Tag: Book blog

ARC Book Review: Never Saw You Coming by Erin Hahn

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Erin Hahn
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: September 7th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Raised by conservative parents, 18-year-old Meg Hennessey just found out her entire childhood was a lie. Instead of taking a gap year before college to find herself, she ends up traveling north to meet what’s left of the family she never knew existed.

While there, she meets Micah Allen, a former pastor’s kid whose dad ended up in prison, leaving Micah with his own complicated relationship about the church. The clock is ticking on Pastor Allen’s probation hearing and Micah, now 19, feels the pressure to forgive – even when he can’t possibly forget.

As Meg and Micah grow closer, they are confronted with the heavy flutterings of first love and all the complications it brings. Together, they must navigate the sometimes-painful process of cutting ties with childhood beliefs as they build toward something truer and straight from the heart.

In Erin Hahn’s Never Saw You Coming, sometimes it takes a leap of faith to find yourself.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for an eARC.

I LOVED THIS.

Hahn’s books are only getting better and better. Oh wow did I love this. My favorite of her books so far.

I am a religious person so I wasn’t sure how I would feel reading this. But the way that many important topics were discussed and approached made me tear up and want to hug this book. It hit home in many ways and honestly strengthened how I feel in my spirituality. It’s okay to question. It’s okay to love. It’s okay to find what works best for YOU. I may not 100% agree with every little thing in this book, but faith is handled differently by each of us and no two experience life the same way.

The absolutely precious first love romance between Micah and Meg had me grinning from ear to ear. IT WAS SO CUTE. I loved it. They truly hit it off and I couldn’t get enough of their open conversations and meaningful dialogue about their struggles and triumphs. Even better, there wasn’t some wildly dramatic conflict between them. The conflict lied elsewhere and I could shout for joy about how that was handled.

NSYC had me hooked from the first chapter. I read it in a day because I needed more more more. The characters were flawed and beautiful. I ended up loving the themes of faith and the essence of human nature versus God himself. It wasn’t a book of belittling, it was a book of hope and growing up. Being resilient in the torrent of trials and leaning on what matters to you most.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: kisses to heated make-outs; some implied closed door scenes
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: brief mentions of suicide and self harm, an incarcerated father, loss of a parent by drunk driving

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Book Review: His Disinclined Bride (Seasons of Change #7) by Jennie Goutet

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Regency Romance
Length: 270 pages
Author: Jennie Goutet
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 28th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She agreed to marry on impulse; he agreed for money.

Kitty Stokes never imagined she’d be so weak as to sacrifice herself on the altar of family obligations, but when her brother impresses upon her that her only alternative to marriage with Phineas Hayworth is to play nursemaid to his own children, Kitty agrees against her better judgment. On her wedding day, the certainty she has made a grave error is only outweighed by the realization that it’s too late to back out now.

Phineas Hayworth refrained from setting eyes on his new bride before their wedding day. It was the price he forced himself to pay for being so mercenary as to contract a marriage with a wealthy merchant’s sister to save his estate from foreclosure. Her beauty, therefore, comes as a shock, as does her icy treatment, which he cannot but secretly feel he deserves. He swears an oath he will not approach her for an heir unless the invitation comes from her.

As Phineas sets out to repair the estate, dismiss lazy servants, and bring Kitty to Bath to present her to local Society, he finds his wife to be more enchanting than he could have hoped for, even in a love match. Kitty continues to hold him at arm’s length, although he suspects her feelings for him run just as deep. As Phineas’s love and desire for his wife grows, the oath he swore her begins to suffocate, and it soon becomes clear he must win her over completely or spend the rest of his life in a loveless marriage.

SUPER SWEET.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I started this, some solid reviews from friends made it sound up my alley. I think I can definitely say it was! I seem to be in a regency romance mood and I’m not mad about it.

The premise of this with an arranged marriage was fun and different. I loved the relationship development and the way Phineas worked towards forming a bond with Kitty. I was also appreciative of Kitty not being totally obstinate and stubborn about her situation. It was a much better read with both wanting to make things work even if it took ironing out some creases first.

I didn’t feel this was overly dramatic. The side plots helped move Phineas and Kitty towards each other and it was pretty cute watching them flounder around with their emotions. A few perfectly regent kissing scenes and I was touched by it all.

Overall audience notes:

  • Regency romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: August 2021

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AUUUUGUST.

I made it through 42 different books this month and unfortunately, so many were misses. *sigh*

Hopefully September will be better! The last book on the list is an anthology of 20 romance novellas so I’ve been working through those in between my big books.

Favorites reads: Where the Stars Meet the Sea, Heart in the Highlands, The Cheat Sheet, Wings of Shadow, XOXO, The Dating Playbook, First Rider’s Call

Least Favorites: When Night Breaks, The Secrets We Kept, The Stable Master’s Son, They’ll Never Catch Us and a couple of the novellas from the anthology

  • [ARC] Lakesedge (World at the Lake’s Edge #1) by Lyndall Clipstone – (☆☆☆)
  • Fudge and Jury (A Bakeshop Mystery #5) by Ellie Alexander – (☆☆☆)
  • Witchshadow (The Witchlands #4) by Susan Dennard – (☆☆☆)
  • Hopeless (Hopeless #1) by Colleen Hoover – (☆☆☆☆☆)
  • [Graphic Novel] Fence Vol. 3 by C.S. Pacat – (☆☆☆☆☆)
  • [Graphic Novel] Fence Vol. 4 by C.S. Pacat – (☆☆☆☆)
  • The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) by R.F. Kuang – (☆☆☆☆)
  • [ARC] When Night Breaks (Kingdom of Cards #2) by Janella Angeles – (☆☆ 1/2)
  • The Devil and the Heiress (The Gilded Age Heiresses #2) by Harper St.George – (☆☆☆)
  • The Devil’s Thief (The Last Magician #2) by Lisa Maxwell – (☆☆☆)
  • A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen – (☆☆☆)
  • Heart in the Highlands by Heidi Kimball – (☆☆☆☆☆)
  • [Graphic Novel] Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken – (☆☆☆)
  • The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa – (☆☆☆ 1/2)
  • I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver – (☆☆☆☆)
  • The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams – (☆☆☆☆☆)
  • Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein – (☆☆☆)
  • Wings of Shadow (Crown of Feathers #3) by Nicki Pau Preto – (☆☆☆☆☆)
  • The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott – (☆☆)
  • All I Want for Christmas by Wendy Loggia – (☆☆☆)
  • XOXO by Axie Oh – (☆☆☆☆ 1/2)
  • I Found You by Lisa Jewell – (☆☆☆)
  • [ARC] The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart by Nancy Allen Campbell – (☆☆☆)
  • Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé – (☆☆☆☆)
  • Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting – (☆☆☆☆)
  • The Dating Playbook (The Boyfriend Project #2) by Farrah Rochon – (☆☆☆☆)
  • Incendiary (Hollow Crown #1) by Zoraida Córdovav – (☆☆☆☆)
  • The House of Hades (The Heroes of Olympus #4) by Rick Riordan – (☆☆☆☆)
  • A Dance with the Fae Prince (Married to Magic #2) by Elise Kova – (☆☆☆☆)
  • The Stable Master’s Son (Sons of Somerset #2) by Mindy Burbidge Strunk – (☆☆)
  • They’ll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman – (☆)
  • First Rider’s Call (Green Rider #2) by Kristen Britain – (☆☆☆☆)
  • The Triumphant (The Valiant #3) by Lesley Livingston – (☆☆☆☆)
  • From Little Tokyo, with Love by Sarah Kuhn – (☆☆☆☆)
  • [Anthology of Contemporary Romance Novellas] Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever After
    • An Unwanted Love Story by Ellie Hall – (☆☆☆)
    • Her Plus-One by Summer Dowell – (☆☆☆☆)
    • Head Over Stilettos by Liwen Y. Ho – (☆☆)
    • Looking for Love (Sort of) by Meg Easton – (☆☆)
    • Lassoed into Love by Rachael Eliker – (☆☆☆)
    • Take a Hike by Sophie-Leigh Robbins – (☆☆☆)
    • Worst Neighbor Ever by Rachel John – (☆☆☆)

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Book Review: Tiger Queen by Annie Sullivan

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Annie Sullivan
Publisher: Blink
Release Date: September 10th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the mythical desert kingdom of Achra, an ancient law forces sixteen-year-old Princess Kateri to fight in the arena to prove her right to rule. For Kateri, winning also means fulfilling a promise to her late mother that she would protect her people, who are struggling through windstorms and drought. The situation is worsened by the gang of Desert Boys that frequently raids the city wells, forcing the king to ration what little water is left. The punishment for stealing water is a choice between two doors: behind one lies freedom, and behind the other is a tiger.

But when Kateri’s final opponent is announced, she knows she cannot win. In desperation, she turns to the desert and the one person she never thought she’d side with. What Kateri discovers twists her world—and her heart—upside down. Her future is now behind two doors—only she’s not sure which holds the key to keeping her kingdom and which releases the tiger.

YOU’RE GONNA HEAR ME ROAR.

This was a great standalone!

I listened to it on audio and found myself really caught up in the story. It’s not very long yet, gives a good amount of depth for the characters and world-building. I, of course, wish there was more, but liked what I got overall.

Kateri was a strong heroine. I like that she chose her own path and was able to overcome her own prejudices. The romance between Kateri and Cion was my favorite blend of enemies to lovers. And for a standalone, it didn’t feel insta-love at all! There was depth to their conversations and moments and some fun banter as Kateri joined the Desert Boys.

The villains are on the bland, typical side. All got the demise necessary to maintain the plot. The action was engaging at least and I found myself knowing where the story was going, but enjoying the journey I was being taken on.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult fantasy romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: animal cruelty, death by animal, sandstorms, physical, sword battles, arena battles
  • Trigger/Content Warning: description of murder of a loved one and an infant

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