aprilthebookqueen's reviews
135 reviews

A Whispered Oath: A Dark Fantasy Romance Novella by Madeline R. Behr

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.75

This was a fun and quick read! Thank you for the ARC copy! 

I was amazed at how invested I was in the world, characters and plot in book shorter than I am used to. It was fast-paced and easy to read, and I read through it in one sitting. The descriptions are well-done, and not overly complicated and really gave me a feel for the world this book takes place in.

I would have liked to see the relationship between our two main characters develop a bit more. It felt so sudden, but I think that's fair considering how the length of this novella. 

I had fun reading this! Thank you!

Speaking in Bones by Kathy Reichs

dark mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

The plot itself was interesting and kept me wanting to read more. 

It's the character that's getting me to drop stars here. 

We are in book 18, and she is still making the same mistakes. While I get some conflict makes for good stories, it's the way the character handles her personal life that makes it so frustrating. 

Her main reasoning for being unsure about Ryan is that she doesn't need anyone to save her, and she needs to stand on her own. "I need to know I can rely on myself". She hates that he comes in to rescue her. And the truth is she can't rely on herself. She makes the same mistakes over and over and nearly dies. Every single book, she's needed him or another cop to rescue her while she's in peril and she would have likely died if they hadn't. 

If she doesn't want rescuing, then maybe the problem is her rushing into things instead of thinking them through. 

I do understand why there is peril at the end of each book, even if it involves her making the same stupid decisions to get there and not learning from her mistakes, but her being frustrated at her love interest because he "rescues" her is frustrating.

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith

medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

I had a lot of fun reading this one! 

I did see the twist coming at the ending (well, one of them anyway), and it was still such a fun journey to get there. 

The characters were so interesting and I really enjoyed the chemistry between the main and the love interest. A couple of the trials really gave me Saw vibes which was fun in a different way. 

I had fun with the plot. It was simple to follow, but it was engaging and addictive. I also found the writing simplistic (in a good way) and beautiful at times. 

I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, but I had a great time with it! 

Bones Never Lie by Kathy Reichs

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

 

The plot was interesting and engaging. The characters were also interesting, and not so annoying in this one compared to other books. I also liked seeing that Katy wasn't in this book. She probably shouldn't, but she tends to annoy me a lot. We also got more Ryan! Which was really nice after his lacking presence in a few books. (That unexpected surprise at the end really got me!)

I really liked learning more about her personal life, and getting to see it in general. Learning backstory about her mom, and getting to see more interactions with Ryan were some of my favourite parts.

I did see the "twist" coming, but it was still done in a way I really enjoyed.

Overall, really liked this one and I look forward to seeing where the relationship between Tempe and Ryan goes.

 

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

I absolutely loved this book. 

The world has been ruled by a ruler who by all definitions is pretty terrible. The main character are trying to overthrow him to have a better world. I've heard a lot of hype about  Brandon Sanderson, so I admit that I went in with high expectations, and this delivered. 

The writing was simple and easy to follow, which I really enjoy. The world-building was amazing, and I found the pacing worked really well. The prologue itself was a great read and really set the bar for the rest of the book. The twists and turns through this also kept me engaged. 

I loved the characters, especially Vin. The character development she went through was pretty great. She also was what I consider a bad ass character, but at the same time, she had weaknesses that made her seem more real. 

I am really excited to read the next ones, and more of Brandon Sanderson's work. 

A River of Golden Bones by A.K. Mulford

• Strong character development? No

3.0

Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

I definitely preferred this one to the last one I read. A lot of the things I found frustrating were a bit better in this one. 

The cases were interesting, and I always love getting to see side characters and the interactions with them. 

I also really like the character of Temperance Brennan. She comes off as so compassionate and she just really cares for the victims and wants them to have justice. 

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

medium-paced

4.0

This was a fun read! 

I needed something to break my other reads up, and this fit the bill. 

The characters were fun and interesting. And I didn't actually see the twist at the end coming. 

I am really looking forward to reading the next one!

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

I ended up doing the tandem read with Empire of Storms, and the way they fit together was so perfect. The chapters and the way they lined up and referenced the same events. 

Getting to see so much character growth from Chaol was also amazing, and he's really growing on me. And getting to come full circle and get to know Yrene was so enjoyable. 

I didn't really care to read for this in the beginning, but this story drew me in and kept me there the whole book. 

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

The rollercoaster of emotions I felt during this book were something else. I teared up at points. I got goosebumps. I cheered the characters on. 

This was phenomenal. The character development, the things we learned, the world that is being built. 

I am a big fan of boss ass girl power, and there was a lot of that in this book. I also love seeing women friendships, and the bonding between them. 

I don't think I can put words together to really describe the impact this book had on me and how much I loved it.