I was unable to put this book down. From the completely swoony romance with so much heart to it, to the mystery going on, it was impossible to stop myI was unable to put this book down. From the completely swoony romance with so much heart to it, to the mystery going on, it was impossible to stop my reading. And as if it was not enough, there are cats everywhere in this book and Mr.Léo and I were absolute fans of that! (Cat daddies are the best if you ask me, and Miles' love of cats was heart-melting.)
Right from the start I was captivated. Our characters' first interaction was chef's kiss. The way everything happened had me kicking my feet and giggling. I love a good forced marriage trope and this one was done oh so well. Nell really tried to find another way to solve things but in the end it was the better option, and it made for such a great development in our characters' relationship.
While the romance part of the story makes you feel all mushy and happy, there is definitely a darker side to this story, and it kept things fascinating. It added a thrilling side to it all, and I did enjoy seeing Miles getting so protective of Nell. I loved even more how our sweet Nell was so bold in her attempts to solve all that was happening. She's a marvellous character and had also a vulnerable side that made her character's growth super satisfying. The women in this series are so intrepid and likeable, and even if I like a good protective hero, I love it even more when matched to a woman who's able to fight for herself and won't be belittled. Nell definitely made me proud.
Let me also say that our two main characters were so adorable together. They TALKED and worked together. Can you believe it? They were paying attention to the other, and listening, and it was fantastic. Such an unproblematic couple it was just the best to follow them.
Mimi Matthews' stories are closed-door which can honestly be refreshing in historical romances. That being said, it doesn't mean you do not get all the tension between the characters, believe me, it's all there. You can feel the attraction in the air, charged moments with a simple touch that makes you feel so many things, exchanges and glances with such longing. So yes, many butterflies moments in there and such beautiful scenes with a tenderness that brings comfort and happiness. It is always a delight to read.
It's such a pleasure to hear mentions of previous characters and see them back, and I love how The Belles of London is all linked with this series!
Huge thanks to Berkley, Netgalley and the author for the eARC. All opinions are my own....more
To be honest, I was quite craving a fantasy read so to jump into this one really hold my interest. While the world-building wasn't that\\\\\ 3.5 \\\\\
To be honest, I was quite craving a fantasy read so to jump into this one really hold my interest. While the world-building wasn't that present from the start, I still went with it and figured it would come later on. Sadly, after a while, I still felt like it was lacking. The story was fascinating, but I always had so many unanswered questions and I couldn't really quite figure out the overall situation. That being said, I was still interested enough in the story to enjoy it.
Tropes: YA Romantasy Secrets / betrayals Trauma High stakes Special powers Different class Enemies to lovers
While this one is YA fantasy, it was a bit on the darker side for sure. The animal parts were hard on me, but the fact that they still were part of our main character definitely made it better. I did love our main characters as soon as they appeared on the page. Both had quite a backstory, and they were easy to understand for me. I could see their relationship evolve quite nicely as they started to open up, and the dynamic between them was interesting with the secrets and all.
One thing that was missing for me though was some kind of attachment to the side characters. I might be more picky with fantasy, but I enjoy the whole found family trope only if I truly feel it. I cannot say the side characters held my interest enough for me to be stressed about what would happen to them and all. So that was a bit of a bummer.
I did see the plot twists coming, but that is not something I find negative, it was well plotted, all happened in its own time, and I was always looking forward to continuing this read. The ending was too much of a happy ending for me to feel a need to continue the series. That final plot twist honestly just annoyed me and I can easily forget about it, and they lived happily ever after in my head.
Overall, this one had a super interesting plot and it's a very nice debut, I'm glad I read it!
Thanks to ColoredPagesBookTour, Fierce Reads and the author for my copy of the book. All opinions are my own....more
You know you are loving a book when you cannot stop reading, even though this is supposed to be a buddy read (sorry girls!). The way th\\\\\ 4.5 \\\\\
You know you are loving a book when you cannot stop reading, even though this is supposed to be a buddy read (sorry girls!). The way this one started, I was instantly pulled into the story. As soon as Lucien appeared on page, I was like: wait, is this love at first sight? Cause damn, that man, my favourite type of red flag.
Right from the start, our two characters found themselves in a very closed proximity situation that made me beyond happy. Their road trip was full of banter and also so much delectable tension. Lucien is temptation incarnate, and he definitely knew what he was doing... that bath scene, the knife to the throat moment... so many moments living in my head forever.
While my heart belongs to Lucien, Daisy was also a great character. She was a bit unapologetic, fierce, ready to fight for herself and knew what she wanted, which are traits I enjoy seeing in my FMC. She did take a bit of time to accept Lucien's feelings tho, which got a tiny bit on my nerves and made the ending drag for me (I have this annoying habit of defending the MMC in these books like they can do no wrong, so don't take my opinion on that for a fact, haha.)
I particularly enjoyed how both our characters had their own agendas, but we only found later on some information that had me gasping out loud and laughing as well because I mean, how clever. They had such chemistry and I loved their interactions so much and how they went for what they wanted!
I did enjoy the fact that the previous characters had their moments in this book as well. It's always fun to see them again and happily married! There was also pretty entertaining action with even kidnapping involved which always brings the satisfying touch her and you'll stop breathing moments.
All in all, this was a super fun story with beautiful characters, banter for days and swoony moments to make the heart happy! Definitely recommend this series to any historical romance lover!
Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the eARC. All opinions are my own....more
This series is such a vibe and I’m loving it. This one was absolutely swoony and coming from me it’s a lot because I don’t usually like the friends-toThis series is such a vibe and I’m loving it. This one was absolutely swoony and coming from me it’s a lot because I don’t usually like the friends-to-lovers trope to be honest but this was perfection.
Overall pretty cute stories that will setup the mood fo Holiday time perfectly!
----------------------- CRUEL WINTER WITH YOU by Ali Hazelwood 4 stars
WhaOverall pretty cute stories that will setup the mood fo Holiday time perfectly!
----------------------- CRUEL WINTER WITH YOU by Ali Hazelwood 4 stars
What to expect in this one: Childhood friends to lovers Best friend’s little brother Snowbound together It's always been you He falls first
Can't go wrong with Ali Hazelwood. This one was fun, I really enjoyed the being stuck together in a snowstorm setup. It never fails to make me happy because of how they are all cozy inside, the forced proximity and all, it's always enjoyable. Both characters were super nice, and I loved their history together, how they knew each other really well. Marc was super caring, patient, perfect (and taking care of the family cat, I mean... TRULY perfect). Even though it was on the super short side, the characters felt well developed and it was easy to create a connection. I think the only thing that was a bit off for me was the pacing. It's a short one and I felt like the flashbacks could have been spread a bit more in the overall story instead of a big chapter that made me lose a tiny bit of interest to be honest (please note that I was SUPER tired and exhausted so maybe that's why). But all in all it was a great one and I definitely recommend it. ----------------------- MERRY EVER AFTER by Tessa Bailey 5 stars
What to expect in this one: Insta-love Single mom Farmer Small town Spicy spice
So far it's my favourite in this collection (looks like I'm the unpopular opinion!) I so enjoyed that one and I cannot explain why because I'm usually not big on insta-love. There was just something about these characters and small town setup that made me happy. It was honestly such a heartwarming story with a strong and compassionate FMC and a super sweet MMC. I just couldn't resist those two. I so loved how Luke was super careful, polite even a bit shy, but then he could also be straightforward and that mouth of his sure wasn't shy during spicy scenes! He was super welcoming for Evie and her baby, which I really enjoyed. I can't say that we got to know these characters on a very deep level, no background stories much and no side characters mentioned (except the chickens, which if you ask me is all that is important!) but it did not bug me. The story just went on and I was glued to the pages. Sometimes a cute story is just what you need, nothing more. ----------------------- ALL BY MY ELF by Olivia Dade 3 stars
What to expect in this one: Secretly in love Workplace romance Forced proximity Keeping each other warm
I felt like the start of this one took forever to get me in... Nothing that interesting was happening and there wasn't much interactions between the characters, which for a novella is not a really good thing in my opinion. I certainly was happy to get some forced proximity and all, but it was over before I could even enjoy it. I did enjoy a bit of a shy and awkward mmc for once, it was endearing for sure. That being said, no character really made me swoon or left a big impression on me, but it still was a cute story nonetheless, it just all ended too fast. ----------------------- MERRIMENT AND MAYHEM by Allexandria Bellefleur 2 stars
What to expect in this one: Insta-love Firefighter Saves her Only visiting Set against casual hookups
Things I usually don't enjoy in books: 1- Love at first sight. 2- Characters that change their mind out of nowhere.
To get an idea of what this book is about, check point 1 and 2. Seriously, this one felt so boring to me. The characters had no development and it kinda sounded like a bad porno set-up with the fireman... Both instantly into each other, that guy already hitting on her right from the very first moment. And then, the story continues and they just keep hitting on each other in a very superficial way without knowing anything about one another until boom! "you know what, I decided to move here for you even though I kept saying I would not, so let's get together." It just wasn't satisfying in any way for me. Sorry. ----------------------- ONLY SANTAS IN THE BUILDING by Alexis Daria 5 stars
What to expect in this one: Neighbours He falls first Secretly pinning Grieving heroine Christmas party
Loved loved loved it! This one was so damn cute and sweet and it was the most Christmassy one. Loved the characters so much and Theo was such perfection *swoon*. I don't usually highlight stuff in novellas cause they go so fast but this one had so many things I was weirdly relating to, I couldn't help it. The flashbacks were fun and there was enough of a setup for the relationship evolution to be believable and satisfying, plus, the characters were well developed for such a short read. Will definitely read more of that author! -----------------------
Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for my eARC. All opinions are my own....more
Loved loved loved it! This one was so damn cute and sweet and it was the most Christmassy one. Loved the characters so much and Theo was such perfectioLoved loved loved it! This one was so damn cute and sweet and it was the most Christmassy one. Loved the characters so much and Theo was such perfection *swoon*. I don't usually highlight stuff in novellas cause they go so fast but this one had so many things I was weirdly relating to, I couldn't help it. The flashbacks were fun and there was enough of a setup for the relationship evolution to be believable and satisfying, plus, the characters were well developed for such a short read. Will definitely read more of that author!
What to expect in this one: Neighbours He falls first Secretly pinning Grieving heroine Christmas party
Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for my eARC. All opinions are my own....more
Things I usually don't enjoy in books: 1- Love at first sight. 2- Characters that change their mind out of nowhere.
To get an idea of what this book is aThings I usually don't enjoy in books: 1- Love at first sight. 2- Characters that change their mind out of nowhere.
To get an idea of what this book is about, check point 1 and 2.
Seriously, this one felt so boring to me. The characters had no development and it kinda sounded like a bad porno set-up with the fireman... Both instantly into each other, that guy already hitting on her right from the very first moment. And then, the story continues and they just keep hitting on each other in a very superficial way without knowing anything about one another until boom! "you know what, I decided to move here for you even though I kept saying I would not, so let's get together."
It just wasn't satisfying in any way for me. Sorry.
What to expect in this one: Insta-love Firefighter Saves her Only visiting Set against casual hookups
Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for my eARC. All opinions are my own....more
I felt like the start of this one took forever to get me in... Nothing that interesting was happening and there wasn't much interactions between the cI felt like the start of this one took forever to get me in... Nothing that interesting was happening and there wasn't much interactions between the characters, which for a novella is not a really good thing in my opinion. I certainly was happy to get some forced proximity and all, but it was over before I could even enjoy it. I did enjoy a bit of a shy and awkward mmc for once, it was endearing for sure. That being said, no character really made me swoon or left a big impression on me, but it still was a cute story nonetheless, it just all ended too fast.
What to expect in this one: Secretly in love Workplace romance Forced proximity Keeping each other warm
Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for my eARC. All opinions are my own....more
So far it's my favourite in this collection (looks like I'm the unpopular opinion!) I so enjoyed that one and I cannot explain why because I'm usuallySo far it's my favourite in this collection (looks like I'm the unpopular opinion!) I so enjoyed that one and I cannot explain why because I'm usually not big on insta-love. There was just something about these characters and small town setup that made me happy. It was honestly such a heartwarming story with a strong and compassionate FMC and a super sweet MMC. I just couldn't resist those two. I so loved how Luke was super careful, polite even a bit shy, but then he could also be straightforward and that mouth of his sure wasn't shy during spicy scenes! He was super welcoming for Evie and her baby, which I really enjoyed. I can't say that we got to know these characters on a very deep level, no background stories much and no side characters mentioned (except the chickens, which if you ask me is all that is important!) but it did not bug me. The story just went on and I was glued to the pages. Sometimes a cute story is just what you need, nothing more.
What to expect in this one: Insta-love Single mom Farmer Small town Spice
Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for my eARC. All opinions are my own....more
Can't go wrong with Ali Hazelwood. This one was fun, I really enjoyed the being stuck together in a snowstorm setup. It never fails to make me happy bCan't go wrong with Ali Hazelwood. This one was fun, I really enjoyed the being stuck together in a snowstorm setup. It never fails to make me happy because of how they are all cozy inside, the forced proximity and all, it's always enjoyable. Both characters were super nice, and I loved their history together, how they knew each other really well. Marc was super caring, patient, perfect (and taking care of the family cat, I mean... TRULY perfect). Even though it was on the super short side, the characters felt well developed and it was easy to create a connection. I think the only thing that was a bit off for me was the pacing. It's a short one and I felt like the flashbacks could have been spread a bit more in the overall story instead of a big chapter that made me lose a tiny bit of interest to be honest (please note that I was SUPER tired and exhausted so maybe that's why). But all in all it was a great one and I definitely recommend it.
What to expect in this one: Childhood friends to lovers Best friend’s little brother Snowbound together It's always been you He falls first
Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for my eARC. All opinions are my own....more
THE STORY | Kiki Siregar is popular, sure of herself and nothing will stop her. Until her parents transfer her to a new school. There, it's nothingTHE STORY | Kiki Siregar is popular, sure of herself and nothing will stop her. Until her parents transfer her to a new school. There, it's nothing like it used to be. Starting from zero and in an environment so strict and unfair, Kiki is absolutely lost. She still has the support of her online BFF, Sourdawg, a gamer she's playing with. With him, all feels okay again. But learning Sourdawg goes to her new school puts that friendship in danger, especially since Kiki is playing as a guy to avoid harassment online... and Sourdawg doesn't know about that secret.
MY REVIEW | I did enjoy the premise of this one, and it turned out to be way more than a simple love story. The setup in Indonesia made it all very interesting since it is not that often I've read something set there. I have to admit that I'm a huge Asian tv show lover and I've seen a bunch of things setup in Asia and I always enjoy it because it is so different and I love learning all about different cultures. This book was such a beautiful cultural ride, definitely interesting.
I loved that the book showcased important topics around the education system, bullying, online harassment, how girls are treated differently and all, it was really well depicted. My only problem was that it was the major part of that book, the romance was honestly only a tiny part and I thought I signed up for something fun and light based on the cover and sound of the blurb... And I'm not saying this book was overly depressing, it was still light enough in tone while approaching these topics, but I felt like at one point, every chapter started with: things are getting worse. So yeah, after a while it was hard for me to enjoy the story. And I know it's unrealistic of me but I would have at least wished for a more satisfying ending. (view spoiler)[See actual changes, things evolving instead of just a bunch of kids changing school and all the problematic people are still problematic for all we know. (hide spoiler)]
I did like Kiki, how she was fighting for herself, being independent, proud and motivated to make things better. But I also have to admit that I was really not okay with how she treated Liam after knowing who he was. Trying to get information on if he liked her, not being honest with him while he was being so open. Big nope. So it was hard for me to overcome that feeling. (view spoiler)[I was also mad at that whole dating Jonas scheme because, except buying you time and breaking Liam's heart, it was the most useless thing ever. It just made no sense for me that she would agree to that and I was really disappointed at her. And Jonas not even being true to his word and expecting her to be okay with it? Couldn't understand that either… this whole part made no sense to me. (hide spoiler)]
It could have been a great one for me honestly cause I was there for it all, but I just couldn't put my mind around some of our main character's actions and the slightly depressing vibe (it's november... it's already snowing, dark all day, I don't need more reason to be down). I still consider this one an important story to be told and I'm glad I read it.
Thanks to the publisher for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Merged review:
THE STORY | Kiki Siregar is popular, sure of herself and nothing will stop her. Until her parents transfer her to a new school. There, it's nothing like it used to be. Starting from zero and in an environment so strict and unfair, Kiki is absolutely lost. She still has the support of her online BFF, Sourdawg, a gamer she's playing with. With him, all feels okay again. But learning Sourdawg goes to her new school puts that friendship in danger, especially since Kiki is playing as a guy to avoid harassment online... and Sourdawg doesn't know about that secret.
MY REVIEW | I did enjoy the premise of this one, and it turned out to be way more than a simple love story. The setup in Indonesia made it all very interesting since it is not that often I've read something set there. I have to admit that I'm a huge Asian tv show lover and I've seen a bunch of things setup in Asia and I always enjoy it because it is so different and I love learning all about different cultures. This book was such a beautiful cultural ride, definitely interesting.
I loved that the book showcased important topics around the education system, bullying, online harassment, how girls are treated differently and all, it was really well depicted. My only problem was that it was the major part of that book, the romance was honestly only a tiny part and I thought I signed up for something fun and light based on the cover and sound of the blurb... And I'm not saying this book was overly depressing, it was still light enough in tone while approaching these topics, but I felt like at one point, every chapter started with: things are getting worse. So yeah, after a while it was hard for me to enjoy the story. And I know it's unrealistic of me but I would have at least wished for a more satisfying ending. (view spoiler)[See actual changes, things evolving instead of just a bunch of kids changing school and all the problematic people are still problematic for all we know. (hide spoiler)]
I did like Kiki, how she was fighting for herself, being independent, proud and motivated to make things better. But I also have to admit that I was really not okay with how she treated Liam after knowing who he was. Trying to get information on if he liked her, not being honest with him while he was being so open. Big nope. So it was hard for me to overcome that feeling. (view spoiler)[I was also mad at that whole dating Jonas scheme because, except buying you time and breaking Liam's heart, it was the most useless thing ever. It just made no sense for me that she would agree to that and I was really disappointed at her. And Jonas not even being true to his word and expecting her to be okay with it? Couldn't understand that either… this whole part made no sense to me. (hide spoiler)]
It could have been a great one for me honestly cause I was there for it all, but I just couldn't put my mind around some of our main character's actions and the slightly depressing vibe (it's november... it's already snowing, dark all day, I don't need more reason to be down). I still consider this one an important story to be told and I'm glad I read it.
Thanks to the publisher for the eARC. All opinions are my own....more
Listen... sometimes books resonate with you and this one was just that for me. I cannot express how much I loved it. It broached so man\\\\\ 4.5 \\\\\
Listen... sometimes books resonate with you and this one was just that for me. I cannot express how much I loved it. It broached so many deep things and it also made me cry (note that I can count on the fingers of one hand the books that made me cry this year... so it's not that often that it happens). Anyways, I just recommend you grab this one and let yourself be swept away by the River Styx.
Read if you like: LGBTQ+ YA Fantasy Mythology Hurt/Comfort Deeply atmospheric Emotional reads
I got hooked instantly by the unique world building of this one. From the first page I was pulled in and looking forward to knowing more about this fascinating story with a hint of mythology. The struggles Bastian was going through were breaking my heart but also made me feel seen. He is a powerful character and I was really invested in his story and hoping so damn hard he'll manage to get himself out of this darkness he was stuck in.
If you have ever experienced some anxiety or grief, you will for sure relate to parts of this story. It isn't easy subjects, but they are broached with care and thoughtfulness and it makes for a very enthralling read. It is a story about healing, about struggling to help others, but most of all, it's a story about love and hope. Bastian's friends and brother were there for him and truly part of this story, trying their best and not knowing how to help through this difficult situation. You could feel their helplessness deeply.
I love how Zan and Bastian's relationship was slowly developing and I was always looking forward to more of it. They found a love of living again and all of that through frozen memories of people that passed away. There was something deeply atmospheric about it and sadly beautiful as well. The switches between the two worlds was a very agreeable way to navigate this story. I feel like this book will stay with me for a long time.
P.s. Also loved the fact that there was a cat named Cat. My first cat was affectionately named Miss Cat.
Thanks to the author, PageStreetYA and ColoredPagesBookTour for my copy of the book. All opinions are my own....more
Right from the start I was pulled in by this very fun writing and absolutely loved that the book included footnotes as if the character\\\\\ 3.5 \\\\\
Right from the start I was pulled in by this very fun writing and absolutely loved that the book included footnotes as if the character was truly talking to us and also text bubbles. It really fitted Payal's personality and made the reading experience more immersive.
She is a relatable teenage character, who's head over heels for her crush, and lets him get away with lots of things, until it really hits her that she doesn't feel good about some of the things he says. Even though the theme of racism is a big part of that story, it was broached in a lighter way, because of our fun main character and how she is a bit clumsy and oh so entertaining. I did kind of hate Jon to be honest.. he was really self absorbed and I don't feel like he got any understanding of what he was doing wrong, which was a bit of a letdown after so much time spent with him on the pages... I was hoping for a bit of redemption, but it all ended so fast he just disappeared from the map.
The cast of characters was super diverse and so interesting! For sure Philip was my favourite character. HE WAS SO DAMN CUTE AND PERFECT. Which made me a bit mad at Payal at times about how she was kind of using him and then getting mad at him. From an outsider POV I'm sorry to inform you we were mad at you, my dear Payal... I would have wished for a bit more from her. She was saying: "sorry, it was not your fault, it was Neil's fault..." how about you acknowledge this was YOUR fault, honey? But hey, she was still funny, quirky and nice so I didn't get mad for a long time.
I did enjoy the friendship in this story, it was so precious. When they all got back together at the end it made me so happy but also made me feel a bit sad that their whole relationship was kind of put on the back burner for a big part of the story, but well, I still appreciated it.
The book makes its point in a beautiful way and I loved the message. Overall a super easy and fun read that will make you smile for sure!
Thanks to the author, PenguinTeen and ColoredPagesBookTours for my copy of the book. All opinions are my own....more
Oh gosh, I just know this whole series will be soooooo good!
Read if you like: Mafia/dark romance Love triangle Friends to lovers 3 POVs Suspense
I really enOh gosh, I just know this whole series will be soooooo good!
Read if you like: Mafia/dark romance Love triangle Friends to lovers 3 POVs Suspense
I really enjoyed Brutal Birthright (proof is I actually finished that series, yay me!), so to say I was looking forward to seeing these kids stories is an understatement! I've been told great things about Kingmakers but it still surprised me! It is so different from the first series but still so freaking amazing.
I love that the story is happening in a school with all these people we are already starting to like/hate. You get lots of meddling and stressful things happening, tension, steamy scenes and all. The love story was definitely not the only focus in that book, a lot was happening and I was always captivated by each chapter.
The relationship between Leo and Anna was really cute and nice to see evolve, loved it from the start. They had their ups and downs, and it was hard to see them so sad at times, but it kept things interesting for sure. I have to admit that the fact I kinda like Dean already probably helped, haha, I was always happy to get to his point of view. (This was such a surprise to get 3 POVs, I was definitely a fan of that, and I'm really excited for Dean's book that is for sure.)
Getting to see the previous characters (now parents) in this series is of course such a delight (Miko was killing me, I love him). So yeah, I feel like it will be an easy series to enjoy for me and I'm excited for the next book already!
Thanks to Bloom Books and Netgalley for my eARC. All opinions are my own....more
This one was quite cute, exactly what you can expect of a young adult romance with all the rom-com vibes.
Read if you like: Rivals to lo\\\\\ 3.5 \\\\\
This one was quite cute, exactly what you can expect of a young adult romance with all the rom-com vibes.
Read if you like: Rivals to lovers Childhood bestfriends Academic set-up Coming of age story Slow-burn romance
My thoughts: The bond between our two characters was easy to understand, and I enjoyed their friendship quite a lot. Even though they stuck to saying they were enemies, you still could feel how deeply they cared for each other. The fact that they knew one another so well, made for really sweet interactions. It was a bit hard to not get mad at the miscommunication at the chore of their rivalry.
I have to admit that I would have loved for this one to be a double POV because I had a hard time connecting with Sadie, I did not always agree with how she acted, meanwhile, Seb was simply perfect to me. It would have certainly helped my reading experience to get to his POV once in a while.
The first part of the book was more compelling to me and went by far more quickly than the second part. I'm not someone who enjoys conflict and confrontations, and at some point in the book it was all that was happening and that was not appealing to me. While I do appreciate some deeper stuff, it definitely dragged on and I just wanted to get back to the more quirky and fun vibe.
Overall, the plot was interesting with a touch of humour and a heartwarming side as well. I always love seeing characters learning to be their true self and find their path in life.
As for the audiobook, the narrator did a great job and it was an enjoyable one!
Thanks to Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for the eARC/ALC. All opinions are my own....more
I'll do this one short and sweet because this is book 2, and I don't want to spoil anything if you haven't read the first book yet. Let's just say thaI'll do this one short and sweet because this is book 2, and I don't want to spoil anything if you haven't read the first book yet. Let's just say that book 2 lived up to the anticipation for me.
After the ending of book 1, I was eager to see how things would go from there. It started right away with lots of angst, action and high stake situations. This second instalment was full of betrayals, forced proximity, a heart melting slow burn and even one of my favourite tropes that I did not expect to see there, but I was so here for it.
The tension and push and pull between Rune and Gideon was absolutely delightful. I liked seeing them having to interact and fighting this attraction between them. It was chef's kiss. The story kept me on my toes at all times, and even though I did guess some of the plot twists, it was still delectable, and I enjoyed every second of it.
This is a must-read duology for any fan of fantasy and especially if you enjoy a true enemies-to-lovers trope because it is well done in this one!
Huge thanks to RaincoastBooks and WednesdayBooks for my copy of the book. All opinions are my own....more
This was such a dark and twisted story, full of mystery that you just cannot help enjoying. Our main character was quite easy to love, I quite honestlThis was such a dark and twisted story, full of mystery that you just cannot help enjoying. Our main character was quite easy to love, I quite honestly just wanted to protect him all the time. Cal certainly had a hard time in high school and when I say hard time I mean dark stuff and trauma. It brought a very interesting side to this story about how he dealt with it all and how he was feeling about himself after all that happened.
The whole secret society activities were quite intriguing and definitely kept me hooked. Right from the first chapter you are just wondering what is going on and honestly it stays that way all throughout your reading until the very end. So many secrets and puzzling things going on, you never know who you can trust and what is everyone hiding.
It is hard to tell what is right or wrong or who's good or bad in this dark academia set-up because quite honestly we all have a bit of a dark side, don't we? Maybe it is because I love dark characters that seem to have demons but I was kind of a fan of Luke, couldn't get enough of him somehow, he was mysterious and I just wanted to know more about him all the time. I would have wished his character was more developed than that because he felt like a very important part of the book, and he was so intriguing but in the end I felt like I didn't get to know him really. It shouldn't be a bad thing I guess, but for me I crave that connection with all characters and I want to understand them fully, that's all.
The story navigates the idea of how much are you really willing to sacrifice to get what you want and also there is this idea of being accepted and having a feeling of finally fitting into something but at what price? I'm still a little confused about the fact that this one is YA because of the subjects it broaches and the language too, but I read adult reads too so it is no problem for me in the end.
My main disappointment was about the ending, but then, I'm not used to reading thrillers, so it might be a "me" problem, but I felt like the ending was quite rushed. I wanted it to go a bit slower, I found myself re-reading parts because it all happened so fast I was feeling like I was missing stuff. Other than that, the book was still super interesting and I read it in no time because I kept wanting to know what would happen next.
Thanks to Colored Pages Book Tours, the publisher and the author for my copy of the book. All opinions are my own....more
I cannot get over how good this book was! It is such a page turner, you just cannot seem to put it down. Right from the start it was so intriguing, asI cannot get over how good this book was! It is such a page turner, you just cannot seem to put it down. Right from the start it was so intriguing, as you don't really know all that happened and you have to go on with the story to learn a bit more and more about this mysterious past. I was definitely hooked.
This was a fun one. The world created by the authors was super interesting, with demons/angels and the fact that most of the story was set in the humaThis was a fun one. The world created by the authors was super interesting, with demons/angels and the fact that most of the story was set in the human world made it quite easy to navigate.
READ IF YOU LIKE: Dual POV Fake Dating One Bed Paranormal romance Forced proximity Demons and angels Mental health rep
Right from the start, the story pulled me in. The characters were nice to follow and I enjoyed the humor and vibe of it all. Our main characters developed quite a nice friendship and it was nice how they cared about one another. There was a bit of a love triangle but considering the strong friendships it somehow felt different and didn't put me off as it sometimes does when I don't know who to root for.
Discovering Desi's world was quite interesting and getting to see how life is different from the human world and all. I'd say that for the major part, this book felt more of a contemporary read (not in a bad way, but just because it all looks like a normal life minus the Jedi way of moving things, haha) so getting into a different world really made for a different vibe suddenly and got me intrigued once again.
I did have a bit of trouble wrapping my mind around our character's age. They were way younger in my head and I honestly cannot imagine it any other way with how they were acting and all... but that did not affect my reading experience, it was more of an after thought. The push and pull between Desi and Jace was a bit frustrating to go through, it sometimes felt like things were going backwards, which made this book feel way too long in my opinion. (view spoiler)[And in the end, we did not really get to see Jace's evolution clearly, like he just clicked a switch and suddenly all fears were gone and he was okay with everything. I needed more than that for this to be believable. (hide spoiler)]
Overall, it was an entertaining read, I liked all the characters, just didn't fell hard for any and that can be a let down for me. I was interested enough to always continue reading but when I stopped I didn't feel the urge to get back to this one, if it makes sense. Might be a mood thing or it just was too long for me, I can't explain, because at first I was really into it. I did like the twists at the end even though it was a bit predictable it felt good that something a bit more dramatic was happening.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own....more
Loved loved loved that book! I was super excited about this story as I really liked book 2 in this series (not saying I didn’t like book 1, just havenLoved loved loved that book! I was super excited about this story as I really liked book 2 in this series (not saying I didn’t like book 1, just haven’t read it yet, oops) and I’m a HUGE 10 things I hate about you fan. It did not disappoint.
The way this story was adapted into historical romance was just perfection. It was true to the original story enough, but still had some interesting twists that added something to keep the reader intrigued by that particular adaptation and how everything would resolve. It will for sure please any fan of the movie!
Our heroes instantly made me fall in love. Gage made me swoon so freaking much, he was just the sweetest and I loved how he was this big guy but still could be shy and uncertain at times and I don’t know, he was really something else! Not your usual Patrick Verona vibe which was refreshing. He had a pretty interesting backstory as well that definitely helped to understand his motives and actions. Plus, get me a Scottish hero all day every day! Effie with her passion for rescuing animals and the way she was acting in general showed a very heartwarming side. Loved how she decided to take control of her life and simply went for it, no matter how scandalous it was! Also loved getting to see the other characters again, they are such a great group of friends, it’s always fun to see them interact.
(view spoiler)[The fact that both our heroes were virgins and decided to explore that undeniable chemistry between them made it all the more interesting. It’s not that often that we get something like that in historical romance. (hide spoiler)] And the spice was truly spicing, so no complaints here on my part. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, and I plan on reading more of that author, as my last two reads from her were both 5 stars!
Thanks to Forever and HBGCanada for the eARC. All opinions are my own....more
Mireille (readingwithmrleo)
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