samandthebookstack's reviews
57 reviews
A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I am kicking myself that this was my first Allison Saft book. I've had another of her books, A Far Wilder Magic, on my TBR for a while now and will subsequently be moving it up to the top of the list due to Allison's beautiful, lush prose.
A Fragile Enchantment follows the story of Naimh, who can stitch emotions into fabric, and it was a delight from start to finish. There's political intrigue set in the backdrop of a regency England inspired setting, lovable (and diverse) characters including chronic disability representation and LGBTQ representation, and a romance between our two main characters that is sugar sweet in the very best way.
This book is an uncomplicated, warm hug and it's perfect for someone who likes regency romances, low commitment fantasy, and Bridgerton.
A huge thank you to NetGalley, St.Martins/Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read and review this whimsical story.
A Fragile Enchantment follows the story of Naimh, who can stitch emotions into fabric, and it was a delight from start to finish. There's political intrigue set in the backdrop of a regency England inspired setting, lovable (and diverse) characters including chronic disability representation and LGBTQ representation, and a romance between our two main characters that is sugar sweet in the very best way.
This book is an uncomplicated, warm hug and it's perfect for someone who likes regency romances, low commitment fantasy, and Bridgerton.
A huge thank you to NetGalley, St.Martins/Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read and review this whimsical story.
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
✔️ Workplace rivals to lovers
✔️ Historical, war-era fantasy (with less emphasis on intricate world-building and more emphasis on character-driven plot)
✔️ Epistolary story-telling
✔️ Cliffhanger
✔️ Dual POV
✔️ Found Family
Trigger warnings: content related to war and violence, loss of a parent, grievous injury, grief, and alcoholism.
Have you ever read something and felt as though you'd been transported into a favorite cozy chair nestled beneath a soft blanket? That's how Divine Rivals came to me.
Like a perfectly brewed cup of tea, it was precisely the story I needed to read at the exact moment I most required it. There were some moments where I felt like I'd been gut-punched by the exploration of Iris and Roman's grief, but I also left this book feeling as though I'd been thoroughly hugged and presented with a bowl of tomato soup and grilled cheese on a crisp, fall day.
The writing is excellent but never pretentious. The characters are all interesting and vibrant and contrast brilliantly against the backdrop of their war-torn world. The romance was of the warm and fuzzy variety. Roman Kitt is a precious, precious creature and I NEED to see him happy with Iris in book 2.
✔️ Historical, war-era fantasy (with less emphasis on intricate world-building and more emphasis on character-driven plot)
✔️ Epistolary story-telling
✔️ Cliffhanger
✔️ Dual POV
✔️ Found Family
Trigger warnings: content related to war and violence, loss of a parent, grievous injury, grief, and alcoholism.
Have you ever read something and felt as though you'd been transported into a favorite cozy chair nestled beneath a soft blanket? That's how Divine Rivals came to me.
Like a perfectly brewed cup of tea, it was precisely the story I needed to read at the exact moment I most required it. There were some moments where I felt like I'd been gut-punched by the exploration of Iris and Roman's grief, but I also left this book feeling as though I'd been thoroughly hugged and presented with a bowl of tomato soup and grilled cheese on a crisp, fall day.
The writing is excellent but never pretentious. The characters are all interesting and vibrant and contrast brilliantly against the backdrop of their war-torn world. The romance was of the warm and fuzzy variety. Roman Kitt is a precious, precious creature and I NEED to see him happy with Iris in book 2.
“It’s not a crime to feel joy, even when things seem hopeless. Iris, look at me. You deserve all the happiness in the world. And I intend to see that you have it.”
“But time will slowly heal you, as it is doing for me. There are good days and there are difficult days. Your grief will never fully fade; it will always be with you--a shadow you carry in your soul--but it will become fainter as your life becomes brighter. You will learn to live outside of it again, as impossible as that may sound. Others who share your pain will also help you heal. Because you are not alone. Not in your fear or your grief or your hopes or your dreams. You are not alone.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Grief, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
A Game of Gods by Scarlett St. Clair
medium-paced
3.5
I have read all the books in this series and have enjoyed each of them to varying degrees. Book one from Persephone's POV remains my favorite, but I have struggled a bit with the books from Hades' POV and I did struggle with this one.
I had yet to read A Game of Retribution when I started my reread of this series in preparation for reading this ARC. One thing that bothered me as I read through the series again and in order was the repetition of scenes, especially the spicy scenes. At times, that overlap felt tedious because the text itself was so similar and I caught myself skimming.
Where this book excels above the previous ones in the series is in the multi-POV approach. The added perspective of Dionysus and Theseus added a dimension to the story that I actually really enjoyed. Theseus is awful, but being aware of just how awful he really hints at the immense battle that Hades and Persephone will face in A Touch of Chaos. I do think we got a more thorough glimpse of Hades in this book as compared to the other two books from his perspective. He remains my favorite character in the series and the only major complaint that I have is that there was too much smut (I know that sounds nuts) instead of the deep dive into Hades character that I was itching for. It is for this reason that I have deducted stars. However, I am still very excited to read A Touch of Chaos when it comes out later this year.
Some things to note:
- Multiple POVs
- Lots of spice (like a lot, almost to the point of redundancy)
- Trigger warnings for death, violence, and sexual assault among other things
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Scarlett St.Clair, and Bloom books for the opportunity to read and review an e-ARC of this book.
I had yet to read A Game of Retribution when I started my reread of this series in preparation for reading this ARC. One thing that bothered me as I read through the series again and in order was the repetition of scenes, especially the spicy scenes. At times, that overlap felt tedious because the text itself was so similar and I caught myself skimming.
Where this book excels above the previous ones in the series is in the multi-POV approach. The added perspective of Dionysus and Theseus added a dimension to the story that I actually really enjoyed. Theseus is awful, but being aware of just how awful he really hints at the immense battle that Hades and Persephone will face in A Touch of Chaos. I do think we got a more thorough glimpse of Hades in this book as compared to the other two books from his perspective. He remains my favorite character in the series and the only major complaint that I have is that there was too much smut (I know that sounds nuts) instead of the deep dive into Hades character that I was itching for. It is for this reason that I have deducted stars. However, I am still very excited to read A Touch of Chaos when it comes out later this year.
Some things to note:
- Multiple POVs
- Lots of spice (like a lot, almost to the point of redundancy)
- Trigger warnings for death, violence, and sexual assault among other things
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Scarlett St.Clair, and Bloom books for the opportunity to read and review an e-ARC of this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death, and Violence
the heartbreak prince by diasterisms
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Beautiful Graves by L.J. Shen
5.0
I had never heard of this author prior to seeing this book come across my Kindle Unlimited recommendations. I don't want to give away spoilers, but this book was a wild ride. I laughed, I cried... I ran into the kitchen multiple times to tell my husband about each and every plot twist. And despite the fact that I suspected a lot of what was going to happen, my accurate guesses of the plot did nothing to stop my mouth from hanging open as I read.
I didn't think of myself as particularly interested in books with such heavy themes of trauma, but this was really surprisingly good.
I didn't think of myself as particularly interested in books with such heavy themes of trauma, but this was really surprisingly good.
A Season For Setting Fires by mightbewriting
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