It has been a long time since my last Netgalley post, but I am still on a mission to raise my Netgalley ratio! Over the last couple of months, I have reviewed some more recent ARCs in their own separate blog posts (check out a list of my reviews here), but I have also been working on completing my backlist.
At the start of June (when I started this post), my NetGalley was at 67%. I read 7 of my e-ARCs since then! Some of those books will be reviewed separately, but I will review the other four here!
Before I get to the reviews, I want to extend a huge thank you to the publishers of these books for giving me the opportunity to do what I love: reading books. I am forever grateful for the chance to do what I love and discover some great books for both my students and fellow book lovers.
The House of Now and Then
The House of Now and Then by Edward Underhill
Published on May 19, 2026
Genres: Adult, LGBTQ+, Romance
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Goodreads
Harlowe could use a break. With his academic future over, just like his relationship with his long-term boyfriend Jackson, a suspiciously cheap summer rental on the Cape feels like just the escape he needs.
But when he arrives at the picturesque seaside cottage, he’s alarmed to find his discouraging former professor in the living room. His father making coffee in the kitchen. And a handsome young repairman fixing things in the bedroom. Worst of all, Jackson is in the bathroom. None of them will leave. No one else can see them. And they won’t leave him alone.
The house isn’t magic only for Harlowe, and as the summer grows hot and thick with tourists, old wounds and fresh secrets—both in and outside its walls—begin to transform him. It’s clear the house is trying to tell him something, and he’s sure it has to do with the mysterious repairman who suddenly seems to be everywhere he looks… But can Harlowe let go of the past long enough to listen?
Evoking all the windswept dunes and Fourth of July fireworks of a perfect Cape Cod day, The House of Now and Then asks who you would find, if all your unfinished business was just behind one door.
The House of Now and Then initially grabbed my attention thanks to the author. I have not actually read an Edward Underhill book, but his previous books have caught my attention many times.
Harlowe, a 31-year-old transgender man, escapes to Cape Cod for the summer, renting a house so that he can hopefully move on from his ex, with whom he just broke up. When he arrives, Harlowe starts having “hallucinations” or “ghosts” that only he can see: his ex in the bathroom, his father in the kitchen, and his PhD supervisor in the dining room. To the reader, it becomes obvious that he needs to engage in some form of self-reflection. From the beginning, I knew that he needed to either confront those people from his past or take responsibility for what happened.
As I’ve said many times before, I am a sucker for magical realism, and for the most part, I really enjoyed the story. However, for how short this book is (less than 300 pages), I felt that too much time was spent on Harlowe trying to figure out the purpose of the “ghosts.” Since it is so obvious to the reader, the first half of the novel really dragged on. By the time he finally started confronting them, there wasn’t enough time to flesh those conversations out.
Even with those issues, I related to a lot of what Harlowe was trying to work through. I also really enjoyed the side characters and the found family aspect. I honestly felt that this was Underhill’s strongest aspect of the book. His characters, even with the limited time we get with them, all felt very distinct and had strong personalities. It’s not very often that I feel a novel needs to be longer, but man, I really wish we could’ve had more of Harlowe and his friends.
I was surprised this book was so heavily promoted as a romance novel, because honestly, the romance felt way more like the B plot. In fact, most of the novel is Harlowe navigating a breakup, and Harlowe’s relationship with Nathan didn’t really come together until much later. While I don’t think everyone will enjoy the romance due to the initial lack of communication, I think it made a lot of sense for the characters and the trauma they needed to work through.
If you were to ask me if I think the couple will last, though, I do not have a confident “yes” to give…
Overall, I ended up giving The House of Now and Then 3.5 stars. I thought it was a quick, relatable read that readers could take some strong life lessons from, but I still would’ve liked a little more depth. I think Edward Underhill is a talented writer when it comes to characterization, and I will definitely be trying more of his work in the future.
3.5/5 Stars
The Other Side of Now
The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison
Published on June 3, 2025
Genres: Adult, Literary Fiction, Romance
Pages: 320
Format: ARC
Goodreads
With a leading role on a hit TV show and a relationship with Hollywood’s latest heartthrob, Meg Bryan appears to have everything she ever wanted. But underneath, her happiness is as fake as her stage name, Lana Lord. Following a tiny nervous breakdown at her thirtieth birthday party, she books an impromptu trip to Ireland. Specifically, to the village where she and her best friend Aimee always dreamt of moving.
When Meg arrives, the people in town don’t just recognize her, they seem to know her. She quickly—reluctantly—realizes she has somehow slipped into an alternate reality. One where she did move to Ireland as a teenager, one where she never got famous, and—most shocking of all—one where Aimee is alive and well.
She just wants nothing to do with Meg.
Despite her bewilderment, Meg is clear-eyed about one thing: this is a once-in-two-lifetimes chance to reconnect with her friend and repair what she broke . . . or else risk losing Aimee all over again.
I had requested The Other Side of Now a few months before it was published because it takes place in Ireland. Last year, I got married in Ireland, and before our trip, I was trying to read as many books set there as I could. However, I greatly underestimated how many last-minute things popped up before the wedding, so I never got around to this one. Then, earlier this year, I was watching BooksandLala, and she absolutely RAVED about this one. That finally gave me the push to pick it up.
The Other Side of Now also incorporates magical realism, which is one of my favorite elements in fiction. Meg, a famous actress, decides to travel to Ireland, a place she had once dreamed of living. Once she arrives, she realizes she is living in an alternate reality where she chose to attend school with her high school best friend, only to end up building a completely different life in Ireland instead.
One of my favorite parts of this book was the cast of side characters (I seriously love a found family!!). I especially loved her best friend. Their friendship felt genuine and added so much emotional weight to the story. I also liked the love interest, although I never found myself especially invested in the romance subplot. It really didn’t do anything for the story, and I found it weird that he dated her, but the version of her she doesn’t know. For me, the core of the story was always Meg’s journey of rediscovering herself and navigating the regrets of her life.
That said, I did find the overall story fairly predictable, which kept it from being a five-star read for me. I could see where most of the major plotlines were heading, so there weren’t many surprises along the way. It’s a type of story that won’t surprise readers, and I thought that it could have used something a little different to keep it unique.
Even so, I really connected with the themes. I think everyone has wondered at some point what their life would look like if they had made one different decision, and this book explores that question in such a thoughtful way. Rather than suggesting there’s one “right” path, it explores what truly brings someone happiness. There were many parts that hit a little too hard (and I may or may not have cried once), especially given what was happening in my life at the time of reading this. Overall, it was an emotional read that I really related to. I would definitely recommend this one.
4/5 Stars
Everything She Does Is Magic
Everything She Does Is Magic by Bridget Morrissey
Published on September 9, 2025
Genres: Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Goodreads
In the charming town of Fableview, every day is Halloween.
Darcy Keller, resident ray of sunshine and town spirit princess, loves every moment of Fableview’s fall festivities. But she’s also really ready to leave for college next year, even though her parents expect her to stay and take over their Halloween empire.
Enter brooding new girl Anya Doyle, a real-life witch and almost a full member of her coven. In order to be initiated, she has to choose a mortal ally to act as her “protector.” But having moved around so much, Anya is completely friendless. So she does what any self-respecting teenage almost-witch would—she lies and tells her coven her secret crush, Darcy, is willing to do the job.
The solution? Work together, of course. The girls agree to help each other out, attending everything from a costume parade to a pumpkin patch party to an apple bobbing contest together. But with Anya’s magical powers and Darcy’s future independence on the line, the last thing they need is the added complication of pesky feelings . . .
Everything She Does Is Magic is a cute, YA sapphic romance following two young women in the town of Fableview, a place that is OBSESSED with Halloween. Think spooky vibes, Halloween festivals, and a town whose entire personality (and income) revolves around October.
One of our main characters, Anya, is new to Fableview and just so happens to be an actual witch. Our other main character, Darcy, works at the family store that basically runs all of Fableview’s Halloween events… and she doesn’t believe witches are real. It made for a really fun setup.
One thing that seems to be a theme across a lot of the books I’m reviewing today is how much I loved the side characters. Grace, Darcy’s best friend, was easily one of my favorites. She was quirky and funny, but she also felt like an actual teenager instead of comic relief. She actually reminded me of one of my high school friends, which made her feel incredibly authentic.
As for the YA aspect, I felt that the characters were very realistic for their age range. Both of our FMCs are seniors in high school, and I appreciated that their struggles actually reflected what so many people are thinking about during that stage of life. Darcy desperately wants to leave Fableview and figure out who she is outside of her family’s expectations, but she also feels guilty because her family wants her to take over their store after graduation. On the other hand, Anya is facing the terrifying possibility of losing the magic. Part of the reason is that she is not quick to trust people, thanks to an old friend who attempted to take advantage of her.
Even though those are obviously very different problems (one slightly more magical than the other), they both captured that feeling of standing on the edge of adulthood and not knowing what your future is going to look like.
I also really liked both main characters individually. Their decisions made sense to me, and while they were obviously teenagers, they also felt mature. Neither of them frustrated me with unnecessary drama, and I found myself rooting for both of them from the beginning.
The romance was also incredibly sweet. I loved all of the awkwardness and nervousness they had around each other at first. Watching them slowly become more comfortable together felt natural, and I thought their relationship developed at a nice pace instead of feeling rushed.
Note: While I had the old e-ARC on my Kindle, my local library had the audiobook on Libby, so I decided to listen to it on my drive home from a trip to Minneapolis. I switched back to the e-book once I got home. I really enjoyed the book as a whole, but I had a few minor issues with the audiobook. The narrator would start randomly whispering, and it was hard to hear. I would then turn up the volume only to have it blast at me when she started speaking normally again. I would recommend the physical copy of this book for that reason.
Overall, Everything She Does is Magic was a charming, cozy Halloween romance with lovable characters. I have already ordered a physical copy for my classroom library, and I am excited to have it on my wall of recommendations this October.
4.5/5 Stars
The Dahlia Suite
The Dahlia Suite by Carinn Jade
Published on July 21, 2026
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Goodreads
When Paige arrives at Sueños, the Caribbean’s most exclusive resort on Beck Island, she’s eager to use the time away from her young son to shake off the writer’s block that has stifled her new career as an author.
Hollywood starlet Lindsay Law is on a mission of her own at Sueños: spiraling from a recent Oscar loss, she’s determined to find out why the winner in her category gave thanks to Mara Morgan, the legendary actress who owned Beck Island before her tragic death.
While Paige and Lindsay are drawn together by creative inspiration, Gabby, the resort’s concierge, is torn apart by the loss of a coworker and the mysterious appearance of a man from her past. Gabby still has the power to grant her guests’ most over-the-top requests, but she’s helpless against her own grief and confusion.
As the sun-soaked days of bliss morph into sinister connections, Paige, Lindsay, and Gabby are united by a shocking twist, and must race to untangle the knot of Beck Island’s mysteries before another woman vanishes.
I loved the premise of this. Rich people on an island when things go wrong? Basically my bread and butter when it comes to a thriller.
As for the different POVs, I had a hard time differentiating between them. There was too much going on with each character that didn’t relate to the overall story. I understand the need for characterization, but it would leave the rest of the plot stagnant.
Light spoilers ahead:
There is a supernatural/psychic element to the book that I simply wasn’t interested in. It’s never my favorite trope, but I still wanted to give it a chance since I liked the rest of the vibes. But it just didn’t work out for me in the end. It’s a huge reason why I didn’t like the book as much as I wanted to, which is definitely a personal preference. There were also a lot of mentions of astrology, which I can usually ignore, but it was mentioned by all of the character POVs.
Unfortunately, while the book had all the vibes of White Lotus, it didn’t have the same intensity. There was not a lot of action, and I never felt like anyone was ever in serious danger until the last ten percent. Most of the book focused on the characters themselves, which made the mystery feel more like a background element than I expected.
It was a quick read though, so if you don’t take issue with the psychic element, it could be a fun, summer thriller for you.
2/5 Stars
If you’re a Netgalley user, let me know your current ratio (no shame here, I was at 30% for a VERY long time) and give me your favorite tips in the comments!
Until next time.