bookphenomena_micky's reviews
4674 reviews

This one had something of a confusing start. We needed some tell before the show to understand what the heck this vehicle business was. It took a fair few pages to work out a bunch of academics in a hot dog advertising truck...could this be any more bizarre. Suffice it to say, it didn't start well but it did improve.

Nina was a confident woman and William was an introvert, along for the ride of being next to Nina. The scenes where they connected honestly were good but it was soon over as was the story.

This might have been a short read but it hit every spot for me. The best friend's brother wasn't ick, the movement to more was a slow burn and the the flashbacks to their denial years (at least Jamie's denial years) gave authentic feels. Marc's longing and patience made him a winning hero.

I got some stomach flutters with this one and that is a rare thing for me. I can see myself reeling out this novella for a yearly Christmas read so it wins the collection. No surprise, because I am a Hazelwood fan. 

I'm not normally a huge fan of this author but this story had sweetness, a solid plot and an opposites pairing. Luke was easy to like, this mammoth farmer, awkward and shy initally. Evie was sweet but also wary as a struggling single mom. The shyness and the sweet looked very different when things got intimate. I loved the present, the jeans and the four grilled cheese sandwiches; love was shown not told and it made me feel this instalust could believably be more. 

A cute epilogue sealed the deal. 

Headlines:
A city of ego
Violated tribes
Magical dark academia

I am so desperate to do this book justice in my review as I am full of feelings on finishing. This has been a book I have both devoured and savoured over a week. It has made me feel anger at the horrendous injustices, hopeful that things could change, sadness and excitment at the plot in general.

Sciona, a female mage trying to trailblaze ranks that no female mage had ever reached, was such a worthy protagonist. She was single-minded and blinkered in her quest for admittance to the magistery and then the same about the tasks she was given. Alongside Sciona was Thomil, a Kwen servent, janitor and then assistant. I don't even have the words to describe the two races in this book. Suffice it to say that methaphor could not be missed in these two nations housed in one strip of land and my heart hurt.

The plot was fantastic, a dark academia based on magical powers and the pursuit to learn more. It wasn't heavy or dull, a criticism I often see about dark academia. It was engaging and thrilling with a fairly fast pace.

There were themes of patriachy, misogyny, abuse, prejudice and some content that might be difficult for some readers. All of these elements were handled with care and measure, not for sensationalism but to highlight power dynamics and how leaders wield their power to those who are at their mercy. It wasn't preachy either, you could read this on the surface or you can sink your teeth into the deeper themes that are there for readers.

I am so impressed with this story, the plot, the characterisation and the ease of writing. This book will hit my top ten list for sure for 2024.

Thank you to DelreyUK for the review copy. 

Headlines:
Unique plotline
Too many POVs
Satisfying end

I went through a lot of phases with this read...interest, questioning which person was narrating, at which time, some lulls and a surge of renewed interest in the last 10%. This story, with fate at the head was fascinating but rather long-winded at times.

The characters were not that likeable but that wasn't the purpose of this story. It started with strangers on a plane having a shared experience of forced fortunes, death dates and causes. That whole early part of the book was so incredibly shocking. The rest of the book was the fall out for these characters and the effect of living with this information.

The "psychic" was a really unlikeable character but I did like the direction the author took with her in the latter part of the book. How the plot resolved itself was truly satisfying and finished the book in a better place than I was expecting.

The middle section of the book was overly long. The many, many POVs were excessive and confusing (a trend with this author). I wished it could have kept my interest more avidly throughout.

I've enjoyed Liane Moriarty books in the past, but the prior release was a DNF, now this one was very middling. I will be a wary reader in the future.

Thank you to the publisher through netgalley for the eARC.

 

I liked the story and the two MCs but a few things I found difficult. The art wasn't that appealing to me and the text was difficult to read throughout. Those two elements are so crucial in liking a graphic novel and while it could just be me, I suspect it isn't.

Not sure if I'll continue. 

Headlines:
Protective male
Single dad
Hiding
Abuse

There were some heavy themes in From Here to Eternity but they were balanced well with a connection that seemed meant to be (please check the content warnings at the end if you need to). Charleigh had been on the run for some time, grieving and just surviving when she turned up at River's tattoo shop hoping to imprint some words on her skin. There was a real fizzle of something between these two.

River found himself inviting Charleigh into his home and family with his son Nolan. Charleigh found so many things she needed in this found family, his sister with similar experiences, his son who she adored and some small sense of safety.

River was a complex, morally grey hero. He gave off dark and dangerous vibes but there was a soft centre. The single dad element was endearing, the cause he and his friends pursued was pretty noble. Charleigh was completely skittish, untrusting but her past gave her reasons to want to be invisible. The revealing of that past was difficult reading.

The reveal that came in the latter part of the read was so unexpected. It made for a tense and exciting end.

Thank you to the author for the review copy.

 

Headlines:
From Lady to low
Secrets
World building-heavy

A lot happened in this series starter but I've ended very invested in what's to come for the characters in this series. There was a lot of world building and a rather complex plot but I imagine the burden of set-up will be less in the subsequent books. I also feel like the world-building was worth it and I managed to keep up.

It was a interesting world with a coming-of-age-magic ceremony that revealed so much in terms of disappointment for the protagonist Lyr and her family. These women had big secrets to keep and what started as excitment about the start of the adult life and magic capabilities became full of peril and uncertainty.

I liked the diminished Lyr much more than the entitled young women she was initially. The experiences she had built her character and I really enjoyed her time in the sortorion training. The triangle shaped connection between Lyr, Tristan and Rhyen had me invested and I know who I am rooting for.

There were some nasty characters including those in power and some fellow sotorion trainees. All this was offset by the sortorion Lyr was apprenticed to; he was kindness and empowerment. I can't claim to truly understand one aspect of the world but I hope to get clearer about that as the series progresses.

I am looking forward to the next book I have here. There are also some novellas I want to pick up but the blurb says they have spoilers for book two, so I'll hold off reading those for now.

Thank you to Hodderscape for the review copy. 

Audio review
This book got off to a good start with a meet cute in the protagonist's bakery/cafe, there was chemistry over coffee. Everything from there was coincidence or was it hexing? I liked Dina initally and her friends and family. It was a cosy world.

BUT, from there, the foot was on the accelerator and insta love ensued. These two did have that inital spark but I would have enjoyed a slower and more realistic build so much more than what we got. I also would have liked more tension and effort to find their way to one another.

I was left feeling a bit unsatisfied and I didn't enjoy the descriptions of intimacy. I know this was a debut, so I'd give the author another go because there was a finesse to the writing itself, just the plotting and characterisation didn't work for me.

Narration-wise, this was dual POV with dual narration. Good narrator choices.