Lydia Sartzetaki's bookshelf: all

Lydia Sartzetaki's bookshelf: all en-US Sun, 20 Sep 2026 09:36:29 -0700 60 Lydia Sartzetaki's bookshelf: all 144 41 https://www.goodreads.com/images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Vices and Virtues 243522834 The #BestofBookTok author of House of Bane and Blood is back with an original standalone romantasy where a witch resurrects a centuries-old con man to help defeat an evil god, only to uncover secrets about their own ill-fated past lives and . . . love.

The Cycle always repeats itself. Why would this one have a different ending?

The Past: Osric Hale lives, steals, and commits all his vices under the ruthless sun of Sol-Trabes. After completing corrupted contracts for good coin, he’s almost saved enough to pay for a new life somewhere else. When his last job goes wrong, he’s tasked with finding a missing Divine with a woman who hates him—or face eternity in a crypt. Everything changes when the job for a lifetime ends in the death of the Sun King. Osric loses his life, the woman he loves, and from his failure, the realm is left stuck in Night.

The Present: Desiree Darrow needs to end the Eternal Night to stop her sister from dying under service to the Night Queen. But to do this, she needs the help of a man who died over a hundred years ago. As a Soul Summoner, she raises Osric Hale from the dead to help her find the Sun King, set his soul free, and restart the Cycle. But old betrayals and secrets are resurrected with him, challenging the path ahead.

As the past and present converge, Des discovers a centuries-old connection between her and Osric, and an ancient evil that has endured just as long. The past repeats itself, but the Cycle must be broken. Desiree and Osric will have to face their greatest sacrifice yet to bring back the Sun.]]> Alexis L. Menard Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.49 2026 Vices and Virtues

author: Alexis L. Menard
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Men Are Better Than Women 3025317
Masterson's chapters are simple and self-contained, demand no commitments from readers, and have an immediate payoff. Men Are Better Than Women is a dangerous work of satire -- not dangerous in a revolutionary sense, but dangerous in that it walks the razor-thin line between cruelty and absurdity. That line is called hilarious.]]> 253 Dick Masterson 1416953817 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 2.55 2008 Men Are Better Than Women

author: Dick Masterson
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 2.55
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Mirror of Infinite Endings (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #3.5)]]> 246483669
Jacks and Evangeline Fox have finally found their happily ever after.

Everything here in the Hollow is wonderful and perfect.

Nothing is going to go wrong.

No one is keeping a secret . . . except for maybe one.

But don’t worry, it’s not going to rewrite reality or alter history or change the ending of Jacks and Evangeline’s story.

Definitely not.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorite characters and twenty full-page illustrations by Lotusbubble, the newest installment in the Once Upon a Broken Heart universe will immerse readers once again in this beloved, #1 New York Times bestselling series. Because every story has the potential for infinite endings.

Also by Stephanie Garber:

The Caraval Series:
- Caraval
- Legendary
- Finale
- Spectacular

Alchemy of Secrets]]> 256 Stephanie Garber 1250462037 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 Pre-release: There are books you anticipate… and then there are books that make you feel like your soul is about to LEAVE YOUR BODY. The Mirror of Infinite Endings belongs to the second category. A NEW BOOK in the Once Upon a Broken Heart universe?? I’m sorry?? WHO ALLOWED THIS?? Because I am NOT emotionally prepared.

After the absolute perfection that was Once Upon a Broken Heart ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, followed by the masterpiece The Ballad of Never After ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (still superior, still iconic, still the love of my life), and then the chaos and heartbreak of A Curse for True Love ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐… I genuinely don’t know how I’m supposed to function with another installment coming.

Because let’s be real: I MISS THEM. I MISS MY CHILDREN.

I need Evangeline Fox back immediately. I need her hope, her softness, her stubborn belief in love even when everything is falling apart. And most importantly… I NEED Jacks. JACKS. THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. One of the best book boyfriends to EVER exist and I will not be accepting criticism at this time. I am literally starving for more of his story, his secrets, his morally gray chaos, and -most importantly-his relationship with Evangeline. Because their love story? OBSESSION. ADDICTION. A PROBLEM, honestly. And can we PLEASE talk about the unresolved questions?? Because I have MANY. Starting with: WHY. WAS. HE. ALWAYS. EATING. APPLES. I refuse to believe it meant nothing. I need confirmation that it was some kind of self-control thing, like him trying not to kiss Evangeline??? Because if that’s true, I will actually lose my mind. I’m already halfway there.

But wait-THAT’S NOT ALL.

I also desperately need more of Chaos and LaLa. The potential?? The tension?? The DRAMA?? If we don’t get some kind of development there, I will be personally offended.

And then… there’s Apollo. Let me be very clear: I hope Apollo NEVER comes back. Ever. Not even in a flashback. Not even in a dream. Respectfully… stay gone.

What I’m expecting from The Mirror of Infinite Endings is simple (and by simple I mean emotionally devastating): magic, heartbreak, longing, twists that make me stare at the wall for 20 minutes, and at least one scene that completely destroys me. Because that’s what this series does best. It makes you feel EVERYTHING. It wraps you in fairytale vibes and then shatters your heart in the most beautiful way possible.

Also… can we talk about the fact that this is coming out the SAME YEAR as A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters: Illustrated Tales from Elfhame by Holly Black and Escape Me by Tahereh Mafi??? I’m sorry, is the universe trying to KILL ME???

Final thoughts before I pass out:
If this book is anything less than 5 stars, I will be shocked. DEVASTATED. CONFUSED. Because this series has set the bar impossibly high -and I fully expect to be emotionally ruined all over again.

Until then, I’ll just be here… screaming, crying, and waiting. 🦊💕🍎]]> 4.84 2026 The Mirror of Infinite Endings (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #3.5)

The Mirror of Infinite Endings (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #3.5)

author: Stephanie Garber
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.84
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/20
shelves: to-read, adventure, enemies-to-lovers, fantasy, romance, romantasy, young-adult, once-upon-a-broken-heart, autumn-challenge-x1f342-x1f96e, monthly-tbr
review:
Pre-release: There are books you anticipate… and then there are books that make you feel like your soul is about to LEAVE YOUR BODY. The Mirror of Infinite Endings belongs to the second category. A NEW BOOK in the Once Upon a Broken Heart universe?? I’m sorry?? WHO ALLOWED THIS?? Because I am NOT emotionally prepared.

After the absolute perfection that was Once Upon a Broken Heart ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, followed by the masterpiece The Ballad of Never After ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (still superior, still iconic, still the love of my life), and then the chaos and heartbreak of A Curse for True Love ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐… I genuinely don’t know how I’m supposed to function with another installment coming.

Because let’s be real: I MISS THEM. I MISS MY CHILDREN.

I need Evangeline Fox back immediately. I need her hope, her softness, her stubborn belief in love even when everything is falling apart. And most importantly… I NEED Jacks. JACKS. THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. One of the best book boyfriends to EVER exist and I will not be accepting criticism at this time. I am literally starving for more of his story, his secrets, his morally gray chaos, and -most importantly-his relationship with Evangeline. Because their love story? OBSESSION. ADDICTION. A PROBLEM, honestly. And can we PLEASE talk about the unresolved questions?? Because I have MANY. Starting with: WHY. WAS. HE. ALWAYS. EATING. APPLES. I refuse to believe it meant nothing. I need confirmation that it was some kind of self-control thing, like him trying not to kiss Evangeline??? Because if that’s true, I will actually lose my mind. I’m already halfway there.

But wait-THAT’S NOT ALL.

I also desperately need more of Chaos and LaLa. The potential?? The tension?? The DRAMA?? If we don’t get some kind of development there, I will be personally offended.

And then… there’s Apollo. Let me be very clear: I hope Apollo NEVER comes back. Ever. Not even in a flashback. Not even in a dream. Respectfully… stay gone.

What I’m expecting from The Mirror of Infinite Endings is simple (and by simple I mean emotionally devastating): magic, heartbreak, longing, twists that make me stare at the wall for 20 minutes, and at least one scene that completely destroys me. Because that’s what this series does best. It makes you feel EVERYTHING. It wraps you in fairytale vibes and then shatters your heart in the most beautiful way possible.

Also… can we talk about the fact that this is coming out the SAME YEAR as A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters: Illustrated Tales from Elfhame by Holly Black and Escape Me by Tahereh Mafi??? I’m sorry, is the universe trying to KILL ME???

Final thoughts before I pass out:
If this book is anything less than 5 stars, I will be shocked. DEVASTATED. CONFUSED. Because this series has set the bar impossibly high -and I fully expect to be emotionally ruined all over again.

Until then, I’ll just be here… screaming, crying, and waiting. 🦊💕🍎
]]> <![CDATA[Tangled Threads of Fate (Hanging by a Thread, #1)]]> 199970024 You should go to Crete if you want to survive. Amourgeles. They’ll come for you soon.

I’d lived in the city for a long time, and working the drive-thru window of coffee shop meant I’d seen some things. From blowjobs to furries. Sometimes furries getting blowjobs. Let’s face it, no one was at their best when they were uncaffeinated.

So a strange lady with a creepy monotone prediction wasn’t that odd. Normally, I would have just shrugged it off as just another day in Boston.

Except a whole bunch of other weird shit had happened to me in the last three months.

I’d started seeing golden streaks of light. I thought it was a brain tumor, but it turned out to be pregnancy. Didn’t matter that I hadn’t gotten laid in nearly a year after I caught my ex-boyfriend banging his hairy Albanian superintendent.

I’d rationalized the improbability away the best I could. Maybe I was one of those people who sleep walked and had a whole other life at night. Or maybe that one night I went out and got drunk at my co-workers farewell was a little wilder than I remembered.

But it was hard to rationalize away a shadow monster attacking me while I was watching reality television, or that my grumpy neighbor, Nate, grew two feet and killed it with a giant ax that glowed like pure light.

The shadow monsters kept coming. The weird shit kept happening. Eventually, an unexpected trip to the Greek Islands was my only option.

But nothing–not the crazy prophecies to weird shadow monsters–could have prepared me for what I found in Crete.

Tangled Threads of Fate is a novel where no choices have to be made when it comes to the Main Male Characters and the more the merrier is the motto. This book may contain uncomfortable scenes for some people in regards to pregnancy, parental death and other situations. Take care of yourself!]]> 295 Grace McGinty Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.25 2024 Tangled Threads of Fate (Hanging by a Thread, #1)

Tangled Threads of Fate (Hanging by a Thread, #1)

author: Grace McGinty
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> A Bittersweet Spell 253653785 A cursed manuscript. An old betrayal. A second chance at love. Magic, secrets, and longing collide in this sweeping, beautiful fantasy from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals.

Lorne St. Clair has spent years hiding from his shadowy past, content to curate magical antiques in his quiet shoppe. But when a mysterious note arrives demanding he transcribe an enchanted manuscript—written in an ink only rare mages can read—his carefully guarded secrets are threatened. Refuse, and the truth about his past will be exposed.

Lorne knows one mage capable of reading the manuscript... But Avalene Vale was declared dead ten years ago.

In truth, she’s been hiding on the kingdom’s outskirts, her once-brilliant academic future stolen the night Lorne put a knife to her throat and begged her to flee. When he finds her again, asking for her help, Avalene knows she shouldn’t trust him. But enchanted manuscripts are impossibly rare, and once she begins translating, she’s drawn into the manuscript’s haunting magic—and the beautiful, dangerous story woven into its spells.

As buried truths resurface and the past tightens its hold, Lorne and Avalene must reckon with what they once were—and what they might become. What unfolds is a multi-layered, enchanting tale of glittering magic, powerful books, passionate love—and the fragile hope of second chances.]]> 592 Rebecca Ross 0063392739 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.81 2027 A Bittersweet Spell

author: Rebecca Ross
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.81
book published: 2027
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Blood Orange (The Dracula Duet, #1)]]> 58245394 From New York Times bestselling author Karina Halle comes a dark and delicious Dracula retelling filled with secrets and lies, dangerous liaisons and a forbidden, student-teacher, second chance love story with a twist.

"My heart will always find yours."

Dahlia Abernathy has only known revenge. When her parents were killed at an early age by vampires, Dahlia spent the rest of her life under the thumb of the Witch's Guild being trained to kill them. Her latest mission sends her undercover to a prestigious music academy in Venice, Italy. Her goal? To kill Professor Valtu Aminoff, her teacher and the notorious vampire who inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula.

But getting close to a dangerous vampire like Professor Aminoff is one thing. Falling for him is another. With Dahlia's appearance disguised under a glamor spell, Valtu has no idea that the woman who has become his new dark obsession is actually the reincarnation of the woman he loved and lost twice before.

And Dahlia doesn't remember that the very man she has been sent to kill is the love of her life.

Will their love come through and transcend time once again? Or are the fated lovers destined to let history repeat itself?

Blood Orange is a modern-day Dracula retelling about the "real-life" Dracula that inspired Bram Stoker. This is a dark vampire romance with plenty of content warnings (please check interior of book for extensive list as it is +++++spicy) and while it is a spinoff of The Dark Eyes Duet, you do not need to read any other books before Blood Orange.]]> 332 Karina Halle Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.77 2022 Blood Orange (The Dracula Duet, #1)

author: Karina Halle
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Loathed Love (Cobalt Empire, #3)]]> 238438774 Audrey Cobalt never expected a lie to land her between two men: the quiz bowl captain she wants and the bad-boy musician she hates.

The youngest of an accomplished family, Audrey Cobalt has spent her life chasing good grades and fantasizing over happily-ever-afters. Now fresh off to college and living with her older brothers, she’s determined to prove that New York City is where she’s fated to be.

Unfortunately…her dream life starts with a lie.

Guy Abernathy is cutthroat, ambitious, and the handsome captain of Manhattan Valley University’s prestigious quiz bowl team. He’s everything Audrey has always wanted.

Birdie St. Pierre is not.

He’s sharp-tongued, abrasive, and the hot musical prodigy who hates rich, spoiled heiresses. Tragic, since Birdie is her new tutor—and her only shot at staying on the quiz bowl team.

Whom does Audrey truly loathe, and whom does she truly love? It could be a Shakespearean mess if she finds out too late.]]> Krista Ritchie Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.77 2026 Loathed Love (Cobalt Empire, #3)

author: Krista Ritchie
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Torn by Fate (Fatal Alliances, #2)]]> 252007127
Serafina

When I was fifteen, I made a promise.
One day I would have my revenge.
For years, I played my part.
The obedient daughter. The perfect fiancée. The devoted wife.
And when the time finally came…
I pulled the trigger.
Because vengeance had always been the plan.
A life for a life.
What I never planned for was Adrian Salvatore surviving my bullet.
And now he was chasing me across the world.
The man I betrayed was more dangerous than ever.
More ruthless.
More obsessed.
And worst of all…
He still wants me to be his.

Adrian

Our marriage was built on lies.
But I never expected Serafina to be as ruthless as I was.
My wife thought a bullet would stop me.
But she was wrong.
Now she was forcing me to chase her across the oceans.
Such a silly game of hers.
But I wasn’t chasing.
I was hunting.
For answers. For revenge.
For the woman who had always belonged to me.
Serafina could run all she wanted.
But the world wasn’t big enough to keep her from me.
She started this game. Now I would be the one to finish it.
Till death do us part, wife.

TORN BY FATE is book two in the dark and twisted FATAL ALLIANCES Series. Adrian and Serafina's story continues. Please read the author's note at the beginning of the book.]]> 270 Lylah James Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.92 Torn by Fate (Fatal Alliances, #2)

author: Lylah James
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.92
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Under the Iron Sky (The Iron Sky Trilogy, #1)]]> 248285113 A fallen empire. A warrior determined to protect her people. And the masked soldier who captures her behind enemy lines. The first novel in a dark, seductive, and all-consuming trilogy where hope is fickle but the fight is never over.

Vordell was beautiful once. Its people lived in harmony, and their civilization flourished as they learned to harness and control the power of Light.

Then the darkness came.

The Iron Sky unfolded dark clouds across the land, thick enough to choke out the light of the suns. The ground cracked, releasing vicious creatures that looked like humanity’s oldest fears. The Dar’rak—an enemy long believed to be buried and forgotten—returned to claim the world above.

Soraya Tollmere has spent most of her life on the front lines of the brutal war that followed. Now a high-ranking commander, she knows loss better than anyone.

By day, she leads troops across ruined landscapes and guides covert teams through enemy territory. By night, she meets with a Dar’rak defector who has kept humanity alive with his steady stream of secrets.

On a mission to investigate his latest lead—one that could turn the tide of the war—Soraya is captured by The Demon, the Dar’rak’s most feared soldier, his true identity unknown.

His orders are break the human commander, uncover where the humans are keeping a weapon that could win them the war, and bring it to the Dar’rak. But as he gets to know the fierce warrior, the lines between interrogator and enemy, prisoner and ally, begin to blur.

As devastating truths surface and loyalties shatter, Soraya must decide who to trust in a world where light is dying—and where her greatest enemy may be her only salvation.]]> 512 A.T. Emerald Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.52 2026 Under the Iron Sky (The Iron Sky Trilogy, #1)

Under the Iron Sky (The Iron Sky Trilogy, #1)

author: A.T. Emerald
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Wings of Life (Dragonbound Chronicles, #1)]]> 242978150
***DELUXE LIMITED EDITION HARDCOVER with stenciled edges, a beautiful foil-stamped hardcover, exclusive interior design with full-color endpapers*** Only while supplies last.

They cast me off to Rihtlond as a bride.

They don’t care if I come back alive.

Too sharp-tongued and too curious, I am my mother’s greatest lament and my father’s constant frustration. Unwilling to bow to their will, I’ve become expendable, worth sending on a mission doomed to fail.

Armed with nothing but a coded journal, a quill, and my wits, I’m thrust into the kingdom of our oldest enemy—a land of storms and warriors—to wed their high dane’s son. Trapped on their ruthless continent, I am no blushing bride. I’m a spy sent to unlock Rihtlond’s weaknesses… a cuckoo in the robin’s nest.

But my heart still bleeds red when the weaponmaster of these strange people steals it away. Through him, I learn to unlock their secrets. What I uncover is more dangerous than I ever imagined: magic thrumming in the roots of Rihtlond, a dragon hidden in plain sight, and a love I was never meant to feel. Holding this knowledge, I am meant to return home and bind myself to a future I was given long ago.

Now, as war rises and alliances crumble, I must choose between duty and desire, between the family who cast me aside and the bond that awakens who I truly am. To protect what I’ve found—and who I become—I must risk everything. Even if it brands me a traitor. Even if it costs me my life.]]> 512 Meghan Le Fay 196426457X Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.03 2026 Wings of Life (Dragonbound Chronicles, #1)

Wings of Life (Dragonbound Chronicles, #1)

author: Meghan Le Fay
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[One Small Echo (Shadowsong, #1)]]> 236596392
It’s changing her.

She chased her loved ones into the dark, and they stumbled out with monsters beneath their skin. Now they are less than they were, but destined for so much more.

If they survive training.

And if her new commander doesn’t kill her first.

The boy-prince she saved as a child is now the unforgiving, terrifying man in charge of her future. They are bound in a way neither can escape: two forces as opposite as sunrise and shadow, drawn together as inevitably as the dawn collides with the sky.

But don’t misunderstand.

This is not a love story.

The king has already decided that she will be married to one of his other sons—regardless of her opinion on the matter.

So let this be a story of war instead.

She will wage war on the magic awakening beneath her skin. On the power-ravenous king who would do anything to control her. On the many hands that seek to mould her, shape her, and shackle her.

But most of all … she will wage war on him. Prince Chasin. Her commander. Her tormentor.

Let this story end with a dagger in his treacherous heart.

Let her carve his influence from her soul.

Let her make him suffer as she has suffered.

Let her have this one, small thing.

~~~
One Small Echo is Book 1 of 3 in the Shadowsong series. This lush, dark romantasy will have bonded monsters, forbidden attraction, deadly trials, royal intrigue, and a true, enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance, all set in a brutally lavish, high-stakes world where darkness means death. Grab a blanket, turn on your nightlight, and get ready.

For what you fear is already here.]]> 468 Jane Washington Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.42 2026 One Small Echo (Shadowsong, #1)

author: Jane Washington
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Shadows that Listen (Angel Ruin, #1)]]> 240388251 WHO WILL SURVIVE THE NIGHT?

The Shadows that Listen is an unputdownable dystopian romantasy with a delicious slow burn romance, from debut author Louisa Carmody. Perfect for fans of Crescent City and Silver Elite.

It's been five years since the world was brought to its knees by an immortal war. Daemons crawled from the depths of hell and the sky bled gold as the angels arrived. Humanity thought it was saved, but the angels did not come to protect us.

Amara is a human warrior working for the Angel Intelligence Agency. She spends her days searching for those who don't make it home after curfew. But when her boyfriend Jeremy goes missing, she decides to venture into the shadows to bring him back. Even if it means death.

Nathaniel is an archangel tasked with leading the destruction of humanity, for which he cares little. He doesn't have time to protect little humans running around in the dark, especially those who stab him in the stomach.

But Nathaniel and Amara will soon realise they share a foe, one that lurks in the shadows and stalks them from the skies. She might long to kill him, but Amara knows that having an angel at her side is the only way to find the man she loves.

The shadows lengthen. They listen. Who will survive the night?]]> 399 Louisa Carmody 0356529894 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.89 2025 The Shadows that Listen (Angel Ruin, #1)

The Shadows that Listen (Angel Ruin, #1)

author: Louisa Carmody
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Consulate (The World of the Orphium Maere, #1)]]> 218650862 An immortal warrior & the necromancer who burned her house down. Five missing swords. Three underworld dynasties at odds with the mundane world. One big heist.

Ember Verona’s immortal life is a mess. Her best friend just got out of prison and like the rest of their sistren, wants nothing to do with her. The swords that gave the guardians of Orphium their parapsych powers have been missing for hundreds of years.

Nothing seems able to change that, or to put the Orphium Maere back together again. Until Ares Necroline, the leader of Orphium’s necromancers, tips Ember off to the swords’ location. They are up for auction at the National Gallery’s annual Gala. Can Ember get the swords, and her sistren, back before tipping off the Authority?

Ember must choose. Work with the man who burned her house to the ground and ruined her life—or do this on her own and risk falling into useless obscurity.

Find out which she chooses. The Consulate is a sizzling hot modern romantasy, filled with ghosts, a mysterious underworld and a heaping serving of romance. The World of the Orphium Maere is a series of interconnected standalone paranormal romantasies from Allison Carr Waechter, the author of Dark Night Golden Dawn. ]]> 328 Allison Carr Waechter 1963134141 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.97 The Consulate (The World of the Orphium Maere, #1)

The Consulate (The World of the Orphium Maere, #1)

author: Allison Carr Waechter
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Unseen 227862630 One forced vow
One devastating truth
One forbidden obsessionLondon, 1865
Born a baron’s daughter, young Evangeline Brimworth knows a thing or two about aristocracy’s politics. Though she never thought she’d be the bargaining chip. When her family winds up penniless and her hand in marriage is sold to a man old enough to be her geriatric grandfather to restore their fortune. But Evangeline refuses to be caged without a fight—and she’s willing to risk everything to escape.

The last person she expected to get in her way is her stepson.

Azriel Caine. Cynical, mysterious, and seemingly following her every step. Because somehow, he holds a dangerous secret about her over her head, and unless she wants to destroy her reputation, she must do as he says. Including wed him.

Their impropriety is nothing new for Azriel, and he hardly cares. He believes in obsession. In possession.
And the more Evangeline peels back his layers, she finds herself craving his darkness almost as much as she fears it.

Fans of Bridgerton craving the scandalous, wicked underbelly of high society will devour this dark, taboo romance from bestselling author RD Baker that will leave you swooning, reeling, and gasping at every turn.]]> 412 R.D. Baker 0975661094 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.97 Unseen

author: R.D. Baker
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.97
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #3)]]> 62816044
Two villains, one girl, and a deadly battle for happily ever after.

Evangeline Fox ventured to the Magnificent North in search of her happy ending, and it seems as if she has it. She’s married to a handsome prince and lives in a legendary castle. But Evangeline has no idea of the devastating price she’s paid for this fairytale. She doesn’t know what she has lost, and her husband is determined to make sure she never finds out. . . . but first he must kill Jacks, the Prince of Hearts.

Can’t get enough of the Once Upon a Broken Heart series? Don’t miss The Mirror of Infinite Endings!

Also by Stephanie Garber:

The Caraval Series
- Caraval
- Legendary
- Finale
- Spectacular

Alchemy of Secrets]]> 386 Stephanie Garber 1250851203 Lydia Sartzetaki 5 4.17 2023 A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #3)

A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #3)

author: Stephanie Garber
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2026/03/29
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: adventure, enemies-to-lovers, fantasy, romance, romantasy, once-upon-a-broken-heart, young-adult, 5-stars-you-must-read-it, romance-with-love-triangles, monthly-tbr
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #2)]]> 59808071
Not every love is meant to be.

After Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, betrays her, Evangeline Fox swears she'll never trust him again. Now that she’s discovered her own magic, Evangeline believes she can use it to restore the chance at happily ever after that Jacks stole away.

But when a new terrifying curse is revealed, Evangeline finds herself entering into a tenuous partnership with the Prince of Hearts again. Only this time, the rules have changed. Jacks isn’t the only force Evangeline needs to be wary of. In fact, he might be the only one she can trust, despite her desire to despise him.

Instead of a love spell wreaking havoc on Evangeline’s life, a murderous spell has been cast. To break it, Evangeline and Jacks will have to do battle with old friends, new foes, and a magic that plays with heads and hearts. Evangeline has always trusted her heart, but this time she’s not sure she can. . . .

Continue the adventure in A Curse for True Love and The Mirror of Infinite Endings!

Also by Stephanie Garber:

The Caraval Series:
- Caraval
- Legendary
- Finale
- Spectacular

Alchemy of Secrets]]> 416 Stephanie Garber 1250268427 Lydia Sartzetaki 5 4.48 2022 The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #2)

The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #2)

author: Stephanie Garber
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2026/02/16
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: young-adult, romantasy, romance-with-love-triangles, romance, once-upon-a-broken-heart, fantasy, enemies-to-lovers, adventure, 5-stars-you-must-read-it, favorites, monthly-tbr
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)]]> 55987278
Desperate to stop the wedding and to heal her wounded heart, Evangeline strikes a deal with the charismatic, but wicked, Prince of Hearts. In exchange for his help, he asks for three kisses, to be given at the time and place of his choosing.

But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that bargaining with an immortal is a dangerous game ― and that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’d pledged. He has plans for Evangeline, plans that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy.]]> 408 Stephanie Garber 1250268397 Lydia Sartzetaki 5 4.06 2021 Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)

Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #1)

author: Stephanie Garber
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2026/02/12
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: young-adult, romantasy, romance, fantasy, enemies-to-lovers, adventure, once-upon-a-broken-heart, romance-with-love-triangles, 5-stars-you-must-read-it, monthly-tbr
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated, #1)]]> 165940202
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.

Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.

Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.]]> 419 Danielle L. Jensen 0593599837 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 3.87 2024 A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated, #1)

A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated, #1)

author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read, saga-of-the-unfated, monthly-tbr
review:

]]> Devoured (Bitten, #2) 247470453 The breathtaking finale to the instant New York Times bestseller, Bitten!

Welcome back to the Wolf Queen’s Court.

Vanessa Hart is done being a victim. After the brutal winter massacre stole everything from her, she vows vengeance against her enemies once and for all—even if that means killing the boy she once loved...

Vanessa bides her time playing the role of a docile subject. But beneath her mask, she sharpens her powers, embracing the werewolf within while weaving a complicated web of lies, betrayals, and alliances to topple the throne.

Unfortunately, vengeance isn’t easy, and nothing in the Wolf Queen’s Court is ever as it seems. As the darkness of the castle bleeds into human society, it’s clear no one is safe. Cora’s vicious reign grows stronger by the day, Sinclair continues hiding deadly secrets, and Calix—the boy Vanessa might loathe most of all—is threatening her every plan.

With nowhere to run and no place to hide, Vanessa sheds the last of her humanity to play this lethal game of werewolves. And if she doesn’t win, the consequences will destroy her life—and the entire world as she knows it—forever.]]> 461 Jordan Stephanie Gray 0316584592 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.53 2026 Devoured (Bitten, #2)

author: Jordan Stephanie Gray
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.53
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Phantom Mine (London Underworld #2)]]> 230165974 A year and a half ago, everything changed.
My sister, my best friend, was murdered–and it was my fault.
I brought her to London. I dragged her to the club where she was kidnapped. I lost her.
Adriana paid the price for my mistakes.
The guilt and grief have eaten me alive, but I'm done hiding in the shadows of my failures.
Our brother spent eighteen months chasing ghosts, trying to find her body, her killer, only to come up empty handed.
Now it's my turn.
I won't be sidelined any longer.
I'm going back to Firenze, the club where it all started, and I'm going to find answers. I'll turn over every rock, burn every bridge, and make any enemy necessary to get to the truth.
There's nothing I won't risk and nothing I won't do to avenge Adriana.
Not even if it means going head to head with Matteo Leone, the man second in line to become Don of the Italian Mafia.
If he doesn't get out of my way, I'll make him.
I didn't expect to find a kindred soul behind the mask, a soul I'm quickly learning I can't live without.
There's only one problem–at least one of the Leones is responsible for Adriana's murder.
And it might be Matteo.

Phantom Mine is the second book in the London Underworld series. Although it can be read as a standalone, it's recommended to read Devil Mine first to get a full understanding of the subplots.]]> 536 Khai Hara Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.15 Phantom Mine (London Underworld #2)

author: Khai Hara
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.15
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Captive (Beautiful Monsters, #1)]]> 31359082
Everything changes the night he is lured into a trap and taken prisoner by High Lord General Tarrick—a seductive incubus who feeds off sexual energy. Forced into the middle of a war between vampires and incubi, Matthew is used as a weapon against his own kind. Although he's desperate for freedom, he is unable to deny the burning desire drawing him to the incubus general he now calls Master.

This book is intended for mature audiences.
]]> 316 Jex Lane Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.17 2016 Captive (Beautiful Monsters, #1)

author: Jex Lane
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Bound by Blood and Contracts (Bound By #1)]]> 250332203
Fae enrolls at the university that forged her nightmares, determined to survive long enough to tear it apart from the inside. But when her best friend disappears without a trace, survival is no longer enough. She wants answers. She wants vengeance.

Roman has always watched her.

Silent. Patient. Obsessed.

He has loved Fae for years, even as she refuses to trust him, even as she sharpens herself into a weapon. To Roman, she is inevitable. His. And he will burn the world that hurt her if that is what it takes to keep her.

As contracts tighten and bodies fall, Fae must decide how much of herself she is willing to sacrifice for the truth—and whether trusting Roman will save her… or seal her fate.

Because in a world built on blood, love is the most dangerous contract of all.

Dark romance • Obsessive MMC • Secret society • Damaged FMC • Found family]]> 434 Flo Finch Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.46 Bound by Blood and Contracts (Bound By #1)

Bound by Blood and Contracts (Bound By #1)

author: Flo Finch
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.46
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Splintered Harmony (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #6)]]> 251917150
Deep in the heart of the continent, Koschei the Deathless is stirring. Though he's been bound to a mountain lake for millennia, the insidious threat of his return now spreads across the Fae territories, attracting powerful allies hell-bent on reclaiming what was once theirs: the human lands.

The Night Court will not stand idly by while innocents are attacked. But with Prythian still piecing itself together in the wake of the devastating Hybern War, the task of uniting is proving more difficult by the day.

To make matters worse, those who rule and protect the Night Court are reeling from recent betrayals and revealed truths. The rifts dividing them seem insurmountable.

But to defeat Koschei's creeping shadow, they must find a way back to each other and resurrect their former alliances. To survive, they must find a way to repair the splintered harmony all around them.]]> 352 Sarah J. Maas 103720008X Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read, acotar 🦇Pre-release:🌸

*Update*:

Ok, ok, we have the sneak peak of the 1st chapter of ACOSH and it's [spoilers removed] POV, omg! Now, all I need is a Nesta or/and Elain or/and Cassian POV and my life will be completed. And because everyone is asking me where to find the sneak peak, I got you:

Source One (audiobook) : Instagram
Source Two (audiobook) : Tumblr
Source Three (text form) : Google Drive
Source Four (text form) : Word

Happy reading! 💋

(Also, just a little disclaimer, if SJM says that she is bothered by those leaks, this update will be deleted, thank you!)

(✨13 September 2026✨)

*Update*:

What was broken will be remade...

SJM officially confirmed it! We have the title: A Court of Splintered Harmony!!! Aaaaaa! I am so excited! 😆😆 And the multi-colored cover? Bones on fire (or bones and shadows)? ✨Amazing✨! I really wanna find out what it means! Aaaaaaaaaaaa! The description? Omg. That's giving so much tog vibes! And the fact that the description reveals us that there is going to be a MULTI-POV? I am dead. And... WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE "VALKYRIE CYCLE"??? Something like the Inner Circle? Omg, my babies Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie are coming back! 😍. Also, gimme elriel and vassien love stories bitch! I am SOOOOOOOO ready about this! Also... What's this: "Those who rule and protect the Night Court are reeling from recent betrayals and revealed truths." ??? 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂... WHAT. THE. FUCK. If the traitor is someone from the Inner Circle then, I WILL CRASH THE FUCK OUT! They are my babies and I love them unconditionally! But it would be so perfect if the traitor was either Azriel or Elain OR BOTH TOGETHER! Imagine it... The two shyest characters in the series, the two most mysterious, are the ones who finally make the plot-twist! Well, let's just say it would be incredible! And what about this one?: "They must find a way back to each other and resurrect their former alliances."... You mean in the acotar world OR BEYOND THIS? Like, ToG or CC? Omg. OMG. OMGGGGGGG! I have SOOOO many theories! And I am 100% that Nesta is the main-main character of this book. Like QoS and EoS... Multi-POV, not one love story, not one single drama BUT ONE protagonist. I'm so excited! I have so much time to feel THAT excited about something! I'm pre-ordering the books, you, bitch!

(💖17 August 2026💖)

*Update*: Ok, ok... The artists that designed the previous covers of the series just posted a video with a blank painting next to the paintings with their previous designs of the series' covers AND the audiobook for ACOTAR6 is currently being updated as I see on the website so... SOMETHING IS COMING, OMG!!! Aaaa! I'm freaking out! Gimme something Sarah! ANYTHING! (31 July 2026 🦇🌺)

*Update*: Ok, the release date is again 27 October... WE ARE SAFE! #Elriel-endgame💗💙 (12 June 2026✨✨)

*Update*: Guys, the release date has changed! FROM OCTOBER 27TH TO NOVEMBER 10TH! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY? 😭😭😭😭😭 SARAH, YOU HATE ME PERSONALLY! (3 May 2026🖤🌸)

*OG*: I LOVED the interview! And the fact that the next 2 books in the series are coming back-to-back? Say less. I'm SO invested. I just locked in! The next books are either about Elain ( GIMME ELAIN AND AZRIEL BABY! 💗💙) since she also has a story to tell and, as SJM said on the podcast, NATURE MADE A MISTAKE, or about Nesta (since Feyre had her own tetralogy I don't see the harm in Nesta having her own [since SJM said she has already written acotar8 and is in the process of editing, also CRAZY excited about it!] and then Elain!) since, according to SJM, she still has A LOT of story to tell! Btw, Nessian is officially endgame so, fuck the haters! 🖕🖕🖕 Anyway, I AM SO EXCITED! I can't wait for SJM to reveal the covers and the titles! 😍 (🔥5 March 2026🌸)]]> 5.00 2026 A Court of Splintered Harmony (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #6)

A Court of Splintered Harmony (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #6)

author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/13
shelves: to-read, acotar
review:
🦇Pre-release:🌸

*Update*:

Ok, ok, we have the sneak peak of the 1st chapter of ACOSH and it's [spoilers removed] POV, omg! Now, all I need is a Nesta or/and Elain or/and Cassian POV and my life will be completed. And because everyone is asking me where to find the sneak peak, I got you:

Source One (audiobook) : Instagram
Source Two (audiobook) : Tumblr
Source Three (text form) : Google Drive
Source Four (text form) : Word

Happy reading! 💋

(Also, just a little disclaimer, if SJM says that she is bothered by those leaks, this update will be deleted, thank you!)

(✨13 September 2026✨)

*Update*:

What was broken will be remade...

SJM officially confirmed it! We have the title: A Court of Splintered Harmony!!! Aaaaaa! I am so excited! 😆😆 And the multi-colored cover? Bones on fire (or bones and shadows)? ✨Amazing✨! I really wanna find out what it means! Aaaaaaaaaaaa! The description? Omg. That's giving so much tog vibes! And the fact that the description reveals us that there is going to be a MULTI-POV? I am dead. And... WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE "VALKYRIE CYCLE"??? Something like the Inner Circle? Omg, my babies Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie are coming back! 😍. Also, gimme elriel and vassien love stories bitch! I am SOOOOOOOO ready about this! Also... What's this: "Those who rule and protect the Night Court are reeling from recent betrayals and revealed truths." ??? 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂... WHAT. THE. FUCK. If the traitor is someone from the Inner Circle then, I WILL CRASH THE FUCK OUT! They are my babies and I love them unconditionally! But it would be so perfect if the traitor was either Azriel or Elain OR BOTH TOGETHER! Imagine it... The two shyest characters in the series, the two most mysterious, are the ones who finally make the plot-twist! Well, let's just say it would be incredible! And what about this one?: "They must find a way back to each other and resurrect their former alliances."... You mean in the acotar world OR BEYOND THIS? Like, ToG or CC? Omg. OMG. OMGGGGGGG! I have SOOOO many theories! And I am 100% that Nesta is the main-main character of this book. Like QoS and EoS... Multi-POV, not one love story, not one single drama BUT ONE protagonist. I'm so excited! I have so much time to feel THAT excited about something! I'm pre-ordering the books, you, bitch!

(💖17 August 2026💖)

*Update*: Ok, ok... The artists that designed the previous covers of the series just posted a video with a blank painting next to the paintings with their previous designs of the series' covers AND the audiobook for ACOTAR6 is currently being updated as I see on the website so... SOMETHING IS COMING, OMG!!! Aaaa! I'm freaking out! Gimme something Sarah! ANYTHING! (31 July 2026 🦇🌺)

*Update*: Ok, the release date is again 27 October... WE ARE SAFE! #Elriel-endgame💗💙 (12 June 2026✨✨)

*Update*: Guys, the release date has changed! FROM OCTOBER 27TH TO NOVEMBER 10TH! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY? 😭😭😭😭😭 SARAH, YOU HATE ME PERSONALLY! (3 May 2026🖤🌸)

*OG*: I LOVED the interview! And the fact that the next 2 books in the series are coming back-to-back? Say less. I'm SO invested. I just locked in! The next books are either about Elain ( GIMME ELAIN AND AZRIEL BABY! 💗💙) since she also has a story to tell and, as SJM said on the podcast, NATURE MADE A MISTAKE, or about Nesta (since Feyre had her own tetralogy I don't see the harm in Nesta having her own [since SJM said she has already written acotar8 and is in the process of editing, also CRAZY excited about it!] and then Elain!) since, according to SJM, she still has A LOT of story to tell! Btw, Nessian is officially endgame so, fuck the haters! 🖕🖕🖕 Anyway, I AM SO EXCITED! I can't wait for SJM to reveal the covers and the titles! 😍 (🔥5 March 2026🌸)
]]> What's Beneath 255847119 In the ruins of a broken world, survival comes with a price.

No one knows how many the virus took. But one truth is certain: civilization is gone.

Only the monsters are left.

Nyx will do anything to keep her sister alive and sheltered from the world outside—even if it's at the expense of herself.

When a new group moves into the area though, her previous "arrangement" falls apart and they're forced into the hands of a monster in a mask.

Now she must decide if trusting him is her next big mistake or their only chance at survival.

What’s Beneath is an MF transactional dark romance set after the apocalypse. It features a masked, morally dark gray MMC, an FMC who will do whatever it takes, and the overall question of what makes us civil when everything is stripped away.]]> 307 C.J. North Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.33 What's Beneath

author: C.J. North
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Alchemy of Secrets (Alchemy of Secrets, #1)]]> 222706197 It starts with a class in an old movie theater.

Folklore 517: Local Legends and Urban Myths, taught by a woman called the Professor. Most students believe the Professor’s stories are just fiction, but Holland St. James has always been convinced that magic is real. When she tracks down a local legend named the Watch Man, who can supposedly tell you when you’ll die, the world finally makes sense. Except that the Watch Man tells her she will die at midnight tomorrow unless she finds an ancient object called the Alchemical Heart.

With the clock ticking, Holland is pulled deeper into this magical world in the heart of Los Angeles—and into the path of a magnetic stranger. Everything about him feels like a bad idea, but he promises Holland that her sister sent him to protect her. As they chase clues and stories that take them closer to the Alchemical Heart, Holland realizes everyone in this intoxicating new world is lying to her, even this stranger. And if she can’t figure out whom to trust, not even the Alchemical Heart will save her.]]> 324 Stephanie Garber 125078915X Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.83 2025 Alchemy of Secrets (Alchemy of Secrets, #1)

Alchemy of Secrets (Alchemy of Secrets, #1)

author: Stephanie Garber
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Fault in Our Stars 25856606
Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.]]> 313 John Green 0525478817 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.00 2012 The Fault in Our Stars

author: John Green
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Emperor's Enemy (Unsurvivable Love Duet, #1)]]> 246080210 When the hunter is hunted… who becomes prey?

The Emperor’s Enemy is an addictive true enemies-to-lovers dark romantasy with a heroine who doesn’t need saving, an enemy she can’t escape, and a war neither of them plans to lose.

Welcome to the Unsurvivable Love Duet, the all-new series by Jasmine Mas, bestselling author of Blood of Hercules. The limited deluxe edition features beautifully designed sprayed edges, a foil-stamped case, and full-color character art endpapers—available while supplies last!
Zora Ravenal didn’t join the Crimson Army to be a hero. She joined to destroy the empire.

A skilled hunter hardened by loss with a concerning capacity for stubbornness, Zora claws her way into becoming a Knight Mage: the Commonwealth’s deadliest defense against the Empire’s storm magic and her people’s only hope.

It almost works.

Now she’s stuck in a war she can’t walk away from, hiding dangerous secrets, and shoved into very close quarters with the one man she should never be alone with.

He’s a Royal Mage with a body count, a temper, and an unsettling obsession… with her.

Now they’re partners.

Sort of.

If “partners” means being forced to train together, trust each other with their lives, and somehow not kill each other in the process.

But the Royal Mage isn’t just dangerous—he’s paying attention. And the longer they’re forced to remain in each other’s orbit, the more twisted everything becomes. Who’s hunting who?

Perfect if you love:
• True enemies-to-lovers
• Sarcastic banter
• A spicy slow burn
• Touch her and die
• Female rage
• A shocking twist you will NOT see coming]]> 448 Jasmine Mas 0778307514 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.08 2026 The Emperor's Enemy (Unsurvivable Love Duet, #1)

The Emperor's Enemy (Unsurvivable Love Duet, #1)

author: Jasmine Mas
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1)]]> 146943294 An epic and unforgettable love story begins in Binding 13, the first in the international bestselling and TikTok-phenomenon The Boys of Tommen series, from Chloe Walsh.

He wants to save her. She wants to hide.

She's damaged. He's determined.

Fate brought them together. Love binds them.
Johnny Kavanagh is the definition of popular. He is an all-star rugby player with loads of friends, which means he should be enjoying the many perks of his life. But what people don't know is that he has been dealing with a painful injury that could halt the magnificent trajectory of his career. This means he has no time for distractions or mistakes. Especially not a girlfriend.

Shannon Lynch has been bullied all her life. She is shy and would rather hide herself away to make it through school. But when she arrives at Tommen College for a fresh start, she meets the notorious Johnny Kavanagh on her first day in a not-so-romantic way. What follows is a complicated friendship that turns into undeniable chemistry. It seems that Shannon won't be able to hold onto the anonymous status she once hoped for. But maybe that's alright?

Johnny won't give up on Shannon. No matter what it might cost them both.]]> 618 Chloe Walsh 1728299950 Lydia Sartzetaki 5 6 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Oh my God. I genuinely don't know what to say.

And I also don't know why it took me so damn long to read this book because THIS WAS FUCKING EXCELLENT. And THE END? Oh. My. Gosh.

“I'm your daddy on the field, bitch.”

This is one of those books where you start reading and, within the first ten pages, you're sitting there thinking, "What the fuck am I reading?" And then, somehow, you keep going. And going. And going. Until suddenly you're completely addicted, it's three in the morning, you have a cup of tea beside you, your sleep schedule is dead, and you're still telling yourself, "Just one more chapter." And then you look at the clock. 3:00 A.M. And you're still reading. Yeah. That kind of book.

THE WRITING ✍

Let's start with the writing because, honestly, this is one of the biggest reasons I loved this book so much.

If you've read my reviews before, you probably know that writing style is EXTREMELY important to me. I have genuinely hated books that could have had an amazing story and interesting characters but completely lost me because I couldn't connect with the author's writing. That was absolutely NOT the case here.

Chloe Walsh's writing was FANTASTIC. It elevated the entire story to another level. I didn't feel like I was simply reading about these characters. I felt like I was there with them. I could feel their emotions, their happiness, their embarrassment, their fear, their frustration and, most importantly, their pain. And I mean that literally.

“She makes my heart go, like, whoa. Boom, boom, fucking boom. All the time.”

I ended up crying at some of the most unexpected moments because the emotions felt so immediate and so damn real. There were moments when I had to put the book down for a second and just stare into space because WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH ALL THESE FEELINGS? 😭

The writing made everything feel more intense without making it unnecessarily complicated. It allowed the characters' emotions to actually breathe, and that made the story so much more immersive for me.

And now I finally understand the title and oh. OH. Now that I've finished it, the title hits completely differently. 😉 Shannon won, btw...

“No, no, no, Da, I'm serious," I slurred. "I think I love that girl."

"Well, who's this girl?"

"She's a river," I sighed and closed my eyes. "I'm keeping her Da.”

THE STORY 🧾

Now, the story. As most people who know me probably already know, I read A LOT of romance. Like... an unreasonable amount. And sometimes, while reading romance, I find myself thinking: "Okay, yes, they're attracted to each other. They're cute. Great. BUT CAN WE PLEASE HAVE SOMETHING MORE SUBSTANTIAL?"

Well. BINDING 13 SAID: "I GOT YOU." Because this book had EVERYTHING I WANTED.

It wasn't simply a romance where the entire plot existed to get two people together. The relationship was important, obviously, but there was so much more happening underneath it.

We got characters dealing with their own problems, their insecurities, their families, their friendships, their fears and their personal struggles. We got to watch them grow and slowly figure themselves out. And that's what made the romance work so well for me.

The characters weren't simply falling for each other and magically becoming perfect because they were in love. They were struggling. They were making mistakes. They were trying to understand themselves and each other. They were dealing with things that were much bigger than simply "Do I like this person?"

And somehow, despite all of that emotional weight, the book never became boring to me. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANT FROM A ROMANCE BOOK. Give me the love story, YES. But also give me characters I care about. Give me emotional depth. Give me problems that actually matter. Give me friendships. Give me family dynamics. Give me character development. Give me a reason to become emotionally attached to these idiots. And Chloe Walsh absolutely succeeded at that.

Honestly, I wish more romance books were written like this.

THE CHARACTERS 🚹🚺

Johnny ❤️

Johnny is my BABY.

That's it. That's all I had to say.

…

Okay, fine, I'll elaborate.

I absolutely adored Johnny. He has this combination of strength, vulnerability, protectiveness and genuine kindness that made it almost impossible for me not to become attached to him.

He isn't interesting simply because he's the love interest. I cared about him as an individual character. Watching him deal with everything happening around him while still trying to be there for the people he loves made me adore him even more.

And the way he cares about Shannon? MY HEART. Their relationship has so many little moments where you can see how much they matter to each other, and I absolutely ate that shit up.

Also, I have a very simple request for the next book: LET JOHNNY DEAL WITH SHANNON'S FATHER. Thank you.

Shannon 💔

I will protect Shannon with my entire life. Seriously.

This girl went through so much, and one of the things I appreciated most was that her struggles weren't simply used as a dramatic accessory for the romance. They actually shaped her.

She is vulnerable, but she isn't weak. She is scared, but she keeps going.

And watching her slowly find people she can trust and people who genuinely care about her was one of my favorite parts of the book.

Her relationship with Johnny is especially beautiful because he doesn't magically "fix" her. Instead, their connection becomes a place where she can begin to feel safe and understood.

MY BABY DESERVES THE WORLD.

Claire 🐻

Claire is my baby girl. I LOVE HER.

She's such a warm and lovable presence, and every time she appeared, I immediately felt better. I also absolutely adore the friendship dynamics surrounding her. She brings so much light into the story, and I desperately need more of her.

And, obviously... MORE CLAIRE-BEAR AND GIBSIE, PLEASE. I have spoken.

Gibsie 😂

GIBSIE IS MY HUSBAND. End of the fucking story.

I don't care what anyone says. This man is absolutely ridiculous and somehow that makes me love him even more.

He's funny, chaotic, outrageous and completely impossible to ignore, but underneath all of that, there is clearly much more going on with him.

That's exactly why I want more of him. Because I feel like there is SO much more to Gibsie than what we see on the surface, and I desperately want to understand him better.

Also, his dynamic with Claire?

I'M SAT. Give me more.

Lizzie 😭

Lizzie reminds me of Nesta from ACOTAR for some weird reason. I can't fully explain it, but there is something about her that immediately made my brain go: "Oh. This is giving Nesta." She's complicated, difficult, emotional and clearly carrying a lot underneath the surface.

And honestly? I need her to get away from Pierce. Because that relationship is NOT IT. I desperately want to see Lizzie realize that she deserves something healthier and finally walk away from that toxic situation.

Hughie 😊

I NEED MORE HUGHIE. Seriously.

I think he's one of the most underestimated characters in the book, and I really want to see more of him. He has so much potential, and I feel like there is still a lot that can be explored with his character.

So, Chloe Walsh... MORE HUGHIE.

Why? Because WHY NOT?😊

Joe 👀

Joe is my HEAR-ME-OUT.

That's all I'm saying. Actually, no.

I want more Joe.

There is something about him that makes me want to know what the hell is going on inside his head, and I am absolutely here for more of him. And, obviously, I want more Joe and Aoife.

Aoife 💋

Aoife is literally me. I am not even exaggerating.

Every time something happened and I was sitting there internally commenting on it, I'd turn the page and Aoife would basically say exactly what I had just been thinking. At some point I stopped wondering whether I related to her and simply accepted the obvious truth: In another universe, I am Aoife and Aoife is me.

I love her.

Bella 🙄

Bella. Girl. NO. I disliked her SO much.

There are some characters where you're supposed to understand that they're complicated and flawed. And then there are characters where you just sit there thinking: "Can you please leave now?" Bella obviously belongs in the second category. I genuinely could not stand her and by the end of the book my patience had completely disappeared.

GOODBYE.

Shannon's parents 🚩

And then we have Shannon's parents.

I have absolutely nothing nice to say. Both of them made me furious, but her father in particular? WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?

The way Shannon was treated by the people who were supposed to protect her made me so angry.

At this point, I don't want redemption arcs. I don't want heartfelt conversations. I don't want excuses. I want them OUT OF SHANNON'S LIFE. And preferably permanently.

THE COUPLES 💕

Obviously, Johnny and Shannon are the main event for me. Their relationship was one of my favorite parts of the entire book because it didn't feel like they simply woke up one morning and decided they were madly in love. There was development. There was tension. There were misunderstandings. There was vulnerability. There was trust slowly being built.

And there was this constant feeling that both of them were becoming incredibly important to each other even while they were still trying to understand what exactly was happening between them.

I need more Johnny and Shannon-like-the-river like I need AIR.

And Claire and Gibsie? PLEASE. I need more of whatever the hell is going on there because their dynamic is hilarious and adorable and I am completely invested.

And Joe and Aoife? Again: MORE. I don't need a complicated explanation. I just want more.

WHAT I NEED IN THE NEXT BOOK 😭

Now that I've finished this book, I have a very reasonable and completely normal list of demands:

1. Johnny confronting Shannon's father.
2. Shannon's father being finally held accountable for what he has done.
3. Shannon's father being completely out of Shannon's life.
4. Shannon's mother also being out of the picture because I have had ENOUGH.
5. MORE JOHNNY AND SHANNON-LIKE-THE-RIVER.
6. MORE HUGHIE. 😊
7. MORE CLAIRE-BEAR AND GIBSIE.
8. Lizzie finally ending her extremely toxic relationship with Pierce.
9. MORE JOE AND AOIFE.
10. BELLA GONE. 😈

Why? Because I can.

FINAL THOUGHTS 🔥

Honestly, I went into this book expecting a romance and came out with emotional damage, several new favorite characters, a new husband, multiple people I want to throw into the sun, and an overwhelming need to immediately continue the series.

The funny thing is that this book took me way longer to read than it probably should have, because once I actually got properly invested, I became COMPLETELY ADDICTED.

It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me furious. It made me emotionally attached to fictional teenagers to an honestly concerning degree. And most importantly, it made me FEEL.

That's what I want from books. I want to care. I want to become attached. I want characters to occupy my brain when I'm supposed to be doing literally anything else. I want to close the book and immediately think: "Okay... now what the fuck am I supposed to do with myself?" And that's exactly what happened here.

So, Chloe Walsh... CONGRATULATIONS. You got me.

Now excuse me because yes, I am absolutely continuing this series. I go directly into the next book and make several more questionable emotional attachments.

“Boom, boom, fucking boom, Da. I'm done for...”

Btw, I changed my phone wallpaper after a year and a half of having permanently a fanart of Elain and Azriel from acotar... What do you think? 🤭:

description

]]> 4.43 2018 Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1)

author: Chloe Walsh
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2026/09/08
date added: 2026/09/11
shelves: romance, school, young-adult, boys-of-tommen, monthly-tbr, sports, 6-stars-the-loves-of-my-life, favorites, funny
review:
6 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Oh my God. I genuinely don't know what to say.

And I also don't know why it took me so damn long to read this book because THIS WAS FUCKING EXCELLENT. And THE END? Oh. My. Gosh.

“I'm your daddy on the field, bitch.”

“She makes my heart go, like, whoa. Boom, boom, fucking boom. All the time.”

“No, no, no, Da, I'm serious," I slurred. "I think I love that girl."

"Well, who's this girl?"

"She's a river," I sighed and closed my eyes. "I'm keeping her Da.”

“Boom, boom, fucking boom, Da. I'm done for...”

Btw, I changed my phone wallpaper after a year and a half of having permanently a fanart of Elain and Azriel from acotar... What do you think? 🤭:

description

]]> <![CDATA[The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)]]> 26032825 Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.]]> 384 Holly Black 0316310271 Lydia Sartzetaki 3
Reread:

It still is a 3 stars book but this time I actually enjoyed it better... 💕

Jude, slay queen!!!! 💅💅💅
Cardan, you my little lovely b*tch!

3 stars! ⭐⭐⭐

💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸

💗🖤💗🖤💗🖤💗🖤💗🖤
.
3,0 ⭐
.
(spoilers warning!!!!)
.
OG REVIEW:

I've been wanting to read this book for a long time (and when I say a long time, I mean it) but I kept putting it off. Finally, I got my a*s down and read it and it was.... MUCH WORSE THAN I EXPECTED! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
I expected it to be as good as ACOTAR but now I realize that nothing is better than ACOTAR...
At one point I found myself saying to myself "THIS IS SO BORING! WHEN DOES IT END?"
I didn't want to give it up because I had promised my bestie that I would read it but honestly the beginning was EXTREMELY BORING! Luckily it got better after a while (crap....it didn't get better after a while...it got better by the middle-end of the book...YACKS!).

I like Jude (she REALLY reminds me of me!🥰).
I --- don't know about Oak.
I...ehhh.... Taryn.
I... kinda like Vivi?
But most of all I... love CARDAN!
---Yes, that perverted, cruel and cunning prince - now king of Elfhame!
At first he was so toxic and horrible and ridiculous but then he turned out to be a big cinnamonroll! I love him so much! 🥰
He and Jude are LITERALLY the definition of the phrase from-enemies-to-lovers!---

“Have I told you how hideous you look tonight?" Cardan asks, leaning back in the elaborately carved chair, the warmth of his words turning the question into something like a compliment.
"No," I say, glad to be annoyed back into the present. "Tell me."
"I cannot," he says, then frowns.

I will never forget the romantic scenes they had at the end of the book!:

“Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude.. (..) “
“I am going to keep on defying you. I am going to shame you with my defiance. “
“You really do hate me. Don’t you?”- “Almost as much as you hate me.”
“Most of all, I hate you because I think of you. Often. It’s disgusting, and I can’t stop.”

MY BABIES! MY BEAUTIFUL BABIES! THE ONLY GOOD THING IN THIS BOOK!

“So I am to sit here and feed you information,” Cardan says, leaning against a hickory tree. “And you’re to go charm royalty? That seems entirely backward.”
I fix him with a look. “I can be charming. I charmed you, didn’t I?”
He rolls his eyes. “Do not expect others to share my depraved tastes.”

The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)

author: Holly Black
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2026/02/25
date added: 2026/09/11
shelves: young-adult, romantasy, enemies-to-lovers, elfhame, adventure, romance-with-love-triangles, fantasy, romance, 3-stars-ok, fae
review:
💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸

Reread:

It still is a 3 stars book but this time I actually enjoyed it better... 💕

Jude, slay queen!!!! 💅💅💅
Cardan, you my little lovely b*tch!

3 stars! ⭐⭐⭐

💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸

💗🖤💗🖤💗🖤💗🖤💗🖤
.
3,0 ⭐
.
(spoilers warning!!!!)
.
OG REVIEW:

I've been wanting to read this book for a long time (and when I say a long time, I mean it) but I kept putting it off. Finally, I got my a*s down and read it and it was.... MUCH WORSE THAN I EXPECTED! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
I expected it to be as good as ACOTAR but now I realize that nothing is better than ACOTAR...
At one point I found myself saying to myself "THIS IS SO BORING! WHEN DOES IT END?"
I didn't want to give it up because I had promised my bestie that I would read it but honestly the beginning was EXTREMELY BORING! Luckily it got better after a while (crap....it didn't get better after a while...it got better by the middle-end of the book...YACKS!).

I like Jude (she REALLY reminds me of me!🥰).
I --- don't know about Oak.
I...ehhh.... Taryn.
I... kinda like Vivi?
But most of all I... love CARDAN!
---Yes, that perverted, cruel and cunning prince - now king of Elfhame!
At first he was so toxic and horrible and ridiculous but then he turned out to be a big cinnamonroll! I love him so much! 🥰
He and Jude are LITERALLY the definition of the phrase from-enemies-to-lovers!---

“Have I told you how hideous you look tonight?" Cardan asks, leaning back in the elaborately carved chair, the warmth of his words turning the question into something like a compliment.
"No," I say, glad to be annoyed back into the present. "Tell me."
"I cannot," he says, then frowns.

I will never forget the romantic scenes they had at the end of the book!:

“Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude Jude.. (..) “
“I am going to keep on defying you. I am going to shame you with my defiance. “
“You really do hate me. Don’t you?”- “Almost as much as you hate me.”
“Most of all, I hate you because I think of you. Often. It’s disgusting, and I can’t stop.”

MY BABIES! MY BEAUTIFUL BABIES! THE ONLY GOOD THING IN THIS BOOK!

“So I am to sit here and feed you information,” Cardan says, leaning against a hickory tree. “And you’re to go charm royalty? That seems entirely backward.”
I fix him with a look. “I can be charming. I charmed you, didn’t I?”
He rolls his eyes. “Do not expect others to share my depraved tastes.”

Yeah, team Jurdan. F*ck Locke. Team Jurdan from now and forever!

------------
The Cruel Prince is: ✖ kinda boring at the start-middle, ✖ at some point without even a case. BUT: ✔ it has Cardan (and/with Jude) ~~and that kept it alive~~, ✔ it's enjoyable if you're bored, have nothing to do, and want to kill your time, and ✔ it leaves you hoping that something better will happen in the next book.

And... will I read the next book? Yes. A little wary... but yes.
------------

So, yeah! 3,0 stars! ⭐⭐⭐

💗🖤💗🖤💗🖤💗🖤💗🖤
]]> Lightlark (Lightlark, #1) 60310757 An instant #1 national bestseller—soon to be a major motion picture. #BookTok phenomenon and award-winning author Alex Aster delivers readers a masterfully written, utterly gripping YA fantasy novel

Welcome to the Centennial.

Every 100 years, the island of Lightlark appears to host the Centennial, a deadly game that only the rulers of six realms are invited to play. The invitation is a summons—a call to embrace victory and ruin, baubles and blood.

The Centennial offers the six rulers one final chance to break the curses that have plagued their realms for centuries. Each ruler has something to hide. Each realm’s curse is uniquely wicked. To destroy the curses, one ruler must die.

Isla Crown is the young ruler of Wildling—a realm of temptresses cursed to kill anyone they fall in love with. They are feared and despised, and are counting on Isla to end their suffering by succeeding at the Centennial.

To survive, Isla must lie, cheat, and betray…even as love complicates everything.

Filled with secrets, deception, romance, and twists worthy of the darkest thrillers, The Lightlark Sagais a must-read for fans of legendary fantasy writers Marie Lu, Marissa Meyer, and Leigh Bardugo.]]> 416 Alex Aster Lydia Sartzetaki 3 .
-------------------------------------
SPOILER-FREE REVIEW:
-------------------------------------
.
💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝

This book was extremely mediocre, and when I say mediocre, I mean it. I can barely remember anything that happened in it! There was nothing truly memorable… Like, if someone asked me to explain the plot, I would genuinely have to sit down and squeeze my brain just to come up with a summary, and even then, only 2–3 things come to mind, and they’re not nearly enough to actually explain the story. Which is… kind of concerning. I mean, that just shouldn’t happen. A book should leave something behind, right? A feeling, a moment, a character arc... something. But here? It’s like everything just slipped through my fingers the moment I finished it.

Anyway, let’s talk about those 2-3 things I do remember:

The Characters:
First of all, obviously… Grim . Okay, what can I even say? This man was the BEST thing that happened in this book. And pay attention to what I’m saying, not just for me, but for the book itself. Honestly, it’s almost funny. He completely carried the story on his back. Every time he appeared, it felt like the plot finally had direction, like doors were opening for something interesting to happen… and then the author would just close them again shortly after. Which is such a shame, because if those threads had been developed properly, this book could have been SO much better. Also, yes, I’m definitely a little obsessed with him, even if he’s technically the “villain” (whatever that even means in this story… if there was a clear story to begin with). There is no better character in this book, and I will stand by that.
Now, Isla . Honestly? I liked her. She felt pretty reasonable in her decisions, and I could understand her choices, especially the one at the end. Even though I love Grim, after what happened, I would’ve done the exact same thing. So yeah, I support her 100% as a character, and I’m actually really curious to see how she develops in the next book. There’s potential there, and I hope it’s explored properly.
As for Oro … Mostly indifferent. I have mixed feelings. He did a LOT of stupid things at the beginning (like, a LOT) but he kind of redeemed himself later on. The problem is… that happened way too late in the book. So overall? Yeah. Mixed feelings.

Now, the writing style… Should I call it bland? Confusing? Either way, it was definitely average at best. Maybe even a bit “school-level,” like something that could’ve been written by a younger writer still figuring things out. It wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t stand out in any way either, and that really didn’t help the already weak impression the book left on me.

And now… we need to talk about the BIG problem. Yes. This book has a major issue. Actually, no. Not just major. A HUGE issue. The kind that makes you sit there and go: what did I just read? And that issue is… the solution to the riddle. I’m sorry, but WHAT was that??? That had to be one of the most ridiculous, underwhelming, and downright silly resolutions I’ve seen. It didn’t feel clever, it didn’t feel earned, it just felt… wrong. Like all that buildup led to something that made zero sense. Huge disappointment. That moment alone kind of sums up the whole book for me: a lot of buildup, a lot of potential… and then a payoff that just doesn’t land.

That being said…
Was reading this book a nice experience? Yes, it was fine.✅
Did I have a good time? Yes, of course.✅
Was it entertaining? Definitely!✅ (It’s one of those books that you can enjoy while reading, even if it doesn’t stay with you afterward.)
Would I reread it? Hmm… depends on my mood. Maybe.🔄

💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝
.
.
Final rating: 3 stars! ⭐⭐⭐
.
.
💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝]]> 3.82 2022 Lightlark (Lightlark, #1)

author: Alex Aster
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2026/01/30
date added: 2026/09/11
shelves: young-adult, romantasy, romance, romance-with-love-triangles, enemies-to-lovers, fantasy, adventure, the-lightlark-saga, 3-stars-ok
review:
💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝
.
-------------------------------------
SPOILER-FREE REVIEW:
-------------------------------------
.
💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝

This book was extremely mediocre, and when I say mediocre, I mean it. I can barely remember anything that happened in it! There was nothing truly memorable… Like, if someone asked me to explain the plot, I would genuinely have to sit down and squeeze my brain just to come up with a summary, and even then, only 2–3 things come to mind, and they’re not nearly enough to actually explain the story. Which is… kind of concerning. I mean, that just shouldn’t happen. A book should leave something behind, right? A feeling, a moment, a character arc... something. But here? It’s like everything just slipped through my fingers the moment I finished it.

Anyway, let’s talk about those 2-3 things I do remember:

The Characters:
First of all, obviously… Grim . Okay, what can I even say? This man was the BEST thing that happened in this book. And pay attention to what I’m saying, not just for me, but for the book itself. Honestly, it’s almost funny. He completely carried the story on his back. Every time he appeared, it felt like the plot finally had direction, like doors were opening for something interesting to happen… and then the author would just close them again shortly after. Which is such a shame, because if those threads had been developed properly, this book could have been SO much better. Also, yes, I’m definitely a little obsessed with him, even if he’s technically the “villain” (whatever that even means in this story… if there was a clear story to begin with). There is no better character in this book, and I will stand by that.
Now, Isla . Honestly? I liked her. She felt pretty reasonable in her decisions, and I could understand her choices, especially the one at the end. Even though I love Grim, after what happened, I would’ve done the exact same thing. So yeah, I support her 100% as a character, and I’m actually really curious to see how she develops in the next book. There’s potential there, and I hope it’s explored properly.
As for Oro … Mostly indifferent. I have mixed feelings. He did a LOT of stupid things at the beginning (like, a LOT) but he kind of redeemed himself later on. The problem is… that happened way too late in the book. So overall? Yeah. Mixed feelings.

Now, the writing style… Should I call it bland? Confusing? Either way, it was definitely average at best. Maybe even a bit “school-level,” like something that could’ve been written by a younger writer still figuring things out. It wasn’t terrible, but it didn’t stand out in any way either, and that really didn’t help the already weak impression the book left on me.

And now… we need to talk about the BIG problem. Yes. This book has a major issue. Actually, no. Not just major. A HUGE issue. The kind that makes you sit there and go: what did I just read? And that issue is… the solution to the riddle. I’m sorry, but WHAT was that??? That had to be one of the most ridiculous, underwhelming, and downright silly resolutions I’ve seen. It didn’t feel clever, it didn’t feel earned, it just felt… wrong. Like all that buildup led to something that made zero sense. Huge disappointment. That moment alone kind of sums up the whole book for me: a lot of buildup, a lot of potential… and then a payoff that just doesn’t land.

That being said…
Was reading this book a nice experience? Yes, it was fine.✅
Did I have a good time? Yes, of course.✅
Was it entertaining? Definitely!✅ (It’s one of those books that you can enjoy while reading, even if it doesn’t stay with you afterward.)
Would I reread it? Hmm… depends on my mood. Maybe.🔄

💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝
.
.
Final rating: 3 stars! ⭐⭐⭐
.
.
💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝🥀💝
]]> <![CDATA[Keeping 13 (Boys of Tommen #2)]]> 239602108
Johnny Kavanagh has been living a different life since his injury sidelined him. He's never known life without his beloved number 13 jersey, and he feels lost. Luckily for him, there is a mysterious girl who is now taking up most of his thoughts.

Shannon Lynch has always been good at keeping secrets. She has realized that evil men aren't only in stories. They are very real. After her traumatizing trip to Dublin, she is trying to find a way to protect her little brothers above all else. She is beginning to revert to her old self, hiding away so that she can try to contain the few scraps of her future she has left.

There's only one boy who can pull her out of the shadows into which she is retreating. The boy who owns her heart. But what she doesn't know is that secrets are about to be revealed that could change lives forever. Will Johnny and Shannon's love survive?]]> 672 Chloe Walsh 1464277079 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 Pre-read : 🔥 Listen to me, listen to me bitch... A WHOLE CHAPTER OF JOHNNY BEATING SHANNON'S FATHER'S STUPID ASS! 🙏😈
]]> 4.61 2018 Keeping 13 (Boys of Tommen #2)

author: Chloe Walsh
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/11
shelves: boys-of-tommen, romance, school, young-adult, monthly-tbr, currently-reading
review:
🔥Pre-read : 🔥 Listen to me, listen to me bitch... A WHOLE CHAPTER OF JOHNNY BEATING SHANNON'S FATHER'S STUPID ASS! 🙏😈

]]> Pink Ink 242977749 Gothikana meets Dexter in this sinfully delicious dark romance about a horror-obsessed film student who's secretly tracking the murders of a serial killer--unaware he's also her brooding professor.

There's a serial killer prowling the city, and no one has noticed...
Except for me.
I see the connections between his kills--
The artistic references,
The careful curation of the scene,
The macabre motifs that turn violence into vivid works of art.
When I recreate one of his murders for my film project at Cresswell University,
I unknowingly present it to the very man who committed the crime.
Professor Maddox Shaw.
A world-renowned artist struggling to recapture his muse.
A serial killer caught deep in the web of a dangerous secret society.
A man who makes me come alive.
Sleeping with your professor is bad enough.
Sleeping with a serial killer is just asking for trouble.
When trouble finds me, it's not Maddox, but the powerful people pulling his strings.
There's no line they won't cross to keep their secrets safe.
And there's no line Maddox won't cross to keep me.
After all, he's good at killing people.]]> 400 Avina St. Graves 1668218984 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.97 2026 Pink Ink

author: Avina St. Graves
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City, #3)]]> 52857700
Hunt Athalar has found himself in some deep holes in his life, but this one might be the deepest of all. After a few brief months with everything he ever wanted, he's in the Asteri's dungeons again, stripped of his freedom and without a clue as to Bryce's fate. He's desperate to help her, but until he can escape the Asteri's leash, his hands are quite literally tied.

In this sexy, breathtaking sequel to the #1 bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath, Sarah J. Maas's Crescent City series reaches new heights as Bryce and Hunt's world is brought to the brink of collapse-with its future resting on their shoulders.]]> 835 Sarah J. Maas 1681193094 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 Pre-read 🌑 : OMG, GUYS! I HAVE TO READ THIS ONE BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I AM READY BECAUSE... [spoilers removed] WHAT DO YOU MEEEEEEEEEEEEAN!? I MISS MY BABIES RUHN AND LIDIA, THEY ARE MY FAVORITE COUPLE OF THE SERIES! I ALSO MISS BRYCE AND HUNT SO MUCH! Like... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! SEND. FREAKING. HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP! 😭💔🤪🤪🤪]]> 4.21 2024 House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City, #3)

House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City, #3)

author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/10
shelves: crescent-city, monthly-tbr, currently-reading
review:
🔥 Pre-read 🌑 : OMG, GUYS! I HAVE TO READ THIS ONE BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I AM READY BECAUSE... [spoilers removed] WHAT DO YOU MEEEEEEEEEEEEAN!? I MISS MY BABIES RUHN AND LIDIA, THEY ARE MY FAVORITE COUPLE OF THE SERIES! I ALSO MISS BRYCE AND HUNT SO MUCH! Like... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! SEND. FREAKING. HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP! 😭💔🤪🤪🤪
]]> <![CDATA[Threshing Day (The Empyrean, #3.5)]]> 251172932 Threshing Day contains thirteen stories starring your favorite characters and their dragons. The deluxe first edition includes sixteen beautiful original full-color illustrations by artist Joe Requeza. This breathtaking collectible is available only in the US and Canada while supplies last.

Full blurb to be revealed soon!]]> 224 Rebecca Yarros 168281808X Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read, the-empyrean 🐲Pre-releaase:🐉

You all know we'll see Liam for one last time and we'll have to say goodbye to him again, right? 💔

---------------------
*Update*: OMG, WE HAVE THE TITLE ✨THRESHING DAY✨ WHICH IS AMAZING AND THE 🤍COVER🤍 THAT IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS! OMG, REBECCA, THANK YOU SO MUCH! WE LOVE YOU!

P.S.: Now, we have to wait only SJM to reveal something about her new books! Yeah! 💕💗 (15/07/2026)

*OG*: Omg.... In autumn we have -> ACOSH, Quicksilver 3, Burn of the Everflame, The Last King of Faerie, Dangerous Impulses, Dead Beat, The Knave and the Moon, Holy Monsters, The Mirror of Infinite Endings, The Wolf Queen, Escape Me, A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters and now a new book about THE EMPYREAN coming out in autumn 2026! OMGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!! Guys, I am NOT good at all! ERROR 404! ERROR 404!

P.S.: Autumn can just take all my money with no regrets! 🍂🔥 (29/05/2026)]]> 4.09 2026 Threshing Day (The Empyrean, #3.5)

author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/08
shelves: to-read, the-empyrean
review:
🐲Pre-releaase:🐉

You all know we'll see Liam for one last time and we'll have to say goodbye to him again, right? 💔

---------------------
*Update*: OMG, WE HAVE THE TITLE ✨THRESHING DAY✨ WHICH IS AMAZING AND THE 🤍COVER🤍 THAT IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS! OMG, REBECCA, THANK YOU SO MUCH! WE LOVE YOU!

P.S.: Now, we have to wait only SJM to reveal something about her new books! Yeah! 💕💗 (15/07/2026)

*OG*: Omg.... In autumn we have -> ACOSH, Quicksilver 3, Burn of the Everflame, The Last King of Faerie, Dangerous Impulses, Dead Beat, The Knave and the Moon, Holy Monsters, The Mirror of Infinite Endings, The Wolf Queen, Escape Me, A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters and now a new book about THE EMPYREAN coming out in autumn 2026! OMGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!! Guys, I am NOT good at all! ERROR 404! ERROR 404!

P.S.: Autumn can just take all my money with no regrets! 🍂🔥 (29/05/2026)
]]> Taipei Story 247546631 From R.F. Kuang, the acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling author of Katabasis and Yellowface, comes a wryly humorous and profoundly moving coming-of-age novel that grapples with grief, language, and culture shock—all set against the backdrop of an unforgettable summer in Taipei.

College freshman Lily Chen is off to spend the summer in Taipei at an intensive language program like so many Chinese American students before her, hoping to connect with the culture she inherited but never fully understood. But a promising start quickly unravels. Her classes are grueling, her roommate is driving her insane, and a reckless trip to the hot springs with a guy she barely knows soon has her classmates viciously gossiping. She feels adrift, a foreigner in a country she thought would feel like home.

Then shocking news Lily’s grandfather has passed away. The loss forces her to grapple with now-unanswerable questions about her family history. As Lily grieves, she’s drawn into a journey of self-discovery—piecing together memories, stories, and silences over a series of hilarious and devastating attempts at connection.

Taipei Story What if the diaspora fantasy of homecoming never comes true? What if learning a language can’t bring you any closer to the people you’re trying to reach? What if you search for your family’s history, but your family doesn’t want to share? What if you wait too long to ask the right questions? As Lily struggles for answers, her summer becomes a poignant search for understanding—of herself, her family, and the meaning of home.]]> 288 R.F. Kuang 0063473747 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.65 2026 Taipei Story

author: R.F. Kuang
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Tin (Faeries of Oz, #1) 187974715 A curse to break...

He’s a fae assassin with a heart of stone. She’s the savior of Oz. Together they must defy a heartless curse.

Tin is the most famous fae in Oz for all the wrong reasons. Cursed with a stone heart, he is the perfect assassin: ruthless, efficient, and merciless with thousands of kills to his name. When his old friend, Lion, offers him a small fortune to deliver Dorothy to the South for his lover to wear the girl’s head as her own, Tin doesn’t hesitate to accept the unsavory deal.

Dorothy Gale lost everything—her family to illness, her dog to age, and now her farm to foreclosure. The entire town thought she was crazy for believing in a faerie world called Oz, but even after ten years have passed, she knows she is right. So when an emerald green portal opens in her wheat field, she jumps at the opportunity to return to the only place that ever felt like home.

Tin wasn’t expecting a vivacious, grown woman to step through the portal, just as Dorothy wasn’t expecting Tin to have his stone heart back. But Oz has hidden dangerous lies behind glamour, trapped innocents in curses, and left the land in turmoil—none more so than the South. As Tin and Dorothy travel together for the second time in a decade, their lives begin to make sense again. Soon, they must decide who to give their loyalties to before Lion takes Dorothy’s head and Tin’s cursed heart is forever doomed.

Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Laura Thalassa, and Jennifer L. Armentrout. Tin is the first book in this dark fantasy romance series. If you love hot fae assassins and strong female leads, then you won't want to miss this one.]]> 231 Candace Robinson 1960949160 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.32 2020 Tin (Faeries of Oz, #1)

author: Candace Robinson
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.32
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Savage Hope (The Savage Six #1)]]> 222743656 In this life, blood doesn’t just sustain you, it defines you.

At ten years old, one drop changed my whole world, and not just because I lost my freedom, my parents, and my memories all in one night. My life is now bound to another. My blood kin, whose cursed fate is dependent upon my own.

After being held captive for over a decade to protect someone I’ve never met, I’m now thrown into a new world.

Trinity Falls Academy is an opportunity to secure my future. Like life’s cruel guillotine, the curse shatters at twenty-one years old, and only one kin can make it to twenty-two.

I have one year to navigate the murky path set before me. One filled with supernaturals I didn’t know existed. Hidden among the humans are vampires, wolves, and witches.

The chalice will determine my quadrant, just like everyone else from Florentines. The only issue is, quadrants don’t mix, unless it’s a full moon party… So why am I caught under their intense gaze in the dining hall, the secret garden, and the fighting cage too?

The Savage Six is a why choose romance series, with four books expected.]]> 528 K.C. Kean Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.13 Savage Hope (The Savage Six #1)

author: K.C. Kean
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.13
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Crescent Kingdom (The Wolves of Crescent Creek, #1)]]> 215506636 I’ve spent my whole life hiding. Training. Preparing. Hoping that no one will discover my secrets. What I can do. Who I am. And I’ve gotten so good at it, sometimes even I forget.
Until them.
The wolf pack with a ruthless reputation and a penchant for revenge. The protective fighter. The charming Brit. The shy hacker. The silent mercenary. The cruel assassin.
They see more than anyone ever has before. And even with demons of their own, they give me sanctuary. A place to hide, to rest, and maybe even a place to belong.
Only it turns into so much more. Because when they touch me, everything around me ignites, and nothing matters but them.
But these wolves have secrets. And those secrets bring enemies. And when they find out who I really am?
It’s not their enemies I need to fear. It’s them.]]> 242 Tessa Hale Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.08 2025 Crescent Kingdom (The Wolves of Crescent Creek, #1)

Crescent Kingdom (The Wolves of Crescent Creek, #1)

author: Tessa Hale
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[As Good As Dead (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #3)]]> 56905097 The finale to A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series. By the end of this mystery series, you'll never think of good girls the same way again...

Pip is about to head to college, but she is still haunted by the way her last investigation ended. She’s used to online death threats in the wake of her viral true-crime podcast, but she can’t help noticing an anonymous person who keeps asking her: Who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears?

Soon the threats escalate and Pip realizes that someone is following her in real life. When she starts to find connections between her stalker and a local serial killer caught six years ago, she wonders if maybe the wrong man is behind bars.

Police refuse to act, so Pip has only one choice: find the suspect herself—or be the next victim. As the deadly game plays out, Pip discovers that everything in her small town is coming full circle... and if she doesn’t find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears...]]> 459 Holly Jackson 0593379853 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.19 2021 As Good As Dead (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #3)

As Good As Dead (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #3)

author: Holly Jackson
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Malice (The Faithful and the Fallen, #1)]]> 15750692
Young Corban watches enviously as boys become warriors and yearns to join them, determined that he will make his family proud. It is only when everything he knows is threatened that he discovers the true cost of becoming a man.

As the Kings look to their borders, and priests beg answers from the Gods, only a chosen few know that the fate of the world will be decided between two champions, the Black Sun and the Bright Star. And with their coming will be a war to end all wars.]]> 672 John Gwynne 0230758452 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.15 2012 Malice (The Faithful and the Fallen, #1)

Malice (The Faithful and the Fallen, #1)

author: John Gwynne
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Rising Thunder (First Blades, #1)]]> 248283543 Discover Thunderhead’s origin—the fragile moment before the world changes forever and the hidden forces that set the storm in motion—in this long-awaited prequel to the New York Times bestselling and Printz Honor–winning Arc of a Scythe series by Neal Shusterman.

And of course, as every school child knows, December 2042 marks the end of the Age of Mortality.

What no one has ever fully understood is how the world reached that moment.

As death begins to seem optional, humanity looks for ways to bend the rules of existence. Twi-life centers begin storing the nearly-deceased, while eco-nihilists destroy civilization’s icons and threaten to end the human race entirely. Public opinion fractures. Systems strain. The world feels…unstable.

Behind the scenes, two powerful and diametrically opposed artificial intelligences set out to optimize, stabilize, and protect—each with its own idea of what that means. But in a world already tipping toward transformation, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Meanwhile, in an obscure online chatroom, a small group of teenagers from around the globe debate both the glorious and the terrifying prospects of the future, never realizing that they stand on a very literal cutting edge—and that their conversations, their choices, their very existence matter far more than they realize.

Because when humanity stands on the brink of immortality, someone must decide what survives…and what must be cut away.]]> 528 Neal Shusterman 1665972106 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.54 2026 Rising Thunder (First Blades, #1)

author: Neal Shusterman
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Merciful Carnage 248990337 A deathless girl's single-minded pursuit of the cure for a mysterious plague entangles her in a web of intrigue as an immortal ruler becomes set on uncovering the truth of her existence . . . and her hold on his attention in Merciful Carnage, the first in a new fantasy romance duology from USA Today bestselling author, Sara Hashem.

Tala's life has been defined by her inability to die. Her superstitious village has treated her with distrust and hostility since she was found floating in the Liyan River as a newborn. When a mysterious water-borne plague starts to ravage the oasis villages, Tala is sent across the desert to the city of Axsanda to seek refuge for her village. Determined to find a cure to the plague, Tala will stop at nothing to prove herself a worthy healer and member of her community.

Upon Tala's arrival in Axsanda, a would-be fatal encounter lands her in front of Selim, the chillingly beautiful High Judge and first of the four immortal siblings ruling the land. Intrigued by Tala, Selim agrees to shelter her village if she remains in his palace until they arrive.

Despite his detachment from mortal emotions, Selim finds himself increasingly fascinated by the odd, ambitious girl, but Tala's deathlessness threatens the sacred balance he is sworn to uphold. As Tala hunts for a cure to the plague, Selim hunts for an answer to her existence.

As terrifying omens spread across Axsanda and Tala shows signs of an impossible power, the two must reckon with their attraction . . . and its catastrophic consequences.]]> Sara Hashem 0356530434 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.24 2027 Merciful Carnage

author: Sara Hashem
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2027
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Tempest of Fate (Storm Weaver #3)]]> 254729235 464 Lauryn Hamilton Murray 1250348196 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 0.0

author: Lauryn Hamilton Murray
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Daggermouth 244817133 Set in a corrupt surveillance state ruled by the masked elite, this true enemies-to-lovers dystopian romance that’s Conform meets V For Vendetta follows a mercenary who botches the assassination of the president’s son and ends up forced to marry him.

The first thing you’ll learn in New Found Haven is that mercy doesn’t exist. The second thing is that, from the highest glass atrium in the Heart to the windowless slums of the Boundary, the Veyra are always watching.

The last lesson is the hardest, but you must remember it: Love outside of your ring is a death sentence.

The city is carved into rings of privilege and poverty, ruled by the masked elite who will do whatever it takes to hold onto power. Obedience is demanded. Rebellion is crushed.

Greyson Serel has spent his life caught between two worlds. Publicly, he’s the flawless heir to the presidency. Privately, he’s entangled in secrets that could topple the regime. But when he’s forced into a political marriage meant to bind him tighter to the government’s brutal laws, he finds himself shackled to a bride as lethal as she is unwilling.

Shadera Kael is a mercenary raised to kill, not to wed. Yet when her bullet misses its mark, survival leaves her tied to the very man she was sent to eliminate. Trapped inside the corrupt heart of the city, she becomes both prisoner and wife, her every step watched, her every move tested.

Their union is no love story—it’s a battlefield. As secrets come to light and betrayals fester within the walls of power, Greyson and Shadera must decide between annihilating each other or burning the city to the ground together.

In a world where passion has consequences and loyalty is paid for in blood, their forced bond may be the spark that ignites a revolution. Or the fire that consumes them both.]]> 564 H.M. Wolfe Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.23 2025 Daggermouth

author: H.M. Wolfe
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Sorrow & Strangers (Avalon University, #2)]]> 233961161
To Know is Never Enough.

Summer Tuatha De Daanan reluctantly returns to Avalon University for her second year after spending the summer with her vampire best friend in Draculea. She’s a shell of her former self, and the peace promised to her has never felt further from her reach. All Summer wants is to keep her head down and get through the year cloaked in her depression, but looming threats linger, and she quickly finds herself thrust into a dangerous position once again; entangled with a friend turned enemy, the protector of her beloved family, and the target of two very powerful kings.

Unwilling to suffer any further loss, Summer must push through her emotions to prepare herself for the enemies who threaten everything she holds dear. Through runic training with the revered and brooding Headmaster Emrys, combat with the aloof and strong-willed Max, and improving her mental walls with the dark and mysterious stranger, each step pulls her further from the edge of despair. Yet, nothing will be simple for Summer, and the more she trains, the more she discovers who she truly is, forcing her to confront her inner darkness. The beast within that purrs for her enigmatic stalker.

A darkness that is waiting to be explored. A darkness that will not be denied.]]> 753 Jeanette Rose Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.18 Sorrow & Strangers (Avalon University, #2)

Sorrow & Strangers (Avalon University, #2)

author: Jeanette Rose
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.18
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Why the Devil Stalks Death (Death and the Devil #2)]]> 42948488 348 L.J. Hayward 0648446026 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.42 2018

Why the Devil Stalks Death (Death and the Devil #2)

author: L.J. Hayward
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Deal (Off-Campus, #1) 45484397
All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he's worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he's all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn't take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn't going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.]]> 360 Elle Kennedy Lydia Sartzetaki 4 Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶/5
Song: The Bitch Is Back by Elton John (on repeat!) 🔥🏒🛌

I had an absolute blast reading this book! While I’ll be the first to admit it’s not a literary masterpiece (there were definitely some cringe-worthy moments that made me roll my eyes) I can’t deny the sheer enjoyment it brought me. Given that it was written a decade ago, the style and tone feel perfectly valid for its time and I appreciate it for what it is: a fun, emotional ride.

“Baby, I could watch you watching paint dry, and I still wouldn’t be bored.” Garrett Graham, my own personal sweet-talker.”

The first half felt a bit slow and predictable, but the second half? Wow, it hit me right in the feels and had me tearing up. That emotional payoff earned it a solid 4 stars rating from me and I think that’s a fair rating.

“Hey, come on, don’t cry,” he begs. “It breaks my fucking heart to hear you cry.”

Now, I’ll be honest, I 100,000% prefer the TV adaptation (which btw I rated 11/10), but that’s partly because the show is set in today’s world, while the book reflects its earlier era. Both versions of Garrett Graham and Hannah Wells are lovable, but I wished the book explored their dynamics with other characters more deeply. That’s one reason the series edges out the book for me.

“How did I go so long without noticing you, damn it? Why did it take seeing a stupid A on your midterm to make me notice?”
He sounds so genuinely upset that I scoot closer and kiss him. “It doesn’t matter. You know me now.”
“I do,” he says fiercely.”

Plot-wise, it’s nothing groundbreaking, but here’s the thing: sometimes you just love a book because it gives you a goofy, silly and thoroughly entertaining time. And that’s exactly what this did. If you’re looking for a light, heartfelt read with a touch of steam, this is worth picking up!

“Him: Confession: I deleted all the 1 Direction from your iPod when u were in the can.
You’re welcome.
Me: WHAT?? I’m going to kiss u!
Him: With tongue?
It takes me a second to realize what happened, at which point I’m completely mortified.
Me: Kill u! I meant KILL. u. Damn autocorrect.
Him: Surrrrrre. Let’s blame it on autocorrect.
Me: Shut it.
Him: I think someone wants to kiss me…”

author: Elle Kennedy
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2026/09/04
date added: 2026/09/04
shelves: monthly-tbr, off-campus-universe, romance, sports, school, new-adult, 4-stars-very-good, enemies-to-lovers, funny
review:
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶/5
Song: The Bitch Is Back by Elton John (on repeat!) 🔥🏒🛌

I had an absolute blast reading this book! While I’ll be the first to admit it’s not a literary masterpiece (there were definitely some cringe-worthy moments that made me roll my eyes) I can’t deny the sheer enjoyment it brought me. Given that it was written a decade ago, the style and tone feel perfectly valid for its time and I appreciate it for what it is: a fun, emotional ride.

“Baby, I could watch you watching paint dry, and I still wouldn’t be bored.” Garrett Graham, my own personal sweet-talker.”

“Hey, come on, don’t cry,” he begs. “It breaks my fucking heart to hear you cry.”

“How did I go so long without noticing you, damn it? Why did it take seeing a stupid A on your midterm to make me notice?”
He sounds so genuinely upset that I scoot closer and kiss him. “It doesn’t matter. You know me now.”
“I do,” he says fiercely.”

“Him: Confession: I deleted all the 1 Direction from your iPod when u were in the can.
You’re welcome.
Me: WHAT?? I’m going to kiss u!
Him: With tongue?
It takes me a second to realize what happened, at which point I’m completely mortified.
Me: Kill u! I meant KILL. u. Damn autocorrect.
Him: Surrrrrre. Let’s blame it on autocorrect.
Me: Shut it.
Him: I think someone wants to kiss me…”

------------------------------------

💋Pre-read 💋: Babe, that's not just a book... That's a f*cking priority!!!! I simply LOVE(D/WILL LOVE FOREVER ♾️💓) the TV series (11/10 for me 😍💘) and everyone said me that this book is like 2 times better than the show, so, here I am! Thanks Sophie❦ for recommending this to me! Love you, love you, love you!!!! 💖💖💖
]]> <![CDATA[Behind the Movies: Outtakes and Extras from the World of Better Than the Movies]]> 255222527 An S&S BFYR book. Simon & Schuster has a great book for every reader!]]> 288 Lynn Painter Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.00 2027 Behind the Movies: Outtakes and Extras from the World of Better Than the Movies

Behind the Movies: Outtakes and Extras from the World of Better Than the Movies

author: Lynn Painter
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2027
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[White Raven (The Messengers of the Realm Trilogy Book 1)]]> 249821338 perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Sarah J. Maas, and Rebecca Yarros.

“Harbingers of enlightened, bringers of darkness. Givers of life, tellers of death…significance
flies on the backs of raven wings for those who dare to listen to its meaning. For we are the
Messengers of the Realm.”

The White Raven was born to bring magic to the dying realm.

One hundred and ninety-nine years ago the Blood War between the Ravens and the Leatherwings divided the land into Day, Night, and Dusk, cursing the land with the blood of the dead. Abandoned by Odin and his favored pets, Huginn and Muninn, the ravens were stripped of their wings, and their positions as Messengers of the Realm.

Her blood holds the power to heal the land and unite the kingdoms.

Wrennlyn Stallard, the King’s only daughter had lived a life of privilege, kept sheltered in the walls of Silvervale. But on the night of her betrothal, her world shattered when their enemy from the Night Realm kidnapped her, taking her across the snowy terrain into the treacherous land, called the Shadow Rift, the land between the Day and Night.

His mission is to take her to the Night King.

Onyx had waited months to seize her, purposely getting captured to work as a thrall for the Day King. Cold, ruthless, and burning with vengeance, he wasn’t prepared for the pampered, prophesized girl to be defiant, clever, and maddeningly impossible to break. Killing her would be easy, but her life is vital to a much bigger plan.

Because everyone knows…who has the White Raven holds the power.]]> 405 Stacey Marie Brown Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.32 2026 White Raven (The Messengers of the Realm Trilogy Book 1)

White Raven (The Messengers of the Realm Trilogy Book 1)

author: Stacey Marie Brown
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Rules for the Summer 243359903 From New York Times bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a new laugh-out-loud summer rom-com.

He clicked "yes" on a dare. She bought a failing candy shop. Now they're neighbors for the summer―and neither is ready for what comes next.

Renley Gossage has one shot to prove she's more than Cape Meril's favorite cautionary tale: restore her favorite candy shop before the town writes her off like they did her father. No help, no shortcuts, and definitely no rich men wielding engagement rings and making things messy.

Theo Williams never planned on ending up in Cape Meril. A drunken game of truth or dare turned into a botched online engagement, and now he's across the ocean, escaping his father's control with nothing but designer shoes, misplaced confidence, and a rental next door to Renley.

She's practical, stubborn, and covered in paint. He's posh, persistent, and willing to use a sander if it means earning her trust.

Between collapsing drywall, gossiping neighbors, and the chaotic schemes of Renley's aunt, their forced proximity turns into something dangerously close to real.

But Renley's future depends on standing on her own two feet, and Theo's past isn't done with him yet. By the time the candy shop doors open, they'll have to decide if this is just a summer fling―or the happily ever after neither of them saw coming.]]> 552 Meghan Quinn 1464243670 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.75 2026 Rules for the Summer

author: Meghan Quinn
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Heir of Storms (Storm Weaver, #1)]]> 231325504 RED QUEEN meets SHADOW AND BONE in this explosive start to a YA romantasy trilogy about dangerous magic, forbidden love, and a cut-throat competition for the throne in an empire where crowns are not inherited -- they're won.

The very day Blaze came into the world, she almost drowned it. A Rain Singer born into one of the most powerful fire-wielding families in the empire, Blaze's birth summoned a devastating storm that left thousands dead. She's been hidden away ever since with a dark secret: the same torrential power that branded her an outcast disappeared that fateful day. And she’s not sure she wants it back.

When an unexpected invitation arrives for Blaze and her twin brother, Flint, to compete as future rulers of the empire, she’s suddenly thrust into the limelight again -- and into battle. Threats abound at the Golden Palace, where intrigue and romance await with not one but two handsome suitors: the enchanting Crown Prince and a dangerously alluring newcomer at court.

As Blaze explores her untapped power, she discovers the throne may be within her grasp. But in order to take it, she’ll have to leave behind the stories that others have told about her, and find the courage to write her own.]]> 464 Lauryn Hamilton Murray 024168112X Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.09 2025 Heir of Storms (Storm Weaver, #1)

author: Lauryn Hamilton Murray
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Song of Achilles 13623848 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780062060624.

Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.]]> 408 Madeline Miller Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.28 2011 The Song of Achilles

author: Madeline Miller
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Darkbirch Academy: Ash & Wings]]> 234310763 “Two predators now circle me in this den of enemies. One I came to hunt, and one I never saw coming.”

For readers who love dangerous dragons, deadly supernatural worlds and TRUE slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension... this one's for you.

Dark witches don’t deal in warnings—only executions.

So when assassin-in-training Esme Salem is tasked with infiltrating a magical defense academy and eliminating Kieran Mazrov—a deadly mage with powers that could erase her kind from existence—it should be treacherous but simple. A poisonous jab to his throat. A garrote bracelet slit across his neck. No hesitation.

What she doesn’t expect is Professor Dayn.

Calculating. Controlled. Lethal in every line of his body—which emits literal heat when he enters a room. He’s supposed to be an academic, but nothing about him screams scholarly. And the more she tries to pursue her mission, the more dangerous he becomes...

She came to kill one dangerous man.

She never expected another to begin hunting her.

And unless she can undo both predators first, she might be the one who ends up undone.

Prepared to enter the game? If you like your magic dark, your men dangerous and your heroines delightfully unhinged, let's begin.

Note: This is a true slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy series spanning five books. Although it is based around a magical defence academy, this is not a heavily classroom-focused academia story. Expect assassination plots, forbidden attraction, supernatural conspiracies, dark humor and a deadly, sexy world containing dragons, mages, vampires, dark fae, werewolves, demons and incubi.

It is not a dragon-rider story, but readers who wished Tairn from Fourth Wing could turn into a lethal man with a dangerously persuasive mouth may find a new obsession waiting inside Darkbirch...

A SERIES PERFECT FOR FANS OF:

Slow burn romance
Enemies to lovers
Morally grey characters
Addicting banter
Forced proximity
Earned spice
Warring magical academies
High stakes
Twists you won't see coming
Dark witches x dragons!]]> 368 Krista Graves Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.69 Darkbirch Academy: Ash & Wings

author: Krista Graves
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.69
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Weyward 60654349
2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.

1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom.

1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.

Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.]]> 329 Emilia Hart 125028080X Lydia Sartzetaki 2
Let’s talk about the “plot”, which is essentially a bingo card of trauma. Three women, three timelines, one shared hobby: being relentlessly terrorized by men. It’s like a historical drama where every male character graduated with honors from the Academy of Being Absolutely Insufferable. As a feminist myself, reading a book that apparently thinks feminism = “every man is satan”: 🤮🤮🤮. And just in case you weren’t uncomfortable enough, Hart throws in a graphic abortion scene that felt less like literature and more like a hazing ritual. I’m all for tackling heavy themes, but this wasn’t handled with care, it was handled with a sledgehammer. No trigger warnings? That’s not edgy, that’s just poor form. It’s like serving someone a surprise wasabi ball when they asked for a cookie.

And then there’s Violet. Oh, Violet. I wanted to root for her, I really did. But she’s so relentlessly one-note that I started to wonder if her character arc was just a straight line from annoyed to “slightly” more annoyed. Her internal monologue reads like a Twitter thread from someone who just discovered feminist theory and decided to make it their entire personality without understanding what feminism is even about! It’s exhausting.

The writing itself? Let’s just say it’s functional. It gets you from point A to point B, but it’s like driving a rusty sedan with no AC, you arrive, but you’re not happy about it. The prose tries to be lyrical but mostly lands on pretentious and the pacing is slower than a snail in quicksand.

Honestly, this book felt like it was written for no one and against everyone. It’s not empowering, it’s just bleak. It’s not thought-provoking, it’s just repetitive. I finished it feeling like I’d been emotionally waterboarded with a bad feminist manifesto written by someone who’s never met a man who wasn’t a cartoon villain. If you’re looking for a nuanced exploration of womanhood, keep looking. If you want to feel bad about existing, congratulations, you’ve found your match. I genuinely regret this reading experience and I’m now going to go hug a male friend and apologize for the entire gender on behalf of this book.

2 stars. ⭐⭐]]> 4.02 2023 Weyward

author: Emilia Hart
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at: 2026/06/30
date added: 2026/09/02
shelves: 2-stars-ehhhh, standalone, romance, romantasy, fantasy, historical-fiction
review:
Oh, Weyward. Where do I even begin? This book didn’t just miss the mark. It took the mark, tied it to a chair and lectured it about the patriarchy for 300 pages. I’m convinced Emilia Hart wrote this in a bunker fueled by pure rage and a suspicious amount of espresso, because wow, subtlety was not on the menu.

Let’s talk about the “plot”, which is essentially a bingo card of trauma. Three women, three timelines, one shared hobby: being relentlessly terrorized by men. It’s like a historical drama where every male character graduated with honors from the Academy of Being Absolutely Insufferable. As a feminist myself, reading a book that apparently thinks feminism = “every man is satan”: 🤮🤮🤮. And just in case you weren’t uncomfortable enough, Hart throws in a graphic abortion scene that felt less like literature and more like a hazing ritual. I’m all for tackling heavy themes, but this wasn’t handled with care, it was handled with a sledgehammer. No trigger warnings? That’s not edgy, that’s just poor form. It’s like serving someone a surprise wasabi ball when they asked for a cookie.

And then there’s Violet. Oh, Violet. I wanted to root for her, I really did. But she’s so relentlessly one-note that I started to wonder if her character arc was just a straight line from annoyed to “slightly” more annoyed. Her internal monologue reads like a Twitter thread from someone who just discovered feminist theory and decided to make it their entire personality without understanding what feminism is even about! It’s exhausting.

The writing itself? Let’s just say it’s functional. It gets you from point A to point B, but it’s like driving a rusty sedan with no AC, you arrive, but you’re not happy about it. The prose tries to be lyrical but mostly lands on pretentious and the pacing is slower than a snail in quicksand.

Honestly, this book felt like it was written for no one and against everyone. It’s not empowering, it’s just bleak. It’s not thought-provoking, it’s just repetitive. I finished it feeling like I’d been emotionally waterboarded with a bad feminist manifesto written by someone who’s never met a man who wasn’t a cartoon villain. If you’re looking for a nuanced exploration of womanhood, keep looking. If you want to feel bad about existing, congratulations, you’ve found your match. I genuinely regret this reading experience and I’m now going to go hug a male friend and apologize for the entire gender on behalf of this book.

2 stars. ⭐⭐
]]> One of Us is Lying 56567236 Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online.

Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content.

The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers' story comprehension and develop vocabulary.

One of Us Is Lying, a Level 6 Reader, is B1+ in the CEFR framework. The longer text is made up of sentences with up to four clauses, introducing future continuous, reported questions, third conditional, was going to and ellipsis. A small number of illustrations support the text.

A geek, a jock, a criminal, a princess. A murder.

Everyone has secrets. How far would you go to protect yours? Five students at Bayview High must stay late at school but only four of them leave alive. Bronwyn, Cooper, Nate and Addy all become suspects in a murder. Who do you believe?

Visit the Penguin Readers website
Exclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and answer keys.]]> 128 Karen M. McManus 0241520770 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.07 One of Us is Lying

author: Karen M. McManus
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.07
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Escape Me (Shatter Me: Series Two #3)]]> 245901675
James Anderson needs a new plan. He’s ready to make real moves to destroy the looming threats against their world, but no one is taking him seriously. James is tired of being underestimated by his own family. He wants five uninterrupted minutes alone with Rosabelle. He wants to kill Sebastian.

And he’s done waiting for permission.

Rosabelle Wolff needs to stick to the plan. Which means she needs to stay away from James and the dangerous feelings he brings out in her. When she’s near him she loses control, and she’ll need absolute control if she has any hope of convincing Sebastian—and through him, Klaus—that she’s still carrying out the original plan to destroy the rebel regime.

In the meantime, Warner needs to stay out of her business.

Aaron Warner Anderson is trying not to kill Rosabelle. They might be reluctant allies, but that doesn’t mean they get along. Every day is a new kind of hell for Warner. He’s worried about his wife; he’s worried about his world. He can’t decide what to do about James until he understands Rosabelle’s true motives—and when he’s finally delivered the answers he needs, the stakes prove astronomical. All roads lead to heartbreak and destruction, no matter what choice he makes.

Gut-wrenching discoveries, blistering romance, non-stop explosive action, and a world determined to control their thoughts and actions:

When the eyes of the world are upon you, who do you hope is watching?]]> 416 Tahereh Mafi 0063419106 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 ❤Pre-release:❤

*Update! :* OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH! The GODNESS Tahereh Mafi released the first five chapters of the book! AAAAAAA! This series is never going to escape me! 😈 (30/07/2026 🖤💀😎)

*Update!:* OMG! We have the cover and it's so pretty! I mean... I didn't expect something less than perfection from this series' covers but OMG this is even better than my expectations!!! I AM SO EXITED! AAAAAAAAAAA! (02/07/2026 -Happy July! 🌻)

*OG!:* AAAAAAAAAAAAAA! YES. YES. YES. AFTER that cliffhanger in the previous book, I genuinely thought I would not survive the wait for Escape Me. I was emotionally unwell, spiritually unstable, and one minor inconvenience away from dramatic collapse. And now?? NOW?? It’s almost here! I can only assume a higher power looked down at my suffering and decided to intervene, because Escape Me is releasing on September 29, 2026. Tahereh Mafi… you heard my cries. Although, to be fair, I’m not sure if this is mercy or financial sabotage. Because let’s discuss the absolute CHAOS that is Fall 2026... Not only are we getting Escape Me, but also: A Court of Splintered Harmony, Threshing Day, Untitled, The Last King of Faerie, Burn of the Everflame, Dead Beat, The Knave and the Moon, Holy Monsters, The Wolf Queen, Stormside AND on top of that: A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters: Illustrated Tales from Elfhame and The Mirror of Infinite Endings. So basically… every publisher in existence got together and decided to empty my wallet personally. Also, something funny: some people keep calling these three series (Shatter Me, Once Upon a Broken Heart, and Elfhame) the “Big 3.” And honestly? I see the vision. But I have my own Big 3. The ones with permanent legendary status. The ones with stable value. The holy trinity of obsession. I will not elaborate. 🤭🤞🤪 Until then, I’ll be counting the days until Escape Me, replaying that cliffhanger in my head, and preparing emotionally for whatever pain Tahereh Mafi has planned next. (May 1, 2026)]]> 4.63 2026 Escape Me (Shatter Me: Series Two #3)

author: Tahereh Mafi
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.63
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/02
shelves: to-read, adventure, fantasy, romance, young-adult, shatter-me, romantasy, monthly-tbr, dystopia, autumn-challenge-x1f342-x1f96e
review:
❤Pre-release:❤

*Update! :* OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH! The GODNESS Tahereh Mafi released the first five chapters of the book! AAAAAAA! This series is never going to escape me! 😈 (30/07/2026 🖤💀😎)

*Update!:* OMG! We have the cover and it's so pretty! I mean... I didn't expect something less than perfection from this series' covers but OMG this is even better than my expectations!!! I AM SO EXITED! AAAAAAAAAAA! (02/07/2026 -Happy July! 🌻)

*OG!:* AAAAAAAAAAAAAA! YES. YES. YES. AFTER that cliffhanger in the previous book, I genuinely thought I would not survive the wait for Escape Me. I was emotionally unwell, spiritually unstable, and one minor inconvenience away from dramatic collapse. And now?? NOW?? It’s almost here! I can only assume a higher power looked down at my suffering and decided to intervene, because Escape Me is releasing on September 29, 2026. Tahereh Mafi… you heard my cries. Although, to be fair, I’m not sure if this is mercy or financial sabotage. Because let’s discuss the absolute CHAOS that is Fall 2026... Not only are we getting Escape Me, but also: A Court of Splintered Harmony, Threshing Day, Untitled, The Last King of Faerie, Burn of the Everflame, Dead Beat, The Knave and the Moon, Holy Monsters, The Wolf Queen, Stormside AND on top of that: A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters: Illustrated Tales from Elfhame and The Mirror of Infinite Endings. So basically… every publisher in existence got together and decided to empty my wallet personally. Also, something funny: some people keep calling these three series (Shatter Me, Once Upon a Broken Heart, and Elfhame) the “Big 3.” And honestly? I see the vision. But I have my own Big 3. The ones with permanent legendary status. The ones with stable value. The holy trinity of obsession. I will not elaborate. 🤭🤞🤪 Until then, I’ll be counting the days until Escape Me, replaying that cliffhanger in my head, and preparing emotionally for whatever pain Tahereh Mafi has planned next. (May 1, 2026)
]]> Tempest (The Lyrian Sea, #1) 246196551 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Aveyard comes an epic adventure of love and betrayal, amid a brutal war for the high seas.

May the sea always sing for you

Cat Rose knows what it is to live in two worlds, in two times. Before—as Lady Catrine Rose of the Meridian Empire, chained to a loathsome lord with a dwindling fortune. And after—as the Widow Rose, queen of a pirate tavern in the Lyrian Sea, determined to be the master of her own fate.

But tides turn and winds change. The Meridian Empire looms on the horizon, the full weight of her navy falling on the Lyrian, bent on reclaiming the wealthy colonies and crushing the pirate republic once and for all. Ship after ship is captured, save for one, captained by a pirate who continually evades both noose and blade: the legendary Valerian Kane.

With his fearsome ship and uncanny connection to the song of the sea, Valerian is the only man who might rally the pirates who remain. The only man who threatens the Empire. And the only man Cat has ever loved, blazing in and out of her life like a star.

Desperate for victory, the Empire offers Cat a devastating choice: bring them Valerian or hang. In truth, no choice at all.

But Cat Rose is nothing if not a survivor.

A storm is rising on the Lyrian Sea—the question is, what will it leave in its wake?]]> 464 Victoria Aveyard 0063451395 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.76 2026 Tempest (The Lyrian Sea, #1)

author: Victoria Aveyard
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Shield of Sparrows (Shield of Sparrows, #1)]]> 217171544 Epickie romantasy i fenomen wydawniczy, który pokochały miliony osób na całym świecie!

Nieodkładalna historia, w której wrogowie stają się kochankami, potwory grasują po przeklętym królestwie, a zapomniana księżniczka znajduje w sobie siłę, by zerwać koronę i stać się wojowniczką, którą nigdy nie miała być.

Bogowie nasyłają potwory na pięć królestw, by przypomnieć śmiertelnikom o ich niższości.

Całe swoje życie klękałam – przed wolą bogów i mojego ojca. Jestem księżniczką, więc moim jedynym obowiązkiem jest nosić koronę i być posłuszną wobec króla.

Władza nigdy nie była mi pisana. Podobnie jak walka. I to nie ja miałam być córką, która przypieczętuje starożytne przymierze własną krwią.

To się jednak zmieniło owego nieszczęsnego dnia, gdy legendarny łowca potworów przybił do naszych wybrzeży. Wkroczyłam do sali tronowej mojego ojca, a książę zrujnował mi życie.

Teraz przemierzam zdradliwe ziemie u boku wojownika, który gardzi mną w takim samym stopniu jak ja nim – i jestem związana z przyszłością, której dla siebie nie wybrałam, i mężem, którego ledwie znam.

Każdy chce, abym stała się kimś, kim nie jestem – królową, szpiegiem, ofiarą.

Co, jeśli jednak odmówię wypełnienia wybranej dla mnie roli i ustalę własne zasady? Co, jeśli w byciu niedocenioną kryje się siła?

I co, jeśli po nią sięgnę – po raz pierwszy w życiu?]]> 528 Devney Perry 1649378513 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read, maybe 4.30 2025 Shield of Sparrows (Shield of Sparrows, #1)

Shield of Sparrows (Shield of Sparrows, #1)

author: Devney Perry
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/02
shelves: to-read, maybe
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, #1)]]> 67354022
Після кількох століть сну боги знову стали на стежку війни…

Вісімнадцятирічна Ірис Віннов хоче єдиного — зберегти родину. Її брат змушений воювати за богів і зникає безвісти на передовій, а мама топить горе в чарці, тож останньою надією для дівчини стає посада колумністки в «Оус ґазет».

Але коли листи до брата потрапляють не в ті руки — до вродливого й холодного Ромена Кітта, її суперника в редакції, — між ним та Ірис виникає несподіваний магічний зв’язок.

Озброєні самими лише друкарськими машинками, чи зможуть вони зберегти свій зв’язок посеред містичної війни? Адже на кону — доля людства і, що важливіше, кохання! Епічне фентезі «від ворогів до закоханих», сповнене надії та сердечного щему, а також нездоланної сили любові.]]> 368 Rebecca Ross 000860066X Lydia Sartzetaki 0 did-not-finish ]]> 4.22 2023 Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, #1)

Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment, #1)

author: Rebecca Ross
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
I tried to read this in 15 July 2026... I gave up in 17 July. I had only read 73 pages... Of course, it's because I was in a reading slump. I'll try to read it another time.

]]> <![CDATA[A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1)]]> 40916679
But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the crime, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth…?]]> 433 Holly Jackson 1405293187 Lydia Sartzetaki 5 ------------------------------
Pre-read: It's time, bitches! My expectations are waaaaaaaaaaay too hight about this one... I hope they are correct.]]> 4.27 2019 A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1)

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1)

author: Holly Jackson
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2026/07/08
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: 6-stars-the-loves-of-my-life, young-adult, mystery, romance, adventure, funny, a-good-girl-s-guide-to-murder, favorites
review:
6 STAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARS BITCHES! Review to come! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
------------------------------
Pre-read: It's time, bitches! My expectations are waaaaaaaaaaay too hight about this one... I hope they are correct.
]]> <![CDATA[The Magician's Nephew (The Chronicles of Narnia, #1)]]> 838791 On a daring quest to save a life, two friends are hurled into another world, where an evil sorceress seeks to enslave them. But then the lion Aslan’s song weaves itself into the fabric of a new land, a land that will be known as Narnia. And in Narnia, all things are possible.

The Magician’s Nephew is the first book in C. S. Lewis’s classic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia, which has captivated readers of all ages for over sixty years. This is a stand-alone novel, but if you would like to journey through the wardrobe and back to Narnia, read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the second book in The Chronicles of Narnia.]]> 220 C.S. Lewis 0007115555 Lydia Sartzetaki 5 3.90 1955 The Magician's Nephew (The Chronicles of Narnia, #1)

The Magician's Nephew (The Chronicles of Narnia, #1)

author: C.S. Lewis
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1955
rating: 5
read at: 2026/06/15
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: 5-stars-you-must-read-it, fantasy, the-chronicles-of-narnia, children, adventure
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Horse and His Boy (The Chronicles of Narnia, #3)]]> 587315 An orphaned boy and a kidnapped horse gallop for Narnia... and freedom.

Narnia... where horses talk and hermits like company, where evil men turn into donkeys, where boys go into battle... and where the adventure begins.

During the Golden Age of Narnia, when Peter is High King, a boy named Shasta discovers he is not the son of Arsheesh, the Calormene fisherman, and decides to run far away to the North—to Narnia. When he is mistaken for another runaway, Shasta is led to discover who he really is and even finds his real father.]]> 241 C.S. Lewis 0064471063 Lydia Sartzetaki 4 3.81 1954 The Horse and His Boy (The Chronicles of Narnia, #3)

The Horse and His Boy (The Chronicles of Narnia, #3)

author: C.S. Lewis
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1954
rating: 4
read at: 2026/06/29
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: 4-stars-very-good, fantasy, children, the-chronicles-of-narnia, adventure
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia, #4)]]> 836898
The Pevensie siblings travel back to Narnia to help a prince denied his rightful throne as he gathers an army in a desperate attempt to rid his land of a false king. But in the end, it is a battle of honor between two men alone that will decide the fate of an entire world.

Prince Caspian is the fourth book in C. S. Lewis's classic fantasy series, which has been drawing readers of all ages into a magical land where animals talk and trees walk for over sixty years. This is a stand-alone novel, but if you would like to read more of Lucy and Edmund's adventures, pick up The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the fifth book in The Chronicles of Narnia.]]> 240 C.S. Lewis Lydia Sartzetaki 5 3.89 1951 Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia, #4)

Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia, #4)

author: C.S. Lewis
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1951
rating: 5
read at: 2026/06/30
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: 5-stars-you-must-read-it, the-chronicles-of-narnia, children, fantasy, adventure
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia, #2)]]> 822603
It all begins one rainy summer day when the children explore the professor's rambling old house. When they come across a room with an old wardrobe in the corner, Lucy immediately opens the door and gets inside. To her amazement, she suddenly finds herself standing in the clearing of a wood on a winter after-noon, with snowflakes falling through the air. Lucy has found Narnia, a magical land of fauns and centaurs, nymphs and talking animals -- and the beautiful but evil White Witch, who has held the country in eternal winter for a hundred years.]]> 203 C.S. Lewis 000711561X Lydia Sartzetaki 5 4.12 1950 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia, #2)

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia, #2)

author: C.S. Lewis
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1950
rating: 5
read at: 2026/06/14
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: 5-stars-you-must-read-it, favorites, children, fantasy, the-chronicles-of-narnia, adventure
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #2)]]> 51335759
With the help of Ravi Singh, she released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her.

But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared, on the very same night the town hosted a memorial for the sixth-year anniversary of the deaths of Andie Bell and Sal Singh.

The police won't do anything about it. And if they won't look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town's dark secrets along the way... and this time everyone is listening. But will she find him before it's too late?]]> 446 Holly Jackson 1405297751 Lydia Sartzetaki 4 4.24 2020 Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #2)

Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #2)

author: Holly Jackson
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2026/07/15
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: 4-stars-very-good, mystery, romance, adventure, funny, a-good-girl-s-guide-to-murder, young-adult
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kill Joy (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #0.5)]]> 61812154
Pippa Fitz-Amobi is not in the mood for her friend's murder mystery party. Especially one that involves 1920's fancy dress and pretending that their town, Little Kilton, is an island called Joy. But when the game begins, Pip finds herself drawn into the make-believe world of intrigue, deception and murder. But as Pip plays detective, teasing out the identity of the killer clue-by-clue, the murder of the fictional Reginald Remy isn't the only case on her mind ... Contains mature content, for older readers.]]> 176 Holly Jackson 0008560714 Lydia Sartzetaki 4 3.84 2021 Kill Joy (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #0.5)

Kill Joy (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #0.5)

author: Holly Jackson
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2026/07/03
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: 4-stars-very-good, adventure, mystery, young-adult, a-good-girl-s-guide-to-murder, romance, funny
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)]]> 76715522 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Aelin Galathynius has vowed to save her people ― but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. The knowledge that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, but her resolve is unraveling with each passing day…

With Aelin captured, friends and allies are scattered to different fates. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever. As destinies weave together at last, all must fight if Erilea is to have any hope of salvation.

Years in the making, Sarah J. Maas's New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series draws to an explosive conclusion as Aelin fights to save herself―and the promise of a better world.]]> 984 Sarah J. Maas 1639731067 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.73 2018 Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass, #7)

author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.73
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #6)]]> 76714487 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq have arrived in the shining city of Antica to forge an alliance with the Khagan of the Southern Continent, whose vast armies are Erilea's last hope. But they have also come to Antica for another purpose: to seek healing at the famed Torre Cesme for the wounds Chaol received in Rifthold.

After enduring unspeakable horrors as a child, Yrene Towers has no desire to help the young lord from Adarlan, let alone heal him. Yet she has sworn an oath to assist those in need—and will honor it. But Lord Westfall carries shadows from his own past, and Yrene soon comes to realize they could engulf them both.

In this sweeping parallel novel to the New York Times bestselling Empire of Storms, Chaol, Nesryn, and Yrene will have to draw on every scrap of their resilience if they wish to save their friends. But while they become entangled in the political webs of the khaganate, deep in the shadows of mighty mountains where warriors soar on legendary ruks, long-awaited answers slumber. Answers that might offer their world a chance at survival—or doom them all . . .]]> 688 Sarah J. Maas 1639731040 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.26 2017 Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #6)

author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #5)]]> 76713323 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what—and who—to sacrifice if she's to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.]]> 733 Sarah J. Maas 1639731024 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.64 2016 Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #5)

author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.64
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters: Illustrated Tales from Elfhame (The Folk of the Air)]]> 249755067 From the brilliant mind of #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black comes a collection of short stories, gorgeously illustrated in full color and set in the Faerie world, where beauty can be monstrous and love can be capricious….

A reluctant king is thrown into turmoil when the girl he loves to hate is stolen by the Undersea.

An exiled redcap, trapped in the mortal world, must rediscover his inner monster.

A mortal girl sacrifices the other half of herself for an unworthy faerie lover.

A tiny sprite’s determination to prove herself puts the entire High Court in danger.

In this collection, #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black combines her signature wit and lush world-building with stunning full-color art by Frostbite Studios in six irresistible tales that return readers to the world of the Modern Faerie Tales and Elfhame, including two never-before-seen stories: one revealing the interior life of Madoc while in exile and the other featuring the moment that High King Cardan realizes what he most desires.]]> Holly Black 031659265X Lydia Sartzetaki 0 4.93 2026 A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters: Illustrated Tales from Elfhame (The Folk of the Air)

A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters: Illustrated Tales from Elfhame (The Folk of the Air)

author: Holly Black
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.93
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: to-read, autumn-challenge-x1f342-x1f96e
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Release Me (Shatter Me: Series Two, #2)]]> 237100508 The searing second volume in a new series set in the #1 global bestselling Shatter Me universe ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment.

Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. Now she wants revenge. To save her sister she needs to get back home and destroy the system that created her. Rosabelle’s greatest strength is her ability to deaden her mind and body; it’s the only way to survive the surveillance state of Ark Island. But lately her heart has been beating harder; her thoughts are spiraling; her defenses are coming undone.

And there’s only one person to blame.

James Anderson had a plan. Now he has nothing but problems. Rosabelle might be the ally they need in a fight against The Reestablishment, but no one wants to trust an enemy assassin. It doesn’t help that Rosabelle’s not much of a talker, doesn’t work well in groups, and kills people on instinct. Taking her side has cost James nearly everything—but keeping her alive might help save his world.

If only he could convince his older brother.

Aaron Warner Anderson has a headache. Something dark is coming, and Rosabelle’s arrival is just a prelude. In her, he sees shades of himself he can’t trust, and he can no longer get a read on the girl. She’s a dead battery, emanating no emotional feedback. At least not until James walks into a room…

Volcanic tension, breathless reveals, breakneck action—and a dystopian world that never stops raising the

Welcome back to The New Republic. ]]> 384 Tahereh Mafi 0063488515 Lydia Sartzetaki 5 SPOILER-FREE REVIEW:
-------------------------------------

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Let me just say this as clearly and dramatically as possible: THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING. No, actually, scratch that. This book was PERFECT. Five stars. Straight to favorites. No hesitation, no second thoughts, no overthinking. Just pure, immediate obsession the second I turned the last page.

And the worst part? I already miss it.

Without getting into spoilers, Release Me continues the story in the Shatter Me: The New Republic arc, bringing back familiar characters while pushing them into new emotional and political territory. The stakes feel higher, the relationships deeper, and everything just… hits harder.

What truly stood out to me in this book is how much every single character has evolved. Not just grown. Not just changed a little. Evolved.

They feel more human than ever, more layered, more vulnerable, more real. You can see the weight of everything they’ve been through, and instead of it making them feel distant, it makes them feel closer. More understandable. More relatable. And honestly? That’s what made this book so special.

The Characters------------------
Let’s talk about the absolute KINGS: James. Kenji. Aaron. Together, they create this dynamic that feels alive, chaotic, and comforting all at once. If these three didn’t exist, I genuinely think this book would lose so much of its magic...

Kenji continues to be the heart of everything, funny, emotionally intelligent, and somehow always the one holding everyone together. It's clear that he's still MADLY in love with Nazeera (and she with him) but he's really too proud to admit it! And I really want him and Nazeera to end up
together! AAAAAA!

Aaron… don’t even get me started. His development? His emotional depth? The way he loves? Incredible. He has (PRAISE GOD!) stopped treating others like they were mindless animals and seems more human. AND MY BABY IS FREAKING CRAZY ABOUT BEING A FATHER! He is so worried about Juliette and their baby! Well, James doesn't help him much with his stress, but all of this would have been solved if Aaron was listening to him even for once! And indeed, when he listened to him, everything went 100% better! Congrats to both Aaron and James!

James brings that warmth and lightness that balances everything else perfectly. I always look forward to reading the story from his perspective! AND THE CRAZY THING IS: WHENEVER I READ IT I SHIFTING MY LEGS UP AND DOWN LIKE I'M A 5-YEAR-OLD CHILD AND I'M SWINGING ON A SWING IN THE PLAYGROUND! AAAAAAAAA! I adore him.

Now, it's time for the absolute QUEENS!!!!!!!:

Nazeera, OH. MY. GOSH. I have to say that I didn't have strong feelings for her before so I hardly mentioned her in any reviews, and whenever I did, it was from chapters from Kenji's perspective. As a character, she didn't intrigue me that much and I didn't like her behavior AT ALL. HOWEVER, EVERYTHING WAS TURNED OVER WITH THIS BOOK. Suddenly, she became one of my FAVORITE CHARACTERS! She has evolved so much that I actually felt so proud of her! Man, SHE ADMITTED HER MISTAKES AND THAT SHE BEHAVED AWFULLY TO THOSE AROUND HER AND AND AND... THAT KENJI IS A REALLY NICE PERSON AND SHE DID HIM INJUSTICE! AAAAAAA! What growth is this? I'll tell you: GREAT. And the way she treated Rosabel and James? Mama material. I want to see her end up with Kenji and have kids because they'll both be great parents. Kenji always had it but now that Nazeera has turned out this way, I have to say she's going to be AWESOME.

Juliette: SHE IS SUCH A COOKIE! I want to get into the book, hug her and squeeze her so hard! Really, everyone is so scared for her health (especially Aaron) even though she tells them that everything is fine. And to be honest, I don't blame them, but I don't blame her either if she feels like she's being suffocated by all this protection. Everyone is right on this particular issue... What can I say? I hope that some baby is born and it's a girl because (apart from the fact that Aaron would be a 200% perfect girl daddy) and she would be an incredible girl mama!

And then, Rosabel. MY CHILD. I love her. I adore her. I would protect her with my life. And the fact that she's starting to become OBSESSED with James (well, he's also OBSESSED with her! 🤭) has me moving my feet up and down! 😊💋I really don't know how she must have felt about what happened at the end of the book. I was initially speechless! And the next thing I did was scream: "PROTECT HER AT ALL COSTS!" I was ready to go inside the book and shout to her: "ROSABEL, GET BEHIND ME!"... You get the idea. No further explanation needed.

The Romance------------------
OH. MY. GOD.
The romance in this book??? Perfect balance. It has everything, tension, emotion, softness, and yes… those spicy moments we all secretly (not secretly) live for. But what I loved most is that it never felt overwhelming or forced. The romantic scenes were meaningful. Well-placed. They added to the story instead of distracting from it. It’s that rare kind of romance that feels both intense and natural at the same time.

One tiny thing…------------------
Because yes, there is ONE. And it’s the only reason this isn’t a 6-star, life-altering, “I will never recover” type of book. It’s too short.🤪🤪🤪 That’s it. That’s the complaint. I genuinely wish we had 3–5 more chapters. Not because the book is lacking (NOT AT ALL!) but because it’s so good that you just don’t want it to end. A little more time, a little more development, maybe one extra emotional or plot moment, and this could have gone from perfect to absolutely legendary.

The Name Situation (again… yeah.)------------------
I’m just going to say it: I still don’t like the name Ella.
Every time it came up, especially when Aaron used it, I had a moment where I was like: “…no.”
But you know what? At some point, I just… let it go. I ignored it. Accepted it. Made peace with it. Character growth. Mine, not theirs.🤪🤪🤪

Final Thoughts------------------
This book reminded me why I fell in love with this series in the first place.
The characters.✅
The relationships.✅
The emotion.✅
The intensity.✅
Everything just works.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐------------------
Perfect. Addictive. Emotional.
And if it had just a few more chapters?
It would’ve easily been a 6-star read.

Now excuse me while I go sit in silence and process my feelings!!! 😌📚

.................................................................................

Pre-read: James, Aaron, Kenji... MY HUSBANDS! THEY ARE BACK B*TCHES!🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞]]> 3.99 2026 Release Me (Shatter Me: Series Two, #2)

author: Tahereh Mafi
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2026
rating: 5
read at: 2026/04/11
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: young-adult, romantasy, shatter-me, fantasy, dystopia, enemies-to-lovers, adventure, romance, 5-stars-you-must-read-it, favorites, monthly-tbr
review:
-------------------------------------
SPOILER-FREE REVIEW:
-------------------------------------

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Let me just say this as clearly and dramatically as possible: THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING. No, actually, scratch that. This book was PERFECT. Five stars. Straight to favorites. No hesitation, no second thoughts, no overthinking. Just pure, immediate obsession the second I turned the last page.

And the worst part? I already miss it.

Without getting into spoilers, Release Me continues the story in the Shatter Me: The New Republic arc, bringing back familiar characters while pushing them into new emotional and political territory. The stakes feel higher, the relationships deeper, and everything just… hits harder.

What truly stood out to me in this book is how much every single character has evolved. Not just grown. Not just changed a little. Evolved.

They feel more human than ever, more layered, more vulnerable, more real. You can see the weight of everything they’ve been through, and instead of it making them feel distant, it makes them feel closer. More understandable. More relatable. And honestly? That’s what made this book so special.

The Characters------------------
Let’s talk about the absolute KINGS: James. Kenji. Aaron. Together, they create this dynamic that feels alive, chaotic, and comforting all at once. If these three didn’t exist, I genuinely think this book would lose so much of its magic...

Kenji continues to be the heart of everything, funny, emotionally intelligent, and somehow always the one holding everyone together. It's clear that he's still MADLY in love with Nazeera (and she with him) but he's really too proud to admit it! And I really want him and Nazeera to end up
together! AAAAAA!

Aaron… don’t even get me started. His development? His emotional depth? The way he loves? Incredible. He has (PRAISE GOD!) stopped treating others like they were mindless animals and seems more human. AND MY BABY IS FREAKING CRAZY ABOUT BEING A FATHER! He is so worried about Juliette and their baby! Well, James doesn't help him much with his stress, but all of this would have been solved if Aaron was listening to him even for once! And indeed, when he listened to him, everything went 100% better! Congrats to both Aaron and James!

James brings that warmth and lightness that balances everything else perfectly. I always look forward to reading the story from his perspective! AND THE CRAZY THING IS: WHENEVER I READ IT I SHIFTING MY LEGS UP AND DOWN LIKE I'M A 5-YEAR-OLD CHILD AND I'M SWINGING ON A SWING IN THE PLAYGROUND! AAAAAAAAA! I adore him.

Now, it's time for the absolute QUEENS!!!!!!!:

Nazeera, OH. MY. GOSH. I have to say that I didn't have strong feelings for her before so I hardly mentioned her in any reviews, and whenever I did, it was from chapters from Kenji's perspective. As a character, she didn't intrigue me that much and I didn't like her behavior AT ALL. HOWEVER, EVERYTHING WAS TURNED OVER WITH THIS BOOK. Suddenly, she became one of my FAVORITE CHARACTERS! She has evolved so much that I actually felt so proud of her! Man, SHE ADMITTED HER MISTAKES AND THAT SHE BEHAVED AWFULLY TO THOSE AROUND HER AND AND AND... THAT KENJI IS A REALLY NICE PERSON AND SHE DID HIM INJUSTICE! AAAAAAA! What growth is this? I'll tell you: GREAT. And the way she treated Rosabel and James? Mama material. I want to see her end up with Kenji and have kids because they'll both be great parents. Kenji always had it but now that Nazeera has turned out this way, I have to say she's going to be AWESOME.

Juliette: SHE IS SUCH A COOKIE! I want to get into the book, hug her and squeeze her so hard! Really, everyone is so scared for her health (especially Aaron) even though she tells them that everything is fine. And to be honest, I don't blame them, but I don't blame her either if she feels like she's being suffocated by all this protection. Everyone is right on this particular issue... What can I say? I hope that some baby is born and it's a girl because (apart from the fact that Aaron would be a 200% perfect girl daddy) and she would be an incredible girl mama!

And then, Rosabel. MY CHILD. I love her. I adore her. I would protect her with my life. And the fact that she's starting to become OBSESSED with James (well, he's also OBSESSED with her! 🤭) has me moving my feet up and down! 😊💋I really don't know how she must have felt about what happened at the end of the book. I was initially speechless! And the next thing I did was scream: "PROTECT HER AT ALL COSTS!" I was ready to go inside the book and shout to her: "ROSABEL, GET BEHIND ME!"... You get the idea. No further explanation needed.

The Romance------------------
OH. MY. GOD.
The romance in this book??? Perfect balance. It has everything, tension, emotion, softness, and yes… those spicy moments we all secretly (not secretly) live for. But what I loved most is that it never felt overwhelming or forced. The romantic scenes were meaningful. Well-placed. They added to the story instead of distracting from it. It’s that rare kind of romance that feels both intense and natural at the same time.

One tiny thing…------------------
Because yes, there is ONE. And it’s the only reason this isn’t a 6-star, life-altering, “I will never recover” type of book. It’s too short.🤪🤪🤪 That’s it. That’s the complaint. I genuinely wish we had 3–5 more chapters. Not because the book is lacking (NOT AT ALL!) but because it’s so good that you just don’t want it to end. A little more time, a little more development, maybe one extra emotional or plot moment, and this could have gone from perfect to absolutely legendary.

The Name Situation (again… yeah.)------------------
I’m just going to say it: I still don’t like the name Ella.
Every time it came up, especially when Aaron used it, I had a moment where I was like: “…no.”
But you know what? At some point, I just… let it go. I ignored it. Accepted it. Made peace with it. Character growth. Mine, not theirs.🤪🤪🤪

Final Thoughts------------------
This book reminded me why I fell in love with this series in the first place.
The characters.✅
The relationships.✅
The emotion.✅
The intensity.✅
Everything just works.

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐------------------
Perfect. Addictive. Emotional.
And if it had just a few more chapters?
It would’ve easily been a 6-star read.

Now excuse me while I go sit in silence and process my feelings!!! 😌📚

.................................................................................

Pre-read: James, Aaron, Kenji... MY HUSBANDS! THEY ARE BACK B*TCHES!🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
]]> <![CDATA[Watch Me (Shatter Me: The New Republic #1)]]> 217979236 Lose yourself in this exhilarating return to the #1 global bestselling Shatter Me universe, the first book in a new series set ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment. This breathtaking custom deluxe edition

Shimmery jacket with holographic foilGorgeous designed endpapersFoil case design with a quote from the novelStunning holographic edgesQuantities are limited for this deluxe edition so be sure to preorder now!

James Anderson had a plan. Or half of one. All that matters is that he managed to do what his older brother, the famous Aaron Warner Anderson, never infiltrate Ark Island, the last refuge of The Reestablishment. In the past decade no outsider has breached the stronghold of the authoritarian regime, but James is in. In a prison cell, sure, but as far as James is concerned, a win is a win.

It’s been ten years since the fall of The Reestablishment. Ten years since the notorious duo—Juliette Ferrars and Aaron Warner Anderson—led a worldwide rebellion and established the New Republic of the West. But after a decade of unsettling quiet, The Reestablishment is ready to make a devastating move, and they have the perfect person for the job.

Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. She always has a plan. On Ark Island, where constant surveillance is packaged as security, even emotions must be experienced with caution. A trained assassin, her every movement is monitored by synthetic intelligence—and when she’s given an order to kill, she never hesitates.

Brimming with pulse-pounding action and torturous romance, Watch Me is an explosive journey through a dystopian landscape where enemies-to-lovers has never felt more impossible. Step into a beloved and breathtaking world that demands an answer to a desperate question—

Who are we when no one is watching? ]]> 368 Tahereh Mafi 0063443147 Lydia Sartzetaki 5 💞 SPOILERS-WARNING! 💞

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!
That’s it. That’s the review. Go read it.

…Okay fine, I’ll say more, because this book DESERVES IT.

6 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ AND STRAIGHT INTO FAVORITES. NO DISCUSSION. NO NEGOTIATION.

If you’ve seen my past emotional breakdowns (I mean, reviews) about the Shatter Me series, you already know the situation has been… chaotic. Some books? Loved them. Some? Absolutely not. Some? painfully mid. BUT THIS ONE??? This one said: “we’re fixing EVERYTHING.”

And guess what? IT DID.

First of all, the writing. Oh. My. God. The improvement??? INSANE. The poetic style is still there, but now it actually feels refined instead of confusing or overdone. It’s like the author finally found the perfect balance between emotional and readable, and I am OBSESSED. I went from tolerating the writing to genuinely loving it. Yes. Loving it. Growth! Character development! For ME as a reader!

Now let’s talk characters, because WOW. This book really said: “remember all your complaints? yeah, we fixed those too.”:

Aaron Warner Anderson. MY MAN IS BACK. MY BABY. MY EVERYTHING. FINALLY. After… certain events in previous books (we don’t talk about them), I was this close to losing hope. BUT NO. He is BACK to being the complex, intense, emotionally layered character we all fell in love with. And I am THRIVING. I love him. I missed him. I will defend him again. Balance has been restored to the universe.
Juliette. Okay. Listen. We’ve had… issues. MANY issues. But THIS book? I take it back. I TAKE IT BACK. I LOVE HER AGAIN. And can we talk about the fact that she’s pregnant??? HELLO??? I AM NOT OKAY. I am so ridiculously happy for her and Aaron. I just want everything to go well, okay?? Let her have peace. Let her have happiness. Let that baby be a girl because Aaron is 200% girl dad material and you cannot convince me otherwise.
Kenji. Do I even need to say anything at this point? He’s perfect. Always has been. Always will be. The ONLY character who never disappointed me across the entire series (except ONE DAMN TIME!). Icon. Legend. Emotional support human. Now… I didn’t have ANY problem that we didn’t get much of Nazeera, BUT finding out she and Kenji broke up?? PAIN. ACTUAL PAIN. I still ship them and I refuse to let go.
Winston and Brendan, my babies 😭 it honestly hurt seeing their relationship not work out. I wanted better for them.
AND NOW. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT. VERY IMPORTANT. LIFE-CHANGING.
I, Lydia, officially declare…
…I LIKE ADAM NOW.
Yes. I said it. No, I’m not okay. Yes, this is a miracle. But honestly? His development here felt real. Him being with Alia, building a family, being stable??? It WORKS. I’m shocked. I’m impressed. I accept it.
BUT LET’S GET TO THE REAL STARS OF THIS BOOK: James and Rosabel. I don’t just love them. I am OBSESSED with them. James??? UNPOPULAR OPINION WARNING- NO HATE PLS: I prefer him over Aaron. There. I said it. I’m free. Every time he appeared, I was GONE. Whenever I read about him, mysteriously, my shirt disappears… and my pants… AND MY UNDERWEAR TOO… What can we do… the guy is very hot but at the same time the most emotional of everyone there! The confidence, the mystery??? Dangerous combo. Illegal, even. And Rosabel… oh my heart. I don’t think I’ve cared this deeply about a female character in this series before. Her story genuinely moved me. I’m pretty sure I teared up at some point. She deserves EVERYTHING good in this world and we must protect her at all costs.

Finally, the plot.: SO. MUCH. BETTER. This storyline feels more focused, more engaging, more intentional than earlier books. It pulled me in immediately and did NOT let go. I was completely hooked, like, “just one more chapter” turning into “oops it’s 3am” kind of hooked.

Final thoughts?: This book is addictive. Emotional. Fixes past mistakes. Gives us characters we actually recognize again. And introduces new ones that completely steal the show. I loved it. I needed it. I will be thinking about it for a very long time.

6 stars. No notes. Just screaming.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐]]> 4.26 2025 Watch Me (Shatter Me: The New Republic #1)

Watch Me (Shatter Me: The New Republic #1)

author: Tahereh Mafi
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2026/01/30
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: young-adult, romantasy, romance-with-love-triangles, romance, fantasy, dystopia, enemies-to-lovers, adventure, favorites, shatter-me, 6-stars-the-loves-of-my-life, monthly-tbr
review:
💞 SPOILERS-WARNING! 💞

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!
That’s it. That’s the review. Go read it.

…Okay fine, I’ll say more, because this book DESERVES IT.

6 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ AND STRAIGHT INTO FAVORITES. NO DISCUSSION. NO NEGOTIATION.

If you’ve seen my past emotional breakdowns (I mean, reviews) about the Shatter Me series, you already know the situation has been… chaotic. Some books? Loved them. Some? Absolutely not. Some? painfully mid. BUT THIS ONE??? This one said: “we’re fixing EVERYTHING.”

And guess what? IT DID.

First of all, the writing. Oh. My. God. The improvement??? INSANE. The poetic style is still there, but now it actually feels refined instead of confusing or overdone. It’s like the author finally found the perfect balance between emotional and readable, and I am OBSESSED. I went from tolerating the writing to genuinely loving it. Yes. Loving it. Growth! Character development! For ME as a reader!

Now let’s talk characters, because WOW. This book really said: “remember all your complaints? yeah, we fixed those too.”:

Aaron Warner Anderson. MY MAN IS BACK. MY BABY. MY EVERYTHING. FINALLY. After… certain events in previous books (we don’t talk about them), I was this close to losing hope. BUT NO. He is BACK to being the complex, intense, emotionally layered character we all fell in love with. And I am THRIVING. I love him. I missed him. I will defend him again. Balance has been restored to the universe.
Juliette. Okay. Listen. We’ve had… issues. MANY issues. But THIS book? I take it back. I TAKE IT BACK. I LOVE HER AGAIN. And can we talk about the fact that she’s pregnant??? HELLO??? I AM NOT OKAY. I am so ridiculously happy for her and Aaron. I just want everything to go well, okay?? Let her have peace. Let her have happiness. Let that baby be a girl because Aaron is 200% girl dad material and you cannot convince me otherwise.
Kenji. Do I even need to say anything at this point? He’s perfect. Always has been. Always will be. The ONLY character who never disappointed me across the entire series (except ONE DAMN TIME!). Icon. Legend. Emotional support human. Now… I didn’t have ANY problem that we didn’t get much of Nazeera, BUT finding out she and Kenji broke up?? PAIN. ACTUAL PAIN. I still ship them and I refuse to let go.
Winston and Brendan, my babies 😭 it honestly hurt seeing their relationship not work out. I wanted better for them.
AND NOW. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT. VERY IMPORTANT. LIFE-CHANGING.
I, Lydia, officially declare…
…I LIKE ADAM NOW.
Yes. I said it. No, I’m not okay. Yes, this is a miracle. But honestly? His development here felt real. Him being with Alia, building a family, being stable??? It WORKS. I’m shocked. I’m impressed. I accept it.
BUT LET’S GET TO THE REAL STARS OF THIS BOOK: James and Rosabel. I don’t just love them. I am OBSESSED with them. James??? UNPOPULAR OPINION WARNING- NO HATE PLS: I prefer him over Aaron. There. I said it. I’m free. Every time he appeared, I was GONE. Whenever I read about him, mysteriously, my shirt disappears… and my pants… AND MY UNDERWEAR TOO… What can we do… the guy is very hot but at the same time the most emotional of everyone there! The confidence, the mystery??? Dangerous combo. Illegal, even. And Rosabel… oh my heart. I don’t think I’ve cared this deeply about a female character in this series before. Her story genuinely moved me. I’m pretty sure I teared up at some point. She deserves EVERYTHING good in this world and we must protect her at all costs.

Finally, the plot.: SO. MUCH. BETTER. This storyline feels more focused, more engaging, more intentional than earlier books. It pulled me in immediately and did NOT let go. I was completely hooked, like, “just one more chapter” turning into “oops it’s 3am” kind of hooked.

Final thoughts?: This book is addictive. Emotional. Fixes past mistakes. Gives us characters we actually recognize again. And introduces new ones that completely steal the show. I loved it. I needed it. I will be thinking about it for a very long time.

6 stars. No notes. Just screaming.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
]]> <![CDATA[When the Moon Hatched (Moonfall, #1)]]> 202507554 moons.

They certainly did not expect them to fall.

As a valued Elding Blade of the rebellion group Fíur du Ath, Raeve’s job is to kill. To complete orders and never get caught. When a renowned bounty hunter is employed by The Crown to capture a member of the Ath, Raeve’s world is turned upside down. Blood spills, hearts break, and Raeve finds herself at the mercy of the Guild of Nobles—a group of dual-beaded elementals who intend to turn her into a political statement. Only death will set her free.

Crushed beneath a mourning weight, Kaan Vaegor took the head of a king and donned his melted crown. Now on a tireless quest to assuage the never-ebbing ache in his chest, his hunt for a moonshard lures him into the belly of Gore’s notorious prison where he stumbles upon something that rips apart his perception of reality. A shackled miracle with eyes full of rage and blood on her hands.

The echo of the past sings louder than the Creators themselves, and even Raeve can’t ignore the truths blaring at her from a warmer, happier time.
However.
There’s more to this song than meets the eye, and some truths …
They’re too poisonous to swallow.

When the Moon Hatched is a fast-paced fantasy romance for fans of witty banter and strong, sassy protagonists. Beneath the cover is an immersive, vibrant world with mysterious creatures, a unique magic system, and a love that blazes through the ages. ]]> 562 Sarah A. Parker Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.96 2024 When the Moon Hatched (Moonfall, #1)

author: Sarah A. Parker
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 2026 on Goodreads 242701047 2026 on Goodreads should make an interesting and varied catalogue of books to inspire other readers in 2027.

For those of you who don't like to add titles you haven't actually 'read', you can place 2026 on Goodreads on an 'exclusive' shelf. Exclusive shelves don't have to be listed under 'to read', 'currently reading' or 'read'. To create one, go to 'edit bookshelves' on your 'My Books' page, create a shelf name such as 'review-of-the year' and tick the 'exclusive' box. Your previous and future 'reviews of the year' can be collected together on this dedicated shelf.

Concept created by Fionnuala Lirsdottir.
Description: Fionnuala Lirsdottir
Cover art: Paul Cézanne, Farmhouse and Chestnut Trees at Jas de Bouffan, 1884-1885
Cover choice and graphics by Jayson]]> Various Lydia Sartzetaki 0 goodreads-year-in-review
︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

Rating system:
0 stars – the worst book ever
⭐ 1 star – absolutely not
⭐⭐ 2 stars – not great, but I survived
⭐⭐⭐ 3 stars – okay, mediocre book but enjoyable enough
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars – very good, would recommend
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars – you NEED to read this
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 6 stars – the loves of my life
~~(Yes… sometimes a book deserves more than five stars OR less than one star.)~~

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

For 2026 I have planned to read such a large amount of books that my brain will literally turn into mush because of the so much information it will have to process. So, let's go!

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

⚽ General Goals:
1. ~~Μake friends because of the books I read/to talk about books.~~ 👫 Goal COMPLETED. ✅
2. ~~Stop feeling obliged to read/finish anything.~~ 💀 Goal COMPLETED. ✅
3. ~~Put enjoyment above all else when I read.~~ 🥳 Goal COMPLETED. ✅
4. Stop talking 24/7 about my books (-it irritates some people and I become tiresome and boring.) 😓
5. Don't freak out because all my favorite authors are ALL releasing new books this year, each release a few weeks apart from the other. 🤪

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

📖 Reading Goals:
1. Read as many books as I can - AT LEAST 100. 📚
2. Do at least 10 rereads. 🔆 (9/10)
3. ~~Find more 6-star books, at least 5 new. (I'm a little picky about the ratings I give books... WHAT CAN WE DO!)~~ ✅ Goal OBLITERATED!!!!!! 📔 (13/5)
4. Reduce my huge TBR even a little so that I can fill it with other books! (-from production to consumption...) 🧾
5. Do at least 12 buddy-reads, one for each month! 💌 (I just ADORE them!🙏)

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

1️⃣ JANUARY ⛄ :
1. Powerless (Powerless #1) by Lauren Roberts- January 1/January 1 | 6⭐ + favorites
2. Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi- January 1/January 2 | 3⭐
3. Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5) by Tahereh Mafi- January 2/January 3 | 4⭐
4. Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi- January 4/January 5 | 4⭐
5. Fracture Me (Shatter Me #2.5) by Tahereh Mafi- January 5/January 6 | 2⭐
6. Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi- January 6/January 9 | 5⭐
7. Restore Me (Shatter Me #4) by Tahereh Mafi- January 9/January 11 | 3⭐
8. Shadow Me (Shatter Me, #4.5) by Tahereh Mafi- January 11/January 11 | 4⭐
9. Defy Me (Shatter Me #5) by Tahereh Mafi- January 11/January 13 | 4⭐
10. Reveal Me (Shatter Me #5.5) by Tahereh Mafi- January 13/January 13 | 4⭐
11. Caraval (Caraval #1) by Stephanie Garber- January 13/January 17 | 4⭐
12. Legendary (Caraval #2) by Stephanie Garber- January 17/January 20 | 4⭐
13. Finale (Caraval #3) by Stephanie Garber- January 21/January 22 | 3⭐
14. Spectacular (Caraval #3.5) by Stephanie Garber- January 22/January 22 | 3⭐
15. Imagine Me (Shatter Me #6) by Tahereh Mafi- January 22/January 23 | 2⭐
16. Believe Me (Shatter Me #6.5) by Tahereh Mafi- January 23/January 23 | 3⭐
17. Watch Me (Shatter Me: The New Republic #1) by Tahereh Mafi- January 26/January 30 | 6⭐ + favorites
18. Lightlark (Lightlark #1) by Alex Aster- January 28/January 30 | 3⭐
.
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·
🔢 Number of books: 18💕
📑 Average rating: 3.72🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. Powerless 🌷🔪 2. Watch Me 👁‍🗨💟

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

2️⃣ FEBRUARY🎿 :
1. Nightbane (Lightlark #2) by Alex Aster- January 30/February 3 | 3⭐
2. A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas- February 4/February 5 | 5⭐ + favorites (REREAD)
3. A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas- February 5/February 6 | 6⭐ + favorites (REREAD)
4. Skyshade (Lightlark #3) by Alex Aster- February 3/February 6 | 2⭐
5. Powerful (Powerless #1.5) by Lauren Roberts- February 7/February 8 | 5⭐ + favorites
6. Reckless (Powerless #2) by Lauren Roberts- February 8/February 12 | 2⭐
7. Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart #1) by Stephanie Garber- February 3/February 12 | 5⭐
8. Fearless (Powerless #3) by Lauren Roberts- February 12/February 16 | 4⭐
9. The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart #2) by Stephanie Garber- February 12/February 16 | 5⭐ + favorites
10. The Atlas Six (The Atlas #1) by Olivie Blake- February 16/February 20 | 4⭐
11. The Atlas Paradox (The Atlas #2) by Olivie Blake- February 20/February 22 | 4⭐
12. I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston- February 22/February 24 | 2⭐
13. Misfit (Prep #1) by Elle Kennedy- February 22/February 25 | 6⭐ + favorites
14. The Cruel Prince (Elfhame #1) by Holly Black- February 24/February 25 | 3⭐ (REREAD)
15. The Lost Sisters (Elfhame #1.5) by Holly Black- February 25/February 25 | 3⭐ (REREAD)
16. The Wicked King(Elfhame #2) by Holly Black- February 26/February 26 | 4⭐ (REREAD)
17. The Queen of Nothing(Elfhame #3) by Holly Black- February 26/February 27 | 5⭐ + favorites (REREAD)
18. How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories(Elfhame #3.5) by Holly Black- Fe bruary 27/February 27 | 4⭐ (REREAD)
19. The Stolen Heir (Elfhame #4) by Holly Black- February 27/February 28 | 5⭐ + favorites (REREAD)
20. The Prisoner’s Throne (Elfhame #5) by Holly Black- February 28/February 28 | 5⭐ (REREAD)
21. These Hollow Vows (These Hollow Vows #1) by Lexi Ryan- February 24/February 28 | 3⭐
.
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·
🔢 Number of books: 21 (new-12, rereads-9) 💕
📑 Average rating: 4.05 (new-3.75, rereads-4.44) 🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. A Court of Mist and Fury 🌠✨ 2. Misfit 🏫💏 3. A Court of Thorns and Roses 🌹🏹 4. The Ballad of Never After 🦊🍎 5. The Queen of Nothing 👑🐍 6. The Stolen Heir 💞⚔ 7. Powerful ✂👚 (new- 2.+4.+7., rereads- 1.+3.+5.+6.)

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

3️⃣ MARCH🌷 :
1. Shadow and Bone (Grishaverse #1) by Leigh Bardugo- March 1/March 5 | 3⭐
2. Siege and Storm (Grishaverse #2) by Leigh Bardugo- March 5/March 6 | 3⭐
3. Ruin and Rising (Grishaverse #3) by Leigh Bardugo- March 7/March 8 | 2⭐
4. The Assassin's Blade (Throne of Glass #0.1-0.5) by Sarah J. Maas- March 7/March 13 | 5⭐ + favorites
5. Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas- March 9/March 13 | 5⭐ + favorites
6. Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Maas- March 13/March 18 | 5⭐ + favorites
7. Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas- March 18/March 22 | 6⭐ + favorites
8. A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart #3) by Stephanie Garber- March 25/March 29 | 5⭐
.
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·
🔢 Number of books: 8💕
📑 Average rating: 4.25🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. Heir of Fire 🔥🐉 2. Crown of Midnight 👑🌌 3. Throne of Glass 🐲⚔ 4. The Assassin's Blade 🗡🩸

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

4️⃣ APRIL🌼 :
1. The Rose Bargain (The Rose Bargain #1) by Sasha Peyton Smith- April 3/April 7 | 5⭐ + favorites
2. Release Me (Shatter Me: The New Republic #2) by Tahereh Mafi- April 9/April 11 | 5⭐ + favorites
3. Six of Crows (Grishaverse #4) by Leigh Bardugo- April 1/April 13 | 6⭐ + favorites
4. The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson- April 14/April 19 | 3⭐
5. All-Star Batman, Vol. 1: My Own Worst Enemy (All-Star Batman #1) by Scott Snyder- April 20/April 20 | 5⭐
6. All-Star Batman, Vol. 2: Ends of the Earth (All-Star Batman #2) by Scott Snyder- April 20/April 21 | 5⭐ + favorites
7. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1) by Frank Miller- April 21/April 21| 4⭐
8. Storbyens sønner (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #2) by Frank Miller- April 21/April 21 | 4⭐
9. The Immortal Hulk, Vol. 1: Or is He Both? (The Immortal Hulk #1) by Al Ewing- April 21/April 21 | 3⭐
10. A Language of Dragons (A Language of Dragons #1) by S.F. Williamson- April 19/April 30 | 5⭐+ favorites
11. Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (Victorian Batman #1) by Brian Augustyn- April 21/April 30 | 4⭐
12. Batman: Master of the Future (Victorian Batman #2) by Brian Augustyn- April 30/April 30 | 4⭐
.
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·
🔢 Number of books: 12💕
📑 Average rating: 4.42🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. Six of Crows 🐦🖤 2. Release Me 🔗💟 3. The Rose Bargain 🌹⛓ 4. A Language of Dragons 🐉👅 5. All-Star Batman, Vol. 2: Ends of the Earth 🦇🌎

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

5️⃣ MAY🌻 :
1. Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas- May 20/May 28| 6⭐ + favourites
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·
🔢 Number of books: 1💕
📑 Average rating: 6🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. Queen of Shadows 👑💀

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

6️⃣ JUNE🔥 :
1. The Magician's Nephew (The Chronicles of Narnia #1) by C.S. Lewis- June 5/June 14 | 5⭐
2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia #2) by C.S. Lewis- June 14/June 14 | 5⭐ + favorites
3. Don't Swipe Right by L.M. Chilton- June 15/June 17 | 3⭐
4. This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom #1) by Tahereh Mafi- June 14/ June 24 | 5⭐ + favorites
5. Everything I'll Say to You Tomorrow by Elísabet Benavent- June 20/June 25 | 3⭐
6. The Horse and His Boy (The Chronicles of Narnia #3) by C.S. Lewis- June 14/June 29 | 4⭐
7. Weyward by Emilia Hart- June 1/June 30| 2⭐
8. Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone- June 27/ June 30 | 6⭐ + favorites
9. Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia #4) by C.S. Lewis- June 30/June 30 | 5⭐
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🔢 Number of books: 9💕
📑 Average rating: 4.22🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. Every Last Word 💔🧠 2. This Woven Kingdom 🌹👑 3. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 🦁❄️

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

7️⃣ JULY🌊 :
1. Kill Joy (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder #0,5) by Holly Jackson- July 2/July 3 | 4⭐
2. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder #1) by Holly Jackson- July 5/July 8 | 6⭐ + favorites
3. Daisy Jones & The Six (Reidverse #2) by Taylor Jenkins Reid- June 9/July 5 | 2⭐ (Paused from June 12 to July 4)
4. Songlight (The Torch Trilogy #1) by Moira Buffini- July 8/July 13 | 4⭐
5. Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder #2) by Holly Jackson- July 12/July 15 | 4⭐
6. A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas- July 19/July 22| 6⭐ + favorites
7. A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses #4) by Sarah J. Maas- July 24/July 26| 5⭐ + favorites
8. Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1) by Rebecca Yarros- July 22/ July 29 | 6⭐ + favorites
9. Iron Flame (The Empyrean #2) by Rebecca Yarros- July 29/July 31 | 6⭐ + favorites
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🔢 Number of books: 9💕
📑 Average rating: 4.78🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder 🗡️⚠️ 2. Fourth Wing 🐉💀 3. A Court of Wings and Ruin 💥🦇 4. Iron Flame 🐲🔥 5. A Court of Frost and Starlight ❄️✨

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

8️⃣ AUGUST🌞 :
1. A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses #5) by Sarah J. Maas- August 2/August 9 | 6⭐ + favorites
2. Cruel King (Royal Elite #0) by Rina Kent- August 10/August 11 | 5⭐ + favorites
3. Bride (Bride #1) by Ali Hazelwood- August 11/ August 16 | 2⭐ (Paused from August 13 to August 14)
4. House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas- August 18/August 22 | 6⭐ + favorites
5. House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J. Maas- August 23/August 31 | 6⭐ + favorites
.
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·
🔢 Number of books: 5💕
📑 Average rating: 5🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. A Court of Silver Flames 🔥🩶 2. House of Earth and Blood 🌎🩸 3. House of Sky and Breath 🌃🌬 4. Cruel King ⚽💫

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

9️⃣ SEPTEMBER🎒: TBA
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

🔟 OCTOBER🍂: TBA
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

1️⃣1️⃣ NOVEMBER☔:TBA
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

1️⃣2️⃣ DECEMBER🎅:TBA
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---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

꒰ঌ꒰ঌ࿔──⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆──⋆˚˖⟡˖˚──⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆──⋆༄࿔໒꒱໒꒱
My top 10 favorite books of the year:
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
꒰ঌ꒰ঌ࿔──⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆──⋆˚˖⟡˖˚──⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆──⋆༄࿔໒꒱໒꒱

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
My top 10 unfavorite books of the year:
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

╭════╮╭════╮╭════╮╭════╮
❤ Favorite series of the year!!!:
TBA
🕳 Unfavorite series of the year...:
TBA
╰════╯╰════╯╰════╯╰════╯

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

❤❤❤ 2026 on Goodreads by Lydia ❤❤❤]]> 4.74 2026

author: Various
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.74
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/01
shelves: goodreads-year-in-review
review:
❤❤❤ 2026 on Goodreads by Lydia ❤❤❤

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

Rating system:
0 stars – the worst book ever
⭐ 1 star – absolutely not
⭐⭐ 2 stars – not great, but I survived
⭐⭐⭐ 3 stars – okay, mediocre book but enjoyable enough
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars – very good, would recommend
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars – you NEED to read this
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 6 stars – the loves of my life
~~(Yes… sometimes a book deserves more than five stars OR less than one star.)~~

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

For 2026 I have planned to read such a large amount of books that my brain will literally turn into mush because of the so much information it will have to process. So, let's go!

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

⚽ General Goals:
1. ~~Μake friends because of the books I read/to talk about books.~~ 👫 Goal COMPLETED. ✅
2. ~~Stop feeling obliged to read/finish anything.~~ 💀 Goal COMPLETED. ✅
3. ~~Put enjoyment above all else when I read.~~ 🥳 Goal COMPLETED. ✅
4. Stop talking 24/7 about my books (-it irritates some people and I become tiresome and boring.) 😓
5. Don't freak out because all my favorite authors are ALL releasing new books this year, each release a few weeks apart from the other. 🤪

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

📖 Reading Goals:
1. Read as many books as I can - AT LEAST 100. 📚
2. Do at least 10 rereads. 🔆 (9/10)
3. ~~Find more 6-star books, at least 5 new. (I'm a little picky about the ratings I give books... WHAT CAN WE DO!)~~ ✅ Goal OBLITERATED!!!!!! 📔 (13/5)
4. Reduce my huge TBR even a little so that I can fill it with other books! (-from production to consumption...) 🧾
5. Do at least 12 buddy-reads, one for each month! 💌 (I just ADORE them!🙏)

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

1️⃣ JANUARY ⛄ :
1. Powerless (Powerless #1) by Lauren Roberts- January 1/January 1 | 6⭐ + favorites
2. Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi- January 1/January 2 | 3⭐
3. Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5) by Tahereh Mafi- January 2/January 3 | 4⭐
4. Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi- January 4/January 5 | 4⭐
5. Fracture Me (Shatter Me #2.5) by Tahereh Mafi- January 5/January 6 | 2⭐
6. Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi- January 6/January 9 | 5⭐
7. Restore Me (Shatter Me #4) by Tahereh Mafi- January 9/January 11 | 3⭐
8. Shadow Me (Shatter Me, #4.5) by Tahereh Mafi- January 11/January 11 | 4⭐
9. Defy Me (Shatter Me #5) by Tahereh Mafi- January 11/January 13 | 4⭐
10. Reveal Me (Shatter Me #5.5) by Tahereh Mafi- January 13/January 13 | 4⭐
11. Caraval (Caraval #1) by Stephanie Garber- January 13/January 17 | 4⭐
12. Legendary (Caraval #2) by Stephanie Garber- January 17/January 20 | 4⭐
13. Finale (Caraval #3) by Stephanie Garber- January 21/January 22 | 3⭐
14. Spectacular (Caraval #3.5) by Stephanie Garber- January 22/January 22 | 3⭐
15. Imagine Me (Shatter Me #6) by Tahereh Mafi- January 22/January 23 | 2⭐
16. Believe Me (Shatter Me #6.5) by Tahereh Mafi- January 23/January 23 | 3⭐
17. Watch Me (Shatter Me: The New Republic #1) by Tahereh Mafi- January 26/January 30 | 6⭐ + favorites
18. Lightlark (Lightlark #1) by Alex Aster- January 28/January 30 | 3⭐
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·
🔢 Number of books: 18💕
📑 Average rating: 3.72🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. Powerless 🌷🔪 2. Watch Me 👁‍🗨💟

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

2️⃣ FEBRUARY🎿 :
1. Nightbane (Lightlark #2) by Alex Aster- January 30/February 3 | 3⭐
2. A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J. Maas- February 4/February 5 | 5⭐ + favorites (REREAD)
3. A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas- February 5/February 6 | 6⭐ + favorites (REREAD)
4. Skyshade (Lightlark #3) by Alex Aster- February 3/February 6 | 2⭐
5. Powerful (Powerless #1.5) by Lauren Roberts- February 7/February 8 | 5⭐ + favorites
6. Reckless (Powerless #2) by Lauren Roberts- February 8/February 12 | 2⭐
7. Once Upon a Broken Heart (Once Upon a Broken Heart #1) by Stephanie Garber- February 3/February 12 | 5⭐
8. Fearless (Powerless #3) by Lauren Roberts- February 12/February 16 | 4⭐
9. The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart #2) by Stephanie Garber- February 12/February 16 | 5⭐ + favorites
10. The Atlas Six (The Atlas #1) by Olivie Blake- February 16/February 20 | 4⭐
11. The Atlas Paradox (The Atlas #2) by Olivie Blake- February 20/February 22 | 4⭐
12. I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston- February 22/February 24 | 2⭐
13. Misfit (Prep #1) by Elle Kennedy- February 22/February 25 | 6⭐ + favorites
14. The Cruel Prince (Elfhame #1) by Holly Black- February 24/February 25 | 3⭐ (REREAD)
15. The Lost Sisters (Elfhame #1.5) by Holly Black- February 25/February 25 | 3⭐ (REREAD)
16. The Wicked King(Elfhame #2) by Holly Black- February 26/February 26 | 4⭐ (REREAD)
17. The Queen of Nothing(Elfhame #3) by Holly Black- February 26/February 27 | 5⭐ + favorites (REREAD)
18. How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories(Elfhame #3.5) by Holly Black- Fe bruary 27/February 27 | 4⭐ (REREAD)
19. The Stolen Heir (Elfhame #4) by Holly Black- February 27/February 28 | 5⭐ + favorites (REREAD)
20. The Prisoner’s Throne (Elfhame #5) by Holly Black- February 28/February 28 | 5⭐ (REREAD)
21. These Hollow Vows (These Hollow Vows #1) by Lexi Ryan- February 24/February 28 | 3⭐
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·
🔢 Number of books: 21 (new-12, rereads-9) 💕
📑 Average rating: 4.05 (new-3.75, rereads-4.44) 🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. A Court of Mist and Fury 🌠✨ 2. Misfit 🏫💏 3. A Court of Thorns and Roses 🌹🏹 4. The Ballad of Never After 🦊🍎 5. The Queen of Nothing 👑🐍 6. The Stolen Heir 💞⚔ 7. Powerful ✂👚 (new- 2.+4.+7., rereads- 1.+3.+5.+6.)

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

3️⃣ MARCH🌷 :
1. Shadow and Bone (Grishaverse #1) by Leigh Bardugo- March 1/March 5 | 3⭐
2. Siege and Storm (Grishaverse #2) by Leigh Bardugo- March 5/March 6 | 3⭐
3. Ruin and Rising (Grishaverse #3) by Leigh Bardugo- March 7/March 8 | 2⭐
4. The Assassin's Blade (Throne of Glass #0.1-0.5) by Sarah J. Maas- March 7/March 13 | 5⭐ + favorites
5. Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by Sarah J. Maas- March 9/March 13 | 5⭐ + favorites
6. Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J. Maas- March 13/March 18 | 5⭐ + favorites
7. Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas- March 18/March 22 | 6⭐ + favorites
8. A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart #3) by Stephanie Garber- March 25/March 29 | 5⭐
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·
🔢 Number of books: 8💕
📑 Average rating: 4.25🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. Heir of Fire 🔥🐉 2. Crown of Midnight 👑🌌 3. Throne of Glass 🐲⚔ 4. The Assassin's Blade 🗡🩸

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

4️⃣ APRIL🌼 :
1. The Rose Bargain (The Rose Bargain #1) by Sasha Peyton Smith- April 3/April 7 | 5⭐ + favorites
2. Release Me (Shatter Me: The New Republic #2) by Tahereh Mafi- April 9/April 11 | 5⭐ + favorites
3. Six of Crows (Grishaverse #4) by Leigh Bardugo- April 1/April 13 | 6⭐ + favorites
4. The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson- April 14/April 19 | 3⭐
5. All-Star Batman, Vol. 1: My Own Worst Enemy (All-Star Batman #1) by Scott Snyder- April 20/April 20 | 5⭐
6. All-Star Batman, Vol. 2: Ends of the Earth (All-Star Batman #2) by Scott Snyder- April 20/April 21 | 5⭐ + favorites
7. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1) by Frank Miller- April 21/April 21| 4⭐
8. Storbyens sønner (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #2) by Frank Miller- April 21/April 21 | 4⭐
9. The Immortal Hulk, Vol. 1: Or is He Both? (The Immortal Hulk #1) by Al Ewing- April 21/April 21 | 3⭐
10. A Language of Dragons (A Language of Dragons #1) by S.F. Williamson- April 19/April 30 | 5⭐+ favorites
11. Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (Victorian Batman #1) by Brian Augustyn- April 21/April 30 | 4⭐
12. Batman: Master of the Future (Victorian Batman #2) by Brian Augustyn- April 30/April 30 | 4⭐
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·
🔢 Number of books: 12💕
📑 Average rating: 4.42🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. Six of Crows 🐦🖤 2. Release Me 🔗💟 3. The Rose Bargain 🌹⛓ 4. A Language of Dragons 🐉👅 5. All-Star Batman, Vol. 2: Ends of the Earth 🦇🌎

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

5️⃣ MAY🌻 :
1. Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas- May 20/May 28| 6⭐ + favourites
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·
🔢 Number of books: 1💕
📑 Average rating: 6🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. Queen of Shadows 👑💀

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

6️⃣ JUNE🔥 :
1. The Magician's Nephew (The Chronicles of Narnia #1) by C.S. Lewis- June 5/June 14 | 5⭐
2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia #2) by C.S. Lewis- June 14/June 14 | 5⭐ + favorites
3. Don't Swipe Right by L.M. Chilton- June 15/June 17 | 3⭐
4. This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom #1) by Tahereh Mafi- June 14/ June 24 | 5⭐ + favorites
5. Everything I'll Say to You Tomorrow by Elísabet Benavent- June 20/June 25 | 3⭐
6. The Horse and His Boy (The Chronicles of Narnia #3) by C.S. Lewis- June 14/June 29 | 4⭐
7. Weyward by Emilia Hart- June 1/June 30| 2⭐
8. Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone- June 27/ June 30 | 6⭐ + favorites
9. Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia #4) by C.S. Lewis- June 30/June 30 | 5⭐
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·
🔢 Number of books: 9💕
📑 Average rating: 4.22🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. Every Last Word 💔🧠 2. This Woven Kingdom 🌹👑 3. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 🦁❄️

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

7️⃣ JULY🌊 :
1. Kill Joy (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder #0,5) by Holly Jackson- July 2/July 3 | 4⭐
2. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder #1) by Holly Jackson- July 5/July 8 | 6⭐ + favorites
3. Daisy Jones & The Six (Reidverse #2) by Taylor Jenkins Reid- June 9/July 5 | 2⭐ (Paused from June 12 to July 4)
4. Songlight (The Torch Trilogy #1) by Moira Buffini- July 8/July 13 | 4⭐
5. Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder #2) by Holly Jackson- July 12/July 15 | 4⭐
6. A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas- July 19/July 22| 6⭐ + favorites
7. A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses #4) by Sarah J. Maas- July 24/July 26| 5⭐ + favorites
8. Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1) by Rebecca Yarros- July 22/ July 29 | 6⭐ + favorites
9. Iron Flame (The Empyrean #2) by Rebecca Yarros- July 29/July 31 | 6⭐ + favorites
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·
🔢 Number of books: 9💕
📑 Average rating: 4.78🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder 🗡️⚠️ 2. Fourth Wing 🐉💀 3. A Court of Wings and Ruin 💥🦇 4. Iron Flame 🐲🔥 5. A Court of Frost and Starlight ❄️✨

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

8️⃣ AUGUST🌞 :
1. A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses #5) by Sarah J. Maas- August 2/August 9 | 6⭐ + favorites
2. Cruel King (Royal Elite #0) by Rina Kent- August 10/August 11 | 5⭐ + favorites
3. Bride (Bride #1) by Ali Hazelwood- August 11/ August 16 | 2⭐ (Paused from August 13 to August 14)
4. House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas- August 18/August 22 | 6⭐ + favorites
5. House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J. Maas- August 23/August 31 | 6⭐ + favorites
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·
🔢 Number of books: 5💕
📑 Average rating: 5🌟
🥇 Books of the month: 1. A Court of Silver Flames 🔥🩶 2. House of Earth and Blood 🌎🩸 3. House of Sky and Breath 🌃🌬 4. Cruel King ⚽💫

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

9️⃣ SEPTEMBER🎒: TBA
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

🔟 OCTOBER🍂: TBA
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

1️⃣1️⃣ NOVEMBER☔:TBA
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·

ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈────୨ৎ────ℬ𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈

1️⃣2️⃣ DECEMBER🎅:TBA
.
---➤─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆
·

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

꒰ঌ꒰ঌ࿔──⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆──⋆˚˖⟡˖˚──⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆──⋆༄࿔໒꒱໒꒱
My top 10 favorite books of the year:
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
🔼 TBA
꒰ঌ꒰ঌ࿔──⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆──⋆˚˖⟡˖˚──⊹˖₊˚⊹⋆──⋆༄࿔໒꒱໒꒱

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
My top 10 unfavorite books of the year:
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
🔽 TBA
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

╭════╮╭════╮╭════╮╭════╮
❤ Favorite series of the year!!!:
TBA
🕳 Unfavorite series of the year...:
TBA
╰════╯╰════╯╰════╯╰════╯

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

❤❤❤ 2026 on Goodreads by Lydia ❤❤❤
]]> Bride 181350812
Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast-again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are she has been called upon to uphold an historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange. Again . . .

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It's clear from the way he tracks Misery's every movement that he doesn't trust her. If only he knew how right he was . . .

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what's hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory . . . alone with the wolf.]]> 396 Ali Hazelwood 0593550404 Lydia Sartzetaki 2 right... THIS BOOK WAS JUST SO BAD.

Disclaimer: If you enjoyed this book, I am genuinely SO HAPPY FOR YOU... BUT I did not. So, if you liked it, congratulations, this is MY PERSONAL OPINION. Don't come after me if you disagree and I made you feel bad with this review. Remember: even if you feel bad about something that someone said, that doesn't mean that you are right and they are wrong.

This is probably the most disappointing reading experience I have had in a very long time. And trust me, I have read some truly questionable books in my life, but this one managed to reach a whole new level of frustration. It is not often that I find myself actively angry at a book, but this one did it. It made me angry, it made me bored, and it made me question why I even bothered to pick it up in the first place.

And the worst part? It started with so much promise. The premise was intriguing. The cover? ✨Beautiful✨! And the Prologue and Chapter 1 genuinely made me think that something special was waiting for me. I thought I was about to read a compelling story about Vampires and Werewolves navigating a dangerous political landscape as the tone was mysterious and the setup was interesting... I was sitting there thinking, OKAY, WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON? I didn't understand everything yet, but I was interested. I wanted answers. I wanted to know what was happening. But that was a cruel illusion, because what followed was an absolute disaster.

Instead of becoming more interesting, the book became progressively more boring. The pacing was abysmal. The tension was never built up to anything meaningful, and the emotional moments frequently felt forced and unearned. I kept waiting for the story to take off, for the plot to finally kick in, for something to happen that would make me go, OH MY GOD, YES!... And it just... didn't.

It was like watching a car that kept sputtering and dying, refusing to actually go anywhere. There were moments where something almost happened, and then the story would somehow return to being painfully boring. By around 25%, I was already wondering whether I was supposed to feel something about what was happening. I genuinely didn't. I was just staring at the pages like: 😐 At some point, I literally wanted a refund. I wanted my money back!!!! I STILL DO! 😭

Let me be completely honest here, though: this book had some good moments, and I am not going to pretend otherwise. Those good moments were almost entirely because of the MMC. Lowe Moreland. MY MAN. That man was basically the only reason I continued reading for as long as I did. He had presence. He had charisma. He had some genuinely great lines. He was protective, intense, and (let's be honest here) fucking hot. 🤤🐺 There were moments when I completely understood why people loved him. [spoilers removed] There were genuinely moments when I was like, Lowe Moreland, THE MAN THAT YOU ARE. 😭💖

Unfortunately, however, even an addictive MMC couldn't save an entire book.

The plot was basically nonexistent for huge portions of the story. I kept asking myself what the actual story was supposed to be. There were Vampires, Werewolves, political factions, treaties, secret agendas, hidden motives, enemies, an arranged marriage... And somehow, despite all of that, I WAS BORED. That should honestly be illegal. The world-building was a complete mess. We have Vampires and Werewolves living in a modern-ish world with political factions and treaties. That could have been fascinating. It could have been one of the strongest aspects of the book. Instead, the author gave us surface-level details and expected us to just go along with everything. I had so many questions that were never properly answered. The world felt like it existed primarily to serve the romance, rather than feeling like a fully developed world that existed independently of Misery and Lowe. And that was such a waste of potential because the basic concept was actually interesting. Vampires. Werewolves. Political alliances. Treaties. An arranged marriage. COME ON. There was material here! But instead of doing something incredible with it, the book mostly just... existed.

Let's talk about the arranged marriage, because that was supposed to be one of the main pillars of this story. It could have been fascinating. It could have been filled with political intrigue, tension, distrust, forced proximity, complicated alliances, and a delicious slow-burn romance. Instead? Boring. The reason behind the arranged marriage was genuinely ridiculous. When the explanation finally came, I just stared at the page in disbelief, wondering if I had somehow missed something. But no. That really was the reason. And it was so underwhelming that I couldn't even muster the energy to be angry. I was just disappointed.

And then we have the FMC, Misery. (GUESS WHAT: Apparently, I don't have any problem with her name unlike everyone else. I'm the weirdo of the team, as always. 😭) My relationship with Misery was... complicated. Sometimes she was SO me that I was obsessed with her. There were moments where I genuinely understood her and really liked her. But then there were other moments when she became so cringey that I wanted to crawl into the nearest wall. And the biggest problem? WHAT THE FUCK IS HER PERSONALITY? Because I genuinely don't know. One moment she would be aggressive and cold, and the next she would be vulnerable and soft, without any logical transition between the two. Sometimes she felt sarcastic and detached, sometimes emotional, sometimes completely different from the person she had been a few pages earlier. It felt like the author couldn't decide who she wanted Misery to be, so she just threw different personality traits at the wall and hoped something would stick. And the funny thing is that I still liked her. I DO. But GOD, GIRL, PICK A PERSONALITY! 😭 And her motivation? She wants to find her sister. The end. Don't get me wrong! That's a valid reason. Of course it is. Wanting to find your missing sister is an understandable and powerful motivation. But... anything else that motivates her? No. No, no, no, no. NO. Not until VEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERY later. For a huge portion of the book, it felt like that was basically the only thing driving her, and I desperately wanted more depth from her character.

And do not even get me started on her so-called “instinct.” This was one of the most frustrating aspects of the entire book. The author kept writing scenes where Misery would simply know things out of nowhere. She would sense danger, sense lies, sense hidden motives, and somehow figure things out without any real reasoning behind them. And the explanation was basically always: She just had a feeling. 🙄🙄🙄 Okay??? There was no build-up. No clever deduction. No actual reasoning that made me think, Oh, of course! That makes sense! No. She just had a feeling. And somehow, she was right. Every. Single. Time. That isn't a character trait. That's convenient writing. If the author needs the character to figure something out, the character suddenly gets a magical little intuition button and presses it. “Hmm, I have a feeling...” AND SHE'S RIGHT. Girl, PLEASE.

Now let me address the so-called plot twists and revelations. The book tried to surprise me multiple times. It introduced hidden agendas, secret alliances, mysterious enemies, revelations about the characters, and various pieces of information that were clearly supposed to make me gasp. But every single twist fell flat. Why? Because the foundation wasn't there. The reveals were predictable, the stakes felt artificially inflated, and I never felt any real sense of shock or excitement. Instead of screaming WHAT?!, I was usually sitting there thinking, Yeah. Okay. I figured that out. There was nothing shocking... Nothing surprising... Nothing that made me sit up and pay attention... And considering how much the story seemed to rely on these revelations, that was a HUGE problem.

The dialogue didn't help either. The dialogues were so awkward and unnatural that I found myself cringing on almost every page. The characters didn't sound like real people having real conversations. They sounded like characters desperately trying to deliver witty one-liners. And it was exhausting. There was no natural flow, no rhythm, and very little authenticity. The only saving grace was, once again, Lowe. His lines were genuinely good and memorable. He had that presence that made even some of the weaker scenes more entertaining simply because he was there. But unfortunately, one good character cannot carry this entire book. And then there was the spice. I knew there was spice coming, and for a while, I was basically thinking, Okay, maybe I'll just survive the boring parts until I get there. And yes, there were moments where I was definitely enjoying the chemistry between Misery and Lowe. But even that wasn't enough.

Eventually, I reached the point where even Lowe wasn't charming enough to make me continue reading. THAT is when you know things have gone terribly wrong. I actually DNF'd the book at around 50%. I had reached the point where I couldn't force myself to read another page. I was SO BORED that even the one character I actually cared about wasn't enough to keep me going. I genuinely thought, I'm done. And then, because apparently I am incapable of leaving a book unfinished once it has gotten inside my brain, I picked it up again later and eventually finished it. And honestly? I'm still annoyed. Because there was so much wasted potential here.

The book had a genuinely interesting premise. It had a hot MMC with some fantastic moments. It had the potential for political intrigue, enemies-to-lovers tension, supernatural world-building, an arranged marriage, and a complicated relationship between two completely different species. And yet somehow, it managed to turn all of that into something that made me want to stare at the ceiling and question my life choices.

The most frustrating thing is that I could actually see the potential. There were moments when I thought, OH! HERE WE GO! SOMETHING IS FINALLY HAPPENING! HALLELUJAH! And yes, eventually things did start moving a little more. There were parts later in the book where I was more interested than I had been earlier, and I remember thinking that I wished the entire book had been written with that level of momentum from the beginning. Because if it had been? We might have had a completely different review. But instead, the majority of my reading experience was me desperately waiting for something to happen.

This was my first Ali Hazelwood book ever, and I can safely say that it will also be my last. I mean that. I have never been so put off by an author's writing style that I swore off their entire bibliography, but here we are. I would rather DIE than read another Ali Hazelwood book. Okay, maybe that's dramatic. Actually, no. I'm keeping it. I WOULD RATHER DIE. This was an absolutely traumatic reading experience, and I will not be giving this author a second chance.

And now we come to the rating... I gave this book 2 stars, and honestly? That's generous. The ONLY reason it isn't a 1-star rating is because I have read WAY WORSE books in my life. That's it. That's the entire reason. Lowe Moreland earned some of those stars by himself, because without him, I genuinely don't know what I would have done. But do not let the 2 stars fool you. I did not enjoy this book. I was frustrated. I was bored. I was annoyed. I was constantly thinking about how much better this could have been. And that is what makes this so disappointing. Bride had potential. I just don't think it used it.

So, congratulations to everyone who loved this book! I genuinely mean that. I'm glad you found something in it that I couldn't. But for me? No. Absolutely not.

2 ⭐️⭐️ and only because I have read WAY WORSE books in my life.

--------------------------------+

🐺Pre-read:💖 Let me just say that I don't have big expectations about this one because I have heard THE WORST THINGS about this book (literally) BUT a friend of mine loved it and begged me to read it so, here I am... Reading my first Ali Hazelwood book ever!]]> 4.07 2024 Bride

author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2026/08/16
date added: 2026/08/31
shelves: bride-series, romance, romantasy, 2-stars-ehhhh, adventure, adult, enemies-to-lovers, fantasy
review:
You bitches were right... THIS BOOK WAS JUST SO BAD.

Disclaimer: If you enjoyed this book, I am genuinely SO HAPPY FOR YOU... BUT I did not. So, if you liked it, congratulations, this is MY PERSONAL OPINION. Don't come after me if you disagree and I made you feel bad with this review. Remember: even if you feel bad about something that someone said, that doesn't mean that you are right and they are wrong.

This is probably the most disappointing reading experience I have had in a very long time. And trust me, I have read some truly questionable books in my life, but this one managed to reach a whole new level of frustration. It is not often that I find myself actively angry at a book, but this one did it. It made me angry, it made me bored, and it made me question why I even bothered to pick it up in the first place.

And the worst part? It started with so much promise. The premise was intriguing. The cover? ✨Beautiful✨! And the Prologue and Chapter 1 genuinely made me think that something special was waiting for me. I thought I was about to read a compelling story about Vampires and Werewolves navigating a dangerous political landscape as the tone was mysterious and the setup was interesting... I was sitting there thinking, OKAY, WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON? I didn't understand everything yet, but I was interested. I wanted answers. I wanted to know what was happening. But that was a cruel illusion, because what followed was an absolute disaster.

Instead of becoming more interesting, the book became progressively more boring. The pacing was abysmal. The tension was never built up to anything meaningful, and the emotional moments frequently felt forced and unearned. I kept waiting for the story to take off, for the plot to finally kick in, for something to happen that would make me go, OH MY GOD, YES!... And it just... didn't.

It was like watching a car that kept sputtering and dying, refusing to actually go anywhere. There were moments where something almost happened, and then the story would somehow return to being painfully boring. By around 25%, I was already wondering whether I was supposed to feel something about what was happening. I genuinely didn't. I was just staring at the pages like: 😐 At some point, I literally wanted a refund. I wanted my money back!!!! I STILL DO! 😭

Let me be completely honest here, though: this book had some good moments, and I am not going to pretend otherwise. Those good moments were almost entirely because of the MMC. Lowe Moreland. MY MAN. That man was basically the only reason I continued reading for as long as I did. He had presence. He had charisma. He had some genuinely great lines. He was protective, intense, and (let's be honest here) fucking hot. 🤤🐺 There were moments when I completely understood why people loved him. [spoilers removed] There were genuinely moments when I was like, Lowe Moreland, THE MAN THAT YOU ARE. 😭💖

Unfortunately, however, even an addictive MMC couldn't save an entire book.

The plot was basically nonexistent for huge portions of the story. I kept asking myself what the actual story was supposed to be. There were Vampires, Werewolves, political factions, treaties, secret agendas, hidden motives, enemies, an arranged marriage... And somehow, despite all of that, I WAS BORED. That should honestly be illegal. The world-building was a complete mess. We have Vampires and Werewolves living in a modern-ish world with political factions and treaties. That could have been fascinating. It could have been one of the strongest aspects of the book. Instead, the author gave us surface-level details and expected us to just go along with everything. I had so many questions that were never properly answered. The world felt like it existed primarily to serve the romance, rather than feeling like a fully developed world that existed independently of Misery and Lowe. And that was such a waste of potential because the basic concept was actually interesting. Vampires. Werewolves. Political alliances. Treaties. An arranged marriage. COME ON. There was material here! But instead of doing something incredible with it, the book mostly just... existed.

Let's talk about the arranged marriage, because that was supposed to be one of the main pillars of this story. It could have been fascinating. It could have been filled with political intrigue, tension, distrust, forced proximity, complicated alliances, and a delicious slow-burn romance. Instead? Boring. The reason behind the arranged marriage was genuinely ridiculous. When the explanation finally came, I just stared at the page in disbelief, wondering if I had somehow missed something. But no. That really was the reason. And it was so underwhelming that I couldn't even muster the energy to be angry. I was just disappointed.

And then we have the FMC, Misery. (GUESS WHAT: Apparently, I don't have any problem with her name unlike everyone else. I'm the weirdo of the team, as always. 😭) My relationship with Misery was... complicated. Sometimes she was SO me that I was obsessed with her. There were moments where I genuinely understood her and really liked her. But then there were other moments when she became so cringey that I wanted to crawl into the nearest wall. And the biggest problem? WHAT THE FUCK IS HER PERSONALITY? Because I genuinely don't know. One moment she would be aggressive and cold, and the next she would be vulnerable and soft, without any logical transition between the two. Sometimes she felt sarcastic and detached, sometimes emotional, sometimes completely different from the person she had been a few pages earlier. It felt like the author couldn't decide who she wanted Misery to be, so she just threw different personality traits at the wall and hoped something would stick. And the funny thing is that I still liked her. I DO. But GOD, GIRL, PICK A PERSONALITY! 😭 And her motivation? She wants to find her sister. The end. Don't get me wrong! That's a valid reason. Of course it is. Wanting to find your missing sister is an understandable and powerful motivation. But... anything else that motivates her? No. No, no, no, no. NO. Not until VEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERY later. For a huge portion of the book, it felt like that was basically the only thing driving her, and I desperately wanted more depth from her character.

And do not even get me started on her so-called “instinct.” This was one of the most frustrating aspects of the entire book. The author kept writing scenes where Misery would simply know things out of nowhere. She would sense danger, sense lies, sense hidden motives, and somehow figure things out without any real reasoning behind them. And the explanation was basically always: She just had a feeling. 🙄🙄🙄 Okay??? There was no build-up. No clever deduction. No actual reasoning that made me think, Oh, of course! That makes sense! No. She just had a feeling. And somehow, she was right. Every. Single. Time. That isn't a character trait. That's convenient writing. If the author needs the character to figure something out, the character suddenly gets a magical little intuition button and presses it. “Hmm, I have a feeling...” AND SHE'S RIGHT. Girl, PLEASE.

Now let me address the so-called plot twists and revelations. The book tried to surprise me multiple times. It introduced hidden agendas, secret alliances, mysterious enemies, revelations about the characters, and various pieces of information that were clearly supposed to make me gasp. But every single twist fell flat. Why? Because the foundation wasn't there. The reveals were predictable, the stakes felt artificially inflated, and I never felt any real sense of shock or excitement. Instead of screaming WHAT?!, I was usually sitting there thinking, Yeah. Okay. I figured that out. There was nothing shocking... Nothing surprising... Nothing that made me sit up and pay attention... And considering how much the story seemed to rely on these revelations, that was a HUGE problem.

The dialogue didn't help either. The dialogues were so awkward and unnatural that I found myself cringing on almost every page. The characters didn't sound like real people having real conversations. They sounded like characters desperately trying to deliver witty one-liners. And it was exhausting. There was no natural flow, no rhythm, and very little authenticity. The only saving grace was, once again, Lowe. His lines were genuinely good and memorable. He had that presence that made even some of the weaker scenes more entertaining simply because he was there. But unfortunately, one good character cannot carry this entire book. And then there was the spice. I knew there was spice coming, and for a while, I was basically thinking, Okay, maybe I'll just survive the boring parts until I get there. And yes, there were moments where I was definitely enjoying the chemistry between Misery and Lowe. But even that wasn't enough.

Eventually, I reached the point where even Lowe wasn't charming enough to make me continue reading. THAT is when you know things have gone terribly wrong. I actually DNF'd the book at around 50%. I had reached the point where I couldn't force myself to read another page. I was SO BORED that even the one character I actually cared about wasn't enough to keep me going. I genuinely thought, I'm done. And then, because apparently I am incapable of leaving a book unfinished once it has gotten inside my brain, I picked it up again later and eventually finished it. And honestly? I'm still annoyed. Because there was so much wasted potential here.

The book had a genuinely interesting premise. It had a hot MMC with some fantastic moments. It had the potential for political intrigue, enemies-to-lovers tension, supernatural world-building, an arranged marriage, and a complicated relationship between two completely different species. And yet somehow, it managed to turn all of that into something that made me want to stare at the ceiling and question my life choices.

The most frustrating thing is that I could actually see the potential. There were moments when I thought, OH! HERE WE GO! SOMETHING IS FINALLY HAPPENING! HALLELUJAH! And yes, eventually things did start moving a little more. There were parts later in the book where I was more interested than I had been earlier, and I remember thinking that I wished the entire book had been written with that level of momentum from the beginning. Because if it had been? We might have had a completely different review. But instead, the majority of my reading experience was me desperately waiting for something to happen.

This was my first Ali Hazelwood book ever, and I can safely say that it will also be my last. I mean that. I have never been so put off by an author's writing style that I swore off their entire bibliography, but here we are. I would rather DIE than read another Ali Hazelwood book. Okay, maybe that's dramatic. Actually, no. I'm keeping it. I WOULD RATHER DIE. This was an absolutely traumatic reading experience, and I will not be giving this author a second chance.

And now we come to the rating... I gave this book 2 stars, and honestly? That's generous. The ONLY reason it isn't a 1-star rating is because I have read WAY WORSE books in my life. That's it. That's the entire reason. Lowe Moreland earned some of those stars by himself, because without him, I genuinely don't know what I would have done. But do not let the 2 stars fool you. I did not enjoy this book. I was frustrated. I was bored. I was annoyed. I was constantly thinking about how much better this could have been. And that is what makes this so disappointing. Bride had potential. I just don't think it used it.

So, congratulations to everyone who loved this book! I genuinely mean that. I'm glad you found something in it that I couldn't. But for me? No. Absolutely not.

2 ⭐️⭐️ and only because I have read WAY WORSE books in my life.

--------------------------------+

🐺Pre-read:💖 Let me just say that I don't have big expectations about this one because I have heard THE WORST THINGS about this book (literally) BUT a friend of mine loved it and begged me to read it so, here I am... Reading my first Ali Hazelwood book ever!
]]> <![CDATA[A Language of Dragons (A Language of Dragons #1)]]> 223105784 EVERY ACT OF TRANSLATION REQUIRES SACRIFICE

Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons.

London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivian Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.

With her parents arrested and her sister missing, all the safety Viv has worked for is collapsing around her. So when a lifeline is offered in the form of a mysterious ‘job’, she grabs it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, Viv discovers that she has been recruited as a codebreaker helping the war effort – if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die.

At first Viv believes that her challenge, of discovering the secrets of a hidden dragon language, is doable. But the more she learns, the more she realises that the bubble she’s grown up in isn’t as safe as she thought, and eventually Viv must What war is she really fighting?

An epic, sweeping fantasy with an incredible Dark Academia setting, a clandestine, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, and an unputdownable story, filled with twists and turns, betrayals and secret identities, A Language of Dragons is the unmissable debut of 2025, from an extraordinary new voice.]]> 480 S.F. Williamson 0008652252 Lydia Sartzetaki 5 3.87 2025 A Language of Dragons (A Language of Dragons #1)

A Language of Dragons (A Language of Dragons #1)

author: S.F. Williamson
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2026/04/30
date added: 2026/08/31
shelves: romance, romantasy, young-adult, fantasy, adventure, a-language-of-dragons, 5-stars-you-must-read-it
review:

]]> Daisy Jones & The Six 44554969 Alternate cover editions for ISBN 9781787462144 can be found here and here.

A gripping novel about the whirlwind rise of an iconic 1970s rock group and their beautiful lead singer, revealing the mystery behind their infamous break up.

Everyone knows Daisy Jones & The Six, but nobody knows the real reason why they split at the absolute height of their popularity…until now.

Daisy is a girl coming of age in L.A. in the late sixties, sneaking into clubs on the Sunset Strip, sleeping with rock stars, and dreaming of singing at the Whisky a Go-Go. The sex and drugs are thrilling, but it’s the rock and roll she loves most. By the time she’s twenty, her voice is getting noticed, and she has the kind of heedless beauty that makes people do crazy things.

Another band getting noticed is The Six, led by the brooding Billy Dunne. On the eve of their first tour, his girlfriend Camila finds out she’s pregnant, and with the pressure of impending fatherhood and fame, Billy goes a little wild on the road.

Daisy and Billy cross paths when a producer realizes the key to supercharged success is to put the two together. What happens next will become the stuff of legend.]]> 406 Taylor Jenkins Reid Lydia Sartzetaki 2

F#ck Daisy! F#ck Billy! Pray for Camilla! One star goes only for her. She is a diamond unlike Daisy the stupid pick-me girl-boss and Billy the f#cking cheater!]]> 4.24 2019 Daisy Jones & The Six

author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2026/07/05
date added: 2026/08/31
shelves: romance, romance-with-love-triangles, adult, historical-fiction, 2-stars-ehhhh, reidverse
review:
2 stars... If I had to choose between rereading this book or reading an encyclopedia in ancient Greek for the first time, I would 100% prefer the encyclopedia. I don't even want to write a normal review about this sh#t! 😭😭😭

F#ck Daisy! F#ck Billy! Pray for Camilla! One star goes only for her. She is a diamond unlike Daisy the stupid pick-me girl-boss and Billy the f#cking cheater!
]]> Twisted Love (Twisted, #1) 62057697
He has a heart of ice…but for her, he'd burn the world

A diverse new adult steamy romance from Tiktok sensation and USA Today bestselling author Ana Huang.

Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can't escape.

Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart.

But when he's forced to look after his best friend's sister, he starts to feel something in his chest:

A crack.

A melt.

A fire that could end his world as he knew it.

***

Ava Chen is a free spirit trapped by nightmares of a childhood she can't remember.

But despite her broken past, she's never stopped seeing the beauty in the world...including the heart beneath the icy exterior of a man she shouldn't want.

Her brother's best friend.

Her neighbor.

Her savior and her downfall.

Theirs is a love that was never supposed to happen-but when it does, it unleashes secrets that could destroy them both...and everything they hold dear.

Twisted Love is a contemporary brother's best friend/grumpy sunshine romance. It's book one in the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone.]]> 343 Ana Huang 1728274869 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 Pre-read 📘 : Reading this only out of curiosity...]]> 3.68 2021 Twisted Love (Twisted, #1)

author: Ana Huang
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/31
shelves: twisted-series, romance, new-adult, enemies-to-lovers, did-not-finish
review:
💙 Pre-read 📘 : Reading this only out of curiosity...
]]> Yesteryear 238226942
Then, one morning, Natalie wakes up in a strange, horrible version of reality. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Is this a hoax? A reality show? A test from God? Natalie knows just two things for sure: this isn't her perfect life, and she must escape, by any means possible.

As darkly funny as it is shocking and gripping, Yesteryear is an electrifying examination of tradition, fame, faith and the grand performance of womanhood, from a thrilling new talent in fiction.]]> 400 Caro Claire Burke Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.83 2026

author: Caro Claire Burke
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2)]]> 40132775
The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.]]> 805 Sarah J. Maas 1408884429 Lydia Sartzetaki 5 ----------------------
🌃 Pre-read: 🌬️ The only way to get out of my reading slump because of House Of Earth And Blood —> Read House Of Sky And Breath... 👏👏👏]]> 4.38 2022 House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2)

House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2)

author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2026/08/31
date added: 2026/08/31
shelves: crescent-city, fae, enemies-to-lovers, adult, adventure, fantasy, funny, romance, romantasy, 6-stars-the-loves-of-my-life, favorites
review:
Omggggg, that was a pure masterpiece! 6 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! Review to come!
----------------------
🌃 Pre-read: 🌬️ The only way to get out of my reading slump because of House Of Earth And Blood —> Read House Of Sky And Breath... 👏👏👏
]]> <![CDATA[Florescentia (The Luminary, #1)]]> 246976503 She summoned him for luck. He wants her for eternity. An inventor and a star-born beast collide in this hauntingly dark romantic fantasy by USA Today bestselling author I.V. Ophelia.

In the bioluminescent, star-worshipping city of Astraea, inventor and occultist Lucia Fairfax harvests a particular currency from the shadows—luck itself—drawn from a dimension she calls the Otherside. But when her latest ritual fails and her husband dies tragically, her carefully cultivated fortune bleeds dry.

Lucia’s desperate to restore her power, but her next ritual goes catastrophically wrong, summoning something far more Altair, a cosmic entity born of an ancient constellation. He is both human and not—impossibly seductive, unnervingly sentient, and the key to restoring what she’s a way to the Otherside.

Crossing into Altair’s realm is the most dangerous thing Lucia has ever done—and the most irresistible. There, she unravels the intoxicating secrets of the Otherside, the disturbing truth about her abilities, and the terrifying depth of his hunger. But with each revelation, escape slips further from reach. Trapped between worlds, Lucia must confront a devastating Love, desire, and ambition all have their price. And Altair is eager to collect.]]> 319 I.V. Ophelia 1662534620 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.14 2026 Florescentia (The Luminary, #1)

author: I.V. Ophelia
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Court of the Vampire Queen 60338559 Three Powerfully Alluring Vampire Men
And One Queen to Rule Them All

All Mina ever wanted was to escape her father's control. Half human, half vampire, she lived eternally torn between two worlds, never fully experiencing the pleasures of either—until her father chose her as the pawn in his latest political move, gifting her to the darkly powerful and dangerously seductive Malachi Zion.

Malachi is not a vampire to be trifled with. He rules with an iron fist and has a reputation for the darkest of sins. But the longer Mina spends with him, the more she realizes he's not the monster she first thought—and as fear bleeds into lust, then trust, then something more, Malachi opens Mina up to a world she never knew could be hers for the taking: including the love of Malachi's two closest friends and companions.

Now surrounded by all three men, the center of their shockingly seductive world, Mina may finally have the power to face down her father and take back the life—and crown—that by all rights should be hers.

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN.

NOTE: Court of the Vampire Queen combines all three books in the Bloodline Vampires series. ]]> 496 Katee Robert 1728264693 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.26 2022

author: Katee Robert
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.26
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Godfather (The Godfather, #1)]]> 22034
Almost fifty years ago, a classic was born. A searing portrayal of the Mafia underworld, The Godfather introduced readers to the first family of American crime fiction, the Corleones, and their powerful legacy of tradition, blood, and honor. The seduction of power, the pitfalls of greed, and the allegiance to family—these are the themes that have resonated with millions of readers around the world and made The Godfather the definitive novel of the violent subculture that, steeped in intrigue and controversy, remains indelibly etched in our collective consciousness.]]> 428 Mario Puzo Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.39 1969 The Godfather (The Godfather, #1)

author: Mario Puzo
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.39
book published: 1969
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Older 209745049 Before he discovered my age, he uncovered my heart.

Bruised and abused, and victim to a loveless household, I shimmered with new life the moment he found me drowning my sorrows in a lake beneath the stars.

A chance encounter. An unspoken connection.

I was smitten; he was curious.

But, as everyone knew, fate could be decidedly cruel.

He called me Halley, like the comet.

I called him Reed.

And my best friend?

Well…she called him Dad.

Older is a forbidden, slow-burn, age-gap romance standalone, ending in an HEA.]]> 418 Jennifer Hartmann Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.94 2024 Older

author: Jennifer Hartmann
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Heavy (Neighbors of Sapphire Valley, #1)]]> 222273404
Everyone has a past, but mine is a storm that never stops chasing me. When my life goes up in flames by my own doing, I’m left with an impossible choice: lose everything I’ve built or hide out in a remote cabin with a killer. My plan is to rebuild the vacation home where my family once spent summers, hoping it will distract me from the chaos.

But there’s one major complication: my roommate is way too hot. And who is this too-hot roommate? My damn step-uncle.

He’s a convicted murderer with a history as dark as my own, and maybe this cabin isn’t the only thing I’m desperate to repair.

𝓡𝓸𝓷𝓪𝓷

Fifteen years behind bars, and freedom tastes no sweeter than my old concrete cell. I figured I’d drink myself into an early grave or wind up back in prison. Then my little step-niece showed up, begging to stay at the place my brother let me live in.

She's fixing up the cabin, but I can see it in her eyes that I'm also on the plans for repairs. But I don’t need fixing; I’m not broken, just forgotten.

She’s a beautiful fighter with secrets she’s not ready to share. But she’s in a cage with a lion that’s been starved too long, and now that I’m free, I’ve got an appetite that will only be satiated by her.]]> 496 M.L. Burns Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.92 2025 Heavy (Neighbors of Sapphire Valley, #1)

Heavy (Neighbors of Sapphire Valley, #1)

author: M.L. Burns
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Torment: Part One (The Bleeding Hearts, #1)]]> 55781834
How did I get here?
Broken, bruised, and mentally shattered.

For most of my life, my older stepbrother, Shay, was my hero, my rock, and my best friend. The one I knew I could always rely on.

For many years, I accepted everyone and everything around me. But as I grew up, the veil was lifted, and I slowly came to understand how f*cked up it all really is. These men, who I considered uncles and close family friends, are members of the dominant MC, The Celtic Beasts. Shay is not only a proud member. He is the one they send in to do their dirty work. For some reason, this tough, muscled, terrifying guy, needs me to ground and comfort him.

But I have always had bigger plans. Bigger dreams. I don’t want to be trapped here, in this life that is dark, bloody and violent. I want to get out, escape… but Shay has other plans for me.

What do you do when your protector becomes the very root of your torment?

**Warning: This book is meant for mature readers, 18+.

Torment Part One is a dark romance and contains scenes and situations that may be upsetting for some readers. Includes several triggers and sensitive material such as: domestic abuse, profanity, gang violence, PTSD, depression, anxiety disorders, and sexual assault.

Please do not read if you are uncomfortable with any of the above. Thank you.]]> 378 Dylan Page Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.94 2021 Torment: Part One (The Bleeding Hearts, #1)

Torment: Part One (The Bleeding Hearts, #1)

author: Dylan Page
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Dragon Cursed 216812413 The moment you see a dragon is usually your last…

Since the dragons emerged–along with the scourge that ravaged our lands and people–there’s only one human city that remains standing: Vingard.

But the hellfire from above is nothing compared to the threat from within. For there is no worse fate than being dragon cursed. Slowly and excruciatingly, you’ll be transformed into a mindless beast who destroys everything–and everyone–you love.

Any of us could be tainted. Any of us could be lying. Any of us could be caught and killed by the authorities.

And I’m terrified that I might be next.

There’s only one other person who might suspect my secret. He’s like my shadow, following me wherever I go. Part protector, part tormentor, fully annoying. Sometimes I think I am just one of the million unfathomable secrets he keeps hidden.

Because Lucan definitely knows something.

And if I’m dragon cursed, death might be the only mercy I get.]]> 411 Elise Kova 1649377835 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.80 2026

author: Elise Kova
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Crown of Crimson and Crows (Blood Bound #1)]]> 241513399 Four ruthless vampires. Enemies by history. Allies by necessity. Bound by the gods themselves to…me.

Hidden in the human world, I was meant to live quietly, unaware of the power bound beneath my skin. But magic doesn’t stay buried forever. Neither do secrets. When the bindings on my power begin to crack, the truth is finally set free—and so are the men fate tied me to.

The King of fire who would rather kill me than kiss me.

The Prince of starlight, my childhood friend, whose tie to me could cost him everything.

The King of ice, whose cruelty is only matched by his coldness.

And the King of earth and blood, whose feral nature and death toll is feared by every being in all four kingdoms.

These are the men destined to love me…if we can only stop trying to kill one another first.

But when the truth about me is uncovered, they say my power could fracture our world. That demons are hunting me. That war is coming—whether I’m ready or not.

What they don’t say is how impossible it will be to resist.

Because the bond doesn’t ask.

It claims.

And when my magic finally awakens, it won’t just bind me to my destiny—it will decide the fate of the very realm.]]> 354 Tessa Hale Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.37 Crown of Crimson and Crows (Blood Bound #1)

Crown of Crimson and Crows (Blood Bound #1)

author: Tessa Hale
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.37
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Reckless (The Powerless Trilogy, #2)]]> 214500881
After surviving the Purging Trials, Ordinary-born Paedyn Gray has killed the King, and kickstarted a Resistance throughout the land. Now she’s running from the one person she had wanted to run to.

Kai Azer is now Ilya’s Enforcer, loyal to his brother Kitt, the new King. He has vowed to find Paedyn and bring her to justice.

Across the deadly Scorches, and deep into the hostile city of Dor, Kai pursues the one person he wishes he didn’t have to. But in a city without Elites, the balance between the hunter and hunted shifts – and the battle between duty and desire is deadly.]]> 400 Lauren Roberts 1398530123 Lydia Sartzetaki 2 3.96 2024 Reckless (The Powerless Trilogy, #2)

author: Lauren Roberts
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2026/02/12
date added: 2026/08/30
shelves: young-adult, romantasy, romance-with-love-triangles, romance, powerless, adventure, dystopia, fantasy, enemies-to-lovers, 2-stars-ehhhh
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #5)]]> 59440711 Sarah J. Maas's sexy, richly imagined series continues with the journey of Feyre's fiery sister, Nesta.

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.

The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other's arms.]]> 784 Sarah J. Maas 1635577993 Lydia Sartzetaki 5 SPOILER WARNING: Read the book first... This review spoils EVERYTHING!

“She turned her head so slowly it was like watching a puppet move. Her eyes met his. Death watched him. But Death had walked beside him every day of his life. So Cassian stroked his thumb along her palm and said, “Hello, Nes.”

Omg. I am speechless. I genuinely don't even know where to begin because this book somehow managed to make me scream, laugh, cry, get furious, fall in love, question every character I thought I understood, and then completely destroy me emotionally before putting me back together again. And yes, I am giving this book 6 stars. Obviously. At this point, I don't even think I have a choice. 💀💖

“Why do you think I shoved you away? Why do you think I wouldn't speak to you?" She put a hand on her aching chest. "After my father died, after I failed in so many ways- denying myself of you..." She sobbed. "It was my punishment. Don't you understand that?" She could barely see him through her tears. "From the moment I met you, I wanted you more than reason. From the moment I saw you in my house, you were all I could think about. And it terrified me. No one had ever held such power over me. And I am still terrified that if I let myself have you... it will be taken away. Someone will take it away, and if you're dead..." She buried her face in her hands. "It doesn't matter," she whispered. "I do not deserve you, and I never, ever will.”

First of all: Nesta. I need to talk about Nesta because her character development in this book was EVERYTHING. After everything that happened in the previous book, I was so curious to see where her story would go, and honestly, I ended up being incredibly proud of her. Nesta is not magically transformed into a completely different person. She is still stubborn, angry, sharp-tongued, difficult, and sometimes absolutely infuriating. But now we actually understand why. We get to see what is happening inside her head, what she is struggling with, what she is afraid of, and how much pain she has been carrying. Watching her slowly rebuild herself was one of my favorite parts of the entire book. The training. The House. The friendships. The library. The Valkyries. The friendships with Gwyn and Emerie. The small victories that slowly become enormous ones. She fought for herself. That made me so incredibly proud of her. The friendship between Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie was also one of my favorite things in the book. I absolutely adored watching these three women become a little family. Their friendship felt so important to Nesta's healing, and the Valkyrie storyline gave the book such a strong sense of female friendship, resilience, and empowerment. And then we have the Blood Rite. THE BLOOD RITE. The moment Nesta separated herself from Gwyn and Emerie because she wanted to protect them and make sure they survived was genuinely one of the most epic moments in the entire series. She had every reason to be terrified, but she still chose to put herself between danger and the people she loved. THAT IS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. And when the three of them finally stood together at the end? I WAS SCREAMING. She truly is one of my favorite characters of all time! 💖

“Nesta had loved Cassian since she'd first laid eyes on him. Had loved him even when she did not want to, even when she had been swallowed by despair and fear and hatred. Had loved him and destroyed herself because she didn't believe she deserved him, because he was all that was good, and brave, and kind, and she loved him, she loved him, she loved him!”

Now let's discuss the other gigantic reason I loved this book: NESTA AND CASSIAN. MY ROMAN EMPIRE. I knew I was going to enjoy them, but I was absolutely NOT prepared to become this obsessed. They are officially one of my favorite couples in the series, and by the end of the book, I genuinely couldn't imagine Nesta with anyone else. Their relationship is messy. They fight. They provoke each other. They are stubborn as hell. They both have enormous walls around themselves. They don't know how to communicate properly half the time. And yet... THEY LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH. The slow burn drove me insane. Every time they were together, I was basically sitting there like: JUST CONFESS YOUR FEELINGS, YOU IDIOTS. 😭 And yes, the spicy scenes were... WHEW. 🤭 What I loved most was that their relationship eventually became so much more than physical attraction. Their connection, their trust, their friendship, their loyalty, and the way they understood each other's wounds were what made them work. There was one moment where Cassian was being controlled and was forced to hurt Nesta, and he literally turned the weapon against himself rather than hurt her. HE ALMOST STABBED HIMSELF TO SAVE HER. His mate. His heart. His world. His woman. His queen. I was DONE. That was the exact moment when Cassian officially became my #1 book boyfriend. And then, when Nesta finally accepted the mating bond... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! THEY ACTUALLY BECAME OFFICIAL MATES. I WON. WE ALL WON. Nessian forever. 💖🔥

“Cassian leaned to whisper in her ear, “The first time I saw that look on your face, you were still human. Still human, and I nearly went to my knees before you.”

But while Cassian was stealing my heart, Rhysand was simultaneously trying to get himself removed from my list of favorite book boyfriends. OH MY GOD. My relationship with Rhys throughout this book was a whole damn roller coaster. At first, I was absolutely furious with him. The pregnancy situation with Feyre genuinely made me want to throw the book across the room. He knew about the danger, but he didn't want Feyre to know. He even ordered Cassian and Azriel not to tell her. And I was sitting there thinking: RHYSAND. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK ARE YOU DOING? The fact that Nesta was the one who eventually told Feyre the truth made everything even more complicated because, from my perspective at the time, Rhys was basically punishing Nesta for telling Feyre something that she absolutely deserved to know. For a while, I genuinely went from: "Rhys is my favorite man in fiction." to: "I actually hate this man. Feyre, PLEASE DUMP HIM."💀 I was ready to declare him my least favorite book boyfriend of all time. And then... The birth scene happened. And suddenly I understood him. Not necessarily because I agreed with everything he did, but because I finally understood where his desperation came from. He was terrified of losing Feyre. Terrified of losing Nyx. Terrified of losing his family. But Nesta saved them. Nesta saved Feyre, Rhys, AND Nyx. She made a bargain with the Mother, used the Mask, the Harp, and the Crown, survived, and then came back to save them. And then she finally told Feyre that she loved her. When Feyre answered that she loved her too? I cried. And when Rhys literally knelt before Nesta and apologized? I CRIED AGAIN. Their reconciliation was beautiful. Honestly, I think one reason I reacted so violently to Rhys's actions was because I had put him on such an enormous pedestal. I had basically treated him like he was incapable of making a mistake. And this book reminded me that he is not a god. He is a person. A powerful, traumatized, deeply loving, incredibly flawed person. And yes, after that apology, I liked him again. Fine. He got me. He's my top #1 book boyfriend of all time next to Cassian. Why? Because I make the rules. 😎 Also, because I can't get over the feysand bonus spicy chapter... Hehehe... 🤫😈🤍

“Then Rhys fell to his knees and took Nesta's hands in his, pressing his mouth to her fingers. "Thank you," he wept, head bowed. Cassian knew it wasn't in gratitude for Rhy's own life that he knelt upon the sacred tattoos inked upon his knees.

Nesta dropped to the carpet. Lifted Rhy's face in her hands, studied what lay in it. Then she threw her arms around the High Lord of the Night Court and held him tightly.”

And speaking of characters who made me completely lose my mind... AZRIEL. WHAT IS SO PERFECTLY WRONG WITH THIS MAN? No one yearns like Azriel. NO ONE. Not Aaron Warner. Not anyone. This man is the final boss of yearning. His bonus chapter was basically me watching a man suffer over Elain for several pages and screaming internally. And the fact that Elain clearly yearns for him too??? HELLO??? I NEED THEIR STORY. I NEED IT NOW. The bonus chapter genuinely made me even more desperate for the next book because there is SO much happening between them. And then there was the necklace situation, where I initially completely misunderstood Azriel and thought he was being an absolute red flag. Only to realize, approximately two minutes later, that I had misunderstood the entire thing. I FELT SO STUPID. 💀 My poor Azriel. I take it all back. He is a green flag. He just desperately wants to get rid of the necklace while making sure it goes to someone who will appreciate it. And his reaction to losing the snowball fight because he had been distracted by his yearning for Elain? PLEASE. This man is hopeless. I also desperately want to see Azriel heal and find happiness. He has so many self-esteem issues and so much pain buried underneath everything, and the moment he held Nyx with those frightened hands genuinely made my heart hurt. I NEED HIS LOVE STORY WITH ELAIN. SJM, PLEASE.

"Wrong—it was so wrong.
He didn’t care.
He needed to know what the skin of her neck tasted like. What those
perfect lips tasted like. Her breasts. Her sex. He needed her coming on his tongue—

How that beautiful face might appear as he entered her, what sounds she’d make.

Her arousal drifted up to him, and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head at the sweet scent. He’d beg on his knees for a chance to taste it."

Another character I absolutely adored was Feyre. Her relationship with her sisters has always been incredibly important to me, and seeing Nesta and Feyre finally repair their relationship was beautiful. The ending with Feyre, Elain, and Nesta together was EVERYTHING. Seeing Nesta finally feel like she belonged with her sisters again genuinely made me emotional.

“Say what I've guessed from the moment we met," he breathed. "What I knew the first time I kissed you. What became unbreakable between us on Solstice night."

She wouldn't.

"I am your mate , for fuck's sake!" Cassian shouted, loud enough for people across the river to hear. "You are my mate! Why are you still fighting it?”

Then we got that scene at their father's grave. Feyre bringing Nyx to show him to his grandpa. Nesta finally confronting one of her deepest fears. Her sisters waiting for her. And then the three sisters together again. MY QUEENS. 😭💖 That final image was such a beautiful way to close Nesta's emotional arc. And Cassian flying above her, reassuring her without even needing to say anything? I LOVE THEM, YOUR HONOR.

“She whispered, "And I am yours." Those golden threads between their very souls shone with the words, as they formed a harp strummed by a heavenly hand.

For it was music between their souls. Always had been. And his voice was her favorite melody.”

Also, can we appreciate how much this book made me laugh?Because there were moments where I was genuinely dying. The House of Wind smelling like sex after Nesta and Cassian's... activities? 😭 Azriel having to live in that house, Rhysand being like "WTF?" every time he was visiting them while Gwyn and Emerie were probably also capable of smelling everything? POOR THEM. And Azriel interrupting Nesta and Cassian at exactly the wrong moment was hilarious considering the cosmic karma that later happened when Rhys interrupted Azriel and Elain. KARMA IS REAL. 💀

“She couldn't help it. Couldn't stop it. Not the flash of desire, but the smile that overtook her face. She huffed a laugh.
Cassian stared like he hadn't seen her before.”

And then there is the mythology... As a Greek reader, I had SO much fun noticing things like Ataraxia and Nyx. Ataraxia is an ancient Greek word that we still use today, meaning a state of tranquility or freedom from disturbance, and seeing that as the name of Nesta's sword made me ridiculously happy. And Nyx? ANCIENT GREEK GODDESS OF THE NIGHT. As a proud Greek, I was basically sitting there like: 😎 I also started wondering whether the ancient language in the world might be connected to Greek because of those references, and honestly, if that ever turns out to be intentional, I will lose my mind.

“But I still don’t know how to fix myself.”
“There’s nothing broken to be fixed,” he said fiercely.”

Of course, this book wasn't perfect. There were definitely moments where I wanted to scream at certain characters. Rhys's decisions regarding Feyre's pregnancy were probably the biggest example. Eris also continued to be... Eris. A traitor? Maybe not exactly. A complicated bastard? Absolutely. A man with honor? Ehhhhhh. I still don't trust that man with my lunch.

“Whatever you need to throw at me, I can take it. I won't break.”

Sure, some of the pacing and certain plot elements could definitely have been handled differently, but honestly? I DID NOT CARE. Because by the end, I was emotionally attached to these characters in a way that made every page feel important.

“Your power is a song, and one I’ve waited a very, very long time to hear, Nesta.”

And the ending... Nesta finally saying she loves Cassian. Nesta getting the House of Wind. Feyre, Elain, and Nesta finally healing their relationship. Rhys and Nesta finally making peace. Gwyn and Emerie surviving. The Valkyries standing together. Cassian calling Nesta his mate. Nesta calling Cassian her love. And then that final scene with her sisters... I WAS SOBBING.

“Nesta laughed.

The sound might well have been a lighting strike to his head for how much it rocked him, that laugh. Free and light and so unlike anything he'd ever heard from her that even Azriel blinked. A true laugh.”

This book was an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. I started it expecting to suffer. I ended it completely obsessed. Nesta's journey, Cassian's love for her, the Valkyries, the sisterhood, Feysand, Azriel's absolutely ridiculous levels of yearning, the twists, the friendships, the healing, the romance, the chaos... I LOVED IT.

“Busybody.” Az took a bite. “You let her suck your cock in the middle of the dining room. At a table I’m currently using to eat my dinner. I’d say that entitles me to an opinion.”

And now I have one enormous problem: HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK? Because I NEED Azriel and Elain. I NEED to see these characters continue healing. I NEED to see Nesta and Cassian's marriage. I NEED more of the Valkyries. I NEED answers. And apparently I also need to survive until October. Good luck to me. 💀

“He had called her Lady Death, and he was her sword.”

6 STARS. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ One of the loves of my life.

“Because my Mate taught me well.”

A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #5)

author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2026/08/09
date added: 2026/08/29
shelves: acotar, 6-stars-the-loves-of-my-life, favorites, fantasy, fae, new-adult, romance, romantasy, enemies-to-lovers
review:
SPOILER WARNING: Read the book first... This review spoils EVERYTHING!

“She turned her head so slowly it was like watching a puppet move. Her eyes met his. Death watched him. But Death had walked beside him every day of his life. So Cassian stroked his thumb along her palm and said, “Hello, Nes.”

“Why do you think I shoved you away? Why do you think I wouldn't speak to you?" She put a hand on her aching chest. "After my father died, after I failed in so many ways- denying myself of you..." She sobbed. "It was my punishment. Don't you understand that?" She could barely see him through her tears. "From the moment I met you, I wanted you more than reason. From the moment I saw you in my house, you were all I could think about. And it terrified me. No one had ever held such power over me. And I am still terrified that if I let myself have you... it will be taken away. Someone will take it away, and if you're dead..." She buried her face in her hands. "It doesn't matter," she whispered. "I do not deserve you, and I never, ever will.”

“Nesta had loved Cassian since she'd first laid eyes on him. Had loved him even when she did not want to, even when she had been swallowed by despair and fear and hatred. Had loved him and destroyed herself because she didn't believe she deserved him, because he was all that was good, and brave, and kind, and she loved him, she loved him, she loved him!”

“Cassian leaned to whisper in her ear, “The first time I saw that look on your face, you were still human. Still human, and I nearly went to my knees before you.”

“Then Rhys fell to his knees and took Nesta's hands in his, pressing his mouth to her fingers. "Thank you," he wept, head bowed. Cassian knew it wasn't in gratitude for Rhy's own life that he knelt upon the sacred tattoos inked upon his knees.

Nesta dropped to the carpet. Lifted Rhy's face in her hands, studied what lay in it. Then she threw her arms around the High Lord of the Night Court and held him tightly.”

"Wrong—it was so wrong.
He didn’t care.
He needed to know what the skin of her neck tasted like. What those
perfect lips tasted like. Her breasts. Her sex. He needed her coming on his tongue—

How that beautiful face might appear as he entered her, what sounds she’d make.

Her arousal drifted up to him, and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head at the sweet scent. He’d beg on his knees for a chance to taste it."

“Say what I've guessed from the moment we met," he breathed. "What I knew the first time I kissed you. What became unbreakable between us on Solstice night."

She wouldn't.

"I am your mate , for fuck's sake!" Cassian shouted, loud enough for people across the river to hear. "You are my mate! Why are you still fighting it?”

“She whispered, "And I am yours." Those golden threads between their very souls shone with the words, as they formed a harp strummed by a heavenly hand.

For it was music between their souls. Always had been. And his voice was her favorite melody.”

“She couldn't help it. Couldn't stop it. Not the flash of desire, but the smile that overtook her face. She huffed a laugh.
Cassian stared like he hadn't seen her before.”

“But I still don’t know how to fix myself.”
“There’s nothing broken to be fixed,” he said fiercely.”

“Whatever you need to throw at me, I can take it. I won't break.”

“Your power is a song, and one I’ve waited a very, very long time to hear, Nesta.”

“Nesta laughed.

The sound might well have been a lighting strike to his head for how much it rocked him, that laugh. Free and light and so unlike anything he'd ever heard from her that even Azriel blinked. A true laugh.”

“Busybody.” Az took a bite. “You let her suck your cock in the middle of the dining room. At a table I’m currently using to eat my dinner. I’d say that entitles me to an opinion.”

“He had called her Lady Death, and he was her sword.”

6 STARS. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ One of the loves of my life.

“Because my Mate taught me well.”

END. (To be continued...) 💖

---------------------------------------------

💀Pre-read 💀: Apparently, I enjoy suffering... (Also, if Nesta and Cassian don't end up together, I will set myself on fire, along with the book... 💀) Let's go...
]]> <![CDATA[Ash Princess (Ash Princess Trilogy, #1)]]> 32505753
For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She's endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.

Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn't always won on the battlefield.

For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.]]> 448 Laura Sebastian 1524767069 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.85 2018 Ash Princess (Ash Princess Trilogy, #1)

author: Laura Sebastian
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Rose in Chains (The Evermore Trilogy, #1)]]> 221179254 #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Soto crafts a lush, dark romantic fantasy filled with intrigue, magic, and an irresistible enemies-to-lovers romance. 

“A dark fever dream of a fairytale. Rose in Chains is a heart pounding, spellbinding, forbidden love story that kept breaking my heart and putting it back together again.” ―Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Alchemy of Secrets

The war is over, the dark forces have won, and the hero who was supposed to save them is dead.

Captured as her castle is overrun by the enemy, the world as Briony Rosewood knows it is changed forever. Evil has won, and her people face imminent servitude, imprisonment, or death.

Stripped of her Magic and her freedom, Briony and the other survivors are quickly sold off to the highest bidders in an auction—and as Evermore's princess, she fetches the highest price. After a fierce bidding war, she’s sold to none other than Toven Hearst, scion of a family known for their cruelty.

Yet despite the horrors of her new world and the role she must learn to play within it, all is not lost. Help—and hope—may yet arise in the most unlikely of places …

“A stunning romantasy that had me riveted to the pages. Julie Soto has spun an unforgettable tale, weaving luminous and dark threads alike into a beautiful, heartrending romance. Lush, complex, and utterly engrossing.” ―Rebecca Ross, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals

“Spellbinding … Julie Soto is a must-read author.” ―Abigail Owen, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“The dark romantasy that has lived rent free in my head for years.” ―Ali Hazelwood, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Deep End]]> 464 Julie Soto 1538771225 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 Pre-read🌹: Please, let this one be good or else I will commit suicide! 😫😫😫]]> 4.12 2025 Rose in Chains (The Evermore Trilogy, #1)

Rose in Chains (The Evermore Trilogy, #1)

author: Julie Soto
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/25
shelves: evermore, did-not-finish, new-adult, romance, romantasy, fantasy, enemies-to-lovers, dark-romance, adventure
review:
🌹Pre-read🌹: Please, let this one be good or else I will commit suicide! 😫😫😫
]]> <![CDATA[Defy the Dusk (The Sundering Duet, #1)]]> 249687122 When darkness means certain death and survival depends on reaching the dawn, the woman whose magic broke the world will carve another path: defy the dusk. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom comes the first book in a gritty post-apocalyptic fantasy duology.

In the Sundered world, there are two options: Ride the dawn, or face what rises in the night.

Twenty years ago, Lirien’s magic fractured the world and unleashed nocturnal creatures that brought civilization to its knees. Amidst the carnage came salvation: The most powerful survivors were invited to board Dawnrider, a high-speed rig that would deliver those aboard into a new era.

The rest of humanity was left to die.

Instead, a king rose from the darkness to lead them.

In the years since, Lirien has dedicated her magic to Dawnrider while secretly plotting to overthrow the tyrant who rules the rig with an iron fist. But just as Lirien is ready to strike against him, she is violently abducted by Vox—the king of the feralists.

The mercurial Vox gives her two choices: Fight the creatures that hunt the night or be fed to them. Lirien agrees to join his ranks, but embarks on a strategy of seduction that will return her to Dawnrider.

Yet as Vox pushes the limits of her magic, Lirien begins to question whether defying the dusk is the true path to salvation. Intoxicated by both Vox and his war against the night, Lirien must decide where her loyalties truly lie—and how far she’s willing to go for redemption.]]> 672 Danielle L. Jensen 059397512X Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.57 2026 Defy the Dusk (The Sundering Duet, #1)

author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.57
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Five Brothers 201102380 One woman learns the secrets of the five Jaeger brothers.

On the other side of town, in the dark glades, under the rain…

Macon is the oldest. Thirty-one. Ex-Marine. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile.

Army is twenty-eight. A single dad with the most beautiful green eyes. He has no idea who he is, if not a Jaeger brother.

Iron will be in prison soon. You’d never think it to meet him. He’s a nice guy, actually. But he can’t stop reacting to everything.

Dallas is the one I hate. Twenty-one, cruel, and selfish. He takes and then throws away whatever’s left.

And Trace is mine. Or he was for about two seconds. No one can tame him for long.

Not that I ever wanted to. It was fun, but now I need to go home. Back to my side of the tracks. Away from the swamps and these men. To my parents’ big house. On my clean street. Where I’m never dirty or messy or hot. And I will. I’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning. I just want to crash on the couch tonight.

Their house is dark and quiet, everyone else is asleep. Except for one. He sees me crying and comes at me from behind. I let him wrap his arms around my body and hold me tightly. His breath is on my neck, his fingers are in my hair, and he doesn’t stop there.

I don’t think it was Trace.]]> 560 Penelope Douglas 0593816579 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.74 2024 Five Brothers

author: Penelope Douglas
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Matched (Matched, #1) 12766768
The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.]]> 366 Ally Condie 0545399904 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 3.71 2010 Matched (Matched, #1)

author: Ally Condie
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/25
shelves: dystopia, young-adult, romance, romantasy, fantasy, did-not-finish, adventure
review:

]]> Where the Crawdads Sing 36809135
But Kya is not what they say. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life's lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the dishonest signals of fireflies. But while she has the skills to live in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.

In Where the Crawdads Sing, Owens juxtaposes an exquisite ode to the natural world against a profound coming of age story and haunting mystery. Thought-provoking, wise, and deeply moving, Owens’s debut novel reminds us that we are forever shaped by the child within us, while also subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

The story asks how isolation influences the behavior of a young woman, who like all of us, has the genetic propensity to belong to a group. The clues to the mystery are brushed into the lush habitat and natural histories of its wild creatures.]]> 384 Delia Owens 0735219117 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.34 2018 Where the Crawdads Sing

author: Delia Owens
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Hollow (Hollow, #1) 195592983
What would you do if you woke up with no memory of your life? In a world of mystery, drama, and romance, Ivy Lane wakes up half human and half vampire; a dhampir. Her kind and vampires, have their memories gone once changed into their new life. Theodore, her vampire mentor, molds her into his assistant, while Jackson, another dhampir, trains her to fight. Along the way, Ivy gains her memory back. Uncovering the truth, she ends up discovering why she was chosen in the first place. Will she turn against Theodore for what he's done? Or will she accept her fate and ignore what her old life is trying to tell her?]]> 403 Amanda Sinatra Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.79 2020 Hollow (Hollow, #1)

author: Amanda Sinatra
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ice Beyond (The Empress of Thorns, #1)]]> 243926178 HE DEFIED HIS PACK TO LOVE ME.

I had two childhood dreams: to shift into a wolf, and to win Nordin Stormsson’s forbidden heart.

My first dream shattered the day my mother confessed I wasn’t a shifter, but a valkyrie—stranded in a land far from my people. My second was crushed when Nordin rejected me…only to claim another as his mate.

Heartbroken, I crossed beyond the wards in search of my birth clan. My freedom came at a cost. Dragons, vampyrs, and enemy wolves stalked me through the dark. They weren’t the only ones who came after me, though.

Nordin came too. He seized me before they could, stealing my body and then my heart.

For a time, I dared to dream once more, to imagine a future with Nordin in the land of ice and wolves.

Until I uncovered my beloved's most closely guarded secret.

A truth about my past.

One that ruined us all.

The Ice Beyond is the first book in a fiercely romantic, Norse-inspired fantasy filled with forbidden love, warring supernaturals, and a spirited heroine who must decide whether to cling to the life she was given or step into the legacy she never asked for.]]> 512 Olivia Wildenstein 1464293694 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 4.05 2026 The Ice Beyond (The Empress of Thorns, #1)

The Ice Beyond (The Empress of Thorns, #1)

author: Olivia Wildenstein
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2026
rating: 0
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date added: 2026/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[All Your Bloody Lies (The Filthy Duet, #1)]]> 214348168 Xeraphine Nora
For a decade, revenge has consumed my every waking thought. My sole desire? To mete out even a fraction of the suffering inflicted upon me by those five individuals. They believed they could silence me forever, burying me alive and leaving me for dead. Little did they know, it takes more than mundane means to kill a demon. I’m coming for you all, my sweets.

Kairhyse Monroe
Finding the demon responsible for these murders is what brought me to her, but my obsession is what keeps me chasing. Oh, Xeraphine, if you believe you’ll find freedom from my grasp, you are truly mistaken. I’m coming for you, my little demon.]]> 393 M.L. Burns Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.99 2024 All Your Bloody Lies (The Filthy Duet, #1)

All Your Bloody Lies (The Filthy Duet, #1)

author: M.L. Burns
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2026/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Drawn Together (A Marfil Saga, #1)]]> 248336967 From New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author Mercedes Ron comes her adult debut—an addictive romantic thriller about a young woman’s protected life and the bodyguard she can’t resist.

*Soon to be a Major Motion Picture*

He was my protection … and my greatest weakness.

Twenty-year-old Marfil Cortés lives the kind of life people imagine from afar. The daughter of a powerful businessman, she spends her days juggling Columbia classes, stolen hours at her ballet studio, and glittering nights in New York City. Her world feels untouchable—polished, predictable, safe.

Until the afternoon she’s abducted in Central Park.

Days later, Marfil opens her eyes in a hospital in New Orleans with no memory of what happened. There are no demands, no suspects, no explanation, only fear and the unsettling certainty that she is no longer safe. In the wake of the attack, her father tightens security and assigns her a Sebastian Moore.

Sebastian is controlled, distant, unreadable—a man whose discipline borders on dangerous. His quiet intensity unsettles and infuriates Marfil in equal measure, stirring resentment toward his presence, his rules, his unyielding watchfulness. Yet as the threat surrounding her refuses to fade, Sebastian becomes the one person she cannot escape … and the one she cannot stop wanting.

What begins as tension slowly ignites into something far more dangerous. Because the closer Marfil gets to Sebastian, the more she realizes the greatest risk may not be the one lurking in the shadows … but the feelings she never meant to have for the man sworn to protect her.

Lush, addictive, and charged with suspense, Drawn Together is a darkly romantic story about love and survival, temptation and control, and the cost of uncovering what others would rather keep buried.]]> 384 Mercedes Ron 1668234238 Lydia Sartzetaki 0 to-read 3.68 2019 Drawn Together (A Marfil Saga, #1)

author: Mercedes Ron
name: Lydia Sartzetaki
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>