Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
The Rose Bargain was one of my favorite reads of 2025, so I was itching to get my hands on this one. While I didn't love it as much as the first book, it was still super enjoyable. I liked Smith's take on the fae, and how she doesn't shy away from their brutality. It reminds me a lot of Holly Black and The Cruel Prince series. Ivy is such a strong female character, and her character arc throughout the series is incredibly satisfying. It's so easy to root for her and want things to work in her favor. One thing that surprised me was the number of emotional moments in here, especially regarding Ivy's relationship with her sister and Emmett. My only gripe was that the plot felt somewhat chaotic at times, but overall, I'm very happy with how the series concluded.
I recently binged the first book and had a pretty good time, so I was looking forward to continuing the series. While I didn't like it as much as the previous book, it was still a decent read. I enjoyed learning more about the world and the beings that inhabit it. The magic system isn't the strongest, but it's interesting. The same can be said for Erriu's writing. I think it leans heavily into some stereotypical tropes, which makes a lot of the plot predictable, and some of the dialogue can be cringey, but it's so bingeable. Sometimes you need a book that you don't need to think too hard about, and that's exactly what this is. I liked seeing our characters develop their powers more and discover the stakes at hand. Again, not a new favorite series, but I recommend checking it out if you need an easy palate cleanser.
The cover of this piqued my interest, and the premise sounded interesting, so I wanted to give it a go. I ended up reading it in one sitting because the story was so bingeable. I went in expecting a whimsical fantasy with a competitive element, along the lines of Caraval, but it was surprisingly darker than I had imagined. There were numerous violent and horror-leaning moments, but they worked well. I liked Roe as a main character, and how she was determined to do anything to keep her magic. I loved the found family aspect between her, Ivander, and the rest of the crew. There's a little bit of a romance between Roe and Ivander, but it was subtle and didn't overshadow the plot. I found the magic system super interesting, and how it tied into the larger scheme. The ending felt rushed and things wrapped up too conveniently, but overall, it was a pretty good read.
Rating: 3/5
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| Pub Date: 4-14-26 YA - Fantasy |
The Thorn Queen- Sasha Peyton Smith: Ivy won the hand of King Bram and is now the new Queen of England, and has never been more miserable. Once Bram ascended the throne, he unlocked the door between the faerie and human worlds, unleashing the cruel Others onto the masses. To survive, Ivy plays the doting wife, but inside, she desperately longs for a way to banish her husband and rescue her sister and the love of her life from the Otherworld. But Bram is onto Ivy, and when they arrive in the faerie world, Bram sets up yet another competition, but this time pitting sister against sister. When Ivy was a child, she dreamt of visiting the Otherworld, but now that she knows just how deadly the fae can be, it'll take all of her power to get out alive.
The Rose Bargain was one of my favorite reads of 2025, so I was itching to get my hands on this one. While I didn't love it as much as the first book, it was still super enjoyable. I liked Smith's take on the fae, and how she doesn't shy away from their brutality. It reminds me a lot of Holly Black and The Cruel Prince series. Ivy is such a strong female character, and her character arc throughout the series is incredibly satisfying. It's so easy to root for her and want things to work in her favor. One thing that surprised me was the number of emotional moments in here, especially regarding Ivy's relationship with her sister and Emmett. My only gripe was that the plot felt somewhat chaotic at times, but overall, I'm very happy with how the series concluded.
Rating: 4/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
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| Pub Date: 2-14-23 Adult - Fantasy |
Fallen Stars- Imani Erriu: Everything Elara knew about herself has been turned on its head. She's no longer just the disposed Queen of a ravaged kingdom, but an ancient Celeste. With her soulmate, Prince Lorenzo, trapped in a deep sleep, Elara will risk everything to bring him back — including striking a dangerous bargain with her enemy. Through her journey, Elara finds herself working alongside unlikely allies as she desperately tries to uncover more about the lost Titans, a powerful race of beings who ruled the world long before the Stars. If Elara can awaken these Titans, she may have a shot at bringing the Stars down once and for all.
I recently binged the first book and had a pretty good time, so I was looking forward to continuing the series. While I didn't like it as much as the previous book, it was still a decent read. I enjoyed learning more about the world and the beings that inhabit it. The magic system isn't the strongest, but it's interesting. The same can be said for Erriu's writing. I think it leans heavily into some stereotypical tropes, which makes a lot of the plot predictable, and some of the dialogue can be cringey, but it's so bingeable. Sometimes you need a book that you don't need to think too hard about, and that's exactly what this is. I liked seeing our characters develop their powers more and discover the stakes at hand. Again, not a new favorite series, but I recommend checking it out if you need an easy palate cleanser.
Rating: 3/5
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| Pub Date: 3-3-26 YA - Fantasy |
Midnight on the Celestial- Julia Alexandra: Roe Damarcus is a Morphic with the power to resurrect the dead. She's used her gift to summon spirits for the guests of her family's esteemed galas, but she knows there's always a chance for her to lose it. Every Morphic must face a trial when they come of age that determines whether their power is deemed safe enough for society; if not, they are either stripped of it or must serve punishment on the magical cruise ship, the Celestial. When Roe fails her test, she takes matters into her own hands and flees to the Celestial, hoping to garner enough votes from its guests to earn a retrial. But when Roe arrives at the ship, she realizes not all is as it seems. The halls come alive, and visions torment the guests and the crew. Roe teams up with Ivander, an infuriatingly handsome performer, and as the pair dig deeper into the Celestial's history, they discover secrets to Roe's past that will have damning consequences.
The cover of this piqued my interest, and the premise sounded interesting, so I wanted to give it a go. I ended up reading it in one sitting because the story was so bingeable. I went in expecting a whimsical fantasy with a competitive element, along the lines of Caraval, but it was surprisingly darker than I had imagined. There were numerous violent and horror-leaning moments, but they worked well. I liked Roe as a main character, and how she was determined to do anything to keep her magic. I loved the found family aspect between her, Ivander, and the rest of the crew. There's a little bit of a romance between Roe and Ivander, but it was subtle and didn't overshadow the plot. I found the magic system super interesting, and how it tied into the larger scheme. The ending felt rushed and things wrapped up too conveniently, but overall, it was a pretty good read.
Rating: 3/5
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