ellieschaben's reviews
621 reviews

Out On a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I hate a pregnancy trope, but between this and Ready or Not, I realized I hate badly done pregnancy tropes. This was FABULOUS. I was obsessed with both Win and  Bo. Bo is so full of green flags, and Win deserves all the love in the world. This was funny and sweet and warm, and if cozy romance is a thing, this is the definition. 

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative sad 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

4.75

Reread: My heart was shattered just as hard the 2nd time as the first. 

My one complaint is that this book is LONG, a behemoth. A lot of worldbuilding and history and explaining. It makes the world more permanent and makes readers invested in this entirely different place. Also, Violet and Xaden are intolerable the entire book, but their makeups are HOT. 

The ending of this one just KILLS me, but I’m so ready to start Onyx Storm now.

The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking

informative lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

3.0

Interesting take on how to create “hygge” in your everyday life and how to live a happier existence. A light, shorter read with realistic things you can easily incorporate into your everyday. 

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

adventurous emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

I DEVOURED this. It never stopped being good. I loved every cheesy bit of it.

Reread review: the sentiment is exactly the same. This book is a RIDE. This book is what gets people into reading and I GET IT. I will never stop raving about it. Violet and Xaden have the BEST banter, enemies to lovers trope. You start to notice the secondary characters, and we all grieve when Liam and Deigh fall. The drop of my heart at the end when Violet sees who is there and where she is. The POLITICAL schemings of this entire novel. I’m in deep, and I don’t care who knows.

The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard

adventurous 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

4.0

Thank you to Amalie Howard and Avon for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! 

I am on a huge fantasy kick this January, probably due to the big book releasing next week *EEK*. This ride is not letting up with The Starlight Heir! I love a chosen one trope, and Suraya is a stellar chosen one (literally). The teasing and tension between her and Roshan was so realistic and fun, and Clementine was such a good companion during the first part of the book. The Bachelor was literally happening with the crown prince and it felt like The Selection books and I ATE those up once upon a time. 

Things I didn’t love: 
* pacing was a little off - beginning was great, but I was spacing off in the middle 
* ending was not my favorite - I think it wrapped up nicely, but some of the reveals/action scenes felt rushed or predictable

I would have loved to hear more about the history of the power and how it impacted the people of the past. I also wish we would have had even more of Clementine! 

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I was glued to my audiobook for this one! kept me guessing, and the twisting of the past trauma with the current case was intricate. I enjoyed the ride!

Finding Me by Viola Davis

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

Wow, Viola Davis is a phenomenal storyteller about her own life. She weaves the story of herself with the her experience misogyny, racism, and extreme poverty. I never knew everything that she overcame to get where she is today. Such a well done memoir!

Outdrawn by Deanna Grey

emotional hopeful lighthearted 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

I really enjoyed this story! It was reminiscent of Astrid Parker and Jordan Everwood’s story (Ashley Herring Blake) in the best ways. I loved the opposites attract vibe between the two MCs - Noah is always in pink,  smells sweet, and has a lot of outward feelings while Sage is always in black, rides a motorcycle, and has a hard exterior. 

I do not recommend the audiobook though. I disliked the narrator’s voice for Noah when in Sage’s POV. It was almost so irritating that I DNFed, but the story was good enough to stick around. 

Ready or Not by Cara Bastone

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I thought the premise of this book sounded like straight trash, and I was proven SO WRONG.

I usually hate an accidental pregnancy. I listened to the audiobook and immediately was charmed by Eve, the FMC. Audiobook was phenomenally well done with the perfect inner thoughts of Eve. As someone that hopes to be pregnant one day (and has a nephew on the way), this book made me so excited. Every plan is the right plan. 

Filthy Rich Vampire by Geneva Lee

tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This was trashy reality tv and I love trashy reality tv so you know I will be continuing after that cliffhanger