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saylaurmoon's reviews
148 reviews
Belladonna by Adalyn Grace
5.0
↠ 5 stars ⭐️
I knew I was going to love this from not only the HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL COVER, but [obviously] the summary on the back cover. And boy, was I right. I mean, gothic fantasy? Say less. I devoured this and lost sleep over this book. Adalyn Grace’s writing is so beautiful and atmospheric; she completely immersed me within her enchantingly dark and gothic fantasy world.
Not only did her writing captivate me, but I loved her characters. I loved Signa. I loved experiencing her grow from an isolated and lonely girl who was scared to embrace who she was into a young woman full of love who embraces and wields her strength and power confidently. I also loved Blythe! She was so feisty and strong, and I loved watching her and Signa grow closer throughout the story. Honestly, I enjoyed all the characters! Every character was well-written and well-developed.
Oh, and Death? Never thought I would be able to say I am attracted to the grim reaper, but here we are. I love Death. No, not literally. But he was a phenomenal character. He was dark and mysterious but respectful and caring. And handsome! He had so much faith in Signa and cared so deeply for her, and it melted my heart. And I adored the chemistry between them toooo.
I also appreciate how the author humanizes and softens an entity we tend to hold such negative assumptions of—for obvious reasons. Death was not ashamed of what he must do, but he expressed a unique sense of gentleness and care for those he must take. Grace was able to shed new light on the concept of the reaper and find some good in what's usually seen as dark, and I thought that was really beautiful.
Okay, this is getting longer than I planned. But anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed Belladonna and definitely recommend it. If you love gothic fantasy with mystery and romance, this is a book for you!
And I am so excited that Foxglove comes out in less than two weeks!!!
Especially after that cliffhanger..
I knew I was going to love this from not only the HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL COVER, but [obviously] the summary on the back cover. And boy, was I right. I mean, gothic fantasy? Say less. I devoured this and lost sleep over this book. Adalyn Grace’s writing is so beautiful and atmospheric; she completely immersed me within her enchantingly dark and gothic fantasy world.
Not only did her writing captivate me, but I loved her characters. I loved Signa. I loved experiencing her grow from an isolated and lonely girl who was scared to embrace who she was into a young woman full of love who embraces and wields her strength and power confidently. I also loved Blythe! She was so feisty and strong, and I loved watching her and Signa grow closer throughout the story. Honestly, I enjoyed all the characters! Every character was well-written and well-developed.
“Do not change the parts of yourself that you like to make others comfortable. Do not try to mold yourself to fit the standards someone else has set for us.”
Oh, and Death? Never thought I would be able to say I am attracted to the grim reaper, but here we are. I love Death. No, not literally. But he was a phenomenal character. He was dark and mysterious but respectful and caring. And handsome! He had so much faith in Signa and cared so deeply for her, and it melted my heart. And I adored the chemistry between them toooo.
I also appreciate how the author humanizes and softens an entity we tend to hold such negative assumptions of—for obvious reasons. Death was not ashamed of what he must do, but he expressed a unique sense of gentleness and care for those he must take. Grace was able to shed new light on the concept of the reaper and find some good in what's usually seen as dark, and I thought that was really beautiful.
"There's good in it, too ... I am the first person people see when they draw their last breath. I am the messenger who can deliver them to those they've missed. I am the one who assures them not to worry, or who delivers a swift death to those who are not welcome into the afterlife. I am many things, but what I am not is ashamed."
Okay, this is getting longer than I planned. But anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed Belladonna and definitely recommend it. If you love gothic fantasy with mystery and romance, this is a book for you!
And I am so excited that Foxglove comes out in less than two weeks!!!
Especially after that cliffhanger..
The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin
3.0
↠ 3.75 stars ⭐️
I really wanted to love this book, but it fell short for me. I didn't not enjoy it because I did overall, there's just something I can't put my finger on that holds this story back from being anything more than an average read for me.
I did enjoy the overall premise and magic system of the story. I loved this interesting take on elemental magic, determined by the seasons of the year. And I also enjoyed the emphasis on climate change and how it needs to be addressed. You can tell that the author did a lot of research into weather systems while writing this and I really enjoyed her descriptions of the weather events and seasons.
However, I really struggled with the characters. Not that they are bad characters, per se. I really loved Sang. I liked Mr. Hart. I liked Clara. But for a character-driven story, I seriously struggled to get attached to any of them. I didn't even find myself swooning over the blossoming romance like I usually do so easily. However, I will admit I did get emotional at one point when Clara finally accepted herself and her power. Regardless, there was something missing from the characters in the story that prevented me from developing some kind of attachment to any of them.
The more I think about it, maybe this was just too YA for me. And I say that as someone who usually enjoys YA.
All things considered, this was a good story and a good debut novel. It was a fast, atmospheric read, perfect for a cozy, autumn day.
Perhaps I'll feel differently about it if I reread it on a day like that.
A couple of quotes I particularly enjoyed:
"... But I as sure as sunlight know what it means to adore someone for no other reason than that they exist, for no other reason than that the universe created such a perfect person from the dust of the stars.
"You look at him as if he's magic."
I really wanted to love this book, but it fell short for me. I didn't not enjoy it because I did overall, there's just something I can't put my finger on that holds this story back from being anything more than an average read for me.
I did enjoy the overall premise and magic system of the story. I loved this interesting take on elemental magic, determined by the seasons of the year. And I also enjoyed the emphasis on climate change and how it needs to be addressed. You can tell that the author did a lot of research into weather systems while writing this and I really enjoyed her descriptions of the weather events and seasons.
However, I really struggled with the characters. Not that they are bad characters, per se. I really loved Sang. I liked Mr. Hart. I liked Clara. But for a character-driven story, I seriously struggled to get attached to any of them. I didn't even find myself swooning over the blossoming romance like I usually do so easily. However, I will admit I did get emotional at one point when Clara finally accepted herself and her power. Regardless, there was something missing from the characters in the story that prevented me from developing some kind of attachment to any of them.
The more I think about it, maybe this was just too YA for me. And I say that as someone who usually enjoys YA.
All things considered, this was a good story and a good debut novel. It was a fast, atmospheric read, perfect for a cozy, autumn day.
Perhaps I'll feel differently about it if I reread it on a day like that.
A couple of quotes I particularly enjoyed:
"... But I as sure as sunlight know what it means to adore someone for no other reason than that they exist, for no other reason than that the universe created such a perfect person from the dust of the stars.
"You look at him as if he's magic."
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
4.0
↠ 4.5 stars ⭐️
I went into this book blind. I was pretty clueless on the general premise, but I knew it had a strong focus on mental health and honestly just the title itself drew me to read this book. I wasn’t disappointed.
I really enjoyed this story! Ava Reid’s writing is immensely atmospheric and captivating, weaving a hauntingly beautiful and eerie atmosphere. The story itself was fairly predictable. However, I personally didn’t think it took away from it, as it has a lot of depth to it, and there are several themes it centered around, including but not limited to misogyny, sexism in academia, mental illness, and childhood trauma. It is deep, complex, and thought-provoking.
I loved the FMC, Effy. She is extremely relatable. She is soft yet strong, anxious but brave. We see her growth throughout the story and I love it and her. I saw this in another review somewhere, but she really is for the soft anxious femmes.
I also really appreciated Preston, the MMC. Sure, he was a little smug at times, but he genuinely respected Effy. I enjoyed their rivals to allies to lovers romance. It was very sweet how their relationship evolved.
I initially rated this a 4, but considering I’m still thinking about it and the absolutely mesmerizing writing, I upped it to 4.5 (god why doesn't goodreads allow partial stars????)
This was my first read from Reid (haha), and it certainly won’t be my last. She is undoubtedly an expert at whimsical storytelling.
Notable Quotes
“You’re not just one thing. Survival is something you do, not something you are. You’re brave and brilliant. You’re the most real, full person I’ve ever met.”
___
“We must discuss, then, the relationship between women and water. When men fall into the sea, they drown. When women meet the water, they transform. It becomes vital to ask: is this a metamorphosis, or a homecoming?”
___
“It’s not the most original argument, and I’m hardly the first scholar to make it—that the ephemerality of things is what gives them meaning. That things are only beautiful because they don’t last. Full moons, flowers in bloom, you. But if any of that is evidence, I think it must be true.”
___
“Lovely and dangerous and vast beyond mortal comprehension, the sea makes dreamers of us all.”
___
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“It’s terrifying.”
“Most beautiful things are.”
___
“The weight of a memory is one thing. You get very used to swimming with it dragging you down. Once it’s loosed, you hardly know what to do with your body. You don’t understand its lightness.”
I went into this book blind. I was pretty clueless on the general premise, but I knew it had a strong focus on mental health and honestly just the title itself drew me to read this book. I wasn’t disappointed.
I really enjoyed this story! Ava Reid’s writing is immensely atmospheric and captivating, weaving a hauntingly beautiful and eerie atmosphere. The story itself was fairly predictable. However, I personally didn’t think it took away from it, as it has a lot of depth to it, and there are several themes it centered around, including but not limited to misogyny, sexism in academia, mental illness, and childhood trauma. It is deep, complex, and thought-provoking.
I loved the FMC, Effy. She is extremely relatable. She is soft yet strong, anxious but brave. We see her growth throughout the story and I love it and her. I saw this in another review somewhere, but she really is for the soft anxious femmes.
I also really appreciated Preston, the MMC. Sure, he was a little smug at times, but he genuinely respected Effy. I enjoyed their rivals to allies to lovers romance. It was very sweet how their relationship evolved.
I initially rated this a 4, but considering I’m still thinking about it and the absolutely mesmerizing writing, I upped it to 4.5 (god why doesn't goodreads allow partial stars????)
This was my first read from Reid (haha), and it certainly won’t be my last. She is undoubtedly an expert at whimsical storytelling.
Notable Quotes
“You’re not just one thing. Survival is something you do, not something you are. You’re brave and brilliant. You’re the most real, full person I’ve ever met.”
___
“We must discuss, then, the relationship between women and water. When men fall into the sea, they drown. When women meet the water, they transform. It becomes vital to ask: is this a metamorphosis, or a homecoming?”
___
“It’s not the most original argument, and I’m hardly the first scholar to make it—that the ephemerality of things is what gives them meaning. That things are only beautiful because they don’t last. Full moons, flowers in bloom, you. But if any of that is evidence, I think it must be true.”
___
“Lovely and dangerous and vast beyond mortal comprehension, the sea makes dreamers of us all.”
___
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“It’s terrifying.”
“Most beautiful things are.”
___
“The weight of a memory is one thing. You get very used to swimming with it dragging you down. Once it’s loosed, you hardly know what to do with your body. You don’t understand its lightness.”
Maeve Fly by CJ Leede
4.0
↠ 4.5 stars ⭐️
I am literally writing this at 3:30am right after finishing. So this review is going to be an absolute mess of thoughts. Enjoy.
Maeve Fly was so many things. Disturbing. Gruesome. Psychotic. Did I love everything about it? Yes. Should I be concerned? Probably.
This was possibly the most fucked up story I’ve read yet, in the best way possible. It starts out pretty.. chill. Okay, not chill. Not in the slightest. Still pretty unhinged. But then there’s a ✨ moment ✨ ..and you think you know what’s gonna happen. But no, you don’t know. I am not a squeamish person, but this had me
I am literally writing this at 3:30am right after finishing. So this review is going to be an absolute mess of thoughts. Enjoy.
Maeve Fly was so many things. Disturbing. Gruesome. Psychotic. Did I love everything about it? Yes. Should I be concerned? Probably.
This was possibly the most fucked up story I’ve read yet, in the best way possible. It starts out pretty.. chill. Okay, not chill. Not in the slightest. Still pretty unhinged. But then there’s a ✨ moment ✨ ..and you think you know what’s gonna happen. But no, you don’t know. I am not a squeamish person, but this had me
Chaos of Fated Hearts by Elsie Quail
4.0
↠ 4 stars ⭐️
This was a fun read! The world-building was simple yet immersive. I loved all of the characters and seeing their development throughout the story. I loved the sisterly love between Astelle and Aribelle. And I especially liked Chaos, who looks like he could kill you but is really a cinnamon roll imo, and I loved it. And I adored the fated mates romance between him and Astelle! The way he was waiting for her.. omg. OH THE PLOT TWIST? I literally gasped.
What to expect:
✧ dual POV
✧ fated mates
✧ forced proximity
✧ “touch her and die”
✧ gods/goddesses + fae
✧ strong + sassy FMC
✧ redemption story
Chaos of Fated Hearts is a fast-paced and cozy adventure perfect for any lover of romantasy. You won’t want to miss it. Available now on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited!
Big thanks to Elsie Quail for letting me be a part of the ARC team and for my copy!
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Check out my reviews on bookstagram
This was a fun read! The world-building was simple yet immersive. I loved all of the characters and seeing their development throughout the story. I loved the sisterly love between Astelle and Aribelle. And I especially liked Chaos, who looks like he could kill you but is really a cinnamon roll imo, and I loved it. And I adored the fated mates romance between him and Astelle! The way he was waiting for her.. omg. OH THE PLOT TWIST? I literally gasped.
What to expect:
✧ dual POV
✧ fated mates
✧ forced proximity
✧ “touch her and die”
✧ gods/goddesses + fae
✧ strong + sassy FMC
✧ redemption story
Chaos of Fated Hearts is a fast-paced and cozy adventure perfect for any lover of romantasy. You won’t want to miss it. Available now on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited!
Big thanks to Elsie Quail for letting me be a part of the ARC team and for my copy!
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Check out my reviews on bookstagram
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
3.0
↠ 3 stars ⭐️
I really thought I would enjoy this more. It took me quite a while to get into it. Once I did, it was intriguing enough to keep my attention and I definitely wanted to see what happened next. However, I didn’t find myself rooting for any of the characters, and the FMC made me anxious af. Also, at one point I was super confused about wtf was going on and I really don’t know if it’s because I caught myself skimming multiple times and likely didn’t comprehend what was going on or if I was just genuinely confused? Either way, I didn’t care enough to dig for clarifying details. I did really enjoy the horror/slasher film references and how each girl represented one of them.
All in all, not a terrible read by any means, but it just didn’t hit the way I was hoping it would.
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Check out my reviews on bookstagram
I really thought I would enjoy this more. It took me quite a while to get into it. Once I did, it was intriguing enough to keep my attention and I definitely wanted to see what happened next. However, I didn’t find myself rooting for any of the characters, and the FMC made me anxious af. Also, at one point I was super confused about wtf was going on and I really don’t know if it’s because I caught myself skimming multiple times and likely didn’t comprehend what was going on or if I was just genuinely confused? Either way, I didn’t care enough to dig for clarifying details. I did really enjoy the horror/slasher film references and how each girl represented one of them.
All in all, not a terrible read by any means, but it just didn’t hit the way I was hoping it would.
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Icebreaker by Hannah Grace
4.0
↠ 4 stars ⭐️
quotes my contain spoilers
Alright, look. Was this book’s plot basically non-existent? Maybe. Was it like 150 pages too long? Probably. Did I still enjoy every bit of it? Absolutely.
There was just something about this book I enjoyed despite it not exactly having a solid plot. The writing was comfortable, and it was overall a really fun read, especially as an audiobook. I loved almost all of the characters and their banter, even if Anastasia sometimes got super annoying and was mean for no reason. Nate is the MVP of the entire story though. He is the perfect book boyfriend. An absolute sweetheart with a dirty mouth? Sign me up. Oh and the spice was
quotes my contain spoilers
Alright, look. Was this book’s plot basically non-existent? Maybe. Was it like 150 pages too long? Probably. Did I still enjoy every bit of it? Absolutely.
There was just something about this book I enjoyed despite it not exactly having a solid plot. The writing was comfortable, and it was overall a really fun read, especially as an audiobook. I loved almost all of the characters and their banter, even if Anastasia sometimes got super annoying and was mean for no reason. Nate is the MVP of the entire story though. He is the perfect book boyfriend. An absolute sweetheart with a dirty mouth? Sign me up. Oh and the spice was
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
4.0
↠ 4 stars ⭐️
Let’s be honest at this point: I will DEVOUR anything written by Ali Hazelwood. I don't care how predictable the stories are or if they are the same couple, different font. I love every single one of them. Her stories and writing is just so comfortable — it feels like being wrapped in a fuzzy blanket with a cup of tea.
Once again, this story is full of lovable characters. I loved quirky, Marie Curie-obsessed Bee. And she's hilarious, albeit a bit oblivious to everything around her, including obvious hints of interest and clear red flags. And I always really enjoy how Ali writes her MMCs, and Levi was no exception. He's protective, caring, tender, and intelligent. He genuinely likes and enjoys Bee. And per usual, the banter between the FMC and MMC is pure gold. The side characters were enjoyable as well, especially Rocio. She was ICONIC.
I think Love on the Brain had the most spice out of the three I’ve read from Hazelwood, and I was absolutely here for it
Let’s be honest at this point: I will DEVOUR anything written by Ali Hazelwood. I don't care how predictable the stories are or if they are the same couple, different font. I love every single one of them. Her stories and writing is just so comfortable — it feels like being wrapped in a fuzzy blanket with a cup of tea.
Once again, this story is full of lovable characters. I loved quirky, Marie Curie-obsessed Bee. And she's hilarious, albeit a bit oblivious to everything around her, including obvious hints of interest and clear red flags. And I always really enjoy how Ali writes her MMCs, and Levi was no exception. He's protective, caring, tender, and intelligent. He genuinely likes and enjoys Bee. And per usual, the banter between the FMC and MMC is pure gold. The side characters were enjoyable as well, especially Rocio. She was ICONIC.
I think Love on the Brain had the most spice out of the three I’ve read from Hazelwood, and I was absolutely here for it
Foxglove by Adalyn Grace
4.0
↠ 4.25 stars ⭐️
Foxglove was just as well-written and beautifully dark, gothic and atmospheric as Belladonna. However, it did fall a little short for me. I still enjoyed Fate and his story and I loved getting Blythe’s POV, but let’s be honest, I’m here for Signa and Death, and we didn’t get nearly enough of them. And while the mystery was just as engaging, I did feel that the story dragged a bit at certain parts.
Regardless, I still really enjoyed Foxglove and I’m so excited that the author perfectly set the story up for the third installment, Wisteria. I am definitely looking forward to more from this gothic Bridgerton world!
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Check out my reviews on bookstagram
Foxglove was just as well-written and beautifully dark, gothic and atmospheric as Belladonna. However, it did fall a little short for me. I still enjoyed Fate and his story and I loved getting Blythe’s POV, but let’s be honest, I’m here for Signa and Death, and we didn’t get nearly enough of them. And while the mystery was just as engaging, I did feel that the story dragged a bit at certain parts.
Regardless, I still really enjoyed Foxglove and I’m so excited that the author perfectly set the story up for the third installment, Wisteria. I am definitely looking forward to more from this gothic Bridgerton world!
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Check out my reviews on bookstagram