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beccisays's reviews
369 reviews
Hex and the City by Kate Johnson
I’ve been missing the Stay a Spell series, for when I want a magical, heartwarming romance with a touch of smut. Like if Pumpkin Spice was a genre y’know? So this was the cute and cozy paranormal romance moment I needed, that did its job when I wanted light fluffy romantasy.
The sentient and hungry wild rapunzel hair was silly and cute. I’ve listened to both of this series as audiobooks, this one was through my local library, and the narrator does a great job switching between English and Australian for this one. I like her accent and tone, it’s very relaxing and adds to the coziness. I’m not sure this counts as cozy fantasy, as much as it’s my comfort genre if that makes sense.
I thought this was a sequel to Hex Appeal by the same author, following the couple as they move to the city. Just as a heads up if you thought the same, it absolutely was not that. It was a standalone within the same universe, with very little crossover. Two characters from the first book made a mini cameo, which I loved, though it was very short and sweet.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Words were just words. Crystals were just stones. But if they represented something to Poppy, they sharpened her intent.
I’ve been missing the Stay a Spell series, for when I want a magical, heartwarming romance with a touch of smut. Like if Pumpkin Spice was a genre y’know? So this was the cute and cozy paranormal romance moment I needed, that did its job when I wanted light fluffy romantasy.
The sentient and hungry wild rapunzel hair was silly and cute. I’ve listened to both of this series as audiobooks, this one was through my local library, and the narrator does a great job switching between English and Australian for this one. I like her accent and tone, it’s very relaxing and adds to the coziness. I’m not sure this counts as cozy fantasy, as much as it’s my comfort genre if that makes sense.
I thought this was a sequel to Hex Appeal by the same author, following the couple as they move to the city. Just as a heads up if you thought the same, it absolutely was not that. It was a standalone within the same universe, with very little crossover. Two characters from the first book made a mini cameo, which I loved, though it was very short and sweet.
Drowned Country by Emily Tesh
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Didn’t love this sequel as much as the first novella. This one follow’s Silver as the protagonist and he is just not as likeable as Tobias. He’s such a drama llama. His internal monologue comes off as very petty and brooding. There’s also a touch of attention seeking and I’m just not about it.
To be fair I did prefer the second half, where it returned to a more magical setting and the two paired together.
Can’t complain too much as it was a free listen from the Audible Plus catalogue.
To be fair I did prefer the second half, where it returned to a more magical setting and the two paired together.
Can’t complain too much as it was a free listen from the Audible Plus catalogue.
If You Read This by Kereen Getten
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a really sweet and gentle story about a young girl learning how to continue loving and remembering her Mother after death. The plot loosely follows a scavenger hunt of letters left to her by her late mother as she rediscovers all the ways she can honour her Mother’s memory and adventurous spirit. It’s not too dark or emotional, it strikes just the right balance of heartfelt and heartwarming.
I would definitely recommend the audiobook as the narrator Sara Novak was wonderful, doing the character’s Caribbean accents and mannerisms justice. It’s a shorter listen and I downloaded free as part of the Audible Plus catalogue.
Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The style of this audiobook felt like an old fashioned fairy tale or folklore story. I’m not sure if it was the narration or writing but I was so surprised to discover it was released in 2019. It brought about a nostalgia that reminded me of the short stories I used to read at bedtime as a kid. Although it’s only a novella, it’s very atmospheric with cottage core, enchanted forest and green magic vibes.
I appreciated how normalised the queer flirting and romantic interest was. Can hardly be called romance really though, it was so tame, proper and restrained.
This is the first part of the Greenhollow duology, both included in the Audible Plus catalogue. It was an ideal pick for my first Taurus season themed read.
How to Come Alive Again: A Guide to Killing Your Monsters by Beth McColl
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
Of all the mental health and self-care books I’ve been binging, I really connected with this one as it felt like it was speaking my language. The author and I share similar demographics, you can feel the female perspective come through in the writing and there are cultural aspects like interacting with NHS and GPs within the UK that really matched my experiences.
I borrowed the audiobook through Libby. However I do personally think this particular book lands better in physical or e-book form. There’s nothing wrong with the author’s narration, I just think her writing works best as actual writing as there’s capitalisations and emphasis on page that isn’t noticeable by ear. I ended up buying a second-hand hardback edition of the book just after finishing this, as there’s lots of affirmations and “things to remember when” lists etc that will be helpful to refer back to later in the moment. I can’t wait to get my hands on it when it arrives!
I borrowed the audiobook through Libby. However I do personally think this particular book lands better in physical or e-book form. There’s nothing wrong with the author’s narration, I just think her writing works best as actual writing as there’s capitalisations and emphasis on page that isn’t noticeable by ear. I ended up buying a second-hand hardback edition of the book just after finishing this, as there’s lots of affirmations and “things to remember when” lists etc that will be helpful to refer back to later in the moment. I can’t wait to get my hands on it when it arrives!
The Comfort Book by Matt Haig
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
I’ve seen so many people quoting this but I wasn’t sure, it didn’t really seem like my “thing”.. whatever that is.
I’m pleased to have been proven wrong on this occasion. I get it now, it is indeed a collection of very quotable quotes.
A couple of things missed the mark for me, eg: random recipes like peanut butter toast or hummus (why?!). Also the odd musing on how life and toast are alike etc. I get that it’s going for finding meaning amongst the mundane and universal relatability. It just gave me flashbacks to all those stoned moments my teenage self spent in my kitchen reflecting while I’m waiting for munchies to cook. Y’know when your baked brain is like “Whoah, that’s so insightful and important, write that down” and then you look back and it’s just a post-it note with a vaguely coherent thought on it. Some of my own personal favourites from my own youth were “Minstrels are just Smarties for adults.” and “Nothing is literally no thing.”
Anyway, here are some quotes from the actual book that I did like:
I’m pleased to have been proven wrong on this occasion. I get it now, it is indeed a collection of very quotable quotes.
A couple of things missed the mark for me, eg: random recipes like peanut butter toast or hummus (why?!). Also the odd musing on how life and toast are alike etc. I get that it’s going for finding meaning amongst the mundane and universal relatability. It just gave me flashbacks to all those stoned moments my teenage self spent in my kitchen reflecting while I’m waiting for munchies to cook. Y’know when your baked brain is like “Whoah, that’s so insightful and important, write that down” and then you look back and it’s just a post-it note with a vaguely coherent thought on it. Some of my own personal favourites from my own youth were “Minstrels are just Smarties for adults.” and “Nothing is literally no thing.”
Anyway, here are some quotes from the actual book that I did like:
“The hardest question I have ever been asked is: How do I stay alive for other people, if I have no one? The answer is that you stay alive for other versions of you. For the people you will meet, yes sure, but also for the people you will be.”
“There is no point becoming someone else in order to find friends. In order to find the people who like you, it is first necessary to be you.”
“Check your emotional armour is actually protecting you, and not so heavy you can't move.”
“Don’t envy things you wouldn’t actually want. Don’t absorb criticism from people you wouldn’t go to for advice.”
“Rest is an essential part of survival.”
“There is nothing lonelier than being with people who aren’t on your wavelength. The cure for loneliness isn’t more people.”
“Your self-worth is not found inside the minds of other people.”
“Our mind might make prisons, but it also gives us keys.”