Book Review: Princess of Blood (The Shards of Magic #2) by Sarah Hawley

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 512 pages
Author: Sarah Hawley
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: September 30th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Once a servant, now a princess, a young woman thrust into power challenges everything about the underground Fae realm in the next installment of Sarah Hawley’s new romantasy series.

Kenna Heron is still reeling from her lover’s betrayal and the threat of an impending war. With only her two closest–and most powerless–friends by her side, she must navigate the treacherous politics of Mistei while coming to terms with her new identity as not just Fae, but princess of her own house.

With the king dead, three candidates are vying for the right to wear the crown next. A princess who claims the throne as her birthright and two rebel princes, both of whom are depending on the support of Blood House to break the stalemate between them. Old loyalties fray as new, dangerous alliances form, and Kenna finds herself caught in a web of violence, deceit, and unexpected passion.

Kenna has the power to shape Mistei’s future… but someone’s willing to kill to make sure she never gets the chance.

WE GOT THERE.

I feel like this sequel meandered a bit for me. And kind of backed off of the romance too much. I don’t mind a long play at all, but it was missing that tension that I thought was built pretty well in the first book.

I did like this more than book one though because I stared to feel the vibe of a series vs. standalone and why I love a good longer series. I like the journey the FMC is on and her role in the world. She’s learning and falling down and the strength is building.

The romance I did get was good. I like these types of romantic ploys so I’m down for whatever happens next. I appreciated that the spice wasn’t over the top or forced into the story.

It was good and I’ll read the next book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy romance
  • Language: moderate+
  • Romance: open door
  • Violence: high

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Book Review: The Assassin’s Way by J.M. Kearl

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Rating: ★★★★.25
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 442 pages
Author: J.M. Kearl
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: June 18th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Never go out at night. Lock the doors. Ignore the screams.Those are the rules Aesira lives by to survive the monsters that stalk her village. But everything changes when it’s revealed she’s been born with the power to fight the vampires she’s spent her life fearing.

Aesira is thrust into the elite and secretive League of Assassins, where mercy is weakness and fear is forbidden. Now her survival depends on her ruthless trainer, Vander – the most dangerous assassin of them all. And the only thing more lethal than his blade is the desire he awakens in her.

Because the greatest threat in Nighthaven might not be the monsters lurking in the dark…

It might be him.

VERY GOOD.

I had a good time with this one. It felt like a different vampire romance than I’ve read and I loved seeing the story unfold. I should have caught on more but I also liked that I kept myself in the dark. It made the big moments all the more intense.

The world building was solid and I’m intrigued to see how that, alongside the magic system expands in book two. It’s not overtly complicated and it’s even better when there’s not copious info dumping.

I liked Aesira as a main character. She’s a pretty typical fantasy FMC with no skills and no romantic experience, but it’s fine. Aesira learns well and I liked her relationship with her family a lot.

Aesira’s chemistry with Vander was good. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that this was a genuine slow burn. I know that Kearl tends to do open door romances so BLESSSSS that this is actually dragged out and you can feel the tension slowly ramping up and building. I have missed plots like this!!!

Also, the audiobook is duet narration so highly recommend that too. It is great. I also eye ball read this one so you honestly can’t go wrong with either option. Can’t wait for book two!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: loss of loved ones, blood/gore depiction, physical and weapons altercation

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Book Review: A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Fantasy Horror Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Erin A. Craig
Publisher: Pantheon
Release Date: September 2nd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Thirteenth Child comes an irresistible blend of dark fairytale and romantic fantasy.

The town of Mistaken has a secret…and it’s up to one woman to uncover the truth, confront her past, and save the man she loves.

Like everyone else in the settlement of Mistaken, Greer Mackenzie is trapped. Founded by an ambitious lumber merchant, the village is blessed with rich natural resources that have made its people prosperous—but at a cost. The same woods that have lined the townsfolks’ pockets harbor dangerous beasts: wolves, bears, and the Bright-Eyeds—monsters beyond description who have rained utter destruction down on nearby settlements. But Mistaken’s founders made a deal with the mysterious Benevolence: the Warding Stones that surround the town will keep the Bright-Eyeds out—and the town’s citizens in. Anyone who spends a night within Mistaken’s borders belongs to it forever.

Greer, a mapmaker and eccentric dreamer, has always ached to explore the world outside, even though she knows she and her longtime love, Ellis Beaufort, will never see it. Until, on the day she and Ellis are meant to finally begin their lives together, Greer watches in horror as her beloved disappears beyond the Warding Stones, pursued by a monstrous creature. Determined to rescue Ellis, she figures out a way to defy Mistaken’s curse and begins a trek through the cold and pitiless wilderness. But there, Greer is hunted, not only by the ruthless Bright-Eyeds but by the secret truths behind Mistaken’s founding and her own origins.

Playfully drawing from Scottish folklore, Erin A. Craig’s adult debut is both a deeply atmospheric and profoundly romantic exploration of freedom versus security: a stunning celebration of one woman’s relentless bravery on a quest to reclaim her lost love—and seize her own future.

WHY THOUGH?

I didn’t know how I felt about this book for most of the story. It was some amalgamation of horror and young adult and romance and mystery? But I guess I thought it would end a certain way and when it didn’t I was left rather bereft.

And now I’m just noticing that this was an adult debut? I did not think that for but maybe two seconds (during an almost love scene) that this was older than YA. I’m honestly surprised and think that was the problem too. The writing didn’t feel adult.

There’s some good scenes and what not and I didn’t hate reading it, I just wasn’t fully engaged either. Not my favorite from this author.

Overall audience notes:

  • Adult Horror
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 1-2ish open door
  • Violence: moderate

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ARC Book Review: Once, Again, Always by Amanda Gayle

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Amanda Gayle
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: October 6th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A second-chance romance following a young woman who wakes up in the hospital with no memory of the past six years, only to find that she apparently married the one man she can’t stand—her arrogant and infuriating former boarding school rival.

Molly Graham’s day can’t possibly get any worse after she wakes up in a hospital bed with a head injury and amnesia. But then Aster Bishop—the Aster Bishop who made her life hell at boarding school—storms into her room calling her his wife.

To Molly’s shock, in the six years she no longer recalls, she somehow fell in love with a man she once despised. Persuaded by her lifelong friends to give her new reality a chance, she reluctantly returns to the home she and Aster share to try and piece together her life.

So much has changed, not least the considerate and devastatingly handsome man who spends every night sleeping on the sofa to avoid making her uncomfortable. This Aster is nothing like the entitled boy she once knew. Their chemistry is undeniable, but he’s distant with her, infuriatingly so. It’s clear he has secrets, and Molly can’t stand it. Especially knowing that she might never regain her memories.

That she fell in love with Aster Bishop once is hard enough to believe. But to fall in love again? To promise a future, always, when she can’t remember her past? It feels impossible when faced with a man she hardly knows and isn’t sure she can trust.

And yet…

Thank you Avon Books for the eARC.

DOWN BAD.

Oh wow. I miss binging books??! This one had me in a straight chokehold for 24 hours and I regret nothing. I was LOCKED IN. And I’m not even an amnesia girlie?? What kind of magic was sprinkled into this story because I want mooooore.

I’m kind of sort of obsessed with Aster Bishop. I liked that he didn’t call every decision perfectly. He and Molly had to find a lot of new communication routes in an impossible situation. The miscommunication actually made sense and even though it’s pretty easy to assume (as the reader) what the big secret was, I still enjoyed the journey to get there and how I had to keep turning pages to get there.

I LOVED all of the the friendships. Every side character was a gemmmmmm. A GEM. And I liked learning more about them and their relationship to Molly and Aster. The little flashback moments worked well too and added historical context to the romance.

Aster was down bad. As he SHOULD BE. The yearning and longing was evident. THE YEARNING. Off the charts. 10/10.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: mild-moderate
  • Romance: light innuendo; one more emotions based open door
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: amnesia related to a stroke, miscarriage (briefly recounted)

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