Tag: fantasy

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: February 2026

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The month of looooove.

I always love seeing all of the book covers together because the fluctuation of contemporary to fantasy to historicals is always cool to see. Reviews for these books are either out now or coming soon!

  • His & Hers by Alice Feeney
  • A Heart so Green (Fair Folk #3) by Lyra Selene
  • [ARC] The Cowboy’s Game (Pride and Pranks #3) by Cindy Steel
  • [Novella] Lonely Hearts Day by Kasie West
  • A Fortunate Miscalculation (The Gentlemen’s Gamble) by Karen Thornell
  • [ARC] Mail-Order Baroness (Lords of the Rockies #2) by Misty M. Beller
  • [ARC/ALC] The Trident and the Pearl (The Fisher King #1) by Sarah K.L. Wilson
  • Worth Fighting For (Meant to Be #5) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
  • A Fate so Dark and Delicate (Compelling Fates Saga #4) by Sophia St. Germain
  • [Reread] From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
  • [ARC] A Love Most Daring (Bow Street #3) by Joanna Barker
  • The Poet Empress by Shen Tao
  • Here Lie All the Boys Who Broke My Heart by Emma Simmerman
  • [ARC] Bridge of Betrayal (Falcon Point Historical #3) by A.L. Sowards
  • Your Knife, My Heart (Dark Forces #1) by K.M. Moronova
  • Jane Stays Dreaming by Britnee Meiser
  • Pride and Prejudice Audible Original by Jane Austen
  • Sunk in Love by Heather McBreen
  • Savage Lands (Savage Lands #1) by Stacey Marie Brown
  • Invictus (Esperance Trilogy #2) by Heather Frost
  • The Silent Canary by Angela Bricker
  • The Darkest Gift by Nikki Welton
  • [ARC/ALC] Across the Vanishing Sky (Starlight Grove #1) by Catherine Cowles
  • A Vow in Vengeance (Immortal Desires #1) by Jaclyn Rodriguez
  • Racing Hearts by Ann Adams
  • A Stage Set for Villains by Shannon J. Spann
  • [ARC/ALC] The Dragon and the Sun Lotus (The Three Realms #2) by Amelie Wen Zhao
  • [ARC] To All the Guys I Loathed Before (Lucky in Love #3) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
  • Half City (Harker Academy #3) by Kate Golden

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Book Review: The Strength of the Few (Hierarchy #2) by James Islington

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 720 pages
Author: James Islington
Publisher: Saga Press
Release Date: November 11th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

OMNE TRIUM PERFECTUM.

The Hierarchy still call me Vis Telimus. Still hail me as Catenicus. They still, as one, believe they know who I am.

But with all that has happened—with what I fear is coming—I am not sure it matters anymore.

I am no longer one. I won the Iudicium, and lost everything—and now, impossibly, the ancient device beyond the Labyrinth has replicated me across three separate worlds. A different version of myself in each of Obiteum, Luceum, and Res. Three different bodies, three different lives. I have to hide; fight; play politics. I have to train; trust; lie. I have to kill; heal; prove myself again, and again, and again.

I am loved, and hated, and entirely alone.

Above all, though, I need to find answers before it’s too late. To understand the nature of what has happened to me, and why.

I need to find a way to stop the coming Cataclysm, because if all I have learned is true, I may be the only one who can.

GREAT SEQUEL.

I had a good time with this one. Like most, I have been waiting for this book after loving The Will of the Many.

The progression of this book felt like another first book? But not in a bad way, just more setting up for the third (conclusion??) installment. I loved that this crossed realms and seeing the expansion of the magic and background of the world. I love Vis as a main character and seeing him in different stretches of his story only endeared me to him more.

Islington is not afraid to hold punches and the ending ramped up the action and heart stopping moments. Maybe a few shouts too.

*An audiobook note: while the audiobook narrator is fantastic, no issues there, I do think there was a disconnect on which realm I was in and it confused me often. I noticed that the physical copy didn’t denote which realm Vis was in at the top of the chapter but maybe it would be easier to physically read and catch where you are???

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: mild+
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: high

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: January 2026

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Here we go again!

I read a lot of thick fantasy books then I got distracted by romance novellas and rounded out a great month of reading.

  • [Reread] A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR #2) by Sarah J. Maas
  • [ARC] Dragon Cursed (Dragon Cursed #1) by Elise Kova
  • We Who Will Die (Empire of Blood #1) by Stacia Stark
  • [ALC] The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi
  • Tidespeaker by Sadie Turner
  • Blood of the Lost Gods (Dusk and Dawn #1) by Jessica J. Ayala
  • [ALC] Graceless Hearts by Isabel Ibanez
  • Drawn Together by Juliana Smith
  • Seeing Other People by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
  • [Novella] Unwritten by the Gods (The Eternal Wars #0.5) by Caty Rogan
  • The Once and Future Queen (The Lives of Guinevere #1) by Paula Lafferty
  • Poisoned Ivy (Legacies #1) by Ava Rani
  • [ARC/ALC] Carnival Fantastico by Angelo Montoya
  • [ALC] Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean
  • Kissed by the Gods (The Eternal Wars #1) by Caty Rogan
  • [ALC] Lights Out by Jenni Fletcher
  • Conform (Conform #1) by Ariel Sullivan
  • Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
  • The War of Wings (Benevolence & Blood #3) by Lauren M. Leasure
  • [Novella] Accidentally Yours (Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chance) by Christina Lauren
  • [Novella] Death to Valentine’s Day (Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chance) by Catherine Cowles
  • [Novella] Valentine’s Slay (Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chance) by Navessa Allen
  • [Novella] A Play for Love (Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chance) by Trilina Pucci
  • [Novella] Second Act Romance (Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chance) by Julie Soto
  • [Novella] Time Will Tell (Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chance) by Hannah Bonam-Young
  • [Novella] It’s Only Love by Alexandra Grace
  • The Rules of Courtship (Hearts of Harewood #3) by Kasey Stockton
  • Night Meets the Elf Queen (Elf Queen #4) by J.M. Kearl
  • The Best Worst Thing by Lauren Okie
  • Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli
  • A Secret Correspondence (Hearts of Harewood #4) by Kasey Stockton
  • Mail-Order Duchess (Lords of the Rockies #1) by Misty M. Beller
  • When Sisters Collide (The Gifts of the Gods #2) by S.E. Bouvier
  • [ARC/ALC] Stolen Midnights (Stolen Midnights #1) by Katherine Quinn
  • [ARC] Love Catch (The Love Playbook) by Lauran Langa
  • [ARC/ALC] Red Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman
  • Love on the Sidelines (The Boys of Ann Arbor U #3) by Gracie Graham

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ALC Book Review: The Swan’s Daughter by Roshani Chokshi

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Roshani Chokshi
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: January 6th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this lush and romantic novel from New York Times bestselling author Roshani Chokshi, a prince is only as good as his beating heart and a maiden is only as good as her honest word. But when love and the truth become impossibly tangled, the two must figure out how to survive together, or fall completely apart.

To find love is a curse …

Prince Arris knows that marriage means murder. Thanks to a poorly worded wish to a sea witch, all one needs to rule the Isle of Malys is the heart and hand of the kingdom’s heir. Historically, this has been construed quite literally.

Thus, Arris expects that the day after his marriage and murder he will wake up as a sentient tree alongside the rest of his predecessors. His only chance at a long life is finding true and lasting love. When Arris’s parents announce a tournament of brides to compete for his hand and heart, a slew of eligible, lovely and (possibly murderous) bachelorettes make their way to Rathe Castle. Amidst glittering balls in ozorald caves, strolls through menageries of daydream trees and pearl crocodiles, tea time on glass boats and kisses that leave his head spinning, Arris cannot tell who is here out of love for him…or lust for power.

Until he meets Demelza.

As a veritas swan, Demelza’s song wrings out the truth. Forced into hiding, Demelza strikes a deal. Arris will provide her with safekeeping in exchange for her truth-telling song to sort through his potential brides.

While Arris is used to dodging death threats and Demelza is accustomed to fighting for her voice to be heard, to survive the tournament of brides requires a different kind of bravery. And perhaps the bravest thing one can do is not merely protect one’s life, but find the courage to chase a life worth living.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

THIS WAS FUN.

I went purely off of the cover x author on this one without knowing a single thing about the book. And it was fun! It’s kind of in the same vein as Assistant to the Villain where it’s fantasy but has a more humorous and cheeky air to it. With that frame of mind I enjoyed the story.

This doesn’t scream ROMANCE to me but it is heavily featured in the plot and alongside that is a whimsical plot with Arris trying to find a bride that won’t kill him. I loved Demelza and her ability to forge her own path and what her love story was going to look like.

I actually really enjoyed Demelza’s parents too. It was a different vibe than I usually read in fantasy and it made them all the more interesting. The rotating POV’s worked well too and I thought it wrapped things up well for a standalone.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild

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