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A Story About Cancer (with a Happy Ending) [India Desjardins] #bookblog #bookbloggers "...is definitely a book worth reading, especially if a person feels it would help them navigate their own story..."

I’m not sure whether this is my mistaken preconceived notions regarding how the story would go, but A Story About Cancer (with a Happy Ending) by India Desjardins and illustrated by Marianne Ferrer was a lotdarker than I thought it would be. I guess the inclusion of a happy ending didn’t mean that the story would follow a less dejecting tale in the beginning. And yet, I still can’t help feeling…

3 Stars!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for an eARC of this book for review. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

The premise of this book is intriguing, but I feel like the execution missed a bit. This is the author's debut and she's definitely got the points down, but I feel like the book read a little younger than she was going for (personally felt a little more YA/maybe NA than straight adult).

Overall the amnesia plot was intriguing, especially when you find out how it came into play. The idea on why it came into play was also interesting, but it also felt like there was a lot missing. And granted, because of the nature of said amnesia, there is a lot that we as the reader wouldn't be privy to because Eira and co didn't know, but still. While I liked getting the different POVs, I did feel like Rhona's POV was almost a separate book. Not saying it wasn't important, because watching her start to question things, and getting the reveals she did did parallel/help show another side of some of the things Eira and Hugo were dealing with, it also just felt separate somehow. I'm not honestly sure what it was, maybe a tonal difference? Not sure, but I kind of feel like her POV chapters might have been better as like a novella maybe? To then flesh things out a tiny bit more.

Some of the twists, I saw coming, although maybe not in the way they were revealed. (See other reviews for the spoiler)

Like I mentioned earlier, the author does have some room to grow, but I'll admit I'm curious as to what direction things go in the rest of the trilogy. Especially after that cliffhanger where I'm guessing there's still a few pieces missing.

Book releases August 4th, 2026

Other reviews:

Storygraph

3 Stars!!

Thank you to Deidra Duncan for an ARC of this book for review. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

The premise of this is interesting, but the execution kind of fell flat, IMO. Not quite sure what it was, but the book was very slow in the beginning; the author trying to introduce you to everything all at once really bogged things down. Things picked up towards the end, but there was a lot to get through to get to that point first. I'll admit to skimming a bit because it was a lot and I couldn't tell if I was just uninterested, if it's the author's writing style, or what.

As Sean, and even David, started getting more involved/realizing things, the info-dump slowed down but then it felt like it was a little bit there as needed. I did like the past memories/lives aspect as things went on. The whole soulbond/mate thing is intriguing but also I kind of feel like Isobel can't be trusted?

The end is kind of a cliffhanger but not, but it also tears at your emotions! Holy hell does David get put through the ringer! Really hoping that whatever comes, he's able to find his way out of this because Anna really is for him, no matter what either of them seems to think/what magic is at play. And the epilogue makes it seem like others know this but maybe there's something in the way.

Overall, this book is intriguing. It's a little heavy/dense at the beginning as the author attempts to throw a lot at you all at once, but it's not a bad book. And I'm definitely interested to see how stuff falls out between Sean/David/Anna and the soulmate thing. Plus the epilogue.

Book releases July 21st, 2026

Other reviews:

Storygraph

5 Stars!!

Thank you to Rachel Fallon for an ARC of this book. Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Oh wow! I loved the magic system in this book! The aspect of the different gems having different properties and the way those properties could be enhanced/adjusted/etc was interesting. I liked the way Jacinth was figuring stuff out, even when she admitted she didn't know a ton of magic.

While I understood Jacinth's need for vengeance, I did note that things were not as they seemed when she recalled things the first time. The way certain things were said, and yes, they hinted at things and considering her age, I could see it sticking with her. But at the same time, I feel like maybe she should have at least started to go "wait..." before she ended up at the competition. That being said, even before she realized things, I liked the fact that she started making friends and how without realizing it, they probably helped nudge her to question. Then at the end when things were going slightly sideways and she realized what she had to fight for now.

Azurill was awesome and I laughed at lot when we were in his POV chapters. Yes, he was dealing with stuff and having to have the competition while also dealing with his grief (although I kind of wished we'd gotten a little more on that...several people in his inner circle had said they suspected murder and it felt like maybe it was being investigated but then that kind of got dropped. Or maybe not dropped and it'll come up in a future book when we focus on one of those characters?) I liked that it didn't take long for him to kind of zero in on Jacinth, even while he was telling himself he needed to give all the competitors a chance, but it was like he instinctually knew who Jacinth was and everything. Or maybe Erodite or Veritx were pushing him along?

I didn't trust Carnelian from the second he stepped on page and while Jacinth thought she was using him for her own ends, it was unfortunate how things fell out from that.

This book is connected to Rachel Fallon's other series (starting with Of Darkness and Ruination ) but you don't have to have read that to read this. The books/series are interconnected standalones, so it sounds like people make appearances in other books but you don't need backstories. Although I'm intrigued to read those books and see who pops up!

Book released February 12, 2026

Other reviews:

Storygraph

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