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: A Study In Drowning ~ Ava Reid

  

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Format I Used: Audiobook
Pages: 378
Running Time: 10h:31m
My Rating: 3 stars
Publication Date: September 19, 2023

 

This book was very interesting. It was kind of giving me the same vibe that Divine Rivals did. It was a very slow paced book (in my opinion). I was furious on Effy's behalf with the way everyone treated her because she was a woman. I hated the fact that she was abused by whatshisname, and no one would believe her. (Effy's mom was also a piece of work...)

I liked the relationship that Effy and Preston Héloury built with each other. It was far from perfect, but they were both able to grow together.

I was glad that Effy stood her ground and got the things that she wanted towards the end, and I'm glad that Preston supported her through the whole conversation.
 

Did It Make Me Cry? No

 

Favorite notes and highlights:

“You don't have to take up a sword. Survival is bravery, too.”

 

Review: Plot Twist ~ Erin La Rosa

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Format I Used: Digital ARC

Pages: 336

Running Time: 9h 11m

My Rating: 3 stars

Publication Date: November 14, 2023

A fun little trope filled romance.

It took me a little bit to get into it, but overall I really enjoyed it. I liked seeing the character development, and seeing how our main characters interacted with each other.

thank you to netgalley and harlequin trade publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Review: The Night Hunt ~ Alexandra Christo

 

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Format I Used: Audiobook & E-book

Pages: 375

Running Time: 10h 50m

My Rating: 3.75 stars

Publication Date: October 10, 2023

Spoilers ahead, so read on at your own risk

Beautiful, creepy cover, that definitely fits the vibe of this book.

I wasn't truly invested in this book until about the last 25% of the book. Which is evident based on where all my Kindle notes and highlights came from.

It was a very slow moving book (in my opinion) It felt kind of Reminiscent offfffff Wicked Saints for some reason. It was kind of hard to keep focused on it for a while, but when it finally hit its groove, it was *chefs kiss*

The whole premise of this was so interesting to me. And I loved the found family trope (which isn't surprising to anyone) It had Greek mythology, and regular creepy monsters, but it managed to not be overly scary. Nothing was ever quite what it seemed, and just when you think you know what's going to happen, it doesn't...

Tristan and Cillian are just so precious and I want to protect them forever.

I LOVED getting to see Silas and his siblings. ESPECIALLY Thentos. I think this is a standalone, but I would LOVE to learn more about the rest of the River Gods.

Did It Make Me Cry? No 

Review: Assistant To The Villain ~ Hannah Nicole Maehrer

 

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Format I Used: Audiobook & E-book

Pages: 352

Running Time: 13h 54m

My Rating: 5 stars

Publication Date: August 29, 2023

 

I really enjoyed this book, but I think that I need to do a re-read, because it took me such a long time to actually finish it, because I was reading others at the same time.

Spoilers ahead so read on at your own risk.

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I was so so excited for this, because I've been watching the author promote it on Tik Tok forever! This gave me everything that was promised and then some. It's a silly and cozy books that gives you all the tropes, and I can't wait to see what our dear Evie is going to get up to next. I enjoyed the back and forth between Evie and The Villain. It had me giggling and kicking my feet, and it gave me all the feelings that I wanted it to.

I'm curious to learn more about the silent Knight who helped Evie escape. I have theories on who it is, but I guess I'll just have to wait to find out.

I was surprised at who the bad guy was, but not in a OMG what a betrayal kind of way. (probably because I've been reading Jujutsu Kaisen, and it has made me numb to anything dramatic happening) I had my eyes on another character who was definitely too obvious of a choice, because some of the things they kept saying and doing.

I wasn't as annoyed with the cliff hanger as I thought I would be (and it didn't feel quite as dramatic to me) probably because the Big Bad thing happened, and instead of ending it there, it went on a little longer and other not so dramatic things happened, and THEN it ended. So it kind of dulled down the dramatic cliffhanger. But! that's just my opinion.

Review: Exes & Oh's ~ Amy Lea

 

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Format I Used: Audiobook

Pages:398

Running Time: 9h:37m

My Rating: 3 stars

Publication Date: January 10, 2023

 

 

Possible spoilers ahead so read on carefully

Well, the third act break up, wasn't as dramatic as I thought it was going to be, so hallelujah for that. Ugh, I HATED her stupid gaslighting ex, but loved her newly reignited friendship withhhhhhh... Daniel? Yeah, that was his name! (sorry, goldfish memory right now)

I liked Tara and Trevor together for the most part because they were absolutely HILARIOUS. Although I was HIGHLY annoyed when they were arguing with each other about not texting each other enough? Like, excuse me sir, YOU were the one who wanted to take things slow, and gave her a hard time when she was over texting her other exes. You have NO right to be upset when she was just taking your comments to heart.

Also, love the idea of her being a book influencer!

This was 100% giving me To All The Boys I Loved Before but for adults, and I loved it.

Review: Dream On ~ Angie Hockman

 

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Format I Used: Audiobook

Pages: 352

Running Time 11h:15m 

My Rating: 4 stars

Publication Date: July 5, 2022

 

So I was super interested in this book based on the premise and the fact I wanted to see just exactly how Cass had all these memories of a person she'd never even met before. I did like the way it was eventually explained.

I went back and forth on whether or not I liked Devin, and I think that was maybe the point? The author was giving us reasons NOT to ship Cass with him. I didn't like the way he approached their relationship, and I definitely didn't like the way he overreacted with Sadie. He did work on his issues though, and you could tell that his heart was trying to be in the right place. It just didn't always happen. (I also misjudged Sadie at first, so I too owe her an apology)

Perry was so sweet and so funny, even though I kind of hated him at first. He was the complete opposite of his brother. He was so understanding and patient and kind.

I like the way Cass was handling things. The way she pretty much immediately called people out on their bs, and how she used her knowledge to help make things better. the "BIG BAD Blowup" wasn't as terrible as I thought it was going to be, and they managed to work things out pretty quickly.

Did It Me Me Cry? No

Review: Jujutsu Kaisen: Summer of Ashes, Autumn of Dust ~ Ballad Kitaaguni (Created by Gege Akutami)

  

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Format I Used: E-book

Pages: 136

My Rating: 4 stars

Publication Date: December 27, 2022

 

I actually read this and reviewed it on Goodreads back in August, but am just now remembering to post it here

I'm always up for some new JJK material. I loved getting to read more about my favorite characters, especially since this was FAR less traumatizing than the manga. 

Itadori and Fushiguro's cafe story had me cackling, it was HILARIOUS

Gojo of course is my favorite, and he's even more hilarious in these stories. I love him and Nanamin even more than I did before, which I didn't think was possible. I liked getting to see and learn more about them while not being traumatized at the same time.

Though I do admit, I COMPLETELY skipped the story that had *bleh* M A H I T O in it. Because we all know that Kaitlynne Ma-Hates Mahito.

The next one has Inumaki in it though! I am so excited for it! Tuna Tuna!

Did It Make Me Cry? No. But that's fine because the actual Manga has done that more than enough times.

Series Review: My Gently Raised Beast volumes 1-9

  

 You can click on the cover of the book to learn more about this series on Goodreads

Format I Used: E-book

Pages: 2,600 (for all volumes)

My Rating: 4 stars

Publication Date: 2021-2023

 

Review for the series overall. As always, be careful when reading my reviews, because there might be spoilers.

*You can buy volumes 1-3 on Amazon now, with 4 and 5 up for preorder. OR you can read it in its entirety on Webtoons*

I'm quickly running out of Shojo manga to read, so I'm going through and picking up their Korean counterparts. This series is as charming as it looks, although there are some dark moments in it, so make sure to do your research on some of the trigger warnings for this series, before you dive into it. I will also say that I was glad that this wasn't an Isekai story. Not that there's anything wrong with those, it's just a nice change of pace that it's not.

I love the relationship Amon and Blondina have, and there were a few times it made me lol. The way Amon would get jealous if Briddy wasn't paying him enough attention was actually adorable. (not annoying like I thought it would be) and I loved how protective he was of her, even though he was younger than she was.

There were also a few times that it had me SO stressed out because I wasn't sure what was going to happen, and I was trying my hardest to not flip to the ending to see how things played out. And the friendships that she was able to cultivate with Lucy and her half brother, Lart.

Lart had the best and most drastic character development in the whole story, and I was glad to see it. I was hoping at least one of her half siblings would be good to her.

I was prepared to HATE Trije. I was expecting him to be a horrible person. He's not. Not really. He made some pretty crappy decisions that hurt a lot of people. But he finally realized what was happening and made some changes. He's still got a long way to go to make up, but at least it's a start.

 

Did It Make Me Cry? Yes.

Review: The Name Drop ~ Susan Lee

 

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Format I Used: Audiobook & E-book

Pages: 304

Running Time: 8h:8m

My Rating: 5 stars

Publication Date: September 12, 2023

 

Overall, this book was so cute, and played out exactly like a K-Drama (which is what I hoped it would do) and I couldn't be happier.

It wasn't perfect, but it gave me all the feels I wanted it to. I liked seeing Elijah and Jessica together and watching them grow. I felt like Elijah had good character development. He was definitely a spoiled rich boy who liked to use money to solve his problems. But he SAW that in himself and admitted it. (to himself at least)

I HATED Elijah's dad. With everything in my being. The ending was good. It showed that not everything always ends with a pretty little bow, and that's okay.

Did It Make Me Cry? No

Review: Stars & Smoke ~ Marie Lu

 

 

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Format I Used: Audiobook & E-book

Pages: 336

Running Time: 11h 57m

My Rating: 5 stars

Publication Date: March 28, 2023

 

Spoilers ahead, please please stop reading now if you are planning on reading it, and don't want anything to be spoiled.

This is the second book (in a ROW) that I've read that's just completely stressed me out. In fact, I had to stop in the middle of this one, and go listen to a book that I've already read in order to de-stress.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read. There's lots of action, and it definitely doesn't shy away from the grittiness. So just beware of that if you go into reading this book. There is a spot or two that is a little intense (as per usual with Marie Lu's writing.)

I was able to suss out what was happening pretty early on in the book, so when the time came when poor, believes-the-best-in-people Winter was talking to Penelope and trying to help her, I was raging and screaming at him to stop. And then when it was revealed that Penelope was a bad person...  UGH!

I enjoyed the back and forth/chemistry and interactions between Winter and Sydney, and I can't wait to see that explored more in book 2 when it comes out. I'm also interested to see the character development that

When they were describing how Winter was dancing on stage, I thought of Jimin. And there were other times Winter would say or do things that would remind me of our wonderful Golden Maknae, Jungkook. And before you come after me, I KNOW that Winter is Chinese and not Korean... But my delulu ARMY brain will take the tiniest detail and make me think of something BTS related.

Updated To Add: My delulu brain isn't actually all that delulu this time. After writing this review, but before hitting publish I was doing some extra reading, and found out that Marie Lu is also ARMY, AND SHE'S JIMIN BIASED (samesies) How I missed that and the fact that she literally put Jimin in her book Wildcard I'll never know. (but this also shows how much attention that I do not pay to reviews for books other than the ones that I write) But that explains why Winter and his demeanor and so many other things reminded me of my favorite group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ARC Review: Kitty Language ~ Lili Chin

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Format I Used: Digital E-Arc
Pages: 160
My Rating: 4 stars
Publication Date:June 13, 2023

I've always had cats in my life from a very young age, so I didn't pick this up because I was looking for information ABOUT cats... I picked it up to see the cute illustrations lol.

However, it really does have a lot of good information in it, so I would definitely recommend this if you're thinking about getting a cat, or if you're wanting to learn more about them. Not every cat is the same, so some of this stuff might not be applicable (which it tells you that at the very beginning) but it's definitely a good starting point.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Lili Chen, and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

ARC Review: Famous For A Living ~ Melissa Ferguson

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Format I Used: Digital E-Arc
Pages: 320
Running Time: 7h 50m
My Rating: 4 stars
Publication Date:May 16, 2023

This book was so charming! There were so many different parts in this book that had me smiling/laughing.

I loved the relationship that Cat had with Terry, and Serena, and so many others.

****possible spoilers, read on with caution****

AND ZAIAH! OMG, he was so sweet. He was a little grumpy, but was the literal calm to Cat's storm. I love the way he balanced her out, and all the different times that he stopped her from thinking too hard and stressing herself out of something. (Like, specifically during the polar plunge) and the way that he created an Instagram just so he could show her support, by following her and liking her posts...  And I appreciate that there wasn't some huge blow up miscommunication between the two.

I like how this book (maybe) makes you think about how much you're using your smart devices, and how that also in a way disconnects you from the real world.

There were a few things that I wish had been a little more fleshed out, which is why it didn't get a full 5 stars, but it's still one of my favorite books so far this year.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson, Melissa Ferguson, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this title. All thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

 

I inhale sharply, then feel a second later, as if he heard my silent plea, his hand on my hip.

Gentle.

Prodding.

I look to my right. There he is.

“Ready?” he says.

It’s a steadying question, equal to his steady eyes on mine. He isn’t splashing around. No. He’s stoic, incredibly calm, as he waits for my reply. As if the water isn’t freezing his bones as it is mine. As if he’s immune to the icicles forming on his lashes and the air so cold it burns entering our lungs.."

Did It Make Me Cry? No

 

Review: Chasing Your Ghost ~ Magie I. Fields

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Format I Used:E-book
Pages: 439
My Rating: 3 stars
Publication Date: March 27, 2023

 Spoilers ahead so read on with caution.

This was okay. I was super interested in the premise and the characters, and it started off super strong. What really pulled me in at the beginning was the fact that I was getting Veil Diaries meets Ghost Whisperer meets The Mediator vibes, and I really love all of those things.

 I really felt for Riley and her situation. I was so angry on her behalf at how her mother treated her, and there were so many times, had I been in her shoes, I would have just left. I also really enjoyed the relationship that Riley had with her step brother. They were so funny together!

There were things that were a little but predictable, but maybe that's because I've watched and read so many supernatural things. The one thing that WASN'T predictable was the fact that Brett was the bad guy  I for SURE did not call that.

There were also a few spicy scenes thrown in at the very end, which was fine, but it also felt weird to me. I get it. They were making up for lost time when Asher was a "ghost" and they thought that they couldn't touch each other. But, in my opinion, it didn't add anything to the story for me. 

 
Will definitely be reading the next one to see what happens.