paranormal

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.

Never Seen the Stars

by Kate Korsh

(4 / 5)

Many thanks to Scholastic Press and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

I went into this book knowing it was going to pull at the heartstrings. How could it not when our main character, Hattie, has just lost her friend in a drowning accident and she’s struggling with the fact that she will eventually go blind, just like her dad. The first chapter starts with a funeral and feels very somber, though the mood does pick up as the book continues. The main characters took some warming up to… Hattie was pretty angsty and Mason struck me as a bit obnoxious, but then it also felt realistic for teenagers and gave room for the characters to grow. I was happy to see how much Hattie improved communicating with others and facing her grief. The book focused heavily on different kinds relationships between both peers and adults/teens, and I thought it was done in a positive way. I liked the representation of vision impairment and how people might react to going blind. When I found out that the author has retinitis pigmentosa herself, it made that part of the story feel even more authentic.

November 6, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

The House Saphir

by Marissa Meyer

coming November 4, 2025

(4 / 5)

Thank to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for the free review copy of The House Saphir! All opinions are completely my own.

This book is a retelling of Bluebeard, which I honestly wasn’t at all familiar with. You don’t need any background knowledge to enjoy the story. From reading summaries I can definitely see the roots of this story, but it’s different enough that already being familiar with Bluebeard shouldn’t spoil anything.

I enjoyed this book and thought it did a good job giving a spooky and mysterious feel. Sometimes the first half felt a little slow, but it was fun to see how all the pieces started to fit together as we got farther into the story. I was making a bunch of my own theories along the way, some of which I got right. Other times I was caught completely off guard. The action really picked up toward the end, which kept me invested in the story and unable to put it down. I was happy with the way things progressed through the story and how it ended. I’m reminded why I enjoy this author’s work so much!

October 30, 2025 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

Torchfire

The Torch Trilogy #2

by Moira Buffini

coming October 28, 2025

(4.5 / 5)

Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books, Storytide, and NetGalley for the free review copy of Torchfire! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

Torchfire continues the story from Songlight and is the 2nd book in a trilogy, so you’ll definitely want to read the first book before this one. I really enjoyed this book! It packs in the drama and felt very immersive. Sometimes things moved in unexpected directions or caught me by surprise. I was very invested in the story. We’re following six different points of view, which sounds like a lot but actually works really well. It’s interesting to view this world from different angles and see how it all intertwines. Sometimes it’s a while before we come back to a character, but I think it allows us to see what’s going on without feeling redundant or drawn out. The character relationships are complicated, and I like seeing how different characters react to their circumstances even if their choices are frustrating at times. This story is very much not over, leaving us at some cliffhangers when the book ends. I’ll be watching for the next book, because I can’t wait to see what happens next!

October 22, 2025 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

The Encanto’s Curse

The Encanto’s Daughter #2

By Melissa de la Cruz

Coming March 4, 2025

(4 / 5)

The Encanto’s Curse is the 2nd book in the The Encanto’s Daughter duology and takes place a few months after the first book left off. I found this story had a similar feel to the first one, though it had more romance involved. I’m not sure if I was completely a fan of the love triangle aspect, but it added a bit of mystery about how who she would end up with (though I had a pretty good idea of how that would go). I thought the ties to Filipino folklore were interesting, with the manananggal sounding downright terrifying. The book definitely didn’t lack in action and excitement, so it kept me engaged and interested in the story. I was happy with how this series ended and liked that there were some directions the plot went that I didn’t see coming.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Encanto’s Curse! All opinions are completely my own and voluntary.

February 7, 2025 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

A Cruel Thirst

By Angela Montoya

Coming December 17, 2024

(4 / 5)

Lalo has been turned into a vampire, but he is determined to undo the curse and not lose his humanity. Carolina wants to hunt vampires with the rest of her family, but her parents would rather arrange a marriage and life of safety for her. Will the two be able to work together to rid the world of vampires?

I enjoyed reading A Cruel Thirst. It integrates a lot of common vampire lore while also providing explanations for its origins, stemming back to gods and the first vampire. I liked both of the main characters, with Lalo being rather dramatic and terrible at being a vampire while Carolina was strong, spirited, and independent. The relationship that develops between them had the right amount of push and pull to keep it believable and interesting. I thought the Latino background of the characters was enhanced with the use of Spanish words throughout the story, but in a way that someone who doesn’t know the language can still understand the meaning. Overall, I felt that this story was done really well, and I look forward to reading more by the author.

Thank you to Random House Children’s, Joy Revolution, and NetGalley for the free review copy of A Cruel Thirst! All opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.

October 13, 2024 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

If I Stopped Haunting You

by Colby Wilkens

Coming October 15, 2024

(3.5 / 5)

Four months after rival authors Pen and Neil have a rather public fight that results in one throwing a book at the other, they find themselves on the same writer’s retreat in Scotland. With the castle they are staying at rumored to be haunted and feelings between them getting complicated, can they survive the whole week together?

If I Stopped Haunting You was an interesting combination of spicy romance with paranormal activity and some horror elements. The settings gave the story a creepy undertone that was fitting, and I enjoyed the detailed descriptions. The story begins with Pen acting a bit childish and impulsive, which doesn’t give the best first impression, but I ended up enjoying her character anyway. I liked that the book alternated between the points of view of both of the main characters, which helped me understand and like them both better. For the most part I liked the story, though it lost some momentum for me for maybe the last third of the book – characters seemed to make some illogical choices given the circumstances, and the ghost mystery was resolved in a way that left me a bit underwhelmed. A few things seemed to go unexplained too, though I can see how it adds to the mysterious atmosphere of the story. Of note, I appreciated the insight into the experiences of Indigenous authors, an ongoing theme throughout the story.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for the free review copy of If I Stopped Haunting You! All opinions presented in my review are completely my own.

September 29, 2024 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

Wished

By Sarah Ready

Coming October 1, 2024

(4 / 5)

Anna has been in love with Max since she first met him 3 years ago. The problem is that he doesn’t notice her at all, she’s just one of the hired people cleaning his house. When she makes a wish on an heirloom necklace, an unexpected turn of events ensues.

Wished is the 4th book in Sarah Ready’s Ghosted series. Since there’s very little references to the previous books, it could easily be read as a standalone, though there are some possible spoilers in the epilogue if you intend to eventually read the earlier books.

I thought this was an enjoyable read. It’s not surprising that we experience some insta-love along the way, given Anna’s love at first sight and then reality changing from a wish. There’s some pretty intense feelings involved that turns up the spice. I enjoyed some of the philosophical aspects that the book explores, such as the impact of changed realities, freedom of choice, and the things that make people happy. There was at least one aspect of the scenario that was never really explained, though given the magical/paranormal aspect the story is based on, that might be explanation enough for most people. This book definitely brings a rollercoaster of emotions.

Thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members’ Titles and NetGalley for the free review copy of Wished! All opinions expressed are completely my own.

August 30, 2024 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry

By Ransom Riggs

Coming August 27, 2024

(4 / 5)

Seventeen-year-old Leopold “Larry” Berry is completely average. After losing his mother when he was twelve, Leopold became obsessed with a TV show he found on VHS with his mother’s things. But then he begins to see strange things from the world in the show, Sunder. Is he losing his mind, or does Sunder actually exist?

Sunderworld, Vol. I was my introduction to author Ransom Riggs, and I was impressed at how readable the book felt. I’m not the fastest reader, but I felt like I was flying through this one. Leopold, the main character, felt very relatable, and I enjoyed watching him gain confidence over the course of the book. Sunder, the magical world, introduces some bizarre experiences, though entering that world wasn’t as strange as I thought it might be. I enjoyed the sense of adventure and mystery this book brought, with a decent amount of action along the way. I did feel like the book ended somewhat abruptly, leaving most things that were going on unresolved. I still have so many questions! I think this was a strong start to a new series, and this first book left me anxious to find out what will happen next.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group, Dutton Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for the free review copy of Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

August 7, 2024 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

Fated

By Sarah Ready

Coming July 16, 2024

(3.5 / 5)

Fated is the 3rd book in the Ghosted series, though it takes place before the other books, so I think it could easily be read as a standalone. In this story, we follow Fiona, co-owner of her family’s famous watch company in Geneva. She has some abandonment issues and is afraid to fall in love. When she is gifted a family heirloom that will let her dream her desires, she is introduced to a different life on an island, with a husband that might be a chance for her to love.

I wanted to love this book… the premise was interesting, with beautiful settings and great descriptions. The pacing felt a bit slow for my taste, and I think I would have liked to see more of Fiona in the real world. The dream world definitely had more drama and complications than I was expecting. I think I felt a little uncomfortable with the premise of Fiona basically living the life of another person (Becca) in the dream world, who seemed to have different intentions when Fiona wasn’t there. Meanwhile Fiona is dating her friend, Max, in the real world while she falls for Aaron in the dream world. All that said, the end of the book really takes a turn that tugs at the heartstrings and kept me more invested in the story. I was happy about how it ended and like the hints toward the next book in the series.

Thank you to Swift & Lewis Publishing LLC | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members’ Titles, Sarah Ready and NetGalley for the free review copy of Fated! All opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.