I had a really enjoyable time with Theodora's Tea Shop! It definitely wasn't quite what I was expecting, but in a good way.

I went into this thinking it would be a cozy fantasy centred around a magical tea shop, but while those cozy moments are there, this story has much higher stakes than I anticipated. It's a book about grief, healing, found family, learning to let go, and discovering your own worth. It made me laugh, it tugged on my heartstrings, and I absolutely loved the found family that developed throughout the story.

Dot was such an easy character to root for. She's messy, flawed, and desperately searching for where she belongs, and watching her grow throughout the book was incredibly rewarding. Theodora was also a fascinating character whose layers slowly peeled back as the story progressed. I also loved Rupert and Belchamber, they really helped make this little found family feel complete.

The magic system was one of my favourite parts of the book. The spirits, ancient magic, and the way everyone's magic manifested differently made the world feel unique and immersive. I honestly would love to spend more time in this world because it feels like there's still so much left to explore.

My biggest struggle was with the writing style. At times it felt a little choppy, and the pacing was a bit uneven for me. Some scenes moved incredibly quickly while others lingered longer than they needed to, which occasionally pulled me out of the story. Even so, I was invested enough that I stayed up far too late to finish it because I needed to know how everything would come together.

Overall, this was a whimsical fantasy with plenty of heart. If you enjoy found family, messy characters, magical tea shops, spirits, ancient magic, and stories about healing and self-acceptance, I think this is well worth picking up. It wasn't a perfect read for me, but I had a genuinely lovely time with it and would happily return to this world if there's ever a sequel.

I swear these books have become one of my favourite romantasy series.

I absolutely DEVOURED this. Nico and Camilla have my whole heart and somehow I loved them even more by the end of this book. They are the definition of ride or die, and this is truly a touch her or him and die romance. The lengths they will go to for each other, the unwavering loyalty, the heartbreak, the healing... I was obsessed with every single page.

One of my favourite things about this series is just how refreshing the world feels. It's so different from the endless stream of romantasies we've been getting lately. The steampunk-inspired setting, the politics, the unique magic system, and the way science and magic intertwine make this world feel completely its own. Every book expands the world in a way that leaves me wanting more without ever feeling overwhelming.

The plot was so much fun. Between the heists, impossible missions, betrayals, and constantly trying to stay one step ahead, I never felt bored. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, something happened that completely caught me off guard.

And Nico... if you thought I was a "my wife" girlie before, this book absolutely cemented it. The devotion this man has for Camilla is everything. Protective without taking away her strength, ruthless when he needs to be, yet somehow still unbelievably soft with her. These two genuinely feel like partners in every sense of the word, and I adored every moment they shared.

I genuinely don't want to leave this world. There are still so many questions I want answered, and selfishly... I just need more Nico and Camilla. I am not ready to say goodbye to these characters, and I will happily read anything set in this universe

I genuinely think this book breathed new life into the romantasy genre for me.

Lately I've felt like I've been reading a lot of books that blur together, but this one stood out from the very first chapter. It felt fresh, unique, and unlike anything else I've picked up recently. First of all... this is not your typical romantasy.

Instead, we get an incredible urban steampunk world full of politicians, guns, science, magic, and an ongoing war between magic users and humans. The way science is used to level the playing field against magic was such a cool concept, and the world felt so vivid and immersive. Honestly? I was hooked. (Also... there's an important train, and somehow I became emotionally invested in it. 😂)

Then there's Nico and Milla... I absolutely fell in love with them. Their marriage of convenience throws them together in the best possible way, and watching rivals slowly become partners was such a joy.

Milla is stubborn, capable, and takes absolutely no crap from anyone, while Nico has this reputation for being ruthless, yet underneath it all he's an absolute softie when it comes to her. If you're a "My Wife" girlie... welcome home. 😭

Every time this man referred to Milla as his wife, I was absolutely feral. The "touch her and die" energy was immaculate, but it was the quieter moments that completely won me over. The tiny acts of care, the growing trust, and the way they slowly became each other's safe place had me smiling the entire time.

And the banter... THE BANTER.

I was grinning like an idiot through so many of their conversations. It had me laughing one minute and kicking my feet the next. One of the very first lines that had me completely sold was, "He was strikingly handsome, obnoxiously wealthy and apparently had a thing for throats." I knew from that moment I was in for something fantastic!

There were so many scenes that I'll be thinking about for a long time (yes, the shoe scene... you know the one 👀), and every interaction between Nico and Milla just made me love them more. This book gave me everything I love in a romance: incredible chemistry, witty banter, forced proximity through a marriage of convenience, a possessive but genuinely caring MMC, a badass FMC, and a fascinating magic system wrapped up in a world that felt completely fresh.

I absolutely devoured this and honestly didn't want it to end. Please, please pick this one up. I already know I'll be thinking about Nico and Milla for a very long time.

This was my first ever cozy crime, and I can safely say it won't be my last.

I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately, so I was hoping this would be the book to pull me out of it... and wow, did it deliver. I absolutely devoured this in two days and found myself constantly reaching for it whenever I had a spare moment. I genuinely didn't want to put it down.

One of my favourite things about this book was the atmosphere. It had those classic murder mystery vibes that made me feel like I was trying to solve the case alongside the characters. Every time I became convinced I'd worked it out, another twist would send me straight back to square one, and I loved every second of it.

The cast is quite large, and I won't lie, it took me a little while to get everyone straight in my head. But once the story settled in and each character found their place, I became completely invested. Everyone felt like they had something to hide, which made piecing everything together so much fun.

I also really enjoyed the dual POV. It kept the story moving beautifully, and the way the past and present intertwined never felt confusing or clunky. Everything unfolded naturally, revealing just enough to keep me guessing without ever feeling frustrating.

What surprised me most was just how cosy it managed to feel despite being a murder mystery. It had all the intrigue and suspense I wanted, but wrapped up in a way that felt charming rather than stressful. It was such a refreshing reading experience.

And that ending... I genuinely didn't see it coming.

If you've been curious about trying cozy crime, I can't recommend this enough. It has officially converted me, and I already can't wait to pick up the next book in the series. #cosycrime #bookreview #newauthor #plottwist

Hopeless Necromantic was one of those books that I absolutely judged by its cover, and honestly? I am so glad I did.

I went into this expecting something fun, quirky, and maybe a little bit D&D-inspired. What I got instead was something wonderfully cozy, genuinely heartfelt, and unexpectedly emotional. This book managed to be funny and whimsical while also carrying some surprisingly heavy moments, and I adored that balance.

I will admit, this made me cry far more than I expected it to, but honestly, I think that's part of what made it so special. Books that make me feel something this deeply are always the ones that stay with me, and I can absolutely see myself revisiting this one in the future.

One of my favourite things was how well the characters were developed. You really come to care about them, and for me, that's always the sign of a good book. Watching the relationships unfold, seeing both the beautiful and messy parts of these people, and slowly becoming invested in their lives made it incredibly easy to get swept away in the story. The relationship between Catseye and Ben was especially lovely. Their dynamic felt so heartfelt, and throughout the book it almost felt like watching them balance on the edge of breaking. You spend so much time hoping they'll find their way while also understanding the fears, grief, and baggage they both carry.

I know some readers struggled to buy into the romance, mostly because we don't necessarily get to witness every stage of it developing, but personally I still found it believable. More than anything, I found it sweet, and I loved the deep affection and loyalty between them.

Found family is one of my favourite tropes, and this book absolutely delivered. The friendships and banter brought me so much joy, and I found myself smiling constantly while reading. There is just something magical about a group of people finding one another and becoming home, and Hopeless Necromantic captured that feeling beautifully.

And what can I say? I am always a sucker for books that make Death a character. I love seeing the different ways authors choose to "bring Death to life", and I really enjoyed the take we got here. Likewise, I found the gods and the wider world fascinating. The magic system may not be revolutionary, but it felt fresh enough to stand out and I appreciated some of the twists the author put on familiar ideas. I'm hoping we get to spend even more time exploring all of that in future books.

Catseye himself was such an interesting protagonist. I wouldn't necessarily call him an antihero, but he's definitely a reluctant hero, and watching him wrestle with his grief, his guilt, and his sense of responsibility was genuinely heartbreaking at times. Seeing his growth throughout the story was beautiful, and I loved getting to watch these characters slowly change and heal.

If I had one small criticism, it would probably be that I wanted more. More time with the relationships. More time with the side characters. More opportunities to really sit with everyone who inhabits this world. There is only so much you can fit into one book, and I often felt like the story itself took priority over some of the interpersonal development. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it did leave me excited to hopefully spend more time with these characters in future installments.

For a debut novel, this is easily one of my favourite books I've read recently. As always, I am a mood reader, so please take my five stars with a grain of salt, but this book ticked so many boxes for me. It was funny, heartfelt, cozy, and occasionally devastating in the best possible way.

Most of all, it left me with that wonderful feeling of warmth and camaraderie that makes you reluctant to turn the final page. I really hope more people pick this one up, because there is so much joy to be found here.

This was another book club pick and not one I chose for myself, which I have to admit I'm really enjoying lately. There is something nice about having books selected for me and being pushed outside of my usual comfort zone without overthinking every choice.

Overall, I had a good time with this one. I really enjoyed the cast of characters and the world that was created. It felt like a lot of care had gone into building everything out, and I found myself invested in both the setting and the premise.

Unfortunately, I worked out who the killer was fairly early on. In saying that, I consume an embarrassing amount of murder mysteries and procedural dramas, so I don't necessarily hold that against the book. I suspect many readers will have a very different experience.

Where I struggled more was with some of the story choices, particularly towards the end. I don't want to say too much because I still found this to be an enjoyable read and I definitely don't want to spoil anything, but I had a hard time connecting with the killer's motivations and some of the fallout that followed. It felt as though there were so many interesting ideas being juggled that the story occasionally lost focus. There is so much potential here, but for me, it felt like the book was trying to do a little too much at once.

I also really like the concept behind the collaboration itself. Knowing that this is the work of two well-known authors coming together made the whole thing feel interesting from the outset, and I can absolutely understand why people compare it to Knives Out but with authors. Honestly, I think that's a pretty fair description. I just came away wishing the premise had been explored with a bit more depth and given more room to breathe.

The ending, in particular, stretched my suspension of disbelief a little more than I would have liked. But at the same time, this is a murder mystery, and sometimes you just have to embrace a bit of chaos and take things with a grain of salt.

Overall, this was a fun and easy read that kept me entertained, even if it didn't completely stick the landing for me. If you're looking for something light, fast-paced (in the second half of the book) and perfect for a plane ride or a weekend binge, I think this would fit the bill nicely. It's probably not one I'll revisit, but it has definitely sent me on a mission to find more books with a similar premise and perhaps a little more depth.