readingwordsmith's Reviews (203)

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston was disappointing, especially considering how much I absolutely adored Red, White, and Royal Blue by this author. I wanted to like this one because I have been starting to read some more sapphic romances. However, my biggest critique is that I just could not fully suspend my disbelief, at least not to the point required by this book. This is usually not a major issue for me because I can generally get behind what an author tries to do with a story's fantastical aspects.

Initially, I was really interested in this book - the premise was unique, and the intrigue and mysteries at the start kept me engaged and listening. I do like how the two big mysteries in the story are kind of interconnected and mirror each other; if you've read this book, you'll know what I'm talking about! I also love the inclusion of drag queens in this book; that was completely unexpected and definitely a fun cameo to feature. There were so many little aspects of the story that worked for me that it made the larger issues all the more frustrating to me. I also do not believe that August did not suspect anything weird about Jane for a while; again, this is where the issue of suspension of disbelief comes in.

Also, the third-act breakup in this one was annoying, and I strongly disliked how it played out. Third-act breakups rarely work for me, if ever, and this one just did not do it for me. I just did not like the reasons behind why Jane and August broke up, it felt really unnecessary to the narrative from my perspective. The ending was also wrapped up almost with a bow, and I also did not like how the ending played out. I knew that this book was a romance, but I could not get behind the happily ever after at the end of the story- again, another instance where I just felt I could not quite suspend my disbelief.

Overall, I liked some aspects of this story, but it just failed to live up to my expectations. It was made all the more disappointing because the last book I read by Casey McQuiston was such a hit. This book was one of my top 25 books to read in 2025, and honestly, I do not think it was worth the hype I put onto it before reading it. The story was fine but was nothing special and I can already feel my memory of the story fading fast. Hopefully, some of the other books in my top 25 anticipated reads of 2025 will end up being ones that I enjoy more than this one.

Thank you so much to the author, Thea Hawthorne, for the free early copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a lovely, cozy fantasy, the environment was super well-described. I think one of my favorite things about this novella was how atmospheric it was! I really felt like I was in Esk and in the countryside with these characters. I enjoyed the fantasy aspects of the story with the aether, and I would love to learn more about it. The fantastical components of this were not too complicated to follow; While they were present, they did not overwhelm the narrative, which I appreciated since the story was so short. I love the summer house party vibes that were established in this, this is just a setting that I generally like to read about.

The story's beginning was instigated by a bet, which I thought was a fun concept. I appreciated seeing the character growth that Nora and Lisette underwent throughout the story. The paintings and the creative aspects of the story -and I don't think I've read too many stories focused so heavily on the arts - was refreshing. You can tell that the main character is very guarded at the beginning, and it is really a journey of peeling back the layers of the characters. However, I will say I did expect a greater focus on the romance in this novella, things do not start to pick up until over halfway into it. I wouldn't have had an issue with this except for the fact that it is heavily marketed as a cozy, sapphic novella. I also did not love how Nora's friends treated her at the beginning but they get a bit of redemption at the end.

Overall, I think this was such a cozy and exciting story. There was excellent character development throughout this and the atmospheric setting was two key aspects that I adored about this novella. The countryside estate evoked such a mystical, dream-like feeling within me which made me feel cozy and warm within. Lisette's companions in the story were super boisterous and vibrant bringing a lot of life and hilarity into the pages. This novella was a quick read that I would recommend because of its whimsy and is one that I think will have a wide appeal to people interested in the cozy romantasy genre. Definitely planning on going back and reading the first novella and keeping up with the series going forward!

A stunning comic book focused all on a secret society named after Marie Curie. It was a quick read and involved three college girls entering into this scientific society with each of them bringing their own strengths to serve the organization.

I will admit that a lot of the science in this book flew over my head but I felt like there was a good amount of character development in this story. We got to see Taj, Maya, and Simone bicker and argue and slowly get used to each other forming a tentative bond of friendship.

This story was action-packed and has me intrigued to continue on and read the second installment of the story to see how everything concludes. The secret mission that the characters went on was fun to see although the red herring in the story was kind of obvious. I think the best thing about this was all of the illustrations! They really added to my enjoyment and I think the artists of this comic really outdid themselves.

I’m glad to have finally read this book after having it sit on my shelves for about four years untouched. Is this the most groundbreaking comic I’ve ever read, no. But was it certainly a fun time while it lasted? Yes!

Thank you to Libro.FM for the free audio copy of this.

I picked this up on a complete whim and because the audiobook was very short. It was narrated by Jinger herself and this book was definitely very religious…I’m not sure what I expected out of this book but it felt very repetitive which I found to be a bit annoying.

The story includes anecdotes from Jinger’s personal experiences as a people pleaser and trying to keep the peace, which is something that I can relate to myself to a certain extent. However, I don’t think I really got anything useful out of this book and there were so many bible verses in this I got lost in what she was trying to say. 

I think I mostly picked thus story up because I’m fascinated by religious cults and I have seen a documentary about the IBLP community and the harmful practices it preaches. As someone who has seen firsthand the craziness that happened with the Duggar family a few years ago, I think I read this more out of morbid curiosity than anything else. It was like watching a car accident happen but not being able to stop it or look away, and I thought hearing about Jinger’s perspective would be different than simply seeing the news headlines about this family.

This book made me feel so many strong, potent feelings. It unlocked emotions and thoughts that I usually keep buried at the back of my mind and explores these feelings in an incredibly powerful way. This story was absolutely phenomenal and I definitely connected with all the anger and the turmoil contained in its pages. I have not read something that I have related to this strongly in a long time. Xiomara, or The Poet X, has so many unresolved feelings but in the end is able to unleash these thoughts and release them through her written words as poems. I related closely to some of her personal struggles especially the turbulent relationships she has with her family and the world around her. Her writing, and writing in general, is an extremely powerful tool that can be wielded to eloquently express our inner emotions in a way that spoken language never can. I loved that this book shows us how powerful the written word really is. 

Side note: I felt really frustrated at certain points in this book with the way that Xiomara was treated and how she treated other people in this book. As frustrating as this book was, it was incredibly realistic and accurate to real life. The story was also greatly serviced by being written in verse. I can now safely say that I will read anything written by Elizabeth Acevedo. This is the best book I’ve read in 2022 thus far and I’m not sure any other book will top this!

Thank you to Scholastic Press for the free ARC copy of Muted. Before diving into my review, please note that it is based on my opinion of the book. As you consider my thoughts, remember that you are allowed to have different feelings about this book. I was sent a free copy by the publisher Scholastic Press as an early review copy, however, that does not affect or influence my review of the book. If you haven't read it yet, feel free to pick up a copy and form your own opinion on it.

Synopsis: 
Muted by Tami Charles is a YA novel following Denver and her two close friends, Shak and Dali who are trying to fulfill their dreams of becoming famous singers. Inspired by the R. Kelley events, this book explores the dark, hidden side of the music industry. It shows how a young girl’s dreams are used and exploited against her.

Content Warnings: Sexual Assault, Emotional Abuse, Eating Disorder, Body Shaming, Rape, Grief, Murder, Toxic Relationship

Note: This book contains mature and alarming content, please proceed with caution.


Review:
Muted by Tami Charles takes place over the span of a short two-hour plane ride. The entire story is told in flashbacks after all the events have occurred. I loved that we get some good character development on Denver, Shak, and Dali before things start to happen. It really helped me understand their motivations and what really drove them to seek success in the music industry.

I love that the side characters were well fleshed out and developed. I really felt like I could empathize and understand where Denver’s, Shak’s, and Dali’s families were all coming from. There are subtle clues throughout the entire story that I picked up on before any of the main cast that revealed the true nature of Sean “Merc” Ellis. I was surprised it took Denver SO LONG to see what was actually happening. She just closed her eyes to reality because of her DESPERATE desire to become famous which is understandable but frustrating. 

One of the things I enjoyed most about the book was the fact that it was written in verse. It didn’t feel like flowery poetry which was what I feared going into the book. Instead, it was a brilliant way of telling the story. I also loved that the songs that were written in the story, were included and it really helped immerse me into Denver’s world. The format that the story was written in was really consumable and easy to read which also helped to immerse me into the story and the events that were occurring.

The entire plot was leading up to a climax and an UNFORGETTABLE ending. There were a few moments of shock leading up to the main reveal in the story, but they did NOT prepare me. I bawled my eyes out for a good hour after reading the last 30 pages of the story and discovering where the airplane’s final destination was. This book really illustrated the problems with relationships that feature a MAJOR imbalance in power. It also showed the corrupt nature of the music industry in a way I’ve not seen anywhere else. I will continue to reflect on this story and recommend this book for a long time to come.

Rating: 5/5 stars (also 5/5 in terms of tears)
Author: Tami Charles
Genre: YA, hard-hitting contemporary
Publisher: Scholastic Press

Thank you to the author, Davina Stone, and Book Sirens for this free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: The Alice Equation by Davina Stone is basically a fake dating/friends-to-lovers romance. It follows our two main characters who have been best friends for five years: Alice and Aaron. Alice works in a bookshop and has been pining after Aaron for years whilst Aaron is a party guy with commitment issues. When Aaron tries to land a job at a highly prestigious law firm, he needs a fake date to show his commitment to the law firm's idea of "family values." Alice agrees to fake date Aaron so that he can get the job. Throughout the book, Alice and Aaron uncover hidden secrets and lies as they try to navigate and understand their complex relationship.

Note/Disclaimer: This is DEFINITELY a new adult story. It contains mature themes, please proceed with caution.

Content Warnings: Sexual Tension, Sex, Grief, Expletive Language (cursing).

Review:
The Alice Equation by Davina Stone really took me for a wild ride. This novel was extremely fast-paced and some very INTENSE things were already happening by page 100. I love how Aaron and Alice's friendship is already pre-established and they've been friends for a long time. It really makes the romance and the events of the book seem more realistic and believable. At times, I got extremely frustrated with the miscommunication that kept happening between the two main characters.

I found Aaron to be quite arrogant and full of himself at the beginning of the story. He's pretty selfish and treats Alice with little regard, taking her friendship for granted. I really appreciated how his personality develops throughout the story and he learns how to become more open and accept his emotions. His closed-off behavior makes sense because of his traumatic past but I appreciated the fact that near the end of the story, he begins to move past this.

The story mostly focused on the romance and I wish there had been more of a B plot throughout the story beyond just the romance. A secondary plot was introduced quite late into the story at around page 200 that I ABSOLUTELY adored. I really wish we would've gotten more of that in the story. Another critique I have for the story is the lack of development in the setting/environment. I didn't realize that this story even took place in Australia until around the halfway point in the story. If there were subtle hints in the book suggesting that it took place in Australia, I missed most of them as an American. I learned that it took place in Australia only when it was blatantly stated in the story.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book but some scenes were a little intense on the smut for my taste. This would've been fine if there has been some more plot to carry the story through. I liked the characters' connection with each other and the other relationships portrayed throughout the book. Having these other fleshed out relationships made the story and characters feel more realistic. I think the biggest critiques I have for the story was the fact that the setting of the story and the secondary plot point felt underdeveloped. I considered rating this a solid four-star, but have lowered my rating because of my issues with the setting and secondary plot development. I have rounded up my rating in order to input it into Book Sirens.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars (rounded up to a 4 star)

Author: Davina Stone

Genre: New Adult, Romance