jmacminn's reviews
106 reviews
King of Battle and Blood, by Scarlett St. Clair
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
🌟 2.5 ⭐️ Went into this expecting an enemies to lovers and instead I was greeted with a heroine who was obsessed with the “morally grey” character literally an hour after meeting him.
Overall good enough that I’m listening to the second one but I’m not going in with high hopes. In defense of the author it was difficult to fit in any hint of a plot around the overwhelming amount of smut.
Overall good enough that I’m listening to the second one but I’m not going in with high hopes. In defense of the author it was difficult to fit in any hint of a plot around the overwhelming amount of smut.
Vicious, by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Vengeful, by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Inferno, by Julie Kagawa
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A great conclusion to a fun if somewhat predictable story.
Quick spoiler section here:
I know that Dante's death was supposed to be devastating but I just did not care.
After four books of him being a gigantic A-Hole I just couldn't get into his three chapter redemption story. I absolutely appreciate what Julie Kagawa was trying to do with his arc but I think his spiral into being willing to MURDER HIS SISTER, was the absolute nail in the coffin for me.
It was a heck of a conclusion complete with high stakes, a twist, and an all out battle with minor characters dying left and right. Just like the big boss at the end of the video game, our team had to think creatively on how to free the dragons once and for all.
I am slightly annoyed about how the love triangle turned out. I don't understand how the Solith-tan was even relevant to the story since it ended up being ignored by both characters. If it is such a rare connection and such an important part of being a dragon it doesn't really make sense that they can just be like "nah".
Overall this was such a fun series that of course had it's little quirks that weren't for me, but I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a fun YA dragons story in the modern world!
Quick spoiler section here:
I know that Dante's death was supposed to be devastating but I just did not care.
After four books of him being a gigantic A-Hole I just couldn't get into his three chapter redemption story. I absolutely appreciate what Julie Kagawa was trying to do with his arc but I think his spiral into being willing to MURDER HIS SISTER, was the absolute nail in the coffin for me.
It was a heck of a conclusion complete with high stakes, a twist, and an all out battle with minor characters dying left and right. Just like the big boss at the end of the video game, our team had to think creatively on how to free the dragons once and for all.
I am slightly annoyed about how the love triangle turned out. I don't understand how the Solith-tan was even relevant to the story since it ended up being ignored by both characters. If it is such a rare connection and such an important part of being a dragon it doesn't really make sense that they can just be like "nah".
Overall this was such a fun series that of course had it's little quirks that weren't for me, but I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a fun YA dragons story in the modern world!
Legion, by Julie Kagawa
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The tension builds in the fourth installment of the Talon Saga.
As Talon grows ever stronger Ember, Garrett, and Rylie, must figure out how to work together to save the world from Talon. With the ever growing clone army, Dante is poised to strike and Talon is done waiting.
This was a great penultimate edition to this series. The tension built higher and higher throughout the book as our main trio prepares to face their ultimate challenge.
I continue to despise Dante, but that's to be expected as Julie Kagawa writes this fantastic "I was just following orders" type character, into a character that gives the orders instead.
The teen angst continues because of course it does but the story is so wonderful that I can't even fault it (again it's written for teens).
Overall fantastic, can't wait to get to the last book.
As Talon grows ever stronger Ember, Garrett, and Rylie, must figure out how to work together to save the world from Talon. With the ever growing clone army, Dante is poised to strike and Talon is done waiting.
This was a great penultimate edition to this series. The tension built higher and higher throughout the book as our main trio prepares to face their ultimate challenge.
I continue to despise Dante, but that's to be expected as Julie Kagawa writes this fantastic "I was just following orders" type character, into a character that gives the orders instead.
The teen angst continues because of course it does but the story is so wonderful that I can't even fault it (again it's written for teens).
Overall fantastic, can't wait to get to the last book.
Pride & Puppies, by Lizzie Shane
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for this arc in exchange for my honest review
Charlotte and George are two doctors in a cute vermont town who are the best of friends, even if George is hopelessly in love with Charlotte and hasn't been able to tell her.
This was a very cute friends to lovers story. A quick clean romance with no spice except a few well placed innuendos. It was a very cute little escapism novel but my chief complaint is that I feel like we missed all of the flirting. Most of the story was internal monologue about how each character was so nervous to make a move that basically nothing would happen. I wish we had gotten to see a bit more flirting or just sexiness in general.
Overall a super fun quick read that gives off great summer hallmark movie vibes.
Charlotte and George are two doctors in a cute vermont town who are the best of friends, even if George is hopelessly in love with Charlotte and hasn't been able to tell her.
This was a very cute friends to lovers story. A quick clean romance with no spice except a few well placed innuendos. It was a very cute little escapism novel but my chief complaint is that I feel like we missed all of the flirting. Most of the story was internal monologue about how each character was so nervous to make a move that basically nothing would happen. I wish we had gotten to see a bit more flirting or just sexiness in general.
Overall a super fun quick read that gives off great summer hallmark movie vibes.
Talon, by Julie Kagawa
This has been sitting on my TBR for a while so when I saw it was included in Audible Plus I hopped on it right away.
Julie Kagawa has built a fascinating world that drew me in from the very beginning.
And thus we meet our love triangle. Ember, a dragon, meets Garrett, a solider of St. George, and starts to develop feelings that dragons shouldn't be able to feel. However, as she gets closer to the Rogue dragon, Riley, she begins to question everything that Talon has taught her.
Truly a fun read that sucked me into the series. Definitely a YA series so the maturity of the main characters can be rough at times as an adult reader but what teenager isn't a little cringe worthy when we look back on ourselves.
On to the next!
adventurous
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This has been sitting on my TBR for a while so when I saw it was included in Audible Plus I hopped on it right away.
Julie Kagawa has built a fascinating world that drew me in from the very beginning.
And thus we meet our love triangle. Ember, a dragon, meets Garrett, a solider of St. George, and starts to develop feelings that dragons shouldn't be able to feel. However, as she gets closer to the Rogue dragon, Riley, she begins to question everything that Talon has taught her.
Truly a fun read that sucked me into the series. Definitely a YA series so the maturity of the main characters can be rough at times as an adult reader but what teenager isn't a little cringe worthy when we look back on ourselves.
On to the next!
Rogue, by Julie Kagawa
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Not going to lie, the teen angst was a little rough for me on this one. Which is a shame because I am absolutely rooting for Riley (bad boys with a heart of gold will always get my vote).
As Riley tries to make her way as a Rogue dragon she finds herself constantly on the run, exhausted, and injured. She is also now on the run with the boy she is in head over heels for, and the boy that makes her dragon do little cartwheels in her stomach. The tension rises as the three of them struggle to find a safe place from eith Talon or the Order of St. George, who are constantly on their heels no matter where they run. Seemingly always a few steps behind, our love triangle on the run must find a way to end Talon, or save as many dragons as they can. They also have to stop St. George from finding and eliminating the nests of Rogues, as report after report comes in of them going dark.
This one was a little more rough, the teen angst got angstier, but of course it's YA so some of it is to be expected.
Overall though Julie Kagawa continues to write wonderful prose that brings you right into the mind of her narrators. The story wasn't slow but it also wasn't pulling me in the way Talon did, hence the lower rating. Absolutely going to continue though because I'm far too invested to stop.
As Riley tries to make her way as a Rogue dragon she finds herself constantly on the run, exhausted, and injured. She is also now on the run with the boy she is in head over heels for, and the boy that makes her dragon do little cartwheels in her stomach. The tension rises as the three of them struggle to find a safe place from eith Talon or the Order of St. George, who are constantly on their heels no matter where they run. Seemingly always a few steps behind, our love triangle on the run must find a way to end Talon, or save as many dragons as they can. They also have to stop St. George from finding and eliminating the nests of Rogues, as report after report comes in of them going dark.
This one was a little more rough, the teen angst got angstier, but of course it's YA so some of it is to be expected.
Overall though Julie Kagawa continues to write wonderful prose that brings you right into the mind of her narrators. The story wasn't slow but it also wasn't pulling me in the way Talon did, hence the lower rating. Absolutely going to continue though because I'm far too invested to stop.
Soldier, by Julie Kagawa
Look, I know that the cliffhanger isn't real, I know this, for a fact, and I still SCREAMED at the end of this book.
Definitely a faster feeling pace to this book as Riley and Ember start to discover more of the inner workings of Talon. With Garrett off doing recon on The Order of St. George, which allowed a peek into the inner workings of how Garrett became "the perfect soldier".
My biggest complaint was that I just do not care about Dante, I'm so annoyed at him for being so oblivious to Talon's wrong doing, even when he is IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. (view spoiler)
Can't wait for the next one as Julie Kagawa continues to reel me in with her teen angst and love triangle.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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
Look, I know that the cliffhanger isn't real, I know this, for a fact, and I still SCREAMED at the end of this book.
Definitely a faster feeling pace to this book as Riley and Ember start to discover more of the inner workings of Talon. With Garrett off doing recon on The Order of St. George, which allowed a peek into the inner workings of how Garrett became "the perfect soldier".
My biggest complaint was that I just do not care about Dante, I'm so annoyed at him for being so oblivious to Talon's wrong doing, even when he is IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. (view spoiler)
Can't wait for the next one as Julie Kagawa continues to reel me in with her teen angst and love triangle.
One of Us is Dead, by Jeneva Rose
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Now this was a fun housewives type murder mystery! Jeneva Rose pulls us into the glamorous world of Buckhead, full of men who make too much money and the women who spend it for them. Of course with money and power, there comes the fight to rise in the ranks and maintain status. This fun flip on a who-dun-it, has you wondering from page 1, who is going to be dead at the end!
I did find that the plot twist at the end was very heavy and was not totally prepped for that so definitely check the trigger warnings. I also was a bit confused on Crystal's backstory, but I think the vagueness may have been purposeful as the big reveal hadn't happened yet.
I also loved the narrator! She did a fantastic job making it easier to distinguish between the characters!
Overall great listen 4 stars!
I did find that the plot twist at the end was very heavy and was not totally prepped for that so definitely check the trigger warnings. I also was a bit confused on Crystal's backstory, but I think the vagueness may have been purposeful as the big reveal hadn't happened yet.
I also loved the narrator! She did a fantastic job making it easier to distinguish between the characters!
Overall great listen 4 stars!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Trafficking
Moderate: Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship