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babsreads18's reviews
779 reviews
Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis
4.25
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Bramble for the advance copies!
Queen Saskia is a wicked sorceress. When a dark wizard arrives at her doorstep, she immediately hires him to organize her library. As he gets to work organizing the shelves, things start to get a little bit flirty and fun. But the wizard is actually, not a wizard at all. He's an archduke with no magic and a lot of enemies.
This book was cozy and fun in all the best ways. It felt pretty low stakes, but was still really interesting and charming. Saskia's character was fiesty and strong, and Felix was more gentle and thoughtful. Their romance was sweet and I loved that it grew and developed throughout the book. It's definitely a slow burn with fun and playful banter. My favorite character was Oskar the crow, but I also loved Mrs. Haglitz the troll housekeeper because she had a ton of personality. Overall, this was a really fun read and I'm looking forward to book two.
I listened to the audio while reading along and loved the Amanda Leigh Cobb as the narrator. She gave each of the queens a distinct voice and really brought the story to life.
Queen Saskia is a wicked sorceress. When a dark wizard arrives at her doorstep, she immediately hires him to organize her library. As he gets to work organizing the shelves, things start to get a little bit flirty and fun. But the wizard is actually, not a wizard at all. He's an archduke with no magic and a lot of enemies.
This book was cozy and fun in all the best ways. It felt pretty low stakes, but was still really interesting and charming. Saskia's character was fiesty and strong, and Felix was more gentle and thoughtful. Their romance was sweet and I loved that it grew and developed throughout the book. It's definitely a slow burn with fun and playful banter. My favorite character was Oskar the crow, but I also loved Mrs. Haglitz the troll housekeeper because she had a ton of personality. Overall, this was a really fun read and I'm looking forward to book two.
I listened to the audio while reading along and loved the Amanda Leigh Cobb as the narrator. She gave each of the queens a distinct voice and really brought the story to life.
The Night Is Defying by Chloe C. Peñaranda
3.0
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advance copy!
This is the second book in the Nytefall series and I enjoyed getting to read more about this world. Like the first book, there were a ton of things happening in the plot which made it action packed. This time, there were past and present storylines, which felt a little confusing at times. There were definitely some parts that felt repetitive, but there was still plenty of action. Nyte and Astraea's relationship grew throughout this book which I enjoyed. I love duet narrations, and both narrators did a fantastic job bringing the characters and their emotions to life.
This is the second book in the Nytefall series and I enjoyed getting to read more about this world. Like the first book, there were a ton of things happening in the plot which made it action packed. This time, there were past and present storylines, which felt a little confusing at times. There were definitely some parts that felt repetitive, but there was still plenty of action. Nyte and Astraea's relationship grew throughout this book which I enjoyed. I love duet narrations, and both narrators did a fantastic job bringing the characters and their emotions to life.
Last of the Talons by Sophie Kim
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
3.5
Thank you to Entangled Teen for the review copy!
Last of the Talons is the first book in a YA fantasy series. It's a pied piper retelling and blends Korean mythology with fantasy and dark romance in a really enjoyable way. I loved the world building and found the characters to be interesting. The overall story was enjoyable with a few plot twists and lots of secrets to uncover. My biggest issue with this book is that while Lina was the Reapers of Sunpo, and a highly skilled assassin, she can't figure out how to kill the emperor and resorts to seducing him. While she's on a strict timeframe to kill him, it also never feels like she has a sense of urgency in her mission. Overall, I think its a solid debut, and I'm interested in seeing what happens in the next book.
Last of the Talons is the first book in a YA fantasy series. It's a pied piper retelling and blends Korean mythology with fantasy and dark romance in a really enjoyable way. I loved the world building and found the characters to be interesting. The overall story was enjoyable with a few plot twists and lots of secrets to uncover. My biggest issue with this book is that while Lina was the Reapers of Sunpo, and a highly skilled assassin, she can't figure out how to kill the emperor and resorts to seducing him. While she's on a strict timeframe to kill him, it also never feels like she has a sense of urgency in her mission. Overall, I think its a solid debut, and I'm interested in seeing what happens in the next book.
Zodiac Rising by Katie Zhao
3.5
3.5 stars
I absolutely love the overall premise of this book. The descendants of the Chinese Zodiac have been hidden at a secret boarding school since the source of their magic, the zodiac statues, was vandalized. The statues are found, but an elite crew and a covert mission are needed to take them back. The overall plot is intriguing and the magic is exciting, but it fell a little bit short for me. I think there could have been some more depth to the world building. I struggled with the characters a little bit. They are supposed to be immortal, but they don't act their age at all. There is also a love triangle, and some plot twists.
I absolutely love the overall premise of this book. The descendants of the Chinese Zodiac have been hidden at a secret boarding school since the source of their magic, the zodiac statues, was vandalized. The statues are found, but an elite crew and a covert mission are needed to take them back. The overall plot is intriguing and the magic is exciting, but it fell a little bit short for me. I think there could have been some more depth to the world building. I struggled with the characters a little bit. They are supposed to be immortal, but they don't act their age at all. There is also a love triangle, and some plot twists.
The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard
4.0
The Starlight Heir was a fun fantasy book with really accessible world building that was easy to understand. I loved the magic and the cast of characters. Suraya and Roshan had a fantastic slow burn with great banter. I'm definitely intrigued by Roshan and all of his secrets. I'm really excited and looking forward to what happens next in this series.
I listened to the audio and thought both narrators were fantastic. Anais Inara Chase was absolutely amazing and brought so much emotion into the story. The male narrator only had a few short chapters, but both narrators spoke clearly and were easy to understand even when sped up.
Thank you to HarperAudio for the advance copy!
I listened to the audio and thought both narrators were fantastic. Anais Inara Chase was absolutely amazing and brought so much emotion into the story. The male narrator only had a few short chapters, but both narrators spoke clearly and were easy to understand even when sped up.
Thank you to HarperAudio for the advance copy!
Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
Sig is a professional hockey player who meets Chloe by chance when his car breaks down at the country club she attends. They have instant chemistry, but soon find out their parents are planning to get married. Chloe has lived a very sheltered life, but jumps at the chance to move to Boston with Sig promising to help learn how to adult. While they do their best to keep their relationship platonic in nature, their chemistry is undeniable.
This book was full of longing and angst which I absolutely loved. The chemistry between Sig and Chloe was fantastic. Sig's character was super protective which is a trait I love MMCs to have. The family drama and plot twist at the end added some extra depth to the story. I will say that Sig and Chloe made a big deal out of not being able to date because they are future step-siblings, but I feel like the forbidden romance aspect was a little overdramatized. They were both adults and had met before they knew their parents were even dating. Overall, this was a quick and fun read that I really enjoyed.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC!
This book was full of longing and angst which I absolutely loved. The chemistry between Sig and Chloe was fantastic. Sig's character was super protective which is a trait I love MMCs to have. The family drama and plot twist at the end added some extra depth to the story. I will say that Sig and Chloe made a big deal out of not being able to date because they are future step-siblings, but I feel like the forbidden romance aspect was a little overdramatized. They were both adults and had met before they knew their parents were even dating. Overall, this was a quick and fun read that I really enjoyed.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the ARC!
Stranger Skies by Pascale Lacelle
3.5
Stranger Skies is book two in the Drowned Gods series. The magic system and world building continued to be highlights for me. I absolutely love the magic system! There were some new and very interesting characters introduced in this book which I loved. I was a little confused by Romie and Emory's suddenly complicated relationship, but loved seeing Baz and Kai develop more. I do think this book was a little long and had some pacing issues, but it was still a really enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to book 3.
Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle
4.0
I absolutely loved the dark academic setting and magic system of this book. I really enjoyed that the magic was dependent on which moon the individual was born under. The characters were all really interesting. I did find it to be a little slow at times, but there was enough mystery and intrigue to keep me invested in the story.
Breath of the Dragon by Shannon Lee, Fonda Lee
adventurous
medium-paced
4.0
Jun wasn't born breathmarked like his twin, so he doesn't have any special magical abilities. He has always dreamed of participating in the Guardian's Tournament, but his father has forbidden him from doing so. Jun decides to defy his father, and joins Chang and Ren, two performers on a journey to the capital so he can participate in the tournament. Along the way, Jun learns more about the country and what he is actually fighting for.
This book is intended for a YA audience but was still enjoyable as an adult reader. I found myself immersed in the action. The world building is absolutely fantastic, and I feel like plenty of Jun's background story was shared. I loved the tournament setting. I don't know anything about martial arts, but thought the fights were incredibly descriptive. I also really enjoyed the side characters and found family vibes. I'm looking forward to the sequel!
I listened to the audio and Eric Yang did a fantastic job narrating. Distinct voices were used for each characters, and the narration was clear and easy to understand even when sped up.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy!
This book is intended for a YA audience but was still enjoyable as an adult reader. I found myself immersed in the action. The world building is absolutely fantastic, and I feel like plenty of Jun's background story was shared. I loved the tournament setting. I don't know anything about martial arts, but thought the fights were incredibly descriptive. I also really enjoyed the side characters and found family vibes. I'm looking forward to the sequel!
I listened to the audio and Eric Yang did a fantastic job narrating. Distinct voices were used for each characters, and the narration was clear and easy to understand even when sped up.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy!
The Sirens by Emilia Hart
dark
emotional
mysterious
4.0
The Sirens is a stunning book about female strength and resilience. It's told in two timelines, that were interconnected in a thoughtful way. The story follows Mary and Eliza in the 1800s and Lucy and Jess in 2019. All of the women suffer from a skin condition when they come into contact with water, but still feel drawn to the water. I loved the strength and sisterly bond shared by Mary and Eliza. Lucy had a strained relationship with her sister, Jess and I enjoyed seeing their story play out. I absolutely loved the folklore surrounding mermaids that was included. The writing was gorgeous and lyrical. The story was a bit slow paced at times, but was full of intrigue and I found myself immersed in the story.
I read along while listening to the audio and really enjoyed the narrator, Barrie Kreinik. Even though there were multiple timelines, it was easy to follow and distinct accents were used which was impressive.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.
I read along while listening to the audio and really enjoyed the narrator, Barrie Kreinik. Even though there were multiple timelines, it was easy to follow and distinct accents were used which was impressive.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.