You can see all my reviews here: Books Are The New Black 

 

Tricia Levenseller is an author, who I can trust to give me a great read. I love this author and everything she puts out! It was so fun to head back to a world that I loved. It was fun to see glimpses of our couple that started it all in, The Shadows Between Us!

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about Chrysantha, but she quickly became fascinating. I’ll always love it when a woman acts dull but is nothing close to it. The way she was able to have her hand in so many things was impressive. Many things were so frustrating and are still frustrating in real life. The way she cared so deeply about the people around her was so refreshing to see. She cared more about her employees than herself!

The enemies-to-lovers trope was done so fabulously. It was intense and I couldn’t get enough of it!! I got some Beauty and the Beast vibes throughout the book and I loved it. The pacing was fabulous!! I flew through this book, but I always do that with Levenseller. She’s got such an addictive writing style that she hooks you immediately.

I’ve got a small complaint and it’s more personal. I didn’t love how the sister relationship was handled in this book. There’s some deep and concerning hate between these two. It felt a little fast and unrealistic at the end. I don’t know if it’s because I have issues with my sister, but it felt too easy.

Overall, I thought this was a fun read! I do believe I loved the first book a little more. We get more history and background with the shadows, which I appreciated! I can’t wait to read whatever she writes next!

Thank you to Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own! 

 

You can see all my reviews here: Books Are The New Black

If you were a fan of the first book, Forget Me Not, you will love this one! I loved the first book and somehow loved this one a bit more. You do not need to read the first to read this book. Although, there are some appearances from the first book and maybe some slight spoilers.

One of the things I enjoy about Soto’s writing is that it’s fast-paced. I flew through this book, which helped me out of a reading slump. I would tell myself that I would go to bed after I finish this chapter… several chapters later, I would go to bed. I don’t know how she did it, but she managed to make musical instruments and make music sexy. Having a musical background will help you get more of the jargon. I don’t have much knowledge but some classical after-school program stuff. I still found myself kind of glazing over the jargon. It was never boring, and that’s what I was afraid of.

Gwen and Xander were just perfection! Gwen is journeying to find herself and her place in the world. She’s thrown into these situations where she’s battling to be seen. At the same time, she finds herself in situations where she is being used and trying to navigate that. It’s a man’s world, after all. I respected Gwen and where she came from. Xander took a little while to fall for. I knew his “secret” from a mile away. It was predictable, and his behavior was not the best. Once things unfold and you learn more, he’s easier to understand. The enemies-to-lovers aspect was so good in this one! I found myself laughing out loud a few times. When Gwen and Xander make music together, it’s very intense. There are some spice scenes, and I don’t want to ruin that.

Overall, I loved this one! I couldn’t put it down and loved the writing. I highly recommend this one, even if you don’t know much about music. I do think you will appreciate it a little more if you do. The supporting characters are also fabulous! I cannot wait to read her next one!!

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

Oh, I struggled with this one, and I’m sad about it. Honestly, it could be that I didn’t mesh with the writing style. This is one of the ultimate cozy fantasy books I’ve ever read. However, it got a little too cozy for me.

I had high expectations for this one, and I’m so sad it didn’t live up. I loved the fact that we have sentient plants in this book. As a huge plant mom, it was so fun to read about living plants! Caz might have been one of my favorite characters in the whole book. Our main character, Kiela is a librarian who steals spell books to save them from a fire. She’s run back home and hoping to hide out there. Of course, once you start messing with magic, makes you a target. She was a fun character, if not a bit naive. Since she didn’t get out much and lived for the library, it’s not too surprising. The rest of the characters were interesting, and I loved the found family aspect. Small towns can be amazing when it comes to certain things.

I think my biggest issue with this book is the lack of world-building. We have this awesome magic system that I needed so much more of. I didn’t know how it worked or what it did. The fact that there is a talking plant was fabulous, but let’s dive into that! There’s a war going on, and it seems pretty deadly. We get a summary glossing over the things that have happened. Since I’m such a huge fantasy reader, this is where I wanted so much more from the book. We are not supposed to focus on that, but she laid out an interesting premise for this world.

Overall, this was an okay read for me. I didn’t hate it, and I didn’t love it. It did take me quite a bit to read because the pacing sometimes threw me off. We don’t get into much of the plot until the last 20% of the book. I kept looking at the % and wondering what could be left. There’s a lot of lovely magic and people, but it still couldn’t make up for the lack of world-building.

Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

All I saw were dragons, and this was a must-read. I have never read Lyons before, but I own her other series. I can’t wait to start it now! I loved that this was a standalone! I didn’t even realize it until about halfway through the book. I was pleasantly surprised. I need more standalone fantasy books!

I’m going to start with the world-building because I thought it was unique. There are many things going on that took me a while to figure out. There are rings that people wear that disclose their identities – career, gender, sexual preferences, and so on. There are also a few different worlds that we are exploring. On top of that, we have the dragons and dragon riders. We have worlds with separate powers. There is a point in the book when we join the dragon riders’ magical school. We have a varied group of misfits that have become our core group and join to do a heist. The dragons have a lot of power and magic. A lot going on in this book, but it all fits somehow. The writing style in this book was a little on the YA side. It was an easier writing style, and a little cheeky at times.

I loved the main character- Anahrod. Her story is interesting from the get-go! You can’t help but root for her. She’s alone and in hiding, but finds a mismatched family. All the characters in this group were so fun and interesting. There is a lot of different personalities, and it made for some good humor at times. The romances were nice, even if there was some Insta-love. There is a moment in this book that confused me a bit. We have some closed-door romantic instances, which is fine. Later on in the book, there’s a very spicy scene. It threw me because it was not in any other aspect of this book! It was as if she threw it in there to hit the “spicy” crowd, but it did not fit. It’s not terrible or anything, but more perplexing.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I loved how easy it was, and it was so full of action. We are constantly on the go, and we get a lot of dragons! They are the main focus of this book, and I loved that. The magic was interesting too. I enjoyed the group that came together and their interactions with each other. If you like dragons, then you should read this book! 🙂

Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

 

I buddy-read this whole series with Julie! This series is fantastic, but this book is amazing. The third book always makes me nervous, but this one was so satisfying. From the very beginning, I was hooked.

One of the best things about this whole series is the women! I cannot recommend a more brilliant Greek retelling than The Songs of Penelope. You get to see so many different women throughout her time, but see how their power subtlety shines. Penelope is a character that far surpassed any notions I had about her. The way North wrote her was brilliant. I’m going to be upfront and warn you that this is a very feminist-heavy book. If that is not your thing then maybe this book is not for you. I loved this aspect! The way Penelope was able to build her warriors, and advisors, and keep it all running behind the men. I loved seeing how she would outmaneuver every situation!

Something else that I love about these books is the pacing. In this book, I felt like I flew through it! It’s over 400 pages, but I felt none of that! The flow and plot are so engaging that you will read 100 pages without realizing it. I honestly wish there were more pages at the end! There are a lot of intense and brutal moments.

Not only was Penelope a fantastic character, but so were all the minor characters. There are some characters I didn’t love initially that were amazing in the end. I don’t want to talk too much about the relationship between Penelope and Odysseus because I don’t want to give anything away. I liked how Odysseus’s growth is shown, and added a lot of depth to his character. There’s much more behind the macho “I’m a hero and tough guy” persona. I liked getting a glimpse at his thoughts throughout this book.

Overall, this was a great ending to a series I really loved. I believe that North has done an epic job with this retelling, and I loved the feminist POV. I cannot wait to see what North does next!!

Thank you, Orbit, for a finished copy to review! All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

I was so excited about this book because I have enjoyed the Center books I have read. Her books are so full of emotional punches and thought-provoking. This one did have a lot of emotional elements. Do look up trigger warnings. I should have done that because I had a hard time reading about cancer after my sister’s diagnosis last year.

One of the hardest things for me to enjoy about this book was the two main characters. Emma was hard to love and a bit over the top. I didn’t enjoy how she self-sacrificed her life and then complained about it. She didn’t take no for an answer, but not in a good way. How she treated Charlie was uncool and left me feeling uncomfortable. I get trying to look past things when someone is giving mixed signals, but no means no. He told her no many times before she stopped throwing herself at him. It wasn’t cute.

Now Charlie.. I also had a problem with how he treated Emma. For the most part, he was trying to fit this grumpy/grouchy trope, but it failed. He was rude, and I would not be happy with the comments. She frequently questions herself when it comes to things he says. He will act one way and then say something different. I get it; it’s a lot of mixed signals. The thing is, he was rude. Many of the comments he made about her to others were very hurtful. I didn’t love how she brushed past it and let it go.

The actual plot and romance were all very predictable. I know, that happens with romances but, I usually don’t find that with Center. It was a very fast-paced read. I started and finished it in two days. I loved the banter throughout the book! I thought Emma’s family was precious, and I adored her father. Even though this was fast-paced book, things happened rather quickly. Sometimes it felt a little too fast and like whiplash.

Overall, I am not sure how I feel about this one. I enjoyed it, for the most part, but it had some issues that had me questioning things. I love Center, and this book will not stop me from jumping into her next book. It just felt like it was written by someone else because it’s so different.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

 

I have a lot of mixed feelings, so this might be a little all over the place. I started this and quickly struggled with the writing style. It took about 25% of the book before we got anywhere in the plot.

I get that this was trying to be funny, but it was a bit forced. There were a lot of things that just had me rolling my eyes. There are things in Finlay Donovan that are unbelievable. There was some of that in this book, but it didn’t hit the same. I don’t know if it had to do with the pregnancies themselves. It’s hard to believe someone is okay moving far away from everyone and everything at 37 weeks pregnant! She didn’t even care to schedule with her midwife, and she’s 38 weeks pregnant! Maybe it’s just me, but I felt that was a little over the top and unbelievable.

What I enjoyed about the book was when the group came together. All the different voices of women are fun and engaging. It added a lot of depth to the book where there wasn’t much before. Some of the moms-to-be were hilarious and were my favorite over the MC. I had issues with the men and how the women let their behavior go on. I’m sorry, but when you are pregnant, men should be extra caring. lol Carrying a baby is TOUGH, and I was getting really irritated by the men!

Overall, this was an okay read. I think some would like it more than I did. Comparing it to Finlay from the beginning set me up for failure. The relationships the women form are great, and my favorite thing about this book!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

 

Yes, it took me months to read this. I know, I know! The ONLY reason is that I over-committed on ARCs and navigated that with my baby and kiddo. I would have finished this much sooner if I could have. I have enjoyed all the minutes I have spent between this cover. Get ready for a wordy review! 

One of the things that has stuck with me from The Way of Kings is bridge four. They won my heart and will always be my favorite thing about these books. I hold my breath throughout each book, but it is worth it. Again, in Words of Radiance, bridge four is simply amazing. I love the camaraderie they share and how they do not forget where they came from. The bond bridge four has with Kaladin is special. There is a lot more going on there, but I starts with the love and respect for each other. They always have to most impactful moments in the books. I hold my breath, cry, laugh, and stress over them. 

Brandon Sanderson has ruined me for many other adult fantasy authors. His writing is brilliant and captivating! The world-building is even more expansive in this book with fewer info dumps! I appreciated that because these are chunky books. Sanderson does an excellent job weaving multiple worlds, storylines, and characters without losing you. There are several characters on a long journey. I do think this book is more Shallans story. She takes on a larger role, and I loved seeing her journey. Her story is hard to read, but what she has done with her life is inspiring. Not to mention, her banter with pretty much everyone is hilarious! The humor is much needed to break up the more intense moments.

Sanderson creates amazing characters! I still go back and forth with who is my favorite. There are characters that I feel so-so about in the beginning but fall in love with partway. It is amazing but terrifying because what if they do not make it?! What else is impressive is that he has a way to make the minor characters come to life. The "villain" type characters are also so complex that you question whether it is right or wrong to dislike them. Some characters only seem to pop in to drop a truth bomb or some insane wisdom. Somehow, you don't see them as much, but they still have such a distinct voice!

“I will protect even those I hate,” Kaladin whispered through bloody lips. “So long as it is right.”
 
Overall, this was an amazing read. I want to wrap this up because I have become so wordy. Forgive me; I just finished this book and had to write a review ASAP. I highly recommend the Stormlight Archive! The world, magic, characters, and story are so well done. You will not be able to stop thinking about the characters! I still have two more books to go before book 5 releases in December. I don't know if I'll get them in but I'm going to try. 

You can see all my reviews here: <a href="https://booksarethenewblackblog.wordpress.com">Books Are The New Black</a>

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book!! I buddy read this with Julie, and I’m glad I did. It’s so fun trying to figure out things together. I’ll admit, we figured some things out pretty early on. It was still an enjoyable read.

The Saint is the place to be, but it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Like many other family businesses, this has a lot of history, lies, and secrets. Traci came from nothing and is now trying to keep it from going under and losing the hotel. Of course, she has to contend with grouchy, rude, and gross family members she married into. Not only that, but Traci is also still grieving her husband. Her grief was a strong presence throughout the story. She’s finally got a plan to make The Saint have a comeback, but then a murder happens. Here is where the story takes off.

One of the things I enjoyed about this was all the different POV’s. There are so many, more than I normally like. Somehow, she managed to pull it off, and it added so much more to the story. We also get some of the past thrown into the timeline. Even though Julie and I figured out many things, it was still fun to see it play out.

I picked this one up because of the cover. It seemed like a light beach read! I couldn’t have been more wrong. There are many darker turns than I expected. Some of these characters go into a dark place, but you can’t blame them. Some dark secrets come out, and it makes sense.

Overall, I thought this was a good read. The story itself is very predictable, but it was still enjoyable. It was my first by this author, but will not be my last!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an e-arc! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 You can see all my reviews here: Books Are The New Black

3.5 stars

I have had this book sitting on my bookshelf for so long. This is such a chunky book that it’s intimidating! I had an opportunity to read the second book as an ARC, and decided it was time to jump in! I buddy-read this with Dini, but it took us much longer than anticipated. We did it!

While the story is interesting, there are a lot of info dumps. It took us so long to get into this book. Just know that it is a slow read. It was confused throughout most of the first half. I’m so glad I buddy-read this with Dini so we could bounce thoughts off each other. I think there could have been better execution with the world-building. This world is extremely descriptive, and it suffers from it. The details are where most of the pacing gets bogged down, and it’s a snail’s pace. It takes a while to understand the bindings too. While it’s a cool world, and there are a lot of interesting aspects, there’s too much detail. With that being said, there are many parts that Virdi was able to captivate me with his writing. Most of this happens in the second half of the book. He’s juggling two timelines with Ari’s past and present. I think he did a great job weaving both stories and keeping me interested.

The characters are the best thing about this book! Ari is a character that drives me nuts most of the time, but I am desperately rooting for him. He’s so hot-headed, but it’s for the right reasons. He’s had a tough life, but he can be too rash. It’s a common theme throughout this book, and I’m curious to see if that changes in book two. Eloine is so elusive, but I’m so fascinated by her. I have a feeling she’s going to crush Ari, and I will not be ready for that. There are so many supporting characters throughout this book that I love so much.

Overall, I thought this was a decent read. Even if it suffered a lot of pacing issues, once I got into the story (about halfway), it was harder to put down! The dual timelines were also well done. I can’t wait to jump into book two and see what happens next. There’s a lot that has been left open that I need answers to!!

I own the hardcover, but thank you to Tor Books for sending a Netgalley widget. It was much easier to read with my little one! All thoughts and opinions are my own.