Category: Books

Six Scorched Roses (Crowns of Nyaxia #1.5) by Carissa Broadbent | Review

Posted September 7, 2026 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I’ve been deep in a reading slump this year which I think can be largely attributed to the number of underwhelming Romantasy books I’ve read. I used to adore the genre and now it’s so oversaturated and often written to tropes that it’s more often miss than hit when I do pick up a title (even a hyped one). I read Broadbent’s first two novels in the Crowns of Nyaxia series a few years ago and remember being quite engrossed, but for some reason had never gotten around to continuing. I figured I was less likely to get burned by […]

Bad Mormon by Heather Gay | Review

Posted August 17, 2026 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I have been on a total RHOSLC kick this year, so of course I had to pick up Heather’s book! Honestly, this combines two of my favorite topics: deep diving into the sociological aspects of religion + reality tv. I chose to listen to the audiobook so I could get the whole experience listening to Heather narrate it and I had a pretty good time. First off, I have to say I loved how the book is broken into “bad” parts (e.g., “bad daughter”, “bad missionary”, etc.) It’s very tongue in cheek but also serves to show how Heather never […]

The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham | ARC Review

Posted August 15, 2026 in ARCs, Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

Apparently dishy, posh East Coast boarding school novels are the niche I didn’t know I needed, but here we are. The Thoroughbreds, a sequel to last year’s The Academy, was one of the easiest five stars for me to give this year. I cannot get enough of Tiffin Academy! I was a little uncertain as to the execution of the plot in this second installment given one of the biggest mysteries was resolved in book one, and this book does read much more like a slice-of-life into the senior year of high school- and I honestly adored it! I loved […]

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo | Review

Posted April 22, 2026 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

You know that GIF of Lady Gaga where she’s going “Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, etc?” That’s literally how I feel after finishing Ninth House not an hour ago. I literally jumped right online to write my review so I can immediately dive into Hell Bent. I haven’t read a book that’s hooked me this much in such a long time. I know I’m late to the party considering it was published *checks notes* 8 years ago, but I’m trying this new thing where I am actually reading the books I want to read (what a concept, right?) that I’ve had […]

Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West | ARC Review

Posted April 19, 2026 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC for review* I’ve really been enjoying Kasie West’s foray into adult romance. Her adult debut last year, We Met Like This, was really fun and was the first contemporary romance I had enjoyed in quite a while. I had no hesitation that I was going to similarly enjoy Stranger Things Have Happened, but unfortunately it didn’t quite hit the same way its predecessor did. As with We Met Like This, this book follows a woman in her late twenties, Sutton, who is at a pivotal point in her career. […]

The Thorn Queen by Sasha Peyton Smith | ARC Review

Posted April 14, 2026 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

The scream I scrumpt when I saw I had been approved for The Thorn Queen on NetGalley was truly something. One of my top anticipated releases of 2026, The Rose Bargain was a sleeper hit of 2025 (IMO at least- I don’t see nearly enough people talking about it!) that left off on quite the cliffhanger. I often dislike comp titles because it often does books a disservices, but this series truly feels like Bridgerton x The Selection x The Cruel Prince and I am here for it. *Spoiler Warning- This review contains some spoilers for book one in the […]

The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith | Review

Posted April 13, 2026 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I used to be an avid YA reader, who then over the years pivoted mainly to adult, and romantasy before “romantasy” was even a word. Sometimes it can feel like I’ve seen it all, and while still enjoyable, many of the books I read can feel formulaic. Therefore, I was so thrilled to find The Rose Bargain to be a fresh, compulsively readable addition to both the YA category and romantasy genre, and its sequel is going to be one of my most anticipated reads of whatever year it’s released! The synopsis touts the novel as a cross between The […]

King of Ravens by Clare Sager (Upon a Broken Throne #1) | Review

Posted April 6, 2026 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I am clearly overly optimistic in this era of Romantasy oversaturation, but I still do get SO excited when I hear about an interesting new Romantasy title. Sure, Fae books are a dime a dozen these days, but then I hear phrases like “King of the Dead” and I’m reeled right in. King of Ravens follows Rhiannon, a chronically ill 30-something year old who’s home bound due to her illness and has had to make peace with her limited life. However, a series of events leads to her being taken to the Underworld by the Fae King of the Dead […]

The Chase by Elle Kennedy | Briar U #1

Posted March 30, 2026 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I loved the original Off Campus series by Elle Kennedy, so I was excited to find there was a spinoff with some of the younger, background hockey players, the Briar U series. While The Chase was an easy, addictive read, I found myself cringing a lot while reading- it just did NOT age well. The Chase focuses on Fitzy, a hockey player who’s also a gamer and tech wiz in his spare time who’s been mentioned throughout the original series quite a bit, and Summer, Dean’s younger sister. It was a smart idea to focus on characters who were relatively […]

The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives by Elizabeth Arnott | ARC Review

Posted March 18, 2026 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

Thriller meets historical fiction in this fast-paced, high stakes read that follows the young wives of serial killers who are now behind bars, examining how they move forward and reconcile their identities in the aftermath of their husbands’ crimes. I thought the premise for this book was fascinating from the get-go. I think there’s always been a horrific curiosity around the families of serial killers…how do they move forward? Deal with guilt? Start over? How do you live with that kind of specter hanging over you for the rest of your life? That’s the premise of Bev, Margot and Elsie’s […]