Stephanie Garber’s writing as always is beautiful, immersive and descriptive. But this storyline gave me the ick in a big way.
Tella is struggling witStephanie Garber’s writing as always is beautiful, immersive and descriptive. But this storyline gave me the ick in a big way.
Tella is struggling with what to get Legend as a present for the Great Holiday. She is worried he is pulling away from her, and that she might lose him.
While hunting for the perfect gift, Tella is kidnapped, blindfolded and locked in a room.
(view spoiler)[ it gets weird enough when Tella can’t see but has this overwhelming attraction to her kidnapper, despite having no idea who they are or any control of the situation. We find out at the end that Legend was behind the whole thing, and Tella claims she knew it was him from the beginning. But we don’t know that for sure. And even if she did, I don’t think we should be romanticizing kidnap, and non consensual binding etc. (hide spoiler)]
Shame, as I was looking forward to ending 2024 with a positive read. ...more
A man suffering from cancer evaluates his life in a letter to his son in this short but powerful story.
Despite the Christmas tree on the front, this A man suffering from cancer evaluates his life in a letter to his son in this short but powerful story.
Despite the Christmas tree on the front, this can be read at any time. He is telling the story on Christmas Eve, but really that is the only link to it being at Christmas.
A young girl in the hospital is also suffering from cancer, she won’t make it until the next year. The man wonders if anything can be done, what makes some lives more valuable than others.
A story that makes you question what is really important, and how far you would go to save another life. ...more
Despite the length of this beast (820 pages) I didn’t feel like I had to push through.
We have all the different characters coming together before beiDespite the length of this beast (820 pages) I didn’t feel like I had to push through.
We have all the different characters coming together before being forced apart as they fight to dethrone Levanna.
Non stop action (with the standard YA romances thrown in of course) but it was cute overall, I am glad I finally got around to reading this series. ...more
I didn’t know what to expect with this one, and I throughly enjoyed it!
Liska was raised in an uptight and strict household. Her magic kept a s4.5 ⭐️
I didn’t know what to expect with this one, and I throughly enjoyed it!
Liska was raised in an uptight and strict household. Her magic kept a secret, her mother determined to crush it out of her by any means. After a magical outburst leads to the death of her cousins husband Liska knows she can no longer stay.
She flees to the wood where it is rumored a flower exists that can grant the finder one wish. Instead she finds the Leszy, the demon of the would.
She makes an agreement with him, one year of service and he will take her magical powers away from her as requested. But as expected, there is much more to the wood that she first thought, and her feelings toward the Leszy become more powerful.
A wonderful magic system, I’m a sucker for a good wood/forest and I even found the romance to be one I could get behind!
I will definitely read more by this author.
“We kissed you incorrigible, antlered, tragedy!” ...more
A fantastic second instalment to this high fantasy trilogy!
Nona has moved up to What an epic series!!
“I am my own cage…and I have opened the door.”
A fantastic second instalment to this high fantasy trilogy!
Nona has moved up to mystic class, with some new students who will do anything to bring her down.
Meanwhile she continues honing her talents and powers while still trying to find out what happened to her friend Hester and the ship heart that was stolen from the convent.
But her enemies are everywhere, and it will take everything by she has to beat them.
My first Coleen Hoover, and yes I only read it because of the film and hype.
I liked it well enough, it tackles some difficult subject matter and I liMy first Coleen Hoover, and yes I only read it because of the film and hype.
I liked it well enough, it tackles some difficult subject matter and I liked Lily as a character.
I found the ending hard to swallow, but I can understand why she made that choice. (view spoiler)[ she divorces her husband, but still allows him access to their daughter. Like I get it, but he’s a violent ass hole I don’t think I’d leave my daughter alone with him. (hide spoiler)]
Overall, I liked her writing style and I might try some of her other books. ...more
The ghosties decide to set up a suggestions box, where people can put something that is troubling them orAnother wonderful installment to this series!
The ghosties decide to set up a suggestions box, where people can put something that is troubling them or something they need help with and the heads of the club will see what they can do.
When one note mentions how lonely and isolated a member is feeling, the main two leaders disagree on how best to approach, leading to some tension.
It was good to see some conflict and also how well it was resolved from both sides. I thoroughly enjoyed book 4! ...more
A bit conflicted with this one. I loved What the River Knows, but after the reveal we got early on in this one I struggled to get back on track3.5 ⭐️
A bit conflicted with this one. I loved What the River Knows, but after the reveal we got early on in this one I struggled to get back on track.
(view spoiler)[ So Whit marries Inez only to immediately grab her fortune and ship it to his family back in England. All behind her back. Like I get it to a degree, but I don’t think that is something I could ever come back from. (hide spoiler)]
It remained action packed as ever. When the discoveries from Cleopatras tomb go missing, Inez is certain her mother is behind it; and while her Uncle and Abdullah are imprisoned for the crime it is down to her to clear their names.
Ultimately the ending was satisfactory. And it might just be my cynicism, but Inez was way too quick to forgive in my opinion, and the betrayal colored my view of the whole story.
Also the whole “good girl” during the sex scene gave me the serious ick! ...more
Loved this! I didn’t enjoy Five Survive as much but this definitely gave me the same vibes as Good Girls Guide to Murder.
Bel has never known her mothLoved this! I didn’t enjoy Five Survive as much but this definitely gave me the same vibes as Good Girls Guide to Murder.
Bel has never known her mother. Since she disappeared, leaving her in the back of a car when she was just a toddler.
A documentary focusing on Bel’s family and her mother Rachel’s disappearance brings all sorts of secrets to the forefront, and when Rachel reappears out of the blue, things really get shaken up.
I love family secrets, can’t get enough of them, and they honestly just keep coming in this book. The entire plot is fascinating and gripping.
The reveals are really well done and believable. I was hooked from start to finish. ...more
This was another cute addition to the series. I like seeing how Emily and Wendell’s relationship grows as they tackle new challenges.
I know th3.5 ⭐️
This was another cute addition to the series. I like seeing how Emily and Wendell’s relationship grows as they tackle new challenges.
I know this is supposed to be set in Oxford, so I did pick up on a few Americanisms that we don’t have in the UK (tenure and major being the main two I can think of right now)
But ultimately I enjoyed being back in this world with all the faerie folk and adventures they get into.
A gripping thriller if you can suspend your disbelief.
Zoe spots an advert in the paper with a photo of a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to heA gripping thriller if you can suspend your disbelief.
Zoe spots an advert in the paper with a photo of a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to herself.
When she checks the older newspapers she noticed other photos of women, some of whom have been victims of crime and violence since their photos being displayed.
Who is doing this and why? What does it mean?
I enjoyed the sense of unease throughout, even if the end reveal seemed a bit much.
(view spoiler)[ turns out her neighbour has been jealous of Zoe and holding a grudge for years. She discovered a way to make money by using women’s photos and commutes, and selling them to men online. What became even more insane was that her own son was involved in this - all because she discovered his dad?! (hide spoiler)]
Little bit hard to swallow, but still an entertaining enough thriller. ...more
I enjoyed this third instalment. It did feel like the younger end of YA - Cress seems very young. But then that is understandable based on her backgroI enjoyed this third instalment. It did feel like the younger end of YA - Cress seems very young. But then that is understandable based on her background, being alone would make her more naive and less worldly.
I loved having the gang together (more or less) and am looking forward to seeing how their heist will continue in the final book. ...more
I didn’t find this one as gripping as book 1 at all. Granted, I may have waited too long to pick this up and I couldn’t remember a lot of the words anI didn’t find this one as gripping as book 1 at all. Granted, I may have waited too long to pick this up and I couldn’t remember a lot of the words and different elements of the fantasy.
I found myself getting lost at times, and by extension losing interest. ...more
This book melted my cold, dead heart. I’ve never been so happy to be proven wrong about a book!
“I began to realise that love wasn’t dead, but it wasThis book melted my cold, dead heart. I’ve never been so happy to be proven wrong about a book!
“I began to realise that love wasn’t dead, but it wasn’t forever either. It was something in between, a moment in time where two people existed at the exact same moment in the exact same place in the universe.”
Now, I don’t do romance. It just never really works for me. But this book! It just spoke to me and I loved it.
I really enjoyed Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston, and I knew this one had some supernatural elements so I thought I’d give it a go.
Florence has been living in New York, working as a ghost writer for a famous romance novelist. But she is stuck on her most recent novel. After a bad breakup, she no longer believes in romance or love.
When she has to return home to South Carolina for her fathers funeral she must face her past head on. Including the fact that she can see ghosts.
When one of the ghosts she meets back home is actually her hot editor she had met only twice, Florence finds herself facing a whole new dilemma.
It was just wholesome and sweet. And quite frankly, just what I needed at the time.
“Love was never a matter of time, but a matter of timing.” ...more
“May all those who seek true love find it, and may those who stand in its way be cursed.”
This has been a cute series. Maybe a little too cute3.5 ⭐️
“May all those who seek true love find it, and may those who stand in its way be cursed.”
This has been a cute series. Maybe a little too cutesy for me. Evangeline became a bit hard to swallow in this last instalment.
But ultimately, I love the writing, I love the magic. And sometimes it’s nice to get swept up into a world that works out so much better than our own. ...more