When I read Within Obsession and Lies in January I didn't realize the hold this story, characters, and world, would have over me. I've found myself reading other books and wondering what these characters are up to, wondering how Arawyn's powers are progressing, and who or what her Fated harem has been hunting.

Through Illusions and Deceit picks up right where book 1 left off. Arawyn is still coming to terms with who she is (the true Queen of Faery) and the power that has been brewing just below the surface all her life. To say I ate this book up would be a massive understatement. I read it in one day, and wished I could stay with these characters longer. I'm so excited for the full series to be released so I can go back and binge this story over and over, like I do now with ACOTAR.

This book won't be every reader's cup of tea. The first book had a lot to accomplish. We were introduced to a new magic system, world building, and character backgrounds. There was a lot of action in the plot as well as movement as we were introduced to new locations. In this book we get to see more of their day-to-day lives of training, eating, lounging around together, and we watch as they become more and more intimately acquainted with one another.

The writing in this story, specifically the depictions of the physical fae traits and violent action sequences, are disturbingly good. The violent scenes were so graphic and gruesome I found myself feeling physically ill at times. While the depictions of Arawyn's mates without their glamor was incredibly vivid and awe inspiring, which is exactly how I'd imagine Arawyn felt seeing it firsthand.

If I had read this story a few years ago, I don't think I would like it as much as I do now. I have a very firm moral compass that doesn't disintegrate or turn off just because I'm reading a work of fiction. In the past, it would have been hard to come to terms with some of the major bombshell twists that occurred towards the end of this novel. Instead I found myself grinning from ear to ear at the prospect of what is to come.

What has changed? I honestly don't know. I think exploring the genre of reverse harem, and finding authors who can accomplish this trope without jealousy or red flags, has been a complete game changer. While I know this series won't be for everyone, it's definitely one of my current favorites.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: this book has some major TW. Please read with caution.
Graphic flashback to a sexual assault // graphic violence & injuries // graphic mass murder

Review coming soon! 3.5/5

Review coming soon!

I am in love with Lore Olympus. I've been reading the series on WebToon and hope to one day add the physical copies of the books to my collection. The story, the art style, the vibrant colors that tell such a compelling story. I could not stop reading once I started Episode 1.

I am in love with Lore Olympus. I've been reading the series on WebToon and hope to one day add the physical copies of the books to my collection. The story, the art style, the vibrant colors that tell such a compelling story. I could not stop reading once I started Episode 1.

I am in love with Lore Olympus. I've been reading the series on WebToon and hope to one day add the physical copies of the books to my collection. The story, the art style, the vibrant colors that tell such a compelling story. I could not stop reading once I started Episode 1.

Thank you to Reedsy Discovery for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date: August 12, 2022.

I was really excited to read this book. It sounded like a great adventure for a young prince who would surely encounter numerous obstacles along the way. What I didn’t expect was this story to turn the chosen one trope completely on its head.

Our story begins with the chosen one dying as he took his first steps on his quest. Death as a theme in this novel was handled in a very interesting way, and I’m genuinely curious to find out what other readers thought of the approach. Right away the second born Prince steps up to fill his brother's place and fulfill the prophecy of finding the three vases that will stop The Creator.

The story is set up in a familiar cadence for middle grade, with each chapter containing its own beginning, middle, and cliff hanger to get you to the next chapter. We are quickly introduced to our secondary character who has striking similarities to a very polarizing character in the Star Wars franchise: Jar Jar Binks. The cat man, Lawrence, brings humor and moral ambiguity to this tale that really helped flip this from a traditional chosen one journey to something off kilter and comical. There were times I found myself rooting for Lawrence and other times I would smack my head in frustration (a sensation I'm sure many Star Wars fans know well).

Overall I enjoyed the machinations these two would find themselves in. The strongest parts of this novel for me was the writing in general, with great attention to details about overall mood and self reflection. There were a handful of typos throughout the novel that may need more editing, and I sadly didn’t have the time during this review to write them down as I encountered them. My favorite part was the final task of the novel. The energy and suspense that flowed through those pages was truly electric, and I couldn’t wait to see how they would make it out. The ending however felt very abrupt and disorienting.

I wish more time had been spent explaining the magic system of the Dirt Whisperers. I think this would help the reader understand the significance of encountering one in person, as well as encountering their magic and trying to defeat it. This novel is a fairly good start to what seems to be the beginning of a series about the morally ambiguous good guys trying to defeat the obviously malicious bad guy. I think young readers would be entertained by the antics of these characters, and be curious enough to want to know what happens next.

Review coming soon.

Thank you to Reedsy Discovery for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date: September 6, 2022.

Echo is the 4th novel in a series following a cast of demon hunters. In this novel we travel with Lana on a recon mission to help a top secret military team known only as team Echo. While Lana and her military correspondent for this recon mission, Archer, work tirelessly to discover what is killing military personnel, they quickly realize there might be more at stake personally as well as professionally.

I had a chance to read the three previous novels in this series before starting Echo and while you could attempt to read this as a standalone, I wouldn’t recommend it. The author does a great job of filling in new readers and reminding returning readers of the demon hunters powers, traditions, and histories. I think the true advantage of being a returning reader to this series is already having a grasp on the personalities of each character, and understanding how and why they work together so well as a unit.

Lana has been such a fun character to watch throughout this series, and I loved getting a birds eye view into her brain. Her witty banter and her confidence transcends off the page. Archer was her perfect match, and I loved seeing their dynamic when they were alone, with the Echo’s, and with Lana’s team of hunters. You could tell how much their teams valued both Lana and Archer as friends, and seeing them rally together around these two characters made me smile while reading.

This novel, and series, is a perfect read for fantasy romance enthusiasts. The demon hunter lore, along with their prey, felt fresh in a genre that is saturated with retellings. At times this series can be gory, gritty, and a little on the dark side when it comes to the fighting sequences as well as the descriptions of the demons causing havoc. While it doesn’t reach the point of creating nightmares, it was a departure from the sexy vampires and werewolves that dominate fantasy today (although don’t get me wrong, books 2 and 3 in this series definitely have their fair share of both).

While I do recommend this series and author to fantasy romance readers, I personally had a little trouble connecting to the author’s voice right away. It wasn’t until I started book 3 that I could confidently say I was hooked with this world and these characters. My advice if you decide to give this series a try is to not give up if you don’t feel the spark right off the bat. I truly believe each book, and relationship, got better and better.

This memoir is a reminder that life comes in all shades: darks, greys, and lights. You can't find the light without settling into the dark.

Thank you to Reedsy Discovery for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date: September 13, 2022.

Available As Is is a memoir that follows a woman learning to navigate life, dating, and the day to day minutiae of being a widow. Based on my reading preferences this isn’t a novel I’d naturally gravitate towards. In some aspects I’m hesitant to comment too candidly about my experience with this novel, but I also don’t want to do it a disservice by only scratching the surface. I was drawn to the author’s voice from the sample page provided, as well as the description. While I’m not a widow and have no personal experience with that type of loss, I am living through my own health diagnosis that has allowed me to relate to so many aspects of this story.

I was incredibly touched and validated by the author’s introspection and honesty about their struggles with anxiety. Before her husband’s death the author describes a semi sheltered life; being pulled through life first by her widowed father, and later by her work oriented husband. Both men catered to her anxieties by creating a comfortable lifestyle where she didn’t need to take any unnecessary risks or upset her own equilibrium by doing things that made her uncomfortable. These are issues I personally struggle with now, and was truly inspired by the ways the author had to learn to navigate life on her own. One of the most touching moments for me in this novel was a conversation with her therapist when the author continued to list reasons why she couldn’t, and her therapist answered every time with some variation of “just try.”

This memoir is so utterly relatable. As a chronically ill woman trying to date, I too find myself oscillating between wanting to settle for whoever will have me or actively sitting in my own loneliness and discomfort. I truly think more women need a good friend (or good book, or good therapist) to remind them that it’s okay to be uncomfortable and alone, when the alternative could lead to accepting abuse and people we don’t deserve. 

The author’s ability to weave stories together was both engaging, and at times confusing. I personally found myself focusing so intently on one story, that when the time or perspective shifted I needed a few paragraphs to find my footing and remember who was who. I never know how to review a memoir because it feels like I’m judging someone else’s life and experiences. Instead, I’ll leave my rating based on the writing merit alone, as well as my experience reading. I think many women would find comfort in Weiss’ words, her candid experiences, and her ability to honestly self reflect. She doesn’t pull her punches when she makes a mistake, but she keeps moving forward and trying again.