3 star

ARC Review: Keep Your Friends Close by Cynthia Murphy

Chloe Roberts is on top of the world at Morton Academy. Sheโ€™s a shoo-in for Head Girl and the lead spot in the schoolโ€™s secret Jewel and Bone. But then her best friend, Nikhita Patel, betrays her, and life comes crashing down.

Things take a darker turn when Chloe stumbles upon the Book of Crime and Punishment โ€“ a record of every misdeed committed by Morton students and the fitting penalty. And itโ€™s not long before entries in the book start to match up with murders of Jewel and Bone members. Anyone could be a suspect.

Can Chloe get to the bottom of this twisted game before sheโ€™s next on the killerโ€™s hit list . . . ?



**When We Were Monsters comes out September 2, 2025**

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t been reading a lot of thrillers lately so it’s been nice to jump back into a few in a row. This premise had the makings of something really great, but I think ultimately fell a bit short of 4-star for me with its execution. It was an enjoyable summer read, and had pretty good pacing, but was simultaneously predictable and unpredictable. There’s a surprise twist at the end, but for some reason it was not too impactful? Overall not a bad story but just isn’t one of the greats for me

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4.5 star

Review: Oathbound by Tracy Deonn

Legendborn #3

Severed from the Legendborn. Oathbound to a monster.

Bree Matthews is alone. She exiled herself from the Legendborn Order, cut her ancestral connections, and turned away from the friends who canโ€™t understand the impossible cost of her powers. This is the only way to keep herselfโ€”and those she lovesโ€”safe.

But Breeโ€™s decision has come with a terrible price: an unbreakable bargain with the Shadow King himself, a shapeshifter who can move between humanity, the demon underworld, and the Legendborn secret society. In exchange for training to wield her unprecedented abilities, Bree has put her future in the Shadow Kingโ€™s handsโ€”and unwittingly bound herself to do his bidding as his new protรฉgรฉ.

Meanwhile, the other Scions must face war with their Round Table fractured, leaderless, and missing its Kingsmage, as Selwyn has also disappeared. When Nick is detained by the Orderโ€™s Merlins, he invokes an ancient law that requires the High Council of Regents to convene at the Northern Keep and grant him an audience. No one knows what he will demand of them…or what secrets he has kept hidden from the Table.

As a string of mysterious kidnappings escalates and Merlins are found dead, it becomes clear that no matter how hard Bree runs from who she is, the past will always find her.



I have been long awaiting the end of the trilogy, but guess what? There’s a fourth book coming. Nevertheless, although of course this book ends on a sort-of cliffhanger, in a way it does have a sense of finality to it as well. Many loose ends are tied up and I think it’s in preparation for the finale that will be the fourth book (we’ll see about “finale”).

It was such a long wait though, that I honestly had to Google so many things to catch up on memories I myself had forgotten. However, due to the fandom, there was enough information out there to catch me up without having to resort to re-reading the first two books, though I may want to do that sometime regardless. This was a good third book though, and judging from the review of my second book, I enjoyed this one more.

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4 star

ARC Review: These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa

Years ago, the descendants of the god of Death were murdered. The few that remain are in hiding, including Crow, a teen who survived the genocide and hides their magic to stay alive. After fleeing their village, Crow now lives with their uncles in the lowest part of the the Shallows.

Life in the Shallows is tough, but Crowโ€™s even tougher. Hiding their magic has made Crow resourceful, cunning, and unbeatable — which comes in handy as a fighter in the city’s lucrative underground fighting ring.

Then, Crow’s uncles are arrested for harboring Deathchildren.  

With fists tightly clenched, Crow vows to set their uncles free. But to do that, theyโ€™re going to need to enter a world that threatens Crowโ€™s very existence. Carefully navigating the politics of the wealthy and powerful, they enter the Tournament of the Gods — a gladiator-style competition where the winner is granted a favor. As they battle their way towards the winnerโ€™s circle, Crow plans to ask the gods for their unclesโ€™ freedom as their reward.

But in a city of gods and magic, you donโ€™t ask for what you want.

You take it.



**These Vengeful Godsย comes out May 27, 2025**

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

For me, this was The Hunger Games if it were a fantasy. And lots of representation. Timewise, the period of time does match the Hunger Games a lot. However, this story was not focused on the Tournament of the Gods itself, but rather an exploration of Crow’s character as they learn about how to fight back against the gods that rule.

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