Emily_H

This was such a wild, addictive dark reimagining of Tudor history. The premise alone hooked me—Anne Boleyn on the eve of execution and the unique twists towards revenge.

I loved the way the book flips the usual "history of rival queens" narrative into something way more powerful and almost rebellious. Seeing Anne and Lina (and more) go from distrust to uneasy alliance was one of the best parts—their old grudges don't disappear, but they get buried under something bigger and angrier. That tension makes every interaction feel sharp and unpredictable.

The Hellebore Sisterhood and the blend of historical figures with a slightly mythic, almost "witchy" undertones gives a unique tone that feels fresh rather than purely historical. There is almost a revolutionary energy, where women who've been discarded by history are quietly rewriting the rules and dismantling Henry's power piece by piece. There's a constant edge of revenge and consequence running through everything, and the book doesn't shy away from how personal and brutal that kind of justice becomes. It was incredibly satisfying.

The pacing was a little inconsistent and times I wanted more depth and other times I wanted a bit less.

Overall, a fierce, feminist revenge fantasy wrapped in Tudor history—bold, dramatic, and seriously hard to put down.

Thank you BookBrowse, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced ebook!

All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

????? 4.5 stars

Kelly Yang takes a fascinating premise—trading youth for opportunity—and turns it into a thought-provoking story about ambition, power, aging, and who gets to succeed. Maggie and Ingrid’s relationship kept me hooked from beginning to end; their mentorship, rivalry, and growing distrust created so much tension. I also loved how the novel explored race, privilege, and the sacrifices people make to chase their dreams. The pacing was fast, the social commentary was impactful, and several twists caught me by surprise. A compelling and memorable adult debut.

Thank you BookBrowse, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced ebook copy!

All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

Feast was a fascinating blend of historical fiction, mystery, and the supernatural and such a sensory reading experience. The descriptions of food, herbs, and feasts were so vivid that I felt completely immersed in the world. I especially loved watching Minha navigate a court where she never quite fit in, and I found myself rooting for her every step of the way. The story unfolds at a measured pace, but the atmosphere, intrigue, and emotional depth kept me invested. A unique and memorable read!

Thank you BookBrowse, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced ebook copy!

All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Insomniacs was one of those books that completely pulled me in. I loved the unlikely friendship that forms between Sybil, Zeke, Julian, and Betty as they bond over sleepless nights at the 24-hour diner. Each character was dealing with their own struggles—an empty nest, a career-threatening injury, grief, and a painful past—and watching them become a found family was the heart of the story!! When Betty disappears, the mystery adds real suspense, but it was the relationships and character growth that kept me invested. Equal parts mystery, friendship, and hope, this was a warm and compelling read.
4.5 ??

Thank you BookBrowse, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced ebook copy!
All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

Somebody Worth Killing was such a fun mystery! The main character Nadia was super relatable, funny and a bit of a mess and she completely won me over with her witty inner-dialogue. Nadia's family relationships and love for her life and home were a perfectly sweet counter balance to the main plot of murder for hire. I would consider this a light thriller, but there were also well placed themes of female equality, acceptance and the challenges of juggling marriage and motherhood. The story slowed down just a bit for me in the middle and then wrapped up very quickly, but I would still definitely recommend!

Thank you BookBrowse, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced ebook!

All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was completely invested in Ellie’s story! I often lean towards WWII historical novels but felt the same pull of immersion into the historical context of the Korean War during this read. The surrounding subjects of comfort women, gender equality, military occupation, civilian casualties, racism and even mental health are such important tragic topics that Chung tackled in such an engaging, relevant way. An emotional, but informative book that I highly recommend— 5??

Thank you BookBrowse, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced ebook!

All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Reimagining of Thornwood House was just a wonderful comfy hug of a story and I snuggled in for all of the magic! A cozy fantasy with a house as sweetly, petulant as a teenager and witches who you would love to sit with for tea. These main characters were all wrapped up in their own search for belonging and purpose plus some fun, sweet and sometimes emotional subplots of motherhood, a little romance and some family drama. Releasing in June and I highly recommend for anyone but especially lovers of cozy fantasy!!

Thank you BookBrowse, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced ebook copy!

All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a beautifully, deranged book in ALL THE BEST WAYS. Boring Asian Female, told from an internal first person POV, gives an intimate look into the depths of Elizabeth's life. Her thoughts, feelings, even the very dark and awful ones, are given to the reader on every page, in every situation. Important topics of self worth and upbringing and societal, cultural and gender pressures are all tackled. These feelings consume Elizabeth and drive her and really asks the question, How far is too far to get what you want? Even through all the madness, she was somehow lovably human and I couldn't put it down!

Impeccable writing that flowed into a thought provoking novel— highly recommend 5 stars!

Thank you BookBrowse and NetGalley for the advanced ebook! All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

I rarely give thrillers 5 stars, but The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera deserves every single one. The characters were developed well and super lovable. It was so easy to root for “Siri” the NY taxi-cab driver and her sweet spirit. She also just happens to love true-crime podcasts. The blossoming friendship between Siri and Amaya was forged with circumstances and a shared want for belonging as brown women finding her place in America. The reader was led to the twists by small clue drops throughout the story until the dramatic reveal in the last pages turned. Gunasekera’s writing is sweet, funny, suspenseful and perfectly descriptive of New York City mixed with a with a dose of family drama and multicultural challenges. This is supposed to be the first in a series and I cannot wait for more!

This book was a perfect blend of fact and fiction creating an immersive story of two complex successful women simply living their lives. Cullen did not shy away from the impact these women and others like them had on the beginnings of the feminist movement growing traction at the time. She also included several cultural truths and taboos relevant of this period including race, sex, abuse, journalistic voyeurism, poverty and drug abuse, painting the complete and wholistic picture for the reader. While these themes were woven throughout the storyline, this was ultimately a book about friendship and trust and love. Eve Arnold and Marilyn Monroe both achieved fame and notoriety while grappling with their identities and striving to be seen for their personal truths. Their struggles and triumphs are given depth and purpose during each changing phase of their lives allowing the reader to sympathize with every chapter. The narrative is given through Eve's perspective speaking almost directly to Marilyn which also easily pulls the reader into their reality. I was utterly captivated by every aspect of this story and couldn't recommend it enough. I'd give it a solid 5 stars!!