Happy March! When did that happen?! I honestly can't remember the last time I did a book wrap-up, I just know that it hasn't been this year and in between bingeing Wandavision and Love, Victor over the last month, my blog has been a bit neglected. So, today I'm playing catch-up with a 2-in-1 blog covering the books I've read in Jan & Feb this year. I'm not going to lie, aside from one or two books, my reading year has been a bit disappointing so far BUT I have some fantastic books lined up for my March and April TBR and I have everything crossed that they're going to be amazing. So, let's take a look at what I've read so far this year. As always, click on the book title for the full review (if available). Sins of a Wicked Duke by Sophie Jordan - This was a re-read for me. After watching Bridgerton on Netflix, and not having the books, I was craving a regency romance with a stronger heroine than Daphne Bridgerton. So, I opted for a trusty favourite. I like to think of this book as having a slightly Bisexual storyline as there's a really fun gender-reversal twist to it (think Mulan) and there's definitely some chemistry going on between the hero and our heroine whilst she's disguised as a man. This is a book with plenty of heat, a dastardly drake and a heroine who's ballsy and fierce. One of my favourites! Master of One by Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett - This book was one of my most anticipated books of the year, so much so that I paid extra for the Fairyloot December box once I found out this was inside, just so I could get my hands on it after being turned down for the digital and physical ARC. Sadly, it was also a bit of a disappointment. I LOVED Rags, loved that the writers are queer and married, and the beginning of the book was flawless. Unfortunately, I started to completely lose interest when the other POV characters came into play and found myself really skimming through those just to get back to Rags and Shining Talon. I think their relationship needed more page time as there just wasn't enough chemistry and it felt a bit rushed. Saying that, after the pacing took a dive through the middle of the book, I devoured the last few chapters. It regained that 'grippiness' that it had in the beginning and made me really want to read more. So, a bit of a mixed bag but not a complete loss. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden - This has to be my top book of the year so far and my only 5-star read. This was one of the best fantasy books I've ever read. The world-building, characters, history, all of it was incredible. It was full of really great character deceptions and twists that made me completely change my judgement of certain characters and I just loved the world. The wintery aesthetic was perfect, especially at the time of year when I read it and Vasya has become one of my absolute favourite characters. This is most definitely a series I'm excited to continue with. The Duke and I by Julia Quinn - This one was a bit of a let down. I enjoyed the show on Netflix but found the characters in the book a little more two-dimensional. I think my issue might be that I enjoyed the aesthetic of the show, the music, the language, the sexual tension, and it didn't quite ring true in the book. A lot of the characters fell flat and that controversial scene was, for me, even worse in the book. I won't go on about it too much here though as I covered my thoughts in my review (just click on the book title to read it). Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas - This book was fantastic, and it was very nearly a 5-star read for me. Cemetery Boys features some of the most realistic, life-like characters I've ever read. The culture and the chemistry seeped from the page and I didn't want to stop reading. The only reason this wasn't a 5-star read was that I guessed the plot really early on and so there were no surprises, aside from how much I grew to love Julian. I strongly urge everyone to read this book! City Boy by A.E. Wasp - After the emotional rollercoaster that was Cemetery Boys, this was a light-hearted romp that was both funny and touching. It was a sweet insta-lust read with an interesting lovers-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers vibe. The Charmed Wife by Olga Grushin - This has to be my biggest disappointment of the year so far. The premise for this book sounded fantastic. A modern, feminist spin on Cinderella that takes the reader beyond 'happily ever after'. It sounded perfect and I was really grateful for the eARC from Hodder & Stoughton. Sadly, though, the book just wasn't for me. I found the plot confusing, the shifting timeline unsettling and it was impossible to discern what was reality and what wasn't. I did enjoy the intertwining story of the palace mice but it wasn't enough to keep me interested in the main story. I tried my best, working through my frustrations until I reached 95% of the ebook and just couldn't take anymore. I had to stop, so sadly, this was my first DNF this year. So, that's it from me so far. I have read another book so far this month which was really great (review to follow) and I'm halfway through Malice by Heather Walter which I'm loving and I'll review that as well once I'm done.
On top of these, I'm a third of the way into Paris by Starlight by Robert Dinsdale which is written beautifully but the slow pace is taking me absolutely forever to get through and I'm not sure if I'll stick it out, but we'll see. Next up, I'm so, so, so excited to start Threadneedle by Cari Thomas which I received as an eARC from Harper Voyager. It sounds amazing and twisted and I can't wait to dive into it. What about you? What have you been reading lately? Comments are closed.
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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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