Book Review: Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne

August 28, 2023September 13, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Historical Fantasy Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Sally Thorne
Publisher: Avon Books
Release Date: September 6th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game Sally Thorne comes something a little unexpected… a historical rom-com that imagines Victor Frankenstein’s sheltered younger sister, and her attempts to create the perfect man.

For generations, every Frankenstein has found their true love and equal, unlocking lifetimes of blissful wedded adventure. Clever, pretty (and odd) Angelika Frankenstein has run out of suitors and fears she may become the exception to this family rule. When assisting in her brother Victor’s ground-breaking experiment to bring a reassembled man back to life, she realizes that having an agreeable gentleman convalescing in the guest suite might be a chance to let a man get to know the real her. For the first time, Angelika embarks upon a project that is all her own.

When her handsome scientific miracle sits up on the lab table, her hopes for an instant romantic connection are thrown into disarray. Her resurrected beau (named Will for the moment) has total amnesia and is solely focused on uncovering his true identity. Trying to ignore their heart-pounding chemistry, Angelika reluctantly joins the investigation into his past, hoping it will bring them closer. But when a second suitor emerges to aid their quest, Angelika wonders if she was too hasty inventing a solution. Perhaps fate is not something that can be influenced in a laboratory? Or is Will (or whatever his name is!) her dream man, tailored for her in every way? And can he survive what was done to him in the name of science, and love?

Filled with carriages, candlesticks, and corpses, Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is the spooky-season reimagining of the well-known classic that reminds us to never judge a man by his cadaver!

THIS GREW ON ME.

I did NOT know what to do with the first 30-35% of this one y’all. It was weird, and oddly focused on things I just didn’t think mattered. Not to mention there’s insta-love here (which does make sense in context, but you’ve been warned!).

THEN, towards the second half I realized I kind of actually liked the relationship between Angelika and Will. When some of the physicality was left on the side they did have some good conversations about life, love, and beyond. And I found the ending to be beautiful.

The surrounding plot was full of all things Frankenstein-esque that you’ve heard, read, or watched. I love that it fell in line with a lot of the original story and still took on it’s own bearing. It’s definitely super quirky (for fans of India Holton I’d say give it a go).

I had a good time reading something off the beaten path of my usual go-to genres and it’s the second book I’ve at last ready of Thorne’s (THG owns me). I’m curious if she’ll continue with these types of reads, I think I’d give another one a try!

Overall audience notes:

Historical Fantasy Romance
Language: some strong
Romance: multiple open door; med-high explicit + high innuendo
Violence: medium
Trigger/Content Warnings: pregnancy & infertility, deaths of parents recounted, sexual assault

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Book Review: The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England

August 3, 2023May 4, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Length: 372 pages
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Dragonsteel
Release Date: April 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson meshes Jason Bourne and epic fantasy in this captivating adventure that throws an amnesiac wizard into time travel shenanigans—where his only hope of survival lies in recovering his missing memories.

A man awakes in a clearing in what appears to be medieval England with no memory of who he is, where he came from, or why he is there. Chased by a group from his own time, his sole hope for survival lies in regaining his missing memories, making allies among the locals, and perhaps even trusting in their superstitious boasts. His only help from the “real world” should have been a guidebook entitled The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, except his copy exploded during transit. The few fragments he managed to save provide clues to his situation, but can he figure them out in time to survive?

I HAD A GOOD TIME.

This book is definitely different than any other Sanderson book I’ve read before (and I have 15+ under my belt). But that’s also why I enjoyed it!! He wanted to write something unique and he did and I got a kick out of listening to his audiobook. This is also shorter than his usual too (the audio was 9 hours) so it’s all around a nice change of pace.

Our mystery man wakes up and has no idea what’s happening and I loved learning the world with him. Slowly uncovering clues and putting together the handbook and watching things unfold. I enjoyed the side characters and the general story. There’s some good quirky laughter moments and even a little sub-plot romance! I thought the leading man went through some good growth too. He really has to evaluate himself and the choices he’s made and I love deep character moments.

Everything may feel a little chaotic, though I found that to work in it’s favor. I’m just a Sanderson fan and liked getting something new from him.

Overall audience notes:

Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: moderate
Trigger/Content Warnings: cheating (main character’s ex), physical and weapons violence, loss of life, murder, grief and depression depiction, mentions of the pandemic, suicide ideation

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: June 2023

June 30, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

SUMMERTIME READING has been a blast and I LOVE how many great indie books I read this month!! Anything on my favorites list are considered must read recommendations.

Favorites this month:

American Gauntlet
The Pocket Pair
Spark of the Everflame
Queen of Shadows (Reread)
Same Time Next Summer
Love, Theoretically
Empire of Storms
The Seven Year Slip
Back to Class
The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley
Foul Heart Hunstman
The Matrimonial Advertisement
Fear the Flames

Least favorites:

Crossroads of Twilight

Love Songs Suck by Beck Monson
[ARC] American Gauntlet by Allie Lewis
An Improbable Season (Unexpected Seasons #1) by Rosalyn Eves
[ARC] Love Unseen by Rachel Kelley Stones
Emma of 83rd Street by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding
[ARC] The Pocket Pair (Graham Brothers #3) by Emma St. Clair
Starlight (Angels of Elysium #3) by Olivia Wildenstein
The Duchess Takes a Husband (The Gilded Age Heiresses #4) by Harper St. George
Spark of the Everflame (Kindred’s Curse #1) by Penn Cole
[ALC] Borrow My Heart by Kasie West
[Reread] Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4) by Sarah J. Maas
Queen Charlotte by Julie Quinn and Shonda Rhimes
[ARC] A Beautiful Disguise (The Imposters #1) by Roseanna M. White
I’m Not Charlotte Lucas by Kasey Stockton
Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan
[ARC] Betting on the Best Friend’s Brother (Betting on Love #2) by Melanie Jacobson
The Tarnished (The Blameless #2) by E.S. Christison
[Reread] A Kingdom of Exiles (Outcast #1) by S.B. Nova
You First by Caitlin Moss
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
[Reread] Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) by Sarah J. Maas
Things We Hide From the Light (Knockemout #2) by Lucy Score
Crossroads of Twilight (The Wheel of Time #10) by Robert Jordan
[ARC] Kiss the Girl (Meant to Be #3) by Zoraida Cordova
Heart of the Raven Prince (Entangled With Fae #2) by Tessonja Odette
Threads That Bind (Threads That Bind #1) by Kika Hatzopoulou
[ALC] The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
[Novella] A Duchess for the Duke (Clairvoir Castle Romance #0.5) by Sally Britton
Back to Class (The Thornback Society #3) by Aspen Hadley
[ALC] Dark Water Daughter (The Winter Sea #1) by H.M. Long
Honorably Engaged (Bradwell Brothers #3) by Kasey Stockton
The Lost God by Sheila Masterson
The Best Thing by Mariana Zapata
Ruling Destiny (Stolen Beauty #2) by Alyson Noel
The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh
The Rithmatist (Rithmatist #1) by Brandon Sanderson
Foul Heart Huntsman (Foul Lady Fortune #2) by Chloe Gong
The Matrimonial Advertisement (Parish Orphans of Devon #1) by Mimi Matthews
[ARC] A Cross-Country Wedding (Road Trip Romance #2) by Courtney Walsh
Silver Bounty (The Royal Rose Chronicles #2) by Victoria McCombs
Fear the Flames (Fear the Flames #1) by Olivia Rose Darling

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Book Review: One Dark Window (The Shepherd King #1) by Rachel Gillig

May 6, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Gothic Fantasy
Length: 432 pages
Author: Rachel Gillig
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: September 27th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

GREAT READ.

This wasn’t on my radar until a few friends gave it glowing reviews and I’m here to add mine to the bunch. I thought everything got progressively better over the course of the book and now I’m definitely wanting the sequel.

I loved the fairytale vibes with a good dash of darkness (always here for some darkness). There was a magical quality to the writing that created a well formed story that I understood with ease. I loved the magic system with the cards!! It worked really well and was intriguing.

The romance grew on me. I thought the fake dating and tension worked well between them and I’m excited to see where that continues. It’s more of a well place sub-plot and the chemistry and dynamic is certainly there.

There’s some quirky demons who think they know best and a magical king missing from the game board. I thought the ending was WILD and can’t wait for more.

Overall audience notes: