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thereadinghammock's reviews
569 reviews
Mixed Signals by B.K. Borison
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
April was apparently the month for relationship contracts for me, reading AND listening to books with that trope. Watching two fools fall so hard for each other in the "safety" of an agreement is always an adventure. Layla is so unsure of her own judgement and desirability street such a long string of bad relationships and a lack of support from anyone in her family. Caleb wears his heart on his sleeve and falls hard every time, leaving him a broken mess when things fall apart after a few dates.
I loved how hard Caleb tried for every date, and laughed along with Layla every time their dates went horribly awry for them. I commend Caleb for even attempting the zombie escape room. That's an absolute no go from me! Knowing how much thought and effort went into each outing was touchingly romantic.
And how he stepped to and saved the day for the bakehouse feature day when everything went horrifically wrong was just perfect. I ached for Layla in her despair and was whooping for joy as Caleb ran around town pulling it all together for her.
I'm excited for one last story in Inglewilde later this summer, but I'm sad to see these favorites end soon too
I loved how hard Caleb tried for every date, and laughed along with Layla every time their dates went horribly awry for them. I commend Caleb for even attempting the zombie escape room. That's an absolute no go from me! Knowing how much thought and effort went into each outing was touchingly romantic.
And how he stepped to and saved the day for the bakehouse feature day when everything went horrifically wrong was just perfect. I ached for Layla in her despair and was whooping for joy as Caleb ran around town pulling it all together for her.
I'm excited for one last story in Inglewilde later this summer, but I'm sad to see these favorites end soon too
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Hexennacht by C.M. Nascosta
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
We've begun to reach the point in the Cambric Creek stories where threads are weaving together and a few of these books will no longer be "oh you can read these in any order!" This is very much a second installment story, while still pulling in a bevy of the CC cameos we love to see. One of my favorite things to do while reading is highlight the noticeable ones, especially when CM *specifically* doesn't name the character in the interaction.
This book has BIG foreshadowing, poignant flashbacks, and some A+ character growth from Ladybug and Anzan. Holt is as snarky and ambitious as you might remember him from Tea for Two last fall. And seeing the implications of the growth and development of the story in conjunction with what we know is to come (since TFT does take place *after* Hexennacht in story line order) makes me all the more excited for the rest of the Wheel of the Year and Girls Weekend stories, which are now very clearly coming parallel with each other in the back half of both series.
This book has BIG foreshadowing, poignant flashbacks, and some A+ character growth from Ladybug and Anzan. Holt is as snarky and ambitious as you might remember him from Tea for Two last fall. And seeing the implications of the growth and development of the story in conjunction with what we know is to come (since TFT does take place *after* Hexennacht in story line order) makes me all the more excited for the rest of the Wheel of the Year and Girls Weekend stories, which are now very clearly coming parallel with each other in the back half of both series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Xenophobia, Death of parent, Grief, and Racism
Minor: Cancer
Educated by Nellie Wilson
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Phoebe and Dec just make me want to be soft. I loved how well they worked together. Even with both their anxieties about messing up a solid friendship. The transition from "sex contract" to "for real dating" to "this is my person" were seamless. It was such a breath of fresh air to see a first "I love you" but be completely drown out by one or both the leads in a chorus of "was it too soon? Do they want to say it back? Do they feel forced into saying it back?" For Phoebe and Dec, it just was.
I love how Nellie writes slightly overlapping stories. A little bit of each book is happening in the others, so you don't feel disconnected from the stories you read before, and can pick up on hints of what's next for the upcoming books. I can't wait to read more with this group with Exhibited next month!!
I love how Nellie writes slightly overlapping stories. A little bit of each book is happening in the others, so you don't feel disconnected from the stories you read before, and can pick up on hints of what's next for the upcoming books. I can't wait to read more with this group with Exhibited next month!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The banter, A+. The sarcasm, exquisite. The pining, chef's kiss. I loved the sleuthing mystery of trying to find the mole in The Villain's operation. As you may know, I'm terrible at predictions, so I was throwing out theories left and right to my book club group and I gasped at all the big reveals, like a picture perfect audience. I was literally sputtering on the couch power reading the last 100 pages!
I can't believe that CLIFFHANGER! That's a lie, I 100% can believe that's the cliffhanger and it's perfect for the pacing of the overall book and goes to show just how perfect Evie and Trystan are for each other.
Now I need to get on the hold list for the the sequel ASAP at my library before it's 6 months long!!
I can't believe that CLIFFHANGER! That's a lie, I 100% can believe that's the cliffhanger and it's perfect for the pacing of the overall book and goes to show just how perfect Evie and Trystan are for each other.
Now I need to get on the hold list for the the sequel ASAP at my library before it's 6 months long!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Grief, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture, Confinement, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
Nevermore Bookstore by Cynthia St. Aubin, Kerrigan Byrne
Did not finish book. Stopped at 23%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 23%.
The stalker vibes from Fox are off putting for me. The humor in the book has been good for the most part, but there's still something to be desired in some of the writing for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness and Stalking
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Grief
Sex, Lies and Sensibility by Nikki Payne
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
OK, so full disclosure, I've never read most of the classics or seen the movie versions of them. They've never really interested me, the closest I've come is reading the junior/abridged version of Jane Eyre in middle school and The Scarlet Letter in high school (though it was way better as a rock & roll musical, which is why I knew most of what was going on). But I digress!
Being able to go into a retelling of a classic like Sense & Sensibility without knowing ANYTHING felt a little sacrilegious, but also felt great because I wasn't anticipating the story beats, just enjoying how it unfolded (with some yelling at my steering wheel as I listened on my commutes).
Nora and Yanne's sisterly bond was familiar and relatable. My heart ached for Bear as his story and plight with Lou unfolded over the course of the novel, especially as everything seemed to unravel around him the harder he tried. A lot of it was a mess of his own making, and I saw everyone trying to make the best of a lot of bad situations, but it just goes to show that people pleasing doesn't really get you anywhere and just leaves a lot of people disappointed.
I appreciated the care, research, and effort that Nikki put in to not glamorize, white wash, or fetishize Rez life. It felt humanized, and like a real snapshot of what life can often look like for the Indigenous people of the US who are trying to preserve what little the government had left them of their ancestral lands and cultural practices.
I never trusted John from the moment he showed up, and I was SO GLAD to be proven right, even if it was a kick in the teeth for Nora and Yanne in the moment. Getting to rub Felicia's face in all of it at the end was SO SATISFYING!!
Being able to go into a retelling of a classic like Sense & Sensibility without knowing ANYTHING felt a little sacrilegious, but also felt great because I wasn't anticipating the story beats, just enjoying how it unfolded (with some yelling at my steering wheel as I listened on my commutes).
Nora and Yanne's sisterly bond was familiar and relatable. My heart ached for Bear as his story and plight with Lou unfolded over the course of the novel, especially as everything seemed to unravel around him the harder he tried. A lot of it was a mess of his own making, and I saw everyone trying to make the best of a lot of bad situations, but it just goes to show that people pleasing doesn't really get you anywhere and just leaves a lot of people disappointed.
I appreciated the care, research, and effort that Nikki put in to not glamorize, white wash, or fetishize Rez life. It felt humanized, and like a real snapshot of what life can often look like for the Indigenous people of the US who are trying to preserve what little the government had left them of their ancestral lands and cultural practices.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Colonisation, and Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent
‘Til All the Seas Run Dry by Eliza MacArthur
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"If your love cannot bear a bit of distance now and the, is it really love at all?"
A welcome return to World's End and the gang there. There's a window of overlap with the end of Soft Flannel Hank and the beginning of TATSRD, which if you've read SFH, you'll understand why. Then it's full steam ahead on bringing Callum and Jory back together after nearly a millennium apart.
The magnetism between Jory and Callum was electric. From the righteous fury of discovering the other has been alive the whole time, to the bone deep fear of returning to the depths of their loneliness, to rediscovering the love for each other in the light of their immortal revelations.
It is a well known fact that I love a good supporting cast, and TATSRD is no exception. I'm dying to know more about Magda's magic, I will protect Robbie with my entire being, and I CAN'T WAIT to dig deeper into Nat and Niamh's story.
A welcome return to World's End and the gang there. There's a window of overlap with the end of Soft Flannel Hank and the beginning of TATSRD, which if you've read SFH, you'll understand why. Then it's full steam ahead on bringing Callum and Jory back together after nearly a millennium apart.
The magnetism between Jory and Callum was electric. From the righteous fury of discovering the other has been alive the whole time, to the bone deep fear of returning to the depths of their loneliness, to rediscovering the love for each other in the light of their immortal revelations.
It is a well known fact that I love a good supporting cast, and TATSRD is no exception. I'm dying to know more about Magda's magic, I will protect Robbie with my entire being, and I CAN'T WAIT to dig deeper into Nat and Niamh's story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Blood and Grief
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
Storm Warning by Nellie Wilson
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Y'all know I'm a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, this rivals-to-lovers was perfection. Oh. My. Gods. The good natured animosity between Violet and Julien was delightful from their first interaction. This book helped me realize how much I love a non-linear time line. I love flashing back and forth in their time line together, from previous professional encounters to some illicit coat room encounters 😏
As much as I know the twister bros are there to be despicable and obnoxious misogynistic bros, I was really happy with how little we had to interact with them in the story. They were awful and I wished Julien had stood up to them a bit more, but when they're your funding, I also totally get not feeling like you can make that stand professionally.
As much as I know the twister bros are there to be despicable and obnoxious misogynistic bros, I was really happy with how little we had to interact with them in the story. They were awful and I wished Julien had stood up to them a bit more, but when they're your funding, I also totally get not feeling like you can make that stand professionally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Misogyny
How Not to Date a Demon by Lana Kole
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Fun and short, I'm so glad I finally made time for this series! Maeve has a temper to be reckoned with, and Galen is swoon-worthy sweet. Lana packs a whole lot of spice in under 200 pages, but also great intimate communication between Maeve and Galen, making sure they're always on the same page as they play. Watching Maeve try to figure out what kind of supernatural being Galen is on the sly was adorable and hilarious as he was also suspicious of her, but neither could quite figure the other's motives out until Galen finally came clean. And the addition of the hellhound puppies was just icing on the adorable cake!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
A Wolf in the Garden by Allegra Hall
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
There is so much story packed into this book! There's world building. There's romance. There found family. There's family coming back to each other after a falling out. There's fae shenanigans. There's magic. There's supernatural beings of all kinds!
I loved that there was never a doubt in my mind about Ellie and Van from the moment they reconnected. No third act breakups here! Only copious amounts of fae peril. I can't wait to learn more over the course of the series about the politicking of The First Realm and how its bleeding over into the lives of these characters.
I love the supporting cast of characters, and am already looking for hints of future books, and am so excited for Cassidy and Kaito in book 2!
I loved that there was never a doubt in my mind about Ellie and Van from the moment they reconnected. No third act breakups here! Only copious amounts of fae peril. I can't wait to learn more over the course of the series about the politicking of The First Realm and how its bleeding over into the lives of these characters.
I love the supporting cast of characters, and am already looking for hints of future books, and am so excited for Cassidy and Kaito in book 2!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Colonisation, and Child death