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booksjenrecs's reviews
295 reviews
The Half King by Melissa Landers
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? N/A
4.75
Landers pulled me into this story right from the very first chapter, and I was caught up in the action, magic, secrets, and romance until the very last page.
Cerise has a typical fantasy trajectory: plucked from obscurity, catches the eye of the tall, dark, and handsome character, discovers her destiny, and saves the day. But while the formula is familiar, Cerise's story has so many unique elements. From her backstory to her character development, the path Cerise found herself on was anything but ordinary. With many of the main cast of characters in their early 20s, Cerise's journey did have a lot of "chosen one meant to save the world" elements that I usually find more in YA fantasy, but Landers included so many other elements to this story that I didn't once mind any of the tropes that were used in this story.
I thought all the characters in this story were well written. Each one had their own strengths while also leaving me to question their motives or intentions at least once. I loved not being sure about how any of the characters would react to every new situation, but I especially loved being able to root for my favorites all the way to the end.
There were a lot of elements that went into this story. From rising up against the accepted norm, to undoing curses, to commentary on blindly following the group dynamic, this story ended up being so much more than just a girl saving the people she loves. I was truly wrapped up in Cerise and Kian's adventure from start to finish, and highly recommend The Half King.
Dark Lover by J.R. Ward
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Dusk Before Dawn by Fiona Davenport
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson
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
4.75
Like It's Christmas by Diana A. Hicks
emotional
hopeful
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? N/A
4.0
I loved the dynamic between Rhett and Parker from their very first interaction, and my love for these two only got stronger as they went from office enemies to fake dating themselves to something real.
Rhett was such a good grumpy character. He very much had his reasons for acting the way he did, so it was even better when his cold demeanor started to thaw for Parker. I enjoyed both Parker and Rhett's character arcs throughout the story. While Parker wore a lot of her thoughts and feelings on her sleeve, Rhett definitely kept things closer to his chest. But as secrets came to light, these two only ended up strengthening their bond and love for each other.
The overall writing and storytelling was good, and while Like It's Christmas was a fairly quick read, it definitely put me in the mood for Christmas romances. There were several side characters that I would love to see more of, and I cant' wait to see everything that's to come for Winterstorm Village.
The Great and Terrible by Gena Showalter
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
The Wizard of Oz is admittedly not a go-to for me when I'm wanting to read a retelling. But Gena Showalter's Wizard of Oz-inspired fantasy hit all the checkboxes for me and gave me a story I couldn't put down from beginning to end.
For fans of the movie and/or original story, Gena managed to work in a lot of references while making this story wholly her own. I immediately felt for Moriah and the struggles she was facing at home, coupled with knowing her father needed help she just couldn't provide herself. Being transported to a new world was the last thing Moriah needed, but it was also the catalyst to Moriah becoming her best self.
Unlike the land that inspired it, Showalter's fictional world is not all gumdrops and lollipops from the very start. It's evident that the world Moriah now found herself in had danger around every corner, with one wrong step (or one little lie) easily dooming whole groups of people. I loved this idea of the whole world Moriah found herself in just being more menacing right from the get go. Gena took everything Dorothy had to be scared of and amplified it tenfold.
I really enjoyed all the supporting characters in The Great and Terrible. Moriah stood out all on her own, but her journey wouldn't have been nearly as interesting if it weren't for the cast of characters she traveled with. Jasher was a stand-out character; he was grumpy, he was stoic, and he kept a lot of secrets from Moriah. But watching him slowly open up and put it all on the line to keep Moriah safe? His actions made me like him as a love interest, despite all the big reveals.
This story was, start to finish, an epic adventure that seemed both familiar and strange. By the end, this felt like a perfect start to Moriah's adventures, and I can't wait to see what comes next.
Grave Matter by Karina Halle
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I absolutely love an unreliable narrator, and Karina Halle gives readers the ultimate in compromised main characters in Sydney Denik. I was glued to the page from start to finish, and it's psychological thrillers like this that remind me that Halle used to be a screenwriter; Grave Matter could easily play out on the screen with the amount of detail and depth included in every scene.
Between all the unknowns scattered throughout the story, and the gothic vibes that permeate deep much like the very fungi our main character has set out to study, I felt spellbound while devouring this story. Sydney, her fellow students, and the teachers and researchers at the Madrona Foundation were all so well written. Halle not only did a phenomenal job at creating a narrator who knows she can't trust herself, but she also kept so many pieces in play between the other characters and even the setting. The closer I got to the end, the more I was on the edge of my seat as more and more secrets and truths were revealed. The big reveal was one I never saw coming, and I will probably think about it for days to come.
Karina Halle always has such a way with storytelling; from the actions on the page to the descriptions of the trees, it's just so easy to envision everything that was happening. Grave Matter was more science-based than I'm used to reading from Halle, but even with my very limited knowledge of fungi, I had no problem enjoying the story. I do enjoy science fiction, and the fact that this had elements of both psychological thriller and science fiction really made this story stand out.
Between an outstanding cast of characters - many of whom had questionable alliances up until the very end - and a lush and terrifying landscape, Grave Matter is a new favorite book from Karina Halle.
Breaking Away by Sookh Kaur
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
4.75
Breaking Away might just be my favorite romance from Sookh Kaur yet. I loved the dynamic between Dmitri and Kavi, and I really enjoyed watching them both work through their situations with each other's help.
Dmitri was such a lovable grump; with plenty of personal baggage keeping him from ever branching out, his character arc was so satisfying to watch as he eventually began opening up, first to Kavi and then the rest of his team. Both Kavi and Dmitri had some awesome character growth throughout the story, and I really enjoyed seeing them grow both personally and professionally. Kavi had to overcome so much gaslighting, both from her (former) fiancé and her own parents, and it was heartbreaking at times. Breaking away from the cage that everyone had put her in was the most satisfying part of Kavi's character development.
Watching both Dmitri and Kavi break free of the boxes they had mentally put themselves in because of the way people treated them was probably the most exciting part of this romance for me. Both main characters did make things quite spicy when they finally got together, but their chemistry was written so well and really turned up the heat. This did seem like Kaur's steamiest romance to date, and Kavi and Dmitri were hot enough to melt the ice.
Breaking Away was a steamy rivals-to-lovers romance that was only made better by the emotional journeys that Kaur crafted for both characters outside of the bedroom. From their personal dilemmas, to all the hockey action on the ice and in the locker room, to the romance itself, Breaking Away was a well-written story perfect for any hockey romance fans.
Bull Moon Rising by Ruby Dixon
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Arran's Obsession by Jolie Vines
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75