randeh's reviews
354 reviews

This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

adventurous emotional 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? No

3.5

House of Pounding Hearts by Olivia Wildenstein

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

House of Rising Sands by Olivia Wildenstein

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

This novella only has 52 pages but it was 52 perfect pages. After reading book 1 in this series I was left wanting. I didn't like the FMC and I had so many questions about her background, I just wanted it to make sense.

Obviously this novella didn't make me like Fallon anymore since she's not really in it, however it did give me a better understanding of her background, which we were left wondering about after book 1. We also get a little more insight into Bronwen in this book as well as the Kingdom of Crows.

And then we end on the most delicious ending ever. Yes please. A+ work Olivia Wildenstein. I am going into book 2 much more excited than I was after book 1.

A little quote that actually had me chuckle out loud:

💬 "A shudder rattles me. The Cauldron couldn't possible have been of sound mind when it decided to make Cathal and me mates.

Not only could the man crush my larynx between his pinkies, but if he's massive everywhere...A wave of heat folds over me at the contemplation."

House of beating wings by Olivia Wildenstein

adventurous medium-paced

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

2.5

I want to preface this review by saying the story was really good and if it wasn't for the terrible FMC I would have given this first book a 4. I'm hoping Fallon will grow on me because right now I can't stand her. Fallon is annoyingly obsessed with the biggest red flag in fictional work and on top of that she's just worldly stupid. She never learns either, her stupidity just continues on for the entire book.

The writing also threw me off a bit. With a fantasy I don't expect words like "meet cute" or even the word "boob", it sounded so out of place.

The positives though, will encourage me to read book 2 and hopefully fall in love with the series. I enjoyed the world of Luce and enjoyed most of the characters. I am #TeamLorcan and I love the entire crow element of this series. I want to explore Fallon's background more and the new Kingdom of Crows.

I had two quotes that I enjoyed from this book:

💬 “‘…and the fragrance of your,’ he lowers his nose to the delicate skin between my earlobe, ‘cunt.’ I break out in goosebumps. Never would I have imagined my body reacting to that skeevy word with anything other than distaste. And yet, from Dante’s lips it sounds downright sensual.” When I first read this I thought, same girl, same. And then immediately hated him after this sex scene.

💬 “Gods, I thought I hated Lorcan but it pales for how I feel about Dante.” And of course after reading this, I once again thought...same girl, same.

A Place Called Perfect by Helena Duggan

adventurous funny informative mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

Happy Place by Emily Henry

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

The Curse of Ophelia by Nicole Platania

adventurous slow-paced

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

3.5

As the first book in the series I expected a lot of world building in the beginning and that's what it is. If you're hoping for that instant gratification then this may not be the book for you. If you go in knowing that though, I think this is going to be a next level series. 

The first book was good. I enjoyed the world that Nicole had developed and I liked all the characters. I loved that there was a really great friend group and I'm sure we'll be able to explore their relationships and personalities more in future books. 

The villain I guessed almost right away and I had assumed most of the plot. That didn't make me like it any less though because the characters were new, the plot was new, the magic system was new (and still not fully developed by the end of this book), the world is still being explained and I like that I have a new world to love and get to know! The enemy was in it for all the right reasons too. 

I am 100000% team Tolek and am rooting for him and Ophelia forever. When Tolek talked about always coming in second my heart cried for him.

I'm looking forward to reading book 2 and seeing more of the world and characters develop!

Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

The final instalment in the Part of Your World series was excellent! I was wondering how the author was going to tie all three books together properly and then Abby Jimenez swoops in and does just that. 

Justin is exactly the guy they are talking about when they say "if he wanted to, he would" and boy does he ever! The worse part about this book is that it's over.

Abby Jimenez manages to write about heavy topics that hit home for so many readers, but she does it in a safe space full of all the things that make us feel loved and protected as well.

My favourite part of this book, apart from the romantic way Abby Jimenez makes you feel EVERYTHING, was the connection between Emma & Daniel. I loved that we made our way back to Grant House. I love that Amber didn't get a character arc but that Neil did. I'm sad we aren't getting a Maddie & Doug story but alas all good things must come to an end!

And as always, a few of my favourite quotes from this book:

💬 "The love stories sold us the wrong thing. The best kind of love doesn’t happen on moonlit walks and romantic vacations. It happens in between the folds of everyday life. It’s not grand gestures that show how you feel, it’s all the little secret things you do to make her life better that you never tell her about. Taking the end piece of the bread at breakfast so she can have the last middle piece for her sandwich when you pack her lunch. Making sure her car always has gas so she never has to stop at the pump. Telling her you’re not cold and to take your jacket when you are in fact, very, very cold. It’s watching TV on a rainy Sunday while you’re doing laundry and turning her light off when she’s fallen asleep reading. Sharing pizza crusts and laughing about something the kids did and taking care of each other when you’re sick. It isn’t glamorous, it isn’t all butterflies and stars in your eyes. It’s real. This is the kind of love that forever is made of. Because if it’s this good when life is draining and mundane and hard, think of how wonderful it will be when the love songs are playing and the moon is out."

💬 "Why not forgive? In a world where you can choose anger or empathy, always choose empathy, Justin."

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

Absolutely loved The Seven Year Slip! I recently read Ashley Poston's novella "With Any Luck" and it wasn't my cup of tea, I felt the book idea was cute but wasn't suited for 43 pages. Because of this I wanted to give another one of her books a try so when a friend suggested this one I jumped on it. Thank frikken gosh I did because it is perfection.

Some may be wondering "5 stars?" and yes, 5 stars. This book had the perfect story for a rom-com with a little tiny magic thrown in. It has wit and quirkiness and characters you fall in love with. But what makes it 5 stars? Emotion. I felt all the things reading this. I wanted to date my husband again for the first time just for those feels. This novel makes reference so much to how people were in the beginning and that's a feeling we can all appreciate. Change and growth is good but those beginning days...chefs kiss.

The additional "side story" of the aunt and her lover...brilliance. I LOVED the time slip in the apartment.

Now the big reason I gave this a 5 star. When Clementine is explaining how her aunt passed away I immediately started to cry. Her description of how she didn't see the signs, had no idea etc. My brother-in-law ended his life just over a year ago and it was earth shattering for our family. Exactly like described in the book, he was so full of life and none of us had any idea. Could we spot the signs if we knew what to look for? Would it have made a difference? I cried so hard at this part and felt all the feels for Clementine.

Then, fast forward to the big reveal about how Iwan is connected to her aunts lover...mind blown. I didn't see it coming. I loved that so much. With the two of them (Iwan & Clementine) getting together, her aunt is in the family once again. I just love it so much.

This book had all the right elements for a good romance story and Ashley Poston threw in a little whimsical feel and brought in a heavy subject. I think together it's brilliant.

Some of my favourite quotes:

💬 "There was something just so reassuring about books. They had beginnings and middles and ends, and if you didn't like a part, you could skip to the next chapter. If someone died, you could stop on the last page before, and they'd live on forever. Happy endings were definite, evils defeated, and the good lasted forever."

💬 "Sometimes the people you loved left you halfway through a story. Sometimes they left you without a goodbye. And, sometimes, they stayed around in little ways. In the memory of a musical. In the smell of their perfume. In the sound of the rain, and the itch for adventure, and the yearning for that liminal space between one airport terminal and the next. I hated her for leaving, and I loved her for staying as long as she could. And I would never wish this pain on anyone."

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.5

A Man Called Ove was absolutely perfect. Ove is your typical cranky "old man" (not actually old in the beginning of the book). He's set in his ways, follows rules and expects everyone else to follow them as well. While I'm not your typical cranky person (I'm not asking to speak with the manager!!) I resonated with Ove's need to have the rules followed and everything in order. I have 100% moved stuff from a green bin, recycling bin etc. and made note that "no one ever follows the rules" while doing it! Haha

Ove's character development throughout the novel was beautifully done. His neighbour Parvaneh was exactly what he needed to move on from the loss of his wife (and she kind of reminded me how he describes his wife - she let him be him but when enough was enough she told him so).

The kids calling him grandpa in the end had be in tears.

This book had me crying, laughing, crying some more and then laughing again. This is the novel that you expect to be a downer in the beginning and ends up being so uplifting. Everyone needs to read A Man Called Ove.

Outside of the book, I also watched the movie with Tom Hanks, A Man Called Otto and I recommend everyone watches it. While the book is always better, there are aspects of the movie that really are better than the book, such as his relationship with the cat.

In the movie the cat starts out super crusty looking and in the end, he goes on the same journey as Otto and is refined and loving.

Another aspect that I enjoyed in the movie was that they show scenes with his wife from the past so you get just a little bit of a better understanding of her personality, the actress did a really good job bringing her to life.

The best scene in the movie was when Otto was in the hospital and the doctor was explaining to Marisol his condition and he says "his heart is too big" and she bursts out laughing and looking at the doctor like "you sure we're talking about the same crusty old man?" I laughed so hard. Oh my gosh it was brilliant.

This is one of those books that I will recommend to all and I'll also recommend the movie as they both compliment each other beautifully. Also as a plus, the translation in this book is perfect. I find sometimes with books that were translated to English some of it is not relatable, but that wasn't the case with this book. I will 100% be reading more Fredrik Backman novels.

As always some favourite quotes:

💬 "Lunacy, Ove reaffirms every year. Why should the power company directors feather their nest because of a bit of seasonality." This line perfectly describes Ove's character and had me chucklin'!

💬 "When she giggled, she sounded the way Ove imagined champagne bubbles would have sounded if they were capable of laughter."