Ascension by Nicholas Binge Genres: Adult, British Literature, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Thriller Published by Harper Voyager on April 24, 2023 Format: Hardcover, Special Edition Pages: 320 Source: The Broken Binding A mind-bending speculative thriller in which the sudden appearance of a mountain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean leads a group of scientists to a series of jaw-dropping revelations that challenge the notion of what it means to be human. An enormous snow-covered mountain has appeared in the Pacific Ocean. No one knows when exactly it showed up, precisely how big it might be, or how to explain its existence. When Harold Tunmore, a scientist of mysterious phenomena, is contacted by a shadowy organization to help investigate, he has no idea what he is getting into as he and his team set out for the mountain. The higher Harold’s team ascends, the less things make sense. Time moves differently, turning minutes into hours, and hours into days. Amid the whipping cold of higher elevation, the climbers’ limbs numb and memories of their lives before the mountain begin to fade. Paranoia quickly turns to violence among the crew, and slithering, ancient creatures pursue them …
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Book ReviewsFantasyRomantasy
Emily Krempholtz: Violet Thistlewaite Is Not A Villain Anymore Review
by JefferzViolet Thistlewaite Is Not A Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Cozy Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Magic, Romantasy Published by Ace Books on November 17, 2025 Format: Hardcover, Special Edition Pages: 356 Source: Owlcrate A powerful plant witch and a grumpy alchemist must work together to save their quiet town from a magical plague in this debut cozy fantasy romance about starting over, redemption, and what it really means to be a good person. Guy Shadowfade is dead, and after a lifetime as the dark sorcerer’s right-hand, Violet Thistlewaite is determined to start over-not as the fearsome Thornwitch, but as someone kind. Someone better. Someone good. The quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, Violet decides, will be her second chance-she’ll set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (mildly homicidal) houseplant in check, and prune dark magic from the twisted boughs of her life. Violet’s vibrant bouquets and cheerful enchantments soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, though nothing seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. With a struggling business and his own second chance seemingly out of reach, Nathaniel has no time for flowers or frippery—and certainly none for the intriguing …
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Half A King Series: Shattered Sea #1 Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, High Fantasy, Young Adult Published by Harper Voyager on July 2, 2014 Format: eBook Pages: 385 Betrayed by his family and left for dead, prince Yarvi, reluctant heir to a divided kingdom, has vowed to reclaim a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains and the bitter waters of the shattered sea itself – all with only one good hand. Born a weakling in the eyes of a hard, cold world, he cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so has sharpened his mind to a deadly edge. Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast, he finds they can help him more than any noble could. Even so, Yarvi’s path may end as it began – in twists, traps and tragedy. A story of vengeance, resilience, and a quest to return home, Joe Abercrombie’s Half A King is an intense epic adventure that adapts his signature storytelling for younger readership. Set in wild and dangerous lands that surround the foreboding namesake Shattered Sea, this book contains a straightforward and tense adventure of a young man realizing the twisted figures around him as he …
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The Devils by Joe Abercrombie Series: The Devils #1 Genres: Adult, Adventure, British Literature, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Paranormal, LGBTQ+ Published by Gollancz on May 5, 2025 Format: Hardcover, Special Edition Pages: 565 Source: Goldsboro Books Europe stares into the abyss. Plague and famine stalk the land, monsters lurk in every shadow and greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions. Only one thing is certain: the elves will come again, and they will eat everyone. Sometimes, only the darkest paths lead towards the light. Paths on which the righteous will not dare to tread… And so, buried beneath the sacred splendour of the Celestial Palace, is the secret Chapel of the Holy Expediency. For its congregation of convicted monsters there are no sins that have not been committed, no lines that will not be crossed, and no mission that cannot be turned into a disastrous bloodbath. Now the hapless Brother Diaz must somehow bind the worst of the worst to a higher cause: to put a thief on the throne of Troy, and unite the sundered church against the coming apocalypse. When you’re headed through hell, you need the devils on …
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It feels like I just did my writeup for my August renewals but here we are already closing out the month. Like August, September as well as October will be pretty sparce months, though I completely ruined my TBR last month with extra non-sub special edition sales and a ton of ebooks, oops- Confirmed Book Picks: Surprise Book Picks: Off Months / No Renewals: Recap: While not quite as low as last month, all in all this is pretty respectable and manageable month with only four renewals (pending Aardvark). Then again, I said the same thing about August but ended up getting a trilogy set from Illumicrate that I was originally planned to skip as well as potentially TBB set this coming Saturday. That said, I’m really liking this month’s spread of one fantasy book, one paranormal queer romance, one scifi book, and one mystery thriller vs some other months that can be very Fantasy heavy. As a slight spoiler, October’s renewal are also looking to be quite light at currently two certain but as many as four based on some future reveals. And with that, I’ll see you in another month for the next monthly book sub recap!
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The Blood Queen by Sara Raasch, Beth Revis Series: Spy and Guardian #2 Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Fae, Historical Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Magic, Romantasy, Folklore, Historical Fiction, Scottish Literature, Young Adult Published by Sourcebooks Fire on October 6, 2026 Format: ARC, eBook Pages: 304 Source: Netgalley In this stunning sequel to The Crimson Throne, Alyth and Samson must infiltrate the fae court to prepare to face the bloodthirsty army of the High Blade who is intent on destroying both the mortal and fae worlds. From the New York Times bestselling authors of the Witch and Hunter duology, Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, comes the conclusion to this incredible romantasy duology. Alyth and Samson finally know the identity of the High Blade, leader of the bloodthirsty Red Cap army, and it’s someone they never suspected. They’ll use every bit of courage, smarts, and luck they have to escape her grasp and flee to the fae court, where they hope to find aid in the fight against the Red Caps. But the fae princes have been apathetic since the Faerie Queen disappeared years ago at the hands of the High Blade. They seem unwilling to help. And if they find out Samson’s true …
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Storm Caller by Nisha J. Tuli Series: Storm Breaker #2 Genres: Dystopian, Fantasy, Romantasy, New Adult, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Young Adult Published by Entangled: Mayhem Books on August 31, 2026 Format: ARC, eBook Pages: 476 Source: Netgalley Poet Graves has only ever wanted to be free. But no matter where she turns, she’s held captive―by a power she doesn’t understand, a truth she no longer believes in, and a love she can’t deny. As Poet is drawn further into Rook’s world, his secrets force her to question who she can trust. But when friends turn into enemies, enemies prove to be allies, and the place that was once a safe harbor is revealed as the eye of the storm, Poet’s only choice is to fight for what she believes in. When New Manhattan’s darkest secrets refuse to stay hidden, the cause Poet and Rook fight for will be called into question. The answers are out there…and they could destroy everything. Don’t miss the thrilling continuation to a thrilling upper YA romantasy by Nisha J. Tuli, where Divergent meets The Cruel Prince in a glittering, storm-wrecked Manhattan where the elite rule through legacy―and one forbidden romance could tear it all apart. …
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Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames Series: The Band #2 Genres: Adult, Adventure, Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, LGBTQ+ Published by Orbit on August 27, 2018 Format: Hardcover, Special Edition Pages: 515 Source: The Broken Binding Live fast, die young. Tam Hashford is tired of working at her local pub, slinging drinks for world-famous mercenaries and listening to the bards sing of adventure and glory in the world beyond her sleepy hometown. When the biggest mercenary band of all rolls into town, led by the infamous Bloody Rose, Tam jumps at the chance to sign on as their bard. It’s adventure she wants – and adventure she gets as the crew embark on a quest that will end in one of two glory or death. It’s time to take a walk on the wyld side. Like its namesake character, Bloody Rose by Nicholas Eames is a book that has big shoes to fill after its predecessor’s bombastic breakout. Rather than recycling or retreading familiar beats, this book is an effective and smart sequel that reflects and contrasts Saga’s adventures and fame, telling its own story that’s more serious, mature, and thematically rich while still maintaining the spirit of the …
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Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibañez Series: Secrets of the Nile #2 Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Historical Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Romantasy, Historical Fiction, Young Adult Published by Hodderscape on November 4, 2024 Format: Hardcover, Special Edition Pages: 388 Source: Goldsboro Books Where the Library Hides is Isabel Ibañez’s stunning conclusion to the story that started in What the River Knows. A lush immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, and a rivals-to-lovers romance like no other! Inez Olivera traveled across the world to Egypt, seeking answers into her parents’ recent and mysterious deaths. But all her searching led her down a perilous road, filled with heartache, betrayal, and a dangerous magic that pulled her deep into the past. When Tío Ricardo issues an ultimatum about her inheritance, she’s left with only one option to consider. Marriage to Whitford Hayes. Former British soldier, her uncle’s aide de camp, and one time nemesis, Whit has his own mysterious reasons for staying in Egypt. With her heart on the line, Inez might have to bind her fate to the one person whose secret plans could ruin her. The answer arc and part two of Ibañez’s Secrets of the Nile duology, …
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What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez Series: Secrets of the Nile #1 Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Historical Fantasy, Low Fantasy, Historical Fiction Published by Hodderscape on October 31, 2023 Format: Hardcover, Special Edition Pages: 416 Source: Goldsboro Books Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents-who frequently leave her behind. When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and a golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe. With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient …
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Normally I’m a bit earlier with my book subscription skips/renewal recap but sometimes life gets busy or you lose yourself in a good book, literally. Anywho, this coming month is thankfully a rather quiet one after how crazy the last few have been. A bunch of my subs are on an off-month for one reason or another which will hopefully give me time to catch up on my physical and ARC backlog. Confirmed Book Picks: Surprise Book Picks: Off Months / No Renewals: Recap: No going to lie, I’m quite relieved that August is a more relaxed and chill month after the how many subscriptions I renewed in July on top of sequel book sales and books bought secondhand (I was thrilled to find a copy of Inkstone’s The Red Winter for sale which was a favorite read earlier this year). Three SE renewals plus a single book box from Aardvark is a very manageable amount which will help balance out June and July. Looking ahead, September is a similar month with not very many renewals planned so I think we’re doing good! The wallet is happy, the bookshelf space is dying, and my physical TBR will hopefully stop growing-
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Half City by Kate Golden Series: Harker Academy #1 Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Dark Academia, Paranormal, Romantasy, Urban Fantasy, New Adult Published by Arcadia on February 19, 2026 Format: Hardcover, Special Edition Pages: 475 Source: FairyLoot Welcome to Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. Keep your daggers sharp, and your wits even sharper. Viv Abbot is an average twenty-one-year-old girl. She lives in an expensive city where the rent is too high, works long hours at a thankless job, and is dating a guy she doesn’t even like in the hopes of winning her prickly mother’s approval. She just also happens to be a demon hunter. Ever since her father’s murder, she’s been forced to hunt deviants alone, meaning everyone, including her family, sees her as an outsider. . . . Until the day she crosses paths with a dangerously alluring demon, Reid Graveheart. The reformed deviant tells her of a school for people just like her: Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. If she enrolls, she’ll learn to hone her craft, work with other hunters, and never be alone again. But Viv has a deadly secret. One that not even her new friends at Harker can know about. Not when the school …
