darkromancer_reads's reviews
121 reviews

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Let’s admit something first. I totally read this book because I love the Studio Ghibli Film by the same name. There was just something so fantastical about the animation, and looking for a little bit of escapism I dove into this book heads first. This was a book that not only was I excited to read, but ready for a hopefully new experience. I will say, the book is quite a bit different from the movie, and so I will not be doing a direct comparison. Both pieces of art have reasons why they are great, if you like the movie, I do think that the book is something worth reading, but be prepared for it to be quite a bit different. I found the book to be more lighthearted and comical, which for me worked. If you are looking for more of the later half of the movie type vibes, you might not find it within the pages of this story. 

Anyways, with that out of the way, Howl’s Moving Castle follows Sophie, the unlucky eldest daughter of a hat maker who makes beautiful hats. One day she is visited by a witch who curses her into being an old woman, and then Sophie leaves her family in hopes of finding a cure. She ends up getting to the moving castle of the infamous warlock Howl, who steals the hearts of women. So what makes this book so good. First of all the characters are just so enjoyable. From Sophie and Howl’s tit for tat conversations being humorous, and also just enjoying the different personalities that are within the castle. Of course Calcifer, the fire demon is my absolute favorite character. “May all your bacon burn” is probably my favorite line in the entire book.

The plot of Howl’s moving castle is also great, it has a lot of fantastical twists, and there is even a moment where Howl and Sophie go back “Earth” and experience some of the modernness that we experience. I don’t know a better way to describe the book other than it being a fun whimsical adventure. Also even though some of the plot elements are a little confusing, it is still fun to pick apart the magic and how things work in this world. 

I really don’t have bad things to say for this book. It is a middle grade read so keep that in mind, but if you are looking for a funny and cute adventure in a magical land with a playboy esc Howl, and a very sassy Sophie. This is a book I cannot recommend enough as it is silly and adorable. 

Before getting into the review, I did receive an ARC copy from @MylaCarbo (who is super awesome) in exchange for a review. So here goes: 

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

🌶️.5/5

Dangerous Beginnings is a debut novel from Myla Carbo, and follow Isabella a prison nurse as they take care of and eventually become the target of a leader of the Russian mafia. I won’t reveal his name here, but I will refer to him a A during the review. Overall it is a good darker romance specially if you are already a fan of the Mafia side. Also as always read your trigger warnings with this one. 

So what I like about this book is the plot points. On paper what happens in the book is interesting, and when you realize what is happening through out the story, it draws you in. For example, knowing that this is between a prison nurse and a prisoner, and the prison break. <.< That had me on the edge of my seat while it was happening. There are other really strong points where the plot carried a lot of this story. 

Where I struggled was in the character development. Through out the story I didn’t really feel that either Isabella or A had a lot of motivation or set up to do the things they were doing in the moment. I was commonly thinking, “Why would they do that?” Which did take me out of the reading experience. Thought I will say their dynamic was fun to witness. 

So at the end of the day, if you are interested in a different take on mafia romances, and okay with a lot of good plot points, and maybe being a little easy on the character development this was a fun book. The dynamic and the plot are where this story really stands out, and if that is something you value I would recommend giving this one a chance!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Ignite Me has been the best book in the Shatter Me Series so far. This is book number 3 in the series, and before this book I have been pretty lukewarm about the series. Now I think that I am invested in seeing how the plot will work out. 

I think if you are willing to make it to book 3 you will not be disappointed in this series. I see this book at the turning point of the series. We finally get more information on how the characters work, about the world around, and some really good cathartic moments. 

In general for this book the best parts included just how complex the characters are. Yes I could see some people saying that the characters are making impulsive decisions, but I find that the characters might be dramatic, but still pushed the plot forward a lot. Also the flow of the story kept me invested the whole time. I was consistently wanting to read this book, and definitely didn’t want to take my time with it like I did with the first books in the series. 

So now I can say, I think that this series is very much worth it now that I am this far. If you are looking for a FMC with a lot of growth potential, and a love triangle that is a bit messy, but is really fun to follow, then this is a great series to try.