Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC of Daggerbound.

I went into this sequel already expecting to enjoy myself after loving Swordheart, and to no surprise, I was thoroughly entertained once again. T. Kingfisher has such a distinct way of blending humor, heart, and danger, and this book captures that same charm while expanding the world in ways that feel both natural and exciting.

The new MCs pulled me in immediately, and the fresh side characters added so much texture to the journey. Two words for yall - LARGE FRANCIS. Am I right?

Getting to see familiar faces from book one was so much fun and I loved the way they were woven into the story. I especially enjoyed hearing Hala’s longwinded commentary again. I also loved the dynamic between the new MCs. There are definitely parallels between Edmund and Halla, and between the Dervish and Sarkis, but they are absolutely their own people with distinct personalities and quirks that set them apart. I’d even dare to say they’re more charming… and their relationship progression was one of my favorite parts of the book.

The pacing in Daggerbound is noticeably faster than Swordheart with a lot of extra action and the… situations.. the MCs find themselves in. And I felt the traveling‑party … adventures.. expand the world in an authentic way. One of my favorite scenes (no spoilers) involved dogs and bacon - IYKYK.

The added sword history and broader world lore was satisfying… but truly, the narrator elevates every part of this story. Jesse Vilinsky’s performance is phenomenal.. her range and ability to make each character instantly recognizable is unreal. She transitions between voices so seamlessly that even when characters from book one pop back up, you know exactly who it is. She enhanced the humor and successfully delivered the tension… I mean, the Dervish’s flirting lines - G.DAMN!! Overall, she makes listening an EXPERIENCE.

So yeah, this is an easy 5 star audio for me, and I recommend Daggerbound to anyone who loved Swordheart, especially the audio for those who loved the narration of book one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Victory Editing NetGalley Co‑op for providing me with this audio ARC.

Jada McCrary’s writing is genuinely the strongest part of this book. It’s clear, easy to follow, and paced in a way that never left me confused. The flow is straightforward and even when the plot wandered into territory I didn’t enjoy, the writing itself stayed smooth.

The audio narration, however, is what truly carried this experience for me. Grace Noble, Gregory Salinas, Anthony Palmini, and Ben Hall delivered a brilliant performance. Simply and absolutely a 10/10. Their delivery, character distinction, and overall polish are the reason I finished the book. IMO, the narration out-“starred” the story.

The story itself didn’t land for me… There’s a noticeable lack of depth. And then the central point of the book is almost entirely on how every male character lusts after the FMC… literally for the ENTIRE book. You want 1 love interest, here’s 2.. ope, here’s another one. How about one more?! Legit, my live reactions included everything from “another guy??” to the FMC herself saying, “I am no longer in a love triangle, and it has quickly gone from a love square to a love pentagon. What’s next? A multifaceted diamond of men? This has to stop.” Like, yes, at this point, please stop. Without stronger emotional grounding or more layered character motivations or even just adding MORE characters that don’t lust for her, the entire thing just felt repetitive.

Overall, I’m at 2 stars for the story and 5 stars for the narration.

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, HarperAudio, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC.

From the very first chapter, Immortal Rose had me in its snare. Alexandra Bracken’s writing is fantastic.. it doesn’t just set a tone, it pulls you in and makes you feel like you’re IN IT.

The magic system, which is built around scent / your sense of smell, hit me harder than I expected. As someone who’s been without a sense of smell for 4.5 years, the way Bracken writes about scent and its intimacy… its power… it felt very personal for me. There’s a part where Viola describes what losing her sense of smell would feel like.. “like someone carved out my soul” … and that wasn’t just a line in a book for me... it’s a reality. It reminded me of everything scent holds that you take for granted and don’t realize its impact/importance until it’s gone. So yeah, that emotional resonance elevated the entire reading experience for me.

And then there’s Hugh - the kingdom’s spymaster. He’s all sharp edges and quiet yearning. The dynamic between Hugh and Viola is slow‑burn perfection. They are reluctant allies with some very prickly tension. And Hugh’s jealousy, protectiveness, and his moments of tenderness.. I adore him!

The audiobook elevated everything for me. Nicola Barber and Christian Coulson deliver performances that feel tailor‑made for this book. Their voices are spot on for the regency era and they made the emotional moments hit harder. Barber’s portrayal of Viola was especially good, she deserve a special shout out. Perfection.

The mystery throughout keeps you in the edge of your seat and constantly questioning and waiting for answers. Theres secrets and betrayals, political machinations, and twists that kept the plot PLOTTING. And when the emotional stakes rise (especially around Viola’s past), you can FEEL it. By the time I reached the final chapters, I was fully in awe of the author. I didn’t see any of it coming. Bravo. And that ending? YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE ME WAIT FOR MORE?! Brutal. This author really knows how to twist the knife.

Overall, Immortal Rose was and is an easy five stars for me. I CAN NOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!!!

Umm, what in the bloody hell was that?! I need… a minute. Easy 5 stars as I INHAILED it and what I can say with absolute certainty is that Briars Draco‑coded MMC, Blake, will forever be my downfall. Feral, absolutely fucking feral. And Briar, imma throw a Medra quote at you in response to that ending. “If you stop, I won’t be held responsible for your death.” I said what I said- raises hands and backs away

Full review coming soon, once I regain the ability to form coherent thoughts.

Edit to add: I’m seeing so much hate for Florence - legit I personally think she’s the most relatable person in the book/series. If I got tossed into her position, I too would continue to be exactly who I am and avoid change, I hate big changes… they ARE scary.

Edit to add FULL REVIEW but I love my steam of consciousness above so we leaving it.

FULL REVIEW:

AHHH Briar finally gave us what we’ve been starving for - Medra and Blake together, almost the entire book!!! Also, nice touch to another HP coded reference with the “soul‑splitting” mention.. I see you Briar.

We get a few more POVs in this one. So yeah, umm the Regan POV… While she’s still not my favorite, her potential new love interest finally gives her an arc I’m willing to follow. Begrudgingly.

And a Florence POV… I will die on this hill, she remains the most relatable character in the series. Her fear of change feels painfully human, and her dream‑lusting over redacted had me absolutely unhinged. I am begging Briar to make him a shifter. Pretty, pretty please.

In the end, this book was everything I hoped it would be… dangerous magic, emotional stakes, and morally gray characters making terrible choices for the people they love. Five stars, easily and I’m already vibrating for book four which HUZZAH I GET TO ARC READ!!!!