I love most romance books, but the sapphic ones have a special place in my heart because those are the ones I relate to the most. I’ve read and enjoyed many of Blake’s MG and YA books, and was excited to try her adult debut.

Right away, the characters in Delilah Green Doesn’t Care felt so real, as if they could step off the page and into the world at any moment. I instantly took a liking to Delilah, and not just because she’s snarky and has dark hair and tattoos and that’s absolutely my type. Beneath the snark, she’s coping with a lot of unresolved pain and grief from both her childhood and adult life thus far, which she’s forced to confront due to the circumstances of the story. Even though our experiences haven’t been the same, I could relate to her, and found her character development admirable.

I really liked Claire too. She loves books, has a small friend group and finds most socializing of either platonic or romantic nature intimidating, which… same. All of it. Same. Her crush on Delilah is also all too relatable. Anyway, jokes aside, her character development was also admirable. She’s dealing with insecurity and self-doubt in more ways than one, regarding her strenuous relationships with her pre-teen daughter and said daughter’s flighty father, as well as whether or not, with all of her issues, she’s “too much” to love. I loved seeing her gain more confidence as she sorted everything out.

Delilah and Claire had such a great dynamic, and seeing them turn into friends and then more was delightful. I also loved the scenes with Delilah and Ruby, Claire’s daughter, who’s spunky the way a lot of kids her age are but also such a sweetheart. She instantly took a liking to Delilah (see, it’s not just me!) and that, combined with the fact that the feeling was mutual, warmed my heart. 10/10 little family. <3

I think my only issue with this book was that the biggest conflict actually involved a side character’s relationship instead of either of the protagonists, and their own conflict seemed shallow in comparison. Not to mention, if that side character had just kept her mouth shut instead of letting her emotions get the best of her and exaggerating a situation that didn’t really involve her, there wouldn’t have been a problem in the first place. Classic miscommunication, except someone else was meddling. I don’t know; maybe I’m misreading the scene entirely, but these are my thoughts nonetheless.

Despite that, and that it’s not ~quite~ a new favorite, I still thoroughly enjoyed Delilah Green Doesn’t Care. It was a brilliant blend of sweetness, sass and spice, while also dealing with heavier topics in a respectful but not overpowering manner. I’ll definitely be reading Blake’s next romcom. <3

Representation

I’ve been a part of the online book community for years now, and The Song of Achilles is one of the most widely loved books I’ve seen across the internet. There’s a ton of fan art. The heartbreaking ending is practically legendary. I was excited to finally, finally read it, and curious too; only one book has ever made me cry, and I wondered if this would be the second.

Turns out, this was one of the most disappointing books I’ve ever read. I don’t know if I trust y’all’s recommendations anymore. The pacing was slow, yet the time passed in a really weird way. At the beginning or even in the middle of a chapter, Patroclus would just casually say that two months passed, or four years had gone by. If I wasn’t careful, I’d literally be years behind, looking around all confused, trying to figure out what was going on. And on that note, there were multiple events that seemed highly improbable, if not completely impossible, that I had trouble accepting actually happened.

As for the characters, well, they’re basically all awful. The only ones I liked were Patroclus, Achilles and Briseis, but I found I never really got attached to any of them. And in the final third of the book, I hardly recognized Achilles. I get that wars change people, especially when they last as long as this one did, but he seemed like a completely different, much less likable person. The ending was entirely his fault. I said what I said.

Speaking of the ending—while I’ll admit that it was sad, overall, it was nowhere near as emotional as I’d heard and come to expect. I didn’t cry, or come close to crying, or even feel the urge to cry. For the most part, I just felt detached and was waiting for the book to be over.

If not for the incredible amount of hype surrounding this book and my own insatiable curiosity, I probably would’ve DNFed around halfway through. I pushed through in hopes that the end would redeem the rest, but it did not. Usually in negative reviews I try to bring up at least a couple of positives, one or two things I liked despite not liking the rest, but here… I can’t think of anything worth mentioning. 🤷🏼

I guess, read this if you want? But I can’t say I recommend it, to be quite honest.

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I decided to read this on a whim after finishing the duology in novel format, and honestly, I think this is even better. The art is gorgeous and the attention to detail is amazing. I loved seeing Shazi and Khalid brought to life. If you’re a fan of the series or looking to get into it, definitely give this a try! It’s free on Webtoon! ❤️

[second read, September-October 2023]
Rating raised from 3.5 stars to 4.

Me last year: Eros is being an asshole!!
Me now: Meh. I’ve suffered through a whole book of Dante Russo. This is nothing.

I was curious to see if my opinion would be different this time around, if this book still fell in last place in my Dark Olympus series ranking. While I can now say that I’m considerably fonder of Eros and Psyche—due largely to the parallels between them, Tink and Hook, and another of my favorite, unrelated fictional couples—that stance yet remains the same.

It really is interesting to me, how this pans out. That this is the Dark Olympus equivalent of A Worthy Opponent, my favorite Wicked Villains book and overall favorite Katee book, yet my least favorite in its own series. That, somehow, I just never formed an attachment to Eros and Psyche the way I did Tink and Hook, even though I should adore both ships.

Tastes really do be weird like that.

[first read, February 2022]
I was so excited for this book, both because I loved Neon Gods and because I haven’t seen any other retellings of the Eros and Psyche myth.

Unfortunately, though it was a quick read, Electric Idol wasn’t as entertaining to me as its predecessor. While I did really like Psyche, the same wasn’t true about Eros. His possessiveness toward Psyche was off-putting. I can’t say they had no chemistry, because they did, but I wasn’t really invested in their romance. In the last book, I was so distraught by the idea of Hades and Persephone not being together; in this one, I found myself mostly indifferent to the relationship and whether or not it lasted.

Similarly, in the last book, the final chapters were super intense; I sped through, needing to know if everything would work out. This time around, it felt very anticlimactic. There were a couple of impressive twists, but my point stands.

The best part was the side characters. I love the Dimitriou sisters, as well as Helen, Eris and Hermes. Every mention of Persephone and Hades made me ridiculously happy, and their cameos? I was through the freaking ROOF. To be honest, I kind of wish we’d seen a bit more of them. Also, I don’t think they got officially married in Neon Gods? So the fact that I didn’t get to see their wedding? RUDE.

I’m joking but also not.
(2023 Liv: I stand by this.)

Anyway, criticisms aside, Electric Idol wasn’t a bad book. I liked one of the protagonists, loved most of the side characters, and was living for the banter between Eros and Psyche. I’ll definitely be reading the next book, and also probably rereading the first because I miss Persephone and Hades. They’re the best.

Representation

I finally did it. I finally read this book. It only took me seven years to get to. Not my finest reading moment, but patting myself on the back for it nonetheless.

Where the first book focused on the enemies to lovers romance and the complexities of its characters, this one focused more on world-building, politics and war. The pacing was about the same, the romance still present, but there was something about The Rose and the Dagger that didn’t live up to its predecessor; I just can’t pinpoint it.

Maybe it was that I predicted nearly all of the plot twists, and the ones I didn’t predict were resolved too quickly to have much of an impact. Maybe it was that I found I didn’t care about most of the characters, or the budding romance between two of them. Maybe it was the disproportionate amount of planning vs action, or the abruptness of the ending. Maybe it was all of the above.

The saving grace was the characters I did care about: Shahrzad, Khalid, Despina and Jalal. If I didn’t like them so much, if I wasn’t so thoroughly invested in Shazi and Khalid’s romance, I suspect this review would be very different, my rating lower. But luckily, I have a weak spot for fierce, ambitious girls and the soft, traumatized-and-in-need-of-a-hug boys that adore them. I also have a weak spot for snarky best friends. And it was those weak spots that ensured I did like at least some aspects of this book.

Don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t a bad book. Despite my criticisms of it and my preference for her later work, Ahdieh is undeniably an excellent storyteller. And although this duology isn’t a favorite of mine, it’s still enjoyable, and I’m glad I finally finished it.

(Also, I want to put this here so I don’t forget: I noticed an interesting amount of similarities between this and the Sands of Arawiya duology by Hafsah Faizal. Both feature fierce girl protagonists, traumatized-and-in-need-of-a-hug love interests, and snarky side characters to round out the found family, whose relationships develop in unexpected ways. The protagonists of both books have shyer younger sisters with a knack for medicine that come into their own over the course of the story. Both stories also feature an enemies to lovers ship you can’t help but go down with, and a magical book you probably shouldn’t trust.) (I’m not saying anyone copied anyone else. I quite like both duologies. These are just my own early-hours-of-the-morning musings.)

Representation

I loved Despina and Jalal in The Wrath and the Dawn, so this was a really fun novella! I really enjoyed seeing them banter and start to fall for each other. If I had any complaints, I think the only one would be that this wasn’t longer. I would’ve liked another few chapters, just for fun. :)

Representation

[Copy sent to me by the author as part of her review team. This doesn’t affect my opinions/review.]

Although this was a fun read, I can’t honestly say that it was anything more. I wasn’t attached to either of the protagonists, nor was I invested in their relationship. I found myself more interested in some of the side characters—specifically, the heroine’s best friend, said friend’s girlfriend, and the hero’s younger sister.

I’ve gotta say, both protagonists felt very one-dimensional. Anneke kept mentioning that she was a supermodel in unrelated conversations, making me wonder if she had any other personality traits. As for Jonah, he was very mopey, but all we knew in that department was that it had something to do with an ex-girlfriend. Only when the book is nearly over do we find out that said ex didn’t do anything wrong except get swept up in newfound fame and briefly lose sight of what really mattered. There was even a scene where Jonah and Maggie (his ex) saw each other for the first time since their breakup, and honestly, Maggie seemed really sweet. So personally, I kind of think Jonah was overreacting. I feel a bit bad typing that, because I know different people respond to things in different ways, but my opinion remains the same.

I don’t know what else to say. I liked the focus on Mardi Gras, as that’s not a holiday I knew much about and it does kind of seem fun, but that’s about it. There wasn’t anything inherently wrong with Here for It… I’m just not here for it. (Sorry not sorry lmao I couldn’t resist.)

Also, one more tidbit because I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I found it amusing: Jonah’s early chapters talked a lot about how his late father always warned him to watch out for fake people. The specific term used was “phonies.” The thing is, I can’t see that word without thinking of a scene in Despicable Me 2, where Gru is wearing an awful wig while out on a blind date with a rather odd woman, who has an indescribably weird voice, because she says “phonies” like ten times. XD

I probably won’t read anything else from Jacobson, but if you’re interested, definitely give this a try. Just because it wasn’t my cup of tea, doesn’t mean it won’t be yours. :)

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[Early copy from Netgalley. This doesn’t affect my opinions/review.]

I’ve followed Racquel on social media for years, as she worked on this book in various stages, so it’s exciting to see Ophelia After All as a finished book. Not only that, it’s an amazing book from cover to cover, simultaneously a lighthearted, refreshing story that makes you smile and an emotional, impactful one that will undoubtedly make so many teens feel seen.

I loved Ophelia and all of her friends. They’re a bunch of flawed teens doing their best to cope with all the ways their lives are about to change as high school graduation approaches, yet each one also felt well-rounded and genuine. I would’ve loved hanging out with a group like this when I was in high school.

When I started reading, I thought this book featured a sapphic romance. That’s not the case. Instead of romance, the story focuses on self-discovery, and the realization that there’s more to life than what happens in high school, no matter how all-encompassing those things seem. Despite my misconceptions, I still liked the book, and ultimately, I think this was the right choice to make.

If I had one complaint, it would be that I would’ve liked just a little bit more from the ending. Specifically, I wish we’d gotten to see prom night, since a decent amount of the book involves the group discussing and planning for it. Don’t get me wrong, the ending wraps everything up nicely and is quite satisfying, but still.

Overall, though, I thoroughly enjoyed and would definitely recommend Ophelia After All. It’s a brilliant debut across the board, and I can’t wait to see what Racquel does next.

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[second read, December 2022]
I’m genuinely surprised I didn’t cry this time around, because I was expecting to. Even so, I’ve very rarely felt quite such immense dread while reading—dread to the point of feeling physically ill—so good job, Kerri. You really know how to break a girl. :’)))

I don’t have the energy to write anything particularly clever or eloquent right now, but just. I love Cressworth so much. I absolutely adore them. They stole my heart and own my soul, and I’m completely okay with it.

Also. I still hate Meph, but… maybe, just maybe… he was vaguely amusing in this book. And not entirely despicable. Just mostly.

[first read, February 2022]
This was an utterly perfect finale, filled from cover to cover with intrigue, banter, heartbreak, thrill and romance. It also did something no other book has before: it made me cry. A few books have brought tears to my eyes, but even that’s rare. I’ve never in my life actually cried over a book, but Kerri Maniscalco did it.
 

Specifically, it was after Miss Whitehall ruined the wedding, and the crew realized that if Thomas didn’t marry her, his father would ruin everyone’s lives. Audrey Rose and Thomas thinking they could never be together again and how they’d never love anyone else the way they love each other…. it broke me. I was crying in my bedroom at 2 a.m. because I truly didn’t think there was any way for them to get out of this mess. I’d never felt so hopeless before.

Audrey Rose, Thomas, Liza, Daciana and Ileana have completely stolen my heart. Audrey Rose and Thomas, in particular, own my soul. Six months ago, I thought I’d never read these books. I’m so glad I decided to give the first book a second chance last month, because this series is one of the best rides I’ve ever been on. Even when it made me seethe, when it made me cry, I adored it. It made me laugh more than any others I can recall.

One part of this book that was especially special to me was that Audrey Rose used a cane. That she was disabled. While I don’t need to use any sort of mobility aid, as a disabled, chronically ill person, this meant so much to me. I loved that, even though she had a limp and needed a cane, Audrey Rose was as fierce and clever and badass as in previous books, if not even more so. 💛

As for the story itself, Maniscalco outdid herself. The first half focused more on romance while the second emphasized the mystery, but both elements were prevalent and well-balanced throughout. It was fascinating to see details from the previous books tied into this one’s story. And although I did figure out who the killer was, that in no way detracted from the finale’s heart-pounding intensity.

My heart was in my THROAT when Thomas and Jonathan were poisoned and stayed there for basically the entire rest of the book. Audrey Rose’s confrontation with Holmes was terrifying, but also, I’m immensely proud of my badass queen for handling it so cleverly. I cheered when she wielded her cane sword—which, by the way, is the coolest freaking thing EVER. And the sheer emotion of her reunion with Thomas after she escaped… I don’t even have the words. When Thomas said, “If the poison wasn’t about to kill me, I swear the thought of losing you was.” I thought I was going to cry again. 🥺🥺🥺

And the ending? A friend kept telling me it was worth every bit of pain, and he was right. Audrey Rose’s grandmother saved the day, of all people—and she’s absolutely iconic, by the way. We were blessed with not one but two epilogues, and my heart was so full, I thought it might burst. I finished the book two hours ago now and I’m still thinking about it and grinning like a fool. 💛

The fact that Audrey Rose and Thomas are traveling the world with Sir Isaac Mewton!! And they’re going to open their own investigation agency!! And he finally, properly proposed!! And they got married on the beach at sunset!! I’M SO HAPPY I CAN’T EVEN SAY. HOW PERFECT FOR THEM. 🥺🥺🥺

*sighs* Now what do I do?

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[third read, December 2022]
I have two things to say:
1. I’ve found a new favorite quote—“‘I want our passion to ignite the world around us, making even the stars jealous.’” HOW is Thomas so poetic and romantic and amazing??? WHERE does Kerri get these lines from??? I NEED ANSWERS.
2. Every time I reread this, I’m just more convinced that WE NEED THE ENTIRE SJTR SERIES FROM THOMAS’S POV. PLEASE KERRI. PLEASE. I AM BEGGING.

[second read, April 2022]
So I lasted two months before I caved and reread this. Less than that if you count the handful of times I’ve reread the last couple of chapters late at night to make myself feel better. What can I say? It’s short and (mostly) sweet and I can’t help myself. It’s the perfect solution whenever I miss Cressworth. 😌✨

[first read, February 2022]
This is my favorite novella, hands down. From it, I’ve deduced three things: