betterwithabookinmyhand's reviews
462 reviews

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

adventurous reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This might be one of my new favorites of Ali Hazelwood’s adult fictions! While the spice is still a bit spicier than I go for the relationship felt authentic and the emotional build up is done really well. I was a fan of the collegiate diving and swimming plotline! As a collegiate rower it all really resonated and felt interesting as a subject I don’t find often in romance books. If you like spicy romances, this one is definitely a fun read!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

funny lighthearted mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC! I’m glad I got to read this, I’ve missed Vera and have recommended book 1 to so many people!

While nothing can ever top the first book I quickly got immersed into Vera’s chaotic world and fell for her new mystery!

I love Vera’s character, her frenemy in the bakery next door, and the hodge podge of characters Vera pulls into her orbit.

The only struggle I had was remembering the characters from the first book. Vera demands attention and attracts a new crowd in this book so I ended up just not worrying too much about book 1’s characters and it worked out fine.

I had a different idea for what the ending would be but there’s still so much of the book I enjoyed.

Definitely another hit of a cozy mystery by Jesse Q Sutanto!

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Thank you Berkley Romance and Penguin Random House Audio for the free advanced reading copy and for the free advanced listening copy! 

Well damn, this is my new rom com rec! This was SO good im just sad its over! It’s going to be a series though so I’m overjoyed to read more about some side character romance. Definitely preorder this, grab your special editions—you’re going to want to read this! 

There’s so much I loved about this story. The characters were relatable and felt authentic. The author didn’t rely on miscommunication as a major premise. In fact the characters were more honest with each other from the beginning than most romance stories and I was really appreciative of that. The chemistry and progression of their romance was there. It’s even a little of a slower burn than some are used to but it’s worth it! And the spice is there! 

This was a story I looked forward to getting to read again, and the audio was incredible. I’ll take the two narrators for every of my romance listens! Her male and female voices are great, I hear the flirting in her tone, and his voice is gravely when needed and smooths in others, his female voice is great, and I just could listen to them forever.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Cancer

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch

funny hopeful inspiring medium-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

Well damn, this was the best holiday book I read this year! A lighthearted, LGTBQIA+, fantasy rom com like none other! I cannot WAIT for book two in the fall!

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

adventurous emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The writing was fantastic. Arden ropes you right in to the time with these historic events being mentioned during character interactions. All the details about what life looks like at that time really drew me in. The author is also SO good at showing vs telling. The audiobook was a beautifully atmospheric listen.

It was a little slow for me but I don’t read many historical fiction novels. It’s labeled as a historical fantasy but the fantasy is just a small sliver of the story I could have done without it. For me it either needed no fantasy or more fantasy.

I love the setting but I felt myself waiting for the fantasy to jump into the story but it was all very subtle. I wish it was just labeled as a historical fiction.

Overall I think it rocks as a historical fiction I just wish it either went harder on the fantasy or took out the fantasy altogether.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

funny lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.5

The reread on this book did not age well. 😂 This book was my world in early high school but I read it now to tandem read beside Midnight Sun. What I will say is Midnight Sun is pretty dang great! What Twilight lacks in Bella’s narrow POV and writing that could give more in the way of details and backstory I got in Midnight Sun with Edward’s dynamic POV and much improved writing. MS is my new favorite book in the Twilight series, I definitely recommend giving it a read.

Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou

emotional informative lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙨: 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚, 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙬, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛.

Okay friends, I really enjoyed this duology! The magic system truly captured my attention. It reminded me so much of my favorite stories where the magic is described so vividly and tangibly that you can just sit back and watch the plot unfold like a movie. The love story was a slow burn that gave me room to appreciate the world and side characters more. 

What I like:
✔️ Atmospheric
✔️ Fascinating magic system
✔️ Fated romance
✔️ Greek mythology in modern times

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

adventurous challenging tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Audiobook review ✨ Thank you Penguin Random House Audio for this complimentary audiobook! It was a WILD ride! ✨
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📘 In A Fate Inked in Blood, a shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.
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🛡️ This story ticked a whole lot of boxes!
✔️ Viking romance 
✔️ Interesting fantasy elements
✔️ Forbidden romance 
✔️ Witty banter
✔️ Worthy of a sequel
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🛡️ My interest in Norse Mythology has come out of TV shows like Vikings and The Last Kingdom so attractive warriors mixed with Viking drama and I’m here for it!
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🛡️ The audiobook is 100% what I would recommend! It saved me the trek of tricky pronunciations and the narrator handled the Norse accents excellently. This was such an easy listen. I sampled the audiobook and was hooked by the narrator’s voice and Freya’s strong POV right away. 
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🛡️ The characters felt authentic though Freya definitely drove me a little crazy at times with her impulsiveness. Bjorne is one heck of an MC I think fan fiction artists will have a lot of fun drawing him. He’s handsome and one hell of a flirt with an intriguing backstory.
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🛡️ Overall this was a compelling adult fantasy story! Fantasy forward, part forbidden romance (spice 🌶️), part character-driven journey of an MC discovering if she can take control of her own fate. Would recommend and highly recommend the audiobook!
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One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I have seen this book all over Instagram and after finishing the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder I wanted to see if there were any more YA mysteries on that level. This story kept my attention. It followed a group of teenagers who were put into detention only to then watch one of their fellow classmates die. Suddenly they’re all suspects in the murder. It switched between their POVs and adding in that there’s an online gossip column the school follows, it had a lot of material to draw from. I didn’t guess the final whodunnit until just before, so for that it’s a solid YA mystery in my books.

All I Want is You by Falon Ballard

hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

After reading a Christmas romance that wasn’t my jam, I wasn’t sure about starting another but I’m so glad I did! This was the holiday romance I was hoping for: not SO full of Christmasy gimmicks, second chance romance, forced proximity, one bed, and with a love of writing thrown in! The spice was well written and I appreciated the build up between the characters.