Fetal Position by Carolyn Huynh ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! The version I am reading is an ARC - any changes made for the final publication are not reflected in this review. Fetal Position will be available to purchase on December 8, 2026. 

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. The premise of this book, in addition to the alluring cover, really made me stop in my tracks - a declining birthrate, male loneliness epidemic at its height, and seventh wave feminism catapulting women into a world fueled by robot servants and climbing the corporate ladder. But what if the modern, independent, corporate woman grew tired of her success? What if the burn out lured her into a mindset of looking for a way out? Lena Do, a product created by artificial sperm and the daughter of Gemma Do, a pioneer in technological advancements, is supposed to be loving every minute of her child-free, man-free life. Hatch, a start-up garnering traction by promising select women a relaxing, ease-filled life in exchange for producing children for men who want to continue their lineage, catches the eye of Lena when she reaches her breaking point, and she soon finds herself shuttled away to the trad wife lifestyle. The cost? More than she ever anticipated.

Science fiction is such an impactful genre, especially when the concepts at its core hit all too close to home - government policing bodies, making decisions on who can love who - it is jarring in its similarities to the current modern age. Much like in Annie Bot by Sierra Greer, readers are exposed to how even in a futuristic setting that operates under the illusion that women are appreciated, men still are able to use them for their own personal advantages. Huynh creates a world that has women at the top of the career ladder and men at the very last rung, with the appearance that they can only make it in life with the assistance of robot butlers at home as their jobs are replaced by the very things that do their laundry. The sentience of the robots provides an interesting perspective throughout the book - they are not human, yet there is an eerie underlying feeling like they know the characters so much more intensely than another human could. Anticipating needs, telling them how to feel, and being an intricate part of day-to-day tasks makes them an ever-present entity that the characters and the readers cannot escape.

The way Lena slowly falls deeper into Hatch and the promised lifestyle while still remaining hesitant regarding how their practices actually work shows the duality of woman - she is supposedly here to leave behind the hardship of her current life, yet she is determined to discover the secrets those in charge of Hatch are keeping from the women. As more women begin to disappear or meet an untimely end, Lena's suspicions grow deeper, she is thrust into a dangerous game of ensuring her life is not put on the line while she attempts to get to the bottom of what exactly Hatch is using these women for beyond being baby machines.

As Lena's backstory is slowly uncovered and the readers become exposed to the likelihood of her presence causing more harm than good to Hatch's operation, we also see the horrors of incel dogma impacting the children birthed from Hatch. Without having father figures, their ideology still becomes rooted in misogyny and their distaste towards stay-at-home mothers and career women is present without the social construct at play. While they were basically engineered to think this way, it was ever too real as today's modern society is encompassed by being male-centered, even when it comes to women's issues and rights.

Since this is an advanced reader copy, I expected a few typos here and there and likely some choppiness before the final draft - the main thing that stood out to me was an inconsistency about 75% into the book, where it notes that Lena is being asked about a lease renewal for her second insemination. Why is this odd? Because she already had her second insemination - failed, nonetheless - so unless the author was trying to rewrite history, an update is to be made. Obviously I would not let this influence my overall opinion of the book since I know it is not the final version.

An interesting exploration of motherhood, influence, and survival, Fetal Position dives into the thought process of what if being a mother was able to be profitable and be engineered? What are the costs? And more importantly, what are the sacrifices?

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Hamlet & Juliet (The Star Crossed, #1) by Clare Edge ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! The version I am reading is an ARC - any changes made for the final publication are not reflected in this review. Hamlet & Juliet will be available to purchase on January 5, 2027. Content warnings are available on the author's website, here.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. The concept of this book really drew me in - I loved my fair share of Shakespeare in high school, and while I have not been as great recently in making my way through his works, this was a nice way to revisit his plays in a new and enticing way. The fantasy aspect had certainly been one of the major components that pulled me in - since I have been on a fantasy kick, this immediately caught my eye. The author was able to incorporate a decent amount of Hamlet into her tale, and while not many details from Romeo & Juliet were transferred over into Juliet and Hamlet's story, the essence and background of the play was still there.

The aspect of having Juliet's lips and fingernails be black after she came back to life was a great decision - it allows for a physical and constant reminder to not only Juliet, but to the reader, that she has been through quite an unimaginable ordeal. She continues to carry the loss of Romeo with her throughout this story, both literally and figuratively. Readers have to watch her basically suffer in silence for a duration of this book until she is able to share her sufferings with Hamlet in a most unexpected way.

Hamlet's character has been affected by Death in a different way than Juliet - his father has passed and now his ghost torments Hamlet at every turn. With rumors of the Miracle of Verona surrounding Juliet as she and her mother arrive to his estate, he soon seeks out her in an attempt to put an end to these hauntings once and for all. As Juliet and Hamlet become more entangled in each other's sufferings, more things grow afoot in Denmark and Hamlet's story takes precedence over Juliet's in order to drive the plot forward. 

Once you are past the halfway mark, the pacing begins to pick up - and to be quite honest, it was moving a little too fast for my liking at some points. Incorporating aspects from Hamlet is certainly a daunting task, but for readers who have not read the play, I could see this being an issue. Luckily I read it in high school and remembered all of the key players so I was able to keep the momentum going without feeling lost about what to lock in as an important factor. There are more than enough supporting characters in Edge's first installment where they are able to uplift Hamlet and Juliet while having their own storylines that pushed the main one to its climax.

I had fun reading this creative retelling of two influential plays and appreciated the liberties the author took to make it her own while keeping the heart of the plays within the pages. I would have loved to see more character growth from Juliet's side - while growth was present, it was not on the same level as Hamlet's, which made the storytelling a bit uneven in my eyes. If you are looking for a fun new way to experience Shakespeare and enjoy fantasy, this upcoming duology could be right up your alley.

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A Good Person by Kirsten King ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! This is an ARC review - A Good Person will be available on March 31, 2026.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. The cover and summary truly had me intrigued, and I was so excited to receive the approval notification in my inbox - I am a big literary fiction fan, even more so when it explores women and their internal thoughts that dive into being unhinged. When Lillian's situationship ends things on an unexpected note after a night where she thought things were going in the right direction, she enlists the help of a friend to place a hex on him. And when he turns up dead the very next day, Lillian begins to spiral to ensure her innocence is seen, but inadvertently begins to make everyone's eyes stray towards her.

Lillian is so much better than me, because I would have thought about doing a lot of other things far worse than a hex if the guy I was seeing did what he did to her. That being said, I feel like Lillian's reaction is somewhat justified in the sense that too often women are being taken advantage of for the benefit of men, and we are expected to move on with grace, even after being used for someone else's pleasure. Henry did unjustifiable things to Lillian, and she had my full support to cast whatever hex and do whatever she wanted to him after everything he did to her.

Jamie, Lillian's "friend" that she keeps around solely for favors and to make herself feel better about herself, adds a unique perspective to this tale - you see Lillian be used in a similar fashion by Henry and we are enraged, yet when Lillian uses her friend for her benefit, we think it is a reasonable reaction. I think this poses an interesting thought about the way women and men use relationships to their benefit, and how complex or simple the justifications people make influence their own idea about themselves.

Watching Lillian become paranoid was such a drawing story - as her paranoia grows every minute, we see her begin to unravel as she attempts to insert herself into the narrative as being the "wronged, grieving girlfriend," even after discovering Henry was in a serious, long term relationship while he was hooking up with Lillian. Her story is honestly addicting - I found myself not wanting to put my Kindle down, and with quick-paced chapters, the authors provides a story where readers are thoroughly drawn into her story, almost as if we are passing by in the story itself. Readers watch her go down this spiral of trying to maintain innocence, target her frustrations on Henry's other girlfriend, and make herself feel better about her actions.

I truly ate this book up - I loved how erratic Lillian was throughout the entirety of this tale - from the prologue, we are given Lillian exhibiting unhinged behavior that she justifies as not knowing any better, and we see her neatly twenty years later acting exactly the same. The author did an excellent job curating Lillian as a character that you want to root for, yet remain skeptical of the entire time. Just when you think she is making sense and made the right choice, new information is uncovered that completely upheaves her alibi or excuse. I cannot wait to see what else Kirsten King has in stores for readers, and will certainly be picking up her next work.

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Blackthorn by J.T. Geissinger ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Please read trigger warnings - reader discretion is advised. Blackthorn was published by Bramble on November 4, 2025 and is now available at select retailers.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Bramble for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Maven returns to her hometown with the impression she and her daughter, Bea, will only be there to lay part of the past to rest - literally. Life has an unexpected turn when her grandmother's body disappears into thin air and a past love is determined to reenter her life without taking no for an answer. With immediate guilt being placed on the Croft family - the Blackthorn's rival for generations - we see Maven dive deeper to find out the truth as Ronan, her past mistake, continues to insert himself into her life. I really enjoyed the gothic feel to this dark romance, as it was eerie and haunted the plot as we follow Maven and Ronan deeper into their lives. You could sense the uneasiness coming off the page, and considering the contents of this book, it certainly was not the only thing to cause readers to be put out of place.

I have not read a book for a very long time in which the main character had a child - it is honestly kind of jarring to see, as I am used to them having children in the epilogue or towards the very end of the book. That being said, the age of this child is clearly integral to the plot of the book, and Bea's presence was necessary for a number of plot devices. While she did not take on much of a "leading" role, she was still supplying a decent amount of drive when it came to Maven's story. Even though her presence was more so in compliment of Maven's plot, Bea was still important to moving the plot along in order to showcase Maven's determination, along with her ability to keep things hidden.

When I first looked at the trigger warnings, my first thought was how in the world are these going to come up in this story - I quickly discovered that the author was willing to go down taboo roads in this gothic dark romance. At first, readers would think that the "freak factor" would need to be upped tenfold after only reading the first third of the book, but let me tell you - it gets sent into the stratosphere towards the halfway mark and just continues to have the reader's jaw drop. As someone who feels as though they have read everything that falls under taboo, this book certainly had some firsts for me. It definitely takes a minute to dive into the freakiness, but Geissinger does not hold back once that portion is uncovered.

This was honestly a pretty decent combination of genres - you have the dark romance, enemies-to-lovers aspect at the forefront, accompanied by this supernatural and gothic aura that enhances the romance while creating this haunting nature over the story. Maven and Ronan's relationship is much more complicated than anyone could have imagined and as readers see their story unfold, they are presented with conflicting realizations and are left on the edge of their seat.

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Rook & Rebel (The Mavericks, #1) by Kate Crew ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Rook & Rebel will be published by Avon and Harper Voyager on January 13, 2026.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. I had seen rumbling about this book for a little while, and it appears that it has found a new home with Avon and Harper Voyager - I was thrilled to see it available for request on NetGalley. I have not dived too deep into the world of motorcycle dark romance before, but this one caught my attention.

This was a lot tamer for something falling under the erotica category, but I will say the plot was actually developing, unlike other books where the plot is thrown out the window after four chapters to make room for more smut. The plot was certainly intriguing and I do love a wronged-man falls for the "sunshine" girl, but for some reason, this book was just not doing it for me. I thought this book was going to be a lot more insane and freakier than it actually was, and unfortunately, I was really hoping it was going to go in that direction. I felt as though there was so much build up with the way that Rook and Regan met, and yet their chemistry was subtle at best in my eyes. Yes, the tension was there and they were clearly drawn to one another, but I did not think their relationship was well-developed.

Rook's perspective chapters mainly focused on dealing with his little motorcycle gang family and their personal issues as a group, or stalking around watching Regan. I love a stalker romance, but my word this man cannot even call himself a stalker because he makes it blatantly obvious that he is watching her every move, which is ironic considering her father runs a security system empire. The little text message conversations between Rook and Regan were amusable at first, but they lost their novelty very quickly and I found myself wishing they just spoke on the phone or literally in person. I would have loved to see Regan have more a relationship or more interactions with Rook's gang family because they felt very far removed from Regan's life and felt out of place when we would get her perspective chapters.

Regan's relationship with her father is clearly strained and while she is an adult, he still has this large hold over her as she attempts to get his attention and try to make him understand that she wants to be involved in the company. He is clearly a misogynist at heart, but also just simply does not seem to care about her at all for some reason? Their dynamic was honestly confusing and felt like it was being pulled in different directions. I honestly did not even care that her and her dad were basically at odds with one another even though it became somewhat of a main plot point as the story went on.

I really, truly wanted to love this book - all of the preview snippets I had seen had really drawn me to the story, but unfortunately it seems that those were the only highlights worth mentioning about this first installment. If you are looking for a more crime and plot-heavy book with a romance sub-plot, then this may be the book for you.

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If You're Seeing This, It's Meant for You by Leigh Stein ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! If You're Seeing This, It's Meant for You was published on August 26, 2025 and is now available at select book retailers.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. A combination of literary fiction intertwined with mystery and thriller, Stein's novel pulls the reader in as a viewer in this influencer-centric search for a missing Tarot card reader who vanished without a trace. This book is weird, gothic, and obsessive - every character has a compulsive attribute about them as they work towards fame and attention. You can see that when the attention or focus is not on one of them for too long, they begin to unravel at the seems. The internet is a compelling place that can have sinister consequences when one strives to do whatever it takes to stay on top.

I wish this book was a little weirder - the author really could have pulled through on that end and made the characters and subplots more erratic and disorienting. The mysterious and eeriness that surrounded Becca's disappearance was definitely hovering over the book throughout, but it felt underwhelming in what my expectations were going into Stein's work. Her disappearing certainly haunted the narrative, but with a "haunted" mansion being the center of the story and the main location of the book, it would have been great to see the author really turn the story more twisted for the characters and for the house.

The house feels like it is its own character - it carries an energy that overtakes the page, and the characters seem to treat it as a great entity rather than a 10,000 square foot house. There is a mysteriousness to it that consumes its residents and draws outsiders to want to look in and see what stories and secrets it holds. The energy given off by the house definitely adds to the uneasiness felt throughout the story as the search for Becca continues and answers are sought out. Considering one of the main focus points is to preserve the house for its next heir, it is always lingering in the background, whether the characters are using it for their videos or the owner is attempting to acquire more money to restore the mansion.

Dayna and her rabbit, Owen Wilson, take center stage in this gothic tale as she returns back to the hype house after a not-so-mutual break up with her boyfriend through a Reddit post. Her career in journalism has been not quite a flourishing as she had hoped, and moving into the hype house in order to help its owner save it from decay could be her ticket back into the game. You could tell that Dayna's influence in the house creates some tension between the influencers there, as they fight for her attention - or more so, for Owen Wilson and using him in their videos. Attempting to profit off of Becca's sudden disappearance through a social media campaign, Dayna's presence seems to be the thing that ties everything together once Olivia, Becca's biggest fan, comes to live in the house.

Stein's work poses an interesting combination of modern internet influencers with the gothic nature of the unknown and uncertainty. The pacing moves quickly and draws the reader in as they are sucked into the search for Becca, but also become an inside viewer to the realities that these influencers live in order to make content, at whatever the cost.

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House of Hearts by Skyla Arndt ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! House of Hearts will be available on September 2, 2025.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group / Viking Books for Young Readers for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. I have been itching for a gothic dark academia book, and when this standalone popped up, I knew I had to dive in. With Violet searching for answers after her best friend passes away at an exclusive school, she is determined to attend and finally set the record straight - was her friend murdered, or was there something more at play?

As Violet assimilates herself into the school environment and meets the students she believes played a role in her friend's passing, she soon discovers that there is much more than what meets the eye when it comes to the secret society's true intentions. She forms an unusual yet enticing bond with Clavin Lockwood - the brother of the very boy she believes killed her friend or at least had a hand to play in the "freak accident" that lead to her demise. As Calvin and Violet interact, it is clear that their relationship will certainly have an interesting course.

The "intermission" chapters from Anastasia definitely added an extra element to the story that allowed readers to take a step back from the story at hand and look at the origins of what is driving this society's interests. As Violet's journey progresses, the information that we learn from these interlude chapters sheds light on information Violet uncovers and leaves little clues on where her story is headed and what revelations she will make as she works with Calvin. It would have been interesting to see even more development on Anastasia and Helen's sisterly relationship and what caused such a riff between the two - while we do get brief glances, more interactions would have beneficial for the significance of what plays out.

This book was a lot shorter than I expected, and I honestly wish it was longer - to no fault to the author, the plot moved very quickly, and I would have loved to see the background lore expanded upon, along with Calvin and Violet's banter and back-and-forth to develop as a more will-they-won't-they situation. That being said, I flew through this book in just about two hours, and the writing did have me locked into the story. I do think that the side characters, while important, did take up a lot of story space that could have been dedicated to more intriguing plot points.

This book has the same vibes as Boys with Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell and We Are Villains by Kacen Callender but with a touch of paranormal whimsy that is seen in Bunny by Mona Awad and Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo. I had a fun time reading this and truly enjoyed the paranormal aspects that the author added it to the story - it made the stakes higher and drew me in to understand how everything would turn out for Violet, Calvin, and the rest of the Lockwoods.

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Den of Liars (Den of Liars, #1) by Jessica S. Olson ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Den of Liars will be available on July 1, 2025.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. I love a good heist novel, and considering the past few mystery books I read have been lacking in heists, I was so excited to get approved for this galley. Right from the start, readers are introduced to an exciting world that was more modern than I expected. The pacing for world-building is quick but not confusing, and while it took me a second to familiarize myself with all of the new places and books of importance, the story was not overloading the reader with new information every two seconds.

Lola is such an interesting character, and you can tell that she is headstrong from the second she shows up on the page - with the brief prologue, readers are given the tone of her character and she holds true to her determination as the story goes on. Her backstory definitely plays into her character and the choices that she makes along the way. The character of the Liar and the Thief intrigued me so much - it was exciting to see how they differed while also seeing how similar they were. The pull between those two characters and Lola keeps the reader entertained and longing for something mischievous to come into play.

The heists are one thing, but when one goes array, the only way to continue on for Lola is to participate in the Dice Tournament - which poses an entirely new risk to Lola as she journeys on to become a true member of the Tentacles, the Thief's gang. As their bond has grown over their time together, she is determined to prove herself and be taken seriously by the Thief. With their bond already formed, it was interesting to see how Lola still was not a member of the Tentacles despite being able to pull off a number of schemes and heists with the Thief.

I am such a major fan of the main lead falls for the villain, so I was thrilled to see hinting of that trope throughout the book and just mentioned in the summary. It plays out such a complex relationship as there is always more to the villain's story than appears in the beginning. With the Thief seeking revenge against his brother, the Liar, Lola is now right in the middle of their sibling feud, and when pulled between them, whose side will she choose?

For fans of Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody and Caraval by Stephanie Garber, this new and exciting young adult romance brings action, romance, and intrigue to a unique story. There is something new at every turn, and readers can expect to be in for page-turning surprises. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series has in store, and will certainly be keeping my eye out for any works by Olson.

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The Crown of the Dark Prince (House of Hyrax, #2) by Arcadia Rayne ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of The Rose in the Shadows on my blog, now! The Crown of the Dark Prince will be available on May 8, 2025.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved The Rose in the Shadows, and was incredibly excited to dive back into the world and see what was in store for these characters. Thea is now even deeper into Athenian Court and Council member life, and as she continues her internal battle between following her feelings and looking for the truth, she finds herself more isolated than ever. After the events of The Rose in the Shadows, she is essentially moving through life with determination to understand what the God of the Dead has in store for her.

Her attraction to Clay and their complicated relationship continue in this installment, and the will-they-wont-they is addicting. Every interaction they have is like adding fuel to the fire to their story, and I found Thea's complex and guarded actions towards Clay an intriguing part of her character that made her more nuanced as the story went on. Clay's reactions to her approach were completely valid, and his determination toward understanding the situation really solidified him as a character and as a potential love interest.

The Dragon continues to be one of the most vile characters in this series and the introduction of another foe only causes Thea, Clay, and the rest of their friends to face even more difficulties and loss throughout this installment. Thea is truly put through the ringer at every chance, and I felt as though she could never catch a break - there would be fleeting moments where she was content or at ease, but two chapters later, she would be fighting for her life or trying to save someone. That being said, she certainly had her moments and needed to lock into her common sense skills - I think she would become so overwhelmed at the state of the madness that she was unable to focus on how to solve issues.

Friendships in this series have been at the root for logical thinking and holding each other accountable. The majority of the characters either go through something horrific or bear witness to something of that nature, and the outcome tends to impact their relationships with one another. Considering what occurred in The Rose in the Shadows, it comes to no surprise that particular characters are not acting like their usual selves, while other characters attempt to aid those affected in the best way possible. Secrets are uncovered and loyalties are put to the test as everyone seeks to end the suffering around them.

Once again the ending of this book was insane and now I cannot believe I have to wait for the third installment. I had a feeling things were going in that direction, but when it actually happened, I still could not believe what I was reading. Rayne does such a fantastic job at pulling readers into the story, and coming off the intense battles these characters fight in, it felt like another blow by a sword, in the best way possible. I absolutely will be continuing on with this series, and cannot imagine what trials and tribulations this group of friends will have to endure.

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We Are Villains by Kacen Callender ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! We Are Villains was released on March 25, 2025 and is now available for purchase at select retailers.

I would first like to thank NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I have really been in the mood for a mystery book and when the approval came through on NetGalley, I was quick to download and get started. The premise reminded me of a few other mystery books I have read in the past, and I was interested to see where things were headed for Milo as he attempted to uncovered who killed his friend, Arianna.

Much like Boys with Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell, our protagonist is on the hunt to determine who killed his friend, and is willing to go to extreme lengths to reveal the truth and get justice by any means necessary. Milo appears to be a wallflower and tends to stay in the shadows of others, but as more attention is drawn to him as the days go on, he is thrown into a whirlwind of events that have consequences for everyone. As readers learn more about Milo and his life outside of Yates, we are also exposed to his relationships with the students and how he views himself as an individual and on a deeper level.

The perspective changes nearly every chapter, and with short chapters, it became more of a challenge to keep track of who was talking - especially considering the perspectives are written in first person. While I do appreciate multiple perspective books, it felt as though this should have been limited to three perspectives instead of the larger amount that we had in the book. There were a number of characters who were more interesting to read about, and I would have loved to dive deeper into the more sinister individuals rather than dwell on some characters that in my eyes were not nearly as intriguing.

As this is a young adult book, I expected a certain ceiling or threshold that the author would reach without going into adult territory, but I fear that they kept this book hovering over more middle grade than young adult. I felt a little out of my element when reading this, and wish that the maturity was turned up a tad - considering this is a murder mystery, I wanted the stakes to be higher in certain scenarios. That being said, there were definitely chapters or events that fell into the young adult category, but it would have been great if the book felt more cohesive when detailing particular actions or diving into characters and their personalities.

This is a super quick read and you will be able to tackle it in a couple of hours - I was entertained, but felt as though it was missing a little something that would push it over the edge into something memorable for me. The mystery element was played well, and I have to say it definitely kept me intrigued throughout the entirety of the story.

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The Rose in the Shadows (House of Hyrax, #1) by Arcadia Rayne Review

This is a spoiler-free review! 

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. After suddenly appearing, Theadora Moore is found to be the last Descendant of Hyrax, and she is thrown into royal politics and attempts on her life. With no memory of who she is or how she ended up here, she must navigate life as a royal and tune into the magic that very much but a target on her back. Prince Clayton Vail is weary to trust this girl who has already caused an amount of destruction without intention, and he must determine if her presence at court will be one of distraction or duty.

The amnesia trope is something I have actually rarely come across - sure, there have been points in books where characters have lost their memories after being cursed or drinking potions, but I do not recall more than a few times where the lead has had no memory from the beginning. It creates such a unique challenge for not only the lead, but for the supporting characters who have to discover if Thea is able to be trusted. Watching her grow into herself and work to discover how she ended up with such a target on her back and searching for answers.

Clay's immediate mistrust of Thea is not unexpected - in fact, if he trusted her immediately, I would have been weary of Clay's reasoning abilities. As he continues to side eye her throughout the days and warn everyone within a hundred foot vicinity that she should not be so easily welcomed, we also see the longing gazes and beginnings of protectiveness towards her. I loved his character - I would not go as far to say that he is stand-offish, but rather as heir, he must be cautious on who he interacts with and opens up to. The bickering between Thea and Clay was definitely a highlight of this book, and truly showed how their relationship developed over time.

Thea may be a stranger to her own memories, but that does not hinder the way she interacts with those in court or her boldness when it comes to making a scene for the good of the people. She is strong-headed and often times it does have consequences, not only for herself, but for others. I do think a lot of the supporting characters do place a lot of strong feelings on her - she is incredibly new to the idea that she is a princess, and yet she is under scrutiny at every turn. That being said, supporting characters like Iris have been by her side essentially since the beginning, and you can tell that she does have a support system in place, no matter how small it is.

The action in this book is certainly captivating, and I found myself truly enjoying the intensity - it reminded me a lot of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard in that regard. There were so many instances where I felt as though I could not turn the page fast enough - sure, there is world-building in the beginning, but even so, there is action right from the start. The author had a clear vision of what she wanted to convey with this story, and I appreciate the fact that she took the time to development side characters without sacrificing the main plot or Thea's development. Both Thea and Clay have such strong presences in this book, and are the main drawing point for me to continue reading this series and seeing where it goes. If you are looking for an adult fantasy to keep you on the edge of your seat, The Rose in the Shadows is definitely for you.

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Boys with Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! This is an ARC review - Boys with Sharp Teeth will be available on April 8, 2025. 

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Roaring Book Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. The premise of this book - and its gorgeous cover - drew me in immediately, and I was thrilled that a paranormal mystery would be making its way into my pile. This book does not waste any time in introducing the main character and the haunting reason on why she has enrolled in Huntsworth Academy. Right off the bat, I was reminded of how I felt when reading The Secret History by Donna Tartt - there was something sinister in the air, and you could tell that there were secrets hidden between the walls of this school and its students.

Marin has infiltrated this prestigious school in order to uncover her cousin's murderer, and in order to do so, she has enrolled under the alias Jamie Vane, and is quick to associate herself with the group of students she suspects of being guilty. With Henry, Adrian, and Baz at the top of her list, she begins her quest to gain evidence and confessions to the crime that took her cousin from her, all while trying not to tip them off or reveal her true identity. However, things are not as they seem at this school, and something much more unnerving has encompassed the lives of some of these students. As Marin grows closer to her peers, she unknowingly thrusts herself into a paranormal conundrum that has its talons in the very individuals she seeks answers from.

Henry and Adrian's relationship is so incredibly complex and as readers, we are able to see how co-dependent and intricate it is, even without necessarily having their perspectives throughout the book. We see their lives tethered together through Marin's eyes and the slow progression of Marin herself being weaved into their intimate and alluring dependency. My mind kept referring to the trio as the evil Challengers - everything from their interactions to their intimacies are convoluted and go well beyond the surface level. Adrian and Henry go in tandem with one another - where one is, the other follows - and this certainly causes some riffs as the story goes on and Marin develops differing relationships with the boys.

I fell in love with the setting of this book - Howell does an excellent job immersing the reader into the story and making you feel as though you are walking the halls or attending the parties with the students. The introduction of paranormal elements was a great choice - much like Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, we are able to enter a dark academia setting while experiencing something greater than mortal beings. This addition to the story only solidified my interest and captured me into the plot - we discover everything as Marin does, and it allows us to stay oblivious to the true nature of some of the students until the very moment the information is revealed and we are thrust into the mortifying truth.

Boys with Sharp Teeth was one of my most anticipated 2025 reads and it truly lived up to all of my expectations. Rarely do I see a young adult mystery that captures the true horrors of what people are capable of while also diving into the unknown and paranormal. This is the perfect book for those looking to ease into the genre without being overloaded with information. Howell's incorporation of Decartes and classical literature elevated the undertones of this novel to the fullest extent, and makes me even more excited to Meditations, which has been sitting on my shelf for a few months begging me to crack it open.

You can add Boys with Sharp Teeth on Goodreads now, and follow the authors to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!