Book Review: Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Fantasy
Length: 560 pages
Author: R.F. Kuang
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Release Date: August 26th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two graduate students must set aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul, perhaps at the cost of their own.

Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality—her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world—that is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.

Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands, and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams. Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the same conclusion.

NEW FAV.

I am quite confident this is my new favorite book from R.F. Kuang. The longer I listened the more entranced I became and I was enthralled by the whole story. And y’all know my romance loving heart loved that this had a HEA soft romance woven in!! I genuinely think it added to the story and showed off these characters in a new light. I loved that contrast to them diving into the depths of hell.

I found the story very intriguing. I loved the concept of traveling through Hell and seeing how that world was set-up. The different characters and situations Alice and Peter kept running into kept me glued to my headphones (loved the audiobook too).

The themes tackled in here were written incredibly well. It makes you ponder many different topics and I found multiple sentiments hit home. The only thing I wasn’t too sure on was why it was worth following Grimes. They leads did learn a lot along the way but the initial premise with Grimes didn’t feel as solid as it should.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical fiction fantasy
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: kisses; light innuendo
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: animal cruelty, misogyny, su!cidal thoughts, chronic illness (Crohn’s Disease), sexual harassment, injury and near death experiences, classism, gaslighting

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Book Review: Love’s Racing Line by Hope Snyder

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Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 482 pages
Author: Hope Snyder
Publisher: Sunny Laurel Books
Release Date: September 12th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Can their love find a racing line or will it crash into the barriers?

Formula One—the high-octane world of fast cars, globetrotting races, and wildly handsome drivers—is Jacqueline Martin’s favorite escape. As a waitress in Monaco, the best weekend of the year is when the Grand Prix takes over the very streets she walks to work and she’s immersed in a world blissfully removed from her everyday life.

But worlds come crashing together when Formula One driver Antonio Avari takes a seat at her table, looks her in the eye, and tells her she’s the most beautiful woman in the world. He’s earnest and engaging, igniting instant chemistry. But her dad has made her swear to never date an athlete and her mother’s sky-high anxiety surrounding cars and racing after a horrific car accident means a man like Antonio could never be an option.

A year later, Jacqueline gets deja-vu and fresh butterflies when Antonio returns to take a seat at her table, this time with a plan to win her over. He offers her a bet—one date if he qualifies well for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Intrigued, Jacqueline can’t say no. Her only condition? Complete secrecy.

But as one private date turns into more, with a growing realization of something unique and promising between them, can their love find a racing line or will it crash into the barriers?

Love’s Racing Line is a closed-door Formula One romance with a dramatic love story ending in happily-ever-after and a swirl of suspense.

OH WHERE DO I BEGIN.

I am convinced I must have read a different book than the other reviews I’ve seen for this one y’all. Big yikes. Poor intro into the F1 world and something should absolutely recommend a different racing romance for me.

Anyways, my main issue stems around the fact that the entire plot centers on the FMC lying to everyone in her life about one thing or another. She won’t tell her parents everything, or the love interest, or her friends, or those she works with. It’s relentless and went on for way too long. I’m not convinced of the FMC’s character arc whatsoever.

She also treated Antonio pretty poorly. Ghosting him? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I hate stupid miscommunication.

The “suspense”? Did not fit the plot, get rid of it.

Antonio was kind of a punk too? The communication did not feel natural. Heavy on the insta-love too.

All of the breaks for F1 story time? Not needed either. Why was this book almost 500 pages?

The dress maker x restaurant plot points? Once again, could have done with a better organization of these. The Bill thing just made me roll my eyes.

Those were the big red flags for me. The hate reader in me came out about 35% in and I had to see what nonsense this was going to throw out on me.

Will I read another by this author? I don’t know.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warnings: brief gun violence, a parent with severe anxiety

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ALC Book Review: Autumn On My Mind (Falling for Autumn) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 378 pages
Author: Gracie Ruth Mitchell
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: August 19th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

What happens when two exes find out their parents are dating?

When Reese and Dominic secretly dated and then broke up years ago, they knew they’d have to see each other again. They were from the same small town of Autumn Ridge, Vermont. Their families still lived there. It was inevitable.

What Reese didn’t expect was to see Dominic across the table from her, being introduced as the son of her mother’s latest boyfriend.

Dom and Reese can be exes. They can be neighbors. They could even maybe someday be friends. What they cannot be is siblings.

But Reese’s mother has her eyes on the prize, and she’s not walking away without a ring on her finger. So even though part of Reese’s heart still hurts from the past they share, she and Dominic agree to team up and separate their parents.

Spying? A necessity. Sneaking around? Obviously. And sabotage? Well…never say never.

But the further apart they attempt to push their parents, the closer Reese and Dom get—until the lines between past and present begin to blur, and they find themselves with the stickiest conundrum of owning the truth of what really happened between them…and deciding if their love deserves a second chance.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

PRETTY CUTE.

The second book I have happened to read in this series and it was a sweet read too! I am seriously in love with the setting. Maybe I’m desperately craving all things fall and small town right now (as I’m sitting here in 100+ degree weather with a massive highway under construction nearby BUT ANYWAYS).

I adored the audiobook! You can’t go wrong with it. It’s only about nine hours and flies by. She did a fantastic job with the narration for Reese.

I’m not sure I ever fell in love with the larger plot of Dominic and Reese trying to break up their parents dating. It wasn’t a bad concept perse, it just didn’t work for me? I think the focus kept tilting to what the parents were doing and I wanted more of the focus back on the Dom & Reese. They did have some great moments together and I loved the tender touches and glances and realizing that they both weren’t quite over each other. I did enjoy having the flashback chapters because that gave needed context to the present storyline.

There’s some shenanigans and quirky humor I have come to love from Gracie Ruth Mitchell. I do think these two were a match and I liked seeing them fall in love [again and again].

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: none
  • Content warnings: loss of a parent (recounted)

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Book Review: Entreat Me by Grace Draven

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Rating: ★★★★.25
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 461 pages
Author: Grace Draven
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: December 16th, 2013
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Afflicted by a centuries-old curse, a warlord slowly surrenders his humanity and descends toward madness. Ballard of Ketach Tor holds no hope of escaping his fate until his son returns home one day, accompanied by a woman of incomparable beauty. His family believes her arrival may herald Ballard’s salvation.

…until they confront her elder sister.

Determined to rescue her sibling from ruin, Louvaen Duenda pursues her to a decrepit castle and discovers a household imprisoned in time. Dark magic, threatening sorcerers, and a malevolent climbing rose with a thirst for blood won’t deter her, but a proud man disfigured by an undying hatred might. Louvaen must decide if loving him will ultimately save him or destroy him.

A tale of vengeance and devotion.

ONE OF THE BETTER.

I don’t think I’ve read many Beauty and the Beast retellings lately (honestly, they haven’t charmed as of late), but this was recommend by a few friends and it delivered!!

This was easily one of the best retellings I’ve read for B&TB. I loved the expansion of the main idea, It was dark and gothic and the atmosphere was amazing. I loved the addition of characters and how the structure of the plot was crafted. It was easy to listen to and see how all the things came together.

I will say the spice took me out of the story a bit. I could skip an entire 30 minute chapter and not miss anything (so it is skippable), just bugged me.

It is a standalone and wraps up all of the things. I enjoyed the characters arcs and many things in between. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a Grace Draven book and I’m grateful it did not disappoint.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance Retelling
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 4+ long open door
  • Violence: high

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