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mandikaye's reviews
941 reviews
The Bane Witch by Ava Morgyn
4.0
I’ve never read a witchy psychological thriller before, but apparently that’s a thing I’ve been missing out on—because The Bane Witch absolutely delivered.
The magic system felt completely new to me, which is rare and honestly kind of thrilling. I’ve read a lot of witch books, and this one still managed to surprise me. The vibe is dark, haunting, and full of that slow, creeping dread I love in thrillers, but it’s also a story about trauma, survival, and reclaiming power.
Piers’ arc hit me in the gut. Watching her unlearn all the ways she made herself small to survive her abusive marriage—and then choose herself, her voice, her magic? Ugh. Yes. Give me more of that. There are some truly garbage men in this story (seriously, one walking red flag after another), but somehow Regis managed to be a soft place to land. He sees her. He believes her. He lets her lead. I didn’t expect to root for him, but here we are.
Also? Aunt Myrtle is a badass and I wanted way more page time with her.
Creepy, cathartic, and beautifully strange. Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC—this one definitely cast a spell on me.
Deeply Examined: A Dark Medical Romance by Lexi Davis, Lexi Davis
1.0
I went in thinking the medical kink might be where I tapped out—turns out, the kink was the least of my concerns.
Deeply Examined tries to sell West as a flawed but lovable MMC with a dominant streak. Instead, what we get is a controlling, manipulative man masquerading as a romantic hero. He installs hidden cameras throughout the house without telling her. Injects her with a tracker. Hides another tracker in the diamond earrings he gifts her. And the cherry on top? He pretends to be her doorman so he can eavesdrop on her through said earrings. WHAT.
When he tries to win her back, he flips the script: “This is what you do to me. You drive me to this.” That’s not remorse. That’s textbook emotional abuse. And his parting line? That no matter what she wants, he’ll always be watching her. HARD PASS.
This isn’t a dark romance. This is a red flag parade with some sex scenes.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review—sorry it had to be this honest.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Medical content
The Forgotten Book Club by Kate Storey
This book isn’t perfect, but it is full of heart. It made me smile. It made me think. It reminded me why I keep showing up for stories about connection, no matter how different the people on the page may be from me. Sometimes, they surprise you. And sometimes, they help you understand yourself just a little bit more.
4.0
It took me a bit to warm up to Grace. Her internal monologue when she found out her grandson had ADHD—and when she started piecing together that her late husband probably had it too—was hard to read. Not because it was poorly written (quite the opposite), but because it was real. And as someone who lives with ADHD every day, hearing those knee-jerk thoughts hit a little too close to home. I found myself flinching on behalf of past-me, the one who’s been on the receiving end of comments like those.
But here’s the thing—Grace grows. And not in a cheesy, all-tied-up-with-a-bow kind of way. She grows in the kind of messy, nonlinear, deeply human way that feels true. Watching a woman in her seventies unpack internalized ableism, reconnect with her past, and stumble toward vulnerability? Yeah, that’s the kind of character arc I’m always hungry for. We don’t get nearly enough stories where older women get to transform and expand instead of just fade quietly into the background.
And then there’s the book club itself—a cozy little gathering that feels like a beacon to anyone who’s ever wanted to belong without having to perform. It reminded me of my own love for the idea of silent book clubs, and that deep, hopeful longing to find a found family in exactly that kind of setting. Every time the characters came together, it made my heart do the little happy wiggle. You know the one.
This book isn’t perfect, but it is full of heart. It made me smile. It made me think. It reminded me why I keep showing up for stories about connection, no matter how different the people on the page may be from me. Sometimes, they surprise you. And sometimes, they help you understand yourself just a little bit more.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review—and I honestly loved this quiet little gem more than I expected.
The Plot Twist by Eleanor Goymer
4.0
This was such a fun, cozy read—like a warm cup of tea with just a hint of workplace chaos. I love easy romances, and if there’s a book about books (or, in this case, writers writing books), I’m immediately in.
Allie is a romance author teetering on the edge of burnout and low-key losing faith in love. Miles is a crime writer who hasn’t put out anything in years. Their editor (new publisher? Publishing overlord? I’m still not 100% clear) is steamrolling through staff like it’s their villain origin story, so Allie and Miles team up and genre-swap for fun and survival. He helps her rediscover the spark of love (thanks to his own long, happy marriage), and she feeds him twisty crime plots to get his creative mojo back.
Allie is a romance author teetering on the edge of burnout and low-key losing faith in love. Miles is a crime writer who hasn’t put out anything in years. Their editor (new publisher? Publishing overlord? I’m still not 100% clear) is steamrolling through staff like it’s their villain origin story, so Allie and Miles team up and genre-swap for fun and survival. He helps her rediscover the spark of love (thanks to his own long, happy marriage), and she feeds him twisty crime plots to get his creative mojo back.
Enter Will: a catering guy at a publishing event who is, frankly, dreamboat material. Their connection is instant but grounded—no instalove nonsense here—and he’s so wonderfully decent that you can’t help but root for him. Yes, there’s a touch of conflict (it is a romance, after all), but it’s small potatoes in the grand scheme of things and handled like emotionally competent adults (gasp).
If you like books about writers, quiet love stories, and characters who actually talk to each other, this one will go down easy.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review—more genre-swapping writer friends, please!
A Circle of Uncommon Witches by Paige Crutcher
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
A Circle of Uncommon Witches is so full of heart, magic, and some seriously compelling character dynamics—I mean, Doreen and Ambrose? I was invested. And the relationship between Doreen and Margot? Absolute goals. Ride-or-die energy, fierce loyalty, deep love—it gave me all the feels.
The world Paige Crutcher created has so much potential. It’s lush and layered and mysterious, but it also felt like it needed another editorial pass to fully pull it together. The worldbuilding was often disjointed, and POV shifts happened without warning—even mid-chapter—which pulled me out of the story more than once.
Still, the vibe? Excellent. A story that questions whether true love is worth the cost? Right up my alley. But I’m left with some big question marks. Why did Stella treat the girls the way she did? Why was Doreen left to stumble through revelations on her own until the trials? That lack of clarity was frustrating, especially because the emotional stakes were otherwise so strong.
But here’s the thing—I loved this cast. I loved the idea of this world. And I definitely want more from these witches. Fingers crossed there’s another book on the way, because I’d happily return to this coven of chaos.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review—which this absolutely is, because if there’s one thing I’ll always be, it’s opinionated about magic, messy POVs, and witches I’d 100% follow into battle.
Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Never Been Shipped was written specifically to delight me. Like, I’m suspicious of how deeply this book understood my love language: creative passion, messy band dynamics, second chances, cruises, and a supernatural-adjacent fandom that felt like coming home. I mean. Come on.
Micah’s complicated history with music and heartbreak had me hooked from page one. She’s raw and real and kind of a disaster in the best way. The band breakup? The bad solo choices? The burned bridges? Delicious. And John—soft boy John—is the kind of quietly pining, guitar-playing sweetheart who made me want to shake him and hug him in equal measure.
The whole setup is just chef’s kiss: a reunion on a themed cruise for fans of Nightshifters (which I would die to watch, let’s be honest), complete with cast appearances and a band performance that’s basically a time bomb of unresolved tension. It’s nostalgia, forced proximity, and mutual pining all rolled into one glorious five-day emotional pressure cooker. And yes, I did grin like an idiot through most of it.
Also, can we talk about how Alicia Thompson writes creative longing? The music scenes are visceral. The stage tension is everything. You can feel what it means to lose yourself in the thing you love—and the terrifying vulnerability of choosing it again anyway.
If you’re into second chance romance, band drama, nerdy fan conventions, or kissing your best friend, then this one’s for you.
Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review—though let’s be real, I would’ve sold my soul to read this early anyway.
The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell
4.0
I had completely forgotten how delightful middle-grade books can be, and The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls brought it all rushing back. This one is packed with heart, adventure, and just the right amount of mischief.
Miss Adelia Mandalay runs the kind of "orphanage" I would've begged to attend as a kid—less Victorian punishment, more secret-society-for-girl-detectives energy. Yes, it's got the reputation of being a place for "problem girls," but really it's a haven where they're taught fencing, hiding, map reading, and motorcar driving (YES PLEASE), all while solving local mysteries and learning how capable they are.
Maggie’s journey to finding a place where she belongs hit all the right emotional notes for me—found family will always be my kryptonite. And I can’t NOT mention the interspersed entries from Miss Mandelay's Useful Things Every Girl Should Know, which range from “How to Escape an Alligator” to “How to Send Messages in Morse Code.” I’d honestly hand this book to any middle-grade reader just for those.
Bonus points for charming black and white illustrations throughout—just the cozy little cherry on top.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC—it was given freely, but my delight (and desire to escape into a girls-only detective academy) is entirely my own.