Review: The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire by Anna Fiteni

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from Hachette Book Group Canada in exchange for an honest review.

The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire

by Anna Fiteni

August 28, 2025

Goodreads Summary:

An enchanting romantasy debut about a girl who must strike a dangerous bargain with a prince of fairy in order to find her missing sister, perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson and Lexi Ryan.

For Sabrina Parry, the world of her small, Welsh mining town is cruel and practical. Her main aims in life are to hold onto her job, hold her tongue, and marry off her pretty, but sickly sister Ceridwen to a man rich enough to look after her.

When Ceridwen vanishes into the woods leaving only an iron ring behind, it’s up to Sabrina to find her by venturing into Eu Gwald—fairyland.

Sabrina quickly realizes fairyland is far more dangerous than she ever expected. So when a fae prince who considers himself a scholar of all things human offers her a dangerous deal, Sabrina is forced to accept. The prince is charming, and more interested in Sabrina than she is willing to believe. But as always with fairy bargains, there is a cost.

And if this bargain doesn’t cost Sabrina her life, it will certainly cost her heart.

Review: Coldwire (The StrangeLoom Trilogy #1) by Chloe Gong

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from Simon&Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Coldwire

(The StrangeLoom Trilogy #1)

by Chloe Gong

November 4, 2025

Goodreads Summary:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong comes the start of a daring new dystopian series where humanity has moved to virtual reality to flee their deteriorating world, following two young soldiers who must depend on unlikely allies in their fight for survival.

The future is loading…

To escape rising seas and rampant epidemics, most of society lives “upcountry” in glistening virtual reality, while those who can’t afford the subscription are forced to remain in crumbling “downcountry.”

But upcountry isn’t perfect. A cold war rages between two powerful nations, Medaluo and Atahua—and no one suffers for it more than the Medan orphans in Atahua. Their enrollment at Nile Military Academy is mandatory. Either serve as a soldier or risk being labelled a spy.

Eirale graduated the academy and joined NileCorp’s private forces downcountry, exactly as she was supposed to. Then Atahua’s most wanted anarchist frames her for assassinating a government official, and she’s given a choice: cooperate with him to search for a dangerous program in Medaluo or go down for treason.

Meanwhile, Lia is finishing her last year upcountry at Nile Military Academy. Paired with her academic nemesis for their final assignment, Lia is determined to beat him for valedictorian and prove her worth. But there may be far more at stake when their task to infiltrate Medaluo and track down an Atahuan traitor goes wrong…

Though Eirale and Lia tear through Medaluo on different planes of reality, the two start to suspect they are puzzle pieces in a larger conspiracy—and the closer they get to the truth, the closer their worlds come to a shattering collision.

Review: Thief of Night (The Charlatan Duology #2) by Holly Black

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review.

Thief of Night

(The Charlatan Duology #2)

by Holly Black

September 23, 2025

Goodreads Summary:

The highly-anticipated sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black's stunning adult debut, Book of Night.

Night is made of shadows and shadows have teeth.

Charlie Hall, glue trap for disaster, crooked from the day she was born, who’d never met a bad decision she wasn’t willing to double down on, may have finally met her match.

After defeating Salt and stealing her lover—the powerful shadow, Vince—back from under the noses of the powerful Cabal leaders, she thought she’d won. Agreeing to become the Hierophant and risking her life hunting down dangerous rogue shadows seemed a small price to pay if she got to do it while being tethered to Vince.

But Vince is no longer the man she loved. The tethering process wiped away his memories of the last year, leaving only Red—the ruthless shadow who spent years as a killer for a cruel, mercurial billionaire. Red doesn’t remember Charlie and doesn’t like her.

So when Charlie is ordered to track down the Blight responsible for a massacre at a local church, she’s worse than just alone, heartbroken, and outmatched. She’s vulnerable. In a world where shadows have wills of their own, the question isn’t just how to survive. It’s how to protect yourself from the one thing you can never escape—your own shadow.