The Thorn Queen alternative cover idea

 

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.

Hollow review

 

Book: Hollow

Author: Celina Myers

Pages: 300

Date(s) Read: April 1^st, 2026 to May 4^th, 2026

Date Published: January 13^th, 2026

Rating: 4/5

Genre: Sapphic, Vampire

Characters: 4/5

Writing style: 4/5

Story: 3/5

Ending:  3/5

Cover: 4/5

Format: Hard Cover

Date Bought: February 8^th, 2026

Book Cost: $19.40

Review:

Hollow is a hot mess but for some reason I am compelled to give it 4 stars.

 

In Hollow Mia joins the ranks of the undead after a car accident and must choose from two different vampire families to join.

 

This novel has major issues. No one is fully developed despite having a plethora of interesting characters to elaborate on. Even our heroine is given very little background info, really, the barest of minimums information is given.

 

The ending is rushed and happens over the span of less than 10 pages and the ending is incredibly ambiguous. All of these are glaring problems, and honestly, in any other book this work would be getting a 2 or 3 star but for some reason I have to give this one a 4. I felt a supernatural compulsion to keep turning the pages and continue reading. Why? I have no idea but for this and but for this reason alone I'm giving it four stars.

Us Dark Few review

 

Book: Us Dark Few

Author: Alexis Patton

Pages: 321

Date(s) Read: March 25^th, 2026 to May 4^th, 2026

Date Published: June 28^th, 2023

Rating: 4/5

Genre: Dystopian, Sci-fi

Characters: 4/5

Writing style: 4/5

Story: 4/5

Ending:  5/5

Cover: 3/5

Format: Kindle

Date Bought: May 23^rd, 2025

Book Cost: $0.00

Review:

Us Dark Few is the third dystopian book I've read in the last two months and I have to say it is the best one yet.

 

In Us Dark Few Khalani is prisoner, newly sentenced to Braderhelm prison. There she meets the dangerous, tall, dark, and mysterious prison guard Takeshi. It's really hard to say more without giving away the plot, but the world-building, while not entirely fleshed out, is believable and interesting enough that you won't find yourself questioning as much about the society as you would reading other dystopian books like Daggermouth and To Cage a Wild Bird.

 

I enjoyed the characters in this novel. While none of the characters are particularly memorable I did find them engaging enough to be invested in their individual stories. Khalanis back story could have been fleshed out a bit more but overall she's a likable female lead. Takeshis background is interesting and he has a lot going for him despite being your usual brooding enigmatic male lead.

 

This novel was really well paced and the ending was very surprising. I find myself fully invested in what happens next to this motley crew of characters.