This fourth and, sadly, final book in A League of Extraordinary Women series was another cute and intriguing story taking place in the English Victorian Regency era during the early days of the suffragist movement. Compared to the other stories it was a bit on the heavy side when it comes to the history part and a bit slower in general. This series feels a lot like a contemporary one, despite the historical setting. The books all have witty and funny dialogues and banter, more steam than expected and strong, feisty and intelligent women as far from damsels in distress as you can get.
In this forth book, focus is on Catriona, the group’s introvert who is living in a remote castle trying to work on her book and stay away from distractions at Oxford like socializing with friends and the suffragist cause. She’s also given up on love after having been heartbroken twice. But of course, her suffragist friends have a mission for her, and her father’s new protégé Elias sees an opportunity to use her to get what he really came for when pretending to be classifying ancient artefacts. Unfortunately, this mission of seduction soon overshadows the original one… I love morally grey characters, and Elias was the perfect representation for that. As a couple, Catriona and Elias were a cute match, and I appreciated the respect Elias had for her. But they didn’t have the same kind of sizzling chemistry as the couples in the previous books. This book had more of a heist plot, that was fun at first, but then became quite dense and uninteresting with all the backstories and historical information, and ended quite anticlimactic to be honest. This series has always had a nice balance of history and romance, but here the historical politics and explanations overshadowed the romance and made the story slow and without the fun vibes from the other books. I also think that Catriona’s bisexuality and her school sapphic romance could have been given a bigger focus. But it was nevertheless an enjoyable read and the epilogue made up for a lot of what was missing. I loved how all the previous characters were included in the epilogue and what the struggles the characters in this series led to in the end. And what we in the 21th century still owe them thanks for. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Evie Dunmore
0 Comments
I had such high expectations for this book, but sadly it fell quite flat. I enjoyed the historical setting and sweet Lily, but the story was just so painfully slow that I kept losing interest and never became fully invested in it. I started and restarted this one so many times, losing interest after just a few pages, then giving it another try, just to end up feeling bored right away again.
I do think it’s a question of me not you though since so many of my fellow bookish friends loved it. So don’t let my opinion discourage you from reading it if you think the blurb sounds interesting! Even though it was slow, the story itself painted a very interesting and beautiful picture of a Chinese American girl in 1950s San Francisco, with flashbacks to how her parents met, and with an adorably sweet friendship/crush as well as a fascinating tale of the Telegraph Club and its queer performers and guests. And the end made it worth pushing through, just wished that the first 70 % of the book had been cut down to give more focus on the last part instead of this long way to get there… Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Author links Add to Goodreads Author info: Malinda Lo A fresh new take on the enemies-to-lovers romcom with mental health rep and more complexity! I enjoyed the unique characters and the depth behind the sweet story, but I felt that the chemistry between the characters was lacking, that some of the choices made were not okay and that the pacing from slow burn to sudden lovers was a bit off. This is a dual POV story following Julien, who is a sommelier at his aunt and uncle’s restaurant, and Greg, who is a TikTok famous bartender looking for a fresh start from his financial and relationship problems. Both of them also struggle with mental health issues, with Julien having OCD and being neurodivergent, and Greg having chronic anxiety and taking medicine which causes libido problems. When Greg is hired to help Julien’s family’s restaurant to get more customers, the two of them clash and turn into work nemeses. Even though, of course, they both find the other one extremely attractive…
Greg was easy to root for already from the beginning, whereas it took me much longer to warm up to Julien. He came across as a bit whiny and stuck up. I especially had a problem with his sommelier manners. I’m very interested in wine myself, and I can understand where he comes from. But even though there certainly are wine and food combinations that are objectively “correct” or at least more accurate, you should never tell the customer they are wrong or look down on their wine choice if they choose not to go with your recommendation. We all have different palettes and wine is supposed to be fun, so Julian’s wine snobbery didn’t sit very well with me. It also felt like a very strange career choice wanting to be a sommelier when he’d had such a bad childhood experience from alcohol and didn’t drink at all himself. On that note, I was also quite taken back by the scene where Greg tried to force Julien to taste his cocktail. On that note, I was also quite taken back by the scene where Greg tried to force Julien to taste his cocktail. Both Greg and Julien made a lot of questionable choices throughout this book that made it hard to fully root for them at all times, and I didn’t really feel the chemistry between them. I enjoyed the slow burn to start with and the fun work nemeses part (even though it was obvious from the start that they would soon hit it off) but then it suddenly went from friends to lovers and the creation of a sex pact almost out of nowhere. And then the third act with the sudden miscommunication, almost (?) cheating and out of character behavior is just… best left without too many comments. But I enjoyed the story overall and how it felt more complex and with more depth than your average romcom. I really appreciated the sex positivity with the new take on what satisfying sex can look like, especially the consent parts in both physical and emotional aspects, and the authentic way in which the problems that OCD and medicine can cause in all aspects of life was described. There was a pretty good character growth towards the end and I loved how they eventually dared to be vulnerable and take a leap of faith for each other. I also absolutely loved Julien’s aunt and uncle and Greg’s friends! They were all so supportive and loving, and the story of how Julien became the child his aunt and uncle couldn’t have themselves was so heartwarming. So, even though I had some issues with this story, it was all in all a fast-paced, sweet and enjoyable read! Thank you Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC, which I have voluntarily reviewed. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Bookshop.org Amazon Author info: Timothy Janovsky 4/22/2024 0 Comments Exes & Foes by Amanda WoodyI absolutely adore Amanda Woody’s debut book They Hate Each Other and was so thrilled to read their new book, completely sure I’d love it just as much. Exes & Foes had such great potential and amazing representation, and I really, really wanted to love it, but unfortunately, it didn’t blow me away, nor have the same vibes or get me invested in the characters as THEO did. Exes & Foes is told from the dual POVs of the former best friends/crushes Caleb and Emma. For reasons still unclear to Caleb, Emma suddenly ghosted him four years ago, and now they are foes doing their best to avoid each other at school. But Emma has a way of always getting involved in Caleb’s life anyway, especially to steal his new friends or love interests. When a new girl, Juliet, begins at their school and spikes both of their interest, Caleb and Emma make a bet that whoever Juliet kisses first gets to date her. However, this bet somehow results in Caleb and Emma spending an unexpected amount of time together.
I really loved the concept with the two former best friends/secret crushes competing but ending up having to get to the bottom with their feelings for one another instead. And the representation was, just like in Amanda Woody’s first book, absolutely amazing and authentic. Just like in THEO, there was also an extra layer with abusive/neglecting parents that made your heart break for the main characters. But sadly, the execution of the concept didn’t quite meet its potential. For being the big love interest of both Caleb and Emma, Juliet was strangely lacking in personality and wasn’t fleshed out enough to make us readers understand how and why she was so compelling to them both. It also took such a long time to establish the whole plot setup that the first part of the book felt very slow and over-complicated. I would have wished to get Caleb’s and Emma’s backstory earlier and that we’d got more of their interactions. They had such wonderful chemistry and I rooted for them both when I learned about their hardship growing up (especially Emma) and how they’d been each others’ safe place and joy, I just wished that had come sooner. I also feel that the parental trauma parts could have been more explored as to why and how they started (and what about Emma’s dad and how had her mother met the new man becoming Emma’s sister’s dad, who seemed like a nice person apart from ignoring his wife’s first born and his daughter’s half-sister?) Strangely, the story felt both too long and too short, if that makes any sense. The story had such potential, it just took too long for it to fully rise up to it and let us connect with the characters. But that said, I still love Amanda Woody’s writing and their wonderful and authentic way of dealing with diversity and representation (there were so many different queer identities in this book and the inclusion felt both refreshing and yet so normal!), found family and mental health, and I can’t wait to read more of their stories. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen/Viking Books for Young Readers for the ARC of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Penguin Random House Add to Goodreads Author info: Amanda Woody 3/8/2024 0 Comments Offtrack by Esha PatelI’ve been a Formula 1 fan since way before Drive to Survive, so the story about a female F1 driver and a racing romance felt like the perfect book for me! And I’m glad to say that the racing parts were done really well and felt both realistic and captivating. You could tell that Esha Patel had done thorough research and how much of an F1 fan she must be herself. But unfortunately, the romance fell a bit flat for me. There were also some parts of the plot that just didn’t make any sense and pulled the story down. So even though I wanted so much to love this story, it ended up being an okay entertainment for the moment, but didn’t fully meet the hopes and expectations I had. Offtrack is a story told in the dual POVs of the two F1 drivers, Diana/Diyana - the first female F1 driver ever, and Miguel - racing royalty as third generation of a family of F1 drivers. I loved the idea of a female F1 racer, and how strong and badass, yet kind, Diana was. She’d had to fight so hard for her dream to come true and even fight harder to keep it, with all the misogyny going on in the racing world.
I also really enjoyed all the racing parts, the strategy communication and the competitiveness on track. Esha Patel really managed to build the intensity, and I read the racing parts feeling almost as nervous as if I was watching a real race! So Diana as a character and the racing parts were great! But I had problems to fully understand and root for Miguel. On one hand he was the cliche of a playboy racing driver, on the other hand he was very supportive of his sister Paula and stood up for Diana when no one else did. I also had problems with the arranged marriage plot. Not going into details here to avoid spoilers, but everything about it felt off and made it hard to figure Miguel out. How could he be a player, allegedly screwing around with team principal’s daughter and others, at the same time as he was determined to honor the arrangement made when he was sixteen? Another thing that felt like such a huge plot hole that it pulled the whole story and the romance down, was (sorry, might be a bit of a spoiler coming up here) was the unbelievable way that Miguel hadn’t heard about a female F2 champion and didn’t recognize her at the driver presentation. Adding the even more unbelievable part that he’d forgotten that they not only knew each other from not only racing each other but having a crush on each other as teen karting drivers. Especially as this crush later became the foundation for their newfound romance. But even though I didn’t fully root for the romance, it was a very entertaining and fast paced read with a badass female racing driver giving hope for a near future with a real female F1 driver! Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC of the book, which I have voluntarily reviewed. Rating: 5 stars Get your own copy: Author links Add on Goodreads Author info: Esha Patel 12/8/2023 0 Comments Contract Season by Cait NaryI love Cait Nary’s first book, Season’s Change, but was a bit reluctant to continue with the second one based on the mixed reviews. But after my third reread of Season’s Change (that’s how much I love it!) I decided to give Contract Season a chance. Sadly though, it wasn’t at all as great as the first book. There was something off with the pacing and the plot, but most of all the characters and their chemistry. This second book in the series can be read as a standalone, as it follows two new main characters, even though it set in the same hockey league and with some of the characters from the first book making an appearance. It’s also a little less of a full hockey romance, with one of the main characters being a country musician, and more of the plot takes places at parties or clubs.
Defenseman Brody has recently been left by his boyfriend, because he never wanted to go public with their relationship, and has no intention to go down that road again until he’s retired from hockey. Up and coming country musician Seamus has never really dared to explore his sexuality to not risk losing his conservative fan base. But a hookup at a friend’s wedding changes all of that when photos leak forces them to fake a relationship for damage control. I usually love the fake dating trope, but here it didn’t work for me. It never fully made sense why they had to fake their relationship in the first place, nor all the miscommunication, and I didn’t feel the right kind of chemistry between the two of them. Brody was such a sweetheart (apart from the ghosting part in the beginning) but Seamus was quite annoying with all his drama and bad communication skills. I never rooted for them as a couple, so it was a bit difficult to get truly invested in their romance. The story also lost a bit of the nerve and drama when they didn’t encounter any problems or homophobia after the forced outing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that the fans and colleagues reacted much better than anticipated, but it felt like the whole premise of them being closeted and then having to fake a relationship fell. An aspect that was dealt a bit poorly with was Seamus’s addiction to alcohol. It was implied, but not addressed as a real problem, which didn’t sit very well with me. I also felt that Brody’s ex and his last relationship should have been given a bigger part. Now we were told that Brody was heartbroken, but I couldn’t feel it. And it was also strange that the ex never made an appearance at all in the book. Like, wouldn’t the ex be upset and reach out somehow when seeing Brody going public with a new guy so short after they broke up because of that very reason? Another thing that was a bit sad and frustrating was the appearance by Olly and Benji which didn’t feel in line with the epilogue from the first book. I would have liked to get a confirmation that Olly was feeling better and less anxiety but it was the opposite even though he had the team’s support and Benji by his side. So, all in all, even though the writing itself and the description of the characters and their struggles was well done, it was quite a frustrating read. Extra frustrating and disappointing since I loved the first book so much and would have preferred to keep the happy image of Olly and Benji without the additional worrying glimpses of them here. Rating: 2.5 stars rounding up to 3 Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Cait Nary 10/3/2023 0 Comments Sparks Fly by Birdie LynnThis was a cute, lighthearted, over the top, almost like fanfiction, story set at a private boarding school for mages. So, something of a queer urban fantasy, I guess, but it’s hard to categorize it. I did love a lot of the things in it (it had all my favorite tropes, like literally ALL of them) but I still felt like there was something important missing from the story. Arthur Pham and Mika Rivera have been enemies and academic rivals from the start, always competing to be number one in class. For Arthur though, it’s more at stake than just the honor; he needs to win the fellowship money granted to the top student to be able to pay his tuition fee. When an ancient spell reveals that Arthur and Mika are soulmates, their lives turn into a rollercoaster of fake dating, becoming friends, then hating each other again and starting over with real dating, fake dating, not sure-what-we-are confusion due to the characters being totally oblivious.
So, I’m struggling a bit with my feelings for this book. I loved the fanfiction and Carry On vibes, but even though the resemblance with Carry On was high, it was a very different story. It lacked some of the intensity and addictiveness from Carry On, and a lot of the plot was a bit too cheesy for me personally. I felt that there was a little too much going on, which made it feel a bit silly at times. I also didn’t appreciate the cheating part, it could have been solved in a much better way, so that takes away a star for me. But it was nevertheless a fun story and easy read, with great tropes! So 3,5 stars rounding down to 3 stars. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Birdie Lynn This novella is something of a prequel to The Amazing Alpha Tau Boyfriend Project and takes place in the same Alpha Tau frat universe, letting us know how Trey and Scout became boyfriends. Scout needs his space and time alone from all social activities, but his roommate is the exact opposite. Trey also takes his duties as house manager a little too seriously. But both of them are single and currently on a romantic try spell, so somehow they end up helping each other out. Which doesn’t really mean anything, right? Scout isn’t even into guys, or is he…?
This short novella was an easy and fun read, but maybe a little too simplistic. There really wasn’t any drama, not about the helping out part nor the part where Scout finds out he’s not as straight as he thought he was. But still, enjoyable and nice! I especially appreciated how supportive and openminded the frat bros were. No toxic masculinity at all, which was a pleasant fresh new take, and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more stories about this wholesome group of frat bros! Thank you to the authors for the free copy, which I have voluntarily reviewed. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Author links Author info: Lisa Henry Sarah Honey This was a cute historical queer romance, with adorable main characters and the right amount of spice. But the plot was kind of all over the place and there was a lot that didn’t make sense. Set in Industrial Manchester in the 1890s, this book tells the swooning and unlikely romance between mill clerk Mr. Warren and the young baronet Sir Lindsey. Aubrey Warren was born in a workhouse and has struggled to make a life for himself ever since. Not stopping at earning his money as a ‘telegraph boy’, i.e. a prostitute. When the mill he works at gets a new owner, his life will change dramatically. Lindsey Althorp has never worked a day in his life and has no real clue of what it takes to earn a living. Nor the danger of showing his not-so-professional affection for his new employees…
The book started off really strong, and I immediately loved the purehearted, cinnamon roll, Golden Retriever naïve Lindsey. He was the absolute sweetest! So clueless, but always so kind and endearing. I also enjoyed the rich/poor, employer/employee situation and the historical settings with the gentlemen’s club, the boarding school friends and the strong willed women who found ways of pursuing their dreams despite the society’s restrictions, as well as the very sarcastic and British kind of humor (I actually don’t know if Sebastian Northwell is British or not, but the humor and writing style really had that vibe). But after the strong start, the book started to drag sadly, and the plot started to take all kinds of turns with random things happening and characters acting in ways that didn’t really make any sense, or contradicted the way they had behaved before. I think some more editing could have solved this issue, as well as the problem with the transitions between the different POVs that made this book lose some of the flow. Too bad for a story that had such great potential! But all in all, it was nevertheless a sweet and swoony read, with characters to root for and great humor! Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Author links Add on Goodreads Author info: Sebastian Nothwell 8/13/2023 0 Comments The Simple Wild by K.A. TuckerOverall this was a sweet and emotional read, but it took me more than half of the book before I could even stand the main character and even longer to start rooting for her. So I was very close to DNF it, but luckily I struggled through the first part to be awarded with a swooning love story, great Alaskan wilderness atmosphere and a gripping father-daughter relationship development. The Simple Wild follows 26 year old Calla, whose mother fled the Alaskan wild and Calla’s rugged pilot father when Calla was a toddler for a life with a new husband in Toronto. Calla has therefore grown up as a city girl, with almost no contact with her biological father. But when she learns that her father is suffering from aggressive lung cancer and that his days are numbered, she decides to visit him. And just let’s say that city girl Calla doesn’t appreciate the Alaskan wild more than her mother did… Especially not the angry pilot, Jonah, with his wild beard that makes him look like a yeti and his annoying ways that gets under Calla’s skin.
I honestly almost hated Calla at first. The thing with high maintenance selfish and vain heroines is not for me, it just makes me annoyed and frustrated. It feels like such a dated story line, and why Jonah would be interested in the spoiled and childish Calla is beyond me. Until halfway, when she started to grow and act less selfish. And sparks started to fly… The sexual tension between them was amazing and it all turned into a swooning, spicy and engaging love story! I just really wish the first part of the book could have been shorter and the second part longer, then this would have been at least a four-star read, if not more, for me. The last part was so great and intense and heartbreaking. I loved how Calla and her father opened up to each other and started to bond. And the end broke my heart a bit, then mended it mostly all again. Rating: 3 stars Get your own copy: Author links Author info: K.A. Tucker |
CategoriesAll 1 Star 2 Stars 3 Stars 4 Stars 5 Stars Abbi Glines Abby Kaitz Abdi Nazemian Adam Silvera Adib Khorram Aiden Thomas Aisha Saeed Aislinn Brophy AJ Collins Alexandra Christo Alex Beltran Alexene Farol Follmuth Alexis Hall Alex Kelly Alex Sanchez Alice Dolman Alice Oseman Alice Winn Ali Hazelwood Alison Cochrun Al Riske Alwyn Hamilton Amanda Ferreira Amanda Woody A. Meredith Walters Amy Aislin Amy Harmon Amy S. Foster Amy Spalding André Aciman Andy V Roamer Angie Thomas Annabeth Albert A. Poland Ashley Poston Ashley Woodfolk Ashlyn Kane Audrey Coulthurst Ban Gilmartin Becca Fitzpatrick Becky Albertalli Benjamin Alire Saenz Beth Bolden Bill Konigsberg B.L. Maxwell Briar Prescott Bri Spicer Brooke Skipstone Cait Nary Cale Dietrich Cara Dee Casey McQuiston Cassandra Clare Cat Sebastian C.F. White C.G. Drews Charlie Adhara Charli Meadows Chasten Buttigieg Chris Bedell Christina Lauren Christina Lee Ciara Smyth Claerie Kavanaugh Clarissa Pattern C.L. Beaumont Colette Davison Colleen Hoover Courtney Kae Crystal Frasier C.S. Pacat Dallas Smith Daven McQueen David Biddle David Yoon Dean Atta Debbie McGowan Debbie Rigaud Debbie Schrack Deborah Harkness Delia Owens D.G. Carothers Dhonielle Clayton D.N. Bryn Douglas Stuart Dustin Thao Elisa A. Bonnin Elizabeth Acevedo Elizabeth Arroyo Elle Kennedy Elle Wright E.L. Massey E. Lockhart Emery Lee Emily M. Danforth Emily Mims Erin Watt Ernest Cline Evan J. Corbin Eve Morton Everina Maxwell Evie Dunmore Felice Stevens F.T. Lukens Grace Williams Gwen Martin Hannah Grace Hanya Yanagihara Hayden Stone Heather Truett H.E. Edgmon Hettie Bell Holly Black Hope Irving H.S. Valley Hudson Lin Ingrid Sterling Jacob Gelman Jacqueline Lee Jacqueline Woodson James L. Sutter Jamie Deacon Jandy Nelson Jax Calder Jay Hogan Jeanette Winterson Jeff Zentner Jen Bailey Jenna Evans Welch Jenn Burke Jennifer E. Smith Jennifer G. Edelson Jennifer Gilmore Jennifer Iacopelli Jennifer Kropf Jennifer Niven Jenny Downham Jenny Han Jeremy Ray Jesse H. Reign Joelle Lynne John Green Jonny Garza Villa Julianne Donaldson Julian Winters Kacen Callender Kami Garcia Kara Leigh Miller Kasie West Kate Larkindale Katharine McGee Kathleen Mareé Kathy Anderson K.A. Tucker KD Casey Kendall Grey Kevin Van Whye Kiley Reid Kim Fielding Kim Holden Kim Liggett Kitty Bardot Kris Ripper K.S. Marsden Laura Hall Laura Pavlov Laura Silverman Lauren James Lauren Shippen Laurie Frankel Leah Johnson Lee Matthew Goldberg Leigh Bardugo Lex Croucher Leylah Attar Lisa Henry Lisa Williamson Lisa Wingate Liv Rancourt Liz Plum Lola Noire Lynn Michaels Mackenzi Lee Madeline Miller Magdalena Di Sotru Maggie Doolin Maggie Stiefvater Malin Persson Giolito Malorie Blackman Margaret Stohl Marie Lu Mary E. Pearson Mason Deaver Matthew R. Corr M.A. Wardell Melanie Munton Melina Marchetta Meredith Russo Miel Moreland Mila Gray Miranda Kenneally Moa Backe Astot Morgan James M. Tasia Nancy Garden Natalie Haynes Nathaniel Shea Nicholas Sparks Nicola Yoon Nic Starr Nic Stone Nina Kenwood Nita Tyndall Nora Sakavic N.R. Walker Nyla K. Owen Lach Penny Aimes Phil Stamper Quinn Anderson Rachael Brownell Rachael Lippincott Rachel Hawkins Rachel Reid Racquel Marie Rainbow Rowell Ray Stoeve Renée Dahlia Rhiannon Wilde Riley Hart River Braun Roan Parrish Robin Gow Roseanne A. Brown Rowan MacKemsley Ruby Moone Ruta Sepetys Ryan La Sala Sally Green Sally Rooney Sarah J. Maas Sarah Waters Sarina Bowen Sasha Laurens Saundra Mitchell Saxon James Serena Bell Shannon O’Connor Sidney Bell Simone Elkeles Siryn Sueng Sophia DeRise Sophia Soames Sophie Gonzales S.R. Lane Stephen Chbosky Stephenie Meyer Steven Salvatore Susan Mac Nicol Suzanne Collins Tahereh Mafi Tal Bauer Tamara Girardi Taylor Jenkins Reid Teagan Hunter Terry J. Benton-Walker Tiffany D. Jackson Timothy Janovsky T.J. Klune T.L. Bradford Tobly McSmith Tomasz Jedrowski Tomi Adeyemi Tracy Deonn Tucker Shaw Val Wise Veronica Rossi Veronica Roth V.E. Schwab Wesley Chu Victor Dixen Victoria Aveyard V.L. Stuart Xan Van Rooyen Yamile Saied Méndez Archives
September 2023
|