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Book Review: The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love (Love Academic #1) by India Holton

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Fantasy Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: India Holton
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: July 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Rival ornithologists hunt through England for a rare magical bird in this historical-fantasy rom-com reminiscent of Indiana Jones but with manners, tea, and helicopter parasols.

Beth Pickering is on the verge of finally capturing the rare deathwhistler bird when Professor Devon Lockley swoops in, capturing both her bird and her imagination like a villain. Albeit a handsome and charming villain, but that’s beside the point. As someone highly educated in the ruthless discipline of ornithology, Beth knows trouble when she sees it, and she is determined to keep her distance from Devon. 

For his part, Devon has never been more smitten than when he first set eyes on Professor Beth Pickering. She’s so pretty, so polite, so capable of bringing down a fiery, deadly bird using only her wits. In other words, an angel. Devon understands he must not get close to her, however, since they’re professional rivals. 

When a competition to become Birder of the Year by capturing an endangered caladrius bird is announced, Beth and Devon are forced to team up to have any chance of winning. Now keeping their distance becomes a question of one bed or two. But they must take the risk, because fowl play is afoot, and they can’t trust anyone else—for all may be fair in love and war, but this is ornithology.

RIDICULOUSLY CHARMING.

I love the way India Holton writes stories. I love that they are wild and outlandish and combine historical and fantasy aspects into a spell binding story. I think the ornithologist plot line was really fun. The concept of all of these interesting birds with different powers and everyone trying to catch them? It led to some great scenes that had me chuckling.

I’m grateful this had the POV for both the FMC and MMC. There was a third and I don’t think that would have been necessary for the story so while I didn’t hate those chapters, I didn’t love them either. I did love the romance between Beth and Devon. The rival to lovers trope was well executed and there was a lot of soft and tender swoon. I loved the audiobook and just had a genuinely good time reading this book. I can’t wait for the series!

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical fantasy romance
  • Language: low, scattered throughout
  • Romance: 2-3 vague open door scenes
  • Violence: moderate

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: October 2024

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I just want cooler weather.

Favorites this month:

  • Silver and Bone
  • Goodbye Again
  • Holiday Tides
  • Across the Ages
  • The Twisted Throne
  • A Tale Told by Traitors
  • Home Run Heart
  • A Queen of Ice

Least favorites

  • Kiss Me at Christmas
  • Blood of the Sands
  • All I Want Is You
  • [ARC] The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke
  • [ARC/ALC] The Last Dragon of the East by Katrina Kwan
  • [ARC] Silver and Bone (Silver and Bone #1) by Claudia Cain
  • A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur
  • The House at Watch Hill (Watch Hill Trilogy #1) by Karen Marie Moning
  • Goodbye Again by Caitlin Moss
  • [ARC/Novella] Holiday Tides (A Wilks Beach Holiday Novella) by Laura Langa
  • [ARC] The Gentleman’s Confession (Matchmaking Mamas #3) by Anneka R. Walker
  • The Dagger and the Flame (The City of Fantome #1) by Catherine Doyle
  • Vilest Things (Flesh and False Gods #2) by Chloe Gong
  • Across the Ages (Timeless #4) by Gabrielle Meyer
  • One on One by Jamie Harrow
  • Tell Me You Love Me (The Boys of Riverside #4) by Gracie Graham
  • The Twisted Throne (The Bridge Kingdom #5) by Danielle L. Jensen
  • The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew
  • The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
  • [Novella] Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood
  • [ARC] A Tale Told by Traitors (Tales of Wonder and Woe #2) by R. Dugan
  • [ARC] Home Run Heart (Kitt’s Harbor #2) by Hailey Gardiner
  • For She is Wrath by Emily Varga
  • We Three Kings by Kristen Bailey
  • Kiss Me at Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
  • Blood of the Sands (The Ballan Desert #1) by S.C. Grayson
  • The Secret of the Book Keeper (The Secret of the Book Keeper #1) by J.A. Hemingway
  • Miss Adeline’s Match by Joanna Barker
  • Wanted: A Roommate Who Isn’t Evil (High Court of the Coffee Bean #3) by Jennifer Kropf
  • All I Want Is You by Falon Ballard
  • Season’s Schemings (Cyclones Christmas #2) by Katie Bailey
  • Fighting for You (Veterans of Silver Ridge #4) by Claire Cain
  • [ARC] Spectacular (Caraval #3.5) by Stephanie Garber
  • Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo
  • Not a Thing (Seddledown #2) by Susan Henshaw
  • The Slowest Burn by Sarah Chamberlain
  • [ARC] A Queen of Ice (A Trial of Sorcerers #5) by Elise Kova
  • Inheritance of Scars by Crystal Seitz

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Book Review: Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Magical Realism
Length: 416 pages
Author: Emma Törzs
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: May 30th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this spellbinding debut novel, two estranged half-sisters tasked with guarding their family’s library of magical books must work together to unravel a deadly secret at the heart of their collection–a tale of familial loyalty and betrayal, and the pursuit of magic and power.

For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the elements–books of magic that half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere and protect.

All magic comes with a price, though, and for years the sisters have been separated. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica to escape the fate that killed her own mother, and Joanna’s isolated herself in their family home in Vermont, devoting her life to the study of these cherished volumes. But after their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process, they’ll uncover a world of magic far bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden; secrets that span centuries, continents, and even other libraries.

SOLID STANDALONE.

Y’all know I’m always after a great standalone because I’m a notorious series reader. And this worked really well within one book. I was surprised that it wasn’t actually a fantasy, definitely a magical realism read (everything is in the real world). FYI.

I loved the sister relationship and even though they’ve been separated that they found ways to work together and truly wanted to reconnect when the chance came. There’s three POV’s, the two sisters and Nicholas. All three points of view were necessary and I liked the flow between them. There was truly a different angle from each character and seeing the how’s and why’s.

The magic system was bloody and interesting. I thought it was cool to have the blood writing and the magical libraries and everything in between. The magic system building was there and easy to follow. The plot is a solid mystery and kept me guessing. There’s twists I didn’t see coming and honestly I just genuinely enjoyed this so much.

Overall audience notes:

  • Magical Realism
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: cutting (blood is used to make the books), loss of life

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ARC Book Review: Silver and Bone (Silver and Bone #1) by Claudia Cain

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Urban Fantasy Mystery
Length: 334 pages
Author: Claudia Cain
Publisher: Black Sheep Books
Release Date: October 31st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Jennifer Jones is trying to be a better person. As a vampire with a history of serial killing, she probably can’t get any worse.

For seventy years, things have gone well. She has a job, she’s in a steady relationship, and she hasn’t killed a single human. As far as she’s concerned, she’s turned over a new leaf.

Then a body turns up in an alley. A Necromancer warns of an approaching menace. And as more bodies appear, repeating a very familiar pattern, Jennifer finds herself being framed for murder.

You might be able to ignore your past, but you can’t outrun it, and Jennifer’s has just caught up to her. The life she has built is beginning to unravel, and if she doesn’t prove her innocence, she will lose everything.

And maybe she deserves it.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

WHAT A START.

OH my gosh I loved this book y’all. I need book two ASAP. I LOVE Jennifer Jones. Her whole character is immaculately crafted and I am obsessed with her snarky personality that is also filled with love and loyalty to those around her. This book kind of reads like one of those NCIS types of shows but throw in a whole bunch of paranormal characters.

I loved the entire cast. I just don’t have one negative to say about the entire book. I was hooked from the get go and the slow reveals were fantastic. It’s fast paced and full of action. I loved the flashback chapters and the world set-up. As someone who’s generally not an urban fantasy lover, this one HIT ALL THE MARKS.

But excuse me, THE ENDING. I am shooketh. And I’m so curious how this story will continue and where things will lead to next.

Claudia Cain is a hidden gem and you absolutely need to take a chance on her books.

Overall audience notes:

  • Urban Fantasy Mystery
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Content Warnings: blood/gore depiction involving deaths from vampires, murder, kidnapping, torture, werewolf attacks

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