booksarethenewblack's reviews
1341 reviews
Ravensong by T.J. Klune
4.0
It was so good to get back to Green Creek!! I was extremely excited to read this book because Gordo was one of my favorite characters from book one. I love that we get a book about his character and learn more about what happened with Mark.
I think I might love Mark and Gordo more than Ox and Joe! I know, I know. Maybe it’s because it’s a second chance at love or because they are similar in age. Either way, I think that Klune has done a fantastic job with both relationships, thus far.
We start with the wolves leaving their pack in the first book. We get to see what they were up to when Joe decided to take off for revenge. I loved seeing that side and how those relationships progressed. Gordo’s story then kind of jumps back and forth between the past and present. I loved getting to see his past and what happened but it’s also very sad. I would expect nothing less from a Klune book.
I think the thing that held me back from giving this five stars was the pacing. Don’t get me wrong, I have a newborn and that’s killing my reading vibe. With that being said, this did take a while to suck me in. It’s a bit of a chunky book and it was a slow start. Once, we get going though, it was hard to stop. I think that Klune has done a great job having a sub-plot with an overarching main plot. There’s a lot of things in play and we are making our way to the big bad wolf. ha- ha.
The characters in this book are where this book stands out. Characters are Klune’s sweet spot and like all his other books they are amazing here. I love them all and I was tense because I just didn’t want anything to happen to any of them. That’s saying a lot because there is a huge pack and that provides many side characters. We have such a variety of personalities that really help the intense and dark aspects of the plot. I have to give a special shout-out to Elizabeth. I don’t know if it’s because I relate to her as a mom but she’s got such moving moments, pretty much anytime she shows up on the page.
Overall, I loved this book! There are some little things here and there but I loved getting to know Gordo better. He and Mark are just *chefs kiss.* I am really interested in where things go from here and can’t wait to jump into book three! Also, a side note- the change in covers has been epic! They are stunning.
Many thanks to Tor and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
I think I might love Mark and Gordo more than Ox and Joe! I know, I know. Maybe it’s because it’s a second chance at love or because they are similar in age. Either way, I think that Klune has done a fantastic job with both relationships, thus far.
We start with the wolves leaving their pack in the first book. We get to see what they were up to when Joe decided to take off for revenge. I loved seeing that side and how those relationships progressed. Gordo’s story then kind of jumps back and forth between the past and present. I loved getting to see his past and what happened but it’s also very sad. I would expect nothing less from a Klune book.
I think the thing that held me back from giving this five stars was the pacing. Don’t get me wrong, I have a newborn and that’s killing my reading vibe. With that being said, this did take a while to suck me in. It’s a bit of a chunky book and it was a slow start. Once, we get going though, it was hard to stop. I think that Klune has done a great job having a sub-plot with an overarching main plot. There’s a lot of things in play and we are making our way to the big bad wolf. ha- ha.
The characters in this book are where this book stands out. Characters are Klune’s sweet spot and like all his other books they are amazing here. I love them all and I was tense because I just didn’t want anything to happen to any of them. That’s saying a lot because there is a huge pack and that provides many side characters. We have such a variety of personalities that really help the intense and dark aspects of the plot. I have to give a special shout-out to Elizabeth. I don’t know if it’s because I relate to her as a mom but she’s got such moving moments, pretty much anytime she shows up on the page.
Overall, I loved this book! There are some little things here and there but I loved getting to know Gordo better. He and Mark are just *chefs kiss.* I am really interested in where things go from here and can’t wait to jump into book three! Also, a side note- the change in covers has been epic! They are stunning.
Many thanks to Tor and Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem
5.0
Do you know the feeling you sometimes get when you get a few chapters into a new book? The feeling you get that this book is going to be a good one? It’s exactly how I felt with this one! I did buddy-read this with Julie.
I loved Sylvia from the moment I met her. I knew that she had a tough past and once you learn what she’s really been through, it’s hard not to root for her. There are many times throughout this book that she has her mind set on just trying to survive. She constantly tells herself that she doesn’t care about anyone else but her actions tend to show the opposite. Not only is she really strong-willed, she is funny and very caring. In fact, I loved so many of the supporting characters in this book and she helped them shine.
With Arin, we are getting a whole different personality and you have no idea what you’re going to get. I actually really enjoyed that we had a harder time reading him. It made it all the more enjoyable learning about him and seeing his relationships with several of the characters. He puts on a pretty great front but there is a lot more under the surface. The cat-and-mouse game that he and Sylvia have going on throughout this book is so much fun!
In the beginning, it was a little harder to grasp the world and all the magic that came with it. Eventually, it all started to click. I will say, it’s very unique and I think she did such a great job with the world-building throughout the rest of the book. I loved the writing style so much. I was shocked to realize that this is a debut author!! It does not read that way at all and I cannot wait to see where she goes from here! There are so many quotable moments and this is one that I really loved…
“One day, I would stand trial before the spirits of my dead. One day, the bodies I never buried would call upon me to answer for my sins. One day, but not today.”
I really wish I would have tabbed this book! I might have to do a re-read at some point and do that.
There are times in this book that you will shake your head and think, wow, how are they so blind?! People are always trying to overpower someone or a group of people but then do the SAME thing! It’s so relevant to real life right now that it’s scary.
Overall, this was such an excellent read! I had a hard time putting it down and loved the world so much. The characters have such amazing arcs that it’s so hard not to fall in love with them. There’s a slow-burn romance too but I loved that it was not the focus. There’s a lot of fantasy out there but this is one that I highly recommend!
Many thanks to Orbit Books for an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong
3.5
I’m learning that Chloe Gong’s writing style is sometimes a hit or miss with me. I adored her Violent Delights duology. I’ve struggled with Foul Lady Fortune but was ecstatic for Immortal Longings, her adult debut. Although I still struggled with some writing issues, I did end up enjoying this one. One of the cool things about Gong’s stories is her ability to draw from Shakespeare in a new and exciting way!
One of the things that I loved about this story was the characters. We have a great set of characters that have so many backgrounds and all have different agendas. You never really know who you can trust or what someone is going to do. I loved that aspect because it kept me on my toes. Anton and Calla were characters that I cannot wait to read more about. They both had some crazy surprises and I am dying for the next book, just because of these two! There are some really morally grey characters, which I also enjoy.
The pacing of this book was really slow to start. It took me a good 35% to actually get into the book. There are some info dumps too. The last 30% of the book was like whiplash and was really quick. I wanted a little more explored there but I think that’s what book two will do for us. I didn’t think this was really an adult read. I think more New Adult than true Adult. There are a lot of things that just read a lot younger and this could just be the writing style. There were a few things that reminded me of The Hunger Games and it got hard to separate at times.
Overall, I really enjoyed the world and characters that Gong created in this one. Just keep in mind that the pacing is a bit off but keep going because the ending is worth it. It is also a very character-driven book and the plot can lag at times because of this. The characters are absolutely amazing and the setup for book two makes you crave it asap!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Gallery/Saga Press for the e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Forget Me Not by Julie Soto
4.0
I know that so many of us have been loving the cover of this book. It’s stunning and totally what hooked me into reading it. I am so lucky to have had an ARC of this book. I think this was a strong debut and I’ll be looking out for more work from Soto in the future!
Ama was a character that I had a love/hate relationship with. I struggled with her inconsistent character development. I know, we are rooting for her but I didn’t quite understand. I loved how she was branching out on her own with her business. I really disliked how she relied so much on her past job and didn’t really see the red flags. She also had a lot of issues with commitment but it was all over the place. It just came off confusing. I understood her past and why she had certain stances but she didn’t realize her reality.
Elliot was the stronger character for me. I saw more of his development through their relationship but I wanted so much more of his past. He’s definitely a gruff character but we have no context from it. I would have loved more depth there. Don’t worry, there are plenty of things he will do that will make you melt and love him!
The romance was insanely steamy and very cute. If you love a second-chance romance then I think you’ll love this one! We get two different timelines throughout. Anna’s is mostly in the present and Elliot’s in the past. We get to see what happened in the past sprinkled throughout the book. I thought it was done really well and it added so much to the story. I thought a lot of the book was original and I loved the floral/wedding planner aspect.
Overall, I really enjoyed this and I can’t wait to read more from Soto! I would not be opposed to a novella or something about Elliot. haha. There are a lot of spicy moments in this one, so if you’re into that, you’ll love this one.
Many thanks to Forever and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
4.5
Well this solidifies that Katherine Center is now an auto-buy author! I was just introduced to her last year and have enjoyed her books immensely. I really need to catch up on all her backlist!
One of the things that I really love about Center’s work is learning something new about a medical issue. In this book, the MC, Sadie has a whirlwind brain surgery that leaves her some complications. She can no longer see faces and she’s a portrait artist! She’s just been accepted into a gallery contest that could finally give her, her big break. We go on her journey the next several weeks as she goes through recovery and trying to figure out her new normal.
Sadie was such a breath of fresh air. I loved her witty comebacks and how she looked at life. Even though, she has some past trauma, she tries to be kind and optimistic. I mean, sometimes she’s just ignoring the hard things but I think that’s what is so great about her journey. I do wish that we got to know her a little bit more before her surgery though. Sadie’s family situation is extremely sad and I hated Parker from the moment I met her.
Joe was the best! I fell for him so fast and he is just such a beautiful human being. I really enjoyed the relationship that Sadie and Joe build. Can you imagine building a relationship with someone and not ever seeing their face? She had to learn a whole new way to recognize people and I think that Center does such a great job here. His love for all the animals was seriously the sweetest!
This book was so quick to read because I had such a hard time putting it down. There are so many fun and sweet moments but we also get a lot of depth. I laughed and I cried a lot. It was so entertaining and I feel so happy after finishing this book. I will say that there are a couple of side characters that I wasn’t in love with. It’s really my only complaint about this book.
Overall, if you loved her other books, I think you will love this one too! It’s fun and heartwarming but will also pull at your heartstrings. There are some very tender moments that will make you cry. I’m looking forward to her next one! 🙂
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Every Season Is Soup Season by Shelly Westerhausen Worcel
4.5
I saw this on Netgalley and I was so excited that it was a ‘Read Now.’ This will be a cookbook that I will own! I’ve got quite the cookbook collection going but I cannot wait for this one.
I love soup and I know that I don’t really get as much in the Spring and Summer but there are some great options here. Mostly, my husband will not eat soup if it’s hot out. haha, There are many of your classic soups and a lot of new ideas too. One of the best things about this book is that there are options for other things to make with the leftover soup. Let me say that again, there are other meals to make from the leftovers!! I think this is such a brilliant thing to offer in a cookbook! I’m not sure how successful a lot of the second meals would be because I have freeze a lot of soup now, but it’s great to have that option. One that I really can’t wait to try is the Broccoli Cheese soup that gets repurposed into baked Broccoli Cheddar Pasta!
There are also a lot of really great-sounding mix-ins to add to your soups too. Many of them can be homemade like grilled-cheese croutons. There are tips for freezing and using different cooking methods, like an instant pot.
If you like soups anytime or just in the fall/winter then check this one out!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Chronicle Books for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke
4.0
I buddy read this with Julie and we both really enjoyed this one! There are a lot of little things that remind you of Cinderella. This is the first book that I’ve read by this author but will not be the last!
This is a really cute romance with so many sweet moments. One of my favorite aspects of this whole entire story is something that I can’t quite talk about because of spoilers. I will say that I loved the communication for the most part. You will have moments that it’s terrible because it seems to happen a lot in romances. There is one big aspect that came out and I loved how it was for everyone involved.
I really loved how much Evie was so open to experiencing new things. The differences between Evie and Max are huge because they come from two different worlds. Evie is struggling to hold onto her bookshop but Max is a Duke! There are a few enemies-to-lovers moments, in the beginning, but nothing that really sticks around. In fact, I loved the way Max was just so sweet and caring when it came to Evie. Things don’t really start off that great but I loved where their relationship takes them. Their romance was just so beautiful and I loved how Max fed so much confidence into Evie.
This is a really quick read! The writing was fast-paced and the romance really keeps you from wanting to put it down. There are a lot of great secondary characters in this one as well. I really hope that Delia has her own book coming soon because she was a character that I found really fascinating. Max’s sisters are also thrown into the mix and I would love to get to know them better too! The plot was fun and engaging, even if I knew what was going to happen for the most part.
Overall, this was a really fun read. I loved the romance and the relationships that were formed throughout. Max and Evie had such a strong connection and it was a great seeing them grow with each other. If you like Cinderella vibes, books, and a sweet romance then I think you will enjoy this one!
Many thanks to Forever and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
A Love Catastrophe by Helena Hunting
3.0
I went into this one with high hopes! I also buddy-read it with Julie, which I’m glad I did. I was really excited about the premise, but I didn’t connect with this one. It was just an okay read and it didn’t really blow me away.
I think my biggest issue was that I was expecting a light romance with a lot of cute and furry puns. What I ended up getting was a lot of heavier topics about dementia and family deaths. There’s nothing wrong with these heavier topics but I was hit with it and then the book got really heavy. I felt like the book was trying to do two different things and didn’t really connect them. The lighter and funnier things went away when we got to the heavy things. There were a couple of other moments in the book that felt forced and not needed. The pacing was another thing that I didn’t enjoy. It took about 20% of the book to get past their first “meet” and get going. The last part of the book was just rushed so quickly that I had trouble connecting.
The romance had a lot of cute and sweet moments. I just didn’t feel the chemistry, which could also have to do with the pacing. I did really like to watch Miles grow in their relationship but I had a hard time getting there. He has many issues and many of their miscues were kind of rude. He seemed way too hard on his mother but I think he ends up getting to a better place. By the end, I still had a hard time really feeling the relationship between him and Kitty.
Overall, this was just an okay read for me. I might not have been the right audience. I could also not be in the right mindset, since I was expecting something much lighter and fun. It just didn’t hit the mark and the romance fell flat for me. There are some fun supporting characters and some sweet moments. There just wasn’t enough substance to have me fall in love with this one!
Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I think my biggest issue was that I was expecting a light romance with a lot of cute and furry puns. What I ended up getting was a lot of heavier topics about dementia and family deaths. There’s nothing wrong with these heavier topics but I was hit with it and then the book got really heavy. I felt like the book was trying to do two different things and didn’t really connect them. The lighter and funnier things went away when we got to the heavy things. There were a couple of other moments in the book that felt forced and not needed. The pacing was another thing that I didn’t enjoy. It took about 20% of the book to get past their first “meet” and get going. The last part of the book was just rushed so quickly that I had trouble connecting.
The romance had a lot of cute and sweet moments. I just didn’t feel the chemistry, which could also have to do with the pacing. I did really like to watch Miles grow in their relationship but I had a hard time getting there. He has many issues and many of their miscues were kind of rude. He seemed way too hard on his mother but I think he ends up getting to a better place. By the end, I still had a hard time really feeling the relationship between him and Kitty.
Overall, this was just an okay read for me. I might not have been the right audience. I could also not be in the right mindset, since I was expecting something much lighter and fun. It just didn’t hit the mark and the romance fell flat for me. There are some fun supporting characters and some sweet moments. There just wasn’t enough substance to have me fall in love with this one!
Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart
5.0
You can see all my reviews here: Books Are The New Black
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I am so happy to say that it lived up to every expectation! I buddy-read this with Julie and we both loved it. I’m going to do my best to do this book justice but it’s always so hard with the one’s I love.
I was a little surprised that this book took two years after the last book. It took me a little bit to figure things out but not enough to hinder my experience. We get so much more clarity about the Bone Shard Magic and how it works, where it comes from, and so on. It was great to get all that information and detail in this book. This book comes in over 600 pages! The best part is that there’s so much happening and going on that you never feel like it’s that long.
We have several POV’s in this book, which I loved. There are a lot of different moving plot points and it was so helpful to see each side. You have several that are trying to be the overall last man/woman standing. Stewart does a brilliant job making you constantly question, who is right and who is wrong. You can understand them all and where they are coming from (except for one-not naming names).
Lin was such a brilliantly written character. It’s hard not to fall in love with her because her character arc from books one to three is amazing. She’s still trying to keep a hold of her title and her empire. The problem is that she’s run out of allies and she’s getting attacked from more than one side. There’s a bit of a quest that goes on in this book too, which was fun. She’s trying to find an item that she thinks will have the answers. She’s racing against her enemies and constantly running into tough problems. The amazing part is that she never gives up or gives in. She’s always looking for a way out that will save and cost the least harm to her people.
Jovis is also another character that has an amazing character arc! I was unsure where his journey was going in the beginning but wow was it awesome. I think he has one of the most interesting plotlines in this book. I also feel the worst for him because I feel like he can never catch a break, except for Mephi.
Maybe no one was a hero. Maybe I’d gotten it wrong from the beginning. Maybe there were only heroic moments and decisions and we all had to keep choosing those as best we could. When we could.
I was really surprised by all the emotions I felt reading this book!! There are several intense and adventurous moments but also powerful ones. I found myself laughing (thanks Mephi) and crying at times. It was all so beautifully written and by the end, I was just in love with what Stewart had finished in this story.
Overall, this was a brilliant ending to the trilogy. I was so happy with where the characters ended up and how things played out. There are so many things going on throughout the whole book that keep you hooked and never wanting to stop. I cannot wait to read whatever Stewart comes out with next. I highly recommend this series!!
Many thanks to Orbit for an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I am so happy to say that it lived up to every expectation! I buddy-read this with Julie and we both loved it. I’m going to do my best to do this book justice but it’s always so hard with the one’s I love.
I was a little surprised that this book took two years after the last book. It took me a little bit to figure things out but not enough to hinder my experience. We get so much more clarity about the Bone Shard Magic and how it works, where it comes from, and so on. It was great to get all that information and detail in this book. This book comes in over 600 pages! The best part is that there’s so much happening and going on that you never feel like it’s that long.
We have several POV’s in this book, which I loved. There are a lot of different moving plot points and it was so helpful to see each side. You have several that are trying to be the overall last man/woman standing. Stewart does a brilliant job making you constantly question, who is right and who is wrong. You can understand them all and where they are coming from (except for one-not naming names).
Lin was such a brilliantly written character. It’s hard not to fall in love with her because her character arc from books one to three is amazing. She’s still trying to keep a hold of her title and her empire. The problem is that she’s run out of allies and she’s getting attacked from more than one side. There’s a bit of a quest that goes on in this book too, which was fun. She’s trying to find an item that she thinks will have the answers. She’s racing against her enemies and constantly running into tough problems. The amazing part is that she never gives up or gives in. She’s always looking for a way out that will save and cost the least harm to her people.
Jovis is also another character that has an amazing character arc! I was unsure where his journey was going in the beginning but wow was it awesome. I think he has one of the most interesting plotlines in this book. I also feel the worst for him because I feel like he can never catch a break, except for Mephi.
Maybe no one was a hero. Maybe I’d gotten it wrong from the beginning. Maybe there were only heroic moments and decisions and we all had to keep choosing those as best we could. When we could.
I was really surprised by all the emotions I felt reading this book!! There are several intense and adventurous moments but also powerful ones. I found myself laughing (thanks Mephi) and crying at times. It was all so beautifully written and by the end, I was just in love with what Stewart had finished in this story.
Overall, this was a brilliant ending to the trilogy. I was so happy with where the characters ended up and how things played out. There are so many things going on throughout the whole book that keep you hooked and never wanting to stop. I cannot wait to read whatever Stewart comes out with next. I highly recommend this series!!
Many thanks to Orbit for an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune
3.0
You can see all my reviews here: <a href="https://booksarethenewblackblog.wordpress.com">Books Are The New Black</a>
Before I jump into this review, I just want to say- I adore TJ Klune. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I did buddy read this one and I’m glad. Similar feelings were discussed and that makes me feel like I’m not on an island completely alone.
One of my favorite things about Klune’s writing is his fabulous characters and the way he can have huge emotional hits. This does have some aspects of those two things but not like I’m used to. The characters were ones that I fell in love with fast. What’s not to love about a found family of robots and humans? There are a lot of laugh-out-loud moments from these characters. Nurse Ratched was fantastic. Unfortunately, about 60% of the way, I was struggling with one of them. It just got to be too much and it was unnecessary. The rest of the characters were brilliant and I really enjoyed the relationships between them. Again, found family is Klune’s bread and butter and he thrives at writing amazing families.
The storyline is what I struggled with the most. There are some things that I still don’t think were cleared up. The dystopian aspect didn’t quite make sense and the wrap-up of it was lacking. I was expecting this huge moment to come and it never did. It was such an unsatisfactory ending. The pacing of the book was off too. I have to be honest and say that I was bored at times. I was about 60% of the way through and nothing happened with the plot. I’m still not sure there was a ton of plot, to begin with. There’s nothing wrong with a character-driven book but when you have this huge world come into play, I expected more.
The romance in the book had me a bit puzzled too. I didn’t quite understand the relationship and sometimes thought it was a little creepy. The fact that HAP just watches and follows Vic around all the time. I get it, he doesn’t understand and know things but it was hard to fall for them. I think this would have been much better if the romance was left out and HAP just found a family to blend into.
Overall, I was disappointed in this one. I had such high expectations because I give all of his books 4.5-5 star ratings! He’s still one of my favorites and I can’t wait for the next one. Sadly, this one just wasn’t for me. I’m sure many will love it and that’s great! I was just left unsatisfied and missing the magic most of his books offer.
Many thanks to Tor Books and Netgalley for an e-arc to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Before I jump into this review, I just want to say- I adore TJ Klune. This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I did buddy read this one and I’m glad. Similar feelings were discussed and that makes me feel like I’m not on an island completely alone.
One of my favorite things about Klune’s writing is his fabulous characters and the way he can have huge emotional hits. This does have some aspects of those two things but not like I’m used to. The characters were ones that I fell in love with fast. What’s not to love about a found family of robots and humans? There are a lot of laugh-out-loud moments from these characters. Nurse Ratched was fantastic. Unfortunately, about 60% of the way, I was struggling with one of them. It just got to be too much and it was unnecessary. The rest of the characters were brilliant and I really enjoyed the relationships between them. Again, found family is Klune’s bread and butter and he thrives at writing amazing families.
The storyline is what I struggled with the most. There are some things that I still don’t think were cleared up. The dystopian aspect didn’t quite make sense and the wrap-up of it was lacking. I was expecting this huge moment to come and it never did. It was such an unsatisfactory ending. The pacing of the book was off too. I have to be honest and say that I was bored at times. I was about 60% of the way through and nothing happened with the plot. I’m still not sure there was a ton of plot, to begin with. There’s nothing wrong with a character-driven book but when you have this huge world come into play, I expected more.
The romance in the book had me a bit puzzled too. I didn’t quite understand the relationship and sometimes thought it was a little creepy. The fact that HAP just watches and follows Vic around all the time. I get it, he doesn’t understand and know things but it was hard to fall for them. I think this would have been much better if the romance was left out and HAP just found a family to blend into.
Overall, I was disappointed in this one. I had such high expectations because I give all of his books 4.5-5 star ratings! He’s still one of my favorites and I can’t wait for the next one. Sadly, this one just wasn’t for me. I’m sure many will love it and that’s great! I was just left unsatisfied and missing the magic most of his books offer.
Many thanks to Tor Books and Netgalley for an e-arc to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!