Fantasy Books

The competition continues! This is my first year as a judge and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.

A few notes on my review process: for a semifinalist, I wanted to find a book that I'd personally rate 3.5/5 or better. To me, that rating signifies a book which has some notable flaws, but whose flaws (for whatever reason) didn't stop me from enjoying the novel. In general, a novel isn't a 3.5/5 for me unless I'm actively interested in reading a sequel. If and when I bounced off a book in the opening pages, I typically put it down for a few days before giving it another try. I didn’t set any hard rules for myself about when or if I could drop a book, except that I wanted to give every book a fair shot on its merits.

My batch (in randomly-determined reading order) included the following six books:

1. Carrion Saints by Hiyodori
2. Legacy of the Crown by Tim Wilbur
3. Let Sleeping Gods Lie by Ben Schenkmann
4. Rise of the Phoenix by Brendan Arnold
5. The Butterfly Koi by A Sherman Karlsson
6. The Sound of the Supernova by Jordan Butler

Without further ado:

The Butterfly Koi by A. Sherman Karlsson
Published October 6, 2025; 591 pages (Kindle edition)
Genre: Cyberpunk Fantasy, Alternate History

The Butterfly Koi follows six POV protagonists, most of whom are involved to greater or lesser degrees in the criminal and magical sides of the novel’s slightly-futuristic Tokyo setting. There’s Eika, a celebrity and socialite who wants to use her influence to change the world for the better; Misora, a magitech engineer with ties to organized crime; Taehyun, Misora’s celebrity boyfriend; Cameron, another magitech engineer and American expat; Hatsumi, a journalist driven to uncover certain secrets others want to keep hidden; and Kenji (far and away the most entertaining character), a low-level criminal in the Tokyo underworld.

For starters, while I do think this book is technically fantasy, it’s not traditional fantasy fare. That’s not disqualifying, but it’s something readers should know going in. Although the story revolves around magical technology, the magitech doesn’t feel particularly magical – the kind of magitech we see most often is basically a modern cell phone.

There are some real positives here: each of the six POV characters is well-realized with a distinct internal life that feels psychologically real. The prose is good, and the slightly-futuristic Tokyo setting is richly envisioned. I’ve never been to Tokyo so I can’t speak to its accuracy, but it feels like the author both knows and loves the city and wants to share that love with the reader. These strengths kept me reading and enjoying The Butterfly Koi all the way to the end.

Unfortunately, the story has some pretty severe flaws. For starters, I think the book would’ve been much better if 2-3 of the 6 POVs (all of whom exist in each others’ orbits) had been cut. Of the 6, only 1 (Kenji) got what I’d consider a completed plot arc, while 2 could be cut as POVs without any loss to the overall narrative. The author has a frustrating habit of backtracking chronologically at the end of many chapters to retell the events of the prior chapter from a second character’s POV. This slows the story’s progression and stops it from building momentum. It felt like the author only wanted to convey a person’s internal experience via present-tense first-person perspective, rather than via recollection or another character’s observations. Also, the author places several of the POV characters in opposition to magitech-related social ills (mostly related to how a minority of the population lacks the innate ability to use magitech effectively). In my opinion, the author needed to demonstrate more clearly why the reader should share the characters’ concerns.

Let Sleeping Gods Lie by Ben Schenkman
Published October 27, 2025; 268 pages (Kindle edition)
Genre: Urban Fantasy

I'd call Let Sleeping Gods Lie as an urban fantasy or paranormal mystery set in New Haven, Connecticut. The story follows adjunct anthropology professor Corbin Pierce as he digs into some mysterious magical oddities that begin popping up in town. He investigates and faces threats to the local people, the local spirits, and the local environment, all while trying to figure out what’s behind it all. The magical lore and worldbuilding place a strong focus on Native American history and culture.

There’s a lot to like about this novel. To start with, it wins my personal award for Most Unique Animal on a Fantasy Cover! I've seen dragons, wolves, lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!), but a raccoon? That's a first for me. As for the content, the story reminds me of Wildbow's serial Pale, as well as the early novels of the Dresden Files. Schenkman has a knack for infusing real-world settings with magic, making it feel like the supernatural might be hiding under our noses in real life as well as in fiction. The prose is straightforward and readable, with a nice bit of humor coming through in the narrative voice. In contrast with Butcher's Dresden (a small business owner working closely with the police), Let Sleeping Gods Lie takes a distinctly progressive perspective (activism, environmentalism, a focus on Native American heritage). I found Corbin a tad self-righteous at times, but not enough to interfere with my enjoyment of the story.

I really had only one issue with the book, but it's a big one. A mystery needs at least a little complexity to keep the reader in suspense: multiple suspects, red herrings, misdirection. Here, we don't really get that. The focus of the novel is the mystery behind the dark happenings in New Haven; it feels like the reader is supposed to be wondering who's responsible and why. But the list of potential villains is tiny, so much so that the mystery loses any suspense. The major plot moments are interesting on their own terms, but each resolves a little too quickly and neatly. I feel like this novel would've been greatly improved by another hundred pages of story — just enough to add the layer of extra complexity and misdirection the mystery needed.

Rise of the Phoenix by Brendan Arnold
Published May 24, 2025; 274 pages (Kindle edition)
Genre: High Fantasy

Rise of the Phoenix, which I’d categorize as YA high fantasy, follows Will Tavner, a teenage blacksmith’s son in the kingdom of Arulean. Arulean suffers under the rule of its tyrannical king and queen. Will and his closest friends Seb and Aylise live quiet, ordinary lives until Will begins to manifest strange symbols on his arms and strange magical powers to go with them. After which, cue the chaos.

It’s a classic fantasy novel setup. Unfortunately, I bounced off of this one a few times before putting it down at the 40% mark. Nothing here really bothered me, but nothing caught my interest either. Will and his friends felt bland as protagonists, and likewise with Arulean’s rulers as antagonists. The prose and dialogue both felt a little wooden.

Legacy of the Crown by Tim Wilbur
Published March 11, 2025; 295 pages (Kindle edition)
Genre: Coming of Age

Legacy of the Crown follows Aislynn, an immortal tired of her eternity, on a quest to end both the world and her own existence. The story is about her, the hunter Wraith she encounters by chance, the relationship they build between them, and how their quest fits into the prophecy devised by the titular undead Crown, the world’s last wizard.

This book was entertaining enough, but nothing really wowed me. The worldbuilding is what I think of as “DnD style” – many worlds, races of people, and types of magic, all of which coexist without a unifying conceptual foundation. Two of the novel’s primary settings (Wraith's village and the city of Keshet) feel a little generic. We get a broad outline of politics in Keshet and a glimpse of the city's underworld, but what about their economy, religious and cultural practices, local foods and music, style of architecture, and so on? For the setting to feel properly real instead of fantasy-standard, I think we needed more of those little details that differentiate one culture and location from another. And frankly, Aislynn’s POV isn’t nearly as bleak as it would need to be to justify her rather unheroic goal of ending the world.

My favorite parts of the book were the prologue and the chapters spent in The Beyond. Wilbur is at his best when he’s going for atmospheric eeriness, I think, since the story hits those notes quite effectively. Unfortunately, this is just a fraction of the book. Much of the story instead focuses on (1) a romance storyline and (2) a political intrigue storyline. The former didn't give me the sense of chemistry I wanted and didn't feel emotionally powerful until the In-Between. The latter crammed a book's worth of machinations into just a few chapters, so it all felt much too simple, as though major political change is just sitting there for the asking.

The Sound of The Supernova by Jordan Butler
Published July 4, 2025; 472 pages (Kindle edition)
Genre: Coming of Age

Sound of the Supernova begins in the fictional island setting of Kamini, whose people seem to live happy lives. Unusually happy, since, by virtue of the magical Nova traded to them by a foreign power, they can never get sick. In exchange for a steady supply of Nova, all they're required to trade away are some some (apparently) worthless weeds – a plot hook which intrigued me. The protagonists are three young islanders and friends: Jonah, Luca, and Amaya.

Unfortunately, I was only able to get about 10% into the story before I had to put it down for good. This book needed several more rounds of editing before publication. Each page had several grammatical errors and awkwardly-phrased sentences and the tense kept flip-flopping between past and present, which was especially jarring. I was a little sad to DNF, since it seemed like the plot was about to take some interesting turns, but the prose issues made it impossible to immerse myself in the story and I couldn’t see this book as a possible semifinalist.

Carrion Saints by Hiyodori
Published January 3, 2025; 589 pages (Kindle edition)
Genre: Dark Fantasy

I really can’t describe this story better than the author does on Goodreads: “Carrion Saints is a sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance between an immortal saint and a severed head.” Now, romance isn’t my favorite subgenre, but talk about a hook! The author sets that romance in a delightfully creepy postapocalyptic setting. The world is slowly eroding into the void, human civilization is in shambles, and immortal monsters of every variety prey on the survivors. 

Enemies-to-lovers is such an easy trope to do badly. I feel like the most common approach is to base the initial opposition on a misunderstanding which the author can resolve to set up a reconciliation. That’s the easy path, which the author does not take. Instead, we’re treated to the fascinating complexity of an evolving relationship between two beings who are genuinely, fundamentally at odds. This is the most screwed-up, manipulative, psychologically twisted relationship I’ve seen since the TV show Hannibal. And it’s so well done.

The story is structured like a travelogue, which often bores me, but the author makes it work. I think it’s all the little details of the setting. Did the pasta in that village need to be shaped like a human ear? Did the tea in that other village need to be brewed from pink beetles? Of course not, but congratulations, you have my undivided attention.

The story is an extremely slow burn. It’s not always clear where the story is going, so the book demands a fair bit of trust from the reader. All I can say is that it all pays off in my favorite sort of ending: beautiful, bittersweet, and deeply existential. 

Verdict

Our next semifinalist is:

Carrion Saints, by Hiyodori!

Not only was this my favorite book of the batch, it’s one of the best books I’ve read in the past year. I doubt a sequel is in the cards, but I’m definitely going to pick up something else from this author. Congratulations to Hiyodori and my thanks to all of these authors for their submissions!

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Ace (February 10, 2026)

Length: 448 pages

Author Information: Website

Like many others, I came to Operation Bounce House as a fan of Dungeon Crawler Carl. Let’s face it, at this point I’m pretty much going to read anything Matt Dinniman writes, and what better way to enjoy more of his work while waiting for A Parade of Horribles? I’m also in need of a fun diversion, and honestly, this feels like one for the author too.

First, this isn’t LitRPG, and I’m glad. A one-off standalone like Operation Bounce House deserves the space to be its own thing. The story is set on New Sonora, a colony planet largely populated by farming families who have built stable, self-sustaining communities after generations of surviving without support from Earth. Our protagonist Oliver Lewis is a young colonist who lives on a ranch with his sister, maintaining his land with the help of their agricultural bots and an AI system named Roger. Life hasn’t been easy for them, but they’ve learned to make do. While the colony still bears the scars of past disasters, including the wreckage of crashed ships and the lingering grief of a devastating plague, it’s their home and they are fiercely proud of the life they have managed to build.

But everything changes when contact with Earth suddenly and fully reopens with instant communication and travel through a transfer gate that was long thought dormant. The reason for this unexpected drop-in? Repossession of the entire planet. And as if that wasn’t brazen enough, Earth’s government has contracted a powerful corporation to carry out the “eviction action,” and rather than deploying more traditional tactics, they’ve decided to turn the process into a commercial opportunity—a game. Bored, wealthy Earthers have been offered a chance to participate in Operation Bounce House, shelling out big bucks to design the own war mechs and remotely pilot them from their own homes as they carry their assault on the people of New Sonora. Faced with an enemy that treats invasion like entertainment and ignores the usual rules of war, Oliver and his fellow colonists must fight to survive, forcing them to think creatively and adapt in ways they never imagined.

This one’s for all you fans of a good underdog fight. Operation Bounce House literally pits a group of farmers against a mecha army controlled by what amounts to Twitch streamers. Hardly fair, you might think, but then Oliver and his friends aren’t as helpless as they look. They’ve got a few tricks up their sleeves, along with Roger, who is hands down the best part of the book and an AI you definitely wouldn’t want to cross. If you loved the chaotic energy of the AI in Dungeon Crawler Carl, you’ll recognize a similar sass here, though Roger is very much his own entity and apparently an expert in psychological warfare who doesn’t believe there’s any such thing as going too far. He’s like that crazy scary friend you’re glad is on your side.

But despite the AI stealing the show, this is also a very human story, full of camaraderie, shared love and loss. The characters are easy to root for, and as their personal stories are gradually revealed over time, Oliver and his inner circle grow more and more relatable. They are young, many of them are still uncertain about their futures. They’re also frequently reckless, another symptom of youth, yet trying their best to hold it together even as the world implodes around them. The plot occasionally eases up on its frenetic pace to spend time on these relationships, from messy romances to sibling dynamics, and of course, these are the moments that bring warmth to a story that might otherwise feel like all action and no heart.

Thing is, though, there is plenty of faction. And it is fast and brutal. The costs of the conflict are high, and Dinniman isn’t holding back. When terrible things happen, you are going to feel it, as in there’s not much room for emotional distance. Yet at the same time, there are flashes of humor that come through here and there, often just at the right moment to offer a bit of respite against the darkness. Even so, it is fair to say this is a more somber and hard-hitting book than many of Dinniman’s readers might expect.

Still, the author’s personal interests are clearly woven throughout this novel, like the gamer logic behind the invasion, the tactical planning before and during battles, and the band rehearsals that thread through Oliver’s life. It reads like a passion project, something Dinniman genuinely wanted to explore, and that enthusiasm comes through in the heightened emotions and sharper, more pointed humor.

In the end, Operation Bounce House felt like a satisfying detour. It is darker and in a way more grounded in what I feel is more traditional science fiction, but still unmistakably Matt Dinniman in that it delivers a fantastic genre read that doesn’t feel like the same old stuff.

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If you missed the first of my 2026 book recommendations events with the Ashland Public Library last night, you can catch the video on Youtube here. While last year’s program focused on both fantasy and science fiction, I’m primarily focusing on fantasy book recommendations this year. (But if you’re looking for more science fiction books this year, Elizabeth Bear has you covered!) For the first book recommendations event of the year, I recommended a couple of epic fantasy books, a […]

The post February 2026 Virtual Book Recommendations first appeared on Fantasy Cafe.

 

The Entanglement of Rival Wizards (Magic and Romance #1)by Sara Raasch
What is it about:Will they conjure love, or evoke chaos? Two rival wizards are about to find out.
Sebastian Walsh: twenty-four. Grad student at Lesiara University in the Mageus of Evocation program. Human. The first of his family to go to college rather than the military (and it goes over at family get-togethers about as well as you’d think).
Elethior Tourael: also twenty-four. Also a grad student, but in the far more inferior Mageus of Conjuration program. Half-elf. The latest in a long line of Touraels to grace the hallowed halls of Lesiara U (what would the world do if the Touraels ran out of rich douches to lead their magical weapons manufacturing empire?).
―and the other finalist for the Mageus Research Grant.
Sebastian needs that grant to fund the last few months of research for his degree, after which he’ll get a job that actually helps people. He isn’t about to let anyone snatch this from him, least of all a snob who doesn’t even need the money because his family is loaded thanks to war profiteering.
But there’s something worse than having a conceited academic nemesis steal grant money from you: you could be forced to work with him. Thio is secretive, broody, and his stunning biceps take up far too much shared lab space―but even as volatile as their partnership is, Sebastian just might find himself falling for his rival―and it could blow up his whole future.
What did I think of it:I totally fell in love with this cover and impulse bought this book with birthday money after reading the blurb.
This is a really fun and enjoyable Fantasy Romance.
I will confess I thought Sebastian was a total ass at first. Even though the story is told from his point of view it's clear he's being immature and prejudiced toward Elithior. I really admired Elithior for not getting out a taser and zapping Sebastian into next week.
That said: I enjoyed the writing, Elithior, and Sebastian's roommate/best friend, so I gave Sebastian the benefit of the doubt. And he grew on me! Discovering a bit more about his past helped as well.
I very much enjoyed the romance, as well as the worldbuilding, the magic system, and Sebastian and Elithior's background stories which where woven into who they are and how they react to things in a believable way.
All in all a great read, and I will most certainly keep an eye out for the next book in this series, which will be about Sebastian's best friend.
Why should you read it:It's a fun and very enjoyable Fantasy Romance.

Book links: Amazon, Goodreads
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Shen Tao immigrated to Canada at an early age, and grew up inspired by both Chinese and Western stories. She has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. The Poet Empress is her first book.
Publisher: Bramble (January 20, 2026 ) Page count: 393 Formats: audiobook, ebook, paperback

I picked up The Poet Empress because several reviewers I trust wouldn’t stop talking about it. When that many sensible readers agree, I pay attention.
They were right. This is an excellent debut.
Wei Yin is a starving peasant girl in a famine-stricken empire. When she hears the heir to the throne is seeking concubines, she tries her chances. Not for romance or luxury, but for rice and hope for her family and village. So she volunteers to become a concubine to Prince Terren, a man known for cruelty.
The gossip wasn’t wrong. Prince Terren is indeed cruel and has little redeeming qualities. He tortures and then uses magic to heal the wounds he inflicts so he can begin again. The palace and other concubines are no better - jealousy, hate, and danger force Wei Yin to grow fast. Or she’s dead.
Wei’s plan is desperate and dangerous. She must learn to read and write in secret. She must craft a poem powerful enough to kill a prince. And to fuel that spell, she must understand him, perhaps even love him.
The Poet Empress does not flinch from abuse or violence. There are scenes that hurt and Tao doesn’t make Terren tragically misunderstood. He is monstrous despite his tragic backstory. As Wei uncovers fragments of his childhood and the fractured relationship between the princes, the story gains momentum and shows a brilliant, heart-wrenching family drama.
Wei herself is not a chosen one who is preternaturally clever. Tao never forgets that she is a peasant girl thrown into a political machine built to crush people like her. She makes mistakes, misjudges people, and learns slowly. That’s what makes her transformation so much better. The hopeful village girl doesn’t survive court life unchanged. She has to adapt and harden, and start playing the same ruthless games because the alternative is death.
For a debut, it’s remarkably assured. If this is Shen Tao’s starting point, I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy/ Cozy Fantasy
Length: 464 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: March 31, 2026
ASIN: B0F88WRKVG
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eGalley from NetGalley
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Mary Anning wants to be a geomagician—a paleontologist who uses fossils to wield magic—but since the Geomagical Society of London refuses to admit women, she’s stuck selling her discoveries to tourists instead. Then an ancient egg hatches in her hands, revealing a lovable baby pterodactyl that Mary names Ajax, and she knows that this is a scientific find that could make her career—if she’s strategic.

But when Mary contacts the Society about her discovery, they demand to take possession of Ajax. Their emissary is none other than Henry Stanton, a distinguished (and infuriatingly handsome) scholar . . . and the man who once broke Mary’s heart. She knows she can’t trust her fellow scholars, who want to discredit her and claim Ajax for their own, but Henry insists he believes in the brilliant Mary and only wants to help her obtain the respect she deserves.

Now Mary has a new mystery to solve that’s buried deeper than any dinosaur skeleton: She must uncover the secrets behind the Society and the truth about Henry. As her conscience begins to chafe against her ambition, Mary must decide what lengths she’s willing to go to finally belong—and what her heart really wants.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got this on ebook through NetGalley for review.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this, it sounded like a story that I would really like, and it was. The story has Victorian London vibes to it but blends that in with an alternate history were witches are real and others can learn to be geomagicians and use magic for a cost.

This is about a fossil hunter, Mary, who really wants to become part of the geomagician society in London, only issue is they don’t allow women in the society. When she accidentally finds a real live pterodactyl, things start to change. Unfortunately, political unrest in London starts to unravel everything, making her personal ambitions pale in view of civil unrest over basic human rights.

I enjoyed all the discussion about fossils, and liked the world as well (it has subtle Victorian overtones). I didn’t realize how politically heavy this was going to be, and I am not big into politically heavy reads (especially with the world as it is at the moment). However, the political aspects are tightly tied into the rest of the story and were generally well done.

I enjoyed the idea of reliquaries that hold magic and people having the ability to sell their magic. This is the main back story behind the political unrest here; the poor in London end up having to sell their magic for a pittance, and the rich in London buy up the magic and use it for excess.

Some things that held me back from loving the story were that it just wasn’t as exciting as I hoped. I mean we are talking about living dinosaurs! I think the most dire thing that happens (dinosaur-wise) is that the pterodactyl nips at someone. The pace here is also fairly slow.

I also was a bit disappointed in how the characters were portrayed at times. Mary thinks she has friends, but they are constantly helping her only when it suits their ulterior motives. This leaves Mary thinking that everyone is only helping her for their own gain (which at times that is true). While I appreciated the character complexity, I got tired of the undertone that everyone was out to get everyone else.

I will definitely keep an eye out for future books by Mandula. This was an enjoyable read after having a slew of DNF reads.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. I liked the Victorian setting with some alternate historical elements such as magic and witches. I enjoyed delving into the fossil science here as well. I generally liked the characters but wished that there wasn’t such an overtone of everyone being out for themselves. I do wish that the pace had been a bit faster and the story had been, well, just more interesting. However, this was a well done cozy fantasy read with complex politics and some intriguing magical aspects. There is a bit of romance in here as well but it very much not the main focus of the story. I would recommend to those looking for a magical, cozy, fantasy read; especially if you don’t mind some politics and science mixed in.

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Nightshade & Oak by Molly O’Neill

Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Orbit (February 3, 2026)

Length: 304 pages

Author Information: Website

Going into Nightshade & Oak, I was genuinely excited. I really enjoyed Greenteeth, and one of the things Molly O’Neill does so well is blend mythology and folklore into something that feels more personal and grounded instead of grand but distant. That said, it’s hard not to compare the books. This one had similar foundations when it comes to setting and themes, and on paper it should have worked just as well. In the end, though, I still liked it, just not nearly as much.

The story opens on a battlefield in ancient Britain, following a brutal clash between the Iceni tribe and the Roman army. Mallt Y Nos, goddess of death, walks calmly through the carnage as she has always done, guiding the souls of the fallen to the afterlife. As she stops to tend to the body of a woman, however, she senses something wrong. Unbeknownst to her, the woman’s sister had been nearby, attempting a desperate spell to save her gravely wounded sibling. Instead, the magic backfires, catching Mallt in its effects and turning her mortal. Furious at the loss of her divinity, Mallt now must contend with all the physical weaknesses of having a human body, leaving her no choice but to bargain with the woman responsible if she hopes to reclaim her powers.

That woman turns out to be Belis, the magically gifted warrior daughter of Queen Boudicca. In trying to help her sister Cati’s soul, which is lingering in an in-between state, Belis has unwittingly bound her fate to a goddess, albeit a now diminished one. Still, Belis knows Mallt holds the key to reaching Annwn, the Otherworld, and will need a guide to survive and navigate her new mortal reality. If they can endure each other long enough to reach the realm of the dead, Belis may yet have another chance to save Cati. Reluctantly, the two women form a tenuous alliance, their goals aligned for now. But as they journey across the war-torn landscape, their quest grows ever more complicated and dangerous, especially with Roman forces on their tail, determined to hunt down the last surviving daughter of Boudicca and crush the rebellion for good.

Like Greenteeth, this novel is heavily inspired by folklore but it also weaves in historical events and figures anchored in real history. The author’s affinity for the mythology behind Mallt Y Nos is obvious here, and I liked her take on goddess’s story. At the same time, I couldn’t help feeling that the historical framework boxed the story in a bit. In a way, Boudicca’s fate, and by extension her daughters’, is a weight that hangs over everything.

Tonally, Nightshade & Oak is also a lot darker. There is war and reminders of it everywhere, creating an undercurrent of inevitability running through the story. That itself is not a flaw, of course, but I did miss the slightly offbeat charm and warmth that made the plot and characters of Greenteeth so endearing. Sure, Mallt’s adjustment to mortality has its moments, especially in the beginning, but overall, she and Belis didn’t quite win me over the same way. Even as their relationship deepened into something more towards the end, there was still that disconnect, largely because I never felt fully invested in it to begin with.

To O’Neill’s credit though, the plot here is much more ambitious, not simply a “go here, fetch this/fix that, rinse and repeat as necessary, then go home” structure. The stakes begin remarkably high and they keep expanding as the story builds. While Mallt and Belis are indeed set on a quest, it’s one that grows ever more complex than it first appears. And I admired that. That said, parts of the middle dragged, and I found it more difficult to stay engaged during those sections. The added layers made it richer, but also occasionally slower and more uneven.

In the end, Nightshade & Oak is a solid read and there’s a lot to love here with its themes of myth and history, gods made human, and love shaped by war. And yet, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing, perhaps that extra spark or emotional pull to truly bring it to life. Even so, I’ll absolutely keep reading whatever Molly O’Neill writes next, the promise of creative ideas blending history and fantasy always drawing me back.

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Looks like this is a re-release (and probably partly rewritten to add romance) of a book published in 2024, but it sure sounds fun.

Hopeless Necromanticby Shiloh Briar
When new recruit Helspira takes on the doomed mission that no other soldier wants, life - and death - start to get a little complicated.
Helspira must play escort to Sikras - a frustratingly handsome necromancer with the power to raise the dead - as he attempts a mission that he's failed twice before; stopping an undead army at the edges of the kingdom.
No-one thinks he will succeed. Not even Sikras. But the more time the two spend together, the more they find they can imagine a brighter future. As secrets come out and the two grow closer - and Sikras's lively skeleton companion Benjamin tries desperately not to be a third wheel - will Sikras' and Helspira's changing feelings for each other be enough to overcome the growing danger?
Expected Publication: 7 augustus 2025

 

Buy Green & Deadly Things

FORMAT/INFO: Green & Deadly Things was published on March 3rd, 2026 by Tor Books. It is 368 pages long and available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: In days of old, the Grim Lords ruled the land, nearly destroying their world with their dark necromantic powers. Although the Grim Lords have faded into legend, remnants of their magic remain, and the Idallik Knights exist to destroy that power wherever it lingers. But when a new threat faces the kingdom, novitiate Mathaiik wakes a Grim Lord in a desperate gambit to save the fortress where he trains. But waking Kaiataris reveals even more problems. This land is trapped in a cycle of raising chaos and order - and if Mathaiik and Kaiataris can't work to find a way to balance those forces, life across the continent will be wiped out.

Green & Deadly Things is a cinematic thrill ride that lacks fully developed characters to back it up. On the plus side, I can fully see the movie version of this book. There's a creepy plant enemy, an order of knights that uses elemental magic, and a whole lot of great action scenes. The author knows how to keep the plot moving, zipping you from one end of the country to the other as our heroes try to find a way to deal with the multiple threats facing the nation.

But with the snappiness of an action film comes the flimsiness of action characters. Most people you encounter along the journey are fairly flat, reduced to one or two traits. There's no real depth or history for most people outside the two main characters, and even they are fairly thin. The main villain is just out to rule the world; even with the stakes as high as the end of all life, I found myself simply not caring by the end of the book. The stakes just weren't personal enough. Even the romance felt by the numbers at best.

Green & Deadly Things is a great book for those who want a plot driven adventure. If you want to dash about a magical world from fight scene to chase sequence to fight scene, this will fit the ticket nicely. As someone who values characters over plot, I struggled a bit with this one, even though I've enjoyed the author's past works immensely. At the end of the day, this feels like a movie script adapted to book instead of the other way around, and as much as I enjoy a popcorn flick, this just didn't quite work for me as much as I'd hoped.

 

Six Scorched Roses (Crowns of Nyaxia #1.5)by Carissa Broadbent)
What is it about:Six roses. Six vials of blood. Six visits to a vampire who could be her salvation… or her damnation.
Lilith has been dying since the day she was born. But while she long ago came to terms with her own imminent death, the deaths of everyone she loves is an entirely different matter. As her town slowly withers in the clutches of a mysterious god-cursed illness, she takes matters into her own hands.
Desperate to find a cure, Lilith strikes a bargain with the only thing the gods hate even more than her village: a vampire, Vale. She offers him six roses in exchange for six vials of vampire blood–the one hope for her town’s salvation.
But when what begins as a simple transaction gradually becomes something more, Lilith is faced with a terrifying realization: It’s dangerous to wander into the clutches of a vampire… and in a place already suffering a god’s wrath, more dangerous still to fall in love with one.
What did I think of it:First: a confession: I totally tried to read and failed to finish The Serpent and the Wings of Night.I really liked the writing and worldbuilding, but I loathed Oraya and Raihn. This whole lets act awful toward each other instead of just f@ck and get it out of our system is not my thing! No live or death tournament could persuade me to keep reading about those two jerks.
So it was with a bit of apprehension that I picked this novella up. And I totally fell in love!
This is such an amazing story. I loved Lilith from the start, and then Vale was introduced and he's amazing as well. I read this novella in one sitting, and I will most certainly reread it in the near future.
As I mentioned: Broadbent's worldbuilding is great, I loved discovering all about this world and its vampires and religion. The romance was sweet and intense at the same time, and everything I wish was in The Serpent and the Wings of Night. I will not give that book another try, but I might investigate other books by Broadbent.
Why should you read it:It's a wonderful Fantasy Romance read.

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy/ Paranormal/ Manga
Length: 186 pages
Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: December 16, 2025
ASIN: B0FGX7L2JM
Stand Alone or Series: 34th volume in the Black Butler series
Source: Bought in Paperback
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Compared to the evils Finny and Snake were expecting in the wake of the Sphere Music Hall’s carnage, F.O.L. appears to be on the up-and-up. Here, the orphans receive a progressive, sophisticated education and the skills they’ll need to serve their new family after fledging. But a young girl’s abrupt departure piques the curiosity of Finny, Snake, and certain students. As they follow the clues, their instincts, and the most recently fledged child―what secrets might the grounds of this orphanage whisper in the dark of night…?”

Series Info/Source: This is the 34th volume in the Black Butler series. I bought this in paperback format.

Thoughts: It took me a bit to get back into this story (it would be nice if these had a quick synopsis up front). This book is more about the Aurora Society, which is a storyline that I have not been loving all that much. The illustration remains beautiful, and I did enjoy some of the new characters introduced.

I had forgotten that we were heading to the orphanage, F.O.L, to follow another part of the Aurora Society storyline. Finny and Snake head there posing as new staff, and at first, everything looks fine. Finny is surprised to see that his old friend from the circus, Doll, is there as well. However, things take a suspicious turn when one of the students has a Fledgling Day and mysteriously disappears. Finny and Snake end up joining forces with the other head students to solve the mystery of what happens to students after their Fledgling Day. They end up finding out that both F.O.L and Doll are not at all what they appear to be.

I continue to enjoy the illustration here, and it was fun to spend time with Finny and Snake. I didn’t love the story as much though. This Aurora Society storyline is getting old and felt boring to me last volume, and this volume wasn’t much better. However, once I remembered what was going on again I did get sucked into the mystery of solving what was happening at F.O.I. Some of the new characters introduced were fun as well (I really liked Theo).

I am kind of on the fence with this one. We have really strayed from some of the original storyline and seem to be stuck with this Aurora Society one, which I wish would wrap up soon. I have been missing Ciel and Sebastian, we don’t see them at all in this volume. I was wavering between 3 and 4 stars for this one because we just haven’t been making a lot of progress here. I went with 4 stars because I still enjoy the illustration, liked some of the new characters, and did end up getting sucked in to this mystery.

My Summary (4/5): Overall this is a decent addition to the Black Butler series but is still stuck in the Aurora Society storyline which is really starting to feel old to me. I miss some of my favorite characters (Ciel and Sebastian) which have been practically non-exisitant the last few volumes. I will continue reading this series because I feel like I’ve been reading it forever at this point, but the last few volumes have definitely been slower and less exciting than previous volumes.

The guy from Mars didn't know I was coming. "Hi?" he says, with an upward inflection that asks who I am, what I want, and why I'm standing here when he's already checked everybody off his list.

(page 1, Red Star Rebels by Amy Kaufman)

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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!

 

A young girl named Leena is desperate to save her ailing brother pleads her case to the Saint of Silence (AKA St. Silas), the most dangerous man in the city. He collects secrets and more, but in turn, provides the bearer of those secrets with their heart’s desire. Leena’s secret – she can see the…

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy/LitRPG
Length: 16 hours and 57 minutes
Publisher: Soundbooth Theater
Release Date: August 16, 2023
ASIN: B0CDCM4F92
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Mimic & Me series
Source: Audiobook from Audible
Rating: 3/5 stars

“Damon has become a monster…sort of.

Betrayed and left for dead by a group of slaving nobles, he thought there was nothing left but to bleed out as he counted the number of bricks on the ceiling. But fate had other plans.

Moments before Damon’s death, a gelatinous, gluttonous mimic reveals itself to him. Fearing a more gruesome and horrible death down the mimic’s gullet, Damon offers the food in his pack—sandwiches, cookies, and everything else! Encouraged by the (admittedly forced) generosity, the Mimic fuses with Damon, enhancing his body and transforming him into a half-man half-mimic monstrosity.

Once a poor, down-on-his-luck scout, Damon now has new capabilities far beyond anything anyone on Basania has seen before.

The only problem? His new bodymate’s insatiable hunger for cake…and human flesh.”

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Mimic & Me series. I got this on audiobook from Audible.com.

Thoughts: This was an okay LitRPG. I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook quality was amazing. I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the characters here, but the premise is unique and fun. I never found myself really drawn into the story at all. The writing was only so-so and the dialogue felt awkward.

Damon is a Scout. Scouts are lower class adventurers in The System; they are taken advantage of by the nobles and never allowed to advance. All that changes for Damon when he offers a Mimic a sandwich, and the Mimic decides to merge with Damon. Now Damon is something very different, and he can gain powers, levels, and new skills by eating other adventurers. I mean it is a bit yucky but Damon is kind of here for it.

What did I like about this….Well, the audiobook quality was amazing, and the Mimic voices were especially well done. The premise is intriguing, and I thought watching Damon gain new and unique powers in odd ways was somewhat interesting.

What did I not like about this book? Well, all of the characters in here are kind of jerks and mostly out for themselves. I didn’t really enjoy any of them. Partly because of this, I never really found myself engaged in the story. The other reason it was hard to engage in the story is that this is basically a party-building book. Throughout the book, Damon encounters new people that end up joining him, hence forming an adventuring party by the end of the book. There isn’t a solid main storyline really.

I also struggled with the world here; it is controlled by The System which is never well explained. It is just accepted that all these characters live in this odd System run world. I am going to assume later books in the series get into that more, but I will never find out because I didn’t enjoy this enough to continue the series. The writing here is okay but not great, dialogue is awkward at times, and the pacing is only so-so.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this was an okay LitRPG with an intriguing premise that ended up not being all that engaging. I liked the premise and the audiobook quality. I didn’t enjoy the characters, the world, or the lack of an engaging story. I finished it but won’t be reading any other books in the series. If you enjoy classic dungeon delvers but with a twist and mean characters and lack of world-building don’t bother you, give this a try, I guess. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t that good either.

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Mystery, Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Penguin Audio (January 20, 2026)

Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins

Author Information: Website

Narrators: Anna Caputo, Saskia Maarleveld, Ari Fliakos

Simone St. James is one of those authors whose work I’ll happily read without needing to know much going in because I’m just so confident that she’ll deliver. Which is why I went into A Box Full of Darkness almost completely blind, preferring to be surprised. As such, it’s safe to say I had high expectations, but this book still managed to blow me away. From the start, the very moment I realized we would be heading back to Fell, New York, I just knew this was going to be something special.

If you’ve read the author’s The Sun Down Motel, the setting is going to feel familiar. While it’s not a perquisite, returning readers will catch the subtle references and understand the layers of uneasiness that seem to permeate the small town. A Box Full of Darkness is a new story, centering on Violet, Vail, and Dodie Esmie, three siblings who reunite at their childhood home in Fell after being summoned by what they believe is the specter of their younger brother Ben, who disappeared years ago when he was only six years old. “Come home,” was what the message had said. The siblings had never been able to deny their beloved Ben anything when he was still with them, and they can’t now either.

Violet, the oldest, has always seen ghosts, and she has no doubt in the significance of those two simple words. Vail, the middle child, has been making a living as a UFO investigator, drawn to the otherworldly and unexplained in order to fill the void left by Ben’s mysterious disappearance. And then there’s Dodie, a hand and hair model whose unresolved grief from losing her little brother has left her unable to form healthy emotional relationships. Of course, everything changes now that it appears Ben is back, even if it’s not in the way they’d hoped. But is the message really from him? Or might it be something far more sinister?

That hook alone is hard to resist, containing echoes of a haunted house story but also with strong emphasis on family relationships and shared trauma. Each sibling carries the loss of Ben differently, with the bulk of the first half delving into how the boy’s disappearance has defined their lives in separate ways. To be clear, if you’re looking for a horror novel that dives straight into the thrills and chills, this isn’t that kind of book. It’s slower, more deliberate, and very much character driven. That’s what ultimately gives this story its weight.

It’s also why the multiple perspectives work so well here. Alternating POVs between the siblings reinforces the tensions embedded in their shared history, and St. James gives each of them a distinct voice, their individual personalities coming through loud and clear in the audiobook. Dodie’s narration is flippant and performative, projecting a confidence that masks her fragility. Vail carries a heavy burden of guilt, convinced that if he had acted differently, the outcome might have changed. And then there’s Violet, whose ability to see ghosts has shaped her life in the most heartbreaking ways, forcing her to hide a part of herself, leading to a breakdown, a divorce, and a strained relationship with her daughter. At times, we experience the same memory or event in slightly different ways, depending on how it is remembered.

The horror itself is classic St. James. This is a paranormal story, but doesn’t play out like a conventional haunting, even if it does contain a few familiar elements. The mystery surrounding Ben unfolds in ways that feel unexpected, and I liked that it avoids the most predictable ideas. The style here is subtle, eerie, and atmosphere-heavy, perfect for creating a sense of dread by accumulation, where every odd sighting or fragment of local lore adds to the town’s mystique. Fell becomes much like Stephen King’s Derry or Hawkins in Stranger Things, a place that feels complicit in the horror.

In the end, A Box Full of Darkness is definitely one of Simone St. James’ stronger novels, and it made for an absolutely brilliant listen in audio format. It’s a paranormal horror that hits all the right notes, with family drama and a payoff that is absolutely worth it. If we get more books set in Fell, I’m all for it. Already looking forward to what she writes next.

It’s well known that a genre  – any genre – often relies on its tropes – some might say cliches. You know, fantasy involves elves, dragons and swords, SF involves spaceships, and so on. It’s part of the fun, and also the elements that fans love. To that group I must add the preponderance of…

 

The Seventh Brideby T. Kingfisher
What is it about:Young Rhea is a miller’s daughter of low birth, so she is understandably surprised when a mysterious nobleman, Lord Crevan, shows up on her doorstep and proposes marriage. Since commoners don’t turn down lords—no matter how sinister they may seem—Rhea is forced to agree to the engagement.
Lord Crevan demands that Rhea visit his remote manor before their wedding. Upon arrival, she discovers that not only was her betrothed married six times before, but his previous wives are all imprisoned in his enchanted castle. Determined not to share their same fate, Rhea asserts her desire for freedom. In answer, Lord Crevan gives Rhea a series of magical tasks to complete, with the threat “Come back before dawn, or else I’ll marry you.”
With time running out and each task more dangerous and bizarre than the last, Rhea must use her resourcefulness, compassion, and bravery to rally the other wives and defeat the sorcerer before he binds her to him forever.
What did I think of it:This is a very interesting and cool reimagining of Bluebeard.
I was invested from the start and loved finding about all of Lord Crevan's wives. Rhea is a great lead character and she encounters lots of fun and creepy things on her quest to save herself and the other wives.
So yet another book for the keeper shelves.
Why should you read it:It's a cool fairytale reimagining.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 416 pages
Publisher: Hodderscape
Release Date: February 19, 2026
ASIN: B0DZ243W7W
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Brilliant Soul Duology
Source: eGalley from NetGalley
Rating: 3/5 stars

“In a holy walled city where sin and sanctity are revealed through touch, Csilla – a girl born without a soul – is worth little to the Church that raised her. But when a series of murders corrodes the faithful magic that keep the city safe, the Church elders see a use for her flaw: she can assassinate their prime suspect, a heretic with divine heritage, without risking the stain of sin.

The heretic, however, makes Csilla a counteroffer: clear his name by helping him catch the real killer, and he’ll use his angelic gifts to grant her very own soul. Meanwhile, ruthless Ilan, desperate to earn back his position as Church Inquisitor, sees the case as his chance at redemption: he’ll bring in the murderer – or, failing that, Csilla and the heretic – and regain his title.

But as the death toll rises, and their hunt pits them against the all-powerful and callous Faith, Csilla finds herself torn. Will her salvation come at the cost of everything she believes in?”

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in The Brilliant Soul Duology. I got a copy of this on ebook through NetGalley.

Thoughts: I enjoyed the atmospheric writing and the intriguing world here. This is a dark world, and the city we spend our time in runs off of religion, and not in a happy, positive way. However, the lack of any engagement with the characters and the slow pace of the story had me constantly putting this down. I ended up giving this up at 40% of the way in (adding to my rather large DNF pile so far this year).

The story follows two points of view. The first is that of Csilla who has been trained by the church as Mercy. She goes out into the city and helps the poor. She also doesn’t seem to have a soul, which makes her lesser in the eyes of the Church. She is tasked with the job of poisoning a troublesome religious rebel, something that goes completely against the healing nature of a Mercy but feels she has no choice but to comply. The second POV is that of Ilan, who is a church Inquisitor. Ilan has a fondness for order and torture but is slowly loosing his status within the church. With a serial killer on the loose in the city and the seal failing, Ilan is trying to root out the source of this evil without loosing his coveted position of Inquisitor.

Like the last book I read, I really struggled with the characters here. I just never engaged with them or enjoyed them. Csilla comes off as incredibly naive, I know she is supposed to be gentle and caring because she was raised as a Mercy. However, you can be those things without being naive. She has been going out and caring for the sick and injured for years; you would think she would be more worldly. Ilan, the church Inquisitor, is an intriguingly complex character but was also very creepy. Then there is the Izar, who is part angel and comes across as a creepy and manipulative jerk.

While I did enjoy the serial killer mystery in this, I was frustrated at how unfocused the story was and at how slow the pacing was. Are we trying to solve Csilla’s lack of soul?, are we part of an insurrection?, are we solving a series of murders?…who knows. This is more a soap opera about these characters rather twisted lives than it is a good mystery. In the end, the slow pace and wandering story was not for me, and I stopped reading this about 40% of the way in.

I did enjoy the setting here and this dark religious city steeped in tradition and lore. There is a lot about angels and demons lurking around the edge of this story, but all of that never seems to become a big part of the story. The serial killer leaving demonic messages on bodies was intriguing but kept falling to the wayside throughout the book. I just didn’t have the patience for this.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this book has some strong points; I loved the dark and atmospheric setting and this darkly religious world hiding from demons. Some of the plot points were intriguing, like the serial killer on the loose and Csilla’s lack of a soul. However, I did not enjoy the characters, felt like the story was poorly paced, and that the plot wandered a lot. I also just don’t generally like stories heavily based around religion. If you are looking for a dark fantasy that focuses on religious corruption, you might enjoy this. It just wasn’t for me.