This novella explores a fascinating question, what if cloning technology allowed us to bring back historical figures like the founding fathers? And it pairs that with the reality of modern times and how things would most likely go down, which is to say terribly and problematic. Right wing billionaires trying to bring back the founding fathers for their own usage is a very fitting occurrence, and this book feels realistic despite being science fiction.

This novella follows four young men, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. They are being raised on an island as though it is 1750, despite it actually being 2026. However, they are starting to realize that it may not in fact be 1750. A large clue to this is the phone that Franklin finds left behind in the bathroom, giving the wonderful opening line: “It took Benjamin Franklin twenty-seven minutes and fourteen seconds to discover there was pornography on the internet”. If that doesn’t hook you in, I don’t know what will!

The story is told in a way that feels authentic to teenage boys as well as them being raised in a historical fashion. The overall tone and wording is distinctive as being older English in a way that ensures the reader is kept in the story, but not in a way that is overly difficult to understand and thus distracting. I really appreciated how the historical elements were shown and the reactions of the boys to various modern technologies from their outdated lens was show more highly entertaining. However they are still teenage boys having teenage boy thoughts, adding to the commentary that just because they are clones does not mean they will serve the role being hoped for them

Ultimately, the boys are discovering that the world they have been raised in is not how the rest of the world is and there are expectations set upon their existence due to who they are supposed to be. This story is an excellent satire on billionaires trying anything to hold power and restore the world to what they assume would be the ideal.

Owing to the novella format, this book is quite short and I feel like a lot of elements of the plot could have been further explored, however the overall message of the story is perfectly conveyed. I would have loved to know more about various things that occur, but this book did not leave me needing more because it wrapped up everything quite well. I loved how quick this was to read and I finished it easily as an evening read!

I really enjoyed this book, it was a fun science fiction/speculative fiction read with a heavy dose of satire in the best way! I would recommend this book to fans of what if questions, and humor regarding American history. However, as a self proclaimed hater of history classes throughout my life (because I’m bad at them), this was a wonderful read that did not bring out my hatred. This book is out June 23, 2026!

Thank you to Netgalley, Tachyon Publishing, and Meg Elison for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book! show less

This was such a unique book about generational trauma and complex family dynamics tied into a sci-fi mystery in the best way!

What if the physics of the universe is controlled by machinery known as the skunkworks, your sister likes to try to murder you, and you have to decide between the stability of the universe and your mother’s life? This book somehow combines all of those crazy topics as Ellie has to figure out who would destabilize the universe in such a way and why, exploring the complexity of the skunkworks and of human relationships.

I really enjoyed listening to this story, I found the physics of the universe portions to be fun, even though they were a bit confusing at times, because I didn’t need them to make perfect sense. The concept of having a machinery maintaining the universe was fascinating and well executed, and the moral dilemma Ellie faces with having to choose the universe or her mom and the resulting consequences of that action was well depicted.

The narrator did such a great job capturing the tone of the book, especially all of the complex emotions the main character is put through. The sound quality of this audiobook was wonderful and I think that part of my love of this book was definitely experiencing it in an audio format! I felt more engaged in the mystery and invested in the characters.

I would recommend this book for fans of science fiction as well as stories portraying complex family dynamics and emotions.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and show more Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to an eALC of this book! show less

This book is so easy to give 5 stars too oh my gosh! I went into this book without having read the blurb or knowing anything and it was absolutely the best way to experience it! If you like sci fi, sapphic romance, The Bachelor, murder mystery, or The Selection series please go get and read this book without reading any more of my review! But if you truly want to know what you’re getting into in advance, read on.

Love Galaxy follows Temmi who is chosen to be a contestant on Love Galaxy, a Bachelor style dating show with 24 contestants competing to marry one of the two royal heirs, Spie and Nix. Once the show gets underway though the contestants start winding up dead in a mysterious way. However, these murders are covered up so only Temmi knows, since she has been who found the bodies, so she is trying to solve a murder, date two people, and just survive herself!

This book had everything, it had well thought out science fiction elements, romantic plots afoot, and a murder mystery! I thought going into it, oh since this is a sapphic romance I know exactly what is going to happen. I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE WRONG! There were twists and turns throughout and I was shocked more than once. My poor kindle really got thrown around by my rollercoaster of emotions as I read. I also couldn’t put this book down because I needed to know more and read through it so quickly!

I absolutely cannot wait for book two, this book has left me with so many questions and so in love with this show more universe, the characters, the lore, all of it! This is truly a masterpiece of spanning all of my favorite genres in an utterly unique and wonderful way!

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy mystery, science fiction, or romance. This was truly fantastic in all three genres at the same time. Also I was such a fan of The Selection growing up and this totally reminded me of that series in the best way. Out now!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, DAW Publishing, and Sierra Branham for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of this book! show less

Another classic installment in the Ernest Cunningham saga! This time, involving not only murder but a variety of bank heists. As always, I had no clue who did what until it was spelled out for me, and the way the author weaves all of the various ongoing plotlines and lives of the characters together is fantastic.

I also listened to the first book in this series and Barton Welch’s narration stays absolutely amazing, 5 stars for the narrator! He does such a great job of conveying the tone of different scenes and telling the story in an impactful, and absolutely hilarious, way. I’ve given the book itself 4 stars, but that has nothing to do with the audiobook quality, which was truly fantastic.

Only lost a star because this book felt less novel/original than his others in this series, certain parts are starting to feel repetitive as opposed to classic or characteristic of Ernest. I also thought this one had some darker elements than the previous ones, which many will enjoy but I wasn’t expecting that.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery but likes a light-hearted, humorous tone! Get this book when it releases March 17, 2026!

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperAudio Adult, Mariner Books, and Benjamin Stevenson for the opportunity to listen to an ALC and read an ARC of this book!

What if a magical hotel that travels through worlds suddenly loses that ability and gets stranded on earth with all of its otherworldly inhabitants? This book follows the residents of Number Five Wayside as they try to figure out how to get themselves out of this mess, while also exploring all earth has to offer, especially the Youtubes, Taylor Swift, and TikTok. In order to try and restore the magic, the building manager Pax Nomen decides to invite a human resident into the building, leading to Josie LaChusia moving in with her young son Amos. This fantasy brings together many different worlds into one hotel, and you’ll have to read to see what happens!

There was a lot to love in this story, from the sentient hotel building, to the variety of characters, to the silly tie ins to modern pop culture and society. This was a fun cozy romantasy read, and I enjoyed it.

However, the loss of stars comes from two main reasons for me, but both are personal preference so please use this to inform whether it would be a better fit for you! First of all, I was not expecting the book to be as spicy as it was, since it was marketed to me as a cozy romantic fantasy. This had a very small effect on my feelings towards the book, but I was hoping for a more wholesome romance and the spice parts seemed a bit random when they arose and like they were thrown in just so that the book would have spice, not because it made sense for the romance. My main disappointment for this book came from the show more wonderful amount of fantasy elements being built up but a lack of resolution for multiple built up plot points. I truly loved the magical occurrences throughout the building and the hints throughout to deeper topics, but felt that a lot was left unresolved. If there is going to be a book 2 then it makes a bit more sense, but it still left me disappointed because I was so excited to get that deeper understanding.

I would recommend this book for lovers of cozy fantasy who also like a bit of spicy romance, and definitely for those who love character driven stories. This book is out today!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, Ace, and Elizabeth Everett for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book! show less

Selene has always wanted to win L’Opera du Magician, so she has been a student of magic at the Opera Magique her whole life. The book follows her as she auditions and competes in a magical singing competition, which on its own is full of deadly ambition and magical dangers, as well as her discovery of a mirror hidden away. All mirrors had been removed from the Opera due to a past incident resulting in a student getting hurt, and yet she has found one. This book is a spellbinding story of magical music, ambition, and forbidden love, with a mysterious man who offers everything one may want, but at a price.

As a fan of Phantom of the Opera, this was a very fun retelling where singing is magic and there is a musical competition being held for who will serve next as the king’s mage. There are, of course, a lot of liberties taken in changing the original story, which is great because the whole point is to present a new take on the story. I really enjoyed the unique magic system, even though I would be terrible at it because of my inability to sing, and the characters truly pull you in. I had multiple moments where I was gasping in shock at the plot twists, and truly did not see them coming.

The narration of the audiobook was absolutely wonderful, and perfect for me because there are a lot of French words and music words that I definitely was pronouncing wrong in my head! The narrator does such a wonderful job of portraying the characters and telling this story with a magical show more tone.

I’m excited for book 2 of this duology, as this left off on such a cliffhanger and there are so many unanswered questions! I really love all the mysteries happening at the same time and cannot wait to see how they resolve.

I would recommend this book for fans of Phantom of the Opera, fans of music/musicals, and lovers of romantic fantasy! Out now!

Thank you to Megan Jauregui Eccles for the chance to read an eARC and listen to an ALC of this book! show less

This is a stunningly illustrated story about a young man who is lower class, guildless, and his journey to rebel against the oppressive guild system. The story is quite powerful, teaching the importance of using ones voice but also showing that it isn’t always safe to do so, and is often a complex, non-linear path. There are some violent actions as well as strong emotions throughout, and concepts of oppression showing bribing of government officials and biases people may hold. There is a strike as a part of the story which is an important topic that many younger readers may not have encountered previously. The story overall is a historical fiction, examining the guild system of medieval Italy, and the art throughout is done in a wonderful style and really captures the story with so many important details.

I recommend this book for the target audience of middle-grade readers, especially due to the darker elements of this story but the importance of the overall message. This book is out April 21, 2026!

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, Greenwillow Books, Marieke Mijkamp, and Sylvie Bi for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book!

What if a con artist gets caught, punished in an utterly horrific way, and is eventually offered a way out by quite literally getting her childhood dream job? But no one can know who she is, because she had to lie to get there and has to keep lying to keep the position! This story follows Kasira who must take on the role of someone else to infiltrate the magical Library of Amorlin and earn the trust of the grumpy librarian Allaster. There’s so many complex politics at play, with the library being a neutral power at the center of 6 kingdoms, and it’s fascinating to follow how these different societies have formed certain beliefs and how it shapes the characters. For example, Kasira is from Kalthos and the Kalish people believe that magical beasts must be hunted down and killed, while the library strives to protect the beasts from people and the people from beasts!

I loved this book, it had everything I was expecting and more! There are so many moving elements at play that it can be hard to keep track of, but this is such a good thing because it leads to many shocking twists and turns! The worldbuilding is amazing, the characters truly make you care for them, and I have so many unanswered questions that I cannot wait to see where this story goes next! Also this is the very definition of a slow burn romance, such a slow burn that will have you screaming for more.

The narration is so good, I love when a dual POV has two narrators, it just makes it so much easier to follow show more along and it was quite clear who we were following at each point in the story. The narrators also do such a good job with distinguishing different characters talking, and the changes of tone truly communicate the emotions of the scenes. If you are an audiobook listener this is a great production to enjoy!

The ending is such a cliffhanger you will want to throw your book, kindle, headphones, and pretty much everything you own across the room. I need book 2 ASAP but also would wait years because I’m just so in love with this story and can’t wait to see where it goes next!

I recommend this book for fantasy lovers, fans of a good con artist, lovers of libraries and beasts, and anyone looking for a magical escape. Out now in a gorgeous hardcover edition!

Thank you to NetGalley, RBmedia, Kensington Publishing, Erewhon Books, and Kalyn Josephson for the opportunity to read an eARC and listen to an ALC of this book! show less

The world is ending, so it’s time for one last roadtrip. This book follows Don and Rodney, a couple who have been married for over 40 years, as the roadtrip across the US one last time, since the world is about to end. It shows their interactions with others, with themselves, and explores how humanity responds to crisis.

The emotions in this book are truly what make it a 5 star read! The relationship between Don and Rodney is absolutely true love, showing the strength of that love to fight and persist through difficult times, and the significance of having your person. Their love has immense depth and so many layers are explored throughout their journey, as their past is slowly revealed. I will say, this book is absolutely a tragic tale and will make you mourn not just for the characters but also for the commentary TJ Klune makes on society and human nature. I sobbed at multiple points throughout this book, a full on sob not just a cry, so if you aren’t looking for a read to make you feel things this is not the book for you.

The narration was truly amazing, with each character portrayed so well. The narrator did a wonderful job of capturing all of the different individuals we meet, and showing their different emotions through changes in tone. He especially did a fantastic job with voicing Don and Rodney distinctly, so it was always clear who was talking, which can sometimes be difficult/confusing in books with 2 MMCs. I also am so grateful to have listened to this as an show more audiobook, since it made me tear up and cry so often that if I had been reading it the pages would have definitely been quite blurry! Would highly recommend experiencing this book as an audiobook, it really adds to the tone and overall experience of the book.

The exploration of the history of the LGBT+ community shown through shared anecdotes, Don and Rodney’s relationship, and a younger couple they meet in their travels was very impactful. I think it’s so easy for people who aren’t directly affected by such events to forget how significant of an impact they had, and how recently it all was. Additionally, there is a significant portion of the plot about foster care and how the system can affect those in it that was deeply impactful.

This book covers hard topics, and really portrays humanity as it is. When the world is ending, people behave as they are because they have nothing more to lose, and TJ Klune captures the different behaviors, reactions, and experiences of various individuals as their world is coming to an end. The commentary on society and human behavior is powerful, and painful.

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys stories exploring how people behave at the end of the world. I’d recommend this book for people who enjoyed Station Eleven or The Road, but wouldn’t necessarily call the books too similar. Please check this beautifully tragic book out when it releases April 28, 2026!

Thank you so so much to Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, and TJ Klune for the opportunity to listen to an eALC of this book! show less

This book absolutely ripped my heart out, shredded it, and jumped on the pieces. Repeatedly. Five stars!

Rose and her family were stripped of their magic by the king as a result of the lies of Kyor, the prince. However, there is a deadly series of trials that allows the winner a Gifting of their choosing, so Rose decides to earn back what she believes is hers. Rose, Kyor, and many other wonderful characters (and some less wonderful) compete in these trials and we get to watch them unfold, and see who survives.

I absolutely loved this book! This is a true enemies to lovers romantasy complete with deadly trials, unique magic, a tiered society, trauma to go around, found family, and an amazing slow burn. You’ll come for these tropes and stay for the absolutely insane twists at every turn! Only once did I predict a twist before it happened and even though I had guessed what was coming the emotion still hit hard, because the aftermath was so wonderfully written.

And the NARRATION?? Oh my gosh you need to pick up the audiobook of this. The dual narrators are amazing, and I think you can’t go wrong with Anthony Palmini narrating the MMC. I listened to this whole ~20 hour audiobook in like 5 days which is insane. I also absolutely stayed up until 2am to finish the book because I could not put it down and had to know how it ended! (I need book 2 already, and 3, and 4!)

I would recommend this book for any fans of romantasy, especially of tropes like enemies to lovers, deadly show more trials, and found family. However, I recommend having tissues on hand as well, you will NEED them! This wonderful book is out Feb 27, 2026!

Thank you to Aria Ashbrook and the Nerd Fam for the opportunity to read an eARC and listen to an ALC of this book! All opinions are my own. show less

Cozy fantasy at its finest! This was a wonderful tale following Calisa, a 16 year old with a lying ex boyfriend who needs to get away for the summer. She goes to help out her aunt with her B&B but finds that her aunt is cold towards her and doesn’t want her around. Thankfully, there is a kind young man who works the premises and makes her days more tolerable, as she fights to prove herself so her aunt will let her stay. As time goes on though she begins to notice that there is a lot more to the guests, and the inn, than she ever originally realized.

I absolutely loved this book! I read this in a day, paired with a warm cup of hot cocoa, and it really satisfied the cozy itch. The mysterious vibes throughout lead to a satisfying conclusion, the characters are wonderful and lovable (even the grumpy aunt), and there are so many subplots occurring making it a fascinating read. As a cozy fantasy, this book is absolutely superb and I look forward to rereading it on rainy days, definitely a new comfort read!

I would recommend this book to fans of cozy fantasy, romance, those looking for a quick magical standalone, and young adult readers.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Children’s Books, Delacorte Press, and Sarah Beth Durst for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book!

A cozy mystery set in space, where a baby is found despite fertility being paused aboard this ship! Dorothy Gentleman must figure out whose baby this is and fight for him to be classified as a human not as a piece of luggage.

The narrator was wonderful, truly adding to the cozy tone and portraying the variety of characters well. Absolutely nothing wrong with the audiobook, the lost stars only come from the book content.

Now the reasoning for the 3 stars, I understand that this is a novella but it felt quite rushed, with some portions going into great detail but others being brushed over. Additionally, the conclusion of the mystery elements felt unsatisfying to me, and I wish there would have been a few more layers to it. Overall, it was a fun quick listen but I likely wouldn’t reread which for me is a 3 star book.

I would recommend this for fans of cozy mystery and science fiction, a solid quick read. Out March 10, 2026!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Olivia Waite for the opportunity to listen to an ALC of this book!

A fantastic time-travel science fiction tale! To start off with an important note: the only reason this was not 5 stars from me was because I found myself skimming a lot of the details of the ancient Athens portion just because of my own reading preferences, but if you enjoy history details this would absolutely be a 5 star read!

This book follows Echo and Hazel, two members of the mysterious Project Kairos who have been sent through time to work together to save the world. One is sent to the past, to ancient Athens, and one to the future, the end of the world with nothing but robots and AI for company. They both suffer from amnesia but can communicate with one another through their dreams to work together on their mission.

This unique exploration of time-travel to affect the future by changing both the past and the future is fascinating, and the plot twists will absolutely shock you! I loved this book, exactly the kind of science fiction I was looking for, with characters you will grow attached to and a whole variety of obstacles in their paths. I will admit to shedding a few tears at the end of the story as well, such a powerful tale.

The NARRATION!! This book follows multiple POV, which can often be hard to follow in an audiobook, but the narrators did such a wonderful job of capturing and portraying the characters personalities so it was always clear who was the current POV and what was going on. I loved listening to this book, a very high quality listening experience show more and I would recommend checking out the audiobook if that is your reading preference.

I would recommend this book for fans of time-travel, science fiction, and end of the world type tales. Even readers of fantasy may enjoy this tale, because the science fiction elements lead to some complex world building that could appeal to any interested in time travel. This wonderful book is out now!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Jasmin Kirkbride for the opportunity to listen to an ALC of this book! show less

I haven’t read a book that feels like a fairytale in so long, and this felt like a wonderful new fairytale to be told and passed on.

A wonderful romance told in an enchanting world, the narrator truly did a great job of capturing the beauty, tone, and characters wonderfully. Would highly recommend the audiobook as the way you read this book! It feels like you are being read a bedtime story, which is absolutely how this book should be consumed!

I would recommend this book for any fans of romantasy and fairy tales, especially those with wintery vibes. Out now!

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Fire, RBmedia, and Rachel Griffin for the opportunity to read an eARC and listen to an ALC of this book!

This book was a solid listen, but didn’t do it for me as a murder mystery. While I enjoyed it, I likely wouldn't reread so I’ve given it 3 stars.

The character cast is quite fun and the narrator does a wonderful job at portraying each character, making it really easy to follow along and enjoyable to get to know everyone. The romance plot was decent, and I found myself genuinely caring for the main character and wanting her to have all the best.

I think the story had a lot of potential but I could guess at how it would end, making it less of a mystery, but was still fun to pass the time.

Overall, an enjoyable quick read for those who enjoy cozy mystery mixed with romantic elements.

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the opportunity to read an eARC and listen to an ALC of this book!

In this book, humans are essentially pets to an alien race that has invaded Earth, making this an intriguing sci-fi novel. What makes it even more interesting, is that the aliens cannot hurt each other, but they still hold grudges so there are always individuals looking for a way around that. The main character implies that his alien “owner” may be able to commit such violence, without suffering the typical consequences, leading to a whirlwind series of events. This book explores what happens when one lie spirals entirely out of control, but combines it with a fascinating sci-fi premise, making it a truly fantastic read!

I absolutely loved this story, and the narration made it even better! This book is stressful, hilarious, and the characters will make you love them and smack your forehead at the same time! I will say the tone is quite heavy and dark at times but I found that really built the story.

The narrator portrays the characters and their different emotions so well, and I was absolutely HOOKED. I listened to this whole book in TWO DAYS! The narration really conveyed the tone and the stresses and made me care about the characters to a deeper extent than I would have from just reading the novel, very good listening experience.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of sci-fi, I could see this becoming a new classic! I would also recommend this for anyone who enjoys watching a lie spiral out of control, and is interested in the exploration of a society show more with a unique hierarchy system where humans must bond to aliens and risk death otherwise. Please do yourself a favor and go get this book when it releases on February 24, 2026!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, St Martin's Press, and Edward Ashton for the opportunity to read an eARC and listen to an ALC of this book! show less

If you’ve been looking for a fantasy/dystopian book that doesn’t star a teenager but someone who has actually lived a bit more of life, read this! Even if you aren’t, still read this!!

This Safe Darkness is a wonderful romantic dystopian fantasy following Orelle Bren, the 30 year old FMC who also struggles from a chronic illness. She lives in an oppressive society, reminiscent of Handmaid’s Tale, where there is an annual lottery to choose unmarried women who don’t have children to participate in The Hunt. This society exists in a sort of underground utopia, since the surface is exposed to the sun and the sun turns people into deadly creatures called Sols. The ten women chosen for The Hunt are sent to the surface to fight these creatures, supposedly for the good of society.

I absolutely loved this book! I’ve always enjoyed dystopian stories but haven’t read any true standouts recently, but this book changed that! The fantasy elements combined with the dystopian society/weaponized lottery may have created my new favorite genre. Additionally, the main character struggles from migraines, which is nice to see in a character and something I feel I haven’t often seen in main characters.

The characters though! I’ve already talked about the amazing FMC, but she also has some amazing friends who truly show what platonic soulmates are, there’s of course a swoony MMC, but also an ex-husband to contend with, and some other strong side characters. I truly cared for so show more many of them and felt strong emotions throughout the story relating to what they endure.

Please read this book, no matter who you are, but especially if you enjoyed Handmaid’s Tale, The Hunger Games, or just dystopian books in general. Additionally, read this book if you are intrigued by: circadian rhythm magic, a weaponized lottery system, an oppressive regime in power, platonic soulmates, slow burn romance, a disabled FMC in her 30s, and so much more! Basically, read this book if you are a reader! Out today, February 17th!

Thank you to Alexis Maragold for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of her wonderful debut! show less

As a fan of Only Murders in the Building, this was a fun murder mystery reminiscent of the show! This book follows Lila and her daughter Bea and shows the challenges they face due to Bea’s dad having left because of being involved in an embezzling scheme. As a result, they have to move into and clean out an apartment belonging to Lila’s mom’s boyfriend in a building known as the Primrose. Their lives become even more complicated when a 2 million dollar reward is offered for solving an old murder that occurred in the building. Through working to solve the murder, Bea and Lila grow closer and gain an understanding of each other, and also build relationships with the other building residents.

I really appreciated the interactions between Bea and Lila, they are both very flawed individuals and struggle as a mom-daughter pair. Lila clearly has a deep love of her daughter and is just trying to do the best she can to raise her while Bea is young and struggling with the move and the loss of her father. It felt like a very realistic portrayal of the struggles one might feel in their situation and while Bea sometimes felt bratty, I think her actions make sense in the context of her experiences.

Now to the murder mystery! In my opinion, the mark of a good murder mystery is when I cannot figure out who did it, but once it is revealed it seems logical and I can see that the clues were there. This book absolutely meets that requirement! I had so many theories of who the culprit was show more and was so far off from the actual killer, but I had totally missed clues that pointed to who it was. There are twists and turns and a fantastic reveal, so this was a great murder mystery to me.

Finally, the audiobook narration was so good! The emotions the narrator conveyed through her tone were so powerful and really brought the whole story together for me and made me feel for the characters. The production quality was clear, and this was such an easy listen in the best way.

If you are a fan of Only Murders in the Building or character driven murder mysteries I highly recommend checking out this book when it releases on March 3 2026!

Thank you to Netgalley, HarperAudio Adult, William Morrow, and Stacy Hackney for the opportunity to read an eARC and listen to an eALC of this book! show less

This book was short and gripping, a dystopian cult story. The main character has lost her job as a doctor because she was acquitted for performing the last abortion in North Dakota, but has been made an example of. Struggling to find someone who will hire her, she goes to a job interview only the be kidnapped by a cult in desperate need of an OB/GYN. She lives there knowing what they have done to their previous doctor, and thus lives in fear and must escape. However, she knows that the majority of the women who she is treating had no say in her kidnapping, and she wants to give them the care they deserve. This story was compelling and unfortunately doesn’t feel so far-fetched in modern times.

I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick, gripping thriller, as I read this in one sitting, and anyone who is interested/enjoys reading about cults. This book releases June 9, 2026!

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Naomi Kritzer for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book!

I absolutely DEVOURED this book! Queen of Faces is a YA dark academia fantasy, that is the start of hopefully a duology because I don’t think I could survive another cliffhanger like the one Petra Lord leaves us with here! Although maybe I’m hoping for a trilogy or longer because I want so much more of this story!

This book was so unbelievably amazing and unique, I’ve never read anything like it! The magic system is fascinating, with individuals able to use their Pith, essentially their magical soul, to perform magical acts but also can shift their Pith into a new body, called a chassis. This means that any one individual could occupy any body, regardless of who they are on the inside. The magic is also able to evolve and grow as the individual grows, with mental strength leading to magical strength. I love how the magic comes from within.

Lord asks the question, what if you did not have a right to a body, to your language, or even to your own memories? The fundamentals of one’s identity can be taken away at a whim in Caimor. The FMC is trapped in a dying body because she cannot afford a new one, and must become a witch of the coin, essentially a mercenary, to try to save up to be able to save her own life. I won’t say more on these themes, since I don’t want to ruin the experience of reading this wonderful story for the first time!

Listening to this audiobook was such a great experience, the narrators really build the personality of the characters and the show more different ones for each POV was so unbelievably helpful. Would highly recommend the audiobook to anyone who prefers them, it was amazing!

Finally, my favorite unique element that Lord introduces is Ousting. I don’t want to spoil anything so all I will say is in the noble families there is the ability to participate in an Ousting, where someone else can replace a noble through winning a challenge. The complexities of this process and the implications are so unique and utterly amazing, such an interesting element to throw into the story.

I recommend this book to any and all fantasy readers, especially those who enjoy found family, dark academia, and multiple POV. Please go RUN to get this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Petra Lord for the opportunity to review an ALC of this book! show less

Wow is this book relatable and hilarious! Except that I can’t draw to make funny comics of my life, but Lauren does an amazing job of it! These comics tell the story of the author’s daily life with their family over the course of a year, and it is sweet, relatable, and absolutely hilarious. The majority of the comics throughout this book are a single image/panel and I found I really enjoyed that, it was a quick thing to look at and enjoy! Finally, the art is absolutely amazing, I love the style and really enjoyed the family being represented as animals instead of humans, and the variations in color between different moments to emphasize the different tone was great.

Additionally, there is specifically a comic about ignoring a phone reminder to water plants and I literally do that pretty much weekly so that comic really called me out!

I would recommend this for anyone who likes small bits of life comics, and to have a good laugh at shared life experiences! This book releases March 10!

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of this book!

Who wouldn’t want their daily affirmations from cute animals?

Emotional Support Animals is a quite accurate name, as there are cute animals and I feel they offered me a great deal of emotional support. This book serves as a good mindfulness exercise to start off and end the day, to disconnect from screens and reflect on yourself, while accompanied by cute drawings of animals! You can choose to read whole sections are one or just meditate daily on a single page’s affirmation. I love the hand drawn art style of this book, it really feels like it has been personally made for the reader. The little worksheets throughout are great exercises and really allow the reader to do as much or as little as they feel in the moment.

This book was equal parts enjoyable and beneficial, building healthier mental health practices and strengthening one’s sense of self. I would recommend this for anyone looking for more self-reflection exercises that feel easy instead of like adding work to your day. This book releases April 14!

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of this book!

First of all, this was absolutely the most creative “there’s only one bed” romance I’ve ever read! In this cozy fantasy tale, halfling Pansy goes to move into her grandmother’s cottage only to find that Ren, a goblin, is already living there. Both feel that they have a stronger claim to the cottage, Pansy through inheritance and Ren because his family has kept it in shape for years. Naturally, the only fair way to decide ownership of the cottage is to stay in it together, with the first one to be driven out giving up their claim of ownership.

The silly events that unfold, from malicious dirt sprinkling to magnificent pillow wall construction, will leave you screaming at them to just fall in love already! Thankfully, a common enemy brings them even closer together than the already forced proximity, allowing feelings to bloom.

Additionally, the audiobook is truly wonderful, especially the different voices/accents the narrator does! I was convinced there had to be more than one narrator and was shocked that one person was both Ren and Pansy, such a good job. The banter is so good and the tone of each scene totally comes through.

I would recommend this book to any cozy fantasy fans or romance fans, it was a spectacularly cozy tale. Make sure to check this book out!

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, Orbit, and Jessie Sylva for the opportunity to review an ALC of this book!

Six stars. I know that doesn’t exist, but now it does, specifically for this book!

I don’t even know how I’m going to write this review, this book has left me utterly SPEECHLESS! Just wow. This is not only one of the best steampunk books I’ve ever read, but one of the best books in any genre that I’ve ever read! The world Megan builds is amazing, I love the idea of relics adding an element of magic into the world, and who wouldn’t enjoy the addition of sky pirates?!

This book follows Amaya on an unexpected adventure after she is kidnapped by an evil sky pirate. Conveniently, there is also a morally grey but very attractive sky pirate named Will who comes into the picture. The story is absolutely FULL of plot twists that will have you screaming at the pages, and the ending will destroy you! Book 2 needs to come out like right now! I will say, this book was amazing but emotionally devastating for me. If you don’t want to scream and cry and laugh and feel just so many emotions for the fictional characters, this isn’t the book for you. The way that the characters are written made this story so so painful but in the absolute best way.

I don’t really know what other media to compare this story to, it felt so unique but I mean when there are pirates there are always elements of Pirates of the Caribbean. I’ve seen others mention that it has similarities with Treasure Island, but I can’t speak to that as I haven’t watched it but if it is like this book I will show more be watching it ASAP! I would (and will) recommend this book to literally anyone, but especially anyone who enjoys romantasy, steampunk, or science fiction. Please, do yourself a favor and get this amazing book when it releases January 28, 2026! (The hardcover edition is going to be GORGEOUS!)

Thank you so much to the Megan Elisabeth for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book! show less

Have you ever wondered what if you died but cloning technology existed so you were brought back with almost all of your memories to solve your own murder? Read this book! This book has such a unique premise, with the FMC being murdered and then her clone is brought into existence solely to solve that murder. The clone’s perspective being the FMC but a bit different, and with the added element of being sort of trapped in this role under threat of death, is fascinating and brings up a lot of ethical questions about the cloning technology in the book. I loved the technology and I also love a good murder mystery and the twists in this one were quite enjoyable! The relationships between characters are well built and I found myself truly caring about what happened to each and every one of them.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a bit of a murder mystery with a hint of sci-fi technology. I would also recommend this to anyone looking for a quick satisfying read, since I ended up so engrossed in the story that I read this in about a day!

Thank you to NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours, and Gracie S. Reynolds for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book!

This book was a solid addition to the Enola Holmes series. There were a lot of the classic Enola Holmes moments, showing her personality remaining steady and her relationship with her brothers. However, the mystery plot was not terribly gripping and I found the plot twists to be a bit disappointing and predictable. The book begins with a chapter offering some background on the events that will occur and I feel that it took away a great deal of the suspense, since it gave away a bit of the mystery.

The audiobook narration was amazing, 5 stars for the narrator! She did such a great job with changing her tone throughout and truly telling the story in such an impactful way. I’ve given the book itself 3 stars, but that has nothing to do with the audiobook quality, which was truly fantastic.

Overall, this book was a quick enjoyable read and a good addition to the Enola Holmes series, so I would recommend it to fans of Enola and those looking for a quick mystery read.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Nancy Springer for the opportunity to read an eARC and to Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to an ALC of this book!

Fantastic YA space novel! Every time I thought I had the next part predicted another plot twist got thrown in my face which was so good. I really felt for the characters and was invested in their survival. The usage of the dual POV in this book was fantastic, so great to see their differing thought processes throughout and better understand their choices and reactions to each new obstacle thrown their way! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sci fi space stories or high stakes scenarios.

The only parts I didn’t love was because I was so attached to the characters that I just wanted more! Especially with the ending, I wanted to see more of what happened to various characters so I would have loved a good “one year later” type of epilogue. I think that would have given me far more closure on the story. I also would have loved a bit more detail into the character backstories that are shared but enough detail was shared to understand them, I just am dying to know more!

Finally, I’ve seen that others think the romance was also a bit fast to start up, but I disagree. Considering the high stakes traumatic situation, and the age of the characters, I think it could be very realistic! Personally, I’ve never been trapped in a space base ready to explode so I don’t know how long it would take to fall for someone in that scenario!

Overall, this book was very enjoyable and I would highly recommend it to almost anyone! As a YA book, the romance is very show more appropriate and the sci fi elements were interesting but easy to understand. If you liked The Martian or similar stories, this is perfect for you. Please go get this amazing book when it releases Feb 10, 2026!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's Books, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and Amie Kaufman for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book! show less

Who hasn’t wanted the ability to bring their book boyfriend to life? This book sounded absolutely fascinating and the premise drew me in immediately. The magic in this book is quite intriguing and varied, with the Stella’s ability to see words alongside the ability she finds to bring fictional characters to life. I loved the idea of her seeing words, and the way it plays out was enjoyable.

However, overall the story ended up feeling kind of bland. Stella has a childhood crush on a book character and ends up meeting him and the story evolves from there, however a good deal of it is predictable and I found that I didn’t find myself caring too much for a lot of the characters. Specifically, I would have loved more of the backstory of the characters and a bit more deep dive into the side characters as well, and more of an emphasis or history of the various magics. Additionally, I found the love story underwhelming and almost unnecessary/illogical.

Overall it was a quick, nice read and I wouldn’t not recommend this book, it was definitely a good read, I just felt like it could have been so much better. Maybe it just wasn’t my cup of tea though, I highly encourage you to check it out if it sounds like a better fit for you! The book releases January 6, 2026.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse for the eARC of this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The title of the book is fairly accurate to what it contains. This was one of the worst published books I’ve ever read. However, that is not to say that both the story and the author don’t have potential! I think this could have been decent had there been a great deal more editing.

My specific reasons for only giving this book 1 star:

-The book is in the present tense but third person, so it is a bit jarring to read. Additionally, the narrator seems to be unbiased but there is one sentence where the narrator gives their opinion which is also jarring as it was very unexpected.

-The author does a lot of telling instead of showing. For example, instead of describing how someone behaves and allowing the reader to understand their emotions, they are explicitly stated. This makes it feel like the author thinks the reader is too dumb to notice any connections on their own. Additionally, they even explicitly define what a bank vault is.

-The story occurs so quickly it feels very rushed and almost exaggerated to read like it is satire of the fantasy/sci fi genre. If the plot had more time to develop it could have been much more engaging.

-The book just needs more editing, there were typos and English errors which typically I wouldn’t have an issue with, but it really interrupted the flow. At one point the FMC Bethany is accidentally referred to as Bertha, who is a character who comes in later in the story.

-Finally, the book is marketed as having a dual read, aka two stories show more happening at the same time. This did not work at all for this story. One story is told for the first half and then suddenly with no warning a different story is being told. There are no connections drawn between the two stories, so I feel it would have been better to explore each one separately. I can see where the author may connect the two stories in a sequel, but it should have happened much earlier on or been told in a different way.

Overall, this story had a lot of potential but it ultimately fell very flat for me.

Thank you to librarything for doing a giveaway of this book. show less

There were in fact dragons here! This was an utterly wonderful cozy fantasy, telling the story of a grandma dwarf, Hilda, embarking on a final quest many years after leaving adventuring behind just to take her old adventure partner’s ashes to be spread amongst the dragons. On her journey, she deals with the emotions of losing a longtime friend as well as discovers what she considers to be her identity.

This story is sweet, throughout the book we hear stories from Hilda’s past, and join her on her quest to honor her friend’s memory. It is a tale of friendship, love, and adventure that will make you laugh, cry, and feel every emotion in between. As one of the characters so perfectly puts it, “It is not the breadth of wings but the fire in the heart”, and all of these characters are so full of fire you will fall in love. Finally, anytime a book has a sassy dragon I am fully on board, and this book does in fact meet that criteria!

I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who likes cozy fantasy, dwarves going on adventures, and dragons! I would also recommend it to anyone who isn’t sure about cozy fantasy and wants to give it a try, I think this book will give you a new favorite genre!

Thank you to S.L. Rowland for the opportunity to read an eARC of this amazing book, can’t wait to order a physical copy for when it releases on January 20th, 2026!