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katiemack's reviews
1229 reviews
Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa
medium-paced
3.75
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I wish there had been more of a focus on Darcy and Oliver’s relationship (feels pretty insta-lovey; I wanted to see more of a connection between them), but this is SO cute overall! I love how supportive Oliver’s friends and family are and how many allies he has. The parallels between this and the original P&P are fun too.
I wish there had been more of a focus on Darcy and Oliver’s relationship (feels pretty insta-lovey; I wanted to see more of a connection between them), but this is SO cute overall! I love how supportive Oliver’s friends and family are and how many allies he has. The parallels between this and the original P&P are fun too.
Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
What a delight! I had a blast with this Princess Bride-inspired fantasy-adventure story; Tress is my new favorite character in the Sandersonverse. I'd encountered Hoid (very) briefly in The Final Empire, but using his cursed self as a narrative device made me want to learn more about him. Also, I highly recommend the audiobook; Michael Kramer's performance validates his many awards and four decades of audiobook narration experience.
The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
adventurous
medium-paced
4.75
I’ve officially bought into the Brandon Sanderson hype—this feels accessible without being flippant and still manages to be a strong, descriptive, gripping novel.
Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is really cute! It speaks to interests that mean a lot to both Teen Me and Adult Me--the transformative and inspirational power of RPGs and community/school theater--and the fake-dating-turn-real-dating (not a spoiler, really, as the outcome is obvious) between Riley and Nathan is both fun and sweet as their relationship develops. I actually wanted more details about the side characters, as I found them charming and unique.
This is really cute! It speaks to interests that mean a lot to both Teen Me and Adult Me--the transformative and inspirational power of RPGs and community/school theater--and the fake-dating-turn-real-dating (not a spoiler, really, as the outcome is obvious) between Riley and Nathan is both fun and sweet as their relationship develops. I actually wanted more details about the side characters, as I found them charming and unique.
Rental Person Who Does Nothing by Shoji Morimoto
3.5
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is a quick and quirky read with a surprising amount of sweetness (despite Shoji Morimoto's insistence that he is not a "good person"). I enjoyed Morimoto's musings--though it felt very much like a book about nothing a la Seinfeld--and found myself reflecting on the often transactional nature of relationships.
This is a quick and quirky read with a surprising amount of sweetness (despite Shoji Morimoto's insistence that he is not a "good person"). I enjoyed Morimoto's musings--though it felt very much like a book about nothing a la Seinfeld--and found myself reflecting on the often transactional nature of relationships.
Where The Body Was by Ed Brubaker
dark
lighthearted
reflective
4.0
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is my favorite Brubaker-Phillips work so far; the narrative is coherent yet innovatively engaging with its flashbacks and multi-character POV. The art feels classic and lends itself to the mystery of the story (namely, who killed the detective and moved his body?), and I appreciate that it's a sort of crime novel that accidentally turns into a romance.
This is my favorite Brubaker-Phillips work so far; the narrative is coherent yet innovatively engaging with its flashbacks and multi-character POV. The art feels classic and lends itself to the mystery of the story (namely, who killed the detective and moved his body?), and I appreciate that it's a sort of crime novel that accidentally turns into a romance.
The Gentleman's Gambit by Evie Dunmore
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This final book in the League of Extraordinary Women series is my second-favorite (after Bringing Down the Duke), probably because I identified strongly with Catriona and her witty banter with Elias in a relationship based on both trust and shared interest and intelligence. Because this is the last book, it features vignettes of the other women in the League; I was glad to see that the 1918 epilogue provides a solid sense of closure for these friends (though I can't say the same about Catriona and Elias' relationship--I was profoundly disappointed to not get more details about them in the intervening years).
This final book in the League of Extraordinary Women series is my second-favorite (after Bringing Down the Duke), probably because I identified strongly with Catriona and her witty banter with Elias in a relationship based on both trust and shared interest and intelligence. Because this is the last book, it features vignettes of the other women in the League; I was glad to see that the 1918 epilogue provides a solid sense of closure for these friends (though I can't say the same about Catriona and Elias' relationship--I was profoundly disappointed to not get more details about them in the intervening years).
Biography of X by Catherine Lacey
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
I’m giving this an extra star because Cassandra Campbell is a magnificent reader—the scope of this novel is incredibly large, and she really disappears into the characters.
The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
3.75
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The backstory is clunky, but middle-grade readers will enjoy Olive's fast-paced, madcap adventures with RASCH and the Misfits (including the message about finding your group of people with whom to go through life). I look forward to getting my hands on a published copy so I can look at the finished art (was still in draft mode when I got this eARC).
The backstory is clunky, but middle-grade readers will enjoy Olive's fast-paced, madcap adventures with RASCH and the Misfits (including the message about finding your group of people with whom to go through life). I look forward to getting my hands on a published copy so I can look at the finished art (was still in draft mode when I got this eARC).