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shelves_by_sim's reviews
506 reviews
Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood
funny
lighthearted
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? No
5.0
Now we are talking! This short Spotify Original audiobook was everything I was looking for. This book was 100% the Ali I know and love and I couldn't stop listening to it. I absolutely loved the that the story centered around two game developers at rival companies! The "team-building" retreat at the snow lodge was the perfect setting and Viola was literally everything. As always, I loved the FMCs quirkiness and just how natural and relatable she felt! I enjoyed the weird relationship between Viola and Jesse, how for years he has seemed absolutely put off by her. And of course, every snow lodge has to have a hot tub scene *nudge, nudge, wink, wink. Even though this story was short, so much happened and I loved the development of their relationship. I adored Jesse, with his "I'm hot but I don't know it because I'm such a nerd" vibe, gaaah! The slow burn was perfect and the spicy scenes were so good. I also really loved the ending, it kind of left the story on this cute, let's look forward to the future vibe and it was just everything!
Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
4.5
Well, this book was a wild ride. I enjoyed the story line so much. I love that the main characters both had some sort of STEM and athletic past and while Rue still works in the engineering industry, Eli now works in the financial industry. I love the way they met and I really enjoyed the complexities of Rue's character. She came off very authentic and real, she had personal idiosyncrasies that might seem outrageous but are due to past trauma. I was not expecting the amount of spice in this book but I loved it anyway. I will say that this book didn't feel like an Ali book though, from the insta-love to the in-your-face sort of humor, it gave me Tessa Bailey vibes all the way. But I still loved it!
Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
5.0
Oh. My. SOUL!!!! Okay I don't think I'm ever getting over this book. When I read The Crimson Moth, I loved it, but it definitely didn't end up anywhere near my favorites for last year. I was looking forward to this book but I never thought that it would blow me away the way it did. I loved every damn thing about it. I loved the plot line and the setting and the voyage and the tension and twists and the secrets and just everything! 😭
Ciccarelli really did a number on me with this one. It was flawlessly written, it captured me from the first page and refused to let go. One of those reads that you think of constantly throughout the day and cannot wait to get back to. I love how both Gideon and Rune are really smart characters, alternating turns to always be one step a head of the other. The ONE BED trope!!! On a ship!! I cannot get over it. I loved their love/hate relationship, how they both had to constantly talk themselves out of their feelings for each other. I loved their relationship development, how slowly Gideon started changing his mind about her and witches and how, in the end, he was able to fully give in. It was beautiful.
Cressida is a formidable villain and there was something I really loved about the post-war setting. The little cottage in the woods with two unsuspecting characters (who I am so in love with btw!). I loved the found family feeling. I loved that we get to see a soft side from some of the Blood Guard. I loved the final battle too, it was atmospheric and palpation-inducing and even though I figured out some of the main plot twists early in the book, it took nothing away from it for me. I am head over heals for this book and I wish I could read it all over again for the first time!
Ciccarelli really did a number on me with this one. It was flawlessly written, it captured me from the first page and refused to let go. One of those reads that you think of constantly throughout the day and cannot wait to get back to. I love how both Gideon and Rune are really smart characters, alternating turns to always be one step a head of the other. The ONE BED trope!!! On a ship!! I cannot get over it. I loved their love/hate relationship, how they both had to constantly talk themselves out of their feelings for each other. I loved their relationship development, how slowly Gideon started changing his mind about her and witches and how, in the end, he was able to fully give in. It was beautiful.
Cressida is a formidable villain and there was something I really loved about the post-war setting. The little cottage in the woods with two unsuspecting characters (who I am so in love with btw!). I loved the found family feeling. I loved that we get to see a soft side from some of the Blood Guard. I loved the final battle too, it was atmospheric and palpation-inducing and even though I figured out some of the main plot twists early in the book, it took nothing away from it for me. I am head over heals for this book and I wish I could read it all over again for the first time!
The Beauty Of Him by J.D Kizza
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
Can we take a moment to absorb and appreciate how absolutely stunning the cover of this book is? All the colours and all the details literally just pop and I am obsessed! J.D Kizza is a South African author and I just knew, the moment I saw this book, that I had to read it! It was such an good, suspenseful read that kept my eyes glued to the pages throughout the story. I loved the world, set mainly in Johannesburg City and Rustenburg but with a fictional twist such as the company that plays a huge role in this story. I loved being able to envision the sort of surrounding in each scene because of this!
I enjoyed the way this book started, it really built the story. I loved learning about Tyree International and the role Leila's mother plays in the company. The security aspect of this story was really cool, I loved that the Tyree family had security detail because what's sexier than a body guard? Leila's passion for painting was beautiful and I really love the painting initiative in the story, travelling between hospitals to bring life and love to pediatric wards. This book is a spin-off of the Journals of He series and even though you can feel that a story has taken place prior to this, you never feel lost because everything is explained so naturally.
I loved that the character's in the Tyree family are of Irish and Ugandan descent, that was a really cool aspect to add. Liam is absolutely amazing, I enjoyed getting to know him and figuring out his past. He is a character that really represents PTSD, trauma and other mental health issues. The plot was really well done as well, there was a good amount of mystery and action I loved it. I didn't see the plot twist coming at all! The ending was so sweet and I can't wait to see what's in store for the Tyree brothers!
I enjoyed the way this book started, it really built the story. I loved learning about Tyree International and the role Leila's mother plays in the company. The security aspect of this story was really cool, I loved that the Tyree family had security detail because what's sexier than a body guard? Leila's passion for painting was beautiful and I really love the painting initiative in the story, travelling between hospitals to bring life and love to pediatric wards. This book is a spin-off of the Journals of He series and even though you can feel that a story has taken place prior to this, you never feel lost because everything is explained so naturally.
I loved that the character's in the Tyree family are of Irish and Ugandan descent, that was a really cool aspect to add. Liam is absolutely amazing, I enjoyed getting to know him and figuring out his past. He is a character that really represents PTSD, trauma and other mental health issues. The plot was really well done as well, there was a good amount of mystery and action I loved it. I didn't see the plot twist coming at all! The ending was so sweet and I can't wait to see what's in store for the Tyree brothers!
The North Wind by Alexandria Warwick
adventurous
challenging
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? It's complicated
5.0
I got The West Wind from @jonathanballpublishers for my February Blind Date with a Book and it gave me the perfect excuse to jump into this series! And I am obsessed. This book is described as a Beauty and The Beast meets Hades and Persephone retelling. Those two aspects shine through so clearly throughout the story and it was literal perfection. Not only that, but the story also really reminds me of Slaying The Frost King! The wintery setting, the village, the actual Frost King! I absolutely loved it.
I loved the Freaky Friday sort of sister swap we got here. That Wren is seen to be the hardier, rougher sister with the scars and Elora is the sweet, beautiful one. I loved how grumpy Boreas was too, like the entire book!! He hardly let up for even a second and it was so good! The plot was done so well. I loved how the history of their world and their gods was slowly explained, I loved the magic system and how even though the main for gods in this series are connected to the seasons, they are also connected to specific realms - like Boreas is connected to the Deadlands.
It was so cool to experience the underworld in this sort of setting. The rivers and what they can do, the staff made up of all spirits, the shade and how important it is to the entire story! I love how Wren plotted against Boreas almost until the very end, this book was a massive slowburn and it was euphoric once they both gave in. The final battle was so good and I'm quite interested to see where Zephyrus's story is going to go in book 2! The epilogue was so damn beautiful, it almost made me cry!! I 10/10 implore you to start this series if you haven't!!
I loved the Freaky Friday sort of sister swap we got here. That Wren is seen to be the hardier, rougher sister with the scars and Elora is the sweet, beautiful one. I loved how grumpy Boreas was too, like the entire book!! He hardly let up for even a second and it was so good! The plot was done so well. I loved how the history of their world and their gods was slowly explained, I loved the magic system and how even though the main for gods in this series are connected to the seasons, they are also connected to specific realms - like Boreas is connected to the Deadlands.
It was so cool to experience the underworld in this sort of setting. The rivers and what they can do, the staff made up of all spirits, the shade and how important it is to the entire story! I love how Wren plotted against Boreas almost until the very end, this book was a massive slowburn and it was euphoric once they both gave in. The final battle was so good and I'm quite interested to see where Zephyrus's story is going to go in book 2! The epilogue was so damn beautiful, it almost made me cry!! I 10/10 implore you to start this series if you haven't!!
La Petite Mort by Olivie Blake
adventurous
dark
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? It's complicated
5.0
This has to be the most perfect novella I have ever read. I mean, Olivie Blake did write it so that checks. If you didn't know, I am absolutely obsessed with New Orleans (and nooooo, not because of Niklaus OKAY).. But I love the culture and the richness of their lore and superstitions - not to mention their architecture is the epitome of a perfect setting! And let me not forget it's history! I love how Blake took some of these infamous historical figures from New Orleans as well as their folklores and incorporated them into this story - in a paranormal sense. It was so amazing to experience characters such as Jacques St. Germain, Delphine LaLaurie and the Casket girls on paper.
I loved the storyline in this book, the inherited house with strange properties. The responsibility Marisa has unknownly taken on by accepting the inheritance as well as the magic system of the house itself and how it is linked back to certain characters. Although this story was short, I did not find it lacking in depth. I found the characters to be perfectly developed and the setting to be perfectly misleading and sinister. The history of the town and characters was explained well and overall, it was just perfectly written.
I loved Marisa from the get go. There is something about her that feels resigned, like she unnaturally felt out of place and therefore, accepted her strange circumstances with such grace - even with being a fighter in character. I loved Elisabeth and Jack, their feud was entertaining and I loved the mystery and secrets kept from Marisa on both sides. I loved the pull she felt towards both characters and I also love that while everything seemed to have worked out for Marisa in the end, the story did not have a traditional happy ending. It was messy and tragic and faultless. This read was exceptional and one I'm sure is going to stay with me for a long time!
I loved the storyline in this book, the inherited house with strange properties. The responsibility Marisa has unknownly taken on by accepting the inheritance as well as the magic system of the house itself and how it is linked back to certain characters. Although this story was short, I did not find it lacking in depth. I found the characters to be perfectly developed and the setting to be perfectly misleading and sinister. The history of the town and characters was explained well and overall, it was just perfectly written.
I loved Marisa from the get go. There is something about her that feels resigned, like she unnaturally felt out of place and therefore, accepted her strange circumstances with such grace - even with being a fighter in character. I loved Elisabeth and Jack, their feud was entertaining and I loved the mystery and secrets kept from Marisa on both sides. I loved the pull she felt towards both characters and I also love that while everything seemed to have worked out for Marisa in the end, the story did not have a traditional happy ending. It was messy and tragic and faultless. This read was exceptional and one I'm sure is going to stay with me for a long time!
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
tense
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
5.0
Okay now THIS is what I have been waiting for! This book had everything I was looking for in the previous series. This book is the Cassandra Clare I have come to know and love and it was utter perfection. The Infernal Devices is a prequel series to The Last Hours, it follows the previous generation of Shadowhunters at the London Institute (mainly Lucie and James Herondale's parents). And I cannot even explain how it makes me feel to be back in this particular part of the world.
It is based in the 19th century so you know that I love everything about the setting already! And there is just something so wonderful about the way she has written these London characters that has me obsessed. Reading about characters I already know from The Last Hours is filling me with so much emotion. Meeting Will and Tessa when they are young, getting to know JEM!! Guys my heart isn't coping. Seeing Charlotte and Henry, the complexities of their relationship and what Charlotte must go through loving someone so different as Henry Fairchild, goodness it's heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time.
The writing? Fantastic. The plot? Fantastic. The whole eerieness of the dark sisters, the mystery surrounding Tessa's brother, who the magister is, the creepy human-ish automatons, PANDEMONIUM! The fact that Magnus is in the book too!! All of it was new and such a good storyline. I am just loving all of it so much. I love the Oscar Wilde references throughout this entire universe too! The plot twists we got were amazing and that epilogue left me needing more! I'll say it again, this is the Cassandra Clare I was looking for in Mortal Instruments and I'm so glad Infernal Devices gives me everything I know and love about this world!
It is based in the 19th century so you know that I love everything about the setting already! And there is just something so wonderful about the way she has written these London characters that has me obsessed. Reading about characters I already know from The Last Hours is filling me with so much emotion. Meeting Will and Tessa when they are young, getting to know JEM!! Guys my heart isn't coping. Seeing Charlotte and Henry, the complexities of their relationship and what Charlotte must go through loving someone so different as Henry Fairchild, goodness it's heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time.
The writing? Fantastic. The plot? Fantastic. The whole eerieness of the dark sisters, the mystery surrounding Tessa's brother, who the magister is, the creepy human-ish automatons, PANDEMONIUM! The fact that Magnus is in the book too!! All of it was new and such a good storyline. I am just loving all of it so much. I love the Oscar Wilde references throughout this entire universe too! The plot twists we got were amazing and that epilogue left me needing more! I'll say it again, this is the Cassandra Clare I was looking for in Mortal Instruments and I'm so glad Infernal Devices gives me everything I know and love about this world!
Never Run From An Immortal by Victoria J. Price
Once again, Victoria J. Price has absolutely knocked it out of the park. I loved every single thing about this book, the world, the setting, the magic, the characters, the villains. It was all so exciting and new and so damn good. I really enjoyed the story telling in this book too, I loved how we start off in the middle of a scene, that it's followed by action and then as the story goes on, everything is explained more and more - so much so that this book would make the perfect TV adaptation.
Rae's profession is so cool, I love that she is a multifaceted character who does what she does for a purpose. Her silver business, her artwork, the fact that she's the leader of a human faction in Demesia, all of it was amazing and I loved how all these sides of her felt so natural. I love that this book was written in dual POV because Aidan's chapters were everything! He is the perfect grumpy/broody vamp and I'm just obsessed with him. I loved the side characters that surrounded Aidan such as Baelin and his daemon! Loved the little fluffball Ru too, these were all comic relief aspects and they were done so perfectly.
The mystery surrounding the plot was so good. I loved the eerie feeling the experiments gave, I love that the setting was done so well that these warehouses running the experiments on different breeds were so easy to picture! I think the villains were great, what they were capable of creating was insane and so good for the story. I love that there was so much action in this book, it kept me on the edge of my seat! The spice was *chefs kiss* and the slow-burn enemies to lovers was everything! It was that ending though, that blew my damn mind and I cannot wait for book 2 😍
Thank you for this amazing ARC, @victoriajprice ✨
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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
5.0
Once again, Victoria J. Price has absolutely knocked it out of the park. I loved every single thing about this book, the world, the setting, the magic, the characters, the villains. It was all so exciting and new and so damn good. I really enjoyed the story telling in this book too, I loved how we start off in the middle of a scene, that it's followed by action and then as the story goes on, everything is explained more and more - so much so that this book would make the perfect TV adaptation.
Rae's profession is so cool, I love that she is a multifaceted character who does what she does for a purpose. Her silver business, her artwork, the fact that she's the leader of a human faction in Demesia, all of it was amazing and I loved how all these sides of her felt so natural. I love that this book was written in dual POV because Aidan's chapters were everything! He is the perfect grumpy/broody vamp and I'm just obsessed with him. I loved the side characters that surrounded Aidan such as Baelin and his daemon! Loved the little fluffball Ru too, these were all comic relief aspects and they were done so perfectly.
The mystery surrounding the plot was so good. I loved the eerie feeling the experiments gave, I love that the setting was done so well that these warehouses running the experiments on different breeds were so easy to picture! I think the villains were great, what they were capable of creating was insane and so good for the story. I love that there was so much action in this book, it kept me on the edge of my seat! The spice was *chefs kiss* and the slow-burn enemies to lovers was everything! It was that ending though, that blew my damn mind and I cannot wait for book 2 😍
Thank you for this amazing ARC, @victoriajprice ✨
Darkly by Marisha Pessl
adventurous
challenging
dark
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? No
4.5
One of my many favourite genres, I love a good young adult mystery novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat and Pessl's Darkly did just that! First of all, the writing? It was absolutely decadent. I read alot of YA and sometimes even the writing can come off as "younger" because of the age of the characters but this author has such a gorgeous way of writing I literally just floated through her words. Absolutely beautiful and I am still reeling.
I loved Dia, I love the way she narrated the story as well as her thought process and the way she worked and navigated through this plot. The side characters were the perfect amount of "they're all sus" and I actually really like the very, veeeery slow friendship they formed between each other. Now let's talk possible love interests, I had high hopes for Poe for most of the book and I thought Choke was very suspicious for most of the book and you'll have to read it to see if I was right about them but I will say that through it all, I did still like them both!
The plot and it's concept was so cool, it was fresh and interesting and full of surprises really smart people things... Kind of gave me a Then There Was One meets the Inheritance Games universe and it was literal *chefs kiss*. I am always bad at figuring out mysteries so obviously, I did not see any of the plot twists coming but I'll tell you this: even when all is said and done and we think that "yeah, this must be the end. That was so cool," Marisha Pessl comes out of nowhere and absolutely flips everything upside down!! And that was just brilliant.
Thank you, @panmacmillansa, for such an amazing book! ✨
I loved Dia, I love the way she narrated the story as well as her thought process and the way she worked and navigated through this plot. The side characters were the perfect amount of "they're all sus" and I actually really like the very, veeeery slow friendship they formed between each other. Now let's talk possible love interests, I had high hopes for Poe for most of the book and I thought Choke was very suspicious for most of the book and you'll have to read it to see if I was right about them but I will say that through it all, I did still like them both!
The plot and it's concept was so cool, it was fresh and interesting and full of surprises really smart people things... Kind of gave me a Then There Was One meets the Inheritance Games universe and it was literal *chefs kiss*. I am always bad at figuring out mysteries so obviously, I did not see any of the plot twists coming but I'll tell you this: even when all is said and done and we think that "yeah, this must be the end. That was so cool," Marisha Pessl comes out of nowhere and absolutely flips everything upside down!! And that was just brilliant.
Thank you, @panmacmillansa, for such an amazing book! ✨
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
I am really enjoying this series so far. I love the fact that seeing as I've already watched the TV show, I kind of know where everything is going. It's like having the inside scoop 😂. We carry on with the fight against Valentine, him being the main villain in the these 3 books but we also get introduced to Sebastian!! And I really love this because I think Sebastian is the epitome of an amazing villain (well, we will have to see if that stays the same in the books).
I am happy that the very excruciating tension between Clary and Jace finally gets resolved in this book because I'm not sure I would have been able to handle more of that! Even though I really did wanna smack Jace for like 60% of this book. To my surprise - although Simon irritated me in the beginning - I actually didn't mind him for the rest of the book and I really loved how he turned the tables on Raphael in the end there!
This one had some really good action, some really shocking scenes that I didn't see coming or that I just didn't remember happening and I loved that. I do find that the endings feel very "meh" though, like the action scenes happen but instead of ending on a cliffhanger, it kind of all gets wrapped up in this nice little bow until the next book. I think I would prefer it ended on a shock factor to keep me excited? Other than that, I still loved it - even though it doesn't feel like the Cassandra Clare I know yet, I still enjoy the writing and of course, this world will always be so cool!
Thanks for the buddy read bestie, @the_bookbasket ✨
I am happy that the very excruciating tension between Clary and Jace finally gets resolved in this book because I'm not sure I would have been able to handle more of that! Even though I really did wanna smack Jace for like 60% of this book. To my surprise - although Simon irritated me in the beginning - I actually didn't mind him for the rest of the book and I really loved how he turned the tables on Raphael in the end there!
This one had some really good action, some really shocking scenes that I didn't see coming or that I just didn't remember happening and I loved that. I do find that the endings feel very "meh" though, like the action scenes happen but instead of ending on a cliffhanger, it kind of all gets wrapped up in this nice little bow until the next book. I think I would prefer it ended on a shock factor to keep me excited? Other than that, I still loved it - even though it doesn't feel like the Cassandra Clare I know yet, I still enjoy the writing and of course, this world will always be so cool!
Thanks for the buddy read bestie, @the_bookbasket ✨