Rating: 3.5 STARS Genre: YA/Fantasy Series/Standalone: The Language of Magic #1 How I got this book: eARC via NetGalley & HarperVoyager Within the boroughs of London, nestled among its streets, hides another city, filled with magic. Magic is the first sin. It must be bound. Ever since Anna can remember, her aunt has warned her of the dangers of magic. She has taught her to fear how it twists and knots and turns into something dark and deadly. It was, after all, magic that killed her parents and left her in her aunt’s care. It’s why she has been protected from the magical world and, in one year’s time, what little magic she has will be bound. She will join her aunt alongside the other Binders who believe magic is a sin not to be used, but denied. Only one more year and she will be free of the curse of magic, her aunt’s teachings and the disappointment of the little she is capable of. Nothing – and no one – could change her mind before then. Could it? TW: Child abuse (physical, mental, emotional), murder, suicide, enslavement (using magic), teacher/student (age 16) relationship, underage drinking, death, estrangement, fat phobia (body shaming)
Looking for a book to fill the void left by Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina? Threadneedle perfectly combines the dark, twisted magic and teen drama that will satisfy fans of Sabrina and Gossip Girl. Anna is sixteen years old, living with her aunt in London and training to become a Binder. Since her father murdered her mother, and then killed himself when she was just a baby, Anna has been raised by her aunt. She's a cruel woman who teaches Anna that magic and love are the greatest sins that must be stamped out at all costs. Through daily punishments and pain, Anna is taught to fear magic and love, suppressing herself until she is nobody. Anna's only ray of light is the infrequent visits from her mother's best friend, Selene, who calls every few years to see Anna and to leave magical gifts in secret. This year, Selene is back for good, it seems, bringing her daughter Effie, and a mysterious boy, Attis to stay, and changing Anna's life completely. Anna is a complex character. She's suffered through years of abuse at the hands of the woman who raised her. She's controlled, manipulated, and ridiculed, and simply going through the motions until the binding ceremony set to lock away her magic. Despite the years of misery, Anna has a quiet resilience, determination, and a strong curiosity that causes her to ask questions and seek truths, even as she fights with what's right and wrong. She's an easy character to root for as she's morally good and after suffering for so long, she deserves to be free. The cast of characters soon builds and makes for a fun, diverse cast that adds drama and tension to the plot, which definitely helps to keep things moving. I had no problems staying gripped from start to finish. In Anna's Aunt, the author has created a disturbing villain, one who is vindictive and cruel whilst believing her actions are just and necessary to protect Anna from all that she fears. I loved the magic system the author has created. The different languages of magic, and how the magical world entwines with the 'real' London, make for a really compelling, fantastical story that holds threads of danger and threat. I also loved that the characters acted their age and were, for much of the time, focused on somewhat typical troubles like bullies and crushes which, when dealt with through magic, deliver interesting consequences. There were so many things I loved about this book; the magic, the characters (and their relationships to each other), the pacing, the library, and the twists and shocks at the end, which were not at all what I expected. The only thing I felt a little disappointed by was the ending, which I just wanted more from but which has now left me waiting, hanging on for book two so I can find out what on earth will happen next! Overall, Threadneedle is a really gripping, darkly magical read filled with interesting, realistic characters, that's perfect for fans of Sabrina and Gossip Girl. Rating: 3 Stars Genre: Historical Fiction/ Fantasy Series/Standalone: Standalone How I got this book: Audible Purchase In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place. Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own. Review by Sophie.
TW: Racism, discrimination, animal abuse, institutionalisation. OK, so here it is…The Ten Thousand Doors of January, by Alix E Harrow. One of the most highly rated and anticipated books that I’ve seen this year, and one that I was extremely hyped to read myself... “It is at the moments when the doors open, when things flow between the worlds, that stories happen.” …and I can honestly say that I did NOT enjoy it. (And yes, I feel like I can actually hear everyone’s sharp intake of breath right now). Alright, let's start at the beginning – it's not all bad. So, let just take a moment to appreciate how beautiful the front cover is, I mean its so pretty! And truthfully, I think the front cover reflects on the writing style quite a lot, and that is something I did like about this book. The writing was flowery and intricate, and really is a work of art. "Words and their meanings have weight in the world of matter, shaping and reshaping realities through a most ancient alchemy." But I can’t help but feel like the story got mixed up in all of that. The opening chapter was intriguing and filled with mystery and questions, and I’d already got such high expectations for the book, so I couldn’t wait to get started. Unfortunately, after the first couple of chapters, I found that the introduction of new characters made the whole thing messy and confusing. I really wasn’t keen to pick it back up and carry on reading and struggled the rest of the way through. At around the halfway mark I felt like I was starting to break through, the plot was making more sense and things seemed to be going places. For me though, this just wasn’t enough and truth be told the characters actually ruined this for me. I just couldn’t connect with any of them. The only character I cared about was the dog ‘Bad’ and was genuinely traumatised by what happened to him, which kind of left me on edge for the rest of the book. Abuse and discrimination have a very strong role in the book, January is raised by a racist man, and the book is written in a place and time where discrimination is very real, institutional behaviour is recognised throughout, not only by January's guardian but also physiatrists, which I wish I’d known before I started reading the book. I can understand why so many people love the story and I'm happy that they found the magic within, and I’d never want a review to tarnish or put someone off reading it just because of my opinion, so I would still urge anyone to read it, but all in all, it just wasn’t for me. Rating: 3.5/4 STARS Genre: LGBT/Comedy/Romance/Contemporary Series/Standalone: At First Sight #1 How I got this book: Bought via Audible Do you believe in love at first sight? Paul Auster doesn't. Paul doesn't believe in much at all. He’s thirty, slightly overweight, and his best features are his acerbic wit and the color commentary he provides as life passes him by. His closest friends are a two-legged dog named Wheels and a quasibipolar drag queen named Helena Handbasket. He works a dead-end job in a soul-sucking cubicle, and if his grandmother's homophobic parrot insults him one more time, Paul is going to wring its stupid neck. Enter Vince Taylor. Vince is everything Paul isn’t: sexy, confident, and dumber than the proverbial box of rocks. And for some reason, Vince pursues Paul relentlessly. Vince must be messing with him, because there is no way Vince could want someone like Paul. But when Paul hits Vince with his car—in a completely unintentional if-he-died-it'd-only-be-manslaughter kind of way—he's forced to see Vince in a whole new light. The only thing stopping Paul from believing in Vince is himself—and that is one obstacle Paul can’t quite seem to overcome. But when tragedy strikes Vince's family, Paul must put aside any notions he has about himself and stand next to the man who thinks he's perfect the way he is. Trigger Warnings: Loss/grief and some homophobia.
I listened to an excerpt of this book on Audible and instantly fell in love with Michael Lesley's narration, in particular, his voices for Paul, Vince and Helena. Over the past few months, I've fallen head-over-heels for TJ's work. His characters are fantastic - I love Paul's self-deprecating humour, Vince's sweet, persistent nature and Helena's fierce, no-nonsense attitude. Tell Me It's Real starts off very lighthearted and funny but grows into an emotional, touching story with an unexpected element of tragedy and grief. Paul's family are perfect! They're hilarious, accepting and truly loving whilst Vince's father is the complete opposite. Paul and Vince's relationship is swift but no less beautiful and meaningful. "Take that homophobes!" TJ's immersive writing style and Michael Lesley's wonderful narration thrust me into this story and easily brought to the life realistic and relatable (even if they are a bit ridiculous and OTT at times) characters. This is the sixth book that I've read by TJ Klune and it's completely unlike any of the others. I can't seem to get enough of his books right now and I love that he writes across so many different genres. Some of his characters share similarities i.e. Sam (Tales from Verania) reminds me a lot of Paul (Tell Me It's Real) whilst Helena (Tell Me It's Real) is very reminiscent of Gary (Tales from Verania) and yet they surprise me, make me laugh, and give me the feels each time I pick up a new book! So, if you're in the mood for a very sweet, contemporary m/m romance that guarantees that you'll be laughing out loud alongside moments of sadness and heartache, 'Tell Me It's Real' is the book for you! Rating: 3.5 STARS Genre: Dark Romance Standalone/Series: Tales of Love & Woe #1 How I got this book: ARC from the author Put away your magic wands and pumpkins. These are not sweet, tender fairy tales. Four flawed heroines. Four classic tales of love and woe retold for modern times... Because there’s never been an easy road to happily ever after. The Lonely Crow—Surrounded by coyotes and unexpected magic, a heartbroken ornithologist becomes the target of a park ranger's aggressive affection. To survive, she must trust the instincts that failed her so completely once already. Goose—After a one-night-stand leaves her belly swollen and reputation in tatters, an unemployed gas-station clerk finds herself at the mercy of her lover’s mother. But if her own troubled childhood taught her anything, it’s that she’ll fight to the death to protect her baby, and that love never comes the way we expect. Rosie Waking—Following her father’s disappearance, a small-town waitress lives wedged under her boss’s thumb until a stranger forces her to view her life through a different lens. Can she decide, once and for all, where loyalty stops and subservience begins? De Rege’s Laundry—When a mob boss’s desperate daughter makes a deal with the devil, she doesn’t expect a handsome ex-soldier to muck it all up. Suddenly, the woman who'd sworn to sacrifice anything for freedom must choose between escape and losing the one person who cares about her happiness. Beautiful and atmospheric, Tales of Love & Woe is 110k word collection exploring modern womanhood through twisted retellings of The Little Mermaid, The Golden Goose and The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg, Snow White & Rose Red, and The Twelve Dancing Princesses. While love and kindness are major themes in these stories, the darker sides of human nature are, too. As such, this collection is intended only for a mature audience. After all ... fairy tales were meant to be grim. I decided to read this collection of dark fairy tales over Halloween and 'dark' is almost the wrong word, these stories are heavy and come with a ton of trigger warnings i.e sexual, physical and mental abuse.
I haven't yet read anything else by this author but I really enjoyed her writing style and found myself hooked within just a few pages of the first story. I actually hadn't read the full synopsis before reading the book, and so I wasn't sure which story was connected to which particular fairytale. It turns out that the only story I was already really familiar with was The Little Mermaid and so I picked up on that one immediately whilst reading The Lonely Crow. The heroines in these stories are almost impossibly strong in spite of the suffering, pain and misery they've experienced, and the villains are truly horrifying. Goose was probably my least favourite story from this collection and that's only because the theme of the book resonated too much with me. We all have our fears and I've had more than enough nightmares surrounding someone or something taking my child from me, so whilst I can appreciate the story, it was almost too painful to read at times. I think my favourite story was Rosie Waking, which I actually thought was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but I guess that wasn't the case. For me, this story was the strongest, and also the most magical. I loved Rosie's story, painful and sinister as it was. The romance in these novels are almost a sub-plot in comparison to the trials and tribulations faced by the heroines, and a lot of the romances were surprising and definitely not what I expected. So, if you're looking for a collection of modern-day fairy tales that are sure to give you chills, make your skin crawl and have you gripping your book in terror, The Tales of Love and Woe novella collection is the one for you!
Welcome to my stop on the To Be Honest blog tour!
I'm so excited to share my review with you all! I've had my eye on this book for ages because I'm always looking for more body positive rep and I was thrilled at the chance to read it, so huge thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for allowing me to participate in the tour!
Rating: 5 STARS!
Genre: Contemporary YA
Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: ARC from Xpresso Book Tours
Savannah is dreading being home alone with her overbearing mother after her sister goes off to college. But if she can just get through senior year, she’ll be able to escape to college, too. What she doesn’t count on is that her mother’s obsession with weight has only grown deeper since her appearance on an extreme weight-loss show, and now Savvy’s mom is pressuring her even harder to be constantly mindful of what she eats.
Between her mom’s diet-helicoptering, missing her sister, and worrying about her collegiate future, Savvy has enough to worry about. And then she meets George, the cute new kid at school who has insecurities of his own. As Savvy and George grow closer, they help each other discover how to live in the moment and enjoy the here and now before it disappears.
I just want to jump up and down and rave about this amazing book, so you'll have to bear with me here! First of all, here's a quick summary of what I LOVE most about this book:
This book was impossible to put down from the moment I started reading, and I flew through it so quickly that I could honestly read it again. I love Savannah, I love her confidence, her positive outlook and attitude, her loyalty and her compassion. "News flash: fat isn't a bad word, Mom." I also love that she's completely relatable. She has principles that she stands by, she has her own insecurities, and she has anxiety (something I feel is portrayed exceptionally well by the author, especially since not one single person treats it as a problem or a burden they have to deal with or as something that she should just 'get over'). "It suddenly felt like all the air had been pushed out of my lungs. I swayed on my feet as the ringing in my ears began. No matter how many panic attacks I had, my body always believed that it was dying." I also found Savannah likeable and truly funny, this book had me chuckling so many times, especially when she's around George and her thoughts take a turn for the amusing. "My mouth watered (for multiple reasons, mostly the pizza, though, to be honest) and I invited him inside." Parts of this book were a little tough for me personally. I've "struggled" with my body image my entire life, and truthfully, a lot of that stems from people close to me telling me that they're worried for me, that I should try to be more healthy to the point where I no longer felt comfortable in my own skin. The way Savannah's mum treats her perfectly illustrates the things I've gone through in my own life and honestly, there were moments that were so real they had me close to tears. "You'd be a lot happier if you could just make the choice to lead a healthier life." One thing that Savannah has that I didn't is an amazing, supportive friend. I absolutely adore Grace, Savannah's best friend, who is always in Savannah's corner. Then there's George; sweet, naive, blushing George. The romance in this book is completely adorable, especially as both George and Savannah are a little clueless when it comes to expressing their feelings. If you're looking for more body positivity in your life, if you're sick and tired of body shaming and reading books with toxic friendships, I urge you to read To Be Honest. I especially recommend to fans of Becky Albertalli who I think will adore Maggie Ann Martin's writing style! I'm so thankful to Maggie Ann Martin for writing this fantastic book and to Swoon Reads for publishing it! We need more body positive YA. I feel certain that if I'd read more books like this when I was younger, I wouldn't have spent most of my teenage life feeling so insecure. "There's no expiration date on acceptance."
What do you think? Remember that you can click on the cover photo above to add To Be Honest to your Goodreads TBR!
Thanks again for stopping by and joining me on my leg of the tour! Click here to follow the rest of the tour! You can also enter below for your chance to win a print copy of To Be Honest (US/CAN only - giveaway hosted by Xpresso Book Tours)! Rating: 4.5 STARS Genre: Contemporary YA Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: ARC from Little Brown Books via NetGalley Florence is pretty sure she's not got much in common with the other patients at Manor Lane Diagnostic & Therapy Centre. Wilf has ADHD and a tendency to punch doors, Andrew's ASD means he likes to run to a schedule as precise as a Japanese train, and Jasper would be far too perky if it wasn't for his moods at mealtimes. It's only when Howard Green, the centre's psychotherapist goes missing that they start to share some common ground. They've told Howard things they've never told anyone before. They trusted him and were making progress. Starting again with someone else is an unbearable prospect. Together the four of them decide that they need answers and set off on a roadtrip, vowing to track him down. I really wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did!
I absolutely love the characters and their varying personalities. Each one is so distinct, diverse and compelling and I love how well the author portrays mental health in all its variations. The book is set in the UK, which I really enjoyed. Since I'm British, I find I sometimes relate more to books with familiar settings etc, and it definitely felt that way with The Definition of Us. Whilst reading this book it gave me a bit of a Breakfast Club vibe whilst also reminding me a little of Clean by Juno Dawson (which I highly recommend if you haven't read it!) What I truly love the most about this book is how realistic the characters are, they were so relatable, and their journey both together and as individuals is really beautiful. I can honestly say that this is the best book about mental health that I've read to date. The representation, understanding, acceptance and relatability of mental health portrayed in this book was, in my opinion, flawless. It's juxtaposed with sweetness, humour, romance and friendship and I enjoyed every minute of it. I was so caught up in these characters and their stories that it was only when I'd finish did I realise I saw so much of myself in them. Different insecurities, worries, and problems that I've struggled with throughout my life, reflected back at me in these characters, and I was left feeling better about myself. This book is about hope, about strength and about how being human is complicated and that absolutely no one is perfect, everyone is facing some form of internal struggle, no matter how put together they seem on the outside. I'm going to finish with a truly beautiful quote, and encourage you all to read this book! "There is always a moment in the future you'll be glad you stuck around for." Rating: 4 STARS Genre: YA/LGBT/Fantasy/Romance Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: Bought There is a secret organization that cultivates teenage spies. The agents are called Love Interests because getting close to people destined for great power means getting valuable secrets. Caden is a Nice: the boy next door, sculpted to physical perfection. Dylan is a Bad: the brooding, dark-souled guy who is dangerously handsome. The girl they are competing for is important to the organization, and each boy will pursue her. Will she choose the Nice or the Bad? Both Caden and Dylan are living in the outside world for the first time. They are well-trained and at the top of their games. They have to be—whoever the girl doesn’t choose will die. What the boys don’t expect are feelings that are outside of their training. Feelings that could kill them both. This book is a prime example of why, whilst I absolutely love reading (spoiler-free) book reviews, I don’t allow them to completely dictate my reading choices.
It’s also why, whilst I love writing book reviews (so much so that I decided to start this blog), I will never write a review for a book that I didn’t connect with or enjoy because I firmly believe that each and every person gets something different from reading a book and that no two people will have exactly the same experience when reading the same book. I came across The Love Interest on Twitter and was completely intrigued by the synopsis, an LGBT Spy YA novel!! When I went to add it to my TBR on Goodreads, I noticed a couple of not so positive reviews of the book, and whilst I respect the opinions of those readers, I enjoy forming my own opinions, especially since the book already had me excited from the synopsis alone, and I’m really glad that I did! The Love Interest is fantastic! I think the concept is original and fantastic, it gave me sort of sci-fi vibes too which was really interesting. The characters are likeable and somehow relatable even despite their unusual circumstances. I loved Caden and Dyl so much!! Every interaction made me smile and swoon just a little bit more. I think the author does a fantastic job in providing a fantastical plot that’s filled with relatable characters who you can’t help but care about whilst also featuring a really strong LGBT message, as well as being a strong advocate for self-acceptance. "I didn't exist to teach her a lesson, and it irks me that she thinks labelling me is okay now. Like, by liking guys I automatically take on that role in her life. That I'm suddenly a supporting character in her story rather than the hero of my own." I was asked in another post if this story features a love triangle, and without giving too much away, whilst it does feature certain elements of a love triangle, it certainly doesn’t follow the usual stereotypes. The pace is great, I never once found myself drifting off or getting bored, I was fully invested in the story from the very beginning. The characters are compelling, the ‘antagonists’ are menacing and, in some cases, downright creepy! The slow burn romance was perfection, it was so sweet (even with the slight confusion towards the end) and features probably my favourite romance trope of all time! It was light-hearted, sweet and so much fun to read. There were a couple of plot points I was unsure of and have a few questions about, like, why Dyl lied, and why the LIC feel the need to incinerate EVERYONE, but it was nothing major and certainly didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. Overall, I’d highly recommend this fast-paced, action-packed, diverse YA to anyone looking for a new take on the traditional ‘spy’ storyline. It actually reminded me a little bit of the film ‘This Means War’ (if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it) but with more creepy robots, cool inventions and teenage angst. Oh, before I forget, I also wanted to go on a weird tangent and talk about the book itself, as in the physical paperback. This book has a really stunning cover, and it feels so weird!! Most books are glossy and smooth, but this book is sort of rough, which I absolutely love for some reason! It really stands out! Rating: 5 STARS! Genre: Fantasy/Romance/LGBT/Comedy Standalone/Series: Tales from Verania #1 How I got this book: Bought Once upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident. Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam's pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the King's Wizard, Morgan of Shadows. When Sam is fourteen, he enters the Dark Woods and returns with Gary, the hornless gay unicorn, and a half-giant named Tiggy, earning the moniker Sam of Wilds. At fifteen, Sam learns what love truly is when a new knight arrives at the castle. Sir Ryan Foxheart, the dreamiest dream to have ever been dreamed. Naturally, it all goes to hell through the years when Ryan dates the reprehensible Prince Justin, Sam can't control his magic, a sexually aggressive dragon kidnaps the prince, and the King sends them on an epic quest to save Ryan's boyfriend, all while Sam falls more in love with someone he can never have. Or so he thinks. Disclosure: Due to the explicit nature of this book, this review includes some mature content and is intended for readers aged 18+. You have been warned.
I’m gonna be honest, it was the prospect of the ‘gay, hornless unicorn’ that really made me click ‘buy’ when I read the synopsis, and Gary does not disappoint. He’s overflowing with glitter, sass and a serious case of potty mouth, and he’s fantastic! I want to start by saying how disappointed in myself I am that I’d never heard of T.J. Klune, or read any of his books until stumbling across this one on BookBub, and so on that note, I want to thank BookBub (check them out for discounted and free ebooks!) for making me aware of one of the most outrageously funny books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. I really don’t know where to start with this book, I finished it last night (read: early hours this morning) and I can’t get over how AMAZING it was. I don’t even have the right words to sum up how amazing this book is, I’m still so overwhelmed by it all, so I hope this review makes some sense. From the moment I started reading, I fell in love with Sam, his friends and his world, and I was never once bored along the way. I was fully immersed in the world of Verania and its colourful characters from the very first page. Sam is an incredible narrator, he’s sweet, caring, loyal to a fault, sincere, good, helplessly naïve and hysterically funny. Oh, he also does some pretty cool magic! Even amongst all the sass, I found myself tearing up in certain parts for my beautiful, sweet Sam. I love that this book isn’t a regular historical romance. It’s an epic fantasy adventure filled with magic, wizards (both good and bad), castles, knights, giants and dragons. It has literally everything you could want from an epic fantasy whilst also featuring a slow-burn, sizzling, pining M/M romance and more LGBT characters than I’ve ever seen in a single book. There’s even a fairy drag mother, yeah, you heard me! “Once upon a time in the Kingdom of Verania, there was a kickass boy born in the slums of the City of Lockes. His parents were hardworking, and at times, life could be difficult, but they were alive and had all their teeth. Which was important.” Even more so, beneath all of that, this is a story with emotional depth spanning friendships, family bonds and true love. Reading ‘The Lightning Struck Heart’ was no easy feat since I was reading mostly at night and having to smother my laughter at the sheer amount of sass and bitching from all the characters. “’Horse?’ Gary snarled. The pretty unicorn act dropped immediately. Red sparks shot from his nose. ‘Did you just call me a horse? Listen here, you two-legged bag of shit. I’m not a motherfucking horse. I am a unicorn, and I am magic and a beautiful creature made of fucking sunshine and rainbows and good feelings.’” **** “’Nicole,’ Tina hissed. ‘Keep your comments to yourself! Be a respectable fucking lady, for fuck’s sake!’” **** “’Don’t marry Dimitri,’ he said. ‘You’re not meant to be a fairy queen. Not in the literal sense, anyway.’” Somebody, stop me! Sam of Wilds is such a fantastic protagonist. His inner monologue is perfect and from the very beginning, all I wanted was for him to succeed, to get what he wants, especially since he always puts everyone else first. He wears his heart on his sleeve and hides behind his words and I have everything crossed that he’s just as amazing in book two! So, if you’re looking to be swept away on a magical, epic adventure with a love struck, oblivious wizard in training, a dashingly stupid night, a vengeful prince, a kind-hearted King, a loving family, a sassy, fabulous unicorn with a penchant for bondage, a half-giant trying to learn sarcasm, an overly sexual dragon-god, a bemused wizard, dick noses, almost gay fairy marriage, boys with ‘ears’, dark wizards, monologuing, fairy drag mothers, a corn cult, and cheesy dicks and candlesticks, then this is the book for you! Phew! Recommended for anyone with a love for the ridiculous and preferably a room you can read in that's far away from people so that you won't startle anyone with your hysterical outbursts. P.S: HaveHeart forever! Rating: 5 STARS! Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy Standalone/Series: Standalone How I got this book: Bought NEMESIS (n) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome 2) A person's undoing 3) Joshua Templeman Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She prides herself on being loved by everyone at work - except for imposing, impeccably attired Joshua Templeman. Trapped in a shared office, they've become entrenched in an addictive game of one-upmanship. There's the Staring Game, The Mirror Game, The HR Game. Lucy can't let Joshua beat her at anything - especially when a huge promotion is on offer. If Lucy wins, she'll be Joshua's boss. If she loses, she'll resign. So why is she questioning herself? Maybe she doesn't hate him. And just maybe, he doesn't hate her either. Or is this just another game . . . ? I added this book to my TBR last September and then promptly forgot all about it until I saw someone raving about it on Goodreads. Their review was so good (sadly I can't remember whose it was) that I just had to read it, and I'm so glad I did.
This book is amazing. It's an enemies to lovers style trope with a guaranteed HEA and it's laugh out loud funny throughout. "They’re brothers in arms. Comrades who’ve seen some seriously painty shit go down in this barren wasteland." I literally read this book in 6 hours straight. I started it and could not put it down, I honestly don't even think I went to the bathroom. It was cute, sweet, downright hilarious and super steamy! Brace yourselves for a few cold showers with this read, and some ridiculously high expectations in men once you're finished. I also love the characters. Lucy is a book-nerd; she's sweet, she has a hilarious inner monologue and is so relatable it hurts. "Josh watches ER and yawns, not at all suspecting I’m trying to estimate how big his rib cage is like a meat-eating predator." Josh is the ultimate book boyfriend. He's sexy, sweet and drives Lucy crazy in all the best ways. There were amazing laugh out loud moments in this book and I loved Lucy's rants and revelations. “I want to know what’s going on in your brain. I want to juice your head like a lemon.” The story is heartwarming, the development is perfect (a fantastic pace) and the love story comes together beautifully. This is the author's debut novel and it's so good, I just can't get it out of my head. Fans of Tara Sivec's romantic comedies will absolutely love The Hating Game! 5 big, soppy, strawberry flavour stars from me. Rating: 4.5 STARS! Genre: YA/Fantasy Standalone/Series: The Smoke Thieves #1 How I got this book: ARC from Penguin Random House UK Children’s via NetGalley A princess, a traitor, a hunter and a thief. Four teenagers with the fate of the world in their hands. Four nations destined for conflict. In Brigant, Princess Catherine prepares for a loveless political marriage arranged by her brutal and ambitious father. In Calidor, downtrodden servant March seeks revenge on the prince who betrayed his people. In Pitoria, feckless Edyon steals cheap baubles for cheaper thrills as he drifts from town to town. And in the barren northern territories, thirteen-year-old Tash is running for her life as she plays bait for the gruff demon hunter Gravell. As alliances shift and shatter, and old certainties are overturned, our four heroes find their past lives transformed and their futures inextricably linked by the unpredictable tides of magic and war. Who will rise and who will fall? And who will claim the ultimate prize? I absolutely LOVED this book.
You might have seen my earlier post when I first received the ARC from NetGalley along with a letter from the author, Sally Green, about her promise to provide an intelligent heroine. Suffice it to say, I was excited to get started. The book starts with 1 of our 5 main characters, Tash and her companion Gravell, setting a trap for a demon. I loved this opening chapter, it really gives a lot of insight quite quickly into who Tash is and what she does, as well as doing a great job of building the world that we're entering into. Each of the characters' opening scenes works really well and what I love most about this book is how each characters' journey progresses until they all intertwine. I did draw some comparisons with Six of Crows in terms of the 5 main characters, I'll list these lower down for those who'd rather not know. It also has a certain element of danger, mystery and magic to it that was also reminiscent of our beloved Grishaverse. This book is very immersive, I didn't want to put it down once I'd started reading. Each character faces unique challenges and struggles on their respective journeys and I couldn't get enough. I love that the characters are diverse, I think the villain(s) are really strong, hate-able characters which drive the story really well and there's plenty of intrigue with a potential love triangle and 'forbidden' love brewing that I'm really looking forward to seeing more of. My only complaint, and it's a very minor one, is that the book ends on a slightly sketchy cliffhanger. It didn't really feel like a neat place to wrap up this book and now I'm brewing with questions over what happens next but also feeling like there should have been a little more clarification on what the hell just happened?!? Side note: This is probably just because all of the great books I've read lately end in cliffhangers and I hate waiting!! I loved this book. The author fulfilled her promise of a strong, intelligent heroine and also delivered more in the way of the other characters who I really can't get enough of, alongside the fantastic, magical plot. I do also have to mention Gravell, who I loved, and who almost made me cry. Highly recommended for fans of Six of Crows, Children of Blood and Bone, Harry Potter etc 4.5 stars for this brilliant YA fantasy. Six of Crows Character Comparisons:
In no way are the characters replicas, they're each interesting and unique, I just personally had a 'feel' about them that made me think of the Six of Crows gang. Although, no Kaz. If you have/do read The Smoke Thieves, let me know what you think! |
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About Kay (She/Her)
Book addict, film mad, music lover, business owner, writer and mum (not necessarily in that order), living in the UK. About Sophie (She/Her)
Sophie loves books (obviously). She has a passion for photography and spotting wildlife, and is interested in anything made with passion and creativity. THIS BLOG IS SPOILER FREE!
Rating system: 5 Stars - AMAZING!! 4.5 Stars - Almost perfect! 4 Stars - I really loved it 3.5 Stars - I liked it alot 3 Stars - I liked it (I don't typically review books that I rate below 3 stars)
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