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thebooknerdscorner's Reviews (1.49k)
Pride & Prejudice & Potions: Prequel Story
Laura M. Drake, J. Ann Curtis, Michelle Cowart, Rebecca Yockey
This prequel story introduces a brand new series that reimagines "Pride and Prejudice" with a mysterious and magical twist!
Georgiana is about to throw the masquerade ball of a lifetime. With her brother Darcy out of town, the responsibility falls on her to host the annual All Hallow's Eve ball in his place. When one of her guests is found murdered, Georgiana takes it upon herself to discover who the killer is before any of her other guests turn up dead.
This is a fun intro that brings a very intriguing concept to the table. In this series, the characters of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" are reimagined as witches, fae, vampires, and other magical beings that inhabit the town of Austen Heights. This short novelette introduces us to Georgiana and Wickham, who are obviously integral parts in the original "P&P." Watching Georgiana make short work of this case has me intrigued about what the rest of this series will entail.
The magical system in this world has me very curious. Georgiana has the ability to commune with plants, so I presume the other characters will also have unique abilities. And it turns out, creatures such as werewolves and vampires are illegal, so I'm pretty sure that's going to blow up in someone's face at some point.
One of the minor mysteries in this one involves who Georgiana's secret admirer is. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly Georgiana's role is in the original, so I am looking forward to reading Georgiana's book down the road and discovering how she'll get her happily ever after in the end.
Overall, "Pride & Prejudice & Potions: Prequel Story" has me greatly intrigued about the rest of this series. The masquerade ball element was quite fun and added an air of mystery, even if this story wasn't terribly long or full of depth. Georgiana was a fun character to follow, and I look forward to seeing how the authors decide to portray each character. Also, the magic system and politics of this world has me asking a ton of questions already that I want answered ASAP. It's no surprise that I'll be diving into "Lizzy's Story" next now that I've finished the prequel.
Georgiana is about to throw the masquerade ball of a lifetime. With her brother Darcy out of town, the responsibility falls on her to host the annual All Hallow's Eve ball in his place. When one of her guests is found murdered, Georgiana takes it upon herself to discover who the killer is before any of her other guests turn up dead.
This is a fun intro that brings a very intriguing concept to the table. In this series, the characters of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" are reimagined as witches, fae, vampires, and other magical beings that inhabit the town of Austen Heights. This short novelette introduces us to Georgiana and Wickham, who are obviously integral parts in the original "P&P." Watching Georgiana make short work of this case has me intrigued about what the rest of this series will entail.
The magical system in this world has me very curious. Georgiana has the ability to commune with plants, so I presume the other characters will also have unique abilities. And it turns out, creatures such as werewolves and vampires are illegal, so I'm pretty sure that's going to blow up in someone's face at some point.
One of the minor mysteries in this one involves who Georgiana's secret admirer is. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly Georgiana's role is in the original, so I am looking forward to reading Georgiana's book down the road and discovering how she'll get her happily ever after in the end.
Overall, "Pride & Prejudice & Potions: Prequel Story" has me greatly intrigued about the rest of this series. The masquerade ball element was quite fun and added an air of mystery, even if this story wasn't terribly long or full of depth. Georgiana was a fun character to follow, and I look forward to seeing how the authors decide to portray each character. Also, the magic system and politics of this world has me asking a ton of questions already that I want answered ASAP. It's no surprise that I'll be diving into "Lizzy's Story" next now that I've finished the prequel.
A self-help book that dives deep into the psychology behind our money habits while urging the reader to change their own lifestyle.
I'm pretty mixed with this one. On one hand, Saavedra has plenty of helpful insights about what to do and not to do with one's money. However, I didn't understand a huge chunk of this book which makes it hard to utilize as a productive resource. I personally know very little about personal finances and investing, so most everything I read was brand new information to me. I think it will take a few reads to truly dissect the useful information out of this one for me.
The look into psychology and different types of money archetypes that people fall into was interesting. The few that she talks about in great detail are Feast and Famine, Adverse Events, and Scarce Immigrant. These are three common archetypes that people fall into when it comes to how they view and spend their money. She also talks about how personal finance not being taught to us as children/young adults makes it really hard for us to properly digest this information while simultaneously failing to prepare us for the reality of society and the money we need to save up in order to survive.
There are a ton of sections that talk about how to design a budget, how to pay off debt, and what types of saving accounts to open up at different stages of your life. After finishing this book, I feel none the wiser of what I should do to prepare for financial freedom and retirement success, but I do feel that I have a great resource on my hands if I need to specifically refer to what to do regarding money and certain life events.
Saavedra doesn't hold back when it comes to talking about her personal life story, which I feel is super important when it comes to a life coach. She talks about everything she has had to cut out of her life to live in a frugal world of financial freedom. Her stories are often inspiring, but they also can be condescending at times. She talks about how she needed to cut out designer purses and leave her overflowing closet behind, which just feels out of this world as someone who grew up with much less than this. I don't often gripe about the circumstances of my youth, but I want to point out that it took me years to realize that most people didn't grow up without cold water in their shower or a hammer holding their window open in the summer. I'm glad she's being honest, but it can be hard not to feel resentment toward her from time to time.
Overall, "Wealth is a Mindset" is not only a personal finance self-help book, but also a deep dive into human psychology and the trauma that shapes us into the spenders that we are. This book overflows with good information, unfortunately, I had a hard time absorbing it. I may keep this one around for future reference, but for now, I don't feel that much wiser about personal finance.
I'm pretty mixed with this one. On one hand, Saavedra has plenty of helpful insights about what to do and not to do with one's money. However, I didn't understand a huge chunk of this book which makes it hard to utilize as a productive resource. I personally know very little about personal finances and investing, so most everything I read was brand new information to me. I think it will take a few reads to truly dissect the useful information out of this one for me.
The look into psychology and different types of money archetypes that people fall into was interesting. The few that she talks about in great detail are Feast and Famine, Adverse Events, and Scarce Immigrant. These are three common archetypes that people fall into when it comes to how they view and spend their money. She also talks about how personal finance not being taught to us as children/young adults makes it really hard for us to properly digest this information while simultaneously failing to prepare us for the reality of society and the money we need to save up in order to survive.
There are a ton of sections that talk about how to design a budget, how to pay off debt, and what types of saving accounts to open up at different stages of your life. After finishing this book, I feel none the wiser of what I should do to prepare for financial freedom and retirement success, but I do feel that I have a great resource on my hands if I need to specifically refer to what to do regarding money and certain life events.
Saavedra doesn't hold back when it comes to talking about her personal life story, which I feel is super important when it comes to a life coach. She talks about everything she has had to cut out of her life to live in a frugal world of financial freedom. Her stories are often inspiring, but they also can be condescending at times. She talks about how she needed to cut out designer purses and leave her overflowing closet behind, which just feels out of this world as someone who grew up with much less than this. I don't often gripe about the circumstances of my youth, but I want to point out that it took me years to realize that most people didn't grow up without cold water in their shower or a hammer holding their window open in the summer. I'm glad she's being honest, but it can be hard not to feel resentment toward her from time to time.
Overall, "Wealth is a Mindset" is not only a personal finance self-help book, but also a deep dive into human psychology and the trauma that shapes us into the spenders that we are. This book overflows with good information, unfortunately, I had a hard time absorbing it. I may keep this one around for future reference, but for now, I don't feel that much wiser about personal finance.
A magical fall romcom between a witch and a vampire who are tasked with unraveling the curse that afflicts both their families.
When Willow attempts a spell to find her soulmate, things take a turn for the worse when she summons a naked vampire king who also happens to be the CEO of a very successful magical fruit company into her flower shop. Desperate to escape the awkward and potentially dangerous situation, Willow sends him away with another spell and hopes to never see him again. Unfortunately, it's not that easy to escape from one's mate. As Willow and Kane meet again and again, a strange curse begins to affect all the vampires. The two now must team up to break the curse afflicting both their families before it is too late.
The concept of this one is really fun. A spunky flower witch meets a hot vampire CEO of a highly successful fruit company in one of the most awkward meetups of all time. Unfortunately, I didn't really attach to either character which had me feeling pretty meh about most of this book.
The mystery element is what kept me turning the pages. I was quite curious to see just what was happening to all the fruit bat vampires. Side note: I've never heard of the concept of fruit bat vampires prior to this novel, and I find this idea to be really cool! Once elements of the curse on the Drake and Florence bloodlines started to appear, I genuinely needed to know what was going on.
The cozy autumn vibes of this book are pretty fun. There's a fall festival with festive activities and much of the book takes place in Willow's quaint flower shop. Both of these things invoke a cozy feeling despite the darker nature of the curse that consumes a bit of this story.
For the most part, I just found myself not that intrigued by most elements of the book and I really couldn't bring myself to care about the actual romance that makes up a huge part of the book. I didn't dislike my time with this one, but it took me a long time to make my way through this one simply because there was nothing that enthralled me enough to want to pick this one up again the next day, so I simply read it only when I was eating lunch and was too lazy to pull up my audiobook.
Overall, I wasn't very impressed with "Bewitched by the Fruit Bat King." There were elements of this book that were intriguing such as the curse and the situation with the fruit bat vampires, but not enough to truly hold my attention for long periods of time. I didn't like the romance all that much either, which made the entire experience pretty mid. I did appreciate the spunkiness and humorous nature of Dalton's writing though, so I'm interested in picking up some of her other books that I own and seeing how they compare to this one.
When Willow attempts a spell to find her soulmate, things take a turn for the worse when she summons a naked vampire king who also happens to be the CEO of a very successful magical fruit company into her flower shop. Desperate to escape the awkward and potentially dangerous situation, Willow sends him away with another spell and hopes to never see him again. Unfortunately, it's not that easy to escape from one's mate. As Willow and Kane meet again and again, a strange curse begins to affect all the vampires. The two now must team up to break the curse afflicting both their families before it is too late.
The concept of this one is really fun. A spunky flower witch meets a hot vampire CEO of a highly successful fruit company in one of the most awkward meetups of all time. Unfortunately, I didn't really attach to either character which had me feeling pretty meh about most of this book.
The mystery element is what kept me turning the pages. I was quite curious to see just what was happening to all the fruit bat vampires. Side note: I've never heard of the concept of fruit bat vampires prior to this novel, and I find this idea to be really cool! Once elements of the curse on the Drake and Florence bloodlines started to appear, I genuinely needed to know what was going on.
The cozy autumn vibes of this book are pretty fun. There's a fall festival with festive activities and much of the book takes place in Willow's quaint flower shop. Both of these things invoke a cozy feeling despite the darker nature of the curse that consumes a bit of this story.
For the most part, I just found myself not that intrigued by most elements of the book and I really couldn't bring myself to care about the actual romance that makes up a huge part of the book. I didn't dislike my time with this one, but it took me a long time to make my way through this one simply because there was nothing that enthralled me enough to want to pick this one up again the next day, so I simply read it only when I was eating lunch and was too lazy to pull up my audiobook.
Overall, I wasn't very impressed with "Bewitched by the Fruit Bat King." There were elements of this book that were intriguing such as the curse and the situation with the fruit bat vampires, but not enough to truly hold my attention for long periods of time. I didn't like the romance all that much either, which made the entire experience pretty mid. I did appreciate the spunkiness and humorous nature of Dalton's writing though, so I'm interested in picking up some of her other books that I own and seeing how they compare to this one.
Jack Shannon is the son of a crime boss so it's not exactly a surprise when he flies his group of all asexual friends to Las Vegas to pull off the heist of a lifetime.
Arthur "Jack" Shannon spends most of his time running a blackjack ring in the basement of his private school. When his mother, Aileen Shannon is finally found guilty of her crimes as a casino mogul, Jack flies to Las Vegas to be closer to his family. Jack being Jack, he's not going to accept this quietly. Jack begins formulating a heist that will get back at Peter Carlevaro, the man who was in constant competition with Aileen. Jack knows that Carlevaro is somehow involved in his mother's arrest. Desperate to take the opposing mogul down, Jack pays to bring a group of his closest friends to Las Vegas to attempt to pull off a risky heist that may just get them all arrested if things go south.
I am so saddened to report that I didn't love this one. DeWitt's sophomore novel, "Wren Martin Ruins It All" was such an amazing read, so I was super excited to read her debut. Unfortunately, it was not my cup of tea and I found myself often bored by this one. Don't get me wrong I enjoy a good heist, but this book just sort of meandered around and not a ton truly happened.
This book has the classic DeWitt humor and charm that I love. The way that Jack narrates this story is so sharp and comical (though he is a bit of an unreliable narrator); it brings this story to life in such a fun voice!
The fact that the majority of the cast is asexual is also fun. This is one of the first books with an asexual protagonist that I remember popping up, so I've been excited to read this one for a while now. It was really cool seeing how these kids found each other across the internet and formed a support group with kids that were going through the same things as they were regarding their sexuality.
I think my biggest problem with this one is the fact that I'm not very interested in gambling, the crime lifestyle, or revenge stories, which had this one just falling sort of flat for me. The whole Avalon vibe of the Golden Age Casino was neat, but it mostly just felt like flashy lights with not a lot of depth. Which I suppose is exactly what Las Vegas is. I'm glad that Jack has to deal with the tumultuous family relationships that he has, otherwise this book would have felt very superficial to me.
Before I close this out, I just want to bring two really odd things to attention. One, this book literally has heist written all over it and there really wasn't a big scheme to steal anything throughout the entire book. One of Jack's sisters also has a hearing aid that's mentioned once, which I thought was sort of cool, but I also found it a bit odd. After doing a bit of research, I guess DeWitt originally had the scene where Lucky hacked into an MP3 player using Jack's sister's hearing aids instead which just seems really sus. I'm glad that that was caught by sensitivity readers before the book was officially published, but yikes, nonetheless.
Overall, "Aces Wild" is a "heist" novel featuring friends and family front and center. I wasn't super invested in the heist element, but I really enjoyed witnessing Jack grow closer with his friends and family. The ace representation was definitely a highlight of this one, especially with some of its problematic elements. I was a bit let down by this one, so hopefully DeWitt's next book is a smashing success for me!
A cute animal adventure featuring a young dachshund and a baby sea otter.
Oliver is a sea otter that wants to prove that he is just as brave as his friends. Despite his mother's warnings, Oliver is convinced that he is ready for an adventure on land. When an oil tanker leaks in the Pugent Sound, Oliver is caught up in the mess and separated from his mother. Once on land, he meets a young dachshund by the name of Franklin. The two embark on an unforgettable journey in the hopes of reuniting with their loved ones again.
This was such a cute middle grade book! I wasn't expecting much from it, but it ended up being a really sweet read about a young otter trying to return to his mother and a pup trying to find his owner. "Homeward Bound" meets "Finding Nemo" is truly a great way to describe this book.
This book does a great job of talking about ocean conservation for a young audience. It stresses how important it is to take care of our oceans and just how hurtful human interactions such as oil spills can be to the ocean's natural ecosystem and wildlife.
I was also surprised that I learned something about sea otters in this one. Once upon a time I may have known about the arm pockets that sea otters have in which they store their special rocks, but I didn't remember this fact. It is so cool that sea otters will choose a rock to break open shells with as a young otter and keep it with them their entire lives. Us humans tend to lose things all the time, so I found it inspiring that these otters can hold on to one thing for their entire lifespan.
The bond between Oliver and Franklin is an unlikely one that wouldn't probably form in the real world, but weirder things have happened. It was fun to see the two learn about each other, and I feel Schusterman did such a stellar job getting into the headspace of these two animals. Franklin's PoV truly screams young dog with few thoughts in head and Oliver's reads like a juvenile sea critter that is truly in love with the sea but wants more from life.
Overall, "My Otter Half" was a quick middle grade read that explores ocean conservation in a quirky story that follows a sea otter and a dachshund. This book truly outdid my expectations. I don't think this is one I'll hold onto, but it's definitely a sweet story that young children can also learn a lesson from.
Oliver is a sea otter that wants to prove that he is just as brave as his friends. Despite his mother's warnings, Oliver is convinced that he is ready for an adventure on land. When an oil tanker leaks in the Pugent Sound, Oliver is caught up in the mess and separated from his mother. Once on land, he meets a young dachshund by the name of Franklin. The two embark on an unforgettable journey in the hopes of reuniting with their loved ones again.
This was such a cute middle grade book! I wasn't expecting much from it, but it ended up being a really sweet read about a young otter trying to return to his mother and a pup trying to find his owner. "Homeward Bound" meets "Finding Nemo" is truly a great way to describe this book.
This book does a great job of talking about ocean conservation for a young audience. It stresses how important it is to take care of our oceans and just how hurtful human interactions such as oil spills can be to the ocean's natural ecosystem and wildlife.
I was also surprised that I learned something about sea otters in this one. Once upon a time I may have known about the arm pockets that sea otters have in which they store their special rocks, but I didn't remember this fact. It is so cool that sea otters will choose a rock to break open shells with as a young otter and keep it with them their entire lives. Us humans tend to lose things all the time, so I found it inspiring that these otters can hold on to one thing for their entire lifespan.
The bond between Oliver and Franklin is an unlikely one that wouldn't probably form in the real world, but weirder things have happened. It was fun to see the two learn about each other, and I feel Schusterman did such a stellar job getting into the headspace of these two animals. Franklin's PoV truly screams young dog with few thoughts in head and Oliver's reads like a juvenile sea critter that is truly in love with the sea but wants more from life.
Overall, "My Otter Half" was a quick middle grade read that explores ocean conservation in a quirky story that follows a sea otter and a dachshund. This book truly outdid my expectations. I don't think this is one I'll hold onto, but it's definitely a sweet story that young children can also learn a lesson from.
Eight teens go to a remote ghost town to compete in a survival reality TV show, but things take a darker turn when one of the cast members turns up dead. . .
Mercy Gray survived a deadly shooting two years ago and was hailed a hero when she helped save a whole crowd of people from certain death. She still carries guilt for refusing to believe that her sister, Jamie, was right about Ryan's darker nature under his boy-next-door facade. When given the chance to compete on a survival reality TV show with a huge cash prize, Mercy enrolls in the hopes of winning the money to fund her sister's college endeavors. But when she arrives on set, no one is there except the other seven competitors. The eight young adults find themselves stranded in an abandoned ghost town with few resources and slim chances of escape. When one of the cast members turns up dead, things take an even scarier twist, and the young adults find themselves fighting for their literal lives.
This was a fun, quick read that had me invested the whole way through! The reality TV show element of this book intrigued me greatly, and it turned out that was more just part of the set-up. Reading about these young adults trying to escape from the set of the show was entertaining regardless of the fact that the show was cancelled before they even arrived.
The members of this crew end up being so tight. There are a few of them that are really suspicious, and no one really likes, but the ones that make it to the end are literally family members by that point. It took me a bit to figure out who I should place my suspicions on, but I was right in the end (which is always a fun feeling when you are reading a mystery). The bonds between people that go through hard events together end up being super powerful, and this book did a great job of representing that.
A prevailing theme in this one is toxic masculinity and trusting one's instincts when something doesn't seem right. Ryan, the person that shot Mercy was obsessed with her sister, Jamie. Mercy thought that he was such a kind gentleman who was nothing but amazing to her sister, but she didn't see the darker side to him. Ryan kept forcing himself on Jamie and wouldn't leave her alone, regardless of what she did. It saddens me greatly that there are men out there who go to such extreme lengths in the hopes of obtaining the women that they want to be theirs. No woman should ever have to experience any such toxic behaviors, and it is crazy how often stalker situations end with extreme acts of violence. Mercy finds herself haunted by Ryan and questioning every male that she comes across. Later events in the storyline also add to this theme, but I'm not going to discuss those, because I want all of you to have the fun experiences with deciphering the mystery yourself.
Speaking of the mystery, I found that I could predict much that was going down a little after three quarters of the way through the book. At the beginning, there was so many characters to keep track of, but it became clear to me that a few of them were a tad more suspicious than the others. The ones that I had suspicions about ended up being guilty for one thing or another, so this is definitely a mystery that the reader can unravel much of themselves. Despite this, Marshall still did a stunning job of keeping me on edge with all the events that she set up.
Another thing I feel I have to touch on is Damien Dare's character himself. I'm going to dive into spoiler territory a little bit here, because I want to analyze a bit of his nature, so you have been warned! Okay, so Dare is definitely one of those crazy believers that think that the world is going to end in some apocalyptic way and that only the strongest will survive. He doesn't just think this, he also preaches this to his followers of his podcast and in the book that he has written. Dare also believes that people must be tested with their own personal crossroads, before the world encounters the crossroads that he is foretelling. For this reason, he is addicted to people going through traumatic events and testing them again and again to see who the cream of the crop is. I always find those with apocalyptic cult mindsets to be interesting, though it scares me to think about people like him existing in the real world.
And I suppose I'll do a quick character breakdown before I go. Mercy is a strong, independent main character who yearns to trust others despite all that she has gone through. Harrison is my favorite of the group, with his ADHD mannerisms and all sorts of trivia that he procures, especially surrounding true crime. Miles is the goofy nice one, who is always willing to lend a hand. Eli is a trans man who used to live on a farm and has a bit of a temper. Piper is a sweet Asian girl who starts off with a bit of a rough start with the crew, but they come to forgive her quickly. Colby is the only twenty-year-old of the group and is physically quite strong. Alethea is a model who is famous for a yacht accident and her Instagram following adores her. Finally, we have Spencer who is a bit of a nerd and a tad obsessed with Damien Dare. An odd group of young adults who have all survived some crazy stuff and now are forced to work together to survive another deadly experience.
Overall, "We Won't All Survive" is a thrilling book that makes for a fast-paced reading experience. The themes that focus on toxic masculinity and trusting one's instincts are so important and seeing them explored in this thrilling nature was quite interesting. The mystery of who was behind trapping the kids on the set of the reality TV show kept me intrigued until the very end, even if I was able to predict many elements of this book. I'm glad that Mercy and a few of her friends got to reclaim their title of survivor and show the world that there isn't one right way to overcome traumatic experiences. I would be interested in reading more of Marshall's work in the future!
Mercy Gray survived a deadly shooting two years ago and was hailed a hero when she helped save a whole crowd of people from certain death. She still carries guilt for refusing to believe that her sister, Jamie, was right about Ryan's darker nature under his boy-next-door facade. When given the chance to compete on a survival reality TV show with a huge cash prize, Mercy enrolls in the hopes of winning the money to fund her sister's college endeavors. But when she arrives on set, no one is there except the other seven competitors. The eight young adults find themselves stranded in an abandoned ghost town with few resources and slim chances of escape. When one of the cast members turns up dead, things take an even scarier twist, and the young adults find themselves fighting for their literal lives.
This was a fun, quick read that had me invested the whole way through! The reality TV show element of this book intrigued me greatly, and it turned out that was more just part of the set-up. Reading about these young adults trying to escape from the set of the show was entertaining regardless of the fact that the show was cancelled before they even arrived.
The members of this crew end up being so tight. There are a few of them that are really suspicious, and no one really likes, but the ones that make it to the end are literally family members by that point. It took me a bit to figure out who I should place my suspicions on, but I was right in the end (which is always a fun feeling when you are reading a mystery). The bonds between people that go through hard events together end up being super powerful, and this book did a great job of representing that.
A prevailing theme in this one is toxic masculinity and trusting one's instincts when something doesn't seem right. Ryan, the person that shot Mercy was obsessed with her sister, Jamie. Mercy thought that he was such a kind gentleman who was nothing but amazing to her sister, but she didn't see the darker side to him. Ryan kept forcing himself on Jamie and wouldn't leave her alone, regardless of what she did. It saddens me greatly that there are men out there who go to such extreme lengths in the hopes of obtaining the women that they want to be theirs. No woman should ever have to experience any such toxic behaviors, and it is crazy how often stalker situations end with extreme acts of violence. Mercy finds herself haunted by Ryan and questioning every male that she comes across. Later events in the storyline also add to this theme, but I'm not going to discuss those, because I want all of you to have the fun experiences with deciphering the mystery yourself.
Speaking of the mystery, I found that I could predict much that was going down a little after three quarters of the way through the book. At the beginning, there was so many characters to keep track of, but it became clear to me that a few of them were a tad more suspicious than the others. The ones that I had suspicions about ended up being guilty for one thing or another, so this is definitely a mystery that the reader can unravel much of themselves. Despite this, Marshall still did a stunning job of keeping me on edge with all the events that she set up.
Another thing I feel I have to touch on is Damien Dare's character himself. I'm going to dive into spoiler territory a little bit here, because I want to analyze a bit of his nature, so you have been warned! Okay, so Dare is definitely one of those crazy believers that think that the world is going to end in some apocalyptic way and that only the strongest will survive. He doesn't just think this, he also preaches this to his followers of his podcast and in the book that he has written. Dare also believes that people must be tested with their own personal crossroads, before the world encounters the crossroads that he is foretelling. For this reason, he is addicted to people going through traumatic events and testing them again and again to see who the cream of the crop is. I always find those with apocalyptic cult mindsets to be interesting, though it scares me to think about people like him existing in the real world.
And I suppose I'll do a quick character breakdown before I go. Mercy is a strong, independent main character who yearns to trust others despite all that she has gone through. Harrison is my favorite of the group, with his ADHD mannerisms and all sorts of trivia that he procures, especially surrounding true crime. Miles is the goofy nice one, who is always willing to lend a hand. Eli is a trans man who used to live on a farm and has a bit of a temper. Piper is a sweet Asian girl who starts off with a bit of a rough start with the crew, but they come to forgive her quickly. Colby is the only twenty-year-old of the group and is physically quite strong. Alethea is a model who is famous for a yacht accident and her Instagram following adores her. Finally, we have Spencer who is a bit of a nerd and a tad obsessed with Damien Dare. An odd group of young adults who have all survived some crazy stuff and now are forced to work together to survive another deadly experience.
Overall, "We Won't All Survive" is a thrilling book that makes for a fast-paced reading experience. The themes that focus on toxic masculinity and trusting one's instincts are so important and seeing them explored in this thrilling nature was quite interesting. The mystery of who was behind trapping the kids on the set of the reality TV show kept me intrigued until the very end, even if I was able to predict many elements of this book. I'm glad that Mercy and a few of her friends got to reclaim their title of survivor and show the world that there isn't one right way to overcome traumatic experiences. I would be interested in reading more of Marshall's work in the future!
A touching MM romance set in a small town in the Alaskan wilderness that touches on grief, finding your people, and discovering love in the most unlikely of places.
Namid is an outcast. Not only did he show up unannounced one day as an adult with amnesia, but he also feels people's emotions. Oh, and he's one of the only gay men in a small Alaskan town. Jayce has just lost his twin brother, Jordyn, to a terrible accident. He loved his brother more than anything else and now feels utterly lost in the world. When the two bump into each other at the funeral home that Namid works at, the two begin to form an unlikely friendship. The more the men hang out with one another, the more they start to fall. Most importantly, the two begin to heal from all the turmoil that they have experienced in their lives as they grow closer together.
This series has been on my TBR for over a year now, and I'm so glad that I finally got around to starting this one! The writing in this book is filled with emotion, and it's so easy to fall in love with all the main characters. Namid, Jayce, and Ken are all so sweet and I'm already looking forward to seeing them cameo in the future installments of this series.
This book focuses a ton on Jayce's emotional journey that he experiences after the death of his twin brother, Jordyn. I couldn't imagine losing someone that I am so close to; I love my older sibling so much, and I would be just as devastated as Jayce was if I suddenly lost them. It isn't every day that one's entire world gets shattered, and I feel that the authors did such a stellar job at capturing such intense feelings. Pair this with the fact that Namid is an empath and you have a very interesting situation on your hands.
Another important thing that this one talks about is how small, rural towns are usually rather homophobic. I'm not going to spoil any major events, but I can definitely share that the townspeople who live in a remote part of Alaska are certainly not very openminded and are generally not cool with people that are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Queer people struggle so immensely when they are stuck in small towns such as this and it broke my heart to see Namid treated so horribly just for being himself.
Luckily, Namid doesn't have to go it alone. Despite having amnesia, being gay, and an empath, Ken was more than happy to welcome Namid with open arms. Finding your people is another integral part of this book. Everyone has a perfect place where they belong, sometimes you just have to search for it for a while. Namid, Jayce, and Ken all found family in one another, which is really the goal in life, I feel. It doesn't matter what kind of love you find as long as you find love. Whether it's a sibling, a kindly old man, a lover, or a group of best friends, keep searching until you find your people that complete you, just like these three did. This book also emphasizes that it's okay if your group changes as you age, just keep searching for the love you deserve in every stage of your life.
This may have been the first book that I've ever read that takes place in Alaska. I feel like Alaskans have an entirely different way of living due to it being so cold all the time. As a Minnesotan, I understand some of this, but I was intrigued to read about how life goes on in Alaska, no matter how blistery the weather is outside. The ways that this changed common romantic activities was also interesting to me. Simple things such as having a picnic or stargazing seem so much more complicated, but also more magical at the same time. Seeing the northern lights while lying under the stars with the boy you're gradually falling for sounds truly magnificent.
Overall, I was enthralled by the simple beauty that "Beneath the Indigo Sky" presented me with. At its heart, it's a romance novel about two young men trying to find the people that make them feel complete. Witnessing the natural beauty of the Alaskan landscape around them was pretty cool, too. I adored following Namid and Jayce through all their struggles with grief, harassment, falling for one another, and so much more. The writing was exquisite, and the authors captured emotion so well. I look forward to reading the remaining two books in this series very soon!
Audiobook Note: Overall, I enjoyed Michael Lesley's narration of "Beneath the Indigo Sky." However, he spoke so slow that I had to speed it up a bit, but that wasn't much of a problem. The difference between Namid and Jayce's PoV's was very distinct which made it, so I never had a problem remembering whose perspective I was in (even if I stopped in the middle of a chapter). I have the option of listening to the second one on audio, too, but since I own the physical book, I think I'm going to read it by my lonesome. It was a good performance; I just wasn't captured by it.
Namid is an outcast. Not only did he show up unannounced one day as an adult with amnesia, but he also feels people's emotions. Oh, and he's one of the only gay men in a small Alaskan town. Jayce has just lost his twin brother, Jordyn, to a terrible accident. He loved his brother more than anything else and now feels utterly lost in the world. When the two bump into each other at the funeral home that Namid works at, the two begin to form an unlikely friendship. The more the men hang out with one another, the more they start to fall. Most importantly, the two begin to heal from all the turmoil that they have experienced in their lives as they grow closer together.
This series has been on my TBR for over a year now, and I'm so glad that I finally got around to starting this one! The writing in this book is filled with emotion, and it's so easy to fall in love with all the main characters. Namid, Jayce, and Ken are all so sweet and I'm already looking forward to seeing them cameo in the future installments of this series.
This book focuses a ton on Jayce's emotional journey that he experiences after the death of his twin brother, Jordyn. I couldn't imagine losing someone that I am so close to; I love my older sibling so much, and I would be just as devastated as Jayce was if I suddenly lost them. It isn't every day that one's entire world gets shattered, and I feel that the authors did such a stellar job at capturing such intense feelings. Pair this with the fact that Namid is an empath and you have a very interesting situation on your hands.
Another important thing that this one talks about is how small, rural towns are usually rather homophobic. I'm not going to spoil any major events, but I can definitely share that the townspeople who live in a remote part of Alaska are certainly not very openminded and are generally not cool with people that are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Queer people struggle so immensely when they are stuck in small towns such as this and it broke my heart to see Namid treated so horribly just for being himself.
Luckily, Namid doesn't have to go it alone. Despite having amnesia, being gay, and an empath, Ken was more than happy to welcome Namid with open arms. Finding your people is another integral part of this book. Everyone has a perfect place where they belong, sometimes you just have to search for it for a while. Namid, Jayce, and Ken all found family in one another, which is really the goal in life, I feel. It doesn't matter what kind of love you find as long as you find love. Whether it's a sibling, a kindly old man, a lover, or a group of best friends, keep searching until you find your people that complete you, just like these three did. This book also emphasizes that it's okay if your group changes as you age, just keep searching for the love you deserve in every stage of your life.
This may have been the first book that I've ever read that takes place in Alaska. I feel like Alaskans have an entirely different way of living due to it being so cold all the time. As a Minnesotan, I understand some of this, but I was intrigued to read about how life goes on in Alaska, no matter how blistery the weather is outside. The ways that this changed common romantic activities was also interesting to me. Simple things such as having a picnic or stargazing seem so much more complicated, but also more magical at the same time. Seeing the northern lights while lying under the stars with the boy you're gradually falling for sounds truly magnificent.
Overall, I was enthralled by the simple beauty that "Beneath the Indigo Sky" presented me with. At its heart, it's a romance novel about two young men trying to find the people that make them feel complete. Witnessing the natural beauty of the Alaskan landscape around them was pretty cool, too. I adored following Namid and Jayce through all their struggles with grief, harassment, falling for one another, and so much more. The writing was exquisite, and the authors captured emotion so well. I look forward to reading the remaining two books in this series very soon!
Audiobook Note: Overall, I enjoyed Michael Lesley's narration of "Beneath the Indigo Sky." However, he spoke so slow that I had to speed it up a bit, but that wasn't much of a problem. The difference between Namid and Jayce's PoV's was very distinct which made it, so I never had a problem remembering whose perspective I was in (even if I stopped in the middle of a chapter). I have the option of listening to the second one on audio, too, but since I own the physical book, I think I'm going to read it by my lonesome. It was a good performance; I just wasn't captured by it.
A slow burn romance set in a beachside town that is just perfect summer reading.
Sophie Bennett has been struggling to get pregnant with her husband James for seven years now. They've been going through tough times, but she never expected to find James with another woman in their bed. When Sophie learns that James' mistress is pregnant, she asks for a divorce. Desperate to leave Scranton and the painful memories behind, Sophie flees to Cape May in the hopes of piecing her life back together. When Sophie encounters Liam, her grouchy next-door neighbor, she's shocked to discover that she feels butterflies in her stomach. Is it alright to be falling in love again so soon after divorcing her husband? Sophie now must consider what she really wants from life and just what she is willing to give up to achieve her goals.
This is a heartfelt summer romance that dives deep into different kinds of traumas and healing through love and second chances. It has some pretty powerful themes and some cute scenes, so let's get into it.
Sophie has longtime struggled with infertility. Obviously leaving her husband of over a decade is also a major struggle. She starts to find healing when she takes time for herself to do yoga, contemplate her future, and babysit a toddler named Lucy. Lucy is Liam's daughter, and Liam has plenty of things that he is struggling with, too. Liam was in a terrible car accident in high school that led to his sweetheart's death. He still harbors a ton of guilt surrounding her passing. On top of that, his sister, Leah, recently died in a military training accident, which led to Liam adopting her daughter, Lucy. Both Sophie and Liam have some serious stuff that their contending with. Luckily, through the course of this book, they realize that they don't have to deal with everything by their lonesome. Definitely healing from the pains of the past is one of the biggest positive parts of this novel.
Seeing Sophie become a piece of the community of Cape May is another sweet part of this book. Sophie stays at Ellie's house, and she is such a kindly older woman. Sophie also gets to babysit Liam's daughter, which is very healing for her. Another random connection I really enjoyed was how both Sophie and Liam interact with their therapist. He is another sweet soul, so it's evident that Cape May is filled with kind people.
Liam has a big group of friends including Miles, Danny, Jack, and Melanie. It looks like the second book follows Miles and the third one is Melanie's. Danny and Jack are already married, so I'm not sure where the series would go after that, but I'm interested to read Melanie's story regardless. That girl has seriously been through so much and she deserves to find love after holding on to the hope of winning Liam's heart for so long.
I enjoyed the first two thirds of this book quite a bit, but unfortunately, the ending kind of bombed for me. The way that Liam and Sophie finally come together isn't all that exciting, and I found myself a bit frustrated. I also didn't love the fact that these two seemed to have major issues talking to each other about anything. The third act conflict is mainly brought about by Liam refusing to speak with Sophie and then Sophie completely forgiving him immediately and embracing him fully when he starts talking to her again. I also thought some details that were revealed in the epilogue was incredibly frustrating (specifically those involving Sophie's physical health).
Overall, "Changing Tides" was a decent romance read with summery vibes. I was captivated by Mack's writing from the beginning and found myself emotionally invested with the character's struggles. Unfortunately, I found myself rather disappointed by the ending. Sophie and Liam weren't my favorite characters by any means, but I found their healing journeys to be worth exploring.
Sophie Bennett has been struggling to get pregnant with her husband James for seven years now. They've been going through tough times, but she never expected to find James with another woman in their bed. When Sophie learns that James' mistress is pregnant, she asks for a divorce. Desperate to leave Scranton and the painful memories behind, Sophie flees to Cape May in the hopes of piecing her life back together. When Sophie encounters Liam, her grouchy next-door neighbor, she's shocked to discover that she feels butterflies in her stomach. Is it alright to be falling in love again so soon after divorcing her husband? Sophie now must consider what she really wants from life and just what she is willing to give up to achieve her goals.
This is a heartfelt summer romance that dives deep into different kinds of traumas and healing through love and second chances. It has some pretty powerful themes and some cute scenes, so let's get into it.
Sophie has longtime struggled with infertility. Obviously leaving her husband of over a decade is also a major struggle. She starts to find healing when she takes time for herself to do yoga, contemplate her future, and babysit a toddler named Lucy. Lucy is Liam's daughter, and Liam has plenty of things that he is struggling with, too. Liam was in a terrible car accident in high school that led to his sweetheart's death. He still harbors a ton of guilt surrounding her passing. On top of that, his sister, Leah, recently died in a military training accident, which led to Liam adopting her daughter, Lucy. Both Sophie and Liam have some serious stuff that their contending with. Luckily, through the course of this book, they realize that they don't have to deal with everything by their lonesome. Definitely healing from the pains of the past is one of the biggest positive parts of this novel.
Seeing Sophie become a piece of the community of Cape May is another sweet part of this book. Sophie stays at Ellie's house, and she is such a kindly older woman. Sophie also gets to babysit Liam's daughter, which is very healing for her. Another random connection I really enjoyed was how both Sophie and Liam interact with their therapist. He is another sweet soul, so it's evident that Cape May is filled with kind people.
Liam has a big group of friends including Miles, Danny, Jack, and Melanie. It looks like the second book follows Miles and the third one is Melanie's. Danny and Jack are already married, so I'm not sure where the series would go after that, but I'm interested to read Melanie's story regardless. That girl has seriously been through so much and she deserves to find love after holding on to the hope of winning Liam's heart for so long.
I enjoyed the first two thirds of this book quite a bit, but unfortunately, the ending kind of bombed for me. The way that Liam and Sophie finally come together isn't all that exciting, and I found myself a bit frustrated. I also didn't love the fact that these two seemed to have major issues talking to each other about anything. The third act conflict is mainly brought about by Liam refusing to speak with Sophie and then Sophie completely forgiving him immediately and embracing him fully when he starts talking to her again. I also thought some details that were revealed in the epilogue was incredibly frustrating (specifically those involving Sophie's physical health).
Overall, "Changing Tides" was a decent romance read with summery vibes. I was captivated by Mack's writing from the beginning and found myself emotionally invested with the character's struggles. Unfortunately, I found myself rather disappointed by the ending. Sophie and Liam weren't my favorite characters by any means, but I found their healing journeys to be worth exploring.
Sparks fly in the airport terminal in this romantic comedy novella after Darby dumps coffee all over Zane's shoes.
Darby has just been laid off and is furious at the world. Her mood isn't helped when she learns that her flight is delayed due to a winter storm that doesn't look to be clearing any time soon. When she accidently runs into a handsome man by the name of Zane and spills coffee all over his shoes, Darby never could have guessed that this happy-go-lucky man might be the only thing to get her through this storm without losing her mind.
This was a fun quick read! The banter and wit between Darby and Zane are one of my favorite parts of this novella, so it's no surprise that humor is one of its greatest strengths.
Getting stuck in an airport for days seems like a complete nightmare. I mean, they're crowded, they're noisy, and you find yourself forced to sleep on the floor. But for Darby and Zane, getting stuck in an airport is the chance of a lifetime. Darby and Zane have a great meet cute that involves Darby dumping coffee on Zane, and Zane turning it into an opportunity to buy her a new coffee in return. Darby is so grumpy and cynical, so it is really fun to see her encounter someone like Zane who brushes off the bad and focuses solely on the good opportunities that arise in any situation. These two truly have entertaining chemistry.
I appreciate how this book showcases how sometimes the oddest and most unlikely of events end up leading to the best of circumstances. It's crazy to think that one could meet one's future partner while delayed in an airport, but that's the glory of this world. The universe works in mysterious ways, and stories such as this are really cool tales of first-time meetings.
The spice in this one was scorching! I appreciate that Zane and Darby didn't immediately jump into bed with one another despite their obvious attraction. It doesn't take them long to go all the way with one another, but the fact that they held back made me appreciate them more both as characters. The spicy scenes in this one definitely had me blushing, but they were a great addition to this romcom novella.
Overall, "Changed Plan" is a witty and spicy novella featuring two really fun characters. Darby and Zane are quite different people, but their grumpy x sunshine nature is so entertaining (especially when they are bantering with one another). The premise of meeting someone you're romantically interested in at an airport while one's flight is delayed is quite fun. I enjoyed my time reading this one and am intrigued to check out the other novellas in this series!
Darby has just been laid off and is furious at the world. Her mood isn't helped when she learns that her flight is delayed due to a winter storm that doesn't look to be clearing any time soon. When she accidently runs into a handsome man by the name of Zane and spills coffee all over his shoes, Darby never could have guessed that this happy-go-lucky man might be the only thing to get her through this storm without losing her mind.
This was a fun quick read! The banter and wit between Darby and Zane are one of my favorite parts of this novella, so it's no surprise that humor is one of its greatest strengths.
Getting stuck in an airport for days seems like a complete nightmare. I mean, they're crowded, they're noisy, and you find yourself forced to sleep on the floor. But for Darby and Zane, getting stuck in an airport is the chance of a lifetime. Darby and Zane have a great meet cute that involves Darby dumping coffee on Zane, and Zane turning it into an opportunity to buy her a new coffee in return. Darby is so grumpy and cynical, so it is really fun to see her encounter someone like Zane who brushes off the bad and focuses solely on the good opportunities that arise in any situation. These two truly have entertaining chemistry.
I appreciate how this book showcases how sometimes the oddest and most unlikely of events end up leading to the best of circumstances. It's crazy to think that one could meet one's future partner while delayed in an airport, but that's the glory of this world. The universe works in mysterious ways, and stories such as this are really cool tales of first-time meetings.
The spice in this one was scorching! I appreciate that Zane and Darby didn't immediately jump into bed with one another despite their obvious attraction. It doesn't take them long to go all the way with one another, but the fact that they held back made me appreciate them more both as characters. The spicy scenes in this one definitely had me blushing, but they were a great addition to this romcom novella.
Overall, "Changed Plan" is a witty and spicy novella featuring two really fun characters. Darby and Zane are quite different people, but their grumpy x sunshine nature is so entertaining (especially when they are bantering with one another). The premise of meeting someone you're romantically interested in at an airport while one's flight is delayed is quite fun. I enjoyed my time reading this one and am intrigued to check out the other novellas in this series!
A cozy fantasy slice of life novel with a hint of mystery and romance.
Lira is a half-elf who is ready to put the life of adventuring behind her. After the death of one of her crew members, she decides to return home and retrieve her gran's cookbook that she stashed in the local tavern, The Tusk & Tail, years ago. Only problem is, her hiding place has been bricked in and she has no way of retrieving it quietly. When the tavern owner catches her in the act of exiting the tavern, Lira finds herself volunteering to help renovate the tavern alongside a spunky dwarf by the name of Sass. Desperate to retrieve her loot, Lira starts baking her gran's sweets and comes to realize that she loves the lifestyle. Lira never would have guessed that returning to her hometown could lead to her finding the happiness she has long desired.
This one was such a fun cozy fantasy read! It has a ton of similarities to the famous "Legends & Lattes," but I personally found this one to be so much better. I love the platonic connection between Lira and Sass as well as the fantastical vibes that played with unique concepts such as winged stoats. It's nothing crazy, but I personally found this story to exhibit so much more creativity than "Legends & Lattes."
The main conflict in this book stems from the fact that Lira needs to break down a wall to achieve her gran's recipe book without being detected. There is a bit of a mystery aspect, too, due to the fact that someone turns up dead and no one knows what happened to them. This is by no means a murder mystery novel, but this incident adds a bit of intrigue. Lira also constantly feels like she is being watched which can be chalked up to her roguish nature, but it does add an air of suspense to this book.
I appreciate how subtle the romance is in this one. It takes Lira quite a bit to trust others, so it is sweet to see her slowly learn to let her guard down. The love interest, Coral (I believe), is also awesome. He is sweet, endearing, and so darn awkward. Oh, and did I mention that he's an orc? These two are really adorable together, and I appreciate the slowburn nature of their relationship. They also knew each other as kids, which is something that I can certainly get behind.
As with most cozy fantasy books, the cozy town and the colorful cast of characters was my favorite part of this book. The Tusk & Tail has such a cozy vibe after Lira and Sass fix it up. Watching all the townspeople come together in the tavern was such a joy and it made me smile to get to know everyone's friendly faces. Sass was personally my favorite. She is a dwarf who doesn't back down and isn't afraid to work for what she wants. The narrator also had such a fun voice for her, which didn't hurt either. Crumpet the flutter stoat was also another highlight. I'm not usually the biggest fan of silent animal companions but a stoat that loves baking had me hooked!
Overall, "Tusks, Tails, & Teacakes" was a fun cozy adventure that made for a relaxing reading experience. It has a touch of romance and a hint of mystery, which kept me intrigued the whole way through. I'm really excited to read the second book in this series. It follows Sass, who is one of my favorite characters from this novel, so I'm intrigued to learn more about her in the second book.
Audiobook Note: The audio narration in this book is peak! Jodie Bentley did such a stellar job of bringing these characters to life. Her accents were so fun, especially her voices for Sass and Iris. Her masculine voices were also done masterfully, which is something that I've struggled with in the last couple of audiobooks I've listened to. The voice she did for the grouchy wyvern was pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. I am so glad that I listened to this one on audiobook because it enhanced the story so much! I am seriously considering waiting for book two to release in audio format because this one was just that good.
Lira is a half-elf who is ready to put the life of adventuring behind her. After the death of one of her crew members, she decides to return home and retrieve her gran's cookbook that she stashed in the local tavern, The Tusk & Tail, years ago. Only problem is, her hiding place has been bricked in and she has no way of retrieving it quietly. When the tavern owner catches her in the act of exiting the tavern, Lira finds herself volunteering to help renovate the tavern alongside a spunky dwarf by the name of Sass. Desperate to retrieve her loot, Lira starts baking her gran's sweets and comes to realize that she loves the lifestyle. Lira never would have guessed that returning to her hometown could lead to her finding the happiness she has long desired.
This one was such a fun cozy fantasy read! It has a ton of similarities to the famous "Legends & Lattes," but I personally found this one to be so much better. I love the platonic connection between Lira and Sass as well as the fantastical vibes that played with unique concepts such as winged stoats. It's nothing crazy, but I personally found this story to exhibit so much more creativity than "Legends & Lattes."
The main conflict in this book stems from the fact that Lira needs to break down a wall to achieve her gran's recipe book without being detected. There is a bit of a mystery aspect, too, due to the fact that someone turns up dead and no one knows what happened to them. This is by no means a murder mystery novel, but this incident adds a bit of intrigue. Lira also constantly feels like she is being watched which can be chalked up to her roguish nature, but it does add an air of suspense to this book.
I appreciate how subtle the romance is in this one. It takes Lira quite a bit to trust others, so it is sweet to see her slowly learn to let her guard down. The love interest, Coral (I believe), is also awesome. He is sweet, endearing, and so darn awkward. Oh, and did I mention that he's an orc? These two are really adorable together, and I appreciate the slowburn nature of their relationship. They also knew each other as kids, which is something that I can certainly get behind.
As with most cozy fantasy books, the cozy town and the colorful cast of characters was my favorite part of this book. The Tusk & Tail has such a cozy vibe after Lira and Sass fix it up. Watching all the townspeople come together in the tavern was such a joy and it made me smile to get to know everyone's friendly faces. Sass was personally my favorite. She is a dwarf who doesn't back down and isn't afraid to work for what she wants. The narrator also had such a fun voice for her, which didn't hurt either. Crumpet the flutter stoat was also another highlight. I'm not usually the biggest fan of silent animal companions but a stoat that loves baking had me hooked!
Overall, "Tusks, Tails, & Teacakes" was a fun cozy adventure that made for a relaxing reading experience. It has a touch of romance and a hint of mystery, which kept me intrigued the whole way through. I'm really excited to read the second book in this series. It follows Sass, who is one of my favorite characters from this novel, so I'm intrigued to learn more about her in the second book.
Audiobook Note: The audio narration in this book is peak! Jodie Bentley did such a stellar job of bringing these characters to life. Her accents were so fun, especially her voices for Sass and Iris. Her masculine voices were also done masterfully, which is something that I've struggled with in the last couple of audiobooks I've listened to. The voice she did for the grouchy wyvern was pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. I am so glad that I listened to this one on audiobook because it enhanced the story so much! I am seriously considering waiting for book two to release in audio format because this one was just that good.