Tag: book-review

Review | A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa

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For readers of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, The Dallergut Dream Department Store, and The Midnight Library, a sweetly magical and uplifting novel about a young woman who inherits an enchanted bakery that spirits visit on their last stop before the afterlife.

Twenty-seven-year-old Yeon-hwa has inherited a neighborhood bakery from her grandmother. Curiously, her grandmother’s will spells out two conditions: Yeon-hwa must keep the shop going for at least another month and only open it to customers from 10 PM until midnight. Yeon-hwa is hesitant at first; her grandmother was always distant, raising Yeon-hwa after her parents died in a car accident. But she agrees to the terms, hoping that running the bakery will help her to finally understand her grandmother after all these years.

Yeon-hwa soon learns that the Hwawoldang—the name means “flower moon temple” —is not an ordinary dessert shop. The customers who arrive late at night are spirits, there to attend to unfinished business before being reincarnated. The sweets they crave hold some deep significance in their earthly lives, and they expect Yeon-hwa to meet their requests, as her grandmother did.

With each customer who arrives, Yeon-hwa learns which special desserts live in their memories and will help them on their way. Aided by the shop’s resident black cat, Yeon-hwa learns how to find closure for her customers—and begins to unravel her own family’s secrets as well.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Yeon-hwa’s grandmother has just died, leaving her with more questions than answers and a pastry shop mired in debt that she has to keep open for at least 30 days, but only from 10 p.m. to midnight. Over the next month she discovers more about her grandmother as well as the various souls she meets and more importantly, finds herself.

I love translated cozy fiction, or healing fiction as some call it, so I had to pick this one up. The writing was lyrical and heartfelt, each character having their own unique personality as they came into Yeon-hwa’s story and then sometimes left just as quickly as they appeared. Each character has their own story and lesson to teach Yeon-hwa, helping her to discover who she really is. This is not only a story about findings yourself, but also grief, learning to forgive and so much more. Definitely have some tissues handy when reading as it is just as much catharsis and release as it is emotional.

Happy reading!

Review | Faeries and Frost by Carly Spade

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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?

Rating: 4 out of 5.

This was a fun introduction to Arcane Cove for me (technically this is the 2nd book in the series, but I ended up picking this one up first) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Both Sylvie and Jack have a lot of personal baggage and past trauma to deal with and I really appreciated that though they were short on time, they seemed to prioritize working through that. The characters had real depth and personalities which was so nice to read. While there was definitely conflict and difficulties that were perhaps a little predictable, it was handled really well and the journey was really fun. I’m definitely looking forward to picking up some of Spade’s backlist as well as reading more in this series as they become available.

Happy reading!

Review | Emotional Support Animals: Anonymous Fuzzball Comics + Workbook by Nicole Georges

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Emotional Support Animals is a collection of comics and worksheets featuring adorable and irresistible emotional support animals offering words of compassion and wisdom, delivering smiles along with experience, strength, and hope.

What if your therapist was a cardigan-wearing walrus sipping a cup of coffee? Emotional Support Animals answers this question in a series of sweet comics and engaging worksheets. Nicole Georges presents small doses of therapy in the form of humorous illustrations about serious subjects. Picture a pug assuring you that it’s not cruel to say no or hold a boundary, or a crocodile reminding you that when you take care of yourself, you have more capacity to give. Inspired by Nicole’s experiences with grief and healing, her Anonymous Fuzzball comics touch on themes of self-worth, boundaries, and balance. Using quirky animals as her subjects, she proves that hard truths are easier to digest in an adorable package.

Affirmations “Just because someone’s having a big reaction doesn’t mean I did anything wrong.” “You’re not going to mess up something that’s meant for you.” “As I love myself more, I demand less of others.” “What people say is just information. You don’t have to take it personally.” “I don’t need to achieve anything to be lovable.”

Rating: 3 out of 5.

This was a really nice book to work through. Most of the pages feature affirmations with accompanying images of animals. Some do seem very reminiscent of the typical inspirational phrase posters you see, but the art is charming and anyone who might battle mental health issues, depression, anxiety etc would probably enjoy being able to flip through this. There are a number of workbook pages as well, which can help you work through certain things, such as grief or setting boundaries. It is a quick read, but I feel would be a good reference for anyone.

Happy reading!

Review | Love (Literally) Bites by Corina Bair

DeAnneLeave a comment

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!

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

DeAnne1 Comment

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!

January | ARCs on Deck

DeAnneLeave a comment

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 | The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang

DeAnne1 Comment

If you could swap your life for a better one, which would you choose?

On the outskirts of Rainbow Town, there is an old, abandoned house. They say that if you send a letter detailing your misfortunes there, you could receive a ticket. If you bring this ticket to the house on the first day of the rainy season, you’ll be granted entrance into the mysterious Rainfall Market—where you can choose to completely change your life.

No one is more surprised than Serin when she receives a ticket. Lonely and with no real prospects for a future, Serin ventures to the market, determined to create a better life for herself.

There, she meets a magical cat companion named Issha and they search through bookstores, perfumeries, and fantastical realms while Serin tries to determine what her perfect life will look like.

The catch? Serin only has one week to find her happiness or be doomed to vanish into the market forever.

And all the while, a shadow follows quietly behind them…

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This was by far my favorite read of 2025, so even though I read it a few months ago, I had to review it. I have found that a lot of the healing fiction/cozy fiction coming out of Japan and Korea are right up my alley.

I loved the goblin market feel of the book and how Serin, who felt her life was full of misfortune, even though she didn’t really believe in the market, took a chance and wrote in anyway. Once she gets her ticket things start moving pretty quickly. I loved the rich descriptions of the market and it’s occupants, often filled with whimsy and enough of the touch of magic to spark wonder in both the younger and older visitors to the market.

The cast of characters is robust, with some definitely tugging at the heartstrings or being endearing. Along the way Serin learns a lot of lessons about life itself, but also about herself. She learns not only what she thinks she wants in life, but what is actually important.

The ‘bad guy’ was pretty predictable from the onset, but getting to the grand reveal was still quite a journey. I loved not only the adventure of it, but the growth we see in Serin and how she comes into her own.

Happy reading!

Review | The Ghost Hunter Next Door by Danielle Garrett

DeAnneLeave a comment

The first rule of being a ghost whisperer: Don’t tell anyone.

Seriously. Don’t.

Sure, it might sound harmless. A fun party trick, even. I assure you, it’s not.

How do I know? Well, let’s just say that I’ve had a lot of experience with this sort of thing, and nine times out of ten, it turns into an all-consuming disaster.

Being plagued by needy ghosts twenty-four/seven is one thing; being harassed by a horde of curious — or worse, grieving — flesh-and-blood people is an entirely different circus. I mean really, who wants to hold an impromptu séance in the middle of the cereal aisle? Not me, and the manager of the grocery store probably isn’t too crazy about the idea, either.

So, that’s it. If you’re a ghost whisperer, just keep your mouth shut and act normal. Ghosts? What ghosts?

Now, if only I would start listening to my own advice …

Rating: 4 out of 5.

When I picked this up I was looking for something light, paranormal and that would make me laugh. I had seen a few of Danielle Garrett’s titles pop up in recommendations, so I thought I would check one out. It definitely fit the bill and I had a thoroughly fun time with it. It was a good take on a bit of a cozy mystery, only it didn’t feature a current murder they were trying to solve…but the details of how a certain ghost died in order to help the living with their ‘ghost dilemma’ and keep the ghost from wreaking havoc. This was made a little more complicated by the fact that most don’t know about Scarlet’s abilities. The characters (especially the ghosts) are charming – after all, who wouldn’t want to hear the opinions of their childhood cat in ghost form? Scarlet has depth and her struggles with balancing her up and coming business, relationships and keeping her secret while helping the local ghosts was a great read.

Happy reading!

Blog Tour | Higher Magic by Courtney Floyd | Review

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“Higher Magic is my catnip. By what dark arts I know not, Floyd has summoned up a wonderful wizard-grad-school slice-of-life, replete with organizing, romance, anxiety, camaraderie, and courage. More please!” —Max Gladstone, NYT Bestselling Co-Author of This is How You Lose the Time War

In this incisive, irreverent, and whimsical cozy dark academia novel for fans of Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde series and R.F. Kuang’s Babel, a struggling mage student with intense anxiety must prove that classic literature contained magic—and learn to wield her own stories to change her institution for the better.

First-generation graduate student Dorothe Bartleby has one last chance to pass the Magic program’s qualifying exam after freezing with anxiety during her first attempt. If she fails to demonstrate that magic in classic literature changed the world, she’ll be kicked out of the university. And now her advisor insists she reframe her entire dissertation using Digimancy. While mages have found a way to combine computers and magic, Bartleby’s fated to never make it work.

This time is no exception. Her revised working goes horribly wrong, creating a talking skull named Anne that narrates Bartleby’s inner thoughts—even the most embarrassing ones—like she’s a heroine in a Jane Austen novel. Out of her depth, she recruits James, an unfairly attractive mage candidate, to help her stop Anne’s glitches in time for her exam.Instead, Anne leads them to a shocking and dangerous discovery: Magic students who seek disability accommodations are disappearing—quite literally. When the administration fails to act, Bartleby must learn to trust her own knowledge and skills. Otherwise, she risks losing both the missing students and her future as a mage, permanently.

BUY LINKS | Bookshop.org | B&N | Amazon

Rating: 4 out of 5.

There was a lot in this book that I liked, it has great representation and is a great example of showing accommodations – which was something I was not expecting at all. That being said, I felt the book did not need to be as long as it was, at times there was just too much and it really dragged the pace of the book down. I did really enjoy the magic in the book and the way it was constructed, but even that sometimes was a little confusing even while being interesting. Overall though the story was fun and interesting and I enjoyed the experience of getting to know Dorothe and seeing her work through everything she needs to do.

Courtney Floyd is a neurodivergent fantasy author who grew up in New Mexico, where she learned to write between tarantula turf wars and apocalyptic dust storms. She currently lives at the bottom of a haunted mountain in the woods of Vermont with her partner and pets. Higher Magic is her debut novel.
Courtney has a PhD in British Literature and a penchant for irreverent literary allusions. Her short stories have appeared in publications including Fireside Magazine, Small Wonders, and Haven Spec, and her audio drama, The Way We Haunt Now, is available wherever you get your podcasts. Find her online at courtney-floyd.com.

SOCIALS | Website | Instagram | BlueSky | Goodreads

Happy reading!

Review | Divining the Leaves by Shveta Thakrar

DeAnneLeave a comment

From critically acclaimed author Shveta Thakrar comes a beautifully imagined contemporary fantasy about two teens, one a believer of magic who yearns to belong, the other a skeptic searching for an escape, who find themselves embroiled in a twisty world of court intrigue when they venture into a forest ruled by yakshas, mysterious woodland spirits drawn from Hindu and Buddhist folklore.

Plant-loving Ridhi Kapadia and popular Nilesh Batra were friends once.

Now, seventeen and alone, Ridhi blends natural perfumes, wears flower crowns, and wanders her local woods, listening for the leafy whispers of her beloved trees. Pleading for the yakshas to admit her into their enchanted forest kingdom, where she knows she truly belongs.

After learning his parents’ perfect marriage is a sham and getting suspended from school, a heartsick Nilesh lands at Ridhi’s doorstep—the last thing either of them wants. So when a pretty yakshini offers him the distraction of magic, the same magic he mocked Ridhi for believing in, he jumps at it.

Furious, Ridhi strikes a bargain with a noblewoman named Sulochana. In return for helping restore her reputation, Sulochana will turn Ridhi into the yakshini she yearns to be—and teach her to divine the trees’ murmurs.

But when Nilesh ends up trapped in the yakshas’ realm, Ridhi realizes the leaves might be telling a disturbing story about the forest her heart is rooted in—one that, even if the two of them band together, threatens to shred the future like so many thorns.

First things first, the writing in this book is wonderful. I felt it was very atmospheric and immediately drew me in, that part I absolutely loved. The story itself did seem to move slowly, though that can be good in more flowery prose, it can also drag the story a bit. That being said, there was a lot to love about the characters, who felt like fully formed individuals. Though I don’t know a lot about Desi or Hindu culture, I still really enjoyed all of the cultural touches. I do feel there could be improvement to make the story pacing a bit better, but all in all an enjoyable read.

Happy reading!