Fiction

Wild Reverence

Letters of Enchantment #0

by Rebecca Ross

coming September 2, 2025

(4 / 5)

I want to thank Saturday Books, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

I really loved Divine Rivals, so I was excited to receive an ARC of this prequel. Honestly, this one didn’t quite live up to my high expectations, though it was still a good read. It takes place hundreds of years earlier and focuses heavily on the gods, so it just has a different feel from the other books. At times the book felt like it was dragging and longer than it needed to be, but things seemed to pick up as I got farther into the story. The romance was very slow burn, but I did enjoy it. The book had a lot of ups and downs with a mix of action/excitement and very sad moments. I was satisfied with how it ended, though the very end almost felt a bit anticlimactic. I think Wild Reverence is worth reading if you enjoyed the other Letters of Enchantment books, especially if you are interested in learning more about the gods and their backstory.

Wish You Were Her

by Elle McNicoll

coming August 26, 2025

(4 / 5)

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

In Wish You Were Her, we follow a young actress, Allegra, who is taking a break and spending her summer in a small town, where she meets a grumpy bookseller, Jonah. It’s dual POV, which gives us the opportunity to see things from both Allegra and Jonah’s perspectives. Since the author is Scottish, the book is written in British English.

I enjoyed reading this book and had a hard time putting it down. While there wasn’t anything super surprising about the plot, it didn’t really take away from my enjoyment of the book. The relationship between Allegra and Jonah could be a bit explosive but was fun to watch it evolve. We meet a variety of characters, with some very likable and others having a darker side.

A big topic in this story is autism, and we meet a couple autistic characters along the way. I thought it was all very insightful, with great descriptions of how characters felt. It was portrayed in an optimistic and uplifting way while still showing the obstacles characters faced. Allegra was an especially interesting character since we could see what it was like to be famous, the challenges that came with it, and how her autism affected that experience, sometimes in a very positive way.

This was a quick, fun read, and I look forward to seeing more from the author!

August 21, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

The Incredible Kindness of Paper

by Evelyn Skye

coming August 12, 2025

(4.5 / 5)

Thank you to Atria Books, Emily Bestler Books, and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

This was such a heartwarming story! I loved the idea of Chloe’s origami roses, a random act of kindness that ended up bringing so many people together who were struggling or lonely. Everything was interconnected so intricately, and I enjoyed Chloe and Oliver’s story. Some aspects of the book are a bit magical, with flowers mysteriously appearing for certain people, but it worked well the way it was written. It had this feeling of fate, like an invisible string holding things together. This was a story that just left me feeling happy and hopeful. I really enjoyed reading it and would love to read it again in the future!

August 7, 2025 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance Women's Fiction 0

A Dragon Rider’s Guide to Retirement

by Julia Huni

coming August 5, 2025

(3.5 / 5)

A special “thank you” to author Julia Huni for providing a free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

This was a cozy fantasy with a quaint small-town setting. It also had a sweet, spice-free romance that developed. I liked how descriptive the story was, allowing me to easily visualize this world. It almost felt like a fairy tale the way it was written, with a variety of magical beings. I especially liked the water dragons! There wasn’t necessarily anything that was shocking or surprising in the story, but sometimes it’s nice to have something that doesn’t bring a ton of drama. And there were still some exciting scenes to keep things interesting! It was fun to meet William and Cala, who were both likable characters. I liked to see how they each adapted to “normal” life after fighting in a war for many years. Some of the side characters were a lot of fun too!

July 23, 2025 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance 0

Well, Actually

by Mazey Eddings

coming August 5, 2025

(4 / 5)

First off, thank you to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for the free review copy of Well, Actually! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

A spontaneous drunken social media post leads to two online personalities to have to confront each other and their past failed relationship, all with the public watching.

I really enjoyed reading this one! I thought it had fun elements while also diving into some more serious topics as well. It manages to have some decent spice too. I think Eva, the FMC, probably won’t be for everyone – on the outside she can be prickly, harsh, and push people away. I couldn’t help but like her though, and I enjoyed watching her character grow. I liked the dynamic between Eva and Rylie, the MMC, who challenged her in a positive way and accepted her the way she was. The banter between the two was fun and one of my favorite things about this book. I thought the way that Eva and Rylie confronted their past was handled well. Some of the workplace issues were a bit appalling, but I like how things were resolved in the end. I found the book engaging and hard to put down – I’ll be seeking out more by the author in the future!

July 14, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

Soul of Shadow

by Emma Noyes

coming July 29, 2025

(4 / 5)

Review updated: February 16, 2026

*Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners, and NetGalley for the free review copies of this book and audiobook. All opinions are completely my own.*

Soul of Shadow is the first book in a new series that brings us to a town in Michigan where teens are mysteriously disappearing. Our main character, Charlie finds herself drawn to a new boy in town who has some very dark secrets.

This book drew me in right from the start with its mysterious, eerie feel and detailed descriptions. It ends up diving into a lot of Norse mythology, which I was only somewhat familiar with before. I enjoyed the magical beings and hidden world that were revealed. Elias, the new boy, was an intriguing character with a magnetic pull, especially when it came to him and Charlie. He was one of those characters who you wanted to love and hate at the same time. The story took some unexpected turns a few times. Sometimes I started to piece things together a bit before they were revealed, but other times I didn’t see it coming at all. I enjoy it when things are unpredictable. The book ends without feeling completely finished, or at least with a feeling that there are mysteries that we can dive deeper into. It definitely left me wanting to continue with the series – I look forward to continuing when the next book becomes available.

For my 2nd time reading the book, I was able to listen to the audiobook version. I really enjoyed the audiobook and think that the narrator did a fantastic job. I’m really happy that the next book will have the same narrator!

July 9, 2025 by danimae1981 Audiobook Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

Soulmatch

by Rebecca Danzenbaker

coming July 29, 2025

(5 / 5)

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book. All opinions in my review are completely my own.

Soulmatch brings us to a future where souls can be identified, linking you to your previous lives and the benefits or consequences that come with it. Dystopian fiction has been one of my favorite genres for years, and this book did not disappoint. While the initial premise reminded me of some other popular series I’ve read, the idea of reincarnated souls was thought-provoking and different. I was honestly surprised at how quickly I was pulled into this world. It was a great blend of action, thrills, mystery and romance. Everything was so complex and intricate, keeping me guessing and second guessing about what would happen and how it all tied together. It was one of those books where when I finished, I felt an itch read it again right away just to see everything from the new perspective of knowing how it ends. It’s hard to believe this is the author’s debut novel, because it just felt so well done – I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!

June 29, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Sci-Fi Young Adult 0

The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain

Mistakes We Never Made #2

by Hannah Brown

(3.5 / 5)

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book. All opinions in my review are completely my own.

The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain follows an impulsive free spirited woman who has had 3 failed engagements. She takes a trip to Hawaii where she unexpectedly runs into her most recent ex-fiancé. This book is the second in the Mistakes We Never Made series. I’ve read both books, and while Sybil’s story does begin in the first book, I think it can still easily be read as a standalone. I actually liked this one better than the first book.

First off, I really loved the setting in Hawaii, and the descriptions were great. It took me a while to really warm up to the characters, and honestly I wasn’t positive who the love interest was going to be until pretty late in the book, so I wasn’t feeling much of a romantic vibe most of the time. There’s a lot of reflecting on Sybil’s past while she processes through her past relationships, which could be a bit emotional at times. The story wasn’t quite what I was expecting going in, but it still managed to draw me in, especially the farther into the book I got. The book was readable enough, and I actually finished it in a single day, which I don’t usually do. I was satisfied with how things ended and overall enjoyed how the characters grew over the course of the story.

June 25, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance Women's Fiction 0

Mistakes We Never Made

by Hannah Brown

(3 / 5)

I went into this one knowing that there’s a lot of lower reviews for it, but I’m interested in the 2nd book, so thought it would be nice to start here. It was readable enough and kept my interest, but I can also see what people didn’t like about it. Emma, the FMC, wasn’t exactly likable and could be pretty self-centered, even though her intentions were good. She does improve over the course of the book. Finn was more likable than Emma, but I honestly wasn’t feeling the romance between them very much. I think there’s times from the past where they both messed up. I didn’t get the best vibe on Sybil, the runaway bride, but I also detected a lot of jealousy on Emma’s part. It was frustrating to reach the end of the book and not even find out some of the answers I was hoping for. In the end, it wasn’t necessarily a bad book, but definitely not a favorite either.

June 24, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

The Last Wizards’ Ball

Gunnie Rose #6

by Charlaine Harris

coming July 22, 2025

(3.5 / 5)

Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

The Last Wizards’ Ball is the 6th (and I believe final) book in the Gunnie Rose series, so you’ll want to be sure to read the previous books before this one. I’ve generally loved this series, though the last two books seem to be my least favorite.

This book kept my interest well enough. Like the other books in the series, there’s plenty of drama and mystery, though it felt less adventurous than some of the other books. Since the story centers around the Wizards’ Ball, a lot of new characters from around the world are introduced, and sometimes I had a little trouble keeping track of who was who. We get to see many returning characters as well, though I felt much less of a connection to Felicia than I had before. A major plot-point of this story was the lead-up to World War II. In some ways it was interesting to see how those events might play out in this alternate history, but sometimes it also felt a bit forced. Honestly I wasn’t thrilled with how things ended after the long journey with these characters, but I also wasn’t completely surprised. All in all I’m glad to have followed this series all the way through.

June 18, 2025 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle 0