_beccareads's reviews
66 reviews

Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark by Jessa Hastings

dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I love this series so much.

I’ve put off reading this book for the longest time, simply because I didn’t want to admit it was all coming to an end, but wow, I’m so in awe of these books.

What an emotional rollercoaster, this book really delved deeper into Magnolia and BJ’s love, and it felt so amazing to finally see them communicating with each other. Their journey, the growth, the insatiable love between them really was just perfect. I especially loved seeing how much BJ has grown, and the way that man talks about love, fuck, I want everyone I know to feel a love as great as his.

I’m also not sure I’ll ever recover from losing Bridge, I wish we could’ve seen her live out an incredible life, psychoanalysing Magnolia at every chance she got. But, that’s not how life works, and the way Jessa depicted Magnolias grief was really powerful.

Now, can we talk about the suspense around why they needed to get out of London so quickly… I’m truly dreading the next Daisy book, because I was literally a big anxious mess reading Magnolias and BJs pov around it. 

Whatever is brewing in the Haites world is not going to be good, and I’m just not ready for the heartache.

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I knew I was setting myself up for heartache with this book, I mean it’s literally in the title, but I still found myself looking for hope.

Set in a world where everyone’s death is predicted, we follow Matteo and Rufus who receive the death cast call telling them they’ve got 24 hours (or less) to live. This premise of this book was great, and I think if it was written as a more contemporary/adult book it easily could’ve been a five stars for me.

However, whilst it wasn’t my favourite read of the year, it definitely got me thinking… 

If you knew the next 24 hours were going to be your last, how would you spend it? Would you even want to know? And would you tell your loved ones?

Overall this was a good read, I think Adam perfectly depicted the tiny heartbreaks that are laced within grief, I just wish it was written from a more mature reader.

Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was another book club pick for me, and one I wouldn’t have chosen for myself, but I was pleasantly surprised!

It would’ve been a 5 star but the beginning was a little slow for my preference, and that’s probably because I’m not a massive fantasy lover, so world-building can drag a bit for me but when I finally got stuck in, I was obsessed.

I really loved the plot, it was unlike anything I’ve read before, and the whodunnit element had me coming up with multiple theories, racing to the end to find out the truth. 

I also think the way Death was depicted was particularly beautiful, and it really hit home for me, because without death would we cherish life as much as we do?

Overall, this was a great read and I’m so excited for the second book and to see what happens with Fate!

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

funny lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Another quick and easy read by Ali! Having a science degree myself I always like her scientific spin on romance, and although it’s practically the same plot as The Love Hypothesis I did still enjoy it.

Ali’s books and style of writing are perfect for getting you out of a slump, because it’s just such a reliable read. I particularly enjoyed this one because it seemed to focus a bit more on the science which was great.

If you want a quick and easy romance read this is perfect.

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

dark funny mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book was actually book club pick, and one I wouldn’t normally have reached for myself, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Emily Wilde, a scholar, is currently immersed in drafting a full encyclopaedia of faeries. Her latest expedition has taken her to Ljosland, an icy land where the hidden ones live, aiming to uncover their secrets like never before.

I really did enjoy the last third of this book, as I found myself completely caught up in the story and eager to find out what was going to happen next. I also enjoyed the romance aspect which became more of a focus in the last part of the book, and I was keen to hear more.

The main reason I couldn’t rate this higher than a 3, is because the first two thirds of the book were just, incredibly slow and dare I say… boring? 

I understand all fantasies have some world building to do at the start, but I just couldn’t get on board with book at the start. It was simply just too slow for me.

Overall, I was actually quite surprised by this book as I did really enjoy it in the end, it’s just a shame that I had to drag myself through the start. However, if you enjoy fantasies and you don’t mind slow books, you’ll definitely enjoy this! 

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I loved this so much! I literally devoured it in a few hours - it’s the perfect quick romance, that’ll have you smiling and kicking your feet. 

As a fellow massive rom-com fan, this just felt like the perfect nod to everything that makes them so comforting.

I loved the references, all the clichés,  and the playlists, and if I was to read this again, I’d definitely listen to the songs as I was reading!

Honestly if you love romance, this book won’t disappoint you, and it gave me that incredible nostalgic feeling of watching your first rom-com and longing for your own meet-cute.

Ghost Pains by Jessi Jezewska Stevens

tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book felt like I was inside their thoughts. Jessi’s writing style is chaotic, and difficult to follow, but that is what made these short stories so interesting to read.

There were a few stories that just didn’t have an impression on me, but also some that were so unique that I flew through them - duck, duck, orange juice being my favourite.

Overall, I’m not sure I fully understood all these stories or that I have the words to actually explain them, but if you’re after an interesting quick read, then this is a good one!

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Wow! This was an incredible read, it’s been sat on my tbr for so long and I’m annoyed I didn’t read it sooner.

I’m a sucker for a good dual-timeline story and this completely sucked me in! We follow Opaline, a rare bookseller who escaped her family to avoid being forced into an arranged marriage, Martha who has fled her abusive husband and has ended up in Dublin hoping to start a new life and Henry a PhD student who’s searching for a lost manuscript and a disappearing bookshop he stumbled across on his first night in Dublin.

This book is truly magical, I was completely wrapped up in their worlds and I was flying through because I was desperate to know what happened next. Full of twists and turns that I truly didn’t see coming I really couldn’t put this down.

I’m now left obsessed with the thought of lost manuscripts out in the world, incredible novels just waiting to be found…

Overall, this was an incredible read and it’s one of those books that I know I’m going to be thinking about for a while.

The Humans by Matt Haig

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book so much, Matt Haig is just an incredible author and if you’ve not read one of his books before please take this as your sign.

So the basic premise - a maths professor in the UK solves a mathematical equation that has the potential to propel humankind lightyears into the future, and our narrator, an alien, comes to earth to destroy all evidence and people attached to his discovery.

This book is laced with typical British humour about the weird intricacies and just plain stupidity that comes with being a human. At first the alien looks at the human race with disdain, but slowly he starts to love the small insignificant things that make life so beautiful.

Funny, sad and thought provoking, this book took me on a complete emotional journey and it’s one I’m sure I’m going to read again at some point.

Matt has once again, completely shifted my perspective, and this is one of those books I know I’ll think about for a long time. 

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This book just didn’t do anything for me, in all honesty I found it quite boring and the romance just didn’t engage me at all.

Chani gets the chance to interview Gabe Parker, her celebrity crush who’s just landed the role of James Bond. Over the whirlwind two-day interview they have a hot moment which doesn’t lead to anywhere, seemingly fall in love and then… never speak to each other again.

10 years later, Chani is interviewing Gabe again and we’re meant to believe they’re still in love with each other…

It just didn’t feel believable, it isn’t the kind of love I’d write home about, let alone write a book about. 

The reason this was two stars and not just one was because I think this actually covered some important topics e.g. discrimination in Hollywood and blatant sexism in the media. 

Overall, it was just a disappointing slow romance.