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booktalkwithrae's reviews
847 reviews
To Kill a Shadow by Katherine Quinn
adventurous
lighthearted
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? No
2.0
To Kill a Shadow by Katherine Quinn presents a traditional young adult fantasy narrative that, while familiar, left me yearning for deeper immersion. The world-building felt superficial, relying heavily on letters at the beginning of each chapter to convey history and lore. This method, though effective in some novels, fell short here, leaving me with more questions than answers.
The characters, particularly Kiara and Jude, lacked depth and development. Their interactions seemed rushed, and overall gave me that insta-love or insta- attraction feel than I don’t enjoy. It made it challenging to invest in their journey and romance progression.
The narrative also suffered from pacing issues. While the ending was action-packed, by that point, I was disengaged and more interested in concluding the read than in the outcome.
I alternated between reading and listening to the audiobook and found the narration choices puzzling. The narrators' voices sounded considerably older than the characters they portrayed, hindering my ability to connect with the protagonists. This casting decision detracted from the overall experience and made immersion challenging.
While To Kill a Shadow may appeal to readers seeking a conventional YA fantasy, it didn't resonate with me. The lack of intricate world-building, underdeveloped characters, and inconsistent pacing overshadowed the story's potential. Despite an intriguing cliffhanger, I don't anticipate continuing with the series.
The characters, particularly Kiara and Jude, lacked depth and development. Their interactions seemed rushed, and overall gave me that insta-love or insta- attraction feel than I don’t enjoy. It made it challenging to invest in their journey and romance progression.
The narrative also suffered from pacing issues. While the ending was action-packed, by that point, I was disengaged and more interested in concluding the read than in the outcome.
I alternated between reading and listening to the audiobook and found the narration choices puzzling. The narrators' voices sounded considerably older than the characters they portrayed, hindering my ability to connect with the protagonists. This casting decision detracted from the overall experience and made immersion challenging.
While To Kill a Shadow may appeal to readers seeking a conventional YA fantasy, it didn't resonate with me. The lack of intricate world-building, underdeveloped characters, and inconsistent pacing overshadowed the story's potential. Despite an intriguing cliffhanger, I don't anticipate continuing with the series.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Blood
Minor: Child abuse
The Blood Orchid by Kylie Lee Baker
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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? No
4.0
Having read Kylie Lee Baker’s previous duology, I was both excited and a little nervous going into The Blood Orchid. I loved the first book in her previous series, but the sequel didn’t quite meet my expectations. However, I’m happy to say that this conclusion was a pleasant surprise and a strong ending to the story.
One of the biggest changes in this book compared to The Scarlet Alchemist is the lack of romance. Since the story begins with the love interests separated, I was a bit apprehensive about how that would play out. While I would have liked a more detailed reunion between them, the absence of romance didn’t bother me as much as I expected. There were so many interesting characters and plotlines that kept me engaged, making up for the shift in focus.
Speaking of characters, Wenshu was easily one of my favorites in The Scarlet Alchemist, and he absolutely did not disappoint here. His dynamic with Zheng Shili, a surprising but excellent addition to the story, added much-needed humor and charm. While I enjoyed the main character and appreciated her political and moral struggles, I found that Wenshu and Zheng Shili really carried a lot of the character interactions—and of course, the duck.
One of the strongest aspects of this duology is the way it blends ancient Chinese history with elements of alchemy. It gives off subtle Fullmetal Alchemist vibes, which made for an incredibly unique and adventurous story. The world-building and magic system felt both grounded and imaginative, and I loved seeing how those elements evolved in this book.
The Empress was another highlight. She was a phenomenal villain, the kind that you absolutely hate but can’t help but admire. Her presence in the story added a real sense of danger and tension, making every confrontation with her feel high-stakes and compelling.
My only real critique is that the climax happens earlier than expected, making the ending feel a little dragged out. While I didn’t find it boring, I did reach a point where I was ready for the story to wrap up. That said, the overall pacing was still decent, and I appreciated how all the loose ends were tied up.
Lastly, I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a fantastic job. Her pronunciations of names and locations were spot-on, and she really brought the characters to life with distinct voices.
Overall, this was a solid and satisfying conclusion. Kylie Lee Baker continues to be an author I enjoy more with each book, and I will definitely be reading more from her in the future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, and War
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
funny
reflective
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
3.5
I really liked the concept of Deep End—college sports, specifically diving and swimming, aren’t something we see often in fiction, and that unique setting was a highlight for me. It added an interesting backdrop to the story and gave the romance a fresh feel.
That being said, I personally didn’t vibe with Scarlett as a main character, and her friendship with Penny didn’t sit well with me. Their dynamic was definitely different, which made it interesting, but it wasn’t something I enjoyed. Penny, in particular, gave me bad vibes, and I struggled with the way their relationship developed throughout the book. On the other hand, Lukas was a phenomenal male lead. I would have loved to get his perspective—if this had been a dual POV, I think I would’ve found the story even more engaging.
The BDSM aspect felt very soft, which could be a positive for readers looking for a light introduction to that dynamic. However, for me, it felt a little awkward and didn’t entirely read like BDSM, which took me out of the story at times.
I also struggled with the pacing. There were moments where the timeline would jump forward, with large sections of information being summarized rather than shown. While this can sometimes work, I personally found it jarring and felt like I was being rushed through key moments. As for the conflict, it was a bit of an eye-roll, but still dramatic enough to be enjoyable. My main issue was how quickly everything wrapped up—I would’ve liked more time spent on the resolution or for Lukas and Scarlett to have a few more hurdles before getting to their happily ever after.
Overall, while I enjoyed Deep End, it’s far from my favorite by Ali Hazelwood. The audiobook was good, though I wasn’t a huge fan of the female narrator. The male narrator, however, did a phenomenal job, especially with his voice changes. The duet narration definitely enhanced my experience, so I’d recommend the audiobook to anyone considering reading this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Child abuse
Throne of Secrets by Kerri Maniscalco
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I had high hopes for Throne of Secrets, and while there were definitely things I enjoyed, I found myself feeling a little underwhelmed. The writing is lush, and the world remains intriguing, but the pacing dragged at times, making certain sections feel like more of a slog than they needed to be.
That being said, the smut scenes were definitely a highlight—they were well-written and added some heat to the story. However, I found myself craving more of an emotional connection between the characters rather than just the physical tension. I wanted to see their relationship develop in a deeper, more meaningful way instead of relying so much on lust.
Overall, Throne of Secrets had its moments, but it didn’t fully deliver on the romance and storytelling aspects I was hoping for. If you’re in it for the steam, you’ll likely enjoy it, but if you’re looking for a more heartfelt love story, you might be left wanting more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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
I absolutely love this book. I have read the debut series from this author, and I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to meet her when she released this book and this book is her best work yet!
This book follows Zilan who wants to escape her poor life to become a Royal Alchemist. After studying and working hard and having a disadvantage to all the other alchemist, she sets her sights on completing the alchemy exam and fulfilling her dream.
However, dreams are not always what they seem to be and Zilan finds out very quickly that there are monsters all around her. A story of forbidden love, family secrets, personal growth, and discovering truths the story is entertaining from beginning to end.
I was really surprised on how much blood and gore was in this book considering it is marketed as a young adult so please have that mindset going into it. I personally loved it and it felt so raw and real and goes to show that life, even in books, have losses and devastation that you can’t come back from. Unless you have the power of an alchemist… then maybe the laws of life can be bent a little!
I definitely felt like this book needed just a little more romance to really build up that feeling of love between The two love interest in this book. But I like how the romance did not take away from the plot fantasy and political intrigue of the story. Yes this book has a sprinkle of historical fiction. But this author takes a lot of liberties in creating her own world from some historical facts which means that a lot of what happens in the book is not actually historically accurate which I felt just made it more fun and enjoyable.
Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows Zilan who wants to escape her poor life to become a Royal Alchemist. After studying and working hard and having a disadvantage to all the other alchemist, she sets her sights on completing the alchemy exam and fulfilling her dream.
However, dreams are not always what they seem to be and Zilan finds out very quickly that there are monsters all around her. A story of forbidden love, family secrets, personal growth, and discovering truths the story is entertaining from beginning to end.
I was really surprised on how much blood and gore was in this book considering it is marketed as a young adult so please have that mindset going into it. I personally loved it and it felt so raw and real and goes to show that life, even in books, have losses and devastation that you can’t come back from. Unless you have the power of an alchemist… then maybe the laws of life can be bent a little!
I definitely felt like this book needed just a little more romance to really build up that feeling of love between The two love interest in this book. But I like how the romance did not take away from the plot fantasy and political intrigue of the story. Yes this book has a sprinkle of historical fiction. But this author takes a lot of liberties in creating her own world from some historical facts which means that a lot of what happens in the book is not actually historically accurate which I felt just made it more fun and enjoyable.
Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan
adventurous
tense
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? Yes
3.5
3.5
I enjoyed this book but found as the sequel it dragged on way too much at certain parts. It felt easy to put down and the ending felt quick and slightly unsatisfying. The pacing wasn’t steady which is probably why things dragged a bit. The writing was lyrically beautiful just like the first one and because of that, I loved listening to the audiobook version of it.
The characters were still loveable and enjoyable just like I thought they were. But I definitely wanted more interactions with them. The romance in this one wasn’t the best. I could tell the author was trying to give us more of the romance, but it still felt like it wasn’t enough.
In the end, I enjoyed this series overall and I will definitely be reading more from this author.
I enjoyed this book but found as the sequel it dragged on way too much at certain parts. It felt easy to put down and the ending felt quick and slightly unsatisfying. The pacing wasn’t steady which is probably why things dragged a bit. The writing was lyrically beautiful just like the first one and because of that, I loved listening to the audiobook version of it.
The characters were still loveable and enjoyable just like I thought they were. But I definitely wanted more interactions with them. The romance in this one wasn’t the best. I could tell the author was trying to give us more of the romance, but it still felt like it wasn’t enough.
In the end, I enjoyed this series overall and I will definitely be reading more from this author.
This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
Just like the first book in this companion series, I loved it!
This book follows Soledad as she navigates her life after everything falls apart. Trying to keep her family afloat, a roof of over her head, start a career and learn to love and find herself. With everything going on, there’s no time to fall in love with the man who partly caused your life to flip upside down. Or is there?
I love that this was a story about personal growth but still had time to fill in a slow burn romance. It was addicting and throughly enjoyable. The dual perspective was done well and the side characters really shined through. I really liked the representation. We got to see characters from the first boomerang and there were some tough topics brought up but written respectfully.
I loved this story and look forward to reading Hendrix’s story in book 3
This book follows Soledad as she navigates her life after everything falls apart. Trying to keep her family afloat, a roof of over her head, start a career and learn to love and find herself. With everything going on, there’s no time to fall in love with the man who partly caused your life to flip upside down. Or is there?
I love that this was a story about personal growth but still had time to fill in a slow burn romance. It was addicting and throughly enjoyable. The dual perspective was done well and the side characters really shined through. I really liked the representation. We got to see characters from the first boomerang and there were some tough topics brought up but written respectfully.
I loved this story and look forward to reading Hendrix’s story in book 3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Medical trauma and Sexual harassment
Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
This author has always been a hit or miss for me, but I always keep coming back to her because I find her characters are so addicting. And this one is no exception.
Although this book is connected to her YA series (which it shouldn’t be) Kingdom of the Wicked, I remembered little to nothing about that trilogy, and I was completely fine reading this one. I’m really glad she has moved this series into the adult section because that’s exactly what she needed.
I loved the main character, characters, Camilla and Envy. Their individual characters are so intriguing and their chemistry is absolute molten fire. I could feel the vibrations of their lust and desire through the pages. The smut scenes were deliciously enjoyable, but also I like that. It was a slow buildup throughout the book. Especially because the book is over 500 pages. Speaking of, I think it could have been cut a little bit because there were some scenes or moments that I found were not necessarily needed.
Regardless, I absolutely devoured and enjoyed this book and it was a great book to end 2024 with.
Although this book is connected to her YA series (which it shouldn’t be) Kingdom of the Wicked, I remembered little to nothing about that trilogy, and I was completely fine reading this one. I’m really glad she has moved this series into the adult section because that’s exactly what she needed.
I loved the main character, characters, Camilla and Envy. Their individual characters are so intriguing and their chemistry is absolute molten fire. I could feel the vibrations of their lust and desire through the pages. The smut scenes were deliciously enjoyable, but also I like that. It was a slow buildup throughout the book. Especially because the book is over 500 pages. Speaking of, I think it could have been cut a little bit because there were some scenes or moments that I found were not necessarily needed.
Regardless, I absolutely devoured and enjoyed this book and it was a great book to end 2024 with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Violence and Blood
Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I love Ali Hazelwood, but I always find her novellas to be a miss and somewhat forgettable. However, out of all of her short stories and novella’ss this one is my favorite.
I found the characters in the premise of the main story interesting. However, because it is a short story there was not enough time for the romance to build up where it did not feel like an Insta love. Those are always my favourite parts of romance, the buildup And this one was just a little lacklustre
The ending was cute and overall, I think it’s an enjoyable quick read, but I would’ve loved to see this as a full-fledged novel.
I found the characters in the premise of the main story interesting. However, because it is a short story there was not enough time for the romance to build up where it did not feel like an Insta love. Those are always my favourite parts of romance, the buildup And this one was just a little lacklustre
The ending was cute and overall, I think it’s an enjoyable quick read, but I would’ve loved to see this as a full-fledged novel.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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? Yes
3.75
This spoke with a little bit of a roller coaster ride for me. I was really enjoying the beginning, then I got really bored, then I was interested again. Maybe it’s too long? I’m not sure but let’s get into it.
First off the characters. Lyra felt a little childish to me. She swore a lot, which I don’t always mind a book, but I found in the beginning. It was very jarring. It was just a lot at one time. Later on in the book she didn’t do it as much, and I found it was just better spaced out. But even her as a character, sometimes her thoughts and things that she said, just felt a little childish to me. I still liked her as a character and I found her interesting, but it was just something that annoyed me as I read through the story.
Hades was delicious and enjoyable. However, I did find him a little Insta lovey. He also started to just feel like every hormone field male characters that we tend to find in many fantasies.
I really like the side characters both the gods/goddesses and the human champions that went through the trials. I almost wanted a little more backstory in interactions with them.
The plot itself was interesting. At first, I wasn’t a huge fan of the trials because it just felt like the rules didn’t really apply. But later on as the labours continued, I found them a lot more interesting and I enjoyed watching Lyra fight through the laborers. I was a little disappointed that she missed three labours as I would’ve liked to see her play through those.
The ending was a little interesting and I’m not sure how I feel about it. I think a lot of it will depend on how the second book plays out. I feel like the first book could’ve ended off really well and be a standalone, but maybe there’s a bigger picture that I’m not seeing and won’t understand until I read the second book.
Overall, I think if you’re looking for a fantasy that reads a little bit like an upper YA or new adult book with Greek Gods and life or death trials similar to the hunger games then you might wanna give this book a try.
First off the characters. Lyra felt a little childish to me. She swore a lot, which I don’t always mind a book, but I found in the beginning. It was very jarring. It was just a lot at one time. Later on in the book she didn’t do it as much, and I found it was just better spaced out. But even her as a character, sometimes her thoughts and things that she said, just felt a little childish to me. I still liked her as a character and I found her interesting, but it was just something that annoyed me as I read through the story.
Hades was delicious and enjoyable. However, I did find him a little Insta lovey. He also started to just feel like every hormone field male characters that we tend to find in many fantasies.
I really like the side characters both the gods/goddesses and the human champions that went through the trials. I almost wanted a little more backstory in interactions with them.
The plot itself was interesting. At first, I wasn’t a huge fan of the trials because it just felt like the rules didn’t really apply. But later on as the labours continued, I found them a lot more interesting and I enjoyed watching Lyra fight through the laborers. I was a little disappointed that she missed three labours as I would’ve liked to see her play through those.
The ending was a little interesting and I’m not sure how I feel about it. I think a lot of it will depend on how the second book plays out. I feel like the first book could’ve ended off really well and be a standalone, but maybe there’s a bigger picture that I’m not seeing and won’t understand until I read the second book.
Overall, I think if you’re looking for a fantasy that reads a little bit like an upper YA or new adult book with Greek Gods and life or death trials similar to the hunger games then you might wanna give this book a try.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence and Blood