Abby
I had to remind myself throughout the book that Rose is supposed to be sixteen and is lead more by emotions than critical thinking. Which just makes it funnier that she was chosen to help save a magical island.
I had several questions running through my head the entire time: why was Rose chosen for the quest instead of Alex? Or both? Why does Rose's personality seem so different from the other books? What is this stupid romance when Rose has way more chemistry with his sister instead?
A whole new band of characters were introduced and I'd love to hear more about them.That's another problem with this series: you finally get to really know characters, get invested in their story, and then oop! No, we're talking about entirely new people this time!
So, as a stand-alone book: I enjoyed Wayward Witches. As part three in a series: there was such a great setup for an exciting story following Bruja Born with the hunters and exploring the story's universe. But now, we're in a different realm. This whole series just felt disjointed, even though it's about the same family.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Audiobook Review: I listened to the whole trilogy as audiobooks. I was disappointed to see Wayward Witch is narrated by the same person who did the first book. She does a good job, but there's just something about the tone she uses for the sisters - They all sound like whiny brats, making it hard to root for them. I think that might be part of why I enjoyed Bruja Born the best – a different narrator.
I've never been a big fan of short stories. Most likely for the same reason I prefer TV shows over movies – I don't feel the same connection to the characters, which is my favorite part of a story.
So, take my review with a grain of salt: this isn't my type of format.
A Universe of Wishes was a mixed bag – some stories were great and stuck with me. I have a few new authors I want to check out!
Others were tedious to get through and instantly forgettable.
I guess that can be viewed as a plus side of collections like this: they might not all be to your taste, but you'll likely find at least one to like.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The adventure! The drama! The splendor! The angst!
I love all the characters, but I have to say Séverin and his brooding man-pain could get a bit tiresome. However, it served a purpose, so I wouldn't call it a drawback – it just made me look forward to the other characters' chapters more.
Despite my complaint about Séverin, one of my favorite aspects of The Silvered Serpents is the characters deal with their grief and pain from the first book. It's an integral part of the story and not ignored.
Some of the plot points were a bit predictable, but the story still held my interest. I'd say it served more as setting up the next book, in terms of where this story ended and exploring the world more.
Overall, a wonderful sequel to The Gilded Wolves. I can't wait until the next book comes out.
Audiobook Review: I had listened to The Gilded Wolves this summer, and when I started reading The Silver Serpents as an eBook, it just didn't live up to the first book. I waited until I could listen to the audiobook. The narrators do such a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life. The accents are fantastic - much better than what I could try to conjure up in my head if I read it. I think half the reason Hypnos is my favorite character is because of P.J. Ochlan's performance.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My biggest problem with Ruinsong is that I do not like Remi. Not even a little bit. I think it would have benefited from being just from Cadence's perspective, with more fleshed out scenes. Remi is naïve and annoying; she knows nothing about how magic works but somehow points out that “Cadence, of course, there are spells to protect yourself. Why don't you learn some? It can't be that hard.” For someone who has also done nothing to stand up to the queen and has been in relative safety, she's swift to judge Cadence and expect the worst.
The magic was cool, but I think it would have been even better with more development. I love more exploration of the other types of song magic. Why is the magic sung? What happens if you sing a song differently?
The whole world should be more developed. More explanation of the belief system. Why is such a big deal the Elene worships a different goddess? How big is this country? There was too much time angsting over what Remi thinks of Cadence and not enough time spent making their world make sense.
It seemed like the book was very rushed in regards to the time frame. It's been, what, a month from the beginning to end, and they're going to try to start a revolution, but Remi and Cadence can't talk to each other and work out some issues?
Ruinsong sounded very promising but fell short for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It Only Happens in the Movies is a refreshing romance.
Audrey is going through some stuff and is very disillusioned with love, especially Hollywood's portrayal. Her commentary on different tropes in romance movies was beautiful and highlighted the differences and similarities in Audrey's own romance. (I loved the scene where she lectured Harry for telling her she's “not like other girls”)
Audrey's growth throughout the book was terrific. She's trying to handle the fallout from her parents' divorce, she feels humiliated by how her relationship ended, and she's depressed. She's drawn into herself. She starts to find her confidence and joy in the thing she loves again: acting. The Girls, as Audrey refers to her friends, were wonderful. Instead of being a source of conflict, they support her and are still there for her – I thought it was a great depiction of friendship.
It Only Happens in the Movies is honest, funny, sad, and heartwarming all at the same time. I couldn't put it down. I'll definitely be checking out the author's other books!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I adored The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.
It has all of my favorite things: a touch of magic, beautiful writing, character introspection, and emotion.
My favorite books tend to be ones where the characters are the focus rather than the action. I love stories that delve into what makes a person who they are, what drives them. The two main characters – Addie and Henry – are both so fascinating, and I was never bored during the story.
It was interesting seeing how her curse takes shape. And to ponder what I would do in Addie's shoes. After so many years, it's lovely to think of all the things Addie has witnessed and seen. But is it genuinely living if you have no ties, no connections?
I am, however, going to be haunted by the ending as I'm trying to fall asleep at night, left to wonder, “Why?! Why would it end like that” Which is why I'm making it our library book club selection for January so I can make other people discuss it with me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I think the fact that In Search of a Name is a novel lessens the story for me, especially since I was looking forward to it as a historical piece. It's based on the author's real experience, and I can understand fictionalizing it for a more concise, compelling tale. But I think it undermines one of the significant ideas of the book: the search for truth. She's digging into the past to find the real story about her uncle. She finds that there were so many stories, so much untold, that the truth barely resembles history (not an uncommon occurrence). It feels like throwing another layer of dirt on the story to fictionalize it but leave it in a format that feels like a memoir. It makes it harder to distinguish reality from fiction.
Motherhood is a significant component of the story, but one that I did not connect with. I just felt myself thinking, “Just choose another name. He's obviously not the family legend you were told about.” Maybe I'm a pessimist, but it felt naïve of her to be so shocked that the story wasn't true, that it had been warped by time. That's the nature of memory and stories; they get twisted until they're more manageable, more comfortable to digest.
I think I wasn't in the right mindset for In Search of a Name when I read it. It dealt more with the questions of raising a child, the foundations you set for your child to succeed. It ended up stressing me out more than inspiring me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Did I like This is Not a Ghost Story? I honestly don't know how I feel.
It took until about halfway through the book for it to hit its stride. That's when it started to be hard to put down. You still have absolutely no idea what's going on in the story, but it picks up the pace. The short chapters made it easy to keep reading just one more for the night, and before I knew it, the book was done.
I'm undecided if I like the style of the book. Daffodil, the narrator, talks directly to the reader, and there are a lot of asides, parentheses, offbeat jokes. On the one hand, it makes the story feel more immediate and creates a closer connection to Daffodil. On the other, it was a bit much at times. There was sometimes very little content, and it could be repetitive.
I just feel like it didn't really come together at the end; it felt anticlimactic.
I'll give it this; now I want to make people read it just to see what they think of it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ok, I guessed that she was dead or in a coma about halfway through, but what was up with the end? Is it supposed to be religious? Because it felt religious, but that doesn't jive with the vibe of the rest of the book.
The story was interesting, if predictable. I love fairytale-esque stories, so I enjoyed that aspect of the book. There weren't any surprises in the book, so it sometimes felt like it took the characters way too long to figure things out.
There were some parts of the magic and plot that didn't quite make sense to me, but they were easy to put aside and continue reading. I would be interested to know how many times the words “I'm just a gardener's daughter” or some variation of it came up; it was guaranteed to either make me roll my eyes or let out an exasperated sigh.
Audiobook Review: Not great. The Cerys narrator, with her wavering voice, sounded like she was on the verge of crying the entire time, and the Fox narrator sounded like he wears polo shirts with the collar popped and sunglasses on the back of his head. I was constantly getting distracted by my utter disgust with their voices and would have to go back and listen to sections again because I didn't hear what happened. Which meant I had to listen to their voices again. It was a vicious cycle. (I thought they did a great job when they were doing other voices, but otherwise...no.)
So if Among the Beasts and Briars sounds interesting, read it. Don't listen to the audiobook.
Things that didn't make sense to me: 1. Why did they make such a big deal of Fox being a coward way back when in the woods? He was, what, eight or nine? I'm 26 and afraid to call and order food; you bet your ass I'm hiding from a bone eater trying to kill me.2. On that note, why did it take so long to ‘reveal' that Fox was the prince? It was apparent as soon as he turned into a human, and I would have preferred more time reckoning with the fact he's been a fox for eight years.3. Why were they still trying to keep the crown away from the bone eaters and ancients once they find out they were created after the Woman of the Wilds disappeared, and it was a protection for the woods? Wouldn't that they should have it?4. Why wasn't there more about Cerys' mom being the Grandmaster's daughter?
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rent a Boyfriend started out rough for me.
It jumps right into the action, which was fine. I was looking forward to this book because fake relationships are my absolute jam, my favorite trope, by far. So, as far as I'm concerned, the quicker we get to the pretending, the better. The drawback? You don't know the characters well.
As I read Rent a Boyfriend, I couldn't help thinking that it read more like fanfiction than a novel. I can't put my finger on why. The overly dramatic thoughts and scenarios? Probably. Hongbo, the impetus for Chloe renting a boyfriend, was a straight-up jerk-boy caricature in his first scene (which got the point across that we don't like him, but it was a bit ridiculous). There was just something about Chloe and Drew's thoughts and dialogue that just felt stilted and unrealistic – and (like I said) mediocre fanfiction.
As the book went on, however, I liked it more and more. The writing/dialogue still wasn't great, but as it delved more into Chloe's identity and her relationship with her parents, I connected with the story and characters more. Also, for a book that involves a crazy amount of lying, Chloe and Drew's communication was the best I've seen in any romance book in a long time. It was refreshing.
Overall, mixed feelings. The writing and language felt awkward and stilted for the whole book, but Rent a Boyfriend delved deeper than I expected it to and redeemed itself a bit.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I've been on a kick of reading books about witches because they are the most dependent for delivering strong, complex women. The Once and Future Witches did not disappoint – and the three sisters are such beautiful examples of the different ways you can have strong characters.
The Eastwood sisters' bond grows through the book, and you get to know each sister so well. They all have different strengths and weaknesses; they all have something different the reader may relate to. Bella, my fellow librarian, was my favorite, but I loved Agnes and January as well.
Each time I've tried to recommend The Ten Thousand Doors of January or The Once and Future Witches to patrons (which is often), I struggle to articulate how much I love Alix Harrow's writing. It's beautiful; it's atmospheric. Sometimes I'd go back and reread a sentence or paragraph to soak in the language and cadence of it.
Without a doubt, one of my favorite books of the year.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Camelot Betrayal!
Many of the things that bothered me about the first book, The Guinevere Deception, were improved in this one. Primarily, this one didn't just feel like a summary of a story. There was more showing instead of telling, which helps the reader connect to the characters and story exponentially. I hadn't realized how many odd time-jumps and quick lists of everything Guinevere did in the day there were in The Guinevere Deception until I could compare it to this book. It made it easier to be in the book, as well as a more pleasant read.
We also get to know the characters and their relationships a lot better. I love Guinevere and Lancelot's relationship, and it developed so well through the book. I understand why they trust each other, why they are friends. The same with Brangien and Dindrane. And Mordred. The only relationship I feel isn't truly developed is Arthur and Guinevere. I think there's too much reliance on the fact that it's a given they're together because, you know, legend, and not enough showing. Guinevere mentions (a lot) that she felt like she knew Arthur the moment they met, but as the reader, we don't have that magical connection. I know I should like Arthur, but he's just....bland. He's somehow the least interesting character in the entire book.
I think the plot was also better paced in The Camelot Betrayal than The Guinevere Deception. There's still a lot going on, but it's not quite as overwhelming. However, Guinevere's internal monologue was a bit repetitive. I get that she's anguishing over the things she did and trying to figure out who she is, but I started skipping the paragraphs where Guinevere just listed every bad thing she thought she'd done.
Overall, though, The Camelot Betrayal was an enjoyable read that kept me turning the pages. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'll be honest; I straight-up hated this book at the beginning.
Prudence is not a likable character. She is judgmental, self-center (not to mention self-righteous), and I was extremely tempted to quit at just 30% because she honestly didn't have any redeeming qualities. I get not wanting a C on an assignment (I'd be a blubbering mess), but that doesn't excuse any of her behavior at all. Also, she was not a well-developed character. I'm struggling to remember anything about her hobbies or interests other than The Beatles. Making money, maybe? Prudence felt like a stuck up smart girl stereotype from a mid-2000s movie, and honestly, I thought we were way past that. I know, I know, she learns from the karma and starts to grow. However, I would have liked a lot more growth and an actual connection to the character. I didn't care about her throughout the book, and I still didn't at the end.
I liked the last 25% of the book best, but I could have saved myself some time since I knew how it would end about halfway through the book. I'm not saying every YA contemporary has to be groundbreaking, but it would be nice if it weren't so predictable.
This book was work to read, and I would not recommend it. At all.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ok, I love books. I love reading. I love books about books, bookstores, and reading. I do not like books about libraries and librarians.
I don't know why. Probably because it's like I never escape work, and I spend the whole time comparing myself to the librarian in the book.... Yeah, that's probably it.
All that to say, I have a bit of a bias when it came to No Offense. I couldn't enjoy it, even though I love Meg Cabot books, because Molly was a librarian.
I think the best word to describe No Offense is bland. The relationship wasn't very compelling; the crime/mystery wasn't intriguing, not to mention one of the main characters is in law enforcement, and there's no discussion of serious issues.
The only time I laughed during the book is when Molly doesn't know what bags is, describes the game's setup, and admires John's skills at the game at length.
It wasn't good, but it wasn't terrible. Just bland.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
At the beginning of We Are All the Same in the Dark, I wasn't sure I liked it; the language was a little stilted, and it jumped right into the thick of it. That feeling didn't last long, however. I couldn't put the book down; it slowly drew you in until I couldn't stop reading.
You get drips of information that slowly help you put together the puzzle of the town. I was honestly surprised at some of the turns, and even the things I suspected managed to take me off guard somehow.
The atmosphere and characters are what make this book compelling. The small town with a dark past hanging over it, the feeling of danger right around the corner. And all the characters are captivating – and suspicious.
I loved both of the narrators in the book. Odette, a young cop with ties to the town tragedy, and Angel, the young girl Odette is trying to help. I loved both perspectives, and how their connection, though short, had such a lasting impact.
Odette lost one of her legs the night Trumanell disappeared, ten years before the book takes place. Her experiences in the book were eye-opening. Her reality is something I know nothing about, and some of her struggles I would never have considered. The same with Angel and her missing eye.
This book creeps up on you. The characters get under your skin, and you can't stop reading because you need to know everyone is okay. We Are All the Same in the Dark will unquestionably be a hit with my patrons.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have very mixed feelings about The Marriage Game. Ultimately, I liked the ending. The problem for me is that it took over a month to read the book because I was so annoyed by the main characters for 85% of the book.
Here's one of my notes from while I was reading: Sam is sexist martyr wallowing in his man pain.
That sums up a lot of the plot, and most of my issues with the book: Sam was a melodramatic asshole.
Here are some of my favorite Sam moments:
“Hassan was checking out your ass when I walked in. What would you have done if I wasn't there?”
“How could he dance when Nisha would never dance again?”
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the evolution of Oliver and Amy's relationship, but I wish we saw more of them together. That was a brief period of the book, and I always enjoy the moments where the characters just exist.
I have to admit that I was lowkey stressed throughout the book because of Amy's quest to be valedictorian. It brought back all the stressful high school memories.
They work in a record store, so of course, there are music references galore. I'd always stop and queue up whatever song they were listening to/talking about, which makes me feel more connected. I may have gotten a bit frustrated when they talked about a song, but didn't say the name of the song. (There is a playlist in the back of the book, but I may have spent 10 minutes trying to find a two and a half minute Nothing But Thieves song).
All Our Worst Ideas is a great teen read – the stress of high school and figuring out your future, balancing parents' expectations, and love. I'd absolutely recommend it!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Scam List was a quick, fun read that had me smiling throughout the book.
Boone was a great narrator; he was humorous and likable, even though he wasn't always doing good things.
Information was purposely kept from the reader multiple times throughout the book, which is a device that can annoy me when it's overused to create mystery or suspense. It worked in The Scam List, however, because it doubled as showing Boone's character. The book is written as Boone talking to the reader, and sometimes he lies or omits things. He left out or lied about things he was ashamed of, which was part of his character growth. He has a conscience, and he realizes when he wasn't a good person.
The Scam List is full of fun, quirkly characters. The only part I didn't like was that it didn't feel like justice was truly served at the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not quite sure how I feel about Flyaway, but I also think that might be the point?
I thought the basic plot of the story was interesting – Bettina's father and brothers left years ago, but things aren't quite what they seem.
However, I don't think the story was developed enough. It felt like it was trying too hard to be oblique and leave the reader guessing. It's possible to do that and tell a good story, and do I enjoy novels like that. But Flyaway left me more confused than I wanted to be at the end of the book.
So much of the story depends on Tina not remembering the past, but there's never actual development of her character or her relationship with other characters. It didn't feel like anyone had a personality, and it was hard to care about what happened.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book.
That could be my whole review because I love this book and will recommend it to everyone I can.
Today Tonight Tomorrow follows Rowan on her last day of high school as she plays Howl, a scavenger hunt for the senior class to celebrate the end of the year. She ends up partnering with Neil, her longtime rival whom she is definitely not obsessed with.
Over the course of the game, Rowan learns that she didn't really know Neil at all, but she also has to face some harsh truths about herself. And that's what I loved about this book. Rowan realizes she hasn't been a good friend, and that she idealizes things and people. She confronts herself about her issues and tries to be better. I especially liked that this took place throughout the whole book; it wasn't a last-minute revelation. Rowan's personal growth was beautiful.
Today Tonight Tomorrow is one of my favorite books I've read this year. It balanced humor and heart wonderfully, and I want to read 100 books just like it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Crossings was a curious yet slightly disappointing read. I was intrigued by the structure of the book and the concept of multiple lifetimes. I was let down by characters I did not emphasize with, at all, and overly flourished language that grew tiresome throughout the book.
The first story, ‘The Education of a Monster,' sets the stage for the rest of the book and introduces the reader to the concept of crossing. Baudelaire, the narrator of this story, was the least likable narrator of the whole novel for me. He's a central figure of the book, however, and ties the characters and stories together.
The second story, ‘City of Ghosts,' was a bit tedious through its first half – the language felt pretentious. I enjoyed the last two sections of the story, as there was more action and less time in the narrator's head.
The third story was my favorite by far and the most interesting of the three. You get the final pieces of the puzzle and find out what's been going on throughout many lifetimes. Plus, I liked Alula's viewpoint much more.
I think the thought will haunt me that I should have read it the other way first. Seriously, please don't give me so much power before I even know what the book is about. In terms of understanding what's happening, I think reading it the conventional way (front to back) works best. For a more exciting and engaging story, I think the Baroness sequence is the way to go. You'll be confused for a bit, but I think that mystery would make it more interesting.
Ultimately, I can't decide how I feel about Crossings. It was an intriguing premise that got bogged down by name dropping, excessive speeches masquerading as dialogue, and very few likable characters. But I enjoyed the story and mystery enough to keep reading. I don't know if the unique structure of the book and the concept of ‘crossing' can make up for not caring what happened in the story.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'll admit, I wasn't excited to read this book. But as soon as I read the first chapter, I couldn't put it down. The description does not do it justice. There's character development galore, complicated family dynamics, hopes and dreams, secret longing, school projects – basically a recipe for love.
Music taste is so subjective that sometimes it's challenging to include lots of music references in stories. You either think the songs are way too mainstream, the songs are terrible, or it's the best music ever created – those are the only three choices. Music is such a vital part of the main characters' lives, and the music references worked so well in this book. I always stopped reading, queued up the song, and then kept reading. Every song was like, yeah, that makes sense. It added another layer to the characters and helped the reader understand them more.
I loved More Than Maybe and if you like music at all, you probably will too.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.