Book Review: Blightfall (Riftwake #1) by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson

October 25, 2026October 18, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy/Sci-fi
Length: 496 pages
Author: Brandon Sanderson & Janci Patterson
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: September 1st, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson comes the first book in a new, high-flying trilogy featuring the legendary Skyward Flight as they undertake a deadly intergalactic mission to explore a mysterious alien world.

After decades of war against alien oppressors, the humans of the Defiant Defense Force are finally free. Yet for Arturo Mendez, leader of Skyward Flight, freedom isn’t what he thought it would be.

His first postwar assignment seems simple: The DDF has found evidence of other settlements of humans who were isolated during their long war against the aliens, and Arturo and his flight of pilots are to escort a team of diplomats as they attempt to make contact. It’s an easy mission—get in, guard the diplomats, and get out.

But no element of this mission turns out to be simple. Blightfall is inhospitable, surrounded by mysterious debris and covered in giant, invasive forests that have swallowed most of the planet. Upon arrival, Arturo’s team is attacked, and it quickly becomes clear that this human settlement isn’t what it appears to be.

Now trapped in an unfamiliar world and unsure who to trust, Arturo and his team must find allies and uncover long-buried secrets if they hope to escape and return home.

Thank you to Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

THOUGHTS.

Let it be known, I love the Skyward series. It’s one of my favorite YA sci-fi series and I think it’s great for all ages. This obviously means I’ve been excited about reading this spin-off…and I was a little let down.

For a book set after Skyward the characters felt younger. This had more of a middle grade tone in regards to the jokes (your mom jokes should be nixed) and general dialogue. There were moments where the crew did act more the age I expected so I hope that continues to grow over the season.

I didn’t mind the change of scenery and the interesting mystery afoot. I’m very curious to see how finding Blightfall will influence the rest of the the world as Arturo and his team know it. I liked the addition of Elysium (go read the novella!!) too. The twisting of AI was a big theme and I think a very relevant one that created that sense of this could be real life. It was haunting and an important conversation.

Hopeful for book two!!

Overall audience notes:

YA Dystopian Sci-Fi Fantasy
Language: none
Romance: flirting
Violence: mild+
Content warnings: loss of life

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Kissed by the Gods (The Eternal Wars #1) by Caty Rogan

October 25, 2026January 17, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★/5
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 556 pages
Author: Caty Rogan
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 24th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Leina has spent a lifetime submitting. Kneeling. Enduring.

Then soldiers come for her brother, and divine fury surges through her veins. She expects execution for the bodies she left in her wake. Her people have met bloody ends for far, far less.

Instead, Ryot, a godsworn warrior born to privilege and raised in order, drags her into a world that was never meant for her. One of divine armies and death demons, winged war horses and monsters, sacred power and royal secrets.

A kiss from a goddess changes everything.

No longer a criminal, Leina is a prize. The kingdom’s most powerful men want what the goddess touched. Leina wants only one thing, though: freedom for her people. And she’ll trade herself for the strength to destroy the kingdom that broke them.

Conscripted into a war she never asked for, fighting for gods she doesn’t believe in, Leina must decide how far she’s willing to go and what she’s willing to lose. Because her power is more than a threat to the kingdom’s buried secrets.

It’s a death sentence.

WELL OKAY THEN.

This was totally worth the hype. And I am often reluctant to pick up a book if the hype seems out of bounds but here we are!!

I loved this journey. I felt like I got everything at such a fantastic pace. From understanding the world and how the magic system bends to the intricacies of life as an Altor. I don’t know much about the antagonists yet but I look forward to that expansion in book two.

The romance grew on me. I think there was a little lacking in the swoon factor for me but by the end I was pretty attached to Leina and Ryot. I appreciate a good slow burn and moments together before the heat gets turned up.

And the found family?? Oh I adored them all. It’s a brutal world they are trying to survive and I liked the soft and loving banter that existed between everyone. And the war horses?? They were many nuanced pieces that made this an incredible read.

I’m a fan of a brutal cliffhanger so let me tell y’all I about threw my kindle on this one. WHICH IS A GOOD THING. Gosh dang it someone give me book two ASAP.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy Romance
Language: strong
Romance: 2-3ish open door
Violence: high
Content warnings: mass loss of life, near death experiences, weapons violence

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: The Butcher’s Masquerade (Dungeon Crawler Carl #5) by Matt Dinniman

October 24, 2026August 27, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Dystopian Sci-Fi
Length: 707 pages
Author: Matt Dinniman
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: April 8th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Attention. Attention. The gates are down. The hunters are loose. Run, Run, Run.

A lush jungle teeming with danger. Savage dinosaurs seeking blood. A fallen princess intent on vengeance. A mysterious, end-of-floor celebration for the top crawlers, dubbed “The Butcher’s Masquerade.”

The sixth floor. The Hunting Grounds.

As the remaining crawlers battle for their lives, a new, terrible threat looms. Outside tourists are finally allowed to enter the game, and they are here and ready to hunt. Among them is Vrah, a famed and veteran hunter, intent on collecting the biggest trophy of her career.

But their prey is far from harmless, and this season they are fighting back.

Dungeon Crawler Carl and Princess Donut return in book five of the acclaimed litrpg series.

ANOTHER BANGER.

Book four had become my most recent favorite but maybe five outshines it?? I DON’T KNOW. All I know is I had the urge to read the next DCC book and I could not put this down. I was locked in. Who knew I’d be so invested in a friendship between Carl and Princess Donut? BECAUSE I AM AND I CARE SO MUCH. Not to mention a dozen other character dynamics too.

I don’t want to speak a lot about the plot because I refuse to spoil anything for anyone. I think the pacing was great and the action beats hit at just the right teams. The masquerade itself was WILD and the ending left me GASPING. I’m just enjoying this journey. It’s complex and hard hitting with the right level of humor woven in too.

Once again may I beg of you to listen to the audiobooks because they are incredibly well narrated.

Overall audience notes:

Dystopian Sci-Fi
Language: strong
Romance: none
Violence: high

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: The Shadows that Listen (Angel Ruin #1) by Louisa Carmody

October 23, 2026October 20, 2026 GoodeyReads1 Comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Louisa Carmody
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: September 9th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

WHO WILL SURVIVE THE NIGHT?

The Shadows that Listen is an unputdownable dystopian romantasy with a delicious slow burn romance, from debut author Louisa Carmody. Perfect for fans of Crescent City and Silver Elite.

It’s been five years since the world was brought to its knees by an immortal war. Daemons crawled from the depths of hell and the sky bled gold as the angels arrived. Humanity thought it was saved, but the angels did not come to protect us.

Amara is a human warrior working for the Angel Intelligence Agency. She spends her days searching for those who don’t make it home after curfew. But when her boyfriend Jeremy goes missing, she decides to venture into the shadows to bring him back. Even if it means death.

Nathaniel is an archangel tasked with leading the destruction of humanity, for which he cares little. He doesn’t have time to protect little humans running around in the dark, especially those who stab him in the stomach.

But Nathaniel and Amara will soon realise they share a foe, one that lurks in the shadows and stalks them from the skies. She might long to kill him, but Amara knows that having an angel at her side is the only way to find the man she loves.

The shadows lengthen. They listen. Who will survive the night?

Thank you Orbit Books for the gifted copy.

I’LL READ BOOK TWO.

I didn’t know a single thing about this book and I decided that it was a gem! I appreciated that even though it’s an “urban” fantasy I didn’t feel like it was. The setting gave off purely fantasy vibes. Add in the humans + angels + demons combo and I was sat.

There was too much conversation around finding Jeremey because I just didn’t like Jeremy, but that was my biggest complaint. I liked the plot and that things kept moving. There’s good reveals and *AHA* moments that I can’t wait to see play out in book two.

The romance is a slow burn. THANK YOU FOR THE SLOW BURN. I did think it was funny Amara called Nathanial archangel for so much of the book. I couldn’t even remember what his name was most of the time because of it. I’m real down bad for these two so I can’t wait for more in this department too.

Overall audience notes: