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courtsbooknook's reviews
1642 reviews
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
I'll be honest. I was super hesitant to read this one after the mess that was Iron Flame, but I have to say I enjoyed this one immensely. Listening to the audio was great, and I feel like that helped propel the story for me. I liked the adventure this one brought readers on. There was a lot of travel, which meant there was also a lot of opportunity to expand on the world. While there was expansion, I still would have liked to go deeper into the lore, but I'm not disappointed. Violet and Xaden also didn't annoy me like they did in book two. Their spicy moments were great, as expected, but I also felt like they had more communication in this installment. If possible, I think this cliffhanger is even more insane than the first two because so much happened with even more unanswered questions than before. I did feel a bit thrown in at first, but the story quickly picked up for me and I couldn't help but feel invested. It was definitely a page-turner with lots of action, and I'm curious to see where the last two books will go.
If You Love Me by Helena Hunting
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
As a longtime fan of Helena Hunting's, I believe her Toronto Terror series may be among my favorites. She knows exactly what I need to read and delivers every single time. Lexi and Roman had INSANE chemistry right from the jump, and I was waiting until they could be together. I loved this book's found family and how the whole team came together to support Lexi, Fee, and Callie. The spice was everything to me, as usual, and I'm never surprised because Helena knows how to deliver the smut, the humor, and the heartfelt moments. Roman was so attentive, and I didn't even mind the age gap here because I just loved the main characters so much! I'm so excited about the next installment because I genuinely love this series so much! Thank you to Helena for providing me with an ARC to read and review!
Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this installment. It was nice to watch Poseidon and Icarus grow together, and the spice didn't take over the entire plot, which was refreshing. While the ending closed off their stories, I think right before that is what will set up the action for the last two books in the series. I also thought we learned more about these characters, which was nice. I am so intrigued by Zeus and Hera's story, and I feel like the two of them were fairly present. The spice was good, but I've definitely enjoyed some of the other characters' moments better. I look forward to the last two books, for sure! Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC to read and review!
Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
emotional
reflective
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
For once, a comparison to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is correct, and I don't take that lightly because Addie is one of my favorite books. The premise of this book was so interesting, and I was hooked immediately. The writing was also so lyrical and captivating, which I really loved. I thought the diversity of Evelyn and Arden in each lifetime was so well done, and the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ aspects was woven in beautifully. I liked the alternating timelines and the different settings for each chapter. I felt like I was with the two characters during each one. I also didn't expect the plot twist. This book was quick-paced, engaging, and heartbreaking. I couldn't stop reading. I would definitely check out more of Laura Steven's books because this was a winner! Thank you to Wednesday Books for the ARC to read and review!
The Ragpicker King by Cassandra Clare
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
If anyone can deliver a sequel, it's Cassandra Clare. It had everything I wanted and more, from strong character development and budding romance to plot twists and intricate world-building. I loved the new characters introduced in the installment, and they really added to the plot. The politics between the kingdom, the sault, and the malgasi were so expertly done. I also would be remiss if I didn't mention the Jewish representation shown through the Ashkar people, especially Lin herself. Seeing characters like me in high fantasy is a gift, and I'm so thankful to Cassandra for that. What I liked about this book was its digestibility. I didn't want to stop reading, but there were times I had to, and I could easily pick it up again. The alternating POVs were well done, and I liked the little snippets from characters between the main chapters. They helped propel the story, and I always wondered what was coming next. I love the characters in this series. Kel and Lin are probably my favorites, but that isn't to say I don't enjoy seeing Connor's POV or the other plethora of characters. The politics of the Castellane are so intense, and while I could tell it was a political story, it didn't take me out of the reading experience. I could go on and on about Cassandra Clare and how special this book was for me to read. I am always sad when I finish something she's written, but it also makes me excited about book three. An absolute winner of a sequel, for sure! Thank you to Del Rey for the ARC to read and review!
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
I wanted to love this one so much, but the last chunk had me yelling, and not in a good way. I loved that Ali Hazelwood wrote a sports romance. The characters were so fun, and I thought she did that well. I also enjoyed the cameos from Olive and Adam; it was a nice touch to see those worlds intertwine. The swimming and diving aspects were also well thought-out. I have to say that while this was the spiciest of Ali's books, I felt like I was missing the kink that was expected based on the nature of the book. Lukas was a very enjoyable MMC, and I loved the little Swedish moments peppered into the book. However, he and Scarlett really needed to have some more conversations. I get why the ending happened like it did based on her as a character, but when I tell you we had a conflict 95 percent through the book and an abrupt ending, I was far from happy. Again, the nature of what they were for each other makes sense, but it still irritated me. I also thought Pen's character development went so far down the drain at the end. I really liked most of this book, but the last 20% was pretty upsetting. Thank you to Libro.Fm for the ALC.
Off to the Races by Elsie Silver
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I love exploring the different parts of Elsie Silver's backlist, and this one was super fun. I liked most of the book's focus on the horses while still being a romance. Billie was such a strong-willed character, and I loved her determination when training DD. The enemies-to-lovers/ workplace romance was elite. Vaughn and Billie had fantastic chemistry, and I was impatiently waiting for them to get together. I also loved Billie's relationship with Hank; it was so sweet and wholesome. It was great to get introduced to Violet, especially after meeting all her siblings at Chestnut Hill. I'm excited to see where the rest of the series will go!
Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik
slow-paced
3.0
This was interesting because it was a collection of stand-alone short stories. I think I was expecting some connection. I liked that some of them related to other works by Naomi. Some of the stories felt too long and drawn out, so I didn't know what was happening. My favorite was the title story, Buried Deep. I'd love to dive more into that world. It would be good to jump around while reading other books, but it was pretty dense all at once.
One More Wish by Lindsey Lanza
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
LIAM HARLEY, THE MAN THAT YOU ARE!!! OMG, any book from Lindsey Lanza is an absolute win for me, and One More Wish did not disappoint. I adored Maya and Liam from the start. The friendship between Ellie and Maya was top-tier, and I felt like I was looking at my own friendships while reading. I also loved how close-knit the Sugar Valley community was. All the characters looked out for each other without hesitation, and I loved that. I'm also obsessed with the single-dad trope, and Liam's relationship with Poppy had me swooning the whole time. Everything about this book felt like a warm hug, and if I could live in Sugar Valley, I so would. Also, Liam's culinary skills, WHEW. Everything he made sounded incredible, and I loved that Lindsey included recipes. This book was amazing; it was full of my favorite tropes and a magical love story. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC to read and review!
Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was one of my favorites in the series. Finlay and Vero had me absolutely cackling from beginning to end. I also loved Mrs. Haggerty's role and how she was involved in some of the mysterious events. It was also great to see Nick and Finlay's relationship deepen in this installment. I think Finlay has really grown since book one. The best thing about this series is its silliness. I laughed out loud many times and couldn't put the book down. This is definitely one of my favorite lighthearted series, especially as someone who doesn't read a lot of mysteries. I'm always here for Finlay, and I can't wait for the next book because this one ended on a CLIFFHANGER!! Thank you to Minotaur Books for the ARC to read and review!