First off, I'll say I did enjoy this book! I'm definitely locked in for the series! It was fun and kept me invested.
 
However, there were a few things that brought down my rating - namely, in the first half of the book the characters felt really one dimensional - thankfully, by the end they felt fuller and more interesting. Also, the writing was only okay (not bad, just nothing to get excited about). 

I loved the multi-dimensional worlds, the concept of the quicksilver, and the

addition of the gods - they are a fun twist I loved to see.

I also loved the fated mates and forced proximity.

Overall it was a good read and I have high hopes for the next book! 

A fun lil YA slasher! I would love to see this as a movie - the premise is original yet nostalgic.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for the review copy!

🔥 enemies to lovers
🔥 dual POV
🔥 Romeo & Juliet vibes
🔥 rival gangs
🔥 underworld
🔥 found family
🔥 deadly magic
🌶️ minor spice

Okay I loved this book. It's such a strong romantasy - it hugs the line of being YA versus New Adult which probably made me like it more. If you liked The Crimson Moth, Powerless, or These Hollow Vows, you'll definitely enjoy this one. 

Seraphine is my favorite kind of FMC - strong and smart and determined. Ransom is an ideal addition to the shadow daddy line-up - I love an obsessed MMC. 

The city of Fantome is grimey, historic, and haunted by the ghosts of its former Saints. The world felt contained to this city, but not in a bad way. Our supporting characters are interesting and their backstories are hinted at - I hope we get to know them more and maybe get more than 2 POVs in the next book. 

This is a series and so there's obviously a cliffhanger, and I cannot wait to see what happens next! I really feel like the world will expand and challenge the characters to grow further.

Similar to House of Hollow and The Afterdark (a 2025 upcoming release), two YA fantasy/horror books I love, Bad Graces follows young women who are used to being preyed upon, and gives them teeth. These three novels also have their heroines changed in some manner by nature itself. 

Bad Graces' female characters are lovable, imperfect, and strong - it also references Greek tragedies and Shakespeare, which I'm a sucker for. 

Overall, a really strong YA horror novel for all the girls out there. 

Wow - loved the writing so much. I really really loved the character building and even though I guessed where it was going, I didn't see that final twist. Only complaint is that the tone at the end was a bit off from the rest of the novel and it felt a bit disjointed for a second there.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy! 

❤️‍🔥 Warring Gods
❤️‍🔥 Slow burn spice
❤️‍🔥 Challenging trials
❤️‍🔥 Undead puppy BFF
❤️‍🔥 Trauma bonding
❤️‍🔥 Descent into the Underworld 
❤️‍🔥 Vampires

Mische was a character from the first two Crowns of Nyaxia novels that I enjoyed but didn't pay too much mind to. This novel made me feel so much empathy for her without making her into a completely tragic character. She is hopeful and so sweet. Her religious trauma is well written and such a difficult but interesting aspect of Mische. 

Asar (and his unusual puppy LUCE, the BEST GIRL to EVER exist), is also excellently written, not just as a romantic interest for Mische but as a well rounded character. 

I was initially skeptical of the general plot structure (journey to the underworld) being as interesting as the Kejari tournament from the Nightborn Duet, but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it worked. Fair warning - we are left at a HUGE cliffhanger, and I can't wait to see what happens in the second novel of the duet!

For those who loved House of Hollow, The Wilder Girls, and The Invocations - an eerie, mysterious queer horror story that takes place at a remote boarding school.

Read for the:
🖤 Lovecraftian horror
🖤 Obsession
🖤 Sapphic romance
🖤 Centuries-old secrets 
🖤 Feminine rage
🖤 Multi-POV
🖤 Boarding school
🖤 Dark impulses

I loved both of the FMCs, Holland and Evie. Evie's history is so interesting and I loved how the mysteries played out. All of the reveals were pretty satisfying and I found myself thinking about the horror and mystery aspects long after I finished reading. I truly love horror lead by young female characters, and this new novel is a great addition to the genre. 

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy.

A beautiful finale to this series. I've loved how this series reads like true fairytales to me - feels like you're in such a magical and wondrous world.

The ending was super emotional to me and I was absolutely bawling, but I did love it.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!

Wow. So good. I went into this expecting more of a thriller, but I would definitely classify this as a horror novel with a touch of thriller. Mixing themes of folklore, family, fundamentalism, and loss, Gunn weaves an ultimately heart-wrenching tale. The multiples POVs throughout reflect on each town's person's differing realities and how perception and your place in a small town can change everything.

The final few chapters took me back to the tv show The Haunting of Hill House, surprising me with how tenderly it was written - I absolutely cried a little. I was also reminded of Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle, and The Lottery. When the publisher's compare this to a Mare of Easttown meets Stephen King's The Outsider, they're pretty spot on in terms of vibes though. 

This one was really heavy - I found it harder to get through than the first two. I did still enjoy it, and am looking forward to the next in the series!