aliterarykerry's reviews
165 reviews

The Cadence of Crowns by R.V. Wilbur

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I’m going to be thinking about this book for a long time (and recommending it to everyone). The writing pulled me straight into the world, and the characters made me want to stay there. 

I loved Wren: how strong and determined she is, how absolutely fierce she is in defending what (and who) she loves. 

I predicted one thing and was heartbroken to be right, but in no way did I find the book itself predictable. AND THE EPILOGUE. MA’AM, IT IS CHRISTMAS EVE. 

He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Alta Hensley

3.0

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

emotional tense medium-paced

5.0

Aaron Warner is VAULTING to the top of my favorite MMCs list. After I finished Unravel Me, I said “okay, I get it now” — now I REALLY get it. Talk about down bad crying at the gym. We love to see it. 

Juliette’s journey in Ignite Me was fantastic: figuring out her power, what she wants and who she wants to be. 

I’m so late to this series, but I’m ready to see it through.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

adventurous funny mysterious tense medium-paced

4.5

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

emotional tense fast-paced

4.0

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC; this review is my honest opinion.

Ne'er Duke Well was the first book of Alexandra Vasti's I read, and I knew it wouldn't be my last. I was so glad to get to read Lydia's story after liking her so much as a supporting character; Vasti writes characters who are easy to like AND relate to, and Lydia is both.

Lydia is wonderfully relatable to anyone who's ever suffered from social anxiety. She's funny, she's impassioned ... and her initial reaction to Arthur is also incredibly relatable. (Good thing that his reaction to her is equally awestruck.)

The whimsical touches -- zebras? in regency Scotland? -- are so much fun. And someone please give the bedchamber door an award for best supporting character in a Very Important Scene. 

Lydia and Arthur! I loved them: their pining for each other, their obsession with each other, the lengths which they’d go to for each other. 

This is a regency romp of the highest caliber. I adored it. 

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.0

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I didn’t really know what to expect from this book, so it’s wrong to say it delivered. It EXCEEDED my expectations.

It’s thoughtful and sweet, and if a story about a monk and a robot seems like exactly NOT your thing the way it did mine, I’d encourage you to give it a chance. It made me think and it made me care.

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

This book is a romp: irreverent, fun … and still with feeling. There is so much to like about Evie, The Villain and their supporting cast of characters — and yes, I’m still waiting for a snarky frog to start following me around with commentary via sign.

The pining is top-notch, but to the point where I’m simultaneously groaning and grinning. I adored everything about it and CANNOT wait for book three.

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

5.0