Review: How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva

How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own. If you enjoy Travis Baldree or TJ Klune's writing I think you will enjoy this. It tackles some serious topics while also being sweet and fun at the same time. It also takes inspiration from the Lord of the Rings, which you do not have to have read to enjoy this.

I've become a huge fan of cozy fantasy, and there is a reason it has become popular. I love high fantasy as well, but sometimes you need something with a little humor and lower stakes to break up the adventure and action. This story leaves you with hope at the end and with a good message. Who doesn't want that?

This follows Pansy, a halfling who loves to cook and bake and just wants to make a place of her own in her late grandmother's cottage outside of town. To her utmost surprise she finds Ren, a goblin already living in the cottage as they have been designated caretaker when Pansy's grandmother came to town when she could no longer live on her own. Neither are willing to give up their stake on the cottage, so they strike up a deal to live together until one of them leaves and forfeits their rights. Their forced proximity causes them to learn about each others cultures and why goblins and halfings dislike each other so much. As Ren and Pansy forge a friendship that begins to turn into something more, their communities are still stuck in the past and not as easy to sway.

I really enjoyed getting to know Ren, Pansy and their two different communities. Neither one of them really fit in, but they were willing to work together once they put their differences aside to make a place of their own. They were both adorable as they tiptoed around each other to bridge the things they didn't understand about one another. It was interesting to watch them interact with their own communities as individuals and together to try to bring people together especially once they realized who the true enemy was.

I was surprise to learn that this was a debut, this was very well done and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

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Review: Hart Street Lane by Samantha Young

Hart Street Lane by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

This is the third book in the Return to Dublin Street series, but you can read it as a standalone as all of the couples are interconnected but their stories are independent. We first met Baird and Maia in On Loverose Lane, but they were in different places in their lives. Maia was engaged at the time, but Baird knew there was something between them and was determined to get to know her. Fast forward to the future, Maia is in a pickle when her engagement is suddenly broken and she needs a fiancé fast or her job may b on the line. Fortunately for her Baird has been in love with her from day one, and just needs to convince her that his player days are in the past and he only has eyes for her.

Maia is a buyer for a posh department store in Scotland, and their marketing department has cooked up a campain to sponsor a wedding from engagement through honeymoon. The catch is that Maia is the bride to be and she and her fiance have just ended things. Baird has been acting out doing more and more reckless things since his concussion 2 years ago trying to prove that he is invincible as well as the best goalie in the league. The campaign is good for both of them for different reasons, and the best friends might just end up in love at the end of it all. Unfortunately, Maia has alot of baggage when it comes to love, trust, and relationships, which is understandable given her past. Things from her past are brought to light in the campaign that she would rather stay in the past and it threatens the life she's built and the relationship she's building with Baird.

I'm so glad Baird finally got his own book! I loved him as much as other fans of the series did when we first met him as Callan's sidekick in the first book in the series. He was such a fun character that deserved his own story and his own happy ending. Much like the other books in the series this does deal with some heavy and serious topics so make sure you take care of yourself first if you have triggers. Trigger warnings for (not inclusive) (view spoiler). I appreciated that they both had some things to deal with and were patient and kind with each other. I also appreciated that Maia had a great support group in place and were willing to tell her sternly but kindly that she needed to talk to someone about her trauma and that she was being unfair to Baird.

There was a good bit of growth from their characters as they supported each other through good and bad, and they worked through their problems.

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Review: A War of Wyverns by SF Williamson

A War of Wyverns by S.F. Williamson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC and ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This picks up shortly after the events in [book:A Language of Dragons|211096516], so I don't recommend reading this as a standalone as I feel you really need the background the first book provides.  Viv is in hiding after escaping Bletchley Park, and quietly doing what she can for the rebellion.  Her stills as a translator and polyglot are desired by both the corrupt government and the rebellion to not only understand the true intentions of the dragons but to find and harness the lost power of the Wyverns who have hidden themselves in the Hebrides Islands.

Viv's character really grows in this installment.  She has to face who she is without her dream of being a translator, and what she is worth if she stops translating.  If you've read the first book you know that much of her self worth is tied up in becoming a translator and rising the ranks in the caste system that exists.  When she realizes that translating the language unique to the dragons and wyverns will cause more harm than good, she looks inward to her own values and fights back in her own way.  This causes an uproar in the rebellion and those that are on her side continue to pressure her to translate the dragon language.  I loved the dragons and wyverns in this and how they had their own personalities and didn't require humans at all.  While they enjoyed human interaction, they didn't bond with humans and each dragon had their own personality and opinions.  

I appreciate all of the research that went into this series and that some of this was inspired by true events.  Obviously liberties were taken to turn this into a fantasy series, but I always appreciate an author's note that explains the research process and anything that was changed or any inspirations from true events.  Being as language is the center of the storyline here, the author details a several attempts to eliminate languages and dialects in favor of more "civilized norms" aka English.

I really enjoyed this sequel.  I'm not sure if there is going to be a third book, but the way that this ended I expect that there will be.  If so, I'm looking forward to see where things go next.

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2026 Netgalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge

  

This is my 4th year participating in this challenge, hosted by Socrates Book Reviews.  This is a fun way to keep myself accountable and see what others are reading and posting.

I reviewed 95 Netgalley titles in 2025 which I think is the most I've ever done in a year.  I don't know if I want to do as many this year, I started to get a bit burnt out by the end of the year.  I do want to continue clearing out my backlog of ARCs that I took when I was new to Netgalley and Edelweiss and had no idea what I was doing.

Here's to whatever 2026 holds and to reading some great books!  As always I'll link my reviews as I post them and post any approvals for upcoming ARCs as they come in. 

January - Link up to see what everyone else read and reviewed

1. A War of Wyverns by SF Williamson (1/6/26) ARC and ALC
2. How to Lose a Goblin in Ten Days by Jessie Sylva (1/6/26) ALC
3. Order of Royals by Jude Deveraux (1/6/26) ARC and ALC

February Link up to see what everyone else read and reviewed

1. The Sun and the Starmaker (2/17/26) ARC
2. After the Fall (2/24/26) ARC and ALC
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March Link up to see what everyone else read and reviewed

1. Midnight at the Celestial (3/3/24) ARC
2. Nobody's Baby by Olivia Waite (3/10/26) ALC
3. Daughter of Egypt (3/24/26) ARC and ALC
4. Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher (3/24/26) ALC

April Link up to see what everyone else read and reviewed

1. The Escape Game (4/7/26) ARC
2. Deathly Fates (4/14/26) ARC
3. Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker (4/21/26) ARC

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August Link up to see what everyone else read and reviewed

1. The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen (8/4/26) ARC

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