I only just discovered S.J. Tilly’s books this weekend but I already can’t recall how she came up on my Amazon FYP. Or maybe it was my Twitter FYP? Either way, I’m happy that I followed my curiosity and checked out these titles (happily they are on (UK) KU if you’re keen to check them out)! TL;DR: These first two books in the Darling Series were steamy, funny, quirky small-town age gap romance reads and for the most part, I enjoyed all the characters and their stories. I can’t wait for this series to continue! 😍
There are no tides more treacherous than those of the heart. —Teek saying
The great city of Tova is shattered. The sun is held within the smothering grip of the Crow God’s eclipse, but a comet that marks the death of a ruler and heralds the rise of a new order is imminent.
The Meridian: a land where magic has been codified and the worship of gods suppressed. How do you live when legends come to life, and the faith you had is rewarded?
As sea captain Xiala is swept up in the chaos and currents of change, she finds an unexpected ally in the former Priest of Knives. For the Clan Matriarchs of Tova, tense alliances form as far-flung enemies gather and the war in the heavens is reflected upon the earth.
And for Serapio and Naranpa, both now living avatars, the struggle for free will and personhood in the face of destiny rages. How will Serapio stay human when he is steeped in prophecy and surrounded by those who desire only his power? Is there a future for Naranpa in a transformed Tova without her total destruction?
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Misgendering, suicide, self-harm for blood magic, alcohol consumption, blood & gore depiction, body horror, death of a parent recounted, murder, torture, war themes
TL;DR: Becky and I have finally continued our buddy read of this series and I’m glad not too much time has passed between our reads of books 1 and 2. A couple of days have passed since I finished reading this and the more I think about it, the more I realise that I enjoyed it a little less than I initially thought. That’s not to say this was a bad book and I’m still rating it 3.5-4 stars but compared to the intensity, action and excitement that book 1 roused, this one fell rather flat. By the end, this very much felt like a filler book to set the scene for the finale, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, I expected more.
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!
Hi friends, I’m so excited to share my thoughts on Blood Price as part of the blog tour hosted by the author, Nicole Evans! I’m so lucky to be part of the group that got to read this book early and I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on it!
Before I dive into my review though, I wanted to take a moment to say how proud I am of Nicole and that she’s publishing her debut! 🎉 I can’t remember when I first discovered Nicole’s blog, Thoughts Stained in Ink, but it is always a pleasure to visit her blog, and I quickly grew to love her writing. Let’s just say that the wonderful quality of her writing is evident in this story. Congratulations, Nicole! This is a banger of a debut. 😍
The law of the gods is those who kill must pay for it in blood.
In the land of Armadin, where nine clans exist in a fragile peace, Ashilde is one of the few chosen to pay the blood price. Through it, she becomes a warrior, capable of killing to protect her clan—alongside her hunters, who provide the essential animal sacrifice, lest they become the next clan to suffer the gods’ wrath.
When an attack wipes out their few remaining hunters, Ashilde must find a way to protect her clan and still appease the gods, despite her shaken faith. But when her monthly bleeding stops, she can no longer kill. Cast out by the gods’ decree, she’s given a single task: travel to the gods’ realm, atoning for the failures of the clan and herself alike. If she dies, another will be sent in her place, until the demanded atonement is fulfilled or her clan is wiped out. Entirely.
Bound by a promise to protect her people above all else, Ashilde embarks on a quest driven for answers. Aided only by a pair of animals and a small child she meets along the way, Ashilde must battle the elements, her pursuers and her own mind to reach the gods’ realm.
To save her people, Ashilde’s journey forces her to answer the ultimate is she willing to pay the price asked of her, now that she can no longer pay in blood?
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Please note that some content in the novel may be triggering. A list of warnings, to be best of my knowledge, are listed below and will be updated as necessary.
On the page: Verbal abuse, anxiety, blood, graphic injury, death, murder, trauma, depression, guilt, death of a parent, death of a sibling, death of a child, pregnancy, animal death, foreplay Mentioned: animal sacrifice, child abuse (past, referenced), war Minor: hunger (starvation)
TL;DR:If you’re looking for a fantasy with a uniquely developed matriarchal societal system, a world based on Nordic mythology, and a tough-as-nails FMC warrior who is relentless and has a huge bone to pick with her Gods, then look no further than Blood Price. This was a well-written debut set in a richly developed fantasy world with characters, both human and non-human alike, that will grow on you. I’m so curious to see where this story leads and how Ashilde will triumph.
Happy Sunday, friends! As part of the BBNYA blog tour hosted by The Write Reads, I’m very excited to spotlight the BBNYA 2023 winnerPerception Check by Astrid Knight. I’ve had this on my radar since last year and I can’t wait to read it when my schedule clears up! 😊
Special thanks to the tour organisers for having me on tour!
About the Book Blogger’s of the Year Award (BBNYA)
The BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website or Twitter. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.
Her favorite tabletop roleplaying game is real, and her kidnapped childhood best friend is trapped in a far off land. Will she be able to save her? Let’s roll initiative!
Violet Spence wants nothing more than to have a normal life. After witnessing her childhood best friend get abducted by monsters, that’s easier said than done. At twenty-three years old, Violet cannot seem to move past that fateful night ten years ago. Her only solace is Mages of Velmyra, a tabletop roleplaying game filled with goblins, fairies, and all-powerful magicians. But of course, that’s all fantasy.
Or, so she thought. As it turns out, the land of Velmyra is very real and the home of the monsters that took her best friend.
With the help of her friends (and the creator of the game itself), Violet must navigate the once-fictional creatures and powerful mages of Velmyra to retrieve a set of ancient relics—all in the hopes that the journey will lead her back to her friend. But for Violet, fighting monsters and magic workers doesn’t seem nearly as terrifying as confronting her own demons. And she’ll soon realize fighting the battle within herself can be just as tough as those fought against demigods.
Perception Check is the magical first installment of the Mages of Velmyra Saga, great for fans of Dungeons and Dragons, Critical Role, and The Magicians. With endearing and hilarious characters, an exploration of mental health and trauma, LGBTQ+ representation, gut-wrenching twists, and a whirlwind of an ending, you will never want to leave the world of Velmyra.
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Perception Check deals with the topics of mental health (specifically depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidality) with mentions of childhood sexual assault, alcohol abuse, and animal violence.
An enemy on her tails, an innocent at her side, and a dangerous power within her that could destroy them all. Jayci Lee melds Korean folklore with modern Americana in this fiery new series.
In a race to stop an ancient evil from destroying the worlds as they know them, Sunny comes to a startling, heartbreaking if she chooses love—everything will burn.
Sunny Cho aspires to be the dullest, least interesting person in any given room, which can be challenging for a nine-tailed fox spirit. So she drifts from city to city—staying clear of any and all attachment—and keeps her fox buried deep inside her. It is better this way. She would rather live as half of herself than risk losing control of her terrible powers.
Ethan Lee, a friend she left behind eight years ago, is a brilliant and distractingly hot PI. When he tracks her down and asks her to help him find his brother’s murderer, Sunny knows her uneventful life is about to be turned upside down.
Traversing the mortal realm and the world of gods, Sunny and Ethan discover their quest is much more dire than mere vengeance, and their friendship might be…more. An ancient evil is stirring, and Sunny is faced with an impossible save the worlds from annihilation or claim the love fated by the heavens.
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Blood, violent deaths of family members (recounted), murder, gore, on-page sex
TL;DR: I love romance and fantasy, but until now, I don’t think I’ve read a book inspired by Asian mythology that isn’t in the YA category. So, I was very excited about getting my hands on a copy of Nine Tailed, and while there were elements I enjoyed a lot, I admit that not all of it worked for me. The world-building inspired by Korean mythology was fantastical and I also loved that the author’s enthusiasm for the mythology and characters came through in the writing. I also think the romance and interplay between the MCs will be favoured by those who love Maas and JLA’s romance fantasies and this will be most enjoyed by those who loved their books.
Two potion shops, one heated rivalry… until hate bubbles over into something else.
Any adventurer worth their sword knows about Ambrose Beake. The proud, quiet half-elf sells the best, and only, potions in the city—until a handsome new shopkeeper named Eli opens another potion shop across the street, throwing Ambrose’s peace and ledgers far off balance.
Within weeks, they’re locked in a war of price tags and products—Ambrose’s expertise against Eli’s effortless charm. Toil leads to trouble, the safety gloves come off, and right as their rivalry reaches a boiling point…
The mayor commissions them to brew a potion together.
The task is as complex as it is lucrative, pushing both men to the limits of their abilities and patience. Yet as the fires burn and cauldrons bubble…they find a different sort of chemistry brewing.
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Child abandonment and neglect (recounted), work injuries caused by explosion, blood
TL;DR: A Rival Most Vial was a sweet, heartwarming and delightful cosy fantasy! I loved everything about this from the rivals-to-lovers romance and the found family community to the potion-making and slice-of-life vibes. This is the perfect read for those looking for a low-stakes magical story about finding your path, recognising what family means, and embracing success on your own terms. Plus, it provides a wonderful escape from reality. The setting is a fun magical world and I can’t wait to read more about the shopkeepers of Rosemond Street in future books!
Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m excited to share my thoughts on Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma. Thanks to the TBR team for having me on tour and 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!
Immortal Dark (Immortal Dark Trilogy #1) Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Publication Date: 3 September 2024 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Rep: Black
Rating: (4.5 pandas)
📖SYNOPSIS
The Cruel Prince meets Ninth House in this dangerously romantic dark academia fantasy, where a lost heiress must infiltrate an arcane society and live with the vampire she suspects killed her family and kidnapped her sister.
It began long before my time, but something has always hunted our family.
Orphaned heiress Kidan Adane grew up far from the arcane society she was born into, where human bloodlines gain power through vampire companionship. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her—the very vampire bound to their family, the cruel yet captivating Susenyos Sagad.
To find June, Kidan must infiltrate the elite Uxlay University—where students study to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires and inherit their family legacies. Kidan must survive living with Susenyos—even as he does everything he can to drive her away. It doesn’t matter that Susenyos’s wickedness speaks to Kidan’s own violent nature and tempts her to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill Susenyos at all costs.
When a murder mirroring June’s disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. There she discovers a centuries-old threat—and June could be at the center of it. To save her sister, Kidan must bring Uxlay to its knees and either break free from the horrors of her own actions or embrace the dark entanglements of love—and the blood it requires.
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Parental abuse, blood drinking, death, gore, murder, sexual content, adult language, suicide ideation, and violence, kidnapping
TL;DR:Immortal Dark was one of my most anticipated 2024 releases and I’m thrilled to say that Tigest Girma did not let me down. She slayed with this stunning debut! While I’m not a dark academia girlie, I loved exploring the vast history of Uxlay University and the complex relationship between dranaics (vampires) and actis (humans). The writing is lush, the world-building richly detailed, and the characters delightfully wicked, complicated and so very morally grey. Despite the pacing being on the slower side, it allowed me to completely immerse myself in the gothic setting and by the time the action kicked off in the latter half, I was fully invested and wowzer, I did not see some of those surprises coming! Girma leaves readers with a double whammy that has me aching to get my hands on the next book immediately. I feel like this is going to be a hit!
Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m excited to share my thoughts on Are You Nobody Too? by Tina Cane. Thanks to the TBR team for having me on tour and to Make Me A World (Random House Children’s) 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!
Are You Nobody Too? Publisher: Make Me A World Publication Date: 27 August 2024 Genre: Contemporary Middle Grade Rep: Chinese, Asian, Adoption
Rating: (3 pandas)
📖SYNOPSIS
After years of discomfort as the only Chinese student at her private middle school, Emily transfers to Chinatown’s I.S. 23 for 8th Grade and ends up feeling more disconnected than ever. In this coming-of-age novel-in-verse, will Emily be able to find her way or will she lose herself completely?After a year of distance-learning, Emily Sofer finds her world turned upside she has to leave the only school she’s ever known to attend a public school in Chinatown. For the first time, Emily isn’t the only Chinese student around…but looking like everyone else doesn’t mean that understanding them will be easy–especially with an intimidating group of cool girls Emily calls The Five.When Emily discovers that her adoptive parents have been keeping a secret, she feels even more uncertain about who she is. A chance discovery of Emily Dickinson’s poetry helps her finally feel seen… but can the words of a writer from 200 years ago help her open up again, and find common ground with the Five?
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Racism, bullying, pandemic, microaggressions, mentions of miscarriage (in the past)
TL;DR:This was a unique middle-grade contemporary told in verse. The author had a unique way of expressing the main character’s experiences during and after the pandemic. It touches upon evergreen themes such as coming-of-age, identity and belonging. Emily was an interesting main character—she’s very much a teenager—and I think many young readers whether they’re middle schoolers or just starting high school.
Happy Saturday, friends! I’m very excited to share my review for A Rose Among Thorns by Ash Fitzsimmons as part of the BBNYA blog tour hosted by The Write Reads.
Special thanks to the tour organisers for having me on tour and to the author for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!
About the Book Blogger’s of the Year Award (BBNYA)
The BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website or Twitter. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.
Rose Thorn should never be left unsupervised around plants. Potted things tend to die around her as if on principle. But when her great-aunt calls and asks Rose to watch her garden nursery for a few days, Rose can hardly say no. After all, Aunt Lily is the closest thing Rose has to a grandmother — and the only family she has left — so Rose doesn’t mind driving out to her tiny mountain town to look after the place.
Aunt Lily never mentioned anything about an inspection, however.
Rose is taken aback when an agent from an organization she’s never heard of arrives and panics to find Aunt Lily missing. As it turns out, Aunt Lily hasn’t been entirely straight with Rose. She’s not visiting a sick friend — she’s in danger and on the run. She keeps a hidden greenhouse on the property in which she grows highly regulated magical plants. And she’s an elf…as was Rose’s grandfather.
Though stunned to witness magic at work and shocked that no one ever divulged the family secret, Rose refuses to abandon the nursery until her great-aunt is safely home. But as she and the agent, now awkward housemates, try to keep up their cover story and find the missing grower, they realize that whatever led to Aunt Lily’s disappearance might not be the only magical crime in progress.
And while Rose has no green thumb, another talent of hers may be budding…
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Kidnapping, captivity, death of parents (recounted), bullying (recounted), gun violence, imprisonment, compulsion (magical)
TL;DR: A Rose Among Thorns is a great beginning to a cosy fantasy mystery series. The characters were entertaining, the banter was pretty cheesy but so fun, and the fantasy elements were rather light, making it perfect for those who want to read more fantasy but don’t want to get bogged down by expansive world-building. It has great appeal for a wider audience and I can see why it got second place in the BBNYA competition! 😍 I enjoyed this much more than the start led me to expect and I’m keen to continue with the series!
dinipandareads 