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ALC Book Review: Never Ever After (Never Ever After #1) by Sue Lynn Tan

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Sue Lynn Tan
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Release Date: October 28th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Not all fairy tales end happily ever after in this Cinderella-inspired fantasy by the bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess—for fans of Renée Ahdieh, Tahereh Mafi, and Stephanie Garber.

Life in the Iron Mountains is harsh and unforgiving. After the death of her beloved uncle, Yining has survived by becoming a skilled thief and an even better liar. When she acquires an enchanted ring that holds the key to a brighter future, it is stolen by her step-aunt, and Yining must venture into the imperial heart of the kingdom to seize it back.

Amid the grandeur of the palace, Yining catches the eye of the ruthless and ambitious prince, who tempts her with a world she’s never imagined. But nothing is as it seems, for she’s soon trapped in a tangle of power, treachery, and greed—her only ally the cunning advisor from a rival court who keeps dangerous secrets of his own. To break free, she must unravel the mystery of her past and fight for a future that both frightens and calls to her.

This sweeping fantasy romance inspired by Cinderella and a Chinese fairy tale is the first in a breathtaking new series by the acclaimed author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ALC.

GIMME BOOK TWO.

I enjoyed this one so much! Honestly, Sue Lynn Tan never disappoints and I have been anxious to get my hands (and headphones) on this book. It felt very classic to her style of story telling and I thought the young adult world was executed well.

I loved Yining as the FMC. She’s ambitious in her own right and learns to stand firmly on her boundaries. I loved the push and pull in the romantic love triangle (it’s giving Daughter of the Moon Goddess…maybe…or maybe I have that all wrong BUT MAYBE). SLT is one of the few author’s who I don’t mind reading love triangles from.

I’m not sure I caught many Cinderella nods but that could be that I haven’t watched that movie in 20+ years? So if you’re worried about that aspect I can’t really comment on it.

There were some beautifully crafted reveals and I thought the audiobook narrator did an amazing job. I love the enchanting vibes of Tan’s stories and am begging to get my hands on book two ASAP.

Overall audience notes:

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

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Book Review: Not a Thing (The Seddledown #2) by Susan Henshaw

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 290 pages
Author: Susan Henshaw
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 1st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A small town principal rewriting her future. A big city lawyer running from his past. The secret that could tear them apart.

After getting dumped, Christy Thornbury has zero intentions of setting foot on Seddledowne soil ever again. But when the school board begs her to be their high school principal, she packs up her car and leaves her toxic family in the dry, Wyoming dust.

Serial dater, Holden Dupree, sprints faster than any woman can catch him. But when Christy’s sisters devise a humiliating scheme to find her a husband, Holden breaks the one self-imposed rule he’s lived by for the last decade. And now he’s stuck in a frustrating, all-cuddling, no-kissing, fake relationship with his brother’s gorgeous ex.

With chemistry hotter than a branding iron, can Christy keep her heart on lockdown while tucked safely in a playboy’s embrace? And will Holden finally lasso his demons, fight for the love he never thought he’d find, and come home to Dupree Ranch for good?

Perfect for readers who enjoy a love story with sizzle but no spice. Get ready for fake dating and forbidden love, dark pasts and daring rescues. But always a hard-earned happily ever after.

I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS.

This book was maddening to read while also being addictive and I found myself downloading book three immediately after (granted, I have been most looking forward to book three so it tracks).

ANYWHO. My issue here is how immature so many of these adults were. The book is set in high school and it felt like most of the antics were high school based too. And I don’t know how I feel about how some of the heavier themes were used and handled.

There were some good swoon moments and I actually didn’t mind Holden and Christy as a couple. They had this off-beat chemistry that worked well for them. And I can’t deny that I love a great heated make-out scene.

I went up and down as I read on this book and while it’s not my favorite, I’m not upset I read it either.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: heated make-outs; light innuendo
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content Warnings: su!cide (mentioned and brought up throughout), bullying, stalker

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Book Review: Kill the Beast by Serra Swift

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Serra Swift
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: October 14th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Witcher meets Howl’s Moving Castle in this debut original faerie tale of revenge, redemption, and friendship―for fans of T. Kingfisher, Naomi Novik, and cozy fantasy with a dash of gritty adventure.

The night Lyssa Cadogan’s brother was murdered by a faerie-made monster known as the Beast, she made him a promise: she would find a way to destroy the immortal creature and avenge his death. For thirteen years, she has been hunting faeries and the abominations they created. But in all that time, the one Beast she is most desperate to find has never resurfaced.

Until she meets Alderic Casimir de Laurent, a melodramatic dandy with a coin purse bigger than his brain. Somehow, he has found the monster’s lair, and―even more surprising―retrieved one of its claws. A claw Lyssa needs in order to forge a sword that can kill the Beast.

When the witch Ragnhild decrees that Alderic and Lyssa must gather the other ingredients to forge the weapon together, or else the spell will fail, Lyssa gets more than she bargained for. Alderic is ill-equipped for the task at hand, and almost guaranteed to get himself killed.

But as the two of them search for the materials that will be the Beast’s undoing, Alderic reveals hidden depths: dark secrets that he guards as carefully as Lyssa guards hers. Before long, and against Lyssa’s better judgment, they begin to forge a blooming friendship―one that will either lead to the culmination of Lyssa’s quest for vengeance, or spell doom for them both.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

THIS GOT ME.

What a genuinely solid and beautiful standalone beauty and the beast retelling. Easily one of the best ones I’ve ever come across. This covered a multitude of themes and moments that made the book hit hard and hit well.

I loved the evolution of the relationship between Alderic and Lyssa. There’s banter and tumultuous scenes. Intense and quiet too. They really went from strangers to friends to more and truly saw each other for everything they are. And the depth of Lyssa’s character growth was remarkable. Working through grief and anger is not a straight line and I loved seeing her story play out.

This was a wonderful debut and I hope future books from Serra Swift are coming because I look forward to reading them.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance Retelling
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate+
  • Content warnings: loss of a loved one, parental abandonment, creature attacks, blood/gore depiction

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Book Review: House of Dragons (Royal Houses #1) by K.A. Linde

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Upper YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 448 pages
Author: K.A. Linde
Publisher: Bloom Books
Release Date: October 7th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

New York Times bestselling author K.A. Linde introduces the Royal Houses series with House of Dragons: the story of Kerrigan Argon, a half-Fae, half-human, as she seeks her place in an unforgiving world filled with magic, mayhem, and romance. A YA romantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black, and V.E. Schwab.

She’s the half-Fae outcast. He’s the cursed prince. Their choices could reshape the realm.

Ten years ago, half-Fae, half human Kerrigan Argon was discreetly dropped off onto the steps of Draco Mountain with nothing but a note. Her life changes completely as she’s swept into the care of the House of Dragons—an elite training program for gifted Fae.

On the year of her seventeenth name day, each student will be chosen by one of the twelve houses of Alandria to enter society.

Everyone is chosen…except Kerrigan.

So, she strikes a bargain with the Dragon Society: convince a house to select her or give up her birthright forever. With the unlikeliest of allies—Fordham Ollivier, the cursed Fae prince, who escaped his dark throne—she must chart her own destiny to reshape the world.

Thank you Bloom Books for the gifted ARC.

I’LL CONTINUE THE SERIES.

This wasn’t on my radar but when surprise book mail shows up and I thought, what the heck, let’s try it. And it made me realize I’ve been missing dragon based fantasy books.

I do think there’s a little confusion on writing style vs. content. The writing came across as definite YA while some of the content/plot points leaned a little more NA/Adult. Not necessarily a BAD thing but it did throw me a little and I wish the characters had been 20+ instead of 17.

The overall story though was pretty solid and I liked the slow burn romance too. There was good banter and chemistry and the beginnings of a strong found family. I’ve missed the era of series that go over 3 books so I’m looking forward to reading through all of these. I adore the new covers too!

Overall audience notes:

  • Upper YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: mild+
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate

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