I'm honestly confused as to what was going on in this book. There was magic, thievery, and political intrigue, but I didn't get to understand the world. And my guess for that is because I was listening to it on 2x - my bad! The narration was gorgeous, I just have issues staying focused on fantasy books on audio. Trevor was easily my favorite character because corgis. But heists and betrayals are definitely my scene and Emily Lloyd-Jones's writing is so lyrical. Just a misstep on my part, nothing against this book.

*Thank you to Hachette Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*

I absolutely LOVED this story. While it's not a sequel to Blackout, it has all of the same authors and a very similar *vibe*. I found that the short stories wove together much better here, as we try to pull off the grand gesture of the century amidst a legendary snowstorm. I can't even pick a favorite story, as they all kind of melded together nicely. I also loved how we don't *officially* know who wrote which one! It's a great holiday romance filled with warm and fuzzy vibes and I just loved it.

*Thank you to Libro FM for an ALC and Quill Tree Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

The premise of this book is laugh out loud hilarious. Let's just gather all of the exes of this narcissist in a mansion and force them to date him again! Just beyond. And even better is that it's reminiscent of the two Bachelor contestants who fell in love with each other. I loved how they went from rivals to allies to lovers - it's essentially Do Revenge if the heroines ended up together (which is totally how it should've been). It's absurd in the best way with a pseudo francogerman country and evil producers and HELICOPTER DATES. It pokes fun at all of the dating shows, yet also is adorable in its own right. I'd recommend this to fans of sapphic romcoms and reality TV!

*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Y'all know I love a cult thriller and I found this one to be well-executed. There were some plot issues along the way that weren't quite explained away, but I couldn't put it down. Plus there's still some of Katherine St. John's signature "rich behaving badly" which is just a must for me. I agree with most reviews that the first half is really well fleshed out, while the back half kind of turns into a mullet. But if you like mullets I guess that's fine?

This is a really solid debut YA romance rooted in impostor syndrome and the turmoil of high school - AND the idea of romance itself. I loved Tessa and Caroline's romcom list and notably how many of them happened unintentionally. Tessa is dealing with a lot in her life already with moving to a new school, but things take a turn for the worse when her writing gets blocked. I found this book to be a realistic portrayal of high school dramatics and loved seeing Miles be loved for who he is. Also Sam is the cutest cinnamon roll and you can't change my mind. Tessa is inherently a flawed character who makes some very poor choices, but she wouldn't be able to grow as much without them. I'm really excited to read more of Elise Bryant's books, especially one focusing on Lenore!

This is my first Rachel Hawkins book and I was pleasantly surprised. I know that many of her thrillers are retellings of classic literature, but I must have missed what this one was (if it was one at all). Told in tandem timelines, we follow Emily as she struggles to draft a novel and her discovery of a similar history from the villa's past. I found myself really intrigued with the story early on, even before we started to find out more about Mari. Julia Whelan crushed it as usual, but I also loved the other 2 narrators. Plus it has a Verity-style twist at the end that will leave the reader gasping. Overall a really enjoyable suspense novel that would be perfect for a beach read.

*Thank you to LibroFM for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*

Bit torn on this one... On one hand, it's one of the most imaginative fantasy novels I've read in awhile. On the other, I felt like we were tossed about the story with little to no mooring and without much organic flow. I loved the fungal elements and how entrenched in the Maori culture it was. The action was well-written, especially in the combat scenes. Unfortunately I just felt confused most of the time, which led to a sub-par reading experience.

*Thank you to Saga Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Phenomenal, amazing, astounding - I don't have ENOUGH happy words about this book. It's almost 600 pages, yet I couldn't put it down and it still *flew* by. We're getting answers to our questions, yet being left with so many more. I enjoyed this book more than Legendborn because it felt like it was more about Bree, rather than the Arthurian society she's discovering. Plus can we talk about the queen that is Alice Chen? A Onceborn icon. This book is where things get dark. There's politics, grief, loss, betrayal... just everything.

And the ending? I am unwell.

*Thank you to Simon Audio and LibroFM for an ALC*

A workplace-adjacent romance perfect for the transition between fall and winter - Just Between Us brings the sweetness. It is closed door, just worth noting for some of y'all smut monkeys, but is still a really enjoyable read nonetheless. Plus as a Tennessean, I loved reading an indie book set in Nashville! This book is tea with honey, striped sweaters and crunchy leaves, and inside jokes about armadillos. Just an absolute delight.

*Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*