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.

Connect with Julie!

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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. 

The Midnight Pack by Jasmine Kuliasha

Title: The Midnight Pack

Author: Jasmine Kuliasha 

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Jericho James # 1

Publication: May 27, 2025, 338 pages

Source: Libby

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Jericho James is in over her head.

She's a Private Investigator famed for debunking mythical creature sightings, and she expects her latest case in Stillbridge, Maine to be just another instance of "town who cried wolf." But instead of finding a poorly judged animal in the Northeastern woods, Jericho discovers a family of reclusive scientists. Handsome scientists, no less, working on a cure for a mystery virus.

Intrigued by the virus and utterly captivated by Benjamin--a man with cheekbones that must have been chiseled by God himself--Jericho finds she's dying to learn more about the family and their work.

And when she accidentally discovers the family's secret, she might just get her wish.

MY THOUGHTS

When I first saw the cover for The Midnight Pack, I literally gasped. It was stunning and the fact that it was a werewolf urban fantasy was an added bonus. I've been reading urban fantasy for as long as I can remember; it's one of my favorite sub-genres. The cover and synopsis both looked and sounded promising. But it saddens me to say that The Midnight Pack unfortunately did not live up to my expectations.

To start, the pitch for this book was completely inaccurate. Beauty and the Beast meets Supernatural? The novel was nowhere near being influenced by Beauty and the Beast. There was ONE line, cheesy as hell and not in a good or funny way. As for the Supernatural comparison, I’m guessing it’s because the main character is a P.I. who takes on bizarre, unexplainable cases? Hard to say. To be frank, I had a lot of issues with The Midnight Pack.

The story begins with Jericho being called to the town of Stillbridge to solve a murder. In the first couple of chapters, she does the usual investigative work' talking to people and witnesses. She gets a tip about a reclusive man in the woods, and on her way to find him, she sprains her ankle and is rescued by his son, Benjamin. For the next 70% of the book, I had to endure endless scenes of Jericho and Benjamin flirting. She stays with him for most of the book, supposedly waiting for her ankle to heal but for someone who's injured, she walks around quite a bit. The murder case is all but forgotten, and whenever Jericho does remember it, she’s quickly distracted by her lust for Benjamin.

Despite being in their late twenties or early thirties, Jericho and Benjamin acted like horny teenagers; immature and ridiculous. The author repeatedly used the word “blushed” to describe their reactions to each other, every few paragraphs and it drove me bonkers.

I wish the werewolf element had been a mystery to the reader, but since it's splashed across the cover, watching Jericho obliviously stumble around the Grey' household, clueless that they’re werewolves, was painful. There was so much missed potential for suspense and discovery, but it was completely undermined by the cover tagline. The worst part of the novel, however, was the romance; it was childish and full of angst. It was instalove in the worst way. They said “I love you” after knowing each other for a week or less. There was no foundation, no buildup; just superficial attraction: she’s hot, he’s hot. If the author had removed the romance altogether, the novel might have been better, but unfortunately, it ends up overshadowing everything and dragging the story down.

There were also numerous plot holes, where things either didn’t make sense or were too easily and conveniently explained, as if the reader was just supposed to accept it and move on. The Midnight Pack was a real chore to get through, but I pushed on just to finish it. I had already invested so much time that I didn’t want to DNF it; though in hindsight, I should have. I do not recommend this book. The Midnight Pack was poorly written, with superficial characters and a subpar plot.

Knot of Souls by Christine Amsden

Title: Knot of Souls

Author: Christine Amsden

Genre: Scifi Fantasy

Series: N/A

Publication: May 20, 2025, 396 pages

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

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Two souls, one body …

When Joy wakes up in an alley, she knows three things: she was brutally murdered, she has somehow come back to life ... and she is not alone. She’s been possessed by an inhuman presence, a being that has taken over her dying body. That being is powerful, in pain, and on the run from entities more dangerous than he is.

Shade, a Fae prince on the run, didn’t mean to share the body he jumped into. Desperate and afraid, accused of a murder he didn’t commit, he only sought a place to hide—but if he leaves Joy now, he faces discovery and a fate worse than death.

Forced to work together to solve multiple murders, including her own, Joy and Shade discover hidden strengths and an unlikely friendship. Yet as their souls become increasingly intertwined, they realize their true danger might come from each other … and if they don't find a way to untangle the knot their souls have become, then even the truth won't set them free.

MY THOUGHTS

Amsden is the wonderful author of Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective and The Immortality Virus, which I had the pleasure of reading during my early review days. Cassie Scot remains a memorable favorite of mine. So, when the author reached out to let me know she had published a new novel, I jumped at the chance to review it!

Knot of Souls is completely different from Amsden’s previous works, but her impeccable writing style remains unchanged. In my opinion, Knot of Souls leans toward light Sci-Fi Fantasy, with a unique and fresh take on the Fae.

The story begins when a human named Joy is murdered, and in that fleeting moment between life and death, her body is hijacked by a Faerie Prince named Shade. Normally, when a Fae inhabits a living body, the original soul is no longer present but, in this case, Joy is still there, and she doesn’t plan to leave without a fight.

The subject of Fae has been around for as long as I can remember and, in recent years, has taken center stage in many fantasy stories. But Amsden’s version is unlike anything I’ve seen before. The Fae in Knot of Souls are incorporeal, energetic beings from another planet (yes, like aliens, though Shade would probably be offended by that label). With their planet destroyed, some chose to come to Earth to start over, while others returned to Source. The story touches on fascinating themes like genetics, reincarnation, and past lives, which I’ve always been drawn to. I loved how the author wove these concepts into the Fae's background and history.

Joy was such a realistic and relatable character; flawed, very human. I appreciated that she wasn’t the typical fantasy heroine who’s instantly tough, overly confident, or always knows what to do. She was simply herself, doing the best she could in an impossible situation. Shade, like Joy, was also flawed; his past trauma causing him to keep everyone at arm’s length. It was really rewarding to watch them overcome their differences and learn to support each other.

This was a low-stakes, almost cozy story where we follow the characters as they navigate the world, learning and adapting day by day. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It offered a refreshing change of pace from all the romantasy and high fantasy I’ve been reading lately. Knot of Souls felt like a warm cup of cocoa; something comforting, relaxing, and easy to get lost in.

For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn

Title: For Whom the Belle Tolls

Author: Jaysea Lynn

Genre: Cozy Fantasy

Series: Helle's Belles # 1

Publication: January 28, 2025, 640 pages

Source: Libby.

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They told her to go to Hell.

She went, but on her own terms. Lily isn’t exactly thrilled with her arrival in the Afterlife, but what awaits her there is more fantastical than she ever could have Deities wait in line at the coffee shop. Fae flit between realms. Souls find ways to make death a beginning.

As she explores the many corners of the Afterlife, Lily finds herself surprisingly drawn to a place most people would avoid at all Hell. Armed with years of customer service experience and pent-up sarcasm, Lily carves a job out for herself amongst Hell’s demons, sending souls to their rightful circles with more than a hint of sass.

Lily’s expectations are subverted every day in Hell—especially by Bel, a demon general with a distractingly sexy voice. The two meet by chance and form an immediate, deeply healing friendship, but the undeniable heat between them threatens to combust.

Meanwhile, something stirs beyond the boundaries of their world, threatening to destroy everything they’ve known and everything that could be…unless they fight like Hell to stop it.

MY THOUGHTS

I've been seeing For Whom the Belle Tolls everywhere. Everywhere. After reading the synopsis, I thought it sounded right up my alley and was excited to see what the hype was about. A girl navigating the afterlife and ending up in Hell? I was intrigued. The concept and story started off decently. I was momentarily enjoying the worldbuilding and characters, but it quickly went downhill.

The concept of the afterlife, while not new, had some fresh elements in Lynn’s version. I initially liked the author’s take on Hell, Heaven, and Paradise (which functioned like Limbo, where souls choose whether to reincarnate). I also appreciated how vividly I could picture Hell and its inhabitants. Readers are introduced to a parade of famous deities: Persephone, Lucifer, Aphrodite, Lilith, Thanatos... even God himself as they traversed the Universal Area (a kind of shared realm). Everyone was there. Unfortunately, that about sums up all the things I liked.

The worldbuilding and characters, at first glance sounded interesting but quickly revealed themselves to be built on a flimsy foundation and was poorly executed. Let’s start with the worldbuilding. While the author explained things well enough for me to visualize them, it felt like a cheap TV set: a living room backdrop built on a flat stage with no real house behind it. Everything was told to the reader rather than shown. Hell wasn’t nearly as unique as I hope, it felt like a dull reflection of corporate America, complete with hierarchies and office titles. They literally worked in an office. Higher-ups at the top, grunts at the bottom. Lily worked at the hellp desk, went to coffee shops, bars, and just hung out at home. It all just mirrored the mortal world in a way that felt unimaginative and uninspired.

The characters were painfully one-dimensional. Everyone was perfect, flawless appearances, always made the right choices and had the right words. That’s not how people are, in this world or any other. If I had to describe them in one word, it’d be “robots.” They felt disingenuous and fake, as if tailor-made for their roles without any real personality. Lily was one of the most boring protagonists I’ve ever read. She shows up in Hell, and everyone automatically falls in love with her, everything is handed to her with no questions or fuss. She’s apparently the smartest, most beautiful, most perfect person to ever show up there. Every word out of her mouth sounded like something from a self-help book. The male love interest was written in the same way: no flaws, no depth, no nuance. Just... nothing. 

This book was also poorly marketed. It was pitched as a romantic fantasy, but it’s really a cozy fantasy. And at nearly 700 pages, it dragged. If I had known there was basically no plot, I wouldn’t have forced myself through endless chapters of characters going to work, cooking, hanging out at bars, grabbing coffee, or sitting in the library. There’s mention of a world-invading threat, but we never see it. We only hear about it. And when the “war” finally happens around the 70% mark, it’s glossed over. We’re told people return home injured... that’s it. Why even mention it if it has zero impact on the story?

Despite all that, the worst offense for me was how obvious it was that the author inserted herself as the main character. If you follow the author, you’ll know what I mean. The book deals with themes like religious and childhood trauma, but instead of feeling like a natural part of the story, it felt like a personal therapeutic writing exercise that got published. Like I said, everything Lily says sounded like it came straight from a motivational book; it was too polished, too perfect and every couple of paragraphs she randomly dropped curse words, which just felt jarring. Not cute or funny. I’m honestly baffled by all the glowing reviews. But hey, to each their own. I don’t recommend it but if you’re still curious, borrow it from a library.

And just to show how little thought went into some parts of this book: at the end, Bel calls Lily “Hell’s Belle” and awkwardly laughs, saying he had to look up the word "belle" before meeting her. This man is supposedly a prince, a general, and has been alive for over a century...and yet he didn’t know what the word "belle: meant? I scoffed and rolled my eyes so hard I nearly gave myself whiplash.