Category: characters

Book Review: The Rebel and the Rose, by Catherine Doyle     

Image belongs to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books.

Title: The Rebel and the Rose
Author: Catherine Doyle        
Genre: YA   
Rating: 5 out of 5

From a remote hilltop haven, far from the city of Fantome, Seraphine Marchant and her Order of Flames plot to eradicate shade magic with lightfire. But as Sera struggles to control her blooming powers, destiny calls her back to Fantome—and to the assassin who haunts her dreams.

Ransom Hale can’t get Sera out of his head. As their rivalry grows and he grapples with the responsibility of leading the Order of Daggers, he feels himself slipping further from who he wants to be. Is he doomed to a life in the shadows? Or can he forge another path?

Meanwhile, rebellion is stirring in the kingdom, and a dangerous prince grows in power. Forced to work together by order of the king, Sera and Ransom’s conflicted hearts are tested to their limits. And all the while, an ancient prophecy is unfolding that will change the fate of Valterre forever…

I had not read the first The City of Fantome book, but that didn’t end up mattering. The writing was so skillful and details from the past were worked in so seamlessly that I had no problems staying up-to-speed.

I loved these characters and this world! The mythology was interesting, and the culture was fascinating. So much sarcasm and snark made me snort frequently. I can’t wait to read more!

Catherine Doyle is from Ireland. The Rebel and the Rose is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Persephone’s Curse, by Katrina Leno    

Image courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books.

Title: Persephone’s Curse
Author: Katrina Leno           
Genre: YA    
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 

Are the four Farthing sisters really descended from Persephone? This is what their aunt has always told that the women in their family can trace their lineage right back to the Goddess of the Dead. And maybe she’s right, because the Farthing girls do have a ghost in the attic of their Manhattan brownstone —a kind and gentle ghost named Henry, who only they can see.

When one of the sisters falls in love with the ghost, and another banishes him to the Underworld, the sisters are faced with even bigger questions about who they are. If they really are related to Persephone, and they really are a bit magic, then perhaps it’s up to them to save Henry, to save the world, and to save each other.

I really enjoyed this! The setting is, in general, quite small and contained, but the characters are so vivid and distinct, it never felt constricted. I love the relationship between the sisters, and their family mythology is fascinating. I enjoyed every single page of this read.

Katrina Leno lives in L.A. Persephone’s Curse is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.)

The Best Books I Read in September (2025)

In September, I read 17 books, bringing my total for the year to 183 books read. I also DNFed six books. Of the 17 books I finished, most were solid reads, a handful were meh, and three were really excellent.

The White Octopus Hotel, by Alexandra Bell. This was historical fiction mixed with a bit of magic, and it was truly a lovely read. Great characters, an enchanting setting, and enough magic to keep it interesting.

Introducing Mrs. Collins, by Rachel Parris. A Pride and Prejudice spinoff about Charlotte Lucas? I was immediately intrigued. And reading about this character, who I never really gave much thought to before, was just so enjoyable. Yes, we get to see a few P&P scenes from a different set of eyes, which was wonderful, but Charlotte was fascinating in her own right.

The Forget-Me-Not Library, by Heather Webber. Sweet Southern fiction with a touch of magic? Yes, please. Y’all, I don’t even like small towns, and I loved Forget-Me-Not. Every character in this was fantastic and believable, and I loved both Juliet’s and Tallulah’s (How’s that for a Southern name?) journeys.

Book Review and Blog Tour: Grave Birds, by Dana Elmendorf

Image belongs to Harlequin/Mira.

Title: Grave Birds  
Author: Dana Elmendorf
Genre: Fantasy   
Rating: 4 out of 5

Grave birds haunt the cemeteries of Hawthorne, South Carolina, where Spanish moss drips from the trees and Southern charm hides ugly lies. Hollis Sutherland never knew these unique birds existed, not until she died and was brought back to life. The ghostly birds are manifestations of the dead’s unfinished business, and they know Hollis and her uncanny gift can set them free.

When a mysterious bachelor wanders into the small town, bizarre events begin to plague its wealthiest citizens—blood drips from dogwood blossoms, flocks of birds crash into houses, fire tornadoes descend from the sky. Hollis knows these are the omens her grandfather warned about, announcing the devil’s return. But despite Cain Landry’s eerie presence and the plague that has followed him, his handsome face and wicked charm win over the townsfolk. Even Hollis falls under his spell as they grow closer.

That is, until lies about the town’s past start to surface. The grave birds begin to show Hollis the dead’s ugly deeds from some twenty-five years ago and the horrible things people did to gain their wealth. Hollis can’t decide if Cain is some immortal hand of God, there to expose their sins, or if he’s a devil there to ruin them all. Either way, she’s determined to save her town and the people in it, whatever it takes.

This was a fun, quirky book. I loved the setting and the characters. Hollis was a lot of fun, and Cain was interesting. The small-town life was portrayed well, with enough eccentricities to be believable. I really enjoyed Hollis’s greenhouse home. That was so unique to me! The one problem I had with this was how abruptly Hollis and Cain’s relationship went from antagonist to romantic, with almost no transition. Other than that, this was a solid read.

Dana Elmendorf is from Tennessee. Grave Birds is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: My Friends, by Fredrik Backman

Image belongs to Atria Books.

Title: My Friends  
Author: Fredrik Backman   
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5 

Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an artist herself, knows otherwise and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their difficult home lives by spending their days laughing and telling stories out on a pier. There’s Joar, who never backs down from a fight; quiet and bookish Ted who is mourning his father; Ali, the daughter of a man who never stays in one place for long; and finally, there’s the artist, a boy who hoards sleeping pills and shuns attention, but who possesses an extraordinary gift that might be his ticket to a better life. These four lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be put into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. As she struggles to decide what to do with this bequest, she embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn the story of how the painting came to be. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more she feels compelled to unleash her own artistic spirit, but happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this fresh testament to the transformative power of friendship and art.

This was a heck of a read!  I expect great characters and an intriguing story from Fredrik Backman, but this was just so, so good. On the surface, it doesn’t seem super appealing, but the characters were just so appealing and their friendship was fantastic. Hanging out with the four friends in the past just sounded fun, and Louisa and Ted in the future made me laugh a lot. Great read, with some excellent twists.

Fredrik Backman is a bestselling author. My Friends is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Death at a Highland Wedding, by Kelley Armstrong

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: Death at a Highland Wedding   
Author: Kelley Armstrong          
Genre: Historical fiction, mystery/thriller, fantasy   
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

After slipping 150 years into the past, modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson has embraced her new life in Victorian Scotland as housemaid Catriona Mitchel. Although it isn’t what she expected, she’s developed real, meaningful relationships with the people around her and has come to love her role as assistant to undertaker Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie.

Mallory, Gray, and McCreadie are on their way to the Scottish Highlands for McCreadie’s younger sister’s wedding. The McCreadies and the groom’s family, the Cranstons, have a complicated history which has made the weekend quite uncomfortable. But the Cranston estate is beautiful so Gray and Mallory decide to escape the stifling company and set off to explore the castle and surrounding wilderness. They discover that the groom, Archie Cranston, a slightly pompous and prickly man, has set up deadly traps in the woods for the endangered Scottish wildcats, and they soon come across a cat who’s been caught and severely injured. Oddly, Mallory notices the cat’s injuries don’t match up with the intricacies of the trap. These strange irregularities, combined with the secretive and erratic behavior of the groom, put Mallory and Duncan on edge. And then when one of the guests is murdered, they must work fast to uncover the murderer before another life is lost.

This was a fun read. I thought I’d read the first book in the series—and not the second two—but maybe not. I still had no problems stepping in mid-series. I enjoyed the characters and the dichotomy between modern Mallory caught 150 years in the past. I found all the characters to be solid and (mostly) likable, and I truly had no idea what was really going on until the reveal at the end. Very solid historical/time travel mystery read with some great characters.

Kelley Armstrong is a bestselling author. Death at a Highland Wedding is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: It’s You Every Time, by Charlene Thomas  

Image belongs to Scholastic.

Title: It’s You Every Time   
Author: Charlene Thomas     
Genre: YA    
Rating: 4.5  

In a twist of fate, Sydney Michaels bumps into cute boy stranger Marcus Burke in the heart of midtown NYC during an impromptu trip to Dunkin’. But what had initially been an effort to soften the blow of failing her impending pre-calc exam, turns into a day-long, unforgettable adventure—when Marcus asks her to have breakfast with him instead. In just a few hours, Sydney’s already starting to fall, and there’s just something about Marcus that makes it feel like she’s known him forever.

As the night comes to an end, Sydney can’t believe that after all the loss she’s faced in the past two years, “the good part” is finally here and this perfect day gets to be hers—until an accident at the end of the night, quite literally, leaves her stuck in it.

This did not end like I expected it to—but that isn’t a bad thing. I loved how Sydney and Marcus both learn and grow during their time loop. They truly become themselves, and that was fun to watch amidst their missteps and wobbles. I like both of these characters equally and wanted things to work out for them, so it was fun to watch everything unfold—over and over again.

Charlene Thomas is also a marketer. It’s You Every Time is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Scholastic in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Time Loops & Meet Cutes, by Jackie Lau

Image belongs to Atria Books.

Title: Time Loops & Meet Cutes
Author: Jackie Lau         
Genre: Romance   
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Noelle Tom really shouldn’t have eaten those dumplings at the night market. But the old lady at the stall said they’d give her what she needed most, and what Noelle desperately needed after another long workweek was food.

Except now she’s reliving the same Friday over and over. Every morning her alarm goes off at 6:45 no matter what, the Wordle answer is always “happy,” and she watches a silly squirrel video go viral day after day. And no matter how much she works on the same proposal, it’s always erased when she wakes up. It seems Monday will never come in this workaholic’s worst nightmare.

Noelle has no idea how being trapped in a time loop is the “thing she needed most,” especially now that everything seems meaningless. Sure, three fancy meals in a row is a fun treat, but it’s getting repetitive. Noelle’s not sure what lesson the old lady was trying to impart. Even a trip to the dumpling stall doesn’t help…because there’s no sign of it.

But then she meets a young woman who also ate the dumplings, and good-looking Cam, who appears in multiple places on her Friday. While he seems to have no memory of their encounters, there are signs he might be the key to getting un-stuck. But Noelle will have to put work aside and live a little in order to make him notice her. As their flirtation progresses, Noelle begins to worry that if she ever gets to turn the calendar page, Cam won’t know who she is and her life may never return to what it was before that fateful Friday…

I wouldn’t say this was just a romance, because a large part of it was Noelle figuring out who she was—and who she wanted to be, and making changes to make that happen. The freedom she gets from knowing is she screws something up, the mistake will just reset gives her the courage to try new things, and that’s a lesson I think I could learn. The food in this book all sounded fantastic, too, and the night market was something I’d like to visit. Cam was pretty great, too, and I loved how he all tied into the time loop situation.

Jackie Lau lives in Canda. Time Loops & Meet Cutes is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.)

  

What I Read in April (2025)

Books Read in April: 21
Books Read for the Year:  86/225
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
It is Finished, by Charles Martin (spiritual, TBR): This was wonderful.
Ruin and Rising, by Leigh Bardugo (audio): I really enjoyed this whole trilogy on audio.
Demons and DNA, by Meghan Ciana Doidge (TBR): Wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy these new characters in this world, but so far, I’m really liking them!
The Beekeeper’s Promise, by Fiona Valphy (TBR): Wonderful read!
Magic in the Blood, by Devon Monk (re-read): Still loving this re-read.
The Naturalist Society, by Carrie Vaughn (TBR): This did not turn out like I expected.
Your Perfect Year, by Charlott Lucas (TBR): This was a great read! Felt kind of Fredrik Backman-esque.
Adulting, by Liz Talbot (TBR): I was on the fence at first with this, but I ended up liking it.


For Review:

Time Loops & Meet Cutes, by Jackie Lau. I enjoyed this read, although it felt less like a romance and more like Noelle figuring out who she wants to be and moving towards that.

It’s You Every Time, by Charlene Thomas. Not sure how I ended up reading two time loop novels back-to-back, but I liked this YA read.

The Thrashers, by Julie Soto. This ended up being different than I expected—or the Thrashers themselves were different–but I found it engrossing with a hint of creepy.

The Language of the Birds, by K.A. Merson. This was an okay read, but most of it was explaining the intricacies of the puzzles, and that just bogged everything down.

Out of Air, by Rachel Reiss. This was a quick read, but I feel like everything was left unexplained.

The Love Haters, by Katherine Center. I do love Katherine Cenbter’s books, and this one had me laughing out loud many times.

Death at a Highland Wedding, by Kelley Armstrong. I thought I’d read the first book in this series, but maybe not. It was still easy to jump in at book four, and I thoroughly enjoyed this.

My Friends, by Fredrik Backman. On the surface, this should not have been as good as it was. But, it’s a Backman book, so it had characters that grabbed a hold of your throat and drew you into the story—and never let go.

Heart of the Sun, by Mia Sheridan. This was a solid romance/dystopian read.

Their Double Lives, by Jaime Lynn Hendricks. I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the characters—they weren’t the nicest group of people and were pretty shameless about using others.

Our Last Wild Days, by Anna Bailey. I didn’t like any of these characters at all, but the setting was vivid enough to make me sweat along with them.

Just Because:

Bonds and Broken Dreams, by Meghan Ciana Doidge. I ended up binge-reading this over a weekend. Really like these characters.

Between, Georgia, by Joshilyn Jackson (audio). I enjoyed this so much! Bernice was not my favorite, but I loved the other characters.

Left Unfinished:
The Golden Gryphon and the Bear Prince, by Jeffe Kennedy. Um, no.
The Lost Queen, by Aimee Phan. The first third was pretty good. I made it halfway, but it started to seem just to-good-to-be-true, you know? And I didn’t like–or trust–Huong.
Murder Land, by Carlyn Greenwald. Unexpected content.
Wildbound, by Elayne Audrey Becker. This just didn’t hold my attention. At all.
Slipstream, by Madge Maril. I didn’t make it very far in this because Lilah got on my last nerve with her passiveness and poor-me attitude, and Arthur came across as a self-absorbed jerk.
Just Another Meet Cute, by Jenn. P. Nguyen. I had device issues while trying to read this, and I didn’t like it well enough to persevere.

Book Review: The Amalfi Curse, by Sarah Penner

Image belongs to Harlequin/Park Row.

Title: The Amalfi Curse
Author: Sarah Penner
Genre: Fiction, historical fiction  
Rating: 5 out of 5

Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse…

Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, has come to the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. But Haven is hoping to find more than old artifacts beneath the azure waters; she is secretly on a quest to locate a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. Upon Haven’s arrival, strange maelstroms and misfortunes start plaguing the town. Is it nature or something more sinister at work?

As Haven searches for her father’s sunken treasure, she begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman’s quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Could this magic be behind Positano’s latest calamities? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever…

This was an excellent read! I loved the setting; it sounded so beautiful. Both the main characters, Haven and Mari, are strong women trapped (to some extent) by circumstance beyond their control but determined to do whatever necessary to make things right. The characters are vibrant, and I was invested in what happened to them.

 Sarah Penner is a bestselling author. The Amalfi Curse is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Park Row in exchange for an honest review.)