He’s a powerful duke. She’s his uncle’s ward. They have forever been at war, until one night, one masquerade, and one kiss…
Dare to Be a Duchess by SopHe’s a powerful duke. She’s his uncle’s ward. They have forever been at war, until one night, one masquerade, and one kiss…
Dare to Be a Duchess by Sopna Bhog is a historical romance with own voices Indian representation. It came out on February 8th 2021. I received a copy for free from entangled publishing via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. However my opinions are my own.
Characters – I gave the characters 4/5 I loved that this was own voices for the Indian rep. Bhog identifies as Indian and it gives merit to the struggles that Lara faces. Speaking of I LOVED Lara herself. We often hear about these heroines that are called trouble makers because they’re stubborn and defiant. But I loved that Lara is a schemer. She’s the ringleader of her group of friends always getting them into and out of some sort of mess. And we actually get to her see her scheming in the book. I also mostly liked the hero. I felt like he was well developed and we really get to see his journey throughout the book as he becomes the duke he was always meant to be. My one qualm is that I felt like the side characters were under developed. I felt like where those side characters were concerned there was an awful lot of telling instead of showing.
Plot – Overall I felt like the plot was good so I gave it 4/5 stars. I could see the struggles and they felt legit. I enjoyed Lara and Tristen’s romance and how they fought their whole lives only to kiss at the ball and be like “WOAH that’s some sexual tension!” I took off a star because the villain’s actions at the end felt over the top and it just escalated way too quickly. And Wolf/Tristen then turned around and shut it down really quickly.
Setting / World Building – I gave this category 5/5 stars. This was my kind of story. I was never pulled out of the story due to a lack of cohesiveness. I was always able to suspend my belief and just melt into the story.
Writing Style – I gave writing style 4.75/5 stars. This was an easy read. I mean that it was easy on my soul. I enjoyed Sapna Bhog’s writing. I only came across 3-4 grammatical errors so it wasn’t like be consistently pushed out the story. There was also just a nice flow to the writing. Each scene flowed into the next and I was never like “WHAT is happening here??”
Problematicness – I gave this section 3.75/5 stars. Hear me out. I know the whole plot deals with racism and overcoming those prejudices that we grew up having ingrained in our minds. But I felt like the hero said some things that went beyond to racist to just Cruel. And not like sexy cruel. More like saying the very things that he knew haunted the heroine’s nightmares. And yet we forgave him bc he swears he didn’t mean it??? Also suddenly the hero loves her and woosh he’s not racist anymore. He can see that Lara IS being verbally assaulted and abused by the aristocracy. Idk it felt like too little too late.
Personal Enjoyment – I gave this category 4/5 stars. This was a fun ride and never wanted to get off of it. That being said though, it also wasn’t unputdownable. It was a good read and worth my time. And I’m def interested in reading more from this author. Especially with more Indian characters. Overall that gives us a a 4.24 rating.
Merged review:
He’s a powerful duke. She’s his uncle’s ward. They have forever been at war, until one night, one masquerade, and one kiss…
Dare to Be a Duchess by Sopna Bhog is a historical romance with own voices Indian representation. It came out on February 8th 2021. I received a copy for free from entangled publishing via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. However my opinions are my own.
Characters – I gave the characters 4/5 I loved that this was own voices for the Indian rep. Bhog identifies as Indian and it gives merit to the struggles that Lara faces. Speaking of I LOVED Lara herself. We often hear about these heroines that are called trouble makers because they’re stubborn and defiant. But I loved that Lara is a schemer. She’s the ringleader of her group of friends always getting them into and out of some sort of mess. And we actually get to her see her scheming in the book. I also mostly liked the hero. I felt like he was well developed and we really get to see his journey throughout the book as he becomes the duke he was always meant to be. My one qualm is that I felt like the side characters were under developed. I felt like where those side characters were concerned there was an awful lot of telling instead of showing.
Plot – Overall I felt like the plot was good so I gave it 4/5 stars. I could see the struggles and they felt legit. I enjoyed Lara and Tristen’s romance and how they fought their whole lives only to kiss at the ball and be like “WOAH that’s some sexual tension!” I took off a star because the villain’s actions at the end felt over the top and it just escalated way too quickly. And Wolf/Tristen then turned around and shut it down really quickly.
Setting / World Building – I gave this category 5/5 stars. This was my kind of story. I was never pulled out of the story due to a lack of cohesiveness. I was always able to suspend my belief and just melt into the story.
Writing Style – I gave writing style 4.75/5 stars. This was an easy read. I mean that it was easy on my soul. I enjoyed Sapna Bhog’s writing. I only came across 3-4 grammatical errors so it wasn’t like be consistently pushed out the story. There was also just a nice flow to the writing. Each scene flowed into the next and I was never like “WHAT is happening here??”
Problematicness – I gave this section 3.75/5 stars. Hear me out. I know the whole plot deals with racism and overcoming those prejudices that we grew up having ingrained in our minds. But I felt like the hero said some things that went beyond to racist to just Cruel. And not like sexy cruel. More like saying the very things that he knew haunted the heroine’s nightmares. And yet we forgave him bc he swears he didn’t mean it??? Also suddenly the hero loves her and woosh he’s not racist anymore. He can see that Lara IS being verbally assaulted and abused by the aristocracy. Idk it felt like too little too late.
Personal Enjoyment – I gave this category 4/5 stars. This was a fun ride and never wanted to get off of it. That being said though, it also wasn’t unputdownable. It was a good read and worth my time. And I’m def interested in reading more from this author. Especially with more Indian characters. Overall that gives us a a 4.24 rating....more
This YA fantasy is a tale that is highly inspired by Norse Mythology but not an exact retelling. Our story follThe Princess of Velheim by Tiana Warner
This YA fantasy is a tale that is highly inspired by Norse Mythology but not an exact retelling. Our story follows Sigrid who has big dreams of being a Valkyrie but was more with a regular horse instead of one with wings. As such she is just a lonely stable hand. But she accidently see’s a prophecy showing her that she could be so much more.
I both loved and really struggled with this book. There were parts that were so fun and parts that literally drove my crazy. I’ll tackle both sides below.
I wanted to smother Sigrid pretty early on in the book. She was trying wayyy too hard. I understand she had dreams. And “wanted more.” Look, I also loved the little mermaid and beauty and the beast as a kid. I get it. You have dreams beyond your station. But when you start straight up breaking rules based on “your gut” and making a general nuisance of yourself maybe it’s time to rethink your plan. She also was borderline whiney about the whole “being just a stable hand” thing. I really wanted her to just shut up and deal with it.
I also feel like the title is a major spoiler. One of the major questions that was actually interesting was Sigrid’s parentage. But the title tells you she’s a princess of the “hell realm.”
I did love the side character sand the exploration of their friendship. I loved that Mariam wasn’t afraid to tell Sigrid the truth even when it hurt as well as apologize sincerely when she did mess up.
There was this part of the ending that I thought was kinda moronic. Like I get that the author wanted to show that Sigrid would give up everything to save her friends now that she’s realized she was being a twat earlier but it felt unnecessary for her to give up her 8 legged horse and the eye to save Mariam only to chase and run down Elena AGAIN and this time be like “WE WON!!”
I’m glad that the book is left open for further novels in this series. I’d still be interested in seeing where this series goes in the future. Overall I gave it 3 stars.
I received an eARC of this novel for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you netgalley and entangled publishing. That being said, all opinions are my own. ...more
Cupcake by Cookie O’Gorman Ariel, ‘Cupcake’ to her friends, is an excellent baker, a movie connoisseur, and fat. She’s not big boned. Nope she loves heCupcake by Cookie O’Gorman Ariel, ‘Cupcake’ to her friends, is an excellent baker, a movie connoisseur, and fat. She’s not big boned. Nope she loves herself and her body just the way they are. When she is elected to homecoming court by her classmates she wonders if this is all a joke. She’s paired with the hottest guy in her grade. Will Ariel make it out of this experience unharmed?
I went into this story really excited for numerous reasons. A) Fat protagonist who loves herself. CHECK. B) Movie references galore and C) Hero is the broody and silent type. And this book definitely met those expectations. I loved Rhys as a hero. He was so sweet without being like creepy or over doing it. He was just so thoughtful and I liked that. I also thought Ariel was very likeable while also having a personality and not being a pushover. The side characters were memorable and deserving of their own storylines. All good right?
My issues with this are with the overall plot. First Ariel assumes that Rhys doesn’t like her and is ‘rude’ for “reasons.” I honestly felt like anyone with ANY people skills, would know that he wasn’t rude so much as not sharing every detail of his life with everyone possible. Like girl, he has never really spoken to you. He does not owe it to you to tell you his secret. And WHY would you jump to the conclusion that he had a secret significant other? That’s some intense gymnastics you’re doing there. The guy is obviously just the stoic type who doesn’t speak just to hear himself talk. Then during the third act conflict I got even more frustrated with Ariel. All of her (very sudden might I add) mistrust of Rhys and later disdain is from over hearing him chatting with a friend. And she’s not mad that he “called her fat.” (Though he obviously didn’t) Its that he “lied to her” and blah blah. Okay. She is basing ALL OF THIS off of …. Popular rom coms?? Yeah her ONLY negative experience with fatness and comments is her bio dad. Which IS traumatizing. But she even admis that she assumed Rhys was bad because of all the movies she has watched. And I’m sorry but that’s idiotic. I wanted to smack her and tell her to use her friggin words.
I ended up giving this 3.5 stars which I’ve rounded up to 4 on Goodreads and Amazon. Do I recommend it? I mean it was fun, flirty, and overall did make me swoon. But I would tell you to go into it expecting to do the hard eye roll at Ariel. ...more
I received a copy of this for free from Entangled Publishing Through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Note that this doesn't effect my opinI received a copy of this for free from Entangled Publishing Through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Note that this doesn't effect my opinions which are my own.
Full RTC but in the mean time... I adored this so much.
To Covet a Countess by Sapna Bhog Sania Aaryan flees India with her younger sister to England hoping she will find safety in her cousin Lara, Duchess of Wolverton’s home. However when she arrives there’s a terrible snow storm and no cousin in sight. She’s rescued by her cousin’s neighbor and good friend Hawkesley. They grow close while waiting for the storm to pass but Hawk wouldn’t be a good husband. He’s a rake with a troubled past. But Sania has decided what she wants. Now she must figure out how to get it.
Overall I really liked this. I loved how sweet and endearing Hawks could be. I applauded Sania for not letting others, read MEN, make decisions for her. She stood up for herself and took ownership of her future. I loved that Hawk really loved Sania and was determined to show her he cared and not just give her empty words.
I felt like the 3rd act conflict was actually on point. I can see how Sania would have interpreted Hawk’s actions or lack thereof as betrayal. Yet I understood that Hawks was more stunned and confused that saying “Here, She’s yours I guess.” I will say that the villain could have been a bit more developed but it wasn’t an issue for me personally.
I really just enjoyed being with these characters again and seeing Sania and Hawk not only fall madly in love but Hawk learn to recognize that he deserved love too. I gave this 5 stars!...more
The Wedding Wager by Eva Devon follows Lady Victoria Kirby whose father wager’s her hand in marriage over a game of dice. The Duke of Chase, Derek KenThe Wedding Wager by Eva Devon follows Lady Victoria Kirby whose father wager’s her hand in marriage over a game of dice. The Duke of Chase, Derek Kent, over hear the wager and HAS to win Kirby’s hand to save her from the awful man betting against Victoria’s father. Will their marriage blossom into love?
Instead of a breakdown I’m going to tell you what worked for me and what didn’t.
Things that didn’t work for me
- Victoria’s insistence that she was plain and then getting her feelings hurt when he was confessing during the Climax. She interrupts him to ask “Well then why did you marry me?” And when he responds with his gut “To protect you” she then cuts him off saying “So you didn’t REALLY thing that beauty meant nothing.” Like girl let him finish! He would have gotten around to saying that he grew to love you and whatnot. - The dad’s reasoning for gambling with the awful man. It was convoluted at best. Like even for a man from that time it was illogical.
Things that did work for me and thus moved me to rate this novel highly
- The way that Victoria ‘Victory’ and Chase fell in love. I loved their conversations and stolen moments together. - How Chase really was determined to be a protector for Victoria, her sister, and other women that were put in awful situations. - How Chase overcame his self-hatred and then groveled. I feel like this is more of what I wanted from The Duke and I by Julia Quinn. It was moving and felt less like just telling us he realized everything was all his fault and now we’re good. - The back and forth between Victoria and Chase I can see where the plot for this one would be a turn off for some people. But I love a damaged hero and it was evident from the beginning that Chase was mentally/emotionally abused by his dad. I also love the romance trope of a “bet”. Adding a smart heroine was like cherry on top. But if you don’t LOVE these things then the story might not work for you. ...more
I was gifted this ARC from Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for free in exchange for an honest review. Note One Night with an Earl by Tina Gabrielle
I was gifted this ARC from Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for free in exchange for an honest review. Note that all thoughts are my own.
One Night with an Earl follows Ana, a “chaperon”, who longs for one night of absolute passion before her 30th birthday when she believes she’ll become a spinster. However after her night at the local elite brothel she finds herself unable to stop thinking about her sexy night with the Earl. The problems is two fold: a) The Earl is the son of the man who ruined her father, the Duke of Rosewood and forced her into servitude in order to be able to provider for her younger brother and b) The Earl is currently courting her charge, Lady Penelope. Whatever is a girl to do?
Plot – I thought the plot for this story was fairly believable. I was never pulled from the story suddenly. And I personally felt like there was just enough plot to move the story along without overwhelming the romance aspect. The romance remained center state while also keeping the reader intrigued and invested in the “side stories” of Ana’s family friend and Ana’s charge Lady Penelope. Tropes used include: ‘Met in a Brothel’, ‘It’s just for one night’, ‘Enemies to Lovers’, ‘I Love You – But I Can’t Have You’, and ‘Secret Heiress’.
Characters – I really loved both the Hero and the Heroine. The Heroine is part Lebanese, and I loved that the author didn’t shy away from showing some of the bits of Lebanese culture from food to personal hygiene. She was also fun to read about because she was very kind without being bland. She knew what she wanted and went for it. I struggled a bit with her reasoning for being mad at the earl. But the story worked out. And the Earl was *swoons*. I loved that he was a genuine person who actually cared about his tenants. I liked that he channeled his emotions into his passion for boxing. I loved seeing him always interact with authors with consideration. Sometimes kindness is sexy. The side characters were also fun to read about. I would love a novella following the progression of Penelope’s relationship.
Romance – I liked that despite how this romance started off with sexy times, the relationship between Ana and the duke was developed authentically. You could see them become friends and then move into something more with every encounter no matter how small. When they confess their love it was totally believable. And the 3rd act “problem” wasn’t overly dramatized or made into this ridiculous thing. I also felt like the Earl groveled the appropriate amount.
Overall would I recommend this romance: I think it depends. If you are looking for a romance that brings something unique and unforgettable to the genre then you might want to pass on this one. However I personally had a great time reading it. It was a fun escape from the world as we know it that gave me hope and made my heart flutter.
This wasn't a bad book per say. The short and sweet of my issues are that a) I was incredibly bored. And b) I could not bring myself to care about theThis wasn't a bad book per say. The short and sweet of my issues are that a) I was incredibly bored. And b) I could not bring myself to care about these characters.
The bigger issue is this: The plot had the potential. But once the beginining scene was over I felt like neither hero or heroine did anything to get what they wanted. The hero was like "I'll just keep mansplaining to her why I'm the best choice." and the heroine was "Oh woe is me! He doesn't love me!!" Um ma'am do you really love him? because I couldn't tell. There was no tension between them. It made her feel like a foolish young girl who decided she deserved love. But it goes both ways sis. So basically a whole lot of nothing happened until like 80% into the book.
I read the previous book in this series and struggled with that one as well. I'm starting to think its just the authors writing style that isn't for me.
2.5 stars that I rounded up to 3 for reasons. ...more
I received this ARC for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. However my opinions are my owThe Spinster and the Rake bu Eva Devon.
I received this ARC for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. However my opinions are my own. This story follows a haughty duke and a less than rich heroine. They’re caught kissing and forced in marriage. What starts out as an arrangement to appease society turns in true love. Characters – I give characters 4.5 / 5 stars. The heroine was so lovely. She stood up for what she believed and was not afraid to have opinions. She refused to be walked all over which I appreciated. The Icy Duke of Thornfield was my favorite type of hero in that he comes off originally as haughty and stern but as you get to know him you realize he has a gooey center. Also something I didn’t know going into this, the duke has undiagnosed autism. It’s not on page rep because they didn’t have that word to use at the time this took place. But he explains his “eccentricities” very clearly and it’s obvious that this is what’s going on. It was nice seeing the diversity. Plot – I gave plot a 4.5/5 stars as well. I love seeing two characters forced into marriage learn to love each other. I also love with one character has to have “princess lessons” (like The Princess Diaries) but in this case it was “Duchess lessons”. I loved seeing the journey the characters were on throughout the story and especially seeing the duke become comfortable enough to be honest with Georgiana about his true self. My only hiccup was the vit with her family. I get how it was used to show that Edward had changed. And Edward HAD said multiple times that Georgiana’s dad was a fool. But he never said in what way. So when her dad suddenly gambles away Georgiana’s dowry money it felt out of left field. Setting – I gave this aspect 5/5 stars. I was never pulled from the story due to setting issues. I’m one who thinks that for the most part historical accuracy is garbage and used as gatekeeping. So I mostly use this category to say that there was a flow to the story. The imagery was picturesque and I could easily imagine the world these characters lived in. Writing Style – Writing style was typical for Historical Romance genre. No crazy terms thrown out. Problematic Content – 5/5 In the beginning it felt like the duke was being rude. But once I picked up that he had sensory issues and compulsions it all made sense. So nothing problematic here. Personal Enjoyment - I give this section a 5/5 as well. I really loved this story. It made my heart feel things. I felt for these characters wanted them to find their happiness.
Overall I gave this 5/5 stars. If you like this genre and want to see some autism rep I suggest you check it out. ...more
The Obsidian Tower is the spinoff to Melissa’s Swords & Fire series. Its follows Ryx, granddaughter of Review for The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso
The Obsidian Tower is the spinoff to Melissa’s Swords & Fire series. Its follows Ryx, granddaughter of the lady of Owls through her magical mishaps as she tries to manage and negotiate foreign relations. There is romance, friendship, and magic. Here is my breakdown.
Plot: While I was super excited to dive back into this world, you don’t need to have read The Swords & Fire trilogy to order to understand what’s going on in The Obsidian Tower. Caruso does a great job explaining political tensions so that the gravity of the situation is apparent. The plot did seem a little chaotic. There’s a lot happening. But that was kind of the point. Ryx causes an incident while she’s trying to moderate international negotiations and it sets off a bunch if events. I do think it was handled well and I was never really confused about what was going on. Just highly stressed due to the multiple problems.
Characters: I loved these characters. They all had such personality. It was nice to see Ryx grow from this timid and lonely and downtrodden character to one with confidence in her abilities. There is a genderfluid character who uses they/them pronouns. Which was wonderful to see in a fantasy setting. I enjoyed that many of the characters are grey and not just “evil” or “good”. They’re humans making human choices. My favorite aspect of the book was the friendships that blossomed. It was raw and real and just gave me warm and fuzzies.
Writing style: I really enjoyed the writing style. Its not overly flowery yet not simplistic. We definitely get into the main character’s head and feel her emotions with her. I loved the humor that Caruso’s dialogue brings to lighten the heaviness of the plot of the book. I laughed out quite a few times. I like still that despite the humor, the world is still viewed through this realistic lense.
Personal Enjoyment: I adored this book. I went into this having read and also loved Caruso’s Sword & Fire series. This book did not disappoint as a follow up. I loved seeing things from the Vaskandar side of the continent. I enjoyed all the political maneuvering and how different that looks from Vaskandar as opposed to Raverra. Mostly I enjoyed the friendships and relationships that grew and changed across the novel. Ryx is so isolated due to the nature of her magic. It was good to see her get to experience friendship and romance and familial hugs. Basically I loved this book and can’t recommend it enough
5 Stars!
2021 Reread - Still loved this. Love Caruso's writing. Her books are a must for me. ...more
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Netgalley and Thomas NI received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing.
Before I even start this I want to bring your attention to the author’s note. She is very clear about trigger warnings and that she wants you to talk care of your mental health. So if subjects like suicide, self harm, depression, anxiety, death of a loved one bother you at all, maybe wait to pick this one up until you are in a good state of mind Where to begin with the lovely book. Let’s start with the plot. It was pitched as a Little Mermaid retelling. But to be honest that part of the story takes a back seat to the bigger discussions of mental health, grief, and suicide. The story is told through 3 characters: Coral, Merrick, and Brooke. Goodreads says: Coral has always been different, standing out from her mermaid sisters in a society where blending in is key. Worse yet, she fears she has been afflicted with the dreaded Disease, said to be carried by humans—emotions. Can she face the darkness long enough to surface in the light?
Above the sea, Brooke has nothing left to give. Depression and anxiety have left her feeling isolated. Forgotten. The only thing she can rely on is the numbness she finds within the cool and comforting ocean waves. If only she weren’t stuck at Fathoms—a new group therapy home that promises a second chance at life. But what’s the point of living if her soul is destined to bleed?
Merrick may be San Francisco’s golden boy, but he wants nothing more than to escape his controlling father. When his younger sister’s suicide attempt sends Merrick to his breaking point, escape becomes the only option. If he can find their mom, everything will be made right again—right? I thought the plot struggled a little bit. My biggest issue with Coral is that the transition for Coral(the character) from Water to Land didn’t make a lot of sense and was just odd. The Sea Witch was NEVER villainous and yet she was supposed to be seen as such for at least part of the story. And just how the separate stories weave together was a little messy. While I did enjoy each separate story, I just thought how they meshed together was awkward like a middle school dance. Which brings me to my second irritation, not a full on complaint : The romance. I can’t explain without spoilers but it felt like a lot of ridiculous miss communication and then suddenly “I LOVE YOU!” I mean I knew the two chracters would end up together. But still. It just didn’t flow perfectly. Like a river that hits a few rocks along the way. Not a huge deal but something to mention. Speaking of characters, I did enjoy the ones leading this story. I’ll admit I preferred the side characters but I had no problem slipping into Coral or Brooke or Merrick’s story with ease. They aren’t perfect little angels, and do exhibit some unlikeable behavior. But to me it made sense under the lense of depression, anxiety, mental illness. I thought the writing was both beautiful and haunting. Ella’s descriptions of anxiety attacks and depression were painfully accurate and didn’t skimp on the details. It was also relatable. If you don’t like mentions of Harry Potter and John Green in your books maybe skip this one. It’ll get on your nerves. But personally, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed each POV equally and felt they each had their own voice. I even struggled to put this down at times because just as things would move on , so would the POVs . So I was definitely hooked. Either way I give full points to Ella’s writing style. Finally let me talk about my personal experience with Coral. I went into this excited because I LOVE the Little Mermaid. But what I got was so much more. Maybe the retelling aspect of Coral didn’t execute as planning but the conversation regarding mental illness was … perfect. I can’t express how much it means to me to see things like people regarding mental illness like disease just like cancer. Or positive representation of mental institutions and therapy. Or positive discussions about actually taking your mental health meds so that you can find your normal. I am crying writing this review because of how much this book meant to me. It touched my soul and I can’t thank Ella enough for writing this into the world. I feel seen, valued, and treasured. “I am not nothing and neither are you.” Overall I give this 4/5 stars. ...more
Hey you guys. I’m Sydney and you’re watching Sydney’s Shelves. Today I’m going to be doing a book review for The Death and Life of Eleanor Parker by KHey you guys. I’m Sydney and you’re watching Sydney’s Shelves. Today I’m going to be doing a book review for The Death and Life of Eleanor Parker by Kerry Wilkinson. It came out on July 26th. I got my copy for free from Netgalley for an honest review. That being said my thoughts are my own. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this opportunity. Let’s do this.
Plot: The Death and Life of Eleanor Parker is a YA murder mystery thriller that verges on magical realism. It’s about a girl who wakes up in a lake not knowing who or where she is but certain of one thing: She died tonight. Or to be more specific was murdered. The story follows Eleanor as she uncovers her hidden memories and tries to figure out who had it in for her. As Mystery thriller plots go this one isn’t super unique. But I was excited because I love stuff where the characters come back from the dead. I can honestly say that I was invested in this plot and eagerly anticipating the big reveal. Following Eleanor around as she did day to day things could be mundane at times but this was neccsary for Eleanor to recover her memories. I’m not usually a fan of the “lost memories” trope but I thought it was used well in this instance. It made sense what with her coming back from the dead. I gave plot 4.5 out of 5 Stars.
Characters: The main character in this story is Eleanor Parker. To tell you how just okay she was, when I was writing this review I forgot her name…. Um it’s in the title Sydney. She was just your average teenager finding out she wasn’t really this sweet and innocent thing that she would have preferred. Like every character who has ever lost their memory they find out their real self can be a jerk. I did like Eleanor I just don’t remember much about her now that the book is over.
The side characters weren’t much different. They lack character building to make them strong independent characters. Like their whole description depends on Eleanor. Ie,,, Eleanor’s best friend, Eleanor’s Mum, Eleanor’s Brother, etc. I would have liked a little more character building. But I know the author was trying to keep them vague in order to build the suspense of who dun it. I gave characters a 3.5 out of 5 Stars.
World Building. You really get a taste of the small british village in this book. The atmosphere was really tense. I felt like the author did a mostly good job or putting you in the moment and keeping you hanging by the seat of your pants. I liked how the author protrayed small town gossip . Yes its frustrating but you grew up with these people. And everyone knows everyone. It’s a whole thing. And I just thought the author showed it well. Something I was meh about was the lack of world buildling concerning the whole coming back from the dead thing. I thought this would be a paranormal thriller. But the how, why, ect were never answered. We are just supposed to understand that she came back from the dead and is struggling with things bodies would suffer from if they’d died like temperature drop and lack of hunger or need for sleep. I guess what I mean is there is no real magic system. It’s just like “here’s a splash of something fantastical.” I gave World Building 4 out of 5 stars.
Writing Style. This book is written in first person POV. We really get into Eleanor’s head as she deconstructs her memories and puts together the puzzle before her. I thought the author did a good job with showing us new information instead of just telling us every new thing. We discover the story along with Eleanor which was fun. I do think the story was more suspensful then straight up thrillery. I was never scared for Eleanor’s Life or so anxious for what was gonna happen next. More like I just wanted to know what really happened. Which was fine. The Wilkinson did do a good job of keeping you wanting more and setting a good pace. Was I super impressed by the writing style and could read this forever, no. But was it better than most YA thrillers? Yes. I gave Writing Style a 4 out of 5 stars.
Personal Experience. I did really enjoy reading this book for the most part. Actually for all the parts that count I couldn’t put this book down. Why do I say the parts that count? Because I did this awful thing about halfway through the book I figured out who the murderer was so of course I stopped and had to check the ending to make sure I was right… Yeah I’m the literal worst. Well after this plunder, I didn’t want to pick the book up for days. Yes plural. Almost a week. I finally had to force myself to just do it and read the second half of the book in one sitting. But I’m not holding this against the book because its honestly my own dang fault. So for what actually counts, I gave personal experience a 4 out of 5 Stars.
Overall I gave The Death and Life of Eleanor Parker 4 out of 5 stars. It’s pretty good for a YA mystery thriller. The characters aren’t amazing but the story is captivating. I think if you’re looking to branch out into the fantastical world but not too much then this story is the perfect amount of paranormal for you. I hope you guys check this one out. Let me know in the comments if you plan to pick this up. I hope you guys are having a great day! I’ll see you in the stacks. ...more
I’m here today with another book review. Today’s book review is for Someone That I Used to Know by Patty Blount which came out August 7th. I got my c I’m here today with another book review. Today’s book review is for Someone That I Used to Know by Patty Blount which came out August 7th. I got my copy for free from netgalley for an honest review. So Thanks Sourcebooks! Let’s dive into what I thought. The plot follows two main characters. The first being Ashley , who was raped two years ago. The second pov is her brother Derek. The plot delves into rape culture and just the way we as a society stand by and do nothing in the face of rape charges. This is obviously a really important topic and very applicable to today’s atmosphere. We tend to say “Oh Boys will be boys” instead of dealing with the fact that someone we know is capable of rape. However, while this story is needed and very powerful, there came a point when it felt like the author was just trying to force her views on her readers rather than spark a discussion. This was especially annoying during the diatribe against high school football. I rolled my eyes a lot at how unreasonable the main character was being. I gave plot 3.5/5 Stars Like I mentioned before there are two main characters in the story. The first being Ashley who is the rape victim. I had a love hate relationship with Ashley. While I’ve never been through a situation like hers I can def empathize with all the pain she is dealing with. But there were times when Ashley was just unreasonable and it wasn’t because she triggered but because she was stubborn and wanted to punish people. I realize she’s a high school student but I still wanted her to at least realize her mistake and redeem herself. No such luck. She felt static and like her whole point in being was to make point. If that makes sense. Her brother Derek was obviously the champion of the story because he had the redemption arc. He stood by during the rape trial and even endorsed her rapist’s behaviors and now blames himself for the way his family is falling apart. But he learns from his mistakes and makes a huge change. He grew up. He was much less annoying that his sister. As for the side characters, none of them really stand out. Ashley’s boyfriend was super generic. It was interesting to see how Ashley’s family members channeled their grief. Tragedy doesn’t only touch the victim but the victim’s loved ones. I gave characters 3.5/5 Stars Next let’s talk about world building. I thought the author did a really good job of putting you in each moment. She really built up the atmosphere, so the tension was palpable. The novel is set in modern times so the world building really revolves around setting up the story of Ashley being raped and where her and derek are emotionally right now. Which is utter chaos understandably. I really feel like the author got us into their heads so we could feel what what these characters felt. I gave world building a 5/5 Now let’s chat about writing style. The story is told in both past and present. The story would flop between present day and anywhere from two years ago to 10 years ago. Some people hate stories told like this but I rather enjoy them. I think the past flashbacks were very helpful in giving us a picture of Ashley and Derek’s childhood together how they grew so far apart. I also liked that the chapters were clearly labeled with whose POV we were in so I never confused the two. I thought the story flowed well together and ended up giving writing style 4/5 stars. Finally let’s discuss Personal enjoyment. This book was very intense and hard to read at times. But I understand the necessity of Someone That I Used to Know. I enjoyed the discussions it sparked and how it made me think. I didn’t like the parts that felt forced but they weren’t frequent. I gave personal enjoyment 4/5 Stars This makes my overall rating 4/5 stars for Someone that I Used to Know. I hope that this story gets into as many teens hands as possible. Whether its to teach them a lesson is rape culture or just letting them know that they are not alone as victims. This story is very powerful and one that we definitely needed....more
A historical drama with potential for mystery. But the mystery was mediocre at best. There's alot of small town drama and nastiness. But it was intereA historical drama with potential for mystery. But the mystery was mediocre at best. There's alot of small town drama and nastiness. But it was interesting seeing how these characters interacted with each other. There's a huge focus on the love triangle between Rowen, Valentine, and Sam. But it was pretty obvious from the beginning who she would pick. Overall I liked this book and would def read more by this author in the future. But i was pretty meh about the experience as a whole.
Plot 3 Characters 3.5 World Building 4 Writing Style 3 Personal Enjoyment 3
Oh my word! Reign of the Fallen is so good. I don't know why the book community is sleeping on this series. Necromancy, two girls in love, and charactOh my word! Reign of the Fallen is so good. I don't know why the book community is sleeping on this series. Necromancy, two girls in love, and characters I'd die to protect. You'd think they'd eat this up. Yet I've barely heard anything about it all year. It's slipped through the cracks of our bookish radars and I'm here to tell you why you should pick it up today.
First all of all the plot line is awesome. A world where people are continuously raised from the dead so that they can continue on forever. Our MC is a necromancy who can go to the shadowlands and find dead souls and bring them back with her. But someone is out there purposefully turning souls into shades. Shades are demon like creatures that souls can turn into who then terrorize and feed on the alive people. There was a lot of action packed into this story and I can honestly say I was never bored.
Next, these characters. They are precious, they are flawed, they are human. I love how Marsh developes these characters from the beginning of the novel to the end. This is a fantasy novel that takes the characters on a journey both literally and just within themselves. I wanted to reach out and hug them, protect them, and fight for them. Our MC is badass without being invincible. Her love interest is her own person and not just "the girl she loves". And the side characters have such great personalities. These characters are basically my new babies.
Also, I personally read the audio book which is narrated by Alex McKenna. Oh Em Gee her voice is like smooth sugar. It's deep and husky and just perfect for voicing Odessa. She uses different voices for each character so you're never bored, distracted, or wondering who is talking. I couldn't stop listening to the audio. Like I had to force myself to pull my ear buds out and do things like work and talk to my husband.
I just really loved this book and don't understand why no one else is raving about it. I feel like I won't shut up about Reign of the Fallen for quite a while. I am in desperate need for the sequel, which sadly I have to wait many months for. Please pick this one up and don't miss this great YA fantasy.
My breakdown
Characters 5/5 Plot 4.5 Writing Style 5/5 World Building 4.75 Narration 5/5 Personal Enjoyment 5/5
This graphic novel is the meet and great story of the current Suicide Squad and Justice League of America. I'm semi knowledgeable about both groups asThis graphic novel is the meet and great story of the current Suicide Squad and Justice League of America. I'm semi knowledgeable about both groups as I've seen any and all movies that relate to them. But like any book to movie adaptation there are characters/plot lines/ etc that are left out of the original content when transferring to the theater. So I'm not exactly up to date on any of the characters. Williamson and Williams do a good job of giving the reader a quick into to each character as they come on screen. There would be a little box with the hero/villain's name and what they can do, usually with a snarky comment. I found this really helpful.
My favorite part of the story was getting the background and story of the original Suicide Squad. I don't know if this is cannon with previous Suicide Squad graphics but I'll say that it was entertaining and really gave more character development for Amanda Waller. While I personally know how witchy Amanda Waller is, newer readers might not have. Also the new old suicide squad members gave us insight into team dynamics and the trials that Waller had to go through before she figured out how to run this team to her advantage.
If you are an aThe day that Amanda Waller has long dreaded has finally come to pass: the Justice League has discovered the existence of Task Force X! America’s paragons of truth & justice won’t take well to a government-sponsored team of black ops super-villains (with bombs implanted in their heads), but before the Justice League can shut down the Suicide Squad, a bigger problem looms: another deadly strike team is lurking in the shadows, one that could expose dark secrets throughout the DC Universe, with ties to the hidden truths of DC Universe: Rebirth. Longtime enemies such as Batman & Deadshot, the Flash & Boomerang, & Wonder Woman & Harley Quinn will have to put aside their differences when an evil threat once thought lost to the DC Universe makes their return
If you are an avid DC fan then one of the coolest parts of this comic is seeing old rivals face off against each other and then be forced to come together. The banter between Flash and Boomerang had me laughing as did Wonder Woman and Harley. Deadshot and Batman's face off broke my heart more than anything in this novel. Their confrontations really highlight the theme of this novel which is "Can a known killer be more than a killer?" Batman is hung up on using murders to save the day. To him they are nothing more than a bunch of killers. But he comes to realize that these people do have hearts and aren't pure evil. The members of the Suicide Squad, for the most part, have a conscious and don't kill willy nilly.
One of the things that felt out of nowhere for me was Max Lord. I'd never heard of him before but he shows up on the scene ready to take control. He is power hungry in a bad kind of way and headed for the evil life. The graphic gives a quick back story on Lord but it didn't feel like enough for me personally. And when he turns into Eclipso the first time I didn't realize that it was Max. I was just like, "who is this dude now?!?"
The scenes where Max has taken control of the Justice League were semi-cool. I particularly enjoyed the art for those scenes. The JLA's faces were painted half blue. And swear to goodness they had these crazy vampire/monster teeth. They looked terrifying! If I were walking down the streets of metropolis and evil superman walked up to me I would freak out. The art overall was typical superhero art. So not my favorite. But still mostly readable. It did feel like like things were squished onto the page and I needed a magnifying glass to catch everything that was happening on each page.
The big ending wasn't really a surprise for me personally, but the novel was still fun because I enjoyed seeing the story play out. The epilogue was kind of pointless in my opinion. We got background on Waller and her family life. (FYI - She is also a crappy mom on top of being semi insane/heartless) But it didn't provide anything noteworthy for the storyline. ...more
Things I loved : Bookishly Geeky Girl. Someone who actually went to book signings and cosplayed. Someone who read during lunch and loved fictional boyThings I loved : Bookishly Geeky Girl. Someone who actually went to book signings and cosplayed. Someone who read during lunch and loved fictional boys. Things I hated: The racist and rude best friend, MC's peers unrealistic reaction to the book community, and that phoebe just liked Dev b/c he liked her first. Full review here: https://sydneysshelves.wordpress.com/......more
This book is hard for me to review. First its hard to decide what genre to put it in. Thriller? Contemporary? Mental Illness? It felt like it was lessThis book is hard for me to review. First its hard to decide what genre to put it in. Thriller? Contemporary? Mental Illness? It felt like it was less mystery thriller and more suspenseful. And while mental illness plays a huge part of this book, I think the point was on the bullying, manipulation, and revenge. It takes place in a contemporary setting but is definitely not a sweet little romance. It's like it needs its own category.
I'll start with a few things I do know. One, the plot was hecka interesting. Like I read 96% of this book in one day. Which is pretty hard for me to do. I couldn't stop reading it. I read through my entire Monday night at work. Whoops. The only reason I didn't read the entire book in one day was that I started it on a night I had some anxiety and needed to set it aside until the next day. But from chapter one I was pulled into this story. Partially because I liked the way Domino and Wilson treated each other and their conversations. But also because I wanted to see what happens. You pretty much know what is going to happen, in a general sense. But I could feel Domino's emotions pouring off of her even as she tried to keep the wall she had built around herself sturdy and unbreakable.
Scott's writing style was easy to follow. All of Wilson's thoughts were italicized so I was never confused about who was speaking. I really liked that both Wilson and Domino were strong characters, just in different ways. They each had their voice and way about doing things. All of the characters were authentic and decently fleshed out. I would've liked to have seen more backstory for a few of the characters but that would have changed the tone of the book I'm sure. Though it's never explicitly stated, Domino and her love interest have Dissociative Identity Disorder. (Professionals no longer call it multiple personalities.) DID happens when a person experiences real trauma and they start to dissociate from the trauma by disconnecting yourself from your feelings, thoughts, memories and actions. As a child Domino's mind created Wilson to deal with the pain she was experiencing. For Cain, he learned how to turn his emotions off and not feel. It was interesting to read about for sure and gives the reader something to think about. While I do not have DID, it did seem like Scott did at least some if not a lot of research on the matter in order to perfect her characters. I was glad that Domino and Cain weren't stereotypical villains but are just a people who are doing what they have to do to take care of themselves.
I also enjoyed that Domino and Cain weren't jumping into each other's arms because they wanted to fix the other one or because they thought love could heal their issues. Domino and Cain became friends through friendly conversations and saw something each other that they recognized in themselves. Like meeting a kindred spirit. Their relationship also wasn't that important to the story. Their friendship helped keep each other safe but this is not a love story. And I appreciated that.
Overall I would give this a 4.5/5 stars. If you like suspenseful stories that keep you wanting more then I highly recommend this book for you....more
This review might not come out into complete sentences because I'm having trouble calming down from how frakking fantastic this book was. I juThoughts
This review might not come out into complete sentences because I'm having trouble calming down from how frakking fantastic this book was. I just finished it last night. And the only reason I didn't read it in one sitting is because my body doesn't do sitting still for very long. But I was giddy with happiness from beginning to end. Gah, like I loved these characters. I loved all the geekiness and even the acknowledgements had me holding my chest and grinning.
Let's start off with the obvious. It's a Cinderella retelling. And while normally I'd be all, "There are too many of these" I will say this one felt different. It didn't like the tropes/outline of Cinderella drive what was going to happen. It was like she put the story together and then realized it was Cinderella. The writing just flowed together. And even when I was able to predict some of the plot (because it IS still a retelling) I didn't care and just loved seeing how this particular story weaved together.
The best part of this story though was all the fandom shoutouts. The whole plot revolves about this tv show Starfield which is similar to Star Trek, Firefly, and Battle Star Gallactica. But then there were all these name drops. They talk about Gilmore Girls, Harry Potter, Dr.Who, Sherlock, and Batman. And that was only in the first 20%. As Poston describes the Con (Which I'm pretty sure is a shoutout to Dragon Con in Atlanta) you feel like you are there. These fans come together to support their own. Showing that online friends are REAL friends and that we know how to come together. I was so excited during the whole conference and cosplay contest. While I've never done one myself I have wanted to and would've killed to attend Dragon Con. There are so many fandoms out there and places to share who you are with others who get you. Geekerella really hits on that feeling of belonging that fans tend to find amongst each other. I just couldn't get enough of it. Geekerella will be on my top books for the year. I can already tell.
2022 reread: Still 5 Stars and ALL the feels. ...more
Decent comic but I was confused as hell as to where in the timeline it began. It's part of the rebirth series so it's like a restart for the characterDecent comic but I was confused as hell as to where in the timeline it began. It's part of the rebirth series so it's like a restart for the character. But it would've been nice to know some background information about BG. I did enjoy the comic despite the cheesy dialogue and simple mystery. Babs is a great character and I love her stuff....more
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