Tag: Book Review

ARC Book Review: A Winter by the Sea (On Devonshire Shores #2) by Julie Klassen

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Julie Klassen
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: December 5th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When the Duke and Duchess of Kent rent neighboring Woolbrook Cottage for the winter, the Summers sisters are called upon to host three of the royal couple’s male staff in their seaside house. But they soon realize they’ve invited mysterious secrets and the sweet possibility of romance into their home.

Meanwhile, Emily Summers approaches a local publisher in hopes of fulfilling her dream of becoming an author. When he turns her down, his dashing competitor promises to consider her novel if she will first write a new Sidmouth guidebook for him. Emily accepts and begins researching with the help of the Duke of Kent’s handsome private secretary. But a surprise visitor from her past shows up at Sea View, leaving Emily torn between the desires she used to hold dear and her budding dreams for the future.

Return to the Devonshire coast with the Summers sisters, where loyalties are tested, secrets come to light, and new love emerges.

Thank you to Bethany House for the gifted copy.

ENJOYABLE.

There’s something about this author’s writing style that just slowly draws you in and takes you on a journey. I loved this winter filled story of hope and recovery.

I enjoyed Emily’s story a lot. I liked seeing her stretch past her comfort zones and also maintain that strong family bond that she has. Her love for her sisters was beautiful and moving through a love triangle that worked well for me. You always knew where it was heading, but I think the push and pull gave Emily a chance for much needed growth and release from her past.

My only little thing is when the story focused on another sister I lost a little interest. I felt really committed to Emily’s story, but not as much as Sarah’s.

The fictional community is wonderful. It’s got the small town vibes but set in a historical time period. I love how they come together for each other and the subtle faith aspects that round out the themes of the novel. I’m very much looking forward to the next story in this series.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: death, briefly being held at gunpoint

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Book Review: Face the Night by Lani Forbes

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 335 pages
Author: Lani Forbes
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Release Date: August 15th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

On a harsh frontier where good and evil contend for people’s minds, a young woman must fight for her true identity in this scintillating YA fantasy from the author of the award-winning Age of the Seventh Sun trilogy.

Once, Catriona Macgregor led a charmed life. Daughter of a wealthy rancher, pretty and educated, she looked forward to all the world had to offer–until fate took a turn. Now family, home, and even her name have been stripped away. As “Black Cat Whitfield,” adopted daughter of an outlaw, she’s wanted by the authorities. It certainly wasn’t the destiny she imagined–especially as one of the Blessed.

The Blessed, rare people like Cat, are supposed to use their gifts to carry out missions for the Patron Saints, but she can only imagine that Saint Prudentia made a terrible mistake in choosing her. Still, her gift has never deserted her. Whenever danger threatens, Cat receives a vision–just in time to save her life. And when she meets a renegade priest, Father Ignatius, he helps her understand how her ability may be part of a much bigger picture. A picture that involves facing up to the monstrous Baron Caldwell – the one who ordered her parents killed – and his son, Adrian, who betrayed them all.

Cat is torn between guilt over her parents’ death, a longing for vengeance against their killers, and a dismaying new interest in Adrian. It would be easiest to flee the whole situation and never look back. But as someone once told her, you can’t outrun the darkness on your heels. There’s only one way to break through to sunrise – by turning to face the night.

Thank you Bibliolifestyle and Blackstone Publishing for the gifted copy.

TOOK ME BY SURPRISE.

I feel like I could sit and nitpick small aspects of this that didn’t work for me, but by the end of the book I just FELT good about what I read and how truly enjoyable it was. It’s also well situated within the YA category without any major content issues (other than some light swearing).

The themes surrounding facing the night and the problems of the past was woven beautifully throughout. I loved seeing Cat going from a woman in hiding to taking what happened to her in the past and using that to be a source of strength towards the future. I also loved Adrian and his steadfastness in choosing the right path and looking after his sister.

There’s even a sweet, slow burn second chance romance that I thought was great. Little moments and reminders of who they were in the past and how that played out for them reconnecting and standing together.

I loved the western vibes thrown in with the middling gods fantasy aspects. It felt unique and something I haven’t recently read. It wraps up super well for a standalone and I highly recommend the audiobook!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: some light
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent, loss of a loved one, gun violence, murder

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Book Review: The Ruined (The Beautiful #4) by Renee Ahdieh

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Renee Ahdieh
Publisher: GP Putnam’s
Release Date: December 5th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The stunning conclusion to the instant New York Times bestselling quartet that began with The Beautiful.

The Sylvan Vale and the Sylvan Wyld are at war. Now that the unsteady truce between them has been broken, lines must be drawn. In an effort to protect the weakened Winter Court, Bastien rallies powerful allies and friends in New Orleans to come to their aid.

Meanwhile, under protection alongside her injured mother in the Summer Court, Celine is uncertain of whom to trust. She cannot get word to Bastien, and does not understand why he has not returned. When she realizes war between the fey courts is imminent, she journeys with Ali in an effort to find the time traveling mirror and change their fate.

But when Celine’s rivals realize Bastien has rallied his allies in the mortal world, they decide to take the fight to him.

Thank you Penguin Teen for the eARC.

I AM UPSET.

I have loved reading this series and I have been waiting a long time to get my hands on the final book and now I’m sitting here super cranky and not wanting to even write this because of the last 30%.

The first 70% was great, I love the writing style and the ease of the reading. The world building is intricate and I love the combination of vampires, werewolves, and fae.

BUT HERE WE GO (which is spoiler free, but you can probably read between the lines too).

The ending y’all. We spent four books leading up to this????? To a complete breakdown of a relationship over a dumb miscommunication that spiraled into total destruction. Causing the end of way too many things to ever recover. And the last few pages were this sorry attempt at saying well maybe things do work out, when NO. That foundation has crumbled. To spend so much time on some of these characters to throw it away. I just…I’m upset…to put it mildly. I feel duped.

There was a clear route this could have gone that would have brought true peace and reconciliation (and where I thought the book was headed???). And there were other characters we didn’t even get to see closing story lines for?? THAT WERE MAIN POINTS OF VIEW? The rushed ending was another nail in the coffin.

I’m losing my cool all over again. This one has really bummed me out.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: battle themes, loss of loved ones, murder

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Book Review: Christmas After All by Cece Louise

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 216 pages
Author: Cece Louise
Publisher: Jabberwocky Tales
Release Date: November 8th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

As if ruining my life wasn’t enough, now he’s back to ruin my Christmas.

Melissa

The only thing I hate more than Christmas is Tucker James—the guy who wrote a song about me after I turned him down in high school.

He became famous. I became infamous.

With Tucker back in town to play at the annual winter festival, this Christmas is shaping up to be one of the worst. Everyone in Halften loves the hometown country music star who put our town on the map.

Everyone except me.

Tucker

Years ago, I wrote a not-so-flattering song about the girl I had a crush on in high school.

It became my first number-one hit. And made her the laughingstock of our hometown.

Now I’m back in Halften, and it’s pretty clear the only thing Melissa Ellis wants for Christmas is me out of her life.

But in a town this small, it’s going to take a miracle for either of us to make it through this holiday season unscathed.

STARTED STRONG.

I was enjoying a lot of this for a long time. I liked the second chance dynamics and the love interest was really sweet. And I noticed some character growth from the FMC and those are all things I look for in a great read.

Enter in some miscommunication that just brought this down for me. I know that doesn’t bother everyone but to me, I get easily frustrated by this.

Otherwise, I thought this was a good holiday romance. And I’d still recommend giving it a go even if I thought a little differently because of personal preference. There’s some good forced proximity, taking care of someone when they’re sick, and cute holiday activities.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Holiday Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: child abuse (physically recounted), a parent with alcoholism (off-page), loss of parents, bullying

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