amateur_bookworm's reviews
589 reviews

emotional funny 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

4.5

My summary:

Vaughn Harding is reeling in the wake of his grandfather’s death and the allegations that his grandfather fixed horse races. Desperate to save the reputation of Gold Rush Ranch, the very same place his grandfather raised him, Vaughn wants to clear the ranch’s name. He starts by clearing house and hiring a new general manager, Hank. When Hank suggests bringing in an up-and-coming young horse trainer, Vaughn has no idea what he’s in for when the feisty Billie Black rolls into the ranch. Billie has spent the last decade escaping her own family drama, and just wants to train horses and win races. As both Vaughn and Billie try to put past family scandals to bed, fireworks erupt between them.

My thoughts:

I’m not sure I have a spirit animal, but I definitely have a spirit author—and it’s Elsie Silver. Her writing style is my favorite for romance books. Her female characters are strong, her language could make a sailor blush, and her spicy scenes are hot.

I love the fiery and feisty women that Elsie writes. And Billie Black is this and more! I love the fireworks between Vaughn and Billie when they first meet. It’s the complete opposite of a meet cute, and I am totally here for it.

Honestly, I found myself rooting for the love story between Billie and DD way more than with Billie and Vaughn. The connections we can have with animals is such a blessing. I have the world’s best Golden Retriever and it is easy to extrapolate my feelings for her to be similar to what Billie feels with DD. I was super emotional through all of the DD scenes!

I really enjoyed this book but it overall left me wanting a bit. The happily ever after was a little too abrupt and contrived for me. I liked the outcome, I just wish it hadn’t felt so rushed.

This is Elsie Silver’s debut novel. And it’s the seventh book I’ve read by her. I started with her newest, Wild Love, and absolutely loved it. Then I read the Chestnut Springs series and loved those books even more! I was nervous to read her debut series, because I know authors really change and develop their writing more with each book. But her debut novel is overall great and I’m excited to read the rest of this series while I wait for Wild Eyes to come out in September!

Content Warnings

Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose

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dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

My summary:

Beth has spent weeks taking care of her mother, Laura, around the clock as Laura loses her battle with cancer. In her dying breath, her mother’s final words leave Beth with more questions than answers. As her brother, Michael, and sister, Nicole, return to their childhood home in the wake of their mother’s death, family secrets begin to be unearthed. And they each learn that sometimes you really don’t know the ones closest to you—or what secrets they keep.

My thoughts:

Good old fashioned peer pressure made me read this book. I kept seeing it everywhere, so here we are. I was also really in need of a genre switch from romance and this was a perfect palette cleanser for me.

I immediately felt pulled into this story. Jeneva Rose has a very descriptive writing style. It’s really insightful. I especially love all of her analogies as descriptions throughout the entire book.

I like the multiple POV storytelling, especially in a thriller or suspense book. It is interesting to see and hear each person’s side of the story. My heart just breaks for Beth and her mom’s death. I was immediately annoyed by Michael and his whole “holier than thou” complex. I couldn’t really relate to Nicole but I empathized with her. And as a mom with growing teenagers, I really FELT Laura’s first chapter.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I definitely recommend it as a good family secrets, small town, murder mystery. I do feel like I read it during a period of time where I was extra busy and I couldn’t devote as much attention to reading as I wanted. It would’ve been a much faster read for me typically than how long it took me to get through it, just because I felt like I never had time to sit and read it.

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

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funny hopeful 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

5.0

My summary:

Elsy Merriweather has had a tough year. With a lackluster career as a part time English professor and a broken heart, the only thing keeping her going is looking forward to her annual book club getaway to a cabin in New York. When everyone else in the group bails on her, Elsy decides to still go on her own. On the way, a rainstorm comes up fast that forces her into a small town. And Elsy is shocked to find she’s in her favorite fictional town, the setting of a series that was left incomplete.

My thoughts:

I love this book so much. So, so much. It really resonates with me. I love books with bookish references or themes, but this one takes the cake. Who wouldn’t want to find themselves in their favorite fictional book’s setting??!? And I liked it right off the bat, so I knew it would be a great one for me.

I found this book to be so cute and fun. I just want to climb inside of it and live there forever! I love the premise of finding yourself lost in an incomplete favorite fictional series. It’s every readers dream come true, am I right? I think anyone who reads fiction to escape reality will really enjoy this book.

I also love Ashley Poston’s idea that the readers, and each reader’s unique interpretation of a book, influence the book just as much as the author who wrote it. This take is everything. The idea that a book is different for everyone, and even the same person reading it at different times in their life, is so true.

I did find some plot points to feel a bit abrupt. I didn’t feel a buildup of chemistry between Elsy and Anders that I would’ve liked. But, overall, I love the premise and bookish themes here so much that it’s still a five-star read for me. And somehow it left me an emotional mess, all the way through the Readers Guide at the end.

Content Warnings

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

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informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

My summary:

The premise of Atomic Habits by James Clear is that small habit changes can equal great results over time. As described in the beginning, the concepts in this book are designed to help you fulfill your potential. It discusses strategies and the reasoning behind those strategies to help anyone make easy, effective, and lasting changes in all areas of life.

My thoughts:

This is overall a fantastic book. It’s simple to understand. The concepts are easy to apply. Great real-life applications are given throughout the book. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking to make positive change in their life or reinforce newly established habits in the long term.

This unabridged version is narrated by the author and I really enjoy that I’m hearing him reading me the book. It almost feels like I’m sitting at a table with him and we’re just discussing how to improve life by building positive habits.

I really don’t love reading nonfiction or self help books. I have a hard time finishing them (maybe there’s a self help book for that?!). I read most of this book years ago but never actually finished it. So I figured listening to it as an audiobook would be a great way to finally finish it. Although I checked out a bit mentally here and there and had to rewind a bit it places, I feel like I got a lot out of listening to it.

Love Unwritten by Lauren Asher

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emotional 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

4.0

My summary:

Ellie Sinclair is a live-in nanny taking care of Nico, the eight-year-old son of billionaire Rafael Lopez. She moved back to her small hometown of Lake Wisteria after being betrayed by her best friend who made it big as a singer without crediting Ellie for being her songwriter. Rafael is a billionaire after designing a popular real estate app with his cousin years ago. After being badly hurt by his ex-wife, Rafael swore off getting close to anyone again. As both Ellie and Rafael struggle with past trauma, they can’t help but be drawn to each other.

My thoughts:

Love Unwritten by Lauren Asher is the second book of the Lakefront Billionaire series. The books are interconnected but this could be read as a standalone book.

Nico has my heart. This adorable 8-year old was introduced in Love Redesigned as the godson of rivals-to-lovers Julian and Dahlia. My heart just breaks for his eye condition, his POS mom, and his strained relationship with his dad. Thank goodness for Ellie and her music!

This is a slow burn romance with small town vibes. I enjoyed aspects of the story and the overall ending, but it just moved a little too slow and was a little too long for me to really love it. I absolutely adored Love Redesigned and I had extremely high expectations for this second book of the series. And it was fine—just not as great as I was expecting and hoping it to be. I didn’t feel much chemistry between Ellie and Rafa. I found myself annoyed with their lack of communication. But I did love Ellie’s songwriting storyline and I got literal goosebumps at one point when one of her songs was played!

It is absolutely worth the hassle to download the extended epilogue from BookFunnel. I really enjoyed it and it left me with a smile and feeling good at the end of it.

I feel like I must be a bit burnt out on romance and I’m probably overdue for a genre switch for a bit. This is one of those books where I am left wondering if I would have had a better perception of it if I’d been less stuck in a rut of the same genre leading up to reading it.

Overall, I do enjoy Lauren Asher’s books and this series enough to [im]patiently wait for the third installment of the series with Lorenzo and Lily’s story!

Content Warnings

House of Earth and Blood (2 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Sarah J. Maas

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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

5.0

My summary:

Bryce Quinlan is a half-fae, half-human party girl living in Crescent City. Her roommate and best friend since college is Danika Fendyr, a powerful wolf shifter that will someday lead her pack. The two are inseparable, as well as with Danika’s pack, until gruesome murders occur that rock Bryce’s world to her core. Two years later, when another similar murder occurs, Bryce finds herself pulled into the investigation to try to find the killer and avenge the deaths of those closest to her. Bryce is saddled with Hunt Athalar, the Shadow of Death, a fallen angel and a slave to the Archangels, in the investigation. In a world ruled by the Asteri and governed by the Archangels, the constant war between the Vanir and the humans set a backdrop of Bryce and Hunt trying to save Crescent City in their quest for vengeance.

My thoughts:

If you haven’t yet listened to a GraphicAudio version audiobook, then you are absolutely missing out! I really love the Graphic Audio version audiobooks.

GraphicAudio says it’s a “movie for your ears” and they’re not wrong. It features a full cast, sound effects, and music. It is so much more fun than listening to a traditional audiobook, especially for fantasy books. They are not an unabridged version of the books though, so if you’re not ok with the adapted version then you should listen to the traditional audiobook version.

I have read all of the Crescent City books and I really love this series! Listening to this version of the audiobook is so fun, I’d completely forget I was actually working while listening along. It’s so easy to be completely immersed in the story with the full cast and sound effects. I really felt pulled into the story the entire time while listening.

The irreverent Bryce never serves to disappoint, and I feel like this audiobook really made that shine! I enjoyed the casting of every character. My favorite part of listening to the audiobooks of fantasy books is always finding out that I was mispronouncing every name and place. It always makes me chuckle a bit to hear the right pronunciation versus what I thought it was all along.

I can’t wait for the rest of the Crescent City series to be released as GraphicAudio versions. Hopefully it will tide me over until the next book in the series is published!

Content Warnings

Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood

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emotional funny sad 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? No

4.75

My summary:

Rue Siebert has a chemical engineering PhD and works with her best friend, Tisha. Rue loves her job and the company she works for, Kline. The woman who founded it, Florence, has always been a friend and a mentor to her. Not one for relationships, Rue depends on a hookup app and meets Eli through it, and although instantly attracted to each other, their night is waylaid by an interruption. The next day, an announcement is made at Rue’s company that Harkness, a private equity firm, has acquired the company’s loan. Rue is shocked to find Eli there, as he is an owner of Harkness. As the hostile takeover begins, Rue and Eli are pitted against each other on opposite sides but their attraction is too much to resist.

My thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book and the longer I sit and reflect on it, the more I like it. Not in Love is NOT a typical Ali Hazelwood STEM romcom. At all. There is a strong STEM female main character, and there is romance, but this is the darker and grittier sister to the otherwise lighthearted and flirtier preceding books of hers. I found it to be tragically beautiful.

I suggest everyone read the author’s note at the beginning before reading, or better yet, before purchasing. Especially if you’re expecting Ali’s typical lighthearted rom-com. It’s a very accurate summation of the plot. I’ve already seen a handful of other reviews that DNF or disliked it. And one didn’t even start it because of the author’s note and the themes in the book. This is a book best enjoyed if you know what you’re diving into.

I liked this book right off the bat. It’s witty but you have to work a bit to really absorb it all. Her humor reminds me of a masterful stand-up comedian whose best jokes and stories circle back to phrasing or references from earlier.

And apparently a smutty yet still science-y Ali Hazelwood is exactly what I need in my life. I knew before it was released that this book would be a lot spicier than her other books. And it is, but I’d call it smut with a brain (Intelligent smut?). It didn’t feel like the main focus to me. The smut isn’t THE plot, the smut is a tool used to advance the plot (plus, to entertain. I mean, it’s still smut in a romance book).

Overall, I was really invested in how everything would play out for Eli and Rue. I love Eli’s patience with Rue. I enjoyed the descriptions of Rue’s thoughts as she grappled with her feelings. I really enjoyed Eli’s friends and Tisha (and even Nyota) for Rue.

I love the little details in this book, especially the chapters having titles. I’m not sure why books seemed to get away from this but it always feels like a little treat when they are included.

This book is witty, but it’s definitely not a rom-com. It’s spicy, but it’s not pure smut and there IS a plot. It’s a romance, but it’s just as much a recovery from past traumas and healing enough to love.

I love that Ali’s last few books have been so different. YA, paranormal, and now a darker sister of STEM. (I loved the Mallory Greenleaf reference!) I enjoy Ali’s writing and I like to see her branching out. Although I love all of her STEM romcoms, if you’ve read one then you’ve read them all. I love seeing her writing showcased differently now.

Also, Ali Hazelwood has a STEM background. Her bio says she pursued a PhD in neuroscience. This story really makes me wonder if she got screwed in academia and, then, instead went on to be a writer. I’m wondering if there’s any of her truth in here. It feels pretty raw. I’m also sure that this exploitation of grad students and their intellectual property is likely a real and life-changing issue in the world of academia. Either way, this book really hit it out of the park for me.

Content Warnings

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

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funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

My summary:

Alexis Montgomery is coming off of a bad breakup with an emotionally abusive man and trying to find herself under the heavy expectations of her parents. She is an ER doctor with a family legacy at her hospital, where a Montgomery has worked for the last 125 years. With both her parents retired and her brother working abroad, the legacy is squarely on Alexis’s shoulders. When Alexis finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere on her way back to the city, Daniel Grant rescues her. Living in the small town of Wakan, Daniel is a local mainstay in the community. As sparks fly between Alexis and Daniel, it seems as though their worlds can never merge despite their feelings for each other.

My thoughts:

The Part of Your World Series by Abby Jimenez is truly phenomenal. I have read and now listened to all three books of the series. They can be read or listened to as interconnected standalones, although reading or listening in order would be best. It also ties in here and there to Abby’s Friend Zone series, which I also enjoy as a series.

This audiobook is so witty. I was literally laughing out loud and smiling along while listening. I absolutely adore both narrators. It’s narrated by Julia Whelan and Zachary Webber. They both do a fantastic job with a fantastic story.

First of all, Daniel has a baby goat in pajamas. Where exactly is the conundrum in deciding to date him? Like, what more could you possibly ask for??!? C’mon, Alexis, pull your head out of your ass already.

Secondly, Daniel is just perfect. He is so wholesome, kind, selfless, and down to earth. And he tows women out of ditches and makes the best grilled cheeses.

And third, Alexis made me want to beat my head on the wall at times. She is snooty, spoiled, too worried about her image, and self-centered through almost all of the book. And I get that she’s a spoiled rich girl that’s always had someone clean her house. But to not know how to use a broom? C’mon. It’s so dumb.

Lastly, the group effort of the dick pic was amazing. I laughed so hard. Everyone needs friends like Doug and Liz.

Overall, this is a great and heartwarming story. I love the small town vibes and the message of finding what is truly important to yourself. Abby’s books just have so much more substance than what it seems on face value. I highly recommend the books or audiobooks of this entire series.

Content Warnings

Holding the Reins by Paisley Hope

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lighthearted medium-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

3.5

My summary:

Cece Ashby returns to her small hometown in Kentucky after calling off her engagement to Andrew, a hotshot lawyer that she’s dated for the last seven years. She started dating him in college but has now realized he’s a cheating scumbag. Moving back from Seattle is bittersweet for Cece since her beloved dad passed away only a few months ago. Although happy to be with her mom, brothers and niece, Cece is not prepared to see Nash Carter. Nash is a retired NHL star and grew up like an annoying brother to Cece and is still best friends with her brothers. The Ashbys took Nash in after he traumatically lost his parents as a teenager. Now, sparks fly when Cece takes a job under Nash at the ice rink he owns in town. And it takes all of Nash’s control to try to keep his hands off his best friend’s little sister.

My thoughts:

Holding the Reins is Paisley Hope’s debut novel and the first book of the Silver Pines series. It is a small town, spicy romance and a lot of my favorite tropes are here! Best friend’s little sister, return to hometown, retired NHL star, found family, secret relationship, and workplace romance.

It is originally self-published and was released in February 2024. And now it’s been picked up by a traditional publisher and is being re-released in August 2024. Paisley has a lot more in the pipeline already and her writing is really promising as a new author!

The characters are really lovable. Everyone, from the main characters to the side characters, are really fun and impossible to dislike. Nash Carter can be so swoony at times and Cece is adorable. There is witty banter, especially in the text messages. And Nash’s backstory is so heartbreaking and tragic, so you can’t help but hope for his happy ending.

I really enjoy the small town aspects of this story! The people, the gossip (literally everyone knew about the vibrator at the beginning), and the sense of community. I love the Sangria Sundays with all the women in town together at the bar and then collectively hungover on Mondays.

The bones of a good story are here but it needs more refinement. I’m really excited to watch the glow up that Paisley is sure to have under a big publisher. There were a lot of typos. The writing style feels fairly amateur and some of the phrases were really repetitive (we get it, your boss is a hard-ass). I also found most of the spice to be pretty cringey.

Overall, the foundation of a great series is here and the carpet is rolled out for Wade and Ivy’s story and Cole and Ginger’s story. I’m excited to see not only what happens at the Silver Pines Ranch, but also to see Paisley Hope’s career take off!

Content Warnings

Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver

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dark 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

4.5

My summary:

Lark Montague is a singer—and a serial killer. Once the victim of abuse at her boarding school, she has since made it her mission in life to rid the world of as many other abusers as she can. When one such event goes wrong, Lark has to call in a cleanup crew. The responding guy is a complete asshat, who she later finds out is Lachlan Kane. Lachlan’s brother, Rowan, is marrying Lark’s best friend, Sloane. And now Lachlan, a leather worker by day, is stuck in his contract job even longer after he botched Lark’s cleanup job. When a threat emerges against Lark’s family, the only way to save those she loves is to do the unthinkable and marry Lachlan. And also find the person hunting them.

My thoughts:

Leather & Lark is the second book of the dark romance Ruinous Love trilogy by Brynne Weaver. This book, just like the first in the series, is a wild ride.

This book is completely fecking unhinged, right off the bat. Lark is the beautiful singer and sparky serial killer that I never knew I needed in my life. And Lachlan’s determination to win over Lark is, well, sweet and hot.

I love the little bit of overlap in time between this book and Butcher & Blackbird. Somehow this was a more tender and less murder-y book than Butcher & Blackbird. There is still plenty of dark humor here but not quite as much as I hoped to have.

Brynne Weaver does say the injured dog listed in the trigger warnings will be ok. But seriously, if he wasn’t, I would throw hands over it. I can deal just fine with the serial killers but I absolutely cannot deal with dogs being harmed. So, I will confirm that she told the truth and the dog is ok.

I enjoy that it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I do *not* enjoy now having to wait for the third and final book of this trilogy.

Content Warnings

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amateur_bookworm's reviews 589 reviews

amateur_bookworm's reviews
589 reviews