alicia_ann_reads's reviews
478 reviews

A Soul to Keep by Opal Reyne

dark funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

3.0

I mean, the book was significantly longer than it needed to be, like a huge chunk could have been left out with the story in tact. 

I like how the humanity of demons and duskwalkers can change based on who they eat. 

The spice was spicy. 

XOXO by Axie Oh

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.5

I read this book to complete the X in the alphabet challenge I'm doing... It's not my usual pick but it was honestly super sweet and reminded me of so many cute movies.

Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Omg This series!!!

Each book just kept building and breaking down webs and growing your love and shattering your heart. 

I read book 3 on audiobook and I swear people have me funny looks as I walked around the store with years in my eyes.

From beginning to end this story was so well thought out, the characters were fleshed out and had so much depth.

I'm still reeling.

One of my top faves. Hands Down. 

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

dark medium-paced

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

2.5

This was not my cup of tea, the romance aspect was kind of okay, I liked the ending a d the sort of surprise killing; but overall just Naw. 

Pretty: A Memoir by KB Brookins

emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Another excellent memoir. I especially loved the poetic prose on many chapters. 

Whiskey Tender by Deborah Jackson Taffa

challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

Beautiful memoir 

They Never Learn by Layne Fargo

dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

This was a pretty fast paced read. Nice short chapters. Dual POV alternating chapters.

We start following 2 women Carly and Scarlett and around the halfway mark you learn how their stories convalesce and then you fly through the rest of the book.

Kind of a female empowered Dexter.
I liked it!

The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

3.75

This was my first Lisa Jewell book, and I read via audiobook and the narrator was phenomenal. Each individual character had a distinct voice, and the emotion she used really conveyed the feelings behind the words, honestly I am really impressed with this bit. 

I had no idea what to expect with this book, it was significantly darker than I was expecting and tackled some difficult subjects.... it was a bit of a slow start, the first inciting incident was a hard read, and then the book almost morphed into this unbelievable family soap opera, I couldn't believe the many ways we were being pulled. 

It all convalesced in the end, wrapped up in a really neat, sad but hopeful bow. 

Multiple POVs. 

TW: Child Death, Hoarding, Death of a Family Member, infidelity, mention of incestual behaviour.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Mental illness

Moderate: Infidelity and Alcohol

Minor: Incest

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

adventurous challenging dark hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Who knew horror and romance would blend so well together? 

This Mexican Western started off a bit slow, but mostly because while it's written in English many of the nouns are in untranslated Spanish. To start I kept putting the book down to look up what the words meant, but once I had a basic understanding that added element actually really added to the story. 

I loved the love story here, second chances, overcoming odds etc, and the depiction of a Vampires as actual monsters was refreshing. 

I do wish there was a glossary I could have referenced for the terms, I think that would have been a good addition. 

Really enjoyed this! 

A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer

challenging dark medium-paced

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

3.5

Book two was definitely best. This did wrap up nicely, it had been awhile since I read book 2 so maybe I was less vested in the characters but I didn't care about them as much this time around. 

Still great disability rep and I appreciate that when given the option to magically heal, it was denied although I wish it was denied for a stronger reason than given.