Last day of the advent book! I wouldn‘t claim this was a fantastic read, but it was fun and emotional and sweet. And of course, an advent book is such a great idea that it was worthwhile just for the fun of a chapter every day. Hoping this happens again next year!

This was definitely a fun holiday frolic, with lots of deep feels and a hint of nostalgic sweetness. Our FMC, Harriet, has a troubled past, and who better to see her through than Nolan, Ghost of Christmas Past! Not a ton of surprises, but lots of family-driven angst, spicy romance, and cozy vibes. The bit of supernatural hits a good note, and paves the way for more stories in this universe, which is definitely read. A lovely holiday read!

A true delight, this fairy tale isn‘t just fractured, but smashed to pieces and rebuilt much better. Funny, dangerous, heartfelt, and just lovely, I feel like this story has something for everyone. Even the wicked stepmother isn‘t completely what she seems to be, and the talking lion is a supercilious riot. There‘s a lot to love in this book, and the fast-paced, twisty-turny plot keeps you involved right to the end. Highly recommend!

Now THAT was a sequel! All the good elements from the first book — tight plot, strong characters, searing romance — and wind it all up a few more notches. The stakes just keep getting raised and the pace is good and fast, with lots of growth and change, twists and turns. And a total OMG cliffhanger to wrap it up at the end. AGAIN. It was maybe a touch long, but I didn‘t really feel it because the story is so engaging. Loved this one!

#Romantics — @ChaptersofChaos

Good Spirits by BK Borison

Just started this one, and am looking forward to a fun holiday frolic! Love a romance with a touch of the supernatural and this should fit the bill nicely…

This was good fun, and had a solid mystery behind it. A little sad, but mostly hopeful, and lots of twists to keep you reading. I liked Freya, and her situation is definitely a sympathetic one (as women of a certain age lol). Nothing earth shattering here, but a good read and a nice little escape.

Picked up this advent book on a holiday-fuelled whim. I hope it‘s fun! Even if it turns out silly, I think I‘ll enjoy the fun of a chapter a day😊

I really liked this book at first — Ali Hazelwood is an engaging writer, and everything was sweet and confused and very trope-y. But the closer I got to the end, the more I cringed. I know miscommunication is a popular plot device, but COME ON. And I saw the “crisis” point coming from pretty much the beginning, so no joy there either. I almost didn‘t bother finishing, but I did. Sigh. Maybe I‘ll switch to mystery for a while…

This book was a RIDE, with all of Huchu‘s usual brilliance and plenty of surprises. This book brought together a bunch of plot lines from the previous books, with a couple new horrendous happenings and a truly OH SH*T cliffhanger ending. Rope Moyo continues to be a clever, funny, smart, and engaging heroine, and reading how she handled the ups and downs of this story was truly good. I love this series and can‘t wait for the next book!

My brain is still swimming with all the thoughts and ideas and confusion in this book…Philip Pullman is such an intense, evocative writer, and this book is no exception. Following Lyra and Pan as they explore the meaning and the limits of human consciousness is a worthwhile journey for all who ponder existence. I still have questions but maybe that‘s the point, maybe we need to keep questioning and wondering and imagining to keep being human.

I didn‘t like this much initially, but it really grew on me! Stella is appealingly cheerful and optimistic without being obnoxious, and Luka is sweet and attentive without it being too unbelievable. Their romance progressed well and the setting was almost too ideal. Hallmark Christmas movie with added spice (GREAT spice), and without the saccharine overtones. A fun read and I‘ll definitely read more by this author.

This was a very fun one — I‘ve enjoyed all of this series, but I think this one was peak so far. Funny, unexpectedly emotional, and unabashedly filthy, the exploration of our vision of self and how it can both harm and heal was heartrending and lovely. It‘s always a welcome surprise when a fluffy romance digs a little deeper, and Mack seems to have a real talent for it. And there‘s hardly any hockey, really😅

This series continues to entertain, and be blistering about it. Phew! The tension in this book is palpable, as the two MCs circle each other and the plot develops. Smutty silly fun, yes. Well written and entertaining, also yes. Greatly enjoying this series and Anna Huang in general.

I‘m not entirely sure how I feel about this book. Excellently written and absorbing, but uneasy, with a chord of dissonance running through it. Sort of a happy ending, but I almost feel the book would have been stronger if it had gone another way. I did like the not-quite-magic system, and Santangel is a wonderful tortured soul. A strong focus on the hypocrisy of state religion felt appropriate to current times. A good read, uneasiness included.

This was a fun read! Not very serious for sure, but a good time. Serena is an appealing heroine, and it‘s entertaining to watch her grow into her new self and find a solid place in the world. I enjoyed Koen, and a little more of him might have been nice. Ali Hazelwood has an engaging way of writing, and this supernatural romance definitely meets the brief. A little mystery added to the plot, with a wisp of danger and a nice smackerel of spice.👌🏻

The book was kind of a disappointment— I really enjoyed the first, but this second just did not live up to it. The plot was sort of meh, the editing was all over the place, and the changes in the character relationships weren‘t really believable. Some of my favourite characters from the first book changed to be awful, and there just wasn‘t enough left to care about. There‘s clearly going to be another in this series too, but I won‘t be continuing.

I‘m gonna go with Geraldine Harris, who brought me the first real “high” fantasies that I picked and read all on my own as a kidlet. I re-read the first book (tagged) until it fell apart. She opened my mind and my world to amazing and wonderful and scary things and was the gateway to so many more astounding books and authors. There was something so unique and beautiful about her writing. 🥰

#SundayFunday @BookmarkTavern @ChaptersofChaos

Definitely my best October read, this book had everything. A fantasy with a down-to-earth heroine, a quest, a romance with plenty of good bits, and, of course, dragons. Really well-written and absorbing and I can‘t wait for book 2!

#FavoriteReadoftheMonth. @ChaptersofChaos

I guess this is my romance of the week — my only one this week! Not enjoying it as much of the first book and it‘s not terribly romantic, but we‘ll see. Only about 30% in and it is, at least, fairly intense.

#Romantics @ChaptersofChaos

#5joysfriday @DebinHawaii

1. Sweater weather!
2. My baby turning 18 in two weeks
3. My two love bug cats
4. Chai latte on a chilly Friday
5. A great mark on my last course assignment😊

This was a bubbly, fun read, with lots of humour and just enough plot to keep you going. The MMCs actually communicated with each other, which feels like it‘s becoming a rarity in romances, and which I greatly appreciated. Reggie and Amelia are both charming characters, lovable in their own ways and with their own believable motivations. Some medium spice to top it off makes this a great read — light fare, for sure, but a good time.

A haunting novelization of an equally haunting film. It read really well, really visually, with great narrative tension and beautifully drawn characters. The pages breathe with magic and mystery, and the overshadowing dark of humanity‘s evil is palpable. A really good read, if a sad one, and great for this time of year. Peeved that the film isn‘t streaming anywhere in Canada atm.

Bailing on this one early on — just cannot get into it. I think it might be the writing style? The narrator doesn‘t particularly grab me either. Just not the one for me, I guess!

#hailthebail

Just started #MyVampirePlusOne for “spooky” season — I loved the first one so I have hopes!

#Romantics @ChaptersofChaos

I always enjoy Ilona Andrews — they have a way of world building that‘s believable and engrossing, and always have strong, appealing characters. The tension in this one is absolute fire (pardon the pun haha), and there‘s a vein of humour throughout that keeps things moving and readable. I love the way the world is our own, with just a magical sidestep from reality. The magic system is interesting and the plot twisty and complex. A great read!

I‘m not panning this only because I DID finish it, though I‘m not sure why I bothered😅 The majority of the book was just…dull? The characters didn‘t speak to me and the whole plot felt recycled and overdone. It just wasn‘t a compelling story to me. I‘ve heard the second book is better, but I don‘t think I can raise enough interest to try. This one was disappointing.

This was cosy like a warm mug of apple cider on a crisp fall afternoon. It read like a Hallmark movie (with a side helping of sex), and I mean that in a good way. Solid vibes, a delightful setting, and smoking hot tension and spice. Ellie is funny and charming, and Aiden is just…delightful. A light read, but a good one.

This was a fun take on werewolves and other supernaturals! Lots of angst, plenty of action, and juuuust enough spice and tension to keep that mood simmering. I enjoyed the banter and the give-and-take between the Layla and Michael, and the way they slowly grew to know each other and started to work together was believable and kind of sweet. I‘m honestly kind of crushed that book two doesn‘t seem to be available anywhere bc holy cliffhanger!

The farthest I‘ve been is all the way down under to Brisbane, Australia. That‘s 15,000 km (9,320 mi) away from me! It took SO LONG to get there😅😂

#majicmonday @Eggs

I never know who to tag! Play if you feel it😊

This was a fairly good read, with an interesting take on vampires and a gang of engaging and amusing characters. I will say the writing felt…cumbersome at times and I think it could have been shorter without hurting the plot any. A decent twist at the end, and a bit of a cliffhanger to keep you interested. I‘d probably read more by this author.

#Romantics — The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn by Valerie Bowman

Currently loving this cozy fall romance — the vibes are immaculate and the writing is warm, witty, and sweet. Definitely recommend if you like a Hallmark-y rom-com!

@ChaptersofChaos

I‘m giving this a pick despite the slightly histrionic tone, because there‘s actually! Action! Things happen! The increasingly desperate feelings narrated by both MCs gets more than a little grating — just like…COMMUNICATE FFS. I know non-communication is a trope, but it goes a bit far. Anyway, the actual plot parts are strong, and Mafi really has a gift for descriptive imagery. And there‘s still more to come! There‘s enough to keep me invested…

As a kid, I collected unicorn figurines — I was totally THAT kid, lol, completely obsessed. I still have a few knocking around for sentimentality 🥰 I had a collection of books, too, all about unicorns and magic.

Now, it‘s books, of course! Books books and more books!

Thanks for the tag!

#majicmonday @Eggs

An excellent read! A meticulously crafted, immersive world, with vital and engaging characters. The dual timeline was subtle enough to work well without being confusing, and the romance was compelling in a believable way. I loved the different dragon types and how they seemed to mirror the elemental powers ingrained in the world. Sort of felt like a mix between an intimate story and a sweeping epic, if that makes sense. I really enjoyed it!

Finally picking this one up to have a go…

Reading this was like drinking the perfect cup of hot cocoa on a snowy day. Slow and rich and warm and cozy. Vibes were immaculate and the whimsy was just enough to make it lovely without being too much. Mid-stakes crisis made me keep reading, but without any pressure, and the resolution felt authentic. I loved spending time on Belde and I want the recipe for those honey cakes!

As someone who has often been told they are too sensitive, this hit hard. What a beautiful sentiment…and something to keep, too.

This was such a fun read, with everything I love about Brynne Weaver. A good mystery, with lots of depth, twists, and turns. Fairly gruesome in parts, and I now want a pet raven to help me with my hobbies😂 It was only that I didn‘t feel as connected to Nolan as an MMC that kept this from being a total winner for me. The way his character changed didn‘t feel entirely authentic for me. But the romance worked, so idk. Good start to spooky season!

This outing of the series was just seething with tension, especially between Cyrus and Alizeh. This book was everything that book 2 wasn‘t, with action, exposition, and FINALLY some movement in time. We get a lot more of Cyrus, which I loved, and less Kamran and less whining. Cyrus and Alizeh need to have an actual conversation about what‘s going on, without all the prevarications and withdrawals, but other than that, a fantastic read.

This was a fun read! Lots of angst, but like…light angst? If that makes sense. I‘d forgotten a lot about the first book, so the refresher at the beginning was useful instead of annoying, but it might not have been if I‘d read closer together. We learn a lot more about the personalities of our three main characters, and lines are drawn between them all. All 300-some pages are a single day, which is a bit dizzying, but it‘s a good read overall.

I didn‘t like this one as much as the first — the plot felt convoluted and overly complicated, and similar to the first in that it pulled on events from the past. The characters were still funny and engaging, but the story lacked the spark of the first book. I might still read another, but it would have to do something different to get me interested.

Picking up this cozy read for fall, and to recover from Babel. Emotional damage!!

This was a good one — lots of angst, lots of spice, and lots of action. Reyna is a heroine I can get behind, strong and wilful and determined. Spider is just sweet — tough on the outside and a pile of soft mush inside. The way they both eases into trusting one another after being closed off and hurt was really lovely, and the banter was peak. This was a great series overall and I really enjoyed it.

This was an intense, driven book, rich with history and a clear love of language and the power it holds. A damning condemnation of imperialism, being able to see the world through Robin‘s eyes was very impactful. Though there was little happiness to be found in this book, I found I loved it for its unflinching honesty, wealth of history, and the magic we can find in the ordinary. The footnotes added a contextual depth that made a big difference.

Picked up this sequel for a buddy read, and gosh, it‘s just so pretty. Delightful😍 Now, if only I could remember what happened in the first book…

I actually finished this a couple days ago, but here we are… Since I‘m well stuck into book 4, I think I can say this is the weak link in the series. Not that it wasn‘t a good read, just not quite up to par with the others. I felt like we didn‘t get to know Malek (MMC) well enough to really like or dislike him, and I really didn‘t like the sexual blackmailing at the beginning. Still an intense, fast-paced, twisty little book — soft pick.

I liked this one better than the first one! Sloane is a feisty, take-no-shit kind of girl, with a wicked sense of humour and an unfalteringly cheerful outlook on life. Grumpy Declan is the perfect foil, and the way they fight and struggle their way together is a very enjoyable read. Lots of suspense, a little mystery, and some great action scenes. The spice was well written and overall this book was a just a good time. Loving this series!

This was a great read — lots of humour, drama, and intensity. Kage and Nat are absolute fire, and I loved the give and take and communication between them. Especially lovely was the solid friendship between Nat and BFF Sloane, which I thought was really well written. I loved the moments of snark and the funny bits, and the spice was SPICY. 🥵 A ton of fun, although I have to dock points for Kage appearing to occasionally having extra hands😂

This was great fun — a real caper, with engaging characters, lots of witty humour, and a nicely complex plot. I did figure out the twist but it didn‘t spoil my enjoyment in particular. I loved Billie‘s voice, and each lady had her own personality that gave the story depth and shape. The “menopaws” app just killed me😂 Flipping over to the sequel! And I LOVE the cover.

Finally starting this one ahead of #Katabasis — a buddy read with my book bestie😊 Seems perfect for a quiet Saturday afternoon…