The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

Title: The Mime Order

Author: Samantha Shannon

Genre: Dystopian, Urban Fantasy

Series: The Bone Season # 2

Publication: May 14, 2024, 560 pages

Source: Personal Library 

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Paige Mahoney has escaped the clandestine prison city of Oxford. Now a fugitive in London, she nurtures a new taste for revolution.

Oxford may be behind her, but the Republic of Scion is undefeated. As it turns its all-seeing eye on Paige, she is forced to return to Jaxon Hall, her charismatic and brutal employer, to keep her foothold in the underworld.

But Paige will bow to no one now, and not even Jaxon will stop her exposing the corruption in the syndicate. As she plots to win the fabled Rose Crown, both sides of an ancient conflict seek her talents for themselves.

MY THOUGHTS

It’s been years since I read The Bone Season, and after finally rereading it in the author’s preferred edition, I jumped straight into The Mime Order. I honestly don’t know why I waited so long to continue this series; The Bone Season was incredible, and The Mime Order shines just as brightly as its predecessor. The Mime Order picks up exactly where the first book left off, with Paige, her syndicate, and the other prisoners escaping Oxford and heading toward the Tower of London. The book starts with a bang, and I immediately felt the same tension and suspense that I loved in the first installment.

In The Bone Season, Shannon did an amazing job setting up the world and introducing the main characters. Most of the first book takes place in Oxford, where we learn about the Rephaim, the history of Scion, and the various levels of clairvoyance. In the sequel, Shannon brings us back to London to explore the criminal underworld; its different cohorts and the inner workings of the London syndicate, introducing the underlord, mime-lords, and mime-queens. Except this time, Paige is no longer a prisoner; she’s a wanted fugitive, and now everyone is gunning for her.

I felt like I had a good grasp of the Seven Seals in the first book, but I loved how we got a deeper look into Paige’s found family and the other divisions. Seeing how the syndicate operates day-to-day was fascinating. While some readers have said this book is slower than the first, I thought it was brilliant. Shannon weaves an intricate mystery and builds it to a phenomenal, dare I say one of the best, climactic endings I’ve ever read. The scrimmage scene was so well-written and intense, it had me on the edge of my seat! And that ending… it gave me literal chills. I was completely shocked. I love when a book can still surprise me and keep me on my toes.

I have to say, The Bone Season series has some of the richest, most well-thought-out, and downright smart worldbuilding I’ve encountered in a long time. I absolutely loved how Shannon incorporated the language of flowers and the important role it plays in shaping this world. Then there’s the metaphysical and spiritual aspect combined with clairvoyance; it’s so fascinating to see how she takes these fringe concepts and turn them into something uniquely her own.

This series is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorites. I highly, highly recommend it if you're looking for a brilliant, well-written plot, immersive worldbuilding, and complex, multifaceted characters you can’t help but love or hate. And I have to add… I still find Jaxon fascinating, despite everything!

Immortal Consequences by I.V. Marie

Title: Immortal Consequences

Author: I.V. Marie

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Souls of Blackwood Academy # 1

Publication: July 29, 2025, 512 pages

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review. 

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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.

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve been excited for Immortal Consequences ever since I first heard it was picked up by a publisher. A dark academia novel with a boarding school in the afterlife? I'm already sold.

Immortal Consequences is told from six different points of view, all students of Blackwood Academy. Every ten years, students are selected to participate in the Decennial; a trial in which one is chosen to join the next level and become an Ascended, an elite protector of the school. While the others face a different fate: join the ethers, tasked with reaping souls for all of eternity.

The story wastes no time, diving right into the action and quickly introducing the key players and the central mystery. I immediately adored Wren and August, Blackwood’s top students. I loved how quickly I connected with the characters and how distinct their personalities felt, even within just a few chapters. Each was well-written and easy to identify: Wren and August, the academic rivals fighting a growing attraction; Oliver and Emilio, the inseparable pair of opposites; and Masika and Irene, the classic grumpy-and-sunshine duo.

As a fan of dark academia, I thought the concept of a school in the afterlife was incredibly unique. Blackwood Academy isn’t the only force at play though, there’s also the Demien Order, made up of former students or faculty who gave up their humanity to wield shadow magic. And then there are other mysterious entities lurking in purgatory. The magical school, the looming threat, the house system, all reminded me of Harry Potter in the best way. The students are divided into houses, each specializing in a particular magical ability. I especially enjoyed the scenes where we saw them use their powers, whether it be elemental, spellcasting, or defensive magic.

I truly love Marie’s writing; it flows beautifully and made it easy to immerse myself in this world. Normally, I’m not a big fan of multiple points of view, but Marie made it work flawlessly. The chapters felt just the right length, and I appreciated how the book was segmented into parts, giving readers a sense of pacing and structure.

All in all, Immortal Consequences is an excellent start to a new series, full of compelling characters, action, and plenty of twists and turns. With the way it ended, I absolutely can’t wait to see what happens next. If you're a fan of all things supernatural or dark academia, I highly recommend making Immortal Consequences your next read!

Cover Reveal & Pre-order for Kingdom of Chaos by Julie Hall

Book 2, in Creatures of Chaos Series

PRE-ORDER AT www.KingdomOfChaosBook.com

I made it through Chaos with my life, but Becks may have paid the ultimate price. Even though there's only a slim chance he’s still alive, I’m not giving up on the dragon shifter who holds my heart. Not while there’s still breath in my lungs.

To save him, I’ll have to navigate a world I don’t understand, face enemies more dangerous than ever before, and master the unpredictable power rising inside me. But perhaps the greatest risk of all? Relying on Talon—my former Chaos rival who lied and deceived me.

Trusting him might be a mistake.

Falling for him could be deadly.

The games are over, but the chaos has only just begun.

Perfect for fans of slow burn romance, high-stakes adventure, and everything supernatural. Creatures of Chaos is a fast-paced urban fantasy series that’s being called The Serpent and the Wings of Night meets Crave.

Tropes:

• Forced Proximity
• Slow Burn
• Love Triangle (Best Friend vs. Former Rival)
• One Bed
• Touch her and Die
• Secretive MMC
• Shared Magic
• Accidental Bonding
• The Bad Boy with a Heart of Gold
• Found Family
• Supernaturals Hiding in Plain Sight
• Secret Magical Societies
• End of the World Stakes

Start at the beginning with Book 1, Creatures of Chaos.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Hall is a USA TODAY bestselling, multiple award-winning author. She writes YA paranormal / fantasy novels, love goldendoodles and drink Red Bull, but not necessarily in that order.

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The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley

Title: The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy 

Author: Brigitte Knightley

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Dearly Beloathed # 1

Publication: July 8, 2025, 416 pages

Source: Personal Library

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When Osric Mordaunt, member of the Fyren Order of assassins, falls ill, he realizes he needs the expertise of a very specific healer. As fate would have it, that healer belongs to an enemy faction, the Haelan Order.

Aurienne Fairhrim and her fellow Haelan are inundated by sick children suffering from an outbreak of a long-forgotten Pox. Unable to get the funding needed to launch an immunization program, the Haelan Order is desperate for money – so desperate that when Osric breaks into their headquarters to bribe Aurienne to heal him, she is forced to accept.

As Osric and Aurienne work together to solve not only his illness but the mysterious reoccurrence of the Pox, they find themselves ardently denying their attraction which only fuels the tension between them.

MY THOUGHTS

The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I want to start this review by saying I did read the original fiction this book was inspired by and absolutely loved it. So, saying I was looking forward to this release would be a massive understatement. With that said, The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy is nothing, absolutely nothing like the original story. The world, the characters, the plot; none of it is remotely close or similar.

As I mentioned earlier, because this was a highly anticipated read for me, I had very high expectations and unfortunately, it just barely missed the mark. It fell short across the board. It took me nearly 50% of the book to start genuinely enjoying it and feeling invested.

That said, I did like the plot and the writing style. Honestly, the plot saved the book from crashing and burning; it was just interesting enough to hold my attention. Having read Knightley’s other fiction, I was already familiar with her writing, and I actually love it. It’s unique compared to what I usually read. However, because she was building a completely new world here, the flow felt a bit off. Even so, I could tell her word choices and dialogue were intentional and clever. There were quite a few moments where I caught myself chuckling at just how brilliant some of the writing was.

Now, onto what didn’t work for me: the characters and the excessive vulgarity. Aurienne was incredibly unlikable for most of the book. She came across as a stuck-up B—who seemed to hate everything and everyone. It wasn’t until about 60–70% into the story that she started to become tolerable. Osric was slightly better than Aurienne, but honestly, not by much. There was zero chemistry between them. When they did start catching feelings for each other, it felt forced and disingenuous, almost like Stockholm Syndrome. They saved each other, and that somehow turned into romance? It just didn’t feel natural. The vulgarity in the book was overkill. It was unnecessarily raunchy and, at times, straight-up gross. I’m not sure if Knightley was trying to be edgy or funny, but I found it to be neither. Every time I came across a brilliant passage, it would be followed up with something crude that completely ruined the moment for me.

But like I said, thank goodness for a solid, well-thought-out plot. That was the book’s saving grace. Despite its flaws, I do plan to finish the series. Personally, I think this would’ve worked better as a standalone rather than a duology but oh well. This book is clearly written for a very specific audience. What audience that is, I’m not quite sure but it’s definitely not for everyone. I recommend checking out a sample chapter first to see if it’s your style before you commit to buying it or reading it.