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Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 476 pages
Publisher: Entangled: Rebellion Publishing Ltd
Release Date: May 10, 2022
ASIN: B09SVVVXKR
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Borrowed ebook from library
Rating: 5/5 stars

“Fleeing the final days of the generations-long war with the alien Felen, smuggler Jereth Keeven’s freighter the Jonah breaks down in a strange rift in deep space, with little chance of rescue—until they encounter the research vessel Gallion, which claims to be from 152 years in the future.

The Gallion’s chief engineer Uma Ozakka has always been fascinated with the past, especially the tale of the Fortunate Five, who ended the war with the Felen. When the Gallion rescues a run-down junk freighter, Ozakka is shocked to recognize the Five’s legendary ship—and the Five’s famed leader, Eldric Leesongronski, among the crew.

But nothing else about Leesongronski and his crewmates seems to match up with the historical record. With their ships running out of power in the rift, more than the lives of both crews may be at stake…”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I borrowed this on ebook through my library.

Thoughts: I ended up thoroughly enjoying this sci-fi story about time travel and its inevitability. The characters are very well done, and the story is cleverly woven together. The mystery really pulls the reader along, and there are fun twists throughout the story, even up until the very end. This is action packed and hard to put down.

Jereth Keevan’s freighter breaks down in a strange rift in deep space during the final days of a war with the Felen. The Gallion (a research ship) finds themselves trapped in the same strange rift. When the two ships discover each other in the rift, they find out that their timelines seem to be 152 years apart. Keevan’s crew should be from the past, and the Gallion crew should know that past well, however nothing is matching up. Both crews are forced to put aside this mystery to escape this rift alive.

This book jumps back and forth between current time (in the rift) and each of the characters’ pasts. This was very well done and really allows us to get to know the individual characters and the reasons behind their actions better. The jumps back in time relate to something happening in present time, so the switches in POV and time worked really well together and didn’t seem jarring or hard to follow.

I found this book incredibly engaging, fast-paced, and surprising. I enjoyed every second of reading this and looked forward to picking it up to read. Between this book, “God’s Junk Drawer”, and “Light from Uncommon Stars”, I have been on a bit of a sci-fi kick, I guess. I have read some excellent sci-fi reads this month.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I really loved this. I loved the unique way the story was put together, the characters, the fast-pace, and the constant surprises. This book kept me very engaged and was hard to put down. I loved the way everything came together in the end and enjoyed the twists and turns that were thrown at the reader. I definitely plan on checking out Hutchings’ other novels.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 628 pages
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Release Date: November 11, 2025
ASIN: B0DVJNMD3C
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Bought on ebook
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

“Forty years ago, the Gather family—James, his daughter Beau, and his son Billy—vanished during a whitewater rafting trip and were presumed dead.

Five years later, Billy reappeared on the far side of the world, telling an impossible tale of a primordial valley populated by dinosaurs, aliens, Neanderthals, and androids. Little Billy became the punchline of so very many jokes, until he finally faded from the public eye.

Now, a group of graduate astronomy students follow their professor, Noah Barnes, up a mountain for what they believe is a simple stargazing trip. But they’re about to travel a lot farther than they planned …

Noah—the now grown Billy Gather—has finally figured out how to get back to the valley. Accidentally bringing his students along with him, he’s confident he can get everyone back home, safe and sound.

But the valley is a puzzle—one it turns out Noah hasn’t figured out—and they’ll need to solve it together if there’s any chance of making it out alive.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I bought this for ebook.

Thoughts: I enjoyed the puzzle behind this strange story. It has elements of time travel, dinosaurs, aliens, and general strangeness. It moved along at a decent pace and kept me guessing as to where the story was going.

The Gather family disappeared on a whitewater rafting trip and, five years one of the Gather family members (Billy) returned on the other side of the world. Billy had stories about a valley of dinosaurs and Neaderthals, but of course everyone assumed he was a traumatized kid. Billy changed his name to Noah, became a professor, and spent his career learning quantum physics. Now it’s time to for Noah to go back to the mysterious valley of his childhood. Unfortunately, he accidentally drags some grad students along with him. Noah was confident he could get them all home, but things have changed in the valley and now he is not so sure.

There were a few things about this story that really grabbed me and kept me turning pages. The first was the mystery of the valley and how (and why) it had changed over time. The second was the pure wonder of strange things that were found within the valley; you never really knew what you were going to find when you turned the next page.

I enjoyed the characters here. They don’t have a ton of depth to them, but they are entertaining. There is a pretty high (and swift) body count in this book, so it’s best not to get too attached to anyone. Noah/Billy is a bit of a puzzle and I found his stubbornness in admitting things had changed a bit frustrating. Although to be fair, he had been planning this return to the valley his whole life, and to have it all go so amiss had to be mind boggling.

I ended up liking how the story wrapped up. At first I wasn’t sure how aliens, dinosaurs, Neaderthals and robots were going to come together in a cohesive story but Clines made it work. He made it work in a way that was cohesive, easy to follow, and entertaining. Whenever I want something a bit weird and quirky, I pick up a Clines book and am never disappointed.

My Summary (4.5/5): Overall I really enjoyed this. This story is a bit weird and different, but I liked that it kept me guessing and really enjoyed the wonder of all the weird surprises throughout. If you are looking for an odd mystery adventure story that involves dinosaurs, Neaderthals, aliens, and robots, I would recommend. Trust me, it all works together great and will keep you on your toes. Can’t wait to see what Clines comes up with next!

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Paranornal Mystery
Length: 4 hours and 55 minutes
Publisher: Sittin’ on a Goldmine Productions LLC
Release Date: February 28, 2022
ASIN: B09TLF5FJ1
Stand Alone or Series: 4th book in the Mitzy Moon Mysteries series
Source: Bought on Audiobook
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Mitzy Moon’s clairvoyant abilities are growing, but she never predicted arson. After waking to a towering inferno and loading her mentor into an ambulance, she thought things couldn’t get worse. But when the sheriff links her father to the blaze, she’s forced to take the case.

Coming up empty on love and leads pushes Mitzy to unnecessary risks. Now her otherworldly helpers, a nosy Ghost-ma and a fiendish feline, are the only ones who can save her bacon. But with break-ins, Bingo, and big storms stalling out her investigation, she may not be able to keep her dad out of jail.

Can Mitzy dig up the right clues, or will she fall for a sinister plot that puts her six feet under?”

Series Info/Source: This is the 4th book in the Mitzy Moon Mysteries series. I bought this for audiobook.

Thoughts: This was a well written book in the Mitzy Moon Mysteries. I do think that this book is better written than the previous books were. Mitzy is starting to really grow on me as a character and I enjoy many of the side characters as well. The mysteries are well done, and the supernatural elements are subtle but getting more intriguing with each book.

Mitzy wakes up to find the building next to the bookshop on fire and a dead body is found in the blaze. Of course, Mitzy’s father is linked to the incident. Mitzy must work double time and use all of the illegal scrabble facts she learned from her Ghost-ma to solve the mystery and make sure the truth is known.

While this series is a bit too fluffy for me at times, I am growing to enjoy it. I originally picked up the first three book set for audiobook because I was looking for a 4-5 hour audiobook I could read on my monthly road trips for work, which are about 4hrs total (there and back). This whole series has been a easy, quick listen that I don’t have to focus on too hard.

Initially I was not a fan of Mitzy, but she is rapidly maturing and growing as the series continues. She’s learning from her mistakes and really starting to put her newfound fortune to great use. I still enjoy some of the side characters a bit more than Mitzy but I am starting to really like Mitzy as well. We learn a bit more about her background in each book and she starts to show a bit more emotion and vulnerability as well.

There is a well-done mystery here. You have the main mystery with the building that burned down and the body found there, which I enjoyed. However, the side stories around Rory coming to town and Mitzy’s powers growing also both make progress as well. I love a good mystery that has a contained story and progresses a larger story that spans multiple books as well.

The narration for this is well done. There are a couple of small incidents where the narrator seems to confuse voices for a moment or two, but overall, this is easy to listen to and is done well.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I thought this was the most enjoyable book of the series so far. I am really growing the love Mitzy and continue to enjoy all the side characters. I like the shorter mysteries in each book but enjoy that the broader story behind Mitzy’s powers is making progress as well. I look forward to the next book in this series, “Charms and Firearms”.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic
Length: 300 pages
Publisher: Montlake
Release Date: October 1, 2025
ASIN: B0DW4HPCMF
Stand Alone or Series: Sttand Alone
Source: Kindle First Reads
Rating: 2/5 stars

“Casey Pearson grew up with a doomsday-prepping father. At eighteen, tired of living an unconventional life, she left home, vowing never to return.

More than a decade later, a mysterious viral outbreak changes everything, including the people it infects, turning them into zombielike creatures. It’s the end of the world, and no one saw it coming—well, except for Casey’s father. With no place left to run and danger lurking around every corner, Casey is forced to return home.

Upon arrival, she’s surprised to find that her dad has hunkered down with a group of survivors, including her archnemesis, Blake Morrison, the high school bully who made Casey’s teenage years a living hell.

While struggling to live on the compound, face outside threats, and survive alongside her handsome enemy, Casey will learn that although the world has ended, hers is just beginning.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got this on ebook from Kindle First Reads.

Thoughts: This was an easy and quick read, and I appreciated how Rose tried to combine a zombie apocalypse story with an enemies to lovers comedy romance. The characters were immature, and the action scenes poorly written. The ending was just unhinged…and not in a good way.

After the death of her mother, Casey’s father changed into a huge doomsday prepper. Casey, unlike her classmates, spent every hour of her free time digging trenches and prepping for an apocalypse. Her classmates, especially Blake Morrison, teased her relentlessly. Fast forward to present day where Casey is doing her residency as a medical doctor. She hasn’t talked to her dad in years and is engaged to a perfectly nice fellow doctor. Then the world ends, and Casey is left running for her life to seek shelter at the very compound she helped build, only to find her worst enemy (Blake) is also taking shelter there.

This is a cute story with some gruesome zombie apocalypse elements. I enjoyed the premise of their being different types of results of this viral infection (biters, nomes, and nothing). I also enjoyed Casey’s background being raised as a prepper; it left her much more aware and able to survive, and explained her ability to “make it” in this world. After the beginning of the book, there isn’t a ton of plot here.

There were a number of things I thought were just okay or flat out didn’t like. Casey acts very immature for her age and makes some bad decisions that are very out of character and seem to be there only to move the plot forward (especially at the end of the book). When she and Blake are reunited, Blake acts like a colossal asshole, which is odd for someone who wants to apologize and get to know Casey better. It seems borderline abusive, and I didn’t really enjoy their relationship. The characters in here have very little depth and are all stereotypes of characters you have already read about. The dialogue is immature, more like middle-schoolers arguing, than snappy or witty.

The way weapons were used throughout was silly and inaccurate. Casey using throwing stars to “one-shot” everything is a fantasy that doesn’t even happen in fantasies. This bothered me throughout the story, throwing stars just don’t do that much damage. The action scenes in general needed work and were poorly written and hard to follow.

The end of this book made absolutely no sense to me. I am not sure if it is setting up for a sequel or trying to make the point that this is a treacherous world now. It felt clunky and awkward. I thought I had missed a chapter or something and went back to make sure I hadn’t accidentally missed a part, but no….it was just a really awkward ending.

My Summary (2/5): Overall this was a quick, mildly entertaining read with an intriguing premise around zombies that quickly gets dropped and wanders into a somewhat absurd rom-com tale instead. I thought the characters were immature and didn’t like the chemistry between Blake and Casey. The action scenes are poorly written with a lot of inaccuracies (even trying to look past my disbelief that you can kill someone with a ninja star to the head from a long distance). The ending was the worst part, not making sense and stopping completely in the middle of a scene. This needed better editing. It was a quick read, so I didn’t waste a ton of time on it, but I don’t plan on picking up any more Jeneva Rose books in the future.

I guess if you aren’t fan of zombie/fantasy literature and are looking for a gory rom-com that dips a toe into the zombie/fantasy world you might enjoy this. Anyone who has read a lot of zombie stories or is big into fantasy will be frustrated by all the inaccuracies and poor portrayals here. I actually didn’t like the romance that much either, but some people might be into “that big strong man being verbally abusive when he really wants to apologize” vibe…I am not one of those people.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 365 pages
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: September 28, 2021
ASIN: B08QGJDSCK
Stand Alone or Series: Sttand Alone
Source: Borrowed ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 5/5 stars

“Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six.

When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka’s ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She’s found her final candidate.

But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn’t have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan’s kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul’s worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline.

As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I borrowed this from Kindle Unlimited on ebook.

Thoughts: This is one of the odder books I have read. I thought I was starting some sort of sci fi read, and it kind of is that, but it is so much more too. There is an ex-violin player cursed to send souls to hell, an alien running to Earth to protect her family by getting them set up to run a donut shop, a violin maker who is plagued by her family past, and a transgender runaway trying just to get people to accept her for who she is. It was a lot, but I was impressed with how seamlessly the story was woven together and by how hard this was to put down. It is a very different story, and I was impressed by how unique it was. I loved the ending as well.

The story follows three main characters. Katrina Nguyen is transgender and has runaway from an abusive home; she is incredibly talented at playing violin but struggling to make ends meet. Shuzuka Satomi is looking for her last victim; she made a deal with the devil and has delivered six of the seven souls she promised. Lan Tran is trying to run a donut shop, which is tougher than it sounds since she is an alien refugee fleeing a war and she is trying to provide for her whole family. All three women become entangled together, and things don’t turn out how any of them expect.

The writing is very well done and flows well. We jump between three main different viewpoints (with a couple others thrown in), but the story never feels fractured or hard to follow. This was a story that kept me interested and guessing; I struggled to put it down. I have honestly been struggling a bit with finding books that really grab me; sometimes, everything I read seems like something else I have already read. This book stood out from the crowd by being unique and different as well as thought-provoking and entertaining.

I really loved everything about this book. The characters have a lot of depth and are interesting; the story had a lot of different threads and they are masterfully woven together; and I just never knew what was going to happen next, so the story kept me interested.

There are heavy themes here around being people cruel to things/people they don’t understand (especially regarding people from a different background, women, or people with different sexuality) and around being true to yourself and finding a family and place where you belong. They were addressed very thoughtfully and wrapped in with an intriguing story.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I really loved this strange book about donuts, aliens, music, and souls. This was very well written, had excellent characters, and a unique storyline that was masterfully woven together. I would recommend this if the synopsis sounds intriguing to you and will definitely keep my eye out for future books by Aoki.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 256 pages
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: May 5, 2026
ASIN: B0FMSC5S4W
Stand Alone or Series: 8th book in The Murderbot Diaries
Source: eGalley from NetGalley for Review
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Having someone else support your bad decision feels kind of good.

After volunteering to run a rescue mission, Murderbot realizes that it will have to spend significant time with a bunch of humans it doesn’t know.

Including human children. Ugh.

This may well call for… eye contact!

(Emotion check: Oh, for f—)”

Series Info/Source: This is 8th book The Murderbot Diaries. I got an eGalley of this from NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: The last book in the Murderbot Diaries was published in Nov of 2023, so it’s been quite awhile since we’ve seen a new Murderbot book. As a result the beginning of this book, which jumps straight into action, is incredibly confusing. As the story continues, we do get clarification about what is going on, but I was nearly 30% of the way in before I figured out why Murderbot was doing what it was doing and why it was where it was.

The beginning of this book has Murderbot and Three infiltrating a massive rotating space station shaped like a torus, things go sideways when Barish-Estranza troops show up. I was quite sure why Murderbot and Three were infiltrating this space station until much further into the story. You are plopped straight into the action, which was a bit confusing.

Once I got about 40% of the way in, I was fully engaged in the story, understood what Murderbot was doing, and didn’t want to put the story down. However, that first third was pretty clunky and confusing. If you are going to take years between publishing books in a series, you have to give at least a few sentences of recap at the beginning. Not all readers go back and re-read the whole series before the next book or even have access to the previous books in the series.

I enjoyed Murderbot’s normal sardonic comments and also enjoyed the new “emotion check” functions. I didn’t feel like Murderbot grew much as a character in this book. This story felt very much like filler to me and was a bit disappointing. I didn’t feel like it progressed Preservation’s story much or really progressed any larger storyline at all. It was a very compact and separate story from the rest of the series. Additionally, the way the book wrapped up was incredibly abrupt. I was left feeling like, uh, okay I guess the book’s done then.

I would love to feel like that is a broader story arc here that is making progress, but at this point, I think we are just reading about instances in Murderbot’s existence. Which is fine, I guess. I just really loved where some of the previous books were going, and this feels so much like filler to me.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed revisiting Murderbot and this world. I was disappointed at how confusing the first part of the book was and at how abruptly the story ended. The second half was action-packed, and the book was very hard to put down for that portion. All of this left me a bit confused about how to rate this book. The first part 3 stars, the middle to end portion 5 stars, then the end 3 stars…so I settled on 4 stars. I will definitely continue to read this series but feel like this book wasn’t as good as come of the previous books.

In March I read 10 books. You can see the reviews for all of them, which ones were my favorite, etc. below. Hope you all had a great month of reading!

I started the following series:

• None

I finished the following series:

• Redemptor (Raybearer, Book 2) by Jordan Ifueko (5/5 stars)

My Favorite Books of the Month Were:

• Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett (5/5 stars)
• Redemptor (Raybearer, Book 2) by Jordan Ifueko (5/5 stars)
• Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross (5/5 stars)

– Goodreads Reading Challenge (Progress: /150)

The full list of books that I read this month are shown below:
1. The Glowing Life of Leeann Wu by Mindy Hung (3/5 stars)
2. Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett (5/5 stars)
3. So Far Away by Kat Mellon (4/5 stars)
4. Silver and Lead (October Daye, Book 19) by Seanan McGuire (3.5/5 stars)
5. Hollow Gods (Monstress, Vol 10) by Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda (4/5 stars)
6. Redemptor (Raybearer, Book 2) by Jordan Ifueko (5/5 stars)
7. Wings and Broken Things (Mitzy Moon, Book 3) by Trixie Silvertale, Narrator Coleen Marlo (4/5 stars)
8. Keeper & Kindred (Meow: Magical Emporium of Wares, Book 2) by Toni Binns (4/5 stars)
9. Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross (5/5 stars)
10. The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst (4/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Length: 384 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: March 31, 2026
ASIN: B0FH1G5QT9
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eGalley from NetGalley for Review
Rating: 4/5 stars

“When sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives at her great-aunt’s B&B in rural Vermont for the summer, she’s shocked to find a rundown inn rather than the cozy bed-and-breakfast she was expecting. Grumpy and eccentric, Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn . . . even though she clearly needs the help.

To convince her great-aunt to keep her around, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper’s (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the surer she is that there’s something strange about the B&B—and its guests. Something almost . . . otherworldly.

The inn is keeping a magical secret—but to protect the place she’s come to love, Calisa must unravel the truth before it’s too late.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got an eGalley of this from NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: I ended up really enjoying this but thought the beginning came off as much more juvenile sounding than a lot of Durst’s other books (maybe because it is more aimed at young adult readers). I am a huge fan of Durst and have read most of her books. This definitely comes off as more middle grade/young adult than her other adult fantasy books. I enjoyed the premise and found this easy to read.

Calisa’s boyfriend cheated on her, and she needs to get away for the summer to decompress from the drama. Her moms suggest spending the summer at her Aunt Zee’s inn helping out. When Calisa arrives she find that Aunt Zee does not want her there. Not only that, but the inn is really run down and a bit…odd. Aunt Zee gives Calisa three days to visit and then wants Calisa to leave. Calisa is desperate to convince her Aunt that she needs to stay the summer. Then Calisa starts noticing odd things about the inn…

Calisa grew on me as a character, although initially I thought she seemed a bit immature and naive about things. As the story continued, you start to see more of her depth. All of the characters in this book lack some depth and seem a bit stereotypical. I was surprised by that because I am normally sucked in by Durst’s characters (although lately I have been reading her adult novels). Maybe that is because this is a stand alone, but I wanted to know more about how the characters thought and felt. Especially Aunt Zee, she kind of remains a mystery, and I would have loved to learn her background.

I loved the inn and the magic there but again felt like I didn’t get to learn enough about it. How did this inn get to be, how does the travel work? I kept feeling like this would have been a better duology or trilogy that would have allowed more page space to add a bit more depth to this cool inn and the characters that dwelt there. Maybe we’ll get a companion book from when Aunt Zee was younger or for one what happens after this book.

I also thought the reveal about what Aunt Zee was felt abrupt, and then we never really learned more about her type of magic. I wanted to learn more about this and have it expanded on. I also thought the intriguing visitors to the inn were kind of glanced over. They seemed like interesting characters sketches that weren’t fully realized.

This is a cute YA contemporary cozy fantasy read. I enjoyed it and read it quickly. My main complaint is everything about it felt a bit too simple; the characters, the world, the story, and even the dialogue. It’s still a really good read, I just feel like it could have been an amazing story if it wasn’t forced into this one short volume.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I liked this story and thought it was a fun, simple, cozy, contemporary fantasy read. My main complaint is everything felt a bit too simple and under-explained. How did Aunt Zee get to where she was? How did the Inn get there? Calisa felt pretty immature and naive for an older teen as well, although she did gain a bit more depth and grow on me as the story progressed. While this wasn’t my favorite Durst book, it was a fun one. I would love to see some companion novels written about this world.

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 492 pages
Publisher: Quill Tree Books
Release Date: November 2, 2021
ASIN: B08VNWJTXT
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Borrowed ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 5/5 stars

“The realm of Azenor has spent years plagued by a curse. Every new moon, magic flows from the nearby mountain and brings nightmares to life. Only magicians—who serve as territory wardens—stand between people and their worst dreams.

Clementine Madigan is ready to take over as the warden of her small town, but when two magicians arrive to challenge her father for his domain, she is unknowingly drawn into a century-old conflict. She seeks revenge, but as she gets closer to Phelan, one of the vexingly handsome young magicians, secrets—as well as romance—begin to rise.

Clementine must unite with Phelan to fight the realm’s curse, which seems to be haunting their every turn. But will their efforts be enough to save Azenor from the nightmares that lurk around every corner.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I borrowed this on ebook from Kindle Unlimited.

Thoughts: I have been a fan of many of Ross’s novels, and this is one of the few I hadn’t read yet. Previous books I have read by Ross are “Sisters of Sword and Song” ( loved it), The Queen’s Rising (okay), Wild Reverence (loved it), and the Letters of Enchantment duology (loved it). I ended up really loving this book as well. I loved the creative world here; this was very well written and easy to read. I thought the magic in here was especially intriguing and would have loved to learn more about the magic system.

Clementine (Clem) is training under her father to become the Warden of her small town. The Warden protects a town from the curse of the Nightmares of the residents that come alive every new moon. Clem’s future takes an odd turn when two magicians arrive to challenge her father for his domain. Clem finds herself drawn into a past and conflict that she never knew existed. She is forced to uncover the truth behind many lies and tell many lies of her own if she is going to survive the path forward.

I absolutely loved this world where Nightmares comes alive and wardens must protect people against them. It is a fascinating curse to have on a world and the magicians that fight this curse are intriguing as well. I thought the magic system here was interesting and would have loved the chance to hear more about it and understand it better. There are multiple kinds of magic in this world, and although we hear about them, we never really get to delve into how they work.

This starts as a revenge story, but quickly morphs into Clem trying to uncover secrets and mysteries from multiple directions. I really enjoyed all of the characters in here, including Clem. They are all very morally gray, none of them are really evil, but they make as many bad decisions as they do good ones. There is an enemies to lovers type of romance blended into the story, which I thought was well done. These are complicated characters, and making assumptions about any of them can be dangerous.

I enjoyed how the story wrapped up and always love a good fantasy that is contained to one book; however, I loved this world so much that I wanted more. I wanted to know what happens after all these events that take place and what happens to this amazing world in the future.

Ross is an amazing writer, and I find her writing both easy to read and incredibly beautiful. It always flows off the page so well.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I really loved this story. I loved the complex characters, the intriguing world, the mystery, and the magic. I thought the story wrapped up nicely but wanted more. I wanted to learn more about the aftermath in this world and more about how the magic worked. I always really enjoy Ross’s writing style; it flows so well, is easy to read and beautiful. I would highly recommend if you are looking for a stand-alone dark fantasy with a creative world and intriguing characters.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Cozy Fantasy
Length: 422 pages
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: February 3, 2026
ASIN: B0G3JRZX3B
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the MEOW series
Source: Borrowed ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 4/5 stars

“The winter solstice is coming, and with it, a reckoning.

Sable thought being the Shopkeeper meant serving coffee, shelving books, and managing a talking cat’s attitude. She’s made peace with the magic, even embraced her role as guardian to Indigo, the world’s most curious baby bookdragon. But as the solstice draws near, a magical teacher arrives at the shop’s door—someone from the Cat’s past who might hold the key to his freedom.

The Fates begin whispering to Sable through golden auras. Old bargains, made long before her time, surface with dangerous demands. And somewhere in the chaos of rearranging shelves, interrogating a cryptic teacher, and managing interdimensional customers, Sable has to figure out how to tell her mother she won’t be home for the holidays.

The secrets she’s uncovered can’t be ignored. And the Cat—mysterious, maddening, and more vulnerable than he’d ever admit—might be the key to everything, if only Sable can get him to trust her.

Coffee can only solve so many problems. But friendship, courage, and one very determined Shopkeeper might just be enough.”

Series Info/Source: This is the 2nd book in the MEOW series. I borrowed this on ebook from Kindle Unlimited.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this second book in the MEOW series. The story moves a bit slow for me, but I am enjoying the characters and the concept of the MEOW. I like that the background story makes more progress here and I love learning more about Cat’s history.

Sable is continuing her contract as Shopkeeper for the Magical Emporium of Wares (MEOW). Every day is a new adventure as she helps Cat to serve different interdimensional visitors. As Solstice approaches, Sable is determined to make the holiday special for everyone at MEOW. Little does she know she might have magic of her own she needs to manage and learn.

I am not a huge fan of “day in life” type of reads, and this has a lot of that in it, those type of stories just move a bit too slowly for me. However, that being said, there are enough elements in here that I really enjoy that I am liking this series quite a bit. I love Sable and her constant positivity and willingness to confront each day like a new and amazing adventure. I love Cat with his tentative hopefulness and the baby Bookdragon full of insatiable curiosity. I am also really enjoying the unfolding of Cat’s past and the hints that Sable’s birth family is not exactly what she thinks they are.

I enjoy that we get little odd stories from day to day as well. The beings that show up at MEOW are varied and intriguing. I also enjoy the expansion and discovery of Sable’s own magic. This is a cozy, creative, and intriguing read.

The only thing I don’t enjoy is that the days can feel a bit repetitive despite the changing customers, and the story moves a bit too slow for my liking. However, that is a personal preference and I have always preferred my stories fairly fast-paced.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I am really enjoying this series. I love the characters, the unique premise, and how some of the mysteries behind Cat’s past and Sable’s magic are unfolding. I am still struggling some with the slower pace to this and the very “day in the life” feel. If you are looking for a cozy, creative, magical, and deliberately paced read, I would definitely recommend. I look forward to reading each book in this series, even though there are points during reading the book where I wish things would progress a bit quicker.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Length: 4 hours and 57 minutes
Publisher: Sittin’ On A Goldmine Productions LLC
Release Date: October 18, 2023
ASIN: B0CL5F5CK9
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd book in the Mitzy Moon series
Source: Audiobook from Audible.com
Rating: 4/5 stars

“Mitzy Moon is eager to test her expanding abilities. She’d love to look into the hit-and-run that struck down her favorite veterinarian while everyone was at the Yuletide Extravaganza. But before she can suss out a single tip, the advances of a charming green-eyed stranger offer a dangerous distraction…

Desperate to put her investigation back on track, she goes undercover at the high school and lands on the wrong side of the law by lunch. And her “get out of jail free” card comes with the help of her meddling Grams, an interfering feline, and her alchemically inclined attorney.

But when a curse puts her powers on the fritz, she may not be able to save everyone…

Can Mitzy juggle dating and sleuthing, or will a hex knock off more than her halo?”

Series Info/Source: This is the 3rd book in the Mitzy Moon series. I listened to this on an audiobook from Audble.com.

Thoughts: This is the third book in the Mitzy Moon series, and I think it was the best one in the series so far. That being said this is pretty typical paranormal mystery and Mitzy can still come off as very immature, although she is starting to grow a bit as a character.

While everyone in town is at the Yuletide Extravaganza, the town veterinarian is severely injured in what appears to be a hit and run. Mitzy is on the case, even though it involves going undercover at the local high school. When a charming new man comes to town, everyone is warning Mitzy against spending time with him, but Mitzy think he seems genuine enough. Can Mitzy balance dating, sleuthing, and maybe even start doing some good with her newfound fortune?

This was again a pretty straight-forward story with a decent mystery. I still don’t love Mitzy as a character but I do enjoy the cat she’s inherited and some of the other quirky folks in the story. To be fair, Mitzy is starting to grow on me a bit. She is starting to mature some and consider what she can do with this money she has inherited to help out the town. We also start to learn a bit more about Mitzy’s odd powers in this book as well.

In the end, this is a cute, light-hearted paranormal mystery. At points, it is a bit simple and immature for me, but it is also a good diversion while I am driving. I go into the office for work once a month, and it is about a 3hr drive in, these are perfect to finish on a trip there and back. I don’t have a lot of other opportunities to listen to audiobooks right now, so it is nice to have a series with some shorter books in it like this.

I don’t really have a lot to say about this series. If you are looking for a light-hearted paranormal mystery read with a younger, less mature heroine, this might work for you. The audiobooks are well narrated and easy to listen to. They are pretty easy and breezy, so if you miss a bit of the story while driving it’s not a huge deal.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I liked this and thought it was better than the previous two books in the series. While the heroine, Mitzy, isn’t my favorite she is starting to grow on me and I do enjoy the quirky town and side characters in the story. I mainly picked this up as a three book pack because these are shorter audiobooks that I can listen to on my monthly trip down to the office. I went ahead and picked up the next three in the series because I was able to get a good deal on them from audible and it’s nice to have a light-hearted, shorter audiobook that is fun and easy to listen to. Would I recommend this series? It’s definitely not the best humorous paranormal mystery series out there, but it’s not bad if you are looking for something with shorter installments.

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 393 pages
Publisher: Amulet Books
Release Date: August 17, 2021
ASIN: B08WJS9RV8
Stand Alone or Series: 2nd book in the Raybearer duology
Source: Borrowed ebook from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars

“For the first time, an Empress Redemptor sits on Aritsar’s throne. To appease the sinister spirits of the dead, Tarisai must now anoint a council of her own, coming into her full power as a Raybearer. She must then descend into the Underworld, a sacrifice to end all future atrocities.

Tarisai is determined to survive. Or at least, that’s what she tells her increasingly distant circle of friends. Months into her shaky reign as empress, child spirits haunt her, demanding that she pay for past sins of the empire.

With the lives of her loved ones on the line, assassination attempts from unknown quarters, and a handsome new stranger she can’t quite trust . . . Tarisai fears the pressure may consume her. But in this finale to the Raybearer duology, Tarisai must learn whether to die for justice . . . or to live for it.”

Series Info/Source: This is the 2nd book in the Raybearer duology. I borrowed this on ebook from my library.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed Raybearer and the sequel to it, Redemptor, is also very well done. I was immediately sucked into the story. This is very well written, and I enjoy the magic and the characters.

Tarisai sits on Aritsar’s throne; for the first time there is an Empress Redemptor. Alongside the challenges of ruling comes the knowledge that Tarisai must descend to the Underworld as part of her agreement to end future sacrifices to it. As if this wasn’t enough, Tarisai starts to be haunted by child spirits who drive her to push herself harder and harder. With her tight circle of friends driven further away from home to deal with other threats, Tarisai finds herself increasingly isolated.

This was very well done. I enjoy the characters here and the unique system of ruling in Aritsar. I like the magic and the blend of otherworldly elements (like the Underworld and ghosts) as well. This story wasn’t what I expected it was going to be; I thought most of this book would be Tarisai’s journey in the Underworld. Instead, that was a very small portion of the story. The majority of the book is about Tarisai trying to figure out how to be a good ruler to her people, protect the everyday person from injustice, and keep her found family from falling apart.

I did like that there are some intriguing social issues discussed in this book. These are primarily issues around not wanting to have children and around not wanting to have sexual relationships. There is also a lot of discussion about overworking yourself and not getting adequate rest when you are trying to right various wrongs.

My Summary (5/5): Overall this is very well written and I really enjoyed it. It is fast-paced and hard to put down. The characters are relatable, and the story and dialogue both flow beautifully. This is a book that is very engaging and very easy to read. When I saw that Ifueko had written an additional book set in this world called “The Maid and the Crocodile” I immediately put it on my to be read pile. I would recommend to fantasy fans that like some magic in their books.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Graphic Novel/DarkFantasy
Length: 184 pages
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: December 2, 2025
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1534332690
Stand Alone or Series: 10th volume in the Monstress series
Source: Bought paperback
Rating: 4/5 stars

“The Defiled, a group of Monstra long confined to the prison planet Golga, have slipped through a rift between worlds and possessed anyone who has ever held the Mask of the Shaman-Empress–including Maika, Kippa, and Maika’s father, the Lord Doctor. Without Zinn at her side, Maika will need to partner with the most unlikely of allies to fight this invasion–or risk losing everything and everyone she loves..”

Series Info/Source: This is the 10th volume in the Monstress series. I bought this in paperback format to read.

Thoughts: I really enjoyed the artwork and revisiting this world. I still find this series a bit confusing and wonder where it is going. I keep hoping we are getting close to wrapping up the storyline, but I am honestly not exactly sure what the point of the storyline is anymore. I think I buy these mainly for the cool artwork at this point.

The Defiled have slipped through a rift between worlds and have started to posses former owners of the Mask of the Shaman Empress, including Maika herself and many of her friends. With Zinn trapped by her father, Maika is forced to find a partner elsewhere to help her push back the Defiled.

This was fine; I finished it. The artwork is amazing, and I enjoy reading about these characters. I do wish there had been more of a recap because there are so many characters that I forget where we left off with some of them. I just tried to go with the flow here, the story is very ambiguous so I feel like that’s all I can do.

I don’t really understand how the Defiled play into the larger story. I felt like they were kind of randomly thrown in to create more trouble and extend the series. Of course, maybe they do tie into some earlier story elements, and I just don’t remember those earlier story elements. I don’t own the earlier books in this series anymore (I sold them when I moved), so I can’t do re-reads of this every time a new book comes out.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I liked the artwork here and enjoyed reading about characters I like. I am unsure about the new Defiled invasion storyline and don’t really understand what the point is. As a result, I am not a huge fan of where the story is going, or maybe I just don’t understand where the story is going. Will I keep reading this series? Probably, I like the artwork enough just to buy the series for that alone.

I would absolutely love it if there was a synopsis about how the Defiled tie in with the broader scope of this world. The lack of any sort of summary or synopsis has been an ongoing complaint of mine with this series, but I keep reading it. I think there is just something so unique about this series and I keep being drawn back to it even if it is a bit of a mess. If you enjoy dark fantasy graphic novels, I would recommend this series as a whole.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Length: 393 pages
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: September 30, 2025
ASIN: B0DQJ76DMG
Stand Alone or Series: 19th book in the October Daye series
Source: eGalley from NetGalley
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

“Something is rotten in Faerie. In the aftermath of Titania’s reality-warping enchantment, things are returning to what passes for normal in the Kingdom in the Mists—until it’s discovered that the royal vaults have been looted, and several powerful magical artifacts are missing. None are things that can be safely left unsecured, and some have the potential to do almost as much damage as Titania did, and having them in the wrong hands could prove just as disastrous.

At least the theft means that Sir October “Toby” Daye, Knight errant and Hero of the Realm, finally has an excuse to get out of the house. Sure, she’s eight and a half months pregnant, but that doesn’t mean she can’t take care of herself. But with the sea witch offering to stand godmother to Toby’s child, maybe there are greater dangers ahead for Toby and her family than it appears….

Old enemies will resurface, new enemies will disguise themselves as friends, and Queen Windermere must try to keep her Hero on the case without getting herself gutted by the increasingly irritated local King of Cats. Sometimes, what’s been lost can be the most dangerous threat of all.”

Series Info/Source: This is the 19th book in the October Daye series. I got this on ebook through NetGalley for review.

Thoughts: I liked this book better than the last couple books in the series, which isn’t saying much. The previous couple of books have felt like filler. While it still feels like McGuire isn’t quite sure where this series is going, this book does progress the story some. I ended up finishing it even though I skimmed some of the exposition.

Toby is back at home and much more pregnant than she expected to be because of everything that happened in the previous book. Tybalt is driving her a bit crazy with his protectiveness, especially since she still has a couple weeks before her due date. Tybalt and Toby are called to court to testify against Titania. While there, Arden pulls Toby aside to ask for her help; some very dangerous items from the royal vaults are missing…including a Hope Chest. Arden would like Toby to investigate.

I continue to love the world and the characters here. I enjoyed watching our characters find happiness and family amidst all the craziness going on.

However, there was a lot I struggled with here as well. Over half this book is exposition; McGuire spends way too much time recapping and too much time rehashing thoughts in the characters’ heads. While reading this, there were huge sections that I noticed myself skimming through so I could get back to dialogue and characters actually doing things. I felt like this book needed some serious editing; it would have been a better story at half the length.

I also struggled with both everyone’s over-protectiveness of pregnant Toby and with Toby’s irrational decisions. The characters seemed to be making decisions that were very…well…out of character. Even Arden asking Toby to do this investigation this late in Toby’s pregnancy felt weird to me; it was explained away as Toby being the only knight in the realm who could do it. However, given the size of the realm, that makes no sense. It didn’t feel like something Arden would normally do as a character either.

For many, many years, McGuire was a go-to author for me. The last five or so years that has tapered off. I am not sure what changed, me or her as a writer. I feel like no one edits these books and makes sure they are tight and well paced. McGuire’s writing has gotten slower, the pacing more drawn out, and she spends way too much page space on both exposition and re-running thoughts through her characters’ head. Readers are smart; they don’t need this much over-explaining.

There is a nice novella at the end that dives into Simon’s return to the Undersea. It was nice to get some insight into Simon’s thoughts and feelings and get a look at how his new home is treating him.

My Summary (3.5/5): Overall I was happy that this was a bit faster in pace than the last few previous books but still frustrated by how wordy and over-explained things were. For the last four of five books, I have felt like this series is getting tired and needs to be wrapped up. I hope this book is on the way to doing that. I almost didn’t picked this up to read at all, but I have been reading this series forever so decided to give it a chance. I am even more on the fence now about whether I will pick up future books in this series.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy/Science Fiction
Length: 324 pages
Publisher: Tarsier Publishing
Release Date: March 27, 2026
ASIN: B0GFQ82RXW
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eGalley from NetGalley
Rating: 4/5 stars

“After two months of intensive group therapy, six individuals embark on a Thera Quest Inc. session—a simulated fantasy adventure guaranteed to incite lasting behavioral change in the real world. For thirty-year-old Elizatine, this means overcoming her beastly shopping addiction alongside five strangers with their own problems: Tanner and Lana, two middle-aged alcoholics; Amara, a young ambulatory wheelchair user with POTS mourning her loss of agency; Rowan, a thirty-something wracked by guilt from the death of his younger brother, and Felix; a charming and depressed entertainer. Within the simulation, the six must work alongside each other to deliver a cursed book while encountering whimsical hybrid creatures, unsettling personal trials, and hulking manifestations of their inner demons.”

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

Thoughts: I picked this book on a bit of a whim from NetGalley for review and was surprised how quickly I was engaged in the story. This is a fast-paced easy read that has an interesting premise. I think the only downside to this was that the world, the characters, and the plot were a bit simpler than I expected.

Six individuals are embarking on a fantasy quest through Thera Quest Inc. Their personal quest is to confront their issues using a new type of immersive therapy. Their fantasy quest is to deliver a cursed book to a frog person. We hear from each person individually, but the story really focuses on Elizatine (who has a shopping addiction) and Tanner (who is a recovering alcoholic).

This was a super quick and easy read that was fast-paced and engaging. In general, I liked all of the characters. They all (obviously) have some pretty big issues from their pasts that they are trying to work through. The premise of doing that through an immersive fantasy game is a fun one. The characters are all fairly likable, if a bit simpler than expected. There is a bit of a romance in here as well.

My biggest complaint about this is that everything is just a bit too straight-forward and simple. The characters working through their issues seem to do so easily and without many complications. The characters themselves are also somewhat two dimensional; they have easily explained issues they are working through from well defined past traumatic events. People are rarely that straight-forward. The plot itself is also fairly simple and straight-forward.

I do think maybe the simplicity of this story might be part of its charm. It is a fun concept, a quick read, the characters are likable, and the ending leaves you feeling hopeful. I guess I was just left feeling like there should have been a bit more to these characters and their stories. While I read this quickly and vaguely enjoyed it, I don’t think it is one of those books that I will ever think back on. This was more of a quick read that you are like “huh that was fun” and then you move on.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I liked this. This was a fun and fast-pasted read that has an interesting premise and likable characters. I did struggle with how easily these characters’ issues were solved and with how simple both the characters and the plot were. However, that may have been part of the charm to this story. It is simple, straight-forward, fun, and easy. While I don’t think this story left a lasting impact on me (it’s not the type of story I will probably even think about again after writing this review), it was a fun diversion. I would recommend if you think the premise sounds interesting and if you don’t mind more simplistic and straight-forward stories.

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Length: 356 pages
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: February 17, 2026
ASIN: B0F92B9CCF
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eGalley from NetGalley
Rating: 5/5 stars

“Agnes Aubert leads a meticulously organized life, and she likes it that way. As the proudly type-A manager of a cat rescue charity, she has devoted her life to finding forever homes for stray cats.

Now it’s the shelter that needs a new home. And the only landlord who will rent a space to a cat rescue is a mysterious man called Havelock—who also happens to be the world’s most infamous magician, running an illegal magic shop out of his basement. Havelock is cantankerous and eccentric, but not not handsome, and no, Agnes absolutely does not feel anything but disdain for him. After all, rumors swirl about his shadowy past—including whispers that his dark magic once almost brought about the apocalypse.

Then one day a glamorous magician comes looking for Havelock, putting the magic shop—and the cat shelter—in jeopardy. To save the shelter, Agnes will have to team up with the magician who nearly ended the world . . . and may now be trying to steal her heart.

Havelock is everything Agnes thinks she doesn’t need in her life: chaos, mischief, and a little too much adventure. But as she gets to know him, she discovers that he’s more than the dark magician of legend, and that she may be ready for a little intrigue—and romance—in her life. After all, second chances aren’t just for rescue cats. . . .”

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

Thoughts: I really enjoy Fawcett’s Emily Wilde series and expected (given the subject matter) I would enjoy this as well. I really loved this book right from the start. This is set in a vague Victorian type of fantasy world (at least it felt vaguely Victorian to me) where magicians exist.

Agnes is trying to find a new place for her cat shelter after dueling magicians blew up her last cat shelter. She finally finds a place that seems too good to be true….and….it is too good to be true. The new location harbors a horrible evil magician. However, as events play out, Agnes and the magician learn that they can support each other and maybe even make this new situation work to their advantage.

This was very well done with an intriguing world, interesting characters, lots of cats (obnoxious and cute ones), and lots of magic. There are some politics here and some light romance as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story about a normal woman who just wants to rescue cats and ends up thrown into the middle of a magical battle of sorts instead. The writing flows well, is easy to read, and is humorous, entertaining, and heartfelt. This is a self-contained story but I would love to see more books in this world.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I really loved this story. I enjoyed the characters, the magic, the cats, and how cozy this feels. Yes, there is danger and action, but in the end this is about Agnes finding a home for herself, her cats, her employees, and maybe even an evil magician. I loved the glimpse into this world and would love to see additional stories set here. If you are a fan of cozy Victorian fantasy, magic, and cats, definitely pick this one up. I am eagerly awaiting Fawcett’s next book!

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Magical Realism
Length: 299 pages
Publisher: Alcove Press
Release Date: November 18, 2025
ASIN: B0DMTN56GS
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eGalley from NetGalley
Rating: 3/5 stars

“Leeann Wu’s hands have started glowing at the most inconvenient times, and the single mother and midwife doesn’t know why. Could it be perimenopause? A hallucination brought on by a lack of sleep? On top of that concerning development, her daughter is off to university in a few months, her tenuous relationship with her ob-gyn mother is in peril of cracking, and she’s attracted the attention of a younger man who sees far more than she’s comfortable with. Her hands, glowing or not, are already full.

But as widespread insomnia plagues the town and life-threatening accidents begin to pile up, Leeann discovers the glow is not an anomaly at all—rather, she’s part of a long line of women who possess a power unlike anything Leeann’s ever known. Yet, even with the cryptic clues left by her great aunt before her untimely death, Leeann has no idea how to use her new skills.

With her town in imminent danger, Leeann doesn’t have time to waste. She’ll need to make peace with her magical heritage and do whatever it takes to find out if her glow means something more—before it’s too late.”

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

Thoughts: This was a strangely timely read for me, with my son having just started college and the main character working on dealing with her daughter heading off for college. I related to the issues the main character was going through and was drawn into the story. However, the writing itself felt a bit jarring, and I didn’t love the ending.

Leeann Wu is trying to deal with her daughter leaving for college, her mother’s opinion that Leeann could be more, the attractive brother of a client who she has a crush on, and…oh yeah, her hands have started glowing. As Leeann tries to deal with life, things are crashing down around her. Accidents and depression are happening more and more as people aren’t able to sleep. Leeann and her daughter and mother have to figure out what this strange power is and if it can somehow be used to solve the insomnia gripping the town.

This story has a very magical realism feel to it rather than straight contemporary fantasy. I normally really like magical realism, but oddly for this book, that was the part of the story that felt awkward to me. I could relate to Leeann’s complicated feelings about her daughter moving away for college (having just gone through that myself). I was also drawn in by Leeann’s self analysis of her life to this point. I can sympathize with her complicated relationship with her mother. I also could relate to her feeling of being at a changing point in life where she could re-invent herself or, in her case, start a new romantic relationship after not being in one for years. However, the whole glowing hands thing was odd and never well explained. The sleeping plague was also fairly vague. I felt I never had a good handle on what was causing it, and the ending of the book left me feeling even more confused and lost about what happened.

This ended up being a fairly quick read for me; the story was engaging enough and the characters felt real. However, the writing itself is a bit awkward, disconnected, and didn’t flow that well. Additionally, the dialogue was unnatural sounding. While I eventually got used to the cadence, I didn’t really enjoy it.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this was a quick read and it was engaging. I did like how it showed a family working through a challenging time and difficult family dynamics to support each other in the end. I think this book resonated with me more because I am in a similar life stage as Leeann than it might have at another time in my life. Those positives didn’t quite offset the fact that the writing felt unnatural and the dialogue did not flow well. In addition to that, the magical realism elements to this book remain vague and unexplained. The ending left me feeling lost and confused. I probably won’t seek out another book from Hung in the future, while I appreciated the subject matter the writing and magical realism elements felt unfinished.

In February I read 9 books. You can see the reviews for all of them, which ones were my favorite, etc. below. Hope you all had a great month of reading!

I started the following series:

• Quicksilver (Fae and Alchemy, Book 1) by Callie Hart (2/5 stars)
• The Faithful Dark (The Brilliant Soul Duology, Book 1) by Cate Baumer (3/5 stars)
• Mimic & Me (Mimic & Me, Book 1) by Cassius Lange and Ryan Tang, Narrated by Jeff Hays, Various (3/5 stars)

I finished the following series:

• None!

My Favorite Books of the Month Were:

• The Geomagician by Jennifer Mandula (4/5 stars)

– Goodreads Reading Challenge (Progress: /150)

The full list of books that I read this month are shown below:
1. Carnival Fantastico by Anglea Montoya (4/5 stars)
2. The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto Yambao (2/5 stars)
3. Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman (3/5 stars)
4. Kirkyards & Kindness (A Rip Through Time, Book 4.5) by Kelley Armstrong (4/5 stars)
5. Quicksilver (Fae and Alchemy, Book 1) by Callie Hart (2/5 stars)
6. The Faithful Dark (The Brilliant Soul Duology, Book 1) by Cate Baumer (3/5 stars)
7. Mimic & Me (Mimic & Me, Book 1) by Cassius Lange and Ryan Tang, Narrated by Jeff Hays, Various (3/5 stars)
8. Black Butler Vol 34 by Yana Toboso (4/5 stars)
9. The Geomagician by Jennifer Mandula (4/5 stars)

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.

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.