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Spotlight: A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.

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Spotlight: The Undead Truth of Us by Britney S. Lewis

Hi, hello friends! This week, I have decided to spotlight The Undead Truth of Us by Britney S. Lewis because let me tell you: when Cossette sent me this book on TikTok I knew I had to feature it. While I’m not the biggest fan of zombies, in fact they scare me to high heaven, this book sounds too good not to instantly preorder. This book is releasing on August 9th, and I am anxiously waiting for this to load onto my kindle so I can jump into this thrilling debut by Britney S. Lewis. Here’s the synopsis:

Death was everywhere. They all stared at me, bumping into one another and slowly coming forward.

Sixteen-year-old Zharie Young is absolutely certain her mother morphed into a zombie before her untimely death, but she can’t seem to figure out why. Why her mother died, why her aunt doesn’t want her around, why all her dreams seem suddenly, hopelessly out of reach. And why, ever since that day, she’s been seeing zombies everywhere.

Then Bo moves into her apartment building―tall, skateboard in hand, freckles like stars, and an undeniable charm. Z wants nothing to do with him, but when he transforms into a half zombie right before her eyes, something feels different. He contradicts everything she thought she knew about monsters, and she can’t help but wonder if getting to know him might unlock the answers to her mother’s death.

As Zharie sifts through what’s real and what’s magic, she discovers a new truth about the world: Love can literally change you―for good or for dead.

In this surrealist journey of grief, fear, and hope, Britney S. Lewis’s debut novel explores love, zombies, and everything in between in an intoxicating amalgam of the real and the fantastic.

I cannot wait to get my hands on this book, and if you feel like it’s something you’d enjoy too, there’s links below for where you can preorder! 


Links for The Undead Truth of Us: Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop | Indiebound

Spotlight: The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman

Hi, hello friends! This week I thought it would be fun to tell you all about my next read! The Ivory Key by Akshaya Raman was the additional book in the January Illumicrate, and I have been so excited to read it ever since I received it. Unfortunately I haven’t really been in the mood for a fantasy until now, but I am itching to pick it up and get reading – I have a sneaky feeling it’s a book I’m going to love! Here’s the synopsis for The Ivory Key: 

Magic, a prized resource, is the only thing between peace and war. When magic runs out, four estranged royal siblings must find a new source before their country is swallowed by invading forces. The first in an Indian-inspired duology.

Vira is desperate to get out of her mother’s shadow and establish her legacy as a revered queen of Ashoka. But with the country’s only quarry running out of magic–a precious resource that has kept Ashoka safe from conflict–she can barely protect her citizens from the looming threat of war. And if her enemies discover this, they’ll stop at nothing to seize the last of the magic.

Vira’s only hope is to find a mysterious object of legend: the Ivory Key, rumored to unlock a new source of magic. But in order to infiltrate enemy territory and retrieve it, she must reunite with her siblings, torn apart by the different paths their lives have taken. Each of them has something to gain from finding the Ivory Key–and even more to lose if they fail. Ronak plans to sell it to the highest bidder in exchange for escape from his impending political marriage. Kaleb, falsely accused of assassinating the former maharani needs it to clear his name. And Riya, a runaway who cut all family ties, wants the Key to prove her loyalty to the rebels who want to strip the nobility of its power.

They must work together to survive the treacherous journey. But with each sibling harboring secrets and their own agendas, the very thing that brought them together could tear apart their family–and their world–for good. 

Doesn’t it sound fantastic? I can’t wait to read and review this book for everyone, so keep your eyes peeled for when that gets posted! 

Links for The Ivory Key: Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop | IndieBound 

Spotlight: 5 Reasons to Read the Kingdom of Cards Series

If you didn’t know, October is Filipino-American Heritage Month. As a Filipino-American myself, I always want to amplify the voices of other Filipino authors. Last year, I had posted a spotlight on Janella Angeles’ debut novel, Where Dreams Descend, and it just so happens that the sequel, When Night Breaks, was released earlier this month. I felt compelled to spotlight Janella’s fabulous work again, so I thought I’d list 5 reasons why you should read the Kingdom of Cards series!

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Spotlight + Interview: The Boy With Fire by Aparna Verma

Hi, hello lovely readers! I’m so incredibly excited today to spotlight a very exciting Adult Fantasy debut, releasing the 31st August! The Boy With Fire is an exciting debut by Aparna Verma, filled with lush imagery and interesting magic. If those two things sound like something you’d enjoy, here’s the full synopsis:

Dune meets The Poppy War in Aparna Verma’s The Boy with Fire, a glorious yet brutal tour-de-force debut that grapples with the power and manipulation of myth in an Indian-inspired epic fantasy.

Yassen Knight was the Arohassin’s most notorious assassin until a horrible accident. Now, he’s on the run from the authorities and his former employer. But when Yassen seeks refuge with an old friend, he’s offered an irresistible deal: defend the heir of Ravence from the Arohassin, and earn his freedom.

Elena Ravence prepares to ascend the throne. Trained since birth in statecraft, warfare, and the desert ways, Elena knows she is ready. She only lacks one thing: the ability to hold Fire. With the coronation only weeks away, she must learn quickly or lose her kingdom.

Leo Ravence is not ready to give up the crown. There’s still too much work to be done, too many battles to be won. But when an ancient prophecy threatens to undo his lifetime of work, Leo wages war on the heavens themselves to protect his legacy.

The first of The Ravence Trilogy, The Boy with Fire is the tale of a world teetering on the edge of war and prophecy, of fate and betrayal, of man’s irrevocable greed for power — and the sacrifices that must come with it.

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Spotlight: Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam

Hi, friends! I thought this week it would be fun to spotlight my current audiobook read: Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi & Yusef Salaam. Despite not being very far into this book, so far it’s absolutely fantastic! Written in verse, this book is compelling from the start, and you will find yourself utterly entranced by the poetry. Centred around Amal, a teenage boy convicted and imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit, this book explores the systematic racism in the justice system in an impactful and devastatingly beautiful way. And I tell you what, I cannot wait to finish it and write a full review for the blog. 

Here’s the full synopsis!

From award-winning, bestselling author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam of the Exonerated Five comes a powerful YA novel in verse about a boy who is wrongfully incarcerated. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds, Walter Dean Myers, and Elizabeth Acevedo.

The story that I thought

was my life

didn’t start on the day

I was born

Amal Shahid has always been an artist and a poet. But even in a diverse art school, he’s seen as disruptive and unmotivated by a biased system. Then one fateful night, an altercation in a gentrifying neighborhood escalates into tragedy. “Boys just being boys” turns out to be true only when those boys are white.

The story that I think

will be my life

starts today

Suddenly, at just sixteen years old, Amal’s bright future is upended: he is convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and sent to prison. Despair and rage almost sink him until he turns to the refuge of his words, his art. This never should have been his story. But can he change it?

With spellbinding lyricism, award-winning author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam tell a moving and deeply profound story about how one boy is able to maintain his humanity and fight for the truth, in a system designed to strip him of both.

Like I said, I cannot wait to finish this book. I can just tell it’s going to be a five-star read. What are you currently reading? Be sure to let me know in the comments below! 

Links for Punching the Air: Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop | IndieBound 

Spotlight: Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

Hi, hello friends! For those who may not have known, I was just in a production of Picnic at Hanging Rock, a play based on the Australian classic novel. The show was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the book a lot, so I thought what better way to celebrate the end of the show than with a blog post spotlighting the book. Published in 1967, this book is set in the 1900s and follows a group of girls from a private college who go on a picnic to the mysterious Hanging Rock. A group of them go, but three of them do not return. Here’s the full book summary! 

It was a cloudless summer day in the year nineteen hundred.

Everyone at Appleyard College for Young Ladies agreed it was just right for a picnic at Hanging Rock. After lunch, a group of three of the girls climbed into the blaze of the afternoon sun, pressing on through the scrub into the shadows of Hanging Rock. Further, higher, till at last they disappeared.

They never returned.

Whether Picnic at Hanging Rock is fact or fiction the reader must decide for themselves.

Be sure to let me know if you end up reading this wonderful mystery! I’d love to know what you think, and what your theory is about what happened to the girls on the hanging rock. 

Links to Picnic at Hanging Rock: Goodreads | TheStoryGraph | Bookshop | Indiebound

Spotlight: Caitlyn’s Favorite Reads of 2021 So Far

As the end of June comes and July begins (what on earth, please — how is it July 1st tomorrow?) I thought it would be a great time to talk about some of my favorites reads of 2021 so far! It was definitely difficult to pick only a few favorite reads as I’ve already read so many amazing books. In fact, out of the 85 books that I’ve read this year, I’ve rated 74 between 4 and 5 stars. Ultimately, when deciding on my favorites, I went with the books that I continue to think about long after I’ve finished them. 

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Spotlight: Caitlyn’s Favorite Shakespeare Plays

Well, with April coming to a close as does my William Shakespeare month (though am I ever not talking about Shakespeare?). I’ve really loved focusing on Shakespeare and his works this month. As I said at the beginning of the month, Shakespeare’s works have been so influential to so many, so it’s been awesome to check out works that have been modeled after his as well as reading his works.


Originally my goal was to read all 39 of Shakespeare’s plays by the end of this month, but alas due to just life in general that has not happened. As of now, I’ve read 11 plays, so my goal is to now finish them by June. We’ll see how that goes. While I haven’t read/reread all of his works before writing this post, I do know which plays are my favorites because they’re the ones I always gravitate to and ones that mean a lot to me.

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Spotlight: If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

As we know, this month I am celebrating all things Shakespeare in honor of the Bard’s birth/death month. Today, I’ll be discussing my favorite book, If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio.

Note that this post does include major spoilers, so if you haven’t read If We Were Villains yet and don’t want to be spoiled, check out the book before you read this post.

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