rachelsbusyreading's reviews
478 reviews

Highest Bidder by Sara Cate

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.25

3.25⭐️

If I was just rating this on the spicy scenes it would get 5 stars as per usual (but if you don’t like daddy used in the bedroom you’ll hate it lol). Sara Cate always has immaculate spice! 

But outside of the spice I had a harder time with this story than any of the others in this series so far. It was very much insta love which rarely works well for me and the secrets/background story kind of gave me the ick to be honest. 

In the Care of Magic by Robin Jo Margaret

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

This was so sweet and spicy and cozy all wrapped into one! 

The Daymakers by Grace McGinty

emotional funny hopeful tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

It can’t be over!!!! I need more 😭 I need bonus chapters, I need a second book, I need a WHOLE SERIES of these characters I love them so much. 

Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom

adventurous dark sad tense medium-paced

4.5

I won’t lie and say this book was perfect because I do think there was a dip in the story where it felt kind of slow for me (from about 50%-75% in), but when it was good, it was GREAT! I live for a woman absolutely filled to the brim with rightful revenge. And I’m so glad that everyone who deserved it, got theirs!!!!! FUCK WALLACE AND FUCK THE MAGISTRATE 

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

emotional reflective sad

3.75

I’m not sure what happened here; this definitely could just be a case of my expectations being extremely high since Homegoing was one of my top books of 2024 but this book, while incredibly written, was just missing something for me. I didn’t leave it feeling in awe or truly wowed. I thought it was well written, emotional, and intriguing but it just didn’t hit me in the way I thought it might. 

Heavyweight: A Family Story of the Holocaust, Empire, and Memory by Solomon J. Brager

challenging dark informative reflective sad fast-paced

Hired by the Single Dad by Whitley Cox

lighthearted

4.0

This was actually really cute. The third act conflict did indeed piss me off lol but honestly I expected it. 

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Did not finish book. Stopped at 11%.

Ugh I had to dnf and I’m kind of sad about it. My brain just wasn’t up to the challenge of staying engaged through some of the dense and hard to follow sections. I might try again at a later date. 

Their Sweetest Obsession by Terri Anne Browning

lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

Honestly I was just looking for a fun, quick, smutty pallet cleaner and this was exactly that. 

Dark Restraint by Katee Robert

3.5