Enamored in Death
By Molly Tullis

Summary
Deep in the underworld, Thanatos God of death, works hard despite his reputation as a fearsome villain who takes life and the loneliness that comes with it. When Nyx creates a new Goddess out of a priestess who has served her faithfully her entire mortal life, she assigns her to work with Thanatos. The pair don’t exactly get off on the right foot and it takes them a while to find common ground. Makaria must prove her worth as a goddess to earn her newly granted immortality and Thanatos agrees to help her, even though he loathes the idea of having a partner. They are forced to put aside their differences and work together to save the mortal world from a god that makes chaos his pastime.

My Review

I was one of the lucky few to have the opportunity to read this book as an ARC (advance reader copy) and I am excited to report that it was AMAZING, and you should read it.

In the author’s note, Molly mentions how “the beauty of mythology is how it transforms as it is retold” and I couldn’t agree more. I have been a mythology nerd for as long as I can remember, and I am in awe at how seamlessly she weaves her fiction into the existing mythos. It is beautiful and serves to add layers of depth to characters that we can see in the stories from ancient times. Imagining how these untouchable characters would react when put in the real-world scenarios of adventure and romance is a talent that Molly has in spades. She really knows her mythology and she has a knack for villainizing the standard pantheon and making the darker, misunderstood gods and Goddesses into the heroes. I love it so much and I cannot get enough. Molly will forever be an instant-buy author for me.

The characters in this series are literally GODS, and they are somehow still always relatable. They have flaws, they make mistakes, and they struggle to know and accept themselves. Thanatos has an awful reputation because of the nature of his work collecting souls, and after centuries of this reputation beating him down, he honestly believes that he isn’t worthy of the kind of love that is being presented to him. Their love grows slow and steady. It starts out a little rough between them as Thanatos’ solitary lifestyle is threatened by her presence, but he warms up to her after a bit and their blossoming friendship is adorable.Watching him crack himself open to let Makaria in was a beautiful mess that broke my heart and then stitched it back together again. I recommend it to everyone.

“At their core and in their hearts, Thanatos and Makaria
were two halves of the same soul”

The book was deep and soulful while also finding a way to make me giggle until tears came to my eyes. The banter is fun and the way that gods always somehow get exactly what they deserve is just *chefs kiss*. But if you all don’t mind an out of context spoiler: THE CABINET! OMG! I laughed out loud and tried to explain to my husband why I was laughing, and he just looked at me like I was nuts. I am always a sucker for a scene with Hermes, but this one was next level.

The best part of this series is the cameos! All our favorite big names from Mythology and even some smaller ones are summoned to the scene whenever the stories call for their presence. I love the way that even the cameo characters have fully fleshed personalities and bring their own flavor to the plot. In this story, she gives us a little bit of Orpheus and Eurydice, which is one of my very favorite myths, and teasing a future book in the series. Hephaestus is also climbing up the ladder of my favorites and I can’t wait to read more of him. I love how she uses one book to set up the foundation for the next and give us a sneak peak of the characters before we get their POV.

A little unorthodox for a review but let’s just take a second admire her dedication:

“For everyone who struggles to love their shadow self.”

It is like a sigh that releases all your worries. You know that this book will take the darkest parts of yourself, hold them close and make them feel a little lighter in your chest. This story is that and more. It is a journey for the characters to learn to accept themselves, face their loneliness and make room for each other in spaces they have always occupied on their own.

Pros: Greek mythology retelling, underworld Gods/Goddesses, self-love and discovery, forced proximity romance.
Cons: I honestly cannot think of one… I tried. Read this book.

Overall, I give Enamored in Death 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

-Jacqui

Spice Level 3/5
Romance 5/5
Characters 5/5
Plot & Themes 5/5
Author: Molly Tullis
Genre: Mythology Retelling
Trigger Warnings: graphic violence, death, swearing, and sex
Tropes: Mythology retelling, forced proximity
Age Recommendation: 18+
Length/Page Count: 312 pages
Format & Source: Kindle eBook, ARC
Publishing Info: September 9th, 2022

Lost to Witchcraft
By Molly Tullis

Summary
Goddess of Witchcraft and protector of women who have been wronged, Hecate is at most home in her kitchen, deep in the underworld. When she decides to take a walk in the sun, she finds herself swept up in a battle to protect, a man of all things, from the wrath of Hera. Aeëtes, prince of a mortal kingdom and Demigod, has never really had a place where he belongs. When he gets wrapped up in the affairs of the Gods, he realizes that he is tangled in more than just politics. His heart is wrapped up in the Goddess who has taken to helping him get out of this jam. Hecate and Aeëtes must work together to outsmart Hera and with their feelings getting in the way, they will have to let their walls down and trust each other if they want to succeed.

My Review

This book was so much fun. I adored the characters and the grumpy sunshine was peak. I was itching to have this one in my hands and I devoured it as soon as it was released. It was an easy read and kept me engaged throughout. I was so excited to dive back into Molly’s underworld. This one was a very different vibe from the first book in the series (Consort of Darkness). Where Consort was emotions and darkness, Lost to Witchcraft was an odyssey at sea with a romance that any warm-blooded human would be jealous of.

Aeëtes is a cinnamon roll with sunshine pouring out of him. He is head over heels for Hecate and even after seeing the darkest parts of her, accepts her for exactly who she is. He is patient and waits for her to accept the love he has to offer. It was a journey for both to learn how to offer and accept the kind of love that we all hope to find.

Hecate is a fabulous character in myth, and she deserves to have her own adventures and love story. Molly is incredible at writing complex female characters who battle self-doubt and trauma. She always twists in deep emotions that every one of us can relate to in some way. This was a story about self-acceptance, learning to trust and finding love. It is easy to connect with and fall head over heels with the characters and their journey.

Speaking of incredible characters, I must take a second to say that Hermes is my favorite, and I will riot if anyone tries to hurt him. The moments that we get to hang out with Hermes are just incredible, hilarious and I adore him. Molly’s Hermes is by far the most fun iteration of the messenger god in existence, and she just announced that she is writing a Hermes novella and he will get the spotlight he deserves. All the side characters in this world have such depth and personality. It is always exciting when we get cameos from characters either from previous books, or ones that she has planned for the rest of the series.

My only gripe was that I felt like Hecate’s trauma was a bit shallow and I wanted her to have suffered a bit more at the hands of men to cause her to become the Goddess that she is.  I know it is strange to wish pain on someone, but she is a powerful force against men who would act against women and I wish that she would have had a more extreme reason to gain that power.

I could seriously talk about the intricacies of this series for days and I hope that everyone I know reads it. Especially those who love Greek mythology. Molly really knows her Greek Myth and she is fabulous at weaving her fiction gracefully into the existing Mythos and I cannot get enough of it. It is a slow burn, love story, sea faring adventure with the grumpy sunshine trope and a journey to unparalleled happiness.

Pros: Greek mythology retelling, grumpy sunshine, a journey on the Mediterranean Sea.
Cons:  Hecate’s back story.

Overall, I give Lost to Witchcraft 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

-Jacqui

Spice Level 3/5
Romance 5/5
Characters 5/5
Plot & Themes 4/5
Author: Molly Tullis
Genre: Mythology Retelling
Trigger Warnings: graphic violence, swearing, and sex
Tropes: Grumpy/sunshine, myth retelling
Age Recommendation: 18+
Length/Page Count: 344 pages
Format & Source: Kindle eBook
Publishing Info: June 15^th, 2022

By Molly Tullis

Summary

Nyx, the primordial Goddess of night, was once admired for her creations and her work blanketing the mortal world in night at the end of each day. Overtime, her image has shifted, and her power and influence have been called into question. The pantheon of Olympic Gods has declared war on the great Titan, Kronos. Erebus, God of Darkness and consort to Nyx since the beginning of time, decides to take a side in the war. Being on different sides of the struggle, their relationship is tested, and now Nyx must look inside herself, find strength and prove her power is still unquestionable.

“Let there be night”

Molly is an immediate buy for me, and I nabbed this one the second it was released. I am also very much a mythology nerd and retellings are my love language. So, this series that she is writing feels like it is written just for me. This book tore my heart to pieces, lovingly stitched it back together and made me laugh a bit too. It was quite a journey.

“In the beginning, there was darkness.
It was not the absence of light, but its own living, breathing thing.”

The main character, Nyx is primordial. Which means that she was a goddess before it was trendy…like the beginning of time. Her soul has been intertwined with Erebus, God of night since then as well. They are a powerhouse, and they don’t put up with anyone’s bullshit.

This book was very different from other romance novels where guy meets girl, and they fall in love. In this story, their love is well established and timeless. If you have been in any kind of long-term relationship and you have ever felt like you and your partner are just not seeing eye to eye. Maybe you can’t agree on something, or the communication just seems a bit tense or even broken. That is what Nyx is feeling through this book. It is a deep ache of love with the sting of betrayal and some self-doubt. The spicy scenes are a bit different too in that they are rife with emotions that can only exist in a long-term relationship.

“It’s the way of strong women to be prepared for the
day that a man can’t accept their strength.”

I rate books based on a few things. One of them is how much I NEED to know what happens next and another is how much I think about the book EVERY time I put it down. This one was odd because I thought about it more than most other books just because the emotions were so raw and real. But because of the depth of emotion and how it took up a large portion of the story, it took me a little longer to get through this one than I expected. In the thick of it, felt a bit like a miscommunication trope and the chasm that was between Nyx and Erebus took a bit too long to resolve itself. But, looking back, it made the resolution that much more satisfying.

The best part of this book was how it gave you a little taste of all the big players. We not only get to meet the great Hecate, Goddess of Witchcraft, but we also get to tango with the likes of Hades, Poseidon, and Hermes. The set up for the world that she is building is elegant and I am here to live in it for the remainder of the series. I cannot express enough how incredible Molly is at writing a mythology retelling. As someone who is pretty well versed in Greek myth, I can tell you that she knows her shit and she is fabulous at weaving her fiction seamlessly into the existing mythos. I could literally talk about this book forever. If you like powerful female characters, mythology, and romance with spicy scenes, then you should give this book a read. Consort of Darkness is book 1 in the Asphodel Series and I am dying to get my hands on the rest!

“That was always the reason she had never been without Erebus,
not because of what he did for her but how he magnified her.”

Pros: Stellar mythology retelling, powerful female main character, spicy.
Cons: A bit of a slower read with deep emotions that felt a bit like a miscommunication trope after a while.

Overall, I give Consort of Darkness 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

-Jacqui

Spice Level 3/5
Romance 5/5
Characters 5/5
Plot & Themes 4/5
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology Romance
Tropes: Rekindling Passion, myth retelling, underworld gods
Trigger Warnings: Sex scenes, violence
Age Recommendation: 18+
Length/Page Count: 334 pages
Format & Source: Kindle, eBook
Publishing Info: March 21^st 2022

By Sierrah M. Strange

Summary
After losing her mother, Atarah tries to find a way to protect her and her siblings from the wrath of her abusive stepfather. She finds a way to escape when a man from another realm called “The Below” shows up claiming to be her father. Atarah learns that she is Fae and there are many secrets her mom kept from her. Now she must come to terms with who she is, learn how to control her powers and save her new home before a plague consumes everything she holds dear.

My Review

I grabbed this book after I saw a post on Instagram where Sierrah was promoting her story. It sounded like it was right up my alley and I love discovering new Indie authors. I loved the premise of the story with a faerie realm, and I am a sucker for a book with a beautiful map. I love the simplicity of the language in her world because you don’t spend a ton of time trying to get the lingo down. The Below is a fascinating world to dive into and has a ton of potential as a series.

I really enjoyed the relationships between the characters, especially Norin and Atarah. There is a “friends to lovers” trope here that is fun to follow. Their banter is fresh and interesting. Sierrah does a stellar job of creating sexual tension and writing satisfying spicy scenes. They don’t come on too quickly to be believable and it is interesting to watch her relationships unfold.

There is a whole host of side characters in this story. Some are unique and interesting, such as the gargoyles. But at times it feels like there are too many new characters being thrown at you at one time. Also, I am not a huge fan of love triangles and there were a couple of characters that were introduced with a “love triangle” vibe. We will see in book 2 how all that plays out. This is her debut novel and, at times, it shows. Parts of the story are harder to enjoy because you get a bit lost in exposition. The world has a lot of depth, and it occasionally gets thrown at us in chunks that feel more like reading a history book than a fantasy novel.

On the other hand, one of my favorite parts of this book was how she illustrates the ways that Atarah discovers her powers. For instance, she talks about how magic “hums” and leaves a taste in her mouth like the powdered sugar on French toast. It was so intuitive and easy to find yourself immersed in the experience. I also really loved the way she described how it felt to dismantle a glamour so she could see the truth beneath.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Fae and fantasy novels, especially fans of Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas as I can see some resemblances in this story. The series has such wonderful potential, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes in book 2.

Pros: You are thrust right into action, the story is very fast paced and full of conflict, great host of characters and relationships.
Cons: The story gets lost in exposition at times and there are some moments where the dialogue is a bit clunky.

I give The Reign Below 3.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐✰

-Jacqui

The Reign below is book 1 in the “Belowen” series. Book 2 is set to release January of 2023. Tune in on Instagram @books_and_magick to see my exclusive interview with the author.

Spice Level 3/5
Romance 3/5
Characters  3/5
Plot & Themes 4/5
Author: Sierrah M. Strange
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Tropes: Friends to lovers, nightmare, possible love triangle?
Trigger Warnings: Violence, abuse, sex, language
Age Recommendation: 18+
Length/Page Count: 382 pages
Format & Source: Kindle Unlimited, e-book
Publishing Info: Sierrah M. Strange, 2022

Kiss of the Blood Prince
By Alessa Thorn

Summary
Fifteen hundred years ago the Fae were cursed. The world has changed a lot since the Blood Prince has last stepped foot on mortal soil, now he has returned to claim his revenge. When he kidnaps Elise and takes her back to his castle, the last thing he expected to find was the key to his salvation. She strikes a bargain with him to help break his curse in exchange for her freedom, but the desire building between them makes things a bit more complicated. Can they find a way to see things from the same side and make peace between their people?

My Review
Kiss of the Blood Prince is the first in a Trilogy about three fae brothers. I decided to read Kiss of the Blood Prince because it had been mentioned a few times on the internet as a good, quick spicy read. When I found myself in a bit of a reading slump, it seemed like a perfect time to pick up this series. I do not regret reading it at all, but you have to know going in to read it for the steamy romance and not for the plot.

When the plot is first introduced it seems farfetched at best. I could not wrap my head around the details and the focus is so scattered that it gets a bit lost for a while. The resolution ends up being a bit too easy for my taste as well. As if the whole of England being invaded by the Fae would be so easily shrugged off. So, needless to say, the plot is not the driving force of this book whatsoever.

However, I am a sucker for a fated love story, especially if they start out as enemies and then find out that they are destined for each other. That is the craving that this series aims to fill and it really does hit that sweet spot. With this trilogy, you get a healthy dose of morally grey, broody male with a side of witty banter. For following such dark and gloomy characters, her writing style was remarkably light and humorous.

You CANNOT start reading this book thinking that you will be getting a stellar plot, because it just doesn’t exist. But you should read it for the quick-burn enemies to lovers’ story and a few good smutty scenes. Plus, this is only the first book in the trilogy. His two brothers sound infinitely more interesting to me and I am really hoping that I will like their stories even more.  

EDIT: The series definitely gets better with each brother. If you read Kiss of the Blood Prince and wished it was a bit better, please do yourself a favor and continue reading the series. The second and third books are fabulous!

Pros: Super quick, easy read with enemies to lovers’ romance and some descent smut to break up a reading rut or just make you smile on a rainy afternoon. Available on Kindle Unlimited.
Cons: The plot is very flat and doesn’t really make much sense to me at all. It resolves much too quickly in the end and doesn’t drive the story.

Overall, I give 3 stars ⭐⭐⭐/5

-Jacqui

Spice Level 2/5
Romance 3/5
Characters 3/5
Plot & Themes 1/5
Diversity 1/5

Author: Alessa Thorn
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Smut
Trigger Warnings: Sex, Violence, Kidnapping
Age Recommendation: 18+
Length/Page Count: 210 pages
Format & Source: Kindle e-book
Publishing Info: Thornstar Publishing 2021

Finale
By Stephanie Garber

Summary

The game is over and the real challenge has begun. Donatella and Scarlett must face their greatest challenges yet as the fates have been freed. The sisters must face their history and sacrifice their futures in order to uncover hidden secrets. Legend has to make a choice that he never imagined and they all face changes that will forever define the world as they know it. Caraval may be over, but there will still be winners and losers in this dangerous game of fate.

My Review

I didn’t even take a breath between Legendary and Finale. I was able to check them out through my library app so it worked out perfectly. As soon as I finished Legendary, I looked and saw that Finale was available to borrow and started it immediately. I was so engrossed in the story I didn’t skip a beat. I kept folding laundry and just moved from one book to the next. It was perfect. All of the resolutions that I was hoping for after reading the first two books were definitely delivered in this one.

Stephanie Garber’s writing is beautiful and I absolutely loved living in this world for the duration of this series. More than that though, I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters. They really grew on me over time and I found that even ones I didn’t seem to care for in the first book, started to matter to me as time went on. I really think the best part of this series is the way that it builds on itself. The excitement within the plot but also the depth of the characters just gets richer as the story goes on. I really enjoyed getting pulled deeper into the water until I was in too deep and before I knew it the undercurrent had me. Stephanie writes in a way that is so enchanting that it swept me off my feet and into a world unlike any that I have ever experienced.

I think that for a young adult fantasy series the romance is very age appropriate and beautifully sweet. I loved the way she wove the romance into the plot as well. It made it important in more than just a teenage passion sort of way. It was a part of the magic of the world and it was a reflection of how significant love feels when you are that age.  

I was also very excited to find that Stephanie Garbers new book “Once Upon a Broken Heart” is the first novel in a spin off series from Caraval. It will follow some of the characters from this series and stay in the same world. I am thrilled that I do not have to say goodbye to these characters just yet, and may even get to see some of them get a happy ending that they deserve.

Pros: Plot and character depth builds upon the first 2 books, very exciting and fast paced.
Cons: The stories of the fates were not given enough stage time. I wish we had more time to get to know the world of the fates.

I think that any fantasy lover would enjoy this series and it is age appropriate for readers of any age.

Overall, I give Finale 4.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

-Jacqui

Characters 4/5
Setting 4/5
Writing 5/5
Plot & Themes 4/5
Romance 4/5
Diversity 3/5

Author: Stephanie Garber
Genre: YA Fantasy
Trigger Warnings: Abuse by parents, Death, Kidnapping
Age Recommendation: 12+
Length/Page Count: 11hr 24min
Format & Source: Audiobook, Libby
Narrator: Rebecca Soler
Publishing Info: Macmillan Audio

The Romanov Oracle
By Molly Tullis

Summary
Anastasia Romanova has spent her childhood trying to run from her powers and what her family calls the “Romanov curse.” Her father, Tsar Nicholas, is determined to keep her and her mysterious powers under his watchful eye. He decides to call a boy from her past, who is now the priest called Rasputin, to come tutor her and coax her power to the surface. There is only one thing that the Romanovs could have never predicted. Anastasia’s magic is more powerful than they could imagine. Anastasia and Rasputin have a history together that they now must face as they stand together against the Romanov Family as they watch the city burn.

My Review
I have been following Molly Tullis (@thebibliophileblonde) for a while now and I have enjoyed watching her journey into becoming a published author. I was lucky enough to be chosen to receive an advanced readers copy of her debut novel “The Romanov Oracle” and I was over the moon. As this was her first novel, I didn’t have much to go on other than her reputation as resident death god expert and reigning smut queen. I know she loves many of the same things that I do and I knew that if she wrote it, I would probably like it. But that doesn’t necessarily equal a talent for writing. I was very excited to find that, not only is she great at recommending books, she is also wonderful at writing them.

Her story is masterfully written. I did not plan on reading the book in one day, but once I picked it up, I could not put it down. I spent the whole day on the edge of my seat. From the political intrigue and the family drama to the personal history and grief. The characters all have depth and dimension that makes you want to understand them. It is a beautiful rendering of the Romanov dynasty in a world with magic and betrayal. There were so many connections to the historical and existing fictional depictions of the Romanov family that you can’t help but get pulled into the atmosphere and feel as if this one could be the true version of events.

It gets even better when you remember, that beautifully woven within the electrifying plot, there is a spicy romance! And it is spicy. Here is where the reigning smut queen gets an upgrade to smut Goddess when you find out that she not only recommends great spicy reads, but damn, can she write them. The quantity of scenes was *chefs kiss, perfect and the scenes themselves, absolutely sweltering. The way that Anya and Mikhail speak to each other is just fabulous. I can not get enough. I was so enthralled in their story and their history together that I didn’t want it to end. The way the two of them are so connected to each other, no matter what is beautiful and I just love them with all my heart.

Pros: Exciting, fast paced plot with a wonderfully steamy romance
Cons: It will only be a standalone novel, so we won’t get anymore Anya and Mikhail

Molly has created an absolute masterpiece with this story. I think that anyone who has an interest in historical fiction, fantasy and spicy romance novels would enjoy reading this book. This is just her first novel and I cannot wait to see what else comes out of the wonderful world of Molly Tullis.

Overall, I give the Romanov Oracle 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

-Jacqui

Characters 5/5
Setting 5/5
Writing 5/5
Plot & Themes 5/5
Romance 5/5
Diversity 2/5

Author: Molly Tullis
Genre: Adult fantasy, historical romance
Trigger Warnings: sex, violence, language, parental neglect and abuse
Age Recommendation: 18+
Length/Page Count: 312 pages
Format & Source: Kindle Advance Readers Copy
Publishing Info: Amazon