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Swordheart (The World of the White Rat) by T. Kingfisher 

US pub date - 2/25/25

Halla and Sarkis - the banter, the longing, the sloooooooooow burn…. oh, hello there, excuse me, lost my train of thought for a minute. 

The cover, the mention of The Princess Bride, and a “cozy fantasy romance” sold me immediately on this. I was fortunate enough to receive an early copy and, pulled in by the opening on the first page, I read this happily and absolutely loved it ❤️ A purely fun and utterly enjoyable story.

This was my second time reading the author’s work and it’s safe to say that I’m officially a fan now and will absolutely be reading more of her work. 

Thank you to Bramble and NetGalley for the DRC

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The Lost Passenger: A Novel by Frances Quinn

Pub date - 2/25/25

Elinor is the only child of a wealthy mill owner, marries a titled man for love only to discover her new husband married her for money. She’s unhappy and becomes even more so when she gives birth to a son who is immediately given to a nanny’s care and she is only permitted to see him for one twenty minute period per day. When she learns he’ll be sent off to boarding school at age 7, and then to Eton, she realizes fully that she has no rights even as a mother.

When a family trip on the Titanic ends in tragedy Elinor is given the opportunity to try to create a new life for herself and her son, if she’s willing to try. 

The Lost Passenger was engaging (if fairly predictable), kept my attention, and kept me turning the pages. 

I enjoyed this one. 

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the DRC

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The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu 

Pub date - 2/25/25

I was very hopeful about this one but in my reading found that the stories didn’t ever feel complete and far too many details (like the blankets and the reason for them) remained unresolved. 

This one was, unfortunately, not for me. 

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for the DRC

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How to Love a Dangerous Rogue (Royals and Renegades, #1) by Scarlett Scott 

Narrated by Heather Ryan 

Pub date - 2/18/25

*forbidden love 

*age gap 

*angst 

*chemistry

*political intrigue 

*mental health rep 

*steamy 

Heather Ryan performed this well, narrating with different voices for characters. 

This was the first time I’d read a full length novel by the author and I will absolutely read more of her work. 

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the ALC

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Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods 

(narrated by Esther Wane) 

Pub date - 2/18/25

A Cinderella and The Little Mermaid inspired adult fairy tale? Oh yes, please (and it’s sooo much more). 

I’ll admit that the cover is what first drew my attention, but the synopsis made me immediately request an early copy, which Tor Books was kind enough to bestow. 

There’s magic within these pages and I implore other readers who still (and will always) love fairy tales with strong and capable heroines to grab this one for your bookshelves and find the magic for yourself. 

The power of the ocean, the power of magic, the power of love, 

I absolutely loved this story ❤️and this is a book that I will get for myself and enjoy again. 

Esther Wane did an excellent job performing the story - and voicing characters differently making them easy to differentiate between. This is one of those stories that already feels like a fairy tale and the narration elevated that. 

Absolutely recommended. 

“A woman knows her own truth. It’s a gift she is born with that, like so much else, is quickly stolen by the world. By priests with their talk of sin and wickedness and shame, by men who learned long ago how best to use women for their own pleasure and advantage. Instead of speaking from their hearts, their souls, women are told to heed their father, their husband, their God. Instead of choosing their own path, they are told to obey. Even so, their souls always know the truth. Always. Do not be afraid to give yours voice.” 

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for the DRC 

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC

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Rebel Witch (The Crimson Moth, #2) by Kristen CIccarelli 

US pub date - 2/18/25

*secrets 

*misunderstanding 

*longing 

*high stakes tension 

*jealousy

*enemies to lovers 

*dual POV

Let me just lay it out - I waited for this book with bated breath and wasn’t disappointed - I was pulled right back into the story and binged this, just like the first book. 

A highly, highly enjoyable second story, Rebel Witch was an epic end for the duology and I fully recommend both titles (make sure you’re got free time when you start, because you won’t want to stop reading 🙂). 

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the DRC

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The Sapphire Heiress (The Silver Order, #1) by Ella Leon 

Pub date - 1/24/25

*likeable FMC

*pirates (retired pirates, not actively pirating) 

*supernatural 

*secret society 

Other readers may find more to like from this, but I found it too much tell and not enough show. 

Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC

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Come Fly with Me: A Novel by Camille Di Maio 

Pub date - 2/18/25

So well researched and written, this pulled me in right away and kept my interest. I loved Judy and Beverly and reading about their fledgling friendship and adventures. 

The story was engaging and I read this over a few days, eager to learn what would happen. I didn’t love the end, it felt a little too trite. But overall, this one was a winner. 

This was my second time reading Ms Di Maio’s work, and I’ve enjoyed both books that I’ve read very much.  I absolutely look forward to reading more. 

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC

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The Duke’s Only Desire (The Dukes of Darkness, #3) by Anna Harrington 

Pub date - 2/21/25

*second chance romance 

*Beauty and the Beast 

This one was mostly great - really good writing, likeable MC’s,  showed - didn’t tell, chemistry between the leads, kept my interest and kept me turning the pages. 

The second half didn’t enthrall me as much as the first half, but I still enjoyed this one. This was my first time reading Ms Harrington; I will absolutely read more of her work 🙂

Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC

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The Queens of Crime: A Novel by Marie Benedict 

Pub date - 2/11/25

Marie Benedict has been on radar for a while but this was the first time I read one of her stories. 

I found this really well written historical fiction, I really liked the characters and their interactions, as well as the locked room mystery aspect. 

But… The Queens of Crime didn’t succeed in pulling me in as fully as I’d hoped. Though I did enjoy it, I felt like something essential was missing.

Though this one didn’t fully work for me , I would read more of the author.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC

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Once a Castle (Carrick Hall, #2) by Sarah Arthur 

Pub date - 2/11/25

While I read Once a Queen, I hadn’t read it in so long that I borrowed the audiobook from the library and listened before I started Once a Castle. 

I’ll reiterate from my review of the first title, that I am not religious in the slightest, but I loved the Narnia series to the degree that one of my children has the same same as one of the non-Pevensie characters. It’s a book series that I never understood was allegory, I just loved the stories, and Aslan. So a young person’s fantasy series so heavily affected by my favorite childhood series 

I enjoyed Once a Queen and I really enjoyed Once a Castle - I love that the series is so influenced by C.S. Lewis’s work and the result is a well written, engaging second story that’s suitable for 4th/5th grade and up. 

I probably would have read this as a bedtime story to my own kids when they were younger and as a now-retired homeschooler, I recommend this series for younger readers (in Christian families) who enjoy fantasy and magic. Great series for a read-aloud or family audiobook. 

Thank you to Waterbrook and NetGalley for the DRC 

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Three Days in June: A Novel by Anne Tyler 

Pub date - 2/11/25

When I started reading this, I wasn’t sure about it - 

*it took me a while to make sure that it was taking place in current times 

*I didn’t much care for Gail (the MFC) at first 

Despite its shorter length, Ms Tyler packs a lot into her writing and as I read, I wound up really enjoying this slice of life novel. 

Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for the DRC

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Charming Devil (Gilded Monsters, #2) by Rebecca F. Kenney 

Pub date - 2/11/25

I love classics (and I really do love Oscar Wilde), but I also love retelling, continuations, and ‘fan fiction’ so when I saw this ad read the synopsis I was immediately interested. 

Despite my preference for preferring ‘continuations’ in a similar writing style, Charming Devil pulled me right in. 

Clever and with a very cute cat (Screwtape - is this a nod to CS Lewis’s titular character in The Screwtape Letters?), I found Charming Devil to be a fun and enjoyable read. 

This was my first time reading Ms Kenney’s work; I will absolutely read more. 

???

“Interview with A Vampire”?????

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the DRC 

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The One Before the One by Emma Cooper

Pub date - 1/31/25

I received a widget for this but didn’t download until the evening before pub day - I had so many books on my netgalley shelf and I don’t like to have so many books on my shelf (it stresses me out), but I read a really great review that decided me on it. I skipped it up to the top of my NetGalley tbr to try during the first week of February and was organizing my kindle but I figure I’d give it a few pages, since evening meals are still a requirement and I’m getting hungry. Well, by the time I looked up, I was already at chapter 6, it was dark in a previously light room, and I was definitely hungry. 

So, it started really well and I was interested, but toward the 30% mark, I began feeling like I was being told more than shown and when that continued I found myself losing interest. Unfortunately, this continued and my original interest was never recaptured. 

This had so much potential, I wish that a few things were better explained and that the pacing had moved a bit more. 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the DRC 

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The Lady Courts a Marquess (Ladies of Seduction, #2) by Jillian Eaton 

Pub date - 2/11/25

I enjoy a well done marriage in trouble trope and liked this one. 

*miscommunication 

*passion 

*they’re fighting or f**king 

*both MCs have demons 

I didn’t really get Jack’s character - I would have enjoyed more of an actual story for her. As it was, it just never made sense to me. 

I did like this otherwise and will read more of the author’s work.

Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC

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The Snowbirds: A Novel by Christina Clancy 

Pub date - 2/4/25

Offering such a realistic look at long term partnerships, this was really well written, the characters come across as very human, but….  it dragggggggged for me. I kept putting it down and coming back to it because I was just bored while reading. 

I would give this a try again, probably with the audiobook. 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the DRC

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Not Quite by the Book: A Novel by Julie Hatcher 

Pub date - 3/1/25

Notes during reading - 

*poor communication between characters really detracts from my reading 

*writing ‘tells’ rather than ‘shows’ 

Ultimately, I was never able to connect with characters, story, or writing. This was a miss for me. 

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC