Lees 's Updates en-US Thu, 27 Mar 2025 21:21:55 -0700 60 Lees 's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Review7441430450 Thu, 27 Mar 2025 21:21:55 -0700 <![CDATA[Lees added 'Shifter's Utopian Odyssey']]> /review/show/7441430450 Shifter's Utopian Odyssey by Lydia Derks Lees gave 5 stars to Shifter's Utopian Odyssey (Paperback) by Lydia Derks
Not to brag but I have a signed copy of this book 🙌 this author is really going places I’m so honored to get to be here before this book series blows up because it’s gonna happen. Evelyn has to be a fav but I think everyone sleeps on Storm like what a guy! I was so here for that twist ending I was on the edge of my seat the whole time this whole book in fact was full of twists and turns like what I would give to be in the mind of the author 🤯 ]]> Review7411393471 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 05:29:15 -0700 <![CDATA[Lees added 'Sign Here']]> /review/show/7411393471 Sign Here by Claudia Lux Lees gave 3 stars to Sign Here (Hardcover) by Claudia Lux
(3/5)

This book had some great bones, like really! I loved most of the family content and I thought all the relationships were written really interestingly. I thought the concepts were neat especially with the function of hell, very Good Omen's-esque in vibe. But author you dropped the ball, what happened?? The biggest issue was that this book contained two very different stories that honestly had nothing to do with each other! There's this inkling of connection but it feels forced in a story that is frankly not at all about its premise. Judging the stories individually, they were both good in separate ways, but there were still some big issues. For the family story, which I really liked, there were just some themes that were introduced but never got explored? Like Ruth and subsequently Mickey's SH. Never brought up again? The ending???? The resolution?????? And that applies to both. For Peyote's story, what ended up happening with Cal and her father? Maybe I missed something because I thought the whole conclusion was out of nowhere essentially (thematically, I see how we practically got there). And the epilogue??????? I have to be actually dumb because why did Peyote do that I do not get it. It felt really rushed and out of nowhere, paying minimal credit to story that came before it. But my biggest critique... oh my gosh... the chapter endings.... ABHORENT I get wanting to end on a cliffhanger, but IT WOULD END LIKE MID THOUGHT. The most gimme cliffhanger endings. Yes I was on the edge of my seat, but because you actually didn't finish the chapter!! You can't do that!! Because it was a half expressed ending when we got back to it you just completely loose the momentum you just built up and I've forgotten where we were. And you as the author have too because you don't start where you left off, but in a more passive tone because you are getting back into this POV. So you are ruining your own good writing. anywho I was disappointed esp since I waited like five months in the waitlist for this, but good writing skills just wished for better execution. ]]> Review7311946462 Wed, 12 Feb 2025 05:28:36 -0800 <![CDATA[Lees added 'Wings of Starlight']]> /review/show/7311946462 Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft Lees gave 5 stars to Wings of Starlight (Disney Fairies) by Allison Saft
(4.5/5) Light Spoilers but like If you've seen secret of the wings you know whats up

Probably the fastest I've finished a book since the fifth harry potter, mostly because an incredible generous soul lent this to me so it could not sit in book purgatory like the rest of the books I should've been reading, but also because it definitely brought out the fourth grader in me who loved these pixie hallow movies and would've done anything to get hands on this book. Overall, top notch!! It is what it says it is, and delivered on pretty much every front. I enjoyed that singular condensed focus and how the author refrained from a million new side characters/plots/ and also easter eggs like props to you Allison for doing what everyone else cannot resist in a prequel. In terms of the side characters she did invent, I liked Petra! What I loved most was how she reflects Tinker Bell in enough ways that I can totally see Clarion in the future having a soft spot for Tink because of how she reminds her of Petra. I liked Artemis too, though I did have to look up if it was just the same scout fairy from Neverbeast because their description was exactly the same (they're not the same) but maybe scout fairys come in a type. Elvina was cool, I wasn't to sure about the mother/rebellious child dynamic she had with Clarion because I thought it infantilized Clarion (who like, isn't a child? ever?) But I liked their conclusion with each other and I like how it expanded the lineage lore. Although governing talent... really...? But MILORI. UGH. Literally, 8 y/o heart SWOONING. And KEEPER FEATURE! That was a recurring character I was hoping to see so bad. I loved their whole romance I thought it was so sweet and well done. Allison great job with the ending too the resolution of why they are separate but work together was about as tight as you could get it even if I could've used a little longer on that ending. Main critique, I thought the final reveal of Milori's wing being broken was a little anticlimactic. She asks and he's just like "it's broken". Like. alright. Maybe a little more drama and tragedy. HOWEVER. The scene where he does break his wing? good stuff. though I wish he hadn't used the owl so much in the book so it would've made a greater impact that he has to now. Ok and there was some good hard hitting stuff, like clarion thinking to herself "am i dying" !!!! first #relatable second daaaaaang. Also when she's in the pit with the nightmares and they haunt her by making dripping noises to reflect the sound of Milori's wings melting off AAAAAAGGGHHH. And at the very end him turning to leave her and she catches a glimpse of his broken wing reflecting the scene in secret of the wings was craaazyy. And final thing I loved the little detail that his broken wing look melted and then frozen, it always bothered me as a kid how the whole wing melting thing didn't align with how his wing looked broken off, and this did a great job describing that!
Anyways 4.5/5 Thought the ending was a little fast and dropped the ball a little on the broken wing reveal but in general I would've killed for this as a child. I almost did at my current age. ]]> Rating824579587 Tue, 11 Feb 2025 10:17:46 -0800 <![CDATA[Lees (Leah) liked a review]]> /
Lees liked nikki �'s review of Wings of Starlight (Disney Fairies):
Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft
"brb gonna go watch all the tinkerbell movies in preparation for this 🧚🏼💖"
]]> Rating824579575 Tue, 11 Feb 2025 10:17:43 -0800 <![CDATA[Lees (Leah) liked a review]]> /
Lees liked lydia � ia's review of Wings of Starlight (Disney Fairies):
Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft
"the way it physically hurts that I do not have this book in my hands"
]]> Rating824579379 Tue, 11 Feb 2025 10:17:04 -0800 <![CDATA[Lees (Leah) liked a review]]> /
Lees liked liz ౨ৎ's review of Wings of Starlight:
Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft
"if longing, yearning, pining, and heartbreak were a book, it would be this one. i imagined this so vividly in my mind and felt like i was transported into pixie hollow while reading this!! such a beautiful book, and a beautiful experience that i will cherish forever."
]]> GiveawayRequest672918121 Tue, 04 Feb 2025 04:30:36 -0800 <![CDATA[<a href="/user/show/71725708-lees">Lees </a> entered a giveaway]]> /giveaway/show/401903-say-a-little-prayer Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris ]]> ReadStatus8892851753 Thu, 09 Jan 2025 13:32:40 -0800 <![CDATA[Lees wants to read 'Say a Little Prayer']]> /review/show/7195571536 Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris Lees wants to read Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris
]]> Review7186638931 Wed, 08 Jan 2025 06:42:31 -0800 <![CDATA[Lees added 'Moody Bitches: The Truth About the Drugs You're Taking, The Sleep You're Missing, The Sex You're Not Having, and What's Really Making You Crazy']]> /review/show/7186638931 Moody Bitches by Julie Holland Lees gave 5 stars to Moody Bitches: The Truth About the Drugs You're Taking, The Sleep You're Missing, The Sex You're Not Having, and What's Really Making You Crazy (Hardcover) by Julie Holland
I actually really enjoyed this book despite not being at all the target demographic. Perfect combo of almond mom advice and actual scientific explanations. Pretty solid and approachable advice! Thank you Julie Holland you're top notch. ]]> Review7170590924 Sat, 04 Jan 2025 07:00:38 -0800 <![CDATA[Lees added 'Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI']]> /review/show/7170590924 Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick Lees gave 4 stars to Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI (Kindle Edition) by Ethan Mollick
While I appreciated the easy read and conversational nature of this book, I do agree with a lot of the comments that I wish it had gone a little deeper into the subject. More about the technical nature of AI, the different types of AI (Like a more extended version of the LLM discussion at the beginning of the book), more ways to use it. I would've loved to hear about the process the author went through to hook up those color changing lights in his office with AI. But overall a good introduction into the subject and a good place to start thinking about the applications and limitations of the technology. ]]>