Danita Reads

Rolls and Rivalry

Gaming and Romance #3

by Kristy Boyce

coming May 5, 2026

(4 / 5)

I received a free review copy of this book from Random House Children’s Books and Delacorte Romance through NetGalley; all opinions are completely my own.

Rolls and Rivalry is the third book in the Gaming and Romance series by Kristy Boyce, but all of the books can be read as standalone. There’s no character overlap beyond a couple cameos, which were fun since I had read the previous books.

At first I wasn’t sure if I’d like this book as much as the first two books in the series because I really wasn’t loving the rivalry that was going on. Some of the pranks seemed a bit mean. But as I got to know the characters better and the walls between them starting coming down, I liked the book a lot more. It turned out to be pretty cute actually, and I felt like the characters learned a lot about themselves and each other over the course of the story. A big theme in the story was Dungeons & Dragons. Since the characters in the book were new to the game I was able to follow it fine even though I’ve never personally played before. I liked how D&D was able to bring the characters together in multiple ways. Another big theme in the book is marching band, which was described really well and felt interesting. The book itself was very readable and I found it hard to put down, reading almost the whole thing in a single day. I’m glad I ended up reading this whole series and would love to read more by the author in the future!

Lights Out

by Jenni Fletcher

(4 / 5)

I want to thank Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, Margaret K. McElderry Books, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of the book. All opinions are completely my own.

Lights Out is a fake dating romance story that takes us into the world of Formula 1 racing. I have to admit that I knew very little about the sport going into the book but found it very accessible since our narrator, Maisie, also didn’t know much about it. The car races really brought a lot of excitement and energy to the story. The book was a quick, easy, fast-paced read that was hard to put down. I liked the chemistry between Maisie and Gio. There were some situations along the way that I didn’t really like how one or both of them acted, but I was glad to see that most of it was reflected on and discussed later in the story. They both had their issues, but I also felt like it made them feel human. It was also nice to see Maisie working through some of her fears from past trauma and addressing her mental health. Overall, the book was a fun read that I enjoyed.

February 25, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle New Adult Romance Young Adult 0

Deathly Fates

by Tesla Tsai

coming April 14, 2026

(4 / 5)

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions about the book are completely my own.

When I first started reading this book, I have to admit I was a bit unsure about it. I wasn’t feeling very connected to the characters and also didn’t feel like there was much world building at first. I’m really glad I stuck with it though. It’s funny, because it was one of those books that just sneaks up on you, and suddenly I realized just how invested I’d become and how attached to the characters I was.

The story was heavily rooted in Chinese folklore, introducing me to things that I wasn’t at all familiar with before. Since it revolved a lot around death, it did have a lot of sad undertones, but I also found it left me with feelings of hope. There were recurring themes about seeking justice and things not always being what they appeared to be on the surface. It had some really insightful messages. Our main characters had their flaws but really did learn and grow. I liked the dynamic between Ren and Siying and thought it was very sweet. The romance wasn’t front and center but enjoyable to watch amidst the adventure and thrills of the story. The book had some plot reveals that really ended up surprising me along the way too! In the end I really enjoyed this debut book and look forward to seeing more from the author.

February 23, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

Heart of Mischief

Soul of Shadow #2

by Emma Noyes

coming March 10, 2026

(4 / 5)

First off, I want to thank St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners, and NetGalley for free review copies of the digital book and audiobook. All opinions about the book are completely my own.

I was really excited to be able to be able to listen to the audiobook version of this book! Emily Pike Stewart, who narrated Soul of Shadow, did a fantastic job of narrating this book as well. I loved how expressive it was, and how each character had a different voice.

Heart of Mischief continues the story from Soul of Shadow, taking place about 3 weeks later. I enjoyed reading this book as much as the first one, and thought it had a similar feel. There was plenty of excitement with a fast pace, and it held my interest well. I loved the tension and banter between Elias and Charlie. Honestly, I was getting some very strong Vampire Diaries vibes while reading this book, and Elias reminded me a lot of Damon Salvatore. Elias is one of those characters that you don’t know if you should love or hate him. I was actually never quite sure if I could trust multiple characters from this book, and some of my hunches turned out to be right. Things ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I look forward to seeing where this story goes next. This book really builds a lot of anticipation for book 3!

February 18, 2026 by danimae1981 Audiobook Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

A Latte Like Love

by Michelle C. Harris

coming March 17, 2026

(3 / 5)

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

This one is a tough one to rate. At first I really enjoyed the book and was easily pulled into the story. But somewhere along the way it lost me. I think a lot of it was that the book just felt so much longer than it needed to be, especially since not a lot seemed to be happening with the plot. The biggest conflict was in a flashback, so it felt pretty anticlimactic when I reached the epilogue. The epilogue itself was very long, rehashing things that had already happened from a different perspective. For me, it just felt a little repetitive. As for the relationship between Audrey and Theo itself, I was rooting for them, but then things really seemed to move alarmingly fast, especially considering Theo’s mental state. A lot of the story centers on Theo’s recovery after an accident and coming to terms with significant scarring. I was glad to see growth in Theo’s character over the course of the story, though Audrey didn’t really seem to develop very much. In the end, the book had a lot of promise but just didn’t quite deliver for me.

February 12, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

In Time With You

by Kristin Dwyer

coming March 3, 2026

(4.5 / 5)

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It’s one of those books that breaks you and then puts you back together again. It starts out quite sad, as our FMC Nieve is attending a funeral for her boyfriend that just died. Her emotions through this were so raw and authentic, making her feel real. Then imagine being able to relive a year of your life after something terrible has happened… what would you do differently? This book was so thought-provoking as it explored this idea. The ripple effect that happened in this time loop was different and unexpected. The portrayal of this disorienting and terrifying situation through Nieve’s perspective was done really well. It was interesting to see how Nieve’s perceptions about things changed during the 2nd timeline, especially when it came to Carter (the boyfriend that dies) and Max (his best friend). I kept thinking about how it was a great example of how “hindsight is 20/20”. I also appreciated how many different types of relationships were explored and how they evolved through this fluid reality situation. The progression of Nieve’s changing feelings for Max felt natural and not rushed. Some of the quiet moments between them were incredibly intimate, and I couldn’t help but hope for a happy ending for them. I had a really hard time putting this book down and couldn’t stop thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading. It’s my first book by the author but it won’t be my last!

January 31, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

The Heat of the Moment

by Camilla Isley

coming February 16, 2026

(4 / 5)

First off, thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Heat of the Moment! All opinions are completely my own.

The Heat of the Moment was a romance that was quick to read, kept my interest well, and was enjoyable to read. It’s the 2nd book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. I liked this one even more than the first book! Both of the main characters, Lily and Josh, were likable, and I had a lot of respect for both of their professions as a nurse and firefighter. Lily’s daughter was also a fun character. The California setting was a nice escape, and I especially enjoyed the nature scenes. The plot didn’t really have any big surprises, but honestly it wasn’t something I went into the book expecting. It definitely had a sad undertone to it since Lily is a widow still grieving her late husband. Needless to say, it made the romance understandably complicated, but I thought it was handled well with a natural progression. There were some very intense scenes of emergency situations, so this was one of those books that really pulls at your emotions!

January 26, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

The Roommate Arrangement

by Samantha Markum

coming January 27, 2026

(4.5 / 5)

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, Margaret K. McElderry Books, RBmedia, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Roommate Arrangement! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

In The Roommate Arrangement, we follow Blair who is just starting college. When her best friends tell her that she can’t share an apartment with them with very little notice, she has to take what she can find. Except, it turns out that now one of her roommates will be her brother’s best friend, Jamie, and let’s just say that these siblings do not get along at all.

This was a book that I absolutely devoured and was sad when it was over. The text was so descriptive and immersive. Blair was a very relatable character. While on the surface the book is a young adult romance, it really dives into some tough subjects for teens. Through the book, Blair has to navigate changing friendships, a strained sibling relationship, controlling parents, a chaotic living arrangement, academic struggles, mental health, and a budding relationship that would not be approved of by others. Her journey to self acceptance and standing up for herself was enlightening. I liked the romance, and while it eventually turned sweet, the bickering at the start was quite entertaining. The supporting characters were diverse and I liked how they added depth to the story.

I really enjoyed the opportunity to experience the audiobook version of this book! The narrator did a great job, and I especially loved how each character had a different voice.

January 22, 2026 by danimae1981 Audiobook Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

The Beasts We Raise

The Broken Citadel #2

by D. L. Taylor

coming February 24, 2026

(4 / 5)

First off, thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Beasts We Raise! All opinions are completely my own.

The Beasts We Raise takes place several months after the first book left off and continues the story of Mance and Silver. While I didn’t like this book quite as much as the first one, I still enjoyed reading it. It had a different feel to it, maybe partially because it centered around Mance’s new ability. She just felt a bit stripped down, but ultimately it was intentional something that led to character growth. I wasn’t expecting the addition of some new points of view, but I really enjoyed seeing those perspectives. I liked the themes of acceptance and facing fears that the book dived into. Things often felt pretty dire and I wondered how the story could possibly have a happy ending. I was hoping for a bit more closure out of the ending, but I was still happy enough with the direction things went.

January 14, 2026 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

Carnival Fantástico

by Angela Montoya

coming February 3, 2026

(4.5 / 5)

Thank you to Random House Children’s Books, Joy Revolution, and NetGalley for the free review copy of Carnival Fantástico! All opinions about the book are completely my own.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was very immersive and pulled me in easily. I could just feel the desperation of the main characters from the start. It felt like the stakes were high. The book really captured the circus setting, with magic and wonder but also an unsettling feeling. There was plenty of action, tension, and a sense of mystery that kept me wanting to read right to the end. I also enjoyed the romance, though I wish the characters could’ve worked through the issues from their past faster. I really liked seeing their letters from when they were growing up, showing how their original relationship developed. I thought the variety of side characters were interesting and really brought the story to life. This was the 2nd book I’ve read by the author, and I’ll definitely be seeking out more in the future!