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the_cover_contessa's reviews
1589 reviews
The Worst Duke in London by Amalie Howard
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to Forever/Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I cannot get enough of Amalie Howard's regency error romances. I'm not huge on historical fiction, except if Howard is writing it! Her books are fun, quirky, hilarious, and sexy! I am never disappointed with her stories and her characters. They always draw me in. As with her others, I could not put this one down!
Evangeline "Effie" Raine is one of my most favorite characters Howard has written. I love that she is unapologetically herself. That while the world around her expects her to act a certain way, she blows caution to the wind and does things her own way. It makes her extremely loveable and totally relatable to the reader. Effie is an outside the box thinker; a feminist who choses to make herself happy rather than bow to the expectations of what will make others happy. In this way, she's a perfect fit for the ostracized Duke Gage Vale. He is also not afraid to be himself and doesn't care what the people of the ton think. He just wants to be free of the debt he's incurred because of his brother and then live his life happily in his Scottish manor. Neither Effie nor Gage are looking for someone to settle down with. Effie accepting that she will forever be a spinster and Gage accepting he will forever be known for the follies of his brother and father. But what makes them different for others ends up making them perfect for each other. They support each other and do not shy away from being well and truly themselves when they are together. They are strong willed and stubborn, but oh so good together!
Amalie's side characters are also a ton of fun. She revisits the ladies from her previous books but you certainly do not have to read those books to read this one (though I suggest reading them in order or some of the relationships will be spoiled!). Again Howard dives into the support these ladies have for one another. Their small group is never far away when needed and they always rally to help each other out. This book brings the addition of Effie's sister, Viola, who ends up fitting in well with all the other Hell Kitties!
The pacing of this book was perfect. Just the right amount of angst and longing to keep you wondering what will happen next and how. Of course there is a third act "break up" to contend with but the resolution of it is really quite appealing. Plus she infuses a lot of humor into this story which had me giggling many times while reading it. The banter between her characters (even those who are just supporting) is superb.
Did I get Bridgerton vibes from this one? You bet I did. This story was reminiscent of Anthony and Kate, though without the worry of the male love interest being wrapped up in the female love interest's sister. I've heard this one is loosely based on 10 Things I Hate About You but since I have not seen that movie, I could not tell anyone if that were true!
This one sure does seem to set up a new relationship for an upcoming book, which I hope will happen as I'll happily continue to read all the stories Howard intends to write in this world!
I cannot get enough of Amalie Howard's regency error romances. I'm not huge on historical fiction, except if Howard is writing it! Her books are fun, quirky, hilarious, and sexy! I am never disappointed with her stories and her characters. They always draw me in. As with her others, I could not put this one down!
Evangeline "Effie" Raine is one of my most favorite characters Howard has written. I love that she is unapologetically herself. That while the world around her expects her to act a certain way, she blows caution to the wind and does things her own way. It makes her extremely loveable and totally relatable to the reader. Effie is an outside the box thinker; a feminist who choses to make herself happy rather than bow to the expectations of what will make others happy. In this way, she's a perfect fit for the ostracized Duke Gage Vale. He is also not afraid to be himself and doesn't care what the people of the ton think. He just wants to be free of the debt he's incurred because of his brother and then live his life happily in his Scottish manor. Neither Effie nor Gage are looking for someone to settle down with. Effie accepting that she will forever be a spinster and Gage accepting he will forever be known for the follies of his brother and father. But what makes them different for others ends up making them perfect for each other. They support each other and do not shy away from being well and truly themselves when they are together. They are strong willed and stubborn, but oh so good together!
Amalie's side characters are also a ton of fun. She revisits the ladies from her previous books but you certainly do not have to read those books to read this one (though I suggest reading them in order or some of the relationships will be spoiled!). Again Howard dives into the support these ladies have for one another. Their small group is never far away when needed and they always rally to help each other out. This book brings the addition of Effie's sister, Viola, who ends up fitting in well with all the other Hell Kitties!
The pacing of this book was perfect. Just the right amount of angst and longing to keep you wondering what will happen next and how. Of course there is a third act "break up" to contend with but the resolution of it is really quite appealing. Plus she infuses a lot of humor into this story which had me giggling many times while reading it. The banter between her characters (even those who are just supporting) is superb.
Did I get Bridgerton vibes from this one? You bet I did. This story was reminiscent of Anthony and Kate, though without the worry of the male love interest being wrapped up in the female love interest's sister. I've heard this one is loosely based on 10 Things I Hate About You but since I have not seen that movie, I could not tell anyone if that were true!
This one sure does seem to set up a new relationship for an upcoming book, which I hope will happen as I'll happily continue to read all the stories Howard intends to write in this world!
The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson
adventurous
medium-paced
3.0
Thank you to Random House Children's and Netgalley for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Unfortunately, I did not download this in time to review initially. But I was fortunate enough to find an ARC in my print collection to read and give a review.
I don't do much middle grade now but once in a while I like to delve in as it's easier reading and breaks up my more in depth books. This book did just that. The cover of this one is what initially drew me it. It's just beautiful.
I loved the steampunk aspect of this book so much. I really enjoy books that include this trope. I haven't seen much steampunk directed at this age group so it was nice to have this to read.
The writing is done well. Easy to follow. Especially for the age group for which it is written. And Johnson does a good job with pacing for the most part.
There is something very unique about the world Johnson builds. I love a good fantasy and the train aspect was spot on with something different to draw me in and keep my attention. I loved the idea of things falling from other worlds but definitely would have liked to see more exploration with this. Given it's a middle grade book, I can see how the author may not have wanted to get that intense with it though as it may be more confusing for the age group at which it's targeted.
Johnson built strong female characters, which I love for this age group. Girls who show they can do just what they set their minds to do. I love to see this for young ladies who are trying to figure out who they are and where they belong amongst their peers.
Overall it was an enjoyable read and I'm excited to put my copy in a free little library for others to enjoy!
Unfortunately, I did not download this in time to review initially. But I was fortunate enough to find an ARC in my print collection to read and give a review.
I don't do much middle grade now but once in a while I like to delve in as it's easier reading and breaks up my more in depth books. This book did just that. The cover of this one is what initially drew me it. It's just beautiful.
I loved the steampunk aspect of this book so much. I really enjoy books that include this trope. I haven't seen much steampunk directed at this age group so it was nice to have this to read.
The writing is done well. Easy to follow. Especially for the age group for which it is written. And Johnson does a good job with pacing for the most part.
There is something very unique about the world Johnson builds. I love a good fantasy and the train aspect was spot on with something different to draw me in and keep my attention. I loved the idea of things falling from other worlds but definitely would have liked to see more exploration with this. Given it's a middle grade book, I can see how the author may not have wanted to get that intense with it though as it may be more confusing for the age group at which it's targeted.
Johnson built strong female characters, which I love for this age group. Girls who show they can do just what they set their minds to do. I love to see this for young ladies who are trying to figure out who they are and where they belong amongst their peers.
Overall it was an enjoyable read and I'm excited to put my copy in a free little library for others to enjoy!
Sekret by Lindsay Smith
slow-paced
2.0
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Netgalley for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I never got to download this one after approval so I ended up getting it through the library so I could read and give a review.
I really loved the premise of this book when I read the blurb. I don't read much historical fiction and this seemed it would fall in that category. There is also a paranormal aspect to it, maybe a bit dystopian in nature.
The characters are written well and I really liked the political intrigue that comes along with the story. The writing is also very good.
Having read The Darkest Minds, this almost reminded me of those books. I can see someone who loved that series enjoying this one.
Unfortunately, the pacing was just off for me. I needed action and it just wasn't where it should have been for this story. I struggled to pick it up at times and really finish it. It just didn't draw me in as much as I would have liked. It didn't captivate me and I really needed that. I pushed to finish in the hopes of perhaps having the ending draw me back to the book but it just did not.
I will not be continuing on to the second book of this series.
I never got to download this one after approval so I ended up getting it through the library so I could read and give a review.
I really loved the premise of this book when I read the blurb. I don't read much historical fiction and this seemed it would fall in that category. There is also a paranormal aspect to it, maybe a bit dystopian in nature.
The characters are written well and I really liked the political intrigue that comes along with the story. The writing is also very good.
Having read The Darkest Minds, this almost reminded me of those books. I can see someone who loved that series enjoying this one.
Unfortunately, the pacing was just off for me. I needed action and it just wasn't where it should have been for this story. I struggled to pick it up at times and really finish it. It just didn't draw me in as much as I would have liked. It didn't captivate me and I really needed that. I pushed to finish in the hopes of perhaps having the ending draw me back to the book but it just did not.
I will not be continuing on to the second book of this series.
The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an audio galley of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
This book was so much fun. Not only was a cute and cozy fantasy read but it was quirky with tons of banter and just the right amount of sexy!
I had not ever listened to books by this narrator before so I wasn't sure what to expect. Let me tell you, Ellis Evans had the perfect voice for this story. If I didn't want to give the story 5 stars before, Evans's narration would have pushed it there. He has just the right amount of tension to make you fall in love with the main character, Nicholas "Coal" Kringle. I also enjoyed how he changed his voice for the other characters in the story but it wasn't cheesey. I will be looking into other books by this narrator as I really enjoyed how he brought this story to life.
The premise of the book with it's roots in holidays is truly unique. I loved the idea of holidays being courts ruled by royalty. It reminded me a bit of fae courts. Even the magic the characters exhibited by the characters had a sort of fairy quality to it. I will say I would have liked to see this idea explored a bit more. While the story line was good, I feel like the world building needed to be tightened up a bit. The idea of Santa being a king and Christmas ruling all the other holidays was nothing like any other book I've read. But a background of the courts and how they came to be would have been a nice edition to the storyline.
I enjoyed the LBGTQ+ representation in this one, as well. The characters were very fluid. And I didn't feel like their sexuality defined them but was just a part of who they were.
The interesting part of this book for me was the fact that Raasch grounded a lot of the story in reality by including things like college and majors and what life will look like after graduation. It really cinched the coming of age portion of the book by showing these young adults who are still trying to find their place in the world. The depiction of their confusing emotions as they try to navigate adulthood is spot on.
Raasch fleshes out her characters very well. Coal is the "screw up" of the family who is set to inherit the position of Santa. But he's not sure what that entails as he's really been kept out of the loop by his dad. His brother, Chris, is truly his best friend. The tenderness and bond in their relationship is palpable throughout the story. Iris I liked but wish I could have seen more from her. While she's also Coal's best friend, I feel like she was more of a background character in this book. Her character is not as fleshed out as the others. Almost like Raasch is saving that for the next story. And Hex, my goodness, talk about swoon worthy. He knows all the right things to say but is also just shy enough to keep you wondering where he'll go next when he speaks.
The pacing of this story if fairly fast. Each chapter moved along at a good clip and I was never bored. Raasch gave us drama and mystery and humor all rolled into a cozy blanket of fun holiday fantasy.
I think one of the best parts of this book was how detailed the author was with her descriptions. When the characters were in the Christmas palace, it was so easy to picture it in my mind. When they were outside in the cold with snow falling, I could feel that chill. She did a wonderful job with putting me in the thick of things as the reader.
The romance was tender and sweet but also there's a quite a bit of spicy to it that had me squirming a bit. I think I may have even blushed! But the connection between Hex and Coal is very solid so their experiences together are all the more heightened for it.
There is a lot of hope in this book. Hope that Coal and Chris will be happy. Hope that Hex and Coal will work out. Hope that Coal can change the climate of his holiday by standing up and enacting change.
The story is fun with a lot of humor, a bit of drama and mystery, plus a whole lot of fun sexy times. It blends the spooky season of Halloween with the joyful season of Christmas in a way that me want to experience all the joys those holidays bring right now! I'm really looking forward to more installments in this series; there have to be some, right? because the ending of this book totally leaves you hanging for what other characters might experience in the future! If you're looking for a cozy fantasy with some spice, this one is a great pick!
This book was so much fun. Not only was a cute and cozy fantasy read but it was quirky with tons of banter and just the right amount of sexy!
I had not ever listened to books by this narrator before so I wasn't sure what to expect. Let me tell you, Ellis Evans had the perfect voice for this story. If I didn't want to give the story 5 stars before, Evans's narration would have pushed it there. He has just the right amount of tension to make you fall in love with the main character, Nicholas "Coal" Kringle. I also enjoyed how he changed his voice for the other characters in the story but it wasn't cheesey. I will be looking into other books by this narrator as I really enjoyed how he brought this story to life.
The premise of the book with it's roots in holidays is truly unique. I loved the idea of holidays being courts ruled by royalty. It reminded me a bit of fae courts. Even the magic the characters exhibited by the characters had a sort of fairy quality to it. I will say I would have liked to see this idea explored a bit more. While the story line was good, I feel like the world building needed to be tightened up a bit. The idea of Santa being a king and Christmas ruling all the other holidays was nothing like any other book I've read. But a background of the courts and how they came to be would have been a nice edition to the storyline.
I enjoyed the LBGTQ+ representation in this one, as well. The characters were very fluid. And I didn't feel like their sexuality defined them but was just a part of who they were.
The interesting part of this book for me was the fact that Raasch grounded a lot of the story in reality by including things like college and majors and what life will look like after graduation. It really cinched the coming of age portion of the book by showing these young adults who are still trying to find their place in the world. The depiction of their confusing emotions as they try to navigate adulthood is spot on.
Raasch fleshes out her characters very well. Coal is the "screw up" of the family who is set to inherit the position of Santa. But he's not sure what that entails as he's really been kept out of the loop by his dad. His brother, Chris, is truly his best friend. The tenderness and bond in their relationship is palpable throughout the story. Iris I liked but wish I could have seen more from her. While she's also Coal's best friend, I feel like she was more of a background character in this book. Her character is not as fleshed out as the others. Almost like Raasch is saving that for the next story. And Hex, my goodness, talk about swoon worthy. He knows all the right things to say but is also just shy enough to keep you wondering where he'll go next when he speaks.
The pacing of this story if fairly fast. Each chapter moved along at a good clip and I was never bored. Raasch gave us drama and mystery and humor all rolled into a cozy blanket of fun holiday fantasy.
I think one of the best parts of this book was how detailed the author was with her descriptions. When the characters were in the Christmas palace, it was so easy to picture it in my mind. When they were outside in the cold with snow falling, I could feel that chill. She did a wonderful job with putting me in the thick of things as the reader.
The romance was tender and sweet but also there's a quite a bit of spicy to it that had me squirming a bit. I think I may have even blushed! But the connection between Hex and Coal is very solid so their experiences together are all the more heightened for it.
There is a lot of hope in this book. Hope that Coal and Chris will be happy. Hope that Hex and Coal will work out. Hope that Coal can change the climate of his holiday by standing up and enacting change.
The story is fun with a lot of humor, a bit of drama and mystery, plus a whole lot of fun sexy times. It blends the spooky season of Halloween with the joyful season of Christmas in a way that me want to experience all the joys those holidays bring right now! I'm really looking forward to more installments in this series; there have to be some, right? because the ending of this book totally leaves you hanging for what other characters might experience in the future! If you're looking for a cozy fantasy with some spice, this one is a great pick!
Stay by Elle Kennedy, Sarina Bowen
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for supplying me with an egalley of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I cannot pass by an Elle Kennedy book, ever. I love her fun, funny, romantic stories and this one was no different.
Stay is the follow up to Good Boy. So you'll see some cross over characters there. You don't truly need to read the first book in the WAGs series to understand this one, but it will spoil the relationship from the first book a bit.
I'm loving the new covers Sourcebooks has given to this updated series. They are fun and the colors truly pop and catch the eye.
The story has a typical romance theme which includes one of my favorite romance sports, Hockey.
Hailey and Matt have a cute connection. I love that they share the background of divorce and what follows that. Both having a difficult time realizing they deserve to be happy, despite what happened in their past relationships. They have great banter and lots of fun chemistry throughout the book as they navigate their new relationship. They don't label themselves for a good while, worrying those labels will define who they are to each other. But in the end they are a couple and everyone around them realizes it before they do, of course.
I love the relationship Kennedy and Bowen paint of Matt with his twin girls. He's so good with them. It's sweet. And the struggle between him and his ex to balance co-parenting seems to be fairly spot on, though I've not experienced this on a personal level to truly know 100%.
Of course we have the characters with their insecurities who just do not think they are worthy of one another. And it takes a bit of a rift for the realization that they are to come to the forefront. I will say, there is no real third act break-up, at least not in the traditional sense. Usually that involves some sort of miscommunication, but that is not the case with this book. It was refreshing.
It was also nice to see characters that are a bit older, a bit more worldly, a bit more mature. You can see the struggle between them as they figure out what will make their relationship work, and it's more than just passionate sex.
It was fun to see the WAGs ladies from the first book. I love that Kennedy and Bowen paint a picture of women empowering other women and lifting them up. Their support is really great.
Overall, this one was fun and I'd continue with the series, given the chance.
I cannot pass by an Elle Kennedy book, ever. I love her fun, funny, romantic stories and this one was no different.
Stay is the follow up to Good Boy. So you'll see some cross over characters there. You don't truly need to read the first book in the WAGs series to understand this one, but it will spoil the relationship from the first book a bit.
I'm loving the new covers Sourcebooks has given to this updated series. They are fun and the colors truly pop and catch the eye.
The story has a typical romance theme which includes one of my favorite romance sports, Hockey.
Hailey and Matt have a cute connection. I love that they share the background of divorce and what follows that. Both having a difficult time realizing they deserve to be happy, despite what happened in their past relationships. They have great banter and lots of fun chemistry throughout the book as they navigate their new relationship. They don't label themselves for a good while, worrying those labels will define who they are to each other. But in the end they are a couple and everyone around them realizes it before they do, of course.
I love the relationship Kennedy and Bowen paint of Matt with his twin girls. He's so good with them. It's sweet. And the struggle between him and his ex to balance co-parenting seems to be fairly spot on, though I've not experienced this on a personal level to truly know 100%.
Of course we have the characters with their insecurities who just do not think they are worthy of one another. And it takes a bit of a rift for the realization that they are to come to the forefront. I will say, there is no real third act break-up, at least not in the traditional sense. Usually that involves some sort of miscommunication, but that is not the case with this book. It was refreshing.
It was also nice to see characters that are a bit older, a bit more worldly, a bit more mature. You can see the struggle between them as they figure out what will make their relationship work, and it's more than just passionate sex.
It was fun to see the WAGs ladies from the first book. I love that Kennedy and Bowen paint a picture of women empowering other women and lifting them up. Their support is really great.
Overall, this one was fun and I'd continue with the series, given the chance.
A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for an egalley of this title to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Jordan has long been a favorite author of mine. I love that she is versatile and can write in several different genres as well as age groups. I have read many of her YA books and her new adult. I've seen how well she writes contemporary, historical fiction, and fantasy. So I had no doubt I would enjoy this new one from her. And I was not wrong!
The first thing that drew me to this book is the dragons. They are very in right now (sailing on the coattails of Fourth Wing). What I hoped for was something unique and I do think I got it. The book was reminiscent of the Talon series by Kagawa but with a bit of an older crowd and some twisting involved. I see it being heralded as a romantasy and I will give it props to that because there is a lot of centering around the romantic relationship in this book. But that is not all it's about.
The world building is a little lite with this one. I kind of wanted more depth. Jordan does seemlessly weaves in the background of our character's fates and how the current world we are reading about is formed. There is some historical fiction in the form of a whipping girl; a throwback to 18th century aristocracy. But, don't get me wrong, this book really is pure fantasy about dragons and their history as it pertains to the world we are reading about. There is a bit of repetitiveness with the story line. Characters having inner monologue that is the same over and over again, giving nothing to actually move the story forward. So those bits were slower to absorb for me.
Jordan's characters are well fleshed out enough. The story is told in alternating points of view from Tamsyn, Fell, and Stig. There is one chapter from another character that plants some background. I kind of wish we had a few more of those as they would have leant to more world building. The points of view give good insight into who the characters are. The romance was ok. You know there is some connection by how the characters react in each other's presence. The romance becomes forced proximity. I wanted there to be more of a build up between the two characters romance wise, though. I felt like the chemistry was just a bit off. Characters are too quick to accept things, as well.
If you like twists, this story has a big one towards the end. I sort of figured it out but wanted to see how it would be revealed. The pacing was a bit more slow than what I would have liked before about the last 25% but it was fast enough that I wanted to see where things would go.
I was entertained enough that I would move on to the next book in this series. The ending definitely leaves all the room for that as it's basically a cliffhanger scenario. I need to know what happens next.
3.75 stars
Jordan has long been a favorite author of mine. I love that she is versatile and can write in several different genres as well as age groups. I have read many of her YA books and her new adult. I've seen how well she writes contemporary, historical fiction, and fantasy. So I had no doubt I would enjoy this new one from her. And I was not wrong!
The first thing that drew me to this book is the dragons. They are very in right now (sailing on the coattails of Fourth Wing). What I hoped for was something unique and I do think I got it. The book was reminiscent of the Talon series by Kagawa but with a bit of an older crowd and some twisting involved. I see it being heralded as a romantasy and I will give it props to that because there is a lot of centering around the romantic relationship in this book. But that is not all it's about.
The world building is a little lite with this one. I kind of wanted more depth. Jordan does seemlessly weaves in the background of our character's fates and how the current world we are reading about is formed. There is some historical fiction in the form of a whipping girl; a throwback to 18th century aristocracy. But, don't get me wrong, this book really is pure fantasy about dragons and their history as it pertains to the world we are reading about. There is a bit of repetitiveness with the story line. Characters having inner monologue that is the same over and over again, giving nothing to actually move the story forward. So those bits were slower to absorb for me.
Jordan's characters are well fleshed out enough. The story is told in alternating points of view from Tamsyn, Fell, and Stig. There is one chapter from another character that plants some background. I kind of wish we had a few more of those as they would have leant to more world building. The points of view give good insight into who the characters are. The romance was ok. You know there is some connection by how the characters react in each other's presence. The romance becomes forced proximity. I wanted there to be more of a build up between the two characters romance wise, though. I felt like the chemistry was just a bit off. Characters are too quick to accept things, as well.
If you like twists, this story has a big one towards the end. I sort of figured it out but wanted to see how it would be revealed. The pacing was a bit more slow than what I would have liked before about the last 25% but it was fast enough that I wanted to see where things would go.
I was entertained enough that I would move on to the next book in this series. The ending definitely leaves all the room for that as it's basically a cliffhanger scenario. I need to know what happens next.
3.75 stars
Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Valley by Stacey McEwan
emotional
funny
sad
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? No
3.0
Thank you to Angry Robot and Edelweiss for providing me with an egalley and a print copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
To say I've been hooked on this trilogy from the beginning would be an understatement. It has been a rollercoaster of a ride and I was excited to see the ends (hoping for an HEA, of course). But I knew this book would bring some bumps to get where this story needed to go and I dug in and held on for the ride.
This story picks up where the previous book left off. If you have not read books 1 and 2, stop reading here and go back and do so. There may be some spoiler (though I'll try not to do that) but also you will not understand this book without reading the first two in the trilogy.
The story continues to follow Dawsyn and Ryon on their journey to freeing the people of the Ledge as well as the people of Terrasaw.
What I liked most about this book was all the back story and reveals. We get the Queen's consort's story as well as Yennes's story. I enjoyed both but especially Yennes's story as she morphs into someone you didn't think she would be. I feel like the Queen consort's story probably could have been left out for the most part. Though, given what happened towards the end of the book, I can see why McEwan chose to include it since we truly needed to see what was going on. In all honesty, I feel like Ruby's POV would have been the better choice, since she could have given us the Queen Consort's story. And I really wanted to see more of Ruby in this book.
Ryon and Dawsyn continue their love story. She does some dumb stuff that makes him mad, he forgives her, they make up, etc. Dawsyn sure loves to put herself at risk, though. There were many times in the book I wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake her, then give her a little slap on the face to say, "snap out of it!"
Ezra and Salem, though, will always be my favorite characters. Their banter is above and beyond and really gave some lightheartedness to a very heavy story. I would have liked to see more of them in this book.
While I did love this book, I found it dragged a bit. This was something I mentioned when I read the first book, as well. But that one I chocked up to world building. By this book we already have that world building down. The trek through the Chasm was more drawn out for me than I felt it had to be.
As for plot, I enjoyed all the back story, as I stated, and saw the importance of it for the story but the transitions were a bit choppy for me. It took so long for anything to happen. The pacing was super slow and I didn't feel like the story was going anywhere. I had a hard time paying attention to what was happening with the characters. All the trekking and backtracking and stopping and eating and sickness. It was just dragged out too much in the beginning. It made me not want to pick up the book to read it, to be honest. Which makes me sad because the overall trilogy is truly amazing. And, while it did get better at about 50%, I still felt a bit of a disconnect with the story because of being pulled out by the slowness of the first half.
I was expecting more of an epic battle at the end and, while there was action and fighting, it just seemed to easy and felt a bit rushed. Like perhaps McEwan wasn't quite sure how to bring it all together
McEwan's writing is great, though. I enjoyed how she wrote this trilogy in third person but still gave voice to the characters. I truly enjoyed the world she has built. It is unique; totally different from any other fantasy world I've read about before.
Overall I enjoyed this book but it honestly fell short of the epic conclusion I expected. Chasm was by far my favorite book of this series. I would still recommend people read this trilogy though, as it's unique and the story is quite interesting.
To say I've been hooked on this trilogy from the beginning would be an understatement. It has been a rollercoaster of a ride and I was excited to see the ends (hoping for an HEA, of course). But I knew this book would bring some bumps to get where this story needed to go and I dug in and held on for the ride.
This story picks up where the previous book left off. If you have not read books 1 and 2, stop reading here and go back and do so. There may be some spoiler (though I'll try not to do that) but also you will not understand this book without reading the first two in the trilogy.
The story continues to follow Dawsyn and Ryon on their journey to freeing the people of the Ledge as well as the people of Terrasaw.
What I liked most about this book was all the back story and reveals. We get the Queen's consort's story as well as Yennes's story. I enjoyed both but especially Yennes's story as she morphs into someone you didn't think she would be. I feel like the Queen consort's story probably could have been left out for the most part. Though, given what happened towards the end of the book, I can see why McEwan chose to include it since we truly needed to see what was going on. In all honesty, I feel like Ruby's POV would have been the better choice, since she could have given us the Queen Consort's story. And I really wanted to see more of Ruby in this book.
Ryon and Dawsyn continue their love story. She does some dumb stuff that makes him mad, he forgives her, they make up, etc. Dawsyn sure loves to put herself at risk, though. There were many times in the book I wanted to take her by the shoulders and shake her, then give her a little slap on the face to say, "snap out of it!"
Ezra and Salem, though, will always be my favorite characters. Their banter is above and beyond and really gave some lightheartedness to a very heavy story. I would have liked to see more of them in this book.
While I did love this book, I found it dragged a bit. This was something I mentioned when I read the first book, as well. But that one I chocked up to world building. By this book we already have that world building down. The trek through the Chasm was more drawn out for me than I felt it had to be.
As for plot, I enjoyed all the back story, as I stated, and saw the importance of it for the story but the transitions were a bit choppy for me. It took so long for anything to happen. The pacing was super slow and I didn't feel like the story was going anywhere. I had a hard time paying attention to what was happening with the characters. All the trekking and backtracking and stopping and eating and sickness. It was just dragged out too much in the beginning. It made me not want to pick up the book to read it, to be honest. Which makes me sad because the overall trilogy is truly amazing. And, while it did get better at about 50%, I still felt a bit of a disconnect with the story because of being pulled out by the slowness of the first half.
I was expecting more of an epic battle at the end and, while there was action and fighting, it just seemed to easy and felt a bit rushed. Like perhaps McEwan wasn't quite sure how to bring it all together
McEwan's writing is great, though. I enjoyed how she wrote this trilogy in third person but still gave voice to the characters. I truly enjoyed the world she has built. It is unique; totally different from any other fantasy world I've read about before.
Overall I enjoyed this book but it honestly fell short of the epic conclusion I expected. Chasm was by far my favorite book of this series. I would still recommend people read this trilogy though, as it's unique and the story is quite interesting.
The Seemingly Impossible Love Life of Amanda Dean by Ann Rose
emotional
funny
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
2.5
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Ready for a fun tale of true love with a long journey on getting there? Then this one is for you!
Meet Amanda Dean, who has bopped from person to person her whole life while really only wanting one. Who tore herself away from her one true love so that person could become all they needed to be.
This story if told in alternating past and present day chapters. I will say at first this threw me a little. The chapters are headed with the years and I just didn't think they were necessary. It would have been easier for me to keep up had it been the main character's age listed. Then things would have made more sense earlier on. I also found it hard to keep up with the flow because it's actually told in three different time lines. Once I got about 50% into the book, this was easier to differentiate. But overall it was quite confusing at first and was taking me out of the story.
You meet Amanda on her wedding day but just who is she marrying? I will admit, I kind of guessed it from the start, but the journey was still fun to get to that point.
I liked Amanda and her growth throughout this story. You can see how she changes and morphs and becomes what she needs to be in order to find everlasting love. There were times I found her a bit whiny or annoying. She was in her head way too much. And she was too stubborn to listen to what others around her were telling her.
I liked the LBGTQ+ representation in this book. It was interesting to watch Amanda struggle with who she was and find her truth north. I feel like there could have been more to it, though. I didn't totally feel her struggle and I wanted that more than anything else.
It's not the traditional romance I was looking for. There's a bit of mystery in the plot. But you do get friends to lovers and second chance romance in the plot line.
Overall it was enjoyable enough but will not go down as a favorite romance that I would re-read.
Ready for a fun tale of true love with a long journey on getting there? Then this one is for you!
Meet Amanda Dean, who has bopped from person to person her whole life while really only wanting one. Who tore herself away from her one true love so that person could become all they needed to be.
This story if told in alternating past and present day chapters. I will say at first this threw me a little. The chapters are headed with the years and I just didn't think they were necessary. It would have been easier for me to keep up had it been the main character's age listed. Then things would have made more sense earlier on. I also found it hard to keep up with the flow because it's actually told in three different time lines. Once I got about 50% into the book, this was easier to differentiate. But overall it was quite confusing at first and was taking me out of the story.
You meet Amanda on her wedding day but just who is she marrying? I will admit, I kind of guessed it from the start, but the journey was still fun to get to that point.
I liked Amanda and her growth throughout this story. You can see how she changes and morphs and becomes what she needs to be in order to find everlasting love. There were times I found her a bit whiny or annoying. She was in her head way too much. And she was too stubborn to listen to what others around her were telling her.
I liked the LBGTQ+ representation in this book. It was interesting to watch Amanda struggle with who she was and find her truth north. I feel like there could have been more to it, though. I didn't totally feel her struggle and I wanted that more than anything else.
It's not the traditional romance I was looking for. There's a bit of mystery in the plot. But you do get friends to lovers and second chance romance in the plot line.
Overall it was enjoyable enough but will not go down as a favorite romance that I would re-read.