fiction books – wings and fables

“and I’m not afraid to be alone, but i’m tired of being the one left behind.”

rebecca ross

Series: Letters of Enchantment #1

Release Date: April 4th 2023

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Genre: Young Adult Fiction | Historical Fiction | Fantasy | Romance

Page Count: 368

Source: Purchased

Goodreads Summary: After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again…

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands – that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper – an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.

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Thoughts:

there are some books in this world that i’m convinced hold a touch of magic in them. divine rivals is undoubtedly one of them. with its backdrop of a war of the gods featuring recruitment reminiscent of the draft, divine rivals is thrilling from beginning to end. ross immediately draws the reader’s heart to the FMC’s woes as she struggles to make her way in a war-torn world with a brother fighting at the front and a mother who drowns her worries in alcohol. setting up a rivalry between the FMC and LI, the chemistry between the characters is palpable from the start as they both endeavor to win a columnist post at their local newspaper. but when magical typewriters create a bond between the rivals as they start to send letters anonymously to each other, their chemistry deepens into a romantic, charming tale that drowns the trials in their lives. when they both leave for the front as war correspondents, the plot propels forward, tugging at your heartstrings as the characters experience the tragedies of war. this book beautifully handles a plethora of relevant themes: the cost of war, guilt, grief, addiction, abandonment, poverty, parental disapproval, hope, love, friendship, and so much more. and its unique blend of historical fiction and fantasy romance offers so much to many types of readers. this is a solid favorite of mine and something i can see myself returning to over and over again as a comfort read.

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“you have made my world brighter with every part of you.”

helen gaskell

Series: Standalone

Release Date: February 26th 2026

Publisher: HQ Digital

Genre: Adult Fiction | Historical Fiction | Regency | Contemporary Fiction | Romance

Page Count: 312

Source: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you!

Goodreads Summary: Etta Moore expects nothing more from a Tuesday than another dull day in the office. But when her morning commute ends in Regency England, she is forced to accept the she and her ancestor Miss Henrietta Bainbridge – or ‘Mad Hetty’, as she’s known amongst the ton – have switched bodies.

Suddenly Etta and Hetty must get to grips with the new worlds they find themselves in. For Etta, it’s goodbye to dating apps and the daily commute and hello to the list of things ‘Ladies Do Not’ do. Luckily the dashing Lord Stanhope is on hand to aid her through even the most shocking of faux pas.

Meanwhile Hetty, who has always felt unseen and unknown, finds her truest self blossoming with the help of 21st century medicine and the most welcome attentions of her rather beautiful Adult Learning teacher, Stella.

Two hundred years away from everything they’ve ever known, might Etta and Hetty have actually found a place where they each truly belong?

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Thoughts:

interesting, witty, and full of life, this book puts a quirky spin on the classic historical romance novel. featuring two FMCs that couldn’t be more different from each other, it was fascinating to read as they learned to navigate the new time period they found themselves in after The Switch. the pacing of the novel was seamless, bouncing between the Regency time period of 1817 and the modern time of 2023 at the perfect intervals to reconnect with our FMCs. the romances gave a great variety, with one featuring an electric chemistry while the other featured a sweeter romance. the novel also provides commentary on societal expectations, mental health, and human rights. some of the characterizations were a bit frustrating, particularly the way etta spoke at length multiple times about her love of historical romance books and shows, yet she committed multiple faux pas that she should have known wouldn’t be appropriate in the time period she found herself in. it also felt a bit offputting that the FMCs don’t respect bodily autonomy and make life-altering choices in bodies that do not belong to them. if you can set aside the bits of the novel that don’t really make sense, this is still a quick, engaging read for someone who wants a spin on a classic Regency romance.

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