I didn’t read the synopsis before starting this, I simply saw it was a sapphic romance (one4.25⭐️ | |
This is the year of the Knight books!
I didn’t read the synopsis before starting this, I simply saw it was a sapphic romance (one being a lady & one a knight) with dragons and I immediately requested the arc.
While reading I kept thinking, “this is totally giving A Knights Tale� vibes.� Well I’ve read the synopsis now and sure enough it’s described as A Knight’s Tale meets Lady Jane, with a dash of The Great! and I have to say I totally agree!
This was such a fun romp! It’s filled with cheeky humor, bucketloads of tension, a sweet romance, and a splash of dragons. Really, what more could you want?
Oh, you want more than that? Well lucky you, because this book does in fact have more to offer.
It has the most fun “Interstitial� chapters where The Narrator has a little side conversation with you, the reader. The naming of these chapters made me giggle quite a bit, as someone with a biology background I couldn’t help but think “interstitial space� while reading - which made the chapters just a hair sillier and more fun. (it’s the little things)
Honestly this book is my idea of the perfect cozy fantasy - funny, medium stakes, and a bit of fairytale vibes.
My only complaint is it was a bit longer than I would have liked. This could have easily been under 400 pages, and I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if it had been!
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Storytide for the eARC. All opinions are my own....more
This book is so tragically beautiful and romantic!
An absolute MUST read.
The Heartbreak Hotel is exactly what I need in a romance. T5⭐️ | |
This book is so tragically beautiful and romantic!
An absolute MUST read.
The Heartbreak Hotel is exactly what I need in a romance. Trauma in all the right places, emotional depth for days, breathtakingly beautiful prose, so much TENSION, and YEARNING! OH MY!
I have not read Ellen O’Clover before, but now I need to devour everything she’s written. If her other books are even a fraction as good as this one I will be OBSESSED.
This book does lean a little more women’s fiction than romance, however I find that I enjoy books where the FMC is able to explore their self-identity in greater depth without everything being about the MMC.
This definitely achieves that.
We get so much to love with this book� - found family - family dynamics + family forward story - emotional maturity - characters with depth for DAYS - swoony romance - stunning prose - stoic MMC - THE TENSION - THE YEARNING - THE HURT - age gap (26/34) - Colorado Mountain setting
What’s not to love� - NOTHING THIS BOOK IS SO PHENOMENAL! - GO READ IT NOW!
Please note: Check your trigger warning with this one - there are some heavy topics within
Witches are out in the open and normal part of society in this paranormal/contemporary YA romance.
Cayden’s family bakery is in trouble a| |
Witches are out in the open and normal part of society in this paranormal/contemporary YA romance.
Cayden’s family bakery is in trouble and we she goes on a date with the hot witch IT boy, Khy a new influx of customers hoping to get a look at Khy’s new girlfriend.
Cayden is uninterested in dating an uppity society boy - but she is interested in the increase in her families business. So they agree to fake date.
This was an adorable ya romcom with sweet family dynamics and an easy to follow world.
I loved that her parents have a bakery and a dog rescue, the pup cameos made it all the more special.
Great read for young adults and teens.
Thank you NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for the eARC. All opinions are my own....more
Confession: I've never read The Great Gatsby so I do not have that knowledge for reference.
This was a good time. A character st4.25⭐️ | | |
Confession: I've never read The Great Gatsby so I do not have that knowledge for reference.
This was a good time. A character study and slice of life style narrative with magic, demons, and monsters - both of the human variety and the non-human form.
The paper cutting magic was particularly interesting!
A little slow but a spectacularly interesting pay-off. ...more
This companion novella to The Chosen and the Beautiful feels a like an extended epilogue - one you didn't realize you needed, but no4⭐️ | |
This companion novella to The Chosen and the Beautiful feels a like an extended epilogue - one you didn't realize you needed, but now you can't imagine not having!
There is something wildly magic about Nghi Vo’s writing. I find myself completely engrossed - even in the mundane or monotonous scenes. I typically find slice-of-life style narratives repetitive and boring, but Nghi Vo’s ability to weave magic into everyday life is like a shot of adrenaline to my brain. I can’t stop reading, and I’m always hungry for more.
Don’t Sleep With the Dead was no exception.
I loved the exploration of paper-soldier Nick Carraway's life, the absolutely stunning prose, the magic and mythology, and the contrast of paranormal horrors to that of the everyday horrors of life.
I do think this works best as a companion to The Chosen and the Beautiful, if you choose to read as a true standalone I think you’ll be missing out! I read this directly after finishing The Chosen and the Beautiful and throughly enjoyed getting an “extended� version of the story.
My only complaint is that I could have easily enjoyed a longer version of the story. The narrative progresses fairly quickly and I just wanted a little more time to sit with this new version of Nick.
Audio Narration: 5/5 I enjoyed the narration quite a bit! The perfect voice for our older mature Nick Carraway!
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC and Tor Books for the eARC. All opinions are my own....more
A second-chance romance between an American writer and a Scottish photographer as they hike the Isle of Skye.
What’s to love... - S3.5⭐️ | | |
A second-chance romance between an American writer and a Scottish photographer as they hike the Isle of Skye.
What’s to love... - Second chance romance - Scotland setting (hiking the Isle of Skye) - dual timeline - only one tent - slow burn - themes of grief & self-discovery - bookish book (writer FMC) - detailed atmosphere and descriptions of the landscape
What I didn't love� - I am personally not a fan of dual timeline so that was a negative for me - but I know lots of ppl enjoy it! - Also not a huge fan of overly descriptive travel scenery so that was a miss for me - but again, I know some ppl enjoy it! - overall I felt like it lacked tension and banter, the whole book just felt “fine� - certainly not a bad book but not one I'll be itching to reread soon.
It felt quite reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo, but with magic.
I think if you’re a fan of re3.5⭐️ | |
I love a good revenge story.
It felt quite reminiscent of The Count of Monte Cristo, but with magic.
I think if you’re a fan of revenge plots, heists, secret societies, and a slow burn romance - this could be worth a read!
The FMC is betrayed, wrongfully imprisoned, links up with another prisoner to escape, then enact revenge on the people responsible for their imprisonment, using an endless supply of money to do so.
I liked this one, I didn’t love it. - Great in the moment, but one I probably won't re-read in the future.
I do think if this was marketed as a Monte Cristo reimagining I probably would have enjoyed it more - but the parallels were too strong to ignore and frankly it distracted be from really diving into the story.
The romance is very slow burn, the characters not even noticing each other as viable romantic partners until about half way through the book.
There are plenty of heists, interesting magic, and clandestine adventures.
Conceptually this book was great but the execution missed the mark a bit for me - but it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s for the eARC. All opinions are my own....more
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