cortanasreadingnook's reviews
367 reviews

Thanks to Penguin Random House for sending me a complimentary review copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. My first 5-star read of February and it was so good! From the author of Hotel Magnifique comes a standalone fantasy novel that is a perfect read for my writer girlies <3 In shelves on February 25, 2025!

This dark academia novel had amazing world-building and a very unique magic system that expands on mundane letter scribing and the traditional postage system. It felt like I was transported to a rainy city with cobblestone sidewalks and Victorian gas lamps. I could smell the ink and old paper!

The Otherwhere Post is infused with the right amount of mystery and fantasy, along with a tension-filled slowburn romance between the main character and her male lead. Besides the very slow narration, I think that the ending could’ve been more dragged out, considering the fmc’s purpose from the very beginning. The ending felt quite lacking, which made it feel less satisfying for me as a reader. However, my fondness for the specific aesthetic of this book overrules my criticism of the climax. Maeve is a fascinating girl, and I love that nobody goes above her boundaries and her reservations to protect herself, not even someone her heart is longing for. Not only that but the male lead compliments her characterization perfectly. The author did an amazing job with the “Where you go, I’ll always follow” trope (is this even a trope?). But I highly recommend this beauty of a book!

Content Warnings

Fangs by Sarah Andersen

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emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

"We should have a baby."
"For dinner?"

Nothing more to this story besides the cute romance between a 300-year old vampire and a werewolf who looks like adam driver. It was a fast read, short but worth it. They had a cute dynamic, and their banter was quite funny. They love each other so much like oh my god. I thought this was a messy situationship but they actually fell for each other.

Garlic & the Vampire by Bree Paulsen

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funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a short, cozy fantasy middle-grade graphic novel about a witch and her adorable team of magic fruits and vegetables. I loved the art style first and foremost, and I adored how the color scheme just gave off a sense of comfort. Garlic is such an adorable character! This is one of those books you read with hot chocolate while snuggling in blankets. Hoping I get to pick up the sequel soon.

The Romance Rivalry by Susan Lee

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the ARC! Perfect for fans of This Time It’s Real and Dungeons and Drama comes Susan Lee’s fake dating romance novel coming out on May 13, 2025.

I can honestly tell when a millennial tries to write about Gen Z, so I stayed purely for the vibes and because Aiden is actually cute and was looking forward to Irene’s character development. It’s a light and fluffy read, with just the right amount of drama and heartfelt Korean-American representation that I adored.

To be honest, there’s not much to work with in this novel. It felt like scrolling through ao3 in the middle of the night because the author decided to lump together 10+ romance tropes. It turned out to be cringe, and I don’t think anyone else my age would actually find this enjoyable. However, I think if I were still at the cusp of my teen years, I would’ve 100% ate this up. The characters clearly had tension along the lines of ‘he fell first and harder’, but this book could’ve done without too many generic romance tropes in the narrative. As a book reviewer, I could relate to Irene, but her obsession with romance novels just isn’t my cup of tea. Why on earth would anyone even add omegaverse references and force an enemies to lovers type of tension in contemporary teen fiction romance? They’re college students LOL. Overall, I recommend this if you’re looking for a fast read and are very much yearning in the middle of a life crisis where you think you’re going to die alone. But otherwise, it is truly up to you!

Content Warnings

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I was sent an early review copy in exchange for my honest review! Thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins for the ARC. This doesn’t affect my thoughts about the book in any way. Out on the shelves on March 4, 2025!

I truly love lesbians in fiction. Unfortunately, this didn’t deliver the way I expected it to. Essentially a Hunger Games fanfic, anyone could see the love Ava Reid has for the dystopian trilogy that has shaped at least two generations of readers. The world-building was quite unique and she was able to write a post-apocalyptic society that also reflects our current world. Reid incorporated a variety of social issues in this book which made it a tad richer plot-wise. She also added some elements of popular horror video games such as TLOU and Until Dawn, but it made the world-building slightly messier than intended. It wasn’t well-laid out enough for me to work with. I kept asking for more thrill, more build-up to possible conflicts that the main characters will face but the story doesn’t pick up until the 70% mark. Inesa and Melinöe had amazing tension and chemistry, I absolutely love women, and I expected them to have a worthwhile ending. But I didn’t get anything an exciting enough conclusion, or at the very least hopeful. I’m trying to justify the point of having a cliffhanger ending if there isn’t any possibility for a sequel. Is this a duology? Trilogy?

Content Warnings

Hi, I'm a Witch, and My Crush Wants Me to Make a Love Potion, Vol. 1 by Kamada, Eiko Mutsuhana

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Buddy read with my friend! The story is cute, simple, and romantic. This cozy fantasy has an whimsical romance centered on a witch and a captain of the knight's guard and the perfect slowburn to accompany it. They're so adorable together! I can't wait to see where this goes. I'm so happy that I finally found an enjoyable manga after such a long time.

Pupposites Attract, Volume 1 by Hono Natsuna

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

It’s a cute manga romcom about two characters going on walks with their dogs and crushing on each other? It’s really adorable and perfectly captures the relationship dog owners have with their pets which I found very accurate (I love my dog to the moon & back). This is a quick read as well.

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cortanasreadingnook's reviews 367 reviews

cortanasreadingnook's reviews
367 reviews