February 2025 – Gwendalyn’s Books

Hello everyone! I am super excited to be on the blog tour for A Tempest of Tea (Paperback) by Hafsah Faizal.

A Tempest of Tea (Paperback)

by Hafsah Faizal.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publishing date: February 25, 2025

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Rep: South Asian, POC

SYNOPSIS

Why save the world when you can have tea?

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the sinister, glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.

From the New York Times—bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame comes the first book in a hotly anticipated fantasy duology teeming with romance and revenge, led by an orphan girl willing to do whatever it takes to save her self-made kingdom. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.

Content Warning: death, violence, death of parents, racism, colorism, kidnapping, colonization, grief, human trafficking, drugging, abuse.

REVIEW

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a non spoiler review, because you as reader need to read this book. Also, I feel sometimes I have in the past gave away to much of the plot line. This has diminished the pleasure for would be readers..

Arthie Casimir has climbed up from the bottom to become a fierce crime boss. Using secrets she has acquired to remain on top. Her brother by choice, Jin and her run an illegal tearoom known as Spindrift, that under the cover of darkness caters to Vampires. When everything Arthie and Jin has worked for is threatened they find themselves taking on the colonizing rulers. Pulling together a team they must enter the dark vampire world of the Athereum.

Exceptionnel world building, with multi POV’s and a diverse cast of characters make this book stand out. Heavy on political intrigue, this heist fantasy has budding romance and vengeance.

Tea

Heists,

Found family

Darkish fantasy

Vampires

AUTHOR

Book

Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson

February 19, 2025 Gwendalyn’s Books

Hello Gracious Readers !

Today is my stop on the blog tour for

Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson.

Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Publishing date: February 18, 2025

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Rep: LGBT+, Queer, chronic illness, endo

SYNOPSIS

A teen girl travels to an exclusive boarding school located deep within the Scottish moorlands after a deadly incident at her old school, but the wood-paneled halls of Agathion are built over centuries of secrets—including an ancient society which may have ties to demonic magic—in this dark academia fantasy perfect for fans of Curious Tides.

Page Whittaker has always been an outcast. And after the deadly incident that destroyed her single friendship at her old school, she needs a fresh start. Which is why when she receives a scholarship offer from Agathion College, an elite boarding school folded deep within the moors of Scotland, she doesn’t even consider turning it down.

Agathion is everything Page has ever a safe haven full of dusty books, steaming cups of tea and rigorous intellectual debate. And for the first time in her life, Page has even managed to become part of a close group of friends. Cyrus, Ren, Gideon, Lacey and Oak help her feel at home in Agathion’s halls–the only problem is, they’re all keeping secrets from her.

Page doesn’t know it yet, but her perfect new school has dark roots–roots that stretch back to its crooked foundation, and an ancient clandestine society with rumored ties to demonic magic. Soon, Page will be forced to learn that not everyone at Agathion is who they say they are. Least of all, her friends.

Agathion claims to teach its students history…but some histories should stay buried.

Content Warning: death, blood, murder, gun violence, car accident, amputation, self harm

REVIEW

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Page Whittaker secretly longs for a place to fit in, and just maybe the exclusive Agathion boarding school might be the place. Set deep in the Scottish moors, the isolated school’s ideology of mind over body, and heavy Classical Latin and Greek and Roman philosophy make for the perfect dark academia setting. After a violent incident at her last school she excepts a scholarship to attend Agathion and hopefully have a new start. Once there she finds school a challenge, and just when she is on the edge of becoming excepted into a close nit circle of friends, she realizes that they and the school’s magistrates are keeping mysterious secrets from her.

AUTHOR

Lili Wilkinson is the award-winning author of eighteen books for young people, including The Erasure Initiative and After the Lights Go Out. Lili has a PhD from the University of Melbourne, and is a passionate advocate for YA and the young people who read it, establishing the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Her latest book is A Hunger of Thorns.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Book

Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli

February 19, 2025 Gwendalyn’s Books

Hello everyone! Today is my stop on the blog tour for

Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli.

Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli.

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publishing date: February 18, 2025

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

SYNOPSIS

The stakes are even higher in this epic, romantic conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Crimson Moth duology.

A WITCH…
Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. If Rune hopes to survive, she must ally herself with the cruel and dangerous Cressida Roseblood, who’s planning to take back the Republic and reinstate a Reign of Witches—something Cressida needs Rune to accomplish.

A WITCH HUNTER…
Apparently it wasn’t enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she’s now betrayed him by allying herself with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won’t allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters.

AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE…
When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can’t refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren’t as dead and buried as he thought. Now he’s faced with a terrible choice: sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.

In Kristen Ciccarelli’s Rebel Witch, the exciting conclusion to The Crimson Moth duology, love has never been so deadly.

REVIEW

Thank you to @tbrandbeyond, @wednesdaybooks, and @kristenciccarelli for the #gifted copy!

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rebel Witch, by Kristen Ciccarelli is the stunning conclusion to the Crimson Moth Duology. A binge worthy action packed, romantasy, that have reader completely satisfied. This book was everything that I hoped it would be and more! Supreme character development along with expanded world building. So much sass and banter between Rune and Gideon. A perfect example of Enemies to Lovers done right.

I am excited to read this talented authors next book 📕

Kristen Ciccarelli is the New York Times, Sunday Times, and Indie bestselling author of Heartless Hunter (Book 1 in The Crimson Moth duology), Edgewood, and the Iskari series. Before writing books for a living, she dropped out of college and worked as a baker, a potter, and a bookseller. She currently resides in the Niagara region of Ontario with her husband and daughter.

Visit her online at http://www.kristenciccarelli.com or on Instagram at @kristenciccarelli.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

Book

The Forest King’s Daughter by Elly Blake

February 12, 2025 Gwendalyn’s Books

Hello everyone! I am so so excited to apart of the book the tour for The Forest King’s Daughter by Elly Blake.

The Forest King’s Daughter by Elly Blake

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publishing date: February 11, 2025

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

SYNOPSIS

For fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, The Forest King’s Daughter is an enemies-to-forbidden-lovers romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Frostblood.

Once upon a time, among the bloodred trees of Thirstwood, a young forest princess became friends with a lonely demon boy. He gifted her an amber ring, a worthless trinket…or so he thought…because no sooner did he slide it onto her finger than the demon queen and forest king declared war.

Years later, Cassia is a crucial force in her father’s army, wielding her ring of light that can blind and disorient hundreds of demons at a time. Then battle-hardened Zeru abducts her, planning to steal the ring back to fix his costly childhood mistake. Exhausted, terrified, and more than a little mistrusting, Cassia is forced to travel with Zeru to a place they both believed only existed in storybooks, one where their childhood friendship slowly rekindles into something much more. But it’s only a matter of time before the war they’ve escaped comes for them, and a hidden threat to forest folk and demons alike grows in the shadows.

From the author of the Frostblood Saga comes the first book in an enchanting, adventure-filled fantasy series about the daughters of the powerful forest king, sure to leave readers breathless and desperate for more.

REVIEW

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Forest Kings’s Daughter is the first instrument in the Thirstwood book series

Zeru from Dracu, an unground civilization, loves sneaking above ground to the forest of the Sylvans. There in the forest he has befriended Cassia, and he secretly awaits with a special gift, a ring.

This events sets into motion a long a grilling war that last ten years. Where Zeru and Cassia who were once childhood friends became sworn enemies. Cassia needs to save her people only if she can master the rings magic. Zeru needs the ring back so kidnaps Cassia only they find themselves catapulted to somewhere else entirely.

Blake delivers an immersive reading experience. I enjoyed the world building and fantastical creatures, along with the lively banter between the two MC’s. Some twist and the slow burn kept me reading from start to finish.

An Engaging YA Fantasy

AUTHOR

Elly Blake is the NYT bestselling author of FROSTBLOOD. After earning a BA in English literature, she held a series of seemingly random jobs including project manager, customs clerk, graphic designer, reporter for a local business magazine, and library assistant. She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and a Siberian Husky mix who definitely shows Frostblood tendencies.

Her work is represented by Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media.

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