Tag: young adult fantasy

Book Review: Moth Dark by Kika Hatzopoulou

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: NA Urban Fantasy Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Kika Hatzopoulou
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s
Release Date: October 28th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the bestselling author of Threads that Bind and Hearts that Cut comes a brand-new compulsive romantasy about a girl obsessed with the dark and the shadowy magical prince she falls in love with, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Laini Taylor.

The dark has come alive . . .

Six years ago, vicious creatures began to crawl out of the dark crevices of the world, and with it Sascia’s fascination with the darkness was born. Now eighteen, that fascination has become an obsession, and while exploring an area known for its connection to the Darkworld, Sascia sees a person climb out of the darkness. But Nugau is no ordinary person, they’re a genderfluid elf prince with one mission . . . to kill Sascia.

Except, the second time they meet, Nugau is younger and doesn’t recognise Sascia. And the third time, Nugau stumbles out of the darkness with poison running through their veins, expressing their undying love for her.

Piecing together the puzzle, Sascia makes two shocking the timelines of her world and Nugau’s are not linear, and she is inexplicably enmeshed in a war between humanity and elves. But with their worlds at battle, is it worth fighting for each other . . . ?

I’M NOT QUITE SURE.

I wanted to love this one but I got lost in the humdrum of repetitive middle ground that left me trying to get to the end. I think there were some good themes and discussions woven in. But maybe it was trying too much? There was a LOT in here for a standalone. And maybe that’s why inconsistencies and my engagement level petered out.

The concept was unique, I will hands down give it that. I loved the idea of an alternate world in the dark. There’s enough time spent there that it doesn’t feel like a portal fantasy that skips back and forth. And this was my second book with a time loop in one week and I need something different.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Urban Fantasy
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: mild

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Book Review: The Last Tiger by Julia Riew & Brad Riew

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Rating: ★★★.5
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 416 pages
Author: Julia Riew & Brad Riew
Publisher: Penguin Teen
Release Date: July 29th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In a colonized land where tigers are being hunted to extinction and ancient magic stirs, two star-crossed teens from opposite worlds—Lee Seung, a servant yearning for freedom, and Choi Eunji, a noble girl defying tradition—join forces to try and reshape their respective fates.

But their relationship evolves from begrudging accomplices to bitter adversaries as they soon find themselves on opposite sides of a battle over the last tiger, a symbol of their people’s lost freedom and key to the liberation of their country. As the ties between Seung and Eunji are complicated by their conflicting loyalties, tensions rise—especially when a charming princeling of the empire begins to rival for Eunji’s affection.

In this friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story of forbidden romance, antagonists turned allies, oppression and liberation, neither Seung nor Eunji can abandon their mission—or each other. And as they embark on separate quests to find the elusive creature, each must also find the power within themselves to make their own destiny.

Inspired by true stories from the authors’ grandparents’ lives during one of the darkest periods in Korean history, The Last Tiger is a debut young adult fantasy novel about the power of love to give voice to a silenced people.

IT WAS ALRIGHT.

I’m glad I went the audiobook route on this one because it was only okay? I didn’t hate it by any means but I feel like it was a bit misleading to call this a ROMANCE. Initially things got off to a good start and then there was a time jump with a big chunk of telling vs. showing so I missed many key elements in the connection between Seung and Eunji.

I did appreciate that the audiobook had two narrators. That made the story easier to follow. I liked the concept and general bones of the plot. There were important themes and conversations woven in. I just don’t know how this was a standalone? The ending didn’t wrap up things super clearly nor did it feel like the end? Maybe there’s more, I’m not sure. I would read another book if it provided some more expansion on the character front.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: grief, loss of loved ones

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: September 2026

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THE BER MONTHS. And what a good reading month for September! Made it through a lot and now I’m drowning in ARCs for October.

  • Ungodly Rich by Katharine McGee
  • Fossil Feud by Maggie North
  • Hawk & Sparrow by Ayana Gray
  • Catching Feelings (Varsity #2) by Emily Charlotte
  • [ALC] Fall Into Me by Juliana Smith
  • [ARC] Trust Fall by Lynn Painter
  • Steelborn (The Steelborn Saga #1) by Taylor J. LaRue
  • The Enigma Challenge by S.C. Godfrey
  • A Flame Among the Seas (Beyond the Tides #2) by Emilia Jae
  • Sea of Charms (Spellshop #3) by Sarah Beth Durst
  • [Graphic Novel] Rebel by Marie Lue
  • Our Strange Duet by Erin A. Craig
  • Further to Fall by Catherine Cowles
  • [Reread] House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J. Maas
  • [Non-fiction] Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes that Dot Our Planet by Geo Rutherford
  • Runaway Rule (The Fugitive Files #1) by Jenessa Fayeth
  • The Gods Will Sing Our Song by Autumn Krause
  • [ARC/ALC] Empire (Heir Duology #2) by Sabaa Tahir
  • The Theory of Uncertain Things by Madysson David
  • Die for Me by Shirlene Obuobi
  • [Reread] The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
  • I Wish He Would (Sweeter Than Fiction #4) by Amanda Schimmoeller
  • The Winged Game by Sophie Kim
  • Resisting the Fall (Falling for Autumn) by Jess Heileman
  • Chasing the Rush (Football and Feels #2) by Lauren Rowe
  • [Non-fiction] Spooky Rivers (Haunted Hydrology) by Geo Rutherford
  • Alchemy of Souls by Adriana Mather
  • Story of My Life (Story Lake #1) by Lucy Score
  • Kobra (Inked Sap #1) by Cris G. Wells
  • [ARC/ALC] Guard My Heart by Sabrina Fedel
  • [ARC] Once, Again, Always by Amanda Gayle
  • Tempest (The Lyrian Sea #1) by Victoria Aveyard
  • Forget Me Knot (Happy in Honey Hill #1) by B.R. Goodwin
  • Threshing Day (The Empyrean #3.5) by Rebecca Yarros
  • Falling for Keeps (Falling for Autumn) by Kasey Stockton
  • [ARC/ALC] Falling Like Snow (Bramble Falls #2) by Misty Wilson

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Book Review: Grave Flowers by Autumn Krause

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Rating: ★★★.5
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Autumn Krause
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Release Date: September 2nd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A twisty, dark royalcore fantasy that takes the courtly intrigue of Hamlet and infuses it with the vicious ambition of the Boleyn family. For readers who love Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas.

Marry the prince, then kill him.

Princess Madalina and her twin sister, Inessa, were born attached at the hand and separated right after. That’s the only time the sisters ever held hands. The girls’ personalities have been shaped in the Sinet family’s drive to make their kingdom more than what it is: unrespectable and loathsome, a damp place where deceit fills the palace walls like mold.

Madalina is different from her family. She’s considered the weak one and only finds peace in the garden, tending her magical flowers, which are pejoratively called grave flowers because they are ideal for torture and torment. Secretly, she dreams of escape and a new life.

Then Inessa, who was betrothed to the heir of a wealthy kingdom—Prince Aeric—gets trapped in Bide, a terrifying purgatory, and begs Madalina to set her free. Now, not only must Madalina take her sister’s place as Aeric’s bride-to-be, but she also must finish Inessa’s secret mission: Inessa wasn’t just sent to marry Prince Aeric, but to kill him, too, and solidify a profitable pact with his traitorous uncle.

On behalf of her family, Madalina will need to resist the infuriatingly clever prince—as well as her own heart—if she’s to free her sister and finish the job.

GREAT FOR THE SEASON.

Do you need something haunting and delightfully dark for the fall season? Look no further. This is a hidden young adult historical fantasy you should take a try on. I liked the audiobook and the characters were a hoot too. It’s a great clash of dark and moody and humor too (like My Lady Jane vibe-ish).

The flowers were super interesting and a great part of the magic system. I loved seeing how those slowly caused chaos over the book and the reveals they brought out in the end. I thought the romance could have used some more oomph because it hung out in the background too much. By the end I didn’t feel invested in what the relationship.

Otherwise though, not a bad read. I would read another book from this author.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warnings: murder, loss of life

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