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.

Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

June 19, 2025

Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

Catalina is a senior at Harvard, an aspiring writer who has worked a variety of unpaid internships, trying to figure out where she belongs. Born in Ecuador, she was sent to the United States to live with her grandparents following the death of her parents. Searching for love and romance, Catalina harbors a secret that can impact her future.

DNF at 51% - this was all over the place. It was like the author had a bunch of different stories that she just lumped together into one long stream of consciousness piece with no real plot or storyline, just a "year in the life." Did not care for the main character - extremely self-focused with no character growth, immature and pretentious at the same time. Actually, I didn't care for any of the characters. FYI, this is NOT dark academia - dark academia is Donna Tartt's The Secret History and others like it. The subject matter is important (the experiences of the undocumented living in the U.S., South American history and culture) so it's unfortunate that I found it so unreadable. Fans of the style of Sally Rooney or Dolly Alderton will probably enjoy it.

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

Ecuador

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

Oye by Melissa Mogollon

May 31. 2025

Oye by Melissa Mogollon

With Hurricane Irma bearing down on Miami, Luciana's family is in a panic: Luciana's grandmother, her Abue, refuses to evacuate. Normally Luciana is relegated to the sidelines and everyone ignores her, but now that her sister Mari is away at college, Luciana is pulled into the family drama. Luciana is just trying to graduate from high school and figure out her sexuality. Meanwhile, Luciana's mother is treating their evacuation like a family road trip. But then Abue receives a devastating medical diagnosis and comes to live with them, taking over Luciana's bedroom.

This was like eavesdropping on a really long phone conversation. The story is told through a series of mostly one-sided phone calls between Luciana and her older sister. While I enjoyed it, I can see where some readers would be put off by the format. There are some parts that are hilarious - the family saga is like a telenovella, entertaining if somewhat confusing at times. Luciana's grandmother is great - even though she has been diagnosed with cancer, her main concern is getting her roots touched up and keeping in contact with her boyfriends while she is in the hospital, while at the same time keeping her nosy sister out of her life. The audiobook is excellent. Recommended for readers who like quirky contemporary novels.

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

The Inmate by Freida McFadden

March 2, 2024

The Inmate by Freida McFadden

Nurse practitioner Brooke Sullivan takes a job at Raker State Prison out of desperation. She is warned not to develop a personal relationship with any of the inmates or give out any personal information. But Brooke does not disclose that she already know one of the inmates. Not only does she know him, she is responsible for him being in prison.

The synopsis for this book sounded really good, which is probably why I'm so disappointed in it. This is the second book that I read by this author (the other one was The Co-worker, which I felt was better, although it reminded me of Gone Girl). As other reviewers have noted, there is a strong YA feel. Brooke, the main character, gets dumber as the book goes on, almost as though she is reverting to her high school self. Yes, she's had a lot of trauma. But when she runs into the guy she sent to prison, who is now an inmate there, you can practically hear her underwear hitting the floor. The plot was too far-fetched with too many coincidences to ignore. Of course there had to be a corrupt prison guard and an evil Nurse Ratchett type. Not at all original. The epilogue was disturbing rather than satisfying. And in this century, who calls a child being raised by a single parent a bastard? Teens may enjoy her books, but I think I'm done with this author.

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

Prison infirmary

A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab

October 6, 2023

A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab

Four months after the events of A Darker Shade of Magic, Lila Bard is living her dream life on The Night Spire, a privateer craft. Kell is living in Red London with the royal family, assisting with preparations for the upcoming magicians' tournament and trying to keep his brother Rhy from getting himself killed. But with all the great magicians gathered in Red London, it's only a matter of time before the situation gets out of hand and becomes explosive.

The second book in Schwab's Shades of Magic series. People seem to either adore or despise it on Goodreads. Like many sequels, this isn't as good as the first book, but it's not terrible either, although the last third did start to drag. There are lovely descriptions of magic, the settings, and the characters. While the first book can be read as a stand-alone, there is a cliffhanger at the end of this one. Not sure if I'm interested enough to read the third book. Recommended for hardcore fantasy readers.

Dueling wizards

A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow

July 2, 2022

A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow

Zinnia Gray, former Sleeping Beauty and professional fairy tale fixer, is tired of rescuing sleeping princesses. She wishes they'd just solve their own narrative problems. But when she looks in the mirror, a different face looks back at her, and she is pulled into a Snow White story. This time, it's the evil queen  - she found out how her story ends and she wants to find a better ending for herself. She tells Z the story about how she ended up in that particular fairy tale, and Z is shocked to discover that it's not only princesses who are stuck in a story they didn't choose.

A retelling of the Snow White story from the perspective of the Evil Queen. This story turns the traditional fairy tale on its head, and reminds me of the musical Into the Woods (if you haven't seen it, the first act is about traditional fairy tales and ends with "and they lived happily ever after" - the second act tell about what really happens after the princess marries her prince). I enjoy Z's snarkiness. This is the second book in the Fractured Fables series, and it's fun and creative.

A sexier Evil Queen than the usual Disney version

Gallant by V. E. Schwab

June 22, 2022

Gallant by V. E. Schwab

Olivia Prior grew up in the Merilance School, essentially an orphanage for girls. All she has left from her mother is a journal that has several pages ripped out. But then a letter arrives, inviting her to Gallant, her mother's family's home. But when she arrives, no one is expecting her or admits to having invited her. Her cousin is hostile toward her, and Olivia sees shadowy figures, but she is not about to leave until she gets some answers. One day, Olivia crosses through a gate at the bottom of the garden and finds herself in an alternate version of Gallant.

The atmosphere is gothic and the writing is good but the plot is sketchy. The main theme is that everything has a mirror image that is the opposite. I like Schwab's adult books better than her YA books. It didn't really hold my attention, although I did like the cover.

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

October 5, 2022

Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Charlie Reade is a high school student who lives down the hill from the neighborhood "psycho" house (every neighborhood had one when I was growing up). A reclusive old man named Howard lives there with his "vicious" dog. On his way home from school one day, Charlie hears the dog barking frantically, screws up his courage and goes to investigate. He finds Howard on the ground, having fallen from a ladder. He calls 911 and offers to care for Radar, who turns out to be a sweet elderly dog, while Howard is in the hospital. He quickly falls in love with Radar and continues to care for her (yes, Radar is a girl) and also for Howard when he comes home from the hospital. When Howard dies a few months later, he leaves everything to Charlie, including the source of his wealth, and Radar. But before his death, Howard tells Charlie a bizarre story about a parallel world where there is a sundial that can turn back time. With Radar's time rapidly coming to an end, Charlie sets out to find the mysterious world and save Radar.

Spoiler alert: Radar the dog is fine at the end of the book. As a librarian, this is the question I am most often asked when there is a dog in a book: is the dog okay?

The first half of the book is really good, with all the things that we love about Stephen King: great characters with well-imagine backstories, a search for redemption and a promise to fulfill, a worthy quest, and a wonderful dog. Second half, not so much. As long as Charlie is on his quest to save Radar, the story is great. Once SK delves into the darker disturbing side of the fairy tale world, it becomes a much different story. It's like King had ideas for two different books and decided to mash them together. I wish he had ended the book with the end of Charlie's quest - it still would have been over 300 pages long.

King said he wanted to write something during the pandemic that made him happy. If the imagery in the second half of the book made him happy, the pandemic went on a little too long. I shudder to think about what goes on in his mind. Stephen King fanatics won't care, they'll read anything he writes. Still, the first half of the book is worth the price of admission.

Love the cover art of Charlie, Radar, and the well.

The Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

March 3, 2022

The Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

As a mixed race child from a scandalous union, Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in anywhere: her tribe, her hometown or her family. The only bright spots in her life are her BFF and Jamie, the new guy on her brother's hockey team who may be her new boyfriend. After her BFF is murdered, Daunis agrees to help the investigation by going undercover. But there are other forces at work that hit very close to home.

The author exposes some dark secrets about Native American communities: sexual assault, addiction, spousal abuse, violence against women. It is very YA in tone, with a little too much drama. But I learned a lot about Native American folklore and customs.

One Two Three by Laurie Frankel

January 29, 2022

One Two Three by Laurie Frankel

The Mitchell triplets have lived all their lives in the town of Bourne, a place where nothing much ever happens. The town made national news 17 years earlier when the town's water supply turned green. The triplets watch their mother fight to get justice for the girls as well as others in the town who were damaged by the accident. Then one day, a moving truck arrives in the town, full of new people and old secrets, and things in Bourne start to change.

I didn't finish this one. I have read and enjoyed Laurie Frankel's other books, but not this one. I just couldn't get interested in the characters or their story. 

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

September 19, 2022

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Linus Baker is a caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY). He visits orphanages that house/confine children with unusual magical talents. Once he completes his visits and submits his reports, he rarely gives a thought to how his findings might affect the children who live there. He follows the official RULES AND REGULATIONS to the letter. Other than his cranky cat Calliope, he lives a solitary life. But then one day, he is selected by Extremely Upper Management to visit and report on a group home that he has never heard of, run by a man named Arthur Parnassus. Linus finds himself thrown completely off balance by the residents and the philosophy of the master, causing him to rethink his whole life and his job.

This is a delightful charming story, filled with hope, joy, sadness, and love! The characters are wonderful and draw the reader in immediately. It does have a YA feel to it, and there is a strong theme of inclusivity, so there are LGBTQ characters as well as characters with extreme magical gifts. The closest comparison might be to the Harry Potter books. I was sorry to see it end, but I couldn't put it down. Put this one on the top of your TBR pile (which I heard someone call Mount TBR). Beautiful cover art. Highly, HIGHLY recommended. A best book of 2022.

A phoenix (yes, a phoenix plays a part in the story)

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg

November 2, 2021

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg

Ceony Twill graduated at the top of her class at magic college, yet the only apprenticeship that she is offered is working with a paper magician, considered to be the simplest type of magic. Once she is bound to paper, that is the only magic that she will be allowed to perform, although she longs to work with metal spells. The paper magician turns out to be kindly and the spells he shows her are more wonderful than she ever expected. Because Ceony was unable to bring her dog with her, the magician even makes her a paper dog who acts much like a real dog. But when a dark magician invades the house and rips the paper magician's heart from his chest, Ceony must face the evil to save her mentor's life.

After reading the author's Spellbreaker/Spellmaker duology, I was really disappointed in this book. It was just way too strange.

Origami/paper art

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

October 27, 2021

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

El, the potential dark sorceress from Novik's previous book A Deadly Education, is now in her last year at the Scholomance, the school for magically gifted children. She and her friends have managed to stay alive for all four years, despite a variety of monsters and what appears to be the school's determination to kill them. But graduation is the most dangerous time, with only 10% of the students making it out alive, and those students are usually from the large wealthy enclaves who have the resources to assist them. El and Orion Lake (her sort-of boyfriend) are determined to improve the odds for their classmates, while also protecting the under-classmen at the same time.

This is the second book in the Scholomance series. At times, it's difficult to figure out exactly what is happening and what kind of monsters are attacking them. But it's still a fun and creative read and I'm looking forward to the next book.

One of Us is Next by Karen McManus

October 10, 2021

One of Us is Next by Karen McManus

Welcome back to Bayview High! A year has passed since Simon's death, and there's a new class of seniors. No one has filled the gossip void left by Simon's app - until now. But it's not an app, it's a game on social media. Truth or Dare. It soon becomes apparent that if you're targeted, you always take the dare. But when the game turns deadly, some of the students team up to figure out who is the mastermind behind the game in order to stop them.

This is the sequel to One of Us is Lying and feature the younger siblings of some of the characters in the first book. There are a lot of characters with multiple POVs, and they have complicated love lives. Like many YA books, the characters' actions and dialog will make you cringe at times, and some characters are TSTL. But it's a quick read that will keep you turning the pages.

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

August 31, 2021

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

Set in 1930's Malaysia, 11 year old Ren is on a desperate quest. He was apprenticed to a magician, and when the magician was on his deathbed, he begged Ren to go and find his missing finger that was cut off years ago. If Ren is unable to locate the finger, the magician's soul will wander the earth for eternity. He has 49 days to complete his task.

In his travels, Ren meets Ji Lin, an apprentice seamstress and dancehall girl. While being a seamstress is much more respectable, Ji Lin works as a dancehall girl to pay her mother's mahjong debts. She is drawn into the missing finger's magical sphere, and together the two young people search for the finger to fulfill the quest.

Very enjoyable fantasy with an interesting angle. There was a romance aspect that was unnecessary and didn't add anything to the plot or character development, but otherwise, this is a great historical fantasy that incorporates Chinese mythology and folklore.

Chinese mythology about the afterlife

The Last Dreamwalker by Rita Woods

August 29, 2022

The Last Dreamwalker by Rita Woods

Layla Hurley and her mother Elinor never got along. From childhood, Layla was plagued by strange and destructive dreams that her mother choses to ignore. After a final argument, Layla and her mother hadn't spoken for' a long time. Then Elinor died suddenly, and Layla regretted never having resolved their conflict. Her mother's two sister (who Elinor was also estranged from) show up at the funeral, bringing Layla an unexpected inheritance, an old rice plantation called Ainsli Green, on an island off the coast of South Carolina. The envelope also contains information about the family "gift," the ability to invade other people's dreams. As Layla looks through the information, she recognized a picture of a woman who is the same one who haunts her dreams. She resists accepting the truth, until one of her brothers also begins experiencing the same type of destructive dreams.

Meh. Needed a good editor (one of my favorite criticisms) since there are a lot of scenes that don't advance the plot or the characters, and the book could have been at least 50 pages shorter. Scenes are repeated sometimes more than once. The narrative flips back and forth between two time periods and two narrators. Layla spends a lot of time wandering around in a fog and vomiting. Too many dreams, too much drama. Might appeal to YA readers.

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

You'll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus

August 25, 2022

You'll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus

Ivy, Cal and Mateo have been friends since grade school, when they had a memorable day cutting school. Now seniors in high school, after each experiences a devastating event, they spontaneously decide to recreate "the greatest day ever." They cut school for the day and head into Boston, where they unexpectedly encounter a classmate who winds up dead. At least one of them is implicated in the murder, and they find themselves trying to stay one step ahead of the murderer, the police, their parents, and the news media, while they attempt to figure out who the killer really is.

Lots of drama here of all varieties, which is to be expected since this is a young adult book (and YAs love their drama). There are several narrators here. I listened to the audiobook and it was easy to differentiate which character was speaking. I've read several of the author's books, and I think this is the last one. They all have a similar flavor, but YAs in particular will like them.

Mademoiselle Revolution by Zoe Sivak

 August 6, 2022

Mademoiselle Revolution by Zoe Sivak

Sylvie de Rosiers, the freeborn mulatta daughter of a wealthy Haitian planter, lives a life of privilege until the slave revolt. Forced to escape the island with her family, Sylvie and her half-brother Gaspard flee to Paris to safety with their aunt Fifi. But they are swept up in the French Revolution and soon fall under the spell of Robespierre and his fellow revolutionaries.

Interesting subject matter but the writing is poor. I hope an editor worked through the text before publication. There are some really far-fetched scenes (like Sylvie killing Marat rather than Charlotte Corday, Sylvie betrothed to Robespierre, Sylvie posing for the artist Jacques-Louis David for a famous painting, etc.), but the extensive drama will appeal to YA readers. However, the LGBTQ themes that run through the book may put off some readers. 

Maximilien Robespierre

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

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

January 8, 2021

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik

Galadriel Higgins, known as El, is a student at the Scholomance, a special school for gifted magical children. There are no teachers, yet the school itself determines the curriculum for each student.  The school's main purpose seems to be to weed out about 75% of the students before graduation, but it's still safer than the outside world, where the only chance for safety is to belong to a wizarding enclave. The enclave kids at the Scholomance are the only ones who have resources and a chance of getting out alive. 

El is an indie kid - she was raised by her whimsical mother in a magic commune in Wales. They are poor as dirt because her mother gives away her magic for free. El was supposedly born evil and has the potential to become a very powerful sorceress. Although the school seems determined to test or kill the students at every turn, El slowly makes friends (for the first time) and even has a boyfriend of sorts who keeps saving her life against her wishes. She and her friends are determined to find a way for more students to make it out alive and to protect the younger students.

This isn't Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series - the Scholomance is far deadlier. It's a cliche, but the school itself is a character. There is a really creative collection of monsters and supernaturals that inhabit the school. El has a very funny snarky voice, adding sarcasm to typical teenage angst. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.