I didn't enjoy this one as much as Daughter of the Moon Goddess....

This book really felt all over the place compared to the first in the duology, or series now since there's an untitled third book related to the duology. I'm assuming it might follow up on the ending of this book. The first book ended with everything wrapped up, where as this one really didn't.

Xingyin annoyed me a lot of the time throughout this book, constantly just whining about how she messed up, how she can't figure out her heart. Wenzhi and Lewei were just two puppets fighting over a girl and really didn't seem to change much from the first book, or the book didn't give enough time to show it since the main plot spanned around two weeks time, maybe a month at best. Then you see Xingyin grieve over a few years after the main plot is resolved through 3-4 chapters at best, to leave on a cliffhanger. You get to see more of Xingyin's parents but like even they're super shallow, the villain is almost cartoonish, and the romance was just not there for me like the first one, regardless of the outcome and sudden realization of Xingyin.

I overall just didn't care for this one like I did for Daughter of the Moon Goddess. I honestly was rooting for Wenzhi the whole time both books but it just fell flat for me. I'd give another book a try to see how the author would resolve this, if the book even does come out.

I so feel bad, because I absolutely adored the first book..

Disclaimer: I received Heart of the Sun Warrior as an ARC and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.

 

I read this book on and off for almost 2 months. That may have affected how I perceived this book and my rating, since I can't seem to land on a right one. I enjoyed a good portion of the book, especially when following Shuya, Shogo, and Noriko. But trying to keep up with the remaining students in the game and things of that nature was difficult for many reasons. The book also seemed to drag on for me even tho obviously it goes over every death and motivation, all the way to the people running the battle royale. I think I enjoyed part 4 enough and the characters I mentioned before to agree on at least 3.5 stars. I absolutely loved Shogo out of all of them tho lol and I really enjoyed the psychological warfare that runs through each kids' brain. 

This is the second book by L.B. Black that I've read and I really enjoy the writing.

I absolutely adore supernatural romances and I think this was a cute, short read. I loved both the characters and could highly relate to the panic attacks that the MC had. The novella has almost an Alice in Wonderland intro to the fae in the story where Olivia meets Elk and things take a sudden turn both in her world and Elk's due to somebody's actions. I really enjoyed the mythology and the atmosphere of the book too. The only thing I had an issue with was the length, but that's on me and my tastes. I still really enjoyed it tho.

Disclaimer: I received King in the Woods for signing up for the author's newsletter email list. 

*4.5 Stars*

It took me a minute to get to used to Abercrombie's writing style and the world, but all in all this was a great read. It was a little slow for me in the beginning but once part 2 hit in the book - I was sucked in.

I absolutely adore Orso, I don't care. I don't make the rules. He's such an ineffective heir and he knows it, he tries to get better but shit falls flat - but it's such good character writing that I enjoyed every chapter he was in. He has such male wife, himbo energy and I can't get over him. Rikke with the Long Eye - I love how she's just herself anywhere she is in the settings of this book. She's like look I may be cursed, who knows I have shits and fits literally. No bullshit, pure rage, "stone cold" heart - and I say this because it's what she describes herself as or what she needs to have. Any of the characters you can pull out of here and they're full people and not cardboard cutouts. I love Savine and Leo just as much but I lived for the Orso and Rikke chapters. I didn't have as much fun with the Vick, Broad, and Clover chapters but that may change as the books go, who knows.

As it comes to the story: it starts off gritty and stays that way until close to the end where they're in the high society of Adua. There's a war being fought in the north, both physically and strategically, while following Rikke and Leo, while in Adua, Savine is running her business and Orso well being Orso lol

I'm glad I picked this one up and finally finished it, I'm looking forward to the next one in the series. 

I enjoyed the premise of this book, not so much the execution. I loved Misery and Ruin's banter in the beginning, but quickly got annoyed with Misery as she became more of a zealot + the side characters were just kinda there for Misery to bounce off of. I enjoyed it more where she was lying and not having any cares. Ruin being the narrator was okay, but I eventually got tired of her interludes going "who's right, nobody knows, I guess its up to you dear reader" schtick. The writing style got super repetitive as well and although I like cut and dry, get to the point type of writing - this one was rough to get through. If I didn't know any better some of the "dreaming" chapters start with the same sentence every time. Obviously, the book starts with the ending and how it got there - and like I said I enjoyed the beginning but the one thing I enjoyed was Misery and after she devolved and got into the holy mech, my god was it boring. I know some people will thoroughly enjoy this, and I'm sad I didn't. It gave me Evangelion vibes and I absolutely wish I could've loved it more. But, in the end it just got to repetitive, slow, and boring for me. I do have to say I enjoyed how being queer was just so normal in this universe and the absolute bisexual energy it radiated.

Disclaimer: I received The Genesis of Misery as an ARC and I'm voluntarily leaving this review. 

This one was slow for me to get into, but once things started ramping up I really enjoyed it.

-divine right/prophets
-prophets not practicing what they preach
-a story of vengeance and grief
-plagues and punishment
-holy wars
-witches and dark woods

I loved the overall eerie and dark atmosphere of this book. It gave off all the vibes of dark magic imagery that you might think of. You have Immanuel, who lives in the outskirts of Bethel and seen as an outcast due to her parents past as well as just being a woman. Bethel has been an accomplice to many sins and it eventually boils over. Ezra, the prophet's son and heir, isn't as clean cut and doesn't follow in the same footsteps of his father. I loved the interactions between the two and them trying to change things for the better, no matter the sacrifice. 

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is loosely inspired by The Island of Doctor Moreau and partly inspired by the history of vivisection in the late 1800s, Yucatan, and native Maya people.

I enjoyed it enough to finish, but it felt like something was missing for it to be a favorite of mine. It may be that I'm not the greatest fan of sci-fi elements, although I enjoy medical horror. I feel like this book was a bit all over the place, instead of focusing on a singular thing - it was like a jack of all trades, master of none type of situation. I liked Carlotta, to an extent, she struggled with being in the shadow of her father, caring for the hybrids her father created, while also struggling with herself internally - not knowing much about her past or herself really. However, with her struggling with this and constantly wanting to be meek and docile, both due to her upbringing and her fearing her father, she racked my nerves with the decisions she made. Like yes, do you, fall in love with who you want, but Eduardo, really????? Montgomery was pitiful, cowardly, and with all his flaws - I really enjoyed him. The ending was meh between the two, like yes no lies told and no feelings mutually shared - but tell me why the author tended to focus on them and a bit of romance to end with that? Doctor Moreau has a god complex - which is befitting for his line of work and mad scientist character type. and then you have all the hybrids, including Lupe and Cachito that Carlotta was raised around.

Although this book progresses through the lenses of Carlotta and Montgomery, there are so many elements to grasp in this - part medical horror, part coming of age, part inner struggles, part loss and grief, part romance; parts of parts.

I'm quite indifferent to it; this isn't something I enjoyed enough to give 5 stars but not something particularly I hated to give 1-2 stars. 

I absolutely adore this series, although I still need to read the first. Waves to Wildfire can be read as a standalone, however they're all connected in the same universe.

~ enemies to lovers
~ slow burn
~ steamy but nothing too graphic
~ elemental magic, dragons, soul bonds, matriarchal society
~ bisexual representation

I loved Mio and Seungkyo, the amount of tension between two bisexuals that are stubborn as all get out, they had me hooked. Also gotta give a shoutout to Mio's generals Win and Anan for being great side characters and giving the most sass.

Disclaimer: I received Waves to Wildfire as an ARC and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.

 

I never really cared for the original Great Gatsby, but I did enjoy this remix!

I enjoyed this one mostly because of the characters outside of Nick, the main character was hopelessly clueless and only about numbers and logic, it irritated me. He's oblivious to everything and doubts himself so much. I enjoyed all the characters trying to make Nick understand how it is in the East and West Egg of New York. I also loved the romance between characters and the lgbtq rep in this one. It's just the main character I gotta dock a star lol

If you enjoy the original, I'd definitely say pick this one up! If you want lgbtq+ rep in a setting with glitz and glamour, pick this one up!

Disclaimer: I received Self-Made Boys as an ARC, and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.