Natália
“Words were good. But sometimes they were simply inadequate.”
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
I'm starting right off the bat with the fact that I didn't enjoy this one as much as I did “My Lady Jane” - and while both of these books are obvious satyrs and meant to be funny and ridiculously absurd, this one leaned a little too much on the absurd part and things there were so ridiculous as to be funny ended up a bit annoying to me. And there were way too many conviniences within the plot - things that worked out by pure accident, someone saved by the villain slipping in a pair of glasses (really?), and so on.
But I also had a lot of fun reading this book and if there's one thing these authors do best in the Lady Janes series is spin know tales with a fantasy/paranormal twist. When I read Jane Eyre, I was disappointed by the romance and above all by Mr. Rochester - he was manipulative and even cruel to Jane, the age gap between them was bothersome to say the least and he was abusive with his wife. Still, they ended up together like a gothic fairytale, and that had me fuming by the end. The authors not only managed to fix all that in a manner that I really really enjoyed, gave Jane the happy ending and empowerment she so deserved, but managed to mash the stories of the creature and creature. Yes, Charlotte Brontë is a character in the novel, and my favorite character at that. And the romance between her and the third MC was my favorite thing here, it was so sweet, a kind of ‘enemies' to lovers that had me all soft.
The book ends on a high note, and my overall feeling was positive, especially because I read while listening to the audiobook (which was super funny). I can't wait for the next installment, which, from the synopsis, I have a feeling will be, if not my favorite out of the trilogy, at least an action-packed read.
"You were my right hand, my confidant... my everything."
Weell, wasn't this delicious? I'm finding more and more that I'm a sucker for these quick, fun, steamy romance novels with a bickering couple who end up falling in love, because every time I picked up one this year I finished within the day.
This is my first contact with Whitney G.'s writing, but I'll definitely check out her other books to keep them for in-between heavier reads or when I feel up to a lighter and quicker read. The book was quick and fluid, the dynamic and chemistry between the characters really good and, though very cliché, the ending was rewarding and cute.
I have an issue with the male protagonist, who is undoubtedly and a-hole of the highest grade and a horrible boss no matter what happens by the end, and his redemption is not quite as satisfying as everything else. Tara was really a heroine for putting up with so much bullshit for as long as she did. There were other, minor, things, but I could move through them without being bothered too much by it.
Overall, this is my kind of go-to book for having fun and not think too much and it fullfiled its role perfectly.
“Trust your gut. Not your heart, because it's a people pleaser, and not your brain, because it relies too heavily on logic.”
I'm really mad because this last part had a lot of potential to be REALLY good - it already started out more fast-paced, moving the plot along and offering answers and twists that were really interesting. But the actual solution to the big mystery was just disappointing, full of loose ends and all that I took from this was a big drama of teen angst and a crappy romance - because, honestly, Charlie was a bit of a bitch and treated everyone awfully and even without a memory, she was all high and mighty while Silas was actually a good person and deserved better than spend all his life after this girl.
I'm really disappointed in this, because it could've been the best out of the three parts, but the authors decided on a lazy, sloppy ending. I don't recommend this series, unless you're out for drama and doesn't mind an ending full of holes.
"A queen without a crown, without a throne, without a coronation. What, exactly, do you imagine you're queen of?"
I had no expectations towards this book, having liked the first installment but not exactly loving and need to pick up the sequel immediately after, like it happens for so many other novels. And I think that's why I was so surprised by this one and how much I enjoyed it.
Like with any other trilogy, I'm often afraid of the middle book, because it tends to be disappointing or without much going on. This isn't the case here - not only it surpasses the previous installment, it's more action-packed and with more exciting twists and turns, moving the plot in directions I didn't expect but liked. There's also great character and world development here, with room for secondary characters to shine just as much as our MC, Theo, who, by the way, is really growing into her role as queen and leader.
There were a few issues, mainly the very unnecessary love triangle and how Theo uses the feelings both Blaise and Soren have for her to her own ends, leading both of them on and leaving both hanging at the same time. It was annoying and I don't see how it adds to the story or to any of the characters growth.
Now, the final 10 or so chapters...the ending of this book is SO good! It actually left me excited and itching to get the final book right after and through the happenings, it managed to make me nervous and tense.
Although it's still not a perfect book or OMG THIS BLEW ME AWAY, it was a good surprise all the same and you can see the author's evolution through the novels, so I'm looking forward to the conclusion of this story and hope I can pick it up soon!
“Life has a way of turning us all into realists eventually.”
Just the kind of novel I wanted: right, fluffy, sweet, and full of romance! Kasie West is usually a go-to author for me when I'm craving this type of story, and though I had a couple of misses from her, I usually end her books with a big smile on my face. This one wasn't different.
I loved to follow Sophie through this year, struggling to balance her work with the florist, her sketches, and trying out for design school as well as her clash with Andrew and his arrogant father. It was my kind of ‘enemies-to-lovers' of a sort, so I was delighted to see their relationship bloom. Also, Sophie may be one of my West's favorite MCs! She's caring, hard-working, loyal, and is a no-nonsense kind of girl.
Overall, I think this may be as well one of my favorite Kasie West romances! By Your Side is my all-time favorite, but I can honestly say Maybe This Time is not far behind.
“Relationships are a lot like houses: without a good foundation, they'll crumble."
Not a particular favorite, but Christina Lauren's writing is so addictive and fun to read that, though I didn't enjoy this one as much as I did The Unhoneymooners, I still flew through the novel. I really liked the kinda hate-to-love dynamics between the couple, how they got closer and opened up with each other and were there to support each other during this very crazy and honestly horrible ride and their scenes were sweet.
But the overall plot fell short for me, because honestly, the whole situation was a bit ridiculous - kind of a charicature of a romantic comedy or a really trashy one. SpoilerMelly was pretty abusive towards Carey, overworking her and having her do all the actual work and, though Rusy was more caring and gentle, he still let his wife treat Carey little trash for years without a word. I can understand why Carey stayed in this situation, but given how dependent she was of the Tripps (and they did their best to keep it that way), but James ‘excuse' for staying was...weak? I don't know, the whole thing felt a little too much for me and there were multiple scenes during the novel so over the top that I was like “is this for real? are they going with this?”
I still loved the soft moments between the main couple and the ending was rewarding, but it couldn't ‘save' the rest. I did have fun while reading, despite everything and, though it was not as funny as The Unhoneymooners, still made me laugh out loud at times.
“Never forget that I was your first real kiss. Never forget that you'll be my last. And never stop loving me between all of them.”
Well...the first part was promising, but this one held even more questions than answers. I feel like this is dragging more than it should to provide the answers and is focusing more on the drama of the MCs. The problem is, I haven't come to care enough about these characters to care about their drama and romance. I don't much like their chemistry and, though I like Silas a bit, I don't really like Charlie much, so I'm not that invested in their relationship.
I still want to know what happens and the solution for the memory loss, and what really happened with the fraud and between the families. Thankfully, each installment is short and fast to read.
“She knew that women were rarely the centers of such stories. Instead, they were eye candy, arm candy, victims, or love interests. Mostly, they existed to help the great white hetero hero on his fucking epic journey. When there was a heroine, she weighed very little, wore very little, and had had her teeth fixed.”
Well, wasn't this disappointing...I started the book with such high hopes, especially after having read We Were Liars. I have to say, the way the story is told, with its regressive narrative, really worked and kept me interested until the final chapter. But I felt like I was baited all the time - Lockhart kept promising me this huge plot twist, like in her previous novel, chapter after chapter, and hinting about more secrets and revelations...but she never followed through. The ending was very meh and ordinary and it felt way too easy for the main character.
Speaking of characters, it was yet another issue for me - I just couldn't like or engage with practically ANY of them. Imogen is self-entitled and selfish, Forrest is a privileged idiot and Jule is a little psycho, to say it mildly. I could sympathize with her a bit as the story went on and I could get to know more about her and what really happened, but I can't say I really LIKED her or cheered for her at any point. It all felt like a YA “Catch Me If You Can”, but not in a good way.
I flew through the book, it's true, and narrative and pace-wise, this one is better than “We Were Liars”. But I ended the novel feeling angry and disappointed, and, if not for the narrative style, the constant need to know more, I would've given this 1-2 stars (that's how pissed I was). I don't think I'll be picking up more books by this author, at least for a while.
“None of us are ever who we think we are.”
This was my least favorite of the series so far. It has a slower pace than the previous one, and though that doesn't bother me usually, I felt like it dragged a bit on certain parts - it felt like the author was trying to drag the mystery till the last possible minute.
I did like how it expanded on Fennbirn's mythology and history, on the world created here - we got to meet a new continent and new sets of characters, as well as explore parts of the island that we only heard of in the previous novels. And since in this book the configuration of the story changed, so our MCs needed to adapt and it was interesting to see that. Kendare still managed to surprise me by the end of this novel and made me want to pick up the final book right away (alas, I still don't own it).
But I think one of the plots introduced here was just...I don't know, a bit unnecessary? Annoying, though, because I kept wanting to skip those parts - Jules was a bit irritating here, Emilia is a bitch and I despise her. Arsinoe's and Mirabella's plotline, though engaging at first, dragged a bit for me (it could've been solved quicker than it was). Arsinoe also got on my last nerve, because of her impulsiveness and stubbornness. Mirabella, who's always been my favorite, wasn't as present here as an important part of the story like before - she was a bit cast aside, with no discernible plotline, until practically the end of the book. I felt for Kat, and how much she struggled to be a good Queen, though she was never given a chance and had all the odds against her. She was my favorite part of the book and I'm anxious to see what her fate will be in the final novel.
All in all, I think this one suffered from the ‘middle-book syndrome', which I did not expect and maybe that's what ultimately frustrated me. Still, it sets up the pieces for the grand finale, and it wasn't without its surprises. I'm excited (and scared) about what's to come and to see how all my favorite characters will end up.
“It's not about the treasure— it's about the hunt.
Ok, though unnecessary, this was very fun! I love Abigail & Jackaby's friendship, and I really enjoyed seeing them get into trouble and be sarcastic with each other. I also found it very sweet of Jackaby to give Abigail a grand adventure for her birthday, even though things got horribly out of hand. As I said, a novella that wasn't really necessary, but a good snippet for the fans of the series who missed these characters and their banter.
“Knowledge always has the potential to be dangerous. It is a more powerful weapon than any sword or spell.”
This book and its characters own my body and soul. I love absolutely everything about it! Margaret Rogerson's writing and this amazing world full of magic and books she created captivated me from the first few chapters, and Elizabeth is such a lovable, relatable character! I love her bravery, her candor, her respect for the books, and her work, and it was such a joy to follow her adventures! And what can I say about Silas and Nathaniel other than WHAT AN ICONIC DUO! I cried for a demon, you guys! That happened! Also, I love me some ‘enemies-to-lovers' troupe, and Nathaniel & Elizabeth...UGH, THEY ARE ADORABLE, THEY ARE PERFECT, THEY ARE EVERYTHING.
Don't expect much coherence from this review, this is basically me just gushing about my love for this book. That's it. Go read it and fall in love with my babies as well, thank you.
“You know, lieutenant, you wear your weapon the way other women wear pearls.""It's not a fashion accessory.”
I was reluctant to read this book, despite how much a friend of mine was pestering me to read it (since it's her favorite series and all), because...well if I liked it, I would be in for a 52 FREACKING BOOK SERIES.
And damn, I did enjoy it. It was not a perfect mystery novel by all means, I had my issues at a time with the central relationship in the story and with the male MC. But overall, I found the murder mystery interesting, I absolutely love how BADASS Eve Dallas is and the resolution, though not that surprising, was well built and made sense.
For me, it was the type of book I can reach for when I'm in between reads, when I need a fast-paced read, with a engrossing mystery and a good romance. I don't think I'll read all the books, but at least the first few installments will go to my TBR so I can get to them here and there.
“No matter how far I go, I'm still your person. We stand together now.”
Kendare Blake still managed to surprise me! After the ending of Three Dark Crowns, I was hyped for the sequel, and it didn't disappoint! We're back almost right after where we left off and this volume is more fast-paced than it's predecessor. The author wastes no time in diving into the battle between the sisters, and the consequences of Beltane/the final events. There's some new and interesting developments and the ending, though a little obvious, left me wanting to read the next installment right away and introduces a series of new possibilities, plot-wise.
That being said, this is not a book focused on character development - what we see here is the direct result of the events of the previous novel and the development our characters went through there. Maybe Jules, considering a new plotline introduced here, got a bit of focus, but overall it's a action-focused novel, instead of a character-driven one.
The other thing that bothered me a little (enough to take a star from the rating): there are little answers here and more questions arising. Things introduced in the first book are yet to be resolved and there is more stuff being introduced here, so I'm a little anxious at all these loose ends, despite the fact that are two books left. There wasn't also a grand plot twist in this one, but I was so focused on the events happening, the action and the tension to really care, and here it wasn't really necessary.
I can't wait to see where this series is going and how the story will end for the triplets and their friends.
“Feelings can be the most costly thing in the universe.”
Oh, how I missed Kasie West's cute contemporary romance novels! I was a bit afraid after my last two reads by her, but this one was right what I wanted from it - cute, charming and heart-warming, with a main couple with chemistry aplenty and lots of moments for me to swoon with them. Caymen is a bit skeptical and sometimes too judgy, but I could sympathize with her struggles and how strong she's been for her mom. And Xander...he's just so sweet! Ugh, it's been a while since I had a new book crush, but Xander is officially on the row. I also enjoyed Caymen's friend and her boyfriend, the band - the secondary cast of characters here is fun and a nice addition to the story.
Caymen's mom, though, was overall just annoying, but I liked that Kasie's book showcase a good parental relationship and escapes that YA cliché that parents are always there just to mess things up for our MCs. That's not to say there aren't any cliches here, but what romance novel doesn't have them? And honestly, it worked here perfectly, so it didn't bother me.
The ending did bother me a little, but mainly because it felt like it was all too rushed and sudden and suddenly everything was solved and everyone was happy and Caymen had her happily-ever-after, and I was like ‘wait, when did all this happened?' So, as much as I enjoyed the book, I had to take a star out of the rating. Still, it made me happy and I'm excited again to pick Kasie's other novels.
“You want to see people as extremes. Bad or good, trustworthy, or not. I understand. It's easier that way. But that isn't how people work.”
I was surprised by this book. After the disappointment that was the ending of the Divergent trilogy, I wasn't excited to read more of Roth's work and so, when this came out, I had no plans on reading it. But I'm involved in a Buddy Read group and this was May's pick, so I said ‘oh what the hell, I can always DNF if I'm not engaged'. And BOOM, I was hooked almost from the get-go.
Despite all its mishaps, there was one thing that kept me reading Divergent until the very end: the writing. I forgot how fluid and quick Roth's writing is. Here she offers these spacial enemies-to-lovers with space politics and a fantastic elements thrown in to spice things up. The romance is well-written and well-paced, the novel is fast-paced without being rushed. And, oh joy, she actually manages to write a male POV that doesn't seem a version of the female POV! You can actually distinguish the characters (and not just because the male POV is in third person).
The plot was a bit predictable, but she managed to make it interesting anyway and there were a few plot twists that managed to keep me interested in reading the final installment. I'm really happy that my experience with this was good because I went in expecting the worst and now I'm excited to pick up the sequel!
“I wonder how many tears the ocean has swallowed, how much of the ocean is actually made of tears.”
I have to say, I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I don't know if it's because it genuinely managed to get to me, or if it's because I didn't have any expectations, to begin with. But this is a solid follow-up to the first novel, picking up right where we left off and dealing very well with the consequences of what we learned in the previous installment. The fundaments were laid on Of Poseidon, now we reach the climax.
One of my favorite things about this book was the relationships between the characters and how they were developed here. Emma and Galen aren't one of those sickly-sweet lovey-dovey couples who only think of making out during the worst of times while things are falling apart around them - they are very much in love, but they deal with the serious stuff heads on when it's needed. Emma actually listens to the adults/more experienced ones without doing reckless stuff or throwing tantrums because she wants to help while actually getting in the way of everyone else and putting herself in danger. She only goes against what she's told to do when there's no other option/she thinks someone's in trouble.
Rayna remains my least favorite character - opposed to Emma and Galen, she has the least amount of development and maintains her spoiled and reckless ways through most of the book, despite having a side plot all on her own. She really annoyed me most of the time.
The ending is not that surprising (I really didn't expect it to be), but I think it was well-done and satisfying all the same. There was one choice the author made, though, that surprised me and had me tearing up (I was NOT happy) - and I'm interested in what this will mean for our MCs and what impacts it will have in the final book. Actually, I'm really interested in what Anna Banks will do in the third novel, because I fell like the story was wrapped up perfectly by the end of this installment, so it could've easily been the conclusion.
“She's familiar. My only familiar thing in a world of inconsistency and confusion.”
Well, this was better than I thought it would. I'm not a CoHo fan, so I was a little afraid going in, but since this was co-authored and had this paranormal feel to it, I decided to give it a go. The mystery of the memory loss and what really happened between Charlie & Silas families kept me going and I really enjoyed this aspect of the book. The romance and drama? Not so much. I can't connect to CoHo's romances and here, though it was better than my previous experiences, wasn't much different. But I am still intrigued by the mystery and do pretend to continue with this ‘trilogy'.
“Monsters are easy, Miss Rook. They're monsters. But a monster in a suit? That's basically just a wicked man, and a wicked man is a more dangerous thing by far.”
Such a delightful, fun and entertaining read ! I devoured in a night and I just couldn't put it down until I was finished. A crossover between BBC Sherlock and a paranormal Victorian romance, with charming, witty character, a delicious, atmospheric mystery and supernatural mythology that, though filled with the usual types (werewolves, ghosts, fairies, goblins, banshees, etc.), felt fresh and captivating.
Abigail Rook, our MC, manages to be the perfect balance between a sensible, strong woman, and a clumsy, ‘i-have-no-idea-what-i'm-doing', compassionated character. Her chemistry and dynamic with Jackaby, our paranormal detective, is both hilarious and balanced. They complement each other well and the bickering is on point. I also like that they are not a romantic pair, and that works perfectly here. That's not to say there isn't any romance here - there's a budding attraction between two sets of characters, that not only are very well developed but feels natural and sweet and builds an expectation for the next installments.
The secondary characters are also interesting, and the dynamics between the main duo and they are also funny and work well within the story, they all have their role. I enjoyed the mystery, the dark tone it gave the novel, though the resolution was obvious halfway through. It didn't bother me, though, because I was so charmed by the characters, so engrossed in the world, that I wanted to see what was going to happen regardless.
Though it's a series of books and the ending leaves hints of possible future storylines for our characters, it's a self-contained story, and it can be read as a standalone. I'll definitely be continuing with the sequels and can't wait to get my hands on them.
“It is one thing to mortify curiosity, another to conquer it. ”
Finally a classic ‘horror' book I enjoy! After being very frustrated while reading Dracula and Frankenstein, I had low expectations for this one but I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the narrative, the story is interesting and I liked the discussion of men's dual nature and the fact that we have both good and bad inside of us and it's up to us to find that balance. Since all these classic novels are largely known and have lots of adaptations in all media formats, the big plot twist is not at all surprising, because you get into the story knowing what will happen in the end, but I found it interesting all the same and it didn't bother me. I'm really happy with this read!
“Remind myself that there is no saving of people —people can only save themselves. The best you can do is help when they're ready.”
Although I was aware of the hype surrounding this book and all the positive reviews, I was surprised at what I found here, especially because I wasn't very convinced at the start - Tiffy, our MC, was a bit annoying and up to 20% I was finding it only ok.
BUT, where I was expecting a lighthearted, sweet and funny romance novel with maybe a drop or two of drama, the author actually managed to broach much darker and serious topics, in a realistic and respectful way, weaving it through the fluffy romance with a fluid writing that made me not want to put the book down. And though there were parts, especially at the end, that made me roll my eyes, they were tiny compared to everything I loved about this book. 5 stars was a no brainer here and I'm really glad I gave this story a chance.
“Time might heal all wounds, but what about the scars those wounds left behind?”
I don't know how to feel about this book - I mostly enjoyed the story and the characters, the main plot and the backstory surrounding the island and the main character's family, and the villain is properly terrifying and evil and offered danger to our protagonist. But, on the other hand, I felt like it took a while for the book to reach the point where the plot starts to move and things start to get answers. I also found the confront at the end lacking, and it was all too fast and rushed and it felt all too easy.
There was a bit of romance here too that felt unresolved and like it shouldn't be there at all, and to top it all off, there was a hint of a romantic triangle that made me roll my eyes. Again, very unnecessary. Still, I loved the friendship in this book and the secondary characters. Overall I like the book and it was a short, interesting read. It has this cloudy, almost creepy atmosphere at times and it was something that drew me in and kept me reading. Yes, it had its flaws and the actual ending felt like it was setting up a sequel - that I would be interested in reading, but I finished the book with a positive feeling.
“It's easy to convince men to love you, Puck. All you have to do is be a mountain they have to climb or a poem they don't understand.”
A good book, but after everything I've heard about it, I was expecting something more out of this story and so it was a bit of a letdown. I loved the premise of the story, how Stiefvater used the water horses mythology and made it her own and I like how fluid and interesting her writing is, but things took a while to happen and I felt it was very slow going at times. The ending is very cliché and there's no big surprise or twist here, but I don't think that was an issue for me.
I liked both lead characters separately, with their issues and goals, but I'm not a fan of the romance aspect - I'm finding that I'm not a huge fan of Maggie's main couples (yes, Blue and Gansey, I'm looking at you), but in the previous books, there were secondary characters/couple/plots that drew me in, and that's not the case here.
Overall I enjoyed the book, but I went in expecting more and that was kinda disappointing. Still, I would recommend it, especially if it's your first Stievfater book.
“Welcome to life in a small town. You're only as good as the best thing your family's done. Or the worst.”
This is my second book by McManus but I already know I'll be reading everything she puts out. I really enjoy these teen mysteries and how fluid and entertaining her writing is. This had a similar vibe from One of Us Is Lying and I could identify some of the same ‘types' of characters, but that didn't bother me much.
I like this ‘past crimes happening again and old secrets coming out' trope, but I had a few issues with this one that I didn't have with the previous one that prevented me from giving the novel a full 5 stars.
First of all, for a ‘real crime' enthusiast, Ellery is not very observant (and maybe not very smart either), so the solution had to be basically rubbed on her face for her to realize what was happening. It also meant that I, as a reader, worked everything out way before the main characters did, so it was frustrating waiting for them to realize stuff. And so the grand plot twist wasn't much of a plot twist at all, unlike OoUiL, that kept me guessing till the end. BUT, I did enjoy how the police was an actual part of the investigation and solution, instead of being complete idiots who are left in the dust by teenagers (which is one of the few things that always bothers me in these YA mysteries).
I still very much enjoyed the ‘small-town drama', the romance and the actual ‘investigation' and I really liked the characters, and like I said, the author's writing style really works for me and I flew through it. It's a very nice in-between novel for more slow/deep reads.
“I can appreciate my body in a bikini and still want to set fire to the patriarchy.”
My first contact with Christina Lauren's books, and OMG I picked the perfect one to start! I loved the funny, non-conventional main character and her unluckiness, the hate-to-love romance (my favorite cliché), the steamy chemistry between the couple, and the overall cuteness and laugh-out-loud quality of the story. I managed to devour the entire thing in one night and ended it with a full heart and wanting to pick up more of Lauren's books. A definitive favorite!