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Love & Other Accidents

Jackie Walker

DID NOT FINISH: 4%

How can one character be so annoying.

Song of Silver, Flame Like Night

Amélie Wen Zhao

DID NOT FINISH: 63%

I got to chapter 22, which is where things really started to kick off but if I'm being completely honest I lost my motivation to finish this book a week ago. There were too many issues for/with me from the beginning.

By chapter two I was very much into the book and liked it, there's a rich history and the prologue laid out the background well, giving you a good foundation to read the book and understand why things were the way the are. But I also started the book on the 15th of Jan and it took me till the 16th of Feb to get to chapter 22. Somewhere in the haze (yes that is a t-swift ref) I lost my motivation to read this which is a shame, because I think I might very well like it if I could get myself to the end, however that's not going to be happening - it could be because I've been in the longest and largest slump (3 weeks) I've ever been in and that this book unfortunately is a casualty but we'll never know until I pick it up again hopefully in a few months.

I'm interested in the plot but it also feels very much like something I've seen before, which is sad because this book was highly anticipated for me. 

Other things of note:
  • I do appricate the history/explanations of the magic systems but sometimes I felt that it took away from the narrative. Not when it was explained as part of educational scenes for the character but when there were slight knowledge dumps.
  • There are a lot of side characters which is fine but often they were listed or mentioned in passing so it was hard for me to keep track of everyone or remember their significance when they were just plot devices for example almost everyone in the first few chapters.
  • I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, or becoming invested in their journey.
  • The connection between Lan and Zen felt kind of forced and superficial like yes, they're both cute but what else?

I would recommend this because I think it does YA fantasy well, all the key components were there, however I don't think it's the book for me in my current headspace.

Thank you to Amélie Wen Zhao and HarperCollins UK for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Stolen by the Wolves

Lyx Robinson

DID NOT FINISH: 33%

Started reading, forgot the plot, checked the description and realised it was book 1 in a 6 book series.

Ensnared

Tiffany Roberts

DID NOT FINISH: 50%

I did finish it, I just skimmed through the second half. It got to a point where I just wanted it to be over. Good though, but not what I thought it was gonna be.

Godkiller

Hannah Kaner

DID NOT FINISH: 20%

So I've read other reviews for Godkiller so I can say that if you like fast-paced, multiple POV, a badass female main character you will enjoy Godkiller. The book gives off very much witcher vibes where godkillers are paid to kill gods, as the worship etc. has been banned... toss a coin to your godkiller anyone?

I too also like the above but I couldn't get into it, I really liked Kissen our main character a one-legged, sexually fluid Godkiller. There's also Inara - a young noble girl who goes to Kissen for help as she's become bound to a god of white lies - which wouldn't be a problem for Kissen normally - she could just go Godkiller on them except the god doesn't have a shrine and that's where their quest begins. They are later joined by a knight who completes this fellowship of four. 

My issue is that the POVs changed constantly and that the chapters were very short. I couldn't get into because as soon as I did the POV would change. I really did have high hopes for this book but I think it's still solid, it's just not for me, I like to sit with the characters and I unfortunately couldn't do that here.

Thank you to HarperCollins UK and Hannah Kaner in exchange for an ARC for my honest review.

Those Boys Are Trouble

Willow Winters

DID NOT FINISH: 61%

Kinda repetitive but yes to the smut.

Flowers for the Devil

Vlad Kahany

DID NOT FINISH: 4%

Gonna try and come back to this in late 2023

Taken by the Dark Elf King

Charlotte Swan

DID NOT FINISH: 12%

It is what it is - not being read.

Her Soul to Take

Harley Laroux

DID NOT FINISH: 3%

It's just not gonna happen, let's just clear the slate for 2023

The Ritual

Shantel Tessier

DID NOT FINISH: 8%

Let's be real if I haven't finished this book by now I'm never going to.