Rose Reviews

A pint-sized Only Murders in the Building meets Land of Stories in this fantastical middle grade mystery where three kids' search for a missing mother leads them to a world where every story ever told is real—making a hit web series about their search along the way.

Five months ago, Maggie Woodrow’s mom disappeared without a trace. Now, the world has given up the search and Maggie and her dad may lose their house. But Maggie has a plan: hire a private investigator, find her mom, and everything will go back to normal.

When the private investigator wants $3,000 to take on Maggie’s case, she knows just who to turn to: Griffin, the school’s entrepreneur-influencer. Maggie and her friend Petra approach him for help. Intrigued by Maggie’s mom’s story, Griffin agrees to film the investigation and create a web series, splitting the profits with Maggie.

Except their search takes a totally unexpected turn when they are sucked into a world where every story ever told is real—and so is magic. From Sherlock Holmes to Baba Yaga to terrifying mythical monsters, Maggie and her new friends never know what’s around the corner. Still, they are determined to work together and uncover the truth about Maggie’s mom.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

is a cozy fantasy by Ann Aguirre with just the right amount of romance added✨

The 376 pages were a wholesome fly-through read for me and i never felt bored of the delightful mix of slice-of-life, magic, humor, romance and a tiny but short bit of drama.

Iris, our protagonist, has never felt quiet right with her place in life and with the family she grew up in. In spite of all the troubles thrown at her she always gives a cozy wholesome vibe while managing and sorting through various challenges and discoveries in her life.

The characters she rents rooms to in her B&B are both queer, positively quirky and most of all not all human 👀

Official Summary:

A not-so-evil villain strikes a deal with a not-quite-perfect hero to fake a feud, boost their reputations . . . and try not to fall in love in the process—in this hilarious, tender, sexy, and outrageously fun romp that blends the humor of Assistant to the Villain with the unforgettable romance of Heated Rivalry and the cozy fantasy vibes of Legends & Lattes. Fake nemeses. It’s a dastardly plan that can’t go wrong… until love crashes the act. Nobody is more surprised than Cyrus to learn that he’s no longer considered the greatest villain in the land of Athaca. Sure, he’s lying about the fact that his magical power is making flowers grow. And maybe lately he’s spent more time embroidering pillowcases than tormenting the locals. But that doesn’t mean he’s ready to be yesterday’s evil news. Enter the hero Maximillian: the realm’s golden boy, complete with a blinding smile, chiseled abs, and an infuriating habit of spreading hope and joy. (Gross.) If Cyrus wants to be taken seriously, he’ll have to take this guy down. But Maximillian isn’t quite as perfect as he seems. When he proposes a scheme to fake an epic rivalry and increase their fame, Cyrus can’t resist. Stage the battles, soak up the spotlight, share the spoils—it’s a villainously good marketing plan. There’s just one hitch. Pretending to hate your nemesis becomes a lot harder when you start falling for them instead.

My Thoughts:

Nemesis Mine is set in a medieval-ish fantasy world where some villages benefit from a Champion's protection, and others are under the control of the local Wrongdoer. Champions are gallant heroes who swoop in to rescue kittens from trees and save townspeople from harm. In return, they get sponsorships, power, and fame. Wrongdoers are foils for the heroes, and mostly just terrorize the peasants for laughs. Cyrus is his town's Wrongdoer, but he's not actually very good at it. Maximillian is his town's local hero, but he's mostly bored and starting to feel a little jaded about the whole thing. After a battle, the two start corresponding, and Maximillian has a proposal: what if they fake a rivalry to get good press for both of them? Surely, nothing could go wrong with this plan.

This is a genuinely fun, sweet, romantic, exciting, emotional, and surprising story that I enjoyed very much. The story starts by introducing us to Cyrus, Maximillian, and the world they inhabit. It takes some time for the two to interact, but once they do, the story goes from great to seriously addictive very quickly. I read the second half of this book in one day because I became so enthralled with both their ploy and their growing feelings for each other. I wasn't expecting this to be so action-packed and to have multiple big, dramatic moments, so I was thrilled by how exciting the plot was.

Cyrus might be a Wrongdoer, and Maximillian may be a hero, but neither character is the one-dimensional archetype their world cast them as. Cyrus is actually delightful, and so funny! Meanwhile, the villagers would be scandalized if they knew the real, flawed person behind the hero they idolize. It sets up a dynamic where the two are perfect for each other. In a system that doesn't allow much nuance, these two recognize and understand each other in a way no one else can. It leads to such a wonderful Enemies-to-Allies-to-Lovers journey.

Every stage of their relationship is captivating: their first big battle, the early conversations as they work out their plan, their staged fights, and every exciting moment after. I genuinely enjoyed every moment of this book, but especially the moments that focused on these two!

I recommend this most to those who love the Enemies-to-Lovers trope and queer romantasy. This starts funny and lighthearted, but it grows more emotional as the story progresses. Because of this, I think that readers who love both humorous romantasy (like Bromantasy by Máire Roche or Yield Under Great Persuasion by Alexandra Rowland) and more intense romantasy (especially books like Our Rogue Fates by Sarah Glenn Marsh or Shoestring Theory by Mariana Costa) will enjoy this most.

I truly loved this, and I'm looking forward to more from Amy Archer in the future. 2026 is producing so many great queer romance and romantasy novels. Since these are my two favorite genres, I'm having the best reading year of my life! I've already read so many great 5-star books, and this is another new favorite. This struck a perfect balance between funny and emotional, and it surprised and thrilled me with the directions it took. The ending is very satisfying, but I'm going to be keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel. I'd love to see more of Cyrus and Max, and learn more about how they deal with the events of this book!

My Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 (5/5 stars)

Pages: 432 (Kindle Edition)

Tropes/Tags: Queer, Achillean, Rom-Com, Romantasy, Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn, Touch Him And Die, Secret Relationship, Us vs. The World

Contains Depictions Of: Violence, Injuries, Deaths

Other Notes: I love the US cover (pictured above), but be sure to check out the stunning UK cover!

Links: Storygraph | GoodReads | Pagebound | Author's Instagram

Nemesis Mine will be released on June 23, 2026, and is available for pre-order!

I received an advanced copy of this book for free, thanks to Netgalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager. The above are my honest feelings about the provided book.

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: fantasy comedy, (mis)adventures, queer romance

Big thanks to Bramble, Netgalley, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I'll admit, I read Swordheart last year and I liked it but didn't love it. There was a bit too much humor to plot ratio for my taste. That being said, T. Kingfisher is T. Kingfisher, so of course I requested the ARC for this when it got added to Netgalley. And I have to say, I like this one so much better than Swordheart.

This book is still humorous, most of T. Kingfisher's books have at least some humor in them, but the ratio is much better this time and imo is more situationally appropriate. Likewise, I think all our characters here are dealing with much heavier shit in life than Halla, Sarkis, and Zale, so there's a darker tinge to the humor as well, which I appreciate.

Edmund is finishing one last task before he leaves his religious order forever, disillusioned by their bigotry and his inability to change them from the inside out. As he's spent most of his life in service to a god of learning (?), he's quite the nerd and tends to spout off interesting facts. While I can definitely see how this could come across as annoying, Kingfisher manages to write it in a way that's actually interesting and enjoyable, and like the humor a lot of Edmund's facts were situationally appropriate, even if they weren't all plot appropriate. I actually really liked Edmund and how quietly intelligent he was. (Apparently he's from one of her other series? I'll have to check that out)

The Dervish is our second sword and an unapologetic flirt. He's also quite pissed about the whole trapped-in-a-sword thing and has quite the grudge against Sarkis, seeing him as the reason for his misfortune (along with the sorcerer, of course). Despite his misfortunes, the Dervish is actually quite charming and warm, and he's actually remarkably quick to make friends despite the stink he puts up internally about having more people to protect. I liked seeing the Dervish grow and start to overcome some of the trauma from his past.

As with Swordheart, the main romance in this book is between the sword and the weilder, otherwise known as between Edmund and the Dervish. They definitely dance around one another quite a bit, and both of them make blunders as they try to figure out their roles and feelings. The two of them end up being very sweet together.

Dog Violet is a gnole Edmund and the Dervish meet on their journey. She is, perhaps, one of the few people who has been having even worse luck than they are. Aside from Large Francis, who I'll get to in a minute. Like the rest of our cast, Dog Violet has had some rough experiences in life and has the outlook, and humor, to show for it. She's fairly practical and knowledgeable abotu things, and I enjoyed her and Dervish bonding and being street smart together.

Large Francis...oh boy. I love Large Francis, she's quite literally getting to know the world for the first time and has such hilarious reactions to things. Definitely gives the vibes of if an alien studied earth in a textbook and then tried to be a diplomat here. She and Edmund get along swimmingly, they can and do talk for hours about all kinds of academic subjects while Dervish and Dog Violet get up to their own things. I'm hoping we see more of her in Angharad's book!

Molly’s father grew up on the Mohawk Reserve of Akwesasne, where he learned the best scary stories. One of her favorites was the legend of Skeleton Man, a gruesome tale about a man with a deadly, insatiable hunger. But ever since her parents mysteriously vanished, those spooky tales have started to feel all too real.

Well, my darlings. Your weirdo fic writer's debut novel...

EIGHT OF SWORDS

...IS OFFICIALLY OUT TODAY!!!🎱⚔️✨

🖤 dark M/M romance 🌙 gothic horror 🗡️ explicit scenes ⚰️ morally questionable decisions 🔥 yearning, blood kink, bodyguard obsession

SIGNED GIVEAWAYS NEXT WEEK!!!!! Let me know if you're interested!! I'm shipping them out free worldwide!!

This book is queer, graphic, dark, torturous, and unapologetically over the top. Eight of Swords is a dark, modern exploration of obsessive love in dire situations, the bittersweet beauty of family lost and found, and the slowly rising tide of a new, shocking age that the world might not be ready for.

4.5/5 stars Recommended if you like: fantasy, underwater worlds, art, Beauty and the Beast, fake dating

This is my first Elizabeth Lim book and I have to say I enjoyed it! Tru was a layered character and I enjoyed her interactions with the other characters in the book.

Tru's life starts out relatively normally, but her family is plunged into poverty when her father's ship sinks during a storm, resulting in his death and loss of their only income. We then flash forward to Tru 'present day,' where she uses her art skills to sell forgeries to help keep her family afloat. I love it when art is included in books, and it was very much a focus here. Initially, Tru only copies the styles of other artists, but we do see her develop her own talent and skills over the course of the novel. I would've liked it if the book went into more detail about Tru's painting process and the look and feel of the paintings. We get some of it, but not as much detail as I'd like, in part because Tru has the Sight, which she channels through painting, but which means she'll go into a trance-like state and neither her nor us really get to see her process when that happens.

It's clear from the get-go how much Tru loves her family. She's close with her father before he passes, and cherishes the paintbrush he bought her. Likewise, while she doesn't always get along with her sisters, she would do anything for them. And, despite her mother's mistakes, it's clear Tru loves her deeply as well. Throughout the novel, Tru's family remains her motivation for things, though the feelings she develops for Elang certainly don't hurt either.

Elang is harder to get a feel for. He's one of those characters who puts up a stoic front at first and is, at times, like talking to a brick wall. But the more Tru gets to know him, the more he seems to flip flop between friendly, brick wall, and rude. While it's a common trope, I never understand why male characters (and it's always men) turn to meanness to keep people at a distance. Cool aloofness works just as well, I promise, and it doesn't make anyone cry. That being said, I do like Elang as well, and it's pretty clear from early on that he's keeping Tru at a distance for a reason. I mean, he's got a curse and he's trying to overthrow his grandfather, that's enough to stress anyone out. I liked him more once he warmed up to Tru and we got some friendlier moments between them. I don't really think there was enough of that to build a believable romance though.

I loved Tru's sisters and think we got a really good feel for them. Falina, the fashionista and seamstress of the family, and Tru don't always get along, but it's clear they're used to working together to keep their family afloat, and each is willing to do anything for the other. Nomi is the academic 'baby' of the family with an explosive (literally) streak. While she's the youngest, she's also more than willing to help out her family in whatever way she can, preferably with fireworks. I would've loved to see more of their interactions and have them problem solve things together, but alas Tru is separated from her sisters for most of the story.

I will say, I do think the side characters are a weak point in the story. Shanizhun is a water demon and I do feel like she's the side character aside from Tru's sisters that we get the best feel for, but even still, I don't really know who Shani is. Considering Tru thinks of her as a close friend, I want to know more about Shani's personality outside of sassy and dark, but that's basically all we get. Likewise, Mailoh is Tru's turtle lady's maid and the two dote on each other but...I know next to nothing about Mailoh herself other than 1) she's a turtle, and 2) her brother is Caisan, the general (captain? I don't remember his rank). Caisan is another example, he's there, he's clearly trusted, but I know basically nothing about him. I really like in books when the side characters feel fleshed out and I really feel as if I, and the main character(s), know them. Unfortunately, that isn't the case with most of the side characters in this book.

4/5 stars Recommended if you like: Appalachian Gothic, cults, horror, monsters, folk horror

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Big thanks to Tor Nightfire, Netgalley, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

TW gore, harm to animals

First, I'll start by saying that gory horror is not really my thing. I had issues with The Haar because of it, though I will say that this book is significantly less gory, but it is something that tends to bring ratings down for me. I like monster horror, I even like people getting eaten, what I do not like heads exploding and guts spilling. Thankfully that was overall a pretty minor part of the book, but it was one that I didn't enjoy.

Moving on to the rest of the story, I liked the vague Appalachian Gothic vibes we got once the plot really got moving. We kind of get a hint that there's something weird about the property Lou is going to survey because we get 'interludes' between some of the chapters, and one of those interludes is a crime podcast that mentions a weird missing person's case, so it's not all that surprising that Lou arrives at the property to find weird symbols hanging around.

I actually don't think Lou made that terrible of a decision going onto the property anyway. As anyone from the Appalachian region can tell you, there are lots of folk beliefs in the more rural areas, so wooden symbols hanging on a gate really isn't that weird. Serial killer associations aside, of course. I really do think Lou did her best to make common sense decisions as much as she could, the situation she finds herself in is just really, really weird. Also, she's totally right about new development suburbia.

As someone who tends to prefer speculative horror, I'm not sure how much I liked the horror here being super concrete. I like it when things are weird (and when there's a lot more plants or body horror involved), so having something concete to run from is a little less interesting to me. However, we do get a speculative element since it's not totally clear what is going on in the woods until closer to the end of the book.