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readsinbloom's reviews
29 reviews
Evocation by S.T. Gibson
I had such a fun time listening to “Evocation” by S.T. Gibson.
4.0
I had such a fun time listening to “Evocation” by S.T. Gibson.
One of the things I loved about this book the most was simply the vibes. I love anything to do with the occult and witches. The universe was built in such a way that drew me in.
The characters also captivated me. “Evocation” follows three characters: David, Rhys, and Moira. Rhys and David are exes, while Rhys and Moira are married. They band together to help David battle the outcome of an ancient deal with the devil. Bonds are strengthened, but can an ugly breakup be overlooked? I loved the characters, particularly Moira. I was on the edge of my seat when it came to seeing what happened next in the relationships between the three.
This book is more character based than plot based, in my opinion. I wished that there had been more in-depth discussion in regards to the actual workings of the universe. Overall, it feels like not that much actually happened in this book. I did love the character and relationship development, though. I am hoping to see more world development in the future books, which I will definitely be reading!
Thank you to NetGalley and RB media for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen
3.5
“Of Jade and Dragons” by Amber Chen can be described as mulan with engineering plus a murder mystery. The protagonist, Ying, disguises herself as a man to join the exclusive men-only engineer’s guild after her father, who was a member, has been murdered to discover who was behind it.
In order to become a member of the engineer’s guild, one must compete in a set of trials. I love when books have trials or games that someone must win. I do wish that the trials had been a more substantial part of the plot or were more intense, but I really enjoyed this part of the book. I was really rooting for Ying and it was super fun to read the trials. Outside of the trials, I felt the book was slow at times.
There are two main male characters throughout the book: Ye-yang and Yekan. Both sons of the emperor that aid Ying throughout her journey. Personally, I favored Yekan to Ye-yang. However, this was not a love triangle situation. Chen created very loveable and intriguing characters throughout this book.
Overall, I think this is a great YA fantasy that can be read by any age!
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
In order to become a member of the engineer’s guild, one must compete in a set of trials. I love when books have trials or games that someone must win. I do wish that the trials had been a more substantial part of the plot or were more intense, but I really enjoyed this part of the book. I was really rooting for Ying and it was super fun to read the trials. Outside of the trials, I felt the book was slow at times.
There are two main male characters throughout the book: Ye-yang and Yekan. Both sons of the emperor that aid Ying throughout her journey. Personally, I favored Yekan to Ye-yang. However, this was not a love triangle situation. Chen created very loveable and intriguing characters throughout this book.
Overall, I think this is a great YA fantasy that can be read by any age!
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
3.5
There were so many things I loved about “Can’t Spell Treason without Tea”. One of the things I enjoyed the most was the atmosphere that the author created. It is one of the most whimsical books I have ever read. The combination of an alluring fantasy world with a book and tea loving couple who open their own small business was lovely. “Can’t Spell Treason without Tea” has the setting of a cozy fantasy, but without the low-stakes. It doesn’t make you feel cozy. There are multiple overarching conflicts that make you feel anything but cozy. I enjoyed the plot of this story, but that is something that should be noted for any future readers.
One of the things that I love the most about this book is the characters. I loved their banter and wittiness. However, I felt the two main characters were written in the same color. It was difficult to distinguish which character was which at times during the audiobook. The two main characters are voiced with different accents, but I still had trouble understanding which character was talking. It was if any line said by one of the main characters could have been said by the other. They characters in general did not feel unique from another, outside of dialogue either.
Overall, “Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea” was a cute read with an adorable setting. I had fun reading it, but I doubt I will ever pick it up again.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
One of the things that I love the most about this book is the characters. I loved their banter and wittiness. However, I felt the two main characters were written in the same color. It was difficult to distinguish which character was which at times during the audiobook. The two main characters are voiced with different accents, but I still had trouble understanding which character was talking. It was if any line said by one of the main characters could have been said by the other. They characters in general did not feel unique from another, outside of dialogue either.
Overall, “Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea” was a cute read with an adorable setting. I had fun reading it, but I doubt I will ever pick it up again.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Only the Guilty Survive: A Thriller by Kate Robards
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.75
The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim
5.0
Even though it is only March, I think “The God and the Gumiho” might just be one of my favorite reads. “The God and the Gumiho” follows Seokga, a fallen god who has been a chance at redemption and Hani, a Gumiho who was once known as the Scarlet Fox and went on a killing rampage. In order for Seokga to regain his godliness, he must both stop an immensely dangerous creature that has been wreaking havoc in South Korea, and the Scarlet Fox who has made a sudden reappearance after a long retirement. What happens when Seokga’s new assistant is Hani, the Scarlet Fox that he is searching for?
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the relationship between Hani and Seokga. They had banter and were a very entertaining couple to read about. I appreciated that their relationship was balanced. While Seokga is a God, Hani is a powerful Gumiho that has been alive for thousands of years. It was a breath of fresh air to not read about a really old man and a teenager. Hani is also the more morally grey one of the couple. She has killed, a lot. Seokga has his own past, but he is the trickster god, and I was not under the impression that his past was filled with murder.
Seokga and Hani’s relationship was not quick, in the terms of the page. They had to get to know one another as they went on this journey together, and they definitely did not immediately find themselves liking one another. However, in terms of the actual storyline, their relationship was quick. I found myself astounded when I found out that the majority of the events of the book took place in about a week.
There were so many little aspects of this book that I loved. All of the different incorporations of Korean mythology was well done. At first it was slightly intimidating, but I found myself quickly going along with what was happening. I would not give up early on if you find yourself struggling with this.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I think this is the first ARC I find myself NEEDING a physical copy of.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the relationship between Hani and Seokga. They had banter and were a very entertaining couple to read about. I appreciated that their relationship was balanced. While Seokga is a God, Hani is a powerful Gumiho that has been alive for thousands of years. It was a breath of fresh air to not read about a really old man and a teenager. Hani is also the more morally grey one of the couple. She has killed, a lot. Seokga has his own past, but he is the trickster god, and I was not under the impression that his past was filled with murder.
Seokga and Hani’s relationship was not quick, in the terms of the page. They had to get to know one another as they went on this journey together, and they definitely did not immediately find themselves liking one another. However, in terms of the actual storyline, their relationship was quick. I found myself astounded when I found out that the majority of the events of the book took place in about a week.
There were so many little aspects of this book that I loved. All of the different incorporations of Korean mythology was well done. At first it was slightly intimidating, but I found myself quickly going along with what was happening. I would not give up early on if you find yourself struggling with this.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I think this is the first ARC I find myself NEEDING a physical copy of.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields
4.0
The one word I would use to describe Sydney J. Shield’s “The Honey Witch” would be whimsical. “The Honey Witch” follows Marigold, a young lady in the 1800s that feels she simply does not fit in. While others her age desire love, she feels that it simply is not in the cards for her. This idea is proven to be true when her grandmother reappears in her life. Her grandmother is a witch, more specifically, a honey witch. Honey witches cultivate bees, and can perform magic with their honey. Marigold is ecstatic about the news that she will be the next honey witch; she will finally have her calling in life.
However there is one catch: honey witches have been cursed to never fall in love.
I LOVED this book. It felt so cozy and whimsical. This book made me feel like I was covered in a warm blanket and drinking hot chocolate with a cat on my lap. The setting of Innisfree felt like something out of a children’s movie. I would move there in a heart beat. The world was definitely one of my favorite parts of this book. It was such a sweet setting that I never wanted to leave.
At the end of this book I found myself yearning for more time with the characters. I wanted to know what happened next. There was an epilogue, but I wanted to know more of the inbetween. Lottie was my favorite character in the book. Lottie and Marigold reminded of the grumpy x sunshine trope in the best of ways. Lottie never did anything to truly hurt Marigold, and there were heavy, conflicting emotions on both sides. For those of you that don’t like a quick, fast relationship, this is for you.
My main complaint about this book would be a lot of it did feel cliche. There were a lot of tropes that did make me want to roll my eyes. I also predicted the ending less than half-way through. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book! It all worked for me, and did not take away from my enjoyment. I would caution other readers though, that if this is something you think you would not like, to research further and decide whether it is the book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley, Redhook & Orbit for this ARC in exchange for a honest review!
Make sure to look out for “The Honey Witch” by Sydney J. Shields coming out on May 14th, 2024!
However there is one catch: honey witches have been cursed to never fall in love.
I LOVED this book. It felt so cozy and whimsical. This book made me feel like I was covered in a warm blanket and drinking hot chocolate with a cat on my lap. The setting of Innisfree felt like something out of a children’s movie. I would move there in a heart beat. The world was definitely one of my favorite parts of this book. It was such a sweet setting that I never wanted to leave.
At the end of this book I found myself yearning for more time with the characters. I wanted to know what happened next. There was an epilogue, but I wanted to know more of the inbetween. Lottie was my favorite character in the book. Lottie and Marigold reminded of the grumpy x sunshine trope in the best of ways. Lottie never did anything to truly hurt Marigold, and there were heavy, conflicting emotions on both sides. For those of you that don’t like a quick, fast relationship, this is for you.
My main complaint about this book would be a lot of it did feel cliche. There were a lot of tropes that did make me want to roll my eyes. I also predicted the ending less than half-way through. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book! It all worked for me, and did not take away from my enjoyment. I would caution other readers though, that if this is something you think you would not like, to research further and decide whether it is the book for you.
Thank you to NetGalley, Redhook & Orbit for this ARC in exchange for a honest review!
Make sure to look out for “The Honey Witch” by Sydney J. Shields coming out on May 14th, 2024!
One By One by Freida McFadden
Freida McFadden’s stories are addictive. They suck you in from the get go. “One by One” is no exception. The prologue instantly had me hooked. I couldn’t stop reading. I *had* to know what was going to happen. The ending was not so outlandish that it was completely out of nowhere. It wasn’t exactly what I expected, but it wasn’t too far off. I loved following the twists and turns of the story, wondering who was going to die next. As the prologue states “At the end of this week, only one of us will make it home alive.”
2.75
Freida McFadden’s stories are addictive. They suck you in from the get go. “One by One” is no exception. The prologue instantly had me hooked. I couldn’t stop reading. I *had* to know what was going to happen. The ending was not so outlandish that it was completely out of nowhere. It wasn’t exactly what I expected, but it wasn’t too far off. I loved following the twists and turns of the story, wondering who was going to die next. As the prologue states “At the end of this week, only one of us will make it home alive.”
Capturing readers with the plot is definitely McFadden’s strong suit. However, I felt very little connection to the characters. I didn’t care much about any of the characters who died. I felt apathetic about everyone involved. It was not my feelings of concern for the main characters that pushed me to read, it was the urge to discover what was happening. I have read one another McFadden book, “The Teacher” and I felt much the same.
If you’re interested in a quick, captivating read “One by One” by Freida McFadden may be the book for you!
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!