Book Review: The Heart of the World (The Isles of the Gods #2) by Amie Kaufman

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 406 pages
Author: Amie Kaufman
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: September 17th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Magic and sacrifice will collide as lovers and gods, enemies and allies vie for the fate of the world in this heart-pounding sequel to THE ISLES OF THE GODS, which Stephanie Garber called “deliciously diabolical and full of heart.”

Thank you to PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook and Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

IT WRAPPED UP WELL.

First of all I am absolutely obsessed with the audio productions of these books. I loved that this had a full cast and that each POV had a different narrator. Audiobooks are a MUST for this duology. Highly recommend.

I do think some of the general plot got lost in the shuffle of so many POV’s > length of the book. Trying to build so many characters and relationships while also putting together this big arc with returning gods and such worked for the most part, but also left me wanting something more.

The characters though? I loved them all. I loved that the villain’s POV was included too. I do tend to love character driven stories and I appreciated seeing where each character was coming from and how the romantic sub-plots were woven throughout. There’s some good action and a bit of politicking, found family and a conclusion that wrapped up the story well. I can’t wait for more Kaufman books!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: Never a Hero (Monsters #2) by Vanessa Len

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA fantasy
Length: 528 pages
Author: Vanessa Len
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release Date: August 29th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

This sequel to the contemporary fantasy Only a Monster will take Joan deeper into the monster world, where treacherous secrets and even more danger await.

Despite all of the odds, Joan achieved the impossible. She reset the timeline, saved her family – and destroyed the hero, Nick.

But her success has come at a terrible cost.

She alone remembers what happened. Now, Aaron, her hard-won friend – and maybe more – is an enemy, trying to kill her. And Nick, the boy she loved, is a stranger who doesn’t even know her name. Only Joan remembers that there is a ruthless and dangerous enemy still out there.

When a deadly attack forces Joan back into the monster world as a fugitive, she finds herself on the run with Nick – as Aaron closes in.

As the danger rises – and Nick gets perilously closer to discovering the truth of what Joan did to him – Joan discovers a secret of her own. One that threatens everyone she loves.

Torn between love and family and monstrous choices, Joan must find a way to re-gather her old allies to face down the deadliest of enemies, and to save the timeline itself.

Vanessa Len’s stunning Only a Monster trilogy continues with this second installment, a thrilling journey where a secret past threatens to unravel everyone’s future.

MIDDLE BOOK.

I thought this was a duology?? And I found out it’s not and it showed. At over 500 pages there was no way it needed to be this long.

I LOVED book one and I am currently feeling a bit jaded at how this went. I don’t often feel like a book drags when I’m listening as an audiobook but that was the case here. Because of the results at the end of book one, I felt that this one had to rehash a looot of information to move things along.

And I wish the romance had been more at the forefront. It started off really well and then tapered off and I’m not even sure where things stand at this point. There were some good reveals towards the end, and I will read the third book.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Time Travel Fantasy
  • Language: moderate – strong
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of life, weapons and physical violence, loss of loved ones

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ARC Book Review: Across the Star-Kissed Sea by Arlem Hawks

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 288 pages
Author: Arlem Hawks
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Release Date: October 1st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When May becomes a lady’s maid at sea, she’s hoping for an innocent adventure but instead must navigate rough waters, deadly combat, and unexpected love.

Mediterranean Sea, 1811

May Byam grew up following her father to his work at the ropemaking factory and listening to her uncle’s tales of life aboard a Royal Navy ship. After tragedy and scandal shatter her family, May is desperate to escape the shame that follows her. Despite her mother’s pleadings against it, May signs on as a lady’s maid to the young wife of a naval captain. If she’s going to run, she may as well do it in honor of her late uncle and cousin and where there is food, shelter, and perhaps even adventure. But the frosty reception she receives from the ship’s clergyman makes her feel far from welcome.

Heartbroken young Chaplain Elias Doswell returns to a harsh life at sea, but preaching to disinterested sailors isn’t the escape he’d hoped for—until a captivating young woman boards the ship. However, a case of mistaken identity ensures that he starts off on the wrong foot with the newly hired lady’s maid, who clearly wants nothing to do with him. But the close quarters of the ship forces the pair together, and May begins to see a side of the handsome clergyman she didn’t expect. As they struggle to navigate their deepening feelings, the danger of war with the French looms on the horizon, threatening their lives—and their love.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain for the ARC.

A SWEET STORY.

I love a good story set out on the sea and this was another amazing book from Arlem Hawks. I enjoy her historical stories so much and she’s a must read author in this genre.

I adored May and Elias. I loved that May had to work through a complicated past and learn from mistakes and she grew and took in new information about life aboard a boat. And sweet Elias who wanted to be loved for him. All of the soft and quiet things he did for May had me melting.

And getting to see the Peyton’s too!! I’m so happy they were included in this story and I loved being back on this ship. It’s a short and heartfelt romance. Y’all know I’m a fan of forced proximity and maybe that’s why I loved ocean stories so much?? They get to be together all the time and you get to see a genuine slow burn romance bloom in the best ways. Combined with action and the thrill of wondering what ship was on the horizon this isn’t a book to be missed.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content Warnings: life threatening injuries, skirmishes on a boat, loss of life

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Book Review: Mrs. Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Sarah Adler
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: May 23rd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A starry-eyed romantic, a cynical writer, and (the ashes of) an elderly woman take the road trip of a lifetime that just might upend everything they believe about true love.

Millicent Watts-Cohen is on a mission. When she promised her elderly best friend that she’d reunite her with the woman she fell in love with nearly eighty years ago, she never imagined that would mean traveling from D.C. to Key West with three tablespoons of Mrs. Nash’s remains in her backpack. But Millie’s determined to give her friend a symbolic happily-ever-after, before it’s (really) too late—and hopefully reassure herself of love’s lasting power in the process.

She just didn’t expect to have a living travel companion.

After a computer glitch grounds flights, Millie is forced to catch a ride with Hollis Hollenbeck, an also-stranded acquaintance from her ex’s MFA program. Hollis certainly does not believe in happily-ever-afters—symbolic or otherwise—and makes it quite clear that he can’t fathom Millie’s plan ending well for anyone.

But as they contend with peculiar bed-and-breakfasts, unusual small-town festivals, and deer with a death wish, Millie begins to suspect that her reluctant travel partner might enjoy her company more than he lets on. Because for someone who supposedly doesn’t share her views on romance, Hollis sure is becoming invested in the success of their journey. And the closer they get to their destination, the more Millie has to admit that maybe this trip isn’t just about Mrs. Nash’s love story after all—maybe it’s also about her own.

THIS WAS SO GOOD.

I didn’t really have plans to pick this up and a friend’s raving review convinced me to give it a go. AND I LOVED IT. I’m so happy I read it!

THE EMOTIONS. I felt them all throughout. The flashback chapters hurt my heart and when a reveal happened that I wasn’t expecting I was almost in tears. The writing just brought out all of the feels.

The romantic banter was amazing. I was laughing and swooning Hollis and Millie. They really had this enigmatic chemistry and the road trip antics were well placed. I’m not usually a road trip fan, but I love the way this story worked in its favor. I do think the physicality of their relationship surpassed what I love seeing, that’s a me thing though.

It’s a wonderful audio book. A deeply heartfelt story and I was in love from all sides.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 3-4 open door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a loved one

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