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!

 

Butterfly Games by Kelly Scarborough

June 2, 2026

Butterfly Games by Kelly Scarborough

At the insistence of her mother, 14 year old Countess Jaquette Gyldenstolpe unwillingly becomes a courtier at the Swedish royal court. She soon meets Prince Oscar, the son of the crown prince, and they are immediately attracted to each other. But everyone at the court engages in love affairs known as butterfly games, and the court becomes a dangerous place for Jaquette.

Years ago, I read the book Desireee by Annemarie Selinko (which I highly recommend), about the daughter of a French silk merchant whose first romance was with Napoleon Bonaparte (yes, that Napoleon), and after she marries one of Bonaparte's generals, she unexpectedly becomes the Queen of Sweden. Sounds like a made-up story but it's all true - Desiree had a fascinating and well-documented life. Her sister Julie married one of Napoleon's brothers and became the Queen Consort of Italy and Spain. Not bad for the daughters of a silk merchant.

So I was very interested in reading this novel about Desiree's son, Prince Oscar. But other than having a historical setting, this is a lot more imagined romance than history. Facts about Jaquette are sketchy at best. While they were acquainted at court and were friends, the only evidence of an affair is hints in letters by other courtiers. Also, the writing is awkward at times and does not flow smoothly. This is a first novel that would have benefited from an editor. Disappointing. 

Countess Jaquette Gyldenstolpe Lowenhielm

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 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

A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn

December 21, 2025

A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn

It's been several months since Veronica and Stoker have had a mystery to solve, and they are both bored and dying for a new adventure. When two aristocratic young men die under mysterious circumstances, Inspector Mornaday of Scotland Yard enlists their help to investigate rumors that the the two young men were involved in a secret cult devoted to vampirism.

Another enjoyable outing with Veronica and her inamorata Revelstoke Templeton-Vane, aka Stoker, #10 in the series. There is a brief appearance of Lady Julia Grey and Nicholas Brisbane, the main characters in the author’s other historical mystery series. If you haven’t read that series, I highly recommend it. The first book is Silent in the Grave, which has one of the best opening lines I’ve read.

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

Highgate Cemetery in London, about as creepy a cemetery as you can find

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.

The Emerald Affair by Janet Macleod Trotter

October 8, 2025

The Emerald Affair by Janet Macleod Trotter

After serving as a nurse at the front in World War I, Esme McBride visits her best friend Lydia at Lydia's wealthy family's estate in Scotland. Esme misses the challenge of wartime nursing and is seeking a new posting somewhere that she will feel needed. While visiting Lydia, Esme meets an army captain and a doctor, both of whom served in India and are going back to live and work there. Esme immediately falls for the captain, but Lydia has already decided that she is going to marry him, no matter how ill suited they may be. 

Set between the two world wars, this is the story of four people who embark on marriage and life in India for a variety of reasons, all of them destined to be disappointed. Plenty of fascinating details about life in India during the British colonial period: the native people, the British ruling class, colonialism, the towns, the bazaars, the food, the political situation. This is a long book that could have been about 100 pages shorter without doing any harm to the story. The ending is a little too neat - I saw it coming. The first book in a trilogy.

The British in India

The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton

September 26, 2025

The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton

Margo is a rare collectibles dealer in London, accustomed to sourcing items for wealthy clients. When a new client hires her to locate a rare book, she assumes it will be just another job. But when a friend who is a rare book dealer is murdered, Margo discovers that there are others searching to the book, and they will stop at nothing to find it first.

One of my selections for Hispanic & Latino Heritage Month. Triple timeline with three female main characters: present day London, and Havana in 1900 and 1966. A rare book ties all three storylines together. I kept reading to find out what was so special about the book that someone would kill for it. Some mystery, some intrigue, some romance. Will appeal to readers who enjoy books about books.

Havana in the 1960s - they are still driving those kinds of cars today

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel

September 12, 2025

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel

In 1942 Paris, Colette Marceau works with her mother Annabel to steal jewels from Nazis and Nazi sympathizers to help fund the efforts of the resistance to help Jews escape from Hitler. But the Germans catch up with them one night, and Colette and her parents are arrested. But her four year old sister is taken by an unknown man, and Colette never forgives herself for the child's disappearance since she promised her parents she would look out for her sister. Colette survives the war and emigrates to the United States, continuing to steal jewels to fund worthwhile causes. But then a bracelet that belonged to her mother's friend reappears after 75 years, and Colette becomes obsessed with finding the bracelet's owner, believing it will lead her to the truth about her missing sister.

This was a fast read, excellent for the end of summer. The combination of family secrets a with suspense and history kept me turning the pages. I loved the 89 year old protagonist. Themes include loss, grief, guilt, redemption, identity, revenge, and finding hope and love late in life. Possible triggers are racism, antisemitism, child abuse, crime, and violence. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction.

All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles

August 18, 2025

All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles

Zeb Wyckham is surprised when his cousin invites him to his country house for a visit, but he arrives to find himself at the family reunion from hell. Worse yet, his ex-boyfriend who hates him for ruining his life is now working for his cousin. Could it possibly get worse? Actually, yes.

A locked-room mystery combined with an LGBTQ romance seasoned with an element of horror. There is plenty of suspense and sexual tension, plus a few steamy scenes. I love mysteries set at English country houses. The cover reminds me of the covers on old Victoria Holt romantic suspense novels (consumed those like candy when I was a teen).

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

See what I mean about the Victoria Holt covers?

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

July 26, 2025

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

Time traveling detective Mallory Armstrong has been stuck in 19th century Scotland for almost a year, working as the assistant to mortician Dr. Duncan Gray, the mixed race illegitimate son of an upper middle class family. She and Duncan are invited to the wedding of his best friend's sister at her fiance's highland hunting lodge. There is tension among the wedding guests and also with the locals, which only escalates when one of the guests is found murdered on the estate grounds. Instead of being a country holiday with friends, Mallory and Duncan find themselves tying to save the groom from the gallows.

The fourth book in the Rip Through Time series. The author gives enough background that this can be read as a standalone mystery if you haven't read the previous mysteries in the series, or if you're like me and it's been a while since you read the last book. Successfully evokes the customs, attitudes, and class distinctions, as well as police methods of the time. I loved how Mallory almost melted into a puddle when one of the characters finally shows up in a kilt. Looking forward to the next book in the series. Recommended for readers of historical mysteries like the Sebastian St. Cyr or the Lady Julia Grey mysteries, or the Outlander historical series.

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

Hunting lodge in the Scottish highlands

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

July 22, 2025

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

After using an illegal spell to create a sentient spider plant, librarian Terlu Pena was punished by being turned into a wooden statue, on display in the magical library as a warning to the rest of the staff not to dabble in the spells that they curated. But she hadn't meant any harm - she was just lonely. Nevertheless, the magic court decided to make an example of her. She stood on a pedestal in the library, frozen in place until one day, she wakes up to find herself in a winter forest on an island with no idea how she got there. Not only that, there is an enchanted greenhouse that is slowly dying, and a handsome gardener who expects Terlu to fix the greenhouse.

Charming cozy fantasy, not exactly a sequel to The Spellshop, more like a companion piece that provides the backstory of the librarian who made Caz the sentient spider plant. Terlu was the only character in the first book whose story was not resolved, so I'm glad the author decided to focus on her in this book. The greenhouses are marvelous creations, as are the green winged cat and the tiny dragons that act as pollinators. Themes are loneliness, forgiveness, and healing. The author has planned two or three more books set in this world. Another beautiful cover, too.

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

A magical greenhouse

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

July 4, 2025

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Evie Sage, the Villain's perpetually optimistic assistant, is back, keeping him organized and off-balance. Their battle against the king's efforts to take over all the magic in the kingdom continues, while also managing their somewhat unruly families. Evie learns valuable new skills: fighting with a magic dagger, negotiating with magical beings, search and rescue, hanging up severed heads in the Manor's foyer. It's all in a day's work for the apprentice to the Villain. 

Sequel to Assistant to the Villain, another romantasy that is a lot of fun, if a bit longer than it needs to be. After a brief prologue that is largely unnecessary, the story picks up where the previous book ended, so I suggest you read the first book before starting this one. A number of readers complained that it wasn't as good as the first book (happens frequently with sequels, especially when they are bridging to or setting up the next book). Good supporting characters, especially Kingsley the frog with his signs. Themes include morally ambiguous characters, opposites attract, The Office in a fantasy setting, workplace romance/flirtation, snarky humor. The slow-burn flirtation continues. Yes, we are all wishing that Evie would jump Trystan already, because we're pretty sure he's not going to take the first step. Be sure to take a good look at the cover art on both books - lots of fun images.

Looking forward to the third book, coming out in August. If you enjoy this series/style, while you wait for the next book, go read The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst or Legend and Lattes by Travis Baldree.

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

June 17, 2025

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Evie Sage needs to find a job to help support her family right away. Desperate, when the local evil overlord (conveniently if not very creatively known as The Villain) offers her a job as his personal assistant, she agrees to work for him. She is amazed at how fast she grows accustomed to severed heads hanging from the ceiling and stray fingers on the floor. But someone is trying to kill the Villain, and by extension, Evie and the other people who work for him. 

The first book in a trilogy, a romantasy filled with mystery, humor, and a hot male protagonist (and who doesn't love a hot male protagonist?). Like The Office in a fantasy setting. After a while, I did want to yell at Evie and Trystan to find a bed and get on with it already. Perfect for a hot summer afternoon or vacation reading - strictly entertainment, it's not going to strain your mind. Cliffhanger ending, so be warned that you may have to continue on with the series.

The modern fantasy office

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

April 10, 2025

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

Dan scores a reservation at the exclusive La Fin du Monde restaurant and takes his wife Jane to celebrate their wedding anniversary. But his timing is off, since Jane has decided that she is going to ask for a divorce over dinner (also maybe not the best timing). Not to mention that climate change activists have chosen that night to bomb the restaurant.

Quirky and fun, with a long-term marriage that turns out to be a romance after all. Recommended for readers who enjoy off-beat fiction like Nothing to See Here or Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend.

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

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

March 4, 2025

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Violet Sorrengail was supposed to be a scribe but after the death of her brother and father, her mother (who is also the commanding general) decrees that Violet should join the dragon riders, an elite group of warriors who protect their country from their enemy's griffon riders. But the dragon riders are highly competitive and many cadets are not chosen by one of the dragons, so they are perfectly willing to kill their fellow cadets to get ahead or for revenge.

The Hunger Games meets The Scholomance. At first, this is a typical magic college/dark academia story where students are competing for position as well as survival, and in their spare time, hooking up with each other. But at about the 1/3 mark, the dragons show up and the story really takes off (sorry, bad pun). The gauntlet obstacle course sounds like something you'd see on Wipeout. I did get tired of Violet's constant injuries and everyone trying to kill her. The sex is fairly graphic so if that bothers you, this may not be the book for you. The last paragraph of the book has a good twist. Not sure if I'm going to continue with the series but the first book was fun.

Black dragon

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

December 20, 2024

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Megan Chase lives on a pig farm in the Louisiana Bayou with her mother, stepfather and half-brother. She is an outcast but her best friend Robbie, another outcast, has always been there for her. On her 16th birthday, like a miracle, the quarterback of the football team asks her to lunch, only for Megan to become the victim of a vicious prank. Things only get worse when she arrives home to find that a changeling has taken the place of her half-brother who has been spirited off to the land of Faery. Megan is determined to go after him and bring him back, whatever the cost.

First book in the Iron Fey series. These faeries and elves aren't the Disney variety, more like the Eoin Colfer type (see the Artemis Fowl series). Many well known characters such as Puck and Oberon, and Grimalkin the faery cat is a great character. There are some fun and creative parts, like the road back to Faery through a dance club in Detroit. Many of the settings in the Iron King section have strong overtones of The Lord of the Rings. Note to fey folk: if you know that iron can kill you, maybe it's not the best idea to go into a land made of iron. Will appeal to readers of YA fantasy/romantasy.

The land of Faery

The Lost Letters from Martha's Vineyard by Michael Callahan

September 14, 2024

The Lost Letters from Martha's Vineyard by Michael Callahan

After being nominated for an Academy Award, starlet Mercy Welles suddenly vanished without a trace from Hollywood. Sixty years later, Kit O'Neil and her sister are cleaning out their late grandmother's house on Martha's Vineyard when Kit comes across photos of her grandmother that look suspiciously like the missing actress.

I didn't love this as much as many other readers have. I thought this was going to be a really good end-of-summer read, and I usually love books about old Hollywood, but something about this one didn't sit right with me. Maybe because it was written by a man, and he was fixated on what the women in the story look like, especially whether they are slim or frumpy or the kind of woman a man (like him) wouldn't look at twice. Also, there are a lot of familiar over-used tropes, like the struggling unknown actress who is suddenly nominated for an Oscar and catapulted to stardom, the wealthy dysfunctional family, the pile of family secrets in the attic that somehow no one else has discovered, among other things. The story is also overly long and the plot drags. Although billed as a mystery, there isn't much mystery and a lot more romance. Recommended for readers of romantic suspense.

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

Martha's Vineyard