Tag: Fantasy/Romance

Review:  Kissed By The Gods (The Eternal Wars Book 1) by Caty Rogan 

Rating: 4.75⭐️

What an unexpected thrilling experience! And why aren’t more readers talking about this book? 

I’m actually surprised by the lack of media attention to given to this fabulous epic fantasy romance . As it’s a romantasy much in the same vein as many of the other highly successful/popular novels like the Fourth Wing series (I do like those) , I don’t understand why this hasn’t found its audience. 

Rogan’s universe and characters are ones I actually find more compelling. Unlike almost every other series and novel these days, there’s no dragon involved. 

However! Here there is a highly dangerous and sentient flying war horse/animal to bond with, one that’s emerges from the void and is equally terrifying as any dragon of recent stories. Honestly, they’re fabulous and here we’re just getting started with their history and powerful abilities. 

It’s the female main character that sealed the deal for me. Leina is an incredible character, compelling from the tragic moment we meet her. She’s fierce, rage personified, full of secrets, damaged by her past yet empowered by them as well. 

And unlike other FMC’s when assisted by the MMC, in this case, Ryot, one of a special group of “gods-blessed warrior” who decides to be her protector, doesn’t need him to be. She’s got a different agenda, perhaps several. And she’s not going to wait for him to go off and save the Kingdom or even go to war. 

That’s on her. And how Rogan develops Leina’s character and powers within the many layers of the story is complicated and believable. In fact, there are many other characters whose growth charts new areas of exploration in this series that’s just as interesting and exciting as those that we started with. 

Ryot’s storyline is partially why this story didn’t get a 5 ⭐️ rating. How the novel ended, with a cliffhanger, wasn’t surprising. And it contains two elements meant to be shocking but are easily guessed at from the events mentioned during over the course of the story. 

Did it bother me? Not a bit. In fact, it made any forthcoming book and relationship dynamics that more fascinating. I can’t wait. 

I’m just upset that there’s no mention of a sequel yet. I adore this book, its universe and especially its main character of Leina. 

More, more as soon as possible. 

Highly recommended. Just amazing work here. And love the flying war horses. What scary sentient creatures!

Grab it up!

Love the covers too. 

Artwork:

Map © Haley MacRae: @hmmr.art Chapter art © schankz/Shutterstock.com 

Cover art and design by Daqri Designs. 

Cover © 2025 Hachette Book Group, Inc.

The Eternal Wars Series :

Unwritten by the Gods (prequel novella) 

Kissed by the Gods #1

Buy link

 Book 1 of 1: The Eternal Wars, 1 

Blurb 

She might be deadly, but she is not their weapon. Fourth Wing meets Dire Bound in this captivating romantasy, brimming with romance, deadly stakes, and unforgettable magic. 

 

Survivor. Rebel. Weapon.

 

Leina has spent a lifetime submitting, starving amid wheat fields reserved for the king, standing by while his men crush her loved ones. When soldiers come for her brother, her divine fury erupts in a bloody massacre.

 

She expects to be executed for her crimes—her people have met bloody ends for far, far less. Instead, Ryot, a gods-blessed warrior born to privilege, delivers her to a military fortress renowned for its brutality.

 

There, a gift from a goddess drags Leina into a realm of war, where her survival depends on her ability to ride a winged horse.

 

As Ryot pushes her to master the power she never asked for, a battle rages within her heart. Each lesson, every touch, binds them tighter—but love is a dangerous weakness in a world designed for war.

 

Soon, Leina must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice to protect the family she has found…and the one she left behind. Because while her divine gift could save the kingdom, it could also shatter its very foundation.

 

With immersive lush writing, an unflinching heroine, and an inventive fantasy world, Kissed by the Gods is the gripping fantasy debut you won’t want to miss.

 

Featuring iconic romance tropes: 

  • He falls first 
  • Forbidden romance 
  • Found family 
  • Trial by combat 
  • She saves him 
  • Spicy slow burn 
  • Feminine rage

Publisher

Requited

Publication date

December 2, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

619 pages

Book 1 of 1

The Eternal Wars, 1

Review: The Itsy Bitsy Liar (Once Upon A Rhyme Book 1) by Abigail Manning

Rating: 4.5 ⭐️

Another fantastic new book, series and author! Starting with that great cover, The Itsy Bitsy Liar (Once Upon A Rhyme Book 1) by Abigail Manning is a fabulous read, a fairy tale story with a twist of a cursed young woman who can only tell lies but ends up with the prince, being a beloved Queen who saves the day. 

Manning’s characters, especially the young woman, Lacey Arachne, who was cursed to tell only lies as a child to prevent her from telling people her father was framed for a crime. Now an adult, we see how she (and her mother) have adapted to her curse in practice and how she’s been able to get through life with it. She’s intelligent and adaptable. And working as a Lady’s maid. 

Through a complex process, she and her Mistress end up together at the castle in a contest for the hand the Prince. But they’ve switched places and Lacy is pretending to be Evie with disastrous consequences. 

The story and romance that follows is smartly crafted. It involves one of friendships, communication, plotting and several wonderful twists. 

The characters are all very engaging and fully formed. And Evie, a terrific friend and character gets the next story. 

I’m thrilled to have found this and to be able to share it. 

Beautiful lush covers are everything!

 Cover design by Karri Klawitter

Once Upon a Rhythm:

The Itsy Bitsy Liar #1

Little Bo Sneak #2

Hush A Bye Lady #3

Do You Know The Muffin Scam? #4

Baa Baa Black Market #5

Twinkle Twinkle Little Scars #6 – Sept 26,2025

Buy link:

 Book 1 of 6: Once Upon A Rhyme 

Blurb:

What if the itsy bitsy spider could only weave a web of lies?

Lacey Arachne has been cursed since she was a child to only speak lies and wants nothing more than to keep it unknown. As a common handmaiden, she’s learned how to navigate her twisted words fairly well. But that all changes when her mistress makes her switch places with her in the prince’s bride competition.

Unable to refuse her mistress’s plans, Lacey is forced to play the role of a noble and compete in a competition she has no interest in winning. Well, at least that’s the lie she tells herself after she meets the charming Prince Carlex…

With the punishment for impersonating a noble being death, Lacey must blend in with the other competitors at all costs. But how does a bold-faced liar avoid standing out amongst scrutinizing eyes? Especially when her childhood enemy certainly doesn’t seem keen on letting her go unnoticed… Can Lacey untangle herself from the webs she’s crafted? Or will she be doomed to fall with the coming storm?

Review:  The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating (And Other War Crimes) (Guides to Villainy and Love Book 1) by Tiffany Hunt

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Two immediate thoughts about this remarkable story. One, I absolutely love it. Secondly,  book two in the series isn’t going to be released until next year, so if you’re a reader who finds that hard to take, wait! Don’t read this yet. Because, much like me, are end of this book, you’ll be craving the next one.  And knowing we have a long wait ahead. Argh!

That said, what a fabulous tale this is. Hunt is another writer I discovered via this series and whether it’s her ingratiating characters, smart, snarky dialogue and humor, or just plain great storytelling, I was invested from the beginning. 

I love stories that  switch up the perspectives. It’s the villains who are the main (and magnificent) characters. And the well written women who are supposed to be the damsel in distress but aren’t. Instead, they’re women who are intelligent, strategic, and powerful in their own right. A equal. And morally grey partner to the villain in her story. 

As a fan of Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s Assistant to the Villain series, I was quick to pick this up. Its similar only in that the villain is the main character (a dashing, dark magical lord) and that the relationship between the Dark Lord, Kaz, and his Lady, Arabella, is a very similar, fully developed one of growth, understanding and trust. It’s their fantastic dialogue and fierce dynamic, combining all their own strengths and hidden fears as well as magical abilities that will eventually combust into a new hot full partnership. 

But not until they have a strong understanding and connection with each other. That’s the key here. Respect, trust and understanding of each other. Remarkably adult thinking. 

There’s plenty of bloodshed, and violence. He’s a villain. But also there’s plenty of villainous deeds done by “the good guys “. Including her family.

There’s interesting mythology that’s just getting started and will grow into the next book. A dark mystery too. 

And a dragon!

But it’s Lord and Lady Blackrose ( yes, there are black roses, they bite) who make the story. They are an outstanding villainous couple. I love them and will find it hard to wait until next year to see what happens next!

Highly recommended!

 

Guides to Villainy and Love:

  • The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating (And Other War Crimes) #1
  • The Dark Lord’s Guide to Honeymooning (And Other Villainous Deeds) – Feb 10,2026

Buy link

        The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating (And Other War Crimes) (Guides to Villainy and Love Book 1)

    

Blurb:

Perfect for fans of Assistant to the Villain, but darker and spicier.

In this riotously funny dark romantasy, a conflicted villain and his unstoppable bride form the realm’s most chaotic alliance.

“What’s mine, stays mine.”

Step One: Kidnap someone cute.

Step Two: Force her into marriage.

Step Three: Try not to get feelings.

When Dark Lord Kazimir Blackrose kidnaps Lady Arabella for a forced marriage, he expects an obedient, trembling bride. What he gets is a knife to the throat and a furious woman with her own terms. He may need her heroic bloodline to achieve ultimate dominion, but she’s not about to make this easy for him.

Arabella has already survived her father’s tower prison and a lifetime of being treated like property. Being abducted by the realm’s most notorious villain is just another Tuesday. If she must be married to the infuriating (and infuriatingly attractive) Dark Lord, she’ll do it on her terms: freedom within his fortress, hands strictly to himself, and complete honesty about his plans.

But when his plans go awry, Kazimir faces his most terrifying challenge yet. He must actually date his own wife. Between magical training sessions, playing golf with the eyeballs of his enemies, and aphrodisiac dinners gone spectacularly wrong, his villainous seduction plans are failing at every turn.

As they navigate magical explosions and jealous exes, they discover a far more terrifying prospect than war or magical catastrophe:

They might actually be falling for each other.

This dark and sexy fantasy romance is perfect for readers who love:

  • A morally gray antihero (who stays that way)
  • A strong heroine who embraces her dark side (she doesn’t need rescuing, thanks)
  • Touch her and die
  • Hilarious, wicked banter and sizzling spice
  • One bed/forced proximity
  • Kidnapped bride/forced marriage
  • Dark humor

Review:  Duskbound (Esprithean Trilogy Book 2) by Grenwich & Lennox

Rating: 3.5⭐️

Duskbound was a good book but frustrating to read as the potential for a great piece of fantasy adventure was there but never quite reached by the authors. 

The positive elements I found in Riftbourne were discarded or replaced by new characters and a less energetic version of the character from book one. 

The scrappy, independent character of Fia, passionate, determined and guarded, able to think for herself became a new kind of character here. One who instantly, in many “as told to” scenarios, discards the previous main character, falls into a deep love for a less well written character of Aether, in a short time period, and evolves into another personality.

Even with over 500 pages, this character development doesn’t seem to have a believable or realistic foundation or storyline. No in comparison with the first book. 

The magical system and its own powers explanations are the best aspects of the book.  Hinted at in Riftbourne, this story continues with the shadow realm and magical elements that are present throughout Fia’s character’s arc. 

This book again ends up on a cliffhanger note but, honestly, if you’re a well rounded fantasy or mystery reader, you can anticipate where it’s headed. 

I will finish this trilogy just to discover that Fia will get another main character in book three.  You never know. The relationship here with Aether absolutely has me disconnected from the plot. 

If you are a fan of the authors or engaged by the series arc, I’m recommending you continue reading. I will because I’m curious. 

Cover art and Map by Parker Lennox

Esprithean Trilogy:

Riftbourne #1

Duskbound #2

Buy link

        Duskbound (Esprithean Trilogy Book 2)

    

Blurb 

Fia Riftborne thought joining the Sidhe Guard was the hardest choice she’d ever make.

She was wrong.

Taken prisoner by the very shadows she was sworn to fight, Fia uncovers a devastating truth. The wraiths who brought destruction to the Isle’s western border aren’t monsters at all, but a race of people from a dying realm called the Kálfar, and they believe Fia’s growing powers are tied to their survival.

As war looms on two fronts, Fia must navigate a world of shadow magic and political upheaval. A disgraced Kálfar lord builds an army in the south while tensions within Sídhe reach a breaking point. And the Void that gave Fia her power is calling—but answering it means betraying everyone she left behind.

The Guard. Her friends. Laryk.

In a war where nothing is as it seems, choosing the wrong side could cost her everything, including the brooding commander whose darkness seems to recognize her own.

  • Publication date: March 4, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 596 pages

Review:  On Wings of Blood: A Dark Academia Fantasy Romance with Dragons & Vampires (Bloodwing Academy Book 1) by Briar Boleyn

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Anything that brings dragons into the story has me hooked. Especially a dark fantasy series written by a new author I’ve not read before. I knew exactly what to expect from the description that Boleyn was incorporating certain popular elements into her series.  

There’s the academy aspect where the main character is forced to attend a school where they are surrounded by enemies. The character is an automatic isolated entity, by their nature and background. And forced into a dangerous situation by their status and often gender and/or species. 

Boleyn does several interesting things here by specifically not delving into the world building of this universe or of  the world that the main character of Medra Pendragon, a person dropped accidentally into a world of vampires. Even by the end of the book, we’ve learned little about how she’s actually arrived or even what the world she’s living on is actually like.

Instead, the author winnows down the narrative focus to the dramatic plot lines and relationships between Medra, vampire Blake Drakharrow  and the members of his family, the formidable and sinister Drakharrow clan. The forced consort relationship between Blake and Medra, and the hidden secrets of Blake’s uncle are well written and emotionally charged storylines that keep the reader’s attention and absolutely invested in their relationship.

The author gives us a wonderful secondary cast of humans and creatures, each interesting and in one case, very fluffy. 

The ending scenes are fantastic! Exciting and shocking. They set the stage for a new scary unpredictable second novel. 

The author has given her readers a trigger /warning  list at the beginning of the book, which I appreciate. Check it out. 

Highly recommended and I’m onto the next in the series. 

Cover Design by Ank Book Designs Interior Illustrations & Map by New Ink Book Services”

Bloodwing Academy:

On Wings of Blood #1

The Bond That Burns #2

The Wings That Bind #3 – June 14,2025

Buy link

        On Wings of Blood: A Dark Academia Fantasy Romance (Bloodwing Academy Book 1)

    

Blurb 

The Booktok, Amazon, & International Bestseller…

#1 in Vampire Romances
#1 in Paranormal Vampire Romance
#1 Arthurian Fantasy
#1 Classic Fantasy
#1 Dragons & Mythical Creatures

★★★★★ “You liked Fourth Wing? Then there’s a good chance you’ll LOVE this story (it’s definitely on my top 5 this year!!). I absolutely couldn’t put this book down.” -A Cup of Tea and a Book Please




What do you get if you mix Harry Potter with Fourth Wing, Zodiac Academy, a dash of Arthurian legend, and lots and lots of vampires? Bloodwing Academy.

I didn’t sign up for this.

A half-fae in a school of highblood vampires? That’s a recipe for torment.

I’m Medra Pendragon—last of the dragon riders, or so they tell me. Funny thing is, there are no dragons left. Not a single one. But somehow, that hasn’t stopped the vampires from deciding I’m worth capturing. Now I’m stuck at Bloodwing Academy, where the highbloods run everything and blightborn like me? We’re just blood in their veins, pawns in their games.

But that’s not even the worst part. 

Enter Blake Drakharrow. Cold, arrogant, and way too gorgeous for his own good. He’s been tormenting me since the moment we met, and now, thanks to some ancient ritual, we’re betrothed. He acts like he owns me, but I’m not going down without a fight.

Bloodwing isn’t just a school—it’s a battlefield. Highbloods fight for power, and if you’re weak? You’re dead.

Between deadly competitions, lies that could get me executed, and a dragon-shaped secret looming over my head, all I have to do is survive. Easy, right? Except I’m starting to think the real danger isn’t the academy—it’s what I’m becoming in this twisted game of power.

And Blake? He might just be the one who pushes me over the edge.

They think they can control me. They think they can use me.

But they have no idea what they’ve awakened.

Bestselling epic fantasy author Briar Boleyn returns with a new series perfect for fans of hate to love romance, heart-pounding action, and dark magic.

On Wings of Blood is a dark academia fantasy romance featuring a bully villain with Draco Malfoy energy who (eventually) gets the girl, all the tension and banter, and a tantalizingly dangerous blend of court and school intrigue all set in an intricately crafted world with unique vampire and dragon lore. Bloodwing Academy may have crossover characters from the world of Blood of a Fae, but can be read completely independently. If you’re a fan of original mythology, unique world-building, and character-driven romantasy books such as Crowns of Nyaxia, From Blood and Ash, and A Court of Thorns and Roses, you won’t want to miss out on this riveting new saga.

  • Publisher: Starwater Press (Indie) (October 25, 2024)
  • Publication date: October 25, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 523 pages

Review : Enchantra (Wicked Games #2) by Kaylie Smith

Rating:  4.5⭐️

What initially appeared to be a duology, Wicked Games is clearly expanding into a full series with this novel and the addition of the paranormal Silver family to a universe that had focused solely on the Grimm sisters, Ophelia and Genevieve Grimm, and Ophelia’s love Salem. 

Enchantra picks up from the events in Phantasma, a novel where Ophelia Grimm , recipient of the Grimm matriarchal necromancer powers, enters a gothic mansion looking for her sister, Genevieve Grimm , and ends up having to play a sinister deadly game, Phantasma. 

It’s a fantastic story and horrifying game , which ends with Ophelia leaving with a romantic demon love, Salem, and her sister safely out of the mansion. This couple and Salem himself have a great impact on Genevieve’s reasons for her trip. 

Enchantra is a new devilish game, a location, as well as being Genevieve Grimm’s story, all taking place in Italy. Genevieve or Vivi is a complex, layered character. The younger sister born into a matriarchal family of necromancers, Genevieve always felt like an outsider in her world of magical women. The one left to her own devices, the one not given any real affection or sense of belonging. 

Smith builds into her character all the emotional aspects of a person wounded by her childhood and events in her adolescence. When a reader gets frustrated ,as i did, by her impulsive actions, it’s easy to think about the situation and reason behind her reactions. 

This is also a marriage of convenience, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, dark fantasy romance. With deadly games and demonic monsters. 

The Silver family, starting with Rowen Silver the person who greets her at the door and immediately tells her to go, are an intriguing bunch. With each new stage of the game, both the reader and Genevieve will have a better understanding of each of them. 

The world building and supernatural elements are frightening, violent and full of twists. The Silver family, all the many siblings and familiars are violent, terrifying and magical. 

The only member who didn’t have much of a role or well defined character is the father, a surprising aspect of the story.  This factor and one other thing makes me think that the author is waiting for another book to bring him back into this series. 

The ending is fantastic. Emotionally powerful and extremely satisfying. But it also has one strange twist, a element that is a pivotal part of book one and is mentioned a couple of times at the start here, and that’s the fact that Salem’s true name was forgotten by all by terms of agreement.

And yet there’s this ending. I can’t imagine that the author doesn’t keep track of her own notes on important series elements or aspects of characters . So it would seem this too is a big part of the series going forward.

Either way, it makes for delicious suspense and fun for the next novel in Wicked Games. 

Highly recommended.

Great covers. 

Cover design Alexandra Purtan/ Fenix Cover Designs

Wicked Games series: 

Phantasma # 1

Enchantra #2

Buy link

        Enchantra: A spicy fantasy romance (Wicked Games Book 2)

    

Blurb 

Welcome to Enchantra. There’s only one rule: Never, ever trust your heart.

When Genevieve Grimm’s mother is killed, Genevieve wants answers nobody can give… until she receives an invitation to Enchantra, a cursed palace filled with temptations and illusions.

Arrogant and dangerously handsome, Rowin Silver meets her at the door and refuses to let her inside. But Genevieve finds her own way in… And soon realizes her mistake.

Enchantra is a twisted labyrinth of marble and thorns, where Rowin’s family are trapped forever in a deadly game. Now, Genevieve must win or die.

Rowin offers her a deal. They can compete together… if they convince everyone watching that they’re desperately in love.

Genevieve knows she can’t trust Rowin, but she’ll do whatever it takes to survive. As they hunt and hide together, Genevieve tries to ignore the desire burning between them. She absolutely cannot fall for this man. Cannot forget that she’s only pretending to be in love.

After all, it was Rowin who taught her Enchantra’s first rule… Never, ever trust your heart.

Packed with deadly intrigue and spicy romance, Enchantra will transport you to a world of feisty heroines and morally gray love interests, fake dating, forbidden desire and family secrets. If you love books by Kerri Maniscalco, Carissa Broadbent and Lauren Roberts, prepare to discover your new romantasy obsession.

  • Publisher: Second Sky (April 8, 2025)
  • Publication date: April 8, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 443 pages

Review:  Dead Heat (Crossroads Queen Book 7) by Annabel Chase

Rating: 5⭐️

Dead Heat really escalates the overall danger that’s been created and implies that the many serious threats towards Lorelei and her found family are more imminent and deadly. 

There are a boatload of plot lines here, from an incubus bartender with a strange mark on his chest that needs a bit of investigation to a new visitor in need of a place to stay, and as always, The villainous Corporation wanting Lorelei and sending its minions after her.  But of course, there’s more, and it’s Kane, her demon boyfriend, who might be in trouble. 

Dead Heat (Crossroads Queen Book 7) by Annabel Chase superbly increases the level of danger, suspense and chaos for all the characters going forward. Chase has brought Lorelei into the Fairhaven fold, made her its guardian, and given her a found family of vampires, assassins, witches, werewolves, ghosts and the odd paranormal beings.  Even a human sheriff and demon boyfriend.

And now the largest threat is to the very people and things she came there to avoid happening and having.

Great job and story.

I’m reading two books at a time. And I’ve heard that Half Dead #8 ends on a cliffhanger and Dead End #9 isn’t released yet. So I’ll wait until both are available and then read right through. 

Until then, this is one amazing series. Binge them or just read them one by one. Fab stuff. Great character development and plotting. A true winner.

Cover by Trif Designs, which has changed to reflect the fact that the word has gotten out that Lorelei Clay is a demigod. So great touch with that head halo/crown addition. 

Crossroads Queen series:

Dead to the World #1

Dead of Night #2

Dead Last #3

Dead Wrong #4

Dead Weight #5

Play Dead #6

Dead Heat #7

Half Dead #8

Dead End #9 – April 17,2025

Buy link

        Dead Heat (Crossroads Queen Book 7)

    

Blurb 

It isn’t easy being the liminal deity of a multirealm crossroads, as Lorelei Clay can attest. There are the typical issues, of course, like a wayward god stumbling into Wild Acres, and then there are the more pressing ones…

Like an incubus who wakes up with a mysterious mark on his chest and a timer on his life.

And the demon with an urgent message for Kane.

And the mysterious flying monsters with vengeance in their hearts that threaten the peace and tranquility of Fairhaven.

And last, but definitely not least, a visit from The Corporation’s latest minion, who might finally make Lorelei an offer she can’t refuse.

Don’t miss Dead Heat, Crossroads Queen, book 7. For fans of quaint small towns chock full of vampires, fae, witches, werewolves, mage assassins, ghosts, and the clueless humans they protect

Review:  Spirit Witch (The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic Book 3) by Helen Harper

 

Rating: 5⭐️

Ok I read this at 3am in the morning  because I’d just finished Star Witch with its shocking ending and had to rush here to see what happened. 

Whew! 

What is it with this trend of authors killing their main characters? This is the third book in a row and series where this has been a major element.  Not sure my heart is ready for more at this point.

But this sets up Ivy for several new stages in her life. A new romance with Winter, who’s all in now, especially after losing her and getting her back. Because Ivy definitely was dead but was brought back. 

And Ivy can now see and communicate with the dead. And a livelier, albeit dead, group has never been seen. Or heard than here. 

She’s asked for help to find a missing person, which leads her into a serial killer case involving dead witches and a threat to her friends and lover. 

Harper leans into the intimate details of Ivy’s new relationship with Winter, who has resigned from the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, blaming the Order for Ivy’s death, even though she was resurrected.  But he’s struggling, and so is she in the new dynamic, a very realistic scenario.

Comedic relief in this story comes in many forms, sometimes it’s with the ghost who demands Ivy’s attention , with an outdated idea of attitudes towards women and the world. Or , in a scene that still has me giggling, it’s Ivy herself, attempting to enter through a second story window.  I’ll not spoil it, but needless to say, I’ve reread this scene several times. 

The story is harrowing, funny, well executed , full of several layered plot lines that are balanced and compelling. From a tight investigation into various murder mysteries to the intimacy of their personal relationship, the book continuously weaves both together until it reaches a great conclusion. 

Spirit Witch (The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic Book 3) by Helen Harper is a fantastic book. In many respects it feels like it could be the series finale as it beautifully ties together so many characters storylines and gives them a great ending.  I was so happy when I was done. 

There is another story, a holiday novella to read, which I’m onto next.

Ivy is a character who I wish there were more of in the books I read. She’s outside of the main character norm and I absolutely adore her.  The series is terrific and the characters around her just as compelling.

A must read.

Cover by Yocla Designs. an accurate representation actually . She’s a fantastic character.

The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic:

Slouch Witch #1

Star Witch #2

Spirit Witch #3

Sparkle Witch #4 – a holiday novella 

Buy link 

        Spirit Witch (The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic Book 3)

    

Blurb 

If anyone appreciates what it means to be dead to the world, it’s Ivy Wilde.

Barely recovered from her brush with necromancy, Ivy is flung once more into a world of intrigue, adventure and potential death and disaster. It’s not her fault – it just so turns out that she’s now the only person in the entire world who can communicate with the dead. And they’re a chatty bunch with a list of demands. 

When the ghosts offer information about a witch-hating mass murderer in return for Ivy’s help, she has no choice but to get involved. She might be getting herself into more trouble than she realises though – and that’s even before she’s dragged to Sunday dinner so she can meet Winter’s family…

This is the third book in The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic series.

  • Publication date: August 23, 2017
  • Language: English
  • File size: 1.9 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage: Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Screen Reader: Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Enabled
  • Word Wise: Enabled
  • Print length: 288 pages

Review:  The Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance by Lauren Palphreyman

Rating: 4⭐️

I was looking for something to read that wasn’t fae or trial themed so that fantastic cover for The Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance by Lauren Palphreyman pulled me right in.  New author and apparently a new series or duology, terrific!

And yes, I had an absolutely amazing time reading this book.  I feel that Lauren Palphreyman really captured the Highlands of Scotland, the wilds and beauty of the region through scenes and descriptions so well. And then to intertwine the Clans of Scotland with werewolves or Shifter packs and include mythology and kingdom wars, it’s a very compelling story.  And the political landscape isn’t just about the shaky Wolf clans but their history with the human kingdom as its own wars are being played out. 

On this background, the author is writing a larger story about a woman, Princess Aurora, who’s kidnapped by an Alpha and taken to the Highlands. 

Aurora, or Rory as she is called is a delightful character, one of tremendous strength and perseverance. She’s a woman who can emotionally and mentally evolve from a tightly controlled princess into a woman who decides her journey is transformative instead of that of one of being a victim. 

 On the male characters side, Callum is the main protagonist and romantic lead but instead I found the morally ambiguous Blake to be the far more interesting character.  Callum was forever “running” off to somewhere important to the narrative leaving Rory behind for the moment and events to come.  

Blake’s background and character, however, manipulative and dubious, is just that much more intriguing than that of Callum, imo. And there’s the Wolf King, Patrick, who is a non-entity here. He’s got one purpose, as an antagonist for the main characters and then he’s done until the next book. 

The world building could be better explained or developed. It’s an alternate universe. But what’s the time frame? A 17th century type of story. Not sure. There’s a difference between a author who vividly describes a location , whether it’s a natural setting or parts of a castle, and an actual world building with cultural elements, religious traditions, political traditions and history. And so far the latter is missing here. 

The relationship between Rory and Callum is more of one of self discovery. I really didn’t buy the idea that Rory loved Callum, honestly, he’s just too much a Golden Retriever in wolf’s clothing.  He’s the boy next door you date but then leave when you go to college. 

The book ends on a really interesting note. And sets up the multiple conflicts and storylines for each character. For me , it’s still all about Blake. 

I can’t wait to see what happens next. 

A definite recommendation . 

Love the cover.

Cover Design by: Damonza

The Wolf King series:

The Wolf King #1

The Night Prince #2 – March 31,2025

Buy link: 

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThe Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance – Books

Blurb 

When a princess is kidnapped by an alpha, war rages between the humans and the wolves. But soon, forbidden attraction starts to grow. . .

Princess Aurora longs to escape the castle and the marriage that has been arranged for her.

But on the night before her wedding, at a dog fight where captured werewolves are made to fight for sport, she spares the life of a young wolf. It puts her on the radar of the powerful alpha who was going to kill him. And it changes everything.

That night, when the alpha escapes, he kidnaps her and takes her to the rugged lands north of the border — where the once warring werewolf clans are beginning to unite. He thinks that she is the key to winning the war against the humans.

Only, as they spend time around one another, forbidden attraction starts to grow. And as Aurora learns that not all wolves are bad, the alpha discovers that she is in danger from both his enemies, and those he once considered friends.

With monsters on both sides, a bloodthirsty war between humans and wolves raging, and undeniable passion growing between them — will their story end in love? Or tragedy?

And will Aurora ever get home?

Does she even want to?

An adult fantasy romance for fans of romantasy, werewolves, forbidden romance, and enemies to lovers

Content Warning: Contains strong language and sexual situations.

  • Publisher: Lauren Palphreyman (September 14, 2023)
  • Publication date: September 14, 2023
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 468 pages

Review:  Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos, #1) by Nisha J. Tuli 

Rating: 3⭐️

There’s a whole trope of romance fantasy books that’s falls into the academy/trials category where a character, most likely a FMC, has to undergo a certain amount of training (in an academic setting) and experience a set amount of traumatic , often potentially deadly, trials in order to meet their goal. 

Survival, becoming a ruler, save someone, including yourself. Or the world are the typical end game examples. Or perhaps all of those.  Gods are usually involved, lately the Greek pantheon, and the Fae are huge here. Huge!

So it takes an extraordinary or a very special well constructed or conceived story to rise up from the those that are already out there with the same type of theme and characters. 

This isn’t the story, unfortunately. 

It’s a nice one but the characters and world building is lacking substance. It’s initially three siblings, Lor, Willow and Tristan, the older brother in a death prison where she’s been since basically a toddler ( I just read another similar story), and it’s been years of trauma and struggles to survive. 

Past and present mentions of SA, violence, and other physical attacks are part of their lives. 

But why they are there, the Fae Kingdom it’s in, and any world building is pretty non-existent.  And Lor and family members aren’t that believable as very young women and men who are starving to death, fighting for their lives under conditions that should have done them in years prior. Her brother is downright jaunty. 

There’s a side accompanying story about a Fae prince who hates his father, the King. Why? We don’t know . But there’s a secret. And he needs to go figure it out.

Lor ends up , in an around about way, being a competitor in a contest to win the Sun King’s heart and a crown. It doesn’t make sense as it happens , other women are cardboard creatures at best, and the contest is wildly uneven.

The problem is with the characters, Lor especially. Is she someone who could have survived the prison experience she’s been through, has that personality and survival chops here or is she a naive young girl who’s somehow going to believe everything that told her, saving lives of those who trying desperately to kill her, etc. Lor’s personality seems as changeable as a throw of the dice.  She’s just not a character worthy of investing in. 

It’s more, huh, so that happens. Ok. Turn page.  Where did that element go?

I’m still trying to decide if I’m going to get the next book.  Probably not.  As I’ve got several other series I’ve read that are terrific and have second books to read in the same trope. 

Read it because you like the author or are a fan of the trope. 

Artefacts of Ouranos:

Trial of the Sun Queen #1 (KU)

Rule of the Aurora King #2 (KU)

Fate of the Sun King #3

Tale of the Heart Queen #4

Completed series-2 are available on KU

Buy link

        Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos)

    

Blurb

Ten women. A deadly contest. Only one can win the Sun King’s heart.

Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King’s rule. Her only desire is to escape and pay him back for every moment of misery she’s endured.

When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the rival Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight as she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she’ll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge.

But Lor doesn’t belong in the Sun Queen Trials. Not only does she not understand why she was freed, she isn’t a citizen of the Sun King’s court. The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is removed from the competition, permanently.

Now Lor must win, because if she loses, she dies. Or worse, she’ll be returned to the evil—and now vengeful—Aurora King.

My notes: the initial blurb compares this to Fourth Wing and other popular fantasy novels. No. Not even close.