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booktalkwithrae's reviews
843 reviews
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
Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
4.0
I went into this book with looks expectations cause I heard a lot of mixed reviews about it. But in all honesty, this was a really surprising and enjoyable read for me! And I was even more excited to learn that the author actually lives in my city.
This book has a lot of Canadian references, cute moments, banter, laugh out loud moments. I really like the crow that the two characters go through in this book just felt like a book about healing. Both characters had their own traumas a difficulties from their past and present that they were trying to heal from and both characters work together but also a part in order to overcome their shortcomings.
The romance was very slow burn, but it was so enjoyable to watch their romance develop. There was only one explicit sex scene that is detailed in the story (I would’ve liked more) but I think it was the lack of details through some romantic moments like their first kiss that bothered me the most. I know not every romance or every book needs to have detailed sex scenes, but I really enjoy details put into just a hug or a kiss and I felt like this book was lacking that. It had it, but a lot of it was also fade to black or it was just mentioned that it happened and we, as the reader didn’t get to live the moment.
Overall, I really liked this book and I thought it was really cute. I’m glad despite some of the more negative reviews that I have heard heard about I still gave it a chance and enjoyed it.
This book has a lot of Canadian references, cute moments, banter, laugh out loud moments. I really like the crow that the two characters go through in this book just felt like a book about healing. Both characters had their own traumas a difficulties from their past and present that they were trying to heal from and both characters work together but also a part in order to overcome their shortcomings.
The romance was very slow burn, but it was so enjoyable to watch their romance develop. There was only one explicit sex scene that is detailed in the story (I would’ve liked more) but I think it was the lack of details through some romantic moments like their first kiss that bothered me the most. I know not every romance or every book needs to have detailed sex scenes, but I really enjoy details put into just a hug or a kiss and I felt like this book was lacking that. It had it, but a lot of it was also fade to black or it was just mentioned that it happened and we, as the reader didn’t get to live the moment.
Overall, I really liked this book and I thought it was really cute. I’m glad despite some of the more negative reviews that I have heard heard about I still gave it a chance and enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content
Truly, Madly, Deeply by L.J. Shen
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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
3.75
This was a surprising read for me! I went into it with low expectations and just picked it up thanks to an audio ARC provided from Libro.fm.
The narrators did an excellent job and the mail MC has a delicious voice. The characters were not extremely exciting, but they were still enjoyable nonetheless. The best way I could describe this book was deliciously entertaining. My only grip was I found it was a little too long. It really just needed to be shortened but overall it did exactly what I needed to do and it was exactly what I needed. The smut scenes were exciting and fun and I felt the chemistry between the two main characters. The banter was good and the overall story was enjoyable.
The narrators did an excellent job and the mail MC has a delicious voice. The characters were not extremely exciting, but they were still enjoyable nonetheless. The best way I could describe this book was deliciously entertaining. My only grip was I found it was a little too long. It really just needed to be shortened but overall it did exactly what I needed to do and it was exactly what I needed. The smut scenes were exciting and fun and I felt the chemistry between the two main characters. The banter was good and the overall story was enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence
A Five-Letter Word for Love by Amy James
funny
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
2.5
I think this is a cute romance and I can see many people enjoying it, but I just needed more from it. John Smith felt a little boring, flat and just an interesting male lead. There were certain aspects of him that I thought were interesting but overall, I just didn’t care for him in general.
Emily is not much more interesting although there can be some intriguing qualities to connect with. I feel like a lot of 27-year-olds or even older are feeling and going through a lot of the things that Emily is going through at this time of her life. Her friendship with her friends just felt unnecessary. Because all of them were not living in the same city as her they just felt like they were not needed and I was constantly getting them confused. I could’ve done without them in this book.
Since the characters fell a little flat for me, the romance felt the same way. I would say in the middle of the book. There was a moment that I was enjoying the build up and their relationship growth but then it all fell flat again. The concept of Wordle in the story was a cute addition, but that’s it.
Emily is not much more interesting although there can be some intriguing qualities to connect with. I feel like a lot of 27-year-olds or even older are feeling and going through a lot of the things that Emily is going through at this time of her life. Her friendship with her friends just felt unnecessary. Because all of them were not living in the same city as her they just felt like they were not needed and I was constantly getting them confused. I could’ve done without them in this book.
Since the characters fell a little flat for me, the romance felt the same way. I would say in the middle of the book. There was a moment that I was enjoying the build up and their relationship growth but then it all fell flat again. The concept of Wordle in the story was a cute addition, but that’s it.
Sworn to the Orc by Evangeline Anderson
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I picked up this book on a whim because I just needed something to listen to while I did adult things. And although it was entertaining enough, it was definitely ridiculous.
From the main character’s name to the Insta love romance it was a bit of a struggle to get into. I think if the two main characters had a little more growth and banter between them instead of just having one scene of hating each other and then all of a sudden wanting to be in each other’s pants. Some of the smutty scenes were somewhat enjoyable, but it’s hard to enjoy them when you’re not a huge fan of the romance.
However, I’m not gonna lie. The ending really intrigued me to check out the second book whatever it’s released. But we will see if I actually do pick it up.
Thank you to Libro.fm for an audio ARC of this book.
From the main character’s name to the Insta love romance it was a bit of a struggle to get into. I think if the two main characters had a little more growth and banter between them instead of just having one scene of hating each other and then all of a sudden wanting to be in each other’s pants. Some of the smutty scenes were somewhat enjoyable, but it’s hard to enjoy them when you’re not a huge fan of the romance.
However, I’m not gonna lie. The ending really intrigued me to check out the second book whatever it’s released. But we will see if I actually do pick it up.
Thank you to Libro.fm for an audio ARC of this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content