Synopsis: There are too many secrets in the Paris Opera House and Christine Daaé knows them all, for her lover, Erik, the infamous Phantom of the Opera, is at their center. To protect Erik from the cruel world above, Christine must deceive her childhood friend and first love, Raoul, a man committed to destroying Erik. But will the lies and darkness claim Christine’s soul before she can save anyone?
Faced with the ghosts of the past and the demons of doubt, Erik and Christine must navigate a world intent on tearing them apart. Will their love be enough to overcome their pain? Will those seeking revenge against Erik rip the lovers asunder? Who will live and who will die when all the consequences come crashing down?
The third installment in The Phantom Saga brings this classic tale to a heartbreaking conclusion that turns the story beloved by generations on its head. Filled with lush romance, shocking twists, and haunting prose, Angel’s Fall gives the iconic story of The Phantom of the Opera a new ending that is both satisfying and shattering.
Review: Unconditional Love meets horrible tragedy in this novel. Raoul has fallen under a despicable spell, and one can only hope that he will snap out of it before all is lost. There were some serious moments of worry that there was no happy ending, and that being forced to live a façade was the only future that Christine could look forward to. This trilogy was gripping, striking, and I found it difficult to put down.
Christine Daaé ventures into the underground world of The Phantom of the Opera, a mysterious man named Erik who brought her fame and ecstasy as The Angel of Music. Now she must learn to trust her teacher as a man if she is to survive the cutthroat intrigues of the opera above. Despite the horror of Erik’s face and the darkness of his past, Christine is drawn to the man who awakens her soul with his music…as well as her desire.
As Christine discovers the truth beneath the Opera, danger grows above as her first love, Raoul, remains intent on winning Christine for himself. Can he save Christine from the darkness that seeks to consume her? Or will he find that Christine has already given in to the temptations of her strange angel? For it is Erik that knows Christine’s heart and will do anything to keep her.
The second novel in The Phantom Saga continues the journey that began with Angel’s Mask in a story full of darkness, lust, and hope. Erik’s past is revealed as Christine fights for her career along with her soul. Brimming with romance and twists, Angel’s Kiss tells the iconic love story of Erik and Christine with passion that leaves the reader no choice but surrender.
Review: “We all take whatever advantage we can to get where we want to be.” (Page 223)
While continuing in the lush and inviting descriptive world from the first book, Raoul has much more presence with Christine in this novel. Raoul is, plain and simply, in this reiteration, a hypocrite. As someone who was always a Phantom fan in the Phantom versus Raoul debate, this novel gave even more depth to my dislike of the Vicounte. Furthermore, there is more understanding of Raoul’s family that make it clear that appearances matter more than almost anything else. I absolutely adore the depth and characterization as well as storylines of the “side characters” Mason seamlessly weaved throughout the novel.
Every book in this series leaves you begging for more, and buying the next book to continue, no matter how late you stayed up reading to finish the one before.
Synopsis: The timeless tale of The Phantom of the Opera brought to life as never before…
Christine Daaé arrives penniless and hopeless at the steps of the great Paris Opera House, in search of an angel. What finds her instead is a man in a mask named Erik, a tortured soul masquerading as a ghost. Fascinated by Christine, Erik dons a new mask to be close to her: that of the Angel of Music. This strange patron awakens Christine’s voice and soul…as well as desires she cannot understand. Their adoration growing, Erik and Christine remain separated by deception and darkness, tangled in a web of lust and lies. How far will Erik go to be close to his eager student? And will Christine be able to forgive her angel when she finally sees past his mask to the monster beneath?
The first novel in The Phantom Saga takes readers on a lush, erotic journey from the depths of Paris’s catacombs to the glittering, ruthless world of the Opera’s stage. Full of diverse characters, rich detail, and intoxicating romance, Angel’s Mask reinvents the legend of the Phantom and Christine with passion and twists that will leave readers breathless.
For content/trigger warnings, please visit the author’s website.
Review: “Singing is breathing. And breathing is life, the conscious act of living. Somewhere deep within when you choose to breath, you choose to live. Some un-surrendering part of you chooses to continue.” (Page 73)
Firstly, this book gives more depth to the characters in Phantom of the Opera than I’ve seen in any other retelling. There were always some questions in the Andrew Lloyd Webber version of why someone who had only ever trained vocally was a ballet dancer (especially on pointe!). I loved that Mason’s Christine’s only dream was to sing on the stage of the opera, and that she knew she would have to work her way up to having any sort of job at all since she had missed the opportunity to audition for the chorus. I was truly enamoured with the depth of understanding and knowledge imbued in the vocal training, and was graced enough to hear from Jessica Mason herself that she has a degree in opera. This knowledge can be seen in such easy descriptions as, “Christine’s voice sparkled, pure and dark at the same time, like moonlight on a mountain stream, sweeping away any remaining doubt that she was an artist of the highest caliber.” (Page 184) For a real life reference to someone who has a pure and dark vocal tone at the same time, you can listen to Floor Jansen singing Élan.
Something I quite enjoyed about Mason’s version was the rich descriptions of the behind the scenes of the opera–the twists and turns, the tunnels, the roof. Everything was so well thought out and given intricate details so that the rooms can be thoroughly rendered in the mind, without the overwriting that leads to lack of interest/mind wandering. Other locations were also explained so well that it made layouts and wealth/lack thereof easy to see in the mind’s eye, such as Adele’s apartment, making this read a visual treat.
The romance within these books is so unbelievably well written that I cannot recommend this trilogy enough. There are definitely some trigger warnings, but overall, this book is a masterpiece and I am so glad I found out about it on Jessica Mason’s TikTok, and would highly recommend it to all who love Phantom of the Opera, and specifically Erik.
Synopsis: There will be no pussy-footing around. Not when Kit McCafferty is involved.
When Kit rescues a wealthy witch from the treacherous, monster-filled waters of the River Tweed, she reckons she’s completed her fair share of good deeds for the day. But when a second anonymous body is pulled from the same river, Kit is dragged into a mystery as murky as the water itself. The corpse has no identification, no personal possessions and no one who cares. Kit is determined to change that.
At least Thane Barrow, the copper-haired werewolf who sees the world in a similar way to Kit, is happy to also get involved. Together, they navigate Coldstream’s magical streets and mysterious secrets, determined to uncover the truth about John Doe. Alas, it soon becomes clear that his death was no accident. Kit finds herself investigating a complex crime with more than one victim. She will have her claws full if she’s going to get to the bottom of what’s happened.
One thing is for certain – when death threatens, Kit McCafferty doesn’t back down. She pounces.
Review: “There was goodwill and second chances00and there was being taken a fool. Sometimes there was a fine line between the two.” (Page 50)
Helen Harper is an author that I have absolutely loved for years. Her writing and stories get better and more nuanced with each new series, and this is by far one of my favourites of hers. This book had so many unexpected discoveries, but among my favourite was how Kit and MacTire worked together. There was a set up for a mess, or something unexpectedly just piecing together, and I was glad my instincts were straight on. Seeing Thane get closer to cats, given his particularity, was quite amusing but also relatable as someone who didn’t have cats until they were an adult.
While most of these stories are magical and fully of witty banter and snark between characters, truly profane things can often be noticed, such as Kit stating, “Nobody actually wears black for the dead, they wear it for the living. It’s a way of saying that a life might be over but that life still mattered.” (Page 73)
All in all, Kit and her cats, with Thane’s help, were quite the team, and I will be excited to continue on in the series in the near future! The first book in another related series about Mallory, Squib, released today. You can look at that book by clicking here.
Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯
* I don’t let myself change out my kindle unlimited books until I have written the reviews, so the continuation of reading this series is in the very near future!
Synopsis: When a mystical star card directs witch Astra Arden to help Mrs. Finch—Forkbridge’s most vocal anti-witch crusader—she can hardly believe it. But when the elderly woman herself appears at Astra’s door, terrified by supernatural occurrences in her home, Astra knows she can’t ignore divine guidance.
Something strange is happening with Mrs. Finch’s extensive cat figurine collection, and Astra’s investigation uncovers disturbing connections to Eleanor Reynolds, a teacher who vanished three years ago. A hidden journal reveals hints of a secret society operating in Forkbridge, using ancient binding magic for sinister purposes.
As Astra digs deeper into Forkbridge’s mysteries, she faces resistance from Mrs. Finch herself, who remains stubbornly skeptical despite mounting evidence. Meanwhile, Astra’s familiar Archie struggles with his own commitment issues when his partner demands a formal bonding ceremony.
As the clock ticks down and sinister secrets lurk in the shadows, can Astra uncover the truth? Is Mrs. Finch an innocent victim—or has Astra been helping the very villain she’s hunting?
No gore, intimate scenes, or swearing – only a captivating story suitable for adults.
Review: “The fear of loss, of pain, of change–it was universal, transcending species.” (Page 24) “Part of life is knowing that you will care about people, and someday, you will lose them–or they you.” (Page 154)
As always, the Owl Star Witch Mystery books read quickly– they are gripping with interesting mysteries while still maintaining the “cozy” aspect Leanne Leeds exceeds at with, as she states, no gore, intimate scenes, or swearing. This book allowed us to see further into the life of one of the most anti-witch residents and shows that while you may have differences of opinion or merely not get on with someone, there is more to someone than what you see on the outside. While perhaps this book didn’t make Mrs. Finch and the Arden family allies, it helped bridge the gap between them, knowing that no one truly has ill will/hopes towards the others. Most of this book was spent with Astra trapped, which is why this is four stars for me; she’s my favourite!
Synopsis: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Princess Diaries series, comes the very first adult installment, which follows Princess Mia and her Prince Charming as they plan their fairy tale wedding—but a few poisoned apples could turn this happily-ever-after into a royal nightmare.
For Princess Mia, the past five years since college graduation have been a whirlwind of activity, what with living in New York City, running her new teen community center, being madly in love, and attending royal engagements. And speaking of engagements. Mia’s gorgeous longtime boyfriend Michael managed to clear both their schedules just long enough for an exotic (and very private) Caribbean island interlude where he popped the question! Of course Mia didn’t need to consult her diary to know that her answer was a royal oui.
But now Mia has a scandal of majestic proportions to contend with: Her grandmother’s leaked “fake” wedding plans to the press that could cause even normally calm Michael to become a runaway groom. Worse, a scheming politico is trying to force Mia’s father from the throne, all because of a royal secret that could leave Genovia without a monarch. Can Mia prove to everyone—especially herself—that she’s not only ready to wed, but ready to rule as well?
Review: This book was in many ways vastly different from the original series, mostly because of all of the twists and turns, and most notably that it is NOT a Young Adult novel. Throughout the later books in the series Cabot contended with their being movies made of Mia’s life that were “inaccurate” so it was an interesting twist to bring in oh so many paparazzi for this one. There were some very interesting developments in this book, and I loved how true to herself and her ideals Mia stayed, no matter what the circumstance was.
All in all, this book was alright, and was more of a set up for future books. I was glad there was a happy ending, but there was plenty that left me wanting more/something different.
Synopsis: It’s Mia’s senior year, and things seem great. She aced her senior project, got accepted to her dream college(s), and has her eighteenth birthday gala coming up . . . not to mention prom, graduation, and Genovia’s first-ever elections. What’s not to love about her life? Well . . . everyone adores her dreamy boyfriend, J.P., but Mia is not sure he’s the one. Her first love, Michael, is back from Japan . . . and back in her life. That senior project? It’s a romance novel she secretly wrote, and no one wants to publish it. And her father is losing in the Genovian polls—to Mia’s loathsome cousin René!
With not just Genovia’s but her own future hanging in the balance, Mia’s got some choices to make. And what she decides might determine not just the next four years but . . . forever!
Review: “No one has ever died of embarrassment–never, not once in the whole history of time.” (Page 116)
Mia is growing up, and learning more and more about how just because things look nice, doesn’t mean they are the right thing for you. Mia has to face her own self desires for her future, both with her relationships and her career. It’s great seeing her grow and blossom and make educated choices.
Mia herself believes: “Life isn’t a romance novel. The truth is, the reason romance novels sell so well–the reason why everyone loves them–is because no one’s life is actually like that. Everyone wants their life to be like that.” (Page 214)
Everyone goes through turmoil and strife in their day to day life, and even as a princess, Mia still has issues with self doubt, self worth, and the certainty of what she has and wants for her future.
As expected, I did not finish or stop reading in August, but as tends to happen- my attention was diverted elsewhere. While I didn’t stop reading, ending the year with 24 physical books read and 62 books read on kindle, there were plenty of bumps along the road this year. They say things happen in threes: my basement flooded from an unseen window that had dry wall in front of it, my car transmission went out 5 hours into a 7 hour trip (luckily before crossing any borders!), and my most beautiful love at first sight cat, Abby, lost her battle with kidney disease in September.
Abby is the only reason my husband believes in love at first sight. She was a cat that only ever wanted, liked, or cared about one person and I was quite blessed to be her person. She is the cat that you see on the header of this website. She had been on medication for a long time, and ended up in the hospital for a while, including a short stay in the ICU. We found out that she had the rarest blood type of cats, making it impossible to get her a blood transfusion. Luckily, she managed to do alright when she came home with a plethora of drugs, continual vet visits, and unconditional love. She would have stayed with me forever if she could, and she’ll always have a chunk of my heart. She had her own chair in my office next to my desk, and I still haven’t had the heart to remove it.
After Abby life continued, and Dakota the paint horse ended up needing his eye removed. He had needed the emergency vet out thrice, eye drops five times, and had already had a big blind spot in that eye since before I had even been in to horses. He had an interesting bandage for a while, and he has since healed up and is ready for more ground work adventures, so long as they involve tricks. Tricks means treats, so naturally he’s a fan.
A bit longer than a month after Abby the most curious thing happened–a fully intact male cat appeared at the barn, where there is a strict NO CATS policy. I had thought I was crazy hearing cat cries, but it turns out that there was one! My husband and I had just put in an application for a kitten the day before, but when this little boy came over and rubbed all over me, talking nonstop I instantly video called my husband. We caught him and brought him to the vet where he had no microchip, posted about him and no replies, so he is the cat of destiny and belongs with us. His name is Samuel L. M. F. Jackson, and yes, that M. F. stands for exactly what you think it does (Leroy for short). While life was surely crazy this year, there is always something that shines despite the darkness. Between a new (used) car, a cat that will salsa dance with me, and new books on the horizon (stay tuned!) I look forward to embracing positivity, adventures, and a productive and brilliant 2026.
But hey, what about the book reviews?!
Yeah… there are about 24 kindle book reviews I need to catch up on from last year before I can start with this year’s, and several paper books to boot! Be prepared for the entry of Manga to the book reviews! While I was very struck by the idea that instead of doing 24+ separate posts and driving everyone batty, I could have posted three times: the kindle book recap, the paper book recap, and my best of 2025, that would make it very hard to search/read in the future so unfortunately we will have my once a year intensive posting to catch up (why does this seem like an annual thing?!)
Synopsis: Mia has been invited to speak at a gala for Domina Rei, an elite society of powerful businesswomen. But what could she possibly have to say? Michael has broken up with her, her bff Lilly won’t speak to her, and her parents are forcing her to see a therapist. Even J.P.’s efforts to cheer Mia up (he’s being really sweet!) aren’t helping.
Just when things couldn’t get worse, Mia discovers a long—forgotten diary of a teenage princess of Genovia. It could be just the inspiration Mia needs to write her speech—but what it reveals might change everything.
Review: “It’s funny how this can happen when you’re in a hole. You forget about the people who would do anything–anything in the world, probably–to help you out of it.” (Page 72)
“It just.. it so blows, you know? I don’t WANT to be that girl. The crying emo girl. Next thing you know, I’ll start wearing skinny jeans and too much black eyeliner and nail polish and reading vampire romance novels.” (Page 210)
I love that this series uses real life tragedies and problems that people experience and shows healthy ways of tackling them, all while maintaining a level of realistic comedy. I loved how Mia really worked to understand herself and find herself and the answer to what she should be doing in this novel, especially with the forgotten diary. As an avid horsewoman I also really appreciate the therapist and all of his stories; very accurate to real life! J. P. is certainly being greatly attentive, and it’s great that Mia has a friend who will keep pushing her. I cannot say anything more on J. P. as I’ve read the entire series and… you should too!
Synopsis: At last, Mia is a junior. An upperclassperson. So why is it that everything is going so terribly wrong? What is she doing in Intro to Creative Writing? When she has made it through Algebra and Geometry, why must she be faced with Precalculus? All this is nothing compared to the news Michael springs on her, however. Her beloved boyfriend could be leaving for Japan for a year—or more! Precalc has nothing on preparing for the worst separation ever!
Turns out there is one way she might convince Michael to stay. But will she? Or won’t she? No matter what, Mia seems headed for disaster.
Review: “And what about the fact that once you DO IT, that’s ALL you want to do when you get together?” (Page 48)
Lana seems like a serious jerk in this book, but, at the same time, she is also one of the only people who tells Mia something straight. There are so many times that Mia really needed to be able to talk to her mom, but she was so preoccupied with Rocky that she really had to try to figure things out on her own. This book really pulled at the heartstrings of having been a teenage girl, and while some may think the subject matter is “too mature”, it’s something most girls that age are experiencing in some way or another. Great job on another awesome teen book, Meg Cabot!
Amy S. Brown 