lambsbooks's Reviews (1.4k)

”To control languages, to control words, is to control what people know."

4.25 stars

People shouldn’t fear their Prime Ministers, Vivien. Prime Ministers should fear their people.

I…literally don’t even know what to say. What an amazing book. What a fucking terrible main character. What is my brain at this point?

Every act of translation requires a sacrifice.

Vivien. Holy. Shit. Talk about one of the most ignorant, cowardly, selfish characters I’ve ever read. I literally can’t even put words onto paper about how much I despised her for like 75% of the book. She is the sole reason this rating isn’t 4.5 stars.

The ending, the hope I felt, is the reason the rating is 4.25 and not 4.

I’ve never read a book where language was so important. But it is so important. Language has the power to give life, death, heal, comfort, hurt. And this book showed us all that.

But fucking Vivien.

“You should definitely almost drown,” Beanie said. “But not all the way. Just enough so he has to give you CPR.”

You know what? I’m so glad I didn’t DNF this.

That’s not a great way to start a review but it’s true lmao I was going to because I just didn’t like the language/tone but I pushed past that and realized that I did in fact like the tone of the book and how the FMC thought and I ended up loving it. How about that? lmao

“Relaxing is hard,” I kept saying. “I don’t know what to do.”

This was another fun rom-com from Kathrine Center! She’s really great at writing relatable characters, Katie’s insecurities and struggles were hard to read but so real and it was great. Hutch was also great, super grumpy and owned a dog named George Bailey, so top notch.

“See how easy it is? Plus it helps that you’re a woman.” Good god. I guess he’d noticed.

lmao her internal thoughts had me rolling. The comedy in this was *chef’s kiss*

“I collect pennies from 1965. Only pennies. Only 1965. The year my mom was born.”
“Are they valuable?”
“They are to me.”
“How many do you have?”
Hutch shrugged. “A jar full or so. I haven’t counted in a while. I just like finding them, you know? It’s like my mom’s saying hi.”
“Huh,” I said. “I thought you just really loved pennies.”
“Naw,” Hutch said. “I just really loved my mom.”

The whole parents and Rue storyline had me literally crying, so that was fun.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, the author, and Netgalley for this ARC!

I won’t say that one kiss fixed every broken thing in my life. But I will say this: having someone stand up for you and then kiss you senseless by the water at sunset is a hell of a thing.

“I’m going to ruin you,” he says through gritted teeth. “Ruin you for anyone else.”

Okay, but this whole book was such a vibe! I felt like I was right there with them in the 1940s, listening to Lena sing and seeing Callahan sit in his private investigator's office. Such an experience! It was great.

This book follows the unsolved murder of the Black Dahlia. What this story gives you that reality didn’t is an actual fucking end to the murderers cuz that shit was never solved irl. That makes me mad lmao

“I’m going to fuck him out of you, dollface. You’ll never be the same again.”

I loved both Lena and Victor in this, I found them great as both standalone characters and together as a couple. I am so excited to read Karina’s other vampire books so I can see more from the secondary characters we met here, like Valtu Aminoff (aka Dracula) and Absolon! It was nice to see Abe as well, from Ocean of Sin and Starlight! I love crossovers like this!

“And who do you think I am, Callahan?”
“Someone who’s survived by keeping secrets. Someone who’s used to being watched, admired, desired—but never really seen.”

There were lots of twists, turns, and reveals, and of course, the thriller/mystery aspect as well, so overall, 10/10 would recommend!

Thank you so much Karina and Lauren for this ARC!

“Since when did you give a fuck about the gods? The only god you need to worship is me.”

Picture the scene: you’re fresh off the battlefield, watching your allies die and the hot fae you’ve come to like-love-hate-whatever is killing your people while riding a dragon, and you’re racing back to his castle to make sure he doesn’t suspect you of being a spy. Well, bebe, he’s gonna surprise you another way when you sneak back.

HaPpY mArRiAgE pRoPoSaL

"But have no fear—when you are my wife, she won’t be able to lay a finger on you. Anyone who so much as looks in your direction without my permission will beg for death before I’m done with them.”

Wellllll, this was fun

I’m afraid I’ll like fucking the enemy so much, I’ll destroy the entire mission.

This picks up right where we left off at the end of book 2, with Talon basically ordering Nia to marry him lmao. This one was full of scheming, dragons, spice, family, heartbreak, and OUTRAGE at the Pendragons - omg I was so outraged guys lol

I find that the best thing, really, for a post-breakup emotional spiral is a near-death experience.

Nia was once again a queen. She let no one get away with anything and did what she needed to do *clap* Talon was perfection, no notes.

Am I a spy or a prisoner who’s completely lost control of my mission? As an undercover agent, I should be a manipulator, a puppeteer, influencing those around me to work for my agenda. Instead, I’m fleeing from a fucking basilisk so I can marry a man I’ve kissed once, a man I’m also trying to kill. Worst game of Kiss, Marry, Kill ever.

Thank you to the authors for this eARC!! But also because I was so sad I missed the ARC sign-up that I messaged Christine to say I was sad and she sent it to me anyway and I love her now

It wasn’t that they didn’t want one, it’s that they didn’t think of it. She was an afterthought. She wondered how long she’d been an afterthought.

What the fuck just happened?

What the fuck am I supposed to do with my life after this book? ESPECIALLY after that epilogue!? That was just rude, I need more. How dare this book.

“That’s your problem, Jodi. You’ve always thought there’s someone more special, more deserving. Zack Thrasher’s life, his comfort, his happiness— it’s always been more important to you than anyone else’s.”

I did not finish this book. It finished me. I am changed. Found the light. Etc, etc. Okay, I'm done lmao

She felt so foolish. What would she even say if anyone asked why she was crying? My friends’ lives don’t revolve around me? I got sad, and getting sad got me sadder?

I was so hesitant going into this because I do not like thrillers but for some unknown reason the last few books I've read have had a thriller component and I've loved them so who am I am?

“Jodi, I knew what I was doing when I gave you that USB.”

This exceeded my expectations. I was confused the entire time. I was livid. I was living the little romance that was happening. I was hating Emily. I was feeling bad for Emily. I was hating the Thrashers. Loving the Thrashers. Everything. Jodi was such a raw character. I've had so many thoughts like she did throughout the book that I had to stop and not cry because I was like, I know what you're feeling and it hurts.

“The only person you’d take the fall for. Who we’d all take the fall for.”

Pretty sure I never liked Zach tho, that guy…wow.

I'm not sure what to even say? I don't want to spoil anything for you guys since it is mYsTeRiOuS but we have Emily, the girl who didn't fit. We have the unattainable Thrashers, the ones everyone wants to fit in with. And then, we have questions.

Emily kills herself, and her journal surfaces, blaming the Thrashers for bullying her.

What's real?

What's fake?

Is there a paranormal aspect??

You'll just have to read to find out *winky wink*

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and the author for this eARC! Please write a sequel. I am begging you. I want to reread this already.

One of them couldn’t breathe, one of them couldn’t think, and one of them couldn’t swim.


__________

Fuck me what was that epilogue??

Rtc

All the damn stars
___________

I don’t really like thrillers so I wasn’t going to read this but I got an ARC so I guess I am 😂

Everything unsettles me.

4.25 stars

Because I am, I’m sorry to say, a bit of a mess– an emotional shipwreck– a weak-limbed limpet!

This was just as whimsical, emotional, and healing as book 1. Our characters are separated by *time-space-dimensions* and are working to reunite with their families.

My Brain troubles me once again. I feel very tired, and I keep forgetting what I have and haven’t done. I went to check the door again, despite having already done so several times, and I remain unconvinced that I am safe. How am I to feel safe anywhere that is not the Deep House?

The main thing that I love about these books, and that was apparent in my review of book 1, is the mental illness/health rep. Both E and Henerey have illnesses, and in this one, you see them finally (!!) together and how they are coping and helping each other. That was really great for me. I also especially loved this line:

Because in lots of books, MC #1 meets MC #2 and is all of the sudden “healed” of their mental illness. Come onnn. So this was so much more realistic that E acknowledges that he is helping her (and vice versa) but that she is not magically cured.

There is no magical, cure-all dick in this. Thank you kindly.

Imagine, if you will, an endless ocean topped by an equally endless sky. It seems impossible, of course. Everything must have its end eventually, mustn’t it?

I will say, not a huge fan of the reveal, the reason for the portals and the fall from the sky. I knew this was otherworldly, obvious, but this is, um, a little much for me lmao

It is not staying here that terrifies me the most – it is the thought that E. might soon see how the correspondent who seemed charming on paper is just an anxious, sad fellow who forgot even to bid her good night.

Overall, I need the next book because once again this one ends on a slight cliffhanger and I am dying.

Thank you to Orbit Books and the author for this eARC!

 "You aren't an awakening." I whisper. "You're the whole dawn. And I can't believe I ever thought I'd seen the sun before you."

I loved this just as much as book 1! The humour, the spice, the struggles, all so perfect. 

Eh.

I, for the life of me, could not focus on this book, so I missed huge chunks of it but also, I didn't really care?

It'll be interesting to physically read these one day to see if my opinion changes since I'm not a fan of this narrator. 

I dunno how I feel about this book. It wasn't great, it wasn't bad, I think I was bored? I just didn't care about either main character or their relationship. The fake dating happened for all of 1 interaction then they were like "let's actually date haha"

They were mostly 1 dimensional but maybe I don't like Lana's writing style because I felt the same way about The Fake Mate.

There was no hockey in this hockey romance either and Bradley was over the top Villain with a capital V lmao

I dunno.