This book contains a whole list of TW. A few of them include, and are not limited to: blood, death, gore, war, torture, and rape. Please proceed with caution.

Helena Marino, once a gifted healer now a prisoner of the new regime of Paladia, filled with corrupt magical families and their necromancers who commanded the undead soldiers who led them to win the war. But she is missing her memories of months leading up to her capture and so she is given to the top and most trusted soldiers of the new regime, the High Reeve. Living as a prisoner and tortured for the secrets she may be hiding does not stop her from slowly unspooling the maze of her own mind and he connection to the High Reeve.

I'll be honest. I had read Manacled and that book gutted me so I had a point of reference and knew what would happen by the end of the book. But I never expected this monster of a book to pull me in and question human morality when faced with absolute death and destruction. The world is known as Paladia. There was a ruling family, gifted with the power of pyromancy and fire and below them socially are the Guild families, which strive for more power. Helena comes as a sponsored student to the Institute, which is the higher education system all gifted magicians strive to be and develop their own affinities to metal, healing and magic in general.

The book is also separated in three parts, going from present to the past, and we see how Helena becomes entangled to the Resistance and what choices she has to make, sometimes at the cost of her own sanity. Needless to say this is a character-driven book, but the worldbuilding does not fall behind. I was surprised they allowed the authors to keep it in one single book, and I couldn't be happier for that. Kaine Ferron is also a tragic character who carries trauma and is a victim of the war and its consequences.

You can not consider this story a romance. It is a tragedy and a brutal reminder of what happens in war, but with a love story that slowly develops like a small bud trying to survive an ashen world. And the epilogue lingers with you long after the book ends.

This is one of the best books of the year.

About the author:

SenLinYu grew up in the Pacific Northwest and studied classical liberal arts and culture. They started writing in the Notes app of their phone during their baby’s nap time. Their collected online works have garnered over twenty million individual downloads and have been translated into twenty-three languages. They live in Portland with their family. ALCHEMISED is their first novel.

Review: "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: 4 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

The first in a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romantasy duology featuring a scholarly healer and a gentleman assassin, set in an exquisite fantasy world, perfect for fans of The Love Hypothesis and Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

Osric Mordaunt, member of the Fyren Order of assassins, is in dire need of healing. Naturally – such is the grim comedy of fate – the only healer who can help is Aurienne Fairhrim, preeminent scientist, bastion of moral good, and member of an enemy Order.

Aurienne is desperate for funding to heal the sick - so desperate that, when Osric bribes her to help him, she accepts, even if she detests him and everything he stands for.

A forced collaboration ensues: the brilliant Woman in STEM is coerced into working with the PhD in Murders, much to Aurienne's disgust. As Osric and Aurienne work together to heal his illness and investigate the mysterious reoccurrence of a deadly pox, they find themselves ardently denying their attraction, which only fuels the heat between them.

Romance tropes

Enemies to lovers

High interaction slow burn

Hypercompetent idiots

He falls first and harder

Evisceration as a love language

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Kobo | BLACKWELL'S

REVIEW

This book was a delightful surprise, filled with a unique magic system, hilarious moments, and shenanigans. Osric and Aurienne are sword enemies, even opposed by their magic and politics but desire can be found in the most...loathed places.

Osric is dying and what better thing to do than kidnap the best healer in the world and force her to heal him? Easy peasy. There is just a problem, Aurienne is not your everyday healer and she has a big ego to match Osric's own.

As they navigate therapy sessions, hidden political machinations and their own growing attraction, they will have to come up with more ways not to kill each other in the process. I liked the premise, the word feels like middle ages England with a good touch of magic and a system that categorizes it in 'good' 'evil' and....'chaotic'? We'll see because there is so much to explore here.

Osric was so funny in his assurance that he is the best assassin with the best ways to dispose of his enemies it was almost comical. And Aurienne was kind of a snob at start which almost made me not like her but she grew on me. The balcony scene was the best one in the whole book.

Overall this is a good story with interesting worldbuilding and a slow-burn romance.

Also recently, the cover of the second book was revealed!

About the author:

Brigitte writes what she wants to read: enemies-to-lovers romances that put the unresolved back in UST. Her debut novel, THE IRRESISTIBLE URGE TO FALL FOR YOUR ENEMY, is coming out July 2025 (Berkley / Orbit UK).

Cover Reveal: "The Light Under the Shadow Wing" (Heirs of the Second Dawn #1) by Amanda Bouchet

Welcome to the cover reveal of Amanda Bouchet's upcoming novel, The Light Under The Shadow Wing! I have loved Amanda's books since her debut series, The Kingmaker Chronicles. Without further ado, feast your eyes on this beauty!

                                           

Title: The Light Under the Shadow Wing by Amanda Bouchet

Release date: February 23, 2026

Tropes:

• Found family

• Trainer x trainee

• Who did this to you?

• Touch her and die

• Forced proximity

• Warring kingdoms

• Royalty

• Slow burn

• Dragon shifters

Blurb: 

DANGER, DESIRE, AND KINGDOMS ON THE BRINK OF WAR.

Idallia has been serving in the Dragon King’s Elite Wing of dragon shifters for nearly two hundred years. She doesn’t have fire or flight of her own, but she’s a phoenix rider with enough speed and skill to make her enemies think twice about tangling with her or her warbirds.

Centuries of life without knowing who or what you are is complicated enough without harboring a growing secret attraction, but the more time Idallia spends with Bale Cinderheart, the harder it is to stay away from the fiercely protective Dragon King. Dominant, intense…and the one man with the power to ruin everything.

Bale has centuries of ruling under his scales and more responsibilities than he has fangs. His greatest triumph is his Elite Wing and their warbirds, but his biggest fear is losing them. Especially Idallia. She’s his forbidden desire and the one person he can’t seem to let go of—even for his own good.

While the man in him guards his heart as relentlessly as the dragon in him guards his kingdom, he's also the keeper of the answers Idallia has been seeking her whole life. Revealing the truth now could cost him everything—his home, his crown, his heart…

The threat of war looms as magic fades from the world of Ellonrift. Will the Dragon King preserve the fragile peace between the kingdoms? Or burn it all down, for her…

The Heirs of the Second Dawn are interconnected standalone fantasy romance novels with no cliffhangers.

About the author:

Amanda Bouchet grew up in New England where she spent much of her time tromping around in the woods and making up grand adventures in her head. It was inevitable that one day she would start writing them down. Drawing on her Greek heritage for the setting and on her love of all things daring and romantic for the rest, her debut series, The Kingmaker Chronicles, took form. She writes what she loves to read: epic exploits, steamy romance, and characters that make you laugh and cry.

Her first novel, A Promise of Fire, was a Goodreads Choice Awards top ten finalist for Best Debut and an NPR Best Book of 2016.

Amanda lives in Paris, France with two kids, two cats, and a regular dose of fluffy, buttery croissants.