Tag: Book Review

Book Review: Sonnets and Serpents (Casters & Crowns #2) by Elizabeth Lowham

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Elizabeth Lowham
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: October 7th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A cynical shapeshifter. A hopeful princess. A love they never saw coming.

Silas Bennett grew up in a kingdom where magic-users are persecuted, especially those with the rare ability to transform into animals. After discovering he could shapeshift into a serpent, Silas was nearly killed—only to escape to a neighboring kingdom where he could study and use his magic freely. Now, he is determined to become a professor at the university he calls home, even though he is only nineteen. But first he must distinguish himself in his research field by proving that legendary magic stealers exist.

Princess Eliza, a hopeless romantic inspired by sonnets and their promises of true love, refuses to believe her beloved Henry perished at sea. She will do whatever it takes to find him and bring him home—even if it means traveling to another country and asking for help from a shapeshifting outcast.

With Eliza’s relentless optimism pitted against Silas’s unyielding cynicism, the two enemies can’t seem to have a civil conversation. But when they are unexpectedly bound by a pair of magical bracelets, which can only be unlocked by a kiss of true love, they quickly discover that they’ll have to work together as they navigate different languages, their past prejudices and fears, and a blossoming relationship. When their search for the truth about magic stealers threatens both Silas’s magic and Eliza’s safety, the two must learn to be vulnerable and trust each other’s hearts.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain for a gifted copy.

WELL WELL WELL.

After [to put it mildly] not loving this author’s first book I convinced myself to give another story another chance and here we are. I will say, waiting for the audiobook helped. I liked that I could move through it faster and yay for having two narrators for the dual POV’s.

I thought this was a fairly simple story but had some good messages and general themes that I could connect with. It ends well and I did like the main characters. The book is heavily forced proximity based and that really sold me on the romance as the chapters turned.

What was kind of a bummer was the “enemies to lovers” trope this had presented. The banter came across more juvenile than heated and made me chuckle rather than swoon.

All in all, I’m not upset I read it but also can’t shout READ THIS BOOK either? If you enjoy closed door romances and are easy to please, try it out.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild

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ARC Book Review: Against a Crescent Storm (The Balkan Legends #3) by A.L. Sowards

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: A.L. Sowards
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: November 4th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Serbs defied the world’s most powerful ruler, and now Danilo and Maja must fight to save their people and their newly forged love before the sultan exacts his revenge.

The Balkans, 1389

Three years ago, Danilo’s people won their freedom from the hated Ottoman Empire, but with enemies on every side, the Serbs’ hard-earned peace remains fragile. Knowing the sultan will soon come for revenge, Danilo sets out to gain key allies for the coming war—and to escape the haunting grief of personal loss.

War has orphaned Maja and her brother, but they’ve moved forward from tragedy by crafting religious mosaics. Yet after being cheated and robbed, they are desperate for help. Rescue comes from Danilo, the man who once saved them from slavery to the Turks.

Danilo and Maja are soon drawn together by shared grief and affection, but complications arise on every side. A Hungarian noble suspects them of conspiracy. An Ottoman spy, Iskandar, is consumed by a vendetta against Danilo and a dangerous obsession with Maja. And a pending marriage alliance pits Danilo’s heart against his duty. As rumors of treason weaken Christian unity, hope of victory in the Balkans grows dim. Allies and enemies converge on the fields of Kosovo, where an epic battle will shape the destiny of nations for centuries to come.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain and the author for a gifted copy.

WORTH THE WAIT.

Oh I loved getting Danilo’s story!! Diving back into the history behind this trilogy is brutal and at times, hard to read, but the hope and love infused within these characters make turning the pages easy.

It was a reckless adventure through a period of time that is lesser known. And I always LOVE reading historical fiction when its about time periods I don’t often hear about. I love how deeply this was researched and all of those pieces woven into the fictional characters.

I adored Danilo and Maja. A.L. Sowards continues to write insta-connection incredibly well and I often find myself mesmerized by the depth of the romance. I also loved getting to see the couples from previous books and where there lives ended up as well.

This was a story brimming with hope and heart and the depths one will go for those they love. I admire many of these characters. The intensity of the action will have you flipping pages and begging your favorites to make it out okay. One for the books!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: attempted sexual assault, kidnapping, murder, weapons violence, loss of life and war themes, grief

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ALC Book Review: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Alix E. Harrow
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: October 28th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From Alix E. Harrow, the New York Times bestselling author of Starling House, comes a moving and genre-defying quest about the lady-knight whose legend built a nation, and the cowardly historian sent back through time to make sure she plays her part–even if it breaks his heart.

Sir Una Everlasting was Dominion’s greatest the orphaned girl who became a knight, who died for queen and country. Her legend lives on in songs and stories, in children’s books and recruiting posters—but her life as it truly happened has been forgotten.

Centuries later, Owen Mallory—failed soldier, struggling scholar—falls in love with the tale of Una Everlasting. Her story takes him to war, to the archives—and then into the past itself. Una and Owen are tangled together in time, bound to retell the same story over and over again, no matter what it costs.

But that story always ends the same way. If they want to rewrite Una’s legend—if they want to tell a different story–they’ll have to rewrite history itself.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

OH THIS WAS IMMACULATE.

I never know quite what I’m getting when I pick up a book from Alix E. Harrow. Her books have taken me on many journeys and I’m still throwing five stars at them. THEY ARE ALL SO GOOD.

This romantic story was full of tender longing, angst, a will they/won’t they, OH MY GOSH JUST LET THEM BE HAPPY, and finding peace all in one. I was glued to my headphones (incredible audiobook production). I love that you can’t pin down where things are going and then watching it all unfold becomes this magnificent fanciful tale of two people who love each other DEEPLY.

I was astonished at the depth of my own emotions as things progressed. It is nuanced and delicate and the interweaving of the plot lines was never confusing. The pacing was never at fault. I am shocked this was only 320 pages because I felt like I lived a few lifetimes [as a compliment] reading The Everlasting.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2-3 open door
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: murder, death, some war themes, loss of loved ones

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ALC Book Review: The Heir (Crownhaven #1) by Sophia Travers

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Rating: ★★★.75
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 488 pages
Author: Sophia Travers
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: July 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two rival families. A marriage between their heirs. In public, it’s love. But in private? It’s war.
Aiden Prince is the arrogant heir to the old money family that destroyed mine. He’s hazel-eyed and sharp-jawed, the golden boy of high society.
I’m the girl who’s never belonged in his world.
At sixteen, I poured my soda on his loafers. He told me to lick it off.
At eighteen, I learned the truth—Aiden’s family took everything from mine. I vowed to make everyone who mocked us eat their words.
At thirty, I have the chance to get back everything Aiden’s family stole…but I have to marry Aiden to do it.
In public, we’re the perfect couple. But in private? We’re playing a dangerous game—the first one to desire the other loses.
I’ll never give an inch to Aiden…until I see who he is beneath his cold exterior.
He’ll do anything to protect me.
His touch sets me on fire.
His world doesn’t want me. My family doesn’t want him.
We promised to divorce once our deal is done…and we each lose everything if we fall in love.

Thank you to the author and netgalley for an ALC.

I THINK I LIKED IT?

I know a lot of us have some kind of line when it comes to what works for us regarding spice. And while I did LOVE that this was a marriage of convenience there was one issue, but we’ll get into it.

So YAY for moc, that’s the reason I picked this book up in the first place. AND that it’s a duet audiobook. That absolutely delivered. If you’re interested in reading this one, go for the audiobook!! I also genuinely liked the connection between the MC’s. There was good banter and soft moments and a lot of opportunity for growth and self reflection between the histories. I even liked Aiden and Emory as standalones too. Which made the chemistry all the better.

Many of the family dynamics worked for me too. The ridiculously dramatic ones and the strong sibling bonds. I thought they were balanced well and it kind of makes me want to read more of these books to see the other siblings.

BUT. What did take me out was the overuse of spicy scenes for the sake of it. I just don’t love unnecessary pages. I could have done with a few less and would have been more engaged with the story.

Will I read the next book?? I DON’T KNOW. I tried a new to me author though and that’s always fun.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: I lost count
  • Violence: mild