Category: Fantasy

Review:  A Guide to Mermaids and Mountain Trolls (Dragons of Safe Haven #4) by Julia Huni

Rating: 3.75⭐️

A Guide to Mermaids and Mountain Trolls, the fourth book in the Dragons of Safe Haven, is another sweet cozy fantasy romance. 

I’m not sure that it adds all that much to the series other than it’s sweet and explores the world of the mer folk more than previously known.

This is a storyline that involves the trope of a forced marriage pact between two people. How it’s going to play out in the narrative is easily seen by the reader. The end point is clear but it’s how they are going to get there that’s the main theme and romance.

I’m not sure that I really bought into the idea of the mer king, the weaving (which to be honest wasn’t really explored very well), and that aspect of the story.

The couple is cute and I could see them being together. I wish they’d had more time together and Tug the dragon.  More stars for them. 

This series has its depths and then stories that are just sweet and cozy. This is one of the latter. Nothing wrong with that. 

Cover design by David Drummond

Dragons of Safe Haven (4 book series to date):

A Dragon Rider’s Guide to Retirement #1

A Blacksmith’s Guide to Dragon-Rearing #2

A Rider’s Guide to Dragon Healing #3

A Guide to Mermaids and Mountain Trolls #4 

Buy link

        A Dragon’s Guide to Mermaids and Mountain Trolls (Dragons of Safe Haven Book 4)

    

Blurb 

Coral Thistlewick can mix the perfect cup of tea for anyone in Safe Haven. Anyone except herself. And, lately, anyone standing near Oswin Boulden.

Eight years ago, Coral broke the mermaid’s first rule to fish a man out of a storm. She tucked his memory away, dropped him safely ashore, and settled into her cozy tea shop, where the biggest excitement is whether Goodwife Terman will complain about the scones.

But now that man is mayor of Valebra–and the reluctant groom in a marriage contract his father signed years ago. He’s spent a decade trying to wriggle out of it, since breaking the contract would sink his flax farm that employs half the village. When a helpful sea dragon brings him face to face with the tea shop owner who feels strangely familiar, their unexpected attraction starts to grow.

With one meddling dragon, a mer king who mistakes charisma for wisdom, a grandmother with a devious sense of humor, and a half-troll mother-in-law whose stew pot has been bubbling steadily since roughly the dawn of time, Coral and Oswin might discover that the best matches are the ones that were arranged all along.

Grab a cup of tea and settle in for this heartwarming, no-spice arranged-marriage romance filled with found family, magical mayhem, and cozy fantasy charm. The fourth Dragons of Safe Haven can be read stand-alone–and make you want to read the others.

The Dragons of Safe Haven

  • A Dragon Rider’s Guide to Retirement
  • A Blacksmith’s Guide to Dragon Rearing
  • A Rider’s Guide to Dragon Healing
  • A Dragon’s Guide to Mermaids and Mountain Trolls

IPH Media, LLC

Publication date

October 29, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

352 pages

Book 4 of 4

Dragons of Safe Haven

Review: Half an Orange in Gretna Green ( Midlife Recorder Book 7) by Linzi Day

Rating: 3.5⭐️

Half an Orange in Gretna Green  is very, very long. And densely packed and unfortunately, repetitive. It’s not a the book I’d been looking forward to reading or frankly one I’d recommend.

Find someone you know and let them give you the cliff notes. 

By Thursday, chapter 49 the story was still basically Niki, the Recorder going around asking everyone in power or close to her if they thought they had an answer for the Galicia problem. Because she’s not going to act on her own, she needs input.

Hint. No, the answer was always no. For 3/4 of a very long book. Tons of input. No answer. No action. But this religion bad. Women being terribly suppressed. That’s really bad. We don’t know what to do. Let’s ask more questions. For hundreds of pages. I’m talking 770 pages here. 

So no one acts at all for almost the entire book. There’s a murder on top of multiple mysteries. 

But mostly there stasis by the main characters.

And absolutely tons of talking, hashing out stuff ad infinitum , same topics over and over, til I’m flipping pages bored and frustrated. This feels like it could have easily been cut in half. 

Not until the very last few chapters does anything resembling the plot picking itself up and starts heading towards a narrative climax and something of a dramatic ending. Not much, but at least something. 

I read the author’s notes and realize she’s had a year of losses, deeply felt personal ones. That would make sense here.

This story is not reflective of the past novels and the series to date. It’s meandering, densely paced, and a slog without much of a comparative payoff. 

I’m looking to see what the future story holds. 

Read it because it’s part of the series. 

– Recorder Series so far 

Midlife in Gretna Green 

Painting the Blues in Gretna Green Ties that Bond in Gretna Green 

Seeing Red in Gretna Green 

Code Yellow in Gretna Green 

Market Forces in Gretna Green 

Spilling the Tea in Gretna Green 

Half an Orange in Gretna Green Shrieking Violet in Gretna Green 

Silver Shadows in Gretna Green

Buy link

 Book 7 of 7: Midlife Recorder 

Blurb 

Galicia should be warmth, wine and golden sunsets.

Instead, Niki McKnight finds a realm where every blessing has a price, every sin comes with a fine, and a powerful church has spent centuries collecting anything of value.

Following directly on from the end of Spilling the Tea in Gretna Green, the Recorder is called to arbitrate what appears to be a simple goat dispute. Niki expects to hear both sides, deliver a fair decision, and send everyone home with minimal shouting, sighing, and zero divine intervention.

But simple ends the moment she starts pulling threads.

Behind Galicia’s beauty lies a culture shaped by greed, gold, guilt, and carefully polished lies. Children are controlled. Inhabitants are oppressed. Grief is exploited. And the people responsible are certain the Recorder’s authority does not apply to them.

For the first time, they may be right.

With Dola out of patience, the truth obscured, the Gateway crew struggling, and a god on the missing list, Niki must separate faith from control and truth from propaganda.

Warm, wry, and defiant, Half an Orange in Gretna Greenis the next adventure in the Midlife Recorder world: found family, stubborn hope, dangerous secrets, and one woman discovering that justice is harder to deliver when her usual powers don’t apply.

October 30, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

770 pages

Book 7 of 7

Midlife Recorder

Review:  The Death-Made Prince (Runewitch Saga #1) by Lisette Marshall 

Rating:  5⭐️

It’s rare that I come across a book that pulls me in for over 500 pages, gives me a compelling set of complex characters, enthralling dark storylines, hints towards the ending and still manages to leave me devastated.

Honestly, I knew where the author was taking us and the characters. She told us. And Marshall still managed to pull off an incredible dramatic ending. One of multiple revelations.

In a book that has so many excellent elements (another thing I rarely write) let’s start off with the main characters. 

Thraga, when we meet her, is in a cell, waiting to be hanged. She’s definitely one of the best written, compelling characters I’ve read recently, and not just in fantasy fiction. Her story, in terms of her dark past and darker history, is slowly revealed throughout the narrative. It’s who Thraga is as a person that is so powerful and intriguing. She’s OCD, counting her magical knives that she uses as a runewitch, as she gets lost in her own thoughts, spiraling out in certain situations, unable to pull herself out, and the reader is in her head with her, as lost as she is. The author describes how she battles with this herself and how it became the inspiration for the story.  Outstanding work. 

But among the many extremely dark layers here in the plot, there’s one  dark side to Thraga’s that I should mention because for some it’s going to be triggering. Thraga has been in a controlling abusive relationship with someone and not realizing it. This is an important thread here. Marshall makes it believable, raw, and so damaging, as it should be. Everything about this reads real. 

Then you add in the other main character, the necromancer, Durlain Averre. He’s equally beautifully written. Darkly crafted with his own deep scars, unbelievable pain, and plans for Thraga and himself, he’s powerful enough to be her equal on the page and have enormous depths, that no matter what he says, you hope for more. 

The world building is incredible, it expands with the storytelling and everything about this feels so immersive that I read right through it. 

Even the simplest of characters feel memorable. And the magical elements, including the darkness and cruelty of how necromancers are created is extraordinary. 

My only quibble is having to wait for the next book to be released. 

Please note that this is easily classified as dark fantasy horror fiction while others see it as romantasy.  I feel the fantasy horror is more accurate.

Highly recommended but do think about whether you might be sensitive to certain aspects of the story.

Cover designer: Fay Lane

Runewitch Saga (2 book series to date)

The Death-Made Prince #1

The Thorn-Marked Witch #2 – April 13,2027

Buy link

 Book 1 of 2: Runewitch Saga  e book

 Book 1 of 2: Runewitch Saga 

Blurb 

A runewitch on the run has only one option left: join forces with the sarcastic, unpleasantly gorgeous necromancer she loathes

The man Thraga loved is dead, and her future is in shambles. When she’s sentenced to the gallows for killing her lover’s murderers, it’s a relief more than anything… until, the night before her execution, a necromancer is thrown into her cell. 

Escaping with him is her only chance to bring Lark back to life – and also the start of all her troubles.

Because her new almost-ally is not just any man returned from death. Fire mage, rogue prince, and son of the man who killed her mother, sharp-tongued Durlain Averre is everything Thraga hates. Worse, he won’t revive her lover unless she joins him on a mission of his own first, using her forbidden rune magic to free his sister from the dungeons of an enemy king.

But their quest turns into a deadly chase when Thraga’s violent past catches up with her. And as the net of court intrigue and old fears closes around them, she begins to find out Lark was not at all the man she thought he was…

And neither is Durlain.

The Death-Made Prince is the first book of the Runewitch Saga, an epic enemies to lovers fantasy romance featuring two morally grey leads, OCD rep, and a Norse mythology-inspired world. While it is a slow burn romance, the first book does contain spicy content intended for 18+ readers.

October 21, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

547 pages

Book 1 of 2

Runewitch Saga

Review:  Ashwalker (The Emberfall Trilogy #1) by S. M. Gaither

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Ashwalker, the first book in The Emberfall Trilogy by S. M. Gaither, is an excellent fantasy adventure story.  It is a standout in a field filled with enemies to lovers plot lines about fierce, damaged women, and sentient dragons who have an enormous role in their future and on their magical abilities. 

While there were certain aspects of this narrative that were easily figured out, how the author was going to reach there or bring them into the story was interesting throughout the book.

The characters kept my attention, especially Arowyn Vale, the ashwalker who survived the massacre of her family and fiancée years ago by dragons, and now runs the desolate Ashlands on missions. 

Scarred, full of trauma and secrets, Arowyn is a terrific character, one whose development is steady and believable as she faces grief and unforeseen events that bring her new strength and magical powers. And a dragon. 

The way Gaither grows this relationship between the two characters is very different from other dynamics that I’ve read. It certainly incorporates the tragedy that’s fallen into both of these characters lives. 

And there’s other parties too. The enemies to lovers aspect. King Reave Callahan,someone who ends up very much a multidimensional man, who has his own demons to fight. Add in  the intrigue of the vicious kingdom politics that he is trying to control. And this story is highly compelling reading, filled with magical details, fighting dragons and more mythological world building that grows as the story develops. 

The only thing that I was sorry about was having to wait for the next installment to be published. Sometime next year. 

If you like to read series, one book after another, you might want to check until the trilogy is complete. 

Well written and beautifully crafted characters. Just a fantastic book and I think it will be a great series. Highly recommended. 

The Emberfall Trilogy:

Ashwalker #1

Flamebound #2 – March 25,2027

Buy

amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comAshwalker (The Emberfall Trilogy) on Amazon.com – Read Ashwalker on Amazon

Blurb 

Long ago, dragons were unleashed as weapons of mass destruction, igniting a war that shattered the Empire of Kaldra. Now, the survivors of that once-great realm cower behind fortified walls, while the beasts terrorize the wilds between the broken kingdoms.

Arowyn Vale survives as an ashwalker—one of the few reckless enough to brave the burned-out roads between the walled cities, smuggling everything from supplies to secrets. But when she reluctantly saves a dying dragon hatchling on a routine run, she draws the eye of the ruler of Mouren, a brutal realm directly in the heart of dragon territory.

Once upon a time, King Reave Callahan’s people wielded powerful magic, bonding with dragons in order to crush their enemies with wing and flame. But now, that magic is fading, and law decrees that anyone who manages to bond with a dragon must serve the Mouren crown—even a gutter-born, half-feral ashwalker from the slums of an enemy kingdom.

Dragged into Reave’s glittering but cutthroat court, Arowyn must navigate a treacherous new life built upon secrets, ancient magic, and shifting alliances. As her connection to the hatchling deepens—and with the Mouren king watching her with a gaze full of both danger and desire—she will have to make a decision:

To become a weapon of the kingdom that broke her world…

Or to burn it all down from within.

Review: Hammered (Legacy of Magic #1) by Lindsey Buroker

Rating: 4⭐️

This author is a favorite of mine so when I saw this series, I automatically grabbed up the first story in this urban fantasy series.

The draw for me? The main character, a magical hammer-swinging half dwarf, Matti Puletasi, a Seattle native who runs a house renovation company. She’s unique in her personality and characteristics. No swords or lithe body. Instead she’s got an extremely strong, sturdy body, one that swings both that huge magical dwarf weapon or a heavy construction tool with ease. 

Shes happy flipping houses with her other paranormal besties until the latest project house comes with a dead body, a mysterious object in the basement and new enemies. 

Matti is interesting in her background and,definitely her character makeup. The design that the author gifted her with separates her from so many other fae or otherworldly main characters I’ve read lately. 

But this is missing something. Chemistry or energy from the narrative. There’s no real spark between Matti and the elf assassin, who I really had trouble getting into. 

And the story dragged, feeling more “as told to “ than an actual action adventure plot thread. 

This book and series take place within the Death Before Dragons universe and the characters from that series have roles here.

Have I read it? No, maybe it would have made a difference. Because I didn’t connect with those characters either or know what their agenda was. It felt as though they were strong arming Matty unfairly here. 

The And there’s multiple storylines that popped up out of nowhere. And without much grounding laid out for it, it was just one more thing that was missing layers here.

Best part of this? Definitely Matti Puletasi. Loved the idea of her being a house flipper in Seattle, as well as a part powerlifting dwarf who wields a hammer (extremely proficiently) instead of the usual sword and spells. 

More like her please! And great cover!

Legacy of Magic (8 book series)

Hammered #1

Betrayed #2

Trolled #3

Tested #4

Wrenched #5

Fused #6

Wanted #7

Cursed #8

Buy link

        Hammered (Legacy of Magic Book 1)

    

Blurb 

Seattle native Matti Puletasi has the strength of a bear, the stamina of an ox, and a magical hammer inherited from her dwarven mother.

She’s happy renovating homes and occasionally thumping bad guys until she learns of a mysterious artifact hidden under the house she’s working on. Everybody from humans to orcs to werewolves wants it, and they’re willing to kill to get it. Things go from bad to worse when someone frames her for murder.

The only person interested in helping her is a haughty elf assassin from another realm. He’s handsome, powerful, and deadly, but he’s got an agenda of his own. She dare not trust him—or be attracted to him.

But if she can’t clear her name, the assassin will be the least of her worries.

~

Set in the same world as Death Before Dragons, the Legacy of Magic series is perfect for urban fantasy fans who enjoy adventure, snarky humor, and slow-burn romance with badass elves who should not be trusted. Pick up Book 1, Hammered, today!

Lindsay Buroker

Publication date

November 9, 2022

Language

‎English

Book 1 of 8

Legacy of Magic

Review: Threshing Day by Rebecca Yarros

Rating: 4.5⭐️

This is a side book in the Empyrean series.  It’s 13 stories taking place at Basgiath War College during Threshing Day for various characters and their dragons. 

Each story happens at different timelines, which includes noted spoilers for certain books. Beautiful artful and dragon history at the beginning of each story just adds to the overall richness. Characters include Xaden Riorson, Rhiannon Matthias, Dain Aetos, Liam Mairi, Ridoc Gamlyn, Sawyer Henrick, Garrick Tavis, Imogen Cardulo, Bodhi Durran, Mira Sorrengail, Brennan Sorrengail, Aaric Graycastle, and Sloane Mairi.

Watching each of them on Threshing Day, as they meet and bond with their dragons is a variety of experiences, some incredibly bittersweet if you are familiar with the characters and series. 

I definitely recommend it and enjoyed it. And loved the artwork. 

Best read after Onyx Storm #3. 

The Empyrean series is best enjoyed in order.

Reading Order:

Book #1 Fourth Wing

Book #2 Iron Flame

Book #3 Onyx Storm

Book #3.5 Threshing Day / story collection 

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThreshing Day: Return to the Empyrean world with thirteen stories starring your favourite …

Blurb 

Welcome to Threshing Day, the brutal, high-stakes trial where would-be riders at Basgiath War College fight to earn the bond of a dragon or die trying. Amid ruthless competition and dragon fire, these thirteen cadets must survive a battlefield where desperate rivals will do anything to gain an advantage and dragons decide one’s ultimate fate—and where a single choice can forge a rider…or destroy them.

Xaden Riorson, the powerful leader. Rhiannon Matthias, the clever friend. Dain Aetos, the dutiful rule-follower. Liam Mairi, the kindhearted protector. Ridoc Gamlyn, the jokester. Sawyer Henrick, the underdog. Garrick Tavis, the dependable aide. Imogen Cardulo, the impulsive fighter. Bodhi Durran, the second-in-command. Mira Sorrengail, the fearless rider. Brennan Sorrengail, the brilliant tactician. Aaric Graycastle, the restless royal. Sloane Mairi, the determined sister.

On Threshing Day, there’s only one rule: don’t die.

The ebook edition of Threshing Day features fifteen beautiful original black-and-white illustrations by artist Joe Requeza. 

The Empyrean series is best enjoyed in order.

Reading Order:

Book #1 Fourth Wing

Book #2 Iron Flame

Book #3 Onyx Storm

Though Threshing Day can be enjoyed as an introduction to the series, due to contained spoilers, it is best read after Onyx Storm.

Entangled: Red Tower Books

Publication date

September 29, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

208 pages

Review: Spark The Flames (Secret of the Syphon Book 1) by Ivy Asher

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Spark the Flames begins with the main character of Ever Tenebrae on the run, having just escaped from a long imprisonment and horrific captivity.  

The situation is dire, recapture is imminent and I’m hooked. The writing is so good that we’re right there in this scene with her. 

I’m not going further. Read the book. But this sort of storytelling is what makes Spark the Flames such a compelling and entertaining read. 

The character of Ever is a great one. Traumatized, cursed, scarred, yet determined to survive and save her people by any means necessary, her narrative is a compelling one.  It’s a plot line that the more that’s revealed about her, her painful past history and damaged character, the more engaged the reader becomes in her and her dangerous journey. 

Especially as she lands in the hands of The Horde and their dragon kingdom of powerful species, where there’s an enormous danger to her. In ways she can’t control or anticipate. 

One of them is the King’s second son, Aeson, whose interest in Ever goes beyond the political into something more. They’re dynamic and all the other characters and plot lines that figure around hidden agendas, mysteries, and the curse affecting Ever’s people. 

This is a fabulous story, layered, fast paced, full of action, adventure, mystery and dragons. 

And that cliffhanger ending! Wonderful. Plus the second book is out so the reader can immediately see how it plays out. 

Highly recommended. 

Cover Design: David Gardias, Best Selling Covers Editing: Polished Perfection 

Map Design: Fictive Designs

Secret of the Syphon: 

Spark the Flames #1

Ignite the Inferno #2

Buy link

 Book 1 of 2: Secret of the Syphon 

Blurb 

When it comes to dragons, there’s no such thing as safe.

I learned that the hard way when my kith and kindred were slaughtered right before my eyes.

Everyone thinks the wyverns and the sorcai did it, but I know the truth.

I’ve been hiding from The Horde ever since, existing under their radar, surviving.

And then one day, they find me…he finds me. Aeson Noctis, the king’s second son and my new captor.

Aeson thinks he can force me back to Paragon City. He thinks he can use me and claim my power for his own.

But the dragons should’ve been more careful about who they let inside their city. I’m not some weak little pawn. I’m here looking for answers.

I’m here looking for revenge.

When it comes to dragons, there’s no such thing as safe. I know because I am one, and now I’m going to make The Horde pay for what they’ve done.

They thought they killed all the Syphons.

They thought they hunted down every one.

They thought wrong.

March 21, 2025

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‎English

File size

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Review: Web of Vows and Vengeance: (The Hirathean Path Book 1) by Aria Ashbrook

Rating: 4.5⭐️

I believe this was a BookTok read that went viral when it first appeared. It’s Aria Ashbrook’s first series and story and it’s actually a very terrific story. 

Novels one through three are released, so it’s easy to binge read right through all the events that happen to the main characters and the magical foundation that the author is creating. 

A word of caution, Ashbrook crafts meaningful relationships between her characters that come to mean something to the reader. That will also bring about some heartbreaking moments and scenarios because she’s also not afraid to do away with important characters if she thinks that the narrative calls for it. 

That’s a clue. 

People who the reader has come to care about won’t make it through to the end of the story. This one or the next. And it will break your heart. 

The types of magic is a major storyline that continues throughout the series, even the mystery of the lack of is part of it. There’s even a found family aspect to this that I love even more. 

I wasn’t prepared for this to get as complicated as Ashbrook builds it into as it develops, something I appreciated. 

The relationship I feel worked against that was with both her sister and the prince. In both cases, an aspect of naïveté from Rose, someone who dealt in the slums and survived being stripped of her magic, felt unrealistic. 

For Rose, a person who has suffered unimaginable loss, physical deprivation, been orphaned, there’s instances during the trials where her personality seems stripped of those experiences. It robs her of character reasonable depth and gives her less credibility. 

But then again there’s moments where she’s fighting for herself and her new friends, trying to figure out how to win without any powers, and it’s fantastic. 

Prince Kyor? He’s the lesser well written character here. It does get somewhat better.However, he’s the standard over jealous, over protective, over everything male figure who wants to control everything, including not letting her make her own decisions. So over these types of MMC . 

There’s LGBT characters/couples here. But , with spoilers for this, each couple ends badly, starting with one here. I found this aspect of the series surprising. I wonder if there’s a longer path forward for them. 

I’m highly recommending this. I’ve read through the series and am having to wait for book 4 next spring. 

Cover design by Christian Bentulan.

The Hirathean Path:

Veil of Web and Ruin – prequel 

Web of Vows and Vengeance #1

Vows of Blood and Deception #2

Blood of Truth and Traitors #3

Truth of Fate and Destiny #4 – May 5,2027

Buy link

 Book 1 of 4: The Hirathean Path 

Blurb 

THE BOOKTOK ROMANTASY READERS CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT

A viral BookTok sensation featuring deadly trials, divine magic, a bonded dire wolf, and an unforgettable enemies-to-lovers romance.

Perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, The Serpent and the Wings of Night, and Throne of Glass.

“They say vengeance is a blade best kept sharp, and my dagger has been honed with every betrayal.”

BOOKTOK IS OBSESSED:
“This will be the next book to blow up on BookTok. I don’t say that lightly.” — Miranda @Probably Off Reading
“For the BookTok girlies in a reading slump, I raise you Web of Vows and Vengeance.” — Jaimee Johnson @thtgrlreads
“Giving Fourth Wing vibes… I could not put this book down.” — Kaila Anttila @Kaila.books

TROPES:

  • Enemies to Lovers
  • Deadly Trials
  • Slow-Burn Romance
  • Underdog Heroine
  • Brooding Royal MMC
  • Forced Proximity
  • Gods & Goddesses

STRIPPED OF POWER. FUELLED BY VENGEANCE.

She lost everything because of his lie. Now the only way to save her sister is to win a deadly competition that could cost her the only thing she has left: her life.

When Prince Kyor twisted the truth about his mother’s death, Rose paid the price. Her family was stripped of their magic, cast into the slums, and abandoned by the kingdom they once served. Now her parents are gone, and her younger sister’s future hangs in the balance.

Rose’s only hope is the Tournament of the Gifting, a brutal competition held once a century, where the victor earns a blessing from the Goddess of Life. The catch? Every other contender wields the very power she was robbed of.

And Prince Kyor is among them. Commander of the armies. Rider of a bonded dire wolf. Wielder of lightning. He doesn’t just want to win for vanity – he wants the gift for himself. But what could a man who has it all possibly want?

Thrown into a world of magic, monsters, and merciless trials, Rose must fight not only for survival but for the chance to reclaim her future. Along the way, she’ll find unlikely allies, ruthless rivals, and a dangerous connection with her greatest enemy – one that could ruin or remake her.

Web of Vows and Vengeance is a dark, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy, set in a Nordic-inspired world, featuring deadly trials, found family, gods and goddesses, political intrigue, and an underdog heroine who refuses to stay broken.

This is a story of heartbreak, vengeance, and the kind of power that can never be taken.

AWARD-WINNING ROMANTASY:

Best Fantasy — Independent Publisher Book Awards 2026

Best Fantasy Romance — BookFest Awards 2026

Best Fantasy Read — Pascify Con Awards 2026

Hellhound Press Limited

Publication date

February 27, 2026

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File size

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542 pages

ISBN-13

978-1916833630

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Review: The Last Valkyrie (The Last Valkyrie Trilogy Book 1) by Karina Espinosa

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Karina Espinosa has a terrific trilogy in her Last Valkyrie series. It starts with Raven Romero, the last Valkyrie left on earth when all the other Valkyries sealed themselves away in Valhalla, leaving the despised mortal humans to their fates. 

Raven now lives on doubting her choice to remain behind, subsisting on sex, drugs, and alcohol, her wings torn off in a self inflicted rage. Her warrior’s life locked in away in a box that she has no intention of opening. 

The author gives the reader Raven‘s past in alternating chapters, some that should come with trigger warnings. Especially an early chapter where Raven’s induction into Valkyrie life includes a graphic non-consensual threesome forced upon her by an older woman. FYI. 

Her earthly quiet existence starts to unravel when a body is found with runes carved into it, a message meant for her. And old enemies are appearing wanting her magical sword. 

The story is full of Norse mythology, twisted tales and betrayals. I like the author’s own use of cultural references within the established mythology. I do wish she’d explored the strained dynamics between the Valkyries and the power imbalance there. 

However, it’s implied throughout most of their relationships and storylines. The toxicity of Odin and the unquestioning nature of the Valkyries following his orders is everywhere. 

Especially in Raven’s history. It’s a perspective that you can view Raven as someone who has been indoctrinated into a godlike cult since a small child. Taught by abusive methods to insure that their “Father’s” rules and wishes are followed without question. Deaths, Wars, whatever he wants. Favorite’s are “blessed His attentions. 

Then come his absence, and his mysterious abandonment. And things fall apart.

Raven’s actions on Earth reflect a person who is isolated from the only family and foundation she’s known. Even if she’s the cause of her situation. It’s a raw and believable character. 

And as events go sideways and it looks like she’s at the center of a new otherworldly disaster targeting humanity. 

The trauma, the fast paced action, and the complexity of the relationships between the different characters are all well crafted. Espinosa’s narrative twists and flows as hidden agendas are revealed and Raven fights her long held beliefs to see what is true about the people and paths open up to her.

If sex scenes, blood shed and raw material isn’t your thing, this might not be the best read for you. 

Well done and about to get better. 

Cover design by © Orina Kafe

The Last Valkyrie Trilogy (3 book series)

The Last Valkyrie #1

The Sword of Souls #2

The Rise of the Valkyries #3

Buy link 

        The Last Valkyrie (The Last Valkyrie Trilogy Book 1)

    

Blurb 

She tore out her own wings. She can’t outrun what she is.

Raven Romero used to be Odin’s favorite — a valkyrie, a warrior, a daughter of Asgard. Now she pours cheap whiskey at a dive bar in Portland, sleeps off her hangovers, and keeps her head down among the humans she was once sworn to protect. The wings are gone. She burned them off herself. As far as Raven’s concerned, the gods can rot.

Then a body turns up carved with ancient runes — a message meant for her — and the quiet little life she built starts to unravel. The dead won’t stay buried, an old enemy is moving in the shadows, and a stolen sword could crack the nine realms wide open.

The only one watching her back is Fen: infuriating, magnetic, and far more dangerous than the bad-boy charm lets on. Raven swore she was done with gods, monsters, and men who growl when they’re angry. She was wrong about all three.

To stop what’s coming, the last valkyrie will have to pick up the blade she swore she’d never wield again.

Perfect for fans of snarky, hard-drinking heroines, Norse mythology with teeth, and a slow burn that bites. The first in a completed urban fantasy romance trilogy.

K.E. Media Enterprises, LLC

Publication date

August 3, 2018

Language

‎English

Print length

272 pages

Book 1 of 3

The Last Valkyrie Trilogy

Review: The Rising Wave (The Rising Wave #0.5) by Michelle Diener

Rating: 3.75⭐️

The Rising Wave is the prequel story to the first book of this series, setting out the characters and the series arc. 

Ava is a princess of unusual magical abilities who’s been imprisoned for years in a castle and now seems destined to die shortly because of her captor’s agenda. A new prisoner, Luc, changes her plans for escape to include himself and together they flee the prison and that kingdom.

That’s the short story. 

The more in depth version goes into their backgrounds, growing relationship, her magical powers which are highly sought after by multiple kingdoms, and the wars that are going on which Luc is a major part of. 

I liked several aspects of this story. The unusual magical system is interesting, although after thinking about it overnight it also raises many questions about its uses. Part of this is that I just don’t sew. The idea of using thread and sewing patterns into fabric as vehicles for magical powers is unusual. I don’t think I’ve read this before the way it’s used here. However, afterwards, I did find myself wondering how useful this would be in instances where the mage or witch doesn’t have time to stop and stitch whatever pattern is needed. Even the simplest item takes time with needles and threads. As in “oh no, I need to stop and sew a dog(s) on fabric “. Yes, indeed. That happened. 

I can’t imagine it. Standing still, let alone on the run. Or is that just me? Too subtle ? Give me a kaboom spell? Stitch a kaboom? Idk many questions.

The other thing is the rushed romantic aspect of the story. They meet up as brutalized prisoners, each hiding their own secrets. They’re on the run. And it’s instant love? 

Made zero sense to me. As well as the author not building a relationship or solid foundation for this. There’s books to come so any instant love could happen later as well. 

So some parts work. Others not so much. 

I’ll be interested in seeing what the magic system does in different events and how Ava is going to handle it. 

The Rising Wave (4 book series)

The Rising Wave #0.5 prequel 

The Turncoat King: (Includes The Rising Wave Prequel Novella

The Threadbare Queen #2

Fate’s Arrow #3

Truth’s Blade #4

Buy link 

 Related to: The Rising Wave 

Blurb 

A princess intent on escape . . . Ava has everything ready for her last chance at escape from her years’ long imprisonment. She knows if she doesn’t succeed this time, she will die. When an injured warlord is thrown into her cell with her, upsetting her plans, she faces a dilemma . . . leave him to die or try to take him with her.

A warlord intent on rebellion . . . Luc may lead a rebel army, but now he’s at the mercy of his enemies, and they have no mercy to give. All except the woman imprisoned with him. She not only has mercy, she has a plan to escape. He just has to convince her to let him come along . . .

A partnership forged in adversity . . . Unable to leave him behind, Ava includes Luc in her plans, but escaping the castle where her cousin has imprisoned her is only the first step. Hunted by their enemies, she and Luc will have to trust each other, no matter how many secrets they’re keeping.

NOTE: THE RISING WAVE was first published as part of Warlords, Witches & Wolves: A Fantasy Realms Anthology in November 2020. It is the prequel novella to the Rising Wave series and is followed by THE TURNCOAT KING.

Eclipse

Publication date

March 10, 2021

Language

‎English

Print length

111 pages