Nika's Updates en-US Wed, 30 Apr 2025 06:40:43 -0700 60 Nika's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Review7106071271 Wed, 30 Apr 2025 06:40:43 -0700 <![CDATA[Nika added 'The Stolen Queen']]> /review/show/7106071271 The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis Nika gave 4 stars to The Stolen Queen (Hardcover) by Fiona Davis
RTC ]]> Review7479929015 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 06:46:09 -0700 <![CDATA[Nika added 'House of Hearts']]> /review/show/7479929015 House of Hearts by Skyla Arndt Nika gave 3 stars to House of Hearts (Hardcover) by Skyla Arndt
bookshelves: netgalley
Thank you, Penguin Random House and NetGalley, for this eARC.

If certain aspects were more developed, this could be a good book.

It has a gothic atmosphere, with elements or rather references to Alice in Wonderland.

The protagonist comes to find out what really happened to her friend but can't leave the academy and gets caught up in a family curse.

There are mysteries, ghosts, a wild fox, and a rabbit.

This book has potential. The plot felt fast-paced to me, more like a story, especially the rushed and unclear romance. There was chemistry, but it wasn’t really felt, and it was unclear how they fell in love. The ending was also quick, and I needed to reread some parts.

I liked the atmosphere, with a secret society, an ancient history, and a family curse. There were moments of intrigue, but by the end, I didn’t feel much shock, and there were still questions left unanswered.

Idea: 4.5
Plot: 3 too fast and confusing
Style: 4 not bad, light
Emotion: 2, suspenseful and creepy
Characters: 3 not attached to them, but not bad either

� YA
� Paranormal
� Familial curse
� Dark academia
� Enemies to lovers
� Alice in Wonderland atmosphere
� Secret society
� Forbidden love ]]> Comment289996484 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 10:49:36 -0700 <![CDATA[Nika commented on Nika's review of The Two Lies of Faven Sythe]]> /review/show/7523050724 Nika's review of The Two Lies of Faven Sythe
by Megan E. O'Keefe

Uswah wrote: "AWW GLAD YOU STILL HAD A GOOD TIME BEAUTIFUL 🫂 LOVELY REVIEW� 🫂"
Thank you, sweetie!🫂🫶🏻 ]]> Review7526152605 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 10:46:25 -0700 <![CDATA[Nika added 'The Good Boy']]> /review/show/7526152605 The Good Boy by Stella Hayward Nika gave 4 stars to The Good Boy (Paperback) by Stella Hayward
bookshelves: netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper for this ARC.

A dog turns into a human?
That's what made me read it.

I laughed, cried, laughed again, and then cried some more.

I don't know what else to write.

The heroine accidentally makes the wrong wish, and her dog becomes a man...

Aside from the magic in the book, it's a rather heartfelt romance that makes you think.

You won't find strong chemistry or passion here; it's about finding oneself, forgiving people from the past, and understanding what truly matters.

I love the friends to lovers trope. It's slow and comfortable; the characters didn’t annoy me. They were likable, of course, they were a bit slow and indecisive, but many people are like that.

I enjoyed the writing style, with the heroine addressing the readers. It felt like listening to someone else's story, with elements of magic, but still a sense of reality

It reminds me of those films where bodies switch, animals become humans, and all the time magic teaches the characters something.

⭐️4,25/5

� Friends To Lovers
� Closed door
� Single POV
� Dog and cat
� Depression and loss of loved ones (in the past)
� Magic ]]> PollVote82795270 Sun, 27 Apr 2025 09:45:30 -0700 <![CDATA[ Nika voted in a poll ]]> /poll/show_vote/82795270 Hii! Which series should I start reading in May?. ]]> Review7523050724 Sun, 27 Apr 2025 09:12:23 -0700 <![CDATA[Nika added 'The Two Lies of Faven Sythe']]> /review/show/7523050724 The Two Lies of Faven Sythe by Megan E. O'Keefe Nika gave 4 stars to The Two Lies of Faven Sythe (Kindle Edition) by Megan E. O'Keefe
bookshelves: netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC.

This book is told from a third-person perspective. About Bitter Amandine, a notorious pirate, and Faven Sythe, an innocent navigator and crystalborn - a hybrid of human and crystal with the ability to weave star paths.

When Faven's mother dies and her mentor goes missing, leaving only rumors and a mysterious star path leading to a cosmic graveyard known as Clutch, Faven is determined to find it, even if it means dealing with pirates. Her journey intersects with Amandine, who harbors her own secrets. Together, they become embroiled in a conspiracy that draws them into dangerous adventures across the galaxy.

The descriptions are vivid and atmospheric, and I loved that there are pirates in space.

Found family, love. Adventures in space.

I wasn't particularly invested in the romance, and I didn't want or expect it to be a focus. At times, the plot confused me and felt slow.

⭐️3,5/5

� Pirates in space
� Queer
� Betrayal
� Found family ]]> Review7507337096 Fri, 25 Apr 2025 13:45:33 -0700 <![CDATA[Nika added 'Last Night Was Fun']]> /review/show/7507337096 Last Night Was Fun by Holly Michelle Nika gave 4 stars to Last Night Was Fun (Paperback) by Holly Michelle
bookshelves: netgalley
Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Emmy is a data analyst for a baseball team, focused on her career and avoiding romance with coworkers. However, things start going awry. An unexpected anonymous correspondence makes her heart race. Emmy is shocked to discover that the mysterious man is Gabe, her colleague and rival. Together, they attend her sister's wedding, trying to figure out whether their feelings for each other are real or just a coincidence.

It was funny, sweet, and made me tear up a bit.

I really enjoyed the first 60%, but then it got a bit boring for me, which is a personal thing. The characters were cute and likable, although by the end, they were being frustrating and I wanted to slap them (sorry)...

This is the first book I've read with a baseball theme, and I liked that there was enough of it here!

I pictured it like a movie; it was vivid, and I think it could be filmed.

Idea: 3
Plot: 3.5
Characters: 4
Emotions: 4

3.5/5 rounded up to 4

� workplace romance
� sports romance
� data analytics nerds
� rivals to lovers
� slow burn
� only one bed
� witty banter
� woman in STEM
� loss of a loved one in the past
� 1 POV ]]> Comment289893400 Fri, 25 Apr 2025 11:38:53 -0700 <![CDATA[Nika commented on Nika's review of Servant of Earth]]> /review/show/7169804960 Nika's review of Servant of Earth (The Shards of Magic, #1)
by Sarah Hawley

Brooke 𝜗𝜚 wrote: "lovely review, doll! glad you enjoyed it 🤍"thank you, sweetie!🥰 ]]> Review7169804960 Thu, 24 Apr 2025 07:58:00 -0700 <![CDATA[Nika added 'Servant of Earth']]> /review/show/7169804960 Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley Nika gave 4 stars to Servant of Earth (The Shards of Magic, #1) by Sarah Hawley
bookshelves: netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC!

So, to rescue her best friend from being a sacrifice to the Fae, Kenna goes on a wild trek across the bog to their land, which is super cruel and violent. She ends up as a handmaiden for the heir of the Earth house, helping her navigate some seriously dangerous trials to unlock her powers.

I really liked the vibe and the writing style wasn’t bad, but honestly, it felt kind of predictable for me, and I guessed a lot of the twists.

The romance? It was mostly lust, and I didn't like the prince, but there was another guy...

This isn't your typical fairytale land; it's a brutal place packed with secrets, conspiracies, and deaths.

One thing I totally loved was the talking dagger! It reminded me of a moment from another series I read.

Kenna's clever, but I felt like she trusted some of the fae a bit too easily (first rule of the forest: trust no one), even if they seemed good.

I liked how she made new friends. Her bond with Lara started off rocky but eventually turned sisterly, which was sweet.

Heads up, this book dives into some dark and disturbing stuff, like fae brothels, slaves, torture, and executions...

� Fae Royalty
� Evil Tyrannical King
� Human Among Fae
� Forbidden Romance
� Sentient Dagger
� Deadly Fae Coming of Age Trials
� Fae Rebellion
� Elemental Magic
� Strong & Resilient FMC
� First Person POV

My ratings:
- Idea: 3/5 (nothing too exciting for me)
- Writing Style: 4/5
- Plot: 3.5/5
- Characters: 3.5/5
- Emotions: 3.5/5

Average: 3,5/5⭐️ ]]> Rating850043143 Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:28:21 -0700 <![CDATA[Nika liked a review]]> /
Nika liked Hillary (abookishmarriage)'s review of The Last Graduate (The Scholomance, #2):
The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
"What. The. Hell.

In which El learns that she does in fact have friends.

I am fascinated by this series. Each book truly gets better and better as Novik reveals more of her world and her themes to the reader. The cost of magic is a major theme in this series, and while the first book essentially establishes the rules and the personal costs and difficulties for our heroine El, this book shows us more of who she truly is.

Of course, the events in the first book made very clear that El’s more bark than bite, but this one builds to show us a more complete picture of what her life has built her to be, and it also shows us a wider picture of the world of the school and its factions and politics, though the magical world outside is still a bit hazy.

That ending was also…a lot."
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