lizanneyoung's reviews
283 reviews

Secrets and S'mores by Aly Hollis

4.5

 I received an eARC from the author.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

TROPES

🍞 Enemies to Lovers

🍞 Grumpy/Sunshine

🍞 Found Family

🍞 Touch Her and Die

While a standalone, this is the third in a series about the dynamics between several wolf shifter packs. Arguably, the political tensions are more intense in this one because of the events of the last book, and I think that ups the stakes for everyone, especially the two MCs of this book, Ember and Onyx. 

Onyx has been an awesome background character so far, so it is great to finally be in his head and know more about him and what he wants for himself. Up to this point, he’s seen his best friend find his mate and another of his friends find their person where they least expected, and that’s about to happen for him too. I love that he fully leans into this and doesn’t try to argue with himself or his feelings. Instead, he takes an impressive stand for them.

Ember is an awesome example of what happens when you take someone out of their oppressive environment. In just a small amount of time away, she becomes her own person and lets herself be who she’s wanted to be all this time, and I am so happy for her. I love that her story doesn’t end in her giving up what she’s always wanted. Instead, she has people who willingly support her and don’t question her abilities to take back what’s hers, something her life has significantly lacked up to this point. 

Both are willing to make kind of intense sacrifices for the other, no matter the stakes, which is a consistent theme in the series. However, it’s put on display in an entirely different way that really drives home how the political stakes have reached a new high this time and how one wrong move could mean the ending of the delicate balance they recently achieved. It actually makes me worried about what could go wrong politically in the next book, since it seems like all is now well.

Second Tide's the Charm by Chandra Blumberg

4.0

 I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley

⭐⭐⭐⭐

TROPES

🌊 Second Chance Romance

🌊 Forced Proximity

This was exactly what I wanted for a second chance romance about marine biologists who research sharks. Hope and Adrian have both been doing their own thing for three years, and now Hope’s determination to return to shark research has them colliding back together in the best way possible.

I don’t read a ton of second chance romance, usually because it feels like their reasons for breaking up originally are still valid and their outlooks on life haven’t changed. However, for Hope and Adrian, they both hid a part of themselves that didn’t allow them to truly open up to the other person fully before, and it’s nice to see them recognize that and return to what is something special for them. While it is certainly more on Hope’s part, overcoming the fear they both have was a great journey to follow. Sometimes you just need a push in the right direction, and that’s certainly what happened thanks to Marissa and Zuri.

As someone who loves making science more accessible for the masses, I love how the idea of science communication is handled. YouTube and other outlets have become such key parts in STEM outreach, and it’s wonderful to see how beautifully it’s done here. It’s the kind of thing I wish had been around when I was a kid, and it gives me hope that programs and channels like this will continue to grow for the next generations.

 

The Legend of Camp Wyvern by S. Frasher

4.0

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

After reading For Coven’s Sake, I wanted to check out some of the author’s other novellas, and the summer camp one felt like a perfect pick as summer comes to a close. 

This one featured an already established romantic pairing, which was fun, but also gave a bit more insight into the world the author has created. It was great to see the other species present and the different dynamics at play, especially in terms of the approach between species coming together and those arguing for species to stay separate. Also, is it really a mythic summer camp if there isn’t an appearance from a wyvern? 

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

4.5

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

I finally read this one just in time to watch the series on Netflix tomorrow with my sister. I hadn’t necessarily been putting it off, but I had heard so much about it that I was worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype. 

This is a great start to a trilogy. It took me down so many roads that I was never quite sure where it was going to end, especially with the knowledge that there were more books ahead. Framing her investigation as a capstone project, one that she lied about her true intentions for, was a new story for me and one that worked well. 

Something about this story made it feel much more realistic than others I’ve read. Pippa’s reactions, other people’s reactions, the way some things weren’t even intentional but happenstance because of all the chaos around her. Even how Pippa handled each speedbump felt like the way a teenager who was both in over her head and way too confident would approach things. So many stories in this genre feel a bit unbelievable because the main character seems to be coated in plot armor, and it was a nice change of pace here.

The ending wasn’t quite what I was expecting in a good way. I thought for sure we would end up on a cliffhanger, and I was happy that wasn’t the case. Though, I am concerned about what Pippa will have to solve next, since this seemed to come to a concrete close.

At First Spite by Olivia Dade

3.0

I won a physical ARC through Goodreads. 

⭐⭐⭐

TROPES

🥔 Ex Fiance’s Brother

🥔 Cinnamon Roll MMC

🥔 Forced Proximity

🥔 Dual POV

I have been sitting on this giveaway win for a bit, and finally read it. As my first book from the author, I was excited because Olivia Dade has been on my TBR for a while, and this seemed like a great place to start. 

I love the FMC Athena. She is determined and focused while leaning into her own curiosity in the best way. Her random facts were super fun and very similar to how I learn information myself. Her experience with depression, and how it manifests for her, is important to see on page. To show just how it can appear, and how the person can then feel about themself because of it, isn’t something I see highlighted often, even in the books I read that feature depression representation, so it was nice to see. 

While I like the MMC Matthew, the story tries a bit too hard to show us he hasn’t had time to engage in anything culturally by packing as many references as possible to common, and not so common, references. Though I’m typically never opposed to fun pop culture references, mostly because I think it can be a fun way to show the time a book was written and how stories evolve over time, in this case, it was to the story’s detriment. Unfortunately, I do think the amount of references will unintentionally age the book, making it come across as more “historical” for future generations, and not a great way to experience what made the references before their time unique. 

I was originally meant to discuss this in a book club last night, but the flash flooding prevented me from going. But, I am really glad that the plan of going to book club helped me read something that’s been sitting on my shelf for a bit.

 

For Coven's Sake by S. Frasher

4.0

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am ready for fall, and this novella gave me a little sprinkle of it to tide me over until September. 

Aurora is a fun character to follow, and the world she’s in is even better. The concept of a university that serves both magical and non-magical people in Salem is just the kind of thing I like reading about. Something about the MMC Finn gave me Hardin from After vibes in a good way, and it was nice to read a story of this nature where there wasn’t a horrible third act twist. This was just a happy story with a bit of magic and mystery. 

Near Misses and Cowboy Kisses by Katrina Emmel

4.0

Let the Games Begin by Rufaro Faith Mazarura

4.5

 

TROPES

🥇 Sports Romance

🥇 Enemies to Lovers

🥇 Forced Proximity (in Olympic Village!!)

I’ve been waiting so patiently for this release, and I couldn’t have read it at a better time. With the opening ceremonies for the 2024 Olympics tomorrow, I am officially in the mood after reading this amazing debut romance. 

What’s beautiful about Zeke and Olivia’s story is that they both realize that they’ve been keeping parts of themselves, genuinely good parts, hidden behind closed doors for various reasons. Zeke’s level of fame dictates a certain persona, which means his personal life is often on full display, giving him little to keep for himself. Olivia is so focused on her plan to make her parents’ journey worth it that she forces herself into boxes of her own design. But in coming together, they become the truest version of themselves, even at what is arguably the biggest event of their careers.

My favorite scene is easily the one that involves an elevator. I’m not one for getting stuck in elevators, but in this case, maybe it was a good idea.

I am crossing my fingers that Haruki gets his own story told. I need to see him have his moment, too. 

 

Knight of Cups by Byrd Nash

4.0

 

This story combined several of my favorite elements: cozy fantasy, a fun animal companion, and a house with a mystery. Bridgit and Jib have a great dynamic, and it was so fun to watch them both rib each other and try to work out the hidden secrets of their current adventure. Overall, this was a fun read with the perfect amount of cozy and spooky.

I also particularly love how potentially paranormal aspects were handled. I haven’t read anything in this fantasy universe before, but learning more about the tulpa makes me want to dive into the series this story is a companion to. 

 

The Long Game by Ann Leckie

2.0

 

As I continue reading through the Amazon Original sci-fi collection The Far Reaches, I read this interesting short story about a creature trying to secure the longevity of its species. And while I got that, I also received a story that tried a bit too hard to hammer home its theme.

The concept of legacy is something everyone thinks about, so it was cool to see that conceptualized in a non-human species. However, the writing makes it feel like the author believes the reader is stupid. It’s disguised as trying to explain things to the creature in a way it will understand, but it ultimately comes off as condescending, and not in a way that shows human superiority of the story.

Alongside that is a creature that embodies the worst aspects of being a leader. That I can get behind in the story, because it shows how sometimes the legacy of a species or culture is left by the worst members of it.