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_ckarys's reviews
433 reviews
Beneath the Alabaster Spire by Allison Carr Waechter
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
BENEATH THE ALABASTER SPIRE was one of my most anticipated sequels, and it delivered exactly what I expected from it: more romance, more rep, more incredible world-building! This series is truly a must read for fantasy romance fans, especially if you love Crescent City and A Discovery of Witches.
Finn and Harlow’s relationship was a big part of this sequel, and while I did love them in the first book (a lot), they’ve now truly cemented themselves as one of my favorite couples. If you enjoy this pairing, you can look forward to some amazing steamy scenes—which I deeply enjoyed—but also to an incredibly healthy and balanced relationship. I love the way these two listen and understand one another, the trust that unites them, and the room they give each other to grow as individuals and as a unit. Relationship goals right here!
Like in the first book, the author also didn’t shy away from getting deep and personal with Harlow’s character. Despite her being in a much happier place here than she was in DNGD, her insecurities didn’t magically vanish with her growing confidence. Her character resonates with me so deeply, and I’m sure many readers will feel the same.
Apart from my babies Finn and Harlow, I once again found myself loving the secondary characters. The ones that joined the cast toward the end of DNGD had a lot more page time now, and unsurprisingly, Cian became one of my favorites! Every character plays a pivotal role in the plot, which takes huge steps forward with plenty of reveals, unexpected twists and even a betrayal or two that had my heart shattering. The build-up to the climax was exquisite and shocking! I think I’ve seen this film before when I finished reading DNGD, but I cannot wait for the next installment of this series. This author is a gift that keeps on giving!
Finn and Harlow’s relationship was a big part of this sequel, and while I did love them in the first book (a lot), they’ve now truly cemented themselves as one of my favorite couples. If you enjoy this pairing, you can look forward to some amazing steamy scenes—which I deeply enjoyed—but also to an incredibly healthy and balanced relationship. I love the way these two listen and understand one another, the trust that unites them, and the room they give each other to grow as individuals and as a unit. Relationship goals right here!
Like in the first book, the author also didn’t shy away from getting deep and personal with Harlow’s character. Despite her being in a much happier place here than she was in DNGD, her insecurities didn’t magically vanish with her growing confidence. Her character resonates with me so deeply, and I’m sure many readers will feel the same.
Apart from my babies Finn and Harlow, I once again found myself loving the secondary characters. The ones that joined the cast toward the end of DNGD had a lot more page time now, and unsurprisingly, Cian became one of my favorites! Every character plays a pivotal role in the plot, which takes huge steps forward with plenty of reveals, unexpected twists and even a betrayal or two that had my heart shattering. The build-up to the climax was exquisite and shocking! I think I’ve seen this film before when I finished reading DNGD, but I cannot wait for the next installment of this series. This author is a gift that keeps on giving!
On and Off the Field by Tati B. Alvarez, Anastasia Dean
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
ON AND OFF THE FIELD has nothing to envy rom-coms by established names in this genre. If a love story between a latina English teacher/cheer coach and a baseball star forced high school team coach filled with forced proximity and a fast attraction with a slow-burn payoff sounds like your idea of a good time, then I can only recommend this rom-com, which easily became one of my favorites.
As with any good rom-com, On and Off the Field’s strength relies heavily on its main protagonists. Ofelia and Maverick’s chemistry was off the charts and their love story consumed me, but aside from their sweet, hot romance, I couldn’t help but fall in love with them as individual characters. The author did an incredible job at fleshing out both of these characters, welcoming the readers into their lives and into their inner thoughts, and giving them two distinct voices. You could tell apart the Ofi chapters apart from the Mav chapters without even having to read the chapter headers!
Another element I really enjoyed—and this is something that isn’t a given when reading rom-coms—was the secondary characters. This novel has a huge emphasis on the values of friendship and family, and they’re brought to the table with some incredible supporting characters, especially in Ofelia’s chapters with her bestie Willow and her brother Javi (whom I love, and am so thrilled he will be getting his own book). All of these little elements enriched not just the characters, but the novel itself, creating a real-life portrait of friendship, family, love and second chances that was as wholesome as it was entertaining.
Cannot wait for more romance by this author! As far as debuts in a new genre go, I say it couldn’t have gone better!
As with any good rom-com, On and Off the Field’s strength relies heavily on its main protagonists. Ofelia and Maverick’s chemistry was off the charts and their love story consumed me, but aside from their sweet, hot romance, I couldn’t help but fall in love with them as individual characters. The author did an incredible job at fleshing out both of these characters, welcoming the readers into their lives and into their inner thoughts, and giving them two distinct voices. You could tell apart the Ofi chapters apart from the Mav chapters without even having to read the chapter headers!
Another element I really enjoyed—and this is something that isn’t a given when reading rom-coms—was the secondary characters. This novel has a huge emphasis on the values of friendship and family, and they’re brought to the table with some incredible supporting characters, especially in Ofelia’s chapters with her bestie Willow and her brother Javi (whom I love, and am so thrilled he will be getting his own book). All of these little elements enriched not just the characters, but the novel itself, creating a real-life portrait of friendship, family, love and second chances that was as wholesome as it was entertaining.
Cannot wait for more romance by this author! As far as debuts in a new genre go, I say it couldn’t have gone better!
Frost by C.N. Crawford
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
FROST is such a treat for fans of fae, cursed princes, arranged marriages and the fake dating trope. These are some of my favorite, and the way they came together in this book was an absolute delight!
This is an excellent choice for a binge read. The pacing was excellent, with just the right amount of action and character interactions to keep the pages flowing. When I tell you that I was holding my breath for every interaction between the protagonists, Ava and Torin, I am not lying to you. I read most of the book in a day because I was gobbling down every interaction! I wouldn’t say it’s a classic hate-to-love, but there’s definitely enough antagonistic banter to keep their interactions sharp and entertaining. However, my favorite moments had to be the ones where all that banter became tension because the angst was exquisite! So much chemistry in this couple, I think they’ve become my new C.N. Crawford favorites.
Another aspect I really enjoyed about this book was the world-building, even though we only scratched the surface in this first book. However, what we get is enough to create a very interesting frame. We have curses, seelies and unseelies, unexpected rivalries and even mentions of dragons! There is so much to explore in the future books in the series, and I’m very excited for it all.
This is an excellent choice for a binge read. The pacing was excellent, with just the right amount of action and character interactions to keep the pages flowing. When I tell you that I was holding my breath for every interaction between the protagonists, Ava and Torin, I am not lying to you. I read most of the book in a day because I was gobbling down every interaction! I wouldn’t say it’s a classic hate-to-love, but there’s definitely enough antagonistic banter to keep their interactions sharp and entertaining. However, my favorite moments had to be the ones where all that banter became tension because the angst was exquisite! So much chemistry in this couple, I think they’ve become my new C.N. Crawford favorites.
Another aspect I really enjoyed about this book was the world-building, even though we only scratched the surface in this first book. However, what we get is enough to create a very interesting frame. We have curses, seelies and unseelies, unexpected rivalries and even mentions of dragons! There is so much to explore in the future books in the series, and I’m very excited for it all.
After the Bridge by Cassandra Clare
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