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thebiglittlelibrary's Reviews (622)
The perfect little holiday collection of short stories for our favorite couples by Tarah Dewitt
Merged review:
The perfect little holiday collection of short stories for our favorite couples by Tarah Dewitt
Merged review:
The perfect little holiday collection of short stories for our favorite couples by Tarah Dewitt
Merged review:
The perfect little holiday collection of short stories for our favorite couples by Tarah Dewitt
Merged review:
The perfect little holiday collection of short stories for our favorite couples by Tarah Dewitt
Merged review:
The perfect little holiday collection of short stories for our favorite couples by Tarah Dewitt
Merged review:
The perfect little holiday collection of short stories for our favorite couples by Tarah Dewitt
3 ⭐️ I wish I loved this more
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ small town romance
✨ Alaska setting
✨ she's a city girl visiting her estranged father
✨ he's a bush pilot who works for her dad
✨ grumpy x sunshine
✨ dislike to love
✨ cutting banter
✨ opposite attract
✨ forced proximity
✨ 1.5/5
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ small town romance
✨ Alaska setting
✨ she's a city girl visiting her estranged father
✨ he's a bush pilot who works for her dad
✨ grumpy x sunshine
✨ dislike to love
✨ cutting banter
✨ opposite attract
✨ forced proximity
✨ 1.5/5
2 ⭐ I did not like this story
The only reason I'm giving this 2-stars is because Ruby Dixon is a great writer and story-teller.
First off, the sex storyline is basically if Belle f*cked the beast in Beauty and The Beast. Gren is more animal than the big blue guys. He has enormous fangs and a cat-like nose and fur all over. It was gross visualizing how him and Willa mate. They can't really kiss so they lick each other’s chins/faces. YUCK! I'm sorry but no. Let's be honest, we're here for the smut and I hated that aspect of the story, so it gets a low rating.
Second, I hate Willa more than any of the other female protagonist in the IPB universe. Her reasoning makes zero sense and her mistrust annoyed the sh*t out of me. She was so mad at how everyone tied up Gren but didn't see where the tribe was coming from? It was just weird she could empathize with him so much but not the rest of the clan.
I think this will be my last IPB/Icehome book for a while. I think I need a break.
Icehome Books + Ratings
The only reason I'm giving this 2-stars is because Ruby Dixon is a great writer and story-teller.
First off, the sex storyline is basically if Belle f*cked the beast in Beauty and The Beast. Gren is more animal than the big blue guys. He has enormous fangs and a cat-like nose and fur all over. It was gross visualizing how him and Willa mate. They can't really kiss so they lick each other’s chins/faces. YUCK! I'm sorry but no. Let's be honest, we're here for the smut and I hated that aspect of the story, so it gets a low rating.
Second, I hate Willa more than any of the other female protagonist in the IPB universe. Her reasoning makes zero sense and her mistrust annoyed the sh*t out of me. She was so mad at how everyone tied up Gren but didn't see where the tribe was coming from? It was just weird she could empathize with him so much but not the rest of the clan.
I think this will be my last IPB/Icehome book for a while. I think I need a break.
Icehome Books + Ratings
4 ⭐️ Took me a second to get into but I enjoy this world and the fast-paced plot
"Always promise less than you can give, for Fates always take more. do not make bargains with more than one Fate. And, above all, never fall in love with a Fate."
-
Once Upon a Broken Heart Series Ratings:
1. Once Upon a Broken Heart - 4⭐️
2. The Ballad of Never After - 5⭐️
3. A Cruse for True Love - 4⭐️
-
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ ya romantasy
✨ fairytale with magic and curses
✨ finding happily ever after
✨ deals with the 'devil'
✨ love triangle
✨ slow burn
✨ dislike to love
✨ ANGST
✨ mystery
✨ take place in the world of Caraval but you do not need to read this series before to understand this story (I didn't)
What I liked:
The unique world. I haven’t read the Caraval series but found this easy to dive into. I was impressed that even though it’s a complicated and sometimes chaotic world, it was described and revealed in a way that was easy to understand. I also want to know more about the vampires and the Valors and what Jacks wants with the arch.
Evangeline. She’s a straight forward character - driven by love, a hopeless romantic - and oftentimes she makes mistakes because of it. And regardless of these mistakes, I liked her and understood the decisions she made. And even though Evangeline’s character is mostly concerned with love (and she’s had a few love interests by the end of this book), I found all her romance storylines interesting and I’ll be curious how each of them play out. I am also excited to learn more about her connection with the Valory Arch.
Jacks. He’s the villain you want to love. Broken. Desperate. Lonely. Hurt. And he channels all that into selfishness and getting what he wants, no matter the cost, even at the cost of others. I like how over time Evangeline humanized him but even so, he’s still the villain. So I’m curious how his character arc is going to play out.
LaLa. She's an interesting side character and I can't wait to learn more about her! I just hope she's actually going to stay friends with Evangeline because that girl really needs some allies.
Why this isn’t getting 5 stars:
It took a while to get into the story. The beginning was slow but it’s because the series is being set up so there's a lot of backstory with Evangeline and setting the stage for how she makes her way to the North. Once she finally gets there (around 25% of the way through) the story had a nice pace and kept me intrigued the entire time.
The plot twists or reveals weren’t very surprising. Maybe it’s because this is YA and I’m used to more complicated stories, but I saw most of the reveals coming. The story was still interesting and there were a few moments where I questioned some of my guesses but in the end, I ended up being right. Not a bad thing but I like being surprised.
The writing has a few sentences with lovely prose, but it’s mostly basic which didn’t impress me. But, it did make the story straightforward which I appreciated. There were also a few sentences that are descriptions or Evangeline's thoughts that are recycled throughout this story (edit: throughout this series), which I believe was done to reiterate certain points to the reader. But since I read these books back to back, it felt redundant and unnecessary. And I ended up skimming some spots.
Overall, it’s a unique story that I’m excited to keep reading. I’ve only heard amazing things about The Ballad of Never After so my expectations are high.
My Favorite Quotes:
"I believe there are far more possibilities than happily ever after or tragedy. Every story has the potential for infinite endings."
_______
Not all loves happened at first; some took time to grow like seeds, or they might be like bulbs, dormant until the right season approached.
_______
It was the last perfect moment before a dream ends, drops of sunshine falling like rain, lost wishes that had been found.
_______
He looked like a bad decision some unfortunate person was about to make.
_______
"It'd give you the world if I could. The moon, the stars, and all the suns in the universe. Anything for you, my heart."
_______
"Hurt is what made me."
_______
"Always promise less than you can give, for Fates always take more. do not make bargains with more than one Fate. And, above all, never fall in love with a Fate."
-
Once Upon a Broken Heart Series Ratings:
1. Once Upon a Broken Heart - 4⭐️
2. The Ballad of Never After - 5⭐️
3. A Cruse for True Love - 4⭐️
-
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ ya romantasy
✨ fairytale with magic and curses
✨ finding happily ever after
✨ deals with the 'devil'
✨ love triangle
✨ slow burn
✨ dislike to love
✨ ANGST
✨ mystery
✨ take place in the world of Caraval but you do not need to read this series before to understand this story (I didn't)
What I liked:
The unique world. I haven’t read the Caraval series but found this easy to dive into. I was impressed that even though it’s a complicated and sometimes chaotic world, it was described and revealed in a way that was easy to understand. I also want to know more about the vampires and the Valors and what Jacks wants with the arch.
Evangeline. She’s a straight forward character - driven by love, a hopeless romantic - and oftentimes she makes mistakes because of it. And regardless of these mistakes, I liked her and understood the decisions she made. And even though Evangeline’s character is mostly concerned with love (and she’s had a few love interests by the end of this book), I found all her romance storylines interesting and I’ll be curious how each of them play out. I am also excited to learn more about her connection with the Valory Arch.
Jacks. He’s the villain you want to love. Broken. Desperate. Lonely. Hurt. And he channels all that into selfishness and getting what he wants, no matter the cost, even at the cost of others. I like how over time Evangeline humanized him but even so, he’s still the villain. So I’m curious how his character arc is going to play out.
LaLa. She's an interesting side character and I can't wait to learn more about her! I just hope she's actually going to stay friends with Evangeline because that girl really needs some allies.
Why this isn’t getting 5 stars:
It took a while to get into the story. The beginning was slow but it’s because the series is being set up so there's a lot of backstory with Evangeline and setting the stage for how she makes her way to the North. Once she finally gets there (around 25% of the way through) the story had a nice pace and kept me intrigued the entire time.
The plot twists or reveals weren’t very surprising. Maybe it’s because this is YA and I’m used to more complicated stories, but I saw most of the reveals coming. The story was still interesting and there were a few moments where I questioned some of my guesses but in the end, I ended up being right. Not a bad thing but I like being surprised.
The writing has a few sentences with lovely prose, but it’s mostly basic which didn’t impress me. But, it did make the story straightforward which I appreciated. There were also a few sentences that are descriptions or Evangeline's thoughts that are recycled throughout this story (edit: throughout this series), which I believe was done to reiterate certain points to the reader. But since I read these books back to back, it felt redundant and unnecessary. And I ended up skimming some spots.
Overall, it’s a unique story that I’m excited to keep reading. I’ve only heard amazing things about The Ballad of Never After so my expectations are high.
My Favorite Quotes:
"I believe there are far more possibilities than happily ever after or tragedy. Every story has the potential for infinite endings."
_______
Not all loves happened at first; some took time to grow like seeds, or they might be like bulbs, dormant until the right season approached.
_______
It was the last perfect moment before a dream ends, drops of sunshine falling like rain, lost wishes that had been found.
_______
He looked like a bad decision some unfortunate person was about to make.
_______
"It'd give you the world if I could. The moon, the stars, and all the suns in the universe. Anything for you, my heart."
_______
"Hurt is what made me."
_______
5 ⭐️ The perfect YA sequel
"Happy endings can be caught, but they are difficult to hold on to."
-
Once Upon a Broken Heart Series Ratings:
1. Once Upon a Broken Heart - 4⭐️
2. The Ballad of Never After - 5⭐️
3. A Cruse for True Love - 4⭐️
-
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ ya romantasy
✨ fairytale with magic and curses
✨ finding happily ever after
✨ love triangle
✨ jealousy (OW/OM drama)
✨ ANGST
✨ pining/longing
✨ denial of feelings
✨ tending to wounds trope
✨ one bed
✨ mystery
✨ shocking cliffhanger
My Thoughts:
A super enjoyable and a quick read. I read this book in 4 hours because I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! The tension / angst between Evangeline and Jacks paired with the intriguing plot that slowly unfolded and that heart-stopping ending made this book one of the most enjoyable YA sequels I've ever read. I wouldn't say it's a perfect 5-stars, but it comes close, especially for a YA novel.
What I loved:
The expanded world building and background info we get on the characters. We learn so much more about the magic, curses, and history of the Magnificent North - this world is seriously so cool. Plus, we learn more about Jacks, Chaos, LaLa, and the Valors, which add a lot of depth to this story. And once again, Stephanie Garber introduces these new elements to the story in a simple, yet captivating way that only enhances the reader's understanding of the world and characters.
While book one was predictable, that wasn't the case in book two. In fact, there were plenty of times I was actually shocked by the plot twists and reveals! Especially the ending! I don't want to spoil anything about it, but damn, that was so good! Thank goodness I can start the next book immediately because I am DYING to find out what happens next!
Evangeline. I love her character growth. In book 1one, she's very naive but throughout the events of book two, she learns a lot about love, the kind of love she wants, and what it means to truly love someone. Also, I do admire that she likes to believe the best in people, even if they don't deserve it.
Jacks. Let's be honest, Jacks is a total ass 99% of the time, but that 1% of the time he actually shows feelings for Evangeline, makes me melt into a puddle. We all know it's just because he's afraid of getting his heart broken again, but damn, he's breaking my heart by holding back.
"Happy endings can be caught, but they are difficult to hold on to."
-
Once Upon a Broken Heart Series Ratings:
1. Once Upon a Broken Heart - 4⭐️
2. The Ballad of Never After - 5⭐️
3. A Cruse for True Love - 4⭐️
-
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ ya romantasy
✨ fairytale with magic and curses
✨ finding happily ever after
✨ love triangle
✨ jealousy (OW/OM drama)
✨ ANGST
✨ pining/longing
✨ denial of feelings
✨ tending to wounds trope
✨ one bed
✨ mystery
✨ shocking cliffhanger
My Thoughts:
A super enjoyable and a quick read. I read this book in 4 hours because I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! The tension / angst between Evangeline and Jacks paired with the intriguing plot that slowly unfolded and that heart-stopping ending made this book one of the most enjoyable YA sequels I've ever read. I wouldn't say it's a perfect 5-stars, but it comes close, especially for a YA novel.
What I loved:
The expanded world building and background info we get on the characters. We learn so much more about the magic, curses, and history of the Magnificent North - this world is seriously so cool. Plus, we learn more about Jacks, Chaos, LaLa, and the Valors, which add a lot of depth to this story. And once again, Stephanie Garber introduces these new elements to the story in a simple, yet captivating way that only enhances the reader's understanding of the world and characters.
While book one was predictable, that wasn't the case in book two. In fact, there were plenty of times I was actually shocked by the plot twists and reveals! Especially the ending! I don't want to spoil anything about it, but damn, that was so good! Thank goodness I can start the next book immediately because I am DYING to find out what happens next!
Evangeline. I love her character growth. In book 1one, she's very naive but throughout the events of book two, she learns a lot about love, the kind of love she wants, and what it means to truly love someone. Also, I do admire that she likes to believe the best in people, even if they don't deserve it.
Jacks. Let's be honest, Jacks is a total ass 99% of the time, but that 1% of the time he actually shows feelings for Evangeline, makes me melt into a puddle. We all know it's just because he's afraid of getting his heart broken again, but damn, he's breaking my heart by holding back.
3 ⭐️ I’m definitely going to hell for reading this but who wants to join me?
4.25 ⭐️ This book was a riot that I couldn't put down!
We're not normal people. We are monsters. But if we're monsters, we'll thrive in the dark. Together.
Summary:
Sloane and Rowan are great at what they do - murdering serial killers. When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between these two, they decide to have a friendly competition. Each year, they'll meet up to hunt for the most dangerous monsters in the country. Winner gets the kill. Year after year they meet up for this game, but as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ dark rom-com
✨ serial killer MCs
✨ a gruesome meet cute
✨ annual ‘hunting’ game
✨ friends to lovers
✨ he falls first and hard
✨ witty banter
✨ nursing back to health scene
We're not normal people. We are monsters. But if we're monsters, we'll thrive in the dark. Together.
Summary:
Sloane and Rowan are great at what they do - murdering serial killers. When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between these two, they decide to have a friendly competition. Each year, they'll meet up to hunt for the most dangerous monsters in the country. Winner gets the kill. Year after year they meet up for this game, but as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ dark rom-com
✨ serial killer MCs
✨ a gruesome meet cute
✨ annual ‘hunting’ game
✨ friends to lovers
✨ he falls first and hard
✨ witty banter
✨ nursing back to health scene
4 ⭐️ This was such a fun read!!!
"It doesn't have to be a battle between us."
"I promise you," she said, "it does."
"Very well then. Enemies it is. Do your worst."
Summary:
Riley Rhodes is an American occult expert who recently arrived in Scotland to turn her family's knack for the supernatural into a legitimate business. She's hired to break the 300 year old curse at Arden Castle but runs into a bit of a problem: Clark Edgeware.
Clark is a disgraced English archeologist also hired for work at the castle, and he doesn't need a self-proclaimed 'curse breaker' threatening his last chance for redemption.
After failing to get Riley fired on day one, Clark decides to avoid her. But Riley, and the castle's curse, have other things in mind. Turns out the only way to get what they both want is by working together.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ Scottish Highland setting
✨ curse breaker x archeologist
✨ curvy FMC
✨ instant attraction
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ opposites attract
✨ grumpy x sunshine
✨ forced proximity
✨ snarky banter
✨ dagger to throat (but not what you think)
✨ paranormal: curses and rituals
✨ mystery plot
✨ 3/5
"It doesn't have to be a battle between us."
"I promise you," she said, "it does."
"Very well then. Enemies it is. Do your worst."
Summary:
Riley Rhodes is an American occult expert who recently arrived in Scotland to turn her family's knack for the supernatural into a legitimate business. She's hired to break the 300 year old curse at Arden Castle but runs into a bit of a problem: Clark Edgeware.
Clark is a disgraced English archeologist also hired for work at the castle, and he doesn't need a self-proclaimed 'curse breaker' threatening his last chance for redemption.
After failing to get Riley fired on day one, Clark decides to avoid her. But Riley, and the castle's curse, have other things in mind. Turns out the only way to get what they both want is by working together.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ Scottish Highland setting
✨ curse breaker x archeologist
✨ curvy FMC
✨ instant attraction
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ opposites attract
✨ grumpy x sunshine
✨ forced proximity
✨ snarky banter
✨ dagger to throat (but not what you think)
✨ paranormal: curses and rituals
✨ mystery plot
✨ 3/5
3 ⭐ Struggled with the beginning but enjoyed the end
I embarked on a 5-hour road trip from Houston to Dallas and decided to download this as my first ever audiobook.
I'll be honest, the audiobook is quite terrible. I don't know if this is how they all are, but oh my word. . . the voice actors were just awful. Yeah, they could do the Scottish accent fine, but the female playing Bonnie while also trying to voice Dakota and then the male playing Rowan while trying to voice Bonnie were so fucking bad I was tempted to turn it off. I got about halfway when I made it to my destination and continued reading it on KU, which was much better.
But anyway, moving on from the audiobook, I'm completely torn with my rating for this book. There are some things I enjoyed, but also some stuff I did not like. In the end, I'm giving it 3-stars because the story stuck with me a few days after I finished it.
So, here are my thoughts:
The first few chapters of the book were awful because of Bonnie. Everything this girl did or said was just so annoying, immature, and cringe. I think she's supposed to be quirky, but it was super overdone to the point where she isn't likable. I can't remember the last time I hated a character so thoroughly as Bonnie. I couldn't understand why Dakota was her friend or why Rowan was remotely interested. Honestly, I'm still not sure . . .
But, about halfway through, Bonnie started to improve and showed some character development. By the end, I actually liked and related to her. Bonnie is on a path of discovery to find meaning and purpose, and she does so in the town of Corsekelly. Yeah, she was still nosey and said weird things, but I liked her introspective work on herself and her life.
I know I just mentioned it, but OMG, some of the wording and situation Bonnie found herself in were weird and made her character so obnoxious. Here are just a few examples:
- The constant updates about Bonnie's cake eating habits and days since her last male-induced orgasm. I don't fucking care.
I embarked on a 5-hour road trip from Houston to Dallas and decided to download this as my first ever audiobook.
I'll be honest, the audiobook is quite terrible. I don't know if this is how they all are, but oh my word. . . the voice actors were just awful. Yeah, they could do the Scottish accent fine, but the female playing Bonnie while also trying to voice Dakota and then the male playing Rowan while trying to voice Bonnie were so fucking bad I was tempted to turn it off. I got about halfway when I made it to my destination and continued reading it on KU, which was much better.
But anyway, moving on from the audiobook, I'm completely torn with my rating for this book. There are some things I enjoyed, but also some stuff I did not like. In the end, I'm giving it 3-stars because the story stuck with me a few days after I finished it.
So, here are my thoughts:
The first few chapters of the book were awful because of Bonnie. Everything this girl did or said was just so annoying, immature, and cringe. I think she's supposed to be quirky, but it was super overdone to the point where she isn't likable. I can't remember the last time I hated a character so thoroughly as Bonnie. I couldn't understand why Dakota was her friend or why Rowan was remotely interested. Honestly, I'm still not sure . . .
But, about halfway through, Bonnie started to improve and showed some character development. By the end, I actually liked and related to her. Bonnie is on a path of discovery to find meaning and purpose, and she does so in the town of Corsekelly. Yeah, she was still nosey and said weird things, but I liked her introspective work on herself and her life.
I know I just mentioned it, but OMG, some of the wording and situation Bonnie found herself in were weird and made her character so obnoxious. Here are just a few examples:
- The constant updates about Bonnie's cake eating habits and days since her last male-induced orgasm. I don't fucking care.
4 ⭐️ Dramatic and sexy. I couldn’t put it down!
"My sweet Fairy. You are the only light I've ever known."
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ historical romance
✨ scottish highlands / london setting
✨ childhood sweethearts
✨ she's an independent, 'widow' who works as a clerk in in the police station
✨ he's a scarred, feared, cold-hearted highwayman
✨ second chance
✨ hidden identities/secret pasts
✨ he kidnaps her
✨ forced proximity
✨ marriage of convenience
✨ extremely damaged and morally gray hero
✨ 'touch her and die' / 'mine'
✨ virgin MCs
✨ 3/5
"My sweet Fairy. You are the only light I've ever known."
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ historical romance
✨ scottish highlands / london setting
✨ childhood sweethearts
✨ she's an independent, 'widow' who works as a clerk in in the police station
✨ he's a scarred, feared, cold-hearted highwayman
✨ second chance
✨ hidden identities/secret pasts
✨ he kidnaps her
✨ forced proximity
✨ marriage of convenience
✨ extremely damaged and morally gray hero
✨ 'touch her and die' / 'mine'
✨ virgin MCs
✨ 3/5