The Queen's Gambit by Jessie Mihalik

Available now

This year, I’m trying my best to read as many books as possible from the various stashes around my home. Apparently, I have 720 unread books on my Kindle and you better believe I’m NOT counting my unread physical books. No one needs to know that number. I loved the Consortium Rebellion series from Jessie Mihalik and I was beyond delighted to find this novella tucked away in my Romance for Roe Kindle folder. This was from a fundraiser back in 2020 from a bunch of romance authors that donated money to Planned Parenthood (I’m pretty sure) and in exchange for a donation receipt, I received a large collection of romance ebooks from various authors. In true Michelle fashion, I’ve only read a handful of those books but I’m making up for that this week.

The Queen’s Gambit is a fantastic space adventure romance set in its own universe. Queen Samara sets out on a dangerous mission to rescue/capture Valentin, Emperor of the Kos Empire, who is imprisoned by the rival Quint Empire. Desperate to save her people from starvation, Samara uses her wits, neural implants, genetic enhancements, and a badass space ship to pull off this daring rescue.

Samara and Valentin have an instant and electric connection. As both are world leaders, they have to battle with putting their people ahead of their feelings for each other. Mihalik does an excellent job balancing this tension with loads of exciting action sequences. It’s fast paced with a good balance of plot and character development. Samara is a great character. She’s a tough leader who cares deeply for her people, but also knows how to play the political game and keep up appearances with those around her. She also has some great rapport with her closest friends and the banter is top notch. We only get a glimpse of Valentin’s character in this book, but he seems worthy of Samara and knows the way to her heart is through her people. I’m hoping to see more of him in books 2 and 3 which I’m planning to read this week.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novella. It’s a perfect balance of action-packed sci-fi and romance and with the right amount of humor and heart. The Queen’s Gambit introduces us to a new world of fascinating space and human technology as well as complicated political alliances and rivalries. It’s full of my favorite bookish things: badass women, strong friendships, danger and romance. Plus, it’s a completed trilogy of novellas so you’re in for a quick, enjoyable read.

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Guillotine by Delilah S. Dawson

Available now

While this is not my first read of 2025, I actually read this in September, it feels like a very prescient book to share now. If you love a “Horrible Rich Person Gets What They Deserve” book, this is exactly what you need. Delilah S. Dawson has become an auto-buy author of mine because she is so skillful at crafting stories that are horrifying, humorous, and still oddly hopeful. The day I read this, I was with my favorite small child who had stayed home from school with the sniffles, and while we watched too many children’s movies, I gleefully read through this insane thrill ride of a book and trust me, it was a wild reading experience.

Guillotine is a short read, just 196 pages, and it is so packed with action that it just flies by. It is full of horrible people, and a few not-so-horrible people, who make life horrible for the people around them, making horrible decisions and horrible things happen to them. It’s intensely violent. It’s bloody, gory, vividly detailed, and also…cathartic? It’s a wild and incredible ride and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s one of those incredible books that makes you wonder if you should be giggling at such a horrifying scene, but the scene was genuinely funny! It’s a fantastic book that if you find yourself loving it as much as me, let’s be friends ;)

Happy Reading!

This post may contain links, including Amazon Associate Links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.