The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen

Available now

This book is utterly enchanting! This was my most recent pick from Book of the Month and it was perfect to read during the winter holidays-but don’t wait until next Christmas to read it! Grab it now if you’re looking for a snow filled world full of magic, mystery, and danger.

Twin sisters Natasha and Clara were cursed by their godfather on the day of their christening. Clara, declared Light and Natasha, Dark. Clara grows up the golden child, full of life, charm, and beauty. Natasha, shadowed by her sister, grows up plain, studious, and ignored. Together, the girls grow up wealthy thanks to the deep pockets of their godfather Drosselmeyer who funds their parents ostentatious lifestyle and social climbing.

On the night of their 17th birthday, their godfather Drosselmeyer comes to the annual gaudy and drunken family Christmas Eve party with gifts for his goddaughters. For Natasha, a garish and terrifying clown doll the size of a man, capable of moving on its own. For Clara, a small nutcracker that appeared both incredibly cheap and magical. More shockingly, Drosselmeyer was there to announce the engagement of Clara to Conrad, a young man from a prominent family and Natasha’s not-so-secret secret lover. Later that night, furious, heart broken and bereft, Natasha finds herself swept away to a magical land alongside her sister. But the two don’t remain together for long. When Clara is taken away by the now lifelike nutcracker in a horse drawn carriage, Natasha finds herself alone in a magical candy-filled world seemingly made from Clara’s dreams.

What follows is a dark and deadly adventure through the lands of the Sugar Plum Fairy. An adventure that leads Natasha on a twisted mission of revenge and retaliation.

This book is incredibly dark. Please don’t go into this Nutcracker retelling expecting anything light or fluffy. Even the scenes through the magical candy filled lands are very disturbing. I can’t even look at a gingerbread man the same way. It’s full of dangerous magic, violence, deception, greed, and borderline child abuse. The characters are not likeable, not even remotely likeable. But the world building is very well done and finely detailed and I found the story incredibly compelling. And that cover! Stunning. If you’re in the mood for some serious sibling rivalry, absolutely atrocious family members, wicked wealthy people, and dark magical lands, this is definitely a good pick for you!

I bought my book through Book of the Month and if you use my referral link, you get your first book for $5 and I get a free one! Or, pick this up from your local Library or bookstore. You can also find ordering information by clicking on the book cover above.

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

Pride Reads: A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow

There are numerous lists (yay!) of amazing books to read during Pride Month, and all year long! Here is one of my favorites!

Available Now

I absolutely loved this story! LOVED IT! If you love fairy tale retellings, especially ones that point out every sexist and problematic element, then is the perfect book for you.

On Zinnia Gray’s twenty-first birthday, she finds herself dying, surrounded by rose petals, at the top of a tower. Now, Zinnia has been dying since the day she was born. Genetic abnormalities caused by environmental pollutions has caused irreparable damage to her body and Zinnia knows she has maybe one more year left to live. After a birthday party thrown by her absolute best friend Charm, Zinnia finds herself faced with a spinning wheel just like a real-life Aurora.

What Zinnia doesn’t anticipate, is finding herself transported to a fairy tale world with another Aurora-like character, Princess Primrose who is destined to fall into a deep sleep for 100 years on her twenty-first birthday.

So what happens when you combine two real-life Sleeping Beauties who don’t feel compelled to follow the story written for them? They set out to write their own.

This is a short little novella that packs a huge emotional punch. I loved this book from the very first page and found myself laughing out loud and cheering on Zinnia and Primrose as they fought for their freedom. I’m a huge sucker for books with awesome friendships and Zinnia finds a fast ally in Primrose but also has the world’s best friend in Charm, her friend since elementary school. They are all fiercely protective of each other and have no problem calling each other on their nonsense. Charm doesn’t let Zin get too down and Zin doesn’t let Charm get too lost in searching for an answer to Zin’s illness. I found myself relating to the overprotectiveness of Zin’s parents and Zin’s need to break away and become her own person with the little time she had left. Some tears were definitely shed during this book but it was easily balanced by all the amazing one-liners and banter between the characters.

A Spindle Splintered is an excellent feminist retelling of one our most loved and problematic fairy tales. It’s subversive, funny, dark, and full of wildly beautiful illustrations.

If you would like to add this novella to your shelf, you can find ordering information here:

This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

Horror Quickie: What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (Re-Post)

It’s Spooky Season! Enjoy some of my favorite horror novels from the past few years.

Available now

What Moves the Dead is a deliciously creepy Gothic horror that is deeply unsettling. T. Kingfisher has given us a gorgeously written retelling of Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher” that is both atmospheric and utterly terrifying. Told through the eyes of Alex Easton, a retired soldier, this slim little novel takes us on a horror-filled journey to uncover the mysterious afflictions that have fallen upon Alex's childhood friends. With the help of mycologist Eugenia Potter and a doctor, James Denton, Alex battles forces no one is prepared to believe.

Fair warning: This book is incredibly graphic, incredibly horrifying, and gave me nightmares for weeks. I’m not complaining about the nightmares-I love when a book is powerful enough to be nightmare inducing.

Incredibly atmospheric and chilling, What Moves the Dead is sure to leave readers deeply disturbed and thoroughly satisfied. If you’re interested in your own copy, you can click the cover for ordering options or click here.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Horror Quickie: What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

Available now

What Moves the Dead is a deliciously creepy Gothic horror that is deeply unsettling. T. Kingfisher has given us a gorgeously written retelling of Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher” that is both atmospheric and utterly terrifying. Told through the eyes of Alex Easton, a retired soldier, this slim little novel takes us on a horror-filled journey to uncover the mysterious afflictions that have fallen upon Alex's childhood friends. With the help of mycologist Eugenia Potter and a doctor, James Denton, Alex battles forces no one is prepared to believe.

Fair warning: This book is incredibly graphic, incredibly horrifying, and gave me nightmares for weeks. I’m not complaining about the nightmares-I love when a book is powerful enough to be nightmare inducing.

Incredibly atmospheric and chilling, What Moves the Dead is sure to leave readers deeply disturbed and thoroughly satisfied. If you’re interested in your own copy, you can click the cover for ordering options or click here.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon Associate links, and I may earn from qualifying purchases.

Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert

It’s here! It’s finally here!

The third book in the Dark Olympus series gives us the very steamy retelling of Helen of Troy, Achilles, and Patroclus. When Helen realizes her brother intends for her to marry the person who literally wins her hand in a gladiator style competition, she decides to compete for herself. She wants to win her freedom to live her life on her terms and not that of someone who must bend to the will of a political alliance. What Helen doesn’t anticipate winning is the hearts of two gorgeous men who are willing to worship the ground she walk on…and her.

It’s so good you guys! In true Katee Robert fashion, this story is hotter than hot with truly interesting characters. Achilles wants the power that a marriage to Helen would bring, but he isn’t interested in maintaining an actual relationship with her…until about three minutes after he meets her of course. Patroclus wants Achilles happy and is willing to ensure that happiness at any cost. Both Achilles and Patroclus have ties to an agency outside of the Thirteen and are interested in the power that agency can provide, but Achilles would be out if he married Helen, leaving Patroclus behind. Patroclus, being Patroclus and wanting only happiness for Achilles, knows he’ll be left behind and is willing to let that happen if it means Achilles is happy. So much angst! So much “I love you more than my own happiness and I would raze the world for you” going on in this book. Everyone has their own end goal and the three of them ending up together? Not even on anyone’s radar. The journey these three take to fall in love is truly magical and I loved every single bit of it. It’s so good!

If you would like to add this amazing book to your shelf, you can click on the cover or here for ordering information.

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

A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow

Available Now

I absolutely loved this story! LOVED IT! If you love fairy tale retellings, especially ones that point out every sexist and problematic element, then is the perfect book for you.

On Zinnia Gray’s twenty-first birthday, she finds herself dying, surrounded by rose petals, at the top of a tower. Now, Zinnia has been dying since the day she was born. Genetic abnormalities caused by environmental pollutions has caused irreparable damage to her body and Zinnia knows she has maybe one more year left to live. After a birthday party thrown by her absolute best friend Charm, Zinnia finds herself faced with a spinning wheel just like a real-life Aurora.

What Zinnia doesn’t anticipate, is finding herself transported to a fairy tale world with another Aurora-like character, Princess Primrose who is destined to fall into a deep sleep for 100 years on her twenty-first birthday.

So what happens when you combine two real-life Sleeping Beauties who don’t feel compelled to follow the story written for them? They set out to write their own.

This is a short little novella that packs a huge emotional punch. I loved this book from the very first page and found myself laughing out loud and cheering on Zinnia and Primrose as they fought for their freedom. I’m a huge sucker for books with awesome friendships and Zinnia finds a fast ally in Primrose but also has the world’s best friend in Charm, her friend since elementary school. They are all fiercely protective of each other and have no problem calling each other on their nonsense. Charm doesn’t let Zin get too down and Zin doesn’t let Charm get too lost in searching for an answer to Zin’s illness. I found myself relating to the overprotectiveness of Zin’s parents and Zin’s need to break away and become her own person with the little time she had left. Some tears were definitely shed during this book but it was easily balanced by all the amazing one-liners and banter between the characters.

A Spindle Splintered is an excellent feminist retelling of one our most loved and problematic fairy tales. It’s subversive, funny, dark, and full of wildly beautiful illustrations.

If you would like to add this novella to your shelf, you can find ordering information here:

This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon, and I may earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

Neon Gods by Katee Robert

Available now

I vividly remember checking out the same books on greek mythology over and over again from my local library when I was finally old enough to walk there on my own. They were small blue hardcovers and contained the basic stories of all the gods and goddesses and I was hooked. I have read some great retellings, Alisha Rai wrote a great one, and I was intrigued to see what Katee Robert’s take on the Hades and Persephone story. Especially a take that includes a wealth of rich people problems. 

The city of Olympus, divided into the upper and lower city by the River Styx, is ruled by the Thirteen. Thirteen Gods and Goddesses, titles given through birth or election, who control the economic interests and laws of Olympus. The Thirteen revel in their wealth and power and most are willing to go to any lengths to increase that power. When Persephone Dimitrou, daughter of Demeter, is engaged against her will to the known wife-killer Zeus, she flees the glamorous party on foot. Discovering she is being followed, she kicks off her heels and flees for her life. Crossing the River Styx places her in Hades’ territory but as he is nothing more than a myth, Persephone takes her chances in the lower city. 

The last thing that Persephone expected to find was a large, growling, incredibly handsome man intent on carrying her to safety and bandaging her feet himself. The man who should be nothing more than a myth, is now her best chance for survival and way out of Olympus for good. Hades sees Persephone as the perfect weapon to exact revenge against Zeus for killing his father decades before. Together, Hades and Perspehone develop a plan that will benefit them both: a very public and sex-driven fake-dating scheme to show the Thirteen that Persephone now belongs to Hades. 

As the two plot their scheme, ripples begin to form in the powerful connections between the Thirteen and the citizens who fall under their rule. When Demeter threatens to cut off supplies to the lower city, Hades must do all he can to protect his people. The harder he works to protect those around him, the more Persephone discovers that he is much more than the intimidating and ruthless gangster that so many make him out to be. Hades exposes Persephone to more than just life in the lower city, he also shows her the powerful attraction of unbridled passion and public erotic play. 

Robert created an intriguing world for the Thirteen to rule. To me, it felt like a take on Gotham City. There are the exclusive and wealthy high rises filled with penthouse suites and security details, but also high levels of crime and tensions between the areas governed by different gods. Persephone grows up believing the lower city is somehow more crime ridden and depressed than it actually is. She is shocked to find something that feels far more like an idyllic small town filled with small shops and cafes. There is a sense of underlying magic in both parts of the city. There is a force within the River Styx that prevents unwilling crossing and many of the buildings have a distinct sense of history and age with them, but people also have cell phones and credit cards that can be frozen. There’s a lot of discussion about trust funds and high end fashion, but also Hermes is able to perfectly mimic the voices of the people she carries messages for. It’s very interesting how the author blends the mythology with the present day and I’m curious to see how the series plays out in the future. 

This is my first Katee Robert romance so I’m far from an expert on how Neon Gods lands on her steam scale. This is definitely a hot and highly erotic romance.  Hades loves kink and loves public displays of sex. When he discovers that Persephone intends to use that to her advantage, he takes great care to introduce her to the rules and expectations that level of kink comes with. It doesn’t take long for the two to genuinely fall for eachother, and they fall hard. 

There is a great cast of side characters that I hope will all have their own books. It was really fun to watch grumpy Hades clean up after the hard partying of Hermes and Dionysus. Hades doesn’t want friends, or the responsibility of having friends, but Hermes and Dionysus don’t seem to care. They are going to be there whether he wants them or not. Persephone’s sisters are all distinct forces on her life and they’re hatred of the Thirteen should make for some interesting plot lines in the future. 

Overall, this is one great book! I plowed through this in a day and loved every minute of it. It’s fast paced, very steamy, and has great characters. I loved watching Persephone and Hades fall in love and I can’t wait to see what happens next. 

If you would like to add this amazing book to your shelf, you can find ordering information here: 

This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian

Available July 6, 2021

Unless you’re a Book of the Month member, it was available as a June pick!

I have never been the biggest King Arthur fan. I love mythology, royalty, and palace intrigue, for sure, but there was always so much focus on the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur himself that the stories always fell a little short with me. Half Sick of Shadows has completely changed the way I look at the lore surrounding the Lady of the Lake and Arthur´s journey to the throne. In Half Sick of Shadows, Laura Sebastian tells the legend of Arthur´s rise to power, but through the lens of the women who made his ascension possible.

Haunted for most of her life by dreams of her own death, Lady Elaine was seen by many at court as a mad woman. Her overbearing and agoraphobic mother only amplified those feelings and made Elaine feel even more alone. When Morgana makes an appearance at court, Elaine finds herself drawn to her boldness fearlessness. After Morgana questions Elaine about her mysterious dreams, Elaine discovers that she is not mad, she is a powerful oracle in need of training and guidance.

With this new information in hand, Elaine finds herself on a magical adventure in Avalon with her new best friends Arthur, Morgana, Guinevere, and Lance. Idyllic days spent learning magic, romping through the woods, and taking part in wild bonfire parties. But the dreamlike days can´t last forever. Told through multiple timelines and Elaine´s mystical visions, the real story behind Arthur´s ascension and the powerful women who stood by his side for years, is told.

I absolutely loved Laura Sebastian´s writing. Sebastian makes you feel like you´re Elaine, writing in your journal or trusting your secrets to a best friend. Sebastian also gives us more than just a feminist retelling, she gives us an intimate look at the relationships between some of the most well known characters in literature. We know that Arthur will go on to greatness, but Half Sick of Shadows shows us the insecurities, the doubts, and the struggles that went in to that journey. Elaine faces even more pressure than Arthur. Every vision is a burden. She has seen how her friends die, how they betray one another, how they hurt, help, and love each other. Every vision leads Elaine needing to make an impossible decision between her friends and one of the greatest prophecies.

As Elaine, Morgana, and Gwen sacrifice their happiness over and over again to ensure Arthur´s rise to power, we see the toll those sacrifices take on them and their friendship. Over and over again, the women refer to their mission of ensuring Arthur´s success, that everything they are doing is for Arthur and Arthur must always come first. You can feel their love and dedication for him, but you can also feel their frustration of having to limit their power and desires in service to their mission. Seeing the way they weigh every decision, every calculation, every effect on their friendships and their lives really showed how vital they were to the success of Arthur and his Kingdom. It´s a really interesting take on the tale and made for a lovely reading experience.

Half Sick of Shadows is a beautiful, haunting tale of friendship, family, and the lengths we are willing to go to protect the ones we love. If you have any interest in King Arthur, definitely add this to your list. You will not be disappointed.

This was offered as an early release from Book of the Month in June. I personally love BOTM and the selection of the books that are offered every month. If youŕe wanting to try it yourself, you can use my link: https://www.mybotm.com/5f24d9c326b8?show_box=true and we´ll both win.

If you would like to add this amazing tale to your shelf, you can find ordering information here:

This post contains affiliate links and I earn from qualifying purchases.

A Blade so Black by L. L. McKinney

Available Now

Reader Friends, I screwed up. Again. I had access to a smoking good sale last fall and bought a copy of A Blade so Black because the cover was gorgeous and it sounded amazing.

And then it sat on my YA shelf, looking gorgeous, until this month.

Why do I always wait so long to read these amazing books? The world may never know.

A Blade so Black is an action packed, modern retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Alice is 17, I think, attends high school, has an extremely tight knit group of friends, and slays Nightmares in Wonderland by night. Slays with swords and daggers. This is by far the most badass retelling of Alice in Wonderland I've ever read. Now, even though Alice has become a tough Dreamwalker, aka Nightmare killer, she still has an equally tough single mother who is incredibly protective of Alice. For good reason-Alice's father passed away leaving her a single mother and an innocent high school girl named Brionne was shot down by the police near their neighborhood. Mama is justifiably stressed.

I really loved how McKinney gives us a look at how complex being the hero can be. Alice is juggling friends, homework, house chores, and saving the universe. She's also ruining her clothes and shoes without an endless Tony Stark budget to replace them. And those friends of hers? Time runs differently when she crosses over to Wonderland which means she is always looking like a flake and missing out on plans. Sometimes, the most important plans get missed.

The world-building is incredible. It was so much fun to read how McKinney reimagines Lewis Carroll's original world. Classic characters come to life in new and exciting ways, and far more inclusive ways. Alice is a gorgeous, cosplaying black girl with a head full of smarts and the Mad Hatter? A hottie who trains her and runs a pub with Maddi, or that sleepy, slightly drunk critter from the original book. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum? Hottie Russian twins. Lots of hotness in this book.

Overall, this book was just what I was needing: an action packed adventure with amazing characters. I loved this retelling and I can't wait to see what happens in the next book because this one had one heck of a cliffhanger!

If you would like a copy for yourself, you can grab one here:

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As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Also, remember any mistakes and opinions are always my own, even if I bought the book with my own money and just read it last night.