mrsalwaysreading's Reviews (624)

Bewitched 
By Kelly Moran
⭐️⭐️.5

I don’t think witchy books are for me.
There is nothing wrong with the writing or the story but the book just felt off. 

It felt like too many books I’ve read already, and the whole thing just didn’t work for me. 

It sounded interesting - a centuries old curse that needs to be broken by the two families it affected and the girls from one side are coupled with the boys from the other… there’s some back story that’s left to the imagination and some plausibility issues that made me think harder than I wanted to. 

Overall, if you’re in to witchy books with some adventure and a little steam, check out this one. One person’s  eye roll is another person’s 5-Star read! 

Thank you @BookTasters for the ebook cope in exchange for ah honest review. 

Unravel Me

By Tahereh Mafi

Audiobook

⭐️⭐️

I don’t even remember requesting the audiobook version of this book on Libby. But… apparently I did. 

I read book 1 in the Shatter Me series earlier this year and I rated it 2/5 stars. 

WHY did I do this to myself? 

I just don’t get the hype around this series. Book 2 was just as annoying as book 1.

I wanted an X-Men moment. 

I got a headache. 

For the love of all female main characters, WHY is Juliette so dang annoying? All the complaining… maybe it was the current societal climate or the fact that I’m a mom of teenagers, but the whining ruined the book. 

The Penalty

By D.C. Kile

Released 11/8

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m not a big sports romance girl. 

But I enjoyed this book. [probably because football. GO PACK GO]

I saw a bit of myself in the FMC, and I appreciated her unfiltered love of the sport and her drive to achieve her dreams. 

I loved that there was so much conflict and tension- that the relationship wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, it felt believable. 

Thank you, D.C. Kile and SunnyBabePR, for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When the Moon Hatched 

By Sarah A. Parker 

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

There is so so much to unpack here. 

What I liked: the story. The premise felt original. 

What I didn’t like: there was a LOT of slow-pace happenings in the first 20%. It felt like it could have been a little more efficient. At points I felt like “GET ON WITH IT.” 

The FMC was annoying. First, she determines to hate attachments, then she loses a loved one, gets angsty for revenge, diverts to play house, but refuses to admit she’s not as hard as she wishes she were. 

Bottom line: the plot was original in this time of SO many fantasy-dragon-magic stories, but the characters could use some editing. 

Also, the mix of language kind of gave me whiplash. Think 1600s England-meets-2020s-America. I rolled my eyes so hard. 

If Only In My Dreams

By Willa Hollis

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“What would you do if the man of your dreams was just that... a dream?”

As readers, I’m sure we have all wondered what it would be like to fall asleep and wake up in the world of fantasy. 

Willa Hollis paints a very vivid picture of real-world-meets-fantasy that I could picture myself in. 

The headache and the joy… the anger and frustration… the hope. This book packed it all in a quick one-day read. 

The spice was more of a sizzle, but had all the delicious tension. 

Piper and Ben, I hope you find eachother out there. 

Thank you, Willa Hollis, for gifting me your debut book. What an honor to read it. 

If Only In My Dreams hits the shelves 12/1!

If You Need Me

By Helena Hunting 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the third book in the Toronto Terror series but can be read as a standalone. 

Dallas and Wilhelmina (Hemi) have a history. A he-picked-on-me-when-we-were-kids/ it’s-because-I-liked-you situation. 

They reunite in adulthood, when Hemi is the PR rep for the hockey team Dallas plays for. 

Much to Dallas’ excitement, a fake-dating scenario becomes a real love story. 

Golden Retriever / Black Cat 

The spice is well done. 

I received the Advanced Listening Copy via Good Girls PR is exchange for an honest review. 

All opinions are my own. 

Throne of Secrets

by Kerri Maniscalco

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The second book in the Prince of Sin series. 

The first one was rough for me. This one was much better. I enjoyed the witty back-and-forth between the main characters and the layers of mystery that all seemed to have the same focal point. 

The twist at the end was good! The story didn’t really point to the main villain until the end, then it all made sense. 

Glow of the Everflame

by Penn Cole

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The second installment of Kindred’s Curse. 

I know I said that I didn’t expect to read book 2 until I got through more of my TBR, but in a moment of true mood-reader fashion, I opened my kindle and just went for it. 

There was no shortage of drama and tension. I appreciated the back-and-forth of Diem and Luther, and the steamy tension building… 

Book 3 better be off the rails. 

What Feasts At Night 

By T. Kingfisher 

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

# 2 in the series. 

More spooky happenings. 

Some humor sprinkled in.

Hot take: not “horror”.

Still CREEPY.