Week 5 Review: Upon a Starlit Tide

From Goodreads:

A dark and enchanting fairy tale-inspired historical fantasy combining elements of "The Little Mermaid" and "Cinderella" into a wholly original tale of love, power, and betrayal.

Saint-Malo, Brittany, 1758.

For Lucinde Leon, the youngest daughter of one of Saint-Malo's wealthiest ship-owners, the high walls of the city are more hindrance than haven. While her sisters are interested in securing advantageous marriages, Luce dreams of escaping her elegant but stifling home and joining a ship's crew. Only Samuel—Luce's best friend and an English smuggler—understands her longing for the sea, secretly teaching her to sail whenever she can sneak away. For Luce, the stolen time on the water with Samuel is precious.

One stormy morning, Luce's plans are blown off course when she rescues Morgan de Chatelaine, the youngest son of the most powerful ship-owner in Saint-Malo, from the sea. Immediately drawn to his charm and sense of adventure, she longs to attend the glittering ball held in honor of his safe return and begins to contemplate a different kind of future for herself.

But it is not only Luce's hopes at stake—the local fae are leaving Brittany and taking their magic with them, while the long-standing war with the English means Saint-Malo is always at risk of attack. As Luce is plunged into a world of magic, brutality, and seduction, secrets that have long been lost in the shadowy depths of the ocean begin to rise to the surface. The truth of her own power is growing brighter and brighter, shining like a sea-glass slipper.

Or the scales of a sea-maid's tail.

My Review:
This was such a fantastic read! The synopsis sounded really intriguing, and once I started reading, I couldn't stop, I was interested in these characters, and I had to know what was going to happen next! Watching as Luce works to get what she wants, while political tensions are rising, I loved it! 

The fact that it's a mix of The Little Mermaid, as well as CInderella, was such an interesting mix in the story, and I really enjoyed seeing it all play out, and whether it was going to lean into the Disney side of the tales, or the Brothers Grimm.

Luce isn't mistreated, per se, but she is her adoptive father's favourite, at the expense of his daughters by blood. Which isn't the best parenting decision a person can do. But when she rescues Morgan, it results in a series of events, that I had to keep reading to see how things would unfold! And boy, were there some reveals, and some pretty epic twists! 

Once answers started coming in, about the fae and what had been done, yeah, I wanted to know what was going to happen because of that. So I found the end really satisfying, thought that bit with her love, that hurt, but that epilogue healed that hurt! 

Loved reading this book and I would love to read more by Kell Woods!

Author: Kell Woods
Read: January 29th, 2025 
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge Book, Historical Fiction 2025 Book and a SAC 2025 Book! 
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Expected Publication: February 18th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 5 Review: The Dryad Storm

From Goodreads:

Who can survive the Shadow storm?

Black Witch of prophecy Elloren Gardner Grey has unleashed her powers and embraced her legacy as a Dryad and guardian of the Forest. But the losses — of life, of love — have been almost too great to withstand as the Shadow continues to devour the world. With only a tattered shred of hope remaining, the Bearers of the Wand of Myth must battle their way back to each other to mount a final stand.

But Elloren and her allies are not only facing Mage Vogel's advancing forces, the armies of the Eastern Realm will stop at nothing to see the Black Witch struck down.

With Elloren's bonded mate prophesied to kill her, Shadow demons rising, and the ties between allies unravelling, can this fracturing world unite to face down the coming storm?

My Review:


Author: Laurie Forest 
Series: The Black Witch #5
Read: January  28t h, 2025
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book, WoW Book and a WTC Book! 
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Published: January 7th 2025 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 5 Reviews: Secret of the Broken King, Surrender of the Brutal King, Sacrifice of the Brave King

From Goodreads:

He married me, exiled me, and now he's the only thing stopping me from saving my sister.

My sister is turning to stone. She's been asleep for eight years – the same amount of time I've been the secret, exiled wife of the King of the Ocean.

Poseidon is fierce, unforgiving, and terrifyingly powerful.

I'm just a broken sea nymph whose magic never surfaced.

But the only way to save my sister lies in his underwater palace, and I've got nothing else to lose.

I expected escaping exile and getting to the palace to be tough. What I didn't anticipate was battling a torrent of unexpected desire for Poseidon when he catches me.

The devastatingly beautiful ocean god has secrets. Wild waves crash through his eyes when he looks at me, and I soon realize he might be just as broken as I am.

But when a god has secrets, the consequences are deadly.

Secret of the Broken King is the first book in the Poseidon Trials trilogy. Expect magic, mythology, and a searing slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance that will leave you desperate for more.

From Goodreads:

Nothing has gone to plan.

Not a single thing.

I entered Poseidon's palace with one intention – steal a legendary ship and sail it to the darkest, most dangerous depths of the ocean, to try to save my sister.

And now I am fighting for my life in a series of deadly trials designed for water gods and sea monsters, not broken, powerless nymphs.

I was prepared for risk. I was prepared for danger.

I was not prepared for Poseidon, or the soul-deep connection I have with him. His tenuous control teeters closer to the edge the more time I spend with him, and gods help me, I'm starting to hope that he falls – and takes me with him.

From Goodreads:

The Poseidon Trials have never been more deadly, and it's not just my life at stake. Poseidon, my sister, and the whole realm of Aquarius are just as likely to die as I am if we don't stop Atlas.

But the revelations coming my way are so much worse than anything the insane Titan can throw at me.

Between discovering the rest of the Oracle's prophecy, what happened between Poseidon and Atlas' wife, learning to use my magic, and trying to save my sister's life, only one thing is certain.

If I fall in love with the fierce sea god, it will kill me as surely as the stone will.

My Review:


Authors: Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson 
Series: The Poseidon Trials #1, 2, 3
Read: January 27th, 27th, 27th, 2025
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love their writing and this world, and they're 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge 2025 Books and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books, and Sacrifice of the Brave King is a End of Series 2025 Book! 
Publisher:Logic in Creativity
Published: February 25th 2022, April 1st 2022, June 3rd 2022

Secret of the Broken King:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Surrender of the Brutal King:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Sacrifice of the Brave King:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 5 Review: The Party

From Goodreads:

Are you invited? In the heart of the English countryside, a group of teenagers gather at a remote castle for a weekend of fun and games. But when the first of them dies, the party takes a deadly turn. As the body count rises, the remaining guests must race against time to uncover the killer's identity before they become the next victim.

My Review:
I had such a great time reading this book! I've enjoyed a couple of Natasha Preston's books, but I haven't read all of them. But this one just came out, and it worked out for me to read now with my hold came in from the library. I'm glad it did, because it was a wonderful read! 

To be trapped in a castle, with pretty bad weather, then having a tree fall on one of their friends, not great. That they wake up and she's dead, and their phones are missing? Really, they didn't make many good decisions, kept splitting up, but I enjoyed watching them investigate who was behind this.

The mystery of what happened the night of the accident was a big question mark, that as events progressed, proved to be pretty important. That Bessie doesn't really have memories of that night complicates matters. With how vital that it became to the story, I really enjoyed it!

The ending was pretty abrupt. That there's a bunch of kills in a row, also revealing who the killer(s) were, yeah, that was pretty shocking. It was a bit out of left field, I might have missed some details, and every person was a suspect, including Bessie herself, because an unreliable narrator is a thing. But the way it was presented, I wish that there'd be a bit more set up. But that last paragraph, that was pretty shocking and well done! 

Loved reading this book and I can't wait to read more by Natasha Preston! 

Author: Natasha Preston
Read: January 27th, 2025 
Source: Library
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounded really great, and it's a SAC 2025 Book and a WoW Book!
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Published: December 3rd 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 5 Review: Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters

From Goodreads:
Sixteen-year-old Ariadne's whole life is curated and shared with the world. Her royal family's entertainment empire is beloved by the tabloids, all over social media, and the hottest thing on television. The biggest moneymaker? The Labyrinth Contest, a TV extravaganza in which Ariadne leads fourteen teens into a maze to kill a monster. To win means endless glory; to lose means death. In ten seasons, no one has ever won.

When the gorgeous, mysterious Theseus arrives at the competition and asks Ariadne to help him to victory, she doesn't expect to fall for him. He might be acting interested in her just to boost ratings. Their chemistry is undeniable, though, and she can help him survive. If he wins, the contest would end for good. But if she helps him, she doesn't just endanger her family's empire―the monster would have to die. And for Ariadne, his life might be the only one worth saving.

Ariadne's every move is watched by the public and predestined by the gods, so how can she find a way to forge her own destiny and save the people she loves? 

My Review:


Author: Emily Roberson
Read: January 26th, 2025
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and it's a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge, SAC 2025 Book and a Sophomore Challenge Book!
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Published: October 22nd 2019

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 5 Review: A Language of Dragon

From Goodreads:

EVERY ACT OF TRANSLATION REQUIRES SACRIFICE

Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons.

London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivian Featherswallow isn't worried. She's going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.

With her parents arrested and her sister missing, all the safety Viv has worked for is collapsing around her. So when a lifeline is offered in the form of a mysterious 'job', she grabs it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, Viv discovers that she has been recruited as a codebreaker helping the war effort – if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn't, they'll all die.

At first Viv believes that her challenge, of discovering the secrets of a hidden dragon language, is doable. But the more she learns, the more she realises that the bubble she's grown up in isn't as safe as she thought, and eventually Viv must What war is she really fighting?

An epic, sweeping fantasy with an incredible Dark Academia setting, a clandestine, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, and an unputdownable story, filled with twists and turns, betrayals and secret identities, A Language of Dragons is the unmissable debut of 2025, from an extraordinary new voice.

My Review:


Author: S.F. Williamson 
Read: January 26th, 2025
Source: Edelweiss 
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a DAC Book, Historical Fiction 2025 Book, SAC 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: January 7th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 5 Reviews: The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed, The Last Devil to Die

From Goodreads:

It's the following Thursday.

Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He's made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life.

As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus?

But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can The Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?

From Goodreads:

One Thursday afternoon in the seniors' center, a decade-old cold case --their favorite kind-- leads the Thursday Murder Club to a local news legend and a murder with no body and no answers. A new foe they call "Viking", wants Elizabeth to kill former KGB chief Viktor, or he will kill her sweet best friend Joyce. Activist marked for death Ron and psychiatrist Ibrahim chase clues for Viking's identity, and investigate mob-queen prisoner from last book.

This third adventure ranges from a prison cell with espresso machine to a luxury penthouse with swimming pool high in the sky.

From Goodreads:

You'd think you be allowed to relax over Christmas, but not in the world of the Thursday Murder Club.

On Boxing Day, a dangerous package is smuggled across the English coast. When it goes missing, chaos is unleashed. The body count starts to rise – including someone close to the Thursday Murder Club--as our gang face an impossible search, and their most deadly opponents yet.

With the clock ticking down and a killer heading to Cooper's Chase, has their luck finally run out? And who will be "The Last Devil To Die"?

My Review:


Author: Richard Osman 
Series: Thursday Murder Club #2, 3, 4
Read: January 25th, 25th, 26th, 2025
Source: Ebook.bike, Bought
Reason Why: Love his writing and this series, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books! The Man Who Died First is a Sophomore Challenge Book!
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Published: September 16th 2021, September 20th 2022, September 19th 2023

The Man Who Died Twice:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Bullet That Missed:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Last Devil to Die:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 5 Review: The Crimson Crown

From Goodreads:

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the wickedest of them all? Snow White's dark queen tells her side of the story in this queer, witchy reimagining of the classic fairy tale from the author of Malice.

Legends tell of a witch who became a queen—the heartless villain in the story of Snow White.

But now the wicked queen is stepping out of Snow White's shadow to become the heroine of her own legend.

Her real "once upon a time" begins when she is just Ayleth, a young witch who lives in the forest with her coven. The witches practice their magic in secret, hiding from the White King and his brutal war against witchcraft.

Ayleth, however, faces a war of her own. Her magical gifts have yet to reveal themselves, and as the threat of the Royal Huntsmen intensifies, Ayleth fears she will never become the witch her coven needs.

To prove herself, Ayleth sets out on a perilous quest that sends her to the White Palace, a decadent world of drama and deceit. There, Ayleth encounters an unlikely figure from her Jacquetta, a witch who once held Ayleth's heart—and betrayed her.

As events at the palace escalate, Ayleth finds herself caught in the web of the White King, whose dark charisma is as dangerous as the sinister force that seems to be haunting the palace—and perhaps even Ayleth herself. With the threat of discovery looming, Ayleth and Jacquetta must set aside the wounds of their past and work together to survive.

As she uncovers the secrets of the White Court—and those of her own heart—Ayleth must find the strength to transform into someone she never imagined she could be.

A powerful witch, the very wickedest of them all.

My Review:


Author: Heather Walter 
Series: The Crimson Crown Duology #1
Read: January 25th, 2025 
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounded really great, and it's a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge 2025 Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Del Rey
Published: August 27th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 5 Review: Hearts That Cut

From Goodreads:

In this heart-pounding, much-anticipated sequel to Threads That Bind, Io will face threats even more dangerous and players even more powerful as she discovers what it will mean to follow—or defy—her fate.

It's been five weeks since Io left Alante to follow the golden thread, and she's no closer to finding the god on the other end. She spends her days in constant, grueling travel and her nights worrying over the fate-thread she shares with Edei—which seems to be fraying. Making matters worse, she and Bianca soon realize that their only lead has shaken them off, snapped the golden thread, and disappeared.

But not before Io gathers some crucial clues. Her investigation leads her to a new mystery, a rash of sibling disappearances across the Wastelands that seems to be connected to the murders in Alante. And all signs point to Nanzy, the golden city, as the center of the whole conspiracy.

As Io and Bianca make their way to Nanzy, they face powerful enemies, find allies new and old, and uncover a horrifying plot that traces back centuries. The more Io learns, the more she begins to suspect that the future of the world may truly rest on her shoulders. But she will have to determine how much of the future is her choice—and how much is simply her fate.

My Review:


Author: Kika Hatzopoulou
Series: Threads That Bind #2
Read: January 25th, 2025 
Source: Ebook.bke 
Reason Why: Really enjoyed the first book, and it's a 2025 Retelling Reading Challenge Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book and a Sophomore Challenge Book! 
Publisher: Razorbill
Published: June 18th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 7

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was Vilest Things which was for the prompt IA, and I'll be reading my February TBR next! 

My Reading Journey:

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 

Prompt Fulfilled: 1C

Started On: January 22nd

Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM

Pages Read: 355

Hearts that Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou

Prompt Fulfilled: 1B

Started On: January 25th

Finished On: January 25th, 11:31 AM

Pages Read: 336

The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter

Prompt Fulfilled: 1D

Started On: January 25th

Finished On: January 25th, 3:45 PM

Pages Read: 544

The Party by Natasha Preston

Prompt Fulfilled: 1C

Started On: January 27th

Finished On: January 27th, 10:53 AM

Pages Read: 352

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 

Prompt Fulfilled: 1E

Started On: January 30th

Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM

Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea

Prompt Fulfilled: 1B

Started On: January 31st

Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM

Pages Read: 336

Vilest Things by Chloe Gong

Prompt Fulfilled: 1A

Started On: January 31st

Finished On: January 31st, 6:36 PM

Pages Read: 416

Prompts Left: 2C South, 2B West, 2D North East, 2C South, 2E South East, 2B West, 2A North

Read: 7

Pages Read: 2739