I was not expecting to enjoy this so much? But like wow I'm fully back in my Twilight phase after reading this (lets be real though, did any of us actually leave our Twilight "phases"? I don't think so lmfao)

I haven't read any other reviews for Midnight Sun so I don't know if my opinion is a common one or not, but I think I actually liked Midnight Sun better than Twilight! Edward has a lot more to offer as a perspective than Bella does, since he interacts with so many more of the side characters. The characters in Bella's life (which is pretty much just her friends from school) are not all that interesting, whereas following Edward allows us a look into the lives of the other Cullens. It was a much more entertaining perspective to read, mainly because the best part about this series are the side characters (Jasper will forever and always be one of my all-time favourite book characters). I also really liked seeing a different side of Edward through his internal monologue; that boy is a HOT MESS and I live for it lol. It was fun to see how his brain works, and how anxious he actually is about everything despite having an outward appearance of compete calmness. Seeing his reactions to things, his thought spirals, and all the little things that make him tick was infinitely more interesting than Bella thinking about how beautiful he is over and over again

The plot was obviously the same as in the original, and while it did have slightly more to offer due to being able to see what the other vampires were up to, it still isn't the most interesting plot. But it is definitely entertaining, I'll give it that! While it may not be the best plot ever, honestly I don't think I would change a single thing about it. It's the perfect amount of cheesy and over-the-top ridiculous that it perfectly suits this kind of story.

Overall, I'm really glad that I finally read this! So many people have been rewatching and rereading Twilight in this last year (myself included, I've marathoned the movies several times since the start of COVID), and it's become a huge comfort. It was really nice to be able to dive into something that feels so nostalgic, but still be able to have it feel new at the same time.

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate what a fantastic character arc The Russian has had since the beginning of book one? He went from being the butt of every joke (literally, since he was basically just a walking fart joke), to then showing what a great friend he is, to all of a sudden showing his vulnerable emotional side and hopeless romantic tendencies. And now here we are, getting to see the Russian in all his soft hearted, gooey goodness. At the beginning of book one I did not ever think that I would grow to love Vlad so much! He’s easily my favourite character in this series, and getting to read from his perspective was so much fun! I think this might have just become my favourite book in the series!

It’s genuinely shocking to me that I loved this though, because it has my least favourite romance trope; miscommunication! I haaaaaate when all the character’s problems could be solved by having a few deep and meaningful conversations, but one or both of them are too stubborn to do it. In this one though, I actually really liked it! I think it was because the stubbornness was in character for both love interests that it made sense. Both characters were feeling insecure and vulnerable, and their reasoning behind thinking the other didn’t want them were totally justified. This is probably the only time that I’ve liked the miscommunication trope, so big kudos to Lyssa Kay Adams for managing to get me to like it!

Overall, this was a delight to read! I almost wish I had taken my time with it more so I could savour it, but once I started I couldn’t put it down. Can’t wait for more in this series!

Such a cute read! I wish it had been longer and we’d been able to see more of the personalities of the characters, but otherwise it was a lot of fun

Review to come!

3.5⭐️

Not my favourite graphic novel ever, but it was still fun! I loved the characters the most, they were really funny and I liked their relationships with each other. The premise actually kind of reminds me of Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series, which is my favourite series ever so that’s a huge plus for me. I just found the messages in this book to be a little in your face, this was very much a case of being told instead of shown. But regardless, still an enjoyable read!

Really fun read! The plot wasn’t super in depth, but there was enough to it that it was very enjoyable, and I loved all the characters as well. The art was definitely the best part though, especially the colour choice and character design

Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of the audiobook for review!

Within These Wicked Walls is easily one of the best fantasies I’ve read recently. The fact that this is a debut is even more impressive, it was so well done!

Within These Wicked Walls is an Ethiopian-inspired horror retelling of Jane Eyre, which takes place in a mansion in the desert filled with the horrifying manifestations of the evil eye. Andromeda is a debtera, someone trained to create amulets to rid places like this one of their curses. But nothing could have prepared her for what she would find on her first solo job, especially when that job involves a man who is as irritating as he is adorable. It’s a race against the clock for Andromeda to finish cleansing the house, especially when more lives than she originally thought are in her hands.

I can’t believe how impressed I am with this book. Within These Wicked Walls had me laughing out loud at some parts, on the edge of my seat at others, and even had me a crying mess at the end of it all. The author writes in such a way that the emotions on the page felt like my own, and it was a rollercoaster from start to finish. In terms of this being a retelling, I have not personally read Jane Eyre or seen any adaptations of it, so I can’t speak on how closely this follows the original story. But the romance in here was incredible! The chemistry between Andromeda and Magnus was palpable, it felt so real and believable. I was so desperately rooting for them. The rest of the characters were phenomenal as well, especially the parental figures. I love that the side characters felt just as important as the main characters, and that they got to have their own stories told as well. As an audiobook, I loved the choice of narrator! I think she did an excellent job with this book, and I found her voice to match the mood of the book perfectly. I also found this had just the right amount of horror to it as well. The atmosphere was delightfully eerie, and I loved all the creative ways the author described the manifestations, they were so creepy! It’s exactly what I wanted for this time of year, and I would definitely recommend it to others as a Halloween read!

3.5 or 4⭐️ I can’t decide

Usually when it comes to romance companion series, there’s one book that stands out as a clear favourite. But I actually like Well Met and Well Matched about equally (I have no interest in the second book in the series). I liked the hot pirate in the first one, and that it had more time spent in the ren fair. But the chemistry between April and Mitch in Well Matched was so so good, and I loved April as a character who’s a single mom and all the thing she had to work through. While this isn’t going to be a favourite series of mine, it’s still a lot of fun and I really like the two that I’ve read!