Tag: urban fantasy

ALC Book Review: Red City (The New Alchemists #1) by Marie Lu

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Urban Fantasy
Length: 418 pages
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: October 14th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Godfather meets The Magicians in the sweeping adult debut from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Red City is a dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles.

Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation. An exclusive power wielded by crime syndicates that market it to the world’s elites in the form of sand, a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of more beautiful, more charismatic, simply more.

Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city—and the paths of their lives—will be irrevocably transformed.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

OH THIS WAS SO GOOD.

I was obsessed with this one from the first chapter y’all. It hit so incredibly well from the opening pages (I will also note the audiobook was incredible too). It gave me vibes from Jade City + Blood Over Bright Haven + Babel. And as someone who’s not an urban fantasy fan, this is the exception to the rule tenfold. YOU MUST READ IT. Easily my new favorite book from Marie Lu (and I’ve read them all).

This was convoluted and hard hitting and felt like the beginning of an epic saga. I loved the star-crossed lovers vibes BUT I will say this is not a ROMANCE in the usual sense. It does play a strong role in combination with many other factors and added the perfect dash to make me love this book even more.

I loved the dark nature of these competing companies and how sand is woven into the magic system. The alchemy idea is so cool (and frightening) and I thought it was awesome. I loved the morally grayness of everyone involved and the intricate layers of each character. I could not get enough of this book and I MUST have book two ASAP.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3ish open door
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: murder, loss of life, explicit torture, kidnapping, abusive relationship

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ARC Book Review: Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Urban Fantasy Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Stephanie Garber
Publisher: Flatiron
Release Date: October 7th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It starts with a class in an old movie theater.

Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor. Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you’ll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart.

With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles—and into the path of a magnetic stranger. Everything about him feels like a bad idea, but he promises Holland that her sister sent him to protect her. As they chase clues and stories that take them closer to the Alchemical Heart, Holland realizes everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, not even the Alchemical Heart will save her.

Thank you to Flatiron for an eARC.

CARAVAL REPEAT?

This one was interesting for me. I’m a big fan of Stephanie Garber’s Caraval/Once Upon a Broken Heart series. LOVED both of them and I knew going into this to expect something different. And while yes, that was the case, it also felt like a repeat of Caraval? Just add in older characters and an urban fantasy setting instead. I haven’t decided how that makes me feel about my overall impression of the book.

The romance was 100% lacking on the swoon. Now that I understand this is a series I CAN see what the author is going after but I don’t think that will all click until book two [hopefully]. I didn’t know what direction I was supposed to lean in and that made me pause a few too many times throughout. I will say this was a kisses only adult romance and I appreciated that it wasn’t unnecessarily spice forward.

I’m definitely going to continue the series because I do have questions. I think the folklore aspects were interesting and the POV change made me think too. I have my eyes on a few characters and want to see how they fold into the larger plot. This was a decent beginning but lacking that punch of something to give it an edge.

Overall audience notes:

  • Urban fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild-moderate

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ALC Book Review: Soul of Shadow (Soul of Shadow #1) by Emma Noyes

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Urban Fantasy Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Emma Noyes
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: July 29th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A thrilling Norse mythology inspired contemporary romantasy sure to excite fans of The Vampire Diaries and Atlas Six.

Charlie Hudson just wants to get through junior year. Since the death of her twin sister two years earlier, she’s drifted through life, going through the motions at school and parties and even at home. The spark that once burned so brightly within her has all but flickered out.

Until her classmate goes missing in the forest, leaving nothing behind but a pair of shoes and strange symbols carved into a tree.

Drawn to the disappearances by forces she can’t explain, she finds herself investigating the mysterious, alluring newcomer in town, Elias Everhart. With piercing eyes and sharp wit, he dances around her questions, only intriguing her further. Elias has a secret. More than one.

But what Charlie doesn’t know is that those secrets will lead her to a place she never a world hiding in plain sight, made of magic, gods, and monsters – and a first love fated to fall apart.

In Emma Noyes’s Soul of Shadow, truths and temptations lurk in the darkness, and for Charlie, the only thing more dangerous than facing her past, is the boy with the power to change her future.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

GOSH DARN IT.

This is *my bad* for not reading the summary and realizing this was an urban fantasy. i can sometimes get past that fact when they are in another realm for long periods of time or it’s woven in well, buuuut I didn’t find that here. Charlie and her friends were written in such a manner that it came off as “trying too hard to be cool,” with vaping, drinking, partying, etc.

And this was pitched to me as a *shadow daddy* book (I don’t love that term) and I also don’t love that term referring to teens??? It all felt iffy.

I didn’t hit a hate reading level on this, just a sort of disconnect. The Norse gods were an intriguing aspect and I wish we’d have seen more of them (though maybe that’s a book two thing?? but this book didn’t convince me to read book two??).

It’s not poorly written by any means, it’s just not a book for me. I thought the audiobook narration was good too, so if you try it out, I do recommend that format.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Urban Fantasy Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: murder, kidnapping, loss of life

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Book Review: The Things We Water by Mariana Zapata

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Rating: ★★★★.25
Audience: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance
Length: 717 pages
Author: Mariana Zapata
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 2nd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Once upon a time, a girl found a magical puppy, and her life was never the same again.

Nina Popoca needs help.

So, so much of it.

The only place she can find that help is on a sprawling ranch in Colorado. A place hiding more than a community filled with magical creatures trying to live their lives in safety and in peace. A village that might hold the answers to questions she’s had her entire life.

And if that ranch is owned by her best friend’s hunky cousin?

…there are worse things in the world than having to live right by Henri Blackrock.

SHE DID IT.

I would absolutely read more paranormal romances from MZ. I loved this one!

My one little issue is the length. I really felt it this time around. The 720 pages could have been tightened up a bit but otherwise it’s a fantastic book.

I adored Henri and Nina. They are some beautiful souls. Spark fueled banter, chemistry for days and all of these soft tender moments that brought the connections between them. AND THE JEALOUS MOMENTS? Gosh those send me every dang time y’all. A perfectly well placed possessive scene? GIVE IT TO ME ALWAYS.

I loved seeing all of the different mythical creatures (of which I will not mention any, go read it!!). They all added a little something to the story and the setting. There’s also a big theme surrounding motherhood and that got me in the feels a few times. Wanting to do right by your children and making those hard but loving decisions to give them everything you can. It delivers a beautiful and impactful novel.

Now I’ll just be sitting here waiting for the next MZ release.

Overall audience notes:

  • Paranormal Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: 2-3 open door
  • Violence: mild

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