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48 reviews
Connected by Stars: The Connected Series Book Two by Sophia Belle, Sophia Belle
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Liked ✅
- Love these characters & their families
- The tensions between characters
- Experiencing the wedding
- Years of love
- Passion the characters have
Thoughts 💭
Going into this book I was expecting the spice to be quick and smutty right off the start. Knowing Mac's past, it was an honest conclusion. However, there were so many more elements to his and Bella’s relationship. There was a lot of tension throughout the book, and I felt it added so much more to their relationship.
The flow of their relationship is so similar but yet completely different than that of Noah and Emma’s. Sophia Belle has quite the talent for writing beautiful, sensual love stories in such a different way. I'm looking forward to reading my early copy of book 3!
The Connected Series is very much on the smuttier side. I do find that it can become too much for me, BUT it doesn't stop me from wanting to continue on and finish the story. I do HIGHLY recommend reading this series if you have the chance. If spice isn't really your thing, skip those spots, the love story itself is so worth it.
- Love these characters & their families
- The tensions between characters
- Experiencing the wedding
- Years of love
- Passion the characters have
Thoughts 💭
Going into this book I was expecting the spice to be quick and smutty right off the start. Knowing Mac's past, it was an honest conclusion. However, there were so many more elements to his and Bella’s relationship. There was a lot of tension throughout the book, and I felt it added so much more to their relationship.
The flow of their relationship is so similar but yet completely different than that of Noah and Emma’s. Sophia Belle has quite the talent for writing beautiful, sensual love stories in such a different way. I'm looking forward to reading my early copy of book 3!
The Connected Series is very much on the smuttier side. I do find that it can become too much for me, BUT it doesn't stop me from wanting to continue on and finish the story. I do HIGHLY recommend reading this series if you have the chance. If spice isn't really your thing, skip those spots, the love story itself is so worth it.
Lightlark by Alex Aster
adventurous
mysterious
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
4.5
Liked ✅
- Interesting
- Characters were awesome
- Twists & Turns
- Truths and lies revealed
Thoughts 💭
I have heard so much hype around this book series lately. I was really excited to read it and see how I felt about it. The writing style flows really well and makes it pretty easy to follow. The setup of the book pulled me in right off the start. Isla Crown is young in comparison to a lot of the other characters, however she carries herself well throughout the story. There were times while reading that I couldn’t stand the other characters, and there were times that I adored them. The author really knows how to complicate a reader's view on their characters.
The second half was full of twists and turns, some I was expecting others threw me for a loop. We are able to finish the book with a lot of truths and lies being revealed. The last half took me less than 24 hours to finish. I was so consumed by this book, I desperately wanted to know what was going to happen. There truly wasn’t much I wasn’t a fan of, I really enjoyed this adventure. I’m counting down the days when I get to start Nightbane!
- Interesting
- Characters were awesome
- Twists & Turns
- Truths and lies revealed
Thoughts 💭
I have heard so much hype around this book series lately. I was really excited to read it and see how I felt about it. The writing style flows really well and makes it pretty easy to follow. The setup of the book pulled me in right off the start. Isla Crown is young in comparison to a lot of the other characters, however she carries herself well throughout the story. There were times while reading that I couldn’t stand the other characters, and there were times that I adored them. The author really knows how to complicate a reader's view on their characters.
The second half was full of twists and turns, some I was expecting others threw me for a loop. We are able to finish the book with a lot of truths and lies being revealed. The last half took me less than 24 hours to finish. I was so consumed by this book, I desperately wanted to know what was going to happen. There truly wasn’t much I wasn’t a fan of, I really enjoyed this adventure. I’m counting down the days when I get to start Nightbane!
Connected by Souls: The Connected Series Book One by Sophia Belle, Sophia Belle
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
Liked ✅
- Reincarnation & other lives
- Well written
- Noah’s character traits
- Emma’s relatability
Thoughts 💭
Right out of the gate this book reminded me of one of my favourite series as a teen. The reincarnation and twin flame aspects brought back so many thoughts and feelings from my teens. This book is a lot more adult, there is quite a bit of spice.
Noah is a swoon worthy character, he embodies the characteristics of a true gentleman. Emma is such a kind, and loving soul. I found it easy to relate to her and some of her flaws. I became quite attached to these two towards the end of the novel. I'm really looking forward to seeing glimpses of their lives in the next books.
For a debut novel, I found the book really well written. The story flowed beautifully. The side characters were easy to love and become attached too, which is awesome since each book is about a different couple but they are all interconnected! I'm really looking forward to the next couple's story.
- Reincarnation & other lives
- Well written
- Noah’s character traits
- Emma’s relatability
Thoughts 💭
Right out of the gate this book reminded me of one of my favourite series as a teen. The reincarnation and twin flame aspects brought back so many thoughts and feelings from my teens. This book is a lot more adult, there is quite a bit of spice.
Noah is a swoon worthy character, he embodies the characteristics of a true gentleman. Emma is such a kind, and loving soul. I found it easy to relate to her and some of her flaws. I became quite attached to these two towards the end of the novel. I'm really looking forward to seeing glimpses of their lives in the next books.
For a debut novel, I found the book really well written. The story flowed beautifully. The side characters were easy to love and become attached too, which is awesome since each book is about a different couple but they are all interconnected! I'm really looking forward to the next couple's story.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
mysterious
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
2.0
Liked ✅
- Interview moments
Didn't Like ❌
- Dismissing Jane’s story
Thoughts 💭
I first heard about this book years ago when it was being made into a TV series. I only watched the first season but I really enjoyed it and always wanted to see how the book would be. It turns out the show did a really good job telling a similar story to how the book was written. Unfortunately, because I watched the show first I knew the twists and turns that would be happening.
Normally, I would rate a book a 3⭐ because it’s not the book's fault that I watched the movie/tv show before reading it. However, I was most excited for the last quarter of the book because I knew it would give me more information than what I had known from the first season. I did really enjoy the witty and borderline crazy interviewees' responses. Some of them were thoroughly funny interactions and just wildly privileged suburban problems. Hahah!
I felt the last quarter did not add any depth to the story. I found that Jane’s story became inferior to Celeste’s. That Jane was brushing off her experiences and traumas, like they no longer mattered. I think both women deserved equally powerful and empowering send offs.
- Interview moments
Didn't Like ❌
- Dismissing Jane’s story
Thoughts 💭
I first heard about this book years ago when it was being made into a TV series. I only watched the first season but I really enjoyed it and always wanted to see how the book would be. It turns out the show did a really good job telling a similar story to how the book was written. Unfortunately, because I watched the show first I knew the twists and turns that would be happening.
Normally, I would rate a book a 3⭐ because it’s not the book's fault that I watched the movie/tv show before reading it. However, I was most excited for the last quarter of the book because I knew it would give me more information than what I had known from the first season. I did really enjoy the witty and borderline crazy interviewees' responses. Some of them were thoroughly funny interactions and just wildly privileged suburban problems. Hahah!
I felt the last quarter did not add any depth to the story. I found that Jane’s story became inferior to Celeste’s. That Jane was brushing off her experiences and traumas, like they no longer mattered. I think both women deserved equally powerful and empowering send offs.
Nightmares from the Gray by Joey Powell
adventurous
dark
tense
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
Liked ✅
- Female Characters
- Descriptive writing
- Manari people
- Gore
Thoughts 💭
What a read! The female characters in this book were ALL awesome! They all encompassed their own individual badassness. Malleck and Leslie were easily my favourites. Leslie gave off Eddie Munson/Stranger Things vibes and I loved it. The writing style as a whole was my cup of tea. I found the descriptive writing phenomenal, it was so easy for me to visualize everything that was happening.
There were so many layers to this novel. As I mentioned above the female characters were on point! The Manari people and ‘witch’ abilities were an awesome way to add more to the book. There were relationships that I was rooting for and relationships that I was glad ended in blood. This book is what I would consider my first official dealing with the Horror genre, although it also falls into YA. I found it the perfect amount of gore to sprinkle on top of an already enjoyable book. I had a blast reading through Ronnie’s journey, getting to know some awesome characters and dipping into YA Horror!
- Female Characters
- Descriptive writing
- Manari people
- Gore
Thoughts 💭
What a read! The female characters in this book were ALL awesome! They all encompassed their own individual badassness. Malleck and Leslie were easily my favourites. Leslie gave off Eddie Munson/Stranger Things vibes and I loved it. The writing style as a whole was my cup of tea. I found the descriptive writing phenomenal, it was so easy for me to visualize everything that was happening.
There were so many layers to this novel. As I mentioned above the female characters were on point! The Manari people and ‘witch’ abilities were an awesome way to add more to the book. There were relationships that I was rooting for and relationships that I was glad ended in blood. This book is what I would consider my first official dealing with the Horror genre, although it also falls into YA. I found it the perfect amount of gore to sprinkle on top of an already enjoyable book. I had a blast reading through Ronnie’s journey, getting to know some awesome characters and dipping into YA Horror!
Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Liked ✅
- June’s transformation
- Character personalities
- The twist was a shock
Didn't Like ❌
- Slow
- Difficult to stay involved
- A LOT of time jumping
Thoughts 💭
The blurb on Twenty-Seven Minutes raised my hopes massively for this book. I wouldn't say it was a total let down, but it definitely didn't wow me.
I really liked how much depth the characters had. It was enjoyable following the gradual breakdowns of characters as the truth came out. June’s transformation was the best aspect of this book, but I still felt like it could have had so much more omf to it. I found the book on the slower side and difficult to stay involved in. Jumping back into the past is something that happens every chapter, whether that be following the main characters back in time or experiencing short time frames from secondary characters. It felt like a lot of extra points of view.
I'm not sure if my inability to follow along and stay engrossed in the story was the reason I was blindsided by the twist at the end, or I was just completely not paying attention to the foreshadowing throughout. But regardless it felt like the big reveal fell flat and the following events didn't have what it took for me to feel like the book ended well.
- June’s transformation
- Character personalities
- The twist was a shock
Didn't Like ❌
- Slow
- Difficult to stay involved
- A LOT of time jumping
Thoughts 💭
The blurb on Twenty-Seven Minutes raised my hopes massively for this book. I wouldn't say it was a total let down, but it definitely didn't wow me.
I really liked how much depth the characters had. It was enjoyable following the gradual breakdowns of characters as the truth came out. June’s transformation was the best aspect of this book, but I still felt like it could have had so much more omf to it. I found the book on the slower side and difficult to stay involved in. Jumping back into the past is something that happens every chapter, whether that be following the main characters back in time or experiencing short time frames from secondary characters. It felt like a lot of extra points of view.
I'm not sure if my inability to follow along and stay engrossed in the story was the reason I was blindsided by the twist at the end, or I was just completely not paying attention to the foreshadowing throughout. But regardless it felt like the big reveal fell flat and the following events didn't have what it took for me to feel like the book ended well.
Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
5.0
Liked ✅
- Made me laugh
- Bree’s compassion and love
- Archer’s understanding and support
- Town’s community
- Emotional hangover
Thoughts 💭
If you are someone who is looking for a book that takes your heart out, chews it up and spits it out. Read this!
If you are someone searching for emotional distress and a side of an emotional hangover that lasts days. Read this!
I had heard a lot of things circling socials about Archer’s Voice, I never expected what I received. To read about two people experiencing so much trauma individually and then watching their relationship flourish and grow was out of this world. Bree’s compassion and unwavering love showed some much vulnerability and strength. Archer's understanding and consistent support showed how easy it is to choose to love someone regardless of what you've been through. This book took me on a wild ride of emotions, some I truly wasn't ready for, but I experienced them all while reading it. To say I experienced an emotional book hangover is no small feat, I truly feel I will be carrying the baggage of this book with me for the next little while.
- Made me laugh
- Bree’s compassion and love
- Archer’s understanding and support
- Town’s community
- Emotional hangover
Thoughts 💭
If you are someone who is looking for a book that takes your heart out, chews it up and spits it out. Read this!
If you are someone searching for emotional distress and a side of an emotional hangover that lasts days. Read this!
I had heard a lot of things circling socials about Archer’s Voice, I never expected what I received. To read about two people experiencing so much trauma individually and then watching their relationship flourish and grow was out of this world. Bree’s compassion and unwavering love showed some much vulnerability and strength. Archer's understanding and consistent support showed how easy it is to choose to love someone regardless of what you've been through. This book took me on a wild ride of emotions, some I truly wasn't ready for, but I experienced them all while reading it. To say I experienced an emotional book hangover is no small feat, I truly feel I will be carrying the baggage of this book with me for the next little while.
A Slice of You by Coral A Ward
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.0
Liked ✅
- Naomi’s qualities
- Patrick and what he stood for
Didn't Like ❌
- Deb, Daniel & Seb
- Big love felt FAST
Thoughts 💭
Coral A. Ward did a really good job of setting up the reader to really fall for Naomi. I was rooting for her from the very beginning. Naomi is a great friend, it shows in everything she does for others throughout the course of this book. She takes so much pride in her work, family and her friendships. It truly hurt my soul that others didn't show her the same love. I wanted so bad to jump into the pages of this book and fight for the respect Naomi deserved. Many of the other characters were horrendous humans. I hated them.
I was happy when Naomi found someone that treated her so well. As a reader it hurt that we didn't get more details of her relationship, it felt like their story jumped too quickly and we missed really watching it flourish and evolve.
Overall, I think A Slice Of You was a good read. The author did a phenomenal job building her characters in a way that really brought up genuine real emotions while reading. I wish there were more building of the Big Love and more detail.
- Naomi’s qualities
- Patrick and what he stood for
Didn't Like ❌
- Deb, Daniel & Seb
- Big love felt FAST
Thoughts 💭
Coral A. Ward did a really good job of setting up the reader to really fall for Naomi. I was rooting for her from the very beginning. Naomi is a great friend, it shows in everything she does for others throughout the course of this book. She takes so much pride in her work, family and her friendships. It truly hurt my soul that others didn't show her the same love. I wanted so bad to jump into the pages of this book and fight for the respect Naomi deserved. Many of the other characters were horrendous humans. I hated them.
I was happy when Naomi found someone that treated her so well. As a reader it hurt that we didn't get more details of her relationship, it felt like their story jumped too quickly and we missed really watching it flourish and evolve.
Overall, I think A Slice Of You was a good read. The author did a phenomenal job building her characters in a way that really brought up genuine real emotions while reading. I wish there were more building of the Big Love and more detail.
If He Had Been with Me by Laura Nowlin
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Liked ✅
- Short chapters
- Slow burn
- Finny was noble kid/young man
- Characters were true to themselves
Didn't Like ❌
- Teenage angst
- Writing style
- Miss hyped
Thoughts 💭
I enjoyed the short chapters, it made reading through the large number of chapters less intimidating. I found the book a very slow burn, a lot of the chapters I felt could have been cut out. Finny’s character was the perfect gentleman, he was extremely noble and kind, throughout his kid years and while he was a young man. Autumn was very much herself throughout the whole book. She stayed true to her wishes and wants, not letting anyone tell her otherwise. I personally don’t see the hype around the book, it was a good read but I wouldn’t shout about it from the rooftops. I also don’t think it was my style of book. The ending was sad, but I had a difficult time sitting with the abruptness, and the incompleteness of it.
- Short chapters
- Slow burn
- Finny was noble kid/young man
- Characters were true to themselves
Didn't Like ❌
- Teenage angst
- Writing style
- Miss hyped
Thoughts 💭
I enjoyed the short chapters, it made reading through the large number of chapters less intimidating. I found the book a very slow burn, a lot of the chapters I felt could have been cut out. Finny’s character was the perfect gentleman, he was extremely noble and kind, throughout his kid years and while he was a young man. Autumn was very much herself throughout the whole book. She stayed true to her wishes and wants, not letting anyone tell her otherwise. I personally don’t see the hype around the book, it was a good read but I wouldn’t shout about it from the rooftops. I also don’t think it was my style of book. The ending was sad, but I had a difficult time sitting with the abruptness, and the incompleteness of it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Happy Place by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.5
Liked ✅
- Emotionally moving
- The cottage ❤️
- Past and Present
- So many beautiful little life lessons
Didn't Like ❌
- Harriet’s people pleasing
Thoughts 💭
It's interesting how easy someone can pin-point flaws in others but not themselves. I felt that way every time I diagnosed Harriet with people pleasing issues. 😂 Harriet’s childhood issues were a major consideration in every decision or lack thereof, that was made. It was true to her as a character but it was something I got increasingly frustrated with because my patience just wanted the happy ending already!
The cottage was a whimsical place that was described in such a way, it became my own happy place!
The emotions that were brought up while reading this book had me all over the map, even crying tears of joy. I loved how we bounce between the past and present, giving the opportunity to fall in love with characters throughout different times. This book was littered with beautiful little life lessons that really had you questioning your own happiness and the trajectory of your life.
“No one else’s happiness is yours to grant, Mom. You need to find yours.”
- Emotionally moving
- The cottage ❤️
- Past and Present
- So many beautiful little life lessons
Didn't Like ❌
- Harriet’s people pleasing
Thoughts 💭
It's interesting how easy someone can pin-point flaws in others but not themselves. I felt that way every time I diagnosed Harriet with people pleasing issues. 😂 Harriet’s childhood issues were a major consideration in every decision or lack thereof, that was made. It was true to her as a character but it was something I got increasingly frustrated with because my patience just wanted the happy ending already!
The cottage was a whimsical place that was described in such a way, it became my own happy place!
The emotions that were brought up while reading this book had me all over the map, even crying tears of joy. I loved how we bounce between the past and present, giving the opportunity to fall in love with characters throughout different times. This book was littered with beautiful little life lessons that really had you questioning your own happiness and the trajectory of your life.
“No one else’s happiness is yours to grant, Mom. You need to find yours.”