Short AF Book Review | This Is How You Lose The Time War

 Hi friends!  So today I'm going to be doing a review on "This Is How You Lose The Time War" by Amal El - Mohtar & Max Gladstone. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the commandment finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future.

Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war."

So the reason I wanted to read this is obviously because y'all know I love queer literature and this is by far one of booktok's favourite sapphic books. I'm not going to lie friends, I was a little 50/50 with this one. I've not read a lot of science fiction due to usually not being interested in it, and also because it honestly confuses me at times. I think that's how I felt about most of this book, confused. I didn't really understand what was going on with the war, how the time travel worked or anything like that. That did not, however, stop me from caring about our main characters and their letters between each other. This book is short, and the chapters are very short, and honestly the letters were the main thing that kept me reading. I did not care about anything else that was going on in the book other than the letters, and what was happening between the main characters. Was this story, beautiful and heartbreaking? Absolutely. Did that mean I understood what was happening through most of it outside of the romance. Absolutely not. Now all of that is absolutely a me problem, and not an issue with the writing. However, would I recommend this to anyone who doesn't necessarily like sci - fi? Probably not. But that didn't make me love the ending as a whole any less.

I gave this book a 3/5 star rating on Goodreads.

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | According To Plan | ARC Received By Netgalley

 Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "According To Plan" by Christen Randall This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"From USA TODAY bestselling author Christen Randall comes a cozy, feel - good queer romance about self - discovery, finding your person, and carving out a space for yourself in unexpected places - perfect for fans of Heartstopper, Felix Ever After, and Julie Murphy.

As editor in chief of their school's literary magazine, Mal Flowers expected senior year fall to be full of cozzy sweaters, good coffee, and copyediting. They just want to stick to The Plan to graduate and get out of their small Midwestern town - a place where, as a broke, fat, queer person with ADHD, they've never really fit in. But when budget cuts result in the lit mag's cancellation, Mal is suddenly scrambling to fill the hole in their college application.

That is, until Emerson Pike - who also has ADHD but is loud, confident, and Mal's complete opposite - suggests the staff go rogue and create a zine instead. Which would be cool, except that making and selling contraband isn't exactly what Mal envisioned as the extracurricular activity on their college application. A zine would be unofficial, unapproved, and definitely not in The Plan.

But a zine is also a good way to spend more time with Emerson, whose playful banter and bad jokes Mal can't seem to get enough of. And maybe, with a group of new friends, the back of the charming coffee shop where Emerson works could be somewhere Mal does belong. Because breaking the rules with Emerson - and flirting with her over coffee - is fun.

Maybe The Plan isn't the only way to find happiness, but can Mal let go of something they've depended on for so long?"

I received this book as an ARC on Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

So the reason I wanted to read this is because as you all know, "The No - Girlfriend Rule", my favourite book, the book that initially was my gateway into reading queer stories, is by the same author. So the moment I saw that they were writing a new book I knew I had to get my hands on it. Friends, I really enjoyed every single minute of reading this book. The one thing that Christen does well is make sure that almost everyone has someone they can relate to in their books. The diversity in their stories is honestly something all authors should aspire to. I feel like every time I'm reading a story by them I'm included and spending time within the friendship groups that has been formed. I love that they seem to use their own experiences and emotions to write from, and it makes it so much easier to empathise with each and every one of their characters. I love that their characters prove you can be loveable and flawed at the same time, and it doesn't have to be one way or another. If Christen keeps writing this way they're forever going to be on my auto - buy list. I definitely would recommend this to anyone and everyone who just wants a cute, cozy, queer romance. 

I gave this a 4/5 star rating on Goodreads!

This book comes out on the 12th February 2026!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | Tourist Season

  Hi friends!  So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Tourist Season" by Brynne Weaver. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"From No.1 New York Times bestselling author Brynne Weaver comes a wickedly delicious new series where dark romantic comedy meets thrilling suspense - and where falling in love can be a killer.

Welcome to Cape Carnage! Visit Once, Stay Forever.

You can hide in the farthest reaches of the deepest hell, and I will still drag you out. Even the devil can't save you from me.

Cape Carnage is a seaside town of colourful houses, quirky shops, and an unusually high body count. But with tourists come trouble, and Harper Starling won't let anyone ruin her picture - perfect home. A skilled gardener with killer instincts, Harper protects her sanctuary at any cost - especially for her aging mentor with a fading memory. Troublesome tourists don't check out of Carnage. They compost beneath Harper's award - winning flowerbeds.

But Notal Rhodes isn't your average tourist. Devilishly handsome, disarmingly charming, and skilled with a blade. Nolan is relentless in the pursuit of revenge. On every anniversary of the hit - and - run accident that fractured his life, Nolan slays another target. And he's saved the best for the undeniably beautiful Harper Starling. The problem? Harper isn't the monster he expected. And she won't go down without a fight.

When an amateur true crime investigator comes to Cape Carnage on the trail of a long - lost serial killer, Harper and Nolan strike an uneasy truce. If Nolan helps Harper protect her town, she'll keep quiet about his hunting habits... for now. But their alliance soon spirals into obsession, one that threatens to shatter every secret in Carnage - including their fragile love.

Tourist Season is a darkly funny, slow burn enemies - to - lovers romance where destruction and desire are balanced on the edge of a blade - and where love is the most dangerous battleground of all."

So the reason I wanted to read this is because I recently finished The Ruinous Love Trilogy by the same author and wanted to read her new series. Friends, Brynne has only gone and done it again. This book was hilarious, heartbreaking, and just left me wanting more. I loved every single minute of reading this book. The wittiness and banter I expect from Brynne's books was there, this book was definitely a lot spicier than the previous series, but honestly, even though I'm not the biggest fan of spice it wasn't that off - putting. I feel like it all melded well within the story and even added to it at times in a way that possibly couldn't have been achieved without it. My favourite thing always about Brynne's characters is the sarcasm that runs through them, and friends, this book was no different. The enemies to lovers trope was strong in this one, and definitely added to the humour throughout the book. She also managed to throw my favourite trope of found family in this book and I don't know whether what our main character had been through or what she is currently going through hurt more. The cliffhanger this book left us on was something I truly was not expecting, and I am so excited for Harvest Season to come out. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it. Please, as always, check the trigger warnings before you read!

I gave this book a 4/5 rating on Goodreads.

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | Carmilla

 Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Carmilla" by Sheridan Le Fanu. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"In an isolated castle deep in the Austrian forest, Laura leads a solitary life with only her ailing father for company. Until one moonlit night, a horse - drawn carriage crashes into view, carrying an unexpected guest - the beautiful Carmilla. So begins a feverish friendship between Laura and her mysterious, entrancing companion.

But as Carmilla becomes increasingly strange and volatile, prone to eerie nocturnal wanderings, Laura finds herself tormented by nightmares and growing weaker by the day... Pre - dating Dracula by twenty - six years, Carmilla is the original vampire story, steeped in sexual tension and gothic romance."

So the reason I wanted to read this is because as everyone knows this is one of the first published sapphic horrors, so you know my gay ass had to sit down and read it. Friends, two things I did not expect, one: that this book was written by a man. Two: I wasn't expecting the level of queerness for the timeframe it was written in. I never want to hear another person say "queer people did not exist back in my day" ever again. This book was so flowery and even though I can imagine that this book was a lot scarier back when it was written I was low key rooting for Carmilla and Laura. Now, do I feel like the author meant to have written it in a way that was meant to make me feel as such? Absolutely not. I can very much acknowledge that me being a lesbian seeing this as a heartbreaking love story vs the possibility that it was a man writing a lesbian woman as a monster as some form of metaphor can very much contradict itself. However, I'd much rather the former to be the truth. I definitely would recommend giving this one a read, but obviously keep in mind you could interpret this book in a very different way. Which I guess is what I love about reading in general.

I gave this book a 4/5 star rating on Goodreads.

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | The Sad Ghost Club Vol. 1

 Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "The Sad Ghost Club Vol. 1" by Lize Meddings. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"Ever felt anxious or alone? Like you don't belong anywhere? Like you're almost... invisible? Find your kindred spirits at The Sad Ghost Club.

This is the story of one of those days - a day so bad you can barely get out of bed, when it's a struggle to leave the house, and when you do, you wish you hadn't. But even the worst of days can surprise you. When one sad ghost, lost and lone at a crowded party, spies another sad ghost across the room, they decide to leave together. What happens next changes everything. Because that night they start The Sad Ghost Club - a secret society for the anxious and alone, a club for people who think they don't belong.

For fans of Heartstopper and Jennifer Niven, and for anyone who's ever felt invisible. You are not alone. Shhh. Pass it on."

So the reason I wanted to read this is because this has been recommended to me so much on booktok due to loving graphic novels, so I thought I'd give it a go. Friends, I was a little 50/50 on this one, but more towards liking it than not. I really enjoyed the message of "you are not alone" that this graphic novel was trying to portray and all of the recources that were given in regards to mental health. I 100% feel like if I'd of read this book at a younger age I definitely would have loved it a lot more. The art was cute, and the message was really pushed towards the reader. The only thing that made me dislike this a little was that I thought that this was a bit slow. I don't know if that's because all of the books I've been reading lately have been so fast paced and exciting or if it's just genuinely the way the graphic novel was meant to be written. Probably the latter as this graphic novel is towards young adults mental health. I will absolutely still be picking up the next books in the series because I really want to see where "The Sad Ghost Club" goes, and it wasn't a bad first volume, I just feel like I wanted more, and hopefully I will get that when it comes to the next books in the series. I would absolutely recommend this still to anyone who wants a good graphic novel about mental health, and knowing you're not alone in whatever you're going through.

I gave this book a 3/5 star rating on Goodreads.

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | Fate Of Ruby And Throne

Hi friends!  So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Fate Of Ruby And Throne" by Monroe A. Wildrose. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers, especially with this being the second book in the series, so please keep that in mind!)

"Geogette dreams of slitting her husband's lying throat and escaping Hallow manor. It's not out of the realm of possibility for the pirate captain, but killing the king won't be without consequences. By day, the king isn't a threat, and that's disconcerting for Georgette. Fighting to break free from his stronghold, she struggles to reconcile her growing attraction and utter disdain for him. Princess Mercy faces two battles. One is a battle of wills with her brother, the King of Adamas. The other is an internal battle with duelling realities. As she grieves for her friends, she pines for a life on the high seas, aboard The Siren. Mercy wants to be the princess her people deserve, but with the handsome Captain Elias Baine at her side, she's decidedly conflicted. The palace halls prove much more dangerous than a ship's deck for a pirate turned queen, aand a princess turned pirate who brave the unknown in search of their destinies. You will enjoy this fast paced enemies to lovers book."

Friends, I'm not going to lie, unless it's for an ARC or interwoven standalones I typically don't write reviews for book sequels, but I feel like I'd be doing this series, and you guys a disservice if I didn't. It's not very often I prefer the second book to the first one, but this one truly was a ride and a half. I loved every single minute of reading this book and struggled to put it down for the 3 days I was reading it. Everything I loved within the first book, the strong female leads, the relationships that unfolded, the sarcasm and witty banter, all got 1000 times better in this second book. I love myself a good enemies to lovers and this one truly ticked all the right boxes for me. I laughed so much throughout this book, I cried so much throughout this book. I just felt every single emotion these characters were feeling with them. I loved that we kept the same points of view as the first book because it meant we got the full picture of everything that was happening within the story. Please, if you get the chance to, pick up this duology. Give an indie author a chance. You absolutely will not regret it. I'd recommend this to everyone and anyone who loves a good romantasy series. 

I gave this book a 5/5 star rating on Goodreads.

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | First Freedom: The Story Of Opal Lee And Juneteenth | ARC Received By Netgalley

  

Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "First Freedom: The Story Of Opal Lee And Juneteenth" by Angelique Roche, Alvin Epps, Millicent Monroe & Bex Glendining. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"The incredible journey of activist Opal Lee - known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth - is brought to life in this biographical novel that not only explores Opal's remarkable path, but the history of the holiday of Juneteenth itself. From the 1860s to Ms. Opal's childhood home, from her years as a teacher to the White House, The First The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth seeks to give readers an insight into the history behind one of the central figures in the creation of America's newest federal holiday, Juneteenth. Born in 1926, Opal Lee grew up in a racially divided America and dedicated her life to covercoming the obstacles presented therin. A lifelong educatior, Ms. Opal has been a community activist all her life, and would take on the movement to celebrate and commemorate Juneteenth not just as a holiday, but as a symbol of comprehensive freedom for all people. Ms.Opal's life personifies the fight for everyday freedom that leads to lasting change. As the Grandmother of Juneteenth says, 'There is so much more to do.' Written by acclaimed journalist, producer, and author Angelique Roche (My Super Hero Is Black) and drawn by a trio of talented artists - including Alvin Epps (I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005: A Graphic Novel), Bex Glendining (The Upcoming On Starlit Shores), and rising star Millicent Monroe - The First The Story Of Opal Lee And Juneteenth promises to illiminate the life of a singular woman and the history of a momentous holiday, with additional back matter providing more insights into Juneteenth's history and the making of this graphic novel tribute."

I received this book as an ARC on Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

So the reason I wanted to read this is because I saw it on my favourite Graphic novel publisher, Oni Press's, Netgalley and know I've been trying to read more diverse stories so I applied for it. Friends this book was so much more educational than I was expecting. I need you to know, coming into this I had not much of a clue about Juneteenth, and/or Opal Lee as we don't get taught a lot of black/american history within our schooling system, or see a lot of things around it within out local media. This is exactly the kind of book that I am trying to read to learn more about the history that was never taught to us. To read Opal's story was facinating and to read the history behind why she did what she did was such an eye opening experience. I knew what the celebration of Juneteenth meant but I did not know the complete history behind it, or even the history of what ended up coming after it. Human beings like Opal show us exactly why this needed to get the recognition it deserved and I really appreciated that the author who wrote this put so much time and research into this and added more resources in order for us to further educate ourselves. I loved every minute of this graphic novel and definitely would recommend this to everyone.

I gave this a 4/5 star rating on Goodreads!

This book comes out on the 3rd February 2026!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!