Review: My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine

Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single. But not according to her family, and she’s tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone–anyone–to pose as her date.

After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he’s perfect for her purposes. He’s a bit strange, but that’s fine; it’ll discourage tough questions from her family. (And it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s very handsome.) For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun. And if it helps his ruse of pretending to be human, so much the better.

As Amelia and Reggie practice their fauxmance, it becomes clear that Reggie is as loyal to her as the day is long, and that Amelia’s first impressions could not have been more wrong. Suddenly, being in a real relationship with Reggie sounds pretty fang-tastic.

 📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher  

If like me you're primarily a fantasy reader this is the perfect pallet cleanser to read in between the heavier books. The best word to describe it would be fun. It's a silly goofy time, in the best possible way. 

The main character, Amelia is an accountant that is passionate about her job. I  have to say that I liked her from the get go, she's far from the quirky, artsy type you usually find in these types of books. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but just for me personally, I don't find that type of character relatable or endearing. It took me a while to warm to Reggie as he is quite eccentric and boisterous. However, as the story progressed and his relationship with Amelia developed he grew on me. I especially enjoyed the banter between the two.

Overall, this was a quick and engrossing read!

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Review: Now Comes the Mist by Julie C. Dao

Lucy Westenra is beautiful, rich, loved by three men—every inch a lady. But beneath this sparkling, flirtatious facade, she is fascinated by death, which has stalked her throughout her short life. For her, the dead do not slip away easily, as they do for her best friend, Mina; they linger.

When Lucy departs for Whitby, her nightly sleepwalks introduce her to the mysterious Vlad, who seems to see parts of her she has never let show before. Vlad makes her an Every century, he seeks out the “perfect woman of the age,” who embodies all the values of her society, to live with him in immortality—and Lucy could very well be this woman. For the first time, she feels herself able to share her darker side with someone. Thinking herself dreaming, she agrees to cheat death with him.

When Vlad finally appears in the light, it is aboard a ship covered in corpses. He toys with Lucy and mocks her in Mina’s presence. And one night, he drains a corpse dry right before her eyes. He is a vampire, a monster ready to take her. He expects a good Victorian lady, appalled by his darkness, a victim. But Lucy is only enraptured. When Vlad reacts with violence, Lucy has no choice but to fight for her agency, even if it means giving up her humanity. And her tormentor will soon find she is no easy opponent...

The first book of a duology that retells Dracula from the point of view of Lucy Westenra, this gothic romance is perfect for fans of Penny Dreadful and Danielle L. Jensen.

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📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher  
📌 Publication date: 01/10/2024

I have been in the biggest reading slump of my life and this is exactly what I needed to get me out of it. Now Comes the Mist is a Dracula re-telling told from the point of view of Lucy. I listened to Dracula on audiobook in 2019 and really enjoyed the experience. This is a re-telling that is just as gothic and atmospheric. 

My only complaint and the reason why this is a 3.5 instead of 4 star read is because of Lucy. While for the most part I liked and felt for her, she was also quite frustrating. Specifically when it came to decision making. She was too quick to act before thinking things through, and didn't deal well with the consequences. 

I will say that if action is what you're after there's not much here. Instead there is ball gowns, flirting (a love square), and a very creepy and manipulative vampire. We don't spend enough time with any of the love interests to be able to really form an attachment or root for them. However, I will say that I did like them all and they each had a distinct personality. On the subject of romance, I felt like Lucy had the most chemistry with Mina. Unfortunately though, due to the time period, nothing came of it...

Overall, Now Comes the Mist was a fast paced read. If you want a Dracula re-telling with a POC cast and a bold Lucy that takes agency of her life, look no further. 

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Review: Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen

Eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying dreams of becoming a world-class engineer like her father, but after his sudden murder, her life falls apart. Left with only a journal of her father’s engineering secrets and a jade pendant snatched from the assassin, a heartbroken Ying follows the trail to the capital and the prestigious Engineers Guild—a place that harbors her father’s hidden past—determined to discover why anyone would threaten a man who ultimately chose a quiet life over fame and fortune.

Disguised as her brother, Ying manages to infiltrate the guild’s male-only apprenticeship trial with the help of an unlikely ally—Aogiya Ye-yang, the taciturn eighth prince of the High Command. With her father’s renown placing a target firmly on her back, Ying must stay one step ahead of her fellow competitors, the jealous guild masters, and the killer still hunting for her father’s journal. Complicating everything is her increasingly tangled relationship with the prince, who may have mysterious plans of his own.

The secrets concealed within the guild can be as deadly as the weapons they build—and with her life and the future of her homeland at stake, Ying doesn’t know who to trust. Can she avenge her father even if it means going against everything he stood for, or will she be next in the mastermind’s line of fire?

📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher  

Of Jade and Dragons was a fast paced read, and it dove straight into the action without any info dumping. It did jump from one thing to the next, which may not work if you enjoy the journey. Which usually I do, but I felt liked it worked here and didn't take away from the story. 

I loved the main character, Aihui. She was very determined and strong willed. Her love interest was intriguing as well. I also enjoyed the friendship she formed in the guild, and was pleased that it didn't turn into a love triangle.  

Despite enjoying the story overall I found the romance, one of the aspects I was looking forward, quite underdeveloped. There was no build up or tension, in my opinion. I'm hoping it develops further in the sequel. 

From the way things ended I'm definitely interested in picking up the next book in the trilogy when it's released. 

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Review: The Temptation of Magic by Megan Scott

As an Empyreal, Nicole has the ability to kill any deadly supernatural. But if her power ever awakened, the Wake—the organisation that governs supernaturals—would force her to be their loyal huntress. Or kill her, like they did her mother.

To stay safe, Nicole hides in a small university town, convinced the mythological art collection at a local manor contains a final message from her mother. But before she can study it, Kyan McCarter, the Wake’s most skilled Empyreal, arrives on his own hunt. When they discover his prey has stolen a painting for leverage, they’re forced to work together.

As the creature threatens to expose Nicole’s powers, her tenuous alliance with Kyan threatens her heart. If her true identity is revealed, Kyan will hunt her next. No one disobeys The Wake and survives. Especially when the art they’re seeking unveils a conspiracy that would change the lives of creatures and humans forever...

But Nicole may only be able to resist one: her wicked impulses, or a love that could repaint their world. And after a life of hiding her true nature, who could resist the temptation of magic...

📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher  
📌 Publication date: 23/05/2024  

The Temptation of Magic was exactly what I needed to get out of my reading slump. It reminded me of the early 2000s YA paranormal books I used to enjoy reading.

I was immediately drawn into the book and found it hard to put down. The pacing was great and I loved the main character, Nicole. I found it easy to root for her, and the romance between her and Kyan was great as well. Fans of slow burn and enemy to lovers will eat this up. The tension between the two had me on the edge of my seat!

The world Scott painted was so fascinating and layered. I enjoyed getting to learn more about it as the story progressed. 

I would recommend this to both romantasy and paranormal romance lovers alike. 

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Review: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people, and as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to.

She and her assistant, Caz, a sentient spider plant, have spent most of the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s precious spellbooks, protecting the magic for the city’s elite. But a revolution is brewing and when the library goes up in flames, she and Caz steal whatever books they can and flee to the faraway island where she grew up. She’s hoping to lay low and figure out a way to survive before the revolution comes looking for her. To her dismay, in addition to a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor, she finds the town in disarray.

The empire with its magic spellbooks has slowly been draining power from the island, something that Kiela is indirectly responsible for, and now she’s determined to find a way to make things right. Opening up a spell shop comes with its own risks—the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela comes to make a place for herself among the quirky townspeople, she realizes that in order to make a life for herself, she must break down the walls she has kept so high.

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📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher  
📌 Publication date: 11/07/2024 

The Spellshop is the perfect cosy fantasy for fans of books like Legends and Lattes.

My favourite character has to be, Caz, the sentient spider planet. His back and forth with Kiela made me smile. I have to admit, being an introvert myself I found Kiela's personality relatable, from her awkwardness to her anti-socialness. The romance was very sweet, and if you're a fan of the he falls first trope you'll enjoy it. The food descriptions made me crave jam and cinnamon rolls, two things I love. As a bookworm I of course 100 percent understood Kiela's love of books and wanting to protect them at all costs. Again relatable. They were her comfort in the absence of human companions.  

The Spellshop is the ideal read with a big cup of your preferred hot beverage!

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Review: The Night Ends with Fire by K.X. Song

The Three Kingdoms are at war, but Meilin’s father refuses to answer the imperial draft. Trapped by his opium addiction, he plans to sell Meilin for her dowry. But when Meilin discovers her husband-to-be is another violent, ill-tempered man, she realizes that nothing will change for her unless she takes matters into her own hands.

The very next day, she disguises herself as a boy and enlists in her father’s place.

In the army, Meilin's relentless hard work brings her recognition, friendship—and a growing closeness with Sky, a prince turned training partner. But has she simply exchanged one prison for another? As her kingdom barrels toward destruction, Meilin begins to have visions of a sea dragon spirit that offers her true power and freedom, but with a deadly price.

With the future of the Three Kingdoms hanging in the balance, Meilin will need to decide whom to trust—Sky, who inspires her loyalty and love; the sea dragon spirit, who has his own murky agenda; or an infuriating enemy prince who makes her question everything she once knew—about her kingdom and about her own heart.

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📌 Disclaimer: I received an e-arc for review from the publisher  
📌 Publication date: 02/07/2024

The Night Ends with Fire is a Mulan re-telling with a twist. I love Mulan so of course I had to pick it up, and honestly it 100% delivered. I will say that the pacing might not work for everyone, as it jumps from one thing to the next quite a bit. I'm usually not a fan of this as I enjoy the journey, however, it worked here. In my opinion, anything extra added between the time jumps would have felt like filler. Instead the pacing was fast and the action kept me hooked and eager to continue reading.

The main character, Meilin, wants more than the lot women are afforded in this world. What sets her apart from your typical heroine is that she is unapologetically ambition and although she has to save the world, her reason for wanting to do so is not selfless. She doesn't want to save the world for the sake of humanity, she wants to save the world to protect her loved ones.  I really liked her relationship with her stepmum, it was heartwarming and a change from the usual horrible stepmum set up. She also tentatively develops a friendship with another female character, and I hope she encounters more in the sequel as I l love seeing women support women. 

The world building was straight forward with no info dumps, making this the perfect read for fantasy novices. I found the concept of the spirits and the magic tied to them to be fascinating. 

Another aspect of The Night Ends with Fire I enjoyed is the romance. I will say that there is a love triangle, but personally it didn't bother me. I know who I'm rooting for and hope that he is end game. I mean, the development of his relationship with Meilin was naturally paced and such a good slow burn.  

Needless to say, I can't wait for the release of the conclusion to this story! 

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Review: Ghost Roast by Shawnelle & Shawnee Gibbs, Illustrated by Emily Cannon

For as long as she can remember, Chelsea Grant has tried everything she can think of to distance herself from the disastrous damage her father does to her social life. It's not easy to shake her reputation as Ghost Girl when Dad keeps advertising his business as a "paranormal removal expert" in big, bold, loud letters all over New Orleans!

This year, Chelsea's all grown up, attending one of the most prestigious high schools in the city, and she's finally made friends with the popular crowd. Things are looking up—until a night on the town backfires spectacularly, landing her in hot water at home. Her punishment? Working for her dad at Paranormal Removal Services. All. Summer.

Worst of all, her new job reveals an unexpected secret she has to keep: While Dad hunts ghosts with his own DIY tech, Chelsea can actually see them. And when she meets Oliver, a friendly spirit, at the fancy mansion her dad is getting a handsome fee to exorcize, she realizes she has to save his after-life, even if it risks everything her father's worked for.

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📌 Disclaimer: I received an advance reader's copy for review from the publisher  

My favourite thing about Ghost Roast is the stunning colour palette and art style. It really brought the story to life for me.

I think this is the perfect graphic novel for the target YA audience. Chelsea struggles with a lot of things that I'm sure teens can relate to such as fitting in at school, coming from a low income background, divorced parents...

The start of Ghost Roast was a little slow, but as the story progressed and the action picked up I become more engaged. The overall tone of it gave me ghost buster vibes, as Chelsea gets roped into helping her dad with his paranormal removal services business over the summer. Apart from the ghost busting or roasting shenanigans it also dealt with some heavier topics. The manor they were hired to investigate was a former plantation so there was discussions of the slave trade and the treatment of POC during that time period.  

I have to admit I wasn't the biggest fan of Chelsea's friends and the way they treated her. However, it was a realistic portrayal and my opinion has more to do with me no longer being a teen and as such viewing them from an adult lens. I did like Chelsea's dad's assistant Russ, though. He was a guy of few words but was wise for his age. I also enjoyed seeing Chelsea come into her own and accept herself for who she was. Plus, the not quite romance with the ghost she encounters, Oliver, was very cute. 

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