magnolia_reading's reviews
557 reviews

The Orc from the Office by Kate Prior

funny lighthearted fast-paced

3.0

I’m starting to slowly incorporate spring covers/themes into my TBR. I heard of this from a podcast. It’s cute but TOTALLY unrealistic. Not the Orc 😅 but more so the part where they have sex on the side of a building!?!? I giggled immensely.

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

mysterious fast-paced

4.0

A great winter mystery. It has all the classic mystery novel twists and turns. There is some added rivals to lovers, slow burn romance. I loved the classic who done it reveal at the end. 2 🌶️ 

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

4.0

This is a reread for me. I absolutely love the world and dynamic between Mercy and her community. With a smidge of slow burn romance and a love triangle- it’s just right. 1 🌶️ 

Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross

mysterious tense medium-paced

3.0

😫 I am kinda disappointed. I LOVED the first one but this just felt lazy. I can’t stand an amnesia trope and then they just started writing each other all over again?! I’m torn. I wanted so much more. 

Witchful Thinking by Celestine Martin

lighthearted medium-paced

3.5

Cute, cozy & cheesy. Slow burn and no rush in the plot. The drama was minimal and felt like an afterthought to the romance. It felt a bit too long though. I love the idea of the world and the diversity, but something just didn’t click fully for me.

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

5.0

One of the best thriller books and YA books I’ve read. I listened to the audiobook and had it on 1.5 and it was perfect. The description of her phobia is so eyeopening- especially how the narrator read it in the audio. She was AMAZING! I love the intersection of social justice, gentrification, racism, blended family, drug use and addiction. 

Over the Line by Elise Faber

slow-paced

1.0

DNF @75 % I couldn’t take Lake being any more of an asshole. Ugh! Like could he have inherited some of his mom’s issues?!? Yeah and he needs therapy. If I were Nova I wouldn’t put up with that hot n cold. Also her storyline….. another ugh. The whole sister/brother scene was just poorly planned. 

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.0

This felt like almost two different books. There was part one with cheesy banter. A brief intermission that touched on the sad effects of the economy and relying on the kindness of others. And finally the gore and suspens. I read the audiobook version so I missed out on the ikea catalog layout.

Priest by Sierra Simone

adventurous challenging dark fast-paced

3.0

I can appreciate his POV and the humanity it brought to his character. The pace was fast and seemed a bit jumpy. Didn’t care for the third

act break up but I almost wish it would have ended there. 

A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

dark funny mysterious fast-paced

5.0

This is a perfectly balanced southern gothic, darkly humorous, mysterious, spooky and dare I say- cozy book. I love the science and entomology content as well as the gardening info. It had me laughing out loud with the witty banter.