Billie's Not So Secret Diary's bookshelf: read en-US Sat, 03 May 2025 14:27:19 -0700 60 Billie's Not So Secret Diary's bookshelf: read 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[The Games Gods Play (The Crucible, #1)]]> 197363933
I have never been favored by the gods. Far from it, thanks to Zeus.

Living as a cursed office clerk for the Order of Thieves, I just keep my head down and hope the capricious beings who rule from Olympus won’t notice me. Not an easy feat, given San Francisco is Zeus� patron city, but I make do. I survive. Until the night I tangle with a different god.

The worst god. Hades.

For the first time ever, the ruthless, mercurial King of the Underworld has entered the Crucible—the deadly contest the gods hold to determine a new ruler to sit on the throne of Olympus. But instead of fighting their own battles, the gods name mortals to compete in their stead.

So why in the Underworld did Hades choose me—a sarcastic nobody with a curse on her shoulders—as his champion? And why does my heart trip every time he says I’m his?

I don’t know if I’m a pawn, bait, or something else entirely to this dangerously tempting god. How can I, when he has more secrets than stars in the sky?

Because Hades is playing by his own rules…and Death will win at any cost.]]> 509 Abigail Owen 1649376561 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 4.10 2024 The Games Gods Play (The Crucible, #1)
author: Abigail Owen
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/03
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Hundred Vicious Turns (The Broken Tower, #1)]]> 140344197 Ěý Ěý
Rat Evans, nonbinary heir to one of the oldest magical bloodlines in New York, doesn’t cast spells anymore. For as long as Rat can remember, they’ve been surrounded by doorways no one else sees and corridors that aren’t on any map. Then one day, they opened a passage and found a broken tower in a field of weeds—and something followed them back.
Ěý
When Rat is accepted into Bellamy Arts, all they want is a place to hide and to make sure they never open another passageway again. But when the only other person who knows what really happened last year—Harker Blakely, the dangerously gifted trans boy who used to be Rat’s closest friend—turns up on campus, Rat begins to realize that Bellamy Arts might not be as safe as they’d thought. And the tower might not be through with them yet.
Ěý
Soon, Rat finds themself caught in a web of secrets and long-buried magic, with their friend-turned-enemy at their throat. But the closer they come to uncovering the truth about the tower, the further they’re drawn toward the unsettling powers that threaten to swallow them whole.]]> 384 Lee Paige O'Brien 1419765159 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 3.64 2023 A Hundred Vicious Turns (The Broken Tower, #1)
author: Lee Paige O'Brien
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/03
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review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Operator (The Peri Reed Chronicles, #2)]]> 28129423
Peri Reed’s job eats her mind, but for a special task agent in hiding, forgetting the past can be a blessing.

Betrayed by the man she thought she loved and the agency who turned her into the very thing she fought against, Peri abandoned the wealth and privilege of Opti for anonymity riddled with memory gaps and self-doubt. But when a highly addictive drug promises to end her dependency on those who’d use her as a tool for their own success, she must choose to remain broken and vulnerable, or return to the above-the-law power and prestige she once left: strong but without will—for whoever holds her next fix, will hold her loyalty.

Yet even now as then, a love based on lies of omission might still save her life.]]> 384 Kim Harrison 1408707586 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 3.67 2016 The Operator (The Peri Reed Chronicles, #2)
author: Kim Harrison
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/03
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]]> <![CDATA[Jack Serpent: The Scriver (The Scriver Archives, #1)]]> 216056318
Created by monsters to be destroyed by men.

Jack Serpent is the only person to have survived the Scriver Trials. With that, he became a lore keeper for the origin of monsters, a spy, and hybrid soldier able to withstand crushing magic. Ever since a coven of Strygan murdered his family, he’s set out to discover and record what plagues the continents. It’s the sort of highly valuable knowledge that could change wars and divide kingdoms.

In the dark places of Ocrana, an uprising of Strygan has begun. They use stolen magic to take over the realms. No one knows how to effectively kill the monsters summoned by Strygan, let alone the High Stryga herself. The military general only knows how to kill with bullets and fire, but he’ll need more to challenge the encroaching threat. He’ll need a Scriver’s help. Jack is recruited to kill the High Stryga before she tips the balance of magic and takes the throne. To locate and destroy the High Stryga within a swamp poisoned with corrupted magic, Jack must reluctantly accept the help of others. As a man accustomed to working alone, cooperating with the ragtag group of soldiers, an old nemesis, and a tracker might prove more challenging than the monsters themselves.

When Jack finds more than a kindred spirit in the feisty tracker, he will have to choose between the mission and saving lives. There’s more to the Strygan than they understand. Jack discovers a secret in his past that will either lead to a Stryga on the throne and the enslavement of humans, or the unraveling of his mind.

Sometimes knowledge is worth dying for.]]> 400 E.A. Field 1998076733 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 4.00 Jack Serpent: The Scriver (The Scriver Archives, #1)
author: E.A. Field
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/02
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]]> Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby, #3) 28110857
Fantasy and folklore mix with mad science as Abigail’s race to unravel the mystery leads her across the cold cobblestones of nineteenth-century New England, down to the mythical underworld, and deep into her colleagues� grim histories to battle the most deadly foe she has ever faced.]]> 352 William Ritter 1616205792 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, bookoutlet, ordered 4.06 2016 Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby, #3)
author: William Ritter
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2016
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> Covet (Crave, #3) 53426743 not been intense?

And the hits just keep coming. Jaxon's turned colder than an Alaskan winter. The Circle is splintered over my upcoming coronation. As if things couldn’t get worse, now there’s an arrest warrant for Hudson’s and my supposed crimes—which apparently means a lifetime prison sentence with a deadly unbreakable curse.

Choices will have to be made...and I fear not everyone will survive.]]> 680 Tracy Wolff 1682815811 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, bookoutlet, ordered 4.15 2021 Covet (Crave, #3)
author: Tracy Wolff
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2021
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, bookoutlet, ordered
review:

]]> <![CDATA[He Who Breaks the Earth (She Who Rides the Storm, #2)]]> 61271954 Wicked Saints meets There Will Come a Darkness in this sequel to the atmospheric, “tightly woven� (Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author) She Who Rides the Storm that follows the four thieves turned unlikely allies as one of their own decides where their loyalties lie.

Mateo spent years believing he suffered from a strange wasting sickness, but he’s finally learned the much darker truth. Now he will do whatever it takes to save himself, even if it means betraying Lia, the one girl who’s ever made him care about something besides his research. It doesn’t help that his father kidnapped the last living member of Lia’s family, and Lia is only coming back into Mateo’s life to hunt him and his father down for revenge.

Anwei’s rage can’t be contained after the disaster at the tomb that ended with Knox almost dying. Worse, she learned that the brother she’d been desperate to avenge has been living a life of luxury, raised by the monster of her nightmares. With the power of an ancient, nameless god running in her veins, Anwei vows to end the shapeshifter once and for all.

But the members of her crew each have their own motivations—and their own gods whispering in their ears. As Anwei gets closer to the shapeshifter she’s chased for so long, she realizes the gods� plans and her own might diverge. But she will destroy anyone standing in the way of her revenge.]]> 589 Caitlin Sangster 1534466169 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, bookoutlet, ordered 4.00 2023 He Who Breaks the Earth (She Who Rides the Storm, #2)
author: Caitlin Sangster
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, bookoutlet, ordered
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Spear of Malice (War of the Archons, #3)]]> 52193235
As its neighbours muster for war, the city state of Kantor clings desperately to neutrality. Suraan, the queen regent, is beset on all sides, her son Rahuul still too young to take the throne. As his elder sister and guardian, Adaali's only purpose is to protect Rahuul from would be usurpers. But dark forces are at play from within and without, and she must seek help from the most unlikely of places, or be consumed by the war of the gods that threatens to destroy the very fabric of her world.]]> 367 Richard S. Ford 1785653121 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, bookoutlet, ordered 3.95 2021 The Spear of Malice (War of the Archons, #3)
author: Richard S. Ford
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, bookoutlet, ordered
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Ironside (Modern Faerie Tales, #3)]]> 283494
Miserable and convinced she belongs nowhere, Kaye decides to tell her mother the truth -- that she is a changeling left in place of the human daughter stolen long ago. Her mother's shock and horror sends Kaye back to the world of Faerie to find her human counterpart and return her to Ironside. But once back in the faerie courts, Kaye finds herself a pawn in the games of Silarial, queen of the Seelie Court. Silarial wants Roiben's throne, and she will use Kaye, and any means necessary, to get it. In this game of wits and weapons, can a pixie outplay a queen?

Holly Black spins a seductive tale at once achingly real and chillingly enchanted, set in a dangerous world where pleasure mingles with pain and nothing is exactly as it appears.]]> 323 Holly Black 0689868200 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 4.01 2007 Ironside (Modern Faerie Tales, #3)
author: Holly Black
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Valiant (Modern Faerie Tales, #2)]]> 266607
But there's something eerily beguiling about Val's new friends. And when one talks Val into tracking down the lair of a mysterious creature with whom they are all involved, Val finds herself torn between her newfound affection for an honorable monster and her fear of what her new friends are becoming.]]> 314 Holly Black 0689868235 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 3.84 2005 Valiant (Modern Faerie Tales, #2)
author: Holly Black
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Tithe (Modern Faerie Tales, #1)]]> 46777 Welcome to the realm of very scary faeries!

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms - a struggle that could very well mean her death.]]> 272 Holly Black 0689867042 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 3.72 2002 Tithe (Modern Faerie Tales, #1)
author: Holly Black
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2002
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Memory of Souls (A Chorus of Dragons, #3)]]> 52378515 The Memory of Souls is the third epic fantasy in Jenn Lyons� Chorus of Dragons series.

THE LONGER HE LIVES
THE MORE DANGEROUS HE BECOMES

Now that Relos Var’s plans have been revealed and demons are free to rampage across the empire, the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies—and the end of the world—is closer than ever.

To buy time for humanity, Kihrin needs to convince the king of the Manol vané to perform an ancient ritual which will strip the entire race of their immortality, but it’s a ritual which certain vané will do anything to prevent. Including assassinating the messengers.

Worse, Kihrin must come to terms with the horrifying possibility that his connection to the king of demons, Vol Karoth, is growing steadily in strength.

How can he hope to save anyone when he might turn out to be the greatest threat of them all?]]> 636 Jenn Lyons 1250175577 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 4.27 2020 The Memory of Souls (A Chorus of Dragons, #3)
author: Jenn Lyons
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, kindle, series-missing-books
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Discord of Gods (A Chorus of Dragons, #5)]]> 57693290 The Discord of Gods marks the epic conclusion to Jenn Lyons's Chorus of Dragon series, closing out the saga that began with The Ruin of Kings, for fans of Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss.

The end times have come.

Relos Var's final plans to enslave the universe are on the cusp of fruition. He believes there's only one being in existence that might be able to stop him: the demon Xaltorath.

As these two masterminds circle each other, neither is paying attention to the third player on the board, Kihrin. Unfortunately, keeping himself classified in the "pawn" category means Kihrin must pretend to be everything the prophecies threatened he'd become: the destroyer of all, the sun eater, a mindless, remorseless plague upon the land. It also means finding an excuse to not destroy the people he loves (or any of the remaining Immortals) without arousing suspicion.

Kihrin's goals are complicated by the fact that not all of his "act" is one. His intentions may be sincere, but he's still being forced to grapple with the aftereffects of the corrupted magic ritual that twisted both him and the dragons. Worse, he's now tied to a body that is the literal avatar of a star - a form that is becoming increasingly, catastrophically unstable. All of which means he's running out of time.

After all, some stars fade - but others explode.]]> 512 Jenn Lyons 1250175682 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 4.36 2022 The Discord of Gods (A Chorus of Dragons, #5)
author: Jenn Lyons
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Devil's Bargain (Red Letter Days #1)]]> 261123
The deal requires her to enter into a partnership with a stranger and investigate cases that arrive in special red envelopes...which is odd enough, but gets weirder as she and her new partner Lucia realize that they may be working for someone with supernatural abilities.

And maybe they're not on the side of the angels anymore.]]> 304 Rachel Caine 0373513674 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, hoopla 3.71 2005 Devil's Bargain (Red Letter Days #1)
author: Rachel Caine
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2005
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, hoopla
review:

]]> <![CDATA[We Love You, Bunny (Bunny, #2)]]> 223524394
When We Love You, Bunny opens, Sam has just published her first novel to critical acclaim. But at a New England stop on her book tour, her one-time frenemies, furious at the way they’ve been portrayed, kidnap her. Now a captive audience, it’s her (and our) turn to hear the Bunnies� side of the story. One by one, they take turns holding the axe, and recount the birth throes of their unholy alliance, their discovery of their unusual creative powers—and the phantasmagoric adventure of conjuring their first creation. With a bound and gagged Sam, we embark on a wickedly intoxicating journey into the heart of dark academia: a fairy tale slasher that explores the wonder and horror of creation itself. Not to mention the transformative powers of love and friendship, Bunny.

Frankenstein by way of Heathers, We Love You, Bunny is both a prequel and a sequel, and an unabashedly wild and totally complete stand-alone novel. Open your hearts, Bunny, to another dazzlingly original and darkly hilarious romp in the Bunny-verse from the queen of the fever-dream, Mona Awad.]]> 496 Mona Awad 1668098482 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.26 2025 We Love You, Bunny (Bunny, #2)
author: Mona Awad
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> <![CDATA[Everlasting (Legacy of Blood and Hope Book 1)]]> 229097453 The legacy of her blood has always come with a price.

"Please just let me finish my final year of high school, preferably drama-free. And alive?"

Sady Smith sends her plea up to the sky, already knowing it won’t be answered. Another year, another town, another fresh start. Her family does what it always does—packs up, moves on. Every home is temporary. Every friendship a risk. The rules are Don’t get attached. Don’t let anyone in. Start over.

This year should be no different. Only� it is.

First, there’s Greyson Black—her history teacher, of all people—who stirs up something she’s never felt before. Feelings she definitely ˛őłó´ÇłÜ±ô»ĺ˛Ô’t be having. Before she can even start to unpack that little existential crisis, along comes Kelsey—a human wrecking ball of friendship, completely uninterested in the concept of boundaries. One day, she’s just a girl at the lunch table. The next, she’s there to stay. Effortless. Unshakable. Normal.

Which means it’s doomed.

Because mythical creatures? Yeah, they’re real. Her parents included. And Sady? She’s changing—fast. Power she can’t understand, or control. No rulebook to follow. And when her new friend, her only friend, is attacked—the storm inside her finally unleashes.

And when the dust settles—it’s time to confront the demons of her bloodline and choose her own legacy.

And then? Darkness takes her.]]> 458 Melanie Frome 1999249275 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, indi, giveaways 0.0 Everlasting (Legacy of Blood and Hope Book 1)
author: Melanie Frome
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 0.0
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> <![CDATA[The Night Ends with Fire (The Dragon Spirit Duology)]]> 228895466 Infused with magic and romance, this sweeping fantasy adventureĚýinspired by the legend of Mulan follows a young womanĚýdetermined to choose her own destiny—even if that means going against everyone she loves.

The Three Kingdoms are at war, but Meilin’s father refuses to answer the imperial draft. Trapped by his opium addiction, he plans to sell Meilin for her dowry. But when Meilin discovers her husband-to-be is another violent, ill-tempered man, she realizes that nothing will change for her unless she takes matters into her own hands.

The very next day, she disguises herself as a boy and enlists in her father’s place.

In the army, Meilin's relentless hard work brings her recognition, friendship—and a growing closeness with Sky, a prince turned training partner. But has she simply exchanged one prison for another?ĚýAs her kingdom barrels toward destruction, Meilin begins to have visions of a sea dragon spirit that offers her true power and freedom, but with a deadly price.

With the future of the Three Kingdoms hanging in the balance, Meilin will need to decide whom to trust—Sky, who inspires her loyalty and love; the sea dragon spirit, who has his own murky agenda; or an infuriating enemy prince who makes her question everything she once knew—about her kingdom and about her own heart.]]> 464 K.X. Song 0593641531 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read 3.25 2024 The Night Ends with Fire (The Dragon Spirit Duology)
author: K.X. Song
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.25
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Spellcaster 222818703 Don’t miss this deluxe print edition of an all-new story featuring stunning sprayed and stained edges and foil detailing from the bestselling author of the Shadow Beast Shifter series, Jaymin Eve!

SPELLCASTER is an intense enemies-to-lovers romantasy with steamy heat, magical creatures, fast pacing, and stakes that will keep you hooked. Dive into a world where love is as dangerous as power—and nothing is ever as it seems.

Welcome to Weatherstone College�

Don’t walk the halls late at night.
Don’t disturb the ancient magic.
And don’t, under any circumstances, ever trust a spellcaster.

When my magic bloomed at twenty-two, the last thing I expected was to receive an acceptance letter to the most prestigious witch college in the world. It’s not that I don’t have magic. It’s just…unpredictable. But with Weatherstone a part of my family legacy, I’m determined to live up to their expectations.

A task that’s almost derailed on my very first day when I come face-to-face with Logan Kingston, the son of my father’s enemy. I’m warned to avoid the powerful spellcaster at all costs, but apparently Logan did not receive the same memo. The more time I spend around him, the more I crave his unsettling attention, and as hate flirts with obsession, I’m left wondering if there’s another side to the decades-old feud between our fathers.

On top of that, Weatherstone is not at all like I expected. Built on the ancient blood of necromancers and battle, the magic here is as unpredictable as mine, and I sense a dark energy stalking my footsteps. When a monster attacks me, I have no choice but to turn to the strongest warlock in our school: Logan.

After all, to fight a monster, I’ll need a monster.

Perfect if you love:
� Who hurt you?
� Slowburn Enemies to Lovers
� Elemental Magic
� Dark Academia
� "F*ck it" Moments
� Consent is sexy]]> 336 Jaymin Eve 1335472002 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.05 Spellcaster
author: Jaymin Eve
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.05
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, giveaways
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]]> <![CDATA[A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping]]> 182484370
Sera Swan was once one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her magical Guild. Now she ( slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps Aunt Jasmine run an inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep the talking fox in check, and longs for the magical future she lost.

When she learns about an old spellbook that holds the secret to restoring her power, she turns to Luke Larsen, a gorgeous historian who might just be able to help her unlock the book’s mysteries. Luke, who has his own reasons for staying at the inn, never planned on getting involved in the madcap goings-on around him and certainly had no intention of letting certain grumpy innkeepers past his icy walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he not only agrees to help, but also finds himself thawing .

Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone... and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.]]> 352 Sangu Mandanna 0593439376 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.62 2025 A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping
author: Sangu Mandanna
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
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]]> Play Nice 222419303 A woman must confront the demons of her past when she attempts to fix up her childhood home in this devilishly clever take on the haunted house novel from the USA Today bestselling author.

Clio Louise Barnes leads a picture-perfect life as a stylist and influencer, but beneath the glossy veneer she harbors a not-so glamorous secret: she grew up in a haunted house. Well, not haunted. Possessed. After Clio’s parent’s messy divorce, her mother, Alex, moved Clio and her sisters into a house occupied by a demon. Or so Alex claimed. That’s not what Clio’s sisters remember or what the courts determined when they stripped Alex of custody after she went off the deep end. But Alex was insistent; she even wrote a book about her experience in the house.

After Alex’s sudden death, the supposedly possessed house passes to Clio and her sisters. Where her sisters see childhood trauma, Clio sees an opportunity for house flipping content. Only, as the home makeover process begins, Clio discovers there might be some truth to her mother’s claims. As memories resurface and Clio finally reads her mother’s book, the presence in the house becomes more real, and more sinister, revealing ugly truths that threaten to shake Clio’s beautiful life to its very foundation.]]> 336 Rachel Harrison 0593642570 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.50 2025 Play Nice
author: Rachel Harrison
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/05/01
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Galaxy Grifter: A Snarky, High-Stakes Space Opera (Blackjack Interstellar, 1)]]> 228954818 Only the wittiest, smarmiest, most sycophantic person in the galaxy can grift like Levi can.Ěý

Levi is an interstellar con all charm, no conscience. His only real love is his spaceship, Caerus —his symbol of status and freedom—which he is forced to surrender as loan collateral to the most dangerous gang in his current quadrant. Desperate to get his ship back by any means necessary, Levi swindles a valuable antimatter-tech blueprint from an alien diplomat, which he plans to sell for millions of credits to the highest bidder.ĚýĚý

To decode the document, Levi hires Vera, a programmer whose inherited debt keeps her trapped on an asteroid in the galactic backwaters. Certain that Levi is merely using her, she plans to steal the blueprint for her creditors and finally gain her freedom.

Their alliance is plagued by fiery sexual tension, betrayals, and an impossible choice when they learn that an alien government intends to use the stolen technology to plan humanity’s genocide and that they will stop at nothing to retrieve their plans.]]> 404 A. Zaykova 0316587397 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 arc, to-read, netgalley 5.00 2025 Galaxy Grifter: A Snarky, High-Stakes Space Opera (Blackjack Interstellar, 1)
author: A. Zaykova
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/30
shelves: arc, to-read, netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Out of Oz (The Wicked Years, #4)]]> 10594929 568 Gregory Maguire 0060548940 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 3.84 2011 Out of Oz (The Wicked Years, #4)
author: Gregory Maguire
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2011
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/30
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Lion Among Men (The Wicked Years, #3)]]> 3124249 312 Gregory Maguire 0060548924 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 3.33 2008 A Lion Among Men (The Wicked Years, #3)
author: Gregory Maguire
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/30
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[We Who Will Die (Empire of Blood, #1)]]> 225910699 From the bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series comes a slow-burn romantasy set in a Roman-inspired world ruled by merciless vampires. Filled with breathtaking combat, vengeful gods, and magical creatures, We Who Will Die is the epic first installment in an enthralling new series perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent, Jasmine Mas, and Rebecca Yarros.

Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers. And the vampire standing on her doorstep is about to turn their world upside down.

Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros. But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.

She quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor. But the vampire under the armor is the last person Arvelle expects to encounter in the emperor’s court.

With her brothers� lives in the balance, Arvelle has no choice but to ally with the man who once shattered her heart� and with the emperor’s sadistic son, Rorrik—two vampires whose motives are impossible to pin down. Rorrik holds the key to understanding the powers Arvelle is developing—abilities that would put a price on her head if discovered by the emperor.

To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…]]> 432 Stacia Stark 006343671X Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 0.0 2026 We Who Will Die (Empire of Blood, #1)
author: Stacia Stark
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/30
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]]> <![CDATA[The Iron Crown (The Darkest Court, #3)]]> 48911107 After the last Faerie Civil War, the leaders of the magickal pantheons stripped the shining Seelie Court of its power and tasked the dark Unseelie Court with maintaining the natural balance of the world.

Ages later, a twisted intrigue throws the balance of all Faerie into ruin and ignites a new civil war.

Discounted by his family and haunted in the Unseelie sidhe, Queen Mab’s youngest son, Lugh, leads the Wild Hunt on quests across the dangerous Wylds. At his side is his best friend, Keiran, a Viking rescued from death centuries earlier. Between Lugh’s uncanny gift for being in the right place at the right time and Keiran’s power of persuasion, they’re revered across the Wylds—as long as Lugh keeps his true identity hidden from the people of the Sluagh.

Keiran and Lugh have loved each other for centuries—as friends and brothers in arms. Lugh has long since put aside his romantic love for Keiran to protect their friendship. But with the looming war in Faerie and the ghosts of the dead dogging Lugh’s every move, Keiran realizes there may be room for romance between them after all, if only they can survive.

Rallying the Sluagh to fight in the looming war between the Seelie and Unseelie seems an impossible task. To achieve it, these childhood best friends will have to free Lugh from the restless souls haunting him and turn the tides threatening not only their growing love, but the balance of life and death itself.

This book is approximately 103,000 words

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise : all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!]]> 364 M.A. Grant 1488054142 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 4.13 2020 The Iron Crown (The Darkest Court, #3)
author: M.A. Grant
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/29
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> The Ground That Devours Us 219209768
Vampires showed up, took over, and turned the whole planet into their personal all-you-can-drink buffet. The president? Bloodsucker. The government? Bloodsuckers. My social life? Absolutely nonexistent.

But hey, at least I had one thing going for me—slayer training. My twin sister, Ripley, and I were about to go pro, officially joining the ranks of the last people on earth who actually do something about the whole “undead overlords� situation.

And then X had to show up. The vampire boogeyman. The worst of the worst. And instead of killing Ripley, like any decent monster would, he turned her. Now she’s technically a vamp, but something tells me my sister is still in there. Which means I can’t slay her.

What can I do? Break every rule. Lie to my friends. Strike a deal with the most dangerous vampire on the planet: X will protect Ripley from everyone else who wants her dead—like, really dead—until I can snag the cure for vampirism. The catch? Risking my own head to help him free his good-for-nothing BFF from the very slayers who taught me everything.

If I want Ripley back, I’m going to have to play nice with the thing that ruined my life. And the worst part?

I think he’s enjoying this.]]> 400 Kalla Harris 1649378394 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 5.00 The Ground That Devours Us
author: Kalla Harris
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/29
shelves: to-read, giveaways, saw-it-on-netgalley
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]]> <![CDATA[Warrior Princess Assassin (Braided Fate, #1)]]> 223338530 Jodi Picoult, #1 NYT bestselling authorNew York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer makes her adult debut with this irresistible and steamy fantasy about three characters whose paths will collide in surprising ways � two royals pushed into a political engagement, and the assassin tasked with hunting them down.

WARRIOR. King Maddox Kyronan’s fire magic has earned him a ruthless reputation on the battlefield, but now his kingdom is slowly burning. Ky’s only chance to save his people is to enter a marriage alliance with the neighboring nation of Astranza, and hope that the royal family’s power to manipulate the weather will help his land flourish once more. He just needs to ensure no one finds out how the blaze began.

PRINCESS. With war looming on the horizon, Princess Jory’s home needs the protection of the fearsome warrior king, but she is hiding a dangerous her family’s magic is fading. Tempting as it is to reject her duties and run away with her childhood friend, Asher, Jory knows that she is the kingdom’s last hope. When she meets her intended, Jory is surprised to discover that beneath Ky’s daunting exterior is a compassionate and sharp-witted man who sets her heart aflame. But what will he do when he realizes she's deceiving him?

ASSASSIN. Asher’s done what he must to survive, even if that means getting his hands dirty. Once a young nobleman in Astranza’s palace, where he and Jory caused mischief together, now he’s part of the Hunter’s Guild, employing much darker skills. When a lucrative job comes his way, Asher can’t say no—until he discovers the targets. Someone wants Ky and Jory dead. With the Guild watching, Asher must decide what he’s willing to do to protect the woman he loves.

A tale of three complex characters torn between chasing, betraying, and falling in love with each other, Warrior Princess Assassin marks the beginning of a thrilling new fantasy trilogy filled with enchantment, adventure, and passionate romance.]]> 408 Brigid Kemmerer 006339166X Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 4.15 2025 Warrior Princess Assassin (Braided Fate, #1)
author: Brigid Kemmerer
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/29
shelves: to-read, giveaways, giveaways-won
review:

]]> Behind the Vines 54913598
The stories her aunt had told her were only fairy tales; at least that's what Elizabeth believed until she took her son to her aunt's house to remember her past, before the brain tumor killed her. But when she found the butterflies, they showed her that the stories were true. Elizabeth was destined to be queen in a world where unicorns and fairies exist.

With the discovery of her true destiny, Elizabeth must now unite the people in that other world to stop Baron Priam from taking the Kingdom over, and she must find a suitable King to rule in her place before the tumor in her head kills her.
]]> 786 Jo Rentschler Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 0.0 2015 Behind the Vines
author: Jo Rentschler
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/28
date added: 2025/04/29
shelves:
review:

]]> A Fate Forged in Fire 218153674 To become the first queen in centuries, a powerfully blessed blacksmith must use her wits and fire magic to overthrow the corrupt powers ruling her kingdom—while also fighting her growing desire for one of her dragon-riding adversaries—in the first book of a sizzling Celtic-inspired fantasy romance duology.

Once a territory built on matriarchal rule and values, Tìr Teine has since grown frail from a long line of fruitless kings. The most recent of which have ruled under the influence of the True Religion, an oppressive group who have steadily poisoned the region with their anti-magic teachings.

Born to rule and blessed by fire, Aemyra has begrudgingly lived in hiding rather than risk her life in court, waiting in anticipation for the current king’s death so she can bond to his dragon, claim her throne, and protect her people. But when the king dies and Aemyra is ready to take what is rightfully hers, her ambitious plan is foiled and she is thrust into a game of vicious politics and plots.

Her biggest adversary is Prince Fiorean, a dragon-rider and one of the most powerful fire wielders in the territory. Cold, arrogant, and blindly supportive of his corrupt family, he is everything Aemyra despises. But as chaos engulfs the court, they find themselves reluctantly entwined, forced to forge an uneasy alliance—one that quickly ignites into something more dangerous than either of them expected.

Behind enemy lines and slowly falling for her so-called adversary, Aemyra uncovers just how far the rot of corruption has spread, and what she may have to sacrifice to claim her throne.]]> 416 Hazel McBride 0593972945 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 by Hazel McBride
Bonded to Beasts #1
Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: May 27, 2025
Random House
Ages: 18+

Aemyra is in hiding, at least until the king dies; then she will take back the throne as she, the first female born with the gift of flames, is the rightful heir. But not only will she have to fight against the king's male heirs, she must also defend her people against the priests of the True Religion, a group of men set out to destroy magic and oppress women.

The coup fails, and she escapes, but 'weeks' later she falls into a trap because she's rash, and is imprisoned within the castle she swore to reclaim, and forced to marry Prince Fiorean, the second in line.


While this started out slow, it did pick up here and there, and the action scenes were pretty violent. The characters were really good, though I feel that there needed to be more of a history about the dragons and how the magic between them and the humans started, plus the history about how the magic began to fail, and no females born without the magic. It was all hinted at, but more details would give readers a deeper understanding, thus feeling more a part of the world than just an observer. And anyone with any type of knowledge of 'real world' religions will have no problem guessing which one of them inspired the religious practice in this story.

As for the characters, the idea of Aemyra was good, but some of the things she did were just stupid. I did not like Fiorean or his brother, though that might have to do with their names being so weird. A lot of weird names, at least for me, take some of the enjoyment away from the story because I have to spend more time implanting the names in my brain, with who, what, why, etc., than it coming automatically as with simpler/common names. I'm not saying unique names are not cool, but too many of them cause the issue.

The story was good, though I was not surprised by the 'twist'. I figured as much, but hoping not because without it, this could have been a stand-alone... so now I have to wait for the next. And I had to take a star away because of the adult content; it was not needed, and I skipped it. So, because of that content, and not the violence, this book is not suitable for readers under eighteen. I also don't consider this a romance. Sure, it's there, but it is the cringey stuff, not romantic.

3 Stars]]> 3.88 2025 A Fate Forged in Fire
author: Hazel McBride
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at: 2025/04/26
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: arc, netgalley, 2025-books, 2025-netgalley
review:
A Fate Forged in Fire
by Hazel McBride
Bonded to Beasts #1
Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: May 27, 2025
Random House
Ages: 18+

Aemyra is in hiding, at least until the king dies; then she will take back the throne as she, the first female born with the gift of flames, is the rightful heir. But not only will she have to fight against the king's male heirs, she must also defend her people against the priests of the True Religion, a group of men set out to destroy magic and oppress women.

The coup fails, and she escapes, but 'weeks' later she falls into a trap because she's rash, and is imprisoned within the castle she swore to reclaim, and forced to marry Prince Fiorean, the second in line.


While this started out slow, it did pick up here and there, and the action scenes were pretty violent. The characters were really good, though I feel that there needed to be more of a history about the dragons and how the magic between them and the humans started, plus the history about how the magic began to fail, and no females born without the magic. It was all hinted at, but more details would give readers a deeper understanding, thus feeling more a part of the world than just an observer. And anyone with any type of knowledge of 'real world' religions will have no problem guessing which one of them inspired the religious practice in this story.

As for the characters, the idea of Aemyra was good, but some of the things she did were just stupid. I did not like Fiorean or his brother, though that might have to do with their names being so weird. A lot of weird names, at least for me, take some of the enjoyment away from the story because I have to spend more time implanting the names in my brain, with who, what, why, etc., than it coming automatically as with simpler/common names. I'm not saying unique names are not cool, but too many of them cause the issue.

The story was good, though I was not surprised by the 'twist'. I figured as much, but hoping not because without it, this could have been a stand-alone... so now I have to wait for the next. And I had to take a star away because of the adult content; it was not needed, and I skipped it. So, because of that content, and not the violence, this book is not suitable for readers under eighteen. I also don't consider this a romance. Sure, it's there, but it is the cringey stuff, not romantic.

3 Stars
]]> <![CDATA[Empire of the Dawn (Empire of the Vampire, #3)]]> 222376766 From New York Times bestselling author of the Empire of the Vampire and Empire of the Damned, Jay Kristoff, comes the epic conclusion to the #1 internationally bestselling series.

From holy cup comes holy light;
The faithful hands sets world aright.
And in the Seven Martyrs� sight,
Mere man shall end this endless night.

Gabriel de León has lost his family, his faith, and the last hope of ending the endless night—his surrogate daughter, Dior. With no thought left but vengeance, he and a band of loyal brothers journey into the war-torn heart of Elidaen to claim the life of the Forever King.


Unbeknownst to the Last Silversaint, the Grail still lives—speeding towards the besieged capital of Augustin in the frail hope of ending Daysdeath. But deadly treachery awaits within the halls of power, and the Forever King’s legions march ever closer. Gabriel and Dior will be drawn into a final battle that will shape the very fate of the Empire, but as the sun sets for what may the last time, there will be no one left for them to trust.

Not even each other.]]> 800 Jay Kristoff 1250245370 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 5.00 2025 Empire of the Dawn (Empire of the Vampire, #3)
author: Jay Kristoff
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Forsworn (The Forsworn Oath, #1)]]> 218657032 Do not fear the shadows, but what lives inside them.

When Ludo Vica was only eight years old, he lost his twin brother and his eye when a horrific fire turned his village to ash. The last thing he remembers is a dark figure, wreathed in flames, stalking toward his childhood home. His brother, Gado, was still inside. Then came the explosion, the burning pain where his eye should've been, followed by blessed oblivion.

The man deemed responsible for it all was Cainan, a dark sorcerer known as the Fire Eater, who was brought to justice and imprisoned in the legendary fortress known as Comman Dur. In the two decades that have passed since that fateful night, Ludo's every waking moment has been focused on the only thing he has left to live revenge. So when the Fire Eater escapes, Ludo is determined to hunt him down and avenge his brother's death, a path that leads him into the shadows and mysteries of Lostwood.

What awaits him in the shadows will change everything.

Fans of A Game of Thrones, The Stormlight Archives, The Kingfall Histories and The Fatemarked Epic will enjoy The Forsworn Oath. Start your 5,000+ page epic adventure today.]]> 928 David Estes Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 4.41 Forsworn (The Forsworn Oath, #1)
author: David Estes
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.41
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Black Wolves (Black Wolves, #1)]]> 20980680 Marco Polo comes a rich and inspired fantasy tale of warriors and nobles who must take the most desperate gamble of all: awaken allies more destructive than the hated king they hope to overthrow. Kate Elliott's new trilogy is an unmissable treat for epic fantasy lovers everywhere.

An exiled captain returns to help the son of the king who died under his protection in this rich and multi-layered first book in an action-packed new series.

Twenty two years have passed since Kellas, once Captain of the legendary Black Wolves, lost his King and with him his honor. With the King murdered and the Black Wolves disbanded, Kellas lives as an exile far from the palace he once guarded with his life.

Until Marshal Dannarah, sister to the dead King, comes to him with a plea-rejoin the palace guard and save her nephew, King Jehosh, before he meets his father's fate.

Combining the best of Shogun and Netflix's Marco Polo, Black Wolves is an unmissable treat for epic fantasy lovers everywhere.]]> 780 Kate Elliott 0316368695 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 3.92 2015 Black Wolves (Black Wolves, #1)
author: Kate Elliott
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> Shadow Wars: The Secret War 138300992 208 Sherrilyn Kenyon Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 3.80 Shadow Wars: The Secret War
author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.80
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/26
shelves: arc, netgalley, currently-reading
review:

]]> Slayers of Old 223855177 Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Golden Girls in this humorous contemporary standalone fantasy about a group of former Chosen Ones coming out of retirement to save the world one last time

Three former Chosen Ones have joined together to spend their retirement in peace and quiet, running Second Life Books and Gifts in Salem, MA. A calm, peaceful, tourist-filled oasis, where they never have to worry about saving the world. Until some of the locals start summoning ancient creatures best left where they were . . . and they discover that their bookstore basement just may be the portal to the underworld. These ex-heroes may have thought they were done . . . but if they want to finish their retirement in peace, they’ll have to join together to save the world one last time.

Why leave saving the world to the young?ĚýCozy mysteryĚýreaders looking for an extra dash of magic will eat this story fun, funny, and heartwarming, it's a novel about community, second chances, and the healing power of scones.]]> Jim C. Hines 0756419697 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 4.31 2025 Slayers of Old
author: Jim C. Hines
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, interested, saw-it-on-netgalley
review:

]]> Fire Study (Study, #3) 1966969 The apprenticeship is over—now the real test has begun.

When word that Yelena is a Soulfinder—able to capture and release souls—spreads like wildfire, people grow uneasy. Already Yelena's unusual abilities and past have set her apart. As the Council debates Yelena's fate, she receives a disturbing message: a plot is rising against her homeland, led by a murderous sorcerer she has defeated before...

Honor sets Yelena on a path that will test the limits of her skills, and the hope of reuniting with her beloved spurs her onward. Her journey is fraught with allies, enemies, lovers and would-be assassins, each of questionable loyalty. Yelena will have but one chance to prove herself—and save the land she holds dear.]]> 441 Maria V. Snyder 0778325342 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 3.92 2008 Fire Study (Study, #3)
author: Maria V. Snyder
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> Magic Study (Study, #2) 46202
With her greatest enemy dead, and on her way to be united with the family she'd been stolen from long ago, Yelena should be pleased. But although she has gained her freedom, she once again finds herself alone - separated from her lover Valek and suspected as a spy for her reluctance to conform to Sitian ways.

Despite the turmoil, she's eager to start her magic training - especially as she's been given one year to harness her power or be put to death. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes embroiled in a plot to reclaim Ixia's throne for a lost prince - and gets entangled in powerful rivalries with her fellow magicians.

If that wasn't bad enough, it appears her brother would love to see her dead. Luckily, Yelena has some old friends to help her with her new enemies.]]> 392 Maria V. Snyder 0373802498 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 4.03 2006 Magic Study (Study, #2)
author: Maria V. Snyder
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> The Glowing Life of Leeann Wu 221473792 A seemingly inexplicable magic takes over the lives of three generations of women in this gripping and romantic novel sure to captivate readers of At the Coffee Shop of Curiosities and The Change.

Leeann Wu’s hands have started glowing at the most inconvenient times, and the single mother and midwife doesn’t know why. Could it be perimenopause? A hallucination brought on by a lack of sleep? On top of that concerning development, her daughter is off to university in a few months, her tenuous relationship with her ob-gyn mother is in peril of cracking, and she’s attracted the attention of a younger man who sees far more than she’s comfortable with. Her hands, glowing or not, are already full.

But as widespread insomnia plagues the town and life-threatening accidents begin to pile up, Leeann discovers the glow is not an anomaly at all—rather, she’s part of a long line of women who possess a power unlike anything Leeann’s ever known. Yet, even with the cryptic clues left by her great aunt before her untimely death, Leeann has no idea how to use her new skills.

With her town in imminent danger, Leeann doesn’t have time to waste. She’ll need to make peace with her magical heritage and do whatever it takes to find out if her glow means something more—before it’s too late.

Readers who loved Practical Magic will find lots to love in The Glowing Life of Leeann Wu.]]> 320 Mindy Hung Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 0.0 2025 The Glowing Life of Leeann Wu
author: Mindy Hung
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> Moonsick 222376539 Scream meets Stephen King in this fast paced debut YA horror novel about a girl trying to survive a world where becoming a werewolf is a contagious disease.

High school senior Heidi Mills seemingly has it all: a charming (arrogant) boyfriend, loving (wealthy) parents, and an acceptance letter to Harvard (well, not yet). With her mom and stepdad away on vacation, she’s going to host a rager at their mansion to celebrate the end of high school.

The party is tomorrow. But the full moon is tonight—when the worldwide werewolf epidemic that has run rampant for the past few years turns deadly, and the infected transform into beasts.

Safe in her home, with its state-of-the-art lockdown system to keep the monsters out, Heidi expects to wait out the night. But when two intruders show up to rob what they think will be an empty home, the life of privilege, ease, and safety that Heidi has taken for granted comes crashing down. Suddenly exposed to the realities of this virus and the way that the rest of the world has been living all this time, Heidi embarks on a dark adventure accompanied by the mysterious--but intriguing--boy who broke into her house. As she fights to survive the underbelly of a post-pandemic society, she'll learn that not all monsters have fangs.

With flourishes of Wes Craven and The Purge, this comedic horror novel is perfect for fans Grady Hendrix, Adam Cesare, and things that go bump in the night.]]> 352 Tom O'Donnell 1250353114 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, arc, netgalley 4.43 Moonsick
author: Tom O'Donnell
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.43
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/24
shelves: to-read, arc, netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Book of the Damned (Secret Books of Paradys, #1)]]> 974192 240 Tanith Lee 0879514086 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 3.81 1988 The Book of the Damned (Secret Books of Paradys, #1)
author: Tanith Lee
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1988
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/23
shelves: to-read, scribd-ebook, series, hoopla
review:

]]> The Devils (The Devils, #1) 212276037 A brand-new epic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Joe Abercrombie, featuring a notorious band of anti-heroes on a delightfully bloody and raucous journey

Holy work sometimes requires unholy deeds.

Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, practitioners of ghastly magic, and outright monsters. The mission he is tasked with will require bloody measures from them all in order to achieve its righteous ends.

Elves lurk at our borders and hunger for our flesh, while greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions and comfort. With a hellish journey before him, it's a good thing Brother Diaz has the devils on his side]]> 560 Joe Abercrombie 125088005X Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 4.43 2025 The Devils (The Devils, #1)
author: Joe Abercrombie
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: to-read, giveaways, saw-it-on-netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Queen Demon (The Rising World, #2)]]> 217388171 From the breakout SFF superstar author of Murderbot comes the remarkable sequel to the USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling novel, Witch King. A fantasy of epic scope, Queen Demon is a story of power and friendship, of trust and betrayal, and of the families we choose.

Dahin believes he has clues to the location of the Hierarchs' Well, and the Witch King Kai, along with his companions Ziede and Tahren, knowing there's something he isn't telling them, travel with him to the rebuilt university of Ancartre, which may be dangerously close to finding the Well itself.

Can Kai stop the rise of a new Hierarch?

And can he trust his companions to do what’s right?

Follow Kai to the end of the world in this thrilling sequel to the USA Today-bestselling Witch King.]]> 400 Martha Wells 1250826918 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, arc, netgalley 4.29 2025 Queen Demon (The Rising World, #2)
author: Martha Wells
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: to-read, arc, netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Emilie Adventures (Emilie #1-2)]]> 217388316
Together in one volume for the first time:

Emilie and the Hollow World
Running away from home, and stowing away on the wrong ship, Emilie embarks on a fantastic adventure.

Emilie learns that the crew hopes to use an experimental engine to journey to the interior of the planet, but when the ship becomes damaged on arrival, and evidence points to sabotage they encounter the treacherous Lord Ivers, along with a strange new race.

Can Emilie and her new-found friends possibly reach the surface world again?

Emilie and the Sky World
When Emilie arrives in Silk Harbor, Professor Abindon, an old colleague of her friend Lady Marlende, warns them of something strange and potentially deadly in the sky, a disruption in an upper air aether current. On further investigation they realize it’s a ship from another aetheric plane.

How to determine if it’s a friendly explorer, or something far more sinister� Nothing less than a journey into the dangerous air currents will do.

Join Emilie and she navigates the strange landscapes of the upper air, and the deadly menace that inhabits the Sky World.]]> 416 Martha Wells 1250873142 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 3 by Martha Wells
Emilie #1 & #2
YA Fantasy Steampunk
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: May 13, 2025
Tor
Ages: 14+

~Emilie and the Hollow World #1~

Because of her uncle, Emilie runs away, sneaking onto a ship that will take her to the town where her cousin runs a school, but she ends up on the wrong ship, one that is heading in to the planet on a rescue mission. But Lord Ivers wants all the credit, so he will do anything to strand them all.

~Emilie and the Sky World~

There is something strange in the sky, and it seems to be getting bigger. To make sure it isn't a threat, Emilie and the Marlendes must ride the dangerous air currents into the aetheric plane.


I couldn't help but compare these stories to 'Journey to the Center of the Earth', '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea', & 'The Mysterious Island'.

They are both cute and adventurous stories, with a touch of cozy, about a young girl who becomes a stronger version of herself as the first story progresses, and even though this is set in a time when it's extremely frowned upon, she stands up for herself.

The first book moved at a great pace but did have a few places get bogged down by telling instead of showing... 'They did this, then they did that.' A little more descriptions, feelings, etc., would have done more for the story. The second book didn't have as much telling, so it flowed at a much faster pace.

While there is violence, it's not too descriptive or graphic, and sure, there's a hint of romantic interest, but it does not take over the story. There is some language/verbal abuse, and younger readers may not understand the true meaning of the situation, but I think it's suitable for readers fourteen and older.

Because these books were originally released back in 2013 and 2014, I'm hoping that with the release of this omnibus, that there are a few more in the works.

Both get...

3 Stars ]]> 3.84 2025 The Emilie Adventures (Emilie #1-2)
author: Martha Wells
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: netgalley, 2025-books, 2025-netgalley
review:
The Emilie Adventures
by Martha Wells
Emilie #1 & #2
YA Fantasy Steampunk
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: May 13, 2025
Tor
Ages: 14+

~Emilie and the Hollow World #1~

Because of her uncle, Emilie runs away, sneaking onto a ship that will take her to the town where her cousin runs a school, but she ends up on the wrong ship, one that is heading in to the planet on a rescue mission. But Lord Ivers wants all the credit, so he will do anything to strand them all.

~Emilie and the Sky World~

There is something strange in the sky, and it seems to be getting bigger. To make sure it isn't a threat, Emilie and the Marlendes must ride the dangerous air currents into the aetheric plane.


I couldn't help but compare these stories to 'Journey to the Center of the Earth', '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea', & 'The Mysterious Island'.

They are both cute and adventurous stories, with a touch of cozy, about a young girl who becomes a stronger version of herself as the first story progresses, and even though this is set in a time when it's extremely frowned upon, she stands up for herself.

The first book moved at a great pace but did have a few places get bogged down by telling instead of showing... 'They did this, then they did that.' A little more descriptions, feelings, etc., would have done more for the story. The second book didn't have as much telling, so it flowed at a much faster pace.

While there is violence, it's not too descriptive or graphic, and sure, there's a hint of romantic interest, but it does not take over the story. There is some language/verbal abuse, and younger readers may not understand the true meaning of the situation, but I think it's suitable for readers fourteen and older.

Because these books were originally released back in 2013 and 2014, I'm hoping that with the release of this omnibus, that there are a few more in the works.

Both get...

3 Stars
]]> <![CDATA[The Tainted Khan (The Soulbound Saga, #2)]]> 216724298 The epic sequel to Taran Matharu’s instant Sunday Times bestseller, Dragon Rider, in which empires fall and dragons soarâ€�â€A dazzlingly epic and richly complex world of dragons, magic, and rebellionâ€� AmĂ©lie Wen Zhao on Dragon Rider

Jai dreams of being a dragon rider. He dreams of freedom from the Sabine Empire and a world in which he can lead his people, the Kidara, to freedom. But even though he has his dragon, Winter, she is still growing, just as he’s still growing in his own power. And the road to victory is even more fraught than he had hoped�

Because even when he finds a tribe on the Great Steppe, they are not his people. They are the outcasts, the Tainted, and he finds that he knows little of the political intricacies that take place in these vast grasslands. He is a stranger amongst his own kind, for Jai’s uncle rules, and is loath to cede power to his nephew.

But the legionaries and Gryphon Guard of the Sabine Empire are wreaking havoc against the other tribes of the Great Steppe, and Jai is forced to learn a lifetime’s worth of knowledge in a matter of months. From levelling up his magic, to becoming a true warrior, saving the woman he loves, and strengthening his bond with Winter, Jai is a dragon rider with a massive weight on his young shoulders. And his greatest hope is that the shoulders of Winter will soon be strong enough to help carry him.

READ THE EPIC FANTASY SERIES WITH SCORCHING FIVE-STAR READER REVIEWS 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

'Dragons with depth� Taran Matharu masterfully layers the history, politics and soulful magic of his world with page-turning ease, all the while delivering shocks, bloodshed and a splash of slow-burn spice' Cari Thomas, Sunday Times bestselling author of Threadneedle

'Eragon and Sapphira, Laurence and Temeraire, and now Jai and Winter. A brilliant beginning!' Michael R. Miller, bestselling author of the Songs of Chaos series

â€Bloody, glorious, and irresistibly compelling, Dragon Rider is a riveting epic that is at once sweepingly vast and heart-wrenchingly personalâ€� Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Bone Maker

â€Brutal politics, intricate worldbuilding, and edge-of-the-seat battlesâ€� Prashanth Srivatsa, author of The Spice Gate

â€A classic fantasy adventure that reminds me of the novels I loved growing up, but with a flair of cultivation from the novels I love nowâ€� Will Wight, New York Times bestselling author of the Cradle series

Taran Matharu's book 'Dragon Rider' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2024-04-22.]]> 592 Taran Matharu 0063227622 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 3 by Taran Matharu
The Soulbound Saga #2
Fantasy Epic
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: April 22, 2025
Avon and Harper Voyager
Ages: 16+

Jai and Winter are held by the Tainted, a tribe of outcasts, the reason forgotten, but under a banner of trade, he and his dragon are traded to the Kidara, his father's tribe, but his uncle rules, and will not give up the throne.

Knowing that the legionaries and Gryphon Guard of the Sabine Empire are once again coming into the Steppe, to try and claim the lands once again, and will kill any tribe who stands in their way, and capture and enslave the rest, Jai must do something to protect the Steppe and its people.

But if left up to Jai's uncle, the lands would be forfeit for gold and a life of luxury.


Book two of the series was a disappointment. Sure, there were some action scenes, but they were short and few. Most of the book was about Jai's trek... spoilers...

There were some interesting characters and situations, but the story itself was slow due to Jai's need to ascend and the need to breathe mana. It got repetitive, thus boring! Pages of a decent recap of the previous book were needed more! Yeah, the recap was majorly lacking. There was some sprinkling, but it was sporadic, leaving the reader lost until the end, and then the reader is reminded.

There is violence, gore, and death, which makes this book unsuitable for readers under sixteen. There was a minuscule amount of adult content, but it's somewhat tamer than a TV soap opera.

I did like the first book, but this one wasn't as good, leaving me to question if I really want to read the next in the series.

A low...

3 Stars]]> 4.14 2025 The Tainted Khan (The Soulbound Saga, #2)
author: Taran Matharu
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: arc, netgalley, 2025-books, 2025-netgalley
review:
The Tainted Khan
by Taran Matharu
The Soulbound Saga #2
Fantasy Epic
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: April 22, 2025
Avon and Harper Voyager
Ages: 16+

Jai and Winter are held by the Tainted, a tribe of outcasts, the reason forgotten, but under a banner of trade, he and his dragon are traded to the Kidara, his father's tribe, but his uncle rules, and will not give up the throne.

Knowing that the legionaries and Gryphon Guard of the Sabine Empire are once again coming into the Steppe, to try and claim the lands once again, and will kill any tribe who stands in their way, and capture and enslave the rest, Jai must do something to protect the Steppe and its people.

But if left up to Jai's uncle, the lands would be forfeit for gold and a life of luxury.


Book two of the series was a disappointment. Sure, there were some action scenes, but they were short and few. Most of the book was about Jai's trek... spoilers...

There were some interesting characters and situations, but the story itself was slow due to Jai's need to ascend and the need to breathe mana. It got repetitive, thus boring! Pages of a decent recap of the previous book were needed more! Yeah, the recap was majorly lacking. There was some sprinkling, but it was sporadic, leaving the reader lost until the end, and then the reader is reminded.

There is violence, gore, and death, which makes this book unsuitable for readers under sixteen. There was a minuscule amount of adult content, but it's somewhat tamer than a TV soap opera.

I did like the first book, but this one wasn't as good, leaving me to question if I really want to read the next in the series.

A low...

3 Stars
]]> <![CDATA[A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe, #1)]]> 52504334 Nebula, Locus, and Alex Award-winner P. Djèlí Clark returns to his popular alternate Cairo universe for his fantasy novel debut, A Master of Djinn

Cairo, 1912: Though Fatma el-Sha’arawi is the youngest woman working for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, she’s certainly not a rookie, especially after preventing the destruction of the universe last summer.

So when someone murders a secret brotherhood dedicated to one of the most famous men in history, al-Jahiz, Agent Fatma is called onto the case. Al-Jahiz transformed the world 50 years ago when he opened up the veil between the magical and mundane realms, before vanishing into the unknown. This murderer claims to be al-Jahiz, returned to condemn the modern age for its social oppressions. His dangerous magical abilities instigate unrest in the streets of Cairo that threaten to spill over onto the global stage.

Alongside her Ministry colleagues and her clever girlfriend Siti, Agent Fatma must unravel the mystery behind this imposter to restore peace to the city -or face the possibility he could be exactly who he seems…]]> 438 P. Djèlí Clark 1250267676 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 4.01 2021 A Master of Djinn (Dead Djinn Universe, #1)
author: P. Djèlí Clark
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: to-read, scribd-audio, audio, libby, library-ebook
review:

]]> Darker by Four 215819825
A vengeful girl. A hollow boy. A missing god.

Rui has one goal in mind—honing her magic to avenge her mother’s death.

Yiran is the black sheep of an illustrious family. The world would be at his feet—had he been born with magic.

Nikai is a Reaper, serving the Fourth King of Hell. When his master disappears, the underworld begins to crumble…and the human world will be next if the King is not found.

When an accident causes Rui’s power to transfer to Yiran, everything turns upside down. Without her magic, Rui has no tool for vengeance. With it, Yiran finally feels like he belongs. That is, until Rui discovers she might hold the key to the missing death god and strikes a dangerous bargain with another King.

As darkness takes over, three paths intersect in the shadows. And three lives bound by fate must rise against destiny before the barrier between worlds falls and all Hell breaks loose—literally.

Perfect for fans of This Savage Song and Only a Monster, Darker by Four will pull readers into a world of love and desperation and revenge—a world where every deal has a catch, no secret stays buried, and no one is exactly who they say they are.]]> 400 June C.L. Tan 0063283859 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 0.0 2024 Darker by Four
author: June C.L. Tan
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 0.0
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> When Devils Sing 214438358 This deluxe edition is printed with stenciled edges!

In this Southern gothic horror novel, four unlikely allies in a small town investigate a local teen's disappearance, and what they discover festering at the core of their community is far more sinister and ancient than they could’ve ever imagined. For fans of She is a Haunting, True Detective, Mexican Gothic, and Midsommar.

When Dawson Sumter goes missing, all he leaves behind is a smattering of blood in room 4 of the debt-ridden motel owned by Neera Singh's family. Disappearances like this aren't uncommon in the rural Georgia town of Carrion, especially every thirteen years when a periodical cicada brood returns from underground, shrieking their deafening screams.

For Neera, Dawson is another reminder that in this corner of the South, the rich only get richer, and the poor―well, nothing good comes their way.

Neera sets out to investigate Dawson’s whereabouts―if he even still lives―along with three other teens: Isaiah, son of a prominent judge and clandestine true crime podcaster; Reid, son of the wealthiest man in the region; and Sam, estranged daughter of the local hitman. As they find themselves entangled in a messy web of secrets and lies, they discover the riches of the adjacent Lake Clearwater community may have a terrifying source of power dating back to the town’s founding and an ancient urban legend about three devils, each more sinister than the next. How deep does the rot go, and can they find a way to escape its reach?]]> 400 Xan Kaur 1250357179 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 4.08 2025 When Devils Sing
author: Xan Kaur
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: to-read, arc, netgalley, up-next
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me (Dark Lord Davi, #2)]]> 217560607 The hilarious sequel to How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying by Django Wexler!

Dark Lord Davi rules the kingdom, but she must now break the time loop that binds her in this hilariously bloody conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology.

Davi has left the horde behind her, hoping to find a peaceful solution to keep the Kingdom from being destroyed this time. But her plan to guide the Kingdom to peaceful prosperity is thwarted when she finds her usual love interest, Prince Johann, already married and the bloodthirsty Duke Aster running the government. Johann's new husband is everything Davi is not, but he holds a key to the one mystery she can't solve - the origins of the time loop that has entrapped her.

With restless armies at her doorstep, Duke Aster reaching for power, and an ancient magician hounding her every turn, Davi must scheme her way to peace and uncover the truth behind her curse if she is to break the spell that binds her once and for all.

Praise for How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying

'A darkly comic delight of a novel' Anthony Ryan

'Twisty, pacey and full of reverent irreverence for fantasy. I can't get enough' Max Gladstone

'A brash swords-and-satire romp that draws you into its rollicking adventure even as it pokes fun at the whole genre. Gamers in particular will appreciate the irreverent upending of classic roleplaying tropes' James L. Sutter

Takes the old saying 'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em,' to the next level. A sarcastic, action-packed, intrigue-filled (mis)adventure. One of the funniest books I've read in a long time' Matt Dinniman

'Lord of the Rings crossed with Groundhog Day, narrated by a gender-flipped Deadpool' Mike Brooks]]> 377 Django Wexler 0356519007 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 4.03 2025 Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me (Dark Lord Davi, #2)
author: Django Wexler
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: to-read, arc, netgalley, up-next
review:

]]> <![CDATA[How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse (The Thorne Chronicles, #1)]]> 45154546
Princess Rory Thorne must use the fairy blessings gifted to her at birth to change the multiverse—or possibly destroy it.

Rory Thorne is a princess with 13 fairy blessings, the most important of which is to see through flattery and platitudes. As the eldest daughter, she always imagined she’d inherit her father’s throne and govern the interplanetary Thorne Consortium.

Then her father is assassinated, her mother gives birth to a son, and Rory is betrothed to the prince of a distant world.

When Rory arrives in her new home, she uncovers a treacherous plot to unseat her newly betrothed and usurp his throne. An unscrupulous minister has conspired to name himself Regent to the minor (and somewhat foolish) prince. With only her wits and a small team of allies, Rory must outmaneuver the Regent and rescue the prince.

How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse is a feminist reimagining of familiar fairy tale tropes and a story of resistance and self-determination—how small acts of rebellion can lead a princess to not just save herself, but change the course of history.]]> 416 K. Eason 0756415306 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 3.83 2019 How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse (The Thorne Chronicles, #1)
author: K. Eason
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/19
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Blackwood Institute: The Complete Trilogy]]> 112974346
This box set will include:

All three Blackwood Institute books —Twisted Heathens, Sacrificial Sinners, and Desecrated Saints � along with several brand new bonus scenes, and an exclusive, unseen extended epilogue set after book three.]]> 812 J. Rose 1915987016 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle, omnibus 4.29 Blackwood Institute: The Complete Trilogy
author: J. Rose
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.29
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/19
shelves: to-read, kindle, omnibus
review:

]]> Hollow 222850696 "Brilliant new vampire lore.... Spine-tingling!"
—L.J. Smith, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Vampire Diaries

Preorder now to get a deluxe limited edition of Hollow! This special-edition hardcover will include beautifully designed endpapers and sprayed edges, a gorgeous foiled cover, and a brand-new author’s note.

From TikTok sensation Celina Myers comes a fresh, intriguing novel about a woman who finds her destiny and her family after being turned into a vampire.

Mia Adair isn’t even twenty-five yet, but she’s starting to wonder if her peak has already passed. She’s spent years working at her local bookstore, a job that was supposed to be temporary. As a kid, she experienced a strange sort of fame within the paranormal community thanks to her inclusion in a book that revealed Mia’s ability to talk with the dead. But that was then, and Mia’s “gift� dried up once adolescence set in. These days, she feels like she’s nobody special.

Until she dies in a tragic car crash and reawakens as a vampire�

Forced to leave behind everything she knew, Mia must choose to live with one of two rival vampire families. The Bellamy and Sutton clans share a dark, complicated history that spans centuries. As Mia learns about their age-old traditions and extraordinary powers, along with their forbidden romances and betrayals, she’s drawn toward two very different loves. And as she feels her gift returning, more potent than ever before, Mia realizes she’ll need it to protect innocent lives—and save the only family she has left.]]> 304 Celina Myers 0778387852 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.45 Hollow
author: Celina Myers
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.45
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/18
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ashfire King (The Sandsea Trilogy, #2)]]> 60910208
Neither here nor there, but long ago� After fleeing a patricidal prince, legendary merchant Loulie al-Nazari and banished prince Mazen bin Malik find themselves in the realm of jinn. But instead of sanctuary, they find a world on the cusp of collapse.

The jinn cities, long sheltered beneath the Sandsea by the magic of its kings, are sinking. Amid the turmoil, political alliances are forming, and rebellion is on the rise. When Loulie assists a dissenter—one of her bodyguard’s old comrades—she puts herself in the center of a centuries-old war.

Trapped in a world that isn’t her own and wielding magic that belongs to a fallen king, Loulie must decide: Will she carry on someone else’s legacy or carve out her own?]]> 544 Chelsea Abdullah Billie's Not So Secret Diary 3 by Chelsea Abdullah
The Sandsea Trilogy #2
Fantasy YA
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: April 15, 2025
Orbit Books
Ages: 14+

Escaping into the jinn cities, Loulie and Mazen thought they would be safe, only to find the jinn's world hidden under the Sandsea is sinking, the sky cracking.

Aisha and Qadir stayed behind, and Loulie doesn't know if her best friend is alive or if their betrayer finished what they set out to do.


This is the second book of the Sandsea trilogy, and I waited three years to read this, and was very disappointed in the recap. Sure, there was the blurb in the beginning, but it still didn't cover the important stuff! I remembered only a little of what happened in the first book, which I read in 2022, and even after finishing this one, I don't remember what the betrayer did, or some of the other things that happened, or the details of the world. It was as if the author expected me to reread the first book.... I don't do that unless the book was a five-star bomb, and that first book was far from that.

Even the jinn world was not described in much detail, and most irritating was the lack of differentiation between the Jinn and the Ifrit. That is a very important detail to skip.

Anyways.... I did almost DNF this one! The writing started off childish, as if the target audience was under ten. This book isn't suitable for readers under 14. There's just a little too much violence/torture. The characters were supposed to be adults, and the jinns hundreds of years old, but they all seemed to think/act like ten-year-olds, but thankfully, the writing did mature and the story finally became interesting and readable and by the ending, I was enjoying the story.

I do want to read the next book in the series, but I wonder if it is going to be another three-year wait, then a poor recap, and immature writing.

A very low...

3 Stars]]> 4.20 2025 The Ashfire King (The Sandsea Trilogy, #2)
author: Chelsea Abdullah
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/13
date added: 2025/04/17
shelves: arc, netgalley, 2025-books, 2025-netgalley
review:
The Ashfire King
by Chelsea Abdullah
The Sandsea Trilogy #2
Fantasy YA
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: April 15, 2025
Orbit Books
Ages: 14+

Escaping into the jinn cities, Loulie and Mazen thought they would be safe, only to find the jinn's world hidden under the Sandsea is sinking, the sky cracking.

Aisha and Qadir stayed behind, and Loulie doesn't know if her best friend is alive or if their betrayer finished what they set out to do.


This is the second book of the Sandsea trilogy, and I waited three years to read this, and was very disappointed in the recap. Sure, there was the blurb in the beginning, but it still didn't cover the important stuff! I remembered only a little of what happened in the first book, which I read in 2022, and even after finishing this one, I don't remember what the betrayer did, or some of the other things that happened, or the details of the world. It was as if the author expected me to reread the first book.... I don't do that unless the book was a five-star bomb, and that first book was far from that.

Even the jinn world was not described in much detail, and most irritating was the lack of differentiation between the Jinn and the Ifrit. That is a very important detail to skip.

Anyways.... I did almost DNF this one! The writing started off childish, as if the target audience was under ten. This book isn't suitable for readers under 14. There's just a little too much violence/torture. The characters were supposed to be adults, and the jinns hundreds of years old, but they all seemed to think/act like ten-year-olds, but thankfully, the writing did mature and the story finally became interesting and readable and by the ending, I was enjoying the story.

I do want to read the next book in the series, but I wonder if it is going to be another three-year wait, then a poor recap, and immature writing.

A very low...

3 Stars
]]> <![CDATA[The Blood Phoenix (Fall of the Dragon, #2)]]> 219301742 The sequel to Of Jade and Dragons, aĚýthrilling and epic silkpunk fantasy inspired by the legendary Qing dynasty. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Lim and Xiran Jay Zhao.

Two years after Ying leaves the Engineer’s Guild and the ghost of her father’s unjust death behind, life seems to regain a semblance of normalcy. But the winds of unrest continue to stir within the Nine Isles, and the aftermath of a horrific pirate attack by the mysterious Blood Phoenix fleet forces Ying back into the tense political world of the new High Commander, Ye-yang. And soon, Ying, Ye-yang and her former friends from the guild must work together to find a way to outsmart the cunning pirates who terrorise the straits—and the elusive mastermind who’s controlling them.ĚýĚý

Meanwhile, Ying’s sister, Nian, now lives in the capital, awaiting the day she will finally marry the High Commander. While her relationship with Ye-yang remains distant, she finds company in her friendship with the fourteenth prince, Ye-kan, and discovers her unexpected affinity for governance and strategy. But the capital is more dangerous than she expects, and when a dark conspiracy arises, Nian and Ye-kan must unravel the mystery in time to prevent the High Command from collapsing from within.Ěý

New dangers arise at every moment, threatening to tear the Nine Isles apart. In order to sail through this storm, Ying and her loved ones must make difficult choices amidst terrible betrayals. With the world on the brink of destruction, will they find a way to defeat their enemies and survive? And will it be worth the cost?]]> 464 Amber Chen 0593622782 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 3.67 2025 The Blood Phoenix (Fall of the Dragon, #2)
author: Amber Chen
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/17
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Silvercloak (Silvercloak Saga, #1)]]> 219520708 In this addictive new fantasy series set in a world where magic is fueled by pleasure and pain, an obsessive detective infiltrates a brutal gang of dark mages—knowing that one wrong move will get her killed. . . .

Two decades ago, the Bloodmoons ruthlessly murdered Saffron Killoran’s parents, destroying her idyllic childhood. Hell-bent on revenge, she lies her way into Silvercloak Academy—the training ground for her city’s elite order of detectives—with a single goal: to bring the Bloodmoons to justice.

But when Saff’s deception is exposed, rather than being cast out, she’s given a rare opportunity: to go undercover and tear the Bloodmoons down from the inside.

Descending into a world where pleasure and pain are the most powerful currencies, Saff must commit some truly heinous deeds to keep her cover—and her life. Not only are there rival gangs and sinister smuggling rings to contend with, but there’s also her growing feelings for the kingpin’s tortured son, with his vicious pet fallowwolf, his dark past, and the curious prophecy foretelling his death at Saffron’s hand.

With each day testing her loyalties further, Saff finds her web of lies becoming harder to spin. And when one false step could destroy everything and everyone she’s ever loved . . . the detective who’s dedicated her life to vengeance just might die for it.

Book One of the Silvercloak Saga]]> 464 Laura/L.K. Steven 0593973992 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.03 2025 Silvercloak (Silvercloak Saga, #1)
author: Laura/L.K. Steven
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/15
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The House at Watch Hill (The Watch Hill Trilogy, #1)]]> 199531757
Zo Grey is reeling from the sudden death of her mother when she receives a surprising call from an attorney in Divinity, Louisiana, with the news she has been left an inheritance by a distant relative, the terms of which he will only discuss in person. Destitute and alone, with nothing left to lose, Zo heads to Divinity and discovers she is the sole beneficiary of a huge fortune and a monstrosity of a house that sits ominously at the peak of Watch Hill—but she must live in it, alone, for three years before the house, or the money, is hers.

Met with this irresistible opportunity to finally build a future for herself, Zo puts aside her misgivings about the foreboding Gothic mansion and the strange circumstances, and moves in, where she is quickly met by a red-eyed Stygian owl and an impossibly sexy Scottish groundskeeper.

Her new home is full of countless secrets and mystifying riddles, with doors that go nowhere, others that are impossible to open, and a turret into which there is no visible means of ingress. And the townspeople are odd�

What Zo doesn’t yet know is that her own roots lie in this very house and that in order to discover her true identity and awaken her dormant powers, she will have to face off against sinister forces she doesn’t quite comprehend—or risk being consumed by them.]]> 384 Karen Marie Moning 0063249219 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 3.72 2024 The House at Watch Hill (The Watch Hill Trilogy, #1)
author: Karen Marie Moning
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Perdido Street Station (New Crobuzon, #1)]]> 68494 710 China Miéville 0345459407 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, interested 3.98 2000 Perdido Street Station (New Crobuzon, #1)
author: China Miéville
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2000
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read, interested
review:

]]> Our Vicious Oaths 224057573 Enter a new world of romantic fantasy from award-winning author N.E. Davenport—a journey of powerful magic, enemies-to-lovers, and political intrigue—as a warrior-princess and a vengeful king from rival fae courts form a fierce alliance to take down a merciless despot.

Princess of the Aether Dominion, Kadeesha wants nothing to do with fae politics. She is a warrior, first and foremost, and believes her greatest strength is leading her squadron of elite winged serpent flyers to protect her homeland. But bound since infancy to be betrothed to the Hyperion High King, ruler of all Dominions, she has no choice but to do what men have chosen for her.

Repulsed by the idea, she decides to spend one last night of freedom—in the arms of a dangerous stranger who takes her to sexual heights she’s never experienced before…but who is only using Kadeesha to set a trap for the High King.

For the High King and the kings of his six Dominions were responsible for the decimation of the Apollyon Court, and its new king, Malachi, wants his pounds of flesh.

On Kadeesha’s wedding day, Malachi and his special forces attack. Her father is killed, and Malachi wounds the High King, ultimately taking Kadeesha as hostage back to his land.

But she is no true hostage. The two form a pact: she will help lure the High King so Malachi can kill him once and for all, and he in turn will not harm Kadeesha or the Aether people. And as much as Kadeesha hates politics, she is now the Queen of her folk. Fae bonds are unbreakable…and so, perhaps, is the attraction Kadeesha and Malachi feel for each other. For even as they must publicly display their connection to provoke the High King’s jealousy, they struggle to resist the powerful allure between them in order to achieve their ultimate goals.]]> 528 N.E. Davenport 0063397781 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.56 2025 Our Vicious Oaths
author: N.E. Davenport
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> Never the Roses 217388077 UNSTOPPABLE WAR. UNSPEAKABLE SINS. IMPOSSIBLE LOVE.

Genevieve Gornichec’s The Witch’s Heart meets Madeline Miller’s Circe in this epic and deeply emotional romantic fantasy debut by Jennifer K. Lambert. The hardcover edition features beautiful stenciled edges.

The Dread Sorceress Oneira has retired. She’s exhausted from fighting the endless wars of kings and queens, and has long accepted that her death is near. Alone at last but for a few uninvited companions―a near-mythical wolf, a goddess’s avatar, and a feline that embodies magic itself―Oneira realizes that she’s bored. On a whim, or perhaps at the behest of fate, she makes an unlikely trip to the most extensive library in existence: the home of her most powerful rival, the sorcerer Stearanos.

By recklessly stealing a book from him, Oneira inadvertently initiates a forbidden correspondence. Taunting notes and clever retorts reveal a connection neither has found―nor could ever find―in any other.

But Oneira soon learns that Stearanos, bound to a vile king, is tasked with waging war on the queen she once served. A relationship with him is far too dangerous to pursue despite their mutual desire―and yet, Oneira can’t seem to stay away.

A bond with Stearanos could alight the long-extinct flame of life within her� or it could destroy her entirely.]]> 368 Jennifer K. Lambert 125036034X Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.00 2025 Never the Roses
author: Jennifer K. Lambert
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> The Enchanted Greenhouse 217388100
Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.]]> 384 Sarah Beth Durst 1250333989 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.46 2025 The Enchanted Greenhouse
author: Sarah Beth Durst
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore]]> 228142770 A powerful plant witch and a grumpy alchemist must work together to save their quiet town from a magical plague in this debut cozy fantasy romance about starting over, redemption, and what it really means to be a good person.

Guy Shadowfade is dead, and after a lifetime as the dark sorcerer’s right-hand, Violet Thistlewaite is determined to start over—not as the fearsome Thornwitch, but as someone kind. Someone better. Someone good.

The quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, Violet decides, will be her second chance—she’ll set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (mildly homicidal) houseplant in check, and prune dark magic from the twisted boughs of her life.

Violet’s vibrant bouquets and cheerful enchantments soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, though nothing seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. With a struggling business and his own second chance seemingly out of reach, Nathaniel has no time for flowers or frippery—and certainly none for the intriguing witch next door.

When a mysterious blight threatens every living plant in Dragon’s Rest, Violet and Nathaniel must work together through their fears, pasts, and growing feelings for one another to save their community. But with a figure from her past knocking at her door and her secrets threatening to uproot everything she’s worked so hard to grow, Violet can’t help but wonder…does a former villain truly deserve a happily-ever-after?]]> 368 Emily Krempholtz 0593954300 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 4.27 2025 Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore
author: Emily Krempholtz
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read, interested, saw-it-on-netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Ruinous Fate (A Ruinous Fate #1)]]> 61030595 Fate does not choose the weak. Fate chooses the ready.

Calliope Rosewood is a witch with a long streak of bad luck. Like all witches in Illustros, her fate is directly tied to Witch’s Dice—powerful artifacts that have blessed her kind with limitless magic but also set them on a path toward destruction. Cursed with unspeakable powers that terrify even the most dangerous witches and fae, Calla deserted her coven four years ago and has been in hiding with her two best friends since. But Calla is also hiding a grave secret: She is only three Rolls away from becoming the last Blood Warrior and starting the Final War that will decimate her people and eradicate their magic.

After a betrayal from her ex leads her one step closer to fulfilling that age-old prophecy, Calla is desperate to do whatever it takes to reset her fate . . . even if that means journeying into the deadly Neverending Forest with said ex and his enticing, yet enigmatic older brother to find the one being who can help her forge her own path. As Calla ventures farther into the enchanted woods, she finds her heart torn between her past desires and the alluring new possibilities of her future and learns that choosing your own destiny may come with deadly consequences.

Featuring a charming and chaotic ensemble cast of characters, this first book in a planned series by debut author Kaylie Smith will sweep readers away with its utterly immersive world building, swoon-worthy romance, and action-packed storytelling.]]> 432 Kaylie Smith 1368081592 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 3.61 2023 A Ruinous Fate (A Ruinous Fate #1)
author: Kaylie Smith
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/11
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Prisoner’s Throne (The Stolen Heir Duology, #2)]]> 61250159 An imprisoned prince. A vengeful queen. And a battle that will determine the future of Elfhame.
Ěý
Prince Oak is paying for his betrayal. Imprisoned in the icy north and bound to the will of a monstrous new queen, he must rely on charm and calculation to survive. With High King Cardan and High Queen Jude willing to use any means necessary to retrieve their stolen heir, Oak will have to decide whether to attempt regaining the trust of the girl he’s always loved or to remain loyal to Elfhame and hand over the means to end her reign—even if it means ending Wren, too.
�
Ěý
With a new war looming on the horizon and treachery lurking in every corner, neither Oak’s guile nor his wit will be enough to keep everyone he loves alive. It’s just a question of whom he will doom.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black comes the stunning blood-soaked conclusion to the Stolen Heir duology.
Ěý]]> 359 Holly Black 0316592730 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 3.88 2024 The Prisoner’s Throne (The Stolen Heir Duology, #2)
author: Holly Black
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/11
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Odin's Child (The Raven Rings, #1)]]> 54303436 An epic fantasy trilogy from Norway about thousand-year-old secrets, forbidden romance, and what happens to those who make a deal with the devil comes at lastĚýto the United States!

15-year-old Hirka has always been an outsider in the world of Ym: she’s the only person without a tail, and the only one unable to access the Might, a current of power that runs through the earth.

Her differences become more and more of a concern as the date approaches for the Rite—the ceremony where everyone is to be blessed by the all-knowing Seer and the Council of powerful families who rule in His name. With only a few weeks until the Rite, Hirka discovers the shocking secret behind why she is tailless and Mightless: she is not from this world. As an infant, she was brought through an ancient stone circle known as a Raven Ring, and as long as she’s in Ym, the passageway between worlds remains open inviting terrifying creatures called the blind to follow.

No one can know the truth of Hirka’s identity, especially
not Rime, her childhood friend who just might become something more. But is Rime is hiding secrets of his own?

The first in a trilogy, Odin's Child is a thrilling modern fantasy epic. Ěý]]> 604 Siri Pettersen 1646900006 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 4.04 2013 Odin's Child (The Raven Rings, #1)
author: Siri Pettersen
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/11
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Hunger of Thorns (A Hunger of Thorns, #1)]]> 58663535
These days, magic is toothless, reduced to glamour patches and psychic energy drinks found in supermarkets and shopping malls. Odette has always hungered for forbidden, dangerous magic, and two weeks ago she went searching for it. Now she’s missing, and everyone says she’s dead. Everyone except Maude.

Storytelling has always been Maude’s gift, so she knows all about girls who get lost in the woods. She’s sure she can find Odette inside the ruins of Sicklehurst, an abandoned power plant built over an ancient magical forest—a place nobody else seems to remember is there. The danger is, no one knows what remains inside Sicklehurst, either. And every good story is sure to have a monster.]]> 432 Lili Wilkinson 0593562682 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 3.47 2023 A Hunger of Thorns (A Hunger of Thorns, #1)
author: Lili Wilkinson
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/11
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> The Executioners Three 217387866 From New York Times bestselling author Susan Dennard comes The Executioners Three, a mystery filled with rivalry, romance, best friends, and a gruesome curse that dates back centuries.

Freddie Gellar didn't mean to get half the rival high school arrested. She’d simply heard shrieks coming from the woods, so she’d called the cops like any good human would do. How was she supposed to know it was just kids partying?

Except the next day, a body is found. And while the local sheriff might call it suicide, Freddie's instincts tell her otherwise. So, like the aspiring sleuth (and true X-Files aficionado) she is, Freddie sets out to prove there's a murderer at large.]]> 304 Susan Dennard 1250334667 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 4.49 2025 The Executioners Three
author: Susan Dennard
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/10
shelves: to-read, giveaways, saw-it-on-netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Shadow Bride (The Scarlet Veil, #2)]]> 199635112 In the thrilling conclusion of the duology set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Serpent & Dove series by Shelby Mahurin, a vampire and the woman who tried to kill him prove that true love can conquer anything, even Death. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Mass.

Célie’s life is over. She took her final breath trying to save the people she loves—including the powerful and enigmatic vampire king, Michal, who refused to let her go. When Célie wakes, she cannot walk in the sun; she can hear her friends� heartbeats and she craves their blood. Michal has cursed her to the eternal existence of a vampire.

But Célie isn’t the only dead roaming the earth. Her sister, Filippa, has returned as a shadow of her former self, and other revenants are rising from their graves intent on revenge. The fragile balance between life and death has broken, awakening an even darker force—and he is coming for Célie, ready to claim her as his Bride. With the fate of their world at stake, Célie and Michal must set aside their searing attraction to mend the veil and right the balance, once and for all.]]> 624 Shelby Mahurin 0063258803 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 3 by Shelby Mahurin
The Scarlet Veil #2
Fantasy Paranormal
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Mar 25, 2025
Harper Collins
Ages: 18+

Celie died saving the people she loved, but she wakes as a vampire thanks to Michal. While she didn't want to die, she also didn't want to exist craving the blood of the people she willingly sacrificed her life to save.

But Celie's sister, Filippa, isn't a vampire, but she is dead and walking beside Death himself, as are revenants, people risen from the grave to seek revenge.

The veil between the living and the dead has split. Death is coming for Celie to claim her as his Bride to bring down the veil completely.


As this is book two, and the last book, of The Scarlet Veil series (and technically book four of the Serpent & Dove series) I don't want to say too much because... spoilers... And yes, one needs to read the Serpent & Dove series first.

It is a good ending to this part of the story, has action and some suspense. There was some dragging in the beginning as Celie began her 'life' as a vampire, the ups and downs, along with a few other places, but the story didn't get bogged down and boring.

I feel that the romance between Celie and Michal was too drawn out, and this book didn't need the adult scene so now it is not suitable for the YA audience it supposedly is aimed at. Because of this scene(s), it's only suitable for readers over eighteen. A little less detail, and it would have been fine.

Overall, I liked the story and the characters, except Filippa; while I got her excuses, she was a little naive for the 'older' sister.

If it wasn't for the adult content in a book aimed at YA, this would have got one more star.

3 Stars ]]> 4.13 2025 The Shadow Bride (The Scarlet Veil, #2)
author: Shelby Mahurin
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/06
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: arc, netgalley, 2025-books, 2025-netgalley
review:
The Shadow Bride
by Shelby Mahurin
The Scarlet Veil #2
Fantasy Paranormal
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Mar 25, 2025
Harper Collins
Ages: 18+

Celie died saving the people she loved, but she wakes as a vampire thanks to Michal. While she didn't want to die, she also didn't want to exist craving the blood of the people she willingly sacrificed her life to save.

But Celie's sister, Filippa, isn't a vampire, but she is dead and walking beside Death himself, as are revenants, people risen from the grave to seek revenge.

The veil between the living and the dead has split. Death is coming for Celie to claim her as his Bride to bring down the veil completely.


As this is book two, and the last book, of The Scarlet Veil series (and technically book four of the Serpent & Dove series) I don't want to say too much because... spoilers... And yes, one needs to read the Serpent & Dove series first.

It is a good ending to this part of the story, has action and some suspense. There was some dragging in the beginning as Celie began her 'life' as a vampire, the ups and downs, along with a few other places, but the story didn't get bogged down and boring.

I feel that the romance between Celie and Michal was too drawn out, and this book didn't need the adult scene so now it is not suitable for the YA audience it supposedly is aimed at. Because of this scene(s), it's only suitable for readers over eighteen. A little less detail, and it would have been fine.

Overall, I liked the story and the characters, except Filippa; while I got her excuses, she was a little naive for the 'older' sister.

If it wasn't for the adult content in a book aimed at YA, this would have got one more star.

3 Stars
]]> Soul of Shadow 217387643 A thrilling Norse mythology inspired contemporary romantasy sure to excite fans of The Vampire Diaries and Atlas Six.

Charlie Hudson just wants to get through junior year. Since the death of her twin sister two years earlier, she’s drifted through life, going through the motions at school and parties and even at home. The spark that once burned so brightly within her has all but flickered out.

Until her classmate goes missing in the forest, leaving nothing behind but a pair of shoes and strange symbols carved into a tree.

Drawn to the disappearances by forces she can’t explain, she finds herself investigating the mysterious, alluring newcomer in town, Elias Everhart. With piercing eyes and sharp wit, he dances around her questions, only intriguing her further. Elias has a secret. More than one.

But what Charlie doesn’t know is that those secrets will lead her to a place she never a world hiding in plain sight, made of magic, gods, and monsters - and a first love fated to fall apart.

In Emma Noyes's Soul of Shadow, truths and temptations lurk in the darkness, and for Charlie, the only thing more dangerous than facing her past, is the boy with the power to change her future.]]> 352 Emma Noyes 1250342961 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 arc, to-read, netgalley 4.16 2025 Soul of Shadow
author: Emma Noyes
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/09
shelves: arc, to-read, netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[City of Lies (Poison Wars, #1)]]> 36225135 WINNER of the Ditmar Awards for Best Novel and Best New Talent, the Norma K Hemming Award, and the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel!

Poison. Treachery. Ancient spirits. Sieges. The Poison Wars begin now, with City of Lies, a fabulous epic fantasy debut by Sam Hawke

I was seven years old the first time my uncle poisoned me...

Outwardly, Jovan is the lifelong friend of the Chancellor’s charming, irresponsible Heir. Quiet. Forgettable. In secret, he's a master of poisons and chemicals, trained to protect the Chancellor’s family from treachery. When the Chancellor succumbs to an unknown poison and an army lays siege to the city, Jovan and his sister Kalina must protect the Heir and save their city-state.

But treachery lurks in every corner, and the ancient spirits of the land are rising...and angry.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.]]> 503 Sam Hawke 0765396912 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 3.72 2018 City of Lies (Poison Wars, #1)
author: Sam Hawke
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Society of Unknowable Objects]]> 221452815 From the author of the internationally bestsellingĚýThe Book of Doors, another fantastical, stand-alone novel in which a trio of seemingly everyday people are members of a secret society tasked with finding and protecting hidden magical objects—ordinary items with extraordinary properties.Ěý

The world of unknowable objects—magical items that most people have no idea possess powers—has been quiet for decades, but the three current members of a secret society have remained watchful, meeting every six months in the basement of a bookshop in London. They are pledged to protect their archive of magical items hidden away, safe from the outside world—and the world safe from them.ĚýBut when Frank Simpson, the longest-standing member of the Society of Unknowable Objects, hears of a new artifact coming to light in Hong Kong, he sends Magda Sparks—author by day and newest member—to investigate.

Within hours of arriving in Hong Kong, Magda is facing death and danger, confronted by a professional killer who seems to know all about unknowable objects, specifically one that was stolen from him a decade before. Magda is forced to flee, using an artifact that not even the rest of the Society knows about.

Returning to London, Magda learns hers is not the only secret being kept from the other two members. And that the most pernicious secret is about the nature of the Society’s mission.ĚýHer discoveries will lead her on a perilous journey, across the Atlantic to the deep south of the United States, now in pursuit of not an unknowable object, but an unknowable the professional killer she first faced in Hong Kong. In doing so, Magda begins to understand that there are even more in the world who are chasing these magical items, and that her own family’s legacy is tied up in keeping all these secrets under wraps.

Magic has always been too powerful to reveal to the world. But Magda will learn there might be something even more

The truth.]]> 352 Gareth Brown 0063324032 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.30 2025 The Society of Unknowable Objects
author: Gareth Brown
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> Roar of the Lambs 220908963 If you knew the world was ending, who would you save? And would they let you?

Sixteen-year-old Winnie Bray is a liar. As the resident psychic at an oddities shop, Winnie truly can see the future. But her customers only want reassurance, and Winnie only wants their money. Favorable fortunes are a fast track to funding her way out of Buffalo, New York for good, after all.

But all of that changes when a vision sends her stalking in the remains her family home that burned down in a fire 10 years ago. Among the ash and rubble, Winnie finds a box made of bone, untouched by flames and�whispering. At the touch of her finger, the box shows her a vision of death, chaos, and apocalypse, with her and rich kids Apollo and Cyrus Rathbun at the center.

Apollo knows their cousin is up to no good, and with the Rathbun family scattered to the wind, they know Cyrus is aiming to present himself as the new patriarch. Despite an initial attraction, Apollo is reluctant to believe Winnie. But soon it becomes clear that their family histories are intertwined, with the whispering, hungry box at the very center, and more than their lives are on the line. Together, they must discover the origins of the box and stop unforeseen forces from fulfilling the apocalyptic prophecy, or die trying.

From the author of I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me comes a speculative thriller about the ties that bind us to places and people, perfect for fans of Andrew Joseph White and Tochi Onyebuchi.]]> 416 Jamison Shea 1250381738 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 3.50 Roar of the Lambs
author: Jamison Shea
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> Midnight on the Celestial 231003006
But when she fails her realm’s trial to keep her magic and is deemed too dangerous for society, she faces a harrowing choice: give up her gift or serve a punishment sentence aboard the Celestial, a luxurious magical cruise ship where staff members compete for guest votes to earn a coveted retrial.

As a concierge, Roe juggles the demands of affluent guests, cruel bosses, and the suspicion that an infuriatingly handsome silks performer, Ivander, is determined to keep her from a retrial.

But the true dangers surface after her shift ends when the Celestial transforms into halls of nightmares that kill staff members after dark. Faced with the reality of serving aboard, Roe begins to question the ship, trials, and the system that put her there. But the moment Roe sinks into the ship's dark history, she's wrongly framed for a guest's murder. Vowing to conjure her own second chance, Roe will use whatever power she has to uncover the secrets of the ship, her family, and their entwined bloody past... before she becomes the Celestial’s next victim.]]> 320 Julia Alexandra 1250380103 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.54 Midnight on the Celestial
author: Julia Alexandra
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.54
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/07
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The God and the Gumiho (Fate's Thread, #1)]]> 198563688 416 Sophie Kim 0593599667 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 4.05 2024 The God and the Gumiho (Fate's Thread, #1)
author: Sophie Kim
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> Forged for Destiny 217218382 Raul has a claim his birthright as the last surviving heir of KingĚýBalbainusĚýand lead his conquered people to freedom.Ěý

The signs are all there—his birthmark, in the shape ofĚýBalbainusâ€� halfmoon and dagger sigil, the gemstone-hilted sword he found in his parentsâ€� inn, and the sudden influx of illegal books featuring the late king’s lineage.ĚýNevermindĚýthat his ma is a hidden scribe writing a play aboutĚýBalbainusâ€� return, or that his da, a hardened warrior, has been training him to fight since he could stand. Or the fact that his sword doesn’t seem very old at all, he feels much more comfortable reading than fighting, and his birthmark is looking more and more like a burn scarâ€�

As Raul leaves his simple village life to start a rebellion against the tyrannicalĚýDunholmi government, he begins to wonder if his destiny is more someone else’s plan for a future he doesn’t want to be a part of. He’ll go along with things, for now, if only to prove that change can come from kindness instead of outright destruction.Ěý

After all, destiny is what you make of it.Ěý]]> 448 Andrew Knighton 0316581755 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 1 by Andrew Knighton
Medieval Fantasy
NetGalley eARC (Invite)
Pub Date: Apr. 15, 2025
Orbit Books
Ages: 16+

Raul's birthmark is exactly what the prophecy describes, thus marking the young man as the last surviving heir of King Balbainus and it is said that the heir will lead his people to freedom by defeating the Dunholmi government that had conquered the people eighteen years ago.

Under the care of his adopted parents: an older warrior, and a seer, Raul has been trained to fight and to see signs in the world around him. But Raul doesn't want to be a fighter because his heart is soft. He is caring, but he is willing to play along until he can find a peaceful way.


Yeah, I can't say much about this book because at around twenty-five percent I so wanted to DNF. Even though the first chapter had action and suspense, I got bored and started to skim. Nothing was going on except rambling pointless dialogue, narrations that went around and around like a textbook, and Raul's daily life and those around him, who were all flat, as was the world.

Kicking myself for not tossing this book when I first wanted to, I skimmed even faster because I was so far into it and hoped in those last chapters I would find out why so many people rated this three or more stars... And even after finishing, I still have no idea why.

Nothing grabbed my attention until the end... spoiler.... then the story left off as a minor cliffhanger...

As for the twist... 'eye roll'...

There is violence, a little gory, so this isn't suitable for readers under sixteen.

As for a next possible book, I won't be reading it!

1 Star]]> 3.33 2025 Forged for Destiny
author: Andrew Knighton
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2025
rating: 1
read at: 2025/04/03
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: arc, netgalley, 2025-books, 2025-netgalley
review:
Forged for Destiny
by Andrew Knighton
Medieval Fantasy
NetGalley eARC (Invite)
Pub Date: Apr. 15, 2025
Orbit Books
Ages: 16+

Raul's birthmark is exactly what the prophecy describes, thus marking the young man as the last surviving heir of King Balbainus and it is said that the heir will lead his people to freedom by defeating the Dunholmi government that had conquered the people eighteen years ago.

Under the care of his adopted parents: an older warrior, and a seer, Raul has been trained to fight and to see signs in the world around him. But Raul doesn't want to be a fighter because his heart is soft. He is caring, but he is willing to play along until he can find a peaceful way.


Yeah, I can't say much about this book because at around twenty-five percent I so wanted to DNF. Even though the first chapter had action and suspense, I got bored and started to skim. Nothing was going on except rambling pointless dialogue, narrations that went around and around like a textbook, and Raul's daily life and those around him, who were all flat, as was the world.

Kicking myself for not tossing this book when I first wanted to, I skimmed even faster because I was so far into it and hoped in those last chapters I would find out why so many people rated this three or more stars... And even after finishing, I still have no idea why.

Nothing grabbed my attention until the end... spoiler.... then the story left off as a minor cliffhanger...

As for the twist... 'eye roll'...

There is violence, a little gory, so this isn't suitable for readers under sixteen.

As for a next possible book, I won't be reading it!

1 Star
]]> <![CDATA[Hollow Empire (Poison Wars, #2)]]> 41555965 Moving from poison and treachery to war and witchcraft, Sam Hawke's Poison Wars continue with Hollow Empire, a fabulous epic fantasy adventure perfect for fans of Robin Hobb, Naomi Novik, and Scott Lynch.

Poison was only the beginning.... The deadly siege of Silasta woke the ancient spirits, and now the city-state must find its place in this new world of magic. But people and politics are always treacherous, and it will take all of Jovan and Kalina's skills as proofer and spy to save their country when witches and assassins turn their sights to domination.]]> 560 Sam Hawke 0765396947 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 4.05 2020 Hollow Empire (Poison Wars, #2)
author: Sam Hawke
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Dragon Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #3)]]> 2866413
Madison Moss can hears the seductive call of the Dragonheart also, but she has other things on her mind. Maddie's been leaking dark magic ever since absorbing the blow that was meant to kill her boyfriend, Seph. If anyone finds out, she'll be banished from the sanctuary - and Seph - forever. Meanwhile, Trinity's enemies mean to win the war with the help of the Dragonheart, and they know that Madison Moss is the only one who can get it for them.

Moral compasses spin out of control as a final battle storms through a town that was meant to be a refuge. With so much to lose, what will Jason and Maddie be willing to fight for - and what will they sacrifice? It's everyone for himself in this thrilling conclusion to the Heir trilogy.]]> 499 Cinda Williams Chima 1423110706 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 4.14 2008 The Dragon Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #3)
author: Cinda Williams Chima
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Sorcerer Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #5)]]> 18469705 The delicate peace between Wizards and the underguilds (Warriors, Seers, Enchanters, and Sorcerers) still holds by the thinnest of threads, but powerful forces inside and outside the guilds threaten to sever it completely.

Emma and Jonah are at the center of it all. Brought together by their shared history, mutual attraction, and a belief in the magic of music, they now stand to be torn apart by new wounds and old betrayals. As they struggle to rebuild their trust in each other, Emma and Jonah must also find a way to clear their names as the prime suspects in a series of vicious murders. It seems more and more likely that the answers they need lie buried in the tragedies of the past. The question is whether they can survive long enough to unearth them.

Old friends and foes return as new threats arise in this stunning and revelatory conclusion to the beloved and bestselling Heir Chronicles series.

]]> 512 Cinda Williams Chima 1423187954 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 4.10 2014 The Sorcerer Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #5)
author: Cinda Williams Chima
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Enchanter Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #4)]]> 9409614 458 Cinda Williams Chima 1423144341 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 4.01 2013 The Enchanter Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #4)
author: Cinda Williams Chima
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The War of the Dwarves (The Dwarves, #2)]]> 7701720 725 Markus Heitz 1841495735 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 4.08 2004 The War of the Dwarves (The Dwarves, #2)
author: Markus Heitz
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> Lord Loss (The Demonata, #1) 164719 Grubbs Grady has stiff red hair and is a little big for his age, which means he can get into R-rated movies. He hates history and loves bacon, rats, and playing tricks on his squeamish older sister. When he opts out of a family weekend trip, he never guesses that he is about to take a terrifying journey into darkness. Hungry demons and howling werewolves haunt his waking nightmares... and threaten his life.]]> 224 Darren Shan 0316012335 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 4.26 2005 Lord Loss (The Demonata, #1)
author: Darren Shan
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> Shield of Sparrows 217171544 Shield of Sparrows is a slow-burn, high-stakes romantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Rebecca Yarros―where enemies become lovers, monsters stalk a cursed realm, and a forgotten princess finds the strength to tear off her crown and become the warrior she was never meant to be.

The gods sent monsters to the five kingdoms to remind mortals they must kneel.

I’ve spent my life kneeling―to their will and to my father's. As a princess, my only duty is to wear the crown and obey the king.

I was never meant to rule. Never meant to fight. And I was never supposed to be the daughter who sealed an ancient treaty with her own blood.

But that changed the fateful day I stepped into my father’s throne room. The day a legendary monster hunter sailed to our shores. The day a prince ruined my life.

Now I’m crossing treacherous lands beside a warrior who despises me as much as I despise him―bound to a future I didn’t choose and a husband I barely know.

Everyone wants me to be something I’m not―a queen, a spy, a sacrifice.

But what if I refused the role chosen for me? What if I made my own rules? What if there’s power in being underestimated?

And what if―for the first time―I reached for it?]]> 528 Devney Perry 1649378513 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.73 2025 Shield of Sparrows
author: Devney Perry
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.73
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> Break Wide the Sea 222376655 A young woman cursed with a fatal heartbreak-induced sickness must race against time to find a cure and protect her family legacy from the ancient finfolk that would destroy it, the fiancé that would kill her for it, and the boy who would love her if she forsook it.

The seafaring humans of Kirkrell have always been plagued by finfolk—bloodthirsty fae who haunt the seas, sinking ships and cursing bloodlines. Yet it’s only by hunting magical whales that Kirkrell can prosper. Nineteen-year-old Annie is heir to the Fairfax Whaling Company, but their family's success came at a cost: a curse by which heartbreak turns Fairfaxes slowly into monsters. And six years ago, the shipwreck that killed Annie’s parents left her with scales spreading up her arms, claws sprouting from her fingertips.

The love of her fiancé, August, salved her heart for a while—but when she learns August is maneuvering to take over the company, the curse worsens. Fearing her time is running out, she strikes a bargain with a disreputable young captain, half-finfolk and half-human Silas Price: on a voyage to hunt whales in the far north, Silas will take Annie to the finfolk queen, who can lift the curse in return for a promise to end whaling forever.

As Annie, August and Silas sail north, she is determined to uphold her family’s legacy, but the threat of the finfolk tests her resolve. Lies corrupt her relationship with August; meanwhile a dangerous connection with Silas blooms—but he’s keeping secrets too, and his might be the most dangerous of all.

As heiress, it’s Annie’s responsibility to deliver whale magic to her city. But as heartbreak looms, she must choose between saving herself and her family’s legacy—and hope it doesn’t cost her everyone she loves.]]> 336 Sara Holland 1250854490 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.73 2025 Break Wide the Sea
author: Sara Holland
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.73
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> What Fury Brings 220908944 #1 New York Times-bestselling author Tricia Levenseller makes her adult debut in What Fury Brings, a sexy, empowering romantasy featuring a warrior general who must kidnap and train a husband in order to take her rightful place as queen.

There's a shortage of men in the kingdom of Amarra. After a failed rebellion against the matriarchy, most noblemen in the country are dead. Now the women of Amarra must obtain their husbands (should they want one) by kidnapping them from other kingdoms.

Olerra, a warrior princess vying for the throne, is determined to prove her worth by kidnapping a husband. And not just any husband. To outmaneuver her treacherous cousin, she needs the best. Fortunately, the second-born prince of their greatest enemy is widely known for both his looks and his sweet, docile temperament. He's the perfect choice to secure her claim to the throne.

Sanos, heir to the Kingdom of Brutus, has nothing but contempt for the idea of a society run by women. Trained from birth to fight, lead, and follow in his father's overbearing footsteps, his path has always been set. Until he takes his younger brother's place in a drunken prank and finds himself kidnapped, carted off to the Amarran Palace, and informed that he is to become the husband of Queen Potential Olerra. Sanos needs to escape before anyone learns his real identity, but the more he gets to know his captor, the less sure he is of what he truly wants.]]> 368 Tricia Levenseller 1250379377 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 4.33 2025 What Fury Brings
author: Tricia Levenseller
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: to-read, giveaways, saw-it-on-netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Bartender Between Worlds (Greatest in the Multiverse)]]> 212063749 282 Herman Steuernagel 1990505198 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, hoopla 3.57 The Bartender Between Worlds (Greatest in the Multiverse)
author: Herman Steuernagel
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.57
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/03
shelves: to-read, hoopla
review:

]]> Song of the Hell Witch 222420130 Rekindled romance spreads new wings in this atmospheric romantasy, where magic empowers women trapped inside an oppressive patriarchy.ĚýĚý

This striking novel is perfect for fans of the feminist ideals in When Women Were Dragons and the unique magic system in One Dark Window.

Once a vicious street rat, Prudence Merriweather has clawed her way to the top of society and now enjoys newfound power as the Duchess of Talonsbury. All she has to do to protect her fragile position is maintain the act of gentility, make her husband happy—and keep her monstrous magic a secret.Ěý

Puck Reed, the Thief Lord of Talonsbury, once delighted in taking risks and humiliating the social elite at any cost, but now lives a quieter criminal lifestyle. With a daughter of his own to protect, Puck tries to lay low and stay safe for her benefit. His daughter, Bea, suffers from a mysterious illness bent on killing her, and Puck will stop at nothing to find a cure.

When Prudence’s magic betrays her, she has no choice but to flee—and who better to smuggle her out of the city than her childhood best friend and former sweetheart, Puck Reed? With the help of old friends and new allies, they learn about Stormlash, a safe haven miles beyond the city walls where women and their magic can flourish beyond the oppressive eye of Leora’s religious fanatics. Stormlash may also hold the key to curing Bea’s illness. The challenge? Keep her alive long enough to get there.Ěý

With Bea’s illness claiming more of her strength, Puck and Pru must work together to reach Stormlash and, in the process, confront a growing evil threatening to devour the country they call home.

Perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent and Hannah Whitten, this second-chance romantic fantasy features monstrous women stepping into their full power, a father who will do anything to save his daughter, and the rekindled flame of an old, enduring love.]]> 352 Taylor Hartley Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, arc, netgalley 4.32 2025 Song of the Hell Witch
author: Taylor Hartley
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/03
shelves: to-read, arc, netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Three Kinds of Lucky (The Shadow Age, #1)]]> 57427858 Luck is its own kind of magic, in this first book in an electrifying new contemporary fantasy series from the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Hollows novels.

Petra Grady has known since adolescence that she has no talent for magic—and that’s never going to change. But as a sweeper first-class, she’s parlayed her rare ability to handle dross—the damaging, magical waste generated by her more talented kin’s spellwork—into a decent life working at the mages� university.

Except Grady’s relatively predictable life is about to be upended. When the oblivious, sexy, and oh-so-out-of-reach Benedict Strom needs someone with her abilities for a research project studying dross and how to render it harmless, she’s stuck working on his team—whether she wants to or not.

Only Benedict doesn’t understand the characteristics of dross like Grady does. After an unthinkable accident, she and Benedict are forced to go on the run to seek out the one person who might be able to help: an outcast exiled ten years ago for the crime of using dross to cast spells. Now Grady must decide whether to stick with the magical status quo or embrace her own hidden talents . . . and risk shattering their entire world.]]> 452 Kim Harrison 0593437470 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 4 libby, 2025-books by Kim Harrison
The Shadow Age #1
Urban Fantasy Paranormal
Libby
Ages: 14+

Dross is the waste created from using magic, and it is not harmless, when it breaks, it creates bad luck, and then there are the Shadows. Petra is a sweeper first-class; her job is to clean up the dross because it does not break against her as it does to the magical and non-magical people.

But her luck seems to go bad when she is assigned to Benedict Strom's, her high school crush, research team who are studying Dross, trying to find a way to make it harmless, putting herself and the other sweepers out of a job.

After an accident that took many lives, Petra finds herself on the run with Benedict, searching for the one who had caused her father's death ten years ago, because he might be the only one who knows how to fix it.


This story has more depth than what the blurb gives, but that depth includes spoilers. As a fan of The Hollows, I, of course, found similarities between that series and this story, (a minor Rachel and Ivy type relationship), but I got major “Ghostbusters� vibes from the Dross/Shadows/containment unit), and I'm sure anyone who has seen the movie(s), could also agree. It's not a bad thing, it's just obvious.

Even with the similarities, this world is different than “The Hollows� series; ie the magic and its 'waste', but (so far) no other creatures (vampires/werewolves). Could there be in upcoming books? Maybe, but I hope not. New creations should be the goal for this new series.

My only big issue is that I don't feel that the magic/dross/shadows/etc, are explained enough. Those IMO, are main characters so they should've been given a lot more 'page time'.

Happily, this book ended, (no cliffhanger) but there is so much to this world and magic that this could be an interesting series.

There is some violence and what little romance there is, it's clean so I think this book is suitable for readers fourteen and older.

4 Stars]]> 3.71 2024 Three Kinds of Lucky (The Shadow Age, #1)
author: Kim Harrison
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/31
date added: 2025/04/02
shelves: libby, 2025-books
review:
Three Kinds of Lucky
by Kim Harrison
The Shadow Age #1
Urban Fantasy Paranormal
Libby
Ages: 14+

Dross is the waste created from using magic, and it is not harmless, when it breaks, it creates bad luck, and then there are the Shadows. Petra is a sweeper first-class; her job is to clean up the dross because it does not break against her as it does to the magical and non-magical people.

But her luck seems to go bad when she is assigned to Benedict Strom's, her high school crush, research team who are studying Dross, trying to find a way to make it harmless, putting herself and the other sweepers out of a job.

After an accident that took many lives, Petra finds herself on the run with Benedict, searching for the one who had caused her father's death ten years ago, because he might be the only one who knows how to fix it.


This story has more depth than what the blurb gives, but that depth includes spoilers. As a fan of The Hollows, I, of course, found similarities between that series and this story, (a minor Rachel and Ivy type relationship), but I got major “Ghostbusters� vibes from the Dross/Shadows/containment unit), and I'm sure anyone who has seen the movie(s), could also agree. It's not a bad thing, it's just obvious.

Even with the similarities, this world is different than “The Hollows� series; ie the magic and its 'waste', but (so far) no other creatures (vampires/werewolves). Could there be in upcoming books? Maybe, but I hope not. New creations should be the goal for this new series.

My only big issue is that I don't feel that the magic/dross/shadows/etc, are explained enough. Those IMO, are main characters so they should've been given a lot more 'page time'.

Happily, this book ended, (no cliffhanger) but there is so much to this world and magic that this could be an interesting series.

There is some violence and what little romance there is, it's clean so I think this book is suitable for readers fourteen and older.

4 Stars
]]> <![CDATA[The Unnoticeables (Vicious Circuit, #1)]]> 23168833
Carey doesn’t much like that idea. As a punk living in New York City, 1977, Carey is sick and tired of watching the strange kids with the unnoticeable faces abduct his friends. He doesn’t care about the rumors of tarmonsters in the sewers, or unkillable psychopaths invading the punk scene—all he wants is drink cheap beer and dispense asskickings.

Kaitlyn isn’t sure what she’s doing with her life. She came to Hollywood in 2013 to be a stunt woman, but last night a former teen heartthrob tried to eat her, her best friend has just gone missing, and there’s an angel outside her apartment.

Whatever she plans on doing with her life, it should probably happen in the few remaining minutes she has left of it.

There are angels. There are demons. They are the same thing. It’s up to Carey and Kaitlyn to stop them. The survival of the human race is in their hands.

We are, all of us, well and truly screwed.]]> 288 Robert Brockway 076537966X Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, interested 3.65 2015 The Unnoticeables (Vicious Circuit, #1)
author: Robert Brockway
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/02
shelves: to-read, interested
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Human Rites (Her Majesty's Royal Coven, #3)]]> 220239063 With Her Majesty’s Royal Coven in shambles and the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the sisterhood of friends and witches must find a new way of putting together the pieces if (wo)mankind is to stand a chance, in this final chapter to Juno’sĚý “irresistibleâ€� series (Lana Harper)

Niamh, Ciara, Leonie, Elle and Theo. Five very different witches with one thing in they were unwittingly chosen by the dangerously charming Lucifer, the demon king of desire, to fulfil a dark Satanis will rise and the daughters of Gaia will fall.

The coven is reunited—but broken. Niamh is back from the dead…but she hasn’t come back alone. Elle mourns a son she never had. Ciara languishes in a prison for witches, and Leonie reels from a very unexpected surprise.

Meanwhile, Lucifer offers fledgling witch Theo a if she helps him, her coven—her ´Ú˛ąłľľ±±ô˛ââ€�will be spared. But the magic he asks for will take her out of London—out of time, entirely.

The final confrontation between good and evil in the spectacular conclusion to the saga of Her Majesty’s Royal Coven.]]> 464 Juno Dawson 0143137166 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.25 2025 Human Rites (Her Majesty's Royal Coven, #3)
author: Juno Dawson
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/02
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Steeping of Blood (Blood and Tea, #2)]]> 221604704 The epic conclusion to the #1 bestselling A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal; the gritty fantasy duology about an orphan girl and her crew who get tangled in a heist with vampires, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows.

She's had her tea, now she's out for blood.

White Roaring is sharpening its fangs after the deadly night that left the city in shambles. The press are dead, the public calls for justice, vampires are in danger, and amid the turmoil, the Ram announces a celebration.

Still reeling from the bloodshed, Arthie Casimir has no time to mourn the death of anyone, let alone her own. She has no time for love, either, but it had saved her life. As Arthie navigates new emotions and new allies, she must reassemble her scrambled crew and scrape what little they have left to fight one last time � and she will need to face the ghosts of her past to do it.

In Ceylan.

After the jaw-dropping ending of #1 bestselling A Tempest of Tea, Arthie and her crew still have plenty of hearts to break and crimson-red secrets to uncover. Hafsah Faizal crafts a deliciously twisty and seductive sequel that will leave readers breathless until the very last page.]]> 448 Hafsah Faizal 037438942X Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.00 2025 A Steeping of Blood (Blood and Tea, #2)
author: Hafsah Faizal
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/02
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Gilded Serpent (Dark Shores, #3)]]> 51888648
THEIR BATTLES ENDED IN VICTORY

Lydia returns to Mudaire to enter training at the healing temple. But instead of fighting to save lives, she’s convinced she is doing more harm than good. She delves into the history of the gods only to discover a truth that will change her life forever.

His birthright as commander of the Royal Army is finally in his grasp, but Killian feels anything but victorious. Burdened by his past, he embraces the darker side of his mark—and in doing so, risks starting a war.

BUT THE WAR HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN

Having defeated the tyrant Urcon, Marcus struggles to form a lasting alliance with the Arinoquians. But he is plagued by the knowledge that there is a traitor among his friends, and it could cost him everything that he’s fought for.

Torn between her growing allegiance to the Thirty-Seventh legion and her need to liberate her people, Teriana finds herself mired in a web of secrets. She embarks upon a path that will either save everyone she loves—or put them all in their graves.

Readers may read either Dark Shores or Dark Skies first!
Suggested series reading order:

1. Dark Skies or Dark Shores
2. Dark Shores or Dark Skies
3. Gilded Serpent (coming spring 2021)]]> 576 Danielle L. Jensen 1250317789 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 4.47 2021 Gilded Serpent (Dark Shores, #3)
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The King's Blood (The Dagger and the Coin, #2)]]> 12759057
War casts its shadow over the lands that the dragons once ruled. Only the courage of a young woman with the mind of a gambler and loyalty to no one stands between hope and universal darkness.

The high and powerful will fall, the despised and broken shall rise up, and everything will be remade. And quietly, almost beneath the notice of anyone, an old, broken-hearted warrior and an apostate priest will begin a terrible journey with an impossible goal: destroy a Goddess before she eats the world.]]> 501 Daniel Abraham 1841498890 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 4.01 2012 The King's Blood (The Dagger and the Coin, #2)
author: Daniel Abraham
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Return of the Dwarves Book 1]]> 216975422
And then GoĂŻmron comes across an extraordinary book. The wealth of detail it contains leaves no doubt that the book must have been written by the heroic Tungdil Goldhand himself. But, impossibly, the last entry seems to be recent. . .

When GoĂŻmron sets out in search of the legendary dwarf, he and his troop of companions soon find themselves in the middle of ancient intrigues and brutal power struggles between ruthless humans, mysterious albae - and dragons.

Once again, the land of Girdlegard needs the wisdom, humour, fighting spirit and stubbornness of the dwarves. Heroes old and new will accept the challenge . . . but will the dwarves rise again?]]> 492 Markus Heitz Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 4.31 2021 The Return of the Dwarves Book 1
author: Markus Heitz
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Gather the Fortunes (Crescent City, #2)]]> 40796157 384 Bryan Camp 1328876713 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 3.68 2019 Gather the Fortunes (Crescent City, #2)
author: Bryan Camp
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The City of Lost Fortunes (Crescent City, #1)]]> 35721142 367 Bryan Camp 1328810798 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 3.79 2018 The City of Lost Fortunes (Crescent City, #1)
author: Bryan Camp
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read, scribd-series, scribd-audio, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dust and Light (The Sanctuary Duet, #1)]]> 18683282 National bestselling author Carol Berg returns to the world of her award-winning Flesh and Spirit and Breath and Bone with an all-new tale of magic, mystery, and corruption....

How much must one pay for an hour of youthful folly? The Pureblood Registry accused Lucian de Remeni-Masson of “unseemly involvement with ordinaries,� which meant only that he spoke with a young woman not of his own kind, allowed her to see his face unmasked, worked a bit of magic for her....After that one mistake, Lucian’s grandsire excised half his magic and savage Harrowers massacred his family. Now the Registry has contracted his art to a common coroner. His extraordinary gift for portraiture is restricted to dead ordinaries—beggars or starvelings hauled from the streets.

But sketching the truth of dead men’s souls brings unforeseen consequences. Sensations not his own. Truths he cannot possibly know and dares not believe. The coroner calls him a cheat and says he is trying to weasel out of a humiliating contract. The Registry will call him mad—and mad sorcerers are very dangerous....]]> 445 Carol Berg 0451417240 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, kindle 4.08 2014 Dust and Light (The Sanctuary Duet, #1)
author: Carol Berg
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read, kindle
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Colin Gets Promoted and Dooms the World]]> 223362068 WARNING! Under no circumstances must employees strike a deal with unauthorized personnel on Dark Enterprises property. Such behavior could result in death…or the end of the world.

Colin is a low-level employee at Dark Enterprises, a Hell-like multinational corporation solving the world’s most difficult problems in deeply questionable ways. After years of toiling away in a cubicle, he's ready to climb the corporate ladder and claim the power he's never had.

The only problem is, he’s pretty sure he’s about to be terminated. Like, terminated. That's tough, because his BFF has just set him up with a great guy. In fact, maybe he's a little too great. And asks a lot of questions...

When Colin meets a shadowy figure promising him his heart’s deepest desire, he can’t resist the urge to fast-track his goals. In return for a small, unspecified favor, he asks for the one thing that will improve his life: a promotion.

But that small favor unleashes an ancient evil. People in New York are disappearing, the worldĚýmightĚýbe ending, and Management is starting to notice. Getting to the top is never easy, and now it’s up to Colin to save the world. It's the ultimate power move, after all.]]> 384 Mark Waddell 0593818407 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 4.44 Colin Gets Promoted and Dooms the World
author: Mark Waddell
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.44
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read, giveaways, saw-it-on-netgalley
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5)]]> 214331246 When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.]]> 387 Suzanne Collins 1546171460 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read 4.61 2025 Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.61
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> A Curious Kind of Magic 222376563 Howl's Moving Castle meets Little Thieves in this cozy fantasy about the teenage owner of a (mostly fake) magical curiosity shop and a girl cursed to turn everything she touches into magic.

Everyone in Ardmuir knows that Willow Stokes is a charlatan, including Willow herself. Her father's shoppe hasn't sold anything magical in decades, and it's only hanging on by the skin of the fake dragon's teeth Willow sells as charms, along with “enchanted� ostrich eggs, taxidermied chimeras, and talismans made of fools' gold.

Until outlander Brianna Hargrave appears and turns Willow's fakes into exactly what they're purported to be. But try as Willow might to enlist Bri's help, she wants nothing to do with Willow and her curiosities.

Because Brianna is harboring a secret of her own: everything she touches turns to magic, and the consequences have chased her all the way to Ardmuir. All she wants to do is find a particular missing grimoire, which contains a spell that can finally put an end to her curse.

Desperate to keep her father's shoppe, Willow proposes a bargain that could save them both. Together with the frustratingly handsome printer's assistant, the girls will uncover a plot that goes far deeper than either could have imagined. But when Willow is forced to participate in an ambitious collector's quest for the rarest magical object in the world-a quest that risks almost-certain death-she learns that not all treasure is for sale, and that true magic is closer than she ever could have imagined.]]> 368 Mara Rutherford 1250359880 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.67 2025 A Curious Kind of Magic
author: Mara Rutherford
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/28
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3) 209439446
Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.]]> 527 Rebecca Yarros 1649374186 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 4 audio, libby, 2025-books by Rebecca Yarros
The Empyrean #3
Fantasy Adult
Libby Audio
Ages: 18+

The wards are failing and Navarre needs allies because it seems as if their enemies are not just outside the walls.

Journeying to find an army, or at least allies, Violet and those accompanying her find themselves facing challenges.


Ok, spoilers suck so I am going to try to avoid them.

Just like the first two books, this is violent! And there is porn, so much so that I'm taking a star away because this book was so good that the adult content ruined the story/action. I rolled my eyes so many times during each scene (yeah, way too many) that I was about ready to stop what I was doing to skip the audio! I get why the romance was needed, but it doesn't need to go that far. So, mostly because of the porn, this book is not suitable for readers under eighteen!

But I will say this book is a roller coaster. You go up the hill, then drop... Level out, and slowly go up again. Yes, it was exhausting, but it was a ride.

I do think that it is missing a recap of the previous books. Not reminding the reader of the characters' faults doesn't reignite the love/empathy the readers had for said characters. It wasn't until a while into the story when I remembered those faults, but then I was like oh yeah, but wait...

For the audio, the female narrator is wonderful but during the 'action' she gets way too into it and narrates way too fast and becomes hard to understand. As for the additional cast, they were good, though you could hear the male's spit splattering around his mouth as he spoke. I really wanted to take out my earbuds for that!

I can't wait for the next!

4 Stars]]> 4.17 2025 Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3)
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/24
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: audio, libby, 2025-books
review:
Onyx Storm
by Rebecca Yarros
The Empyrean #3
Fantasy Adult
Libby Audio
Ages: 18+

The wards are failing and Navarre needs allies because it seems as if their enemies are not just outside the walls.

Journeying to find an army, or at least allies, Violet and those accompanying her find themselves facing challenges.


Ok, spoilers suck so I am going to try to avoid them.

Just like the first two books, this is violent! And there is porn, so much so that I'm taking a star away because this book was so good that the adult content ruined the story/action. I rolled my eyes so many times during each scene (yeah, way too many) that I was about ready to stop what I was doing to skip the audio! I get why the romance was needed, but it doesn't need to go that far. So, mostly because of the porn, this book is not suitable for readers under eighteen!

But I will say this book is a roller coaster. You go up the hill, then drop... Level out, and slowly go up again. Yes, it was exhausting, but it was a ride.

I do think that it is missing a recap of the previous books. Not reminding the reader of the characters' faults doesn't reignite the love/empathy the readers had for said characters. It wasn't until a while into the story when I remembered those faults, but then I was like oh yeah, but wait...

For the audio, the female narrator is wonderful but during the 'action' she gets way too into it and narrates way too fast and becomes hard to understand. As for the additional cast, they were good, though you could hear the male's spit splattering around his mouth as he spoke. I really wanted to take out my earbuds for that!

I can't wait for the next!

4 Stars
]]> Hemlock & Silver 217388302 DELUXE EDITION—a gorgeous hardcover edition featuring bright green sprayed edges, a foil stamp on the casing, and custom endpapers illustrated by the author.

From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Hemlock & Silver, a dark reimagining of “Snow White� steeped in poison, intrigue, and treason of the most magical kind

Healer Anja regularly drinks poison.

Not to die, but to save—seeking cures for those everyone else has given up on.

But a summons from the King interrupts her quiet, herb-obsessed life. His daughter, Snow, is dying, and he hopes Anja’s unorthodox methods can save her.

Aided by a taciturn guard, a narcissistic cat, and a passion for the scientific method, Anja rushes to treat Snow, but nothing seems to work. That is, until she finds a secret world, hidden inside a magic mirror. This dark realm may hold the key to what is making Snow sick.

Or it might be the thing that kills them all.]]> 368 T. Kingfisher 1250342031 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, giveaways 4.31 2025 Hemlock & Silver
author: T. Kingfisher
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read, giveaways
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Son of a Witch (The Wicked Years, #2)]]> 13521
What dark force left Liir in this condition? Is he really Elphaba's son? He has her broom and her cape - but what of her powers? Can he find his supposed half-sister, Nor, last seen in the forbidding prison Southstairs? Can he fulfill the last wishes of a dying princess? In an Oz under new and dangerous management, can Liir keep his head down long enough to grow up?]]> 352 Gregory Maguire 0060747226 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 to-read, own 3.50 2005 Son of a Witch (The Wicked Years, #2)
author: Gregory Maguire
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: to-read, own
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (The Wicked Years, #1)]]> 37442 When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?

Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to be the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.

]]> 406 Gregory Maguire 0060987103 Billie's Not So Secret Diary 0 3.52 1995 Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (The Wicked Years, #1)
author: Gregory Maguire
name: Billie's Not So Secret Diary
average rating: 3.52
book published: 1995
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves: to-read, own, series, scribd-series
review:

]]>