Category: Books

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 […]

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser | ARC Review

Posted March 15, 2026 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

It’s been a hot minute (e.g. years) since I’ve read a fairy tale retelling (for a while there they were all the rage!) and was surprised to see a fairy tale retelling/villain origin story pop up when I was browsing upcoming 2026 releases on Goodreads. I decided to request an ARC via NetGalley and was thrilled to be approved, but I really had no idea what to expect. I was delighted to find a fiercely compelling story about female strength and motherhood. Lady Tremaine’s life’s work is keeping up a facade that her family is wealthy and influential, but for […]

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson | Review

Posted February 23, 2026 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I am such a fan of Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, but for some reason the books I’ve read by her since just haven’t quite hit. That was certainly the case with Not Quite Dead Yet, which rounded out 2025 as my final read. It wasn’t a bad book by any means, but I found a hard time connecting with and caring about the characters, which ultimately made the mystery fall a bit flat for me. Not Quite Dead Yet has an interesting premise: a young woman is afforded the opportunity to solve her own murder. […]

And Now, Back to You | A Restoring My Faith in Contemporary Romance ARC Review

Posted February 16, 2026 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I adored Lovelight Farms when I read it by then-debut author B.K. Borison, but haven’t been able to capture the same magic since. The rest of the Lovelight books were hit and miss for me, and the first Heartstrings book left something to be desired for me personally. However, I’m SO GLAD I gave And Now, Back to You a chance because I adored Jackson and Delilah’s story! I love a good hate-to-love romance, and though “hate” is probably too strong a word for what’s between Jackson and Delilah, I loved getting glimpses of their “feud” in the first book […]