Scan barcode
ellelainey's reviews
2299 reviews
After We Gazed at the Starry Sky, Vol. 2 by Bisco Kida
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
5.0
I was so happy to see there was a second volume to this story, and now I really want a third with an amazing outdoor wedding!
I love both the main characters, how this volume let's them get to know each other better, with all those sweet relationship hurdles: meeting the parents, living together, sex, balancing work and private lives. I love how supportive they are of each other, open and honest. I love the exploration of how difficult things are for Subaru, especially in apartment spaces, but that Tougo takes the time to do his homework and work on the problem in a mature way. Whether there's more to this series or not, I love both volumes.
As someone who uses a wheelchair, Subaru's confession about wishes really touched a nerve. I love how sensitively and honestly his disability is shown, right from hurting himself in an accident, Tougo trying to see his apartment from Subaru's pov, to his parents concerns and happiness.
Everything about this volume was perfection!
I love both the main characters, how this volume let's them get to know each other better, with all those sweet relationship hurdles: meeting the parents, living together, sex, balancing work and private lives. I love how supportive they are of each other, open and honest. I love the exploration of how difficult things are for Subaru, especially in apartment spaces, but that Tougo takes the time to do his homework and work on the problem in a mature way. Whether there's more to this series or not, I love both volumes.
As someone who uses a wheelchair, Subaru's confession about wishes really touched a nerve. I love how sensitively and honestly his disability is shown, right from hurting himself in an accident, Tougo trying to see his apartment from Subaru's pov, to his parents concerns and happiness.
Everything about this volume was perfection!
The Way We Are by Jordan Clayden-Lewis
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a short and sweet snippet meant to give Bruno - the main character from When Things Happen Together - a chance to show his side of the story. I half expected this to be a recapping of unseen events from WTHT, but it's actually a continuation, happening during a get-away during Tommy and Bruno's one year anniversary.
The story explores a little more of Bruno's mental struggles with his PTSD over his past relationship with Joe. It explores most of this as memories, so while there's a warning about on-page abuse and domestic violence, none of it is overly descriptive.
It was a cute little snippet that gives some closure to Bruno's part of the story, which I do feel tied things off nicely, though I agree it wouldn't have been right added to the end of WTHT.
The story explores a little more of Bruno's mental struggles with his PTSD over his past relationship with Joe. It explores most of this as memories, so while there's a warning about on-page abuse and domestic violence, none of it is overly descriptive.
It was a cute little snippet that gives some closure to Bruno's part of the story, which I do feel tied things off nicely, though I agree it wouldn't have been right added to the end of WTHT.
When Things Happen Together by Jordan Clayden-Lewis
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
TRIGGERS: off-page past domestic violence, abusive relationship, including coercive control, physical violence, rape; discussions about death from cancer, surgery/lung cyst. Mentions of drug and alcohol use/abuse, and casual sex, mentions of an incomplete foursome, PTSD, grief and depression.
When Things Happen Together is a lovely story of two halves. The first is all about that rush of emotion, the flush of excitement about a new romance, while the second is the unfortunate fall from the high, the way we're forced to face reality even when all we want to do is burrow away and hide from it forever.
I came into this one having read Such A Small World first and I don't think that was a problem, despite the events of this book happening first. The books *can* be read as standalones - which, as someone who can't bear to read a series out of order, is rare for me to say - though I will admit that I'm glad I read SASW first, because the first half of this book was a bit more saccharine and romantic than I was expecting and I wasn't really in the head space for that. But, because I loved SASW so much, I persevered through it and that was a great thing. The book switched vibes halfway into more of what I'd been expecting and that really held my attention more than the first half.
The main characters - Thomas and Bruno - were brilliant. Thomas was full of hope and positivity, while Bruno was a little more sensible but eager to go out and live his life. Then the big twist dropped and my heart ached for these two, who were holding onto pains from the past they'd never really dealt with.
There's not much I can without spoiling the story, so I'm just going to make some vague comments:
I loved seeing Mackenzie again, after reading SASW first, though this story took place before he got his HEA and offered a little insight into the pre-SASW Mackenzie. I loved Tommy's dad and Abigail, Courtney was amazing, and I kind of wish we'd seen more positive support on-page from Bruno's friends - though I'm hoping the follow-up short, The Way We Are, might fill in some of those gaps.
There was a bit more reflective storytelling here than in SASW - the "little did we realise what lay ahead" kind of thing - but that fitted the story. The book literally begins 6 months before events, with a dramatic beginning, so the reflective part makes a lot of sense.
Similarly to SASW, there were a lot of flashback moments, that describe emotional or historic moments of importance. They all felt important, none of them feeling unnecessary or filler.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story that went from hopeful and romantic to bittersweet and emotional. Both main characters had their own battle to fight and I think the final resolution was right for them and for the story. I really loved the moment when we learned the meaning of the title, which is a little snippet that I look for in every book and often adds more to the overall feel of the story. This one definitely did.
Finally, I only have three things to say that won't spoil the story, because you really should read it for yourself -
1) Dominoes!
2) 11:22
3) Call me by your middle name.
That's it. That's all you get. Now go read it!
~
Favourite Quote:
"I fell for you like a waterfall."
"We had our own demons to kill."
When Things Happen Together is a lovely story of two halves. The first is all about that rush of emotion, the flush of excitement about a new romance, while the second is the unfortunate fall from the high, the way we're forced to face reality even when all we want to do is burrow away and hide from it forever.
I came into this one having read Such A Small World first and I don't think that was a problem, despite the events of this book happening first. The books *can* be read as standalones - which, as someone who can't bear to read a series out of order, is rare for me to say - though I will admit that I'm glad I read SASW first, because the first half of this book was a bit more saccharine and romantic than I was expecting and I wasn't really in the head space for that. But, because I loved SASW so much, I persevered through it and that was a great thing. The book switched vibes halfway into more of what I'd been expecting and that really held my attention more than the first half.
The main characters - Thomas and Bruno - were brilliant. Thomas was full of hope and positivity, while Bruno was a little more sensible but eager to go out and live his life. Then the big twist dropped and my heart ached for these two, who were holding onto pains from the past they'd never really dealt with.
There's not much I can without spoiling the story, so I'm just going to make some vague comments:
I loved seeing Mackenzie again, after reading SASW first, though this story took place before he got his HEA and offered a little insight into the pre-SASW Mackenzie. I loved Tommy's dad and Abigail, Courtney was amazing, and I kind of wish we'd seen more positive support on-page from Bruno's friends - though I'm hoping the follow-up short, The Way We Are, might fill in some of those gaps.
There was a bit more reflective storytelling here than in SASW - the "little did we realise what lay ahead" kind of thing - but that fitted the story. The book literally begins 6 months before events, with a dramatic beginning, so the reflective part makes a lot of sense.
Similarly to SASW, there were a lot of flashback moments, that describe emotional or historic moments of importance. They all felt important, none of them feeling unnecessary or filler.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story that went from hopeful and romantic to bittersweet and emotional. Both main characters had their own battle to fight and I think the final resolution was right for them and for the story. I really loved the moment when we learned the meaning of the title, which is a little snippet that I look for in every book and often adds more to the overall feel of the story. This one definitely did.
Finally, I only have three things to say that won't spoil the story, because you really should read it for yourself -
1) Dominoes!
2) 11:22
3) Call me by your middle name.
That's it. That's all you get. Now go read it!
~
Favourite Quote:
"I fell for you like a waterfall."
"We had our own demons to kill."
Such A Small World by Jordan Clayden-Lewis
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
~
Such a Small World, by Jordan Clayden-Lewis
★★★★★
299 Pages
POV: 1st person, past tense, single character POV
Content Warning: on page teen drug and alcohol use, cutting, bullying, outing, grief, hallucinations, death of a minor character; mentions of party scenes, adult drug and alcohol use, mental health issues (anxiety, PTSD, grief, therapy), mentions of poly relationship, casual sex, outdoor sex, mentions of main character having been cheated on in the past
(Drugs mentioned: LSD, weed, cocaine, Molly)
Such a Small World manages to straddle that fine line that comes with a dial timeline, especially between a YA timeline and an adult timeline, without either one feeling uncomfortable or awkward.
Emotive, beautiful, tragic and touching, this book will make you laugh, cry, grieve for someone who isn't real, wish you could turn back time, and give you restless wanderer syndrome, making you want to travel, explore and find yourself in the vast, mysterious outback.
This is my first book by the author - though I actually own When Things Happen Together, which is the story of Thomas and Bruce from this book - and I'll be going straight into that now that I've read this. I'm almost sad that I didn't read it first, but if it means coming back to re-read Such a Small World when I'm done, to connect the dots, that's no bad thing. This is a book well worth re-reading!
Such a Small World is the story of Mackenzie - as a teenager, finding himself, just 17 years old, and as an adult, on a fateful journey that takes him walking back down memory lane.
In the past, he's dating a girl but finding himself increasingly drawn to his best friend, Finn. Then events snowball and he finds himself adrift in a changing world where nothing will ever be the same again.
In the present, Mack is heading to a door with bestie, Rachel. Along the way, they meet Lily and Jasper who will irrevocably change their fates.
The story starts with a banger of a twist - Mack is on a plane, eyeing up a hot male flight attendant, when their eyes meet and we discover Mack has, what he calls, Brain Cinema : the ability to see snippets of his future. He only sees his connection to that specific person, and usually only short, indistinct glimpses. With the flight attendant, Jasper, he sees a surprisingly long future, but one that ends in heartache. Unable to relive the pain of his teenage years, he tries to avoid Jasper only for their paths to cross in multiple more-than-a-coincidence ways!
In terms of characters, I loved Mackenzie from the start. His teen self was a bit more of a prick, so I love that we got to care about his adult self first. I absolutely adored Finn, who had so many walls up. Jasper was, conversely, as outgoing and live-in-the-moment as I imagine an adult Finn would be, and the perfect counter to Mack, who is scarred from his teen years.
The side characters were brilliant - bubbly and joyous Rachel and Lily, the lesbian queens!, Mack's parents, even Finn's family, and the brief glimpse of Craig the boss, and Thomas and Bruce.
The writing style was, at first, a bit jarring, I'll admit. I can't put my finger on why, but it's a style I haven't read often, so it took me a few chapters to settle in. That's a me problem, so I haven't let it influence my rating, because I didn't notice any editing issues as such.
I had to look up "door", because I'm Scottish and a "door" to us is generally "a dunce" or "an idiot". I've never heard of it in terms of partying, but I'm not a party person or into festivals, so maybe that would explain it.
There were a few places where the phrasing or word choices tripped me up, e.g. "He extended his eyes", but it could be a cultural language thing, like how I'd "his eyes bugged out of his head" which was how I read it. It actually reminded me - in tone, style and overall feeling - of B.G. Thomas' Seasons of Love series, which is an old favourite of mine.
Overall, this was a beautiful, tragic story of self-discovery and self-rediscovery. There's a moving, incredibly poignant journey with relatable characters, as well as a perfectly crafted dual timeline. I loved the (unofficial) epilogue 4 years later!
I cried at 50% (car crash), Mack leaving the voicemail, and the big breakthrough moment: If I Lose Myself. And I won't explain what any of that means because you should read it!
Right now, I'm emotionally shattered and I wish I could go back in time to make everything part of Mack's really bad first acid trip so that nothing that followed ever had to happen! I want to let Mack go back, before the kiss, to rewrite his future and let Finn live!!!
~
Favourite Quotes
“I wasn't sure if I'd ever love anyone the way I loved Finn.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Drug use
Moderate: Alcohol and Self harm
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Mental illness, Outing, Homophobia, and Bullying
Phoenix Mate by T.J. Nichols
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
~
Phoenix Mate, by T.J. Nichols
Brothers of Fire, 03
★★★★★
3rd person, dual character POV with a brief, third POV
Themes: LGBTQIA+, Assassin, Romance, Royalty, Shifters, Spies, one-night stand, age gap
Triggers: mild violence, blackmail, mentions of ADHD, missing relative, betrayal
Genre: MM, Romance, Shifter, PNR, Crime
Reviewed for Divine Magazine
~
Phoenix Mate, by T.J. Nichols
Brothers of Fire, 03
★★★★★
3rd person, dual character POV with a brief, third POV
Themes: LGBTQIA+, Assassin, Romance, Royalty, Shifters, Spies, one-night stand, age gap
Triggers: mild violence, blackmail, mentions of ADHD, missing relative, betrayal
Genre: MM, Romance, Shifter, PNR, Crime
~
Phoenix Mate is the third book in the Brothers of Fire series, which continues the story of the Shadow Board and phoenixes, hinting at finding out more about Everest.
In this book, we focus on Kaine and his romance with new character, Quentin, a mind reader with no knowledge of his magic or shifters until a one-night stand results in an accidental mate bond. Kaine and Quentin were great together, very much opposites attract with a ten year age gap between them. Quentin is bright, bold and flirty in the beginning, while Kaine is dependable, serious and contained. Together, they're a great combination, with some sizzling chemistry. Quentin is also very interesting as a central character, because he's studied dead languages and has a thirst for knowledge, history and solving problems, which the entire family of phoenixes need.
It was awesome to see some history geeks getting hot and being super strong and attractive. I loved that Quentin and Kaine were both as geeky and intense as each other. I really hope we see more of Quentin getting to explore that love of history, language and his abilities in future books.
I feel like the story is split into three parts: 1) the romance, 2) the Shadow Board and 3) the overarcing plot of Olier being missing. All three are equally important to the story, but they're also interlinked, which means that the series-long plot is further advanced while providing plenty of drama for the main characters to navigate.
I found it super interesting to see Everest's POV for almost a full chapter. We've been teased for a long time about his obsession with Olier, but this book really takes his involvement in the background to the next level and that was so clever. I really liked seeing how he wove through the plot.
Overall, this was another resounding success from Nichols, weaving together the fated mates of the Familiar Mates series with the fantastic world of phoenixes from Brothers of Fire. I loved every minute and I can't wait for the next book in the series. I'd be perfectly happy if this shared world never ended.
~
Favourite Quote
“He didn't want to trip and end up sucking his cock again, as it seemed like an easy mistake to make.”
The Yearning Fox Lies in Wait by Nmura
Together, they navigate long forgotten memories, a new future, and modern day difficulties as they learn to live together and get to know one another.
The story was interesting and sweet, quite innocent in a way. It explored unrequited love, past grief, hurt/comfort, and new first love. I ended the story feeling like I wanted more – though I couldn't say what that would look like – but it was a good, solid story.
4.0
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley
~
The Yearning Fox Lies in Wait,
by Nmura
★★★★☆
The Yearning Fox Lies in Wait is a lovely historical story about a young man starting a new school. Kiyo gets lost on his first day and comes across an old building he believes to be a museum, until the owner, Ozaki, appears and informs him that it's his home. With nowhere to lodge during the school year, Kiyo introduces himself and, after hearing his name, Ozaki invites Kiyo to stay with him.
Throughout the story, we learn that Ozaki is a fox spirit and once knew Kiyo's grandfather, Seishirou.
Together, they navigate long forgotten memories, a new future, and modern day difficulties as they learn to live together and get to know one another.
The story was interesting and sweet, quite innocent in a way. It explored unrequited love, past grief, hurt/comfort, and new first love. I ended the story feeling like I wanted more – though I couldn't say what that would look like – but it was a good, solid story.
Kei X Yaku: Bound by Law 1 by Yoshie Kaoruhara
~
Kei x Yaku: Bound by Law, Vol. 01
Rion Nakabi is an off-page third main character, in my opinion. The story centers around her, including many flashbacks about her with the two main characters. While Shiro and Ichiro have to fake being boyfriends to join forces, we explore just as much of Rion's life as theirs.
Rion went missing, believed kidnapped, and a video of her torture was posted online, then mysteriously deleted not long after causing a hype online. There's been no sign of her ever since. In the meantime, Shiro has become an escort and part of a crime family, simply to investigate her disappearance, after finding clues in her diary. Ichiro has wanted to investigate ever since she went missing, but has been warned off by the head bosses. When he bumps into Shiro, they both see an opportunity to investigate without anyone getting suspicious or getting in their way.
I loved both Shiro and Ichiro equally. They're total opposites but are equally interesting and wonderful in their own ways. I loved how they managed to find a rhythm with each other while continuing their own lives.
The artwork was lovely, with a few chibi style panels thrown in. I loved the addition of the bonus panels in between the chapters. I also really appreciated the glossary of terms at the end, which explained the meaning of the title, which really suited the story and the characters.
All in all, I'll be looking forward to the next volume.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley
~
Kei x Yaku: Bound by Law, Vol. 01
by Yoshie Kauruhara
★★★★☆
Kei x Yaku is an interesting story about two opposites who are drawn together by the same goal. Shiro is a male escort to various male politicians and involved in a crime family, while Ichiro is a police officer in a special branch. They encounter each other when Ichiro is tasked with investigating Shiro quietly, due to his connection to the politicians he's been associated with. However, upon meeting, they discover they have another link: Ichiro's mentor, Rion Nakaba, is also Shiro's older sister.
Rion Nakabi is an off-page third main character, in my opinion. The story centers around her, including many flashbacks about her with the two main characters. While Shiro and Ichiro have to fake being boyfriends to join forces, we explore just as much of Rion's life as theirs.
Rion went missing, believed kidnapped, and a video of her torture was posted online, then mysteriously deleted not long after causing a hype online. There's been no sign of her ever since. In the meantime, Shiro has become an escort and part of a crime family, simply to investigate her disappearance, after finding clues in her diary. Ichiro has wanted to investigate ever since she went missing, but has been warned off by the head bosses. When he bumps into Shiro, they both see an opportunity to investigate without anyone getting suspicious or getting in their way.
I loved both Shiro and Ichiro equally. They're total opposites but are equally interesting and wonderful in their own ways. I loved how they managed to find a rhythm with each other while continuing their own lives.
The artwork was lovely, with a few chibi style panels thrown in. I loved the addition of the bonus panels in between the chapters. I also really appreciated the glossary of terms at the end, which explained the meaning of the title, which really suited the story and the characters.
All in all, I'll be looking forward to the next volume.
Manner of Death, Vol. 2 by Sammon, Yukari Umemoto
4.0
I'm really glad I binged Volumes 1 and 2 back to back, because it was great to follow all the little details from one volume to another. There was actually a lot more of the after-crime story than I'd expected, which was great, though it did feel like it went on for a long time. I can't say I really liked either Bun or Tan, though. Both were manipulative and red-flags in different ways, but they suited each other and the story, so that was fine.
Manner of Death, Vol. 1 by Sammon, Yukari Umemoto
4.0
A little predictable, and not nearly as intriguing as I'd thought - less murder mystery and more romance than I expected - but overall a good book/story. I'm glad I bought both volumes, because I was fully invested in finding out what would happen next, especially after that cliffhanger ending.