babsreads18's reviews
645 reviews

The Concealed by SK Horton

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

 Cate grew up in Oregon, working in her family’s store. Now, she’s headed off to university in England. She’s excited for all that university has to offer, but quickly finds that nothing is quite what it seems. As soon as she arrives, Cate finds herself being stalked, and only survives with the help of Lucas and Daniel. They pull her into a portal which brings her to a new land and she discovers that she’s secretly a princess.

I love the overall premise of this book. It’s fast paced, with plenty of action and easy to understand world building. The magic system is lightly explored and I’m looking forward to more magic in book two.. There was also romance included, at a cute and YA appropriate level. I found it to be a bit insta-lovey and cliche, personally, as I tend to enjoy slow burn romances. 

Thank you The Nerd Fam and Aethon Books for the gifted ARC. 

 

Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver

adventurous dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

 I loved Leather & Lark. It was dark and hysterical all at the same time. Lark is fantastic. Her love of glitter and conviction in using the term ‘deleting people’ was adorable. Lachlan is a cinnamon roll that I couldn’t help but enjoy. I loved their banter and the way their relationship developed throughout the book. The villain part could have been a little better developed, but this was overall a solid and very enjoyable read.

I listened to the audio which I highly recommend. The dual narration was absolutely fantastic! 

 

The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

 The Stardust Grail is a sci-fi heist story that is immersive and absolutely delightful. I loved every minute of this one. The worldbuilding is really well done. There are a variety of species and places introduced throughout the book, but it is easy to understand without feeling overwhelming. The characters are fantastic, with distinct personalities that are realistic, relatable, and  fun. Together, they create an unlikely found family bond that is absolute perfection. Maya and Auncle’s bond is strong and Auncle ended up being one of my favorite character’s due to their sweet nature. The pacing is great, with action throughout. There is an exploration of loss, grief, and strength along the way, as well as a deep dive into choosing what is right in a difficult situation, and consequences of that choice. 

I listened to the audiobook which was fantastic. The narrator did a great job with all of the voices and kept me engaged in the entire story. 

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

 

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne

• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 Lenny Marks is a socially awkward teacher who thrives on routine. She enjoys things like buying the same groceries every week, riding her bike home at the same time every day, and watching Friends on TV.

One day, a letter from the parole board arrives at Lenny's work, and she slowly starts remembering her traumatic past. As she works to untangled suppressed memories, Lenny also finds herself making connections and navigating new relationships in her life.

Lenny was an interesting character. She's been through so much, and it was easy to root for her. The plot was slow, but the little clues about Lenny's past throughout helped keep me interested. I did think the ending was pretty unrealistic, but that didn't detract from the overall story and emotions.

The narrator did an excellent job portraying Lenny’s character and kept me engaged throughout the book. 

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for the advance copies. 

Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen

2.5

I expected this to be more of a romcom than it actually was. I did thoroughly enjoy the banter between Aliyah and Ahmad as they navigated their friends to lovers relationship. Yet, I found Aliyah’s character to be annoying, and there were way too many men and dates to keep track of.  I also think that this book had way too many words and could have been significantly shortened as it was repetitive and overexplained things. Check the content warnings before picking this one up. There is significant fatphobia that Aliyah experiences both from family men she is on dates with, as well as significant grief. 

I listened to the audio and thought the narrator did a nice job conveying Aliyah’s emotions and giving each character a distinct voice.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

Sweet Nightmare by Tracy Wolff

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

 Calder Academy is a school for rogue paranormal youth on an isolated island. There’s a mix of vampires, werewolves, witches, sirens, and even fae! Clementine is a manticore who is stuck at the school because her parents run it. When a freak storm hits the island, strange things start happening. And Clementine is forced to work with her Jude to figure out how to stop it.

I loved all of the paranormal creatures and the magical school setting of this book. Clementine was a strong character with a big heart. Jude was a fantastically broody character and I loved the romance that developed between him and Clementine. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me engaged throughout the book. 

I listened to the audio and loved the narrator and the way she brought Clementine and her emotions to life. 

 

Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli

4.0

Rule of the Aurora King is book two in the Artefacts of Ouranos series and follows Lor as she finds herself in Nadir’s hands. It’s a slow burn, enemies to lovers read. I love that Lor and Nadir started as legitimate enemies. Their legitimate hatred of each other at the beginning made their romantic entanglement so much better. The “inmate” thing was not my favorite. The plot is a bit slower than Trial of the Sun Queen, but there is still plenty of action and intrigue throughout.

Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli

adventurous fast-paced

4.25

Super enjoyable read. This is a fast, easy fantasy read and is perfect for those just starting to read the genre. There isn’t a ton of world building, which does leave some questions, but it’s still easy to follow what’s happening. Lor’s character is fantastic and well developed, but other characters could have used a bit more development. 

 

The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller

mysterious fast-paced

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

3.5

The Darkness Within Us is the companion to The Shadows Between Us. It’s a fun and fast-paced, enemies to lovers read with elements of mystery and f the patriarchy vibes. Chrysantha is a strong FMC, who is constantly scheming, even pretending to be unintelligent for years in order to get what she wants. I did find her personality to be a bit annoying. She is solely focused on herself, gaining all money, and has an immature need to compete with her sister. Eryx is a morally gray MMC who is secretive with shadow powers. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, but the stakes felt too low for me to be super invested in the outcome. I listened to the audio and absolutely loved the narrator. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC. 

 

Fate of the Sun King by Nisha J. Tuli

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.25

Artefacts of Ouranos is an incredible series, and the third installment did not disappoint. Fate of the Sun King has multiple timelines that added depth to the world building. I love that it explored more of the politics of the world and that it included multiple points of view. It allowed for some excellent character development. Gabriel’s character was a standout and I also loved hearing directly from Nadir. Lor's character is as strong as ever and I love that she was able to finally access her magic. I’m wrecked by the ending and so ready to see what happens next!

Many thanks to Nisha J. Tuli, NetGalley, and Forever for the ARC.