Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe

Title: Stay for a Spell

Author: Amy Coombe

Genre: Cosy Fantasy

Series: N/A

Publication: April 14, 2026, 384 pages

Source: Libby

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Princess Tanadelle of the Widdenmar is disillusioned with life as a princess. She longs for real conversation, the chance to build a life of her own making, and uninterrupted reading time.

During a routine royal visit to the town of Little Pepperidge, Tandy’s dream comes true when she finds herself cursed to remain in a run-down bookshop until she unlocks her heart’s desire. Certain that someone will figure out how to break the curse eventually, and delighted by the prospect of an entire bookstore of her own, Tandy settles into life among the stacks. She finds it easy to exchange balls and endless state dinners for teetering piles of books and an irritatingly handsome pirate who seems bent on stealing her stock.

She even starts to believe she's stumbled into her very own happily ever after.

There's just one, minor problem: as Tandy's royal duties go unfulfilled, her frantic parents start sending princes to woo her, each one of them certain their kiss will break the curse. After all, what more could a princess want but a prince?

MY THOUGHTS

I will start by saying that I’m not a big cosy reader. I do read them, but they’re normally not at the top of my list. However, when I first heard about Stay for a Spell and read the synopsis, I couldn’t wait for its release. It sounded fun and cute.

Stay for a Spell follows Princess Tanadelle, Tandy to her friends, who finds herself unexpectedly cursed and unable to leave a bookstore. Her parents’ solution? Send the Princes of the Realm to break the curse. What ensues is a funny endless line of suitors showing up in Little Pepperidge, a tiny, obscure town in the countryside.

This book is exactly what I was hoping for and what I expect when I hear the words “cosy fantasy.” It is whimsical and charming, the characters are distinctive and well-developed, and the plot is simple but meaningful. There were an equal number of times when I was laughing and tearing up at how sweet and heartfelt a scene was. I adored Tandy and loved watching her discover herself, learn new things, and realize that she is much more than a princess. The best surprise was how the curse was broken, which I thought carried a wonderful message.

I highly recommend Stay for a Spell if you’re looking for a fun, sweet coming of age/self discovery story. This book reminded me of Ella Enchanted, but for an adult audience; another story I love!

The Mask Falling by Samantha Shannon

Title: The Mask Falling

Author: Samantha Shannon

Genre: Dystopian, Urban Fantasy

Series: The Bone Season # 4

Publication: May 14, 2024, 528 pages

Source: Personal Library, Purchase

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Paige Mahoney has eluded death again. Snatched from the jaws of captivity and sent to a safe house in the Scion Citadel of Paris, she finds herself caught between factions that seek Scion's downfall and those who would kill to protect the puppet empire.

The mysterious Domino Program has plans for Paige, but she has ambitions of her own in this new citadel. With Arcturus at her side, she embarks on an adventure that will lead her from the catacombs of Paris to the glittering hallways of Versailles.

As Scion widens its bounds and the free world trembles in its shadow, Paige strives to understand her bond with Arcturus, which grows stronger by the day. But there are those who know the revolution began with them--and could end with them . . .

MY THOUGHTS

Paige and Arcturus have fled London and are now across the ocean in Paris. To repay her rescuers, the Dominio Programme, Paige is sent to infiltrate and gather information on the Grand Inquisitor of the Republic of Scion France, Benoît Ménard. But as usual, Paige is never focused on just one goal, she’s also seeking an alliance with the Paris syndicate. What she discovers is just as disturbing: the Rag and Bone Man has fled London and set up the Grey Market in Paris.

While reading The Mask Falling, I kept experiencing a sense of déjà vu. At times, it felt like I was reading the same events over and over again; whether it was another Grey Market or Paige getting kidnapped yet again, even if it was intentional. Things started to feel a bit “same old, same old.” I also didn’t love the addition of a secret organization pulling the strings behind Paige, despite their shared goal of bringing down Scion. And unsurprisingly, Paige tries to play all sides, gets in over her head, and narrowly escapes with her life.

Maybe I didn’t notice it as much in the previous books, but Paige seems even more careless and reckless here. So many people depend on her, yet she constantly puts her life on the line. Her decision-making, or lack thereof was especially exhausting and frustrating to read this time around. What bothered me most, though, was how quickly and easily she gave up on Arcturus, assuming he was a traitor. I couldn't fathom how Paige couldn't see all the things Arcturus has done for her, down to the small gestures; like cooking for her, making sure she has a hot pad, to fighting alongside her every step of the way...just thrown out the window. In typical Paige fashion, she gets stuck in her own head and can’t fathom that there could be another Voyant like herself, despite it being hinted at multiple times. And by the time she realizes the truth, it’s too late.

That said, the world-building and writing are impeccable, as always. I can always count on Shannon for excellent prose, fast-paced action, and a brutal cliffhanger. While this wasn’t my favorite book in the series, I do plan on continuing, though I may wait until the sixth book is released.

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews

Title: This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me

Author: Ilona Andrews

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Series: Maggie the Undying # 1

480 pages, Hardcover

Publication: March 31, 2026

Source: Personal Library, Purchase

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When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy, and naked in a gutter, it doesn't take her long to recognize Kair Toren, a city she knows intimately from the pages of the famously unfinished dark fantasy series she's been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel.

Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic, and mayhem? Her encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, the setting, and the characters' ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she's coming to love―a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures, and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to get home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes―and attentions―of dueling princes, dukes, and villains, all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the way she knows their stories will end: in a cataclysmic war.

MY THOUGHTS

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me was my most anticipated release of the year. I still remember hearing the authors talk about it, which feels like ages ago now. As excited as I was for their new novel, I also felt a little trepidation about starting a brand-new series from them because I didn’t enjoy their last traditionally published series or their recent self-published novellas.

Thankfully, This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is unlike anything they’ve ever written, while still carrying their signature trademarks.

TKWNKM is billed as an isekai story with a mixture of Outlander and Game of Thrones, and while I normally take pitches like that with a grain of salt, I have to say, it’s an apt description. Similar in terms, like GOT, the world building and cast of characters are massive. As for Outlander, like Claire (Claire being from the 1900s and thrown back in time to 1700 Scotland she has information of what's to transpire historically), Maggie is thrust into a new world with prior knowledge of Kair Torin and the characters. 

Our heroine, Maggie, wakes up in her favorite fantasy novel, and readers follow her journey as she navigates the world of Rellas and tries to figure out why she’s there. I think it’s fair to say that, like Maggie, many of us readers have dreamed about becoming part of our favorite story or stepping into a specific character’s shoes. I know I have. And that’s exactly what this book is about. I love the concept!

The world that House Andrews has created is so unique, complex, rich, and vivid. I love the idea of there being eight Great Families, each with a specific power. Even with the multifaceted magic system and large cast of characters, everything was written in a way that was clear and easy to follow. It was especially interesting to see the story as intended by the author, La Tour, and the changes Maggie made along the way.

Maggie is such a great character. In typical fantasy, the main heroine is usually someone with powers, combat training of some sort, or both. However, Maggie is just a regular person...no powers and no fighting skills. What she does have is intelligence and resourcefulness. Maggie uses her love and knowledge of the books to achieve her goals, and watching her maneuver and outsmart characters left and right was thrilling. Maggie is literally the epitome of “knowledge is power,” and I absolutely love it!

I loved the entire cast of characters, even the villains. Every single character was so well-developed, smart, and mature, even the children. What’s even better is that every character acted their age, which sadly can’t be said for many books published in recent years. A book may be marketed as adult fiction, yet the writing and characters often feel juvenile. There’s nothing worse than reading an adult novel with adult characters acting like teenagers. Thankfully, TKWNKM doesn’t have that issue.

There were so many unexpected twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, and after some contemplation, I realized just how well done they were...the authors were brilliant! One of my favorite parts of the book was the yearning between Maggie and a male character. From subtle glances to the lightest touches, it was exactly the kind of slow-burn tension, yearning, I expect in all of my romance or romantic subplot novels!

It’s not even mid-year yet, but I think it’s safe to say that TKWNKM is the best book I’ve read this year. House Andrews introduced me to urban fantasy with their first series and cemented me as a fan for life, and this book is the perfect reminder that they still have so many stories left to tell and aren’t going anywhere. It’s wonderful to see the leaps and bounds of growth in their writing and storytelling over nearly two decades. I can’t wait until we get the next Maggie the Undying book...until then, a reread will definitely be in order.

Royal Pawn By K.N. Banet

Title: Royal Pawn

Author: K.N. Banet

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Jacky Leon # 6

384 pages, Paperback

Publication: July 13, 2021

Source: Kindle Unlimited

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I’m Jacqueline, daughter of Hasan, ruling werecat of the Americas, the werecat liaison to humanity, and the lover of Heath Everson, Alpha werewolf. But I go by Jacky Leon and no one knows about the werewolf.

Some time ago, I met a fae and his family while on the run. They helped me, and for his own reasons, the fae had given me a gift. I never went looking for him. I knew the name he gave me and I did my best not to think too hard about it, him, or his family.

Life has a fun way of bringing things back because he's the lost king of the fae and now everyone knows. People who want him to take back the throne, people who want to kill him so he can’t, and people who want to hurt those he loves just to see him hurt.

And I’m the werecat he gave a gift, just in case he ever needed someone to protect his innocent human wife. I’m now a pawn in a deadly clash of fae powers the likes of which has never been seen.

Brin knows even a pawn can change the game.

Especially this pawn.

MY THOUGHTS

I took a short break from the Jacky Leon series and finally went back to it after a couple of months. Like the previous books, each installment focuses on a specific supernatural sect. In Royal Pawn, Jacky is going head-to-head with the fae.

Jacky and Heath have hidden their relationship for a long time, so it doesn’t come as a surprise when it’s used against them as blackmail. And that’s exactly what Brin, a.k.a. King Brion does, he blackmails Jacky and Heath into protecting his human wife, Fiona. Having met Brin and his family early on in the series and learning that he’s the long-lost king should have made me more excited and intrigued. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect.

I don’t particularly like blackmail as a plot device, but more so, Brin/Brion and his entire family were extremely unlikeable. Fiona, a human who is apparently 92 years old, sits on a high horse with a lot of opinions and prejudice for someone who doesn’t know anything about Brion’s previous life or Sidhe customs. My thoughts throughout the entire book were: why did they have to be blackmailed and called to duty over someone who is not only unworthy but also likely to die sooner rather than later?

Jacky was frustrating in this latest installment. Anyone who has read this series knows she’s prone to recklessness and shows little regard for her own life, but this time around it felt more asinine than usual. She wanted to keep the relationship on the down low; she didn’t want to tell Heath she loved him because it made things too real… but she blew all of that within seconds. I normally praise Jacky for her maturity and clear, level thinking, but it was absent in Royal Pawn. I also thought Heath was a bit overkill in voicing his feelings, it started to feel like love-bombing… but with how the book ended, perhaps not? I do think it’s too soon for wedding bells, but we’ll see.

It saddens me to say this, but Royal Pawn is the weakest installment so far. I didn’t like the plot, I didn’t like the fae, and most, if not all of the characters were getting on my nerves, with the exception of Oliver, Dirk, and Landon. I hope this book was just a fluke and that the next one will be better. Otherwise, this might be the end of the series for me.

The Library of Amorlin by Kalyn Josephson

Title: The Library of Amorlin

Author: Kalyn Josephson

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Age of Beasts # 1

417 pages, Hardcover

Publication: March 3, 2026

Source: Libby

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Former con artist Kasira expected to spend her life as a soldier, miserably working off her prison sentence by hunting down magical creatures for the fanatical kingdom of Kalthos. But when the Kalish ambassador arrives with a non-negotiable assignment, Kasira finds herself swept into the biggest con of her life: infiltrating the Library of Amorlin.

As the heart of all magic and the protector of magical creatures throughout the six kingdoms, the Library is historically politically neutral. Kasira is meant to pose as the new Assistant to spy for the ambassador and destabilize the Library from the inside, clearing the way to dethrone its Librarian.

But when she arrives, Kasira learns that the Library is not all she was told it would be. Neither is the prickly, handsome Librarian, Allaster, whose own monstrous secrets are about to catch up with him.

Swept into the enchanting world of the Library, Kasira’s reluctant con is jeopardized by her growing affection for the wondrous life the Library promises…and by her complicated, burgeoning attraction to Allaster. As the ambassador’s game closes in, Kasira must decide where her loyalties lie: to her newfound home, or to her own survival?

MY THOUGHTS

I consider The Library of Amorlin a fairly new book; it was published in early March. I should’ve known it wasn’t going to be good since it’s so new and I was able to renew my Libby loan after not finishing it within the borrowing period. Which rarely happens, if you're familiar with Libby and new titles. I always finish books well in advance, but this is the first time I didn’t, not because I was busy, but because I kept putting it down to read something else.

The premise sounded promising. Our FMC, Kasira, goes undercover as a spy to infiltrate the library. The beginning was decent, but as the story progressed, I found myself unable to connect with the plot or the characters. Despite being over 400 pages and taking place over the course of a month, not much really happens. Even the action scenes didn’t feel like they moved the story forward. The library, with all its magic and beasts didn’t feel particularly magical or fantastical. Instead, the kingdom’s politics played a much bigger role, to the point that they overshadowed every aspect of the library. I normally love a good political intrigue, but there was no intrigue in this book.

I love stories with thieves and con artists, it's what made me pick this novel up, but I hated Kasira. She isn't likeable at all. For majority of the book, she is, as she herself says, selfish. I mean, understandable because she doesn't want to get thrown back in prison. But it made for a frustrating reading experience because the entire time, all I can think is how much of a hypocritical selfish b- she was. Even at the end, when she saved Allaster, I didn’t think, “Wow, she’s so smart, she outwitted Vera and the king.” I just thought about how manipulative she was to pull it off. If I were Allaster, I would’ve kicked her out of the library after her first lie.

As for Allaster, he’s a typical brooding male character we’ve seen countless times. In my opinion, it wasn’t realistic for him to fall for Kasira so quickly, especially since, for much of the story, he didn’t even believe she had good intentions and was a spy. In which she was! And again, this book takes place over about a month, maybe two at most but I honestly don’t remember, nor do I really care.

I also want to note The Library of Amorlin has dual narration. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. I don't usually have any preference, but I didn't like the dual narration in this book, especially Allaster's POV which added nothing to the story.

I’m glad I borrowed this from the library. I didn’t enjoy it and don’t recommend it.

Half City by Kate Golden

Title: Half City

Author: Kate Golden

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Harker Academy # 1

496 pages, Paperback

Publication: February 17, 2026

Source: Libby

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Viv Abbot is an average twenty-one-year-old girl. She lives in an expensive city where the rent is too high, works long hours at a thankless job, and is dating a guy she doesn’t even like in the hopes of winning her prickly mother’s approval.

She just also happens to be a demon hunter.

Ever since her father's murder, she's been forced to hunt deviants alone, meaning everyone, including her family, sees her as an outsider. . . . Until the day she crosses paths with a dangerously alluring demon, Reid Graveheart. The reformed deviant tells her of a school for people just like her: Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. If she enrolls, she'll learn to hone her craft, work with other hunters, and never be alone again.

But Viv has a deadly secret. One that not even her new friends at Harker can know about. Not when the school might hold the answers to untangling the mystery surrounding Viv's father’s death. When strange occurrences begin to plague the students, Viv will have to figure out who she can trust, and fast. All while trying to ace her classes, not fall for a demon, and make it through her first year at Harker in one piece. How hard could that be?

MY THOUGHTS

I almost didn’t pick up Half City. I thought it was going to be another run-of-the-mill romantasy that’s been flooding the market lately, and I’ve been mostly disappointed with the ones I’ve read. But I ended up giving it a shot because my book box featured it, and I wanted to see if it was worth the hype.

And it almost is, just not completely there, but close.

I’ve seen a lot of comparisons to the Buffy TV show, but I actually don’t see it…maybe only in the sense that she hunts monsters a.k.a. Deviants. Half City did remind me, however, of the early 2000s young adult series Vampire Academy. Despite Half City being more adult or new adult, with characters in their 20s, it felt like I was reading another version of VA. And I mean that as a compliment because it’s one of my favorite series and still is to this day. The whole demon-hunting aspect and having a demon combat instructor felt so Rose and Dimitri coded at least to me.

I thought Half City was well written. The pacing was great, and the balance between plot and action scenes was nearly perfect. Viv and Reid were strong lead protagonists with great chemistry, and I also liked all of the secondary characters. The only predictable part in the entire book was discovering that the White Stag was related to Reid, I saw that coming from miles away. And while the book ended on a cliffhanger, I think I already know Reid’s true identity. Still, I hope I’m wrong because I hate a predictable plot.

All in all, Half City was a surprisingly fun and quick read that kept my attention from beginning to end. I’m looking forward to Cursed City and the good news is, it comes out this year!

Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett

Title: Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter

Author: Heather Fawcett

Genre: Cosy Fantasy

Series: N/A

368 pages, Hardcover

Publication: February 17, 2026

Source: Personal Library

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

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

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

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

MY THOUGHTS

It took me an extremely long time to get into the story. All I had been hearing about this book was how cute and cozy it was. I found it to be neither.

I didn’t find the plot as charming as I had hoped; instead, it felt more tiresome. The FMC, Agnes, is desperately trying to relocate her cat shelter and ends up renting from a notorious magician. For the majority of the book, Agnes is setting up her shelter(s) while helping Havelock, the magician, search for an unknown magical artifact, all while getting attacked by his sister and her cronies. The plot itself wasn’t exciting at all, and the pacing was equivalent to watching paint dry.

I felt zero connection with the characters. I found Agnes and her sister terribly irritating. At the start of the book, Agnes is portrayed as someone who is mostly quiet, follows the rules, and maybe is even a bit meek. But once she comes face to face with the apparently big, bad, scary magician Havelock, she suddenly develops a new personality; someone who not only talks back but also snoops around and inserts herself into people’s business like she has every right to.

Then there’s Havelock, who turns out not to be a big, bad, scary magician at all but just a curious, nerdy guy with magic. He gives off the awkward recluse type. I hated the way he spoke; it felt like he was trying too hard to sound indifferent. As one can guess, Agnes and Havelock are paired together, but there was absolutely no chemistry whatsoever. It also came out of nowhere and felt unrealistic.

The book was initially teetering around almost three stars because it had its moments, but once the author inserted the time travel around the 80% mark, it dropped for me. I didn’t like that twist; it felt like a cheap and easy solution to solving all their problems. How convenient that Agnes suddenly finds what she needs at the very last moment and how convenient that it happens to do exactly what she needs: travel back in time to retrieve the one object required to save everyone.

I understand cozy books are meant to be low stakes and low reward, but even this felt subpar. The plot was so thin, and the characters were barely tolerable. I’m honestly wondering why this book was even written. There weren’t any key takeaways or morals to the story that I noticed (and sure, maybe there weren’t supposed to be). Cozy books are supposed to be sweet, fun, or comforting and I didn’t get any of that.

I don’t understand all the hype around this book, but that’s okay. The book wasn't necessarily bad, but it wasn't good either.

The Dark Hiss of Magic by Helen Harper

Title: The Dark Hiss of Magic

Author: Helen Harper

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: The Cat Lady Chronicles # 2

286 pages, Paperback

Publication: June 16, 2025

Source: Personal Library

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When Kit rescues a wealthy witch from the treacherous, monster-filled waters of the River Tweed, she reckons she's completed her fair share of good deeds for the day. But when a second anonymous body is pulled from the same river, Kit is dragged into a mystery as murky as the water itself. The corpse has no identification, no personal possessions and no one who cares. Kit is determined to change that.

At least Thane Barrow, the copper-haired werewolf who sees the world in a similar way to Kit, is happy to also get involved. Together, they navigate Coldstream’s magical streets and mysterious secrets, determined to uncover the truth about John Doe. Alas, it soon becomes clear that his death was no accident. Kit finds herself investigating a complex crime with more than one victim. She will have her claws full if she's going to get to the bottom of what's happened.

One thing is for certain - when death threatens, Kit McCafferty doesn’t back down. She pounces.

MY THOUGHTS

I just finished the first book in the Cat Lady Chronicles and had high hopes for this series; thus, me jumping straight into the second book. In the sequel, The Dark Hiss of Magic, we find Kit getting herself entangled in a murder mystery and, once again, with the help of Thane, the lone werewolf, they take it upon themselves to solve the crime of a John Doe.

I think I spoke too soon because the story started to fizzle out early on, and I found myself not as invested or interested as I was in the first book. As I've said before, I love the Urban Fantasy genre, but there was nothing in book two that held my attention. The plot was generic, and I didn't really like that Kit thought it was her duty to find out the identity of John Doe and eventually track down his murderer. It felt like she had nothing better to do with her life than insert herself into an investigation (or lack thereof if she didn’t take the initiative). The point is, I didn’t find myself caring.

Also, in my last review of the first book, I mentioned what I hoped would happen. I was hoping for a possible love interest in the werewolf Alpha, but this book answered that pretty quickly. After seeing it would come to nothing and realizing who the werewolf’s real love interest was, I already had one foot out the door, to be honest. I love good tension and banter between a leading couple, and I certainly don’t see it with Kit and Thane. There is no chemistry, and their “romance” feels too obvious and easy, which isn’t my thing.

The plot was pretty thin this time around. I didn’t particularly like the portrayal of vampires and witches in this book either. What I noticed while reading the second book is that the supernatural community isn’t scary or interesting. If we weren’t told that X, Y, or Z person was a witch, werewolf, or fae, you’d think you were just reading a regular contemporary, cozy, or murder mystery with regular humans.

With that said, I will no longer be continuing the series.

Waifs and Strays by Helen Harper

Title: Waifs and Strays

Author: Helen Harper

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: The Cat Lady Chronicles # 1

298 pages, Paperback

Publication: February 10, 2025

Source: Personal Library

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Nobody is just a cat lady.

Kit McCafferty's life is quiet, unremarkable and filled with cat hair. In the magical city of Coldstream, located on the border between Scotland and England, Kit is viewed as little more than mildly eccentric and mostly harmless. She passes her days caring for her family of five cats, feeding the local feral moggies, and maintaining relatively good relations with her neighbours.

All that changes, however, when a teenage werewolf shows up at her door in the desperate hope of renting out a nearby vacant flat. Kit knows that the smart move is to tell him to leave. The last thing she needs is to become embroiled in complicated shapeshifter politics. But something about the secretive young werewolf tugs at her heartstrings.

It's not long before Kit ends up caught in a maelstrom of mysterious crime and magical wrong-doing. Fortunately, there's far more to Kit McCafferty than meets the eye and she has a few dark secrets of her own.

Of course, anyone with an ounce of intelligence knows that you underestimate a cat lady at your own peril.

MY THOUGHTS

I stumbled upon Waifs and Strays during one of those free eBook days. I loved the cover, it felt playful and the synopsis was interesting enough. Plus, I’m always looking for a good Urban Fantasy. It’s not every day that I find an Urban Fantasy set in the UK or one featuring a heroine in her forties, which piqued my interest even more.

The beginning of the book took a little getting used to. As the title and series name suggest, there are a lot of cats in the story. However, their names are pretty unconventional. They play a significant role, and as the book progressed, I did get used to their unique naming style. The worldbuilding is straightforward: it’s an open world where supernaturals are known to the public. Coldstream, where Kit lives, is mostly inhabited by magical folk like fae, vampires, werewolves, and all sorts of other creatures.

At first glance, Kit is known around the neighborhood as the innocuous, middle-aged cat lady. She’s anything but simple, as we eventually discover. Kit was a likable heroine. I enjoyed learning about her past profession and magical abilities and seeing them come into play when a young werewolf is abducted. She’s essentially the local superhero or maybe vigilante, despite trying to live a quiet, normal life. I also liked what I assume will become the supporting cast, though it’s still too early to tell. Is it weird that I’m hoping for a love triangle between Thane and the Alpha? Lol.

I thought Waifs and Strays was a great introduction to The Cat Lady Chronicles. The pacing was solid, and the book was well written. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up enjoying it. I’m about to start the second book, the series feels promising.

Dawnbringer by Stephanie Fisher

Title: Dawnbringer

Author: Stephanie Fisher

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Tempris # 3

778 pages, Paperback

Publication: June 26, 2025

Source: Kindle Unlimited

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They thought the last time mage was dead. They were wrong.

Taly is back. Finally free of the Queen and out of the loop. But freedom doesn’t mean safety.

Tempris has changed while she was gone—and so has she. With enemies closing in from all sides, Taly must navigate a world that keeps rewriting itself beneath her feet.

Skye got her home. That should’ve been the hard part. But now he’s just a boy in love with a girl everyone wants to kill—and keeping her alive might cost him everything.

The Aion Gate is stirring. The island is under siege. And the enemy is circling ever closer.

The war for Tempris is coming. And it's coming for her.

MY THOUGHTS

Dawnbringer was five years in the making. I didn’t discover the book until two years ago, so I didn’t wait as long as others, but I was looking forward to it nonetheless. I loved the first two books (both were 5 stars) in the series so much that I even did a reread before starting Dawnbringer. To put it simply, this book does not live up to expectations or previous quality but instead was a massive disappointment. It felt like it was written by someone else.

I think most fans of the series had an idea or at least a hope, of where the story was going to go in this third installment. To say the story and characters took an entirely different path would be an understatement. Since the beginning of the first book, Shardless, the importance of the aion gate opening and hopefully seeing our protagonists cross into the human realm felt heavily emphasized, at least to me. Instead, the majority of the book was filled with a vanilla, boring villain named Bill terrorizing and wooing Taly. But that wasn’t even the worst part. The time magic was aggravating. Around 35% into the book, the crux of the novel, or supposed twist became apparent, and I was in disbelief. My immediate thought was...this was the best plot? best case scenario after five years? Really? It marked the beginning of countless stupid choices and endless miscommunication between Taly and Skye.

Speaking of Taly and Skye, they felt completely removed from the characters we met in the first two books. The majority of the story consisted of smut, arguments, and fighting. Of the two, who can out-do and save each other first. Good grief, it was getting on my last nerve. I could barely recognize the characters I once fell in love with. I also don’t recall Taly being this annoying. Her future self, Cori, was equally frustrating. By the end of the book, I went from loving Taly to outright hating her. I honestly don’t know if I’ll continue the series now. With book three, it felt DOA. Skye wasn’t much better. The sexual innuendos were “haha, whatever” at first, but eventually he came across like a teenager literally obsessed with sex for most of the book.

Dawnbringer was horrendously long for absolutely no good reason. As mentioned before, with problematic characterizations, an asinine villain, and a weak plot, the length felt completely uncalled for. Did readers really need multiple pages depicting Skye jacking off? No. Then there were POV from Sarina, Aidan, Ivain, and Aimee, none of which added anything meaningful to the story, again at least for me. And I know for a fact I neither wanted nor cared to be inside Aimee’s head.

It was a struggle to finish Dawnbringer because I genuinely cannot find a single good thing to say about it. I finished it out of spite and held onto hope (see above) that we’d finally see the aion gate open and Atlas become part of the plot but we didn’t get that. Sure, they opened the aion gate but how we got there and where it led, was anticlimactic and dull. And no, it didn't even open into the human realm! This might be the end of the series for me, especially if readers are expected to wait another three to five years for the next installment. After Dawnbringer, I’m not sure the story or characters can be redeemed from here.

We Who Have No Gods by Liz Anderson

Title: We Who Have No Gods

Author: Liz Anderson

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: The Acheron Order # 1

423 pages, Hardcover

Publication: January 27, 2026

Source: Libby Library

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Vic Wood knows her priorities: scrape by on her restaurant wages, take care of her younger brother Henry, and forget their mother ever existed. But Vic’s careful life crumbles when Henry reveals that their long-missing mother belonged to the Acheron Order—a secret society of witches tasked with keeping the dead at bay. What’s worse, Henry inherited their mother’s magical abilities while Vic did not, and Henry has been chosen as the Order's newest recruit.

Determined to keep him safe, Vic accompanies Henry to the isolated woods in upstate New York that play host to the sprawling and eerie Avalon Castle. When she joins the academy despite lacking powers of her own, she risks not only the Order’s wrath, but also her brother’s. And then there is Xan, the head Sentinel—imposing, ruthless, and frustrating—in charge of protecting Avalon. He makes no secret that he wants Vic to leave.

As she makes both enemies and allies in this mysterious realm, Vic becomes caught between the dark forces at play, with her mother at the heart of it all. What's stranger is that Vic begins to be affected by the academy—and Xan—in ways she can't quite understand. But with war between witches threatening the fabric of reality, Vic must decide whether to risk her heart and life for a world where power is everything.

MY THOUGHTS

Gosh, this book was beyond awful. If I could give it zero stars, I would. I picked up We Who Have No Gods because the synopsis sounded interesting, and I read it sooner than usual because a special edition was being made. Boy, am I glad I read it first.

First off, this book is an urban fantasy with witches and monsters set in a closed modern world, specifically upstate New York. Based on the cover and synopsis, you’d never guess it was urban fantasy. Urban fantasy is my first love, witches too, but there was absolutely nothing to love about We Who Have No Gods. The only intriguing part, as glean by the synopsis, happened within the first three chapters. After that, it went downhill immediately.

You’d think the main protagonist would be the hidden Witch-Born, Henry, being whisked away to a magical academy. Nope. Instead, the story focuses on his pathetic, loser older sister, who has to tag along. The academy is a secret society created by and for a long line of witches, but then comes Victoria “Vic,” a human who suddenly moves in with her younger brother and joins his classes.

I absolutely loathed Vic. She constantly whines about not being special, and about being a human in a castle full of witches who don’t like her and don’t want her around. Even her brother doesn’t want her there. Normal people, people with self-respect would leave when they know they're not wanted. But she throws tantrums whenever people tell her this (oh, and by the way, she’s twenty-one), mouths off endlessly, and is always trying to prove herself right even when she’s clearly not. Then, lo and behold, she turns out to be a special snowflake with magic, more powerful than everyone else. * Cue giant eye roll. *

When things hit the fan and the academy is attacked, Vic of course causes the most damage. Then the bland male protagonist swoops in, declaring he needs to protect her. While the entire academy is overrun with monsters and people are literally dying, they take a break to have sex. Then literally three seconds after they’re done, Vic says, “But I need to help people!". Just wow.

Xan, the love interest and mentor, is lame and completely unoriginal. I swear I’ve read some version of him in hundreds of other books. They had zero chemistry. The book boast 'simmering chemistry'...where?! The plot was whatever, the characters all sucked, and I didn’t give two shits about Aren and Max, their relationships with Meredith, or why the brotherhood ultimately defected from the order.

Characters truly make or break a book for me, and I hated all of them, especially Vic. Her brother Henry was annoying too. I do not recommend this at all.

We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark

Title: We Who Will Die

Author: Stacia Stark

Genre: Romantasy

Series: Empire of Blood # 1

423 pages, Hardcover

Publication: December 30, 2025

Source: Libby Library

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Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers. And the vampire standing on her doorstep is about to turn their world upside down.

Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros. But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.

She quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor. But the vampire under the armor is the last person Arvelle expects to encounter in the emperor’s court.

With her brothers’ lives in the balance, Arvelle has no choice but to ally with the man who once shattered her heart… and with the emperor’s sadistic son, Rorrik—two vampires whose motives are impossible to pin down. Rorrik holds the key to understanding the powers Arvelle is developing—abilities that would put a price on her head if discovered by the emperor.

To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…

MY THOUGHTS

I am a big fan of Stark’s Deals with Demons and was excited to hear she was writing a new book. Gladiators and vampires with The Hunger Games vibes sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, We Who Will Die was a major disappointment for me.

I believe this book was meant to be set in the Roman Empire, or something similar but I never once got that impression. The only small hint might be the fighting in the coliseum, but that alone could apply to many settings. The world-building was all over the place, and the magic aspect was incredibly underwhelming.

This book was soooooo boring. I kept waiting for it to get better, even at 75% and it never did. I didn’t care about the plot or the characters. The storyline felt extremely generic, and while there are countless books featuring competitions or trials, this was by far the dullest execution I’ve ever read. The first two trials happened within just a couple of chapters, which was completely anticlimactic, and the final trial was so quick and uneventful that I almost missed it. Honestly, I’m not sure why the book was as long as it was, because there was barely any action or suspense. Even the reveal of who was behind Bran was unsurprising and by the time I reached the end, I simply didn’t care anymore.

I didn’t like or care about Arvelle (what an atrocious name). She’s yet another typical rage-filled character, constantly raging against society, norms, or whatever else. One thing she did over and over again that annoyed the heck out of me was constantly daydreaming or zoning out in what were supposed to be life-or-death situations. For example, she’s training and fighting against another competitor, they’re charging straight at her, and she’s completely spaced out. Then, during one of the trials, her opponent is wielding a sword and aiming straight for her head but she’s busy reminiscing about the past. Like, what the heck? There was absolutely no sense of awareness or self-preservation at all. And then there's the love triangle or love interests, who were about as interesting as a cardboard box. Could they be any more humdrum? I also guessed early on that they were brothers...again, boring and predictable.

There was nothing redeeming or worthwhile about We Who Will Die. It’s easily one of the most unoriginal and boring books I’ve read in the last few years. The use of gladiators and vampires was completely wasted on a lackluster plot and underwhelming characters. This book is absolutely nothing like The Hunger Games, not even in vibes.