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Bound to Burn: A steamy why choose romantasy
Not yet published
Expected 18 Jun 26Only the men I love can save me from my curse… but they are sworn enemies. Can I bind them to me before I burn?
After night falls, when the respectable customers have left and her bookshop is quiet, Astoria sells illegal and bloodthirsty grimoires filled with dark magic. It’s dangerous work, but her irresistibly charming book-thief partner, Lucas, makes the risks feel like a game.
Astoria has lived in hiding for seven years, after unleashing a devastating curse on her family. When she escaped, she left everything behind… including her magnetic, aristocratic fiancé Valen, whose dark gaze still haunts her dreams.
But when a deadly grimoire breaks loose in the shop—shattering Astoria’s control over her magic and nearly killing Lucas—there’s only one man powerful enough to stop it. Valen.
Lucas and Valen hate each other on sight. Yet when Astoria’s curse rebounds and begins to consume her, they’re forced into a fragile alliance to steal the priceless amulet that can save her.
Can Astoria face the betrayals of her past and claim a future that might hold all three of them? Or will the rivalry between Lucas and Valen doom them all?
Perfect for fans of Jasmine Mas and Sadie Kincaid, this series blends J Bree’s dark “why choose” romance with Holly Black’s deadly, bookish magic.
After night falls, when the respectable customers have left and her bookshop is quiet, Astoria sells illegal and bloodthirsty grimoires filled with dark magic. It’s dangerous work, but her irresistibly charming book-thief partner, Lucas, makes the risks feel like a game.
Astoria has lived in hiding for seven years, after unleashing a devastating curse on her family. When she escaped, she left everything behind… including her magnetic, aristocratic fiancé Valen, whose dark gaze still haunts her dreams.
But when a deadly grimoire breaks loose in the shop—shattering Astoria’s control over her magic and nearly killing Lucas—there’s only one man powerful enough to stop it. Valen.
Lucas and Valen hate each other on sight. Yet when Astoria’s curse rebounds and begins to consume her, they’re forced into a fragile alliance to steal the priceless amulet that can save her.
Can Astoria face the betrayals of her past and claim a future that might hold all three of them? Or will the rivalry between Lucas and Valen doom them all?
Perfect for fans of Jasmine Mas and Sadie Kincaid, this series blends J Bree’s dark “why choose” romance with Holly Black’s deadly, bookish magic.
- GenresFantasyWhy ChooseQueer
424 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 18, 2026
About the author
S.E. Berkeley
2 books44 followersS. E. Berkeley resides in California with her loving partner, feral children, and psychic cat. When she's not endlessly fetching snacks for small children, she enjoys hiking through her beloved state's wilderness and daydreaming of her next heart-pounding romantasy.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 14, 2026
Thank you to Second Sky for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review!
After night falls, when the respectable customers have left and her bookshop is quiet, Astoria sells illegal and bloodthirsty grimoires filled with dark magic. It’s dangerous work, but her irresistibly charming book-thief partner, Lucas, makes the risks feel like a game. Astoria has lived in hiding for seven years, after unleashing a devastating curse on her family. When she escaped, she left everything behind… including her magnetic, aristocratic fiancé Valen, whose dark gaze still haunts her dreams. But when a deadly grimoire breaks loose in the shop—shattering Astoria’s control over her magic and nearly killing Lucas—there’s only one man powerful enough to stop it. Valen. Lucas and Valen hate each other on sight. Yet when Astoria’s curse rebounds and begins to consume her, they’re forced into a fragile alliance to steal the priceless amulet that can save her. Can Astoria face the betrayals of her past and claim a future that might hold all three of them? Or will the rivalry between Lucas and Valen doom them all?
Astoria is a sassy queen and I am living for it! She is so unapologetically herself and I absolutely love that for her. The way she is dedicated to her shop, to her familiar and her friends utterly warmed my heart. Yes, she does some questionable things but when it really comes down to it, she has such a wonderful heart.
Lucas is a sweetheart and you would be silly to say you don’t love him. Who wouldn’t want the embodiment of sunshine as their best friend and hint of more? Because I certainly do!! He’s incredibly selfless and I love that despite his sassy nature, he is different enough to Astoria that they compliment each other perfectly.
Valen had me on the fence for a while. His cold exterior made him a tough nut to crack but when I did, I found myself quickly falling rather in love with him - rather like Astoria fighting off her own feelings. What a great guy to have in your arsenal. Seemingly unflappable, he is brilliant for negotiation or for that much-needed cool headedness considering the situations they find themselves in. I do wish we could have known him a little more because I can sense there is far more to him than what meets the eye!
When I see a book is a Why Choose romance, I am SOLD! I am even further intrigued when I see it’s a romantasy too! This plot is brilliant. It offers an insight to a world that has such a wonderfully unique magic system ruling all whilst having these modernisms seamlessly blended in. I loved that we had high stakes, plenty of violence to keep things interesting, but also a mix of family and political ties gone wrong. The pace is kept to a swift clip, allowing me to devour this in only a few sittings! Character wise, we’re exposed to quite a few people from different backgrounds with a variety of motives. I liked that whilst we are exposed to various personalities, the focus still very much remained on the main trio and their unfolding story. I think having that really helped enhance the story as having the spotlight elsewhere would have watered down the tensions between the lead three. It would be remiss of me not to mention the romance which is so deliciously full of angst and longing and just ugh, absolute perfection. The chemistry between them is off the charts and the spice that follows all the built up emotion? I couldn’t have asked for anything better. It was practically volcanic it was that hot! Now that ending though… That was incredibly cruel. I should have known better than being lulled into a false sense of security. I think my jaw remained dropped for a solid five minutes in just utter disbelief. Where is book two because I need that immediately!!!
Overall, Bound to Burn is a stunner of a romantasy that you do not want to miss!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thank you again to Second Sky for an advanced copy of this book!
After night falls, when the respectable customers have left and her bookshop is quiet, Astoria sells illegal and bloodthirsty grimoires filled with dark magic. It’s dangerous work, but her irresistibly charming book-thief partner, Lucas, makes the risks feel like a game. Astoria has lived in hiding for seven years, after unleashing a devastating curse on her family. When she escaped, she left everything behind… including her magnetic, aristocratic fiancé Valen, whose dark gaze still haunts her dreams. But when a deadly grimoire breaks loose in the shop—shattering Astoria’s control over her magic and nearly killing Lucas—there’s only one man powerful enough to stop it. Valen. Lucas and Valen hate each other on sight. Yet when Astoria’s curse rebounds and begins to consume her, they’re forced into a fragile alliance to steal the priceless amulet that can save her. Can Astoria face the betrayals of her past and claim a future that might hold all three of them? Or will the rivalry between Lucas and Valen doom them all?
Astoria is a sassy queen and I am living for it! She is so unapologetically herself and I absolutely love that for her. The way she is dedicated to her shop, to her familiar and her friends utterly warmed my heart. Yes, she does some questionable things but when it really comes down to it, she has such a wonderful heart.
Lucas is a sweetheart and you would be silly to say you don’t love him. Who wouldn’t want the embodiment of sunshine as their best friend and hint of more? Because I certainly do!! He’s incredibly selfless and I love that despite his sassy nature, he is different enough to Astoria that they compliment each other perfectly.
Valen had me on the fence for a while. His cold exterior made him a tough nut to crack but when I did, I found myself quickly falling rather in love with him - rather like Astoria fighting off her own feelings. What a great guy to have in your arsenal. Seemingly unflappable, he is brilliant for negotiation or for that much-needed cool headedness considering the situations they find themselves in. I do wish we could have known him a little more because I can sense there is far more to him than what meets the eye!
When I see a book is a Why Choose romance, I am SOLD! I am even further intrigued when I see it’s a romantasy too! This plot is brilliant. It offers an insight to a world that has such a wonderfully unique magic system ruling all whilst having these modernisms seamlessly blended in. I loved that we had high stakes, plenty of violence to keep things interesting, but also a mix of family and political ties gone wrong. The pace is kept to a swift clip, allowing me to devour this in only a few sittings! Character wise, we’re exposed to quite a few people from different backgrounds with a variety of motives. I liked that whilst we are exposed to various personalities, the focus still very much remained on the main trio and their unfolding story. I think having that really helped enhance the story as having the spotlight elsewhere would have watered down the tensions between the lead three. It would be remiss of me not to mention the romance which is so deliciously full of angst and longing and just ugh, absolute perfection. The chemistry between them is off the charts and the spice that follows all the built up emotion? I couldn’t have asked for anything better. It was practically volcanic it was that hot! Now that ending though… That was incredibly cruel. I should have known better than being lulled into a false sense of security. I think my jaw remained dropped for a solid five minutes in just utter disbelief. Where is book two because I need that immediately!!!
Overall, Bound to Burn is a stunner of a romantasy that you do not want to miss!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thank you again to Second Sky for an advanced copy of this book!
May 24, 2026
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
First off, thank you to NetGalley and S.E. Berkeley for providing me with an ARC of Bound to Burn in exchange for an honest review!
Bound to Burn had me confused, annoyed, entertained, frustrated, and fully invested all at the same time. Honestly? That’s kind of impressive. 😭
The SECOND I realized the FMC (Aster/Astoria) worked in a magical bookshop with chaotic grimoires running around like tiny feral creatures, I was immediately sat. It gave me major Crescent City vibes in the best way possible. Also, I could practically picture these grimoires acting like caffeinated gremlins straight out of Fantastic Beasts.
Now unfortunately… there’s Aster.
And listen — I tried. I REALLY tried to like her.
But this girl spent at least 70% of the book being clumsy, panicked, selfish, making terrible decisions, and somehow managing to stumble directly into danger over and over again. Every time she got herself into another mess because of her own bad choices, I just sat there like:
“Girl PLEASE.” 💀
At one point she literally leaves Lucas to deal with a nightmare spider situation because she was more worried about her grimoire. Jail immediately.
That said… her anxiety and panic attacks actually added a layer to her character that made some of her behavior make more sense later on. I still found her incredibly bratty at times, especially with the whole “I cursed my brother because I wasn’t chosen as heir” situation, but at least there was SOME emotional reasoning underneath the chaos.
NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT THE REAL STARS OF THIS BOOK:
Valen and Lucas.
Because WOW.
Valen absolutely stole every scene he walked into. The dark humor? The attitude? Calling Aster daft because she was yelling when she shouldn't have been? Immediate favorite. Meanwhile Lucas had me swinging back and forth between “awww” and “sir what exactly are we doing here?” every five minutes.
And the tension between Valen and Lucas?? EXCUSE ME??? Inject it directly into my veins.
The make out scenes? HOT.
The chemistry? HOT.
Valen + Lucas + Astoria = HOT AF.
This book also had moments where the humor completely lost me though. There were scenes where I genuinely could not tell if I was supposed to laugh, cry, cringe, or all three simultaneously. Some reactions felt SO overdramatic that I had to reread conversations multiple times trying to understand what was happening.
I also noticed quite a few inconsistencies throughout the story. Little details would get introduced and then seemingly forgotten later, which occasionally pulled me out of the worldbuilding. And for the first chunk of the book, the plot felt extremely messy and unfocused. It honestly read like random filler until the storyline FINALLY started revealing itself.
BUT.
Once the story actually settled into itself?
I was hooked.
The deeper the magic system, family drama, and character relationships became, the more invested I got. By the end, I was fully locked in despite all my frustrations with Astoria.
And then this author had the AUDACITY to end the book on a massive cliffhanger???
Rude.
Disrespectful.
I will absolutely be reading book two. 😭
Favorite line:
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I’m about to ruin our friendship.”
First off, thank you to NetGalley and S.E. Berkeley for providing me with an ARC of Bound to Burn in exchange for an honest review!
Bound to Burn had me confused, annoyed, entertained, frustrated, and fully invested all at the same time. Honestly? That’s kind of impressive. 😭
The SECOND I realized the FMC (Aster/Astoria) worked in a magical bookshop with chaotic grimoires running around like tiny feral creatures, I was immediately sat. It gave me major Crescent City vibes in the best way possible. Also, I could practically picture these grimoires acting like caffeinated gremlins straight out of Fantastic Beasts.
Now unfortunately… there’s Aster.
And listen — I tried. I REALLY tried to like her.
But this girl spent at least 70% of the book being clumsy, panicked, selfish, making terrible decisions, and somehow managing to stumble directly into danger over and over again. Every time she got herself into another mess because of her own bad choices, I just sat there like:
“Girl PLEASE.” 💀
At one point she literally leaves Lucas to deal with a nightmare spider situation because she was more worried about her grimoire. Jail immediately.
That said… her anxiety and panic attacks actually added a layer to her character that made some of her behavior make more sense later on. I still found her incredibly bratty at times, especially with the whole “I cursed my brother because I wasn’t chosen as heir” situation, but at least there was SOME emotional reasoning underneath the chaos.
NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT THE REAL STARS OF THIS BOOK:
Valen and Lucas.
Because WOW.
Valen absolutely stole every scene he walked into. The dark humor? The attitude? Calling Aster daft because she was yelling when she shouldn't have been? Immediate favorite. Meanwhile Lucas had me swinging back and forth between “awww” and “sir what exactly are we doing here?” every five minutes.
And the tension between Valen and Lucas?? EXCUSE ME??? Inject it directly into my veins.
The make out scenes? HOT.
The chemistry? HOT.
Valen + Lucas + Astoria = HOT AF.
This book also had moments where the humor completely lost me though. There were scenes where I genuinely could not tell if I was supposed to laugh, cry, cringe, or all three simultaneously. Some reactions felt SO overdramatic that I had to reread conversations multiple times trying to understand what was happening.
I also noticed quite a few inconsistencies throughout the story. Little details would get introduced and then seemingly forgotten later, which occasionally pulled me out of the worldbuilding. And for the first chunk of the book, the plot felt extremely messy and unfocused. It honestly read like random filler until the storyline FINALLY started revealing itself.
BUT.
Once the story actually settled into itself?
I was hooked.
The deeper the magic system, family drama, and character relationships became, the more invested I got. By the end, I was fully locked in despite all my frustrations with Astoria.
And then this author had the AUDACITY to end the book on a massive cliffhanger???
Rude.
Disrespectful.
I will absolutely be reading book two. 😭
Favorite line:
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I’m about to ruin our friendship.”
May 27, 2026
This book had me feeling all the emotions, excited, scared (spiders) and intrigued! But unfortunately it didn’t hit the spot I was hoping it too. This was my most anticipated read because who doesn’t love a why choose dark romantasy!
It starts out in Astoria/aster/ Tori FMC’s bookshop which is filled to the brim with intriguing and exciting magic as well as deadly and dangerous grimoire’s. It gave me a mix of cosy fantasy, but with a darkly creepy twist on it which was super intriguing. She also has her friend who helps Lucas MMC - he’s dreamy, real golden retriever.
The beginning of the book I would say at least 25% was extremely full on with the magic system and getting to grips with the world building etc. In parts I felt overwhelmed and flicked back a couple pages saying to myself “wait what happened” but, as you continue it does get easier to identify.
We learn Aster ran away from her home for reasons you’ll discover along the way. The love she left behind was another MMC Valen, his love was admirable and for such a dominant and sarcastic character he was so whitty and charming but in a sexy fun way. His banter with Lucas was chefs kiss and absolutely hilarious in some moments.
I did find the book very slow and slightly repetitive, then it got super interesting around the 60% mark. It is labelled as a why choose dark romantasy however the spice for me could have been more, I was expecting more.
Overall I loved the plot, magic system and characters I just would have loved it more if it picked up the pace.
Thank you Second Sky books for the early E-ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It starts out in Astoria/aster/ Tori FMC’s bookshop which is filled to the brim with intriguing and exciting magic as well as deadly and dangerous grimoire’s. It gave me a mix of cosy fantasy, but with a darkly creepy twist on it which was super intriguing. She also has her friend who helps Lucas MMC - he’s dreamy, real golden retriever.
The beginning of the book I would say at least 25% was extremely full on with the magic system and getting to grips with the world building etc. In parts I felt overwhelmed and flicked back a couple pages saying to myself “wait what happened” but, as you continue it does get easier to identify.
We learn Aster ran away from her home for reasons you’ll discover along the way. The love she left behind was another MMC Valen, his love was admirable and for such a dominant and sarcastic character he was so whitty and charming but in a sexy fun way. His banter with Lucas was chefs kiss and absolutely hilarious in some moments.
I did find the book very slow and slightly repetitive, then it got super interesting around the 60% mark. It is labelled as a why choose dark romantasy however the spice for me could have been more, I was expecting more.
Overall I loved the plot, magic system and characters I just would have loved it more if it picked up the pace.
Thank you Second Sky books for the early E-ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2026
first thought - HOT. second one - don’t read if you hate spiders.
This book and world has some really unique magic systems. Weavers are connected to a weave where 4 threads of magic come from - everyone has one. People who have multiple are either culled or the Archweaver (the king). Weavers are long lived and think themselves above the humans. Some humans have magic though relics such as rings that allows them access to magic called magicians. Very spider / web inspired descriptions.
It opens with Tori (a weaver) running into her ex-fiancée Valen at her enchanted and almost sentient bookshop. From there is spirals when an ancient and cursed grimoire becomes sentient and attacks her and her business partner Lucas (a magician who escaped the magician ‘mob’). She calls on Valen to help which leads the three of them to work together to uncover secrets from 7 years ago, fix some mistakes and come to terms with all the betrayal and backstabbing that has and will happen. Tori is low key a miserable but bad bitch. Rightfully so after everything she been through, and Lucas is just the golden retriever following her along her journey of forgiveness and letting go of her toxic past. Valen was a big part of the book but it felt like you didn’t really get to know him.
At no point did I see where this was going and it ends with more questions than answers. I need to know more about this world and how she’s gonna turn her new found goodness into a win. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.
This book and world has some really unique magic systems. Weavers are connected to a weave where 4 threads of magic come from - everyone has one. People who have multiple are either culled or the Archweaver (the king). Weavers are long lived and think themselves above the humans. Some humans have magic though relics such as rings that allows them access to magic called magicians. Very spider / web inspired descriptions.
It opens with Tori (a weaver) running into her ex-fiancée Valen at her enchanted and almost sentient bookshop. From there is spirals when an ancient and cursed grimoire becomes sentient and attacks her and her business partner Lucas (a magician who escaped the magician ‘mob’). She calls on Valen to help which leads the three of them to work together to uncover secrets from 7 years ago, fix some mistakes and come to terms with all the betrayal and backstabbing that has and will happen. Tori is low key a miserable but bad bitch. Rightfully so after everything she been through, and Lucas is just the golden retriever following her along her journey of forgiveness and letting go of her toxic past. Valen was a big part of the book but it felt like you didn’t really get to know him.
At no point did I see where this was going and it ends with more questions than answers. I need to know more about this world and how she’s gonna turn her new found goodness into a win. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.
Did Not Finish
May 26, 2026I want to first say that I think a lot of people will like this book. Here’s my experience.
I really liked the character. I loved the whimsical magic of flying books and monstrous ones. I like getting to know her and Jinx. I loved the chemistry between her and Lucas. Valen and Lucas together was so much fun. Chapter 25 was freaking delicious.
However, the reason I didn’t finish the book I because the explanation of magical families was extremely confusing. Plus, I feel like the magic itself was over complicated. It also didn’t all matter in the sense of the story. So, I just felt like it was too much and took me out of the story.
I found this extremely frustrating because there were so many things that I liked about this book. But as I was reading it and passing 20% where my head had been bogged down with magical information, I realized that I’d never recommend it because I wouldn’t want someone that trust my recommendations to feel that way.
However, as I mentioned, I think some people will find this to be a five star read. It’s written wonderfully after all of the information. So, please take my review with a grain of sand.
I really liked the character. I loved the whimsical magic of flying books and monstrous ones. I like getting to know her and Jinx. I loved the chemistry between her and Lucas. Valen and Lucas together was so much fun. Chapter 25 was freaking delicious.
However, the reason I didn’t finish the book I because the explanation of magical families was extremely confusing. Plus, I feel like the magic itself was over complicated. It also didn’t all matter in the sense of the story. So, I just felt like it was too much and took me out of the story.
I found this extremely frustrating because there were so many things that I liked about this book. But as I was reading it and passing 20% where my head had been bogged down with magical information, I realized that I’d never recommend it because I wouldn’t want someone that trust my recommendations to feel that way.
However, as I mentioned, I think some people will find this to be a five star read. It’s written wonderfully after all of the information. So, please take my review with a grain of sand.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book was chaotic, magical, stressful, horny, and honestly a really good time!
Bound to Burn has such a unique setup compared to a lot of romantasy lately. Secret magical bookshops, illegal grimoires, soul-thread magic, ancient magical Orders, black-market book dealing, cursed powers, and emotionally messy people making terrible decisions? I was immediately in.
The world-building is definitely dense at the start and there’s a LOT of magical terminology thrown at you early on, so it took me a little while to fully settle into everything. But once it clicked? I was locked in. The whole weaving magic system felt genuinely fresh and I loved how alive and dangerous the grimoires felt throughout the story. Tiny feral magical nightmare books causing chaos everywhere honestly made this even more entertaining for me.
Astoria is also very much the type of FMC where you either fully vibe with her or spend half the book wanting to grab her shoulders and yell PLEASE THINK FOR FIVE SECONDS 😭 She’s impulsive, traumatised, angry, powerful, and constantly spiralling under the weight of everything she’s carrying. But underneath all the chaos, her fear and loneliness genuinely worked for me and I ended up invested in her journey.
Now onto the actual stars of the show: Valen and Lucas… Because wow 🤩
Valen has that rich aristocratic ex-fiancé energy with all the angst, tension, and unresolved history attached to him, while Lucas is basically a blonde puppy-dog golden retriever MMC hiding emotional vulnerability underneath all the flirting and chaos. The chemistry between all three of them was SO addictive and the emotional tension genuinely carried the whole second half of the book for me.
Also chapter 25?? 🥵
Yeah.
S.E. Berkeley absolutely knew what she was doing there.
By the end the plot fully spiralled into magical chaos in all the ways possible and then this book had the audacity to end on THAT cliffhanger?? Actually rude behaviour 😭
Also apologies to S.E. Berkeley because once again I was in her DMs trying to clarify my theories after that ending because EXCUSE ME??? I need book two immediately!
This book was chaotic, magical, stressful, horny, and honestly a really good time!
Bound to Burn has such a unique setup compared to a lot of romantasy lately. Secret magical bookshops, illegal grimoires, soul-thread magic, ancient magical Orders, black-market book dealing, cursed powers, and emotionally messy people making terrible decisions? I was immediately in.
The world-building is definitely dense at the start and there’s a LOT of magical terminology thrown at you early on, so it took me a little while to fully settle into everything. But once it clicked? I was locked in. The whole weaving magic system felt genuinely fresh and I loved how alive and dangerous the grimoires felt throughout the story. Tiny feral magical nightmare books causing chaos everywhere honestly made this even more entertaining for me.
Astoria is also very much the type of FMC where you either fully vibe with her or spend half the book wanting to grab her shoulders and yell PLEASE THINK FOR FIVE SECONDS 😭 She’s impulsive, traumatised, angry, powerful, and constantly spiralling under the weight of everything she’s carrying. But underneath all the chaos, her fear and loneliness genuinely worked for me and I ended up invested in her journey.
Now onto the actual stars of the show: Valen and Lucas… Because wow 🤩
Valen has that rich aristocratic ex-fiancé energy with all the angst, tension, and unresolved history attached to him, while Lucas is basically a blonde puppy-dog golden retriever MMC hiding emotional vulnerability underneath all the flirting and chaos. The chemistry between all three of them was SO addictive and the emotional tension genuinely carried the whole second half of the book for me.
Also chapter 25?? 🥵
Yeah.
S.E. Berkeley absolutely knew what she was doing there.
By the end the plot fully spiralled into magical chaos in all the ways possible and then this book had the audacity to end on THAT cliffhanger?? Actually rude behaviour 😭
Also apologies to S.E. Berkeley because once again I was in her DMs trying to clarify my theories after that ending because EXCUSE ME??? I need book two immediately!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thankyou to Second Sky and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book early!
Starting off with some of my favourite points about this book -
This book was very spider/spider descriptor heavy. This was good for me, I’m a bit weird, but it may not be for everyone so keep that in mind!
The MMCs!! I knew beforehand that this book was marketed as a Why Choose (I am a suuuucker), and although I felt like it could have been fleshed out more in this area the male characters were super well written and perfect for this kind of role. They made focusing on and believing this trope 10x easier as they obviously wanted to be there and with FMC, and it made the whole spice aspect delicious.
The world building, and FMC working in the bookshop - LOVED. The magical little book creatures? Be still my beating heart, I am a sucker for this kind of addition within a story 😂 it was absolutely a highlight for me.
The things that fell more flat for me were -
The magic system. Now look, I’ve read a lot of magic systems and come to grips with some that were quite complicated but this one seemed overly complicated. I’m not sure I even fully understand some of it now in all honesty, it really meant it detracted from the book for me in places and I felt my mind wandering when I didn’t totally grasp how something was working.
The FMC. I have a love/hate relationship with a lot of FMCS. As you’re usually reading through their eyes, I feel like I have to relate in some way at least rather than spending the whole book being like “GIRL WHY????”, and unfortunately that’s how I spent 90% of this read. I felt her attitude was quite bratty and childish, she made the most insane decisions that made no sense or just went against what most of the population would do in those moments, and I just felt myself raging at her more often than not. I know that some of her actions/quirks could be explained later on by certain revelations (which was fabulous) but it felt like I’d already made my mind up by the point and I couldn’t come back from it.
The cliffhanger was crazy and I am very optimistic for the next book cause I neeeeed to knoooow!
Starting off with some of my favourite points about this book -
This book was very spider/spider descriptor heavy. This was good for me, I’m a bit weird, but it may not be for everyone so keep that in mind!
The MMCs!! I knew beforehand that this book was marketed as a Why Choose (I am a suuuucker), and although I felt like it could have been fleshed out more in this area the male characters were super well written and perfect for this kind of role. They made focusing on and believing this trope 10x easier as they obviously wanted to be there and with FMC, and it made the whole spice aspect delicious.
The world building, and FMC working in the bookshop - LOVED. The magical little book creatures? Be still my beating heart, I am a sucker for this kind of addition within a story 😂 it was absolutely a highlight for me.
The things that fell more flat for me were -
The magic system. Now look, I’ve read a lot of magic systems and come to grips with some that were quite complicated but this one seemed overly complicated. I’m not sure I even fully understand some of it now in all honesty, it really meant it detracted from the book for me in places and I felt my mind wandering when I didn’t totally grasp how something was working.
The FMC. I have a love/hate relationship with a lot of FMCS. As you’re usually reading through their eyes, I feel like I have to relate in some way at least rather than spending the whole book being like “GIRL WHY????”, and unfortunately that’s how I spent 90% of this read. I felt her attitude was quite bratty and childish, she made the most insane decisions that made no sense or just went against what most of the population would do in those moments, and I just felt myself raging at her more often than not. I know that some of her actions/quirks could be explained later on by certain revelations (which was fabulous) but it felt like I’d already made my mind up by the point and I couldn’t come back from it.
The cliffhanger was crazy and I am very optimistic for the next book cause I neeeeed to knoooow!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 ⭐️ This book was a wildly delicious, magical good time that would have been an easy 5 stars if we didn’t get quite so bogged down in overly complicated magic. This book could have absolutely benefited from an explanation of magical terms/entities at the beginning.
We get a lot of magic and world building up front and it’s a lot to get through but once you do this story really opens up and the author did a beautiful job from here telling Tori’s story. Tori is a weaver (aka witch) hiding out in her really cool magical bookshop with her magician best friend Lucas and her cat familiar Jinx. By day she sells magical tomes and by night deals in black market trades of sentient and deadly grimoires. Things are good until her ex fiancé Valen, walks back into her life trying to persuade her to go back to the Order and the abusive father she left behind. Since her magic is corrupted Tori and her guys have to figure out how to work together to save Tori from being consumed by her evil curse.
Where things got really fun was the relationship dynamics between these three. It’s complicated and messy but no one is willing to give up the other so they have to work out a way together to move forward. And boy do they! In a positively delicious chapter 25 that will forever live rent free in my head 😮💨🥵
Valen is a dark, broody aristocrat type MMC who knows what he wants and he wants Tori. Lucas is the affable charming golden retriever pining for her for years but too afraid to cross those invisible boundaries. When these two started flirting and making eyes at each other I squealed like a little girl. Nothing makes me happier than if the boyfriends become boyfriends.
Unfortunately though for this trio things aren’t smelling like roses in the end as this book ends on a diabolical cliffhanger that left me silently screaming into the void.
What’s inside:
- why choose/MMF
- unique/dark magic
- she’s hiding from her past
- curses & secrets
- sentient books & animal familiars
- one bed
- a little forbidden romance
- sexy banter
We get a lot of magic and world building up front and it’s a lot to get through but once you do this story really opens up and the author did a beautiful job from here telling Tori’s story. Tori is a weaver (aka witch) hiding out in her really cool magical bookshop with her magician best friend Lucas and her cat familiar Jinx. By day she sells magical tomes and by night deals in black market trades of sentient and deadly grimoires. Things are good until her ex fiancé Valen, walks back into her life trying to persuade her to go back to the Order and the abusive father she left behind. Since her magic is corrupted Tori and her guys have to figure out how to work together to save Tori from being consumed by her evil curse.
Where things got really fun was the relationship dynamics between these three. It’s complicated and messy but no one is willing to give up the other so they have to work out a way together to move forward. And boy do they! In a positively delicious chapter 25 that will forever live rent free in my head 😮💨🥵
Valen is a dark, broody aristocrat type MMC who knows what he wants and he wants Tori. Lucas is the affable charming golden retriever pining for her for years but too afraid to cross those invisible boundaries. When these two started flirting and making eyes at each other I squealed like a little girl. Nothing makes me happier than if the boyfriends become boyfriends.
Unfortunately though for this trio things aren’t smelling like roses in the end as this book ends on a diabolical cliffhanger that left me silently screaming into the void.
What’s inside:
- why choose/MMF
- unique/dark magic
- she’s hiding from her past
- curses & secrets
- sentient books & animal familiars
- one bed
- a little forbidden romance
- sexy banter
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars for me. Thank you to Second Sky, SE Berkeley, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc.
What a wild ride. First of all, this book is dense of magical lore and world building. If you are in the mood for an easy breezy read, this ain’t it. That said, this is beauuuuuutifullu written. Like clap my hands over the perfect word choices and verbiage used from start to finish.
Astoria’s journey is agonizing. She’s been in hiding from her family and previous life for seven years running the world’s coolest magical bookshop that deals in sordid and rare grimoires. Her biscuit of a golden retriever business partner Lucas and her animal familiar Jinx are everything she needs. But, when her ex fiancé shows up at her door reminding her that the curse she’s hiding from and the secrets of her family are coming for her… she forced to let him back into her life.
Valen is the dark delicious MMC of her past, Lucas is her best friend MMC of her present. What will their future look like and WHY DOES SHE HAVE TO CHOOSE!?!? The answer is she does, and she doesn’t.
I don’t want to spoil this book. Read it if only for chapter 25. And then send me a message so we can talk about it.
We get a fantastic “one bed” moment. We get an extra fantastic “eyes on me” moment. Just. Read. The. Book.
The book ends on a cliffhanger with just enough of the plot left open that I hope (crossing all of my fingers and toes) that we get the HEA that they deserve in the second book of this dark and very spicy and magical romantasy novel.
Also TW if you’re arachnophobic, skim the first several chapters.
What a wild ride. First of all, this book is dense of magical lore and world building. If you are in the mood for an easy breezy read, this ain’t it. That said, this is beauuuuuutifullu written. Like clap my hands over the perfect word choices and verbiage used from start to finish.
Astoria’s journey is agonizing. She’s been in hiding from her family and previous life for seven years running the world’s coolest magical bookshop that deals in sordid and rare grimoires. Her biscuit of a golden retriever business partner Lucas and her animal familiar Jinx are everything she needs. But, when her ex fiancé shows up at her door reminding her that the curse she’s hiding from and the secrets of her family are coming for her… she forced to let him back into her life.
Valen is the dark delicious MMC of her past, Lucas is her best friend MMC of her present. What will their future look like and WHY DOES SHE HAVE TO CHOOSE!?!? The answer is she does, and she doesn’t.
I don’t want to spoil this book. Read it if only for chapter 25. And then send me a message so we can talk about it.
We get a fantastic “one bed” moment. We get an extra fantastic “eyes on me” moment. Just. Read. The. Book.
The book ends on a cliffhanger with just enough of the plot left open that I hope (crossing all of my fingers and toes) that we get the HEA that they deserve in the second book of this dark and very spicy and magical romantasy novel.
Also TW if you’re arachnophobic, skim the first several chapters.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
˚₊𓆩༺🕷༻𓆪₊˚
My rating: ★★★☆☆
Thank you to Second Sky, Netgalley and S.E. Berkeley for the eARC.
This was a spicy why choose with different magics and a cozy (sometimes) bookshop. I loved all the characters, Astoria is a fierce FMC who isn't afraid to sacrifice herself or throw herself into trouble if it's to protect those that she loves. She does carry a lot of baggage and tries to prevent it from affecting others but slowly begins to open up and trust Lucas and Valen. Lucas was the hot, puppy boyfriend is charming and loyal and simply desperate for an ounce of love from Astoria. And finally, Valen is the embodiment of long-term yearning, the fact that he still cared for her so much after the family fell apart was touching. Astoria had amazing chemistry with both men but honestly, the relationship between Lucas and Valen was my favorite. The way that they evolved from enemies to working together just to keep Astoria safe to finding interest in each other? *Chef's kiss*
Unfortunately the magic system was a little confusing to understand at first. You're thrown straight into the world with their terminology and there were moments where I was flipping back to see if I had missed something.
It ends with a cliff-hanger so I would consider checking out the sequel when it is released.
My rating: ★★★☆☆
Thank you to Second Sky, Netgalley and S.E. Berkeley for the eARC.
This was a spicy why choose with different magics and a cozy (sometimes) bookshop. I loved all the characters, Astoria is a fierce FMC who isn't afraid to sacrifice herself or throw herself into trouble if it's to protect those that she loves. She does carry a lot of baggage and tries to prevent it from affecting others but slowly begins to open up and trust Lucas and Valen. Lucas was the hot, puppy boyfriend is charming and loyal and simply desperate for an ounce of love from Astoria. And finally, Valen is the embodiment of long-term yearning, the fact that he still cared for her so much after the family fell apart was touching. Astoria had amazing chemistry with both men but honestly, the relationship between Lucas and Valen was my favorite. The way that they evolved from enemies to working together just to keep Astoria safe to finding interest in each other? *Chef's kiss*
Unfortunately the magic system was a little confusing to understand at first. You're thrown straight into the world with their terminology and there were moments where I was flipping back to see if I had missed something.
It ends with a cliff-hanger so I would consider checking out the sequel when it is released.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Just finished Bound to Burn and this felt like the perfect mix of dark academia vibes, dangerous magic, and chaotic relationship drama.
The whole illegal grimoires/bookshop setting immediately pulled me in. It had that dark, atmospheric fantasy feel where everything seems cursed, secretive, and slightly dangerous all the time.
Astoria was such an interesting FMC too because she’s powerful but constantly terrified of what her magic can do. You can really feel the weight of her past throughout the story, which made the emotional side hit harder.
And the love interests?? Yeah… I understood the “why choose” immediately. Lucas and Valen are complete opposites but both had such strong chemistry with her in different ways. Lucas has that charming chaos energy, while Valen feels darker, colder, and way more intense. The tension between the two men honestly made the book even more addictive.
I also loved that the romance never completely overshadowed the fantasy plot. The curses, magic, betrayals, and dangerous alliances kept the story moving the whole time.
If you like:
🖤 why choose romance
🖤 dark fantasy with gothic vibes
🖤 rivals forced to work together
🖤 morally grey love interests
🖤 magical libraries/bookshop settings
🖤 dangerous, obsessive tension
then definitely give this one a try.
Also please check trigger warnings before reading because some parts get pretty dark.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
The whole illegal grimoires/bookshop setting immediately pulled me in. It had that dark, atmospheric fantasy feel where everything seems cursed, secretive, and slightly dangerous all the time.
Astoria was such an interesting FMC too because she’s powerful but constantly terrified of what her magic can do. You can really feel the weight of her past throughout the story, which made the emotional side hit harder.
And the love interests?? Yeah… I understood the “why choose” immediately. Lucas and Valen are complete opposites but both had such strong chemistry with her in different ways. Lucas has that charming chaos energy, while Valen feels darker, colder, and way more intense. The tension between the two men honestly made the book even more addictive.
I also loved that the romance never completely overshadowed the fantasy plot. The curses, magic, betrayals, and dangerous alliances kept the story moving the whole time.
If you like:
🖤 why choose romance
🖤 dark fantasy with gothic vibes
🖤 rivals forced to work together
🖤 morally grey love interests
🖤 magical libraries/bookshop settings
🖤 dangerous, obsessive tension
then definitely give this one a try.
Also please check trigger warnings before reading because some parts get pretty dark.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
May 25, 2026
ARC review - with thanks to Second Sky Books.
The first few chapters were heavy on the magic system and familial connections. Learning the political dynamics of the families early on supported the introduction of the main characters. The way magic was accessible, depending on whether someone was a weaver or magician, was interesting. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I fully understood the details and history of the magic system, which in turn affected my understanding of some plot points. Considering there was a lot of information to absorb in the first half, I often felt like I had missed something whilst reading. The book didn’t fully draw me in until around the 60% mark.
There were a lot of spider-related descriptions, I wouldn’t advise reading this if you have arachnophobia.
The vulnerability between all the characters made them a likeable trio, but I especially loved the MMCs in this read and ultimately found them to be the reason I would continue reading. The initial jealousy and digs between Valen and Lucas made the tension top tier.
Whilst I enjoyed the characters, seeing the relationships evolve, and the world-building, it wasn’t enough to entice me to keep reading due to the difficulty I had understanding the magic system as a whole.
The first few chapters were heavy on the magic system and familial connections. Learning the political dynamics of the families early on supported the introduction of the main characters. The way magic was accessible, depending on whether someone was a weaver or magician, was interesting. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I fully understood the details and history of the magic system, which in turn affected my understanding of some plot points. Considering there was a lot of information to absorb in the first half, I often felt like I had missed something whilst reading. The book didn’t fully draw me in until around the 60% mark.
There were a lot of spider-related descriptions, I wouldn’t advise reading this if you have arachnophobia.
The vulnerability between all the characters made them a likeable trio, but I especially loved the MMCs in this read and ultimately found them to be the reason I would continue reading. The initial jealousy and digs between Valen and Lucas made the tension top tier.
Whilst I enjoyed the characters, seeing the relationships evolve, and the world-building, it wasn’t enough to entice me to keep reading due to the difficulty I had understanding the magic system as a whole.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is everything that is says it will be. It is a dark romatasy that is why choose and no one is safe. I loved the setting, the magic system, and even with this being pretty heavy on the romance the plot is still great. Tori has been through hell and back and 7 years after escaping the order and their leader (her own father that tried to ____ her) she is happy. Owning a magical bookshop, smuggling illegal grimoires with her business partner, and feeding the curse she has placed on her family. Everything is thrown into chaos when her ex fiance shows up and a grimoire they are hired to find destroys everything. Their are so many twists and turns, hidden secrets, and you will not guess what happens next. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading. Not only was this a strong start to a new series but the ending of this book was insane and I am scared for book 2 (in the best ways). You need to check out bound to burn!
Thank you to netgalley and second sky for the eARC!
Thank you to netgalley and second sky for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you SE Berkeley, Second Sky and NetGalley for this eArc!
I just finished Bound to Burn, and I have really enjoyed reading it. I loved the characters so much, each with their own authentic personalities.
Astoria was definitely an interesting FMC; she is very strong and powerful but also has her own issues to work through. I did have some trouble understanding her background story.
The magic system, although very original, especially with the grimoires which were completely new to me, is, in my opinion, too complex sometimes. The same goes for her backstory. As a reader, you receive a lot of information all at once, which makes it really difficult to keep up. Since these details are clearly important to the story, it sometimes felt like missing or misunderstanding them took away from the overall reading experience, which is a shame.
Overall I did really like the plot. The magic, curses and complex relationships really kept my attention throughout the book. I enjoyed reading it, but because it was quite confusing at times, I might hesitate to pick up the second book.
I just finished Bound to Burn, and I have really enjoyed reading it. I loved the characters so much, each with their own authentic personalities.
Astoria was definitely an interesting FMC; she is very strong and powerful but also has her own issues to work through. I did have some trouble understanding her background story.
The magic system, although very original, especially with the grimoires which were completely new to me, is, in my opinion, too complex sometimes. The same goes for her backstory. As a reader, you receive a lot of information all at once, which makes it really difficult to keep up. Since these details are clearly important to the story, it sometimes felt like missing or misunderstanding them took away from the overall reading experience, which is a shame.
Overall I did really like the plot. The magic, curses and complex relationships really kept my attention throughout the book. I enjoyed reading it, but because it was quite confusing at times, I might hesitate to pick up the second book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Bound to Burn absolutely delivered for me. As a why choose romantasy, this ticked so many of my boxes. Astoria has known both of the MMCs for a number of year so there is plenty of yearning and a healthy amount of tension. The characters are all witty and I loved the banter between them all. Lucas was a standout to me with his gold retriever energy but Valen is still alluring. I loved that Astoria is a powerful weaver and knows it. She's a character that's very driven by her revenge and I found myself on the fence a lot with whether I agreed with her actions. She is such an interesting a strong character that still experiences a lot of growth. The world is interesting and unique with the weavers and magicians and we get to explore the politics of this world. There is still a lot to explore in this story and it does end on a cliffhanger so I will be keeping an eye out for the next one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This story had me in its grasps the entire was through! Thank you Second Sky for my eARC! In Bound to Burn, we follow along with Astoria, who is in hiding but has built herself a successful bookshop smuggling grimoires with her business partner Lucas. But with her soul torn in two, there are bound to be complications and one said complication walks through her door after 7 years, her ex Valen.
I enjoyed Astoria and her determination, she was willing to do anything even if it meant walking back into the one place she swore she would never go back to. I also loved the banter between Lucas and Valen, these two just loved to pick at each other but they both would do anything to protect her.
Their relationships are not without their challenges and I loved how vulnerable Lucas was with Astoria and though she may have tried to lie to herself, she never stopped loving Valen. When they are all together they work seamlessly but it wasn’t without some heartaches.
After the ending, I cannot wait to see what happens next in her story!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
I enjoyed Astoria and her determination, she was willing to do anything even if it meant walking back into the one place she swore she would never go back to. I also loved the banter between Lucas and Valen, these two just loved to pick at each other but they both would do anything to protect her.
Their relationships are not without their challenges and I loved how vulnerable Lucas was with Astoria and though she may have tried to lie to herself, she never stopped loving Valen. When they are all together they work seamlessly but it wasn’t without some heartaches.
After the ending, I cannot wait to see what happens next in her story!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
May 20, 2026
Thank you to Second Sky and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this e-arc.
I went into this book with quite high hopes. I haven’t really read any why choose books so I was interested in how that pans out. There were some spicy scenes which were so good 👌 But overall I spent the majority of the book confused. I didn’t really understand the magic system or some of the back story because of that. It’s more than likely thats a me problem and my brain just not keeping up. The plot was good though and I did enjoy reading the book. I loved all 3 characters - Astoria was a witty sassy FMC, Valen was a charasmatic hot MMC and Lucas was a lovely golden retriever MMC and the 3 of them worked together well.
Overall I’m unsure whether I will rush to pick up book 2 or not though.
I went into this book with quite high hopes. I haven’t really read any why choose books so I was interested in how that pans out. There were some spicy scenes which were so good 👌 But overall I spent the majority of the book confused. I didn’t really understand the magic system or some of the back story because of that. It’s more than likely thats a me problem and my brain just not keeping up. The plot was good though and I did enjoy reading the book. I loved all 3 characters - Astoria was a witty sassy FMC, Valen was a charasmatic hot MMC and Lucas was a lovely golden retriever MMC and the 3 of them worked together well.
Overall I’m unsure whether I will rush to pick up book 2 or not though.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Second Sky and NetGalley for the arc of this book for honest review.
I had a great time with this one.
I found the magic system interesting - soul magic, opposing forces and grimoires. It took a minute to get my head around 😆
I loved all the main characters - Astoria was very self reliant, strong and sassy. Her guys were very different from each other and that worked well for the dynamic. The spicy scenes were really well done!
There’s quite a lot of info to take on at the beginning of this, which made it feel a little slow at first. BUT once I got through that I just ate this book up. I’m interested to find out what happens in book two.
Special mention for Jinx, Astorias familiar. She was a great character!
I had a great time with this one.
I found the magic system interesting - soul magic, opposing forces and grimoires. It took a minute to get my head around 😆
I loved all the main characters - Astoria was very self reliant, strong and sassy. Her guys were very different from each other and that worked well for the dynamic. The spicy scenes were really well done!
There’s quite a lot of info to take on at the beginning of this, which made it feel a little slow at first. BUT once I got through that I just ate this book up. I’m interested to find out what happens in book two.
Special mention for Jinx, Astorias familiar. She was a great character!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you SE Berkeley and Second Sky for the arc of book one in the cursed grimoire duology!! This was an incredible read. It felt truly original and not like any other romantasy books I’ve read in the past. It was very descriptive, I felt like I was in the book. I love the unique magic system and Astoria’s character and storyline. Not to mention the two very hot MMCs. I am also in love with them and they are now high up on my book boyfriend list lmao. Also, it may be important to note that there are spiders in this book, though as an arachophobe, I wasn’t triggered like I thought I would be. I can’t wait for book 2 to see where this goes!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Second Sky for my arc.
I struggled at the start of this book, there was a lot of magical world building and I found myself very confused, I wasn't sure what was going on. But once I got past that it got very interesting.
I loved both the MMCs, Valen and Lucas. They are both very different characters, but equally delicious. I loved the interactions between the two of them and how snarky they are with each other.
There are several spicy scenes in the book which were very enjoyable!
It all ends on a massive cliffhanger and I'm looking forward to reading what happens next.
I struggled at the start of this book, there was a lot of magical world building and I found myself very confused, I wasn't sure what was going on. But once I got past that it got very interesting.
I loved both the MMCs, Valen and Lucas. They are both very different characters, but equally delicious. I loved the interactions between the two of them and how snarky they are with each other.
There are several spicy scenes in the book which were very enjoyable!
It all ends on a massive cliffhanger and I'm looking forward to reading what happens next.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thanks to Second Sky for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review!
I was really excited to read this book, with it's witchy feels and Why Choose romance. Unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. The magic system, while unique, is confusing and I felt like I never fully got to grips with it. The first couple of chapters in particular throw a lot of information at you which can feel overwhelming.
I did enjoy the relationship between the main characters, and the spicy scenes were 🔥 The ending was also intriguing and makes you want to know what happens next.
I was really excited to read this book, with it's witchy feels and Why Choose romance. Unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. The magic system, while unique, is confusing and I felt like I never fully got to grips with it. The first couple of chapters in particular throw a lot of information at you which can feel overwhelming.
I did enjoy the relationship between the main characters, and the spicy scenes were 🔥 The ending was also intriguing and makes you want to know what happens next.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky for the ARC of Bound to Burn.
Okayyyy. I liked this book!! The beginning felt very convoluted with the multiple family dramas, magic systems, weavers/magicians/guilds, curses, half death, but once you get through the world building, you really can invest in the characters
The story between Tori and her mom was sweet. I loved the family drama once it was all laid out and plain to see.
The why choose was written PERFECTLY. The boyfriends want to be boyfriends, y'all. That's all I need.
And that ending?! OMG I need the next book like yesterday!
Okayyyy. I liked this book!! The beginning felt very convoluted with the multiple family dramas, magic systems, weavers/magicians/guilds, curses, half death, but once you get through the world building, you really can invest in the characters
The story between Tori and her mom was sweet. I loved the family drama once it was all laid out and plain to see.
The why choose was written PERFECTLY. The boyfriends want to be boyfriends, y'all. That's all I need.
And that ending?! OMG I need the next book like yesterday!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a delightful little tale full of vengeance and forgiveness and tension. Omgggg. I was so hooked on this story that I didnt want it to end. The plot was so much fun and kept me fully locked in and the heat had me swiping without blinking haha. Think a steamy Indiana Jones and almost like a Dramonie mash up!
Thank you netgalley for the arc
Thank you netgalley for the arc
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Loved this story. Easily would have been a 5 star except for the complicated magic, it was hard for me to follow the thread theory, and I expected more of out of the “why choose” trope because the whole book was about her needing to choose one of the male characters.
I love the writing. I love the banter and sass. Love the world building.
I love the writing. I love the banter and sass. Love the world building.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is a maybe for me because I’m not sure exactly how I’m going to rate it. It’s somewhere between I like it and I don’t like it. I did struggle with the story and it kinda got overwhelming. But I did like that it had magic on it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks, NetGalley, for an early copy of this book.
I don't have much to say about this one. I found it to be fine. I found the magic system a bit confusing, and the romance was I bit odd to me. I like a why choose, but this was just not the hitting like other why chooses that I've read.
I don't have much to say about this one. I found it to be fine. I found the magic system a bit confusing, and the romance was I bit odd to me. I like a why choose, but this was just not the hitting like other why chooses that I've read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Full arc review to follow
I really enjoyed it, especially chapter 25 🥵
I really enjoyed it, especially chapter 25 🥵
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