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alilbitofmonica's reviews
407 reviews
Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver
5.0
How does one move on from something so perfect??
This single dad could romance a rock. Instead, he went for a stone... Skylar Stone (I'm actually pretty proud of that one, don't come for me HA). BUT ANYWAY, he romanced me too so I can't judge.
Weston Belmont, the man that you are. Skylar Stone, the woman that you are. I loved this romance from start to finish. I want to live in Rose Hill please and thank you.
A couple of highlights:
- Ollie & Emmy. LOVE.
- Protective yet encouraging West. YES.
- The horse training. When West was teaching Skylar a few of the basic care routines, I was remembering fondly on my own time learning horse care.
The audiobook is also INCREDIBLE. Love both narrators and their passion. But the singing! Since this is about a singer, there are two songs included throughout the course of the book and the vocals were beautiful and sweet and really added to the overall experience.
This single dad could romance a rock. Instead, he went for a stone... Skylar Stone (I'm actually pretty proud of that one, don't come for me HA). BUT ANYWAY, he romanced me too so I can't judge.
Weston Belmont, the man that you are. Skylar Stone, the woman that you are. I loved this romance from start to finish. I want to live in Rose Hill please and thank you.
A couple of highlights:
- Ollie & Emmy. LOVE.
- Protective yet encouraging West. YES.
- The horse training. When West was teaching Skylar a few of the basic care routines, I was remembering fondly on my own time learning horse care.
The audiobook is also INCREDIBLE. Love both narrators and their passion. But the singing! Since this is about a singer, there are two songs included throughout the course of the book and the vocals were beautiful and sweet and really added to the overall experience.
It All Comes Back to You by Melissa Wiesner
3.75
This is a slow burn, friends to lovers romance. It starts as a small age gap friendship between a high schooler and a college student, but fret not, because the friendship they have is SO wholesome and the romance does not begin until they are both adults.
This story, while the romance is still central, is really a kind of self-discovery journey for our FMC, Anna. I think her personal journey was the main theme and the friendship-turned-romance elevated the story in a beautiful way.
Anna had a very difficult life as a child and teen, but when she is partnered with hotshot college senior Gabe in her early to college class (as a high school sophomore because she’s a genius!), she finds a deep friendship and discovers a family unit that is truly one of the best fictional families ever.
This book then journeys through Anna’s life, with a few time jumps over the years to show her life changes, her maturity and her overall growth - as well as the development of her relationship with Gabe through it all.
So I say this focuses more on the life journey because so much of this story is about Anna’s search for her mother, and all of the many emotions that go into having an absent parent and feelings of inadequacy in, well, almost all areas of life.
At times, I grew a little tired of Anna’s constant self-sabotage. I know it was all rooted in a deep trauma that she avoided processing fully. But it did feel a little repetitive when the relationship with Gabe spun in circles for a good portion of the book.
There are also so many deep, dark, and traumatizing topics mentioned in here. There are discussions of domestic abuse, women’s rights, prenatal care/pregnancy (non-FMC) and child birth. As well as child abuse and neglect, drug addiction, and abandonment.
Note: At the time of reading this ARC copy, there was no epilogue included, so I do not know anything about the epilogue that I believe was added later.
Thank you to Forever and Melissa Wiesner for the advanced copy of this title (for a rerelease I believe?). My review is completely voluntary, completely my own, and always completely honest.
This story, while the romance is still central, is really a kind of self-discovery journey for our FMC, Anna. I think her personal journey was the main theme and the friendship-turned-romance elevated the story in a beautiful way.
Anna had a very difficult life as a child and teen, but when she is partnered with hotshot college senior Gabe in her early to college class (as a high school sophomore because she’s a genius!), she finds a deep friendship and discovers a family unit that is truly one of the best fictional families ever.
This book then journeys through Anna’s life, with a few time jumps over the years to show her life changes, her maturity and her overall growth - as well as the development of her relationship with Gabe through it all.
So I say this focuses more on the life journey because so much of this story is about Anna’s search for her mother, and all of the many emotions that go into having an absent parent and feelings of inadequacy in, well, almost all areas of life.
At times, I grew a little tired of Anna’s constant self-sabotage. I know it was all rooted in a deep trauma that she avoided processing fully. But it did feel a little repetitive when the relationship with Gabe spun in circles for a good portion of the book.
There are also so many deep, dark, and traumatizing topics mentioned in here. There are discussions of domestic abuse, women’s rights, prenatal care/pregnancy (non-FMC) and child birth. As well as child abuse and neglect, drug addiction, and abandonment.
Note: At the time of reading this ARC copy, there was no epilogue included, so I do not know anything about the epilogue that I believe was added later.
Thank you to Forever and Melissa Wiesner for the advanced copy of this title (for a rerelease I believe?). My review is completely voluntary, completely my own, and always completely honest.
The Courting of Bristol Keats by Mary E. Pearson
4.0
This book is long, but once I got my bearings, I was IN IT. This was not exactly what I was expecting, but I really like what it turned out to be.
Bristol is on a search for her believed-to-be-dead father. This takes her to the magical world of Elphame - kind of a parallel realm - where she becomes a recruit for King Tyghan’s efforts at saving his world from an imminent war. But the more time she spends training, the more time she spends with Tyghan, and the deeper she falls into the lies and secrets of a world she didn’t even know existed until recently. And the search for her dad is at the center of everything.
Admittedly, the world building is a lot to take in at first. And there’s definitely still things I don’t totally get - because it was hard to visualize some elements. And there are SO many side characters in Elphame that I had trouble remembering who was who.
But the plot? So very captivating. Bristol is faced with so much deception in this book, and at times I wonder why people can’t just be forthcoming about big life-changing truths. But I appreciate Bristol’s reactions and her way of dealing with the many things she’s overwhelmed by.
And the romance?? I loved it. I loved the witty banter, the back and forth. And all of the deception blends in to make a complicated relationship, while still being believable and… realistic?
The audiobook is done very well, the narrator breathes life and passion into the words on the page with clarity.
Bristol is on a search for her believed-to-be-dead father. This takes her to the magical world of Elphame - kind of a parallel realm - where she becomes a recruit for King Tyghan’s efforts at saving his world from an imminent war. But the more time she spends training, the more time she spends with Tyghan, and the deeper she falls into the lies and secrets of a world she didn’t even know existed until recently. And the search for her dad is at the center of everything.
Admittedly, the world building is a lot to take in at first. And there’s definitely still things I don’t totally get - because it was hard to visualize some elements. And there are SO many side characters in Elphame that I had trouble remembering who was who.
But the plot? So very captivating. Bristol is faced with so much deception in this book, and at times I wonder why people can’t just be forthcoming about big life-changing truths. But I appreciate Bristol’s reactions and her way of dealing with the many things she’s overwhelmed by.
And the romance?? I loved it. I loved the witty banter, the back and forth. And all of the deception blends in to make a complicated relationship, while still being believable and… realistic?
The audiobook is done very well, the narrator breathes life and passion into the words on the page with clarity.
Wild Love by Elsie Silver
5.0
I’d give this 6 stars if I could
I’m obsessed with Ford Grant. The only billionaire I accept. Using his powers for good.
I was giggling and smiling like a fool at Ford and Rosie’s antics, their entire relationship was perfection from start to finish. Even disagreements/conflict felt healthy and swoon-worthy. And that’s an impressive feat. I wanted to inject the feelings this book gave me straight into my bloodstream.
Also I’m apparently super into single dad romances now, so that’s been a fun discovery.
Anyway, Elsie Silver can have all my money and all my love.
Audio notes: I have no notes, the audio was perfection. The narrators brought this story to life and in it, they gave me life.
I’m obsessed with Ford Grant. The only billionaire I accept. Using his powers for good.
I was giggling and smiling like a fool at Ford and Rosie’s antics, their entire relationship was perfection from start to finish. Even disagreements/conflict felt healthy and swoon-worthy. And that’s an impressive feat. I wanted to inject the feelings this book gave me straight into my bloodstream.
Also I’m apparently super into single dad romances now, so that’s been a fun discovery.
Anyway, Elsie Silver can have all my money and all my love.
Audio notes: I have no notes, the audio was perfection. The narrators brought this story to life and in it, they gave me life.
Whirlwind by Kayla Grosse
3.5
This is a love letter to Twisters. I’m not mad about it, it’s just a fact that a lot of this feels very Twisters-coded.
The writing is not stellar, it’s quite simple and at times feels a little awkward. But overall a fun read.
Good LORD these characters are horny as hell. The first few chapters were rough to get through because Finley and Ryker could not exist without ogling each other possessively and inappropriately given his position at the school.
The first sex scene was… something. Didn’t love it. When the author said “ditch sex” she wasn’t kidding. The ones later on were fine, though.
I actually loved that the middle of the book was largely Finley being upset with Ryker, which added substance to their “relationship” and helped me actually root for them in general. The professor x student argument was super valid and deserved to be discussed.
In general, I liked where the romance went. And the actual storm chasing scenes were so fun! The science seemed well researched and believable.
AND JOEY!!! Easily the best part of the book was this man’s comedic relief and unwavering friendship and support. We love a comedic bi king.
The writing is not stellar, it’s quite simple and at times feels a little awkward. But overall a fun read.
Good LORD these characters are horny as hell. The first few chapters were rough to get through because Finley and Ryker could not exist without ogling each other possessively and inappropriately given his position at the school.
The first sex scene was… something. Didn’t love it. When the author said “ditch sex” she wasn’t kidding. The ones later on were fine, though.
I actually loved that the middle of the book was largely Finley being upset with Ryker, which added substance to their “relationship” and helped me actually root for them in general. The professor x student argument was super valid and deserved to be discussed.
In general, I liked where the romance went. And the actual storm chasing scenes were so fun! The science seemed well researched and believable.
AND JOEY!!! Easily the best part of the book was this man’s comedic relief and unwavering friendship and support. We love a comedic bi king.
Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.
Dnf @ 19%
Nothing distinctly wrong with this book, I just could not get into it. I was using audio alone, and I think maybe it’s just too cozy of a cozy fantasy for that.
Very vivid descriptions and imagery used, and a fascinating tale told from the point of view of the fantastical creature lurking beneath the surface of the lake. But not enough substantive plot by this point to hold my attention.
The audio was done really well, the narrator brings life to Jenny and delivers the manuscript very well.
Thank you to Libro.fm and the publisher for an advanced listening copy of this title.
Nothing distinctly wrong with this book, I just could not get into it. I was using audio alone, and I think maybe it’s just too cozy of a cozy fantasy for that.
Very vivid descriptions and imagery used, and a fascinating tale told from the point of view of the fantastical creature lurking beneath the surface of the lake. But not enough substantive plot by this point to hold my attention.
The audio was done really well, the narrator brings life to Jenny and delivers the manuscript very well.
Thank you to Libro.fm and the publisher for an advanced listening copy of this title.
Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
4.25
Once again, Brynne Weaver delivers a delicious romance full of kills, kisses, and Kanes.
I loved so much about this book. I loved getting to see more of Fionn and Rose after meeting them both during the events of B&B and L&L. The two are so lovable and fun and very feisty together.
I loved the vigilante justice killing, and the subsequent life processing for Fionn - this was a refreshing change from the utter brutality of… well, everyone else from the series.
Also BARBARA. A star, truly.
What didn’t work for me in this book is the very abrupt time jump around midway. I was absolutely devouring the first half of the book. But then… one minute the scene is normal and yeah, there’s hints at changes coming. But then the next page we have jumped into the future and honestly it just felt very sudden and disorienting. I feel like I never got back to the way I was feeling for the first half.
I did like how the story panned out, I loved the resolutions to a conflict that I wasn’t a fan of to begin with.
And I especially LOVED the epilogues. Even though I feel like I needed to reread the first two in order to properly appreciate some references better.
A note on the audio: this is done in duet style narration. Both narrators are excellent and make the story feel more immersive (this is my personal opinion on duet style in general). The accents are also brilliant.
However, especially in the second half, there seemed to be a lot of times where the male narration became louder and more gravelly, almost sounding like the narrator was eating the microphone. (This was particularly strong anytime Lachlan was speaking.) It was a bit distracting and jarring at times. Overall did not ruin my reading experience, but was worth noting.
I loved so much about this book. I loved getting to see more of Fionn and Rose after meeting them both during the events of B&B and L&L. The two are so lovable and fun and very feisty together.
I loved the vigilante justice killing, and the subsequent life processing for Fionn - this was a refreshing change from the utter brutality of… well, everyone else from the series.
Also BARBARA. A star, truly.
What didn’t work for me in this book is the very abrupt time jump around midway. I was absolutely devouring the first half of the book. But then… one minute the scene is normal and yeah, there’s hints at changes coming. But then the next page we have jumped into the future and honestly it just felt very sudden and disorienting. I feel like I never got back to the way I was feeling for the first half.
I did like how the story panned out, I loved the resolutions to a conflict that I wasn’t a fan of to begin with.
And I especially LOVED the epilogues. Even though I feel like I needed to reread the first two in order to properly appreciate some references better.
A note on the audio: this is done in duet style narration. Both narrators are excellent and make the story feel more immersive (this is my personal opinion on duet style in general). The accents are also brilliant.
However, especially in the second half, there seemed to be a lot of times where the male narration became louder and more gravelly, almost sounding like the narrator was eating the microphone. (This was particularly strong anytime Lachlan was speaking.) It was a bit distracting and jarring at times. Overall did not ruin my reading experience, but was worth noting.
The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle
4.5
I had SO much fun reading this book and am really looking forward to the continuation when it comes out!
First, the plot is so intriguing. The rival gangs are such a fun way to learn the ways of the world and the people in it. The use of Shade is also fascinating - its use being so drastically different between the Cloaks and the Daggers. In general, I just feel like the world building feels very easy to understand while also using a bit of a tricky kind of magic.
We get a very traditional theme of light vs dark, but it's explored a little differently here when the light doesn't really even fully exist yet.
Second, I loved the characters we meet and their relationships. The romance felt really well paced, and with an enemies to lovers kind of dynamic, I knew this was gonna be great. BUT we also get a stellar found family vibe among the Cloaks that feels so warm and cozy.
This book is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, and ESPECIALLY fans of Six of Crows. Big SOC vibes in here, the setting and the kinds of characters we meet. In fact, I'd say this is Six of Crows setting/characters with a Shadow & Bone kind of plot.
PLUS I listened to the audiobook, which was done very well. And Freddy Carter narrating just felt too perfect after his role as Kaz in the Shadow & Bone TV show. This was a very fitting role for him to be reading.
First, the plot is so intriguing. The rival gangs are such a fun way to learn the ways of the world and the people in it. The use of Shade is also fascinating - its use being so drastically different between the Cloaks and the Daggers. In general, I just feel like the world building feels very easy to understand while also using a bit of a tricky kind of magic.
We get a very traditional theme of light vs dark, but it's explored a little differently here when the light doesn't really even fully exist yet.
Second, I loved the characters we meet and their relationships. The romance felt really well paced, and with an enemies to lovers kind of dynamic, I knew this was gonna be great. BUT we also get a stellar found family vibe among the Cloaks that feels so warm and cozy.
This book is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, and ESPECIALLY fans of Six of Crows. Big SOC vibes in here, the setting and the kinds of characters we meet. In fact, I'd say this is Six of Crows setting/characters with a Shadow & Bone kind of plot.
PLUS I listened to the audiobook, which was done very well. And Freddy Carter narrating just felt too perfect after his role as Kaz in the Shadow & Bone TV show. This was a very fitting role for him to be reading.
I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones
2.5
I was unfortunately very underwhelmed by this book. The concept seemed intriguing involving a British boy band and a decades-long mysterious incident. But unfortantely the execution of the story - specifically the second half - fell apart for me.
This book shines a light on the very unhealthy parasocial relationship between celebs/pop or rock stars and their fans - and the extreme measures people will go to in order to meet and interact with their idols. I liked this theme and how it was all set up - but the further the story went the more it lost me.
The whole time I was reading, I was imagining Secret Oktober as Drive Shaft from Lost (iykyk). A pretty valid representation I think.
A few reasons why this book did not work for me:
- In general, there were NO likable characters. Everyone was either manipulative, emotionally/verbally/physically/sexually abusive, or so deranged in their delusion that it was impossible to root for anyone.
- I also feel like a lot of the characters felt flat - relationships were not given enough depth (Nicole + Brad, Nicole + Ben, Amelia + the band in general) to actually care or understand how and why they existed the way they did.
- Cassie is such a caricature of a teenage fangirl. The obsession and "groupie" status could be believable (because I know these types of fans did and do exist), but the lengths of her delusion were so uncomfortable I almost didn't want to keep reading about it constantly.
- I find it hard to believe that, even in the 80s, Cassie and Amelia would have gotten away with the things they did in this story. It was a very extreme suspension of disbelief how they ALWAYS managed to sneak or bribe their way into every single location (just too convenient to feel believable). And yes, I know security was not as extreme back then, but everything was just a little TOO convenient for them to always be around.
- The pacing at which things were revealed felt very off. We spend the first half of the book building up this mystery of what or who is trying to upend Nicole's life in 2010 and what about her past is worth revealing so dramatically. Then the last 15% is where we finally get answers, and the answers are delivered so rapidly that it feels overwhelming all at once and underwhelming at what is actually revealed. Especially because we are tossed back and forth between the timelines so quickly I felt like I was holding on for dear life to actually follow the story.
- I do not like the ending. It felt rushed and unsatisfying.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press-Minotaur and the author for the advanced access to this title. My review is completely voluntary, completely my own, and always completely honest.
This book shines a light on the very unhealthy parasocial relationship between celebs/pop or rock stars and their fans - and the extreme measures people will go to in order to meet and interact with their idols. I liked this theme and how it was all set up - but the further the story went the more it lost me.
The whole time I was reading, I was imagining Secret Oktober as Drive Shaft from Lost (iykyk). A pretty valid representation I think.
A few reasons why this book did not work for me:
- In general, there were NO likable characters. Everyone was either manipulative, emotionally/verbally/physically/sexually abusive, or so deranged in their delusion that it was impossible to root for anyone.
- I also feel like a lot of the characters felt flat - relationships were not given enough depth (Nicole + Brad, Nicole + Ben, Amelia + the band in general) to actually care or understand how and why they existed the way they did.
- Cassie is such a caricature of a teenage fangirl. The obsession and "groupie" status could be believable (because I know these types of fans did and do exist), but the lengths of her delusion were so uncomfortable I almost didn't want to keep reading about it constantly.
- I find it hard to believe that, even in the 80s, Cassie and Amelia would have gotten away with the things they did in this story. It was a very extreme suspension of disbelief how they ALWAYS managed to sneak or bribe their way into every single location (just too convenient to feel believable). And yes, I know security was not as extreme back then, but everything was just a little TOO convenient for them to always be around.
- The pacing at which things were revealed felt very off. We spend the first half of the book building up this mystery of what or who is trying to upend Nicole's life in 2010 and what about her past is worth revealing so dramatically. Then the last 15% is where we finally get answers, and the answers are delivered so rapidly that it feels overwhelming all at once and underwhelming at what is actually revealed. Especially because we are tossed back and forth between the timelines so quickly I felt like I was holding on for dear life to actually follow the story.
- I do not like the ending. It felt rushed and unsatisfying.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press-Minotaur and the author for the advanced access to this title. My review is completely voluntary, completely my own, and always completely honest.
The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent
3.0
Where do I begin...
This was a highly anticipated read as the next installment in a series that I love, but to say I'm disappointed is as painful to admit as it was to actually struggle through this book. I read physically AND listened with audio and still struggled.
I am a visual reader, but my mental tv was out of commission, broken and unplugged, totally nonfunctioning in this book. I couldn't imagine a single thing that was happening, and this meant that I barely held onto my understanding of the world-building and setting. The plot itself was interesting, I liked the overall mission of the storyline, the characters, even the overarching setting. I like how this continues from the previous books, building upon what we know happened and exploring new characters - it's Mische, and I always wanted more of Mische. Plus ASAR?? Give me mooooore. BUT I could not tell you how they accomplished anything or what the levels of Mothryn were like, because none of it made sense in my head.
There was a lot of "falling" and "fading into oblivion" and "disappearing into darkness" or other things that basically mean the same. FALLING WHERE? (I picture them literally falling off of cliffs at almost every chapter break lol)
I swear my brain was trying so hard to picture the events of this book but I really was just existing and letting the book happen. At one scene there was "imaginary water" and its at this point that I knew there was no hope at actually understanding. Because in the underworld, there are no rules.
This was a highly anticipated read as the next installment in a series that I love, but to say I'm disappointed is as painful to admit as it was to actually struggle through this book. I read physically AND listened with audio and still struggled.
I am a visual reader, but my mental tv was out of commission, broken and unplugged, totally nonfunctioning in this book. I couldn't imagine a single thing that was happening, and this meant that I barely held onto my understanding of the world-building and setting. The plot itself was interesting, I liked the overall mission of the storyline, the characters, even the overarching setting. I like how this continues from the previous books, building upon what we know happened and exploring new characters - it's Mische, and I always wanted more of Mische. Plus ASAR?? Give me mooooore. BUT I could not tell you how they accomplished anything or what the levels of Mothryn were like, because none of it made sense in my head.
There was a lot of "falling" and "fading into oblivion" and "disappearing into darkness" or other things that basically mean the same. FALLING WHERE? (I picture them literally falling off of cliffs at almost every chapter break lol)
I swear my brain was trying so hard to picture the events of this book but I really was just existing and letting the book happen. At one scene there was "imaginary water" and its at this point that I knew there was no hope at actually understanding. Because in the underworld, there are no rules.