Tag: fantasy romance

ARC Book Review: Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Urban Fantasy Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Stephanie Garber
Publisher: Flatiron
Release Date: October 7th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It starts with a class in an old movie theater.

Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor. Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you’ll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart.

With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles—and into the path of a magnetic stranger. Everything about him feels like a bad idea, but he promises Holland that her sister sent him to protect her. As they chase clues and stories that take them closer to the Alchemical Heart, Holland realizes everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, not even the Alchemical Heart will save her.

Thank you to Flatiron for an eARC.

CARAVAL REPEAT?

This one was interesting for me. I’m a big fan of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval/Once Upon a Broken Heart series. LOVED both of them and I knew going into this to expect something different. And while yes, that was the case, it also felt like a repeat of Caraval? Just add in older characters and an urban fantasy setting instead. I haven’t decided how that makes me feel about my overall impression of the book.

The romance was 100% lacking on the swoon. Now that I understand this is a series I CAN see what the author is going after but I don’t think that will all click until book two [hopefully]. I didn’t know what direction I was supposed to lean in and that made me pause a few too many times throughout. I will say this was a kisses only adult romance and I appreciated that it wasn’t unnecessarily spice forward.

I’m definitely going to continue the series because I do have questions. I think the folklore aspects were interesting and the POV change made me think too. I have my eyes on a few characters and want to see how they fold into the larger plot. This was a decent beginning but lacking that punch of something to give it an edge.

Overall audience notes:

  • Urban fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild-moderate

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Book Review: Trial of Bronze and Blood (Bronze and Blood Saga #1) by M.K. Deoradhan

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 434 pages
Author: M.K. Deoradhan
Publisher: Aethon Books
Release Date: April 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Gladiator meets Heartless Hunter meets Bloodguard in this new adult fantasy romance.

Four deadly trials will reunite them. One secret will tear them apart.

When a mission goes wrong and ends with her best friend dead, Drusilla Valerius is rescued by someone she never expected to see again: Marcus Scaevola. The only man she’s ever cared for—the man who spurned her feelings six years ago.

Marcus should’ve known Dru wouldn’t be the same woman he left all those years ago, and he’s unprepared for her distrust of him – and her uncanny ability to kill. But he has a purpose for seeking her out.

Bound by loyalty, he convinces her to train King Cato of Anziano, one of the last countries yet to fall to the tyrannical Imperium, in the Valorem Blood Trials.

Unlike years’ past, the Imperium has a heavy hand in it, hiding beneath the guise of peace and unity between their two countries. When both Dru and Marcus find themselves joining the competition – Dru to take the place of an innocent and Marcus to protect the king – they’re forced to trust one another with their lives.

Now inescapably entrenched in the gory, duplicitous world of the blood trials, feelings long-buried surface, blurring the lines between duty and honor, love and loyalty. But Marcus carries a devastating secret–one that could destroy the foundations of Dru’s world…

Don’t miss this adult romantasy debut combining the second-chance romance of Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli with the deadly trials of Gladiator.

I THINK I’LL READ BOOK TWO.

I thought overall this was a good debut. It covered a lot of ground in the world building and while the magic system is still elusive and needs better rules, I can see the potential in future books.

The same goes for the romance. This is a second chance romantasy (which I feel is very uncommon for me to come across) so I don’t know that it worked super well. And while I appreciate that it wasn’t spice forward and that there was a slow burn I wanted more from the romance in regards to the emotional build and conversations.

There’s enough here though that I think for a debut there’s a chance for upward trajectory in future books. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the leads and the king. There were a few things throughout that felt fresh and different for this genre which gives me hope for book two!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: 2ish open door
  • Violence: moderate +

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: September 2025

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THE BER MONTHS.

I always love seeing these line ups because all of the covers together feel like a quilt of my reads. And I’m continually surprised at what I get through and all of the different genres and niches I fall into.

HAPPY READING!

  • Epics Etched in Echoes (Tales of Wonder and Woe #3.5) by Renee Dugan
  • If Not for My Baby by Kate Golden
  • Entreat Me by Grace Draven
  • Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
  • [ARC] An Echo of the Grave (Fallow Creek #4) by Claudia Cain
  • [ARC/ALC] We Met Like This by Kasie West
  • Last Night Was Fun by Holly Michelle
  • Mistress of Bones (Mistress of Bones #1) by Maria Z. Medina
  • House of Hearts by Skyla Arndt
  • The Silversmith (The Selvaren #1) by LJ Claren
  • Scorched Earth (Dark Shores #4) by Danielle L. Jensen
  • [ARC] It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard
  • [ARC] Fake Skating by Lynn Painter
  • Rose in Chains (The Evermore Trilogy #1) by Julie Soto
  • [Novella] Fearful (The Powerless Trilogy #3.5) by Lauren Roberts
  • [Novella] Pumpkin to Talk About by Allie Samberts
  • The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk (Crowns of Nyaxia #4) by Carissa Broadbent
  • Rookie Season (The Boys of Loft 3B #1) by Katie Bailey and Leah Brunner
  • Better Luck Next Time by Cara Bastone
  • The Crownless Queen (The Blood and Water Saga #4) by Cassidy Clarke
  • An Embroidery of Souls by Ruby Martinez
  • Love at Second Down (Boys of Ann Arbor U #2) by Gracie Graham
  • [Novella] Hot for Slayer (Scared Sexy Collection #1) by Ali Hazelwood
  • [ARC] Winterset by Tiffany Odekirk
  • [ALC] Overdue by Stephanie Perkins
  • [Novella] Falling (Scared Sexy Collection #2) by Christina Lauren
  • Playing for Keeps by Ranee S. Clark
  • Silverborn: The Mystery of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor #4) by Jessica Townsend
  • [ARC] Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber
  • Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson

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Book Review: A Dawn with the Wolf Knight (Married to Magic #5) by Elise Kova

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Rating: ★★★.5
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 464 pages
Author: Elise Kova
Publisher: Silver Wing Press
Release Date: August 1st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

To enter the woods as a human means death… But I am no mere human. They call me, “witch.”

As one of the last surviving witches, Faelyn’s sole duty is to keep the protective barriers on the forests where the lykin roam—creatures who can shed flesh for fur—sparing nearby humans from their violent, beastly natures. When she has an unlikely encounter with the rare, primordial spirit of the moon, Faelyn finds herself not only the object of the Wolf King’s desire, but essential to his ability to keep his crown.

Taken to the magical land of Midscape, the Wolf King claims her as his bride to control the moon spirit’s magic that now resides within Faelyn. But Faelyn refuses to resign herself and the spirit Aurora to a life of servitude underneath the king’s cruel rule. Faelyn hatches a dangerous plan for them both to escape and help comes from an unlikely ally.

Evander is the king’s blisteringly handsome, loyal knight, right hand, and Faelyn’s sworn protector…on the outside. But appearances are not what they seem. He plots against the king’s brutality at every turn and helping Faelyn escape will serve these ends. But altruism for Faelyn and the trapped moon spirit isn’t his only motivation… Evander is hiding secrets, and they might change Faelyn’s life forever.

A desperate plot to escape. A brutal king. Ancient powers. And a sworn protector who can’t keep his hands off her… Will she be taken as the Wolf King’s bride? Or will she manage an escape that will free her heart and change her fate forever?

A Dawn with the Wolf Knight is a complete, *stand alone novel*. For readers who love romantasy novels with second-chance/long-lost love, life-changing female friendships, deep lore, forbidden romance, slow-burn, and a happily ever after.

While it is set in the Married to Magic universe, readers can start with this book.

LET’S GET INTO IT.

Can I just say that I love this cover?

Okay anyways. I have read 98% of Elise Kova’s books (minus a novella or two) and I always have a good time when reading her books. This one landed somewhere in the middle for me. And I think my biggest issue was one of the plot points that kept taking me out of the story. For sake of spoilers I won’t say anything in depth, I just think the attempt at some of the innuendo did not feel natural and could have been left out altogether.

The romance did grow on me. There was good angst and tension and there was a twist I should have seen coming but didn’t and I wasn’t mad about it. I thought it helped balance the speed of the romance and endeared me to Faelyn and Evander. The second half/ending sequence was really great and kept my attention much better than the middle. I love this world and seeing different features of it with each couple in this series.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: 3+ open/fade to black
  • Violence: high
  • Content Warnings: attempted sexual assault through coercion (magical manipulation)

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