The Jasad Heir is the story of a royal in disguise who is forced to make an alliance with her greatest enemy after accidentally revealing her magic to him. Arin is the commander from a country that brutally murdered Sylvia's family and destroyed her kingdom. If she agrees to compete as a champion and lure out the rebel groups causing chaos, she can win her freedom. To do so, Sylvia must betray her friends and country one last time. When put to the test, will she choose herself or her country? 

The Jasad Heir is such a rich and complex fantasy. I loved the world-building and can’t wait to see it explored more in the sequel. The politics were very multi-layered. I enjoyed seeing the characters deal with the unique challenges that came with being in different kingdoms with manipulative rulers. Hashem's writing is witty and vivid. I especially loved Arin, because he is such a classic villain that thinks he’s a hero. Arin is resolutely convinced that he’s doing the right thing. He views the world in such black and white; I loved how Sylvia challenged all of his preconceptions and beliefs. Arin and Sylvia have incredible chemistry and I was captivated during their charged interactions in the book. Love a good "who did this to you?" moment! 

Sylvia is a fantastic morally-gray character who wrestles with finding safety in selfish choices, but not wanting to leave her friends and found family behind. The people who were supposed to keep her safe as a child were unable to and she had to claw her way to survival, making it difficult to trust or remember her country fondly.  I can’t wait to see her character arc continue! Sylvia sees her past differently when information that was kept from her as a child is revealed. The information pokes holes in what she has always believed and known to be true, sending her on a journey of excellent character growth. The pacing to get to the competition dragged a little bit, but I appreciated that this time was needed for her to build the relationship with Arin and his guards.  

The ending of this book will absolutely leave you wanting more!! I can’t wait to find out in the sequel what happens to Sylvia, Arin, and all of the kingdoms. Readers who enjoyed The Stardust Thief (Chelsea Abdullah), Spice Road (Maiya Ibrahim), and The Bone Shard Daughter (Andrea Stewart) should check out The Jasad Heir! 

Thank you so much to Sara Hashem, Orbit Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

Immortal Longings is the highly anticipated adult debut from Chloe Gong!! I love Chloe Gong’s YA books and her adult debut was equally as incredible. It is a Cleopatra and Anthony retelling, with a focus more on them as characters than the plot from Shakespeare. Calla is a princess whose main goal is to kill the secluded king. With the help of her cousin, she’ll have one shot at him at the winner’s ceremony of the annual games. First, she has to actually win the games. In the deadly competition she meets Anton, who she forms a reluctant partnership with. When the games conclude, who/what will Calla choose to protect? 

I couldn’t put Immortal Longings down! The world-building was fascinating from the beginning, especially the close quarters and vertical mapping of the buildings. I appreciated how much research Gong did and that this was inspired from Hong Kong’s Kowloon Walled City in the 1990s. Although this is fantasy, real issues of poverty and inequality are highlighted and cause serious challenges, such as unfathomable medical debt. The magic system was very creative! It felt really well thought out and comprehensive. There are lots of clever details and consequences that befall users who use it incorrectly. I can’t wait to see how this is expanded upon in book two.

Immortal Longings had great pacing, with plenty of action scenes that flow together seamlessly. Calla and Anton have such good chemistry and banter. I couldn't look away as they went from enemies to reluctant allies to lovers back to enemies. It was angsty in the best way!! Anton and Calla are definitely both new favorite love interests. The scenes were so vivid, especially the confrontational scenes between Calla and Anton. The conclusion was excellent and theatrical- it'll leave readers on the edge of their seats! I’m really looking forward to seeing where Chloe Gong takes the story next, especially the magic system and world-building! 

Thank you so much to Chloe Gong, Gallery/Saga Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

Thief Liar Lady is a nuanced retelling of Cinderella. I love a good fairy tale retelling and this book did not disappoint. What if the story of Cinderella that we all know gave Cinderella more agency? What if she knew what she was doing all along? Ash did grow up with two stepsisters and a scheming stepmother- but their plan was always for Ash to leave a shoe behind. Enchanting the prince of the kingdom to fall for her was all Ash’s idea. After the engagement, Ash must decide just how far she will take the treasonous scheme. 

Thief Liar Lady has elements of classic fantasy, mixed with a hint of YA and imaginative world-building. I liked how much agency Ash had and how ambitious she was. I also appreciated her relationship with her stepsisters and how it was far more complex than the original tale. The magic system was creative, yet at times it felt overly convenient due to the flexible rules. The morally gray nature of lustre was definitely a strong choice and I think some readers will enjoy how it was used and others will not. This book seems torn between trying to be YA and adult, with the romance pushing it into adult and the plot/characters reminiscent of YA. 

Overall, this was an entertaining and fun fantasy. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fairy tale retellings, morally gray magic, and strong characters who refuse to wait for a prince to rescue them. 

Thank you to D.L. Soria, Del Rey, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 
 

Play to Win is the story of Miri, who has hit a low point in life. Her husband left eight years ago, she struggles to provide for her mom and herself, and their landlord is the worst. On a whim, she decides to buy a lottery ticket and everything changes. After the initial shock, she realizes that because she is still married, her estranged husband could sue her for the winnings. Her lawyer advises her to make contact and offer him a set amount in exchange for a divorce. But that will require reaching out to the man who left that she may still have feelings for…

Jodie Slaughter writes excellent, steamy, can’t-put-it-down romance! I gulped this book down like candy. Miri is such a great protagonist and I loved how determined and grounded she was. Even when she won the lottery, she prioritized taking care of the people who had always been there for her. Slaughter’s dialogue is hilarious and feels realistic. I loved that Miri is bisexual and that Leo is such an accepting partner. Miri’s mom was also wonderful- forever looking out for her daughter and protecting her. I enjoyed the cameos of Aja and Walker from Bet On It. 

Leo and Miri have scorching chemistry, along with a mess of tangled emotions about who they once were. They grew up together and married young, which made things even worse when Leo left. Leo meanwhile has been missing out on his family in town, including his adorable nephews. Leo and Miri slowly dance around each other, taking steps to work through their shared trauma, before finally rushing towards each other in a satisfying conclusion. I can’t wait to read what Jodie Slaughter writes next! Readers who love complex second-chance romance will devour this book. 

Thank you to Jodie Slaughter, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal is the story of Eliza, a recent widow who is shocked to discover she's inherited more than her stingy husband ever gave her in life. With a morality clause hampering her (if she is judged to be acting unladylike, it can all be taken away), Eliza escapes to Bath with her cousin Margaret. There, she meets the flirtatious Lord Melville and reunites with her love of ten years previous, Lord Somerset. As life in Bath heats up, Eliza will be forced to choose who truly has her heart. 

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal was a delightful historical romance. I loved seeing Eliza learn to stand up for herself and choose what she wanted to do in life. I particularly enjoyed seeing her grow as an artist and be brave enough to paint a portrait of Lord Melville. The politics of society and pressure to do “ladylike” things are expertly portrayed and felt realistic. In the middle of the book, I felt a lack of pacing and struggled to maintain momentum. The exciting conclusion of the book more than made up for this and I still really enjoyed the book. I loved who Eliza ended up with and how much character growth she showed. I also appreciated the queer/sapphic rep from two characters close to Eliza.  

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal would be the perfect book for readers who enjoy Persuasion with a twist, well-written historical romance, and lovable characters. 

Thank you to Sophie Irwin, Penguin Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

The Only Purple House in Town is my favorite Ann Aguirre book yet. Iris has always been unable to quite reach her dreams. When Iris unexpectedly inherits a house, Violet Gables, she quickly realizes that she’ll need to rent out rooms to make money. Enter Eli Reese, who knew Iris from childhood. He doesn’t really need to rent a room, but finds himself doing so and unexpectedly loving it. He also has a secret- he's a hawk shifter. Iris manages to find a lovable and eclectic bunch of neighbors to rent rooms with her, creating a unique community. But as she succeeds, she learns a shocking revelation about her biological family. With an irritable next-door neighbor, city codes, and a rise of anti-magic sentiment, can the found family of Violet Gables manage to hold onto their home? 

The house has a magical feel to it, though only certain characters actually possess magic. It’s reminiscent of Ilona Andrews’ Innkeeper Chronicles, mainly in the found family aspect and how they all find a way to improve the house using their talents. I enjoyed the Fix-It-Witches cameos, from previous Ann Aguirre books. My favorite part of this book was absolutely the LGBTQIA+  rep and found family. It was such a strong theme throughout the entire book, which I loved. I felt just as invested in the other characters as I did in Iris, especially Henry Dale and Rowan. The pacing was a little slow at times, but it had a very cozy feel to it so I didn't mind. I was frustrated at how long Eli waited to tell Iris that he knew her from childhood. However, I really enjoyed the conclusion and hope to see this cast of characters again in a future book! 

The Only Purple House in Town would be perfect for readers who love contemporary with a touch of magic, quirky yet lovable characters, and queer found family.  

Thank you to Ann Aguirre, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

Hello Stranger is my first Katherine Center book but definitely not my last! Sadie is a struggling portrait artist who finally got her big break. On the way to celebrate, Sadie has a non-convulsive seizure and wakes up in the hospital being told she needs brain surgery. After her surgery, Sadie is diagnosed with prosopagnosia, unable to recognize faces. She can see them with her eyes, but her brain isn’t transmitting the recognition information to her. As she struggles to relearn how to recognize faces, Sadie meets her helpful next door neighbor, battles her evil stepsister, and meets a cute veterinarian. But with a competition deadline approaching, what happens as a portrait artist if she does not recover her ability? 

Hello Stranger was such an enjoyable and well-written story. Sadie was very relatable and I really liked learning more about prosopagnosia. Prosopagnosia is very interesting because in developmental prosopagnosia, many people do not know they have it because they assume the world is that way for everyone! Sadie has acquired prosopagnosia so she immediately realizes. I enjoyed seeing how Sadie dealt with it as an artist and also how she used clues to figure out who people were, especially reading emotions when she found it difficult to look at their faces. In the end, I loved that she was able to accept herself and view her diagnosis as more of a superpower than something wrong with her. 

I loved Sadie’s dog Peanut!! I adored his diet of human food and his discerning gastronomic taste. The romantic escapades that Sadie goes through are great, though I don’t want to say too much about them and spoil them. Her neighbor Joe is one of my favorites, especially because he always tries to be helpful even when absolutely befuddled. Sadie initially does not tell him about her diagnosis, because she does not want to be judged and looked down on. I think it was very understandable that she was going through this cycle of grief/acceptance, even though as a reader I wanted her to just tell him already!!  

Hello Stranger would be the perfect book for readers who enjoy a well-written romcom, satisfying standalone, and a heroine who finds joy even in difficult and life-changing circumstances. 

Thank you to Katherine Center, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

The Prince & the Apocalypse is the story of Wren, a Chicago teenager who travels to England for what should be the trip of a lifetime. After the stomach flu and a series of unfortunate events, she is ready to leave London and never come back. Then news of a deadly comet approaching the earth strikes and chaos begins. Wren is desperate to get a flight back to Chicago and her family. She meets a young man on the street who turns out to be Prince Theo, the charismatic crown prince of England. Theo is on the run from being a prince and they hatch a plan to help each other for the next eight days until the comet strikes. 

The Prince & the Apocalypse had incredible pacing, there was never a dull moment. I had to know what would happen to Wren and Theo next! The urgency and race to get Wren home was so vivid and heart-pounding. I was impressed by how even with such high stakes as the comet approaches, we still learn a lot about Wren and Theo. In particular, Theo’s mental health and Wren’s complicated relationship with her sister were very relatable. I appreciated how the comet helped them figure out what was really important to them. The Prince & the Apocalypse was a fast-paced and enjoyable contemporary YA. I loved the epilogue and am curious if there are more stories in this world to come. Readers who enjoy forced proximity, royalty romance, and adventure will love this book!

Thank you to Kara McDowell, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.