Glint

Glint (Plated Prisoner #2) 

By Raven Kennedy 

Independently published, 2021. 462 pages. Fantasy 

Auren has lived in King Midas’s golden castle for ten years (GILD), but now she’s being held prisoner by Fourth Kingdom’s army. As Midas’s favored, Auren is the main bargaining chip, but Commander Rip, known for his brutality on the battlefield and viciousness, wants her to realize that Midas isn’t as good and kind as she’s been led to believe in her gilded cage. In the game of kings and armies, Auren is the gilded pawn. The question is, an she out maneuver them? 

For fans of slow-burn romantasies, mythology retellings, and court intrigue, the Plated Prisoner series is one to try out. I was really frustrated with Auren in Gild because of her naïveté with Midas, but in Glint she’s starting to question the life she’s lived (essentially that of a manipulated and abused pet) and realize that she’s not a toy to be played with, or a tool to be used. She’s actually a powerful woman, with a voice, and she deserves far better than what Midas is giving her. Enter Commander Rip who is pushing her to question everything and train her abilities, and I’m so ready for the “villain gets the girl” trope. 

If you liked Glint, you might also like: 

The Book of Azrael

By Amber V. Nicole 

Kensington Publishing Corp, 2022. 598 pages. Fantasy 

A thousand years ago, Dianna gave up her life to save her sister, unknowingly binding herself to Kaden, a monster worse than any nightmare. Now she must retrieve a relic from the creatures hunting her. Once Samkiel, now Liam, the World Ender returns to a realm he swore off after the Gods War. As old enemies resurface, Dianna and Liam must unite to save their world—and every realm in between. 

The Serpent and the Wolf

By Rebecca Robinson 

Saga Press, 2024. 346 pages. Fantasy 

As a dark magic awakens within her, Vaasa Kozar struggles against the political machinations of her ruthless brother and finds her arranged marriage to the equally ruthless Reid of Mireh growing into something greater, threatening to play havoc with the competing agendas that swirl around it. 

ACS

Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter 

by Heather Fawcett 

Del Rey, 2026. 368 pages. Fantasy 

As the proudly type-A manager of a cat rescue charity, Agnes Aubert has devoted her life to finding forever homes for stray cats. Now it's the shelter that needs a new home. And the only landlord who will rent a space to a cat rescue is a mysterious man called Havelock--who also happens to be running an illegal magic shop out of his basement. Havelock is cantankerous and eccentric, but not not handsome, and no, Agnes absolutely does not feel anything but disdain for him. After all, rumors swirl about his shadowy past--including whispers that his dark magic once almost brought about the apocalypse. Then one day a glamorous magician comes looking for Havelock, putting the magic shop--and the cat shelter--in jeopardy. To save the shelter, Agnes will have to team up with the magician who nearly ended the world . . . and may now be trying to steal her heart. 

This book is a comforting little pick-me-up perfect for stressful times. Set in a magical version of 1920s Montreal, Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter crosses a variety of genres – it’s a little bit of historical fiction, fantasy, and romance all in one – making it a good fit for cozy reads fans of all stripes. I appreciated that instead of yet another 18-early 20-something fantasy heroine, Agnes Aubert is 34 years old and widowed. She’s organized, kind, and practical (reminding me of many librarians I’ve known), and an enjoyable foil to chaotic Havelock. And if you’re a cat-owner, you’re likely to discover at least one charming feline character who reminds you of your own furry friend. 

If you like Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter, you might also like: 

The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love 

by India Holton 

Berkley Romance, 2024. 361 pages. Fantasy 

Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, capturing both her bird and her imagination like a villain. Albeit a handsome and charming villain, but that's beside the point. As someone highly educated in the ruthless discipline of ornithology, Beth knows trouble when she sees it, and she is determined to keep her distance from Devon. For his part, Devon has never been more smitten than when he first set eyes on Professor Beth Pickering. She's so pretty, so polite, so capable of bringing down a fiery, deadly bird using only her wits. In other words, an angel. Devon understands he must not get close to her, however, since they're professional rivals. When a competition to become Birder of the Year by capturing an endangered caladrius bird is announced, Beth and Devon are forced to team up to have any chance of winning. Now keeping their distance becomes a question of one bed or two. But they must take the risk, because fowl play is afoot, and they can't trust anyone else--for all may be fair in love and war, but this is ornithology 

The Spellshop 

by Sarah Beth Durst 

Bramble, 2024. 384 pages. Fantasy 

Kiela, a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, and her assistant Caz, a magically sentient spider plant, have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire's most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city's elite. Then a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames. She and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she'd see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy--and very handsome--neighbor who can't take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she's fed and help fix up her new home. In need of income and reluctantly inspired by the beauty and people of the island who have welcomed her into their hearts, Kiela discovers something that even the bakery in town doesn't have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries that become the town's, and her handsome neighbor's, new favorite confection. But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela decides to open the island's first-ever and much-needed secret spellshop. 

Howls’ Moving Castle 

by Diana Wynne Jones 

Greenwillow Books, 1986. 212 pages. Fantasy 

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye. 

SGR

The Rose Bargain

The Rose Bargain 

By Sasha Peyton Smith 

Harper, 2025. 385 pages. Young Adult 

For four hundred years, England has been under the control of an immortal fae queen who tricked her way onto the throne. To maintain an illusion of benevolence, Queen Mor grants each of her subjects one opportunity to bargain for their deepest desire. As Ivy Benton prepares to make her debut, she knows that not even a deal with the queen could fix what has gone wrong: Her family's social standing is in shambles, her sister is a shadow of her former self, and Ivy's marriage prospects are nonexistent. So, when the queen announces a competition for Prince Bram's hand, Ivy is the first to sign her name in blood. Ivy soon finds herself a surprising front-runner—with the help of an unexpected ally: Prince Bram's brother, the rakish Prince Emmett, who promises to help Ivy win his brother's heart...for a price. 

Someone recommended this book to me, but I can’t remember who, and I’m so glad they did! I really enjoyed this young adult romantasy. Set in 1840s England, it’s a fun blend of fantasy, romance, a dash of battle royale, all wrapped with a bow of court intrigue. It’s fast-paced and suspenseful, which kept me going after I’d been in a pretty solid reading slump. The worst part about reading this book is that it’s the first in a series, and I read it before the next book’s release! Easily recommended by me, The Rose Bargain is a clever, compulsively readable start to a series that knows exactly how to enchant, and how to leave you wanting more. 

If you liked The Rose Bargain, you might also like: 

The Selection 

By Kiera Cass 

HarperTeen, 2012. 327 pages. Young Adult

America Singer is chosen to compete in the Selection--a contest to see which girl can win the heart of Illea's prince--but all she really wants is a chance for a future with her secret love, Aspen, who is a caste below her. 

The Cruel Prince 

By Holly Black 

Little, Brown and Company, 2018. 370 pages. Young Adult 

Jude, seventeen and mortal, gets tangled in palace intrigues while trying to win a place in the treacherous High Court of Faerie, where she and her sisters have lived for a decade. 

ACS

Lore of the Wilds

Lore of the Wilds
By Analeigh Sbrana
Harper Voyager, 2024. 338 pages. Fantasy.

In a land ruled by ruthless Fae, twenty-one-year-old Lore Alemeyu's village is trapped in a forested prison. Lore knows that any escape attempt is futile-her scars are a testament to her past failures. But when her village is threatened, Lore makes a desperate deal with a Fae lord. She will leave her home to catalog/organize an enchanted library that hasn't been touched in a thousand years. No Fae may enter the library, but there is a chance a human might be able to breach the cursed doors. She convinces him that she will risk her life for wealth, but really she's after the one thing the Fae covet above all: magic of her own. As Lore navigates the hostile world outside, she's forced to rely on two Fae males to survive. Two very different, very dangerous, very attractive Fae males. When undeniable chemistry ignites, she's not just in danger of losing her life, but her heart to the very creatures she can never trust.

Reminiscent of A Court of Thorns and Roses, this story follows a human girl that becomes a type of chosen one when she is thrust into a world of magic and bargains. The world is unique, and the characters are diverse and well-written. It is amazing to see more of their personalities appear as the story develops. Lore as a main character felt very life-like and realistic, her energies ebbing and flowing the way I imagine ours would in the same situations. The pace of the story seemed to bunch and stretch in strange places, but not enough to lessen my enjoyment of the story. Overall this was a wonderful romantasy and I'm excited to see what else the author will show us as the story continues.

If you like Lore of the Wilds, you might also like: 

The Wind Weaver

By Julie Johnson

Ace, 2025. 530 pages. Fantasy.

Fear of maegic plagues war-torn Anwyvn. Halflings like Rhya Fleetwood are killed on sight. But Rhya's execution is interrupted by an unexpected savior-one far more terrifying than her would-be killers. The mysterious and mercenary Commander Scythe. In the clutches of this new enemy, Rhya finds herself fighting for her life in the barren reaches of the Northlands. Yet the farther she gets from home, the more she learns that nothing is as it seems-not her fearsome captor, not the blight that ravages her dying realm, not even herself. For Rhya is no ordinary halfling. The strange birthmark on her chest and the wind she instinctively calls forth means she is a Remnant, one of four souls scattered across Anwyvn, fated to restore the balance of maegic. . .or die trying. But mastering the power inside her is only the beginning. Desire for the Commander-a man she can never trust, a man with plans of his own-burns just as fiercely as the tempests beating against her rib cage for release. Rhya must choose: smother the flames or let them consume her.

Broken Souls and Bones

By L.J. Andrews

Books on Tape, 2025. 14 hours. Fantasy.

Lyra Bien intended to live a quiet life to avoid the attention of the magic-obsessed king in the fortress of Stonegate. Until Roark Ashwood—the prince’s silent guard and rumored killer for the crown—invades her village and uncovers the truth behind the silver scars in her eyes. To save her best friend from death, she’s forced to reveal her abilities, and is immediately claimed by the crown as the next melder. To be the King’s melder is to be revered and feared in equal measures, but above all it is a slow death sentence. Lyra is determined to find a way to free herself and her friends from bondage. But first she must get more information from the silent, brooding sentry who first took her captive: Roark. As Lyra gets closer to Roark, she soon learns he’s nothing like she assumed—and in fact everything she needs. The more they work as allies, the harder it becomes to ignore the growing passion between them. After a sinister truth is revealed, Roark and Lyra must choose to stand against all they know, or accept their dark destiny.

Wooing the Witch Queen

By Stephanie Burgis
Bramble, 2025. 294 pages. Fantasy.

Queen Saskia is the wicked sorceress everyone fears. After successfully wrestling the throne from her evil uncle, she only wants one thing: to keep her people safe from the empire next door. For that, she needs to spend more time in her laboratory experimenting with her spells. She definitely doesn't have time to bring order to her chaotic library of magic. When a mysterious dark wizard arrives at her castle, Saskia hires him as her new librarian on the spot. "Fabian" is sweet and a little nerdy, and his requests seem a little strange- what in the name of Divine Elva is a fountain pen? - but he's getting the job done. And if he writes her flirtatious poetry and his innocent touch makes her skin singe, well. . .

KJ

The God and the Gumiho

The God and the Gumiho
By Sophie Kim
Books on Tape, 2024. 13 hours. Fantasy.

Kim Hani has retired from a life of devouring souls. She is, simply put, too full. Once known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, she now spends her days working in a coffee shop and annoying a particularly irritating, if unfairly handsome, trickster god as often as she can. That god is Seokga the Fallen. Exiled from the heavenly kingdom of Okhwang, he now begrudgingly resides in the mortal realm, working toward his redemption and suffering through his interactions with the particularly infuriating, if sneakily charming, gumiho barista at his favorite café. But when a powerful demon escapes from the underworld and threatens to end all of humanity, Okhwang’s emperor offers Seokga an enticing bargain: Kill this rogue creature, as well as the legendary and elusive Scarlet Fox, and he will be reinstated as a god. Hani, however, has no intention of being caught. Seokga might be a trickster god, but she has a trick of her own that he’ll never see coming: teaming up. 

This book masterfully combined high-stakes fantasy with a lighthearted, and at times comedic, atmosphere. This is definitely an instance when we can judge a book by its cover.  Instead of being dark and gritty, colored all in black and white, this story is filled with bright colors even when our protagonists are facing terrifying villains. The audiobook narration was wonderful, with male and female voice actors to represent the switching povs. I have found that when reading books that incorporate different languages and cultures, I enjoy listening to someone else pronounce the new words instead of struggling along myself. I also thought the narration style provided additional insights into the characters personalities.  Overall, this story is a brilliant mix of Korean mythology, K-drama shenanigans, and a classic enemies-to-lovers plot.    

If you like The God and the Gumiho, you might also like: 

Shanghai Immortal

By A.Y. Chao

Tantor Media, Inc, 2024. 11 hours. Fantasy.

This richly told adult fantasy debut teems with Chinese deities and demons cavorting in jazz age Shanghai. Half vampire. Half fox-spirit. All trouble. Pawned by her mother to the King of Hell as a child, Lady Jing is half-vampire, half-hulijing fox-spirit, and all sasshole. As the King's ward, she has spent the past ninety years running errands, dodging the taunts of the spiteful hulijing courtiers, and trying to control her explosive temper-with varying levels of success. So when Jing overhears the courtiers plotting to steal a priceless dragon pearl from the King, she seizes her chance to expose them, once and for all. With the help of a gentle mortal tasked with setting up the Central Bank of Hell, Jing embarks on a wild chase for intel, first through Hell and then mortal Shanghai. But when her hijinks put the mortal in danger, she must decide which is more important: avenging her loss of face, or letting go of her half-empty approach to life for a chance to experience tenderness-and maybe even love.

The Wren in the Holly Library

By K.A. Linde

Recorded Books, 2024. 15 hours. Fantasy.

Thirteen years ago, monsters emerged from the shadows and plunged Kierse's world into a cataclysmic war of near-total destruction. The New York City she knew so well collapsed practically overnight. In the wake of that carnage, the Monster Treaty was created. A truce . . . of sorts. But tonight, Kierse—a gifted and fearless thief—will break that treaty. She'll enter the Holly Library not knowing it's the home of a monster. He's charming. Quietly alluring. Terrifying. But he knows talent when he sees it; it's just a matter of finding her price. Now she's locked into a dangerous bargain with a creature unlike any other. She'll sacrifice her freedom. She'll offer her skills. Together, they'll put their own futures at risk. But he's been playing a game across centuries—and once she joins in, there will be no escape.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess

By Sue Lynn Tan
HarperAudio, 2022. 15 hours. Fantasy.

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin's magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind. Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor's son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince. To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos. 

KJ