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Prompts Used:

Even Bigger Rainbow: Green (12/13)

New Release: August (2/12)

Rating: 3.75/5

This was my most anticipated release of 2025, and I couldn't wait to snag a copy from my local bookstore. It seems that everyone in my town thought the same, though, so I had to wait until September 1 to get my hands on this. I think it was worth the wait, though.

I've split this review up into a spoiler-free section and a spoiler section.

Spoiler-Free Review:

Katabasis follows analytical magick PhD students Alice Law and Peter Murdoch as they try to bring back their advisor, Jacob Grimes, from the Eight Courts of Hell to finish their dissertations and get letters of recommendation. They soon realize, however, that this is no easy feat, and they face challenges, secrets, and enemies they couldn't fathom.

On the whole, this is a really solid release from Kuang. Whatever you hear about "required reading" is incorrect. You do not need to do any outside work before you open this book. I had only read one book by Kuang (Yellowface), but I've heard that this reads a lot like Babel.

I understand that this is a dark academia fantasy book, but I wish she used more Yellowface-like prose in this. Sometimes the writing gets in the way of the plot and the characters, and I feel like this book could have been around 150 pages shorter.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

Ok, I have a lot more thoughts on spoilers than I do non-spoilers. I'm just going to jump right into it, you were warned ahead of time...

I just... hm

I'm disappointed, unfortunately. Don't het me wrong, I really liked the book, but it just missed the mark in so many places for me.

I wish we had gotten more exposition before Alice and Peter went into Hell. I understand starting the story in medias res, but I wish we knew a little bit more about the characters before we started on the adventure. I understand that part of the story is learning about them as they learn about themselves, but I felt like I would have been more attached to them if Kuang gave us more time to get to know them beforehand.

Prompts Used:

New Release: July (1/12)

Even Bigger Rainbow: Black (11/13)

Rating: 3.5/5

No spoilers here!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I was a bit wary of the fact that the author is a Dramione fanfiction writer, but I enjoyed the world! This is her debut novel, so I won't go too hard into my general dislikes, but I do have some things to talk about.

Prose. Her writing needs some work. The fanfiction background is very obvious. I did not read this for beautiful prose, but I was still a bit put off by the writing. I kid you not, she says, "the air was sickly from sickness." Be so for real. Also, she does that millennial/early Gen Z thing where you capitalize Random Words to make them into Proper Nouns for No Reason... which... why...

World building. Holy crap. She throws us off the deep end and says, "Good luck, y'all!! Hope you can figure out what all these things mean, because for some reason I glossed them in the back of the book!!" The world itself is good, but she just doesn't explain anything. I also feel like she was naming things crazy fantasy names just because she could

Plot. The plot is somewhat disorganized, but it remains easy to follow and not overly distracting. I realized toward the end that a plot point hadn't been talked about for like 100 pages, but then she brought it back up.

Prompts Used:

Even Bigger Rainbow: Orange (9/13)

Subgenre of Choice, Romance: RomCom (6/6!!!)

I'M DONE WITH THE SUBGENRE OF CHOICE PROMPT! 2/25 PROMPTS COMPLETE!!!

Ok, no spoilers here because it's a new release, so I'll give my basic thoughts.

Y'all. This was so cute. I was in a bit of a reading slump after my 24 Hour Readathon challenge, so I initially only got through 25 pages before heading back to finish Project Hail Mary. Last night, I decided to pick it up again to finish off the prompt, and when I tell you I couldn't put it down, I mean it.

By 11PM last night, I was at page 99.

I woke up at 6AM and instantly picked it up again, and when I blinked, it was 7:30AM and I was nearing page 200.

It's now 9:50AM and the book is finished.

This was SO GOOD.

If you're looking for something light with pretty minimal spice (there's definitely still spice), or you're looking to dive into the romance genre, I recommend picking up this book! It's cheesy, it plays into all the romcom cliches, and it was actually funny.

Prompts Used:

24 Hours Readathon

All the Adaptations: Movie

I finally got around to reading Project Hail Mary after nearly a year of seeing it in bookstores and thinking, "I should read this." Does anybody else do that, or is it just me? Anyways, I regret not reading this sooner, especially since my copy now has a not-sticker-sticker that says "SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING RYAN GOSLING" on the front.

Regardless, I really enjoyed this book. Anyone who has ever read this book will tell you that it is chock-full of science terms and jargon, and they are 100% correct! I am not a sciencey person at all, so some of it made no sense to me, but I still had a good time with this book.

I think that the way that Weir decided to tell this story was also very creative. We're constantly following Grace's line of thinking, and the flashbacks that occur are easy to follow with what is happening in the present.

HERE COME THE MAJOR MAJOR SPOILERS FOR PROJECT HAIL MARY! IF YOU ARE WAITING TO SEE THE MOVIE OR HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK YET, RUN AWAY NOW!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

Ok, so I went into this book completely blind. I thought it was just going to be Ryland Grace trying to get back to Earth to save humanity from... something. But no, Andy Weir decided to introduce the cutest, most loveable science fiction character since R2-D2.

Rocky.

I. Love. Rocky.

Rocky was by far one of the best parts of the book. I cried when Grace thought he died. I cried when Rocky left for Erid. I cried when Grace realize their Taumoeba could get through xenonite and he needed to make the choice to save Rocky or go home. I cried when they reunited. I cried during the last chapter.

Rocky is the best. Period. End of story.

Stratt? The complete opposite.

You're telling me, you get a scientist, have him work on the Astrophage, test him for coma-resistance, get a primary and secondary crew, and even though you still have members of the secondary crew AND tertiary crew members lined up, YOU TAKE THE GUY WHO SAID NO? YOU IMPRISON HIM AND SEDATE HIM? YOU FORCEFULLY SEND HIM ON A SUICIDE MISSION? Absolutely awful.

Anyways, I can't wait for the movie, even if I can't stand Ryan Gosling

Prompts Used:

24 Hour Readathon

Make a Quote: Do or do not, there is no try.

The second book of my 24-Hour Readathon is done! This was a nice, quick read, as McFadden's books usually are. I'm about 8 hours into the challenge and I'm feeling pretty good!

Once again, keeping it quick, because I want to get back to reading:

Honestly, this book should be talked about more when it comes to McFadden's best thrillers. I would put this up there with Never Lie and The Housemaid (although nothing could live up to those two). I thought that this was really well thought out, and the storytelling was unlike any of her other books that I've read. Unlike The Tenant, I would recommend this one to anyone looking to get into her books!

Prompts Used:

24 Hour Readathon

Subgenre of Choice (Romance): Western

My 24-Hour Readathon has begun, and with that, the first completed book of the challenge! No spoilers in this review —I'm making it quick so I can return to the challenge.

Very quickly, here are the highlights:

This felt like insta-love. I know that part of the plot is that she's the best friend's little sister, but still...

I don't like that he called her a slut in dirty talk. I'm not here to yuck anyone's yum, but that gave me the ick.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy cowboy romances as much as I did, and I might continue this series or look at other authors like Elsie Silver in the future!

The "Prompts Used" section will be at the bottom of this review because it is a spoiler!

Oh, Bartholomew, let's talk about The Knight and the Moth! This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and I am so sad that I have finished this book. This was my first time reading anything by Rachel Gillig, and I will definitely be picking up One Dark Window soon!

This book is definitely my type of romantasy! The actual romance-to-plot ratio is almost like ACOTAR, where it builds up throughout the book and comes to a head (haha) towards the end. In the same vein, the plot of the book also does something quite similar, and the last 100 pages of this book slapped me in the face, broke my heart, and drowned me.

Gillig's writing is absolutely beautiful. I'm someone who can usually finish a 300-page book in about 2-3 days, but the way she writes makes you slow down and appreciate every single line of prose that has been penned for this story. I truly have never read anything like this.

SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE REST OF THIS POST!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

At the start of this book, I was nervous that it was going to be painstakingly slow, but it picked up once the Benji + the knights showed up.

I was not prepared at all for the twist about who the Omens really were, and what Aisling does to her most loyal Diviners. Oh. My. God. I had to close the book and walk around my house for a few minutes before I could come back. Not to mention what the Oarman said about the other Diviners???? I was not prepared at all.

I don't want to say too much about this book because it is still a very new release, but please go read this!!!

Prompts Used:

Subgenres of Choice (Romance): Romantasy

Spooky Creatures: Magic Users (the Omens)

Prompts Used:

The Last 10 Years: 2019

Spooky Creatures: Fae Folk

So, let's talk about Zodiac Academy! I've been seeing this series on my TikTok for a few months now, and I've been going back and forth on whether to read it or not. I recently bit the bullet and got Kindle Unlimited, and since the whole Solaria universe is included in my subscription, I decided to give it a whirl.

If you're looking for a fantasy series with good writing and significant substance, you're in the wrong place. Zodiac Academy is pretty much Riverdale-meets-Fourth-Wing. The writing is absolute dogshit, but that doesn't mean that it's not a good time. The plot is very gripping, but you should go into this book (and I assume the rest of the series) with the understanding that this is read for the *vibes.*

CAUTION: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST ZODIAC ACADEMY BOOK!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Let's actually dive into the plot of ZA 1!

I went into this book completely blind, which I highly recommend doing if you want the optimal "what the f-- did I just read?" experience. There are definitely some morally questionable things that happen between characters (jury's still out on whether it is non-con... from what I can tell from the Goodreads reviews, the opinions are pretty mixed). Allegedly, the dynamic between the Vegas and the Heirs turns into a bully romance?? I'll have to read the next book or 10 to see how that unfolds.

The book ends on a pretty significant cliffhanger, and I am thanking the GODS that the whole series is on KU, because I will be rushing to the next book to see what happens!

Prompts Used:

By the 100s: 300-399

Even Bigger Rainbow: Pink

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW!

Freida, Freida, Freida... have we not learned that sometimes quality> quantity?

Don't get me wrong, I will read literally everything this woman releases, but at the same time, we don't have to release three or more books in a year. I think most of us would be happy with 1, maybe 2 books instead.

Freida has a formula that she religiously follows in every single book that she writes, and I have to respect that. I know exactly what I'm getting into every time I start one of her thrillers. At the same time, though, we can spice it up a little...

To be honest, this book probably took the most willpower to get through than any of her other books that I've read. I don't know if it's because I've read so many of her books this month (I think I've read 5, including this), but this was just hard to get into. Do I think you should hold out until the 150-175 page mark before you DNF? Yes, but, omg, is it hard to get there. I nearly DNFed this twice, but I'm glad I saw it through.

If you're a big Freida fan like I am, I would check this out! I would not recommend this as your introduction to her writing, though. For that, I'd recommend The Housemaid.

I do like the direction she decided to go with this book, but it just took FOREVER to get there. I'm holding out for The Surrogate Mother (can't wait for October) to save 2025 for her.

Prompts Used:

Last 10 Years, 2022

Subgenre of Choice, Sports Romance

CAUTION: CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS!

So, I read Icebreaker. Yes, that Icebreaker. I have been putting it off for years, frankly, because I was scared, and also because I recently got into romance. I saw it on sale on my Kindle a few weeks ago and finally bit the bullet and give it a try.

Icebreaker follows Anastasia, a collegiate figure skater, and Nathaniel, a D1 hockey player, who both attend the University of California, Maple Hills. When a revenge plot on the hockey team forces the figure skaters and the hockey players to share one rink, romance between the two ensues.

I'll start with the characters:

Anastasia: I sometimes see reviews of this book straight-up slutshaming her??? As a college-aged girl myself, I find this to be a massive mischaracterization of Stassie. She's in her early twenties, of course her relationships with men are complicated and might involve multiple partners. That's reality. I found her to be pretty lovable and her problems realistic. She can be quick to forgive sometimes (i.e. Aaron), but it adds to her character in a way that moves the plot along.

Nathaniel: While he was a good love interest, he just became... annoying. Especially regarding Aaron. Personally, if I had a boyfriend who behaved the way he did with Aaron (prior to hearing what he said about Stassie and the kissing incident), I would be pissed off at him. I do think his concerns were justified, but it got to a point where every other interaction with Stassie was him complaining about Aaron. For someone who plays a team sport, he certainly had a lot of complaints about his girlfriend's team.

All of the other hockey players and friends complimented the FMC and MMC perfectly and added some good balance to the story. I particularly liked Henry and Robbie, and also how Russ stood up for Stassie at the bar.

While some reviews complain that this book is straight porn, I found that to not be the case. I'm not huge into smut, but I found the sex they were having to at least be a realistic amount for a college-aged couple.

Caution: SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE HOUSEMAID TRILOGY BY FREIDA MCFADDEN!

I just finished the Housemaid Trilogy by Frieda McFadden, and oh boy, do I have some thoughts!

While books 1 and 2 were classic Freida, book 3 threw what was great about the series completely out the window. Instead of following the same formula that made the other two unputdownable (Millie gets hired as a maid, she witnesses DV, helps the woman, plot twists ensue), The Housemaid Is Watching takes the series on a completely different road and unfortunately fails by doing so.

Let me start with what I liked about this series, because it outweighs what I didn't like. I am a huge fan of Freida McFadden's books, and The Housemaid and The Housemaid's Secret were no exception. I also enjoyed how each book in this series could be read as a standalone. All three of these books showcase McFadden's fast-paced, thrilling writing style. Millie is a very lovable character, despite her flaws, and I found myself rooting for her in every book. Enzo was alright, but I felt that his character in THIW was vastly different than THS. Ada and Nico were good additions to the story, even if I wasn't the biggest fan of THIW.

The Housemaid is one of my favorites by McFadden, and the sequel was up there, too. I honestly don't have many issues with either of these books, and I had a fun time with both of them.

The only issues I have with this series are in the final installment, The Housemaid is Watching. While THS skips forward a bit, this book LEAPS through time. Millie is in her forties now, married to Enzo, and has two kids. Whoa, what? You're telling me LITTLE happened between THS and NOW? I really wish that this book had a shorter time skip, maybe taking place only five or so years after THS? The other issue I had was with the protagonists. While in the other two books, Millie was the main character, it feels like we received a backseat narration from her in THIW. Additionally, it felt like McFadden turned Millie from a badass who helps women in danger to a stagnant character who is just telling the story. As I mentioned earlier, Enzo's character takes a complete left turn after the events of THS, and it weakens his significance to the overall series, despite being Millie's husband.

Yes, I know that the whole point of Ada being the murderer is that her parents were also murderers. I don't care. This whole book was pointless.

The Martha subplot was also pretty pointless, even the last chapter of the book.

Book Ratings:

The Housemaid: 3.75

The Housemaid's Secret: 3.25

The Housemaid is Watching: 2.5

Other Prompts Used:

The Housemaid-> Last 10 Years, 2023

The Housemaid's Secret-> Even Bigger Rainbow, Red