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Romance
Latest Book Reviews
5
Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochran Tender hearted with late 30s main characters reckoning with their life choices, every step she takes is a fantastically written, sapphic romance that will have you yearning to book a plane ticket to Portugal. READ VIA: Thank you, Avon, for the advanced e-copy ABOUT: When her sister suddenly becomes unable to go on her influencer trip down the Camino de Santiago, Sadie, who always takes care of others but never herself, takes her place. Suddenly, she finds herself sitting next to a magnetic woman on the plane and confessing her deepest secrets. When it turns out they’re in the same tracking group for their two-week journey down the Camino, sparks, emotions, and hard truths all come to life MY THOUGHTS: I cannot even begin to explain how much I loved the writing of this book. The prose flows and is descriptive without being overbearing and immediately transports you into Portugal. I love the alternating points of view and felt that both Sadie and Mal had very distinct points of view that came across through their respective chapters. I think something Alison did especially well in this book was having late 30s women still questioning their identity, their value, and how they wanted to live their lives. I think so many readers will identify with the feeling of restlessness. I felt a connection to both these characters, and I love seeing them have a new “queer adolescence“. Given their ages, I expected them to be good communicators. Still, Alison truly made sure that these characters expressed their needs and challenged each other in a way that made the romance, despite the quick timeline, feel so real. The supporting characters were well thought out, fully developed, and added to the story and the setting. Also, there was so much positive queer representation in this book that I truly enjoyed it. SIMILAR BOOKS: I didn’t know if you enjoyed Allison’s previous books or are a fan of Anita Kelly, this book will resonate with you. I’ve read a third of Allison’s books (I’ve also read Charm Offensive and Kissed Her Once For Me), and this might be my favorite yet. SHOULD YOU READ: I absolutely recommend this book, especially for those who are not super familiar with sapphic romance. This would be a wonderful place to start. I think the maturity of the characters and the journey of the Camino de Santiago will immediately draw you in.
Romance
Latest Book Reviews
4
Focusing on a grieving sister, completing her brother’s last wishes with his best friend, ” P.S. I hate you was an enjoyable audiobook read. The main character, Maggie, struggles after losing her brother. Rather than deal with her grief, she isolates herself and surrounds herself with sarcasm to her despair. Dominic Perry, her childhood crush and brother’s best friend, is a steady and steadfast MC. He truly complemented her overwhelming grief, and I truly felt like I understood his character despite not having his point of view. I have noticed a few reviews commenting on the spice, and I thought it was well placed and well written. I felt a burning tension between these two, and I enjoyed it when the hinges to the door flew right off. They enjoyed each other. I enjoyed her interactions with Dom‘s family, notably how his childhood and hers contrasted. Well, I wouldn’t necessarily call this a second chance. I do like how they truly knew each other since they were kids, and we’re able to reflect on those moments. The audiobook performance was excellent, and Karissa Vacker’s voice for Dom was soothing. I really loved the way she brought him to life. Her fluid performance helped elevate my emotions and brought me to tears several times. The only thing holding me back on this book is that I felt a little thrown by the ending and wish some of those revelations had come earlier in the book, and were more an integrated part of the plot. Overall, I felt this was an emotionally driven, funny, hot romance novel, and I can’t wait to read what she writes next.
Fantasy, Romance
Latest Book Reviews
4.5
Thank you Hachette Audio for the free copyInstantly drawing you in amid a war, Rose in Chains is a captivating romantasy debut from Julie Soto. Raised to be a demure, dutiful princess, Briony finds herself alone after the fall of her kingdom. She ends up trapped in the home of her school enemy, Toven Hearst. In this world, her court is being siphoned of its magic and forced to help their captor. Many captors are abusive. This is a dark book. However, Briony and Toven have a history that threatens the power dynamics they are both expected to play. During her book tour, Julie Soto mentioned she was inspired by Beauty and the Beast, and I definitely felt that was an appropriate comparison. This first book felt like less romance, more build-up and I cannot wait to see how their relationship develops as the trilogy continues. Similar to her contemporary romances, Soto’s writing is full of exquisite anticipation, layered relationships, and multiple but easy to follow timelines. I enjoyed how Soto used flashbacks to help develop character relationships and also give context to the world-building. Her magic system was very unique, and I enjoyed that so much of the book related back to how magic was used, taught, and stolen. The narration by Ella Lynch was spectacular. She makes the dark atmosphere come to life with her gripping performance. I felt I was able to distinguish each character and follow the world-building. I know she elevated my experience, and I would definitely recommend the audio to those who enjoy books in this format. This book builds slowly and ends, unfortunately for us all, with a shocking cliffhanger. I look forward to the next book in the series. Note: This is a dark romance, and I recommend checking for potential triggers. If you are familiar with the original influence, this is IMO a strict departure.
Fantasy
Latest Book Reviews
4
The River Has Roots is a profoundly moving, fantastical, and lyrical story about two sisters. From the opening lines of the audiobook, an immersive experience is formed through the sounds of the river, natural sounds, and musical accompaniment performed by the author and her sister. This allows for an enjoyable and thought-provoking reading experience.Told through song and verse reminiscent of childhood fairytales, The River Has Roots focuses on special magic, also called grammar. There are numerous layers to the words (many of which I’m sure I missed) and a recurring theme of riddles discussed among the characters. The world-building is simple, yet at the same time, El Mohtar uses the entire brief novella to disclose all the secrets of these faraway lands fully.Ysabel and Esther are the caretakers of Willows and are gifted with incredible voices. Through their singing, they connect with Rin, who becomes Esther’s lover. Like any fairy tale, there is tragedy, violence, and innumerable lessons to be learned.I had no idea what this book was about going in, and I was pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness of the experience. I felt that the audiobook experience modernized a very classic fairytale structure, making it feel like a unique experience. Also the ebook has illustrations highly recommend combo reading! Just so much thoughtfulness in this tale. Such a beautiful story of love and sisterhood.
Fantasy, Young Adult
Latest Book Reviews
4.5
When a mysterious woman washes up on the shore of a remote island, injured but alive, Dominic Salt finds himself grappling with wanting to care for her but also his drive to protect his three children.
Romance
Latest Book Reviews
5
Thank you to Hachette Audio and Grand Central Publishing for the advanced arc and audio copies of this book.Tension-filled, with so much yearning, and the main characters addressing both internal and external conflict, August Lane by Regina Black is likely going to be competing for one of my favorite books of the year.There was something utterly captivating about Black’s portrayal of August and Luke’s relationship. Told in alternating POV and timelines, the dual timelines complemented each other, but also reinforced the growth arc of both characters. What I loved about the comparison between their high school relationship and the present was that their core personality traits of loving each other and kindness remain the same.August and Luke had such beautiful chemistry. I tend to love second chances, but I particularly enjoy second chances where it’s clear that the characters have grown on themselves prior to coming together. I felt both Luke and August had to reckon with why and how their relationship fell apart, as well as how outside forces could make them incompatible. <spoiler>Luke’s challenges with addiction were a thoughtful portrayal of those living in recovery. </spoiler>Regina Black’s portrayal of the country music industry was fantastic. I appreciated the way she had her characters occupy space in a place that traditionally did not accept them, and the nuance with which she discussed the contributions of Black artists to country music and the music industry in general. The audiobook was an incredible production with the multiple narrators easily guiding the reader between different vignettes. William DeMerritt’s voice was utter perfection for this former one-hit wonder country star, Luke. His angst and yearning for August could be felt in my bones. Additionally, Bahni Turpin and January LaVoy also gave captivating performances. Each narrator heightened the tension-filled writing, and I enjoyed how they complemented each other‘s voices. I highly recommend the audiobook.Overall, Regina Blacks August Lane is a must-read second chance romance. I look forward to you experiencing Luke and August’s story.