Hallowed Bones - Haunting paranormal YA romance

 Cosmic Coven Cauldrons!!! If your heart races with unmentionable things groping in the dark, fueled by your darkest emptions, if you canno find yourself choosing between the scarred sensitive kind, wild and deep kind, erudite and perfect kind and of course, shadow daddy kind of book boyfriends , lose yourself in a schism of s magic system that unravels slowly with the tale's unfolding, feeding your senses and bringing new plotlines to light, and love all things dark and witchy - then this series opener will give you all that and then some!

Lucy Smoke draws out a sepulchral atmosphere in this new witch series, drawing on the Salem plotverse. The Sons of Salem are a dying coven who need a priestess - entering on cue, is Haven, their ingenue witch whose power entices and calls to them, her magical ignorance proving to be her undoing to her awakening powers. The coven are haunted by their pasts, which is a complicated web of hurts, betrayals and sacrifices, as they flounder to embrace Haven into their fold.

The writing is bold, crisp and moves at a break neck speed - I ravaged through it in a matter of hours - THAT good! With multiple romances blossoming and a world teetering on the verge of a supernatural serial killer, the pack have their tasks set and the book culminates in a glorious cliffhanger that will keep you vested for more...

My lupine thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press for granting me the ARC! I cannot wait to see this series fully waxed!

#OctoberReads #HallowedBones #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #CovenMysterySeries

The Lost Spectacular - Romancing the losses in lyrical symphony

 Dearest reader, does a fathomless love of books, illustrations and versions tug at your lavender pressed memories of a days when pages mattered and being well read was the norm, does a whimsical rhapsody sifting through tomes and times with equal measure of endearment and mischief call to your soul, would divergent mindsets but a singular passion provide undercurrent enough to tempt you to romance?

Come, if you will, to the Spectacular - a collection of lost tales, things, loves and hopes, brilliantly reimagined and lovingly collected, through literature, time and seasons of existence - a memory, a place, a fleeting moment between words, anything and everything that can be captured - by whim, will or want, all for your enjoyment!

This book was EXTRORDINAIRE! A soft, mellifluent and gentle tale, that cultivates love, understanding and emotion without losing the bigger picture. I ADORED Noon and Munro - two sides to growing up after being exposed to the magic of the Spectacular, the circus unlike any other.  While Noon converges on the feeling, to build and provide the support via her bookshop, Munro pursues the curatorship, designing his museum to capture the embodiment of lost whimsy. At loggerheads in purpose, Noon is invited to run the Spectacular, much to Munro's consternation and there begins the tale....

Fluid, evocative and absolutely mesmerizing, Zoe Duhaime crafts a potent tale with misty escapades into the annals of literature that are reminiscent of sunny days, cozy couches and evoke the fuzzy childhood memories that these tomes preserve in their tales. A fantastic premise and an ebullient love story unfold, and I , for one, thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in the experience!

My dhanyawaads and merci beaucoups to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for granting me the ARC! This was one the BEST reads in 2026!

#thelostspectacular #kensigntonpublishing #romancingwhatwaslost #netgalley #septemberreads

Disenchanted - Disgruntled witch wages war against fairytale mayhem

 Dearest reader, if you be in search of magically infused mayhem, wishing to brew a potency of fairy tale cursing and lavish thy attention on steadily slow burning romantic overtures, whilst plunging through emotional torrents of guilt, love and loss , through the bespectacled eyed of a scarlet haired wench, then cast thy eyes this way!

Lucy Jane Wood evokes the 'with great power comes great responsibility' quote from spiderman, tuning it to a witchy frequency. Sage hemlock has battled her errant magical symptoms away through sheer will of force, having lost her parents in a freak accident. She has dedicated her life to eradicating said powers from her life, family and community, in a bid to make herself normal. Her mentor to this endeavor is the ancient witch Lilara, who cast away her magic.

What follows is a riot of fairy tales as Sage unwittingly  sets loose the other witch's magic and tries to control the calamitous fortunes from befalling her friends, family and community. She is aided in this by the handsome, dapper and confusingly sweet Cas, and the spiritually steadfast Maggs, add in a cat familiar, Mal, and you have the insta witch quartet - ready to battle all evil that threatens their community.

My rose scented thank yous to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for granting my wish!

#Septemberreads #Disenchanted #disgruntledwitchXmagicalmayhem #Berkleypublishinggroup #Netgalley 

The Tarot Trials - terrifying, tumultuous and tantalizing read from Katee Robert!

 Hold on to your tarot cards folks - the future is a quick draw with violent exchanges on the cards between the major and minor arcana with a bluff of champions, competing in gladiator style to form the Cinque, who have final voting powers on the resource distribution and administration of the city. 

Kestrel, aims to be like her namesake, a harbinger of change for the isolated and impoverished dregs by taking her place in the Tarot Trials and securing her position as the champion of the Moon, reviving the bond her mother possessed before her act of treason, resulting in her being executed. Soaring in and out of pain, in an adrenaline infused bloodbath, the 17 champions of the Gods need to battle against each other, honing their divine powers, matching wits against the machinations of the lower court, while simultaneously furthering their individual propagandas. The formation of alliances, the hide and seek and the massive powerplays are stunning and visceral, as Katee Robert drags us, bruised, battered, kicking, screaming and hoarse, through the streets of the lower courts, with a promise of blood, atonement and unchecked power!

Lindsey Dorcus does a phenomenal job at bringing the story to life. With her natural inflections for the various characters and the pauses that absolutely sell the emotion, she excels at weaving the emotionally charged conversations with an infusion of realism! My favorite has to be the Tower and the stark admonishments of Death, the stoicism of the Wheel and the flirty playfulness of the Sun - she captures them all in effortless ease!

This was an gorge fest of arcane gods, political gimmicking, grand standing and playing a false system while trying to stay true to oneself! A stellar and sizzling opener to the series, and I CANNOT wait for the next one to come out! Brava to Katee for bringing the tarot to life while staying true to its archaic origins and giving it a deeper meaning! And my fortune laced thank yous to Macmillian Audio and Netgalley for allowing me to relish the ALC! It was a tumultuous listen, that I would go back to anyday!

#MacmillianAudio #TheTarotTrials #Octoberreads #hungergamesXtarotmagic

The French Illusion - Stoic interlude between corridors of power and kidnapping nexus

 Have you ever immersed yourself in a John Grisham novel? A book where there is no sensational plot twist, no sudden cliffhanger.. a throwback to when storytelling dealt more with the minutiae rather than self flagellation of characters, which felt like you had to channel your inner vibe with the MC to feel the tale - this novel is none of that.

What it is , however, is a SLOW, SEMINAL, TEXTBOOK THRILLER - no lengthy back stories, just a matter of fact rollout of a series of events, their consequences, effects and repercussions, laid out in fascinating detail by a master!

It has been a while since I picked up a Grisham, and i was hoping for more legalese in this one - while that remained unfulfilled, the phenomenal unfurling of a kidnapping with political, prejudice based justice, was mesmerizing! I polished the chapters off, in quick succession, and completed the book in a day!

The core plotline spins around the kidnapping of honeymooners in Paris, with the ransom set at $2 million per person, the bride released without consequence, but the groom, with ties to the military is detained, even after the ransom is paid and subject to visceral treatment and numbing capture. The brutality of unmonitored captivity and the inhumane subjugation techniques are ruthlessly explored, as are the procedures and regulations governing the involvement and bureaucracy of governmental departments orchestrating a time sensitive negotiation. Grisham being the mastermind, doesn't soften any blows nor does he side with any ideal - he just states it as it is, like the stoic sea of intrigue that he so effortlessly embodies!

My thank yous to Netgalley and Double Day Books for this Arc - it has been a throwback thursday kind of feel!

#SeptemberReads #TheFrenchIllusion #Netgalley #DoubleDayBooks

Victorious - Vale and Ever - the EO version of Kane and Abel - back for one final showdown!

 What EPIC endings are MADE of!!!

When you finish a trilogy, particularly one form the masterful authorship of V.E. Schwab, your expectations are already sky high, add in an ALC boon, read by the immensely talented Jeremy Arthur, whose modulation and accent lilts just BRING the verve and authenticity to the zany non linear plot lines, you CANNOT, but, GUSH!!!!

First of my extra-ordinary thank yous to Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for reviving me with this ALC - so fabulous I finished it over the weekend!! I COULD NOT STOP listening! Quoting the author, Every line is immortal, until it is overwritten - thank you for keeping the substance and core intact!

Onto the storyline, what is the grand crescendo of every trilogy - bring back what was lost, revive the memories, indulge in nostalgia and of course, have a totally new extrapolation to the original plotline.

Victor Vale and Eli Ever were the Abel and Kane of the extraordinaries - each locked in a battle of science versus belief and manifesting powers beyond the ken of minds. This book sees Mitch and Sydney trundle forth with their new positions, Victor trying to get back his powers and June, finding some extraordinary friends... While at the other end of the gameboard EON has a makeover and a new sinister plot to subvert EOs.

The advent of the new characters are also stellar! Wreaked with memories, facing new demons and forming new alliances, the characters interweave and the non linear timeline of zooming forward and backward really adds to the plotlines (i was always reminiscent of heroes!)...

Chapter by chapter, we are reminded of the eccentricities, prejudices and personal biases that each of these marvelous main characters bring to fore - their grit, drive and end game are all laid bare! There is a major twist, and my, what a knife driven into the back!! spectacular!!!

The audio production was par excellence and really rounded the storytelling. Jeremy is immaculate in his enunciation and 1brings in the vivid coldness of Victor, the flirty playfulness of June, the raw insecurity of Sydney and the beefiness of Mitch (I don't know HOW he did, but HE DID!)

If you are in withdrawal from Vicious and Vengeful, then this one brings the entire tapestry of EOs to a full circle, providing closure, with a quintessential Schwab swipe! the last line is my absolute favorite!!! 

#Octoberreads #Victorious #VESchwab #macmillianaudio #EOspectacular

A Study in Sparkling - Special serving of sommelier splashed with second chance love

 After An academic Affair, I was underwhelmed, wondering how the magic of that sizzling literary duo and the university machinations could EVER compare to Fiona and Satoshi - I mean, we're talking a sommelier and a single mom of three!! I was not thrilled to start this book...

BUT

Once I started, the magical binding to relish, read and revere Jodi's work of art was renewed!! With wine knowledge and the suggestive notes which translated to the academic equivalent of the PhD duo. The banter was delish, the tension fraught and thick, and the chemistry was ridiculous!!! From the sheer depression that Fiona embodies and the helplessness in the lieu of her separation, to the beautiful softness and amazingly unique blend that Satoshi embodies - this book flew by - joy, sorrow, lust, love and the tenderness of family were blended in perfect proportion, leaving me unsatisfied in the least!

If Chess was my go to in the previous book, this book went to Lex and their fascinating insight and matter of fact staidness. I will also add a special mention to Isamu, who grudgingly grew to accept and admire - similar to Satoshi's evolving feelings. The staging of the chapters with the stunning exchanges of text, really refreshed the reading experience. Emotionally, the book was like a rasberry tart - with the delicate softness of understanding someone, tangy from the ability to rise from ignominy and acknowledge your own unique flavor, sturdy - the ability to support unconditionally and refreshing - not shying away from the reality of mom constantly questioning her choices!

My thank yous are served with both hands, elegantly, to Netgalley and Atria and my invitation to enjoy a drink (crafted by moi) extends to the wonderfully talented Jodi McAlister! 

The book is best enjoyed with a long island iced tea - a blend of beautiful ingredients with a sparkle towards the finish, savored and not imbibed!

#Septemberreads #Astudyinsparkling #secondchancelove #sommeliervibes

The Twelve Loves of Christmas - Bouquet of holiday spirits wrapped in strands of love

 Are you a fan of the hallmark Christmas collection - brewing romance : from enemies to lovers, second chances, holiday mix ups, holiday flings, puppy love, letter swapping, ethnic, cultural and sweeping through all the ways to bring in Christmas , you name it, we got it!

This was like a bouquet of a dozen red roses - each one with a unique spin with spunk, heart and soul - cute and compact that you could stick it in your back pocket and carry it with you, the warmth, the glow and just the feeling of togetherness that the season evokes. Be it soulful conversations, familial angst or disfunction, the holidays truly bring a time for change, those random interactions with strangers which would not occur the rest of the year and the seasonal migration to the homing nest and family / friend time.

I thoroughly relished all these escapades and the sheer variety of the author's viewpoints and unique perspectives on their romantic fantasies was sizzling, resonant with connection and made my toes curl up in my floppy slippers, curled in front of the fireplace with my favorite sugar cookies, another reminded me of snow gazing and just enjoying the stillness of a quiet christmas, another reminded me of the boisterous celebrations and the heady expectations of gift giving, while another was just about taking a chance, giving your story a new spin! all in all each version of these loved up holiday specials were wonderful!

My sugarplum thank yous to Atria and Netgalley for gifting me this bouquet - its fragrance is still lingering in my room!

#Septemberreads #holidayanthology #thetwelvelovesofchristmas #atria #netgalley

TheDarkLordsGuideToHoneymooning - devastating, devious and deliciously deviant!

 What's mine stays mine

Tiffany brings back THE absolute BEST of the dark lord, imperious, overbearing, powerful and utterly putty at the hand of Arabella. In this edition, the past lives of both The Dark Lady and Lord are under the microscope - leading to moments of unabashed lovemaking and soul searing confessions, between rounds of explosive innovations, curt dismissals and the pinnacle of power struggles between the iron fist and the velvet glove, all under the watchful silver gaze of a certain purple fire spewing pink dragon!

From traipsing across the lands, to assassination attempts, collision course with the syndicate and the ensuing power struggles, to discovering Auremar's plan, finding new allies (a certain scone baking flower lord), to unmasking the pain of their respective pasts while trying to be honest with each other, and giving grace for the unconditional acceptance that they have been blessed with - Kaz and Bella are hurtled from one chapter to the next - at breakneck speed and the intricate plots keep the hairpin bends sharp and leaves you breathless!

The sharp retorts, weird activities and misguided kidnappings, and the stark normalcy that pervade the moments of togetherness interspersed by world ending chaos - Tiffany refuses to let us breathe - my jaws are aching from smiling, my soul is set adrift from the travelling, the secrets and the nuggets shared of Vex, Malphas and Amryska - I NEED the next book, stat!

The vibe that this series began with, the ruthless savagery punctuated by comic relief and the passionate throes of i-cannot-keep-my-hands-off-you are preserved, pickled and absolutely DELISH in this current installment. Tense, seductive, heartwarming and gut-wrenching all at once! I bend my knee to Tiffany, Mistress of the wicked humor syndicate and doff my hat to the chairs of Scarlett Press and Netgalley - my allegiance to this series is unwavering!

#TheDarkLordsGuideToHoneymooning #NetGalley #darkcomedy #miningpasts #foundfamily #septemberreads

Avalon Tower - Arthurian retelling with modern spikes

 If Arthurian legends, the enmeshing of modern technology and magic appeals to your innate sense of being, if miscommunications and crossed wires sizzle your inner romantic, if falling through a rabbit hole to a new world and rules bask your sense of wonder, if trials and tests and exposure to new powers capitulate your visceral sense of magic, if political gambits, cycling through legends and the proverbial lost childhood trope adds angst to your sense of a well developed character arc, then do pick up this series.

The author group does a phenomenal job of melding in the nautical and geographical aspects of the magical war into tangible physical proponents. Where I thought the plot fell flat was when we actually got to Avalon tower, I felt lost from the mappable quality that permeated ventures into the real world - it was underwhelming, despite the newfound friends and their quirky powers, the bully and the myriad challenges that ensued, the trials, the missions. What may have helped was a background into why the demi fae and the fae were actually estranged, and perhaps the next novel will lean further into that rift. To the extent that my favorite part of the book was the bonus chapter with Mordred - wish more of that literary magic seeped through the rest of the tale.

This was an enjoyable tale, best befitted with the trappings of high tea and a spray of flowers, for luck, and of course, lavender cake!

Thank you to Scarlett Press and Netgalley for furnishing the ARC!

#Septemberreads #Arthurianlegend #AvalonTower #Mythicalmagewar

Tempest - Slow, seductive swim into the Lyrian Sea

 Does a ingénue heroine who comes into her power, masterfully, regally and ruthlessly, appeal to your sense of self? Would tensions brimming between a tempestuous pirate captain, whose moods and freedom are vast and engrossing and a straightlaced, captain of navy with scruples and loyalty tested by their attraction to said femme fatale, beguile your senses? Would a teeming adventure of Kingdom versus rebels held on the high seas, where a tyrannical kingdom wishes to colonize all the islands and behead the criminalist piracy sing to your sense of wonder? Could a tale walking a tightrope between the protagonists in a past versus present flow mellifluously to the aforementioned spin of fatalism pervading the Meridian empire?

If the answers to all the above is yes, welcome to the Lyrian Sea duology by the impeccable Victoria Aveyard! 

Tempest was a study of tensions - from the get go - the palpable string was drawn tight around the Widow Rose and her interactions with all and sundry twist into a neat web - with want waging war with loyalty and lust wreaking havoc against strategy. I loved Cat - her moods and ownership and guilt over her past and her unapologetic row to safer havens, belying the destruction it would warrant.

This one is a keeper! An adult romantasy where the the slow burn simmers, sizzles and caresses you like the salt water and sand at your feet - never quite coming together but teasing all the same in the powerful undercurrents!

My humble thank yous to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for providing me with the arc! This one is best enjoyed with hearty rum or better yet tequila (taquil) in a not quite clean glass!

#sepetmberreads #tempest #piratesxmagic #slowburntensions

The Girl with Seven Lives

Vikas Swarup brings back the storytelling, mystique and masquerade that defined Slumdog Millionaire. 

A swift passage, navigating through the dregs of society, the grey areas that you never want to acknowledge and the banality of scams in the Indian subculture are all woven through this tale in a crossover between the 1001 nights with a moral compass a la Jeffrey Archer's earlier tomes.

Devi is our spirited FMC, who matter-of-factly meanders through India, life and ruminates on the potholes she encountered at various points to a kidnapper who holds her for ransom in a bidding war amongst those thirsting for revenge - a bidding war based on the worst mistakes of your life! Truly a fascinating premise which has translated into a thrill a minute ride, across mores, cultures and the indignities suffered on the softer gender in each avatar that Devi keeps reinventing herself, as she seamlessly shifts and sheds names, charting a course through the length of India, enabled by her quick mastery of language and study of customs, she reads like a modern catch me if you can sans a dedicated policy inspector on her trail.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Indian twang Rea Malhotra Mukhtyar added to the narrative, her matter of fact recounting of Devi's escapades really was juxtaposed against how numbing life can be when you lose ground in life. My namastes to RBmedia and Netgalley for providing me with the ALC.

#Thegirlwithsevenlives #grittyanecdotalread #archerreminiscenttales

Tracking Snow - A guttural twist with a slasher Snow

Holy freaking fairytale retelling!!!

Forget the apple, forget the white skinned princess, Holly Roberds gives this beloved fairytale a brutal proverbial twist, with Snow, as the cheery do-gooder, fighting the streets of Boston to keep all magical beings safe! With her quick learning skills and her appletini serves, Snow slays and sashays her way into our heart, throwing swift daggers and deadly smiles. All she craves is belonging - enamored by magic and being the only human in the wild and wonderful Lost Girls collection - she is sooo darned adorable!

The Seven, I mean, what in the world!!! a split personality, magical infused mutant of a hero - who suffers from delusions of being infected with magic - bringing us full circle to where Red stood at the opposite end...The multiple change overs and personalities was like a why choose? So much bluster, insecurity and them claws came out to slash and hurt and then the remorseful puppy love that ensues - one of the BEST from the Lost Girls IMHO

And oh my, the teasing with Rap and Ryder - hold you horses folks - this could get plenty spicy!

I polished this off in a 3 hour binge fest and am going back in for sloppy seconds! read at your own peril! My heartfelt thank yous to Holly for providing me with the ARC to one of my absolute favorite series!!! this was such a fantastic, seductive and sensational retelling!!!

Styx - the River : Solitude, solace and synonymous with oaths

 A nymph who dared, the firstborn of the titans, she who was singular - this book follows the story of Styx, in Nikta Gill's prequel series of Greek retellings. Having read Hekate, I was able to appreciate the tale and the links to the characters from Hekate's perspective - Styx and Pallas and the relationship with her mother, Asteria.

Styx, is the firstborn of Oceanus, and helps her father build oceans and seas and waterways around the world, which are handed off to her brothers in the male dominated household. Her craving for solace and silence leads her to Asteria's cave, where they both discover their abilities. What follows is an aggrieved tale of a nymph and a goddess of fallen stars, who strive to build something of themselves, despite the rigid impositions of Gods and their tempestuous moods.

Bonded through friendship, nurtured through marriage, and tested through motherhood, these brave women, overcome and survive, in a society that leave them marginally handicapped and not acknowledging their true power. The depiction of modern Greek Gods was very different in this tale and really brought to fore the doom that change brings with each age.

She walks alone, the eldest, lonely until,

she found a fallen star, a cozy haven built,

through marriage she found a creator, a meeting of minds

through her choices, her legacy, she defined

My humble thank yous to Little Brown Books for young readers and Netgalley for providing the arc!

#refreshinggreekretelling #Styx #Netgalley #Septemberreads

A Snake among Swans - Courtly power ballad to the new Queen

 Bold, brutal and brilliant!

This book by Hannah Kaner, truly brought it - if you loved the maniacal power struggle from She who became the Sun, the political maneuvering that defined Game of Thrones,, then this one is an absolute MUST READ! A reverse swan fairytelling tale, where the swans rule the world, in sheer display of authority.

Tilde, the last heir of the Kithwood dynasty, is sold to their captors, to be bride to their aging KIng Liran. With six sons and a daughter besides, Liran rules his court with an iron fist and has his sons competing for power. Elise, his sole-surviving daughter, has learnt her lesson and is forced to be meek and submissive. Tilde enters the treacherous court, armed with her intellect, and her unwavering pursuit in bringing those who wrought her siblings death to account - as long or as painful an ordeal that comes to be. For Tilde has a secret, but then, so does the preen of swans that abound the court...

From grand machinations to the little powerplays to influencing the 'perception' of power by the common folk. Hannah plays piper to the tale, dragging us along skipping, wincing or dancing to her tune, as the song turns melancholy, the pursuit of revenge is bloody and you often lose yourself in its headwinds. Tilde forms an entendre with Elise, who also comes to her own, but the tale galivants across the kingdom, pitting princes, dukes, and princesses to bring their worst in this massive powerfest!

I scrummaged through the tale in 2 days and my effusive thank yous to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me the opportunity to participate in the Hunt!

She came, a viper to a swan's nest,

In green and brown, she came blessed,

Siegebreaker, the one to whom rebels knelt,

The Wing, to her, the kith woods bent,

Blessed be she of raven hair, the black swan queen, just and fair!

#AvonandHarperVoyager #Septemberreads #Asnakeamongswans #Powerplays #Courtlyintrigues

The Pumpkin Bride - Novel Shrek retelling

 If you enjoy the sunshine of fairytales and the reflection of what it is to truly live in one, with magic and curses and creatures, locked in an autumnal wonderland, then you will absolutely cherish this rendering by Fiona Buttercup!

Will Watt and Moira Quirk alternate their reading of chapters, in this honest to goodness, delightful retelling of a princess breaking a curse with true love. First off, the story is soo STINKIN CUTE! Absolutely loved the intrepid and intelligent princess Marigold and her grief over Bram. And Jask, as her cursed true love, forced to hide himself from her - such agonizing and torturous attraction - LOVED IT! Add in the mysterious neighours, the cider, the pumpkin patch and building a community - you have a beautiful, whimsical tale to cocoon yourself in for the fall season!

Usually narrators alternate characters, but in this one they read alternate chapters, if I was more partial to Will Watt's Jask and Moira's Mare - that may just be my short-hearing-ness. they pulled the magic into the air with this fairytale retelling of sorts.

The wide eyed princess, lost her knight,

Who found himself cursed, to cruel Crispin's delight,

Stuck on a farm, in the aspect of an ogre,

He mulled his lost love, over and over,

Until she, one day, escaping a sinister plot,

Turned up at his door, he could believe it not,

They muddled together, each trying to hide,

Their true love beckoning them to each other's side...

My jack-o-lantern thankyous to Harlequin Audio and Netgalley for proving me with an ALC! I listened to it in a day! it was soooo GOOOD!

#Shrekthrowback #Pumpkinbride #Fairytalerespin #Septemberreads

She who was once the Sea: Undulating novella around mermaid lore

 If you are looking for a quickie bookie that enmeshes modern and age old legends, kotowing a fine line of curses and cycles, if the prospect of curse breaking, enemies to lovers and fall hard, fall fast, appeals to your inner romantic, then pick up this one from Dana Shea.

Being a novella, this does miss the coup in terms of explaining the nature of the curse breaking and i felt the technological aspects could have been more pulled out in research instead of libraries - i mean I love google and am spoilt by it... 

Marella and Garett are poles apart on the power scale and yet come together in an effusive, effervescent and refreshing take on siren lore. the lyrical aspects of the ocean being her home, the waters speeding fast and dark while also comforting, are all brilliantly played! I also enjoyed the moral code followed by the trapped sisters, although one wonders why they didn't band together and went separately instead, as if they could not stand each others downfall...

All in all it was a happy, fast paced and completed 3 hour session with this book! My effusive thank yous to the author and Netgalley for sharing the work!

#Septemberreads #sirenlore #enemiestolovers #novella

Hawk & Sparrow - Old fashioned detective work meets magical mayhem

 If you love a good old fashioned detective story with more of hitting the pavement than google, if magical mysteries and slow, bumbling misunderstood feelings play well with you romantic inclinations, if class divides, rich vs poor and not too many backfills also turn your pages, then this book will be an absolute delight to read!

I loved Ayana Gray since I had the pleasure of I, Medusa - this book is a completely different genre - think back and white detective spiels with magicians and a convoluted plot. I think a star was lost as I felt the gaps could have been filled better, but for the offered storyline, it certainly merits a breezy read, which I completed in 2 days.

Vesper and Max are unique characters driven by prejudice and fearful to trust, the way they build their bonds, uncover each others secrets and work around the societal mores and the challenges thrown their way by the enigmatic mastermind are great to follow. I loved the twists in the storyline, when they take 2 steps in deduction, they are set back and reset and restart, which i quite enjoyed!

My thank yous to Macmillian Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for this opportunity to read!

#Septemberreads #Hawk&Sparrow #Retrodetectives #Murdermystery

The Wolf Queen's Curse - Pack Dynamics and Political intrigue

 Kaylee Archer follows her series opener with a sequel that doesn't disappoint in the least. This book boasts of Cordelia Levine coming into her own as the Alpha's mate, and watches Bishop and Julius rally support and navigate the complicated machinations of the other London werewolf packs. The threat of Beryl Levine hangs over the reduced Albion group and the newly freed wolves and maidens have to work together to pilfer errmmm, make do until they are able to return to their homestead.

Along the way, they gather allies, old, exiled, forgotten, but potent, as Cordelia learns the more salacious details of Bishop's past. The introduction of Rufus, the progression in Ann's status within the pack and her coming into her power, Bishop and Delia finally bringing their sizzling interactions to a full blown forest fire and the mechanics of pack politics and the various mores and norms in various packs are explored brilliantly.

I feel this book has its fair measure of gotcha's and the ending is, of course, brilliant - looking forward to the third installment to be akin to the ACOTAR, third book - sooo exciting!!!

My wolfish thank yous to St Martins Press and Netgalley for keeping me part of the pack!

#Septemberreleases #thewolfqueenscurse #stmartinspress #packsandpolitics #magicalwerewolves

Immortal Rose - Masterful opening to a thrilling series

 Hands down THE BEST series I have kickstarted this year!! The art of romantasy is that exquisitely fine line between magical systems, slow burn, plot twists, reveals and a villain everyone would love to hate, with a hint of Bridgerton - Alexandra Bracken brings EVERYTHING!! 

If you lived the high stakes heists of Locke Lamora, the thrill a minute from Quicksilver and also adore the art of lyrical storytelling from Wherl of Time, then this book is an absolute must read!!! The perfumery is explored as a source of banned fairy magic, in a kingdom where patricians access it, without qualms and the common folk are incarcerated, the illegal heir to the Rosenbaum estate, Viola, finds herself caught in the crossfire..

Between developing a perfume to save the King, retaining her freedom, and escaping assassins and finding peace with who she is, we are drawn into a beautiful tale - lush in description, rich in history and winsome with its neck breaking turns!!

Hugh Thornton is her brilliant counterfoil, who deals with his demons and each of the supporting characters are unique and masterful in their abilities and their contribution to the unfolding chapter. I found myself holding my breath plenty of times! And the villain - the Duke of Glenmoor is a gorgeous villain - evil, soulless and one step ahead,  bringing a constant near panic to each chapter!! Loved every minute of the agonizing suspense!

I paced myself to relish this and found myself constantly re reading chapters abd gave ordered the physical copy as well!

My incandescent gratitude to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for granting me this opportunity! And my essence of old paper, ink and faded pressed lavender to Alexandra to hasten her next!

#Augustreleases #theimmortalrose #foundfamily #heistbased #forbiddenattraction