Blog Tour Top 5 Reasons to Read + Book Review: The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by Amélie Wen Zhao

March 6, 2025March 14, 2025 Dini @ dinipandareads12 Comments

Hello, friends. ✨ Today I’m excited to share my Top 5 Reasons to Read the first book in an exciting new fantasy duology inspired by Chinese mythology: The Scorpion and the Night Blossom by Amélie Wen Zhao! Special thanks to the TBR & Beyond Tours team for organising the tour and including me in it.

Thanks to Delacorte Press for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click here or on the banner above to check out the rest of the fantastic bloggers on tour!

The Scorpion and the Night Blossom (The Three Realms #1)
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: 4 March 2025
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rep: Chinese, AAPI

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

In a world invaded by demons, one girl will face the ultimate test when she is forced to enter into an ancient, deadly competition for the chance to save her mother’s soul… before she loses her forever. From the New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night comes the beginning of a dark and opulent fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Throne of Glass.

Nine years ago, the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Rivers tore Àn’yīng’s family apart, leaving her mother barely alive and a baby sister to fend for. Now the mortal realm is falling into eternal night, and mó—beautiful, ravenous demons—roam the land, feasting on the flesh of humans and drinking their souls.

An’yīng is no longer a helpless child, though. Armed with her crescent blades and trained in the ancient art of practitioning, she has decided to enter the Immortality Trials, which are open to any mortal who can survive the journey to the immortal realm. Those who complete the Trials are granted a pill of eternal life—the one thing Àn’yīng knows can heal her dying mother. But to attain the prize, she must survive the competition.

Death is common in the Trials. Yet oddly, Àn’yīng finds that someone is helping her stay alive. A rival contestant. Powerful and handsome, Yù’chén is as secretive about his past as he is about his motives for protecting Àn’yīng.

The longer she survives the Trials, the clearer it becomes that all is not right in the immortal realm. To save her mother and herself, Àn’yīng will need to figure out whether she can truly trust the stranger she’s falling for or if he’s the most dangerous player of all . . . for herself and for all the realms.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Violence, blood, death of loved one, colonial themes. Also, see romance spoiler below for younger readers.

📚 BUY A COPY!

Family First

At the heart of this story is Àn’Yīng’s unwavering love for her family. All she has done is to ensure their safety in a world that’s ravaged by darkness. All she strives to continue doing is to create a better life for them. 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒

Blog Tour Review: Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson

February 20, 2025February 20, 2025 Dini @ dinipandareads12 Comments

Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m excited to share my thoughts on Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson!

Thanks to Delacorte Press for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!

Unhallowed Halls
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: 18 February 2025
Genre: YA Horror Fantasy
Rep: LGBT+, Queer, chronic illness, endometriosis

Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

A teen girl travels to an exclusive boarding school located deep within the Scottish moorlands after a deadly incident at her old school, but the wood-paneled halls of Agathion are built over centuries of secrets—including an ancient society which may have ties to demonic magic—in this dark academia fantasy perfect for fans of Curious Tides.

Page Whittaker has always been an outcast. And after the deadly incident that destroyed her single friendship at her old school, she needs a fresh start. Which is why when she receives a scholarship offer from Agathion College, an elite boarding school folded deep within the moors of Scotland, she doesn’t even consider turning it down.

Agathion is everything Page has ever a safe haven full of dusty books, steaming cups of tea and rigorous intellectual debate. And for the first time in her life, Page has even managed to become part of a close group of friends. Cyrus, Ren, Gideon, Lacey and Oak help her feel at home in Agathion’s halls–the only problem is, they’re all keeping secrets from her.

Page doesn’t know it yet, but her perfect new school has dark roots–roots that stretch back to its crooked foundation, and an ancient clandestine society with rumored ties to demonic magic. Soon, Page will be forced to learn that not everyone at Agathion is who they say they are. Least of all, her friends.

Agathion claims to teach its students history…but some histories should stay buried.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Death, blood, murder, gun violence, car accident, amputation, self-harm, forced isolation

📚 BUY A COPY

TL;DR: Unhallowed Halls is a book that I had a very fun time reading! I came for the dark academia and mild supernatural horror vibes and Wilkinson delivered on both. The intimidating structure and cold halls of Agathion combined with the fog-enshrouded moor surrounding the campus created a wonderfully gothic and eerie atmosphere that set the tone well for the story. Our MC was so easy to root for and I enjoyed the found family vibes with the “elite clique” that she finds herself taken into. While the second half of the story was a large departure from the first half, I went with the vibes and found myself enjoying the tonally different and slightly ludicrous unfolding of events. It’s batty but if you can just roll with it and suspend your disbelief, it’s a fun time (at least, it was for me)! 😂

Blog Tour Review: Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli

February 17, 2025February 16, 2025 Dini @ dinipandareads26 Comments

Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m excited to share my thoughts on Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli—the second and final book in the Crimson Moth duology!

Thanks to Wednesday Books for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!

Rebel Witch (The Crimson Moth #2)
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: 18 February 2025
Genre: YA/NA Fantasy Romance

Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

The stakes are even higher in this epic, romantic conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Crimson Moth duology.

A WITCH…
Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. If Rune hopes to survive, she must ally herself with the cruel and dangerous Cressida Roseblood, who’s planning to take back the Republic and reinstate a Reign of Witches—something Cressida needs Rune to accomplish.

A WITCH HUNTER…
Apparently it wasn’t enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she’s now betrayed him by allying herself with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won’t allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters.

AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE…
When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can’t refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren’t as dead and buried as he thought. Now he’s faced with a terrible choice: sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.

In Kristen Ciccarelli’s Rebel Witch, the exciting conclusion to The Crimson Moth duology, love has never been so deadly.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Blood, war, death, gun and knife violence, torture, kidnapping, imprisonment (past and present), on-page sex (moderately described)

📚 BUY A COPY

Note: I will try to keep my review of book two as specific yet generic as possible to keep from giving spoilers but since it is the conclusion of a duology, that may be hard to do. Fair warning you’re still planning to read book one!

TL;DR: Rebel Witch is a fast-paced and action-packed follow-up to Crimson Moth. I was invested from the go and I can’t recall the last time I read a book so quickly (not even a day)! The conclusion in this fantasy romance duology leans more into the romance side of things but overall, I found it a satisfying conclusion! Rune and Gideon are peak enemies-to-lovers and I LOVED everything about their dynamic in this book. The sexual tension was so intense and taut that you could have cut it with a knife and I was here for every single delicious moment. There are old/new characters and plot twists introduced that did a good job of cleanly wrapping up the loose threads, despite maybe some elements moving a bit too quickly. Or maybe it was just that I wanted more time in this world and I didn’t want the book to end? 🤭 This duology as a whole is a solid 5 stars and with the way it ends, it has successfully slotted itself into my list of favourite fantasy romances!

Blog Tour Review: The Forest King’s Daughter by Elly Blake

February 10, 2025February 9, 2025 Dini @ dinipandareads15 Comments

Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m excited to share my thoughts on The Forest King’s Daughter by Elly Blake. Thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!

The Forest King’s Daughter
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 11 February 2025
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

For fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, The Forest King’s Daughter is an enemies-to-forbidden-lovers romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Frostblood.

Once upon a time, among the bloodred trees of Thirstwood, a young forest princess became friends with a lonely demon boy. He gifted her an amber ring, a worthless trinket…or so he thought…because no sooner did he slide it onto her finger than the demon queen and forest king declared war.

Years later, Cassia is a crucial force in her father’s army, wielding her ring of light that can blind and disorient hundreds of demons at a time. Then battle-hardened Zeru abducts her, planning to steal the ring back to fix his costly childhood mistake. Exhausted, terrified, and more than a little mistrusting, Cassia is forced to travel with Zeru to a place they both believed only existed in storybooks, one where their childhood friendship slowly rekindles into something much more. But it’s only a matter of time before the war they’ve escaped comes for them, and a hidden threat to forest folk and demons alike grows in the shadows.

From the author of the Frostblood Saga comes the first book in an enchanting, adventure-filled fantasy series about the daughters of the powerful forest king, sure to leave readers breathless and desperate for more.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Blood, war, death, violence

📚 BUY A COPY

TL;DR: This was an interesting new YA fantasy and I admit that I was hooked from the prologue. I immediately wanted to know more and see what happened in the years that passed following the giving of the ring and the declaration of war. There were a lot of interesting elements to the story that compelled me to keep reading and I’m glad that this came on my radar; however, on the whole, I admit that I wanted more from this story. This had a lot of potential to be an amazing read had it not been for some missed opportunities when it came to the POV, the world-building and character development. Having said that, I liked The Forest King’s Daughter enough to want to continue the series and see how the hinted-at prophecy unfolds.

ARC Review: In A Rush by Kate Canterbary

February 3, 2025February 2, 2025 Dini @ dinipandareads4 Comments

Special thanks to the author and her team for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In A Rush
Publication Date: 4 February 2025
Genre: Adult Romance

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

What’s better than a revenge date?
A revenge husband.

Pro quarterback Ryan Ralston has always known two things.
First, he’s desperately in love with his best friend Emme Ahlborg.
Second–and most importantly–he still has no idea how to tell her.

The marriage pact they made in their senior yearbook was the closest he ever came.
Years passed and Emme forgot about their promise.
Ryan never did, especially not on his thirtieth birthday.

Emme can’t catch a break. Always unlucky in love, her cheating ex is a groomsman in her best friend’s wedding—and there’s no way she’s showing up alone.

Ryan offers her the one thing better than a wedding date: a revenge husband. And he’s not just any fake husband but the NFL’s brightest star…and in need of serious reputation rehab.

Playing the part of the happy couple comes easy and soon enough, the lines between real and fake blur. They disappear altogether when there’s just one bed.

All Ryan has to do is save Emme from her ex, find her step-sister an internship, and get his wife to fall in love with him—or fumble the one thing he’s ever wanted: her heart.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

From the author: incidences and discussion of infidelity, incidence of body shaming, parental estrangement, parental divorce, brief mention of parental death (ALS), chronic illness (main character—endometriosis).

Over the years, Kate Canterbary has become one of my favourite go-to romance authors. Now when I pick up one of her books, I know it’ll be a great time.

TL;DR: Reading In A Rush felt like receiving a warm and welcoming hug from an old friend I hadn’t seen in a while and I loved Ryan and Emme! Their chemistry was a simmering explosion just waiting to happen, their friend groups were hilarious, their families entertaining (but also very messed up, at least on Emme’s side) and overall, this was the perfect romantic escape read from the mess of reality. I was all for Ryan’s peak Wife Guy energy that had me swooning all over the place (no joke)! I’m already excited to get more books in the Friendship series (please bless us, KC!).

ARC Review: I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang

January 27, 2025January 27, 2025 Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

Special thanks to HarperCollins for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I Am Not Jessica Chen
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pub Date: 28 January 2025
Genre: YA Contemporary

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

After getting rejected by every single Ivy League she applied to and falling short of all her Asian immigrant parents’ expectations, seventeen-year-old Jenna Chen makes a wish to become her smarter, infinitely more successful Harvard-bound cousin, Jessica Chen—only for her wish to come true. Literally.

Now trapped inside Jessica’s body, with access to Jessica’s most private journals and secrets, Jenna soon discovers that being the top student at the elite, highly competitive Havenwood Private Academy isn’t quite what she imagined. Worse, as everyone—including her own parents—start having trouble remembering who Jenna Chen is, or if she ever even existed, Jenna must decide if playing the role of the perfect daughter and student is worth losing her true self forever.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Blackmail, academic cheating, bullying, anxiety

Okay, can we take a minute to appreciate this cover? It’s already one of my favourites this year so far!

TL;DR: This was my first YA contemporary by Ann Liang but it won’t be my last. I now understand why her books are so well-loved and always come highly recommended. This had strong characters, was packed with emotion, and had a high degree of relatability that I think will apply to all readers. In “I Am Not Jessica Chen”, Liang perfectly captures the highly competitive high school and academic experience, including the pressures teenagers face to do better and achieve more as they equate it to success. Jenna is a complex, relatable and realistic character and I enjoyed watching her journey of self-acceptance unfold. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to all readers!

ARC Review: The Wilde Trials by Mackenzie Reed

January 20, 2025January 20, 2025 Dini @ dinipandareads6 Comments

Special thanks to Storytide (HarperCollins Children’s Books) for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Wilde Trials
Publisher: Storytide
Pub Date: 21 January 2025
Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

From the acclaimed author of The Rosewood Hunt comes a thrilling new mystery about a high-stakes competition packed with shocking twists, second chances, and deadly deceit, where allies—and enemies—are the people you’d least expect.

Chloe Gatti will do whatever it takes to win her elite boarding school’s annual competition, the Wilde Trials. In the two weeks leading up to graduation from Wilde Academy, a dozen seniors are chosen to compete in a series of seven ultimate physical and mental tests, and the winner will take home over half a million dollars—money that Chloe needs to help her sick sister.

But the competition is fierce, and includes her brooding ex-boyfriend, Hayes Stratford, whose brother was the only student to die during the Trials a few years ago. When someone starts blackmailing Chloe during the competition, she’s forced to strike a deal with Hayes—if he helps her discover who is sabotaging her, she’ll help him solve the mystery his brother left behind.

Following clues from Hayes’s brother, the unlikely allies discover that something isn’t right about the Wilde Trials. With a lifechanging prize looming over her head and her buried feelings for Hayes rising to the surface, Chloe will have to decide what’s really worth fighting for, and if the cost of competing outweighs the potential consequences, even if that includes ending up like Hayes’s brother—dead.

Fans of Jessica Goodman and Maureen Johnson will love this dark academia thriller with a romantic twist!

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Murder (recounted), multiple murder attempts, bullying, blackmail

TL;DR: The Wilde Trials was a great young adult mystery/thriller. It’s been a minute since I read YA in this genre but this made me want to pick up more of them! The setting of the Wilde Manor was perfectly atmospheric, the puzzles fun, the mystery intriguing and even the teenage drama was entertaining. Overall, if you’re looking for a well-paced mystery with empathetic characters who are easy to root for, I would recommend checking this out.

ARC Review: A Language of Dragons by S. F. Williamson

January 6, 2025January 6, 2025 Dini @ dinipandareads12 Comments

Special thanks to HarperCollins for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Language of Dragons
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pub Date: 7 January 2025
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

EVERY ACT OF TRANSLATION REQUIRES SACRIFICE

Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons.

London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivian Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.

With her parents arrested and her sister missing, all the safety Viv has worked for is collapsing around her. So when a lifeline is offered in the form of a mysterious ‘job’, she grabs it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, Viv discovers that she has been recruited as a codebreaker helping the war effort – if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die.

At first Viv believes that her challenge, of discovering the secrets of a hidden dragon language, is doable. But the more she learns, the more she realises that the bubble she’s grown up in isn’t as safe as she thought, and eventually Viv must What war is she really fighting?

An epic, sweeping fantasy with an incredible Dark Academia setting, a clandestine, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, and an unputdownable story, filled with twists and turns, betrayals and secret identities, A Language of Dragons is the unmissable debut of 2025, from an extraordinary new voice.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Gun and knife violence, physical assault, classism, speciesism, sexism and misogyny, police (Guardian) brutality, murder

TL;DR: A Language of Dragons took me on a rollercoaster of thoughts and emotions. This fantasy world where humans and dragons co-exist had a fascinating premise and overall, I think the author executed it well. This has a little something for everyone—an in-depth exploration of linguistics and the power of language, political intrigue and subterfuge, romance, and dragons, and I think its comparison to Babel and The Hunger Games (or any other dystopian YA) is apt. Despite being a historical fantasy, it explores evergreen themes of social inequality, redemption, forgiveness, and justice, among others. The main struggle I had was dealing with the wildly negative feelings our protagonist, Viv, brought out in me as she’s one of the most flawed and unempathetic YA characters I’ve ever read. Upon reflection, I appreciated what the author did with Viv and how it made her eventual growth more satisfying—even if I didn’t reach that level of acceptance while reading, lol. If you’re affected by unlikeable protagonists then you might not enjoy this but if you can have patience, I think you’ll come to appreciate Viv too! Overall, this was a solid debut and I can’t wait to see where Williamson takes the story next!

Blog Tour Review: A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya

December 12, 2024December 11, 2024 Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m excited to share my thoughts on A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya. Thanks to the TBR team for having me on tour and to Joy Revolution for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!

A Cruel Thirst
Publisher: Joy Revolution
Publication Date: 17 December 2024
Genre: Young Adult Historical Paranormal Romance

Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

A fledgling vampire and a headstrong vampire huntress must work together–against their better judgment–to rid the world of monsters in this irresistible romantic fantasy.

Carolina Fuentes wants to join her family in hunting the bloodthirsty vampiros that plague her pueblo. Her father, however, wishes to marry her off to a husband of his choosing, someone who’ll take her away from danger.

Determined to prove she’d make a better slayer than wife, Carolina vows to take down a monster herself. But when she runs intoun vampiro that is somehow extremely attractive and kind, herplan crumbles.

Lalo Villalobos was content leading a perfectly dull life until un vampiro turned him. Now forced to flee his city, he heads to the pueblo where he believes the first vampiro was made. Surely its residents must know how to reverse this dreadful curse. Instead of finding salvation, Lalo collides with a beautiful young woman who’d gladly drive a dagger through his heart.

Fortunately, Lalo and Carolina share a common enemy. They can wipe out this evil. Together. If his fangs and her fists can stay focused, they might just triumph and discover what it feels like to take a bite out of love.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Blood, death of loved ones (recounted, on page), murder, gun violence, knife violence, death of animals (off page), misogyny

📚 BUY A COPY

TL;DR: A Cruel Thirst was a great romp of a read! This YA historical paranormal romance had engaging characters who were easy to root for and an entertaining action-packed plot that kept me turning the pages. I loved Carolina and Lalo and enjoyed their enemies-to-reluctant partners-to-lovers dynamic so much. Despite recognising certain flaws in the story that would’ve normally irritated me, the humorous writing and witty banter made this such an enjoyable laugh-out-loud read, that the flaws didn’t seem to matter! I would recommend it to those looking for a relatively light-hearted but action-packed story featuring an interesting vampire x vampire hunter dynamic that’s heavy on fun, romance, and banter!

ARC Review: A Captured Cauldron by R.K. Ashwick

October 7, 2024 Dini @ dinipandareads5 Comments

🎉 HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO A CAPTURED CAULDRON! 🎉

Special thanks to the author for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Captured Cauldron (Side Quest Row #2)
Publisher: RK Ashwick Books
Pub Date: 7 October 2024
Genre: Adult Cosy Fantasy

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

Why steal a potion when you can steal a potioneer?

Grumpy potioneer Ambrose Beake has only one social event marked on his the country’s three-day Potion Convention. Alchemists from all over the world pour in to discuss their life’s work, and Ambrose eagerly dives into the excitement. Greeting old friends, speaking on panels, hopping into heated debates…

And getting kidnapped by an underground crime syndicate.

The criminals demand that Ambrose brew an impossible illusion potion—but the Guild’s protocol for such kidnappings is clear. He must agree to do the work, then delay the project as much as possible, while above ground, his boyfriend Eli and best friend Dawn plot to save him. They’re not alone in this venture, either—a beautiful journalist arrives to cover the rescue, just as eager as they are to investigate, infiltrate…and ignite a few sparks in Dawn’s heart along the way.

But while Dawn struggles to ignore those sparks and Eli struggles to save his beloved, Ambrose delves into the syndicate’s secrets—and finds something far more impossible hidden within its depths.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Kidnapping, drugging (recounted), captivity, indentured servitude, abuse of minors (off-page)

TL;DR: With tons of magical brewing, kidnapping, scheming mischief, and plenty of found family moments, A Captured Cauldron is a fun, action-packed sequel in this cosy fantasy series. I loved getting Dawn’s POV, and meeting new characters (one has become a new fave) and spending time with the beloved Rosemond Street shop owners from book one. I have a feeling that this is still only the beginning of the (mis)adventures for our crew and I can’t wait to come back again for more!