Book Review: We Were Liars (We Were Liars #1) by E. Lockhart

August 2, 2025June 28, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★.5
Audience: YA Mystery
Length: 242 pages
Author: E. Lockhart
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: May 13th, 2014
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.

And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

Thank you Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

WELL WELL WELL.

Honestly this book didn’t have a lot going for it but I will give it up for the twist, that one got me (and now I understand more why there’s over a million ratings for this on goodreads). The writing style is definitely unique and I actually enjoy an unreliable narrator so those were all good points for me.

Somehow for 250 pages though there were scenes that dragged or didn’t feel totally necessary. As previously mentioned though, the twist was interesting and gave me a better view point of the whole book.

I’m curious how this has a sequel?? I’m going to pick that one up soon.

Overall audience notes:

YA Mystery
Language: low
Romance: kisses
Violence: moderate
Content warnings: traumatic brain injury, loss of loved ones, arson

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Book Review: The Curse of Sins (The Curse of Saints #2) by Kate Dramis

August 1, 2025July 2, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 640 pages
Author: Kate Dramis
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: June 25th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

STAY ANCHORED IN THE LIGHT, THEY TOLD HER. BUT WHAT HAD THE LIGHT EVER DONE FOR HER?

After discovering she’s prophesied to save the realm, Aya’s duty should be clear: return home with once-sworn enemy Will to serve their queen in the coming war against a rival kingdom…one whose pursuit of dark magic could bring the realm to its knees.

But with part of the prophecy still undiscovered, and their queen’s intentions increasingly suspect, Aya’s very purpose is quickly brought into question. With betrayal lurking around every corner, she and Will are forced to lie, manipulate, and hide what they’ve become to one another as they struggle to learn the truth before dark magic destroys them all.

And with secrets and lies trailing Aya wherever she goes, she has to wonder…do the gods truly want her to save the realm…or simply watch it burn?

TOOK TOO LONG.

I feel like everything in this book took too long to accomplish. Most of these characters were having the same thought throughout but weren’t actually getting anywhere to get it done until near the end when I was like FINALLY.

The romance continued well. I liked it overall. There’s good tension while still working together and figuring each other out. And I do like Aya and Will as complex characters. I mostly like the other point of view characters too. So while the book isn’t bad and has good bones and good moments, the length of this sucker started to wear on me. I hope the next book changes the pace a bit to move things around rather than feel stagnant.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy Romance
Language: high
Romance: 3+ open door
Violence: high

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: July 2025

July 31, 2025July 30, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

SHUT UP ABOUT THE SUN.

I will never stop using that quote. This is the lowest amount of reading I have done in a long time! And that’s okay. There was a LOOOOT of life happening and I needed to focus on that. Luckily the majority of these books were great. Some reviews are out now and others will be out soon!

Sunrise Nights by Jeff Zentner
Into the Abyss (Into the Churn #3) by Hayley Reese Chow
The Nightblood Prince by Molly X. Chang
[ARC] Wes and Addie Had Their Chance by Bethany Turner
[ARC] All’s Well that Friends Well (Lucky in Love #2) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
Heir of Storms (Storm Weaver #1) by Lauren Hamilton Murray
Let’s Make a Scene (Theo & Cynthie #2) by Laura Wood
A Tongue so Sweet and Deadly (Compelling Fates Saga #1) by Sophia St. Germain
Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston
[ARC] Of the Curse of the Crown (The Veridian Empire #2) by V.B. Lacey
[ARC/ALC] Chasing Shelter (Sparrow Falls #5) by Catherine Cowles
Into the Dark (Magnolia Parks Universe #5) by Jessa Hastings
[ALC] The Enchanted Greenhouse (Spellshop #2) by Sarah Beth Durst
[ARC] A Tartan Love (The Earls of Cairnfell #1) by Nichole Van
[ARC/ALC] Steel & Spellfire by Laura E. Weymouth
Wicked Sea and Sky (Curse of Ever #1) by Jenna Collett
The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy (Dearly Beloathed #1) by Brigitte Knightley
Pros Don’t (Fall in Love #4) by Leah Dobrinska
Lore of the Tides (Lore of the Wilds #2) by Analeigh Sbrana
[ARC] If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair
[ARC/ALC] Soulmatch by Rebecca Danzenbaker
Family of Liars (We Were Liars #2) by E. Lockhart
[Reread] Gilded Serpent (Dark Shores #3) by Danielle L. Jensen
Soulgazer (The Magpie and the Wolf Duology #1) by Maggie Rapier
Wandering Wild by Lynette Noni
Trial of Bronze and Blood (Bronze and Blood Saga #1) by M.K. Deoradhan
Keeper of the Lost Cities The Graphic Novel: Part 1 by Shannon Messenger
Of Flame and Fury by Mikayla Bridge
[ARC/ALC] Falling Into Place by Allison Ashley
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

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Book Review: Where We Started (Stone Riders MC #1) by Ashley Munoz

July 30, 2025June 27, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 316 pages
Author: Ashley Munoz
Publisher: Zeta Life
Release Date: November 3rd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Usually, watching a notorious biker club mourn the loss of their beloved president would be a dangerous choice. Ten out of ten do not recommend. Unless of course, you’re family. I didn’t really consider myself part of my father’s legacy, until I found out what he left behind in his will. Property, ten acres to be exact, which included the headquarters for his beloved motorcycle club. I had no idea that by accepting the terms of my inheritance it would thrust me into a battle with the new club president. Wesley Ryan was unfathomably handsome, menacing and formidable in every way. But his derision toward me only made me cling that much tighter to my birthright. That is until he decided to play dirty. Wes didn’t just taunt me by bringing up our past, he wanted us to go all the way back to where we started. Back to when we were nine and I was just the girl next door who snuck into his treehouse. Back to when he’d fight the boys who made me cry. Back to when he first kissed me and stole my heart. I had to remember Wes wanted to claim my father’s property, not me. I walked away once, I just had to prove I was strong enough to do it again.

THIS WAS A FIRST.

I’ve never read a motorcycle romance before, but it’s been a sub genre I’ve really wanted to try. And I did! The core of this story was super good. I loved the angry tension in this second chance romance. Wesley and Callie have off the charts chemistry and I loved their dynamic. There’s a lot of great alpha guy/protective moments too. The added suspense was fantastic.

As a personal preference, this was just too much spice for me. That was the only thing that really took me out of the story because I had to skip forward often in the audiobook. I did love how gritty and dangerous this story felt. It was a nice palate cleaner type of read from the lighter romances I’m also a fan of.

Overall audience notes: