Tag: simon audio

Book Review: Beast Becomes Her by Crystal Seitz

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Paranormal + Romance
Length: 464 pages
Author: Crystal Seitz
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: March 3rd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Netflix’s Wednesday meets Norse mythology in this gorgeous dark contemporary fantasy following a teen berserkr sent to a secret magical academy where she must unmask the real killer behind the gruesome campus murders or risk becoming the next victim.

Edith has always been a good girl—she has to be, or her foster family might think she’s like her violent father. No matter how much anger simmers inside her, she keeps it buried, hidden…

Until the day she’s pushed a step too far, and that anger comes bursting out in the form of literal claws.

It’s then that Edith learns she’s a berserkr, a descendant of ancient Norse warriors with the ability to turn into animals. To avoid jail for attacking a student, Edith is shipped off to the mysterious Skallagrim Academy. The ancient school is supposedly a haven for people like her, a place where she can learn to control her powers and then push them down so deep that they’ll never come out again.

But someone—or something—is stalking the dark halls of Skallagrim.

On her second night, Edith stumbles upon a gruesome murder and is caught at the scene of the crime by Amund, who is tasked with hunting down wayward berserkir. Now, with Amund suspecting Edith as the killer, she’ll have to catch the real culprit to prove her innocence before she ends up in the hunter’s crosshairs—or becomes the killer’s next victim.

Thank you to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

IT WAS OKAY.

I enjoyed Crystal Seitz first book but this one left me wanting more. I do think the audiobook was good though!! Two narrators for dual POV and they were fantastic. If you try this book, go with that format!

What I will say is that I do think this is mid-teens+ friendly. There’s not an obsessive amount of language and the romance level was kisses only. While I did find it predictable in regards to the villains and plot line up I still think a younger audience would have a good time.

If you enjoy paranormal academic settings with a murder mystery and wondering what’s around every corner, this could be for you! The atmosphere is perfect for a moody fall day.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Paranormal + Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: loss of life, creature attacks, near death experiences

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Book Review: The Wicked and the Damned (Dark Inheritance Trilogy #2) by Rebecca Robinson

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Rebecca Robinson
Publisher: Saga Press
Release Date: February 24th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the exhilarating second romantasy novel in Rebecca Robinson’s Dark Inheritance Trilogy, a fiery couple forced apart must navigate a deadly maze of politics and power to reunite across a continent at war.
Torn from her husband Reid’s arms and dragged back to her homeland in chains, Vaasa is no longer a ruler, but a political pawn. Now under the control of Ozik—a cunning Zetyr witch with a stranglehold on her magic—she faces annulment, forced betrothal, and a kingdom that no longer feels like her own. As Ozik’s machinations aim to install himself as the true power behind the Asteryan throne, Vaasa is forced to take part in his game.

Meanwhile, across the continent, Reid is done playing politics. But waging war is never simple, and a soldier’s fury cannot stand up against Icruria’s bureaucracy. With allies fading and time slipping away, Reid may have no choice but to infiltrate Asterya on his own to find the woman he loves and bring her home.

As Vaasa’s magic begins to flare, she desperately seeks control, even if Ozik is the only one who can offer it. She then finds a cryptic final message from her mother about a precious missing necklace that might just be the answer to finally freeing her magic from Ozik. Yet when a ghost from Vaasa’s past reemerges among the suitors vying for her hand, escape might be within reach—but will it demand a betrayal that real love may not survive?

Thank you Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

ALMOST LOST ME.

To be honest, I was worried in the first half. I am just not a fan of keeping a couple apart for so long after they’ve pretty much claimed end game. And then with the addition of a not-an-actual-love-triangle I was almost throwing my phone.

But hey, things picked up and it ended up being a good sequel where I’m absolutely looking forward to the conclusion. I appreciated that this kept of plot > spice element and the politics and world were intense. This whole book was intense. I loved the moments between Reid and Vaasa because the chemistry is still off the charts.

🎧 I liked the audiobook narrator but my only wish was that this had a second narrator for Reid’s chapters. I know he didn’t have as many as Vaasa, yet I think it would have added a bonus element to the story.

A really solid and [currently] underrated series. Y’all check it out!

Overall audience notes:

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

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ALC Book Review: Lights Out by Jenni Fletcher

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: NA Sports Romance
Length: 346 pages
Author: Jenni Fletcher
Publisher: Simon Audio
Release Date: February 3rd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A sizzling Formula One romance perfect for fans of BookTok faves Hannah Grace, Lauren Asher, and Kat Ransom.

He’s a future F1 champion, but she’s making it hard to stay on track…

F1’s resident bad boy Giovanni Bauer isn’t used to losing, but when his non-stop partying leaves his position on the team at risk, he needs to turn his reputation around – fast.

Maisie Evans is a dedicated psychology student, desperate to break into Gio’s competitive world and reignite her dreams of a glittering sports career, but with no clue how to do it.

When Gio and Maisie’s worlds collide, the answer to their problems seems a fake relationship. She gets to travel the world and brush shoulders with sports royalty, and he gets to fix his image by settling down.

But as sparks fly on and off the track, will their ‘relationship’ see them cross the line together, or crash and burn?

Thank you Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

I’M NOT FEELING IT.

I’m 0/2 on F1 romances right now and that sucks. I did like the F1 content in this book. It felt present but not overwhelming and the behind the scenes stuff and such worked well for the plot. I also did enjoy the audiobook narrator and had no issues listening.

Both of the main characters caused me to be annoyed one too many times. It was as if this book was marketed/labeled as young adult, but actually had adult content with characters who acted 15. It was not a good look and the drama wasn’t drama-ing well.

Some of the romance was sweet/swoony and other times it went right back to the trying to hard to be dramatic issue. I did like both of their families and the kindness and love in those scenes.

I’m not really vibing with idea of picking up another book by this author, we’ll see.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Sports Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2 open door
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warnings: car crashes and resulting injuries, mentions of loss of a parent

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ALC Book Review: Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Emiko Jean
Publisher: Simon Teen
Release Date: February 3rd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Tokyo Ever After comes a laugh-out-loud funny and deeply moving rom-com about a girl who starts receiving letters from the love of her life—writing to her from years in the future.

What if your true love could write to you from the future?

Seventeen-year-old Emma Nakamura-Thatcher doesn’t believe in love, not after her parents’ bitter divorce. So when she attends the festival of Tanabata, her wish is simple: proof that love is real and can last.

Emma thinks little of her wish…until she finds a note from someone claiming to be her greatest love writing to her from the future. It has to be a prank, right? But as the notes pour in, each revealing secrets only she knows, Emma is forced to accept the impossible: This is really happening. Someone is actually reaching out to her from across time.

But who? Ezra, the musical prodigy who makes her pulse race? Theo, the literal boy next door who’s known her since childhood? Or Colin, the overly confident, overly handsome, overly rich kid she meets while cleaning his mega-mansion?

As Emma races to uncover the identity of the letter writer, she’ll discover that love is more than real—it’s the most powerful force in the universe. And it’s been waiting for her all along.

Thank you Simon Teen for the eARC and Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

A SWEET READ.

I will say I loved that this felt truly YA and a book I could hand to that audience as well. It’s content appropriate with relatable characters and a storyline that works for the age group. As a fellow child of divorce I thought the rep here was on point too.

The one thing I’m still tilting my head at was the *letters from the future*. I was intrigued by the idea initially and based off of how I thought it would end I was excited to see everything come together. BUT BUT BUT then, when the ending did come up I felt like the letters didn’t even matter anymore and it took away from the overall story for me.

I adored the soft romance for Emma. And I just liked Emma. She’s likeable and endearing and making mistakes while also trying to do the right thing and was someone I wanted to cheer on. I liked seeing her relationship with her parents and those around her and how Emma tried to navigate many different situations.

I’ll definitely continue to read Emiko Jean’s books!!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: divorce