Book Review: Song of the Forever Rains (Mousai #1) by E.J. Mellow

April 24, 2023June 4, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 423 pages
Author: E.J. Mellow
Publisher: Montlake
Release Date: July 1st, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the award-winning author of the Dreamland series comes a new dark romantic fantasy about a young woman finding hope in her powers of destruction.

The Thief Kingdom is a place hidden within the world of Aadlior. Many whisper of its existence, but few have found this place, where magic and pleasure abound. There, the mysterious Thief King reigns supreme with the help of the Mousai, a trio of revered and feared sorceresses.

Larkyra Bassette may be the youngest of the Mousai, but when she sings her voice has the power to slay monsters. When it’s discovered the Duke of Lachlan is siphoning a poisonous drug from the Thief Kingdom and using it to abuse his tenants, Larkyra is offered her first solo mission to stop the duke. Eager to prove herself, Larkyra accepts by posing as the duke’s potential bride. But her plans grow complicated when she finds herself drawn to Lord Darius Mekenna, Lachlan’s rightful heir. Soon she suspects Darius has his own motivations for ridding Lachlan of the corrupt duke. Larkyra and Darius must learn to trust each other if there is to be any hope of saving the people of Lachlan—and themselves.

Welcome to the world of Aadilor, where lords and ladies can be murderers and thieves, and the most alluring notes are often the deadliest. Dare to listen?

NOT TOO SHABBY.

Eek. It’s a standalone fantasy series. This is my struggle bus. I like more full blown epics and not a fantasy love story shoved into one book. They’re hit or miss and this one landed somewhere in between.

I enjoyed the general world building and magic system. The dynamics were good and easy to follow, even in audiobook format. I especially loved the sister bonds here!! The support and caring between all three of them was incredible. I liked that the Dad was evil-ish but not to his girls? There’s great aspects in those points.

The main character didn’t do much for me. She spent most of the book ALMOST doing things, but then talking herself out of them. At the end she finally picked up her magic and did something with it (which led to a lackluster villain expiration but that’s another story).

Romance wise, it was sweet. I thought there was a pretty good burn. It’s got some banter and a little bit of misplaced opinions about each other that unravel when they finally get a chance to talk to one another. I liked that they worked together. I don’t know, I just needed more from this in many places.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy Romance
Language: some
Romance: brief open door
Violence: mild
Trigger/Content Warnings: domestic abuse, magical possession resulting in self harm

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Book Review: Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes

April 23, 2023February 19, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Fiction
Length: 448 pages
Author: Jojo Moyes
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Release Date: February 2nd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A story of mix-ups, mess-ups and making the most of second chances, this is the new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jojo Moyes, author of Me Before You and The Giver of Stars.

Who are you when you are forced to walk in someone else’s shoes?

Nisha Cantor lives the globetrotting life of the seriously wealthy, until her husband announces a divorce and cuts her off. Nisha is determined to hang onto her glamorous life. But in the meantime, she must scramble to cope–she doesn’t even have the shoes she was, until a moment ago, standing in.

That’s because Sam Kemp – in the bleakest point of her life – has accidentally taken Nisha’s gym bag. But Sam hardly has time to worry about a lost gym bag–she’s struggling to keep herself and her family afloat. When she tries on Nisha’s six-inch high Christian Louboutin red crocodile shoes, the resulting jolt of confidence that makes her realize something must change—and that thing is herself.

Full of Jojo Moyes’ signature humor, brilliant storytelling, and warmth, Someone Else’s Shoes is a story about how just one little thing can suddenly change everything.

Thank you to PRHAudio for the gifted audiobook.

THOUGHTFUL.

Audiobook review: Daisy Ridley narrates this y’all. Enough said. I thought it was fantastically well done.

I’m not one to go out of my to pick up a contemporary fiction, BUT for Moyes? Yes, yes I will give that a go. And I really liked this one y’all. It’s full of complicated, and unlikeable characters. Many I wanted to shake, and give a hug too all over the course of reading. I like layered and dynamic personalities that showcase the full scope of what it means to be human and to be trying desperately to get by when life throws everything at you.

I liked the inter-mixing of mental health too. The effects it can have on so many levels of your life and those around you. It’s tough, it’s gritty and good and bad choices are made. I did NOT love every decision and action, but I think that was the point. It became a thoughtful examination of many themes.

The supporting cast held this book together too. I adored them all. Both Sam and Nisha had some rocky roads and I was grateful that ultimately they found their own feet to stand on for themselves and take the next step forward. Nisha’s closing scene actually made me tear up a little and hit me right in the heart. This was a solidly good book. Moyes did it again.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Fiction
Language: some strong
Romance: closed door
Violence: low
Trigger/Content Warnings: divorce, cheating, break-ins, emotional manipulation, a friend with cancer, bad work environment

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ARC Book Review: Love Buzz by Neely Tubati Alexander

April 22, 2023February 23, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Fiction
Length: 304 pages
Author: Neely Tubati Alexander
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Release Date: May 2nd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A chance romantic encounter during a wild night at a Mardi Gras bachelorette party sends strait-laced Serena Khan’s carefully constructed life into chaos.

A wretched maid of honor. A hangover from hell. Raucous Mardi Gras crowds. There isn’t much Serena Khan is enjoying about this four-day New Orleans destination bachelorette party for her semi-estranged cousin, the bride-to-be—until sparks fly with a handsome stranger, who, like her, is also from Seattle. After their conversation is cut short, Serena is overwhelmed by the desire to find the charming man with the brooding eyebrows, but her list of clues is pretty short:

His name is Julian.
He lives on Chamber Hill.
He works at a tech company.
He loves Lil Wayne and Nirvana.

The need to find him is, for Serena, both irresistible and totally irrational. In a few short weeks, her college alumni magazine is featuring her in a “Life at Thirty” feature, cementing her as a success story. She will have officially achieved the safe, stable life her late mother insisted upon. Julian is not part of the plan.

As she combs Seattle for her New Orleans flame, stripping away the perfectly curated life that would have made her mother proud, Serena must decide if the pursuit of real passion is worth it—and fast, before she destroys the life she always thought she wanted.

Thank you SparkPoint Studio for the ARC.

GREAT DEBUT.

I really did enjoy this read. I will say first off, it is NOT a romance. There’s a romantic super sub plot, but overall this is much more fiction. I loved watching Serena figure life out. I could easily relate and connect with her on finding what makes you passionate. What makes you want to get out of bed each day and who you want to spend those days with. It’s complex handling all of that and grief and I thought this was a beautiful debut within those themes.

I had two little things that niggled at me. One being, the only love scene in here was a dream?? I didn’t love that and it felt really misplaced. And secondly, I do wish there was a bit more romance!! It started off strong and I wish Julian was a bit more woven into the entire story.

Honestly though, great read. I finished it in a day and would easily recommend it to others. I loved the setting and the characters. They all helped Serena reach a place in life where she felt more at peace. And I love that.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Fiction
Language: some strong
Romance: one open door
Trigger/Content Warnings: alcohol consumption, loss of a mother, grief depiction

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ARC Book Review: Why Trey Let Me Get Away (Famously in Love #1) by Kortney Keisel

April 21, 2023April 14, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Kortney Keisel
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: April 28th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Second chances are relationship Hail Marys. I’ll either win Whitney’s love or go home brokenhearted.

Trey:

Whitney Savittieri is the one that got away, and I’ll do anything—including strategizing with my teammates—to get her back.

Never mind that she’s giving me the stiff arm and wants nothing to do with me. We’re going head to head, and I’m playing for keeps.

I’ve been in a lot of pressure-packed games, but the stakes are higher this time—my heart and my happiness are on the line.

Whitney:

I’m avoiding my ex like the plague—like a really, really handsome plague.

While Trey’s risen to fame in the NFL, my life has gone so far off track I’ve derailed and am careening into a ditch.

So I promised myself I’d never love again. It’s too risky—a woman can only take so much disappointment.

Giving us another chance is a mistake my future and my heart can’t afford.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

ALL THE STARS FOR TREY.

This book was a good time and the lighter escapism read I was hoping for when it landed on my kindle. I LOVE sports romances and was ecstatic a closed door author I adore wrote one.

For the football aspects, I thought there was a perfect blend of Trey’s life and practices, games and such, but never so much to take over the point of the story, the romance. Easily one of the highlightable features of the plot. I have been missing football and this helped quench that!

I LOVED TREY. He was the shining beacon throughout the entire book. I loved how nervous he got trying to talk to Whitney. I loved how hard he worked for their relationship and the truly genuine good soul he has. He’s got that big golden retriever energy that never gets old to me. I want to soak up that optimism he holds on to so well.

Whitney was where I ran into issues. I was surprised at her reasoning for breaking up with Trey and how poorly it came off for her character growth. I understand some of her side of the story but I wish Whitney herself had put more effort into the relationship or at least apologizing in general.

In the end though, I loved this book. I needed something quick and enjoyable that made me laugh and grin and OH EM GEE I FORGOT TO MENTION THE KISSING SCENES. Absolutely the hottest thing about this book. Perfectly executed closed door romance kisses are my kryptonite and I was begging for them to kiss and THEY SURE DANG DID.

Overall audience notes: