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kristens_bookshelf's reviews
144 reviews
The Goddess Of by Randi Garner
5.0
My first 5 star read of the year!
This was such an eerily beautiful gothic fever dream of a story! Plenty of gothic horror vibes and a sweeping story telling that kept everything flowing and engaging. I couldn't put the book down. I read 400pgs in one sitting ignoring the world around me. I received the ARC for book 2 so jumping into that now!
Naia, the daughter of the High Sea Goddess, is an embarrassment. She holds no title and no power but is the key to a curse placed centuries ago on her mother: Naia must form a union with a god from an opposing family.
When the day arrives for her arranged marriage, she turns to the High God of Death and Curses for help.
He assists Naia under one condition—she must accept a curse, blindly.
This was such an eerily beautiful gothic fever dream of a story! Plenty of gothic horror vibes and a sweeping story telling that kept everything flowing and engaging. I couldn't put the book down. I read 400pgs in one sitting ignoring the world around me. I received the ARC for book 2 so jumping into that now!
Naia, the daughter of the High Sea Goddess, is an embarrassment. She holds no title and no power but is the key to a curse placed centuries ago on her mother: Naia must form a union with a god from an opposing family.
When the day arrives for her arranged marriage, she turns to the High God of Death and Curses for help.
He assists Naia under one condition—she must accept a curse, blindly.
Even in Death by Randi Garner
4.0
Randi Garner just became an auto buy author for me! I am not a very emotional person and books very very rarely make me cry, but she got me good with both books in this series.
There is a deep exploration of grief, the unbidden quest to right wrongs and the parallels between the people with power and the ones that are next to invisible in the same world is drawn so well by the author.
It was almost a 5 star but I was little frustrated with the pacing in the middle for a few chapters. It got a little slow for me after a twist was shared, but it quickly picked back up and I was flipping thru pages at lightning speed!
Can we also talk about the covers of the books in this series, HOLY they are breathtaking!
Randi Garner, I don't know where you have been but PLEASE keep writing, I have an unquenchable thirst for your writing!
There is a deep exploration of grief, the unbidden quest to right wrongs and the parallels between the people with power and the ones that are next to invisible in the same world is drawn so well by the author.
It was almost a 5 star but I was little frustrated with the pacing in the middle for a few chapters. It got a little slow for me after a twist was shared, but it quickly picked back up and I was flipping thru pages at lightning speed!
Can we also talk about the covers of the books in this series, HOLY they are breathtaking!
Randi Garner, I don't know where you have been but PLEASE keep writing, I have an unquenchable thirst for your writing!
A Harvest of Hearts by Andrea Eames
3.0
Thanks as always to Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC! Publishes tomorrow, March 4th!
This was a good book, had potential to be great but was good.
The magic system was not like any other I have come across where sorcerers take pieces of hearts to work their magic. Cornelius the talking cat was hands down my favorite character and some of the best parts of the book. Very dry British-ish humor that I love!
The ending was orchestrated perfectly with all the choices being made, with the exception of feeling rushed once we finally got to that part. We didn't get a lot of face time with the villain either which kind of made for some meh moments.
This was a good book, had potential to be great but was good.
The magic system was not like any other I have come across where sorcerers take pieces of hearts to work their magic. Cornelius the talking cat was hands down my favorite character and some of the best parts of the book. Very dry British-ish humor that I love!
The ending was orchestrated perfectly with all the choices being made, with the exception of feeling rushed once we finally got to that part. We didn't get a lot of face time with the villain either which kind of made for some meh moments.
Shaedes of Power by Jenny Grimes
5.0
Update: This book releases today book besties! Go get your copy! It's available on KU and the audiobook was narrated by the one and only Laura Horowitz!
This book...it came so close to knocking the Belladonna series off my roman empire spot for the year.
Mid-way thru the book I DMed the author on Instagram to tell them how much I was loving the story. I am the perfect target audience for this book.
I have always been obsessed with Tinkerbell and this story is like the New Adult coming of age Tinkerbell story. The blurb put out on this book explains everything perfectly. No book summary by me would do any more justice to what you need to know.
The only tiny thing I would have liked more is I wish the spice was a tiny smidge spicier. But it didn't take away from anything the way it was.
I will 100% re-read this and am so sad that this is the ARC and I have to wait 6+months for the next book.
This book...it came so close to knocking the Belladonna series off my roman empire spot for the year.
Mid-way thru the book I DMed the author on Instagram to tell them how much I was loving the story. I am the perfect target audience for this book.
I have always been obsessed with Tinkerbell and this story is like the New Adult coming of age Tinkerbell story. The blurb put out on this book explains everything perfectly. No book summary by me would do any more justice to what you need to know.
The only tiny thing I would have liked more is I wish the spice was a tiny smidge spicier. But it didn't take away from anything the way it was.
I will 100% re-read this and am so sad that this is the ARC and I have to wait 6+months for the next book.
Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis
4.0
As always, thanks to Bramble for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!
This was a fantastic cozy romantasy with a sprinkle of political intrigue! The troll housekeeper was my absolute favorite character, very much like Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast. If you want to step into a fantasy world but don't want to start with an action packed story with confusing terms and tongue twisting names, this is the perfect stepping stone into this genre. You get wicked witches, trolls, crows, magic and a happily ever after!
This was a fantastic cozy romantasy with a sprinkle of political intrigue! The troll housekeeper was my absolute favorite character, very much like Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast. If you want to step into a fantasy world but don't want to start with an action packed story with confusing terms and tongue twisting names, this is the perfect stepping stone into this genre. You get wicked witches, trolls, crows, magic and a happily ever after!
A Devious Descent by A.A. Powers
4.0
HOLY this was such a good story!
It was pretty fast-paced after like 10 percent and I really liked the conflict, worldbuilding, and the stakes. If you take Twilight and replace the vampires/werewolves with demons/hellhounds and crank up the spice you have this book!
Zarreth is a DIRTY DAWG! I love this demon so freakin' much. He's incredibly possessive of Frankie. The patience he showed her was everything. Frankie is such a stubborn and feisty little thing. Their banter and push/pull relationship was chefs kiss.
It was pretty fast-paced after like 10 percent and I really liked the conflict, worldbuilding, and the stakes. If you take Twilight and replace the vampires/werewolves with demons/hellhounds and crank up the spice you have this book!
Zarreth is a DIRTY DAWG! I love this demon so freakin' much. He's incredibly possessive of Frankie. The patience he showed her was everything. Frankie is such a stubborn and feisty little thing. Their banter and push/pull relationship was chefs kiss.
Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
1.0
DNFing at 60%
Pretty on the outside but ugly on the inside. The premise sounded good and when a book is compared to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue I will 100% read it. I was so bored with this story. After the first few flashbacks, all the ones after didn't add anything of value and just made the book too long and boring. I started skipping the flashback chapters to stay with present time but even that was just drawing out and I found myself just not caring what happened in the end to stick it out.
After I decided to DNF I skimmed the last couple chapters and was like, yup glad I didn't spend any more time on this.
Pretty on the outside but ugly on the inside. The premise sounded good and when a book is compared to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue I will 100% read it. I was so bored with this story. After the first few flashbacks, all the ones after didn't add anything of value and just made the book too long and boring. I started skipping the flashback chapters to stay with present time but even that was just drawing out and I found myself just not caring what happened in the end to stick it out.
After I decided to DNF I skimmed the last couple chapters and was like, yup glad I didn't spend any more time on this.
Fire of Fates: Ashes of Betrayal by J. D, J. D
1.0
DNFing at 25%
This story feels like a first draft. It needs an editor to go thru it and suggest changes that turns into into something fantastic because right now it's stuck written in a very amateur way. It's overly descriptive, we are being shown and told everything rather than just shown, so it's making things so drawn out. This is 470+ pages and I think cutting down on that would probably lighten it by 100 pages or so. The dialogue between characters is very "after school special" and quite minimal. After a few lines of dialogue there are 3 or 4 paragraphs explaining the emotions behind the words and implications of the emotions and it's all just too much. By the time the next person speaks, it's like "wait, what were they even talking about?".
Every time the rider interacts with its dragon, the connection is explained over and over like it is the first time we are being told about their bond and it's like "yea we get it, they are bonded in a cool special way".
When the FMC and MMC are travelling to the different other kingdoms and talking with their leaders to help join the fight, their explanation at why they should join the alliance is so weak. They travel such a far distance for a 2 minute conversation? That doesn't include that you actually fought the bad guys and saw the corruption first hand to make your plea deeper. Paraphrasing here but, "We can't hold off the enemy much longer and you are next. We need your aid". I wouldn't help them either with that pitiful plea.
I just can't see myself trudging thru 320+ more pages of this.
This story feels like a first draft. It needs an editor to go thru it and suggest changes that turns into into something fantastic because right now it's stuck written in a very amateur way. It's overly descriptive, we are being shown and told everything rather than just shown, so it's making things so drawn out. This is 470+ pages and I think cutting down on that would probably lighten it by 100 pages or so. The dialogue between characters is very "after school special" and quite minimal. After a few lines of dialogue there are 3 or 4 paragraphs explaining the emotions behind the words and implications of the emotions and it's all just too much. By the time the next person speaks, it's like "wait, what were they even talking about?".
Every time the rider interacts with its dragon, the connection is explained over and over like it is the first time we are being told about their bond and it's like "yea we get it, they are bonded in a cool special way".
When the FMC and MMC are travelling to the different other kingdoms and talking with their leaders to help join the fight, their explanation at why they should join the alliance is so weak. They travel such a far distance for a 2 minute conversation? That doesn't include that you actually fought the bad guys and saw the corruption first hand to make your plea deeper. Paraphrasing here but, "We can't hold off the enemy much longer and you are next. We need your aid". I wouldn't help them either with that pitiful plea.
I just can't see myself trudging thru 320+ more pages of this.
The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer
3.0
Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of The Ravenswood Witch.
This book is very well written! I will definitely be looking into other books by this author. The concept of the story was super interesting and right up my alley. The world building and character discovery in the beginning was well laid out and got me excited for what I was about to read.
However, the story started to nose dive for a long time. Some of the scenes were good but there was a lot of "fluff" and stuff that could have been left out. The book was 293 pages and it wasn't until page 261 that the "who done it" part came to light. That left the most exciting part of the story super rushed along with the wrap up. And at that point I had trudged thru so much that the ending kinda fell flat and I was left saying "oh, ok".
Overall, it was a quick read with compelling characters and a great atmosphere. This is more of a palate cleanser of a book if you need one but not one to rush to the top of your TBR.
This book is very well written! I will definitely be looking into other books by this author. The concept of the story was super interesting and right up my alley. The world building and character discovery in the beginning was well laid out and got me excited for what I was about to read.
However, the story started to nose dive for a long time. Some of the scenes were good but there was a lot of "fluff" and stuff that could have been left out. The book was 293 pages and it wasn't until page 261 that the "who done it" part came to light. That left the most exciting part of the story super rushed along with the wrap up. And at that point I had trudged thru so much that the ending kinda fell flat and I was left saying "oh, ok".
Overall, it was a quick read with compelling characters and a great atmosphere. This is more of a palate cleanser of a book if you need one but not one to rush to the top of your TBR.
The Confessions of a Lady by Darcy McGuire
4.0
If Bridgerton and Nancy Drew had a book baby it would be this book. I love this series so much! The books are quick, fun reads and a great palate cleanser. I love a good upstairs/downstairs spicy Cinderella story and that happens in each book of this series.
The only thing I wish there would have been was a little more at the end of the story that showed how the couple navigated society accepting the relationship since it was a main pain point during the "courting phase".
The only thing I wish there would have been was a little more at the end of the story that showed how the couple navigated society accepting the relationship since it was a main pain point during the "courting phase".