lilyandme123's reviews
322 reviews

Spice: 🍩

🎤 Kristy Best & Nic English 

📚 dual POV, 1st person, multiple timelines

Do I recommend this book: 👍

I was excited to dive into a book by fellow Aussie author Emma Grey, and listening to the audiobook made it even better. 

The story follows Evie and Drew from both their perspectives, weaving between timelines. Evie wakes up with amnesia, convinced she’s still in high school, only to discover she’s actually a 29-year-old widow. It’s an intriguing premise that kept me listening.

I really enjoyed the journey this book took me on. The ending was satisfying, with a bit of a twist. 

🎤 Helen Laser, Frankie Corzo, Sara Young, Haley Taylor & David Bendena

📚 multiple POV, 1st person 

Do I recommend this book: 👍

The audiobook A Lake of Lost Girls was an engaging listen, made even better by the well done multi-cast narration. The first half had me hooked, constantly trying to piece things together. While the second half wasn’t entirely predictable, I found it easier to figure out who the culprit was.

That said, the story kept me entertained from start to finish. If you’re into thrillers with great narration, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a try. 

Spice: 🌶️, not explicit 

🎤 Julia Whelan

📚 single POV, 1st person 

Do I recommend this book: 👍

♥️ second chance romance 

♥️ heartfelt 

Second-chance romance isn’t usually my favorite trope, so I’ll admit it took me some time to warm up to the MMC—especially knowing how he hurt the FMC in the past.

But once I settled into the story, it really drew me in. It was equal parts heartfelt and heartbreaking, and by the end, I found myself genuinely invested. Happy Place turned out to be a truly enjoyable read!

Spice: 🍩

🎤 Khristine Hvam

📚 single POV, 1st person 

Series: Sky in the deep, book 1 

Do I recommend this book: 🤷‍♀️👍

I absolutely loved The Spells for Forgetting by the same author, but Sky in the Deep just didn’t hit the same note for me. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was missing, but it lacked that ‘wow’ factor I was hoping for. I enjoyed the story overall, but not enough to dive into the rest of the series.

Spice: 🌶️

📚 single POV, 1st person 

Series: Valdor, book 1

Do I recommend this book: 👍

♥️ shifters, fae & humans

♥️ badass FMC

♥️ Shadow daddy MMC

Trial of Fate was everything I didn’t know I needed—pure paranormal perfection!

The story hooked me right away, thanks to a fiercely likeable, badass FMC and a warrior MMC who would do anything for her (seriously, swoon-worthy). And let’s not forget the side characters—they’re so vibrant and full of personality that they feel like real people you’d want to hang out with.

Skylar and Daxton? Total couple goals. Their chemistry is off the charts, and I couldn’t get enough of them.

Now, excuse me while I dive straight into book two—I need more!

Spice: 🌶️, not explicit 

🎤 Julia Whelan

📚 single POV, 1st person 

Do I recommend this book: 👍

♥️ hate to love

♥️ small town setting 

Emily Henry completely surprised me with this book! After reading Beach Read, I wasn’t sure if her writing style was for me, but this story totally changed my mind.

What made it stand out? The laugh-out-loud humor and witty banter kept me smiling from start to finish. The sibling relationship felt so real and heartfelt, and the deeper love connection added layers that hit me right in the feels.

Safe to say, my opinion has done a full 180. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a story that’s equal parts hilarious and heartfelt.

Spice: 🌶️, not explicit 

🎤 Jessie Vilinski

📚 single POV, 1st person 

Series: The Black Witch, book 0.5

Do I recommend this book: 👍

I’ve always loved the world of The Black Witch, so I couldn’t resist diving into the prequel. It was fascinating to learn more about Elloren’s parents and uncle and added depth to the main series.

The story itself was such an easy, enjoyable read. While the romance between the two main characters felt a bit rushed, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the book overall. If you’re a fan of the series, this prequel is definitely worth picking up!

Spice: 🌶️🌶️, not overly explicit 

🎤 Islay Jacobs 

📚 multiple POV, 3rd person 

Series: The Ashen Series, book 1

Do I recommend this book: 👍🤷‍♀️

I had such high hopes for The Road of Bones, but it didn’t quite work for me. It’s supposed to be a romantic fantasy, but the romance felt pretty thin—I’m guessing they’re saving more of that for the sequel? The story itself had some good moments, but the pacing was rough. It felt like it went on forever, though the final third redeemed it a bit, and I did enjoy how it ended.  I am interested to see how the story continues, but am worried the next instalment we be just as slow. 

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

🎤 Desiree Ketchum, Rupert Channing

📚 multiple POV, 1st person 

Series: Compass (Wyatt), book 1

Do I recommend this book: 👎

I really wanted to love this book, but it just didn’t work for me. The characters spent so much time telling stories that it felt like the actual plot got lost along the way. The emotions didn’t feel real, so I found it hard to connect with anyone.

The journey felt like it dragged on forever, and just when I thought there’d be some payoff, the romance was left unresolved. It was such a letdown—I really struggled to finish it and wish I DNFd. 

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

🎤 Davina Porter

📚 single POV, 1st person 

Series: Outlander, book 1

Do I recommend this book: not on audio 

I have mixed feelings about this book, and I think listening to the audiobook really influenced my experience. I’m a huge fan of the TV show, so I was excited to dive into the book, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The narrator did an amazing job with the accents, but her voice sounded much older—like a woman in her 60s—which made it hard for me to connect with Claire as a young character.

I honestly struggled to get through it and considered giving up more than once. If it weren’t for my love of the show, I think I might have marked this one as DNF.