The Sassy Bookworm
⭐⭐⭐ – Adorable cover!
The illustrations (from what I could see) were adorable in this one. The story itself was cute with religious overtones that I wasn't aware of when I requested it. I wasn't overly bothered by that as the story was still very sweet. However, I had a major issue with this book. There was no option to download this ARC file as a PDF and it just did not display properly on my Kindle app. The illustrations were cut off and it was TINY, which made it even harder to read.
⭐
DNF @chapter 16
I threw in the towel on this one at chapter 16. This should have been right up my alley, but the major continuity issues were just glaring. One, the journalist doesnøt know who has been murdered when she write her article. next chapter she is asking about the person who got murdered by name. Then, and this one was mind blowing. The killer buries the evidence in the yard. He dug a hole and everything. Then in chapter 16 he is taking the evidence from under the floorboards in his ROOM. I mean...come on! I know ARCs are not the finished copies, but even for an ARC this was ridiculous!
⭐⭐⭐⭐– I am all kinds of in love with this cover!
I love these types of books! They always make excellent gifts and coffee table books, and are just beautiful to flip through. The illustrations in this one are just gorgeous. On top of that there is plenty of interesting information on different types of edible plants laid out in alphabetical order. including their symbolic meaning, possible powers, and folklore & facts. This would be a perfect gift for a foodie or a gardener!
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Beautiful cover on this one!
First off, the illustrations in this book are gorgeous! This would make a wonderful gift based on them alone. However, this book is also packed full of prompts that will inspired your journaling and help you connect with the magic that is the natural world (the Fall section is my favorite). It also includes plenty of space for you to write out your thoughts. This would be perfect for someone that loves nature and journaling!
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Great cover on this one!
What an exceptional debut book this was! The writing was top notch. The plot was original. It was well paced. The setting was just so unique. Paper has become obsolete and physical books and remnants of writing/printing are now museum pieces. The characters were likable (mostly
⭐⭐⭐ – Great cover!
I probably would have enjoyed this one more had I read the previous books in the series. This one doesn't hold up well as a standalone, so I can't recommend it as such. I also thought it read more like a YA book than a middle grade one. The characters (Alex specifically) read as an older teen and not someone just turning 13. That said, it wasn't a bad book. It was spooky and it held my interest throughout.
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another action packed and highly entertaining read in the Joe Mason series. We pick up from where we left off in book one and this time Joe and gang are trying to stop the Amori from getting their hands on something (I won't say what) that could destroy the Vatican and all they stand for. This type of read is like literary crack for me, so it is a no brainer that I enjoyed the heck out of it. If I had to be picky about anything, I will say it did drag a bit towards the end. That said, i cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in this series!
Merged review:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another action packed and highly entertaining read in the Joe Mason series. We pick up from where we left off in book one and this time Joe and gang are trying to stop the Amori from getting their hands on something (I won't say what) that could destroy the Vatican and all they stand for. This type of read is like literary crack for me, so it is a no brainer that I enjoyed the heck out of it. If I had to be picky about anything, I will say it did drag a bit towards the end. That said, i cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in this series!
⭐⭐⭐ – Great cover on this one!
I read and enjoyed the previous book in this series, so I was looking forward to diving into this one. Alas, I just did not enjoy this one as much. First, I hate romantic relationship angst in my cozies. If I want to read that I would have picked up a romance. And this book had way too much of it. The second issue was how over the top Missy's character was. We get it, she is a “mean girl”. However, he actions were ridiculously over the top and she entered cartoon villain territory every time she was on page. Aside from those two issues, the book was pretty good. The mystery kept me guessing. I love the setting and Jenna remains a solid lead (who should definitely dump Keith...just saying.
⭐⭐⭐ – Beautiful cover on this one!
This was a middle of the road type of read for me. I didn't love it nor did I hate it. The dual timeline worked well. However, I found myself more interested in Ona than I did Tessa. I also felt it was slow at times. Like i said, not a bad read by any means. I just wasn't blown away.
⭐⭐⭐
I enjoyed this book (for the most part). The setting was beautiful and there were parts that were lyrical in the storytelling. That said, I couldn't help but feel everything was just surface level explored. Racism. Residential schools. Alcohol and drug abuse. Gambling. Suicide. The loss of land and seperation of families. All these topics are mentioned, but never given the depth they deserve. If this book was longer and these topics were fully fleshed out, this could have been an amazing 5-star read.
ARC Via NetGalley