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niftyreads's reviews
162 reviews
The Favorites by Layne Fargo
5.0
Thanks, PRH Audio and LibroFm, for the audiobook!
Holy wow. I just finished listening to THE FAVORITES by Layne Fargo, and I was 100% sucked into the drama. And that’s Drama with a capital D! I’ve always loved all types of figure skating, so imagining what a drama-filled reality TV-esque world behind the scenes it is was so much fun. (Also, I promise to try not to use drama in every sentence 😅) In the author’s note, Fargo said she worked on two other manuscripts before letting THE FAVORITES come to fruition. It was worth the wait and all the hard work she put into it.
The audiobook was a full cast led by the talented Christine Lakin, one of my favorite narrators. And!! 🎉 Johnny Weir - figure skater, fashionista, and broadcaster extraordinaire - narrates a fabulous character, which was exciting for me because I adore him. The entire cast effort, the pacing of the audiobook, and how the book was written made listening to it so much fun! Especially when dramatic moments have unexpected twists. Highly recommend going the audiobook route!
I kept forgetting as I was reading that Shaw and Rocha were not a real team, and I had no way of looking up their routines to watch. (I really need this to become a series asap; there’s too much good stuff to be a movie.) I believed in them. I rooted for them. I got angry at/with them. And I felt for them—oh, did I ever feel for them. So many feels.
Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha might not be able to compete in real life, but in my mind, they are skating and winning gold every time!
Similar vibes: DAISY JONES & THE SIX; CARRIE SOTO IS BACK
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Content warning: toxic friendships/relationship, blood, injury/injury detail, cancer, drug use, alcohol use, physical abuse, familial death, misogyny
Holy wow. I just finished listening to THE FAVORITES by Layne Fargo, and I was 100% sucked into the drama. And that’s Drama with a capital D! I’ve always loved all types of figure skating, so imagining what a drama-filled reality TV-esque world behind the scenes it is was so much fun. (Also, I promise to try not to use drama in every sentence 😅) In the author’s note, Fargo said she worked on two other manuscripts before letting THE FAVORITES come to fruition. It was worth the wait and all the hard work she put into it.
The audiobook was a full cast led by the talented Christine Lakin, one of my favorite narrators. And!! 🎉 Johnny Weir - figure skater, fashionista, and broadcaster extraordinaire - narrates a fabulous character, which was exciting for me because I adore him. The entire cast effort, the pacing of the audiobook, and how the book was written made listening to it so much fun! Especially when dramatic moments have unexpected twists. Highly recommend going the audiobook route!
I kept forgetting as I was reading that Shaw and Rocha were not a real team, and I had no way of looking up their routines to watch. (I really need this to become a series asap; there’s too much good stuff to be a movie.) I believed in them. I rooted for them. I got angry at/with them. And I felt for them—oh, did I ever feel for them. So many feels.
Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha might not be able to compete in real life, but in my mind, they are skating and winning gold every time!
Similar vibes: DAISY JONES & THE SIX; CARRIE SOTO IS BACK
•
Content warning: toxic friendships/relationship, blood, injury/injury detail, cancer, drug use, alcohol use, physical abuse, familial death, misogyny
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong
5.0
As tears fall from my eyes during the end, there are a few lines that literally make me catch my breath.
Chloe Gong has beautiful prose, and this book is an exceptional ending to the duology. It offers hints about what will come if you want to keep reading the SECRET SHANGHAI series.
Draw Down the Moon by Kristin Cast, P.C. Cast
3.0
Thanks, Wednesday Books, for the arc!
I’m an OG fan of Kristin Cast and P.C. Cast from the HOUSE OF NIGHT days. It was nice reading about a magickal school again from them in DRAW DOWN THE MOON. Did it have the same effect on me as HoN? No, I’m not head over heels obsessed, but I enjoyed the adventure that DDTM took me on. I liked the characters and the magickal powers that exist in this world. I’m also intrigued to see how everything plays out in the final book of the duology. I’m just sad I didn’t get the same feels that HOUSE OF NIGHT gave me.
Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank by Elle Cosimano
3.0
Thanks, Minotaur Books, for the book!
Was this book necessary? No. Was it cute? Yes. Would I reread it? Probably not.
I’ve already read the first FINLAY book a few times, but this novella is a one and done, even if I were to reread the series from start to finish. It’s nice to know a little more about Vero, but I enjoy being in Finlay’s head more.
Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano
5.0
Thanks, Minotaur Books, for the book!
FINLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN is my favorite of the series so far. I love how, in each book, Finlay and Vero’s friendship grows, and their banter gets even more amazing! But this book had more side character appearances, and I enjoyed that aspect. Plus, the police academy was so entertaining!! I’m not sure how Elle Cosimano can top that!
Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano
5.0
Thanks, Minotaur Books, for the book!
I’m so happy the sequel lived up to the first one. Finlay and Vero have the best friendship. I laughed so much. These books bring me joy. Elle Cosimano does an excellent job of wrapping up the story of this book and leaving us with a fantastic cliffhanger that is so surprising for the following book!
I’m so happy the sequel lived up to the first one. Finlay and Vero have the best friendship. I laughed so much. These books bring me joy. Elle Cosimano does an excellent job of wrapping up the story of this book and leaving us with a fantastic cliffhanger that is so surprising for the following book!
A Tribute of Fire by Sariah Wilson
5.0
Thanks, Montlake, for the book!
I have a thing for books that put characters in peril, and they must survive intense situations or end up in their doom. So, when A TRIBUTE OF FIRE’s book blurb stated that Lia was in training for a life-or-death race plaguing Lorcrian women, say no more, I wanted to read it. It was the right decision. And now I desperately want book two.
Lia has many types of adventures, meets interesting characters, and solves some intriguing puzzles. Then there is the whoa moment cliffhanger, and I’m still not okay. Again, I desperately want book two.
Lia was very much filled with female rage. She would definitely be a fan of TTPD, and I would like to be her friend. If she weren’t in the book, she would be buddy-reading it with me and demanding book two.
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Brendan O’Hea, Judi Dench
5.0
Thanks, St. Martin’s Press, for the arc!
Judi Dench is a national treasure. I would love to go on vacation with her and spend the time having tea and listening to her stories. This book was such a joy to read because it felt like that, especially if you love Shakespeare as much as Dame Dench does. Also, if you love older women who don’t give a flying fuck and are just themselves.
The book actually had to be edited because she cursed so much, which is funny and sad because I would like an unedited version, but don’t worry, there is still a lot of cursing in it.
I think this book can make you appreciate Shakespeare if you don’t or fall more in love with it if you do. It’s a must-read.
Falling for Alaska by Belle Calhoune
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
Thanks, Forever, for the arc!
I was sad that I didn’t click with this book and ended up dnfing it. I loved a previous book by Belle Calhoun that I read, and this premise sounded like one I would enjoy. I adored the meet-cute, but then it was so much info-dumping that I felt like I lost the momentum of the meet-cute and lost my interest, too.
Time and Tide by J.M. Frey
Did not finish book. Stopped at 48%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 48%.
Thanks, Wattpad Books, for the arc!
I was excited about this book, but the beginning had a lot of ups and downs for me. It definitely should have had trigger warnings! By halfway, I just became bored, and I had no desire to keep reading. I was at page 194 and would pick it up and put it down without any care to know what happened to the characters. I didn't even want to read the end! I think it was the unnerving beginning. I didn't connect with it; it wasn't the story I expected.
Trigger Warnings (up until where I read): physical abuse, plane crash, injury and injury detail, sexual assault, PTSD, misogyny
I was excited about this book, but the beginning had a lot of ups and downs for me. It definitely should have had trigger warnings! By halfway, I just became bored, and I had no desire to keep reading. I was at page 194 and would pick it up and put it down without any care to know what happened to the characters. I didn't even want to read the end! I think it was the unnerving beginning. I didn't connect with it; it wasn't the story I expected.
Trigger Warnings (up until where I read): physical abuse, plane crash, injury and injury detail, sexual assault, PTSD, misogyny
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail