ARC Review: The Woman in Suite 11 (The Woman in Cabin 10 #2) by Ruth Ware

In this follow-up to #1 New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware’s multi-million copy mega-hit The Women in Cabin 10, Lo Blacklock returns to attend the opening of a luxury hotel, only to find herself in a white-knuckled race across Europe.

When the invitation to attend the press opening of a luxury Swiss hotel—owned by reclusive billionaire Marcus Leidmann—arrives, it’s like the answer to a prayer. Three years after the birth of her youngest child, Lo Blacklock is ready to reestablish her journalism career, but post-pandemic travel journalism is a very different landscape from the one she left ten years ago.

The chateau on the shores of Lake Geneva is everything Lo’s ever dreamed of, and she hopes she can snag an interview with Marcus. Unfortunately, he proves to be even more difficult to pin down than his reputation suggests. When Lo gets a late-night call asking her to come to Marcus’s hotel room, she agrees despite her own misgivings. She’s greeted, however, by a woman claiming to be Marcus’s mistress, and in life-or-death jeopardy.

What follows is a thrilling cat-and-mouse pursuit across Europe, forcing Lo to ask herself just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save this woman…and if she can even trust her?

Title: The Woman in Suite 11 (The Woman in Cabin 10 #2)

Author: Ruth Ware
Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press

Publication Date: July 8, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Gallery/Scout Press and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this title to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I enjoy a good mystery/suspense and Ruth Ware often times fills that void. I remember liking the first book in this series and was interested to see where a second book could possibly go.

Laura "Lo" Blacklock is back. She's 10 years off of her last harrowing experience on a boat in Norway and trying to make her way back into the journalism world. When an invitation to a swanky hotel opening comes her way, she takes it, despite having to leave her husband and two young children behind. Of course things are never as they seem when Lo is involved and what starts as a possible introduction back into her job world leads to her reuniting with some of the people she came across ten years ago, including the woman who saved her.

I'm not sure what I was expecting from this book. Mystery for sure. Some suspense, absolutely. Possibly even some thrills. The book did provide these things but it just didn't move like I needed it to move. And I figured out the twist in the plot way before the end of the book.

While it wasn't the most interesting mystery book I read, it also wasn't the worst. I was invested enough to read until the end and find out what happened.

Overall I felt like it was drawn out and a bit longer than it truly needed to be. And the dynamics between the characters were not always truly believeable. I had a hard time suspending my belief to feel like the story was actually true. Lo just made so many stupid decisions it was ridiculous. And the fact that no one held her accountable for any of it was crazy. Towards the end of the book she states she never lies. Meanwhile, the entire book was built on her lies. 

Overall, it was enjoyable enough but it was just too predictable for me plus there was no real depth or development of the characters. Not sure if I would continue on with this series or not if the author did decide to write a third.

Author:

Ruth Ware grew up in Sussex, on the south coast of England. After graduating from Manchester University she moved to Paris, before settling in North London. She has worked as a waitress, a bookseller, a teacher of English as a foreign language and a press officer. She is married with two small children, and In a Dark, Dark Wood is her début thriller.

Find her on twitter at www.twitter.com/ruthwarewriter, on facebook at www.facebook.com/ruthwarewriter or via her website - www.ruthware.com

 

Most Anticipated Releases Tuesday July 8, 2025

 

These are the books I'm most anticipating for this week:

Only Between Us (Oakwood Bay #2) by Ellie K. Wilde

Do you like Tessa Bailey? Abby Jimenez? Christina Lauren? Well you need to dive into Wilde's books. I adored the first one in this series and got a chance to read this one early (took me less than 24 hours). Check out my thoughts HERE.

The Woman In Suite 11 (The Woman In Cabin 10 #2) by Ruth Ware

Ware is queen of twisty tales that keep you guessing throughout the story. This one is no exception. I am reading an early copy and loving it. Hoping to have my review up by Thursday!

Rose In Chains (Evermore #1) by Julie Soto

This one is my most anticipated book of 2025. I was fortunate to get not only a Kindle copy but audio, too! I loved both. This is the next hot romantasy in my opinion. Check out my review HERE.

Surge (The Taking #0.5) by Melissa West

 
I read this series so long ago. I was surprised to see a novella being released. Now I will be re-reading the entire series to see how this fits!

Terror at the Gates by Scarlett St. Clair

I loved St. Clair's Hades and Persephone series and really want to read her others. This one is intriguing and I'm interested to see where it goes. I've requested it on Libby on audio but there is a wait. So we shall see when I get to it.

Where You're Planted by Melanie Sweeney

When I read Take Me Home by this author, I was not expecting to love it as much as I did. So when I saw she had a new book coming, you bet I requested. I was excited to be approved and tore through this one in a day. You can see my heartfelt thoughts HERE.

What are you most anticipating this week?

ARC Review: Only Between Us by Ellie K. Wilde

 

The highly anticipated sequel to the “achingly tender and deliciously sexy” (Jillian Meadows, author of Give Me Butterflies) Only in Your Dreams is a steamy, whip-smart sports romance about a former pro football star who agrees to fake date the fan-favorite ex of another high-profile NFL player so they can both save what’s most dear to them while fighting their growing feelings for each other.

After a death-defying injury sidelined him for two seasons, Brooks Attwood’s pro football comeback has hit a major snag. Naughty photos from a post-break-up bender have leaked, and they’re killing his chances with the Rebels—his old team, and the only one he wants to play on.

As he trains with the hope of being signed before the first kickoff of the season, Brooks’s plans to keep a low profile are suddenly upended when his selfie with a fiery fan goes viral, and tabloids mistake them as the football world’s newest It couple.

Turns out, Siena Pippen is the ex-girlfriend of the “face” of the League. And she wants nothing more to do with that world after being with her nightmare ex. While she and Brooks are busy blaming each other for the media circus surrounding them, NFL teams are suddenly scrambling to sign a housebroken Brooks. Meanwhile, Siena realizes that all this buzz could be the Hail Mary her family’s struggling business needs.

Together, Brooks and Siena hatch a ignore the will to kill each other and pretend to be madly in love—at least, until Brooks signs with a team. But the longer they pretend, the less fake their fauxmance begins to feel…and Brooks becomes as determined to convince Siena they’re truly meant to be as he is to land a spot on the Rebels’ roster.

Title: Only Between Us (Oakwood Bay #2)

Author: Ellie K. Wilde

Publisher: Atria

Expected Publication Date: July 8, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I was introduced to Ellie K. Wilde when I received an ARC of her first book in the Oakwood Bay series, Only In Your Dreams. I tore through that book. So seeing a second installment in this series made me super excited. And that it is Brooks' story makes it even better as I fell in love with him in the first book!

Brooks Attwood is the golden retrievers of golden retrievers. He's smart, sexy, a bit cranky, and all around swoon worthy. I sympathized with his background and how it affected his views on life. He felt used and unworthy of anything but football. But when Siena Pippen comes crashing into his life, literally, things take a turn for the different. Suddenly they are in a fake relationship to help him secure a spot with his forever football team and help Siena dig herself out of the hole. But Siena's background of being abandoned by her birth parents and left to fend for herself makes her feel beholden to the parents that took her in. She's stuck in a place she doesn't necessarily want to be but feels she cannot let go of what her parents have given her.

The sexy times in this book were hot. The author ramped it up from the first book leaving behind the slow build up and going right for the punch. Wilde does them tastefully while still showing a bit of the wild side of both characters. My only issue is the use of no protection. It's never mentioned that Siena is on any type of birth control and Brooks does not use condoms so I'm shocked there was no accidental pregnancy in this book. I was actually waiting for it to happen but it never materialzed.

I loved seeing the characters reappear from the first book. It was fun to see how they were doing. Especially Parker whose story I know we get next. I cannot wait to see how that one plays out. Most of all, I enjoyed how Seina and Brooks got to know one another and how tender they were with each other. There also wasn't any beating around the bush. Brooks knew what he wanted and wasn't afraid to let Siena know. She, on the other hand, had a bit of a harder time letting him in. Given her background, this was understandable.

There is a bit of a third act break up, which I'm not usually a fan of seeing .But it worked with the plot of this story.

Wilde weaves a good plot with romance and characters who are well developed. They grow and learn and are relatable. The plot is filled with swoon, sweetness, serious topics, and characters who will grab your heart. Wilde has quickly slotted herself into the favorite romance author/buy immediately catgory for me I can't wait for the next story!

Author:

Ellie K. Wilde is a Canadian writer of contemporary romance and romantic comedies that make you laugh, swoon... and maybe require a cold shower or two to recover. She enjoys writing stories with dirty-mouthed cinnamon roll heroes and the fiery women who bring them to their knees.

When she's not daydreaming about her next book, you'll find her devouring other romance novels, bingeing reality TV and snuggling with fur babies.

Follow Ellie on Instagram and TikTok @EllieKWildeAuthor 

ARC Review: Rose In Chains by Julie Soto

 

This beautiful DELUXE EDITION hardcover featuring gorgeous sprayed edges with stenciled art is only available for a limited first print run and while supplies last. This is a stunning special edition you will want to add to your collection.

YOUR NEXT ROMANTASY OBSESSION!

The war is over, the dark forces have won, and the hero who was supposed to save them is dead.

Captured as her castle is overrun by the enemy, Briony Rosewood knows that the world as she knows it is changed forever. The dark forces of Bomard have won and her people, the Eversuns, face imminent servitude, imprisonment or death. Her brother, fated to be heir twice over and unite the warring kingdoms, is dead.

Stripped of her Mind Magic and her freedom, Briony and the other survivors are quickly auctioned off to the highest bidders in an auction – and as the heir-apparent’s sister, she fetches the highest price.

After a fierce bidding war, she’s sold to none other than Toven a high ranking Bomardsun – and her long-time and ill-fated infatuation. Scion of a family known for their cruel control of Heart Magic, the Hearsts are ruthlessly ambitious, and Briony knows they will use her however they can to further their own interests.

Yet despite the horrors of her new world and the role she must learn to play within it, all is not lost. Help – and hope – may yet arise in the most unlikely of places…

Title: Rose in Chains (The Evermore Trilogy #1)
Author: Julie Soto

Publisher: Hachette Audio/Forever

Expected Publication Date: July 8, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Forever, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I will say, Julie Soto breaking into fantasy had me worried. I enjoy her romances but wasn't sure how well her writing would translate into a different genre. To say I was pleasantly surprised and even think this may be where she should settle is an understatement.

I have not listened to any books narrated by Ella Lynch before, I'm always worried I won't enjoy a new narrator but Lynch surprised me as being a perfect voice for the main character, Briony Rosewood. She did a wonderful job making me feel connected to Briony and helping me to experience all the emotions that were wound together in this book.

The characters of this book are so well fleshed out and developed. It was easy to understand them, to feel their emotions, and to be swept away by their circumstances. Briony knows her place in her world, which is not to put herself ahead of her twin in any way. Her country rules by typical misogynistic ways with heirs only ever being male. Of course once her brother is not longer in the picture, her worth changes, especially for her enemy. Toven Hearst has always been a thorn in Briony's side. But you can see there is so much more to him than what Brony sees. Because the book is told from her POV, we don't get to see what it truly in Toven's mind. But we do see him well enough through Briony to know the struggles he is truly experiencing. He cones off as morally gray, but I don't truly think he is. Again, we don't see things through his eyes and we are not in his mind to experience what he does, we only experience him through Briony. This helps keep the mystery of him throughout the book. However, there is so much Briony does not see about him. I'm not sure if it's because she is naive or because she is just not in tune enough to know. I won't say more than that because if I do, I'll spoil things for everyone.

While there is romance in this book, that is not the main focus at all. There are a few scenes of spark, and one which is a bit spicy, but it is the slowest of slow burns. Yes, this book is billed as a Romantasy, and I can see where the romance aspect may have more impact in the future, but this book was all about building the world, sorting out the magics that exists, and figuring out who is on what side of the fight. The world is immersive and lush. At no time was I confused by the system being portrayed. Soto made it hard to see who could and could not be trusted. To be expected in a book where treason is a high stakes game.

I would be remiss if I did not mention Soto's amazing use of side characters in this book. She never introduces someone who is not someone important to the plot. Even if they play just a small part in the story. Her characters are all important and all bring something to the mix. Some of those characters are important in how they form a found family. 

I loved how the book was set up with flashbacks to give the back story in understanding Briony and Troven Hearst's relationship from the very beginning. Their enemies vibe was palpable from the very first scene we see with them together. That tension was perfect for the story to come. It fueled the pacing and made the plot that much more interesting.

Did I figure a few things out from the beginning? Yes, yes I did. Did I care? Not one bit. I needed to see how Soto would get me through the story and show me on the other end the things I knew were going to happen. 

If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. I honestly did not want it to end. I kept stopping my reading at short intervals towards the end because I just needed to soak it all up and slow my pace. I loved absolutely everything about it. From the characters to the magic system to the political intrigue. Soto reeled me in and kept me turning pages to see where she would take me. And I must say, what a ride it was. I am already itching to read the next book in this series to see where it goes.

Author:

JULIE SOTO is a USA Today bestselling author, playwright, and actress originally from Sacramento, CA. Her musical Generation Me won the 2017 New York Musical Festival’s Best Musical award, as well as Best Book for her script. She is a musical theater geek, fandom nerd, and the author of many spicy fan fictions. Julie now lives in Fort Bragg, CA, with her dog, Charlie. She is probably drinking coffee as you read this.

Fat Stack Friday July 4, 2025

Here's my haul for this week!

Kindle:

Overrule by Lana Ferguson

One of my most anticipated books of this year. I cannot wait to read this. I'm in the car today driving to vacation and it's the perfect time to crack this one open!

Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon

Why did I have no idea Guanzon was putting out another book? I LOVE The Hurricane Wars (even got to read book #2 as an ARC and cannot wait for the third one)! I can't wait to see what this one brings!

In The Mail:

My first Afterlight subscription book from Illumicrate. It's very pretty. So why is it still in the wrapping? I don't think I will read this one. I'm not sure if I will keep it or maybe try to sell it, so I'm keeping it wrapped for now.

Check out my adult/YA Fairyloot combo books below for this month. I'm so happy with both of them!

Heir of Storms by Lauryn Hamilton Murray

I had to chance to read an early copy of this. It wasn't my favorite fantasy but I'm a sucker for a pretty cover, which the regular copy is. But this? Fairyloot hit it out of the park! This is freaking GORGEOUS! Check out that wrap around on the binding!

Bury Our Bones In the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab

I adore Schwab. Her writing is just so different from anything else I've read. And this Fairyloot copy of her newest book? BEAUTIFUL! Check out that sprayed edge!

For Review:

Brigands &n Breadknives (Legends & Lattes #2) by Travis Baldree

I'm excited to have been approved for the audio of this one. I listened to the first one, narrated by the author, and enjoyed it. This one is also narrated by the author. Plus I was not approved for the Kindle version. it's not out until November so I have some time before I give it a listen.

What did you get this week?

 

ARC Review: Where You're Planted by Melaie Sweeney

 

From the author of the "phenomenal achievement" (Kirkus) Take Me Home, a children’s librarian must temporarily move her public library into a shed in the county botanic gardens, where her archnemesis is the assistant director.

Single mom Tansy Perkins only has room in her life for her daughter and her library. And maybe the next book to add to her collection. But after a catastrophic hurricane severely damages her library, she's forced to temporarily move her branch into the adjacent county botanic gardens, where Jack Reid—the world’s grouchiest gardener who rescued her and her daughter from the flood—happens to be the assistant director.

Jack has always preferred plants over people, having built a strong track record of avoiding relationships ever since his divorce six years ago. So, Tansy and her quirky band of bookish colleagues’ encroachment into his carefully-kept territory is a little more than irksome, especially when it means sharing his already-scarce resources.

When Jack and Tansy are tasked with working together on the spring festival, they have no choice but to call a truce. And soon their newfound professional partnership gives way to a deep intimacy that they've both been silently craving. But Tansy has lost too much to risk her heart, and Jack has sworn off real love. When an opportunity arises for funding that both the library and gardens need, will their loyalties lie with the futures they'd always planned for, or the new spark they've found with each other?

Title: Where You're Planted

Author: Melanie Sweeney

Publisher: Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons

Expected Publication Date: 7/8/25

Review:

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I fell in love with Melanie' Sweeney's writing with Take Me Home. I could not put that book down. As soon as I saw she would have another title, I stalked NetGalley to request it. I may or may not have squeaked when I was approved.
Sweeney's writing, her character voices, her build up of chemistry between characters, and her flowing and fluid descriptions keep me engrossed in her writing from the beginning of her stories until the end. 
This particular story is personal to the author (as per the note she wrote at the end). It focuses on loss after a natural disaster and how people deal with that loss. It also shows the devastation attached to such disasters. This story is filled with heart, found family, and healing after trauma. The entire story shows the resilience of those who are forced to recover from such trauma, what they do when they are presented with circumstances beyond their control and how they come together to heal.
Tansy prides herself on being an independent woman. She doesn't want hand outs and she truly does not want anyone to take care of her. These things make her feel beholden to those who present them. She chooses to embrace her struggles, leaning on her own tenacity and determination to persevere despite her circumstances. The hurricane she encounters is not her first bought with struggles in life, but it upends her and her daughter to the point of making them both feel worried and scared.  But her stubbornness often puts her in situations that can be self-sabbotaging.
Enter Jack, a grump if I've ever met one. A man who has faced his own struggles in life and has chosen to be more of an isolationist rather than embrace those around him. His surliness keeps him at arms length from people, despite them trying to nudge their way in. But when he does love, it's fiercely, as you can see with his sister, Amy, and his best friend, Omar. There is nothing he would not do for them. When his life collides with Tansy, he's not sure what to make of her. They butt heads from the get go, making enemies of each other. But that does not preclude them from forming feelings for each other. Try as they might, they just can't seem to stay away.
I absolutely adored all the side characters in this book. Kai, with their freeness. Irma with her want to maintain her youngness despite others worrying for her at her age. Melanie, who has a penchant for saving things, animals in particular.  Briar, Tansy's daughter, who wiggles her way into Jack's heart, despite his rough exterior. Ivan, who is Jack's right hand man and the only one who Jack is willing to share anything with. The entire brood is one big found family with so much love you can feel it coming off the page. The way these people support and uplift their friends is something else.
Sweeney kept me enthralled from the first chapter when the storm looms and Tansy is out rescuing  birds and has her first encounter with Jack. You could see the sparks right then and there. And, while the book is certainly focused on the romance, that is not the only thing that is happening. We learn about libraries and parks and how they are important to communities. We see the struggles such places have to stay open, to have enough funds to ensure those in the communities can take advantage of the programs they have to offer. Sweeney shows their importance in healing communities and bringing people together in times of need.
This book pulled every emotion out of me. There were parts with amazing banter where I was laughing out loud. But there were also parts where my eyes burned with tears I didn't want to shed in public. And then there were the times my chest felt tight because I could feel the characters panic when things were turning bad. 
Sweeney creates characters and a story where all the imperfects become perfect. Where the differences in people become their assets. Where you see how important communities and being open minded are essential to health and growth. Where you realize you can be self-reliant but can also accept help from others because they want to feely give it, not because they want anything in return. It's about taking care of yourself, and others, and finding balance. This story is real and raw, full of humanity and heart. It will stick with me for a long time. I will gladly read anything Sweeney writes. 

Author:

Melanie Sweeney is the author of the USA Today bestseller, Take Me Home, and the forthcoming romance, Where You're Planted (Putnam 2025). She writes romance about ordinary people finding extraordinary love. Melanie lives near Houston with her husband, three kids, and too many cats. When she's not writing, she's ice skating, embroidering, or learning old One Direction songs on her ukulele.

ARC Review: A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan

 

This stunning slow-burn romantasy follows a fated pair who uncover a world-changing secret and are thrust into a violent class war, navigating love, loss, and devastating betrayals.

Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are twelve years old when they are whisked away from the shadows of their disenfranchised mining towns to dazzling Belavere City to discover their magical potential. Those who pass Belavere’s test will become Artisans, wielders of powerful elemental magic destined to fulfill the city’s grand ambitions. For Nina, the Artisan School symbolizes a dream and an escape from her harsh reality, while Patrick yearns to return to his Craftsman family, whose extraordinary physical strength serves the idium mines keeping the city alive.

And then they uncover a devastating truth: Artisans aren’t born, they’re chosen. They part ways on very different paths, leaving them to carry the burden of this secret alone.

In the years that follow, a Craftsman revolution ignites, thrusting Nina and Patrick into opposing factions of a brewing war. Now an elite Artisan with the very rare talent for charming earth, Nina has turned her back on the fight, haunted by the loss of her found family. But fate intervenes when she is captured by Patrick’s rebel group. Despite the years and conflict that separates them, Patrick hasn’t forgotten Nina. He desperately seeks her help for a mission that could shift the tides against Belavere City. Reluctantly, she agrees, battling the sparks flying between them. But when Nina’s first love reappears, asking her to betray Patrick for the sake of the Artisans, Nina faces an impossible choice that could alter the fate of their world.

Title: A Forbidden Alchemy

Author: Stacey McEwan

Publisher: S&S/Saga Press

Publication Date: July 1, 2025

Reivew:

Thank you to Saga Press/S&S Saga Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Stacey McEwan is a treasure everyone should experience. Her Glacian trilogy was one of my favorite fantasy reads last year. I loved her writing, the pacing she introduced, the plot and plot lines, and her wonderfully developed characters. I was excited to get a copy of her new romantasy to read! And the Peaky Blinders vibes mixed with just a bit of a Hunger Games type world in this book, oh boy! While the book has elements of these things, it remains unique.

First, I need to talk about the cover of this book. It is absolutely gorgeous and creates a great vibe for the story. Not only that, once you read it and look back, you see just how it fits perfectly with the story.

I will say it took some time for me to get into the book. The beginning is a lot of childhood background which I think could have been woven into the story line in general, but McEwan chose to have us follow along as the characters got older and progressed in their lives.

McEwan chose to write this book in dual POV, The FMC, Nina, has a first person POV while the MMC, Patrick, has a third person distant objective POV. At first I wasn't sure I would like this. BUT it worked well. Nina's POV was so intense and personal. While Patrick's POV not only showed him but all the other side characters and their personalities. 

I loved the world building of this book. While I felt like there could possibly be a bit more background to the magic system, it was easy to understand. I loved the Artisan's and their different powers: earth movers, metal workers, water movers, ink workers. It was all so interesting and intricate. Elemental magic at it's best.

Of course it wouldn't be proper fantasy without conflict. The government versus the common man. It gave some dystopian vibes in that way. But the layout of the world and how the population was separated was exactly what I imagined for this rebellion. Lots of secrets and turmoil. Lots of power struggles.

Then there's the found family aspect. I absolutely love a found family. While Patrick's actual family is part of his life, Nina does not have any connection with her blood family. Both characters find family in those who surround them. Found family is often such an important part of fantasy and McEwan built this one perfectly. And the banter that ensues between all these characters is top notch!

Were there twists and turns? Absolutely. Secrets revealed, some of which I guessed others that were a complete shock. I loved how the loyalties wavered and you weren't sure who was on what side. And that ending? Ugh, yes, a cliffhanger leaving me wanting book 2 right now because I need to know how things progress and what happens. I'm sure we are in for a huge battle!

If you're looking for a book with a unique magic system involving the elements, twists and turns, well developed and relatable characters, and challenged loyalty, give this one a try!

Author:

Stacey McEwan is the best-selling author of fantasy romance. Her books have been translated into four languages. Her high school English teacher once called her writing "above year level standard" and she took it far too seriously. Stacey received a bachelor's degree in education in 2012 and was a school teacher for eleven years. She is a content creator on multiple platforms, including Tiktok and Instagram. Stacey first published after book lovers of the internet encouraged her to share her story ideas. She was born and raised on the Gold Coast, Australia, and still resides in her hometown with her husband, two children and one questionable dog.

Most Anticipated Releases Tuesday July 1, 2025

Check out these books I'm excited about for this week!

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox

The publisher had sent me a copy of this title and I wasn't sure if I'd read it. But I did and it was quick and a great suspenseful mystery. Check out my thoughts HERE.

Overruled by Lana Ferguson

One of my most anticipated books for the year. I really wanted an ARC but I was not granted one. So now I have a copy on my Kindle.

A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan

I really love Stacey. I have an ARC copy of this but I got behind so I haven't been able to read and review yet. Keep your eyes peeled for when I drop that review. I'm sure I will love this one.

What are your most anticipated book releases for this week?

 

ARC Review: Den of Liars by Jessica S. Olson

 

A young thief attempting a daring casino heist during a high-stakes tournament is torn between two warring brothers in Den of Liars, a thrilling YA fantasy romance by acclaimed author Jessica S. Olson.

Lola St. James is the world’s best kept secret. When her father’s loss in the Liar’s Dice Tournament–a high-stakes competition where players are forced to gamble with their deepest secrets–made her a target, she was rescued by the Thief, the notorious leader of the Tentacles. But the Thief’s kindness came with a Lola’s heart. In the years that followed, she and the Thief formed a bond like no other, able to feel each other’s emotions because of their shared heart.

Now, living under the pseudonym Astra, she is determined to prove herself and become a full-fledged Tentacle. But when a critical heist goes sideways, the only way forward is for Lola to compete in the Liar’s Dice Tournament herself. Lola is confident in her ability to pull off any heist, but the Thief's mysterious brother, the Liar, runs the game and he turns out to be more than she bargained for. As her attraction for him grows and illusions run wild, she will be forced to confront the secrets of her past, the truth of the brothers’ shared history, and the lies she tells herself.

Title: Den of Liars

Author: Jessica S. Olson

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Expected Publication Date: July 1, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Macmillan's Children's Publishing group, Fiewel and Friends, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this title to listen to and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I loved the idea of this book. A casino of sorts where people gamble secrets. It was very intriguing. And I have listened to books narrated by this female author (under a different name) and have enjoyed her. So having a copy of this one to listen to (and read along with the Kindle version) was nice.

This book gave me Leigh Bardugo Six of Crows vibes. I think it was the crime boss in a fantasy world thing that made me feel that way. So the idea of the story was really great. It was written well with average pacing and lots of suspense woven throughout. But it didn't hit it's mark for me. 

I'll start with the narration. Unfortunately, I didn't click well with the narrators. They had good cadence and inflection, I just wasn't pulled in by their voices for the characters they were portraying. It is dual narration with a FMC and MMC POV. I wish there had been more from the MMC's POV. I felt the book heavily relied on the FMC's POV.

Beyond the narration, I truly struggled to connect with the characters. Astria/Lola had a lot of baggage but I didn't feel like she really addressed any of it and grew from what she found throughout the book. She still seemed to be in the same place she started by the end. Nic/Liar was a better character for me. I could feel his struggle in wanting to be more than just the liar he was. But he didn't do much to change it. Both these characters had limited growth and development for me and came across as one dimensional rather than layered.

I also struggled to feel the chemistry and romance between the characters. It seemed quite forced. There was no growth there. No lead up. It just was suddenly they were attracted to each other and that was that.

I also found the world building lacking. I had a hard time understanding the magic system and how it worked. Or even how people had magic in the first place. 

I did appreciate the inclusion of a disability in this book. I could feel the struggle from that character in having to deal with an eye that doesn't work quite right and glasses often getting in the way. 

Overall, the book is fast paced but it just missed the mark for me with the lack of world building and development of the characters. I honestly couldn't wait for it to end.

Author:

Jessica S. Olson is the author of Sing Me Forgotten, A Forgery of Roses, and the Den of Liars duology. A former copyeditor from New Hampshire, she currently lives in Texas with her husband, four children, and carefully curated supply of snacks. Her books have received starred reviews, earned librarian/bookseller accolades, and been translated into several languages throughout the world. In her free time, she practices aerial hoop and eats peanut butter by the spoonful straight from the jar.