Book Review: Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

Title: Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave

Author: Elle Cosimano

Series/Standalone: Finlay Donovan Series (Book #5)

Genre: Adult Fiction, Cozy, Mystery

Pages: 309

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Year Published: 2025

Format: Audiobook

"Finlay Donovan may have skeletons in her closet... but at least there's not a body in her backyard.

Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay's elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. But when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help. At first a suspect, Mrs. Haggerty is cleared by the police, but her house remains an active crime scene. She has nowhere to go... except Finlay's house, right across the street.

Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting involved in another murder case- or sacrificing either of her bedrooms. After all, they've dealt with enough murders over the last four months to last a lifetime, and they both would much rather share their beds with someone else.

When the focus of the investigation widens to include Finlay's ex-husband Steven, though, Finlay and Vero are left with little choice but to get closer to Mrs. Haggerty and uncover her secrets... before the police start digging up theirs. But who will solve the mystery first?"

My Rating: 5/5

This was by far my favourite book in the series. I have to give most of the credit to Mrs. Haggerty's character and the use of women-led groups. The character growth between books is also noticeable. With a cast of incredibly lovable characters, a mystery that feels intriguing without being terrifying and a toddler who just won't keep his pants on, who could ask for more? 

Sidny

Book Review: Game Changer by Rachel Reid

Title: Game Changer

Author: Rachel Reid

Series/Standalone: Game Changers Series (Book #1)

Genre: Adult Fiction, Sports, Romance, LGBT

Pages: 400

Publisher: Carina Press

Year Published: 2018

Format: Paperback (Own It)

"New York Admirals captain Scott Hunter takes his pregame rituals very seriously. In this case, it's not just a lucky smoothie he's craving- it's the man who made it. 

Pro hockey star Scott Hunter knows a good thing when he sees it. So when a smoothie made by a juice bar barista, Kip Grady precedes Scott breaking his on-ice slump, he's desperate to recreate the magic... and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter.

Kip knew there was more to Scott's frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott's penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon, never mind touched everywhere all at once. When it happens, it's red-hot, incredible and frequent, but also only on Scott's terms and always behind his closed apartment doors. 

Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can't afford to do anything that might derail his career... like introducing the world to his boyfriend. Kip is ready to go all-in with Scott- but how much longer will he have to remain a secret?"

My Rating: 3.5/5

I have already watched the Heated Rivalry show before reading this, so I knew a lot of the plot points that were going to be covered in the books. I did enjoy the internal dialogue, though, about how Kip felt during the relationship and how Scott felt about coming out of the closet. I liked the steamy scenes, but I found that there were moments where they were a bit repetitive. This could also just be because I am a cis woman.

Thank you for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

Title: The Final Girl Support Group

Author: Grady Hendrix

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Thriller, Adult, Fiction, Horror

Pages: 326

Publisher: Berkley

Year Published: 2021

Format: Paperback (Borrowed)

"In horror movies, the final girls are the ones left standing when the credits roll. They made it through the worst night of their lives... but what happens after?

Like his bestselling novel The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, Grady Hendrix's latest is a fast-paced, frightening, and wickedly humorous thriller. From chain saws to summer camp slayers, The Final Girl Support Group pays tribute to and slyly subverts out most popular horror films- movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Scream.

Lynette Tarkington is a real-life final girl who survived a massacre. For more than a decade, she's been meeting with five other final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, working to put their lives back together. Then one woman misses a meeting, and their worst fears are realized- someone knows about the group and is determined to rip their lives apart again, piece by piece. 

But the thing about final girls is that no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up."

My Rating: 3/5

I liked the concept of this book, I liked the original aspect of this book, but the writing style wasn't quite what I expected. While parts were fast paced I felt that other aspects dragged. I didn't care for the main character, and found that the way they all were fairly stereotyped, I wasn't super into. I didn't see the plot twist coming, but once it got there, it did make a lot of sense. I would be curious to read more of his work, but I won't be picking up another one super soon. Any suggestions?

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson by Tourmaline

Title: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson

Author: Tourmaline

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Nonfiction, Biography, LGBT History

Pages: 306

Publisher: 

Year Published: 2025

Format: Audiobook (Library Copy)

"Black transgender luminary Tourmaline brings to life the first definitive biography of revolutionary activist Marsha P. Johnson, one of the most important and remarkable figures in LGBTQIA+ history, revealing her story, her impact, and her legacy.

'She is the preeminent and foremost scholar on Marsha P. Johnson... To us, Tourmaline is the expert.' - Janet Mock, Allure.

"Thank god the revolution has begun, honey.' Rumor has it that after Marsha P. Johnson threw the first brick in the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, she picked up a shard of broken mirror to fix her makeup. Marsha, a legendary Black transgender activist, embodied both the beauty and struggle of the early gay rights movement. Her work sparked the progress we see today, yet there has never been a definitive record of her life. Until now. 

Written with sparkling prose, Tourmaline's richly researched biography Marsha finally brings this iconic figure to life, in full color. We vividly meet Marsha as both an activist and artist. She performed with RuPaul and with internationally renowned drag troupe The Hot Peaches. She was a muse to countless artists from Andy Warhol to the band Earth, Wind & Fire. And she continues to inspire people today. 

Marsha didn't wait to be freed; she declared herself free and told the world to catch up. Her story promises to inspire readers to live as their most liberated, unruly, vibrant and whole selves."

My Rating: 5/5

I think that as we start to rediscover history, we will find more and more of what has been whitewashed and hidden away. People who society at that time deemed undeserving of having their stories told, people who truly led revolutions, and impacted society greatly, but due to any amount of diversity were erased from their own narrative. 

This appears to be the case of Marsha P. Johnson. While I am a white, cis woman who is starting her journey in reading more historical nonfiction, I would say that I am learning more and more about just how often this has happened. While I can't change the actions of the past, I can acknowledge the horrors and injustices and do better going forward. Part of doing better is learning, learning about things that are cut out from school, past histories and more. I think this book is incredibly important to read, as we watch documentaries about this time to gain a better understanding of the freedoms and world we see today. The work is far from over, but understanding the buildup in history helps us fight tomorrow's battles. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: You Must Not Miss by Katrina Leno

Title: You Must Not Miss

Author: Katrina Leno

Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Magical Realism

Pages: 304

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook (Library Copy)

"Magpie Lewis started writing in her yellow notebook the day her family self-destructed. That was the night Eryn, Magpie's sister, skipped town and left her to fend for herself. That was the night of Brandon Phipp's party.

Now, Magpie is called a slut whenever she walks down the hallways of her high school, her former best friend won't speak to her, and she spends her lunch period with a group of misfits who've all been socially exiled like she has. And so, feeling trapped and forgotten, Magpie retreats to her notebook, dreaming up a place called Near.

Near is perfect- somewhere where her father never cheated, her mother never drank and Magpie's own life never derailed so suddenly. She imagines Near so completely, so fully, that she writes it into existence, right in her own backyard. It's a place where she can have anything she wants... even revenge."

My Rating: 2/5

This wasn't what I expected from this novel, which was my own fault. If I had done any research about this book, I would have read that there were elements of magical realism. For me, that is either a real hit or a real miss. I'm guessing you can see which one it was for me. This book felt long for me and just didn't have the momentum I was hoping for. I would be curious to read more work by the author, but if this is her normal writing style, I can't guarantee no DNFS.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Internment by Samina Ahmed

Title: Internment

Author: Samina Ahmed

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia, Realistic Fiction

Pages: 386

Publisher: Little, Brown Books

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"Rebellions are built on hope.

Set in a horrifying near-future United States, seventeen-year-old Layla Amin and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim American citizens.

With the help of newly made friends also trapped within the internment camp, her boyfriend on the outside and an unexpected alliance, Layla begins a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution against the internment camp's Director and his guards.

Heart-racing and emotional, Internment challenges readers to fight complicit silence that exists in our society today."

My Rating: 5/5

This had been on my tbr for a while, and when my hold came up on Libby, I decided now was as good a time as any to read it. I recalled hearing that some people felt this was unrealistic, and for those people, I have news: read this now and tell me it doesn't ring true to a lot of things going on in America currently. There were interactions that felt a little unrealistic, but it doesn't change anything about the plot line itself. I would recommend it definetly is reading less dystopian, and more realistic fiction as time goes on. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Title: Elatsoe

Author: Darcie Little Badger

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magical Realism

Pages: 362

Publisher: Levine Querida

Year Published: 2020

Format: Audiobook

"Imagine an America very similar to our own. It's got homework, best friends, and pistachio ice cream.

There are some differences. This America has been shaped dramatically by the magic, monsters, knowledge and legends of its peoples, those Indigenous and those not. Some of these forces are charmingly everyday, like the ability to make an orb of light appear or travel across the world through rings of fungi. But other forces are less charming and should never see the light of day.

Elatsoe lives in this slightly stranger America. She can raise the ghosts of dead animals, a skill passed down through generations of her Lipan Apache family. Her beloved cousin has just been murdered in a town that wants no prying eyes. But she is going to do more than pry. The picture-perfect facade of Willowbee masks gruesome secrets, and she will rely on her wits, skills and friends to tear off the mask and protect her family."

My Rating: 3.75/5

I'm so glad to see more representation of mythology and Indigenous culture in media and stories. This was done so well; the nonchalant writing style and the magical realism feeling of it all were amazing to read. I liked that our main character reads as age-appropriate; the only thing I didn't love was the conversation pieces at points. The banter wasn't all I hoped for, but the relation back to colonization is well done. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum by Antonia Hylton

Title: Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum

Author: Antonia Hylton

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Nonfiction, History, Race, Mental Health

Pages: 368

Publisher: Legacy Lit

Year Published: 2024

Format: Audiobook 

"On a cold day in March of 1911, officials marched twelve Black men into the heart of a forest in Maryland. Under the supervision of a doctor, the men were forced to clear the land, pour cement, lay bricks, and harvest tobacco. When construction finished, they became the first twelve patients of the state's Hospital for the Negro Insane. For centuries, Black patients have been absent from our history books. Madness transports readers behind the brick walls of a Jim Crow asylum.

In Madness, Peabody and Emmy award-winning journalist Antonia Hylton tells the 93 year-old history of Crownsville Hospital, one of the last segregated asylums with surviving records and a campus that still stands to this day in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. She blends the intimate tales of patients and employees whose lives were shaped by Crownsville with a decade's worth of investigative research and archival documents. Madness chronicles the stories of Black families whose mental health suffered as they tried, and sometimes failed, to find safety and dignity. Hylton also grapples with her own family's experiences with mental illness, and the secrecy and shame that it reproduced for generations.

As Crownsville Hospital grew from an antebellum-style work camp to a tiny city sitting over 1,500 acres, the instituation ebcame a microcosm of America's evolving battles over slavery, racial integration and civils rights. During its peak years, the hospital's wards were overflowing with almost 2,700 patients. By the end of the 20th- century, the asylum faded from view as prisons and jails became America's new focus.

In Madness, Hylton traces the legacy of slavery to the treatment of Black people's bodies and minds in our current mental healthcare systems. It is a captivating and heartbreaking mediation on how America decides who is sick or criminal and who is worthy of our care or irredeemable."

My Rating: 5/5

As intense as this book is, I feel it is incredibly important to learn about. How race impacts healthcare and how prejudice affects the care that is offered for individuals. It also made some valid points. Did we stop institutions just to move people into a box and criminalize their mental health? The idea that the same symptoms in a white patient vs a black patient, even now results in such different care or lack thereof, is crazy to me. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Told You So by Mayci Neeley

Title: Told You So

Author: Mayci Neeley

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Autobiography, Nonfiction,  Adult

Pages: 288

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Year Published: 2025

Format: Audiobook (Library Copy)

"From TikTok and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Mayci Neeley, a deeply personal story of love, grief, motherhood and resilience.

Mayci Neeley and the women of MomTok burst into the center of pop culture when Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives took the world by storm. But the show barely scratched the surface of Mayci's personal story. From becoming a mom at twenty, to losing her son's father in a tragic car accident, to going back to college as a single mother, she's only ever given us glimpses of the challenging things she's been through. Now, finally, she's ready to tell us everything.

In this inspiring and darkly funny memoir, Mayci lifts the veil for readers on what growing up Mormon is really like and how it's strict standards completely blow up for many young people when they get to college. When Mayci arrived at BYU on a tennis scholarship, she was unprepared to manage the temptations she'd been taught were sins. She found herself drinking too much, stuck in an abusive relationship and on the verge of falling down a dark and dangerous path. Suddenly, she was pregnant at nineteen and mourning a boyfriend she'd been building a future with. Mayci capture the period of college to adulthood with brutal honesty, grace and humor, offering up a heartfelt portrait of a woman finding her voice and her strength.

All of these trials led to her current love story, her journey with IVF, and of course the inside story of MomTok. Fans looking for a juicy play-by-play on the friend group drama will get everything they want- and then some- but more than anything, readers will walk away with a sense of confidence in themselves and an ability to wear their scars proudly."

My Rating: N.A

This is one of those stories I don't feel comfortable rating. The reason being its such a personal story, and based on trauma and very personal experiences. I have watched alot of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, I'll admit I love reality tv. So I knew who Mayci was and had a brief overview of her past but had no idea the detail this book would go into. I appreciate Mayci sharing her story and hope it touches those who feel unseen, etc. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Title: The Four Winds

Author: Kristin Hannah

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult Fiction

Pages: 464

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook (Library Copy)

"Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work, and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance.

In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli- like so many of her neighbors- must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dreams, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation."

My Rating:5/5

After reading two other works by the author, I can't help but pick up any more historical fiction releases I see coming out. I listened to the audiobook for this novel, and couldn't recommend it more! The narration style lends to the story and helps add the gravity of the situation we see Elsa struggle through. As a Canadian, I didn't know much about the Dust Bowl at all. This was informative, but made me curious about how many things we don't know about each other as North Americans. Or just as people. How many histories go uncovered and stories left untold, especially from a female standpoint? I look forward to reading The Women soon, but first, at least a month to emotionally recover.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Title: The Handmaid's Tale

Author: Margaret Atwood

Series/Standalone: The Handmaid's Tale Series (Book #1)

Genre: Classics, Dystopian, Science Fiction

Pages: 320

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Year Published: 1985

Format: Paperback (Own It)

"The Handmaid's Tale is an instant classic and eerily prescient cultural phenomenon, from the 'patron saint of feminist dystopian fiction' (New York Times) The Handmaid's Tale is a novel of such power that the reader will be unable to forget its images and its forecast. Set in the near future, it describe life in what was once the United States and is now called the Republic of Gilead, a monotheocracy that has reacted to social unrest and a sharply declining birthrate by reverting to and going beyond, the repressive intolerence of teh original Puritans. The regime takes the Book of Genesis absolutely at its word, with bizarre consequences for the women and men in its population. The story is told through the eyes of Offred, one of the unfortunate Handmaids under the new social order. In condensed but eloquent prose, by turns cool-eyed, tender, despairing, passionate, and wry, she reveals to us the prose, by turns cool-eyed tender despairing, passionate, and wry she reveals to us the dark corners behind the establishment's calm facade, as certain tendencies now in existence are carried to their logical conclusion. The Handmaid's Tale is funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing. It is at once scathing satire, dire warning and a tour de force. It is Margaret Atwood at her best."

My Rating: 4/5

This was a bit of a hard read. Not only for the emotional context and how it relates back to our current reality, but also the way it's written is a little confusing. I think though that this lends itself to the fearful and suspenseful telling of tale that feels to close to the world we current live. I'm looking forward to continuing the series, but I'm starting the television show as well.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

Title: Starling House

Author: Alix E. Harrow

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Gothic, Adult Fiction

Pages: 308

Publisher: Tor Books

Year Published: 2023

Format: Audiobook (Library Copy)

"A grim and gothic new tale from Author Alix E. Harrow about a small town haunted by secrets that can't stay buried and the sinister house that sits at the crossroads of it all.

Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote The Underland- and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. But everyone agrees that it's best to let the uncanny house- and its last lonely heir, Arthur Sterling- go to rot.

Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses or brooding men, but an unexpected job offer might be a chance to get ehr brother out of Eden. Too quickly, though, Starling House starts to feel dangerously like something she's never had: a home.

As sinister forces converge on Starling House, Opal and Arthur are going to have to make a dire choice to dig up the buried secrets of the past and confront their own fears, or let Eden be taken over by literal nightmares.

If Opal wants a home, she'll have to fight for it."

My Rating: 4.5/5

This tale follows Opal, who feels like an unreliable narrator, but is she? Her love for her brother pushes her to the extremes and makes the reader wonder, what would I do for the ones I love. It also follows Arthur and his trials and tribulations with the land he owns, and the nightmares that follow him. Overall, this is the tale of two people finding home in places they least expect, and confronting things one never thought possible, while maintaining the suspenseful and at time horror based elements. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Garlic and The Vampire by Bree Paulsen

Title: Garlic And The Vampire

Author: Bree Paulsen

Series/Standalone: Garlic Series (Book #1)

Genre: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Fantasy

Pages: 160

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Year Published: 2021

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"A farm-fresh debut graphic novel starring a heroine who is braver than she realizes. 

Garlic feels as though she's always doing something wrong. At least her friend Carrot by her side and the kindly Witch Agnes encouraging her, Garlic is happy to just tend her garden, where it's nice and safe.

But when her village of vegetable folk learns that a bloodthirsty vampire has moved into the nearby castle, they all agree that, in spite of her fear and self-doubt, Garlic is the obvious choice to confront him. And with everyone counting on her, Garlic reluctantly agrees to face the mysterious vampire, hoping she has what it takes.

After all, garlic drives away vampires... right?"

My Rating: 4/5

This was such a fun little middle-grade graphic novel. We follow Garlic as she learns confidence in who she is, how to stand up for those around her, and that is something we all need to remember right now. I don't see myself continuing the series but would recommend to a middle-grade audience.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Tarnished Crown by Robin D. Mahle & Elle Madison

Title: Tarnished Crown

Author: Robin D. Mahle & Elle Madison

Series/Standalone: The Lochlann Feuds Series (Book #2)

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Pages: 398

Publisher: Indie Published (Self-Published)

Year Published: 2021

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"Rowan was finally going to do something right.

Marry for love and for her kingdom. Keep her people safe. Until an archaic law enslaved her to the most feared man in all of  Socair, a man who treats her like a pawn and calls her his pet.

But when enemies emerge from unexpected places, she's forced to realize that being Evander's property might just be the only thing keeping her alive.

Can she fulfill her blood debt to Bear, even if it means losing Theo forever?

Even if it means sacrificing her heart?"

My Rating: 5/5

If you had told me a year ago that I would be loving a steamy but not spicy young adult romantasy series, I would have been shocked. Not that I've completely shied away from young adult fantasy, but I feel that I've leaned more into adult content in the past few years, so to revisit this area feels both nostalgic and brand new all at once. The authors of this series know exactly how to write angsty, longing and enemies-to-lovers. While some emotions are going fast (it's kinda par for the course in the genre), the banter, the plot, all of it is phenomenal. Don't worry, the next book in the series, she's downloaded!

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano

Title: Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice

Author: Elle Cosimano

Series/Standalone: Finlay Donovan Series (Book #4)

Genre: Mystery, Cozy, Adult Fiction

Pages: 320

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Year Published: 2024

Format: Audiobook (Library Copy)

"Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero are in sore need of a girls' weekend away. They plan a trip to Atlantic City, but odds are- seeing as it's actually a cover story to negotiate a deal with a dangerous loan shark, save Vero's childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen car- it won't be all fun and games. When Finlay's ex-husband Steven and her mother insist on tagging along too, Finlay and Vero suddenly have a few too many meddlesome passengers along for the ride.

Within hours of arriving in their seedy casino hotel, it becomes clear their rescue mission is going to be a bust. Javi's kidnapper, Marco, refuses to negotiate, demanding payment in full in exchange for Javi's life. But that's not all- he insists on knowing the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike, who mysteriously disappeared. Unable to confess what really happened to Ike, Finlay and Vero are forced to come up with a new plan: sleuth out the location of Javi and the Aston Martin, then steal them both back.

But when they sneak into the loan shark's suite to search for clues, they find more than they bargained for- Marco's already dead. They don't have a clue who murdered him, only that they themselves have a very convincing motive. Then four members of the police department unexpectedly show up in town, also looking for Ike- and after Finlay's night with hot cop Nick at the police academy, he's a little too eager to keep her close to his side.

If Finlay can juggle a jealous ex-husband, two precious kids, her mother's marital issues, a decomposing loan shark, and find Vero's missing boyfriend, she might get out of Atlantic City in one piece. But will she fold under the pressure and come clean about the things she's done, or be forced to double down?"

My Rating: 3/5

This book wasn't all I wanted it to be. There were many parts that I felt were repetitive. I had a hard time keeping track of timing and what day we were on, as it felt like so much was happening in such a little amount of time. I then try to think about how many days it actually was, and I feel that I have no idea. I liked the inner relationships. I like certain scenes (the strip club especially), and I look forward to continuing on with the series.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Lore Olympus: Volume Nine

Title: Lore Olympus: Volume Nine

Author: Rachel Smythe

Series/Standalone: Lore Olympus (Volume #9)

Genre: Graphic Novels, Mythology, Adult, Romance

Pages: 432

Publisher: Inklore

Year Published: 2025

Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"The Underworld has a queen!'

Persephone and Hades are finally reunited when the banished goddess of spring returns to the Underworld to claim her rightful place as queen. Now that Hades and Persephone have defeated and imprisoned the power-hungry Kronos once more, nothing can keep them apart, and years of being separated have only made their desire for each other grow. But the other Olympians can't help but meddle, pushing the pair to make things official with a coronation- and a wedding.

Ignoring the others who try to define their relationship. Hades and Persephone choose to take things at their own pace and focus on rebuilding the Underworld. They begin by investigating how Kronos was first able to escape, and they learn the horrifying truth that he has captured a powerful young god whose abilities help Kronos project his thoughts outside of Tartarus- thoughts he uses to plague Hera's every waking moment. Though Krono's physical form is locked away, Olympus will never be free until they can rescue the child from the furious Titan's grasp.

To save the realms, Persephone must figure out her fertility goddess powers and embrace her role as Queen of the Underworld- even as it takes her further from her mother's expectations and her former place in the Mortal Realm."

My Rating: 5/5

After just being ok with the past couple of volumes in this series, or not finding them super memorable, I felt that this one was well-paced and memorable. I really enjoyed the art style (as always), and the story felt like it truly ramped up in this volume. I can't wait to continue on and read the next in the series as it comes out in June. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Opal

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series/Standalone: Lux Series (Book #3)

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance

Pages: 394

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Year Published: 2012

Format:  Audiobook (Library Copy)

"No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn't fooling around. Doubting him isn't something I'll do again, and now that we've made it through the rough patches, well... There's a lot of spontaneous combustion going on. 

But even he can't protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love. 

After everything, I'm no longer the same Katy. I'm different... And I'm not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I'm capable. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won't turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we're stronger... and they know it."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This one wasn't as fun as the first two, if I'm being totally honest. I didn't love the shift in tone and relationship with Katy and Daemon. I still enjoy the training montage and the ideas that are presented. The sci-fi elements are interesting, and the writing is fun, although I caught myself more and more thinking about the age of the author vs. the age of the characters. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Scarlet Princess by Robin D. Mahle & Elle Madison

Title: Scarlet Princess

Author(s): Robin D. Mahle & Elle Madison

Series/Standalone: The Lochlann Feuds (Book #1)

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Pages: 324

Publisher: Indie Published

Year Published: 2021

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"A reckless princess. An enemy kingdom. And a mistake that could cost her everything.

Rowan only wanted a bit of adventure. She never meant to start a war.

But when a vodka smuggling trip goes wrong and lands her in the hands of the people she was brought up to hate, the Loclannian princess is forced to put her life on the line for the sake of her cousin and her kingdom. Her only ally is one of her captors, a man who is turning out to be so different from the barbarian she expected him to be.

Now she's in over her head with ancient vendettas, blood debts and the dangerous political games she's never been good at playing. Even Theo's help may not be enough to save her when Socairans still blame her for her parents' war... and when she's tempting fate by falling for one of their own. 

Rowan will have to find a way to smooth things over without causing more chaos, before she accidentally kicks off a conflict that could forever alter the fate of two kingdoms."

My Rating: 4.5/5

This first instalment follows Princess Rowan as she enters and remains trapped in a kingdom she knows next to nothing about, other than how they were enemies in the past and have remained barely cordial in the current tense. After a trip to get vodka (something unavailable in her own kingdom), she is caught smuggling and is left to deal with the consequences and a trial that could lead to her death. The authors do an excellent job of writing a fantasy world that is familiar enough to visualize but different enough to keep you on your toes. It almost feels medieval in time frame. The key factor to my enjoyment is Rowan's spunk and personality. Even when backed against a wall, she remains strong. I look forward to seeing how this series continues on, and who knows maybe we'll be reading a lot more from these authors. 

Thanks for reading

Sidny

Book Review: A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Title: A Very Merry Bromance

Author: Lyssa Kay Adams

Series/Standalone: Bromance Book Club (Book #5)

Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Pages: 359

Publisher: Berkley

Year Published: 2022

Format: Paperback (Own It)

"Country music's golden boy Colton Wheeler felt the most perfect harmony when he was with Gretchen Winthrop. But for her, it was a love him and leave him situation. A year later, Colton is struggling to push his music forward in a new direction. If it weren't about to be the most magical time of year and the support of the Bromance Book Club, he'd be wallowing in self-pity.

It's hard for immigration attorney Gretchen not to feel a little Scrooge-ish about the excess of Christmas when her clientsare scrambling to afford their rent. So when her estranged, wealthy family reaches out with an offer that will allow her to better serve the community, she's unable to say no. She just needs to convince Colton to be the new face of her family's whiskey brand. No big deal...

Colton agrees to consider Gretchen's offer in exchange for three dates before Christmas. With the help of the Bromance Book Club, Colton throws himself into the task of proving to her there's a spark between them. But Gretchen and Colton will both need to overcome the ghosts of Christmas past to build a future together."

My Rating: 5/5

I really enjoyed this Bromance Christmas special. It was exactly what I needed this season and included one of my favourite tropes, grumpy fmc and sunshine mmc. I find that as a fellow grumpy women it's annoying that often the woman is always the one cast as sunshine in these tropes, so when we have one that better emulates my husband and I (he is a ball of sunshine and all things good, btw), it's hard to resist.  This was a favourite series for me, and if Lyssa Kay Adams ever decided to put out more, they'd be on the top of my TBR pile.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny