Review: Fallen Gods by Rachel Van Dyken

Fallen Gods by Rachel Van Dyken

Series: Fallen Gods #1

Publication date: December 2nd, 2025

Pages: 400

Spice: 🌶️

Synopsis:

They said the Gods were myth. That the Giants were only stories told around dying fires. They lied.

The Gods aren't dead--they're only sleeping, locked in mortal bodies, scattered across the world, waiting for the right spark to wake them. And my father is the most ruthless of them all.

He raised me to obey. To bleed. To be his blade when the time came. Now he's sending me to Endir University, a place filled with ancient bloodlines and deadly secrets, to steal back Mjolnir, the hammer of legend. If I fail, everyone I love dies.

But Aric Erikson wasn't part of the plan. He's the enemy's heir. Distant. Dangerous. And... the one person I can't afford to fall for. He's closed himself off completely behind a wall of ice, but the more I'm ordered to unravel him, the harder it becomes to remember where the lies end and I begin. 

There's only a mission I never chose--and a man I was never meant to love--standing between me and a war that will decide the fate of the world.

But if I'm the spark, maybe he's the fuse. And the Gods? They're about to wake up angry.

Available at:

Story:

Just when you think that people have written everything you could imagine about mythology (Greek, Norse, etc.) they find a new way to spin it. In this one, the gods are all taking a little nap. Of course, while they are napping the whole war between people has been put on hold. Not really in the mood to kill each other when a big bad god isn't cracking the whip, you know? So, the descendants of these gods all attend a prestigious academy where their heritages are usually hidden behind nefarious reputations that humans find more palatable (mafia families and the like). It was an interesting premise but at the same time a little bit farfetched. Of course, we are talking about gods and magic so farfetched is obvious. However, there were a few inconsistencies that were glossed over a lot. The author seemed to kinda force the narrative forward even when it didn't entirely make sense or lead to a smooth transition. The Romeo and Juliet love entanglement also didn't quite make sense. And with gods usually being a little... taboo about their family ties, it made for some uncomfortable scrutiny. I think the story had promise but the execution was a little lacking.

Characters:

• Rey - Rey was not likeable for me. It felt like she was there to be the antithesis of Aric and drive him nuts. She was constantly whining over her daddy issues or over how unfair her life was and it got to the point where I really just wanted nothing to do with her overall. She had her moments of self-sacrifice which was meant to be redeeming but instead it only made it seem inauthentic. Did she do these things because she actually desired helping others or was it because she felt that was what was expected of her?

• Aric - Unfortunately Aric was not likeable for me too. He spent so much time complaining about Rey existing next to him and fighting his desire for her that I lost any connection to who he is as a character. As with Rey, Aric was led around by his brother. He followed his brother's lead which come to find out was probably not the best idea. Whoops! Aric lacked a lot of depth for me. So did Rey. They were not a couple I would have chosen honestly.

Writing:

The writing was decent even if the story and characters were lackluster. Rachel Van Dyken has written quite a few contemporary novels and it is obvious she knows what she is doing for the most part. I think romantasy just may not be the genre for her. She is good with cutesy romances with some slow-burn and heat. Trying to tie in some supernatural elements is what caused it to come at a detriment for her. I would say college age romance may be what she should stick to or at the very least, maybe do a little more research into Norse mythology and the elements of magic that may be tied to the fables.

Overall:

I was not a fan and whenever the second book comes out, if it hasn't already, I will probably skip it. I know the author should not be judged by this book alone as I have read and loved many of her books in the past. I think maybe with some practice she can get more accustomed to the formatting of normal romantasy books.

Review: The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman

The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman

Series: Dungeon Crawler Carl #3

Publication date: March 19th, 2021

Pages: 532

Spice: N/A

Synopsis:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Welcome to the Iron Tangle! Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess Donut, have to team up with other contestants not just to survive, but to solve a deadly puzzle in this third, mind-twisting novel in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.

Earth has been transformed into the set of the galaxy's most watched game show: Dungeon Crawler World, a nightmarish, multilevel, video game-like dungeon filled with traps, monsters, and mind-bending puzzles. Carl and Donut have survived so far, but this fourth level is unlike anything they could imagine. The Iron Tangle: an impossibly complicated subway system tied together into a knot of trains of all kinds, from classic steam engines to sleek modern cars. Up is down. Down is up. Close is far. The cars are filled with monsters, the railway stations aren't always what they seem, and the exit is perpetually just a few stops away.

The top ten list is populated, and Carl and Donut have made it. But that popularity comes with a price. They each now have a bounty on their head. They must work with other crawlers to solve the puzzle of the floor, but how can they do that when they don't know who to trust? The secret to unraveling it all may be hidden in the pages of a seemingly useless book.

Welcome, Crawlers. Welcome to the fourth floor of the dungeon.

Available at:

Story:

It is amazing how Matt Dinniman comes up with these new floors of the dungeon. This one seems a combination of trains and complicated subway tracks throughout an underground world. There was a lot of confusion trying to picture all the different lines they were finding themselves on that the author even had to make a note in the beginning to not bother trying to follow along in that manner, you'll never have the same vision as him. But that shouldn't affect anyone's enjoyment. It didn't. I tried to keep up but then let go and it was freeing. I stopped trying to figure out what track they were going down and how the system was laid out and simply enjoyed the story for what it was: another demonstration of the fantastical way Dinniman's mind works and how he creates new and curious settings to challenge his characters.

Character(s):

• Carl - I love watching how Carl's slogan starts to change as he starts to realize that just surviving the dungeon is not all that he needs to be doing. He needs to fight against the system in place. They will not break him, he will break them. Fuck you! I love Carl's entire energy and between him and Donut, they are the ones who keep me coming back for more in every single installment of this series.

• Donut - I will never not love Donut. She is the comic relief that the series needs. Carl is stoic and strong, Katie and demure and quiet, and Donut is the life of the party who keeps things from being too serious at all times. There are moments through this book that I would be practically sobbing between the pages and then Donut would make a random comment and I would be falling over myself laughing through the tears. I would hate to see how this series faired if she was ever no longer a part of the main character's story. Don't get any ideas, Dinniman!

• Katia - This is the first time that I have gotten to see Katia is a more frontrunning light. She is clearly starting to come into her own and starting to learn who she is without someone guiding her every move. Carl and Donut give her the room to grow and learn who she is while also having her back through it all. She couldn't have been paired up with a better duo for the dungeon. She was shy and weak when she first joined the team but she started to show a backbone throughout this book. I actually grew to respect her a bit more than I did originally.

Writing:

Can anyone really call the author's writing anything but superb at this point? The obsession with the world he is creating has got me in a chokehold. I want to know more. I want to see the system fall. I want Carl to crush it under his foot so the System AI has nothing but fond memories of their own demise. The creatures he creates that are tied in with reality of our own world is amazing. I don't think I can say anything negatively about how Dinniman writes and will fight anyone who can.

Overall:

Another amazing installment in the DCC world. I do wish the subway/train systems were a little easier to follow because I don't want to feel like I miss even the smallest tidbit of information. But that is so minute that it is barely worth mentioning. I look forward to reading the next book and seeing what the next floor holds.

Review: Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

Series: The Ruinous Love Trilogy #1

Publication date: October 23rd, 2023

Pages: 355

Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

"I want to ruin her so that she's mine, my beautiful disaster. My wild creature. My goddess of chaos."

The viral TikTok friends-to-lovers dark romantic comedy full of murder, chaos, and sizzling chemistry--unlike anything you've read before.

Every serial killer needs a friend.

Every game must have a winner.

When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, they find something elusive--the friendship of two like-minded, pitch-black souls who just happen to enjoy killing other serial killers.

From small-town West Virginia to upscale California, and from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country.

But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love.

Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves?

Or have they finally met their match?

Tropes:

• Golden retriever x black cat
• He falls first
• Touch him/her and die
• Friends to lovers
• Forced proximity
• One bed

Available at:

Story:

The story is the most quirky dark romance I have ever read. In a lot of the scenes you squirm a bit watching what the characters are doing and how they formed their connection. Two serial killers who cross paths with each other and admire each other's work so heavily that they make a competition out of it. They meet up once a year and kill someone together. They normally pick other killers so their moral compasses aren't entirely skewed. We follow them as they start to become more than just two killers with something to prove to each other. It was astounding how the author was able to make moments in the book actually comical. How can someone be so skilled with their story creation that they can make characters who seem to have no souls feel so relatable? It creates a confusion in the readers as to whether they should really be condoning the things that Sloane and Rowan are doing but being unable to break away from absolutely loving them at their core. The story flows like a slow-burn with twists and turns nobody would see coming. Masterfully done, Ms. Weaver!

Characters:

• Sloane - Sloane was the stoic black cat the Rowan's golden retriever energy completely. She was dark and twisted with making art out of her murders. She wants to evoke emotions in her kills and she does just that with Rowan. She is a perfectionist and is the one trying desperately to keep a wall up between her and Rowan. But who could resist a man who would take in a lobotomized zombie they stumble across just because Sloane finds him to be an innocent victim of the person they hunted together. She likes to pretend she doesn't have a heart locked away in her chest but it shows in some of her actions. As a person with black cat energy, I loved Sloane.

• Rowan - Rowan was an absolute laugh riot. His little teasing comments and the shenanigans he found herself in (i.e. accidental cannibalism) made me double over laughing while reading. It was his personality that made me want to shake Sloane and shove her toward him when she tried desperately to keep him at arm's length. He was determined to wait her out even if it took literal years to win her over. He became fiercely protective and it's always unnerving when you see a golden retriever shift into a rottweiler when someone they care about is threatened. I think he was the best counterpart to Sloane and would have never shipped her with anyone but him.

Writing:

With the subject matter of the story it could very easily make people too squeamish to read the book entirely. But Brynne Weaver counteracted all those harsh scenes with dashes of humor that broke through the tension and made the entire scene a little more palatable. If she hadn't chosen that strategy I think this book would have likely died an unfortunate death like so many other pitch black romance books that are whispered about the shadows but never become widely known. She made two characters who were morally corrupt but made them fascinating to watch. 

Overall:

There are those books that you read that you would give anything to go back and reread with fresh eyes all over again. This is one of those books for me. Even as I write this review, I am contemplating a reread because I absolutely miss the characters! Stellar read and highly recommended.

 

Book Blitz with Excerpt + Teasers + Giveaway: You Had Me at Meow by Gracie James @XpressoTours

You Had Me at Meow by Gracie James

Publication date: July 7th, 2026

Synopsis:

Some girls get fairy godmothers. Abby Thompson gets a talking cat with a British accent and absolutely zero chill.

After her latest blind date--arranged by her loving (but relentless) mother--ends in a concussion, a wine-soaked dress, and enough humiliation to power Manhattan, Abby decides she's done with dating. Forever.

Too bad her cat, Mr. Whiskers, has other ideas. And he's suddenly sharing them. Out loud.

"Honestly, Abby, your taste in men is almost as concerning as your taste in sweaters."

His mission? Fix her train-wreck love life and help her land her dream job. His qualifications? None. He's a cat. His methods? Questionable at best.

But somewhere between the disastrous first dates, ruthless office politics, and the unexpectedly charming veterinarian who might actually be worth shaving her legs for, Abby starts to wonder...

Is Mr. Whiskers a miracle? Or a catastrophe with whiskers?

Either way, her opinionated feline isn't backing down. And if Abby wants her dream life, she might have to trust the one life coach she never asked for. Her cat.

You Had Me at Meow is a sweet, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about finding your voice, risking your heart, and one very determined cat who refuses to let his human settle for anything less than purr-fection.

Available at:

Before I even reach the fridge, Mr. Whiskers has settled into his favorite spot on the couch while I gather the essentials of a proper pity party: a pint of mint chocolate chip, my largest spoon, and one of Dottie's cosmic brownies. Ahhh, perfect.

Curling up next to my furry little roommate, I pull our softest blanket over my legs and queue up one of our favorite movies. Maybe watching someone else's embarrassing moments will make me feel better about my own.

As the opening credits roll, I crumble Dottie's brownie over my ice cream, letting out a contented sigh. At least dessert never disappoints.

"Why can't I find love in the movies, huh, buddy?" I ask, running my fingers through his soft fur. "You know, the kind where tripping in front of your dream guy leads to true love instead of a concussion."

Mr. Whiskers blinks up at me, his eyes reflecting the TV's flickering light.

"I mean, look at tonight," I continue, digging into my brownie-ice-cream creation and regretting nothing. Well... except maybe going out in the first place. "Mom sets me up with someone who's supposedly perfect for me, and he turns out to be a complete jerk. And then when I finally meet a genuinely nice guy, he's my cat's veterinarian and he's already taken."

I scratch under Mr. Whiskers' chin, earning a faint purr.

"Maybe I should just give up on dating altogether," I muse. "I mean, who needs romance when I have you, anyway? We could be two crazy cat ladies together. Well, one crazy cat lady and one crazy cat, but you know what I mean. No more terrible blind dates, no more falling head over heels, literally, for the wrong guys. Just us, some yummy snacks, and the sweet escape of a good movie night. What do you think, huh, buddy? Sound good?"

"Darling, that sounds like the best idea I've heard all night."

GRACIE JAMES lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their sweet rescue cat, Pinky, and absolutely loves the rain. When she's not writing swoony, laugh-out-loud rom-coms sprinkled with a touch of magic, she's usually hiking up a mountain or eating chocolate like it's a personality trait. Her creative peak occurs somewhere between "I should go to bed" and "well, it's basically morning now," and she considers sunrise more of a suggestion than a deadline.

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