It was with both anticipation and trepidation that I started reading Fool’s Fate, the last book in the Tawny Man trilogy. Having experienced Hobb finales twice at this point, I had full faith in her ability to wrap up this saga well. I was, however, considering how I would fare emotionally since both the previous finales had packed a real punch before getting the readers to whatever end was in store. I was right to feel as I did - Fool’s Fate was a great bookend to this trilogy, and it took me on quite the ride before we hit that last page.

One of my favorite things in a fantasy novel is a quest that requires a journey to see it through to completion – and that, in a nutshell, is the central plot in Fool’s Fate. It did take some time before the actual quest began, but I didn’t begrudge the time we spent setting everything up with the characters, their preparations and some additional plot threads. To me, it never felt like a page was wasted in this book because the way that everything converges is done so masterfully at the end. And that – the well-executed storytelling – is my favorite thing about a Hobb novel, but especially the end of a series from her.

We get so many moments in this installment: major world and character reveals, heartwarming and heartbreaking encounters, emotional milestones, intense physical experiences. And while the plot itself is already engaging and exciting, what really makes Fool’s Fate even better is the fact that readers will, at this point, have come to care deeply for Fitz, the Fool and many of the featured characters. The investment in both the individuals and what happens to them has a magical effect on a reader’s regard for the story – and for me, I was absolutely devouring each chapter in the interest of discovering just what would happen next.

Fool’s Fate concluded the Tawny Man Trilogy, and this portion of Fitz’s story, very well. Hobb’s storytelling ability continues to retain its epic quality, and I can only look forward to what she has in store for me next.

Fool's Fate (Tawny Man #3) by Robin Hobb

Publication Date: October 1, 2003 | Publisher: Harper Voyager

Format: ebook | Source: Owned | Buy the book!

Even now, eight books into her Realm of the Elderlings universe, Robin Hobb continues to leave me gobsmacked in the best way whenever I reach the end of one of her books! I finished reading The Golden Fool moments ago, and I'm still in awe of Hobb's storytelling abilities. This author is truly a standout talent, as evidenced to me by the skillful way in which she depicts settings, lore, plot and characters. The Golden Fool is a brilliant second installment, a follow-up that I was really excited to pick up given how much I'd enjoyed the previous book Fool's Errand; it absolutely lived up to all of my high hopes.

Plenty of effort has been put into laying the foundations of this universe throughout the previous two series (The Farseer Trilogy and The Liveship Traders, both of which I highly recommend reading first!), but it still is pretty darn cool to see how Hobb incorporates the various elements that make up the setting from cultural details to storied history to the events that shape societies. These things make the world feel rich and fully realized, and I love that.

I also really enjoy how Hobb weaves together a plot that keeps me glued to the page (or in this case, my e-reader). Yes, there are various exciting and unexpected turns this tale takes (which is something I personally quite enjoyed - I love being taken for a real ride when I'm reading). But what really stands out to me is how masterfully woven together the personal and the political are. Poor Fitz certainly has a lot to contend with and to try to master or sort out in just this one book. I can't dive into the specifics of what exactly is going on, but suffice to say, it's a wonderfully chaotic mix of things that have been brewing for ages, things that have newly arisen and the hints at what might potentially be to come all drawn together by a very clever author's hand.

What really has me putting Hobb on my shelf of personal favorite fantasy authors is the way she writes characters. I've always said that it's the characters that can tip the scales for me; Hobb has me fully invested in hers. It's true that Fitz is the lead in this trilogy as the tale is narrated through his eyes; however, it must be said that all the other characters with major roles in this one - the Fool, Chade, Prince Dutiful, Queen Kettricken, Thick, to name just a few - are just as well-portrayed. While I don't always necessarily like their behavior or agree with their choices, the characters just feel like real, flawed individuals with complex personalities informed by their different histories and current positions to a one... and this, to me, feels significantly more impactful. Because these characters feel so real, I'm invested in what happens to them all and care about the various relationships. And that absolutely elevated my overall experience with this book!

The Golden Fool is another brilliant book by Robin Hobb and a wonderful addition to the Realm of the Elderlings universe. I find myself excited to pick up the third novel! And I, again, highly recommend beginning your Realm of the Elderlings journey if you're a fantasy reader who loves a character-driven tale.

The Golden Fool (Tawny Man #2) by Robin Hobb

Publication Date: October 21, 2002 | Publisher: Harper Voyager

Format: ebook | Source: Owned | Buy the book!

It was a real treat to return to a familiar area of the Realm of the Elderlings universe when I picked up Fool’s Errand. I’ve always admired authors who can tell stories set within one universe at varying points in the timeline and with a mix of perspectives… and Hobb is no exception, and in fact, happens to be one of the best.

I genuinely didn’t think I’d ever be able to say this given my relatively tepid feelings towards him during the first trilogy, but I rather enjoyed the fact that Fool’s Errand puts us back in the perspective of Fitzchivalry Farseer. I’d argue that that is, in large part, because I much prefer the adult Fitz. His character is shaped by the trauma and triumphs of his history, retaining certain personality traits from his youth (namely stubbornness, the occasional insular way of thinking, to name two) even as he also demonstrates maturity in other aspects. We’re also reunited with other familiar faces (namely the Fool, who I’ve always had a soft spot for, as well as other members of the Farseer court) and get introduced to some fresh faces that add new angles to this existing world.

In this chapter of his story, Fitz is (surprise, surprise) faced with even more challenges and tribulations. Some are tied to the past, to choices made and events that occurred in the previous trilogy. Others are more recently inspired, whether from those who would change their current circumstances and the addition of some powerful new individuals. Fitz winds up being caught in the current of all these plots in ways he never expected nor wanted, and it’s truly easy to feel sympathetic about the fact that he yet again must be so tangled up in the future of the kingdom and the Farseer clan. Hobb depicts the inciting incidents of this specific trilogy and the events that follow in a way that just weaves very well together, and honestly, the plot of this one really had me hooked from start to end.

Fool’s Errand is one of my favorite Fitz-narrated stories I’ve read in the Realm of the Elderlings world so far. I really got swept up in the book from the moment I started it, and truly found myself looking forward to the next installment when I got to the very last page.

Fool's Errand (Tawny Man #1) by Robin Hobb

Publication Date: October 15, 2001 | Publisher: Harper Voyager

Format: ebook | Source: Owned | Buy the book!

The Swan's Daughter was a highly anticipated 2026 release for me... and fortunately, this one was a fun read! This young adult novel centers two characters: Demelza, a young woman of veritas swan descent who must go into hiding to preserve her own life; and Arris, a daydreamer prince who must choose his bride carefully given most of them want to kill him (a tradition that dates generations back, if one must know). These two meet when Demelza arrives at the castle in time for the competition to be Arris' bride, and they strike a deal where she offers to use her veritas swan skills to help him sort through all the potential brides.

I'm generally into whimsy, especially in fantasy reads that feel like fairytales. The Swan's Daughter is definitely a book that falls under that category! I enjoyed all the magical details (the creatures! the cultures! the abilities! the lore!) that Chokshi wove into this fanciful tale. It felt like Chokshi's imagination just ran wild in the best way, and the end result is a cacophony of incredible, lovely, magical and occasionally dangerous elements that make the world of this story feel so vivid.

The actual plot felt a lot like the fairytales I grew up reading were thrown into a blender and garnished with a touch of more modern sensibilities. I got the sense that Chokshi not only had a fun time writing many of the moments in the story (some of them greatly amused me as well), but also that she was reflecting on love, power and relationships. It's pretty clear that this was a book the author enjoyed working on, and the end result is that The Swan's Daughter is heartfelt and fun. (I do wish that I'd felt just a smidge more for each of our main characters though.)

The Swan's Daughter was whimsical, entertaining and overall, an enjoyable, lighthearted read. I do think YA readers will enjoy this, especially those readers who love fairytales and all things embellished with copious amounts of whimsy and magic.

The Swan's Daughter by Roshani Chokshi

Publication Date: January 6, 2026 | Publisher: Wednesday Books

Format: e-ARC | Source: Received from the publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!) | Buy the book!

I’m so glad that I finally read Red City!

This debut adult fantasy from a well-established author (whose other works I’ve read and frequently enjoyed) centers two individuals: Ari, a young man taken from the life he knows and transported across the sea to be brought up as an alchemist within the Lumines syndicate; and Sam, a young woman whose mother struggles to make ends meet and whose life is forever changed when she discovers alchemy and gets involved with the Grand Central syndicate. In a world where the syndicates constantly vie for power and control, where loyalty is both protection and a trap, where wealth and brutality exist side by side, where ambition and temptation entice at every turn, Ari and Sam find themselves on opposite but equally unescapable sides of a war.

Red City hooked me immediately. The writing style Lu employs in this narrative is distinct from her YA work, aided greatly by using third person limited perspective. She immediately invites readers into a world where alchemy is woven into modern society and history (and in such a fascinating way – I was fully convinced alchemy, and the many things it can allow individuals to do, existed); where syndicates worldwide have varying levels of involvement in politics, economics, science and more. It feels dark, gritty and urban, and the alchemy aspect just weaves a sense of unreality (and possibility) through it as well. I really enjoyed my immersion into the novel’s world; it felt so real, from the beautiful moments to the darker, more violent ones (of which there were plenty, so check content warnings if you need to).

The plot threads were really compelling. What starts out straightforward and simple – two teens getting involved in the syndicates and alchemy due to individual circumstances – quickly becomes chaotic, violent and tense as both Sam and Ari hone their talents, rise in the ranks and gain notoriety. They find themselves forced to make decisions (without having actual choices) that shape their sense of self and morality. It becomes about survival. About risk. The highs of getting what you thought you wanted, and the lows of realizing what you had to do to achieve that. And this compelling mix had me turning the pages as fast as I could, eager to discover what would happen next, despite knowing that it would likely enrage me or break my heart.

I liked both Ari and Sam, but I wasn’t as emotionally invested in either (or their specific relationship) as I would have liked. And I do think that having that connection would have made some events in the novel pack a bigger emotional punch! Readers are told a lot about them at the start (though that eases up), and the set-up for their relationship felt a touch contrived and a bit underdeveloped on page. It’s not that they aren’t interesting individuals, shaped as they are by their histories and choices; it’s just that they didn’t quite feel like much more than moving parts of the story to me.

I’d still say Red City was an incredibly solid adult fantasy debut from Marie Lu. It’s got the vibes, it’s got the story, and it’s definitely got me itching to read the next installment! Would specifically recommend this one to readers who like gritty urban fantasies, especially those that feature rival groups vying for power and control.

Red City (The New Alchemists #1) by Marie Lu

Publication Date: October 14, 2025 | Publisher: Tor Books

Format: Hardcover | Source: Owned | Buy the book!

If I'm being completely honest, I picked up Cat Dragon without knowing anything about the actual story. I heard about it because one of my favorite artists Maxine Vee was responsible for this adorable cover illustration, and the title being two of my favorite creatures sold me immediately. I was expecting whimsy and cozy vibes when I finally decided to read this; what I got instead was a touch of cozy, plenty of whimsy and fantastical, and a surprising number of shenanigans and perilous moments. I was also surprised to discover that this was actually an adult cozy fantasy (though I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work for a young adult audience as well).

The biggest highlights of Cat Dragon for me were all the magical elements, from the variety of creatures (seriously, cat dragons sound utterly adorable and I would love to have one of my own), plant life, spells, lore, folk and settings. It felt like stepping into a charming (if sometimes scary) new world where anything could be possible, even the unexpected, and that's always a delightful experience for me!

I am generally fond of the quest/journey set-up in fantasies, so it doesn't surprise me that I enjoyed it in Cat Dragon. The combination of high stakes and unintended twists, friends gained (especially the familiars - I adore them and their antics) and knowledge uncovered, different parts of the world and unique challenges - it all blended fairly well. It did come to a point where I felt like the pace dragged just a wee bit, but the ending somehow managed to bring it all together and stick the landing.

It's the characters in Cat Dragon that I felt mostly neutral about. I vacillated between thinking that these characters felt younger than they ought to or that their personalities and traits were overly exaggerated (though that might have something to do with the audio narration). I felt like they were likable enough to root for, but I never really did end up feeling invested enough to feel for them as they went through their different obstacles in the journey (which is especially true of the main character, Aloysia). And, as I've said in many other reviews, characters really are a major deciding factor in my overall feelings towards a book.

A brief note about the audiobook narrator - their narration contributed to the way the story came to life in my mind. They incorporated a variety of voices and accents (I liked some more than others), which made it easy to keep track of the different individuals in the cast.

I'd recommend Cat Dragon to readers who like their cozy, whimsical fantasies to have high character stakes, and particularly to those who like journey/quest-centered plots. Oh, and who also don't mind the characters feeling a little younger than they're stated to be. While I did like this one overall, it doesn't feel like it's going to be a standout or particularly memorable after some time has passed. (I do think it would actually translate even better into an animated film or possibly a graphic novel - the visuals could only enhance the experience.)

Cat Dragon by Samantha Birch

Publication Date: September 23, 2025 | Publisher: One More Chapter

Format: Audiobook | Source: Borrowed via Libby | Buy the book!

As a fan of B.K. Borison's work and someone who enjoys the holidays, I was excited to pick up Good Spirits. This is Borison's first foray into a romance with a magical/paranormal element, and overall, it was good... thought it didn't quite hit my romance sweet spot.

Let's start off with the positives! I like Borison's writing style (and always have; I'm a big fan of many of her other novels). She brings characters to life vividly, pens complex relationship dynamics and works in humor and banter seamlessly. These hallmarks are very much present in Good Spirits! Throw in a dash of the holidays (I'm a Christmas girl, so all the Christmas-y bits appealed to me) and a touch of the paranormal (the entire structure of the Department of Hauntings & Spirits was really fun), and it's an all-around good time (especially if you're willing to suspend your disbelief as I was).

It's worth noting that I was drawn particularly to our main female character Harriet. Her personality - the kindness, the determination to seek joy and believe in good things, the non-confrontational approach to relationships, the desire to be helpful, the hope of being loved and seen - reminded me of myself. And the journey she goes on towards realizing that she's allowed to set boundaries, and to be who she is (especially because she loves who she is)? Totally relatable.

However, despite all these positives, Good Spirits did fall short for me in one specific regard (and this heavily affected my opinion overall) - and that's the romance. It's not that I wasn't rooting for Harriet and Nolan to end up together, because I was. But it was because I just never felt truly invested in their relationship to the point where the emotions really hit me hard. Since, at its heart, this is still a romance, it was a little bit disappointing to find myself more interested in the magical mayhem and personal revelations happening, if that tells you anything at all.

Even though it personally didn't end up blowing me away, I do think Good Spirits was an enjoyable read. It's definitely one that I can see other readers loving! Especially if you're in the market for a cheesy, fun, magical holiday romance that has the same vibes as a holiday film (and actually, this would translate really well into a film format).

Good Spirits (Ghosted#1) by B.K. Borison

Publication Date: October 21, 2025

Publisher: Avon | Format: Audiobook

Source: Audiobook received via Libro.FM (Thank you!)

Buy the book!

I was initially drawn to Cat's People because the cover featured a very cute black cat (and I'm a sucker for books with cats on the cover). I eventually realized that it ticked three more items off on my personal list of elements that make a book appealing to me, namely: 1) the cat would be a central character, 2) this is set in New York, specifically in a Brooklyn neighborhood and 3) it's written by a Filipino author.

Cat's People wound up being a mostly cozy (if not without its heavier/darker moments because, after all, New York is a city of contradictions) everyday sort of story where a number of individuals find their lives intertwined because of a stray black cat known only as 'Cat'. I didn't necessarily empathize with the human characters, though I did feel sympathetic towards their different life situations. This is likely due to the perspective shifts with every chapter; it didn't give me quite enough time to really sink into a character's head and get to know them a little bit more intimately. We also don't get a lot of the individual situations resolved in a clean, tidy fashion by the end of the book (just like in real life sometimes), though we do turn that very last page at least feeling warm and fuzzy due to the group's found family vibes.

I did, however, quite enjoy Cat's perspective chapters. There was just something so fun, and pure, and wholesome about his view of the world and these humans that he cares about. I liked how the author imagined moments and details from his perspective; those sections entertained me greatly.

Reading Cat's People was a welcome change of pace, given that it's very much a slice of life tale. I'm always intrigued by stories where character lives intersect (which I've found a lot of in translated fiction in the past few years), and this was no exception. Cat's People might be a simpler tale than most, but I appreciated the time I spent reading it since it was just right for my mindset then.

Cat's People by Tanya Guerrero

Publication Date: April 1, 2025

Publisher: Delacorte Press | Format: e-book

Source: e-book borrowed via Libby

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A brief and well-deserved moment for that fantastic cover! It's an absolutely stunning piece that I would love to have on my personal gallery wall. The art also managed to convey immediately that the The Elsewhere Express was going to have what I like to lovingly refer to as anime vibes, particularly in the vein of the films from Makoto Shinkai and Hayao Miyazaki.

The Elsewhere Express was written with a copious amount of whimsy and imagination. The details that this author dreamed up for the setting are fantastical and chaotic. The imagery tickled my brain in a very pleasing way, despite the fact that there was, most definitely, a lot going on when it came to the world. I really had a great deal of fun imagining the different train compartments, inhabitants and items when they were vividly introduced on page.

Stripped to its simplest form, the plot is about two strangers who find themselves aboard a train called The Elsewhere Express. As they journey through the train's various compartments, they learn more about its history, the other inhabitants and the threat to its continued existence... and find themselves roped into a journey to locate their place and help remove the threat. It truly sounds like a story that would be right up my alley, but alas, we spent a lot of time skimming the surface as we jumped from place to situation to place to memory to place to... you get the general idea, don't you? We didn't really have time to just soak in whatever new discovery was made (or reflect on the theme explored, or sit in the emotions) before we were whisked away to what came next, and that made me feel a little lost at times especially when the plot started getting a little more convoluted towards the end.

The characters, unfortunately, just didn't quite hit the mark for me. I could sympathize with both Raya and Q right after we were introduced to them, but I wasn't invested in either one enough to fully empathize with any of their experiences as they come face-to-face with some difficult situations. This was the same experience I had with the author's other novel Water Moon, and it makes me a little sad that the way this author does characters isn't a style that works for me.

To sum, The Elsewhere Express didn't quite deliver the overall impact that I'd been hoping for, though I did really enjoy the fantastical elements that brought this brand new to me fictional world to life. (It would translate really well to anime film format though, I have to say.)

The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto Yambao

Release Date: January 20, 2026

Publisher: Del Rey | Format: ARC

Source: ARC received from the publisher (Thank you!)

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I can’t tell you why I didn’t pick up The Dead Romantics when it was initially released, despite knowing that it was much loved by many other readers and generally being an Ashley Poston fan (having read quite a few of her other novels). But I can tell you that I picked it up at exactly the right time for me when I impulsively decided to start it this year. And that experience? It’s one of the most precious things that can happen for any reader, and I treasure the way that this novel was exactly what I needed to read when I finally did so.

The Dead Romantics centers around Florence Day, a ghostwriter for a well-known romance author, who no longer believes in love after a terrible break-up. While that’s already a terrible circumstance to be in, it doesn’t help that she’s contracted to complete one more ghostwritten romance novel and can’t get an extension from her new editor to try to find her way to a written happily ever after. On top of all that, she receives a phone call that changes her life: her beloved father has died and she must return to the town she never wanted to come back to help bury her dad. Her return to the small town goes as expected (read: not great on a lot of fronts, but surprisingly good on others), but things get turned on their head when she finds the ghost of her editor standing at the door of her family’s funeral home with no idea why he’s there. Will Florence be able to help her editor figure out his circumstances? Will she be able to make peace with her own feelings about this small town, her family, her father’s passing and love?

I only needed to read one chapter of The Dead Romantics to know that I was going to enjoy it. Florence’s voice, conveyed through her inner monologues and actual dialogue, was so clear right from the get-go. I immediately found her likable, and while I didn’t necessarily always agree with her impressions or her choices, I did feel quite invested in her circumstances. She’s surrounded by characters that were quirky and flawed in a way that made them feel very human, and I enjoyed getting scenes with a great many of them as well.

I really appreciated the duality of my experience with the actual story. There were elements that were fun and lighthearted, with moments that called to mind the way I feel watching Hallmark movies or classic romantic comedies. And, of course, the magical aspect to the tale does require one to just go with the flow – and I had no issues or hesitations in doing so. But there were also aspects to The Dead Romantics that tugged hard on my heartstrings, making my chest ache and causing me to sob through a good chunk of the novel. Of course, this has a lot to do with the similarities between Florence’s experience with heartbreak, grief and loss and my own. But I really appreciated the catharsis of having an author be able to write about these things in a way that felt pulled straight out of my own brain and heart. Poston was able to honor the pain, while also showcasing hope and healing, and that really resonated with me.

The Dead Romantics is a charming, emotional read that found its way onto my reading radar at just the right time in my life for me to really enjoy and appreciate it. I’m so glad that I was finally able to read this beloved title this year, and that I liked it as much as many other readers have.

While I am not one of the fortunate folks who started reading the series when the first novel Angels' Blood originally released in 2009, I did end up reading through the first twelve books in the series in 2020 with my friend Rachel and falling head over heels in love with everything about it. The compelling lore, where author Nalini Singh weaves the fantastical into the mundane with ease. The engaging plots that weave through the series, whether simply being contained in a single novel or spreading out across multiple books. The wonderful characters that really are the heart of why I adore this series so much, and the emotional journeys, heartwarming bonds and easy distinctiveness that make them stand apart from the rest. The entire Guild Hunter series is easily one of the most well-written urban fantasy/paranormal romance series, in my opinion, and for me, it’s my absolute favorite of this subgenre.

Archangel’s Eternity feels like the end of an era. (I honestly still can’t believe it’s the last book of the series!) It bookends the series beautifully, in my opinion, with a story that focuses more on the lives of these beloved characters and the many changes that the passage of time has wrought on who they are and what their circumstances might be. I described it to a friend as feeling really “slice of life”, at least when compared to some of the more action-packed novels in the series… and I genuinely loved that, given all that we’ve witnessed our characters going through prior to this installment. The book offers answers to lingering questions, allows us precious moments with our beloved cast of characters (we genuinely get to see so many folks we adore to pieces, and that was perfection), and draws on the momentum and build-up of all the books that came before to tug at our heartstrings. It was an emotional roller coaster - I wept my way through a fair chunk of this book (for reasons both happy and sorrowful), but I did also laugh out loud at times and I also felt extremely seen at certain points (due to the way that certain events in this novel line up with things going on in my own life). But I loved the entire reading experience, and it was my absolute pleasure and honor to get to spend this last bit of time with this series I adore before coming to the end.

As you’ll know if you read my 2022 retrospective, that year was challenging for me on a personal level. 2023 wasn’t without its own difficulties, but it was a year that felt so much more fulfilling and fun. I did a lot of traveling, spent so much quality time with people I love, and got to do quite a few things in and around New York. It really felt like a reset year combined with an adventure year in so many ways, and I was so grateful and relieved for it after the mostly harrowing nature of 2022.

What did I take away from my time in 2023? I gave myself the grace to live in the moment. I leaned into rest, understanding when I hit my limits (physically or emotionally) and stepping back to recenter. I also realized that it’s perfectly fine that I have so many different hobbies and areas of interest, but that I wanted to make sure that I found a way to balance them all a bit better. My work-life balance significantly improved, as well as my handling of my finances (we’re making progress and it makes me feel like an adult!) and my TBR (I read so many of my own books and enjoyed them, which is a treat and hopefully, I can do it again this year!).

Anyway, on to the memories that I made in 2023! My entire year was festive and celebratory for a number of reasons, and it brought me a lot of joy to walk through it again when I was drafting this post.

JANUARY: Deep-cleaned the apartment with mom & dad’s help; Song of Silver, Flame Like Night event; Mel & Steven’s civil wedding (+ reception and karaoke); family comes to town; Hell Bent event; weekend getaway with Macky on Roosevelt Island

FEBRUARY: visiting Cancun; Mel & Steven’s wedding; Ben Barnes concert with Danica + Rachel; Rachel’s disco Dua Lipa birthday; The Last Tale of the Flower Bride book event; Some Like It Hot with Mom and Rachel; visiting The Edge and doing other NY things with mom and dad; Last Violent Call book event

MARCH: A Day of Fallen Night book event; Grey’s belated birthday party; Suzume early screening with Macky; evacuating because a fire caused too much smoke by the apartment; ABBA-themed Candlelit Concert

APRIL: Asian Aunties go to the Bronx Zoo; NY day out with Mela; Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow book event; RJ & Edu’s housewarming party; The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue book event; visiting Santa Barbara; Bianca and Josh’s wedding; Jill and Mako in NY; RADWIMPS concert with Macky

MAY: visiting the Bahamas with Rachel; visiting Philly with Rachel, Mela and Yanna; Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour twice; Yellowface book event; the Elstons visit NY; Memorial Day hangout

JUNE: Taylor Swift exhibit at MAD; Chynna is in town; TS Eras party; Ed Sheeran concert; first beach day of the year; New York, New York with Macky; Like Water for Chocolate ballet

JULY: Beat the Bomb with the fam; 4th of July hangs; Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) listening party; Water Lantern Festival; Age of Madness concert; Immortal Longings book event; Saturday trip to Beacon

AUGUST: Birthday festivities; Family Lore book event; Masters of Death book event; Jonas Brothers concert; Her Radiant Curse book event

SEPTEMBER: celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary with a renewal ceremony; a Brooklyn day out; visiting Prince Edward Island with Rachel; Merrily We Roll Along with Macky, Pat & Ian; Getaway weekend

OCTOBER: Wreck the Halls book event; Wicked the Musical with DJ; NYCC; Taylor Swift: The Eras tour film with the fam; Unholy Terrors book event; The Great Gatsby with Macky; A Curse for True Love book event; Kit-sitting weekend

NOVEMBER: Autumnal Saturday picnic, visited the Noguchi Museum + MOMA PS1; autumnal day out with Rachel; cozy Thanksgiving vibes; Reyna Ube’s drag debut

DECEMBER: Stephen Schwarz with Macky; Back to the Future with Macky; Astra Lumina with Danica; Christmas festivities; Kahl comes to town

Thanks for revisiting the past year with me by reading this post!

Cheers to 2024 being a good, solid year for us all.

Since it’s been over a full year since 2022 ended, I had to dig a little bit into my journal to remind myself where I was at the end of that year. If 2021 was the year when it felt like my life was starting to find a regular groove again and everything was starting to pick up, 2022 was simultaneously one of the most fun and most difficult years of my life.

Truthfully, one of the defining aspects of 2022 was just work-related stress. I was overtaxed, overanxious and constantly challenged by my work life for at least two thirds of the year. I cried a whole lot, went into multiple anxiety spirals, was struggling with sleep and panic attacks and fending off illness; I was constantly struggling to just get to work, questioning all the choices I’d ever made in my life and making panicked contingency plans for how to just get out. I’m so lucky to be able to say I made it through, and I genuinely could not have done that without my support systems.

2022 wasn’t all terrible times though, because there were so many wonderful things that I got to do with Macky, family and friends (more on that in a moment!). Luckily, I can now, in hindsight, refer to 2022 as a crucible year since it felt like I was severely tested and came out as someone brand new who feels surer of herself in all the ways – relationships, capabilities, preferences, goals, dreams and lifestyle. The most important lessons I learned were the necessity of a support system you can really lean on in times of hardship (and I’m so fortunate to have some of the best), understanding the real importance of delegation and asking for help when you need it, and how, oftentimes, the only way out is through.

Anyway, on to the actual reason I wanted to do this retrospective even two years later – a collection of memories that I made and truly cherish in 2022! It was fun going down memory lane, and it definitely made me feel super warm & fuzzy to see the good stuff that happened in 2022.

JANUARY: Taylor Swift-themed Candlelit Concert; Grey’s first snow day

FEBRUARY: Flew to LA for Greyson’s birthday, baptism + first Disney visit; painted ceramics with my sisters at Color Me Mine; Patrick Droney concert with Rachel; Polonsky Exhibition at NYPL with Danica; the Met with the Asian Aunties + Grey

MARCH: Jennifer E. Smith + Rebecca Serle event; Dua Lipa concert with the Woodside Fam; Pat’s Back to the 90s party; Van Gogh experience with my sisters; Brooklyn High Low tea

APRIL: Ed Sheeran-themed Candlelit Concert; The Script concert with Mel & Steven; Six the Musical with Rachel; NYBG visit with Rachel, Danica + Grey

MAY: Escape the Room with Woodside Fam; Macky’s A Very Merry Unbirthday party; first picnic and first beach day of the year; Six the Musical with Macky + Rachel; Memorial Day picnic at Gantry

JUNE: Company the Musical with Macky; a beach day with the girls; flew to North Carolina for Olivia’s birthday; James Bay concert with Macky and Danica; Sojo Spa Club day with my sisters; MJ the Musical with Rachel; mini-reunion with roomie Rach

JULY: 4th of July get-together; Bastille Day hangout; Mel’s Kleinfeld session; Kristin’s birthday hangout

AUGUST: Birthday festivities + a luau party

SEPTEMBER: the last beach day of the year; Into the Woods with Woodside Fam; James Bay with Woodside Fam + Danica; pottery class with the sisters; The Music Man with Macky; Cold Spring outing with Rachel, Foul Lady Fortune book event

OCTOBER: Gustav Klimt: Gold in Motion experience; NYCC; New York Coffee Festival; Coach Gabe visits; The Atlas Paradox + Strike the Zither book events; Joe Hisaishi Candlelit Concert; Halloween with Greyson

NOVEMBER: Monet’s Garden experience with Danica; Mel’s bridal shower weekend getaway; Mela arrives to stay for a while; Thanksgiving in Connecticut; Amaze Light Festival with the fam

DECEMBER: MerryMas with the dumdums; The Poison Season book event; visiting the Philippines (and not being able to do anything because I got COVID); & Juliet with the dumdums; Met visit with Danica and Mela, Christmas festivities

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for my upcoming 2023 retrospective post!

Oops.

The truth is in two parts when it comes to what made me drop off the blogging train yet again. The first part is that I was, quite simply, very, very, very busy in 2023. It was such a momentous year (and eventually, I’ll get a belated retrospective up on this here blog too) in many ways, and I was preoccupied with all the life stuff and loved ones that graced my days. And to be fair, that’s how I want it; being present is so important to me, especially given how much it helps ease my anxiety.

The second part is that I was, in hindsight, struggling just a touch to hear my own voice clearly enough to be able to translate it into the longer form writing I do here. I apparently had no issues with writing reviews to share on Storygraph or Goodreads, posting short captions on Instagram or filming videos for YouTube, but whenever I tried to draft a blog post, I’d find myself typing, deleting, typing, deleting, typing, deleting… you get the picture. Eventually, my frustration with the entire exercise would simply boil over and I’d give up – and that happened over and over. It wasn’t fun; this was an unwelcome obstacle to my best laid plans.

It also mirrored how any attempts to write fiction in 2023 went too.

And so, with the marginal patience and calm I’ve learned over the years, I decided to simply let it go. If I couldn’t write anything that satisfied me after April 2023, then so be it. I’d just wait it out, wait until inspiration and desire sparked yet again… and that brings us to the present.

I’m not calling this a comeback, especially given I’ve decided to be very relaxed with myself about writing for this space – both in frequency and length. (And yes, this is also happening with my fiction.) I’m simply relieved to be able to tap into a wellspring of words again, and to finally hear myself clearly enough to translate those thoughts onto (digital) paper. It feels like coming out of hibernation, like brushing dust and cobwebs away from corners, like drawing the curtains open to let in the light.

It feels like coming home.

My sister Rachel and I have a tradition of picking out a word at the start of every new year, which I know many other folks do as well. I usually have a word lingering in my mind that feels like the right word for the year ahead, but 2024 is the first year where I ended up with more than one potential pick. I deliberated for a while on which one I wanted to use as manifestation and description of the year to come, and finally, I’ve settled on the word flourish.

The definition of flourish, at least the one I’ve elected to focus on, is “grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment”. In response to the epic nature of a year passed filled with wonderful, cherished, memorable experiences, I want to be able to use that as momentum forward in my own life.

There’s the physical aspect: maintaining a cozy, clean home, a better-balanced diet, and a regular exercise routine. There’s the financial aspect: improvements in money management and building up my savings. There’s the relationship aspect, specifically making the effort to spend quality face time with loved ones. And, most importantly, there’s the creative aspect: balancing out my hobbies (funny how doing the things I love that don’t seem directly related can often serve as creative fuel), working on my original works of fiction and jumpstarting my online spaces in the ways that feel right for me.

I just reread that last paragraph and wow, I’ve inadvertently put a lot on my own plate for this year. But I’m feeling good about it! I like having goals (your girl thrives when she has a to-do list). And I’m going to take the graceful approach to it all – no actual totals, figures, limits, hard goals to reach, but instead, just striving to incorporate these things into my day to day so they become a permanent part of my lifestyle. It seems to be going well so far, and hopefully, this cascades through the rest of the year.

Anyway, whether you’re a long-time follower or new reader, thanks for being here and for reading all the way to the end of this post. And, because it’s a new year and because this feels like a fresh start yet again… welcome to this blog, my little online space to chat about everything I’ve read, the things I’m interested in (these days, this trends heavily towards anime) and some of my real-life experiences too. Hope you’ll be sticking around (and that I will too)!

(P.S. If you'd like to hear more about my specific reading-related goals, I actually filmed a video for my channel where I talk about them and the twelve books I want to read in 2024.)

My best friend Rachel & I love teaming up for collaborations, and this year, our brainchild collaboration is a series of Buddy (Re)reads. We put our heads together and picked out one book or series to reread together quarterly during this year.

Our first pick was Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid! We had both read and loved this novel when it first came out, and it felt like the right time to revisit the story given that the Amazon Prime miniseries aired in March. I'll be sharing my thoughts on my reread and the TV show below. Don't forget to go check out Rachel's thoughts as well!

I listened to the audiobook the first time I read this, and I absolutely loved it. I chose to do my reread via the same format since I’d had such a stellar experience with it previously. And it was honestly still an incredible reading experience this time around. Given that I knew how it all ended, I was curious to see if that would affect my overall feelings about this story this time around. It did not (and that was a good thing)! I’m going to point you in the direction of my original review for more fleshed out thoughts because everything I said four years ago still holds true. But this reread reminded me of the three things I liked best about this book: the nuanced character portrayals, the use of interviews to tell the story from multiple points of view and the excellence of the audiobook production (with a full voice cast and incorporated music). Even though generally celebrity-centered fiction isn’t my thing, I still concede that this story is well-done and still holds up even years later. (It also may make you want to listen to rock and roll music from the era, which is absolutely not a bad thing at all.)

I don’t watch a lot of live action series to begin with (since I usually stick to watching anime), but I knew that this was going to be an exception to that general unspoken rule given that it was an adaptation of a book that I really enjoyed. And the TV series was good. The cast were chosen well, and I enjoyed seeing how these actors brought the characters I’d read about to life on screen. I was especially impressed with our main characters: Riley Keough as Daisy Jones, who really embodied Daisy’s free spirited, highly emotional nature; and Sam Claflin as Billy Dunne, as he did a great job playing the rock star with his vulnerabilities. The production was also strong, particularly the costumes (I loved the fashion and only wish I could pull it off the same way these characters do), the setting (there was a nostalgic feeling to it) and the music (I’ve been listening to the soundtrack a fair bit since it dropped).

Like any adaptation, changes were made to make it work better for tv show audiences. I’m normally pretty lenient when it comes to these things, but I didn’t love every single choice they made for this show. It bothered me to see character personalities change to some extent, especially Daisy, who starts this series off differently than she does in the book. There were also a couple of events thrown in for additional dramatic effect, and while I understand the merit of doing so for a tv audience unfamiliar with the book, it didn’t sit quite right with me. Still, and most importantly to me personally, the series did capture the overall nuance of the book and it did stick the landing by bringing viewers to the same emotional place the book ends at despite the difference in the route to get there.

Daisy Jones and the Six is a solid book-to-series adaptation; the showrunners did a good job capturing the spirit of the story. Would I recommend checking out the tv show? Absolutely, there’s plenty it has going for it though I’d still suggest checking out the book before watching it since I ultimately think the novel is the superior version of the story.

My hopes were high for this YA debut, but it fell short of my expectations. I struggled with the plot; it starts off slower than I would like, and a large chunk of the novel passes before things really pick up. I also didn’t feel very connected to the characters, particularly Violet (our morally grey heroine who has built extremely high walls around herself as a form of self-defense) and Cyrus (a prince who deals in artifice and masks and who feels impossible to get to know, especially given we don’t get his perspective). Even so, I can’t deny that Violet and Cyrus’ explosive, often confrontational, relationship dynamic always caught my attention with the raw emotional energy pouring out of their encounters. I also found the themes (especially of power and agency) interesting, as well as the use of (and occasional subversion) of fairytale-inspired elements in the tale. It might not have been entirely my cup of tea, but it’s still objectively a solid and very readable YA debut.

Add it on Goodreads | Add it on Storygraph | Purchase it on Bookshop.org

Pub Info: July 26, 2022 by Delacorte Press

Grim as this sounds, any hints at death magic or Death personified in a book synopsis will immediately grab my attention… which was the case for this book (and is one of the aspects of it I liked best). Truthfully, I’m generally more drawn to quest stories or epic political or battle sagas in my fantasy reads, there’s something appealing about the change of pace this novel offers with its limited setting and small cast murder mystery plot. It took me a couple of chapters, but once I was settled into the narrative, I was hooked! What works very well for this one is the author’s ability to create an atmospheric setting (I seriously had some The Secret Garden vibes, and since that’s a favorite for me, that’s a point in its favor) and interesting lore, both of which work together to entice and haunt the reader into immersing themselves in the tale. I also found the characters and the overall plot easy enough to get invested in, so reading this book was quite enjoyable. I’m curious about how the sequel will play out, though this one could certainly stand on its own if the reader so desires.

Of the three titles I’ve read so far, this one was the most pleasant surprise (and easily my favorite)! This YA debut does start out feeling like a typical YA fantasy read; it sticks really closely to the details provided in the synopsis and generally gives the reader the feeling that things are going to play out in the expected way (especially if, like me, you’ve read a lot of YA fantasy over the years). But there’s a turning point at which this novel finds its own footing, and the end result is an immersive, gripping tale that I easily flew through. This book has a lot going for it: 1) a great cast of characters (led by main character Alessa, who blossoms beautifully over the course of this novel), 2) excellent dialogue (the banter, wit and one liners were so good), 3) romance (I was absolutely rooting for our couple, and their tension was delicious), and 4) an interesting plot that escalates at a great pace and ends at a point that satisfies the reader but also leaves room for more. All of these elements are really appealing to me personally as a reader, so you can imagine how overjoyed I feel at finding a new YA book that hits the mark. I’m definitely dying to get my hands on the sequel to find out what happens next!

How do I even begin to talk about The Last Tale of the Flower Bride? It’s one of those stories that felt deeply personal, both in the actual telling of the tale and in the experience of reading it. It’s whimsical and odd; beautiful and unsettling; relatable and raw. It comforts, challenges, charms and, dare I say, consumes the reader lured in by the promise of the prologue.

I’ve read this novel twice now: first, devouring the author’s eloquent, arresting prose on the page; second, listening to the same stunning sentences delivered by our two audiobook narrators. The first time felt like a race - to discover the truth behind the magic, to arrive at the culmination of these complex relationships, to fit the pieces of the puzzle that is the past and the present together. The second time felt like an invitation - to sit with the sentiments so truthfully declared, to understand more deeply the way the fantastical can give us a lens with which to view the world, to reflect on the way life, in all its glory and guts, is filled with the darkness and the light. Both experiences left me reeling from the visceral reactions I had to having things I’ve felt or thought or experiences put into words; both experiences also left me soothed, simply for the way I felt seen and understood.

Can you tell that this story gave me the most contradiction-filled reading experience I’ve had in a long time (and one that I doubt I’ll stop thinking about anytime soon)? The contrasts are stark - between the whimsy and horror of fairytales, between what comes to light and remains in the shadows (at least, until such time as the light reveals all), between the fanciful and the factual, between Indigo and Azure even. The truths bared - about growing up, about marriage, about secrets and pain and identity, about magic - are all at once exquisite and horrifying. The way Chokshi was able to portray these things side by side through the tale of Indigo and her Bridegroom was enough to stop me in my tracks, so unlike anything I’ve read before and entirely unexpected in the way it hit the bulls-eye again, and again, and again.

This novel isn’t going to necessarily be everyone’s cup of tea. It certainly still feels impossible to fully capture the way I personally connect to it with my own words. But, for me, Chokshi’s adult debut is a masterpiece. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a fairytale, but it is also a true story. If this is the type of adult work we can anticipate from her going forward, I know I, for one, will be eager to pick up whatever comes next.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

Pub Info: February 14, 2023 by Harper Collins

Source: e-ARC via Netgalley | ALC via Libro.FM

I truly don't even know where to begin when it comes to talking about TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW. Because, wow. It's a novel that I initially picked up solely for the cover (because I'm a sucker for the exact design style it has). I then picked it up to read with cautious optimism given that it was getting so much praise, and had been a 2022 favorite for so many people... and it clearly worked out very well for me, given that it's left me with the temptation to simply keyboard smash and demand that others read it too.

I will, however, do my best to give this book the actual review it deserves from me. I'm fairly confident this is the first novel I've ever read from Gabrielle Zevin, but it certainly won't be my last because everything about it just really was my cup of tea: the character work, the narrative tempo, the storytelling style (including the actual writing). All of Zevin's clever authorship comes together to weave a story that had me in its grasp from the minute I started listening to the audiobook (more on the listening experience to come at the end of this review), tying together plot, characters and narrative style with an expertise that I am always awed by and quick to consume when I find it in a book.

But it's truly the characters - Sadie, Sam, and even the members of the ensemble that come and go in their lives over the year - that made TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW work for me. There's nothing I like better than to feel like the people I'm reading about could potentially exist somewhere out there in the world; it's more than likely to be the case when an author is fully able to capture most of that individual's essence by giving us a glimpse into their dreams, downfalls, joys, griefs, frustrations and flaws. These folks didn't always do or think in ways that I appreciated, but the human quality of that (we're alike in many ways, but different in others) always make things feel more real to me as a reader. Because I came to care so deeply for so many, it only makes sense that, as my journey through their lives continued, I felt it all with them when they hit those highs and lows.

If you can't tell, I clearly enjoyed TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW. I'm still tempted to keyboard smash at this point and just insist that everyone read it because it's a very good book indeed... so consider this your sign to go and acquire a copy if you haven't already.

RE: the audiobook - I wound up having an Audiobook Listening Copy of this title, narrated by Jennifer Kim & Julian Cihi, thanks to the influencer program with Libro.FM. I liked the audiobook experience a great deal, and felt like the narrators did a good job in bringing this story to life for my ears.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Pub Info: July 5, 2022 by Knopf

Source: ALC received from Libro.FM (Thank you!)

For today, however, I'm keeping things simple by sharing a casual TBR that my friend Kristin & I will be tackling for the rest of the 2023. We both realized recently that we have a lot of FairyLoot editions from our active subscriptions with the company, so in a bid to whittle away at our rather large TBR piles and to get to these books before their special edition sequels are put up for sale, we decided we wanted to read some of these titles together.

1. Belladonna by Adalyn Grace - Signa must ally with Death in order to uncover a murderer and keep the rest of her latest guardian family alive.

2. One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig - Elspeth is on a quest to cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it while also dealing with the monster in her head.

3. Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett - Emily journeys to a small town to study faerie folklore and discovers a mystery. 

4. Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen - A morally gray witch and a cursed prince must deal with a prophecy that entwines their destinies.

5. This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede - Alessa hires a bodyguard for protection when rebellion is incited and her life is threatened.

6. Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan - The follow-up to Daughter of the Moon Goddess, where Xinyin has to battle a new threat to the realm.

Welcome to another Paranormal Book Club post! The Paranormal Book Club is a casual book club I do with my friends Rachel, Kristin & DJ, and it came into being because we decided we wanted to revisit (or experience for the first time) a few older YA paranormal/fantasy books together. Our fourth and final quarter pick for this year was Something Strange & Deadly, the debut novel from author Susan Dennard.

Summary: Eleanor Fitt has a lot to deal with: a missing older brother, a mother determined to marry her off and familial financial struggles. But the Dead are rising in Philadelphia and when Eleanor Fitt realizes her brother's disappearance may have something to do with them, she must team up with the notorious Spirit-Hunters in order to discover the truth.

I hadn't reread this book in literal years, but I have very fond memories of it (and the rest of the series). Seriously, I loved this series so much that Rachel & I teamed up to host the Something Strange and Deadly Celebration and the Something Strange and Deadly Surprise Party back in the day! I was genuinely excited to dive back into this world... and luckily, it turned out to be an excellent experience all around. I loved revisiting this world, this lore, these characters and their story; while there were key events that I remembered, there was a lot of detail I'd completely forgotten about too. That aspect of my reread, plus listening to the entire trilogy on audiobook, made the whole experience feel almost brand new! That said, as a reread, it definitely held up for me from start to end!

“How could I dream when I knew I could act instead?" This feels like a very fitting quote to pick out from our last read of the year. It still fits the theme of endurance in the face of great odds that has been sprinkled throughout the year for me, but what I really appreciate is the the agency in the statement. Eleanor isn't just going to sit back and dream about what could be; she's going to do something to try to reach for it.

There are many things about Eleanor that I don't relate to, but I did identify with her tenacity of spirit, her determination to do right by those she loves and her willingness to go the distance herself when it comes to facing the obstacles in her life.

I genuinely would have loved to read more about Eleanor's brother Elijah (especially his own journey prior to the events of this series as he travels a lot). I would also have liked to read more about a character we encounter in the second book who quite easily has won their spot in my heart.

I can confidently say that it's one of my favorite series of all time, as it's one of the few that truly held up on a reread. And yes, I did reread the entire trilogy instead of just the first book, which already says a lot in and of itself. I'm certainly planning on continuing to read Dennard's Witchlands series (I've only made it through the first two books and the novella) and will also be checking out her new book The Luminaries.

If you're interested in finding out what the others thought, check out their posts below:

I'm excited to be featuring The Girl by Victory Witherkeigh today, as it's one of the only physical books I'll be taking along with me on my trip to the Philippines this month! It seemed a fitting choice, what with this title being by a Filipina author and the story itself being inspired by an aspect of Filipino mythology. Those are, of course, two of the reasons that I'm personally looking forward to picking this one up. More reasons that I'm excited to pick this one up include: it's a coming-of-age story (my favorite), the fantastical twist (bonus points) and an anti-heroine main character (which I generally enjoy). I'm hoping to be able to share my final thoughts when I'm back from my trip at the end of the month, but I'm certainly hoping to really like this debut novel! 

Publication Info: December 6, 2022 from Cinnabar Moth Publishing, LLC

Summary: The Girl follows a nameless main character only known as The Girl. She’s been told since a very young age that she was a mistake, a demon who shouldn’t have been born. Shunned by her parents, she’s shuffled between her parents’ and grandparents’ homes until her eighteenth birthday. The Girl is baffled by her ordinary life in Los Angeles. For all intents and purposes, she’s just like everyone else. That is, until the Demon comes to claim her.

About the Author: Victory Witherkeigh is a female Filipino/PI author originally from Los Angeles, CA, currently living in the Las Vegas area. Victory was a finalist for Wingless Dreamer’s 2020 Overcoming Fear Short Story award and a 2021 winner of the Two Sisters Writing and Publishing Short Story Contest. She has print publications in the horror anthologies Supernatural Drabbles of Dread through Macabre Ladies Publishing, Bodies Full of Burning through Sliced Up Press, and In Filth It Shall Be Found through OutCast Press. Written during NaNoWriMo, Victory’s first novel, set to debut in December 2022 with Cinnabar Moth Publishing, has been a finalist for Killer Nashville’s 2020 Claymore Award, a 2020 Cinnamon Press Literature Award Honoree, and long-listed in the 2021 Voyage YA Book Pitch Contest. Find out more about her at: https://victorywitherkeigh.com/ | Facebook: @victorywitherkeigh | Twitter: @witherkeigh | Instagram: @victory_witherkeigh

Welcome to another Paranormal Book Club post! The Paranormal Book Club is a casual book club I do with my friends Rachel, Kristin & DJ, and it came into being because we decided we wanted to revisit (or experience for the first time) a few older YA paranormal/fantasy books together. Our third quarter pick for this year was The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter, a novel that I read back in 2011.

Summary: Kate has a lot to deal with - her mom is dying, they're moving into her mom's childhood home to fulfill her mother's last wish, and she's starting at a new school where she knows no one. But things get even more complicated when she meets Henry, who claims to be Hades and who offers her a bargain: he can keep her mother alive if she agrees to try to pass seven tests to become his future bride & a goddess.

When this title came up as an option for book club this year, I had two immediate responses. First, I recalled an overall fondness for the series itself, as it was one I followed with every new release. However, I didn't necessarily remember anything very specific about the first book, except for the basic premise outlined in the summary. Second, I was curious to see how I would feel since it's been over ten years since it first came out. The landscape of YA publishing has changed so much since then, as have my tastes, so I was a little eager to see how it would hold up. 

“Keep trying until you have no more chances left," said my mother. There was a hint of steel in her voice that made me wonder if she were really as passive about this as she seemed. "And even then, you keep going." I feel like there's been a theme to the quotes that appeal to me the most lately from the books I read, and that theme is endurance in the face of great odds. I've had to face a lot of difficulties in my own life this year (and still am!), and this particular bit resonated with me.

I didn't fully connect with any of the characters as much as I would have liked to, but I do find Kate's love for her mom very relatable. She treasures her relationship with her mom so much and the lengths she is willing to go in order to preserve and honor it were admirable.

Since this is a completed series, we do get more of what would have been my answer to this question which is 1) more of Henry, 2) more of Henry and Kate and 3) more about the other gods and goddesses.

Overall, it was still an entertaining read that had interesting lore and a compelling story. I don't feel the urge to continue on with the series this time around, since I do know how it ends. 

If you're interested in finding out what the others thought, check out their posts below:

I was really eager to read The Ballad of Never After after falling in love with Once Upon a Broken Heart last year. It was already incredibly exciting to return back to the whimsical, magical universe that Stephanie Garber brought to life in her first trilogy then; after absolutely adoring the first part of Evangeline's adventures (including her entanglement with a certain Prince of Hearts), I was chomping at the bit to get more of her story. In this follow-up, Garber successfully manages to tell an even more incredible, compelling tale -- and it's easily my favorite of her published works so far!

This second installment picks up at pretty much the exact spot where the first novel ends. Our heroine Evangeline Fox is now swept up in a world of curses and prophecies, and it's up to her (perhaps with the help of allies, some welcome while others are not-so-welcome) to uncover more truths and figure out how to break curses in order to save the day. I'm sorry to be a little vague with the summary, but I definitely feel like this is one of those sequels where it's best to go in not knowing too much (and it also is even better experienced as a back-to-back read with the first book). I certainly had no idea what to expect, except perhaps for more of Garber's whimsical world and her fairytale-like storytelling (which is what I did get, but more on that shortly). 

I said it about the previous book, but it's still very much true about this sequel: The Ballad of Never After feels like a modern fairytale. The familiar tropes and twists are ever present in the tale, from the character types, plot elements and story progression. But Garber puts that all together in a way that still feels fresh and organic to the actual story she's telling. The two novels very much work together to feel like they are part of one bigger story, and I love that! 

I loved this second book so much. One reason for this had to do with the storytelling -- from the way that the world of the Magnificent North expands a touch more to the well-paced cadence the plot adopts as it unfolds. There's even more whimsy and magic, more delights and dreads, and it all just popped off the page in the way I've come to love from Garber's work. It was also fun to pick up on all the hints laced throughout the narrative, and to try to figure out which ones were truths and which ones were simply there to throw us readers off the scent. Garber had a clever hand in weaving those bits in, as I genuinely could never be sure what to expect. And the plot kept me hooked too, as I was constantly on the edge of my seat wondering what troubles and triumphs Evangeline would face next! I seriously couldn't set it down past a certain point because I just had to know exactly what would befall our heroine next, and the turns and reveals felt well-earned and well-placed each and every time.

Evangeline Fox has cemented her place as my favorite Garber heroine, and she happens to be another reason I adored the book. I was still Team Evangeline, as I wanted so badly for her to succeed and to find her own happiness. The girl deserves it after everything she's gone through, that's for sure (and especially after the events in this sequel!). She's still harboring the fascination with magic, and belief in love and happiness; she's still stubborn and a touch reckless and determined to make her own way. But her kind, soft heart; her indomitable spirit; her fearlessness; her desire to be loved and belief that everyone deserves a chance -- it's all still as appealing and charming as it was when I first met her, and I adore her to pieces.

There are many characters that I enjoyed seeing again or meeting for the first time in this sequel, but the only other character I really feel deserves to be mentioned is, of course, Jacks. While the contradictory, confusing feelings about him still lingered throughout the story, the truth is that by the time I hit the very last page, I couldn't deny the fact that I cared about him. He's obviously flawed, and he's got some deep-seated issues that result in questionable choices; but he's also got a heartbreaking past, a deep sense of loyalty and devotion, a wicked sense of humor and a talent for banter with our dear Miss Fox. He reminds me, in a lot of ways, of the complicated, messy antihero (somewhat akin to Klaus Mikaelson, who happens to be one of my favorite fictional men), so it's really no surprise that he's wormed his way into my heart.

(P.S. Speaking of Klaus, I have always loved his relationship with Caroline on The Vampire Diaries. And the relationship between Evangeline and Jacks in this one gave me similar vibes with the push-and-pull, the undeniable tension and chemistry and the characteristics of the individuals involved. -- it's the first time I've ever encountered the dynamic captured in another piece of fiction in the way that specifically hooked me with TVD and I'm thrilled about it.)

The Ballad of Never After was a lovely follow-up that didn't hold back on delivering the swoons, the thrills and the fairytale whimsy. I already knew that I was going to enjoy this sequel even before I picked it up, but I'm even more pleased to be able to say that I absolutely loved it! I'd highly recommend picking up this sequel if you loved the first book, and if you haven't read that book yet, pick up both for sure on release day. (And if you have read it, come find me on Instagram so we can chat about the ending! Okay? Okay.)

The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart #2) by Stephanie Garber

Pub Info: September 13, 2022 by Flatiron Books

Source: e-ARC received from the publisher (Thank you!)

It is so bloody wild to think that it's been an entire decade since Throne of Glass first made its debut in the world! I vividly remember being one of those lucky people who got an ARC at BookExpo America; I also recall in detail how I fell in love with this novel. And with every single one of the seven installments that followed, I developed a deeper appreciation for this story, these characters and their world. I've said it many times, and I still stand by this statement: of all of her series, Throne of Glass is my absolute favorite.

I've featured the series many, many times before on this blog (and you can find post links at the end of this post), but it felt important to celebrate this significant milestone! Luckily, my friends Rachel & Kristin felt the same way, so we ended up doing a series reread (I'm a book behind, and I'm concerned for the emotional roller coaster that will be my reread of Kingdom of Ash). And we also decided to share our series favorites today! Don't forget to check out Rachel's post and Kristin's post!

Favorite female character? I have a deep, abiding love for Yrene Towers. I've reread the series many times now, and Yrene's innate goodness and her quick wit continue to impress me each time I encounter it. I find her journey incredibly relatable, from the challenges she faces (from without and from within) to the way she meets each one with her confidence and determination.

Favorite male character? I can say without any doubt that my answer for this question has never changed - it's Chaol Westfall. I love him, full stop. Is he flawed? Sure. Does he occasionally make poor choices? Yup. But I admire him for growing through and past that as the series goes on. His loyalty, protectiveness and heart are part of why I fell head over heels in love with him.

Favorite book in series? I'm truly tempted to say Kingdom of Ash, despite not yet having done a full reread of this novel, because it's so satisfying to watch everything that's been building since the start of the series reach culmination. It's also the biggest emotional roller coaster ride for me in terms of reading experience, including highs, lows, curveballs and everything in between. But if I were to be brutally honest, Tower of Dawn is actually my favorite. I loved this book so much when I read it the first time, and each reread has cemented this installment as one of the most pivotal in the series. It's wonderful to see an expansion in the world, the lore and the cast of characters; it's equally great that the story is also quite compelling. On this particular reread, I got even more emotional than I've ever gotten before!

Favorite place? If you've taken note of my previous answers, then it's certainly not going to surprise you that Antica is my answer. I love the time we spend on the Southern Continent with Chaol, Yrene, Nesryn, Sartaq and the other individuals they encounter along the way. I love that it feels incredibly different when contrasted with the other locales in the series, and that despite the ever-looming threat to the entire world, there's also places that inspire moments of wonder and peace for the characters. I could also totally see myself wanting to visit Antica if it were a place I could go to in real life!

Favorite animal? I love Abraxos! He leans towards playful, sweet empathetic, but also has a warrior's heart when it comes to putting up a fight for the people he loves and deems worth of his protection and loyalty. 

Favorite member of the Cadre? I was torn between two members (Gavriel was the other), but I had to go with Fenrys. There's just something about him that really appeals to me (and it likely has to do with the fact that he reminds me a little of anime characters I like: witty, a little arrogant and deeply loyal). Even without having reread the finale, I can remember so keenly the role he plays in it -- and because it's still so vivid and it does make me incredibly emotional to even think about it, he felt like the right choice.

Favorite member of the Thirteen? I adore the Thirteen so much, but my favorite is definitely Asterin. She's incredibly loyal to Manon; her belief in her cousin, a better future and a place to call him are the reasons she is willing to be painfully vulnerable about her past and incredibly stubborn about doing the right thing (even if it means challenging Manon directly). She's amazing!

Favorite villain? Maeve is, without a doubt, the individual who fits the bill for me. She's evil, and the things she's done are terrible and terrifying. But it's also compelling to learn more about who she is, how she got to where she is; it's no secret that she's had to be intelligent, cautious and prepared to keep the life she's carved out for herself. Definitely the villainous character I find the most interesting for sure!

Favorite assassin? The Mute Master! I've always enjoyed the novella that tackles Celaena's time in the Red Desert. I'm particularly fond of the training sessions she has with the Mute Master, as he totally gives off the slightly-kooky-but-also-could-take-you-down-before-you-could-blink mentor vibes.

Favorite quote? Really, I'm only supposed to choose one quote when there are so many excellent lines in this series?! One of my favorites actually is from Throne of Glass, and it's definitely one of the more well-known quotes: “You could rattle the stars," she whispered. "You could do anything, if only you dared. And deep down, you know it, too. That’s what scares you most.”

Favorite fight scene? The fight between Manon and Aelin when they first meet in Queen of Shadows. It was just really cool to see two powerful young women battle it out, and eventually acknowledge a mutual respect for each other's skills. The fact that this fight also ends with a thread of fate tying them together, well, that's just a bonus.

Most memorable romance? This is a very hard question to answer, as I'm torn between a few different couples. My heart obviously beats for Yrene and Chaol (watching those two stubborn idiots eventually admit to their deep feelings is always fun), and there's an equal amount of joy to be found with Dorian and Manon (their chemistry is undeniable and they could totally have used a ton more page time). But on this reread, it was actually Nesryn and Sartaq who stole my affections. It was lovely to see two independent, capable individuals developing a regard for one another, and watching those feelings grow deeper as they spent more time together. Plus, I must admit to being a sucker for the fact that Sartaq knows what he wants pretty much from the start!

Most memorable friendship? I'm never going to be able to pick just one answer for this one. Never. I refuse to pick on the grounds that one of my favorite things about this series is that there are so many wonderful friendships within its pages. (I will say that the ones that stand out the most in my mind are Chaol and Dorian, Aelin and Lysandra and Manon and her Thirteen.)

For the next three questions, I'm going to preface this by saying -- I'm supposed to pick just one?! I feel like it's always an impossible task when I'm forced to pick just one since this is an eight book series and there are so many standout moments. Since I technically already cheated on the previous question, I'm going to do my best to pick only one scene for each question below, but I want to state for the record that this is under real personal duress.

Scene that still makes you cry? I haven't reread it yet, so but just thinking about the big pivotal scene with the Thirteen in Kingdom of Ash makes me tear up. That moment just wounded me very deeply.

Scene that still makes you laugh? I find plenty of moments in this series funny, especially because there often tends to be a lot of banter between our main cast of characters (and occasionally one-sided banter between one of them and an opponent). But one moment that never fails to crack me up isn't actually on page for more than a sentence or two - it's literally that bit where Lysandra vomits on Lorcan in Queen of Shadows. The mental image it presents me with makes me laugh every time!

Scene that still makes you swoon? I'll never ever ever forget the scene where Chaol and Yrene finally admit to their feelings for one another during Yrene's birthday celebration in the desert. From the present that Chaol gives her to their inevitable passionate embrace, it always makes me swoony.

And that's the end of this favorites post! If you're interested in finding more of my Throne of Glass related content, I'm going to link to as many of my old posts as possible in the hopes that you'll check them out!

Reviews: Throne of Glass Novellas (4 of them are in The Assassin's Blade) | Throne of Glass | Crown of Midnight | Heir of Fire | Queen of Shadows | Empire of Storms | Tower of Dawn | Kingdom of Ash

Blog Features & Tours: Throne of Glass Discussion, Throne of Glass Celebration, Throne of Glass Celebration, Part Deux, {Book} Shopping for Celaena, Shopping for Celaena, The Throne of Glass Book Tag, 10 Reasons You Should Be on Team Celaena, {Bookish} Travel Buddies, Alexa's A to Z of TOG, What Throne of Glass Means to Me, Twenty Questions, Series Roulette

Each time that I pick up a new romance to read, I'm always optimistic that the story will contain the two things I always look for in particular when it comes to this genre: 1) a main couple who I enjoy as individuals but also root for as a pair and 2) compelling story elements outside of the romance. This was my mindset going into Scandalized, and luckily, Ivy Owens delivered on both fronts! 

I enjoyed this book! I wholeheartedly feel this way, despite the sweeping dramatic turns it takes (especially in the third act); it simply made sense for the story to unfold as it did because of Georgia's explosive high-profile investigative journalism piece and Alec's worldwide celebrity. Scandals and unexpected scenarios aside, it was also just a delight to watch Georgia and Alec's relationship blossom. It does start off feeling like their connection is primarily based on lust, an instant spark that appears right when they are reunited in the first few chapters. (Not that I'm complaining, because that romantic tension and the pair's chemistry were off the charts and made all the swoony and steamy moments even better for me!) But watching them work through ups and downs, realizing their connection was much more than just physical attraction and a brief period of shared history - it was all very well-done. I'm really impressed by the fact that every second of their love story was believable despite their unusual circumstances!

Truth is, Scandalized would not have worked as well for me if I didn't love Georgia and Alec. Gigi is driven, determined, capable and loyal; she's also still healing from the scars left on her from a past relationship that ended badly. She felt like someone I would want to be friends with in real life! Then there's Alec, gorgeous, thoughtful, kind, equally loyal, who is clearly enamored with Gigi right from the start and who is willing to do everything and anything he can to win her affections; a man who trying to balance his celebrity with his own desires. (Can you tell I harbored a tiny bit of a crush on this man?) I loved these two a whole lot, and that made the experience of watching them fall in love even better.

If you couldn't already tell, I had the best time reading Scandalized! It made me happy; it made me deeply emotional (somewhere between angry and sad at a variety of points); it also made me swoon (listen, there are plenty of moments that made me all warm and fuzzy and others that were very hot). It's a contemporary romance that I definitely would recommend!

Content Warning: Georgia's investigative journalism centers around a sexual assault plotline. While the assault doesn't happen on page, there are mentions of rape, drugs and non-consensual film recordings.