millennialbookreview's reviews
494 reviews
Witch Please, by Ann Aguirre
4.0
Witch Please is a great read for anyone looking for a bit of a break. The characters were fun and easy to empathize with. The plot is very straightforward and enjoyable, making it easy to follow and easy to get invested in. The romance was really cute to watch unfold. All in all, it’s a fun relaxing read for anyone who needing a break from long books or one’s with really high stakes or complicated plots.
My full review can be found here
My full review can be found here
Nothing But Blackened Teeth, by Cassandra Khaw
3.5
The author excelled at setting the scene of this novella, a creepy, abandoned mansion in Japan. The story centers around the ghosts believed to haunt the mansion and the unfinished business they have. It's a very atmospheric story, but not a haunting one. I felt creeped out at parts, but I never felt a sense of dread, which normally comes with horror. Since this is a novella, the author didn't have a chance to fully flesh-out the characters or their relationships. This made it hard to feel invested in what happened to them over the course of the story. It's a story with great ambiance but not an exceptional story.
A Witch in Time, by Constance Sayers
1.75
A Witch In Time is a book that I felt disappointed by, because its blurb was misleading. The synopsis mentions a curse, but the plot focuses on the main character’s past lives, with the curse having little impact on the story. The climax also feels underwhelming, due to the plot being unengaging. The characters were pretty hit or miss overall, which made it difficult to stay invested in what happened to them. I thought the writing was good, and the author captured each setting beautifully. I think that if the blurb for this book focused less on the curse concept and leaned more heavily into the reincarnation ideas, the expectations I had would’ve been different and I might have enjoyed the story more. I’m sure some readers will like this book, but I did not. I was hoping for something more spooky, to fit with the Halloween season, but this was not the book for that.
My full review can be found here
My full review can be found here
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, by Elsie Chapman, Ellen Oh
3.5
I loved so many of the stories shared in this anthology. Each author wrote a story that they were passionate about and it shows with each tale. The collection introduced me not only to authors I wasn't familiar with, but also myths, legends and folktales that I had never heard of before. There were also some new twists on more well-known stories. Some stories didn't quite work for me, but a great collection overall.
All Our Hidden Gifts, by Caroline O'Donoghue
4.0
All Our Hidden Gifts is a book I’m glad that I read, even if it didn’t completely blow me away. The plot was intriguing and very easy to get through, even if it did drag at points. I didn’t love the main character, but her arc was relatable and the supporting characters made the story very interesting. The writing was good, and I appreciate that the author wanted to use the story to touch on and discuss real-world issues. The use of tarot cards and related items as part of the magic system was a unique idea and went a long way in giving the story a certain feeling. The novel is a fun, atmospheric read, especially around Halloween.
My full review can be found here
My full review can be found here
The Body Scout, by Lincoln Michel
2.0
I don’t know how to feel overall about The Body Scout. The author did a good job with the characters, and making the conflicts between them interesting. Some of the ideas he had about the world worked really well and posed interesting questions to the reader. At the same time, the world didn’t really fully realized. The plot was pretty average, but a good section of it was centered around the wrong thing. The writing was fine, but was tonally all over the place. I think this is a novel that someone people will really love, but others will have very mixed feelings about.
My full review can be found here
My full review can be found here
You Had Me at Hola, by Alexis Daria
4.0
This was a very cute read. The two main characters were fantastic and easy to connect with. The romance between them was fun to read and I enjoyed the whole "push and pull" between them. The story overall was very entertaining and this was a book I didn't realize I needed until I picked it up. It's a great choice for someone looking for a simple, fun read that's not too heavy, but not complete fluff either.
Other Birds, by Sarah Addison Allen
4.0
I wanted to like this book, but in some areas, it felt lacking. The plot was interesting, and I appreciated how the author worked the magical realism aspects of the story in with the "reality" parts for a satisfying conclusion. It made the conclusion feel fulfilling, without making it predictable. An issue I had with the book overall had to do with the characters. There are quite a few characters that play significant roles, but the reader isn't allowed a lot of time to get to know the characters, and it was hard for me to get too invested in how their arcs progressed as a result. I don't really know what to say about the writing, as it didn't really speak strongly to me, but it also didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book.