This book officially made me a Tarah Dewitt fan. Tait's character felt like a warm hug and I appreciated how Tarah described emotions that almost feel indescribable. This slow burn was *chefs kiss* and I devoured the romance and spice. This book knew exactly how to hit me in my feels while also being cozy.

Foodie rivals?? I'm in!! Listen, I found Julie to be incredibly unlikable. She was always so judgemental of Bennett and creating chaos when there didn't need to be any. And how she was with Emerson Lee? She was a complete brat. I really enjoyed the foodie aspect of this, humor was on point, and I devoured the slow burn. Honestly, I just wish there had been more romance because that felt a little dry to me. This is a book that would've benefited from a dual POV because I found myself wanting Bennett's perspective constantly. 3.35-3.5 ⭐.

What I love about A.M. Strickland's books has to be the character diversity rep. It's so nice to see LGBTQ+ inclusion that doesn't feel forced, and this book had many amazing characters. I loved the dark fantasy/morally grey aspect as well, the idea of soul walking sounded so unique to me. However, the court/political intrigue didn't deliver like I had hoped and the plot fell a bit short for me. I also didn't care for the world building, the details made it sound beautiful...but not quite "real" if that makes sense. 3-3.5 ⭐.

It was okay but it didn't live up to the first book like I would've hoped. I was happy to visit this world again and I was so excited to meet Nikolai. However, I didn't care for Mal and Alina was getting super annoying. Also, this pacing was weird. It had its fast paced moments but for the most part, it was a snails pace and I was so bored. I probably would have DNF'D but I want to complete the trilogy.

First cozy mystery DNF for me :(

wow I disliked everything about this and I'm surprised I even got as far as I did

This pulled me in from the very beginning, it was magical and immersive and an absolute masterpiece. I adored Amari and her perseverance and her journey to find her brother. This was one of the most unique middle grades I've read in terms of plot, characters, world building, and execution. I was able to lose myself in this story and perfectly imagine this world. B.B. Alston is an amazing author. 4.5 ⭐ from me.

Reading R.L. Stine has brought back some intense nostalgia, but his books are just as good as I remember. I loved the creepy creatures in the woods and the spooky atmosphere. I absolutely ate this up. I think this may be one of his best stories yet.