I think this was my favorite book of the trilogy. Loved meeting the members of the society.

Honestly, I’m just really disappointed about all the HP references. Like I’ve mentioned before, their addition felt so OOC for the author (having read all their other works), and every time I read one, it jarred me right out of the story.

Tbh, this series is my least fave of VES’s works. :( But I also realize I’m not the target audience.

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective tense 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? Yes

4.0

I honestly don't know if this is how I want to rate this book, but I'm rolling with it for now. I had such conflicting thoughts throughout this book, though I overall enjoyed it.

Honestly, Mallory annoyed me a lot. A LOT. She's controlling, single minded in her aims (like telling herself she's the only one who can take care of her family), etc. I understand that her world fell apart at 14 and that she more recently experienced even greater loss, intricately tied to the events from years before. I had a lot of complicated feelings about Mallory's mother and her lack of....i don't know...stepping up? Enforcing more appropriate boundaries regarding Mallory basically stepping in as the head of the household, etc etc. Mallory was allowed to get away with her bullshit for so long until she just erupted, which.... Not surprised tbh. Basically, I wanted to throw Mallory into a giant wheelbarrow and cart her off to a therapist for the majority of the book.

However, even with all this, Ali delivered a classic Ali way. Gotta love that ~~boring/predictable/lazy~~ third act breakup and all that drama. I will say... I read a few other reviews on SG that said C&M read more like a coming of age story than a romance, and I wholeheartedly agree. I liked the romance, sure. Nolan is precious, as are his friends. BUT. I think the more important focus of this book is on Mallory and her confronting a lot demons and traumas from her childhood and start to learn how to grow and mature. Ali really did nail that immature and "I KNOW EVERYTHING" 18 year old mentality; maybe that's why Mallory annoyed me so much lmao. But Mallory really needed that lecture from Oz -- I was so relieved when he showed up. And then that implosion with her family -- also MUCH needed and very much belated.

Sometimes we all need that reminder that the universe does not, in fact, revolve around our individual selves.

I'm glad Mallory and Easton were able to work through their shit as well; that whole "I just assumed" on behalf of someone else's thoughts and decisions is something I can relate strongly to. I'm guilty of that as well.

The ending was....a bit anticlimactic tbh. I realize it would have been impossible to go through all 12 games together, but to basically reunite Nolan and Mallory for 10 seconds and then end with an ARTICLE epilogue from a different POV was not as satisfying as I would have liked it to be.

Tunnel of Bones by V.E. Schwab

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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? No

4.0

The story was fun but...

Pls stop with the HP references. WAY too many.

Against Dark Tides by Clare Sager

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl

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adventurous emotional funny informative lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

I really just read this to fulfill the 2024 StoryGraph genre challenge, but I'm SO GLAD I found it on Libby! This memoir is fantastic, and I enjoyed every second of it. I've obviously heard of Nirvana and Foo Fighters, but I don't really know music and the people in the bands and such. (I've had several embarrassing situations surrounding my lack of musical knowledge over the years. 😂🫠) Anyway, I knew absolutely nothing about Dave Grohl before listening to this book, and now I at least know what bands he's been in. But seriously, it's such an enjoyable read, and I loved his voice and passion about music. I was moved to tears multiple times, and I found his story to be so poignant and intentional. And the way he talks about his daughters. 🥹 I'm a fan. Loved it.

City of Ghosts by V.E. Schwab

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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? No

4.0

Despite my obsession with VES, I have to say that the excessive HP references in this book were more than a bit cringe….and dated. 😬

Other than that situation, this was a fun book. Loved the ghost hunting and Jacob!

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-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

4.5

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stardust_heidi's reviews 359 reviews

stardust_heidi's reviews
359 reviews