Aug 11 2026

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DNF Q&A: The Winged Game by Sophie Kim

Title: The Winged Game

Author: Sophie Kim

Series: N/A

Genre: Romantacy

Rating: 1/5 stars

The Overview: Fantasy meets sports romance in this sizzling slow-burn novel from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The God and the Gumiho, in which the disgraced star of a brutal magical sport must team up with the rival who destroyed her career. Carriwitchet, the violent, rugby-esque game played atop winged beasts, was once Taissa Cho’s whole life, and she was once the United Kingdom’s most promising player. Until her nemesis, rival player Kion Locke, destroyed her career in a single moment. Expelled from the sport in disgrace, Taissa has spent the last two years dreaming of nothing but revenge and relishing watching Kion’s team plummet to the bottom of the league.So when Taissa is offered the chance to redeem herself and her career, she can’t refuse—even if the offer is coming from the very man who ruined everything in the first place. It’s close to a dream come true . . . except for that pesky clause in her contract that demands she and Kion enter a fake relationship in order to garner some much-needed positive PR for the team. This could not be a worse match. Taissa and Kion only have two things in their love of the game, and their undying hatred for each other.Yet as a mysterious illness befalls the winged creatures of the entire league—putting both the beasts’ lives and the very sport itself at stake—the athletes find themselves partnering up in other ways, determined to crack the case of the eerie sickness. As their investigation takes them on a whirlwind adventure, Kion and Taissa are prepared for anything . . . Anything, that is, but their fake-for-the-cameras relationship to maybe, just maybe, become something real after all. –Goodreads

The Q&A:

Did you really give The Winged Game a chance?

I made it about 25% into the book before calling it quits, and actually read a good bit longer after I realized it wasn’t working for me. I held out hope, but it just kept getting worse…

Have you enjoyed other books in the same genre before?

The answer here is kind of. I love fantasy and I like romance, but not together. I’ve read the Fourth Wing series and love the dragons and the school settings, but could’ve done without all of the other things that qualified that book as a Romantacy. I definitely don’t think this genre is for me, but I was hoping the sports and competition aspect of this book would’ve been good enough for me to overlook the elements I don’t like. Here are the romances I actually like, by contrast (a few contemporaries and one fantasy with a great love story):

Did you have certain expectations before starting it?

I was naive and hopeful. I knew going in that it was going to have a heavy romance component (which by the way I don’t always mind as long as it’s done well), so I was expecting that. But I didn’t expect it to take on almost all of the page count. Since the sports and competition angle was being pitched so hard, I thought that would take on a more prominent role that it did (up to where I read, anyway).

What ultimately made you stop reading?

I hated the relationship. And the characters, if I’m honest. I don’t throw around the word “hate” very often, but this book really got under my skin.

First of all, The relationship and the characters are incredibly immature. If their ages hadn’t been shared in the book (her 24, him 30), I would’ve said they read exactly like a 16 year old and a 19 year old, respectively. The entire basis behind the conflict is blaming someone else for your very poor decisions and then perpetuating the negativity with very poor behavior. 90% of what I read was the characters throwing venom back and forth to emphasize just how much they hate each other (but with a few awkward sexual attraction references thrown in, because let’s not make it too weird). Everything about this reads like high school drama, so other than aforementioned sexual references and an F-Bomb on every page, it was incredibly YA in tone and spirit.

I know we’re going for an enemies to lovers angle. That’s a trope I actually quite liked in Emily Henry’s Book Lovers. But the downright viciousness exhibited here, especially from the female lead, was excessive. But then immaturity compounds with this ridiculous farce of a plot where the characters have to pretend to date each other for the sake of a public image (some very loose reasoning about sports dynamics), but in reality it’s just a plot device to have the characters touch intimately as often as possible “for the sake of the cameras.” Gee, how romantic.

The book lost me entirely when they started jumping on the bed together and moaning to simulate an intimate moment.

Stupid. I thought the whole thing was stupid. I hated how vicious they were to each other. I hated how no one seemed to care about taking responsibility for their own actions. I hated the forced physical interactions (which didn’t do anything to build chemistry, it was just icky). And honestly the whole thing read to me a bit trashy. I really did not like this book.

Was there anything you liked about The Winged Game?

The sport was cool – kind of a Quidditch knock-off where they ride magical creatures (a specific one for each team, like giant birds. And dragons.) and compete to collect treasures from each other’s strongholds. If I got some of the details wrong, it’s because the book didn’t really spend much time on it up to where I stopped reading. It was 5% fun sports, 95% senseless drama.

Oh, yes, I liked the grumpy old mount. If I were to have continued reading, it would’ve been out of curiosity for that creature.

Would you read anything else by this author?

No, it’s clear that the genre and story isn’t my jam, and what the author finds “hot” will definitely not work for me. This is a case of going our separate ways. I’m sure the author would prefer I refrain from bashing her books in the future.

So you DNF’d the book – would you still recommend it?

Absolutely not, even as a “I didn’t like this, but you might still want to try it.” But here’s the thing, this book has SOO many positive reviews on Goodreads. To the point where I’m like… is this what women are finding romantic these days? And are we collectively okay with how much venom the female lead was allowed to spit at him without repercussion? Idk but the entire thing sits very uneasily with me. I’m glad to leave this book behind.

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Jen, Karen, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, Bee, Poochtee, Kinsey, Alysa, Derek, Kelly, Grace, Carmen, and Leticia! <3

This DNF review format was borrowed with permission from Nikki @ There Were Books Involved (who doesn’t blog anymore, but she still gets all the credit).

by Niki Hawkes

Aug 7 2026

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Novella Review: To Blackfyre Keep by Anthony Ryan

Title: To Blackfyre Keep

Author: Anthony Ryan

Series: Seven Swords #4

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

The Overview: Guyime – Demon Cursed wielder of the nameless blade – follows the trail of the fabled seven swords into the troubled northlands, a realm where he was once called king… and ravager. Magically guided to enlist in the retinue of a lovesick knight, Guyime and his companions journey to the haunted ruin of Blackfyre Keep, a castle legend tells cannot be held. But a far deadlier threat than mere ghosts awaits. An ancient evil has been conjured and to defeat it Guyime may be forced to become the monster he used to be—the Ravager reborn. –Goodreads

Niki’s Review:

Another entertaining installment! We’re at the point in the series now where momentum is starting to build and patterns are emerging – I’m thoroughly enjoying every step.

My favorite thing about the series is the incredibly expansive world-building. These rich settings have such depth, and all the books so far have made me feel like I’ve consumed a full-length series rather than a couple of meager novellas. It’s amazing to me that he’s able to pack so much into such a small page count. I’ve compared the first book to the atmosphere and expansiveness that I felt in my read of the first few Malazan books, and I still stand by that comparison. It has that X factor. And as world-building draws me to stories more than anything else, you can see why I’m enamored (even if my rating for this specific book is a bit conservative).

These books are more than the sum of their parts, and I’m there for all of it. This one in particular told a story I feel I’ve read before, missing a bit of the novelty from previous books. Also, as rad as I think the cover is, it does kind of let the cat out of the bag on this “great big mystery” of what’s going on around this keep. I read mostly for the discovery process, so knowing what was coming before it was revealed definitely affected my enjoyment (and therefore my rating) a bit. Even so, this is a highly recommendable little snack of a series, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Jen, Karen, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, Bee, Poochtee, Kinsey, Alysa, Derek, Kelly, Grace, Carmen, and Leticia! <3

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by Niki Hawkes

Aug 1 2026

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Book Review: Heaven’s River by Dennis E. Taylor

Title: Heaven’s River

Author: Dennis E. Taylor

Series: Bobiverse #4

Genre: Science Fiction

The Overview: More than a hundred years ago, Bender set out for the stars and was never heard from again. There has been no trace of him despite numerous searches by his clone-mates. Now Bob is determined to organize an expedition to learn Bender’s fate—whatever the cost. But nothing is ever simple in the Bobiverse. Bob’s descendants are out to the 24th generation now, and replicative drift has produced individuals who can barely be considered Bobs anymore. Some of them oppose Bob’s plan; others have plans of their own. The out-of-control moots are the least of the Bobiverse’s problems. Undaunted, Bob and his allies follow Bender’s trail. But what they discover out in deep space is so unexpected and so complex that it could either save the universe—or pose an existential threat the likes of which the Bobiverse has never faced. –Goodreads

Niki’s Review [3/5 stars]:

Heaven’s River was a departure from the storytelling format I’ve come to expect from Taylor, and I’m not sure the change did it any favors.

One word: pacing. One of the best things about the Bob books is that they clip along at a great pace. Maybe even too fast in some instances, which makes the moments where he decides to deep dive into a specific story thread even more satisfying and immersive. This entire book was an immersive deep dive that honestly read to me as though it were originally planned as two separate short novels that ultimately got mashed into one.

And here’s the thing: I actually LIKED the direction the story took because it reminded me of my favorite thread from the original trilogy (basking within a cool alien culture). No, my issues lie in execution. Diving in, we had a clear idea on what the objective was, however it was unclear through most of the book how the characters’ actions were actually helping them towards their objective. It felt more like stumbling around and getting fortunate a few times more than successful executions of a plan. And I mentioned pacing… oh my gosh move it along already. There were too many repeating elements and encounters that made the book feel like a lot more of a drag than it needed to be. And what’s more, the aliens they spent time with resembled a completely separate alien species we’d already encountered (the Pav). Call me crazy, but since all the main characters are basically the same, you’d think that would leave enough creativity behind to diversify the aliens just a bit more. Maybe he thinks the universe just needs more otters…

But I rant.

The book has some issues, but I’d say overall I’m still glad I read it to continue the series. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my time with these books this year, and I look forward to reading the next one. The good new is, it’s much shorter. And even though I have a rant to spare for this book, it was still something I enjoyed reading from start to finish. It’s just wasn’t as good as it COULD’VE been, you know?

Pick this series up if you enjoy the cheekier side of scifi. It’s fun without being dumb. Most of the time.

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Jen, Karen, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, Bee, Poochtee, Kinsey, Alysa, Derek, Kelly, Grace, Carmen, and Leticia! <3

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Dave’s Review [2.5/5 stars]:

Having enjoyed the first three Bobiverse novels for the most part, I went into Heaven’s River expecting more of the same. While I still found things to like, this is the first book in the series that left me feeling somewhat disappointed. It retains much of the charm and creativity that made the earlier books so much fun, but it also shows some signs that the formula is beginning to wear thin.

The biggest issue is the length. At over 500 pages, Heaven’s River feels considerably longer than the story it has to tell. The central mission is interesting enough, but it is stretched across too many detours and repetitive scenes, causing the pacing to drag for long stretches. Likewise, the series’ trademark humor, which was one of its greatest strengths early on, no longer lands with the same consistency. The pop culture references and self-aware wit are still present, but they have become predictable more often than not, rather than truly amusing.

That said, the novel has its merits. One of the main plot lines of the novel involves the exploration of the Quinlan civilization, which is imaginative and can be fascinating at times, even if the exploration is more drawn out than necessary. Perhaps the most interesting aspect is watching the Bobs continue to diverge into distinct individuals with competing philosophies and priorities. The growing ideological conflicts between different factions add genuine depth to the series and suggest that the greatest challenges facing the Bobiverse may ultimately come from within rather than from external threats. It sets up what I feel would be the most interesting direction for future installments in the series.

Although Heaven’s River still contains flashes of the imagination and charm that hooked me in the first book, it feels overextended at this point. I remain interested in seeing where the Bobiverse goes next, but I hope future installments recapture some of the tighter pacing and freshness of the first couple of novels.

Jul 25 2026

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Book Review: Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs

Title: Blind Date with a Werewolf

Author: Patricia Briggs

Series: Mercy Thompson World #whatever.5

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

The Overview: When the formidable werewolf Asil finds himself set up on five blind dates by unknown ‘friends’, his solitary life undergoes a dramatic change, in this captivating collection of stories by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson series. -Goodreads

The Review:

I had some reservations before diving into Blind Date with a Werewolf. For starters, I’m not much for short stories, so I was a bit wary of wasting time not feeling engaged. But since there was a strong through-line between them, it read more like a novel “in stories” as the cover tag puts it rather than stand-alone snippets. That helped a lot. I also wasn’t sure if I was in the mood for a romance, which the title leads you to believe this book is going to be. But I’m such a big fan of the Mercy Thompson/Alpha & Omega world that I knew I didn’t want to miss anything potentially plot-advancing, even on a minor scale… so here we are.

As it happens, I liked it better than I thought I would. The book was nothing like I expected. The blind date aspect was clever and cheeky, acting more as setups for fun supernatural mysteries than legit romantic encounters. There was indeed a romance angle – a very slight one that served more to set things up for future books than as any sort of major highlight within this one.

Was the story a bit too silly? Perhaps. I’ve always liked Asil as an enigma character. He’s a bit scary because we don’t really know much about him or why everyone in this world fears him. And he’s old.. as the book puts it, “Not quite as old as dirt,” which always made me picture a grizzled, cranky old man. But because everything has to be over-sexualized, I was informed many times while reading this that despite his age, he actually has the appearance of a much younger man. Of course he does. Because apparently werewolves don’t age. Anyway I amused myself by continuing to picture him as an old man on all of the dates/adventures. What’s more, the story took away a lot of Asil’s mystery – having him act very out of character (by my reckoning) for the sake of adhering to the book’s theme. Nothing about his mannerisms drew me back to that scary werewolf with history and depth. Briggs often likes to take these big bad wolves and show the reader their softer sides. Like, they’re deadly beasts to everyone else, but you’re special so they can behave like puppy dogs for you. Sometimes it’s charming. In this case it kind of wrecked a character I’ve spent several books wanting to know more about. At least his wolf is still a badass.

That said, I’m sure there’s a good reason for all of this setup. And the composition of the book itself was creatively done. The structure of the stories, the strong thematic elements throughout, the tie-backs, the series-relevant supernatural mysteries, the fun cameos, and the setup for what will likely be a somewhat important addition to the series going forward were major merits. The whole time I was reading it I was marveling at how cleverly done it was, even if I didn’t absolutely love the plot.

As the book has spoilers for things that happened in some of the most recent Alpha & Omega books, I would not recommend picking this up on a whim as a taste-test of the world. It’s very much for the fans, and it’s clear its purpose is to advance the plot of some of the more secondary characters in this world. As a big fan, I am very eager to find out how all of this will play into the next main book in the series.

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Jen, Karen, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, Bee, Poochtee, Kinsey, Alysa, Derek, Kelly, Grace, Carmen, and Leticia! <3

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Jul 23 2026

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Introducing: My Co-blogger Dave!

You may have noticed a new voice on the blog (no, I am not co-writing as an alias). It’s my pleasure to introduce my Partner and new co-blogger: Dave Clark. We’ve been reading friends for years and I’ve always admired his superbly written and insightful reviews, and have long taken inspiration at his dedication and consistency. When the opportunity arose to invite him to post with me on this platform, I was ecstatic. We have a lot of similar SFF interests (you may see some dual-reviews), but Dave is much more well-read, diving into multiple genres and is currently working his way through several award-winning books lists (like the Pulitzer and the Hugos). I think he’s going to add a delightful variety to our core of book reviewing. Here’s a few things he wrote about himself as a bio:

My story with books is a simple one. I have been reading (and accumulating) books for my entire life. You will rarely see me without one in reach. I got started as a kid, reading them under the covers with a flashlight when I was supposed to have been going to sleep. Sometimes I still lose some sleep to reading, although I have since upgraded to proper lighting in hopes of minimizing the strain on my aging eyes. The majority of my reading is within science fiction and fantasy, but I also like to branch out for some broader exposure. So I do read literary fiction, horror, or an occasional selection from just about any other genre.

I’m so happy to have him here, and I love the new life his presence has breathed into the space. Here’s to many years of geeking out together about books! <3

by Niki Hawkes

Jul 16 2026

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Book Review: Faith of Beasts by James S.A. Corey

Title: Faith of Beasts

Author: James S.A. Corey

Series: Captive’s War #2

Genre: Science Fiction

Rating: 5/5 stars!

The Overview: The monstrous Carryx empire was built by subjugation and war. Thousands of species are bound to their Sovran’s command in an endless, blood-soaked test: be useful in the eternal conflict or be slaughtered. Dafyd Alkhor, highest among their human captives, is feared and despised by the very people he champions. Ruthless in carving out his niche in the eternal war machine of the empire, he will reshape human nature itself as a tool for their alien masters’ use. But Dafyd’s loyalty is not what it seems. The Swarm, an agent of the Carryx’s deathless enemy, has been smuggled into the Carryx world-palace along with the human slaves. It’s discover a way to bring down the empire’s eternal reign. But the longer it lives among and within humanity, the more it forgets that it is a weapon. As the human captives spread through the battlefronts of empire, the awesome power of the Carryx becomes clear. And with it, a desperate plan for their destruction. But empires hide secrets, and even the deathless enemy may not be what it appears… –Goodreads

Niki’s Review:

My favorite book of the year so far!

Which is amazing considering it’s the second book in a trilogy (I always brace for middle-book syndrome). I don’t know why I was worried, though. These authors have been dazzling me for years and it’s to the point where I don’t even look to see what new books from Corey (or Abraham) are about – I just devour them.

I’ve said this before about most of the works I’ve read from these authors, but it continually amazes me how connected I always feel to these very flawed, painfully HUMAN characters. I’m not much of a character reader, generally, because I don’t often form bonds (or care to remember names) of the people in the stories. To me most characters feel little more than plot vessels. But it’s authors like the Corey team, Abercrombie, and Hobb who convince me the people I’m reading about are real. I’m realizing that what these character profiles have in common is how so deeply flawed (ahem.. human) they are, almost to the point of making them unlikable. THESE are the characters who’s stories move me. So maybe I am a character reader after all, I just need to buy in to how realistic they feel.

This series is so deftly written. There’s a recognizable cadence to this team’s writing style (which at this point feels like a warm hug) that is unique to their SFF series. It creates the most brilliant setups – some of the most breathtaking, fully engaging scenes I’ve ever read. Where I feel what’s going on viscerally and lose all touch with reality. It’s that X-factor that truly separates wonderful books from the absolute astounding books in my opinion. The sorts of books that make you want to find someone to talk to about them immediately. Where you finish them and find yourself reeling and still thinking about them days (or weeks/months/years) later. Only a few authors have ever done this to me before. The Corey team has now done it thrice.

After reading Faith of Beasts, I now have a newfound appreciation for why people love thriller novels. I read the back half of it on the edge of my seat. The Corey team are brilliant at cultivating momentum and suspense, and this poignant sense of danger that has me both wary and excited to turn to the next page. I can’t tell you the last book I read that actually raised the hair on my neck while I was reading it. If you can’t tell, I was super invested.

One thing we didn’t get in the Expanse was a lot of creature creation, as the series primarily takes place within our solar system. It’s almost like the duo are making up for lost time, because the abundance of aliens in Captive’s War is off the charts! It gives the story such an otherworldly (no kidding) feel. Great world-building is one of my favorite draws to books, as I love feeling completely transported to other worlds. That might be one reason why I don’t always mind when characters aren’t as strong. This series has it all though – character, world-building, writing, voice, pacing, momentum… it’s so rich! It has so many great components that I’m sure we could spend a dozen books exploring it, but how cool is it we get the best of the best compacted into a single trilogy? This is great, I can’t wait to see how it ends, and holy crap is the next one out yet?!

Thank you to my Patrons: Dave, Katrin, Frank, Jen, Karen, Sonja, Staci, Kat, Betsy, Eliss, Mike, Elizabeth, Bee, Poochtee, Kinsey, Alysa, Derek, Kelly, Grace, Carmen, and Leticia! <3

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