This was my first Carissa Broadbent book and I can tell you for a fact it will not be my last. This is technically the third in the Crowns of Nyaxia series but first in its own duology. So no need to have read the first two books to start this one, it follows what I believe is a side character in the first two books, and all of the important history and context is revealed throughout the book. At no point did I feel like I was missing any context by not having read the other books. TLDR; you can start with this book and be fine.
Romantic Fantasy
Review: Sorcery and Small Magics (The Wildersongs Trilogy #1) by Maiga Doocy
I feel like this was originally described to me as ‘cosy’ but I’m not sure that fits. If you ignore the romance this is a story about an accidental curse and two students’ journey into a dangerous magical forest to find a cure. They hear rumours of a sorcerer who might be able to undo the curse that Grimm accidentally uses on Leo, and I really enjoyed the portion of the book where they ventured into the forest and braved the monsters within. That in itself made for a great story, but add in a very slow-burn romance and I found myself really enjoying Sorcery and Small Magics.
Review: Fallen (Everwood Falls #2) by Kat Kinney
Synopsis: EVERWOOD FALLS… a small supernatural community tucked up in the Colorado Rockies where witches, werewolves and vampires can live without fear of discovery, and those with curses they can’t control are sent to keep the existence of magic from being revealed to Mundanes. Once one of thousands of angels who fought against the Underworld […]
Review: The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. MacLean
For my first post as part of the team, I wanted to choose a book that I really loved and the one that has stood out to me the most so far this year was The Phoenix Keeper by S.A. MacLean. I can understand why it wouldn’t be a good fit for some readers, but […]
Review: In the Garden of Monsters by Crystal King
In the Garden of Monsters brings together art, history, and mythology, all wrapped up in a delightfully fun romance novel.
Book Review: The House of Frank by Kay Synclaire
TL;DR Review: A deeply emotional, heartfelt, and poignant exploration of loss and grief wrapped up in a cozy story. Synopsis: A warm and hopeful story of a lonely witch consumed by grief who discovers a whimsical cast of characters in a magical arboretum—and the healing power of found family. Powerless witch Saika is ready to […]
Book Review: A Pocket of Lies (Amefyre #1) by R.A. Sandpiper
TL;DR Review: A beautiful balance of magic and intrigue, action and romance, underscored by a lovely “Persephone and Hades” flavor. Synopsis: BLOOD BOUND AND PENNILESS. EXILED INTO CURSED LANDS. HUNTED BY DEATH. When the thief Suri suffers a humiliating robbery, she has one day to pay off an ugly debt. Her solution: abduct and impersonate […]
Book Review: Spark of the Everflame (The Kindred Curse Saga #1) by Penn Cole
TL;DR Review: A spitfire of a heroine. A lovely balance between warrior and healer, fighter and caretaker. Synopsis: When old secrets catch fire, everything will burn. In a mortal world colonized by the gods and ruled over by the Descended, their cruel offspring, Diem Bellator yearns to escape the insular life of her poor village. […]
Book Review: Swordcrossed by Freya Marske
TL;DR Review: High on the steam, spice, and sass. An insightful exploration of the burdens of duty and the cost of desire. Synopsis: Low stakes. High heat. Sharp steel. Mattinesh Jay, dutiful heir to his struggling family business, needs to hire an experienced swordsman to serve as best man for his arranged marriage. Sword-challenge at […]
Review: A Promise of Blood (Amefyre #2) by R A Sandpiper
Death becomes her Synopsis Suri survived the fallout of Queen Lera’s ceremony, but now finds herself deep in unfamiliar territory—the City of the Damned. The City’s deadly ruler, Kol, believes she’s the key to breaking the curse upon the desert wasteland. Suri just wants to save her brother and forge her own destiny away from […]
Review: Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa
It’s tough to describe what this book is. The publisher has gone with ‘A queer, madcap, friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers time travel romance’, which to be honest is about as close as you can get. It’s also been described as ‘cosy’ which I don’t necessarily agree with as much but I can see why it might dip into the category at times. Basically it kind of defies explanation and you’ve just got to go with it and see where it takes you.
Review: A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1) by Deborah Harkness
Synopsis: In this tale of passion and obsession, Diana Bishop, a young scholar and a descendant of witches, discovers a long-lost and enchanted alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782, deep in Oxford’s Bodleian Library. Its reappearance summons a fantastical underworld, which she navigates with her leading man, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont. Review: I picked up this book based […]