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amateur_bookworm's reviews
579 reviews
Fragile Sanctuary by Catherine Cowles
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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? No
4.5
My summary:
After tragedy struck when she was 13, Rhodes was taken in by her best friend’s family. Now 27 years old, Rhodes is feeling ready to cope with her devastating loss and move back to her childhood home, all with the support of her large found family. Anson is a restoration specialist working for Rhodes’s brother and taking the lead on her project. But Anson is running from his own tragedy—and he and Rhodes soon connect over their shared losses.
My thoughts:
This is a heartrending story of tragic loss and learning to love again. This is my first book by Catherine Cowles and I honestly didn’t know what I was setting myself up for with this one. I *thought* I was starting a sassy and spicy romance and, instead, it was quite tragic but also left me feeling hopeful and swooning as the story moved along. And the suspense kept me from putting the book down for the entire last half of it.
At about 40% into the book, I think I got over my shell-shock of expecting a lighthearted romance and instead getting a tragic one. And I was HERE for it. I love Rhodes and her choosing to enjoy every moment of life and finding the good. Anson is such a great character and his concern for Rhodes above all else hit me right in the feels. I love Lolli’s character and her sparkly phallic artwork. The huge found family, although hard to keep track of the who’s who at times, is a delight.
This felt very similar to me of the style of Abby Jimenez’s The Friend Zone series. You know, absolutely devastating and tragic where it just rips your heart out and shreds it—but then slowly stitches it back together in a swoony love story. I mean, the dedication already had me tearing up so I clearly should’ve immediately realized what I was jumping into here. And, despite not being emotionally prepared for this at all, I ended up really enjoying Rhodes and Anson’s story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder
Pen Pal by J.T. Geissinger
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
First of all, Bookstagram made me do it. Second of all, I read nothing about this book before stating it so I *thought* I was diving into a smutty dark romance. But it’s actually an amalgamation of a smutty psychological thriller with a good amount of romance, mystery and spookiness.
The style of writing pulled me into this book right away. I found myself pretty captivated given that I had no actual clue about what was happening through most of the book. I don’t read a bunch of thrillers anymore so I always feel super gullible to any plot twists. I had inklings of how it would turn out and I really wasn’t correct at all—so, I love that I was a bit surprised by the way everything shook out. I totally plan on a reread (maybe by audiobook) now that I know what happens.
Overall, I almost couldn’t put this down and really enjoyed the suspense of it (despite it not being anything like I expected by judging it purely by the cover). I did not, however, enjoy their nicknames for each other and found it a bit grating. That being said, I absolutely recommend it—especially if you have Kindle Unlimited.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
House of Sky and Breath: Part 1 of 2 by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
tense
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? No
4.0
The House of Sky and Breath is the second book of Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City fantasy series. I previously read this book in February 2024 and I’m really enjoying listening to the GraphicAudio version of the series. GraphicAudio has a full cast and sound effects and is billed as “a movie in your mind.” It most definitely lives up to that.
I do enjoy the full cast and sound effect and think it’s a fun way to listen. That being said, I feel like the action of this story really doesn’t get going until the last half of the book. So, I’m excited for Part 2 to finish this book off. I felt like this dragged a bit for me, especially towards the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, and Blood
The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore
lighthearted
medium-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
4.0
The Pumpkin Spice Cafe is a cozy romance featuring a small town, gossipy locals, a reclusive farmer, and all the pumpkin spice that you could want.
I’m trying to be better about reading seasonal books in the right season. After seeing this book all over the place, I had to give in and read it for myself. It’s cute for the season. It’s a very light read and there’s hardly any strife. I definitely recommend this as a fluffy read or a palate cleanser after an intense book.
I enjoyed the quirky townspeople (especially the smutty book club!). I found the characters to be relatable and likable, but I also found myself unable to get very invested in the story. I was a bit bored and just kinda wanted it to end so I can move on to something more exciting. I do think I’ll read the next book in the series but probably not until I’m looking for a comfort read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Sunday Morning by Jewel E. Ann
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Have you ever picked up a book and within only the first few pages, you already knew it was going to be a five star read? This is one of those books for me. I was so pulled into this story and so invested in the outcome of these characters. This is five stars based entirely on vibes alone, because I’m actually not that ok with the plot here.
But, seriously, what is in this book? Crack? I literally couldn’t put it down. I read it straight through until I couldn’t stay awake anymore—and then I finished it early in the morning before work.
Guys. I can’t do a cheating trope. It’s a no-go for me. And this book flipped that opinion right on its head. I hate that I love a book that’s basically all about infidelity. And, I was even rooting for it to happen with Sarah and Isaac!
This book brought out all the emotions. I smiled, I laughed, I swooned, I cried. I rooted for Sarah the whole way through and felt what she felt. I fell in love with Isaac right alongside Sarah. I loved all the 80s throwback mentions. I love all of the music (do yourself a favor and listen to all the songs for each chapter).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Abortion, and Pregnancy
How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn
funny
lighthearted
slow-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? No
4.0
If you’re looking for a cutesy and festive Christmas read with some spice, then check this one out! Meghan Quinn never fails to make me laugh and this book is no exception. A lot of it is pretty cheesy but some parts had me actually laughing out loud.
The American Girl dolls made me laugh so many times throughout this book. I had Samantha (still do—tucked away in a box—not haunting anyone) so I especially enjoyed the references.
This is definitely a fun Christmas read. I enjoyed the characters and the town. The banter is fun. The spice is nice. But I wish this had just a bit more substance to it and wasn’t quite as cheesy. I felt like the enemies portion went on way too long, then I started getting into it at about the halfway point, and then the ending felt really rushed. I am always here for the fake dating and enemies to lovers tropes, and I enjoyed those portions of the book the most.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent
Trapshooting Techniques by Clyde Martz
informative
fast-paced
4.0
Very succinct and basic. It’s a quick read but packs in enough information to have it be a good overview. Nothing groundbreaking in here but it’s a good reinforcement of things I’ve already read or been told.
What Doesn't Kill Us: Ends Duet, Book 2 by MercyAnn Summers, MercyAnn Summers
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
2.0
This is the second book of the Ends World duet. Like most duologies, the first book ends with a cliffhanger and book two starts right where it left off. Overall, this book is heavy on the dark and very light on both the romance and the plot. The characters are unrelatable, the events of the book are implausible, and the author keeps the plot a secret from the reader throughout almost the entirety of the duet. The only good thing about this book is it’s on Kindle Unlimited.
The author waits until the midway point of this second book of the duet before starting to dole out any actual information to the reader to clue you in on the plot. And—even then—it hardly clears up the confusion through that point.
Antoinette gave me whiplash in this book with her feelings for Darius wildly swinging from love to hate with no discernible cause. The phrase “f*ck around and find out” was so overused that it was grating. There is a bit of smut but not anywhere near enough to justify the complete lack of plot. The whole duet feels very chaotic, and not in a good way.
The only reason I forced myself to read this book is because I wanted the closure of knowing how the story ends (and starts, honestly). I’m literally incapable of DNF-ing a book once I start reading. Long story short, I should’ve just skipped this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Ends of Being by MercyAnn Summers
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
This is the first book of the Ends Duet. So, as with any duet, expect it to end in a cliffhanger. I usually like to know that it is a duology when going into a book, because it generally means that you have to read both books to get the complete story. And that is the case with this book.
This is a dark romance, but it’s heavy on the dark and light on the romance. I never felt any chemistry between Antoinette and Darius. There really isn’t any character development. I didn’t feel any connection to any of the characters. They are not relatable or likable. There is spice, but not nearly as much as I would expect a book like this to have in it.
I’m not sure I’ve ever been more frustrated by a book. I understand when an author leaves the readers in suspense and then slowly doles out information to add to the intrigue. But this book leaves you completely in the dark through almost the entirety of the book. Nothing is ever clearly explained. And then the ending leaves you with more questions than answers. Which, it’s a duet, I get it, it’s pretty much expected to be left on a cliffhanger. But it just left me annoyed.
Overall, It’s hard to engage with the story when you have no idea what is happening and it makes the whole book feel chaotic. I spent the entire book confused and then it ends with a cliffhanger that leaves you even more confused. I’m trying to decide if reading the next book is even worth it. Without any connection to any of the characters, I almost don’t care enough to bother finding out what happens by reading the next book. But, being a glutton for punishment, I will likely read the next book to give myself some closure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Double Play by A.K. Landow
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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? No
4.5
This is such a cute and funny (and spicy!) sports romance. I actually laughed out loud at times. It kept me turning pages and I really enjoyed reading it. I just love how much Layton and Arizona are in love.
It didn’t take long for me to be swooning for Layton. I love how much he is into Arizona’s softball career and how supportive he is through the whole book. I love Arizona’s confidence. The dynamic with the friend group of teammates is really fun. The banter definitely keeps you on your toes. I did get a little frustrated with the plot twist and some of the spice was cringey, but I really enjoyed the overall vibes of this one!
(Also, you’re a total liar if you say you didn’t Google whether Harry Styles has four nipples.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Moderate: Miscarriage, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Addiction