“Power is beautiful and, Lore, you’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid eyes on.” — Asher

Lore's people have been under the control of the ruthless Fae for as long as she can remember. After a terrifying earthquake decimates her village, she is "invited" to help search a Fae Lord's old, enchanted library, since it is cursed so only humans can enter. Their deal is for her to hand over any magical books of importance, in exchange for sending aid to her stricken village. But Lore secretly wants something more: power, so she can save her people herself.

⬦Human FMC x two Fae MMCs ⬦ Enchanted Library 📚 ⬦ High-stakes & Cliffhanger ⬦ Enemies-to-lovers & Insta-love

This is the first fae book I've read and I'm happy to say that I'm not disappointed!! There was a lot I enjoyed about Lore of the Wilds, most of all the promised enchanted library and magical books! (I adored the cozy cottagcore vibes SO much!) The second half of the story delved into much darker themes and while the tone shift surprised me, I enjoyed seeing Lore grow into her power by the end. From a damsel in distress with very little agency, she became a leader who could protect her friends and family.

While not a "true" love triangle (the second MMC appears roughly two thirds in), the quick pacing for both romance lines should be a hit with readers who love the insta-love trope. Before the plot twist at the cliffhanger end that I did NOT SEE COMING (like, at all 😭), I really loved one of the love interests in particular because he was so baby!!! As for how I’ll feel about him after ... guess I'll have to read the sequel to find out! 🤣

I also found the magic system and the FMC's magic SO cool, and hope to see more of it in the sequel 👀! Overall, this has been a great debut and start to a duology!

“I’m no longer a man, I’m a chorus.”

I was so delighted by the premise of this story. The MC wakes up with amnesia and is stuck in a time loop of the day that Evelyn will die and he has 8 time loops to figure out the culprit. But every 'day' that he time loops, he occupies a different body and role while still running into himself from past and future time loops because they're all trapped in this manor. It's so incredibly complicated but also brilliant when you get the 'AHA!' moment and there are many, MANY exciting plot twists. Seeing MC being affected by the personality of the person he's possessing was also very fun, especially when you get that impending sense of doom that the situation is going to go wrong because MC can't control his emotions.

I was very thankful for the character guest list at the beginning because they were so helpful for keeping track of the characters considering there was such a huuuuuge cast (I was especially intrigued by the cold and ruthless Daniel 🤣) The tension and stakes also remained high for the entire book, because there were hidden deadly enemies everywhere and the MC was never sure whether or not he could trust Anna.

Though I doooo have to admit that the ending disappointed me a bit because it felt like a huge genre switch from the old-timey gothic horror to sci-fi... but this is still worth the read 100%! The first 80% of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle absolutely blew me away and overall I enjoyed it SO MUCH!!

Naive Pretty Boy Crown Prince x Protective Strong Prince of ‘Enemy’ Kingdom

✨ Ancient Chinese inspired setting ✨ Reincarnation and supernatural elements ✨ Beautiful artwork

I have to start off with saying that the art is absolutely GORGEOUS!!! Especially the forest scenes, they were so ethereal 😍! I also went into this completely unwitting of the fact that it’s an Ancient Chinese inspired setting so I was thrilled when I first opened this ARC!

As for the plot, it’s about a misunderstanding/betrayal between two princes of different kingdoms that led to their current pseudo-reincarnated situation, wherein Reaper cannot remember his past and Waiting is forbidden from telling him about their past together even though he really wants to. It was pretty fun to guess the mystery behind what happened in their past life, and this is revealed through interweaving flashbacks.

The relationship progressed a bit too fast for me, but that’s because I’m a fan of slowburn and I know it’s a lot harder to portray slowburn in graphic novels so this is just my own quibble, fans of insta-love will adore this!

Overall, this was a wonderful read and the plot tied up nicely without leaving me confused. And I really loved Dog! He was my favourite 💖

“It is completely unimportant. That is why it is so interesting.” — Roger Ackroyd

This was a masterpiece. I started my foray into mystery novels with this book and I fear I've started at the pinnacle and now there's nothing that will live up to the thrill this one gave me 😂

From the very first page, it has you hooked by the characterisation, and the MC pov has such an entertaining voice. His interactions with his sister were especially so fun and full of personality. I usually have a lot much trouble remembering a big cast of characters, but because all the characters had relationships and possible motives pertaining the murder victim, it was actually very easy to follow along and remember them and their unique quirks.

I went into this without reading any spoilers apart from people saying this is the best mystery novel, and boy am I glad I didn't read spoilers! I was carefully reading each line and wondering if such and such was meant to be an important clue, and whether I was reading too much into it. But no! I didn't figure out the truth until the very end and what a brilliant reveal it was!! Everything comes together so neatly, all the interlinking plots and side plots and motivations. I was thoroughly entertained and would call this a perfect mystery book!

“But Kendra is outside. If I scream, she will defy even you to come save me.” — Cerelia

SYNOPSIS: Fenix is determined to save the world, even if it means betraying all his friends in the process.

Cinderr must leave behind her secret lover to go on a dangerous mission to save her family.

Princess Kendra is desperate to prove herself as an irreplaceable warrior to escape her impending marriage.

King Gadrion wants to unify the world by all means necessary.

And young Princess Cerelia wants nothing more than to impress her father, for example, by opening a mysterious locked door...

◆ open-door mild spice 🌶 ◆ stoic warrior mentor x black cat apprentice sapphic side couple ◆ multi-pov epic fantasy with dinosaur steeds and talking dolphins 🐬 ◆ mind-bending plot twists and THAT TERRIBLE CLIFFHANGER OMG!!!

The worldbuilding in this is absolutely insane and immersive! From feisty women who can talk to dolphins to menacing mer to dinosaur riders ... I was so impressed by how well it all came together! I could read ten more books set in the world of Eternal Dominion and still be wanting for more. And I particularly enjoyed the many (many) character POVs we got to see this spectacular world from!

I also adored all the characters and how complex everyone was. Nobody seemed solely on the side of good or evil, save for the young Princess Cerelia, yet everyone was fully convinced that they were doing The Right Thing (yes, even the utterly frightening antagonist King Gadrion). The final plot twist threw me and I absolutely loved the ending, even though it almost felt like a betrayal to me!!

I desperately need the next installment now!!!

"To get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up."

If you loved the first book, then you’re going to be completely head over heels for this one!!! The unresolved sexual tension is absolutely through the roof! Now that our main characters aren’t stuck in the venomous court of intrigues, they’re finally seeing a new side to each other. I love forced close proximity, espeeeecially when enemies are forced to work together against a greater enemy!

Of course, tensions are still high and only rising further as their feelings become more entangled. C. S. Pacat really makes you read between the lines when it comes to what the love interest says and does, and their masterful use of 'show not tell' made me want to dig through all the little details! I can’t imagine the devastating fallout when the love interest finds out MMC’s true identity... or does he already know? 👀

"Damen's understanding of Laurent rearranged itself, in order that he might despise him more accurately."

Enslaved Warrior Prince MMC hiding his identity x Ruthless Manipulative Enemy Prince Love Interest

I'm such a sucker for well executed enemies to lovers slow burn and Captive Prince delivers this in spades!!! Not to mention the delicious high stakes situation MMC has found himself in where he has to keep his identity hidden from his love interest, else risk instant death 👀 The love interest is also extremely enigmatic, and I reeeeally want to peel back his mysterious layers to find the answer to probably everyone's burning question: does he or does he not know who MMC is?

There’s so much political intrigue in this depraved court setting and plot twist after plot twist. I love how masterfully the author writes the tension and chemistry between the main characters, with both characters being so witty and full of personality.

NOTE: You’ll definitely need to go through the trigger warnings before you read though! It has a very dark setting and doesn’t hold back with the subject matters it deals with.

“Shen Zechuan coyly shifted closer. He leaned in and whispered into Xiao Chiye’s ear: “Even if you spare me, do you think I will spare you?”

Vengeful Seductive MMC x Manipulative Warrior Love Interest in an enemies to lovers ancient china-inspired political love story!

Enemies to lovers is my favourite romance trope, so you can bet that I absolutely devoured all the unresolved sexual tension between the two main characters.

There’s a lot of palace political machinations to keep you on your feet and I always felt I wasn't smart enough to read this lol. But the verbal sparring, sexual innuendo and manipulation between main characters is so thrilling! The writing style itself is also sensual and the descriptions so juicy, I found myself clutching my chest and swooning when they weren't even physically touching!

Can't wait for the next volume!

“What he said was, “For all that has passed, I repay you today.” Think of it as me doing one good thing at the end.” — Shen Qingqiu

What an emotionally devastating climax!!! Of course I cried big fat tears because I got to a certain scene in the middle of the night 😂 Everyone’s reactions omg, but especially the love interest’s!! I nearly threw the book while screaming!!!

Also, there are so. Maaaany. Misunderstandings. I don't even like the misunderstandings trope THAT much but I think it really worked here. MMC and the love interest’s relationship just kept slipping towards the enemies territory EVEN THOUGH as the reader, you can read between the lines and know its just a stupid miscommunication problem!!

The set up for so many plot points are done masterfully for the big emotional payoff to really hit you right where it hurts. I’m so excited to read the next volume to see how MMC and the love interest can finally resolve all the misunderstandings between them!

"If you cannot become strong, I will stay by your side and protect you." — Shen Qingqiu

SYNOPSIS: A half-demon protagonist rose from humble beginnings and mistreatment to become unrivaled in strength. With his dominance over both the Human and Demon Realms and his hundreds-strong harem, he is truly the most powerful protagonist...in a trashy webnovel series!

At least, that's what Shen Yuan believed after finishing the final chapter in his favourite webnovel. But after his sudden death, he is reborn into the world of the novel in the body of the protagonist's cruel mentor, Shen Qingqiu, who is destined for a terrible ending because of the way he treated his disciple Luo Binghe. The new Shen Qingqiu now has only one course of action: get into the protagonist's good graces before the young man's rise to power or suffer the awful fate of a real scum villain!

Terminally Online Millennial Mentor MMC x Future Demon Lord, Current Disciple Love Interest!

This was such a hilarious and trope-y yet subversive read. Our MMC is witty and sardonic even in the more dire and dangerous situations. And he gets into the MOST batshit insane situations!

The romance so far has been very slow burn, but that’s to be expected as the main couple is still just at the mentor and disciple stage of the relationship. There’s also a lot of fun and memorable side characters. From the cold master swordsman who now owes MMC a life debt, to the cowardly yet shameless surprise ally, I love the wide cast!

Seriously cannot wait to read the next volume to see how the MMC and the love interest’s reunion will go!

“The first battle a magical girl must fight is the fight to save herself.”

SYNOPSIS: Broke and depressed, a millennial woman is pulled away from the dark brink by a beautiful women in a frilly white dress ... a magical girl! Turns out, she was a magical girl too, and potentially The Chosen One fated to save the entire world.

But before she can figure out her magical ability, our dear narrator is thrust into the world of union conferences and bureaucracy ... and what do you mean the final boss is climate change?!

Grumpy New Magical Girl Narrator x Sunshine Clairvoyant Magical Girl Love Interest

I need to start off by saying how much I love this concept! Unionized magical girls, conferences, being paid to save the world... so much was packed into this short novella! I almost wish the FMC could explore the magical girl side more because I would LOVE to see more of the worldbuilding, but at the same time I think she deserves her retirement hah.

Although we didn't know them for long, I also adore our pessimistic narrator and her complete opposite, the cheerful Ah Roa. I wish we could have gotten more about Ah Roa's backstory, because being the Clairvoyant Magical Girl must entail many wild things! But I'm happy with what we got, because the romance between them is also incredibly sweet!!!