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cath_reads_books's reviews
25 reviews
Where He Can't Find You by Darcy Coates
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
5.0
Another epic page-turner from Darcy Coates!
I absolutely loved this book. I mean it when I say that once I started it, I could not put it down; I had to know how the story was going to end. I adored the IT vibes that the book had, as it centered around a group of childhood friends fighting a spectre-like/mythical creature who was abducting others. I don’t want to spoil too much about the book, but I will say that I enjoyed the loyalty and fast friendship of the group of kids in this book. The Stitcher was also one of the most unique villains/monsters I’ve come across to date. It was awesome to read about something new and fresh, while also having some body horror thrown in lol.
I absolutely loved this book. I mean it when I say that once I started it, I could not put it down; I had to know how the story was going to end. I adored the IT vibes that the book had, as it centered around a group of childhood friends fighting a spectre-like/mythical creature who was abducting others. I don’t want to spoil too much about the book, but I will say that I enjoyed the loyalty and fast friendship of the group of kids in this book. The Stitcher was also one of the most unique villains/monsters I’ve come across to date. It was awesome to read about something new and fresh, while also having some body horror thrown in lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
The Favorite by Kiera Cass
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
2.5 of 5 stars. It was nice to get a little more of Marlee’s story because she’s so sweet, but this novella didn’t really provide any revelations or insights about the series as a whole. It felt like reading for reading’s sake.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore
The One by Kiera Cass
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
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
3.75
3.75 stars for this book. I loved finally getting to the end of America and Maxon’s story. They didn’t exactly get the picture perfect “Happy Ever After”, but the did end up together.
Having said all that, the ending of this book felt a little too convenient and it definitely felt rushed. The rest of the series seemed to dig into some pretty deep emotional moments and contexts. In this last book, there’s a bunch of trauma that happens in the last 50 pages or so, but none of it is given attention or is really discussed. It’s all just kind of tied up in a neat little bow, glazed over without any weight or consideration really given, so that the story could end. It seemed incongruous with the rest of the series, and it’s why my rating wasn’t higher for this particular book. Everything was wrapped up, there aren’t any loose ends, but I wish it was done it a better way.
Having said all that, the ending of this book felt a little too convenient and it definitely felt rushed. The rest of the series seemed to dig into some pretty deep emotional moments and contexts. In this last book, there’s a bunch of trauma that happens in the last 50 pages or so, but none of it is given attention or is really discussed. It’s all just kind of tied up in a neat little bow, glazed over without any weight or consideration really given, so that the story could end. It seemed incongruous with the rest of the series, and it’s why my rating wasn’t higher for this particular book. Everything was wrapped up, there aren’t any loose ends, but I wish it was done it a better way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Bullying, Physical abuse, and War
The Prince by Kiera Cass
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-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 novella was so cute! I loved finding out that Amberly was able to have a child after all, and that the series would center around him and his Selection. Maxon is at once a child and adult. He has so many worries that a person of his age should not, yet he handles them with as much grace as he can. I was so proud of him when he didn’t make the easy choice and begin to date his childhood friend. He could’ve just settled for an option that would have been safe, but he decided to be truthful and honest about his own feelings and go after a love match rather than a tactful one. I hope The Selection can provide the love match he’s looking for!
The Elite by Kiera Cass
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It’s safe to say this series has me absolutely hooked! It’s basically The Bachelor but with actually intelligent people, and the political status of an entire country hang in the balance of the outcome.
I thought I was Team Maxon before this book; now I’m definitely Team Maxon forever.It’s heartbreaking to read about what a difficult spot he’s in: trying to be compassionate and show mercy to people around him while dealing with a tyrannical and abusive father. Finding out that Maxon has been taking physical punishments and beatings from his father for years absolutely broke me. And it made me love Maxon so much more, because clearly those punishments had not broken him or turned him into a monster of a person.
America continues to be the upstanding, caring, thoughtful heroine I needed in my life. She is devoted to what is fair and good, even if it means giving up a little of her privilege for others. In every decision she’s making she’s weighing not only what would be good for herself, but good for the country and the citizens of Illéa. I know she’s got doubts, but I honestly think she would make a fantastic princess and an even more wonderful queen! As an aside: I absolutely adore the relationship she has with her maids. 💜 She truly values everyone regardless of caste.
It was clear from the end of this book that Maxon and America have an extremely tough time ahead.There’s still four girls left… cannot wait to see how The Selection ends!
I thought I was Team Maxon before this book; now I’m definitely Team Maxon forever.
America continues to be the upstanding, caring, thoughtful heroine I needed in my life. She is devoted to what is fair and good, even if it means giving up a little of her privilege for others. In every decision she’s making she’s weighing not only what would be good for herself, but good for the country and the citizens of Illéa. I know she’s got doubts, but I honestly think she would make a fantastic princess and an even more wonderful queen! As an aside: I absolutely adore the relationship she has with her maids. 💜 She truly values everyone regardless of caste.
It was clear from the end of this book that Maxon and America have an extremely tough time ahead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, and Classism
The Guard by Kiera Cass
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This was my least favorite installment of The Selection series thus far. It’s still a solid novella and definitely has its place in the series; overall though I don’t find Aspen’s character compelling. This novella was told from his point of view, and let me tell you it gave me the ick. He constantly calls America “his girl” even though they’re not together. Even though he dumped her. It’s just gross. Furthermore, the novella starts with Marlee and Woodwork being beaten, yet Aspen continues to behave the way he does knowing that same punishment would be coming his way if they were caught? What kind of protection is that?
Needless to say, I’m not a fan of Aspen. Average book, sub-average character.
Needless to say, I’m not a fan of Aspen. Average book, sub-average character.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism
Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
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
4.0
This book was great, as long as you don’t stack it up against Divine Rivals haha. That being said, I don’t think I’m ready for Kitt and Winnow’s story to be over! 😭 They truly had a great love. I was very pleased with the role reversal that took place in this book; it really allowed it to carry the same vibes Divine Rivals had. And seeing the contrast between Iris and Roman’s relationship and that of Dacre and Enva… goodness gracious.
The one thing about this book that I have to critique is thatthe ending felt a bit anticlimactic and almost rushed at points. Like the big climax everyone expected was over too quickly, but the story kept going. I also didn’t enjoy the suspicion that was cast on Enva unnecessarily. It seemed there was absolutely no point to that as it didn’t end up factoring into the outcome. I did, however, appreciate how there were no loose ends and that the door wasn’t left open to continue these stories. Kitt and Winnow can stay tied up with a neat little bow.
A good conclusion to the story, but definitely overshadowed by how phenomenal Divine Rivals was.
The one thing about this book that I have to critique is that
A good conclusion to the story, but definitely overshadowed by how phenomenal Divine Rivals was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and War
My Sweet Girl by Amanda Jayatissa
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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 was a wild ride! I think it’s my favorite of Amanda Jayatissa’s so far.
The story follows Paloma, a Sri Lankan orphan, who is adopted by the Evans couple and moved to the United States. There’s clearly something in Paloma’s past that haunts her; she has a terrible relationship with her adoptive parents, she drinks on medication that have interactions with alcohol, and she doesn’t seem to have any real friends. She also judges every person she comes across extremely harshly, as though she’s the best person on the planet, when in reality she’s an absolute asshole. She’s also extremely manipulative and conniving, and will do anything to keep herself in a good position. I found myself wondering many times if she was legitimately a psychopath.
The book goes back-and-forth between telling the story of present day Paloma and young Paloma living at the Sri Lankan orphanage.As I continued to hear more of the experiences about the orphanage, I started to suspect that Paloma wasn’t really Paloma at all, but instead was a close childhood friend posing as her to get their shot at a better life. By the end of the book I found out that this was absolutely the case.
What I didn’t expect was that the real Paloma was still alive and had planned on elaborate revenge scheme to try to take her place back from the pretender. The REAL Paloma was even more insane than the pretend one too, and layered on her own schemes to make the pretend Paloma look unhinged. The last few chapters of this book were beyond intense, and I had no idea which Paloma I was actually reading about for a while there. The last chapter had me grinning ear to ear when I figured it out.
4.25 of 5 stars from me! Top-notch writing with an insane cat and mouse game between two psychopaths lol.
The story follows Paloma, a Sri Lankan orphan, who is adopted by the Evans couple and moved to the United States. There’s clearly something in Paloma’s past that haunts her; she has a terrible relationship with her adoptive parents, she drinks on medication that have interactions with alcohol, and she doesn’t seem to have any real friends. She also judges every person she comes across extremely harshly, as though she’s the best person on the planet, when in reality she’s an absolute asshole. She’s also extremely manipulative and conniving, and will do anything to keep herself in a good position. I found myself wondering many times if she was legitimately a psychopath.
The book goes back-and-forth between telling the story of present day Paloma and young Paloma living at the Sri Lankan orphanage.
What I didn’t expect was that the real Paloma was still alive and had planned on elaborate revenge scheme to try to take her place back from the pretender. The REAL Paloma was even more insane than the pretend one too, and layered on her own schemes to make the pretend Paloma look unhinged. The last few chapters of this book were beyond intense, and I had no idea which Paloma I was actually reading about for a while there. The last chapter had me grinning ear to ear when I figured it out.
4.25 of 5 stars from me! Top-notch writing with an insane cat and mouse game between two psychopaths lol.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Death of parent
The Queen by Kiera Cass
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
3.5
The Selection series has been on my reading list for a while, and today is the day I thought I’d finally start it. According to online forums, The Queen is the best place to start for chronological reading.
I thought this was a solid novella! It explained concepts just enough for me to understand a bit about the fantasy world, but not enough to take away from the story or make it seem rushed. Amberly had great character development throughout. Clarkson was more astute and wise than I gave him credit for in the beginning. It was also nice to read a romance novel that wasn’t super spicy for a change. I’m curious how much more of Amberly and Clarkson I’ll see in the coming books and novellas. And if the sweetness of their love story is anything to judge by, I’m in for a treat as I keep reading.
I thought this was a solid novella! It explained concepts just enough for me to understand a bit about the fantasy world, but not enough to take away from the story or make it seem rushed. Amberly had great character development throughout. Clarkson was more astute and wise than I gave him credit for in the beginning. It was also nice to read a romance novel that wasn’t super spicy for a change. I’m curious how much more of Amberly and Clarkson I’ll see in the coming books and novellas. And if the sweetness of their love story is anything to judge by, I’m in for a treat as I keep reading.
Content Warnings
Minor: Vomit, Medical content, and Alcohol
Housebroke by Jaci Burton
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-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
3.5
This book was so, so cute! I might be biased because I have such a soft spot for animals, but overall this book was more than just a romance with puppies on the side.
I really enjoyed Hazel as a character. Her life isn’t fully together and some things REALLY fall apart, but she was resilient and persevered through it all. She was intent on not taking handouts, providing for herself, and her dogs, and generally just being a decent person. What’s not to love about that?Even when she and Linc fall in love, she still wants to provide for herself and earn what she has rather than just letting Linc buy her things. It was awesome to see Hazel’s independence take center stage all the way through the end of the book, while also not getting that “picture perfect” ending I had assumed was coming.
Of course I have to say something about the dogs too! Each one had their quirks and uniqueness that made them so lovable. And the book showcased how dogs and their nature can be heavily influenced by environment and the people around them - not every person can have four or five dogs in a house and have them all get along and behave/listen to commands. The pack clearly respected Hazel and it showed. It was so refreshing to see dog ownership/fostering portrayed from this lens rather than the dogs being absolute terrors.
If you’re looking for a cute, easy romance read that also involves animals, this is the book for you!
I really enjoyed Hazel as a character. Her life isn’t fully together and some things REALLY fall apart, but she was resilient and persevered through it all. She was intent on not taking handouts, providing for herself, and her dogs, and generally just being a decent person. What’s not to love about that?
Of course I have to say something about the dogs too! Each one had their quirks and uniqueness that made them so lovable. And the book showcased how dogs and their nature can be heavily influenced by environment and the people around them - not every person can have four or five dogs in a house and have them all get along and behave/listen to commands. The pack clearly respected Hazel and it showed. It was so refreshing to see dog ownership/fostering portrayed from this lens rather than the dogs being absolute terrors.
If you’re looking for a cute, easy romance read that also involves animals, this is the book for you!