Into the Shadows: Dark Academia Book Recs
Who else loves books that make them want to wear turtlenecks, solve a murder, and brood in a library for hours? Here’s a list of dark academia reads to fuel your mysterious intellectual vibe!
Within the Embers Book Review
Within the Embers is a great continuation of T.A. Reilly’s Scattered Destinies series. Its mix of magic, high stakes, romance, and time travel, combined with a badass, relatable female main character; a swoonworthy male main character; and a cliffhanger that leaves you craving the next book, will appeal to fans of fantasy series like ACOTAR, TOG, and The Empyrean.
September 2024 Wrap-Up
September saw me finishing up the copyedit for an upcoming release (Addictive Contact!), reading a few more books of a historical romance series, and getting through half a dozen ARCs. My ratings were kind of all over the place this month, though there were a few standout novels I really loved!
October 2024 Book Releases
October is almost here, and so are some seriously awesome book releases for fall! Whether you’re into spooky thrillers, epic fantasy, or feel-good reads, there’s something for everyone. Check out these highly-anticipated October 2024 drops that are definitely worth adding to your TBR!
Oath of Betrayal Book Review
Oath of Betrayal, book 1 of Olena Nikitin’s new The Cursed Bonds duology, is a stunning entry into high fantasy, brimming with epic world-building, a unique magic system, and Nikitin’s signature fascinating blend of Slavic mythology.
Conquist Book Review
Conquist by Dirk Strasser is an immersive historical fantasy that takes readers into 16th-century Peru during the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire, blending real events or details with a gripping, imaginative story. If you’re looking for a book that’s not only exciting but also makes you reflect on the nature of conquest—both external and internal—Conquist is well worth the read.
Vilest Things Book Review
Vilest Things by Chloe Gong is a brilliantly layered sequel that surpasses the first book in its complexity and depth. The political intrigue, high stakes, constant plot twists, and the intoxicatingly dysfunctional romance subplot make it such a good read. Gong’s ability to mix humor, tragedy, and romance within such a dark, twisty framework is impressive. A must-read for fans of retellings, star-crossed lovers, morally gray characters, and fantasy worlds where the price of power is steep.
The City of the Living: The True Story of Modern Rome’s Most Shocking Murder Book Review
Nicola Lagioia’s The City of the Living is a literary true crime novel based on a 2016 murder with seemingly no motivation. An interesting story, I appreciated the lens that this case, and Rome, was viewed and analyzed through. This book is unique in the way the author interprets the concrete and the abstract—a tough thing to approach and balance, even more so given the context of real, and horrifying, events such as true crime . . . most especially a reprehensible murder.
Cursed by Gold Book Review
Cursed by Gold by Jamie Dalton offers a refreshing spin on familiar fairy tale elements, blending the untouchable curse of King Midas with the darker undertones of a thief’s desperate mission. When Scarlet, our Cinderella, tries to steal a necklace and ends up crossing paths with the cursed king, Remme, things get interesting . . .
August 2024 Wrap-Up
August was all about ARCs and historical romances, with a spattering of other genres such as a variety of fantasies and retellings, true crime, and science fiction! Can you tell I’m a mood reader?
Echoes of the Raven Book Review
Andddd the slow-burn continues … Echoes of the Raven by Ingrid Seymour is a solid continuation of The Eldrystone series, picking up immediately where House of the Raven left off. The story plunges into darkness right from the start, which sets the tone for the intense journey ahead. The book shines in its second half, where the pacing quickly picks up, the plot thickens, and the character development deepens. Not to mention that ending?!!
Immortal Longings Book Review
Do the ends justify the means? Book 1 of the Flesh & False Gods series, Immortal Longings, by Chloe Gong takes you on a gritty, high-stakes journey through the twin cities of San-Er, where body-jumping assassins and exiled aristocrats battle for power and survival. This Antony and Cleopatra retelling weaves themes of power, loyalty, and deception with a narrative that challenges conventional ideas about identity and consent.