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kassielovestoread's reviews
397 reviews
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Please check trigger warnings before you read. And you SHOULD read it. In fact, Kindred by Octavia E. Butler should be mandated reading in all schools and colleges. This book contains heavy themes but are necessary (now, more than ever) to be reviewed and reflected on. Dana's story is one I'll never forget.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
With You Forever by Chloe Liese
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
With You Forever was such a great read! It's definitely one of my favorites from this series.
Rooney and Axel were such a delight to read about. Rooney is the sunshine morning to Axel's stormy night and I think that duality is always so interesting to read about. As always, the attraction between the main characters was super evident. They had pined for each other for over two years! The pay off was well worth it. Rooney has a chronic illness, IBD, and Axel is autistic. I love how Chloe Liese is so thoughtful with her characters' disabilities and makes sure to have the difficult conversations about them flow so easily! I always learn a lot with her novels and With You Forever was no exception.
The only thing I'd say that stops me from giving these books 5 stars is that at the beginning of each book, there's a really captivating plot that puts our characters in a forced proximity situation-ship but then, I don't know how exactly to explain it right, the plot kinda falls off? Like obviously at a certain point the characters development has to supersede the plot, but I wished there was more of a balance in that regard. I did love how the ending of this book doesn't drag on like the others have. I appreciated that!
Overall, I'm thrilled to continue working my way through this series! It's been consistently good and I can't wait to read what's next for the rest of the Bergman crew :)
Rooney and Axel were such a delight to read about. Rooney is the sunshine morning to Axel's stormy night and I think that duality is always so interesting to read about. As always, the attraction between the main characters was super evident. They had pined for each other for over two years! The pay off was well worth it. Rooney has a chronic illness, IBD, and Axel is autistic. I love how Chloe Liese is so thoughtful with her characters' disabilities and makes sure to have the difficult conversations about them flow so easily! I always learn a lot with her novels and With You Forever was no exception.
The only thing I'd say that stops me from giving these books 5 stars is that at the beginning of each book, there's a really captivating plot that puts our characters in a forced proximity situation-ship but then, I don't know how exactly to explain it right, the plot kinda falls off? Like obviously at a certain point the characters development has to supersede the plot, but I wished there was more of a balance in that regard. I did love how the ending of this book doesn't drag on like the others have. I appreciated that!
Overall, I'm thrilled to continue working my way through this series! It's been consistently good and I can't wait to read what's next for the rest of the Bergman crew :)
A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I love, love, LOVE this book so freaking much. Wow. I'm just floored, really. A Dowry of Blood is the gentle reminder I needed that literature can amaze me, just completely surpass all expectations. This is a story I'm unlikely to ever forget. I can easily see myself re-reading this masterpiece for years to come.
The prose was utterly fantastic. S.T. Gibson draws you in with the most jaw dropping opening ever, until the reader is scrambling to understand what the hell happened. How did a seemingly innocent love turn into murder? What unravels is truly shocking. Deplorable and unjustifiable in every sense. I never wanted more for another (fictitious or real) downfall than I wanted for him.
The ending was obviously perfect and just as I was hoping for but the epilogue truly healed a broken part of me from the inside, LOL! Bold words and I truly mean it. I don't know if the epilogue is new to the published version, but if you hadn't read it before make sure to see if your copy has it! Ugh, the book hangover is about to be REAL after this one.
The prose was utterly fantastic. S.T. Gibson draws you in with the most jaw dropping opening ever, until the reader is scrambling to understand what the hell happened. How did a seemingly innocent love turn into murder? What unravels is truly shocking. Deplorable and unjustifiable in every sense. I never wanted more for another (fictitious or real) downfall than I wanted for him.
The ending was obviously perfect and just as I was hoping for but the epilogue truly healed a broken part of me from the inside, LOL! Bold words and I truly mean it. I don't know if the epilogue is new to the published version, but if you hadn't read it before make sure to see if your copy has it! Ugh, the book hangover is about to be REAL after this one.
Ever After Always by Chloe Liese
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I think the Bergman brothers/sisters series is one of those that as you continue reading through, the quality of the books just gets better and better. I loved this book so much, I didn't want it to end! But at the same time I was so eager to tear through it so I can get to Rooney and Axel.
I think marriage in trouble is probably one of my favorite tropes to read in romance novels. The issues between Aiden and Freya was heartbreaking to read about. You can tell so much love still existed, even when they were at the rockiest part of their marriage. All they did and what it contributed to really bloomed out of a place of love. So even though Aiden checked out emotionally and Freya didn't understand how to reach out, I always knew they could find their way back to each other. It's funny because I hated Aiden's character in book one, LOL! But now that I understand him so much better, I obviously feel so much different.
PS: I want to commend the author for finally dropping the Harry Potter references! Thank GOD!
I think marriage in trouble is probably one of my favorite tropes to read in romance novels. The issues between Aiden and Freya was heartbreaking to read about. You can tell so much love still existed, even when they were at the rockiest part of their marriage. All they did and what it contributed to really bloomed out of a place of love. So even though Aiden checked out emotionally and Freya didn't understand how to reach out, I always knew they could find their way back to each other. It's funny because I hated Aiden's character in book one, LOL! But now that I understand him so much better, I obviously feel so much different.
PS: I want to commend the author for finally dropping the Harry Potter references! Thank GOD!
The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrew
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
OK, so I've got some thoughts about this book.
Firstly, I really liked this novel! The beginning of this book was very immersive- dark, mysterious, and overall kinda weird. I fully understood the specific aesthetic the author was trying to achieve. The writing style was excellent, the prose was so poetic it was like every sentence had a double meaning. I loved our cast of characters! I think the world of Lane, Colton, Adaya, Mackenzie, and Eric. I thought this was a good fantasy, perfect for beginners looking to edge their way into YA fantasy.
Alas, The Whispering Dark is not without its faults. I had an issue with the plot development, which I felt was stunted in too many areas in favor of some unnecessary scenes. I think the mystery surrounding Colton was kept in secret (from the reader, at least) for far too long. We had little crumbs to add to the twist, but for the most part we found out when Lane found out and for me, that happens way too late in the book. In fact, I felt that all of the plot twists were stated so matter of factly and were missing that extra mic-drop moment to really gag the reader. But perhaps my biggest qualm about this book is my issue of the relationship between Colton and Lane.Can a demon who is drawn to a "queen of the dead" archetype truly consent? Is it love that Colton experiences, or is he just tethered to the girl who pulled him from Hell?
Like I said, it's a good book! I don't regret reading it, nor owning this stunning Illumicrate edition of the novel. Maybe in the future I'll read another of this author's book!
Firstly, I really liked this novel! The beginning of this book was very immersive- dark, mysterious, and overall kinda weird. I fully understood the specific aesthetic the author was trying to achieve. The writing style was excellent, the prose was so poetic it was like every sentence had a double meaning. I loved our cast of characters! I think the world of Lane, Colton, Adaya, Mackenzie, and Eric. I thought this was a good fantasy, perfect for beginners looking to edge their way into YA fantasy.
Alas, The Whispering Dark is not without its faults. I had an issue with the plot development, which I felt was stunted in too many areas in favor of some unnecessary scenes. I think the mystery surrounding Colton was kept in secret (from the reader, at least) for far too long. We had little crumbs to add to the twist, but for the most part we found out when Lane found out and for me, that happens way too late in the book. In fact, I felt that all of the plot twists were stated so matter of factly and were missing that extra mic-drop moment to really gag the reader. But perhaps my biggest qualm about this book is my issue of the relationship between Colton and Lane.
Like I said, it's a good book! I don't regret reading it, nor owning this stunning Illumicrate edition of the novel. Maybe in the future I'll read another of this author's book!
Always Only You by Chloe Liese
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I finally know the reason why Ren Bergman is everyone's favorite! This book was just too freaking good. I guarantee you you've not met another (fictional or real) man like Ren- he's kind, compassionate, nerdy, empathetic and down so bad for Frankie. Frankie was also an amazing character. I think Chloe Liese does a fantastic job with representing disabilities. I learned so much about Frankie's autism and her rheumatoid arthritis. There's a lot of mutual pining and a bit of angst, but it's all worth it in the end. This was a couple I genuinely rooted for!
My one and only qualm about the author, and perhaps the entire series at this point, is how many God awful Harry Potter references there are. It was so cringe. I beg of you, please allow ANY other franchise to have your character hyper-focus on. Star Wars, Marvel, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings...literally any of them at this point!!! What also unnerves me is that Willa and Frankie have a small dialogue about how transphobic JK Rowling is and it's like...ok....then why bring up Harry Potter every chance you get? You cannot separate the art from the artist and I'll gladly die on that hill.
If you can look past the cringiest of cringe HP dumping on you, then I would absolutely recommend this book. My advice is to just skip over every line/scene with a potter reference.
My one and only qualm about the author, and perhaps the entire series at this point, is how many God awful Harry Potter references there are. It was so cringe. I beg of you, please allow ANY other franchise to have your character hyper-focus on. Star Wars, Marvel, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings...literally any of them at this point!!! What also unnerves me is that Willa and Frankie have a small dialogue about how transphobic JK Rowling is and it's like...ok....then why bring up Harry Potter every chance you get? You cannot separate the art from the artist and I'll gladly die on that hill.
If you can look past the cringiest of cringe HP dumping on you, then I would absolutely recommend this book. My advice is to just skip over every line/scene with a potter reference.
Demon in the Wood Graphic Novel by Leigh Bardugo
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I originally read this short story after Ruin and Rising, back then (and even now) Demon in the Wood gagged me so bad. This short but powerful story tells a clear narrative: survive. At all costs.
This story gives you a more intimate understanding of the Darkling and his mother. It's not that the Darkling was born evil- he became what he did from a mixture of circumstance and...questionable parenting. Baghra was not an easy mother to have, but I have to respect her willingness to do whatever it took to survive with her child. The Netflix show touches on their tumultuous relationship a little more in season two, but I would have liked to see this story incorporated more!
The illustrations in this graphic novel really amp up the story's dark themes. It was hauntingly beautiful! Fingers crossed that the rest of the books in the Grishaverse end up getting a graphic novel illustrated by Dani Pendergast. Any chance to revisit the Grishaverse is a chance I'll always take :)
This story gives you a more intimate understanding of the Darkling and his mother. It's not that the Darkling was born evil- he became what he did from a mixture of circumstance and...questionable parenting. Baghra was not an easy mother to have, but I have to respect her willingness to do whatever it took to survive with her child. The Netflix show touches on their tumultuous relationship a little more in season two, but I would have liked to see this story incorporated more!
The illustrations in this graphic novel really amp up the story's dark themes. It was hauntingly beautiful! Fingers crossed that the rest of the books in the Grishaverse end up getting a graphic novel illustrated by Dani Pendergast. Any chance to revisit the Grishaverse is a chance I'll always take :)
Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was too cute! I really loved it. It was the lighthearted (yet touching) book that I was in the exact mood to read. I actually think Secretly Yours is one of Tessa Bailey's strongest releases and I'm genuinely excited for Natalie's book!
Hallie was such a great MC. She was full of so much life and it really conveyed beautifully throughout the story. She's pure sunshine! But she's also got depth to her. On the outside she's a successful businesswomen whereas she's a complete mess in just about everything else. We've also got Julian; the classic introvert and sometimes Debby downer MC who free falls straight for Hallie. Julian isn't without his issues as well- he's got a debilitating anxiety/panic disorder that he feels is 100% self managed with a rigorous schedule and a no nonsense approach to life. This couple was amazing!
The two things I'd say this book has missing is that the romance between Julian and Hallie could've been developed a little more and the obligatory breakup scene was probably too rushed. I would've liked to see them getting to know each other beyond relaying their traumas and secrets to each other. The third act breakup was a little unnecessary in the way Tessa Bailey wrote it. I usually feel that way in all rom-coms, however I didn't feel like Julian needed to leave without explanation like that. It could've been an argument/misunderstanding that didn't span a few weeks and instead was solved right then and there. Just a thought! I'd still recommend this book :)
Hallie was such a great MC. She was full of so much life and it really conveyed beautifully throughout the story. She's pure sunshine! But she's also got depth to her. On the outside she's a successful businesswomen whereas she's a complete mess in just about everything else. We've also got Julian; the classic introvert and sometimes Debby downer MC who free falls straight for Hallie. Julian isn't without his issues as well- he's got a debilitating anxiety/panic disorder that he feels is 100% self managed with a rigorous schedule and a no nonsense approach to life. This couple was amazing!
The two things I'd say this book has missing is that the romance between Julian and Hallie could've been developed a little more and the obligatory breakup scene was probably too rushed. I would've liked to see them getting to know each other beyond relaying their traumas and secrets to each other. The third act breakup was a little unnecessary in the way Tessa Bailey wrote it. I usually feel that way in all rom-coms, however I didn't feel like Julian needed to leave without explanation like that. It could've been an argument/misunderstanding that didn't span a few weeks and instead was solved right then and there. Just a thought! I'd still recommend this book :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Oh my God this book was fucking fantastic!!!!! I don't know if words can truly do it justice but I will sure as hell try anyway!
This is a really quick read- less than 150 pages and inside this novella contains an epic story about a private investigator in a noir setting. The less you know about this story, the better. Go into it blind! The dark, atmospheric plot completely enraptures you. Think L.A. Noire (the video game) meets a little bit of The Peaky Blinders. The lush, lyrical writing style invites you to stay and will have you mourning when it's over.
Even Though I Knew the End is easily one of the best books I've read this year and probably of all time! I absolutely need to hunt down more of C.L. Polk's other works so I can hopefully experience another 5 star read.
This is a really quick read- less than 150 pages and inside this novella contains an epic story about a private investigator in a noir setting. The less you know about this story, the better. Go into it blind! The dark, atmospheric plot completely enraptures you. Think L.A. Noire (the video game) meets a little bit of The Peaky Blinders. The lush, lyrical writing style invites you to stay and will have you mourning when it's over.
Even Though I Knew the End is easily one of the best books I've read this year and probably of all time! I absolutely need to hunt down more of C.L. Polk's other works so I can hopefully experience another 5 star read.
Only When It's Us by Chloe Liese
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a great read! Not perfect, but this book hits so many pluses on what I look for in a romance novel.
I loooooooved Ryder. He was utter perfection! Ryder is smart, devastatingly handsome, funny and nerdy and sporty. I loved how he had so much going for him and he wasn't one of those cocky dudes who constantly showed off. Willa was a force of nature compared to his chill persona. At first I saw a lot of myself in Willa- a hothead who can sometimes jump to conclusions rather quickly after bad first impressions. But there is so much more to Willa that develops throughout the story. I appreciated her arc- I thought it was well rounded and she seemed to learn that putting up walls and keeping people at arms length is no way to truly live.
A few things I disliked: Willa unconsciously speaks her inner thoughts out loud and when it happens, it's usually unfiltered and embarrassing. But it happened in every single dialogue, it was just too much. I got it the first 25 times, LOL. Secondly, the miscommunication in this book was far too much for my liking. It was a frustrating reading experience! What I failed to understand is how can Willa and Ryder hold so much contempt for each other for failing to disclose what they perceived to be these earth shattering secrets about themselves? Especially considering that when they do manage to converse, all they do is banter/argue! Like when exactly was Ryder supposed to tell Willa about his past with soccer and Willa's mothers cancer prognosis? Right after the pranking or the almost kisses? Ugh, it didn't make any sense.
Anyway, this book was great despite its faults. I think Only When it's Us has great deaf representation and I genuinely learned a lot from Ryder's story! I definitely want to read the rest of series.
I loooooooved Ryder. He was utter perfection! Ryder is smart, devastatingly handsome, funny and nerdy and sporty. I loved how he had so much going for him and he wasn't one of those cocky dudes who constantly showed off. Willa was a force of nature compared to his chill persona. At first I saw a lot of myself in Willa- a hothead who can sometimes jump to conclusions rather quickly after bad first impressions. But there is so much more to Willa that develops throughout the story. I appreciated her arc- I thought it was well rounded and she seemed to learn that putting up walls and keeping people at arms length is no way to truly live.
A few things I disliked: Willa unconsciously speaks her inner thoughts out loud and when it happens, it's usually unfiltered and embarrassing. But it happened in every single dialogue, it was just too much. I got it the first 25 times, LOL. Secondly, the miscommunication in this book was far too much for my liking. It was a frustrating reading experience! What I failed to understand is how can Willa and Ryder hold so much contempt for each other for failing to disclose what they perceived to be these earth shattering secrets about themselves? Especially considering that when they do manage to converse, all they do is banter/argue! Like when exactly was Ryder supposed to tell Willa about his past with soccer and Willa's mothers cancer prognosis? Right after the pranking or the almost kisses? Ugh, it didn't make any sense.
Anyway, this book was great despite its faults. I think Only When it's Us has great deaf representation and I genuinely learned a lot from Ryder's story! I definitely want to read the rest of series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent