Tag: books

Mini Mention Monday

This is where I have all my little mini reviews (that you can also find on Fable, StoryGraph and Goodreads, although Fable is my primary short form reviewing platform) for books that were three stars or under and so I’m not going to write a whole blog post for but still want to give you my thoughts and the violence/spice ratings for them!

Royally Off Limits by Kate O Keeffe

This is the fourth book in this series, and it held up to the fun romcom expectations I had for it. This one is I think my favourite of the series so far – Max and Valentina had this amazing tension and chemistry and I always love a good secret identity/backstory. We alternate povs throughout book and overall it was a solid fun rom-com. It didn’t rock my world but it comfortably sat within it and I enjoyed the ride. My favourite part was when Max and Valentina were still in the interview phase, i would have loved more scenes of them interacting like they did at the archery range. Overall if you want a quick light rom-com this is the one to read and it’s a great series to binge over the holidays.
I will say that that terse vibe between them in the beginning is perfection though and I really enjoyed it.

Romance Rating: Soft – kissing, little to no description.
Violence Level – Level 1 – it’s a romcom we don’t have any violence in it.
Content Warnings: none.

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Mini Mention Monday – Picking Daisies on Sundays by Liana Cincotti

This is the place where I mention all the reads that dont quite merit a full review because they are under four stars, but I also have things to say so I can let you know what content is in them (if i finished them or not, i do include DNFs if i read over half way because that has wasted enough of my time that i can have opinions).

I’ve had this book on my TBR for a while and when i saw it came onto Kindle Unlimited i thought why not I’m in the mood for a calm predictable romance. This didnt surprise me, it was exactly what i thought it would be, but i enjoyed it. I felt like the main character was the saving grace of this book, she was interesting and flawed enough to make me continue but I struggled with the chemistry between the characters. I felt like Levi was so perfect that he wasn’t almost real and this may just have been because we were seeing him through Daisy’s eyes whom was head over heels in love with him but i really just thought the romance was underdeveloped. They had this epic love story on paper, but what it really was was a not quite unrequited love from high school and a random meet up that threw them together. This would work as a hallmark romance big city story but i just struggled with the lack of depth anywhere except in Daisy/Dani’s personal journey.

Romance Rating: Sweet – we get a few described kisses, but they are in very little detail.

Violence Rating: this is a tricky one to rate because Daisy is assaulted in the book, she gets away before he can do more than touch her leg but it still raises this quite a lot from a level one. I’m going to put this at a level two because there is no other violence in the whole book at all, and so a level four doesn’t fit it either.

Content Warnings: body dysphoria (experienced by the main character but not named), sexual assault on the main character (she gets away after he touches her leg and tries to pyschologically abuse her into thinking her only chance at success is if he helps her but it is still a significant plot point which was unusually violent in a otherwise calm novel), parental death of a father from cancer

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Burn the Sea by Mona Tewari




Pub Date: 21st of April 2026
Publisher: Bindery Books
Genre: Fantasy, retelling,
Age Category: 

As I was reading this book, I was thinking that it almost was historical fiction in feel except set in a fantasy world. And I think that that is a really good way of describing the luxurious world but always realistic political landscape in this book – so many fantasy books ignore what you actually have to do to rule a country, and so I loved that this didn’t shy away from the fact that sometimes an arranged marriage is the only option for the countries future even if it isn’t the best for yours. Of course when I read the authors acknowledgments at the end which discussed how this was actually a fantasy retelling of the story of Rani Abbakka Chowta, an amazing queen whom like so many others has been diminished in history books but this I feel was a worthy tribute because honestly it has no faults. Every piece of language is beautiful and lyrical and all the emotions feel so real. I will admit to staying up late for this book and I’m so happy that I started November with this book because it’s a five star of five stars!

The “othering” of the colonisers is one of my favourite things I’ve read this year, just twisting the narrative to show a different perspective which is what all fantasy should do.

The arranged marriage relationship was so strong because the man she marries isnt her happily ever after but he isnt the worst human imaginable which are usually the two ways that the arranged marriage storyline goes so I LOVED that!

I can’t wait until this comes out because I need someone else to gush over all the little beautiful heartwrenching things in this book!

World – 5/5 – yess! I love Mantana and the birds so much, and the way that she interacts with them as a child and then as an adult. The world itself is so vibrant and seems to come off the page with food and smells and textures.

Plot – 5/5 – I loved it.

Characters – 4.5/5 – I’ve already talked about Mantana the green lion so let me talk about the others! They were all really individual strong characters which I loved but I wish that we had got a taste of Thevon and his childhood a bit more but I think that will come in the next book because the cliff hanger is a two hundred feet one!

Romance – 4/5 – we don’t get much at all, but its very promising so I cant wait!

Romance Rating: Sweet – kissing and making out are described and mentioned. We know that they sleep together but it is less than a paragraph in past tense and euphemistic on page.

Violence Rating: Level 4 – nothing unusual in fantasy but there are sustained bloody fights which go on for more than a chapter which I loved but might be a bit much for some people.

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The Baby Dragon Bookshop by A T Qureshi

 




Pub Date: 12th of February, 2026
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Cosy Fantasy, Romance
Age Category: Adult

I have loved every page of the previous two books and so this one was a no brainer for me instant ARC request and first on my reading list once it was approved. This was extraordinarily good as all of her books are and once again it proves that romance books can be five stars for me just as much as epic fantasy and historical fantasy because honestly it was like she had read my mind and written the perfect book. Let me dive into it.

To begin with Emmeline and Luke have this raw chemistry that is so present in every line and gesture towards each other. It means that even something as simple as handing her a thermos of tea has so much emotional charge and feeling behind it and the whole book was devoured by me in one sitting because I couldn’t go to sleep before I had inhaled every word of this gorgeous gorgeous book.

Their history and rivalry is offset against moments where they genuinely connect and we get this slow growth throughout the book towards each other which is so beautiful to see. Often with enemies to lovers or rivals to lovers which this is, they go from rivals to lovers, its instant and overnight and usually just because they find the other physically attractive. However the way this is crafted makes it a love story that will last not just a lust story that will fizzle out when the pages close like a lot of romance books I read and yes. Just read it. This book is everything that the romance genre should be and it swirls in some gorgeously humerous baby dragon moments too (and also a few references back to the last couples if you’ve read the first two books!)

The character of Emmeline is eldest daughter incarnate, and I love that it isnt hammered home that point but slowly shown and developed through her actions. I may have got a tear in my eye when Luke noticed her efforts and helped her – okay I definitely did – because everything about this book was emotionally perfect and romantic and yet somehow builds upon the world that was established in the first two books. I loved seeing the Chimeras side of the valley and I’ve just got all my fingers and toes crossed that we get another book because this is AMAZING!

World – 5/5 – is it a hardcore epic world no but is it perfect and settled and everything that I need to to be yes.

Characters – 5/5 – literal perfection. I’m going to create a list of the top books I’ve read this year and this is going to be on it because PERFECTION!

Romance – 100000/5 – it’s so good that I cant describe it in any other way than perfectly imperfect and swoony!

Plot – 4.5/5 – I knew what was going to happen, it’s a romance book, they follow a three act structure but the way it happened? The way it was developed? If tropes were always represented like this I wouldn’t get bored of them!

Romance Rating: Suggestive Swoony B – we get some steamy making out and a very slow fade to black/less than a page sex scene with euphemistic language.

Violence Rating: Level 1 – its romance.

Content Warnings: mention of a girl getting her drink spiked at a party years ago and what could have happened if she hadnt been found in time. The man who drugged her drink interacts with some of the characters at one point but no justice is found.

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Eragon Names for the Book of Remembrance pt 1

I am personally researching every name and possible option I can do for my name inside the Book of Remembrance but if anyone else is looking for ideas then I thought I’d offer all the possible Ancient Language words that you could encorporate inside your name from across the dictionary pages of the books.

These are the words we get from the first book:

Ancient Language

Aiedeail – the morning star

Arget – silver

Argetlam – silver hand (lore here, this is what Eragon’s hand is called because of his gedwey ignasisa that he received the first time he touched Saphira. Might be a good name for a dragonrider combination)

Breoal – family, house

Brisingr – Fire

Edoc’sil – unconquerable

Garjzla – light

Gedwey ignasisa – shining palm

Iet – my (informal)

Pomnuria – my (formal)

Seithr – witch

Shur’tugal – dragonrider

Wydra – fate

Yawe – a bond of trust

I’ve taken out any I don’t think are relevant to names and also phrases.

Dwarf Language

Ingietum – metal workers, smiths. (Could be used as a surname!)

Knurl – stone, rock.

Knurla – dwarf

Otho – faith

Sheilven – cowards

Urgal Language

Ushnark – father

You could combine a mixture of these – here are a few of the ideas I’m considering!

  • your real name + mums name and then daughter. Eg: Eleanor Fernsdaughter.
  • A title + your name. Eg: Dragonrider Anna Carthright.
  • Just your name (good for bragging rights)
  • Trying to Eragonify your name yourself! While only the dragonrider tier will actually get their names as alaegaeian names if you really want to delve deep into the linguistics of the realm then why not make your name something closer to a Spine dweller?

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NEW ERAGON BOOK: The Book of Remembrance

If you have ever read another blogpost of mine you know that I am a diehard Eragon stan and have been since I was nine. I have reread the series over and over and may or may not have a signed copy of the witch and the worm which is my very prized possession and so when I saw that Wraithmarked was doing a kickstarter for new Eragon content of course I had to take the opportunity to intertwine myself even deeper into Alaegasia.

The Book of Remembrance allows you to put your own name (or one of an OC or DnD character) into the lists of the dead from seven of the major battles that happen over the course of Alaegaeia’s history. And I am a little stuck on which name to pick because of course I want my own name, but then I also want something more Alaegaeian as well.

As any one would do I went on Reddit and began researching on sub threads what people were doing and the collective genius has offered up some of my favourite ideas.

  • your real name + mums name and then daughter. Eg: Eleanor Fernsdaughter.
  • A title + your name. Eg: Dragonrider Anna Carthright.
  • Just your name (good for bragging rights)
  • Trying to Eragonify your name yourself! While only the dragonrider tier will actually get their names as alaegaeian names if you really want to delve deep into the linguistics of the realm then why not make your name something closer to a Spine dweller?

NB: must be under 50 characters, but this gives you LOTS of space so you can still play with it!

Here are the links to Reddit if you want to read some ideas yourself!

https://www.reddit.com/r/Eragon/comments/1mdy2cp/what_name_will_you_choose_for_the_book_of/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Eragon/comments/1lp19at/anyone_else_using_the_book_of_remembrance_for/

This is the link to the actual kickstarter with all the details and some of the preview artwork which is GORGEOUS

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/wraithmarked/bookofremembrance

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All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

14+

The Naturals are back in Vegas! I absolutely devoured the third book in this series, we had both Sloanes backstory and an epic complex twisted mystery which I adored. One of my favourite things was how we can see Cassie beginning to understand the people around her more, both Sloane and Lia and her lies.

Against the backdrop of Vegas and luxury, the serial killer roaming the casinos is especially dangerous and elusive, and when all the suspects are expert bluffers then the FBI are stuck at every turn.

One of my favourite things is Sloane and the way we get to see more into her loneliness created by her Natural power and her abusive neglectful family. Her open vunerabilty  and non-explicit but very very obvious autism have solidified her as one of my favourite characters which is a tough spot to claim in a super complex cast that I absolutely adore.

Let’s dive into the star ratings!

World – 4/5 – I love it as always but I wish we had got more of Vegas, a lot of it was inside their apartment.

Romance – 5/5 – oh so so good!

Character – 5/5 – yes yes yes!

Plot – 5/5 – I am speechless. Speechless. Best plot twists yet!

Violence Rating: Level 5

Romance Rating: Soft

Content Warnings: abuse, child abuse, neglect, serial killerism, murder, gambling.

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Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

14+

I am used to having sequal disappointment, but this one was honestly a worthy continuation to the series and added something to the original plot and world.

In this one a serial killer is now copying Daniel Reddings murder MO, but seemingly erratically – we have a collage class that teaches about Daniel Redding’s genius in his serial killing, various potential suspects and all of the internal drama as the Naturals battle against their own pasts.

I read this one in one day and honestly I adored it. A full five stars because it was so good.

World – 5/5 – gritty and great.

Romance – 4/5 – continuation of the love triangle and I’m not going to say who she ends up with but I enjoyed it a lot.

Characters – 5/5 – I love the way that Jennifer lets us in on small bits of information about the characters so slowly, it’s realistic and also makes every book have so much more mystery and reveals to them than just the main case.

Plot – 5/5 – I was not expecting that reveal at all!

Violence Rating: Level 5, no SA, just psychological murders.

Romance Rating: Soft

Content Warnings: serial killers, murder, abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, misogyny.

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The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

14+

To begin with why is this not more famous than the inheritance games? This book is flawless, and honestly? It deserves the title of the best of series ten times over because what do you mean I was absorbed and obsessed from page one?

Okay so the premise surrounds the FBI and serial killers – the FBI are secretly using children with almost supernatural abilities to track down serial killers and our main character has just been recruited.

To begin with, the way that Jennifer writes the serial killers perspective is just so so stunning and dark, and I absolutely adore that it really shows how psychological it is to have to figure out a serial killers motive. There is this undercurrent throughout that the only way they can figure out the serial killers is because they are one push away from becoming them themselves which is just perfection and I adore a good moral edge.

This is much darker than the Inheritance Games and her debutante series because it focuses on the worse of murders and also abusive households. All of the children in the program come from extremely abusive homes because that is the reason they have developed these abilities – to read emotions, to understand patterns and numbers, to tell when someone is lying perfectly even on paper, to be able to lie over and over and get away with it.

World – 5/5 – dark, gritty, perfection.

Romance – Soft – 5/5 – we have a love triangle emerging but unusually I actually get both the men’s appeal so I’m loving that!

Plot – 5/5 – I was shook by the end! It was so good and so out of no where that honestly you just need to read it!

Characters – 10000/5 – yes. Just yes they are so complex and difficult and I want a spin off from all of their POVS!

Romance Rating: Soft – kisses, low description, no making out.

Violence Rating: Level 5

Content Warnings: abuse, serial killers, domestic abuse, child abuse, murder, blood, guns.

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Better Than The Movies by Lynn Painter

This was a fun enemies to lovers rom com that I breezed through quickly. It’s light and fun and hits lots of the iconic rom-com moments from movies that Liz loves so much. For me personally I found it a little too surface level, unlike Betting on You the characters didn’t have the same chemistry and tension. This feels younger than Betting on You, (which I loved) which I think is what threw me off. This feels very much younger YA compared to Betting on You and I think that if I had read this one earlier I may have enjoyed it more.

There were just too many things that annoyed me with this book. I felt like Liz changed herself massively for Wes, and in pursuit of the other guy, which I always hate. This was published in the 2020s, we should be over the Girl Changes Herself trope, yet that was a huge part of this book and yet nobody questioned it? Wes was just happy to change her from the ‘odd’ outfits she wore before and enjoyed shopping with her? I think this was supposed to be a cute moment but no. Just no.

I also hated that the childhood friends-to-lovers i was promised was more bullies to lovers. Wes and Liz’s prank war could have been fun if it was in good humour, but Liz wasn’t enjoying it and he was escalating the pranks to a ridiculous degree like duct taping up her car so she couldn’t get to school. It just did not hit well at all, and I am not going to read the sequel because what was this?

If you want to read Lynn Painter I would recommend Betting on You more because it just hit so much harder for me and the romance was sizzling off the pages even when nothing romantic was happening!  

Romance – Sweet – 1/5 – its a no from me.

World – 3/5 – its our world but very high school rom-com energy.

Characters – 4/5

Plot –  3/5 – it does what every rom-com plot should, and I cant complain of anything but there just wasn’t anything that really reached out to me and stood out from the other rom-coms I’ve read.

Content Warnings: mothers death, several years prior.

Romance Rating: Sweet – kisses, some making out but nothing close to any doors closed or otherwise.

Violence Rating: Level 1

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