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627 reviews by:
kayreadsandnaps
*Disclaimer, I was given this book in return for an honest review*
"She had never felt like this, not since her last severe winter cold. And she could not tear her face away from Thomas’s – Thomas, she must remember to think of him as Thomas: her father’s valet, a servant, and not a man of flesh and blood whose gaze was the most potent she had ever seen."
A Christmas Surprise was certainly a surprise to me. This is not the typical book I lean towards, regency romance is very new to me, but I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story follows Lady Audrey, a noblewoman who is about to have her coming out ball now that she has reached the age of 18. An age where woman in this era are ready to marry and presented as such. She decides upon a masked ball and ends up dancing with a stranger who she feels she knows, and who knows her. Thus becoming a short tale of young love, family bonds, and even delving a bit into a woman's right to assert herself and make her own choices. Audrey and her father, Lord Robert, are the characters you feel most attune to, as they both are given more backstory, something I wish another character or two were given as well. But really overall, it's a short and heart warming read perfect for the Christmas season that is coming upon us. It reminds us of first loves and the excitement and confusion of it all, and it brings on a happy ending that will delight.
I do wish the ball had a bit more detail, as Lady Audrey insisted on making the decor a reflection of herself, I would have loved a vivid description. And the romantic in me would have loved to read about the wedding, but I really can't complain about the ending. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a short read to uplift you and make you smile.
"She had never felt like this, not since her last severe winter cold. And she could not tear her face away from Thomas’s – Thomas, she must remember to think of him as Thomas: her father’s valet, a servant, and not a man of flesh and blood whose gaze was the most potent she had ever seen."
A Christmas Surprise was certainly a surprise to me. This is not the typical book I lean towards, regency romance is very new to me, but I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story follows Lady Audrey, a noblewoman who is about to have her coming out ball now that she has reached the age of 18. An age where woman in this era are ready to marry and presented as such. She decides upon a masked ball and ends up dancing with a stranger who she feels she knows, and who knows her. Thus becoming a short tale of young love, family bonds, and even delving a bit into a woman's right to assert herself and make her own choices. Audrey and her father, Lord Robert, are the characters you feel most attune to, as they both are given more backstory, something I wish another character or two were given as well. But really overall, it's a short and heart warming read perfect for the Christmas season that is coming upon us. It reminds us of first loves and the excitement and confusion of it all, and it brings on a happy ending that will delight.
I do wish the ball had a bit more detail, as Lady Audrey insisted on making the decor a reflection of herself, I would have loved a vivid description. And the romantic in me would have loved to read about the wedding, but I really can't complain about the ending. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a short read to uplift you and make you smile.
"Eden, Eli, Marwan, and Ilanka barely know each other beyond having a class or two together. But when they are all summoned via messaging app to an empty classroom after school, they find a small cube sitting on a desk. Its sides light up with rules for them:
Do not tell anyone about the device. Never leave the device unattended.
And then, Take me with you . . . or else."
I was really interested in the premise of this book! And it seemed like the lighter-quick read I was looking for, but unfortunately it fell pretty flat for me. The world and characters weren't very built or well rounded so I wasn't invested in anyone, definitely takes away a lot from a story for me personally. But the plot was good and paced well enough to complete it! Overall, I have it 3/5 stars.
Do not tell anyone about the device. Never leave the device unattended.
And then, Take me with you . . . or else."
I was really interested in the premise of this book! And it seemed like the lighter-quick read I was looking for, but unfortunately it fell pretty flat for me. The world and characters weren't very built or well rounded so I wasn't invested in anyone, definitely takes away a lot from a story for me personally. But the plot was good and paced well enough to complete it! Overall, I have it 3/5 stars.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
welcome back to the Meridian, and introducing my favorite book of 2022 thus far ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
in Tova, winged serpents, golden eagles and crows fly the skies as water striders take to the waters below. alliances are born, war is looming, clan matriarchs clamor for control, magics are wielded, Gods are reborn and remade, assassins plot, love is torn and complex, friendships and families blossom and implode, political intrigue is rampant, plotting is thick and our guides from their varied points of view take us on journeys through it all - intermingling at the perfect moments.
in a surprise to no one, #FeveredStar is the sequel #BlackSun deserved and i have no regrets about how i’ve anxiously awaited and yelled about it nonstop. and if for some reason you still haven’t read Black Sun (my favorite book of 2020) despite my literal begging everyone to - PLEASE do.
in Fevered Sun we’re brought back to see how our characters, only hours later, are dealing with the aftermath of Black Sun’s blood soaked finale. we watch throughout as they scramble to find their places, their people, and purpose in a now darkened city. we’re also given new, clearer perspectives of characters who were more aptly sidelined in the first novel (don’t even get me started on Iktan🫠).
as invested as i became in our lead Serapio and his equal, Xiala, and their part of the story, i was hungry for and devoured Naranpas chapters. fleshing out her character was one of the absolute highlights of this book. i had my vague opinions on her in Black Sun, but this sequel brought her to a whole other level and shone a truly bright light on her abilities and political prowess. i can not wait to see what she becomes, quite literally, in the next installment of this series.
one of Roanhorse’s strongest abilities is to write her characters as complex and gray as people, fictional and real, truly are. you are hard pressed to find specific “villains” and “heroes” as each person contains the traits of both and the decisions and paths they follow determine their actions that can be seen as either “good” or “bad” depending on circumstances as they themselves, and we, see them. many are put to the test and stretched to their limits in these 388 pages and i was invested in them all.
Roanhorse is a powerhouse of a writer. if you are a reader who appreciates and enjoys a slow and precise build of a rich story, complex characters, LGBTQIA+ representation, a fully realized and detailed world, magic systems, politics and a truly epic journey - the Between Earth and Sky series is for you and i could not recommend it more highly.
stay tuned for my inevitable breakdown and longing for the third installment and her upcoming novella, #TreadofAngels releasing in November.
