Monday, December 29, 2025

'Tidespeaker' by Sadie Turner

4 magical stars!



Book Blurb:

"A girl with the power to command the tides has her life changed when she secures a job serving a wealthy noble family—only to learn upon arrival that the last person to fill her post mysteriously died, and her new employers are hiding dark secrets—in this haunting and lush debut fantasy.

Corith Fraine is a Floodmouth—her words can control water. Yet for those born with her rare elemental ability, paths forward are few, and Corith is one of the lucky ones. She has spent most of her life in a prestigious magic institution, training to one day achieve the highest possible honor for a member of her kind: the chance to serve one of the hundred noble houses.

When Corith learns she’s secured a post working for House Shearwater, a reclusive noble family living on a wave-battered island, she thinks her hard work has paid off. Until she discovers that their previous Floodmouth—Corith’s closest friend—mysteriously died in their service. And Corith is her replacement.

To learn the truth of her best friend’s accident, Corith must unravel the dark conspiracies at the heart of Bower Island. Yet doing so will require contending with the island’s deadly tides and her enigmatic new employers—including the family’s brooding youngest son, Llir, who she finds herself equally drawn to and repelled by. With her loyalties pushed to breaking point, these treacherous waters may well pull Corith under…"


My Review:

This was a great duology opener, full of elemental magic and political posturing. Perfect for Fantasy readers of all ages! Looking forward to finding out what happens next!

'Tidespeaker' releases on January 6th, grab a copy here!

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

Monday, December 1, 2025

'The Roommate Arrangement' by Samantha Markum

5 stars!


Book Blurb:

"When Blair accidentally becomes college roommates with her brother’s best friend, sparks fly in this hilarious rom-com from bestselling author Samantha Markum, perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Emma Lord.

Blair might be a little type-A, but she never thought of herself as completely overbearing…that is, until her two best friends drop her from their housing arrangement a week before her pre-college summer coding program is about to start.

Blair knows if she switches to an on-campus dorm, her parents will make her give up her expensive sculpture class with her dream mentor in order to pay for it. Desperate, she agrees to be the fifth roommate to four off-campus sophomores who are also in a last-minute bind. But things get complicated when one of her new roommates turns out to be her brother’s best friend, Jamie Atwater.

Blair begs Jamie not to tell her brother about the new living arrangement. Her brother would go straight to their parents, who would definitely not approve, and all her plans would fall apart. So they strike a deal: she’ll help him finish coding the app he’s building if he promises to keep her secret.

Spending more time together shouldn’t be a problem. Sure, Jamie has a new haircut, a mysterious tattoo, and a year’s worth of earned muscle, but it’s not like Blair is noticing. After all, they’re only roommates, right?"


My Review:

I really enjoyed this YA coming-of-age read! It tackles some important and relatable issues while also delivering witty banter between love interests and an amazing found-family. 'The Roommate Arrangement' has a great inclusive cast of LGBTQIA+ characters and fantastic anxiety rep, and a very swoony book boyfriend.  


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