B.K. Borison - In the Weeds (Lovelight #2)

 

B.K. Borison - In the Weeds (Lovelight #2)

5⭐

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Reading 

Pages: 334

Format: Paperback

Publisher: PanMacmillan

Date Published: 6th August 2023

Book Blurb: 

Evelyn St. James isn’t the kind of woman you forget.

Beckett Porter certainly hasn’t. One incredible weekend in Maine, and he’s officially a man distracted. He’s not unfamiliar with hot and heavy flings. He knows how it goes. But Evie wove some sort of magic over him during their tumble in the sheets. He can’t stop thinking about her laugh. Her hand pressed flat against his chest. Her smiling mouth at his neck.

Also, her eyes. And her legs.

So when she suddenly appears on his farm as part of a social media contest, he is … confused. He had no idea that the sweet and sexy woman he met at a bar is actually a global phenomenon: social media influencer Evelyn St. James. When she disappears again, Beckett resolves to finally forget her and move on.

But Evelyn St. James has a problem.

Feeling disconnected from her work and increasingly unhappy, she’s trying to find her way back to something real. She returns to the last place she was happy, Lovelight Farms and the tiny town of Inglewild.

It has absolutely nothing to do with the hot farmer she spent two incredible nights with.

Nothing at all.

In The Weeds is a sweet and steamy second-chance romance about finding your happiness. It features a grumpy farmer, a no-nonsense social media influencer, a small town of busybodies, and four very cute kittens. In The Weeds is a standalone romance and is part of the Lovelight series.

My Review: 

Ok, so Lovelight Farms was such a cute romance, but In the Weeds was amazing! One of my favourite romances this year, without a doubt. The writing was brilliant, the characters were adorable, and the romance and angst were so good. Honestly, The Lovelight Farms series is slowly but surely becoming my favourite romance series and I still have two books to go. I’m not usually a fan of small-town romances but In The Weeds has such an amazing atmosphere and it feels like you can read this book during any season, but definitely during cosy Autumn.

The book follows Beckett, whose broody and grumpy demeanour is softened after he awkwardly runs into Evie, who was his one-night stand and who he can’t seem to get out of his mind. Evie comes to the town where Lovelight Farm is to escape her anxieties and take time off from her busy life as a social media influencer. However, the break she can’t seem to get is Beckett, whom she might have a soft spot for…

Both Beckett and Evie are so cute, with so much chemistry and angst. Beckett is so grumpy and Evie is definitely a ray of sunshine but they work so well together. Their romance and getting to know each other is just perfection. The book is also written in dual POV, which adds substance to the story. I also love how we get to see all the characters featured in the first book and learn more about the town dynamics and different families. I honestly feel so invested in this series. My only complaint about this book is that it wasn’t longer and that I finished it so quickly as it was so addictive.

Overall: Love it love it love it! One of my favourite romance books this year. Amazing set of characters, an adorable setting, amazing romance and brilliantly addictive writing. Honestly, if you want cute, cosy and adorable grumpy x sunshine romance to read, In the Weeds is it! Now onto Mixed Signals! 

About the Author:

B.K. Borison lives in Baltimore with her sweet husband, vivacious toddler, and giant dog. She started writing in the margins of books when she was in middle school and hasn’t stopped.

https://www.instagram.com/authorbkborison/

Cassandra Clare - Sword Catcher (The Chronicles of Castellane #1)

 

Cassandra Clare - Sword Catcher (The Chronicles of Castellane #1)

3⭐

Pages: 604

Format: Hardback

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

Publisher:  Tor Books 

Date Published: 10th October 2023

 

Book Blurb: 

In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, the richest of nobles and the most debauched of criminals have one thing in common: the constant search for wealth, power, and the next hedonistic thrill.

Kel is an orphan, stolen from the life he knew to become the Sword Catcher—the body double of a royal heir, Prince Conor Aurelian. He has been raised alongside the prince, trained in every aspect of combat and statecraft. He and Conor are as close as brothers, but Kel knows that his destiny is to die for Conor. No other future is possible.

Lin Caster is one of the Ashkar, a small community whose members still possess magical abilities. By law, they must live behind walls within the city, but Lin, a physician, ventures out to tend to the sick and dying of Castellane. Despite her skills, she cannot heal her best friend without access to forbidden knowledge.

After a failed assassination attempt brings Lin and Kel together, they are drawn into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King, the criminal ruler of Castellane’s underworld. He offers them each what they want most; but as they descend into his world of intrigue and shadow, they discover a conspiracy of corruption that reaches from the darkest gutters of Castellane to the highest tower of its palaces.

As long-kept secrets begin to unravel, they must ask themselves: Is knowledge worth the price of betrayal? Can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war—and the world into chaos?

My Review: 

So Cassandra Clare wrote a book that is not a part of the Shadowhunters universe and the book is also for adults and not YA? I was really excited about this book as I love Shadowhunters universe and those books basically defined my teen years. However, I was quite disappointed by this book, mainly because it just felt so long (600+ pages), it dragged and there was so much information, that by the end I didn’t care. Also, there wasn’t much action happening, and even those little bits of action were for more information dumping. Honestly, more than half of the characters were mentioned once and then never seen again.

The story is set in Castellane, a city that is always in search of wealth and power and where nobles are rich and crime is heaving…We meet Kel who is an orphan but is taken by the royal family to become a Sword Catcher for their son Prince Conor. Over the years they become best friends and brothers, yet Kel knows that his only future is to serve and die for Conor. We also meet Lin, a young Ashkar girl who lives in a community of oppressed people and who still possesses some leftover magic healing powers. She is a healer who wants to help her friend to survive, and who by accident, together with Kel gets immersed in the criminal Castellane’s underworld, whilst also learning that Castellane is not as politically stable as it once was and now is filled with corruption and betrayal.

Characters: well apart from the three main characters, everyone else felt very one-dimensional. The only character that I really cared about was Lin, as her story was somewhat interesting. I didn’t really like Kel, yet was intrigued by Conor and wished there were chapters from his POV.

Romance: I expected some more romance but there was barely any romance in this, just felt like I was reading about the politics of the land and people trying to outsmart each other. Honestly, felt like I was reading the Wish.com version of The Folk of the Air trilogy.

Plotline: Nothing happens throughout the book. Yes, we get a lot of information on different characters and we see the whole worldbuilding, yet nothing big happens. Not even a cliffhanger at the end. Just felt really underwhelming, especially when you invest time to read a book that is over 600+ pages.

Positives: Cassandra Clare definitely knows how to write and writes very well, and that’s really the only reason I persevered with this book. Secondly, it is the first book in the series so I kind of understand the too much information and nothing much happening, but it could’ve been done in less than 600 pages surely. Lin’s storyline is very intriguing and interesting, and I enjoyed her as a character. I felt the emotional connection to her character, yet none of the others sadly.

Overall: The book series has a lot of potential, so I hope that the next book is filled with action and less information. However, Sword Catcher for me was a bit underwhelming, as it lacked action, something that I expect from an adult fantasy book, especially from an author like Cassandra Clare. 

About the Author:

Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Tehran, Iran and spent much of her childhood travelling the world with her family, including one trek through the Himalayas as a toddler where she spent a month living in her father’s backpack. She lived in France, England and Switzerland before she was ten years old.

Since her family moved around so much she found familiarity in books and went everywhere with a book under her arm. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles where she used to write stories to amuse her classmates, including an epic novel called “The Beautiful Cassandra” based on a Jane Austen short story of the same name (and which later inspired her current pen name).

After college, Cassie lived in Los Angeles and New York where she worked at various entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids where she reported on Brad and Angelina’s world travels and Britney Spears’ wardrobe malfunctions. She started working on her YA novel, City of Bones, in 2004, inspired by the urban landscape of Manhattan, her favourite city. She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in 2006 and hopes never to have to write about Paris Hilton again.

Cassie’s first professional writing sale was a short story called “The Girl’s Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord” in a Baen anthology of humor fantasy. Cassie hates working at home alone because she always gets distracted by reality TV shows and the antics of her cats, so she usually sets out to write in local coffee shops and restaurants. She likes to work in the company of her friends, who see that she sticks to her deadlines.

City of Bones was her first novel. Sword Catcher is her most recent novel.

http://www.cassandraclare.com/

Caroline Kepnes - You (You #1)

Caroline Kepnes - You (You #1) 

5⭐

Genre: Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Contemporary 

Pages: 464

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK

Date Published: 25th September 2014 

 

Book Blurb: 

When a beautiful aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

A terrifying exploration of how vulnerable we all are to stalking and manipulation, debut author Caroline Kepnes delivers a razor-sharp novel for our hyper-connected digital age.

My Review: 

Joe Goldberg is so toxic...We all agree on that..but this book is so good and creepy and just draws you in and doesn’t let go until the very last page. It is also not for everyone. Some hate it and some love it, and I weirdly loved it (as much as the TV show). Honestly, this book messes with your mind so much, from the very beginning. Also, the writing is so good, so suspenseful and so much tension. Love it!

The book follows Joe Goldberg who is a lonely bookshop owner in the Lower East Side in New York. One day he sees a beautiful female walking into his shop and he is fixated on her. He becomes obsessed with her and well.. slowly makes himself present in her life. Joe knows that Beck will be his, one way or another, even if it means killing her friends and boyfriend…

Honestly, I don’t think Kepnes intended for any of the characters to be likeable in this book. None of the characters were likeable, but I wanted to know more about them, and they were so fascinating to me.  Joe is complex and creepy and although I was supposed to hate him, there were moments when I forgot that and actually felt sympathy for him. Beck and her friends are also super unlikable, but once you get to know them, they have their own reasons why they are the way they are, and I had to also sympathise with them. I loved character development and progression throughout the book too, even though we see them from Joe’s POV only.

I loved the writing even though it is written from Joe’s POV in the present tense. It make me feel that I was seeing everything that Joe is and that I was a part of the story there with him. Also, the scene setting and plot were quite suspenseful and full of tension as you never know what will happen next or what Joe will do next. I read this book after seeing the first season of You, but it felt like I was experiencing everything from the first time.

Overall: Love this book so much! The writing, the scene setting, the plot and the complex and complicated bunch of unlikable characters just grew into me. Truly recommend this book to everyone who wants to experience something in between contemporary literature and thriller. 

About the Author:

Caroline Kepnes is the New York Times bestselling author of You, Hidden Bodies, Providence and You Love Me. 

Her work has been translated into a multitude of languages and inspired a television series adaptation of You, currently on Netflix. Kepnes graduated from Brown University and then worked as a pop culture journalist for Entertainment Weekly and a TV writer for 7th Heaven and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. She grew up on Cape Cod, and now lives in Los Angeles.

http://www.carolinekepnes.com/

Sarah J. Maas - A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1)

Sarah J. Maas - A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1) 

4⭐

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, YA, Book Series

Pages: 420

Format: Paperback

Publisher:  Bloomsbury Publishing 

Date Published: 2nd June 2020

 

Book Blurb: 

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.

At least, he’s not a beast all the time.

As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable read.

My Review: 

I finally braved it and read the first book of the ACOTAR series. Now, I see what the hype is all about really. I must admit, it is a great book, with excellent world-building and great writing. Yet, for me, it was just a tad too long. I know, I know, it’s a first book and the author needs to set the world and its premise to the reader, but still. It felt like at least 100 words could have been cut and the book would have been still as great. It was supposed to be a The Beauty and the Beast retelling but again I didn’t feel it.

The story follows Fayre, who is a very resourceful hunter who by accident kills a disguised faerie. Tamlin from the faerie world comes to take Fayre as a captive until her debt is paid, a.k.a., her whole life. Feyre doesn’t know much about the lands of Prythian, but she knows they are dangerous to mortals like her. So although she adopts to her new home with Tamlin, she notices that something is very wrong with the faerie world and that something dark is about to be unleashed. Whilst all of that is happening her feelings towards her captor grow, but whether it is wise in the midst of all this darkness growing?

I liked it, especially how well-fleshed the characters in this book are. I don’t have a favourite yet, but there aren’t any particular characters that I dislike either. Yet, anyways. I, however, didn’t feel much chemistry between Feyre and Tamlin, but maybe that was just me.

Oh, the setting, world-building and descriptions of the different courts and the fey world are amazing in this book. However, there were parts that I felt that I was reading a YA and not a Young Adult fantasy book.

Overall: Very interesting, beautifully written with amazing world-building and a very well-developed set of characters. I really enjoyed reading this, even though for me it didn’t feel like a Beauty and the Beast retelling and at times it did feel a tad on the YA side of fantasy. I would be interested to read the rest of the series and see if I enjoy the rest of the books more than this first one. 

About the Author:

Sarah J. Maas is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the Crescent City, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and the Throne of Glass series. Her books have sold more than twelve million copies and are published in thirty-seven languages. A New York native, Sarah lives in Philadelphia with her husband, son, and dog. To find out more, visit sarahjmaas.com or follow @therealsjmaas on Instagram.

https://sarahjmaas.com/

Ella Maise - To Love Jason Thorn (Love and Hate #1)

 

Ella Maise - To Love Jason Thorn (Love and Hate #1) 

3 ⭐

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Fiction

Time: 11h 20mins

Narrator:  Alexander Cendese and Lidia Dornet 

Format: Audio 

Publisher:  Tantor Audio/ Audible 

Date Published: 3rd December 2015

 

Book Blurb: 

Jason Thorn… My brother’s childhood friend.

Oh, how stupidly in love with that boy I was. He was the first boy that made me blush, my first official crush. Sounds beautiful so far, right? That excitement that bubbles up inside you, those famous butterflies you feel for the very first time—he was the reason for them all. But, you only get to live in that fairytale world until they crush your hopes and dreams and then stomp on your heart for good measure. And boy did he crush my little heart into pieces.

After the stomping part he became the boy I did my best to stay away from—and let me tell you, it was pretty hard to do when he slept in the room right across from mine.

When tragedy struck his family and they moved away, I was ready to forget he ever existed.

Now he is a movie star, the one who makes women of all ages go into a screaming frenzy, the one who makes everyone swoon with that dimpled smile of his. Do you think that’s dreamy? I certainly don’t think so. How about me coming face to face with him? Nope still not dreamy. Not when I can’t even manage to look him in the eye.

Me? I’m Olive, a new writer. Actually, I’m THE writer of the book that inspired the movie he is about to star in on the big screen. As of late, I am also referred to as the oh-so-very-lucky girl who is about to become the wife of Jason Thorn.

Maybe you’re thinking yet again that this is all so dreamy? Nope, nothing dreamy going on here. Not even close.

My Review: 

So again, unpopular opinion, but this romance was so average. After listening to The Hardest Fall by Ella Maise I had such high hopes for this book, but those were chattered about halfway through this book. Don’t get me wrong I loved the premise of this book and for about 40% of this book, I actually thought it was going to be a 5-star read, but not after that. After those 40%, it turned into a smut book, without any character progression or interesting plotline. I can’t believe that most of the second half of the book was smut scenes that were so repetitive and cheesy, I had to listen to them on 2x speed, just so I don’t fall asleep.

The book follows Olive who since she was a little girl, was in love with her brother's best friend and next-door neighbour Jason. Jason never seemed to feel the same way about Olive and only saw her as his best friend's younger sister. Now more than ten years later, Olive is a popular indie author, with her debut book smashing all the book charts. Her book is now going to be made into a film, but who is going to play the lead in it…None other than Jason...Yes, the same Jason that Olive loved since she was a kid and the same Jason her book is based on. He is now a hotshot Hollywood star, who has a very questionable personal life. To make Jason look good, his management team decides that he needs to marry someone and that someone should be Olive, since the story of long lost and now found love will bring Jason back to his limelight!

I wanted this love story to be deeper, as it had so much potential and premise to do so. It was heading that way until the book turned into smut galore and then all I could feel that these characters had towards each other was lust. This was especially apparent when in every other sentence Jason mentioned how hot Olives' bum and breasts were. Seriously!? It didn’t feel at all that they were in love. There wasn’t any character development or progression in this book either. It all just felt a bit anticlimactic to me. I just couldn’t connect to any of the characters in this book, nor root for them.

Also, this book had friends-to-lovers, fake dating, marriage of convenience, and brother’s best friend tropes all merged into one story. It was just too much! I wish Ella Maise just chose one and went with it because too many tropes made this book so confusing and with less developed plotlines and characters.

Overall: Very average romance book that wanted to be all, but fell flat. Too much smut and cheese yet not enough plot progression, drama or character development. Had such high hopes for this, but was so disappointed. Hopefully To Hate Adam Connor is going to be much better.

About the Author:

Writing has become my world and I can’t imagine myself doing anything other than giving life to new characters and new stories. You know how some things simply makes your heart burst with happiness? A really good book, a puppy, hugging someone you’ve been missing like crazy? That’s what writing does to me. And all the hard work, all the sleepless nights, all the anxiety…everything is worth it at the end. And I'm hoping that reading my books will leave you with that same happy feeling.

http:/www.ellamaise.com

Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Before We Say Goodbye (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #4)

 

Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Before We Say Goodbye (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #4)

4⭐

Genre: Fiction, Mystical Realism, Asian Literature, East Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Short Stories, Book Series, Translated Books, Fantasy, Paranormal

Original Title: さよならも言えないうちに

Original Language: Japanese 

Translated by: Geoffrey Trousselot 

Pages: 192

Format: Paperback Proof

Publisher: Picador 

Date Published: 14th September 2023

Huge thank you to Picador for sending me a copy of this book to read and review.

Book Blurb: 

The regulars at Café Funiculi Funicula are well acquainted with the whimsical ability it grants them to take a trip into the past—as well as the strict rules involved, including that each traveller must return to the present in the time it takes for their coffee to get cold. In Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s previous novels, patrons have been reunited with old flames, made amends with estranged family and visited loved ones. Now readers will once again be introduced to a new set of visitors.

The Husband with Something Important Left to Say

The Woman Who Couldn’t Bid Her Dog Farewell

The Woman Who Couldn’t Answer a Proposal

The Daughter Who Drove Her Father Away

In Last Chance to Say Goodbye, which is translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot and features signature heartwarming characters and wistful storytelling, Kawaguchi once again invites the reader to ask themselves: What would you change if you could travel back in time?

My Review: 

I adored Before the Coffee Gets Cold Series, as well as I love Japanese literature, and this book is no exception. It was so amazing to come back to the Funiculi Funicula café and reunite with the café’s owners, and its regulars, yet at the same time immerse myself in new stories about people who chose to travel back in time for various reasons.

In this book, there are four more stories of people who decided they want to travel back in time. We met a husband who wanted to tell something very important to his wife who is in a coma. We also met a woman who wanted to say goodbye to her dog but didn’t have a chance before. There was also a story about a girl who couldn’t say yes to her boyfriend’s proposal until it was too late and we learn about a daughter who regretted pushing her father away and wants to set wrongs to rights.

I didn’t think all the stories were as strong as in the first three books, but I particularly enjoyed the one about the girl wanting to meet her father and say what she actually felt before she pushed him away. It was such a great story that linked to a significant event from a recent Japanese history and was perfectly intertwined with the main point of the café – to say what you want to say but didn’t have a chance before it is too late.

Overall: I really enjoyed being back with the characters that I grew to love over the last three books and the stories themselves were unique, different to one another and very heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I just wish there were more than four stories in each of the books as I love the style of writing, the mystical realism and how well the main characters are developed throughout this book. Truly recommend! 

About the Author:

Toshikazu Kawaguchi (in Japanese: 川口 俊 和) was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971. He formerly produced, directed, and wrote for the theatrical group Sonic Snail. As a playwright, his works include COUPLE, Sunset Song, and Family Time. The novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold is adapted from an 1110 Productions play by Kawaguchi, which won the 10th Suginami Drama Festival grand prize. Before the Coffee Gets Cold is his debut as an author. It has become an international bestseller and has been adapted for the screen in Japan.

https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/toshikazu-kawaguchi/28093

B.K. Borison - Lovelight Farms (Lovelight Farms #1)

B.K. Borison - Lovelight Farms (Lovelight #1) 

4⭐

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Reading 

Pages: 348

Format: Digital (Kindle) Netgalley 

Publisher: PanMacmillan

Date Published: 1st March 2023

Book Blurb: 

A handsome, freckled data analyst.

A messy, optimistic Christmas tree farm owner.

A small town with the best hazelnut lattes on the east coast.

Lovelight Farms is a wholesome rom-com featuring a handsome, freckled data analyst, a messy, optimistic Christmas tree farm owner, and a small town with the best hazelnut lattes on the east coast. This sweet and steamy romance, by B. K. Borison, is a holiday happily-ever-after for fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace.

In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a child, Stella enters a contest with insta-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the huge cash prize, she might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on the application and said that she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only . . . there is no boyfriend.

Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just came home for some hot chocolate, and somehow got a farm and a serious relationship in the process. Will their fake love affair save Lovelight Farms in time for Christmas?

My Review: 

What I loved about this book is the autumn and winter setting on a farm. Dream! Also, so cosy! I felt all the cosy autumn and winter vibes whilst reading this, well in the middle of summer…but is the feeling that counts, right?

So, this story is friends to lovers trope, and whilst it's not my favourite, I enjoy books featuring it. In this story, we follow Stella, who owns a Christmas Tree Farm with two of her best friends/co-workers. However, the farm is struggling financially, so Stella decides to apply for this online influencer competition, in which, if selected, a farm can win quite a lot of money. That’s not the last of Stella’s worries though. She also puts on the application form that she owns this farm with her boyfriend, to make it look more romantic. Yet, yes you guessed it! Stella doesn’t have a boyfriend, but what she has is her best friend Luke… In her mind Luke could pretend to be her boyfriend just for a few weeks until the competition is over…but as we know it, sometimes things like that can be a slippery slope…

I read this book in one sitting! One sitting! That’s how cosy and easy to read it was. I loved B.K. Borison’s writing, her scene setting and descriptions of characters and cosy autumn/winter on the farm. Now I want to have my own Lovelight Farm.

I enjoyed Luke’s character. He is such an excellent friend, but also so caring and kind. Stella, however, did drive me nuts sometimes (a few times), especially when it was so obvious that she and Luke are more than friends. Side characters are also just my cup of hot chocolate (a.k.a Beckett), and I can’t wait to read his book! This book also has quite a few emotional and quite a spicy scenes, which were a top-notch.

The only thing that frustrated me with this book was how obvious was to everyone that the two main characters have feelings for each other, but both main characters were too naïve to figure that out. Other than that, I adored and devoured this cosy and sweet romance.

Overall: If you love cosy romances, romantic autumn and winter setting, beautiful writing, and a book that you can devour in no time, then Lovelight Farms is the book for you! I adored it and can’t wait to read book two! Oh, and now B.K. Borison is one of my favourite authors, just FYI. 

This review was first published on NetGalley: 

https://www.netgalley.co.uk/book/283316/review/959200

About the Author:

B.K. Borison lives in Baltimore with her sweet husband, vivacious toddler, and giant dog. She started writing in the margins of books when she was in middle school and hasn’t stopped.

https://www.instagram.com/authorbkborison/

Alice James - Grave Danger (The Lavington Windsor Mysteries #2)

 

Alice James - Grave Danger (Lavington Windsor Mysteries #2)

5⭐

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Romance, Humour, Crime, Horror

Pages: 298

Format: Paperback

Publisher:  Solaris, Rebellion Publishing

Date Published: 23rd May 2023 

 

Big thanks to Alice James for sending me an e-copy of this book to read and review. 

Book Blurb: 

Agatha Raisin meets Sookie Stackhouse, with love, heartbreak and zombies.

More murder. More mayhem. More champagne.

Toni Windsor is failing at ‘happily ever after,’ but it really isn't her fault.

All she wants is true love and the perfect wardrobe, but it doesn't look like they are coming her way any time soon. Instead, there are murders to solve and zombies to raise, and she’s broken her phone again.

Worst of all, her shiny new boyfriend turns out to be a jerk; maybe dating a vampire wasn’t her best decision ever?

My Review: 

This book is even funnier and quirkier than the first one. It is also even more sarcastic and witty than the first one. Oh, and it has even more sexy vampires. What’s not to like? James’s writing is brilliant! A perfect blend of witty, crazy and humorous tones mixed with seriousness and complexity. All this makes each of the characters, especially Toni, not only fun but also portrays how complex each of them are. Basically, I am trying to say that life is complex and James writes her characters with a perfect balance of seriousness, crazy and funny. 

In the book, we follow Toni, who is asked to assist her brother in yet another murder case. There are several suspects, but no one knows who did it, not even zombie Bella after Toni raises her from the dead. On top of that, Toni has to deal with her boyfriend Oscar, who, let’s say, is getting on her nerves and pressuring her to do things she doesn’t want. She also is pushed around by Benedict, who she has to run errands for. Oh, and Toni also has to deal with the forever-growing line of people that wants to kill her…The girl can’t seem to catch a break…

This book felt both, a murder mystery and Toni trying to find her way, as well as make sense of her newfound life with vampires at such proximity. She is not only asked to find out who Bella’s murderer is but also needs to sort out her own (messy) love life and keep herself safe from vampires and other creatures that are trying to kill her, whilst also juggling whatever the Assemblage tells her to take care of. 

I loved how Toni grew as a character throughout the first two books, especially in this book. I just love her attitude and her outlook on life. I feel I could learn a thing or two from her, yet at the same time, she feels like a familiar character to whom I can relate. 

I love how the story is progressing too. There are still so many questions unanswered, but this book built such a great foundation for all of those to be answered in the next instalments. 

I am just going to go and cry about how frustrating Peter’s situation is… and laugh about Oscar…if you know, you know…#TeamPeter

Overall: Brilliantly written story, with so many great characters that I fell in love in the first instalment and don’t want to let go. Like I need the third book now! The suspense! Why did the book have to finish on such a cliffhanger!!! Honestly, can’t wait to see what crazy situations Toni will get herself into in book three. 

About the Author:

Alice lives in a converted chapel in Oxfordshire, England, with three cats and many house plants. She works as a writer, specialising in finance and travel. She was previously a journalist and TV presenter for Bloomberg before becoming press and PR director of a $1 billion US hedge fund for 18 months. That turned out to be the worst period in history for hedge funds, so she retired wounded. Alice has a degree in Maths from Bristol University – and half of a diploma in silversmithing from UCE University because it turns out that making the ladies’ version of the One Ring is a lot harder than she thought.

Alice’s first novel, Grave Secrets, is a whodunit with zombies, vampires, romance and croquet and you should definitely read it. Today.

https://www.alicejames.co.uk

Susan Dennard - The Luminaries (The Luminaries #1)

Susan Dennard - The Luminaries (The Luminaries #1)

4⭐

Genre: Fantasy, YA, Horror, Paranormal, Mystery, Supernatural.

Pages: 304

Format: Digital Proof Copy 

Publisher: Daphne Press 

Date Published: 7th March 2023 

 Huge thank you to BlackCrowPR for sending me a proof copy of this book to read and review. 

Book Blurb: 

From Susan Dennard, the New York Times bestselling author of the Witchlands series, comes a haunting and high-octane contemporary fantasy about the magic it takes to face your fears in a nightmare-filled forest and the mettle required to face the secrets hiding in the dark corners of your own family.

An Instant New York Times Bestseller

A Barnes & Noble YA Book Club Pick

An Indigo Best Teen Book of 2022

A Junior Library Guild Pick

An Indie Next Pick

A Goodreads Most Anticipated YA Book

Hemlock Falls isn't like other towns. You won't find it on a map, your phone won't work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you.

Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie's town—and the rest of humanity—from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night.

Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal—and restore her family's good name. Or die trying.

But in order to survive, Winnie enlists the help of the one person who can help her train: Jay Friday, resident bad boy and Winnie’s ex-best friend. While Jay might be the most promising new hunter in Hemlock Falls, he also seems to know more about the nightmares of the forest than he should. Together, he and Winnie will discover a danger lurking in the forest no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for.

Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark.

My Review: 

I am slowly getting myself back into YA Fantasy and Fantasy in general, and reading The Luminaries displayed why I want to go back into reading more fantasy. This book for me was really enjoyable. I loved the setting of Hemlock Falls, enjoyed the history and explanations about each clan and its nightmares, and I liked the characters, too. Yes, this book felt a bit slow at times and there wasn’t a lot of action, but it presented a perfect foundation for the series and storylines to be expanded over the next instalments. I also really enjoyed the cliffhanger at the end of this book, which made me feel super excited for the second instalment.

The story follows Winnie Wednesday who grew up in Hemlock Falls, a magical town surrounded by a dangerous forest, where the nightmares and the spirits that create them, live. All the different clans in town train to be hunters that hunt nightmares every night and Winnie’s biggest dream is to become one of the hunters. Though, for Winnie to become a hunter will be much harder than for others in town. She and her family are the outcasts, due to her father’s betrayal of the Wednesday clan more than four years ago. Winnie comes up with a plan on her 16^th Birthday, she will attempt the hunter trial, not only to become a hunter but also to prove her loyalty and make sure that her family are no longer outcasted.  However, she soon realises that there is something really dangerous lurking in the forest that might not only affect her hunter's trial but could be potentially very dangerous for everyone at Hemlock Falls.

Firstly, I loved the setting of the forest and the world-building that Dennard did in this book, especially how she weaved so many mythological and paranormal creatures together as inhabitants of one mystical forest.

Secondly, this book was so easy to read and as I was so invested in Winnies stories, I just flew through the short chapters. And I also wanted to know more about the mysterious Jay and some other characters more, hence I couldn’t put this book down.

Finally, the book finished on such a cliffhanger and some really important questions weren’t answered in this book (which hopefully will be answered in the next instalments). I still feel there is so much unknown about the Dianas, Winnie’s father and the town itself (as in why they don’t speak to the outside world about The Luminaries or the forest).

My only negative thing was that there were romantic feelings and loads of tension between the two main characters but nothing has been done to address it…I wish that romance was explored a bit more in-depth.

Overall: A very promising and exciting story, that reads very quickly with characters and a plotline that captures the reader and doesn’t want to let go. Honestly, enjoyed this book so much and can’t wait for the sequel. 

About the Author:

Susan Dennard has come a long way from small-town Georgia. With a masters degree in marine biology, she got to travel the world—six out of seven continents, to be exact (she’ll get to Asia one of these days!)—before she settled down as a full-time novelist and writing instructor.

She is the author of the New York Times bestselling Witchlands series as well as the Something Strange & Deadly series. When not writing, she can be found slaying darkspawn on her Xbox or earning bruises at the dojo.

https://susandennard.com/

Colleen Hoover - Losing Hope (Hopeless #2)

Colleen Hoover - Losing Hope (Hopeless #2) 

4⭐

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Young Adult

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK 

Date Published:  8th July 2013

 

Book Blurb: 

In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

My Review: 

I liked this book way more than I liked Hopeless. There was much less shock factor than in Hopeless, as in this book one of the twists can be seen from the very beginning of the story, which then in turn made the second twist less gruesome to me. I also just preferred the pace of this book more, as it read very easily and quickly, and I think that the letters were a perfect way to make the twists less shocking than they were in Hopeless. Oh, and I felt that Holder’s POV was much more genuine and we as readers get to know him better in this book than in Hopeless, as in Hopeless at times it felt like he was portrayed to be rather stalkerish and creepy. However, it is essentially the same story as Hopeless but from Holder’s POV, with less shock value.

I think that this book could have been incorporated into Hopeless, basically making Hopeless a dual POV. It would have worked so much better that way, as even though I enjoyed Losing Hope, most of it was just a repetition of Hopeless, with only a very few new chapters adding to the story and providing the story from Holder’s POV. However, I still think it is worth reading if you want to learn more about Holder and carry on with the rest of the Hopeless series (basically for the rest of the books to make sense).

What I liked in this book was the introduction of Daniel in the story. He seemed like a great side character and having him in Losing Hope put a solid foundation for Finding Cinderella, where we learn his story in more depth. I also liked the fact that we get to learn more about Holder’s sister and family, something that wasn’t covered much in Hopeless.

Overall: A great quick and easy read, with as always, beautiful writing by Colleen Hoover. Recommend if you want to carry on with the series or just want a quick, yet emotional read. This book was much better than the first in the series, but Losing Hope is essentially the same as Hopeless just from the hero’s POV, with more information and insights into the story. 

About the Author:

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-two novels and novellas. Hoover’s novels fall into the New Adult and Young Adult contemporary romance categories, as well as psychological thrillers. 

Colleen Hoover is published by Montlake Romance, Grand Central Publishing and Atria Books. Colleen also has several indie titles, including Heart Bones.

In 2015, Colleen’s novel CONFESS won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance. That was followed up in 2016 with her latest title, It Ends With Us, also winning the Choice Award for Best Romance. In 2017, her title WITHOUT MERIT won best romance.

Colleen founded The Bookworm Box, a charity subscription service and bookstore, with her family in 2015. The Bookworm Box is a subscription service that provides readers with an exciting opportunity to receive signed novels in the mail each month from authors all over the world. All profits from the subscription service are donated to various charities each month. To date, The Bookworm Box has donated over $1,000,000 to help those in need.

https://www.colleenhoover.com/about-coho/