February 2026 | Book Nerds Across America

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

BOOK REVIEW; EVERGREEN ACADEMY BY HEATHER SCHNEIDER

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Welcome to Evergreen Academy, the secret college for Magical Botanists.

I’d always sensed something peculiar about the reclusive Evergreen Academy, tucked deep in the woods of my hometown. But I never could have imagined it was a college for magical botanists–and that I am one of them.

An invitation to the academy opens up a whole new world of wonder, yet my plant affinity powers remain elusive, and my scientific training is far behind that of my peers.

When I’m assigned a tutor, Callan Rhodes, a powerful descendant of the academy’s founders, I’m baffled by his willingness to help me.

Despite my challenges, I’m enchanted by the academy’s glass schoolhouse, its grounds which are overflowing with plants that defy the climate, and the quirky festivals held each equinox and solstice.

But disaster looms as the verdant shield that protects the academy from the prying eyes of nonmagical people begins to falter. Can Callan and the other founder’s descendants sustain the magic on their own, or will the clock finally start to tick on figuring out my powers?

TEE'S THOUGHTS...

I don't even know who I am with my reading anymore. It has been a long time since I picked up a YA fantasy book, yet in November and December I read 3, not only that, but, I am not a series reader, I am happy with a stand alone, and honestly prefer them. In fact one of my favorite books when I was reading YA, was The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, it took me over 10 years to finish the series and that was forcing myself to do so. I just get bored or something.

So why am I telling you this? Well, because of Heather Schneider's book Evergreen Academy. Not only is it a YA fantasy book, it is the first book in a series called Society of Magical Botanists. When I finished it, I instantly began thinking about how I needed to read the next book. ( Evergreen Conservatory- publishes in book form on Dec 31 and Audio book January 6 )

I am giving praise to Schneider for her story telling and her writing. I loved so much about this book. One of the things I really liked , as an avid gardener, was all the Botany knowledge that was included in the story. The author built a world around a secretive, magical college that centers around Botany and each of the hand picked students have a botany subject they specialize in based on their powers. It has romance, but it is ver slow and their is little or any physical contact, which I think makes this book great fr a younger reader wanting to dip their toes into a romance/fantasy book.

All the characters are well written and likable, but it was Evergreen Academy its self that felt like the main character to me. With Schneider's descriptions. Evergreen came alive for me, and I imagined it to be a beautiful ancient castle where the smell of flora and beeswax candles float in the air.

This book is both magical, cozy, and whimsical, and reminded me why at one time long ago, I fell in love with magical fantasy stories.

Sunday, February 22, 2026

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Synopsis:

Between life and death there is a library.

When Nora Seed finds herself in the Midnight Library, she has a chance to make things right. Up until now, her life has been full of misery and regret. She feels she has let everyone down, including herself. But things are about to change.

The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently. With the help of an old friend, she can now undo every one of her regrets as she tries to work out her perfect life. But things aren't always what she imagined they'd be, and soon her choices place the library and herself in extreme danger.

Before time runs out, she must answer the ultimate question: what is the best way to live?

My First Thoughts:

A book about life and death has been done a million times, in a wide variation. However, the title caught my attention more so than the blurb. I mean, who wouldn't love a library at midnight. Thy mystery of it all! So, of course, it sat on my TBR forever until I finally picked it up ... and then read it all in one sitting

Pros:

If you read this book at 21 or 25, I'm not sure if it'll have the exact same impact as it did for me ... a middle-aged, almost completely over the hill, woman. The reason I say that is not to demean those in their twenties, but it's something about late 40's, almost 50's, which makes you stop and think ... what if?

In this beautifully written book, Nora has been through it. Her life has been ... well ... rough. She feels as if there is nothing right and makes a very permanent decision. First, if you are thinking of harming yourself, please call someone, anyone, there are people who love you and don't want you to hurt yourself. Nora felt as if she had no one to be there for her.

When she opens her eyes, she's in the Midnight Library and the books are her life, at various points. Now she can 'redo' it all. The right way, or so it seems. Now, I'm not one to spoil a story, but we - myself included - all have THAT moment in life where it all changes. Which is why I stated if you're older reading this book, then you'll know what this particular moment it. This is what Nora had to learn, in the Library and in her life. Did she learn it? Well, read the book and see.

Cons:

Normally, I love fast paced books. I'm too busy to have a story linger on and on, but there are some moments/events in Nora's life that I wish the author would have spent more time on, because they were significant for her, and the story.

Rating:

I give this book 4 1/2 stars and would definitely recommend it to others!

Sunday, February 15, 2026

Book Review: The Last Vampire by Romina Garber

GOOD READS SUMMARY:

When a boarding school opens in a once-condemned Victorian manor buried in the woods of New Hampshire, Austen-loving Lorena Navarro enrolls in hopes of finding her own Mr. Darcy. Instead, she stumbles across a coffin and accidentally awakens the world’s last vampire.

After hibernating for nearly three centuries, William Pride is desperate to find his family—and clueless about the modern world. Relying on Lorena for more than just blood, he enrolls at the school to catch up on all he’s missed.

Soon, William uncovers a chilling truth: He is the last hope for his kind’s return to power. Torn between protecting the humans around him and fulfilling his fate, William must make a choice that could change everything. Will he sacrifice his species for love . . . or will he embrace his dark destiny at last?

TEE'S THOUGHTS

I seem to be reverting back to my old love of YA vampire books and I am not even mad about it! This my second one that I have read in a month, I think the last ones I had read were.....yep.... you know it....The Twilight Series. I quit reading YA vampires because I thought Breaking Dawn was so bad. Listen it is ok if you like it, I am good with that, but in my mind the entire Bella getting pregnant thing was just way over the top. Yes I know, even vampires are over the top, but I had to draw the line somewhere hah.. I will say, vampires in this age group have come along way since Twilight...thank goodness.

I just finished up THE LAST VAMPIRE by Romina Garber ( Thank you Net Galley and RB Media for the advance listen ), what really caught my attention was the Pride and Prejudice meets Crave. Honestly, Crave was the first vampire book I read last month. It had been sitting on my shelf for years, but it was the Pride and Prejudice mention that reeled me in.

Now I did see similarities to Crave, Lorna enrolled in a boarding school and falls in love with a vampire, however I saw little of Pride and Prejudice, which was a little disappointing. Lorna is a fan of Austin, and William who is the vampire has the last name of Pride.

It is fairly typical- kind of- Lorena accidentally finds Williams casket and awakes him. She of course is frightened of him, I mean yea, he is a vampire after all, but William is in a constant state of annoyed with her. They slowly find themselves falling for each other. To me the feelings felt fast, not

like fast or soon in the book, but more like a jarring I was reading on one page and they disliked each other and the next page, they were in love

William is apparently the last of his kind, but then he finds out he is not, so he sets out to solve the mystery of what happened to the other vampires, esp. his family.

For me, this booked work in several places, but not others. It felt slow at times, but then would move at a quick place in others. Besides being a romance, it is also a mystery, there are lots of secrets as William tries to figure out his past.

I did struggle a bit with the characters. I guess, well, they were school age, I cant remember if it was high school or college, because I am older I found them a bit frustrating, and very whiny at times. I did listen to the book as opposed to reading it and I thought both the narrators, Stacy Gonzales and Eddie Lopez did a great job at playing the characters. Lopez, especially made me feel William's annoyance with Lorena.

The Last Vampire isn't a bad book, it certainly kept me entertained enough to keep listening to the finish, and I will say it was much better than the Twilight books. I am in no way denying my love for Twilight, I think it will always have this place in my heart, but I also think it was a moment in time, and maybe you have had to be there to understand, but the writing in The Last Vampire was 100 percent better if I must be honest.

This is a good book for paranormal, vampire, or dark academic readers, so if that includes you, give this one a try,

Friday, February 6, 2026

BOOK REVIEW: LADY TREMAINE BY RACHEL HOCHHAUSER

GOOD READS SUMMARY:

A widow twice over, Etheldreda is now saddled with the care of her two children, a priggish stepdaughter, and a razor-taloned peregrine falcon. Her entire life has become a ruse, just like the manor hall they live grand and ornate on the exterior, but crumbling, brick by brick, inside. Fierce in the face of her misfortune, Ethel clings to her family’s respectability, the lifeboat that will float her daughters straight into the secure banks of marriage.

When a royal ball offers the chance to secure the future she desperately desires, Etheldreda must risk her secrets, pride, and limited resources in pursuit of an invitation for her daughters—only to see her hopes fulfilled by the wrong one. As an engagement to the heir of the kingdom unfolds with unnerving speed, she discovers a sordid secret hidden in the depths of the royal family, forcing her to choose between the security she’s sought for years and the well-being of the feckless stepdaughter who has rebuffed her at every turn.

As if Bridgerton met Circe, and exhilarating to its core, Lady Tremaine reimagines the myth of the evil stepmother at the heart of the world’s most famous fairytale. It is a battle cry for a mother’s love for her daughters, and a celebration of women everywhere who make their own fortunes.

TEE'S THOUGHTS

I am not much of a fantasy reader ( I say that now, but I seem to be reaching for more every time I buy a book; maybe it is because the world is a shitshow at this moment, and it takes me to other places ), but I have always loved retellings of fairytales or mythology.

A fellow bookstagrammer was highlighting Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser on her account a week or so ago, and I liked what she had to say about it, so I was off to NetGalley to see if I could get a hold of a copy of it. Lucky for me, I was able to ( Thank you, McMillan Audio ), and she was right, it is a good story.

It is a retelling, sort of, of Cinderella, except there is no fairy godmother, no pumpkin coach, or glass slippers. In fact, it was a bit of a dark story, and even though it took place in a land long ago, it was fairly modern.

I liked how the author spun her story; she kept the basics of Cinderella, but remade it from the Stepmother's POV. It is a story of pushing through and surviving what has come your way.

Lady Tremaine has had it hard; she has two daughters by her first husband and is taking care of her stepdaughter ( Ella ) from her last husband. She wants the best for them, despite the lot they have been given with the death of each husband. She does lean a bit more toward her own daughters, which I am sure most parents might, over Ella. Ella isn't the Cinderella of the fairy tale; she was given much growing up and has a tendency to be a bit lazy, while the other two girls work hard helping their mother. While I wasn't a fan of Lady Tremaine, I did question how I might be if I were in her situation, but I will say she is not the stepmother we often see her as.

The one thing that I did not enjoy, and it is minor, is that I felt at times the author got bogged down in detail, making the story lag in places, but I kept listening, refusing to hit the pause button on the audio ( and stay up until after 2 one morning ) so it is hard to say it bothered me a lot. What I did like was her details on Hawking. I always like watching the Hawks at our annual Medieval Festival, and she did teach me a lot. The ending? Well, let me just say, I did not see it coming, and it was a bit of a surprise to me.

Lady Tremaine is well written, enjoyable, and full of strong women, the perfect retelling of a loved fairytale.

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