Queer representation. Second-chance romance. Small town setting. Rock star hero. Found family. Overcoming child abandonment trauma and addictioHighlights:
Queer representation. Second-chance romance. Small town setting. Rock star hero. Found family. Overcoming child abandonment trauma and addiction.
Sammy Espinoza's Last Review has a couple of tropes that I usually enjoy. And I think I liked the idea of the book more than the execution. I found it hard to warm up to the characters and get swept away by the love story. Sammy and Max are pushing thirty, but both made immature decisions that frustrated me. Some very likable secondary characters made the story better. I loved Sammy's best friends and her grandma. I wish we got more of Sammy's grandmother. But Sammy's relationship with Max left me wanting more. I might recommend this book to romance readers who enjoy the tropes mentioned.
*I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
Thank You For Listening is a romance/women's fiction about two audiobook narrators who develop a relationship while working together on the last book Thank You For Listening is a romance/women's fiction about two audiobook narrators who develop a relationship while working together on the last book of a beloved romance author. Sewanee Chaster hasn't narrated a romance in years because she no longer belies in a HEA. Brock McNight is the hottest male romance narrator with a legion of fans. They are brought together by June French, whose wish before she died was for Sewanee and Brock to narrate her last book together.
Thank You For Listening has a lot of elements that will appeal to romance readers. The whole premise is a romance reader's dream. It also addresses heavier topics, such as trauma/disability, grief, and loss. These are the tropes that the book has: secret identities, epistolary, one-night stand, snowed-in (barely), and, my favorite, supportive female friendships. Thank You For Listening is a clever nod to the romance genre and its readers, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley...more
I enjoyed The Scribe of Siena and was looking forward to reading Winawer's new book, Anticipation. It's compared to books by Diana Gabaldon and PhilipI enjoyed The Scribe of Siena and was looking forward to reading Winawer's new book, Anticipation. It's compared to books by Diana Gabaldon and Philippa Gregory, which made me even more excited. I must say it certainly wasn't as satisfying as Diana Gabaldon's books. The book is rich in historical details about Greece, and Winawer's writing is compelling, but the story and the romance left me wanting more. The blurb promises Gabaldon-like historical romance, but there is actually very little romance in the book. You will enjoy this book more if you don't go into it anticipating a great love story. Read Anticipation for the history of Greece (and a lot of battles descriptions), not romance.
The Empire of Gold is the third and final book in Daevabad Trilogy. I enjoyed the first two books and was eagerly awaiting the conclusion of Narhi, DaThe Empire of Gold is the third and final book in Daevabad Trilogy. I enjoyed the first two books and was eagerly awaiting the conclusion of Narhi, Dara, Ali's adventures. The Empire of Gold was a satisfying last chapter in their journey. I enjoyed the world-building, the politics, and I loved Ali and Narhi's relationship. All the loose ends and secrets were wrapped up skillfully by the author.
My one complaint is Dara's progression, or I should say regression, as a character. In the first book, S.A. Chakraborti gave us a fascinating, legendary warrior djinn, who captured our hearts. He disappointed me in the second book, and in this book, he continued to make the wrong decisions and frustrate me. I just didn't get his character development.
Overall, I enjoyed this trilogy very much and would recommend it to all the fantasy fans.
*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss...more
Polaris Rising is the first book in a romantic space opera series, Consortium Rebellion, and a book that I enjoyed a lot. It has all the elements thatPolaris Rising is the first book in a romantic space opera series, Consortium Rebellion, and a book that I enjoyed a lot. It has all the elements that I look for in sci-fi/fantasy romance: action, adventure, political intrigue, and, of course, a swoony romance! I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
*I won a copy of this book in Goodreads Giveaway...more
The aspects that fascinate me the most about Victorian era are the macabre and the morbid stuff Victorians were so into, like the post-mortem photograThe aspects that fascinate me the most about Victorian era are the macabre and the morbid stuff Victorians were so into, like the post-mortem photography and their obsession with death in general. So when I saw the blurb of The Lost History of Dreams, of course I wanted to it. And it was exactly what I was looking for. I enjoyed it very much. So if you love ghost stories, gothic mysteries, and poetry make sure to pick up this gem.
*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
When I picked up Highland Crown I thought it’s going be straight up romance novel but this book turned out to be so much more. Highland Crown is a staWhen I picked up Highland Crown I thought it’s going be straight up romance novel but this book turned out to be so much more. Highland Crown is a start to a historical fiction series, rich in Scottish history and lore. Of course, we also get a swoony romance.
In Highland Crown, we are introduced to Isabella Drummond, university educated physician, and Cinaed Macintosh, a sea captain whose ship crashes near the coastal village where Isabella hides. Isabella is on the run from both the British soldiers and the Scottish rebels. British soliders want her for treason and the rebels want her because they are afraid she will reveal their secrets to the soldiers. After she saves Cinaed's life, he wows to help her evade her pursuers. The constant danger that they find themselves in brings them closer and closer together.
I liked both Isabella and Cinaed very much. Cinaed respects Isabella's intellect and her skills as a physician and Isabella is attracted to his charisma and his leadership skills. But Cinaed have secrets in his past that even he is not aware of and that may prevent them from finding happiness together. Highland Crown is not a stand alone book, it's only the beginning of Cinaed and Isabella's journey and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
Ghosted is part love story and part mystery that sounded exactly like a book I would enjoy. I had high expectations for this book and was very excitedGhosted is part love story and part mystery that sounded exactly like a book I would enjoy. I had high expectations for this book and was very excited to have the chance to read an early copy. I must say I didn’t love it as much as wanted to. The pacing was slow, there were some interesting parts, especially towards the end, but I also was quite bored at times. The mystery, when it was revealed, wasn't surprising at all. Ghosted was not a bad book, it just missed the mark for me.
*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss...more
I won a copy of Broken Beautiful Hearts in a Goodreads giveaway. This is the second book by Kami Garcia I've read and she is surely becoming one of myI won a copy of Broken Beautiful Hearts in a Goodreads giveaway. This is the second book by Kami Garcia I've read and she is surely becoming one of my favorite YA authors. Broken Beautiful Hearts is a YA romance but it's also so much more than that. It's a gritty, relevant, thought-provoking book that deals with important issues (abusive relationships, drug use, grief) in a meaningful way. I loved Kami's writing, I loved the characters she created, I loved the swoony romance, and I really appreciated the way she combined lightheartedness and humor with darker themes to create an addictive and important story that should be on every teenage girl's (or young woman's) radar....more
I won an ARC of Indecent in a Goodreads giveaway. I wanted to like this book but I didn't enjoy it at all. You could even say I hated it. The book wasI won an ARC of Indecent in a Goodreads giveaway. I wanted to like this book but I didn't enjoy it at all. You could even say I hated it. The book was very different from what I expected it to be. Based on the blurb I thought it would be about a young awkward, albeit taboo, love story. I imagined a young teacher "accidentally" falling in love with her student. But what I got was not it, I don't know exactly what I got! It seemed to me that most of Imogene's actions were deliberate and predatory. She didn’t even want to be a teacher, she became a teacher so she would have a chance to work at boy's boarding school. When she got to Vandenberg school she singled Kip out from other boys and started to spy on him and obsess over him. Imogene was such an unlikable character. She was dour and boring. She wasn't nice to any of her so-called friends, co-workers, or her family. The only person she liked was Kip. Her obsession with him and her neediness were just bizarre. The longer I read the book, the less I liked her. By the end I just couldn't stand her.
I skimmed the last few chapters because I was getting bored and wanted the torture to end. This book is not even that long but it dragged on and on. The writing style just didn’t work for me. The book is written in first person POV (Imogene's). Sometimes first person POV works, other times it doesn’t, and it was the case with Indecent. It had the bad case of telling the story, not showing the story. The best thing about Indecent is the cover, I loved it. Other than that I can’t find any positive things to say about the book....more
The Garden of Small Beginnings is a wonderful heart-warming story about life, loss, motherhood, friendship, and second chances. It has a cast of interThe Garden of Small Beginnings is a wonderful heart-warming story about life, loss, motherhood, friendship, and second chances. It has a cast of interesting and quirky characters, and a lot of humor and charm. Even though the book deals with heavy subjects of loss and grief it still manages to be lighthearted and uplifting. A Garden of Small Beginnings is a perfect book club summer read.
*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss...more
I received an ARC of The Girl Before from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The Girl Before is edgy, twisty and deliciouslyI received an ARC of The Girl Before from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The Girl Before is edgy, twisty and deliciously creepy. The books is about two women, Emma and Jane who, few years apart, move into high-tech, one of a kind, architectural wonder of a house on 1 Folgate Street. Both fall in love with the house and the enigmatic architect who designed it. The house is like a living, thinking organism, it changes both Emma's and Jane's lives and it is fascinating and creepy at the same time. But 1 Folgate Street has a dramatic history and Emma dies mysteriously in the house. Now it seems that Jane's experience follows a very similar pattern to Emma's. The Girl Before is unputdownable, I stayed up well past midnight because I couldn't wait to discover how Jane's story ends and if she suffers the same fate as Emma. There are a lot of twists and turns that kept me guessing till the last page....more
I received this book via First Reads in exchange for an honest review. Of Metal and Wishes is a captivating and unique retelling of Phantom of the OpeI received this book via First Reads in exchange for an honest review. Of Metal and Wishes is a captivating and unique retelling of Phantom of the Opera. Sarah Fine has a real talent for creating interesting characters and stories with a lot of twists and turns. This is a story of star-crossed lovers, Wen and Melik, and what happens when the smallest action or intent, in this case one girl's impulsive wish can cause unfathomable consequences and far reaching rippling effect. This book is smartly written and I am looking forward to the next installment...more
This book is a great addition to the Lady Darby series. I liked the mystery and I liked how the relationship between Lady Darby and Sebastian Gage devThis book is a great addition to the Lady Darby series. I liked the mystery and I liked how the relationship between Lady Darby and Sebastian Gage developed. We finally discover some of his secrets and his feelings for Kiera. Also we learn more about Kiera's past and her first marriage. All in all it's a great book for historical mystery lovers. I can't wait for the next installment...more
This book is light and easy read. It features characters from her previous books, Savannah Blues and Savannah Breeze, therefore not really a stand aloThis book is light and easy read. It features characters from her previous books, Savannah Blues and Savannah Breeze, therefore not really a stand alone novel. I would recommend reading these books first. There was some good humor and banter between main characters which I enjoyed. The narrative switches between two friends Bebe and Weezie from their POV every other chapter which was confusing. It would be better if it was written in the third person. Because the book has two story lines, Bebe's and Weezie's, none are developed to the full potential. Overall the book felt a little flat to me as there was not much happening or moving the plot along. The mystery of Bebe's first husband, Richard, when resolved was very disappointing and anti-climatic. It is an OK book and you might enjoy it if you read Savannah Breeze and Savannah Blues and wanted to revisit the characters but skip it if you have not read these books...more
This book started very well with beautiful prose and a promising story. Then the writing became tedious and too wordy with very slow moving plot. I waThis book started very well with beautiful prose and a promising story. Then the writing became tedious and too wordy with very slow moving plot. I was trying hard to read the book, which is a problem as books should be enjoyed and devoured. If reading a book becomes a chore then it's a time to put the book down. I was really disappointed because I had high expectations for The Signature of All Things...more
This book has an interesting premise where the main heroine Nora is transported into an alternate world full of danger, illusion, magic and magical beThis book has an interesting premise where the main heroine Nora is transported into an alternate world full of danger, illusion, magic and magical beings. Despite the good setting I found this book a little boring and dragging. Nora is not very interesting, weak character for the most part. The plot is moving very slow and a lot of time is spent describing Nora doing trivial household chores, cleaning the kitchen, making jam, sweeping the floor, etc. The relationship between Nora and the other main character, the magician Aruendiel, is underwhelming. For the most of the book they hardly talk to each other. Nora's days are spent in the kitchen while he spends his time in his tower or away, there is no development or progress in their relationship. Also this book is classified as romance novel, there is hardly any romance in it. The book is quite long but it only gets interesting and picks up pace after 350 pages. I did like the last third of the book thats why I gave it 3 stars. The ending leaves the door open for the sequel but I am not interested enough to read it if it comes out....more
I received this book from Goodreads. I have never read Mary Kay Andrews books before, but after reading this book I want to read her other books too. I received this book from Goodreads. I have never read Mary Kay Andrews books before, but after reading this book I want to read her other books too. It is a really good chick-lit, fun and easy to read. The characters, Ellis, Julia and Dorie, are interesting and very relatable. They are best friends in their mid-thirties, who decide to spend a summer vacation together. They are such fun characters, each with her own quirks, and you can't help but feel like they could be your best friends too. On vacation they meet mysterious girl, Madison, who is on the run from her past. At first they try to solve the mystery of who she truly is and then try to help her out, not realizing they are putting themselves in danger by doing so. Another added bonus is the romance that develops between Ellis and Ty, hot surfer guy, who is the owner of the beach house that the girls rent. Summer Rental is a perfect summer/vacation/beach read....more
I received this book from Firstreads and was very excited to read it. I read all of Harriet Evans books, and loved them. Love Always is little differeI received this book from Firstreads and was very excited to read it. I read all of Harriet Evans books, and loved them. Love Always is little different from the rest of her books, as there is not a lot of romance in it. It is a book about dysfunctional family, long buried secrets, betrayal and loss. A very well written story from a great writer....more
Loading...
