Yorha
Overall I enjoyed the book, I loved the banter and the rep was so good. It made even my little cold heart feel things. The two MCs had amazing chemistry and I loved seeing them together but my god, the miscommunication was exhausting. I understand what the author was trying to portrayed but it was way overdone and that makes me sad. A very good read otherwise!
No one is more disappointed than me with this rating. I absolutely adore The Marvellous Light, A Restless Truth was also a ton of fun with amazing character moments and humour but this instalment is probably going to be my biggest bookish disappointment of the year (I hope. I don't want any more).
My favourite part about the book is seeing the old characters back! I adore Edwin and Violet so much — Edwin/Robin were also such a joy to see again. The cast interactions and the found family was very heart-warming, especially seeing Jack appreciate those around him. The plot was satisfying enough for the most part, except that it all ended in a very convenient way but I could forgive it if the romance was as good as before.
As you can probably guess, it was not. It felt very physical and lacking of the emotional bond and understanding between the characters. Only at the end do we see a more vulnerable side to the two characters but it was a little too late. The focus is very much on the physical aspect of their relationship and the sexual tension they have which, sadly, isn't all that well done in this book (I'm saying this actually being so hyped for this romance after A Restless Truth). I felt like the author really could've done so much better with this couple given their difference in social status and different life experiences. It was such a good contrast and I'm left disappointed.
The smut scenes were very kinky and the author was really leaning into the dominant/submissive tropes that sadly I despise (so it's defo a me thing). Also roleplay during smut scenes is just so off putting to me personally — i just really didn't think it was as well written as in book 1.
Soft DNFd it once and I wanted to DNF it again but pulled thru for my love of the series.
I will miss this cast of characters so much, it was fun a fun ride but next time I read the books, I might just skip this one.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the eARC
[3.5]
The Reappearance of Rachel Price is a new mystery novel from the author of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder with a brand new story, and a brand new heroine.
The writing was just as easy and fast to read as in AGGGTM, the mystery just making you keep going and being unable to stop. The book was a lot of fun from beginning to the end and I had a blast but sadly I do not think it quite reaches the quality of AGGGTM.
First things first, the heroine is an absolute edgelord. She constantly made me think of a 14 year old going through her emo rebel phrase (not an insult, I also went through an emo rebel phrase at that age), she's 18 though. I think Holly Jackson meant to make Bel unlikable and i both enjoyed it, and found the way it was done cringe. Bel is brash, hurts people to keep them away and is all around unpleasant. I didn't mind it (for the most part) but I know a lot of people will have less patience to a character like this than me so here's your warning. What did bother me though, is that Holly will beat you over the head with reminding you that she keeps hurting people cause of trauma so don't worry, you wont forget it. I get irked when an author doesn't trust me enough to understand what they're trying to portray after saying it once or twice. Instead, lets say it 15 times to make sure I remember. I will say however, I really did find it refreshing to have a character so different from Pip. I like Pip, but it was nice to see such a different voice with a different approach.
There was a lack of paper clippings, recordings etc. which were my favorite part of AGGTM. A bit of a bummer but I think it makes sense in the way the story was told. Bel isn't a journalist like Pip, she doesn't want to solve the murder as much as she just wants to be left alone with the people she cares about. She is more emotional and cynical, and isn't quite as experienced as Pip. She isn't going into it prepared, she just kind of does things the moment she gets an idea in her head.
The mystery was interesting and kept me going, I did guess the captor early on but there was enough twists and turns to keep me second guessing myself and overall i enjoyed that part of the book the most.
Sadly, my biggest complaint was how disappointing the ending was. The last 30% of the book are super dense, and overly dramatic, and the conclusion just left me wishing for way more. I will refrain from saying more as it's a new release, and I would hate to ruin or accidentally spoil the experience for others.
The audiobook is superb, and i highly recommend it.
The Hapless Milliner, the first book of the Miss Austen Investigates series, starts off strong with a murder of a mysterious merchant whom only our main character Jane recognizes.
The first 30% of the book was enjoyable and I thought this has the potential to being a 4 star read. However the joy flew out of the window the moment you realize Jane is not exactly clever... at all. It's definitely not going to bother everyone as it is a matter of preference, but I do expect the main character of a murder mystery novel to have at least a few working (little grey) brain cells. Jane does not need much evidence to come to conclusions and accuse (publicly!) every character she starts to suspect. She does not take her time to think it through, she just points fingers to the point where even her own family is telling her off. She did that to every main suspect, making the mystery... not really that much of a mystery.
That is also why I felt the conclusion to the mystery was anti-climactic and didn't make sense to me personally. You really want me to believe that someone who doesn't think much through and is guided by emotion rather than logic suddenly solved the murder and found an extremely unlikely murderer? I personally could not, leaving me very disappointed by the end.
There was also so many side characters and they mostly read the same, which isn't a big problem but I did find it a tad boring.
I think there is potential in this series but sadly this book just didn't do anything for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sad to say, this is another book that I thought I was going to really enjoy due to the blurb but it left me wishing I DNF'd halfway through like I wanted to.
First things first, if you want an adult fantasy with some sort of world-building that isn't painfully simplistic, this isn't it. This is my biggest complaint, what exactly is adult about it? It really feels like the world building was simply things that the author decided sounded cool but didn't think them through. Almost nothing get explained or built on, things “just are”. The book doesn't want you to think too hard on it, and that's fine, but it should not be advertised as adult fantasy – this is simpler than some YAs I've read. We don't even have an answer as to why the sea folk can shapeshift into humans. Can they only shapeshift into humans? Is there no other race out there? Why humans in particular? What gives them the ability to shapeshift? Is that considered magic or it “just is”? There is a sea witch which can shapeshift into other sea folk but we don't really get any explanation on how her powers work either, she is just a witch and that must mean she can do any magic that is convenient at the time. There is also no magic system whatsoever, the sea folk can water bend like 3 times in the book, that's it.
In general, the sea folk felt more like an aesthetic than anything that matters to the plot. The characters do almost everything (including sexual stuff) in their human forms. The entire book takes place in a single human city, the politics revolve mainly around whatever happens in said human city. We don't even know anything about the sea world aside from the fact it has royalty. You might as well just interchange the sea folk with humans, and you'd have gotten the same kind of story, there's nothing unique about them aside from making the book stand out for its aesthetic.
Fathomfolk is mainly a political fantasy which i tend to like, but sadly it didn't make me invested in them at all. It's the most basic politics and revolution plots you can find in a lot of younger books. Was it bad? no, but it also that you haven't seen many times before.
The characters were fine, for the most part. The female leads were all distinct, even if the villain felt like she was a little too inspired by Ursula from The Little Mermaid... Sadly, all the male characters were plot devices and I bet I will forget them in 10 hours.
The ending thinks it does something shocking but it feels cheap and ridiculous. On the bright side though, I think it might pave way to plot at least somewhat more interesting than book 1 but I am not going to be coming back to this series.
All in all, I am very sad that this ended up being such a dreadful read for me, as it was one of my most anticipated releases for this year. Initially I kept giving it a benefit of a doubt because I thought it has potential on which it can build on but it just doesn't.
Thank for Netgalley & Orbit for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands is a sequel to Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, where we once again follow Emily and Wendell in exploring the fae world and its' mysteries.
Much like the previous book, the sequel is cozy, humorous, with immaculate vibes and loveable characters. Not only Emily and Wendell get to shine, we also get 2 new side characters who both have a connection to Emily, and it was endearing to see how they grow closer together despite not getting along initially. Can't of course forget about Shadow, and a mysterious fae cat that makes an appearance!
I really enjoyed seeing Emily develop in this book. She is still the no-nonsense researcher that prioritizes results over all else, but she gets confronted with some of her choices, and I love to see that. Also, seeing her open up to Wendell was very endearing and I really enjoy their relationship. Wendell, of course, is the star of the show for m. Oh what wouldn't I do for this loveable, precious man-child.
I grew to really love this series, and this book solidified it as my comfort read along Howl's Moving Castle. I can't wait to see what the gang is up to in book 3!
Thank for Netgalley & Orbit for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
An Education in Malice is a dark academia retelling of the classic novel Carmilla. We are following our two heroines: Laura, who is a naive girl who never steps out of her comfort zone (up till a certain point) and Carmilla, who is very competitive and strives to be the very best. We also have a teacher, De Lafontaine, who has a strange and inappropriate relationship with Carmilla
What this novel, in typical S. T. Gibson fashion, excels at is the prose. Her writing is always so beautiful, with so many hard hitting lines you want to underline while reading to come back to regularly. Gibson simply has a way with her words and I can't get enough of it. Along with the prose, I really enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere that the author created. The world was so easy to imagine and the gothic vibes were immaculate.
Sadly though, while I did enjoy An Education in Malice, it did not live up to my expectations – I thought it was a book to stay with me like A Dowry of Blood did, but sadly I don't think that will be the case. That is to say, the book is not bad by any means – it's good, just not quite as good as I had hoped.
The characters were memorable enough but nothing groundbreaking. I quite enjoyed Carmilla and her emotional reactions to things. I found that she felt quite real and I simply just wish the novel was longer to delve more into the psyche of these characters. Carmilla is a character I would simply love to have seen explored more, i wanna know everything that goes on in her head.
The romance starts out as rivals to lovers with a lot of lust and promise for a romance i could really get behind, but sadly it fell a little flat as the characters went from being rivals to being in love after a certain plot point with a sudden shift in their attitudes. The feelings between the characters just didn't develop organically, which (again) might simply be due to the length of the book. I still enjoyed the bond between the girls and many of their scenes, I just think it could've been so much more.
I think my biggest disappointment was the ending – the climax was way too convenient, resolved way too fast with minimal tension. I felt like there build-up was preparing me for something more atmospheric and cruel, but it felt very uninspired and rushed. I also disliked the fact that one of the characters did not face any consequences for all of the shit they pulled, it all just got resolved way too easily and conveniently for my taste. That is to say, I also did thing that Dowry wrapped up a little quick but overall I was way more satisfied with that ending.
I will also say that the dark academia aspect takes a back seat once vampire plot line becomes more prominent. You are still in the school setting but the academic bits and pieces take the back seat. That did not bother me personally, but i figured I will point it out.
All in all, it's a very solid read that simply could've been so much more. I see myself revisiting one day and one that i can recommend to anyone looking for a short sapphic vampire story.
Thank for Netgalley & Little Brown Book UK for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
What in the soap opera was this???
I've actually really enjoyed book 1 and I'm baffled this was written by the same author.
It is a bad take on Persuasion that has a whiny MC who has zero self-awareness and who doesn't own up to ANYTHING she has done. It also has a love triangle with two very unlikable love interests, with one very obviously being the “villain” and not one youre supposed to root for.
Initially I kept having hopes for one of the LIs but the reveal at 75% takes away any last bits of enjoyment i felt and makes me wish the MC had the confidence to ditch both of the guys for someone better. Girl, learn to love yourself.
Gave it another try — might write down thoughts after I process the book tomorrow.
Sadly, it's a dnf @ 55% initial rating 2 stars
So sad to dnf it as I was convinced I am going to adore this series but unfortunately it's been a struggle to get this far and I am not going to subject myself to this no mo. The world building was really nice albeit a little too complex at times but I would be very interested to learn more. However, I just cannot stand 2 out of 3 main characters, as much as i try to force myself to continue, whenever there is a chapter from Nahri's POV, the book becomes painful to listen to. They are simply uninteresting and whiny to me, and the romance makes me cringe. Also not digging the idea of reading about a love triangle with romance written the way it has been so far, im good, thanks.
I have heard that this series gets better near the end of the first book but sadly i dont think i have it in me to make it till the end, which is a shame cause i expected this to be exactly my kind of book. Giving 2 stars for Alizayd, who is the sole reason I made it this far.
This book was so much fun! The characters, their growth and their interactions truly made the book for me. The romance was adorable, the humor was great, vibes were immaculate and Emeric is everything.
The best thing of the book is the variety in the cast. We have a thief who was forced to rely solely on herself. An adorable nerd, who cares for the truth and those close to him. A princess that is forced to live a life of a commoner, and the cutest shapeshifter who will always protect her friends. Each makes mistakes and each has to consider those around them to grow into better people.
Me being me however, I have a few things that stop me from absolutely adoring the book:
- I really do not enjoy heavy-handed writing and that's how I felt when it came to Vanja, our main character. Her struggles were repeated so many times that I felt the author doesn't trust me to understand it when it's said once or twice. It was just a little too spelled out for my tastes. It's not a big deal honestly but it did sour my enjoyment whenever it happened.
- The magic system isn't really built up. Things just... happen/exist for convenience of the plot. This is very much a character-driven book so this can be easily overlooked and isn't a deal-breaker but definitely something I wish was developed more.
- Villains were sorta just there to be bad without much depth whatsoever.
I am definitely going to pick up book 2 cause I am here for the gang and their shenanigans.
I can't decide between 3.75 and 4 stars, so I will decide later while the books sits with me for a couple of days.
——-
The Scarlet Alchemist is a fun ride that features tons of alchemy, resurrecting people from the dead, zombie monsters and is one that isn't shy to pull some punches.
I have thoroughly enjoyed The Scarlet Alchemist. It is a very brigeable book with a fun concept and a bigger focus on the characters than the story. Zilan, our main character, is a bit of a mess. She does some questionable things in order to survive, but does have a moral compass. She reminded me quite a bit of Rin from The Poppy War (though Rin's moral compass is debatable), a lite version of her anyway. Both make a lot of rash decisions out of desperation and have to face the consequences later. The story makes Zilan acknowledge that she might have been too cocky and insecure, and she has to live with the consequences of her actions from before the book began, as well as what she had done during the length of the book. If you do not like very flawed characters, Fu Zilan might not be the character for you but I personally had a blast watching her make bad decisions and the book being aware of that. Gimme more of that!
Our love interest, Li Hong, was also quite refreshing. He is a soft and sensitive guy who tries his best. I am tired of every other YA having a broody, mysterious guy in every book so it was nice to see a different kind of love interest (I don't dislike them, i just want variety). I also appreciate that while the book had romance and it definitely was important, the focus was more so on the politics, familiar bonds and, most importantly, Zilan's character and her potential to grow in the future installments.
I do have a few complaints however!
The world-building isn't rich and there were a few situations in the book that just do not make logical sense. They happen to move the plot forward and to make the situation seem more dire, but it was hard to take it seriously when it didn't make much sense. The plot was also quite predictable for the most part, there were only 2 revelations that I did not expect, but i don't think it makes the book bad by any means but it does lower my rating a bit.
I think this series has a lot of potential and I can't wait for the sequel. While this book wasn't afraid to pull the punches, I am hoping Kylie Lee Baker ups it even more and we are going to get emotionally destroyed in the next installment. I need my dose of pain and suffering from my books.
Definitely an extremely fun ride and I have to thank my friend Emily for being so enthusiastic about recommending this book because I wouldn't have picked it up otherwise and that'd be a shame!
✨ Tom Cruise ✨
Edit: okay, actual review!
“Grief is a journey, and everyone has their own way, you know?”
Rogue by Mona Awad is a psychological thriller about complicated parental relationships (mother-daughter one to be precise) and the struggle with high beauty standards. The only reasons I picked this book up was because I loved Bunny despite all its weirdness and I wanted to experience it again.
Rouge was weird, it did not disappoint me on that front but the writing felt a little repetitive and it really does not feel like the length of the book is justified, even though the book isn't very long at all. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't really gripping me the same way as Bunny had. However, I liked the ending and the way the book wrapped up. The conclusion to the relationship Belle has with her mother was absolutely beautiful and made me feel things (ew) which is very rare. The last 20 pages solidified Rouge as a 4 star for me and made it worth pulling thru even though at times I lost interest. Funny how sometimes the ending truly makes or breaks a book! I am definitely going to be coming back to this book and I hope to one day annotate it properly.
This is the perfect case of going into a book with the wrong expectations. I really enjoyed Sorcery of Thorns and I was expected a more story-driven adventure with romance as the backdrop and more developed characters.
Sadly, An Enchantment of Ravens is a YA romantasy, a genre that I have learned recently I just cannot stomach for the most part (with exceptions). Now, i do like romance but I do need the build up, here unfortunately we get instalove which is another one of my pet peeves. This, along with the fact that the characters weren't fleshed put enough just didn't make for a good read for me.
One thing I did really enjoy about the book were the vibes. The setting and the atmosphere were something I really wanted more of. It's perfect for an autmn romance read.
All in all, it was just not a book for me and I shouldn't have went with high expectations solely because of Sorcery of Thorns.
“I simply didn't know how to make things better. I could not solve the puzzle of me.”
What a surprise of a book! 4.5 ✨
Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine by Gail Honeyman is an emotional read that will stay with me for years to come.
In the book we follow our heroine, Eleanor, who is extremely socially awkward, takes everything literally and says exactly what she is thinking without a filter. At times, she can be very difficult to root for but the way the author handled Eleanor's growth is excellent.
During the first half I thought it wasnt going to be a particularly memorable read for me — Eleanor, while at times relatable, frustrated me a couple of times. However, the second hand of the book makes it all come together so beautifully that it made me love the story and root for Eleanor. She truly is one of a kind 💕
The thing I loved most about the book was the way mental health struggles were portrayed. They were well-written, handled with care and relatable. This is what made the ending feel so rewarding and it gives you hope for the future without being overdone.
I love and truly appreciate seeing neurodivergent characters being written with so much care.
This book will definitely stay with me for awhile.
If you like audiobooks, I can highly recommend this one, it was superb.
✨ this is exactly what I want out of my cozy reads!
I can't believe it took me so long to get to it because I adored every second of the audiobook (which was superb, btw). The vibes were immaculate, and I loved the way the faerie were incorporated into the story, as well as the journal style of writing.
Most of all, I adored the characters. Emily is a no-nonsense scholar whose main priority is her research. She is a little awkward and secluded. She has no time to mingle with others, girl is here to get her work done and that's that. We see her grow throughout the story into someone who starts to see those on her journey as friends.
Wendell though. Wendell was the star of the show for me. He is exactly the type of a character that I adore. He can be a jerk, but at least a hilarious one. He reminded me of book!Howl from Howl's Moving Castle and that's a huge compliment. Let's not forget about Shadow! Our good, lil pup.
Normally I do not like comparing books because I don't want people to go in with the wrong expectations but I think that if you love HMC or The Regency Faerie books by Olivia Atwater, there's a high chance you'll enjoy Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries! (And if not, please don't blame me 😭).
Emily Wilde is a perfect cozy winter read, and I hope that if you do try it, you will love it as much as I did 🍄
One of my most anticipated releases for this year finally came out and I am so glad to say it absolutely delivers!
Rachel Gillig's One Dark Window was one of my favourite books of 2022, it had an amazing ending which left you wanting more. Finally, the time has come when we can read the sequel to find out what happens to our main characters and boy, was the wait worth it.
Two Twisted Crowns is as well-written as the first book with beautiful prose. It has stakes, eerie atmosphere, a lot of magic, and a lot of great character development/writing. I am happy so say that more characters get fleshed out in this book and you truly start to get to know them beyond just Elspeth and Ravyn. The bond between The Nightmare and Elspeth continues to be the best thing in the story, I can NOT get enough of them! I love them and they're easily my favourite thing about these books. I also really like the way the romance between the main leads was handled, as well. It felt more mature than what I usually experience in books that read a bit younger than adult.
I loved the revelations and the ideas Rachel Gillig had for this story and its' ending, and I am heart-broken that this is the end. I will miss those characters and the world – especially Nightmare who is the best character (objectively, ofc!). However, I can also appreciate the story was not stretched out just to make it a trilogy. It really feels so complete and there's not much filler, which just adds to the quality of the books in my opinion.
I do have one complaint though, which is the reason I can't in good conscience give this entry 5 stars. I absolutely couldn't stand the new POV for most of the book. I don't know what happened, but it reads very different from the rest of the book to me. It felt less mature in its' romance and not serious enough to match the rest of the story/atmosphere. Most of the chapters just read like your typical YA romance which just isn't my thing. In my opinion, the writing just wasn't on the same level and it was painful going through them. It felt the other chapters had stakes, and here we just followed a sad prince and his attempts at romance. The romance also started off-page so it was really hard for me to feel invested and root for them to end up together. I like seeing the journey the character take before they fall for each other, so it's definitely a personal preference.
I might sound too harsh, and i probably am, but trust me when I say I truly struggled to get through this POV. The only thing keeping me going was the fact I liked the female character in those chapters, and also faith in Rachel Gillig. As you can tell, it was so worth pulling through but I feel like this is something I ought to mention since it really made me struggle with reading the book at times. They get better closer to the end of the book though. I will say that I know I can be very nit-picky and there is a high chance it will not affect your enjoyment.
The duology was more than worth going through and the ending made me feel geniuely happy that I gave this series a try. This one is definitely staying on my shelves!
I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.