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Tag: new adult books

  • Our 3 Favorite Things About Rings Of Fate By Melissa de la Cruz

    We can always rely on Melissa de la Cruz to deliver. And her new romantasy novel, Rings of Fate, is no exception! Our 2026 reading lists have officially kicked off, and THP’s book team is beyond stoked to start our year with this iconic release, which is the first book in the Curses and Crowns series!

    Rings of Fate by Melissa de la Cruz follows Aren Bellamore, a barmaid who dreams of leaving her small town and exploring the world. Her dreams don’t include marriage and princes like in the fairytale books. Enter Dietan, a prince carrying a cursed magic who happens to need a bride to carry out his plans.

    As Aren and Dietan travel across towns to reverse the curse, they face political tension, thievery, and terrifying monsters of lore. Oh, and feelings for each other that neither of them want to admit. Here are three of our favorite things about Melissa de la Cruz’s Rings of Fate!

    Rings of Fate by Melissa de la Cruz
    Image Source: Entangled Publishing

    Book Overview: Rings Of Fate

    Content warnings: graphic violence, blood, injury, drugging, attempted assault, kidnapping, imprisonment, torture, whipping, execution, perilous situations, fire, sexual activity, drinking, mentions of war and death of family (Read at your discretion!)

    Summary: She’s a barmaid who doesn’t believe in fairy tales. He’s a prince cursed to live one.

    Aren Bellamore has no interest in being anyone’s princess. She’s too busy running the Raven’s Beak tavern, fending off unwanted marriage proposals, and dreaming of escape. But when a brush with death and a dangerously handsome stranger upend her life, Aren finds herself bound to a bargain that could change everything.

    Prince Dietan has carried the cursed Rings of Fate—ancient weapons of devastating power—since childhood. The magic is killing him, and the enemies are closing in. To make the journey to reverse his curse, he needs a bride to hide his secrets. Aren wants freedom. Pretending to be his fiancée should give them both what they want.

    But as their perilous journey pits them against political schemes, monstrous Kilandrar, and a growing attraction neither can deny, the line between make-believe and destiny begins to blur. And the fate of two kingdoms may depend on whether a cynical barmaid and a cursed prince are willing to risk their hearts.

    Aren’s Stubborn Streak

    Naturally, Melissa de la Cruz’s newest romantic fantasy has a strong and stubborn female main character at the helm. Aren is the foundation of her family, caring for her father and younger twin sisters. She keeps the tavern running and uses her earnings to buy quality material for her sisters’ dresses. And she has learned to develop thick skin from the many drunk patrons she serves. Aren does what she wants no matter what anyone says, especially if it’s Prince Dietan saying it. And honestly? We respect it. That’s our girl boss!

    Their Chemistry

    From the first encounter to the first kiss, Aren and Dietan’s romance in Rings of Fate has chemistry steeped into it! As he’s on his search for a bride, Dietan turns on all the charm for the ladies. And Aren’s seemingly unimpressed attitude does more than pique his interest. We enjoyed reading their banter and pining so much, leading up to the super tense and electrifying confession scene. Aren and Dietan stop at nothing to protect each other while simultaneously putting themselves into the most dangerous situations possible.

    The Story’s Pacing

    Another one of our favorite things about Rings of Fate is the pacing. We’re big Melissa de la Cruz fans at THP, and she absolutely inspires us with her storytelling. Split into four parts, this romantasy took ample time introducing the characters and romance. It created a montage of moments from the Wedding March wherever needed. Then came Aren and Dietan’s arrival to their destination and the final battle. We could connect with and simply get lost in the fantasy, which is one of the best things about reading, hands down.

    Melissa de la Cruz has delivered a romantasy we couldn’t peel our eyes from with Rings of Fate! From the romantic chemistry to awe-inspiring storytelling, it was everything.

    Rings of Fate by Melissa de la Cruz comes out January 6th, and you can order a copy of it here!

    What do you think of Melissa de la Cruz’s new romantasy novel? Is Rings of Fate on your 2026 TBR? Let us know on Twitter! You can also find us over on Facebook and Instagram!

    Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MELISSA DE LA CRUZ:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE

    Julie Dam

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  • 3 Reasons You Should Read Lucky Seed By Justinian Huang

    Living through messy family drama? ❌ Reading about messy family drama? ✅ One thing about us here at THP: we could never get tired of dysfunctional families! Justinian Huang’s new novel, Lucky Seed, takes family politics and drama to another level.

    Lucky Seed stars the Sun Clan, a wealthy family living in Los Angeles known for its billion-dollar company, Sunfang Global. But when the role of company president and sole inheritor to the Sunfang trust requires a male heir by blood, there is nothing this family won’t do to secure their future.

    With the soapiness of Succession and a diverse cast like Crazy Rich Asians, we may have found our latest book obsession. Here are (lucky number) three reasons why Lucky Seed is a must-read!

    Lucky Seed by Justinian Huang
    Image Source: HarperCollins Publishers

    Book Overview: Lucky Seed

    Content warnings: parent deaths, murder and attempted murder, attempted suicide, mentions of drug addiction and use, rape, sexism, homophobia, hospitalization, pregnancies, car accident, graphic sex, some violence (Read at your discretion!)

    Summary: The billionaire Sun Clan of Greater Los Angeles is your typical American family, with power-struggling aunties, emasculated uncles, scheming cousins, scandalous secrets and a fortune teller on retainer. But at the end of each combative day, the Suns are chained together with golden handcuffs, whether they like it or not.

    Yet strange storms are a-brewing. Their matriarch, Roses Sun, is grappling with an existential crisis: she must produce a male heir that bears the clan’s surname. She fears that if her generation is the one in which their esteemed lineage ends, they will be punished as “hungry ghosts” in the afterlife—an ancient but very real Asian superstition.

    Faced with this terrifying fate, Roses summons her favorite nephew, Wayward. Believing him to possess the “lucky seed,” Roses presents Wayward with a mandatory suggestion: to father a baby boy who will inherit everything. When the other members of the Sun Clan catch wind of Roses’s plot, all hells break loose. Wayward’s family will now clash like never before in an epic war over the future of the Suns…if there is a future at all.

    Yet through the chaos, Wayward sees opportunity. What if he can leverage all the conflict into a solution for his problematic family? What if he can reunite the Sun Clan by healing them? And what if the tumultuous Suns can finally learn how to love each other for the first time?

    Crazy Family Dynamics

    Imagine the most dysfunctional family and multiply it tenfold. That’s how chaotic and scandalous the Sun Clan in Lucky Seed is. Starting from the way the late Big Boss Sun grew his company at the expense of other people, one of which was his close friend and business partner. Then we get to his children and their strained relationships caused by betrayal, blackmail, and constantly butting heads: Roses, Iris, George, and Hyacinth. The next generation of Suns (April, Wayward, Isaac, Felicia, and Lola) mostly tolerate or ignore one another, though some of their resentment has been brewing in recent years. Now with a multi-billion dollar trust on the line, everyone vies for their shot at producing a son who will ultimately inherit it.

    It Keeps You Guessing

    We were somehow able to predict a few of the plot twists in Lucky Seed (not to brag or anything). But the secrets and surprises never seem to end with the Sun Clan. Like what does a murder investigation in Hong Kong have to do with Roses’s fortune teller? Or who gains the most from spying on the Sun Clan and planning their demise? Some of the shady dealings between family members and secret conversations we become privy to are so unexpected. Yet they are all interconnected to the main drama: and that’s how each of the Sun cousins finds a way to inherit the family fortune. We especially love getting the added perspective of the family dog, Houyi, who is ultimately a hero in his own right.

    The Cathartic Ending

    Whew, we had to take a few breaks reading through the ending of Lucky Seed because the consecutive big reveals kept wailing on us. We fast forward through each of the respective pregnancies (we won’t spoil who to keep the element of surprise). In a much-anticipated family reunion at a baby shower, everyone’s secrets and schemes come to light. Characters we once rooted for turn into the villains of the story. Long-missing relatives show their hand in manipulating the Sun Clan. We were so scared for the fate of a few characters. But suffice it to say that everyone gets the ending they deserve. Slowly but surely, most of the siblings’ relationships and parent-child relationships are on the mend. And the future of the Sun family is as bright as ever.

    In this twisty and dramatic contemporary novel, Lucky Seed by Justinian Huang follows one wealthy family’s path to securing the family fortune. Filled with dark plots, betrayals, and surprise reveals, it’s become our latest book obsession!

    Lucky Seed by Justinian Huang comes out November 11th, and you can order a copy of it here!

    What do you think of Justinian Huang’s new novel? Do you plan on reading Lucky Seed? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

    Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JUSTINIAN HUANG:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE

    Julie Dam

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