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morganthebee's reviews
450 reviews
Paint the Moon by Katia Rose
5.0
Paint the Moon, the first book in Katia Rose’s new Balsam Inn series, brings us to the small town of La Cloche, in the Canadian province of Quebec. Brooke Carmichel used to live what she thought was a fairytale life in La Cloche until she was left at the altar six years ago. Making her home in Montreal and working as an interior designer since then, Brooke’s boss has been putting off her promotion to project manager, but if she can just lead a project on her own the role is hers.
Natalie Sinclair, a painter who is struggling with her confidence and sense of self-worth, has inherited a large house. She doesn’t feel that she deserves it and wants to sell, but her best friends urge her to consider turning the gorgeous old home into the inn they’ve always dreamed of running. Sounds like a match made in heaven, if it weren’t for the fact that the house is in La Cloche, and Natalie just happens to be the sister of the runaway groom.
The story develops slowly, but it feels right for the small-town setting and the wariness and weirdness that surrounds the relationship between Brooke and Natalie. There’s obvious chemistry between the two, but there are also a lot of awkward moments and they both have a lot to work through. Once they cross the physical boundary things heat up quickly, but it also triggers some things, especially for Brooke. The way that Katia handles everything so carefully in her writing really left me feeling connected with both characters, and it’s exactly what I’ve come to expect from her.
Although I've enjoyed everything I've read from her, I think Katia particularly excels in series novels because she spends a lot of time developing the setting and side characters, and that’s no different in Paint the Moon. After all, we'll be seeing a lot more of them, and I can't wait for more of Balsam Inn and La Cloche!
I received a free ARC from the author via StoryOrigin, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.
Say A Little Prayer by Jenna Voris
4.25
When I picked up Say a Little Prayer on a whim, I had no idea that much of the book takes place in my home state of Ohio and our neighbor Kentucky. Oh, the number of times I’ve driven by the referenced “Hell is Real” billboard, and I can personally attest that the mindset that can be so prevalent in small Ohio towns is no joke.
The story here focuses on Riley, who is angry and feels out of place. She’s left her church after coming out as bi, her sister has been ostracized for having an abortion, and her schoolmates won’t stop putting her sister down. In order to avoid suspension for slapping one such schoolmate—which would prevent her from performing in the school musical—Riley agrees to attend church camp over spring break.
Riley’s best friend Julia, the pastor’s daughter, is the “good girl,” expected to set an example for others and not stray from the path her father demands, but there are cracks in the veneer. Together, along with Julia's twin Ben and their cabinmates, they navigate some pretty heavy topics, all while Riley attempts to subvert the pastor’s teachings by committing the 7 deadly sins over the course of the camp in an attempt to “prove” that he’s wrong.
Although I wasn’t raised in the church and have a liberal family, I really empathized with a lot of the characters and their experiences. It can be so hard to navigate through high school, with all the pressures, fears, and insecurity that can affect actions and decisions, and the growth for all of them was so realistic. I really appreciated how Voris handled all of that, and the redemption that came for some of the side characters was lovely. The story fell apart a bit at the end for me, which is why I’m going with the 4-star rating here, but it really is a great book overall.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.
The story here focuses on Riley, who is angry and feels out of place. She’s left her church after coming out as bi, her sister has been ostracized for having an abortion, and her schoolmates won’t stop putting her sister down. In order to avoid suspension for slapping one such schoolmate—which would prevent her from performing in the school musical—Riley agrees to attend church camp over spring break.
Riley’s best friend Julia, the pastor’s daughter, is the “good girl,” expected to set an example for others and not stray from the path her father demands, but there are cracks in the veneer. Together, along with Julia's twin Ben and their cabinmates, they navigate some pretty heavy topics, all while Riley attempts to subvert the pastor’s teachings by committing the 7 deadly sins over the course of the camp in an attempt to “prove” that he’s wrong.
Although I wasn’t raised in the church and have a liberal family, I really empathized with a lot of the characters and their experiences. It can be so hard to navigate through high school, with all the pressures, fears, and insecurity that can affect actions and decisions, and the growth for all of them was so realistic. I really appreciated how Voris handled all of that, and the redemption that came for some of the side characters was lovely. The story fell apart a bit at the end for me, which is why I’m going with the 4-star rating here, but it really is a great book overall.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.
The Music of Unexpected Things by Jamie Deacon
4.0
The Music of Unexpected Things is a lovely story about a group of teens who meet at a summer music camp, where all of the attendees are competing for a scholarship to attend the college that hosts the camp. The main characters are Georgie and Mina, whose perspective the story alternates between as they develop friendships with their fellow campers and begin to have deeper feelings for each other.
Georgie, blind since birth, is an introvert who struggles with connections to others, mostly because of bad experiences in the past. Mina, on the other hand, is more confident and extroverted, but has her own issues as she worries about how her religious family will react to her sexuality as she’s not out to them. Together with Mina’s best friend Gareth, a drummer named Art, and Zephyr, an even bigger introvert than Georgie with a famous musical family (and of course I can’t forget Georgie’s guide dog, Star), they navigate some pretty heavy topics as they each come into their own.
I think my only real issue with the story is actually about Star. As a working dog, some of her behavior isn’t what I would expect from a trained guide, and the way so many people just walk up and start petting her while she’s working was rather bothersome.
I received a free ARC from BookSirens, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.
Georgie, blind since birth, is an introvert who struggles with connections to others, mostly because of bad experiences in the past. Mina, on the other hand, is more confident and extroverted, but has her own issues as she worries about how her religious family will react to her sexuality as she’s not out to them. Together with Mina’s best friend Gareth, a drummer named Art, and Zephyr, an even bigger introvert than Georgie with a famous musical family (and of course I can’t forget Georgie’s guide dog, Star), they navigate some pretty heavy topics as they each come into their own.
I think my only real issue with the story is actually about Star. As a working dog, some of her behavior isn’t what I would expect from a trained guide, and the way so many people just walk up and start petting her while she’s working was rather bothersome.
I received a free ARC from BookSirens, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.
Fighting for Infinity by Alyson Root
5.0
Fighting for Infinity, the satisfying conclusion to the Loch & Key trilogy, is more action packed, higher stakes, and a bit darker than the two previous books, but don’t worry: it still brings all of the love and heat that’s so central to the series. Unlike the first book which gave us Amelia’s perspective, or the second which gave us Erin’s, the final installment gives us an alternating perspective from both women, as the story sends them off on different quests in an attempt to bring peace to both vampires and humans alike.
You really need to read the whole trilogy in order as none of them are stand-alone, and without all of the background, character development, and worldbuilding, the story just won’t make sense. If you’ve already done this, then you’ll probably agree with me when I say that Root’s take on vampires is different than any I’ve read before, and I find it so enjoyable. Rather than bloodthirsty monsters who feed on humans, her vampires are peaceful, family-oriented, loving individuals with a huge emphasis on community and belonging. That makes the darkness in this final book all the more heartbreaking, but the conclusion so sweet.
I received a free ARC from the author, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.
You really need to read the whole trilogy in order as none of them are stand-alone, and without all of the background, character development, and worldbuilding, the story just won’t make sense. If you’ve already done this, then you’ll probably agree with me when I say that Root’s take on vampires is different than any I’ve read before, and I find it so enjoyable. Rather than bloodthirsty monsters who feed on humans, her vampires are peaceful, family-oriented, loving individuals with a huge emphasis on community and belonging. That makes the darkness in this final book all the more heartbreaking, but the conclusion so sweet.
I received a free ARC from the author, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.