Book Review: Tidespeaker by Sadie Turner

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 384 pages
Author: Sadie Turner
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: January 6th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A girl with the power to command the tides has her life changed when she secures a job serving a wealthy noble family—only to learn upon arrival that the last person to fill her post mysteriously died, and her new employers are hiding dark secrets—in this haunting and lush debut fantasy.

Corith Fraine is a Floodmouth—her words can control water. Yet for those born with her rare elemental ability, paths forward are few, and Corith is one of the lucky ones. She has spent most of her life in a prestigious magic institution, training to one day achieve the highest possible honor for a member of her kind: the chance to serve one of the hundred noble houses.

When Corith learns she’s secured a post working for House Shearwater, a reclusive noble family living on a wave-battered island, she thinks her hard work has paid off. Until she discovers that their previous Floodmouth—Corith’s closest friend—mysteriously died in their service. And Corith is her replacement.

To learn the truth of her best friend’s accident, Corith must unravel the dark conspiracies at the heart of Bower Island. Yet doing so will require contending with the island’s deadly tides and her enigmatic new employers—including the family’s brooding youngest son, Llir, who she finds herself equally drawn to and repelled by. With her loyalties pushed to breaking point, these treacherous waters may well pull Corith under…

Thank you Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

WELLLLLLL.

I don’t know quite what to do with this book because I was interested, and then I got bored, and then it kind of picked back up again? But I’m trying to write this review only a day after finishing it and I can barely remember anything so the sticking power for this book is unfortunately low.

Some of my confusion is surrounding the fact that I don’t know if this is a standalone or not. I don’t think so? Purely based off of the ending but I’m not 100% sure. I think that frame of reference would have helped because I spent half the book wondering how it was going to wrap up the new things that kept being revealed as it went on.

I did really like the FMC, Corith. The anxiety and turmoil is relatable. Her decision making skills are a bit iffy but that’s okay. There was an attempt at a romantic plot line, without enough leverage for me to be on board. It was one of those, toss it out completely or add in a bit more to make sense, situations.

Maybe I’ll read book two? I’ll keep going with the audiobook route at least.

OH. I did love the gothic watery atmosphere. It was very haunting.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warnings: physical altercations, near death experiences, loss of life.

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Book Review: The Island House (Getaway Bay Romance #1) by Elena Johnson

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Rating: ★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 256 pages
Author: Elena Johnson
Publisher: AEJ Creative Works
Release Date: July 20th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Charlotte Madsen’s whole world came crashing down six months ago with the words, “I met someone else.”

Thirty-seven, recently divorced, and childless. That’s Charlotte when she disembarks from the plane in Getaway Bay. She wants to get away, that’s for sure. She thought the best way to do that was to buy a run-down house overlooking the bay, knowing she’ll need all her fixer-upper skills to get it in shape. Which is just fine. She’s hoping as she overhauls the house, she’ll get a life makeover too.

She was not expecting a tall, handsome man to be under the kitchen sink when she arrives at the supposedly abandoned house. She wasn’t expecting to get drenched when the non-plumber twists something the wrong way. And she certainly wasn’t expecting her heart to be well enough to feel anything for anyone.

But former Air Force pilot, Dawson Dane, has a charming devil-may-care personality, and Charlotte could use some carefree laughter in her life. But everything with Dawson isn’t sunshine and unicorns. He’s estranged from his family, though he does speak to one of his brothers. And he’s never committed to anything except his career, even choosing flying over an engagement years ago.

Can Charlotte navigate the healing process as she renovates the island house? Can Dawson finally make a commitment to a woman? Or will he and Charlotte decide a relationship is just too hard?

DID NOT WORK FOR ME.

Well y’all. This wasn’t it. It’s a short read so luckily it only took up about an hour and a half of my day (I listen to audiobooks fast, don’t judge me).

This started out as the typical beach read book. Which I didn’t mind!! I love that vibe and was hopeful about where it was going to go. The plot set-up worked for me. Plenty of forced proximity, a woman moving on from divorce and the hot guy who happens to be at her house. It works!

BUT. The insta-love does not. For someone who can’t stop mentioning not being ready for a relationship, Charlotte sure does jump in fast. Dawson, right along with her. I really would have loved more build-up. There’s some sweet moments of connection and communication between them but it all felt a little tainted by time. Not to mention, the third act made me cranky so it just fell apart.

Any who. Not sure I’ll read anymore books by this author.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Content Warnings: divorce

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ALC Book Review: The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: January 6th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this lush and romantic novel from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi, a prince is only as good as his beating heart and a maiden is only as good as her honest word. But when love and the truth become impossibly tangled, the two must figure out how to survive together, or fall completely apart.

To find love is a curse …

Prince Arris knows that marriage means murder. Thanks to a poorly worded wish to a sea witch, all one needs to rule the Isle of Malys is the heart and hand of the kingdom’s heir. Historically, this has been construed quite literally.

Thus, Arris expects that the day after his marriage and murder he will wake up as a sentient tree alongside the rest of his predecessors. His only chance at a long life is finding true and lasting love. When Arris’s parents announce a tournament of brides to compete for his hand and heart, a slew of eligible, lovely and (possibly murderous) bachelorettes make their way to Rathe Castle. Amidst glittering balls in ozorald caves, strolls through menageries of daydream trees and pearl crocodiles, tea time on glass boats and kisses that leave his head spinning, Arris cannot tell who is here out of love for him…or lust for power.

Until he meets Demelza.

As a veritas swan, Demelza’s song wrings out the truth. Forced into hiding, Demelza strikes a deal. Arris will provide her with safekeeping in exchange for her truth-telling song to sort through his potential brides.

While Arris is used to dodging death threats and Demelza is accustomed to fighting for her voice to be heard, to survive the tournament of brides requires a different kind of bravery. And perhaps the bravest thing one can do is not merely protect one’s life, but find the courage to chase a life worth living.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

THIS WAS FUN.

I went purely off of the cover x author on this one without knowing a single thing about the book. And it was fun! It’s kind of in the same vein as Assistant to the Villain where it’s fantasy but has a more humorous and cheeky air to it. With that frame of mind I enjoyed the story.

This doesn’t scream ROMANCE to me but it is heavily featured in the plot and alongside that is a whimsical plot with Arris trying to find a bride that won’t kill him. I loved Demelza and her ability to forge her own path and what her love story was going to look like.

I actually really enjoyed Demelza’s parents too. It was a different vibe than I usually read in fantasy and it made them all the more interesting. The rotating POV’s worked well too and I thought it wrapped things up well for a standalone.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild

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ARC Book Review: House of Shadows (Royal Houses #2) by K.A. Linde

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 544 pages
Author: K.A. Linde
Publisher: Bloom Books
Release Date: January 6th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

New York Times bestselling author K.A. Linde returns to the Royal Houses series with House of Shadows: the story of Kerrigan Argon, a half-Fae, half-human as she seeks her place in an unforgiving world filled with magic, mayhem, and romance. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black, and V.E. Schwab.

A half-Fae outcast. A forbidden prince. A world teetering on the edge of collapse.

Kerrigan Argon was never meant to be chosen. As a half-human, half-Fae pariah, her admission into the Dragon Society breaks every law of her world. Now she’s bound to a dragon—and to a brutal year of training that could claim her life.

But first, she must survive a journey into the infamous House of Shadows, led by the dark Fae prince Fordham Ollivier. No half-Fae has ever returned from its halls. In a place built on cruelty, secrets, and absolute power, Kerrigan must battle not just enemies—but centuries of prejudice and the slow unraveling of magic itself.

Something ancient is cracking. A long-buried spell is weakening. And Kerrigan may be the only one who can stop the collapse—or cause it.

Thank you Bloom Books for the gifted ARC.

I SHALL CONTINUE.

I feel like I can enjoy book one and be ready for book two, but book two is ultimately what helps me decide if I want to continue a series. And alas! I do want to continue this series. I am having a great time with this whole setup. It’s a bit dramatic (lean into it), there’s a lot of great characters and the romance is creating a stable slow burn that I can work with.

Not to mention, the dragons! I don’t think I’ve read a series recently where dragons are at this much of the forefront and I forgot how much I enjoy it. I know this is a reprint of an already complete series so if you’ve been missing dragons too, try these!

I like the FMC, Kerrigan plenty. She does not have it all figured out and honestly that’s what I’ve enjoyed most. The longer series vibes really lends to character arcs you can see slowly build and I am curious how that will continue for her in the third installment.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2ish open door
  • Violence: high

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