thesandyreader's reviews
148 reviews

I love a good romance and this one pulled the heartstrings. The author reached out and offered me an ARC copy and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it!

The underlying tension and history of this book was revealed in layers and while I had the sense that it was bad and there were a lot of hidden secrets, I didn’t expect it all. I enjoyed seeing how each of them handled their individual challenges and ended up facing and overcoming them in the end. Their communication and the strength of their relationship carried them far. 

Their relationship was cute, and I loved the progression and meet cute - running into each other in an airport only to meet again at university? Adorable. And the way they fell so hard and so fast for each other… I was smiling the whole time. They’re so smitten and romantic, but damn I wanted to tie them together because that burn was SLOWWWW. 

I did feel the story moved a bit slowly at points as pieces needed to be explained or fleshed out, but I didn’t mind it. I liked the way two different cultures were integrated within the book, and the clarification or explanation of language and culture is done really well. It doesn’t feel like the story is being interrupted to clarify, rather the culture and language is seamlessly integrated into the novel. 

my heart 💔 my heart has been broken a million times during this series and this book, cue me sitting in misery the whole time. 

My first impression of the book was that it was filler - a lot of set up, context building, moving people to the right places so things can happen, but then… then I realized there’s so much more to it. 

For me, this feels like the book where everything shatters. Where they need to grow up and make tough decisions and learn that not everything works out and not everything can be fixed. And that there is heartbreak in everything, even the triumphant moments. It’s the awakening and reality check. It’s when we learn who they all truly are, where people’s priorities are, and what really matters. 

And Xaden and Violet, their interactions just continue to tear my heart to pieces. The love they have for each other is so strong, and watching Xaden give her the tools to kill him and basically telling her that it’s up to her if he goes bad… heartbreaking. It’s what no one wants to hear from their everything. But it lingers in every moment and every conversation between them now. 

Honestly? I’m glad the next book isn’t out yet. I need some time and space to breathe, work through this book, and prepare for the fallout of the next. 

On a side note, I have so many questions about Broccoli. 🐈🥦 Adorable, cute, what’s the point? How does this work? 

Oh my heart. It’s been through a rollercoaster in this book and I loved every minute of it. 

Sera is such a sassy and strong character and I love seeing her gain confidence in her powers and what she is capable of, as well as using her knowledge to get what she needs. 

She isn’t helpless and I love that. 

The storyline here was incredible - things unraveling and secrets revealed while further complications twist things up again. The ending was something I’ve been hoping for and saw coming and it just made my heart soar. I loved it so much. 

Highly recommend this book and the whole series! 

RIP my heart.

Well this book pummeled all of my emotions - sadness, anger, betrayal, heartwarming friendship… it’s all here. Prepare to be destroyed and you will enjoy it. 

Was so worried about this one because I thought it wouldn’t live up to the hype. 

But turns out I’m a generic fantasy girlie and really enjoyed it!

The world building is detailed enough that you get a sense of it, without dumping info page by page. The book had me interested in what was happening next. Yes, it’s a tad predictable, but hey aren’t most stories?

Violet is a stubborn and realistic main character and I really enjoyed her growth and introduction to reality throughout it. She sticks to her morals and stands up for her friends and is willing to put herself on the line to do it. I love it.

No spoilers here in reviews, but I thought there was just the right amount of romance - enough to move the story forward but not the center of the novel. And what a fiery romance it is…   

The dragons are full of personality and yet are vicious and very on brand and I love the addition of them to the story. If I could adopt the feather tail I would (what a cutie!)

Okay, okay so like… I sort of knew that it had to end up this way but like FCK. MY GOODNESS. The way it happens, the additional twists, the wolf, the betrayals… 👀 my gosh. No spoilers here but damn if I don’t want to just SPILL. 

Watching Sera come into herself and figure out what she wants is so powerful. And Ash, his rage and possessiveness and loyalty to his people… heartbreaking and strong. 

Incredible. Nothing else to say. Jennifer does it again with an “I can’t put it down” series and I will be anxiously awaiting the next book through Libby. 

Audiobook 1 of the year - trying them out. 

This was a cute one. It took my brain some time to adjust to the British narrator, but as it was set in Britain it felt very right. 

Sasha is so relatable as the MC - she’s had massive work burnout, it’s taken over her life, and she just doesn’t know what to do about it. We’ve all been there. Have to say I’ve never tried running away to join a convent to avoid it though… 😂  Her inner thoughts really take the stage in this book and I enjoyed the way it revealed the judgements and insecurities and questions she was having throughout the book. 

Fin is also a cute and yet realistic MMC. He isn’t perfect, they have communication problems, and there is no love at first sight here. He’s a flawed individual just like Sasha and it makes their interactions feel much more real. I was really rooting for them, but also wanted to hit him over the head for not opening up. 

The back setting of this funky but rundown hotel with a hilarious cast of characters mixed with some endearing childhood memories is so sweet and ends up feeling like the perfect backdrop for this story, despite my initial reservations. (See what I did there? 😉) They all end up taking on a life of their own that is pivotal to Sasha’s life check. 

This whole book was quirky and relatable and funny and I really enjoyed it. I do wonder if I would have enjoyed it more in a physical copy, but I surprised myself by enjoying the audiobook too. 

I was fascinated by the premise of this book but it just didn’t live up to my expectations. 

The beginning was cute and I liked all the characters - they were creative and quirky and had a lot of personality. The adventure felt slow to me though. I found myself putting down the book down to head to bed without any issues. Not that I didn’t dislike the story, it just didn’t draw me in and have a hold on me. The story felt unsurprising, but was still enjoyable to read. 

My one big confusion was the romance element… I didn’t understand why it was necessary and what it added to the story. I loved the heartwarming friendships that were leading the story and didn’t understand why a relationship was needed. It turned me off the story a bit. 

This book was more thought provoking than anticipated and I appreciated the introspection. 

Going into it, I was expecting a light adventure novel with a cat leading a young boy into fantasy worlds. In hindsight, this is a translated Japanese novel, so I should have expected a deeper level to it as I’ve found Japanese novels tend towards more philosophical content. 

In this instance, it was delving into the meaning of loving books, which I enjoyed pondering and seeing how the MC handled the arguments. The MC faces someone who uses his books for shelf trophies and only reads them once, someone who cuts books up to make them shorter and quicker to read, and someone in publishing who only publishes the high demand novels that make money.  They argue about the value of a book - both monetary and intangible. The core plot of the book was about what it means to “love books”. How do you show a love of books? What is the meaning of loving a book? And where is there value in loving books?

As someone who would definitely say she loves books, I found the idea of this fascinating, especially as the year is winding down and we are all talking about whether we met our reading goals this year and are planning for the next. 

Highly recommend this easy yet thought provoking read. It’s got a little adventure, a little romance, and a lot of book philosophy.