ellen mcginty – GoodeyReads

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 334 pages
Author: Ellen McGinty
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: January 1st, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

There are no chains for criminals on Abashi Island, only endless ice.

Born into prison, Kira has only known the arctic wasteland where the worst criminals are sent to be forgotten—including her mother. When a brutal Imperial Inspector sentences her family to death, she unleashes a forbidden magic that comes with a devastating cost: her sister is cursed, transformed into a monster.

Desperate for a cure, she strikes a deal with Captain Ren, a notorious monster hunter whose icy exterior matches the unforgiving landscape. He’s everything Kira despises—rigid, lawful, dangerous—and unfortunately, necessary for survival.

As the two forge an uneasy alliance, Kira discovers the chilling truth about her imprisonment and that more is at stake than her sister’s soul. Now, Kira must risk treason and master her ancestors’ wayfinding magic before she loses her sister—and the beautiful world she’s only begun to discover.

LOVED.

Ellen McGinty did it again. I have sincerely loved both of her books and can’t recommend them enough. If you love young adult fantasy that’s kisses only (with the romance as more of a subplot), great character arcs and learning moments and strong sibling relationships, look no further. This is the type of story I would love to share with my littles when they’re older.

I loved the depth of Kira’s character. She’s resilient and a bit stubborn and that only adds to her growth as she moves through the world. Kira’s love for her sister knew no bounds and I appreciated having that kind of bond between siblings.

The romance was also sweet. It’s got a good push and pull and doesn’t over take the general themes of the novel. I liked Ren a lot and felt like we got a good story from him without having his POV. I just loved the journey for everyone.

Beautiful story.

Overall audience notes:

YA Fantasy + Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: moderate
Content warnings: living in a prison camp, loss of a parent

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 392 pages
Author: Ellen McGinty
Publisher: Quill & Flame
Release Date: March 5th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

With her crooked spine and reckless heart, Princess Meera always knew she wasn’t meant to become queen of Ezo. But when her sister, the rightful heir, is cursed on the eve of her coronation, Meera must defend her kingdom from ruthless invaders by taking the throne. Yet, while some countries have simple coronations, in Ezo . . .

The princess must first claim a sea dragon.

Only the dragon is vicious, perfect, and whole-everything Meera is not. And if the dragon doesn’t deem her worthy, it will devour her. Turning to the Saints for help, she doesn’t anticipate that her actions will transform the dragon into a mortal, or that she’ll steal his heart . . . literally.

Now, as two hearts beat inside Meera’s chest, she’s reminded that her life is entwined with a dragon, who despises her weaknesses. Despite their differences, they must work together to reverse the curse and save the kingdom before more is lost than their stolen hearts.

Thank you to the author for a gifted e-book.

WHAT A SURPRISE.

I had seen this around a touch and didn’t know if it would be a hit or miss for me. But an opportunity presented itself, I took it, and then proceeded to binge this book in two days. There’s your review, clearly you need to pick this up too.

BUT, I will give you more. I loved Meera. I loved her strength and loyalty to her family and kingdom. Her journey was amazing and I loved how things came together. This is a standalone and while usually a struggle for me, I had none of those issues this time. I loved the world building, the magic, the DRAGONS and all of the characters. I felt like I got enough of everything needed to feel like it was a well rounded story and closed off all of the plot lines by the end.

There’s a subtle romance woven in that was sweet to watch unfurl. I adored the connection and how slowly but surely (through my favorite forced proximity) they started to work together and solving problems. I don’t want to give too much away in the romance aspects so trust me!!

This was truly a gem of a read. I had a wonderful time and it was the fantasy book I didn’t know I was craving. I look forward to more books by this author!

Overall audience notes: