Blog Tour Review: The Second Son by Adrienne Tooley

Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m excited to share my thoughts on the conclusion to the Betrayal Prophecies fantasy duology: The Second Son by Adrienne Tooley.

The Second Son (Betrayal Prophecies #2)
Publisher
: Christy Ottaviano Books
Publication Date: 16 July 2024
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Rep: Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Queer

Rating:

(3.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

An epic clash of deities explores the two facets of pain—rage versus sadness—in this rousing followup to The Third Daughter, a dark crown fantasy duology with a sweeping sapphic romance.

The centuries-old prophecy has been fulfilled at last: the New Maiden has returned to Velle. Unfortunately, so has a malicious demi-god, whose elusive prophet is intent on converting the New Maiden’s followers. The Second Son is a vengeful, angry deity, whose psalm resonates with the disenfranchised.

With Elodie on the throne and Sabine in her own unique position of power, it should be easy enough to track down the culprit. Yet even as they’re falling in love, both girls are keeping dangerous secrets from each other. While the cult of the Second Son threatens to overthrow not only the Church of the New Maiden but also Velle’s monarchy, Elodie and Sabine must navigate impossible odds to dismantle the root of his power, all while their lives hang in the balance.

A must-read for fans of the BookTok sensations Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, Night of the Witch by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, and These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Descriptions of anxiety and depression, depictions of self-harm, parental death (off-page), parental neglect, physical abuse at the hand of a parent, religious trauma

📚 BUY A COPY

Note: As this is the review for part two of a duology, there may be spoilers for book one.

TL;DR: Objectively, I think this was a well written story. It has an engaging plot, complex characters, and compelling relationships. While I wouldn’t say anything surprised me as I saw the twists and reveals coming from a mile away, I appreciate how Tooley formed her story around the chosen themes. The way she weaves emotion into faith was unique and I think the way it was written allows readers flexibility in how they interpret the story. Ultimately, I think The Second Son is a great conclusion to a dark-tinged fantasy duology.

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Blog Tour Review: Foul Days by Genoveva Dimova

Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m excited to share my thoughts on the fantasy debut: Foul Days by Genoveva Dimova.

Foul Days (The Witch’s Compendium of Monsters #1)
Publisher
: Tor Books
Publication Date: 25 June 2024
Genre: Adult Fantasy

📖 SYNOPSIS

The Witcher meets Naomi Novik in this fast-paced fantasy rooted in Slavic folklore, from an assured new voice in genre.

As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice taming rusalkas, fighting kikimoras, and brewing lycanthrope repellent. There’s only one monster Kosara can’t defeat: her ex the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. She’s defied him one too many times, and now he’s hunting her. Betrayed to him by someone close to her, Kosara’s only hope is to trade her shadow―the source of her powers―for illegal passage across the Wall to Belograd, where monsters can’t follow.

Life in Belograd should be sweet, but Kosara soon develops a fast-acting version of the deadly wasting sickness that stalks shadowless witches―and only reclaiming her magic can cure her. To trace her shadow, she’ll have to team up with the suspiciously honorable detective investigating the death of the smuggler who brought her across the Wall.

Even worse than working with the cops is that all the clues point in a single direction: one of the Zmey’s monsters has found a crack in the Wall, and Kosara’s magic is now in the Zmey’s hands.

The clock is ticking, the hunt is on, and Kosara’s priorities should be clear―but is she the hunter or the hunted? And in a city where everyone is out for themselves, who can Kosara trust to assist her in outwitting the man―the Monster―she’s never been able to escape alone?

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Blood, traumatic deaths (recounted), gun violence, gore, murder, abusive relationship (physical and psychological) (recounted), imprisonment, drugging

📚 BUY A COPY

TL;DR: I’m not sure what I expected going into this but it wasn’t what I got and I absolutely mean that in the best way! Foul Days is dark and full of monsters but the “horror” aspect is light enough that those who are scared of dark and scary things (it’s me) can read it in bed alone at night. It’s heavy in Slavic lore and it’s action-packed from start to finish. I loved Kosara and her acerbic nature. She’s crabby and witty but vulnerable enough for us to see past that exterior to the damaged young woman she still carries inside. Her banter with Asen was A+ and their “copper vs. charlatan” dynamic was one of my favourite parts of this story. I was so pleasantly surprised by this fantasy debut and I’m already itching to get my hands on the second book (*please bless me, Tor gods*)!

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Blog Tour Spotlight: The Light Between Us by Elaine Chiew

Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by The Write Reads Tours I’m shining a spotlight on The Light Between Us by Elaine Chiew. Click the banner below to check out the other bloggers on tour!

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ARC Review: Change of Heart by Kate Canterbary

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

Change of Heart
Publication Date: 25 June 2024
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

(4.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Grey’s Anatomy meets a gender-swapped Wedding Crashers in this spicy rom-com about a one-night stand with The One, walking the tightrope of love and workplace ethics, and knowing which rules are worth breaking.

Every summer, superstar surgeon Whitney Aldritch crashes weddings with her best friend. The first one was an accident though after a decade of dropping in uninvited, they’re masters of their craft. They keep the rules simple and they never go to bed alone.

Then there’s Henry Hazlette, best man and the best one-night stand of Whit’s summer. She never imagined she’d see him again but now he’s one of her new surgical residents—and completely off-limits.

Whitney has staked her reputation on leading the hospital’s new ethics initiative. While Henry is under her supervision, they have to keep it professional. But it doesn’t help that she can’t turn around without running face-first into his offensively broad chest or rubbing up against him in crammed elevators. Also not helping: the way he smiles at her like he can hear her every not-safe-for-work thought.

All they have to do is survive this residency—and the accidental tarot card readings that hit too close to home, a few uninvited houseguests, and the hospital’s hyperactive rumor mill—but only if they’re prepared to bend some rules as the feelings go from just for tonight to get it out of our systems to mine.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Parental estrangement and abandonment; parental divorce; chronic illness (secondary character); brief mention of suicide (in the past, not detailed, not a central character); mention of infidelity (secondary characters); frequent medical, hospital, and surgical discussion (no blood, no gore); discussion of donor organ retrieval and organ transplant surgeries (no blood, no gore); brief discussion of mountain rescue situations (not detailed); discussion of workplace bullying (off-page)

TL;DR: I didn’t think I would feel a little weepy reading Change of Heart but that’s how much I loved these characters and their romance. Canterbary somehow manages to do this to me every time and let’s be real: I would willingly let her keep doing it, too! I adored Henry and Whitney and their relationship journey but as much as I loved Whitney and her boss energy, I LOVED Henry! Oh, my granola, this man had my heart ready to burst with his acts of service, loyalty and big golden retriever energy. Help, THE FEELINGS! Also, I’m 100% here for the Grey’s Anatomy vibes and I sincerely cannot wait until Canterbary gives us more of this hospital crew because they are amazing.

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The 2024 Mid-Year Check-In Tag

Somehow we have already made it to the mid-year mark of 2024. Where have the months gone? I feel like I say it ever year now but the past six months have felt too long and somehow not long enough. How quickly are the next six months going to pass before it’s time again to usher in a new year? But I digress…

Making it to June means it’s time to bring out one of my favourite annual tags: The Mid-Year Check-In!

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ARC Review: True Love and Other Impossible Odds by Christina Li

Special thanks to Rylee at SparkPoint Studio and Quill Tree Books for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

True Love and Other Impossible Odds
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Publication Date: 14 May 2024
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Panda Rating:

(3.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

After the destruction of her entire Talon gang, eighteen-year-old Shin Lina—the Reaper of Sunpo—is forced to become a living, breathing weapon for the kingdom’s most-feared crime lord. All that keeps her from turning on her ruthless master is the life of her beloved little sister hanging in the balance. But the order to steal a priceless tapestry from a Dokkaebi temple incites not only the wrath of a legendary immortal, but the beginning of an unwinnable game…

Suddenly Lina finds herself in the dreamlike realm of the Dokkaebi, her fate in the hands of its cruel and captivating emperor. But she can win her life—if she kills him first.

Now a terrible game of life and death has begun, and even Lina’s swift, precise blade is no match for the magnetic Haneul Rui. Lina will have to use every weapon in her arsenal if she wants to outplay this cunning king and save her sister…all before the final grain of sand leaks out of the hourglass.

Because one way or another, she’ll take Rui’s heart.

Even if it means giving up her own.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Death of parent (recounted), cancer (parent of main character), homophobia

TL;DR: True Love and Other Impossible Odds was a solid debut. I loved the concept of this story and while the writing may have suffered from too much telling and not enough showing, I think the author did a good job addressing the heavier themes and with the overall execution. It’s a relatable and down-to-earth story about discovering yourself and shedding peoples’ expectations of you, choosing your path, growing up and finding love. It’s a college story that many will probably relate to, young adults and adults alike. Although I often felt emotionally disconnected from Grace, seeing her grow and find peace with who she is and loves was a wonderful journey.

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Book Review: Voyage of the Damned by Frances White

Voyage of the Damned
Publisher: Michael Joseph
Pub Date: 20 September 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

(4.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

For a thousand years, Concordia has maintained peace between its provinces. To mark this incredible feat, the emperor’s ship embarks upon a twelve-day voyage to the sacred Goddess’s Mountain.

Aboard are the heirs of the twelve provinces of Concordia, each graced with a unique and secret magical ability known as a Blessing.

Except one: Ganymedes Piscero – class clown, slacker, and all-round disappointment.

When a beloved heir is murdered, everyone is a suspect. Stuck at sea and surrounded by powerful people without a Blessing to protect him, odds of survival are slim.

But as the bodies pile higher, Ganymedes must become the hero he was not born to be. Can he unmask the killer and their blessing before this bloody crusade reaches the shores of Concordia?

Or will the empire as he knows it fall?

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Murder, blood, bigotry, xenophobia, classism, fatphobic comments, suicidal thoughts, suicide ideation, attempted suicide (recounted)

TL;DR: Voyage of the Damned is an awesome debut and I didn’t want this story to end! While I can see that the mesh of snarky humour and slow-paced mystery might not work for everyone and our main character takes some getting used to. Luckily, I grew to love Dee and I found myself sucked into the slow-building murder mystery on a fantastical ship run by magic and amazing tiny sentient dragons. If you love your fantasy with a huge dose of corny comedy, secrets upon secrets, politicking, magic, murder (obvi), and found family then I would urge you to try this!

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Blog Tour Spotlight: The Wonderful Wishes of B. by Katherin Nolte

Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m shining a spotlight on a new middle-grade contemporary: The Wonderful Wishes of B. by Katherin Nolte.

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

The Wonderful Wishes of B.
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Publication Date: 30 May 2023
Genre: Middle-Grade Contemporary

📖 SYNOPSIS

All that stands between ten-year-old Beatrice and an amazing life are five wishes…and she’s got a plan to make them all come true! A magical and heartfelt adventure about grief, hope, and the power of human connection.

Beatrice Corwell has a crooked haircut, eight well-trained cats, and a she’s turning herself into a Tin Man. Once her heart is made of metal, she’ll no longer miss her beloved dead grandma, her absent dad, or her recently moved-away best friend.

While Beatrice awaits her transformation, she keeps vigil with a special doll and a handful of wishes she’s determined to make come true. With her encyclopedic knowledge, there must be a way to grant her heart’s deepest desires.

When an unusual boy named Caleb moves to town and mentions his granny’s interest in magic, Beatrice decides to enlist their help. She quickly learns, however, that spells don’t always go as planned, and witches can’t be trusted.

With the arrival of an unexpected visitor and a series of otherworldly messages, Beatrice’s plans begin to falter. Will her heart turn into metal? Will any of her wishes come true?

The Wonderful Wishes of B. is the story of a smart, quirky girl learning what she wants and what she needs—and how, sometimes, the wishes we hold dearest are granted in the most unexpected ways.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Death of a loved family member (recounted), absent father, grief

📚 BUY A COPY

Katherin Nolte received an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was a Truman Capote Fellow. Her fiction has appeared in dozens of publications and won multiple awards, but it was a late-night ER visit with her four children that inspired her to write Back to the Bright Before. An Ohio native, she currently lives with her family in Iowa.

Author’s Socials
Website | Goodreads

Is The Wonderful Wishes of B on your TBR or does it sound like a book you’d want to read?

Blog Tour Review: Wrath of the Talon by Sophie Kim

Hello, friends. ✨ Today I’m excited to be part of the blog tour for Wrath of the Talon by Sophie Kim! Special thanks to the TBR & Beyond Tours team for organising the tour and including me in it.

Thanks to Entangled: Teen 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!

Wrath of the Talons (Talon #2)
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Publication Date: 2 April 2024
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Rep: Asian, Korean

Panda Rating:

(4.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Everyone thinks the Reaper of Sunpo—eighteen-year-old assassin Shin Lina—is dead. The only ones who know the truth are her cherished little sister and Haneul Rui, the icily gorgeous Dokkaebi Emperor, who she was sent to kill…and kissed instead.

Now, with the potent Imugi venom surging in her veins, Lina’s returned to right all wrongs. Already her body is changing, growing stronger, stealthier, and more agile, with serpentine scales she can call at will. She is living vengeance, seeking retribution for the massacre of the Talons. She’ll become the sword who cuts down the rival Blackbloods gang, along with their ruthless crime-lord leader. And when she is through, she will take the kingdom as her own.

But there is a mysterious side to Lina’s growing power, a dark voice inside her that whispers and guides her as she slips through the shadows of Sunpo’s streets. One that warns her not to trust the Dokkaebi, especially Rui.

Because if her destiny isn’t to love him…it must be to destroy him.

The Talons series is best enjoyed in order.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Violence, murder, mild sex scenes (on page)

📚 BUY A COPY!

TL;DR: Holy wow, this was a sequel! That ending had me floored because no way was that the choice! Author!! The way you built up hope is illegal!!! I can’t remember the last time I was so thrilled by the second book in a trilogy but this, to me, did not suffer from that dreaded second/middle book syndrome. Perhaps it’s because I went in with lowered expectations having thought the first book was okay; however, I think the writing, plot, and character development were sharper and I’m happy to see that author growth. With such high stakes and a whole lot of tension and angst, this sequel got me invested in this series and after that ending, I can’t wait for the finale!

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Book Review: Brewed in Magic by Jenna Wolfhart

Brewed in Magic (Falling for Fables #2)
Pub Date: 2 January 2024
Genre: Cosy Fantasy Romance

Panda Rating:

(3.5 pandas)

📖 SYNOPSIS

Lilia has always had a wanderer’s heart. She spends her days on the road with her famous Traveling Tavern and only a dragon to keep her company. Despite longing for a deeper connection, she knows she’s destined to wander the world alone.

When she meets a handsome stranger on her journey to the winter festival, she finally feels she’s found a kindred spirit…until he vanishes in the early morning without so much as a goodbye.

Turns out, he rushed ahead to reach the festival first with his own traveling tavern. One he never mentioned. Now her would-be companion is her rival, or worse. Someone is trying to sabotage the festival by stealing supplies, and all her suspicions point to him.

But when he offers to help find the culprit, sparks melt the icy barriers between them. And Lilia must decide if she can trust him with saving the festival—and with her heart.

Brewed in Magic is a stand-alone cozy romantasy set in the whimsical world of Falling for Fables.

TL;DR: This series is living up to its cosy romantasy vibes and this second book was adorable! I enjoyed the festival setting, the rivals-to-lovers romance, and the adventures they get up to throughout the story featuring dragons, thieves, mountain trolls, and more. I admit that some elements were a bit too… Bonkers. I also wish the conflict and “bad guy” were given more page time to be fleshed out because it all ended so quickly that I was left slightly underwhelmed. But if you’re here for romance and a cosy good time, this will be an enjoyable read for you, as it was for me.

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