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kathleenfairchild's reviews
260 reviews
Peaches & Honey: These Immortal Truths by R. Raeta
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was lovely. I liked Anna. It’s nice to read about someone kind with a quiet sort of strength. We follow her trying to get over the things she’s had to endure as a mortal, then trying to get used to life as an immortal and facing all the struggles that entails but also how all the historical events affect her as a person as well as a woman and a healer and midwife. We truly see her grow over the centuries, learning to not just survive but to live. The story very much focuses on this. If character-driven, slow-paced stories with not much action are your thing, this is the story for you.
The story is mainly told from Anna’s POV, hopping from one important/defining moment in her life towards the next. Each chapter starts with a little paragraph in Khiran’s POV that foreshadows what we can expect to happen within the chapter and how it makes him feel. It gives some (necessary, in my opinion) direction to the story and insight into what’s going on inside Khiran’s head.
The romance is more of a subplot. As the focus is so much on Anna, we don’t get to know Khiran as well as her. I liked his comforting presence as her sort-of guardian angel, always appearing when she needs him most. He also has a mysteriousness and tortured-hero-who’s-not-quite-allowed-to-be-a-hero kind of vibes about him that I found appealing. We get just enough of him to care about him. I still prefer to get to know both parties of a romantic couple equally well though.
Towards the end we get some interesting information about the immortals that teases what is going to come in the sequel. I do think this book works very well as a standalone because both Anna’s character arc and the romance come to a satisfying conclusions, at least for me. I hope we get to explore some other parts of the world in the next book, like the east and more of the south. Those came a bit short in this one.
The story is mainly told from Anna’s POV, hopping from one important/defining moment in her life towards the next. Each chapter starts with a little paragraph in Khiran’s POV that foreshadows what we can expect to happen within the chapter and how it makes him feel. It gives some (necessary, in my opinion) direction to the story and insight into what’s going on inside Khiran’s head.
The romance is more of a subplot. As the focus is so much on Anna, we don’t get to know Khiran as well as her. I liked his comforting presence as her sort-of guardian angel, always appearing when she needs him most. He also has a mysteriousness and tortured-hero-who’s-not-quite-allowed-to-be-a-hero kind of vibes about him that I found appealing. We get just enough of him to care about him. I still prefer to get to know both parties of a romantic couple equally well though.
Towards the end we get some interesting information about the immortals that teases what is going to come in the sequel. I do think this book works very well as a standalone because both Anna’s character arc and the romance come to a satisfying conclusions, at least for me. I hope we get to explore some other parts of the world in the next book, like the east and more of the south. Those came a bit short in this one.
Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I liked how this story came together in the end, tying up the loose ends nicely. Some of it I guessed right, other things surprised me. This story deals with art and the question of what you're willing to sacrifice for your dreams, but also with memory and all that entails. There's also a creepy forest and its inhabitants and an overall nice blend of our world and the fantastical. The relationship between Emeline and her grandfather was really touching. It is revealed early on that he has dementia and we get a feeling how this affects everyone involved. So heart-breakingly and beautifully done. I also liked the romantic element, but can't delve too much into that because it would spoil quite a bit of the story.
The story felt a bit rushed at times. I wished we could have delved deeper into everything but that might just be a me problem. It's still a solid standalone that I would recommend to a friend. I would say this is leaning more towards an older YA audience.
Something that I think might be worth mentioning is that there is an aspect of discovering being the result of an abusive and non-consensual relationship.
The story felt a bit rushed at times. I wished we could have delved deeper into everything but that might just be a me problem. It's still a solid standalone that I would recommend to a friend. I would say this is leaning more towards an older YA audience.
Something that I think might be worth mentioning is that there is an aspect of discovering being the result of an abusive and non-consensual relationship.
Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Wow, what a ride. An enjoyable one, pretty dark, twisted, creepy and heart-wrenching. This is definitely not for the faint of heart. I think this would be a great October/Halloween read. There's a creepy forest, eldritch horror, mind games, blood and gore, but also a deep friendship being tested by impossible circumstances, being twisted by them in some ways but also staying strong at its core.
We also get a romantic plotline full of pain and yearning. I wouldn't describe this book as a romance at all, nor would I recommend it to someone who wants to read a romance because there are certain expectations tied to it that aren't met here. I'm pointing this out because I think the summary can be misleading to people on that front.
This book is kinda mysterious but also not because you'll possibly figure out what's going on and where it might lead fairly eraly on. It's more about the atmosphere, the vibes and the feelings they evoke in the reader. The story takes place within our world but there are paranormal elements and magic. I don't think I 100% understood the magic but it didn't take away much from my enjoyment of the story.
There are two third person POVs, Wyatt's and Peter's, with the former being more prominent. Towards the end there's also a chapter written in another character's POV. On the one hand, had there been only Wyatt's POV, maybe the story would have been a bit more mysterious and I would have had more of the 'What is real?' kind of feeling because Peter's POV does reveal some things before Wyatt knows them. On the other hand, I appreciate how this gives voice to someone who never really got the opportunity to express what they want. We also get the opportunity to get more attached to him which makes the impact of the unfolding events bigger. I also liked the glimpse into the other character's head.
The ending mirrors the beginning of the story nicely, coming full circle, but is pretty abrupt as well.
Ultimately, this is a story about the desire to find a home, the burdens that can come with the legacy parents leave their children with, and the consequences of grasping for things that aren't meant to be taken, especially not at the expense of another person's well-being. It'll probably not be for everyone. There are barely any light moments. But if you're looking for something dark and creepy that'll likely make you cry, this might be for you.
We also get a romantic plotline full of pain and yearning. I wouldn't describe this book as a romance at all, nor would I recommend it to someone who wants to read a romance because there are certain expectations tied to it that aren't met here. I'm pointing this out because I think the summary can be misleading to people on that front.
This book is kinda mysterious but also not because you'll possibly figure out what's going on and where it might lead fairly eraly on. It's more about the atmosphere, the vibes and the feelings they evoke in the reader. The story takes place within our world but there are paranormal elements and magic. I don't think I 100% understood the magic but it didn't take away much from my enjoyment of the story.
There are two third person POVs, Wyatt's and Peter's, with the former being more prominent. Towards the end there's also a chapter written in another character's POV. On the one hand, had there been only Wyatt's POV, maybe the story would have been a bit more mysterious and I would have had more of the 'What is real?' kind of feeling because Peter's POV does reveal some things before Wyatt knows them. On the other hand, I appreciate how this gives voice to someone who never really got the opportunity to express what they want. We also get the opportunity to get more attached to him which makes the impact of the unfolding events bigger. I also liked the glimpse into the other character's head.
The ending mirrors the beginning of the story nicely, coming full circle, but is pretty abrupt as well.
Ultimately, this is a story about the desire to find a home, the burdens that can come with the legacy parents leave their children with, and the consequences of grasping for things that aren't meant to be taken, especially not at the expense of another person's well-being. It'll probably not be for everyone. There are barely any light moments. But if you're looking for something dark and creepy that'll likely make you cry, this might be for you.