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Fantasy

  • Book ReviewsFantasyLGBTQ+

    Nicholas Eames: Bloody Rose Review

    by Jefferz August 12, 2026
    August 12, 2026

    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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  • Book ReviewsFantasyHistorical FictionYA

    Isabel Ibañez: Where the Library Hides Review

    by Jefferz August 7, 2026
    August 7, 2026

    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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  • Book ReviewsFantasyHistorical FictionYA

    Isabel Ibañez: What the River Knows Review

    by Jefferz August 7, 2026
    August 7, 2026

    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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  • Book ReviewsFantasyRomantasy

    Kate Golden: Half City Review

    by Jefferz July 29, 2026
    July 29, 2026

    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 …

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  • Book ReviewsARCFantasyRomantasy

    Taylor J. LaRue: Steelborn Review

    by Jefferz July 13, 2026
    July 13, 2026

    Steelborn by Taylor J. LaRue Series: The Steelborn Saga #1 Genres: Adult, Adventure, Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, High Fantasy, Magic, Romantasy Published by Requited on August 3, 2026 Format: ARC, eBook Pages: 496 Source: Booktrovert Enter a world ruled by tyrants and thieves, where magic is outlawed, revolution brews, desire is dangerous, and an impossible cure may prove deadlier than the curse. Never run. Never bow. Never die. Reya Connery became the Crimson Dagger, the most notorious thief in Rhiterra, by following a strict set of rules. One: There is no honor among thieves. Two: A good blade is key to any negotiation. Three: Only the dead keep secrets. And Reya has a secret that must be kept at all costs. But when a heist goes wrong on the eve of paying off her debt to a ruthless crime lord, Reya may need a new set of rules. And lots of coin. Fast. Enter Caelan Halcyon, an immortal warrior whose magic makes him a valuable target—if the curse inching closer to his heart doesn’t kill him first. There’s just one person who might be desperate enough to try and get their hands on the fabled cure in time to save his …

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About Me

Reader & Coffee Connoisseur

I am a reading enthusiast and book reviewer who enjoys reading with a warm latte in-hand, breaking down what I read in detail. Although my favorite genres are sci-fi, high/epic fantasy, mystery noir, and a sprinkle of contemporary romance, I consider myself a variety reader.


With a coffee (or favorite beverage) of choice, join me on The Book Grind as we read and sip our way through some great novels.

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The Book Grind
  • Home
  • Book Reviews
    • By Title
    • By Author
    • By Year Read
    • By Series
    • Advanced Reader Copy Reviews
    • Indie Book Reviews
    • Archive (sortable)
  • Blog
  • Book Store
  • Contact Me
    • Review Policy