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litwithlesia's reviews
191 reviews
When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao
emotional
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
4.0
A beautiful story of love and life after loss, and the journey through grief.
The pain in this story is so palpable the entire way through, at times you almost feel like you are lost in the haze of grief along with Eric. His story is so heart wrenching and I found myself in tears multiple times throughout the book. While I was left with some questions at the end, the emotion put into this book is so clearly felt and I would absolutely recommend to anyone familiar with grief and loss (but make sure you have a box of tissues nearby)
The pain in this story is so palpable the entire way through, at times you almost feel like you are lost in the haze of grief along with Eric. His story is so heart wrenching and I found myself in tears multiple times throughout the book. While I was left with some questions at the end, the emotion put into this book is so clearly felt and I would absolutely recommend to anyone familiar with grief and loss (but make sure you have a box of tissues nearby)
The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
I am UNWELL after this. I have always loved Mische, and getting to know her on such a deep level in this book was magical. There are heavy themes of religious trauma and grooming as we begin to unravel Mische’s story, and it just made my heart ache for her.
Enter Asar: the exiled bastard son of the King of the Shadowborn, and my newest morally grey love. Immediately you can feel the connection between them, and it’s like a live wire the entire book. The way that this man is so gentle and caring, helping Mische heal in so many ways, is just so beautiful to witness. I feel so connected to Mische’s character and this felt like a book that spoke to my heart and soul.
I loved the Dante’s Inferno parallels in this book - it felt so dark and raw in the best way. The journey down to the underworld was so intriguing, and felt reminiscent of the Kejari trials from Serpent and the Wings of Night. I was hooked from the first page and I can’t believe that we are left with yet another wild cliffhanger! 🫠
Enter Asar: the exiled bastard son of the King of the Shadowborn, and my newest morally grey love. Immediately you can feel the connection between them, and it’s like a live wire the entire book. The way that this man is so gentle and caring, helping Mische heal in so many ways, is just so beautiful to witness. I feel so connected to Mische’s character and this felt like a book that spoke to my heart and soul.
I loved the Dante’s Inferno parallels in this book - it felt so dark and raw in the best way. The journey down to the underworld was so intriguing, and felt reminiscent of the Kejari trials from Serpent and the Wings of Night. I was hooked from the first page and I can’t believe that we are left with yet another wild cliffhanger! 🫠
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, and Grief
A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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
5.0
Two self sacrificing people spend an entire book sacrificing themselves for each other 🫠
But in all seriousness, I LOVED this! The vibes were absolutely immaculate - think Bridgerton meets Ghibli with a side of magic and political unrest. Oh, and SO. MUCH. YEARNING. I just love it.
Niamh is such a wonderful character, and I resonated with her so much. She is someone who has spent her entire life making herself smaller or pushing aside her needs for other people. She loves fiercely, and Kit is such a great match for her. They complemented each other so well, and I loved the way they challenged the other and their viewpoints. Plus, y’all know I love a grumpy x sunshine pairing and Allison Saft does it so so well!
Along with Niamh and Kit, the side characters were really great! Sinclair and Rosa were such intriguing and complex additions to the story, and I felt like they really rounded things out.
The audiobook narrator was also phenomenal - she brought so much life to all of the characters, and her accents were fantastic. I really loved listening to this story!
But in all seriousness, I LOVED this! The vibes were absolutely immaculate - think Bridgerton meets Ghibli with a side of magic and political unrest. Oh, and SO. MUCH. YEARNING. I just love it.
Niamh is such a wonderful character, and I resonated with her so much. She is someone who has spent her entire life making herself smaller or pushing aside her needs for other people. She loves fiercely, and Kit is such a great match for her. They complemented each other so well, and I loved the way they challenged the other and their viewpoints. Plus, y’all know I love a grumpy x sunshine pairing and Allison Saft does it so so well!
Along with Niamh and Kit, the side characters were really great! Sinclair and Rosa were such intriguing and complex additions to the story, and I felt like they really rounded things out.
The audiobook narrator was also phenomenal - she brought so much life to all of the characters, and her accents were fantastic. I really loved listening to this story!
A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was such an intriguing story! I loved the closed-circle type setting where they are on an expedition at the time of the murder and therefore the murderer MUST be one of them.
I read this at the same time as A Fragile Enchantment (also by Allison Saft), and it was really interesting to see the parallels in the writing style! The author loves a good grumpy x sunshine pairing, which is also one of my favorites!
Lorelai was a very flawed character that was hard to like but easy to sympathize with. She constantly feels like everyone is out to get her and refuses to acknowledge when people reach out a hand. Sylvia on the other hand was her opposite in so many ways - she loves very freely and openly it seems and refuses to dampen her joy just because others may not understand it! She was also very complex in the sense that she appeared to be a bit gullible or naive on the surface, but there is a lot more to her than you expect.
There were heavy themes of marginalized and oppressed communities, as well as generational trauma and familial expectations, and I found these were addressed really well. I think this book definitely could have been a bit longer - I would have loved more insight into everyone's backstories and the politics, as I was left with some questions about the characters and their choices.
Overall, a really enjoyable read with lots of sapphic yearning and moody vibes!
I read this at the same time as A Fragile Enchantment (also by Allison Saft), and it was really interesting to see the parallels in the writing style! The author loves a good grumpy x sunshine pairing, which is also one of my favorites!
Lorelai was a very flawed character that was hard to like but easy to sympathize with. She constantly feels like everyone is out to get her and refuses to acknowledge when people reach out a hand. Sylvia on the other hand was her opposite in so many ways - she loves very freely and openly it seems and refuses to dampen her joy just because others may not understand it! She was also very complex in the sense that she appeared to be a bit gullible or naive on the surface, but there is a lot more to her than you expect.
There were heavy themes of marginalized and oppressed communities, as well as generational trauma and familial expectations, and I found these were addressed really well. I think this book definitely could have been a bit longer - I would have loved more insight into everyone's backstories and the politics, as I was left with some questions about the characters and their choices.
Overall, a really enjoyable read with lots of sapphic yearning and moody vibes!
Lights Out by Navessa Allen
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Okay this book had me in an absolute CHOKEHOLD (pun intended 😏) for the first half. I’m not normally a huge fan of dark/taboo romance, but this felt almost satirical? It was fun and kinda goofy but still so hot, I was drawn in and hooked immediately! The second half of the book sorta lost the plot for me and went in a totally unexpected direction! It was still fun, but felt like a much different vibe compared to how it started.
Though it’s super fun and smutty, there are still some heavier topics discussed, and the author portrayed grief and trauma in a really powerful way. Make sure you read the content warnings - this is definitely not a book to go into completely blind!
Definitely recommend as an intro to dark romances, it felt really easy to enjoy and just get lost in the sauce a bit!
Though it’s super fun and smutty, there are still some heavier topics discussed, and the author portrayed grief and trauma in a really powerful way. Make sure you read the content warnings - this is definitely not a book to go into completely blind!
Definitely recommend as an intro to dark romances, it felt really easy to enjoy and just get lost in the sauce a bit!
Tomb of the Sun King by Jacquelyn Benson
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.75
Such an incredible continuation of Raiders of the Arcana series! While I did find the book quite dense just due to the amount of history brought into the pages, I think Jacquelyn does an amazing job of bringing in factual bits of history along with the magic of the story.
The addition of Connie and Neil to the crew was PERFECT - their dynamic is hilarious and I’m obsessed with Constance. Sayyid and Zeinab were also new additions that really rounded out the group dynamics! I love the way that women are written in this series - there is such a strong focus on the strength and intelligence of women, and I love how each character pushes back against oppression and patriarchal expectations in different ways.
Ellie and Adam’s slow burn love story is killing me in the best way. While we didn’t get as much alone time with them, the tension was just delicious and I am SO excited to see where their story takes them!
The addition of Connie and Neil to the crew was PERFECT - their dynamic is hilarious and I’m obsessed with Constance. Sayyid and Zeinab were also new additions that really rounded out the group dynamics! I love the way that women are written in this series - there is such a strong focus on the strength and intelligence of women, and I love how each character pushes back against oppression and patriarchal expectations in different ways.
Ellie and Adam’s slow burn love story is killing me in the best way. While we didn’t get as much alone time with them, the tension was just delicious and I am SO excited to see where their story takes them!
Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Very cutesy lil grumpy x sunshine romance! I’m a sucker for a fate dating trope, and this one delivered! It did feel a bit rushed at times, and wish we got an epilogue or something as it felt like it ended a bit abruptly. But it was still a fun read, I ate it up in a day!
A Werewolf's Guide To Seducing a Vampire by Sarah Hawley
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Just when I think I can’t love the Glimmer Falls books any more, Ben and Eleanor come along 🥹 this book was just so sweet and tender while still having the perfect amount of spice and shenanigans! The soft boy werewolf x vampire succubus dom vibes KILLED ME. I couldn’t get enough of it.
There was such a major focus on mental health in this book, with Ben’s anxiety and Eleanor’s PTSD reflected so well. The author worked in a beautiful message of hope and love around these topics, and it felt so genuine and well done.
As always, the narrator absolutely killed it, with the most perfect voices for Ben and Eleanor.
There was such a major focus on mental health in this book, with Ben’s anxiety and Eleanor’s PTSD reflected so well. The author worked in a beautiful message of hope and love around these topics, and it felt so genuine and well done.
As always, the narrator absolutely killed it, with the most perfect voices for Ben and Eleanor.
Stranger Skies by Pascale Lacelle
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
Infinite stars. I’m honestly speechless.
Shoutout to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!
This was such an incredible continuation of the Drowned Gods trilogy, I was absolutely blown away by the way that Pascale expanded this world and story in a way that felt so natural but also unexpected. Picking up right after the events of Curious Tides, we get to follow Emory, Romie, Baz and Kai as they navigate new worlds and times.
I loved having multiple POV’s in this book, as it helped give a more well-rounded view of both people and events. We meet new characters, and get to know familiar faces even better. Baz and Kai truly have my whole entire heart, and so many moments between them had me either crying or giggling and cheering them on. Emory also experienced so much growth in this book, and I’m so invested in where her story will take us!
I will never stop praising this book and series, and I cannot wait for the finale!
Shoutout to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!
This was such an incredible continuation of the Drowned Gods trilogy, I was absolutely blown away by the way that Pascale expanded this world and story in a way that felt so natural but also unexpected. Picking up right after the events of Curious Tides, we get to follow Emory, Romie, Baz and Kai as they navigate new worlds and times.
I loved having multiple POV’s in this book, as it helped give a more well-rounded view of both people and events. We meet new characters, and get to know familiar faces even better. Baz and Kai truly have my whole entire heart, and so many moments between them had me either crying or giggling and cheering them on. Emory also experienced so much growth in this book, and I’m so invested in where her story will take us!
I will never stop praising this book and series, and I cannot wait for the finale!
Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCHHHH! It was steeped in so much Latinx culture, I felt so immersed in the story and characters and it was written so beautifully and intentionally. It was such a wonderful coming of age story with the added difficulty of a trans protagonist trying to prove his place and gender with his more traditional family. It was also reflective of the struggles of Latinx Americans, especially children of immigrants, and I loved learning more about this aspect of things.
The story had some very unexpected twists and turns, and I didn’t want it to end!
The story had some very unexpected twists and turns, and I didn’t want it to end!