lostinabookishworld's reviews
328 reviews

Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life by Rory Sutherland

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informative reflective slow-paced

4.0

This was fascinating. There were so many things that were really interesting and I loved all the real world examples but parts of it were a bit repetitive and slow. Overall, really interesting stuff and happy that I read it. 
Slaying the Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent

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challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

This book is so good. I've truly become someone that will read and most likely love anything that Carissa Broadbent writes. Her ability to craft complex stories in a brutal world that somehow are still relatable it a true gift. I loved Sylina and Atrius together - I just adored how they were vulnerable with each other and slowly built trust and a relationship that was just really special. 
The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent

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adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

I absolutely devoured this book. I was lucky to dive right into this after finishing The Serpent and the Wings of Night and it did not disappoint.

The world that has been built for the Crowns of Nyaxia series is so multi-layered, complex and interesting. It’s a brutal place where characters do some terrible things, and yet, I still could relate to what they were going through - which really speaks to how amazing the writing is.

Oraya’s grief was palatable and having her work through her extremely complicated feelings surrounding Vincent was raw, heartbreaking, and honest. Watching her discover her strength and power and become such a strong leader was brilliant.

Her relationship with Raihn is *chefs kiss*

Raihn - you have officially moved into the top tier of book boyfriends. I would have given anything for Raihn’s point of view in the first book and was absolutely delighted to get that this time around. Knowing more of his backstory was amazing. His vulnerability, openness, and true joy in seeing Oraya succeed were some of the best moments in the story.
Six Scorched Roses by Carissa Broadbent

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adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

I loved this novella - it pulled me in right away and I really loved all the characters. There was a good amount of action and while the plot moved quickly it all felt very believable and we still got some good character development. Really enjoy the world that's being built here and would read honestly anything that Carissa Broadbent writes. 
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

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adventurous dark 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

5.0

I loved this book. This was an epic beginning to a series. The writing is fantastic, the story is fast paced, and I found myself not wanting to put it down.

I truly enjoyed every aspect of this story. The trials were interesting, the flashbacks were perfectly executed, Oraya and Raihn’s chemistry was phenomenal, and the world we were dropped into was fascinating.

The ending of this book honestly surprised me and can't wait to immediately dive into The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King.
Wisteria by Adalyn Grace

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adventurous emotional mysterious 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

4.5

I enjoyed this book so much. The relationship between Blythe and Fate was a lot of fun, their banter and chemistry was perfect and I loved watching them go from adversaries to friends to lovers. This book felt like lighter than Foxglove and Belladonna; while there was still a mystery to be solved and chaos to reign in, there was a playful tone throughout all of it that made everything fun to read. The few peaks we got of Aris's POV were the absolute best and I loved watching him fall for Blythe. My only tiny gripe with this is that I wanted and needed more of them together and in love at the end - it was all cut off too soon. 

Overall, I really liked this series and had such a fun time reading these! 
Stone Cold Fox by Rachel Koller Croft

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I bought this book purely because of the cover. It drew me in immediately and when I realized that this was about a con-artist I knew I was going to love it. The whole book was so quick and engaging that I had an absolute blast reading it. I loved that every single character was just a bit unlikable but I was also wanting them to succeed in whatever they were doing. I loved the suspense and the all the delightful twists and turns - a lot of which I didn't see coming - and the ending was bonkers fun. 
Mary & the Birth of Frankenstein: A Novel by Anne Eekhout

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I thought this was so interesting and I liked that it was different than my normal reads. The alternating time-line plus having so many different side characters made the story a bit confusing at times, but I thought the writing and pacing was good. 
Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel's Tween Empire by Ashley Spencer

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informative medium-paced

3.75

I enjoyed this a lot - going back through so many of the shows I loved as a kid. The insider info on how each of these shows and stars were created and marketed was fascinating but it felt much longer than it's 320 pages. 
Bride of the Shadow King by Sylvia Mercedes

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adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I think there was a lot potential in this book. The world is interesting, the different magic systems had an opportunity to be really cool, and the political intrigue should have been fun.  Unfortunately for me, I felt very meh when all was said and done. I know this is a start of a series but I really dislike when the entire first book feels like it's ONLY a set up for what's going to happen next. The majority of the plot feels like filler and I don't really have any sort of drive to find out what happens next.