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beckykphillips's reviews
353 reviews
Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I didn’t fully jive with this book, it took a bit to get going, however, the last 20% of this book leading up to the ending was great. Haunted house that follows you home.
The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Suraya Saab is the daughter of a tavern owner and works a blacksmith dabbling in illegal runes in a quiet town. However, her life changes suddenly when she receives an invitation to the Royal palace where the crown prince will choose his bride from the invitees. While Suraya is not particularly taken with the idea, she longs to see the capital city and embarks on a journey that will take her further than she ever realized,
The Starlight Heir is a romantasy that takes place in a desert kingdom - I enjoyed that we were not in a european mythology system as that really dominates the genre. There were also fun touches like the characters saying "Sands!" as a point of emphasis. We get a literal shadow daddy, an illegitimate prince with mystery, rebels, an evil queen and more.
That being said, I had trouble with this one - I don’t know if it was the pacing or the world building or maybe a combination of both, but the stakes and twists and turns just did not hit for me. I do not mind having tropes and was able to predict many of the twists, but it felt as if some folks just popped out of nowhere to save the day. The characters emotional reactions to things just didn't sink in for me. I enjoyed how the book started, but I felt like after the rebel attack we were being whisked off around to a bunch of people and places without having a better understanding of the world.
I did listen to this as an audiobook and felt the main narrator underacted a bit - it was tough to get at the emotions of the characters, which may have been part of why I felt a disconnect there. Additionally, I had trouble with the narrator's tone changes and had a harder time realizing when different characters were speaking.
Overall, it just didn't quite work for me - but with amazing praise from so many other folks, I'm sure it will find its audience. Thank you to NetGalley and to HarperAudio for the advanced copy.
The Starlight Heir is a romantasy that takes place in a desert kingdom - I enjoyed that we were not in a european mythology system as that really dominates the genre. There were also fun touches like the characters saying "Sands!" as a point of emphasis. We get a literal shadow daddy, an illegitimate prince with mystery, rebels, an evil queen and more.
That being said, I had trouble with this one - I don’t know if it was the pacing or the world building or maybe a combination of both, but the stakes and twists and turns just did not hit for me. I do not mind having tropes and was able to predict many of the twists, but it felt as if some folks just popped out of nowhere to save the day. The characters emotional reactions to things just didn't sink in for me. I enjoyed how the book started, but I felt like after the rebel attack we were being whisked off around to a bunch of people and places without having a better understanding of the world.
I did listen to this as an audiobook and felt the main narrator underacted a bit - it was tough to get at the emotions of the characters, which may have been part of why I felt a disconnect there. Additionally, I had trouble with the narrator's tone changes and had a harder time realizing when different characters were speaking.
Overall, it just didn't quite work for me - but with amazing praise from so many other folks, I'm sure it will find its audience. Thank you to NetGalley and to HarperAudio for the advanced copy.
Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Only Katee Robert could write a delightfully smutty, queer (and specifically MM) romance with a host of diverse characters that also has political intrigue and poignant advice on grieving someone that wasn't who you wanted them to be. In Sweet Obsession, Poseidon has been charged with caring for Icarus after his father has died and his sister, Ariadne, has escaped with the Minotaur. While Icarus initially lives up to his reputation as a seducer who uses sex and his wits to get control over others, the situation shifts as he gets to know Poseidon. We get a bit of grumpy/sunshine and maybe, more accurately, a little teddy bear/manipulator.
While I the only other Dark Olympus book I read was Neon Gods (the first), I did not feel lost in the general universe thanks to both the introductory MuseWatch chapter and overview of events from both Icarus and Poseidon. Sweet Obsession is the eighth (!) book in the Dark Olympus series. Now, of course I realize I've been remiss not to read the others and will going back to get fully caught up. My only gripe is how self-pitying both Icarus and Poseidon get in their heads, which grated on me a bit. On the whole though, I highly recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and to SourceBooks for the advanced copy!
While I the only other Dark Olympus book I read was Neon Gods (the first), I did not feel lost in the general universe thanks to both the introductory MuseWatch chapter and overview of events from both Icarus and Poseidon. Sweet Obsession is the eighth (!) book in the Dark Olympus series. Now, of course I realize I've been remiss not to read the others and will going back to get fully caught up. My only gripe is how self-pitying both Icarus and Poseidon get in their heads, which grated on me a bit. On the whole though, I highly recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and to SourceBooks for the advanced copy!
Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist by Liz Pelly
challenging
informative
slow-paced
4.0
An incredibly detailed and critical evaluation of Spotify's founding, history, and present. With the circulation of the article of Spotify's AI musicians, this should be required follow up reading for anyone wanting to understand Spotify's inner workings and the why of how we got to where we did today with music streaming.
Starting with Spotify's founding as both a Pirate Bay alternative and with the intent of an advertising company, rather than a music company, we learn how Spotify has morphed music consumption from grassroots discovery to editor-curated playlists to mood-based playlists to algorithmic playlists so personalized users end up in their own musical silos. Liz Pelly also goes in depth on how this has impacted musicians in terms of what they need to do to be noticed on the platform and how even playing the streaming game is antithetical to being an artist.
One of the most striking quotes in the book is an employee recollecting Daniel Ek, the CEO of Spotify, said "Apple Music, Amazon, these aren't our competitors. Our only competitor is silence." Even more frightening are the details around the rampant surveillance capitalism where every single click on the app is tracked in some way to then be monetized back to artists and labels.
This book has really changed the way I think about Spotify and I recommend it to anyone wanting to understand the complexities behind streaming culture and also some of the rays of light around how folks are working to make music consumption better for the musicians. I will note that the book can feel quite slow, and is, understandably, pretty gloomy - but the research within is incredible and worth reading.
Thank you very much to Atria Books and to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Starting with Spotify's founding as both a Pirate Bay alternative and with the intent of an advertising company, rather than a music company, we learn how Spotify has morphed music consumption from grassroots discovery to editor-curated playlists to mood-based playlists to algorithmic playlists so personalized users end up in their own musical silos. Liz Pelly also goes in depth on how this has impacted musicians in terms of what they need to do to be noticed on the platform and how even playing the streaming game is antithetical to being an artist.
One of the most striking quotes in the book is an employee recollecting Daniel Ek, the CEO of Spotify, said "Apple Music, Amazon, these aren't our competitors. Our only competitor is silence." Even more frightening are the details around the rampant surveillance capitalism where every single click on the app is tracked in some way to then be monetized back to artists and labels.
This book has really changed the way I think about Spotify and I recommend it to anyone wanting to understand the complexities behind streaming culture and also some of the rays of light around how folks are working to make music consumption better for the musicians. I will note that the book can feel quite slow, and is, understandably, pretty gloomy - but the research within is incredible and worth reading.
Thank you very much to Atria Books and to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Set Piece by Lana Schwartz
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
I went into Set Piece only knowing it was coming from 831 Stories and had one heck of a great time. So, if you want to avoid any spoilers or trope information, let me just say - this is a picture perfect romance where you get actual character development and growth using some very well thought out time jumps in the span of only 160 pages. Set Piece is a novella to get anyone out of a reading slump.
If you're looking for the nitty-gritty - we have a hyper competent single mom, CJ, who is a Hollywood designer and a rising Hollywood star, Jack Felgate, who can't get her out of his head after a chance one night stand five years prior. Fear not, readers are treated right off the bat to some excellent spice in the recounting of the one night stand. Part second chance romance, a little grump-sunshine, all of this adds up to a great time.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and to 831 Stories for an advanced copy.
If you're looking for the nitty-gritty - we have a hyper competent single mom, CJ, who is a Hollywood designer and a rising Hollywood star, Jack Felgate, who can't get her out of his head after a chance one night stand five years prior. Fear not, readers are treated right off the bat to some excellent spice in the recounting of the one night stand. Part second chance romance, a little grump-sunshine, all of this adds up to a great time.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and to 831 Stories for an advanced copy.
Single Player by Tara Tai
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
Single Player is an absolute delight. I adored the take on the gaming industry, and seeing the story unfold with both a drama around the development of the game *and* with a sapphic romance from both Cat and Andi's eyes was so much fun. Such a heartwarming romance and I loved the development of both Andi and Cat throughout the book. Single Player had the most grounded romance characters I’ve read in a while and so many fun easter eggs for anyone who games. That being said, I think you could absolutely enjoy this novel without gaming background though as it isn’t heavy-handed. Natalie Naudus, the narrator, perfectly embodies both Cat and Andi, providing each of them their own unique voice and I now cannot imagine either character sounding any other way.
In addition to the main characters, the side relationships really helped make Cat and Andi feel whole and not fully defined by the romance narrative. Early in the story, the Val/Andi relationship humanizes Andi and helped me look past how serious she took herself, seeing how Val interacts with her let me see Andi more relaxed without putting on the front that she needed to take on at work. Similarly, Rosalie and Cat were another favorite pairing for me - Rosalie's coordination and friendship with Cat was just lovely.
There were so many scenes that stuck with me and I don't want to spoil anything - but I will say the argument in the bathroom was just the best. There are excellent plays on some of the typical romantic tropes - something to delight any romance reader for sure (have I said delight enough yet?!)
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced copy. I wholeheartedly recommend Single Player to kick off anyone's 2025 reading journey.
In addition to the main characters, the side relationships really helped make Cat and Andi feel whole and not fully defined by the romance narrative. Early in the story, the Val/Andi relationship humanizes Andi and helped me look past how serious she took herself, seeing how Val interacts with her let me see Andi more relaxed without putting on the front that she needed to take on at work. Similarly, Rosalie and Cat were another favorite pairing for me - Rosalie's coordination and friendship with Cat was just lovely.
There were so many scenes that stuck with me and I don't want to spoil anything - but I will say the argument in the bathroom was just the best. There are excellent plays on some of the typical romantic tropes - something to delight any romance reader for sure (have I said delight enough yet?!)
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced copy. I wholeheartedly recommend Single Player to kick off anyone's 2025 reading journey.
A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
emotional
hopeful
fast-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
He is literally just a guy. Hit him with your car. (Lovingly)
In all seriousness the passage about how Elsy knows what love is made me cry and I read this book in the span of a day.
In all seriousness the passage about how Elsy knows what love is made me cry and I read this book in the span of a day.
The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Told from multiple viewpoints, The Three Lives of Cate Kay is a fictional memoir unlike anything else I've read. Cate Kay aka Cass Ford aka Annie Callahan is a mysterious writer who has kept her identity secret despite her trilogy of books, The Very Last, rocketing her to stardom. Each chapter is told by varying characters taking us through Annie's life as she transforms to Cass and hides behind Cate.
I really enjoyed this book - I loved the multiple POV and found it particularly fun that Cate/Cass/Annie would put in her thoughts as if she were reading these recollections from each different character. Seeing the progression of. the chapter titles through Annie & Cass was also this great insight into where we were with her development. It also felt extra special as even minor characters got their moment in the sun, I found that particularly touching for Carl, the man in charge of the P.O. Boxes. The quote: "The trick of life, as I see it now, is to make what's around you beautiful. It'll grow from there. Took me a long time to see that." really embodies so much of the book and I highlighted and double underlined it while I read it.
Kate Fagan also expertly depicts what it's like to have a Best friend with a capital B between Amanda and Annie. There are so many moments throughout the book, but my favorite is how she captures the lexicon of friendship where you have these inside jokes and vernacular particular to you and your bestie. These get woven into the snippets of The Very Last that we get throughout the book as well.
Finally, of course, the different kinds of love as Annie/Cass stumbles her way through relationships - her unrequited love with Amanda, her situationship with Sidney, and her longing for Ryan.
All in all, I highly recommend this book - it's wonderfully queer, the character development is just lovely, and will be a great way for anyone to start of their 2025 reading.
Thank you so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
I really enjoyed this book - I loved the multiple POV and found it particularly fun that Cate/Cass/Annie would put in her thoughts as if she were reading these recollections from each different character. Seeing the progression of. the chapter titles through Annie & Cass was also this great insight into where we were with her development. It also felt extra special as even minor characters got their moment in the sun, I found that particularly touching for Carl, the man in charge of the P.O. Boxes. The quote: "The trick of life, as I see it now, is to make what's around you beautiful. It'll grow from there. Took me a long time to see that." really embodies so much of the book and I highlighted and double underlined it while I read it.
Kate Fagan also expertly depicts what it's like to have a Best friend with a capital B between Amanda and Annie. There are so many moments throughout the book, but my favorite is how she captures the lexicon of friendship where you have these inside jokes and vernacular particular to you and your bestie. These get woven into the snippets of The Very Last that we get throughout the book as well.
Finally, of course, the different kinds of love as Annie/Cass stumbles her way through relationships - her unrequited love with Amanda, her situationship with Sidney, and her longing for Ryan.
All in all, I highly recommend this book - it's wonderfully queer, the character development is just lovely, and will be a great way for anyone to start of their 2025 reading.
Thank you so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
The Wedding Date Disaster by Kate Mathieson
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Gemma Evans is a hard working editor at Peacock Press, who has just been passed over for a promotion over her work nemesis, Ben McDonald. To top it all off, her sister, Lulu, is getting married at a luxurious villa in Italy and her long-term, very practical partner, Adam, decides not to join Gemma at the wedding as he's trying to prepare for his new job. Gemma enlists her friend to help her find a fake date for the wedding who could stand in as Adam to avoid further disdain from her family. Gemma is beside herself when none other than Ben shows up to be her +1.
The Wedding Date Disaster has fake dating, family strife, and workplace rivalry, all while Gemma works to transform herself from an emotional doormat into a self-assured whole person.
I had some challenges with the book at the beginning where there was an intense focus on the designer clothing that was going on at Peacock Press, which felt a bit out of place, but I think was there to show Gemma's general discomfort and feeling like she didn't fit in. However, I really had some challenges with the events with Lulu and some of the tasks and ways Lulu and Gemma's family treated her were just excruciating. It made the resolution at the end feel too quick for a lifetime of being put last in everyone's eyes.
I did appreciate seeing Ben pull Gemma out of her shell and the enemies to lovers romance absolutely sucked me in. However, there are some HP references in there that I really wish had been replaced by something else just given how JK has fully tainted that franchise.
Overall, this is a fun, quick book with a lovely romance element, but some challenges meant it wasn't quite a home run for me. Thank you so much to HarperCollins One More Chapter and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
The Wedding Date Disaster has fake dating, family strife, and workplace rivalry, all while Gemma works to transform herself from an emotional doormat into a self-assured whole person.
I had some challenges with the book at the beginning where there was an intense focus on the designer clothing that was going on at Peacock Press, which felt a bit out of place, but I think was there to show Gemma's general discomfort and feeling like she didn't fit in. However, I really had some challenges with the events with Lulu and some of the tasks and ways Lulu and Gemma's family treated her were just excruciating. It made the resolution at the end feel too quick for a lifetime of being put last in everyone's eyes.
I did appreciate seeing Ben pull Gemma out of her shell and the enemies to lovers romance absolutely sucked me in. However, there are some HP references in there that I really wish had been replaced by something else just given how JK has fully tainted that franchise.
Overall, this is a fun, quick book with a lovely romance element, but some challenges meant it wasn't quite a home run for me. Thank you so much to HarperCollins One More Chapter and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
The Way Up is Death by Dan Hanks
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
After a mysterious tower appears in the skies, thirteen random people are plucked from society with the command from the tower to ascend. As the strangers get to know each other, will they be able to work together to solve what the tower wants? Combining elements from video games, psychological horror, and Norse mythology (and more!) - Dan Hanks has woven a masterful tale that explores what it means to be human and also what it means to grieve.
Throughout the story, there are three POV characters - Alden, Nia, and Dirk. Alden is a primary school teacher struggling with grief, Nia is an artist who has retreated from society, and Dirk is a famous children's author and social media influencer. I really enjoyed Alden's arc throughout the story most - while there are increasingly gruesome scenarios unfolding in the story, Alden's character development was really excellent as he begins to reckon with both the loss of his family and his dog. Nia's character also very much grew on me as the story progressed. I struggled being in Dirk's perspective as he is so loathsome he felt a bit one dimensional. In contrast to Alden, Dirk really never got better - he just gets progressively worse.
As the characters ascend, there are different tower levels that have to be solved by the group. I really enjoyed how each level reflected each person, and did add into the element of the video game side of things. It brought in more about each character and provided additional depth that I didn't think would be possible with such a large cast of characters.
Overall, if you're looking for a fast-paced psychological thriller with surprising emotional depth, I definitely recommend The Way Up is Death.
Thank you so much to Angry Robot for the advanced copy.
Throughout the story, there are three POV characters - Alden, Nia, and Dirk. Alden is a primary school teacher struggling with grief, Nia is an artist who has retreated from society, and Dirk is a famous children's author and social media influencer. I really enjoyed Alden's arc throughout the story most - while there are increasingly gruesome scenarios unfolding in the story, Alden's character development was really excellent as he begins to reckon with both the loss of his family and his dog. Nia's character also very much grew on me as the story progressed. I struggled being in Dirk's perspective as he is so loathsome he felt a bit one dimensional. In contrast to Alden, Dirk really never got better - he just gets progressively worse.
As the characters ascend, there are different tower levels that have to be solved by the group. I really enjoyed how each level reflected each person, and did add into the element of the video game side of things. It brought in more about each character and provided additional depth that I didn't think would be possible with such a large cast of characters.
Overall, if you're looking for a fast-paced psychological thriller with surprising emotional depth, I definitely recommend The Way Up is Death.
Thank you so much to Angry Robot for the advanced copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence