Cass Yaga

Good but not the best. The "plot twist" was not that twisty. In fact, I called it right off the bat but I digress. The 2 main characters were extremely familiar... Valen was basically just a mix of Rook and Cardan but still a loveable fae princling. Tania feels more like if Poppy actually took her sacred duties seriously. Still a badass but also understood her responsibilities to her people. This was still a fun read for the winter storm but was definitely nothing new. A good time and a quick read.

I can't believe it took me so long to finally read this book. The eerie snow covered setting, the mystery, the characters! All of it was well written. Perfect for the first snow day of the year! Honestly, I wish I was Nora Walker. Though I do wish there was a little bit more of the after. I really want to know what happens to some of the other supporting characters and how they get along with Nora.

But seriously, if it is snowing near you or you live near some spooky old woods. Please read this book. Made me want to pack up my life and go live in the woods forever.

I admit that I was confused at the start of this story because I thought it was going to be a western romance but the main character is only 12 at the start of this book. The story does progress without drastic time jumps in order to get to the romance. It is very slow burn, there's a lot of trauma and back story that needs to be addressed by the main duo and I appreciate the author taking her time and not doing a skip from 12 to 20 so we can see them heal and grow. I also appreciate how the author makes us understand that this time period wasn't black and white. Both main characters have to accept that their cultures aren't perfect and that humans will do terrible things to each other. That cliff hanger ending though. I need the second book like right now!

A lot of flowery prose that I found myself skipping over and could have been left out. But I still enjoyed the story and Beulah as the main character was absolutely fascinating. I almost wish the story was only told from Clyde and Beilah's POVs.

Wasn't really sure how the 2 opposing characters would be able to come together after the whole I slept with your husband and then my husband killed him sorry about that situation but it felt like a natural progression. Obviously forced but the wild west will do that to you I suppose. I do really wish we would have gotten more from this story. Like it felt like it just kind of ended. I hope there will be a sequel but I doubt that we will get one.

A cute little western romance. This one actually had plot that wasn't just the romance. I did expect a red herring and was surprised that the story finished without much tension. Overall I enjoyed the plot and the characters. None of them were overly annoying though some could've been left out and the story wouldn't have really changed all that much.

A warning to society to not let a central government rule through lies and fear and ignorance. A critical message delivered in an easy to digest manner that every person should read in their life.

Poor Boxer just wanted to create a better society for his fellow animals and believed that his leadership would never betray him. And poor Old Benjamin who saw through the lies but did not want to abandon his friends and so suffered through the injustice. And Clover who realized when it was too late that she had been fooled the entire time.

A good addition to the World of All Soul's and I'm excited for the rest of the trilogy. Although a lot happened in this book, it felt like not much happened at all until the very end. More witchy and less academia for this series so I do enjoy that.

Unfortunately, some of the characters that I loved from the original seriesfelt kind of annoying in this one (Sarah and Stephen and sometimes Matthew). Hopefully that changes as the story developes but it was something that I noticed while reading. Diana also made some questionable choices that I didn't really understand given her character growth previously.

Overall, I enjoyed this and it got me in the mood for some witchery. It really made me want to create my own oracle deck which if you read this you'll understand what I mean.

A surprisingly enjoyable book. The characters were flawed but still likeable, it's a familiar story of ragnarok from an unexpected point of view, and overall I kept reading until well into the night. Nothing really bad to say, the author's writing was very good and I didn't find myself cringing a lot like I've come to expect from fantasy writers.

Not just a fun little witchy read but a brilliant masterpiece with all of your favorite fairytale elements.

I loved this story and all of the characters. There were well thought out mysteries and clues to pick up throughout the entire story. From the first page until the big reveal. Each character had their own backstory and purpose to help the story and nothing felt like a waste of time. Even the ghosts were so much fun!

I was expecting a cozy little story about a monk and a robot going on an adventure so I was pleasantly surprised by how this book made me feel and think. Everyone has times where they feel like they've lost their purpose in life and go into a downward spiral struggling to understand what to do next to give their life meaning. And this book answers that question brilliantly, just be. That's it. Go on one adventure at a time even if it's as simple as learning to make a cup of tea.

I love the Emily Wilde series and the sequel did not disappoint. We have our favorites returning for another adventure and a new cast to aide them! There were more mishaps in this adventure but I loved that Fawcett used Emily's relationship with the small folk to help them more than Wendell's royal fae blood. I always loved Poe and I was delighted that he would make an appearance in this book!

I was able to download the ARC for this book after having it on my want to read list since I saw it on the author's Instagram promotions almost a year ago and it definitely lived up to my expectations!

Slavic monsters, a slavic witch, and one hell of an adventure! The characters were fun and I found myself trying to sort through all the clues to piece the mystery together just to be surprised that only some were correct and completely wrong about others that I though were super obvious! If you know your slavic monsters, then this book is definitely for you. If you love The Witcher and going monster hunting, this book is for you. If you love a good heist, then this book is for you! After all, what's a bigger heist than trying to steal from the Tsar of Monsters himself? I thought this was going to be just a monster hunting extravaganza but it was so much more and I loved every second of it!

A whimsical book that feels like summer. There were some dark spots in this book but overall I loved it. The characters were so well written and even the side characters were well thought out. The story ended abruptly yet exactly how I thought it would. A very quick read. If you like Practical Magic then you'll like this as well!

This was a reread about 3 or 4 years after my first time reading this book and I still loved it. This book will always be firmly in my heart and will always hold my “witchy academia” interest. The blend on historical academics and magic bring on such a nostalgic feel. I've never once been to Oxford or England but the descriptions in this book make me feel like I'm sitting right there in the Bodliean with Diana. 

I feel like this book needed more Slavic mythology or just more to it in general. I really hope there's a sequel so that my questions can be answered.

It was still a very beautifully written book. The way the creatures and their otherness were described makes it very easy to picture each species. And the rituals that are practiced for different spells are also well written into excruciating detail. Made me wince a few times reading them.

Not quite as dark academia as I was originally expecting but Sutherland killed it again with the dark atmospherics that she is well known for. Loved the magic system between demons and witches that she used. All 3 of the main girls were entertaining to read about, they were all well thought out and each brought something to the plot. I even loved Bael who was barely in the book, that's how well she wrote the characters. The mystery was well planned and I did guess the villain but it was still fun to read. I'd honestly love to get a Phoenix House sequel to revisit the girls.

I read this book in 1 day I loved it so much! The characters, the setting, the plot were just all incredible. I immediately told my cousin (who Native Hawaiian and Polynesian mix) that she needed to go read it because it will remind her of home. 

Let's first talk about the main character Hanalei. If you adored Lilo growing up then Hanalei is the girlie for you! She is strong, resilient, smart, and remains kind even through all of her hardships. She's just an amazing heroine. 

And the plot. This is not just an adventure to find magical dragons eggs, but seriously do you need anything besides that? This book is about coming home, finding your place in society, and protecting those who can't protect themselves. We can all also appreciate a main male character that doesn't always coddle the main female protagonist. Sam understands that Hanalei has been through a lot during her exile from the island and he doesn't press her for details immediately. He gives her the time she needs to be comfortable sharing what happened to her the past 10 years she's been gone. 

Just go read this book please. Especially if you're an island girl. You need this book in your life. 

Honestly, I loved this book. It was just what I needed, when I needed it. Dragons? A treasure hunter? Dragon rider academy? It had a slight steampunk fantasy vibe to it. It was an incredibly quick read so it didn't drag on long enough to get boring. Lessie is one of my favorite little dragons, so spunky. And Zara is a well rounded character. Flawed but learns from her mistakes. Overall a very enjoyable read.