The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni

Title: The Prison Healer
Author: Lynette Noni

Genre: YA Fantasy

Series: The Prison Healer # 1

Publication: April 13, 2021, 416 pages

Source: Personal Library 

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Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years fighting for survival in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, working as the prison healer.

When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals.

Then a coded message from Kiva’s family arrives, containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.” Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.

But no one has ever survived.

With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.

MY THOUGHTS

I had The Prison Healer trilogy on my shelf for almost five years. I've been meaning to get to it for ages. Anytime I see people asking for book recommendations, this series is always mentioned. I finally made it a priority to read it.

Readers are immediately dropped into the story and introduced to our protagonist, Kiva, who works as a healer in Zalindov Prison. We witness the corruption and abuse within its walls and learn that Kiva has been there since she was eight years old, working alongside her father, the prison's former healer, before eventually inheriting the role herself. Prison life becomes more interesting when the Rebel Queen is brought to Zalindov and an elemental trial is held in honor of her capture. With a threat hanging over her head, Kiva volunteers to take the Queen's place.

First off, I thought it was strange to have a prison where children and adults reside together. And despite being her father's protégé, it wasn't believable that the adults, especially the prison warden, would allow a child to administer medical care to inmates. A major part of the book revolves around the trials, and I have to say they were some of the lamest and most boring trials I've read in fantasy. If you've read fantasy before, you've probably encountered your fair share of trials, and these simply didn't feel high-stakes. There was no real sense of urgency, and it didn't help that Kiva kept receiving help from all directions while seemingly only needing to show up and endure them.

Throughout the book, Kiva repeatedly passes secret messages to her family, and it became incredibly annoying to have the same letter repeated over and over again. It happened so frequently that it constantly pulled me out of the story. I didn't immediately put two and two together regarding Kiva's identity, but in hindsight, I probably should have, considering how much emphasis was placed on those messages. Then again, I was so often distracted by their repetition that I wasn't paying attention to the clues.

I also thought Kiva and Jaren's relationship leaned too heavily into insta-lust, especially with how often Kiva went on about how attractive he was and how jealous she became for no real reason. I didn't particularly care about or connect with any of the characters. As far as FMCs go, Kiva felt like a bit of a MarySue. The only saving grace of the book was the two, three-ish? twists at the end. They piqued my interest enough to make me want to continue the series. Although now I see Kiva as a manipulative snake. I kept wondering why she gave Jaren such a hard time for not revealing his identity, after all, he barely knew her but here she is keeping massive secrets of her own and lying to everyone around her.

Despite how aggravating I found parts of the story; it wasn't all bad. It's rare where I rate low and still want to continue...just to see what happens next and because I already own all the books.

Where No Shadow Stays by Sara Hashem

Title: Where No Shadow Stays
Author: Sara Hashem

Genre: Urban Fantasy, YA

Series: N/A

Publication: March 31, 2026, 324 pages

Source: Libby 

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Seventeen-year-old Mina is always focused on what comes next: exams, school dances, opportunities for a picnic by the lake. Filling up the future keeps her from lingering over how little she knows about her history or where she comes from. Anytime she asks her father questions about Egypt--or about her mother's mysterious death--he struggles to open up.

When Mina receives an invitation from an aunt she’s never met to visit the Haikal mansion, her mother’s childhood home in El Agamy, Mina accepts. She can’t resist the chance to learn more about her roots or what happened to her mother, even if it means lying to her loves ones for the first time in her life.

But when Mina returns from El Agamy, she doesn’t come back alone.

A sinister entity follows Mina from the Haikal mansion to her tiny California town. Mina is forced to abandon her friends, her father, and everything she loves in order to prevent the entity from violently possessing them. Isolated and fighting for her life, Mina must seek help from an unlikely ally: Jesse Talbot, the mortician’s hostile son and the only person who proves immune to possession. Jesse would rather floss with barbed wire than team up with social butterfly Mina, but he doesn’t exactly have a choice—after all, he’s running from family secrets of his own.

As Mina and Jesse dig deeper into Mina's family lore, they uncover a bloody debt that must be satisfied if Mina wants to finish senior year alive.

MY THOUGHTS

I love Hashem’s The Scorched Throne duology, so when she announced she’d written a horror-esque YA novel, I immediately added it to my TBR. I’ll read anything this author writes. But it saddens me to say that this book wasn’t on the same level as her first duology and left me mostly bored and disappointed.

I thought the book started off interesting enough. The first sentence immediately captured my attention, introducing the protagonist, Mina, and the shadows that seem to chase after her, possessing people whenever she’s alone with them. If she’s around a crowd, they temporarily stay away. We follow Mina as she researches what these shadows are, what they mean, and how they relate to her family and her mother’s passing. In between those searches, the local loner and neighbor, Jesse, joins her as they attempt to lift a possible curse.

I think the concept was intriguing at first, especially as we slowly learned about its connection to her family back in Egypt. However, when the truth about what her mother did and what the entire family had done was revealed, it felt a bit much. I don’t read many horror novels, but while this book had a mild creep factor, nothing about it was truly terrifying or goosebump-inducing. And yes, I know it’s YA, but I’ve read some YA horror novels that genuinely gave me chills. I also wasn’t a fan of the flashback scenes between Mina and her mother, Nadine. They added context to the story, but they felt choppy as heck and disruptive to the overall flow of the story.

I didn’t like Mina or Jesse very much, which is a shame because they’re the leads. What I found especially annoying was Mina’s constant reliance on sarcasm. Jesses, meanwhile, mostly just existed. He mentioned being cursed or soulless or whatever, but it ultimately added little to the story. Unless the only purpose was to make him immune so he could help Mina, it didn’t seem to matter much in the end. I also found their banter cringey and forced. It amplified Mina’s corny sarcasm, and Jesse’ nickname for her was also cringe. I just didn’t enjoy either character.

And man, what was that ending? It felt abrupt and slightly confusing. I think I understand how it ended, but the way it was written felt awkward and unclear. From what I’ve seen online, I’m assuming it ended the way I interpreted it since the book is a standalone. I’m honestly surprised by how underwhelming this book was because I fully expected to love it as much as the author’s other work. Still, this definitely won’t stop me from checking out her next book in 2027.

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.

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.

Mate by Ali Hazelwood

Title: Mate

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Bride # 2

457 pages, Paperback

Publication: October 7, 2025

Source: Personal Library

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Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left—if he’ll have her.

As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, nothing will stop him from keeping her safe.

But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her—and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation…

MY THOUGHTS

I read and enjoyed Bride last year and was excited when I heard there would be a sequel featuring none other than Misery’s BFF, Serena. However, since its release, the reviews have been a mixed bag, and I felt some trepidation about starting it. Still, I prefer to form my own opinions and don’t really listen to or care too much about what other readers think (at least not enough to sway whether I’ll read a book or not).

The dry humor I enjoyed with Misery is alive and well in the second book, with Serena, Koen, and Misery, of course. That said, I wasn’t immediately sold on Serena as the female lead the way I expected to be. I don’t recall how much page time she had in the first book, but I didn’t remember her being so immature and childish. The dry humor didn’t work in her favor, and I didn’t find her particularly endearing. As I continued reading, I also noticed that Hazelwood’s characters tend to be written in very similar ways, I didn’t feel like anyone truly stood out. Don’t get me wrong, it was an okay novel, and I did enjoy some scenes. However, on top of the mediocre characterization, the plot itself was also ridiculous.

For example, for a good third of the book, Serena believes she’s going to die and actively prepares for it, only to find out she isn’t dying at all but is actually in heat. Serena is so horny, she thinks she's dying...cue major eye-roll. That is one of the dumbest plot points I’ve ever read. Then there was the religious cult and her painfully obvious, predictable connection to it.

Koen, the love interest, gave me major ick. I didn’t understand why the author used immature, made-up words for him; it wasn’t funny or cute. I was honestly close to DNF-ing over the word “jizzmuffin.” Gag. I also didn’t like how he was mean to Serena and repeatedly told her he wasn’t interested, while consistently doing the exact opposite. Yes, I understand they’re mates. Yes, I understand the covenant pack rule. I still didn’t like it. Serena wasn’t much better: she spends most of the book convinced she’s dying, constantly reminding herself and Koen that they can never work and listing all the reasons why. Then, once they both decide to flip the bird to the rules and have a week-long screw-fest, they suddenly love each other and would die for one another. Yadda yadda yadda. It was hot-and-cold, unrealistic, and hard to believe, especially considering they’d only really known each other for a couple of weeks.

Oh, and speaking of “dying”; as weres, you’d think they’d be able to smell the difference if someone were truly on the verge of death. That’s literally been scientifically studied and proven in animals…just not in this book, apparently. That inconsistency annoyed me to no end.

As I said, Mate was a decent read, but I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as Bride, though, to be honest, my memory of Bride is now a bit fuzzy. For a book like Mate, it was awfully way too long. It had no business being as long as it was. I think this is the end of the road for me with Hazelwood’s books. I didn’t like the writing this time around, nor the characters or the plot. There were some good scenes and a few funny moments, but overall, it was a disappointing read.

Jade City by Fonda Lee

Title: Jade City

Author: Fonda Lee

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: The Green Bone Saga # 1

529 pages, Paperback

Publication: November 17, 2017

Source: Libby Library

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The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.

The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion--but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and foreign money, Green Bone families like the Kauls are primarily involved in commerce, construction, and the everyday upkeep of the districts under their protection.

When the simmering tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals erupts into open violence in the streets, the outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones and the future of Kekon itself.

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve had Jade City on my TBR for years. The premise always intrigued me; an urban setting with gangs and magical jade… interesting, right?

The beginning started off strong with a memorable scene where a couple of teenagers try to steal jade from a Green Bone member. As expected, it goes awry, which leads to the Kaul family realizing someone is encroaching on their turf. To be quite honest, the magic system felt too vague, too simple, or just confusing to fully grasp at the start, at least for me. From what I gathered, only certain bloodlines are able to wield magical jade, which grants them enhanced strength. But even after finishing the book, I’m still not entirely sure what their magical abilities actually were. They all fought with blades or guns, so it felt a bit muddled. I guess I expected something more overtly magical. And if you’re not from the right bloodline, jade makes you sick and can eventually kill you. Each syndicate scouts for those with the right lineage to build their ranks.

Most of the characters felt bland; no one truly stood out or made a lasting impression. I never connected with any of them, and for most of the book, I felt pretty impassive toward their struggles. The only character who briefly grabbed my attention was Shae, the sole prominent female and the reluctant Kaul family member. I thought the writing itself was well done, but the story just didn’t hold my interest. There were a few standout scenes, but they were far between, and the pacing dragged in the gaps. Two moments were clearly meant to be major turning points, but they ended up feeling anticlimactic, especially the final fight.

Jade City was a decent read, but I don’t think I’ll be rushing to pick up the second book anytime soon, if at all.

The Wolf King by Lauren Palphreyman

Title: The Wolf King

Author: Lauren Palphreyman

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Wolf King # 1

Publication: September 12, 2023

475 pages

Source: Personal Library

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When a princess is kidnapped by an alpha , war rages between the humans and the wolves. But soon, forbidden attraction starts to grow. . .

Princess Aurora longs to escape the castle and the marriage that has been arranged for her.

But on the night before her wedding, at a dog fight where captured werewolves are made to fight for sport, she spares the life of a young wolf. It puts her on the radar of the powerful alpha who was going to kill him. And it changes everything.

That night, when the alpha escapes, he kidnaps her and takes her to the rugged lands north of the border — where the once warring werewolf clans are beginning to unite. He thinks that she is the key to winning the war against the humans.

Only, as they spend time around one another, forbidden attraction starts to grow. And as Aurora learns that not all wolves are bad, the alpha discovers that she is in danger from both his enemies, and those he once considered friends.

With monsters on both sides, a bloodthirsty war between humans and wolves raging, and undeniable passion growing between them — will their story end in love? Or tragedy?

And will Aurora ever get home?

Does she even want to?

MY THOUGHTS

The Wolf King has been all over my social media lately. I’ve been hearing nonstop raving reviews for months. After checking out the synopsis, I decided to give it a try as werewolves and shifters are some of my favorite types of supernaturals.

The Wolf King started off pretty strong, and I was immediately hooked from the first chapter. It was giving me Outlander vibes, which I quite enjoy. I loved the idea of humans versus the wolf clans and seeing the hierarchy of the alphas under the Wolf King. However, the book started going a bit downhill for me around the midway point. The worldbuilding was easy to follow and straightforward, but overall pretty basic. The writing was clunky and felt overly simple. To be frank, it read as if it were written for someone with a low reading level or slow comprehension. Even the short-chapter format felt intentional, seemingly designed to cater to people’s short attention spans nowadays. However, I believe that if a story is well-written, with an engaging plot and fleshed-out characters, that wouldn’t be an issue.

Aurora, Rory was one of the most basic, simple-minded, and annoying characters I’ve read so far this year. I understand she’s twenty, but she acted like she was fifteen. I hated her internal monologue, constantly reminding readers how obedient and meek she had to be but no, now she’s a fierce young woman who isn’t like that anymore. It felt like she was throwing a tantrum every other chapter. There were countless scenes where she acted like the immature brat that she was, trying to provoke people around her, only to whine when she didn't get a reaction or their attention. She was truly exhausting, and I was tired of her shit.

The author inserted a possible love triangle into the mix, and while I usually love a good love triangle, this was not it. There was a clear favorite and obvious endgame I saw early on. Was anyone swooning over Callum? Because I certainly wasn’t. He was truly a big oaf, as everyone so often said, the epitome of brawns and no brains. I didn’t understand why Rory was falling head over heels, declaring her love for him when he literally did nothing for her and kept making promises he didn’t keep. Then again, she acted like a dumb child. There was a scene where he raised his voice at her, and that’s when I knew exactly what kind of “man” he was. I’m not sure if the author tried to write Callum as a copy of Jamie Fraser, but he ain’t no Jamie, that’s for sure. All ego, no action to back it up. I liked Blake, though; he’s everything I enjoy in a male lead. It annoyed me to no end that Rory kept accusing him of things he never did. Every time he tried to help or give her advice, she’d insist, both internally and out loud that he was lying or sabotaging her, yet she’d still take his advice and later discover he’d been telling the truth all along.

While The Wolf King was a quick read, it read like a bad CW TV show you can’t help but keep watching. I liked some parts of the story, it had its moments, but overall, it was a pretty mediocre book. Same Romantasy type book flooding the market right now. Despite it all, I’m curious to see how the story plays out after what Blake did at the end and to see who the true endgame will be. I plan to read the sequel for only Blake. This is not a book I'd recommend as there are better written werewolf/shifters books out there.

Fateless by Julie Kagawa

Title: Fateless

Author: Julie Kagawa

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Fateless # 1

Publication: July 15, 2025, 400 pages

Source: Libby Library

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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.

MY THOUGHTS

If you were reading paranormal young adult books around 2010, then you probably know who Julie Kagawa is. I enjoyed her work, so I was excited to hear she had released a new book, Fateless. The synopsis sounded intriguing, and since I had previously liked her writing, I expected a similar experience.

The book, however, was just fine. The worldbuilding didn’t feel fresh; more of a generic, dry desert setting with the heroine working as a thief in the underworld. As is typical with stories about thieves, she’s given an important mission that quickly goes south. That’s exactly what happens here. The plot, while not original, did hold my attention in the beginning, but the major beats were predictable. After each so-called “twist,” I could already see how the story was going to unfold.

The characters didn’t fare much better. Sparrow (a name I wasn’t fond of) is clearly painted as the “special snowflake.” She’s the youngest, the top thief among her group of misfits, unusually lucky, and somehow manages to slay a monster that older, more skilled warriors couldn’t defeat. She’s portrayed as flawless and capable of anything. What became frustrating was her constant insistence, nearly every chapter, that she was “just a thief” and “nothing special,” even though everything she did proved the opposite. It grew repetitive and tiresome. The two male characters alongside her were equally flat, little more than cardboard cutouts. I felt no connection to them at all. And the romance? Pure instalove. Sparrow and the assassin had zero buildup, no chemistry, and their sudden relationship felt random and forced. They’d only known each other for a few days, yet we were expected to buy into it.

Fateless had a few entertaining moments, but overall, it fell flat. Nothing about it stood out, and I can easily think of other books with the same type of story executed better. I don’t plan to continue with the series.

The Glittering Edge by Alyssa Villaire

Title: The Glittering Edge

Author: Alyssa Villaire

Genre: Urban Fantasy, YA

Series: The Idlewood Duology # 1

Publication: May 6, 2025, 432 pages

Source: Libby Library 

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Rumors are the lifeblood of Idlewood, Indiana. The locals whisper that the De Lucas are witches, and that decades prior they cursed the wealthy Barrion family as revenge for a love gone tragically wrong: now, if a Barrion falls in love with you, you’ll die. If this isn’t reason enough for wallflower Penny Emberly to stay away from both families, she doesn’t know what is. But when Penny’s mom is in an accident that leaves her on the brink of death, Penny can’t ignore the rumors anymore—because the Barrion curse is real. And her mom is its latest victim.

In order to save her mom’s life, Penny must bring together two bitter enemies on either side of the feud and work with them to break the curse. For star quarterback Corey Barrion, doing so would mean finally saving his family from the magic that killed his mom. And for misfit witch Alonso De Luca, it would mean convincing everyone in Idlewood—especially Penny—that he isn’t the villain they believe him to be.

But as the trio navigates Alonso’s unpredictable magic, the tangled web of Barrion-De Luca history, and an increasingly chaotic group chat, it soon becomes clear that the curse is not what they expected. Did a De Luca really curse the Barrions in a fit of jealousy, or is something even more sinister afoot? Penny will have to conquer her anxiety, wrestle with her budding feelings for Alonso, and delve into dangerous, forbidden magic to find the truth and save her mom — even if it means putting her own life at risk.

MY THOUGHTS

To be honest, I had never heard of The Glittering Edge until I saw it as a pick in a book box. The stunning artwork immediately caught my attention and made me want to read the story to learn more about the characters.

The Glittering Edge is a Young Adult Urban Fantasy set in the small town of Idlewood, Indiana. Rumors swirl about two rival families, one of them witches: the De Lucas and the Barrions, and the curse that binds them together. Penny, the main protagonist, gets swept into the feud when the curse strikes her mother, leaving her in a coma. The only way to save her is by seeking help from the two rival sons: Alonso De Luca and Corey Barrion.

The book reminded me of early 2000s YA novels and TV shows, like Vampire Academy or The Secret Circle. It gave me the same nostalgic feelings I had as a teen reading and watching those stories, and at first it felt wholesome and engaging. I was intrigued and eager to learn more about the De Lucas and the Barrions. The world-building is straightforward and easy to follow. However, my biggest issue was with the inconsistency around who knows about magic and who doesn’t. For example, Penny has no idea magic exists, but when she discovers Alonso has powers, she barely reacts or questions it. And if the De Lucas supposedly cursed the Barrions, who are human...why do the Barrions wield so much influence over the witches’ council? They even had the authority say to lock away the De Lucas’ powers. It made no sense. That’s like an ordinary citizen telling a company president how to run their business.

As for the characters, I wasn’t a fan of anyone except Alonso. Penny was irritating, having the attention of the most popular, attractive guys in school seemed to inflate her self-importance. One scene in particular frustrated me: when she discovered important information about Alonso’s grandfather and Corey’s grandmother, instead of sharing it with the very people helping her save her mother, she selfishly withheld it until the end. Corey came across as just another spoiled rich kid. Naomi was also frustrating, I don't know why she entitled that Penny tell her everything about magic and the rituals. Dylan was your stereotypical self-absorbed mean girl. Honestly, there weren’t any likeable characters. Alonso was the only one who felt chill and genuine, but even he got screwed over in the end with the partial possession, which also annoyed me.

Overall, The Glittering Edge started off strong but quickly went downhill. As you can probably tell, I won’t be continuing the series. I really wish it had lived up to the promise of those nostalgic early 2000s YA books and shows.

Arcana Academy by Elise Kova

Title: Arcana Academy

Author: Elise Kova

Genre: Romantasy

Series: Arcana Academy # 1

Publication: July 22, 2025, 553 pages

Source: Personal Library 

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Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards-a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy.

Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy's enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape-for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time.

In order to conceal her identity and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.

Thrust into a world of arcane magic and royal intrigue, where one misstep will send her back to prison or worse, Clara finds that the prince she swore to hate may not be what he seems. But can she risk giving him power over the world-and her heart? Or will she take it for herself?

MY THOUGHTS

Arcana Academy is one of my most anticipated releases this year. I’m a fan of Kova’s books, so when I heard she was publishing a new series; a dark academia with a tarot twist, it sounded right up my alley. Overall, Arcana Academy was a decent and solid series starter, but it wasn’t without flaws.

The world-building took some getting used to. Kova’s entire magic system revolves around tarot cards: the ability to read them traditionally, “inking” them, where an arcanist creates them using special ink and blank cards and, lastly, wielding them in a fight. The first two aspects were simple and straightforward. I thought the wielding element was the coolest of the three, though for some reason it reminded me of Yu-Gi-Oh! or Pokémon. As a tarot fan, I found Kova’s interpretation fairly basic. Anyone familiar with the cards can easily determine whether a card belongs to fire, earth, water, or air. She didn’t go beyond those basics, and it felt like the research didn’t extend past a quick Google search. Everything stayed very surface level.

The pacing was slow and, at times, a struggle to get through. The book felt unnecessarily long and while I have no problem reading chunky novels, this one seemed three times longer than it actually was, and it failed to hold my attention for much of the time. I didn’t care for most of the characters, especially the female protagonist, Clara. If you’ve read any of Kova’s books, you’ll notice a pattern with her heroines: the underdog who inevitably becomes “the chosen one,” the all-powerful figure no one saw coming… except we all saw it coming. Clara, however, was annoyingly arrogant for most of the book. Like many romantasy heroines, she’s brimming with “female rage,” driven by hate and revenge against those who wronged her or her loved ones. Same shit, different book. I lost track of how many times I rolled my eyes. I wanted to DNF, but having made it past the halfway point, I pushed on. Kaelis (atrocious name), the prince, was selfish but at least upfront about what he wanted and who he was. While that honesty was refreshing, he was still a run-of-the-mill male lead; the same type found in countless other romantasies. Their fake relationship was irritating from start to finish. I didn’t believe it at the start, and I didn’t believe it at the end. Clara’s hot-and-cold attitude toward Kaelis made it worse; one moment she’s lusting after him, the next she’s plotting his downfall. You’d think the fake relationship would be the highlight of a romantasy, but I couldn’t care less.

The book didn’t truly get good until about 80% in, when Clara went head-to-head with Eza during the final trial. Speaking of the trials, they were overly simplified and low stakes. It felt like the author spent too much time on Clara and Kaelis’s bland relationship, letting the world-building and big scenes fall to the wayside. While there were some good moments scattered throughout, they were far and few between. The only redeeming portion of the book was the final trial and everything that followed. Those last sections were excellent, and I am genuinely curious to see what happens next. And yes, I totally saw that ending coming.