Tag: blog for book reviews

Review: The Nighttimes by Myranda Wren

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Synopsis:

Beneath the fog of San Francisco lies a hidden world of ghosts frozen in time. Bound to the limits of the city by the bay, and unable to move on to the hereafter, are the souls of Jack and Lilith, two siblings who lost their earthly lives in the Great Earthquake of 1906. Now, after a century in the shadows, Jack and Lilith’s world is rocked again as barrier between the spirit world and the living world begins to unravel. With the help of Charlie, the one living child who can see them, they must fight to save their city and their souls from a force so dark it can only be seen at night.

Favorite Lines:

“Time marched forward and Lilith had long learned of her inability to stop it.”

“Paths may cross but no journey will be the same.”

“And now, I know that the end can also be the beginning. An opportunity to experience the world in a different way.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Nighttimes is set against the backdrop of San Francisco and takes readers through decades of history while exploring grief, family, and what it really means to move on after death.

The story follows Lilith and Jack, two siblings who lose their lives during the devastating San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Rather than moving on to whatever comes next, the two find themselves stuck in the spirit world, wandering the city as the years pass and the world around them changes. Lilith, forever sixteen, takes on the responsibility of protecting her younger brother, while Jack, eternally eleven, maintains much of his childhood curiosity and mischievous personality. Their relationship is really the heart of this story, and I enjoyed how their personalities balanced one another.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the way Wren incorporated San Francisco’s history into the narrative. The city almost becomes a character itself as we watch it evolve through the eyes of two spirits who have witnessed generations come and go. From the aftermath of the earthquake to the changing neighborhoods, buildings, and culture, there is a real sense of time passing, even though Lilith and Jack themselves remain unchanged. I also appreciated the smaller details, like Jack’s fascination with modern food and movies, which brought some humor to an otherwise rather melancholy situation.

Of course, their existence isn’t entirely peaceful. When mysterious dark spirits begin hunting ghosts throughout the city, Lilith and Jack find themselves caught up in something much more dangerous than either anticipated. What starts as a fairly quiet story about two siblings navigating the afterlife gradually develops into a supernatural mystery with some genuinely unsettling moments. I particularly liked the concept of the Night Maras and the rules governing the spirit world, including the significance of sacred spaces and the strange limitations placed on certain ghosts.

I also thought the emotional side of the story was interesting, particularly Lilith’s struggle with the responsibility she feels toward Jack. She has spent decades trying to keep him safe, but in doing so has also put aside much of her own desire for adventure and independence. Jack, meanwhile, wants to experience everything the world has to offer, even if he can no longer participate in it the way the living do. Their disagreements feel believable, and beneath them is a shared fear of losing the only family they have left.

The pacing does take some time to build, especially with the movement between different periods of the siblings’ existence. There are also moments when the descriptions and explanations of the spirit world feel a little drawn out. Still, I think the historical setting and the emotional connection between the characters help give the story something more substantial than a typical ghostly adventure.

What I appreciated most about The Nighttimes was that it doesn’t treat ghosts simply as frightening figures lurking in the shadows. Instead, they’re individuals with memories, regrets, relationships, and unfinished stories. There is something both sad and comforting about that idea, and it gives the novel an emotional weight beneath all the supernatural danger.

Summary:

Overall, The Nighttimes is an imaginative blend of historical fiction, paranormal fantasy, and mystery. While there are certainly darker moments, the story is ultimately just as interested in family, love, and the passage of time as it is in the things that go bump in the night. Readers who enjoy ghost stories with a little more heart, historical fiction supernatural mysteries, and character-driven fantasy may enjoy this one. Happy reading!

Check out The Nighttimes here!

 

Monthly Features – October 2026

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Slow Burn by Erin Lynne

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Never hook-up with a woman from Landmere, and under no circumstances do you sleep with your best friend’s little sister.

Firefighter Elijah Barnett had easy rules when it came to women. Then Dr. Georgia Cross came home.

She’s sunshine wrapped in scrubs and managed to get under Elijah’s skin within five minutes of meeting him. She laughed at him. Called him out on his bad flirting. And somehow made the notoriously grumpy firefighter forget he didn’t smile.

Georgia has spent her entire life doing the responsible thing. From academics and residency, to becoming a doctor and building her dream career. Now she was ready to stop overthinking and start dating. Unfortunately, the infuriatingly sexy firefighter with navy blue eyes kept showing up everywhere she turned.

One heated argument turned into one unforgettable kiss.

One kiss turned into a whole lot of pretending they didn’t want each other. Until they couldn’t deny the spark.

The only problem?

Elijah knew exactly how this story should end. He has to walk away because he didn’t do love.

Too bad his heart didn’t get the memo.

Filled with crackling chemistry, laugh-out-loud banter, delicious tension, protective firefighter energy, found family, and a hero who falls so hard he never sees it coming. This spicy, contemporary romance is perfect for readers who love Lucy Score, Elsie Silver, and Meghan Quinn.

Summary: Slow Burn is the kind of romance that is easy to settle into when you’re looking for something fun, flirty, and spicy without a huge emotional commitment. This would be a good pick for readers who enjoy firefighter romances, brother’s best friend, hometown romance, strong career-focused heroines, commitment-averse heroes, lots of chemistry, and a fairly spicy contemporary romance that doesn’t take forever to get moving. 

See the full review here: Slow Burn
Purchase here

Christmas Catastrophe(s) by Heather Jopling

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: When freelance writer Charlie Jensen injures herself in a holiday DIY accident, she finds herself laid up with only ten days to prep for her annual Holiday Tea. Her cat Steve is useless at babysitting, but fortunately, her good friend, Dev Bhandari is willing to help.

Trauma doctor Dev Bhandari has been ordered to take his lieu time before year end. While he may have fantasized about his good friend Charlie over the years, Dev has never acted on those fantasies because #1 – they have never been single at the same time and # 2 – they’re friends. However, when Charlie is wheeled into the ER, Dev’s low-key attraction kicks into overdrive and he is desperate to leave the Friend Zone.

While in close proximity, it doesn’t take much time before long-suppressed attractions begin to stir between these old friends. Terrified that their desire for “more” might destroy their much-cherished friendship, Dev and Charlie must each find a way to be true to their own hearts, without creating a catastrophe.

Summary: Christmas Catastrophe(s) is a fun, chaotic, and heartwarming holiday romance with plenty of humor, a little spice, and a whole lot of Christmas spirit. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and I think that is part of its charm. Readers who enjoy longtime friends discovering their feelings, caretaking romances, quirky characters, and holiday stories that really lean into the Christmas atmosphere will likely have a good time with this one.

See the full review here: Christmas Catastrophe(s)
Purchase here

 

Review: Yale Village, Appalachia by L. Gale

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Synopsis:

In the year 1784 romance blossoms in unexpected places on the frontier. Kentucky is still part of Virginia and the First Nations clash with pioneers in the struggle to settle western Appalachia while the newly forming United States is established. Follow key members of the backwater village of Yale, Kentucky before its history was committed to paper and before it was intentionally submerged to create a lake. In spite of real and ever-present dangers, several love stories are woven together in and around the village, including two inter-racial marriages between Shawnee tribal members and Christian settlers who encounter them, as spiritual traditions are explored and means of survival are found in the face of mounting social and geographical tensions.

Favorite Lines:

“Great Spirit can seem far away sometimes…but may be closer than we realize.”

“It was the most thrilling thing that I’ve ever experienced, as well as the most devastating to lose. I guess the two go hand in hand.”

“Then, too, contemporary explorers might drift off to sleep in a canoe to the soothing churning of the first grist mill wheel in the waters of the Licking River, and find themselves transported back in time in their own dreams of the humble village of Yale as it once was in the hearts of those who survived and thrived there.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

There is something fascinating about the idea of an entire town disappearing beneath the water, especially when so much of its history has already been lost to time. In Yale Village, Appalachia, L. Gale takes that idea and imagines what life might have looked like for the people who first settled Yale, Kentucky, in the late 1700s, long before the community was eventually submerged beneath what is now Cave Run Lake.

The story begins in 1784, when Yale is still a small frontier settlement made up of tents, log cabins, and people trying to build something resembling a permanent home. When stonemason Tom Donathan arrives with plans to construct a much-needed gristmill, it sets the stage for a story that follows the growth of the village and the lives of the people who call it home.

Rather than focusing on one central character or a single overarching conflict, the book follows several members of the community as they navigate everything from marriages and childbirth to religious gatherings, dangerous encounters, and the everyday challenges of frontier life. I particularly enjoyed how much attention was given to the smaller details of establishing a settlement. Things like building a mill, organizing a school, preparing for winter, and gathering together for celebrations might not sound especially exciting on their own, but they help give the village a sense of life and personality.

One of the more interesting storylines involves Kahkwehsée, a young Shawnee man who eventually becomes known as Perry. His experiences introduce a different perspective on the frontier, particularly when it comes to the tensions between settlers and Native Americans. I appreciated that the author made an effort to explore the relationships between these communities rather than treating the settlement’s history as exclusively that of its European inhabitants. Perry’s relationship with Jack Fortier was especially memorable, and their growing sense of family brought some of the more touching moments to the story.

There is also quite a bit of romance woven throughout the book. I enjoyed the developing relationship between Dr. Emmett Clay and Sadie Roberts, especially the rather amusing circumstances surrounding their courtship. The village gossip and everyone’s concern over what is considered proper behavior provide some lighter moments, and I liked how these relationships helped break up the more historical portions of the narrative.

That being said, this is definitely a book that leans heavily into its historical details. There are frequent references to real people, locations, religious practices, and events, and at times the writing feels more like a historical account than a traditional novel. While I found much of that information interesting, there were moments when I wished the author had spent a little less time explaining the history and a little more time developing the characters and their emotions. Some of the dialogue also felt a bit formal, which made it harder to become fully immersed in certain scenes.

I think the book works best when viewed as a fictional reconstruction of a community rather than a story driven by suspense or dramatic twists. There is a lot of emphasis on cooperation, faith, family, and the determination required to make a life in an unfamiliar and often dangerous place. The changing seasons and community traditions also give the story a comfortable, almost nostalgic feeling, even when the circumstances themselves are anything but easy.

What stayed with me most was the premise behind the book. Knowing that Yale eventually disappeared beneath the waters of a man-made lake gives the story an underlying sense of sadness. All of the ordinary moments that make up the lives of these fictional villagers, from weddings and Christmas celebrations to the construction of their homes, feel a little more meaningful when you remember that the physical place they are building will one day be gone.

Summary:

Overall, Yale Village, Appalachia is an interesting blend of historical fiction, community storytelling, and imagined local history. While the slower pacing and abundance of historical information may not appeal to everyone, I appreciated the author’s attempt to give a forgotten community a sense of identity and bring its early inhabitants to life. Readers who enjoy slower-paced historical fiction, Appalachian history, pioneer settlements, and stories centered around small communities will likely appreciate this one. Happy reading!

Check out Yale Village, Appalachia here!

 

Review: Christmas Catastrophe(s) by Heather Jopling

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

When freelance writer Charlie Jensen injures herself in a holiday DIY accident, she finds herself laid up with only ten days to prep for her annual Holiday Tea. Her cat Steve is useless at babysitting, but fortunately, her good friend, Dev Bhandari is willing to help.

Trauma doctor Dev Bhandari has been ordered to take his lieu time before year end. While he may have fantasized about his good friend Charlie over the years, Dev has never acted on those fantasies because #1 – they have never been single at the same time and # 2 – they’re friends. However, when Charlie is wheeled into the ER, Dev’s low-key attraction kicks into overdrive and he is desperate to leave the Friend Zone.

While in close proximity, it doesn’t take much time before long-suppressed attractions begin to stir between these old friends. Terrified that their desire for “more” might destroy their much-cherished friendship, Dev and Charlie must each find a way to be true to their own hearts, without creating a catastrophe.

Favorite Lines:

“She was really pale, which for Charlie, was saying something, given that she generally ran from fish-belly white to barely porcelain at the best of times. In the summer, when she freckled, she might get enough colour to be misconstrued as bisque.”

“You’re basing your recuperation time on an episode of Grey’s fucking Anatomy?”

“The knowledge that she had cheated death, sat Yoda-esque within Charlie’s bones.”

“You look like a neurotic sheepdog. You’re making me nervous.”

“As she looked at the wrapping, she noticed that all the pieces of tape were exactly the same length. She smiled. Their OCD matched. Their OCD matched!!“

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

If there is one thing Charlie Jensen knows how to do, it is Christmas. Between decorating, baking, and preparing for her annual holiday tea, she has everything planned down to the smallest detail. Unfortunately, a rather unfortunate DIY accident involving a pair of tin snips lands her in the hospital just days before Christmas, throwing all those carefully laid plans out the window.

Enter Dev Bhandari, an ER doctor and Charlie’s longtime best friend, who finds himself taking care of her while she recovers. Of course, being forced to spend so much time together brings some rather inconvenient feelings to the surface, especially when those feelings have been lurking in the background for longer than either of them would care to admit.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Charlie and Dev. Their friendship feels comfortable and lived in, and I liked that their relationship wasn’t built entirely around romantic tension. There is already so much history between them, and the little moments of teasing, bickering, and looking after one another make it easy to understand why they work so well together. Dev’s patience with Charlie’s stubborn determination to carry on with Christmas preparations, despite being injured, was particularly entertaining.

Charlie herself is quite the character. She’s independent, a little dramatic, and absolutely unwilling to let something as inconvenient as a hospital stay ruin her holiday plans. Her internal monologues and tendency to turn even the smallest situation into a production made for some funny moments, although I can also see how her personality might be a little much for some readers.

What I particularly liked was how much Christmas was actually incorporated into the story. Sometimes holiday romances feel like they could take place at any time of year with a Christmas tree thrown into the background, but that wasn’t the case here. Between the elaborate gingerbread construction, holiday baking, family gatherings, and one catastrophe after another, the Christmas festivities really are a big part of the plot. I also enjoyed the supporting characters, especially Charlie’s family, who bring their own humor and warmth to the story.

The humor is definitely a big part of this book’s personality. It is a little over the top at times, and there were moments when I felt the banter and comedic tangents could have been trimmed down to keep the story moving. Still, I appreciated that the author wasn’t afraid to embrace the ridiculousness of the situations Charlie and Dev find themselves in.

Underneath all the chaos, though, there is a surprisingly sweet story about friendship, vulnerability, and the fear of risking something good for the possibility of something even better. I liked that the romance had an emotional foundation rather than relying solely on physical attraction, and watching Charlie and Dev navigate the shift in their relationship was one of the more enjoyable parts of the book.

Summary:

Overall, Christmas Catastrophe(s) is a fun, chaotic, and heartwarming holiday romance with plenty of humor, a little spice, and a whole lot of Christmas spirit. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and I think that is part of its charm. Readers who enjoy longtime friends discovering their feelings, caretaking romances, quirky characters, and holiday stories that really lean into the Christmas atmosphere will likely have a good time with this one. Happy reading!

Check out Christmas Catastrophe(s) here!

 

Review: Slow Burn by Erin Lynne

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

Never hook-up with a woman from Landmere, and under no circumstances do you sleep with your best friend’s little sister.

Firefighter Elijah Barnett had easy rules when it came to women. Then Dr. Georgia Cross came home.

She’s sunshine wrapped in scrubs and managed to get under Elijah’s skin within five minutes of meeting him. She laughed at him. Called him out on his bad flirting. And somehow made the notoriously grumpy firefighter forget he didn’t smile.

Georgia has spent her entire life doing the responsible thing. From academics and residency, to becoming a doctor and building her dream career. Now she was ready to stop overthinking and start dating. Unfortunately, the infuriatingly sexy firefighter with navy blue eyes kept showing up everywhere she turned.

One heated argument turned into one unforgettable kiss.

One kiss turned into a whole lot of pretending they didn’t want each other. Until they couldn’t deny the spark.

The only problem?

Elijah knew exactly how this story should end. He has to walk away because he didn’t do love.

Too bad his heart didn’t get the memo.

Filled with crackling chemistry, laugh-out-loud banter, delicious tension, protective firefighter energy, found family, and a hero who falls so hard he never sees it coming. This spicy, contemporary romance is perfect for readers who love Lucy Score, Elsie Silver, and Meghan Quinn.

Favorite Lines:

“Who hurt you? Give me his name, and we ride at dawn.”

“Of course he would carry her fireman style…”

“Whenever he thought about her, which was a fuck ton, he sent her a text if they weren’t together. And if they were together, he would find a way to touch her, whether just holding her hand or kissing her. Like he turned over a new leaf. He loved talking to her and making her smile. It was an addiction he had, to make Georgia happy.”

“I always say one more chapter, and the next thing I know, I’ve finished the book and it’s three a.m.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

There is something about a firefighter romance that just works, and Slow Burn definitely knows what kind of book it wants to be. Lynne gives us Georgia, a doctor who has finally returned home after spending years away working toward her career, and Elijah, her brother’s firefighter friend who has built his dating life around a pretty foolproof rule: keep things casual and, preferably, keep them out of town. Obviously, Georgia is about to make that rule a lot harder to follow.

I liked that Georgia comes back home with a life and career she has already built for herself. She isn’t returning because everything fell apart or because she needs someone to rescue her. She worked hard to become a doctor and there is a confidence to her that makes the attraction between her and Elijah feel pretty evenly matched. Their initial connection also happens before they fully put together who the other person is, which makes the whole brother’s best friend situation more fun once that realization hits.

Elijah was probably the more interesting half of the relationship for me because he is so determined to keep his life uncomplicated. He has created these very specific boundaries around dating, including his rather ridiculous zip code rule, and Georgia immediately becomes the exception he wasn’t planning for. A lot of the fun comes from watching him realize that his usual approach isn’t going to work here. The attraction is definitely physical from the beginning, but underneath that, you can see him becoming genuinely interested in her in a way he normally tries to avoid.

Despite the title, I wouldn’t go into this expecting an extremely drawn out slow burn where you’re waiting most of the book for something to happen. This is a quicker, steamier contemporary romance where the chemistry is established early and the real tension comes from what Georgia and Elijah are going to do about it. The firefighter setting, Georgia’s medical career, the hometown connections, and the fact that Elijah is close to her brother give the romance enough going on around it that it doesn’t feel like two attractive people existing in a vacuum.

Summary:.

Overall, Slow Burn is the kind of romance that is easy to settle into when you’re looking for something fun, flirty, and spicy without a huge emotional commitment. This would be a good pick for readers who enjoy firefighter romances, brother’s best friend, hometown romance, strong career-focused heroines, commitment-averse heroes, lots of chemistry, and a fairly spicy contemporary romance that doesn’t take forever to get moving. Happy reading!

Check out Slow Burn here!

 

Review: The Confessor: A Logan Hollister Novel by Noah Christopher

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

A killer is making Los Angeles confess.

The Confessor is never wrong. He has built his whole life around being sure of it.

He chooses people who got away with it — never charged, never even suspected. The charity director who gutted his own foundation. The smiling influencer who built an empire on a lie.

He sits them down alone with a pen and a yellow legal pad, and waits as long as it takes for the truth in their own hand.

Then he balances the account.

The confessions are real. But on paper, nothing connects the victims — separate lives, separate crimes, no thread that should tie one death to the next.

Detective Logan Hollister has every reason to stay out of it. The money came a long time ago; the house is an hour down the coast, the kind of quiet other men spend their whole lives chasing. Logan can only tolerate it in small batches before he wants back in. He keeps the badge, works the cases that still mean something, and this is the one he can’t walk away from.

On the surface, he and the man he’s hunting are opposites. One has everything a life can hold. The other spent years making himself into no one at all.

But the bodies keep coming, and the difference between them keeps thinning — until Logan can’t always tell whether he’s hunting the man or recognizing him.

Favorite Lines:

“Everybody with a secret and a blazer had done a TED talk.”

“The truth had to come on its own, the way water finds its level.”

“The days of chasing a ghost were gone. Now he was hunting a man, and the hunt was drawing close.”

“Some part of him, far down, mistook a train leaving its rails for the feeling of being free.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Confessor starts with a killer who doesn’t simply want his victims dead. He wants them to admit what they’ve done first. His targets are people hiding behind carefully constructed public images, and he does an unsettling amount of homework before confronting them with the truth. The opening, involving a respected charity figure and some very questionable finances, immediately establishes what makes this killer interesting: there’s a twisted logic behind what he’s doing. He doesn’t see himself as indiscriminately violent. In his mind, he’s exposing people who deserve to be exposed. That makes the moral line running through the book considerably messier than your standard serial killer thriller.

On the other side of the story is LAPD detective Logan Hollister, who is probably the biggest reason I enjoyed this as much as I did. Logan has money, a Tesla, a house in Laguna Beach, and enough independence within the department to operate a little differently than everyone else, but he also seems almost incapable of actually enjoying the quiet life he has built for himself. Los Angeles and the work keep pulling him back. His partnership with Curt Alton gives the book some much needed humor and personality, especially because Curt is one of the few people who seems completely unimpressed by Logan being Logan. Their dialogue feels easy and lived in, and I liked their relationship almost as much as the investigation itself.

There is also more going on with Logan than the other characters realize. He secretly owns WLTLH, an investigative news site that has grown far beyond the little local operation he originally created. That becomes much more than an interesting character detail once The Confessor and WLTLH begin brushing up against each other. Logan suddenly has access to information as a journalist that he cannot exactly walk into the police department and explain without exposing a huge part of his life. I thought this was one of the more original pieces of the book because it gives him two different ways of hunting for the truth, while also creating a pretty significant problem when those two identities collide.

The story alternates between Logan’s investigation and The Confessor himself, so this isn’t really a mystery where you spend the entire book trying to guess what the killer is doing. A lot of the tension comes from watching both sides work and wondering when their paths are finally going to meet. The Confessor studies people with almost obsessive patience, while Logan is similarly good at noticing the tiny details other people overlook. That parallel makes them feel strangely well matched. The book also has a very strong sense of Los Angeles, moving between expensive Westside shops, diners, churches, freeways, ordinary neighborhoods and Logan’s quieter life down in Laguna. It gives the story a contemporary, very lived-in feeling rather than using LA as generic crime-thriller scenery.

At a little over 400 pages, The Confessor is substantial, but it reads quickly because the chapters tend to keep pushing you into the next piece of the investigation. There are stretches where the book gets very detailed about how Logan or The Confessor thinks through something, which may be more procedural than some readers want, but I actually think that detail is part of the appeal here. You get to understand how both men think rather than simply watching clues appear when the plot needs them. More than anything, this feels like the beginning of a crime series rather than a standalone thriller with a detective who happens to solve one case. Logan, Curt, WLTLH and the larger world around them all feel built to continue beyond this story, and I would be interested in seeing where the series takes them next.

Summary: 

Overall, The Confessor is a smart, fast-moving crime thriller about an LAPD detective hunting a killer who forces seemingly respectable people to confess the ugly truths they have been hiding. The alternating perspectives make the cat-and-mouse element especially fun, while Logan’s secret life as the owner of an investigative news site adds a genuinely interesting complication. Readers who like police procedurals, serial killer thrillers, morally complicated villains, clever detective work, strong partner banter and contemporary Los Angeles settings may enjoy this book. Happy reading!

Check out The Confessor here!

 

Review: Echoes of a Wild Girl’s Drum by Tiffini Johnson

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

I was seven when they tied me to the stake.

They wanted me to burn, burn, burn like Nángi. I threw blackjack petals in her ashes, but not even the strongest herbs can make dead mothers come back. Nobody threw blackjack petals for me, but when my turn came, a boy broke rhythm for me instead — the village drummer, the Commander’s ward — and he was scarred for it.

So I ran. Into the forest, into the dark. I learned to sleep where nothing could find me and eat what the forest gave and trust tree kangaroos and cuscuses before people. I forgot almost everything — except the boy who cut me loose from the stake. Except the tree where we carved a spiral with hair and blood and a poem nobody knows. Except the night we climbed so high the whole sky cracked open and I told him there were a million hundred stars. Except our beat — tap boom tap, tap boom boom tap — that belongs to no one else in the world. He was the only thing I kept.

Women burn in this village. They burn for sick children. For failed crops. For the herbs they keep. Some are tired. Some are angry. Some pass secrets. But I didn’t decide to come back. Something small needed me to.

And now they know: the witch’s daughter didn’t die twelve summers ago.

I know the sound the drum makes before whispers spread like fire.
The air already smells like smoke.

Only now the boy who once broke the rhythm is a man.
And I am no longer seven years old.

Favorite Lines:

“We are strong. We are brave. We are women.”

“The wind blows against my skin while my heart beats fast. In my head, I imagine tapping against the drum, keeping the pressure of the beat just so. The first time I played the Heartbeat and people spilled out into the streets, opened their shops, hitched wagons, and began their day, I felt it. Power. The drumbeat gave the village the knowledge that it was time to begin a new day. The drumbeat acts as the village’s sun. I am the village’s sun. And now I will learn to be its moon.”

“I’m talking in circles, jumping from one thing to the next, just like Salu, but you said spirals lead us home. You are my home. Listen to me.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is one of those books that grabs you from the first few pages and really doesn’t let go. The opening is heartbreaking, but it’s also the kind of scene that tells you exactly what kind of story you’re stepping into. It’s heavy, emotional, and not afraid to sit with uncomfortable realities.

The story is set in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, and that setting never felt like just a backdrop. It becomes part of everything, from the traditions and village life to the way the characters understand the world around them. I especially loved how the drum wasn’t just an instrument. It became a language, a responsibility, and a symbol that carried so much meaning throughout the novel. The cultural details felt woven naturally into the story instead of stopping everything to explain them.

I was a really big fan of the dual perspectives. Seeing the world through young Soryelle’s eyes is absolutely devastating because of her innocence. She notices smells, sounds, plants, animals, and little moments that make the tragedy around her hit even harder. On the other side, Maikel’s chapters add a completely different layer as he wrestles with duty, tradition, and what kind of man he wants to become. Watching those two perspectives slowly build toward each other kept me invested the entire time.

The writing itself is very sensory. You can practically smell the smoke from the mumu fires, hear the rhythm of the drums, and picture the forests and mountains. At times it almost reads like someone telling you a story around a fire rather than a traditional historical novel, which fit the atmosphere really well.

This is definitely not an easy read though so get ready to cry. Johnson doesn’t shy away from trauma, grief, or the lasting effects of violence, and there were several scenes that were difficult to get through emotionally. At the same time, the book never felt hopeless. Underneath all of the pain is a story about resilience, healing, connection, and choosing compassion over fear. Even some of the quieter moments between characters carried just as much emotional weight as the bigger ones.

Summary: 

Overall, this was a beautifully written and emotionally powerful novel that stayed with me long after I finished it. It’s the kind of book that asks difficult questions about humanity while still leaving room for hope. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy emotional historical fiction, character-driven stories, literary fiction, and novels that explore resilience, culture, and hope after unimaginable loss. 

You can find the book trailer here
Check out Echoes of a Wild Girl’s Drum here!

 

Review: There Be Dragon by Michael Tars

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

THERE BE DRAGON is an adult epic fantasy with slow-burn romance in a sprawling world of magic, greedy demigods, and dark prophesies.

When the people of magical Kalador prayed for a savior, they summoned Kwe—a battle-scarred soldier from a futuristic Earth who is plagued by memories of his violent past. He’s told that an ancient Dragon’s spirit resides within him and that together they’re destined to protect the realm from hungry demigods plotting Kalador’s demise.

Now, voices of several Dragons crowd Kwe’s mind, each with their own agenda, all threatening to take over. Cut-throat court politics and strange magic, assassination attempts and threats of imminent war are bad enough; it’s worse to fall in love when romance is impossible. Though try explaining that to the amorous dragon within…

Common-born Kira didn’t expect to become the Chosen. Now she must bind the new Lord Dragon’s soul to Kalador. If only he’d see not just her duty, but also her love.

With threats multiplying, and Kira’s life on the line, Kwe’s only choice is to embrace the dragons—without losing himself in the process. He might be a pawn in some demigod’s secret game, but he won’t be broken or controlled.

With a nefarious demigod plotting from the bottom of the ocean, will Kwe’s newfound
Dragon powers and battlefield experience be enough to keep the country and those he loves safe?

An adult fantasy romance for fans of romantasy, dragons, forbidden romance, and mysteries demanding to be solved.

Favorite Lines:

“The hardest lies to see are those you tell yourself.”

“Nothing had changed, yet everything was different.”

“Wars were costly. Even for the victor.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

There Be Dragon opens like a futuristic military science fiction novel before abruptly turning into something completely different. Lieutenant Colonel Kwe is leading a raid in a technologically advanced version of Earth when he sacrifices himself to save his best friend and expects to die. Instead, he wakes up in the snow beneath a perfectly blue sky, surrounded by three girls who are convinced they have just summoned their country’s new Lord Dragon. Kira, Maya, and Kira’s younger sister Nora have been sent out as part of an ancient ritual meant to find Kalador’s new divine protector, and through either fate, magic, or some very enthusiastic pompoms, they find Kwe. It’s a strange setup, and the collision of genres gives the story an unusual starting point. Kwe tries to analyze everything through the eyes of a highly trained soldier from an advanced civilization, while everyone around him interprets his technology through the perspective of a world where magic and gods are completely real.

What I found more interesting than the actual “man from the future becomes a dragon” premise was the way Kwe reacts to the society he’s landed in. Kalador treats him as an all-powerful ruler almost immediately, but he is increasingly horrified by many of the traditions everyone else considers normal. This is especially true when it comes to the treatment of women. Kira was facing marriage to an abusive man, Maya’s father was essentially negotiating a price for her, and all three girls are suddenly told that they now “belong” to Kwe as his Maidens. Kwe’s refusal to simply accept that arrangement creates an interesting tension within the story. Even when he’s attracted to Kira, he is conscious of the fact that her society has given her very little real choice, and he doesn’t want his position as Lord Dragon to become another way for someone else to control her. That complicates their developing relationship, particularly as Kira tries to establish that what she wants is actually her own decision.

Kwe also begins challenging Kalador’s traditions in smaller ways. He isn’t only interested in defeating enemies with futuristic weapons or demonstrating how technologically superior his world was. He cooks, insists that his Maidens eat with him, recruits women as fighters and bodyguards, teaches the girls to defend themselves, and treats servants and commoners with a level of respect that repeatedly confuses the people around him. These moments help establish the kind of ruler Kwe intends to be, although I did find there was sometimes a disconnect between the story’s criticism of Kalador’s treatment of women and the way its female characters were presented elsewhere in the narrative. One particularly meaningful moment comes when Kwe meets Moira, the cook who cared for Kira and Nora when their own family failed them. Rather than dismissing her as a servant, Kwe kneels before her, thanks her, and promises to care for “her girls.” It’s a relatively small moment compared to the larger political conflicts surrounding Kalador, but it reveals quite a bit about how Kwe sees the people who have unexpectedly become part of his life.

There is plenty of action, magic, political maneuvering, romance, and humor, with the relationships between Kwe, Kira, Maya, and Nora forming a significant part of the story’s emotional foundation. Kwe begins the book mourning a life he believes he has lost, but over time, Kalador stops feeling quite so much like somewhere he has accidentally landed and starts becoming somewhere he genuinely wants to protect. The ending leaves the larger story unfinished, particularly when it comes to Leviathan and the threats gathering around Kalador, while still bringing Kwe’s personal journey in this installment to an important turning point. By the final pages, the people gathered around him represent the connections he has formed in a world that was completely foreign to him when the story began.

I do want to flag that there are some parts of this book that are, in my opinion, problematic. While I appreciated the novel’s emphasis on consent and Kwe’s efforts to challenge Kalador’s treatment of women, I sometimes found the repeated focus on the women surrounding him and their attraction to him excessive. There were also a few adult-oriented jokes involving a much younger character that I personally found uncomfortable and unnecessary. These elements occasionally distracted me from what I thought were the more interesting aspects of the story, particularly the clash between Kwe’s futuristic values and the traditions of his new world. Because these elements may be significant for some readers, I think they are worth mentioning as part of my overall experience with the book.

Summary:

Overall, There Be Dragon is a genre-blending portal fantasy about a futuristic soldier who finds himself transported into a medieval world and mistaken, or perhaps correctly identified, as its newly summoned Lord Dragon. As Kwe tries to understand his new powers and the Dragon sharing his consciousness, he also has to navigate a society whose traditions surrounding class, gender, marriage, and political power often conflict sharply with his own values.

I think this may appeal to readers who enjoy portal fantasy and isekai-style stories, powerful protagonists, science fiction mixed with traditional fantasy, dragons, political worldbuilding, found family, and stories where a modern or futuristic character introduces new ideas into a less technologically advanced society. Readers should also be aware that the book contains a significant romantic and sexual component, including some material that may be uncomfortable for certain audiences. The story also deals with darker subjects involving abuse, exploitation, sexual violence, assassination attempts, and war.

You can find the book trailer here
Check out There Be Dragon here

 

 

Monthly Features – July 2026

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Eidolon: From the Case Files of the OHR by C.L. Stiles

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: When a man vanishes from a Kansas City diner — pulled through reality by forces no one can explain — Nathan Quipp knows it’s only the beginning.

As director of the Office of Hidden Realms, Nathan has spent his career keeping the supernatural world invisible to those who can’t handle the truth. But something is moving even deeper beneath the surface. Ley lines are surging. Cross-realm incursions are rising. And a near-divine source whispers the need to find the missing man — the Eidolon.

Now Nathan’s team is scattered across two continents and twelve centuries, racing to piece together a mystery that reaches from the streets of Kansas City to ancient Stonehenge and back again. The Veiled world is fracturing. The Unveiled are running out of time.

And something much older than the OHR is finally paying attention.

Eidolon: From the Case Files of the OHR is the first installment of the OHR Case Files.

Summary: Eidolon is an urban fantasy/paranormal mystery novel centered around the Office of Hidden Realms, a secret organization dealing with supernatural threats hidden beneath everyday life. The story mixes magical investigations, folklore, ghosts, fae, monsters, prophecies, and hidden conspiracies with a surprisingly emotional undercurrent about grief and identity. The tone balances humor, mystery, horror, and found-family energy while gradually building toward a much larger supernatural conflict. Readers who enjoy The Dresden Files, Supernatural, Men in Black-style organizations, SCP-style lore, paranormal procedurals, or ensemble urban fantasy casts will probably have a great time with this. 

See the full review here: Eidolon: From the Case Files of the OHR
Purchase here

 

The Meaning of Androsia by Eric Bush

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: It was a time of steam locomotives and horses, of city-states and principalities ruled by monarchs – but it did not take place in the past. It was a time of civil war between Protestants and Catholics over direct access to the Messiah – but the Messiah wasn’t Jesus. It was a place where Orthodox spires dotted the landscape, and people addressed each other with matronymics instead of patronymics – but it wasn’t a Slavic country, or even in Europe or Asia. It was a culture that venerated the great writers and composers from prior centuries – but their names were not Bach, or Shakespeare, or Beethoven. And when mid-winter rolled around, everyone celebrated the traditional holiday by decorating fir trees – but it was not Christmas. In short, it was a time very much like past centuries of our own – except that it was different. Something had happened to change the course of history.

Thus begins the story of Ilya Erynovich and Katerinya Emlynovna, a lifelong search for the meaning of something from the past. Ilya doesn’t know where he came from, or how old he is. He seems to know things he couldn’t possibly have learned. He has skills he couldn’t possibly have acquired. He is sought out, and sometimes captured, by political and religious leaders, and constantly followed by anonymous stalkers.

At first, he doesn’t even know that he is Ilya. He wakes up one evening in a train station, unable to remember anything about himself, including his own name. As he searches for someone – anyone – who might know who he is, he encounters Katerinya, a young writer, who takes an interest in his predicament and offers to help. She takes him in, and although strangers, they soon develop a mutual affection that blossoms into love.

This turns out to be good memory therapy for Ilya, and he recovers his knowledge of the last 20 years or so – but then it becomes stuck. He can’t remember anything prior to that. And it soon becomes clear to them that Ilya’s past self has left messages for his present self – there is something about the past that his present self needs to know – but the clues are cryptic and hard to decipher.

Over the course of a 24 year love affair, buffeted by political and religious intrigue, two epidemics, and a civil war, Ilya and Katerinya finally figure out who he really is…or was. But it’s not what either had expected.

Summary: The Meaning of Androsia is an ambitious speculative mystery that combines post-apocalyptic science fiction, romance, political intrigue, religion, genetics, philosophy, and alternate future history. It follows an amnesiac professor trying to discover who he is and why people are pursuing him, only for that personal mystery to gradually uncover a much larger story about a civilization that lost most of its connection to its own past.

I think this would especially appeal to readers who enjoy big-idea speculative fiction, stories about lost civilizations and reconstructed history, scientific mysteries, philosophical discussions about religion and knowledge, and slow-burning mysteries where seemingly minor clues eventually connect to a much larger explanation. Readers who enjoy a strong central romance alongside their science fiction may also really like Ilya and Katerinya. It will probably be a harder sell for readers who prefer very fast pacing or minimal exposition, because this is a long novel that frequently pauses the central plot for extended conversations about science, religion, history, literature, politics, and human behavior. 

See the full review here: The Meaning of Androsia
Purchase here

 

Review: Fire Breathes Stone and Storm by Teresa Hakaraia

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

Sekya has spent her life making herself small.

Raised in an orphanage alongside Khala, Riva, and Lio, she has done whatever it takes to keep her found family together — even if it means surviving in Silk House, a pleasure house in the fire dominion of Eratari.

On the world of Thyra, power belongs to the Taniva: rare shapeshifters who carry the blood of the first elemental creatures.

Sekya is not one of them.

Then one night, watching from the balcony, Sekya sees the Queen return in phoenix-drake form, her Taniva wings cutting through the dark, her wounded son carried on her back.

Then time just stops.

The city is motionless.

The Queen hangs suspended above the lake, her great wings caught in mid-beat. And on her back, wounded and dying, Prince Kairon lifts his head — and turns to find Sekya, as though he knows exactly who stopped the world.

From that moment, Sekya’s attempt to remain unseen becomes impossible. She begins to share dreams with Kairon, drawn into a connection neither of them understands and neither can ignore.

When the Queen comes searching for the girl from her son’s visions, she finds more than Sekya. She finds four young people who carry something she cannot name: a strangeness in them, a power she can feel but not identify. Whether they are the answer to saving her son, or a threat to him, the Queen does not yet know.

What follows will change everything they thought they were.

Khala holds fire.
Riva holds water.
Lio holds stone.
And Sekya — Sekya can hold time itself.

Four orphans. Four powers that should not exist. And a world of four dominions holding a peace none of them fully trust.

But the thread between Sekya and Kairon runs deeper than magic. Deeper than blood. Deeper than anything either of them knows how to name.

Some connections cannot be undone.

Some costs cannot be survived.

Favorite Lines:

“What I do know…is that you are not some mistake Silk House made. You and your family love each other fiercely. You protect each other. You are Eratari.”

“Last night, I had not wanted to become another thing a man wanted from me. I wanted to be seen. Wanting, on its own, was too easy. Men did it all the time.”

“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. And you love me.”

“I only hope tomorrow finds us worthy of what comes after.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fire Breathes Stone and Storm is the kind of fantasy that throws you into a fairly expansive world but keeps the emotional center of the story surprisingly intimate. At the center of the story is Sekya and the family she has created with fellow orphans Khala, Riva, and Lio. They have grown up relying on one another, and I liked that the story establishes those relationships as something worth protecting before their lives begin changing. As Sekya discovers there is more to her own identity and abilities than she realized, the world around the four of them starts opening up as well. What begins as a more personal story gradually introduces elemental powers, divided dominions, political tensions, and a mythology that suggests their lives are connected to something much older and more complicated than any of them know.

I thought Sekya’s struggle with belonging was one of the more interesting parts of her character. She’s fiercely protective of the people she considers family, but she doesn’t always extend that same confidence or sense of worth to herself. Her growing connection with Prince Kairon complicates things further, especially as the line between dreams and reality becomes increasingly difficult to understand. There is romance here, but I appreciated that Sekya’s story isn’t entirely defined by it. Her bond with the other orphans remains an important part of who she is, and there is an underlying tension between the life and family she already knows and the unfamiliar world that seems determined to claim her.

The world itself has a lot of moving pieces, and this definitely feels like the first installment of a series that plans to keep expanding. The elemental magic is only one part of it. There are four dominions with their own histories and conflicts, strange creatures, the mysterious Shell, and questions surrounding a sleeping god and the characters’ origins. I was particularly interested in the way the story touches on what happens when a society’s understanding of its own history is incomplete. Ariki’s experiences add another perspective to that idea, bringing prejudice and cultural identity into a story that could otherwise have remained focused primarily on magic and political conflict. There are still a lot of questions left unanswered, but I get the sense that many of the smaller details introduced here will become more important as the series continues.

The pacing does take its time, particularly as the story works to establish both its characters and a fairly complicated fantasy world. There were places where I thought things could move a little faster, but I also understand why so much groundwork was necessary for what appears to be a much larger story. I found myself more interested in the mysteries surrounding the characters and their connections to this world than in having every answer immediately. By the end, it becomes clear that what happens in this book is really only the beginning, so readers should go in expecting the start of an ongoing story rather than something that wraps everything up neatly.

Summary:

Overall, I thought Fire Breathes Stone and Storm was an interesting introduction to a fantasy world with plenty of room to grow. For me, the strongest aspect was the idea of these four young people who have already chosen one another as family finding themselves pulled toward identities and destinies they never asked for. The magic and mythology create the larger mystery, but it’s the questions of belonging, identity, and what makes someone your family that give the story its emotional foundation. There is clearly much more waiting to be uncovered about the Shell, the characters’ powers, and the history connecting everything together, and I think readers who enjoy settling into the beginning of a larger fantasy series will find plenty here to make them curious about what comes next. Happy reading!

Check out Fire Breathes Stone and Storm here!