ARC Review: Of Venom and Vengeance by Mikayla Bridge

Prepare for a deliciously dark standalone, set in the same world as Of Flame and Fury, where star-crossed enemies gamble with their hearts, their empires, and the fate of a lost god.

On an island ruled by pageantry and pain, power comes at an impossible price.

Inna is the perfect heiress to the Pallo crime family: poised, cunning, untouchable. Behind this glamorous facade, she hunts for the sinister truth behind her older sister's death. Despite the cover-up she’s been led to believe, Inna can feel an enemy lurking in the shadows, or perhaps even hiding in plain sight.

Rylan has sculpted himself into a talented thief. His heart may be guarded, but his purpose is clear: retribution for his family, murdered by Inna's mother. Armed with illusion magic, Rylan plans to steal an ancient riddle from the Pallo vault, one that leads to a sleeping god. Whoever wakes the Serpent King will be granted any wish they desire. Rylan means to claim this power, and with it, Inna's ruin.

But when Inna catches Rylan sneaking past her family’s security, he proposes a deadly alliance that each desperately needs but neither intends to keep – even as bitter attraction threatens to unravel into something more.

Title: Of Venom and Vengeance

Author: Mikayla Bridge

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Expected Publication Date: July 7, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Farra, Straus and Giroux, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to listen to/read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I'll be honest, I really enjoyed Bridge's first book in this world. I thought this was it's follow up when I requested it but then when I started it, I realized it definitely is not a follow up. I kept searching for a connection to the first story or for the same characters but they were not there. It was only when I went back to read the synopsis that I realized it is a story set in that world. I'm not sure of the timeline of this story compared with the first book but you don't see any reference at all to things from the first story. And, while it may be the same world, it didn't truly feel that way to me. Even without them, though, I really enjoyed this book and it's story.

The audio narrator, Safiyya Inger, did a fantastic job. Her voice was easy to listen to and she told the story well from both Inna Pallo and Ryland's perspectives. Her cadence was easy to follow. I did listen to the first book in this series, so I am familiar with her voice.

Bridge does a great job building out this world in regards to Sprites. Since this was a totally different element than the first book, it needed to be thorough and I think she did a pretty good job with it. I liked the idea of how the magic was harnessed and what it meant to have the sprites around. I also liked the secrets that surrounded the creatures and their magic. There are no info dumps in the book but the world is revealed slowly and carefeully.

Inna Pallo is the daughter in a crime family. She doesn't have many secrets of her own but her family certainly does. They have done unspeakable things in the name of keeping their power. This is slowly revealed to her throughout the story and becomes especially prevalent when she meets Ryland. He's got his own secrets, ones he doesn't really want Inna to know. But as they grow closer, he realizes he will need to reveal things to her if he is to keep her in his life. Bridge really develops the main characters well. You easily feel their emotions and what they are going through. I enjoyed the relationships between all the characters. 

I will say I didn't feel the chemistry between Ryland and Inna as much as I would have liked to. I needed a bit more of a build up to their romance. It seemed a little too convenient for her to fall for her enemy and vice versa. And Inna's involvement with Celssese, one of her family's guards, seemed complicated. I thought for sure there was still some lingering attraction there but but then Inna kind of brushes it aside very easily. The romance part of this story is kind of background noise, though, compared to the overall plot of the story.

Bridge keeps her pacing very quick, Her chapters are short and I found myself turning the pages quickly to see what happened. The last 25% is full of action and movement. I wish I could have read it all in one sitting instead of having to break it up! The betrayal is a huge part of this story. You never truly know who to trust, to be honest. Those you thought were allies become enemies very quickly.

Bridge leaves this story pretty open (as she did with the first book in this world). It wraps up but there is definitely room for more to come. I'm hoping she will continue with these characters. Overall, I really enjoyed this one once I realized I would not see anyone or anything from the first story (I still need more from those characters).

4.5/5 stars rounded to 5

Author:

Mikayla Bridge is a young adult fantasy author living in Melbourne, Australia. She grew up on a small-town farm and completed a BA with honours in political science and international relations. She loves writing books that feel like a triple espresso: high-energy, heart-racing, and might ruin your sleep schedule.

You can find her on instagram at @mikayla_bridge.

 

ARC Review: The Witch Season (Broken Coven #1) by Julia Bianco

 

Exhilarating, dangerous, and seductive, Witch Season is an action-packed and fiercely romantic contemporary fantasy from debut author and screenwriter Julia Bianco.

That is the price of magic–not just the blood, but the pain to bring it out.

Katherine Barnes is an enforcer, charged with upholding the rules of the notorious Los Angeles-based Aestas coven. It’s her job to maintain order and bring unsettled witches–people who aren’t aware they have magic until it explodes out of them in a catastrophic burst–into the coven’s fold. As a former unsettled witch, Katherine owes her life to Sylvia Page, coven leader and silver-haired rebel who founded Aestas years ago.

When Silas Khatri, heir to Noctis, the most powerful coven in the world, arrives to take Aestas to task for some of their more unconventional practices, Katherine’s dislike for him reaches blistering levels. She hates his money, his good looks, his coven’s dangerous attitude towards unsettled witches. She can absolutely overlook that he sets her off in more ways than one.

But a powerful threat is about to rise. Stronger than any one coven. More insidious than the decades-long power struggle that exists in the hidden witch world. One that will pull Katherine and Silas together despite their differences. And one that will lead to an all-out war.

Title: Witch Season (Broken Coven #1)

Author: Julia Bianco

Publisher: Macmillan Audio/St. Martin's Press

Expected Publication Date: June 30, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an audio and ecopy of this title to listen to/read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This was a fantastic debut. The blurb drew me in right away. I love a good urban fantasy. Right from the first chapter this one reminded me of Leigh Bardugo's stories. And it did not disappoint in it's execution.

Nora Sofyan is a new narrator for me. I think she did an excellent job voicing the characters. I usually like to have more than one voice for a story that is multiple POVs but Sofyan did a good job endearing me to each character she voiced making them totally unique. Her narration is quite solid and I'd definitely listen to more books with her voicing the characters.

Bianco did a great job with the world building and magic system in this book. The different warring covens and how magic was used/consumed was unique. I enjoyed the unsettled versus the settled witches and what that meant for the overall story line. The themes here are quite dark. There are trigger warnings at the beginning, so listen to those if you have triggers (I do not). 

Bianco makes her characters raw and so real. They are complex and layered with excellent development. They were easy to relate to. Each hiding secrets from the others. Each having an agenda for why they do the things they do. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Katherine and Syliva and Katherine and Silas. There was so much push and pull with each of them. So much angst and just enough confusion of feelings to make you want to see where those relationships end up.

The romance was nice, though I feel like there could have been more of a lead up to it. I wanted more emotional connection. The banter was top notch but I'm not sure the characters truly spent enough time together to have the relationship the book tries to show us. But that didn't take away from me liking the characters together. The forbidden love aspect hits hard in this one.

Bianco creates a great found family in this book. Witch covens that act as family. Witches who have lost family or been ostracized. I also liked the politics created between the Covens. The grab for power; the need to be in charge of the magic and what it means for not only the witches but the humans whom they live among.

I was surprised at the length of the book, just over 300 pages. For urban fantasy stories, I'm used to longer book. Bianco did a good job packing it all in for such a short page count. I do think there could have been areas that were expanded upon.

If you're looking for a paranormal story about power, greed, and secrets with found family, some spicy enemies to lovers romance, and a ton of grit, pick up Bianco's debut and give it a try. It will have you questioning exactly who to trust and wanting to know how things will possibly turn out. Warning, while it doesn't end on a total cliffhanger, you can see there will be a second book as things are not totally resolved at the end of this. I cannot wait to see how Bianco goes about doing that in the next installment.

4.75/5 rounded to 5 stars.

Author:

Julia Bianco lives in Los Angeles with her fiancé and their cats, S’more and Rigatoni. She works in the entertainment industry and enjoys baking, reality television, and playing with her cats’ ears. Witch Season is her debut novel.

Audio ARC Review: The Fake Divination Offense (Magic and Romance #2) by Sara Raasch

 

Sports romance gets a Dungeons & Dragons makeover with the next book in the Magic and Romance series that follows half-giant Orok, forced into a PR relationship with a feisty, fan-favorite cheerleader.

Orok star defensive tank on the Philadelphia Hellhounds rawball team. Half-giant. Patron Urzoth, god of strength . . . only Orok’s tired of being tied to a god known for aggression. So (don’t tell his mother) he’s planning on renouncing Urzoth.

Until the cult of Galaxrien, Urzoth’s sworn enemy, ends up causing a lot of damage through their ill-advised attempts to summon him, and the followers of both deities find themselves blamed for the long-standing feud and its ramifications.

Alexo cheerleading intern with the Hellhounds. Smells like apples, which Orok only knows because he picked Alexo up. Accidentally—Orok publicly saves Alexo from a bar fight, and fans go feral for the muscly pro athlete being protective of the pint size dude-in-distress.

That’s enough to have the Hellhounds and Urzoth’s church both coming to them with a Orok and Alexo will start a PR relationship to put a positive spin on Urzoth. Orok is all set to refuse—and finally separate from Urzoth—when the team offers Alexo a starting spot on the cheerleading squad to play up the star athlete and cheerleader optics. It’s such an obvious dream come true for Alexo that Orok finds himself agreeing to the arrangement like the sap he is.

He can keep living a lie for a bit longer. But Orok starts to wonder if they can drop the fake part of this fake-relationship…

Title: The Fake Divination Offense (Magic and Romance #2)

Author: Sara Raasch

Publisher: Bramble/Macmillan Audio

Expected Publication Date: May 19, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this audio to listen to and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I was really looking forward to this book. I have been loving the queer books Raasch has been writing, especially the audio. The narrators have all been really great. I have listened to one other book by Vikas Adam before and enjoyed his narration enough so I was pretty confident he would do Orok justice. And I could not wait to hear Orok's story since there seemed to be so much more to him than what was presented in the last book.

Unfortunately I was disappointed with this book in so many ways. I hate that I have to write this review at all, to be honest. I went in with such high expectations and came away completely and utterly disappointed.

The narrator had such potential to bring Orok's character to life. And for parts of the book I did like how he voiced him. But for most of the book his voice was so rough and angry it made me disconnect with the character. I know the character has anger from his past, I get that. But it dripped into all his interactions. Vikas Adam truly overplayed the role for me, really trying to act out the character rather than just give him a voice to show us who he is.  He was growly much of the time, I kept having to rewind scenes and turn the volume up because I couldn't understand what he was saying. He took a character I enjoyed from the previous book and made me dislike him. This was super frustrating for me. I also hated how he voiced most of the other characters, especially Seb and Alexo. It's like he didn't know Seb at all. If he had listened to the previous book, he would not have voiced the character the way he did for sure. And don't get me started on the long drawn out sex scenes that were totally over the top with Adam's narration. I love some good smut but his narration just made it uncomfortable more than anything else. The first scene truly made me feel like Orok was in charge, despite saying he wasn't, and Alexo just taking it no matter the consequences. Overall, I just didn't enjoy this as an audio book at all.

Now, given Orok's background and size, I get that he might be kind of a brute. But he didn't come off that way in the first book at all. And I understand he has some possessive tendencies, but it was so overdone. He didn't make me feel his connection with Alexo at all. Where was the chemistry I thought might be brewing. The book tried to make it a slow burn but it really wasn't.

And where is the banter I know Raasch infuses into her books? I maybe laughed once while listening to this, if that. The characters came off as super flat and that just slowed the pacing down for me.

I had to force myself to listen to the story. I just didn't care about the characters, the plot, or anything else, to be honest.

The best part of the narration was the newscasters at the beginning of the chapters where they were given voice. Those times were fun. 

I understand the book was dealing with heavier topics with the abuse from the camp Orok and Seb attended, to the potential for harm to Alexo, but I just didn't even care. 

And there were so many plot holes leaving things to feel very surface level at best,.This book takes place a few years after the last book and you're given barely any backstory to what happened during that time. Orok left to go play ball in Vegas and then leaves him team to come back to Philly. There were obvious reasons why, but they are never addressed or explored. Also, what is Rawball? How does it work? We see games in this book but I know nothing of what those games entail or how they are won/lost, This is a sports romance but we barely know or see antyhing about the sport. And the religion thing is honestly just confusing to me. I didn't truly understand Orok and his religion in book 1, but I got the gist. I thought it would be explored more in book 2, since that is such an important part of who he is, but it isn't. It's glossed over for the most part. All we know is he's not happy with it.

I'm sad to give this one two stars after loving the first book (and also Raasch's other series, Royals and Romance). I just didn't care about the characters or the story, Perhaps my expectations for this were too high. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it better in print. I will still read the upcoming books in both these series and I will hope they are done better than this one.

Author:

Sara Raasch has known she was destined for bookish things since the age of five, when her friends had a lemonade stand and she tagged along to sell her hand-drawn picture books too. Not much has changed since then — her friends still cock concerned eyebrows when she attempts to draw things and her enthusiasm for the written word still drives her to extreme measures. Her debut YA fantasy, SNOW LIKE ASHES, the first in a trilogy, came out October 14, 2014 from Balzer + Bray. It does not feature her hand-drawn pictures.

ARC Review: Queen of the Night (Starkeepers #2) Sky by Amalie Howard

 

The sequel to The Starlight Heir and the epic conclusion to the romantasy duology that Rebecca Yarros calls, “a breathtaking, sexy romantasy full of twists and adventure.”

The Kingdom of Oryndhr has been saved by the will of the Royal Stars. But King Roshan, once Sura’s best friend and chosen love, has changed. She can sense corruption growing in him, and her own magic is being twisted by his command to dangerous ends. As dreams of her strange shadow guardian return in force, she is left unsure of her path—and of her heart.

When an attempt on her life leads to her rescue on the back of an azdaha, the dragon-like creature she once thought a myth, Sura truly finds herself in uncharted territory—in a land far beyond Oryndhyr’s borders. Everlea is full of magic, ruled by the deadly and enigmatic Night King, Darrius. And to Sura’s shock, Darrius is none other than the man in her dreams…and possibly her soul fated mate.

As a prophecy unfolds, the old gods awaken, and a war between kingdoms looms, Sura has no she must fully embrace her destiny as Starkeeper and the entirety of her power before it’s too late. But all power comes at a cost…and darkness has a way of slithering into the smallest spaces.

Queen of the Night Sky is a lush, fast-paced romantasy inspired by Indian and Persian mythology,

Open door spice “Why choose” trope Yearning and heartache Magic system inspired by Vedic astrology

Title: Queen of the Night Sky (Starkeepers #2)

Author: Amalie Howard

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: March 17, 2025

Review:

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult, Avon Harper Voyager, 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've long been a fan of Amalie Howard and her ability to cultivate stories that are diverse and interesting. I was super excited for this second installment in the Starkeeper series. The ending of book 1 definitely left me wanting more so I could see where the story goes. This one picks up right after that one ends. If you have not read book 1, you need to go back and do that before you approach this one or you will not understand a thing that is happening, although there is somewhat of a recap in the first chapter.

Warning here, there are some spoilers ahead that I just had to include in order to appropriately review this title. I tried to keep them light so you'd still want to possibly dive in and see how they progress. But you have been forewarned.

I had both a kindle copy and audio copy of this book. The narrators were all new to me and in all honesty, I listened less than reading the Kindle version because I just didn't like how the narrators presented the characters. I did enjoy the male more than the female, but overall their narration grated on me and took me out of the story.

I remember having a bit of a hard time getting into the first book in this series but once I was surrounded by the story it took off and I loved it. This book started off similarly for me. I wasn't sure where it was going or if I would like the direction. But then I got to part 2 and started to see how the story was taking shape. I will be honest and say why choose is not one of my favorite tropes. I tend to pass on the books that have this theme. But since I was already invested from book 1, and I'm usually a fan of how Howard writes her stories, I figured she would nail it correctly and make me enjoy the trope. Unfortunately, I was wrong. 

I really liked Suraya's character. in book 1. She had a lot of growth and I wanted to see more of her badness come out in this book. But all that is stilted in part 1 when she is more or less abused and taken advantage of. Now, I did have my suspicions of why and how this was going on (which were confirmed later in the book) but I still didn't like it. She was belittled and had zero way to defend herself. It diminished her so much. But in part 2, she has a what I consider a personality change. Is this because of her memory loss? Of course it is, but also the changes were so abrupt from book 1 to book 2 it really turned me off to her character. She does have some growth by the end of part two as she slowly relearns who she is and this was a nice touch.

I loved Roshan in book 1, in this book, not so much. Even after the big reveal, I needed him to be gone. Once the truth came out, it was like nothing he did in part 1 mattered. I hated this. Suddenly Suraya just forgave him and, oh, still had feelings for him. HUH? She didn't even have a chance to process her anger towards Roshan and then maybe slowly forgive him. There was not emotional work, no growth in this area, at all. And of course we are introduced to the second love interest, Darrius, Suraya's soul-fated, which I figured we'd see sooner or later given her dreams. I really liked his character so much more than Roshan. His struggle with his monster and how to keep Suraya safe was very genuine and endeared me to him. And, in all honesty, I don't feel like Howard did the why choose justice with how Roshan was presented. To me, there was a clear line as to who Suraya should choose considering how poorly Roshan treated her. This book would have been much better presented as a love triangle rather than a why choose. The why choose felt forced for me and I did not feel Suraya's struggle when trying to figure out who she wanted to be with. I could not be invested in her relationship with Roshan at all.

The world building continues in this book. Now we see a bit more of the magic outside of Suraya's home and how it is used. I enjoyed this part for sure and think Howard did a nice job incorporating it into what we already knew of this world. I loved the dragon type characters. And, while their introduction absolutely reminded me of Yarros's Fourth Wing, I was able to overlook this so I could see how they fit into the story. This story is filled with political intrigue and, or course, a villain who you probably do not see coming.

I will say, part two of this book felt like a completely different story from part 1. While part 1 is a continuation of book 1, party two introduces all new elements and characters. I almost felt like part 1 could have been a novella and then part 2 could have been the actual sequel. It all just felt rushed at the end, like Howard was squeezing in the why choose because it was what she thought people might want and then trying to wrap up the duology. I would have loved to see another book that explored the why choose and the potential throuple as opposed to just ending it. The whole story felt a bit unresolved.

And I have to mention there was one line in the book that completely took me out of the story and pretty much had me not even want to continue. At one point during a love scene, the MMC talks about the FMC's private parts as "glistening alter of worship" and this totally turned me off. It was not sexy. It was not an amazing way to decribe his thoughts. It was just gross for me.

This series had lots of potential but this second book killed it for me. The pacing was inconsistent and the turn it took was not in line with the first book at all. As much as I wanted to like this book, I just didn't. The book felt full of too many things as it tried it's hardest to end the dulology. I really think it would have been better with a third book. Despite my rating, there seemed to be lots of people who loved this installment and I think it will appeal to most of Howard's audience, for sure.

Author:

ARC Review: Her Hidden Fire (Her Hidden Fire #1) by Cliodhna O'Sullivan

 

The first book in a searing new romantasy trilogy, perfect for fans of POWERLESS

If he has the ability to wield magical powers, everyone will rejoice – especially the girl who loves him.
But what happens when they realize she has the gift?

In a world where dragons stalk the skies and magical abilities are an elite privilege, the ruling family of Ailm’s Keep is on a knife can Ionain, the heir apparent, channel magic, or will the family be cast out and replaced by a cruel master from a neighbouring land?

So when Éadha, a servant girl who loves Ionain, discovers that she can draw power, she finds herself in grave danger. It’s extremely rare for a girl to have this talent, and certainly never outside the great families. At Ionain’s moment of truth, Éadha makes a desperate gamble to save him, Ailm’s Keep, and ultimately herself.

As Éadha and Ionain enter a whirlwind of patriarchy, class, heartache and jealousy, they learn about power’s terrible cost – a price others willingly pay to maintain theirs.

How far would you go to empower the one you love?

Title: Her Hidden Fire

Author: Cliodhna O'Sullivan

Publisher:
Publication Date: March 3, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I will admit, the cover is what initially drew me to this book. It's just so pretty. But then the publisher contacted me and sent me a physical copy and I had to jump right in.

The blurb for this one had all the right words to draw me and and get me hooked. Dragons? Check! Magic? Check! Academic type setting? Check! Childhood friends? Check! I really wanted it to deliver but for me it just missed its mark.

Initially I really liked Eadha and Ionain. And I could not wait to see them grow together. But I needed a bit more background. There was a lot of telling what happened but never showing. I feel like flashbacks would have been great to build that for me. Especially considering they grew up together and slept in the same room. I felt like they would have been closer. But it seemed like it was so easy for them to become two totally different people once they left where they grew up. It seemed like the strong bond the two had from growing together would initially lend to the chemistry between the characters but it just didn't do that for me. And the kind of love triangle threw me at first. I wasn't surprised to see Gry and Eadha's relationship grow, especially considering how Ionain treated her.

While the world was initially interesting to me, the world building was lacking. I just didn't fully understand it. There was not enough immersion for me. I felt like I didn't truly understand why the world is the way it is. How it got that way. Why it stays that way. And so on. Plus, the magic just wasn't explained well enough for me. Add to that a bit of slow pacing and it just didn't keep me interested in the story.

I see this one will be a series but I don't think I will be continuing with it. While the premise is interesting, I just could not get into the writing. And I feel like any future stories attached to this would be just as lacking since the initial world building is not there.

Author:

Clíodhna O'Sullivan is a writer based in Co. Louth, Ireland. She works part-time as a legal counsel. In the last few years, she has taken part in several writer events, including as a panel moderator at a Terry Pratchett conference in DCU and panellist at the Cymera festival in Edinburgh. She's reasonably fluent in German and plays in a band, Molasha (you can find them on Spotify!). She is married with three children, one of whom is autistic, as well as far too many cats and a dog.

ARC Review: Heart's Gambit (Heart's Gambit #1) by J.D. Myall

 

A thrilling and romantic debut fantasy where competitors from two prominent, time-traveling Black families must fight in a deadly magical duel - and find themselves falling in love.

The Baldwins and the Davenports have been sworn enemies for centuries. Ever since Venus Davenport and Titus Baldwin, two enslaved kids, fell in love, tried to run away, and got caught by their mistress, Sabine, a powerful witch. Desperate for freedom, they struck a bargain, and she gifted their families the ability to exist outside of time, along with magic to survive and thrive.

Those gifts came at a price.

Once a generation, their families must put forth a competitor for a magical duel to the death to feed Sabine's immortality. This time, Emma Baldwin - a wish spinner - and Malcolm Davenport - a maker of illusions - are chosen.

But when they meet to check out the competition, sparks fly. Soon, the two are exchanging letters, having secret meetings, and fighting off their cursed urges to hurt one another, all while trying not to fall in love. And if they are ever going to have a chance to be together, they only have one choice: to put an end to Sabine’s curse, once and for all.

J.D. Myall's Heart's Gambit is an irresistible journey of dazzling magic, unforgettable first love, and daring to dream of something more.

Title: Heart's Gambit (Heart's Gambit #1)

Author: J.D. Myall

Publisher:

Expected Publication Date:

Review:

Thank you Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC and eARC of this story to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

First may I say how gorgeous the cover of this book is? This is what drew me in for sure. Then the blurb hit all my right spots and I could not wait to jump in and see how this story progressed. Unfortunately, it turned out this story was just not for me.

All three narrators, Alaska Jackson, Eric Lockley, and Khaya Fraites, were new for me. I was excited to See how they told this story. And, while the voices did match the characters they were narrating, I just could not connect with their narration. I even sped it up and then slowed it down to see if that would make a difference but it did not. I couldn't connect with their cadence or tone. So I switched to the print version because sometimes you just cannot connect with the narrators.

Unfortunately, even the print version of the book fell flat for me. I do know this was a debut for this author, so I had in my mind there would be things that didn't sit right with me (I almost always find this with debut authors), but it wasn't just that. It was the writing and how the characters were portrayed. It was the world building (since this is technically a fantasy/time travel story) and how the characters fit into that world. It was the magic system which was quite confusing for me. It was so vague. Plus so much story packed into the short amount of pages given, it was just too much. 

While there's a lot of things that could have been right with this story, those things didn't come to fruition for me. I felt like I was slogging along trying to get through this and hoping it would pick up, as many books often do. But that never really happened for me. The pacing was very uneven. One moment there's tons of things happening and the next you feel like you are trudging along waiting for something, anything, to give a spark. I also just could not connect with the characters or the story or even find any empathy for them. Plus the insta-love just threw me. Sometimes that sort of relationship makes sense, in this book it did not. Forbidden love, ok, I can be down with that, but there wasn't any chemistry or build to the relationship.

I will give the author props for addressing the experiences of POCs in the timeline she provided. How scary it was to be a POC in those times. And the exploration of Black culture through the years. This history is so important and deserves to be addressed so others may understand those experiences.

Overall, this book just was not for me. Mostly I was bored and didn't really care about what was happening. I will not be continuing on with the series.

Author:

J.D. Myall is a literary assistant at Neighborhood Literary Agency, co-chair of Drexel University's MFA Alumni Association, and host of the Craft Chat Chronicles podcast. Her work has appeared in Ms. Magazine, Writer’s Digest, and HuffPost. Her debut novel, Heart's Gambit, launches in Winter 2026. When she’s not conjuring magic, murder, and mayhem, she mentors writers through workshops at www.jdmyall.com.

https://linktr.ee/jdmyall

Audio Review: The Entanglement of Rival Wizards (Magic and Romance #1) by Sara Raasch

 

Ali Hazelwood meets Dungeons & Dragons in this enemies-to-lovers fantasy academia romcom where rival grad student wizards are forced to work together without killing―or falling for―each other.

Will they conjure love, or evoke chaos? Two rival wizards are about to find out.

Sebastian Walsh: twenty-four. Grad student at Lesiara University in the Mageus of Evocation program. Human. The first of his family to go to college rather than the military (and it goes over at family get-togethers about as well as you’d think).

Elethior Tourael: also twenty-four. Also a grad student, but in the far more inferior Mageus of Conjuration program. Half-elf. The latest in a long line of Touraels to grace the hallowed halls of Lesiara U (what would the world do if the Touraels ran out of rich douches to lead their magical weapons manufacturing empire?).

―and the other finalist for the Mageus Research Grant.

Sebastian needs that grant to fund the last few months of research for his degree, after which he’ll get a job that actually helps people. He isn’t about to let anyone snatch this from him, least of all a snob who doesn’t even need the money because his family is loaded thanks to war profiteering.

But there’s something worse than having a conceited academic nemesis steal grant money from you: you could be forced to work with him. Thio is secretive, broody, and his stunning biceps take up far too much shared lab space―but even as volatile as their partnership is, Sebastian just might find himself falling for his rival―and it could blow up his whole future.

Title: The Entanglement of Rival Wizards (Magic and Romance #1)

Author: Sara Raasch

Publisher: Bramble/Macmillan Audio

Publication Date: August 26, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Bramble/Macmillan Audio for sending me a copy of this audiobook to listen to and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I love me some Sara Raasch. The Nightmare Before Kissmas was one of my favorite listens last year. When I saw Sara had a new series about wizards, I was excited to see what the story was about. I did request a copy but was denied. So I was even more excited when I was sent a copy to jump into. As usual, Raasch is queen of magic and MM relationships. I absolutely adored this book.

This was my first time listening to the narrator, Sam Stark. And he was perfect. I loved the emotion he infused into the MMC's narration. I loved his intonation and pacing. And how he was able to really get the personality of the main character across to the listener. He has moved on to my list of narrators I will go to for a listen!

Sebastian was so much fun to get to know. I loved his personality so much. A little bit of a trouble maker and a lot of someone who wants to make something of himself. He harbored a lot of emotion throughout the book. Especially once he gets "stuck" working with Elethior, his long time enemy. Forced to work together for a grant, they slowly get to know more than just the surface level of each other. They slowly grow into a friendship that eventually turns into just a bit more. Raasch truly does MM romance with amazing finesse. Her spicy scenes are truly perfect. 

And can we talk about the romance? It is just flat out chemistry from the very start. Despite their differences, including their types of magic and their family background, Sebastian and Elethior bond. And then you can just feel how they are are drawn to each other. Even though they "hate" each other, they easily begin to support one another through their shared work. They defend each other so easily, like they were made to be an item.

More over, her side characters are always amazing. I adored Orok so much. And his relationship with Seb is amazing. It was so refreshing to watch two men be the best of friends and watch out for each other. They are uninhibited by societal norms and that truly was a testament to show that love is love is love. They aren't afraid to hug, or say I love you, or support one another. They went through some trauma together and that also gets worked through in this book. This back story is sad and really formed who they are as wizards and friends.

The pacing of this book is great. I sped through it. And honestly, towards the end, I slowed it down because I really didn't want it to end. There is so much I could say but any and all of it would be spoilers and I would not want to ruin the perfection Raasch has created.

Lovers of authors like Ali Hazelwood and Sarina Bowen will enjoy this magical romance. If you love magic and high jinks mixed with close proximity, enemies to lovers, and queer attractxion, Seb and Theo will become your new obsession. I cannot thank the publisher enough for sending me a copy of this story. And can I say how excited I am to get Orok's story next? I did request it but have been denied so I cannot wait for my copy when it comes out!

Author:

Sara Raasch has known she was destined for bookish things since the age of five, when her friends had a lemonade stand and she tagged along to sell her hand-drawn picture books too. Not much has changed since then — her friends still cock concerned eyebrows when she attempts to draw things and her enthusiasm for the written word still drives her to extreme measures. Her debut YA fantasy, SNOW LIKE ASHES, the first in a trilogy, came out October 14, 2014 from Balzer + Bray. It does not feature her hand-drawn pictures.

ARC Review: A Fate So Cold (A Fate So Cold #1) by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman

 

TWO CHOSEN ONES WITH ONE CHOICE: THE WORLD OR EACH OTHER

A Fate So Cold is the first of a new blockbuster duology from the New York Times bestselling authors of All of Us Villains, Amanda Foody & C. L. Herman.

For most of the year, Summer reigns peacefully over Alderland. Then, for six brutal weeks, Winter rages, obliterating towns and wreaking casualties. Magicians bond with powerful wands of Summer to defend the nation, a duty that costs many their lives.

Domenic Barrow never wanted such responsibility—but destiny hasn’t granted him a choice. The greatest Summer wand has awakened for the first time in a century, warning that an icy cataclysm looms on the horizon. And despite his reputation as the least suited of his classmates, the wand Chooses Domenic to wield it.

Ellery Caldwell spent years striving to be a perfect Summer magician—and burying her fears of her own power. But her worst suspicions are proven true when she accidentally creates the first ever Winter wand.

Now, as the unprecedented Chosen Two, Domenic and Ellery must thwart the oncoming cataclysm together. And in trying to fulfill their destinies, they wonder if they were brought together for a second fate: to fall in love.

Until they discover the unthinkable truth. The Chosen Two aren’t fated allies, but eternal rivals, and the only way to save their home is for one of them to slay the other.

This is no love story. It's a tragedy.

Title: A Fate So Cold (A Fate So Cold #1)

Author: Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman

Publisher: Tor/Macmillan Audio

Expected Publication Date: November 4, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Tor, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with a print copy and audio copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I love me some dark academia and this definitely fit that bill. I was excited to jump in and see what the magic system was about and how the world would build out. It is very unique for sure!

The narrators for this title, Andre Bellido and Mia Wurgaft, were new to me. They did a fairly good job but I didn't love them. Their voices felt a it flat and I kept hoping they would have a bit more inflection during the action scenes but they didn't. I won't rule them out for future titles, but I did enjoy the book more when I as reading it in the print ARC as compared to the audio.

I love a good dual POV story. It's so much fun to get into both main characters's heads and see where they are at. This book did a great job with that. I really enjoyed the FMC and the MMC. Both characters have traumatic backgrounds. It definitely is something that shapes them, and their relationship with each other. I did feel like there could have been just a bit more background on their trauma. At times I was confused by it but in the end I did understand it.

I'm not sure how much I believed in the romance between the two main characters. It felt a bit forced given their forced proximity. I didn't feel it grow as it should. 

The world is quite unique with it's living wands and the wands choosing their wielder. I also enjoyed the dichotomy of the winter versus summer wands. The pacing is done well. I kept wanting to move forward to see what would happen. The authors infused a good amount of action into the story, as well. This is my first book by this duo and they write well together, I didn't feel like the story was disjointed or weird in any way given there are two authors.

Theses authors built a solid fantasy. And that ending! I kind of figured we'd be seeing that particular character again (no spoilers here!) but I didn't know how it would happen. Now I need the next book so I can see how things play out. Fans of Harry Potter and dystopian books will really enjoy sinking their teeth into this one.

Author:

Amanda Foody is the New York Times, USA Today, and indie bestselling author of All of Us Villains (with C.L. Herman), the Wilderlore series, the Shadow Game series, and more. Her work has appeared in publications including Buzzfeed, Popsugar, Culturess, and Amazon selected All of Us Villains as the Best Young Adult Book of 2021. Originally from Pennsylvania, she lives in Boston, MA with her partner and their orange tabby, Jelly Bean. When not writing, she unironically loves to cook.

The Night Compass, the fourth installment in the Wilderlore series, releases on March 5, 2024. A Fate So Cold, her next novel with C.L. Herman, follows in Fall 2024.

C. L. HERMAN is the New York Times, USA Today, and national indie bestselling author of atmospheric, magical novels, including the All of Us Villains duology (with Amanda Foody), The Devouring Gray duology, and The Drowning Summer. Their work has received critical and commercial acclaim and has been translated into over ten languages. Their next co-written project, A Fate So Cold, will release in fall 2025. 

They currently reside in the Boston area with their partner and cat.