Review: Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde #2) by Heather Fawcett

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands (Emily Wilde, #2)Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands is the much anticipated sequel to Heather Fawcett’s runaway Cozy Fantasy hit, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

I was swept away by the first book and was beyond ready to be back with Emily, Shadow and Wendall Bambleby on another cozy, magical adventure!!

In this story, Emily and Bambleby have returned to Cambridge, and to their roles at the University. Emily’s Encyclopaedia has come to fruition and she’s currently working on a new project, a map of the Otherlands.

In the wake of their time in Hrafnsvik, Emily now knows the truth of Bambleby’s heritage. Summarily, that he’s an exiled faerie king on the run from his murderous mother, but he also is desperately searching for a door back to his realm.

When magical assassins arrive at Cambridge, and attack, looking for Bambleby, Emily is swiftly dragged into another fae-filled adventure.

They set their sights on a picturesque destination, the Austrian Alps, where Emily believes they will finally be able to find the portal. They hope they’ll be able to set Bambleby free, once and for all from his mother’s menacing grip.

They’ve brought along some additional traveling companions this time, Emily’s niece, Ariadne, and Department Head, Dr. Rose, which added to the fun.

But if you’ve read the first book, you know Emily, she’s not exactly a people person, so let’s just say, these new additions may be more by folly than gracious invite.

Nevertheless, along with the ever faithful Shadow, all these individuals, with vastly different personalities, make for a humorous and greatly-engaging traveling group.

While I still loved the adventure and the cast of characters, this one did lose some of the feel of the cozy atmosphere that the 1st-book captured so well; at least for me.

Obviously, the setting is very different, so that was the main culprit, but also the stakes were a lot higher. It felt more dangerous and at times I was at the edge-of-my-seat with worry for these characters, particularly, Bambleby.

The way this kicks off, it happens very quickly. There’s no quiet build like in the first book. This felt more like being shot out of a cannon in comparison.

Even so, in the context of the story, it does make sense. The setting of Cambridge is more dynamic, just in its general nature, and there’s a lot happening for our characters in the aftermath of the first book.

We also have a larger cast of characters affecting the narrative. I did love our new additions though. Both Ariadne and Dr. Rose grew on me greatly over the course of the story and I loved seeing Emily’s reactions to their presence change over time as well.

In fact, IMO, Emily does soften a bit over the course of this story, which actually filled my heart to see. She’s still the same feisty, determined woman she’s always been, but perhaps with a bit more room in her world for others.

With all this being said, I loved watching this story evolve and I came to a realization by the end, it was still Cozy. This time however, the coziness came from the relationships, not the setting as much, and I thought that was brilliant.

I absolutely recommend this series. If you enjoyed the first book, you need to pick this up. You’ll walk away even more in love with these characters than you were before.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Del Rey, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I am looking forward to more adventures with Emily Wilde!!

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Review: Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice (Finlay Donovan #4) by Elle Cosimano

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice (Finlay Donovan, #4)Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice is the highly-anticipated 4th-installment to Elle Cosimano’s Finlay Donovan Cozy Mystery series, featuring my favorite gal pals, Finlay and Vero!

When Finlay and Vero mention they need a Girls Weekend, people think rest, relaxation, that the women need to let their hair down. After the events at the Citizen’s Police Academy, it wouldn’t be surprising if they needed a break.

This is Finlay and Vero though, so you know there’s more to it than that. What they’ve really got planned is negotiating with a loan shark, rescuing Vero’s childhood crush, Javi, and finding a stolen luxury car.

Getting away won’t be so easy though. After Finlay’s mother hears about the Girls Weekend to Atlantic City, she insists on going. They’ll need help with the kids and she’s a girl too. She wants in.

Then Steven, Finlay’s ex-husband, gets word of the trip and insists that Finlay cannot take the kids over a state border without his permission, which he’s not giving, but he’s willing to go along.

Thus begins the most hilarious road trip from hell.

They check into a seedy casino hotel, two rooms of course, and Finlay and Vero get to work right away. It’s tricky, but they don’t have a lot of time.

After negotiations with the loan shark, Marco, fail, the gals have to move on to Plan B. They’ll just have to find the whereabouts of Javi and the Aston Martin themselves, using nothing but their phenomenal sleuthing skills.

They figure out where Marco’s suite is and decide to break in to search for clues. I mean, obviously, right!?

Unfortunately, they discover much more than they bargained for in that suite; Marco’s dead body. With police circling like birds of prey, Finlay and Vero need to stay out of their sights, find Javi and get the heck out of dodge before they get accused of killing Marco themselves.

Y’all, I had so much fun with this. First of all, I was stoked to be back with this outrageous cast of characters. I love Finlay and Vero with my whole heart, but it’s not just them. All the side characters are wildly entertaining as well.

The way this one kicked off, with the road trip to Atlantic City, was hilarious. Just how the girls thought they could get away real quick and do what they needed to do, and the next thing you know, we’ve got two rambunctious kids, a opinionated mother and a jerk of an ex-husband in tow.

Then Marco’s hotel room. OMG, I was laughing out loud, exclaiming things. I couldn’t believe how much they were bumbling up that crime scene. It was hilarious.

And people kept showing up! Like, oh, now Nick is here!? I loved that, how even though the setting had changed, we still ended up having the full cast of wacky characters.

I absolutely adored the Atlantic City setting. It’s absurd how many opportunities for hi-jinks they had there. I was living for every minute of it.

This is an extremely strong addition to the series. At this point, my level of attachment for these characters is off the charts and this is one of my favorite mysteries so far.

Overall, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice is another well-plotted, explosive, uproarious, utterly ridiculous adventure with Finlay and friends. 100% recommend to Readers who have enjoyed other books in this series.

If you haven’t started the series yet, but enjoy Cozy Mysteries full of OTT-humor and wild escapades, you definitely should give it a go.

I have listened to the audiobooks for the last three and have loved that format so much. The narration is perfect, A++!!!

Thank you so very much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I love this series and hope that it continues for a long, long time!

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Review: What Feasts at Night (Sworn Soldier #2) by T. Kingfisher

What Feasts at Night (Sworn Soldier, #2)What Feasts at Night by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

What Feasts at Night is the 2nd-release in the Sworn Soldier series by one of my favorite authors, T. Kingfisher.

When I read the 1st-book in this series, What Moves the Dead, an atmospheric reimagining of Edgar Allen Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher, I believed it to be a standalone novella.

Having loved it as much as I did, imagine my surprise when I learned we were going to be getting more stories following the witty, charming and delightful MC, Alex Easton.

Alex has quickly become one of my favorite character perspectives to read from. Kingfisher channels her signature sense of humor beautifully into this character and reading their perspective feels like you are sitting with a friend, as they tell you the most horrifying vacation stories ever.

In this installment, Alex, along with some of the best side characters ever, including Hod, Angus and Miss Potter, travel to Alex’s family’s hunting lodge, deep in the dark, cold forests of Gallacia.

When they arrive the rest and relaxation they were hoping for is impossible to find, as the caretaker has died and the property is in disarray.

The local village is a titter, claiming that a breath-stealing monster, coming in the cover of night, has taken up residence at the hunting lodge.

While Alex generally doesn’t put much stock in local rumors, or the monsters of lore being real, having just survived what they did at the Usher manor, it’s hard to write off the possibility entirely.

Soon things that Alex could have never imagined, nightmare-like situations, begin to become reality. Maybe something is going on in the lodge after all?

I loved this. I’m already excited to read it again and to get a hard copy for my shelves. I’m not sure what the plans are for the Sworn Soldier series, but I truly, truly hope this is not the last we are going to see of these characters.

Whether there is one more to come, or sixty more, I am here for them all!!

Kingfisher succeeded again in making me care so much about these characters and what was happening to them. Even though this is just a novella, it packs a punch. The atmosphere, plot progression and horror imagery, were all so well done.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a dark, gothic story, following fun and engaging characters. If you enjoyed the first book, I definitely think you will love this one as well.

Thanks to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I will be keeping my fingers crossed for more Alex Easton!!

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Review: No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall

No One Can KnowNo One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

No One Can Know is the most recent Adult release from beloved author, Kate Alice Marshall, who made her Adult Debut last January with What Lies in the Woods. I enjoyed that quite a bit, so have been anxiously awaiting this release.

Happily, it didn’t disappoint for a moment. I listened to the audiobook and yet again, Karissa Vacker’s stellar narration knocked it out of the park.

In this story we meet Emma, who after her husband, Nathan, loses his job, and essentially their housing, has to come clean to him about that fact that she actually already owns a home. It has the potential to save them.

As you can imagine, he’s surprised, but the truth is, Emma hasn’t told him much about her past. He knows her parents are dead and that she’s estranged from her two sisters, other than that, he knows nothing of the bloody and tragic events that shaped Emma’s life.

The situation is that Emma owns her parent’s home jointly with her sisters. They can’t sell it, but they can live in it.

Without having much of a choice, and trust, Emma would do anything else if she could, they move in.

Unfortunately, moving back to her hometown and into her family home means that Emma’s going to have to come clean with Nathan about a few more things…

For example, like the fact that her parents were actually murdered in the home and many in the town believed that Emma was the one responsible.

Emma’s sudden presence comes as a shock to the town and yet again, rumors and speculations begin to swirl. She sort of figured that would happen though, that’s why she stayed away for so long.

Her being back has another, more unexpected consequence. It lures her sisters back too. The three have never actually talked about what happened. Each of them has their own thoughts and secrets regarding that fateful night.

But are their secrets continuing to put them in more danger? If Emma didn’t do it, then who did? And will they ever be able to rekindle their once loving relationships?

I found this set-up so interesting. I liked Emma as a character from the start, but I hated her husband.

Those feelings continued throughout and only helped to solidify my connection to the story. My ire towards Nathan alone, kept me glued to the pages.

I felt bad for Emma, having lost her parents and then her sisters. It seemed unfair to me, as she seemed genuinely distraught by the events that had led to the family demise.

We eventually get the perspectives of Emma’s sisters, Juliette, now going by J.J., and Daphne. While I didn’t have the same level of feelings for them that I felt for Emma, I did find them interesting; messy, but interesting.

I loved getting the back-and-forth between the past and present. I always enjoy that, as the puzzle pieces are set in place. I love just sitting back and enjoying the ride as everything becomes clear.

I will say, this one kept me guessing for way longer than I expected. I think Marshall did a great job of keeping enough possibilities in play to keep the Reader engaged and guessing. It wasn’t quite clear until almost the very end.

I suspected everyone at one time or another. I also enjoyed how the pace steadily increased the further you got along, until it was pedal to the floor, full throttle, full speed ahead!

I’m really enjoying KAM in this Adult space. I also love her YA work, so it’s clear to me, she’ll be successful with whatever she chooses to write. She’s just that good.

If you haven’t yet read Kate Alice Marshall, I feel like this could be a fun place to start. I definitely recommend this audiobook too, if that is an option for you. Karissa Vacker is one of my all-time favorite narrators and she definitely helped to bring this story to life.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

This was fantastic and certainly delivered on the tense family drama and deep dark secrets I was expecting. I can’t wait to see what Marshall gives us next!

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Review: A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat

A Place for VanishingA Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

A Place for Vanishing is the most recent YA-Horror novel from one of my new go-to authors, Ann Fraistat.

I actually recently read Fraistat’s debut, What We Harvest, and was so impressed with the story she created within those pages. It sucked me in from the start and never let up.

This story is similar in a lot of ways. The first being it gets started quickly and has a great cast of characters. This feels more gothic though and a bit more cerebral.

In this story we follow Libby, who has recently been diagnosed with bipolar III. The events that led to that diagnosis were difficult not just for her, but also her Mom and little sister, Vivi.

Looking for a fresh start, her Mom decides to move them into her childhood home, Madame Clery’s House of Masks, a property she has been avoiding for decades.

The crumbling gothic mansion brings the atmosphere I most crave. From the very start, I was hooked on this property and learning more about it. It’s fascinating.

There’s a prominent insect theme carried throughout the house, not just through the presence of the little beasts, but also through the various architectural details of the home, most notably the beautiful stained glassed windows.

In the local area, there are many rumors circling about the property, mainly surrounding numerous disappearances over the years. But is it haunted? Cursed? Is there actually any truth behind the speculations?

Libby befriends a local boy, Finn, who has his own interest in the house, stemming back to the disappearance of his father years before.

It’s not long before Libby and Vivi begin noticing strange things occurring around the home, including their Mom’s changed behavior. It’s soon clear that this house is more than just a house. There’s something sinister here, lying in wait just under the surface.

We follow along as the girls try to figure out the truth surrounding the property and if possible, a way for them to survive it unscathed.

I really loved this. It has such a vibe and it is sensationally carried through start-to-finish. If you are a Reader searching for atmosphere, dark and dangerous, this is definitely a story you need to check out.

Ann Fraistat is an absolute gem in the YA Horror genre.

Early on it made me think of Katrina Leno’s Horrid, just in the set-up of returning to the mother’s mysterious, gothic-feeling childhood home, full of dark secrets.

Fraistat kept this interesting by adding in numerous turns that I wasn’t anticipating. Similar to her first novel, this included some very interesting occult themes that felt historic and genuine, as well as eerie.

The House of Masks certainly lived up to its name. I really enjoyed learning more about the history of the property itself and the events that occurred there.

I think Fraistat was successful in building-out the feeling of the home so much, it actually became a character unto itself. I love when an author is able to achieve that.

I feel like Fraistat is one of the best going right now in the YA Horror space. It is important to keep in mind, this story is gothic, occult, thoughtful, emotional Horror, more than slasher, body or Horror thriller though, so it all depends what you like and what you’re looking for.

Overall, I had a fantastic time with this. It was beautiful, engaging, thought-provoking and at times, jaw-dropping. I’m so glad Fraistat is out there creating stories for us all.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next!

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Review: The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

The HeiressThe Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore. That’s quite a name and the lady herself has quite a story. In The Heiress, you get a front row seat to all her drama.

Buckle up, baby, you’re in for a bumpy ride.

In Rachel Hawkins latest novel, she treats us to the complicated life story of Ruby McTavish and the fractious family she left behind.

At the time of her death, Ruby was the wealthiest woman in North Carolina. She was also its most notorious resident.

Her notoriety started early when she was kidnapped as a child, a very wealthy child. Her face and story were everywhere. The talk of the town, you could say.

Unlike the tragic case of the Lindbergh baby though, Ruby was found alive and returned into the arms of her family. A seemingly happy ending.

Ruby lived an eventful life from that time forward. Widowed four times over, with marriages the stuff of gossip columns, her early infamy never really had the chance to wear off.

After her death, the family estate, Ashby House, set high in the Blue Ridge mountains, along with Ruby’s nine-figure fortune is left to her adopted son, Camden, much to the chagrin of the other surviving McTavish family members.

Camden doesn’t want anything to do with the estate, or the inheritance. He rejects it and moves to Colorado. He marries, becomes an English teacher and lives a fairly normal life.

10-years later, after the death of his Uncle, a summons for his presence brings Camden, along with his wife, Jules, back to North Carolina and into the fold of the McTavish family.

Cam may be displeased about their stay in North Carolina, but Jules has other thoughts. She loves the property and is enamored by the idea of it being all theirs.

The more she learns about Cam’s estranged family, the more determined she becomes for him to claim everything Ruby intended for him to have. The more they learn about Ruby though, the more tainted her legacy seems to become. What exactly is her story?

I found this to be absolutely addictive. I listened to the audiobook and loved how it was formatted, as well as the multi-cast narration.

We get both Cam and Jules perspectives, as well as Ruby’s story through a series of letters she has written to an unknown recipient. Cam and Jules are both providing the present timeline, as they travel to Ashby House and stay there with Cam’s family for their first time.

Ruby’s letters provide us with a glimpse of her life from the start. We go through her various romances and learn of the events that shaped her into the woman she becomes.

I loved the set-up and Hawkins was successful in capturing and holding my attention. I wouldn’t say there was a ton of action, but as a character study, it’s definitely intriguing.

If you love deep-held family secrets and drama, you will most likely enjoy this one. It’s seriously the most twisted Family Drama, and I love twisted!!

As the past catches up with the present, the truth of who Ruby was writing to is revealed and thus, the truth of her life becomes clear. OMG, what a crazy life!

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this. It’s great storytelling. There’s varied layers of deceit and backstabbing, which we love to see. My only wish is that it could have been a little longer and that there could have been more suspense.

Nevertheless though, a really enjoyable read.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I always get excited for the newest Rachel Hawkins, and am already anticipating whatever she writes next!

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Review: Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror, Edited & Intro by Jordan Peele

Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black HorrorOut There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror by Jordan Peele
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror is a project brought to us by writer and director, Jordan Peele.

I’m sure you’re aware of Peele’s work. He has left quite the stamp on pop culture with his brilliant movies and television work. His popularity catapulted this collection onto many TBRs before it released this past October.

I was highly-anticipating this Anthology and am so happy to report, it’s great! Peele was able to bring together an impressive list of authors to contribute to this collection.

I loved how unique each story felt. Within the Horror genre, you really have almost every subgenre represented here. There’s something for everybody.

I’ve written before on the difficulty of rating Anthologies super highly. You’ll always have some stories you connect with more than others. I try to base my rating on the reading experience as a whole.

It’s clear, every contributor here is a gifted storyteller, and whether or not you vibe with the exact content of each story, you’ve got to appreciate the level of skill and heart that each author brought.

Whether you are a fan of SF-Horror with futuristic concepts, Speculative Horror with supernatural elements sprinkled throughout regular life, Mermaids, Historic Horror, or Social Horror; you will absolutely be able to find a story within this collection to sink your teeth into!

If you are interested, some stand-outs for me were: Eye and Tooth by Rebecca Roanhorse, The Other One by Violet Allen, Lasiren by Erin E. Adams, Dark Home by Nnedi Okorafor, Flicker by L.D. Lewis, The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World by Nalo Hopkinson, A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree by Nicole D. Sconiers and Hide and Seek by P. Djèlí Clark.

While these are the stories that resonated the most with me, as I mentioned before, this collection truly has stories for every type of Horror Reader.

It’s super diverse, extremely fast-paced, well-arranged and will keep you on your toes throughout.

Overall, this is a well-rounded collection. Every person who reads this is going to have a different experience. I think it would be really fun to read this with friends, or a book club. There would be so much to discuss!

That’s what it’s all about; making your own connections and interpretations, having fun and learning from others perspectives, cultures, traditions, folklore and experiences.

I think all of the contributors to this Anthology should be proud of the work they put forth here. Everyone was bringing their A-game.

I’m happy to have been introduced to a some new authors that I can follow, as well as getting to read more from some of my tried and true favorites like P. Djèlí Clark, Nnedi Okorafor and Rebecca Roanhorse.

I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys Anthologies, Horror stories, or Speculative Fiction in general. I’ll remember this collection for a long time!

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Review: The Guest by B.A. Paris

The GuestThe Guest by B.A. Paris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

B.A. Paris is back and she’s bringing my favorite kind of suspenseful Domestic Drama with her.

I had so much fun reading The Guest. Frustrating in the best ways, I found it to be completely addictive and one heck of a gripping roller coaster ride.

In this story we meet Iris and Gabriel, a married couple living in the British countryside. They have a grown daughter who is currently working abroad in Greece, so all is fairly peaceful on the homefront.

That is until the day a local boy suffered a terrible accident, falling into a nearby quarry. Gabriel was the one to find the boy’s battered body and even though Gabriel’s a skilled doctor, there was nothing he could do.

The boy couldn’t be saved, but Gabriel did get to be with him in his final moments, so he wasn’t alone.

Gabriel hasn’t been the same since that tragic day, and even though Iris is trying to help him cope, it’s definitely put a strain on their relationship.

As they are grappling with this, an unexpected house guest arrives. Their old friend, Laure, has shown up from Paris. She says that she and her husband, Pierre, have had a terrible fight and she needs a place to stay.

Iris and Gabriel have been best friends with Laure and Pierre for many, many years, so they tell Laure that she is welcome and that she can stay for as long as she needs.

Laure moves herself in and makes herself as comfortable as possible, wearing Iris’s clothes and shadowing her every move. As the days and even weeks pass, the couple begins to question Laure’s story and her motives.

What is she really doing there and when the heck is she going to leave?

As tension mounts, more people get drawn into the twisted drama; the new couple in town, their handsome gardener and even Iris and Gabriel’s daughter.

As mentioned above, I really enjoyed this one and found the narrative to be compulsively readable. From the Prologue, Paris had absolutely hooked me. She definitely has a gift for drawing the Reader in.

From the initial set-up, with Laure arriving at the house, you can just tell it is going to get freaking wild. There’s a vibe under the surface of constant tension and intrigue.

No matter how crazy things get though, I always find Paris’s main characters to be relatable. I never have a problem putting myself in their shoes and imagining what I would do in any given situation.

This one had me biting my nails with tension, yelling at Laure, yelling at Iris. I would have done some major clean-out of my house, that’s for sure.

I really got sucked into all of the interpersonal drama in this story, but also loved the mystery running throughout. It was hard to tell who you could trust and some of the connections were also shady.

There were some real strong reveals and I was happy with the way it ultimately concluded. This did feel more reminiscent to some of Paris’s earlier works as well, which were a little stronger for me than her more recent releases.

I would definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a taut, twisted Domestic Drama, particularly if you have enjoyed B.A. Paris’s earlier stories.

I would also recommend reading this one with a friend, or Book Club. I actually Buddy Read it and thought it was exciting to discuss it with someone else as we discovered the twists and turns together.

Overall, I thought this was such a great read. I’m so happy Paris continues to write these types of stories. As long as she is writing them, I’ll be reading them.

Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me copies to read and review. The Guest is releasing on February 20, 2024, and IMO, this one should not be missed!!

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Review: Never a Hero (Monsters #2) by Vanessa Len

Never a Hero (Only a Monster #2)Never a Hero by Vanessa Len
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Never a Hero is the 2nd-book in Vanessa Len’s Monsters series, a high-stakes YA SFF series featuring time travel.

I really enjoyed the first book, Only a Monster, when I read it last year and have been looking forward to this sequel ever since. I’m so happy to report that it was just as exciting as I expected it to be.

In this installment, we continue to follow Joan, our incredibly strong teenage protagonist. Since the first book, Joan is starting to see the repercussions of her earlier actions. She’s reset the timeline, but that doesn’t ensure peace and happiness. Not by a long shot.

Only Joan remembers what happened, meaning those closest to her, such as Aaron and Nick, do not remember how close she was to them both. It crushes Joan’s heart many times over interacting with them now.

After a deadly attack, Joan finds herself back in the monster world as a fugitive. It’s clear someone is after her. She’s on the run, but she’s not alone, Nick is with her and Aaron is closing in.

First, let’s be clear, I am Team Nick, so the two of them being on the run together, even if he didn’t remember their previous relationship, made my heart happy. I know they were in serious danger, like really serious, so perhaps I shouldn’t have been so happy about it, but I was.

We do get a lot more world-development in this one. This isn’t to say the world wasn’t built out incredibly in the first book, because trust me, it was. That was one of the things that drew me in actually, but we just find out so much more about Joan, her family and the history of the monsters.

If you aren’t aware, this series does involve time travel. In fact, that’s the coolest thing the monsters can do. They travel in time by stealing time from humans in a bit of a vampiric way.

One thing I did feel in this one that I either didn’t notice with the first book, or maybe it didn’t happen in the first book, is this was giving me serious Infernal Devices vibes. I’m not even sure quite what it was, maybe some of the time jumps felt very period piece, or maybe it was the antagonist, but I wasn’t mad about it.

By this comment, I do not mean to say this is copy-catting in anyway, because it’s not. This is 100% it’s own unique story, it is just more of a vibe. A vibe that I’m addicted to.

It read so fast and some of the reveals had me gagging. I can’t wait to get to the 3rd-book. I think this is set to be a trilogy and I can’t even imagine how it’s going to wrap up.

I definitely recommend this series to Readers who enjoy fast-paced, intriguing SFF. This story is filled with secrets, dangers and angsty love interests. Bonus points for well-plotted time travel.

The third book cannot release fast enough! Bring it on!!

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Review: Foxglove (Belladonna #2) by Adalyn Grace

Foxglove (Belladonna #2)Foxglove by Adalyn Grace
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Foxglove is the sequel to Adalyn Grace’s popular, 2020-YA Fantasy release, Belladonna.

Belladonna took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting to love it half as much as I did, but Grace really delivered in all aspects of that story. There was a fantastic gothic atmosphere, an intriguing mystery and a compelling romance.

The main character, Signa, became one of my new favorites that year and I have been anxiously awaiting this follow-up ever since; like at the edge of my seat.

I did listen to the audiobook for Belladonna and enjoyed experiencing the story through that medium, so wanted to go with the audio again for this one. Unfortunately, I had a wee bit of a wait before my library loan came through, but boy, oh boy, was it worth it!

This story again follows Signa, her cousin, Blythe, Death and Death’s brother, Fate, who has returned to his brother’s life hellbent on revenge after Death took the woman he loved.

After a Duke is murdered, it seems that the Lord of Thorn Grove is being framed for the crime. Both Blythe and Signa are sure that he didn’t commit the crime, but they need to be able to prove it.

Another luscious, gothically-infused investigation begins…

Fate plays a huge role in this story. I enjoyed learning about the brothers’ past and watching Fate interject himself into Death’s environment was definitely entertaining.

Oddly, as Signa spends more time with Fate, she begins to display new powers. Could she possibly be linked to Fate’s past? And what about Blythe? She makes some powerful moves in this story as well and her character shows tremendous growth. I love her just as much as Signa.

Going into this, I was a little concerned that too much time had passed since I read Belladonna, and that I would have a hard time remembering the details of that story. I do think that Grace does a tremendous job at reintroducing the Reader to this world, and these characters.

It was so easy to hop back into the story, and shortly thereafter, it was like I had never left these characters at all.

There were so many great twists and revelations included in this story. It’s engaging and intriguing the entire way through. I love the character arcs for both Signa and Blythe and cannot wait to be reunited with them in the next book.

Overall, this is a incredible Fantasy story. I wasn’t quite as in love with it as I was with Belladonna, but it was pretty darn close. I need the next book ASAP.

I’m so stoked to see where this goes…

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