bookgabz's reviews
548 reviews

The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.0

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

adventurous funny lighthearted 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

4.5

The Bound Worlds by Megan E. O'Keefe

adventurous emotional tense 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

2.5

First let me say thanks to NetGalley and Orbit books for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! 

 

***This Review contains Spoilers!*** 

 

Book three in The Devoured Worlds Trilogy sees Naira and Tarquin trying to have a peaceful life on Seventh Cradle. Unfortunately, the Universe has other plans for them. That peace is shattered in devastating ways throughout a majority of the book. 

 

I have to be honest and say, I did not enjoy this final installment in the trilogy. I almost never find myself struggling to get through a book, or rating a book as less that three stars. I’ve perfected picking books I am confident that I will enjoy. And I loved this series’ first two books! 

 

The Bound Worlds felt like I was reading a completely different story than what was laid out in books one and two. Part of what I loved in this series was the relationship between Tarquin and Naira, and Naira and her friends. Almost none of that was translated into this book. Tarquin for the whole series was someone you couldn’t help but love because he was good to the core of his being. But this book saw him start to turn into someone similar to his father, which is just not believable. Additionally, there was an element of time travel in this book, that was never even hinted at in the previous two books which added a very confusing layer to an already tumultuous book. Naira and her friends were actually on opposite sides for a majority of this book as well. Naira was operating as a rogue individual, making decisions and choices that she never would have made in books one and two. 

 

The first two books in this trilogy were 5-star reads for me. I am a fairly easy to please reader as I’m not hyper critical. I wanted to love The Bound Worlds by Megan E. O’Keefe, but this felt like a rushed third book that went in a direction that didn’t make sense based on the ground work already laid. 

The Fractured Dark by Megan E. O'Keefe

adventurous dark mysterious tense 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? No

5.0

To Cage a God by Elizabeth May

adventurous dark 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

2.5

The Blighted Stars by Megan E. O'Keefe

adventurous emotional mysterious tense 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? No

4.25

The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

4.0

The Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields

emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.0

Looking for a Sign by Susie Dumond

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.5

First let me say Thank You to #NetGalley and #RandomHouse for a free copy of #LookingForASign by #SusieDumond in exchange for a spoiler-free review! What a way to start Pride Month with a bang! 

 

Looking for a Sign is the perfect romance novel to read by the pool this summer. It’s got all of the makings of an excellent, queer, romance novel: 

 

✅ Sapphic Love Stories 

✅ Found Family 

✅ Inclusive and Diverse cast of characters 

✅ Friends to Lovers 

 

What more could you ask for? Step into the world of New Orleans, and journey with Gray as she searches for her true love, and makes her way through the zodiacs to do it! 

Grey Dog by Elliott Gish

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.5