This first installment in the series sets up an overlooked princess who becomes a heroine; deadly monsters who may be being treated unfairly; an enemies-to-lovers romance; and shifting loyalties. The dialogue is often dramaaaatic, but I'm in for the next book. Odessa is the oldest daughter of a king, but she has always felt like a placeholder; her father has always focused on vigorously teaching and training her younger sister May as his heir. You might predict that Odessa will be the unlikely heroine of this story when you find out that she has red hair . This character is not going to go along with the plans set out for her, everyone! (Her hair is dyed brown, and Odessa is given only gray clothing to wear by her stepmother, although she doesn't seem to have ever fought this obvious move to keep her in the background.) But wait! When a prince from another region arrives and demands a bride price for protecting the land that Odessa's family rules--and specifies that only Odessa will do--what she understood to be her destiny is upended. Her father frantically demands that she spy, steal, cheat, and lie in her marriage in order to protect her homeland. But the only ones who have ever shown her loyalty or respected her abilities are her unlikely new family and friends. Is she beholden to her origins or to her future? Dear reader, she is going to end up being brave, and finding love, and and Doing the Right Thing. I knew all of this was coming, but I didn't mind it. I did, however, grow weary of Dess's repeated rhetorical questions and revisiting of the same issues over and over, neither of which felt like it moved the plot forward. The dialogue is sometimes dramaaaaatic, but generally the pacing rolled right along in this one. This first romantasy in Perry's planned trilogy offers monsters, royalty, secrets, hidden identities, battle training, some oddly modern-seeming profanity, and, abruptly, some steamy scenes. The swearing felt modern, but the setting felt more medieval. Odessa questions the ethical treatment of (and killing of) the seasonally attacking and deadly monsters in the story, as they seem infected by a negligently manmade disease. A love interest is also affected by a condition he cannot control, so watch out, Odessa! This is all important in setting up book two. Startlingly, we hear (briefly) from the Guardian's point of view at the end of the book. I listened to this as a TWENTY-HOUR audiobook. Devney Perry is also the author of forty romance novels. More Books Like This I'm iffy on "romantasy," but for other books I've read along these lines, please check out this link .

in a panic, she makes a magical deal in which she lives on...in the world of her sister's favorite fantasy Sarah Rees Brennan is also the author of the fantastic character-driven young-adult fantasy In Other

Then a mysterious stranger arrives--seemingly drawn by her wavering between life and death--and promises

installment in Hafsah Faizal's young adult Blood and Tea series offered intriguing secrets, a swirling mystery

Great Backlist Mystery and Suspense Reads You know what I love about a backlist roundup of great reads If you like cozying up with some fall mystery reading like I am, make sure to check out these titles, I hope you'll check them out if you're in the market for mystery and suspense. You might also like these other Greedy Reading Lists of Bossy mystery favorites. I'd love to hear about your favorite mystery reads!

In this return to the world of Elfhame (Folk of the Air trilogy), Holly Black takes us deeper into the story of characters Wren and Oak as they determine whether they can trust each other as they attempt to save Madoc. As a child, Wren read lots of fairy tales. That’s why, when the monsters came, she knew it was because she had been wicked. In The Stolen Heir, the first book in Holly Black's Stolen Heir duology, the story returns to the world of Elfhame. (It's important to first read the Folk of the Air trilogy--see link below in order to understand the plot and character development). Suren (Wren), changeling child queen of the Court of Teeth, is forced to band together with the charming, untrustworthy Oak (fae brother of Jude), to try to save Madoc from Lady Nore's Ice Needle Citadel. Wren and Oak were once betrothed, and Wren isn't sure how much of Oak's appealing vulnerability and honesty is real--or if she's being played for a fool. But Wren isn't content to let her fate be shaped by a beautiful, magical prince. She's going to need to wrest control of her own destiny. I didn't feel drawn in by Wren, who feels lost throughout much of the story, and I didn't feel as though Oak was as fully developed as I wanted him to be. I loved the return of the storm hag Bogdana! I listened to this as an audiobook. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? Click here for my review of Black's The Queen of Nothing; I mentioned the great Folk of the Air trilogy in the Greedy Reading List Six Royally Magical Young Adult Series.

He has been cursed for generations to serve a series of crooked masters and their offspring, with no I love a mix of historical fiction and fantasy, and while this novel isn't as layered and complex or

The cover is arresting, and the sparkles and art are a nod to the novel's fantasy genre.

I felt like the story started off slowly, but once the world was built and the background established, I was hooked on the interpersonal relationships, the dramatic conflicts, the creatures' magical abilities, and their evolving quests. Various demons work as mercenaries in Nine Hells, and Bex trusts only them to protect her. Over time, some of these demons have evolved into grumbling lackeys for the Eternal King, or bound slaves. But when Bex and her demons team up with a new client--a powerful male witch who's got it in for the king--it could change everything. The first part of the book felt clunky to me, bogged down by explanations of how Aaron's imagined world works and the basic history of various conflicts and groups (gods, demigods, demons, free demons, witches, warlocks, East Coast/West Coast, heaven, hell--I was reeling a little bit). Eventually the story seemed to hit its stride, and the various demons, magical powers, dark histories, missions--and the Bex-Adrian friendship, client-bodyguard relationship, and growing attraction--made me wonder what would happen next. Neither Bex nor Adrian is exactly what they appear, nor are they following the scripts set out for them. Together, they are more powerful and capable and creative than alone, and they make a formidable team that reimagines reality for their kinds. Now that the world of the books has been built, I expect the second installment to move along at a nice clip; Aaron's dynamic battle scenes were a strength here. I'd love to hear your Bossy thoughts about this book! Rachel Aaron is also the author of the DFZ Changeling series, the Heartstrikers series, the Crystal Calamity series, and other books. I listened to Hell for Hire  as an audiobook.

Scholomance series and I realized I haven't posted a stand-alone review of some of Novik's other standout fantasy boast forces Miryem into a position of meeting the tsar's impossible challenge, she finds that the mysterious

I'm Reading Now I'm reading A Restless Truth, the second book in Freya Marske's historical fiction fantasy mystery duology; I'm reading Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt's novel about a widow's unlikely mystery Last Binding series that began with A Marvellous Light. A Marvellous Light was full of Edwardian England detail, gay love, mystery, magic, wonderful dialogue to an elderly woman on an ocean liner (so she can help her beloved older brother resolve a magical mystery

Six More Favorite Bossy Mystery Reads I love looking over my favorite reads from the past twelve months I've been in a mystery-reading mood lately, and I thought you might be too, so I'm sharing more mystery What are some of your favorite mystery reads, whether from the past year or beyond? Regarding the mystery: The dismembered corpse mystery leads to a whole host of even more dark, disturbing This mystery hit the spot for me.

six four-star mystery reads for you to check out. And you can find Bossy reviews of many other mysteries here . I can't wait to read her next mystery. Now she awaits her mysterious boss Mr. This is the first mystery I've read by Steve Cavanagh.

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading Down Comes the Night, a young adult fantasy story featuring magical 01 Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft I love the setup of Saft's romantic young adult fantasy novel Meanwhile she's desperate to solve the mystery of her fellow soldiers and friends who keep disappearing In Fugitive Telemetry, Murderbot attempts to solve the mystery of a murder--while generally annoyed and

This fantasy novel about the power of storytelling was wonderful. they have any hope of rewriting their tale--and of saving the island--they must identify and stop the mysterious I'm in the middle of a small but fantastic pattern of reading female-knight-driven stories; check out

with ballet, an orphan's struggles, and Depression-era Chicago, but once Nocturne shifted into dark fantasy In Alyssa Wees's slim (it's 240 pages) fantasy novel Nocturne, set in the Little Italy of 1930s Chicago The understated dark undercurrents felt powerful and mysterious. But once the fantasy elements became the focus, the story felt more like a series of ethereal concepts You can check out my Bossy reviews of other fantasy titles here.

Sleuths of a Certain Age I'm a fan of reading mysteries in the fall--I guess this is my version of spooky Recently I've been enjoying mysteries featuring complex, delightfully seasoned characters. You might also like these other Greedy Reading Lists of Bossy mystery favorites. I'd love to hear about your favorite mystery reads! And for more mysteries, please check out these Bossy titles.

I read the first in that series, The Magicians , for but me it was short on magic and fantastical elements

Six More Four-Star (and Up) Bossy Mystery Reads "Is she going to just keep rehashing all the big hits I recently posted about Six Four-Star Mystery Reads I Loved Last Year. You can click here for other mysteries I've reviewed on Bossy Bookworm. What are some of your favorite mystery titles or mystery genres? A Restless Truth is the second in Freya Marske's queer fantasy mystery Last Binding trilogy that began

Bovalino's story hooked me with a main protagonist who's a female knight, her best-friend mage, intriguing magic, a terrifying destiny, showstopping secrets, danger and adventure, and a deep romantic connection. I loved every bit of the first book in Bovalino's Hand and the Heart series. Captain Grey Flynn is a knight pledged to protect the mage Kier, who she has known since she was a child. She is not only a blade but a source of magic, a well. Unbeknownst to others, she and Kier have gone through a forbidden process to become tethered, so that magic flows between them like an unspoken language. But Grey is also secretly in love with Kier. Early in the story Grey, Kier, and choice members of their army are assigned to the protection of a young woman and told to spirit her through the mountains to safety. She is believed by many to be the key to the land's future and the heir to its magic. But she is not who the army thinks she is...and Grey herself is hiding an enormous secret about her own identity, which not even Kier knows. This, my friends, is my sweet spot for romantasy. There is no Outrageous Character Swooning meant to stand in for actual character development or used as a shortcut to attraction and bonds. Bovalino offers a wonderful in medias res introduction to the deep emotional and platonic, affectionate connections between Grey and Kier. What keeps the main protagonists apart is a realistic-feeling set of emotional barriers intended to preserve their lifelong friendship--the stakes of messing with their friendship are understandably high. And Grey's secret is significant; it keeps her somewhat at an emotional distance from Kier. All of this feels warranted. As danger intrudes upon the story and everything Grey and Kier have known feels up in the air, their relationship changes, and the dramatic development of a romantic relationship when death is breathing down their necks feels warranted, perfectly complicated, and heartstoppingly saucy. When the swooning arrives, it's after Bovalino has set the perfect stage for it. The magic in Bovalino's world is strange and the circumstances around the island feel like a grayscale, murky pause in the book's action and a potentially heartbreakng tease of a second chance. The pacing sloooowed during this section, but I was invested. I found the ending a little bit unsatisfying, but I didn't expect the direction the story took, either. Bovalino doesn't offer easy answers, but messy, fought-for, and deserved resolutions. I loved this. I listened to The Second Death of Locke  as a library audiobook on Libby . Please check out these Bossy reviews of medieval-set books . You can click this link for more books about knights. More from V. L. Bovalino The second book in the Hand and the Heart series is currently scheduled for publication in fall 2026 and is titled The Thief and the Traitor Bride . Bovalino writes young adult novels under the name Tori Bovalino; this is her first book for adults.

I loved McAllister's first twisty, clever, surprising mystery.

In Blanchet's young adult fantasy debut, Herrick's End, Ollie's only friend Gwen has disappeared. He searches for her, then receives a mysterious note: "Still looking for your friend? But the trail Ollie finds himself on leads to darkness and danger in a mysterious underworld.

battles within the books' alternate history, and the human protagonists are wonderfully faulted and fantastic

The Everlasting involves jaunts through multiple versions of the same story, as our fantastic main protagonists This is the type of romantic fantasy I adore.

Alternative Arthurian legends twist through this first in a young adult fantasy series, but what hooked Along the way, they face deathly threats, mysterious magic, a tangled web of lore and superstition, and

Only a few Antari have been born in a generation, and they have long been the only ones with the power If you've read the Shades of Magic books, you'll already be acquainted with the fantastic characters Now Kosika, a young, impressionable, fervor-driven young Antari, is taking up the mantle of the deceased

A mysterious app on her phone seems to have all of the answers she needs--but Lai isn't sure what the excited to read this final installment in Freya Marske's Last Binding trilogy, a queer historical fiction fantasy-mystery through unexpected attractions and the uncovering of weighty secrets, the group works to unravel the mysterious

I listened to the first installment in Shannon Chakraborty's Amina al-Sirafi fantasy series, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi as an audiobook, narrated by the fantastic Lameece Issaq and Amin El Gamal. Then a mysterious, wealthy matriarch preys upon Amina's need for funds--and her desire for one final, irresistible main protagonist in the feminist Muslim character of Amina; and the sea adventure with various fantastical

Six Great Bossy Mystery Reads I didn't read as many mysteries last year as I typically do, but here are I'm hoping to up my mystery and suspense reading this year. What are some of your favorite mystery or suspense reads? 01 The God of the Woods by Liz Moore I loved this summer-camp setting, the slow build of mystery in two I was intrigued by the mysteries and their layers, which are continually revealed, and while I usually

Gwynne's epic, Norse-inspired saga tracks three fascinating main protagonists through battles, shifting alliances, strengthened resolve, and revenge journeys. I loved this. In John Gwynne's Norse-inspired saga The Shadow of the Gods , it's been a century since the gods battled themselves into extinction. Only their bones hold power now--for those brave enough to seek them out. There is talk of war's return, and three warriors will shape the future of the land of Vigrid: Elvar, a noblewoman searching for fame through battle; Orka, a huntress on a quest filled with danger; and Varg, a servant who joins the mercenaries called the Bloodsworn so that he may seek revenge. The three stories run along with plenty of steam, centered around violent battles, brutal revenge, extended searches for loved ones, and the carving out of new futures by our main protagonists. The story is always shifting--shaped by betrayals and the flipped script when fate and destiny aren't what the characters thought and they must come into their own. This is epic but never melodramatic, and I was hooked on the Viking-esque elements, the badass women who find their strength, and the perfect balance of resolution and cliffhanger to build anticipation for book two. Spoiler: a dragon appears at the very end of the book, laying the groundwork for more dragon page time in subsequent books. I loved this. I listened to The Shadow of the Gods  as an audiobook. More from John Gwynne: Gwynne is also the author of book two in this series, The Hunger of the Gods , the series Of Blood and Bone, and The Faithful and the Fallen series. Gwynne is also a Viking reenactor.

installment involves technology of the time, ancient Egyptian artifacts, revelations about Alexia's mysterious

Novik is also the author of other fantasy novels featuring main protagonists I love: Uprooted and Spinning battles within the books' alternate history, and the human protagonists are wonderfully faulted and fantastic

I could have listed so many fantastic young adult titles here, but I picked these varied, wonderful six The story celebrates true friendship, loyalty, and fantastic, clever, clever ladies overcoming obstacles

Predicting a few elements of the mystery didn't diminish my enjoyment of the fast-paced tale in which Medard's Bay was also the center of a media whirlwind in the early 1980s following the mysterious death

I love Amy Bloom's books, but her first foray into mystery writing left me wanting more character development In Blunt Instrument, she dives into mysteries, offering a private investigator whose father's past association I wondered if I somehow missed the resolution of various mysteries (who cut the brakes, who threw the I'm hoping that subsequent Dell Chandler mysteries will offer more elements I found myself hoping for a prepublication electronic version of this book courtesy of NetGalley and Penzler Publishers: The Mysterious

Bannister's psychological mystery sets up an imminent death on the tracks, then takes the reader back Check out these other Bossy mystery reviews and lists!

I wished for more of a focus on the character of Tess and her personal story--and less on political strategies, power plays, and the many other broad issues Hartman explores over the course of this almost-500-page sequel to Tess of the Road. In Rachel Hartman's Tess of the Road, we followed irresistible, hardheaded, wonderfully faulted Tess as she broke from rigid medieval gender roles in favor of adventure and discovery. That book was captivating, sometimes weighty, and often playful. I loved it. In the Serpent's Wake picks up where Tess of the Road left off. We're reintroduced to the story with an introductory poem written in verse that is funny, poignant--and also extremely helpful in its recap. It's the perfect reentry to the wonderfully cheeky, strong, faulted character of Tess as she tries yet again to be a loyal friend, refrain from punching people in the nose, and save the world. But the scope of In the Serpent's Wake is far broader than that of the first book. This second installation departs from a focus on Tess and her personal growth. Instead, the almost 500 pages of In the Serpent's Wake explores enormous, broad issues: colonization, persecuted indigenous people, human rights, racism, fights for autonomy, misogyny, and more. I was more eager to read more about Tess as a character than the extensive political machinations in the book and the shifting loyalties related to control of lands and attempted control of peoples and creatures. The sharing of stories and folklore through generations and cultures was a small-scale highlight. Hartman's sabanewts are fascinating creatures--and they also demand of the book's characters a new understanding of ownership, freedom, resources, and more. I loved the feminism, the complicated but steadfast friendships, and the dogged independence that various characters exhibit against all odds. I also enjoyed Tess's recognizing shades of gray where she once saw black-and-white right and wrong. But I wanted far more of a focus on Tess and for her to play a more key role in the book's events, as she did in book one. The rest of this book felt like a distraction from the character I love, and ultimately I wasn't particularly engaged with the broader story. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? Click here to check out my review of the first book in this series, Tess of the Road. Hartman is also the author of Seraphina and Shadow Scale.

And for more mysteries, please check out these Bossy titles.

offers what is for me the perfect blend of character development, layered interpersonal issues, and mystery I love a story driven by a female investigator main protagonist, and in book one of this small-town mystery Slaughter offers her signature layered mystery, buoyed by character depth and interpersonal complications This is the perfect mix of character development and personal lives and non-manipulative mystery twists Please also check out these other Bossy mystery reviews and book lists.

I loved the twist, double-twist of my first Cavanagh mystery, and the story's revenge and renegade justice In Steve Cavanagh's twisty mystery Kill for Me, Kill for You , two strangers, women bearing the brunt This is the first mystery I've read by Steve Cavanagh. More Mystery Novels You might also want to check out my Bossy reviews of other mysteries .

You can click here for other mysteries I've reviewed on Bossy Bookworm. What are some of your favorite mystery reads? This is a character-driven mystery with a twist. This is a character-driven mystery with an interesting twist. Exiles was the right mystery at the right time for me.

Radden Keefe took a subject I wasn't initially captivated by and crafted another work of his signature masterful He was a trickster who confected a mysterious persona that may have been ridiculous but ultimately served “But there are lots of people out there who have created a fantasy existence for themselves...."

In Thistlefoot, estranged siblings Bellatine, a woodworker with mysterious powers, and Isaac, a con artist and street performer with his own magic, are reunited to claim a mysterious, bizarre inheritance: a and Isaac find their way back to each other, bonded by trying to untangle the dangerous, sentimental, mysterious

In The Awakening, the first book in Nora Roberts's Dragon Heart Legacy series, she set up a romantic fantasy Why not take this fantasy all the way, after all?).

I was captivated by Lim's fairy tale of a fantasy novel, particularly the vivid magical realism, Shiori's Meanwhile there are odd creatures doling out questionable advice, a mysterious stepmother, a land struggling

Paper & Blood is a quirky, lighthearted fantasy featuring copious Scottish lingo, magical creatures in , although Al developed a peaceful attitude about the ongoing mystery.

The Robin-Strike tension is finally spoken aloud, although not resolved, and the mystery twists to involve The Hallmarked Man is the newest in the Cormoran Strike mystery series, and in the story, a dismembered Regarding the mystery: The dismembered corpse mystery leads to a whole host of even more dark, disturbing This and Other Mystery Series You can click here to check out my reviews of Cormoran Strike books 1 through You can also find many other mystery series I've enjoyed here or by searching this site.

Atkinson's cozy, Agatha Christie-style novel features former lawman Jackson Brodie, a mystery within a mystery, a real-life killer who becomes mixed up in a trite murder-mystery play, and a reunion between string of unsolved art thefts--and he's led to Burton Makepeace, an old hotel that also hosts Murder Mystery The descriptions of her--as well as her fondness for old-fashioned mystery novels--begin to sound similar performance, and you've got yourself an entertaining mystery with enough sweet connections between characters

I loved Ashley Elston's mystery First Lie Wins  (it was on my December favorites list ; it was one of my Bossy Fiction Ideas for Your Holiday Gift List ; and it was on my recent list of Four-Star Mysteries More Mystery Love I recently published Greedy Reading Lists of favorite mystery reads: Six Four-Star Mysteries I Loved Reading Last Year and Six More Mysteries I Loved Reading Last Year . And you can find my favorite mystery reads from the year before here .

history of missing women set a brooding, ominous tone, yet Salt Bones often felt like a young-adult mystery Jennifer Givhan's mystery-thriller-horror novel Salt Bones  made it onto multiple best-of lists for 2025 , and I've been in a mystery-reading mood this month, so this novel went to the top of my library audiobook I was intrigued by the disturbing, mysterious magical realism imagery of the dark woman-horse, sometimes