Tag Archives: 5 stars

A Court of Wings and Ruin — Sarah J. Maas — ACOTAR #3

“You do not fear. You do not falter. You do not yield. You go in, you get her, and you come out again.”

Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Actually Rating: 5 stars
Spicy meter: 5 fire emojis
Content Warning: (Very) Graphic violence and explicit sexual content.

“A Court of Wings and Ruin” is the third book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. This book follows Feyre, a mortal-human-turned-immortal-high-fae, as the war against Hybern begins. Feyre joins the Spring Court as a Night Court spy, riddled with anxiety as she doesn’t know if her sisters or her friends at the Night Court are safe. After two Hybern royals try to kill her and Lucien, they run away to the Night Court, now becoming more or less fugitives, and this will only be the start of so many adventures and challenges to come.

First of all, do y’all think Sarah J. Maas planned the abbreviation of this novel? You know how we’ve been shortening the titles–ACOTAR, ACOMAF, etc…– well, this book’s abbreviation is ACOWAR, and it’s pretty much all about a war… so there’s that.

I really enjoyed this book. Probably more than the others. Some aspects of it were very predictable, but others really weren’t. I am actually surprised I liked it as much as I did because I usually find war books to be very boring, but Maas found a way to always keep you on your toes. I loved all the alliances made in this book. I loved how Tamlin was shown as a complex character, not just a pure evil enemy. This is a very stressful read, I cried in 3 different parts, but it was so worth it.

I couldn’t recommend this series enough. Definitely grab this book and series if you enjoy fantasy books, and love magic combat, detailed world-building, and magical war books.

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“It’s a rare person to face who they are and not run from it – not be broken by it.”

A Court of Mist and Fury — Sarah J. Maas — ACOTAR #2

“When you spend so long trapped in darkness (…), you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”

Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Actually Rating: 5+ stars
Content Warning: (Very) Graphic violence and explicit sexual content.

“A Court of Mist and Fury” is the second book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. This book follows Feyre, a mortal-human-turned-immortal-high-fae, as she explores her relationships with the High Lord of the Spring Court, the High Lord of the Night Court, and, most importantly, with herself and her new-found immortality.

I write mostly spoiler-less reviews, but OH GOD, how hard it is to not gush about everything that happened in this book. Yes, it’s a long book, but it’s not slow-paced at all, something is always happening. I loved it. I loved the action, the quests, the romance. This book was definitely spicier than the first installment in this series. There was mist and there was fury, alright? Our girl Feyre really did step up for herself.

I can’t wait to see where this series goes. I would recommend this book and series to readers who enjoy fantasy books, and who love fae, magic combat, detailed world-building, and potential magic wars.

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“I was not a pet, not a doll, not an animal. I was a survivor, and I was strong. I would not be weak, or helpless again. I would not, could not be broken. Tamed.”

“Don’t let the hard days win.”

ARC — Every Summer After — Carley Fortune

“I can’t trust that you’ll love me forever when I don’t even know if you’ll love me next month.”

Genre: Women’s Fiction
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Mentions cancer, parent death, cheating, bullying, slut shaming, and panic attacks.

“Every Summer After” follows Persephone—aka Percy—and Sam—just Sam, not short for Samuel or anything like that—, two childhood-friends-turned-high-school-sweethearts who, abruptly, stopped talking 12 years prior. But now Persephone is back in the town that brought them together—the town where Sam grew up, the town where Sam’s mother’s funeral will be taking place—and she will have to face Sam again after all these years. Told through different timelines, Carley Fortune built a story that’s both heartbreaking and heartwarming (but don’t I say that about all the books I love? Apparently I’m a fan of emotional books that tear me apart). The ending was the sweetest of them all. But it wouldn’t have been as sweet if it has been an easy way there.

The characters were lovely and well-defined, all with their peculiar personalities and ways of talking and acting. I am not sure what brother I loved more, Sam or Charlie, but I must say I loved them both. I am not the biggest fan of books where cheating is involved, but in the end I was very engaged with the plot and—although unjustifiable—I could empathize with what each character did under the circumstances they did it in. We were all kids once upon a time, we all messed up.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy alternating timelines and to fans of Colleen Hoover books, especially those who have enjoyed books like “It Ends With Us” and the “Maybe Someday” series.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: May 10, 2022

“Betrayals don’t cancel each other out. They just hurt more.”

A Court of Thorns and Roses — Sarah J. Maas — ACOTAR #1

“I love you, (…) thorns and all.”

Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Actually Rating: 5+ stars
Content Warning: Graphic violence and some sexual content.

“A Court of Thorns and Roses” is a fantasy novel that takes place in a world where humans and faeries are mortal enemies after fighting a deadly war against each other. Within this world, Feyre is a human young woman who hunts out of necessity. When, by mistake, she kills a faerie while hunting, she is given two options: either be killed on the spot or be taken to the faerie kingdom, back to one of the Faerie realms called Prythian, to live out the rest of her days. This is how she meets Tamlin, a High Fae who’s the High Lord of the Spring Court, and who’s become her captor? Of sorts? It didn’t feel like any normal prison to Feyre… But that’s for her to experience and for us to read.

Oh wow. This book is something else. It broke me and brought me back together. The world-building and plot were immaculate. The romance wasn’t as spicy as I expected, but I’ve been told it gets better with time (props to Nicole for recommending this series, I can already tell these will be some of my favorite reads of 2022).

“A Court of Thorns and Roses” is an action-pack, fast-paced read. Yes, it’s long, but trust me when I say it’s fast-paced, it’s only so long because so many things happen within the chapters of this book. It’s amazing how I fell in love with all characters, even with the villains, throughout this story. Filled with descriptive narratives and dynamic interactions, there’s really nothing I would change about the first installment in this series.

I would recommend this book to anyone willing to commit to reading the rest of the series. It’s not even that they leave us in a cliffhanger or anything, it’s just that you’ll end up wanting more after finishing this read. So, if you like fantasy books and faeries, then this is the book for you.

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Hook, Line, and Sinker — Tessa Bailey — Bellinger Sisters #2

“You can’t live life worrying about what people will think. You’ll wake up one day, look at a calendar, and count the days you could have spent being happy.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Sexual content, bullying, objectifying and sexualizing men, and discusses parent death.

“Hook, Line, and Sinker” is the second book in the Bellinger Sisters/It Happened One Summer series and I was 100% there for it. It follows Hannah Bellinger, an LA-based director’s personal assistant who’s hoping to climb up to soundtrack making, and Fox Thornton, a self-proclaimed player and king crab fisherman. After a weekend in Seattle that took place in the first book’s timeline, they become friends and keep in touch even after Hannah leaves Fox’s small fishing town. Their unexpected friendship has left Fox perplexed, as he’s never had a woman want to be his friend only for his wits and personality. But Hannah isn’t interested in him, she’s focused on the crush she’s had on her boss for forever. They’re focused on staying as friends and that’s it, even if their hearts seem to have other plans…

Do I know what the title of this book means? No. Did it matter whatsoever? Also no. This book was the sweetest escape from reality. Hannah is such a complex and distinct character, I did not feel like I was reading a different story with different names but from the same point of view—which is something that I usually feel when reading series where the main characters have the same gender. Hannah was not Piper. “Hook, Line, and Sinker” is NOT “It Happened One Summer”. I would even dare say it could work well as a standalone. And I absolutely loved it.

Do not make me choose between these two books, I loved them equally but differently. “It Happened One Summer” was spicier, in my opinion, while “Hook, Line, and Sinker” was more emotional—and spicy too, just not as spicy. I wish I would’ve waited to read one of these books by the ocean. They feel like the perfect beach read.

I would recommend this book to people who liked “It Happened One Summer”, and to fans of books like “The Hating Game” by Sally Thorne and “The Simple Wild” by K.A. Tucker. If you like small-town loves and the clashing of two worlds, this is the book for you.

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It Happened One Summer — Tessa Bailey — Bellinger Sisters #1

“Trying to figure out what to do when no one is watching. And wondering if maybe that’s the stuff that actually matters.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warning: Veeery sexual (consensual) content and discusses parent and spouse death.

“It Happened One Summer” follows the Bellinger sisters, Piper and Hannah, as they’re sent off to a remote fishing town after a Los Angeles-scale scandal. Following Piper specifically, this first book in the Bellinger Sisters series shows how the eldest of the sisters gets to know the town her late father adored. They meet a bunch of unique people, but there is one particular boat captain that’s caught Piper’s eyes… But in order to fall in love with him, she must fall out of love with LA and the spotlight, which is something she doesn’t think she can do. Set in a quaint-y, old town, this book is fast-paced and very entertaining.

Well, I must say this was the spiciest book I’ve read in a while—but that wasn’t why I gave this book 5 stars. I gave it 5 stars because this book had everything: a compelling love story, complex characters, emotional growth, and feelings other than just lovey-dovey romantic love. We see how the sisters grow to love the town they’re in and the people that live in it. We see how they become more aware of the value of things and the pleasure of doing good, honest work. We see them go through a rollercoaster of emotions, and we feel all the confusion with them. And yes. In the end, we get our happily ever after, but it’s made even sweeter because of how we got there.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romances. I am pretty sure it’s impossible not to like this book and its characters.

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“You can be as high maintenance as you want, honey. But I’m the only one who does the maintenance.”

ARC — Sari, Not Sari — Sonya Singh

“But sometimes you are lucky, (…) if you find love and it finds you.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Discusses racial discrimination.

“Sari, Not Sari” follows Manny Dogra, the CEO of a company called Breakup that aids its clients in just that—breaking up through emails, with dignity and tact. Her business is extremely successful, she’s engaged, and she thinks she’s finally overcoming the grief that came with losing her parents. Then in comes Sammy Patel, a handsome businessman who is looking to take a break from his non-Indian girlfriend so he can attend his brother’s extravagant Indian wedding without ruining it all. But here’s the thing: Breakup only works with permanent break ups, not taking breaks. Sammy tries to convince Manny to take the case, persuading her with her supposed understanding of the Indian culture. But here’s the thing, Manny is Indian but she didn’t *grow up* Indian, she really is as americanized as can be. When Sammy agrees to give Manny a crash course in all things Indian as she attends Sammy’s brother’s wedding as a business partner—not a date—, she takes the case and reconnects with the roots she didn’t even know she had, as she slowly starts to understand what it means to be a Patel, to be Indian.

This was the slowest of slow burn romances, but as this was also a book about personal growth I’ve decided not to write it off because of that. With the sweetest of plot twists, “Sari, Not Sari” deserves its full 5 stars and maybe even a bit more.

This book perfectly illustrates imposter syndrome with regards to culture, which was impressive considering that imposter syndrome is usually related to profesional development and not to more personal matters. Manny was dealt a hard hand, but she’s trying to do the best with what she’s got. Sammy had the best intentions, although perhaps not the best execution. The Patels were both welcoming and cruel? At the end of the book I had fluctuates from loving them to hating them to loving them again.

And I have to point it out: THIS IS SONYA SINGH’S DEBUT NOVEL? Excuse me, what? Sonya, I can’t wait to see what’s to come for you. This book was so sweet and the love in it so tender and the friendships in it so solid. Character development was on point, they weren’t just copy/pasted slates of the same 3 character traits; the characters in “Sari, Not Sari” were complex and had so many layers and character flaws. I loved them and I loved the story you told.

I would recommend this book to people interested in a romance book that’s more than just a romance book. “Sari, Not Sari” will teach you about self worth, honesty, lost love, grief, and family, all in the midsts of two different cultures colliding.

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ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: April 05, 2022

Reminders of Him — Colleen Hoover

“Now that I’ve forgiven myself, the reminders of him only make me smile.”

Genre: Romance
Actual rating: 5+ stars
Content warnings: Car accident, death, grief, and suicidal thoughts.

“Reminders of Him” follows Kenna Rowan, a young mother who just spent 5 years in prison, as she looks to be reunited with her daughter. Kenna was separated from her daughter, Diem, as soon as she gave birth and she lost custody to Diem’s paternal grandparents. Then in comes Ledger Ward, a retired football player who was best friends with Diem’s father and who cares for Diem as if she were his own daughter. In an(other) emotionally charged romance, Colleen Hoover has once again torn our hearts and pulled them back together.

No review I could ever write will do this book justice. “Reminders of Him” is so so sad. I would dare to say sadder than most CoHo books. It was perfectly paced, which made it even more enjoyable. It was fast enough that you wouldn’t get bored but slow enough that the anticipation alone made the romance much better.

Then you have a bunch of likable but imperfect characters. Kenna and her grief and perseverance, Ledger and his guilt, the Landrys and their anger. There was so much character growth in this book—sometimes even in unexpected ways. Colleen knows just how to build up tension, and oh was this book tense.

I always say my favorite CoHo book is always the last one I’ve read, and this holds true for “Reminders of Him” one too. This book was all I didn’t know I needed.

I would recommend this book without a shadow of a doubt that the reader will be entranced by it. If you’re looking for a romance book that’ll make you swoon and cry and love and heal, then this book is for you.

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“It proves that time, distance, and devastation allow people enough opportunity to craft villains out of people they don’t even know. But Kenna was never a villain. She was a victim. We all were.”

The Simple Wild — K.A. Tucker — Wild #1

“(…) wanting someone to be something they’re not won’t make it happen.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5+ stars
Content Warning: Discusses cancer and airplane crashes.

“The Simple Wild” follows Calla Fletcher, an Alaskan-born, Toronto-raised 26-year-old. When she was 2 years old, her mother took her and left Alaska for good, leaving her pilot father, Wren, behind. Having never seen her father again and having cut all relationship with him when she was in middle school, she is shocked when she hears he’s—perhaps terminally—ill. Embarking on a trip to re-meet her own father, Calla will find more than solitude and tundra in this romantic, heart-shattering book.

Why was this hidden gem kept from me? This was one of the best reads of the year already. I missed out on this book for almost 4 years, that’s inconceivable. I loved Calla and her inner voice. I loved the adventure K.A. Tucker took us on. I loved the raccoons. I loved loved loved the character development. If anything, I feel like this book ended too soon. Good thing there are more books in this series, I need more Calla and Jonah in my life.

If you like romance: read this book. If you like nature: read this book. If you like books that will make you cry a lil: read this book. If you’re breathing: do yourself a favor and just read this book. It’s so so good.

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“Jonah is Alaska to me.”

Preview ARC — Husband Material — Alexis Hall — Boyfriend Material #2 (First 5 Chapters)

Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Content Warnings: Mentions cheating.

“Husband Material” is the sequel to Alexis Hall’s “Boyfriend Material” and I am here for it. The sequel once again follows Luc O’Donnell, the son of two celebrities who’s kind of famous by association, and Oliver Blackwood, a.k.a. the perfect boyfriend and fancy barrister. This time around, everyone close to them is getting married and that’ll make them question where their future lies.

First of all, AAAAAHHHHHH I AM FREAKING OUT. I know it’s only a preview, but getting to read just a bit of this sequel has made my day, my week, my month. Get to pre-ordering this bad boy as soon as possible, as we’ll get all the wonderful Luc and Oliver banter we got to know and love through “Boyfriend Material”.

From what we could see in these first five chapters, this book will come packed with drama, yes, but most of all it’ll come packed with Luc and his panicky periods and Oliver and his calming qualities, as we got to see the first time around with “Boyfriend Material.”

I will recommend this book to absolutely everyone. But first: go read Boyfriend Material!!! These books are light and well-written and just a blast to read. If you’re into LGBTQIA romance, this is for you.