Farewell, 2025!

▬▬ APRIL ▬▬▬ (3)
1. Fourth Wing (Empyrean #1) by Rebecca Yarros (04/03)
2. Iron Flame (Empyrean #2) by Rebecca Yarros (04/23)
3. Lights Out by Navessa Allen (04/30)
▬▬ MAY ▬▬▬ (3)
4. Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry (05/27)
5. Onyx Storm (Empyrean #3) by Rebecca Yarros (05/30)
6. The Emperor's Wolves by Michelle Sagara (05/31)
▬▬ JUNE ▬▬▬ (9)
7. Dire Bound (Wolves of Ruin #1) by Sable Sorensen (06/04)
8. A Court of Thorns & Roses (ACoTaR #1) by Sarah J. Maas (06/08)
9. Eidolon (Wraith Kings #2) by Grace Draven (06/10)
10. Shadow Wars by Sherrilyn Kenyon (06/12)
11. A Court of Mist & Fury (ACoTaR #2) by Sarah J. Maas (06/17)
12. The Ippos King (Wraith Kings #3) by Grace Draven (06/19)
13. Metal Slinger (Fire & Metal #1) by Rachel Schneider (06/21)
14. The Devil You Know (Mercenary Librarians #2) by Kit Rocha (06/25)
15. To Kill A Fae (Dragon Portal #1) by Jamie A. Waters (06/30)
▬▬ JULY ▬▬▬ (14)
16. Eve of Destruction (Eve of Destruction #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon (07/03)
17. Born of Blood (League #14 / Eve of Destruction #3) by Sherrilyn Kenyon (07/06)
18. Avidian (Demon & the Savior #1) by Ashley R. Odonovan (07/06)
19. Betrayer (Cursed Bloodstone #1) by LiAnne Kay (07/08)
20. Dance with the Devil (Mercenary Librarians #3) by Kit Rocha (07/11)
21. Assassin's Blade (TOG #0.5) by Sarah J Maas (07/12)
22. Throne of Glass (TOG #1) by Sarah J Maas (07/14)
23. Gild (Plated Prisoner #1) by Raven Kennedy (07/16)
24. Heir of Fire (TOG #2) by Sarah J Maas (07/19)
25. Aurora's End (Aurora's Cycle #3) by Amie Kaufman (07/21)
26. The Silversmith (Selvaren #1) by LJ Claren (07/23)
27. The Moon and Its Eyes (Cain's Song #1) by Mehrin U (07/25)
28. Glint (Plated Prisoner #2) by Raven Kennedy (07/26)
29. Captive (Cursed Bloodstone #2) by Lianne Kay (07/28)
▬▬ AUGUST ▬▬▬ (10)
30. Gleam (Plated Prisoner #3) by Raven Kennedy (08/01)
31. A Star of Darkness (Scented Court standalone) by A.L. Knorr (08/03)
32. Come For Me (The Hunt #1) by CJ Sweet (08/05)
33. Daughter of No Worlds (War of Lost Hearts #1) by Carissa Broadbent (08/11)
34. By Blood and Magic (Dragon Portal #2) by Jamie A. Waters (08/21)
35. Glow (Plated Prisoner #4) by Raven Kennedy (08/26)
36. Bound by Dragons (Bound by Dragons #1) by Alisha Klapheke (08/27)
37. Kingdom of Spirits (Bound by Dragons #2) by Alisha Klapheke (08/28)
38. Crown & Dragon (Bound by Dragons #3) by Alisha Klapheke (08/30)
39. Storm of Flames (Bound by Dragons #4) by Alisha Klapheke (08/31)
▬▬ SEPTEMBER ▬▬▬ (7)
40. The Cruel Prince (Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black (09/03)
41. Keys to the Crown (Rellmira Duology #1) by Leah Mara (09/08)
42. Powerless (Powerless Trilogy #1) by Lauren Roberts (09/15)
43. The Wicked King (Folk of the Air #2) by Holly Black (09/17)
44. The Queen of Nothing (Folk of the Air #3) by Holly Black (9/19)
45. Gold (Plated Prisoner #5) by Raven Kennedy (9/23)
46. Kissed by the Gods (Eternal Wars #1) by Caty Rogan (9/27)
▬▬ OCTOBER ▬▬▬ (8)
47. The Keeper's Codex: World Guide and Dark Fae Novella by Celeanne Dorrington (10/01) ARC
48. Lightlark (Lightlark #1) by Alex Aster (10/02)
49. The Serpent and the Wolf (Dark Inheritance Trilogy #1) by Rebecca Robinson (10/04)
50. Goldfinch (Plated Prisoner #6) by Raven Kennedy (10/07)
51. How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (Folk of the Air #3.5) by Holly Black (10/08)
52. Siege to the Throne (Rellmira Duology #2) by Leah Mara (10/12) ARC
53. The Stolen Heir (Stolen Heir duology #1) by Holly Black (10/23)
54. The Prisoner's Throne (Stolen Heir duology #2) by Holly Black (10/28)
▬▬ NOVEMBER ▬▬▬ (2)
55. The Death-Made Prince by Lisette Marshall (11/21)
56. Carved in Crimson (Heirs of Lirien #1) by Annabelle McCormack (11/26)
▬▬ DECEMBER ▬▬▬ (4)
57. Your Knife, My Heart (Dark Forces #1) by K.M. Moronova (12/02)
58. Queen of Shadows (TOG #4) by Sarah J. Maas (12/09)
59. My Blade, Your Back (Dark Forces #2) by K.M. Moronova (12/17)
60. Children of Fallen Gods (War of Lost Hearts #2) by Carissa Broadbent (12/30)



53 Fantasy | 04 Paranormal | 02 SciFi | 01 Contemporary


ARCs: 3

Hardcopies Acquired: 30 (20 Hardcover | 10 Paperback)

DNF

In the Veins of the Drowning (Siren Mage #1) by Kalie Cassidy (08/14)

When Vengeance Bleeds Royal (Blood Descent #1) by LZ Cathcart (10/16) ARC 11/12 release

Glint (Plated Prisoner #2)

He knows. He kissed me.
He knows. He kissed me.
He knows what I did, and yet... he still kissed me.

Available at Amazon.com

Glint
Raven Kennedy
Plated Prisoner, book two
Audiobook, 11+ hours
Kindle Edition, 479 pages
First published January 1, 2022
ISBN 9781464224485
ASIN B08RW8MW3D


For ten years, I’ve lived in a gilded cage inside King Midas’s golden castle. But one night changed everything.

Now I’m here, a prisoner of Fourth Kingdom’s army, and I’m not sure if I’m going to make it out of this in one piece. They’re marching to battle, and I’m the bargaining chip that will either douse the fire or spark a war.

At the heart of my fear, my worry, there’s him—Commander Rip.

Known for his brutality on the battlefield, his viciousness is unsurpassed. But I know the truth about what he is.

Fae.

The betrayers. The murderers. The ones who nearly destroyed Orea, wiping out Seventh Kingdom in the process. Rip has power sizzling beneath this skin and glinting spikes down his spine. But his eyes—his eyes are the most compelling of all.

When he turns those black eyes on me, I feel captive for an entirely different reason.

I may be out of my cage, but I’m not free, not even close. In the game of kings and armies, I’m the gilded pawn. The question is, can I out maneuver them?

In this first sequel in the Plated Prisoner series, Auren has gone from being a hostage of pirates to a captive of the Fourth Kingdom army under the leadership of Commander Rip.

She may be their prisoner in name but the care and respect she receives from this army is unlike anything Auren has ever known before.

And while she'll endure a few crude comments, it's the push and pull of Rip's goading that ultimately gets under her skin, that furthers the cracks in her loyalty to Midas, and sets Auren on a path to choosing herself instead of her Golden King.

Rip will question her. He will challenge her. And, at her word, he will provoke war for her.

However, that word never comes. Auren is adament in that she will always choose him.

So they deliver her to Midas and Auren's regret couldn't come fast enough as Midas attempts to return her to a cage. But the cage is no longer the safe haven Auren believed it to be when she willingly allowed herself to be imprisoned all those years ago. She no longer needs those bars between her and the world. No longer wants them.

And then drops the third twist of the series. Rip is King Rot. He is King Ravenger. He is Slade. Two forms. So many names. King, and his own Commander. Dear man, you're doing too much.

4 out of 5 stars.

Available in ebook | hardcover | paperback | audiobook

Previously in the series:

2025/28

Gild (The Plated Prisoner #1)

True kings don't give up their armies for cunts.

Available at Amazon.com

Gild
Raven Kennedy
Plated Prisoner, book one
Audiobook, 9+ hours
Published October 16, 2020
ASIN B0D45XYS7C


The fae abandoned this world to us. And the ones with power rule.

Gold.

Gold floors, gold walls, gold furniture, gold clothes. In Highbell, in the castle built into the frozen mountains, everything is made of gold.

Even me.

King Midas rescued me. Dug me out of the slums and placed me on a pedestal. I’m called his precious. His favored. I’m the woman he Gold-Touched to show everyone that I belong to him. To show how powerful he is. He gave me protection, and I gave him my heart. And even though I don’t leave the confines of the palace, I’m safe.

Until war comes to the kingdom and a deal is struck.

Suddenly, my trust is broken. My love is challenged, and I realize that everything I thought I knew about Midas might be wrong.

Because these bars I’m kept in, no matter how gilded, are still just a cage.

But the monsters on the other side might make me wish I’d never left.

The myth of King Midas reimagined. This compelling adult fantasy series is as addictive as it is unexpected. With romance, intrigue, and danger, the gilded world of Orea will grip you from the very first page.

Please Note: This book contains explicit content and darker elements, including mature language, violence, and non-consensual sex. It is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. This is book one in a series.

If you're in the mood for dirty words and depraved acts with an overly possessive MMC, this is your book. If sexist, irredeemable men are your trigger, steer clear. Abort mission. This is not and may never be for you. And while this book is many things, a tale of romance it is not. If, however, you're in the mood to fuel a raging fire of misandry and let your feminist flag fly, then by all means, this is going to give you your moment.

She is his most coveted possession. Touched by his hand, every part of her skin is gold. Kept in a cage. Never shared, not once, in the ten years she's existed in his care.

Until she becomes the bargaining chip in an alliance that will get Midas an army to join him against Fourth Kingdom.

Hate him. Curse him. Do your absolute worst. But Midas, the villain that he is, is a master of the chess board. And Digby! That Dark Rhysand turned king slayer that he was! And Sail! Oh, Sail. Not Sail!

Oof. My heart. I'll never hear that Awolnation song the same way again.

For the first dozen chapters or so, I was certainly questioning what I'd gotten myself into. But after that first twist... Oh, this was so much fun! Don't get me wrong, it's dark. So dark that I had the urge to vomit at one point. But Auren was a delight and the voice of the reader in the audiobook was superb. Definitely did the character justice.

5 out of 5 stars. To a book with zero romance. What the hell?

Available in ebook | hardcover | paperback | audiobook

2025/23

Gold (Plated Prisoner #5)

I promised her I'd be the villain on her behalf.
So that's what I'll fucking be.

Available at Amazon.com

Gold
Raven Kennedy
Plated Prisoner, book five
Paperback, 754 pages
ISBN 9781464224454
Kindle edition, 646 pages
ASIN B0B4F9G5JD
Published December 7, 2023


Every end is also a beginning.

I thought I was going to die, and would have if it weren’t for Slade. The only way he could save me was to open a rip between worlds. The only way for me to save myself was to go through it.

Sometimes, fleeing one dangerous place just brings you to another.

Annwyn.

The realm of the fae.

There is magic and beauty here, though around every corner, threats lurk.

But I’m a threat too.

I’m not a girl in a gilded cage anymore, and no one is going to stop me from finding my way back to Slade.

But returning home means facing danger and secrets. So I have to burn bright enough to light my own way…

Or else I might be swallowed by the dark.

Please note: This adult fantasy book includes dark elements that may be triggering, including violence, cruelty, death, adult language, and explicit romance. It is intended for ages 18 years and older. Read at your own discretion.

This post will contain spoilers. A lot of spoilers.

The last book ended as Rip tore a hole in the world, allowing Auren to escape into the void where he could not follow. Although he expected to. Eventually. It was an emotionally devastating scene that ripped my heart out. Why must we relive this?!

Auren falls... flies... and lands in Annwyn. Home of the Fae. Her home. And I am screaming, my eyes welling with tears right along side her, as she finds her ribbons *finally* restored. Even if only in part.

And Slade, desperate to find her, desperate to find his mother, desperate to find his people... is left spiralling and the only path he can cling to is one that focuses his attention on those responsible for every wrong Auren ever suffered in a strategically orchestrated rampage that spans the entire series.

Manu for abducting her.

Queen Isolte for torturing her.

King Merewen for the Conflux forced upon her.

Rotting. Torturing. Executing.

He even took revenge on the pirates for taking Auren's damn horse! The traffickers in Derfort. The dew dealers that provided the drug that subdued her back when Midas hacked away at her ribbons.

And lastly, Queen Kaila.

Some have said this book is the filler of the series. While I would say I understand, I also disagree. This isn't filler. This is natural progression.

Malina is falling for the assassin sent to kill her. I swear, this woman needs to spend more time in self reflection. What do you mean you're 'still married in the eyes of the gods'? You've been riding your own exclusive saddle for years. If your gods are okay with that then I highly doubt they're going to smite you for kissing a man.

All the while, the Fae have invaded from over the bridge that Malina herself helped restore and are waging their own death march on the people of Orea.

Unfortunately, Kaila has already won the hearts of the people of Sixth Kingdom. They don't heed Malina's warnings and curse her instead.

Osrik is in his own agony over his Yellow Bell. Rissa hasn't woken up since Manu and his accomplice left her for dead with a knife in her gut. The way they left the knife. Ffs. And now the wound is infected.

Os just wants to buy some yellowbell flowers from a flowershop. Why does that have to be so hard?!

Jude is operating as an envoy to First Kingdom, the only kingdom seemingly not on the receiving end of Slade's fuck it all to hell parade. Until the fool king calls for Slade's attention. It is so not the time, man.

Ryatt? MIA for the most part. He basically shows up long enough to keep Digby from raining fists upon Slade then grounding his brother before he rots himself to death. Ryatt has taken command of the army after Slade promoted him in order for Rip to step down. To be let loose.

Lu? She's more MIA than Ryatt but finally arrives, at the worst forsaken moment, to inform Slade of the Fae's invasion.

Auren is searching the sky every hour for the rip to return. For Slade to find her. Even as the Loyalists begin to gather to welcome their lost princess and protect her from the currently reigning king. Auren is the seemingly last of the Turley line and heir to Annwyn's throne.

Of course, once they start going in on about their plans of revolution, Auren responds with a firm "No" that sounds more like "Nope. No, thank you" and "Negative".

She is so over being a pawn.

But once the threat closes in, Auren's beast lashes out. Our lady is just as feral as her man.

There's so much happening. It's a lot to take in.

And the piece of Slade's power, that part of himself that held firm within Auren is now too far away and the rot is leaking into his body, rotting him from the inside out. He's dying.

The man is truly dying from a broken heart.

While Auren watches the skies, she journeys with Wick, the rebel leader, as he builds his Vulmin army. With Emonie and Ludogar and so many more new characters.

And the return of Stanton Cull.

Auren claims she has no interest in a crown. Even if it were in Fourth Kingdom? The way I'm waiting for Slade to broach that subject. Although... not sure if there will be a place for Slade and Auren in any of the Orean kingdoms after this. Fae that they are. Fae vs Oreans. Fae vs Fae.

Finally. Finally! We come full circle back to Gild and Glint and Gleam and it's confirmed in black and paperwhite that the aura that Slade followed, the beacon that brought the "last two fae" in Orea together has a deeper meaning. Fated mates.

Bonded fated mates.

Päyur, you and I.

It's true. Not for a single second are Auren and Slade together in this book.

5 out of 5 stars. I'm so not prepared for this series to end.

Available in ebook | hardcover | paperback | audiobook

Previously in the series:

2025/45

Glow (Plated Prisoner #4)

I'll find you, Goldfinch. I swear to you.
Now fly.

Available at Amazon.com

Glow
Raven Kennedy
Plated Prisoner, book four
Kindle edition, 738 pages
Paperback, 832 pages
Published June 25, 2024
ASIN B095G183J6
ISBN 9781464224447


"I was nothing but a road to Midas. A means to get to where he wanted to go, and I paved that path in gold."

My life has been made up of gilded lies. But death has been shaped from rot.

Like a phoenix caught fire, I will need to rise from the ashes and learn to wield my own power. Because my wings may have been clipped, but I am not in a cage, and I'm finally free to fly from the frozen kingdoms I've been kept in.

Yet the world doesn't want to let me.

That's the thing when you turn against a king—everyone else turns against you.

Good thing I have a different king in my corner.

But even with the dark threat of Slade Ravinger, the other monarchs are coming for me.

So I will fight for him and he will kill for me, and if we need to become the villains, then so be it.

Because so long as I live in this world, I won't be used again.

Please note: This is an adult fantasy series with dark elements that may be triggering, including past emotional and physical trauma, violence, adult language, and explicit romance. Read at your own discretion.

True to form, this book picks up right where book three, Gleam, faded to black. The castle is in chaos.

Auren lost control, almost burning out. Molten gold ravaged the place, killing countless in its path. Midas included.

Ravinger begged Auren's forgiveness as he was left with one recourse, to use his powers against her in order to save her from herself.

Queen Kaila of Third Kingdom survived, and tah-dah! We've unlocked another POV. It's with her that the first chapter opens up. And with the very pregnant saddle, Mist, spewing all kinds of ridiculousness about Auren stealing Midas' powers.

Convincing Kaila that Auren could steal hers as well.

With her would be fiance dead, Kaila pulls out a backup plan for seizing power over Sixth and Fifth Kingdom. Make the people, who are still rioting over Midas' wife, Queen Malina's seizure of the throne (her rightful throne, mind you) and her alleged murder, love her. Accept her.

Slade has fled Fifth Kingdom, with Auren, on the back of Argo, a timberwing. And now, the fanart finally clicks into place.

He's counting the seconds, well the fuck aware of how crucial it is that he pull his rotting power out of her before it's too late.

They land. He pulls. Most of it flows freely but there's one last speck that resists. He panics. He curses. And he tries once more to rip the last of the rot out of her, sending his body careening backwards into the snow.

But the speck remains.

And Auren still doesn't wake up.

And again, Slade is counting the seconds.

And Digby is shouting.

And the Wrath is sensing the alarm.

And this series is something else, because how are we only four percent in and my heart is pounding in my chest! Paragraph after paragraph. Page after page. Until finally, Ryatt slams his fist into Slade's face and the spell of panic is finally broken. Sort of.

Back on his feet, Slade scoops Auren back into his arms, hauls them both back onto Argo, and we're off to Deadwell while the Wrath is directed to go back for the army.

But does anyone listen to orders anymore? Apparently Lu and Ryatt have transcended that bit of expectation. And Judd just doesn't follow orders that he deems stupid.

So chapter after chapter, we're riding in Slade's POV while taking trips into his past with his brother and mother and father and then talks of Lu's past of when she came into Slade's army at just fourteen years of age. Talula Gallerin.

“She’s gonna wake up, you know.”

I swallow hard, all the light amusement draining back out of me. “You sound sure.”

“That’s because I am,” she says before she unfolds herself and gets to her feet. “You took my belligerence and tossed a uniform in my face. You met Osrik’s kill drive and decided to give him your sword. You saw every jail cell that couldn’t hold Judd and, instead of tossing him in another one, let him keep the keys. This time, you found your goldfinch and watched her leave her cage. She’ll open her eyes, just like you got the rest of us to do.”

Throughout the beginning, I was in awe as the author takes King Rot and shows him for the human that he half is. For the boy that he was, and the man that he became. One that makes mistakes, that doesn't think of everything, that loses himself in panic and desperation but has the loyalty of his comrades and the grounding of his friends to hit him, distract him, comfort him—whatever needed to get him through. And as much as I was ready for our Lady Auren to wake the hell up, I was there for Slade's story. There, beside Ryatt, and Lu, and Judd, and Digby.

Osrik alone has gone back for the army, kicking their butt into high gear to get out of dodge with haste. And cue happy dance because...

Osrik and Rissa's side quest has commenced!

Frowning, I straighten up, and then my eyes adjust to the darker lighting and the warmer air, and my gaze immediately zeroes in on the woman wearing some fancy ass dress that has no business being worn out here in these conditions. The little coat she has on isn’t doing shit either.

The blonde stands up to face me, crossing her arms in front of her indignantly. “And just who are you?” she demands.

I blink at her, then at the second woman who’s lying on the pallet next to her, white as a sheet as she sleeps. “I’m captain of the whole damn army right now. Who the fuck are you?”

Give this woman one hell of a romance! She deserves it!

And then the words I've been waiting for...

"I'm finally going to tell you why they really call me Rip."

::squeal::

Nope. There was no expecting that.

Home is Annwyn.

I truly believed Gleam would win out as my favorite of this series, but Glow was proving to be a notable contender as time went on. Of any of the books, this is just as much Slade's story as Auren's, if not more so. He's an open book here. Sure, he prefers to turn the pages slowly, but gone is the deception. And he's his mother's son to the core.

Auren stands trial for her alleged crimes: killing Midas and stealing his powers. But, like our own system of justice, the process is rigged in one side's favor. But this time, Slade is there. Rip is there.

And the Bridge of Lemuria is restored.

Bring on the Fae!

5 out of 5 stars. Despite each book picking up right at the end of its predecessor, I've never really felt there was much of a cliffhanger. But the ending of this book? Holyfruckingshyt.

Available in ebook | hardcover | paperback | audiobook

Previously in the series:

2025/35

Gleam (Plated Prisoner #3)

I stare at him, not in fear, but in recognition
as the beast in me rises up and answers to the beast inside him.

Available at Amazon.com

Gleam
Reven Kennedy
Plated Prisoner, book three
Kindle Edition, 674 pages
Paperback, 784 pages
Audiobook, ~19 hours
Published May 31, 2021
ISBN 9781464224430
ASIN B08XK8L1J7


King Midas made me the woman I am today. Notorious. Unattainable. His.

The thing about being confined is that you believe it’s to keep the bad out... Until you realize it’s about keeping you in.

I’m now in a strange kingdom surrounded by liars, with no allies of my own, but I won’t sit idly by and let myself wither. No, there’s something that’s bloomed from the pit of my repression. Something dark. Something angry.

But the last thing I expected was for my anger to call out to him. King Ravinger.

He’s sinister and powerful and entirely too seductive. I’ve learned my lesson with trusting manipulative kings, so why does my chest constrict every time he’s near? I need to tread carefully, or I’m at risk of losing much more than just my freedom.

Regret and revenge war inside of me, and I need to figure out a plan fast before I get tangled up in the schemes of kings and queens.

Because I won’t be caught in a cage again. No, this time, It’ll be me setting the trap... I just hope my heart comes out of this unscathed.

A moment to appreciate Kennedy's decision to have Rip with black eyes and Ravinger with green.

A second moment to express some love to Rip's inner circle because I neglected to do so in my last post. Osrik, Judd, and Lu are Rip's captains. His handpicked team. His most trusted advisors. They are, as Lu deemed them, his Wrath. Osrik, the former mercenary. Judd, the tricky thief. And much love to our lady, Lu, with her secret past, happy violence, and the power to be ignored.

Book three opens up just where we left off in Glint albeit with a slight rewind. Rip reveals his alias as King Ravenger and the two are throwing words at eachother in a heated exchange. And it's the best kind because neither of them is wrong and I'm stuck in this silent web of neutrality waiting for who will be the first to yield or deliver the final blow.

Gods, this man! Rising oh so quickly to the top of my list of favorite characters.

Then Midas himself adds to the tension and our girl Auren is done with the bs. She has woken up and is choosing violence. Woman is big mad. At everybody.

I am giddy over these female characters. Women who actually own up and take accountability. Both Auren and Midas' wife, Malina, willing to say the words: I let him. Men (and women, too) don't take or hold power alone. They are enabled. They are permitted and guided and encouraged. And while Auren and Malina once gave Midas power, they are now seizing it back.

Go ahead, gurl. Whip another pillow at his face.

Meanwhile, Ravenger still hasn't divulged how the nickname "Rip" originated but we do meet fake Rip. And, oh my pulse quickened at the scene as my mind leapt into the mass of fanart images filed away in my brain. Could this... be Ryatt?

Sir, you better get to stepping aside out of her way before the Rotter of Things has Lu take her hand to the back side of your skull.

"I chose you the moment you called me a prick, and your ribbons tried to knock me on my ass."

Could I swoon any harder over Ravenger's My Own Good speech? Could I feel second hand mortification any deeper at Auren's ribbons rolling around in Slade's sheets? Like hyper kittens indeed. She gilded the damn pillow! I was a rolling mess of laughter. Gurl, get out of his room!

I just told him I want him, told him bits of my life I don’t share with people, and yet...he’s saying nothing.

Finally, I can’t take it anymore. The silence, the scrutiny, the confessions lying at my feet like plucked fruit left to rot. “Are you going to say anything? I just admitted that I want you, and you’re just standing there.”

Slade blinks. “I was processing.”

“You process really slowly.”

His mouth hitches up. “What do you mean, exactly, when you say you want me?”

I thought I couldn’t be more embarrassed, but I was wrong. I wasn’t expecting this reaction, and it makes me feel...rejected. Snubbed. It hurts more than I can put into words. “You know what? Forget it.”

The second I move toward the door, Slade easily sidesteps in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. “You think you can say all of that to me and then just walk out?”

I shoot him an incredulous look. “Yes, because you’re not saying anything. If things have changed, if you don’t want me back, then…”

A frown tucks in, creasing in place between Slade’s brows. “Don’t want you? Is that what you think? You think I’ve been hanging around Fifth Kingdom because I’m excited to attend a ball?”

“I don’t know what to think!” I cry out, hands flinging up in exasperation. “I just said all of those things, and—”

“I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you, Goldfinch. I was just waiting for you to catch up.”

Woman! She does this while the sun is up?! Mind you, they're not talking about sex here. She's choosing him. She chose herself. And she's choosing him for herself.

Gods, that chapter thirty. And I don't know how I expected thirty-one to be any less crass than it was. Great Divine, that man has a filthy mouth. How does a commander and king of so few words manage not to shut up in the bedroom?

Bright side? None. Absolutely none. Because I just turned his pillow solid gold from sniffing it like a lunatic, while he watched my ribbons dive into his sheets like fish in a Slade stream.

My favorite character could easily be Auren's ribbons. They are always slithering out to Slade and wrapping themselves around that man with a mind of their own.

Revelations and twists in this installment... aka Spoilers incoming... Auren's power only works during the day. I'm all for unique magic systems but I'm not sure how I feel about this detail. And again, a life is taken and body left to drop on the snow.

This series has set a new record for me for the amount of times I either mutterered, yelled, or voicelessly threw out the words This muthafucker here. Midas, I tell ya. The grace I gave you, you sum of a bish. I wanted to claw your eyes out—Digby?! You tortured Digby! And then you took a sword to Auren's ribbons! But the twist. That twist... with Barden East. You devil! The diabolical intent that spanned years. I was screaming.

And yet.. Respect. Horror, but respect.

And yes, it was Ryatt. And now the whole giving Auren a hard time and getting kicked out to the balcony in the snow makes sense, because, yeah... little brother.

"Better the whore to the man at my back than the favored to you."

4.99 out of 5 stars. Top tier power couple.

Available in ebook | hardcover | paperback | audiobook



Previously in the series:

2025/30

The Wolf and the Crown of Blood

Let me show you how a god prays.

Available at Amazon.com

The Wolf and the Crown of Blood
Elizabeth May
The Broken Accords, book one
Hardcover, 560 pages
Published January 27, 2026
ISBN 9781035912896


A princess and a war-weary god met in the ashes of a broken city, forging a pact in blood and sacrifice.

Now, centuries of fragile peace are on the brink of collapse…

Bryony Devaliant was born to die — again and again. In Vartena, royal blood is the currency of peace, with every monarch sacrificed and resurrected to appease the gods. But when rebellion stirs, the god-king sends his deadliest weapon to restore order: an immortal assassin known only as the Wolf.

Evander has perfected the art of killing over centuries — until his latest target becomes the one person he cannot destroy. When forbidden desire burns between the assassin and the sacrificial princess, their connection threatens the fragile boundary between gods and mortals. And when that boundary shatters, empires crumble. Because when gods fall in love with mortals, mortals are always the ones to break.

Inspired by Beauty and the Beast and Eros and Psyche, this dark, seductive tale is perfect for fans of Raven Kennedy's Plated Prisoner series, with the wit and spice of Callie Hart's Quicksilver. Packed with dark fairytale vibes, gothic romance, and tropes like enemies to lovers, forced proximity, death pacts, and villain-gets-the-girl, this is a story where love is as deadly as it is irresistible.

Based on how the author was promoting this book, I had expected to be much deeper into the smut than I was at twenty percent in.

Due to a centuries' old blood pact, Bryony and her kin are fated to be sacrificed to the god Alexios. Every two weeks. Slain on an alter and brought back by the Oracles.

But Bryony has earned the people's adoration and Alexios decides it better to end her than to continue to suffer their prayers calling out to her instead of him.

So he removes the mark of his protection, bans her from the temple, and decrees her an Oathbreaker.

For there is no greater sin that that.

And so, Alexios sends his Wolf, Evander, to carry out his will. However, two things come into play. First, Bryonny and Evander have crossed paths before when Evander was hunting another target. In that encounter, Bryonny bargained that should the Wolf ever be sent for her that he would imagine her his equal and give her a good death.

Secondly, before Bryonny was forced from the temple she managed to plunge the dagger into her own chest, therefore fulfilling her obligation and is not, in actuality, an oathbreaker.

And Evander, finding amusement in his boredom, not only spares her life, but offers himself up as an outlet for her rage.

It is dark and bloody.

There is so much that this book got right. The monologues. The yearning. Forcing the protagonist to view the world from her enemy's viewpoint. All so good! Unfortunately, I just failed to bond with any of the characters. Bastien and Theo didn't intrigue me at all. Alexios has some potential but he is what he is. I do have lingering questions but none so important as to inspire a compulsion to continue the series.

3 out of 5 stars. First started this in January. Grew bored and put it on pause. Finished in June.

Available in ebook | hardcover | paperback | audiobook

2026/29

Coming Soon: The Sweetest Fiend by Raven Kennedy

Available at Amazon.com

The Sweestest Fiend
Raven Kennedy
Played by the Piper, book one
hardcover, 480 pages
Releasing September 22, 2026
ISBN 9780063453272


From the New York Times bestselling author of the Plated Prisoner series comes the first book in an alluring and addictive romantasy duology set in a world of fae and dark magic, loosely inspired by the legend of the Pied Piper.

It’s time to pay the Piper.

Our world cracked open like an egg. Power burst out, and with it, nine monstrous Banes ready to destroy everything. The powerful Core fae finally slayed them all, but each Bane left a Plague to punish us.

But that’s not the only thing they left behind.

I’m half Bane, half fae, and wholly hated. Survival means enduring every vicious glare and cursed outbreak. Until one day, a Plague descends upon my city that means certain death.

Then he comes. The Pied Piper.

He rids my city of the Plague, but it comes at a cost. One hundred and thirty people are taken as payment. Including me.

I don’t know what he’s going to do to us, but I know I have to get home. My family’s lives depend on it. But the Piper won’t let me go, and something wicked stirs between us. The sweet scent in my veins beckons him, while the seductive lure of his magic sinks under my skin.

I have to escape before it’s too late. Because if I don’t, it’s not just my heart at risk…

But the entire world.

Note: Pied Piper reimagined. This dark fantasy is full of romance and secrets, with mature themes and explicit scenes only suitable for adults. This is book one of a duology.

Available in ebook | hardcover | audiobook

Keys to the Crown (Rellmira Duology #1)

I can't seem to run in any direction that does not lead to you.

Available at Amazon.com

Keys to the Crown
Leah Mara
Rellmira Duology, book one
Kindle edition, 460 pages
Hardcover, 522 pages
Published January 9, 2025
ASIN B0DKB4Y8DC
ISBN 9781965527023


A princess-turned-spy goes undercover to catch a dangerous criminal—and falls for him instead.

After her mother’s assassination, Kiera gave up her crown to become a spy. She’s spent years training to earn the title of High Enforcer—the elite embodiment of justice in Rellmira. But first, she must prove she's worthy by hunting down any threat to her father's rule.

When a mysterious prisoner becomes such a threat, Kiera goes undercover to learn his true intentions.

But Aiden won’t reveal his secrets easily. His charming tongue spins lies as deftly as Kiera’s does, and he claims he’s just a thief looking for gold. Upon their escape, Kiera proposes they work together on a risky heist—and Aiden agrees.

But the line between allies and enemies begins to blur as he slowly surrenders the trust she is now reluctant to destroy.

When the embers of rebellion, secrets, and desire ignite their world, Kiera must decide who she will be among the ashes—a traitor to her kingdom or to her heart.

Keys to the Crown is the first book in a fantasy romance duology filled with steamy slow-burn romance, found family, and epic intrigue. Perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom, Serpent and the Wings of Night, and Blood & Steel. Kiera and Aiden’s story concludes in Book 2.

When a mysterious man infiltrates the Den of the night guard Shadow-Wolves, disguised with a dead Wolf's uniform and weapon, and fails to confess anything of substance after being caught and tortured, it falls to Kiera to extract his secrets.

The princess, now spy, has trained for years, since the assassination of her mother, to be a tool capable of protecting her remaining family and securing her brother's ascension to the throne.

Renwell, High Enforcer of the kingdom of Rellmira and Kiera's mentor and trainer, sends her undercover with the task of freeing the prisoner and earning his trust. And I'm having Metal Slinger flashbacks that bring my heart rate up to a dizzying speed. It's nice to be on this side of the intel this time around though.

Don't fall for it, Aiden!

But damn if our girl isn't about to lose her heart the moment he steps between she and the jailer.

Kiera is starved and thirsty.

And it turns out, Aidan had a plan of escape all along. His friend, Maz, appears, having subdued however many guards, and we're out and off.

Applause for Aiden for side eyeing our girl from the onset. Despite his lack of trust, however, the both of them are mutually tripping over themselves as they fall hard and fast for the other.

Am I a fan when the leading couple's first kiss is a result of a ruse? No. But am I upset about it here? Not a bit. "Not for a single moment."

Kiera eventually discovers Aidan's endgame and her own is one and the same—to put her brother on the throne. And she does what I had ranted and screeched at Brynn of Metal Slinger for not doing when confronted with new intel: reevaluate!

Godsdamnit, Brynn! I hope Acker hunts you down and spanks your ass!!

But here, with Kiera, we basically have Metal Slinger meets Direbound in that she stands in somewhat the same position as Killian. If she hadn't given up her place in line, she would be a false heir to the throne as Killian was. But while Killian sought to unite the false heir to the true heir in marriage, neither Kiera nor Aidan want the crown. Leaving Everrett as both of their choices to take the throne subsequent to Wenlyn's demise.

And no, the comparisons with other books do not end there. Because then I'm screaming out at Slade from Gleam and the whole Plated Prisoner series. Holy Four, this is how you're suppose to talk in the bedroom, Ravinger! If one is so inclined to talk at all.

Now, if we can just get around this betrayal business. I figured early on, since Aiden had already come to terms with the possibility that she was a spy, that he'd be willing to forgive. They had a chance at an easy happy ever after, as long as he wasn't the one that killed her mother.

Oh, ffs.

Touch her and die. One horse. One tent. Mine.

Chapter thirty-four? I read it twice. And immediately, after finishing the book, hunted down the bonus Aiden POV. Go 'head, Aiden, with your "Dance on me, beautiful."

This was such a romantic and suspenseful story with a spy vs spy premise and supporting characters that brought action, bloody violence, and a bit of humor pouring in on all sides.

5 out of 5 stars.

One question though: Why is this promoted as Found Family?

Available in ebook | hardcover | paperback

2025/41

Goldfinch (Plated Prisoner #6)

I hatched out of a star.

Available at Amazon.com

Goldfinch
Raven Kennedy
Plasted Prisoner, book six
Paperback, 688 pages
Published September 24, 2024
ISBN 9781464224461


The seductive and thrilling dark fantasy romance series comes to an end in this powerful finale.

One king caged my body.

Another has caged my mind.

War has broken out between Annwyn and Orea, though that’s not the only battle being waged.

There’s a fight inside me, and it’s one I’m determined to win, no matter how much they try to strip me down and hollow me out.

Yet they’ve forgotten one thing. The ancient magic of the pair bond. One can never truly be lost when two souls are already bound.

Because Slade and I? We are connected by more than just fated magic, and we will always find each other.

In any life.

The fae king is trying to destroy me. My heritage. My memory. But what he hasn’t realized is this: gold bends, but stone breaks.

And a Goldfinch does not fall.

It flies.

Please note: This adult fantasy book includes dark elements that may be triggering. Full content list will be located inside the book, but it includes violence, death, adult language, and explicit romance. It is intended for ages 18 years and older. Read at your own discretion.

It's a book you're aching to pick up, can't put down, and yet, don't want to read: the final installment of the series.

Of spoilers there will be a few.

Chapter two. Kennedy is always going to get you with her chapter twos.

Slade has promised his brother he would give Orea a chance, give them a chance, because they need him, his power, against the onslaught of fae pouring over the bridge. And he'll do what he can. He'll warn Fifth Kingdom. He'll rot those whose paths he crosses. But Slade's focus is solely, completely, irrevocably, on Auren. And in his race to get to her, Slade is on the verge of death. His heart is rupturing. His body is failing. And it all comes to a head while atop Argo in the clouds.

He falls. Tethered by a single leather strap until that, too, snaps. Swiped from the air by Argo's talons and then dropped into a muddy bog. He takes what would be his last breath, despite fighting for more, when the bond abruptly flares and fuses. It burns and it heals and it mends. And Rip and Rot become one.

And, damn it, Kennedy, my nerves weren't made for your chapter twos!

Osrik. Os, my guy. I appreciate the enthusiasm. I really do. But I love you? Too soon! Far too soon.

That said, Os is likely the first man who ever wanted Rissa for more than a night. The first to offer her any kind of a loyal, romantic future. So, no, I don't fault her at all for grasping the chance with all her heart.

Chapter eight. My eyes bulged at the words. Commander RYATT. We finallyfinallyfinally get Ryatt's POV!

And Slade finally meets Malina. Who is definitely on his rot list. And I am kicking my feet when she drops to the ground in the dirt. And then Slade has his hands around Dommik's throat. The way they all yield to this man!

The man who manifests a dragon.

The man who commands, "Show me her cage."

And there I go reminding myself to breathe.

Chapter 32. They find each other in chapter thirty-two! And there's just enough holes in Auren's memory that she attacks him.

It's a brief scene. Just long enough to actually hurt. But then she's throwing herself into his arms and all is right in my world once again.

Then the payur bond demands a mating and the Lord God King of filthy mouths gets another chance to shine.

Can I get just one man in this series to tone it tf down? Ryatt, pleeease. Because when my eyes landed on Chapter 36: Emonie and my brain thought "We get Ryatt and Emonie?" ...to which my heart cried back Ryatt and Emonie... The way I need them together!

Because although I didn't care for Emonie's sunshine 'let's be friends' intro in Gold, it was here where I possessed the urge to claw myself back into pages of her POV every time the chapters left her. She became my favorite forager. Now if Ryatt can actually handle her? That, I do not know.

The second half of the book is overwhelmed with Slade's thoughts and speech of how proud he is of Auren. He's practically chanting it. I'm just so glad Slade found her in a moment of power and not another cage. Auren's character development is everything in this series.

There were deaths. Too many deaths.

4 out of 5 stars.

Available in ebook | hardcover | paperback | audiobook

Previously in the series:

2025/50