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courtsbooknook's reviews
1599 reviews
Catch and Keep by Erin Hahn
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I loved Shelby and Lorelai's love stories, and I have to say I love Maren's just as much. This book had all the fantastic tropes: small-town romance, brother's best friend, and single dad. I was here for everything. This book was so easy to enjoy. I liked the found family aspect and how easily Maren fit in with Joe and his kids. The fishing aspect was also super cool. What was great about this book was that there was also no third-act breakup. Maren and Joe communicated rather than running away from the relationship, and I loved that so much. I'm so sad that this little inter-connected series of standalone is over because I would read so much more in this world. Such an incredibly delightful book! Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC to read and review!
Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Of course, I'll always love Percy Jackson. The humor and writing style are timeless, and as long as Riordan wants to continue this series, I'll happily read it. I do like some of the other installments better, though. I felt like the quest was disconnected from the goddess herself. I love Hecate and her mythology, and I think I just wanted more involvement from her in the story. That being said, I still love Percy, Grover, and Annabeth and their friendship. I think there were some great moments in this book, and even though it wasn't my favorite, I still enjoyed reading it.
The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Percy Jackson will always hit! I loved being back in Percy's world and going on another quest. This had all the heart of the original series, with great pop culture references and top-tier humor thrown in. I love the friendship, the adventure, and the overall good feeling Riordan's stories provide. I had so much fun reading this and laughed out loud several times. I thought the quest was great, and I liked seeing the less common Gods. Being in Percy's head was a delight, and I'm excited to see where the rest of the series will go!
Truly, Madly, Deeply by L.J. Shen
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Wow!! This was my first L.J. Shen book, and it certainly won't be my last. It was a little darker than I anticipated, but I enjoyed the rollercoaster. Cal and Row had INSANE chemistry, and I liked the development of their love story. I thought the androphobia was interesting and I had actually never heard of it before this book. There was so much emotional depth and trauma that I thought Shen handled well. I loved the banter and the humor she wove in, too, and I enjoyed Cal's rekindled friendship with Dylan. And I can't not talk about the spice. The descriptions were so well written, and the scenes were incredibly HOT. I couldn't get enough and felt like it brought the book to life. Overall, I'm excited to read more of her books!
Love You a Latke by Amanda Elliot
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was so beautifully Jewish and cozy! I loved it so much. A Hanukkah romance with enemies to lovers, grumpy sunshine, and only one bed? SIGN ME UP!! I appreciated the Jewishness of this book and how Abby incorporated it into her identity. There's no right way to be Jewish; I think this story demonstrated that well. I also loved how the myriad of Jewish events, from the pop-ups to the food to the dances and everything in between. This was such a quick read, and I wish I could savor it longer. I loved Seth. He was so incredibly understanding and warm, and I thought he was the perfect contrast for Abby. He was also exactly what she needed at the same time. This was a slow burn, and I appreciated the time it took for the relationship to form. I also appreciate that Abby found more of herself before diving into the love story. I think I needed this book and I couldn't have read it at a better time. Thank you to Berkley for providing me with an ARC to rea and review!
Lore Olympus: Volume Seven by Rachel Smythe
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I love this series so much, but this installment was definitely more character-forward than the plot. I especially loved Persephone's development; she made some incredible breakthroughs. However, I was still hoping for something else to happen. The action didn't really occur until almost the end of the book, and as always, I just wanted more. I like where Hades and Persephone's relationship is going and how they learn to trust each other more. I'm excited to see where the series goes though!
Flawless by Elsie Silver
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
OMG, what a great introduction to the Chestnut Springs world! I adored Summer and Rhett, and their chemistry and banter were top-tier from the start. Summer's relationship with her Dad was also super sweet and wholesome, and I loved watching that throughout the book. The family vibes from this book, in general, were great, and I know those other Eaton boys will be getting their love stories in later installments of the series. From the tension to the intensity of the bull riding and how Summer and Rhett cared for each other, I was HOOKED. The spice was so good, too, and Elsie Silver didn't skimp on that. I'm here for this series; this was exactly the type of book I needed!
The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman
dark
emotional
medium-paced
5.0
As a Jewish person, let me start by saying that I can't believe I hadn't read this sooner. The way Art told the story of his father was unique, heartbreaking, and powerful. Seeing the Holocaust depicted in a graphic novel was a new experience, but I think Spiegelman really took the time to understand his father's story and trauma. I thought the animal choices for all the parties involved were interesting and deliberate, even though seeing everything depicted in that lens was wild. I also thought that while this could be a quicker read as a graphic novel, it still had a heaviness that made you reflect and really digest what was happening. Overall, this book is still impactful—decades after it was written. The art style is unmatched, and the storytelling was well done. Definitely a must-read.
Shadows of Perl by J. Elle
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.0
I'm afraid this book hit the sequel slump for me. I loved book one so much, and I felt like this one was too whirlwind to keep up with. I thought all the big moments lacked depth and the reveals didn't really feel monumental. I also felt like a lot of information was added but also not enough at the same time. I liked Quell and I still felt her strong presence as a character, but she was also a little all over the place. Jordan, on the other hand, was unlikable in this installment. I found him grating and so uptight that it was annoying to read the chapters from his point of view. This is one of those books where I feel like I won't be able to remember much of the plot because of how jumpy it was. I liked Nore Ambrose, and her chapters were exciting and different. Overall, this just wasn't my favorite, but I'm curious to see how the series will end. Thank you to Penguin Teen for an e-ARC to read and review!
Double Apex by Josie Juniper
medium-paced
2.0
I wanted to love this book because I love diving into the F1 world, but this wasn't for me. First, I couldn't stand Phaedra. She was abusive and spoiled and didn't know how to communicate her feelings and trauma properly. I liked Cosmin and thought his Romanian background was interesting, but the weird childhood side plot with his sister took me a bit out of the story. It was so hard to root for this relationship when they weren't really in one for MOST of the book. That was so disappointing—the characters were never really able to explore their love story and only found each other for sex or something else. The growth was minimal, and I couldn't connect. I did like the settings of the different countries for the race, but that might have been the only interesting thing. I thought the writing was choppy and lackluster. Overall, I wanted more of a love story, which I didn't get. The spice was fine—I only liked the Romanian dirty talk. Not my favorite F1 romance by any means. Thank you to Forever Publishing for providing me with an ARC to read and review.