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emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 stars.
Okay. I get the hype. This was a cute, light romcom with some good female STEM representation that I really appreciated.
The characters were fun, the interactions were awkward but still relatively realistic, and the dialogue was well-crafted. Yes...there were a LOT of mentions of how big Adam physically was compared to Olive, but it didn't bother me all that much. It really just came off as a bit of a focused obsession during a crush.
The book didn't take itself too seriously and that made things feel extra fun. There were definitely some hilarious moments and I really just enjoyed myself from beginning to end.
The smut seriously caught me off-guard. Holy moly, Ali Hazelwood can write a sex scene. Stand back and prepare yourself. Phew. Not too shabby. AND it's a debut. So much great promise.
Okay. I get the hype. This was a cute, light romcom with some good female STEM representation that I really appreciated.
The characters were fun, the interactions were awkward but still relatively realistic, and the dialogue was well-crafted. Yes...there were a LOT of mentions of how big Adam physically was compared to Olive, but it didn't bother me all that much. It really just came off as a bit of a focused obsession during a crush.
The book didn't take itself too seriously and that made things feel extra fun. There were definitely some hilarious moments and I really just enjoyed myself from beginning to end.
The smut seriously caught me off-guard. Holy moly, Ali Hazelwood can write a sex scene. Stand back and prepare yourself. Phew. Not too shabby. AND it's a debut. So much great promise.
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adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's official. I am having a love affair with everything Becky Chambers. This was so freaking good. WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG TO READ IT?!?!
Excellent character composition. So much wonderful inclusion that just feels seamless and is handled so masterfully. Seriously like a handbook for appropriate social interactions. I loved how well she handled it all and dealt with some of the precarious situations faced when interacting with those who are different from ourselves. The interactions between the characters were so loving and wonderful and there were so many just warm & fuzzy moments. It wasn't sappy, but dang it hit the feels.
The plot was also magnificent and just flowed. It wasn't a short book, but it definitely felt like it breezed by. It tackled so many BIG social topics in a way that felt natural and noninflammatory. It was just amazing. Who has this kind of talent?? Apparently Becky Chambers, because she nails it every time.
Thank goodness this is part of a series because I just need more of this. This is one of those books that feels like it just opened a whole new realm of reading possibilities. Do yourself a favor. Read it.
Excellent character composition. So much wonderful inclusion that just feels seamless and is handled so masterfully. Seriously like a handbook for appropriate social interactions. I loved how well she handled it all and dealt with some of the precarious situations faced when interacting with those who are different from ourselves. The interactions between the characters were so loving and wonderful and there were so many just warm & fuzzy moments. It wasn't sappy, but dang it hit the feels.
The plot was also magnificent and just flowed. It wasn't a short book, but it definitely felt like it breezed by. It tackled so many BIG social topics in a way that felt natural and noninflammatory. It was just amazing. Who has this kind of talent?? Apparently Becky Chambers, because she nails it every time.
Thank goodness this is part of a series because I just need more of this. This is one of those books that feels like it just opened a whole new realm of reading possibilities. Do yourself a favor. Read it.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this YA mix of paranormal horror and dark academia. It's a debut novel and definitely shows some great promise for this author. There are strong gothic vibes and the narrative was solid with some well-executed character composition. There's also a good sapphic component. I do wish there was a bit more development to the plot as I think there could have been some stronger exploration of the emotions and relationships, but I still enjoyed what was present.
There's a good mix of the two genre components. There's a dark Mean Girls vibe to the social aspect and the atmosphere is fun. The story also has some fantastic creepy vibes, but stays within what I would consider a YA range for intensity. With what I would consider to be a bit of Lovecraft infleunce, there are definitely a few moments of strong violence and gore, so it's not completely for the lighthearted, but these scenes are limited.
I had a really fun time reading this and devoured it in just a couple of days. It was a good under the covers read and definitely one to contemplate before reading it after dark. I'm looking forward to what else Kayla Cottingham can produce in the future. Her talent for horror writing is one I would definitely love to explore.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this YA mix of paranormal horror and dark academia. It's a debut novel and definitely shows some great promise for this author. There are strong gothic vibes and the narrative was solid with some well-executed character composition. There's also a good sapphic component. I do wish there was a bit more development to the plot as I think there could have been some stronger exploration of the emotions and relationships, but I still enjoyed what was present.
There's a good mix of the two genre components. There's a dark Mean Girls vibe to the social aspect and the atmosphere is fun. The story also has some fantastic creepy vibes, but stays within what I would consider a YA range for intensity. With what I would consider to be a bit of Lovecraft infleunce, there are definitely a few moments of strong violence and gore, so it's not completely for the lighthearted, but these scenes are limited.
I had a really fun time reading this and devoured it in just a couple of days. It was a good under the covers read and definitely one to contemplate before reading it after dark. I'm looking forward to what else Kayla Cottingham can produce in the future. Her talent for horror writing is one I would definitely love to explore.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4.5 stars
A sweeping historical fiction novel that spans the life of Violeta, a centenarian leaving the story of her life written to her grandson, Camilo. The story runs from Violeta's birth at the time of the Spanish flu until modern day, under the influence of Covid 19. It is a languid kind of read with great historical context and a bit of globetrotting as Violeta's life takes the reader to multiple countries, spanning South America, North America, and Europe.
Allende's writing is evocative and atmospheric, delivering the history of Chile and the surrounding areas in a marvelous fashion. The style of Allende's writing in this novel does lean more towards the literary, though the internal exploration of character is not overly intense. There is great attention to feminist topics and Violeta's character is a strong, independent woman who really shines throughout the story.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
A sweeping historical fiction novel that spans the life of Violeta, a centenarian leaving the story of her life written to her grandson, Camilo. The story runs from Violeta's birth at the time of the Spanish flu until modern day, under the influence of Covid 19. It is a languid kind of read with great historical context and a bit of globetrotting as Violeta's life takes the reader to multiple countries, spanning South America, North America, and Europe.
Allende's writing is evocative and atmospheric, delivering the history of Chile and the surrounding areas in a marvelous fashion. The style of Allende's writing in this novel does lean more towards the literary, though the internal exploration of character is not overly intense. There is great attention to feminist topics and Violeta's character is a strong, independent woman who really shines throughout the story.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A slow burn fantasy that serves as a good setup for a series, but will require a patient read. The series is listed as an adult read, but I personally placed it in the new adult category. The primary characters are younger in age and the narrative fits for a bit of a younger audience. It is a bit more of a high fantasy though, so it can be something of a complex read.
The novel is set in an interesting world that is constructed well, but did take me a little bit to get a handle on. The world appears to be both Greek and Russian influenced and is constructed along the idea of having gods who were killed and replaced by human representatives. The resulting factions are in a tense political situation with an ongoing struggle for power.
The primary protagonist is Rhea, daughter of one of the human "gods" who is tasked with marrying a suitor at each seasonal transition. Her murder of this suitor is then responsible for determining when the next seasonal change will take place. It's an interesting (if odd and slightly morbid) magical gift.
The plot moves quite slowly for the first half of the book, with lots of world building and character set up. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the vibes though, so it wasn't a slog of a read, just a slow and steady pace. Once I got to the last third of the story, things really took off. I enjoyed the political intrigue at that point (not usually my thing), and the stakes finally started to get amped up. The ending was solid for a series read (this is currently listed as a duology), but definitely leaves things unfinished and a bit frustrating. I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel.
This will be a great read for those who love political fantasies with rich world-building, as long as they don't mind a slow pace.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The novel is set in an interesting world that is constructed well, but did take me a little bit to get a handle on. The world appears to be both Greek and Russian influenced and is constructed along the idea of having gods who were killed and replaced by human representatives. The resulting factions are in a tense political situation with an ongoing struggle for power.
The primary protagonist is Rhea, daughter of one of the human "gods" who is tasked with marrying a suitor at each seasonal transition. Her murder of this suitor is then responsible for determining when the next seasonal change will take place. It's an interesting (if odd and slightly morbid) magical gift.
The plot moves quite slowly for the first half of the book, with lots of world building and character set up. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the vibes though, so it wasn't a slog of a read, just a slow and steady pace. Once I got to the last third of the story, things really took off. I enjoyed the political intrigue at that point (not usually my thing), and the stakes finally started to get amped up. The ending was solid for a series read (this is currently listed as a duology), but definitely leaves things unfinished and a bit frustrating. I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel.
This will be a great read for those who love political fantasies with rich world-building, as long as they don't mind a slow pace.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 stars.
A fun, light thriller with St. James's great writing. Though not as good as her previous novel, The Sun Down Motel, I really enjoyed this read. The creep factor is low, but there is a touch of paranormal. The atmospheric writing is excellent and I enjoyed Shea's character. Beth Greer's character gave me a touch of Evelyn Hugo feels.
There was some convenience factor to the plot, but I liked the setup. I would have liked more inclusion of the podcast element, but I appreciated Shea's curious nature and the way she approached her interviewing of Beth Greer.
The Book of Cold Cases was a very quick read. I loved the inclusion of the creepy manor house and the resulting Gothic feel to the novel. The addition of Winston Purrchill (a gray tabby) was a cute touch and I enjoyed his presence in the novel. The dual timeline with two semi-unreliable narrators was well done and the shifts were fairly seamless. This isn't a gripping thriller, but more of a paranormal mystery and I really enjoyed my time with it.
A fun, light thriller with St. James's great writing. Though not as good as her previous novel, The Sun Down Motel, I really enjoyed this read. The creep factor is low, but there is a touch of paranormal. The atmospheric writing is excellent and I enjoyed Shea's character. Beth Greer's character gave me a touch of Evelyn Hugo feels.
There was some convenience factor to the plot, but I liked the setup. I would have liked more inclusion of the podcast element, but I appreciated Shea's curious nature and the way she approached her interviewing of Beth Greer.
The Book of Cold Cases was a very quick read. I loved the inclusion of the creepy manor house and the resulting Gothic feel to the novel. The addition of Winston Purrchill (a gray tabby) was a cute touch and I enjoyed his presence in the novel. The dual timeline with two semi-unreliable narrators was well done and the shifts were fairly seamless. This isn't a gripping thriller, but more of a paranormal mystery and I really enjoyed my time with it.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was such a great read. A contemporary with a magical realism twist, One Italian Summer is lighthearted with some good emotional content. A beautiful commentary on relationships between mothers and daughters. The story is at once sad and lovely. Though it is written in a way that doesn't hit overly hard, the emotional side can be a bit intense. There is a lot of love and loss in the relationship between Katy and Carol.
Katy's overwhelming grief and the resulting trauma to her own self-worth are painted so well. While not all readers can identify with Katy or understand her decisions, she made sense to me. She wasn't always kind or thoughtful towards others and she didn't always make the best choices, but that's what happens when you are swallowed by grief. You can become a bit more cocooned in yourself and the rest of the world ceases to matter. You don't necessarily make the best or most sensible decisions because your entire world is a blur. Katy manifested all of this and though I didn't necessarily like her at all points, I felt like I understood her.
I love Rebecca Serle's writing. She just has a way with words, creating a story that is interesting and comforting. The narrative is highly atmospheric and I loved being transported in such a great way. The magical element to the story was a fun twist and I enjoyed the exploration. I also highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Lauren Graham. She does a marvelous job and the parallels between the story and the mother/daughter relationship in Gilmore Girls made her an even more perfect choice for narrator.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
Katy's overwhelming grief and the resulting trauma to her own self-worth are painted so well. While not all readers can identify with Katy or understand her decisions, she made sense to me. She wasn't always kind or thoughtful towards others and she didn't always make the best choices, but that's what happens when you are swallowed by grief. You can become a bit more cocooned in yourself and the rest of the world ceases to matter. You don't necessarily make the best or most sensible decisions because your entire world is a blur. Katy manifested all of this and though I didn't necessarily like her at all points, I felt like I understood her.
I love Rebecca Serle's writing. She just has a way with words, creating a story that is interesting and comforting. The narrative is highly atmospheric and I loved being transported in such a great way. The magical element to the story was a fun twist and I enjoyed the exploration. I also highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Lauren Graham. She does a marvelous job and the parallels between the story and the mother/daughter relationship in Gilmore Girls made her an even more perfect choice for narrator.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Manhunt is a very mixed bag of a dystopian horror. Based around the idea of a virus resulting in feral genetic males and told via a diverse cast of characters including several trans individuals, the concept is interesting and the social commentary is strong. The writing is decent and the primary character construction is fairly well executed.
However, the good things about this novel get overshadowed by a heavily angry undertone to the writing. Bitterness and frustration come through in a way that dulled out the story and made it hard to enjoy. It is clear that this book was likely written from a place of trauma and acted as a way for the author to vent in some capacity. That is perfectly fine and can sometimes result in the best kind of stories, but I think it would have been more effective following a breather and some editing to give the story a bit more balance. Instead, the entire story is very intense without any escalation or deescalation in the tension. This consistent wrenching made it feel overwhelming to begin with and then resulted in a kind of numbness, desensitizing me to the plot because so much awful had already happened. I just lost the ability to care what was going to happen to the characters because there was so little light.
The book started off with an excellent cover, a fantastic premise, and some good potential. Instead, it became a constant rant about the evils of humanity with regard to sexual orientation. There is merit to this discussion, but it wasn't handled well. Instead, it was just too heavy handed. The dialogue is filled with rampant misogyny and there are very few redeeming qualities to the characters. A little more balance would have been highly appreciated and would have made the storyline a bit more realistic as well as palatable.
There are decent things about the story and it does have some good underlying messages and considerations, but a heavier edit would have been very helpful. The good things existed enough to squeak Manhunt into a 3-star rating (3.04) for me, but I'm not sure what audience I would recommend it to. You will need a strong stomach and some good resilience toward an incredibly vicious plot.
If you consider a read, be forewarned: there is a LOT of graphic violence. It is raw and visceral and is intended to shock.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
However, the good things about this novel get overshadowed by a heavily angry undertone to the writing. Bitterness and frustration come through in a way that dulled out the story and made it hard to enjoy. It is clear that this book was likely written from a place of trauma and acted as a way for the author to vent in some capacity. That is perfectly fine and can sometimes result in the best kind of stories, but I think it would have been more effective following a breather and some editing to give the story a bit more balance. Instead, the entire story is very intense without any escalation or deescalation in the tension. This consistent wrenching made it feel overwhelming to begin with and then resulted in a kind of numbness, desensitizing me to the plot because so much awful had already happened. I just lost the ability to care what was going to happen to the characters because there was so little light.
The book started off with an excellent cover, a fantastic premise, and some good potential. Instead, it became a constant rant about the evils of humanity with regard to sexual orientation. There is merit to this discussion, but it wasn't handled well. Instead, it was just too heavy handed. The dialogue is filled with rampant misogyny and there are very few redeeming qualities to the characters. A little more balance would have been highly appreciated and would have made the storyline a bit more realistic as well as palatable.
There are decent things about the story and it does have some good underlying messages and considerations, but a heavier edit would have been very helpful. The good things existed enough to squeak Manhunt into a 3-star rating (3.04) for me, but I'm not sure what audience I would recommend it to. You will need a strong stomach and some good resilience toward an incredibly vicious plot.
If you consider a read, be forewarned: there is a LOT of graphic violence. It is raw and visceral and is intended to shock.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 stars.
A nice, gritty dystopian centered around a virus that causes the host to strike out and kill others randomly. Set in near present day, The Violence gripped me. With several references and parallels to the Covid epidemic, there were several points where my stomach turned at the realism. But let me tell you...I was hooked. Such a clever book.
The multi-POV feminist plot was a fantastic choice. The trauma is framed through the eyes of three generations of women. These characters felt real and age appropriate in a narrative that flowed effortlessly. The plot is a bit of a pulp fiction style slasher and I ate it up.
Be forewarned: there is a lot of graphic violence and the story can definitely be difficult for those who already feel overwhelmed by Covid culture. It is a semi-dark read, but so well crafted. If you can handle the grit, I highly recommend giving The Violence a go.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
A nice, gritty dystopian centered around a virus that causes the host to strike out and kill others randomly. Set in near present day, The Violence gripped me. With several references and parallels to the Covid epidemic, there were several points where my stomach turned at the realism. But let me tell you...I was hooked. Such a clever book.
The multi-POV feminist plot was a fantastic choice. The trauma is framed through the eyes of three generations of women. These characters felt real and age appropriate in a narrative that flowed effortlessly. The plot is a bit of a pulp fiction style slasher and I ate it up.
Be forewarned: there is a lot of graphic violence and the story can definitely be difficult for those who already feel overwhelmed by Covid culture. It is a semi-dark read, but so well crafted. If you can handle the grit, I highly recommend giving The Violence a go.
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Such a great read! I loved the writing style and the characters, especially Molly. She is a complex character with some social issues and quirks that indicate she may be neurodivergent, though this is not specified. Some readers take issue with this, but for me it makes sense given Molly's living condition and the way she was raised by her grandmother that she would not have been given any kind of label. I love that she is accepting of herself and that she finds ways to make her situation work.
The plot is very creatively written and the tension developed along the way was fantastic. This was a lighthearted mystery to some degree and I had a lot of fun with it. It was a book that I didn't want to put down.
There were some moments that felt a little overly stereotypical, where the writing could have used a bit more subtlety or finesse, but for a debut book this was magical. The Maid is a great, cozy read with a very lovable protagonist and fabulous discussions about inclusion, independence, and social invisibility. Loved it!
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *
The plot is very creatively written and the tension developed along the way was fantastic. This was a lighthearted mystery to some degree and I had a lot of fun with it. It was a book that I didn't want to put down.
There were some moments that felt a little overly stereotypical, where the writing could have used a bit more subtlety or finesse, but for a debut book this was magical. The Maid is a great, cozy read with a very lovable protagonist and fabulous discussions about inclusion, independence, and social invisibility. Loved it!
* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *