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 My blog that is. If you happen across this post and would like to continue to follow my reviews and other ramblings, I will be over at RandomlyKait on Wordpress.

 

 

 

Review: Practice Makes Perfect ~ Sarah Adams

  

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Format I Used: Audiobook
Pages: 368
Running Time: 10h:13m
My Rating:  3 Stars

Publication Date: May 2, 2023

 

 

 SPOILER ALERT

I enjoyed the relationship with Annie and Will. Their chemistry and banter made me smile. A LOT. And I loved how respectful he was to Annie and how he would take a step back and give Annie space when she was uncomfortable with what was going on. He told her not to apologize for saying no and being uncomfortable, and that she didn't owe him--or anyone--anything... Yes. A million times yes. Though I was REALLY annoyed with him by when he was boo hooing about Annie talking to another guy, EVEN THOUGH he agreed to help her, and spent SO MUCH TIME telling her that he was absolutely not going to stick around. Ever.

Did It Make Me Cry? No. 

Review: Lightlark ~ Alex Aster

 

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Format I Used: Combination Audiobook/Ebook
Pages: 416
Running Time: 12h:57m
My Rating: 4 stars
Publication Date: August 23, 2022

 

I actually quite enjoyed this book. It kept my attention the whole time, although the last 10% of the book is where it's at. It had a couple of twists and turns and betrayals that I didn't expect to happen, and it's made me very curious to see what's going to happen next.

This is a good fantasy novel for someone who is just starting out with the genre or for someone (like me) who is there for the vibes only. If you're a super serious heavy fantasy reader and are very particular about the content, this one is probably not going to be one that you enjoy.

Something (or some things) that kind of threw me off a little, was the way that it felt like this was written in a very young voice. It felt like it was aimed towards a Jr. High audience, except for when it all of a sudden wasn't.

Also, I was doing a combination of reading/listening to this book, and I didn't really care for how much older the narrator made the Male characters sound when Isla was talking to them (I get the WHY, it just felt really weird to me. That's not a slam on the book, but my opinion on how the narrator chose to voice the characters.) 

Did It Make Me Cry? No

Review: The Graham Effect ~ Elle Kennedy

 

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Format I Used: Audiobook
Pages: 498
Running Time: 14h:3m
My Rating: 3 stars
Publication Date: October 31, 2023

 

*SIGH* This was fine. Nothing was wrong with it.

It's just that I want every single sports book I read to give me the same feelings as Mariana Zapata sports books do. Where is the tension? The ridiculously slow slow burn? The conversations that have me bawling at 3 am? Or even more specific I want every hockey romance to be like My Unicorn Girl and have me giggling and my stomach full of butterflies at the cuteness overload. I don't mind some spice, but I would like the build up instead of jumping straight into it.

I also thought our main love interest was named Graham (he is not) my bad for jumping into it without knowing anything about it. 🙃

It does get bonus points for our couple not getting into a big misunderstanding fight that takes a Great Big Grand Gesture to fix. I probably have more to say, but for now that's all.

 

Did It Make Me Cry? No 

Review: Destroy The Day ~ Brigid Kemmerer

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Format I Used: Ebook
Pages: 448
Running Time: 17h:47m
My Rating: 5 stars
Publication Date: January 23, 2024

TL;DR This book was good, it felt a lot like a filler story with more focus on side characters than the main characters. It had an acceptable ending that made me BAWL. Rocco and Quint are the BEST, and I will take no arguments about it.

There ARE spoilers. And some of them come out of nowhere, so PLEASE don't read any further unless you want #AllTheSpoilers.

So the story by itself gets 3 stars, but because of Quint, Rocco, and all the other {side} characters I'm rounding it allllll the way up to 5 stars.

This was a #BookBanditsBuddyRead to keep up with the tradition of reading the first two books together!

For a long time, this felt like it should have been book 2.5 instead of book 3. There was a lot of focus on developing side characters, and every single one of them wormed their way into my heart, which made me absolutely a nervous WRECK

There are 3 POVs that we cycle through in this book, which WOULD be fine except for the fact that it didn't change every chapter. You go two or three or four chapters with the same person and all of a sudden it switches. And by the time we cycle all the way back around, I've forgotten everything that's happened to those chacracters. But that's more of a personal beef than there actually being anything wrong with the book itself.

Corrick: If you remember, at the end of book 2, they're all on a ship and there's a cannon and Corrick gets blown up and into the water with Lochlan and they get unalived... except they're not. Other bad people fish them out of the water, and Corrick dawns the moniker Weston Lark once again. In book 3 Lochlan and Corrick find themselves unlikely allies as they try to figure out how to get out of the hands of the bad guys. If I'm being completely honest, this was the POV I cared about the least... although I was here for the back and forth between Lochlan and Corrick. Like, I thought the biggest plot twist of the book was going to be that it was going to be a BL love story and Corrick/Lochlan would forget about Tessa/Karri (which is ridiculous, because they both talked and worried about the two girls nonstop) and end up with each other instead. BECAUSE there was so much tension and flirty banter, and blushing and the ONE BED TROPE, and honestly? I was here for it.

Harristan: It was interesting to see Harristan get a little more character development. He spends a lot of time learning more about his kingdom, and trying to win over the rebels, and figuring out what exactly is happening. He's learning who to trust and getting betrayed, and it's heart wrenching if I'm being honest. But he also has Quint by his side, as steady and sure as ever. Quint is still so precious to meeeee, and his little book with those dates, and I cried when he talked about when he was younger and WHY he writes everything down. And this was the new love story. And it made me so happy that they were together and figured out their feelings for each other. I swooned a lot anytime these two were together. I'm getting cold chills just thinking about it. I also really liked the rest of Harristan's guards who stayed loyal to him. 

 

Tessa: is still mourning what she thinks is the loss of Corrick. She's in Ostriary, in a house that Rian has provided to her, and isn't doing too well. Luckily, she has Erik Rocco with her still, who is guarding her and doing his best to keep her safe. What ends up snapping her out of (mostly) her doom spiral is meeting Olive and Ellmo. She decides to put her apothecary knowledge to good work and starts helping people on the island. My boy Rocco sure stepped up his game. I love him SO MUCH. He ties with Quint for favorite. Watching him with Tessa was so endearing, and then his little flirtations with Olive were adorable. AND how much he and Ellmo antagonized each other was hilarious. It did, however, make me immediately think of Elmo and Rocco from Sesame Street, so in my head Ellmo looked like Elmo....

I was trying to figure out how things were going to all come back around and get fixed. Because there were a heck of a lot of things that I wasn't sure COULD be fixed. But it all ended up working out in the end I'm glad that Olive was around to step into place and work things out with Corrick and get everything set up for a good future. It kept me guessing to the very end and I'm glad that I read it! I really would like to see spin offs for some of the other guards (specifically Rocco, but actually any of them would be good) and also I want to know more about Lochlan and Karri, because they also didn't get to spend any time together.

Did It Make Me Cry? 

 

Yes. But probably not when you think it would have. Because it WAS NOT when Quint and Harristan blew themselves up. It was right before that when Harristan was trying to leave Quint and then convince him that he should stay because Corrick needed him, and Quint was like, no, YOU need me. And then again when Sullivan and Miller appear. Big Ugly tears were streaming down my face in the middle of the night.

Favorite Notes & Highlights:

 

Ellmo picks up a handful of pebbles and chucks them at the guardsman. To my absolute shock, Rocco picks up a small handful of his own and lightly flings them right back. Ellmo yelps in surprise and skitters away, which makes Olive glare at them both—but the boy bursts out laughing. “Are you five?” I say to Rocco. “He started it.” “So the answer is yes then?”

 

But before the door falls closed, I notice Quint flip open the little book, just turning back the cover to that list of dates. At the bottom, he adds one more. (Iykyk) 

 

 Erik isn’t done. “It’s well past nightfall. How could the two of you even see on the road? What if you’d encountered thieves? I knew I should have gone with—” He stops short as Olive steps in front of him and takes hold of his shirt. She rises up on her toes and kisses him on the cheek. “Thank you for your concern. We won’t worry you again.”

 

“Your determination and tenacity are rather inspiring.” “Well now.” He blushes, though he seems pleased. “I shall add that to my treasure trove along with the knowledge that I am ‘very pleasing to look at.’ ”

Review: Defend The Dawn ~ Brigid Kemmerer

 

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Format I Used: Ebook
Pages: 496
Running Time: 13h:9m
My Rating: 4 Stars
Publication Date: September 20, 2022

 

Funny that I left this as a draft instead of publishing it. Because now I have a review for book 2 AND book 3 coming out so super close together.

Spoilers ahead, read on with caution.

Immediately after finishing the book:

*deeeeeep breath in*

NOW LISTEN HERE

 

Thoughts after I've taken the time to digest everything that's happened:

NOW LISTEN HERE!!!!

lol, but really

My darling Quint is still the star of the show, and I swear that if something bad happens to him in the next book I will R I O T.

I wasn't fully invested in the story until a good chunk of the book was already finished. There was a lot of building up to something. And that something still hasn't really happened yet. (which makes sense, because there's still at least one more book left.) I was so confused by Tessa's sudden reaction to Corrick and her constant obsessing over how he's done bad things to people. YES TESSA WE ALREADY KNEW THAT. It's not new, it's not unexpected. Why now? (I know why, she kept having people whispering in her ear about how bad he was blah blah blah.) But again, SHE KNEW ALL OF THESE THINGS ABOUT HIM BEFORE. He didn't just randomly become a bad guy.

Ugh, anyways.

I'm curious to see whether we get more character development from Corrick and Tessa (I mean, we pretty much have to with Corrick and Lochlan getting washed away to sea and ending up ON THE ENEMY'S BOAT. AND NOW CORRICK IS PRETENDING TO be someone that he's not.)

Did It Make Me Cry?

Honestly? It's been so long since I read it, I don't remember.

Favorite Notes & Highlights:

I look at Quint. “We’re going to leap out. Be ready to run.” He glances at my injured leg. “Can you run?” No. Even leaping is going to be a challenge. But I don’t say that. “Just be ready.” “I’m not leaving our injured king—” “I’m ordering you.” The carriage slows further, but his eyes don’t leave mine. “Then I suppose you’ll have to have Corrick issue a decree of punishment, Your Majesty.” “Quint!” The carriage stops. He tightens his grip on the dagger and finally drags his eyes away from mine, but he doesn’t move. Lord. I grit my teeth. The door is flung open, and sunlight floods the gap, but I can’t see much more than that because Quint launches himself forward. (Excuse me while I go cry about this again.) 

 

“I have always loved you,” he says. “I love your brilliance and your courage. I love your faith in me, and your faith in my brother, and your faith in Kandala.” His hand slides to my cheek, and his blue eyes soften, filling my vision. “I don’t ever want to frighten you. I want to take actions that will make you proud.”

 

 

Review: BTS: Beyond The Story

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Format I Used: Combination Physical Book/Audiobook
Pages: 544
Running Time: 11h:18m
My Rating:  No stars because I feel weird giving bios/memoirs a star rating, but I liked it a lot.

Publication Date: July 9, 2023

 

I was one of the delulu people who preordered this book back when people were still debating whether or not it was going to be a Taylor Swift or BTS (because I just KNEW lol). It was interesting seeing all of the "clues" that people were pulling out of nowhere. Like, there was a strong case for both sides.

And I FINALLY finished it. (well, a while ago. I'm actually just now getting around to writing a review)

After reading this book, it makes me look at all of the videos of BTS interacting with other idols (and people in general) differently. They're so genuinely kind to everyone they meet, and I think it's because they don't want anyone else to feel the way they did when they were in the baby stages of their career. Because people were SO mean to them for no good reason.

I really enjoyed this book, and that is probably because they're all serving their military time, and I need all the content I can get from them.

It was interesting to see what they included in this book, and what they chose NOT to put in the book.

Like, they included The Dumpling Incident between V and Jimin, but not the fight between JK and Jimin that led to them walking their separate ways and JK getting lost.

Or they talked a little bit about how Suga hurt his shoulder, but not how J-Hope almost left the group before they debuted, but stayed because JK begged him to, and RM told Big Hit that they needed J-Hope and that they couldn't do it without him.

ORRRRR how Mr. Worldwide Handsome Jin was scouted for his looks, or how Jimin was being trained to be a rapper not a vocalist, but Suga was like "hey he likes singing, not rapping, and he's GOOD at it... let him sing instead.

Borahae <3

 

 

Review: Iron Flame ~ Rebecca Yarros

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Format I Used: Physical Book/Audiobook
Pages: 624
Running Time: 28h:16m
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Publication Date: November 7, 2023

 

A review. FINALLY.

This is a belated kind of a review for Iron Flame but also an explanation behind why I DNF'd Fourth Wing. 

It's long, it's ranty and rambly and there WILL BE SPOILERS for both books. So click AWAY from this review if you are currently reading or planning on reading this series, and don't want things ruined.

 

 **Picture not mine. it's from Seventeen Magazine.**

Here's a picture of BTS for you to look at to give you more time to CLICK AWAY FROM THE REVIEW IF YOU WANT TO AVOID SPOILERS.

This was Hunger Games x Divergent x Vampire Academy, BUT! with Big, Scary, Dragons. So if you love any or all of the aforementioned items, you'll probably like this one. Is it the best book ever written? No. But I was there for the vibes only and was enjoying reading it until I wasn't anymore.

I'm trying to be fair, and not let my grudge against Fourth Wing color my review. 

"Grudge? What grudge?" you may ask. I'd love to tell you. If you would like to skip past most of the grumbling about Fourth Wing and get straight into the review, please jump down past the picture of the beautiful BTS

Hello, my name is Kait, and I DNF'd Fourth Wing at 57% but still read the entirety of Iron Flame.

Why? Well, I was minding my own business reading, IMMENSELY enjoying myself when Tik Tok decided to throw a big bad spoiler at me. And not just ANY spoiler. It was about Liam dying. And not just a "oh how sad, he died" it was an Illustration of Violet sitting there holding onto Liam as he died, with his dragon kind of wrapped around them both, ALSO dying. 

I closed the book and walked away.

I was LIVID.

Why? I have literally no idea.

My friend who had already finished was giving me a bad time about it.

J: Kait, do you KNOW how many books you've recommended to me where someone has DIED and I kept reading it?!

Me: I DO know, because I also read those books AND kept reading them even after someone died. So that tells you how much this shook me up.

Fantasy books are my favorite, I KNOW how many side characters die. I stay caught up on Jujutsu Kaisen chapters, and we all know how many people get killed in that (which is a whole other post) and I KEEP READING IT. I don't know why Liam dying got me in such a tizzy, but here we are.

And I did have a feeling that Liam would die, it's right there in my Kindle Highlights and Notes:

I did in deed riot... Well, in my own way.

I have not finished it, but I have looked at all the spoilers and I know enough about what happens to not feel bad about just jumping straight into book 2.

This (book 2) keeps teeter-tottering between a 3 and a 4 star read for me. So I'll go ahead and stick it at a solid 3.5

I LOVED the dragons. Tairn was the main character, you can't tell me otherwise. His commentary and back and forth with Violet had me cackling. I also loved how FIERCE and protective he was over her and the way he got back and Varrish for trying to punish Violet, was *chef's kiss*

I'm trying not to get attached to any more characters, but man do I love Violet's squad, and all her other friends that she's managed to make along the way. The found family trope is one of my favorites to read about.

Rhi, Jesinia, Imogen, Sawyer, Ridoc, Bodhi, Garrick, and I know I'm probably forgetting someone. They're all just so amazing, and ugh. They all deserve the world, and I hope they all make it out alive and end up happy ish (even if some of them aren't all in one piece anymore). I'm also curious to find out more about Aaric...

And let's not forget the ACTUAL family relationship. loved the Sorrengail siblings. I can't wait to see more of them in the next few books.

I had mixed feelings about Violet. I liked how strong she had the potential to be and I can appreciate the fact that she wants to protect the people that she loves, but holy moly she was reckless so many times for no good reason. And the whole NON COMMUNICATION I refuse to sit down and have a conversation with you, even though you told me I could ask whatever I wanted to because I can't trust you thing had me wanting to tear my hair out. 

Xaden. I do love Shadow Daddy Xaden. Which should come as no surprise, because Shadowsinger Azriel is my favorite from ACOTAR (You may compare him to Rhys, but I compare him to Az) I also liked some of the back and forth between Violet and Xaden, but some of it was exhausting. And he was taking his protectiveness a little too far at times. I get where he was coming from, but I agreed with Violet when she accused him of acting like Dain (as far as being too overprotective.)

I never really hated Dain as much as everyone else did. On a scale of Adam Kent to Tamlin, he was more on the Adam side. He still did some crappy things, but not all the crappy things that so many people thought that he did. And he understands what he did and is working on making up for it. He left against orders and didn't read her mind a few times, and he eventually helped her escape. I think that he thought that he was truly doing the right thing at the time in Fourth Wing.

I thought it was interesting to see the difference between the Gryphon riders and the Dragon riders and how aghast the Gryphon riders were at some of the things (mainly the fact that so many dragon riders get unalived) that happen at Basgiath.

I didn't like that there was a whole lot of nothing happening for a long time. A big majority of the book was just Violent and Xaden flying back and forth to see each other. I didn't feel like anything really important was happening during any of that.

The A U D A C I  T Y that the author had to bring back Jack mother fluffing BARLOWE. I was livid, because WHY?! (I suppose, given the circumstances with Xaden it makes sense. ugh.) Do we get a Liam back? NO. What do we get instead? Violet hallucinating him (or maybe seeing his ghost) while she's being held and TORTURED! He's there for her offering comfort and telling her that she's so strong and none of it's her fault, and doing everything that sweet Liam would do.

I didn't appreciate that. At all. And there were other mentions of Liam spread throughout the book (which I get. They're all mourning Liam) I just really really didn't like that they pulled him back in the way they did. It was painful (to me) and felt unnecessary. I had JUST finished mourning over him and now all of a sudden he's back but not really, and then we lose him all over again.

Was I surprised that Dimitri Xaden got turned into a Strigoi? Venin? No. I was not. I think by the time I got to this point I was still focused on being upset about Liam, and it really just didn't faze me. Also, I read this exact same thing in Vampire Academy, so I figure it will end similarly to Rose and Dimitri's story, so it's FINE.

I will probably read the next book, just because I feel like I have to know what's going to happen.

 

Did It Make Me Cry? Lol. SO Many times. And it was every single time something came up about Liam. I have a problem.

 

Favorite Notes and Highlights (96 total but most of them were involving Liam, so..)

“Ugh. Let’s go throw knives at shit.”

“I’m not wandering, Violet. I’m exactly where I need to be.” (one of the quotes that actually made me cry)

 

“You’re all right.” Liam steadies my shoulder. “I’ll be right here. I’m not going to leave you.” 

 

“Your father will be so disappointed,” Varrish hisses through bloody, clenched teeth. Coughing up blood means he doesn’t have long. “If he already knows what Violet showed me, then I’m the one disappointed in him,” Dain counters, picking up his sword and raising it at Varrish.

 

“But he didn’t break you, Violet,” Liam says softly from the corner of the room, and my chest squeezes tight as he takes a step back toward the shadows. Then another. “How about this—I promise the next time I’m beaten for five days straight, I’ll let you carry me out of the prison,” Xaden says, sheathing his swords behind his back. “Thank you,” I say—to both men.

 

“So what are the Sorrengail siblings going to do now that you’re all reunited?” Xaden asks, lifting his head to look at my family. “We’re going to beat the shit out of our brother,” Mira answers with a smile. “Survive,” Brennan chimes in.

 

“Good. That hilt is eight inches—” “Seven,” Dain corrects. “Imagine a man actually shortening a girl’s estimate,” Maren teases.     

 “About Riorson—” My entire body tenses. “Be very careful with your words.” “Are you in love with him?” he asks, his voice breaking on the last word as he pivots to face me fully. “Because Garrick and I heard the end of what he said in the interrogation chamber, and trust me, I might be in love with him after that declaration, but are you? Really and truly?” “Yes.” I hold his stare long enough that he knows I mean what I say. “And that’s never going to change.” Dain’s jaw flexes and he nods once. “Then I’ll trust him as much as you do.”

 “We get both of you?” Ridoc offers a quick smile. “Maybe we have a shot of lasting an hour.” “My money’s on two,” Sawyer chimes in with a nod. “Both of you shut up before I knock your heads together,” Imogen warns from a seat behind us. “Anything less than four hours is unacceptable.”

Review: Borrow My Heart ~ Kasie West

 

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Format I Used: Combination Audiobook/Ebook
Pages: 320
Running Time: 7h:35m
My Rating: 4 stars
Publication Date: June 13, 2023

Spoilers at the end under my Did It Make You Cry? so be careful if you read to the end!!!!!

*Nothing bad happens to any of the dogs, let me just get that out of the way first. Because that's a pretty big trigger for me.

I enjoyed this one quite a bit. Which, in hindsight, shouldn't really come as a shock... because I generally like Kasie West books.

I thought this was a fun and quick summer read. I really enjoyed Bean, he was the real MVP. It deals with some serious problems--Social media and the negative effects it can have on you, and complicated family relationships.

The plot twist break-up scene (that inevitably is going to happen, so don't tell me this is a spoiler) was NOT what I thought it was going to be. Which is fantastic. I also thought the conversation that Wren and Kamala had with two other random people was referencing something totally different as well.

I thought Asher was adorable. He wasn't perfect and made some mistakes, but I still liked him.

Did It Make Me Cry? Yes, several times actually. 

1. When Wren's sister gets drunk and tries to blame Wren for their mom just up and disappearing during their visit.

2. When Wren ended up going home early, and her dad was kind of being mean and said he was disappointed in her for not sticking it out.

3. When she figured out that Asher had been in on posting those catfish videos, and she confronted him about it.

4. When she didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Bean

5. When the people who adopted Bean came over to surprise visit Wren

It's been a LONG time since a YA contemporary novel has made me feel such big emotions, and that's actually a plus in my book. 

Favorite notes and highlights:

“I’m sorry that more than your brain actually likes a boy. It’s not a fun feeling to let your heart out of its cage, is it?” I took another bite of the cookie. “It sucks. And it’s only out for loan.” “Your heart?” “Yes, I’m just letting him borrow it for a while. It’s a trial run.”

“On a level of one to ten, how ragey are you feeling right now?” Kamala said the next day as I sat in the corner of the coffee shop reading a book titled Bird-Watching Your Way to Happiness. “Nine,” I said. “Nine? That high?” “Well, I was a ten, but I’ve been reading about warblers and that took me down a point.”

Rule: Dogs > People.