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jenni_elyse's reviews
483 reviews
Witch Please by Ann Aguirre
4.0
I decided to read WITCH PLEASE because the audiobook was available to check out from my library. It sounded like a fun story and I definitely wasn't disappointed. In fact, I basically read it in one sitting because I loved it so much.
I loved the characters in WITCH PLEASE, especially Danica and Titus. Their chemistry was instant and the sexual tension between them is amazing and leaves you wanting for more, creating a cute, fast-paced steamy romance. I also loved a lot of the side characters. Although, I'm glad one character got what was coming to them even if I wanted more to happen.
I loved the setting and the small town feel in WITCH PLEASE. The description of the people, shops, and scenery had me ready to book a plane ticket so I could experience it first hand. Thanks to the descriptions of all the pastries in Titus' bakery, I'm craving cinnamon rolls and gingersnaps now!
I loved the lit bit of fantasy in WITCH PLEASE. I wish there had been a bit more magic, but I loved the concept of witches and how their magic works. I thought it was a fun way to explain the existence of witches.
I'm excited to read the other three books in the Fix-It Witches series. I didn't like Danica's cousin as much as other characters, but reading her story will hopefully help endear her to me a bit more. Only time will tell, I guess.
I loved the characters in WITCH PLEASE, especially Danica and Titus. Their chemistry was instant and the sexual tension between them is amazing and leaves you wanting for more, creating a cute, fast-paced steamy romance. I also loved a lot of the side characters. Although, I'm glad one character got what was coming to them even if I wanted more to happen.
I loved the setting and the small town feel in WITCH PLEASE. The description of the people, shops, and scenery had me ready to book a plane ticket so I could experience it first hand. Thanks to the descriptions of all the pastries in Titus' bakery, I'm craving cinnamon rolls and gingersnaps now!
I loved the lit bit of fantasy in WITCH PLEASE. I wish there had been a bit more magic, but I loved the concept of witches and how their magic works. I thought it was a fun way to explain the existence of witches.
I'm excited to read the other three books in the Fix-It Witches series. I didn't like Danica's cousin as much as other characters, but reading her story will hopefully help endear her to me a bit more. Only time will tell, I guess.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
2.0
I read ELEANOR & PARK because it's my IRL book club's pick for September. I knew nothing about the story or characters when I first started reading it. I've read three other Rainbow Rowell books so I was really excited to read this, and I'm sorely disappointed.
I really wish Rowell had written Park as a white person because she didn't represent his Korean heritage properly. I feel like making him half-Korean only served as a plot device to make him seem like a misfit, a huge problem in and of itself. I feel like the story suffered a great deal because of the bad Asian representation and uncomfortable descriptions of Park, Josh, and Mindy. You could definitely tell that their Korean heritage was from an outsider's perspective.
I especially hated that the audiobook made it sound like Mindy was Chinese and not Korean. Linguistically speaking, her accent would've been different AND she would've spoken English a lot better than she was portrayed to because she was immersed in English ALL. THE. TIME. She wasn't a recent immigrant nor was she surrounded by the Korean language on a day to day basis. Everything around her was English. Her broken English made her seem stupid and unable to learn English. It annoyed the hell out of me because it was wrong.
I also hated that Mindy didn't share her heritage with her sons. Park says more than once that he didn't know what it meant to be Asian. Even if Mindy was sad to leave her country in pursuit of love, I feel like she would've shared her culture with her sons. The family didn't even eat Korean food at their house. I could've totally gotten behind Park feeling different from the other kids in school and learning to be proud of his heritage, but none of that was explored.
I can see why there has been a lot of controversy surrounding ELEANOR & PARK and why a lot of POC readers felt uncomfortable reading it. Not only was their bad Asian representation, there was also bad Black representation. I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of the books that was a pre-cursor to the Own Voices movement. It definitely shows why the Own Voices movement is important, anyway.
The only reason I'm rating ELEANOR & PARK two stars is because I did actually like the underlying story. I thought it was a cute romance and I loved how much Eleanor and Park leaned on each other to survive their day to day hardships. Otherwise, I would've rated this only one star because of the problematic portrayal of POC characters.
I really wish Rowell had written Park as a white person because she didn't represent his Korean heritage properly. I feel like making him half-Korean only served as a plot device to make him seem like a misfit, a huge problem in and of itself. I feel like the story suffered a great deal because of the bad Asian representation and uncomfortable descriptions of Park, Josh, and Mindy. You could definitely tell that their Korean heritage was from an outsider's perspective.
I especially hated that the audiobook made it sound like Mindy was Chinese and not Korean. Linguistically speaking, her accent would've been different AND she would've spoken English a lot better than she was portrayed to because she was immersed in English ALL. THE. TIME. She wasn't a recent immigrant nor was she surrounded by the Korean language on a day to day basis. Everything around her was English. Her broken English made her seem stupid and unable to learn English. It annoyed the hell out of me because it was wrong.
I also hated that Mindy didn't share her heritage with her sons. Park says more than once that he didn't know what it meant to be Asian. Even if Mindy was sad to leave her country in pursuit of love, I feel like she would've shared her culture with her sons. The family didn't even eat Korean food at their house. I could've totally gotten behind Park feeling different from the other kids in school and learning to be proud of his heritage, but none of that was explored.
I can see why there has been a lot of controversy surrounding ELEANOR & PARK and why a lot of POC readers felt uncomfortable reading it. Not only was their bad Asian representation, there was also bad Black representation. I wouldn't be surprised if this was one of the books that was a pre-cursor to the Own Voices movement. It definitely shows why the Own Voices movement is important, anyway.
The only reason I'm rating ELEANOR & PARK two stars is because I did actually like the underlying story. I thought it was a cute romance and I loved how much Eleanor and Park leaned on each other to survive their day to day hardships. Otherwise, I would've rated this only one star because of the problematic portrayal of POC characters.
Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
4.0
I really love Greek Mythology even though I don't remember most of the details I learned about each myth back in high school. Most Greek myths aren't for the faint of heart being chock-full of tragedy (i.e., gruesome deaths, war, rape, incest), but I'm still drawn to the stories because I love a good fantasy.
I don't really think ARIADNE can be considered a retelling as it was just a written account of one version of the mythos surrounding her. In my opinion, retellings put new spins on old myths or fairy tales. Despite that this story isn't a retelling, I still really enjoyed reading it.
Before reading ARIADNE, I remembered that she had helped Theseus through the labyrinth so he could slay the minotaur and free Athens from Minos' oppressive rule, but that's it. I had no idea how much of a jackass Theseus was, lol. I also didn't remember anything about Ariadne's and Dionysus' love story. Nor did I remember how her story ended.
I really loved reading ARIADNE. The writing was interesting and kept me engaged. I wanted to know what was going to happen and I hoped the story would go a certain way. I also loved the inclusion of her sister Phaedra's life outside of Crete. I now look forward to reading Jennifer Saint's other books surrounding Greek mythology.
I don't really think ARIADNE can be considered a retelling as it was just a written account of one version of the mythos surrounding her. In my opinion, retellings put new spins on old myths or fairy tales. Despite that this story isn't a retelling, I still really enjoyed reading it.
Before reading ARIADNE, I remembered that she had helped Theseus through the labyrinth so he could slay the minotaur and free Athens from Minos' oppressive rule, but that's it. I had no idea how much of a jackass Theseus was, lol. I also didn't remember anything about Ariadne's and Dionysus' love story. Nor did I remember how her story ended.
I really loved reading ARIADNE. The writing was interesting and kept me engaged. I wanted to know what was going to happen and I hoped the story would go a certain way. I also loved the inclusion of her sister Phaedra's life outside of Crete. I now look forward to reading Jennifer Saint's other books surrounding Greek mythology.
The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
4.0
I was worried that if I continued reading the Bridgerton series, I'd be disappointed because I wouldn't love the characters as much as I loved Daphne and Simon. I needn't have worried because THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME is just as good as, and in some ways better than, THE DUKE AND I.
I loved the enemies-to-lovers romance between Anthony and Kate. The bantering and sexual tension was so much fun from their very first meeting. I loved that not only is THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME a fun swoon-worthy romance, it also is a story about overcoming one's fears, gaining confidence in oneself, and found family.
The edition I read had a second epilogue, which I really enjoyed. I loved the return to the pal mal (croquet) setting. I think it would've been great fun to be included in a game with the Bridgerton family.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series, AN OFFER FROM A GENTLEMAN, and hope I’ll love Benedict as much as I loved Daphne and Anthony. It’ll definitely be interesting as we haven’t spent as much time with Benedict as the other older three Bridgertons.
I loved the enemies-to-lovers romance between Anthony and Kate. The bantering and sexual tension was so much fun from their very first meeting. I loved that not only is THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME a fun swoon-worthy romance, it also is a story about overcoming one's fears, gaining confidence in oneself, and found family.
The edition I read had a second epilogue, which I really enjoyed. I loved the return to the pal mal (croquet) setting. I think it would've been great fun to be included in a game with the Bridgerton family.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series, AN OFFER FROM A GENTLEMAN, and hope I’ll love Benedict as much as I loved Daphne and Anthony. It’ll definitely be interesting as we haven’t spent as much time with Benedict as the other older three Bridgertons.
Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews
4.0
This is my first Mary Kay Andrews book and it won't be my last. I mostly chose to read this because other reviews said it was romantic suspense. If you go into it thinking there's a healthy dose of romance, you'll be disappointed. It's very light on the romance. The romance doesn't even show up until 70% or more into the story. Even though I was a bit disappointed due to the lack of romance, I still really enjoyed the story, characters, and setting, and the mystery aspect kept me guessing until the end.
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
I really loved the setting of Regency era England, abound with rules and etiquette. It was fun to see some of the characters trying to skirt those rules for a few seconds of privacy. I loved the themes of family, forgiveness, redemption, and love conquering all.
Despite that THE DUKE AND I is a historical romance and takes place during the time of one’s reputation being the most important thing, there are plenty of swoon-worthy moments. I really loved Daphne and her courage to help Simon, the Duke of Hastings, overcome his past trauma, showing him that love is more powerful and healing than anger and resentment. I loved the instant connection and attraction between Daphne and Simon. I especially loved the sexual tension between the two of them.
THE DUKE AND I is not only a historical romance, it’s also a thought-provoking story that deals with hard subjects like child abandonment, child abuse, betrayal, forgiveness, and healing from trauma. Though some of the scenes are hard to read, I thought the story was profound and heart-felt.
The edition I read had a second epilogue written after Quinn received many requests to know how the characters were doing. It’s set 21 years after the events in the main story. Even though I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the life Daphne and Simon had together, I thought it was a bit much due to its length.
I look forward to reading more books in the Bridgerton series and hope that I’ll like Daphne’s family as much as I liked her.
4.0
I decided to read THE DUKE AND I because the audiobook was available to borrow from my library and I really enjoyed watching the first season of BRIDGERTON on Netflix. I’m glad I decided to read the book because it was such a fun, steamy historical fiction.
I really loved the setting of Regency era England, abound with rules and etiquette. It was fun to see some of the characters trying to skirt those rules for a few seconds of privacy. I loved the themes of family, forgiveness, redemption, and love conquering all.
Despite that THE DUKE AND I is a historical romance and takes place during the time of one’s reputation being the most important thing, there are plenty of swoon-worthy moments. I really loved Daphne and her courage to help Simon, the Duke of Hastings, overcome his past trauma, showing him that love is more powerful and healing than anger and resentment. I loved the instant connection and attraction between Daphne and Simon. I especially loved the sexual tension between the two of them.
THE DUKE AND I is not only a historical romance, it’s also a thought-provoking story that deals with hard subjects like child abandonment, child abuse, betrayal, forgiveness, and healing from trauma. Though some of the scenes are hard to read, I thought the story was profound and heart-felt.
The edition I read had a second epilogue written after Quinn received many requests to know how the characters were doing. It’s set 21 years after the events in the main story. Even though I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the life Daphne and Simon had together, I thought it was a bit much due to its length.
I look forward to reading more books in the Bridgerton series and hope that I’ll like Daphne’s family as much as I liked her.
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
5.0
After reading FOURTH WING, I needed to read IRON FLAME. Now that I'm done with both and the next book in the series isn't out until January 2025, I'm wondering why I read these kinds of books before the whole series is out. Waiting is going to be torture.
I always worry a bit when it comes to sequels because so many of them suffer from second-book syndrome where the book is just a stepping stone to the finale with no real meat to it. Thankfully, IRON FLAME was just as good as FOURTH WING if not better. There was more adventure, intrigue, political mayhem, warfare, and lots more romance. It was everything I wanted in a romantasy and sequel.
This book was excruciating to read because of the non-stop suspense and action. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time wondering how it was all going to go down. I loved that Yarros foreshadowed the ending, making it not quite as shocking to me as it was to some, but still just as upsetting. Why, Yarros, why?!
I love the characters in this series, not only Violet and Xaden, but their squad as well. I loved the introduction of the new characters, especially the "Umbridge" of this world. Don't get me wrong or anything. I hated that new character something fierce, but I loved to hate them because it takes a good writer to make you feel that kind of emotion. I also loved Violet's dragons. Tairn reminds me of my Daxi-cat who was just as grumpy but still lovable. And, Andarna, oh Andarna. I love her SO much. I loved her "adolescent" attitude, her interactions with Violet and especially Tairn, and her fierce loyalty to Violet despite her youth.
I loved the world Rebecca Yarros has built and I loved it even more in IRON FLAME. I loved earning more about its lore and mythology. Honestly, if I could only read one type of story for the rest of my life, it would be this.
Anyway, just like its predecessor, IRON FLAME has earned a spot as one of my favorite books. I'm so glad my friend let me borrow her books. Now, I'll be on pins and needles waiting for ONYX STORM!
I always worry a bit when it comes to sequels because so many of them suffer from second-book syndrome where the book is just a stepping stone to the finale with no real meat to it. Thankfully, IRON FLAME was just as good as FOURTH WING if not better. There was more adventure, intrigue, political mayhem, warfare, and lots more romance. It was everything I wanted in a romantasy and sequel.
This book was excruciating to read because of the non-stop suspense and action. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time wondering how it was all going to go down. I loved that Yarros foreshadowed the ending, making it not quite as shocking to me as it was to some, but still just as upsetting. Why, Yarros, why?!
I love the characters in this series, not only Violet and Xaden, but their squad as well. I loved the introduction of the new characters, especially the "Umbridge" of this world. Don't get me wrong or anything. I hated that new character something fierce, but I loved to hate them because it takes a good writer to make you feel that kind of emotion. I also loved Violet's dragons. Tairn reminds me of my Daxi-cat who was just as grumpy but still lovable. And, Andarna, oh Andarna. I love her SO much. I loved her "adolescent" attitude, her interactions with Violet and especially Tairn, and her fierce loyalty to Violet despite her youth.
I loved the world Rebecca Yarros has built and I loved it even more in IRON FLAME. I loved earning more about its lore and mythology. Honestly, if I could only read one type of story for the rest of my life, it would be this.
Anyway, just like its predecessor, IRON FLAME has earned a spot as one of my favorite books. I'm so glad my friend let me borrow her books. Now, I'll be on pins and needles waiting for ONYX STORM!
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
I really loved the setting of Victorian era England, just at the beginning of the suffragette movement and the admission of women to Oxford. I thought it gave the romance and characters, especially Annabelle and Sebastian, some depth. Not only did I love the theme of women’s rights and equality in BRINGING DOWN THE DUKE, I also loved the themes of friendship, finding one’s own way, and duty to one’s country vs. being on the right side of history.
Despite that BRINGING DOWN THE DUKE is a historical romance and takes place during the time of one’s reputation being the most important thing, there are plenty of swoon-worthy moments. I really loved Annabelle and her willingness to speak her mind even though it was looked down on at that time. I loved the instant connection and attraction between her and Sebastian, the Duke of Montgomery. I especially loved the sexual tension between the two of them.
I look forward to reading more books written by Evie Dunmore, including the other three novels in this series. I’m not quite as fond of Lady Lucy, but I’m sure I’ll like her more once I read her story. And, I really loved Catriona and Hattie so I think it’ll be fun to read their happy-every-afters.
4.0
I decided to read BRINGING DOWN THE DUKE because the audiobook was available to borrow from my library. I’m so glad I decided to read it because it was such a fun, steamy historical fiction.
I really loved the setting of Victorian era England, just at the beginning of the suffragette movement and the admission of women to Oxford. I thought it gave the romance and characters, especially Annabelle and Sebastian, some depth. Not only did I love the theme of women’s rights and equality in BRINGING DOWN THE DUKE, I also loved the themes of friendship, finding one’s own way, and duty to one’s country vs. being on the right side of history.
Despite that BRINGING DOWN THE DUKE is a historical romance and takes place during the time of one’s reputation being the most important thing, there are plenty of swoon-worthy moments. I really loved Annabelle and her willingness to speak her mind even though it was looked down on at that time. I loved the instant connection and attraction between her and Sebastian, the Duke of Montgomery. I especially loved the sexual tension between the two of them.
I look forward to reading more books written by Evie Dunmore, including the other three novels in this series. I’m not quite as fond of Lady Lucy, but I’m sure I’ll like her more once I read her story. And, I really loved Catriona and Hattie so I think it’ll be fun to read their happy-every-afters.
When I'm Dead by Hannah Morrissey
WHEN I’M DEAD isn’t really a sequel to HELLO, TRANSCRIBER and THE WIDOWMAKER because it focuses on other characters. There are a few secondary characters that are in each book, but the main commonality between the three stories is the setting–Black Harbor, Wisconsin. I love the Easter eggs in THE WIDOWMAKER and WHEN I’M DEAD that unite the stories as a series.
I thought the story was captivating, emotional, and suspenseful. I love Morrissey’s prose. It’s so descriptive and beautiful. (Although, if I heard “shadow of a doubt” one more time, I might have screamed.) I really liked that the story’s told from multiple POVs. I loved the different look into what was going on and I thought each POV was unique and made the story better.
Just like its predecessors, WHEN I’M DEAD is a very dark thriller that kept me guessing until the end. It’s thought-provoking and deals with subjects like bullying, suicide, and parent / child relationships.
I really liked the characters in WHEN I’M DEAD. I especially liked Rowan and Axel’s because of their need to find their daughter, Chloe, and their self-doubt in wondering whether they were good parents and really knew their daughter. There was so much more emotion in this story than the previous two, which kept me reading and thinking about the story when I wasn’t.
I’m so glad I read all three books in the Black Harbor series even though I could have just read WHEN I’M DEAD without really missing anything. I look forward to any other books in the series as well.
4.0
WHEN I’M DEAD was my October 2023 pick for Book of the Month (BOTM) and I read it as part of the BOTM challenge I’m doing this year.
WHEN I’M DEAD isn’t really a sequel to HELLO, TRANSCRIBER and THE WIDOWMAKER because it focuses on other characters. There are a few secondary characters that are in each book, but the main commonality between the three stories is the setting–Black Harbor, Wisconsin. I love the Easter eggs in THE WIDOWMAKER and WHEN I’M DEAD that unite the stories as a series.
I thought the story was captivating, emotional, and suspenseful. I love Morrissey’s prose. It’s so descriptive and beautiful. (Although, if I heard “shadow of a doubt” one more time, I might have screamed.) I really liked that the story’s told from multiple POVs. I loved the different look into what was going on and I thought each POV was unique and made the story better.
Just like its predecessors, WHEN I’M DEAD is a very dark thriller that kept me guessing until the end. It’s thought-provoking and deals with subjects like bullying, suicide, and parent / child relationships.
I really liked the characters in WHEN I’M DEAD. I especially liked Rowan and Axel’s because of their need to find their daughter, Chloe, and their self-doubt in wondering whether they were good parents and really knew their daughter. There was so much more emotion in this story than the previous two, which kept me reading and thinking about the story when I wasn’t.
I’m so glad I read all three books in the Black Harbor series even though I could have just read WHEN I’M DEAD without really missing anything. I look forward to any other books in the series as well.
The No-Show by Beth O'Leary
5.0
Ever since I read Beth O'Leary's THE FLATSHARE back in 2021, I've wanted to read something else written by her. When I was searching for available audiobooks on Libby this last week, I saw THE NO-SHOW and decided to check it out.
I'm so glad I decided to read THE NO-SHOW. I absolutely adored it. Once I started reading, I didn't want to stop. I was hooked from the get-go because I wanted to know what was going on.
I knew there had to be more to the story than just these three women being stood up by the same man on Valentine's Day. While I read, I had to look past the obvious and hold to my wonderment of how Joseph was juggling the relationships. I'm glad I held judgment about him because I was well-rewarded.
There is plenty of swoon-worthy moments and sexual tension, but THE NO-SHOW is so much more than just a romance. It's a story about love, forgiveness, redemption, grief, second chances, and healing. I really loved how O'Leary wrote about mental health and healing from abusive relationships (professional and romantic). It felt real and it felt raw. I loved these characters and I wanted the best for them as I read about each of their lives.
I wish I could put into words all the reasons I loved THE NO-SHOW but I feel like I've already said too much and I don't want to spoil the fun for anyone else. Just know, the story's worth it. And, if you decide to read it, listen to the audiobook. Each woman and Joseph have their own narrator. I loved listening to all four voices. Anyway, it looks like O'Leary's on her way to becoming a new favorite author.
I'm so glad I decided to read THE NO-SHOW. I absolutely adored it. Once I started reading, I didn't want to stop. I was hooked from the get-go because I wanted to know what was going on.
I knew there had to be more to the story than just these three women being stood up by the same man on Valentine's Day. While I read, I had to look past the obvious and hold to my wonderment of how Joseph was juggling the relationships. I'm glad I held judgment about him because I was well-rewarded.
There is plenty of swoon-worthy moments and sexual tension, but THE NO-SHOW is so much more than just a romance. It's a story about love, forgiveness, redemption, grief, second chances, and healing. I really loved how O'Leary wrote about mental health and healing from abusive relationships (professional and romantic). It felt real and it felt raw. I loved these characters and I wanted the best for them as I read about each of their lives.
I wish I could put into words all the reasons I loved THE NO-SHOW but I feel like I've already said too much and I don't want to spoil the fun for anyone else. Just know, the story's worth it. And, if you decide to read it, listen to the audiobook. Each woman and Joseph have their own narrator. I loved listening to all four voices. Anyway, it looks like O'Leary's on her way to becoming a new favorite author.