Scan barcode
justkarlah's reviews
97 reviews
Stealing the Bogeyman's Bride by Georgie Monroe
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read this book because I loved the first one in the Faetales series, and was hoping to love this one just as much.
This one has a larger plot and more characters than the first, which feels a little overwhelming at first. It's very different than the first book, but still interesting and entertaining. Since it's a short novella, it kinda just threw us straight into the conflict and hardly left any time to get to know/grow attached to the characters, so it definitely helps if you've read the first one, but it's not entirely necessary.
Auralia and Donovan are both strong and stubborn characters, which makes their interactions fun to read about. The secrets Auralia is hiding from everyone are truly shocking and drive the plot forward. She's definitely taking on a lot all on her own! I'm glad she at least has Donovan and her friends to help her through it.
The ending left us with somewhat of a cliffhanger, so hopefully we get the 3rd book in the series soon!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This one has a larger plot and more characters than the first, which feels a little overwhelming at first. It's very different than the first book, but still interesting and entertaining. Since it's a short novella, it kinda just threw us straight into the conflict and hardly left any time to get to know/grow attached to the characters, so it definitely helps if you've read the first one, but it's not entirely necessary.
Auralia and Donovan are both strong and stubborn characters, which makes their interactions fun to read about. The secrets Auralia is hiding from everyone are truly shocking and drive the plot forward. She's definitely taking on a lot all on her own! I'm glad she at least has Donovan and her friends to help her through it.
The ending left us with somewhat of a cliffhanger, so hopefully we get the 3rd book in the series soon!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Blood, Death, Murder, Sexual content, Confinement, Gore, Violence, and War
Legendary by Stephanie Garber
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I tried to love it, but I only ended up kinda liking this one. It took me a while to get through the whole book, mostly because I wasn't a big fan of Tella at the beginning. She kinda grew on me a bit as the story went on, but not much. I admire the determination she had in finding and saving her mother, especially since she's so young, and the fierceness with which she protects her loved ones.
Even though I wasn't a big fan of how his storyline was forced into Tella's, it was nice to finally get introduced to the cold-hearted Jacks.
The fact that Legend is supposed to be super old and Tella is 16-about-to-turn-17? And that's supposed to be the love interest in the story? Not only that, Jacks is insanely old, too, yet Tella's kissing guys older than her parents. It's a little weird for me, but it seems pretty common in most YA books so it doesn't distract too much from the story.
It was hard to relate or feel bad for any of the characters in this book. Even Scarlett, who I actually liked in the first book.
I will say though, I love the storyline and the magic that exists in this world, even if it is sometimes confusing how it all works.
Legendary was interesting enough to make me want to finish the series, so I'll be reading Finale to see how the story ends (even though I kinda know already because of OUABH, whoops).
Even though I wasn't a big fan of how his storyline was forced into Tella's, it was nice to finally get introduced to the cold-hearted Jacks.
It was hard to relate or feel bad for any of the characters in this book. Even Scarlett, who I actually liked in the first book.
I will say though, I love the storyline and the magic that exists in this world, even if it is sometimes confusing how it all works.
Legendary was interesting enough to make me want to finish the series, so I'll be reading Finale to see how the story ends (even though I kinda know already because of OUABH, whoops).
Best Enemies Forever by Olivia Hayle
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.25
Olivia Hayle writes some of the most swoon-worthy MCs I've ever read.
You can tell right away that Gabriel and Connie have a connection, an attraction that's masked by competitiveness and bickering. They have history, which is one of my favorite things about these two. When you start reading the book, they've known each other for years, and have been rivals their entire lives.
As always, this author really knows how to write good banter! It feels natural and flows easily. It's one of my favorite things about her writing.
"I didn't like when he riled me up, but I found that I hated it even more when he ignored me." Like? My heart.
The Thompson family home chapters reminded me a lot of The Proposal! Even if the characters were completely different, the images from the movie kept popping up in my head.
This was a fun read, with lovable characters and a rivals to lovers trope. Definitely recommend it and all of Olivia Hayle's books!
Thank you to Olivia Hayle for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
You can tell right away that Gabriel and Connie have a connection, an attraction that's masked by competitiveness and bickering. They have history, which is one of my favorite things about these two. When you start reading the book, they've known each other for years, and have been rivals their entire lives.
As always, this author really knows how to write good banter! It feels natural and flows easily. It's one of my favorite things about her writing.
"I didn't like when he riled me up, but I found that I hated it even more when he ignored me." Like? My heart.
This was a fun read, with lovable characters and a rivals to lovers trope. Definitely recommend it and all of Olivia Hayle's books!
Thank you to Olivia Hayle for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
An Irresistible Harvest by Rebecca Goldie
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I feel like the book description is missing something, because it advertises a warm, cozy book about love (and it does have some of that!) but it had me feeling anxious and stressed out for a major part of it.
Hannah as a character is a people pleaser, who easily lets people walk all over her because she's too scared to stand up for herself or make a scene. I can relate to her having trouble voicing her opinions and voicing what she wants in life, but it got to be so stressful reading about her life and the constantly wrong choices she kept making! Like she didn't learn over and over again that she's her own person until the very end. It was so hard to keep wanting to root for her, but I'm glad she got her happy ending, at least.
Ethan was sweet and sounded like a very caring man at the beginning of the book. I liked his character for the most part, especially since he was so patient and understanding with Hannah.
The town sounded like a wonderful place to live, if a tad bit lonely, and the supporting characters were very important to the main characters. This was probably my favorite part of the book.
I thought I was going to be reading about a cute farmer falling in love with a city girl, but instead I went on a rollercoaster of emotions and a manipulative ex that made the ride a lot less enjoyable, unfortunately.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Hannah as a character is a people pleaser, who easily lets people walk all over her because she's too scared to stand up for herself or make a scene. I can relate to her having trouble voicing her opinions and voicing what she wants in life, but it got to be so stressful reading about her life and the constantly wrong choices she kept making! Like she didn't learn over and over again that she's her own person until the very end. It was so hard to keep wanting to root for her, but I'm glad she got her happy ending, at least.
Ethan was sweet and sounded like a very caring man at the beginning of the book. I liked his character for the most part, especially since he was so patient and understanding with Hannah.
The town sounded like a wonderful place to live, if a tad bit lonely, and the supporting characters were very important to the main characters. This was probably my favorite part of the book.
I thought I was going to be reading about a cute farmer falling in love with a city girl, but instead I went on a rollercoaster of emotions and a manipulative ex that made the ride a lot less enjoyable, unfortunately.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Sexism and Misogyny
The Right Move by Liz Tomforde
emotional
funny
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'll admit, I started reading this book right after I finished Mile High, so I came into it with really high expectations. I think that's one of the reasons why I expected so much more. I really wanted to love it, but it just didn't quite get there for me.
From the beginning, there was a ton of attraction for each other, something they both made a point of mentioning every other paragraph. It took about 30% into the book for them to start getting to know each other (and bonding over trauma). Somehow the romance made it's way in there, although it never felt completely natural.
I loved Indy and Ryan in Mile High, and getting to know more about them in this book was fun, but that was as far as my love for these two goes. The lead-up to their romance and "I love you."'s was awkward and felt forced, and it didn't help that there were so many spelling errors/random extra words that took me out of the story. You could tell there were sentences where they changed the wording but didn't take out the extra words that didn't belong (and usually it's okay when it's just a couple here and there, but there were SO MANY in certain chapters).
Ryan did have a lot of sweet moments, and this quote was definitely one of my favorites: "At some point, I should probably tell her that my love language is whichever one she wants it to be so she can stop guessing. I'll make sure that girl feels loved however she needs."
This book could have been a lot shorter. It felt like it dragged on at some points. If the characters had actually spoken their thoughts out loud, it would have cut the book length in half. How is it possible to miscommunicate so much and so often?
I pushed through to the end because I had hope, when I honestly should have stopped reading it early on. It just wasn't the book for me. I'm sure other people would love this book, especially those that love insta-lust, miscommunication tropes, and sports romances.
From the beginning, there was a ton of attraction for each other, something they both made a point of mentioning every other paragraph. It took about 30% into the book for them to start getting to know each other (and bonding over trauma). Somehow the romance made it's way in there, although it never felt completely natural.
I loved Indy and Ryan in Mile High, and getting to know more about them in this book was fun, but that was as far as my love for these two goes. The lead-up to their romance and "I love you."'s was awkward and felt forced, and it didn't help that there were so many spelling errors/random extra words that took me out of the story. You could tell there were sentences where they changed the wording but didn't take out the extra words that didn't belong (and usually it's okay when it's just a couple here and there, but there were SO MANY in certain chapters).
Ryan did have a lot of sweet moments, and this quote was definitely one of my favorites: "At some point, I should probably tell her that my love language is whichever one she wants it to be so she can stop guessing. I'll make sure that girl feels loved however she needs."
This book could have been a lot shorter. It felt like it dragged on at some points. If the characters had actually spoken their thoughts out loud, it would have cut the book length in half. How is it possible to miscommunicate so much and so often?
I pushed through to the end because I had hope, when I honestly should have stopped reading it early on. It just wasn't the book for me. I'm sure other people would love this book, especially those that love insta-lust, miscommunication tropes, and sports romances.
Forget Me Not by Julie Soto
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
◽️Dual 1st person POV◽️
It goes back and forth between events that happened 2-3 years ago and current events. We get Elliot's POV from the past and Ama's POV in the present.
There's a ton of tension between them at the beginning, which indicates that something happened in their past that made them stop talking, but it isn't until almost the end of the book that you find out why. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get much interaction between the two MCs in the present, or even Elliot's POV from that time frame. We're just kind of supposed to know that they both still care for each other even though they rarely speak or even look at one another.
The peanut butter donut scene was my favorite, made me laugh so hard I was cry laughing for a couple minutes. Elliot's POV made that scene even more hilarious than it probably was intended to be.
I think I related most to Elliot. I get where Ama is coming from for the most part, especially when she was doing her best to get her dream career going, but it bothered me that she didn't really grow or understand what she did wronguntil she overheard Elliot talking to the bride. It just felt like she didn't really grow as a person? She laid out what she wanted and didn't take into account any of Elliot's needs, and when he made the mistake of asking her to marry him, she flipped out on him and broke his heart? Doesn't even try to see it from his point of view? It felt like Elliot was walking on eggshells the entire time they were together, always wondering if she felt the same way he did.
I'm glad they get a HEA, but it could have gotten to that point in so many other ways that would have been more satisfying. I still recommend it to anyone that loves second-chance romance, grumpy MCs, and weddings!
It goes back and forth between events that happened 2-3 years ago and current events. We get Elliot's POV from the past and Ama's POV in the present.
There's a ton of tension between them at the beginning, which indicates that something happened in their past that made them stop talking, but it isn't until almost the end of the book that you find out why. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get much interaction between the two MCs in the present, or even Elliot's POV from that time frame. We're just kind of supposed to know that they both still care for each other even though they rarely speak or even look at one another.
The peanut butter donut scene was my favorite, made me laugh so hard I was cry laughing for a couple minutes. Elliot's POV made that scene even more hilarious than it probably was intended to be.
I think I related most to Elliot. I get where Ama is coming from for the most part, especially when she was doing her best to get her dream career going, but it bothered me that she didn't really grow or understand what she did wrong
I'm glad they get a HEA, but it could have gotten to that point in so many other ways that would have been more satisfying. I still recommend it to anyone that loves second-chance romance, grumpy MCs, and weddings!
Hungry is the Night by Robin Jeffrey
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
◽️Dual 1st person POV◽️
This book started out great. It captured your attention and left you wanting to learn more about the main characters and the werewolf characteristics/transformation. The transformation process was very detailed, as was the time they were transformed, which was cool to read about.
You can definitely feel the tension between Grace and Marcus, and the history they have between them. It sparks interest in getting to read about them and what happened between them in the past.
I did have some issues with the action scenes in this book. The way they were described didn't fully create a picture in my head like books usually do. It felt awkward and felt like it just didn't draw you into the action. This alone didn't take too much away from the book though.
Grace started off as a strong, independent FMC, who's just trying to be normal in her own way. It was interesting to read about her for most of the book, until I got to about 60% of the way through. By that point, it felt like I had to force myself to keep reading in order to get to the end/resolution. Grace is supposed to be hundreds of years old, yet she's so reckless at certain parts that it feels like a miracle she's lived this long. I understand they're werewolves and sometimes their instincts take over, but if you've lived for as long as she has, wouldn't you have developed some common sense?
The conflict was resolved so quickly and summarized in like, one chapter, which felt a little disappointing. It felt like it was just thrown together to finish the story quickly.
This book contains some spicy scenes.
If you like books about werewolves in a modern-day world, second-chance romance, and mystery, this might be the book for you!
As always, please be sure to check the TWs before reading!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book started out great. It captured your attention and left you wanting to learn more about the main characters and the werewolf characteristics/transformation. The transformation process was very detailed, as was the time they were transformed, which was cool to read about.
You can definitely feel the tension between Grace and Marcus, and the history they have between them. It sparks interest in getting to read about them and what happened between them in the past.
I did have some issues with the action scenes in this book. The way they were described didn't fully create a picture in my head like books usually do. It felt awkward and felt like it just didn't draw you into the action. This alone didn't take too much away from the book though.
Grace started off as a strong, independent FMC, who's just trying to be normal in her own way. It was interesting to read about her for most of the book, until I got to about 60% of the way through. By that point, it felt like I had to force myself to keep reading in order to get to the end/resolution. Grace is supposed to be hundreds of years old, yet she's so reckless at certain parts that it feels like a miracle she's lived this long. I understand they're werewolves and sometimes their instincts take over, but if you've lived for as long as she has, wouldn't you have developed some common sense?
The conflict was resolved so quickly and summarized in like, one chapter, which felt a little disappointing. It felt like it was just thrown together to finish the story quickly.
This book contains some spicy scenes.
If you like books about werewolves in a modern-day world, second-chance romance, and mystery, this might be the book for you!
As always, please be sure to check the TWs before reading!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Murder, Animal cruelty, Sexual content, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Torture
Infala: The Alien's Bond by Kira Quinn
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
◽️3rd person POV◽️
Darla finds herself abducted by aliens on a random night, locked up in a spaceship along with other prisoners. When the ship is attacked and destroyed, she's forced to travel with a fellow alien prisoner who she finds herself inexplicably attracted to.
Throughout their adventure, she turns into a strong-willed woman, able to adapt pretty quickly to the ways of the native aliens. Her alien companion helps her navigate this new planet with patience and kindness she didn't expect, which was pretty cute.
The pace of the book sometimes made it hard to stay connected to the story. There were times where a whole day would pass from one chapter to the next with no warning, instead of having a break in the chapter (or even starting a new chapter). The action also felt like it lacked a bit of depth, although it didn't take away too much from the story.
It was an overall enjoyable read, similar to other alien romances. If you like reading romance books with strong FMCs, hot alien men, and fated mates (with a twist), then this book would be perfect for you!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Darla finds herself abducted by aliens on a random night, locked up in a spaceship along with other prisoners. When the ship is attacked and destroyed, she's forced to travel with a fellow alien prisoner who she finds herself inexplicably attracted to.
Throughout their adventure, she turns into a strong-willed woman, able to adapt pretty quickly to the ways of the native aliens. Her alien companion helps her navigate this new planet with patience and kindness she didn't expect, which was pretty cute.
The pace of the book sometimes made it hard to stay connected to the story. There were times where a whole day would pass from one chapter to the next with no warning, instead of having a break in the chapter (or even starting a new chapter). The action also felt like it lacked a bit of depth, although it didn't take away too much from the story.
It was an overall enjoyable read, similar to other alien romances. If you like reading romance books with strong FMCs, hot alien men, and fated mates (with a twist), then this book would be perfect for you!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Confinement, Sexual content, Violence, and Trafficking
How to Ruin a Wedding by Sophie Andrews
emotional
funny
sad
tense
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
4.75
◽️1st person POV◽️
Tilly has been in love with her best friend for years, and has always thought that he would eventually figure out he loved her too. Unfortunately, he ends up falling in love with another woman and getting engaged. Tilly's heartbroken, but determined to break up the wedding. This is when she drags in Zack, the fiancée's ex-boyfriend, who goes along with her plan (even though he doesn't seem to think it will work).
I'm a sucker for childhood best friend romances; there's just something special about that bond between two people who grew up around and with each other. Reading about an unrequited, one-sided love makes it even better. Tilly felt very human, flawed with jealousy and the need to take back what she thought of as hers, even when she knew it wasn't right.
I wish the friendship aspect had been explored more. It felt like something was missing, and it would have been more interesting to read about Tyler and Tilly's friendship if they'd been written about more.Glad they had a somewhat happy ending though, even if their friendship had to change.
I loved the characters, their flaws, and the choices they ultimately made in the end. It felt like they all grew and chose to change themselves for the better. I laughed at some parts, squealed and kicked my feet at others, and felt my heart break more than once throughout this book.
I would definitely recommend this book if you like reading about childhood best friends, bearded men, and learning what it really means to fall in love.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Tilly has been in love with her best friend for years, and has always thought that he would eventually figure out he loved her too. Unfortunately, he ends up falling in love with another woman and getting engaged. Tilly's heartbroken, but determined to break up the wedding. This is when she drags in Zack, the fiancée's ex-boyfriend, who goes along with her plan (even though he doesn't seem to think it will work).
I'm a sucker for childhood best friend romances; there's just something special about that bond between two people who grew up around and with each other. Reading about an unrequited, one-sided love makes it even better. Tilly felt very human, flawed with jealousy and the need to take back what she thought of as hers, even when she knew it wasn't right.
I wish the friendship aspect had been explored more. It felt like something was missing, and it would have been more interesting to read about Tyler and Tilly's friendship if they'd been written about more.
I loved the characters, their flaws, and the choices they ultimately made in the end. It felt like they all grew and chose to change themselves for the better. I laughed at some parts, squealed and kicked my feet at others, and felt my heart break more than once throughout this book.
I would definitely recommend this book if you like reading about childhood best friends, bearded men, and learning what it really means to fall in love.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Vomit
Heart Wrenched by Kate Crew
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
◽️Dual 1st person POV◽️
This is an insta-love story, where both MCs fall instantly for each other (honestly it felt more like insta-lust than love). They don't know/talk to each other for years but can't seem to get the other one out of their thoughts.
They both go back and forth with their bickering, wanting each other but not communicating or showing how they really feel. It does get overplayed really quickly. There were times where I got so annoyed at Quinn for saying one thing and then doing another. She's very hypocritical for most of the book, mostly because she can't bring herself to trust easily.
They're also young, so it kind of explains why there's so much angst between them.
Ransom is very vocal about what he wants pretty early on, and very, VERY possessive. It was kinda sweet at first, but it turned into something you'd consider a red flag in real life. He does redeem himself toward the end of the book, though.
There's spice sprinkled throughout, mostly mild. No mention of protection or birth control whatsoever.
The rest of the characters that are part of Ransom's crew were all interesting to read about, and I'm glad there will be more books that focus on them. They definitely did their part as supporting characters in Quinn and Ransom's story (Fox and Scout in particular, hope they get their own love stories each, they definitely deserve them!)
The story was interesting enough to keep reading, although it felt a little clunky at times. Some of the dialogue felt forced, and it made the moments awkward and unnatural. It doesn't happen often thankfully.
I typically don't like reading books that rely heavily on miscommunication to keep the story going, but I found myself wanting to read this one to the end. Ransom's POV was fun to read, and made his love story more sweet.
Loved the idea of a mechanic shop owner/racer love story. This book was full of angst, fighting, and friendship.
Please check TWs before reading!
This is an insta-love story, where both MCs fall instantly for each other (honestly it felt more like insta-lust than love). They don't know/talk to each other for years but can't seem to get the other one out of their thoughts.
They both go back and forth with their bickering, wanting each other but not communicating or showing how they really feel. It does get overplayed really quickly. There were times where I got so annoyed at Quinn for saying one thing and then doing another. She's very hypocritical for most of the book, mostly because she can't bring herself to trust easily.
They're also young, so it kind of explains why there's so much angst between them.
Ransom is very vocal about what he wants pretty early on, and very, VERY possessive. It was kinda sweet at first, but it turned into something you'd consider a red flag in real life. He does redeem himself toward the end of the book, though.
There's spice sprinkled throughout, mostly mild. No mention of protection or birth control whatsoever.
The rest of the characters that are part of Ransom's crew were all interesting to read about, and I'm glad there will be more books that focus on them. They definitely did their part as supporting characters in Quinn and Ransom's story (Fox and Scout in particular, hope they get their own love stories each, they definitely deserve them!)
The story was interesting enough to keep reading, although it felt a little clunky at times. Some of the dialogue felt forced, and it made the moments awkward and unnatural. It doesn't happen often thankfully.
I typically don't like reading books that rely heavily on miscommunication to keep the story going, but I found myself wanting to read this one to the end. Ransom's POV was fun to read, and made his love story more sweet.
Loved the idea of a mechanic shop owner/racer love story. This book was full of angst, fighting, and friendship.
Please check TWs before reading!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Cursing, Sexual content, Violence, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Sexual harassment