Book Review – The Silver Kingdom by Radiya Hafiza

 

 

The Silver Kingdom by Radiya Hafiza is about two royals from neighboring kingdoms at war who fall in love against all odds.

Prince Zayd is busy defending the borders of Dakaria when he is called home. His father’s condition has worsened, and Zayd will need to marry to ensure the stability of his kingdom. As his mother announces a potential match with another kingdom, Zayd crosses paths with a different princess.

Princess Layla of Sawan is beautiful and brash. She is the exact opposite of her cruel and power-hungry mother. Layla is only a few months away from coming of age when she discovers that she has latent magical powers. However, she doesn't understand or know how to control them. Layla fears that her life could be in jeopardy if her mother discovers her abilities.

Meanwhile, Zayd has begun negotiating with the mages to help protect his kingdom. The mages have been in hiding after nearly facing extinction when they were hunted. As Zayd tries to negotiate an agreement with them, his and Layla’s paths become intertwined. With the kingdoms divided and still dealing with the fallout of colonial rule, Zayd and Layla must put their personal needs aside and focus on building alliances to survive the impending war. Will they be able to put their hearts aside and save their kingdoms, or will it be too late?

I really enjoyed the book, although there were a few things that bothered me. I thought the story moved a bit slowly in the middle, but the pacing picked up toward the end. I liked both Zayd and Layla, but there were times when I found myself getting annoyed with them. I couldn't believe how long it took Zayd to figure out that Layla had powers when the signs were right in front of him. I also found it amusing that they discussed how poor communication can ruin a relationship while exchanging book recommendations, only to turn around and do the exact same thing themselves!

The book is narrated from dual POVs, which made it interesting to read from both Zayd’s and Layla’s perspectives. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and am interested in seeing how the series progresses.

 Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and were not influenced by the publisher or author. 

Book Review – Just the Good Parts by Robbie Couch

 

 

 

 

Just the Good Parts by Robbie Couch is about a high schooler, Caspen Coolsby, who is worried about his missing dad.

Caspen’s dad has been missing for a few months, and Caspen feels like everyone has given up looking for him except for him. When Caspen finally gets a lead on his dad’s disappearance, the clues come in a rather unusual and unlikely way.

Since his dad disappeared, Caspen’s mother has decided to rent out the upstairs apartment. Three college students move in, and Caspen’s mom welcomes them with candles. When the students light the candles, each one triggers a special memory for that student. While they relive their memories, Caspen is somehow able to join them and experience those moments as well. Caspen believes the memories are connected to his dad because no one loves candles more than his father.

While exploring the students’ memories, Caspen keeps running into a handsome boy named Lars. Lars is the only person in the memories who can see and hear Caspen. As the two try to make sense of the memories, the lines between reality and memories begin to blur. Will Caspen uncover the truth behind his father’s disappearance before it’s too late?

The book started off interesting, and I liked the idea of being able to view someone’s memories through an object they have a connection to. However, the story started getting a bit confusing, and eventually I began to realize where it was heading. I felt that some parts were unnecessarily confusing, and I wish the story had been more fleshed out. I would have liked more explanations about why those particular students were chosen and why Lars was there. There were several parts of the story that I felt could have been explained better. Overall, it was an okay read, but I think the execution could have been better.

 Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and were not influenced by the publisher or author.

November 2026 Empties

 

If you are wondering how I managed to finish so much this month, it's mostly because I forgot to do an empties post in October. So now, it looks like I did a lot of decluttering when I actually did nothing.

I will say that I fell into that hype of beef tallow, and it was not worth it. I got the beef tallow facial cleanser, face cream, and body lotion from HealthyDerm. It did absolutely nothing and performed subpar compared to other products in a similar price range. I think in the future I might get it again if it were on sale for a lot cheaper.

I got a few classics that I had when I was younger. I tried the Herbal Essences Rose Hip Shampoo and Conditioner. It smelled amazing and had a nice floral scent that lingered. I remember their fruity scents and loving them. However, the floral shampoo was a nice change of pace. 

I tried The Body Shop Shea Shower Cream. I used to get their stuff often when I used to work across the street. I was pleasantly surprised to see their stuff available on Amazon. The body cream had a cocoa butter scent. It was creamy but didn't do much moisturizing or lathering. It was rather disappointing. 

Lush Snow Fairy was an amazing body butter. It was thick and creamy but not greasy or tacky. It definitely is very expensive for a small container that was not filled up all the way. However, the scent smelled so good, and it was a cotton candy scent. I love how it lingered on my skin all day.  

Until next time.  

Book Review – The Fourth Wife by Linda Hamilton

 

The Fourth Wife by Linda Hamilton follows Hazel Russon as she becomes the fourth wife of Jacob Manwaring and discovers a sinister secret that taints their marriage.

In 1882 Utah, Hazel Russon’s life is defined by three things: the Mormon Church, polygamy, and the men who hold power over her. Hazel dreams of living a monogamous life with her childhood sweetheart and having the freedom to play the piano, even though the church considers it sinful.

She knows that it is every Mormon woman’s duty to obey her husband and remain devoted to him and her calling as a sister wife, especially if she hopes to attain eternal salvation. When she is summoned by a church elder, she fears what he might ask of her.

The church elder declares that it is godly for Hazel to marry a man she has never met and become his fourth wife. Hazel is happy to discover that Jacob Manwaring is attentive and handsome. However, she is shocked when she arrives at her new home and learns that she will be living with all of Jacob’s wives and children under the same roof, rather than in separate households as is customary.

Although Hazel is warm and caring, she senses tension and resentment among the sister wives. She then begins hearing strange music, catching glimpses of an apparition, and experiencing terrifying, bloody nightmares. As her nightmares and sleepwalking worsen, Hazel becomes unsure of what frightens her more: her husband or the sinister presence that seems to be haunting the house.

I thought the novel was an okay read, with some creepy moments. As a woman in modern times, I found it difficult at times to read about polygamy and how women were treated as second-class citizens in society/religion. The story moved a bit slowly in places, and I often felt like I was waiting on the edge of my seat for something to happen. While I liked most of the characters, they sometimes grated on my nerves when they slowly revealed information or refused to communicate with one another. Overall, I found it to be a spooky read and would be open to reading more books by the author.

Book Review - Venus Washington, Eye Spy by Maisha Oso

  

 

Venus Washington, Eye Spy by Maisha Oso is about a young girl, Venus Washington, who is nervous about going on a trip with her mother after she discovers she might be part alien.

Venus is excited when her mom tells her that they will be going on a trip. However, when her dad mentions that their destination is part of her name, Venus assumes he is referring to the first part of her name. She figures this must mean they are going to Venus and that she must be half alien. After all, she has heard that her mom has eyes on the back of her head! Venus is determined to find her mom’s extra eyes and prove that she is part alien.

This chapter book is a quick read for young readers. It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. Similar to the other books, Venus takes things very literally, which leads to plenty of misunderstandings, mayhem, and chaos. Adult readers might find her behavior annoying, but I can see younger readers enjoying her misunderstandings and the chaos that follows.

 Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and were not influenced by the publisher or author.