ARC Review: Is This Real or Just Pretend by Emily Sullivan

 

They thought they could fool everyone with a fake courtship, but they may be fooling only themselves...

Alexandra Atkinson prides herself on being in control. It’s why she’s such an asset to her father’s investment firm—along with her utter lack of a social life and her talent for spotting successful ventures for investors. But with her father nearing retirement and the board unwilling to have a female head, Alex could lose everything . . .

After his business partner burned him, Lucien Taylor is determined to start over. But he doesn’t know how until his childhood friend’s sister, Alexandra Atkinson, comes to him with a most unusual proposal: She’ll help Lucien find the funding he needs if he pretends to court her long enough to secure her claim to her father’s company.

But Alex and Lucien soon realize they didn’t quite account for all the details in their arrangement—like how they can undo each other with just a look. And the more time they spend together, the more the intensity shimmering between them can’t be controlled. Not even by Alex. And if they give in? Well, she’s not sure which of them will be in more trouble . . . but she’s willing to find out.

Title: Is This Real or Just Pretend

Author: Emily Sullivan

Publisher: Forever Grand Central Publishing

Expected Publication Date: September 9, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Forever Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series. There's just something about period romance that gets me going. I love the Bridgerton world and Sullivan's books really hit that spot for me.

This book was Alexandra Atkison's turn to find some love. I wasn't sure I'd like her having met her in the first book and finding her to be very standoffish. But Sullivan did a great job of showing her inner thinking in this book. She actually may be my favorite Atkinson sister. Alex has so much more underneath that frosty exterior but she hasn't really ever shown it. She believes she's been good for just one thing: helping her father run his business. She doesn't think she's built for love or for someone to find her lovable. But she's a powerhouse of thinking and business acumen. It makes her a worthy opponent to the field of men among whom she works. Then Lucien Taylor comes back to town and her world is turned upside down. She knows he's always loved her sister, but she needs a partner to show she's stable. Proposing a fake courtship seems like the right thing to do. She doesn't expect to catch feelings for him. Nor does she expect him to return those feelings. 

Lucien has come back to town to visit his sick father. He's tucked his tail between his legs for a business that didn't work out because his business partner wasn't who Lucien thought he was and left him high and dry. He doesn't expect to see his childhood crush or to have dealings with her sister. But Alex makes him an offer he can't refuse: fake courtship and she'll pay him for it so he can get his business back off the town. He doesn't expect to enjoy his time with her or to realize he's falling for her when he's always loved her sister. I really loved Lucien so much. He's a bit naive on some things but worldly with others. He really understands Alex, too, when no one else ever seems to.

Sullivan infuses romance and spice with some great plot points. I love the intrigue she's brought into this series with just the bit of mystery from some not so nice villains. It created some good tension and great expectations for what lies ahead. I expect to see more of this with Freddie's book. And I loved how she introduced pieces from the next story but doesn't give too much away just to keep me on my toes and want to have it in my hands. Sullivan also has on point pacing. I tore through the book, never really wanting to put it down.

Sullivan gives the reader a great story line with intense chemistry between her characters. While it's not necessary to read the first book to understand this one, I loved that I knew the background Sullivan continued to give us. There's banter and romance and just the right amount of spice. I'm really looking forward to more stories in this world and other stories from Sullivan in the future.

Author:

Emily Sullivan is an award-winning author of historical romance and mysteries set in the late Victorian period. Her books have received multiple starred reviews from trade journals including Publishers Weekly and Booklist, and have been praised in publications such as Entertainment Weekly, Buzzfeed, Parade, Self, and Bookpage.

She lives in New England with her family, where she enjoys reading about history and writing about rebellious women.

ARC Review: House of Hearts by Skylar Arndt

 

Solving her best friend's murder means infiltrating a secret society, resisting a forbidden love, and running from a vengeful ghost in this sophomore novel by the author of Together We Rot.

Violet Harper knows her best friend was murdered. Even if everyone else has labeled her death a “freak accident,” Vi is sure she’d been trying to tell her something right before she died. Cryptic messages about her friend’s elite boarding school, her whirlwind romance, and the mysterious secret society she was entangled in all point to a more sinister fate.

So, Violet does what no one else seems willing to do: She transfers to the same fancy school to dig into the society’s murky history and find out what really happened to her friend. She knows the truth might not be pretty, but what she doesn’t bargain for is the handsome boy at the center of it all—Calvin Lockwell, the brother of her prime suspect and descendant of the school’s founder. He’s obnoxious and privileged, and Violet can’t deny their haunting attraction. It soon becomes clear his family is hiding a dark secret that may not be of this world, and suddenly Violet’s following her friend’s doomed footsteps down the rabbit hole. Even as details emerge of a deadly curse plaguing the school, she can’t escape her true feelings for Calvin. But loving him may be the last thing she ever does.

Title: House of Hearts

Author: Sklya Arndt

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Expected Publication Date: September 2, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group 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 love some good dark academia. Add in a secret society of friends and a family curse and I'm hooked.

At first I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book. I will admit, There were a few plot holes I wasn't too thrilled with. I had to suspend my disbelief to engage with the story. Once I did that, I really got into the plot and all it's intricacies. 

The book gives gothic romance vibes with some ghostly hauntings. I really liked this part of the plot. The push and pull of a family curse when two people are drawn to each other but destined to ruin each other. Forbidden love!

This one is definitely firmly in the YA realm. So the writing was easy to read and the pacing was fast. 

I enjoyed all the relationships between the characters. While I was not so sure I would like them at first, they definitely grew on me. And there is definitely a good romance with chemistry that grows throughout the book.

The atmosphere of the book is very dark. It did not strike horror in me, as I thought it might, but it there were definitely spooky moments that had me on my toes.

This book is filled with plot twists and turns you won't be expecting. Overall it was a fun experience and I would recommend it for anyone who is looking for a book filled with secret societies, paranormal hauntings, and doomed romance.

Author:

Skyla Arndt has always loved the creepy, crawly side of life. When she was younger, she thought that love might translate to hunting Bigfoot, but luckily for him, writing proved easier.

You can connect with her on Instagram or Twitter at @arndtskyla. (Howling at the moon works, too.)

ARC Review: If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair

 

In this enemies-to-lovers romance, school nurse Josie and her brother's best friend--hockey player Wyatt Jacobs--are tricked into spending a summer together that's anything but smooth sailing.

When Josie's brother sends her to a random address for their (sometimes) annual Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza, she finds neither siblings nor extravaganzas. Instead, ends up at a run-down cottage on the Northern Neck of Virginia occupied by a hockey player she knows and loathes.

A hockey player who isn't just one of her sports agent brother's clients. He's also his best friend. And Josie's sworn enemy.

Oh--and her brother wants Josie to help Wyatt recover from his injury.

Dragging grumpy hockey players to physical therapy is a far cry from bandaging skinned knees, but for the price her brother offers to pay, Josie is willing to try.

Even if it means sharing what she dubs the quaint little murder cottage with Wyatt.

Begrudgingly, Josie starts to see a little more of the man behind the grumpy exterior. And when she finds out he was supposed to sail the Intracoastal Waterway south to Savannah scattering his uncle's ashes, Josie surprises even herself by offering to be Wyatt's first mate.

Smooth sailing is nowhere to be found, and Josie begins to wonder if they'll be able to make it home without killing--or kissing?--each other.

And yet, the longer they share cramped quarters and canned food, the more of Wyatt's layers she peels back until Josie realizes she misunderstood him, their shared history, and perhaps herself as well.

Title: If All Else Sails

Author: Emma St. Clair

Publisher: Thomas Nelson Fiction

Expected Publication Date: August 5, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction/Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for supplying me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I love a good enemies to lovers story. Pair that with some close proximity and you have the makings of the perfect chemistry that builds to a true love story. Emma St. Clair managed this flawlessly. This was my first book by this author but it certainly won't be my last. 

Josie finds herself in a pickle. Her brother lied to her and told her they were going on a sibling vacation. But what he was really doing was inserting her into Wyatt's life to try get his best friend to heal and get back to hockey. Josie and Wyatt have spent their lives hating each other, or at least that's what Josie thinks. But as the two spend more and more time together, they both learn about the miscommunication that has happened during their course of knowing each other, and their chemistry blooms into something undeniable.

I will say, I was expecting spice with this story. I have not read St. Clair before so I'm not sure if clean romance is her norm but there was zero spice. And, while that's the level I'm used to reading when I read romance, not having it did not detract in any way from the story for me. If anything, it made the chemistry even more steamy. I loved the slow burn connection Josie and Wyatt experienced. I'm not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope, and there were so many times during this story the two could have fully disclosed everything and gotten on with their lives. But then there would not have been a story.

The plot takes a turn when the two go off on a sailing trip together. I loved this portion of the book more than any other part. Their experiences during the trip were really great and helped build their relationship. Clair did well with the sailing language, as well. I was impressed with the level that was used. Perhaps because I have a sailboat and understand the words. But it was great to watch Josie eagerly learn what she needed to in order to be helpful for their trip.

I did not realize Wyatt has appeared in St. Clair's other books and now I'm anxious to read the other stories of the Appies players! I've now added all her titles to my TBR and I cannot wait to read them!

St. Clair infused witty banter with a good amount of emotional turmoil and growth. The characters were well fleshed out and developed. The author made me fall in love with them almost immediately. If you're looking for a clean romance read with tons of chemistry, wit, and emotional growth, pick this one up and give it a try!

Author:

Emma St. Clair is a USA Today Bestselling Author who loves sassy heroines, witty banter, and love stories with heart and humor. She has an MFA in Fiction and lives in Katy, Texas (go, Tigers!) with her hubby, five children, and Great Dane. Her favorite place to write is tapping on her phone while on the elliptical machine. No Emmas have been hurt in the writing of these novels. (Yet.)

Want a free novella? Grab Upping the Ante here: https://emmastclair.com/ante

You can follow the day-to-day on instagram @kikimojo.

ARC Review: Immortal Consequences by I.V. Marie

Six students at Blackwood Academy, an enigmatic boarding school located at the edge of the afterlife, must compete for the once-in-eternity chance to change their fate—or risk remaining stuck in purgatory forever. An unputdownable debut full of hairpin twists, shock betrayals and world-defying love, for fans of The Atlas Six.

Welcome to Blackwood Academy: the legendary school located at the fringes of the afterlife, where students are fated to spend the rest of eternity shepherding lost souls. Once a pupil enters the school’s arched gates, there is no way out…except for the Decennial, a once-in-a-decade celebration that rewards nominees who pass its trials with a choice: formally graduate and join Blackwood’s magical elite, or venture into the unknown and cross over to the mysterious Other Side.

Wren Loughty is certain that this Decennial, she has what it takes to earn the nomination—unless, that is, her academic archrival Augustine Hughes steals her spot.

Irene Manette Bamford has never cared about playing by the rules. She’s willing to break whatever (and whoever) stands between her and getting the hell out of Blackwood, including her best and only friend, Masika Sallow.

Olivier Dupont gave up on securing the nomination ages ago. But after he meets Blackwood’s newest student, Emilio Córdova, he’ll do anything to keep Emilio from leaving him and crossing over to the Other Side—even if it means claiming the victory for himself.

All of them are determined to be Blackwood’s chosen candidate–and all of them would do anything to win. But none of them are prepared for what’s to come. Because this Decennial will be different. This time, the Decennial isn’t a celebration…it’s a competition. And there can only be one victor.

Six nominees. Four trials. Untold danger. Wren, August, Irene, Masika, Olivier and Emilio are about to learn: there are some fates worse than death.

Title: Immortal Consquences

Author: I.V. Marie

Publisher: Random House Children's

Expected Publication Date: June 29, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Random House Children's Publishing for sending me a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own. I was disappointed to be denied a copy of this book on NetGalley but then the publisher contacted me to see if I'd like to read and review and I jumped at the chance.

Wow! Wow! Wow! I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. It had so many great elements that checked all kinds of boxes for me. A magical academy a la Harry Potter. Hunger Games type competition. Stranger Things type creatures who are freaking scary and definitely out to get everyone. Plus a dark academia setting with an undead feel and good and evil factions. All this within the realm of the dead. It was so much fun to read.

I loved the multiple POVs the author used to give us so many different visions of what was happening during the entire book. If differing POVs is not your thing, you might not like this one as there are six, but I found it fascinating. The dynamics between the characters was enjoyable. And the entire crew gave a found family feel. It was great to get to know each and every character this way. Each character was well developed and Marie absolutely made me care for each and every one of them. They were relatable, despite the element of them being dead souls. The POVs were easily distinguishable and the characters were likeable with lots of flaws to make them even more understandable. The alternating POVs also kept me interested in the story as I wanted to know what happened to each and every one of the characters; what their end game was and why.

The pacing was action packed. There was always something happening that moved the story forward and kept me interested in what would be happening next. I was never bored, not for one single minute.

And the slow burn romances were on point. This book is definitely YA. I am a big romance reader so I always worry about a young adult romantasy and what it will hold for me. There is definitely fade to black with any scenes that contain the hint of a sexual encounter, but that didn't make the romances any less enjoyable. And the angst, oh the angst. I think this is what did it for me. I didn't need to spice because the longing and chemistry Marie did create was on point! There is great LBGTQ+ rep in this book, as well. 

Marie also did a fabulous job with the world building. It's filled with such great description and a well fleshed out magical system that was easy to understand. This part absolutely reminded me of Harry Potter with it's different dorms acting like the houses for the different magical abilities. And I loved her writing. It was easy to read and smooth.

This book is easily in my top 5 for this year. And I just knew there would be some crazy twist and a bit of a cliff hanger for this one but I didn't care. I was sad to come to the end and would love to have the second book right this very minute. I cannot wait to read what comes next!

If you're looking for an action packed paranormal read with dark academia the likes of Harry Potter and trials the likes of The Hunger Games, this one is it. I am absolutely enamored and on board with this series and cannot wait to see where Marie takes this story line!

Author:

I.V. Marie was born and raised in Miami to a Peruvian mother and Chilean father, where she acquired a penchant for afternoon cafecitos and developed an all-consuming obsession with books. Her writing ambitions began behind her grandparents’ computer, where she spent her childhood crafting spooky and fantastical short stories. She holds a BA in Communication Studies from Loyola Marymount University and currently lives in Los Angeles, where she spends her free time going on walks with her chaotic, but loving dog, Mr. Darcy.

 

ARC Review: Fateless (Fateless #1) by Julie Kagawa

Deep in the forgotten city of the Deathless Kings, an ancient relic of untold power waits—for one bold enough to steal it.

When seventeen-year-old Sparrow joined the Thieves Guild she made a vow of binding loyalty to their cause. So when a mission comes along from The Circle, a group of mysterious, dangerous beings who control the Thieves Guild from the shadows, Sparrow is determined to cement her place in the guild.

What ensues is a death-defying adventure that has Sparrow and her band of thieves venturing into the heart of the forgotten city of the Deathless King. The fate of Sparrow, her companions, and Raithe, the enigmatic yet alluring assassin Sparrow is forced to join forces with during their quest, all hang in the balance as they find themselves battling ancient forces within the tombs and facing the unwavering hold of fate.

Perfect for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Sabaa Tahir, this new fantasy trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Julie Kagawa will sweep readers into a bold and exciting new world, where a twisted game of destiny has far-reaching consequences.

Title: Fateless (Fateless #1)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harper Teen

Publication Date: July 15, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for providing me with an early copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I'm so sad to have to DNF this book (at 57&) but I'm just bored. I usually love Kagawa and her writing but this one just did not hold my interest even over halfway through the title.

I tend to really dig into an assassin themed book. Given my love of Throne of Glass, I have high expectations when it comes to this genre. I need to feel pulled into the world and understand the characters who play these rolls. What makes them tick? What makes them stay?

The build up of the fantasy world seemed like it would be interesting to me at first. Julie's writing and lush and full of apt descriptions, usually enabling me to be able to frame the scenes out in my mind. And the book had a fast pace to it. But I was lost as to how the world came to be and how the magic system worked. There was some action that held my interest for a bit but not enough to make me want to keep turning the pages. I felt like a lot was happening but not much was happening all at the same time. It was like watching an Indiana Jones film but never really getting to the point of why I was investing my time.

I also wasn't invested in the characters. I wanted to give them a chance but I just didn't feel a pull to them or find them relatable. I didn't care about any of them or what happened to them. 

I am a fan of well written YA, which is why I picked this one up. Plus, Kagawa has not steered me wrong in the past. But this is not what I expected. I can see how it may appeal to the very young YA crowd, perhaps middle school. I won't give up on Kagawa but I won't be continuing with this series.

Author:

 

Julie Kagawa, the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey, Blood of Eden, Talon, and Shadow of the Fox series was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full time.

Julie now lives in horse country in Kentucky with her husband and a pair of Australian Shepherds.

Fat Stack Friday May 9, 2025

 

Here's what I got this week!

NetGalley/Edelweiss:

A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwan

The squee I squee'd when this approval came through was LOUD. And I was in the middle of a surgery waiting room as my son had shoulder surgery! I'm so excited to read this. I love McEwan. Her Glacian trilogy is great. You should go read it! And check out my reviews of all three on the blog.

Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood

This came through as a NetGalley read now earlier this week. The author has another book coming out and the publisher has put this one back up to garner hype of that one. I won't request that one until I read this and see if I like the author's writing as this author is new to me.

A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim

This one came from the publisher. It sounds great. I hope it is!

Immortal Consequences by I.V Marie

I had requested this one on NetGalley and was declined. I was going to request it on Edelweiss but yesterday the publisher emailed and asked if I'd be interested in reviewing. So of course I said yes!

The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer

It honestly doesn't matter what this book is about because I will read anything Marissa Meyer writes. The Lunar Chronicles is one of my all time favorite series. I hope this one turns out to be just as good!

Libby/Hoopla:

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store (Dream Harbo #2) by Laurie Gilmore

This series is so cute. Cozy romance and just fun. Nothing strenuous on the mind. I enjoyed the first book so figured I'd continue on. Perfect to listen to while at work!

What did you get this week?

ARC Review: Time Loops & Meet Cutes by Jackie Lau

 

The “masterful, inspiring, and full of heart” (Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author) Jackie Lau returns with a thoroughly unique love story about a woman reliving the same Friday over and over again—and the intriguing man who can’t quite remember her.

Noelle Tom really shouldn’t have eaten those dumplings at the night market. But the old woman at the stall said they’d give her what she needed most, and what Noelle desperately needed after another long workweek was food.

Except now she’s reliving the same Friday. Every morning her alarm goes off at 6:45, and the Wordle answer is always “happy.” Worst of all, any work she does at her job as an engineer? It’s erased when she wakes up. Monday might never come in this workaholic’s nightmare. Noelle has no idea how being trapped in a time loop is the “thing she needed most,” and a trip to the food stall doesn’t help…because there’s no sign of it.

Then she meets good-looking Cam, who appears in multiple places on her Friday. While the brewery owner seems to have no memory of their encounters, there are signs he might be the key to getting un-stuck. But Noelle can’t figure out how, even when she steps outside of her comfort zone and lives a little. As she grows attached to him, she becomes more worried that she’ll never escape the loop and he’ll never recall her name. And if she does ever get out, can they be together in the “real” world?

Title: Time Loops & Meet Cutes

Author: Jackie Lau

Publisher:

Expected Publication Date: May 6, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Atria 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.

The blurb from this book sounds so adorable! Noelle Tom eats some dumplings at a night market and suddenly finds herself reliving the same day over and over again and she can't figure out how to escape her own personal Ground Hog's Day. To make matters worse, she meets Cam, who she thinks can help her escape her loop but finds herself falling for him at the same time. She's determined to figure out how to help him remember her as her life resets every day but she's also determined to get herself out of the loop and move on with her life. 

I was excited for the concept of this book. Given the positive reviews I was seeing, I had high hopes I would enjoy the story. I loved the thought of a meet cute that happens over and over again, each time with the FMC tweaking things to try and make them more perfect in the hopes she'll wake up the next day and have moved on. A bit of magical realism amongst a romance story. I really couldn't wait to see how the author built the plot and made the story move forward. Unfortunately, this book ended up not hitting the mark for me at all. 

I'll start with the characters. The pros were their diversity. I loved how Lau wove in the different cultures. Though I myself even found a mistake with one of the things she wove in and that bothered me a bit. And I enjoyed the friendship Noelle built with her new friend Avery. But other than these two things, I wasn't a fan of either main character. They were so flat. Noelle does not strike me as a woman who is close to 30. As a matter of fact, she acted more like a college aged girl. She's whiny, annoying, and unlikable. She claims she is being challenged by the time loop but I didn't see any growth from the challenges she purported to be going through. Cam was harder to understand as we don't get a lot of him during the book. The author chose to use dual POV but not only did we have limited chapters from Cam's POV, those chapters were super short. It was truly hard to get to know him and I'm not sure why his chapters were included at all.

The first 50% of the book focuses on the time loop and literally nothing happens. It's just Noelle living those days over and over again. Yes, I know this is the point of the book, but each day should have brought some growth and it just wasn't there. There is some growth with her friendship with Avery. However, the chemistry the author tried to build between Noelle and Cam seemed forced and I didn't feel their connection at all. And the sex scenes were cringe for me. When the time loop is finally resolved, I had no idea why or how. I thought perhaps I would see that why in the second half of the book but, alas, that didn't really happen. I struggled to push myself through the book in the hopes the relationships would grow and change and we would finally have the conclusion as to why the time loop happened but it never came to fruition.

I contemplated DNFing this book multiple times during my read especially in the first 50%. I was very bored with the 170+ days of reliving the same exact scenario. Even the second half was slow and didn't build the tension I was expecting.

Finally, there was so much telling in this book. And it was like the main characters were just narrating every aspect of what they were doing. Everything just glazed over the surface rather than delving into what could have been some interesting information for the reader to help understand the characters and their struggles.

The best part of the book was the plot twist that happens at the end, like in the last 10%. But getting there was definitely a struggle.

I've not read any other books by this author so I don't have anything to compare this one to but just having read this I'm not really interested in finding out. There was nothing drawing me back to this book when I would put it down. I had to force myself to finish it. The concept was there but the execution fell completely flat and missed the mark of what could have been a fun and entertaining read. I read a lot of romance and have read quite a few with magical realism but this one was just not for me. Not every book is for everyone and given the high ratings, I'm sure I am in the minority and others will enjoy this one much more than I did.

Author:

Jackie Lau decided she wanted to be a writer when she was in grade two, sometime between writing “The Heart That Got Lost” and “The Land of Shapes.” She later studied engineering and worked as a geophysicist before turning to writing romance novels.

Jackie lives in Toronto with her husband, and despite living in Canada her whole life, she hates winter. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, hiking, eating too much gelato, and reading on the balcony when it’s raining.

Fat Stack Friday March 28, 2025

 

Check out what I got this week!

Kindle:

Summer In the City by Alex Aster

This one just looks cute. I have not read this author before. I know she has a popular fantasy series, though. I'm looking forward to seeing how cute this one is.

NetGalley/Edelweiss:

Friends To lovers by Sally Blakely

This one was read now on NetGalley and I could not resist. I love an enemies to lovers romance so I downloaded it. I have not read this author before so I'm looking forward to seeing what she's all about!

The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware

This will be my 4th Ware ARC and my 6th book I'll be reading by her. I enjoy her mysteries. I was actually declined for this one on NetGalley but approved on Edelweiss (after I was able to show them my previous reviews, which I think helped!). Looking forward to seeing where this one goes.

Author/Publisher Sent:

How to Write a Rom-Com by Cristina Wolf

I saw this author post on Instagram offering ARCs for her romance and it sounded really cute so I applied to be part of her ARC team and was accepted. I'm really looking forward to reading this one!

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

To say I was excited to get this widget was an understatement. I absolutely adored Only In Your Dreams and this one is one of my most anticipated book releases for this year. I cannot wait to dive in! You can see my review of the first book HERE.

I Am The Swarm by Hayley Chewins

This one was actually already published. It definitely looks interesting but is low on my list to review given how many books I have to get through for May, June, and July. BUT I do tend to read more than one book at a time, so I may get to it sooner rather than later!

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver

I wasn't sure about this one at first but then I read the blurb a few times and it looks like something I will love. I'm glad the publisher sent the widget!

Today I'm going shopping with my mother so I may very well end up with some physical books by the end of the day!

What did you get this week?

ARC Review: The Folklore of Forever (Moonville #2) by Sarah Hogle

 

From the acclaimed author of Old Flames and New Fortunes comes a steamy enemies-to-lovers romantasy about a paranormal skeptic who is roped into a ghost hunting romp by the charming boy next door . . . who might just show her what real fantasies are made of.

Paranormal skeptic Zelda Tempest is hoping for a much-needed creativity boost for a new paranormal mystery novel. But despite the alleged magic of her hometown, Moonville, Ohio, she’s as stuck as ever. 

With two witch sisters, not believing in magic is strange for a Tempest, but no one is more disappointed than Morgan Angelopoulos, the charming man next door. So, to cure her of her writer's block and her disbelief in magic, Morgan ropes her into a ghost-hunting romp, only for Zelda to discover something else bizarre, never-before-seen creatures that appear as ordinary pets to everyone else. 

Curious about what else might be lurking in Moonville's woods, Zelda and Morgan embark on a quest to uncover the true magic that lies in their midsts . . . and perhaps, just maybe, they will find that the magic they're searching for has been with them all along.

Title: The Folklore of Forever (Moonville #2)

Author: Sarah Hogle

Publisher: G.P. Putnam & Sons

Expected Publication Date: April 8, 2025

Review:

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

Are you looking for a cute, small town, slow burn romance series with some magic sprinkled in? Then you should be reading the Moonville series by Sarah Hogle. If you love Sarah Hawley's Glimmer Falls series (which I ADORED), you will enjoy these stories and characters. While you don't need to read the first book in the series to read this one, I definitely found this one more enjoyable because I knew the side characters. I highly recommend reading them in order but if you don't mind knowing some outcomes for the other characters, then pick this one up and dive in!

I will say, this one had much more magic than the first book did. I wasn't expecting the level of magic to be ramped up so much but I loved it for that reason so much more.

After many disastrous moves and an inability to write anything new for her publisher, Zelda Tempest moves home to live with her sisters in the hopes creativity will spark. What she wasn't expecting was Morgan Angelopoulos to get in her way. And she certainly wasn't expecting the foretelling of her and her sister's love lives to take shape and become true!

I really liked Zelda. She was quirky and creative and a lot of fun to get to know. I also loved that Hogle included some mental health representation with her character. Someone who could not keep herself together but learned that medication and talking about her issues helps. She questions everything, including the witchiness of her sisters and niece. She's a skeptic and doesn't want to give into her base being of magic. But holding it back just makes her more confused. Once she accepts who she is, she blossoms so much.

Morgan is an interesting character. To be honest, he was hard to figure out. He's a bit eccentric and unusual not only in his personality but in his dress and the way he presents himself. I didn't get much of a read on him when I read the first book, just that he was a journalist who had taken up residence in their store. I enjoyed getting to know him more in this book. 

I loved the idea of the enemies to lovers trope in this book. Though I'm not sure they were so much enemies as they were forced to be in each other's proximity. And Zelda gave off the grumpy vibes while Morgan was definitely more sunshine. Their chemistry was a bit unusual. One moment Zelda is saying she knows she needs to find her true love but it's not Morgan and the next she's kissing him. There's a lot of push and pull on her end. Morgan, on the other hand, has his mind made up from the start; he knows he wants Zelda but he is patient enough to wait for her until she realizes what they have.

It was fun seeing all the characters from the first book. Especially Zelda's sisters, Romina and Luna. And I love Zelda's niece Aisling. It would be fun for her to have a book, though she's a little young for such romance yet!

One thing I will say is that Hogle does a lot of jumping around in this book. At some points, I was rather confused with what was happening and had to read scenes a few times to have the plot click. Other times, I felt like a chapter ended and then jumped somewhere else, but the previous plot point was not wrapped up. I feel like the magic sometimes got in the way of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, though not as much as the first. I'd love to pick up some of the other titles this author has written. And I'm looking foward to Luna's story because I know it's going to be a doozy!

Author:

Sarah Hogle is a mom of three who enjoys trashy TV and provoking her husband for attention. Her dream is to live in a falling-apart castle in a forest that is probably cursed. Her novels are You Deserve Each Other, Twice Shy, Just Like Magic, and Old Flames and New Fortunes.