The Unseelie Exile - Book Review by Sullivan and Voodoo Bride

The Unseelie Exile: Arachnophobia Edition

(Web of Shadows/Floof of Shadows #1)

by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

What is it about:

This is the ARACHNOPHOBIA edition of this book! This means this has had all instances of the word “spider” mass find-and-replaced with “fluffy bunny,” “spiderweb” with “bunny nest,” the Web with “the Floof,” and so on. As you can already tell, this will cause hysterical side effects as well as nightmares of the grammatical and regular varieties. You might not have to deal with spiders, but you will have to deal with a seven-legged fluffy bunny.

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One desperate night. Three forbidden seals. And the ruthless fae exile who will claim her soul...

Ava Cole thought rock bottom was losing her mother and being cast out by her father. That was until she followed enchanted lights into the midnight woods—and walked straight into the claws of the Unseelie.

Now she's trapped in a prison between realms. Her captor? Serrik—a devastatingly powerful fae outcast with vengeance burning in his veins and eternity to make her suffer. 

Cold. Merciless. Intoxicating.

His touch sears her blood. His golden eyes haunt her dreams. And with each forbidden lesson, each impossible task, Ava finds herself craving the very being who plans to use her as a weapon of magical destruction.

In this twisted realm of exiled fae who hunger for her blood and power, Ava's greatest battle isn't the magic she must unleash—it's the treacherous desire threatening to consume her soul.

Because in Serrik's deadly bunny-nest of shadows, the line between enemy and lover vanishes like mist. And falling for her worst enemy may be the most dangerous magic of all.

She can trust no one but herself.

What did we think of it:

This series is set in the same world as the Maze of Shadows series.

Voodoo Bride has to confess she was hesitant to read more in this world. She had a total love/hate relationship with Maze of Shadows.

But then we discovered there was an Arachnophobia Edition of this book!

And I will now confess I'm indeed that easy, so Voodoo Bride and I decided to buy this book and read it together.

And we had such a good time with this book!

Ava was a heroine we could really relate to, while Serrik was both alluring and dangerous. Voodoo Bride was totally invested in the relationship between the two, while I was eager to find out what would happen next in the weird prison world Ava suddenly finds herself in.

There were some really interesting fae Ava runs into, surprising events, and a compelling overall storyline.

This book was less 'awful' than a lot of the Maze of Shadows was. Where in Maze of Shadows there were some really nasty, disturbing scenes, here there were suspenseful and dangerous events as well, but it didn't squick Voodoo Bride out. There were also some very funny moments in our opinion.

As for the arachnophobia part: I very much enjoyed reading about scary fluffy bunnies, the floof, and bunny nests. The one thing that we had to get used to is that the word 'strand' was replaced with 'twig', which was weird in instances such as 'Serrik stroked back a twig of hair'.

We should have seen the ending of this book coming, but we did not!

Talk about upping the stakes of this twisted romance/attraction thing between Ava and Serrik.

All in all this is a really awesome read, and we immediately bought the second book (Arachnophobia Edition).

Why should you read it:

Evil Fluffy Bunny! 

Also: Really cool Dark Fantasy Romance

Teasing on a Wednesday - Caught Up

 

The blood was everywhere. Soaked into my shirt, sprayed onto my pants, and buried beneath my blunted nail bits. This was why i always wore head-to-toe black.

(page 1, Caught Up by Navessa Allen)

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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!

Resisting the Wicked Orc - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Resisting the Wicked Orc (Silvermist Mates #2)

by Chloe Graves

What is it about:

Fighting fate is the fastest way to get scorched.

Rava

While my brothers chase glory as elite mercenaries, I'm chasing freedom on an unsanctioned undercover mission. The stolen relic I'm hunting could break my betrothal—if an infuriatingly sexy orc would stop interfering with my plans and making my fire magic spark out of control.

I tell myself each kiss is just strategy, each touch merely distraction. But with my cover blown and hunters on my trail, the greatest threat to my escape isn't the prince I'm fleeing but the mate who makes me burn to stay.

Zral

I'm bored filling my nights with meaningless conquests while watching everyone around me find their perfect matches.

Then a defiant demon with fire in her eyes and lies on her lips drags me into her dangerous heist, only to betray me at every turn. Her reckless schemes leave me feeling more alive than ever before, and my need to claim her grows stronger each time she vanishes.

But behind her secrets lurks a royal monster who believes titles grant ownership. The cruel princeling will learn orcs don't surrender what belongs to them. Not for thrones or royal decrees.

Crowns shatter as easily as bones when standing between an orc and his mate.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I liked this book better than the first two books in this series. 

Both story and the romance were interesting and enjoyable. I liked both Rava and Zral, and that's what was missing in the first two books: I just didn't really click with the main characters in those books.

Here I was invested in Rava and Zral finding love and getting out on top.

The chemistry between these two was really delicious, and I loved the steamy scenes (especially as nobody kept bringing up their family during them).

I will say that Vexing the Grumpy Orc is still my favorite, but Resisting the Wicked Orc was a very enjoyable read as well!

All in all a fun series, and I might investigate what other books Graves has written.

Why should you read it:

Sexy Wicked Orc!

Charming the Orc's Mate - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Charming the Orc's Mate (Silvermist Mates #2)

by Chloe Graves

What is it about:

Even fate needs a little shelf-help sometimes.

Carissa

Inheriting a bookstore in a magical town was my childhood dream, but the reality of settling my great-aunt's estate is more hell than happily-ever-after. Between chaotic finances and pre-booked events I can't cancel, I'm counting the days until I can flee back to my ordered life in Seattle and a waiting job offer.

But selling the store gets complicated when one distractingly handsome orc from my past keeps showing up to help—and I'm running out of reasons to say no.

Torain

Watching my brother find his mate left me hungry for my own. Then "little Carrie" storms back into my life, those prim lips curved in a shush, and my mate bond ignites with a roar.

The quiet girl who shared her cookies has grown into a goddess of fitted skirts and perfectly pinned hair. She wields spreadsheets like weapons, bringing order to chaos while every buttoned-up inch of her makes me burn to watch her unravel.

When a snake of a developer plots to steal her inheritance, they'll both learn that this orc's patience has limits—and I'm not letting anyone write my mate out of our future.

But I'll savor showing her that the messiest stories make the sweetest endings.

Charming the Orc's Mate is a spicy monster romance featuring a cinnamon roll orc who's definitely not too loud in libraries, a control-freak heroine whose ordered life needs a little chaos, and a magical small town that refuses to let go of its bookstore. Expect fated mates, forbidden kisses in the stacks, and grumpy/sunshine romance with a dash of childhood friends.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

Yet another enjoyable read that didn't reach the heights of Vexing the Grumpy Orc.

I had thought I'd love this one when I discovered it centered around a bookstore, but even though that was a large part of the plot, I couldn't really connect with Torain and Carissa. Am I turning into a grump who only connects with other grumps? I sure hope not.

I still enjoyed the story and romance well enough, make no mistake, I just felt like some spark was missing for me. 

I did pick up book 4 in this series afterward to see how I would like that one. Review coming soon.

Why should you read it:

Cinnamon Roll Orc

On our TBR pile - The Unseelie Exile

 

At times Voodoo Bride and I bicker about what books to buy, and who gets to read and review the next book we buy. With this book Voodoo Bride decided to buy the bunny/arachnophobia edition so we could read it together.

Because who wouldn't want to read about scary fluffy bunnies?!

The Unseelie Exile: Arachnophobia Edition

(Floof of Shadows #1)

by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

This is the ARACHNOPHOBIA edition of this book! This means this has had all instances of the word “spider” mass find-and-replaced with “fluffy bunny,” “spiderweb” with “bunny nest,” the Web with “the Floof,” and so on. As you can already tell, this will cause hysterical side effects as well as nightmares of the grammatical and regular varieties. You might not have to deal with spiders, but you will have to deal with a seven-legged fluffy bunny.

_______________

One desperate night. Three forbidden seals. And the ruthless fae exile who will claim her soul...Ava Cole thought rock bottom was losing her mother and being cast out by her father. That was until she followed enchanted lights into the midnight woods—and walked straight into the claws of the Unseelie.

Now she's trapped in a prison between realms. Her captor? Serrik—a devastatingly powerful fae outcast with vengeance burning in his veins and eternity to make her suffer. Cold. Merciless. Intoxicating.

His touch sears her blood. His golden eyes haunt her dreams. And with each forbidden lesson, each impossible task, Ava finds herself craving the very being who plans to use her as a weapon of magical destruction.

In this twisted realm of exiled fae who hunger for her blood and power, Ava's greatest battle isn't the magic she must unleash—it's the treacherous desire threatening to consume her soul.

Because in Serrik's deadly bunny-nest of shadows, the line between enemy and lover vanishes like mist. And falling for her worst enemy may be the most dangerous magic of all.

She can trust no one but herself.

My Immortal Elf - Release Day Review by Voodoo Bride

 

My Immortal Elf

(Elves Among Us #1)

by L. E. Sunwick

What is it about:

It was bliss, until it wasn’t. I never planned to fall for my boss, and certainly not for an immortal.

Semi-divine physical perfection.

Mind-shattering lovemaking enhanced by ancient magic.

The freedom that comes with wealth.

Self-confidence that comes from 123 years of life experience.

But when I age, he’ll remain physically perfect.

Leaders of his clan don’t want their duke with a mortal.

And he leads a deadly struggle against enemy immortals.

I refuse to be a liability to him, or his clan.

He insists I don’t need to prove myself.

But I disagree.

On my mission I discover the enemy’s plot.

At stake is the fate of humanity…

And of my heart.

(This is the significantly expanded and updated Book 1 of the series, replacing "Claimed by my Immortal Elf).

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I really enjoyed the prequel novella so I have been looking forward to read this book. luckily I got selected as an ARC reader!

This was yet another delicious read.

I liked Jenna from the start, she's smart, resourceful, and wants to do good, even if it comes at the cost of her own happiness. Stefan was yet another hunky elf, so what's not to love!

The story was fun, but with a lot of suspense. Even though this is a romance, these two have to fight for their love and for their future. Not just the bad guys tried to drive them apart. Between the lighter heartwarming moments and the steamier scenes there's lots of stuff going on that impacts the two of them. At times it seemed as if a Happily Ever After could easily drift out of their reach.

I can tell you I was totally engrossed and was invested in them saving the day and their love.

The worldbuilding is really cool as well, and there were several side characters who were really interesting. One of the ones I really liked is the lead character of the next book - which I already bought a while ago - so you bet I will read that soon.

Why should you read it: Hot Immortal Elves! Even the bad guys are Hot!

New Reviews Soon

 

New Reviews are coming soon

Still no new reviews

But here's a Nug.

No Book Review This Week

Busy playing Dragon Age The Veilguard

Bewitching the Orc Chief - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Bewitching the Orc Chief (Silvermist Mates #1)

by Chloe Graves

What is it about:

The most potent magic is sealed with a bite.

Miranda

All I wanted was one night of normal after a year of... avoiding my former coven. Instead, I got an orc chief who took one look at me and growled "mine." One scorching night later, I wake up in his village—which is definitely not what I had in mind for the morning-after.

Now I'm surrounded by suspicious orcs, trying to keep my magic under wraps, and fighting an inconvenient attraction to my very large, very possessive "host." But hey, at least my familiar likes him—the traitor.

Osen

The clan elders demand I take a mate to secure my position as chief. I didn't expect fate to hand me a witch who makes my blood burn and my instincts roar to mark her again. And again.

Our shaman spits venom about dark magic, while my uncle circles like a vulture. But when my brother lies bleeding out and her forbidden power yanks him back from the brink, I know I'll burn down tradition to keep her.

Then her coven tracks her to my mountains, and I discover exactly what kind of darkness my mate has been running from. They want to drain her magic and steal her power—but they'll need to go through me first.

My mate. My witch. And I'll destroy anyone who tries to take her from me.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I really enjoyed Vexing the Grumpy Orc, so I decided to get the other books in this series as well. So after starting this series with book 3, now it was time for book 1.

If I had started with this book it would have been immediately clear this is Urban Fantasy Romance. The Orc village feels really Other World Fantasy, but outside of their village things are modern. This book made that immediately clear, where book 3 took some time to get away from the village.

I liked the overall story and romance well enough, but this romance had one major turn-off: How much Osen kept mentioning his brother during one of the steamy scenes. I mean: if anyone would do that with me, I'd be out of there, Mate or not. I usually am not one to skim steamy scenes, but here I totally did.

That aside: I liked the book well enough, but I didn't connect with Osen or Miranda as much as I did with Galan in Vexing the Grumpy Orc. I still liked it enough that I'll read book 2 soon.

Why should you read it:

It's an enjoyable Orc Romance

On McPig's Radar - Never the Roses

 Did I already post about this book before? 

And did I already read it because I know the author and she gave me an early digital copy?

Yes! to both these questions.

But this book is so good!

Believe me: you want it! 

It's utterly amazing and beautiful in and out! 

Go preorder: I totally did.

Never the Roses

by Jennifer K. Lambert

UNSTOPPABLE WAR. UNSPEAKABLE SINS. IMPOSSIBLE LOVE.

Genevieve Gornichec’s The Witch’s Heart meets Madeline Miller’s Circe in this epic and deeply emotional romantic fantasy debut by Jennifer K. Lambert. The hardcover edition features beautiful stenciled edges.

The Dread Sorceress Oneira has retired. She’s exhausted from fighting the endless wars of kings and queens, and has long accepted that her death is near. Alone at last but for a few uninvited companions―a near-mythical wolf, a goddess’s avatar, and a feline that embodies magic itself―Oneira realizes that she’s bored. On a whim, or perhaps at the behest of fate, she makes an unlikely trip to the most extensive library in existence: the home of her most powerful rival, the sorcerer Stearanos.

By recklessly stealing a book from him, Oneira inadvertently initiates a forbidden correspondence. Taunting notes and clever retorts reveal a connection neither has found―nor could ever find―in any other.

But Oneira soon learns that Stearanos, bound to a vile king, is tasked with waging war on the queen she once served. A relationship with him is far too dangerous to pursue despite their mutual desire―and yet, Oneira can’t seem to stay away.

A bond with Stearanos could alight the long-extinct flame of life within her… or it could destroy her entirely.

Expected publication July 8, 2025

The Twisted Ones - Book Review

 

The Twisted Ones

by T. Kingfisher

What is it about:

When a young woman clears out her deceased grandmother’s home in rural North Carolina, she finds long-hidden secrets about a strange colony of beings in the woods.

When Mouse’s dad asks her to clean out her dead grandmother's house, she says yes. After all, how bad could it be?

Answer: pretty bad. Grandma was a hoarder, and her house is stuffed with useless rubbish. That would be horrific enough, but there’s more—Mouse stumbles across her step-grandfather’s journal, which at first seems to be filled with nonsensical rants…until Mouse encounters some of the terrifying things he described for herself.

Alone in the woods with her dog, Mouse finds herself face to face with a series of impossible terrors—because sometimes the things that go bump in the night are real, and they’re looking for you. And if she doesn’t face them head on, she might not survive to tell the tale.

What did I think of it:

This is yet another really cool horror!

As always Kingfisher managed to creep me out even before anything really scary or creepy happened. I really liked Mouse and her dog, and even though in the first few pages you discover that Mouse is telling the story after the fact, I worried about the two of them. 

The building tension and atmosphere is once again so good! It kept me glued to the pages to find out what would happen next. I'm impressed how Kingfisher can write dark atmosphere and manage to have the story be funny at times as well, I must say.

Note: This story is inspired by The White People by Arthur Machen, which I definitely plan to read to see where the stories connect. 

All in all another one for my keeper shelves. We'll try one of Kingfisher's more romantic books next.

Why should you read it:

It's a humorous and suspenseful horror read

Teaser Tuesdays - I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com

 

"Thicken Nugget, you evil bitch, stop murdering half the desert," I muttered from behind my camera. As expected, Thicken Nugget ignored my request.

(page 1, I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming)

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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!

Five Gifts for the Blacksmith's Wife - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Five Gifts for the Blacksmith's Wife

by Lyonne Riley

What is it about:

When her village faces a winter of starvation, Sita draws the shortest straw. Now she’s to be given to the orcs across the river in exchange for food and supplies so her family can survive. Given the chance to choose her own husband from among the eligible orc bachelors, she selects Gurrek, the reluctant blacksmith, who clearly doesn’t want her. He’s the safest option.

Gurrek has always wanted a wife of his own, but not like this. Now he’s saddled with a human woman who needs new shoes, new clothes, and can’t even speak his language. He wants nothing to do with her, and yet her sweet, strong personality draws him in closer with every passing day.

As Sita and Gurrek try to find a place to fit within each other’s lives, attraction begins to bloom between them. But Gurrek refuses to touch a woman who never wanted to be his in the first place. Can Sita break through the blacksmith’s high walls to become his true wife, mind, body, and soul?

This is a sweet, cozy, steamy orc romance that features an arranged marriage, a grumpy/sunshine dynamic, a slow burn, a virgin sexual encounter, and a winter holiday vibe. Please check the content warnings on the author's website.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I read a Romance with Orcs that turned out to be Urban Fantasy, and although I really liked it, I wanted to read a Fantasy Romance with Orcs. So I tracked this one down, as I love the grumpy/sunshine trope.

And this turned out to be a nice read.

I really loved Gurrek and rooted for him to get a Happily Ever After. I had a bit more trouble with Sita. At times she felt... too young. I mean: she's adult in years of course, but in her behavior she sometimes felt like a child to me. Maybe it's me and I'm getting old, but because of how she felt to me I had a hard time believing in their romance.

Still, the writing was nice, Gurrek a grumpy sweetheart, and I enjoyed the read.

I might try another one of Riley's books.

Why should you read it:

Grumpy Orc! 

On McPig's Wishlist - Illuminations

 

Illuminations

by T. Kingfisher

Rosa Mandolini knows in her heart that her family are the greatest painters of magical illuminations in the city. But the eccentric Studio Mandolini has fallen on hard times and the future is no longer certain.

While trying to help her family, Rosa discovers a strange magical box protected by a painted crow. But when she finds a way to open the box, she accidentally releases the Scarling, a vicious monster determined to destroy the Mandolini family at any cost.

With the aid of her former best friend and a painted crow named Payne, it’s up to Rosa to stop the Scarling before it unmakes the magical paintings that keep the city running, and hopefully save her family in the process!

The Baby Dragon Café - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

The Baby Dragon Café (The Baby Dragon #1)

by A.T. Qureshi

What is it about:

When Saphira opened up her café for baby dragons and their humans, she wasn’t expecting it to be so difficult to keep the fires burning. It turns out, young dragons are not the best magical animals to keep in a café, and replacing all that burnt furniture is costing Saphira more than she can afford from selling dragon-roasted coffee.

Aiden is a local gardener, and local heart-throb, more interested in his plants than actually spending time with his disobedient baby dragon. When Aiden walks into Saphira’s café, he has a genius idea – he'll ask Saphira to train his baby dragon, and he'll pay her enough to keep the café afloat.

Saphira’s happy-go-lucky attitude doesn’t seem to do anything but irritate the grumpy-but-gorgeous Aiden, except that everywhere she goes, she finds him there. But can this dragon café owner turn her fortunes around, and maybe find love along the way?

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

This could have been more than it was.

Don't get me wrong:

I liked the romance. Once again it was grumpy/sunshine, and I really liked the grumpy Aiden. He's more of an introvert than actually grumpy, I have to say. I totally read this book start to finish to see him get the girl and happiness.

It was the world building and the dragons that didn't vibe for me. I felt like the author didn't really know if the dragons were pets or beings that had similar intelligence as humans. The baby dragons felt really off because of that. I also thought the café wasn't used enough in the story. It was more a starting point than something the book revolved around.

The writing style was nice enough, but didn't draw me in. I was not bored enough to stop reading, and not entertained enough to glue myself to the book. 

All in all a nice enough read, but I won't be reading other books in this series/world.

Why should you read it:

Grumpy, introverted gardener.

Teaser Tuesdays - A World Alone

 

Zombies! 

Very excited about diving into this one.

THERE'S ONE IN THE HOUSE. The dragging thump of footsteps, somewhere downstairs, is what tips me off.

(page 1, A World Alone by R.K. Weir)

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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!

Captivated by the Alien Warlord - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Captivated by the Alien Warlord

by Bella Blair

What is it about:

There is nothing in this universe that I want more than to make her MINE. 

Rhiannon: Because I was born with a cleft lip, everybody in the village has always thought of me as bad luck. So much so, that I’m beginning to believe it myself. It is not until he, Dracor—our new warlord—rides through our village, that I dare hope for a different future. He is the most handsome man I have ever seen, but I’m convinced he will never notice someone like me, no matter how much I’m falling in love with him.

Dracor: Having earned the title of warlord on my own merits, my dream of commanding my own stronghold has at last come true. I thought I would never desire anything more than being a warlord, but that achievement pales in comparison to when I lay eyes on the human kallini. There is nothing in this world that I want more than for her to be MINE. My pursuit of her is interrupted by strange things happening in my new home, things that indicate the stronghold is haunted. 

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I read another one of Bella Blair's Newsletter Freebies.

This one was... interesting.

The overall storyline was more present than in the second freebie I read, and I was cautiously interested in the world. But the spicy scenes...

There was so much talk of wetness and wet, I pictured the lead characters floating out of bed because of all the wet! The MINE* might be completely capitalized in the blurb, but in my opinion WET should have been there.

Once again terms like kallini are used with no or minimum explanation what it means and it's left to the reader to understand the meaning in context of the story. Understood: this series uses kallini as a word for woman.

So, in the end I wasn't too happy with this story.

One more freebie to go and then I'll decide if I want to read more by Blair and what series might be the most satisfying if I do.

*Don't get me wrong. I really don't mind a bit of possessiveness by the hero or a well placed 'mine'. I just don't see the need to capitalize it.*

Why should you read it:

The world is interesting.

On McPig's Wishlist - Her Soul for a Crown

 

Her Soul for a Crown

by Alysha Rameera

For readers of Sarah J Maas, Scarlett St. Clair, and Tasha Suri's The Jasmine Throne, this epic, slow-burn romantasy inspired by Sri Lankan mythology follows a fierce orphaned young woman with an affinity for poisons and revenge who would do anything to end the reign of heartless rajas—even sell her soul to the most dangerous cursed god of all—the Blood Yakka, Reeri.

Anula Ramanayake of Anuradhapura calculated her ascent the moment she was orphaned—when her village burned in an endless war and the gods forsook her prayers. First, she would marry the raja. Then, she would poison him and take the throne for herself and her people. But when an unexpected coup thwarts her careful plans, Anula is left with one desperate option. She offers her soul to the cursed gods she renounced in exchange for the crown.

In the Second Heavens, Reeri the Blood Yakka, the most dangerous and powerful of his clan, hears her prayer. For eons, he's waited for such a valuable offering—one that could finally give him the chance to kill his divine tormentor and return his fellow Yakkas to their former glory on earth. Reeri accepts Anula's bargain, tethering them until their goals are achieved, or until they die.

As the war presses on, Anula must move quickly or lose her chance to become the first raejina. But while she is skilled at many things, especially in stopping hearts, the closer she grows to Reeri, the more she finds her own heart at risk. And when the time comes to fight enemies both human and divine, Anuradhapura and the Heavens will never be the same.

Expected publication August 12, 2025

Phantasma - Book Review

 

Phantasma (Wicked Games #1)

by Kaylie Smith

What is it about:

When Ophelia and her sister discovers their mother brutally murdered, there is no time to grieve: Ophelia has inherited both her powerful death-driven magic and enormous debt on their home. Circumstances go from dire to deadly, however, when Ophelia’s sister decides to pay off the loan by entering Phantasma—a competition where most contestants don’t make it out alive and the winner is granted a single wish.

The only way to save her sister is to compete. But Phantasma is a cursed manor, with twisting corridors and lavish ballrooms, and filled with enticing demons and fatal temptations. Ophelia will need to face nine floors of challenges to win... if her fears don’t overtake her first.

When a charming, arrogant stranger claims he can protect and guide Ophelia, she knows she shouldn’t trust him. While Blackwell may not seem dangerous, appearances can be deceptive. But with her sister’s life on the line, Ophelia can’t afford to turn him away. She just needs to ignore the overwhelming, dark attraction drawing them closer and closer together.

Because in Phantasma, the only thing deadlier than losing the game is losing your heart.

What did I think of it:

Ever since Battle Royale (Yes, long before The Hunger Games) I've had a soft spot for stories where people have to take part in dangerous/deadly games. It's almost as good as some decent zombie mayhem. So even though I suspected it might be more romance than action I got my trotters on this book. When I finally picked it up to read for an online book club, Voodoo Bride decided to read along.

And we both had a great time with this book!

I will say I really liked Ophelia, which surprised me as she's (once again) an older sister thinking she needs to save her younger sister. But where I usually dislike those meddling older siblings who think they know better Ophelia surprised me. She doesn't think she's better. Far from it in fact, she feels like a failure, has her inner demons, and feels like she is at fault for her younger sister disappearing, hence why she enters Phantasma to find her sister.

Then there's the whole game element which was really cool and exciting. There are scheming contestants, thrilling tests, death, creepy and icky stuff, hauntings, you name it. The whole of Phantasma was really well thought out, and had me engrossed, eager to find out what would be thrown at Ophelia next.

The romance was also excellent (and super delicious according to Voodoo Bride) and we rooted for Ophelia to win both Phantasma and at love. Blackwell was a very cool character (and dreamy and yummy) who clearly has his own agenda, still we rooted for him as well.

(We could easily guess what his deal was, but if a story is as well written as this was, that doesn't really matter.)

Overall a really awesome read. We will most definitely get book two as well.

Why should you read it:

It has it all: action, romance, thrills, & mayhem.

Teaser Tuesdays - The Twisted Ones

 

So I put my dog in the truck and packed up a suitcase full of clothes, asked my aunt Kate to keep an eye on the house, and drove down to North Carolina.

it's a long drive.

(page 7, The Twisted Ones 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!