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jasmyn9's reviews
1740 reviews
Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
slow-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? No
4.5
I think the Old West was a great setting for Forbidden. The Old West is often associated with new beginnings and fresh starts - which is exactly what many freed slaves were looking for. Rhine and Eddie may have arrived with different goals in mind, they both were looking for something new.
There are two reasons this wasn't quite a 5-star read for me. 1) There is a bit of a savior mentality where Rhine is saving Eddy - which I'm glad he did - but it also would have been nice to see her save herself. She's a very strong woman, and as times it felt like Rhine didn't understand that. 2) The way Rhine spoke to her about sex (and maybe that's what they thought in the 1800s). It was a little to "educational" and, again, somehow made her seem less than she really was.
Their relationship, the city, the people around them - all amazing and well written. You could see the community and feel the rifts.
There are two reasons this wasn't quite a 5-star read for me. 1) There is a bit of a savior mentality where Rhine is saving Eddy - which I'm glad he did - but it also would have been nice to see her save herself. She's a very strong woman, and as times it felt like Rhine didn't understand that. 2) The way Rhine spoke to her about sex (and maybe that's what they thought in the 1800s). It was a little to "educational" and, again, somehow made her seem less than she really was.
Their relationship, the city, the people around them - all amazing and well written. You could see the community and feel the rifts.
Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved this book. Hel, Sam and even Van Helsing were all my favorites to love/hate at some point throughout the story. I want more - I need to know what happens next!
There are many layers to Strange Beasts - what makes a monster being a big one. Trust, friendship, partnership - and how they evolve and change is another. The mystery of who/what the Beast is, and why it's killing people, was well thought out, with just enough clues for it to all make sense in the end, without giving it all away halfway through the book. It's wrapped up quite nicely, but there is a bit of an "and then....." at the end.
There are many layers to Strange Beasts - what makes a monster being a big one. Trust, friendship, partnership - and how they evolve and change is another. The mystery of who/what the Beast is, and why it's killing people, was well thought out, with just enough clues for it to all make sense in the end, without giving it all away halfway through the book. It's wrapped up quite nicely, but there is a bit of an "and then....." at the end.
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
tense
slow-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
Winter Garden starts out just a little slower than I prefer as Kristin Hannah instroduces us to Anya and her daughters. The story starts with us following her daughters, Meredith and Nina through their daily lives and shows us the enormous rift in their relationship with Anya, who seems to be a very distant and uncaring mother.
This was a little too much set up for my taste, but once the story really begins, when Anya starts to tell her fairy tales that have a little too much truth behind them, then it is hard to stop reading. A tale of love and loss, determination, and hardship. By the end of the story you are drawn back to Russia during the war and live alongside Veronica and her family as they struggle through unspeakable things.
The end of the book isn't all sunshine and rainbows, as many stories don't end that way. But it does give a light of hope and happiness, finding new ways to live with the past, and connecting with the people around you.
This was a little too much set up for my taste, but once the story really begins, when Anya starts to tell her fairy tales that have a little too much truth behind them, then it is hard to stop reading. A tale of love and loss, determination, and hardship. By the end of the story you are drawn back to Russia during the war and live alongside Veronica and her family as they struggle through unspeakable things.
The end of the book isn't all sunshine and rainbows, as many stories don't end that way. But it does give a light of hope and happiness, finding new ways to live with the past, and connecting with the people around you.
Secrets of Submission by L.K. Shaw
emotional
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This just moved waaay too fast for me. Yes, the author gave a warning that it moved quickly, but even with that, I thought it went way to fast. Too many loose end wrapped up suddenly and without giving me a real feeling of emotional closure.
Penny is a wonderful character though. In many BDSM books, I feel like the characters could never be real, but Penny is very real and wonderful. Watching her grow into confidence and happiness was wonderful.
Penny is a wonderful character though. In many BDSM books, I feel like the characters could never be real, but Penny is very real and wonderful. Watching her grow into confidence and happiness was wonderful.
Doctor Who: The Clockwise Man by Justin Richards
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was a fun Dr Who adventure through historical London - a favorite place/time of mine to visit in books. The mystery and adventure were a little alien and a little process of deduction. Lots of fun characters, and a few rather scary characters as well. This was a very traditional Doctor Who story.
Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors by Molly Harper
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
4.5
A great ending to the series. All major plotlines were wrapped up (not always with a bow), but the author left room for life to go on in the crazy way Jane's life tends to go. Jane's family is growing, and she's going to get married. So of course nothing goes to plan. The final book really brought all of her friends and family together (weddings are good for that) to send the series off with a bang. Highly recommend this if you enjoy snarky humor, a handful of smexy times, and some paranormal shenanigans.
Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibañez
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
This was a hard book to rate. There were things I absolutely loved: the budding romance, learning to trust, the hunt for the library and all the clues leading up to it. But there were also things I just didn't care for: the truth about the parents, Whit's betrayal/forgiveness, the sister storyline. I know that without the things I wasn't a fan of, the story may not have been as interesting and it would have been hard to get to the same place at the end - which was an amazing and beautiful place. The ending was just about perfect, and it made the parts I wasn't quite a fan of worth it in the long run.
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Empire of the Vampire is quite a wild ride with lots of grey characters - which I enjoy reading about because they are so much more real. Gabriel is a very interesting character, and his understanding of faith throughout the book was a major point (even though that isn't really clear at first). There are a lot of moving pieces in this story, but I really like that we stick with Gabriel and his POV instead of jumping from group to group as people separate from him.
This is a fairly dark story, with lots of death - so be prepared. I had guessed a couple of the big surprises a little early, but the little mysteries of Gabriel's life were very well written.
This is a fairly dark story, with lots of death - so be prepared. I had guessed a couple of the big surprises a little early, but the little mysteries of Gabriel's life were very well written.
Nice Girls Don't Live Forever by Molly Harper
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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
5.0
This is my favorite in the series so far. A great mystery that I didn't figure out ahead of time, family drama that ends up not so bad, lots and lots of changed to Jane's friend group. As Jane and Gabriel struggle in their relationship, lots is going on in her life, including a not so welcome blast from Gabriel's past. I really enjoy how the characters have to work for things in this series. The interactions and relationships feel very real, because none of them are perfect. But in the end they have (mostly) adult conversations and figure things out - after someone almost dies of course.
The Black Irix by Terry Brooks
3.0
A really short story about the value of trust and believing in your friends.