Tag: red tower books

ARC Book Review: Ship of Spells by H. Leighton Dickson

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Rating: ★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 500 pages
Author: H. Leighton Dickson
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Release Date: November 4th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A war-scarred mage. A sentient ship. A secret that could drown empires.

When Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn is rescued from the wreckage of her first naval post, she expects death or disgrace. Instead, she wakes aboard the Touchstone, a mythic vessel whispered of in dockside ballads and royal war rooms alike. With a crew of misfits. A mysterious, elven captain. And a mission tied to the Dreadwall, the crumbling barrier that has kept the Overland and Nethersea from open war for a hundred years.

But the tragedy that sank her last ship didn’t just take lives—it left something behind.

Now Renn carries a secret everyone wants. A magik that’s chimeric, arcane…and slowly killing her. But the captain’s mission may be her only chance to survive, even if he still doesn’t trust her.

Caught between privateers, princes, and spies, Renn knows each choice could sink her future—or set the sea on fire.

Ship of Spells is perfect for readers who crave the raw grit of Arya Stark, the world-building of Samantha Shannon, and the slow-burn tension of enemies who should never trust or want each other.

Thank you to Red Tower Books and Kaye Publicity for the gifted ARC.

PLEASE DON’T.

I honestly don’t even want to write this review but I’m going to mention some of the issues I had with this book and why I took one for the team and I’m going to need you to go read a different romantasy.

The biggest notable complaint was the unexplainable world building. So much so that I still can’t tell you what the FMC looks like. Was I ever told? I’M NOT SURE. There were also made up words and phrases/dialogue that I believe were elements to the world building but with the lack of explanation I was confused from the first chapter (and my husband even read a few chapters and was like, what is going on????).

This “enemies to lovers” might be one of the worst I’ve come across and not for one second did I think these two had chemistry.

I’m still at a loss for what was the true point of the plot. I don’t know what message it was trying to convey or where the FMC was supposed to go on her journey.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy romance
  • Language: mild+
  • Romance: 1 cringey open door
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: Accomplice to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain #3) by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Release Date: August 5th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.

REWARD OFFERED: Apprentice to The Villain wanted for treason (light), magical property damage (alleged), and one incident involving a weaponized scone (accurate). Frequently seen with a grumpy frog (crowned, judgmental). Answers to “Evie” or “Stop that.”

Evie Sage didn’t mean to become the right-hand woman to the kingdom’s most terrifying villain. One minute, she was applying for an entry-level position that promised “light paperwork and occasional beheadings,” and the next, she was knee-deep in magical mayhem, murder plots, and an entirely inappropriate crush on her brooding, sharp-jawed, walking disaster of a boss.

Now, with a magical prophecy unraveling, assassins showing up in the break room, and a suspicious amount of frogs wearing crowns, Evie has to figure out how to survive her job without setting the kingdom on fire—or her dignity, which is hanging by a very sarcastic thread.

Being evil-adjacent was never part of the five-year plan. But then again…neither was falling for The Villain.

A magical office comedy with grumpy bosses, snarky frogs, and definitely-not-feelings.

LOOOOVED.

GOSH, these books are just so fun??! I love them. I love how unique and different they feel and the vibes are immaculate every time. The slowest of slow burns continues to burn at the perfect level and I am continually feral for every tiny interaction between Evie and Tristan.

And I liked all of the other POV’s too. They were a great addition and added more layers to the story and plot and all of the other scenes that we wouldn’t have otherwise seen. The other romances between these characters were cute too!!

Hands down, these have some of the BEST BANTER I have ever read and I love listening to the audiobook (though I will not I wish it had multiple narrators!!).

The ending cliffhanger had the reveal I was hoping for and I am chomping at the bit to hear information about book four!!!!

Overall audience notes:

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

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Book Review: Onyx Storm (The Empyrean #3) by Rebecca Yarros

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 530 pages
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Release Date: January 21st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming…and not everyone can survive its wrath.

I NEED TO READ THIS A FEW MORE TIMES.

Oh wow. This was a read y’all. And I’m not going to lie, I am a *little* disappointed? It’s like I loved it, but didn’t LOVE IT, ya know?

I do think Xaden was the star of this show and I would do SO MANY THINGS to get his POV throughout the whole book. I appreciated the growth in his relationship with Violet and that we got to see some true communication start to come through. This relationship isn’t linear and I like that aspect the most.

I enjoyed most of the traveling plot. It did feel a dash repetitive and some points and I do think there was A LOT of information thrown at me that I didn’t get enough time to digest (hence why I want to reread this soon). I loved the expansion of the lands and seeing different people though. And how all of Andarna’s pieces were woven into the larger story.

I definitely have a ridiculous amount of questions and theories (which I admit is kind of fun). The ending dropped a cliffhanger but also felt a bit abrupt. I am just going to go stare at a wall for a bit until I come to terms with the fact that I have to wait another few years for book four.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: high
  • Romance: multiple open door
  • Violence: high

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Book Review: Five Broken Blades (The Broken Blades #1) by Mai Corland

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 512 pages
Author: Mai Corland
Publisher: Red Tower
Release Date: May 7th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s the season
for treason…

The king of Yusan must die.

The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the God King Joon.

He has it coming. Under his merciless immortal hand, the nobles flourish, while the poor and innocent are imprisoned, ruined…or sold.

And now each of the five blades will come for him. Each has tasted bitterness―from the hired hitman seeking atonement, a lovely assassin who seeks freedom, or even the prince banished for his cruel crimes. None can resist the sweet, icy lure of vengeance.

They can agree on murder.

They can agree on treachery.

But for these five killers―each versed in deception, lies, and betrayal―it’s not enough to forge an alliance. To survive, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other…but only one can take the crown.

Let the best liar win.

I’LL READ BOOK TWO.

This was a good series starter. I especially loved the audiobook because they had five separate narrators for all of the POV’s which made it much easier to follow along. I did like all of our main leads. They’ve each got secrets and strengths and weaknesses that you see played out though the book. I loved the ending betrayals and twists. A few took me by surprise which is always my favorite.

I liked most of the romantic aspects. Some times I felt like it was trying too hard to be sexy (and not in a lusty way, it’s hard to explain without spoiling) and it wasn’t coming off well. I do like the contrasting pairings and I’m curious how those will continue to unravel (or tie together) as the series continues.

The plot is simple, which works well against so many points of view. I liked seeing different pieces of the world and how the politicking and intrigue worked together. I’m very much interested in seeing where this series will go next.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Violence: high

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