The Burn Line - Jonathan Sims // Book Review

 

The Burn Line
Jonathan Sims || Publication Date - 25.08.2026

London's biggest heatwave on record, and a terror stalking under its streets...

Horror | Mystery

The Tube, a heatwave impacted, sweltering underground transport system for all walks of life within the bustling city of London. Lives are making their way through the city, some to work and others from work. There are those who are well, injured, sick, houseless and there are those who shouldn't be on there at all.

Something is stirring on the London Underground, five travelers witnessed an unimaginable horror, to which they don't remember save for random unexplainable events plaguing their consciousness while going about their lives.

They're bound to work together to figure out exactly what happened that day, what it is, and how to stop it from dragging others down with it.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

I have no idea what could be more terrifying than some entity which is unknown, stalking people within a confined space underground. Yet 'The Burn Line' brings this deeply unsettling scenario to my imagination. I live in Australia, particularly South Australia, where the public transport via train is all primarily overground. I've experienced the subterranean rail in Sydney, and I hated being confined in a train God knows how far underground. Add in the possibility of something skulking around hell bent on creeping the shit out of ,and, possibly killing people? Absolutely no thank you.

The setup of this novel has made this incredibly easy to read. It's divided up into parts, which are then divided up further by chapters experienced by each individuals point of view. Books written this way seem to fly by for me and I'm unsure if this is the same for others, but it makes them significantly more interesting. Unfortunately I didn't find each character unique. I appreciate that they are, and descriptions give them their own qualities which would make them superficially identifiable. The diabetic, the rail employee, the unhoused man, the trans person, the rich guy and the office worker. However, other than this, that would be about the extent that I would be able to identify each person based on their name. Whether this was intentional I am unable to confirm, but it did put a dampener on being able to connect with the characters to truly immerse myself in the book.

Unfortunately, the 'twist' kind of ruined this book for me. Not necessarily in a negative way, and some may find it thoroughly entertaining, however I was expecting... more? But then again I was also thinking I was getting an entirely different kind of monster than what was actually revealed. I did feel that almost 400 pages was a bit long, and the last 20% dragged a lot more than I would have liked. The split chapters could have been a lot shorter since a lot of it was information which was already mentioned in other characters chapters. I'm not particularly fond of reiteration simply for adding to word counts, which is what this ended up feeling like to me.

Overall Thoughts

Do you like one shot monster thrillers which feature urban settings? Do you enjoy superficially diverse characters who work together to a common goal? Do you like split POV chapters which detail a narrative from multiple perspectives? If you answered yes to any of those questions then I would say give the book a go. It was well written and despite the big bad not being my particular cup of tea, it wasn't a novel without merits. 

** Affiliate Links **

Amazon - https://link.amazon/B0ezcQqh1

Ruin & Rising - Leigh Bardugo // Book Review

 

Ruin & Rising
Leigh Bardugo || Publication Date - 17.06.2014

Battle worn and almost out of hope. The fate of the world rests on the shoulders of their new Saint.

Fiction | Fantasy | Adventure | Young Adult

After their last fight with The Dark One, Alina is now recovering trying to build her strength and fight to find the last of the Amplifiers she requires to beat him.

Her journey to find the Fire Bird is based on a myth, not even guaranteed to find this illustrious creature. However, though the odds are not in her favour, she and a band of her closest allies are on the hunt for their last chance at winning this war.

But like any power, great sacrifice must be made, and Alina is constantly weighing her choices to truly find if she is ready to find out what is on the line.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

I found this last instalment mediocre at best. Apologies for the harsh wording, but the premise and storyline up until this final book was fun and interesting. I had this overarching feeling through the whole series that Alina and Mal's relationship was written purposely for convenience and this final book proved my concerns.

The characters as people never improved and the ones I initially liked upon meeting stayed my favourites. Alina and Mal are quite honestly two of the most uninteresting people on the planet and faltered the story in my opinion. I can appreciate if this was intentional as some people don't like reading about already extraordinary characters gaining Chosen One powers and saving the world. That being said, making them painstakingly dull is also not a win.

My favourite characters do appear in later books within the Grishaverse, and I will definitely be delving into the other duology's by Leigh Bardugo in the future. Her writing style is nice and she explains things in her world very well. Magic systems can get convoluted and I appreciate hers being creative and easily grasped by readers. Ultimately, I feel the ending closed off the saga quite well and I didn't have many unanswered questions or unsavory explanations. 

Overall Thoughts

This trilogy was a good way to introduce the politics, systems, characters and overarching world building required for a multi-novel series. I do however, think this is best seen through the eyes of a prologue to give context to the other books set in the Grishaverse. I have not read the Six of Crows duology so I'm unsure how those books go in terms of explaining intricate details of Ravka, however if they function perfectly well as standalone books (which I will be able to advise and update this passage later) then I would simply recommend to skip this trilogy and read those instead.

That being said, if you are a fantasy fan and want something easy to read and a fascinating world with interesting side characters then this would be a nice and quick series to grab.

** Affiliate Links **

Shadow & Bone (Book 1) - https://link.amazon/B02wdEzhc

Siege & Storm (Book 2) - https://link.amazon/B096OiojR

Ruin & Rising (Book 3) - https://link.amazon/B0fuDONv5

3 Book Set - https://link.amazon/B01X4fxDP

Siege & Storm - Leigh Bardugo // Book Review

  

Siege & Storm
Leigh Bardugo || Publication Date - 04.06.2013

The world is changing, revelations have come to light and now Alina and Mal are on the run.

Drama | Literary Fiction | Mystery

Alina and Mal have escaped a harrowing and eye opening ordeal in The Fold, and are now on the run to try and find the remaining Amplifiers to complete Alina's goal - destroy The Dark One.

They find themselves sailing with a brigand of privateers under the watchful and respected eyes of Sturmhund. All while being stalked by The Dark One, who has emerged from The Fold with a new unnaturally strong power and a need to regain his control of the Sun Summoner.

Alina has some choices to make. Grow her power and continue to seek out the Amplifiers. Remain on the run with Mal, constantly being hunted by The Dark One. Or, surrender to The Dark One and allow him to take control of her and her powers for his own twisted plans.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

This book was a step in the right direction considering the first book. More interesting (my favourite actually) characters are introduced into the story and character development runs rampant. However, I believe in the case of Alina and Mal, this character development is just running in circles asking the same questions until the book passes to the 3rd instalment.

I enjoyed the continuation and, explicitly, this section of the plot compared to the first book. It had more action, it was written a lot smoother and had a genuine feel of developing substantial character relationships. The world development however lacked here, and even though it did give a grander scale to Ravka which would be explored in the following book, I felt that it was not nearly enough to give enough of an urgency as the book seemed to require.

Unfortunately I don't seem to have much more to say for this book as I did the first... which is disappointing as I was expecting the 2nd book in the trilogy to really set the stage for the finale novel and give the push forward this story deserves. 

Overall Thoughts

In my opinion this book was a fine continuation of the story. As stated it had a lot more elements to it than the first but I still don't think it bridged the gap as well as it should have when I compare it to the next volume.

If you have read the first book and enjoyed it, I would not be reserved to recommend to read this one as well. However, if you did not enjoy Shadow & Bone, I wouldn't recommend continuing. I feel the other books in the Grishaverse are more worth the time and energy than what is essentially a prologue spread out over 3 books. 

** Affiliate Links **

Shadow & Bone (Book 1) - https://link.amazon/B02wdEzhc

Siege & Storm (Book 2) - https://link.amazon/B096OiojR

Ruin & Rising (Book 3) - https://link.amazon/B0fuDONv5

3 Book Set - https://link.amazon/B01X4fxDP

Shadow & Bone - Leigh Bardugo // Book Review

  

Shadow & Bone
Leigh Bardugo || Publication Date - 05.06.2012

The weight of the world rests in the scarred hand of an orphan and her childhood best friend.

Fantasy | Young Adult Fiction | Adventure

Alina Starkov and Malyen Oretsev started their lives as orphans. As they grew into young adulthood, they would enlist themselves into the military.

Alina had taken on the role as a cartographer. She would be going all over the country and drawing her maps safely out of harms way. Mal would be drafted to the frontlines as a soldier. Their journey's coincided with each other when they were to be sent with a convoy into The Fold, a void of darkness which scarred their landscape and held a variety of horrors - created by The Dark One.

On this journey through The Fold, something goes horribly wrong and the once normal Alina is discovered to be, what the world call, "Grisha". These people are equipped with the power to control the elements. And hers is the key to overpowering the darkness and saving the World.

Upon her disbelief, she is whisked away to a new life, leaving her beloved best friend behind. Nothing she knew would ever be the same again.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

Like myself, most new people to this series may have picked this up due to the release of the Netflix series. I am one of those people who would prefer to read the source material before going into the TV adaptation, and Shadow & Bone was no exception.

Following Alina on her journey made a bunch of new characters come forward. Unfortunately, I had the immediate impression that everyone else in this story was more interesting than our 'Chosen' main heroine and her best friend Mal. Their personalities left so much to be desired and this was a common theme throughout the entirety of the trilogy. I could compare it to being dragged, very slowly, over gravel for a few hours in heavy clothing. Not going to harm you much, but not very enlightening.

The relationships which bloom around our main character Alina with everyone else other than Mal are infinitely better, and allow her to be shown as more than someone who is constantly pining over her best friend. Despite the latter being the reality of a lot of her internal dialogues and is the flame for her primary concerns after discovering she is Grisha. This lead me to believe wholeheartedly her ties to Mal and their incoming relationship upgrade was entirely for convenience and nothing more.

The world and the storyline however, are very well thought out and amazing to invest into. The magic system is also something to be admired and is very interesting in terms of how it forms the world's alliances/challenges. As Ravka is currently in the middle of war, there are battles being fought against the northern and southern bordering countries which just adds to the tension. The fact I enjoyed the base setting of this trilogy so much is 100% my motivation to pick up the next duology in the Grishaverse - Six of Crows.

Overall Thoughts

My thoughts on this series are mixed. Ultimately I feel the main character, Alina, brings this world down. As this is how she acts throughout the entirety of the trilogy, this seems purposely done and I believe not a fault of the author but an inability on my own behalf to enjoy people and characters that are as she is. The world however is a completely different story and is entirely my reasons for rating these books consistently. I love the magic system, I love the world events and a lot of the other characters which appear in this series are amazing and colourful and witty.

As this is a young adult fantasy, if you enjoy world building and interesting magic systems and don't particularly care for the characters then I would definitely recommend this book and series.

** Affiliate Links **

Shadow & Bone (Book 1) - https://link.amazon/B02wdEzhc

Siege & Storm (Book 2) - https://link.amazon/B096OiojR

Ruin & Rising (Book 3) - https://link.amazon/B0fuDONv5

3 Book Set - https://link.amazon/B01X4fxDP

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak // Book Review

    

The Book Thief
Markus Zusak || Publication Date - 14.03.2005

War is bubbling in Nazi Germany, and a little girl is committing her first crime.

Historical

It's 1939, in Nazi Germany, and Leisel is a book thief. Her first stolen book was picked up from the snow covered ground at her little brothers burial site. The second from a burn pile coordinated by Nazi soldiers. And the third from the library of the Mayor's wife. All the while, Death is watching her. They've taken a distinct interest in Leisel, and despite how busy they have been, collecting souls amidst World War I, a second war is brewing and imposing an even busier time for Death still.

As Leisel uses her thieved books to learn how to read, and this opening up all new avenues for her world to expand. Her understanding really broadens when a Jewish man comes knocking on her foster families door. His asylum within their basement creates a secret between their family and Death is only too interested to find out whether or not Leisel can keep it.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

In regards to history, my area of intrigue has always been early Middle Ages spanning through to the end of the Tudor period. History involving the 1st and 2nd World Wars was never much of an interest to me, even though I had conversations with family members who had fought in or lived through at least one of these wars. I remember my Nanna talking to me about the bomb shelters she used to hide in while the blackouts were happening and German aircraft were bombing England. One of my distant Uncles wanted to fight for Australia so much that after he was discharged from the Army, he went to another state and signed up again impersonating his twin brother.

With this being said, I went into this novel with the knowledge I'd accumulated from school (which has been regarded highly inaccurate) and whatever other bits I've gathered on YouTube and in documentaries. I cannot attest to any mistakes or misinformation this novel may portray regarding the events leading up to and during WWII, however I am hoping that it is at least a respectful representation of the true horror which took place in Germany during this time.

Now that disclaimer is out of the way, I fucking loved this book.

I can see why this novel has received the praise it has. The writing is phenomenal, and the point of view watching over the events throughout the book is an interesting touch. I adore the way the chapters are broken up further into smaller parts, each outlining an important event which happened during the timeframe being written about. There's also the bold formatting through the novel which highlights thoughts, opinions or even unseen events to the characters which give further clarity and insight into the narrative.

It was an immersive read from the very first pages and it really flew by with how quickly I powered through the book. Despite the real world events that happened, it felt accessible as someone who couldn't fathom the experiences felt by those living in Germany at the time.

The comparison between reading and writing was also incredibly well done. Leisel didn't know how to read or write when she came to her new foster family. She learned the true joy and power that words could bring to the world from her foster father and Max. She loved words, and reading and eventually writing. However, that's juxtaposed with the harm that words can also bring. Knowing that Hitler was using propaganda and words to fuel his evil regime made Leisel sick and she grieved the circumstances where something she loved so dearly was also something which could be used to destroy the people she loved most.

Overall Thoughts

From the very first chapters I found the novel quite interesting. As it evolved from interesting to compelling, I knew this was going to be a book I had to have physically on my shelves. It even came to a point of it being a book I wanted to annotate, which I've never wanted to annotate a book before.

Clearly this is a book I would recommend everyone read, considering I will be purchasing a copy myself to have on my shelves. I see this being a book I can re-read and continue to pick up on nuances making the novel even deeper than I already believe it is.

** Affiliate Links **

Amazon - https://amzn.to/3P61U4c

Five Broken Blades - Mai Corland // Book Review

      

Five Broken Blades

Mai Corland || Publication Date - 07.05.2024

A thief, a strongman, a spy, an assassin, a nobleman, and an exiled prince add up to a ring of liars.

Fantasy

Six criminals are brought together for one purpose, to kill King Joon - The God King. His crown is an artifact from the age of the Dragon Lord which makes the wearer immortal. The plan, remove the crown during a tournament and while King Joon is mortal, strike.

As they all gather to begin their journey to a treasonous end, they kill for each other, bleed and care for each other... and some even fall for one another. However, not one of them trusts any other as far as they could throw them.

Betrayal is rampant, no one truly knows what's happening until it's too late and by that time, they're all as good as dead.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

Multicast novels are a new one for me, generally the most POV's I'm following are from a simple romance duo. I am loving how different and unique each of the characters are feeling. It's well written enough to me to distinguish between the characters we are following and I appreciate they all have their own dialogue styles which feel natural.

The tropes in this book between everyone is making this so much more enjoyable and I'm thriving reading this novel. Even though they're all on a mission to kill a God King, I can't escape the fun banter between everyone. Some have known each other for a few days and others have known each other since they were children. They all have different motivations for attempting the assassination, and it's so much fun watching each of them navigate the situations they're dealing with within their internal monologues.

Of the three pairs which we are introduced to through the story I am obsessed with Ty and Sora. Not only is their dynamic the kind of trope I eat up in romance, but Sora is such a well written character to me. She's got so much on her plate and in her mind, yet through it all she seems the most relateable - despite never being in a situation where I could even possibly relate to her circumstances. Sora is such a bad ass and I love her so much.

My biggest gripe with characters was Royo. His chapters after a certain stage always sounded the same, just worded differently. Everyone else had something unique to say, even if there was some rehashing of previous character concerns. Royo effectively sounded like a broken record and this really diminished his character as the story went on for me. Like we get it, your girl died and you don't want to get close to another again for fear of her also being killed... genuinely Royo thinks about nothing else...

One small thing which threw me while reading was a common saying for us. Someone being 'down to Earth'. It's not so much of a negative, but it jarred me out of the story when a character described another in that exact phrasing. I assumed this was taking place in a fictional world, so seeing Earth referenced when realistically it doesn't appear to exist was a little weird lol.

Overall Thoughts

I had such a great time reading this book. A lot of people have compared it to 'Six of Crows' by Leigh Bardugo, which is a favourite for a lot of readers I follow that have similar taste to me. Definitely going to have to pick that one up sooner rather than later if this is the case. If you are a fan of 'Six of Crows', maybe this is a sign to give this a try if you haven't already.

What I will say is I am 100% going to be continuing this series. I love the characters (mostly) and the world is interesting. Definitely cannot wait to see what happens in the next instalments!

** Affiliate Links **

Amazon (Book 1) - https://amzn.to/4sDRQyh
Amazon (Book 2) - https://amzn.to/48hMQHw
Amazon (Book 3) - https://amzn.to/4tlVJIt

A King's Trust - S. E. McPherson // Book Review

     

A King's Trust
S.E. McPherson || Publication Date - 24.03.2025

Every mistake I've made was worth it for this.

Fantasy | Romance | LGBTQIA+

Beau is a Prince, the spare, the one who was never meant to be King. Beau's older brother Char was a model Prince and would soon make a model King. His beautiful Queen by his side and competently ruling the land as it should be. This was all until Char died. Beau's life came to a shattering halt. He has lost his brother, he has lost his freedom and he has lost his family's respect.

What comes now is Beau picking up the pieces to a kingdom which is under siege, supposed hidden magical artifacts have been stolen and may be in the enemies hands, and worst of all he has to marry. The biggest roadblock is that Beau is in love with his excruciatingly loyal personal guard Elias. Becoming a King when he was never supposed to couldn't be more difficult when the lives of the ones he loves are on the line.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

Thank you to the author for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

In respect to this novel, I had a very good time. It took a little while to get into the swing of things, as it was painfully obvious that the main character Beau was insatiably in love with his guard Elias. To a point where the comments were getting on my nerves with how frequent they were. I get it Beau, your guard is a hot piece of ass and you want to ride him home through the sunset. As the book went on and the story started to gain momentum, the comments prevailed but were less irritating.

What I did love about this book was the integration of polygamy. Whether it is, or can be, an accurate representation of relationships under that umbrella I would have absolutely no clue. However, the nonchalant nature of Penny coming into the picture and accepting that Beau was in love with Elias before she was even an option was randomly wholesome? If only the real world could have the same level of tolerance and understanding as the newly crowned Queen of this novel.

I'm hoping the sequel broadens the world more and integrates the political nature which was shadowed in this story. I love a political structure within a Fantasy setting and would love to see it expanded and brought to the forefront. There is also an entire magic structure that was touched on during the novel which I also can't wait to have fully explained.

McPherson's writing was honestly very good! The characters felt very fleshed out and I loved how they communicated with each other. Banter between the characters felt natural in my opinion, however, the interactions with Penny's little sister felt very 'modern' compared to how everyone else was communicating. Almost like she had a smartphone and was on TikTok, while everyone else wasn't. I wish more time was put into the descriptions of the environment. Theatre of the mind really took the wheel here as a lot of it was briefly glossed over. The characters were so crisp, their setting almost felt like a blurred background.

Overall Thoughts

As this is the first experience I've had with McPherson as an author, I am delighted to be pleasantly surprised. The novel was very well paced and definitely didn't feel too long or too short for the story it wanted to tell. I loved the characters, especially after the half way point when all the mystery and intrigue finally cleared. The magic system has me wanting to continue the series and I'm very grateful to have been given a copy of the 2nd novel by the author to dive straight into.

I would recommend this if you enjoy medium to fast paced political Fantasy's which integrate magic and LGBTQIA+ relationships. I would also happily recommend this as a stand alone as well. The closure received at the end of the novel felt complete and left it open for readers who want to continue in the series.

** Affiliate Links **

Amazon (Book 1) - https://amzn.to/47EoAz6
Amazon (Book 2) - https://amzn.to/3NttCI0

Innamorata - Ava Reid // Book Review

     

Innamorata
Ava Reid || Publication Date - 17.03.2026

Death ruled, betrayal came and ripped it all away... Agnes will steal it all back.

Historical | Fantasy

Agnes, the ever silent and plotting cousin of Marozia has been tasked with ensuring the marriage of the Mistress of the House of Teeth with the son of the King, Prince Liuprand. She has also been tasked by her late grandmother to bring down the crown and reignite the legacy of her ancestors. As Marozia and Agnes make the journey to the castle, Agnes has everything she needs to begin her task. The secrets of death magic, and the key to restoring her family's honour is within the walls of the grand betrayers castle.

The only thing which poses a threat to her success is the Prince himself. She will stop at nothing to bring her revenge to the crown that took everything from them. But will the crown sweep her off her feet while she's on her path of destruction.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

This would be my second turn around with Ava Reid. The first I had read from her was 'Juniper & Thorn' which I enjoyed, but found the prose way too flowery for my own tastes. As a reader, I appreciate her use of description really setting the dark and gothic vibes her novels are known for. They're immersive and invoke a grotesque style of descriptive writing that is truly beautiful, albeit quite morbid. 'Innamorata' comes through with the same in spades, truly the prose is fantastic.

One issue I feel I have with Ava's novels are her characters. I was hoping it might have been a singular issue with the first book I'd read and it would develop as Ava continued to write and hone her art. But for me, it's hard to describe. I feel there is a glass panel between myself as the reader and the characters of the novel that I cannot break through and make a connection. It's the same feeling I had while also reading 'The Familiar' by Leigh Bardugo. Something about the characters felt inaccessible to me, and the fact this has now happened twice, over two books is making me think Ava's characters are not for me to connect with.

As the story continued, the prose became way too much to deal with. Same as I had felt reading 'Juniper & Thorn', every mundane aspect of the situation and environment does not need a flowery sentence full of description dedicated to it. It is Ava's artistic choice to write this way and I feel it's a polarising style. I personally realise that I am not a fan of it, which after feeling the same way after the first of Ava's novels I read, I am content expressing her writing is beautiful and not writing I enjoy reading.

Overall Thoughts

One of the biggest issues I had with this novel was the marketing. The ending tag line to the blurb is as follows:

For Agnes’s final order is the gravest: She must not fall in love.

I want to stress for anyone going into this, reading that tag line and thinking this is a fantasy romance. Romance is definitely twisted into the book, however it is NOT a romance.

Despite knowing there were going to be dark and gothic themes, as with most Ava Reid works, I would recommend looking up trigger warnings. There are some themes within the novel which I believe were overdone to a point of overshadowing the narrative being told. Especially towards the second half where things get DARK. Gore is also very prevalent, and if that's not something you can't stomach on a good day, with the descriptive nature of Ava's prose this may not be a good pick for you.

However if you don't give a shit about gore and triggers, it was an interesting narrative to be sure.

** Affiliate Links **

Amazon - https://amzn.to/46qgs4N

We Call Them Witches - India-Rose Bower // Book Review

   

We Call Them Witches
India-Rose Bower || Publication Date - 07.04.2026

When they came, almost everyone died. Now they torment those that survived...

Horror | LGBTQIA+

Two years ago, eldritch abominations came from what seemed like nowhere and plunged the modern world into an apocalypse. Now they're looming, salivating and hunting for any surviving people that managed to escape their grasp. Sara and her family can hear their screams in the night, not knowing whether her Ma's pagan inspired wards really are working to keep these 'Witches' at bay. And most importantly, keeping their family safe.

During a routine ward check they find a young girl, about the same age as Sara, soaked and unconscious on the outskirts of their protected borders. Her name is Parsley, she doesn't remember how she got there, and no one in her family trusts her but Sara. That is until one of Sara's younger siblings is taken by one of the 'Witches'. She and Parsley immediately grab their things and attempt to battle the wilds in hopes of retrieving him alive.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

What can I say about a novel that opens with some horror bleeding through the walls and attacking the family innocently cooking their lunch. Immediately captivated my attention and sucked me into the story. It was graphic, gross and descriptive to the point where I kept thinking those things would morph above my own fridge. India-Rose's descriptive prose kept strong through the entire book and it brings me to my next point.

The thing that really hooked me about this book was the atmosphere and writing of the areas the characters found themselves in. I could feel the damp and cold weather of the moors, and when mist was brought in to make everything even creepier I could feel the chill settling in. Whenever a new location is entered, India-Rose never wastes any time reminding the reader how desolate and abandoned the world is. It's a very similar feeling to 'Wild Dark Shore' or 'The Wolf Tree'.

It was a depressing and almost hopeless reading experience. Glimmers of positivity were written within the story, however it was always short lived. Always reminding the characters and the readers that this world was never going to be the same again.

We go a couple of rounds, bouncing ideas back and forth that include sentient trees, cephalopods, and alternate dimensions. By the time we're considering the likelihood of and ancient Orcadian tomb being opened to release vengeful spirits, we're very nearly smiling properly again.

In regards to the characters, I enjoyed their ways of coping with the post apocalyptic setting they were now navigating. One of my favourite things they did together was proposing theories to how the 'Witches' came into being. It must be hard to rationalise something like this happening and the characters inventing stories and theories was really fun to read and explore.

Overall Thoughts

From the very first chapters I found the novel quite interesting. The ending however threw me for a loop! I don't consider myself a particularly smart cookie when it comes to pre-emptively solving the endings of mysteries and thrillers. I tend to shut my brain off and let the story take me where it wants me to go. So when the ending hit, I had no clue that was where this was going. In hindsight I do believe it is quite predictable, and if you're someone who doesn't like predictable endings then this may not be a book for you. However, I had a really good time throughout and I feel it's worth a read regardless of predictability.

** Affiliate Links **

Amazon - https://amzn.to/4kYmijD

Nightshade & Oak - Molly O'Neill // Book Review

  

Nightshade & Oak
Molly O'Neill || Publication Date - 03.02.2026

A delightful tale of unexpected meetings, trust, friendship & what it means to be human

Fantasy | Adventure | Mythology

Mellt is the Goddess of Death. Her task for thousands of years has been to assist the dead and dying towards the afterlife. After a battle between Britons and Romans has left a field full of carnage, she sweeps through the despair with her hounds, pulling souls from their tortured and mortal lives and ushering them away. As she leaves the battlefield, one final scene captures her attention. A woman lay dying with her soul tethered to her body, unable to escape. When Mellt touches the woman's face to coax her soul, the next thing Mellt knows is that she's mortal and comes into contact with Bellis, a princess.

Bellis is the reason why Mellt is no longer a Goddess, and is now trapped within a mortal body. Much to her dismay, she is forced to travel weeks westward to enter the afterlife and by chance regain her Immortality. Bellis on the other hand, wishes to go to the same place, in order to save her sisters life.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

I would like to thank Hachette UK for providing me a copy of this book for review purposes.

I did feel the beginning of this novel was a bit clunky. Being written in first person is not much of an issue, however the profuse use of 'I' at the beginning of each sentence got irritating very quickly. As the story progressed, this became less of an issue and I was able to really sink into Molly's writing style, which I did end up really liking. By about 20% of the way through, it was exactly the kind of Adventure Fantasy which I was hoping for.

Both Mallt and Bellis as characters were unique and fun to get to know. We have snippets sprinkled through the novel of Bellis as she grows up, watching her sister being born and experiences life as a Princess and the next leader of her people. The only excerpt we get regarding Mallt and her duties as a Goddess are within the first couple of chapters. However I feel this provided the perfect amount of context to the book and gave enough of the world building to allude that we are within a historic tale woven with Mythology.

As a decent hook for this book is a journey to the gates of the afterlife, this novel could have blown the travelling portion out significantly longer than it did. I believed that a decent chunk of the 270 pages were going to be the characters travelling. Molly needs an award or something, because this is not even what the book is narratively going to focus on. The afterlife is corrupted, and in danger of being destroyed. This is what the novel is truly about and what a pleasant surprise that was.

What lowered the rating for me in terms of enjoyment was the final stages towards the ending of the book, which felt rushed. A lot was packed into the last 30 or so pages and it was jumping around trying to close off plot lines while also adding in a smaller side possibility at the same time. It didn't harm the narrative overall, but did make the ending appear lightning fast, and I do feel it made the final moments a little less impactful.

Overall Thoughts

What I loved the most about this novel is that it is a STAND ALONE Fantasy! So many lately have been a part of a series and I've been hanging out for a novel I can sit and devour without having to worry about a sequel. Another thing I loved about it was both Mellt and Bellis. Nothing overstayed its welcome and the story moved swiftly and steadily towards the conclusion.

If you're looking for a novel that's easy to read, fun and a Fantasy under 300 pages, please look no further than 'Nightshade & Oak'. It certainly wasn't a perfect read, but it was exactly what I've felt the Fantasy market has been lacking for a very long time and it was a refreshing welcome.

Books & Bewitchment - Isla Jewell // Book Review

 

Books & Bewitchment

 Isla Jewell || Publication Date - 03.02.2026

Inheritance, magic and moving to a town you swore you would never be seen in...

Fiction | Fantasy | Romance

Rhea Wolfe is down on her luck, living pay check to pay check in a dead end job that she's spontaneously made redundant from. She has two younger sisters who are similarly life challenged and Rhea feels a lot of responsibility to be the role model big sister they deserve since their parents passed away.

One boring weekday, Rhea is given the news that her estranged grandmother has died - and she's inherited everything as the oldest direct descendent. Finally things are starting to look up, and this may be the ticket she and her sisters needed to get a boost to their finances and situations.

The only barrier between Rhea and this inheritance is that she has to go back to Arcadia Falls, in which she had promised her late mother she would never do...

The Review (may contain spoilers)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this eARC for an honest review!

When I requested this book, I was very excited to read it. It seemed to have all the elements for a cozy style romance that I would be looking for. However, everything in this novel fell flat to me. I don't know whether that was a me issue or an issue for the book overall. The characters were basic and uninteresting, the MMC honestly was kind of weird, and the grandmother was obnoxious to the point of infuriating.

I believe that a lot of this book could have been edited out. Most sentences and passages only added to the word count and nothing valuable to the story as a whole. There was a lot of explaining to the reader, when it was easy enough to decipher what was being alluded to and I do believe the book could have ended perfectly two chapters before it did. It felt like a natural end to the story, and the final two chapters were, again, only adding to the word count and brought nothing new or interesting.

One thing I disagree with in the official blurb is that there is no immediate danger to the town or its residents.

As she gets ever closer to solving the mystery of what exactly is happening, each clue points to Arcadia Falls’ magic hanging in the balance. To keep her new home safe, Rhea must step into her enchanted birth right and harness her newfound powers . . . before it’s too late. - NetGalley & Goodreads

Unfortunately the way this book is being marketed is that it has significantly higher stakes than there is. Nothing has been a glaring issue for the other magical inhabitants or their safety, and Rhea coming to town does not inherently save anything.

There's also the pressing issue of the overly used puns and dad jokes. This was honestly brutal to read through, and made it very difficult for me to power through. I lost count how many times I nearly DNF'd this book because of the forced humour.

Overall Thoughts

I did feel this novel was trying too hard to be a quirky addition to the 'Cozy Fantasy' bandwagon which has been flooding the market recently. I have the same opinions as I did with 'The Baby Dragon Café', there was a lot of content in this novel which I felt did not need to be there and believe this would have been better digested as a novella.

My sentiment stands that if you're a specific fan of these types of books, you may enjoy this one. It's a closed door romance, with little description of spice and features a lot of tropes which have been common within the genre. Throw in a small town where everyone knows everyone and voila, cozy. There's also the benefit of being incredibly low stakes, despite what the blurb may wish you to believe.

The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang // Book Review

  

The Kiss Quotient
Helen Hoang || Publication Date - 30.05.2018

An amazing debut romance novel showcasing how logic cannot predict love.

Contemporary | Romance

Stella Lane is a woman who works in STEM, where she loves her job in data analysis. Unfortunately one thing she does not love is physical contact. Diagnosed with Asperger's, Stella never had much luck feeling any enjoyment when with a romantic lover. It always felt like a chore and came with many comparisons which were definitely not very sexy. So, she drafts up a step by step plan from learning to kiss to many other things done behind closed doors, determined to finally enjoy her sex life.

To help her with this plan, Stella contacts an escorting agency to be matched with someone who can guide her through her list. In steps Michael Phan, a gorgeous and patient gentleman. A contract is drawn up and what pursues is a journey of understanding, overcoming barriers and learning to accept differences.

The Review (may contain spoilers)

I thought this was very much an enjoyable read. It had a good amount of spice, the characters communicated (mostly) like adults and I felt a genuine connection between Stella and Michael.

Two big stand outs come to me from this novel. Firstly, Stella has been diagnosed with autism. I don't have anyone in my family or within my friends diagnosed on the spectrum so I learnt a lot from Stella. I feel this was explored in a way which was compassionate and at times quite funny. Normalising neurodiversity is important, which I believe Helen brought a wonderful character in Stella to life.

Secondly, Michael's affection towards Stella was adorable. I loved their interactions, and his patience with Stella while she learns to process her feelings and emotions in a safe and comfortable space was heart warming.

Helen did an amazing job of writing her characters emotions. I truly felt happy, sad, angry and awkward at times which made it easy to connect and invest in the story. Very much looking forward to exploring her other two novels in this series and I can't imagine how those books will make me feel if her writing had gotten better!

Overall Thoughts

If you are in the mood for a light hearted and heart warming romance which explores self acceptance and the challenges of navigating a romantic relationship, I could easily recommend this novel. Especially if you're looking for representative stories told through the lens of someone who is neurodivergent.

It will leave you smiling and happy for a couple that doesn't even exist!