Book Review Alert: A Dance of Scales by Evelyn Grimald Stone

Reviewed: July 26th, 2026
Released: November 4th, 2025
Genre: Cozy Fantasy

Doctor Ross Rose has trained and worked for years to be the best human doctor to dragonkind that he can be. Now he’s leaving behind the comforts of the city and its society for the backwoods town of Vale’s Keep to be the dragon doctor to its winged residents. But Ross isn’t used to the ways of country life and is pretty sure he doesn’t fit in.

After taking on a crippled dragon to be his assistant, developing a distinct fondness for his housekeeper, Cecily, and running afoul of the most influential people in town when he accuses them of neglecting their dragons, Ross knows he’s in trouble. Everything gets worse when his genius sister runs away from his parents and ends up on his doorstep. He must navigate these new challenges and stand his ground against all those who want him out of the way.

Because Ross didn’t just come to Vale’s Keep to help dragons. He came here to find a magical flower that might just save his sister’s life. And he’s not going to give up that easily.

A Dance of Scales is the next book in the Dragons of Amontyr cozy standalone series. It features found family, standing up for what’s right, and, of course, dragons as far as the eye can see. This series can be read in any order.

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Book Review Alert: The Wing Swept Sky by Evelyn Grimald Stone

Reviewed: July 26th, 2026
Released: May13th, 2025
Genre: Cozy Fantasy

Kayleigh Espinosa wanted nothing so much as to be a courier, running messages through the streets of her home, tracing her maps with her own two feet. But on her first day, her hopes are dashed when the Courier Guild’s newest transport dragon chooses her to be his rider. Only, Zapyros isn’t the usual transport dragon. He’s a wardancer, bred for combat and transferred into the Guild after losing his last rider. Now, Kayleigh must figure out what it means for to be a courier and a dragon rider.

When her training master takes a particular dislike to both Kayleigh and Zapyros, she takes matters into her own hands to be the best courier the Guild has ever seen. Facing dangerous flocks of dragons and lightning-filled storms, being a courier is more perilous than she thought. With new friends and a dragon at her side, Kayleigh takes to the skies in the Great Race, the Guild’s most anticipated competition. And she intends to win.

The Wingswept Sky is the first book in the Dragons of Amontyr cozy fantasy series. It features a neurodivergent main character, found family, and of course, dragons delivering the post.

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Book Review Alert: Sailing with the Storm Sorcerer by R.S.S Rodrigues

Reviewed: July 3rd, 2026
Released: April 11th, 2026
Genre: Cozy Fantasy

Sometimes, the world doesn’t need a hero. Sometimes it needs a caretaker.

Despite being called the Cloud-Maker, Nuvem’s rain spells almost never work. He lives quietly on a garden-raft along the Whisperbend River, helping where he can, and trying not to believe the whispers that say he simply isn’t very good at magic.
Then the rain begins.

After Nuvem uncovers an ancient relic in the marshlands, the river rises. Strange winged Watchers take to the skies, and secrets buried beneath the bog begin to stir. The people of Silverfern Hollow adapt with cheer and warmth, but something old has awakened, and it seems to be following him.
Why does the rain answer Nuvem now, when it never did before?
Why do the spirits of the river watch his every step?
And why do forgotten voices call him Keeper?

At his side are Ludovic, a merchant and scholar who sees worth where Nuvem sees only doubt, and Andy, his sharp-tongued axolotl familiar. Together, they set out into the marshlands in search of answers. There, among mushroom circles and lost villages caught between moments, he understands that magic does not always come from power.
Sometimes, it comes from care.

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Book Review Alert: My Brother’s Keeper by Ben Schenkman

Reviewed: June 27th, 2026
Released: March 30th, 2026
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Magic is real, demons walk the earth, and Max’s brother is dead.

Max Asher, Jewish mystic and private-eye, never thought he’d be coming back to his home town to bury his twin brother, Solomon. He definitely never thought the funeral would turn into a case, but when Sol’s widow Gabby asks him to investigate the cause of death, “Uncle Max” is on the job.

When Max kicks the demon’s nest, he uncovers a conspiracy that forces him to reevaluate everything he thought he knew about his brother. Unfamiliar local politics blur the line between the supernatural and the mundane, and soon, fighting for justice becomes dangerously literal. If Max can uncover the murderer, he might just save his brother’s soul—but if he can’t, he’ll fall victim to the same deadly fate.

Putting the past to rest is going to take more than a shovel full of dirt.

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Book Review Alert: Archaeology of the Stars by Estelle Tudor

Reviewed: June 16th, 2026
Released: July 15th, 2025
Genre: Steampunk Fantasy

Following her parents’ disappearance, Gwyndolyn Carstairs dreams of joining the hallowed halls of the Astro-Archaeology Guild just like they did. But when the map she painstakingly and diligently plotted goes missing-and with it all hopes of presenting to the Guild-she sees everything she longed for evaporate.

Realising there is someone with the temerity to enter her locked office, she follows her erstwhile colleague, Dr Nicodemus Aster, to the airship dock. There, a sudden storm thrusts her into an unwanted quest, and far away from everything she has ever known.

When adventure and academia collide, fuelled by secrets and lies, Gwyndolyn will need to rely on her deepest instincts and inner strength. Only then will she discover who to trust-and uncover the mystery of her parents’ vanishing-if she is to obtain what her heart desires the most.

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Readers’ Favorite Awards Five Star Review for Forged by Betrayal and Blood

Reviewed by Ruﬃna Oserio for Readers’ Favorite

Forged by Betrayal and Blood by Helen Garraway opens the Celestial Throne series, a fantasy that brims with ancient magic, political intrigue, and a gritty redemptive journey. Vael Tor Arne, also known as the Butcher of Leif, is a disgraced soldier who has lived on the fringes of the empire, banished and haunted by a betrayal that destroyed not only his reputation but his family.

Farsolian warbands hunt Vael and his soldiers. His path leads to a lethal assassin, Disari, Sister of the Moon Blossom, whose mission to murder Emperor Talonm instead turns into an oath to destroy the oppressive sisterhood. When prophecies about the celestial dragons destined to protect the realm surface, Vael becomes the target of a sadistic warlord. Can he survive what is coming for him, protect his men, and find redemption?

Helen Garraway is a great entertainer, and her epic fantasy had me invested in her characters and how she explores their psychological wounds. Vael festers with survivor’s guilt and resentment, yet he is fond of his newfound family to whom he shows loyalty, especially Mort, the healer, and the protective Lars. Disari is another character who is grounded, struggling with the indoctrination by the Sisterhood and her desire for freedom. The setting is written with atmospheric detail, from the sanctuary’s stone archives to the Farsolian peaks and the snow that covers them. Forged by Betrayal and Blood is filled with action and scenes that test the human will.

Fans of Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing and The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon will find familiar thrills in the elements of military fantasy and dragon mythology; however, Garraway distinguishes her work through its examination of the cost of honor and the haunting question of whether a man broken by bloodshed can ever be free.

Book Two, Bound by Scale and Blossom is on pre order. Tentative release date, December 2026.

If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and also Oathsworn, the prequel novella to the SoulMist series, and get notified when my next books are published.

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The Wishing Shelf Book Awards Five Star Review for Forged by Betrayal and Blood

21st May 2026
TITLE: FORGED BY BETRAYAL AND BLOOD, CELESTIAL THRONE,
BOOK 1
AUTHOR: HELEN GARRAWAY
Star Rating: 5

‘A gripping epic fantasy filled with betrayal, dangerous secrets, assassins, dragons and a disgraced soldier forced to decide whether saving the empire is worth forgiving the man who destroyed his life.’
The Wishing Shelf

REVIEW
Helen Garraway throws readers straight into the action with Forged By Betrayal and Blood, and it doesn’t take long to get hooked. From the opening pages, the world feels dangerous, gritty and full of tension, with battles, political unrest and long-buried secrets all colliding at once. Vael is exactly the kind of fantasy lead that’s easy to root for — scarred by his past, carrying a terrible reputation, yet fiercely loyal to the men who stand beside him. The banter and loyalty within his group adds a lot of heart to
the story and keeps the darker moments balanced perfectly.

One of the strongest parts of the book is the character work. Vael and Emperor Talon are far more layered than they first appear, and watching their complicated history slowly unfold keeps the story compelling. Disari was another standout character for me. Her storyline brings a completely different perspective to the world, and her struggle between duty and freedom gives the book an emotional edge that works really well. None of the characters feel flat or predictable, which makes the shifting alliances and betrayals even more interesting.

The worldbuilding is rich without becoming overwhelming. Dragons, assassins, ancient gods and political power struggles all weave together naturally, and Garraway reveals details at a pace that keeps you wanting more. There’s a strong classic fantasy feel to the story, but it still feels fresh thanks to the character dynamics and the mystery surrounding the Celestial Throne and the missing dragons. The atmosphere throughout the book is fantastic — whether it’s brutal battles in the wilderness or tense
conversations in palace corridors.

Overall, Forged By Betrayal and Blood is a really enjoyable start to what feels like an epic fantasy series. It has action, intrigue, emotional moments and just enough mystery to keep the pages turning. If you enjoy character-driven fantasy with flawed heroes, dangerous politics and slow-burning secrets, this is definitely one to pick up. I’ll absolutely be reading the next book.

‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
http://www.thewsa.co.uk

If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series. Sign up to my newsletter and download a free novella called Sentinals Stirring and also Sentinals Discovery, the first few chapters of Sentinals Awaken from Birlerion’s POV and get notified when my next books are published.

Book Review Alert: When Legends Spark by Casey Blair

Reviewed: April 22nd, 2026
Released: December 10, 2024
Genre: Epic Fantasy

A firestarter of unmatched power,
The most legendary swordsman alive,
And the sparks that will ignite their worlds…

Kazuron is happy with his isolated life, but everything changes when he discovers a kidnapped firestarter in the snowy expanse of the Frozen Wilds.

Since the people Jesra made herself small for betrayed her, she’s ready to use her magical fire to burn those bridges with prejudice. Unfortunately, she can’t do it alone. While Kazuron may be the only person she’s felt at home with, he’s retired and doesn’t need her problems.

But shocking no one more than him, he wants them—and her, with all her magnificent fire—to stay. If only he had something to offer her beyond choosing each other’s battles, because Kazuron’s enemies and the past he’d thought behind him are back and more treacherous than Jesra’s.

With the sanctuary of the Frozen Wilds threatened, it will take both their skills to fight the combined forces after them—if they can trust each other to stand by them when they demonstrate just how much they’re really capable of, and reach for a brighter future together.

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Book Review Alert: Scale of the Dragon by Richard Fierce

Reviewed: March 27th, 2026
Released: July 5th, 2021
Genre: YA Epic Fantasy

Her key to freedom is also her torment.

Mina is an outcast. A childhood accident left her scarred and with a curse that her master exploits to hunt dragons for sport.

She wants freedom, from both her master and the curse, but unless the right dragon is killed, she’ll be a bondservant for the rest of her days.

With Mina’s uncanny ability and her master’s magical strength, the beast responsible for her misery will fall … even if she has to take matters into her own hands.

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Book Review Alert: Kiss and Tell : How to Write Unforgettable Sex Scenes by Michelle Hazen

Reviewed: March 19th, 2026
Released: August 15th, 2026
Genre: Writing Aide

Dawn approaches…

Learn how to confidently write smoldering sex scenes…even if the idea of it has you nervous-giggling into a glass of Chardonnay.

This book is the holy grail for all spicy romance authors. Whether you’re a newbie who isn’t sure where to start or you’ve banged out so many sex scenes that your keyboard needs a cigarette break, this one’s for you.

As the author of nine critically-acclaimed—and very steamy—romances, I understand that lecturing yourself to “write this hotter!” isn’t enough. I’ve been a certified writing coach for nearly a decade, so I can lead you step-by-step through ACTUAL THINGS YOU CAN DO to turn your open-door scenes from “okay, let’s get this over with” to “melt your Kindle.”

Here’s a taste of what you’ll get:

Take the guesswork out of what makes something sexy or not.
Stand out from the herd by writing sex scenes with depth: character specific, emotionally complex, and hot as h*ll.
Deploy sneaky sentence-level tricks that will drive your readers’ subconscious experience.
Choose vocabulary that doesn’t sound like you’re teaching sex ed.
Advice that works for queer and straight romances alike. Nope, we’re not going to be hetero-norming over here!
Break down how to write a Big Kiss scene that has the trumpets swelling.
Analyze examples from authors at the top of their game, like Katee Robert, Tiffany Reisz, Natalie Naudus, and more!
BONUS: I’ll reveal the dirty secret of sex-scene writing that no one is supposed to say out loud–the one that’s going to revolutionize the way you look at sex scenes!

So go ahead. Grab some popcorn, kick your feet up, and let’s have a laugh along the way to making your happy couple even happier!

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