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egbella's reviews
245 reviews
Writing Killer Cover Copy by Elana Johnson
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.25
Not to be dramatic, but I've always detested writing cover copy (synopses, blurbs, etc.). It doesn't come naturally to me, and always takes me so long to come up with something decent. This book is a huge help!
I appreciated how the author broke down the process into small and manageable bites, explaining each one. I would have liked a few more examples for each, but to be fair, she does reiterate the importance of doing research and studying comparative blurbs for well-performing published novels in our genres. It's a short, but info-packed and motivating little book.
I sped through the book in one sitting, and have been revisiting each chapter as I go through my books, rewriting their taglines and blurbs. It's been extremely helpful to have some kind of guide to get me into the blurb-writing flow. If you struggle with cover copy as much as I do, I definitely recommend checking this one out!
I appreciated how the author broke down the process into small and manageable bites, explaining each one. I would have liked a few more examples for each, but to be fair, she does reiterate the importance of doing research and studying comparative blurbs for well-performing published novels in our genres. It's a short, but info-packed and motivating little book.
I sped through the book in one sitting, and have been revisiting each chapter as I go through my books, rewriting their taglines and blurbs. It's been extremely helpful to have some kind of guide to get me into the blurb-writing flow. If you struggle with cover copy as much as I do, I definitely recommend checking this one out!
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
adventurous
challenging
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel by Val Emmich
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Sooo conflicted on this one, and while I'm glad to be able to say I've read it now, I wouldn't read it again, and can't say I enjoyed it. It was written in a fairly strong way, but the plot has never sat nicely with me, and when you take away the catchy songs, the story is really hard to swallow.
CW: suicide, LGBTQ+ characters and relationships, strong language, inappropriate humor, constant lies, sexual references, glorification of suicide
CW: suicide, LGBTQ+ characters and relationships, strong language, inappropriate humor, constant lies, sexual references, glorification of suicide
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
A Noble Purpose (Cornerstone Series, #1): A Hans, Who Made the Princess Laugh Retelling by Laurie Lucking
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This is such a sweet story! A Noble Purpose is the first of Laurie Lucking's books that I've read and now I'll need to go read more of her works - she's crafted a fun, heartwarming tale with a refreshing spin on the classic Hans, Who Made the Princess Laugh.
My only qualm with the entire story is that I want there to be more of it, haha! Some of the romances near the end felt rushed and I would have loved to see those relationships develop slower and more naturally over time. But in a novella, that's not really possible and it didn't affect my ability to enjoy the characters or the story at all.
The characters were so fun! Liesl, the protagonist, is so kind-hearted and bubbly, and I really admired her drive to make her sister happy. What a fantastic little sister. She didn't always think her decisions through but it fit her personality, being so impulsive and willing to risk everything to make her sister smile. I'm so glad she had a happy ending herself, after everything she risked!
I also really loved the approach to the eldest sister's, Verena's, melancholy, specifically one line about it being how the Holy One shaped her heart. She could still laugh and be happy, but naturally she didn't have as bubbly a personality, and as someone who can relate, I appreciated her stoicism not being something that needed to be "fixed". Liesl wanted to make her smile because Verena wanted to smile, not because she didn't value her sister as she was. I'm glad Verena did find someone to help draw out her happiness though. <3
Breck was an interesting character too. I enjoy gruff mentor characters and he and Liesl had a very fun dynamic through the story. He balanced her out well, keeping her safe and sane, but also appreciating her character qualities for what they are. I would have loved to see their relationship grow over time but they seem like a well-fitting couple, and I'd believe they work out well. His protectiveness was so incredibly sweet.
And Sir Jonas! I love him so much. The story got even better as soon as he was introduced, and I really enjoyed reading scenes with him. His personality is perfect for Verena, and I loved his optimism and kindheartedness. If there's ever a continuation of this story, he should be a big part of it, I'm just saying...haha! In general, it's fun that both couples balance one another out in opposite ways - bubbly woman with stoic man, and bubbly man with stoic woman.
I also appreciated that the adventure part of the story was lowkey. There was action and unknown, and some danger, but it was all on a very small scale. I was never on the edge of my seat, stressed. Instead, the entire book felt cozy. The added mentions of The Holy One and prayers were not pushy or in-your-face, they were very naturally woven in and I enjoyed them being there.
I'd have no problem at all giving this book to my little siblings or recommending it to anyone who wonders what my last great read was. If you enjoy short and sweet fairy tale romances with cozy vibes, chipper humor, and fun characters, you might just fall in love with this one!
Content to mention: a couple of kisses, a woman rests in her love's arms and with her head against his shoulders while asleep, mentions of the Holy One, someone is hit in the head with a rock and passes out, attempted kidnapping. No strong language, explicit descriptions, or excessive violence!
** I received an ARC copy of this book, but was not required to leave a review - much less a positive one. All thoughts expressed are my own. **
My only qualm with the entire story is that I want there to be more of it, haha! Some of the romances near the end felt rushed and I would have loved to see those relationships develop slower and more naturally over time. But in a novella, that's not really possible and it didn't affect my ability to enjoy the characters or the story at all.
The characters were so fun! Liesl, the protagonist, is so kind-hearted and bubbly, and I really admired her drive to make her sister happy. What a fantastic little sister. She didn't always think her decisions through but it fit her personality, being so impulsive and willing to risk everything to make her sister smile. I'm so glad she had a happy ending herself, after everything she risked!
I also really loved the approach to the eldest sister's, Verena's, melancholy, specifically one line about it being how the Holy One shaped her heart. She could still laugh and be happy, but naturally she didn't have as bubbly a personality, and as someone who can relate, I appreciated her stoicism not being something that needed to be "fixed". Liesl wanted to make her smile because Verena wanted to smile, not because she didn't value her sister as she was. I'm glad Verena did find someone to help draw out her happiness though. <3
Breck was an interesting character too. I enjoy gruff mentor characters and he and Liesl had a very fun dynamic through the story. He balanced her out well, keeping her safe and sane, but also appreciating her character qualities for what they are. I would have loved to see their relationship grow over time but they seem like a well-fitting couple, and I'd believe they work out well. His protectiveness was so incredibly sweet.
And Sir Jonas! I love him so much. The story got even better as soon as he was introduced, and I really enjoyed reading scenes with him. His personality is perfect for Verena, and I loved his optimism and kindheartedness. If there's ever a continuation of this story, he should be a big part of it, I'm just saying...haha! In general, it's fun that both couples balance one another out in opposite ways - bubbly woman with stoic man, and bubbly man with stoic woman.
I also appreciated that the adventure part of the story was lowkey. There was action and unknown, and some danger, but it was all on a very small scale. I was never on the edge of my seat, stressed. Instead, the entire book felt cozy. The added mentions of The Holy One and prayers were not pushy or in-your-face, they were very naturally woven in and I enjoyed them being there.
I'd have no problem at all giving this book to my little siblings or recommending it to anyone who wonders what my last great read was. If you enjoy short and sweet fairy tale romances with cozy vibes, chipper humor, and fun characters, you might just fall in love with this one!
Content to mention: a couple of kisses, a woman rests in her love's arms and with her head against his shoulders while asleep, mentions of the Holy One, someone is hit in the head with a rock and passes out, attempted kidnapping. No strong language, explicit descriptions, or excessive violence!
** I received an ARC copy of this book, but was not required to leave a review - much less a positive one. All thoughts expressed are my own. **
Becoming Hook by Mary Mecham
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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
I believe this is my new favorite Peter Pan retelling. Once I started reading, I could hardly make myself put it down, finishing it over the course of one day (not one sitting - only because of work)!
This was such a fun journey, with so many neat tie-ins to both the original tale of Peter Pan and the Disney version. Names such as Captain James Hook, Tinkerbell, and Smee were familiar, as were some of the names of the Lost Boys. Tiger Lily also made an appearance, but I loved the approach that the author took with some of the characters, using them in the story but giving them a new twist. I LOVED finding out some of the twists with Smee and his descendants as well. The name Terrance being mentioned in relation to Tinkerbell also made me smile at one point (the animated Tinkerbell movies, anyone?)
And even though so much of the world was familiar, the new details that the author focused on were so welcome. I enjoyed the dynamics of time working differently on Neverland versus "London" and the pressure that that aspect put on the characters, as well as the ability that the pixies had to grow and shrink. The brief parts with sirens/mermaids was also fascinating, as were the story problems that came up with their blood, and the pixies blood. In general, the new world-building was done so well, even with a world I was already pretty familiar with.
I do have some story questions that weren't answered, but I assume that they're explained more in the next books (i.e. where did Hook's ship come from? What are they doing with Peter? etc.) I'll keep reading in the series to see.
I liked Jimmy/Captain Hook from the start. I'm a sucker for a good villain-is-actually-the-hero retelling and this is one of my favorites now. Although I would have liked to see a bit more of his life with Peter before his change of heart, I loved the backstory that was provided, and found the glimpses of his life that we received fascinating. He was a character I could root for and respect, and I'm so glad he has gotten his own happy ending - even if he makes questionable decisions sometimes. I could also very much relate to his "workaholic-ness", haha.
Tinkerbell wasn't as vivid a character for me. For some reason, I just couldn't relate or connect with her as much, but I still enjoyed her place in the story. She was fiery and resourceful and clearly did care about Hook. Their relationship was really sweet - a bit insta-love in a couple of places, I thought (I wonder why five years of nothing between them went by and then all of a sudden BAM they're in love) - but I didn't really mind. It was a cute dynamic and I was rooting for them.
And Peter. Oh my, Peter. It made me so sad to see what he was like here, but it also made sense. His actions and personality fit perfectly with the story, and even though he is the WORST, he's very well-written and vivid. I am interested to see what happens with him later on in the series because I think he's too powerful a character to just be thrown away after one book.
My only qualms were that the romance made me a tad bit uncomfortable at one place in particular (nothing inappropriate at all, just a bit more touchy-feely than I usually read), and some of the writing itself could have been polished more. But neither were big enough issues to hinder my enjoyment of the story, and I know it's largely personal preference.
Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this and am going to continue on in the series. Mecham has such a refreshing take on fairy tale retellings and I have yet to read one of her books that I haven't really enjoyed. Especially as many of her themes are ones that I hold close in my life.
So if you enjoy fairy tale retellings with sweet romance, interesting characters, fun spins on familiar classics, and a bit of banter, you might love this one! Especially if you're a fan of Disney's Peter Pan and/or Disney's Tinkerbell movies. I'd probably recommend 14+ for this one.
Content to be aware of: some kisses (tame but passionate), a woman wraps her legs around a man's waist while kissing him, brief mentions of a woman's curves and finding her attractive, a hand is cut off, mental health struggles/depression, kidnapping, "drugging" with Pixie dust, violence in battles, a character recounts her people being tortured and "experimented on", loss.
This was such a fun journey, with so many neat tie-ins to both the original tale of Peter Pan and the Disney version. Names such as Captain James Hook, Tinkerbell, and Smee were familiar, as were some of the names of the Lost Boys. Tiger Lily also made an appearance, but I loved the approach that the author took with some of the characters, using them in the story but giving them a new twist. I LOVED finding out some of the twists with Smee and his descendants as well. The name Terrance being mentioned in relation to Tinkerbell also made me smile at one point (the animated Tinkerbell movies, anyone?)
And even though so much of the world was familiar, the new details that the author focused on were so welcome. I enjoyed the dynamics of time working differently on Neverland versus "London" and the pressure that that aspect put on the characters, as well as the ability that the pixies had to grow and shrink. The brief parts with sirens/mermaids was also fascinating, as were the story problems that came up with their blood, and the pixies blood. In general, the new world-building was done so well, even with a world I was already pretty familiar with.
I do have some story questions that weren't answered, but I assume that they're explained more in the next books (i.e. where did Hook's ship come from? What are they doing with Peter? etc.) I'll keep reading in the series to see.
I liked Jimmy/Captain Hook from the start. I'm a sucker for a good villain-is-actually-the-hero retelling and this is one of my favorites now. Although I would have liked to see a bit more of his life with Peter before his change of heart, I loved the backstory that was provided, and found the glimpses of his life that we received fascinating. He was a character I could root for and respect, and I'm so glad he has gotten his own happy ending - even if he makes questionable decisions sometimes. I could also very much relate to his "workaholic-ness", haha.
Tinkerbell wasn't as vivid a character for me. For some reason, I just couldn't relate or connect with her as much, but I still enjoyed her place in the story. She was fiery and resourceful and clearly did care about Hook. Their relationship was really sweet - a bit insta-love in a couple of places, I thought (I wonder why five years of nothing between them went by and then all of a sudden BAM they're in love) - but I didn't really mind. It was a cute dynamic and I was rooting for them.
And Peter. Oh my, Peter. It made me so sad to see what he was like here, but it also made sense. His actions and personality fit perfectly with the story, and even though he is the WORST, he's very well-written and vivid. I am interested to see what happens with him later on in the series because I think he's too powerful a character to just be thrown away after one book.
My only qualms were that the romance made me a tad bit uncomfortable at one place in particular (nothing inappropriate at all, just a bit more touchy-feely than I usually read), and some of the writing itself could have been polished more. But neither were big enough issues to hinder my enjoyment of the story, and I know it's largely personal preference.
Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this and am going to continue on in the series. Mecham has such a refreshing take on fairy tale retellings and I have yet to read one of her books that I haven't really enjoyed. Especially as many of her themes are ones that I hold close in my life.
So if you enjoy fairy tale retellings with sweet romance, interesting characters, fun spins on familiar classics, and a bit of banter, you might love this one! Especially if you're a fan of Disney's Peter Pan and/or Disney's Tinkerbell movies. I'd probably recommend 14+ for this one.
Content to be aware of: some kisses (tame but passionate), a woman wraps her legs around a man's waist while kissing him, brief mentions of a woman's curves and finding her attractive, a hand is cut off, mental health struggles/depression, kidnapping, "drugging" with Pixie dust, violence in battles, a character recounts her people being tortured and "experimented on", loss.
The Nightmare Virus by Nadine Brandes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I've put off writing this review because I didn't think I could do the book justice! I've read every book of Nadine's and she's one of my favorite authors (an "auto-buy" at this point). I was even blessed to meet her and get a signed ARC copy of this one earlier this year. This story is another great one! I'll try to come back at some point and review this better, but for now, I'm going to jot down the bare bones.
The protagonist is my favorite - so real and layered. I enjoyed the story from his perspective and felt like I could both relate to and empathize with him. He's strong but compassionate, rough around the edges but good at heart. I loved that he's older too - more college-aged than teenager. His character change was powerful! The side characters were very well-written as well, all with their own goals, fears, and motivations.
And the action and suspense...top tier! I was legitimately not expecting some of the plot twists and I enjoyed the Christian elements that were woven in as well. The entire premise of this book, and the worlds that Nadine created, are very vivid and unique. I could picture them well, and it's a super fun and terrifying idea. I was sucked in from the very first page. The hints of romance were cute, but in no way annoying or distracting, which I appreciated. I loved this and would love to read more in this story world!
Tricky Content: Hand-holding and one kiss on the cheek, mention of a child trafficker, cannibals, and a character killing himself in the dreamscape (but isn't really dead), fantasy creatures (dragons, chimera, etc.), tension and suspense, murder, mild descriptions of blood and wounds, fighting, violence (throat slit, skull pierced, a character is stoned, character is eaten whole by snake), grief and loss, depression, the protagonist struggles with his relationship with God, and references to a character that died from cancer.
I’d Recommend It To: Readers that enjoy twisting dystopian/fantasy stories with high stakes and action, intrigue and mystery, vivid and unique worlds, and heartfelt Christian themes and messages!
The protagonist is my favorite - so real and layered. I enjoyed the story from his perspective and felt like I could both relate to and empathize with him. He's strong but compassionate, rough around the edges but good at heart. I loved that he's older too - more college-aged than teenager. His character change was powerful! The side characters were very well-written as well, all with their own goals, fears, and motivations.
And the action and suspense...top tier! I was legitimately not expecting some of the plot twists and I enjoyed the Christian elements that were woven in as well. The entire premise of this book, and the worlds that Nadine created, are very vivid and unique. I could picture them well, and it's a super fun and terrifying idea. I was sucked in from the very first page. The hints of romance were cute, but in no way annoying or distracting, which I appreciated. I loved this and would love to read more in this story world!
Tricky Content: Hand-holding and one kiss on the cheek, mention of a child trafficker, cannibals, and a character killing himself in the dreamscape (but isn't really dead), fantasy creatures (dragons, chimera, etc.), tension and suspense, murder, mild descriptions of blood and wounds, fighting, violence (throat slit, skull pierced, a character is stoned, character is eaten whole by snake), grief and loss, depression, the protagonist struggles with his relationship with God, and references to a character that died from cancer.
I’d Recommend It To: Readers that enjoy twisting dystopian/fantasy stories with high stakes and action, intrigue and mystery, vivid and unique worlds, and heartfelt Christian themes and messages!
The Princess Test: A Princess and the Pea Retelling by Valia Lind
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This is the first Princess and the Pea retelling that I've read, and it's a short and sweet one!
It's marketed as a standalone novella, but I was pretty confused by some of the worldbuilding and historical references in the story. I'm sure they're explained in the rest of the series, but without having read any of them yet, I wasn't sure which names/places/etc. were important for this story, and which were references to past ones. It didn't keep me from enjoying the book, but something to note.
With that, I couldn't get a good sense of the worldbuilding, and what time period this fantasy is supposed to take place. It seemed to be a medieval kind of fantasy, except that the protagonist spoke in very modern ways, and words like "thrillers", "buddy reads", "murder mysteries", etc. were used frequently, which felt very present-day to me. In general the writing could be a little more polished.
That said, the characters were very fun, and despite how quickly the romance moved (being a novella), the relationship was cute. The prince is my favorite character by far, and I'd love to read more about him. Honestly, I'd love to have read a much longer, in-depth version of this story. It has a lot of potential and fun twists! The side characters were interesting too, and had their own lives, which I enjoyed. The protagonist was pretty naïve (I was mentally shouting at her to just realize he was the prince already, haha) but her bubbly, bookworm personality was cute.
Overall, not my all-time favorite fairy tale retelling, but it was a solid story with fun characters, unique world-building, sweet romance, and a couple of neat plot twists! I'd love to see more of it!
CW: frequent kisses, attraction and mentions of how handsome the protagonist finds her love interest, hands on waist, her love interest comes into the room and speaks/flirts with her while she's in bed, references to the forest as if its a deity/living being, mentions of curses/spells.
I'd recommend it to: Readers who enjoy short, sweet, and unique fairy tale retellings with romance, dancing, books, and royalty.
It's marketed as a standalone novella, but I was pretty confused by some of the worldbuilding and historical references in the story. I'm sure they're explained in the rest of the series, but without having read any of them yet, I wasn't sure which names/places/etc. were important for this story, and which were references to past ones. It didn't keep me from enjoying the book, but something to note.
With that, I couldn't get a good sense of the worldbuilding, and what time period this fantasy is supposed to take place. It seemed to be a medieval kind of fantasy, except that the protagonist spoke in very modern ways, and words like "thrillers", "buddy reads", "murder mysteries", etc. were used frequently, which felt very present-day to me. In general the writing could be a little more polished.
That said, the characters were very fun, and despite how quickly the romance moved (being a novella), the relationship was cute. The prince is my favorite character by far, and I'd love to read more about him. Honestly, I'd love to have read a much longer, in-depth version of this story. It has a lot of potential and fun twists! The side characters were interesting too, and had their own lives, which I enjoyed. The protagonist was pretty naïve (I was mentally shouting at her to just realize he was the prince already, haha) but her bubbly, bookworm personality was cute.
Overall, not my all-time favorite fairy tale retelling, but it was a solid story with fun characters, unique world-building, sweet romance, and a couple of neat plot twists! I'd love to see more of it!
CW: frequent kisses, attraction and mentions of how handsome the protagonist finds her love interest, hands on waist, her love interest comes into the room and speaks/flirts with her while she's in bed, references to the forest as if its a deity/living being, mentions of curses/spells.
I'd recommend it to: Readers who enjoy short, sweet, and unique fairy tale retellings with romance, dancing, books, and royalty.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content