Stacking the Shelves: The Large Pin Edition

 "Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly haul meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality. It allows book buyers to share their accumulation of books with the online book-loving community.

This week was not fun. I'm mentally prepping for a trip while feeling blugh, and I got more work piled on to my massive to-do list when I thought I was going to have a more simplistic week. Someone needs to come and tell me that I can't run away from everything if I want to keep buying books, because I feel like running away would help my mental health by like at least 25%.

As for the books I received this week, they do help with my mental health. Well, two of them didn't, but that wasn't their fault. It was the posts office's fault. I've been having my packages put on hold due to bugs on my front porch area. Nothing uber gross, just ants and small things that don't mix well with paper material like books. Well, anyway. I went to the post office to pick up my Barnes & Noble deliveries of The Inadequate Heir by Danielle Jensen and The Fall by Ryan Cahill, and the clerk guy said they were out for delivery. Well, he was wrong because I watched my delivery driver drive right on by as I was cleaning out my car later. I had to go back and pick the orders up the next day. Boo for wasting my time, USPS. The deluxe The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe edition and Dhampira by Amy Pennza were also from B&N. The Dungeon Crawler Carl book was from my local used bookstore. I figured it was time to see what the hype is all about.

 

 

Here, I have another preorder incentive that I completely forgot about. Tara Sim's The Dawn Throne print and stickers arrived in my mailbox with very little warning. I didn't see it on the Informed Delivery site. Also, I don't remember the character art looking so mean. Lol. I really need to re-read book one in this series, The City of Dusk, so I can get to the two sequels and then the last book that releases this fall. The other items in this pic came with a Mercari order. I purchased a Blood and Ash pin of Poppy and Cas when Mercari was having their monthly 10% off sale. I'd been eyeing this one for a while, and I figured it was time. It's huge! And heavy! I wasn't expecting that. The seller sent some stickers too.

 

As for the ebooks, I have two that were purchased/gifted. Well, one was purchased, and the other was gifted. What Darkness Brings by Jenna Wolfhart was on sale for $0.99, so I downloaded it. I just know I'm not going to be able to get to it before my cheap Kindle Unlimited trial expires, so I figured $0.99 isn't too bad. I also made a big error and requested and was approved for Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher on NetGalley. Now, that's not really the problem. The problem is, I didn't realize it was book two in a series. I think it's actually more of a spinoff, but I'm not sure. So now I have to either go into this one blind or get book one so I can read them both. Ugh. Such a rookie mistake. The covers of the first book and this one are just too similar, though. I didn't realize they weren't the same story. 

Well, that's all for me. What books have you bought/received lately?

Review: Nemesis Mine by Amy Archer

Nemesis Mine

Amy Archer

Publication Date: June 23, 2026

Paperback, 432 pages, Harper Voyager

Genres: Adult, Romantasy, LGBTQ+

Goodreads

A long-lost noble of the ruthless vampire court discovers she might not need to choose between her two suitors in this blood-pounding new romantasy from the USA Today bestselling author of the Bitten and Bound series.

 

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 Red, White, & Royal Blue 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 Review

Nemesis Mine is a very cute, easy, fun read. It reminded me a lot of Nimona the graphic novel mixed with Vicious by V.E. Schwab, but with more kissing. Thank goodness. Honestly, this book is kind of a perfect beach read for romantasy readers who don't pick up contemporary romances. You could easily zip through Nemesis Mine in a few hours while lounging near the ocean.

The main character, Cyrus, is an evil wrongdoer. As the villain of the story, it's his job to essentially inconvenience everyone as they go about their everyday lives. I honestly laughed out loud at some of Cyrus's crazy antics. Like stealing a horse and naming her Soulripper. And his sprite "friends" were adorable. Cyrus tries so hard to be bad, but his pink pajamas and sprite companions would beg to differ.

Like Cyrus and his villainy, Maximillian, the hero of the story, is not quite as heroic as he seems, since he decides to come up with a fake plan for his own benefit. Together, Cyrus and Maximillian become enemies to reluctant allies to maybe lovers all in the span of one quick read.

While there have been a handful of superhero/villain stories lately, I don't recall any that have taken place in a fantasy world that have revolved around fake schemes crafted by the two main characters, so Nemesis Mine does seem fairly unique. My only criticism of the overall story the author created is that things were a bit too predictable towards the end. I wanted a touch more drama and danger. The same could be said for a couple of the arguments as well. I expected Cyrus to cause some major chaos when certain events came to light, but he kept things pretty mellow. Seeing him truly angry could have been hilarious, though. (Says the reader who doesn't have to be around his crazy retaliatory schemes.)

All in all, I had a fun time with this one. It's a book that doesn't take itself too seriously and could be a great palette cleanser between larger epic fantasy/romantasy series. You can digest this book in a single sitting. I think I ended up reading the entire thing in 48 hours, which is rare for me these days. If you're a fan of the more campy fantasy tales, you should totally pick up Nemesis Mine.

*Note: I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Stacking the Shelves: The Mysterious UPS Package Edition

 "Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly haul meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality. It allows book buyers to share their accumulation of books with the online book-loving community.

This week has gone by fast! I'm so ready for the weekend though. I have plans to clean, read, organize closets, and sleep. Not necessarily in that order. Reading in general has been kind of slow still, but I have a couple of books I'm making my way through that I'm enjoying. Hopefully this weekend allows for some catch-up time.

As for the books I received this week, I have a lone, simple paperback to share. I got my preorder from Barnes & Noble of Dhampira by Amy Pennza, after just receiving the Allurial edition last week. Two copies of a book isn't hurting anything, right? (My overstuffed shelves would disagree. Ha ha.) I really enjoyed this MMF paranormal romance. It has vampires, werewolves, witches, elves, trolls, and all kinds of magical creatures. You can check out my full review here. I'm excited to add it to my shelves next to some of my other vampy paperbacks.

 

 

Here, I have a random package I didn't even know I was getting. My UPS tracking service notified me that I had a package delivery from Harlequin. I had no idea what it could be. I figured it was either an unsolicited ARC, something I'd won in a giveaway, or a preorder incentive. And it turned out to be a preorder incentive. One I don't even remember signing up for. It's been so long since The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker was announced versus when it was actually released. I have no clue in the past two years when I signed up for the incentive. The art is very pretty, though. Now, I just need to actually read the first book.

 

As for the ebooks, I downloaded some things from Kindle Unlimited while I still have the cheap trial, but I'm not sharing those because it's too much for me these days. I am very lazy. I did get a NetGalley approval this week, though! It's The Drakon King by Terry J. Benton-Walker. I'm excited for this one! It sounds great. 

Well, that's all for me. What books have you bought/received lately?

Review: Dhampira by Amy Pennza

Dhampira

Amy Pennza

Publication Date: June 16, 2026

Paperback, 496 pages, Ace

Genres: Adult, Romantasy, LGBTQ+/Poly

Goodreads

A long-lost noble of the ruthless vampire court discovers she might not need to choose between her two suitors in this blood-pounding new romantasy from the USA Today bestselling author of the Bitten and Bound series.

 

Corinthe has spent a lifetime longing for excitement outside her sleepy human village. As a dhampir born of a human mother and vampire father, her unique abilities make her desired by those who lurk across the Feyline—the boundary that keeps the magical realm in perpetual twilight where vampires hold dominion. To stay safe, she’s concealed her supernatural strength and taste for blood from her human neighbors, but when her yearning for excitement accidentally exposes her gifts, she is captured to sell to the highest bidder.

 

Terrified, she expects the worst. But rescue comes in the form of Vander, a handsome stranger who whisks her from the auction stage and across the Feyline . . . where he reveals himself to be a vampire knight of King Rasimir’s court. Notorious for his cruelty, the deranged king is determined to extend his rule to the farthest reaches, and Vander has been tasked with delivering Corinthe to him.

 

Now a pawn in the vampire court, Corinthe learns that Rasimir intends to marry her off to the arrogant Prince Lorcan and exploit her daywalking abilities for his own gain. But a wedding isn’t the only obstacle in her path to freedom. While Vander burns with dangerous charm, Lorcan watches her with hungry eyes. And both men claim they can help her—if she can trust them.

My Review

Dhampira is dark, almost gothic tale of a young half vampire getting stuck in a world of magic and terror. If you're a fan of Netflix's Castlevania or stories like Rin Chupeco's Silver Under Nightfall, then you'll love this dark, twisted tale. Even fans of more popular stories like Jennifer L. Armentrout's From Blood and Ash, Liv Zander's Court of Ravens duet, or any of Melissa K. Roehrich's books will enjoy Dhampira. It has the same vibes with great worldbuilding.

The book is all about Corinthe, the daughter of a small town's healer and a secret vampire, who finds out her father is a crazy vampire king she'll either need to escape from or end. And of course, during this journey, there are a couple of love interests to help her out. Lorcan is the mysterious royal vampire who's always at her father's side, and Vander is the captain of the guard. Each of the three main characters display unique powers, and seeing their relationship form felt fairly realistic in their fictional world. They're all trying to survive the maniacal king they serve. It is a personal peeve of mine, however, when the MM part of an MMF relationship has already been formed prior to the book's starting timeline. I feel like it makes a third of the poly relationship seem less important to the story. Or maybe I'm just greedy and want flashback scenes of all the characters forming romantic relationships.

I honestly flew through this book. That's rare for me with review copies. Not because I don't like them, but because I'm a huge mood reader, so a review book has to hit me hard to keep me obsessively turning pages over a two-day span, and Dhampira accomplished that feat. While the villain was a bit one-dimensional, which was kind of understandable given his madness, the worldbuilding overall was super interesting. There were a lot of mythical creatures, strange powers, and warring beings. The idea of a three-way war between witches, werewolves, and vampires with elves sitting in the background makes my Underworld/Charmed/Buffy/LOTR fangirl heart happy. It was pretty cool. I think a series or an even longer book could've made this an epic tale similar to Jay Kristoff's Empire of the Vampire trilogy.

 The story was still a very fun time. I do think the ending was a bit chaotic and rushed, though. I'm hoping there's a sequel to settle the world back down, but I'm also not sure the story, especially the romance element, needs a sequel. Even though there were a few unanswered questions, those don't seem urgent enough to require another book. But I still want one, and I guess that's all that matters as long as the author writes it.

All in all, I am so happy with Dhampira. It made reading fun again when sometimes it just doesn't feel easy. I appreciate every book I read, but Dhampira helped me fall in love with that process again. It's such a good time with a digestible plot and fantasy world, but, at the same time, it has darker horror tones and intriguing romances to keep readers on their toes. I can't wait to add my preordered physical copy to my shelf of treasured vampire tales. It definitely deserves a place with my Jex Lane Beautiful Monsters set and my Reaper duology.

*Note: I received a copy of this book to review from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

Stacking the Shelves: The Second Set Edition

 "Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly haul meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality. It allows book buyers to share their accumulation of books with the online book-loving community.

This week was so much better than the previous 4-6 weeks. I feel like I can breathe again. Now, the only problem is how freakin' hot it is. That's slowing me down in terms of working out and just wanting to do things in general. Air conditioning is essential right now. I'm still not reading as much, though. I was in a bit of a slump. However, I think I'm on the other side of it. Thank goodness. I hate staring at all of my books and not feeling like picking up a single one.

As for the books I received this week, it was a pretty decent haul. I did something spontaneous and ordered the Allurial edition of Dhampira by Amy Pennza. It was one of their three-book monthly options and first-time subscribers could get the book and a hat for only $9.99. So, I did it. How does this impact my book-buying ban, you ask? Well, I'm choosing to believe it doesn't because I already read this book prior to purchasing an extra copy (regular edition to come soon). Also, it's technically a special edition, and I don't limit myself with those since they can go out of stock quickly and secondhand markets are terrible sometimes. Also also, it was only $10. That's pretty cheap for a hardcover.

 

 

 

Here, I have a second set of the 2026 JLA ApollyCon exclusive Blood and Ash books, From Blood and Ash and The War of Two Queens. I didn't get an official event ticket until very, very late, so I didn't expect to get a set at the actual event. Therefore, I had preordered these books online to be shipped to me. But I did end up getting a ticket. Unfortunately, JLA's online shop (now called the ApollyCon shop, I believe), doesn't do cancellations, so now I just have duplicates. I might sell these later or I might keep them. Idk. Oh, and yes, my ApollyCon wrap up post is still coming. It's just taking a long time due to work and mental health ickiness. (I'm fine now. May was just pretty bleak.)

 

Next, I have a FairyLoot preorder. It's The Last Wish of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson. I haven't read the first book in this series yet, but I ordered book two, just in case. I actually did start the first one, but I got a chapter in and didn't continue. At the time, there was a lot going on. I was prepping for ApollyCon and work was hectic (not May hectic, but hectic, nonetheless). I'm still unsure about this series overall, though. It doesn't call to me. If anyone's read them before and can give me comp titles, that'd be great. I want to figure out what I'm in for. 

Well, that's all for me. What books have you bought/received lately?

May Wrap-Up & June TBR

May was not a good month mentally, but I survived. June is a new dawn, a new day, with a new season coming up to boot, so maybe I can cheer up a bit. We shall see.... Honestly, things are already looking up, but I'm trying not to set my hopes too high. I did that last month, thinking that I could take a much-needed vacation in late May/early June and those hopes got crushed. Hard. I'm hesitantly hoping that the end of June will work. I want time off so bad! 

In this wrap-up, I’ll list the books I read, the books I reviewed, the books I bought/received, and my TBR for next month. Now, let’s get this bookish party started!

Books Read in May

Frozen by Stardust: 4 stars

Dhampira: 4 stars (review to come)

Hunt the Villain: 3.5 stars 

Blood Bound: 3.5 stars (my review)

Check & Mate: 3 stars

Bonds of Hercules: 4 stars

Nemesis Mine: 4 stars (review to come)

Wolfseeker: 3.5 stars 

Suck: 3 stars 

I read nine books in May, which is crazy considering how bogged down I was with work. All I could do for a couple of weeks was come straight home, curl up in a ball, and scroll on my phone until my brain stopped working. But, I managed to read somehow, someway. Only four of the books were physical copies, though. Those included Hunt the Villain by Rina Kent, Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter, Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood, and Bonds of Hercules by Jasmine Mas. Technically, Blood Bound was also a NetGalley book, as I received an e-ARC for it and got about 10% in when I got a physical copy at ApollyCon that I started reading instead. In addition to Blood Bound, I also read two other NetGalley books. I was on a roll in May. Those were Dhampira by Amy Pennza and Nemesis Mine by Amy Archer. My reviews will be posted in June. I also managed to read three other ebooks, including Frozen by Stardust by Elizabeth Helen, Wolfseeker by Amy Pennza, and Suck by Cora Rose and E.M. Lindsey.

Books Bought/Received in May

May wasn't as bad as last month, since there was no ApollyCon, but it still wasn't great for someone who claims to be on a book-buying ban. Anyway, in total, I purchased 13 books and received 15 titles for review or from preorders that I'd already paid for in previous months. The numbers are slowly going down. The dollar amount isn't as low as it needs to be, but as long as I'm not overwhelming my physical TBR, I can deal for now.

The 15 books I received mostly consisted of the preordered books that all decided to arrive in May. This included the Waterstones edition of Riftborne by Bree Grenwich and Parker Lennox, the hardcover author edition of Tortured Souls by Melissa K. Roehrich, the FairyLoot set of books 1-3 in the Lady of Darkness set, the Acrylipics editions of The Crown of Gilded Bones and The War of Two Queens, the author hardcovers of the first two books in Emily Blackwood's Wings So Wicked series, The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks blue author edition, Kings of Anarchy by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti, and The Night Prince by Lauren Palphreyman FairyLoot edition. I also received two ebooks: Soul Sworn by Kate Dylan via a NetGalley review copy and A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez via Nook. Technically, I "purchased" this Nook copy, but I used my credit, so I don't really count that. It was on sale at the time for like $1.99 anyway. The final book I received was Flamefall by Rosaria Munda, which was a book I got via trade credit from my local bookstore.
 

Now, for what I bought in May. It actually wasn't terrible. I'm pretty proud of myself. There was only one real issue, and that was a special edition that I didn't expect to drop. But anyway, the seven books I bought that actually arrived in the month include the Fury Bound Waterstones edition; the US Fury Bound edition, Archangel's Eternity by Nalini Singh, and The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker (B&N); my May Adult FairyLoot book, Deathbringer by Sonia Tagliaren, and the Romantasy book, Verity Guild by Mai Corland; and The Entanglement of Rival Wizards by Sara Raasch (indie bookstore). 

 As for the remaining six books, they include preorders that haven't arrived yet. The FairyLoot preorders were for This Blade of Ours, Broken Dove, and the Sorrowsong University duology. Then, I had one Illumicrate preorder for The Exquisite Torment of Loving Your Enemy, and the major culprit for how much money I spent was the Tome Tunnel edition of A Fire in the Flesh by JLA.

Currently Obsessed With

I don't think I watched anything particularly fascinating in May. I'm making my way through The Middle as a meal show. It has some funny moments but it's definitely not a favorite. I also rewatched the first three Hunger Games films and learned that I don't own either Mockingjay Part 1 or 2 on DVD/Blu-ray, so I couldn't watch Part 2 since it wasn't on any of my streaming apps like the other three movies were. Grr... 

June TBR

My TBR is similar to last month, but I have made some progress on my NetGalley reads. Thank goodness. Now, I only have To Cage a Wild Bird by Brooke Fast and A Viper Among Kings by Sydney Olivia on my immediate NetGalley TBR with the new additions of Turncloak by L.K. Steven and Soul Sworn. (Note from future me who is editing this paragraph: I've finished Soul Sworn. Yay me!) I'm still reading The Wren in the Holly Library by K.A. Linde and Lore by Alexandra Bracken. I'd still like to try to continue my Melissa K. Roehrich read-through and get through the final two Legacy books, and I need to read J.R. Ward's Crown of War and Shadow for book club. Maybe. We might be swapping this one for something else. To add some new things to the mix, I'm thinking I'll be in a vampire mood due to the upcoming season of The Vampire Lestat, so it'd be nice to read the Empire of the Vampire trilogy, Bride of Brutal Hearts by Kate Stevens, or Feathers from the Sky by Jess Wisecup.

***

Okay, well, that's the month of May, plus some June sneak peeks, all wrapped up into one post. Do you have a wrap-up post for last month? If so, share in the comments!

Stacking the Shelves: The Stacked Edition

 "Stacking the Shelves" is a weekly haul meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Reading Reality. It allows book buyers to share their accumulation of books with the online book-loving community.

It's the weekend! Hallelujah! This week hasn't been bad, but it was still a lot. I'm ready to chill at home for a while. I have a lot of reading to catch up on, since I've mostly been coming home and scrolling on my phone. Plus, I've definitely been in a slump the past week. I finished one good book and now I'm just stuck. That's been happening a lot lately. It'll take me days to get over the good book and find something new to take over my attention.

As for the books I received this week, there's another pretty hefty stack. First up is a book I've been waiting to haul for like a month now. My replacement copy of Cursed Fates by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti. The first copy that arrived was very smashed, so I'm glad they replaced it. It just took time. My FairyLoot edition of The Dragon and the Sun Lotus by Amelie Wen Zhao also came in.

 

 

 

Here, I have two books from a Barnes & Noble preorder. Those include Tara Sim's The Dawn Throne and Caty Rogan's Kissed by the Gods. The Dawn Throne is book three in Tara Sim's series. I think the fourth book comes out this year as well, so I'll be bingeing the entire four books very soon. The other book is an international edition of Born of Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout that I ordered. I think it's Hungarian, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

 

Next, I have more international editions of the Blood and Ash series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. These are German editions... Maybe? Again, I'm really bad at keeping track of all my international editions. There are just so many of them. These aren't as impressive as I thought they'd be. The dust jackets are a bit flat and they weren't packaged with any bubblewrap or foam, so they kind of bounced around in the box. They definitely have the dings to prove it. I'm not sure if I'll order the next three books in the series. I'll have to decide soon, though. They're on sale now. 

 

 

 

And the final physical copies in this haul are two books from Ariana Nash. I've been collecting Ariana's backlog and purchasing them via resale sites. I got these two on eBay. They're Primal Sin and Eternal Sin. I haven't read these yet, but I'm hoping to do so soon. These were only like $14 total, so I don't feel bad for breaking my book ban. It's really tough to get Ariana's books on secondhand sites, so I have to nab them when I can. 

 

I have one ebook for this week, and it was a total surprise. I was approved for a NetGalley ARC of Captive Traitor King by Brigid Kemmerer! I did not think this was going to happen. I wasn't approved for book one, so I didn't have high hopes when I made the request a few weeks back. But on Thursday morning, I was approved! And it was amazing! I'll probably be picking this up soon, as I think it'll help with my slump.

 

Well, that's all for me. What books have you bought/received lately?