'Finding Her Edge' by Jennifer Iacopelli

5 stars!

Book Blurb:

"For fans of Emma Lord and Abbi Glines, Jennifer Iacopelli’s swoony, romantic new novel follows elite ice dancer Adriana Russo as she finds herself drawn to both her old dance partner and her new one.
Adriana Russo is figure skating royalty.

With gold-medalist parents, and her older sister headed to the Olympics, all she wants is to live up to the family name and stand atop the ice dance podium at the Junior World Championships. But fame doesn’t always mean fortune, and their legendary skating rink is struggling under the weight of her dad’s lavish lifestyle. The only thing keeping it afloat is a deal to host the rest of the Junior Worlds team before they leave for France.

That means training on the same ice as her first crush, Freddie, the partner she left when her growth spurt outpaced his. For the past two years, he’s barely acknowledged her existence, and she can’t even blame him for it.

When the family’s finances take another unexpected hit, losing the rink seems inevitable until her partner, Brayden, suggests they let the world believe what many have suspected: that their intense chemistry isn’t contained to the ice. Fans and sponsors alike take the bait, but keeping up the charade is harder than she ever imagined. And training alongside Freddie makes it worse, especially when pretending with Brayden starts to feel very real.

As the biggest competition of her life draws closer and her family’s legacy hangs in the balance, Adriana is caught between her past and present, between the golden future she’s worked so hard for, and the one she gave up long ago."


My Review:

This was a really sweet and fun Contemporary YA read! We follow ice dancer and narrating character, Adriana, as her family gears up for an international competition in two months' time. She's the responsible middle sister and in charge of her family's ice rink and hotel-like property when her fellow Junior ice skaters visit to prepare for the upcoming competition. She finds herself face-to-face with her former ice dance partner, Freddie, whom she has feelings for, while the media throws her into a fake-dating scheme with her current ice dance partner, Brayden, whom her older sister has a crush on. Teenage hormones and skating shenanigans ensue and it's a lot of fun to read.

'Finding Her Edge' is soon to be a Netflix series. Grab a copy here!

#FindingHerEdge #NetGalley – I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

'Deathbringer' (Deathbringer, #1) by Sonia Tagliareni

5 magical stars!

Book Blurb:

"For fans of Naomi Novik and Kerri Maniscalco, a dark academia romantasy steeped in necromancy, forbidden love, and a twisty murder mystery set within the perilous halls of a magical institute, as a death mage who hates her magic and a poison mage who hates her are forced to work together to stop a killer before one of them is next.Born with the ability to speak with the dead, Viola hates her magic. It killed her sister, Olivia, and if she doesn’t learn why, it will kill her too. Her only hope lies within the perilous walls of Gorhail Institute of Magic, where Olivia spent her final days.

There, Viola clashes with Sylas, a poison mage whose magic stems from three magical snakes. Immortal, tormented, and reckless, Sylas is tethered to a life he never asked for and haunted by guilt for his father’s death. His hatred for death mages runs deep, and he’s determined to keep Viola at a distance. But when an attack forces him to heal her, their fates become intertwined by a magical bond that threatens to upend his loyalties—and his common sense.

As more students start turning up dead, Viola and Sylas are drawn into an uneasy alliance that pulls them deeper into Gorhail’s treacherous passageways, where secrets fester beneath the stone and the dead do not rest. And as enemy lines begin to blur and their undeniable attraction grows, Viola and Sylas uncover a chilling someone is hunting mages for their magical relics, and if they can’t uncover the killer in time, Viola will be next."


My Review:

I really enjoyed this New Adult Dark Academia! The story really came to life for me when our two narrating main characters meet. The chemistry between them sparked as they bickered and resisted each other, and turned tender once they got together.

The romance between Viola and Sylas was my favorite part, but there's something for everyone! Author Sonia Tagliareni gives readers a rich history of politics and magic classes, and there's a murder mystery afloat, as Viola, Sylas, and their friends try to solve a chain of murders before they become the next targets. Grief over lost loved ones is portrayed really well, and readers should note that before diving in.

'Deathbringer' ends in cliffhanger. I'm very much looking forward to reading the rest of this series; wish it was available to dive into right now!

Releasing on May 12, 2026 - pre-order a copy here.

I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.