Not my favorite Valentino novel — however, I did empathize the most with this villain, Lady Tremaine! Her situation was definitely the most sympathetic and gives a lot more background on why she is so cruel to Cinderella. I love the twist of having Cinderella‘s father be the true villain. The only thing that I didn‘t like was the role of Circe in this novel. It didn‘t really seem to fit her character at all based on past novels.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)

I loved this book! Learning about the Mexico‘s politics in 1970s (even if it was dramatized) was fascinating. I was endeared to the character Elvis and really enjoyed his character growth. And, while I didn‘t like the character Maite at all, I really enjoyed her story line. A fascinating read that I would recommend to everyone because it has a bit of everything: romance, adventure, and murder!
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(4.5/5)

I really didn‘t like this book because I really didn‘t like the main character. She was an incredibly selfish, self deprecating and needy to the point of exhaustion. Because of that, I really couldn‘t delve into the story. Nor feel sympathy for what she was going through. Some of the parts of the story were funny which is why I gave it 2 stars instead of 1. But overall, not worth your time.
⭐️⭐️2/5

Addressing mental health through incredible losses is such an important topic. And, it hasn‘t been addressed much through fictional narratives. You can tell that the author did their research and that‘s what made me enjoy the novel so deeply. The thing that I couldn‘t get past were the immense amount of sexual scenes. I am by means not a prude, but rather the sheer amount of sex really took away from the plot of the novel.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

This ranks as one of my favorite fantasy books of all time. It‘s tough to pass up a story the features dragons,a dystopian society, and a complex love story. On top of the fact that, Yarros is a wonderful world builder. What won me over was the vast & dynamic characters that are so well written. It‘s been a while since I‘ve truly invested myself into the wellbeing of characters! This is a book you should pick up immediately!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

I thought this book was a little better than average. The thing that made it worth the read was all of the plot twists. They were all over the place but in my mind believable. And, the ending. Wow. The book reminded me so much of the show The Woman in the House (…) that was on Hulu. Characters were ok, plot development was ok, but I wasn‘t wowed. For those reasons, I have to give the book a…
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

This book was so crazy to me. The plot was so up and down and twisty turny that I honestly didn‘t predict a single thing that happened! But, in turn, it made the book so unrealistic that I really couldn‘t get behind it fully. I loved the character development of Tasha, so much so, that it made the book worth the read. Lots of triggering subjects so be weary when picking this book up. Overall I have to give this book…
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

This book was incredible. I could not put it down. For someone who has no interest in celebrities, I was surprised by how captivated I was. Evelyn Hugo is the perfect definition of what a gray human is. I was invested in her success from the first page. The plot was juicy and twisted, engaging me page after page. The twist was predictable but led to a super heartbreaking yet perfect ending. I cannot recommend this book enough.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

I wanted to give Hoover a read because I‘ve been hearing so much about her books. This wasn‘t a bad romance novel — I just wasn‘t wowed by it. The story between Atlas and Lily is sweet and they have a love that is very movie perfect. However, that was countered out by all of the abuse — for me it was hard to read about. Yet, I understood why it was included and made for a empowering ending. Overall, it was eh for me.
My review: ⭐️⭐️✨(2.5/5)

I‘ve got to stop reading best sellers because they haven‘t been working for me. The book was okay. Plot was engaging but some of the cleaning scenes and the hyper focus on Molly‘s differences was over done. And, the twist at the end was a little overrated in my opinion. With that said, the actual main character, Molly, warmed my heart. She was so well written. I also enjoyed how the “good” characters won in the end.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The plot of this book was incredibly intriguing — being able to live your regrets is incredibly thought provoking. I really enjoyed the positive ideas that this book made me have while reading it. The main character was relatable and insightful. I just didn‘t like how predictable the story was — but I don‘t how it could be written any differently. It was a nice read but a one and done type of book.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Emily St. John Mandel does it again. The way that she intertwines her characters is incredible. The characters themselves are well written and evoke a level of sympathy (even with how terrible they are). The plot was interesting and engaging from the onset until the end. But the reason that I liked this book so much was due to the ending. That twist was unpredictable yet beautifully written.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(4.5/5)

This book redeemed the author, Emily Henry for me. A really well written romance book that pulled at my heart strings. The complexity of the characters is truly beautiful. The plot twists never stop coming. The only thing that annoyed me was the repetition of problems that could be solved through communication. Seems to be a common theme throughout her books. Overall, a beautiful story and I highly recommend it.
My Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

In elementary school, I was in the lower reading levels and never had the opportunity to read this book. 20 years later, and I have finally gotten around to reading it. This book is just plain timeless. It is so incredibly well written. The characters are beautiful in their own unique ways. And I really appreciated the themes of love and family. Sad that the darkness is still relevant today… but definitely well worth the read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(4.5/5)

After hearing that this was the greatest twist in a book of all time, my hopes were dashed when I read the reality. The plot was interesting but the twist was too unbelievable for my liking. The characters were all pretty insufferable but that honestly added to the book. Alicia‘s narrative kept me engaged with the novel. Overall, it was an okay fast paced read — nothing I would add to the top of anyones reading list.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

Oof. I really didn‘t like this book — l honestly felt like I wasted 19 hours of my life. The multitude of stories woven together just seemed superfluous and made the plot very confusing. The characters weren‘t relatable nor very engaging. And, the ending was very predictable… The only thing I enjoyed was the side character and the story of Kat.
My Review: ⭐️ (1/5)

I really tried to like this book. It‘s about animals and I love animals. The messaging was wonderful and debunked a lot of myths I held. However, I listened to the audiobook and I found the readers voice very grating. It also felt like the prose within a chapter jumped from story to story with nothing connecting the messaging. Overall, I enjoyed the content and that‘s what got me through the book. (I had to check it out 3 times)
⭐️⭐️ (2/5 stars)

This book really intrigued me. I loved how the plot went back and forth between pre-pandemic and post life. The characters were all so intriguing and rife with complexity. The only thing that upset me was the ending, it was incredibly anti-climatic. I really love this author and am looking forward to reading more works by her.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4/5)

I loved this book and maybe it‘s because I played soccer for 18 years…but it brought me joy to hear about another woman‘s journey to achieving her goals. The plot is very engaging, the characters (for the most part) are lovable, and it addresses very serious issues of violence against women. There were only a few issues I noted with some inconsistencies with the plot but it was overshadowed with the other facets of the novel!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

I enjoyed learning about all of the cases that Paul Holes had been apart of. He had such a profound impact on some many cases and he is one in a million when it comes to solving them. I was amazed by how open and honest he was about his own life and mental health issues! I‘m not sure why but this book just didn‘t click for me. There were points that were very easy to read and others that I was dredging through just to finish it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(3.5/5)

Another book club book! This one was pretty good! If you can get past the very large cast of characters, then you stumble upon a pretty epic murder mystery. Many twists and turns — literally until the final pages of the book. Lots of healing within this book, so some very triggering material. I recommend this book if you want a complex mystery with some hard topics.
For me this was…
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

This is a very feel good book! So, if you need a pick me up, I recommend it. The messaging is incredibly positive: women power, women supporting women, and being your true self! However, in my opinion, there were a lot of plot points throughout the story that weren‘t addressed at the appropriate time. For example, we find out who is breaking into the house but none of the characters do anything about it. I have to give the book a…
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(3.5/5)

Another book that I read for a book club but this time I was pleasantly surprised. A meet-cute turned love trapezoid! I loved how saucy (even though it was pretty predictable) the plot was. The story was well written and the author had me invested in all of the characters‘ lives — loved the representation in this book! I only didn‘t like how most of the characters problems could have been solved through communication 😅
My review : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

A beautiful read to start 2023! To put simply, it‘s a very enchanting story. Another book that I just couldn‘t put down. The characters are all well written, engaging, and flawed. The prose is riveting. I cannot recommend this book enough. My only compliant is that it is slow in the beginning. But trust me, it is worth “suffering” through the first 100 pages because you will not be disappointed by this plot!
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

CAN YOU STOP A MURDER WHEN IT'S ALREADY HAPPENED?
The plot of this book was so incredibly twisty! Some parts were predictable but most of it was not. Although often slow paced, I enjoyed the character development. And, I really really liked how everything played out. I highly recommend reading this book if you‘re looking for a fun time traveling mystery.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(4.5/5)

Wow — what an incredible book. The premise: Told from alternating perspectives, a story aout the lifelong bond between two women, one black and one white, whose friendship is indelibly altered by a tragic event. This books brings up the complexity of race within the United States in such a powerful and humanizing way. I highly recommend reading this book if you want to broaden your perspective on race relations in the us.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

This book made me sad because I so wanted to like it (I am a huge fan of the podcast). And, for parts, I did. I enjoyed how they stayed true to their voice. The book genuinely had some funny parts to it. I also enjoyed how informative the book while being interspersed with real life examples. But, I felt like it was a little jumbled and didn‘t have a straightforward narrative.
For this reason I have to give this book:
⭐️⭐️⭐️(3/5)

This book took my breath away from the first page until the end. I‘ve never read a book so quickly. Not usually into nonfiction but Jennette‘s harrowing story is both heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting. Sad to see all of the pain she went through but she is such a strong woman to face all that she went through. I cannot recommend this book enough.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

This time leaping, multi-perspective story was a page turner from front to back. I enjoyed learning about all of the characters and how they connected back to one another. The ending was well done and unpredictable. My only complaint was that it was slow paced in some of Gaspery-Jacques‘ sections. I highly recommend this quick read to anyone who enjoys a mind bending sci-fi novel.
My Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

This book was interesting. I really enjoyed the character development & writing style. However, I struggled with the slow pace and how the plot for most of the book seemingly was heading no where. I also struggled with how often the author mentioned that the main character was hungover — it felt redundant. The redeeming quality of the book was the inspirational message of the importance of self reliance and self love.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

I read this book for a book club and boy was I disappointed! I was excited by the plot, a dual story of immigration and tales of the Apache. But, I only finished it because I needed to. The moms‘s POV was heartbreaking and left me feeling hopeless. The boys part of the book offered a refreshing perspective. However, the lesson I took away from it was that no matter how hard you try to change your situation you can‘t.
My Review: ⭐️✨(1.5/5)

I heard good things about this book so I had to give it a shot. I honestly loved the story and premise until the last couple of pages. The ending completely ruined the book for me and made me change my perspective on the main character. Beautiful heart wrenching story that is well written. I had high investments in the characters but damn, I felt like they did me dirty at the end. For those reasons, I have to give the book:
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

I am sad to see this series come to end. Overall, I think the author did an excellent job world building — Owens really brings you into this caste filled world. Beautifully done. Additionally, Fie‘s journey in this book is unique and made this a real page turner for me. The only critique I had was the repetitive themes of trust between Fie and Tavin. But the way that this series wrapped up made it well worth my time.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

A wonderful “retelling” of Greek mythology! Wow. The plot of this book with its twists and turn kept me riveted page after page. (I didn‘t guess the twist nor did I figure out the true meaning of the poem until the end). I thought this book was wonderfully creative (especially the blood lines) and a refreshingly modern perspective of Greek lore. I wish this was a series because I would have loved to read more.
My Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)

This book follows a young chieftain from a lowly caste of mercy-killers who strikes a bargain with the crown prince to preserve the future of her clan.
Amazing plot, beautiful character development, and a lovely love story. Can‘t stop reading books from Margaret Owen!
Overall review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4/5 stars)

Little Thieves is a wonderful novel about a woman overcoming her own demons in order to find happiness. I adored the plot (even though it was a little slow to start in my humble opinion). I enjoyed the growth that the characters showed. And the romance aspect wasn‘t cheesy nor thrown in your face. This book was a real page turner and I‘m looking forward to reading more books by Owen :)
Overall review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4/5)

Oh man. I wanted so bad to love this book as much as I did as the first one. And, to be honest there wasn‘t anything inherently wrong with Fevered Star. The second book in the series had a great plot, strong character development and excellent world building. I just personally couldn‘t get lost in the stories like I could in the first book.
For that reason along I have to give this book:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

This was everything I have ever wanted in a sci-fi fantasy novel! The plot kept me on my toes with all of its twists and turns. The message of women‘s empowerment was so well written. And the characters! Oh man, the character development was SPOT ON and beautifully done. I wish I hadn‘t read this book so quickly because I enjoyed every second of it. I will probably reread later this year.
My Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

All I can say after finishing this book is, my heart. While I found the book slow to start, I was hooked after being introduced to Achilles. Overall, this is a beautiful love story that had me laughing, crying, and rooting for an ending I knew wasn‘t possible. Highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good retelling of a Greek myth. Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(4.5/5)

A “cozy” mystery filled with death, drugs and cooking. I found this book incredibly witty with beautiful character development. I loved how the author discussed the hardships of returning to her hometown after being away and how relationships can change due to this decision. But, most importantly, I didn‘t figure out who did it until the end! Fun read and I‘m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
My Review:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

I enjoyed every single page of Black Sun! The plot and character development was incredible. I usually don‘t like books that jump between characters narrations but the way this book was written allowed me to be invested in each character wholeheartedly— cheering all of them on to success.
Great piece of fiction. Highly recommend this book!
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)