Tag: whimsical publishing

Book Review: The Arrow and the Alder by Barbara Kloss

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 460 pages
Author: Barbara Kloss
Publisher: Whimsical Publishing
Release Date: May 6th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Josephine doesn’t trust authority, particularly that of the immortal kith. They’re devious, cruel, and as far as she’s concerned, they deserve the curse that’s plagued their kingdom with mists and monsters. So when the High Lord visits Josephine’s village, looking for an enchanted coat—a coat she discovers buried beneath the floorboards of her home—she’s unwilling to hand it over. She wants answers the High Lord won’t give. When he threatens her family, she flees with the coat to protect them, accidentally stumbling into the cursed kith kingdom itself, and into the hands of a mysterious stranger.

The kith prince, Alder, has been imprisoned for two years, and only just escaped. He wants nothing more than to return home, but he’s a disgraced prodigal, and to show his face in the Weald Court again, he must earn back the queen’s trust. When he overhears the High Lord speaking of an enchanted coat that contains the very light stolen from their lands, he knows it’s his chance for atonement. But obtaining the coat from the mortal girl is proving more difficult than anticipated. She’s the only one who can touch it, but journeying with her could expose secrets he wants to keep hidden.
With the High Lord in pursuit, Josephine and Alder must work together, and the more Josephine learns about the coat, the more she questions everything she’s ever believed about her heritage, and the kith. Meanwhile, the curse is spreading into mortal lands, and if they don’t uncover how to release the coat’s power soon, there will be nothing left of either kith or mortal worlds.

THE ARROW AND THE ALDER is an upper young adult, closed-door romantic fantasy. This enemies-to-lovers tale features a rebel huntress, a fugitive prince, and a curse that will consume their worlds.

THIS WAS SO GOOD.

I’m a huge Barbara Kloss fan and have been impatiently waiting for her next book and once again, it absolutely delivers. I loved this one!!!! If you’re a standalone reader, PICK IT UUUUUP.

I loved the heated chemistry between Josephine and Alder. Good heavens they were MADE for each other. The glances and banter and protectiveness all coalesced into this beautiful romance that I was feral to read.

The pacing is on point and there’s never a dull moment. The rise and fall of different scenes created effortless movement. I couldn’t believe how much was packed into a less than 500 page fantasy. FLAWLESS OKAY.

I’m obsessed. This is easily one of my new favorite fantasies of 2025.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: A Churn in the Virtual Society (Into the Churn #3.5) by Hayley Reese Chow

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Sci-Fi Romance Novella
Length: 238 pages
Author: Hayley Reese Chow
Publisher: Whimsical Publishing
Release Date: September 16th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Virtual Society is blowing up. (Figuratively.)

When Micah Belanger saw the word “disputed” pop up after her beloved Belethea Race Royale team won the biggest race in ’verse, all of VSoc heard her shriek. Add in four attempted murders, and she’s on a (virtual) warpath to set the record straight—as any true fangirl would.

Lowell Coppen, of The Royaler Review, is also concerned with the murderous rumors behind the latest BRR, especially with warnings of a system-wide war rippling through VSoc. Determined to shed light on the truth, Lowell, a self-proclaimed objective voice, forges a begrudging alliance with Belethea’s most manic fangirl. If their secret arrangement comes to light, it’ll ruin them both, but if they don’t get the story right, the lies could bring Belethea to its knees.

And falling in love isn’t helping at all.

Thank you to Whimsical Publishing for the gifted audiobook.

I’LL MISS THIS SERIES.

I have loved every book in this series from Hayley Reese Chow and have been excited to read this final installment (please make sure you have read all of the other books to understand everything in here!!).

I loved this look into Micah and Lowell’s lives and seeing the entire trilogy from their perspective in short bursts. There romance is really sweet and this was an easy read to listen and enjoy (I also thought the dash of sound effects were perfect for this type of book!).

I will definitely be reading whatever HRC writes next.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Sci-Fi Romance Novella
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: Into the Abyss (Into the Churn #3) by Hayley Reese Chow

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Sci-FI Romance
Length: 312 pages
Author: Hayley Reese Chow
Publisher: Whimsical Publishing
Release Date: March 18th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It was never just a race…

Four months after dark syndicate interference in Crion’s inaugural race royale, Ezren and Foster have settled into their roles as ambassadors on the BRR council.

Though begrudgingly working beside their would-be murderer, Ezren and Foster have struck an uneasy truce as Calderon mentors them in Casollan politics for the upcoming BRR. While Foster counts down the days until they can walk away from the council, Ezren is conflicted as she weighs their ever-growing positive impact.

However, when a high-profile murder upends the whole system, Casolla’s fragile peace balances on a knife blade of disaster. As the deadly conspiracy unfurls, a new race begins, and blood spills among the stars. With both their lives and Casolla’s future hanging in the balance, Foster and Ezren will have to decide who they’re meant to be or risk losing their world to the darkness forever.

Run. Drive. Fight. Rise.

I’M GOING TO MISS THEM.

I have adored this series so much and didn’t expect this last book to pack such a punch for me but that goes to show how incredible HRC has crafted these characters and story. I loooove Ezren and Foster so much. They have beautiful chemistry and a strong desire to work together (rather than petty problems pull them apart, BLESS). They fought for each other in multiple ways and my heart was in my throat throughout many chapters because things got INTENSE.

And I love this whole cast. The found family trope was executed to perfection where I felt drawn to everyone and emotionally invested in where they landed (praise the epilogue).

The antagonist aka the final boss was predictable, yet I was still drawn to how the plot unfolded. Seeing how they got there, what caused the fallout, and the eventual demise were exactly what this book needed. I loved how the entire series got wrapped up, it feels complete and I can put it down knowing I enjoyed the heck out of every page.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Sci-Fi Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: moderate blood/gore depiction, physical & psychological torture, loss of life, murder, kidnapping

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Book Review: Queen of Shifting Sands (Instanolde Chronicles #1) by Kaitlyn Carter Brown

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 451 pages
Author: Kaitlyn Carter Brown
Publisher: Whimsical Publishing
Release Date: March 12th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A crownless queen. A cursed prince. One summer to live.

The stars have aligned in the kingdom of Instanolde, or so Lystra believes as she eagerly awaits her wedding day. Her beloved, the king, is everything her heart desires, but when a brutal attack leaves her betrothed dead and Instanolde on the cusp of collapse, she finds her future in ruins, and the throne beyond her reach. With invasion looming across the desert, Lystra refuses to let grief keep her from defending her kingdom—even if that means forging a marriage alliance with Elerek, the brother of her lost love, a prince shrouded in secrets.

Elerek, now heir to the throne, has spent his life waiting to die. An untouchable curse lurks beneath his skin, and though he aches to see its suffocating hold severed, he’s long given up hope. When his brother’s death drags him from the shadows, Elerek must find the strength to shoulder the crown’s burdens and secure a queen—a wife to protect his kingdom after the curse claims him. With the adoration of the people already in the palm of her hands, Lystra is the ideal candidate. But even if she doesn’t spurn him for his ruinous curse, he’ll need to protect her from its dangers—and his heart as he finds himself steadily drawn to the girl’s unbreakable spirit. With death on the horizon, Elerek must become the king he never planned to be and save Instanolde before his time runs out.

Lystra and Elerek only have one summer to prepare their kingdom for invasion, but more than one threat prowls their desert, and the cost of survival might just destroy them all.

Queen of Shifting Sands is a fantastical romance adventure where duty and endurance grapple amid the sands of chaos. Lovers of intrigue, high stakes, and slow-burn romance will fall in love with this escape into a rich, immersive fantasy world.

A BIT LET DOWN.

This wasn’t everything I hoped for when I saw the initial trope list and marketing.

It lacked in a lot of places for me. This didn’t feel like a romance. I honestly felt more connection between the Lystra and a side character than I did with the MMC, Elerek. Somehow they found love without much conversation or time together and I’m still trying to figure out how we got there. I think the curse only added to that because there were opportunities for tension I didn’t feel.

The inner monologues were repetitive about everything. And I kept waiting for the plot to DO something and nothing happened until the antagonist finally showed up at 88%. The lack of location change was felt too and I wish I had a better understanding of the world.

I don’t think I’ll be picking up book two.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low-moderate

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