lucysbookshelf's reviews
45 reviews

Kingpin's Foxglove by Bree Porter

3.0

I had high hopes for this mafia romance. Mainly because the MMC seemed different from the rest of them, he was more of a gentleman and also very soft, a change I liked, but also because the FMC was someone who had a personality. Elena is strong, smart and has enough passion and knowledge of science to help her through the cruel world she's a part of. I was rooting for her to get whatever she wanted because of how great a FMC she is. I liked the found family type of dynamic some characters had, especially Elena and Ronan bickering while also becoming friends.
Unfortunately, none of the above could redeem how dragged on this book felt and how rushed and nonsensical the end and the epilogue did.
I might be judging it too harshly due to the high expectations I mentioned above, the ending and the bad plot twist felt forced and did not make any sense.

La cerilla sueca by Anton Chekhov, Anton Chekhov

5.0

This was a hilarious and clever parody to the detective stories we all know and love. From calling it a murder without even finding the body to invent clues out of every single thing these characters could find, it was an entertaining read that showed the comedic potential Chekhov had and his freedom at writing. I find it an ideal read for people that enjoyed parodies like "Northanger Abbey".

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

4.0

My expectations for this book were super high due to always having a good time reading Ali's books (even her fanfics in AO3) and they were met. I had a great time reading this. I was laughing, gasping, kicking my feet and feeling giddy so many times. I also felt an especial connection with our FMC, Misery, who is such a good person, she's witty, fun and tries to hide how much hurt she lived through. The same occurred to me with Lowe, all the weight he had on his shoulders, the responsibility, the guilt and the pressure he put himself through in every situation.
The vampire and werewolf jokes were great and had me laughing many times. The vibes this book has are unmatched by some other books about vampires and werewolves.
This was a 5 star read for me. I changed my mind when it came to the *spoiler* third act breakup and I thought some words were too harsh and I don't like low blows ever so this was not an exception to that rule but it didn't fully take away how much I enjoyed this book from start to finish and how these characters became so relatable and lovable to me.
Can't wait to see if we get Koen and Serena's book!

El castillo by Franz Kafka

5.0

This unfinished novel can be best described as the struggles the modern man faced several times (especially in the “in between wars” period) of wanting to belong and be a part of something, somewhere and never actually doing it. The bureaucracy being unrealistic and not in contact with what the people need at all due to losing itself in grandeur and titles instead of work to make people’s lives better. This also influences an individualist society where there’s no compassion nor empathy because no one wants to fall out of favor with those in power, even when they have never even seen their faces. There’s also two sensations that might be considered to be the constants throughout the book and it’s the feeling of being lost and the frustration that comes with it and with what I previously mentioned.
The meaning of the castle that our protagonist, K, wants to reach so badly is brilliantly explained in the epilogue by Max Brod, who also gives an insight into Kafka’s thoughts when he wrote this story and enriches the story to no avail.
I do recommend knowing a bit of Kafka’s biography before reading this book, it makes the experience much better and helps you understand more about this amazing and complex writer.

Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey

4.0

3.5
This book was such a good read for Valentine's Day. It's filled with fluff, sweetness and spice and the typical Tessa's swoony moments that makes the reader and the FMC fall for the MMC.
The representation for type 1 diabetes was well done and the same happened with the struggles of self destruction that the MMC had. I also enjoyed seeing this being a book about dreams, the FMC wanting to have the pro golf shop she had always wanted and the MMC proving himself he can be among the top best golfers in the world.
Last but not least, this is a love letter for fangirls everywhere, no matter who or what you are a fan of.