A Reader's Guide to Books and Reviews

Gild (The Plated Prisoner #1) by Raven Kennedy

Genre:
Adult, Romance, Romantasy, Retellings, Greek Mythology, Fantasy, Book Series, Fae, Dark Romance, Unseelie and Seelie, High Fantasy

Publication Date:
October 16, 2020

Page Numbers:
402

Read/Finished Date:
January 4th, 2026 - January 5th, 2026

Rating:
.5/5

Premise:

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.

Review:

If a novel has a beautiful cover, don't trust it. I did that and found out that the cover was a deception for a storyline that was supposed to be a reimagining of the Midas myth. There is nothing special about the female lead nor was there anything particular about the storyline that was memorable.

Empire of Flame and Thorns (Flame and Thorns #1) by Marion Blackwood

Genre:
Enemies to Lovers, Fantasy Romance, Fantasy, Romance, Fae, Dragons, Shifters, Magic, Romantasy, NetGalley

Publication Date:
March 31, 2026

Page Numbers:
336

Read/Finished Date:
January 1st, 2026

Rating:
DNF'ed @ 60%

Premise:

A fae rebel. A ruthless dragon commander.
And a deadly trial that will turn their lives upside down.

Trapped in the Seelie Court by a forest of thorns, Selena Hale lives at the mercy of the dragon shifters. Her only chance to gain her freedom is by entering the Atonement Trials: a deadly competition that pits fae magic users against each other. Only three people can win, and Selena intends to be one of them.

There is only one problem. Draven Ryat, the ruthless commander of the dragon shifter army, is determined to make her lose.

He symbolizes everything that she hates, and if he finds out that she is also a member of the secret fae rebellion, he will not only mess with her chances to win, he will kill her. But the more time she spends with him, the more she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him.

And nothing is more dangerous in a lethal trial than a distracted heart.

Especially one that beats for the enemy…

Review:

I tried, really tried, to find something about this novel I would like. I loved the premise of the novel. A young woman with interesting abilities is locked into a world of the Seelie Court, where the dragons are the actual rulers. Her abilities are unique, as she can manipulate a person's emotions on quite a scale if she wants. Draven is a grumpy dragon shifter who does everything within his power to try to dissuade her from becoming part of the Atonement Trials. The two bicker, not as adults, but as children. There is no chemistry there between them. So, this made it hard to connect with the characters. The world-building and storyline felt incomplete. The world-building just felt like it wasn't there. There is no story to tell us how this all comes about, and there is no lore as to why the dragons decided. So, there is nothing to help to understand the reasoning behind the trials. I think if there had been some lore or some explanations, I would have been okay with the novel and enjoyed it more than I had.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Marion Blackwood for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I, Medusa by Ayana Gray

Genre:
Fantasy, Greek Mythology, Retellings, Fiction, Historical, Historical Fiction, Magic, Young Adult, Standalone, LGBTQ+

Publication Date:
November 18, 2025

Page Numbers:
336

Read/Finished Date:
December 15th, 2025 - December 16th, 2025

Rating:
5/5

Premise:

Meddy has spent her whole life as a footnote in someone else’s story. Out of place next to her beautiful, immortal sisters and her parents—both gods, albeit minor ones—she dreams of leaving her family’s island for a life of adventure. So when she catches the eye of the goddess Athena, who invites her to train as an esteemed priestess in her temple, Meddy leaps at the chance to see the world beyond her home.

In Athens’ colorful market streets and the clandestine chambers of the temple, Meddy flourishes in her role as Athena’s favored acolyte, getting her first tastes of purpose and power. But when she is noticed by another Olympian, Poseidon, a drunken night between girl and god ends in violence, and the course of Meddy’s promising future is suddenly and irrevocably altered.

Her locs transformed into snakes as punishment for a crime she did not commit, Medusa must embrace a new identity—not as a victim, but as a vigilante—and with it, the chance to write her own story as mortal, martyr, and myth.

Exploding with rage, heartbreak, and love, I, Medusa portrays a young woman caught in the cross currents between her heart’s deepest desires and the cruel, careless games the Olympian gods play.

Review:

This is actually my first novel from Ms. Ayana Gray and I have to say that I was impressed by this version of Medusa's story. A young, naive girl living on an island with her parents and her sisters when she causes an accident. Rather than allow someone else to take the fall, she stands up to take it, which impresses Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, War, and Crafts, and offers her to become one of her acolytes in Athens.

I love mythology retellings and I have come to love Medusa retellings because I think she is one of the most tragic figures out there when it comes to storytelling. A young woman with a bright future has her world torn apart by the most selfish god, Poseidon. Ms. Gray does an excellent job of telling her side and we watch Meddy's character grow throughout the book.

I also love the world-building of Athens. While Meddy's homeland is continually the same, we see different facets of Athens. It was rather fascinating to see different celebrations and life as an acolyte within Athena's temple.

Overall, I really recommend this novel, especially if you love Greek mythology.

Branded by Shadow (Olympian Alphas) by Eva Brandt

Genre:
Book Series, Hades and Persephone, Retellings, Alphas/Omegas, Romantasy, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romance, Forced Proximity, Greek Mythology, Spicy Romance

Publication Date:
November 26, 2025

Page Numbers:
339

Read/Finished Date:
December 11th, 2025

Rating:
4/5

Premise:

He took me like it was his right. And the worst part is my body agrees.

I thought I was free. Free to choose who I gave my heat to. Free to disappear into science and stay untouched. But I didn’t know what I was, what slept in my blood, until he stole me.

Damon Blackwood. House Hades Alpha. He walks through shadows, commands silence with a glance, and claims Omegas the old with isolation, dominance, and zero room for refusal.

He says I carry divine blood. That I belong to him. He takes me to his underground estate, to a luxurious, suffocating, inescapable prison. There, my body unravels. Heat tears through me in waves, and vines bloom beneath my skin. Submission coils in my spine, and no formula, no logic, no plan can stop it.

I’m not the only one who wants control. House Zeus is circling, armed with lies and lightning. They want my bloodline, my research, my power, and they’ll destroy Damon to get it.

But Damon isn’t giving me up. And the longer I stay in the dark with him, the more I stop wanting him to.

If L.V. Lane’s feral dynamics and Scarlett St. Clair’s vengeful gods keep you turning pages, this is your next obsession. In this dark Omegaverse Greek myth retelling, claiming is tradition, biology always wins, and divine bloodlines rewrite destinies.

Review:

A Hades and Persephone retelling told from the omegaverse.

Sign me up!

Scientist and omega Dr. Cora Ellis has found a breakthrough that would help other omegas suppress their heat. She gives a presentation on her findings and draws the attention of two Alphas—Alexander Stormwright and Damon Blackwood. Each one belonging to one of the main Olympian houses of Zeus and Hades. But when Cora goes into heat, Damon kidnaps her and carries her back to his home, where she goes into heat.

I really enjoyed this novel. It is definitely different from other omegaverse novels that I have read in the past and I liked this one. The characters were interesting. The storyline was fascinating and to the point; it kept me reading from the beginning to the end of the novel.

Now, I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

One of my Kind: a demon slayer romance by Val St. Crowe

Genre:
Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy, Demons, Contemporary, Reimagings, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance

Publication Date:
October 23, 2025

Page Numbers:
337

Read/Finished Date:
December 4th, 2025

Rating:
DNF'ed @ 25%

Premise:

Into every generation, three women are called to slay, to sing the demons to their doom.

According to the demon who’s blackmailing Monroe Kang, she’s always been killing her own kind.

Monroe has never really thought of it that way. She’s never thought of herself as half-demon, though she’s always known a demon contributed to her DNA by forcing himself on her mother, and she’s always hidden that fact. She’s always thought demons were monstrous and soulless, barely better than animals. She certainly never thought they were capable of blackmail.

As a member of The Trine, Monroe is an international pop sensation, but it’s just part of the job. She and the other members perform to fund their demon slaying. It’s a tradition that stretches back a thousand years.

Now, suddenly, everything seems confusing.

One thing she can always count on is the other members of The Trine. They’re all best friends. They sing together, slay together, and most especially snack together. Snacks are very important. So, together, they are going to get to the bottom of this demon scheme.

Monroe has to get close to the demon to find out his secrets. She has to pretend to be sympathetic to his side. It shouldn’t be easy. He’s cocky and insulting. Of course, he does have dark hair that falls in waves around his cheekbones and a deep, husky voice.

Not that she finds him attractive.

She does not.

And no matter what he says, she’ll never believe that she’s truly one of his kind.

Review:

I wanted to like this book, I really did, because who wouldn't love the idea of a grown-up version of K-pop Demon Hunters? The story carried the same feel as the animated show: a group of girls who sing, love food, and slay demons to keep their world from being invaded. Unfortunately, one of the girls carries a secret--her parent was a demon. Same sort of script. The only difference is that the characters, the world-building, and the storyline fell flat.

I'm really sad about this because I had such high expectations for this novel. Extreme expectations since I loved the film, and I thought this novel would be pure fun for me to read. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Bonds of Hercules (Villains of Lore #2) by Jasmine Mas

Genre:
Romantasy, Fantasy Romance, Mythology, Why Choose, Dark Romance, Dark, Reverse Harem

Publication Date:
October 28, 2025

Page Numbers:
544

Read/Finished Date:
November 2nd, 2025 - November 3rd, 2025

Rating:
5/5

Premise:

Are you ready for Bonds of Hercules? The sequel to the viral hit Blood of Hercules is (almost) finally here! Packed with spicy romance, Greek mythology, and dangerous husbands, Bonds of Hercules is perfect for fans of tension, betrayal, and choosing sides.

I'm Hercules, but my powers are not what they seem.

I'm trapped in a marriage with my two enemies and I've accidentally joined a cult. To make matters worse, Augustus and Kharon are trying to seduce me. It doesn't help that my mentors, Achilles and Patro, are acting really strange.
Now, a dangerous prisoner has escaped from the Underworld, and things are spiraling out of control.
Men are fighting over me.
Mysteries are unfolding left and right.
And I’ve had enough.

Everybody better beware because I’m fighting in the Gladiator Competition and seizing my power.
Things are about to get very messy.
For Sparta.

Perfect for readers who love:
• "Who did this to you?"
• Kickass Heroine
• Extreme Enemies to Lovers
• Morally Gray Alpha Heros
• Greek Myths and Gladiator competitions
• Zodiac Academy, Quicksilver and Shield of Sparrows

Review:

I love, LOVE it when the second novel in a series/duology/trilogy blows the first one out of the water and shows complete growth of all the characters in the story. Book two of Villains of Lore really improved Alexis's character a lot. She went from whiny to a large improvement in development. She learned to fight, she learned to stand on her own two feet, and she made her two husbands grovel for her forgiveness.

AND THEY DESERVED IT!

What they did to her book one nearly made me want to root for Patro and Achilles more than anything, but this book ended up changing my opinion on them and reverting me to being Augustus and Kharon (Karen LMAO) simp.

The world-building even improved by miles. We saw more Titans, we saw more fights, and betrayal. This is the kind of book that kept me glued from the beginning to the end, and I loved this book for that.

Also, the mini-story had me in fits of giggles.

Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1) by Rebecca Yarros

Genre:
Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Dragons, Enemies to Lovers, Magic, Fantasy, Romance, High Fantasy

Publication Date:
May 2, 2023

Page Numbers:
517

Read/Finished Date:
October 24th, 2025 - October 25th, 2025

Rating:
4.5/5

Premise:

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die

Review:

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail had been preparing to join the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among the books and history. But her mother, the commanding general, has other ideas for her future: she will go to Basgiath War College, where she will be one of hundreds of candidates competing to become one of the elite members of Navarre, the dragon riders.

But Violet's body is smaller and more fragile than others, and she must survive everything that is thrown at her, including those who still have a vendetta against her mother. Even more concerning are the dragons, as they do not bond with fragile humans but incinerate them.

With there being fewer dragons to bond with humans, Violet has a large target on her back, and those who wish to prove themselves worthy of being a rider will do everything to make sure she is out of their way.

Okay, okay, I am not going to lie, but the overhype of this book had me worried. The last time I let booktok and others convince me that I would like a book, I ended up hating it and vowing never to read another. Since I had this book already, I thought I would try to get this out of the way, and honestly, I am glad I spent the time to read. It was the world that had me hooked. I mean, who wouldn't love to have a storyline with a school filled with dragons, and this is not the type of story where the dragons are friendly. No, they are dangerous. They will incinerate you if you show an ounce of weakness. This is the type of dragon story I like.

Violet has a disability, which is a nice change from the many female characters in the fantasy realm. Normally, they are healthy. Beautiful. Kick ass. Violet has a disability. Her bones are fragile and her body is small, but none of this deters her from becoming (or being forced, if you look at it from a different angle) a dragon rider. She is also quite aware that because of her mother, she has a large target on her back, and her biggest threat is Xaden, the son of the Rebellion’s late leader. He was forced to attend the Basigath War Academy just like any of the children belonging to the families that were once part of the rebellion. All of this to prove their loyalty. Xaden rose in ranks to become Wingleader, but when Violet shows up, he is less than thrilled to have her among the cadets, and much like the rest of the children from the rebellion, he isn't going to allow her to live long enough to graduate.

The only downside to this story was the fact that it felt slow at the beginning. There were even times I thought I was going to have to put the book down, but I was determined to plow through. I'm glad I did because I ended up loving the book, the characters, and the world-building. The dragons were just an added bonus.

The Last Tiger by Julia Riew & Brad Riew

Genre:
Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Romantasy, magical Realism, Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Enemies to Lovers

Publication Date:
July 29, 2025

Page Numbers:
416

Read/Finished Date:
October 16th, 2025

Rating:
4.5/5

Premise:

In a colonized land where tigers are being hunted to extinction and ancient magic stirs, two star-crossed teens from opposite worlds—Lee Seung, a servant yearning for freedom, and Choi Eunji, a noble girl defying tradition—join forces to try and reshape their respective fates.

But their relationship evolves from begrudging accomplices to bitter adversaries as they soon find themselves on opposite sides of a battle over the last tiger, a symbol of their people’s lost freedom and key to the liberation of their country. As the ties between Seung and Eunji are complicated by their conflicting loyalties, tensions rise—especially when a charming princeling of the empire begins to rival for Eunji's affection.

In this friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story of forbidden romance, antagonists turned allies, oppression and liberation, neither Seung nor Eunji can abandon their mission—or each other. And as they embark on separate quests to find the elusive creature, each must also find the power within themselves to make their own destiny.

Inspired by true stories from the authors’ grandparents’ lives during one of the darkest periods in Korean history, The Last Tiger is a debut young adult fantasy novel about the power of love to give voice to a silenced people.

Review:

With their land colonized by the oppressive regime of the Dragon Empire, Choi Eunji, a young noble girl desperate for freedom, and Lee Seung, a young servant wanting a better life for himself. A land colonized by the empire is now hunting down the last remaining tigers to remind the rest of the country who is now in charge of their lands. Eunji and Seung meet at a tiger-slaying ceremony and the two decide to work together to change their futures.

So, I had this book on my radar ever since the moment I caught sight of it at a local bookstore. The premise sounded promising and the world-building had excellent bones to it. The characters were fleshed out and the little notes left by the real-life grandparents made me invest so much further with it. I absolutely loved Eunji and Seung. Both strong. Both are looking to change their lives—Eunji wanting to be free from the restraints of a life her father has written for her and Seung wanting a far better life than the life in the mines and servitude.

If you are looking for something filled with magic and forbidden romance, then look no further than this book.

The Bond that Burns (Bloodwing Academy #2) by Briar Boleyn

Genre:
Romantasy, Dragons, Vampires, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Academia, Dark, Dark Academia, Paranormal/Supernatural, Slow Burn, Forced Proximity, Magic

Publication Date:
December 27, 2024

Page Numbers:
448

Read/Finished Date:
Oer 11th, 2025

Rating:
4.5/5

Premise:

At Bloodwing Academy, blood is currency, but a dragon's legacy is priceless—and as dangerous as fire.

I thought surviving my first year in Bloodwing's deadly halls would be enough. I was wrong.

I accidentally woke a dragon—a creature of myth, of death, of fire.

Now every highblood house wants control over me and the dragon's legacy I carry. But here's the truth: I have no control. I'm bluffing my way through every encounter, trying to keep everyone from realizing that I'm not the one pulling the dragon's strings.

And then there's Blake Drakharrow. I thought he was on my side, that I might even be able to trust him. But he betrayed me. Now I'm his only blood source. How messed up is that? In a place like Bloodwing, where power and survival are everything, this bond may well be the death of us both. Unless I can find a way to end it.

In this world of vampires, dragons, and lies, there are no happy endings. Just legends—and the darkness it takes to make them.

Review:

How does one come back from such an ending as this one? I was on the edge of my seat waiting for something BIG to happen when it looked like the story faded to black with the words: To Be Continued Soon. I think it literally took me a few moments to let it process in my head that I would have to wait for book three to come out in 2026.

The ENDING broke me. I was not sure what to expect when I came into this novel, but I wasn't expecting that. I think I even cried a bit because of it. Literal tears running down my face. xD I have come to love, not only the main characters, but the secondary characters as well. I have grown attached, watching all of them form a family bond. Unfortunately, to see one of them hurt was just so heartbreaking.

If one were to describe the relationship between Blake and Medra, it would be "where there is smoke, there is fire." That relationship is scorching hot. They have their moments of seared romance before an ice-coldness forms between them. The one thing is that Medra doesn't trust Blake all that much. He has betrayed her in the past, and it is understandable. I would like to see that change a bit. I don't believe Blake is all that bad. He is pressured, but he is a yandere male determined to keep Medra away from other men.

I am quite looking forward to book three now. *-*

Alchemised by SenLinYu

Genre:
Dark Romance, Romantasy, Fantasy, Dark, Standalone, Adult, Dramione Fanfic

Publication Date:
September 23, 2025

Page Numbers:
1040

Read/Finished Date:
October 5th, 2025 - October 8th, 2025

Rating:
DNF'ed @ 45%

Premise:

In this riveting dark fantasy debut, a woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy—and the man tasked with unearthing the deepest secrets of her past.

“What is it you think you’re protecting in that brain of yours? The war is over. Holdfast is dead. The Eternal Flame extinguished. There’s no one left for you to save.”

Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner—of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.

In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.

According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?

To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight—to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self—is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost.

Review:

I had a high expectation for this novel. It came from one of my favorite pairings in the Harry Potter universe. I had been hearing praises of the novel. People encouraging others to pick up this thick book and immerse themselves in what had once been a famous fanfiction but is now traditionally published.

Unfortunately, I was one of those fools who thought I would love this book...that it would be one of my favorites of the year, but it fell short. So, very short. The book and characters were boring. The plot lagged like WiFi with thousands of downloads on it. No matter how many times I placed down the book and came back to it, nothing changed.

Will I pick up this book again? No, I doubt it.