melsbookspace's reviews
224 reviews

Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Had me grinning ear to ear the whole time. giggling and kicking my feet. SO CUTE.

Worst Wingman Ever by Abby Jimenez

emotional funny lighthearted relaxing sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

60 pages and a whirlwind of emotions. I absolutely loved this.

The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren

funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

5 stars. Without question. (iykyk)

Sanctuary of the Shadow by Aurora Ascher

challenging mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I had really high hopes for this one but in the end it just wasn't for me.

The blurb and the cover would lead you to believe this has more to do with a magical circus than it actually does, which was let down number 1 for me. 

This could've been a really good enemies to lovers book but it falls more into the insta love category which is not my favourite. The main characters lacked any kind of chemistry which honestly is pretty common in instalove books. There's no tension, no buildup. 

It was a super promising storyline and the authors set up an intriguing  magical world but it was just missing something and didn't hook me in like I wanted it to. 

Gothikana by RuNyx

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous challenging emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

Love, Just In by Natalie Murray

challenging emotional lighthearted sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is one of those romances where the characters start to feel like real people to me. They're not spending the whole book searching for/finding love, they're dealing with trauma, grief and anxiety. 

Of course at its heart this is a romance. It follows Josie and Zac, who have been best friends since high school. They're all grown up now with busy careers, Josie is a news reporter and Zac is a paramedic. They've lost touch over the years but when Josies job brings her to his city they're forced to confront issues in their lives and their friendship (including but not limited to their secret attraction to one another)

If you're looking for a slow burn friends to lovers romance that really builds the tension (with a nice sprinkling of spice) Give this one a go!

Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey

funny lighthearted reflective 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

3.0

A super quick holiday read. 

This one was quick, probably a little too quick as it didn't leave much room for character development or tension building. But still enjoyable enough.

If you're after a short, spicy holiday read that gets right to the point then definitely check this one out!

Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle

lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

You deserve eachother is one of my favourite romances, so I had high hopes for this one.

Unfortunately it didn't really reach those hopes. I love the concept, but the execution just left a bit to be desired. I didn't really feel any spark or chemistry between the 2 main characters which left me not really caring how it ended. 

Overall it was enjoyable but I wouldn't read it again. 

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0