Tag: macmillan audio

Book Review: The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats #2) by Mary E. Pearson

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 487 pages
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Flatiron
Release Date: November 13th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Everyone needs something to hold onto, even if it’s a lie.

After Bristol nearly loses Tyghan to the monsters her mother unleashed, their love deepens to a whole new level. Together, Bristol and Tyghan work to understand and reconcile their differences, moving forward with their common goal of saving Elphame. But, when a daring rescue attempt turns disastrous and a beloved knight dies, Bristol is forced to confront the fact that her mother is more powerful than she could ever have imagined – and more dangerous, too.

Meanwhile, Tyghan’s heart is laid bare when he re-encounters his betrayer, Kierus, and must wrestle with a new secret that throws everything he thought he knew about his past into question. Bristol is Elphame’s last chance for survival, but where do her loyalties truly lie? If she embraces the magic that has always been her birthright, she could become a monster just like her mother. Is she willing to risk losing the people she loves most if it means keeping them safe?

Discover the stunning second book in the Bristol Keats fantasy duology, from New York Times bestselling author Mary E. Pearson.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

WELLLLLLL.

I genuinely wanted to love this. Even more so because I did actually like book one!! But this book lost me in a few different ways and I think a portion of the ending scenes will be polarizing for readers. I unfortunately fell on the meh side of it and didn’t like how it all went down. Did it have a HEA? Sure, yes, it did. The execution of how we got there though bugged me.

While the sound of this narrator was great I wish this had multiple narrators or at least one more. The changing of POV’s in a book like this can be great but a solo narrator left me befuddled because I had the hardest time figuring out who’s POV I was in, constantly.

I never got MAD about reading this (which is why it was a three star), it just left me wanting more from multiple plot lines.

I’ll still read Pearson’s next book but I’m hoping it’s YA.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2-3ish open door
  • Violence: high

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ALC Book Review: Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibanez

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Historical Fantasy Romance
Length: 448 pages
Author: Isabel Ibanez
Publisher: Saturday Books
Release Date: January 13th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A lush, atmospheric and achingly magical standalone adult fantasy romance set in Renaissance Italy from a #1 New York Times bestselling author.

In 15th-century Volterra, sculptress Ravenna Maffei enters a competition hosted by a secretive, immortal family who offer an invaluable boon to the victor. Desperate to win so she can save her brother, Ravenna reveals a rare magical talent–a dangerous act in a city where magic is forbidden. Her revelation makes her a target, and she is kidnapped by the Luni family and taken to Florence, a city of breathtaking beauty and cutthroat ambition.

There, Ravenna is forced into an impossible task where failure means certain death at the hands of Saturnino dei Luni, the family’s enigmatic and merciless heir. But under his cold reserve hides a vulnerability that draws her closer than she ever intended.

Meanwhile, Ravenna’s forbidden magic does not go unnoticed. The Pope, waging war against Florence, the Medici, and magic itself, has his own interest in her abilities, seeing her as a potential weapon in his ruthless campaign.

As alliances shift and war brews on the horizon, Ravenna must navigate the treacherous line between survival and betrayal, between love and duty. With time running out and her every move watched, the choices she makes will determine the fate of not just her own life, but the fragile balance of magic and power that could unravel Florence itself.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

A BIT OF A STRUGGLE.

Beautiful cover. A premise I was intrigued by. But the execution? Eh.

I’ll start off with a note that I wouldn’t recommend the audiobook. Alongside Ravenna’s POV are multiple others and they are kind of sporadic. It took me a bit to recognized that with the single narrator and then it got frustratingly annoying to try to catch the chapter title to figure out who was speaking. I will concede I might have liked this more as an ebook/physical.

I do think the second half was better (probably a product of me finally figuring out a few world building things). The immortals avenue worked for me, though I’m not sure the presence of other beings (vampires, fae, etc.) were totally necessary.

The romance didn’t work for me and I didn’t feel that connection to it I was hoping to grasp. They had some sweet moments at least.

Once again, I do think it turns back to the audio issues I had. I’ll still read another book by this author even if this one didn’t quite work for me.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fantasy Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3-4ish open door
  • Violence: moderate+
  • Content warnings: blood/gore, death, imprisonment

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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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ALC Book Review: Fallen City (Fallen City Duology #1) by Adrienne Young

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Adrienne Young
Publisher: Saturday Books
Release Date: November 4th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the great walled city of Isara, political turmoil ignites a rebellion one hundred years in the making. But when a legionnaire falls in love with a Magistrate’s daughter, their love will threaten the fate of the city and the will of the gods.

Luca Matius has one purpose—to carry on the family name, maintaining its presence in the Forum once his powerful and cruel uncle dies. But his noviceship with the city’s Philosopher places him in the middle of a catastrophe that will alter the destiny of his people.

Maris Casoeria was raised amidst the strategic maneuvers of the Citadel’s inner workings, and she knows what her future holds—a lifetime of service to a corrupt city. But her years of serving as a novice to the last Priestess who possesses the stolen magic of the Old War has made her envision a different kind of future for the city. When she meets Luca, a fated chain of events is set into motion that will divinely entangle their lives.

Thank you Saturday Books for the eARC and MacMillan Audio for the ALC.

IT WAS ALRIGHT.

By the time I picked this up I knew of one person that gave it over four stars. I was definitely nervous when I knew I needed to get to this.

I will say, the audiobook? Good. I loved that there were two narrators for both POV’s. Great narration. Easy listen.

I honestly didn’t mind most of this book and loved the Roman-esque influence woven throughout. I liked the main characters and there’s a good story at the core of the pages.

What I struggled with was being tossed into the romance rather than being led in. It starts at an awkward junction and to get your footing in a short fantasy novel was a quest on its own. It felt like it was trying to be romantic but missed a few of those key notes that would have been helped with stronger character development over the heavy focus on the world/politics.

I’m not a fan of flashback chapters, especially in fantasy books. And this made me stand by that statement too. A reorganization is in needed.

BUT. I’ll read the next book. I’ll keep with my audiobook format. I love a dramatic cliffhanger so hopefully the sequel follows through.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: brief open door
  • Violence: high

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