endless_tbr_list's reviews
453 reviews

Hana has grown up knowing that her life is tied to her family's pawnshop, tasked with dealing not in wares, but in regrets and in choices, and with her father's retirement, Hana will wake up tomorrow as it's new owner. Yet when morning comes, not all is as it should be. The pawnshop has been ransacked and both her father and one of the choices they are tasked with gathering and protecting are missing. The sudden and inopportune appearance of a handsome stranger offering assistance has left Hana in a tricky position - Kei is not from her world, but unwilling to take no for an answer, and Hana desperately needs to find her father before it's too late...
 
At first I struggled a bit to really fall into this one, it just felt a bit slow, but as it progressed I realized it was slow in the way that a stroll through a park can be - leisurely with the intent of enjoying the beauty around you. This novel flowed gorgeously through an array of worlds, each touched with their own types of magic, that I can't think of a better comparison than a Ghibli movie. As much as this is an fantastical mystery, I think what I adored most was the strong undercurrent of love that wove throughout the pages. The relationship between not only the main characters, but even the moments of kindness and care that came from side characters gave this story such a warm glow. If you're looking for a not-quite-low-stakes but arguably cozy and dream-like fantasy, I recommend giving this one a try!
 
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Del Ray, and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a board game lover myself, I though this was a fun premise for a book! Between her crazy workload at a job she only kind of likes, her MBA studies, and her decidedly less-than-passionate relationship, Rose is becoming convinced her Life Plan is further from her reach than ever. Thank goodness she still has Game Night - the one day a week where she gets to embrace her inner competitive streak and her love for all things gaming. Even the continued presence of William, Shaun's older brother and Rose's nemesis, does little to dampen her spirits, and once they're forced to 'play nice,' Rose starts to realize she might even like having him around. Purely so she can rub her victories in his face, of course. 

Overall I thought this was a cute and entertaining rom-com, and the banter was a definite highlight. I adored Rose and Neema's friendship, and the chemistry between her and William was great, if possibly a little too quick for me at times. In the end, Shaun started to rub me the wrong way, and one moment in the final pages felt like it was tied up too nicely, but ultimately I would recommend this read if you're looking for something lower-stakes and delightfully nerdy.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.