courtsbooknook's reviews
1484 reviews

A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Clair

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

Wow way to take a series out with a bang. I've loved the development of Persephone and Hades' relationship and I feel like the last book really solidified their growth and their love story. There was so much action happening too, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for what was going to happen next. The evil was alive and well here and I wanted to kill Theseus myself. I feel like there was more plot happening here than in some of the other books in the series and I think I liked that too. The spice was great as always but I liked seeing it mixed in with more of the plot. I really enjoyed the progression of the series and I love a good Greek Mythology retelling. I'll definitely come back to this series and I hope to see other characters get a story!

The Wren in the Holly Library by K.A. Linde

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

3.5

This book had many different fantasy elements thrown into it, and I'm not sure it could keep up with itself. I liked the urban fantasy vibe of it being set in an alternate New York with witches, druids, warlocks, etc. It was fast-paced, but I don't think it pulled me in nearly as much as I hoped it would. A lot was happening so we got more action over character development which took me away from the story. I did love the Celtic mythology vibes embedded throughout the story though as I haven't read much with them. The reveals were half predictable and half not which I liked. I think the ending set up the next book well and there's still a lot to learn about the world, the characters and their abilities. Overall, I enjoyed bits and pieces, and the quick pace helped progress the story, but it wasn't anything spectacular for me. Thank you to RedTower books for sending me an ARC to read and review!

This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

emotional inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

"Live your life for you, and no one else." Wow. Wow. Wow. This is 100% Carley Fortune's best book yet. There were so many moments that I felt so deeply and I loved that. The Prince Edward Island setting was picturesque and made me want to visit. I thought Lucy was a complex character who had amazing development. The way her and Felix's story started was incredible. I love a forbidden best friend's brother vibe and Fortune nailed it! Also, I must talk about Felix. He has made it onto the book boyfriend list immediately. His declaration of love was the swooniest, most perfect thing and I was sobbing. I also believe the third-act break-up was completely necessary in this case. It allowed both characters to grow as individuals and ultimately made their relationship stronger. Another incredible aspect of this book was the power of female friendships. Bridget and Lucy's relationship was just as important of a love story as the romantic relationship and I loved that so much. I found myself being swept away by the writing and the story as a whole. I loved this book so much, and it's easily an all-time favorite!

A Game of Gods by Scarlett St. Clair

dark tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I think for some reason the books from Hades' perspective have been hitting harder for me. This one was intense, full of action, and, of course, the fantastic spice. I also really enjoyed the additional POVs this installment had. The build-up had been great up to this point and now this book perfectly set up the conclusion to the series. Hades and Persephone have grown immensely since the beginning of their relationship and witnessing that has been a delight. Hermes has easily become one of my favorite characters in this series as well and I love his little bits of comedic relief and supportive friendship. I can't believe I only have one left to read and I'm so excited to see how everything wraps up. 

The Queen's Resistance by Rebecca Ross

mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

As always this was another great book from Rebecca Ross. I loved getting to know these characters in the first installment and how much they developed in this one. The first one was really good—the sequel wasn't totally necessary— but I liked how she continued the world. There were so many good reveals, and I couldn't stop reading or find any reason to put the book down. Ross also brought out more of her romance element in book two and I LOVED THAT! She writes about love and friendship so beautifully and it's one of my favorite aspects of her books. This was fast-paced, full of intense moments, but also wrapped up so nicely. Brienna had so much growth, too, which was great. I also liked the dual POV; being inside Cartier's head was cool. This was a great read for me and I'm not surprised at all.

The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

This was the first book I've read by Lisa Barr, and it was heartbreaking and stunning. Obviously, the Jewish representation in the story was super important to me. I couldn't stop reading. I wanted to know everything that was going to happen. While this was beautifully written, it was also super heavy and emotional. I felt like I was witnessing these events firsthand which is just a testament to Barr's writing style. It's also crazy how the themes of a book set in 1943 translate to what's happening in 2024. This book was exceptional. There were twists and turns I didn't see coming, and I've read a ton of Holocaust historical fiction, but this take and perspective was unlike other stories I've read before. I thought the different timelines were really important and I liked seeing Bina's journey throughout each one. I loved this book and I'll definitely be exploring Barr's backlist titles. Thank you to Harper Perennial for sending me and ARC to read and review!

The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

I adore Tessa Bailey, and the fact that she took a crack at hockey romance makes me love her even more. This book was a delight. It had the perfect blend of Bailey humor, heart, and spice and I was living for all of it. I also am a sucker for the single dad/nanny trope—it hits every single time. I loved Wells and Josephine's cameos and liked seeing how happy they were in this installment. The development of Tallulah and Burgess' relationship was also really well done. I loved how all-in he was straight from the jump. My only qualm is that the third act conflict lasted too long. I understand why it did, but I wished it was resolved quicker. The spice though was incredible. Man's was absolutely feral and we love to see it! Thank you to Avon for sending me an e-ARC to read and review!

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.0

4/4.5
I've had this book on my shelves for eons, and I finally read it thanks to a strong recommendation. Reading it now, it's clear that this isn't my usual genre, but that doesn't detract from how incredible the book was. The writing was stunning, and the character-focused story made it all the more intriguing. I do have beef with the long chapters as they were more like sections and less like chapters. They were so long, and sometimes I found it hard to keep reading, but I liked what was happening, so that helped. The fact that this was only told from Richard's perspective, but you could so clearly see the other characters' development was super interesting. Each person was unique and contributed to the story's progression in one or another. There were some moments I was on the edge of my seat and others where I could sit and digest what was happening. That being said, the ending had me reeling and the last chunk of the book definitely went by super quick. I'm glad this was recommended to me because it would have continued to sit on my shelf otherwise. Overall, this was engaging and interesting and I enjoyed reading it!

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

This had the exact summer feel I was hoping for. Caymen's wit and sense of humor were perfect, and I really liked her as a character. I wished she would have been a little less judgmental, but it made sense with her background. Cute little YA contemporaries like this make me so happy because you know exactly what you'll get, and I love that. The career days were delightful, and I smiled while reading. The doll store was also a unique setting and while I find them creepy, I did think it was fun to see that type of business. Overall, this was super cute and lighthearted, with some emotional moments thrown in, and I was here for it!

A Touch of Malice by Scarlett St. Clair

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

This installment was a lot of fun! It's great to see how far Hades and Persephone's relationship has come since book one and I loved all the cute moments they shared. There was also a lot of action happening, which sped up the story a ton. Persephone's development is also great—her growth and acceptance of herself and her magic were so nice to witness, and I'm excited to see what will happen with the series conclusion. The spice here was PLENTIFUL—Scarlett St. Clair didn't stop giving, and I was here for it. I knew exactly what I was getting with this series: tension, spice, and drama from the Gods. The cliffhanger at the end had me reeling, and I almost wanted to skip to A Touch of Chaos instead of reading a Game of Gods, but needless to say, I'm very excited about the last two books!