readsforlove's reviews
828 reviews

The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton

4.0

Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 2 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

4.5

The DICE. The BUTTERFLY SCENE. I cannot.

Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

4.5

This is so hard to rate because the writing is ... really something. It's translated so a lot of it feels clunky and a bit odd. But that doesn't really matter because the CHARACTERS. Xia Lian and San Lang are everything. I am an utter wreck. 

The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught

4.0

This is so cute. And sweet. And tender. My one complaint is that it's also too short! I would love nine more of these, please and thank you. Imagine if Ghibli did an episode of a fantasy fairy show. This. If you love K. O'Neill's work, you'll love this. It's soft and sweet and filled with tasty treats, and you will be swept away on a wee lil' adventure filled with gooey goodness and beautiful art. I highly recommend! 

Poetry Comics by Grant Snider

3.0

This was cute, short, and sweet, but lacked the depth I've come to know and love from Snider's comics. I've followed his work for a while, so went in with high expectations about comics that explored the meaning of life and creativity in very tangible, kid friendly, and wholesome ways. There were a few comics smattered throughout that really made me sit back and think, but most of it felt like fluff to me. Would make a nice coffee table book but was not super a deep read. 

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Asiri and the Amaru by Natalia Hernandez

4.0

Love this concept! A MC who can talk to animals is so cool and fun, and I love the way Asiri's powers are depicted in this story. It's pretty insta-love-y (and I did skip the spicy scenes), but still cute and fun. Most of the relationships were pretty surface level, but it was such a quick read that it would have been hard to develop them much without more pages. Overall a fun quick read with pretty world building and great animal humor!

The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett

4.0

Emiliy Fawcett, WHY. This is my second middle grade read of hers, and she breaks my heart each time. I AM NOT OKAY. *curls up in a ball and weeps inconsolably* Ehem. This story was so magical and whimsical and felt like a fairytale. If you've read Emily Wilde, you'll love this. It's weird and magical and quirky. The witch is actually a real Hansel and Gretel style witch, which gave me Feelings and I was not expecting. The moral quandary of this book is quite a lot, and again, I have Feelings. but gosh, this book. This BOOK. I love the found family elements of it. The way Grace finds companionship and love in those around her, some seeing her as she truly is, others not quite seeing her, but still coming to love and care for her anyway. It just tugged at all the heart strings and shattered my soul into a hundred little pieces. 
So if you love magic and found family and heart ache, this is the story for you.

The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry by C.M. Waggoner
Did not finish book. Stopped at 43%.

I loved the beginning, but as the MC and Win got closer I just started getting so stressed about the lying on the MC's part. 

The House Witch by Delemhach

4.5

The writing is not perfect. There's head hopping. And mild spotlight effect (where the main character is kind of overly noticed by everyone in the story). There are flaws in the prose that should annoy me. But they don't, because the CONCEPT. I love it so much. A witch whose magic allows him to make a warm and cozy home? Um, yes please? I love love LOVE the different ways we get to see this concept in action. The whole cast (and it's a large cast!) was so fun and engaging. I never got any of the characters mixed up because they were all so unique and distinct. I laughed so hard I cried at multiple points in the book. It was equal parts funny, heart warming, and magical, and I highly recommend it, flaws and all. 

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

4.5

This was just as magical and whimsical and enchanting as book one. I loved so many things about it--that we got to see Emily at school, that we got to see more magic from Wendell and learn more about his home, and we got another adventure in a rural town! I loved all the characters we got to journey with, and ... the ENDING. Just. So freaking good and as breathtakingly surreal as the first book. My only complaint is that I now must wait for book three for probably at least a year and I don't know how I shall survive.