The nitty-gritty: Bad, clichéd writing, cheesy and dramatic dialog, and distasteful elements that don’t work with the rest of the story make this a book I cannot recommend to anyone. I could sum up my thoughts on this book in five words if I really wanted to—The Dysasters was a disaster—but I’m in a ranty […]
The nitty-gritty: A tale brimming with magic that feels both familiar and new, The Beast’s Heart is the perfect Valentine’s Day read. It’s fitting that I’m posting this review on Valentine’s Day, because The Beast’s Heart, a Beauty and the Beast retelling, is full of magic, heart and romance. Even better, if you’re a fan […]
The nitty-gritty: An interesting world with lots of potential, Smoke & Summons was a fast-paced story that would have benefited from more cohesive world-building. I ended up with mixed feelings about Smoke & Summons, despite a solid beginning, but overall I did enjoy this book. Holmberg has created a fascinating world where humans are used […]
The nitty-gritty: A nostalgic trip down memory lane, Slayer deftly builds on the Buffy universe and brings new characters and situations into the mix. It’s not Buffy, but I loved it anyway. Being chosen is easy. Making choices will break your heart. I have to admit that my feelings about Slayer went through several changes […]
The nitty-gritty: Full of stunning world-building and epic in scope, The Gutter Prayer is a debut you don’t want to miss. Goodreads tells me that it took me ten days to read The Gutter Prayer, and dammit I’m now two books behind with my reading challenge! I start my review with this fact not to […]
The nitty-gritty: A twisty and exciting sequel that nicely sets up the story for the final book in the series. Mild spoilers for The Cruel Prince! Last year I fell hard for The Cruel Prince (along with a ton of other readers!), and we’ve all been waiting with bated breath for the sequel. I’m happy […]
The nitty-gritty: A fantasy with lots of potential that felt more “middle grade” than “young adult,” Fire & Heist had some fun moments but ultimately disappointed me. I had heard all sorts of good things about Sarah Beth Durst’s The Queens of Renthia series, and so I was eager to check out her latest, a young […]
The nitty-gritty: A satisfyingly complex, multifaceted tale of revenge, Vengeful is a worthy sequel and is a 2018 book you cannot miss. It’s been five years since I read Vicious, the first book in Schwab’s ambitious super hero saga, and although it’s been a longer than normal time between releases, I can say without hesitation […]
The nitty-gritty: Another winning story in the Heartstone series, I was once again enchanted by White’s lively storytelling and wonderful world-building elements. One of my favorite things about Heartstone, the first book in White’s Pride & Prejudice fantasy retelling, was the world building. I’m a big P&P fan, but those elements are not what won […]
The nitty-gritty: A slow-paced beginning turns into thrilling excitement at the end, which makes up for some of the more tedious sections. I’ll admit that when I first saw the cover of Breach, I thought it was science fiction. Maybe that’s why I feel like I got off on the wrong foot with this book. […]