Blade of Two Faces by Blake Blessing

October 15, 2026

Blade of Two Faces by Blake Blessing

For years, Princess Ellis has been under the control of her brother the king. But when she finally escapes from him, she enters a world in total chaos where she has to try to survive while completing a series of competitions.

This was just bad overall. It seemed like it started with one story (which was traumatizing) and then shifted gears to another Hunger Game-like story after Ellis left her kingdom. I also didn't get romance - the male characters were all bullies and they sucked. Not one of them was worth the effort. But all of the characters were unlikeable. Not going to bother with the second book. Possible triggers include sexual assault, violence, violence against women, abusive men, bullying, incest. I can't imagine recommending this to anyone.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

A Wall is Also a Road by Annalee Newitz

October 1, 2026

A Wall is Also a Road by Annalee Newitz

Gardenpath is a single cell person (an amoeba) just like all the other life forms in their planetary system. They are a graduate student in biology, and for their research project, they are hoping to discover something new on a quiet backwater planet that was long ago declared to be empty and barren. But when they arrive at the planet, they are shocked to find a thriving ecosystem and a large number of life forms, including one rather strange life form that appears to have language, culture, society, and connection.

Have you ever wondered what an alien would think of our world when they first landed here? Especially an alien who has a vastly different physical form. The main character Gardenpath is quite endearing, as is their human friend Murtis. The descriptions of Pompeii, its culture and society are fascinating and well-researched, especially what appear to Gardenpath to be some of the weirder customs and rituals. The ending is bittersweet, even though Gardenpath finds love, friendship, and meaningful work on their home planet: they know almost from the start that they will outlive the humans that they have come to love, and they experience the pain of watching their friends age each time they visit the alien planet that has become a second home. There is a lot of world-building about Gardenpath's home planet in Part 1, although if you have ever been in a competitive environment, many of the characters and situations will be familiar. Beautiful cover art. Readers who enjoy Martha Wells and Becky Chambers will enjoy Gardenpath's adventures among the Unnamed on Planet Earth.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Ruins of Pompeii

The Memory of Borrowed Books by Meg Anderson

September 19, 2026

The Memory of Borrowed Books

Claire Ashford is the head librarian at a small town library. The building is old and the town council wants to tear it down and put up luxury condos. Claire desperately wants to save the library but doesn't know how. Then late one evening, she discovers a hidden room that she has never noticed before, filled with mysterious books.

I've had a string of disappointing books lately, maybe because a lot of them are by debut authors. This was just okay, didn't love it. It had a strong YA feel. The grown-ups in the story are constantly calling and fussing over Claire, telling her to eat and go to bed and what to do, even though she is the head librarian at the town library, a position of responsibility. And she's almost 30 years old, for god's sake. It's obvious that there is some trauma in Claire's past but she isn't going to get past it if no one will let her deal with it (and it isn't that big a trauma when we get the big reveal, since we already suspect what it is). She also adopts a dog on a whim (you should really think about it before you take on responsibility for another living creature), but it does ground her. I know some readers loved her, but I found Grace to be really annoying. Also, librarians do a lot more than just shelve books and check out books for patrons.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Half-Hearted Queen by Charlie N. Holmberg

September 11, 2026

The Half-Hearted Queen by Charlie N. Holmberg

Craft healer Nym Tallowax has been taken prisoner by Adoel Nicosia and taken to Rodsfell, the capital of Sesta, along with King Renn's sister Eden. Nym knows their only chance of survival is to free themselves and escape, because with a war raging, it might take a long time for rescue to arrive.

This was just okay. I didn't enjoy this as much as some of the author's other books. I picked it up because I read the first book in the duology, The Shattered King, and like it well enough to want to find out what happened to the characters. It takes Nym a long time to figure out the connection between Renn and Nicosia. I got tired of all the descriptions of the violence inflicted on Nym and Eden, also the descriptions of war in the second half of the book, so I skimmed over much of the last 150 pages. Possible triggers include sexual assault, violence against women, violence in general. 

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

September 8, 2026

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Natalie is a social media influencer who promotes living a traditional 19th century farm wife, but actually, she has household help, farm help, and all the modern conveniences. She has five children with a sixth on the way, but doesn't seem to like being a mother all that much. Nor does she care much for her rich lazy husband. All of that changes when she wakes up one morning to find herself transported back to the 19th century.

This had a great premise: Natalie, a social media influencer, obsessively documents her life online as a traditional/pioneer type wife and mother, while actually being a sham. Her 19th century cabinetry hides state-of-the-art appliances and she has hired help out the wazoo. Her husband is a rich boy who is banging one of the show's producers, and all his misdeeds are covered up by his politician father. Then one morning, Natalie wakes up to find herself actually living on the same farmstead but in the reality of the hardships of 19th century farm life. 

This was supposed to be darkly humorous but I didn't find it funny. As someone who reads a lot and has studied history, I know the fantasy of living as a tradwife and being off the grid is just that, a fantasy. I suspected the "twist" fairly early on and started skimming at about the 40% mark. I did feel sorry for Natalie - she was the victim of a patriarchal cult in childhood, and then a patriarchal society that she couldn't overcome, and she never found a place where she felt she fit in and finally had a break with reality. The author is yet another podcaster host who has a large online following.

If you want to read a better book about a character who time travels back to 19th century America, try The Mirror by Marlys Millhiser. It's an older title but was reprinted in 2018.

An actual 19th century farmstead

Chivalry & Chocolate by M. J. Gillbright

September 4, 2026

Chivalry & Chocolate by M. J. Gillbright

Dassia Temperton has been masquerading as a knight for several years, for the food, the privacy and not having to deal with fat elderly merchants who want to marry her. But when she accepts a quest to hunt down a dragon, she discovers that said dragon is a charming, chocolate-loving entrepreneur who thinks they should start a candy-making business together. A great idea, except if the queen's guards discover their charade, it could mean life in prison or worse for Dassia, and certain death for the dragon.

Disappointing. I really wanted to like this but the writing quality was poor. There was a lot of repetition - if this wasn't written by AI, it was certainly edited by AI. Suggestion to the authors: your AI editor needs a thesaurus. A number of words were overused constantly (including but not limited to spiral, fabulous, darling, dear, sparkling). Better yet, splurge on a human editor. A human editor would have cut out at least 100 pages, improved the text, and made this a better book. I will say that it had a cute cover, and the chocolate descriptions were good, even mouth-watering at times.

Beautiful gourmet chocolates, mmmmmm...

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

August 21, 2026

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

When an inter-galactic conglomerate takes over Earth and all its resources (organic, inorganic, biological, mineral, living, dead), the only chance the remaining people have of surviving is entering a series of tunnels that have appeared below Earth's surface. When Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Donut descend to one of these tunnels, Carl learns that they are actually part of a televised video game that is being broadcast to over six billion worlds, and their survival depends on how entertaining the viewers find them and how many followers they can accumulate.

Ludicrous in the best possible way. I enjoyed the snarky humor between Carl and Donut, also Carl's sense of responsibility toward Donut and others that they meet in the tunnels, as they work to survive together in an unknown environment. If you enjoy role playing games, adventure video games, or reality TV shows with ridiculous premises like Naked & Afraid or Survivor, you will most likely enjoy the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.

Burn the Kingdom Down by Addie Thorley

August 13, 2026

Burn the Kingdom Down by Addie Thorley

As part of the peace treaty between their countries, Princess Rowenna of Tashir is sent to Vanzador as a bride for their crown prince. But a year later, Rowenna is dead, her body sent home in a sealed coffin. Her younger sister Indira is sent as a replacement for Rowenna. Indira is positive that Rowenna was murdered and is determined to find out who killed her and why.

This is a YA romantasy and mystery rolled into one. It had a strong start with good world building and character explanations. But I got bored with the FMC Indira pretty quickly. Instead of using some subtlety, she runs around accusing everyone of her sister's murder. Great way to tip off everyone about what you're up to! I found myself skimming about halfway through. I even caught on to the twist early in the story. Not terrible but slow and longer than it needed to be. It's a debut novel and reads like one. Lots of YA type drama.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review

Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst

August 7, 2026

Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst

Marin is a supply runner, picking up and delivering order to the outlying islands of the Crescent Islands empire. On her most recent trip to the capital, the city is filled with unrest as rebel forces attempt to overthrow the government. With the help of her sea serpent friend Perri, Marin helps her friend Dax escape the violence in exchange for his help on her boat. And pretending to be her boyfriend.

The third book in the Spellshop magical series. The stories are intertwined with side characters from one story appearing as the main characters in another - Marin, Perri and Dax appeared in the second book in the series, as well as other characters from the first two books. Thoroughly enjoyable romantasy/cozy fantasy fiction, perfect for reading on a warm summer afternoon. The fourth book is The Magical Cheese Emporium - cheeses made from unicorn milk!

 

Bodies of Magic by Freya Marske

July 22, 2026

Bodies of Magic by Freya Marske

Five medical students are about to take their final exam to graduate from medical school. It's a practical exam and has five parts, and they must work as a team to pass. But when they arrive for the first part, they find the body of one of their most brilliant classmates dead on the floor. The five students must band together to solve the mystery while still passing the exam.

I really liked the concept of this book and wanted to love it. But there was a lot of information thrown at the reader, especially in the first half, and the pacing dragged at first. It picked up in the second half and raced to its conclusion. Because there were five main characters, we didn't really get to explore their individual powers, which was also disappointing.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Queenswood by Kathleen Schwab

July 16, 2026

Queenswood by Kathleen Schwab

Angus is the High Prince of the Faerie world, destined to become king. He is dismayed when a seer tells him he must find a bride among the mortals, since the fae bloodlines are so weak they are no longer able to produce heirs. Angus finds an acceptable bride in Rhiannon, a girl from a noble family destined to become a nun before he abducts her. But many of his courtiers and the fae are not accepting of his human queen and displeased with his choice, and they plot to take his throne.

This story isn't sure what it wants to be: is it historical fiction, a romantasy, a mythological epic? Adventure, fairy tale, coming of age story? There are also overtones of the Snow White story. I think the author tried to incorporate too many ideas into one book, when maybe she should have written one book about Angus and Rhiannon, and then a follow up book about Angus' struggles to hold onto his kingdom. The moral of the story is that the fae world is a dangerous place for both the fae and humans. Not terrible, but it certainly wandered around. Beautiful cover art. Will appeal to readers who are into atmospheric reads with heavy world building.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Through Gates of Garnet and Gold by Seanan McGuire

June 6, 2026

Through Gates of Garnet and Gold by Seanan McGuire

Nancy disappeared through one of the Doors to the Halls of the Dead long ago to become a living statue, but suddenly she has returned to the School for Wayward Children.  A darkness has come to the Halls and the living statues are dying. To save them and learn why they are dying, Nancy is forced to return to the school and seek help from her friends there.

Part of the Wayward Children series. I haven't read all of the books in the series but I have read enough of them to know the characters. While there was a strong start, the story sort of faded, and I got the feeling that this short book was more of a bridge between books. Like other books in the series, a major theme is finding a place where you belong. I liked Sumi calling out the Lord of the Dead for not taking better care of his people. Possible triggers are child death, murder, fratricide, grief, depression. 

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Throne in the Dark by A. K. Caggiano

May 1, 2026

Throne in the Dark by A. K. Caggiano

Damien Maleficus Bloodthorne is a blood mage, performing magic using his own blood. He is determined to lift the curse that has trapped his father Zagadoth the Tempestuous in a crystal for 23 years. But just when he completes the necessary ritual, he unintentionally imbeds the talisman in the body of a human woman named Amma, and finds himself forced to drag the painfully cheerful girl with him on his quest.

A grumpy/sunshine romantasy that reminded me of Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, with the cranky dark lord and perpetually cheerful thorn in his side that he has somehow gotten himself attached to. Like most fantasy novels, it took a while to sort out the fantasy world - it's complicated. A helping of mental sorbet after reading some darker shit.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White

April 22, 2026

The Fox and the Devil by Kiersten White

Anneke Van Helsing, daughter of famed vampire hunter Abraham Van Helsing, works as a consultant for the Amsterdam police. Using the latest forensic methods, she analyzes complicated crime scenes for clues the police may have missed or ignored. But Anneke's real goal is to find the mysterious woman she found standing over her father's body. As she traces the woman across Europe, she discovers a string of murders that appear linked to her father's murder.

More mystery than fantasy with a slow moving plot. The setting and the forensics were the best part, but the characters were lacking and mostly flat. The main character is supposed to be highly skilled in the latest forensic science but she makes decisions without any kind of planning or thought. Acted more like she was 15 than 25. The cover is beautiful - wish the story had measured up to the cover art. Disappointing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Shattered King by Charlie N. Holmberg

Marc'h 26, 2026

The Shattered King by Charlie N. Holmberg

Nym Tallowax is a craftlock healer who uses magic to heal. Magic is outlawed in her kingdom, except for healing, since the king's youngest son is an invalid and his mother is desperate to find a cure for him. Nym works as a beekeeper to support her family until she is conscripted to serve the ailing prince. In a kingdom always on the brink of war, Nym finds herself navigating not only the prince's health, but also the machinations of the court and the royal family.

I have read several books by this author and usually enjoy them, especially the Whimbrel House series. This one was okay, had some creative magical elements, but there were other things that didn't make sense, like the queen's attitude. If you finally find someone who can heal your precious son, why would you treat them terribly? Wouldn't you treat that healer like a treasure and give them whatever they need to do their work? I also don't understand Nym, the main character - why not just tell the queen and the prince to go screw themselves until they start to treat her better? So they might send you to the dungeon - it isn't any worse than the broom closet they gave her to sleep in, and at least no one would bother her and she could get a night's sleep. The center of the book drags somewhat, too much time spent inside the prince's head and then Nym and the prince wandering around the city and the forest. If you're looking for a romantasy, you'll be disappointed with this story. The first half of a duology. I may read the second book in the hope that there will be some answers about who the prince really is and how he got so badly injured.

Anima Rising by Christopher Moore

March 8, 2026

Anima Rising by Christopher Moore

On his way home from an evening on the town, artist Gustav Klimt sees a naked dead girl lying on the bank of a canal. Fascinated by the color of her skin, he stops to draw her, and then realizes that she isn't dead. He takes her home to his studio, where one of his regular models Wally takes her under her wing and nurses her back to health. But the drowned girl can't remember her name or how she got into the canal, so Klimt takes her to see his friend Dr. Sigmund Freud, and under hypnosis, the girl tells a fantastic tale of being murdered and reanimated by none other than Victor Frankenstein. Who also brings a Malamute named Geoff who loves croissants back to life.

Another out-there tale of history/fantasy/horror from Christopher Moore, featuring a number of real-life characters including artist Gustav Klimt and his favorite model Wally, Egon Schiele, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung (Adolf Hitler even does a walk-on), and incorporating the story of the bride of Frankenstein (coincidentally, the movie The Bride starring Maggie Gyllenhall is just about to be released). Moore also incorporates Inuit mythology and stories of shapeshifters. The humor is darker than in many of his books and there are darker themes at work here as well, including sexual and physical abuse, sex work, some animal death that is mostly off-stage, murder, and mental health. My favorite character by far is Geoff the pastry-loving dog, who is Judith's protector, and yes, he is fine at the end of the story.

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt - he was known for the mosaic costumes on his models

Written on the Dark by Guy Gavriel Kay

February 22, 2026

Written on the Dark by Guy Gavriel Kay

Thierry Villar is a tavern poet. University educated, he prefers to spend his nights in Orane's shadowy underworld, drinking, improvising poems, and associating the city's less savory citizens. One night as he slips out to commit a minor robbery, he is picked up by the city's provost, who require's Thierry's specific skill set for a specific job.

Not sure if this should be called historical fantasy or alternate history. In this fantasy of medieval France, there is a strong Game of Thrones vibe, with many characters, political machinations, high born/low born worlds, and frequent crossing and double-crossing. The Henry V character is a brutal jerk and he loses at Agincourt. The author also saves Joan of Arc (here called Jeannette of Broche). He develops his characters really well - even brief characters get a backstory, even if only a few sentences long. The most heart wrenching is the woman who takes Jeannette's place of the pyre after Jeannette's brothers spirit her away. Other readers have complained that this novel doesn't measure up to the author's other books, but this is the first book by the author that I've read, so I don't have anything to compare it to, and I enjoyed it. A good read for a winter afternoon, a good escape.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake by Rachel Linden

February 6, 2026

The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake by Rachel Linden

Juliana Costa is an internet influencer, hosting a weekly cooking show where she cooks retro recipes. When her co-host moves to Los Angeles for a chance at network television, Jules finds herself pretty much out of a job. To make matters worse, she has a publishing contract to write a cookbook, and her publisher has rejected her initial submission. When her mother offers to pay her expenses so she can go work on her book at the family farm in Italy, Jules feels she has no choice but to accept. The only catch is, she has to take her teenaged half-sister with her.

I'm not really crazy about magical realism but I was looking for something kind of light. This is a quick if predictable read with a warm and fuzzy vibe that centers around a magical cookbook. The descriptions of Italy and the food are the best parts of the book. Themes include healing, depression and grief, family, and love lost and found.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Orange blossom cake - looks pretty yummy!

Wickedly Ever After by R. Lee Fryar

January 30, 2026

Wickedly Ever After by R. Lee Fryar

Two elderly but still powerful witches are responsible for maintaining a balance of goodness and wickedness in their kingdom. But they face a new challenge when members of the younger generation refuse to act out the fairy tale that has kept their kingdom safe for nearly a thousand years. Even worse, they are starting to have feelings for each other.

This has been described as a screwball fantasy, and that's a good description. There are clever references to classic fairy tales as well as The Lord of the Rings. If you are looking for high fantasy, this isn't it - try Martha Wells' The Witch King or Rebecca Yarros' Fourth Wing. The dead of winter is a good time for a humorous romantasy. Beautiful cover. Recommended for light fantasy readers who enjoy a dose of silliness with their stories.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

One of Hector's black roses

Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

November 18, 2025

Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Evie Sage, assistant to the Villain, has been promoted to apprentice. She has her own little office and is the Villain's right-hand woman when it comes to things like magic and torture. But a prophecy is causing the kingdom to unravel and Evie has to figure out how to stop that from happening while falling head over heels for her boss.

The third book in the Assistant to the Villain romantasy series. Buckle up, buttercup, because everything gets turned upside down in this one, yet at times it felt like a bridge between books that are more relevant to the story. The ending provided a few answers (some of which I had guessed) but opened up more questions. There are some characters and locations introduced that really didn't advance the story and seemed unnecessary. There is a lot of conflict about parents here - parents who lied to their children, parents who cared only about their own interests, parents who abandoned their families. There is also a lot of romance among a lot of the characters - I mean, everyone is hooking up. Spoiler alert: Evie and Trystan finally find a convenient bed and get it over with. I guess there is going to be at least one more book. Kingsley is still my favorite character. Not the best book in the series, but the cover art is great. Recommended for fantasy/romance readers who like a slow burn romance spiced with humor.