Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands

This series is proving to be absolutely delightful and cozy. I love the intimacy of the journal entry format, especially because Emily's voice is both witty and efficient. She has a unique way of seeing both the human world and faerie worlds, and I love seeing her relationship with Wendell through her eyes. 

I think I liked this sequel even better than the first book. Emily and Wendell are with each other almost throughout the whole story, so there's more romance and banter. There's also greater stakes and more tension with a race-against-time plot. I loved being in the Alps too. The setting comes alive through Heather Fawcett's writing as well as the different types of faeries. As I read, I feel like I'm a faerie scholar learning from Emily Wilde as if she were real. 

I can't wait for the next book in the series. I'm really pleased with where the story is going, and I think the next book will be the best of all!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 5
Character Development: 5
Overall: 5

Thank you, Random House Del Rey and NetGalley, for the arc!

Trigger/Content Warnings: poisoning, monster and fighting violence, very vague fade to black

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here! 

The Jasad Heir: A Book Review

My feelings after finishing this book can be boiled down to confusion and indifference. I was originally excited for this one—I love the hidden identity and enemies-to-lovers tropes, and I love fantasy worlds inspired by the Middle East/North Africa. However, there was so much confusing world building and info dumping in the first half that I struggled to really connect to the world and the plot. I couldn't distinguish the kingdoms from each other, and the politics were complicated and hard to understand. 

I do love Sylvia as a character though. She is crazy competent in fighting and staying secret, and I liked how her relationship with Arin unfolds. It's a huge slow burn with them learning to trust each other even though they should be sworn enemies. If I do decide to read the sequel, it will be for these characters.

I think if the plot moved quickly and was more exciting, I would have liked this book a lot more. But it was just too slow. The tension didn't build quickly enough, and the direction of the plot was very predictable. I'm sad we didn't get to the actual competition until about 70% of the way through. For me, there was too much subplot action and not enough focus on the main plot of the competition and politics.

This was a miss for me, but I can see this book doing well with the right audience. 

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 3
Plot/Movement: 2
Character Development: 4
Overall: 3

Thank you, Orbit Books, for the arc!

Trigger/Content Warnings: genocide, murder, gory descriptions, fighting violence, wounds, makeouts

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here! 

Check & Mate: A Book Review

My chess-nerd heart adored this! I seriously want to whip out my chess board and play right now. This book really captured the game well, especially in a professional and competitive setting, and it added a lot of nuance to the plot and character relationships. 

The rivals to lovers was so entertaining! Nolan is a dark and brooding guy, but he's got a softness and nerdiness to him that I felt drawn to. I also loved his fascination with Mallory; it was the "he fell first" trope at its finest! I was expecting a bit more romance based on Hazelwood's other books, but I still thought their journey together was entertaining and meaningful.

Mallory is a smart, flawed character with a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. She is selfless to a fault, and I loved how this story was about her discovering herself again after some traumatic things in her past and putting aside everything for her family. She has great growth throughout, and her journey felt like the forefront of the story, even above the romance. I grew to love her, even for all her flaws.

I couldn't put this book down and read it in a day. I think Ali Hazelwood did something fresh and new, and I hope her readers will still enjoy this one, even if it's YA/NA instead of Adult.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, Penguin Teen, for the arc!

Trigger/Content Warnings: parent cheating recounted, parent death recounted, parent chronic illness, swearing, innuendo, mild sexism and sexual harassment, detailed fade to black

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here! 

Immortal Longings: A Book Review

From reading the synopsis, this book sounds fascinating. It has a Hunger Games plot, an enemies-to-lovers romance, unique body-jumping idea, and lots of politics interweaving through everything. There's some tense action as well as plot twists—especially with that cliffhanger at the end. 

However, the story and the romance didn't grab me like I wanted it too. There's lots to unpack about the politics, world, and body jumping, and I don't feel like I truly have a grasp on the world. Also, King Kasa was a weak villain. We got almost no page time with him, so I couldn't feel hatred (or any other emotion) towards him. 

The romance was such a slow burn that then turned into lust, and then suddenly they were dropping the "love" word left and right. I don't know if I missed something in the middle, but I needed way more growth with them together for it to be believable for me. Because of this, the ending felt lackluster. 

I'm still intrigued with the world and the ending that I'll definitely consider picking up the next book, especially because I love Chloe Gong's other series. But this one didn't speak to me. 

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 3
Character Development: 3
Overall: 3

Thank you, Gallery Books and NetGalley, for the arc!

Trigger/Content Warnings: fighting violence and death, poisoning, starvation, mass killing, injuries, one open door scene

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here! 

Along a Breton Shore: A Book Review

My feelings about this book can be summed up with it's not you, it's me. I can seriously see how people would love this book. It has lots of tension with the French Revolution background and the plot of fleeing fugitives, and the enemies to lovers has a delicious slow burn. There's lots of deeper meanings explored too, like the cost of liberty and determining right and wrong in a revolution and rebuilding a country. Honestly, there's not much to dislike about this book.

However. Somehow it didn't speak to me? I was enthralled with the first couple chapters, and then I just got . . . bored. The tension almost disappeared for me, and I wasn't ever excited to pick it back up. I'm not sure if I wasn't in the mood for a historical romance, or I just didn't connect to the characters like I wanted to. I was also really unhappy with a plot twist in the ending, and that sealed the deal for me. I really, really wish I could have loved this one. But after reading three Arlem Hawks books, I don't think she's the author for me.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 3
Plot/Movement: 3
Character Development: 4
Overall: 3

Thank you, Shadow Mountain, for the arc!

Trigger/Content Warnings: death and violence, injuries, kisses

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here! 

Practice Makes Perfect: A Book Review

This book is ADORABLE! I loved so many things about it:

- male main character bodyguard

- the flower shop

- social anxiety rep

- dating practice

- sizzling slow burn with steamy moments, but closed door!

- deeper profound moments for the characters

- constant honest communication

This book checked all the boxes for me, and I loved how it was a quick read that I could fully immerse myself in. I can see myself rereading this every summer!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 5
Character Development: 5
Overall: 5

Thank you, Ballantine and NetGalley, for the arc!

Trigger/Content Warnings: past parent deaths, toxic childhood with emotional abuse recounted, kisses

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here! 

How to Kiss Your Enemy: A Book Review

Jenny Proctor's writing is like coming home for me. I instantly forget I'm reading, and I'm transported to Stonebrook Farm with all my favorite characters from previous books. The characters are always so relatable, emotionally mature (a big must for me), and have a lot of growth both inside and outside of the romance through the book. I know that Jenny Proctor's books promise an adorable, sweet romance with depth and feeling. 

I don't ever think I've read a cooking-related romance before, and this book was fabulous to start with. We have rivals-to-lovers with lots of banter and serious conversations, and both of them figuring out their jobs and their relationships. I love Lennox and Tatum's slowburn through the plot, and I love how they communicate every step of the way. 

Even though something was missing for me to give it five stars, I still very much enjoyed reading this. It's a fast, heartwarming read, and I absolutely can't wait for Flint's story next.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, Jenny Proctor, for the arc!

Trigger/Content Warnings: parent death from cancer, kisses

For more ratings and reviews and to see what I'm currently reading, visit my Goodreads page here!