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| Pub Date: 3-4-25 Adult - Contemporary |
Wild Side- Elsie Silver: Tabitha has always cared for those around her, so when her older sister passes away, she's ready to assume guardianship of her young nephew, Milo. But to her shock, custody has been given to Rhys, her sister's landlord, instead. Tabitha blames Rhys for her sister's downward spiral, so she refuses to leave her nephew in his care. Growing up in foster care, Rhys learned to keep his cards close to his chest. He's broody and closed off, but he loves Milo like his own. Rhys's job keeps him away from Rose Hill for weeks at a time, and he's reluctant to take Milo away from the only home he's ever known, so he and Tabitha agree to marry for Milo's sake. Neither is thrilled about the arrangement and the longer they stay under the same roof, the more the tension between them grows. But when those heated looks turn passionate, the line between real and fake blurs.
I've been chomping at the bit waiting for this book, and Silver did not disappoint. The interactions we've seen between Tabitha and Rhys have been brimming with animosity, so I felt their book would be explosive, and I was right. I love a marriage of convenience trope, so I was giddy watching it play out. It was easy to root for them because I was so invested in their happiness. They're both guarded and weary of the other, so it was satisfying watching them open up and understand it was okay to be vulnerable with another person. Their chemistry was insane, and I loved the playful banter. Rhys projected such an intimidating persona, but he was such a softie inside, and I loved watching him with Milo. The three formed such a sweet little family that pulled on my heartstrings. This dealt with some serious topics, but I thought Silver did a nice job balancing everything. If you haven't checked this series out yet, you need to.
I've been chomping at the bit waiting for this book, and Silver did not disappoint. The interactions we've seen between Tabitha and Rhys have been brimming with animosity, so I felt their book would be explosive, and I was right. I love a marriage of convenience trope, so I was giddy watching it play out. It was easy to root for them because I was so invested in their happiness. They're both guarded and weary of the other, so it was satisfying watching them open up and understand it was okay to be vulnerable with another person. Their chemistry was insane, and I loved the playful banter. Rhys projected such an intimidating persona, but he was such a softie inside, and I loved watching him with Milo. The three formed such a sweet little family that pulled on my heartstrings. This dealt with some serious topics, but I thought Silver did a nice job balancing everything. If you haven't checked this series out yet, you need to.
Rating: 4/5
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| Pub Date: 2-11-25 Adult - Historical Fantasy |
Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales- Heather Fawcett: As a renowned dryadologist, Emily Wilde has dedicated her life to studying faeries. She has spent years researching and compiling as much data as possible to create her extensive Encyclopaedia of Faeries. But now, Emily faces her most daunting task yet: becoming queen of a faerie land. After helping her academic rival-turned-fiance, Wendell Bambleby, locate the door back to his land, Emily must help overthrow Wendell's vengeful stepmother to take his rightful place on the throne. Emily is immediately intrigued by faerie politics and the workings of the court, but she feels ill-suited to rule, being a mortal. But when Wendell's stepmother places a curse upon the lands before vanishing, Emily must push her misgivings to the side and dig through her vast knowledge of faerie lore and stories to reverse the damage before it's too late.
One thing I love about this series is how atmospheric Fawcett's writing is. She has a way of transporting you into these faerie realms, so it feels like you're there beside Emily. I also love her portrayal of the fae. They're dark, twisted, and dangerously cunning. Watching Emily hold her own against them is always so satisfying. As in the previous installments, we get a lot of faerie lore, which continues to be fascinating and is a great addition to the story. I liked watching Emily pour over all these scholarly texts to find a way to save Wendell and his land. While the previous books felt cozy and lighthearted, there was a thread of anxiety woven throughout this one because the stakes were so high. Since Wendell wasn't as prominent here, it felt like the story was missing some charm, but I still enjoyed it. I'm unsure if there are plans for another book, but if not, I thought it was a lovely way to wrap up the series.
One thing I love about this series is how atmospheric Fawcett's writing is. She has a way of transporting you into these faerie realms, so it feels like you're there beside Emily. I also love her portrayal of the fae. They're dark, twisted, and dangerously cunning. Watching Emily hold her own against them is always so satisfying. As in the previous installments, we get a lot of faerie lore, which continues to be fascinating and is a great addition to the story. I liked watching Emily pour over all these scholarly texts to find a way to save Wendell and his land. While the previous books felt cozy and lighthearted, there was a thread of anxiety woven throughout this one because the stakes were so high. Since Wendell wasn't as prominent here, it felt like the story was missing some charm, but I still enjoyed it. I'm unsure if there are plans for another book, but if not, I thought it was a lovely way to wrap up the series.
Rating: 4/5
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| Pub Date: 2-4-25 Adult - Historical Fiction |
Junie- Erin Crosby Eckstine: Sixteen-year-old Junie has been enslaved on the Bellereine Plantation in Alabama since she was born. She's cooked, cleaned, and tended to Violet, the master's daughter, with the rest of her family while dreaming of something better. Despite the grief of losing her older sister weighing her down, Junie spends her nights dreaming up poetry and sneaking books to read in the woods. When wealthy guests arrive at the plantation, Junie realizes her master is set on marrying Violet off. Junie knows that if Violet gets married, she'll need to leave her family and everything she's ever known, so in desperation, Junie makes a rash decision-- one that rouses her sister's spirit from the dead. Now, Junie must complete a set of tasks to free her sister's soul, enlisting the aid of Caleb, the guests' coachman. But as Bellereine's secrets become too dark to ignore, Junie must decide how much she'd risk to be free.
To say this book was captivating would be an understatement. I was hooked from the very first page. June was such a compelling character to follow. She was strong and stubborn but also a dreamer. She had such bold designs for the life she wanted to live, and despite how dangerous those desires were, she never got discouraged. She faces many hard truths throughout the story, and those hardships only strengthen her resolve. I liked her relationship with Caleb and how they each learned to open up to the other. Eckstine's writing made it easy to become emotionally invested in these characters, and I spent most of this worrying over how their story would play out. Given the subject matter, it's a pretty tough read, but it had an underlying current of hope. I don't usually read the acknowledgments, but I'm glad I did because I learned how personal of a story this was to Eckstine, which made it more impactful. If you like historical fiction with a dash of magical realism, this is a must-read.
To say this book was captivating would be an understatement. I was hooked from the very first page. June was such a compelling character to follow. She was strong and stubborn but also a dreamer. She had such bold designs for the life she wanted to live, and despite how dangerous those desires were, she never got discouraged. She faces many hard truths throughout the story, and those hardships only strengthen her resolve. I liked her relationship with Caleb and how they each learned to open up to the other. Eckstine's writing made it easy to become emotionally invested in these characters, and I spent most of this worrying over how their story would play out. Given the subject matter, it's a pretty tough read, but it had an underlying current of hope. I don't usually read the acknowledgments, but I'm glad I did because I learned how personal of a story this was to Eckstine, which made it more impactful. If you like historical fiction with a dash of magical realism, this is a must-read.
Rating: 4/5
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