The Keeper of the Key by Nicole Willson My rating: 5 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Keeper of the Key in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Nicole Willson crafts a gripping and atmospheric tale in The Keeper of the Key, a YA horror/paranormal novel that delivers exactly what I hoped for. From the first chapter, I felt pulled into a world full of eerie charm and unsettling secrets. The setting breathes with life—creepy without becoming cliché, vivid without overexplaining. Fans of haunted mansions and generational curses will find so much…
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The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years
The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan is a beautifully layered and haunting novel that shifts through time. Blending South Asian folklore with the eerie elegance of British gothic literature, it draws you into a story where the past never truly stays buried. Set in a crumbling English mansion called Cilmary, the story follows Ayesha, a teenager who moves in…
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Two Twisted Crowns
Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig My rating: 5 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Two Twisted Crowns in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist To begin with, Two Twisted Crowns picks up right where One Dark Window left off—and from the very first chapter, Rachel Gillig pulls you even deeper into the eerie, enchanted fog of Blunder. This is the kind of sequel that not only meets expectations but shatters them, rebuilding its world with higher stakes, sharper emotion, and a story that cuts clean through the heart. The Details Firstly, Elspeth…
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Queen Among the Dead
Queen Among the Dead by Lesley Livingston My rating: 3 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Queen Among the Dead in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Queen Among the Dead by Lesley Livingston is a richly atmospheric YA fantasy set in a myth-infused version of ancient Ireland. With its fierce heroine, enchanted landscapes, and anti-authoritarian message, this book has all the elements of an epic. But while the premise is promising, the execution sometimes stumbles. The Details The story follows Neve, a strong-willed princess who refuses to be bound by the expectations…
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Cursed
Cursed by Marissa Meyer My rating: 3 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Cursed in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Cursed is the much-anticipated conclusion to Marissa Meyer’s Gilded duology, a haunting and magical retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. While this final installment offers a return to the eerie world readers fell in love with in book one, it struggles to maintain the same level of momentum and emotional depth. It’s still worth reading, but it didn’t quite leave the lasting impression I had hoped for. The Details The strongest element of Cursed remains…
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Life’s a Witch
Life’s a Witch by Amelia Ash and Kim M. Watt My rating: 1 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Life’s a Witch in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist It’s 2025, yet Amelia Ash and Kim M. Watt still hand readers a heroine who feels obligated to mop up every man’s mess. Grown men toss their emotional garbage at her feet, and—surprise—she shoulders the blame. I kept waiting for one of these dudes to pick up a broom or, better yet, grow a conscience. No such luck. The Details Our protagonist flees her…
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One Smart Witch
One Smart Witch by Amelia Ash and Kim M. Watt My rating: 2 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of One Smart Witch in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist One Smart Witch had the perfect chance to grow the story—maybe by exploring more of the magical world or shifting the focus to fresh character dynamics. Instead, it treads the same tired path as book one. The plot sticks to the exact same structure, centering—yet again—on the brother. It’s like no one else in this universe is considered worthy of a storyline. The Details…
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Witch Slap
Witch Slap by Amelia Ash and Kim M. Watt My rating: 2 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Witch Slap in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist Witch Slap started with a premise that held a lot of potential—a mix of magic, mystery, and dark humor that could have made for an entertaining read. Unfortunately, the book struggled to keep me engaged throughout. From early on, the pacing felt uneven and dragged in many places, which made the story hard to follow and ultimately frustrating. The Details One major issue for me was…
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If You Could See the Sun
If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang My rating: 5 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of If You Could See the Sun in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang is a smart, sharp, and emotionally grounded debut that brings something truly fresh to the young adult genre. Set in an elite Beijing international boarding school, the novel follows Alice Sun, a scholarship student who has always felt invisible—until she actually becomes invisible. What starts as a strange and terrifying discovery soon turns…
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The Limitless Sky
The Limitless Sky by Christina Kilbourne My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Limitless Sky in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Gist The Limitless Sky by Christina Kilbourne is a gripping dystopian novel set in a future reshaped by climate catastrophe. At its heart are two teenagers, Rook and Gage, who come from opposite worlds—one underground, the other surviving on the surface. Though their lives begin separately, their stories slowly weave together in a way that keeps the reader engaged. The Details Kilbourne’s writing shines in how vividly she builds…
