theblushbookworm's reviews
636 reviews

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

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emotional inspiring reflective 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? Yes

4.0

These characters elicited strong emotions from me. They made me contemplative, happy, and frequently mad. The Padavano sisters and William Walters don’t make perfect choices. They are messy, and their lives are complicated, and if you’re anything like me, their choices will have you putting the book down in frustration. But their choices are frustrating in a positive way because they illustrate the messiness of family and love. These characters go through a lot, and they put the reader through a lot, making them in my opinion very worth reading.
Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This had what I expected from a holiday romance novella, but it lacked the depth and plot development to make me invested. I also wasn’t a fan of the dialogue, particularly Luke’s dialogue, and cringed at the spicier scenes. I came in with low expectations, leaving this at 3 stars.
Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood

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lighthearted 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? Yes

4.0

For a novella, “Cruel Winter with You” managed to convey yearning beautifully. I love the childhood crush trope, and thought Marc was an adorable MMC. Jamie also had depth to her story with her people pleasing and fear of abandonment due to her parents. I’m guessing this will be my favorite novella in the collection because I adore Ali Hazelwood.
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

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funny mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

“The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year” has the recipe for the ideal Christmas romcom for me. It’s fun and festive, it has a strong romance with lots of flirty banter and chemistry, it’s a book about writers, and it has a well done mystery subplot. Ethan and Maggie live out every reader’s dream as they become embroiled in the plot of their favorite writer at her fabulous home in England in the UK. They had some of the best chemistry I’ve read in a romance all year. I loved how the author added depth with the recurring theme of women being gaslit and the mental gymnastics that leads to. Far and away the best Christmas romance I’ve read!
Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler

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challenging dark slow-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? Yes

4.0

I wasn’t sure “Parable of the Sower” needed a sequel. My first instinct was that it would be more powerful as a standalone. I still don’t think a sequel was needed, but “Parable of the Talents” shows us a new side of Lauren Olla Olamina. In this bleak, dystopian world she becomes a mother to Larkin. We get Larkin’s perspective on her family and Earthseed as well. This one provided interesting takes on religious fanaticism, motherhood, adoption, trauma, and much more. 
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

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dark emotional medium-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

4.5

I think everyone should read this. But for my literary fiction lovers on the fence about historical fiction, you won’t be able to put this down. We watch two girls, Elaheh “Ellie” and Homa, forge a childhood friendship across socioeconomic class in 1950s Iran. Their friendship grows and evolves as the political landscape of Iran does starting from the 1953 coup all the way to 2022. I learned so much about Iranian politics and history through the eyes of two young women — one naive and trepidatious, one reckless and passionate. A lot of very real, very heavy things happen over the course of this time, making this an emotional read. The prose is beautiful, and the message even more so. Ellie and Homa remind us to fight bravely and love madly. May we all be lion women. 
The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer

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hopeful inspiring medium-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

4.5

This book made me feel so seen. I’m not Jewish, and I don’t have ME/CFS. But I am chronically ill, and watching Rachel find love for her self and Jacob was incredibly inspiring. My favorite line from the book is “while people wore ribbons for cancer or marched for heart disease, they hid chronic illness.” This doesn’t resonate because I think one of these diseases is worse than the other. It resonates because every chronically ill person understands the feeling of isolation, the struggles of knowing when and what to share about your health, and the pervasive stigma. I would like to mirror Rachel’s character growth in my own life, and I’m sincerely glad I had the opportunity to read her story. “The Matzah Ball” also tackles abandonment issues and being the loved one of someone chronically ill, and it shares a great deal of Jewish culture that was a pleasure to learn about. This Hanukkah romance has beat two Christmas romance novels to take the top spot in my holiday romance rankings so far. 
How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn

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lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The bones of the story could have made for a swoon-worthy holiday romance, but it ended up being just okay. Starting with the good, this did put me in a festive spirit, and the Christmas competition was fun. The narrator was hilarious, and I loved the Christmas poems in the style of The Night Before Christmas. I didn’t like Storee or Cole at first but they grew on me. Max was adorable, and I wish he was one of the main characters. I do feel like this book missed the mark on the balance of romance and smut. There were more explicit scenes than I felt were necessary, and I often felt like they received length air time at the expense of the plot. And especially for being over 400 pages, all of the romantic scenes felt rushed, particularly the ending and epilogue. I still enjoyed reading it, but I think it could have even executed better. 
Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano

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funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my ARC an exchange for an honest review.

“Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave” is a fabulous new addition to this funny murder mystery series! In this one, Finlay and Vero are solving the murder of a man found buried in her neighbor Mrs. Haggerty’s yard. Mrs. Haggerty has a fun character arc, but warning it starts out with a lot of boundary stomping. I love this series because it’s so consistent in writing style and pacing. If you like one book, you’ll likely enjoy the others, and each book leaves me ready for the next one. I’m excited to see where book six goes based on the epilogue of this one. Elle Cosimano manages to recap important events and integrate characters from previous books seamlessly, making it really easy to pick up where you left off. And like all the books in the series, “Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave” is funny, especially in scenes with her kids and Vero’s one-liners. Finlay Donovan fans won’t want to miss this one when it comes out in March 2025!
The Will of the Many by James Islington

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adventurous emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

“The Will of the Many” is brilliant, and I wish I had the full series in my hands right now! Vis is an excellent main character. He has strong morals, a highly developed backstory especially for a 17 year old character, and an awe-inspiring capacity to learn and grow.  You just can’t help but trust and root for him. This book has an epic scope, and the world building is correspondingly epic. The beginning was a bit confusing, and there were other times where I was confused about the Hierarchy, but I think more experienced fantasy readers won’t have this problem. I loved the Greco-Roman influences, and the plotting was really clever. It also had me on the edge of my seat particularly once Vis reaches the Academy. Read this now, so you can wait on pins and needles for the sequel with me :)