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egbella's reviews
230 reviews
Trim Healthy Mama Plan: Keep It Simple, Keep It Sane by Serene Allison, Pearl Barrett
3.5
This is a re-read to refresh myself on some of the plan's science and guidelines. Overall, the chatty style of how it's written and lack of editing in some sections still rubs me the wrong way, but I do agree with most of the plan's principles. I've seen the lifestyle work well for many of my family members, and it worked wonderfully for me for several years as well (until I got "too busy" and stopped). I'm looking forward to working back into this lifestyle, but with a focus on balance, rather than so rigidly following it that I develop unhealthy habits.
(Note: this is a much more manageable read than their original 600+ page tome, haha!)
(Note: this is a much more manageable read than their original 600+ page tome, haha!)
Belle & Beast: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Rebecca Fittery
3.5
3.5 stars!
I went into this book completely blind. I was new to the author and the series, but received it during a Black Friday sale and was intrigued by the premise. I'm always interested to see how other authors tackle retellings, especially of such widely-known fairytales.
Setting: The author clearly put a lot of time and thought into her worldbuilding - so much so that I was honestly pretty lost for the majority of the book. Just when I thought I was settling into the place that she was describing, her characters went to a new part of her world, and the pattern seemed to repeat every time I was close to gaining an understanding. That said, I'm notoriously bad at mental maps, so it could just be me. In addition, I had no idea that series is apparently merging the worlds and characters of a lot of different fairytales so had I realized that sooner, I probably wouldn't have been so thrown off by appearances of Sherwood, etc.
Pros were that although I had a hard time keeping track of specific names, layouts, and countries, the author captured the general feel of each place well. Especially her descriptions of the castle and other nobility residences felt very rich and authentic. She handled the large amounts of details that would go into the royal days well, and I could absolutely picture myself in the midst of the extravagance and bustle.
Characters: Being a very character-focused reader, this is where I struggled the most. I have very mixed feelings about the protagonist, Belle. On one hand, I greatly admire her courage, drive, perseverance, attention to detail, and ability to get what she wants in order to keep herself and her family happy. But there were also times where I had trouble rooting for her because she could come across as cold, haughty, and/or uncaring. In general, she was a strong protagonist, and I did enjoy the softening and growth she experienced by the end.
The prince also started off very seemingly uncaring and cold, but I guess I expected that (he is the Beast after all), so it didn't really bother me. He grew on me quickly, and I respected his hard work for his kingdom, his attempts to keep Belle and his mother happy, and the way he cared for his kingdom. His temper was often too hot for my liking, but he also grew by the end. (yay character arcs!)
If anything, I think that Hazel, Belle's father, and the prince's mother were my favorite characters. They were all kind, resourceful, easy to like, and seemed to be living their own lives but also willing to help the protagonists with theirs. The "Gaston" character threw me for a loop. I liked him (honestly more than Belle) for a good chunk of the book, but wasn't impressed by his rashness and inability to stop and think at the end.
Plot: The plot was very fun. Having recently read up on a lot of the original fairy tales for Beauty and the Beast (like original, original), I enjoyed seeing how much of them the author drew inspiration from. I'd say it was about 50/50 inspired by the original fairy tales vs the Disney version. Much to my surprise, some of the character names were the exact same as the Disney characters, but even if they weren't, you could easily still pick them out. I like the spin that the author put on the original tales - adding a lot more political intrigue and backstory into the history and wars. There was a lot more emphasis on the magic system later on than I expected, but it all mostly made sense. And I anticipate that the author will be explaining more of that in later books.
In terms of flow, the plot moved along pretty well. There were sections that I skimmed, where it was a lot of day to day descriptions or summary, and especially at the beginning, I struggled to stay interested. But by about the 25% mark I'd say, I was interested to see how everything turned out. The farther into the book, the harder it was to put down.
I feel like I really haven't given a good reason for the three star rating, and to be honest, I didn't NOT like this book. I enjoyed the read, and am glad I read it. The take on the original tales were very fun, as were the alludes to the Disney version. I rooted for some characters, disliked others, and wanted them all to have their rightful endings. And I think I'll be reading it again in the future!
My main hesitation is simply that it still felt like an early draft. Some of the story questions that were brought up and not answered, some loose threads, some inconsistent actions by the characters, and some overall roughness to the writing style and prose made me wonder how amazing this book could be with just a little more tweaking. But I can still honestly say that it's worth a try if you enjoy clean and romantic fairy tale retellings! I'm interested to read more from this author. 3.5 stars.
Themes: Family, true love, courage, determination, learning to love, honesty, and forgiveness.
Content warning: Fantasy magic system (animal-like transformations/"were-wolf" esque, objects moving themselves, blood ceremony during marriage, moonlight vigils, etc.). Brief alludes to wedded intimacy (nothing shown or described, and it never happens during the story). A fantasy-world religion similar to Christianity in how it's practiced, with the exception of some elements that reminded me of Catholicism. Light kisses. Mildly-described violence (nothing graphic, but war fighting, injuries, etc.)
I'd recommend it to: Readers 13+ that enjoy fairy tale retellings - especially of Beauty and the Beast - and want to try their hand at an in-depth and politically-rich twist.
I went into this book completely blind. I was new to the author and the series, but received it during a Black Friday sale and was intrigued by the premise. I'm always interested to see how other authors tackle retellings, especially of such widely-known fairytales.
Setting: The author clearly put a lot of time and thought into her worldbuilding - so much so that I was honestly pretty lost for the majority of the book. Just when I thought I was settling into the place that she was describing, her characters went to a new part of her world, and the pattern seemed to repeat every time I was close to gaining an understanding. That said, I'm notoriously bad at mental maps, so it could just be me. In addition, I had no idea that series is apparently merging the worlds and characters of a lot of different fairytales so had I realized that sooner, I probably wouldn't have been so thrown off by appearances of Sherwood, etc.
Pros were that although I had a hard time keeping track of specific names, layouts, and countries, the author captured the general feel of each place well. Especially her descriptions of the castle and other nobility residences felt very rich and authentic. She handled the large amounts of details that would go into the royal days well, and I could absolutely picture myself in the midst of the extravagance and bustle.
Characters: Being a very character-focused reader, this is where I struggled the most. I have very mixed feelings about the protagonist, Belle. On one hand, I greatly admire her courage, drive, perseverance, attention to detail, and ability to get what she wants in order to keep herself and her family happy. But there were also times where I had trouble rooting for her because she could come across as cold, haughty, and/or uncaring. In general, she was a strong protagonist, and I did enjoy the softening and growth she experienced by the end.
The prince also started off very seemingly uncaring and cold, but I guess I expected that (he is the Beast after all), so it didn't really bother me. He grew on me quickly, and I respected his hard work for his kingdom, his attempts to keep Belle and his mother happy, and the way he cared for his kingdom. His temper was often too hot for my liking, but he also grew by the end. (yay character arcs!)
If anything, I think that Hazel, Belle's father, and the prince's mother were my favorite characters. They were all kind, resourceful, easy to like, and seemed to be living their own lives but also willing to help the protagonists with theirs. The "Gaston" character threw me for a loop. I liked him (honestly more than Belle) for a good chunk of the book, but wasn't impressed by his rashness and inability to stop and think at the end.
Plot: The plot was very fun. Having recently read up on a lot of the original fairy tales for Beauty and the Beast (like original, original), I enjoyed seeing how much of them the author drew inspiration from. I'd say it was about 50/50 inspired by the original fairy tales vs the Disney version. Much to my surprise, some of the character names were the exact same as the Disney characters, but even if they weren't, you could easily still pick them out. I like the spin that the author put on the original tales - adding a lot more political intrigue and backstory into the history and wars. There was a lot more emphasis on the magic system later on than I expected, but it all mostly made sense. And I anticipate that the author will be explaining more of that in later books.
In terms of flow, the plot moved along pretty well. There were sections that I skimmed, where it was a lot of day to day descriptions or summary, and especially at the beginning, I struggled to stay interested. But by about the 25% mark I'd say, I was interested to see how everything turned out. The farther into the book, the harder it was to put down.
I feel like I really haven't given a good reason for the three star rating, and to be honest, I didn't NOT like this book. I enjoyed the read, and am glad I read it. The take on the original tales were very fun, as were the alludes to the Disney version. I rooted for some characters, disliked others, and wanted them all to have their rightful endings. And I think I'll be reading it again in the future!
My main hesitation is simply that it still felt like an early draft. Some of the story questions that were brought up and not answered, some loose threads, some inconsistent actions by the characters, and some overall roughness to the writing style and prose made me wonder how amazing this book could be with just a little more tweaking. But I can still honestly say that it's worth a try if you enjoy clean and romantic fairy tale retellings! I'm interested to read more from this author. 3.5 stars.
Themes: Family, true love, courage, determination, learning to love, honesty, and forgiveness.
Content warning: Fantasy magic system (animal-like transformations/"were-wolf" esque, objects moving themselves, blood ceremony during marriage, moonlight vigils, etc.). Brief alludes to wedded intimacy (nothing shown or described, and it never happens during the story). A fantasy-world religion similar to Christianity in how it's practiced, with the exception of some elements that reminded me of Catholicism. Light kisses. Mildly-described violence (nothing graphic, but war fighting, injuries, etc.)
I'd recommend it to: Readers 13+ that enjoy fairy tale retellings - especially of Beauty and the Beast - and want to try their hand at an in-depth and politically-rich twist.
The Treasure Hunt by Kate Willis
4.0
This is absolutely adorable. Such a cute, quick read with light and wholesome feels. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
Setting: The setting honestly took me back to my own childhood. The running around our large yard, playing outside, time with siblings, and making our own adventures especially. I could relate to the young children in those ways, while also relating to the "Boring" older kids as well, being the oldest daughter. So all that to say, the setting was super vivid, and I enjoyed the warm, calm summer aesthetic of the entire story.
Characters: For such a short story, I couldn't keep track of all of the children and their names as well as I wanted to, but I understood enough. The younger, adventuring children were cute and likeable and I enjoyed their antics. The parents made brief cameos as a loving mom and dad working their own lives, while also doing a great job of caring for their kids. And the older sisters were sweet to take some time from their pursuits to make an adventure for the youngers.
Plot: Speaking of, the plot was fast-paced, but light and wholesome. I did find myself confused at times by all of the different clues, and wondered how in the world the kids figured certain clues out - so fast, and even at all. But overall, it was a cute mystery, and something I would have loved to experience when I was that age.
Themes: Nothing too obvious (it was so light and quick), but family and sibling bonds were strong in this one. As was working together and supporting one another.
Content Warning: Nothing! This was completely clean. I'd read this to my younger siblings.
I'd recommend this to: Readers MG-aged and older that enjoy light mystery stories, quick reads, and fun summery vibes.
Setting: The setting honestly took me back to my own childhood. The running around our large yard, playing outside, time with siblings, and making our own adventures especially. I could relate to the young children in those ways, while also relating to the "Boring" older kids as well, being the oldest daughter. So all that to say, the setting was super vivid, and I enjoyed the warm, calm summer aesthetic of the entire story.
Characters: For such a short story, I couldn't keep track of all of the children and their names as well as I wanted to, but I understood enough. The younger, adventuring children were cute and likeable and I enjoyed their antics. The parents made brief cameos as a loving mom and dad working their own lives, while also doing a great job of caring for their kids. And the older sisters were sweet to take some time from their pursuits to make an adventure for the youngers.
Plot: Speaking of, the plot was fast-paced, but light and wholesome. I did find myself confused at times by all of the different clues, and wondered how in the world the kids figured certain clues out - so fast, and even at all. But overall, it was a cute mystery, and something I would have loved to experience when I was that age.
Themes: Nothing too obvious (it was so light and quick), but family and sibling bonds were strong in this one. As was working together and supporting one another.
Content Warning: Nothing! This was completely clean. I'd read this to my younger siblings.
I'd recommend this to: Readers MG-aged and older that enjoy light mystery stories, quick reads, and fun summery vibes.
Before Beauty by Brittany Fichter
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
4.5 stars!
I'm still on my Beauty and the Beast retellings kick, and this is one of the best that I've read so far! From almost the very start, I was engrossed in the story, and continued to be drawn in throughout the entire book. I enjoyed the characters, the romance was sweet, and the worldbuilding had just enough depth to interest me without confusing me with endless details.
Setting: As I said above, I enjoyed the setting! It didn't take me long to form a mental map of the story world, which can be a struggle for me sometimes. The author didn't bog down the storytelling with a ton of details about the world, but she did give enough for me to get a good glimpse into the country's politics, royalty system, magic system, and castes. This is obviously personal preference so if you like your stories to have lots of hard details, you might not appreciate this aspect. I personally enjoy this light-handed approach, and didn't feel it was a detriment to the story at all.
Characters: The characters were immediately either likable or sympathetic. I empathized with both Ever (whose name confused me for the first couple of chapters, admittedly), and with Isa. They both were thrown into their prospective lives with poor guidance and treatment from those closest to them, and I could understand why they both behaved as they did. That said, seeming them learn, grow, and come together despite the challenges was sweet. I'm not always completely on board with the romances in these stories, but theirs was slow, gentle, and honestly very cute.
I really liked Garin as well. I didn't see certain things coming about him, but he was a favorite character of mine from the start. The rest of the servants were fun, and seemed very sweet. The villain was also well-written, and while I puzzled at some of her motivations, she was truly a terrifying character to think of fighting. Overall, I'd say the characters were the strongest point of the novel.
Plot: Being familiar with a lot of the original Beauty and the Beast fairytales, I recognized influences from many of them in this retelling. There were a couple of sporadic Disney-themed ones, but mostly, I recognized elements of the originals, which was fun. It kept it fresh and unique, while also expertly weaving in familiar threads of story. I really enjoyed the way the author twisted them and created her own story.
The plot itself moved along steadily, I felt. It seemed to swing from being a much slower pace (time in the castle, getting to know one another, dancing, etc.), to all-out high stakes (impending war, running away, curses, etc.), which may bother someone, but I didn't ever feel that it grew boring or too hard to follow. The only exception would be the end. It seemed slightly rushed in the last chapter, and I would have loved a slight bit more time to dive into exactly what happened. Everywhere else, I could follow along, and enjoyed the pacing and story events.
I've seen some people complain that the story wasn't developed enough, and I could see why they would say that, due to their not being a lot of explanation surrounding the central magic system (i.e. The Fortress). That said, I know this series continues, so I was willing to forgive any leniency here, because I felt that enough was explained for me to still enjoy the very first book. Again, this will vary based on what kind of a reader you are. I'm more character-focused so I was happy.
Themes: true love, finding your strength, patience, working together, forgiveness, family, and trust (while there wasn't any explicit Christian material, themes of trusting the higher power were strong, and as a Christian, I loved that element).
Content warning: a magic system (the Fortress is characterized as able to trust, interact, and feel), the villain can enter people's dreams, mild kisses, depiction of insanity, war, loss, light descriptions of injury.
I'd recommend it to: readers 13+ that enjoy sweet and slow romances, light magic systems, political intrigue, Beauty and the Beast retellings, and meaningful themes.
I'm still on my Beauty and the Beast retellings kick, and this is one of the best that I've read so far! From almost the very start, I was engrossed in the story, and continued to be drawn in throughout the entire book. I enjoyed the characters, the romance was sweet, and the worldbuilding had just enough depth to interest me without confusing me with endless details.
Setting: As I said above, I enjoyed the setting! It didn't take me long to form a mental map of the story world, which can be a struggle for me sometimes. The author didn't bog down the storytelling with a ton of details about the world, but she did give enough for me to get a good glimpse into the country's politics, royalty system, magic system, and castes. This is obviously personal preference so if you like your stories to have lots of hard details, you might not appreciate this aspect. I personally enjoy this light-handed approach, and didn't feel it was a detriment to the story at all.
Characters: The characters were immediately either likable or sympathetic. I empathized with both Ever (whose name confused me for the first couple of chapters, admittedly), and with Isa. They both were thrown into their prospective lives with poor guidance and treatment from those closest to them, and I could understand why they both behaved as they did. That said, seeming them learn, grow, and come together despite the challenges was sweet. I'm not always completely on board with the romances in these stories, but theirs was slow, gentle, and honestly very cute.
I really liked Garin as well. I didn't see certain things coming about him, but he was a favorite character of mine from the start. The rest of the servants were fun, and seemed very sweet. The villain was also well-written, and while I puzzled at some of her motivations, she was truly a terrifying character to think of fighting. Overall, I'd say the characters were the strongest point of the novel.
Plot: Being familiar with a lot of the original Beauty and the Beast fairytales, I recognized influences from many of them in this retelling. There were a couple of sporadic Disney-themed ones, but mostly, I recognized elements of the originals, which was fun. It kept it fresh and unique, while also expertly weaving in familiar threads of story. I really enjoyed the way the author twisted them and created her own story.
The plot itself moved along steadily, I felt. It seemed to swing from being a much slower pace (time in the castle, getting to know one another, dancing, etc.), to all-out high stakes (impending war, running away, curses, etc.), which may bother someone, but I didn't ever feel that it grew boring or too hard to follow. The only exception would be the end. It seemed slightly rushed in the last chapter, and I would have loved a slight bit more time to dive into exactly what happened. Everywhere else, I could follow along, and enjoyed the pacing and story events.
I've seen some people complain that the story wasn't developed enough, and I could see why they would say that, due to their not being a lot of explanation surrounding the central magic system (i.e. The Fortress). That said, I know this series continues, so I was willing to forgive any leniency here, because I felt that enough was explained for me to still enjoy the very first book. Again, this will vary based on what kind of a reader you are. I'm more character-focused so I was happy.
Themes: true love, finding your strength, patience, working together, forgiveness, family, and trust (while there wasn't any explicit Christian material, themes of trusting the higher power were strong, and as a Christian, I loved that element).
Content warning: a magic system (the Fortress is characterized as able to trust, interact, and feel), the villain can enter people's dreams, mild kisses, depiction of insanity, war, loss, light descriptions of injury.
I'd recommend it to: readers 13+ that enjoy sweet and slow romances, light magic systems, political intrigue, Beauty and the Beast retellings, and meaningful themes.
Red Boots by Kate Willis
emotional
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
This only took five minutes to read, but I'm going to be thinking about this adorable story!
My only complaint (if I can call it that) is that the story goes by so quickly. Otherwise, the snapshot of the characters and their lives that we see is vivid, meaningful, and relatable. I loved all of them. The themes of generosity, kindness, gratitude, and love are strong and memorable.
I highly recommend this one for anyone midde-grade and older that enjoy short, sweet, and meaningful stories! (bonus if you love Christmas stories)
My only complaint (if I can call it that) is that the story goes by so quickly. Otherwise, the snapshot of the characters and their lives that we see is vivid, meaningful, and relatable. I loved all of them. The themes of generosity, kindness, gratitude, and love are strong and memorable.
I highly recommend this one for anyone midde-grade and older that enjoy short, sweet, and meaningful stories! (bonus if you love Christmas stories)
Aliferous: A Collection of Fairy Tales, Adventure, Romance & Whimsy by Alissa J. Zavalianos
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
5.0
5 stars!
I was thrilled to receive an ARC copy of this beautiful collection, and I can't say enough good things about it. This is the first collection of short stories and poetry that I've read in years so I was a little worried that I might not enjoy it, just because of the change in style from my usual reads. But that wasn't the case at all, and I'm definitely going to be snagging a paperback copy of this book for rereads!
This collection is comprised of four sections, as the title shares: Fairy tales, Adventure, Romance, & Whimsy/Poetry. Because of how it's broken up, I'm going to review this a little differently than I typically do, but I can honestly say I enjoyed every section in the book. Each one held strong stories, inspiring lessons, and charming prose, and I would feel comfortable loaning this to absolutely anyone, thanks to it being 100% clean.
In the Fairy Tales section, my absolute FAVORITE story was Coal of Smith-Harrow. By the end, it nearly made me cry with the touching reminders of worth and belonging that I - and I'm sure many others - can relate to. It was such a fun spin on the Cinderella story, but delivered in a charming new setting, with likable and mysterious new characters, and again, precious and inspiring themes. The romance was sweet and completely clean. I would gladly read an entire series around those characters. I'll continue with the rest of the review now, but I had to gush about that story first <33
As for the other stories in that section, each one held its own special lesson, theme, and meaning. Anna Belle and the Seed was immediately intriguing, and contained some thought-provoking questions amidst the cute and silly storytelling. Crescent was cute, imaginative, and whimsical, and left me wanting more. And The Legend of the Lighthouse Keeper hooked me from the start with its poetic and mythical style of storytelling.
My favorite story in the Adventure section of the book would probably have to be The Tale of Markhus Roder. While short, there are so many deep questions and themes packed inside, and they're delivered with lots of heart. I love Robin Hood themed stories anyway, and this one is one of my favorites now. I called one of the twists, but loved it all the same, and I admire how the author explored the nuances of both good and bad in people.
Enjoy this gorgeous line from that story <33
<i> "Sunshine and talons. Joy and grief. Perhaps life was a mixture of the two." </i>
As for the many other stories in the Adventure section, I again enjoyed each and every one of them. Stories in the Dark got my attention right away because, well, pirates AND Irish influences? What's not to love? Especially with a healthy dose of adorable children and vivid imagination. Storm-Crow was fast-paced with great foreshadowing, a clear and interesting setting, and a puzzling predicament for the protagonist. I also love the moral that the author included at the end.
Like Stars in the Sky started with an intriguing conflict, and ended with some truly touching character change, with fun connections, creative names, and sad backstories in between. I enjoyed the twist on Peter Pan, and how unique the elements that the author added were. This is another story I'd absolutely read an entire series about (hint hint). And lastly, Captain Maverick of Tarkin left me contemplating my life, but in a good way. The steampunk setting was fun and new to me, and the worldbuilding and backstories were both heartbreaking and well-written. I liked that, while not perfect for the characters, the ending still contained hope.
When I reached the Romance section, I was more hesitant. I love fairy tales and adventure, but I tend to be more picky with my fictional romances. If that's you too, I'm happy to say that I enjoyed all of the romances that the author included in this section. They were clean, sweet, engaging, and reminded me of my husband, which is always a good thing, haha. <3
My favorite story in the Romance section would be The Swan and the Masquerade. I could relate to the protagonist form the start, and between the well-timed jumps in time (flashbacks to present), and the adorable end couple, I finished the story smiling. I disliked a couple of the characters that I was definitely supposed to dislike, but otherwise it was an all-around adorable story with good themes. The setting was also very fun, because who doesn't like period masquerade balls?
The other two stories in that section were also cute. Second Chance Robin was a fun little glimpse into a story (that felt like it could easily be developed into a longer series) with an amusing ending, and fun, mostly likable characters. Parched Sands made my heart hurt for the main character and his family, but it ended with a much needed glimmer of hope. The worldbuilding for that story and the sad flashbacks kept me invested, and I would (again, this is a recurring theme) read an entire book about that storyworld.
And finally, for the Whimsey/Poetry section. Though I've written poetry and read a bunch of old poems, it's been a long time since I read a significant amount of others' poetry. I didn't realize how much I missed it! The poems in this section were so sweet and beautiful. I'm not going to go through them individually because there were quite a few and I have the same comments on nearly all of them: they're hopeful, cute, full of good reminders, inspirational, and TRUE. Some of the poems were lighthearted and made me smile, others made me tear up, and still others just left me feeling motivated to be a better person - which is something I admire in writing. The author has a beautiful style of poetry.
So all of that to say, I highly recommend this collection. What expectations I had were blown away and I know this is going to be a comfort read when I'm looking for some fun, quick, and hopeful stories, and/or when I want to gift someone a book and be sure they'll enjoy it. If you're on the fence, go ahead and give it a try! I can guarantee you'll find at least one story you love (if not more).
Themes: True love, family, hope, light overcoming darkness, friendship, forgiveness, humility, grace, strength in hard situations, trust, acceptance, and true beauty.
Content warning: G-rated. Rare use of d*rn and h*ck, and one use of h*ll (to describe a situation). Non-described kisses. Mention of a drunk and of a character that smokes. Fairy tale magic. Loss, grief, fighting, and mentions of characters dying in the past. In my opinion, everything was tactfully covered, and I would feel comfortable with my young siblings reading the material.
**I received a free copy of this book from the author. I was not required to leave a review and all thoughts are my own.**
I was thrilled to receive an ARC copy of this beautiful collection, and I can't say enough good things about it. This is the first collection of short stories and poetry that I've read in years so I was a little worried that I might not enjoy it, just because of the change in style from my usual reads. But that wasn't the case at all, and I'm definitely going to be snagging a paperback copy of this book for rereads!
This collection is comprised of four sections, as the title shares: Fairy tales, Adventure, Romance, & Whimsy/Poetry. Because of how it's broken up, I'm going to review this a little differently than I typically do, but I can honestly say I enjoyed every section in the book. Each one held strong stories, inspiring lessons, and charming prose, and I would feel comfortable loaning this to absolutely anyone, thanks to it being 100% clean.
In the Fairy Tales section, my absolute FAVORITE story was Coal of Smith-Harrow. By the end, it nearly made me cry with the touching reminders of worth and belonging that I - and I'm sure many others - can relate to. It was such a fun spin on the Cinderella story, but delivered in a charming new setting, with likable and mysterious new characters, and again, precious and inspiring themes. The romance was sweet and completely clean. I would gladly read an entire series around those characters. I'll continue with the rest of the review now, but I had to gush about that story first <33
As for the other stories in that section, each one held its own special lesson, theme, and meaning. Anna Belle and the Seed was immediately intriguing, and contained some thought-provoking questions amidst the cute and silly storytelling. Crescent was cute, imaginative, and whimsical, and left me wanting more. And The Legend of the Lighthouse Keeper hooked me from the start with its poetic and mythical style of storytelling.
My favorite story in the Adventure section of the book would probably have to be The Tale of Markhus Roder. While short, there are so many deep questions and themes packed inside, and they're delivered with lots of heart. I love Robin Hood themed stories anyway, and this one is one of my favorites now. I called one of the twists, but loved it all the same, and I admire how the author explored the nuances of both good and bad in people.
Enjoy this gorgeous line from that story <33
<i> "Sunshine and talons. Joy and grief. Perhaps life was a mixture of the two." </i>
As for the many other stories in the Adventure section, I again enjoyed each and every one of them. Stories in the Dark got my attention right away because, well, pirates AND Irish influences? What's not to love? Especially with a healthy dose of adorable children and vivid imagination. Storm-Crow was fast-paced with great foreshadowing, a clear and interesting setting, and a puzzling predicament for the protagonist. I also love the moral that the author included at the end.
Like Stars in the Sky started with an intriguing conflict, and ended with some truly touching character change, with fun connections, creative names, and sad backstories in between. I enjoyed the twist on Peter Pan, and how unique the elements that the author added were. This is another story I'd absolutely read an entire series about (hint hint). And lastly, Captain Maverick of Tarkin left me contemplating my life, but in a good way. The steampunk setting was fun and new to me, and the worldbuilding and backstories were both heartbreaking and well-written. I liked that, while not perfect for the characters, the ending still contained hope.
When I reached the Romance section, I was more hesitant. I love fairy tales and adventure, but I tend to be more picky with my fictional romances. If that's you too, I'm happy to say that I enjoyed all of the romances that the author included in this section. They were clean, sweet, engaging, and reminded me of my husband, which is always a good thing, haha. <3
My favorite story in the Romance section would be The Swan and the Masquerade. I could relate to the protagonist form the start, and between the well-timed jumps in time (flashbacks to present), and the adorable end couple, I finished the story smiling. I disliked a couple of the characters that I was definitely supposed to dislike, but otherwise it was an all-around adorable story with good themes. The setting was also very fun, because who doesn't like period masquerade balls?
The other two stories in that section were also cute. Second Chance Robin was a fun little glimpse into a story (that felt like it could easily be developed into a longer series) with an amusing ending, and fun, mostly likable characters. Parched Sands made my heart hurt for the main character and his family, but it ended with a much needed glimmer of hope. The worldbuilding for that story and the sad flashbacks kept me invested, and I would (again, this is a recurring theme) read an entire book about that storyworld.
And finally, for the Whimsey/Poetry section. Though I've written poetry and read a bunch of old poems, it's been a long time since I read a significant amount of others' poetry. I didn't realize how much I missed it! The poems in this section were so sweet and beautiful. I'm not going to go through them individually because there were quite a few and I have the same comments on nearly all of them: they're hopeful, cute, full of good reminders, inspirational, and TRUE. Some of the poems were lighthearted and made me smile, others made me tear up, and still others just left me feeling motivated to be a better person - which is something I admire in writing. The author has a beautiful style of poetry.
So all of that to say, I highly recommend this collection. What expectations I had were blown away and I know this is going to be a comfort read when I'm looking for some fun, quick, and hopeful stories, and/or when I want to gift someone a book and be sure they'll enjoy it. If you're on the fence, go ahead and give it a try! I can guarantee you'll find at least one story you love (if not more).
Themes: True love, family, hope, light overcoming darkness, friendship, forgiveness, humility, grace, strength in hard situations, trust, acceptance, and true beauty.
Content warning: G-rated. Rare use of d*rn and h*ck, and one use of h*ll (to describe a situation). Non-described kisses. Mention of a drunk and of a character that smokes. Fairy tale magic. Loss, grief, fighting, and mentions of characters dying in the past. In my opinion, everything was tactfully covered, and I would feel comfortable with my young siblings reading the material.
**I received a free copy of this book from the author. I was not required to leave a review and all thoughts are my own.**
Befriending the Beast by Amanda Tero
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A sweet story with powerful messages!
I need to reread this one soon! I loved the twist on Beauty the Beast – not a romance story, but one of redemption, perseverance, love, and family. Faith and prayer were very strong themes, and the ending was tactfully handled. It made me smile.
I would love an even longer story about these characters, their world, and their situations. The characters are vivid, with goals, dreams, and backstories of their own, and I could relate to all of them. I enjoyed seeing the character growth that happened, even in such a short story. Even without a “villain”, tension was strong.
The main character was surprisingly likable, even without knowing her for long. I admired her faith and her love for her father, even when it was difficult. I also absolutely loved the mentor character in this story. He was so good for her, and I liked any time he entered the scene. I was touched by the resolution at the end – my favorite part – and the tie-ins to the original fairy tales were fun. Overall, a very solid story!
Tricky Content: Mention of a beheading, pain, emotional distress, estranged family relationships, mention of a death, suspense and tension.
I’d Recommend It To: Anyone who enjoys stories with fresh twists on a medieval Beauty and the Beast story, featuring an emphasis on (Christian) faith, redemption, and family.
I need to reread this one soon! I loved the twist on Beauty the Beast – not a romance story, but one of redemption, perseverance, love, and family. Faith and prayer were very strong themes, and the ending was tactfully handled. It made me smile.
I would love an even longer story about these characters, their world, and their situations. The characters are vivid, with goals, dreams, and backstories of their own, and I could relate to all of them. I enjoyed seeing the character growth that happened, even in such a short story. Even without a “villain”, tension was strong.
The main character was surprisingly likable, even without knowing her for long. I admired her faith and her love for her father, even when it was difficult. I also absolutely loved the mentor character in this story. He was so good for her, and I liked any time he entered the scene. I was touched by the resolution at the end – my favorite part – and the tie-ins to the original fairy tales were fun. Overall, a very solid story!
Tricky Content: Mention of a beheading, pain, emotional distress, estranged family relationships, mention of a death, suspense and tension.
I’d Recommend It To: Anyone who enjoys stories with fresh twists on a medieval Beauty and the Beast story, featuring an emphasis on (Christian) faith, redemption, and family.
Meant to Bee by Storm Shultz
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Cute, unique and vivid setting, and characters I could root for. Full review to come!
FULL REVIEW:
**minor spoilers ahead**
4 stars! This type of story/genre is not my cup of tea at all, and I knew that going into it. I don't read many romance novels, and barely any contemporary - much less a combination of both. But even though it wasn't quite my thing, I can still appreciate that it was well-written!
This story has such a cute setting, first of all. I love England and books set there, and she described the quaint, charming little town there so well that I just wanted to visit and explore. It was cozy to read about, and I think that word describes this book well. Cozy. I never thought I'd enjoy reading a book that goes so in-depth into beekeeping, but it was fascinating and very neat to learn about!
Between the bees (which we never do find out where they came from...). the shop in her home, the gardening, the adorable goat, and the handmade products, I just wanted to spend a day there. It reignited my dreams of opening a little store with things I've made and grown <33 Also the part about fixing up an old, charming in its own way house.
As far as characters go, the cast was fun and diverse! I liked Ronan a lot. He was a good guy, and I appreciated how he just took Cordy and Poppy under his wing right away. Cordy frustrated me sometimes, but in all, I really respect everything that she did to make sure Poppy knew she loved her, and to give her a good life. I can't imagine the kind of strength it takes to do what she did.
The rest of the characters were all memorable and unique, with lives and personalities that felt real. I liked how they all had such different personalities and thoughts, but in the end, were able to group together and help Cordy in so many ways. She needed them, and they came through.
The plot was on a very small-scale, and there was always just enough disaster ebbing and flowing to keep my interest. It never got very dark - except for maybe a few scenes near the climax with her ex - but I definitely wondered how Cordy would get out of some situations. There were also frequent doses of humor. And the character changes woven through the events were satisfying.
The romance was a bit on the nose sometimes, and I did groan a bit when Ronan was wondering whether Cordy was single, fantasizing how beautiful she was (and vice versa) seconds after meeting for the first time. But their love felt a lot more genuine by the end, and again, that might just be me not used to the contemporary romance genre and its tropes.
I also LOVED the emphasis on Poppy/babies in general being blessings, and being good no matter what the circumstance. I did want to see a little more delving into some of the spiritual topics that were brought up, and I couldn't really tell what the protagonists believed at any point. Ronan seemed more of a Christian than Cordy, but not much was ever discussed or really shown.
All in all, this book felt like a Hallmark movie. Cozy, warm, quaint, and cute - with a sweet and well-described setting, fun characters, and some heartfelt themes. If that sounds like your kind of story, you're going to love this one!
FULL REVIEW:
**minor spoilers ahead**
4 stars! This type of story/genre is not my cup of tea at all, and I knew that going into it. I don't read many romance novels, and barely any contemporary - much less a combination of both. But even though it wasn't quite my thing, I can still appreciate that it was well-written!
This story has such a cute setting, first of all. I love England and books set there, and she described the quaint, charming little town there so well that I just wanted to visit and explore. It was cozy to read about, and I think that word describes this book well. Cozy. I never thought I'd enjoy reading a book that goes so in-depth into beekeeping, but it was fascinating and very neat to learn about!
Between the bees (which we never do find out where they came from...). the shop in her home, the gardening, the adorable goat, and the handmade products, I just wanted to spend a day there. It reignited my dreams of opening a little store with things I've made and grown <33 Also the part about fixing up an old, charming in its own way house.
As far as characters go, the cast was fun and diverse! I liked Ronan a lot. He was a good guy, and I appreciated how he just took Cordy and Poppy under his wing right away. Cordy frustrated me sometimes, but in all, I really respect everything that she did to make sure Poppy knew she loved her, and to give her a good life. I can't imagine the kind of strength it takes to do what she did.
The rest of the characters were all memorable and unique, with lives and personalities that felt real. I liked how they all had such different personalities and thoughts, but in the end, were able to group together and help Cordy in so many ways. She needed them, and they came through.
The plot was on a very small-scale, and there was always just enough disaster ebbing and flowing to keep my interest. It never got very dark - except for maybe a few scenes near the climax with her ex - but I definitely wondered how Cordy would get out of some situations. There were also frequent doses of humor. And the character changes woven through the events were satisfying.
The romance was a bit on the nose sometimes, and I did groan a bit when Ronan was wondering whether Cordy was single, fantasizing how beautiful she was (and vice versa) seconds after meeting for the first time. But their love felt a lot more genuine by the end, and again, that might just be me not used to the contemporary romance genre and its tropes.
I also LOVED the emphasis on Poppy/babies in general being blessings, and being good no matter what the circumstance. I did want to see a little more delving into some of the spiritual topics that were brought up, and I couldn't really tell what the protagonists believed at any point. Ronan seemed more of a Christian than Cordy, but not much was ever discussed or really shown.
All in all, this book felt like a Hallmark movie. Cozy, warm, quaint, and cute - with a sweet and well-described setting, fun characters, and some heartfelt themes. If that sounds like your kind of story, you're going to love this one!
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book kept me on my toes! I’ve read the other Hunger Games books (and watched the movies) so I’m very familiar with the typical violence, political intrigue, and drama that the series holds. This contained the same elements but from a villain’s perspective – which was interesting! (It’s a prequel.)
The tie-ins to the rest of the series were fun, but overall, it was the characters that made the story for me. Each of them had so much depth and I never knew who to trust or to feel sympathy for. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, or what a plot twist would be, I was surprised by how much more was actually happening behind the scenes. I couldn’t put this one down.
And I chose it for this love theme because of the heartbreaking romance between main characters. It’s certainly not your typical happily-ever-after, but it made me feel so many different emotions and was very thought-provoking. What would happen if lovers were on opposite sides? Is there any way things could work out? This isn’t a light book, so read at your own discretion, but I enjoyed the dive into a character’s perspective that I previously took for granted, and the exploration of right vs wrong. A solid read!
Tricky Content: Brutal violence, bombings, war, scene hinting at cannibalism, death (beatings, poisoning, snake bites, hanging, weapons), character succumbs to rabies, brief kisses and references, mild language
I’d Recommend It To: Young adults and older that have read and enjoyed the previous Hunger Games books, can handle the violence and darkness of those books, and enjoy prequel stories with twisting and complicated character relationships, mystery, and plenty of political intrigue.
The tie-ins to the rest of the series were fun, but overall, it was the characters that made the story for me. Each of them had so much depth and I never knew who to trust or to feel sympathy for. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, or what a plot twist would be, I was surprised by how much more was actually happening behind the scenes. I couldn’t put this one down.
And I chose it for this love theme because of the heartbreaking romance between main characters. It’s certainly not your typical happily-ever-after, but it made me feel so many different emotions and was very thought-provoking. What would happen if lovers were on opposite sides? Is there any way things could work out? This isn’t a light book, so read at your own discretion, but I enjoyed the dive into a character’s perspective that I previously took for granted, and the exploration of right vs wrong. A solid read!
Tricky Content: Brutal violence, bombings, war, scene hinting at cannibalism, death (beatings, poisoning, snake bites, hanging, weapons), character succumbs to rabies, brief kisses and references, mild language
I’d Recommend It To: Young adults and older that have read and enjoyed the previous Hunger Games books, can handle the violence and darkness of those books, and enjoy prequel stories with twisting and complicated character relationships, mystery, and plenty of political intrigue.