Book Review – Sea of Charms

13 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

After spending time immersed in cozy fantasy at New York Comic-Con, I’m back to writing book reviews. Next up on my backlog for review is Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst. This is the third book in The Spellshop series and I just reviewed the second book, The Enchanted Greenhouse, last week.

You can find my reviews of the previous books and purchase links below:

  • The Spellshop – review here / purchase here
  • The Enchanted Greenhouse – review here / purchase here

And for a disclaimer – I received Sea of Charms courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Book cover for 'Sea of Charms' by Sarah Beth Durst featuring a serene seaside scene with a sailboat, lush greenery, and vibrant flowers framing a wooden gate.
I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

Marin had always belonged on the great blue sea. When the man she thought was the love of her life schemed to ruin her parents’ business, she did what her heart knew best: she fled to the sea.

Now working as a supply runner on her own boat, Marin sails from island to island, delivering a varied array of goods: letters, flour, stories, and even the occasional enchanted statue. It’s a lonely life, but it’s hers. Besides, she’s got the company of Perri the sea serpent and Ree the sailor shrub. They’re the best crew she could ask for.

On one of her routine trips to the capital of the Crescent Islands Empire, Alyssium, Marin finds the city on fire and a revolution underway—so she offers transportation to Dax, a composer friend who refuses to leave behind his instruments. What starts as a rescue evolves into a deal: Marin will keep Dax on as a (temporary) member of her crew if he becomes her pretend boyfriend at the End-of-Harvest Festival back home.

Against her better judgment, Marin finds herself intrigued by his stubbornness, his passion for stories, his charming smile—and realizes that perhaps she isn’t saving him. Maybe it’s the other way around.

Sea of Charms is a cozy fantasy romance about finding your crew, your family, and moreover, finding yourself.

This book felt different that the earlier ones in this series because it took our characters to multiple islands across the Crescent Islands Empire. While the other books in the series work well as stand-alone novels, this one ties in to the events of those earlier books and would be best read after the other two. Marin is a side character in The Enchanted Greenhouse, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that we see where her adventures overlap with the events of that book.

The timeline in Sea of Charms takes us back to roughly the start of the revolution in the capital city, Alyssium. This book also takes place over a longer time frame than the earlier ones, but with a broader world to explore, that made sense to me. For part of the book Marin sails without any human companions, so the romance aspect of this story takes time to develop as it requires Dax to be around Marin enough for their relationship to develop.

I loved how Marin tried to be a loner and refused to take on a crew or passengers, only to bend her rules as circumstances changed. She was unable to refuse people in a desperate situation and I think she empathized with their desire to flee their homes as she herself had done when she went to sea, even if the reasons were different. Dax was also a wonderful character who starts out naive and sheltered, but he yearns to see the world. His role as a talented composer and musician put him in a different social class than most of the other characters we see in this book, but opposites attract and made him the perfect partner for Marin. Dax is obviously enamored with her throughout the book, but it takes time for Marin to heal from her past experience and to learn that she can fall in love again. Like the earlier books, the romance is sweet and stays simple.

Once again, a talking plant was probably the most endearing character in this book. We first met Ree the wax myrtle in The Enchanted Greenhouse, but in this book we see him learn how to sail. Like Dax, Ree is also naive but eager, and his joy in becoming a sailor helps to soften Marin’s heart.

The places that Marin and crew visit in this book were one of my favorite parts of the book. We get to see Alyssium during the revolution, as well as Marin’s family home with an abundance of winged cats. Together the crew braves a dragon and a magical storm, and even encounters unicorns. Overall this was a delightful and inventive story that tied together some of the pieces of earlier books, while remaining focused on its own central plot.

The next book in the series will be The Magical Cheese Emporium and is expected to be published January 19, 2027.

Have you read any of Sarah Beth Durst’s books other than this series? Which would you recommend? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my book reviews here.

Book Review – The Enchanted Greenhouse

08 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

I’m looking forward to attending New York Comic-Con (NYCC) this week and started to look through the list of panels and attendees. NYCC is hosting a panel on cozy fantasy, with one of my favorite cozy authors in attendance – Sarah Beth Durst. Since I’m working through my back log of book reviews, I thought this would be a great time to catch up on reviews of a couple of her books that I’ve read this year.

The Enchanted Greenhouse is the second book in the loosely connected Spellshop series. You can find my review of the first book below, as well as one for a stand-alone fantasy novel by Durst that I recently reviewed:

  • The Spellshop – review here / purchase here
  • The Faraway Inn – review here / purchase here
Book cover for 'The Enchanted Greenhouse' by Sarah Beth Durst featuring a magical greenhouse in a snowy landscape, with an intricately designed structure and a cat with wings in the foreground.
I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.

While readers of The Spellshop will instantly recognize the character of Terlu from a tale told in that first book, no prior knowledge of this series would be necessary to jump into this not-quite-a-sequel second book. When Terlu is reanimated in an unfamiliar forest, she knows as much about her surroundings as the reader does.

As Terlu explores her new environs and meets the denizens of an island filled with a series of enchanted greenhouses, she brings the reader along in that discovery. I found myself completely invested in the mystery of the failing magic. Like The Spellshop, this book is also a light romance, with some nice moments and captivating settings to be found within the magical gardens.

If you enjoyed the sentient spider plant, Caz, from the first book, there are more of his relations to be found in this novel. These non-human denizens were essential to fill out the cast of characters since both Terlu and the gardener, Yarrow, are essentially trapped on the island through their circumstances and choices. This limited setting leaves fewer potential plot complications, but the ongoing failures of the greenhouses provided enough twists and mystery to keep me interested in the book.

Cozy fantasy seems to always involve some level of cuteness in regard to the creatures, and I am all here for this. In this book we have a winged cat and some tiny dragons. The shrub who wants to be a sailor was a particular favorite of mine.

The Enchanted Greenhouse delves more into spells and the practical use of magic that we didn’t see in the first book, and I enjoyed seeing the characters think through their problems, spend time researching, and then learn how to work their own spells. The necessity of this was a nice counterpoint to the prohibition against lay people performing magic.

Overall I enjoyed this book a lot. I can’t decide if I liked it more than The Spellshop or not. Anyway – I’ve already read the next book in the series, Sea of Charms, and should have a review of that out in the next few weeks. It looks like a fourth book will be out in 2027 titled The Magical Cheese Emporium.

Have you read this series? What did you think? What other cozy fantasy books should I read? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my book reviews here.

Book Review – The Keeper of Magical Things

27 Jan 2026 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

I previously read and loved Julie Leong’s debut novel, The Teller of Small Fortunes, and you can find my review of it here (with a purchase link here). When I came across her newest novel offered for review on NetGalley, I requested it and was fortunate enough to receive it from the publisher. The Keeper of Magical Things is set in the same world as The Teller of Small Fortunes, but each could be read separately as there is no direct overlap in the characters or events (paid link). Read on below to see what I thought.

I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

Certainty Bulrush wants to be useful—to the Guild of Mages that took her in as a novice, to the little brother who depends on her, and to anyone else she can help. Unfortunately, her tepid magic hasn’t proven much use to anyone. When Certainty has the chance to earn her magehood via a seemingly straightforward assignment, she takes it. Nevermind that she’ll have to work with Mage Aurelia, the brilliant, unfairly attractive overachiever who’s managed to alienate everyone around her.

The two must transport minorly magical artifacts somewhere safe: Shpelling, the dullest, least magical village around. There, they must fix up an old warehouse, separate the gossipy teapots from the kind-of-flaming swords, corral an unruly little catdragon who has tagged along, and above all: avoid complications. The Guild’s uneasy relationship with citizens is at a tipping point, and the last thing needed is a magical incident.

Still, as mage and novice come to know Shpelling’s residents—and each other—they realize the Guild’s hoarded magic might do more good being shared. Friendships blossom while Certainty and Aurelia work to make Shpelling the haven it could be. But magic is fickle—add attraction and it might spell trouble.

This novel was easy to read and featured an immediately sympathetic character in Certainty. While the author’s first book took characters along a journey through different towns, this book leaves Certainty and Mage Aurelia stuck in the village of Shpelling.

A classic quest story takes characters on a journey that is often a literary device used to introduce them to new places and adversaries. In a novel like The Keeper of Magical Things, the story could stagnate by being set in a single locale, but instead, this book moves the plot along by having Certainty explore the village, greet its inhabitants, and grow her relationship with Mage Aurelia.

This novel does feature a romance, and it isn’t hard to figure out who is involved. The author adds several fun quirks to the story, like winged cats and a talking teapot, and the “useless” magical artifacts provide a way for Certainty’s creativity to shine. I also loved the cover on this one!

Overall this was a nice read that shows the importance of community and finding your niche when it seems like you’ll never fit in. I think I did like the author’s previous book a little better, but this was a quick and easy book to fall into and I’ll be looking out for more by Julie Leong in the future.

Have you read either of Julie Leong’s novels? Have you tried a cozy fantasy novel yet? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Grimm Curiosities

09 Jul 2025 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I fell victim to Instagram advertising and signed up for a one-time surprise book box from Caffeine and Legends over the winter. When the book arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was written by an author I had read before and enjoyed. Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher is an indie title that I would describe as a historical paranormal romance (paid link). Read on below to find out what I thought of it.

I read the paperback edition.

Here is the blurb:

It’s 1851 in old York. Lizzy Grimm struggles to save her late father’s charmingly creepy yet floundering antique shop, Grimm Curiosities. Then, during a particularly snowy December in this most haunted city in England, things turn…curiouser.

Lizzy meets Antony Carlisle, whose sister suffers from the same perplexing affliction as Lizzy’s mother—both stricken silent and unresponsive after speaking with ghosts. Working closely together to fathom what power has transformed their loved ones and why, Lizzy and Antony discover an important her father’s treasured set of rare books on ancient folktales, enchantments, and yuletide myths. Books that a persistent collector is awfully keen to purchase. Books Lizzy can’t bear to sell.

Every bewitching passage and illustration opens a doorway to something ancient and dangerously inviting. Keys to a mystery Lizzy and Antony are compelled to solve—even if doing so means unleashing one of this bright holiday’s darkest myths.

I enjoyed this book and found it to be an easy and quick stand-alone read. I was instantly sympathetic toward the protagonist, Lizzy Grimm, who has been caring for her ailing mother while trying to make a living from the shop left to her by her father. Societal norms from the time period limit the ways in which she can earn a living and the family is struggling.

The story takes off quickly as patrons visit Lizzy’s shop, one in particular showing a sinister interest in some of her father’s books. Lizzy is torn between a sentimental attachment and trying to stay in her home and current situation. While fending off these offers, she also meets her love interest, but he is scandalously above her own social standing. Together with the paranormal occurrences, this made for an entertaining story.

The romance in this book is not a surprise (as I would believe is true of most romances from what I’ve read of that genre), but it provides a way for Lizzy’s plight to catch the interest of those more powerful than she to move the plot forward. I found that Antony was a little too good and too nice to be true, but that didn’t bother me overly much.

The romantic scenes in this novel are less spicy and explicit than in some of the more recent romantasy genre books. If you’re looking for the heat level of Fourth Wing or ACOTAR, you won’t find it here. This is set in the 1800’s and Lizzy has to worry about her reputation, okay?

I’d definitely read another book by this author and I’ll have to look to see what else she’s published that might be a fun and light read.

Have you read many indie (self-published) books? Which ones would you recommend? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Sorcery and Small Magics

20 Mar 2025 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy was one of the books that I purchased in a recent Fairy Loot box (paid link). My copy is one of the prettiest books I’ve received from them so far, with sprayed edges, interior cover art, and a foiled design on the front and back covers. Read on below to see what I thought of the book.

I read the Fairy Loot special hardcover edition.

Here is the blurb:

Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics.

He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic.

That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic.

Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.

Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.

This was an easy-to-read story that is about two people who find themselves thrown together by an inadvertent curse and then have to find common ground to get themselves out of the situation. In the course of their misadventure, you can quickly tell that this is also a romance (M/M).

I like the way that the magic in this book required both a scriver and a caster in order to perform a spell. That was a unique piece of worldbuilding that added unexpected depth to the plot and the problem-solving required of the characters.

This book was good but also somewhat forgettable. I didn’t realize that it was going to be the first part of a series. I think that it would have worked better as a stand-alone if the author could have moved events along more quickly. However, the story implies that there are greater evils happening in this world that I expect our characters will be drawn into in later books. In the end, I was rather disappointed by the conclusion of this first book, and I don’t know if I’ll pick up the next volume.

One odd thing that I noticed while reading this book is that I have come across a lot of characters named Grimm lately – in this book, Perfectly Wicked by Lindsay Lovise (reviewed here), and Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher (review coming soon; paid links).

What books have you read lately that have a unique approach to magic? Let me know in the comments.

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Perfectly Wicked

18 Feb 2025 1 Comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , ,

I picked up Perfectly Wicked by Lindsay Lovise on a whim when I saw it on sale. This is a romance with magic-wielding characters who are not quite witches (paid link).

I read the hardcover edition.

Here is the blurb:

Holly Celeste and her sisters make the best apple cider in Maine—courtesy of a magical secret ingredient—but even that hasn’t been enough to keep their orchard afloat. To save the family business, Holly accepts a proposal to let a ghost hunting series film an episode on her farm. Connor Grimm may be the sexy and down-to-earth TV host the nation loves, but to Holly he represents her greatest fear: exposure. Holly doesn’t mind if Connor chases down a silly ghost story—it’s their other secret she’s terrified he’ll reveal.

Connor Grimm’s life goal is to normalize the paranormal, which he does on his show, Grimm Reality. Except he isn’t only looking for a ghost at Wicked Good Apples. There have been rumors of rain during droughts and other inexplicable happenings that could only be attributed to something supernatural, and Connor plans to expose it on an episode that will take his show’s success to another level.

Intent on keeping Connor in the dark, Holly joins him as he interviews eyewitnesses, hunts for old records, and unearths a story even she didn’t know existed. Despite her resolution to dislike him, she begins to fall for the only man who’s ever made her feel like strange could be normal. Too bad a relationship with Connor could only be temporary; he moves to a new state every month, and there’s no room in his life for a woman with a pet hedgehog, a houseful of nosy aunts and sisters, and a failing apple orchard.

When Connor finally pieces together Holly’s greatest secret, he’s forced to choose between revealing his biggest paranormal discovery yet and propelling his show to the top of the charts, and giving it all up for the wicked woman who’s charmed his heart.

After some dark, dense, and long fantasy books, I needed to find something like this light romance novel from Lindsay Lovise. I read this last month while I was sick with the flu, so I finished this book in just a few days. It was easy to read and at about 300 pages, made for a quick break from more complicated novels.

This book follows a traditional formula for a romance novel. We see the main male and female character’s viewpoint chapters as they both deny what they feel for each other and try to resist their mutual attraction. Circumstances keep throwing them together until they realize they can no longer resist each other. There is a good amount of spicy description in this book, and a particularly hot hayloft painting scene.

I liked how the plot skipped over details of Connor’s show and only showed brief glimpses of his filming process. The focus of the story was on the character interactions and the mystery of the apple farm’s magic and history. While this was a romance, I found enough other aspects of the plot to keep me interested in how the characters figured out those secrets.

I had assumed that Holly and her sisters were witches, but they never thought of themselves this way, and they struggled to understand their own magic. This turned out to be an important mystery in the book, but initially I had thought it was a weakness in the characterization.

Overall this was a light and fun book. I’d consider reading another novel by this author. Have you read any other books by Lindsay Lovise? Let me know in the comments.

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Iron Flame

27 Aug 2024 1 Comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

I picked up the second book in The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros after I finished book #1 (Fourth Wing). The sequel – Iron Flame – picks up immediately after the events at the end of the first book. Read on below to see what I thought (paid links).

Here is my review of Fourth Wing (Empyrean Book #1).

I read the hardcover edition of this book.

Here is the blurb:

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

While the first book in this series ended with an exciting action sequence, the aftermath of the battle also led to the revelation of some long-held secrets that threw Violet’s world into chaos. As this book opens, she struggles to reconcile this new information, while wondering whether her relationship with Xaden can survive any more secrets.

If you liked the first book, you’ll probably like this second installment. If you weren’t a fan of the first book, then you probably won’t like this one either, since it features the same characters and style of story-telling.

The book takes us back to Basgiath, where Violet reunites with her friends and the dangers inherent to their education. However, the plot finds new twists that kept me engaged with the larger story. Like in the first book, not everyone survives. And also like the first book, the ending leaves the world and the characters changed, adding to my anticipation for the third and final book, Onyx Storm, due out in January 2025 (paid link).

Have you read any books in this series? Let me know in the comments (above).

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – The Foxglove King

06 Apr 2024 3 Comments

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I picked up The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten at an early-release signing at New York Comic-Con in 2022. This is the first book in The Nightshade Crown series from Orbit books. Read on below to see what I thought (paid links).

I read a paperback ARC of this book.

Here is the blurb:

When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city.

Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore’s job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore’s power is revealed, she’s taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks sanctioned to use Mortem working for the Sainted King. Lore fully expects a pyre, but King August has a different plan. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what’s happening and who in the King’s court is responsible, or die.

Lore is thrust into the Sainted King’s glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August’s ne’er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society.

But the life she left behind in the catacombs is catching up with her. And even as Lore makes her way through the Sainted court above, they might be drawing closer than she thinks.

I’m sad that I hadn’t read this book sooner because it featured a fascinating female protagonist, creative world-building, political intrigues, and plenty of romantic tension. Even though the plot does fall prey to some cliches, it all comes together for a great read.

We know that Lore is special from the outset, so in some ways this is a standard hero’s journey tale. She gets into trouble and is forced to spy on the court, putting her immediately into the way of courtiers, a prince, and a king. Her partner in this mission is a celibate monk who is one of the best characters in the book as he struggles with divided loyalties to his religion, his nation, and Lore, who might become more than a friend.

The magic in this world was based on the mythology of fallen gods and the two who remained to rule over life and death. Some people also take poison like a drug to extend their lives (albeit at a price). I love stories where magic is immersed in the foundations of the world, so this was exactly the type of tale I gravitate toward. I stayed up all night reading the last ~200 pages of the book because I couldn’t put it down.

The next book in the series, The Hemlock Queen, comes out on April 9, and will be on its way to me soon (paid link).

Have you read any of Hannah Whitten’s books? She has also written The Wilderwood series that is on my to-be-read list (paid link). Let me know in the comments (above).

Read more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Fourth Wing

15 Feb 2024 4 Comments

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is a book that I had not heard of until a few months ago. Thanks to TikTok, it was propelled to prominence and became a best-seller as part of the newly coined “romantasy” genre. It had a pretty cover and also featured dragons, so I had to check it out. Fourth Wing is the first book in the Empyrean series (paid links). Read on below to see what I thought.

I read the hardcover edition of this.

Here is the blurb:

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

This book felt like a mashup of several other series: The Dragonriders of Pern, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and maybe a little bit of Outlander. It was completely entertaining and I read it in about two and a half days and then ordered the next book, Iron Flame (paid links).

As someone with a disability that results in frequent injury, Violet was a sympathetic character. I’ve heard that she has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, although her condition isn’t specifically named in the book. No one expects her to be able to survive the harsh training or the assessment of the dragons in Basgiath War College. However, one of her advantages is that she is used to dealing with pain.

This is also a romance and Fourth Wing features an initial rivalry between Violet’s best friend from home and the bad boy who might want to kill her or kiss her. When the relationship heats up, it gets quite spicy.

I enjoyed the twists in the plot and the sense that more was going on behind the scenes than the people and even the dragonriders have been told. I guessed one aspect of the ending a few pages before it was revealed, and I have some other guesses about where the story is going. I’m planning to start book 2, Iron Flame soon (paid link).

Have you read Fourth Wing yet? What did you think about the ending? Let me know in the comments (above).

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon

22 Jan 2024 2 Comments

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I want to take a break from my reviews of Leigh Bardugo’s books to highlight a few recent stand-alone reads that I just finished. The first one is That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming (paid link). I first heard of this author when she was a guest at an online event for writers sponsored by Orbit Books, but I hadn’t read anything of hers prior to this. This book is the first in a series called Mead Mishaps, but it looks like each is a separate story (paid link). I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read the e-book edition of this.

Here is the blurb:

All I wanted to do was live my life in peace. Maybe get a cat, expand my spice farm. Really anything that doesn’t involve going on a quest where an orc might rip my face off. But they say the Goddess has favourites. If so, I’m clearly not one of them.

After saving the demon Fallon in a wine-drunk stupor, all he wanted to do was kill an evil witch enslaving his people.

I mean, I get it, don’t get me wrong. But he’s dragging me along for the ride, and I’m kind of peeved about it. On the bright side, he keeps burning off his shirt.

This was a light and fun novel that I read over just a couple of days. Cinnamon encounters a demon and accidentally discovers that the product of her spice farm (cinnamon, heh) frees him from a curse. Her world is turned upside down when the demon, Fallon, reveals that the Goddess worshipped by the humans of this land is actually a lich who has tricked everyone into serving her.

The story is all told through Cinnamon’s point-of-view. Her voice is energetic and opinionated, and her reactions to her situation were entertaining. Fallon is the dangerous bad-boy demon, but despite being a monster, he keeps his word about things. There weren’t many other characters of note in the story, although we do see a brief picture of Cinnamon’s family which helps to flesh out her motivations more fully.

While this is an obvious romance book, the non-romance part of the plot follows a classic quest format and creates a vehicle for the characters to interact. Cinnamon refuses to acknowledge her attraction for Fallon for a while, but when she gives in to it, the sex scenes are creative and explicit. The author does a good job of building the tension of the plot at the same time that the romance escalates, so that the ending of the book was satisfying in both respects.

I might read more of this series as it was a quick and easy book to get through — perfect to read on a cold and quiet weekend.

Have you read anything by Kimberly Lemming? Let me know in the comments (above).

Find more of my reviews here.

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