Tuesday Review: An Arcane Education

 

Magic. Wealth. Beauty. Reputation.

Here, all of them amount to the one thing everyone desires: Power.

Welcome to Arcadia Academy. Trust no one.

The day I’m attacked is the day I discover magic is real – and I have the power to wield it.

Two days after the incident, I receive an invitation to the graduate program at Arcadia Academy, an elite, mysterious school of magic hidden on an island somewhere off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. With the courage to finally leave behind the mundane life of responsibility I never asked for, I enroll at the prestigious institution, determined to find my place and prove myself.

Unfortunately, my goal isn’t as simple as it seems. New to the world of magic, years behind my classmates, and struggling to control my powers, I’m barely surviving – until the strict, enigmatic, and devastatingly handsome Professor Alaric Vale offers to tutor me. But the longer we spend together, the harder it becomes to deny the forbidden spark burning between us.

Furthermore, not everything is as it seems at Arcadia Academy, with its crawling ivy, ancient stone buildings, and dense forests shrouded in fog. Everyone has secrets to hide, some darker than others. Darker still are the strange plant aberrations occurring in the depths of the forest – ones seemingly related to Professor Vale’s suspicious top-secret research.

When my personal investigations lead to me becoming the talk of campus as a primary suspect in another student’s death, I’m forced to prove my innocence, all while learning to control my magic, concealing the secrets I share with Professor Vale, and uncovering a shocking mystery related to my own past.

I really wanted to love this one because it had so many things that usually work for me. A magical academy, professor/student romance, secrets, politics, and an interesting magic system? Absolutely. And for the first half, I was hooked. I loved the atmosphere of the academy, Vivian’s friendships, and the way the story slowly introduced the world and its magic.

The romance is where it started to lose me a little. I liked Vivian and Alaric together, and their dynamic had so much potential, but I wanted to actually experience more of their relationship developing. A lot of that progression happens during private tutoring sessions that we don’t get to see, and then the story jumps forward and tells us how much the tension between them has grown. Those were the moments I wanted on the page. Because we missed them, some of the bigger romantic moments didn’t hit quite as hard for me as I wanted them to.

The pacing outside of the romance was a little uneven for me too. There were some really interesting mysteries being set up, but a few of the answers seemed to come together very quickly toward the end. I wanted a little more buildup, especially for some of the bigger reveals.

That being said, I really enjoyed the academy setting, the friendships, and the magical side of the story. There are still a lot of secrets I want answers to, and I’m curious enough about where everything is going that I’ll definitely be picking up book two.

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Tuesday Reviews: Die for Me

 

A stay-up-all-night, smart, spicy romance following a doctor who finds herself falling for an alluring, much-younger man with a deadly secret

Sean’s not in the market for love. The only female, let alone Black, interventional cardiologist at her hospital, she’s watched too many of her male colleagues divorce their first wives to marry younger models—and then there’s the abusive relationship she’s spent the better part of her early 30s healing from. Her passions are reserved for her best friend, her goddaughter, and her job.

Then she meets Julian. Brooding, beautiful and eleven years her junior. In short: A bad idea.

Julian pursues her in a way that sets off alarm bells in her mind, but she finds herself unable to resist their undeniable chemistry—even starts fantasizing about him in dreams that feel altogether too real. They also have a lot in common despite their age gap. So, to hell with it: If men can date younger, why can’t she? But the more Sean gets to know him, the more impossible Julian seems: He has a depth and sorrow to him that’s beyond his years, and sometimes there’s a look in his eyes that’s less than human, and leaves her feeling more like prey. Plus, Sean herself has been exhibiting odd symptoms—memory lapses, a lack of restraint that's unlike her, persistent exhaustion—that all trace back to Julian, making Sean feel more than a little afraid. Who—or what—is she falling, irrevocably, in love with?

Die for Me was one of those books where I closed it and had to sit with my thoughts for a while. There was a lot I enjoyed, especially Sean, Onix, the paranormal elements, and the first half of the story. I also had absolutely no idea what was going on with Julian for a good chunk of the book, and I actually enjoyed trying to piece that part together.

Things got a little more complicated for me in the second half. I liked Julian overall, but there were times when his persistence crossed a line for me and made it harder to root for him. I also struggled with some of Sean’s choices. She starts out as such a strong, independent character who has already learned some hard lessons from her past relationship, so watching her repeatedly forgive things from Julian that I expected her to push back against was frustrating.

The pacing was probably my biggest issue. The first half worked really well for me, but later there were sections that seemed to linger while other things happened much faster than I expected. By the time I reached the ending, I wanted a little more room for everything to play out.

Overall, 3.5 stars. There were some really interesting ideas here, and the paranormal side of the story was probably what I enjoyed most. It just ended up being a much more mixed read for me than I thought it would be going in.

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Tuesday Reviews: The Midnight King

 

A king should know better than to make an enemy of his wife.

Hours after her wedding, Aurora stood over her husband with a blade to his throat. Desperate to slay his beasts before they doom her world, she made a reckless bargain—become a pawn to a despicable queen in exchange for royal status and an army. But even a princess’ tiara might not be enough to destroy the beasts her husband created.

Theron has been outplayed by his traitor bride. He should be furious that he’s returning home with an enemy army nipping at his heels, except he can’t fully hate the beautiful new wife who outwitted him. Convinced he can win Aurora back and turn her army around, Theron offers her something irresistible—help mastering her time magic.

Neither Aurora’s insolent soldiers nor her cunning husband can be fully trusted. Yet the closer she gets to Theron’s kingdom, the blurrier the line between friend and foe becomes. All Aurora knows for certain is that if she fails to master both her magic and her heart, the tragedies of history are doomed to repeat themselves.

The Midnight King is the second epic fantasy romance novel in the Cycle of Calamity series where The Legend of Zelda meets a Bronze Age Outlander. If you love fated romance, time travel, court intrigue, and enemies to lovers, escape into The Midnight King!

I really enjoyed The Oracle of Dusk, so I was excited to jump back into Aurora and Theron’s story with The Midnight King. This one definitely expands the world with more magic, politics, secrets, betrayal, and quite a few twists I didn’t see coming. I really liked seeing Aurora come more into her powers while also trying to figure out who she can actually trust and what choices she’s willing to make. But honestly, Aurora and Theron together were probably my favorite part. Their relationship is complicated, neither of them is completely good or bad, and there’s still plenty of tension between them as everything around them gets messier. I also really liked the time magic aspect and how much more we get to learn about the bigger world in this book. There were a few parts that dragged a little for me, but once things got moving again, I wanted to know what happened next. Overall, this was a really solid continuation of the series with enemies-to-lovers, court politics, magic, high stakes, and plenty of twists. I’m definitely curious to see where Elyse Thomson takes Aurora and Theron next

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Tuesday Reviews: Little Red Shadow

 

She wields shadows. He wields charm. A Little Red Riding Hood retelling where a fake courtship is the most dangerous lie of all.

Perfect for readers who love the glamour of Bridgerton and the criminal underworld of Six of Crows.

Scarlett killed the girl she used to be. What survived is a gang operative who moves through London's underworld like smoke, protecting her best friend from the shadows and trusting no one.

When death threats target the one friend she allows herself, she hunts for the source of the danger—determined to end it before more blood is spilled.

Instead, she finds Lord Benedict Pearce. Not an assassin, but a charming aristocrat.

When the truth comes out—that they’ve both been manipulated by the ruthless Wolves gang—they realize the only way to survive is to work together.

Their arrangement is simple: pretend to court each other while they dismantle the criminal conspiracy threatening everyone they love.

But fake affection has a dangerous way of turning real. Behind the effortless smile and aristocratic charm, Benedict is a man who sees too much and protects too fiercely—even when Scarlett makes it clear she doesn’t need saving.

As their investigation drags them deeper into the Wolves’ brutal world, Scarlett must confront the past she thought she’d buried for good. When the Wolves force her hand, she must decide whether survival is enough… or whether Benedict is the first thing she’s ever wanted enough to risk it all.

I really enjoyed how the Little Red Riding Hood elements were woven into this story, especially the Wolves, Granny’s place, the red cape, and even the almost wolf-like way Scarlett’s abilities manifest.

 Scarlett was easily one of my favorite parts. She’s strong, capable, and definitely doesn’t need anyone swooping in to save her, which made her dynamic with Benedict even more fun. He’s charming, cheeky, and just enough of a pain in her ass to keep their interactions entertaining, while still having a vulnerable side that gave their relationship more depth. 

Their romance is definitely a slow burn, and while I enjoyed the tension and payoff, I found myself wishing there had been a little more focus on their relationship along the way. Some of the action sequences also ran longer than I personally needed and could have benefited from more dialogue and character interaction to break them up. 

Overall, this was another creative spin on a familiar fairytale with a great FMC, a fun relationship dynamic, and enough connections to the first book to make the series feel cohesive. I’m especially curious to get to Rhosyn’s story next.

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Tuesday Reviews: Beauty and the Blade

 

 

A spy bride. A scarred gang leader. A Beauty and the Beast retelling filled with secrets, found family, and slow-burn romance.

Perfect for readers who love the glamour of Bridgerton and the criminal underworld of Six of Crows.

Ever since her mother's murder, Contessa has been determined to bring the killer to justice. Her prime suspect is Mr. Nathanial Woodrow—a wealthy gentleman by day and the feared leader of the Lions, London's most powerful magical street gang, by night.

So when Mr. Woodrow unexpectedly asks for her hand in marriage, Contessa sees the perfect opportunity to uncover the truth from the inside. But infiltrating the Lion's den proves far more dangerous than she imagined.

Behind Mr. Woodrow’s scarred exterior and ruthless reputation, she finds a fiercely loyal man who rescues orphans and tears down her defenses over late-night whiskey and games of chess.

As secrets unravel and enemies close in, Contessa must decide whether the man she's falling for is truly her mother's killer—or the only person capable of helping her uncover the truth.

I loved the concept of this one more than the execution. A Beauty and the Beast retelling set in Victorian London with gangs, an arranged marriage, a scarred and feared mob boss, family secrets, and a touch of fantasy sounded completely up my alley. I really enjoyed Nate as the MMC, especially the contrast between his reputation and the patient, respectful man Connie actually discovers, and I liked the questions the story raises about justice, morality, and who the real monsters are. 

Unfortunately, the romance was almost too slow of a burn for me, and I never quite felt the chemistry I wanted between them before everything suddenly came together. The writing also kept me at a distance from the characters, which made some of the bigger emotional moments and revelations land softer than they should have. Once the plot and action picked up, I was much more invested, and there were some genuinely interesting twists, but a few major conflicts wrapped up too quickly and neatly for my taste. 

Overall, a really intriguing premise with plenty of elements I enjoyed, but I wanted more depth, tension, and emotional payoff from the romance.

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Tuesday Reviews: The Umbra King by Jamie Applegate Hunter

 

The morally grey don’t want redemption. They want retribution.

After the brutal murder of her twin sister, Aurora “Rory” Raven spends years forging herself into a ruthless vigilante killer.

She never gave up her search for the man who killed her sister, but when she is convicted of thirteen murders and sentenced to five-hundred years in Vincula, the prison realm, she knows her sister’s death will never be avenged.

After arriving in Vincula, Aurora discovers her opportunity for retribution is closer than she thought.

Caius is the notorious Umbra King, ruler of Vincula, King of the Monsters, and the thing nightmares are made of. After being locked in his own realm for a crime he didn’t commit, his only focus has been revenge.

But when Aurora drops into his throne room, representing everything he despises, they begin a game of cat and mouse, and before long, their hatred turns into something else.

Circumstances draw them together, but revenge might tear them apart.

I have no idea why I waited so long to read this book because it was ridiculously entertaining from start to finish. Is it the most complex fantasy romance I've ever read? No. Is it one of the most fun? Absolutely.

From the moment Rory and Caius met, I was hooked. The enemies-to-lovers tension was everything I could have wanted. They genuinely dislike each other at first, and their constant verbal sparring made every interaction feel electric. The chemistry between them practically jumped off the page.

Rory was such a refreshing heroine. She's fierce, stubborn, morally gray, and completely unhinged in the best possible way. As a vigilante who takes justice into her own hands, she's not your typical fantasy romance FMC, and I loved that about her. Her loyalty to the people she cares about and her refusal to back down made her impossible not to root for.

And then there's Caius... excuse me while I add another fictional man to my ever-growing book boyfriend list. This man had no business being that charming. Beneath his intimidating reputation and sharp tongue is a fiercely loyal ruler who genuinely cares about his people. Watching him slowly fall for Rory and become increasingly devoted to her was one of my favorite parts of the book.

The romance was definitely the highlight for me. The progression from enemies to allies to something much deeper felt natural and satisfying. Every interaction between them had me smiling, laughing, or kicking my feet.

I also loved the supporting cast. The side characters added so much personality to the story, especially Sam. He completely stole every scene he was in, and I already need more of him in future books.

While the plot isn't necessarily groundbreaking, it moves quickly and keeps you invested. There was always something happening, whether it was action, political intrigue, romance, or another reason for Rory and Caius to drive each other crazy.

Overall, The Umbra King was an addictive romantasy filled with enemies-to-lovers tension, a morally gray heroine, an unforgettable hero, fantastic banter, and a cast of characters that made me eager to continue the series. If you're looking for a fun fantasy romance that will keep you thoroughly entertained, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

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