TITLE: A Kiss of Crimson Ash

AUTHOR: Anuja Varghese

PAGE EXTENT: 400

PUBLISHER: Orbit Books US

GENRE: Fantasy

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐️💫

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Nandapore is a city of secrets and spellcasters where seduction reigns and a power-hungry king is never satisfied, plotting to unleash a weapon that has only lived in myth … until now. 

To stop him, an ancient goddess seeks out a newly crowned queen, a heartsick prince, a common thief, and a courtesan with magic in her blood. Together, they chart a course through brothels, temples, taverns, and palaces, setting a trap for the empire’s most powerful men. 

Linked by desire, destiny, and a dangerous foe, they each must decide … What will they risk for a weapon worth dying for, and a love worth staying alive?

When I heard that this fantasy is set in a world inspired by medieval India, brimming with divine and elemental magic, AND spicy and steamy and full of queer representation, I KNEW I had to get my hands on a copy and devour this title! Super grateful to Orbit Books US for answering my wishes!

This is a book best enjoyed when you go in blind and discover this luscious world along with the characters so I will give you a quick summary without divulging too much of the plot hehe. Taara is the newly crowned queen of Abhaya, who is married to Prince Garjanathan of Nandapore. Bhediya is a courtesan in Chandanee Mukan or the House of Moonlight, and the Prince’s lover (yes, tea). Roland is a common thief who also happens to be a friend of the Prince. How do these four people fit into the puzzle in the greater scheme of things? What does the Goddess Yusara want with them? There is something brewing in Astirakhanda, something that can decimate the world and involving a power-hungry king and it’s a race against time for our four main parties! Dive into this multi-perspective starter to what I believe will be a fascinating trilogy and that epilogue will have you itching for Book 2!

Medieval India was a time where sex was celebrated and rejoiced, and not a taboo in society. It is evidenced in all the intricate carvings you see on a myriad of temples in India. This book is definitely a homage to that chapter in time. Not only is this a queernormative world, but also one where queerness shines! This book features steamy and luscious M/M, M/F and F/F romances that will leave you giddy and giggling! And also, a lavender marriage of sorts! Taara and Payal are indeed my favorites! ♥️

When we think of fantasy, the magic system is the first thing that comes to mind. The author has managed to perfectly blend divine and elemental magic with a cast full of elvenkind, humankind and gods and I can’t wait to discover more in the books to follow!

I love me a good multi-perspective story where we follow the storylines of different characters until we culminate in the climax(I know this is a steamy book, but I don’t mean THAT kind of climax haha) While I enjoyed reading the pursuits of Taara, Garjan, Roland and Bhediya, I would have preferred for them to meet sooner in the book and have more time together instead of towards the very end. There were a few chapters in the story that dragged on and made the book feel a tad bit sluggish but that being said, this book is setting the stage for something more sinister and I am here for it! 🙌🏾

Anuja Varghese has written what is indeed a powerful debut full of desi lingo and loveable characters that will leave you wanting for more!

What is your favourite debut novel of the year? Let me know in the comments!

TITLE: Birth of a Dynasty

AUTHOR: Chinaza Bado 

PAGE EXTENT: 384

PUBLISHER: HarperVoyager US

GENRE: Fantasy

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

We shall not forgive. We shall not forget. We will have our vengeance.

After witnessing the massacre of everyone he’s ever known and loved, M’Kuru Mukundi, the sole surviving member of the High Noble House Mukundi of Madada, vows revenge. M’kuru flees to a small village where he hides under the guise of farm boy Khalil Rausi… unaware that the real Khalil’s father is the bloodthirsty General of Zenzele army, and under the direction of the King’s scheming son, Prince Effiom, was responsible for the murder of M’kuru’s people. When an imposter claiming to be M’kuru shows up in the village, the real M’kuru—now Khalil—must bide his time amongst his enemies, pretending to be everything that he hates in order to get vengeance.

In another part of the country where giants roam free, young Zikora Nnamani, the only daughter of Lord Nnamani, knows nothing of political intrigue—she wants little more than to be a fierce Seh Llinga warrior. But a well-known prophecy places too much potential power on her small shoulders, and—as far as Prince Effiom and the King know—she is the only living threat to their dynasty ruling forever. However, when a messenger arrives to “invite” Zikora to stay at the palace, her family is not in a position to refuse. Before she is taken away, she begins The Rite of Blessing, a magical inheritance that she will need to learn how to use, but that may also bring the world one step closer to the completion of the prophecy that Prince Effiom so fears.

Between scheming ladies at court, backstabbing princes on the prowl, and paranoid kings, M’kuru and Zikora must do what they can, no matter how terrible, to save their people and claim vengeance for their families. But they are just two young people against an entire kingdom—and a prophecy destined to thwart their dreams—and the last thing they can do is trust anyone…even each other.

Have you ever read a book and been so invested that you immediately pick up the sequel and jump into it in the middle of the night? Well, that’s exactly what happened to me when I finished reading this stunning debut! I am super grateful to HarperVoyager for sending me an ARC of the sequel because I don’t see myself being able to wait a whole three months!

In this west-African inspired fantasy, we follow the lives of two high noble children in parallel: M’Kuru Mukundi and Zikora Nnamani. M’Kuru’s entire family was massacred by the ruling Zenzele dynasty but he managed to escape, and he’s now on their hit list due to an age-old prophecy. Zikora, on the other hand, is the daughter of the high noble of Winneba, and is being shipped off to the capital city, Ahalon, to live in the royal palace. M’Kuru is in hiding, plotting his revenge against the Zenzeles, especially the brutal Prince Effiom who murdered his family, while Zikora is learning to navigate the machinations of the royal household. How are these two children’s fates intertwined? Why are the Zenzeles hellbent on terminating M’Kuru? If there’s one fantasy recommendation you take from me this year, it should be this one!

Firstly, let’s talk about the uniqueness of the plot. This was my first time reading an adult fantasy with children as the protagonists and needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised! These two children play a pivotal role in the politics of the empire and the country of Ahkebulin and the time jump was executed perfectly. M’Kuru and Zikora are destined to meet and the events leading up to the climax are nothing short of jaw-dropping.

I love me a book that does justice to its side characters and the author has given every character their own time to shine. If you’re into books where the plot thickens as the story progresses and every single character is involved in the domino effect of the chain of events, this is the perfect pick for you! Khalil’s grandfather, his friend Ashon, and Zikora’s brothers and nanny are some of my favorite side characters.

I knew this book would be rapt with political intrigue but Chinaza Bado took it to a whole new level! Court politics, rebellions, conniving characters, this book has it all! Be forewarned: this book does have on-page gruesome depictions of slavery and murder.

If you’re in the mood for an immersive fantasy that is not centered around medieval Europe and has an entire cast of persons of color, you’re in the right place! Trust me, this series will become a favorite! You will NOT be able to stop reading!

What is your most anticipated release for the second half of the year? Let me know in the comments!

TITLE: The Prince Without Sorrow

AUTHOR: Maithree Wijesekara 

PAGE EXTENT: 384

PUBLISHER: HarperVoyager US

GENRE: Fantasy

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️💫

SOURCE: Purchased a copy!

Drawing on inspiration from the Mauryan Empire of Ancient India, debut author Maithree Wijesekara plunges readers into the first amazing book of the Obsidian Throne trilogy, a new epic fantasy series of hunted witches, romantic angst, and political intrigue. Perfect for fans of The Hurricane Wars and The Jasmine Throne.

A prince born into violence, seeking peace.

Prince Ashoka is the youngest son of the tyrannical Emperor Adil Maurya. Considered an outcast by his father for his rejection of the emperor’s brutal onslaught against the witches of the empire, Ashoka longs for change. When the sudden and unexpected death of his father leaves the monarchy in disarray, Ashoka is sent to govern a tumultuous region in this South Asian fantasy world that is terrorized by nature spirits―a task many see as doomed to fail. Suspected by a disdainful governor and evaded by distrustful witches, Ashoka must question his rigid ideals and fight against becoming the one person he despises the most―his father.

A witch shackled by pacifism, seeking revenge.

Shakti is a mayakari: a witch bound by a pacifist code. After witnessing the murder of her aunt and village at the hands of the emperor, Shakti hurtles down a path of revenge, casting a curse with unexpected consequences. Posing as a maidservant in the famed palace of the Mauryas and armed with newfound powers from her forbidden magic, Shakti attempts to dismantle the monarchy from within by having the royal progeny ruin themselves and turn their father’s legacy into nothing but ash.

In a world where nature spirits roam the land, and witches are hunted to extinction, Ashoka and Shakti will be forced to grapple with the consequences of power in this enemies-to-lovers story: to take it for themselves or risk losing it completely.

Have you ever read a book from cover to cover in one sitting and loved it so much that you immediately ran to your neighborhood bookstore to grab the sequel? After that cliffhanger, I knew I NEEDED the sequel right away!

If you went to school in India, you most definitely have studied about the Mauryan Empire and emperor Ashoka in middle school history, including his vow of ahimsa (non-violence) after the battle of Kalinga. Hold on, how about we add mayakari (witches), nature spirits and magic into the mix? You get this blend of history and fantasy with jaw-dropping plot twists that will have you turning the pages at breakneck speed!

Before I dive deeper into my review, let me briefly describe the premise. Prince Ashoka is the son of the cruel and ruthless emperor Adil Maurya. Shakti is a mayakari who is bound by a pacifist code but is out to seek revenge against the emperor for burning her aunt and fellow mayakari on the stake. When Ashoka is sent off to a faraway region terrorised by angry nature spirits on a task doomed to fail, he is worried about turning into the one person he despises- his father. On the other hand, Shakti has entered the royal palace posing as a maidservant, because what better place to hide than in plain sight? Will Ashoka succeed in his mission? Will Shakti manage to stay hidden in the place while plotting her revenge? Pick this book up to find out!

Books inspired by Indian mythology/history always have a special place on my TBR because as someone who has grown up reading or listening to stories about these characters, it is super interesting to draw parallels while also appreciating the author for their creativity in adding extra layers to the story. Never did I imagine the story of emperor Ashoka featuring witches would have me so intrigued!

Shakti and Ashoka are great protagonists who are rebellious in their own right. Ashoka shuns violence, while Shakti embraces it. I lowkey loved how the characters kept improvising as the situations saw fit haha. Ashoka’s internal monologues on peace versus violence were nothing short of perfect!

Books with fleshed out characters always get an extra star from me. Princess Aarya is undoubtedly one of my favorite villains and I was (weirdly) rooting for her, because who doesn’t love a strong woman who takes matters into her own hands? I can’t wait to see how her story pans out in Book 2! Also, yay for the queernormative setting!

If you’re a fan of fast-paced plots with some well-placed plot twists, sprinkled with rebellions and court politics, you’re in the right place!

What are some of your favourite magic systems? Let’s discuss in the comments!

TITLE: It Had to be Him

AUTHOR: Adib Khorram 

PAGE EXTENT: 384

PUBLISHER: Forever

GENRE: Romance

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️

SOURCE: Received a finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Ramin Yazdani’s marriage proposal has just gone bottoms up: his ex dumped him in public for being boring. Bent on proving him wrong, Ramin books a spontaneous solo trip to Italy. When he runs into his high school crush while in a gelateria, however, his resolve to reinvent himself is put to the test. 

Noah Bartlett’s in a rut. Since his divorce, he’s become a bit of a homebody. So when his ex-wife insists he join her and their son on an Italian holiday, Noah reluctantly agrees. But his reticence turns to excitement when he sees his former classmate, who’s aged just like a fine wine. As a teenager, Ramin fascinated him—and since Noah now knows that fascination was code for crush—all those feelings are quick to come rushing back.

Soon Ramin and Noah are tumbling headfirst into a relationship. Only Ramin fears Noah’s feelings won’t last without Ramin’s adventurous new persona—and Noah’s not sure he can be the supportive partner Ramin deserves.  

With the days counting down to the end of their trip, can their love last without the magic of Italy?

How befitting that I read this book on a train whose destination was Kansas City, the city our protagonist Ramin hails from! Well, in retrospect, reading this book in public might not have been the best idea ever (thanks to the steamy scenes wink wink) but I could predict a 5-star read from the get go!

Ramin, after getting publicly dumped by his boyfriend when he proposed marriage, fuels himself with liquid courage and books himself a trip to Italy! Little does he expect to run into his supposedly-straight high school crush, Noah, not once, not twice, but multiple times in Italy of all places! Noah happens to be in Italy with his son, Jake and ex-wife, who plans to inherit her grandparents’ wine store. What are the odds? What starts off as a rekindled friendship blossoms into something more and you can’t help but get deeply invested and root for Ramin and Noah!

Firstly, let’s talk about the location! What better setting for a breath-of-fresh-air summer romance(well, let’s ignore the fact that I read this in the peak of winter haha) than the towns that dot the hills of Lake Como! If this book doesn’t succeed in making you want to book a flight to Italy right away, I don’t know what will!

The slow-burn romance between Ramin and Noah was so tender and heartwarming I would be lying if I say their conversations didn’t make me teary-eyed. The two timelines, high school and the present, seamlessly blended to create the picture-perfect romance that will only worsen the hopeless romantic in you! Oh, and yes, once the scenes got steamier and steamier, there was no going back! The sex scenes were not only cranked up on the steam, they were super realistic and extremely well-written. Full disclosure: sex scenes have a tendency to make me cringe at times, but there was not a single such instance throughout this book.

This was the first gay romance I read with a parent as the love interest and I was curious to see how a child would fit into the whole dynamic, but I must say, it left me with a huge smile on my face. Noah couldn’t be a better father and his constantly looking out for Jake and putting his best interests first had me wanting to give Noah a warm hug! Jake, on his part, was not just a random kid as a side character but played a pivotal role in the story with his own arc and I must give the author credit!

This review would definitely be incomplete without mentioning the insecurities and body image issues gay men constantly go through and how the author has managed to depict it PERFECTLY! In a community where a certain body type is considered attractive and most others are not, queer men tend to base their self-worth on their appearance and chase that body type in order to fit in. As someone who struggles with the same as a queer person, I could say that Ramin was the most relatable character ever! I was internally saying “oh gosh that’s so me” so many times I lost count!

Before I wrap up, a shoutout to Ramin’s friends Arya and Farzan for being the best hype queens through and through! I can’t wait to read Farzan’s already-published love story and Arya’s upcoming one!

What are your favourite queer romances? Let’s discuss in the comments below!

TITLE: The Knight and the Moth

AUTHOR: Rachel Gillig 

PAGE EXTENT: 400

PUBLISHER: Orbit Books US 

GENRE: Fantasy

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️

SOURCE: Received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Sybil Delling has spent nine years dreaming of having no dreams at all. Like the other foundling girls who traded a decade of service for a home in the great cathedral, Sybil is a Diviner. In her dreams she receives visions from six unearthly figures known as Omens. From them, she can predict terrible things before they occur, and lords and common folk alike travel across the kingdom of Traum’s windswept moors to learn their futures by her dreams.

Just as she and her sister Diviners near the end of their service, a mysterious knight arrives at the cathedral. Rude, heretical, and devilishly handsome, the knight Rodrick has no respect for Sybil’s visions. But when Sybil’s fellow Diviners begin to vanish one by one, she has no choice but to seek his help in finding them. For the world outside the cathedral’s cloister is wrought with peril. Only the gods have the answers she is seeking, and as much as she’d rather avoid Rodrick’s dark eyes and sharp tongue, only a heretic can defeat a god.

First of all, WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! The moment I shut this book, I looked at the wall and tried to wrap my head around everything that transpired in the last few pages. And I am not at all pleased with the fact that I have to wait six more months for The Knave and the Moon! 😤

I am, more often than not, skeptical about overhyped books but believe me when I tell you that this one definitely deserves all the hype! Sybil is a Diviner, one who sees the Omens in her dreams and predicts the future, which attracts people from far and wide. Sybil and her fellow Diviners are sequestered in the Great Cathedral, with no idea of the outside world. When her sister Diviners start vanishing one by one, she has no choice but to seek answers. Throw in a handsome, heretic knight, a quest through windswept moors and castles, and a talking gargoyle, and voila! You have a 5-star gothic fantasy!

If someone would have told me that one of my favourite fictional characters of all time would be a talking gargoyle who happens to call everyone Bartholomew, who will make you laugh and cry at the same time, who you will want to protect at all costs, I would have laughed at the odds! Yet, here we are! The talking gargoyle is without a doubt the best character in this book. BARTHOLOMEW! 🥺🫶🏽

Are you a fan of jaw-dropping plot twists that lowkey short-circuit your brain and you need to pause reading just to process things? And you begin to question everything about every character? Then look no further, this is the right book for you!

In all honesty, the romance between Sybil and Rory was not the most interesting or compelling element in the story for me, but that did not impact how much I enjoyed this atmospheric, gothic, medieval read. The unravelling of the plot in layers and the quest for the Omens had me hooked!

This was the first book I read by Rachel Gillig and I can’t wait to pick up her first duology soon!

What are some of your favorite duologies? Let me know in the comments!

TITLE: We Burned So Bright

AUTHOR: TJ Klune 

PAGE EXTENT: 176

PUBLISHER: Tor Books 

GENRE: Fantasy

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️💫

SOURCE: Purchased a copy!

The road stretched out before them. No other cars, just the headlights on the blacktop. Above, the cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky….

Husbands Don and Rodney have lived a good long life. Together they’ve experienced the highest highs of love and family, and lows so low that they felt like the end of the world.

Now, the world is ending for real. A rogue black hole is coming for Earth and in a month everything and everyone they’ve ever known will be gone.

Suddenly, after 40 years together, Don and Rodney are out of time. They’re in a race against the clock to make it from Maine to Washington State to take care of some unfinished business before it’s all over.

On the road they meet those who refuse to believe death is coming and those who rush to meet it. But there are also people living their final days as best they know how—impromptu weddings, bright burning bonfires, shared meals, and new friends.

And as the black hole draws near, among ball lightning and under a cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky, Don and Rodney will look back on their lives and ask if their best was good enough.

Is it enough to burn bright if nothing comes from the ashes?

Have you ever finished a book and just stared at the wall for a whole 10 minutes contemplating what the meaning of life is and how fragile it all seems? Well, this book is all of 163 pages and I wouldn’t be lying when I say it definitely altered my brain chemistry to a certain degree.

Don and Rodney are husbands who have been together for four decades. They have lived a fulfilling life and now the end is near. Literally the end of the world: a black hole is on its way towards earth and it will all be over soon. They embark on a cross-country road trip in their RV from Maine to Washington to tie some loose ends. They encounter a myriad of people along the journey, each processing the inevitable end in their own way, which will undoubtedly give you, the reader, some solid food for thought! 😌

Bear with me, this is about to get a tad bit philosophical, haha. We tend to take a ton of things for granted but we value them a whole lot more when we know we are about to lose them forever. Even the most mundane of things become something to cherish and treasure. Throughout this book, TJ Klune takes you on a roller coaster of denial, anger, hopelessness and if you look at it closely, all the stages of grief.

It was genuinely refreshing to see an elderly queer couple front and center, and learn about their realistic experiences and struggles over the course of their lives. If that doesn’t fill me with hope, I don’t know what will!

If you are in the mood for a quick yet profound read that will have you thinking about it for a long, long time and question everything you have ever known (only books have the power to destroy me like that), you know what book to pick up hehe! 😛

Has any book altered your brain chemistry the way this book did to me? Let me know in the comments!

Super excited to kick off the blog tour with my review of this stellar infotainment of a book! Read on to see why you should pick this up soon!

TITLE: The Doomsday Detectives: How Walter and Luis Alvarez Solved the Mystery of Dinosaur Extinction  

AUTHOR: Cindy Jenson-Elliott 

PAGE EXTENT: 224

PUBLISHER: Tu Books 

GENRE: Middle Grade Non-Fiction

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher and Hear Our Voices Tours as part of the blog tour.

Father-son scientists Luis and Walter Alvarez piece together one of the greatest mysteries of all time: What really happened to the dinosaurs? Dive into this fun and informative middle grade nonfiction book, which outlines the many important scientific discoveries that aided the Alvarezes in their search for answers.

Cretaceous earth was known as the age of dinosaurs. But really, it was the age of LIFE–scaled and feathered, furry and leathered, budding, blooming, roaring, zooming, buzzing, glorious LIFE–until…

DOOMSDAY.

For 66 million years, the mystery of what happened to the dinosaurs lay hidden under layers of sand and silt, until scientists began to piece together the puzzle of what happened on the last day of the ancient world.

Follow the real-life adventures of father-son scientists Luis and Walter Alvarez–along with an army of science detectives–as they unlock the world’s most intriguing mystery. Learn how the smallest particles in the universe helped explain what happened to the largest animals that ever walked the planet. Track the timelines of discoveries that had to happen in physics, paleontology, astronomy, and geology, before humans could understand how and why 75 percent of species suddenly went extinct.

This is the story of how scientists add to the sum total of human knowledge, one question at a time, and help us understand our beautiful, tragic, and magnificent world.

Jurassic Park was the first movie I ever watched. Since then, my fascination for dinosaurs has been a constant presence in my life. It should come as no surprise that when I got an opportunity to read a book that delves into the mystery of how the dinosaurs got wiped out, I simple had to grab it with both hands!

Little did I know I would read the book from cover to cover in one sitting! Peppered with illustrations and photographs throughout, you can’t help but flip through the pages to solve the mystery!

Non-fiction books seldom transport you to another world but this one is bound to take your imagination on a journey through the past as father-son scientist-duo Luis and Walter Alvarez crack the mystery open! Was it a volcano? Was it a meteor? Was it a single catastrophic event or a series of events? This book has all the answers you need!

As you make your way through the book, you will end up making your own hypotheses and wondering if it will turn out to be true or false! As someone who has been involved in research, the little tidbits about research scattered throughout the book were fun Easter eggs for me!

If you’re a fan of graphic novels, there are bits and pieces of illustrated fiction by Theo Nicole Lorenz that only enhance the experience!

Whether you’re a fan of all things science and dinosaurs or if you’re someone who is curious and wants to explore, this book is infotainment at its best! Be prepared to meet a ton of scientists, visit quite a few rock formations around the world, investigate and discover, and above all, never say never! Science has no end!

Huge thanks to Hear Our Voices Tours for having me on this blog tour! ♥️✨

TITLE: The Lantern of Lost Memories

AUTHOR: Sanaka Hiiragi 

PAGE EXTENT: 224

PUBLISHER: Pan MacMillan India

GENRE: Translated Fiction

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine waking up in a cosy photo studio in the mountains, between this world and the next. A kind man hands you a hot drink and a stack of photographs, one from every day of your life. There are hundreds, even thousands of them. They capture your best days and your worst, memories you treasure and those you try to forget. And then there are the rest, those in-between days that we didn’t know were leading to the great highs and lows. Then you are asked to pick one photograph from each year to be placed in a beautiful Japanese lantern, to be set spinning so that your life will flash before your eyes before you move on. This is the task set for each guest who arrives in Hirasaka’s photo studio. Like our most thumbed over photos, our favourite memories can be tarnished in time too, so he guides them back in time to relive one special day over again, to take a fresh photo and find peace. The Lantern of Lost Memories is a healing, uplifting Japanese novel about family, love, loss and humanity, and what life is really about.

There is something about feel-good Japanese fiction that wraps you up in a warm bear hug and will leave you feeling content and cozy like a warm cup of coffee on a rainy day. The Lantern of Lost Memories was exactly that and so much more.

In a photo studio in the mountains, Mr Hirasaka receives visitors who are on the precipice of life and death, helps them comb through tons of photos chronicling every single day of their lives, gives them a chance to revisit one single memory, runs all of their most cherished memories through a Japanese lantern, and ensures they pass on happily to the afterlife. Not only is the plot unique, it has an air of whimsy that makes it all the more magical.

Get ready to embark on a journey to the past with a young nursery teacher in Tokyo after the World War decimated parts of the city, a Yakuza warrior who looks back at a time when he showed kindness, and a young girl facing domestic abuse as they navigate a day in their lives more one time and emerge happier and ready to pass on to whatever comes next.

Don’t you believe that life is full of choices and one choice, no matter now inconspicuous it might seem at the moment, has the power to change the trajectory of your entire life? We are nothing but the choices we make and this book couldn’t have highlighted that any better.

If you’re in the mood for a quick feel-good read that is bound to leave you with a smile on your face while also not shying away from discussing the harshness of life, or just a cozy book to snuggle up with on a rainy evening, this is the perfect pick for you!

What are some of your favourite feel-good books? Let’s discuss in the comments below!

TITLE: Best Hex Ever

AUTHOR: Nadia El-Fassi  

PAGE EXTENT: 304

PUBLISHER: Del Rey Books (Penguin Random House India)

GENRE: Adult Fantasy/Romance

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️💫

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Dina is a skilled kitchen witch and café owner, serving magic-infused pastries to her loyal customers. But it’s hard not to feel something is missing when you’re cursed to hurt anyone who falls for you.

Scott is a museum curator, recently back in London after a brutal breakup 2 years ago, and looking to make up for all the time he missed. He’s determined to be perfect best man at his best friend’s upcoming wedding, but his plans take an expected turn when he meets the bewitching maid of honour.

After a weekend in the countryside full of peculiar hedge mazes, palm readings by candlelight, and a midnight Halloween ritual, there’s no denying the chemistry between them. But there’s just one problem: the hex still holds, and Dina knows that Scott is in danger.

Can Dina break the spell before it breaks both their hearts?

Add a ton of feel-good magic, a very cozy coffee shop, your new book boyfriend (on your never-ending list of books boyfriends), a very cuddle cat, a house with a mind of its own, an old mansion in the woods and a TON of steam and the product is Best Hex Ever! If you’re in the mood for a witchy romance that will leave you all tingly, you know what your next pick should be!

Dina Whitlock is a kitchen witch who owns Serendipity Cafe in London. Scott Mason is a curator at the British Museum. Sparks fly between them over the course of a weekend at Dina’s best friend Immy’s wedding, but (there’s always a but) there’s a catch. Dina has been hexed and every person she loves is bound to get hurt. As Dina starts falling in love with Scott, she can’t help but fear that the hex will get to him too. Can Dina break the hex and manage to keep Scott in her life? I am not spilling the beans!

Believe me when I say this: I was NOT prepared for the sheer amount of good-quality steam in this book! It’s been quite a while since I read a book as steamy as this one and it’s an understatement to say I thoroughly enjoyed it, hehe.

Magical realism as a genre is one of my favourites because it always tickles the possibility that magic could actually exist in our world: from spells to charms to hexes to familiars. Dina comes from a long line of witches and it makes you wonder if there are humans touched by magic amongst us. And a house that is so adorable you want to give it a hug? Like come on, it’s a HOUSE and you can’t help but giggle at its antics.

I am someone who treasures woman friendships in life and the friendship between Dina, Immy and Rosemary is definitely one for the books! Not only is their camaraderie top-notch, they are the kind of besties that stand by you through thick and thin and their friendship shone through the pages!

This review would indeed be incomplete without mentioning how gloriously queer this book is! Dina is a proud bisexual who treasures her Moroccan heritage, and Scott was adopted and has two mums. There is on-page coming out to a parent and if that’s sensitive for you, please proceed with caution.

Another thing that caught my attention over the course of this book is the realistic portrayal of human bodies and how the author doesn’t shy away from discussing these on page! All bodies are pretty and all bodies are sexy. Period.

Is a romance novel perfect without adding another book boyfriend to your extremely long list of them? Scott Mason couldn’t get any more perfect. Not only is he a bespectacled museum curator channeling a hot professor vibe, he is a genuine, open-book kind of a guy who is bound to raise your standards for men (don’t all book boyfriends do?)

So what are you waiting for? Pick up this book and get transported to a cottage in the woods of rural England with Dina and Scott!

Are you a fan of witchy romance novels? Which ones are your favourites?

TITLE: Tales from Beyond the Rainbow

AUTHOR: Pete Jordi Wood  

PAGE EXTENT: 304

PUBLISHER: Puffin Books

GENRE: Middle Grade Anthology

MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️

SOURCE: Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Ten captivating stories of adventure and resilience celebrating LGBTQ+ characters, published as an illustrated collection of queer classics for the first time.

These are the fairy tales that history forgot – or concealed. Tales in which gender is fluid and where queer stories can have a happy ending.
Meet the humble sailor who finds his very own handsome prince and the Black trans market girl who becomes queen. Journey to the ends of the earth with an Indian prince, and discover the gay ghosts whose love lasted beyond death.

From Europe to Asia via the African savannah, LGBTQ+ folklore researcher Pete Jordi Wood has combed through generations of history and adapted ten unforgettable stories, each illustrated by an artist who shares heritage with the culture from which the stories were born.

Folk tales are what got me into reading. I remember picking out the most whimsical folk tales at the school library way back in school. If only a book such as this one existed back then! A book where I felt represented, a book that didn’t deem me abnormal and a book that showed me I’m not alone and people like me exist all over the world.

Tales From Beyond the Rainbow is an anthology of folk tales about queer people, for queer people (and everyone in general) and written by a queer author! From the savannahs of Africa to the glittering palaces of India, Pete Jordi Wood has dug deep into folklore from every corner of the world and compiled them all into one adorable little book where every tale brims with glorious queer joy!

Queer people have existed in the past, they currently exist and will continue to exist forever. This book is testament to that very fact. Not only do these tales highlight queerness, they all teach readers, both young and old, invaluable lessons, like folk tales are meant to. And the cherry on top? They all feature illustrations by queer artists from the respective cultural backgrounds!

If there’s one thing I want, it’s that this book should be essential reading material in schools. I want every queer kid that picks this book up to know that they’re not alone and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being queer, but in fact, something to be celebrated and be proud of!

Whether you’re a queer person or not, this book definitely deserves to be on your shelf! Looking back, I can’t stop but wish I picked this book up as a kid figuring out his sexuality with nobody to turn to, and know that there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.

Have you read any queer Middle Grade books? Let me know in the comments!