The Gorgon’s Fury (Tales of Newel and Doren #1) by Brandon Mull 5/5 Stars
I’ve been an avid reader of Brandon Mull’s since probably 2007 or 2008 and I am just ecstatic that in 2025 we are still getting more books in the Fablehaven world. The Gorgon’s Fury is the first book in a new series based on everyone’s two favorite Fablehaven satyrs, Newel and Doren. I had a difficult time getting into the book because the first chapter gives a detailed play-by-play of clobber ball (basically tennis). I don’t intimately know the game of tennis or the terminology that goes along with it so it was kind of a confusing read for me. But after that we get to enjoy the story from a wider angle and I absolutely loved it. Newel, Doren, Tess, and Knox travel through the Fairy Realm to the Okeechobee Overflow preserve and Murkwater to help solve the gorgon problem on their home preserve. The descriptions of their travels through southern Florida are rich and adventurous. I loved this one and eagerly away more tales of Newel and Doren!
I was given a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Il Dolche Far Niente: The Italian Way of Summer by Lucy Laucht 3/5 Stars
The photography in this book is fantastic and I bought this book because I love Lucy Laucht’s photographs. Just as a photography book this would have been five stars for me. I felt quite disconnected from the writing, which from my understanding was written by someone else. It read like an impersonal travel book to me. Lucy’s photographs convey the spirit of these Italian islands but the writing was so factually detailed that instead of getting lost in the writing I just thought about all the research that must have been done to find out all of the stuff that was mentioned. I would have much preferred travel diary excerpts or a small paragraph about people watching or something. I loved the inclusion of two recipes; I cannot wait to try them and would have loved more touches like that.

Toujours Provence by Peter Mayle 5/5 Stars
I enjoyed Toujours Provence so much more than A Year in Provence. The first book felt like a downer due to the frustrating renovation to the Mayle’s house and unwanted house guests, with little bits of Provençal magic sprinkled throughout. The second one so very funny, had mouthwatering descriptions off-the-beaten-path meals, and gave a glimpse into unique characters of the region. I’m so glad I kept reading this series and look forward to reading more.

When Plan A Fails (Izzy Santos #2) by Diana Corbitt 5/5 Stars
It was just as hard for me to put down this book as it was the first in the series. I absolutely love these characters, Rocky Harbor, and the points of view alternating between Izzy, *one* of the killers, and victims. The fact that there were many points-of-view meant we didn’t get as much insight into Izzy’s thought process while solving the cases (which I really liked from the first book), relationship with Brody, or her Aunt Maggie and I hope we get more of it all in future books. I also really appreciate how the web connecting all of these events was woven. Not only was it a fast-paced, enjoyable read, the mystery of what was going on stayed strong right up until the big reveal. Highly recommended and can’t wait to read more in this series.

Rebel Witch (The Crimson Moth #2) by Kristen Ciccarelli 5/5 Stars
I love this book and I love that it is part of a duology. Series can drag on and on these days and I really appreciate a short and sweet story. One can’t really say much about subsequent books without giving too much away but just know that what I loved about the first one is the same for this one. The writing, the world, the craftiness of the people who are drawn to each other and tell themselves they’re just using the other to accomplish their goal as an excuse not to end them or their interactions. I love the ending. I may be showing my age here but one thing I didn’t love about the book is that it seems a bunch of early 20-somethings are running things with a few exceptions. Seems unlikely! But I do love these books and definitely recommend.