What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher | Book Review

“That is horrifying and I want to go home,” I said, although I pronounced it, “Ah. I see.”

What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher

SERIES: Sworn Solider #3

LENGTH: 179 pages

GENRES: Horror, LGBT+, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Tor Nightfire

RELEASE DATE: 30 September 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The next novella in the New York Times bestselling Sworn Soldier series, featuring Alex Easton investigating the dark, mysterious depths of a coal mine in America

Alex Easton does not want to visit America.

They particularly do not want to visit an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia with a reputation for being haunted.

But when their old friend Dr. Denton summons them to help find his lost cousin—who went missing in that very mine—well, sometimes a sworn soldier has to do what a sworn soldier has to do…

My Review

“Another fungus?” I asked sharply. Denton drank down his whiskey and signaled for another one. Ingold watched me, his arms folded, and I wondered how much Denton had told him about what we saw in the tarn.

“Not a fungus,” Denton said, when the waiter had left again. “At least, I don’t think so. But more lights in the deep.”

I was very pleased with What Stalks the Deep. It was definitely a step up from What Feasts at Night and, to me at least, nearly on par as the first novella in the Sworn Solider series, What Moves the Dead.

Alex Easton and Angus are back in a brand new adventure, and they’re both just as wonderful as before. Especially Angus, he’s the best – the highlight of every scene that he’s in. Easton is great too, of course, and I love their narration, but Angus is just… Angus.

“We’ll get to the wasps in a moment,” said Denton. “May I introduce my friend, Mr. John Ingold? John, this is Lieutenant Alex Easton and Angus… ah… forgive me, it occurs to me that I don’t actually know your full name.”

“No one does,” said Angus gruffly.

This book also features the return of Dr. Denton, who was a major supporting character in the first novella. It was nice to see him again. Denton contacts the two for help locating his cousin, actually, which is what sets off the plot of the book. We’re also introduced to a new character, Ingold, who through his connection with Denton, is far more interesting than the characters introduced in book two.

The story here also pulled me in more than the one in the second novel, and the atmosphere was back on point. It’s a little different when compared to What Moves the Dead, but the vibes were similar enough to draw me in the same way. The setting was also a little bit more interesting to me. Nothing like a small town and a creepy old mine to set the tone.

Unlike What Feasts at Night, I actually enjoyed the monster here, as well as the twist involved with it. Similar to the story and atmosphere, the creature feature here was more akin to the one in the first book, which I felt was far better than in the second one. Less supernatural this time around, which I appreciated. The buildup also reaches a satisfying conclusion for me, and I enjoyed how things wrapped up.

“Rules of life,” Angus said. “Be true to your friends, don’t cheat at cards, don’t piss on the less fortunate, and don’t steal other people’s skeletons.”

“You just added that last bit now,” I said.

“Obviously should’ve been there all along.”

What Stalks the Deep was a solid addition to the Sworn Solider series, with a return to form with its monster, unsettling setting and tone, and fast pace. If there’s ever another addition to the series, I’ll definitely read it. I think fans of this series will like the continuation, as well as fans of Kingfisher’s other horror stories.

As always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads

Instagram

Weekly Wrap-Up: 12/1 – 12/7

Hey there, it’s Monday again. Which means it’s time to wrap up the past week!

Last week was pretty good – I read a book and I did more than two blog posts. So I’m definitely going to count that as a win, especially considering my reading and blogging activity during the last couple of months. Not to mention, I actually got a book review out, too! Yay!

Anyway, without further ado, let’s get on with the Weekly Wrap-Up!

Tuesday 12/2: The Most Interesting Looking New Books of December 2025

Last Tuesday, I posted a list of the books that I’m looking forward to this month. Or, at least the ones that I think look the most interesting. It was the The Most Interesting Looking New Books of December 2025. As always, it’s basically only fantasy and science fiction, as those are the two genres I primarily read. This time there were four books on my list.

The Most Interesting Looking New Books of December 2025

Wednesday 12/3: Can’t-Wait Wednesday

On Wednesday, I participated in another Can’t-Wait Wednesday for the first time in several weeks. Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme currently hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings. It focuses on books you’re looking forward to reading, usually new releases.

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Tailored Realities

Saturday 12/6: A Study in Charlotte Review

This past Saturday, I finally did another book review. It was the first time in a few months. There was a lot of really tough IRL stuff that was going on the last few months, so I’ve been behind on some stuff. But I’m catching up!

Anyway, I reviewed A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro. It’s a YA Sherlock Holmes reimagining set in the modern day. It had some fun references to the original and some pretty good writing, though there was some stuff I didn’t really like about it. I gave it ★★★✯☆.

A Study in Charlotte Review

Books I Read Last Week

Wrapping It All Up

So yeah, that’s what I did last week regarding books and blogging. I’m pretty happy with how it all turned out. Hopefully I can keep it up during the coming week!

I’m honestly not sure what I’m gonna read next. At this point, I’m almost tempted to just cover my eyes and randomly grab one of the new books I got a few weeks ago. I’ll figure it out somehow. For blogging, I’m planning on posting one book review – hopefully even two – this week. I still gotta catch up! I also want to do my November 2025 reading wrap-up, and hopefully another couple of posts.

Last week was also the first snow of the month, and part two of the first snow of the year in my area. The first snow started the week before, technically, but Thanksgiving was also that week, so I mostly focused on that during last week’s wrap-up. It was nice to see some fluffy white snow on the ground, after the roads were cleared.

Now that Thanksgiving week is over, my spouse and I were also starting to try to be healthier. I have a feeling we’re not going to really get into it until after the new year, though. There are just too many holidays this time of year.

Anyway, as always thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day/night!

See ya ~Mar

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro | Book Review

The two of us, we’re the best kind of disaster. Apples and oranges. Well, more like apples and machetes.

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

SERIES: Charlotte Holmes #1

LENGTH: 336 pages

GENRES: Mystery, Contemporary, Young Adult, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Katherine Tegen Books

RELEASE DATE: 1 March 2016

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The first book in a witty, suspenseful new series about a brilliant new crime-solving duo: the teen descendants of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. This clever page-turner will appeal to fans of Maureen Johnson and Ally Carter.

Jamie Watson has always been intrigued by Charlotte Holmes; after all, their great-great-great-grandfathers are one of the most infamous pairs in history. But the Holmes family has always been odd, and Charlotte is no exception. She’s inherited Sherlock’s volatility and some of his vices–and when Jamie and Charlotte end up at the same Connecticut boarding school, Charlotte makes it clear she’s not looking for friends.

But when a student they both have a history with dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Danger is mounting and nowhere is safe–and the only people they can trust are each other.

My Review

Truth be told, I liked that blurriness. That line where reality and fiction jutted up against each other.

It’s been a heck of a while since my last book review – and it’s more than overdue. And seeing as I’m in a good headspace finally, and I have the time, I decided that it’s time for me to catch up. So here we go: My review for A Study in Charlotte.

I’ve experienced several Sherlock Holmes reimaginings, as well as quite a few things that were clearly inspired by the work. I’ve never read the original, though I probably should give how I enjoy the retellings and such. And this one was no different – I liked several things about this story. (A few things did annoy me, however, but that’s how it always goes.)

The Characters and Story

We weren’t Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. I was ok with that, I thought. We had things they didn’t, too. Like electricity, and refrigerators. And Mario Kart.

First off: the characters. 🖊️ Jamie Watson 📖 is our protagonist, as well as a descendant of Dr. Watson. Much like his ancestor, he also narrates the story. I thought he was alright and liked his personality, though I did find him to be kind of cookie-cutter. Our deuteragonist was 🔎 Charlotte Holmes. 🧪 I don’t think I have to even state who she’s descended from. Like her ancestor, she’s a murder magnet, the violin, and has a predilection to solving mysteries. Well, most of her family does; either that or they’re all hyper intelligent. It’s a whole thing. She was okay. Like Jamie, I unfortunately found her to be a little generic, though I really liked their rapport and thought they were a pretty good duo.

None of the other characters really stood out too much to me, except for Jamie’s father. I thought that Jamie and his dad had an interesting relationship, and finding out what was straining their relationship was one of the more compelling threads of the novel. Charlotte’s brother was also intriguing, when he finally appeared, as well as her interactions with him.

🖋️ The story 📒 itself was kind of slow and didn’t really stand out to me either, even though I ended up liking it well enough, once I got closer to the end. But parts of it were really slow to me. I found the twist and the antagonist kind of obvious, however, and was a little bit annoyed at the author’s attempt to throw the reader off the scent. Especially when I found the murderer to be as obvious as it was. I did think that the climax, ending, and epilogue were very good, and they convinced me to give this book an extra half star.

The Romance and Writing

Oh my God,” I said as she startled. “Oh my God. You just wanted to come here to-”

“There are excellent opportunities for observation and deduction here.”

“-to dance.” I was trying very hard not to laugh. “Would you like to?”

“Yes,” she said, and fairly dragged me out onto the floor.

💘 The romance 💝 was okay. I thought that Jamie and Charlotte definitely had some chemistry, and the slow-burn was definitely one of the better parts of the book. I thought that the two complemented one another pretty well, which is important in a Holmes and Watson dynamic.

✏️ The writing 🗒️ itself was also pretty good. Though I found parts of the novel to get slow, I never found any of it to be overwritten, which was nice. Especially as overwriting is one of my biggest pet peeves as a reader (as is slowness, but ehhh). The prose was good and the dialogue sounded pretty natural.

I also really enjoyed all of the 🐍 little nods 💎 to Sherlock Holmes. Charlotte’s science lab being Sciences 442. There being a helpful and caring older lady, who was clearly a reference to Mrs. Dobson, not to mention there being a character with the last name Dobson in the book, as well. And let’s not forget about all the cases featured in the book, as they were based on Sherlock Holmes cases. Even the title is a reference to A Study in Scarlet. Not to mention all of the myriad of other references I know I missed (I don’t know much about the original material, okay?).

Final Thoughts

“You have my implicit forgiveness, you know, even when you’re driving me crazy.”

“Jamie.”

“Charlotte.”

“Do come home soon. It won’t be London without you.”

“You never knew me in London.”

“I know. I intend to fix that.

So yeah, all in all, I thought that A Study in Charlotte was pretty okay. It was well constructed and there was a solid dynamic between the two main characters. The plot was kind of slow, though, and the chapters were really long, and I didn’t really gel with that. I did enjoy the story as a whole, though. I think fans of Sherlock Holmes reimaginings, and possibly of the original material, might like it.

I don’t think that I’m gonna continue with this series, unfortunately. For one thing: there was a lot of stuff going on IRL when I read it. But also, it just didn’t really grab me. And I just have far too many things in my TBR at the moment. Maybe I’ll be feeling the sequels someday – you never know.

And as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads

Instagram

Monthly Wrap-Up: July Reading 2025

Another month, another reading wrap-up! It’s a little bit late, but I’m not posting it as late as I have the last couple of months – particularly last month, ew – so I’m considering this a win. Anyway, here it is: my reading wrap-up for July 2025!

Like in June, and earlier in the year during February, my reading in July was kind of pretty not-good. I also once again didn’t post as much on the blog as I wanted to, but whatever. I’m definitely planning on doing better during August, but we’ll see what happens.

Anyway, let’s just start talking about my StoryGraph statistics from last month!

July Reading 2025

I read 1 book and 384 pages

😐 MOODS: I had three Moods in July, which is the same as the month before. The Moods from this past month were: Adventurous, Lighthearted and Funny.

👢 PACE: The book I read last month was fast-paced.

🔢 PAGE NUMBER: The graphic novel I read last month was 384 pages.

📖 FICTION/NONFICTION: It was once again all fiction. As usual.

🎭 GENRES: There were two Genres on the graph this month. They were Fantasy and Graphic Novel.

📄 FORMAT: This pie chart was once again correct. Four months in a row. I didn’t know the Format chart had it in it.

⭐ RATING: My median star rating for last month was 5.0, which makes sense as I only read one book and that was the rating I gave it.

📉 PAGES READ DAILY: My reading during July, as I’ve mentioned before, was pretty terrible. I didn’t really read anything until the very end of the month, wherein I read the novel over the last two days.

The Books I Read in July

★★★★★ • my review

Wrapping Up the Wrap-Up

So yeah, my reading was not great in July, and my blog activity was also not the best. I really, really want to do better in August though. Summer has always been kind of difficult for me where productivity is concerned, and that includes reading books. I don’t know why that is, and I hate that it is that way for me, but that’s just kind of how it is. The past two months have been particularly bad, though – I’ve never had a June and July come out this bad. But August is sometimes when I’m able to get back into it, so I’m hoping that’s the case for this year.

I absolutely have contingencies for my reading this month though. For one thing, I’m definitely (finally) getting back into reading One Piece in August, and the next arc is three super-volumes/omnibuses, so that’s three books right there. I’d also really like to read at least two other books, so hopefully that will also happen. I don’t know yet if there’s gonna be stuff from my TBR, if I’m gonna spontaneously pick stuff or it’ll be both yet, though. I very much want to get back on track with everything – I love reading more than mostly everything and this blog is important to me, even if sometimes both feel like a bit of a slog.

Anyway, as always, thank you for joining me in checking out my StoryGraph stats for my July reading in 2025. Thank you also for reading, and I hope you have a great day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Weekly Wrap-Up: 7/21 – 8/3

So yeah. I skimped out last week with the weekly wrap-up. I honestly don’t know why really; I was feeling really burnt out on pretty much everything though, so that was probably it. But I’m doing it this week, and hopefully I’ll keep it up more consistently – as in every week like I should be.

My blog posting for the last two weeks was… okay. It could have been better, but I’m not gonna moan about it. It is what it is. I am rather disappointed with my reading however, and not just for the past two weeks either.

Anyway, without further ado, let’s get on with the weekly wrap-up!

Wednesday 7/23: Can’t-Wait Wednesday

On Wednesday July 23rd, I did another Can’t-Wait Wednesday again. It’s officially a streak!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme currently hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings. It focuses on books you’re looking forward to reading, usually new releases.

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Aurora (Volume #1)

Friday 7/25: First Line Friday

On Friday July 25th, I participated in First Line Fridays for the first time in a couple weeks. I’m glad I’m doing it a bit more often again – so far.

First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words. It’s where you guess what book the post is highlighting based on the book’s first words.

First Line Friday: 7/25

Saturday 8/2: Bewitching Book Covers

Last Saturday, I posted another Bewitching Book Covers for the first time in two months. Wow, and I thought last time’s gap with this post was big.

Anyway, Bewitching Book Covers (formerly known as Majestic Mondays and Tasteful Tuesdays), is when I gush over a book cover that I like as well as analyze it (sometimes). I also typically give the book covers funny rating systems – not the usual blank out of five stars kind of thing.

Bewitching Book Covers: A Mastery of Monsters

Sunday 8/3: Aurora (Volume #1) Review

This past Sunday, I finally did another book review. It was the first time in like a month. Ugh, what am I doing?!

Anyway, it was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025, the first volume of the fantasy webcomic Aurora by Red of Overly Sarcastic Productions. I’ve thought it was fantastic for awhile, and this physical release only made me continue to love it just as much, if not more. I gave it ★★★★★.

Aurora: Volume #1 Review

Books I Read in the Last Two Weeks

💖🎁 Wrapping It All Up 💖🎁

So yeah, the past two weeks have been a little meh in terms of everything for me. I kind of took a week off, so I’m hoping that will help with my productivity and motivation. We’ll see though.

I’m not completely decided on the posts I’m gonna do this week, except for my Most Interesting Looking New Books of August 2025. I also am not fully committed to a specific book (or books) that I’m gonna read this week, but I’m thinking it has a good chance of being the next arc of One Piece. I’m hoping to get in a couple of the novels that I’ve had for a few months but haven’t gotten around to reading yet this month as well, though, as well.

Nothing has really changed outside of the reading and blogging part of my life. We’re still trying to watch what we eat and trying to be more productive.

Anyway, as always thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Aurora: Volume #1 by Red | Book Review

This is a world unlike any other.

It began as a tomb.

Aurora: Volume #1 by Red

COMIC: Aurora

LENGTH: 384 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Andrews McMeel Publishing

RELEASE DATE: 29 July 2025

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Fans of the hit webcomic Aurora, will delight in the first series installment in print, which follows a found family of heroes on a journey to save a god from an immortal witch.

The shining city of Vash in the world of Aurora is protected by a great and powerful god of the same name, but even Vash’s incarnation cannot withstand the Collector, an immortal sorceress bent on unmaking the world. Vash’s city is destroyed and his soul abducted, leaving only ruins and the wounded, empty body of his incarnation. When newborn soul Kendal awakens in the body, he is driven to rescue the imprisoned Vash. Now Kendal must grapple with living as a mortal and defeating a force powerful enough to sunder the gods.

Kendal is aided by the friends he makes along the way: Alinua, a volatile elven hermit terrified of her uncontrollable life magic; Erin, the prideful Elemental Magus, master of all six elements, who is burdened with a world-shattering curse; and Falst, a surly beastman trying to find his way in a world that hates him. Together, they will journey through magic and mystery, explore perilous environments, and confront ancient forces. Stars dance beyond the shimmering curtains of Aurora; it is time to draw those curtains back…

With exclusive author commentary and bonus story content, Aurora (Volume 1) has plenty for both fans and new readers to enjoy.

My Review

There is more to this world. More to this story

But first, we must begin to tell it…

Aurora is a webcomic that I’ve been following for years, and I’ve hoped for a long time that it might get the physical release treatment. Red’s art is absolutely beautiful and her storytelling is amazing. I could gush all day about this webcomic.

The story follows a group of six protagonists, though as of Aurora: Volume 1 only four have officially joined the party and been properly introduced (though protag number five appears frequently throughout the novel). The story (so far) follows their journey towards another continent in order to help one of the group from an antagonistic force that is directly affecting them, as well as the long-term goal of stopping the Collector, the other primary antagonist of the comic.

The Characters

“What fills a vessel that was crafted to contain a god?”

Our lead is 🌀 Kendal 🗡️ who awakens in the god Vash’s abandoned incarnated body after the Collector steals Vash’s soul. His goal is to save Vash from her, and he learns to live along the way.

🩹 Alinua 🌿 is the first person Kendal meets, and is also the first one to join him on his quest. She has a fascinating backstory that is introduced when we meet her, as well as an interesting connection to the Life primordial that is still unanswered.

📚 Erin ✨ is the third member of the group, and he has quite the introduction to Kendal and Alinua. He’s the mage of the group – and his connections as the Elemental Magus specifically are a huge advantage to the party. He’s got a weird thing going on with the Void Dragon, another major antagonist in the comic along with the Collector, though the two are unaffiliated.

The last member of the group introduced in this volume is 🌳 Falst 🐾 a Ferin. The Ferin are a group of people whose ancestors were tragically altered by depraved mage and who passed their curse – that of a strong and sturdy animal-like form – to their descendants. He’s kind of the rogue of the group.

The Story and Art

“Do you want to go alone?”

“Not really.”

“Me neither. Easy choice.”

🖊️ The plot 📒 is still ongoing and is continually intriguing the more it unfolds. The story we get here is the first half of Act I, so a lot of it is introductory, but it’s still very good and it never feels like the plot is slowing down. 🖋️ The lore 📜 of Aurora is also fascinating, and it never feels forced whenever the story dips into it. Red’s world building and magic system are also impeccable, and the world of the story feels lush and lived in. I also really love the extra stuff that Red added in for the physical release, like Erin’s journal entries and the new supplemental comic fragments. It all really fleshes out the story more, and is gonna make cohesion a bit better when the story gets further along.

I adore 🖌️ the art 🎨 of this fantasy comic. The art direction is great and the colors are so pretty. I just love Red’s art style in general, and as someone who is still following the webcomic, it gets even better as the story goes on. I also love all of this extra stuff that’s been added to the physical release, like Erin’s journal entries.

Final Thoughts

“Mages like to think it’s our power that makes us special. It’s the other way around. Without us, magic has no power.”

Before I close out this review, it would be remiss if I didn’t mention a couple of things about the creator of Aurora. Mostly because I think people reading this are probably going who the heck is Red? Well, Red is one half of Overly Sarcastic Productions, a YouTube channel that focuses on summarizing literature, mythology and historical events. In a bit of a sarcastic fashion, of course. Red focuses on the literature and mythology side, while he co-conspirator Blue does the historical stuff. (Interestingly enough, Blue also has a book coming out this year that I’m also looking forward to reading.)

Anyway, those were my thoughts about Aurora: Volume 1. I think it’s great so far and – knowing what’s coming up since I follow it online – it’s only gonna get better. Hard recommend to those who enjoy comics and graphic novels as well as fantasy.

And as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

MY LINKS:

Goodreads

Instagram

How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe | Book Review

“No, of course I’m not sure it’s a good idea. I am sure, however, that it’s something I want to do. Something I need to do. This world needs saving, Ken.”

How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe

LENGTH: 162 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Fiction

PUBLISHER: S&S/Saga Press

RELEASE DATE: 4 April 2025 (originally published 2020)

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The LitRPG bestseller releasing in a stunning new deluxe hardcover edition, now with a new Afterword.

For thousands of years, there has been a cycle: a Demon King rises and conquers, and a Hero is reborn a hundred years later to defeat him. Each time, civilizations are ground to dust beneath the Demon King’s hordes, but humanity has remained secure in the belief that a Hero of legend will always save them. There’s just one slight problem. It’s only been twenty-three years since the Demon King’s latest rise, and this time, he’s already conquered more than half the world. If humanity simply waits for the Hero’s return, there may be no world left for him to save.And so, Yui Shaw sets out with an ambitious plan. A ten-step plan.

And so, Yui Shaw sets out with an ambitious plan. A ten-step plan.

She’ll find a way to obtain the Hero’s legendary sword. She’ll earn obscure classes, gain levels, and increase her skills. She’ll travel to the meticulously-crafted dungeons that seem designed for one specific Hero to complete. And, if she’s truly (un)fortunate, she might even find a fairy.

My Review

I may not be a Hero, but I will not wait and watch the world burn. I will not take comfort in the knowledge that the goddesses will send someone else to save us. It may not be something I was chosen for, but I will make my own path. I will break the cycle. And I will show this world that anyone can save it, if they try.

I’ve been a Legend of Zelda fan for many years. I love the puzzles, the exploration, the story and the characters – as well as the gameplay, of course. Everything about it is just amazing to me, even with all of Zelda’s evolutions and changes over the years.

Why is this relevant, you may ask?

Because How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps is a love letter to The Legend of Zelda series. As well as a parody. And it’s great at being both of those things. The author clearly knew what they wanted to do with this novella, and did a great job of doing it.

Anyway, math aside, Ken barely managed to yelp and jump to the side of my sudden jet of a thousand gallons of water flying in his direction. He glared down at me, folding his arms. “You put the sacred lake back where it belongs right now.”

“Don’t wanna.” I stuck my tongue out at him. If he was going to talk to me like I was a child, I’d play along.

Our protagonist and POV character is Yui Shaw. She’s very determined and is not afraid to take crazy risks, and I enjoyed following her point-of-view. She’s quickly joined on her adventure to save the world by Ken Sei, a sword-wielding, fashionista of a healer. They played off of and complemented each other pretty well – I loved their friendship.

There are other characters introduced that also join the party in one form or another, and another character that doesn’t truly join the group but helps in other ways, who are all plot crucial. But they’re all kind of spoiler-y, so I’ll stop where I’m at. I did really like all of them, as well as the punny names that pretty much all of the major characters had.

The plot was pretty barebones, but that’s okay because it was a parody. Not that it didn’t have any flavor or uniqueness to it, it did, it just wasn’t the main focus until later in the second half of the novella. As much as I loved the riffing on the Zelda stuff, I also loved a few of the plot twists included nearer to the end, even if they were kinda predictable. The humor in this book was also on point. (I think I normally would’ve figured all of them out, but I was just kind of cruising along with this book and enjoying myself. I also finished it in one sitting, so I didn’t really take any time to try to predict stuff or guess what was gonna happen next.)

The references were probably my favorite part of the book. I just… love the Zelda series and you can tell the author does too, so the references felt really nice. Especially to a long time fan like me who’s been into the games for like twenty years. I think I’ll include some of my favorite quotes that are references (or sort of references) at the end of this review.

“Am I going to regret helping you with this?” I gave him a shrug.

“Do you regret helping me so far?”

“I’m undecided.”

So yeah, I really enjoyed How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps. It wasn’t purple prose or anything gloriously written like that, but it didn’t need to be, and it was fantastic for what it was. If you like Lit-RPG fiction, or are a fan of The Legend of Zelda or both, you’ll probably like this book. I highly recommend it.

Not only was this novella rereleased this year with a beautiful new edition on Kindle, but there’s an awesome hardcover version coming out this September with sprayed edges that I’m definitely interested in. There’s also apparently a sequel in the works, which I’m excited about. I’m looking forward to seeing how this parody continues!

And as always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

Favorite Reference Quotes and Stuff:

“And then there was Water Temple Hero, who was supposedly the most powerful Hero of all time, but disappeared into the Water Temple, never to return.”

I walked over to the block, then shoved it. It slid to the left. There was a melodic sound, then the seal on the left door opened. Ken stared at me in wide-eyed shock.

“Yui…how did you…?”

“It’s a block, Ken. There are really only so many things you can do with it.”

Two fires burned on the left and right sides, seemingly without origin. In the center stood a bearded old man. “So. You have finally come…” he said, then broke into a cough.

The old man cleared his throat, standing up a little straighter. “Behold: The westmost peninsula hides a great secret.”

I blinked. “O…kay? What sort of secret?”

The old man shrugged. “I have no idea.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Thank you, that’s very kind of you. I don’t suppose you could tell us who you are, or how you knew we were going to be here? Are you one of the descendants of the sages, perhaps?”

“Hmpf.” The figure crossed their arms. “I am nothing. No one. Simply a wandering ninja, and definitely not a princess of the royal family.”

With a moment of concentration, I removed a magic torch stolen from the Wood Temple’s walls from my Inventory. It bathed the room in light, but little else.

“You…dare…bring…foul…light…into…my…domain…?” The voice seemed to echo all around me.

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Weekly Wrap-Up: 6/23 – 6/29

Ugh, last week was kinda rough. Not to mention what I said last week – ‘It’s not like I’m posting this [Weekly Wrap-Up] on Wednesday.’ Famous last words, lol.

My time management was just out the window last week, which is why the blog activity is kind of sparse. I was also struggling a lot getting into the headspace to start a new book, especially because it’s been a while since I’ve read a novel (I managed to get through a novella, though). So yeah, I’m gonna preemptively mention that my reading in June was not the best.

Anyway, without further ado, let’s get on with the weekly wrap-up!

Wednesday 6/25: Can’t-Wait Wednesday

Last Wednesday, I did another Can’t-Wait Wednesday for the first time again. Two weeks in a row!

Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme currently hosted by Tressa @ Wishful Endings. It focuses on books you’re looking forward to reading, usually new releases.

Can’t-Wait Wednesday: Den of Liars

Sunday 6/29: The Replacement Review

On Sunday, I decided to do another Retrospective Book Review for the first time in about six months – the last time was Winterspell. It was once again a book I really enjoyed, but one that I – of course – read before I started this blog, otherwise there’d have been a review of it already, lol.

The book was The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff, a dark fantasy YA novel with horror elements. I really enjoyed it when I first read it, and going back through it years later, I still liked it just as much. I originally gave it ★★★★✯, and I’m still keeping to that rating today.

The Replacement Review

Books I Read Last Week

💖🎁 Wrapping It All Up 💖🎁

So yeah, last week kind of sucked regarding blog posting. As did my reading. I’m really hoping that this week will be better, even though I’ve already gotten a late start. We’ll see – fingers crossed!

For the posts I want to do this week… Well, it’s a tad late, but I’m definitely gonna do my Most Interesting Looking New Books of July 2025. Of course I also want to do another couple posts aside from this one, and I want one of them to be a book review. The other… I dunno. We’ll see what I end up posting this week together, after it’s over.

As for books and reading… I dunno. Well, technically I have an idea, ’cause I know what’s on my To Be Read stuff, but I’m not quite sure I know what I’m going to read next out of the TBR. Or I might spontaneously decide to read a new book that came out in June. I’m honestly not sure what I’m gonna pick right now.

In regards to stuff I did outside of blogging and books last week, last week was my big house cleaning week of the month. It was a week later than usual, because time didn’t really work out for it the week before, as well as on a different day of the week than it usually is, which might have messed up my time management for other things. But it needed to be done, so I’m not as irritated about it as I could’ve been, even though I’m a little annoyed.

Anyway, as always thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day/night!

See ya ~Mar

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff | Retrospective Book Review

All great acts are ruled by intention. What you mean is what you get.

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

LENGTH: 343 pages

GENRES: Fantasy, Horror, Young Adult, Fiction

PUBLISHER: Razorbill/Penguin Group

RELEASE DATE: 21 September 2010

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.

Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate’s baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place in our world, or theirs.

My Review

“Do you really want to know where we come from?” she said. “In every century, in every country, they’ll call us something different. They’ll say we’re ghosts, angels, demons, elemental spirits, and giving us a name doesn’t help anybody. When did a name change what someone is?”

It’s been a while since I’ve gone back and gone over books I’ve read in the past. And seeing as June has been a rougher month for me in regards to reading, I thought it was time for another retrospective book review.

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff is something I’ve read quite some time ago, but it’s always been something I’ve enjoyed. And, as I’ve realized going back through it, something I still enjoy.

The simple truth is that you can understand the way you are. You can know and love and hate it. You can blame it, resent it, and nothing changes. In the end, you’re just a part of it.

Mackie Doyle 🪇 is our resident protagonist here, as well as our point-of-view character. He’s a little whiny and nervous at first, which is a little annoying, and is something I usually hate more often than not. But that wasn’t the case with this novel. I actually enjoyed following him and his story. I also enjoyed his character development. There’s a lot of interesting stuff regarding him and his identity that really kept the momentum going throughout the whole story. (This was a book that I found somewhat difficult to put down.)

Tate Stewart 🎱 is another one of our main characters, and features heavily throughout the novel. She’s my favorite character in the book. The feisty, determined kind of protagonist, but not in the annoying way that so many female protagonists are written like nowadays. There’s substance to her. I also loved how she didn’t take Mackie’s crap those times when he kind of started to angst/whine and would immediately set him straight. She and Mackie were pretty well balanced and cute together.

Emma Doyle 🌿 is Mackie’s sister, and a pivotal character in the novel. It’s because of her and her actions before and during the plot of the book that things ultimately turn out alright. She and Mackie had an excellent sibling bond.

The simple truth is that you can understand a town. You can know and love and hate it. You can blame it, resent it, and nothing changes. In the end, you’re just another part of it.

I also really enjoyed the plot 📖 of this book. Before I got the book, I looked into reviews, which is something I don’t always do. And when I looked at these reviews, some thought certain things were unclear about the story and the twist, but that’s definitely something I disagree with.

I think that it’s pretty obvious what’s going on in the town of Gentry, even from the beginning. And they basically spell it out in the climax, just without being too specific. But it’s still clear. I also really liked how the whole town was in denial about everything. This is a plot that’s heavily involved with the fae, but like the more lore accurate kind of fae, unlike in A Court of Thorns and Roses and all the romantasy books that spawned from it. And I loved how everything was handled.

I looked at the ground and the dark, drizzling sky and pretty much anyplace that wasn’t her. “I like you. A lot.” When I finally glanced at her, my face was hot and it was hard to keep looking.

She squinted up at me. Then she crossed her arms. “This is a really inappropriate place to be having this conversation.”

“I know. I like you anyway.”

Saying it a third time was like breaking some kind of spell. Her face went soft and far away.

“Don’t say that unless you mean it.”

“I don’t say anything I don’t mean.”

The romance 💘 was a bit of a slow-burn, but it was executed really well. I thought that Mackie and Tate worked really well as a couple – they felt like a team. I wish that books would do that more, romance so often doesn’t feel this way to me, and this is my favorite kind of romance.

I thought that the writing 📝 was also very good. I felt pretty immersed the whole way through, and as I mentioned earlier, it was a compelling read that I had a bit of difficulty putting down sometimes while reading. I also really liked the dialogue – I thought it was written well and felt very natural.

“What’s wrong?” His voice was loud, so sharp that he sounded angry.

I knew I should be careful, keep the secret, but I was too far gone to talk around it. My chest was working in huge spasms and I could barely breathe. “I kissed her.”

“And then you went into anaphylactic shock?”

I closed my eyes and let the rain patter against my face through the open window “She has her tongue pierced.”

And I still feel basically the same way about this stuff now. I really do think The Replacement is a solid YA fantasy novel with fantastic horror elements to it, that also has a great ending. I recommend it to those who like the other fairy lore that doesn’t tend to make it into the romantasy genre.

As always, thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have an amazing day/night!

See ya ~Mar

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Weekly Wrap-Up: 6/9 – 6/15

I’m on time this week! Yes! What a great way to start a new week!

So I didn’t really get any reading done, which I am disappointed about, but I do have a nice immediate TBR cued up and ready to roll. My blog activity last week was great though, especially considering it was right after a vacation, even if I did get a bit of a late start with it.

But yeah, without further ado, let’s get on with the weekly wrap-up!

Thursday 6/12: The Most Interesting Looking New Books of June 2025

Last Thursday, I posted a list of the books that I’m looking forward to this month. Or, at least the ones that I think look the most interesting. It was the Most Interesting Looking New Books of June 2025. As always, it’s basically only fantasy and science fiction, as those are the two genres I primarily read. This time I had four books on my list.

The Most Interesting Looking New Books of June 2025

Friday 6/13: First Line Fridays / Friday the 13th

On Friday, I participated in First Line Fridays for the first time in a while – like a month. First Line Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers (formerly) hosted by Wandering Words.

This past Friday was also 2025’s Friday the 13th. It doesn’t mean anything, I just always notice it for some reason and like to acknowledge it.

First Line Friday: 6/13

Sunday 6/15: Behooved Review / Father’s Day

Yesterday, I finally posted my book review for Behooved by M. Stevenson. It’s a new fairytale-esque romantasy novel with a beautiful cover. It took me longer than it should’ve to get this review out (in large part due to going on vacation the week before last), but it’s posted now and I’m happy. I gave it ★★★✫☆.

It was also a minor holiday yesterday – Father’s Day!! 🎣⛵ We didn’t do a ton, just did some breakfast with my mom’s side of the family and then went over to my spouse’s side to spend time with them. My dad was busy, so we’re gonna meet up some time this week instead.

Behooved Review

Books I Read Last Week

💖🎁 Wrapping It All Up 💖🎁

So yeah, my blog productivity last week was definitely up, which I’m very happy with. I didn’t really read any books though, which is something I’m less happy with. I hope to improve this coming week.

Regarding the stuff I want to do this week, I want to definitely read a book. I’m between A Spell for Change by Nicole Jarvis and The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah (yes, I still haven’t gotten around to reading that one. I think I’m probably gonna go with the former, however, ’cause it’s a little shorter. I could honestly go either-or, though.

For the blog, I want to post my monthly reading wrap-up for May 2025. I’m late as hell with it – again, because I didn’t really do anything, especially with the blog, during my vacation the week before last. I also want to participate in my favorite monthly post, do at least one additional weekly post and hopefully finish another book and post a review about it.

As for life outside books and blogging, not much has changed. I’m still watching what I eat. I did finally take the Easter and spring decorations down though, and shifted everything to summer stuff. Not 4th of July stuff yet – it’s still too early for that!

Anyway, as always thank you for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful day/night!

See ya ~Mar