taylorhathcock's reviews
418 reviews

Victory Parade by Leela Corman

3.0

So this was a book that is completely out of my comfort zone. I can 100% say it's the first graphic novel I've ever read. I gave it a shot because of the World War II dynamic. It was interesting to have illustrations while reading... even if some of them were more revealing than I was expecting haha. I have to be honest and say that I have zero idea about what was happening in this story. I mean it seemed to showcase women who were just trying to survive in the only ways they knew how. It also showcased the trauma from the war that men experienced. I just found it really hard to follow and honestly spent a lot of time confused about what some of the panels were trying to get across. 

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

4.0

This was my first Lucy Foley book and I have to admit that at first I wasn't sure I liked it. However it really grew on me the longer I read. I loved that it sort of had this supernatural undertone throughout the whole book. I really enjoyed that we got so many different perspectives from characters which ended up meshing together in such fascinating ways. The Manor is run by Francesca who really does not care about the ways her resort is upsetting the locals. I loved that we get to see all the way sthat the locals try and protest this and how some have no choice but to work there. Bella has decided to attend on a mission and I love the way we get to watch this unfold. We get pieces of the story from 15 years ago and a holiday that really changed Bella's life. The book is full of twists and turns a lot of which I honestly have to admit that I didn't see coming. I think my biggest complaint however is that the ending felt a bit rushed after all the build up that came with the rest of the story. Overall I feel like I will be adding Lucy Foley books to my never ending TBR. 

A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole

5.0

“Maybe it was because sometimes all we get are moments.”

Okay this book... It was not what I was anticipating in the slightest. It was probably one of the most emotional books I have read in a long time. I cannot remember the last time a book crushed me in such a beautiful way. I really thought this was just going to be a cute love story but it was so much more. Poppy and Rune are this adorable and sweet couple who go through so much in such a short time. I cannot express how this book manages to play on so many different emotions. I loved that Rune returns a different person and we get to watch as he and Poppy adapt to the changes in their lives. I think Poppy manages to bring out the best things in Rune and vice versa. However, I don't want to give away too much of the book. Just know that when you decide to read this one... It will cause you to experience an emotional roller coaster from start to finish. It's beautiful and everything you could hope for in a moving story. 

The Fae Princes by Nikki St. Crowe

5.0

“I can feel your love like a million golden stars in the endless abyss that is me.”

I finished the series and I am depression. I really enjoyed this one. It has a lot of intense moments that take place. I really enjoyed this one because it finally answered the question of where Pan came from. It added an interesting element to the story for sure. One that almost opens up more questions in a way. I think it does a lovely job of tying up all the lose ends in the series. We have the huge confrontation that has been building this whole time. I think it really plays out amazingly. So even though I adore the series and will probably read it a million more times at some point, I wish the ending had given me a little more. I felt like things were left a little open ended, which is fine but it makes me want more. However, I think this might actually be one of my favorite Pan retellings that I have read. 

One Last Rainy Day: The Legacy of a Prince by Kate Stewart

3.0

"She is too beautiful. Too smart. But too young. This girl will be your undoing…"

Flock and Exodus were amazing books and we fell in love with Cecelia, Sean and Dom almost immediately. We all know what Exodus did to us and why this book was so important. However, I'm going to say it... and probably be in the minority but this book... It was not it. I had to force myself to read this. I felt like most of the book was creating a plot that had nothing to do with the original story.. to make some elaborate ending that didn't appear in the original trilogy either. I felt like most of this book really made me dislike the boys. A lot of the book wasn't really interesting and a large chunk of it was Dom pushing Cecelia away because he didn't want to damage his relationship with his brother... while actively doing that. 

We get some scenes that in some respects felt disjointed and honestly like parts we wanted to include in the original trilogy and didn't so now they are all in this book. It wasn't until like the last little bit that the book starts to give back off the vibes that we loved in the series. However, it's over much to soon. I just really felt let down by this book. I would say that I think it's possible to benefit more from this if you have just finished Flock. I just didn't feel like this book lived up to the hype. It honestly disappointed me and to some extents made me dislike the characters that I loved before. 

Their Vicious Darling by Nikki St. Crowe

3.0

“Women fascinate me. They are almost always underestimated, which makes them potentially some of the most lethal opponents.”

I think it's safe to say by now that I'm in love with everything about this series. I love the characters, I love the spice, I love the plot and I adore the writing and the twists. The Crocodile finally makes an appearance in this one and what an amazing character he is. I think his background is amazing and yet somehow still so mysterious... creating even more questions about Vane. I loved this one because all of our boys are growing and watching it is fascinating. The schemes in this one are insane everyone wants to work to take down Pan... Tilly let's the Crocodile in on Pan's biggest secret. A secret which proves important to Hook as well. This book was just plan after plan with big reveals. Reveals that were amazing and intense. I honestly don't know how to talk about these books without ruining anything. It's so difficult. Winnie is for sure the star in this book. The cliffhanger in this one was completely unexpected and super intense. I honestly can't wait to see what comes next. 

Six of Sorrow by Amanda Linsmeier

3.0

I didn't hate this one but I didn't fall absolutely in love with it either. I really thought the premise was interesting. We have six best friends who were all born on the same day, they aren't speaking anymore and then one of them goes missing. It's great because they bond again and when the missing girl returns she isn't well. At this point the girls begin to realize something is truly wrong and they try to solve the mystery around what is happening to them. I have to admit that the beginning was a huge drag and really felt YA to me just because we are so wrapped up in the friend drama element. However, once the girls start researching what is happening and stumble on a handful of secrets they aren't supposed to know it gets super interesting. 

 The body horror element is strong in this one as the girls legit start to decay almost. It happens in different ways and it eventually makes sense but it's a bit intense in detail sometimes haha. I have to say that I was hoping for more magic/witchy vibes throughout the book that we didn't necessarily get. It really was minor in my opinion considering the vibe the book gave off. I will say that it is one of those reads I think would be perfect for a cozy fall time read. The book has some major underlying sapphic tones throughout. It's weird I guess to call a horror book a cozy read but I think because it was body horror it just comes across a bit less intense. Overall, it was a decent story with great vibes but not something I think I would necessarily read again. 

Voyage of the Damned by Frances White

3.0

I wanted so badly to love this book. I mean a fantasy with a bit of mystery and romance it seemed perfect. The book throws a lot of lore at you in the beginning so it feels a bit tedious. It also was hard at times to enjoy because it really feels more like a YA novel to me just we threw in some adult themes and words. It had moments when I really enjoyed it and then it would have moments where I just wanted to stop reading. I honestly feel like the book is way too long. It's also very much an Agatha Christie vibe I think. The whole book we have Ganymedes who pretty much does everything to be annoying trying to solve the murders taking place. He befriends two of the other characters who also help him and along the way he also develops a romance that kind of just feels thrown in. I don't know I think the book had loads of potential it just wasn't utilized right for me. 

Final Girls by Riley Sager

4.0

This book right here is the perfect thing for those who love slashers. I immediately fell in love with this book. We have Quincy who has survived a horribly gruesome night and ten years later is trying her best to move on. Quincy has done her best to distance herself from the Final Girl label that's been created by the media. She hardly has anything to do with the two other Final Girls... until one of them is gone and the other shows up at her door. I really loved this dynamic because now she is forced to confront the event from her past that she has tried so hard to forget. 

 I also enjoyed that in between we would get moments from that night. Each time it was just another bit that made you question even more what happened. I loved that you really couldn't trust any of these characters. I spent most of the book trying to decide which characters were lying. I really loved the way we got each reveal. It was pretty amazing and it added this level of suspense that I didn't see coming. I have to admit that the ending of this one really did take me by surprise and I loved every second of that. I really think this is the book that fans of Scream would enjoy. It really gives off the same type of vibe and it's honestly hard to put down. 

The Dark One by Nikki St. Crowe

5.0

“She is a quicksand I will welcome. We will never get out and I don’t want to.”

I didn't think it could possibly get better... I was wrong. I may or may not have stayed up to read this one. I jumped in as soon as I finished the first one because I needed to know what came next. I love that in this one we get more of the dynamic between Winnie and the boys. She knows what she wants and she makes it abundantly clear in this one. I love that Winnie is such a sex positive character. I really adore the fact that with Pan, Bash, Kas and Vane she has such a different dynamic. It works really well in my opinion. I really loved how this one was more focused on the dynamic between her and Vane. I mean who would have thought it was possible for the spice to get spicier but it sure did. It's phenomenal. 

I mean of course all of these things are super important... but we are in Neverland and we get to see some scheming happening in this one. Tilly is working on a plan and willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal. She tries to get Hook's help... she even bribes her brothers. Hook is sure he can defeat Pan... if he can locate the missing shadow first. It basically becomes a plot of schemes and secrets which boils over in the most delicious way. I really think this one does a great job of moving along the plot and keeping you hooked. I didn't want to put this one down. I had to know if Pan would find his shadow... and most importantly what was going to happen with the other shadow... And much like the first book this one ends on an intense cliffhanger that really made me scream.