Review | Love (Literally) Bites by Corina Bair

Nothing sucks more than being sent on a work trip with a (probably) murderous vampire when you’re a chaotic shifter whose life is falling apart.

Once called a freak for her inability to shift, Raya Merritt is now transforming at the worst moments. Rabbit ears mid-presentation? Check. Mouse whiskers in the pool? Yep. Cheetah spots while making out? Sure, why not? After a year of increasing turmoil–and with another full moon approaching–Raya is scrambling to make the most of a shifty situation.

Asher Sullivan is perfectly content. He has a quiet home, a blood bank down the street, and a steady income. He goes to work and comes home–no mayhem, no surprises–just the way he designed it.
Until a relentlessly cheerful shifter shows up in his office and upends it all.

When Raya and Asher are accidentally double-booked into the same hotel room, Raya is determined not to let her inner animal run wild and ruin her career. Against his wishes, Asher’s fangs ache to taste her, while Raya’s shifter side purrs for him and no one else.

Little do they know, more than their jobs are on the line, and they’ll need each other to make it through.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

I absolutely devoured this book once I got into it. I really enjoyed the characters, obviously Raya and Asher, but so many of the supporting characters were given clear identities and personalities. I dare anyone not to be charmed by Reverie. I really enjoyed the story progression, though I was worried that perhaps things were moving too fast, but by the end the pacing worked out really well. If you want a story that has a great mix of spice, dynamic scenes and will make you giggle and kick your feet this is definitely one you should pick up. We get both Raya and Asher’s POVs and it makes it even better when we see the moments that they are growing together. Asher is the perfect grumpy to counter Raya’s sunshine and they definitely bring out the best in each other. I can’t wait to get the change to pick up more by this author!

Love (Literally) Bites is out now! Make sure to pick up a copy (and it’s available on KU!).

Happy reading!

Weekly Reading Update 1/18-1/25

What has everyone been reading this past week?

I managed to finish a few books and make a decent amount of progress in another. All in all it was a really good week of reading. I’ve posted reviews of both Nature Poems to See By and Everyday I Read here on the blog.

I Hate Fairyland is a series that I’ve been reading when it first started coming out. It’s definitely taken some fun and unexpected twists and turns, but I’m still really enjoying it so will continue to pick up future issues.

Look for my review of Love (Literally) Bites this coming week! I’m loving it so far and will be sure to share more info with you once I’ve finished it.

Happy reading, everyone!

Can’t Wait Wednesday | 1/21/2026

Can’t Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings based on the meme Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking the Spine. In this weekly post people share a book that they’re excited about being released.

After reading The River Has Roots I was excited to hear that the author has a short story collection coming out this year. Look for this one March 24th!

Amazon | Goodreads

Full of glimpses into gleaming worlds and fairy tales with teeth, Seasons of Glass and Stories is a collection of acclaimed and awarded work from Amal El-Mohtar.

With confidence and style, El-Mohtar guides us through exquisitely told and sharply observed tales about life as it is, was, and could be. Like miscellany from other worlds, these stories are told in letters, diary entries, reference materials, folktales, and lyrical prose.

Full of Nebula, Locus, World Fantasy, and Hugo Award-winning and nominated stories, Seasons of Glass and Stories includes “Seasons of Glass and Iron,” “The Green Book,” “Madeleine,” “The Lonely Sea in the Sky,” “And Their Lips Rang with the Sun,” “The Truth About Owls,” “A Hollow Play,” “Anabasis,” “To Follow the Waves,” “John Hollowback and the Witch,” “Florilegia, or, Some Lies About Flowers,” “Pockets,” and more.

Happy reading!

Book Blitz | To Hell and Back by Bill Blume

To Hell and Back
Bill Blume
Publication date: January 20th 2026
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

For one pair of swordfighters, their marriage is worth going to Hell and back.

Ty and Dani are a modern-day, swordfighting husband-and-wife duo who help with exorcisms until a demon kills Dani’s mother and all of their fellow exorcists. Now, they’re on a quest for revenge through the realms of Hell, and killing the demon is just the start of the journey. To keep the demon from reviving, Dani and Ty must escape Hell within seven days and cast the demon’s head and heart into an Eternal Flame. To get back to the mortal realm in time, they rely on their small terrier Wicket to lead them past the demon’s army and thousands of other horrors.

To Hell and Back takes readers on an epic journey perfect for those who believe love can overcome any challenge and that a devoted dog makes the perfect guide no matter where you need to go.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

EXCERPT:

They didn’t drive far, parking on a cobblestone street next to the café, sitting on a street corner. The entire front wall of the café was made up of tall doors that were all turned open to take advantage of the pleasant spring weather. Ty sucked down his coffee. It tasted stronger than what he preferred, but as tired as he was, he considered that a good thing.

“I imagine you have a lot of questions.” Maria sat at one of the tables closest to the sidewalk with people dressed in business suits and hospital scrubs walking by. She crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair, draping her arm over the back of it.

“I’m told you work for the church?” He decided against gambling on whether it was the Catholic or Episcopal Church.

“Heard that, did you?” She cracked an amused grin, as if she’d been privy to his conversation with Barry. “That’s only partially true. We’re funded by the Church of England, but we don’t answer to them.”

Taking a chug of his coffee, Ty then asked, “And who is we?”

“A fair question, and I’ll get to that soon enough.” She paused for her own sip of coffee. When she continued, she stared out at the street as cars rumbled across the cobblestones. “I’d like to talk about you a bit first. I notice you’ve started the transition.”

“The what?”

“Oh, you’re trying to find a way to make a living off that sword arm of yours that doesn’t require a nine-to-five job typing on a keyboard or some other nonsense. You’re going the usual route: giving lessons to wannabes drunk on fantasies of medieval knights or Star Wars. You know. The usual stuff.” She looked at him with a smirk that assured him she already knew the answer to her next question. “You enjoying all that?”

He cleared his throat and sniffed. His sinuses were still killing him.

“I’m paying my bills.” He shrugged, trying to mimic her nonchalance by turning his focus out onto the street and the passersby. Didn’t keep him from seeing her amused reaction to his answer, that she knew he was full of shit.

Yeah, he’d taken to giving part-time lessons at a local fencing club that included saber fighting. Most of the job seemed more about punishing clients into the realization that they weren’t going to turn into Inigo Montoya overnight and that fighting with a sword required both finesse and brutality. Being good with a sword required a killer instinct. Forcing others with limited skills to realize they didn’t have that certain something was taking a toll on him.

“Look, Mr. Faison.” She leaned forward, crossing her arms on the table. “For some people that’s enough, and that’s fine.” The way she said “fine” left little doubt it was anything but that. “But someone like you…” She shook her head.

He tried to bluff, acting amused and disinterested, but his acting skills failed him again. “You think so?”

The way her expression hardened, that single eye narrowing on him, forced his full focus on her. “I think you’re the kind of person who’s only ever whole when he’s got a sword in his hand and a real fight in front of him.”

She leaned back in her chair again, with all the satisfaction of a wildcat dining on a fresh kill. The silence offered him a chance to respond, but she’d left him speechless. No one had ever peeled him down to his bones like this—not even his parents—not this fast or with such ease.

After giving him his chance to answer and seeing he wasn’t able to, Maria sipped her coffee and then continued. “You’re twenty-six. You used to finish in the top three at most competitions you entered but you haven’t in more than a year. It’s not that your skills or body are fading, and it’s not because you’re distracted by the side work that pays the bills. No, it’s because even the competitions are starting to bore you. Those fights aren’t real anymore, because all that’s at stake there is pride.”

“And what? You’re offering me a ‘real fight’? What is this? Some kind of underground sword fight club, where the loser dies, and the first rule is to not talk about it?”

She shook her head, grinning at his attempt at wit. “This is no game or club. Underground? Somewhat. But what you’ll be doing will make a real difference in people’s lives. I’m offering you a chance to reclaim that fire that ignited the moment you first touched a sword.

“I’m giving you a chance to find your heart.”

Author Bio:

Bill Blume discovered his love for the written word while in high school and has been writing ever since. His latest novel, West of Apocalypse, is now available from Time Killer Publishing. His short stories have been published in many fantasy anthologies and various ezines.

Like the father figure in his “Gidion Keep, Vampire Hunter” novels, Bill works as a 911 dispatcher for Henrico County Police and has done so for more than two decades. He served as the 2013 chair for James River Writers, which produces one of the nation’s best annual conferences for educating and connecting writers.

He graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Broadcast Journalism in 1995. In the years after, he worked as a TV news producer, first in Columbus, Georgia, and then in Richmond, Virginia, which has become home for Bill & his family.

You can learn more about Bill at his website: http://www.billblume.net.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Facebook


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To Hell and Back Blitz

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Review | Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo-Reum

From the internationally bestselling author of Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop comes a warm and reflective collection of essays inviting us to reflect on our relationship with reading.

Why do we read? What is it that we hope to take away from the intimate, personal experience of reading for pleasure?

Rarely do we ask these profound, expansive questions of ourselves and of our relationship to the joy of reading. In each of the essays in Every Day I Read, Hwang Bo-reum contemplates what living a life immersed in reading means. She goes beyond the usual questions of what to read and how often, exploring the relationship between reading and writing, when to turn to a bestseller vs. browse the corners of a bookstore, the value of reading outside of your favorite genre, falling in love with book characters, and more.

Every Day I Read provides many quiet moments for introspection and reflection, encouraging book-lovers to explore what reading means to each of us. While this is a book about books, at its heart is an attitude to life, one outside capitalism and climbing the corporate ladder. Lifelong and new readers will take away something from it, including a treasure trove of book recommendations blended seamlessly within.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

If I had to describe this book in one sentence, it would probably boil down to the fact that this book felt like a warm hug regarding the habit of reading, but also represented so much more. In it there are 53 essays written by the author, all exploring different types of reading, different reading experiences, different ways to enjoy or explore reading in your life and even how reading can change you and why you should include it in your everyday. Each essay is beautifully and thoughtfully written, not just from the author’s perspective and preferences, but also weaving in snippets from books they have enjoyed or found meaningful. While many of the works referenced were familiar to me, I now have a whole list to look into because of those snippets and references. If you love reading, love talking about reading and enjoy exploring the psychology of reading make sure to pick this one up.

Happy reading!

Review | Nature Poems to See By by Julian Peters

This stunning anthology of favorite poems about our relationship with the natural world, visually interpreted by acclaimed comic artist Julian Peters, breathes new life into some of the greatest poems of all time.

These are poems that can change the way we see the environment, and encountering them in graphic form promises to change the way we read the poems. In an age of increasingly visual communication, this format helps unlock the world of poetry and literature for a new generation of reluctant readers and visual learners.

Following the seasons of the year and of life, Nature Poems to See By will also help young readers see themselves differently. A valuable teaching aid appropriate for middle school, high school, and college use, the collection includes favorites from the canon already taught in countless English classes.

This sequel to the artist’s award-winning anthology Poems to See By includes adaptations of poems by Langston Hughes, William Shakespeare, Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickinson, Gerard Manley Hopkins, William Wordsworth, Mary Karr, Robert Frost, Edward Thomas, William Blake, Dylan Thomas, Robert Burns, Rhina P. Espaillat, Joy Harjo, Alfred L. Tennyson, Matsuo Bashō, Gwendolyn Brooks, Stevie Smith, Li Po, Carl Sandburg, Ueda Chōshū, e. e. cummings, Elizabeth Bishop, Christina Rosetti, and Philip Larkin.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

After having read the previous installment, Poems to See By, I was excited to see another similar book out by Julian Peters. I think this is such a great way for someone to consume poetry or get introduced to poetry. The added visuals of the art with the poems gives a great visual representation and dept to the poetry. I also really enjoyed how Peter’s art style shifted depending on the poem that was being portrayed. The only think that was slightly off to me was that I didn’t necessarily feel like these were all nature poems, so my expectations were a little different than what was in the book, I feel seasonal may have been a better descriptor. Still, I would love to see more installments in this style in the future.

Happy reading!

January | ARCs on Deck

Hey everyone! I thought I would do something new today and talk about the ARCs I’m currently working on. This might not be all the ARCs I have in line, but the most direct ones I’m working on.

Nothing sucks more than being sent on a work trip with a (probably) murderous vampire when you’re a chaotic shifter whose life is falling apart.

Once called a freak for her inability to shift, Raya Merritt is now transforming at the worst moments. Rabbit ears mid-presentation? Check. Mouse whiskers in the pool? Yep. Cheetah spots while making out? Sure, why not? After a year of increasing turmoil–and with another full moon approaching–Raya is scrambling to make the most of a shifty situation.

Asher Sullivan is perfectly content. He has a quiet home, a blood bank down the street, and a steady income. He goes to work and comes home–no mayhem, no surprises–just the way he designed it.
Until a relentlessly cheerful shifter shows up in his office and upends it all.

When Raya and Asher are accidentally double-booked into the same hotel room, Raya is determined not to let her inner animal run wild and ruin her career. Against his wishes, Asher’s fangs ache to taste her, while Raya’s shifter side purrs for him and no one else.

Little do they know, more than their jobs are on the line, and they’ll need each other to make it through.

Goodreads

The second book in a cozy romantasy small town monster romance series with mythology, fairy tales, and folk lore. Books are intersecting standalones and can be read out of order.

Sylvie, the faerie baker.

When I found Arcane Cove after my own people cast me out, I felt home for the first time. Monsters, witches, and all forms of magical beings welcomed me. And who knew my hidden calling would be magical baked goods? The Cove’s residents came to my bakery Muffin Compares to You for sugar and enchanted support, which I was quick to indulge.

Until the day a mysterious, bearded stranger with pointed ears came into my shop, sending my quaint world into a spiraling blizzard. He was off-putting, arrogant, and knew he was handsome. So, why couldn’t I stop thinking about him? And when he said he was looking for a woman, why did I deflate, knowing it wasn’t me?

Jack, the Winter King.

Every solstice offered the chance to find my mate. A portal opened in the lakes surrounding my kingdom, taking me to a randomly chosen realm. Given this solstice would be the thousandth time I’ve searched, I had little hope left.

When I arrived in Arcane Cove, I never expected such a small town to harbor her. I also never thought she’d work in a stuffy, toasty cloud of sugarplums and vanilla. Surely, it was the universe’s idea of nipping me in the butt. Could she truly be my fated mate? And if she was, would she accept me, powers and all, before time ran out? Or would the ice creature within me frighten her away?

Goodreads

The only thing more dangerous than falling for a lie
is falling for the liar.

Don’t look at the desert. Don’t think about the desert. Never step onto the sand. Taera has followed these rules her entire life—until he arrives.

Impossibly gorgeous, with a face masked in magic, Nikolai kidnaps Taera and drags her deep into the dunes. He says she’s powerful and needs to be trained…if she ever wants to see her family again.

Thrust into a deadly school of illusions and lies, Taera can’t trust anyone. Especially not her breathtaking, ruthless captor. Top student and notorious liar, his secrets run deeper than the sand. He’s her worst nightmare—and everything she craves.

The cutthroat Halls of Glass have a mind of their own. Trapped within their looping corridors, Taera is surrounded by hostile students and forced to rely on Nikolai.

Taera knows she shouldn’t fall for his illusions. But magic requires a partnership, and he’s the only mage who can handle her wild, untamed power.

And the only way he’ll help her is if she pretends to be his.

Goodreads

Some battles are fought in the light.
Hers will be in the shadows.

In the fractured world of Emberleria, strength is survival and magic is power. Those born without it are cast out as rogues, left to die in the wilds or be claimed by the King’s slave drivers.

Lilian Ashcroft, commander of her pack’s warriors, has spent her life training to become a Guardian – to protect those she loves most. But when the King announces the annual Rogue Games with a deadly twist, her life shatters. Rage and despair drives her into the borderlands… and straight into the King’s chains.

Thrown into the heart of the Volskar, Lilian is forced to fight for her survival. Victory demands she forge uneasy alliances, outwit her enemies and face the lies haunting the Kingdom’s elite.

Yet an ancient evil prowls the castle’s shadowed halls, killing innocents for sport. And deep beneath the fortress, a forgotten library guards a bewitched gate – the secrets beyond could unravel the very fabric of the realm.

But some gates, once opened, can never be closed.

Goodreads

Look forward to reviews coming soon. Happy reading!

Review | Jackknife by Joe Hill

Ruined by scandal, Dennis Lange is hoping for a comeback. Selling the story of a cursed tree could make his future—if it doesn’t kill him—in this monstrous short story from New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill.

Dennis awakens something evil when he removes a decades-old jackknife from the trunk of a gnarled old sycamore. Once pinned in place—now thoughtlessly freed—the tree returns to its roots. An act of vigilante justice took place under its boughs long ago. But its taste for blood has only grown stronger…

Joe Hill’s Jackknife is part of The Shivers, a collection of haunting stories that reveal the otherworldly terrors all around us. Once you know, there’s no going back. Read or listen to each story in one unsettling sitting.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

The premise of this story intrigued me and I was hoping to check out Joe Hill’s writing to see if it was something I would like. I would say that I enjoyed the story, but it just fell a little short for me. Sadly that can be the case with short stories, it’s sometimes hard to encapsulate the whole story that wants to be told within the small length. The main character, Dennis, is super unlikeable and with how much alcohol he consumes probably a bit unreliable in some aspects – but I don’t think we’re meant to like him. Some of the events were a little too predictable, you could definitely see where things were going. Overall it was a quick read and the writing style did keep my attention, so I still may check out other works by Hill in the future.

Happy reading!

Book Blitz | Find Me at the Disco

Find Me At The Disco
Diahanna Aurora Hampton
Publication date: January 8th 2026
Genres: Action, Romance

New York, 1977. Liza Collins is struggling to reconcile her relationship with her father, Will, after a lifetime of secrets and betrayal. Upon graduating from boarding school in London, Liza returns to her hometown of New York City seeking answers about her childhood that Will has largely left unanswered. Instead of answers, Liza unearths a series of illicit affairs, sham marriages, and financial troubles her father has tried to keep buried.

As Liza struggles with these findings and navigates adulthood, she meets Jennifer Blake-a woman who introduces her to a world of drugs, alcohol, and disco. In the midst of it all, Liza then discovers something about her family that she never could have imagined, clouding her judgment and sense of self. Consequently, Will is forced to either confess his mistakes or give up on his relationship with his daughter entirely.

Goodreads / Purchase

EXCERPT:

Jennifer grabbed Liza’s arm. “Let’s go boogie!”

“I don’t know. It’s kind of crowded.”

Liza stood awkwardly, watching people bump into each other. “That’s the best though, people moving their bodies against you. No one cares if you can’t dance, you just move to the beat and have fun.”

Before Liza could respond, a different song came on, Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love,” making people cheer and dance faster than before.

“Oh my God! I love this song, come on!” Jennifer squealed.

Liza let Jennifer pull her onto the dance floor. At first, she wasn’t really dancing. She kept getting shoved and pushed as she stood in front of Jennifer, who automatically moved to the beat. She tried to mimic her friend’s movements, but she felt unsure of herself as she struggled to get the right rhythm. Jennifer must have noticed Liza’s efforts, as she turned Liza around and placed her hands on her hips to help guide her. The song’s beat got easier for Liza to follow as she heard Donna Summer’s voice hum from the speakers.

Liza relaxed as the alcohol coursed through her veins. She let her body move under Jennifer’s direction and stopped overthinking. Jennifer turned Liza back around to face her, moving their bodies closer. Jennifer reached into her pocket to show Liza a few pills in a small plastic bag. She still moved to the beat when she popped one in her mouth and then promptly kissed Liza, transfer-ring a piece of the pill from her tongue to Liza’s. When Jennifer pulled away, she smirked.

After a few moments, Liza threw her head back as she felt the drug take hold. She saw the disco ball spinning above her, and the multicolored lights flashing around the club. Her vision blurred, coming in and out of focus like a kaleidoscope. Jennifer was behind her again bumping and grinding, leaving no room between them. Liza’s heart rate sped up, and she felt sweat drip down her neck. It was hot on the dance floor. Although she was breathing heavily, she continued to dance, letting the beat take over her movements.

They danced for several more songs, each one faster than the last. Liza’s skin was slick from sweat.


Author Bio:

Diahanna Aurora Hampton is a Boston based writer with a B.A. in Art Studies. Find Me At The Disco is her first novel.

Goodreads / Instagram


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Can’t Wait Wednesday | 1/14/2026

Can’t Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings based on the meme Waiting on Wednesday by Breaking the Spine. In this weekly post people share a book that they’re excited about being released.

I’ve picked up every one of June Hur’s books because all of them sound SO good and this one is no different. The wait is so long until May!

Amazon

From the New York Times-bestselling author of A Crane Among Wolves comes a warm and romantic homage to Jane Austen set in historical Korea, about a reader and a writer who secretly fight against government book banning and find themselves irresistibly drawn together.

As the dutiful second-eldest daughter of a poor family, society would have Haewon believe that her only hope of a decent life is to marry well. But during a time of rampant government censorship and book banning, she instead works as an illegal book transcriber to make a little extra money. It’s dangerous work, but she loves it―especially when she gets to transcribe the work of her favorite author, known as Black Lotus.

When her older sister becomes smitten with a wealthy young gentleman, Haewon is roped into chaperoning them during their courtship. Which wouldn’t be so terrible… if it weren’t for the young man’s uptight and annoying best friend who also accompanies them.

As the only son of a noble, Seojun has a lot expected of him. Wealth. Status. Respectability. Certainly not frivolous and often illicit activities such as reading fiction. But Seojun loves to do something even more scandalous: writing. He’s kept his work secret from his father and friends, but with each passing day, the pressure of being his father’s son and the dispiriting actions of the government make Seojun question the purpose of it all. The only thing keeping him going are the encouraging letters he receives from his transcriber, known only as Magpie.

When his best friend falls hard for a girl of lower social status, Seojun finds himself forced to act as chaperone to the infatuated couple―along with the girl’s younger sister, who is as irritating as she is judgmental. But as Haewon and Seojun spend more time together, they begin to suspect they may have judged each other too quickly…

Happy reading!