katiemack's reviews
1288 reviews

I would listen to Patrick Stewart read the fine print of a legal document, so being able to hear him talk about his life for nineteen hours was a real treat for me.

 I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun but fairly predictable mystery; while it was fun to read about the terrible ethics and antics of the rich, I wish the horrible people were horrible in more interesting ways, but I enjoyed having a glimpse into the inner workings of Caius Beauchamp's mind; I would read the next installment. 

 I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This collection of profoundly emotional short stories is a fitting end to the series. I wish Toshikazu Kawaguchi had focused more on the staff of the café, as was done in previous installments, but it was fun to learn more about the customers and their relationships. 

 I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This reminds me of Sally Rooney's books in its exploration of modern millennial anxieties and loneliness within relationships. Naoise Dolan's featuring different POVs in depth worked really well for me; I was hooked for most of the chapters. The ending falters, unfortunately, but overall the book is engaging in a somewhat horrible way (and I mean that positively). 

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The relationship between Venus and Galahad feels more one-note than that of Diana and Giles, so I liked this one slightly less (and about the same as the first book in the series)—some of the communication issues/Pride and Prejudice tropes felt tiresome in the beginning; however, it was sweet to watch them both realize the extent of their feelings. As in the previous books, I also enjoyed the side characters (particularly the cheeky brothers at the orphanage). 

 I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a totally okay debut, but I found the plot generic and boring and ended up putting the book down many times; it didn't help that the central relationship is drawn out. Both Amy and Evan lack introspection and are totally unlikeable in uninteresting ways--the side characters are amusing, though, and the ending is kind of cute. 

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

As the marketing implies, this does remind one of Bridget Jones' Diary--it's hilarious and highly personable with a lot of heart. It's a solid halal romance with just enough rule-bending to be believable; I appreciated that Samira holds true to her values while also questioning some of the cultural expectations within her community. I wish we had gotten to know Menem better, but in terms of love interests he's incredibly sweet and realistic; he's a great foil to the brooding Hakeem. The ending is surprising but feels oddly refreshing. 

 I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is more touching than I expected! I also didn't expect that Sophie Cousens would so thoroughly discuss grief and loss and the difficulty of juggling parenting, relationships, and work (which, as a new parent, I greatly appreciated). I could have used more from the ending, but overall I found Lucy's journey worth taking. 

 I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This became predictable and doesn't have the thrilling oomph I expected from its description, but I still enjoyed the story (and especially how different cultural aspects play into the plot). There are several plot points that are not resolved or explored well, unfortunately, but it didn't detract from the readability. The characterization of Jasmine and Rebecca is also strong, though I found myself repelled by Rebecca's self-centeredness and thus ended up rooting for Jasmine and her wily perseverance. 

 I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute, whimsical collection that I enjoyed even though some stories feel generic or are a rehash of the arcs within The Traveling Cat Chronicles. (Truthfully, I'll read anything about cats.) It's a charming, quick read, though, if you're a cat fan and need something to occupy your day.