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ladyazulina's reviews
25 reviews
Sistah Samurai: A Champloo Novella by Tatiana Obey
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Meeting Tatiana was one of the brightest things that the Universe could have done for me. After her duology, I knew I would want to read anything she writes. After coming into contact with her, I knew I would want to keep in touch for as long as possible. Even when we both knew that I wouldn't be the best reader for her new novella, she let me be part of her ARC team. And if I wasn't grateful enough then, I am now.
Sistah Samurai could be the story that changes your life.
It’s also exactly what Tatiana says it is: a love letter for her people. Yeah, it’s destined for a certain audience, and though I am not part of it, I felt the love and the embrace as if I were. So that’s not an obstacle for you to not get it. Everyone should have and everyone should read Sistah Samurai, only to feel and experience that kind of feeling.
It has a lot, and I’m not kidding when I say it. A LOT. The words are telling you a story while the background is weaving another, though both of them are related and intertwined and it would be hard to tell them apart. I loved it. I loved both, I loved the hundreds of thousands of different stories that are flowing together in this short novella.
I loved the protagonist and how she was annoyed at everything and everyone but was unable to ignore them anyway. I loved how I knew some things were about to happen and how uncertain things slapped me in the face. I had a smile even in the saddest moments and my heart was always filled with the love that was coursing through every word. I love how I couldn’t foresee things and how those things came hugging me from the back.
What I didn’t love, though, was that it finished when I wanted to continue knowing and reading more, and this is a weird part because that’s also something I love. How it got me to want to know more and read more even when the story was finished. And like I told Tatiana when I reached her to talk about this story, I also love the sense of reality that kind of ending gave me, because that’s usually how real life feels sometimes, when you don’t get to know what happens next, when that’s the end you get about another person. It grounded me. (But she knows I’m totally up if and when she wants to dive into this universe again.)
This is a story about love and that was the only emotion I felt while reading, so I recommend you that, if you are trying and looking for a story like this, you read this one.
Sistah Samurai could be the story that changes your life.
It’s also exactly what Tatiana says it is: a love letter for her people. Yeah, it’s destined for a certain audience, and though I am not part of it, I felt the love and the embrace as if I were. So that’s not an obstacle for you to not get it. Everyone should have and everyone should read Sistah Samurai, only to feel and experience that kind of feeling.
It has a lot, and I’m not kidding when I say it. A LOT. The words are telling you a story while the background is weaving another, though both of them are related and intertwined and it would be hard to tell them apart. I loved it. I loved both, I loved the hundreds of thousands of different stories that are flowing together in this short novella.
I loved the protagonist and how she was annoyed at everything and everyone but was unable to ignore them anyway. I loved how I knew some things were about to happen and how uncertain things slapped me in the face. I had a smile even in the saddest moments and my heart was always filled with the love that was coursing through every word. I love how I couldn’t foresee things and how those things came hugging me from the back.
What I didn’t love, though, was that it finished when I wanted to continue knowing and reading more, and this is a weird part because that’s also something I love. How it got me to want to know more and read more even when the story was finished. And like I told Tatiana when I reached her to talk about this story, I also love the sense of reality that kind of ending gave me, because that’s usually how real life feels sometimes, when you don’t get to know what happens next, when that’s the end you get about another person. It grounded me. (But she knows I’m totally up if and when she wants to dive into this universe again.)
This is a story about love and that was the only emotion I felt while reading, so I recommend you that, if you are trying and looking for a story like this, you read this one.
The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Don't take it too seriously and you will not suffer much. Before I started reading, I did something I don't do often: I read other reviews, and thought they were kind of contradictory with people loving it and a lot of people that didn't, but it also helped me to do exactly that: not take this story too close to heart.
It helped me to just read something without any other purpose than to read. It's awful and ridiculous and incredibly weird in a lot of parts, but I let the weirdness be and just read.
This was a journey I made with my best friend, and to me, it was easy to connect with Agatha, we were... similar in some kind of ways. My best friend was Sophie, so we crashed into a lot of arguments about what this is fair, what this is unfair, what this shouldn't be that way, before I reached the enlightenment view of just don't do it. We weren't Sophie and Agatha, though being on opposite sides was sort of fun. I don't see myself as Good, but I will not survive in the School of Evil. She's not pure Evil, but she will love to attend the School of Good.
Well, it can be annoying, and have no sense, and have sense, and follow no kind of physics law, and grow overly depicting in the wrong things and bizarre for a lot of parts, but I suppose that its charm. It's outside of the usual kind of fairy tales, so if you don't want anything going weird, then save it and read something else. But I believe you should be the one doing your call, try it yourself. You can leave the journey at any point anyway.
It helped me to just read something without any other purpose than to read. It's awful and ridiculous and incredibly weird in a lot of parts, but I let the weirdness be and just read.
This was a journey I made with my best friend, and to me, it was easy to connect with Agatha, we were... similar in some kind of ways. My best friend was Sophie, so we crashed into a lot of arguments about what this is fair, what this is unfair, what this shouldn't be that way, before I reached the enlightenment view of just don't do it. We weren't Sophie and Agatha, though being on opposite sides was sort of fun. I don't see myself as Good, but I will not survive in the School of Evil. She's not pure Evil, but she will love to attend the School of Good.
Well, it can be annoying, and have no sense, and have sense, and follow no kind of physics law, and grow overly depicting in the wrong things and bizarre for a lot of parts, but I suppose that its charm. It's outside of the usual kind of fairy tales, so if you don't want anything going weird, then save it and read something else. But I believe you should be the one doing your call, try it yourself. You can leave the journey at any point anyway.
A Rival Most Vial by R.K. Ashwick
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I'm writing this review because I had the luck to be part of this book's ARC team and I loved it and need to share this love in a review format.
I already said the most important part: I loved it. Since I found out about the cover reveal on Tumblr, I felt drawn to it and I'm glad I didn't let my shyness stop me from signing up as an ARC. I was curious about how characters in the background of adventure D&D stories can make their own, and what they would be about. This was a great example to satisfy my curiosity and give me the spark to look for more of this kind. There's no reason to lie, I love calm and quiet, cozy, love stories... though the calm and quiet part is pretty relative...
Who knew wand and potion makers can have that much fun? I'm not saying they exactly had fun, it wasn't fun for them, but even for their undisturbed kind of lives, they had maybe too much action and drama for a lifetime. At least that was what I thought. For not adventurers kind of people, they're also full of adventures. And it's satisfying. We don't always have to venture to the woods and slay dragons (please, do not slay dragons, dragons are friends!) to have a fulfilling, enriching life.
And what a potion maker needs to spice up their almost boring and not exactly fulfilling and enriching life more than another potion maker opening a potion shop right in front of their own? It's war, baby. And people don't always think this through, but war, wanting it or not, always leads to love. And I'm here for all the love.
Goddess, this book broke me and healed me in ways I'm still unaware of. Because of the love. Here are so many kinds of love and each and every one of them touched me differently. But don't let me forget to tell you, this annoying potion maker didn't want any kind of love.
I think I have said enough already. Why you don't dive into the Scar and meet these amazing people? At first, I thought I wasn't going to love them, but on the journey, all my thoughts changed. That's what usually happens when you pass enough time, everything you thought about tends to change. Well... I'm glad. This is one of my favorite books so far.
I already said the most important part: I loved it. Since I found out about the cover reveal on Tumblr, I felt drawn to it and I'm glad I didn't let my shyness stop me from signing up as an ARC. I was curious about how characters in the background of adventure D&D stories can make their own, and what they would be about. This was a great example to satisfy my curiosity and give me the spark to look for more of this kind. There's no reason to lie, I love calm and quiet, cozy, love stories... though the calm and quiet part is pretty relative...
Who knew wand and potion makers can have that much fun? I'm not saying they exactly had fun, it wasn't fun for them, but even for their undisturbed kind of lives, they had maybe too much action and drama for a lifetime. At least that was what I thought. For not adventurers kind of people, they're also full of adventures. And it's satisfying. We don't always have to venture to the woods and slay dragons (please, do not slay dragons, dragons are friends!) to have a fulfilling, enriching life.
And what a potion maker needs to spice up their almost boring and not exactly fulfilling and enriching life more than another potion maker opening a potion shop right in front of their own? It's war, baby. And people don't always think this through, but war, wanting it or not, always leads to love. And I'm here for all the love.
Goddess, this book broke me and healed me in ways I'm still unaware of. Because of the love. Here are so many kinds of love and each and every one of them touched me differently. But don't let me forget to tell you, this annoying potion maker didn't want any kind of love.
I think I have said enough already. Why you don't dive into the Scar and meet these amazing people? At first, I thought I wasn't going to love them, but on the journey, all my thoughts changed. That's what usually happens when you pass enough time, everything you thought about tends to change. Well... I'm glad. This is one of my favorite books so far.
Upon a Waking Dream by J.S. Bailey
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I was lucky, I won a giveaway on StoryGraph and received this book in my inbox and, well, I said to myself that I had to read it before its release date, but you’re reading this review because I wanted to write it.
You should know by now that this is a collection of fantasy and science fiction short stories, and this is what I have to say about each one of them:
The first was unbelievable… The nerve of the people- or maybe is the hypocrisy? It’s just… You still find this kind of person anywhere. And I liked how the mind can expand due to knowledge, but… Agh, I say that it was karma. I can’t say anything more without spoiling.
The second was… infuriating. Yeah. The protagonist had the thing that wanted most and was unhappy! Does it surprise me? No! People never are happy when they have what they want and seeing this happening when they were having a pretty beautiful outcome brought out the worst in me. I don’t remember feeling that annoyed 😂 I find funny how mad I felt with this. If it hadn’t had a happy ending, I wouldn’t find it that funny…
The third was… a fresh breeze. While reading, I had the same conclusion the author shares in her notes at the end and I had the “AHA! I knew it!” moment. Though what happens in the story is a bit very much intense. I think that has the most action of all the stories. But I loved it. What if…?
I still feel bad for the luck of the dudes on the fourth one, I wanted them –or at least one of them– to go on with their lives and do all the things they wanted to, but… I think this was the story that grounded me the most because… no matter how dumbfounded you are with the occurrences, that’s life… And I will not deepen more on this because I will sadden myself and no thank you.
The fifth one was… the poor guy. What would your life be like if you were living like that? For no good reason on top of that. I don’t know, it seems unlikely (to be able to live) for me, but he’s doing a great job. Goddess bless his reflex sometimes.
In the sixth, I saw so much stubbornness and boldness that I almost wasn’t able to believe it! It was ridiculous! Well, at least to me. This story helped me to remember the length the human being goes to when we’re mentally set on things… There’s nothing that can change our minds, uh?
I share the author’s opinion (on her notes) about the seventh one. I don’t understand, it doesn’t make sense. But what is worse is that… well, this story moved things inside me and wasn’t really positive. I was repulsed by how things were there and I will be happy if I’m able to forget it someday.
Did you have an imaginary friend when you were little? I did! His name was Leo, short of I-no-longer-remember-what-was-his-name. But this eighth story is about them and what could happen if they [Redacted] and [Redacted]… Yeah, right, no spoiler 😂
I don’t want to know what could happen if each and every one of us were right about what gives luck and what does not, even- no, especially if we contradict each other. I think something very close to the ninth story. I understand the lady's thought, but I wanted to know!
The tenth story goes around an object I didn’t know I needed until I found it there! And I LOVED its use. It was like… it can bring two people that are very far away, pretty close… And I really liked it.
The eleventh one was bittersweet. If you don’t think TOO much about it, you probably will like it. I liked it… until I get too drawn to the depths of it and I start feeling bad. But it’s a great story, just be a bit cautious, your mental health will appreciate it.
I’m finishing now, I swear. I found the last one sad in a nostalgic way, but it was a beautiful story nonetheless. I can say a lot of things about that one, but then you probably wouldn’t find the beauty of it on your own way, so let’s leave it til here ^^
It was a journey I loved, upon a waking dream.
You should know by now that this is a collection of fantasy and science fiction short stories, and this is what I have to say about each one of them:
The first was unbelievable… The nerve of the people- or maybe is the hypocrisy? It’s just… You still find this kind of person anywhere. And I liked how the mind can expand due to knowledge, but… Agh, I say that it was karma. I can’t say anything more without spoiling.
The second was… infuriating. Yeah. The protagonist had the thing that wanted most and was unhappy! Does it surprise me? No! People never are happy when they have what they want and seeing this happening when they were having a pretty beautiful outcome brought out the worst in me. I don’t remember feeling that annoyed 😂 I find funny how mad I felt with this. If it hadn’t had a happy ending, I wouldn’t find it that funny…
The third was… a fresh breeze. While reading, I had the same conclusion the author shares in her notes at the end and I had the “AHA! I knew it!” moment. Though what happens in the story is a bit very much intense. I think that has the most action of all the stories. But I loved it. What if…?
I still feel bad for the luck of the dudes on the fourth one, I wanted them –or at least one of them– to go on with their lives and do all the things they wanted to, but… I think this was the story that grounded me the most because… no matter how dumbfounded you are with the occurrences, that’s life… And I will not deepen more on this because I will sadden myself and no thank you.
The fifth one was… the poor guy. What would your life be like if you were living like that? For no good reason on top of that. I don’t know, it seems unlikely (to be able to live) for me, but he’s doing a great job. Goddess bless his reflex sometimes.
In the sixth, I saw so much stubbornness and boldness that I almost wasn’t able to believe it! It was ridiculous! Well, at least to me. This story helped me to remember the length the human being goes to when we’re mentally set on things… There’s nothing that can change our minds, uh?
I share the author’s opinion (on her notes) about the seventh one. I don’t understand, it doesn’t make sense. But what is worse is that… well, this story moved things inside me and wasn’t really positive. I was repulsed by how things were there and I will be happy if I’m able to forget it someday.
Did you have an imaginary friend when you were little? I did! His name was Leo, short of I-no-longer-remember-what-was-his-name. But this eighth story is about them and what could happen if they [Redacted] and [Redacted]… Yeah, right, no spoiler 😂
I don’t want to know what could happen if each and every one of us were right about what gives luck and what does not, even- no, especially if we contradict each other. I think something very close to the ninth story. I understand the lady's thought, but I wanted to know!
The tenth story goes around an object I didn’t know I needed until I found it there! And I LOVED its use. It was like… it can bring two people that are very far away, pretty close… And I really liked it.
The eleventh one was bittersweet. If you don’t think TOO much about it, you probably will like it. I liked it… until I get too drawn to the depths of it and I start feeling bad. But it’s a great story, just be a bit cautious, your mental health will appreciate it.
I’m finishing now, I swear. I found the last one sad in a nostalgic way, but it was a beautiful story nonetheless. I can say a lot of things about that one, but then you probably wouldn’t find the beauty of it on your own way, so let’s leave it til here ^^
It was a journey I loved, upon a waking dream.
Crossing the Line by Heather Garvin
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I think I’ve been pretty lucky, getting to be part of the ARC teams of amazing writers. Heather Garvin is another of those and since the first moment I crossed with her book, I knew I would have an exceptional time. I just didn’t know how great it would be. So for that I’m doing a review now in exchange.
This is a book I will not only have in my favorite shelf but in the one of my comfort readings too. But it is that I’m weak for men like Aiden Lewis, Claire Ackerman is a lucky girl. They have a long journey, being this a story about second chances. It made me hopeful about second chances. Not all of them are bad and not because they’re a second is doomed. Well, the conditions are always important for the outcome, and at least to me, they had exceptional conditions.
It doesn’t even seem romantic, very fateful and coincidental, but not strictly romantic. It felt like an adventure, and each step an opportunity of now or never (as all opportunities really are). They did go through almost all the steps consecutively, and I was surprised at how willing they (he in special) were to talk about things. If you read the book, you will say I’m lying, I know, but I said they were willing, and they were. They really tried to do so. Because, well, misunderstandings happen, too often, and in an equally stupid way; in that we had an experience very close to reality, so close it hurts. That’s why communication is key and we not only have to be willing and try, but really make it happen to avoid outcomes like those.
Even with all that they both made me go through, I love them. I’m sorry I have favorites, but it is that Aiden Lewis… sigh. He doesn’t seem like it, but he’s worthy, especially if he’s with the love of his life (because I don’t steal other people’s men, that’s low, no matter they’re all fictional -cry-). It’s not only a figurative journey, this book. If you board this train, I’m warning you will go through all the emotions you can feel paired with love, and not only the good ones. The positive part about it is that that’s the way we grow.
This is a book I will not only have in my favorite shelf but in the one of my comfort readings too. But it is that I’m weak for men like Aiden Lewis, Claire Ackerman is a lucky girl. They have a long journey, being this a story about second chances. It made me hopeful about second chances. Not all of them are bad and not because they’re a second is doomed. Well, the conditions are always important for the outcome, and at least to me, they had exceptional conditions.
It doesn’t even seem romantic, very fateful and coincidental, but not strictly romantic. It felt like an adventure, and each step an opportunity of now or never (as all opportunities really are). They did go through almost all the steps consecutively, and I was surprised at how willing they (he in special) were to talk about things. If you read the book, you will say I’m lying, I know, but I said they were willing, and they were. They really tried to do so. Because, well, misunderstandings happen, too often, and in an equally stupid way; in that we had an experience very close to reality, so close it hurts. That’s why communication is key and we not only have to be willing and try, but really make it happen to avoid outcomes like those.
Even with all that they both made me go through, I love them. I’m sorry I have favorites, but it is that Aiden Lewis… sigh. He doesn’t seem like it, but he’s worthy, especially if he’s with the love of his life (because I don’t steal other people’s men, that’s low, no matter they’re all fictional -cry-). It’s not only a figurative journey, this book. If you board this train, I’m warning you will go through all the emotions you can feel paired with love, and not only the good ones. The positive part about it is that that’s the way we grow.
Lub Dub Love by Blanche Maze
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
⚠️ Warning: On this review appears eighteen times the word 'love'. Proceed with loviness. ⚠️
Note: For the first time since I started reviewing, I decided to not edit or revise my words to avoid repetition because I'm sure that word is the only one enough to help me express the emotion I want to release. Please, take that into consideration while reading.
I have to start by saying that I have loved the brief time in which I have been part of Blanche Maze's ARC reader team. Since before starting to read her lovely, sapphic, wholesome, romantic story, I knew I would love to be in contact with her and that increased the probability of me loving her stories. This is just the first one I had touched on (for now) and I'm giving this review in exchange for so an amazingly opportunity.
If you're after those words I said before (lovely, sapphic, wholesome, romantic), you're already on board. But if you're not and are still waiting for something to convince you, unless you totally despise the romantic genre, you will love this book. I love this book. Though it says romance everywhere, it not only shows the romantic love, you get to see lots of filial and friendly love. I loved to see the relationship between some parents and their children. I am totally in for the one between best friends (like, I would do everything to have something like that). I wasn't fond of more than one, but I loved the progress of going to a healthy relationship and I'm not loving anything more than healthy things lately. Give me something healthy (or on the way to being healthy) and I'm already sold off.
It's not angst-free, and I panicked for my romantic love due to that. Everything was great, and suddenly, everything was wrong! And in its way to worse! For too much time that I was growing desperate, but I have to say that in those tumultuous times, I found my favorite character, aside for the protagonists. The details that were showing, what that meant... I loved all of it.
Honestly, though, this book accompanied me for a little time during a bad month. When everything was feeling wrong and suffocating, the book filled me with wholesomeness and love. With all the attraction symptoms (which I still feel from time to time and I simply adore the feelings). Being giggly and hopeful and nervous and also confused, with all the expectations and opportunities, I like being like this because I feel powerful and inspired. And I was able to have that for a while, even if it only lasted the time I had the book in my hands (and the time it wasn't angsty, of course). But that time was enough, and I love the book for it.
Note: For the first time since I started reviewing, I decided to not edit or revise my words to avoid repetition because I'm sure that word is the only one enough to help me express the emotion I want to release. Please, take that into consideration while reading.
I have to start by saying that I have loved the brief time in which I have been part of Blanche Maze's ARC reader team. Since before starting to read her lovely, sapphic, wholesome, romantic story, I knew I would love to be in contact with her and that increased the probability of me loving her stories. This is just the first one I had touched on (for now) and I'm giving this review in exchange for so an amazingly opportunity.
If you're after those words I said before (lovely, sapphic, wholesome, romantic), you're already on board. But if you're not and are still waiting for something to convince you, unless you totally despise the romantic genre, you will love this book. I love this book. Though it says romance everywhere, it not only shows the romantic love, you get to see lots of filial and friendly love. I loved to see the relationship between some parents and their children. I am totally in for the one between best friends (like, I would do everything to have something like that). I wasn't fond of more than one, but I loved the progress of going to a healthy relationship and I'm not loving anything more than healthy things lately. Give me something healthy (or on the way to being healthy) and I'm already sold off.
It's not angst-free, and I panicked for my romantic love due to that. Everything was great, and suddenly, everything was wrong! And in its way to worse! For too much time that I was growing desperate, but I have to say that in those tumultuous times, I found my favorite character, aside for the protagonists. The details that were showing, what that meant... I loved all of it.
Honestly, though, this book accompanied me for a little time during a bad month. When everything was feeling wrong and suffocating, the book filled me with wholesomeness and love. With all the attraction symptoms (which I still feel from time to time and I simply adore the feelings). Being giggly and hopeful and nervous and also confused, with all the expectations and opportunities, I like being like this because I feel powerful and inspired. And I was able to have that for a while, even if it only lasted the time I had the book in my hands (and the time it wasn't angsty, of course). But that time was enough, and I love the book for it.
Misdirection by J.M. Leigh
So… secret agents. And spies, uh? My cup of tea even when I know nothing about them and I don’t always understand what they’re doing or how they did what. But is that I just can’t stop! They’re so… interesting. And how things unfold! No one trusts each other and the lack of communication creates unnecessary issues! It drives someone a bit mad when we know they should be talking. But is even worse when the information they need is nowhere to be found, not even in the only person alive involved.
Have you heard about selective memory? How about repressed memory? I know very well the second one, but the trauma that our female protagonist suffered is indescribable, mostly because is nowhere too. It’s a thing of them, the secret agents and spies, their records aren’t easy to reach.
But what is easy is how fast you can love the male protagonist’s team! Maybe not all of them (because what would be the fun in having a whole team of approachable, reachable sex appeals?) but the vast majority… if you have my taste. If not, they’re still pretty diverse.
It doesn’t come without some content warnings… Just think about it, the background of those agents isn’t the prettier. But aside from the bad and the drama (that can be good, but is also bad), there are some spicy, some spy moments and reminiscences, very much some flirting, and a whole lot of action. The action just steps aside a little bit during the whole book, so…
If that’s your thing, why not give it a try? 😉
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
I’m giving this review because I was blessed enough to be part of J. M. Leigh’s awesome ARC Team; I enjoyed this book and I hope to be able to enjoy many more.
So… secret agents. And spies, uh? My cup of tea even when I know nothing about them and I don’t always understand what they’re doing or how they did what. But is that I just can’t stop! They’re so… interesting. And how things unfold! No one trusts each other and the lack of communication creates unnecessary issues! It drives someone a bit mad when we know they should be talking. But is even worse when the information they need is nowhere to be found, not even in the only person alive involved.
Have you heard about selective memory? How about repressed memory? I know very well the second one, but the trauma that our female protagonist suffered is indescribable, mostly because is nowhere too. It’s a thing of them, the secret agents and spies, their records aren’t easy to reach.
But what is easy is how fast you can love the male protagonist’s team! Maybe not all of them (because what would be the fun in having a whole team of approachable, reachable sex appeals?) but the vast majority… if you have my taste. If not, they’re still pretty diverse.
It doesn’t come without some content warnings… Just think about it, the background of those agents isn’t the prettier. But aside from the bad and the drama (that can be good, but is also bad), there are some spicy, some spy moments and reminiscences, very much some flirting, and a whole lot of action. The action just steps aside a little bit during the whole book, so…
If that’s your thing, why not give it a try? 😉
Easy Guide to Escape Hell by Elisa Menz
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I committed to starting every review by saying that I was blessed to receive Elisa Menz’s free ARC copy and I’m corresponding with this review more because I loved the book than I have to.
Honestly, I expected to find the wholesome, lighthearted, slow-paced rom-com novel that the cover and the synopsis referenced, and it was! For, like, the first quarter. But then, a lot of hidden plots appeared and we were fast pacing toward this really big-grand scheme to attempt to-… no, I will not tell.
But yeah, you can sense the plots growing underneath your feet until it’s impossible to keep balance. And it’s that the wholesome, lighthearted, slow-paced rom-com novel is just the smallest part of the whole story. And what a story! We see a great development there, of all the characters (well, more or less, villains are villains and only have one outcome, don’t they?). There isn’t really a lot of communication, but it shows what a healthy relationship is! And not only the romantic one. With family, and friends, and even as professionals, in the workplace. It shows you what it is to be a person and to treat all people as equals.
I loved our sassy queen. I will not say that she underwent a great change, rather she showed her true personality, though it can be seen as the truest change. I would love to be more like her, not only about the sassy part 😉.
Though, in the end, I’m not really sure if we learn an easy way to escape hell. In fact, I think we found a way to go to hell. It’s not as bad as it sounds, I promise.
Dragon Your Bones by Tatiana Obey
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Oh, right. I decided now always start by saying that I was blessed enough to be selected as a part of Tatiana’s incredible ARC team, I read her free copy for pure and total joy, and I’m reviewing it in exchange for it, but mostly because when I found something I like, I love talking about it… even when, well, you will see.
I need to be honest, it’s being complicated for me to find words to express how amazing this book was. I just found a new favorite author. I just found a new favorite series, and that’s usually a hard thing to achieve, or at least that’s what I think, with what the world says about second parts being bad. This second part was the best, and it’s just amazing because, thanks to, the first part.
If you like adventure, big schemes, political affairs, a new totally different setting that at the same time it’s able to be close to your heart and not at all has to be in a different world, just a different location (think about your local desert 😉), this book is for you. I wasn’t looking for any of that, and this book found me. My journey with this book was speechless. It didn’t say The End, but you feel the goodbye, and I’m still not ready to let it go, I still feel there are more things to tell, more adventures to live, more dragons to slay, and more moments to hunt. But I get it, this hunt finished, which made me able to start new ones.
Ah! I have a warning: don’t believe that all the synopsis says is everything you will get. You will find more. A lot more. And you will be amazed and you will think you will be satisfied. But you will not. Everyone grows here, it almost feels as if they were being grounded. Everyone finds or confirms their purposes. Everyone has a happy ending… well, more or less, it can be whatever you say, but to me, it is not an ending. Things are just starting.
I still love Ra-ja and Kai, even more if it’s possible. Zephyr is like a brother to me now, I like him, I can bear him, but he’s not my favorite. Ysai is, and you’re going to find out I like him a lot more after I found out he can also be violent 😏 I still don’t stand Suri, but I like Nico more. And, surprisingly, I get to like Kelin more than Azan! I adore each of their scenes with their respective friends, but still, Kelin rises to my heart. Neema didn’t give me a reason to like her, so she still doesn’t. And we somehow get new characters! Rae is totally adorable, I really love them. And Jilah! I’m grateful for her existence and her constant presence. I wasn’t pleased with Kibari, but I’m also not happy with her path. I still want to know more about Shamai-ta, and surprisingly, I don’t want to know Kai’s and Nico’s and Rae’s late tah anymore, I want to get to know more about their alive tah better. And these are only the characters. I have trillion new questions about the whole world now that everything’s “finished” and I can’t wait to know what Tatiana will give us next. Whatever it is, I know I will like it.
Soulmates: A Metaphysical Love Story by Sarah Faeth Sanders
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This story caught me just by the title, it has everything I like. Soulmates. Love. Story (?). Love Story. Soulmates Story. A Love Story of Soulmates. A Soulmates Story of Love. I think you already understood. Eh? Metaphysical? Uuuuh- I’ve seen that word several times in the past, in different contexts, so I know what it means… barely. But don’t ask me! I’ll not remember if you do!
Ah~, this book showed me what I already was knowing about how a healthy relationship should be. And how a toxic one can be. I liked it in a higher sense. I have always loved the idea of soulmates, of reincarnation and every time be bonded to meet the same set of souls. Of be… destined for something beyond all of us. To love, and be loved, because that’s the real reason the universe is expanding.
This story not only made me happy, but also made me sad. Because life isn’t always pink color, and no matter if you found the right person, it doesn’t mean that is the right time. Yeah, I already told you, it’s sad. But what isn’t sad is that… this is just one life, one of the countless of the lifetime of your soul. This sadness is temporary, you were made to be happy, you were made to be loved. If not now, then in your next life. And even if you haven’t reached happiness already, it doesn’t mean that you will not meet it soon.
For above all, this book gave me hope.
Ah~, this book showed me what I already was knowing about how a healthy relationship should be. And how a toxic one can be. I liked it in a higher sense. I have always loved the idea of soulmates, of reincarnation and every time be bonded to meet the same set of souls. Of be… destined for something beyond all of us. To love, and be loved, because that’s the real reason the universe is expanding.
This story not only made me happy, but also made me sad. Because life isn’t always pink color, and no matter if you found the right person, it doesn’t mean that is the right time. Yeah, I already told you, it’s sad. But what isn’t sad is that… this is just one life, one of the countless of the lifetime of your soul. This sadness is temporary, you were made to be happy, you were made to be loved. If not now, then in your next life. And even if you haven’t reached happiness already, it doesn’t mean that you will not meet it soon.
For above all, this book gave me hope.