Scan barcode
coffee_nd_pages's reviews
661 reviews
Home Office Romance by Kintetsu Yamada
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the Arc, in exchange for my honest opinions.
Sweet, adorable and heartwarming!!!
When I saw that this was by the same mangaka as Sweat and Soap, and was available to request on NetGalley, I immediately knew that I had to read it!! It's been a few years since I read Sweat and Soap, and it's one of my fav mangas of all time. And this didn't disappoint as well.
This one's set during the covid and we follow Nokoru, a software engineer who now has to get all his work done from his house, and it seems like a blessing to his introverted nature. He meets his neighbour, the extroverted Natsu, a graduate student in archaeology, and they slowly become more than acquaintances.
I loved this so much, and it's an added bonus that the story gets resolved within a single volume, but it did leave me wanting for more cuz it's that good😮💨 The way they share similar interests and get closer to one another through that was so sweet to witness!!! Definitely a good neighbours to lovers romance, and I highly recommend you guys check it out!
P.s. Would love to have a reading nook like Natsu's and a balcony garden like Nokoru's!!!
Sweet, adorable and heartwarming!!!
When I saw that this was by the same mangaka as Sweat and Soap, and was available to request on NetGalley, I immediately knew that I had to read it!! It's been a few years since I read Sweat and Soap, and it's one of my fav mangas of all time. And this didn't disappoint as well.
This one's set during the covid and we follow Nokoru, a software engineer who now has to get all his work done from his house, and it seems like a blessing to his introverted nature. He meets his neighbour, the extroverted Natsu, a graduate student in archaeology, and they slowly become more than acquaintances.
I loved this so much, and it's an added bonus that the story gets resolved within a single volume, but it did leave me wanting for more cuz it's that good😮💨 The way they share similar interests and get closer to one another through that was so sweet to witness!!! Definitely a good neighbours to lovers romance, and I highly recommend you guys check it out!
P.s. Would love to have a reading nook like Natsu's and a balcony garden like Nokoru's!!!
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
In Another Time by Jessie Winterspring
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for sending me this Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Such a beautiful and heart wrenching story!!
We follow Leonardo who has come to rural Spain to spend time with his grandparents. And when he stumbles upon a heart shaped bottle with a message inside it, he doesn't hesitate to pick it up to read. But as soon as he reads the note, he's transferred back in time to when his grandparents had just started to date. No one would believe he came from the future except Celestina, who was the person who wrote that note. You'd have to read to find out if Leo will return back to his time without losing his heart to Celest or if he changes a lot here that he ceases to exist at all.
The first half of the story was a lot slower as we were introduced to the characters and Leo was also taking his sweet time to accept the fact that he really is in the past. But once that got settled, the plot picked up pace and enjoyed it a lot. It was so good to see Leo's grandparents (Isabela and Alonso) fall in love cuz they were so adorable. And I loved seeing Leo find his soulmate in Celest too, but they definitely have a complicated relationship as there's a huge time gap between them!!!
I loved the way everything came together by the last few chapters, and was amazed at the author's ability to weave that beautiful timetravel story. Appreciated the exploration of parenthood in the novel too.
Highly recommend if you want an emotional yet beautiful love story, with wonderful supporting characters!!
Such a beautiful and heart wrenching story!!
We follow Leonardo who has come to rural Spain to spend time with his grandparents. And when he stumbles upon a heart shaped bottle with a message inside it, he doesn't hesitate to pick it up to read. But as soon as he reads the note, he's transferred back in time to when his grandparents had just started to date. No one would believe he came from the future except Celestina, who was the person who wrote that note. You'd have to read to find out if Leo will return back to his time without losing his heart to Celest or if he changes a lot here that he ceases to exist at all.
The first half of the story was a lot slower as we were introduced to the characters and Leo was also taking his sweet time to accept the fact that he really is in the past. But once that got settled, the plot picked up pace and enjoyed it a lot. It was so good to see Leo's grandparents (Isabela and Alonso) fall in love cuz they were so adorable. And I loved seeing Leo find his soulmate in Celest too, but they definitely have a complicated relationship as there's a huge time gap between them!!!
I loved the way everything came together by the last few chapters, and was amazed at the author's ability to weave that beautiful timetravel story. Appreciated the exploration of parenthood in the novel too.
Highly recommend if you want an emotional yet beautiful love story, with wonderful supporting characters!!
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.25
Read if you like -
Isekai
Second chance at life
Quirky and over-the-top characters
Found family
Explosive ending
This book was crazy and I absolutely loved it!! We follow Rae, who has been bedridden for the past three years cuz of cancer, and she's offered a chance to enter into her favorite book by a mysterious woman. If she can make it to a certain moment in the book, she can get cured in the real world, and she obviously takes the chance. Little did she know that she'd wake up as the Villainess (Rahela) destined to be executed the very next day!!!
This is a dark fantasy with humor, and it was so fun to follow Rae as a MC. She has nothing to lose now and decides to use all her vile abilities to get whatever she wants. And it's an added benefit that she knows how the plot's going to go, which she uses to her advantage. But everything she changes causes a ripple effect that only brings more trouble to her. Rae never sees the other characters as real and only cares about her (let's be honest, we would be the same when we're given a second chance at life) but it starts to change slowly as she sees they're the same and would feel pain the same way. I loved her character development and I cannot wait to see more of her.
But my favourite character has to be Key, Rae's bodyguard in the fantasy book. He has come to the palace from the lowest place and no one pays much attention to him. He is known for his martial prowess, and can kill any number of people within just a few seconds and I was in awe at the way he was always there to protect Rae.
The book was self aware of itself and it subverted a lot of our common fantasy tropes which was interesting to see. And none of the characters you meet are who they portray themselves to be, and it never ceases to surprise when you see her real natures. The ending was something you could see coming, but it'll still make you go crazy when it happens!!!! I need the second book like rn!
Isekai
Second chance at life
Quirky and over-the-top characters
Found family
Explosive ending
This book was crazy and I absolutely loved it!! We follow Rae, who has been bedridden for the past three years cuz of cancer, and she's offered a chance to enter into her favorite book by a mysterious woman. If she can make it to a certain moment in the book, she can get cured in the real world, and she obviously takes the chance. Little did she know that she'd wake up as the Villainess (Rahela) destined to be executed the very next day!!!
This is a dark fantasy with humor, and it was so fun to follow Rae as a MC. She has nothing to lose now and decides to use all her vile abilities to get whatever she wants. And it's an added benefit that she knows how the plot's going to go, which she uses to her advantage. But everything she changes causes a ripple effect that only brings more trouble to her. Rae never sees the other characters as real and only cares about her (let's be honest, we would be the same when we're given a second chance at life) but it starts to change slowly as she sees they're the same and would feel pain the same way. I loved her character development and I cannot wait to see more of her.
But my favourite character has to be Key, Rae's bodyguard in the fantasy book. He has come to the palace from the lowest place and no one pays much attention to him. He is known for his martial prowess, and can kill any number of people within just a few seconds and I was in awe at the way he was always there to protect Rae.
The book was self aware of itself and it subverted a lot of our common fantasy tropes which was interesting to see. And none of the characters you meet are who they portray themselves to be, and it never ceases to surprise when you see her real natures. The ending was something you could see coming, but it'll still make you go crazy when it happens!!!! I need the second book like rn!
The Happy Housekeeper's Guide to Homicide by Blythe Baker
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Till Death Parts Us by Caz Redpath
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book broke me and ngl I had to cry myself to sleep yesterday after finishing it! If you've read the first book in the series, you'd know why😭
Huge thanks to the author and beyondthebookspr for the ARC!!
Blurb
Lucy is the daughter of an alleged murderer, and she's the only one who believes her father is innocent. When no one takes her father's case, James takes it and they set out to find the truth! Will they clear out her father's name or not?! Read the book to find out!
Thoughts
Absolutely loved it!! And I'm glad I read the first book earlier cuz this wouldn't have been more impactful if not (So I recommend you guys to read in order too). This one's more of a romantic suspense than just a romance, so it appealed to the sleuth side of me too. Lucy and James work together to solve the case, and encounter a lot of hurdles on the way which brings them closer than what is appropriate in a relationship between a client and a criminal defence lawyer (and I'm here for it!!)
The plot explores the idea of whether you really knew your parents or not, and that's a difficult area to explore. Lucy going through such an ordeal was heartbreaking to say the least. She doesn't know whether her dad is a murderer or not, and since he's termed as one, no one stands by her other than James. It's a lonely struggle for the both of them to prove their case when everything and everyone says otherwise. And I liked how brave Lucy stood in these times of distress.
James is a workaholic who wanted to prove his worth to everyone and be the person that his parents could be proud of, and all that changes when he crosses paths with Lucy. He'd do anything to keep her safe and to make her feel protected. Even though he's fallen bad for Lucy, he tries to be objective when it comes to the case, and I admired that about him. Also if you've read the first book, you'd know it's mentioned that Elliot takes after James and I can assure you that's so true!!! They're so alike in every way and it warmed my heart to realise that. The ending definitely broke my heart into pieces that I don't think will be whole anytime soon.
The friendship between Daines and James was so good to witness. They're so goofy and had been friends since childhood, so the way they throw jabs at one another and make fun was hilarious and adorable. And it was good to see Daines and his girlfriend, Angie get so well together with Lucy too. I wish we'd get the love story of Daines and Angie too!!!
Overall, I loved this one so much and it's a prequel I didn't know I needed!! And the way the book ended, I think we're gonna get another part, for which I'm equally thrilled!!
Huge thanks to the author and beyondthebookspr for the ARC!!
Blurb
Lucy is the daughter of an alleged murderer, and she's the only one who believes her father is innocent. When no one takes her father's case, James takes it and they set out to find the truth! Will they clear out her father's name or not?! Read the book to find out!
Thoughts
Absolutely loved it!! And I'm glad I read the first book earlier cuz this wouldn't have been more impactful if not (So I recommend you guys to read in order too). This one's more of a romantic suspense than just a romance, so it appealed to the sleuth side of me too. Lucy and James work together to solve the case, and encounter a lot of hurdles on the way which brings them closer than what is appropriate in a relationship between a client and a criminal defence lawyer (and I'm here for it!!)
The plot explores the idea of whether you really knew your parents or not, and that's a difficult area to explore. Lucy going through such an ordeal was heartbreaking to say the least. She doesn't know whether her dad is a murderer or not, and since he's termed as one, no one stands by her other than James. It's a lonely struggle for the both of them to prove their case when everything and everyone says otherwise. And I liked how brave Lucy stood in these times of distress.
James is a workaholic who wanted to prove his worth to everyone and be the person that his parents could be proud of, and all that changes when he crosses paths with Lucy. He'd do anything to keep her safe and to make her feel protected. Even though he's fallen bad for Lucy, he tries to be objective when it comes to the case, and I admired that about him. Also if you've read the first book, you'd know it's mentioned that Elliot takes after James and I can assure you that's so true!!! They're so alike in every way and it warmed my heart to realise that. The ending definitely broke my heart into pieces that I don't think will be whole anytime soon.
The friendship between Daines and James was so good to witness. They're so goofy and had been friends since childhood, so the way they throw jabs at one another and make fun was hilarious and adorable. And it was good to see Daines and his girlfriend, Angie get so well together with Lucy too. I wish we'd get the love story of Daines and Angie too!!!
Overall, I loved this one so much and it's a prequel I didn't know I needed!! And the way the book ended, I think we're gonna get another part, for which I'm equally thrilled!!
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.5
Fire Heart by Joyce Ch'ng
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Thanks to Snowy Wings Publishing for the Arc through NetGalley.
We follow Wehia, the 17 year old girl of a minor swordsmith holding who wishes to make a longsword of her own. So she moves to the city to apprentice under Hadana, her aunt who has major connections with the royal family and many aristocrats. The story focuses on Wehia's journey in making her own sword, while also coming out of her sheltered life and realising that the real world and life are more scarier than she imagined.
Wehia has always been an impulsive and headstrong kid, so it's difficult for her to adjust to the new place, and to endure months of intense training. She already knows the basics of swordmaking as she grew up in a swordsmith holding but Hadana wouldn't take it into consideration, she puts Wehia through a lot of physical labour for months before accepting her as an apprentice. Even though it's arduous, Wehia perseveres with the training as she's focused on her goal of crafting her own sword, Fireheart. It was heartwarming to see her find a new family in Hadana's holding, and also findlove and companionship through Geri .
The sword making craft is matrilineal, and is passed down to the daughters and nieces, and not the sons. I found this to be very fascinating as the women had so much love and warmth among themselves. They devote their whole lives to learning and perfecting the art, while also training in fighting with swords which lends them greater strength that can take any man down. The bond they share through the art - sitting together and singing songs, making meals and encouraging one another was amazing to witness. Not gonna lie, the food they make had me super hungry, and I'd love to try morani stew, moon cookies, and sookee if I can!!!
The conflict between the border people and the Blood was only hinted in this first book, and I'm intrigued to see it in more detail in the sequel. There definitely seems to be a problem that hasn't been resolved for years, and I can't wait to read it. Overall, a wonderful coming of age YA fantasy!
We follow Wehia, the 17 year old girl of a minor swordsmith holding who wishes to make a longsword of her own. So she moves to the city to apprentice under Hadana, her aunt who has major connections with the royal family and many aristocrats. The story focuses on Wehia's journey in making her own sword, while also coming out of her sheltered life and realising that the real world and life are more scarier than she imagined.
Wehia has always been an impulsive and headstrong kid, so it's difficult for her to adjust to the new place, and to endure months of intense training. She already knows the basics of swordmaking as she grew up in a swordsmith holding but Hadana wouldn't take it into consideration, she puts Wehia through a lot of physical labour for months before accepting her as an apprentice. Even though it's arduous, Wehia perseveres with the training as she's focused on her goal of crafting her own sword, Fireheart. It was heartwarming to see her find a new family in Hadana's holding, and also find
The sword making craft is matrilineal, and is passed down to the daughters and nieces, and not the sons. I found this to be very fascinating as the women had so much love and warmth among themselves. They devote their whole lives to learning and perfecting the art, while also training in fighting with swords which lends them greater strength that can take any man down. The bond they share through the art - sitting together and singing songs, making meals and encouraging one another was amazing to witness. Not gonna lie, the food they make had me super hungry, and I'd love to try morani stew, moon cookies, and sookee if I can!!!
The conflict between the border people and the Blood was only hinted in this first book, and I'm intrigued to see it in more detail in the sequel. There definitely seems to be a problem that hasn't been resolved for years, and I can't wait to read it. Overall, a wonderful coming of age YA fantasy!