Reviews written by Ashley Sickora

This isn’t the Hekate of dusty mythological footnotes, it's the story of a girl born into chaos, orphaned in war, and raised in the eerie beauty of the Underworld! From the very first page, Gill paints Hekate as both vulnerable and fearsome: a child of...

The first book was a great read and the second book is everything the first was with a lot more of the good stuff! It was great to learn more about the world, the characters. and seeing how their relationships have changed! Especially Hadley! This book's point of view was...

This is a fantastic sequel! Ying is no longer just trying to survive, she's fighting to change the empire. With new secrets, old ghosts, and a looming civil war, she’s forced to decide what’s worth saving and what needs to burn. The emotional weight hits...

This was a fantastic second book in the Rebel Skies series! The magic system and the world building is one of my favorite parts of this series so far! The descriptions are so vivid and detailed you can imagine every single setting! In this book we get a different point...

This was a fun read for me! It has an entertaining plot and is fast paced! The characters are interesting and each stands out for their own reasons. And trust me there are a lot of characters but they are easy to follow. The magic system was pretty cool! The...

This book is a heartfelt and emotional read that explores love, loss and the complexities of fate. After meeting and being stuck in a time loop Sydney and Marcus confront personal losses and their evolving relationship and their relationship and connection really is beautiful! It is a young adult novel...

A Riddle of Thorns by Sarena and Sasha Nanua felt like stepping into a fever dream of riddles, rivalry, and ruinous secrets and I loved every second of it! From the moment Sana Gupta walked into the decaying Razorthorn Manor, I could practically smell the...

Welcome to the Kingdom of Daradon where magic is both a gift and a death sentence. In Thorn Season, Kiera Azar spins a lush, brutal fantasy full of power plays, forbidden magic, and aching tension. Alissa Paine is a girl walking a razor’s edge. Born...

To the Stars and Back by Peglo follows Kang Dae the quiet guy next door, and Bo Seon is the bubbly neighbor who’s determined to be his friend and maybe more. Peglo’s art is super cute and perfectly captures all those shy smiles, awkward moments,...

The story drops us deep underground, where Zicky is facing off against the Rat King, a full-on tyrant building an army of rodents to invade the real world. The stakes are dramatic. The monsters are wild. The action is fast and punchy. And then he...

I think I’ve found the ultimate "I wish this was real" magical object, and I’m officially ready to move to Caput Mundi! In Caput Mundi by B.R. Kang follows Niil Terra on a quest to find his missing parents, which leads him straight into...

Reading Lola Gillette and the Summer of Second Chances by Kimberly Behre Kenna absolutely wrapped around my heart. I went in expecting a quirky middle-grade adventure and came out teary-eyed and hopeful. Lola’s grief over her twin sister feels so real and raw. Her obsession...

Relic Hamilton, Genie Hunter took a sharp turn into eerie, edge-of-your-seat territory. This is not your wish-granting, sparkly genie story. The genies here are dark, dangerous, and absolutely chilling. Relic’s bond with his grandfather and the antique shop setting grounded the magic, while the stakes kept rising in a way...

Dark academia + Greek mythology? Say no more. I was obsessed with Penelope’s journey at Anaximander’s Academy. She thinks she’s a rule-following Athena, but fate and a very chaotic muse have other plans. It’s a brilliant rewrite of your own story tale that feels fresh, magical, and just the right...

Reading This Is Not a Test, Freddie and Stella Got Hot, The Future Saints, and Hemlock felt like riding four very different emotional rollercoasters each one wrecked me in its own special way. From zombie apocalypse despair that somehow feels painfully intimate, to a savage, darkly funny takedown of popularity...