Take a photo of a barcode or cover
shaylee_reads's reviews
206 reviews
Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship by Christos Pandion Panopoulos, Panagiotis Meton Panagiotopoulos, Erymanthos Armyras, Vasilios Cheiron Tsantilas
informative
medium-paced
5.0
A great introduction to Hellenic Polytheism. Taught me a lot about household worship! Highly recommend.
Pagan Portals - Hellenic Paganism by Samantha Leaver
informative
medium-paced
4.0
I honestly really enjoyed this book. I know that not everything said in it is correct but it really gave me some new ideas on how I can modernize and incorporate Hellenic Polytheism into my daily life and witchcraft practice.
The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I don't really know what to say about this book… did I enjoy it? Yeah, I did, I definitely liked this book more than the first book in the series, the Duke and I.
Was this book as good as the TV show? No. Netflix did make quite a lot of changes in the TV show and honestly I'm glad they did. Especially when it comes to the bee scene because the amount of second hand embarrassment I got from that scene… I can't imagine having to see that scene in real time.
Let's be honest the men in the TV show are way better than the men in the books (expect for Colin, I enjoy book Colin more than show Colin). I absolutely love Anthony in the show but book Anthony is… meh.
Don't get me wrong book Anthony has some really great moments like when he's helping Kate during the thunderstorms which honestly I much prefer the scene in the book to the one in the show. (also can we go back to calling thunderstorms electrical storms? It sounds so much cooler!)
That being said there was also some scenes in the book that I was like “seriously Anthony?” like when he refused to give Kate some time on their honeymoon before having sex. I also hated the fact that he would not stop comparing Kate's looks to Edwina’s and that he keep constantly saying that Kate wasn't as beautiful as other girls.
Though I do enjoy the romance between Anthony and Kate in the show to the book, I will say I really enjoyed the banter between the two of them in this book.
Honestly my favorite part of this book was Colin. Colin is by far my favorite of the Bridgerton family! He's absolutely hilarious and I love that he shows up just to create chaos and then leaves. I have a very good feeling that his book is gonna be my favorite.
One thing I have noticed with Julia Quinns book is they seem to drag a bit. I don't think this book needed to be as long as it was.
Overall, I had a good time reading this book and I liked getting to see the original story of one of my favorite TV show couples.
Was this book as good as the TV show? No. Netflix did make quite a lot of changes in the TV show and honestly I'm glad they did. Especially when it comes to the bee scene because the amount of second hand embarrassment I got from that scene… I can't imagine having to see that scene in real time.
Let's be honest the men in the TV show are way better than the men in the books (expect for Colin, I enjoy book Colin more than show Colin). I absolutely love Anthony in the show but book Anthony is… meh.
Don't get me wrong book Anthony has some really great moments like when he's helping Kate during the thunderstorms which honestly I much prefer the scene in the book to the one in the show. (also can we go back to calling thunderstorms electrical storms? It sounds so much cooler!)
That being said there was also some scenes in the book that I was like “seriously Anthony?” like when he refused to give Kate some time on their honeymoon before having sex. I also hated the fact that he would not stop comparing Kate's looks to Edwina’s and that he keep constantly saying that Kate wasn't as beautiful as other girls.
Though I do enjoy the romance between Anthony and Kate in the show to the book, I will say I really enjoyed the banter between the two of them in this book.
Honestly my favorite part of this book was Colin. Colin is by far my favorite of the Bridgerton family! He's absolutely hilarious and I love that he shows up just to create chaos and then leaves. I have a very good feeling that his book is gonna be my favorite.
One thing I have noticed with Julia Quinns book is they seem to drag a bit. I don't think this book needed to be as long as it was.
Overall, I had a good time reading this book and I liked getting to see the original story of one of my favorite TV show couples.
Highest Bidder by Sara Cate
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book wasn't bad but it wasn't my favorite Sara Cate book I've read. I just didn't love the characters and romance as much as her others. It was still cute tho.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Ratings:
Plot:⭐⭐⭐/5
Writing:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Overall:⭐⭐⭐/5
Sadness:💧💧💧/5
Romance:❤️❤️❤️/5
Spice: 🌶️/5
Diversity: Cubin FMC, Interracial Relationships
Tropes: WLW Romance, Historical Romance
Content Warnings: Suicide, Death, Car Accident, Homophobia, Biphobia, Cancer, Death of a Child.
Evelyn Hugo was one of the most talked about movie stars from the 50’s to the 80’s but one of the things she was most know for wasn't her movies but the seven husbands she had a long the way.
After retiring from the film industry, Evelyn refused to talk about her personal life until one day at the age of 79, Evelyn decides to finally tell her story to the public. It comes as a shock to everyone when Evelyn chooses unknown reporter Monique Grant.
Not even Monique herself knows why Evelyn choose her to write her biography but no matter the reasons, Monique isn't going to let an opportunity that could jump start her career go.
Although this book did a really good job of holding me attention and I do really enjoy Taylor Jenkins Reids writing style, I do have to say I'm kinda disappointed in this book.
My main dislike of this book was the relationship between Evelyn and Celia and a lot of that roots down to the fact that I honestly did not like Celia.
Celia’s constant Biphobia really got on my nerves and I don't feel like it was ever really dealt with, it was just pushed under the rug and I really wish it was discussed more and that we got to see Celia accept Evelyn sexuality.
It also didn't sit right with me that Evelyn said the way their argument would end is with her showing Celia her breasts. It honestly felt like Celia just wanted the sexy, movie star and really only cared about Evelyn body and looks. The reason I think this is because of how easy it seemed for Celia to walk away from Evelyn. I felt like things that broke them up could have been fixed, if Celia had stayed and actually talked about it instead of just running away.
The fact that it literally says and I quote “She had said, Go, have a baby. But what she meant to add, Just don't act like a mother.” like come on Celia really. It felt that Celia just wanted Evelyn to say the same and wasn't okay with Evelyn growing and changing.
Overall, Celia just seemed self centered, wasn't even willing to try and see Evelyn's point of view and she really only seemed to care about herself and what she wanted.
Another reason I didn't like their relationship was the lack of chemistry between the two. They felt more like friends than anything else to me. I think that a lot of that is due to the fact that we don't get to see a lot of their relationship. We really only got to see the bad time and not a lot of the good times in their relationship.
Although I really did like the plot twist at the end with Monique I could have done without her storyline. Whenever I was reading her chapters, I was just waiting for it to be over because they honestly felt pointless especially the plotline between her and her ex husband. This book felt a little to long and I think it's because of this.
My favorite part of this book was Harry and Evelyn relationship. Their friendship was just so pure and they truly where soulmates.
I honestly think I would have loved this book more if it was about Evelyn and Harry's relationship and I don't mean that in a romantic way. Just imagine if this book was about two best friends who are gay in the 1950s and instead of letting the homophobic culture around them stop them from being happy, they create a life together as platonic soulmates. They are able to create a family and live happily with each other no matter the fact that they aren’t romantically interested in each other. I honestly would have probably rated that book 5 Stars.
Speaking of Harry, I would KILL for a book about him. I was way more interested in his relationships than with Evelyn and Celia and though I know that if I ever did get a book about him, it would absolutely destroy me just like this book did, I still want it with my whole heart.
Overall, I enjoyed this book but it wasn't my favorite and a little bit of a let down.
Plot:⭐⭐⭐/5
Writing:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Overall:⭐⭐⭐/5
Sadness:💧💧💧/5
Romance:❤️❤️❤️/5
Spice: 🌶️/5
Diversity: Cubin FMC, Interracial Relationships
Tropes: WLW Romance, Historical Romance
Content Warnings: Suicide, Death, Car Accident, Homophobia, Biphobia, Cancer, Death of a Child.
Evelyn Hugo was one of the most talked about movie stars from the 50’s to the 80’s but one of the things she was most know for wasn't her movies but the seven husbands she had a long the way.
After retiring from the film industry, Evelyn refused to talk about her personal life until one day at the age of 79, Evelyn decides to finally tell her story to the public. It comes as a shock to everyone when Evelyn chooses unknown reporter Monique Grant.
Not even Monique herself knows why Evelyn choose her to write her biography but no matter the reasons, Monique isn't going to let an opportunity that could jump start her career go.
Although this book did a really good job of holding me attention and I do really enjoy Taylor Jenkins Reids writing style, I do have to say I'm kinda disappointed in this book.
My main dislike of this book was the relationship between Evelyn and Celia and a lot of that roots down to the fact that I honestly did not like Celia.
Celia’s constant Biphobia really got on my nerves and I don't feel like it was ever really dealt with, it was just pushed under the rug and I really wish it was discussed more and that we got to see Celia accept Evelyn sexuality.
It also didn't sit right with me that Evelyn said the way their argument would end is with her showing Celia her breasts. It honestly felt like Celia just wanted the sexy, movie star and really only cared about Evelyn body and looks. The reason I think this is because of how easy it seemed for Celia to walk away from Evelyn. I felt like things that broke them up could have been fixed, if Celia had stayed and actually talked about it instead of just running away.
The fact that it literally says and I quote “She had said, Go, have a baby. But what she meant to add, Just don't act like a mother.” like come on Celia really. It felt that Celia just wanted Evelyn to say the same and wasn't okay with Evelyn growing and changing.
Overall, Celia just seemed self centered, wasn't even willing to try and see Evelyn's point of view and she really only seemed to care about herself and what she wanted.
Another reason I didn't like their relationship was the lack of chemistry between the two. They felt more like friends than anything else to me. I think that a lot of that is due to the fact that we don't get to see a lot of their relationship. We really only got to see the bad time and not a lot of the good times in their relationship.
Although I really did like the plot twist at the end with Monique I could have done without her storyline. Whenever I was reading her chapters, I was just waiting for it to be over because they honestly felt pointless especially the plotline between her and her ex husband. This book felt a little to long and I think it's because of this.
My favorite part of this book was Harry and Evelyn relationship. Their friendship was just so pure and they truly where soulmates.
I honestly think I would have loved this book more if it was about Evelyn and Harry's relationship and I don't mean that in a romantic way. Just imagine if this book was about two best friends who are gay in the 1950s and instead of letting the homophobic culture around them stop them from being happy, they create a life together as platonic soulmates. They are able to create a family and live happily with each other no matter the fact that they aren’t romantically interested in each other. I honestly would have probably rated that book 5 Stars.
Speaking of Harry, I would KILL for a book about him. I was way more interested in his relationships than with Evelyn and Celia and though I know that if I ever did get a book about him, it would absolutely destroy me just like this book did, I still want it with my whole heart.
Overall, I enjoyed this book but it wasn't my favorite and a little bit of a let down.
Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Ratings:
Plot:⭐⭐⭐/5
Writing:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Overall:⭐⭐⭐/5
Romance:❤️❤️❤️❤️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
Diversity: Queer FMC, Pan & Nonbinary MC, Trans FTM SC
Tropes: Competitors to Lovers, Sapphic Romance
Content Warnings: Homophobia, Transphobia, Misgendering.
Love and Other Disasters by Anita Kelly is a steamy queer romance that follows Dahlia Woodson and Non-binary London Parker who met on the set of a reality cooking show, Chef’s Special where they are both competing to win $100,000.
My favorite aspect of Love and Other Disasters is the non-binary representation. As a Non-binary person myself, I could really relate to London's character especially when it came to their struggles with their father. Not everyone in my family except my identity so seeing London deal with this problem and over come it was really special to me. I appreciate how even when London was being misgendered by one of the transphobic characters, the text itself never did.
Although I felt like the relationship between Dahlia and London didn't have a lot of chemistry and it felt a little insta lovey, I did think they where very cute together.
I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of spice that was in this book. I was expecting it to be one of those book where it isn't fade to black but it's not very descriptive and there to be only one or two scenes. Although this book wasn't the smuttiest I've read, it did have quite a few scenes that where pretty descriptive and decently long.
The premise of this book was interesting, I've never read or even heard of for that matter a book that takes place during a cooking show. I had really enjoyed that aspect of the book. I will say that there didn't seem to be much of a plot to this book because of that I struggled to get into it.
I did however really enjoy the writing style of this book.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and it's definitely one that I would read again. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a book with good non-binary rep.
Plot:⭐⭐⭐/5
Writing:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Overall:⭐⭐⭐/5
Romance:❤️❤️❤️❤️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
Diversity: Queer FMC, Pan & Nonbinary MC, Trans FTM SC
Tropes: Competitors to Lovers, Sapphic Romance
Content Warnings: Homophobia, Transphobia, Misgendering.
Love and Other Disasters by Anita Kelly is a steamy queer romance that follows Dahlia Woodson and Non-binary London Parker who met on the set of a reality cooking show, Chef’s Special where they are both competing to win $100,000.
My favorite aspect of Love and Other Disasters is the non-binary representation. As a Non-binary person myself, I could really relate to London's character especially when it came to their struggles with their father. Not everyone in my family except my identity so seeing London deal with this problem and over come it was really special to me. I appreciate how even when London was being misgendered by one of the transphobic characters, the text itself never did.
Although I felt like the relationship between Dahlia and London didn't have a lot of chemistry and it felt a little insta lovey, I did think they where very cute together.
I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of spice that was in this book. I was expecting it to be one of those book where it isn't fade to black but it's not very descriptive and there to be only one or two scenes. Although this book wasn't the smuttiest I've read, it did have quite a few scenes that where pretty descriptive and decently long.
The premise of this book was interesting, I've never read or even heard of for that matter a book that takes place during a cooking show. I had really enjoyed that aspect of the book. I will say that there didn't seem to be much of a plot to this book because of that I struggled to get into it.
I did however really enjoy the writing style of this book.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and it's definitely one that I would read again. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a book with good non-binary rep.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Deadnaming, Homophobia, and Transphobia
Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Ratings:
Plot:⭐/5
Writing:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters:⭐⭐/5
Overall:⭐⭐/5
Romance:❤️/5
Diversity: Queer MC, Queer SC’s, & POC Characters.
Genre/Tropes: Adult Gotic Thriller, Dark Academia.
Content Warnings: Confinement, Experimentation (Human & Animal), Animal Cruelty, Suicide, & Death.
Catherine House by Elizabeth Thomas is a Adult Gothic thriller with dark academia aspect. It follows Ines, who is accepted into the prestigious University, Catherine House. Anyone accept into Catherine House, receives free school and housing in exchange for spending three year completely excluded from the outside world. During her schooling there, Ines starts to uncovers secrets about a exclusive circle of students and she is determined to figure out what Catherine House is hiding.
I’m a sucker for a good dark academia book so I had high hopes for this book but sadly this one just fell short.
I do think the author did a good job writing a dark academia book but the main downfall of the book was lack of plot. There wasn't a single plot point to be seen in this book which made it drag on, I would read twenty pages but it felt like I had read a million. This book was just the main character sleeping, studying, drinking, and having sex over and over again.
The few plot twists this book had where very predictable especially for those who read a lot of dark academia books.
The most interesting part of this book was the whole plasma thing, I was excited to learn more about that and see what it was but by the end of the book I still had no idea what it was and very confused by all of it.
One thing that can make or break a book for me is the characters. If a book has really strong characters that I can easily fall in love with and have a connection with, it doesn't matter how bad the writing or world building there's still a very good chance that I will love the book. But not only did this book not have a strong plot, it also didn't have strong characters. I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters nor did I feel like I really knew them. I honestly did not care what happened to the characters. There was also no character development, I felt as though the main character was the same in the end as she was in the beginning.
I will say that this book did do a good job of showing what type of people are more prone to falling into cults and how someone might find themselves in one.
Another thing that was enjoyable about this book was the writing style. It was well written and even though not a lot happened in this book, I was still interested in finishing the book and I think the main reason for that was the writing. Thomas does a really good job at writing the gothic dark academia aesthetic. Her writing has a very haunting feel to it which I did really enjoy.
I feel that one of things that lead its book to it's ultimate demise for me was the fact that it was often compared to The Secret History (which is one of my all time favorite books) and outside of being a dark academia book and having an unlikable main character, Catherine House didn't have any of the qualities that I loved about The Secret History. If you love The Secret History and pick up this book because of that, I ultimately feel like you will be disappointed.
Overall, I had high hopes for this book but with a lack of plot and character development, it left me feeling unsatisfied and disappointed.
Plot:⭐/5
Writing:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters:⭐⭐/5
Overall:⭐⭐/5
Romance:❤️/5
Diversity: Queer MC, Queer SC’s, & POC Characters.
Genre/Tropes: Adult Gotic Thriller, Dark Academia.
Content Warnings: Confinement, Experimentation (Human & Animal), Animal Cruelty, Suicide, & Death.
Catherine House by Elizabeth Thomas is a Adult Gothic thriller with dark academia aspect. It follows Ines, who is accepted into the prestigious University, Catherine House. Anyone accept into Catherine House, receives free school and housing in exchange for spending three year completely excluded from the outside world. During her schooling there, Ines starts to uncovers secrets about a exclusive circle of students and she is determined to figure out what Catherine House is hiding.
I’m a sucker for a good dark academia book so I had high hopes for this book but sadly this one just fell short.
I do think the author did a good job writing a dark academia book but the main downfall of the book was lack of plot. There wasn't a single plot point to be seen in this book which made it drag on, I would read twenty pages but it felt like I had read a million. This book was just the main character sleeping, studying, drinking, and having sex over and over again.
The few plot twists this book had where very predictable especially for those who read a lot of dark academia books.
The most interesting part of this book was the whole plasma thing, I was excited to learn more about that and see what it was but by the end of the book I still had no idea what it was and very confused by all of it.
One thing that can make or break a book for me is the characters. If a book has really strong characters that I can easily fall in love with and have a connection with, it doesn't matter how bad the writing or world building there's still a very good chance that I will love the book. But not only did this book not have a strong plot, it also didn't have strong characters. I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters nor did I feel like I really knew them. I honestly did not care what happened to the characters. There was also no character development, I felt as though the main character was the same in the end as she was in the beginning.
I will say that this book did do a good job of showing what type of people are more prone to falling into cults and how someone might find themselves in one.
Another thing that was enjoyable about this book was the writing style. It was well written and even though not a lot happened in this book, I was still interested in finishing the book and I think the main reason for that was the writing. Thomas does a really good job at writing the gothic dark academia aesthetic. Her writing has a very haunting feel to it which I did really enjoy.
I feel that one of things that lead its book to it's ultimate demise for me was the fact that it was often compared to The Secret History (which is one of my all time favorite books) and outside of being a dark academia book and having an unlikable main character, Catherine House didn't have any of the qualities that I loved about The Secret History. If you love The Secret History and pick up this book because of that, I ultimately feel like you will be disappointed.
Overall, I had high hopes for this book but with a lack of plot and character development, it left me feeling unsatisfied and disappointed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, and Suicide
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
Ratings:
Plot:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Writing:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Overall:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Sadness:💧/5
Romance:❤️❤️❤️/5
Diversity: Mixed SC and LGBTQ+ Side Couple
Genre: YA Mystery
Tropes: Dark Academia, Love Triangle, Forced Proximity
Content Warnings: Domestic Abuse, Attempted Murder, Death of a Loved One
The Inheritance Games" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the first book in the Inheritance Games series. It follows Avery Grambs, who unexpectedly inherits billions of dollars from a complete stranger, Tobias Hawthorne – a billionaire with a penchant for puzzles and riddles. The only condition is that she must reside in his estate for an entire year. Now, Avery finds herself entangled with the estranged Hawthorne family and a potential threat to her safety.
"Knives Out" ranks among my favorite movies. Since watching it, I've been on the lookout for something that can evoke the same emotions it did. This book fulfilled that desire. Packed with twists and masterfully plotted, It has a strong, badass main character and two extremely sexy main men, who are completely swoon-worthy. For those seeking a touch of romance, fear not – there's a hint of romantic involvement that tastefully complements the overarching plot.
There are a few minor completes I have about this book, the main one being that the romance seemed a little forced and I didn’t feel a lot of chemistry between Avery and her two love interests Jameson and Grayson. I think when it comes to Grayson a great deal of it is because he doesn’t have a lot of scenes so i didn’t feel much relationship growth between the two.
I yearned for a more gradual adjustment period for Avery. Her integration into this new life seemed remarkably seamless, leaving little room to explore the challenges and adaptation inherent in her sudden transition.
It also got on my nerves how often Emily was brought up, like the girl is dead, Avery. Stop comparing yourself to her.
Overall, my affection for this book knows no bounds. Anticipation for the next installment runs high. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to enthusiasts of "Knives Out" who crave a literary parallel.
On a side note, I had the privilege of meeting Jennifer (the author) last night. Her incredibly amiable nature left a lasting impression. Should an opportunity arise for her to hold a signing event near you, don't miss it.
Plot:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Writing:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Overall:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Sadness:💧/5
Romance:❤️❤️❤️/5
Diversity: Mixed SC and LGBTQ+ Side Couple
Genre: YA Mystery
Tropes: Dark Academia, Love Triangle, Forced Proximity
Content Warnings: Domestic Abuse, Attempted Murder, Death of a Loved One
The Inheritance Games" by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the first book in the Inheritance Games series. It follows Avery Grambs, who unexpectedly inherits billions of dollars from a complete stranger, Tobias Hawthorne – a billionaire with a penchant for puzzles and riddles. The only condition is that she must reside in his estate for an entire year. Now, Avery finds herself entangled with the estranged Hawthorne family and a potential threat to her safety.
"Knives Out" ranks among my favorite movies. Since watching it, I've been on the lookout for something that can evoke the same emotions it did. This book fulfilled that desire. Packed with twists and masterfully plotted, It has a strong, badass main character and two extremely sexy main men, who are completely swoon-worthy. For those seeking a touch of romance, fear not – there's a hint of romantic involvement that tastefully complements the overarching plot.
There are a few minor completes I have about this book, the main one being that the romance seemed a little forced and I didn’t feel a lot of chemistry between Avery and her two love interests Jameson and Grayson. I think when it comes to Grayson a great deal of it is because he doesn’t have a lot of scenes so i didn’t feel much relationship growth between the two.
I yearned for a more gradual adjustment period for Avery. Her integration into this new life seemed remarkably seamless, leaving little room to explore the challenges and adaptation inherent in her sudden transition.
It also got on my nerves how often Emily was brought up, like the girl is dead, Avery. Stop comparing yourself to her.
Overall, my affection for this book knows no bounds. Anticipation for the next installment runs high. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to enthusiasts of "Knives Out" who crave a literary parallel.
On a side note, I had the privilege of meeting Jennifer (the author) last night. Her incredibly amiable nature left a lasting impression. Should an opportunity arise for her to hold a signing event near you, don't miss it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Domestic abuse
A Curse for True Love by Stephanie Garber
4.75 stars
Ahhh this book was so good! This series was so good!
I honestly don't get why people haven't been loving A Curse For True Love because I personally loved it.
Honestly I think this book series may have been better than Caraval! I loved the world, the romance, the storyline, absolutely everything and I want more!!
Evajacks have become my favorite couple written by Stephanie! I loved them so much. Their banter was to die for! I can't believe some people think that Jacks love Tella more than Evangeline.
I'm so sad to say goodbye to Evangeline and Jacks but I loved getting to see their love story.
Jacks has by far become my favorite male main in the Caraval world! I love him so much.
Even though I hate Apollo, Stephanie Garber did a really good job at showing how some people become villains even though they believe they are doing a good thing.
I really hope we get more books in this world... Maybe one about Lala and Chaos??? Please!!
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Ahhh this book was so good! This series was so good!
I honestly don't get why people haven't been loving A Curse For True Love because I personally loved it.
Honestly I think this book series may have been better than Caraval! I loved the world, the romance, the storyline, absolutely everything and I want more!!
Evajacks have become my favorite couple written by Stephanie! I loved them so much. Their banter was to die for! I can't believe some people think that Jacks love Tella more than Evangeline.
I'm so sad to say goodbye to Evangeline and Jacks but I loved getting to see their love story.
Jacks has by far become my favorite male main in the Caraval world! I love him so much.
Even though I hate Apollo, Stephanie Garber did a really good job at showing how some people become villains even though they believe they are doing a good thing.
I really hope we get more books in this world... Maybe one about Lala and Chaos??? Please!!
The Man of the Hour by Miranda Silver
The Man of The Hour by Miranda Silver is the long a waited third book in the Next Door series. The Man of the Hour is set five years after the last book and follows Ian's twin, Brandon O'Brien, and Diana's college roommate and best friend Sonia Jacobson.
Although the first two books in this series weren't my favorite books by Miranda Silvers, I was still extremely excited when I heard that she was writing a story following Brandon and I was even more excited when I found out that his love interest would be no other than Sonia.
I do have a few things that I dislike about this book, mainly the writing especially in the sex scenes. There's no argument that this book has some very sexy and kinky scenes but some of the words Miranda Silvers used in these scenes really give me the ick. For example, the use of cream, petals, ripe balls, and pucker, and I absolutely hate it when authors use the word roar in contemporary novels (I feel like that word should be saved specifically for fantasy). There were also quite a few times where the dirty talk just came off very cheesy.
Another thing I didn't love about this book was the fact that it felt kinda insta-lovey in a way. Sonia went from hating Brandon to mauling him really quick like it was literally in the same scene.
Overall, this book was a nice conclusion to the Next Door series and although it's not my favorite book by Miranda Silvers, I enjoyed getting to read about Brandon and Sonia again and see their love story.
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Ratings:
Plot:⭐⭐⭐/5
Writing:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Overall:⭐⭐⭐/5
Romance:❤️❤️❤️❤️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Genre: Adult Romance
Tropes: GrumpyxSunshine (She's the Grump), Enemies to Lovers, Sex Pact, BDSM Elements,
Kinks: CNC, Somnophila (W/ Prior Consent), Degradation, Praise, Switch MC’s, Primal Play, Impact Play, Bondage, Toys, Anal, Pegging, Role Play, and Semipublic Play.
Content Warnings: Parental Neglect
The Man of The Hour by Miranda Silver is the long a waited third book in the Next Door series. The Man of the Hour is set five years after the last book and follows Ian's twin, Brandon O'Brien, and Diana's college roommate and best friend Sonia Jacobson.
Although the first two books in this series weren't my favorite books by Miranda Silvers, I was still extremely excited when I heard that she was writing a story following Brandon and I was even more excited when I found out that his love interest would be no other than Sonia.
I won't say I was disappointed in this book because I liked it just as much as I liked the other books in the Next Door series but I definitely wouldn't say this book is one of my favorites by Miranda Silver.
I do think this was a nice addition to the series because I always felt that there was more story to be told about Brandon and I liked getting to see his love story with Sonia. I enjoyed getting to see Diana and Ian again and I loved getting to see their wedding.
I do have a few things that I dislike about this book, mainly the writing especially in the sex scenes. There's no argument that this book has some very sexy and kinky scenes but some of the words Miranda Silvers used in these scenes really give me the ick. For example, the use of cream, petals, ripe balls, and pucker, and I absolutely hate it when authors use the word roar in contemporary novels (I feel like that word should be saved specifically for fantasy). There were also quite a few times where the dirty talk just came off very cheesy.
Another thing I didn't love about this book was the fact that it felt kinda insta-lovey in a way. Sonia went from hating Brandon to mauling him really quick like it was literally in the same scene.
This book did feel a little longer than it needed to be especially with the third-act breakup, which felt pointless due to the fact that it was resolved very quickly.
Overall, this book was a nice conclusion to the Next Door series and although it's not my favorite book by Miranda Silvers, I enjoyed getting to read about Brandon and Sonia again and see their love story.