Tag Archives: star-crossed love

Review: The Blood Queen by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,
The Blood Queen by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

The Blood Queen (Spy and Guardian #2)
Sara Raasch and Beth Revis
Sourcebooks Fire
Published October 6, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Blood Queen

In this stunning sequel to The Crimson Throne, Alyth and Samson must infiltrate the fae court to prepare to face the bloodthirsty army of the High Blade who is intent on destroying both the mortal and fae worlds. From the New York Times bestselling authors of the Witch and Hunter duology, Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, comes the conclusion to this incredible romantasy duology.

Alyth and Samson finally know the identity of the High Blade, leader of the bloodthirsty Red Cap army, and it’s someone they never suspected. They’ll use every bit of courage, smarts, and luck they have to escape her grasp and flee to the fae court, where they hope to find aid in the fight against the Red Caps.

But the fae princes have been apathetic since the Faerie Queen disappeared years ago at the hands of the High Blade. They seem unwilling to help. And if they find out Samson’s true identity, he’ll be killed and Alyth banished.

Alyth and Samson can only depend on each other and their love as they navigate fae politics, try to win allies, search for the missing queen, and face down the greatest threat the two worlds have ever known.

My Review

Have I mentioned before how much I love the trend toward duologies and away from trilogies? I love that we skip right over saggy middles that feel like they exist only to heighten tension in the romance and set up for the final battle. This book skips right over all of that and gives us a strong opening and a fantastic conclusion.

I really enjoyed the way that the authors reimagined a historical moment in British and Scottish history as a clash between mythical Fae and Red Caps. There were characters from history and some references to real historical events, but it’s all steeped in a dangerous magical world filled with treacherous political relationships and magic. I loved it.

The romance between Alyth and Samson is also a central part of the story, especially during the chapters from his point of view. He’s so aware of how who he is can be dangerous to her, and so desperate to protect her at any cost. It’s not easy to balance the romance with the other components of a story like this, but I think it’s done pretty well here.

I really liked Alyth’s character. She’s smart and scrappy, and it takes a long time for her to trust herself and make herself heard, but when she does, she is a force to be reckoned with. I loved watching her grow into that fierce Fae Lady that I knew she was.

If you aren’t familiar with the series, I recommend that you start with The Crimson Throne, the first book in the duology. If you like fantasy inspired by British history, definitely check out this series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing, brief nudity and references to sex.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have magic. Red Caps grow more powerful as they commit violence.

Violent Content
Battle scenes showing some gore and death.

Drug Content
Alyth cautions Samson not to eat any Fae food that she hasn’t confirmed is safe.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , , ,

Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3)
Laini Taylor
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published April 8, 2014

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads

About Dreams of Gods and Monsters

Two worlds are poised on the brink of a vicious war. By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera’s rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her.

When the brutal angel emperor brings his army to the human world, Karou and Akiva are finally reunited – not in love, but in a tentative alliance against their common enemy. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people. And, perhaps, for themselves.

But with even bigger threats on the horizon, are Karou and Akiva strong enough to stand among the gods and monsters?

The New York Times bestselling Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy comes to a stunning conclusion as – from the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond – humans, chimaera, and seraphim strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

My Review

At last! The final book in the series. This is my second read-through, and there were so many moments in this one that I really looked forward to.

There were also some pretty dark things I had forgotten about. Karou experiences some trauma that’s pretty graphic. See the trigger warnings below.

I think what I love best about this series is what it says about the power of love to heal a breach caused by hate. The story shows how destructive hate can be, not only to between two groups that hate each other, but the way nursing the hate causes its own corruption, too.

While the earlier books in the series introduce the idea of the star-crossed love and the two groups at war, DREAMS OF GODS AND MONSTERS focuses on the process of healing that must happen in order for the warfare to truly end.

And okay, all that is really awesome, and I’m totally a fan, but the characters make the series truly memorable. Karou and Akiva. Zuzana, Ziri, Leroz, Issa, and Brimstone. All completely unforgettable.

So yes. I loved all three of these books, and I would probably read them all for a third time at some point. It’s the kind of story with the kind of characters that you just want to revisit every so often. The kind of story that reminds you about the power of love and the fact that it takes courage and work for those good things to triumph over evil, but it can and does happen.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Most characters are chimaera or angels.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content – Trigger Warning
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex and nudity.

One scene shows a character trying to rape another character. It’s graphic and intense. There are some references to other rapes, but those are not shown on scene.

Spiritual Content
Chimaera and angels each have myths about their origins involving the gods and goddesses they worship.

Some characters have magic, though the magic comes with a price, usually a toll in pain. Other characters have coins that represent wishes, in large or small denominations.

Violent Content – Trigger Warning
Some descriptions of battle or fighting and situations of peril. References to war. References to some grisly murders and mutilation of bodies. Some references to torture.

One scene shows a character trying to rape another character. It’s graphic and intense.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.