Category: Book Review

Book Review: Every Spiral of Fate (This Woven Kingdom #4) by Tahereh Mafi

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 480 pages
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Storytide
Release Date: September 30th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

At long last, the wedding day has arrived.

The Jinn queen and the enigmatic ruler of Tulan are to be married in a magical, enchanted ceremony—but Cyrus, tethered by a blood oath to his bride-to-be, can find nothing to celebrate in this union. He’s falling ever more deeply in love with the one person oathbound to kill him.

Sworn to an ancient, unbreakable magic, Alizeh can only fulfill the prophecy to free her people by ensuring Cyrus dies by her own hand. And Cyrus is forced to await his end all while Prince Kamran inches closer, ready to take his place by Alizeh’s side. 

The countdown to murder coils tensions ever tighter, but the historic wedding has already drawn deadly attention. To prepare for war and protect her people, Alizeh must finally discover her magic—and outrun the enemies trying to stop her.

Alizeh and Cyrus, along with Kamran and their friends from Ardunia, must flee on dragon-back to begin the perilous journey into the legendary mountains of Arya, where a firestorm of revelations, magical discoveries, and fresh allies awaits them. Every allegiance will be tested, every darkness uncovered, and when the shattering secrets of the Tulanian king are finally revealed . . .

Nothing, and no one, will be the same.

Desperate confessions, impossible decisions, unfathomable magical power—and a love so devastating it rewrites destinies—Every Spiral of Fate is the shimmering, breathtaking fourth volume in a saga that continues to transcend expectations.

Thank you Epic Reads for the gifted copy.

I’M HERE FOR IT.

This series might have been a bit up and down for me (and I’m still firmly a Shatter Me girlie) BUT I am liking these books and look forward to the conclusion.

I liked that this hit some world building notes I was looking for and I will say the last 30% or so really grabbed my attention. I love wild and chaotic cliff hanger based endings and this delivered on all fronts.

I do think it was missing some romantic aspects. While I love and appreciate a genuine slow burn this needed just a little more heat to showcase the relationship. [Of which I’m not saying who’s with who because I think that could be a spoiler if you’re reading this review without knowing the other books.]

The set-up for what [I think] is the finale is awesome. I love these characters and all of the banter and politicking, the dragons and magic. It’s a truly solid series so far.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy Romance
  • Languge: mild+
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Violence: mild – moderate

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Book Review: The Blood Orchid (The Scarlet Alchemist #2) by Kylie Lee Baker

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 384 pages
Author: Kylie Lee Baker
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Release Date: October 22nd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Since Zilan entered the world of royal alchemists, she has learned that alchemy comes at a price. She has lost loved ones in her search for broader justice against the evil Empress and all she wants now is to find some way to bring them back. Resurrection is her specialty, after all.

In search of the myth of Penglai Island, where it’s rumored life can be fully restored, Zilan starts a new adventure. But when old threats come back to haunt her and the path to Penglai Island means facing down unpredictable, sometimes dangerous, alchemists, she wonders just how high of a price she may be willing to pay.

NEW FAV.

I think this is officially my new favorite KLB book. I really enjoyed this. I also loved the audiobook. The narrator did a fantastic job of injecting the right tone and it made the story really thrive. I thought the banter was even more amplified and made me laugh out loud amidst the dark and gritty nature of the plot.

I loved the complexity of the historical and fantasy elements coming together. It’s interesting and unique and I liked the continuation of Zilan’s journey. There’s tangled sibling dynamics and a small romance that has its own interesting charm. I will definitely be continuing to pick up new books from KLB.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: low – moderate
  • Romance: flirting
  • Violence: moderate – high

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ARC Book Review: A Queen’s Match (A Queen’s Game #2) by Katharine McGee

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Katharine McGee
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: November 4th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the sequel to A Queen’s Game, broken hearts and secret loves lead three princesses to their final marriage matches, and their rightful places in the history books–from the New York Times bestselling author of the American Royals series.

As Queen Victoria tries to match her grandchildren with powerful marriages across Europe, matters of the court and matters of the heart collide for three princesses as they close in on the end of their marriage seasons. 

Exiled French princess Helene d’Orleans had no choice but to break it off with Prince Eddy–but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a broken heart. And now her parents have their sights on another prince for her…but his heart is already taken. 

The queen finally understands that her beloved granddaughter Alix of Hesse isn’t interestd in a match with Prince Eddy…but the Queen does not approve of Alix’s true love. So where does that leave her? 

And May of Teck? She’s just looking for a crown. So with Eddy back on the marriage market, she’s biding her time, letting his heartbreak settle, before she makes her move.

Set in the last glittering decade of the monarchies, A Queen’s Match is the thrilling conclusion to the story that began in A Queen’s Game.

Thank you Get Underlined for the gifted copy and PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook.

GOOGLE IT.

That was my biggest takeaway here. I spent a few minutes googling and reading historical documents about these people and learned all that I needed to know that made the book feel superfluous. I think if you go in with little knowledge or are their for the drama then maybe it would hit better.

I don’t think this book is bad by any means, it felt more like a pitfall that historical fiction can occasionally fall into. The characters were fine, the romance was fine, and I’d still read more from this author.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Historical Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: loss of life, illness, discussion of plague

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Book Review: Bane of Asgard (Runestone Saga #2) by Cinda Williams Chima

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 640 pages
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release Date: October 22nd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The highly anticipated sequel in the acclaimed Runestone Saga from New York Times bestselling author Cinda Williams Chima with more adventure, mystery, and plot twists than ever before.

Reunited in New Jotunheim, Reginn, Eiric and Liv discover that they are game pieces being played on a hidden board. Eiric’s slaughter of the old council has opened Tyra’s path to power—she now has the perfect excuse to launch a war against the Archipelago. Tyra is also using her dottir, Liv, as a vehicle to raise a dangerous goddess. And Reginn is tasked with crossing the boundary between the living and the dead to gain access to powerful magical secrets.

With Reginn’s help, Eiric escapes prison and returns home to find his brodir and warn the Archipelago of the impending attack. Meanwhile, she remains at the Grove to try to prevent the outbreak of war. Soon, though, Reginn learns her true role in this use her power to raise the dead to ensure victory for New Jotunheim. The demon Asger Eldr tells her that she alone can prevent another Ragnarok. But how?

Back in the Archipelago, Eiric agrees to join the king’s forces, though that means taking up arms against his systir, Liv, and Reginn, the spinner who has ensnared his heart. For perhaps the first time in his life, he dreads the coming fight. 

As the two sides prepare for an apocalyptic battle, Eiric, Reginn, and Liv find allies and enemies in unexpected places and draw on new strengths as they seek to prevent the destruction of the last of the Nine Worlds.

THANK GOODNESS FOR AUDIO.

I think I may have struggled with this more if I was physically reading it so I’m grateful for an audiobook to help the pacing issues that plagued this throughout. It is slow and a bit meandering and occasionally lost focus.

The characters were all fantastic though. After I finally started remembering what happened in book one I started to fall more for this whole cast. There’s some solid found family foundations and plenty of political intrigue to have some good turns woven in. I have always enjoyed (and continue to do so) CWC writing style. I like her story telling capabilities a lot. I do wish there had been a bit more romance though (I can’t help myself) because I genuinely think that would have built the impact of some scenes more.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: moderate – high
  • Content Warnings: blood/gore depiction, murder, torture, kidnapping, loss of life and battle themes

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