⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I adore Rebecca‘s writing, and this story and its world had me hooked from the very beginning. I loved everything about this book and cannot wait to start reading its sequel.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I adore Rebecca‘s writing, and this story and its world had me hooked from the very beginning. I loved everything about this book and cannot wait to start reading its sequel.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Godkiller” started off very slow, however the backstory was well worth the wait. The world itself was very interesting, in addition to the plot, however the highlight of this book are its characters. The character arcs for Kissen, Elo, Inara, and Skedi were very well done and I always love the found-family trope. I look forward to seeing how these characters continue to develop throughout the rest of this trilogy.
“People make gods, and, for better or worse, gods make people. We show each other for what we truly are. Yearning beings, desperate for love, power, safety.”
- Aan
I made it about 60% of the way through before I called it quits. The story was interesting initially, but I wasn‘t a huge fan of Jack and Hazel‘s characters and the “love story” was very sudden and didn‘t really start until halfway through the book. I had higher hopes for this one, but I can‘t see myself finishing this one.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“A Fragile Enchantment” was a book I had been looking forward to receiving and reading, but I took off a star due to seeming a bit lackluster at times. However, I enjoyed the plot and character development throughout. The book does a nice job of wrapping up loose ends (always a big fan of that), and I enjoyed Kit‘s and Niamh‘s ending.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
“Dear Henry, Love Edith” was a cute read just in time for Valentine‘s Day that is full of “You‘ve Got Mail” vibes. The book focuses on second chances and is full of wacky and funny characters. I greatly enjoyed this story and hope to read more of these characters in the future.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The Mysteries of Thorn Manor” was a super cute novella that served as an extended epilogue for “Sorcery of Thorns”. I adore these characters, and I was sad yet again to reach the end of this story.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“What the River Knows” was an interesting read that had several plot twists, but also had a couple surprises that I guessed were coming. I enjoyed Whit‘s and Inez‘s relationship and Inez‘s headstrong character, however she came across as a bit whiny at times. I‘m intrigued to see how the sequel continues this story.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
I resonated with the themes of this book, however it felt very preachy at times. I unfortunately was hoping for more poetry and felt a bit disappointed when it turned more into a self-help lecture.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
I‘ve always been a fan of Adrienne Young‘s writing, and this novel doesn‘t disappoint. “The Unmaking of June Farrow” is one that definitely tugs on your heartstrings as it explores themes of family and love while an unsolved murder threatens to disrupt everything. The plot was clever, and the characters with their related arcs were well written.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely adored “Divine Rivals” and eagerly awaited the sequel and conclusion of this series, “Ruthless Vows”. I unfortunately can‘t give “Ruthless Vows” the five stars that I gave its predecessor as the focus of this book was more on the war itself and I had mixed feelings about the ending. I loved Roman‘s and Iris‘ journey, and I will miss the characters and the beautiful world that Rebecca Ross had written.
“Sometimes,” Iris began, “I don‘t think we know what we‘re made of until the worst moment possible happens. Then we must decide who we truly are and what is most important to us. I think we‘re often surprised by what we become.”
⭐️⭐️
This book had multiple flaws, one of them being that it is incredibly repetitive (we get what Clara‘s goal in life is, we don‘t need to be reminded every chapter) and the obscene amount of times that the author mentioned Clara‘s scoliosis was annoying and frustrating. The romance felt forced and its progression was choppy. I wasn‘t a huge fan of the ending and how Clara is completely oblivious at times.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I‘ve always enjoyed Rudy‘s poetry, and this book did not disappoint. The format of this collection is much different than his previous two, however it was a change that I found interesting and enjoyable.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Ninth House” is full of dark and gothic academia vibes. It was slow to start, but the plot and story itself gradually became more suspenseful with several plot twists. I enjoyed Alex‘s character arc, and I also enjoyed the murder mystery element that was included. I‘m not sure when I‘ll read the sequel, but I‘m intrigued to see what happens next.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
“Muse of Nightmares” is a satisfying sequel and conclusion to its previous “Strange the Dreamer”. I loved the character arcs and development as Weep deals with the aftermath of the previous book‘s ending and overcoming years-worth of hatred and bias. The introduction of Nova and the ties she had to the story was interesting and definitely not one I was expecting. Overall, this was a fitting end to the duology.
“For that instant, at least, they seemed one and the same, as though all anguish exists in the same deep well, no matter what loss or misfortune leads us to it. We might be at odds, hate each other, and desire each other‘s destruction, but in our despair, we are lost in the same darkness, breathing the same air as we choke on our grief.”
- Laini Taylor
⭐️⭐️⭐️
“What Lies in the Woods” is a creepy and dark mystery that is full of lies, betrayals, and misdirection. I anticipated one of the plot twists that occurred earlier on, however I didn‘t have to worry about that happening again as the plot/backstory became a bit too convoluted. This was an interesting read with an interesting premise, however it did not stand out very much with me.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
I‘m not the biggest fan of contemporaries, however “If I Have To Be Haunted” was a perfect October read that I enjoyed. The character development and arcs were well done, and I really enjoyed Cara and Zach‘s journey. The books does set up for a sequel, however I am perfectly content with this remaining as a standalone.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
“Bonesmith” is a dark fantasy that is the perfect read for October. I really enjoyed the characters and their development throughout the story, and the plot was frequently suspenseful, action-packed, and full of betrayal. I can‘t wait to read the other part of this duology when “Ghostsmith” gets released next year.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
After absolutely adoring Ross‘ latest release of “Divine Rivals”, I decided to try one of her previous books. “Sisters of Sword & Song” is a riveting story focused on sisterly bonds that was incredible sweet and heartwarming. It was also full of betrayal, redemption, and forgiveness in an Ancient Greek-like setting, and I greatly enjoyed this read and the world that was written within its pages.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I adored “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” as a child, and I still found this story enchanting many years later. I loved the drawings sprinkled throughout the story, and the ending was even better than I remembered.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Eight Will Fall” is a dark fantasy with horror elements scattered throughout. I found the initial plot and concept interesting, however the level of gore was a bit excessive and a good chunk of the book fell flat for me, plot twists and all.
“Good people do all the things bad people do, Lazlo. It‘s just that when they do them, they call it justice.”
- Sarai
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Laini Taylor gave us an absolute gift when she wrote “Strange the Dreamer”. Her storytelling is lush with incredible world building and the plot is captivating with unique and flawed characters that will steal your heart. There are heavy themes of good vs. evil, however each side is morally gray with its own broken past. I still feel like the romance was a bit too insta-love for me, but the connection that Laini wrote was beautiful.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Keeper of Enchanted Rooms” had a bit of a slow start, but afterwards I greatly enjoyed this heartwarming and cozy read. I loved the characters and I can‘t wait to read the sequel!
I made it about 1/3 of the way through before I had to call it quits. I found the plot lacking of originality, but most importantly the characters were boring and occasionally annoying. I wish I could have finished this one, however it couldn‘t hold my interest.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
I‘m a sucker for cozy, heartwarming, and funny stories, and “The House Witch” managed to have all three. I really enjoyed the characters and I can‘t wait to continue onto the next novel in the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This took me longer to get through, as the beginning started off slow and remained that way until about 60% into the book. I found the plot interesting, and I enjoyed how the adventure resolved, especially with the small surprise twist at the end. This was a solid novel, but I‘m still not sure if I‘ll read the rest of this trilogy.
“It is not always easy to do the right thing, Amina al-Sirafi. More often than not, it is a lonely, thankless ordeal. That does not mean it is not worth doing.”
- Khayzur
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a nice collaboration between r.h. Sin, Samantha King Holmes, and R.M. Drake. My main complaint is that I wish r.h. Sin‘s sections weren‘t so big and there was more from the other two poets. Sin‘s poetry was a tad better than some of the past works I‘ve read from him, however there definitely was some rambling that didn‘t seem like poetry.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The Wishing Game” was a cozy and heartwarming read that I absolutely loved. I adored the characters, the plot was incredibly satisfying, and the story made me want to be there with them on Clock Island. My biggest and only complaint with this book was that it was over too soon!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The French Revolution has always been a historical topic that interested me, so having a book immersed in this setting intrigued me and made it a quick read. The characters themselves were decent, however I found a majority of them unlikeable at times. The plot was unique and I liked the story itself, however I don‘t know if I‘ll find myself reading its sequel.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Sing Me to Sleep” was a decent read to begin with, but it definitely picked up towards the end. I initially had trouble liking some of the characters, however by the end I found myself liking them more. I look forward to reading the sequel when it comes out!
⭐️⭐️
It took me several months to get through this monster of a book, and despite it being a classic, I struggled to get through it. The world-building and plot was difficult to grasp, and a lot of the book was simply boring. There were certain moments that kept me entertained, but most of my reading consisted of trying to understand the abundance of confusing terminology and what was actually happening in the book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The Stardust Thief” was a solid read with an interesting world, however I couldn‘t bring myself to like the characters. Each of them had qualities that I found made them unlikeable, and even annoying at times. The plot was decent, however I don‘t think it is enough to persuade me to read the rest of this series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
I loved the premise of “The Reading List”, and it was simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I loved the concept of books bringing people together and people discovering their love of reading. This was a cozy read that also broke my heart at times, however it was well worth it.
“Please try to remember that books aren‘t always an escape; sometimes books teach us things. They show us the world; they don‘t hide it.”
- Mukesh Patel
⭐️⭐️
“Head Over Heels” had an interesting premise, but it fell very flat for me. I enjoyed Hallie‘s journey, however the romance component of the book was incredibly boring, bland, and predictable. Ryan‘s character also lacked depth compared to Avery‘s, and their relationship was not one I actually enjoyed reading about.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved Klune‘s previous “The House in the Cerulean Sea” and “Under the Whispering Door”, and “In the Lives of Puppets” is no exception. I absolutely adored Rambo and Nurse Ratched, and the found-family trope was incredibly heartwarming. I loved the characters and witty humor as always!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a quick read that started off a touch slow but gradually got better as the story progressed. It took a while for me to like Kitty‘s character as she comes off as selfish and arrogant at times, however I enjoyed her later character arc. I really enjoyed Kitty‘s and James‘ interactions, and I only wish that there had been an epilogue.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
I enjoyed “The Secret Service of Tea and Treason”, and I liked it more than the previous “The League of Gentlewomen Witches”. However, “The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels” still maintains itself as my favorite of the series. I loved all of the characters, humor, and shenanigans that this world presented.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
I adored the first book in this series, and this one is a solid second. I didn‘t enjoy Charlotte‘s and Alex‘s relationship as much as I did Ned‘s and Cecelia‘s, however I still really enjoyed the story and its humor.