Tag: fantasy romance

Book Review: Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Allison Saft
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date: February 4th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Brimming with magic and romance, a young fairy queen must form an unlikely alliance or risk an unspeakable danger destroying all she holds dear in this standalone YA novel from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft.

It’s been centuries since a warm-season fairy in Pixie Hollow has crossed into the Winter Woods, and while most fear the legends of monsters lurking in the frozen lands, Clarion, can’t help being intrigued by Winter’s stoic beauty. But under the watchful eyes of the current monarch and the court’s seasonal ministers, Clarion has little time to dwell on daydreams while the days to her coronation dwindle away.

That is, until reports of a monster crossing from Winter into Spring make their way to the palace. Clarion sees defeating this threat as an opportunity to prove that she is worthy of her new role. But instead of finding a monster at the edge of Winter, she finds Milori, a young guardian of the Winter Woods. Together, they form an unlikely bond as they race to save their lands.

But as their alliance warms to something more, they will discover there is a reason a warm-season fairy and a winter fairy must not be together. And the cost could be just as deadly as the monsters that prowl the Winter Woods.

Discover the origin of the sweeping, star-crossed romance between the queen of Pixie Hollow and the lord of the Winter Woods.

NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING?

I can’t call this a romance based off of how the ending came about, unless this wasn’t a standalone?? But apparently this follows a movie?? So I honestly don’t know what to think. I am not a Tinkerbell fan girl so I don’t know much about her story or anything.

This book was perfectly fine, just never engaging. I didn’t feel much of anything listening. I liked the plot set-up and the characters were fine, but I want the emotional attachment too.

Overall audience notes:

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

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Book Review: Brimstone (Fae & Alchemy #2) by Callie Hart

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Rating: ★★★★.5
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 672 pages
Author: Callie Hart
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: November 18th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Saeris Fane doesn’t want power. The very last thing she needs is her name whispered on an entire court’s lips, but now that she’s been crowned queen of the Blood Court, she’s discovering that a queen’s life is not her own. A heavy weight rests upon her shoulders.

Her ward – and her brother – need her back in her homeland . . . but the changes that have strengthened Saeris have also made her weak. Born under blazing suns, Saeris will surely die if she makes her way home through the Quicksilver. Which means that, once again, she must send someone else in her stead . . .

‘Keep your mouth shut. Stick to the shadows. And for the love of all seven Gods, do NOT crack any jokes.’

Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate has defeated armies and survived all manner of horrors, but traveling back to Zilvaren with Carrion Swift might just be the death of him. The male just will not shut up. Hidden dangers await them down the narrow alleyways of the Silver City. Unfolding secrets pose impossible threats. Fisher must wrangle the smuggler and accomplish his goals quickly if he wants to see his mate again.

A darkness falls across Yvelia. The realm and their friends are in danger. Together, Saeris and Fisher will pass through fire and brimstone to save them.

A DANG GOOD SEQUEL.

We all know that sequels can be very hit or miss. BLESSED BE. This was not one of those cases. I thoroughly enjoyed this book a lot and especially the duet narration.

I thought the plot maintained a fairly steady pace and I was consistently engaged in what was going on. I liked the expansion of the world and magic system and the forces between vampires and fae. And I’m obsessed with Carrion. I could read a bonus novella about him and would love every minute.

What my one tidbit in this book that stood out negatively was the fact that the main couple is endgame. They were endgame by the end of the first book and I think that took out some of the romantic tension I enjoy seeing. If it’s a series, at least draw it out until somewhere in book two??? Please???

It’s a good ending with a major cliffhanger reminiscent of other romantasy books I’ve loved. I’ll definitely be after reading book three when it drops.

Overall audience notes:

  • Romatasy
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 5+ open door
  • Violence: high

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Book Review: A Crown So Silver (Fair Folk #2) by Lyra Selene

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 496 pages
Author: Lyra Selene
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: January 21st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

On a mysterious snowy island ruled by a trickster king where magic comes at a price, a deadly trial commences. The prize: a chance for vengeance.

After her sacrifice on the Ember Moon, Fia is flush with powerful magic and eager to rush into battle against her murderous sister, Eala. However, Fia’s new husband Irian suggests they bide their time and retreat to the Silver Isle, a snowy island at the edge of the fae world.

Ruled by the cunning smith-king, the Silver Isle proves far from a safe haven. Fia and Irian become embroiled in the Tournament of Kings competing for a magical forging of immense power. Their relationship will be put to the test as they navigate their conflicting motivations, shifting allegiances, and ancient magic.

With the end of the tournament looming and Eala’s threat growing, Fia must decide just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to defeat her sister.

I LIKED IT MORE THAN THE FIRST.

Which kind of surprises me but we’re going to roll with it. I thought it picked up great in the beginning and I immediately felt immersed in the audiobook and story and characters. I love when I don’t feel lost from the first book and the execution here helped that a lot.

Now the rest of the first half was a bit meh. I did like seeing Fia and Irian work together but the cracks started to show and I found myself bored with the plot. The second half was much better in this regard. The pacing found a steadier rhythm and I liked Fia’s character arc more by the end. And y’all know I love a good cliffhanger and this definitely had on that makes me want book three as soon as I can get my hands on it.

Highly recommend the audiobook because the narrator does an amazing job with the accents.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: multiple open door
  • Violence: moderate – high

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ARC/ALC Book Review: The Trident and the Pearl (The Fisher King #1) by Sarah K.L. Wilson

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Rating: ★★★.5
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 464 pages
Author: Sarah K.L. Wilson
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: February 24th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A desperate queen makes a deal with the gods to save her land in this spellbinding romantasy debut from Sarah K. L. Wilson.

Queen Coralys rules the Kingdom of the Five Isles, but when disaster strikes, killing her husband and destroying half her nation, she pleads with the gods for salvation. And they do save her, turning back the terrible winds and tide and snatching her islands from the brink of destruction.

But the gods have a wicked sense of justice and they demand an exchange for their help: Coralys must marry the first man to set foot on her pier. Coralys expects the fleet of a neighboring country to come to rescue her people, led by its prince, a loyal ally. What she gets instead is a fisherman so sunburnt and stinking that her court can barely keep their breakfast down.

Coralys marries the fisherman just as she promised the gods, and sets out with him in his unkempt dinghy, with nothing but hopes of revenge against the gods to keep her from despair. But what she does not know is that the fisherman is actually the god of the sea. And he stepped on her dock for a reason.

His own kingdom besieged, his body terribly wounded, and his place as a god threatened, the fisherman has plans to turn the tides set against him and finally offer a place of refuge for his people. But working the magic he needs will require the help of the one woman bent on his destruction.

Thank you Orbit Books for the gifted ARC.

EH, I DON’T KNOW Y’ALL.

I will say that I’m still obsessed with this cover.

Alright, now about the inside of the book. Initially I was fine with it, I was leaning into the vibes and I love marriage of convenience so I wanted to give it a chance. I loved the ocean based setting and that there seems to be a lot of meddling gods.

Then somewhere in the middle it kind of lost me? I was getting frustrated with the FMC and how she was choosing to make her decisions and listening to parties that were pretty dang obvious not anyone Coralys should be considering which caused more things to fall a part. And then the romance was missing something. It felt like certain pieces were forced and since this is a series I think it would have benefited from a different type of slow burn.

This book isn’t spice forward, which is super nice because I feel that’s all I see lately, which does lean me towards wanting to try book two. I thought the conclusion was a decent cliff hanger and made me curious to see how this will continue.

I listened to the audiobook as well and I did like the narration.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Violence: moderate+
  • Content warnings: loss of a spouse, loss of life, battle themes, weapons altercations

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