Alien Ghostship - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Alien Ghostship

by Bella Blair

What is it about:

Jane: While scouting my assigned sector in our galaxy, I come upon an abandoned alien ship. A Ghostship. Excited to explore the deserted vessel, things soon turn strange as an eerie mist follows me wherever I go, even showing me the way to a cabin that appears to have been left in a hurry. Soon I discover, that I'm not only unable to leave the Alien Ghostship, but I begin to dream of a handssome, alien stranger. Is he the guy who left this ship in an obvious haste? 

WREN: Thanks to my copilot's betrayal, I have been a prisoner in this cave for I don't know how long. My only hope is that my prototype ship has left to find help, otherwise I'm afraid I will be doomed in here. One morning my tablet announces that somebody has boarded my ship. A woman of a species I have never seen before. Did she board my ship to steal it or to get help? And what is that mist that seems to follow her everywhere? And why do I suddenly begin dreaming of her? So real it is as if she were sitting right next to me. So alluring that all I care about is being with her. 

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I got this as a freebie for signing up to Bella Blair's newsletter

This is a nice read.

It could have used a bit more editing, but I liked the story well enough to overlook the typo's and missing words.

The romance is fast, but enjoyable. It is a bit of a puzzle how the two are noticing and feeling each other, but that added a bit of suspense to it.

The ending was a bit too obviously trying to shove in lead characters of other books, but all in all ths was a pleasant read. I got several other freebies for signing up, all part of different series by Blair. I might try one of those to see if there's a series/world that captures me.

Why should you read it:

It's a nice SciFi Romance.

Teaser Tuesdays - What Moves the Dead

 Doing a reread of this book before reading What Feasts at Night. 

The mushroom's gills were the deep-red color of severed muscle, the almost-violet shade that contrasts so dreadfully with the pale pink of viscera. I had seen it any number of times in dead deer and dying soldiers, but it startled me to see it here.

(page 1, What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher)

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their  TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Enchanted Greenhouse - Early Book Review

 

The Enchanted Greenhouse

by Sarah Beth Durst

What is it about:

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love. The hardcover edition features beautiful sprayed edges.

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.

What did I think of it:

*I was lucky enough to get a digital Advance Reader Copy of this book*

This is a standalone set in the same world as The Spellshop, but anyone who read and loved The Spellshop will recognize who Terlu is, and so needs to read this! New to this world? You can totally read and love this book without reading the Spellshop first, but believe me: you need both these books, they're both awesome!

I liked Terlu, and had a lot of sympathy for her, but then the grumpy gardener Yarrow was introduced, and just Wow! He and I have a lot in common I have to confess. From that point on I so rooted for the both of them,(maybe a little bit more for Yarrow) that they would succeed in saving the greenhouses.

I feared one of my least favorite tropes would happen in this book, and it did, but Durst managed to write it in a way that didn't make me want to puke like I usually do with this particular trope (which I will name the 'Shiny Happy People' trope to not spoil too  much). 

So with a certain trope handled in the best was possible this was just as beautiful and emotional a read as The Spellshop. I loved reading about the wonders in the greenhouses, and learn more about the world Durst created. There's tons of beauty and whimsy, next to a really emotional story that also has lots to smile about.

You bet I will impatiently wait for the release and get my trotters on the hardcover to place it next to The Spellshop. And if there's to be more books: I'm going to hope it will be about certain characters who have a small role in this book.

Why should you read it:

It's a great, cozy Fantasy with a wonderfully grumpy gardener.

Expected publication: July 15, 2025 by Bramble

On McPig's Wishlist - The Serpent Called Mercy

 

The Serpent Called Mercy

by Roanne Lau

The Witcher meets Squid Game in this Malaysian Chinese-inspired epic fantasy novel where a debt-ridden slumdog joins an illegal monster-fighting arena for some fast coin, but quickly learns the most dangerous beasts are outside the ring, by debut author Roanne Lau

Lythlet and her only friend Desil are shackled to a life of debt and poverty that she fears they will never escape. Desperate for money, they sign up as arena combatants who fight sun-cursed beasts in the seedy underworld of the city.

Match-master Dothilos is initially enamored of Desil’s brawling reputation, but after seeing Lythlet lead the pair to triumph with her quick cunning, he takes her under his wing, scorning Desil. Ambition takes root in Lythlet’s heart as a life of fame and wealth unfolds in her imagination.

But Lythlet isn’t the only one out for coin and glory, and she soon finds herself playing an entirely different game—a game of politics and deception. As the cost of her ambition grows, she will have to decide if sacrificing her honor, and only friendship, is worth the chance to shape her own fortune.

A whirlwind of blood-pounding battles as characters grapple with their choices in the face of wealth and financial security, The Serpent Called Mercy's heart is the underlying, steadfast friendship between its protagonists.

Expected publication: March 25, 2025

The Spellshop - Book Review

 

The Spellshop

by Sarah Beth Durst

What is it about:

The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.

When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who can’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.

In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.

But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.

What did I think of it:

When Jeffe told me I should read this book, I was easily convinced as I absolutely love Sarah Beth Durst's The Queen of Blood (I'm so going to get my trotters on the new paperback once it releases, because: have you seen that new cover!). 

And this book is so going on my keeper shelves and will be hugged, treasured, and reread!

What a beautiful, touching read. If you need a cozy Fantasy read: look no further and get your hands on The Spellshop!

I loved Kiela from the start, and don't get me started on Caz, because I'll be singing his praises for hours.  I mean: an intelligent, talking, sarcastic spider plant!!

The story is so sweet, and I kept reading to see what happens next for Kiela and Caz. There's some danger to keep you on edge, but mainly this book was delightful and full of whimsy. It made me smile while reading.

So you bet I jumped on the chance to read an Advance Reader Copy of the next book set in the same world as The Spellshop.

Why should you read it:

It's a beautiful, cozy, and heartwarming Fantasy read.

Teaser Tuesdays - The Naturalist Society

 

Beth wondered why showing her journals to Mr. Harold Stanley felt more risqué than stealing a kiss. her heart raced; her hands shook.

(page 3 The Naturalist Society by Carrie Vaughn)

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their  TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Unseelie King - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

The Unseelie King (Maze of Shadows #4)

by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

What is it about:

One king is dead, and the other is in chains.

Tir n’Aill perches on the edge of a knife in the wake of a series of betrayals that has shaken the fae to the core.

Abigail finds herself questioning who is friend and who is foe. When she is forced to make her decision between mercy and love, she finds her choice is one that might tear the very world apart.

Forces gather to wage war and decide the fate of Tir n’Aill. And in the center of it all, Abigail is nearly torn in two, caught between her desire to protect her new people and her love for Valroy.

For he is now the Unseelie King. The world is his to burn.

And only she can stop him.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

*more spoilers ahead*

So I gave this book a 5 star rating on Goodreads, and I stand by it, but this book destroyed me.

I know I talked mainly about Abigail and Valroy in my other reviews, but there were other really cool characters as well. Especially Anfar, the best (and probably only) friend of Valroy.

In this book things get dark, gruesome, but it seemed there could be a solution that would lead to a satisfying ending. And to be fair: there is a kind of bittersweet Happily Ever After if you don't overthink it. But the costs to Valroy and Anfar: too high in my opinion. I cried so hard over the ending. That'll teach me to fall in love with a dark creature from the Unseelie Court and his 'creature from the depth of the ocean' best friend.

All in all this is a great series, but I might be too soft for it, and too invested in friendship over the main romance.

Why should you read it:

It's a really good if you can handle the dark stuff in it.