An Academic Affair Review

 

Book: An Academic Affair

Author: Jodi McAlister

Pages: 384

Date(s) Read: April 1^st, 2026 to June 16^th, 2026

Date Published: November 11^th, 2025

Rating: 3/5

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance

Characters: 3/5

Writing style: 5/5

Story: 3/5

Ending:  4/5

Cover: 2/5

Format: Soft Cover

Date Bought: December 19^th, 2025

Book Cost: $14.24

Review:

An Academic Affair is a charming romance that is marred by its odd and uneven pacing.

 

In an Academic Affair longtime academic rivals Jonah and Sadie marry for a job opportunity in the academic world.

 

I always love a marriage of convenience trope. I loved the chemistry between the two and the dual pov was done in a unique and refreshing way that truly added a lot of depth and dimension to the story. The side characters are as interesting as the main characters and I found myself equally invested in their own narratives.

 

That being said, the book starts off slowly and throws huge deal things that should take chapters just to build up to over in two chapters. It's a disappointment that the book has this huge complication with their jobs and yet ends in such an anticlimactic way.

 

This book is good, but the pacing and story itself really could have been so much better. This book is a study in what could have been. Still if you like a marriage of convenience trope this one is worth checking out, you might like it more than I did.

The Ever King review

 

Book: The Ever King

Author: LJ Andrews

Pages: 480

Date(s) Read: April 1^st, 2026 to May 29, 2026

Date Published: August 5^th, 2025

Rating: 4/5

Genre: Fantasy, Romantasy, Fae

Characters: 4/5

Writing style: 4/5

Story: 4/5

Ending:  4/5

Cover: 4/5

Format: Hard Cover

Date Bought: November 19^th, 2025

Book Cost: $15.63

Review:

The Ever King is a fun, fast-paced adventure in an exciting fae world.

 

In the Ever King, Erik kidnaps the daughter of his greatest enemy, but things go awry when he finds himself falling for her.

 

Even though the characters aren't very unique or different than typical romantasy characters, I found myself fully invested in both Livia and Eriks world. The romance is great, I loved the two characters together. The supporting cast really help breathe life into the story as well.

 

I really enjoyed this book. It's not anything new or different, but that's okay. It's still a total blast of a story.

Heir of Illusion review

Book: Heir of Illusion

Author: Madeline Taylor

Pages: 457

Date(s) Read: April 18^th, 2026 to May 28^th, 2026

Date Published: April 1^st, 2025

Rating: 4/5

Genre: Fae, Fantasy, Romantasy

Characters: 4/5

Writing style: 4/5

Story: 4/5

Ending:  4/5

Cover: 3/5

Format: Hard Cover

Date Bought: April 17^th, 2026

Book Cost: 20.98 

Review:

Heir of Illusion is a solid novel.

 

In Heir of Illusion Ivy is Lord Baylors pet and his assassin, forced to do his dirty work. In a desire to be free from the shackles that bind her, she forms an apprehensive alliance with Thorne, a reaper, to find a missing sword.

 

I loved Ivy. She's smart, beautiful, moral, lethal, and resilient. What more could you ask for in a female lead? Thorne is your typical dark and enigmatic male lead. Nothing is going to blow your mind about her romance with this shadow daddy, but it is serviceable to the romantasy fanbase. Despite that, other characters are unique and interesting despite being somewhat unoriginal.

 

The pacing is pretty fast, but there are times when the novel tended to lag. I felt like I had to really slog through some chapters. The ending will definitely have you invested, though.

 

That all being said, there's nothing that's going to rock your world here. You've seen it all before, but that's okay because I think most of us who love romantasy are here for the tropes and formula that has worked so well in all of the best-selling novels of the genre.

The Sea Spinner review

 

Book: The Sea Spinner

Author: Julie Johnson

Pages: 544

Date(s) Read: April 28^th, 2026 to May 8^th, 2026

Date Published: April 28^th, 2026

Rating: 5/5

Genre: Fantasy, Romantasy

Characters: 5/5

Writing style: 5/5

Story: 5/5

Ending:  4/5

Cover: 4/5

Format: Hardcover

Date Bought: April 28^th, 2026

Book Cost: $27.90

Review:

The Sea Spinner is a thrilling addition to the Reign of Remnants series.

 

In The Sea Spinner after an impassioned argument with Penn she ends up in Sorens domain. There she meets new friends, allies, and has a budding romance with Soren, the remnant of water.

 

The character development for Rhya was really front and center here. I loved getting to see her and Soren train together. The chemistry was off the charts. I have to admit I preferred the romance in this book to the previous one. Soren also becomes a more well-rounded character in this installment where for the first time we see real vulnerability. Unlike Penn, who is a brooding mess of angst we see in Soren a multi-dimensional multi-layered character whose more fun and engaging.

 

I will say despite how good this book is, it ends on a devastating cliff hanger that I was not prepared for.

 

If you liked Wind Weaver be prepared to thoroughly enjoy every moment of The Sea Spinner.

King of Ravens review

 

Book: King of Ravens

Author: Clare Sager

Pages: 478

Date(s) Read: February 28^th, 2026 to May 8^th, 2026

Date Published: January 27^th, 2026

Rating: 3/5

Genre: Fantasy, Romantasy

Characters: 3/5

Writing style: 3/5

Story: 3/5

Ending:  4/5

Cover: 3/5

Format: Kindle

Date Bought: February 28^th, 2026

Book Cost: $0.00

Review:

It was alright. Nothing terrible but nothing to write home about. The ending was really good but that's about all the positive I can really say. Everything else was very generic fantasy without even a hint of atmosphere. There was no magic or spark to the world and writing.

In this novel Annon is whisked away to the underworld to be the bride of the fae king of the underworld after a deal her father made with the faes mother. Annon is dying and weak but she uses her energy to traverse his labyrinth in the hopes of getting back home to her family.  

I enjoyed the romance and the ending was great but the rest of it felt very average. Nothing really blew me away or was memorable. Dyrstan is your typical brooding fae male love interest and our heroine is the typical fiesty human female. Nothing new here.

It's not a bad novel, it's just not that great either, the highlight of the book was the ending and really a book needs to stand on more than a shock ending. 

Until I Die review

 

Book: Until I Die

Author: Diedra Duncan

Pages: 486

Date(s) Read: March 20^th, 2026 to May 6^th, 2026

Date Published: January 6^th, 2026

Rating: 5/5

Genre: Dystopian, Romantasy

Characters: 5/5

Writing style: 5/5

Story: 5/5

Ending:  5/5

Cover: 3/5

Format: Kindle

Date Bought: N/A

Book Cost: $0.00

Review:

Until I Die was perfect. I can't find a flaw.

 

In Until I Die during an american civil war Sophia is charged with getting information from the New American Orders most infamous killer, Lucas Scott. As they work together she learns there's more to Lucas than just the brooding executioner.

 

This book was exciting and fast paced. There's a perfect balance between background information, set up, and action. In Daggermouth I found myself constantly wondering how the mask thing would work, here there's nothing flawed about the information given that takes me out of the story.

 

 

Sophia is a tough character who has gone through utter tragedy and will go through a great deal more as the book progresses. There's something very human and real about her, and her resilience in the face of adversity. I also found Lucas Scott to be multi-layered and one of the more compelling romantic leads I've read recently.

 

The romance is an amazing slow burn. For a single novel you get everything, you get the slow burn, the hot attraction, the love and utter passion between these two.

 

This is as good as dystopian romantasy gets. If you read Daggermouth and/or To Cage a Wild Bird I'm here to tell you not only is this one better but a standalone.

The Thorn Queen review

 

Book: The Thorn Queen

Author: Sasha Peyton Smith

Pages: 366

Date(s) Read: April 14^th, 2026 to May 5^th, 2026

Date Published: April14th, 2026

Rating: 4/5

Genre: Fae, Fantasy, Romantasy

Characters: 4/5

Writing style: 4/5

Story: 4/5

Ending:  5/5

Cover: 4/5

Format: Hard Cover

Date Bought: April 14^th, 2026

Book Cost: $15.99

Review:

The Thorn Queen is just as good as the first part and ends the Rose Bargain duology well. Its a beautiful lush world full of vibrant characters, romance that will have you wanting more, and enough adventure that you'll have felt like you traversed a whole other world just upon finishing it.

 

In The Thorn Queen we see Ivy navigate a country ruled by Bram. As she tries to find her sister and Emmett she must hold England together while Bram destroys everything his mother built.

 

I enjoyed the family dynamics between the two sisters. Ivy sees tremendous character growth. I also liked the relationship between Lydia and Emmett.

 

This was a fun, fast paced faerie tale that fans of romantasy will enjoy.