wendeedeedee36's reviews
136 reviews

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen

4.5

I absolutely love this series. It’s quirky and fun. There’s a hint of morbid humor without it being dark. I think I liked this installment even more than book one. I am obsessed with Frank. He’s wonderful, constant, compassionate, and swoony. Plus, he’s a literal “Dragon Daddy” for half the book! Best take on that trope ever, by the way. 

Twyla is amazing. She’s strong and independent but willing to lean in for help when she needs it. She loves her family and has sacrificed so much to be a good mom and wife. Watching her come to terms with being allowed to want things for herself was so refreshing. Unfortunately, she is also oblivious as hell. Frank is a saint and I was so proud when he stood up for himself towards the end of the book. 

I LOVED the plot twist at the end because I was a little disappointed the mystery had ended so easily earlier in the book. The twist was amazing and made me laugh. And Twyla is a badass. 

Heir of Sin by C. L. Qvam

adventurous hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

3.5

3.5-3.75⭐️
This is a quick and engaging read. It’s fast paced and has some good spicy scenes in there. Being a shorter book, it feels a little rushed for some of the character and relationship development, but I think there is still a good story in it. The concept behind the Cardinal Family and them being djinn iss very interesting to me. I found Keira to be a bit annoying at times but I also recognize she is a relatively young heroine. Elijah is fun and sexy, naturally. August is a total douche. I did not expect Gale to be who she was and it was a fun surprise. 
Overall, I enjoyed this book and it was a nice break from some of the heavier themed books I have read lately. Thank you to C.L. Qvam for this ARC opportunity!

Between Fear & Favor by Jess Wisecup

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I don’t even know how to put my thoughts into writing. This book was really REALLY good, and I’m honestly a little devastated right now. The twists and turns of this series, and the subtle hints and nuances hidden throughout are mind blowing. The writing is so layered that I almost want to go back and make a notebook to keep track of everything. Annotating isn’t enough.  BFAF brought in so much growth for each of the characters, and I honestly don’t know how Jess fit it all into one book. I loved all the different POVs we got to follow this time. It was fun to see the same scenarios from the different views of 2 characters. We also had very separate storylines happening through all those POVs so it was almost like having 4 books in one. And the way they all collided at the ended? Masterful! Even if it broke my heart a little. I desperately need the next book….and possibly a strong drink 🥲

Business Casual by B.K. Borison

5.0

So, I’m in love with Charlie. That happened and I have no regrets. He’s an adorable marshmallow of a man who knows how to get down 😉 I also really liked Nova. She’s sassy and fun, vulnerable and yet strong. Their dynamics together are amazing and the little glimpses of the characters from previous books are wonderful. I love this series so much, and don’t want it to end. I also need a new tattoo now. 

Oh, and am I the only one who thought of Zenon every time her called her Nova Girl? 😆 

A Song of Ash and Moonlight by Claire Legrand

4.5

This book was SO good, and I have to admit I liked it more than A Crown of Ivy and Glass. I enjoyed following Farrin’s POV and found her to be less frustrating than Gemma. To be sure, Farrin had moments where I wanted to smack her, but is it even a good book if you don’t have at least a few moments like that? I also prefer Ryder as the MMC. I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers. So basically, their relationship was more to my taste. This book also had the benefit of already having established the world building in book 1, so we were able to go straight into action. It was exciting from chapter 1. Delving deeper into the history of the world and the mysteries within it was really fun. We also delve into some deeper issues and emotions in this book. 
I also enjoyed Evelyn Rose’s performance more in A Song of Ash and Moonlight. I think she did a very good job of portraying Farrin’s emotions, and the accent/tone for Ryder worked really well with his character. 
All in all I loved this audiobook,  and I am genuinely excited to see what happens in the next installment.
A huge thank you to Claire Legrand, NetGalley, and DreamScape Media for this advanced copy! 

A Crown of Ivy and Glass by Claire Legrand

slow-paced

4.0

This was a very different book from what I had expected going in. I’m not sure how to describe it. I enjoyed it for sure, but it almost felt like 2 books in one? The beginning portion and plot felt very separate from the latter half. It wasn’t bad at all, just threw me off. The world building was very good though and the magic felt unique. I’d love to dive deeper into the history in book 2. Especially since that would likely mean more time with Gareth, and I rather liked him. Gemma was definitely a tough character for me at the start. However, as predicted, she had a lot of room for character growth, and she lived up to the potential. The relationship with Talan was a little funky because it felt a bit too instalove for my tastes. That’s probably my biggest critique though, and it really didn’t bother me too much. Definitely hoping for more glimpses into her family - especially parents - as the series continues. I’m also interested in the Basks and the situation north of the mist.

Scourged by Tay Rose

5.0

Stick a fork in me because surely I am done. This book was SO freaking good. The level of angst and agony is insane. Like, I am not sure how I could love this story as much as I did when I was stressed and/or depressed for at least 75% of it. This was Game of Thrones level of knowing happy times just meant the real shit was about to go down…and yet I couldn’t stop. 
The different characters and relationships in Scourged were so enticing. The hints at what could be and the building of existing bonds were great. There were times we squeaked right up to the line of being a “miscommunication” trope, but we never fully got there (thank goodness). And OH THE REVEALS. There were some great ones, and they just. kept. coming. AH-MAZING! 🙌🏻 I don’t know how I will survive until book 3 because I sure am ready for it.

Wild Scottish Fortune by Tricia O'Malley

4.0

This installment was fun since both MCs are Scottish. A relatively small detail overall but exciting. Orla and Finley were a little more difficult for me to relate with, but I liked the “different worlds” vibes they had to deal with. This book also felt a little heavier emotionally than the rest so far, since we dealt with spirits and a traumatic childhood. Of course, we have wonderful banter and the lovable Clyde to lighten the mood when needed. 

As per usual, Amy Landon and Will Watt killed it with the narrations. The only bummer is that the chapters from the Finley’s were less frequent than in previous books so I didn’t get as much Will as I wanted. Still a very solid performance of course. 

Thank you NetGalley, Tricia O’Malley, and Dreamscape Select for the opportunity to preview this wonderful audiobook! I can’t wait for Wild Scottish Gold! 

Wild Scottish Beauty by Tricia O'Malley

4.5

4.5⭐️This series just gets better with each book! I really liked Willow and Ramsey. They’re the perfect Grumpy x Sunshine duo. Calvin was adorable and I loved how much Clyde hung out in this book. I would have liked to get more info on the big drama Arthur end, like the motive, because it felt a little far fetched, but it didn’t make me like the story any less. Just curiosity. As always, Amy Landon and Will Watt were wonderful. I was particularly surprised but the Minnesota accents, especially Watt’s. 

Drop Dead by Lily Chu

4.25

Super cute, not at all what I expected, and not in a bad way. The romantic tension was great. I loved Dot’s quirkiness and her cats. Her story was captivating through every twist and turn. And the epilogue was perfection.