Tag: new adult fantasy romance

Book Review: The Sun and the Starmaker by Rachel Griffin

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 448 pages
Author: Rachel Griffin
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: February 17th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

There once was a village so far north that most considered it the top of the world… and in that village, the Sun fell in love with her Starmaker. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Witches comes a whimsical and sweeping romantic fantasy.

Nestled deep in the snowy mountains of the Lost Range, the small village of Reverie endures on a miracle. Beyond the reach of the Sun, Reverie is dependent upon the magic of the mysterious Starmaker: every morning, he trudges across a vast glacier and pulls in sunlight over the peaks, providing the village with the light it needs to survive.

Aurora Finch grew up on tales of the Starmaker’s magic, never imagining she’d one day meet him. But on the morning of her wedding, a fateful encounter in the frostbitten woods changes everything. The Starmaker senses a powerful magic within her and demands she come study under his guidance. With her newfound abilities tied to the survival of the village, Aurora is swept away to his ice-covered castle at the mountain’s peak.

The Starmaker is as cold and distant as the dark woods, leaving Aurora to explore his enchanted castle with only an immortal rabbit for company. Yet the more she discovers about the sorcerer, the stronger their ruinous attraction grows, pulling her closer to the secrets he refuses to share. A deadly frost approaches, and Aurora must uncover what the Starmaker is hiding before she is left in an endless winter that even the Sun cannot touch.

COZY DONE RIGHT.

First and foremost, I am not a cozy fantasy girlie. I like dark and gritty with all the action and yada yada yada. But this book?? This book hit that cozy note JUST RIGHT. I was pulled into this world and this story with such finesse I didn’t realize I was holding back tears towards the end. It is the epitome of what I could have hoped for in picking it up. I have loved all of Rachel Griffin’s books and this is no different (and can we talk about that cover??).

I loved the journey for Aurora. She’s kind of a hot mess but she is full of such love and devotion that it grows on you. And her takes on things felt realistic and relatable and I was down in the ground with her. I loved the push and pull between Aurora and the Starmaker (not going to drop his true name because you have to wait for that moment okay!!). It gave be a beauty and the beastish vibe that I was here for.

There were many great topics covered like grief and perseverance and choosing what deserves your energy. It’s utterly romantic and pulled at all of the right strings. I am so happy to have a trophy of this one on my shelves.

Overall audience notes:

  • New adult fantasy romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: 1-2ish vague open door; emotional based
  • Violence: mild

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ARC/ALC Book Review: The Dragon and the Sun Lotus (The Three Realms Duology #2) by Amelie Wen Zhao

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Rating: ★★★
Genre: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 386 pages
Author: Amelie Wen Zhao
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: March 3rd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the breathtaking sequel to The Scorpion and the Night Blossom, the battle has just begun. With Àn’yīng’s kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction, and amidst a budding forbidden romance, she must now risk everything to protect her world.

A decade ago, the Kingdom of Night began the war against the Kingdom of Rivers, ravaging the lands and releasing mó—beautiful, ravenous demons—to roam free, drinking the souls of mortals. Now the mó have made it beyond the magical wards of the immortal realm—the Kingdom of Sky—and will not stop until the entire world falls to darkness.

Àn’yīng is determined to banish the mó to their realm and return the mortal realm to peace. But a stunning betrayal has turned the tides of this Her handsome rival from the Immortality Trials and the man she was falling in love with, Yù’chén, is now the enemy. Yù’chén is half mó, his mother none other than Sansiran, the Demon Queen of the Kingdom of Night . . . and the monster responsible for killing Àn’yīng’s father.

There is one hope for the future, though. The boy in the jade—Àn’yīng’s lifelong mystery guardian and heir to the last mortal Emperor—Hào’yáng. Together, Àn’yīng and Hào’yáng must join forces to rally an army that stretches across realms, from the Four Seas of the Dragons to the Phoenixes of the Golden Desert. But first she must awaken to the immortal power slumbering in her own veins.

The thrilling conclusion of The Three Realms duology
THE SCORPION AND THE NIGHT BLOSSOM • THE DRAGON AND THE SUN LOTUS

Thank you PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook and Get Underlined for the gifted book.

I’M A BIT CONFLICTED.

This might be the third time now that I feel at odds with how AWZ has ended one of her series. The first book is always SO GOOD, and here I am feeling burned a little bit. This love triangle was all over the place. I kept thinking I was supposed to be leaning one way or the other and then by the end I was confused on where I was meant to be.

It’s like I liked both of the men, and kind of had a preference but then didn’t like how it was dissolved. I don’t even know if any of this is making sense because I’m having a hard time trying to convey my issues without spoiling. There were some truly beautiful moments though!! With both of them??! I AM SO CONLFICTED Y’ALL. And I did like the FMC?? I’ve lost the plot on my own review so I’m moving on.

And I did love the audiobook narrators!! I do recommend that format if you want to read this duology.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: vague fade to black
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: Every Spiral of Fate (This Woven Kingdom #4) by Tahereh Mafi

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 480 pages
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Storytide
Release Date: September 30th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

At long last, the wedding day has arrived.

The Jinn queen and the enigmatic ruler of Tulan are to be married in a magical, enchanted ceremony—but Cyrus, tethered by a blood oath to his bride-to-be, can find nothing to celebrate in this union. He’s falling ever more deeply in love with the one person oathbound to kill him.

Sworn to an ancient, unbreakable magic, Alizeh can only fulfill the prophecy to free her people by ensuring Cyrus dies by her own hand. And Cyrus is forced to await his end all while Prince Kamran inches closer, ready to take his place by Alizeh’s side. 

The countdown to murder coils tensions ever tighter, but the historic wedding has already drawn deadly attention. To prepare for war and protect her people, Alizeh must finally discover her magic—and outrun the enemies trying to stop her.

Alizeh and Cyrus, along with Kamran and their friends from Ardunia, must flee on dragon-back to begin the perilous journey into the legendary mountains of Arya, where a firestorm of revelations, magical discoveries, and fresh allies awaits them. Every allegiance will be tested, every darkness uncovered, and when the shattering secrets of the Tulanian king are finally revealed . . .

Nothing, and no one, will be the same.

Desperate confessions, impossible decisions, unfathomable magical power—and a love so devastating it rewrites destinies—Every Spiral of Fate is the shimmering, breathtaking fourth volume in a saga that continues to transcend expectations.

Thank you Epic Reads for the gifted copy.

I’M HERE FOR IT.

This series might have been a bit up and down for me (and I’m still firmly a Shatter Me girlie) BUT I am liking these books and look forward to the conclusion.

I liked that this hit some world building notes I was looking for and I will say the last 30% or so really grabbed my attention. I love wild and chaotic cliff hanger based endings and this delivered on all fronts.

I do think it was missing some romantic aspects. While I love and appreciate a genuine slow burn this needed just a little more heat to showcase the relationship. [Of which I’m not saying who’s with who because I think that could be a spoiler if you’re reading this review without knowing the other books.]

The set-up for what [I think] is the finale is awesome. I love these characters and all of the banter and politicking, the dragons and magic. It’s a truly solid series so far.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy Romance
  • Languge: mild+
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Violence: mild – moderate

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Book Review: Watch Me (Shatter Me: The New Republic #1) by Tahereh Mafi

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: NA Dystopian Fantasy Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Storytide
Release Date: April 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Lose yourself in this exhilarating return to the #1 global bestselling Shatter Me universe, the first book in a new series set ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment.

James Anderson had a plan. Or half of one. All that matters is that he managed to do what his older brother, the famous Aaron Warner Anderson, never did: infiltrate Ark Island, the last refuge of The Reestablishment. In the past decade no outsider has breached the stronghold of the authoritarian regime, but James is in. In a prison cell, sure, but as far as James is concerned, a win is a win.

It’s been ten years since the fall of The Reestablishment. Ten years since the notorious duo — Juliette Ferrars and Aaron Warner Anderson — led a worldwide rebellion and established the New Republic of the West. But after a decade of unsettling quiet, The Reestablishment is ready to make a devastating move, and they have the perfect person for the job.

Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. She always has a plan. On Ark Island, where constant surveillance is packaged as security, even emotions must be experienced with caution. A trained assassin, her every movement is monitored by synthetic intelligence—and when she’s given an order to kill, she never hesitates.

Brimming with pulse-pounding action and torturous romance, Watch Me is an explosive journey through a dystopian landscape where enemies-to-lovers has never felt more impossible. Step into a beloved and breathtaking world that demands an answer to a desperate question—

Who are we when no one is watching?

THE JOY THIS BROUGHT ME.

Oh my gosh did I love reading this book so dang much. I had no idea how I would feel about this spin off series and it delivered. NOW, I will say, this is not a series to ponder every single page and break it down. Enjoy the ride, the drama, the banter and the family. Speaking of found family, I highly recommend reading the original Shatter Me series first to get a full understanding of the characters and world. This is set 10 years later and I think my basis of the previous series helped me enjoyment level for this one.

I loooved the banter and chemistry between James and Rosabelle. I love that he’s the sunshine character and the interactions between them set me of every time. They are a hoot. I love the push and pull and waiting to see who’s going to betray who and when all the secrets will come out. I liked that there was enough information here to turn the pages but that there’s plenty more to uncover as the series goes on.

And I loved seeing all of my favorites again. GOSH I MISSED THEM.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Dystopian Fantasy Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: almost kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: torture, starvation and lack of food

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