Review--A Kingdom This Cursed & Empty by Stacia Stark

 

Risk everything for your kingdom…
Or be destroyed by it. 

In a world darkened by deceit, the truth is a light that won’t be dimmed. Even when it illuminates Lorian’s betrayals more starkly than I could ever want to see. 

They call him the Bloodthirsty Prince. His reign of terror has left a trail of blood across this continent. A trail that intertwines with my own past–not even my parents were spared from his merciless slaughter. 

To save my brother’s life, I agreed to another bargain with the fae prince. Now, I’m forced to work with him. Forced to travel to the fae lands. Forced to spend my every waking moment with the man who betrayed me. All because King Sabium has woven a deadly tapestry of manipulation, using those we least suspect for his wicked schemes. 

There are no lines I won’t cross to protect the people I love. So I’ll work with former enemies. I’ll manipulate, blackmail, and deceive potential allies. I’ll swallow my pride, ignore my shattered heart, and cooperate with the fae to prepare for the coming war. 

Because there are creatures far more monstrous than the fae. 

And some of them masquerade as men. For fantasy romance readers who love Raven Kennedy, Amanda Bouchet, and Carissa Broadbent. This slow burn, enemies-to-lovers series will enchant you.

A Kingdom This Cursed & Empty is the second book in Stacia Stark's Kingdom of Lies series and it definitely amped up its game from the first book! This was yet another intriguing and exciting story set in a fantasy world on the brink of war between the many kingdoms and I am itching to see what will happen next!

Prisca made a deal with Lorian to save her brother and to hold up her end of the bargain, she must now go with him to his kingdom and meet with his brother, the king. But Prisca is still mad at him for lying about who and what he was. So things are exceedingly tense between them, but Lorian is willing to do whatever it takes, wait however long it will take to win her back. Even if it means going against his brother's orders.

The struggle with these 500+ page fantasy novels is how so much happens and yet, sometimes, how little happens plot-wise. That's not necessarily a negative thing, but there are still times I feel bogged down when we aren't really moving forward plot wise, yes, in the grand scheme of things we are, but it's taking an achingly long time to get to that next step in "the plan."

While this series continues to have its rollercoaster waves, I still find myself invested! I love the characters, even though the number is growing as the pages keep flowing, lol. We get an extra point of view this time that will definitely shake things up a bit and I super curious to see what this will lead to further down the road. 

Prisca and co have a new plan to retrieve a magical artifact that Regner wants and has hidden somewhere that will play a part in his madman power takeover of the world scheme. So naturally, they need to get it and hide it themselves. But they will of course encounter many other obstacles along the way and yes, sometimes that will be the angst brewing between Prisca and Lorain themselves.

But never fear, as there is still some pretty steamy romance between these two. They reach their love/hate part of the relationship, or I suppose the hate is more on Prisca's part. But even that isn't truly hate, it comes more from hurt than anything else.

Relationships will be challenged in this one. Loyalties will be tested. No one will leave unscathed after this one. The game is afoot and the rules are constantly changing. The ending to this one would have me screaming with rage had I read it when if first released and had to wait for the next book. But alas, I have to move onto other commitments before I can circle back to this series, but hey, there's two more books to go, so I have a fairly good answer as to the outcome! Lol.

If you're looking for that spicy romantasy series to read while waiting on the big publisher releases, be sure to check out Stacia Stark's Kingdom of Lies series as it is freaking fantastic and it's completed! What better way to wait for other installments than to binge a whole series?

Overall Rating 4/5 stars

Can't Wait Wednesday #229

 

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.

This magical new YA romantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of To Kill a Shadow will steal your heart. Set in Andalay, a world where the ruling Fates bestow gifts among the favored, a thief must join forces with the palace darling after he unwittingly steals a necklace with the power to change everything.

When Damien, a cold and hardened thief, is hired to steal a gift from the powerful Fates meant for Andalay’s sweetheart, Wren Hayes, he finds himself entangled in a web of secrets.

The gift? A locket containing his own phototroph.

Once the locket is opened, hidden truths unravel, ones that shed light on the ruthless ways of the upper-class society. Yearning for the three Fates and the magical gifts they bestow, the lords of Andalay will go to any length to keep their power—including murder.

Brought together by destiny, and fighting a temptation that neither understand, Wren and Damien navigate a seedy world where the truth can destroy not only their lives, but the city itself.

The books I have by this author keep piling up on my TBR pile but they all still sound so incredible I can't help but add them to it. Plus when they look this beautiful it's harder to talk myself out of it! Lol.

TITLE: Stolen Midnights
AUTHOR: Katherine Quinn
PUBLISHER: Delacorte Press
GENRE: YA Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: February 3, 2026

In this cozy, witchy romcom, a young woman works to turn a run-down small-town video store into the bookshop of her dreams, only to discover a powerful magic that’s been lying dormant—and a forbidden love she can’t resist.

Dutiful and hard-working, Rhea Wolfe lives a simple, mundane life with her pet parrot in small-town Alabama. Sure, she may not love her desk job working for an insurance agency. And her on-again-off-again relationship with the local mechanic may not have the fiery passion she’s read about in her favorite books. Still, things are stable, which is more than she can say about the two hopelessly immature younger sisters who rely on her.

But when Rhea’s estranged grandmother dies, leaving her everything—including a magical heritage Rhea never knew she carried—she finds herself in Arcadia Falls, the quaint mountain town her mother made her swear to avoid at all costs. While the defunct business she’s also inherited needs a serious upgrade, Rhea’s lucky that resident handyman Hunter Blakely is more than happy to help—and more than easy on the eyes. If only he wasn’t the grandson of her grandmother’s sworn enemy in witchcraft.

As Rhea works to build a future, strange occurrences begin to make her think someone—or something—is trying to drive her out. As she gets closer to solving the mystery, each clue she uncovers points to Arcadia Falls’s magic hanging in the balance. To keep her new home safe, Rhea must step into her enchanted birthright . . . before it’s too late.

I loved this author's books under Delilah S. Dawson, so I am excited for her new "lighter" fantasy read. I think it will be fun!

TITLE: Books & Bewitchment
AUTHOR: Isla Jewell
PUBLISHER: Del Rey
GENRE: Fantasy Romance
RELEASE DATE: February 3, 2026

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Purple Princess of The Purple Booker. 

Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc.

"Now we would wait. And see if whoever was on that ship attempted to kill us or wanted to talk." p 33

TITLE: A Kingdom This Cursed & Empty
AUTHOR: Stacia Stark
PUBLISHER: Self
GENRE: Fantasy Romance
RELEASE DATE: August 18, 2023

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 10 Most Recent Additions to My Bookshelf

*in no particular order, though roughly most recent to least recent

10. REJECTED by Jaymin Eve--Love a good werewolf book, so on Friday, the first day of B&N's sale I got to work doing some good shopping! Lol.
9. MOONSICK by Tom O'Donnell--again, love a good werewolf story and a good sale! Lol.
8. LET'S SPLIT UP by Bill Wood--not sure how I missed this one a few months back because it's got Scooby Doo vibes!

7. THE BANE WITCH by Ava Morgyn--another B&N sale acquirement! 
6. SUPER ADJACENT by Crystal Cestari--from my TBTB Secret Santa!
5. YOU WON'T BELIEVE ME by Cyn Balog--the other TBTB Secret Santa book!

4. A QUEEN THIS FIERCE & DEADLY by Stacia Stark--I made sure to buy these with plenty of Amazon time delays so I was ready for the first week of January!
3. MAKE ME A MONSTER by Kalynn Bayron--an impulse purchase at the St. Louis Teen Author event I went to earlier this month!
2. A CROWN THIS COLD & HEAVY by Stacia Stark--because yup, I ordered 2-4 together and book 4 shipped later than the rest! But yes, this is book 3, so it came before book 4. Ironic though, lol!

1. FALLEN GODS by Rachel Van Dyken--this came in the same week as Stacia's books, but I decided to mix it up since I put two of hers in here already! Lol.

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:

House of Idyll by Delilah S. Dawson (3.5 stars)

Currently Reading:

A Kingdom This Cursed & Empty by Stacia Stark

What I Plan to Read Next:

The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall (ARC)

Other Posts of Interest:

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Book Tag
Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays
Can't Wait Wednesday #228
Book from the Backlog #167
Merry Christmas!
Book Blogger Hop #391
Stacking the Shelves--The Christmas Haul

Stacking the Shelves--The Christmas Haul

 

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.

And that's another Christmas down in the books! Can't believe how fast this week! It always seems to do that when I don't have to work. Sadly, this week, I didn't really have much time to read what with the holiday, preparing for the gatherings, and then cleaning up after the gatherings. It was exhausting! Lol. But I did binge Stranger Things and am ready for the finale! Actually, as I write this, I still have 2 episodes to go, but will be watching those before the night is done! Otherwise the week was pretty quiet, outside the holiday chaos! I had a nice Christmas with my family, ate way too much food and even more cookies! I always think every year that we need to start making more of these cookies during the year so I don't overindulge every Christmas but never actually get around to doing that! Lol. Oh well!

Here's what I got this week, actually, all of these were acquired over the weekend during B&N's epic sale! I mean, don't get me wrong, I loved the hardcover sale the last two years but having the paperbacks included this time around really made me happy! Lol.

The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn
Let's Split Up by Bill Wood
Rejected by Jaymin Eve
Moonsick by Tom O'Donnell

Then when I was waiting in line I saw this book paperweight and decided to get it too! It was actually 30% off so that was nice! I find I sometimes need one of these when I read a book that just won't stay open when I try to eat something as I read. I'm always careful, but these last few times when I was reading in bed, I used my phone as I forgot where my other book paperweight I used to use when I worked in the office was!

And then finally, at Christmas I got my B&N gift cards! For some reason no one gave me one on my birthday last week, but I knew someone would come through for me! Lol. 

I got one from my mom and stepdad
I got one from my sister and her family
Then I bought myself one too! Lol. I thought this would help me better budget my book spending if I allowed myself to buy this card now. We'll see how my theory works as there is a preorder sale coming up soon! I think tomorrow from what I remember...

Here's one bookish gift I got for Christmas:

I basically set it for next year! Lol. But I've seen different versions of this and thought it was so cute!

Then I actually got this for my birthday but forgot to snap a picture of it:

Jim Shore FINALLY made the piece! Now I just need Funko Pop to do it! Lol.

And that was it for me this week! What all did you get?

Book Blogger Hop #391

 

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

This week's topic is: How many books did you read in 2025? (submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)

MY ANSWER: As of now, I've read 78 books! I just started one on Christmas Eve and only got 30 pages into it before I had to run an errand and then I helped my parents prepare for that night's festivities. Will I get it finished before the New Year? Hard to say since I want to binge watch that final season of Stranger Things! Lol!

Merry Christmas!

(image borrowed from Freepik)

Hope everyone celebrating today (or not) has a magical and wonderful holiday!

Books from the Backlog #167

 

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!

Remember the places you touched me.

The parts of Mira Cillo that Ben touched are etched on his soul.

Palm. Hair. Chest. Cheek. Lips. Throat. Heart.

It was the last one that broke her. After her death, Mira sends Ben on a quest for notes she left in the seven places where they touched—notes that explain why she and her sister, Francesca, drowned themselves in the quarry. How Ben interprets those notes has everything to do with the way he was touched by a bad coach years before. But the truth behind the girls’ suicides is far more complicated, involving a dangerous infatuation, a deadly miracle, and a crushing lie.

I added Kim Savagae's Beautiful Broken Girls to my TBR pile in June of 2017, though I likely got it when it released in February but forgot to notate it. I find I am STILL doing that! Lol. I had enjoyed the previous books I've read by Kim so I naturally just continue to add whatever book of hers calls to me! This one is still waiting to be read and I still want to read it as it sounded creepy and mysterious and that naturally sparks my interest! Lol.

Review--House of Idyll by Delilah S. Dawson

 

From the New York Times bestselling author of Bloom and Guillotine comes a seductive tale of beautiful rock stars, mysterious cults, and a magical oasis where dreams come true, for a price.

Angelina Yves is a struggling singer/songwriter offered the chance of a lifetime to join the experimental luxury compound sponsored by the most famous band in the world, Black Idyll. With her every need accommodated, she finally has the time and space to perfect her music. Her muse? Reclusive rock star Jesper Idyll, who lives up to her every high school daydream. But when people start to disappear and Jesper's ex turns up dead and mutilated, Angelina begins to suspect that something more than money powers the cult that's grown around the band...

A decadent and wickedly compelling tale of a Hollywood dream turned nightmare, Delilah S. Dawson’s darkly delicious prose will seduce you, tie you up, and never let you go….

Delilah S. Dawson’s House of Idyll is her latest horror novel and it’s another bone chilling tale that will leave you cold and frightened! This was a story that started off with a completely different kind of creepy vibe and as the pages turned it took on a completely different kind of horror. 

Angelina is a struggling musician trying to make it big in California along with millions of other hopefuls. When she manages to lose her two jobs and home in one day, she feels like she’s hit rock bottom until a helpful hand comes and offers her an opportunity of a lifetime.

The globally famous band, Black Idyll, has a reclusive compound type setting where they help aspiring artists of all kinds achieve their dream. Free room and board, free meals, resources to help achieve your goals…it’s an offer Angelina would be crazy to pass up, so she takes it. She was a due-hard fan of the band in her teen years, so this truly was a golden opportunity. 

The next run of the story is where I fell into a lull. We basically follow the trend of seeing Angelina’s new everyday life patterns. It was a bit of a drag, but peppered throughout these mundane moments were odd occurrences. Things that felt off that left you with enough of an itch to keep the story going.

The weirdness only continued to grow as we reached the conclusion and boy was that a wild read! I obviously won’t get into details but things definitely took a darker turn!

There was a bit of romance as well between Angelina and Jesper, the lead singer of Black Idyll. It wasn’t a focal part of the story, so I felt like we weren’t meant to get really into it!

All in all, this was an entertaining read. It did drag a bit for awhile in the middle but there were enough secretive hints and clues to pique my interest that kept me reading until I reached that mind-blowing ending! Yet another entertaining afternoon with THE Delilah S. Dawson!

Overall Rating 3.5/5 stars

Can't Wait Wednesday #228

 

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.

After a group of teens visits a dangerous island where three are left behind, the surviving girls realize they must return to confront the sinister force hunting them. This dark YA thriller is perfect for fans of Yellowjackets.

Eight were lost. Five were found. None will ever be free.

For Evie Williams, life is about to get a lot more complicated. Haunted by the events of a school trip to Hollow Lake National Park that went disastrously wrong, Evie and her friends returned changed, their lives forever marked by the mysterious Island they encountered—and the three girls they left behind.

Now, someone is picking off those who were involved, one by one. Their families, friends, and even online investigators are all caught in a deadly game. The stakes are raised when Evie receives a chilling to save her loved ones, she must return to the Island.

As Evie and the other "Lost Girls" navigate the treacherous terrain of the Island once more, they must confront the secrets they’ve buried, the horrors they witnessed, and the person—or thing—that’s hunting them. But some secrets refuse to stay hidden, and the Island demands a price for freedom.

This book sounds sooo good! I love a good creepy supernatural thriller and this one sounds like it will deliver on that!

TITLE: The Girls of Hollow Lake
AUTHOR: Rebekah Faubion
PUBLISHER: Delacorte Press
GENRE: YA Thriller
RELEASE DATE: January 27, 2026

An unputdownable romantasy following a young woman posing as fortune-teller at a magical traveling carnival, where the handsome boy who once broke her heart resurfaces and warns her that carnival is more sinister than it appears.

Welcome to the Carnival Fantástico, a spectacle of magic and mischief, and the perfect haven for a runaway. Using her tricks and razor-sharp wit, Esmeralda becomes the carnival’s resident fortune-teller, aiming for the lead role in the Big Top Show. Success would mean freedom from her former employer, the commander of the King’s army.

Ignacio has defected from the army and is on the hunt for evidence of his father’s corruption. But the last thing he expects to find on his father’s trail of lies is the only girl he’s ever loved, spinning false fortunes at a traveling carnival.

Perhaps fortune has thrown them together for a reason. They strike a deal: she’ll help him expose his father if he helps her secure the main act. But old feelings don’t die easily, and the commander’s secret isn’t the only thing they’ll need to confront.

This one sounds amazing too! Yes, the Caraval vibes are what drew me to it, but it still sounds like it will be a perfectly magical read!

TITLE: Carnival Fantastico
AUTHOR: Angela Montoya
PUBLISHER: Joy Revolution
GENRE: YA Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: February 3, 2026

Teaser & Top Ten Tuesdays

 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Purple Princess of The Purple Booker. 

Here are the rules:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a page
3. Pick out 2 lines that are SPOILER FREE
4. Name the title, author, etc.

It's that time of year where things are starting to get busy and hectic on the home front! So while I finished this book already, I wasn't into what is likely my current read yet to have a teaser lined up, but I found a good one here while I was reading and decided to share that!

"'Who hurt you?' His voice is shockingly cold, a quaver of restraint rippling through it." p 127

TITLE: Married by Scandal
AUTHOR: Tessonja Odette
PUBLISHER: Crystal Moon Press
GENRE: Fantasy Romance
RELEASE DATE: September 23, 2022

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 10 Books I Hope Santa Brings/Bookish Wishes

*in no particular order
**somewhat randomly chosen from my Goodreads list

10. BOUND TO YOU by Alyssa Brandon--so many good werewolf books being reprinted!

9. REJECTED by Jaymin Eve--after seeing the original cover, I'm wondering if I'm getting in over my head! Lol. But with that blurb and this cover I can't help but be curious!

8. MOONSICK by Tom O'Donnell--this one sounds good! I clearly can't resist a good werewolf book!

7. HOW TO FAKE A HAUNTING by Christa Carmen--love a good ghost story book! Love a good revenge book! Combine those two and this is bound to be good!
6. TO LOVE A GRIMM by Christina Farley--forgot when I learned about this one! But it's got a fairy tale twist so naturally, it speaks to me!
5. THE IMMORTAL'S LIFE by Jade Christy--another one I can't remember how I learned about but this one sounds so good! Love Urban Fantasy! Love Vampires! It's a match made in reader heaven!

4. BITTER MAGIC by Jana Oliver--fell so behind on this series when the author started self-pubbing the rest of it! It may require a series re-read! 
3. THE POSSESSION OF ALBA DIAZ by Isabel Canas--I still need to read what I have from this author but this one sounded so good too!
2. SHADES OF HONOR by Sandy Williams--another series I need to start still but I'm already asking for some serious Santa magic, so why not? Lol.

1. A STEEP AND SAVAGE PATH by J.J.A. Harwood--this one doesn't release until the 30th, but hey, Santa magic happens in this post! Lol.