booksonmars's reviews
646 reviews

Meet Me When My Heart Stops by Becky Hunter

3.0

an easy read, but the details were vague and the relationship between emery and nick felt underdeveloped. every other one though, including the two sisters, were really touching and it had an emotional ending.

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh
Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.

i have a feeling i’m gonna dislike this as much as myorar, so i’m dnfing before i give it that chance 

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.5

there was something so off about this book. i really wanted to get into it but the chemistry came off so wooden at the beginning. most of their conversations were awkward and would end with him just insulting her and her career choices, which they never really discussed later. the first sex scene came out of nowhere, and then it was insta-love with a little bit on angst. 

i don’t think there was enough depth in this book. all the emotional turmoil was told instead of shown, so the characters came off as flat. i’m disappointed because it was an anticipated read for me. however, it was easy for me to read and it did (momentarily) pull me out of a reading slump. 

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious slow-paced

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

4.5

do not listen to naysayers because i absolutely loved this sequel! i wish i could stay in this world forever. i wish that dryadology was a real and honest academic pursuit and that i could traipse around the english countryside looking for faeries as a job. 

emily grows so much in this book; yes she still comes off as prickly but she’s more aware of the fact and she honestly tries to do better with the people she cares about, like wendell and ariadne, and eventually rose. i loved the addition of more characters in this adventure, its kind of a representation of how emily has let more people into her life, which is such a stark difference from her curmudgeonly behaviour in the first novel, and her longing to have more friends. the animal and common fae friends she makes along the way give her the air of a disney princess, which i found really sweet.

emily’s relationship with wendell blossoms too; wendell is very affectionate with her and i was surprised yet pleased to see emily return the sentiment. there’s a little bit of howl and sophie, as well as jude and cardan in their dynamic.

the world is every bit as atmospheric and enchanting as the first. the plot did drag a bit during the bridge between the second and third act, and i do think the de grey/eichorn plotline wrapped up too quickly, but i truly loved this book and i’m excited but so so sad to read the final book. 

The Return Journeys by Beth O'Leary

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The No-Show by Beth O'Leary

emotional hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.5

this is a horror story. the amount of hate it evoked in me for men only for the twist to be absolutely chilling. each woman was written so vividly and in depth, they were all so different which i like because a lot of the time when there's a female ensemble they seem to resemble each other despite stated differences in personalities. this is the second beth o'leary book i've read (after the road trip) and i was way more emotionally invested in the characters and their relationships.

The Letters of Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf by Louise DeSalvo, Mitchell A. Leaska
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.

no reason i just don't feel like picking it up right now

The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling

adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.5

i held off from reading this the first time i heard about it because business rivalries isn't one of the tropes i like to read, but i'm glad i picked it up this season! erin sterling always comes through with the cosy halloween vibes as well as undeniable chemistry between the love interests. gwyn was such a great and supportive character in the first book, and i really enjoyed her coming into her own as a mentor to the three young witches, as well as her banter with wells. as the more serious brother of rhys from the first book, it was sweet to watch how he dared to dream of a less lonely life outside of his father's whims (who is a complete asshole), and to see him fall in love with gwyn. their banter and grumpy-sunshine dynamic made me smile to myself while reading this. i did enjoy the choice for vivi and rhys not to be in the book, it helped not overshadow gwyn and wells' presence. 

all in all i'd definitely recommend for anyone who wants an autumn light-hearted romance. i'm not too sure i will read the last book, as i absolutely despise time travel in romance books. but i did say that for this book and still really loved it, so never say never.

The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington

adventurous funny

3.5

the real demon was gentrification

i really liked the friendship dynamics in this, but i think it was favoured over the actual horror elements, those felt rushed and not explained in full. every one of the main six but drew were unlikeable. i do think this could make a great film though, despite the very on-the-nose references to the 'rules' of horror cinema.

An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson

dark mysterious medium-paced

4.0

a dark study on the blurred lines between passion and obsession. i think i preferred this more than a dowry of blood. the writing was atmospheric and chilling, and the relationships were intriguing to read. i'd recommend for autumnal and academia vibes.