Review: Get What You Need by Jessica Topper

I read this book almost a year ago and I couldn’t really review it because I love the series so much and this story is just as exceptional as the first book in the series. I don’t have adequate words to describe how amazing it is and how wonderful the storyline is. How lovingly and purposefully crafted each and every character is. I gave this review my best shot and I still don’t think it’s good enough, but it’s definitely from the heart.

About the Book

From the author of “Louder Than Love” comes a long-awaited return to Lauder Lake…ten years later

Sometimes getting what you want is the easy part.

Katrina Lewis-Graves isn’t the type of woman to run from problems. But she knows to get out while the getting’s good. Fourteen years ago, she left Manhattan for small town solace after a freak train accident left her widowed with a one-year-old. Seeking sanctuary in her hometown of Lauder Lake, Kat ended up stumbling upon a soul mate of legendary proportions: famed guitarist Adrian “Digger” Graves.

Now she’s fleeing Manhattan once again: this time with her rock star husband and troubled teen daughter in tow. This time, it’s to save Abbey…even if it means dragging her, kicking and screaming.

Across the pond, another woman is taking flight. Adrian’s estranged daughter Natalie has not wanted for much in life back in England. Horses, houses in the country, cars, closets full of couture – all courtesy of, but with no thanks to, Digger Graves’ heavy metal music success. Her parents’ divorce had robbed Adrian of much of his fortune, as well as any meaningful place in his daughter’s life. But as her own marriage and entire privileged pinnacle comes avalanching down, Natalie jumps on a desperate whim at the open invitation her stepmother Kat has made to “come stay anytime you want.”

Lauder Lake may not be what Abbey or Natalie want, but it holds some surprises – and may just be exactly what they both need…

My Review

When I read Louder Than Love almost 13 years ago, the story just stayed with me. These characters crawled in my chest and made their home right inside my heart and I haven’t been able to shake them since, nor would I want to. 

Back when I first read Louder Than Love, it was just a standalone story about a washed up British rock star and a widowed librarian with a 4-year-old daughter crossing paths in New York, discovering so much about themselves. Learning how to heal, how to find peace, and how to love again. It is a beautiful story about love, loss, rock ‘n’ roll, and second chances. 

Then something wonderful happened, the author expanded this world by making it into a series and gave us more books and more wonderful characters to love. I was over the moon! And now we get a 5th book and I am so excited to tell you all about it. Here we go!

Get What You Need takes place 10-ish years after the events of Louder Than Love. Adrian (British rocker) and Kat (widowed librarian) have been in wedded bliss for years now. Adrian’s rock career has been revitalized. Adrian and Kat have a beautiful son together along with Kat’s daughter and Adrian’s adult daughter from his first marriage. Their family is a beautiful kaleidoscope of hopes, dreams, music, and so much love.

The story follows Abbey’s adjustment to a new school, a slower lifestyle, and the daily desperation she feels being far away from her “boyfriend” and Natalie’s (Adrian’s daughter) healing journey after a failed marriage. We’re gonna need lots of funny movies, chocolate, and salty snacks to even crack the surface of all the feelings that need feeling. 

I absolutely loved–and cringed–watching Abbey’s teenage struggles. We’ve all been enchanted by a cute bad boy, but her relationship could be easily summed up in Taylor Swift’s I Knew You Were Trouble. I don’t have a daughter but I could easily empathize with Kat and Adrian’s parenting struggles. Thankfully, Abbey has a lot of people who love and support her.

Natalie has only been mentioned in the books but we finally get to meet her in this story and she’s absolutely lovely. You’d think she was a spoiled princess with her dad being a rock god, but I found her to be sincere and approachable. Natalie has experienced tremendous heartbreak and I just wanted to give her a big hug and tell her everything was going to be okay. I really enjoyed getting to know her and watching her healing journey.

What really tugged at my heartstrings was Kat and Adrian’s son, Blu. He’s a beautiful neurodivergent boy that is the apple of everyone’s eye. Having a son on the autism spectrum myself, I really appreciated the way the author respectfully portrayed the character. The representation was beautifully done. As much as I love Kat and Adrian, I think Blu is my new favorite. 

Get What You Need is a beautiful story of family, healing, self discovery, forgiveness, and faith and is a testament to the heart of the book. 

The Rolling Stones say it best: “You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes you just might find, you get what you need.”

Purchase Links

Jessica Topper Website*

About the Author

Jessica Topper has been in love with the beauty of the written word ever since she memorized Maurice Sendak’s Chicken Soup with Rice at the age of three.

After earning a B.A. in English Literature and her Master’s Degree in Library Science, Jessica went on to work as a librarian in New York City before trading in the books for bookkeeping. For seventeen years, she worked in the production office of an international touring rock band.

Jessica broke the rock romance mold with her 2013 debut novel LOUDER THAN LOVE. Her follow-up romantic comedy, DICTATORSHIP OF THE DRESS, was named one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2015.



She lives in Western New York with her family – including two cats that love to walk across her keyboard. Learn more at jesstopper.com

*Third party links to the publisher's website. May contain affiliate links.

Review: The Inheritance by Ilona Andrews

Ilona Andrews turned a serial story on their blog into a series! I'm not sure what kind of magic they possess but I'm totally here for it!

We are at war. The interdimensional invasion brought us unimaginable suffering, but it also awoke talents slumbering deep within us, a means to repel and destroy our enemy.  Every day new gates open, leading to breaches filled with monsters and valuable resources. If you are a Talent, your country needs you. The world needs you. Be the hero you were born to be.

About the Book

Adaline is a Talent. Ten years ago, she had a happy marriage and a job she loved. The invasion shattered both. Now she works for the government, searching the breaches for magic metals and medicine to help Earth repel an interdimensional enemy. Two kids, one cat, bills, benefits, mortgage and school tuition…  Risking her life became routine.

She had gone into the dimensional gates hundreds of times. She was always well protected. This time everything goes wrong. Now Ada is trapped in a labyrinth of alien caves unlike any other. Her only companion is a scared German Shepherd named Bear. Together they must uncover the breach’s secrets and escape, because Ada promised her children that she will come home.

The future of humanity depends on it.

My Review

What started out as a serial story on Gordon and Ilona Andrews’s blog turned into a new and colorful world full of danger, mystery, and survival. 

Ada and Bear get trapped in an interdimensional cave when their mission goes tits up. Trying to find a way out takes them on a wild and dangerous journey through portal after portal, encountering all manner of deadly creatures, plants, and civilizations. What motivates Ada is a promise. A promise to her kids that she’d come home to them. And I’ll tell you one thing, there ain’t nothing stronger than the will of a parent trying to get home to their children.

The Inheritance is a brilliantly crafted universe with vibrant worlds, monstrous adversaries, and takes readers on a journey of strength, self discovery, and courage.

Like all Ilona Andrews books, I highly recommend this and every book from the author.

Purchase Links*

Ilona Andrews Website

About the Author

“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.) 

We write together, we live in Texas, we have two daughters and way too many animals. Learn more at ilona-andrews.com

*Third party links to the publisher's website. May contain affiliate links.

Review: By the Horns by Ruby Dixon

By the Horns is the second book in Ruby Dixon's Royal Artifactual Guild monster romance series.

The special first edition hardcover will include a gorgeous, shimmering jacket with effects, brilliantly illustrated four-color endpapers, striking and detailed-stained edges, and a beautiful foil-stamped case.

By the Horns is a thrilling story with mystery, suspense, ghosts, and steamy monster love.

About the Book

In a world of magical artifacts and fantastical beings, a woman with a deadly magic secret needs the help of the minotaur she’s trying to forget in the sizzling sequel to Ruby Dixon’s New York Times bestseller Bull Moon Rising.

Gwenna has always considered herself a normal person. A former servant, she wants nothing more than to land a steady job with the Royal Artifactual Guild so she can make some steady coin to send home to her mother. She’s not special. She’s certainly not a necromancer. That would be impossible, given how necromancing (or any ‘mancing) is forbidden upon penalty of death. So if the dead keep talking to her? Well, she’s going to keep on ignoring them. They’re not going to stand in the way of her dreams.

Also standing in her way? One big, arrogant, far-too-flirty Taurian named Raptor. They slept together once, and now he wants more . . . but she doesn’t have time for that. Her focus is on being a fledgling, a trainee for the Royal Artifactual Guild. But Raptor won’t go away. He’s on a secret mission for the guild to find an artifact thief.

Problem is, he thinks the thief is Gwenna.

How can she convince Raptor that he’s got the wrong girl when all the signs point to her? And how do you tell a Taurian you can’t date him because you hear dead people and it might cost you your life?

My Review

What a wild freakin’ ride (figuratively and literally) this is! Not only do we get to solve a mystery with Gwenna, Raptor and a new gang of guild apprentices–and a few familiar faces–we get more page time with Aspeth and her minotaur hubby, Hawk (Book 1). 

I sure do love a story where a strong and determined female lead strives to beat the odds and tries to prove every misogynistic jerk wrong. Gwenna was Aspeth’s maid in the first book and now it’s her time to shine, and shine she does. 

Gwenna didn’t have the education Aspeth did growing up and she struggles a lot trying to keep up with her classmates. But whatever her shortcomings, Gwenna makes up for in her fierce spirit and tenacity. She’s also loyal and has so much heart. I absolutely love her and loved watching her grow into the woman she’s meant to be.

The storyline is exciting, fun, funny, and gets pretty spicy in a few spots. This is definitely a wide open door romance 😉

If you like your monster romances with incredible world building, interesting characters, witty dialogue, and wicked debauchery, then the Royal Artifactual Guild series is your perfect match. 

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of my review.

Purchase Links*

Penguin Random House | Ruby Dixon Website

About the Author

Ruby Dixon is an author of all things science fiction romance. She is a Sagittarius and a Reylo shipper, and loves farming sims (but not actual housework). She lives in the South with her husband and a couple of goofy cats, and can’t think of anything else to put in her biography. Truly, she is boring. Learn more at rubydixon.com

*Third party links to the publisher's website. May contain affiliate links.

Review: A Scar in the Bone by Sophie Jordan

Magic awakens.

Darkness swells.

A hero rises—and she’s ready to fight…

New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan is back with an all-new epic romantasy set in the high-stakes world of A Fire in the Sky.

That's right! SHE'S ready to fight! 

Come watch Tamsyn grow from an orphaned whipping girl to a strong and resilient dragon in A Scar in the Bone. 

 

About the Book

It’s been a year since Tamsyn transformed. From royal whipping girl in the palace of Penterra to the bride of Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands. From the enemy in the Beast’s bed to the wife he sacrificed himself to save. From an ordinary girl...to a dragon. And not just any dragon—a powerful fire-breather...and the best hope to keep magic from flickering out forever.

With Fell gone, torn from her side in the dangerous swirling mists of the Crags, Tamsyn is heartbroken and alone among the dragon pride. An unwelcome outsider still learning to survive in this fiery skin of hers within a new cutthroat society, she trains in the arena until her muscles burn and her blood spills. Slowly, Tamsyn forges herself into a warrior in the shadow of Fell’s enigmatic brother, Vetr, whose silver eyes track her with distrust...and maybe something more.

But is Fell truly beyond her reach? Their bond pulls at her, as fiercely as the drive to protect both humans and dragonkind from the growing threat posed by Stig, once her closest friend, now a relentless enemy determined to hunt her down and destroy her—and with her, all things magic.

Magic stirs in the darkness, strengthening all who believe in it. But will it be enough to save Tamsyn, the pride, the kingdom...and a fiery love fated to endure for centuries, as deep as a scar in the bone?

My Review

A Scar in the Bone is an exciting and heart-wrenching story. 

My heart was in knots watching Tamsyn struggle as she learned her new strength as a dragon, trying to survive her new pride while waiting for a knife in her back, and doing all this knowing her love–Fell–is gone. She is a multifaceted character with so much depth and heart. Tamsyn is easily relatable and such a strong woman, I greatly admire her. 

Sophie Jordan is a brilliant storyteller and she has me completely enthralled in this fantasy series. I feel like we’re only scratching the surface of what’s really going on. And I am here for it!

The story is full of interesting surprises and a few twists I didn’t see coming! I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

If you are searching for a fantasy series with great world building, dynamic characters, and a love story literally forged in fire, look no further than A Fire in the Sky series.

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of my review.

Purchase Links

Harper Collins | Sophie Jordan Website

Deluxe Limited Edition

About the Author

Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country, where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she's the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of more than fifty novels. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she's not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and streaming anything that has a happily ever after. Learn more at sophiejordan.net

*Third party links to the publisher's website. May contain affiliate links.

Review: Sleigh Bells at Moonglow by Deborah Garner

Deborah Garner's Moonglow Christmas series is a cozy small town Christmas series with lots of warmth and holiday spirit. 

All the books are currently available to read on Kindle Unlimited.

The series centers around the Timberton Hotel and the eccentric chef, Mist. The hotel is a magical place where people can come to heal and to celebrate the joy and magic of the holiday season. 

Sleigh Bells at Moonglow is Book 11 in the series and absolutely doesn't have to be read during Christmastime. They can be read anytime. I highly recommend them all!

About the Book

Christmas in the small Montana town of Timberton is always filled with heartfelt camaraderie, exquisite cuisine, and holiday cheer. An old-fashioned sleigh ride through the forest this year promises to bring plenty of joy as well as a sense of community for both visitors and townsfolk as they celebrate the season.

Resident artist and chef, Mist, always finds a way of bringing inspiration to those around her. Add in the traditional Christmas Eve feast in the Moonglow Cafe and the sweet gathering for Betty’s Cookie Exchange, and it’s guaranteed to be a holiday to cherish. As always, no one leaves Timberton without renewed hope for the future.

My Review

I am absolutely enamored with the Moonglow Christmas series and I enjoy visiting this quaint Montana town during the holidays. 

The series is centered around the town of Timberton and the local hotel where every guest is welcomed like family. Mist, the quirky and eccentric proprietor of the Moonglow Cafe inside the hotel puts her special touch on everything from the decor, to personalized gifts for the guests, to the food, and infuses Christmas joy into everything she does. Working alongside the innkeeper Betty, Mist makes every guest’s stay special and somehow has a “knowing” of just what each guest needs to make their holiday brighter. 

This year, the town has added a sleigh ride event to the local Christmas festivities and it’s simply enchanting. The townsfolk are all welcoming and everyone helps out each other. There is such a community and so much love and care that I just want to live inside Timberton with everybody else. 

As always, the author has several pages of holiday cookie recipes that’ll make you smile and keep your belly full and happy.

Sleigh Bells at Moonglow is a perfect addition to your holiday reading list. I highly recommend the entire series! 

Purchase Links*

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Deborah Garner Website

About the Author

Deborah Garner is an accomplished travel writer with a passion for back roads and secret hideaways. Born and raised in California, she studied in France before returning to the U.S. to attend UCLA. After stints in graduate school and teaching, she attempted to clone herself for decades by founding and running a dance and performing arts center, designing and manufacturing clothing and accessories, and tackling both spreadsheets and display racks for corporate retail management. Her passions include photography, hiking and animal rescue. She speaks five languages, some substantially better than others. She now divides her time between California and Wyoming, dragging one human and two canines along whenever possible. Learn more at deborahgarner.com

*Third party links to the publisher's website. May contain affiliate links.

Review: You Can Scream by Rebecca Zanetti

Twisted family relationships, sociopaths and conspiracy theories abound in the icy Cascade Mountains of Washington State in New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti's heart-pounding series about an FBI profiler and her equally brilliant sister on the wrong side of the law. For fans of Karen Rose, Heather Gudenkauf, Allison Brennan, and Melinda Leigh.

About the Book

Laurel’s family was never simple—but her half-sister, Abigail, a brilliant, unpredictable psychopath, just made it lethal. Accused of murdering their father, a man she always called a monster, Abigail claims self-defense. As the trial unfolds and long-buried family secrets explode into headlines across Washington State, Laurel’s hard-won privacy is shattered. And the nightmare is just beginning.

Even as Abigail’s trial consumes public attention, new dangers close in as the murder of a prominent scientist and the illegal poaching of a rare Pacific plant point to something insidious. Laurel turns to Washington Fish and Wildlife captain Huck Rivers, her partner in work and life, for help. But the deeper they dig, the more the case seems to echo the chaos unraveling Laurel’s world.

With danger tightening around her, Laurel faces an impossible choice: trust Abigail in one crucial, treacherous alliance, or risk losing everything. Her career, her relationships, even her life hang in the balance. The clock is ticking—and if the threat breaks loose, nothing will be fast enough to stop it.

My Review

Rebecca Zanetti thrills and chills readers in this new installment of the Laurel Snow series!

The story begins with a bang and meticulously evolves into a series of events that will keep you guessing until the very end!

In the last book, there was an earth shattering event that nearly broke Laurel and turned her life upside down. In You Can Scream, Laurel and Huck are trying to navigate the new reality of their relationship while her half-sister and full sociopath, Abigail, mounts a self-defense case against the murder charges she’s facing.

With several mysterious deaths and possible poachers in the area, the local FBI office and Fish and Wildlife department have their hands full. Laurel’s mettle is constantly tested but her grace under fire is beyond reproach, even while avoiding interview attempts from a local journalist and dodging deposition requests from her sister’s high priced lawyer.

The suspense is a slow burning ember just waiting for the right ignition to blow this storyline wide open! The stakes have never been higher!

I highly recommend the story, the series, and every book from Rebecca Zanetti.

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by Kensington Publishing via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of my review.

Purchase Links

Kensington Publishing Website*

About the Author

New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly and #1 Amazon bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has published more than sixty novels, which have been translated into several languages, with more than five million copies sold world-wide. Her books have received Publishers Weekly starred reviews and have been featured in Entertainment Weekly, Woman’s World, and Women’s Day Magazines. Her novels have also been included in Amazon best books of the year and have been favorably reviewed in both the Washington Post and the New York Times Book Reviews. Rebecca has ridden in a locked Chevy trunk, has asked the unfortunate delivery guy to release her from a set of handcuffs, and has discovered the best silver mine shafts in which to bury a body…all in the name of research. Honest. Find Rebecca at: www.RebeccaZanetti.com

*Third party links to the publisher's website. May contain affiliate links.

Review: Prince of Darkness by Rebecca Zanetti

Unknown to humans, beyond daylight lies a world of intoxicating darkness where deadly creatures prowl with insatiable desires and unbelievable power: vampires, demons, witches, shifters. When vulnerable humans find themselves thrust into that realm, they’ll never be the same…

About the Book

In the aftermath of war, a fragile peace hovers between the Kurjan nation and the Dark Protector coalition. Yet amid labyrinthine politics and intrigue, Vero Phoenix, a Kurjan, stands apart. He has lived devoid of legacy or lineage—until the day he backed his newly found brother as king, putting himself into the treacherous position of enforcer and shield. Yet there is another thorn in his side, no less vexing, undeniably captivating—and all-too-human…

Lyrica Graves was once ensnared by Kurjan captors and now embodies defiance and freedom as she guides other women to independence and modernity. She is particularly amused—and breathtakingly fearful—by her tangles with Vero. But their clashing also belies a sizzling connection, a dark attraction between supernatural and fully human that threatens their chosen destinies and makes them a target for far too many enemies…

My Review

An exciting read full of suspense, intrigue, and mystery.

In Prince of Darkness, we get to see behind the veil of the Kurjan Nation. Throughout the Dark Protectors series, the Kurjans have always been the “bad guys.” They created deadly viruses, they kidnapped enhanced human women and forced them into matings with Kurjan soldiers, or they were used for labor, for experimentation, or worse. 

The history of the Kurjans is a long and bloody one, but there’s a new king in town that’ll hopefully change the evil status quo. That is, if Vero can keep him alive long enough to make it happen. Uncertain who is friend or foe, placing trust in the wrong hands could be devastating for all.

Vero loves his people and wants to make sure they are safe, secure, and modernized. Lyrica has been a big help in bringing the Kurjans–and their human mates–into the 21st century. Yeah, there’s been some pushback but Lyrica is more than up to the challenge. I absolutely love Lyrica! She is a strong woman with courage and conviction. 

Knowing the history of Kurjans, Lyrica wants to make sure the females are given a choice about matings, or freedom if they wish it. Lyrica has a heart the size of Texas and she’s a perfect match for Vero… she just doesn’t know it yet!  

Watching Vero grow up through the series, he was always kind and considerate, and not very Kurjan-like. Vero knew the Kurjans were doing terrible things, but he tried his best to make things better wherever he was. He protected and shielded the defenseless, spoke up against injustice… and paid the heavy price for it. No matter how many times Vero was punished, he never lost his sense of honor or conscience. And even now when his brother sits on the throne, he’s trying his best to protect him and to make life better for the nation… and a certain brown-eyed, PowerPoint-loving female. 

I absolutely LOVE Lyrica and Vero together. Their witty banter is funny and super cute and their chemistry is fiery and totally swoon worthy! 

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the new characters as well as being introduced to the Kurjan lifestyle, norms, and culture. I was able to confirm some of my own theories about Kurjans and disproved others. I am looking forward to learning more as the series continues. 

Prince of Darkness is an exhilarating ride of danger and subterfuge with loads of surprises along the way! You’ll be up late at night turning pages until the very last word is consumed. The story can absolutely be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the entire series! 

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of my review.

Purchase Links

Rebecca Zanetti Website*

About the Author

New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly and #1 Amazon bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has published more than sixty novels, which have been translated into several languages, with more than five million copies sold world-wide.  Her books have received Publishers Weekly starred reviews and have been featured in Entertainment Weekly, Woman’s World, and Women’s Day Magazines. Her novels have also been included in Amazon best books of the year and have been favorably reviewed in both the Washington Post and the New York Times Book Reviews.  Rebecca has ridden in a locked Chevy trunk, has asked the unfortunate delivery guy to release her from a set of handcuffs, and has discovered the best silver mine shafts in which to bury a body…all in the name of research.  Honest. Find Rebecca at:  www.RebeccaZanetti.com

*Third party links to the publisher's website. May contain affiliate links.

Blog Tour & Review: Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh takes us back to her breathtakingly passionate Guild Hunter World, where an impending transformation will be both an ending and a beginning…

About the Book

Aodhan and Illium. Adi and Blue. Sparkle and Bluebell. Friends become lovers, their future a wild unknown.

Finally reunited in New York, they must now learn to navigate the monumental shift in their relationship. But for these two members of Archangel Raphael’s legendary Seven, there is no time to rest. As they investigate a case for the Tower that echoes the darkness from Aodhan’s past, they will be forced to confront not only the scars that mark them both, but the promise of a vast power that flickers in Illium.

The threat of ascension has haunted and troubled Aodhan’s Blue for too long, the forces of change immutable and without mercy…and uncaring of Illium’s fierce wish to remain part of the Seven. Change is a constant in an immortal’s life, and this new horizon will bring with it both terrible heartbreak and a joy extraordinary enough to reverberate through time…

Excerpt

 

1

Illium swept past the sleek skyscraper that pierced the white clouds of an early spring day, so close that his wing threatened to brush against black glass tough enough to withstand an angelic strike. It made sense that the innovation had come about in New York-born in the mind of a mortal who had been "sick and tired" of angelic battles leveling his beloved city.

No building, not even the most reinforced, would survive should an archangel turn their ire on it, but archangels had armies for a reason. War was fought on many fronts, and that mortal, his name and history immortalized in the records kept in the Refuge, had given New York a critical advantage: its buildings would not fall easily in any engagement, would instead provide cover for counterstrike after counterstrike.As it was, in the hundreds of years since the invention of this new material, New York had come under only the mildest of attacks-in all cases as a result of Illium's asshole of a father being pissy that his son would rather serve another archangel. But even Aegaeon hadn't had the heart for a true war, so New York hadn't fallen again since the end of the War of the Death Cascade. But why be stupid and arrogant? Better to build ever tougher.

A tall woman with striking facial bones ran to a window of the skyscraper to wave at him. He dipped his wings in acknowledgment. She'd worked in that corner office for half a decade, was a senior associate as of two years ago, and her face still lit up every single time he flew past. Because she was family. Part of the clan that Catalina and Lorenzo had created when they fell in love countless mortal lifetimes ago.

The most extraordinary thing of it all was that his beloved friends' little bakery in Harlem had survived the inexorable passage of time. The home of the city's famous angel-wing alfajores thrived still in that old building where the recipe had first been born-a building that had never lost its warm heart, no matter how often it'd been repaired and renovated. Because every generation of Catalina and Lorenzo's family birthed a passionate baker who wanted to carry on their legacy.

Illium had purchased the entire block piece by piece to ensure the little bakery would always have a home, that it'd never be forced out by progress or simple change. Harlem might morph and alter around it like a chameleon forever in flux, but even when that part of the city had gone dangerously gray for a period, become the haunt of vampiric excess and mortal pain, no one had dared come for the bakery.

The entire city knew that it sheltered beneath wings of a vivid, unmistakable blue veined with fine filaments of silver.

Using those wings to ride the air currents coming off the ocean, Illium flew through the crisp bite of spring. It whispered of snows not long past, was even more acute in the fine mist that kissed his skin as he rose through the clouds to fly at a higher elevation.

Other skyscrapers speared through the clouds around him, and lush floating habitats appeared to sit atop the puffy white, but none came close to the soaring wonder of Raphael's Tower. The tallest point in the sky at any given time, built to offer clear lines of sight in every direction, it, too, had undergone many an iteration over the passage of time, but always, always it had been a beacon of power and light. No black glass for the Tower, its body a steel gray that glittered with metallic highlights. The windows were reflective at the top levels, the levels that would be the most important in any battle, and they intensely annoyed Illium the man, who was as curious as his pet cat.

First General Illium, however, well understood their facility and had been part of the team that had designed the Tower when it came time for a new build. He'd also made sure the entire building was technologically connected in ways unlike that of any other archangelic stronghold in the world. The one thing that had never changed, however, was the waterfall of railingless balconies from which angels took flight.

He caught sight of a pair of wings opening up in flight just then. Feathers the shade of dark mahogany, hair a touch lighter, the flight form of a warrior.

Andreja.

Seven and a half millennia of age or so-she'd forgotten her actual birthing day eons ago-she wore the amber of an angel far younger than her. She, who'd vowed never to lock herself to one lover. But even tough and battle-scarred Andreja wasn't proof against Laric's patient determination. When she'd told the healer he was too young to tie himself to her, he'd simply waited her out.

"He asks me every time he clocks up another century-and reminds me that we've clocked up another century together," Andreja had complained to Illium. "Man is relentless."

Illium's lips curved at the memory; he knew all about quiet, relentless types. He also knew that Andreja had been so terrified of commitment because of how much she loved Laric; she'd been scared he'd fly away after he was healed of his own terrible pain. But Laric was like Illium: they loved deep and true only once . . . and for always.

Sweeping down through the clouds with his own lover's smile in his mind's eye, he dropped to the first set of nonreflective windows, got a wave from a passing vampire with hair of liquid jet that reached her lower back.

Her black bodysuit boasted a jagged cutout over the shoulder and upper chest area that peaked at one shoulder, and her boots had chunky heels of clear glass so high that he had no idea how she walked so effortlessly in them. While her hair had been black this past century, Holly's eyelashes changed color with the day and her mood.

Venom green, came the laughing comment into his mind before he could ask the question, Holly's ability at mental speech excellent. Not every vampire developed that ability, but Holly had been Made by an archangel. An insane one, but one of the Cadre nonetheless.

I'm feeling mushy in love today. She blew him a kiss before vanishing around the corner.

Three floors farther down, a wing of angels took off, with Sameon at the head. Illium would recognize those brown wings tipped with black anywhere, as he would Sam's intense style of flight. The angel of some seven hundred years of age-give or take a few decades-had learned under Galen, but he was a much more contained flyer than the Barbarian-a direct contrast to his openhearted personality. Should the Tower hold a popularity contest, Sam would win.

Everyone loved the dark-eyed wing commander and loyal member of Elena's Guard.

Today, Sam took his wing out over the glass and metal of the city and toward the crystalline blue of the water. That hadn't changed, either-the glass and the metal that was New York. Different, yes, with more skyway bridges, the subways sleek with self-driving transports, and the buildings and floating habitats designed to be full work-life environments, including sprawling internal gardens brought about by the quiet influence of the Legion's green legacy.

But the soul of the city?
It beat loud and clear in the traffic that buzzed along the streets, and in the distinctive yellow color of the autonomous cabs. The technology could've long ago moved into private vehicles, but while vehicles with the option for autonomous operation were popular-with the driver in control of switching it on or off at will-there'd been no demand for fully self-driving cars after a few unfortunate incidents where the safety features had caused the vehicles to come to a halt due to sensing "pedestrians."

Said pedestrians had been frothing-at-the-mouth vampires driven by bloodlust who'd smashed into the vehicles and made a meal of the hapless passengers.

Turned out mortals could have immortal memories when it came to fear. Didn't matter how the manufacturers tried to push upgraded vehicles they promised wouldn't turn their drivers into sitting blood banks; no one was buying.

Illium, lover of tech though he was, couldn't blame them.

Flying cars, of course, had never stood a chance in a world populated by angels, the risk of collisions too high.

He grinned as, just then, he spotted two street vendors yelling at each other across a busy avenue, no doubt complaining about patch poaching. The cabdrivers might have been superseded by technology, but the people were still there-and they were still New Yorkers. Hot dog stands, coffee carts, vendors hawking tourist tchotchkes, the colorful parade continued unabated.

All that had changed was the way of it: the stands and carts were flight capable these days-the sole land vehicles that had an exception to the usual flight rules, but only to claim or leave their assigned spots on rooftops and in habitats. They also had a ponderous maximum speed, and were limited to highly specific pathways at assigned times of the day.

No one wanted a hundred superpowered carts blundering about in angelic airspace.

"Markets have existed since time immemorial," his mother had said to him during one of his visits to Lumia, as the two of them walked the bustling lanes of the local market accompanied by a gaggle of children who adored Sharine, the Hummingbird. "I cannot foresee any future in which they die a total death."

Neither could Illium. The age of online convenience had been followed by a return to open-air markets-the young rediscovering that which their ancestors had disavowed-until the world now stood at a midpoint that had held stable for two hundred years.

One of the vendors saw Illium just then. The man's top half was painted a vivid glowing pink, his bottom half apparently clothed but who knew. Illium was all for self-expression but he'd never been tempted by the trend for paint-closets that decorated their users each morning. At least the Tower had put a "must wear actual physical underwear" law in place.

The painted man lifted up a hand in a wave before going back to his argument.

"Aren't you afraid that being so friendly with the mortals will make them no longer respect you?" a much younger Sameon had asked Illium after the then-youth was first stationed to the Tower, his dark curls atumble and his brown eyes painfully sincere. "You're the only battle commander I know who has mortal friends, and smiles more often than he scowls."

Awash in memories of friends who had laughed with him over the centuries, Illium had clasped the bright-eyed angel on the shoulder. "Respect, Sam, isn't a matter of fear. Respect is power used to protect and to shield-and to go on the offensive when needed. This city knows I have and will again spill my blood for it. I don't need to put on a grim mien to be respected."

He was still thinking of the cheerful, mischievous boy he'd watched grow into a powerful man when he flew over the Hudson-wider now, its path cutting away part of the city that had existed when Raphael first set up his Tower.

The river had already begun to do its slow, steady work by the time Sameon came to the city, wet behind the ears and with his whole heart full of devotion for Ellie, but it had eased up after a period, as if content with its new channel. So many years had passed since then. Funny to think that Sam was now older than Illium had been during the Lijuan years.

The years of horror and pain and a Cascade of Death.

It struck him, not for the first time, how awfully young he'd been at the time. Yet the Cascade had tried to shove him full of a power his mind and body had been nowhere near ready to control. It would've killed him had Raphael not interceded. Illium had been ecstatic when the world went back into balance, taking with it the threat of an early ascension-and he remained as happy when it became clear he'd been bypassed for ascension.

After stabilizing during the time now referred to as The Rise of Marduk, his power had never again spiked. He knew the spiteful in angelkind whispered that he must be disappointed in his "decline"-as if he wasn't one of the most powerful angels in the world outside the Cadre-but Illium had never wanted to ascend, never wanted to become one of the rulers of the world.

He loved this city, and he loved being one of Raphael's Seven, part of a tight group that had survived so long as a unit that they were legend even among angelkind.

No other archangel could claim to have warriors so loyal and so true.

Illium was content to serve millennia as Raphael's first general.

As he was content to live in the Enclave home he'd built with the man he loved beyond reason or sense. Situated not far from Elena and Raphael's own home, theirs was a simple thing of large glass panels and a soaring ceiling nestled in the trees, but beside it stood a much larger building designed to capture light from every angle.

The studio was, however, also engineered to ensure that Aodhan could create shadows or semidarkness as needed; furthermore, he had the ability to turn all the windows opaque, should he wish to remove from passing angels the temptation to peek at his works in progress.

Illium landed in front of the open barn-style doors.

And there was Aodhan in the center of that cavernous space awash in sunlight, the dazzling brightness of him scowling as he worked on a tiny sculpture that had him clenching his jaw and muttering under his breath.

A cat with fur of darkest gray and one white paw usually lay curled up on another part of his workbench, dozing in the sun. Shadow, of the line of Illium's beloved Smoke, was far more attached to Aodhan than she was to Illium-and Illium well understood that.

He, too, would choose Aodhan over anyone and anything.

Today, his lover wore a loose linen shirt of the kind he'd long preferred, with an opening at the neck and no buttons, the color a faded cream. He'd pushed both the sleeves hard back, the hem of the shirt flirting with pants of a fine brown canvas splattered with color from how often he wore them while painting.

While Illium had tested new styles and fabrics over the years, Aodhan knew what he liked and stuck to it. "It means I never have to worry about horrendous images from the time when transparent plastic was all the rage."

Excerpted from Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh. Copyright © 2025 by Nalini Singh. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

My Review

10,000,000 Stars!

Bittersweet kismet

Nalini Singh masterfully pens a beautiful love letter to her readers with Archangel’s Ascension. 

Illium and Aodhan’s love story is one for the ages, beautifully fragile, unbending, and stronger than ever before.

Archangel’s Ascension is where our precious Bluebell is catapulted into his destiny. A destiny that he never wanted, but was his path all along. 

When the Guild Hunter series began, Illium was in his early 500s. Still pretty young for an angel let alone old enough to become an archangel. As the series progresses, we see signs that Illium is becoming a Power. 

When a catastrophic archangelic event hits the world, the powers that be try to ascend Illium into an archangel too soon and almost kills him. Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before Illium began his ultimate ascension. 

Now, the youngest angel to ascend in the entire history of angels was Raphael. As the son of two archangels, he ascended at just over 1,000 years old, that’s almost unheard of. Since Illium has been in his fifth century throughout the series, a significant time jump has to happen for Illium to ascend. I know guys, I know. I’m still not ready!

The time jump is what’s most devastating to me about the story. We know that angels and vampires live centuries and millennia and mortals don’t. Their fire burns so bright, yet extinguishes all too soon, shattering our hearts. I have never cried so much as I have while reading this book. 

Having loved all these characters from the very beginning of the series, experiencing all these pivotal changes in the landscape and timeframe of the books has me completely shook. I deeply empathized with every character and every scene so much so that I wept uncontrollably many times, and smiled my heart’s smile while laughing at wonderful memories. And also finding it extremely difficult to accept the earth shattering changes that follow such an immense shift in the Guild Hunter universe. 

I am fundamentally changed after reading this book.

There are so many parallels in Archangel’s Ascension and so many lessons to learn about life and love. There are also so many lovely surprises in this book that I refuse to say more about because readers need to experience it themselves. I will politely suggest having a BIG box of tissues handy though. The author is gonna take you through some things. 

I’m not gonna lie, Archangel’s Ascension is as heart wrenching as it is grief inducing. But it’s also exciting, funny, breathtaking, hopeful, and transformative.

What Nalini Singh has created in the Guild Hunter universe is magical, extraordinary, and beautiful beyond comparison. I’m sure it can be quite difficult for any author to keep track of storylines and characters, especially when you are 17 books deep into a series but Ms. Singh does it flawlessly. 

Archangel’s Ascension is THE best book of 2025 and one of the very best books I’ve ever read. Standing mother fucking ovation! Bravo, Ms. Singh! Bravo!

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of my review.

Purchase Links

Penguin Random House*

About the Author

Photo: © Shay Barratt

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh is passionate about writing. Though she’s traveled as far afield as the deserts of China, the temples of Japan, and the frozen landscapes of Antarctica, it is the journey of the imagination that fascinates her most. She’s beyond delighted to be able to follow her dream as a writer.

She is the author of the Psy-Changeling novels, including Primal Mirror, Resonance Surge, and Storm Echo. She is also the author of the Guild Hunter series, including Archangel’s Lineage, Archangel’s Resurrection, and Archangel’s Light, and three stand-alone thrillers: There Should Have Been Eight, Quiet in Her Bones, and A Madness of Sunshine. Learn more at nalinisingh.com

*Third party links to the publisher's website. May contain affiliate links.

Review: Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall by Sharon Booth

The first in a delightfully warm, cosy and romantic new series with a fantasy twist, for fans of the BBC series Ghosts.

About the Book

Can Callie give some needy ghosts their happy-ever-afterlife, while making Rowan Vale her own forever home?

When single mum Callie visits Rowan Vale with her daughter, she is enchanted. The beautiful Cotswold village is run as a living museum, allowing tourists to see history in action. But there’s more to the place than meets the eye…

To the residents’ surprise, Callie is observed talking to several villagers she simply shouldn’t be able to see – as they’re ghosts.

The elderly owner of the village, Sir Lawrence Davenport, then makes an astonishing offer: to sell Callie the whole estate for a tiny sum, if she agrees to protect the village’s present tenants and its headstrong spirits.

With a spectral lord of the manor and his imperious wife, a naughty 1940s schoolgirl and William Shakespeare’s former tutor among them, it seems Callie’s role as owner wouldn’t be easy.

And that’s without the added complication of Sir Lawrence’s disinherited grandson, the gorgeous Brodie.

Rowan Vale and Callie may need each other. But is this a match made in heaven or hell?

My Review

Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall is a magical mystery tour of delight that tickles your fancy and tugs at your heartstrings.

I was completely swept away into a world where ghosts are real, have real lives, and are accepted as citizens of Rowan Vale. Not everyone can see them, but people know they’re there and that they are cherished and most welcome. I absolutely loved learning about all the ghosts and where (and when) each one was frozen in time. 

The backdrop of this lovingly crafted story is beautifully illustrated through the eyes of Callie and the people of this charming English village. The book is utterly enchanting. The characters are vibrant, their storied pasts holding secret pieces of history, wonder, and whimsy. 

The romance is a gentle breeze that lingers in the background of the story, but is no less powerful. Callie and Brodie have past hurts that have fundamentally affected them. It has made Callie skittish and caused her to tightly guard her heart. She also has a daughter to think about and doesn’t want her to experience the pain that Callie went through growing up. 

Callie and Brodie’s relationship throughout the story is a tug-of-war of sorts as they struggle with their new realities, their futures uncertain. My gut clenched with every awkward encounter… until things stopped being awkward and started developing into something meaningful. 

I couldn’t put the book down! I want to live in Rowan Vale to help Callie and Sir Lawrence ghost wrangle. This book is so special and discovering all the pleasant (and not so pleasant) surprises. I can’t wait for the next book!

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of my review.

Purchase Links*

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Books-A-Million

Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall is currently FREE to read on Kindle Unlimited!

About the Author

Sharon Booth writes feel-good stories set in quirky villages and market towns, including the ‘Tuppeny Bridge’ series. Sharon writes cosy romances with a magical twist for Boldwood. She lives with her husband in East Yorkshire, England. Learn more at www.sharonboothwriter.com

*Third party links to the publisher's website. May contain affiliate links.

Review: The Lodge by Kayla Olson

From the author of The Reunion, a cozy rom-com about a writer who decamps to a Vermont lodge for work but finds herself distracted by the charming ski instructor next door.

About the Book

Alix Morgan just got her big break as the ghostwriter of a memoir by Sebastian Green, a former member of the boy band True North. And when he offers her a penthouse at a luxurious resort in Vermont, she jumps at the chance to work far away from her noisy, cramped apartment.

Her career as an entertainment journalist has been building toward this dream job—after all, she used to cover True North and was one of the last people to interview former front man Jett Beckett before he disappeared. As she combs through her client’s voice memos, the specter of the missing lead singer remains, and fans are desperate to know the full story.

But Alix also has time for some fun at this glamorous resort, where she begins ski lessons with a handsome instructor named Tyler. As Alix and Tyler fall in love on the slopes, Alix’s work takes a complicated turn—and the mystery of True North’s downfall may be hers to solve.

Goodreads | Buy Links*

My Review

This is my first read by the author and I am quite impressed!

Growing up, I was (still am) a HUGE boy band fan so I was quickly drawn to this book about the mystery surrounding a missing boy bander who disappeared all Eddie and The Cruisers-style. Where did he go? Is he still alive? Could he be hiding in plain sight? Fans have been speculating for YEARS! I had to find out what happened!

The Lodge quickly swept me away into a scenic Vermont landscape where Alix finds inspiration for her breakthrough gig as a ghostwriter. And where she befriends a kind, funny, and handsome local ski instructor who also just so happens to be her neighbor, which makes for a delightful distraction.

The storyline is engaging and absolutely lovely. The romance is beautifully done. Alix and Tyler have great chemistry. Theirs is a sweet (and clean) romance.

This is also a story with real, raw emotions. The struggles each character faces carry consequential burdens that are painstakingly difficult to navigate. There’s not always a correct answer, life decisions are never just black and white. The story also touches on the darker side of fame, the good, the bad, and the life shattering.

The Lodge is a wonderful read with a little bit of mystery and lots of heart. I whole-heartedly recommend it to every reader!

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of my review.

About the Author

Kayla Olson is the author of two books for young adults with her adult debut (a rom-com, The Reunion) to hit shelves in 2023. Her work has been published in fifteen languages; find her on Instagram (@authorkaylaolson), Twitter (@olsonkayla), or her website (www.kaylaolson.com).

*Third party links to the publisher's website. May contain affiliate links.

Review: Kingdom of Claw by Demi Winters

Happy Release Day

Kingdom of Claw is the second book in the amazing epic romantic fantasy series by Demi Winters.

Get your copy today!

About the Book

Return to the Kingdom of Íseldur, where enemies become lovers and dark secrets hide around each corner, in the sequel to the Viking-inspired romantic fantasy The Road of Bones.

In the aftermath of a harrowing journey, Silla Nordvig’s dreams of a simple life have been shattered. Beaten, betrayed, and reeling from the revelation of her true name, she flees Kopa with Reynir Galtung, the ruthless leader of the Bloodaxe Crew. But when they're forced into hiding together, Silla soon discovers that Rey has been keeping secrets of his own.

Stuck in a shield-home with the murderous man she thought she knew, Silla forms a new plan: master the magic flowing through her veins to save her sister. But before she can do that, Silla must face her most formidable opponent yet—her own inner demons.

Saga Volsik has nothing to lose. They’ve murdered her family. Stolen her throne. And now they expect her to marry their son, but not if she can dismantle Queen Signe’s plans first. The only problem? The handsome Zagadkian dignitary who knows far too many of her secrets.

Silla and Saga will need to find the strength to step into their destiny and stop chaos from sweeping across the land. Meanwhile, dark threads continue to weave themselves through Íseldur as magic long thought dead begins to wake.

Excerpt

 

CHAPTER 1

Two days west of Kopa

Silla Nordvig had once vowed no force in this world could draw her to the true north of Íseldur, but clearly she’d underestimated the gods’ twisted sense of humor. Because here she was, on a horse with Axe Eyes, heading for that very place.The canyon’s black walls climbed up on either side of them as Horse walked beside a flat-­bedded river. Nature had made a valid attempt to reclaim the space, moss and greenery carpeting the riverbanks and exposed ledges. But black volcanic stone dominated, the sheer canyon walls stark and raw in their beauty.

They’d ridden through the canyon for two full days now. The sun rose and set, the world moving on as though it hadn’t been smashed to pieces. But with each passing day, Silla’s spirits sank lower. It was starting to settle in—­there would be no Kopa.

Instead, there was Kalasgarde.

Silla exhaled. Rey claimed to know people in Kalasgarde who could help her hide from the queen and Klaernar. He thought it would be safe for her. But Silla knew better than to hope; her foolish heart had been bruised too many times. The truth was, there was no place safe for her. Not now that she knew her true name.

Eisa Volsik.

Heir of King Ivar’s sworn enemy. Hunted by Queen Signe for her mysterious, wicked plans. Political pawn to those in power. Easy reward for those who were not. The name brought nothing but misery. Chest tightening, Silla clamped her hands around the saddle horn until her knuckles grew white.

Not her. Not her. Not her.

Silla drew in a long breath. Exhaled it slowly.

Kopa had been Matthias’s decision, and Kalasgarde was Rey’s. As the days wore on, the idea of choosing for herself grew in Silla’s mind. Perhaps there were better options for her than the northern wilds of this kingdom. A southbound ship leaving Íseldur had a pleasing feel to it. She could go to the Southern Continent or Karthia, perhaps. Anywhere she could fade into obscurity.

For the time being, Silla had resigned herself to Rey’s plan. Istré for now. It was easier not to decide for herself. A relief, if she was being honest. But between the black walls of the canyon, Silla had nothing but time to think. To remember their names.

Ilías Svik. Matthias Nordvig. Skeggagrim.

Good men, all dead because of her. Perhaps living was her punishment. To wake each morning with the anguish of their blood on her hands, with the ache of Jonas’s betrayal etched into her soul, knowing that Metta was in the Klaernar’s prison, suffering at the hands of her captors.

Certainly, Silla bore the bruises of Kopa—­a beating so thorough that her eye had swelled up and her ribs ached with each slight movement. Even so, she couldn’t help but think she deserved far worse.

They rounded a bend, the canyon widening. The lower levels of the wall had eroded away in one spot, leaving a thin black spire topped with a wider rock.

“They call it Hábrók’s Hammer,” said Rey from behind her. “We will camp here tonight. There is an overhang there to shelter under. Plenty of grass for Horse . . .” Her mind drifted to the rumble of his voice along her back. It was impossible to keep their distance while on horseback, and in her exhaustion, she’d given up trying. Though she’d never admit it to anyone but herself, his presence behind her—­a solid wall of warrior—­was reassuring.

“Silla?”

She shook her head, trying to disperse the haze clouding her mind. Rey had dismounted and was staring at the small crescent-­shaped scar at the corner of her eye.

Stop staring at it! she wanted to scream. This scar was her damnation. It had allowed those men near Skarstad to identify her; it had gotten her father killed. Silla turned her head, dismounting from Horse.

Over the past days spent traveling together, she and Rey had settled into a routine of sorts. Mindlessly, Silla removed Horse’s saddle and brushed her down, while Rey pulled supplies from the saddlesack and set up camp. By the time Horse’s coat gleamed and she’d wandered to a lush patch of grass, Rey had a fire roaring. As it happened, he was remarkably adept at kindling a fire, even from the wettest wood.

She sank onto the grass. Pulled at an errant thread dangling from her cuff. It was Rey’s tunic, as were the breeches belted around her waist. His clothing swam on her, but it didn’t matter. She’d burned the red dress Valf had put her in. If only she could burn the memories of his hand, clutching her neck while the other went to his belt.

Scream, dear. I do so enjoy it.

Rey’s voice diverted her thoughts. “Tomorrow we’ll travel past a village. I’ll stop and have a falcon sent north to the warriors who will fetch you.” He paused, eyeing her. “And we shall reach Istré after dark.”

Silla’s temples throbbed at the mere thought of Istré. Days now, it had been the two of them plodding through this canyon. Here, she’d settled into a numb existence. Not quite safe, yet not quite in danger: It was an in-­between. But the words village and people had her survival instincts on edge, making her pulse beat erratically.

A weighted silence hung in the air, and Silla knew Rey was choosing his words. “You must eat more tonight, Silla.” He pulled a few strips of dried elk from his bag and offered them to her.

Silla stared at his outstretched hand. The thought of food made her stomach roil, and the thought of Kalasgarde was like an anchor tied to her, pulling her down, down, down. She felt lost and so very tired. Not just her body, but her bones.

Her soul.

But she took the dried elk all the same. Forced herself to bite into it. What she wouldn’t give for her skjöld leaves, to fly away from everything for a moment or two. Would there be an apothecary in Istré? Silla had lost all her belongings, sólas included. Rey, though . . . he kept coins in a pouch on his battle belt, others in the false bottom of Horse’s saddlesack. She could pilfer a few. Sneak off to the apothecary in Istré.

She was filled with self-­loathing at the vile thought. Rey had saved her life in Kopa. She could not steal from him. But the longings were fiercer than she’d felt in days . . . weeks.

Without the leaves how could she distract herself from the gloom of her thoughts? Before, she’d had Jonas to help her escape. But like the leaves, he’d brought nothing but misery. All of the bandages for Silla’s grief were now gone, and gods, but it hurt.

Rey had busied himself sharpening one of his many daggers, but she felt the touch of his gaze on her skin. Silla glanced his way. With the fire’s flames reflected in his eyes, with that sharp jaw and the sprawl of his legs, the man looked like a malevolent god honing his blade. Utterly unbothered by anything. Impenetrable to human emotion. Brutally handsome.

Her eyes trailed across his broad frame and landed on his hip.

“May I?” she asked, nodding at the flask.

Rey hesitated before pushing to his full height and stepping around the fire. Crouching down to her level, he pressed the flask firmly into her palm. “Go easy,” he said, a groove deepening between his brows.

She wanted to reach out. Smooth the line away. Instead, she lifted the flask to her lips and took a large swallow. It burned a path down her throat, making her wince. Still, Rey stared at her scar so intently that she squirmed.

“Why do you stare at it?” she asked, blinking against the burn of the fire whiskey. “My scar?”

Rey seemed to shake free from his reverie. Running a hand down his face, for a moment he looked a little unsettled. “It reminds me,” he said, “of a life long ago.”

Silla puzzled over his words for a moment before helping herself to another gulp of brennsa. “Tell me,” she said.

Rey settled back across the fire, passing his dagger across a whetstone. “I prefer not to think of it.”

“Bad memories?” she asked, though of course he did not answer.

Tendrils of warmth unfurled in her belly, sending tiny vibrations all through her. Silla took yet another large mouthful of the fire whiskey, closing her eyes as it took effect. It was like a full-body exhalation, her tangled worries loosening, the burn of guilt soothed.

She lifted the flask for another drink.

“Silla.” Rey’s voice floated across the fire, carrying irritation and warning all at once. Silla, of course, ignored him. He wanted her to be responsible and sensible when all she wanted was to forget.

Pushing onto her feet, she arched her back in a stretch. She felt better already. Almost happy. “In a life long ago, I had chickens,” she said. The brennsa flowed through her with a silent rhythm that made her want to move. “And a swing. And I played a game. Do you want to play it, Axe Eyes?”

He scowled at her. The light from the fire caught his black curls, the warm brown of his curving cheekbone. Rey’s normally fastidiously trimmed beard hadn’t been touched in some time, and Silla considered that the past few days must have held their challenges for him as well. A better woman would offer to trim it for him—­would try to lighten his burden.

A better woman was not her.

Excerpted from Kingdom of Claw by Demi Winters. Copyright © 2025 by Demi Winters. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

My Review

Demi Winters slays in this thrilling next chapter of The Ashen series where the enemies are aplenty, the betrayals are scandalous, and action is fire! 

We finally get to meet Saga and see through her eyes all the horrors and tribulations she suffers at the hands of the kingdom's usurpers. Her story is full of pain and sorrow, but her will is steadfast and driven by the need to protect her sister. Trying to throw a monkey wrench into her plans is a group of foreign dignitaries visiting to hammer out a trade agreement with the kingdom, led by a smoldering and mysterious warrior that sees too much and has his own secrets and agenda. Is he a friend or foe? Saga has to be careful around him so she doesn’t spill secrets of her own. 

Silla and Reynir face several problems of their own. Reynir’s secrets are discovered and he’s hunted by the king’s men–and every headhunter out to collect the handsome reward. Silla’s in more danger than ever so Reynir takes Silla to the safest place he knows, a home where he swore he’d never return to. There’s safety here but lots of demons for Reynir. It’s also a place for Silla to learn her magic and train to defend herself while coming to terms with her true identity. When people start disappearing, Reynir wonders if he and Silla have brought trouble to his homeland. The king’s forces are the least of their worries when an evil unlike any other is discovered and everyone’s lives are at stake!

Oh my GOODNESS this book is amazing! There is so much action, so much adventure, subterfuge, betrayals, secrets, and so much more! I was completely blown away by the extraordinary worldbuilding, the complex storyline, and the amazing characters! The fabric of this series is brilliantly crafted, with meticulous precision and expert handiwork. It’s absolutely amazing and I recommend the entire series. I can’t wait for the next book!

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of my review.

Purchase Links

Penguin Random House

About the Author

Lover of all things fairy tales, fantasy, and romance, Demi lives in British Columbia, Canada with her husband and two kids. When she’s not busy brainstorming fantastical worlds and morally gray love interests, Demi loves reading and cooking. Learn more at demiwinters.com