Book Reviews

The Vengeance by Emma Newman ⚔️ Piracy, Vampires and Found Family

The Vengeance by Emma Newman is the first book in a new fantasy series blending historical adventure, found family, and light supernatural elements. Set against the backdrop of an alternative France, the novel follows a young woman raised by pirates who sets out on a quest for revenge after the death of her mother figure.…
The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells ✨ A Cosy Tale of Love, Legacy, and the Lightest Touch of Magic

Set against a misty mountain backdrop where folklore and family secrets intertwine, The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells promises a story rich with enchantment, love, and rediscovery. Rachel Greenlaw blends her signature warmth with a touch of magical realism in this story about coming home and confronting the ghosts of the past. While it’s undeniably…
Hungerstone by Kat Dunn 🦇 A Powerful Gothic Horror Set Against the Wild Yorkshire Moors

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn is a beautifully crafted gothic horror novel set against the wild Yorkshire moors, blending psychological intensity, atmospheric writing, and allegorical supernatural elements. This is a story of longing, repression, and the slow, haunting decay of a woman trapped by society and marriage. Fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia and classic gothic fiction will…
Daughter of Chaos by AS Webb 🦉 A Promising Mythological Debut That Falters on Impact

Greek mythology retellings always have a special pull, the promise of gods, prophecies, and the fine line between mortal and divine. Daughter of Chaos by A.S. Webb dives headfirst into that allure, reimagining ancient Greece through the eyes of a young woman destined to challenge the gods themselves. It’s ambitious, fast-paced, and filled with potential……
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil 🌹 A Haunting, Lyrical Vampire Tale

V.E. Schwab returns with a lyrical and haunting tale in Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, a novel that unfurls across centuries, countries, and inner lives. Told through the eyes of three very different women bound together by blood and immortality, this vampire story is no action-packed thriller. Instead, it delivers a poetic meditation…
House of the Beast by Michelle Wong ⚔️ Power, Pain & Pilgrimage

House of the Beast by Michelle Wong is a dark, intricate, and emotionally wrought fantasy that marries grimdark aesthetics with mythic romance and razor-sharp character dynamics. With a protagonist bound to an elder god and a society steeped in blood-soaked religious duty, this is not a tale for the faint of heart. Wong delivers a…
Swordheart by T. Kingfisher 📚 A Sword, a Stoic Warrior & a Stubborn Widow

Swordheart by T. Kingfisher is a warm, witty, and thoroughly enjoyable romantic fantasy that delivers on both heartfelt character development and delightful magical elements. It’s a character-driven story with cosy, adventurous tones, focusing on found family, love in later life, and the quiet strength of choosing your own freedom. When widowed housekeeper Halla inherits her…
The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams ⚔️ A Towering Start to a Classic Fantasy Series

If you’re looking for a sweeping epic fantasy filled with rich world-building, thoughtful character growth, and the slow-burn momentum of classic high fantasy, The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams might be exactly what you need. The first instalment of the Memory Sorrow and Thorn series, this book is a foundational piece of modern fantasy that…
Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan 👀 A Breath Before the Storm…

Crossroads of Twilight, the tenth instalment in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, is infamous among fans for its glacial pace and lack of major plot advancement… and I’m not surprised after reading it. However, while it may be light on action, the novel excels in political intrigue, deepening worldbuilding, and exploring how the shadow…