I really enjoyed the step back to hear the goblin war story from Galva’s perspective. I loved seeing her personality come through in how she told her story. Solid read!

Perfect murder investigating series for the YA audience!

So rarely do you come across a book that you have heard nothing about and become so besotted by the story it weaves that you are mad to be dragged back into reality by finishing it. My gods. It’s incredible. I tore through 630 pages in less than 2.5 days.

For those you that genuinely think about the Roman Empire on a daily/weekly basis but also enjoy magic, dark academia and also spy thrillers, this is for you. And if you don’t, it’s also for you. I found no faults. Read this immediately so it can live in your head rent-free, too.

I couldn’t get into this one. I tried but either it didn’t move fast enough for me or it just wasn’t a compelling mystery.

I really loved Needy Little Things! Highly recommend picking this one up! I thought the narrative style was engaging and approachable, especially as a YA novel. Channelle Desamours writes about complex social issues in a way that was relatable and showed the imbalance how the world treats a missing girl from a Black community. It wasn’t preachy, it was just plainly stated as how it is. I really valued that perspective as I read the book.

I particularly loved the dialogue in this. I felt like I could hear these conversations happening around me. The characters were well fleshed out and their struggles were not their entire personalities. They made mistakes and stupid decisions exactly the way teens would.

The magical element in the story was a nice surprise. It often feels like authors over index on the magical element and it colors everything about the characters. Channelle Desamours takes a “yes, and” approach to Sariyah’s ability. She treats it the way a young adult would, with skepticism, distrust, and eventually an acceptance and understanding of what makes her so incredible.

I can’t wait to read more from Channelle Desamours!

I’m always skeptical when I see these huge tomes for the start of a series. Often it’s the result of tedious world and character building. This book shattered that assumption in the first five pages. Non-stop intrigue, action, twists and turns; there is just not a dull moment anywhere in this book. I found myself gasping, shouting, even rereading passages because I could not believe what had just happened. I absolutely loved it!

Holy moly! I have no words. It’s dark. It’s mysterious. It’s supernatural. It’s real and unreal. Perfect for spooky season. It will leave you wanting more!

My only complaint is that I want more! A short book but it has action packed into each page.

Blasted through this one in a day! Just when I thought I saw the twists and turns coming, I was proven so very, very wrong. Beautifully written and thoughtful in its portrayal of the toxicity of secrets and hidden generational trauma.