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I absolutely loved Bannen‘s previous “The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy” and was pleasantly surprised when I found the next book in the series at my library. “The Undermining of Twyla and Frank” was just as cute with adorable dragons, humor, and witty banter. I very much look forward to the next installment in this series!
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I had been looking forward to “Ghostsmith” ever since I finished the previous “Bonesmith” last October. This book is just as dark, and all the characters suffer heartbreak and face challenges of their own. I will say that I felt like there were moments where the story dragged a bit and I missed some of the character development that was in the first book. Despite that, this was a solid and satisfying conclusion to this duology.
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“The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers” was a cute and cozy read about finding yourself and new-found family that was immersed in the vast field of puzzles. I enjoyed this story, and I found that it is a great light read that is also heartwarming.
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“Project Hail Mary” is a book that I‘ll be thinking about for a long time. The plot, humanity‘s impending extinction, Ryland‘s character arc, and (of course) Ryland‘s and Rocky‘s friendship are all major reasons why I gave this book all five stars. There is a lot of science in this book, however Weir writes in a way that you will still understand the plot and the book, even if you don‘t get the terms or concepts that he uses.
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“The Spellshop” was a cozy read full of magic, new-found family and changing the world for the better. Definitely recommend if you are looking for a cute fantasy that is also an escape from reality 💜
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When I first read this book many years ago, I absolutely loved the story, characters, and humor. I still feel the same after reading this for the second time, however it did lose a little bit of its magic after the initial read. Regardless, I still really enjoy this book and look forward to watching the new television series based off of it!
so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5/5)
“Darling Girls” was a creepy but intriguing read that made me suspicious of all the characters until the very end. I kind of suspected ‘who did it‘ early on into the book, however the plot twists made it less obvious. Overall this is a solid read, however the very last chapter wasn‘t entirely necessary and it was a weird way to end the book.
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“How to Stop Time” is a solid book that is a fairly quick read that emphasizes living in the moment instead of living in fear. I found that the historical flashbacks were interesting, however some of the story and relationship aspects could have been a bit more fleshed out (ex. Marion at the end, Camille).
bailedI loved Postpn‘s previous book, “The Dead Romantics”, so I was very much looking forward to this next book. After making it about 80ish pages, I couldn‘t find myself reading any further as the story wasn‘t as engaging and I thought it was very frustrating that Clementine didn‘t tell Iwan about the seven year difference at the beginning and just decided to withhold that information instead. Maybe I will try reading this again someday!
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I didn‘t think that there would be more time loops that I didn‘t see coming, but I was wrong. The multiple timelines, evolving conflict with its factions, and mounting tension makes this book a quicker read than its predecessor. Clovis‘ character arc was superb in this book, however I‘m still mad that Livira and Evar were separated yet again five seconds after reuniting at the very end of the book *makes angry eyes at Mark Lawrence*.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
“To a Darker Shore” was a unique read that focused on overcoming stereotypes, and the main protagonists each had their own obstacles to overcome throughout the story. The plot was engaging and moved quickly, there were a couple plot twists (which might be predicted beforehand), and the romance was sweet. I enjoyed this standalone, and the character arcs were well done.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
Let me start off by saying that “The Book That Wouldn‘t Burn” starts off slow, and I honestly found it hard to stay interested until the last third of the book (and this book is big). However, once I got to the first plot twist, my mind was simply blown. The world-building, plot, and interconnections still has me reeling, and the implications of the ending creates no doubt that I will be reading the sequel in this trilogy.
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Four years after the events of “The Maid”, “The Mystery Guest” follows Molly Gray as another unexpectedly murder occurs, this time to a world- renown mystery writer. “The Mystery Guest” doesn‘t disappoint in this sequel, and I loved the characters and the several plots twists as well!
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As a former ER nurse who also worked on an ambulance, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, I am not a stranger to death and it‘s many forms. I found this book very interesting and found it eye-opening as well in terms of the many fields and workers in the death industry. I think this is a great read, especially for those that aren‘t frontline workers or already working with the dead.
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I absolutely loved Emily‘s previous “The Bone Houses” and was eager to start reading another one of her books. The storyline is interesting and Mer‘s character arc is great, however I didn‘t enjoy this one as much as I did “The Bone Houses”. I will say that I greatly enjoyed Trefor the corgi and the epilogue brought the story to a very satisfying end.
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I adore “Beauty and the Beast” retellings and I was mildly let down by this one. The writing randomly alternates between eloquent storytelling and immature wording and dialogue that doesn‘t fit the story/setting (ex. “Swag”). Some of the passages inserted throughout the book referencing fairy tales were a bit random and occasionally make sense. Parts of the romance were well done, however other parts made the main characters seem childish.
bailedI had high hopes for “The Lost Bookshop” as I always love a bookish cozy read. However, all three of the main characters felt kind of bland and poorly developed. The main characters also made frustrating and very rash decisions, and the actual story itself fell flat.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
Like “Godkiller”, “Sunbringer” is slow to start off with and tends to be slower paced than its predecessor. However, the character development continued to impress me, the plot was interesting, and there were a couple surprising plot twists. I‘m very much looking forward to reading the next installment in this series!
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I absolutely loved “The House Witch” and procrastinated starting the sequel as I was afraid that the second book wouldn‘t live up to the first. I enjoyed the plot, characters, and humor just as much as the first book, and I will be diving into the final volume right away.
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“House of Leaves” broke my brain and I feel that too much went over my head. I felt dumb at times and I often was just trying to figure out what was happening. I‘m glad I read this book as it is unique and how it‘s written is mind-boggling. There were parts that were heartbreaking and intense, however I can‘t say I will be one of those that reads it again. Also the amount of graphic sex in this book is ridiculous and was very random.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
I fell in love with Rebecca Ross‘ writing last year with “Divine Rivals”, and my recent read of “A River Enchanted” and “A Fire Endless” were no exceptions. “Dreams Lie Beneath” continued this trend, and I really enjoyed the writing, story, characters and world-building. Bonus points for a beautiful book map as well!
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I absolutely hate love triangles, but this was one that I could tolerate. The love triangle thankfully resolved by the end of the book, and I‘m very interested to see how Rune and Gideon‘s relationship develops from here. I also enjoyed that both sides of the conflict weren‘t completely in the right and had their own faults. I‘m definitely looking forward to when the sequel is released!
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I get the hype, I really do. However, the very prominent and frequent lusting of the two main characters and graphic scenes kind of took away from how good the rest of the book was. Also the romance between Violet and Xaden felt a bit immature at times, especially towards the end. There were several majestic moments and plot points that I absolutely loved, and the cliffhanger demands for the sequel to be read.
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“A Fire Endless” is the stunning sequel to “A River Enchanted” and I enjoyed this story from beginning to end. The world-building was superb and the writing was incredibly done. The ending was also satisfying, and I will miss these characters and the world itself dearly.
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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.
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“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
bailedI 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.
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“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.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (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.
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“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.
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“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.
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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.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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“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.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (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
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“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.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (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.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (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.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (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.
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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.
