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emilyreads15's reviews
149 reviews
Spectacular by Stephanie Garber
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
Wow! This book was so amazing and so magical!!
I just loved all the mystery and romance and ofc the amazing holiday/Christmas vibes! I can’t say too much because I don’t want to give any potential spoilers but it was just so so good. A perfect winter read and a perfect novella with a really fun plot!
I love Julian and Scarlet and I LOVE Tella and Legend. I felt like I could really relate to Tella a lot throughout this book about her worries but I’m so happy it all worked out by the end.
Once again this book was just so entertaining and magical. If you know me then you know I absolutely love art and the illustrations in this book DID NOT DISAPPOINT. They were absolutely amazing and just brought everything to life!! I wish more books had illustrations like this!
100% recommend especially if you loved Caraval and love Stephanie Garber!!
I just loved all the mystery and romance and ofc the amazing holiday/Christmas vibes! I can’t say too much because I don’t want to give any potential spoilers but it was just so so good. A perfect winter read and a perfect novella with a really fun plot!
I love Julian and Scarlet and I LOVE Tella and Legend. I felt like I could really relate to Tella a lot throughout this book about her worries but I’m so happy it all worked out by the end.
Once again this book was just so entertaining and magical. If you know me then you know I absolutely love art and the illustrations in this book DID NOT DISAPPOINT. They were absolutely amazing and just brought everything to life!! I wish more books had illustrations like this!
100% recommend especially if you loved Caraval and love Stephanie Garber!!
One Hollow Love by M.K. Ahearn
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Azala Press, and the author M.K. Ahearn for gifting me an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
(just to prepare everyone, this is one of the most honest reviews I’ve ever written)
I went into this read really excited as it had sounded super unique and interesting. However, I ended up being disappointed. From what I can tell this had started off as a novella that people enjoyed so the author decided to add more to the story. I definitely can see that as I thought the first part of the book was really good and intriguing. I enjoyed the Halloween romance aspect. I had liked the characters and overall it just seemed like a cute and short fantasy novella and I think it should’ve stayed that way.
I’ve heard this is marketed as a Howl’s Moving Castle meets Hocus Pocus. I hate to admit it but I’ve never watched either of those so I can’t speak much on it. However, I can tell you that as soon as I started reading I immediately noticed how heavily inspired this was by ACOTAR (coming from a huge fan of that series). From the moment he said “There you are. I’ve been looking for you.” I immediately thought of Rhys and Feyre in book one. I also heard this was directly quoted from Howl’s Moving Castle as well but idk if that’s true. I thought maybe that would be the only occurrence. But the plot was similar, following a human girl into a new world she knew nothing about. It proceeded to get even more alike when Jax ended up being a viscous King who had a soft spot for his found family and lover as well as the “fated magic bond” and the bargain that left a tattoo behind.
Going off of that, the MMC, Jax, was marketed as having Rhysand vibes. I can tell u that other than the plot they didn’t seem similar at all to me. Rhys is a complex character built over the course of 5 books and counting. Jax on the other hand just didn’t seem to have the level of complexity I was looking for and with his storyline he had so much potential.
This leads me into my next point that Soleil (I can hardly remember her name) also lacked complexity. While I think that the OCD representation was very very well done, that’s rlly all I noticed about this character. By the end of the book I felt like she hadn’t really escaped or completed anything. Not to mention her trauma later in the book from her encounter with the antagonist, Vailer (however u spell his name) was just completely forgotten at some point as if I had snapped my fingers to make it vanish. While we learned the world with Soleil, it was still odd to me that she had apparently been told multiple stories about this realm and warned and yet she didn’t know what a Coven was or a Familiar as if her mother didn’t use to work for the local Witch??
Going back to Jax, his relationship with Soleil once again lacked romance and cute moments. To me it seemed that the relationship was purely built on a good sex from a one-night stand. The way that they barely knew each other and yet she jumped into a demon realm to go to him was insane. She hardly knows the guy. We really didn’t even get any insight to his character so she still hardly knows him. But of course it’s true love apparently.
On top of all this, the worldbuilding wasn’t all that great. Some things were either briefly mentioned or mentioned in the assumption the readers knew what was being spoken about when we obviously didn’t. I usually don’t mind first person pov but the more I read this the more annoyed I got. Soooo much of it was telling and not showing. The amount of times the FMC would say phrases like “I felt” “I was thinking” like she me what ur thinking, don’t just straight up tell me every time.
The ending was also extremely rushed. This is why I don’t read Fantasy standalones. They just don’t work, especially with such a large concept like this and the book was only about 300 pages long. In order for this idea to work it definitely needed to be longer or at least a duology. The concept of the two different worlds and the magic was just too much to squeeze in which is why parts felt rushed or sudden. There were also some major plot holes or places that needed to be re-edited. At some point there was a line where Soleil said she backed away but a paragraph later she was still on a horse? For a published author, I feel like this was avoidable.
Overall, this book was a fun and exciting concept and the first part was really good. But it should’ve stayed as a novella. The rest of the book was just too rushed with no real plot, lesson, or overall reason for writing it other than to appease upset readers. It wasn’t the worst book I’ve read and it kept my interest (until around page 150 and then it lost me). Hoping my next read from this author will be better. 🤞
Once again, thank you to the author and publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for a HONEST review.
I don’t really recommend this book but if you’re still interested then here are some trigger warnings:
⚠️TRIGGER WARNINGS⚠️
- OCD
- Anxiety/Panic Attacks
- Controlling (borderline abusive) parent
- Parent death mentioned
- Physical and Mental Torture
- Heavy sexual content
(just to prepare everyone, this is one of the most honest reviews I’ve ever written)
I went into this read really excited as it had sounded super unique and interesting. However, I ended up being disappointed. From what I can tell this had started off as a novella that people enjoyed so the author decided to add more to the story. I definitely can see that as I thought the first part of the book was really good and intriguing. I enjoyed the Halloween romance aspect. I had liked the characters and overall it just seemed like a cute and short fantasy novella and I think it should’ve stayed that way.
I’ve heard this is marketed as a Howl’s Moving Castle meets Hocus Pocus. I hate to admit it but I’ve never watched either of those so I can’t speak much on it. However, I can tell you that as soon as I started reading I immediately noticed how heavily inspired this was by ACOTAR (coming from a huge fan of that series). From the moment he said “There you are. I’ve been looking for you.” I immediately thought of Rhys and Feyre in book one. I also heard this was directly quoted from Howl’s Moving Castle as well but idk if that’s true. I thought maybe that would be the only occurrence. But the plot was similar, following a human girl into a new world she knew nothing about. It proceeded to get even more alike when Jax ended up being a viscous King who had a soft spot for his found family and lover as well as the “fated magic bond” and the bargain that left a tattoo behind.
Going off of that, the MMC, Jax, was marketed as having Rhysand vibes. I can tell u that other than the plot they didn’t seem similar at all to me. Rhys is a complex character built over the course of 5 books and counting. Jax on the other hand just didn’t seem to have the level of complexity I was looking for and with his storyline he had so much potential.
This leads me into my next point that Soleil (I can hardly remember her name) also lacked complexity. While I think that the OCD representation was very very well done, that’s rlly all I noticed about this character. By the end of the book I felt like she hadn’t really escaped or completed anything. Not to mention her trauma later in the book from her encounter with the antagonist, Vailer (however u spell his name) was just completely forgotten at some point as if I had snapped my fingers to make it vanish. While we learned the world with Soleil, it was still odd to me that she had apparently been told multiple stories about this realm and warned and yet she didn’t know what a Coven was or a Familiar as if her mother didn’t use to work for the local Witch??
Going back to Jax, his relationship with Soleil once again lacked romance and cute moments. To me it seemed that the relationship was purely built on a good sex from a one-night stand. The way that they barely knew each other and yet she jumped into a demon realm to go to him was insane. She hardly knows the guy. We really didn’t even get any insight to his character so she still hardly knows him. But of course it’s true love apparently.
On top of all this, the worldbuilding wasn’t all that great. Some things were either briefly mentioned or mentioned in the assumption the readers knew what was being spoken about when we obviously didn’t. I usually don’t mind first person pov but the more I read this the more annoyed I got. Soooo much of it was telling and not showing. The amount of times the FMC would say phrases like “I felt” “I was thinking” like she me what ur thinking, don’t just straight up tell me every time.
The ending was also extremely rushed. This is why I don’t read Fantasy standalones. They just don’t work, especially with such a large concept like this and the book was only about 300 pages long. In order for this idea to work it definitely needed to be longer or at least a duology. The concept of the two different worlds and the magic was just too much to squeeze in which is why parts felt rushed or sudden. There were also some major plot holes or places that needed to be re-edited. At some point there was a line where Soleil said she backed away but a paragraph later she was still on a horse? For a published author, I feel like this was avoidable.
Overall, this book was a fun and exciting concept and the first part was really good. But it should’ve stayed as a novella. The rest of the book was just too rushed with no real plot, lesson, or overall reason for writing it other than to appease upset readers. It wasn’t the worst book I’ve read and it kept my interest (until around page 150 and then it lost me). Hoping my next read from this author will be better. 🤞
Once again, thank you to the author and publisher for gifting me a copy in exchange for a HONEST review.
I don’t really recommend this book but if you’re still interested then here are some trigger warnings:
⚠️TRIGGER WARNINGS⚠️
- OCD
- Anxiety/Panic Attacks
- Controlling (borderline abusive) parent
- Parent death mentioned
- Physical and Mental Torture
- Heavy sexual content
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Torture
Minor: Death and Death of parent
The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Finally finished this book 8 months later!
Overall this book had a really interesting concept for a Dystopian novel and really think I would’ve enjoyed it. However, the execution just wasn’t there. The writing honestly wasn’t good at all. There were a lot of plot holes and a lot of parts that confused me.
I’m still pretty confused. I can’t even keep any of the characters straight outside of Linus, Burnham, and of course Rosie (who’s name I literally just had to go look up because I couldn’t remember)
I rlly liked the romance side plot for Rosie and Linus but also sort of for her and Burnham. Idk who she will end up with. If she even survives bc tf was that ending?
Idk this book was really interesting but it just wasn’t good. The only reason I finally finished it bc I’m trying to get through all my current reads and I just can’t DNF. So yeah.
I don’t recommend this book at all and won’t be posting a review on insta. I do however would be very interested in a movie or another book with a similar concept that was better executed.
I will however, be looking up summaries of the next two books bc I am curious what happens but I just cannot sit and read it.
Overall this book had a really interesting concept for a Dystopian novel and really think I would’ve enjoyed it. However, the execution just wasn’t there. The writing honestly wasn’t good at all. There were a lot of plot holes and a lot of parts that confused me.
I’m still pretty confused. I can’t even keep any of the characters straight outside of Linus, Burnham, and of course Rosie (who’s name I literally just had to go look up because I couldn’t remember)
I rlly liked the romance side plot for Rosie and Linus but also sort of for her and Burnham. Idk who she will end up with. If she even survives bc tf was that ending?
Idk this book was really interesting but it just wasn’t good. The only reason I finally finished it bc I’m trying to get through all my current reads and I just can’t DNF. So yeah.
I don’t recommend this book at all and won’t be posting a review on insta. I do however would be very interested in a movie or another book with a similar concept that was better executed.
I will however, be looking up summaries of the next two books bc I am curious what happens but I just cannot sit and read it.
Whispers of Deception by Liliana Rose Hastings
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Thank you so so much to the author Liliana Rose Hastings for choosing me to be a Beta Reader for her upcoming mystery novel!!
Whispers of Deception was hauntingly beautiful and suspenseful! We follow the case of Willow Montgomery who was recently found dead! Throughout the book, her 5 close friends take on the responsibility to find out the truth of what happened to her and let me just say that over the course of the book, I absolutely fell in love with all of them at every page.
The romance side plots were perfection! No spoilers here but I’m very happy with the couples that ended up together by the end of this!
The found family was even better!! Sebastian, Lilia, Delilah, Gus, and Eleanor have my heart!! They were just so perfect together and so caring. Their friendship was beautiful and even stronger after this experience. I want a friend group like this soooo bad.
So many crazy things happenedddddd! Usually mysteries are a hit or miss for me because I tend to find them predictable but I PREDICTED NONE OF THIS! I was on the edge of my seat every chapter just waiting what we would find out about Willow’s murder case next!
This book was also one of the most immersive books I’ve ever read! The author’s inclusion of playlists, maps, investigation reports, autopsy records, and even a true crime podcast truly made this murder mystery stand out from all others!!
Overall, this book was written so well and absolutely beautifully! I loved everything about it and I’m so so excited to see what happens next!
Once again thank you so much Liliana for letting me be a Beta Reader! <3
Whispers of Deception was hauntingly beautiful and suspenseful! We follow the case of Willow Montgomery who was recently found dead! Throughout the book, her 5 close friends take on the responsibility to find out the truth of what happened to her and let me just say that over the course of the book, I absolutely fell in love with all of them at every page.
The romance side plots were perfection! No spoilers here but I’m very happy with the couples that ended up together by the end of this!
The found family was even better!! Sebastian, Lilia, Delilah, Gus, and Eleanor have my heart!! They were just so perfect together and so caring. Their friendship was beautiful and even stronger after this experience. I want a friend group like this soooo bad.
So many crazy things happenedddddd! Usually mysteries are a hit or miss for me because I tend to find them predictable but I PREDICTED NONE OF THIS! I was on the edge of my seat every chapter just waiting what we would find out about Willow’s murder case next!
This book was also one of the most immersive books I’ve ever read! The author’s inclusion of playlists, maps, investigation reports, autopsy records, and even a true crime podcast truly made this murder mystery stand out from all others!!
Overall, this book was written so well and absolutely beautifully! I loved everything about it and I’m so so excited to see what happens next!
Once again thank you so much Liliana for letting me be a Beta Reader! <3
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Murder
On Writing the College Application Essay: The Key to Acceptance at the College of Your Choice by Harry Bauld
informative
fast-paced
0.0
Had to read this for AP Lang to help me write my college essay. Honestly it wasn’t too boring and the chapters were pretty short and easy. It was fairly helpful but also I did not ENJOY reading it or any book like this ever. So I’m not gonna bother rating it.
Definitely recommend though if u need help writing a college essay but I think almost all my friends on here have already done that 😭
Definitely recommend though if u need help writing a college essay but I think almost all my friends on here have already done that 😭
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson
informative
slow-paced
2.0
Had to read this book for my AP English Lang class. It was honestly sort of interesting. But the execution was soooo boring. The chapters were extremely long and wordy. Most of the book was about the 20+ architects whose names I don’t even remember. The only parts that kept my interest were the chapters about H. H. Holmes aka the psychotic doctor who killed so many people. While his chapters did entertain me, I also found it absolutely disturbing and horrifying how he so easily gained the trust of young women just to murder them in the most vicious ways.
Overall, very boring. Did not enjoy. I hate nonfiction. Pls look up trigger warning if u happen to be interested in reading this very odd book.
(I’m actually shook this all happened IRL)
Overall, very boring. Did not enjoy. I hate nonfiction. Pls look up trigger warning if u happen to be interested in reading this very odd book.
(I’m actually shook this all happened IRL)
Falling: A Fake Dating College Hockey Romance by Janisha Boswell
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
I enjoyed reading this book so much! Contemporary romance books can always be a hit or miss for me but this one was amazing! I really loved the plot but mostly I loved how the characters were truly there for each other. As a reader, it was difficult reading about how much they were all going through. But watching them overcome it and find happiness and peace within eachother was beautiful!
This was my first ever hockey romance and it did not disappoint! The authors writing style is so addictive and fun to read! I could hardly put this book down and I read it within a few days! Not only is the romance adorable but it’s also a little spicy. 🤭 However, I appreciate that only a few chapters included spice and that most of the book focused on finding their connection and learning to love! And I appreciated how short the chapters were. It really kept my attention!
This book discussed so many difficult topics but the author did an amazing job representing the anxiety, the grief, the stress, and everything else mentioned in this book. I’m so happy with the ending and that the characters found their happiness! I do wish we would’ve gotten to find out how Carter passed away as it was only ever mentioned that he was gone and has passed away prior to where the book started. Was it a car accident? Did it have to do with hockey? I wish we would’ve gotten that info and Miles opening up about it a bit more! I also wish we would’ve seen more of Wren standing up to Augustus. We only saw about one moment where she did with Miles but I think it would’ve been helpful if that was discussed a bit more as well!
At times in the book it was a little annoying that Wren was being so difficult when it came to excepting her feelings and that she didn’t need to put so much pressure on herself. But I understand why she felt that way and I’m so glad she was eventually able to feel better about everything.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it’s all its beautiful dynamics! I’m so so excited for the rest of this series! Based off the epilogue ending and some other things I’ve seen on Goodreads, I think Scarlett’s book is next and IM SO EXCITED.
Anyways 100% recommend!!
Thank you so so much to the author, Janisha Boswell, for gifting me and E-ARC of this book!
This was my first ever hockey romance and it did not disappoint! The authors writing style is so addictive and fun to read! I could hardly put this book down and I read it within a few days! Not only is the romance adorable but it’s also a little spicy. 🤭 However, I appreciate that only a few chapters included spice and that most of the book focused on finding their connection and learning to love! And I appreciated how short the chapters were. It really kept my attention!
This book discussed so many difficult topics but the author did an amazing job representing the anxiety, the grief, the stress, and everything else mentioned in this book. I’m so happy with the ending and that the characters found their happiness! I do wish we would’ve gotten to find out how Carter passed away as it was only ever mentioned that he was gone and has passed away prior to where the book started. Was it a car accident? Did it have to do with hockey? I wish we would’ve gotten that info and Miles opening up about it a bit more! I also wish we would’ve seen more of Wren standing up to Augustus. We only saw about one moment where she did with Miles but I think it would’ve been helpful if that was discussed a bit more as well!
At times in the book it was a little annoying that Wren was being so difficult when it came to excepting her feelings and that she didn’t need to put so much pressure on herself. But I understand why she felt that way and I’m so glad she was eventually able to feel better about everything.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it’s all its beautiful dynamics! I’m so so excited for the rest of this series! Based off the epilogue ending and some other things I’ve seen on Goodreads, I think Scarlett’s book is next and IM SO EXCITED.
Anyways 100% recommend!!
Thank you so so much to the author, Janisha Boswell, for gifting me and E-ARC of this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Grief
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A Letter to the Luminous Deep is by far the most unique and intriguing book I’ve ever read. To began the book is an aquatic, mysterious academia epistolary novel. In other words, it’s written completely in letters/correspondence. As for the academia and aquatic portions, the novel follows E. and Henerey’s letters to eachother while they make a world changing discovery and suddenly disappear. E’s older sister and Henerey’s older brother then began a correspondence to figure out what had truly happened to them in those final months and days leading up to their disappearance and possible death. The world this occurs in is mostly all ocean with only some islands. The characters are almost all scholars and the book is very heavily based on research and academics. As well aquatic/marine topics as they do most of their research in the ocean.
For starters, the worldbuilding in this book is truly immaculate. The author created such an immersive and beautiful world that honestly made me want to become a marine biologist after reading it. Not only that but she did a lovely job of also including more magical/mythical elements to make this a proper fantasy novel.
I thought the topics and overall plot of this book was super unique and interesting! I was always on the edge of my seat wondering what happened next and just waiting for the next letter between Henerey and E so I could see what happened to them. I loved learning what happened with Sophy and Vy as it made it much easier to understand and also allowed for insight of other events from those characters.
The start of the book was definitely a little slow. However, it truly picked up at the end. And then the very last chapter was extremely long and extremely slow but much needed for the overall plot and set up of book 2 (which I’ll definitely be reading).
As things got discovered in the book, I can now look back and see all the subtle foreshadowing the author had planted from the very start! It was honestly so fun to try to figure out this mystery. As I’m typing this, I’m still wondering what possible things may occur in the next book. Sooo much happened in this one. I’m truly shook and it all feels so magical and real at the same time thanks the author’s good writing and worldbuilding skills.
The mini romance subplots between the different characters were so cute. Ofc my favorite was Henerey and E. Their romance was not the typical type you get from a book since it was mainly seen through letters. But also because E suffers from OCD, making her very anti-social and anxious. Henerey is also quite anti-social. But seeing them enjoy eachother’s company despite all of that was beautiful and adorable. Also this book is no spice and pure romantic gestures and affirmations. It was such a nice break from what romance has become more recently in books!
I appreciated E’s representation of OCD and Anxiety within this book! I felt like I could relate to her on many levels of enjoying being alone and being stressed in large crowds or the presence of others and feel awkward about it! I also love how we saw her grow as a character throughout the entire book! By the end she was adventuring out more when before she wouldn’t have even left her room! It truly shows you can do anything no matter what!
This book is 100% at the top of my list for most unique and interesting structure, plot, and overall content/tropes/vibes. I really really enjoyed it and I find myself thinking of this mysterious and beautiful aquatic world and content quite often. However, while the author’s writing was beautiful and well-done. It’s difficult to read a book completely composed of letters. It can often get boring or feel like it’s dragging on (which is why it took me 2+ months to finish this.) I often had to take breaks and then come back a bit later. Because of the letters it was also difficult to envision what was going on in my head. There were very few descriptions of buildings and even less physical descriptions of the characters. I often times just made up what they looked like on my own since it didn’t really say until the middle of the book (and even then it was just a few characters). Some people may enjoy the creative freedom but I found it a little difficult. Once again it was just difficult to stay consistently interested in a book written from letters. At some points the letters would also just be academic info which could get boring. So because of all this I’m only giving it 3.5 stars. (But I still consider this a good rating and it’s definitely not a bad book and not the worst I’ve ever read).
Overall, I DID ENJOY THIS BOOK. It could just get boring and hard for me to stay focused on it. If you’re a fan of classics and heavy world-building and academic tropes then you will probably not be bored at all. But I did like this book and I 100% recommend it. Especially if you haven’t read an Epistolary before! I read this on my iPad but i definitely recommend getting a physical copy and ANNOTATE. Because of the academics and letters, this is a book that 100% deserves and honestly needs to be annotated. I think it would help with the experience and be less boring. So I may get a physical copy and go back and annotate it just like the characters!
Can’t wait for book 2! Please read this is you love the ocean, marine science, academia vibes, mystery, romance side-plots, and good but heavy worldbuilding!
Or just read it if you’re looking for something unlike anything you’ve ever read before :)
Also thank you to the author and NetGalley for an arc. I’m sorry it took me so long to finish and review this book!
For starters, the worldbuilding in this book is truly immaculate. The author created such an immersive and beautiful world that honestly made me want to become a marine biologist after reading it. Not only that but she did a lovely job of also including more magical/mythical elements to make this a proper fantasy novel.
I thought the topics and overall plot of this book was super unique and interesting! I was always on the edge of my seat wondering what happened next and just waiting for the next letter between Henerey and E so I could see what happened to them. I loved learning what happened with Sophy and Vy as it made it much easier to understand and also allowed for insight of other events from those characters.
The start of the book was definitely a little slow. However, it truly picked up at the end. And then the very last chapter was extremely long and extremely slow but much needed for the overall plot and set up of book 2 (which I’ll definitely be reading).
As things got discovered in the book, I can now look back and see all the subtle foreshadowing the author had planted from the very start! It was honestly so fun to try to figure out this mystery. As I’m typing this, I’m still wondering what possible things may occur in the next book. Sooo much happened in this one. I’m truly shook and it all feels so magical and real at the same time thanks the author’s good writing and worldbuilding skills.
The mini romance subplots between the different characters were so cute. Ofc my favorite was Henerey and E. Their romance was not the typical type you get from a book since it was mainly seen through letters. But also because E suffers from OCD, making her very anti-social and anxious. Henerey is also quite anti-social. But seeing them enjoy eachother’s company despite all of that was beautiful and adorable. Also this book is no spice and pure romantic gestures and affirmations. It was such a nice break from what romance has become more recently in books!
I appreciated E’s representation of OCD and Anxiety within this book! I felt like I could relate to her on many levels of enjoying being alone and being stressed in large crowds or the presence of others and feel awkward about it! I also love how we saw her grow as a character throughout the entire book! By the end she was adventuring out more when before she wouldn’t have even left her room! It truly shows you can do anything no matter what!
This book is 100% at the top of my list for most unique and interesting structure, plot, and overall content/tropes/vibes. I really really enjoyed it and I find myself thinking of this mysterious and beautiful aquatic world and content quite often. However, while the author’s writing was beautiful and well-done. It’s difficult to read a book completely composed of letters. It can often get boring or feel like it’s dragging on (which is why it took me 2+ months to finish this.) I often had to take breaks and then come back a bit later. Because of the letters it was also difficult to envision what was going on in my head. There were very few descriptions of buildings and even less physical descriptions of the characters. I often times just made up what they looked like on my own since it didn’t really say until the middle of the book (and even then it was just a few characters). Some people may enjoy the creative freedom but I found it a little difficult. Once again it was just difficult to stay consistently interested in a book written from letters. At some points the letters would also just be academic info which could get boring. So because of all this I’m only giving it 3.5 stars. (But I still consider this a good rating and it’s definitely not a bad book and not the worst I’ve ever read).
Overall, I DID ENJOY THIS BOOK. It could just get boring and hard for me to stay focused on it. If you’re a fan of classics and heavy world-building and academic tropes then you will probably not be bored at all. But I did like this book and I 100% recommend it. Especially if you haven’t read an Epistolary before! I read this on my iPad but i definitely recommend getting a physical copy and ANNOTATE. Because of the academics and letters, this is a book that 100% deserves and honestly needs to be annotated. I think it would help with the experience and be less boring. So I may get a physical copy and go back and annotate it just like the characters!
Can’t wait for book 2! Please read this is you love the ocean, marine science, academia vibes, mystery, romance side-plots, and good but heavy worldbuilding!
Or just read it if you’re looking for something unlike anything you’ve ever read before :)
Also thank you to the author and NetGalley for an arc. I’m sorry it took me so long to finish and review this book!
Flawless by Elsie Silver
emotional
fast-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 my first ever western/cowboy romance and I really enjoyed it! I absolutely love the characters and while Rhett isn’t necessarily my type and probably not my fav book boyfriend, I still really enjoyed watching him grow as a person throughout the book along with developing his relationship with Summer. I also love her so much. She’s so strong and has gone through so much. They both have and I’m so happy they found each other!
This book was so cute but also a little spicy 🙈 My fav parts though were definitely all their cute little moments together while at his competitions and at his ranch. Speaking of the found family in this is to die for. Willa, Jasper, Rhett and his brothers, Harvey… omg it was all so perfect. I’m hoping for some redemption for Winter bc I truly think something could work out with her and summer but Ik a book is about her so I’m excited for that. However, I’m upset that none of these future books are about Willa getting a soulmate?!! Like wdym there isn’t a book about Willa? I hope the author is planning to write another one for her 😭
Anyways I also loved Summer’s relationship with her dad. It was so cute and funny and he was so understanding. I loved him so much!
I think this book finally cured me from my slump as well since I read it pretty quickly!! While it may not be a favorite of mine or life changing (which is why I just gave it 4 stars) I still really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!! (especially Cade’s book hehe)
Overall, really enjoyed and definitely recommend! Can’t wait to read book 2 soon and Elsie Silver pls write a book for my girl, Willa!
This book was so cute but also a little spicy 🙈 My fav parts though were definitely all their cute little moments together while at his competitions and at his ranch. Speaking of the found family in this is to die for. Willa, Jasper, Rhett and his brothers, Harvey… omg it was all so perfect. I’m hoping for some redemption for Winter bc I truly think something could work out with her and summer but Ik a book is about her so I’m excited for that. However, I’m upset that none of these future books are about Willa getting a soulmate?!! Like wdym there isn’t a book about Willa? I hope the author is planning to write another one for her 😭
Anyways I also loved Summer’s relationship with her dad. It was so cute and funny and he was so understanding. I loved him so much!
I think this book finally cured me from my slump as well since I read it pretty quickly!! While it may not be a favorite of mine or life changing (which is why I just gave it 4 stars) I still really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!! (especially Cade’s book hehe)
Overall, really enjoyed and definitely recommend! Can’t wait to read book 2 soon and Elsie Silver pls write a book for my girl, Willa!
Heartless by Marissa Meyer
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Heartless was a unique and whimsical novel that followed a young girl named Catherine and her unfortunate story that led her to become the Queen of Hearts.
The Queen of Hearts is one of, if not my favorite villain. I finally got to see how she became the iconic Queen that she is in this novel and it was certainly interesting. Catherine’s story was one of the saddest I’ve ever had to read. Ending with her becoming a shell of the person she once was and nothing but a wicked queen.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style and absolutely loved all the magic of wonderland as well as all the references to the original Alice and Wonderland story. While some parts were easily predictable, other parts certainly weren’t. This was such an interesting book and I loved watching Catherine fall in love with Jest. But the ending was heartbreaking and unavoidable after reading her story.
I’ve never read the original Alice in Wonderland book but I’m excited to read it after knowing the author took many references from the author’s novel and writing.
Sadly I have to give this book 4 stars because it was fairly boring and slow until I got about 70% through the book. I wish there had been more action and romance early on although I understand why the author wrote it the way she did.
Overall, i definitely recommend this book if you’re interested in reading an interpretation of a villain origin story. While maybe not a favorite of mine, this book’s plot and overall reason for being written will not disappoint. I look forward to reading more Alice in Wonderland themed books in the future and looking at the Queen of Hearts in a new light after reading her tragic, heartbreaking, and honestly sort of relatable story.
The Queen of Hearts is one of, if not my favorite villain. I finally got to see how she became the iconic Queen that she is in this novel and it was certainly interesting. Catherine’s story was one of the saddest I’ve ever had to read. Ending with her becoming a shell of the person she once was and nothing but a wicked queen.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style and absolutely loved all the magic of wonderland as well as all the references to the original Alice and Wonderland story. While some parts were easily predictable, other parts certainly weren’t. This was such an interesting book and I loved watching Catherine fall in love with Jest. But the ending was heartbreaking and unavoidable after reading her story.
I’ve never read the original Alice in Wonderland book but I’m excited to read it after knowing the author took many references from the author’s novel and writing.
Sadly I have to give this book 4 stars because it was fairly boring and slow until I got about 70% through the book. I wish there had been more action and romance early on although I understand why the author wrote it the way she did.
Overall, i definitely recommend this book if you’re interested in reading an interpretation of a villain origin story. While maybe not a favorite of mine, this book’s plot and overall reason for being written will not disappoint. I look forward to reading more Alice in Wonderland themed books in the future and looking at the Queen of Hearts in a new light after reading her tragic, heartbreaking, and honestly sort of relatable story.