5 Sheep Book Review: The Stolen Crown (The Ever Seas) by LJ Andrews

The Stolen Crown (The Ever Seas)
Book 4 of 4: The Ever Seas
by LJ Andrews
October 6, 2026
Genre: romantasy
Love and duty are thrown to the treacherous deep sea in the next Ever Seas book from bestselling author and TikTok sensation LJ Andrews.

She is the life of the party. He is the villain you never wish to meet alone.

Tait Heartwalker may be the cousin of the Ever King, but royally good company he is not. He’s ill-tempered and unapproachable, sharpened by the hard responsibilities of life and loyalty. But to the dismay of Mira Sekundär, princess of the glamour fae, he’s also intoxicating to look at.

Despite doing their best to avoid each other, fate has other plans when an otherworldly storm shipwrecks Tait and Mira far beyond the boundaries of the Ever Kingdom. They are forced to break through the thorny barriers between them and work together to find their way home. One wrong step and they’ll never return alive…

Yet as their feelings deepen, a new threat rises from the waters. And this enemy is so dangerous, even the history books tried to forget their existence.

The Stolen Crown can be read as a standalone set in the Ever Seas world. 

Amazon

The Stolen Crown (The Ever Seas book 4) by author L.J Andrews is some love found 'under the sea' and I do love some motion of the ocean!

Okay, that was a bit over the top but this one is sunken treasure that not even Davy Jones can compete with. It's so freaking hot and baby it burns, even in the cold depths of the deep. I loved the whole cast of mystical characters and the fae world that comes to life in the most vulnerable ways.

From start the finish this is a fantastical ride of danger and adventure that sailors could sing songs about. TONS of exciting romance had me turning the pages at record speeds. Loved it!

Getting 5 Sheep

 

 

KD

About the Author:
website
Stay up to date with all LJ Andrews releases by joining her mailing list here: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/f1a4x1

LJ Andrews is a USA Today Bestselling author of fantasy romance. She could live in dark worlds with brutal romantic heroes all day. When she isn't writing she's keeping her four kids alive, spending time with her hot husband, or enjoying the mountains of Utah.

Feel free to contact LJ with thoughts, concerns, book musings at ljandrewsauthor@gmail.com.

Book Review: The Secrets of Everlight (Shattered Kingdoms Book 1) by Julie Hall

The Secrets of Everlight (Shattered Kingdoms Book 1)
by Julie Hall
October 6, 2026
Genre: historical fantasy
A thief turned spy must unravel an assassination plot against the fae prince by disguising herself as a princess competing for his heart in this entrancing romantasy by USA Today bestselling author Julie Hall.

For nineteen years, Rowan has fought to survive: first on the streets scavenging for scraps, then bound by a decade-long contract to a corrupt master. She longs for freedom but spends her days stealing from the highborn to pay off her servitude.

When a mysterious fae buys her contract, Rowan seizes her chance to escape. But her freedom comes at a price: she must uncover the assassin targeting Prince Dryden of the Ember Kingdom. To do so, she will pose as a princess among the royals competing for his hand in marriage.

Thrust into a world of silks and finery, Rowan has just weeks to master her role while hunting a killer hidden in plain sight. Eavesdropping and sneaking through gilded halls may come naturally, but the bonds she forms with the other princesses—and Dryden’s growing interest in her—are complications that threaten to unravel everything.

As whispers of danger beyond the kingdom rise, Rowan realizes the stakes are far greater than she imagined. And every stolen glance with the prince pulls her closer to a desire that could cost her not only her future but the kingdom itself.

Amazon

The Secrets of Everlight (Shattered Kingdoms) by Julie Hall is filled with Fae and some steamy forbidden romance!

An assassination plot keeps this moving along to uncover the who done it. Tons of mythical creatures laced with magics and some very hard hitting ladies kept me moving right along the plot lines.

Loved all the detailed built in this world of fantasy, high stakes and romance. It runs a tad bit long with some scenarios getting a smidge long winded. But for those that like that extra depth, you'll enjoy this one.

Getting 4 Sheep

 

 

KD

About the Author:
website
Julie Hall is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning author who traded her career in movie marketing for worlds filled with magic, danger, and slow-burn romance. She writes the kind of fast-paced, heart-wrenching fantasy stories that leave readers with epic book hangovers and a desperate need for more.

Her love of all things fantasy and supernatural started early—thanks to Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathons and a dog-eared collection of L.J. Smith paperbacks—and she’s been chasing that same blend of heart, humor, and high stakes ever since.

Her stories have captured readers around the world and are known for fierce heroines, morally gray love interests, and twists that make you gasp out loud. She lives in Colorado with her husband, daughter, and two furry chaos-makers, forever chasing stories where love burns bright in the darkest moments.

Instagram: Julie.Hall.Author
TikTok / Facebook: JulieHallAuthor

Incarnate (Vicious Villains Anthology Book One) by Charlotte Mallory

When the Villain has a Happy Ever After...

Incarnate (Vicious Villains Anthology Book One)
by Charlotte Mallory
October 5, 2026
Tropes:

• Clingy Demon King
• Fated Mates
• Gothic Underworld
• Obsession/Yearning
• Reincarnation Romance

What if demon kings had a heart, somewhere deep within? What if they were obsessive, possessive, and yearnful? Once upon a time, there existed such an entity, and he was not one to share what he deemed his...

My name is Penelope, and upon my death, I awoke in the Otherworld. I was processed as normal. Introduced to my new life. Told that I'd slowly forget my earthly memories… until I saw his painting. Kallúm, the demon king that we owe allegiance to.

His eyes followed me.

It was easy to ignore, assuming it was a facet of this world. Until I’m led to a deeply subterranean statue of him, where every newcomer makes an obligatory offering of fruit. His carved figure was surrounded by small, sweet, colorful signs of devotion--markings of every soul that had pledged allegiance before me, whether by reverence or by force. I placed mine at his feet, and his stone lids opened.

I can feel that he saw me.

Apparently, my soul has been here before, and he was hungry to catch me then. Now I’ve returned, except as far as I know, I’m just Penelope.

Come to me, tempest…

The Villainous Retellings Anthology, because why does the hero always get the happy ending?
Book 1 Incarnate by Charlotte Mallory October 5, 2026
Book 2 Feral by Cassandra Aston October 9, 2026
Book 3 Darkling by Isabella Khalidi October 12, 2026
Book 4 Timeless by Amber Bunch October 16, 2026
Book 5 Delirium by Dawn Darling October 19, 2026

FULL STANDALONE, guaranteed HEA.

Please visit www.charlottemallory.com for trigger warnings... it does contain spice, graphic language, graphic depictions of battle, and being captured.

Purchase Link

IG: @cmalloryauthor @rrbooktours
TIKTOK: @cmalloryauthor @rrbooktours
#rrbooktours #RRBTIncarnate #spicyromance #paranormalromance

Authors:
Charlotte Mallory @cmalloryauthor
Cassandra Aston @cassandra.aston.author
Isabella Khalidi @isabellakhalidiauthor
Amber Bunch @amber.bunch_author
Dawn Darling @dawndarlingauthor

Excerpt: Whispers of the Pale Witch (Beckett Coven Series Book One) by S.A. Sizemore

Whispers of the Pale Witch (Beckett Coven Series Book One)
by S.A. Sizemore
Genre: Horror/Paranormal Thriller
Publisher: Rowan Prose Publishing
Date of Publication: September 29, 2026
ISBN: 978-1-961967-99-1
ASIN: B0FTBTKG9J
Number of pages: 398
Word Count: 98,000
Cover Artist: Kelly Moran
Some secrets should just stay buried.

After the sudden death of her great-aunt, Kylie Beckett lands her dream job as a forensic photographer in the small seaside town where she was born. But once there, a series of murders and the theft of a dangerous relic force Kylie to uncover the dark truth about her ancestors.

With the help of newfound family, she learns to harness unconscious powers to stop the vengeful and unstable Pale Witch before she unleashes a demonic spirit on Salem, Massachusetts once again.

Shall we begin?

Books2Read-Amazon

Excerpt 1- Chapter 1
Just as she was in life, Deliverance was a demon in death.

Her cruel whispers invaded quiet conversations. Her hate-filled face raced past in the shadows. Destroying the body didn’t end her baneful abuses. Instead, she became limitless and everywhere, always.

A thick breath of fog rolled in from Derby Wharf, obscuring much of the town in its salty grip. Beneath a brick wall, Angela’s torso hovered close to the ground like a disembodied specter. It was just past the witching hour.

Trying to ignore the demon’s voice, her foot forced a shovel tip between the invading roots of an old elm tree. Late summer rain softened the first two feet, but the deeper she went, the more arduous her task became. As its blade struck the cold earth, the shovel’s handle creaked once more. If it could just hold out a bit longer, weeks of their nocturnal labor would come to an end tonight.

The whispers beneath her feet intensified into a full-throated growl. Too loud. Angela pulled a small bottle of water out of her pocket and sprinkled it over the soil. Its bitter blessing drove the sound into silence once more.

For years, drugs numbed the whispers and obscured the demon’s face, but Angela’s gatekeepers eventually tossed her out like many crumpled bits of garbage now littering the streets of the North Shore. In Boston, she found ways to calm the chaos by coercing the gullible. Many survived their interactions with her. Some were not as fortunate.

During a moment of weakness, she tried to end her own life, but Lyssa and Hekate kept her from the slumber of death. Instead, her beloved Goddesses graciously bestowed visions of destiny upon their troubled servant.

The shovel finally bumped against something other than rocks and roots. A rush of excitement flowed through Angela’s veins. Turning the blade over, she scraped back the earth from the old pine lid. Then she jammed the shovel’s metal edge between the boards.

Nails loosened, but the pressure snapped the rusted collar from the shovel’s wooden handle. She grumbled something incoherent and tossed the broken tool aside. It landed with a soft thud onto the foraged slab of plywood she’d been using to cover the grave.

Adrenaline in her veins shifted to pulsing dopamine.

Angela grabbed the axe lying next to the rejected shovel. She lifted it above her head and let its blade fall onto the rotting timber. Not too hard. Just enough to break it. Must not harm the treasure inside. She set the axe aside and grabbed hold of the broken coffin lid. When one of the planks snapped in half, it ripped open the skin on her knuckles.

A face stared back at her. Though not recognizable in its present state, it still gave Angela nauseating chills. Crimson drops christened the bones as she placed them one by one inside a black trash bag. It wasn’t the first time the demon drew blood from her.

When she was done, she pulled the plywood back over the open pit and spread a thin layer of earth on top with the shovel blade. Once more, her work was hidden. Then she picked up the axe and swung it hard against the cheap concrete headstone. It tumbled over into the tall weeds. She struck it several times more, letting fury flood her soul.

Angela rolled over in the darkness and opened her eyes in a panic. Did she just come from the cemetery, or was it something she had yet to do?

No.

She reached over and touched the black bag lying next to her. It had been days since that task had been completed. Time slipped back and forth so easily sometimes.

Obtaining the bones was one step. Soon, Angela would bend the demon to her will with the threat of silencing it forever. Remnants of the forbidden ritual remained engraved in her mind. The rest, the part she wasn’t allowed to read, was in a Book of Shadows hidden somewhere in this house. Muffled voices from the room above interrupted the dead’s incessant whispers.

About the Author:
Website-FB-Instagram
X-Threads-TikTok
YouTube-BlueSky
Readers Group-Goodreads
Drawn to playwriting from an early age, S.A. Sizemore began writing professionally while studying English and theater arts in college. After producing several plays regionally in Southern California, Sizemore pivoted to the themed entertainment industry. Whispers of the Pale Witch is the first installment of the Beckett Coven series inspired by Sizemore’s ancestral connection to the Salem Witch Trials. She is a full member of the Dramatists Guild of America, proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, European and Cherokee/Chickahominy decent, and resides in California with her wife and two dogs, Agatha and Harry.

5 Sheep Book Review: Demons and Diplomacy (Ministry of Supernatural Affairs) by Megan Frampton

Demons and Diplomacy (Ministry of Supernatural Affairs)
by Megan Frampton
August 25, 2026
Book 1 of 1: Ministry of Supernatural Affairs
A tantalizing pact between an ordinary woman and the silver-tongued son of the Devil is all that stands between Britain—and all hell breaking loose.

1851, London. All supernatural species have emerged from hiding, a result of The Great Revelation, led by Her Majesty, the vampiric Queen Victoria, and her dhamphir consort, Prince Albert.

Cora Hastings is the British government’s Species Ombudsman, a human tasked with keeping the peace between supernatural creatures. It’s run-of-the-mill work: enforcing the newly created shifting parameters, negotiating contracts between species, and generally making certain all Londoners are treated equally.

That is, until the Devil himself decides he wants to leave his hellish home and see the results of Prince Albert’s greatest accomplishment, the Great Exhibition. His arrival could upset the uneasy peace between creatures, and worse—he’s brought his son.

The Marquis of Hell is diabolically good-looking, unnaturally perceptive, and, well, a demon. Cora navigates her sinfully seductive diplomatic assignment as best she can, until she catches wind of a secret conspiracy set to come to fruition at the opening of the Great Exhibition. This leaves her with an impossible choice: Either Cora enters an unholy alliance with the Devil’s son, or she watches as her world is torn asunder….

Amazon

"A Ministry of Supernatural Affairs Novel" as a description to "An Incomplete Guide to Navigating Supernatural Species in the Post-Revelation World" really sounds dull. But--let me tell you--this was the most fun read I have experienced in the last couple of books I have read. Be prepared to laugh, snicker, and think that can really happen.

Ms. Frampton was a first time read--I cannot wait to find more of her books--and the characters were funny, clever, sexy and just about all you want to have in a story. Every word and description of the "Post-Revelation World" sounded like it was happening now--for real. The book was cleverly written and made you want to read and finish the complete book in one sitting--it was very hard to put down and go about my non-revelation world navigation.

I highly insist you read this book and will give the book 5 Barts- wish there were more to give.

Grandma Vivian

 

About the Author:

website

Megan Frampton writes romantasy and historical romance under her own name and romantic women's fiction as Megan Caldwell. She loves reading danmei, listening to K-pop (SHINee!), and defending the Oxford comma. She lives in Brooklyn with her daughter.