#fantasy reader

[bookishbethanyerin]

• Review: One Dark Window •

I knew from the dedication page (“To the quiet girls with stories in their heads. To their dreams—and their nightmares.”) that this would be a 5-star read for me.

And honestly, I loved this so much that I kind of don’t know how to review it. It is very much a *me* book – moody and melancholic with a creeping sense of dread, but a romance despite all that – and I know that isn’t everyone’s thing. But if it’s yours, omfgggggg This Book.

The setup feels like a Grimm’s fairytale: girl’s mom dies, girl gets sick, girl is hidden away by her powerful father, girl’s illness gives her a magical ability, girl grows up – and into something else. The magic system here is unique and intriguing, based on magical cards that bestow the current holder with certain advantageous powers – but use a card too long, and suffer the consequences. And the plot basically makes this a high-stakes heist novel, but with magic and betrayal and manipulation at play.

Elspeth, the guarded, careful, clever main character, was extremely easy for me to immediately like and relate to, and Ravyn – my God, I swooned all over the place.

What is maybe most interesting to me about this book, though, is that it’s never really a secret what is going on with Elspeth – there is no big twist because it’s clear from early on. And because you as a reader already have the answer, the build-up to That Moment creates a sense of dread that you will mentally fight, trying to convince yourself that it won’t happen, that it’ll actually be good, that a deal will be struck.

And I think that because you see it coming the entire book, it means That Moment hits so much harder – you just want to hurl yourself right over the edge the cliffhanger balances on. In the best, most addicting way.

I loved everything about this, and cannot wait to get my greedy little hands on the sequel.

5🌟

1.5🌶️

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

I am embarking on TRCC Readathon 2025 with a highly ambitious TBR but I fully embrace the fact that I will not get through all of these in 7 days 😂 I'm just on a fantasy kick so I pulled everything I had that fit the bill and we'll see what happens :3

I'm starting with The Honey Witch and Skysong and so far they are both lovely 🥰 what's everyone else picking up first?

[moonrisereverie]

The Dagger and the Flame

Catherine Doyle

★★★☆☆.75

🎧 Book 31 of 2025 ✧ fantasy ✦ romance ✧

I don't usually focus too much on comparisons in my reviews but if you like Six of Crows or These Violent Delights, then I'd definitely give this a go!

I really like the City of Fantome as a setting, it's quite dark parisian vibes which I don't think I've really encountered before.

Seraphine and Ransom were really compelling MCs, I think they've got enough similarities where their dynamic makes sense while also some really quite clever different to add some friction.

If you're into dark YA fantasy with an enemies to lover throughline, then this would probably be up your street, it's well written and I'm definitely planning on picking up the sequel!

um okay spoilers below it's your fault if you click on okay bye

I was a little bit confused with how long the ending actually was. Post Lark dying I was kind of waiting for things to wrap up pretty quickly and it just kept going? idk I was expecting a bit more of a cliffhanger that would ruin my life but instead I'm fairly content to wait for book 2 rather than clawing for the next one.

also I know this is just the way things are at the moment but the ~spice~ always takes me out of a YA book because like isnt it supposed to be for teenagers? it probably shouldn't bother me quite as much as it does because like teens have sex and everything but God I wish new adult was an actual category because this older YA bullshit me off. it's not even like it's particularly graphic and it's only in 1 chapter and there's on page murder so what do I even know anyway rant over

[honestlyyidk]

reading dark romance is making me absolutely feral. i will never be able to go back.

[shellfish-thoughts]

📖🔥 BOOK REVIEW 🔥📖

A Soul To Keep by Opal Reyna

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Hear me out! I would smash! He’s the best guy around! 😍

Orpheus has come to claim Reia as his new “bride.” Sent against her will, she is determined to escape as soon as she can but finds it difficult when Orpheus is so kind and caring—definitely not trying to kill her and eat her as she had anticipated. 😏

I do love me a good ol’ Beauty and the Beast action, but I wasn’t expecting how heartfelt and wholesome this book would be! Our little Duskwalker is just a big softie who just wants some love and company. How could anyone not like him!? A man who is loving, kind, caring, and trying to learn everything that makes you happy?! That’s happy to receive the smallest bit of kindness?! I can’t; my heart will explode. 🥹

And don’t even get me started on the steam! The spice was very spicy! I loved every second of it! I didn’t know almost getting eaten alive would be so fun. 😚

I felt like there was so much time and care put into this book outside of just the romance. There was a whole world we were immersed in with intricate magic and enemies. Every concept and lore of this series is so fun and unique. To have Duskwalker eyes correlate to their emotions was so fun to see executed! To have them feed off of and smell fear played great into our couple’s learning trust (considering he could have eaten her very easily)! 😍

Everything just felt so purposeful and throughout. To see Orpheus’s brother having lesser “humanity”/knowledge really added to Orpheus’s efforts in growing and gaining knowledge to be able to build a home and care for Reia, even though we can see he still has much to learn. Everything combined played a part in helping this love story blossom while making room for more potential characters and couples.

Read it. The monster part just makes it more fun, trust me! 🔥

[bewsworld]

“I would enter your sleep if I could, and guard you there, and slay the thing that hounds you, as I would if it had the courage to face me in fair daylight. But I cannot come in unless you dream of me.”

~The Last Unicorn// Peter S. Beagle

[itsskye]

Just finished Onyx Storm. My brain isn't braining anymore.

[sinukiyo]

How it feels starting a new chapter of Six of Crows and having to read one of the crows’ tragic backstories

[a-book-scarfing-goblin]

Do you ever say “I like _____ ( mystery, fantasy, sci fi, whatever )” and then can’t think of the last book you read in that genre that you really really liked so then you question your existence

[mindfulmindlessness]

The closeness of her against him felt like something he’d needed all his life and never known he was without. A breath drawn after a life of suffocation.

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, Mark Lawrence

[simmerbeans]

My 2024 book wrap up!

Did we read any of the same books this year? Tell me your favs you read!

[bookishbethanyerin]

Fictional fantasy men written by women really do say the swooniest things.

[theletterboxstuff]

okayyyy guys but what about the book hangover you get after finishing a phenomenal book series????? like what am I supposed to do now???

[alexandrian-archives]

The Amazing Vibes I bring to the Function lol (follow if you bring these ones too!)

[moonrisereverie]

Ruthless Vows ✒️

Rebecca Ross

★★★★☆.25

🎧 Book 21 of 2025 ✧ fantasy ✦ romance ✧ romantasy? ✦

I read Divine Rivals late last year, and I would have read this one sooner if only my library holds weren't so far apart. Anyway, I've FINALLY finished the series!!

This is more of what I thought Divine Rivals would be, I was under the impression the series would be about two people exchanging letters from opposite sides of a war, and that's not really what's covered in the first book. I'm glad I at least somewhat got to experience what I thought was the hook of the series.

I actually think I preferred this to Divine Rivals. Like idk the vibes were right with this one I can't lie. I've seen a lot of people dislike this book and they were usually rating DR 4-5 stars so I have to assume that we just fundamentally enjoy different parts of the books.

Also I really valued Roman's perspective more in RV, I remember liking him last time but much more from Iris' perspective but this time I actually really enjoyed being in his head. I listened to the audiobooks and the narrator does a great job and I'm not sure I'd connect with Roman quite so much without his performance. Iris is one of my favourite female protagonists I've read in a while, she's got an edge to her I really enjoy.

I'll probably read the spin-off when it's out because I really like this world 😊

Going to get into some ~spoilers~ now so if you haven't read the book beware but please just know I had so much fun and this book lowkey cured my reading slump.

I loved the role reversal of Iris being anonymous to Roman this time around. I think I just like it when characters in a relationship are on a more equal playing field and it was a bit iffy for me in DR but now that I got to see it both ways I'm more on board.

I was so sad when Forest died, I actually shot up and just frowned like :( for a second. I can't say I was terribly attached to him as a character but I felt so awful for Iris about it. I did like him don't get me wrong, and his romance arc was intriguing to me.