Category: Book Reviews

ARC Mini-Review: The Knight and the Butcherbird by Alix E. Harrow

Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

Special thanks to Amazon Original Stories for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

The Knight and the Butcherbird
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Pub Date: 11 March 2025
Genre: Adult Dystopian Fantasy

Panda Rating:

(5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

New York Times bestselling author Alix E. Harrow weaves a dystopian fairy tale that follows the town storyteller as she struggles to protect a local demon from the knight hired to kill it.

In this gritty, haunting tale about doing whatever it takes for love, a small-town storyteller resolves to keep the local monster—and her own secrets—safe from a legendary knight.

Nestled deep in the steep hills, valleys, and surrounding woodlands lies Iron Hollow, a rural community beset by demons. Such horrors are common in the outlands, where most folks die young, if they don’t turn into monsters first. But what’s causing these transformations?

No one has the answer, not even the town’s oral historian, seventeen-year-old Shrike. And when a legendary knight is summoned to hunt down the latest beast to haunt their woods, Shrike has more reason than most to be concerned. Because that demon was her wife. And while Shrike is certain that May still recognizes her—that May is still human, somewhere beneath it all—she can’t prove it.

Determined to keep May safe, Shrike stalks the knight and his demon-hunting hawk through the recesses of the forest. But as they creep through toxic creeks and overgrown kudzu, Shrike realizes the knight has a secret of his own. And he’ll do anything to protect it.

I am not at all surprised that I ended up loving The Knight and the Butcherbird. Being more familiar with Harrow’s work by now, I knew that she would throw in some twisty elements that, when they click, they click hard and she managed to do it again with this short story. This is an unconventional love story set in a dystopian future where the results of climate change, environmental degradation, illness, corruption, and war have warped the world as we know it and turned it into a bleak and disease-ridden reality. Even in this future reality, the ugly side of human nature prevails against the weak majority. It was almost terrifying how easy it was to picture this future because of the state of our world and I think that made this an even more impactful read for me.

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Blog Tour Review + Book Look: A Song for You and I by K. O’Neill

Dini @ dinipandareads14 Comments

Hi friends, I’m back for another blog tour today! I’m excited to share my thoughts and a ‘book look’ as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours for A Song for You and I by K. O’Neill.

Thanks to Random House Graphic 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 Song for You and I
Publisher: Random House Graphic
Publication Date: 4 March 2025
Genre: MG/YA Fantasy Graphic Novel
Rep: Non-Binary, Trans, LGBT+

Rating:

(4 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Being a ranger means adventure, action, and protecting the weak. But who protects the ranger when they lose their way? From the bestselling author of The Moth Keeper and the Tea Dragon Society comes a must read MG graphic novel for fans of soft sweeping fantasy romances. Rowan knows exactly what they to be a ranger, protecting their village alongside their trusted flying horse Kes. But when Rowan’s eagerness to show off their worth gets Kes injured, Rowan is suddenly unsure if they’re capable of being the protector they’ve always dreamed of becoming. With Kes needing to heal, Rowan is assigned a slow and winding expedition across the outlying lands. Paired with a lackadasical sheep hearder Leone, Rowan only finds frustration as they seem to fail even the simplest tasks. But Leone’s own struggles, and endless support brings a new possibility to Rowan. Could their unlikely friendship be something more? And if it is, will Rowan be able to leave Leone behind to pursue being a ranger once Kes is healed?

📚 BUY A COPY

At this point, I will read any story that O’Neill puts down in whatever medium or format they choose. Without fail, their stories are always full of heart, warmth, and kindness. Their stories always include big life lessons told in such a gentle and nurturing way, and their latest graphic novel is no different.

My Book Look for A Song for You and I

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

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:

(4.5 pandas)

📖 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. 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒

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Book Review: Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett

Dini @ dinipandareads22 Comments

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales (Emily Wilde #3)
Publisher: Random House US
Pub Date: 11 February 2025
Genre: Adult Fantasy

Panda Rating:

(5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

The third installment in the heartwarming and enchanting Emily Wilde series, about a curmudgeonly scholar of folklore and the fae prince she loves.

Emily Wilde has spent her life studying faeries. A renowned dryadologist, she has documented hundreds of species of Folk in her Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Now she is about to embark on her most dangerous academic project studying the inner workings of a faerie realm—as its queen.

Along with her former academic rival—now fiancé—the dashing and mercurial Wendell Bambleby, Emily is immediately thrust into the deadly intrigues of Faerie as the two of them seize the throne of Wendell’s long-lost kingdom, which Emily finds a beautiful nightmare filled with scholarly treasures.

Emily has been obsessed with faerie stories her entire life, but at first she feels as ill-suited to Faerie as she did to the mortal How can an unassuming scholar such as herself pass for a queen? Yet there is little time to settle in, for Wendell’s murderous stepmother has placed a deadly curse upon the land before vanishing without a trace. It will take all of Wendell’s magic—and Emily’s knowledge of stories—to unravel the mystery before they lose everything they hold dear.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Sarcificial suicide, alcohol consumption, blood & injury depiction including broken bones (secondary character), recounted death of parents, brief recounting of grandparent’s murder, murder & attempted murder, physical assault

TL;DR: You know that feeling you get when you read the opening line of a book and you immediately know that you’re in good hands? That’s what I felt the moment I read the first line in Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales and I just knew I’d have a wonderful time coming back to this historical cosy fantasy following along with Emily’s faerie adventures. Returning to this world felt like coming home. I continued to love Emily and Wendell with their delightfully contrasting personalities who couldn’t be better matches for each other. Their banter still has me kicking my feet in giggly joy! I loved reuniting with old favourite characters from the previous books and being introduced to new ones who I admittedly had misgivings about, but who steadily proved those feelings wrong. From wild enchantment to foreboding and utter disbelief to absolute charm, this third book takes you on an engaging ride and presents a very satisfying conclusion to a wonderful series.

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Blog Tour Review: Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson

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:

(4 pandas)

📖 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)! 😂

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Blog Tour Review: Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli

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:

(4.5 pandas)

📖 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!

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

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:

(3 pandas)

📖 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.

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ARC Review: In A Rush by Kate Canterbary

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:

(4.5 pandas)

📖 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!).

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Book Review: Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

Black Water Sister
Publisher: Macmillan
Pub Date: 11 May 2021
Genre: Speculative Fiction

Panda Rating:

(4.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.

Jessamyn Teoh is closeted, broke and moving back to Malaysia, a country she left when she was a toddler. So when Jess starts hearing voices, she chalks it up to stress. But there’s only one voice in her head, and it claims to be the ghost of her estranged grandmother, Ah Ma. In life Ah Ma was a spirit medium, the avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she’s determined to settle a score against a gang boss who has offended the god–and she’s decided Jess is going to help her do it.

Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she’ll also need to regain control of her body and destiny. If she fails, the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Gang violence, attempted kidnapping, sexual assault and attempted rape, attempted murder, murder, racism, homophobia

TL;DR: I’m so glad that I finally read my first book by Zen Cho. I’ve heard many great things about Cho’s work and even though this was well outside my comfort zone with all the paranormal activity (ghosts, possessions, etc.), I’m so glad I gave it a chance because I ended up loving it! There was so much to appreciate in Black Water Sister from the strong characters and themes to the simmering rage thrumming through these pages. On a more personal level, the sociocultural elements and parts of Jess’s story were so relatable as they are also part of my experience, which made the story more impactful for me as a reader. I would highly recommend this if you are looking for speculative fiction with non-Western roots, a flawed yet relatable main character, and a thrilling story about revenge, forgiveness, family, and belonging.

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ARC Review: I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang

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:

(4.5 pandas)

📖 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!

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