Author: GoodeyReads

Book Review: When Gracie Met the Grump by Mariana Zapata

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sci-Fi Romance
Length: 640 pages
Author: Mariana Zapata
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: September 16th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Of all the things that could have landed in her yard… it had to be him.

For most people, finding a half-naked superbeing in their yard might be a dream come true.

Unfortunately for Gracie Castro, it’s the exact opposite.

Especially when he’s grouchy, rude, and shows no signs of leaving anytime soon.

But when a hero of mankind needs you, you do what you have to.

Even if it compromises everything you know.

And totally changes your life. 

WHOA.

Well this was different. And I think I liked it?

First off though, I KNOW MZ writes slow books, and that has never been an issue before. This one though, draaaagged for the first 200 pages. There was very little dialogue and I was left wondering when something was truly going to happen. Get past this part and the book got infinitely better.

The sci-fi element didn’t bug me at all. Granted I’m a huge fantasy reader first and foremost so I didn’t really bat an eye towards the superhero storyline. I actually really loved it. It felt unique and fresh.

Alex and Gracie’s relationship grew on me. The deeper the connection the better things got. I loved all of the little things they did together. It was charming reading about them playing house and going to a carnival and meeting the whole big family. I love big family dynamics!! I could easily read more books about some of these siblings.

There were some dips in pacing yet I couldn’t help but be totally charmed. Alex was gruff but much softer than expected. And Gracie was the typical more sunshiney MZ heroine. It was a bunch of the hallmark things that make me pick of her books and some new stuff that was fun reading about too.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sci-Fi Contemporary Romance
  • Language: a lot & strong
  • Romance: one very open scene
  • Violence: medium
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping, torture

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Book Review: The Dragon’s Promise (Six Crimson Cranes #2) by Elizabeth Lim

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 482 pages
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: August 30th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A journey to the kingdom of dragons, a star-crossed love, and a cursed pearl with the power to mend the world or break it…

Princess Shiori made a deathbed promise to return the dragon’s pearl to its rightful owner, but keeping that promise is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

She must journey to the kingdom of dragons, navigate political intrigue among humans and dragons alike, fend off thieves who covet the pearl for themselves and will go to any lengths to get it, all while cultivating the appearance of a perfect princess to dissuade those who would see her burned at the stake for the magic that runs in her blood.

The pearl itself is no ordinary cargo; it thrums with malevolent power, jumping to Shiori’s aid one minute, and betraying her the next—threatening to shatter her family and sever the thread of fate that binds her to her true love, Takkan. It will take every ounce of strength Shiori can muster to defend the life and the love she’s fought so hard to win.

A BIT LETDOWN.

I was hoping that this would be an ending I could fully fall in love with, and while there were some good moments…it also was missing some stuff too.

I really liked the father/daughter relationship. I love seeing a good parental relationship. Also, the BROTHERS. I could read a novella spin off about each one of them and be content with everything. I love their dynamic and the love they clearly show for one another.

The romance could have had a heavier hand. I don’t think the love triangle should have even been used. It just made me sad for one of the characters rather than being satisfied with how things wrapped up.

I was confused by the book defeating the bad guy with 80+ pages left? Things got stagnant at that point and then the ending was a bit lackluster. I felt like it was reminiscent of Daughter of the Moon Goddess but in a lesser manner.

I think I’ll go the library route next time for her books. I always seem to LOVE the first one and then the second is a bit meh.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, battle scenes, demon attacks, physical and magical altercations

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Book Review: An Impossible Imposter (Veronica Speedwell #7) by Deanna Raybourn

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Historical Mystery
Length: 325 pages
Author: Deanna Raybourn
Publisher: Berkley Books
Release Date: February 15th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

While investigating a man claiming to be the long-lost heir to a noble family, Veronica Speedwell gets the surprise of her life in this new adventure from the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

London, 1889. Veronica Speedwell and her natural historian beau Stoker are summoned by Sir Hugo Montgomerie, head of Special Branch. He has a personal request on behalf of his goddaughter, Euphemia Hathaway. After years of traveling the world, her eldest brother, Jonathan, heir to Hathaway Hall, was believed to have been killed in the catastrophic eruption of Krakatoa a few years before.

But now a man matching Jonathan’s description and carrying his possessions has arrived at Hathaway Hall with no memory of his identity or where he has been. Could this man truly be Jonathan, back from the dead? Or is he a devious impostor, determined to gain ownership over the family’s most valuable possessions–a legendary parure of priceless Rajasthani jewels? It’s a delicate situation, and Veronica is Sir Hugo’s only hope.

Veronica and Stoker agree to go to Hathaway Hall to covertly investigate the mysterious amnesiac. Veronica is soon shocked to find herself face-to-face with a ghost from her past. To help Sir Hugo discover the truth, she must open doors to her own history that she long believed to be shut for good.

NEUTRAL.

I went into this with a different mindset after not loving the previous two books. This series reads much more like a cozy mystery set in a historical time period and once my brain clicked to that kind of genre, things got better.

Veronica and Stoker were as always, just fine! I liked getting more of Veronica’s back story and learning some new angles to her personality. Stoker, formidable and dedicated still made me swoon with the way he talks to Veronica. I love that there connection continually seems to strengthen which each passing tale.

This started off as an interesting story. I liked the new characters added and seeing the old resurface. Towards the end I thought things became repetitive again. There’s only so many times you can get kidnapped at gun point before a switch in story telling needs to be made.

While I didn’t love the ending, it definitely opens the story back up for future books. I heard there’s at least two more coming so I get it, EVEN IF I’M FRUSTRATED BY IT. Anywho, this is a fun series to mix in with denser reads.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Mystery + Romance
  • Language: little
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: low blood, mild otherwise
  • Overall audience notes: kidnapping, impersonation, mentions of torture, gun violence, physical altercations, near death experiences, colonialism

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ARC Book Review: Exes and O’s by Amy Lea

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Amy Lea
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 10th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A romance novel–obsessed social media influencer revisits her exes on her hunt for true love in this romantic comedy from the author of Set On You.

Romance-novel connoisseur Tara Chen has had her heart broken ten times by ten different men–all of whom dumped her because of her “stage-five clinger” tendencies. Nevertheless, Tara is determined to find The One. The only problem? Classic meet-cutes are dead thanks to modern dating apps. So Tara decides to revisit her exes in hopes of securing her very own trope-worthy second-chance romance.

Boston firefighter Trevor Metcalfe will be the first to rush into a burning building but the last to rush into a relationship. Love just isn’t his thing. When his new roommate Tara enlists him to help her reconnect with her exes, he reluctantly agrees. But Tara’s journey is leading him to discover his own new chapter.

The more time they spend together, the more Tara realizes Trevor seems to be the only one who appreciates her authentic, dramatic self. To claim their happily-ever-after, can Tara and Trevor read between the lines of their growing connection?

Thank you to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for an eARC.

ADORE.

Ohhh how this grew on me. After loving Set On You I had to get my hands on this book and it did not disappoint.

I loooved Tara. I connected through many of her thoughts about romance, love and life and really enjoyed the journey her character went on. Her ability to be optimistic about love and the place she wanted it to hold in her life was incredibly hopeful. Tara needed someone to see and love all of her and that’s where sweet Trevor enters the picture. TREVOR. Good heavens. From a disastrous meeting to slowly peeling away all of those layers!? I was in a PUDDLE by the ending confessions. I loved his counter balancing gruff nature and how he was just always *there*. This duo truly went from roommates to friends to lovers and I was couldn’t get enough.

The forced proximity moments had me grinning like a fool. I LOVED the banter and all the times Tara dragged Trevor along (who we all know went willingly) to whatever plan she had in store that day. The entire vibe of this book was exactly what I was seeking. A light hearted (yet serious) look at finding love.

Amy Lea is easily becoming an auto-read author for me. I love the way she writes romances and the slow burn payoff is always worth it.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 2-3 open door; mild explict
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: a child with a heart condition, gaslighting, mentions of death of loved ones

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Photo credit to author Amy Lea

Amy Lea is an Asian Canadian government analyst who runs the Bookstagram account @amyleabooks, where she promotes and reviews contemporary romance novels. Set on You is her debut novel. Learn more online at www.amyleabooks.com.  

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