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samandthebookstack's Reviews (99)
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I had a hunch before diving into this book that it would be one that I couldn't put down and I was right, I read this in a day in between farm chores and loved every second of it. This story had such a light-hearted feel overall and it was such a perfect fall read that I'm afraid I might now be suffering from a bit of a hangover. The romance is not overwhelming but the banter was **chef's kiss**. I had no idea when I started this book that it was book 1 of a 3 book series and I had no idea it would end on a cliffhanger (not my favorite thing), but it wasn't the kind of ending that left me feeling unsatisfied. Evie is such a fun and interesting character and I really thought the way the story ended did justice to her personality and set us up to see a ton of growth for her in the next book.
Some important things to note:
- Dual POV
- It ends in a bit of a cliffhanger, but it did not feel as if the story ended abruptly (Book 2
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Banter, banter, and more banter
- Workplace romance
Some important things to note:
- Dual POV
- It ends in a bit of a cliffhanger, but it did not feel as if the story ended abruptly (Book 2
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Banter, banter, and more banter
- Workplace romance
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
A solid 3.5/5 stars
Emma is a witch and Alaric is a reclusive vampire Duke who (of course) is swoon-worthy but mildly grumpy and private. Their worlds collide when they embark upon a mutually beneficial arrangement, they will pretend to be a couple so that Emma can use the Duke's home to host the Beltane ball and win the approval of her coven and the Duke can appease his grandmother with seeing him happy and in a relationship. What could possibly go wrong?
This was a quick, cozy read perfect for curling up with a cuppa and a warm blanket. The romance was light and fun and the characters were lovable, especially Penelope the skunk. This book makes an excellent palate cleanser on the heels of having read a series or a more high-stakes story.
-Fake dating
-Grumpy/Sunshine
- Light, magical world
- Vampires that aren't typical
Many thanks to Bonnie Doon Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review a copy of this fun book.
Emma is a witch and Alaric is a reclusive vampire Duke who (of course) is swoon-worthy but mildly grumpy and private. Their worlds collide when they embark upon a mutually beneficial arrangement, they will pretend to be a couple so that Emma can use the Duke's home to host the Beltane ball and win the approval of her coven and the Duke can appease his grandmother with seeing him happy and in a relationship. What could possibly go wrong?
This was a quick, cozy read perfect for curling up with a cuppa and a warm blanket. The romance was light and fun and the characters were lovable, especially Penelope the skunk. This book makes an excellent palate cleanser on the heels of having read a series or a more high-stakes story.
-Fake dating
-Grumpy/Sunshine
- Light, magical world
- Vampires that aren't typical
Many thanks to Bonnie Doon Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review a copy of this fun book.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I am kicking myself that this was my first Allison Saft book. I've had another of her books, A Far Wilder Magic, on my TBR for a while now and will subsequently be moving it up to the top of the list due to Allison's beautiful, lush prose.
A Fragile Enchantment follows the story of Naimh, who can stitch emotions into fabric, and it was a delight from start to finish. There's political intrigue set in the backdrop of a regency England inspired setting, lovable (and diverse) characters including chronic disability representation and LGBTQ representation, and a romance between our two main characters that is sugar sweet in the very best way.
This book is an uncomplicated, warm hug and it's perfect for someone who likes regency romances, low commitment fantasy, and Bridgerton.
A huge thank you to NetGalley, St.Martins/Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read and review this whimsical story.
A Fragile Enchantment follows the story of Naimh, who can stitch emotions into fabric, and it was a delight from start to finish. There's political intrigue set in the backdrop of a regency England inspired setting, lovable (and diverse) characters including chronic disability representation and LGBTQ representation, and a romance between our two main characters that is sugar sweet in the very best way.
This book is an uncomplicated, warm hug and it's perfect for someone who likes regency romances, low commitment fantasy, and Bridgerton.
A huge thank you to NetGalley, St.Martins/Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read and review this whimsical story.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
✔️ Workplace rivals to lovers
✔️ Historical, war-era fantasy (with less emphasis on intricate world-building and more emphasis on character-driven plot)
✔️ Epistolary story-telling
✔️ Cliffhanger
✔️ Dual POV
✔️ Found Family
Trigger warnings: content related to war and violence, loss of a parent, grievous injury, grief, and alcoholism.
Have you ever read something and felt as though you'd been transported into a favorite cozy chair nestled beneath a soft blanket? That's how Divine Rivals came to me.
Like a perfectly brewed cup of tea, it was precisely the story I needed to read at the exact moment I most required it. There were some moments where I felt like I'd been gut-punched by the exploration of Iris and Roman's grief, but I also left this book feeling as though I'd been thoroughly hugged and presented with a bowl of tomato soup and grilled cheese on a crisp, fall day.
The writing is excellent but never pretentious. The characters are all interesting and vibrant and contrast brilliantly against the backdrop of their war-torn world. The romance was of the warm and fuzzy variety. Roman Kitt is a precious, precious creature and I NEED to see him happy with Iris in book 2.
✔️ Historical, war-era fantasy (with less emphasis on intricate world-building and more emphasis on character-driven plot)
✔️ Epistolary story-telling
✔️ Cliffhanger
✔️ Dual POV
✔️ Found Family
Trigger warnings: content related to war and violence, loss of a parent, grievous injury, grief, and alcoholism.
Have you ever read something and felt as though you'd been transported into a favorite cozy chair nestled beneath a soft blanket? That's how Divine Rivals came to me.
Like a perfectly brewed cup of tea, it was precisely the story I needed to read at the exact moment I most required it. There were some moments where I felt like I'd been gut-punched by the exploration of Iris and Roman's grief, but I also left this book feeling as though I'd been thoroughly hugged and presented with a bowl of tomato soup and grilled cheese on a crisp, fall day.
The writing is excellent but never pretentious. The characters are all interesting and vibrant and contrast brilliantly against the backdrop of their war-torn world. The romance was of the warm and fuzzy variety. Roman Kitt is a precious, precious creature and I NEED to see him happy with Iris in book 2.
“It’s not a crime to feel joy, even when things seem hopeless. Iris, look at me. You deserve all the happiness in the world. And I intend to see that you have it.”
“But time will slowly heal you, as it is doing for me. There are good days and there are difficult days. Your grief will never fully fade; it will always be with you--a shadow you carry in your soul--but it will become fainter as your life becomes brighter. You will learn to live outside of it again, as impossible as that may sound. Others who share your pain will also help you heal. Because you are not alone. Not in your fear or your grief or your hopes or your dreams. You are not alone.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail
medium-paced
I have read all the books in this series and have enjoyed each of them to varying degrees. Book one from Persephone's POV remains my favorite, but I have struggled a bit with the books from Hades' POV and I did struggle with this one.
I had yet to read A Game of Retribution when I started my reread of this series in preparation for reading this ARC. One thing that bothered me as I read through the series again and in order was the repetition of scenes, especially the spicy scenes. At times, that overlap felt tedious because the text itself was so similar and I caught myself skimming.
Where this book excels above the previous ones in the series is in the multi-POV approach. The added perspective of Dionysus and Theseus added a dimension to the story that I actually really enjoyed. Theseus is awful, but being aware of just how awful he really hints at the immense battle that Hades and Persephone will face in A Touch of Chaos. I do think we got a more thorough glimpse of Hades in this book as compared to the other two books from his perspective. He remains my favorite character in the series and the only major complaint that I have is that there was too much smut (I know that sounds nuts) instead of the deep dive into Hades character that I was itching for. It is for this reason that I have deducted stars. However, I am still very excited to read A Touch of Chaos when it comes out later this year.
Some things to note:
- Multiple POVs
- Lots of spice (like a lot, almost to the point of redundancy)
- Trigger warnings for death, violence, and sexual assault among other things
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Scarlett St.Clair, and Bloom books for the opportunity to read and review an e-ARC of this book.
I had yet to read A Game of Retribution when I started my reread of this series in preparation for reading this ARC. One thing that bothered me as I read through the series again and in order was the repetition of scenes, especially the spicy scenes. At times, that overlap felt tedious because the text itself was so similar and I caught myself skimming.
Where this book excels above the previous ones in the series is in the multi-POV approach. The added perspective of Dionysus and Theseus added a dimension to the story that I actually really enjoyed. Theseus is awful, but being aware of just how awful he really hints at the immense battle that Hades and Persephone will face in A Touch of Chaos. I do think we got a more thorough glimpse of Hades in this book as compared to the other two books from his perspective. He remains my favorite character in the series and the only major complaint that I have is that there was too much smut (I know that sounds nuts) instead of the deep dive into Hades character that I was itching for. It is for this reason that I have deducted stars. However, I am still very excited to read A Touch of Chaos when it comes out later this year.
Some things to note:
- Multiple POVs
- Lots of spice (like a lot, almost to the point of redundancy)
- Trigger warnings for death, violence, and sexual assault among other things
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Scarlett St.Clair, and Bloom books for the opportunity to read and review an e-ARC of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence
For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.
I had never heard of this author prior to seeing this book come across my Kindle Unlimited recommendations. I don't want to give away spoilers, but this book was a wild ride. I laughed, I cried... I ran into the kitchen multiple times to tell my husband about each and every plot twist. And despite the fact that I suspected a lot of what was going to happen, my accurate guesses of the plot did nothing to stop my mouth from hanging open as I read.
I didn't think of myself as particularly interested in books with such heavy themes of trauma, but this was really surprisingly good.
I didn't think of myself as particularly interested in books with such heavy themes of trauma, but this was really surprisingly good.
For non-book records, review text and ratings are hidden. Only mood, pace, and content warnings are visible.