#BookReview: What Lurks Between the Fates (Of Flesh & Bone, #3) by @harperlwoodsauthor

Synopsis:
From indie darling Harper L. Woods comes WHAT LURKS BEYOND THE FATES, the third book of the Of Flesh and Bone series, where the heated fae romance of A Court of Thorns and Rosesmeets the dark obsession of Phantom of the Opera.

Once, I’d chosen my mate instead of freedom.

For weeks, we retraced our steps back to Mistfell and the lingering shadow of the Veil at the boundary between realms. Traveling through the kingdom, I denied the evidence in front of me, unable to fathom that I wasn’t the lost princess of Faerie. Instead, it is Fallon who must fear the consequences of her heritage. Which leaves me with a single, unanswered question.

Then, I awoke, caged high above the throne of the Queen of Air & Darkness.

Mab is the Queen who keeps all of Alfheimr held squirming within her clawed grasp. She uses the children of Faerie to sustain the magic granted to her by the cursed gem atop her crown, which has carved her from the girl she once was into a dark vessel, obsessed with power. She thrives on cruelty, and wields our love as an instrument for pain.

Now, I’ll play the games of the Fae.

I’m a curiosity, my presence an enigma that was never foreseen. I may not be Mab’s daughter, yet she still keeps me close, as she forges me into a weapon against humans and Fae alike. Mab may not own me yet, but she controls the life of the man I love. There is nothing I wouldn’t do to see him freed.

Even if I have to become the villain to do it.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

#BookReview: Enchantra (Wicked Games #2) by @kaylsmoon

Synopsis:
Ready or Not meets Throne of the Fallen in a spicy, enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance, where an Italian getaway turns deadly after a young woman is trapped in her host family's cursed game.

Ready or not, the game has begun. 

Genevieve Grimm has felt adrift ever since her sister became the head of the family. So when a mysterious friend of their mother's invites her to Italy, she accepts. She arrives at his grand palace, expecting passion and magic, decadence and luxury... perhaps even a midnight ball. 

She doesn't expect the owner's ruthlessly handsome son to slam the door in her face. Rowin Silver is tall, dark, and exceptionally rude, and invitation or not, he demands Genevieve leave and never come back. But Genevieve follows nobody's orders, especially those of arrogant rich boys. She slips inside—and immediately discovers her mistake.

Rowin and his family are caught in an insidious game of hide and seek, where only one can win. The rest will be trapped in Hell... until the competition begins again. 

Genevieve must either join the hunt or forfeit any hope of escaping. But to her dismay, her best chance of survival lies with Rowin. Since lovers may play as a pair, Rowin and Genevieve agree to form an alliance under the guise of a fake courtship. However, as they race through the game's elaborate labyrinth, trapped among gleaming gold and shining marble, their loathing gives way to irresistible attraction. Only Rowin is keeping secrets, especially when it comes to his ruthless family, and Genevieve can't help but wonder if she's trapped in two treacherous games: Enchantra and the one Rowin is playing with her heart.

#BookReview: The Never List (Never List, #1) by @jadepresleyauthor

Synopsis:
The four princes of Lumathyst need a mate, and everyone wants a chance...except for her.

Threatened by invaders, the kingdom of Lumathyst is on the verge of chaos, and no one can stop it. Unless the four immortal god-princes find their fated mate―and safeguard the throne―Lumathyst will fall.

Five women have tried. Five have failed. And tonight in the royal city, the princes need to find their Chosen and hope she can survive the transformation that will make her immortal.

Only Rylee Gray wasn’t supposed to be here. She snuck in for her own dark reasons―and now they claim they've found their perfect match. Her. Of course, they have no idea she’s concealing a secret big enough to damn them all.

The four princes have no choice. They’ll use every delectably wicked skill they have to make Rylee fall for all of them…or watch their kingdom collapse.

#BookReview: Firebird (The Fire That Binds #1) by @juliettecrossauthor

Synopsis:
DELUXE EDITION—featuring beautiful original illustrated stenciled edges with a foil case stamp, and designed endpapers!

An instant New York Times bestseller!

House of the Dragon meets From Blood and Ash in this epic, scorching dark romantasy.

A conqueror captivated…
A witch prophesied to save them all…
An unforgiving world where dragons rule Rome.

Julian Dakkia, Roman general and nephew to the emperor, has played his role as conqueror well. Yet, the moment he laid eyes on Malina, he was enthralled by the Dacian dancer. Years later, the fierce beauty stands before him, a captive on a scarred battlefield, her life in danger. He instinctively shifts into his fierce dragon form to save her, an action that may mean his head on the imperial gate.

The rules of their world dictate that he is the conqueror and she is the captured. But he and his dragon know one thing: their bond has nothing to do with the laws of mighty Rome. She belongs to them. And they belong to her.

Fierce and powerful, twenty-one-year old Malina has survived the loss of her family and she is determined to fight until her dying breath. Still, she can’t believe that the centurion who had once bestowed a secret talisman on her is the Roman general of legendary brutality…and now holds her life in his hands. Nor can she deny how her soul has always seemed to answer his. Slowly she learns that Julian is caught in his mad uncle’s machinations for domination, and helps him plot the downfall of the empire itself.

As they navigate a world where flying deathriders conquer and burn, their love will ignite a firestorm that can only end in heartbreak or death. Or both.

Firebird is a fantasy with some dark themes, including elements of master/slave relationship, attempted sexual assault (not between MCs), and dubious consent (not between MCs). Readers who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note.

#BookReview: Savage Proposal (Savage Mafia Kings, #1) by @bellaash_author

Synopsis:
Isabella:
Sold by my own father to Lorenzo Vitali—a man carved from violence and draped in cruelty.
I became a prisoner in a gilded cage, bound by chains heavier than steel.
He demands an heir. His touch burns, unravels, consumes. I should hate him. I should fear him.
But it’s not the demand that terrifies me.
It’s him.

There’s a darkness in Lorenzo—seductive, merciless, and impossible to escape.
Every glance pulls me deeper into the abyss. Every stolen breath blurs the line between loathing and longing.
And my heart, the traitor, begins to beat for the very man who holds it hostage.

But men like Lorenzo don’t just break women like me.
They devour.
They erase.
And I refuse to be swallowed by his darkness.

Lorenzo:
The night they took Sienna from me; I swore vengeance and buried what remained of my heart.
Nothing could ever break me again.
Until Isabella Rossi fell into my hands—scarred, defiant, and hauntingly like Sienna.

She was meant to be a pawn. A vessel for the heir that will secure my legacy.
But her fire doesn’t bend—it provokes.
Her defiance fuels an obsession I never wanted.

She thinks she can resist me.
But in my world, resistance isn’t survival.
It’s the spark that feeds the fire.

Trigger Warning: This book is a dark romance intended for mature audiences only. It contains explicit sexual content, graphic violence, forced pregnancy, assault, captivity, kidnapping, criminal activity, and a cliff-hanger ending. Read at your own risk.

This book was previously published as part of the Vitali Duet, and has now been expanded into the Savage Mafia Kings series.

#BookReview: This Monster of Mine (This Monster of Mine #1) by @shalini.writes

Synopsis:
She knows the taste of death. He'll stoke her hunger for it.

Eighteen-year-old Sarai doesn't know why someone tried to kill her four years ago, but she does know that her case was closed without justice. Hellbent on vengeance, she returns to the scene of the crime as a Petitor, a prosecutor who can magically detect lies, and is assigned to work with Tetrarch Kadra. Ice-cold and perennially sadistic, Kadra is the most vicious of the four judges who rule the land - and the prime suspect in a string of deaths identical to Sarai's attempted murder.

Certain of his guilt, Sarai begins a double life: solving cases with Kadra by day and plotting his ruin by night. But Kadra is charming and there's something alluring about the wrath he wields against the city's corruption. So when the evidence she finds embroils her in a deadly political battle, Sarai must also fight against her attraction to Kadra - because despite his growing hold on her heart, his voice matches the only memory she has of her assailant...

A dazzling Ancient Rome-inspired romantasy debut, This Monster of Mine is a bloodbath of manipulation, deception, and forbidden love.

#BookReview: Faithbreaker (Fallen Gods #3) by @hanfrankan

Synopsis:
THE EPIC FINALE TO THE INSTANT NO. 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING FALLEN GODS TRILOGYIn the epic finale to the #1 internationally bestselling Fallen Gods trilogy that started with Godkiller, the fate of Middren hangs in the balance as mighty gods and mortal heroes clash in a final battle for supremacy.

War has come. The fire god Hseth is leading an unstoppable army south, consuming everything in her path. Middren’s only hope of survival is to unify allies and old foes against a common enemy.

Elo navigates an uneasy alliance with Arren; his friend, his enemy, and his king. Now they each must decide how much they're willing to sacrifice to turn the tides of war.

Meanwhile, Inara joins her mother on their ship, the Silverswift, to seek aid. Still grappling with her powers, Inara must reconcile who she is and where she belongs, while Skediceth has to question if their bond will be enough to keep them safe.

Kissen has no allegiance to the old ways of Middren. But, as she tries to find her family, she is forced to question what, and whose, future she is fighting for.

In Faithbreaker, Hannah Kaner delivers a powerful conclusion to the Fallen Gods trilogy, masterfully weaving together love and sacrifice, loyalty and betrayal, and the true meaning of faith.

#BookReview: A Song in the Storm (The Leviathan's Call #1) by @rileysknight

Synopsis:
The fae king’s soiree attracts the most unlikely guests: a thief masquerading as a bard, an exiled prince, and the lost heir to an ancient kingdom.

Forced into an unlikely alliance, the bard champions an impossible heist while an army across the world crumbles beneath strange new magic.

Yet both events are connected. When the world forgot its gods, so too did it forget their power. And a centuries old plan has just begun to unfold.

Fionn alone can remember. Watched by the prince’s wary eyes, she must earn his trust lest she face the darkness the way her journey began: desperate, and alone.

For darkness is a tricky thing: An age old lie, a falsehood long made fact, an assassin with no face. And it has moved unseen to all the world.

#BookReview: Dawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal Rana @sarahmughal769

Synopsis:
For fans of The Poppy War, She Who Became the Sun and The Will of the Many, a breathtaking fantasy novel about the daughter of an overthrown emperor from an exciting new voice

Khamilla Zahr-zad’s life has been built on a foundation of violence and vengeance. Every home she’s known has been destroyed by war. As the daughter of an emperor’s clan, she spent her childhood training to maintain his throne. But when her clansmen are assassinated by another rival empire, plans change. With her heavenly magic of nur, Khamilla is a weapon even enemies would wield—especially those in the magical, scholarly city of Za’skar. Hiding her identity, Khamilla joins the enemy’s army school full of jinn, magic and martial arts, risking it all to topple her adversaries, avenge her clan and reclaim their throne.

To survive, she studies under cutthroat mystic monks and battles in a series of contests to outmaneuver her fellow soldiers. She must win at all costs, even if it means embracing the darkness lurking inside her. But the more she excels, the more she is faced with history that contradicts her father’s teachings. With a war brewing among the kingdoms and a new twisted magic overtaking the land, Khamilla is torn between two impossible vengeance or salvation.

#BookReview: Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton @amham_writes

Synopsis:

Deluxe limited edition will include stenciled edges, patterned endpapers, and a designed case cover!

The Cruel Prince meets Powerless in this dark academia romantasy that will tattoo itself onto your heart.

In the cursed Kingdom of Aragoa, the punishment for magic is death.

Even the students at Vandenberghe Academy aren't spared. When Viola Sinclair's deadly shadow magic is discovered, the queen gives her assassin a new assignment and a new cursed tattoo: seven-thorned rose on his arm for the seven days he has to hunt Viola down and kill her. If he doesn't, he will be the one to die.

The assassin is Roze Roquelart--entitled prince, arrogant fellow student, and the one person Viola hates more than anyone. Roze should revel in the chance to end her life, but he desperately needs something from Viola and her magic. And he's willing to spare her life--and fake their engagement--to get it.

Forced to work together, Viola and Roze must contend with deadly threats, dangerous secrets, and an impossible attraction. Will they give in to their deepest desires, even if it means destroying Aragoa--and risking both their lives?

HER WORST ENEMY. HIS ONLY CHANCE.

Be swept away by the sizzling, irresistible enemies-to-lovers romantasy with magic more destructive than your darkest nightmares.

#BookReview: Original Sinner (Original Sinners #1) by @kait.ballenger

Synopsis:
Seven deadly—and ultrarich—sins rule NYC, and though she came here to escape her past, one woman’s true path to freedom might be the devil’s bonds in this scorching hot romantasy from Kait Ballenger.

The seven deadly sins keep high profiles in the Big Lust runs brothels, Sloth’s a media streamer…you get the picture. Pride, though, he’s more mysterious. You might know him as Lucifer—temptation irresistibly embodied. The paparazzi are dying for some burning-hot gossip. So when someone publishes my scathing but private rant about him, they eat it up. And now my job is on the line. After all, he is my boss.

With his vicious siblings vying for his power, Lucifer needs to distract the press, so he reframes my tirade as a lovers’ spat, demanding I play the devil’s fiancée. I need to be a good girl, smile for the cameras, nothing more.

But cocky and cruel as he is, his darkness awakens something wicked in me. Sexy and in control, he might just be the cure—an extra dose of sin to heal me from a lifetime of shame and subservience.

And I like it.

#BookReview: My Demon Hunter (Hell Bent, #2) by @aurora.ascher.author

Synopsis:
LIMITED EDITION FIRST PRINTING featuring sprayed edges, designed chapter headers, full color inside covers, and front cover foil with spot gloss—while supplies last!

For fans of Jenna Levine and K.F. Breene, the steamy, laugh-out-loud paranormal romance about learning how to love—including the darkest parts of ourselves—complete with HEA, clothes-ripping-hot love scenes, and a crew of devilish demon brothers who are supposed to be the bad guys . . .

From the instant New York Times bestselling author of SANCTUARY OF THE SHADOW!

The hunter shall become the hunted . . . And the timid shall become the fierce.

Enslaved to an evil demon queen for millennia, Mishetsumephtai has only ever served one purpose. He is the Hunter, the one who drags the guilty back to Hell. But finally tasting freedom on Earth has changed him, and for the first time, Mist questions his duty. The human female who smiles at him with no idea what a monster he is, draws him in, and he’ll do anything to possess her.

Lily Donovan thought the most dangerous thing about running to the corner store at night would be the aisles of junk food. She didn’t bargain on encountering chaos in the form of a man with unusual tattoos and beguiling amber eyes, stalking her through the ice cream section. Since the death of her parents, Lily has tried to forget what she is. But denial is not an option when she’s confronted with everything she’s been running from.

Neither Mist nor Lily can ignore the burning magnetism between them. But Mist’s reprieve from Hell was always temporary, and the punishment for disobedience will be worse than death. Yet he can’t relinquish the woman whose scent calls to him like nothing he’s hunted before.

#BookReview: Blood Iron and Bone (The Lightbringers #1) by Sera Foxe @the_write_fox

Synopsis:
Aurelia , a mortal girl, hears a strange call in the night and is compelled to answer...

In another world, Andar, betrothed to the future High Queen of Áithrim , can't understand why his supposed fated mate looks so right, but feels so wrong...

Duty, fate, blood iron and bone collide under a cursed sky...

In a kingdom on the precipice of the fulfillment or failure of its most famous prophecy, thrown together by fate and terrifying circumstance, a motley band of Fae and Human alike must come together for the good of the realm, even as the darkness that covers the land threatens to become permanent.

Fans of Rebecca Yarros, Holly Black, Sarah J. Maas, and Jennifer L. Armentrout will love this epic Fantasy Romance series featuring fated mates, found families, and chosen ones — Lightbringers — prophesied to break a darkness that threatens everything.

#BookReview: An Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah Cole @wordsiren

Synopsis:
A modern-day dark academia fantasy with a twist, perfect for fans of Babel and A Deadly Education.

Warren University has stood amongst the ivy elite for centuries, built on the bones―and forbidden magic―of its most prized BIPOC students…hiding the rot of a secret society that will do anything to keep their own powers burning bright. No matter who they must sacrifice along the way.

Ellory Morgan is determined to prove that she belongs at Warren University, an ivy league school whose history is deeply linked to occult rumors and dark secrets. But as she settles into her Freshman year, something about the ornate buildings and shadowy paths feels strangely…familiar. And, with every passing day, that sense of déjà vu grows increasingly sinister.

Despite all logic, despite all reason, despite all the rules of reality, Ellory knows one thing to be true: she has been here before. And if she can't convince brooding legacy student Hudson Graves to help her remember a past that seems determined to slip through her fingers as if by some insidious magic…this time, she may lose herself for good.

#BookReview: The Iron Dreamers by @modernday_eratosthenes

Synopsis:
Uncover the Truth Behind the Dream

When 17-year-old Lexi Carvalho is abruptly taken from her small-town existence, she awakens to a startling Earth was destroyed centuries ago, and her previous life was merely a simulated reality. As one of 700,000 "Iron Dreamers," Lexi's mission is to address the immense challenges that humanity faces aboard a vast space station. Recruited by the enigmatic Artemis to apprehend a saboteur threatening humanity's remnants, Lexi confronts her deepest fears and questions the nature of her existence in this dystopian science fiction tale.

Entrapped in a simulation. Selected for a perilous mission. As Lexi's world unravels, she navigates a crumbling reality where illusions and truth intertwine. The boundary between simulation and actuality blurs as she discovers that the technology meant to safeguard life might also dominate it. Each step brings her closer to a revelation that could either rescue humanity or lead to its demise. This young adult dystopian novel is ideal for fans seeking YA sci-fi books about simulated realities and narratives featuring strong female leads in sci-fi.

The fate of humanity hinges on a perilous secret. Artemis offers Lexi a chance for answers—but at a significant cost. In a world where reality is fabricated, whom can she trust? Lexi's journey through layers of deceit challenges her to outsmart formidable adversaries and uncover her true purpose. Readers will be captivated by this science fiction adventure that delves into women in sci-fi, blending dystopian thrillers with strong female characters.

Inside, you'll 

A thrilling blend of dystopian fiction and sci-fi intrigue. A strong female protagonist navigating a mind-bending reality. A captivating mystery that questions the nature of existence. When reality is a lie, what is the truth?

If you liked Red Rising, Scythe, or books on simulation theory, you’ll love The Iron Dreamers.

#BookReview: This Gilded Abyss (The Titan's Wrath Trilogy #1) by @rebeccathornewrites

Synopsis:
Sergeant Nix Marr is a damn good soldier. She’s also desperate to leave her haunted past deep in the bioluminescent ocean, buried alongside her best friend, Quian. So, when Subarch Kessandra, Valkesh’s favorite royal–and Nix’s loathed ex–requests Nix’s help investigating a massacre in the abyssal city of Fall, Nix refuses. Vehemently.

She should have known Kessandra would fight back.

Consigned as Kessandra’s bodyguard, Nix grudgingly boards the Luminosity, a luxurious submersible that offers the only transportation to Fall. But Kessandra wasn’t truthful–surprise, surprise–and her “investigation” isn’t about the massacre, but rather what caused it: an illness that incites its victims into a violent craze.

When another royal is brutally murdered, Nix and Kess realize the disease has spread–and no one on the Luminosity is safe. If they’re going to survive until Fall, they’ll have to trust each other… but considering Kessandra is responsible for Quian’s death, that won’t be easy.

#BookReview: On Wings of Blood (Bloodwing Academy #1) by @briarboleynauthor

Synopsis:
The deluxe limited edition of On Wings of Blood features stenciled edges, custom endpapers, and a jacket with metallic effects! This breathtaking hardcover edition is available only on the first printing and is a must-have for any book lover while supplies last in the US and Canada.

Welcome to Bloodwing Academy.

Expect magic. Expect competition. Expect blood.

I didn't sign up for this. A half-fae in a school of highblood vampires? That's a recipe for suffering.

I'm Medra Pendragon, last of the dragon riders—or so they tell me. Funny thing is, there are no dragons left. Not a single one. But somehow, that hasn't stopped the vampires from deciding I'm worth capturing. Now I'm stuck at Bloodwing Academy, where the highbloods run everything, and blightborn like me? We're just blood in their veins, pawns in their games.

But that's not even the worst part. Enter Blake Drakharrow: cold, arrogant, and way too gorgeous for his own good. He's been tormenting me since the moment we met, and now, thanks to some ancient ritual, we're betrothed. He acts like he owns me, but I'm not going down without a fight.

Bloodwing isn't just a school—it's a battlefield. Highbloods fight for power, and if you're weak, you're dead.

Between deadly competitions, lies that could get me executed, and a dragon-shaped secret looming over my head, all I have to do is survive. Easy, right? Except I'm starting to think the real danger isn't the academy—it's what I'm becoming in this twisted game of power.

And Blake? He might just be the one who pushes me over the edge.

They think they can control me. They think they can use me. But they have no idea what they've awakened.

#BookReview: Spring Fling by @aenoblin

Synopsis:
Rekindle your belief in the magic of first love and the charm of small towns with Annie England Noblin’s delightful friends-to-lovers romantic comedy, perfect for readers of Jill Shalvis and Sarah Adams.

Spring is in the air and Mylie has everything she could ever want: her tackle shop is thriving and employs a third of Clay Creek, Arkansas, and she lives with her beloved Granny and little sister Cassie, who both keep her on her toes. As tourists pour into town for the annual fishing tournament, Mylie is in her element and ready to bring her all-women team to victory.

After moving to Chicago, Ben never thought he would return to Clay Creek. But with both his grandfather and mother gone, he’s left to deal with their estate. His plan is simple: come in quietly, fix up his lakeside childhood home, sell it quickly, and get out. He underestimates how quickly his arrival will stir up the local gossip, and how intensely his unresolved feelings for Mylie, his childhood best friend, will resurface.

Amid the buzz of competition and the rhythm of small-town life, Mylie and Ben find themselves unable to ignore their shared history. They tentatively explore a future together, despite the impending sale of Ben’s house and Mylie’s insistence on staying put in Clay Creek. Flings are easier said than done, and Mylie and Ben will have to address their clashing lifestyles before their feelings get away from them.

Told with Annie England Noblin’s signature wit, cozy charm, and a dash of spice, Spring Fling is the perfect friends-to-lovers read.