This is a near-perfect enemies-to-lovers bodyguard romance set in an Ottoman-inspired setting. There are misconceptions! Political intrigue! Random swordfights! It’s just lovely and I absolutely devoured this book. After his sister the empress safely delivered her daughter, Kadou should be relieved. Instead, high tempers and a misunderstanding lead to a deadly end, and Kadou feels like it’s all his fault. Determined to prove himself, he takes on investigating a break-in with his stern new guard, Evemer. But what should be a simple case of robbery turns out to be much worse, and the fate of the entire empire may lieRead the Post
Review: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches – Sangu Mandanna
I’ve read several of this author’s YA releases, so when I heard she was coming out with an adult romance – and then saw THAT COVER – I was desperate to read it. Add in a slow burn grumpy/sunshine romance? Pure comfort. It’s the book equivalent of sitting by a crackling fire with a hot drink on a rainy day, all warm and cozy under a blanket with a book close by. It’s also got so many found family feels that my heart felt like it was bursting. “An absent archaeologist, a housekeeper, a librarian, a gardener, a retired actor,Read the Post
Review: The Monsters We Defy – Leslye Penelope
While I don’t read too many historicals any more, I have a definite thing for magical ones. And since I loved the author’s previous fantasy series, I was especially curious to see where she would go with this book. Well, my curiousity was well-rewarded. After all, it’s a magical heist novel! Clara was born with the ability to see spirits which can sometimes be a pain, even when talking about her grandma Mama Octavia who alternately scolds and helps her. But that’s not the only power she had. In desperate circumstances, she made a deal with an Enigma, an otherworldlyRead the Post
Review: Beating Heart Baby – Lio Min
When someone reached out and asked if I wanted to review this book, it only took one look at the cover for me to say yes. It’s gorgeous, a little bit messy, and absolutely perfect for this book, which completely ripped my heart out and made me so happy it did. It’s a love letter to music, to anime, to queer found families and to Los Angeles. “Someone calls out, “What’s your name, Santiago Arboleda?” I take a deep breath and answer: “My name is Beating Heart Baby because I’ve got good taste in music, I’m a fake freshman, and,Read the Post
Review: What Moves the Dead – T. Kingfisher
The last T. Kingfisher book I read (The Hollow Places) made me terrified of willow trees and school buses, and now this one made me terrified of rabbits (technically hares, but, ya know). Which is to say, this is another astoundingly imaginative work. While it’s certainly not necessary, I’d recommend reading Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” before this as it’s based on that short story. It gives you a great appreciation for how the author changed (I’d say improved) the story. As a side note, Alex is Gallacian. Their language has a lot more pronouns than EnglishRead the Post
Review: The Merciless Ones – Namina Forna
Completely separate from the book, but can we just talk about what a disappointment the cover is? The cover for The Gilded Ones was fire, but this? I mean, it’s not bad, but it’s nowhere near as great. This was one of my most anticipated sequels of the year, and it didn’t disappoint. Since this is the second book in a trilogy, this review will contain spoilers for the first book. Deka has taken her place as the Nuru, the chosen one of the Gilded Ones, the four goddesses who have promised to overthrow the misogynistic priests and bring peaceRead the Post
Review: The Stardust Thief – Chelsea Abdullah
Wow. This book absolutely knocked my socks off. Much as you’d expect from a book loosely based on 1001 Nights, it’s a story about stories, about the stories we tell about ourselves and how they can constrain us or free us. Loulie survived the attack that killed the rest of her tribe, and with the help of her jinn friend Qadir, has risen to become the Night Merchant, the mysterious seller of jinn relics. When the sultan summons her and commands her to go on a quest to retrieve perhaps the most dangerous relic of all, she has no choice butRead the Post
Review: Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments – T.L. Huchu
T.L. Huchu’s The Library of the Dead was one of my favorite books of last year, so you better believe I went nuts when I saw that unbelievable cover. Just like the first, this book is captivating, immersing you in the world of a post-catastrophe Edinburgh through the eyes of one teen girl who can quote Sun Tzu one moment and then fall back into Scottish slang the next. After the events of the last book, Ropa’s ghostalking business has tanked. But that’s ok because she’s soon to start a paid apprenticeship with Sir Callander, her mentor and one of theRead the Post
Review: Hunt the Stars – Jessie Mihalik
I have basically two responses to a book I absolutely, ridiculously love. I either make tons of highlights because I just love every single line of prose, or I highlight almost nothing because I’m too caught up in the story. This book is definitely of the second variety. It also hits all of the right notes for me, with a focus on found family, a twisty plot, and just enough romance to keep my HEA-loving heart interested. “I’m a bounty hunter. I hunt criminals and murderers; I don’t work for them.” In the few years since the decades-spanning war betweenRead the Post
Review: Love & Other Disasters – Anita Kelly
That cover is incredibly gorgeous, and it actually accurately represents the main characters! Dahlia’s hair! London’s freckles! And like the cover, this book is just plain adorable. The authenticity of their feelings was such a breath of fresh air and I loved every bit. Dahlia is still reeling from her divorce, but cooking is the one thing that makes her feel in control of her life, the one thing she’s good at. She quit her job to go on Chef’s Special, an amateur cooking reality TV show, and without the prize money, she’s not sure what she’ll do afterward. Well,Read the Post
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