The Reading Deer
  • Book Reviews,  Stand-Alone Books

    Book Review: Final Girls by Riley Sager

    Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Adult, Horror Pages: 352 Format: Ebook Rating: Goodreads summary: Ten years ago, college student Quincy Carpenter went on vacation with five friends and came back alone, the only survivor of a horror movie–scale massacre. In an instant, she became a member of a club no one wants to belong to—a group of similar survivors known in the press as the Final Girls. Lisa, who lost nine sorority sisters to a college dropout’s knife; Sam, who went up against the Sack Man during her shift at the Nightlight Inn; and now Quincy, who ran bleeding through the woods to escape Pine Cottage and the man she refers…

  • Book Reviews

    Book Review: Shadow & Storms by Helen Scheuerer

    Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Adult Pages / Hours: 420 / 13h8 mins Format: Audiobook Rating: Goodreads summary: “She was ready to shed blood, ready to take back what was hers.” The time has come to make one last stand against the forces of cursed men and monsters. But Thea’s enemies are only getting stronger. With allies divided and an outnumbered army, she must race against her own fate to secure the future of the midrealms – or die trying. A prophecy is looming, and Thea’s life is in the balance. Does she have the power to cheat death itself? Love and loyalty will be tested. Bonds will fracture forever. But all…

  • Book Reviews

    Book Review: Fate & Furies by Helen Scheuerer

    Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Adult Pages / Hours: 466 / 13h24 mins Format: Audiobook Rating: Goodreads summary: “I always knew you would be the end of me.” With darkness cursing the world around her, Althea Zoltaire is desperate for vengeance. But as she hunts Wilder Hawthorne across the kingdoms, brutal secrets begin to unravel. Not knowing what – or who – to trust, Thea and her companions find themselves entwined with a destiny far greater than one man. Together, they must navigate the haunting revelations that could shatter the very foundations of the midrealms. Yet it’s not only the world at stake, but Thea’s heart too. As everything teeters on the…

  • a reign of rose book cover
    Book Reviews

    Book Review: A Reign of Rose by Kate Golden

    Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Adult Pages: 496 Format: Ebook Rating: Goodreads summary: They must save the world—but can they also save each other? Kane Ravenwood, King of Onyx Kingdom, would go to the ends of the continent for Arwen Valondale, but what if she’s beyond even that? Broken in ways he never imagined he could be, Kane must find a way to fulfill the prophecy and kill his father, Fae King Lazarus. And after what he’s endured, he’s willing to save Evendell by whatever means necessary—even if that spells his own death. Little does Kane know, he’s not the only one fighting for revenge. Arwen is no longer afraid to…

  • Book Reviews

    Book Review: Vows & Ruin by Helen Scheuerer

    Genres: Adult, Fantasy romance Pages: 536 Format: Audiobook Rating:   Goodreads summary: Against all odds, Althea Zoltaire emerged from her trials as a champion. Now, she must train even harder and prepare herself to become a true warrior of Thezmarr. But Thea’s world is turned upside down as she struggles to navigate her newfound magic and uncover the secrets of her past. Slowly, she begins to untangle the truth about her family, her powers and the evil that threatens to engulf the kingdom. When Wilder Hawthorne returns to be her official mentor, everything changes. Dark forces are gathering, and he will stop at nothing to prepare her for the challenges…

  • Book Reviews

    Book Review: Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

    Genres: Contemporary Romance, Adult, Fiction Pages: 432 Format: Ebook Rating: Goodreads summary: Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They’ll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work. Emma hadn’t planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in…

  • Deer Thoughts

    2025 Physical TBR

    The start of a new year means taking a hard look at my bookshelves and seeing how many books I’ve collected vs. reading. I feel like I didn’t do that bad, there are definitely more read books on my shelves than unread, but I would like to at least cut down my unread list in half. And my reward? Buying more books of course. One caveat is that this list includes all the unread books as of January 1, 2025, but since then, I have read two of the books. Check out my 2025 physical TBR below! 1. Fourth Wing & Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros If you read fantasy…