avatar

bookishbun

canadian reader posting bookish photography, book reviews & recs 💌 bookishbunna@gmail.com

270 points

0% overlap
Level 3
My Taste
Silver in the Bone (Silver in the Bone, #1)
A Magical Girl Retires
City of Iron and Ivy
The Feywild Job (Dungeons & Dragons)
Fire to the Stars
avatar

bookishbun entered a giveaway...

4w

Sourcebooks giveaway

Female Fantasy

Female Fantasy

Iman Hariri-Kia

All's fair in love and lore. Joonie is living in a fantasy—at least that's what people keep telling her. A copywriter by day and fanfic auteur by night, Joonie continues to date and dump disappointing men in search of a happily ever after. But every potential suitor seems to have one flaw in They can't hold a candle to her book boyfriend, Ryke. The protagonist of her favorite fantasy romance series (and, notably, a sexy merman), Ryke is a symbol for the life Joonie craves and the kind of relationship she deserves. So with a book always in her back pocket, why would she ever settle for less? But when Joonie learns that Ryke's character is based on someone the author knows in real life, she embarks on an epic quest to track him down, meet him in person, and determine once and for all if soulmates really do exist. Unfortunately, her brother's annoying best friend who doesn't believe in love or happy endings insists on hitching a ride. And like any great hero's journey, it doesn't take long for the trials and tribulations to begin.  As Joonie fights her way toward her love interest, using the skills she acquired through reading, she'll learn an important You can pursue a fantasy, but you can't always write your own plot. As unhinged as it is brilliant, Female Fantasy is both a self-aware dive into the concept of genre and a wild, steamy romp. Most of all, though, it's a heartfelt love letter to romance readers everywhere.

print10 copiesUS & Canada

avatar

bookishbun commented...

4w

Yeah I'm so sad, I loved the cover too!!! But I'm also seeing a lot of people enjoying this so you might find it a better read than me!

  • The Tarot Trials
    avatar
    bookishbun reviewed...
    Aug 11, 2026
    The Tarot TrialsKatee Robert
    DNF
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    This was sadly a DNF for me 😭 I was expecting a mature dystopian epic fantasy read and was so hyped for the death trials and MC trying to discover the mystery behind her mother's death, but I just couldn’t mesh with the writing style. It felt like endless exposition with too much telling rather than showing. A lot of the scenes felt like I was just reading summaries of events, especially the first trial where we basically get a run down of what each champion did to win their match and a description of what they looked like.

    The MC also felt oddly uninvolved with the plot, with her trial successes coming down to plot conveniences that didn't require the use of any of her skills or wits, so her achievements felt unearned. MC's thoughts and motivations were also constantly brought up in a repetitive way and the narrative voice sounded like she was constantly explaining worldbuilding things to the reader like she was a tour guide.

    I DNF'd @ 20% so maybe things get better. Overall, this premise was very intriguing and I wished I could mesh with the writing style, but I'm sure there are others who would enjoy it!

    2
  • Fire to the Stars
    Aug 11, 2026
    Fire to the StarsMorgan J. Watchorn
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:
    ☀️
    🦉
    🐉

    "To mourn a dragon is, itself, a form of greed. If you must, grieve the human they never were."

    In the kingdom of Florent, the most greedy are cursed to shift into mindless dragons once a month. After his brother shifted and wiped out his entire family, disgraced dragon slayer Abel Estellio takes up a new hunt to try and restore his ruined reputation. His desperate experiments on his younger brother only led to one tragic conclusion: that there was no cure for the curse, so he'd only brought undue suffering to his brother in his final moments.

    But his unorthodox research planted a question in Abel too: are dragons really sinners being punished for their greed, and if so ... why was his sweet brother the one cursed instead of him?

    Dragon shifter Claire Belgard also wants to know why she was chosen for this cursed fate. She grew up kind and empathetic under the care of her gentle Papa and her community, only to doom them all after she shifted one night. Now on the run, Claire is seeking out the infamous Abel Estellio: the only slayer who may still see dragons as human. She wants the rumored cure from him if not his mercy ... but soon, Claire finds that she wants his love as well.

    ◆ Reserved Dragon Slayer MMC x Feisty Dragon Shifter FMC ◆ Enemies-to-Lovers & High Stakes ◆ Redemption Arc & Morally Gray Characters ◆ YA Standalone Romantasy & Dual 1st POV ◆ Cute Fire Fox Companion!!! 🦊

    I literally could not put this book down!!! Fire to the Stars has an incredibly unique premise with a twist on the entire "dragon shifters" romantasy trope, along with a fast-paced plot that had me blazing through the pages!

    I especially love how well the characters matched each other with their juxtaposing personalities. Born to a neglectful yet prominent household with a silver spoon in his mouth, MMC is a polite, reserved gentleman, awkward at times but also always earnest and compassionate. In contrast, FMC grew up as a bold and unrestrained farm girl within a tightknit community. The witty banter between them was absolutely fantastic, and I also enjoyed seeing the FMC so unabashedly worried for MMC's health and safety, since unlike her, he had more "book smarts" than "street smarts".

    While they remained powerful in their own right, it was refreshing to have both MMC and FMC care equally for each other throughout the story. They truly ended up saving each other like they were their mutual redemption 😭

    The worldbuilding was both unique and easy to understand (though sometimes darker than I expected 👀), and I adored the little tidbits of lore and private communications we got at the start of every chapter. With fun, complex characters, hunter vs hunted vibes, and the cutest pet fox Lucy, Fire to the Stars is packed with everything you might want in a YA romantasy debut!

    0
  • Harbour of Hungry Ghosts
    Aug 11, 2026
    Harbour of Hungry GhostsEliza Chan
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:
    🎍
    🗡️
    👻

    "Demons and monsters aren't just in your storybooks, they walk among us." — Au Kiamling

    Kiamling is the eldest daughter and sole successor of the Au family, the only line of women demon hunters in history. Protecting Hong Kong with her strict and traditional grandmother who she clashes with is her only concern, until one of their rituals is interrupted by British colonists who don't believe in their legends, and her grandmother is spirited away from the mortal realm by an unfamiliar beast.

    Now Kiamling is forced to step up to support both her younger sister and the community in her grandmother's absence. But when her gigs go wrong and the monsters and legends she knew by heart begin merging with British folklore, Kiamling must work together with an unlikely cast of friends, family and demons themselves to develop a new demon hunting style: one that can save their island, and maybe even the world.

    ◆ 1850s Hong Kong-inspired Historical Fantasy ◆ Chinese Mythology Meets British Folklore ◆ Strong 20-year old Demon Hunter FMC ◆ Lots of Action, Drama & Martial Arts ◆ Pssst this is NOT a romantasy! 🫣

    To preface, this is an #OwnVoices novel with a fascinating storyline melding Chinese and British myths and cultures, and dives into heavy historical themes!

    Kiamling is the eldest daughter in a family deeply steeped in tradition, but she's still arrogant, hot-headed, and selfish to a point. She makes mistakes and stubbornly keeps making them (which is both aggravating and amusing to follow as a reader 😂) before eventually learning from her trials and tribulations.

    As a young woman wrestling with her new adulthood who treasures family and wants to protect her community, she struggles to live up to expectations and fit in, making her growth by the end all the more satisfying. By the end, Kiamling's managed to surpass her grandmother by both learning from traditions and being innovative. I also enjoyed her action-packed fights, clever banter and very unique interpersonal relationships with each of the supporting cast.

    The plot had an interesting overarching mystery and I admit some of the twists caught me off-guard! Also, while this is the first in a series, I'm very happy to report that there is NO cliffhanger 🤗

    Excited to see where Kiamling's next adventure takes her!

    0
  • Accidental Assassin, Vol. 1: A WEBTOON Unscrolled Graphic Novel
    Aug 11, 2026
    Accidental Assassin, Vol. 1: A WEBTOON Unscrolled Graphic NovelMolly Ni Chéileachair
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:
    🔫
    🗡️

    SYNOPSIS: While working overtime, office worker Bonnie accidentally stumbles upon an assassination and gets dragged into a thorny situation with a secret assassin organization called Fianna. Now they want to recruit her so she can partner with Ronan, one of their top operatives, but he's dismissive of her competency and clearly doesn't want to work with her.

    But when Bonnie's boss (who's also her friend and crush) gets promoted to work on a mob boss' account, putting his life in grave danger, she decides to accept their recruitment offer and join Fianna to protect him.

    ⬦ Bright and Colourful Art Style ⬦ Bubbly Office Lady FMC x Cold & Stoic Assassin MMC ⬦ Begrudgingly Partners (Reluctant Allies!) ⬦ Fast Paced Plot & Action ⬦ Training Arc

    I really wanted to like this because the premise sounded SO fun and the artwork looks fantastic 😭 Unfortunately I think the comparisons with Spy x Family and Mr. and Mrs. Smith were off the mark, setting high expectations that weren't met for me. The key factor that made the character dynamics in those comps so enjoyable for me was how FMC started out as a highly skilled spy good at combat who could go head to head against MMC in a fight.

    But my expectations that FMC would be on a more equal footing with MMC in this webtoon was subverted when it turns out FMC only had some childhood self-defence training from her father, so MMC managed to easily pin her to the ground after he broke into her home in the middle of the night (??!!). FMC's lack of fear to a stranger breaking into her home and attacking her was probably to keep the lighthearted tone of the webtoon, but it felt very unrealistic and soured my impression of MMC early on.

    FMC's reasons for joining the assassin organization were also confusing because they seemed like a combination of 1) wanting to protect her boss/friend/crush and 2) because she's bored at her corporate job. MMC even calls her out later, saying FMC's not treating any of it seriously and that she's just joining because she's bored. The flippant choice to join a dangerous organization might have been humorous if FMC actually had the skill to back it up. But as it's pointed out numerous times by other characters in the webtoon, she doesn't; so she's just throwing herself into dangerous situations she can't handle for the thrill of it. It also seems like she's doing all this extra training and work without getting paid for any of it ...🤔

    Another factor that broke my suspension of disbelief was FMC's assassin outfit being a high-slitted pencil skirt and high heels. This would not have been a problem if she was already a skilled spy like Black Widow, but everyone keeps emphasizing she's barely trained. And why are the men wearing pants on the mission, while both FMC and the other female assassin are in skirts/short shorts?

    Overall, I really wish the plot and character logic could live up to the beautiful art, because the art was truly very well done. Sad its not for me, but people into a light-hearted, binge-able and trope-y read might still enjoy it!

    0
  • The Revenant of Surolifia
    Aug 11, 2026
    The Revenant of SurolifiaFlorence Chien
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:
    🗡️

    “Dreams brought them together and dreams sent them down their separate paths, but as long as they stood opposed to each other, some of their dreams were destined to shatter.” — Lucas Rhine

    After the fall of his home, Lucas Rhine hides his identity to infiltrate the enemy that took everything from him. As long as he can be made the Commander of the imperial gendarmerie, the freedom of his people can be secured without any more carnage.

    The captured Pickpocket Prince Faye Phlorik is the last obstacle standing in Lucas' way, but the revolutionaries know this too. Their successful rescue overturns twelve years of strategising, and Lucas is left scrambling to salvage his plans as Faye joins the revolution with the promise of becoming their future King.

    Meanwhile, heiress Elsa Fontaine lives in a beautiful illusion of safety, woven by her mother after the loss of her beloved first family. But when history threatens to repeat itself in her new home, she's forced to join the fight alongside a childhood friend she never expected to see again.

    ⬦ Multi-POV Epic Gaslamp Dark Fantasy ⬦ Hidden Identity & Mind Magic ⬦ Belle Époque & Baroque-inspired Setting ⬦ Complex Relationships & Angst ⬦ Morally Gray Characters & Unreliable Narrator

    Emotionally-repressed pretty men fumbling the bag until competent women have to step in and rescue the operation? 😍 Exactly what I’m here for!

    Jokes aside, The Revenant of Surolifia weaves a wonderfully complex tale through the sometimes intersecting POVs of three main characters: Lucas, Faye, and Elsa. All three are convinced of their own (sometimes dubious) paths, yet share the common dream of restoring their people's freedom.

    Among the three, I adored Lucas' voice the most, as he's the one who pushes most of the plot into motion. Occasionally an unreliable narrator (especially when it comes to understanding how others might perceive him) plus incredibly morally gray, Lucas with all his paranoia and distrust of everyone surrounding him was such a fascinating character POV (side note: I am now the president of the Lucas x Happiness fan club 😂 ).

    I also enjoyed Elsa's character development, which felt like a mirror to Lucas' earlier journey that we didn't get to see, while Faye's brash and spontaneous personality acted as a refreshing foil to the other two.

    The plot itself had many twists and turns that leveraged the extensive worldbuilding of the story, and I also found the magic system of phenomancy and noumenmancy to be especially unique! Still agonized that this is a standalone because I'll be waiting forever for a prequel, sequel, novella ... anything please!! 🙏

    0
  • Love Bites, Vol. 1: A WEBTOON Unscrolled Graphic Novel
    Aug 11, 2026
    Love Bites, Vol. 1: A WEBTOON Unscrolled Graphic NovelAlicia Wallace
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:
    🧛
    🐺
    🏫

    SYNOPSIS: Kieran's mother was killed by a werewolf when he was a child and he's had a great fear and hatred of werewolves ever since. However with the arrival of a new student, Mason, who he can't help but feel irked yet attracted by, Kieran's dislike of werewolves is going to be put to the test. In a moment of heightened emotions, Kieran and Mason kiss each other, but Kieran runs away after exclaiming that they shouldn't have done that.

    Kieran's attraction to Mason's blood and appearance only makes life more difficult for him when his best friend, Cella, starts dating Mason. Kieran is overwrought because he thinks Mason is dating her just to get back at him, yet doesn't tell Cella about the kiss they shared.

    ⬦ MM Paranormal YA Romance ⬦ Vampire MC x Werewolf Love Interest ⬦ Insta-Lust/Attraction ⬦ Low Stakes Enemies to Lovers ⬦ Fantastic Art Style

    I wanted to like this a lot more than I actually did 😭 The art was wonderful and worth admiring, yet the writing and the characterisation felt juvenile. The pacing of the relationship development felt way too fast for me and often left me questioning their actions. It sometimes felt like a collection of mortal enemies tropes rather than a realistic relationship that developed organically with internal character logic.

    The stakes were also so low that Mason just came off as ultra petty when he would deliberately mess with Kieran's relationship with Cella, as well as force Kieran onto a double date with a girl he didn't have any interest in. Kieran also came off looking pretty dubious when he didn't tell his bestie that he and Mason kissed literally right before Mason and Cella started dating. Although it wasn't full on cheating, the vibes were not great as Kieran and Mason kept having sexual tension throughout the story, while the girls kept being used as almost beards.

    Overall, I wish the story and characterisation was better because the art style was so nice. Instead of liking Kieran and Mason, I spent most of the time feeling bad for Cella who was oblivious to the almost-cheating that her bf and best friend were doing.

    0
  • Morfran, Dark Lord Reformed
    Aug 11, 2026
    Morfran, Dark Lord ReformedS.B. West
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:
    🐐
    🦹‍♂️
    🗡️

    ⬦ Villain Redemption Arc ⬦ Comedic Cozy Fantasy ⬦ Hidden Identity ⬦ Fast Paced Plot ⬦ Found Family + Beloved Pet Goats

    SYNOPSIS: The Dark Lord, Morfran, has decided that his wife has become far too evil for his tastes and it's time for him to skedaddle and become a goat herder instead. However, his peaceful and lowkey lifestyle is constantly disrupted by his wife sending soldiers after him, and he's eventually driven into a forest where rebels are hiding and building an army to defeat the Dark Lord ... in other words, him. Morfran is forced to help these rebels strategize how to bring himself down, while keeping his real identity hidden and plotting to make his escape.

    This premise had me hooked instantly and the humour had me cackling in the first few chapters! 😆 MC's devotion to his goats and his massive ego were hilarious and endearing. And his tactical thinking and strategizing were entertaining to read and made him invaluable to the rebellion.

    There was some light romance between MC and one of the rebel ladies, starting off as enemies with her being super suspicious of him, to her slowly trusting him after he proves himself by helping the rebellion. The key tension point is that MC must still keep his identity a secret as he discovers to his great guilt that he's responsible for the deaths of many of their loved ones. So even as he gradually softens and becomes less self-centred and the rebels become his found family, he knows he needs to leave before they find out his real identity 😰

    However, this was a very cozy read despite its high stakes because I could predict what would happen next most of the time. The characters, their behaviours and motives were all pretty trope-y, especially the villains, and you always knew the main cast would be alright. This meant there was sometimes a strong lean towards absurdity in the plot that required a high level of suspension of disbelief, and the over-the-top jokes became a bit repetitive over time 😅

    Overall, if you want a lighthearted read with a fast paced plot where a villain redeems himself through learning to care about others, this is perfect and super bingeable (I finished it in less than 2 days!) ☺️

    0
  • The Tarot Trials
    avatar
    bookishbun reviewed...
    Aug 11, 2026
    The Tarot TrialsKatee Robert
    DNF
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

    This was sadly a DNF for me 😭 I was expecting a mature dystopian epic fantasy read and was so hyped for the death trials and MC trying to discover the mystery behind her mother's death, but I just couldn’t mesh with the writing style. It felt like endless exposition with too much telling rather than showing. A lot of the scenes felt like I was just reading summaries of events, especially the first trial where we basically get a run down of what each champion did to win their match and a description of what they looked like.

    The MC also felt oddly uninvolved with the plot, with her trial successes coming down to plot conveniences that didn't require the use of any of her skills or wits, so her achievements felt unearned. MC's thoughts and motivations were also constantly brought up in a repetitive way and the narrative voice sounded like she was constantly explaining worldbuilding things to the reader like she was a tour guide.

    I DNF'd @ 20% so maybe things get better. Overall, this premise was very intriguing and I wished I could mesh with the writing style, but I'm sure there are others who would enjoy it!

    2
  • The Feywild Job (Dungeons & Dragons)
    Jul 02, 2026
    The Feywild Job (Dungeons & Dragons)C.L. Polk
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:
    💎
    🎲
    🎻

    "We all win, or nobody does." — Saeldian

    In order to become a powerful warlock, professional con artist Saeldian Charmhand has sworn an oath to never fall in love. This doesn't bother them in the slightest until they bite off more than they can chew, and get dragged into a high-stakes heist with their best friend, Jubilee. The main problem? One of their new teammates is Kell: a grumpy bard who no longer sings, Saeldian's childhood friend, and the ex-companion whom they had kissed and betrayed (due to certain circumstances) a decade ago.

    But Saeldian and Jubilee desperately need the reward to rebuild their home, while Kell and his new druid companion, Lorzok, must take the job too if they want a chance to return to the Feywild. Forced to work together, bitter hearts slowly heal as Kell makes peace with his past, while Saeldian realizes the extents of what they would do for both power and love.

    ⬦ DnD Campaign-style Cozy High Fantasy ⬦ Non-Binary Warlock MC x Grumpy Bard Love Interest ⬦ Friends-to-True Enemies-to-Lovers ⬦ REAL Slow Burn & Tension & Banter ⬦ Forced Proximity & One Bed

    I. LOVED. THIS!!! Although I came for the cozy romantasy and fun heist premise, we get SO MUCH more! 😍 The cast of The Feywild Job were complex, nuanced and beautifully flawed, especially the main characters Saeldian and Kell. As pointed out by the other characters in the story, Kell was always vicious and loud in his (understandable) hatred for Saeldian, to the point everyone in their vicinity knew.

    At the same time, Saeldian deliberately swayed both friends and family to their side over Kell’s by making it obvious how unfairly victimized they were by their ex-partner, despite having truly hurt Kell to the core. Beneath the sharp barbs and anger, however, were countless buried vulnerabilities along with old festering wounds that didn't just get swept under the rug.

    Saeldian and Kell had to work on themselves until they understood their own hearts, then each other's, before they could start mending bridges. The themes of rediscovering self-worth, granting forgiveness, and the power of love and second chances were woven delicately throughout the story. The prose was lush and whimsical (note: I don't have a lot of DnD knowledge but followed along without much difficulty), the supporting cast was lively and protective, and the heist itself was clever and full of twists!

    I was also very appreciative of the queer-normative worldbuilding + Saeldian's rep, especially the way they were accepted and loved no matter how they decided to present themselves to the world. Love, love, SO MUCH love!! 💞 Even though I’m so sad to say goodbye to these wonderful characters and could have read a whole trilogy about them (👀 pretty please?), everything tied up nicely in this standalone. Unforgettable and unique, I can't wait to read C.L. Polk's other works!

    0
  • The Hyacinth Labyrinth
    Jul 02, 2026
    The Hyacinth LabyrinthJamie Pacton
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:
    🐉
    🧚‍♀️
    🗡️

    "She was beautiful and ferocious. She was Chloe's beginning, middle, and end. She was home." — Chloe

    Fae Princess Hyacinth is the magicless youngest daughter of the overprotective Queen of High Fae, whose mysterious father has been missing for fifteen years. Desperate to know more about him and why she has no High Fae magic or wings, Hyacinth enlists the help of her best friend and secret crush, Chloe, for an adventure to the perilous Labyrinth, the last place her father was allegedly headed.

    However, unbeknownst to her, Chloe is a human who has been accidentally stuck in the Fae realm for over a year. Desperate to return to her twin sister by all means necessary, Chloe battles her growing feelings for the Fae Princess who could definitely never love a human back. Fortunately, rumour has it that the very last portal to other worlds may be found in the centre of the Labyrinth...

    ◆ Fae Princess x Human Lady Knight (in-training) ◆ YA Cozy Sapphic Romantasy ◆ Friends-to-Lovers & Yearning ◆ Immersive Worldbuilding ◆ Coffee, A Pocket-Sized Dragon!

    As someone who adores sapphic Fae romantasies, The Hyacinth Labyrinth has been such a whimsical and wild ride! The light romance was sweet and charming, and the characters were easy to like. Chloe was protective and brave, always the first to step in front of her princess no matter how dangerous or bleak their situation may be. Hyacinth started off idealistic and naive, but quickly grew into her own strength in order to have the power to save the people important to her. And we can't forget teeny tiny Coffee 🐉 the amnesic star of the show who tagged along for the adventure and always had a wise thing to say to the girls.

    I absolutely adored the lush worldbuilding, and really wish I'd read the previous books before this, because there were a few references in the beginning and they seemed like such a fun time too! While a cozy fantasy, there were relatively high stakes involved and I loved how I got to witness our female leads grow, both individually and together, as they overcame epic trials in order to reach their fairytale ending 😍 Looking forward to reading more books in this world!!!

    0
  • The Truth-Teller's Bargain: The Oracle's Duet Part One
    Jun 11, 2026
    The Truth-Teller's Bargain: The Oracle's Duet Part OneCamille Wolfewood
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:
    👑
    🌟

    "Promise me you will never surrender your fate to the whims of others." — Exiled Prince Nakir Hasan

    After the unexpected passing of her father, Princess Alethea Onasis is forced to tell countless prophecies under her ruthless mother's reign. Incapable of opposing her mother, she's resigned to her fate until a chance encounter with rebel leader and exiled prince of the previous dynasty, Nakir Hasan. One impromptu kidnapping later, everything changed. Faced with kindness, love, and loyalty from Nakir and the rebel camp, after a decade of merely being her mother's tool, Princess Alethea must come to terms with her Oracle magic and budding desires, all while helping her "enemy" plot to take over her mother's throne.

    ⬦ Spicy Rapunzel Retelling ⬦ 26yo Oracle Princess FMC x 33yo Exiled Prince MMC ⬦ Found Family & Strong Female Characters ⬦ Forbidden Love & Yearning ⬦ Cliffhanger Ending

    I feel like it's so rare to see a "softer" romantasy FMC nowadays, so Princess Alethea felt like a breath of fresh air! I adored how the MMC and found family co never tried pushing her to be something she wasn't. And during the process of rediscovering herself, Princess Althea also learnt what it meant to fight for something that matters, while also never losing sight of her ideals.

    As for the MMC Nakir, he was somehow BOTH the perfect green flag while also being shades of morally grey, and I loved his witty banter with Alethea. Plus his yearning 👀 ALL the yearning! Not to mention how every member of FMC's new found family was incredibly easy to love, with special shout outs to the very protective Emi and Bal!! (Seriously, Emi can step on me OR fry me with her lightning magic any day 😂)

    I also especially loved all the little snippets from letters, academic papers, and other Easter eggs we got between each chapter, they really fleshed out the worldbuilding! With the high stakes chasing them every moment, the pacing felt fast and I basically binged the entire book in a single night. Can't wait for the next book because that cliffhanger was BRUTAL!!! 👀

    0
  • The League of Dangerous Young Ladies (Deluxe Edition)
    Jun 11, 2026
    The League of Dangerous Young Ladies (Deluxe Edition)J.A. Morgenstein
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:
    🔍
    🧛
    🧬

    "You're smart enough to know that you can't turn back time. You can only move forward. But if you want us to have adventures, we can have new ones. If you want us to have a family again, we can make a new one." — Seffy Moreau

    After the mysterious and abrupt disappearance of their headmistress, the remaining members of the League of Exceptional Young Ladies have been left scattered to the wind. Rose Moriarty — teenage daughter of Sherlock Holmes' greatest enemy — stews in both her guilt and inability to find her, until she hears word of their last teacher’s impending demise. But Rose refuses to lose another important friend without putting up a fight.

    Teaming up with the other daughters of famous villains, the son of Dr. Watson slash her handsome childhood friend, plus the charming vampire Count who had randomly showed up on her doorstep with a mysterious artefact, Rose must go on another adventure to outsmart a god, find a cure, and finally solve the troubles of her own heart.

    ⬦ Smart FMC & Classics-Inspired Cast ⬦ Found Family & Witty Banter ⬦ High Stakes & Plot Twists ⬦ Light Romance & Multi-POV ⬦ (Satisfying!!) Cliffhanger Ending

    This was seriously such a fun read!!! I am in LOVE with the worldbuilding, monster hunting heroines and all the little nods to classic literature, like W. W. Jacob's The Monkey's Paw! 😍 Every character in the main cast was related to an iconic character like Professor Moriarty, Dr. Moreau, and Frankenstein; and they all had so much personality and attitude too! The "daughter" or creation of Frankenstein had to be my favourite, her blunt nature and many non sequiturs were just so hilarious 😆 I also loved the relationships between all the girls and how they evidently cared so much for one another, including the missing headmistress Hina who haunted the entire narrative.

    The switches in POV were both numerous yet seamless, while the plot twists kept on coming. Seriously, I was surprised by the amount of plot twists I was blindsided by! I’m usually pretty good at guessing them ahead of time! But everything tied up very nicely, even though it ended with a cliffhanger 👀 I absolutely cannot wait to read the next instalment and see the full League of Exceptional Young Ladies get together again!!

    0
  • Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 1
    Jun 11, 2026
    Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 1Kamome Shirahama
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:
    🐉
    🖋️

    ⬦ Exquisite & Beautiful Illustrations ⬦ Intriguing Magic System ⬦ Cast of Likeable Characters ⬦ Engaging Plot & Mysteries ⬦ Fantastical Worldbuilding

    In a world where only witches can do magic, MC wasn't born a witch, yet dreams of doing magic. But magic is not actually only limited to witches and her experiments with the magical book from a mysterious stranger results in her mother being petrified into stone. Now she must become an apprentice to a witch to learn how to undo the magic and save her mother, while her new mentor has motives of his own as he tries to hunt down the mysterious stranger who gave her that magical book. As for that mysterious stranger, why did he give her that book and why does he call her their "one and only hope" 👀?

    When I read the author's foreword about this story being inspired by a friends comment that "the process of bringing an illustration into the world seemed just like magic", I knew I was in for a treat 😳 As an artist myself, I really love and resonate with how the magic system is based on and parallels art practice. I also adored how MC overcame the trial in her test by applying the tailoring skills she learnt from her mother and creating a different type of magic using a medium she was more familiar with.

    MC is so cute and loveable, and has me 1000% rooting for her! The other apprentices are also soooo adorable and I especially love MC's dynamic with her grumpy roommate and would love to see how it develops! The mentor is very intriguing and seems to have mysterious motives of his own, and I'm SO curious about what the mysterious stranger wants with MC.

    The translation was clear and easy to read, so I think they did a fantastic job bringing this story to an English audience! I'm also obsessed with the beautiful art style with its intricate inking and delightful compositions! Every panel is a work of art and worth staring at for all the details. This is truly a love poem to illustration and uses it to its full effect for storytelling!

    0
  • A Star-Cursed Heart
    May 25, 2026
    A Star-Cursed HeartAnnie Mare
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:
    😇
    💖
    👿

    "It was enough to convince Ash that her guileless, star-cursed heart had never fallen out of love with Lucy." — Ashes Steadfast

    For countless generations, the Steadfasts and the Prynnes have been cursed to oppose each other. Members of the Prynne family have the ability to lure away a person's soul with their sweet words, while the Steadfasts have sworn to save them. Ex-girlfriends Ashes Steadfast and Lucy Prynne are the newest dancers in this doomed tango that destroyed both their fathers, forced to battle each other endlessly.

    For Ashes, these ruthless fights are the only way for her to see Lucy again. Because no matter how tender her former true love seemed, no matter how much she pleaded for Ash to just listen, Lucy's cruel whip and merciless storms meant the girl she had loved was gone forever...

    Or so she believed, until Ashes and Lucy reappear again and again in the places that had once mattered most to them. Again and again, with a second chance and a way to break their curse that Ashes absolutely refuses to let go of.

    ◆ Sapphic Lovers-to-Enemies-to-Lovers ◆ Inspired by The Scarlet Letter ◆ Second Chance Romance ◆ Forbidden Love & Yearning ◆ Best Boy Helegar (an immortal dog)

    I was initially hooked by the interesting premise but ultimately stayed for the characters, because omg I loved them all! 😭💘 I especially loved Ashes, who had grumpy black cat vibes, and the way she absolutely adored the sarcastic but sweet Lucy, an angelic woman who was ironically the embodiment of evil. And let's not forget Helegar who remained steadfast in loving all the characters in the story, no matter how many mistakes they may have made.

    This started out darker than I expected from the pretty cover, but that's a plus in my book 👀 At its core, this was a beautiful love story with characters you couldn't help but root for. I practically binged the entire book in a single night to make sure they got their HEA! 😂

    There were some shifting timelines and flashbacks, but I loved the way it wove in parts of The Scarlet Letter and was so intrigued by all the magical realism aspects. I honestly really REALLY wished the book was like double in length because I still have so many questions about the generational curse, how their magical powers worked, all their ancestors, and if Hector's baby twins were alright?! I know this was a standalone but would love to read a prequel about their ancestors haha!

    If you love (spicy 👀🌶) sapphic romances that were inspired by The Scarlet Letter, then this is the story for you!

    0