fatedhearts_lorilee's reviews
215 reviews

Shattered Innocence by Sara Cate

fast-paced

3.0

✨ Quick, fun read 

✨ MFF

✨ Age gap 
✨ Billionaire romance 
✨ Cinderella retelling

I know it was a short book, but it felt like some plot elements were resolved a bit too quickly given the magnitude of what had happened. I felt like there could’ve been a bit more of processing by the FMC Birdie, and/or conflict. 

Overall though it was fun, and I definitely liked Alaric as the MMC. 

Thank you to Hambright PR for the gifted e-arc!

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

5.0

The Women by Kristin Hannah

dark emotional hopeful 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

4.5

So emotional and powerful. I absolutely loved it. 

Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli

5.0

Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver

4.0

Queen of Shadows and Ruin by Nisha J. Tuli

adventurous emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book as an e-arc!

This was the end of The Nightfire Quartet, and we see how things wrap up for the various characters. 

We start with Zarya getting to know Abishek, and hoping to find out more about her magic. This is the main focus for the book, but luckily we get to spend a bit of time with Yasen, who is definitely my favourite character! 

Spoilers & Related Personal Opinions Ahead!

I felt like some things with Abishek were a bit too cliché-evil-villain, and it made his arc less interesting and impactful for me, personally. 

I also felt like some of the writing and plot just didn’t work as well for me this time. But overall, I’m glad I got to read the ending to this story.

I think a lot of this story focuses on the power of love and hope, which is always an important message. 

His in the Dark by Willow Winters
Did not finish book. Stopped at 46%.

I love the Hades x Persephone idea, I just couldn’t get into the writing. Unfortunately it was just a bit too awkward at times - it felt like it was trying to be formal to match the setting, but it just doesn’t quite work out. 

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

adventurous dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I was given the opportunity to read Fable as an e-arc, so thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for allowing me to read this incredible book early!

There are so many things to say about Fable and I know I won’t be able to share everything! Although this was a different kind of book compared to Juniper or ASID, it has the beautiful prose that Ava Reid always delivers so immaculately.

In the introduction to the book, Ava says, “But as much as Fable is about the horrors of climate change, wealth inequity, corporatocracy, and technology, it is also about love. It’s about the complex bonds of affection between siblings, which can so easily be tested and transfigured by trauma. It’s about the persevering, hopeful love for your world, even when it seems to be falling apart under your feet. It’s about that love that risks everything, love that proves the irrepressible spirit of humanity.” She also discusses how it’s “a love letter to the dystopian YA fiction” she grew up reading, including Hunger Games. 

I know that was a very long quote to include, but given the state of the world right now… it feels important to note. And while there are a lot of scary things happening that feel out of control, there are things we can do, and being kind and loving to the people around us is a great place to start. 

I love the influence of HG on this book - I felt like I could see how Ava was inspired by this idea (as well as by real world events) and found ways to make it completely her own. I felt a sense of nostalgia while I was reading - I’m a huge fan of dystopian texts - and I absolutely loved the way that Fable created a bridge from the stories I used to read, to the stories of today. 

I loved getting to see the sibling relationship between Luka and Inesa, how they supported one another, and how they dealt with their "present" mother and absent father.

Spoiler: their mother is a terrible human and I actually hate her.

The absent father was really interesting to me, because he represented the hope of escaping the drowned world, especially for Luka.

Even though it was heartbreaking, I liked that Ava didn’t tie everything up into a neat bow by having them get to meet the father in some kind of *paradise* at the end.  Both Luka and Inesa have to deal with their disappointment, and think about how they’re going to move forward.

F*ck Jacob. I thought at the beginning I might like him, but the way he spoke to Inesa at the end. Absolutely not.

Melinoë is such a cool character and I’m so glad we got to see her POV. She has such an interesting struggle with the concept of “Wiping” that happens. It is so unsettling to think about how that could happen, and you wouldn’t even really know how often it had been done, or what you’d forgotten. 

I wish that we could’ve had a bit more time with the two FMCs as they got to know each other and develop their relationship, but given the circumstances, it also makes sense that we couldn’t! 

This book was so so good. Ava Reid is one of my all-time favourite authors. She has such a strong ability to craft gorgeous narratives through her prose and the way she develops her characters and plot structure. I will never be able to rave about her enough. 

City of Mirth and Malice by Alexis L. Menard

medium-paced

5.0

Monkey Beach by Eden Robinson

dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5