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TEAR-JERKER.
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I don’t really cry during books, but I tend to tear up to those hard hitting ones. This would be the case here. Oh goodness, Kelly’s books just always hit me in the soul. One of the story lines really had my heart hurting and begging for those last few pages to give me a (what I would consider) hopeful ending. There’s not joyous, happy endings here. But I love that there is a semblance of a light at the end of a tunnel.
This was a powerful story that I immensely enjoyed. I loved that this was a World War 1 setting and took place all over the world. The three leading ladies had me cheering for their hope and rescue and also spitting mad at other times. I felt drawn into their lives and the paths they were being forced to walk.
I love that this is a “prequel” book and that the next book in this series will be even further back. The research and love that clearly went into this book is evident through the beautiful writing and remarkable stories. The storytelling is captivating and poignant. It’s a bit slower than Lilac Girls, but still holds that magnetism to make the pages move by.
Definitely recommend for those who love historical fiction.
Overall audience notes:
- Historical fiction [World War 1]
- Language: some
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: see Trigger Warnings
- Trigger warnings: sexual assault of a minor, multiple instances of sexual harassment, kidnapping, loss of loved ones, incest (half-brother sexually assaults his half-sister multiple times), murder, depictions of war, gun violence
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I don’t really cry during books, but I tend to tear up to those hard hitting ones. This would be the case here. Oh goodness, Kelly’s books just always hit me in the soul. One of the story lines really had my heart hurting and begging for those last few pages to give me a (what I would consider) hopeful ending. There’s not joyous, happy endings here. But I love that there is a semblance of a light at the end of a tunnel.
This was a powerful story that I immensely enjoyed. I loved that this was a World War 1 setting and took place all over the world. The three leading ladies had me cheering for their hope and rescue and also spitting mad at other times. I felt drawn into their lives and the paths they were being forced to walk.
I love that this is a “prequel” book and that the next book in this series will be even further back. The research and love that clearly went into this book is evident through the beautiful writing and remarkable stories. The storytelling is captivating and poignant. It’s a bit slower than Lilac Girls, but still holds that magnetism to make the pages move by.
Definitely recommend for those who love historical fiction.
Overall audience notes:
- Historical fiction [World War 1]
- Language: some
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: see Trigger Warnings
- Trigger warnings: sexual assault of a minor, multiple instances of sexual harassment, kidnapping, loss of loved ones, incest (half-brother sexually assaults his half-sister multiple times), murder, depictions of war, gun violence
SO ADORABLE Y'ALL.
Loved this story and the characters. Imaginative and fun.
Highly recommend! [And appropriate for younger audiences]
Loved this story and the characters. Imaginative and fun.
Highly recommend! [And appropriate for younger audiences]
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
TORN.
My heart hurts after this one y’all.
HURTS.
BOOK THREE STAT.
For a middle book, I enjoyed this! I’ve been loving reading these through audio format. Great narrators. Capitvating and makes me want to listen as fast as I can to know what’s going to happen next.
My sweet souls Aurelia and Athan. This is one of those reads where you shout at the book, WHY CAN’T THEY JUST BE HAPPY?!?! I’m begging the last book to give me some hope or I might have committed to a series that will destory my bookish soul.
One of the only things that frustrated me was how it took until over halfway for our main’s to even SEE each other again. I don’t like when an obvious ship is separated for so long. It makes things drag a little between them even if the action is roaring around them.
And wow does the action roar. This war is only amping up and there’s so much to unpack. Betrayals, lost family lines, secrets, hidden identites and it’s amazing. I love how intricate this plot is and that I rarely find myself bored with a scene.
Really great read. Really excited that I get to read the sequel soon because I MUST know what happens next. I love these characters. I know more heart crushing is going to happen, but dang it, someone give me an at least hopeful ending by the time this is all over.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy + Romance
- Language: little
- Romance: kisses to a closed door scene
- Violence: often; depictions of war and skirmishes, physical altercations, plane crashes, gun violence
- Trigger/Content Warnings: suicide (a scene near the end), loss of a loved one, plane crashes
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
UNDER THE RADAR FAVORITE.
I’m not surprised I loved this when I realized how many of my favorite tropes were flying about: enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, hidden identities, etc. YUP. It’s a gem from the get go.
I LOVE Adraa and Jatin! Adraa is such a kicka character. She’s strong and intelligent. I love how she worked toward her goals, but also accepted help. She wasn’t blind to needing others, but also could completely hold her own and her take downs were magnicient. Jatin was the best type of side-kick. Jumping into the fray, falling in love and making me absolutely SMITTEN with his care for Adraa. I love the way these two just clicked.
And when things were clearly reaching their conflict between the main characters, unnecessary drama wasn’t added!!!! I love how it was approached and that Adraa and Jatin actually had a conversation with each other without assuming the other’s thoughts. Put a perfect kissing scene on top and it really sealed the deal for how much I adored this read.
The plot isn’t widly intricate. I was interested and thought the end left enough to explore in a second book. I did really like the magic system. It was a unique play on a rainbow of magic and it was fascinating how it worked with the world building. A really great read that I definitely recommend.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: physical altercations, magical weaponry, natural disasters
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
TENDERLY ROMANTIC.
This was a read that was recommended to me where I was a bit nervous initially diving in. The first chapter is a present moment that then flashes back to a story. I was worried we would go back and forth, but NEVER FEAR, the entire story in 1937 is told before the last chapter that flips back to the present. You won’t be taken out of the story, read away my friends!
I got completely wrapped up in the romance between Ada and Jonah. Oh my goodness it was so dang sweet. It was a slow-burn with a lot of past to work through. I LOVE having both points of view because it allowed me to really appreciate both sides. Struggling through grief, isolation, and wondering if you’ll be able to provide for your family. The hardships of this time were very much realized. It was beautiful getting some hope in this couple and the surrounding plot.
This is a historical fiction about the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky! I’ve read one other book about this time and so I was happy to read another. The setting, characters and background are really well written. I felt transported to this time and felt the rawness of all that happened. A romance built on the resilience of Ada and Jonah and the love of their families (past and present) was resonating.
Overall audience notes:
- Historical fiction + romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses to open and closed door scenes
- Violence: animal attacks, near death experiences, gun violence, physical altercations, murder, car wreck
- Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a spouse(s), loss of a parent(s), home invasion, domestic abuse (Ada notices this about a small side character), attempted sexual assault
NO SURPRISE, I LOVED IT.
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Sarah Adams has officially become an auto-read author for me. I want all of her books all of the time. Adams books just make you feel GOOD. They’re not high drama, high intensity. They’re full of things to make you laugh (of which I did), swoon a bit (of which also happened) and have a fantastic time reading.
I’ve never read a pregancy trope contemporary romance. As my first one I can say I really loved the way it all played out. I didn’t know quite how the storyline would work but the journey Jessie and Drew went on was perfect. I love that this doesn’t have some huge conflict that causes a break-up. There’s honest conversations, raw emotions and genuine desire.
There’s even some more tropes you might love!! Enemies to lovers, only one bed, and fake dating. You can clearly see how easy it was for me to love it. The chemistry was FIRE. I cheered for them the entire time.
And that ENDING. I teared up. It was BEAUTIFUL. Not exactly how I imagined it and I didn’t care one lick. It was even better. I loved it. Adorable, memberable, and so very tender and sweet. I love Drew. I love Jessie. I love that this had the cutest happily ever after.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary romance
- Langauge: none
- Romance: kisses to implied closed door scenes
- Trigger/Content Warnings: partner abandonment, loss of parent
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Sarah Adams has officially become an auto-read author for me. I want all of her books all of the time. Adams books just make you feel GOOD. They’re not high drama, high intensity. They’re full of things to make you laugh (of which I did), swoon a bit (of which also happened) and have a fantastic time reading.
I’ve never read a pregancy trope contemporary romance. As my first one I can say I really loved the way it all played out. I didn’t know quite how the storyline would work but the journey Jessie and Drew went on was perfect. I love that this doesn’t have some huge conflict that causes a break-up. There’s honest conversations, raw emotions and genuine desire.
There’s even some more tropes you might love!! Enemies to lovers, only one bed, and fake dating. You can clearly see how easy it was for me to love it. The chemistry was FIRE. I cheered for them the entire time.
And that ENDING. I teared up. It was BEAUTIFUL. Not exactly how I imagined it and I didn’t care one lick. It was even better. I loved it. Adorable, memberable, and so very tender and sweet. I love Drew. I love Jessie. I love that this had the cutest happily ever after.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary romance
- Langauge: none
- Romance: kisses to implied closed door scenes
- Trigger/Content Warnings: partner abandonment, loss of parent
NO SCARECROWS FOR ME.
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Wow this was SPOOKY for a middle grade read! Had me shivering a few times at the absolute creepiness of those scarecrows. Hard NOPE. I will not be hanging around a corn maze or pumpkin patch after dark, better believe that.
This was a good book though. A quick audio book read that kept me interested and worried for all involved. It was an interesting tale and strong characters. I enjoyed Ollie. She really fit the middle school narrative (in a good way). Ollie was coping with loss, friendships and finding a way to take on the fear in front of her.
It’s fast-paced and reminds me of why I love Arden’s writing [if you’re new here, The Winternight Trilogy is one of my favorite series EVER]. I will happily keep reading anything she publishes and this is no exception. An eerie atmosphere with budding friendships really brought this book home. I have definite plans to continue this series!
Overall audience notes:
- Middle grade horror
- Language: none
- Romance: none
- Content warnings: bullying, loss of a loved one, grief and depression
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Wow this was SPOOKY for a middle grade read! Had me shivering a few times at the absolute creepiness of those scarecrows. Hard NOPE. I will not be hanging around a corn maze or pumpkin patch after dark, better believe that.
This was a good book though. A quick audio book read that kept me interested and worried for all involved. It was an interesting tale and strong characters. I enjoyed Ollie. She really fit the middle school narrative (in a good way). Ollie was coping with loss, friendships and finding a way to take on the fear in front of her.
It’s fast-paced and reminds me of why I love Arden’s writing [if you’re new here, The Winternight Trilogy is one of my favorite series EVER]. I will happily keep reading anything she publishes and this is no exception. An eerie atmosphere with budding friendships really brought this book home. I have definite plans to continue this series!
Overall audience notes:
- Middle grade horror
- Language: none
- Romance: none
- Content warnings: bullying, loss of a loved one, grief and depression
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
A SWEET READ.
And very fast. It was a nice break between long reads and was perfectly predictable and made me smile. I liked both of these main characters and one of my favorites aspects was present: both points of view!! I love this in romances because it really gives a great persepctive from both sides.
I love this this confict wasn’t blown out of proportion either. Clearly there was a mistake made, but I didn’t feel it ever hit a high drama note. Zane and Abby were fun to cheer for and got into some antics that had me chuckling. I thought they had good chemistry and the flirty banter was pretty great too.
I remember not loving a few scenes, and really strugged with the ending. It was definitely the happy ever after I was hoping for, but it felt…forced? An attempted big gesture that wasn’t wholly necessary. It kind of took it down for me, luckily the book overall was a good read.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses/make-outs
- Trigger/Content Warnings: an after-birth scene (side character has baby, then Abby is present for everything after), loss of a parent (by a car wreck), bullying/harassment
And very fast. It was a nice break between long reads and was perfectly predictable and made me smile. I liked both of these main characters and one of my favorites aspects was present: both points of view!! I love this in romances because it really gives a great persepctive from both sides.
I love this this confict wasn’t blown out of proportion either. Clearly there was a mistake made, but I didn’t feel it ever hit a high drama note. Zane and Abby were fun to cheer for and got into some antics that had me chuckling. I thought they had good chemistry and the flirty banter was pretty great too.
I remember not loving a few scenes, and really strugged with the ending. It was definitely the happy ever after I was hoping for, but it felt…forced? An attempted big gesture that wasn’t wholly necessary. It kind of took it down for me, luckily the book overall was a good read.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses/make-outs
- Trigger/Content Warnings: an after-birth scene (side character has baby, then Abby is present for everything after), loss of a parent (by a car wreck), bullying/harassment
INVESTED.
I was happily surprised with how invested I became in this story and the characters. Because wow, when I found myself almost crying in a scene towards the end, I was blindsided. This book will really hit in the feels and the soul. It’s not a pleasant sunshine-y romance. There were a lot of hard moments and incredibly difficult pasts that made this book bring out the emotions.
Caleb and Em were adorable. I love their sweet interactions and really would have loved even more romance between them. That’s all that I felt was missing. Caleb was clearly sweet on Em and I love that they actually got a chance to have interactions together. I hate when couple don’t actually get time together so this was great on that front.
I’m not sure I’ve read many (if any?) Western romances? So getting Caleb as a sheriff helping Em figure out her troubles was *chefs kiss*. It definitely did things to my heart reading about him in uniform, riding on his horse, taking down bandits. YES.
Yes yes yes, they were also both very deep characters who were easy to be enjoy. Em learned a lot being thrust into the world and everything felt realistic. It was heartwarming and infused with hope for finding a safe space in someone and a safe space to call home.
Overall audience notes:
- Historical fiction romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: bandits, attempted murder, murder, physical altercations
- Trigger/Content Warnings: gun violence, kidnapping, being orphaned, separated from a sibling, loss of parents (and siblings)
slow-paced
NOT THE SAME.
It’s official. This series has lost its steam. I honestly think it should have ended around book 4 (maybe 5 with a better ending?). Each book has a new case to solve, but there isn’t enough progression personally to keep me overall invested.
This was my first listen on audio for this series too! I didn’t LOVE it, but I could listen to it at a very fast pace so that was nice.
I do love my main man Stoker. He never gets old. I love his snark and romantic self and how he is always trying to protect Veronica. If I could just get Veronica to ADMIT SOME DANG FEEEEELINGS, it would be better. I would love some reciprocation. Then I can really cheer on this power couple. They do actually have conversations and work through disagreements which is really great to see.
The mystery here was fine. I was definitely distracted by other characters enough to not see the true murderer and involvement of other parties. I like the twists towards the end and getting to know the full story.
A mixed bag all around. I don’t love these like I originally did, but it’s kind of nice reading about them again at the same time?
Overall audience notes:
- Historical fiction mystery / romance
- Language: a little
- Romance: kisses to mentions of closed door scenes
- Violence: physical altercations
- Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, mountain climbing accidents (resulting in death), kidnapping, attempted murder
It’s official. This series has lost its steam. I honestly think it should have ended around book 4 (maybe 5 with a better ending?). Each book has a new case to solve, but there isn’t enough progression personally to keep me overall invested.
This was my first listen on audio for this series too! I didn’t LOVE it, but I could listen to it at a very fast pace so that was nice.
I do love my main man Stoker. He never gets old. I love his snark and romantic self and how he is always trying to protect Veronica. If I could just get Veronica to ADMIT SOME DANG FEEEEELINGS, it would be better. I would love some reciprocation. Then I can really cheer on this power couple. They do actually have conversations and work through disagreements which is really great to see.
The mystery here was fine. I was definitely distracted by other characters enough to not see the true murderer and involvement of other parties. I like the twists towards the end and getting to know the full story.
A mixed bag all around. I don’t love these like I originally did, but it’s kind of nice reading about them again at the same time?
Overall audience notes:
- Historical fiction mystery / romance
- Language: a little
- Romance: kisses to mentions of closed door scenes
- Violence: physical altercations
- Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, mountain climbing accidents (resulting in death), kidnapping, attempted murder