Review--The Emperor's Enemy by Jasmine Mas

 

When the hunter is hunted… who becomes prey?

The Emperor’s Enemy is an addictive true enemies-to-lovers dark romantasy with a heroine who doesn’t need saving, an enemy she can’t escape, and a war neither of them plans to lose.

Welcome to the Unsurvivable Love Duet, the all-new series by Jasmine Mas, bestselling author of Blood of Hercules. The limited deluxe edition features beautifully designed sprayed edges, a foil-stamped case, and full-color character art endpapers—available while supplies last!
Zora Ravenal didn’t join the Crimson Army to be a hero. She joined to destroy the empire.

A skilled hunter hardened by loss with a concerning capacity for stubbornness, Zora claws her way into becoming a Knight Mage: the Commonwealth’s deadliest defense against the Empire’s storm magic and her people’s only hope.

It almost works.

Now she’s stuck in a war she can’t walk away from, hiding dangerous secrets, and shoved into very close quarters with the one man she should never be alone with.

He’s a Royal Mage with a body count, a temper, and an unsettling obsession… with her.

Now they’re partners.

Sort of.

If “partners” means being forced to train together, trust each other with their lives, and somehow not kill each other in the process.

But the Royal Mage isn’t just dangerous—he’s paying attention. And the longer they’re forced to remain in each other’s orbit, the more twisted everything becomes. Who’s hunting who?

Oh my! The Emperor's Enemy by Jasmine Mas was purely epic! This was my first book by the author and I am definitely continuing this series because it was fantastic! Life naturally got in my way immediately upon starting this one and kept trenching onto my reading time so it took me longer than usual to get through this one but it was in no way the book's fault! This was a lovely escape from reality and I cannot wait for the next installment!

I want to address the setting of this one first, it's fantasy...but yet...is it? I felt like we had a few nods to more modern "things" whether weaponry or clothing or some other such thing. I always find this FASCINATING! I love a good fantasy that feels somewhat modern. It breaches the fantasy/dystopian lines and it just makes for entertaining reading for me at least!

Zora has long wanted to be a Knight so that she may be able to fight for her country/kingdom can't recall the exact term we used for home location. When she passes the test and reveals that she is far more powerful than anticipated, the Marshal wants to use her for secret covet missions. Ever since she caught Tarantula, the (evil) Emperor's assassin, she has gained a bit of notoriety. Since she captured him, he's been her prisoner ever since and now the Marshal thinks Zora should have him train her to enhance her skills.

I can see how this book might not be for everyone. The pacing is a tad on the slow side, yet it was the character dynamics that kept me going! I LOOOVED the hate relationship between Zora and Tarantula, because you pretty much know what's going to happen between them given the context of the story and how the book is being marketed. That being said, the romance doesn't play a huge part in the story itself, or perhaps because it takes a very long time to develop. Then the question also becomes, is it truly romance?

But truly the shining light of this book was Squire, Zora's animal companion who is a talking Owl and he is just so cute and funny! Any heated or intense or dire moment is broken up into hysterics with his little quips! I love a good animal companion/sidekick and Squire truly takes the cake!

This book was a rollercoaster of an adventure! From start to finish I was fairly hooked its in grasp and I did not want to put it down despite the demands of reality! While the ending is somewhat cliffhangery in the terms of it being a "duet," I feel like it stopped at a fairly decent pause! Of course, every duology cliffhanger is a bit difficult to endure, I feel like this one wasn't as bad as it could have been! Still eagerly awaiting the next installment!

If you're wanting a read that blends fantasy and possibly dystopian in some extreme terms, then The Emperor's Enemy might just be up your alley! It is an action packed read filled with magic and nefarious characters that makes you wonder who you ought to be rooting for! I can't wait to see how it will continue!

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

Can't Wait Wednesday #270

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

For most of her life, eighteen-year-old Lana thought she was ordinary. But when fractured childhood memories resurface, she remembers the Lana is a Chapel, heir to one of the most powerful and feared magical families in existence.

In a world where magical families rule from the shadows, the Velascos, the Chapel family's oldest rivals, have warred with them for generations. But when a new, bloodthirsty magical family threatens to wipe them both out, the Chapels and Velascos are forced into a desperate alliance. And Lana must bind her magic with Gage Velasco, her sworn enemy.

The binding was supposed to be an Enmity spell, designed to unite their hatred into strength. Instead, it becomes an Eros binding - one rooted in love. Worse still, binding is one of the Seven Deadly Spells, and the only way it can be broken is for one of them to die.

But as the lines blur between duty and desire, Lana must protect her legacy or follow her heart into ruin.

I remember reading Weatherly's Angel trilogy ages ago and really liking it! It took me a bit to get into it, but once I did I was hooked! Not sure how I lost touch with her books as I am seeing she did have a few more release after that so now I have some decision making to do! This one does sound good though, so it's definitely on the list!

TITLE: Seven Deadly Spells
AUTHOR: L.A. Weatherly
PUBLISHER: Tempest
GENRE: YA Paranormal
RELEASE DATE: November 6, 2026

Brigid Kemmerer returns with the sizzling, high-stakes sequel to the #1 international bestseller Warrior Princess Assassin—where the betrayals are deeper, the magic burns brighter, and love might be the most dangerous weapon of all.

CAPTIVE. Asher has always sworn loyalty to Jory, the princess he’s loved from afar—but now the King of Incendar has claimed a place in his heart too. Someone wants them both dead, and only Asher’s blade can keep them safe. Yet his past won’t let him go, and he must decide if he can break free—or remain prisoner to his old scars.

TRAITOR. Princess Jory of Astranza agreed to marry the King of Incendar to secure peace, but betrayal runs closer than she ever imagined. With her own brother unmasked as her enemy, two kingdoms teeter on the edge. To protect her people, she must take the throne. But there are still dark secrets to unravel that will force Jory to confront where her true allegiance lies.

KING. Maddox Kyronan has discovered trust—and something more—with his reluctant bride and her deadly protector, but the fragile alliance between their nations threatens to unravel. His people are starving. His enemies are circling in. Torn between the crown and his heart, Ky risks losing it all.

As buried truths surface and tensions reach a breaking point, Jory, Asher, and Ky must confront the desires that could save their kingdoms—or shatter them forever.

While I am still not super big on this Why Choose trope, I do enjoy Kemmerer's writing and while the romance aspects can be eyeroll worthy at times ) I am still intrigued by the rest of the story! Maybe this second installment will help change my mind on the Why Choose...not super likely, but we'll see! Lol. Still want to read it!

TITLE: Captive Traitor King
AUTHOR: Brigid Kemmerer
PUBLISHER: Avon
GENRE: Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: November 3, 2026

Top Ten Tuesday #699

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and The Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week's topic is: Top Ten Book Covers with Autumnal Colors (submitted by Wordy Witterings)

*in no particular order
**going with red, orange, and yellow covers for this one!

10. SHADOW REAPER by Lynette Noni
9. SEASONS OF FLESH AND FLAME by A.G. Howard
8. THE TEMPTATION OF MAGIC by Megan Scott--more gold than yellow, but right part of the colorwheel!

7. THE MIST THIEF by L.J. Andrews
6. SECONDHAND LUCK by Kim Harrison
5. THE MEDIATOR: Twilight by Meg Cabot

4. THE LAST RAVEN by Helen Glynn Jones
3. IRON FLAME by Rebecca Yarros
2. REALM BREAKER by Victoria Aveyard--I could've used Fourth Wing, obviously, but I like to challenge myself by not using multiple covers from the same series! Sometimes author, but I usually let myself if they are different series! Lol.

1. TO CAGE A WILD BIRD by Brooke Fast

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. It's a fun meme where we gather to share what we've read last week and our reading plans for this week.

Last Week I Read:

The Velvet Knife by Maureen Johnson (4 stars)

Currently Reading:

The Emperor's Enemy by Jasmine Mas

What I Plan to Read Next:

The Wings That Bind by Briar Boleyn

Other Posts of Interest:

Top Ten Tuesday #698
Can't Wait Wednesday #269
Books from the Backlog #206
Book Blogger Hop #432
Stacking the Shelves--Super Tired Edition

Stacking the Shelves--Super Tired Edition

 

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts, and of course ebooks! The meme is now hosted by Reading Reality.

Another long week done. Seriously counting down the days to November as that's just about when we start to slow down at work. It's still been pretty nuts this week. I just can't wait for this busy season to be over. Incredibly grateful to have a job after we lost people, but this busy season has been rough with two less on our team. Yesterday was the busiest day of all! I woke up super early to head to the library where they host the annual St. Lous Teen Author Book Festival. It's been in December the past several years but they moved it to October this year. I lined up early, because you never know what the crowd will be like. I was dismayed to learn that one of the two authors that I wanted to meet had to pull out at the last second. The other author I did get to meet was Ayana Gray! I still need to read Hawk & Sparrow, but it was nice to get my FL copy signed! Then after spending all day there, I went to join my parents for our monthly volunteer work at our local American Legion where we work in the kitchen during Bingo night. I'm writing this post after a very long day, so I am wiped out. I promise pictures of my new house in its "before" stage are coming. I just have so little energy right now that it's taking everything I have left to write this post with bleary eyes. 

Anyway...onto the books! More preorders came in, then I had an impulse order that I legit did the day before B&N's sale which aggravated me, so I even more impulsively purchased a random book from my list to get some double point action! Yeah...I've got problems. Lol.

A Masterpiece in Blood by Megan Scott--I think this one was a duology? My brain is overtired, so I can't remember how long the series was or is projected to go. This was a B&N preorder sale pick so it showed up this week!
Reap & Sow by Charlotte B. Plumb
Little Red Death by Alexandra Benedict--randomly found this one the old fashioned way and had to get it!
The Stolen Crown by L.J. Andrews--my very, very bad addiction of buying books to a series I still need to start...someone talk me out of doing this! I don't know what my problem is! Lol
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Return by Amy Jo Johnson--so I started listening to the Boy Meets World podcast a few months ago and I listened to a random interview they had with Amy as I LOVED the Power Rangers and particularly Amy's character and it was through this that I learned she helped to create this comic book series (4 issues) of the 90s Power Rangers some years later. It just sounded SO cool and I had to get it!
Dive Bar At the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong
Devoured by Jordan Stephanie Gray
Devoured by Jordan Stephanie Gray--Target edition!
The Sixth Faction by Veronica Roth--cannot wait to read this one! But likely will be waiting until next year when I have the second installment in hand!
Hollow's Hauntology by Evelyn Hollow--odd that Goodreads has the title wrong on its image. But I stumbled upon this one somewhere and marked it on my list so when the B&N sale popped up I just ordered this randomly because I really wanted double points! Lol. Plus it does sound like an intriguing read! Like a book Sam & Dean would find helpful!

And that was it for me this week! Definitely got more than I remembered ordering. And I even did good at avoiding Target's Buy 2, Get 1 Sale. I mean, I looked...but ultimately talked myself out of it! Lol. 

What did you get this week?

Book Blogger Hop #432

 

This meme is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addict!

This week's question is: Do you run more than one blog? If so, how do you manage your time?

MY ANSWER: Absolutely not! Lol. A long, loooong time ago, I dallied with having a movie review blog as well. Like in 2010 or 2011? Something like that and I was just going to post different movie reviews as in a pre-Covid world, I went to the movies A LOT! Since Covid I rarely go. Just because the prices are so high, that I feel like waiting for the DVD or streaming to see it cheaper.

I think that blog lasted less than a year...probably less than 6 months, maybe even less than 3 months. I can't remember. There was probably less than 10 reviews. Because it did just feel like too much. And I was thinking I just don't want to do this. What on earth that url/domain was, I have no clue. I think I was trying to keep it in line with a GREAT watch...a GREAT movie??? Something that was GREAT in the title! Lol.

But yeah, whatever that blog was called, I didn't keep it up for long at all because it was too much and I was having more fun with my book blog! So I decided if I wanted to review a movie, I'd just review it here! Which I rarely do that anymore either because I rarely go to the movies and when I finally see those movies I wanted to see when they were initially in theaters it's been like a year. Seriously, I still have a stack of Black Friday deal DVDs that I need to watch from I don't know how many years! Granted I may only need to watch 1 or 2 for the first time and the others were just deals that I wanted or was in that buy 2 get 2 or something like that deal.

Books from the Backlog #206

 

Books from the Backlog is a fun way to feature some of those neglected books sitting on your bookshelf unread.  If you are anything like me, you might be surprised by some of the unread books hiding in your stacks. This is a fun meme hosted by Carole's Random Life in Books!

Betrayal. Sacrifice. Survival.
Welcome to the Extinction Trials.

In Stormchaser and Lincoln's ruined world, the only way to survive is to risk everything. To face a contest more dangerous than anyone can imagine. And they will do anything to win.

But in a land full of monsters - human and reptilian - they can't afford to trust anyone. Perhaps not even each other...

I've been meaning to read S.M. Wilson's The Extinction Trials since I added it to my TBR pile in June of 2018 which is pretty much when it released! It sounded SOOO good and I remember reading a review for it that made me want it asap! The pitch The Hunger Games meets Jurassic Park made me need it! Lol. Never read either, but loved the JP movies, so yes, I needed it! Still haven't read it and there are two more books to the series that I am hoping I can still find eventually! 

Can't Wait Wednesday #269

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Torn from her home and forced to train at the brutal Forge as a child, Thalia Marrow has only ever known the life of a Scion—one sworn to guard the Library of Curses. But on the night she crosses paths with an enigmatic Fae, the Library is ransacked, and her brother is taken by demons, leaving Thalia as one of the last Scions still alive.

Desperate to find her only family, Thalia follows the bloody trail to the mysterious Soren—a ruthless warrior who was cursed and banished from the Fae world. Everything about him is dangerous. Everything about him calls to her.

Bound by necessity, the warrior librarian and the Fallen Fae must now work together to uncover what happened at the Library and unmask the shadowy new demon leader unleashing curses across the realm. But in the decadent, treacherous city of Delfs, not all is as it seems. As the threat of war rises and Thalia’s feelings for Soren grow, so too does the truth of his bloody past—and the curse that could destroy them both.

I loved Christo's first book I read ages ago and have been meaning to read her other books pretty much ever since. I know I didn't get into her sophomore duology, but I've added her last two after that to my TBR pile! And just look at those edges! 

TITLE: Cursekeeper
AUTHOR: Alexandra Christo
PUBLISHER: Atria Books
GENRE: YA Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: November 3, 2026

With an unputdownable plot, incredible twists, and an extraordinary high fantasy world filled with court intrigue, heart-racing action, a unique magic system, and sizzling chemistry, Sharpest Court is the thrilling sequel to the #1 New York Times bestseller, Thorn Season.

Alissa Paine has fled her home, the Kingdom of Daradon – forced to say goodbye to her old old life in order to escape the clutches of both the cruel, tyrannical King Erik to whom she was once betrothed, and the Hunters who persecute Wielders like Alissa.

But she has not left Daradon empty-handed, and Alissa has in her possession an object that Erik greatly desires – a mysterious and ancient spellmade compass which has the potential to reshape the world, if Alissa – or Erik – can unlock its secrets.

Seeking refuge in the Ansoran Empire, Alissa is able to demonstrate her Wielding powers openly for the first time in her life. But Ansora is not a safe haven, and Alissa is quickly forced to navigate the rules and customs of another dangerous ruler. And even with her former ally, Kiel Arcus, by her side, Alissa soon learns that, while she may have been raised in the kingdom of thorns, she is yet to enter the sharpest court….

Perfect for fans of Powerless, Six of Crows, and The Rose Bargain, Sharpest Court is an extraordinary return to the world of Thorn Season. 

Of course, I still need to read the first book of this series! But this is another I am hoping I am right in thinking I will love it! Plus this cover is so pretty! Lol.

TITLE: The Sharpest Court
AUTHOR: Kiera Azar
PUBLISHER: Storytide
GENRE: YA Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: November 3, 2026

Top Ten Tuesday #698

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and The Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

This week's topic is: Top Ten Books That Conjure Up Happy Memories

*in no particular order

10. THE FORIDDEN GAME by L.J. Smith--this was probably the first "compilation" book I ever found and definitely the first one I read! A whole series in one binding was mind-blowing to me and I loved having Smith's retro cover!
9. THE OUTLAW DEMON WAILS by Kim Harrison--I remember begging my mom to drive me to Naperville to meet Kim Harrison! I had bought one of her tour t-shirts as it might have been one of the first times she ever went on tour and I was too scared to drive myself that far! So my mom drove me! And she even bought the first book of the series and had Kim sign it to "the coolest Mom ever!" or something like that! And my Mom still is that!
8. STRAY by Rachel Vincent--this book finally convinced me that you can find Urban Fantasy books in the Romance shelves at Borders! Lol. Plus it was this series that led me to the OG Pride discussion board and was the catalyst for starting this blog...two books later! 

7. HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost--more of the same from the last number! Another amazing Urban Fantasy series that was shelved in Romance. This is one of the last books I can viscally remember re-reading before the TBR mountain started!
6. POISON STUDY by Maria V. Snyder--one day Amazon recommended a book called Magic Study to me and it caught my eye. Immediately I discovered it was a book 2 and I was like Amazon you dolt! I need to read the first book first! So I get myself a copy of that and was IN LOVE! And it soon started a great friendship with Maria herself!
5. BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE by Annette Curtis Klause--an older book I discovered when it was old itself! Pretty sure this was my first werewolf book and I ATE IT UP! It was SOOOO good! Decades later they would make a movie out of it and the two were as different as night and day.

4. OLD MAGIC by Marianne Curley--my first witchy and time traveling fantasy book and omg I fell in love with this one! So hard! Lol. I re-read it dozens of times during those Dark Days. It was just pure magic!
3. ALICE IN WONDERLAND by Lewis Carroll--namely THIS edition! My 4th grade teacher had this in his classroom library and it was one I kept going back to! I loved the illustrations and it was the first time I read the book of the movie I watched dozens of times and I LOVED it! Then I remember in 5th grade I stopped by his room one day asking to borrow it and he said he'd have to look for it because it wasn't where he thought it was. A day or two later it was on my desk in my classroom with a note that said I could keep it! I wish I kept that note, but alas, I did not. But I still have this worn out used book all these years later!
2. DEMON IN MY VIEW by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes--you never forget your first love! This was my introduction to vampires and I pretty much never looked back! Lol.

And you all already know what's coming next...

1. CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber--naturally! This book was one I devoured and was devoured happily in return! Ironically, its essence reminded me vaguely of The Forbidden Game, but not as deadly! Lol. This would be a series and a world and an author who imprinted on my soul and I just love it! I love it all!