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theahappyhermit's reviews
247 reviews
Magnolia Parks: Into the Dark by Jessa Hastings
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I feel like a cat purring and headbutting these books.
Jessa wrote grief wee too well for me š
A perfect conclusion to beej and magnolias story. They are my children now and Iāll love and defend them for all eternity.
I feel a-bit adrift since finishing because Iāll always miss them.
Ps.
What THE heck was going on with our gang lord friends? It felt like they had invited over everyone too their house for tea but that the house was actively on fire and they were just pretending that the smoke wasnāt there š I was stressing for them and IDK WHATS GOING ON?!
Jessa wrote grief wee too well for me š
A perfect conclusion to beej and magnolias story. They are my children now and Iāll love and defend them for all eternity.
I feel a-bit adrift since finishing because Iāll always miss them.
Ps.
What THE heck was going on with our gang lord friends? It felt like they had invited over everyone too their house for tea but that the house was actively on fire and they were just pretending that the smoke wasnāt there š I was stressing for them and IDK WHATS GOING ON?!
Daisy Haites: The Great Undoing: Book 4 by Jessa Hastings
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Right so respectfully f*#^ you Jessa Hastings.
Because how DARE YOU. HOW DARE YOU.
I knew what was going to happen and yet some how knowing MADE IT WORSE. WORSE. SO MUCH WORSE.
And another thing; I thought this book would make me not like magnolia for some reason but it made me FALL IN LOVE WITH HER. like down bad.
And the f- no Iām a professional book reviewer I wonāt swear
NO YOU KNOW WHAT
FUCK THIS TRAGIC LOVE THAT IM OBSESSED WITH.
(No one tell my baby beej)
Jessa. When I CATCH YOU JESSA? Jessa. One eye open. ONE EYE OPEN
Because how DARE YOU. HOW DARE YOU.
I knew what was going to happen and yet some how knowing MADE IT WORSE. WORSE. SO MUCH WORSE.
And another thing; I thought this book would make me not like magnolia for some reason but it made me FALL IN LOVE WITH HER. like down bad.
And the f- no Iām a professional book reviewer I wonāt swear
NO YOU KNOW WHAT
FUCK THIS TRAGIC LOVE THAT IM OBSESSED WITH.
(No one tell my baby beej)
Jessa. When I CATCH YOU JESSA? Jessa. One eye open. ONE EYE OPEN
Magnolia Parks: The Long Way Home by Jessa Hastings
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My brain chemistry has been permanently altered.
First 100 ish pages I cried and cried and then cried more. I stopped reading and then just cried as I went about cooking dinner and staring at walls. Mostly for them partly for me. Sometimes books find you when you need to confront things ya know? It gives you the ok to feel for yourself in a way that sometimes life and time donāt give you the chance too. How feeling for the characters is actually empathy for yourself.
Beej. Beej. My darling boy. Heās one of my soul characters. Wormed his way in and made himself right at home in my heart. I quite like him there. The way he loves is otherworldly. (Toxic but shut up.)
Magnolia is my favorite brat. I find her strangely endearing.
And
J
U
L
I
A
N
Julian. Mf. Haites.
Clutch my pearls. That man. Most iconic scene Iāve ever read was in this book. Forever will I look back and chuckle when I need a laugh.
These books. Man. A whirlwind of emotions and happy to be caught in the storm.
First 100 ish pages I cried and cried and then cried more. I stopped reading and then just cried as I went about cooking dinner and staring at walls. Mostly for them partly for me. Sometimes books find you when you need to confront things ya know? It gives you the ok to feel for yourself in a way that sometimes life and time donāt give you the chance too. How feeling for the characters is actually empathy for yourself.
Beej. Beej. My darling boy. Heās one of my soul characters. Wormed his way in and made himself right at home in my heart. I quite like him there. The way he loves is otherworldly. (Toxic but shut up.)
Magnolia is my favorite brat. I find her strangely endearing.
And
J
U
L
I
A
N
Julian. Mf. Haites.
Clutch my pearls. That man. Most iconic scene Iāve ever read was in this book. Forever will I look back and chuckle when I need a laugh.
These books. Man. A whirlwind of emotions and happy to be caught in the storm.
Daisy Haites by Jessa Hastings
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is the book form of the movie Romeo and Juliet with Clare Danes and Leoā¦ you know the one? The gritty mafia vibes mixed with 90s nostalgia and a KILLER soundtrack.
I said it once ILL SAY IT AGAIN. These books are modern Shakespeare is the most literal sense.
Five stars for my new fictional husband Julian who in my mind is played by Pedro Pascalā¦ Iāve never fan casted him as anyone until now but he really fits the vibe here.
Anyways skipping to the bookcase to grab book 3 because I truly miss Beej my favorite trainwreck who had the cutest lil appearance in this one and made me go gooey eyed for.
I said it once ILL SAY IT AGAIN. These books are modern Shakespeare is the most literal sense.
Five stars for my new fictional husband Julian who in my mind is played by Pedro Pascalā¦ Iāve never fan casted him as anyone until now but he really fits the vibe here.
Anyways skipping to the bookcase to grab book 3 because I truly miss Beej my favorite trainwreck who had the cutest lil appearance in this one and made me go gooey eyed for.
Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
š¶ļø yesā¦ like over the covers kinda writing
This is modern day Shakespeare and I mean that so literally. The toxic drama mixed in with deeply profound lines of poetry that makes people wanna pick apart, act out, write novels on and spend years studying. Lines that make you wish Tom hiddleston was on stage proclaiming with those emotive eyes he had when he did that live production of Coriolanus from 2014- you know the eyes, the look, Iām talking about? Too niche?
Fine fine let me circle back.
I feel like I was in a scientific study and was being poked and prodded, injected with things to see how Iād react and REACT I DID. what is in these books? Because objectively bj (HIS NAME IS BJ) is the worst kinda person but he is now one of my comfort characters? Huh? Someone please explain how I hate him but I hate hating him to the point where I donāt hate him I love him? But I canāt explain it fully and thereās no logic to it other then somehow I think bj truly fully understands love in all its forms and facets and accepts it for all itās wonderful horrible things. How can man who does what he does and acts how he acts also have the most romantic and intimate lines and soliloquies? (Itās because heās written by a woman shut up I know thatās not the point)
Something happened to me in between the pages and it feels like how it feels when I hear a new Taylor swift song for the first timeā¦ that āoh I didnāt know someone could put this into words- someone who doesnāt know me but still understands my soulā
Same feeling.
The same feeling I had when I read still life with woodpecker for the first time
Same feeling when I actually understood hamlet and that one iconic monologue and how when each actor annunciates the words differently it changes the inflection.
Same feeling I had when Barney asked Robin to marry him in himym
Same feeling I had when I found out that Gojo and Geto in jjk would still meet up in the ten years they were enemies
What I mean to say is
5 āļø but like donāt ask me about it unless you wanna hear about me being abducted by aliens and how they replaced my kidney. And donāt ask me why i might cry spontaneously just thinking about them.
Objectively trashy and toxic but with lines that makes you stare at the wall for ten minutes every five pages making the book go on for longer then it should but also your totally fine with it because you wanna stay there with them for as long as possible
This is modern day Shakespeare and I mean that so literally. The toxic drama mixed in with deeply profound lines of poetry that makes people wanna pick apart, act out, write novels on and spend years studying. Lines that make you wish Tom hiddleston was on stage proclaiming with those emotive eyes he had when he did that live production of Coriolanus from 2014- you know the eyes, the look, Iām talking about? Too niche?
Fine fine let me circle back.
I feel like I was in a scientific study and was being poked and prodded, injected with things to see how Iād react and REACT I DID. what is in these books? Because objectively bj (HIS NAME IS BJ) is the worst kinda person but he is now one of my comfort characters? Huh? Someone please explain how I hate him but I hate hating him to the point where I donāt hate him I love him? But I canāt explain it fully and thereās no logic to it other then somehow I think bj truly fully understands love in all its forms and facets and accepts it for all itās wonderful horrible things. How can man who does what he does and acts how he acts also have the most romantic and intimate lines and soliloquies? (Itās because heās written by a woman shut up I know thatās not the point)
Something happened to me in between the pages and it feels like how it feels when I hear a new Taylor swift song for the first timeā¦ that āoh I didnāt know someone could put this into words- someone who doesnāt know me but still understands my soulā
Same feeling.
The same feeling I had when I read still life with woodpecker for the first time
Same feeling when I actually understood hamlet and that one iconic monologue and how when each actor annunciates the words differently it changes the inflection.
Same feeling I had when Barney asked Robin to marry him in himym
Same feeling I had when I found out that Gojo and Geto in jjk would still meet up in the ten years they were enemies
What I mean to say is
5 āļø but like donāt ask me about it unless you wanna hear about me being abducted by aliens and how they replaced my kidney. And donāt ask me why i might cry spontaneously just thinking about them.
Objectively trashy and toxic but with lines that makes you stare at the wall for ten minutes every five pages making the book go on for longer then it should but also your totally fine with it because you wanna stay there with them for as long as possible
Swallowed by Meg Smitherman
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
š¶ļøyesā¦
I feel the need to apologize to my house plants for what I read and I know people would tell me to touch grass but after what I just read I donāt think Iāll be touching it for a long long time.
This book achieves everything it sets out to - short, spicy horror sci-fi
Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
š¶ļø yes
Op this was DELIGHTFUL. utterly delightful.
Fairy romance with nothing new but also wildly unique in some ways.
I kinda loved that the main character isnāt technically the main character, there are trials but sheās helping the person do the trials. So like sheās the main character but also is a side character? If that makes sense.
The FMC finds herself trapped in the fairy realm underground as a servant to a young fae undergoing the immortality trials but all is not as it seems as revolution is on the rise to over throw the evil fae king.
So nothing new but there are such unique spins to it all.
Book two is gonna be GOOOD.
All I will say is I really love women and girls helping girls.
- independent competent FMC
- Spying
- Trails
- Elemental Magic
- Blood magic (WHICH I HAVE BEEN CRAVING)
- Fem relationships
This was so close to a five star but I really didnāt like the love interest like at all. I wanted too but I know why I didnāt and I wonāt say it in my review but I think the author tried to do something and almost did it too wellā¦ if that makes senseā¦
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
An Indiana jones movie but Vi is Harrison ford and X the hot damsel in destress. And I stand by that take.
yarros is nothing if not consistent in her writing, character and relationships.
Minor spoiler
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How dare she give me a professor Xaden and make it NOT sexy. I will NEVER forgive this missed opportunity. NEVER.
yarros is nothing if not consistent in her writing, character and relationships.
Minor spoiler
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Amid Clouds and Bones by Ella Fields
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
š¶ļøyes
- Morally black love interest
- Blonde/white haired love interest
- Men with wings
- Fairies not fae
- Toxic romance
- Selfish characters
- āI can make her worseā vibes
- Realms
āØstand-aloneāØ
- took every bookish trope and PULLED AN UNO REVERSE
like itās everything that makes things popular but likeā¦ upside down.
Tāwas a RIDE. itās not predictable but also is in the best way. Idk. It was a wild time, not at all what I was expecting š
Because some people think trope list are spoilers hereās your warning for the āspoilerā list
- Fated mates gone awry
- Love triangleā¦ kinda?
- Prophecy
Also this has a delightfully sweet ending that I hadnāt totally seen coming from the main characters
- Morally black love interest
- Blonde/white haired love interest
- Men with wings
- Fairies not fae
- Toxic romance
- Selfish characters
- āI can make her worseā vibes
- Realms
āØstand-aloneāØ
- took every bookish trope and PULLED AN UNO REVERSE
like itās everything that makes things popular but likeā¦ upside down.
Tāwas a RIDE. itās not predictable but also is in the best way. Idk. It was a wild time, not at all what I was expecting š
Because some people think trope list are spoilers hereās your warning for the āspoilerā list
- Fated mates gone awry
- Love triangleā¦ kinda?
- Prophecy
Also this has a delightfully sweet ending that I hadnāt totally seen coming from the main characters
A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
āWhy is it when you yield, I feel like the one who has been conquered?"
š¶ļøyes
This was hands down one of the best historical romances Iāve ever read, from the writing which feels ā¦ oldā¦ but in the realistic way, to the history so well weaved and the ROMANCE?! Hello? Enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers to I donāt want to be your enemy please let me love you Iām sorry.
A rollercoaster I never wanted to get off of. I would have read another 500 pgs of them just living out their daily lives š
I loved this book so much I bought a physical because I want to hold it, and smell it, and write in it, and reread it over and over again.
Jenny a Scot is kidnapped by an army of Englishmen and held as a prisoner (treated fairly) but she gas heard the stories of The Wolf and knows she canāt trust them and outsmarts them at every turn. Sheās so smart; reading her run CIRCLES around them was nothing short an utter delight.
The Wolf? Duke Claymore? IS A MAN. A MAN AMONG MEN. bark bark. Jenny is a better woman than me because I would have folded INSTANTLY. lawd have mercy. He is a ruthless savage warrior who only wants to love someone softly. *cue my audible whimper*
- captive x captor
- Enemies to lovers
- Arranged marriage
Look this boarlines dark romance and it was written 36 years ago so imma let all my morals OUT THE WINDOW. I understand that some people will not like some of theā¦ ways the age gap is presented ā¦ I am however not one of those people. Royce my beloved Iāll be your number one defender and I say that knowing my girl Jenny can, has and will stand up for herself with blades in hand.
Anyways Siri play āIām on fireā by Bruce Springsteen because that will forever be their song. FIGHT ME I DARE YOU.
š¶ļøyes
This was hands down one of the best historical romances Iāve ever read, from the writing which feels ā¦ oldā¦ but in the realistic way, to the history so well weaved and the ROMANCE?! Hello? Enemies to lovers to enemies to lovers to I donāt want to be your enemy please let me love you Iām sorry.
A rollercoaster I never wanted to get off of. I would have read another 500 pgs of them just living out their daily lives š
I loved this book so much I bought a physical because I want to hold it, and smell it, and write in it, and reread it over and over again.
Jenny a Scot is kidnapped by an army of Englishmen and held as a prisoner (treated fairly) but she gas heard the stories of The Wolf and knows she canāt trust them and outsmarts them at every turn. Sheās so smart; reading her run CIRCLES around them was nothing short an utter delight.
The Wolf? Duke Claymore? IS A MAN. A MAN AMONG MEN. bark bark. Jenny is a better woman than me because I would have folded INSTANTLY. lawd have mercy. He is a ruthless savage warrior who only wants to love someone softly. *cue my audible whimper*
- captive x captor
- Enemies to lovers
- Arranged marriage
Look this boarlines dark romance and it was written 36 years ago so imma let all my morals OUT THE WINDOW. I understand that some people will not like some of theā¦ ways the age gap is presented ā¦ I am however not one of those people. Royce my beloved Iāll be your number one defender and I say that knowing my girl Jenny can, has and will stand up for herself with blades in hand.
Anyways Siri play āIām on fireā by Bruce Springsteen because that will forever be their song. FIGHT ME I DARE YOU.