readundancies's reviews
1443 reviews

Fake Flame by Adele Buck

lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The Proximity Factor by Jennifer Peel, Jennifer Peel

hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

3.0

Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai

adventurous mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

3.25

The first half to two-thirds of this was pretty good. Like, engaging in terms of plot and premise.

But, this has heavy debut vibes. Because the ending was not ideal. I wanted more from the characters, especially Elle in terms of anger at her sacrifice which, granted, is not the story being told based on the ending. But if I'm being honest, the ending in general was a bit of a letdown since I wanted a proper comeuppance for Oberon and really wasn’t a fan of how much a bleeding heart both Elle and Luc were when it came to giving their immortality up in lieu of freedom. Not my cup of tea, and for a standalone it was disappointing because a poor ending can make or break a story and in this case? It didn’t help matters.
 

The world building was not fantastic either. Everything felt very pre-established in a fanfictiony sort of way which is not bad, but with how fantastical the world is, especially with the politics and everything, I needed more exposition to deep dive into than I was provided with. And the pacing was disjointed at times; not enough that it was pulling me out of the story, but still noticeable. Alongside that, the stakes were always there but they felt separate to the story at times, because they weren’t always the focus and when they were, the execution of the plot surrounding them never really reached its full potential. 

I think my greatest gripe though is that this is touted as a slow burn romance and I am here to say that that statement is inaccurate as fuck. Friends-to-lovers sure, but they are in full blown pining mode at the beginning of the story, and there was nothing slow burn about it. 

The premise was so solid that I was disappointed in how the execution didn’t live up to my expectations. A lot of untapped potential here. It was also a lot more cozy fantasy vibes than I was anticipating. Which is not a bad thing, but not what I was expecting or looking for in a read at the time.

A lot of great ideas were thrown into this story but they were never solidified or broken down in a manner that surpassed surface level. This ties into the whole unfulfilled potential angle because I would’ve been so down for more sibling dynamics, especially if it were to include William who gets little to no page time and yet is kind of a big deal when it comes to plot. I wanted proper retribution and consequence for Oberon manipulating Luc for so long. I wanted more Wrecking Crew and Tony and Lira, more dysfunctional Liang family dynamics especially background on the family and the culture involved, more backstory in general for Luc and his adoptive sphinx mother. There was so much of this world I wanted to explore further, the characters, their stories and interactions and relationships, but we just never got around to it.

 

I would still read from this author though because like I stated earlier, the first half/two-thirds were really engaging.

It reminds me of the Crescent City series by Sarah J. Maas but like a lite version of it, which I could see being really appealing to readers who’ve enjoyed that series/author. Think less dark, more cozy.

As a standalone fantasy I think it works and I think there were a lot great aspects in the novel, but it’s by no means a perfect debut release. It was still very enjoyable to consume though.

Diversions and Desires: A Steamy, Sensual, Intimate Variation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice by Ophelia Black

lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

2.75

This is basically a quick PWP of the P&P variety. 

There’s the basic plot of P&P which has been slightly tweaked for the purpose of smut between Lizzy and Darcy, which is exactly as advertised per the synopsis. 

It was fairly well-written but nothing terribly special and it kept me entertained when I needed it, but I can’t say it would ever hit re-read status or that I would remember it after a week. 

So ultimately, this does what it sets out to do and it totally serves it purpose, but don’t expect fireworks. 

Next To You by Hannah Bonam-Young

hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

3.75

This romance felt a little bit too long, but that stays true to the slow burn.

I liked it quite a bit, but I didn’t ultimately fall for the story and the couple. 

Were they easy to ship? I think so, but the inevitability of it made it hard for the slow burn to really shine. There was nothing inherently wrong with the execution but I felt the pacing wasn’t my cup of tea in this instance.

Trope-wise this has the guy falls first, which is always cute, but something felt very obvious about it and it rankled me a bit that the lead MC, Lane, wasn’t cluing the fuck in. Denial? Hell yeah. But the fact that most of it wasn’t on page? I think that’s what bothered me most.

I think this could’ve been written as a dual POV and I may have enjoyed more. Like, Matt was very obvious in his thoughts, intentions, words and communication in general that I needed him to be a bit more flawed to explain his reaction to Lane’s decision to work on herself before really deep diving and committing to a relationship with him.

But all in all, this was enjoyable, easy to get through and relaxing, which is all I really wanted from it.

So, win!

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

This read has a gothic feel, a fast pace, and is historical but not heavy handed at all. It’s easy for a historical novel to feel bogged down by world-building for me, but there’s a sense of minimalism to St. James’ writing when it comes to establishing the setting that just works for me.

The writing in general works for me, its very fluid and engaging and the paranormal angle is definitely one that lends itself very easily to this author’s writing style. But the execution is where things start to fall apart for me though, because I was constantly struggling with how the ghost story itself and the romance and character arcs never seemed to complement one another nicely. It’s like they were two pieces from differing puzzles trying to be smushed together but it just was not working. Which is a shame because as separate entities I was enjoying them. The ghost plot line was mysterious and gothic if rather predictable since the cast of characters provided was so limited. Then the character backstories and relationship dynamics had some solid depth to them that was definitely worth exploring but they just didn’t seem to mesh well with one another the way I wanted them too.

I think this story could’ve benefited from being a bit longer too. Because while the faster pace worked for the ghost story, I would’ve felt a lot more comfortable being rooted in the characters and their interactions with one another over a longer period of time so I could get to know them a lot more intimately. I wanted more time with them because I appreciated the character work that had been presented thus far and getting to explore them in a more thorough manner could only have heightened that feeling. 

The more I think about it, the more I believe that the pacing was probably what ruined it for me. Because the pace I needed was going in two opposing directions when it came to the major plot points. Also I feel like the title could be workshopped some more. As it stands, for a title it’s a bit too on the nose for me and not terribly inspiring from a creative standpoint.

But I still enjoyed myself, so that's an overall win.

An Unnatural Inheritance: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Virginia B. Brand

lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

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

2.75

Demon on Deck by Deborah Wilde

adventurous funny lighthearted relaxing 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

I love me a solid sequel.

And this one is made that much better in that the series itself is just so fun!

I’ve got a soft spot for urban fantasy because it’s the kind of sub-genre that keeps things interesting with its twists on the modern world and technology with fantastical elements such as magic and fictional creatures but also fast-paced enough to keep a reader engaged with the plot. The Bedeviled AF series is just that, with mystery subplots and a delightful slow-burn with baggage between Aviva and Ezra, two exes that could fill a train with how many secrets lie between them and the ones they care for.

I’m enjoying learning more backstory of the characters, particularly Darsh and Ezra, and was giddy with excitement when we got a reveal in terms of parentage of the Aviva sort. The banter and dialogue are a highlight of the story, and I love how even though the stakes often seem diminished at times, it more so feels like the books aren’t taking themselves too seriously.

Solid instalment of the series, and I’ll definitely be continuing on with the sequel.

The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves

lighthearted reflective fast-paced

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

2.75

I dunno, the plot was a bit all over the place.

And the pacing was wild considering Marshall and Wren know each other for under a week in the first half and then literal months span the second half of the story.

The geocaching angle was almost completely dropped in the second half of the story for a bit too predictable twist/trope that felt very contrived and uninspired.

Like soap opera, but lame.

And in spite of the heavy-handed, manufactured drama moments, I never really felt any angst as a reader, and that’s kind of all that I was really looking for in this read.

There were some good lines in terms of the quality of the writing that I enjoyed, but structurally, from a plot perspective, I was not enthused.

Get Him Back by Coralee June

lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

I just feel like this romance read was trying too hard to do too many things and while the collective ideas had merit, the execution was messy and chaotic. It wasn't fluid, and it wasn't for me.

Also, why did it feel absurdly long?

And why do I care about the potential story of Emily and Leon when I didn't really enjoy this one?

I'm definitely hormonal.