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racheyreads's reviews
36 reviews
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
funny
lighthearted
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
4.25
As a romance goes, The Love Hypothesis felt solid. It had a unique background with STEM academia, a world I had been a part of during my Uni days. I liked Olive and Adam, they were the grumpy x sunshine trope I love to read about. Fake dating is also one of my favourite tropes in Romance, so I felt this book had a decent chunk of what I like to read about.
I enjoyed the emphasis on women in STEM. There definitely weren't many of us when I was in University. I also appreciated the serious nature everyone in the narrative took to sexual harassment.
Personally, I do wish this book had dual perspective rather than it being told only from Olive. It's really only due to preference because I maintain that romance novels are best told from both sides. Adam felt shafted in terms of his involvement with Olive and it would have been better to read his feelings and thoughts alongside Olive than in an extra chapter not originally included in the book.
I enjoyed the emphasis on women in STEM. There definitely weren't many of us when I was in University. I also appreciated the serious nature everyone in the narrative took to sexual harassment.
Personally, I do wish this book had dual perspective rather than it being told only from Olive. It's really only due to preference because I maintain that romance novels are best told from both sides. Adam felt shafted in terms of his involvement with Olive and it would have been better to read his feelings and thoughts alongside Olive than in an extra chapter not originally included in the book.
The Royal Windsor Secret by Christine Wells
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
A fictional woman slotted into situational events of real people, such a beautiful and interesting take on historical events. Cleo was a riveting and industrious character, who thankfully never gave into societal pressures and is an inspiration to everyone. I loved reading the events and history that was twisted into fiction through the eyes of Cleo.
The writing of this novel was exceptional and chapters didn't overstay their welcome. It felt as if all the important information was shown as needed, however I did feel this left the chapters stopping and starting abruptly. That being said, Christine does an amazing job of telling this story through the perspectives of multiple people over different timeframes. This can get very confusing for some, and it was well executed.
I did feel as though I needed a French dictionary to fully comprehend what is exactly being talked about sometimes within this novel. The spoken language/phrases weren't so much of an issue, it was the description of items being talked about. I don't know how many people would have a decent understanding of French fashion and what the pieces are called, but I found myself bringing up Google more often that I should have to know what the characters were talking about.
Overall this novel was a great mash up of historical fiction, real historical people, romance and mystery that I would recommend. I appreciated the characters and their places within the world and enjoyed the fictional take on the real people depicted in this novel and their interactions with Cleo. All this while subtly highlighting the privilege some people experienced, and bringing people's eyes towards a real woman who no doubt got away with Murder.
The writing of this novel was exceptional and chapters didn't overstay their welcome. It felt as if all the important information was shown as needed, however I did feel this left the chapters stopping and starting abruptly. That being said, Christine does an amazing job of telling this story through the perspectives of multiple people over different timeframes. This can get very confusing for some, and it was well executed.
I did feel as though I needed a French dictionary to fully comprehend what is exactly being talked about sometimes within this novel. The spoken language/phrases weren't so much of an issue, it was the description of items being talked about. I don't know how many people would have a decent understanding of French fashion and what the pieces are called, but I found myself bringing up Google more often that I should have to know what the characters were talking about.
Overall this novel was a great mash up of historical fiction, real historical people, romance and mystery that I would recommend. I appreciated the characters and their places within the world and enjoyed the fictional take on the real people depicted in this novel and their interactions with Cleo. All this while subtly highlighting the privilege some people experienced, and bringing people's eyes towards a real woman who no doubt got away with Murder.
Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
4.0
One of the most uplifting and challenging contemporary novels I have read in a while. The most striking feature of this novel was the writing. It was beautifully written. This novel also deals with some very heavy, yet realistic, topics and can be a downer if someone is experiencing grief, heartbreak or mental illness.
I appreciated how the main character navigated her life and her abundance of empathy for others. Unfortunately, this book narrates a toxic relationship which Adelaide has a difficult time realising and accepting. This fact in itself is the entire plotline for this novel, and I found myself wanting to slap her stupid and understanding the ways she continues to get into the rut that is this relationship.
Adelaide's hallelujah moment in coming to terms with her own mental fragility was empowering. Though if I am honest, Adelaide was lucky. She had her realisation, her friends swarmed her with support, and her job was accommodating enough to allow her the time to adjust and recover. As heart warming as it was for Adelaide, this is not the reality a lot of people face and felt almost too good to be true.
I appreciated how the main character navigated her life and her abundance of empathy for others. Unfortunately, this book narrates a toxic relationship which Adelaide has a difficult time realising and accepting. This fact in itself is the entire plotline for this novel, and I found myself wanting to slap her stupid and understanding the ways she continues to get into the rut that is this relationship.
Adelaide's hallelujah moment in coming to terms with her own mental fragility was empowering. Though if I am honest, Adelaide was lucky. She had her realisation, her friends swarmed her with support, and her job was accommodating enough to allow her the time to adjust and recover. As heart warming as it was for Adelaide, this is not the reality a lot of people face and felt almost too good to be true.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, and Toxic relationship
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
How do I even begin to describe how this book made me feel. It was beautiful and encapsulating, making me feel everything the characters were feeling and living alongside them. I loved how the world felt tangible in a way, as if this story could have taken place in our own reality and yet had the added Fantasy of Gods at war.
Iris was a stunning character. I loved reading her thoughts and how she put aside her fears even when she felt she was falling apart. Roman was equally as interesting considering his family dynamic and wanting to make his own way in life.
I can't wait to read the next novel in this series. From the concept to the characters I was hooked from page 1 and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone who loves Fantasy. It's definitely been a challenging and epic journey so far, I'm so excited for it to continue.
Iris was a stunning character. I loved reading her thoughts and how she put aside her fears even when she felt she was falling apart. Roman was equally as interesting considering his family dynamic and wanting to make his own way in life.
I can't wait to read the next novel in this series. From the concept to the characters I was hooked from page 1 and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone who loves Fantasy. It's definitely been a challenging and epic journey so far, I'm so excited for it to continue.
Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a fantastic read from beginning to end. I've never had the pleasure of reading something within the espionage genre, and for an introduction I think this book has great potential. Despite the fast paced nature of the novel, I had minimal issue making sense of the surroundings and actions being conducted by the characters. Personally I would have envisioned this being challenging, but Kayvion does a wonderful job of breaking up the writing to make it suspenseful and easy to follow.
The characters were all great to encounter. I am hoping they make an appearance in the next volume as I felt that some of them deserved more time in the limelight. Mylo and Noelia especially intrigued me and I would love to have them further explored.
Our main heroine, Ross, was fun to journey with and the story opened a can of worms within her life which I did not see coming. I pride myself normally guessing the ending of mystery style novels and I can say for certainty I did not expect what I had read.
I definitely look forward to more of what Kayvion has to offer and what is in store for Ross in her series. I can see this becoming an awesome series and I really hope the momentum carries on.
The characters were all great to encounter. I am hoping they make an appearance in the next volume as I felt that some of them deserved more time in the limelight. Mylo and Noelia especially intrigued me and I would love to have them further explored.
Our main heroine, Ross, was fun to journey with and the story opened a can of worms within her life which I did not see coming. I pride myself normally guessing the ending of mystery style novels and I can say for certainty I did not expect what I had read.
I definitely look forward to more of what Kayvion has to offer and what is in store for Ross in her series. I can see this becoming an awesome series and I really hope the momentum carries on.
Godkiller by Hannah Kaner
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
As the first book to what seems to be an epic journey, it framed the world and the current issues well. I enjoyed the worldbuilding however, I do feel like I have a lot of unanswered questions regarding the plot and what is actually going on.
This was not a long book by any means but it was definitely treated as a set up for the next coming in the series.
There was a lot of learning about the characters who we will seem to follow throughout this series and, honestly, they were all enjoyable. I loved their personalities and their stories and I really appreciated how different they were from each other.
Kissen has a huge place in my heart and her development over the journey was beautiful. Especially towards Inara. I have so much hope for Inara and she's already moulding into a determined and amazing character.
I am looking forward to the remaining entries to the series, as I'm interested to see where this story goes. Unfortunately I simply couldn't give this more as it felt like it held back too much information, hopefully giving the next book a lot of bang!
This was not a long book by any means but it was definitely treated as a set up for the next coming in the series.
There was a lot of learning about the characters who we will seem to follow throughout this series and, honestly, they were all enjoyable. I loved their personalities and their stories and I really appreciated how different they were from each other.
Kissen has a huge place in my heart and her development over the journey was beautiful. Especially towards Inara. I have so much hope for Inara and she's already moulding into a determined and amazing character.
I am looking forward to the remaining entries to the series, as I'm interested to see where this story goes. Unfortunately I simply couldn't give this more as it felt like it held back too much information, hopefully giving the next book a lot of bang!
A Holly Jolly Ever After by Sierra Simone, Julie Murphy
challenging
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.0
I want to thank the authors and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of being able to read this novel early.
This is what I want in a Romance. It was fun, it was challenging, it felt real and was a romance I could see myself going back to time and time again.
The characters were all fun and amazing, they treated each other like people and had interactions I could actually visualise in my mind. The concerns and issues faced by them all were also real, and the drama which the main romance overcame was a real functional issue faced by real functional people. I feel I'm making a big deal about this point, however, it is really important to me to actually believe that authors can write a challenging romance beyond the couple just not talking to each other to create the drama and problem they overcome.
Winnie and Kallum were a dynamic which was wholesome and sexy but supportive all at the same time. Kallum and his relationship with his former band mates was uplifting and fresh. Winnie and her interactions with Addison were funny and heart warming. The way the authors explored sex and the sex industry in this novel was respectful and normalising. I can't say anything more positive about this novel as a whole and I would wholeheartedly be recommending this to people as soon as it releases. I wish I had physical copies already as I would be throwing it at everyone to read.
This is what I want in a Romance. It was fun, it was challenging, it felt real and was a romance I could see myself going back to time and time again.
The characters were all fun and amazing, they treated each other like people and had interactions I could actually visualise in my mind. The concerns and issues faced by them all were also real, and the drama which the main romance overcame was a real functional issue faced by real functional people. I feel I'm making a big deal about this point, however, it is really important to me to actually believe that authors can write a challenging romance beyond the couple just not talking to each other to create the drama and problem they overcome.
Winnie and Kallum were a dynamic which was wholesome and sexy but supportive all at the same time. Kallum and his relationship with his former band mates was uplifting and fresh. Winnie and her interactions with Addison were funny and heart warming. The way the authors explored sex and the sex industry in this novel was respectful and normalising. I can't say anything more positive about this novel as a whole and I would wholeheartedly be recommending this to people as soon as it releases. I wish I had physical copies already as I would be throwing it at everyone to read.
A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair
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
3.5
This book left me feeling satiated in that I wanted to read a romance book - but not floored that it was the most amazing read.
I thought the overall narrative was great. The character adaptations of the Gods were fun, and incorporating them into a modern setting was interesting. I especially enjoyed the indications that most of the Gods/Goddesses owned and operated businesses where mortals would lavish in or get FOMO. It felt quite surreal in the context of today's world of influencers. Whether this connection was intentional or not, I found it particularly entertaining in my own space.
I however dislike as a trope the connotation of 'drama' being instigated by two characters simply not communicating with each other. Especially as this is an Adult romance, I would be surprised if anyone would not agree with the sentiment that 'communication is key'. To have this as the only plot point and barrier for the main characters not to get together is feeble at best. There was one other impulse of blackmail which came into the picture, was barely addressed, and then solved with the flick of a switch. If that had been explored and fleshed out, it would have been so much more meaningful than "I am a strong woman and I don't need no man or support".
Overall I enjoyed the story and will likely continue reading as I enjoyed most of the characters and would like to continue to see how the narrative is explored further. I just hope there come legitimate issues for the main romance and not just a childish mentality towards communication.
I thought the overall narrative was great. The character adaptations of the Gods were fun, and incorporating them into a modern setting was interesting. I especially enjoyed the indications that most of the Gods/Goddesses owned and operated businesses where mortals would lavish in or get FOMO. It felt quite surreal in the context of today's world of influencers. Whether this connection was intentional or not, I found it particularly entertaining in my own space.
I however dislike as a trope the connotation of 'drama' being instigated by two characters simply not communicating with each other. Especially as this is an Adult romance, I would be surprised if anyone would not agree with the sentiment that 'communication is key'. To have this as the only plot point and barrier for the main characters not to get together is feeble at best. There was one other impulse of blackmail which came into the picture, was barely addressed, and then solved with the flick of a switch. If that had been explored and fleshed out, it would have been so much more meaningful than "I am a strong woman and I don't need no man or support".
Overall I enjoyed the story and will likely continue reading as I enjoyed most of the characters and would like to continue to see how the narrative is explored further. I just hope there come legitimate issues for the main romance and not just a childish mentality towards communication.
Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Beat and Melody were a delight! I loved the chaos of this narrative, the plot and driving force was so much fun to read. Each character was unique and felt very real to me. Even the rock stars, which I can't say I've ever met any in person, but it was fun to imagine a duo being cut from very different cloth.
I did receive an ARC for this book and I noticed there were some grammar points which I would hope get picked up and edited before final publishing. Though that being said, this was an ARC and my rating does not factor this in and is graded purely on the enjoyment and story of the novel itself.
As this was my introduction to Tessa as a writer I am definitely going to be looking into her more popular books that have already released. My only issue with her writing style is it is quite difficult for me to actually pin down who is speaking or what actions are being done by which people at particular times during the novel. Again I am unsure if this is because of the ARC copy and would be better amended in the release or if this is common for her books. I will only be able to confirm by reading others!
If you want to warm up your Christmas this year, I would actually very easily recommend this book. The shenanigans our two main protagonists got into were so out there, it felt like I was reading the script to an outrageously fun Holiday Rom-Com. The banter was great and I 100% saw myself falling into the "Melody-Head" bandwagon, she was adorable and I loved her so much!
#Belody
I did receive an ARC for this book and I noticed there were some grammar points which I would hope get picked up and edited before final publishing. Though that being said, this was an ARC and my rating does not factor this in and is graded purely on the enjoyment and story of the novel itself.
As this was my introduction to Tessa as a writer I am definitely going to be looking into her more popular books that have already released. My only issue with her writing style is it is quite difficult for me to actually pin down who is speaking or what actions are being done by which people at particular times during the novel. Again I am unsure if this is because of the ARC copy and would be better amended in the release or if this is common for her books. I will only be able to confirm by reading others!
If you want to warm up your Christmas this year, I would actually very easily recommend this book. The shenanigans our two main protagonists got into were so out there, it felt like I was reading the script to an outrageously fun Holiday Rom-Com. The banter was great and I 100% saw myself falling into the "Melody-Head" bandwagon, she was adorable and I loved her so much!
#Belody
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read Benjamin Stevenson's next book in this series coming later in 2023. Cover to cover, I had a blast reading and I loved every character. They were all the same but also so different in so many ways and it was so much fun reading and learning about all of them with how this book was set out.
There was also layers of misdirection paved through the writing and each time it came up I couldn't help but laugh. Numerous times I chuckled to myself and each time I got caught out by the phrasing or narrative I just smiled - it felt so silly but so obvious at the same time!
The only thing that could have given this book a negative mark was that I did guess who the killer was, quite significantly, before the end of the book. However, I loved every single word that it didn't take away from my enjoyment at all and I feel that is something worth keeping the star for.
There was also layers of misdirection paved through the writing and each time it came up I couldn't help but laugh. Numerous times I chuckled to myself and each time I got caught out by the phrasing or narrative I just smiled - it felt so silly but so obvious at the same time!
The only thing that could have given this book a negative mark was that I did guess who the killer was, quite significantly, before the end of the book. However, I loved every single word that it didn't take away from my enjoyment at all and I feel that is something worth keeping the star for.