January Wrap Up

 All the books I read in January 2025

***Please note that reviews may contain spoilers***

Quicksilver by Callie Hart - 4 ⭐

What a start to a new series. I went into this book with reservations given how much hype is surrounding it, but I am really glad I did. I feel like while we have seen fae books before, this one done something different with them. I really liked the characters as well. After reading so many stories lately that have really immature main characters, I found Saeris to be a breath of fresh air. I was interested in the story from the beginning and enjoyed the fast paced nature of the plot. I also loved that the romance was more of a slow burn. I enjoyed the different layers of Kingfishers character. To see him evolve slowly and reveal his story was well paced. I would recommend this to other fans of Romantasy and I am looking forward to getting book 2.

Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver - 5 ⭐

What can I say other than Elsie Silver has done it again. I’d say this one is now my new
favourite, finally knocking Heartless from the top spot. I love Cade, but wow did I love reading West. This story was fantastic from start to finish. I also loved the kids too. I feel they added to the story in a really good way. I also loved Skylar’s character and I really feel for what she went through. Elsie has taken a very niche and unique experience and somehow made it relatable. I love it. 

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros - 5 ⭐

This was a re-read for me. Since reading this the first time, I have heard a lot of criticisms and I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it as much on the second read. I am glad to know that this is not the case. While I can understand the negative opinions of this book and at some points I even agree, overall it did not negatively impact my enjoyment. That ending though! I still don’t know how to feel about it. I am both excited and hesitant to dive into Onyx Storm when it comes out. 

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Thahir - 4.5 ⭐

I have heard so many good things about this series, but I was hesitant to go into it because it is YA, and I don’t really gravitate to YA anymore. This one though surprised me. There was a level of brutality contained within the book that took me by surprise, but in a good way. The story was really fast paced and entertaining and I found I got really invested in the characters and what happened to them. I didn’t find it too predictable either, which I tend to find also unusual with YA books. Overall, I would absolutely recommend this one and look forward to continuing the series.

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros - 5 ⭐

I am not ok! What a read. From start to finish I was engaged, which is impressive in itself as the story didn’t really get going until about 150 pages in. I found it quite slow to start, but I am so invested in these characters. I love that this gave us more of the squad and more specifically of Riddoc. It was also a pleasant surprise to get other points of view in Rhiannon and Imogen. I loved seeing their interactions with their dragons and the banter between them. It was especially interesting to see the difference between the way they interact and the way Violet interacts with Tairn and Andarna. It gave them so much more depth. There were so many moments that had my heart in my throat, particularly when Andarna left, which I did not see coming at all. I feel the way that Xaden’s Venin arc went in this was inevitable, but it was still heart wrenching. Also to have it happen saving Sgael rather than Violet was great and made the decision more understandable. Once again though, that ending! I thought the last one was mean, but Jeez! This one has left me with so many questions!!! I need the next one ASAP, but no doubt it will be another year of waiting. Best in series so far. Loved it!

Review

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore

Rating - 3.5 ⭐

Format - Paperback

When Jeanie’s aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spiced Cafe in the small town of Dream Harbour Jeanie see’s an opportunity for a fresh start away from her desk job and dull routine. Feeling overwhelmed and out of her depth she runs into Logan, the grumpy yet attractive local farmer. Logan likes to keep to himself and avoid the town gossip at all costs, but this is upended when he finds himself taken in by the charms of the new cafe owner. Add to that a slew of mysterious incidents that seem to be aimed at Jeanie, Logan takes it upon himself to help her out. 

This book is such a warm hug. It was cute and cosy, perfect for the autumn when the nights are getting darker and the colder days are rolling in. Not a perfect book by any means, there were a few things that bothered me by it, but if I’m honest, they did not take away from my overall enjoyment. The biggest thing that bothered me was a running theme throughout the book, but I can understand why it was there. That is the internal monologue in both the main characters which focused on how attractive they found the other, then the scolding they would give themselves when they realised what they were doing. It is not so much that this happened, given the circumstances surrounding these thoughts, it is understandable. My issue comes from the repetitiveness of it. I only got to page 78 and it was starting to get really annoying. Like I said though, there is a reason for it, and it did not overshadow my enjoyment of the book. There is so much to enjoy about this story. I loved the small town vibes, it is quickly becoming one of my favourite tropes in romance novels. I enjoyed this couple, if I’m honest it felt a little too insta love for me so I wasn’t as invested in them as I normally would be. The characters in this town are great as well. I know that there are more books in this series that follow some of these other characters and I look forward to continuing with them.. I’m not usually one for mysteries, but the one in here was so low stakes that I found myself invested in it and started looking at those in the town to see who it could be. Its not too complicated and I found the reveal to be quite obvious but it was fun none the less. Overall, I had such a fun time with this book and would definitely recommend it as a cosy, cute romance.

Review

 

Engines of Empire by R.S. Ford

Rating: 4.5 ⭐

Reading Format - Immersive (Audiobook and Paperback)

This story centres around an Empire which is run on the power of industry which is controlled by the Guilds. We follow the Hawkspur Guild, Rosomon and her three children, Conall, Tyreta and Fulren. Each have their own part to play in the Guild. Conall is sent to the distant frontier to gain experience in the military. Tyreta has the ability to connect to and control pyrestone, a key resource in the industry used to run the Empire. Much as she wants to run from her responsibilities to the Guild, she is sent to the Pyrestone mines to learn more of her trade. Fulren is a talented artificer, living in the Capital taken under the wing of his uncle the Emperor. Fulren is tasked with acting as guide to a foreign emissary and soon after is accused of a crime that could start a war. A crime he didn’t commit. Each of the Hawkspur's encounter threats and plots that not only endanger their lives, but ones that could spell disaster for the Empire they serve. 

I’ll be honest, I was quite intimidated by this one. I enjoy fantasy, but I am more of a cosy fantasy and fantasy romance reader. Epic fantasy has always intrigued me, but I tend to find it intimating so tend to put off reading it. To help me overcome this I decided to get the audiobook and read along with it. I found this helped and I found myself really engaging with the story. The audiobook has multiple narrators which made it more entertaining as each character’s perspective had a unique voice. The intrigue in this book and the political scheming that takes place was very well done. Not knowing who can be trusted made for an interesting reading experience and I found myself on the edge of my seat a lot of the time I was reading. The characters were interesting, all flawed in their own way and Ioved that there was significant character growth throughout. How their experiences shaped the decisions they made made them feel very realistic. 

Personally, I enjoyed Tyreta’s storyline the best and look forward to where it will develop as the series continues. I feel her character had the most development throughout, clearly learning from her experiences and going from a character who wanted to avoid her responsibilities to stepping up when she needed to. I am very much a character focused reader and enjoy books where I can become invested in a character and this book has them in spades. 

Favourites of the Year Part 2

Highlights of the Year so Far

Romance

This year so far I have managed to read a total of 54 books. Which is good for me at this point in the year. It has been a good reading year for me, with a mix of genres, though most are romance and fantasy. I have decided to share some of the ones that have really stood out to me so far.

Say You Swear by Meagan Brandy - 5⭐

This book follows Arianna, her twin brother and her closest friends, beginning summer before starting college and goes from there. After a soul-breaking rejection during summer break Arianna goes into her freshman year down and determined to isolate herself from her friends and the one who broke her heart, That is, until she meets Noah, who slowly without her realising it, breaks down the barriers she created around herself and reminds her what living and having fun is all about. 

What can I say about this book…It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that has gripped me so completely. It made me laugh, it made me cry and at times it made me furious. What a rollercoaster this book took me on. Not spoilers specifically (in terms of plot) but the twists and turns and emotional turmoil the author put me through was unlike anything I have experienced before. I literally threw it across the room several times. The pain was worth it though and I ultimately adored the story and Noah officially skyrockets to one of the best book boyfriends EVER.

The Right Move by Liz Tomforde - 5⭐

Ryan is the star player for the Chicago Devils basketball team. Despite his superstar status, he is somewhat of a recluse. Not knowing who to trust since he shot to fame, his sister Stevie is the only one he can really count on. Indy’s life is upended, just out of a relationship with her high school sweetheart, she has nowhere to go but possibly back to her parents. The last thing she expected was to move into her best friends brothers place. On top of it all, Ryan Shay has made it clear that she is not wanted there for long. This is a sequel to Mile High and the second in the Windy City Series. 

I really enjoyed the first book and had seen a lot of hype surrounding this one. It seems this is the favourite so far and there is so much love for Ryan Shay. Now that I have read it, I totally get it, I am on the bandwagon. Ryan is definitely in my new top 10 book boyfriends list. The development of his character from grumpy recluse to devoted partner is truly a delight to read. Despite his situation being so niche, it is still so relatable. I couldn’t imagine having his status and always having people want something from me, to not know who to trust. Indy was also a fantastic female main character. The effect her previous relationship and more importantly the way her friend dynamics changed once that relationship was over is so relatable. My heart broke for her during the interactions with her past friends, to see her in that position when she was the victim of the relationship sucks. It makes you root for her all the more, especially when Ryan goes out of his way to show her the value she holds, and that she shouldn’t have to change who she is for anyone. These two are total couple goals and I love them together. Five star read! One of my favourites of the year so far.

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez - 5⭐

This book is about two emergency room doctors Briana and Jacob. Briana’s life is a struggle, her divorce is about to be finalised, her brothers kidneys new failing, and suddenly there is competition for the promotion that she was sure was hers. Said competition comes in the form of Jacob, who makes the worst first impression on Briana. To fix the terrible impression she has of him, Jacob writes Briana a letter and this leads to a series of letter exchanges and relationship growth. 

I loved this one, it is my favourite of the series. I found the characters so relatable, especially Jacob and his anxiety. I think the way the author handled Jacob’s anxiety was really well done. As someone who also suffers anxiety, it was nice to see it being normalised. Jacob’s inner monologue was so relatable to me, and I think really showcases exactly how I feel at times. If you don’t suffer anxiety and struggle to understand what goes through our heads, I feel this would be a good way to help others understand. The romance was believable and it was a fun and quick read. This one contains a lot of tropes, but it is predominantly the fake dating trope and in this it is done so well. As a fan of this trope, it can at times be handled poorly, but not here. I absolutely loved it from start to finish.

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez - 5⭐

Justin is cursed, every woman that he dates ends up finding her soul mate after they have broken up. When he posts a Reddit thread, he meets Emma, a travelling nurse who shares the same curse. Together they hatch a plan to break the curse. They will date each other for the summer and their curses will cancel each other out, so they will then find their respective soul mates. It’s a crazy idea, but it might just work.

Don’t be fooled by the lighthearted name and bright happy cover. This book tackles some pretty heavy themes, but as seems to be her gift Abby Jimenez does so with her usual brilliance. The premise is a bit goofy, but it is such an easy and entertaining read despite the somewhat heavy topics. I really enjoyed the connection to the other books in the series and the unexpected twists that this book takes. Without getting too much into spoiler territory, the main issue this book tackles is the profound affect that a caregiver can have on your life, and how their poor choices can shape and define who you become. I went through a lot of emotions reading this one, including rage at said caregiver. Overall though, despite its somewhat heavy themes, this was a really good read.

***This next part of the review contains spoilers so please proceed with caution***

What I enjoyed most about this book surprisingly was the third act break up. Generally I hate this aspect of romance books, but in this case I felt it was so realistic and carries an important message. The fact that Emma leaves to work on herself is massively important. Too many stories have their emotionally vulnerable characters be instantly fine because they have found the love of their life. Reality however, is not like that and yes I know reading is not necessarily supposed to showcase reality, but what the author has done here is important. Showing that it is not only ok to prioritise yourself and your own mental health is fantastic but on top of that essential for the relationship. If Emma did not take the time to step away and work on herself, I don’t think the relationship would have worked. Both her and Justin needed that time, and it is such an essential message to put out there. I applaud Abby Jimenez for this one, it was really well done. 

Wild Love by Elsie Silver - 4⭐

Ford Grant - World's Hottest Billionaire according to Forbes - wants nothing more than to escape the city and focus on opening his newest business venture, a recoding studio and artist haven. Focusing on the venture however, not so easy when a girl turns up at his door claiming to be the daughter he didn't know he had. Add to that his best friends sister coming back to town, the girl he hasn't been able to get out of his head despite not seeing her for 10 years and life in small town Rose Hill is not exactly as tranquil as he imagined. 

Elsie Silver does it again. I adored the Chestnut Springs series, and this new one is gearing up to be every bit as good. I enjoyed this introductory book. I was skeptical of the unexpected single dad trope, and to be honest, found it to be a tad far-fetched, but I actually really liked Cora's character. Harder to swallow was the situation that has Rosie leaving the city and returning home. It was so rage inducing and the reaction of her boyfriend just made it that much more irritating. I liked both Ford and Rosie, but at times I felt she was just a bit too immature. Also Ford's inner monologue at times was annoying. I get that he was trying to be respectful of what Rosie has been through but he just didn't read her very well. Overall though I enjoyed my time with this book and Elsie's writing is really easy to read. I can already tell that I am going to enjoy the next book more than this one. West was such a great character that I am excited to get to his book soon.

Favourites of the year part 1

Highlights of the Year so Far

Fantast Romance / Romantasy

This year so far I have managed to read a total of 54 books. Which is good for me at this point in the year. It has been a good reading year for me, with a mix of genres, though most are romance and fantasy. I have decided to share some of the ones that have really stood out to me so far.

 House of Flame and Shadow - Sarah J Maas

This is the third instalment of SJM's Crescent City Series. For those who have not read the rest of the series, the first book is called House of Earth and Blood. It follows our main character Bryce Quinlan - a half human, half fae - who at the beginning of the book is a happy-go-lucky party girl. She doesn't take life too seriously and loves to party with her friends. However, tragedy strikes when Bryce comes home after a night of partying to discover her friends have been slaughtered. A few years later, similar murders start to occur and Bryce is charged to work along side Angel Hunt Athalar to try and uncover who is behind these killings. 

Crescent City is an adult urban fantasy series that has all manner of creatures that we know and love including Fae, Angels, Werewolves, Vampires witches and so many more. I really enjoyed this series as a whole. When I read House of Flame and Shadow I was really conflicted and unsure what my initial rating should be. After the ending of book two, I think I went into this with really high expectations and while I wouldn't say that it didn't meet those expectations, it was just different. I still rated it five stars as I did really enjoy it and I loved the series as a whole. However, I would want to read it again sometime in the future without the high expectations that I had to really see how I feel about it.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night - Carissa Broadbent

First instalment of The Crowns of Nyaxia series, which is a larger series as a whole, but this one is part of a duology following one set of characters. Oraya is a human living in a world of vampires as the Nightborn Vampire Kings adopted daughter. Growing up as prey surrounded by predators, Oraya takes the only chance open to her to shift the dynamic of her life. She enters the Kejari, a deadly tournament held by the goddess of death. To win she must ally with a mysterious rival. Raihn, a ruthless vampire and an enemy to her father's crown, yet despite this Oraya can't seem to help being drawn to him. With war brewing between the three vampire houses, a tournament to win and a growing attraction to contend with Oraya is about to question everything she thought she knew about her home. 

I really enjoyed reading this one. I found the plot entertaining and enjoyed the romance as well. The setting really stood out to me. The author done a great job of really capturing the feel of the world, the darkness and the danger that the main character was facing as a human. The characters were well fleshed out and I enjoyed watching the romance develop between the two main characters. There was the right balance with the tension and the romance deepened. Oraya is a really interesting main character to follow. She may be a human among vampires, but she is no damsel in distress and that is always a factor that I enjoy. Overall I rated this five stars and I look forward to continuing on with the series. 

Divine Rivals - Rebecca Ross

First book in a YA duology called the Letters of Enchantment series. Divine Rivals follows main character Iris Winnow who at the beginning of the book is struggling with her brother joining the war effort and deploying to the front lines. However, this is no ordinary war, it is a war between Gods who had been sleeping for centuries, now humans are caught up in and fighting on behalf of the Gods. As a journalist, Iris is competing against her rival Roman Kitt for a columnist position at the Oath Gazette. To assuage her worries about her brother, Iris uses her typewriter to write a letter to her brother and puts them beneath her wardrobe door where they vanish. It is not her brother who received the letters though, but rather Roman, who decides to anonymously write her back. This forges a connection between them that will follow Iris to the front lines of the war. 

This story was beautiful and I particularly enjoyed the wiring. It is not a fast paced story, but it completely absorbs you. The differences between the main characters in person compared to when writing to each other was really entertaining. The letters themselves were lovely, and really showcased that you don'e need to know someone physically to build a meaningful connection. The story really got going when Iris took a post as a war correspondent at the front lines, and the characters she meets along the way just add to the experience overall. As someone who doesn't read a lot of YA anymore, this was a lovely reminder that there are some fantastic stories across all age groups. 

 

Spark of the Everflame - Penn Cole

Book one in the Kindreds Curse series. This book follows Diem Bellator who is a human healer within her world. The world is made up of the Descended (who are half human half Gods) and humans. The humans live worse than the Descended and are considered expendable by many of them. Diem's mother is the royal healer and when she goes missing suddenly, Diem takes up the position herself to attempt to unlock the web of mysteries her mother left behind. With the heir of the kingdom keeping a close eye on her and a mortal rebellion wanting her to use her position to assist them inciting a war Diem will have to navigate power, politics and love in order to save her family and her people. 

I really enjoyed this book. I started reading it on kindle unlimited but a few chapters in I knew I needed to purchase the physical copies. So I bought all that is out so far. I found the story entertaining and the characters were really intruiging. The author done a great job with this one. There were times where I found Diem to be a little annoying, especially where Henri was concerned. Personally, I am not a fan of him, and I doubt he will improve as the series progresses, but we shall see. I could be wrong. I enjoyed the slow burn element to this romance in this. It built up tension with the characters well. The ending was so surprising that I am eager to dive into the next book to see where the story goes. The only thing that stops me from binging it all the that currently the fourth and final book of the series doesn't have a release date as it was pushed. Once we have this, and I know when it will come out, I plan to binge the rest of the series as I hope the books just improve as they go. I have heard really positive reviews about the rest so I am excited. I rated this one 4 stars. 

Lady of Darkness - Melissa K Roehrich

Owned by a ruthless assassin lord Scarlett Monrhoe and her sisters have been trained since they were children to torture and kill and are the most feared trio on the continent. After a tragic night Scarlett finds herself locked away in a nobleman's household until she falls into line. Until one day she is presented with an assignment. One that if she completes her reward will be revenge on the Fae prince who is responsible for her mother's brutal death ten years before. However, her plans are put on hold when children from her home start disappearing, Scarlet delves into the darkest corners of the world to saves those most innocent. 

I ate this book up when I read it. It is gripping, compelling and addictive. There is a large cast of characters to meet, snarky comments and witty banter plenty as well as a slowburn romance filled with tension. Scarlett was a fantastic character to follow, one who has done and been through a lot. She has many physical and emotional scars which are centred around some rather dark themes, which the author handles brilliantly in my opinion. This is a dark fantasy romance with themes that some may find triggering, so please search up trigger warnings before embarking on this one. I loved it and it is now also being traditionally published, so I am waiting to get my hands on the next instalments so I can continue my foray into this world. My rating was 4 stars.