thindbooks's reviews
1060 reviews

Skies Over Caledonia by Samantha Young

5.0

This story is book 4 in the series which could be read as a standalone but I recommend reading it in order. This book follows Allegra who is told she can’t go back to Scotland with her visa and decides to fake marry a guy who needs her money for his farm. I have been waiting for Allegra’s story because I really enjoyed her personality from the other books but noticed there was more to her. Young did a great job writing this story of someone who has to hide so much and someone who thought they could never love. There was so much to this story that’s hard to explain in words. The pacing was great for this story and I loved the conflicts in this book. I read this book fairly quickly and loved getting both Allegra’s and Jared’s pov. 

 

Allegra is the FMC of this story who is an artist and comes from a wealthy family. She has secrets she can’t share and wants to find a home. Then there is Jared who’s left with the barn he wants to grow but has no money. He doesn’t believe he can marry anyone until he meets Allegra. I loved both of the MCs and enjoyed reading their story. They developed so much and I loved how they were there for each other. There were side characters from the previous books in this book but we had some new ones in the story. I loved Allegra’s family coming out in the end so she can heal strongly. The romance is a fake marriage, forced proximity and grumpy x sunshine. 

 

The ending was well done with a HEA for the couple. I really enjoyed both of their stories and seeing them grow. I loved how there was no kidnapping involved compared to the other books. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and see what it will be about. I recommend checking out this book because you don’t want to miss out. 

 

*this e-arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return* 

Nightfall by Penelope Douglas

4.0

This is the last book in the story which follows Will and Emmy. This book picks up a bit after the 3rd one where Will is locked in Blackchurch but somehow Emory is also there. I really enjoyed this book as it takes on a more different route compared to the other books. I enjoyed getting to learn about Blackchurch and the people who ended up there. There were a lot of conflicts and the story was very entertaining. I enjoyed the alternating povs and getting flashbacks of the past. Douglas did a great job of writing the finale of this series. 

 

Will is known as the weak one but is he actually? I liked how he proves himself in this book showing he can do things on his own. He had a great character development and I loved it. Then there is Emory who hasn’t had the greatest childhood and doesn’t think she should be love. I also loved seeing her grow and knowing there is a different side to Will. There were many side characters and I loved being introduced to more but also seeing some side romances form. The romance was enemies to lovers, instant love, and forbidden love with steamy scenes throughout the story. 

 

The ending was well done and I loved how the book came to be. So much happened in this series that were all separate conflicts but became one big one at the end. Overall this book is wonderful and I recommend checking the series. The first book is very dark than the rest but once you get through book 1, the others are better. 

 

*this e-arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return* 

Diary of a Dying Girl: Adapted from Salt in My Soul by Mallory Smith

4.0

This collection of one girl's real, unflinching diary entries about slowly dying of a terminal illness is an unparalleled exploration of the human spirit and what it means to truly live.

Many of the feelings I write about are too difficult to share while I'm alive, so I'm keeping everything in my journal password-protected until the end.

Mallory Smith was no ordinary girl, and this is no ordinary story. At age three, Mallory was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis--a disease that attacks the internal organs and would eventually kill her.
Despite living on borrowed time, Mallory pursued her volleyball; writing; the environment; becoming a doctor; her boyfriend, family, and friends. Most importantly, every day she chose to embody the mantra "live happy."
Mallory also had her struggles--everything from love and sex to living with illness and just being a human on this planet. And she chronicled every bit of it, writing thousands of diary entries before her death in her twenties.
This is the poignant, true story of a young woman who refused to be defined by chronic illness. Her light and her life are shared here in her own words to encourage everyone to live life to the fullest, as she did, even as she was dying.

In the Orbit of You by Ashley Schumacher

4.0

This story follows two teens who were next-door neighbors as kids but a personality test reunites them for a second chance. I love Schumacher’s books as they are so well written with a lot of meaning to the book. I love the storyline of this story and getting the perspective of both MCs. I enjoyed the message behind the book and seeing a friendship at a young age still, be strong over the years. I do have to say that I did feel some information dump was vague and should have been more explained throughout the book instead of at the end. 

 

Nova just arrived to her 6-7th high school and that is where she realized her childhood friend was there. I really enjoyed her character and seeing her grow throughout the story. She didn’t know what she liked especially with moving but never spoke to anyone about it. Then there is Sam who is a popular jock but hides his thoughts of what he wants. I also liked his character but I did wish we got to know more about him. He had a great character development which I enjoyed. There are quite a few side characters and there are parents involved in the story. The romance is a slow burn, second chance, friends to lovers but it’s not truly the main part of the book. 

 

The ending was well done and I really enjoyed the friendship developing again between the two characters. As much as I enjoyed the story, it did feel like something was missing but overall the book was pretty good. Schumacher does a wonderful job with talking about mental health in their books and I love this being in YA books. 

 

*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return* 

Here For The Cake by Jennifer Millikin

5.0

This story follows Paisley who is the maid of honor at her’s sister’s wedding and is getting married to her ex and she needs to find a fake date. I really loved this book. I was hooked into the story from the first chapter and just knew it was going to be good with the way the story was going. I really enjoyed the main conflict of the story and the message behind it. The setting was well described and I loved how the story had a subplot for publishing. This story is not just about love but also has a lot of self-development and family relationship. This story follows both Paisley and Klein povs. 

Paisley is the FMC of the story and I really enjoyed her character. She has been judged by her family for so many years and doesn’t want them to think she’s weak. I loved seeing her develop and build the self-confidence for herself. Then there is Klein who is a bartender and wants to be an author. I really enjoyed his story and seeing his obsession for Paisley. He’s such a sweetheart and as much as he didn’t have Paisley’s type of development, he was still a great MMC. There are many side characters in this book and I really loved Paisley’s best friend and so many other amazing women. The romance is second chance, fake dating and friends to lovers with such amazing chemistry between the couple. 

The ending was well done with a cute epilogue. I really enjoyed the story and hope there will be more stories from this world. I really loved everything about this book and had an amazing experience with it. I recommend checking this book out as you don’t want to miss out. 

*this e-arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*

Pretty Furious by E.K. Johnston

3.0

This story follows 5 good girls who look for justice through fierce friendships. This is a book that I read in one sitting due to how short the story was. I enjoyed the overall plot of the story and the message that the author was giving to its readers. It showed a different side of society especially with the way people think in a small town and how it can affect the young ones. I do wish there was more of a strong conflict in the story as it was like nothing happened but instead we get a message. The story is told from the different perspectives of the girls with their wishes. 

 

I won’t go into each character since there’s a lot of FMCs but I enjoyed most of them. I did feel a bit like I was missing some of their stories from the start of the book but I guess that’s the perspective we are supposed to get. I did enjoy the wishes aspect of the story for each character and how it is associated with them. They all developed in some way but the story mostly showed how the society worked in that world. There are many side characters in this book which most I didn’t enjoy but it’s because it was the way the characters thought of them. 

 

The ending was well done but overall it was a pretty good read. I enjoyed the fierceness of each character and how their relationship was strong showing that no one can mess with them. I do wish there was more of a conflict to keep the story entertaining. 

 

*this e-arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return* 

The Happiness Blueprint by Ally Zetterberg

4.0

This story follows two people who are going through some life struggles and work together in the construction company. This was a well-written book that focuses a lot on physical and mental health. I do have to say that I went into this book thinking it was a full-on romance but it’s not and mostly focuses on self-development. This is not a bad thing but for someone like me that’s a one-star less rating. I like to be promised of what I get from the story. I did enjoy the setting and really liked how this book takes place in Sweden. The author did an amazing job describing the area. I do have to say that this book is very slow and there are not many strong conflicts throughout the book. This book is close to 400 pages which was a bit of a struggle for me to get through. This book is told from both Klara and Alex’s pov. 

 

Klara is the fmc of this book and I really enjoyed her character. She has type 1 diabetes and believes she has autism so she is stressed with life especially having to take over her dad’s company. I enjoyed seeing her develop throughout the book. Then there is Alex who struggles with mental health after his brother’s death and needs work. He really improved throughout the story and you could tell. There were some side characters in this book but the MCs took the lead to the story. The romance is a slow burn like a very slow burn which could have been better. I didn’t feel any chemistry but you can tell they are a compatible couple. 

 

The ending was something I didn’t care for as there wasn’t much conflict. I did like the meaning behind the story and seeing so much character development but I do have to say there could have been more conflict and romance. Overall not a bad story but if this book can get categorized as contemporary with no romance that will help get better audience. 

 

*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return* 

Burning Crowns by Katherine Webber, Catherine Doyle

4.0

This is the finale of the series which follows both Wren and Rose. I enjoyed this book which was a great way to end the series. The story picks up a bit after the second one and there are more conflicts that both Wren and Rose need to solve. I do have to say that this felt more like a Rose book and I really enjoyed seeing more of her character after the first two books. The pacing was wonderful and I really enjoyed how the authors got a bit more into their world. 

 

In this book we get more of Rose and Wren with their own conflicts going on that affect them both. I really enjoyed seeing more of Rose and the way she develops throughout the story. I do have to say for Wren that I felt her development was more lacking but we did see her’s more in the previous books. There were a lot of side characters in this book and I enjoyed seeing more of Shen Lo. There was romance in this book but it was very light as the story focuses more of the sibling bond. 

 

The ending was well done and I’m happy with how the FMCs ended up. This was a wonderful series and I really loved the characters from this book. I’m excited to see what else this author duo comes out with because they have a fantastic writing style when it comes to fantasy. This story is perfect for fans of Serpent & Dove and note that SJM says this series is amazing! 

 

*this e-arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return* 

The Witches' Blade by A.K. Mulford

4.0

This story follows after the first book with new characters. You must read the first book to understand the story. This book follows Rua who has the Immortal Blade and everyone is searching for her. This was another fun book which has a new story and more conflicts. I loved seeing the world a bit more but again the fast pacing doesn’t help as you can’t stay with the story for too long. Though I liked how the Immortal Blade was a stronger conflict and seeing how wanted it was. The story is written from Rua’s pov. 

 

Rua is the MC of this story who’s on the run and has the blade. I did find her character a bit annoying for the royalty aspect but she did have character development. There were many side characters in this book with some new ones and old ones who come back. I loved Renwick and how sweet he was to Rua and so patient. This story has the fated mates and enemies to lovers romance with a bit more steam then the previous book. I liked the chemistry in this book a lot more and seeing Renwick and Rua develop their love. 

 

The ending was well done and I’m excited to see what the next book is about. This series is so fun, especially reading a new story with different characters as the MC. This book does deal with more trauma so I recommend reading the triggers. 

 

*this book was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return* 

The High Mountain Court by A.K. Mulford

4.0

This story follows 19-year-old Remi who is the last red witch with secrets but meets Hale and wonders if he could help her on her quest. I heard wonderful things about this book and I have to say that Mulford did not disappoint. I also read A River of Golden Bones which I really enjoyed so I wasn’t expecting anything different for their fantasy novels. The world-building was well developed and at first I did think it was a bit complicated and very similar to Serpents & Dove. I enjoyed the conflicts in the book but I didn’t really enjoy the fast pacing. I wanted to learn more about the characters and experience the conflicts properly. This book is told from Remy’s pov. 

 

Remi is the main character of this book and I really enjoyed her story. She is brave and badass with secrets she has to keep. I loved her development in this book. Our main side character is Hale and I enjoyed everything about him. I did wish we got his pov because there’s more to his story from my feelings. There are other characters in this book who play major roles throughout the story. The romance is fated with mates and allies with great chemistry and minor steam. 

 

The ending was well done but I’m curious to see how the next book picks up. I wonder if there will be new characters in the next book or if the story will be more about Remy. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend checking it out especially if you love Serpent & Dove and From Blood and Ash. 

 

*this book was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*