Book Review: King of Battle and Blood
January 12, 2026
Sometimes you just want to read a romance where a human princess tries to murder her vampire husband on their wedding night, you know?
Sometimes you just want to read a romance where a human princess tries to murder her vampire husband on their wedding night, you know?
Rejecting standard half-person, half-fish designs, each race of Mers is inspired by a different species of deep-sea life.
You can feel the care and devotion Azar gave to her characters, plot and development of the story and I can’t wait for the next installment.
Magical secret societies are fun, but the driving force of this book is the relationship that takes place between the three main characters.
Dealing with some serious themes in a considered way, O’Shaughnessy weaves a believable narrative which balances tension and reflection.
Fast-paced, powerful and underneath it all somehow comedic, Everett packs a punch with every page. This is a book that has stuck with me.
This is not a manga to take seriously. But if you’re a fan of slapstick comedy, loveable idiots & bizarre character designs, this is for you.
Within this beautifully bizarre book, Lynley Edmeades fictionalises her experience of becoming a mother in bite-size vignettes.
Wells has managed to strike a great balance between detailed world building, the character-focused story, and a riveting action-packed plot.
Perfect for all ages, it’s full of mysteries, delightful characters and some surprisingly intense moments of action.
I was charmed as hell by this vampiric Romantasy which manages to pack so much intrigue, romance and magic into such a tiny book.
It starts off witty and light then suddenly becomes a thriller while maintaining a humour that keeps it in line with dark comedy.
These two were an A+ power couple. A truly satisfying end to this bloody, dramatic duology.
The main characters are interesting narrative parallels, both of them powerless and willing to do anything to change that.
Empire of Silence follows the story of Hadrian as he embarks upon his grand space opera and ending with the destruction of a sun.
Simultaneously a story of grief, self-discovery, and simple kindnesses, this was an incredibly peaceful read, and I didn’t want it to end.
Miwa renders gunfights so vividly you can feel your teeth rattle from the recoil. There is a real sense of motion to these fights.
These stories tell the tales of what our tīpuna got up to back in the day and the adventures they went on to get us to where we are today.
It was incredibly engaging as we followed the main character’s scramble to understand this new and dangerous world.
I loved diving back into this rich fantasy world. Torj and Wren are my favourite fantasy romance couple, whether they’re together or apart.