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melissanniereads's reviews
19 reviews
King of Wrath by Ana Huang
Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.
I usually try and give books at leas 50 pages. So I gave it exactly that. It felt like I was reading about two pieces of cardboard. It felt to me there was no actual tension between these two, and they had no real personalities or quirks that I should care about. I liked the side characters, especially Kai, Luca, and the main housekeeper way more than these two. I will be skipping over this to read King of Pride as I saw from other reviews that that's way better.
Madame by Sara Cate
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I might be in the minority here, and forgive me for the unorganized thoughts, but I really was unimpressed with Madame.
Spoiler sahead
My first and biggest gripe is that the two scenes with Eden and Jade are either being recorded for Clay, or in a voyeur room with other people watching. Not just for the two of them to be with eachother. We were promised a scene of Jade flogging Eden, a private one on one without Clay there!, that was then taken away by Jade being stupid. It also felt very Gay For You with Jade and Eden. It would have been so easy for Jade to have already had a girlfriend in the past, or less hand wavy of just kissing girls drunk at a party.
I also personally did not like going back and forth between the past and the present between Clay and Eden in small paragraphs. I felt like it would have flowed much better if we got everything with the both of them first, and then the rest of the book.
I also felt like there were too many tropes just packed in here for the sake of either marketing or the author really wasn't interested in writing more books on SPC but was contracted to do so. I think it would have been much better for Jade to simply be Clay's girlfriend and really explore being a Switch, then to shove Age Gap and Boss's Daughter in there too.
I also don't know if its be cause I loved Praise, Give Me More, and liked Mercy (still havnt read Eyes On Me) but really didn't care for and DNF'd Highest Bidder that's clouding my judgement.
This just wasn't my favorite and I'm dissapointed. Maybe Sara Cate's stuff just isn't for me.
Spoiler sahead
I also personally did not like going back and forth between the past and the present between Clay and Eden in small paragraphs. I felt like it would have flowed much better if we got everything with the both of them first, and then the rest of the book.
I also felt like there were too many tropes just packed in here for the sake of either marketing or the author really wasn't interested in writing more books on SPC but was contracted to do so. I think it would have been much better for Jade to simply be Clay's girlfriend and really explore being a Switch, then to shove Age Gap and Boss's Daughter in there too.
I also don't know if its be cause I loved Praise, Give Me More, and liked Mercy (still havnt read Eyes On Me) but really didn't care for and DNF'd Highest Bidder that's clouding my judgement.
This just wasn't my favorite and I'm dissapointed. Maybe Sara Cate's stuff just isn't for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Sexual content
Lizards Hold the Sun by Dani Trujillo
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Have you ever read a book where you can feel the love and passion saturate every single page and scentence and word? Where you know the author poured their whole heart and soul and knowledge into their writing? That is this book.
Xiomara is an Indigenous Mexican archeologist, and Calehan is the architect on the reservation assisting with the building of a museum for the artifacts. This is a romance novel, where I feel like these two have set the bar now even higher of what a respectful and loving relationship should be.
Honestly writing this review is difficult because I loved every aspect of those book, from the culture (I love love love when books have passages on food and how food impacts the characters!) to really seeing what archeology means and what it entails and the side characters that fill out Bunchberry. But, of course, it is the romance that takes the stage here. Calehan is so wonderful and sweet and knows when to tease and to be serious, and I loved that they both felt human and had motivations and complex emotions and its so good!
There is a third act breakup, but it works so well here because the characters feel real, and the reasoning behind it feels so true to life. And it takes months! for them to get back together, and the whole time he is just being so respectful of everything and her choice while yes still trying to communicate with her, but not crossing any boundries!
I loved this book and have to do a reread soon as I may just have to break my fear of annotating.
Xiomara is an Indigenous Mexican archeologist, and Calehan is the architect on the reservation assisting with the building of a museum for the artifacts. This is a romance novel, where I feel like these two have set the bar now even higher of what a respectful and loving relationship should be.
Honestly writing this review is difficult because I loved every aspect of those book, from the culture (I love love love when books have passages on food and how food impacts the characters!) to really seeing what archeology means and what it entails and the side characters that fill out Bunchberry. But, of course, it is the romance that takes the stage here. Calehan is so wonderful and sweet and knows when to tease and to be serious, and I loved that they both felt human and had motivations and complex emotions and its so good!
I loved this book and have to do a reread soon as I may just have to break my fear of annotating.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, Grief, and Racism
One character made me slightly uncomfortable but it is adresses and the character stops
Scarred by Emily McIntire
dark
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Knowing from the authors notes page at the beginning that this is a Dark Royalty romance aided in my enjoyment of Scarred. Like a lot of people I grew up with The Lion King, as well as having the privilege of seeing it on Broadway, there is a framed poster on my wall, Be Prepared as almost at the top of the track list out of the soundtrack. Scar is one of the great Disney Villains, and one of my favorites.
I was, not surprised but more amused at myself, that I really enjoyed this book. That it was easy to read and to follow was great, and as a bit of a slower reader this really only took me a few days to finish. As mentioned previously knowing that this was a Fall for the Villains type book, allowed me to sit back and just enjoy the ride that I was on. Most of the side characters I found endearing, or al least fun to read about. Timothy, Pete, and Simon are the true standouts. However I do wish that the more tragic or terrifying scenes left more of an impact on the characters than they did.
And yes this book was very nice and spicy, but it is a bit of a teasing slow burn! There's also wax and impact play!
I had such a great time with this, read the first few pages in Target, went home, and drove the 30 drive the next day back to get it and I'm so glad I did.
Now on to Twisted!
As with Dark Romances, please always heed the content warnings which are on the the authors website.
I was, not surprised but more amused at myself, that I really enjoyed this book. That it was easy to read and to follow was great, and as a bit of a slower reader this really only took me a few days to finish. As mentioned previously knowing that this was a Fall for the Villains type book, allowed me to sit back and just enjoy the ride that I was on. Most of the side characters I found endearing, or al least fun to read about. Timothy, Pete, and Simon are the true standouts. However I do wish that the more tragic or terrifying scenes left more of an impact on the characters than they did.
And yes this book was very nice and spicy, but it is a bit of a teasing slow burn! There's also wax and impact play!
I had such a great time with this, read the first few pages in Target, went home, and drove the 30 drive the next day back to get it and I'm so glad I did.
Now on to Twisted!
As with Dark Romances, please always heed the content warnings which are on the the authors website.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Torture, and Bullying
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
adventurous
challenging
slow-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
3.5
3.5/5
I've finished the book only a few moments ago, and I'm still not sure on my feelings about it. I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if we had gotten more scenes with Murderbot and the crew at the beginning. Gotten to know them, even through Murderbots' limited and uncaring point of view. I also felt at times pretty dumb for not really following or understanding what was going on, especially toward the end. It was difficult to figure out where all of the players were in relation to everything else and made it a bit of a trudge to understand. I had to go back and reread paragraphs, one sentence at a time to work out what was happening.
Maybe I'm too dumb for Sci fi and really really wished I loved it. However I do plan on picking up the rest of the series at the library throughout the year.
I've finished the book only a few moments ago, and I'm still not sure on my feelings about it. I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if we had gotten more scenes with Murderbot and the crew at the beginning. Gotten to know them, even through Murderbots' limited and uncaring point of view. I also felt at times pretty dumb for not really following or understanding what was going on, especially toward the end. It was difficult to figure out where all of the players were in relation to everything else and made it a bit of a trudge to understand. I had to go back and reread paragraphs, one sentence at a time to work out what was happening.
Maybe I'm too dumb for Sci fi and really really wished I loved it. However I do plan on picking up the rest of the series at the library throughout the year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Delilah Green Doesn't Care by Ashley Herring Blake
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I think this is now my favorite romance novel and favorite book I've read so far this year. The way that the characters are so clearly defined and feel real is something that I feel is missing from most romances. With that being said, the relationship that surprised me the most was not the main romantic pair of Delilah and Clair, which I will get to, but rather the relationship between Delilah and her step sister Astrid. I have at times been on either side of that sibling dynamic, the one not understanding and the one not being understood. I almost cried at then where instead of the expected romantic interest that shows up to the big event it was her, working to extend the olive branch.
Of course it is the relationship between Clair and Delilah that we are all here for and it was done wonderfully. Usually I am not a fan of the “sisters best friend” trope, but it works very well here. Their rough history with eachother is acknowledged throughout instead of being brushed aside. And the tender moments and other scenes are done very well, with emotion and tension between them a driving force.
Ruby was also a surprise to me, as it is extremely difficult to find well written children characters that act their age. There were even a few moments that I even sided with Josh, don't get me started on how Clair invited her friends to his and Ruby's camping trip!
The one thing that I didn't particularly care for was the ending with Josh and the house, as it didn't really make any sense to me.
Overall, I loved this book and the characters of Bright Falls! I have Astrids book on my shelf that I'm saving for the future, and am very excited for Iris’ book!
Of course it is the relationship between Clair and Delilah that we are all here for and it was done wonderfully. Usually I am not a fan of the “sisters best friend” trope, but it works very well here. Their rough history with eachother is acknowledged throughout instead of being brushed aside. And the tender moments and other scenes are done very well, with emotion and tension between them a driving force.
Ruby was also a surprise to me, as it is extremely difficult to find well written children characters that act their age. There were even a few moments that I even sided with Josh, don't get me started on how Clair invited her friends to his and Ruby's camping trip!
The one thing that I didn't particularly care for was the ending with Josh and the house, as it didn't really make any sense to me.
Overall, I loved this book and the characters of Bright Falls! I have Astrids book on my shelf that I'm saving for the future, and am very excited for Iris’ book!
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
Did not finish book. Stopped at 4%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 4%.
"Okay, boomer." I just cringed out of my skin. I heard it gets better after around 60 pages so may be able to get through it better later.
The Stand-In by Lily Chu
Did not finish book. Stopped at 2%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 2%.
I might pick it back up later, but the fact that they picked her up on the side of the road and new exactly where she was was just a bit too far fetched for me
The Obsession by Jesse Q. Sutanto
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I loved the idea of this book, but the execution falls flat for me. I want to read about a very toxic love obsessed boy, as I'm sure many of us had to unfortunately deal with in high school. But the writing was way too rushed for me, especially toward the end, and I could have gone without the drug subplot as I feel what happened in the beginning was enough. I loved that the book did not hand waive away the relationship and portayed it exactly how it was, which I am so glad that the book does that, instead of making excuses for it like a million YA, and even a lot of Adult "romances" and romances in not quotes do. Not sure if it was just my copy, but i did not see a list of resources for readers who may be dealing with similar experiences that occur in the book, which i have wonderdfully seen some authors do, but was lacking in this one which rubbed me the wrong way, but again may have been my copy. The great premise was there, but the sub par writing did not hold it through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, and Suicide
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