erinnicolecreads's reviews
207 reviews

Bonded Nightmare by E.M. Rinaldi

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

What a fun romance!! I’m planning on getting more into romance as a fantasy reader & I think this is the perfect book to bridge the two genres. The romance was so infuriating & kept me hooked the entire time waiting to see what happened with it. While I found some moments a little cringey as someone who doesn’t usually read romances, I still loved them & their tension, though sometimes the MMC was a bit pushy & the FMC was rather naive. Shadow daddy, enemies to lovers, slow burn, forced proximity, fated mates, he falls first, “touch her & you die”, so many fun tropes. The fantasy components were super easy to grasp but still well done. While romance was the primary plot, the fantasy subplot was still solid & kept me interested. The spice scenes were good too! Not too frequent but good when they were there. What a fun read! Would be the perfect fantasy to romance or vice versa bridge or a good palette cleanser

Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli

Go to review page

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted mysterious 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? Yes

4.25

I had so much FUN reading this book! This book follows Lor, a prisoner who is taken by royalty in a different fae court to compete in the Sun Queen trials - think the bachelor x the triwizard tournament x the hunger games x ACOTAR. As she learns more about this new court she’s been thrust into, the trials, & the king who brought her there, she learns that everything is not exactly as it seems. This story was so fast paced & entertaining. While I definitely felt as though aspects of it were inspired by other stories, there were so many factors blended into one plot that it still felt unique. I wish the world building was a little more thorough, but I still had so much fun getting to know the characters & watching the trials play out! I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book! 

Thank you so much to the publisher & NetGalley for the eARC!
Ink Blood Sister Scribe: A Novel by Emma Törzs

Go to review page

adventurous dark funny mysterious reflective tense 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? Yes

4.75

I really loved this book! This story follows two sisters protecting the magical library of their late father in their own individual ways. However, their father left some bits & pieces for the sisters to unravel before he passed, & some strange things start to occur. It’s their job to uncover the story of the library, their family, & the fate of magical books in the world. The characters were very realistic & fun to experience, the magic system was unique & well thought-out, & the plot was very engaging. I love how this book subtly discusses classism & access to education/knowledge. I haven’t read any other books like this one before.
The Branded by Jo Riccioni

Go to review page

adventurous funny mysterious reflective slow-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

4.0

If The Grace Year, Divergent, & The Prison Healer had a baby, it would be this book! In this story, there has been a plague impacting the majority of the people in the world, called the “Branded”. Those who remain uninfected are considered “Pure”, with Pure women being the only people who can pass on resistance to the virus to their offspring. Despite the Pure women being the key to the success of future generations, they’re treated like cattle. But there may be another way to defeat this virus. I really enjoyed the magic system, the world building, & the political intrigue of this world. The treatment of women in this world made me feel so many emotions. The characters were multifaceted & felt realistic. Overall, I really enjoyed this read! My only critique would be that sometimes the pacing felt inconsistent- the beginning & end of the story was quite fast paced, while the middle portion was on the slow side. Still loved the story & I’m so excited to see what happens in book 2!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater

Go to review page

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book was so beautifully written & darkly whimsical! The story follows Winnie, a governess hired at Witchwood Manor, but there is more to why she is there than that. We meet mysterious characters & encounter eerie quirks of the manor, & as the story goes on, we start to learn why exactly Winnie is there & what is causing all of these creepy things to happen within the manor. This story was like a fairytale flipped upside down & I had so much fun reading it & finding new pieces of the story to unfold the mystery! The world building was also so stunning & the characters were so interesting. Great read!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!!
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn

Go to review page

adventurous mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Thank you to Starwater Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

While I thought this book had some good potential, I often found myself running into things that made it difficult to fully delve myself into the story. The pacing felt off, either to slow or too fast/time skips, the plot wasn’t very consistent throughout the story, twists were easily predicted,  at times I was wondering what the point of the plot was, and the characters often fell flat. There was also a lack of world building, which often left me feeling confused. Despite all of these things, I do see the potential in the story and can see it progressing in a better manner as the series continues. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

Go to review page

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? Yes

4.25

A solid start to a trilogy! This book set the remainder of the series up well without being info-dump-y. There were little to no lulls in the story, & I was sucked into the story throughout the book. I also enjoyed reading something based off Middle Eastern culture as I have not read many books like that before! The world building was also stunning - I loved the use of various senses to describe the world. While I definitely enjoyed it, I’m hoping to get a bit more action/higher stakes/attachment to the characters out of the next book! 
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

Wow. I have been waiting for a book to make me feel something & boy did this book deliver. Not only was the world & the plot fascinating & well done, but the characters were incredibly well developed & multifaceted. I am not one to care much for character driven stories, but the characters stole the show in this book. I have not felt so many emotions while reading in a long time
Expand filter menu Content Warnings
Under Cold Moons by L.E. Van Veen

Go to review page

adventurous hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

This book felt like a breath of fresh air! It took a second to get in to at the start of the book (as is the case with most fantasy books), but I LOVED the story after about 100 pages in. It felt very unique, not the same old books you see recommended over & over again. You can tell the author put in so much work to research & build this world. Like the details were IMMACULATE. I wish we saw a little bit more of Aisla and Ruairi’s personalities, but overall, I loved the story & how things played out! I’m just bummed I have to wait for the next book - I want to know what happens!!!!! Also give me more Weylin asap I love him
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone, Amal El-Mohtar

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

This book took me by surprise! Initially I was very confused by the language, but once I adjusted, I was able to appreciate this story for how beautifully it is told. One twist I saw coming, while others I didn’t. Such a fascinating read.