5/5 ⭐️

*sigh* what a lovely second book! What a gift. This has become one of my favorite series of all time. In both books the romance and love is perfection. The stories have just the right amount of torment and happiness. And the ending on this one is so warm and satisfying. I am hoping, praying, and pleading for a third addition to the series. HIGHLY recommend♡

3.8/5 ⭐️

This book was brutal. It was all going good and then you get a million gut punches in a row without a moment to breathe. The audacity. I didnt enjoy the discomfort. But also I'm invested in the story - and that's a good thing. But I also would like it to be said that this book could truly be summarized as follows:

1. Jumpsuits
2. Licking of lips
3. Sweaty palms

I'm still reading the next one though.

4/5 ⭐️

This book was trying to be a lot of things and it wasn't fully working at times. However, it was interesting and entertaining, and I didn't want to put it down! I'm actually very excited to dive into book 2. Clean language and tasteful romance so far - but not boring in the slightest.

Hunger game vibes, princess competition, dystopian - all good themes. I recommend a read!

If Santa thinks I need 3 more editions of Little Women...it must be true.

4/5 ⭐️

I liked this one a lot. Hated the ending/cliffhanger. WHY. And there was an increase in language. Particularly F words. Not a fan of that. But the editing did improve by 80% for this book. Still not perfect but far better than the first. Still a great unique story under the sea!

4.3/5⭐️

Okay, I LOVED this book. The author almost completely slayed the dialogue. I loved most of the characters & I'm immediately starting the 2nd book RN! My favorite YA Fic that I have read in a while. That being said, it was published too soon. (At least the Kindle version) It was missing a good thorough edit & is the main reason I'm not rating it a 5. It really was pretty sloppy in some places.
But still AMAZING! Continued in comments...

I was excited to see a new siren/mermaid story, however this one was not that interesting to me. Kinda boring, flat, and cheesy. And then the love scene. It is straight up porn. That's not something I personally wish to read. I prefer tasteful romance. The character relationships didn't make sense. I just cannot recommend it. Which is sad because we need more mermaid books tbh. 2/5⭐️ & a bail. If the love scene wasn't porn, a 3/5.

No I didn't just spend too much money on two book series that I already have beautiful copies of...🫥😍🤤

Leave a comment below with your top 3-5 picks! To be clear, they are siblings and require the same surname:) My brain is so fried so I appreciate the help haha🙏🫶 THE vibe is Wild West!

3/5 ⭐️

A very interesting book. It is a rare cultural perspective (Middle East inspired) & overall the story is intriguing & characters loveable. But I will say the book used MANY terms, in what I assume is Arabic, but did not often provide a translation & was entirely without a guide. I was lost often. It is also one of the slowest moving books I have ever read. Every action is documented & every backstory explored. (Continued in comments...)

4/5 ⭐️

This was an easy & pleasant listen! It was a pretty simple story overall - not a rollercoaster for your emotions but still entertaining. Many elements were very enjoyable for me & it had an interesting take on the classic fae realm. It gave me a more polished & comprehensive vibe reminiscent of Phantastes in some places. Clean romance with a little steamy desire but no follow through. I wish it was a smidge longer to wrap a few things up!

No misfortune in the past, nothing which has happened to me in days gone by, which has been disagreeable or tragic, no enemies of my happiness or efficiency, shall be a guest in my spirit's sacred enclosure today. Only happy thoughts, joy thoughts, only the friends of my peace comfort, happiness, & success shall find entertainment in my soul this day. None of my enemies shall gain admittance to scrawl their hideous...(continued in comments)

3/5⭐️
The last in the series/trilogy complete and I'm left empty. This was my least favorite. While it was very well written, the story was kind of depressing and full of strategy for the final battle. I'm sad that we didn't get a THOROUGH wrap-up for all the characters. It felt like I was given a bandaid for a serious wound. So I'm a bit disappointed unfortunately.

4.9/5⭐️
I am inhaling this series! It truly has me hooked! Everything is so intricately woven - with every detail having a purpose. It is masterfully told. This author is kicking butt 💯%

The romance is still toasty clean & well balanced as the princess navigates being both a prisoner & a prophecy in enemy lands, among a people with barbaric yet familiar ways. The plot just continues to thicken!

Reading book 3 immediately!

4.9/5⭐️
This book actually blew me away...it is so thoroughly crafted and so well written. It's simple yet complex. The world is intricate and solid, praise for this author 👏 And the romance is toasty but clean👌 My only tiny grumble is the author taking little moments to keep you out of the loop and then drop the facts. But you know that it's on purpose haha. I'm already reading book 2 and enjoying it as well!

4.2/5 ⭐️
The witty dialogue in this book will make you fall off your chair! I'm very surprised considering the MC is math obsessed, but I really enjoyed it. It was not perfect, but there was far more that I enjoyed than didn't! I wish it was a series, & I'm sad it doesn't continue because it was really blossoming at the end. Clean romance (only kissing) but also some mature convos on sex & sensual themes. Overall I vote that it's worth a read🙂

3.6/5 ⭐️
Gorgeous cover! Obsessed. As for the inside, it was an enjoyable story overall. The characters were nice & the world interesting. The romance was super clean👌 But I had 4 main issues. The MC was kind of...stupid? Much of the plot was so PAINFULLY obvious & she should have picked up on almost all of it. Also if you are Christian...(continued in comments)

2.9/5 ⭐️
I think I have officially lost interest in this series. I was skipping & skimming often - waiting for the exciting stuff to happen. The Rowan love scene was dangled in our faces for way too long to the point it wasn't realistic. And as you could guess, the love scene was quite pornographic for my taste.There are good moments in the story but they are too spaced out for me to enjoy them. Unfortunately I won't be returning to this series.

Am I the only one who's favorite question ever is "how are your books organized?" I'm like, ??☺️? "funny you should ask!". The answer is that most are organized by topic, time period, and country, within a 12 month system and then each month arranged in rainbow order ? because I'm over-the-top. We just got some new built-ins installed so these babies can be safe from the other babies.

3.4/5⭐️
This one was SLOWWW as a snail for me. The whole book seemed to cover 2+ weeks worth of time, & a lot of it was kind of a snooze until the main events happened & relationships progressed. 😴 BUT the tables flip in this book, which is exciting & also heavy. Chaol lost me, but I still have the other homies to obsess over. I am not going to lie, I skipped most of the witch chapters again because I just don't care 🤌🫣🤷‍♀️ & the recaps ugh✋️

3.8/5⭐️
I really enjoyed some of the new characters & the MC's storyline! But I will say, the reason for my lower rating is that this book dragged on & I found myself skipping a lot during the witch and rebel storylines. I feel like this one could have been trimmed down quite a bit. But dragging aside - I am in love with Rowan & I'm secretly hoping that Celaena falls madly in love with him - but my expectations are very low haha. Onto the next!

4/5⭐️
I'm really enjoying this series! There are so many intricate layers unfolding and I'm impressed by how well the author delivers it. This one is a hair more mature intimacy-wise and language-wise than the last. (Still pretty tame though) It's not a perfect book (because not many books are) but this one really has something going for it despite my small gripes. I'm moving right on to the next book in the series. I'm excited!

4/5⭐️
The first of a series. This really surprised me! A lot of detail was put into the world building & story. I really enjoyed it overall! I did think the romance (while I appreciated it was clean) was quite flat despite a love triangle being one of the main elements. The ending is also not really....happy? Just "meh"? But it is a series...so you know that "the end" isn't a final destination. Not an incredible work of fiction but a fun read!

4/5 ⭐️
A story of a girl cursed by fae magic as a child during the Regency era. She navigates the effects of having only half a soul while being out in society with her loving & supportive cousin. Together they navigate some "meddling hens" during London's social season as they hunt for her cousin's future husband. Along the way they meet lifelong friends, learn life-altering lessons, & find love. There is some clean romance & a bit of magic.

Very obscure and at times confusing, and pleasant - but I am very glad that because of this book, we have had the pleasure of C.S. Lewis's great works in this world and also his immense example within Christianity. To me, I can now see a hint of Phantastes within the Magician's Nephew. That same otherworldliness that takes you by the hand to teach you something. But I do very much prefer the way it was done by Lewis.

3/5⭐️
There were things I really enjoyed about this book & then there were things I really disliked. Overall it is an enjoyable & entertaining read. I enjoyed many clever one-liners that gave me a real chuckle, I liked the loyalty between characters, & also that my emotions were not overly toyed with throughout the book as the reader. The things I didn't like as much were...(continued in comments)

3.8/5
A bit wordy & slow - but a pleasant read. Romance was fairly tame, which I appreciate.

The story starts with an abandoned girl who dives for gems & food to survive on an island of thieves. She has to get off the island to find the father who abandoned her so he can give her what he owes her. Along the way, she searches for love & a place to call home. If you are looking for a book that has strong pirate vibes & a little romance, this is it!

New year, new books🥳🎉

Simple. Delightful. Takes you back into the wonder of childhood. Magic. Imagination. And the power of hope for healing and love♡

This very short story was so western, and so wholesome. I thoroughly enjoyed it♡ A great story on faith, blindness, gratitude, and love within a community. The writing was also very strong and impressive.

"Women were still weeping over the graves at Gettysburg when my grandpa came to Walesburg."

What a great opening line???

I loved it. I loved it because I love the characters and I enjoy what is developing in plot and in relationships. That being said, I feel like more could have happened in this book. But I am excited for the next one coming out in February!

Meh. It was well written but there was a lot going on and it lacked romance. It could have been better.

A bit slower than the first 2 books because this book deals with a lot of day to day political court life and the love interests do not spend much time together overall. But the second half of the book picks up! There are some interesting side plots. There is definitely 1 moment in particular that shocked me! Overall a good conclusion.

A nice sequel to the first of the series. If you enjoy royal history - this series is inspired by Bloody Mary. Some clean romance and a strong female lead character. There are positive messages of redemption and forgiveness and courage. I enjoyed it!

I really enjoyed this sister series to The Druid while I wait for the next book! This book in particular was a good enjoyable read in the same world as many of his other books. And also similarly, it has religious concepts in fantasy form and is clean. But do not assume that means flat and boring, because this one offers a very intriguing storyline.

I enjoyed this very much & I'm surprised by that. It snuck up on me. It definitely has some moments of not-so-subtle religious/spiritual undertones that could have been improved, but the story itself was very intriguing & I'm sad I can't listen to the next book for another 4 days 😢 If you listen to these on audible, some of the accents are not great but it isn't terrible either. This is a great listen while you keep your hands busy!

The finale! Was looking forward to a little alone time for Alex and her beau, but then no. It fell flat for me at the conclusion. There was so much build up of failure upon failure that the resolution was meh....and insecure? That being said, I still enjoyed the series.

Painful. A whiff of romance resumed. But overall a painful book. A stepping stone to the finale.

Alex...messing things up per usual. The whisper of romance on pause for this book. But definitely an interesting book. But also frustration.

A nice sequel. This is a slow, take-it-easy kind of story. Lots of small storylines going on at their own pace from book to book. There are micro hints of a maybe romance but mostly friendship. Very innocent. Definitely YA. I don't hate it! I enjoy it. It is easy. Not very many complaints! On to the next.

Surprisingly engaging! The characters and dialogue are a smidge childish...BUT I'm enjoying it so far. A good casual read. I'm on to the next book asap because the whole series is free on audible for the next day and a half.

There were things that were interesting & promising, but there were more little things that irritated me💁‍♀️

Things maybe to know:
-the author thinks most of the south is racist
-there is crude language
-the audiobook gives the love interest a cringe savanna accent
-the story felt incomplete, like it needs a sequel
-unusual & unique characters
-interesting magic
-full of politically left leaning attitude, in case that is or isn't your thing

Working on a little #sashiko / #boro / #slowstitching project while I listen to this gem of a man📚

(It is a quilted pouch to store my Nintendo Switch - because it needs protection from my sneaky 1 yr old😂)

The classic of all classics. Heartwarming, charming, pleasant! And I fully appreciate the 90's movie soundtrack as well; it is transcendent. Perfection.

Another piece of perfection by Marden! The wisdom found in this book ages well, while also having some humorous details from the time. This book has opened my eyes to things I could not see on my own; my duty to my own self and existence. He is like a wise and loving friend or mentor for me. I admire him - his devastating but triumphant life; but also the gifts he gave to the world through his writing♡

A little EPP today while listening to Little Women♡

A simple children's tale. I was looking forward to it, but it fell a little flat for me personally. It was heavy on dialogue while the story felt empty and without a real purpose. I found myself skimming quickly large portions to get on with the story. I eventually switched to audiobook for the last couple chapters & felt it was much better suited as a casual but happy background read. Overall I give it a 3/5 ⭐️! Not awful, just simple & pleasant.

Just out of curiosity, how many books do you try to read every month? Do you set a goal?

"whatever thought we sow, we must reap in kind; that the sour, gloomy, pessimistic seed sown in the garden of the mind must produce its own peculiar fruit. Grapes will not grow on thorns, or figs on thistles."

Love this book♡ I'm practically highlighting the whole thing? ...and then writing it all down in my book of treasures. It's a full time job at this point?‍♀️