tonyaf's reviews
378 reviews

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious 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

4.75

Vera made me laugh so many times. I cried a little over her too. All the rest of the characters and their new found family were also a delight to read about.

I loved this and am so happy that there's a sequel coming soon. I need more of these characters ASAP!
I Think They Love You by Julian Winters

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emotional funny lighthearted 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

4.25

Two of my favorite romance tropes are fake dating and second-chance romance. Fake dating is always fun and usually results in at least a little pining (which is a requirement for me to get truly invested in a relationship). Second-chance romance can, when written properly, produce character and relationship growth that makes the happy ending feel earned. I Think They Love You is a prime example of how to do both of those tropes really well. 

The book starts with Denz, the main character, preparing for a big event where his boyfriend, Braylon, will meet his family for the first time. After, we jump five years in the future, and see Denz run into Braylon again for the first time, a few years after their breakup. 

Denz soon encounters a situation that makes him feel like he needs to present himself as being in a stable and committed relationship. When his best friend, Jamie, is suddenly unable to pose as his new boyfriend as planned, Braylon steps in, and the two are forced to deal with their lingering feelings and broken hearts. 

The story is mostly told in the present but there are flashbacks sprinkled in that fill in their history. Through both timelines, their love for each other is clear. Denz and Braylon are a great example of the kinds of pairings I love in fiction: two people who really see each other (flaws and all) and push each other to be better and happier. These two had me laughing out loud and crying onto my Kindle at various points in the book! 

Denz goes through some great character growth that I think will be relatable to many people. We don't get Braylon's POV but he's such a loveable character. Even without his POV, his personality shines through and the changes he brings about in Denzel are profound. 

This story has a big focus on family: living up to family expectations, grieving lost parents, and found family are all themes. Denz's relationship with his family plays an especially large role in his life and the story. He has a close family filled with fun and realistic characters. His sister, Kami was a highlight for me. There are also parents, aunties, friends, cousins, and co-workers who fill out the cast. 

One thing I really liked, as a romance fan, was all the references to rom-coms. Denz and Jamie love romance movies, so some big moments refer to some of the greats in the genre. There's also a quote about why romance appeals to so many that I adore and think other romance readers will too. 

I Think They Love You is a solid romance that does the second-chance romance and the fake-dating tropes right. It's emotional, sweet, funny, spicy, and everything that most romance readers look for. 
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The Brightness Between Us by Eliot Schrefer

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adventurous dark emotional 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

4.25

 This was a fantastic follow-up to a great book. 

The story covers two different timelines from four different POVs. Two POVs come from a post-The Darkness Outside Us timeline that is set 17 years after the end of the previous book. 

Ambrose and Kodiak tell the second timeline. These POVs are set on Earth before The Darkness Outside Us. 

Both storylines have sweet, emotional, tense, and shocking moments. I love Ambrose and Kodiak even more after reading this. 
Those Fatal Flowers by Shannon Ives

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dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Those Fatal Flowers is a historical fantasy that mixes mythology with a lot of feminist rage. I found it surprising, a little gory, thought-provoking, and empowering.

The book follows Thelia who makes a mistake that dooms her lover, Proserpina. In the Scopuli timeline, we learn about her past and how the consequences of her mistake impacted her and her sisters. In the more modern timeline, we see her in a small English colony in North America as she plots to save her sisters. In both eras, her love for Proserpina plays a major role in her story; it is a lot of her motivation, drives the plot, and leads her to her new love interest in the Roanoke era.

I thought the dual timelines were well done. I've read a lot of mythology retellings but I've never read one that was also set in another, very different time and location. It was a unique blend that was imaginative. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the two eras and thought that both parts of the story were interesting. The pacing was also well done. I never thought the story was too slow or dragging in either timeline. The last half, in particular, was difficult to put down.

Thelia is never a fully likeable character but she's truly captivating and I felt sympathetic towards her at times. I also really enjoyed her growth over the course of the story. There are a host of supporting characters in the novel. Some, such as Cora, Will, and Margery, were well-rounded and added a lot to the story. There were a few, however, that I thought needed to be made more indistinguishable from one another. Thelia's sisters, for example, are an important emotional connection for Thelia but neither sister ever felt like a fully fleshed-out individual. I would have loved to see the two sisters (and a few other minor characters) develop into more distinct characters.

One warning, as the content warnings I have listed below suggest, this book gets dark. Some parts are graphically violent and even a little gruesome. Most of the brutal scenes serve the story but I felt a few scenes were a little overly descriptive. The book does include content warnings in the front and readers should be aware that some of those are described quite vividly. 

Those Fatal Flowers is a well-written debut about guilt, the horrors of patriarchy, and female rage. It has sweet Sapphic relationships and a nice focus on sisterhood and supportive friendships between women. Due to the graphic violence, this may not be a book for everyone but I thought it was a gripping and powerful story with a lot to say. It's not a perfect book but I think it's compelling and even a little cathartic at times. I'm looking forward to what Shannon Ives writes in the future!
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Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

5.0

 The Nightmare Before Kissmas was one of the biggest surprises of 2024 for me. I've never had so much fun reading a holiday romance before! So, I knew I had to read the follow-up as soon as possible and I had high expectations! Thankfully, Go Luck Yourself is just as amazing as its predecessor! 

The first thing I love about Go Luck Yourself is that it is a direct sequel to The Nightmare Before Kissmas. I expected this to be like many rom-com series where the books can be read in any order since the only thing in common is a few shared characters. This book, however, should not be read without reading The Nightmare Before Kissmas first since major plot, character, and relationship details from the first book are followed up on (yes, this means we get more Coal/Hex and Iris). 

Go Luck Yourself picks up shortly after the events of the previous books. Kris and Loch meet in the library at Cambridge and get off on the wrong foot immediately. Kris channels a little of his brother's chaotic energy on a revenge prank that has bigger tabloid consequences for Loch than Kris intended. Shortly after, a possible plot against Christmas has Kris visiting Loch to soothe over the debacle with the Holiday press while also investigating who in St. Patrick's Day is stealing Christmas joy. 

Kris and Loch are an incredibly fun pair. The two are attracted to each other but their hostility makes it impossible for the two to see their interest as mutual at first. Kris, especially, is so hilariously and stubbornly oblivious that I laughed out loud at several points. They do, of course, figure it out eventually but the journey, full of ups and downs, is so very enjoyable. I ended up loving them together just as much as I did Coal and Hex! Maybe even more (which I did not think would be possible)! 

Kris, who was very likable in The Nightmare Before Kissmas, grows into an even better and more interesting character in this. He was the responsible brother in the first book, so it was fun to see these other sides of him. He has a great character arc in this that makes him feel relatable and real. I loved his growth by the end! 

Loch is a great love interest and is one of my new favorite characters in this series. He's brash at first but there is, of course, a lot more depth to him. He and his sisters are all great additions to the series. 
This series, "Royals and Romance", should not be missed, if you like funny and queer romances. These books are filled with laugh-out-loud moments and have wonderful characters and relationships. I love both immensely and I hope we get more in the future! These two books have cemented Sara Raasch as a must-read author for me and I am eagerly awaiting everything she writes in the future! 
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Swordcrossed by Freya Marske

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted 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

5.0

I've been looking forward to reading this for months and I was worried that I'd set my expectations too high, but I'm happy to say this was just as good as I hoped it would be! The story does start out a little slowly with a lot of worldbuilding in the first 100 pages, but once the relationship truly starts to develop it gets so good! Matti and Luca are a delicious slow burn with so much yearning! 

I also enjoyed the mystery plot, all the characters, and the complexities of the world and family politics.

Since the fantasy part of this has no magic involved, it felt more like reading a historical romance instead of a romantasy, which I really liked. I've been reading a lot of romantasy lately and this was refreshingly different!
Bloom by Kevin Panetta

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emotional 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

3.75

Cute!
The Moth Keeper by K. O'Neill

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective 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

4.0

Beautiful story & art!
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

5.0

Every year in December, I convince myself that it'll be fun to read a bunch of holiday rom-coms. Then, as I slowly start turning into the Grinch, I remember that I don't actually enjoy most Christmas romances. Yet, here I am giving a holiday rom-com 5 stars?! I'm just as confused as anyone! 

This was so cute and funny. I literally laughed out loud a few times! I also seriously adored the characters. Coal is such a great main character, and I loved his growth. His relationship with his brother and Iris was nice, and his romance with Hex is the best part of the book! Those two are so great and are now one of my favorite book relationships (I nearly squealed and kicked my feet so many times). 

Most holiday books are too sappy or silly for me but this balanced the humor, plot, romance, and festive cheer well. It felt grounded in reality while still having fun fantastical elements. I got fully absorbed in the story and loved every second!
What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I loved the main character and thought this was paced well. I figured out one of the big twists fairly quickly, but that didn't detract from how much I enjoyed the story. Plus, there were plenty of other surprises that I didn't guess.