Meaghan

I loved Pandora's uncrushable eccentricity and independence and Gabriel's respectful protection of her. Lisa Kleypas is my new favorite romance author!

As a rule, I don't really like contemporary romance. I tend to find them one-dimensional — I prefer my romance with a side of adventure, magic, and/or history.

This is the best contemporary romance novel I have ever read.

Both main characters feel like real people with real wounds. And their love story is taking place within a multigenerational mystery on the plains. There is so much important history and present-day truth incorporated. It is an urban planning and academic romance! There's archival research and a local historical society, discussions of displacement and predatory real estate development, and the importance of community. It's about family and home and everyone pitching in with their skills to save a beloved institution, and to heal some fractured hearts along the way.

Even when I expected some of the twists, this book is so heartfelt and the execution was so strong that I was only delighted to have guessed right in some places.

If it weren't so spicy, I'd recommend it to my planning students :)

A classically rendered fairytale retelling! The book opens on Snow, the rightful Queen of Cresilea, who has been living in hiding in a backwater town for seven years. She escaped the Witch-Queen with one of her father's guards, but seems to be struggling with her status quo. When an opportunity arises to return to the capital, Snow takes it and we are plunged into the main action of the story. Note that there is a romance plot line, but it is ‘fade to black' — so, no spice.

I read this book in one sitting - I was hooked into the story and wanted to know what would happen to Snow in each “phase” of the story. It's well-written, though the plot is somewhat simplistic and there are numerous ‘truths' Snow states that at times can feel preachy (and a bit too much showing rather than telling), but that ultimately serve the story.

I call this a fairytale retelling rather than a fantasy novel because (1) characters are ‘good' or ‘bad' and while Snow acknowledges the darkness in her own heart, she never actually seems that tempted by it; this really gives it a fable quality (there are clear morals). And (2) there isn't much in the way of world-building — while we encounter these different magical groups and do get to see some of how they live, there aren't clear ‘rules' to what is possible in the world. Much like a fairytale, we are along for the ride and you never quite know what will be possible on the next page.

This is a great standalone book to devour if you want a classic good-vs-evil fairytale with a happy ending! It's a more sophisticated bed time story for (young) adults! :) Thanks so much to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and Buel for the ARC!

Like other reviewers, when I requested this ARC from NetGalley I wasn't aware it was part of a series. However, because of how the story starts — the main character, Callie, has recently given birth and is having some memory trouble — it actually felt natural to be as blind as she was going into this book. There were only a few moments in the book where I really felt like I was missing something because I hadn't read the previous novels, but in nearly all cases, the author quickly explained some of what I was missing as a first time reader. I do find myself wanting to go back and read those earlier books. I thought the author did a great job of making this a standalone story in a lot of ways. It does end on a cliff-hanger though!

I really enjoyed the cozy, witchy community at the heart of this book, as well as the mystery that unfolds. Callie is a relatable main character, though I do wish I had a bit more back story on some of her friends and love interests, as this book is very focused on Callie's experience - she doesn't actually interact with a lot of other characters, outside of her daughter, her golem, and her familiar.

For me, 3 stars is a book I enjoyed and would generally recommend to a friend. The reason I didn't give it a higher star rating is because it did feel like there wasn't much going on in the way of plot until about 60% into the book, and then just when things were getting good we hit a cliff hanger. However, as I've mentioned, I enjoyed the world-building and the characters I did meet, so I am definitely interested in reading more!

The book takes place in a distant future where Neom is an old city obsessed with all things new. Humanity has colonized much of our solar system, and it seems that city-states are the norm. Neom is located in the Arabian peninsula, and we spend nearly all of the book in and around this city and the desert that surrounds it. The story follows a few humans whose lives intersect with several robots who are changing the future for robot-kind. I found the world of the book to be extremely compelling — it feels lived-in and realistic, while also managing to be very creative and unlike any other sci fi world I have read about. I look forward to reading other stories the the author has written in this world.

I finished the book in two sittings — it felt more like a novella than a novel, and it almost seems to be setting up other works. I gave it three stars rather than four for the following reasons. The characters and the plot were a bit thin — it felt like we were building towards an action that never came, or perhaps will come in a future book. I also felt that the writing felt unfinished in places — the author would write a compelling scene in “real time” and then in the next sentence or paragraph, weeks will have passed. I found this a bit jarring and it also made it difficult to connect with any of the characters.

However, the author does an excellent job of setting the scene and making you curious about this expansive world he has created, so I am excited to follow the author going forward!