wendeedeedee36's reviews
169 reviews

Heart of Night and Fire by Nisha J. Tuli

adventurous emotional hopeful informative mysterious

4.5

What an amazing start to a series. I ended up finished the entire book in one session because I simply couldn’t stop. I needed to what would happen and whether or not my guesses were correct. “Spoiler,” it was about 50/50. The more fantasy I read inspired by South Asian cultures, the more enamored I’ve become. I also find myself craving chai tea more and more (what a hardship, am I Right?) I think because I am of as familiar with the details of the culture, it lends itself to the fantastical side, while also making everything feel more colorful, and teaching me a lot. In terms of the actual storyline, I really really like Zarya. She’s a wonderful mix of competent and not confident. She’s very compassionate for someone who was raised the way she was. I’m very interested to see her story/history continue to unravel, and to learn more about Rabin as well. And I think I might start Yasen fan club. 

Too Wild to Tame by Tessa Bailey

4.0

I’m liking this series a lot so far. The sibling bonding and self discovery has been great. It definitely has some instalove romance happening but I appreciate that it’s recognized by the characters in the stories. This resolution to drama at the end was a little brief but I loved the epilogue. 

Too Hot to Handle by Tessa Bailey

4.0

Hot damn! Tessa Bailey is the queen of dirty talking MMCs and Jasper is one of her best yet for me. I really liked how their relationships felt like it developed over longer period than actually took place. I’m not a fan of instalove type romances as a rule and yet this was really enjoyable and not rushed at all. 

For She is Wrath by Emily Varga

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is the kind of book you can’t stop once you start. The kind you stay up late to finish, and then don’t mind being tired the next day because it was worth it. I would know because I did exactly that. This is the ultimate Count of Monte Cristo retelling with revenge, magic, and second-chance romance. The fact that Varga chose such an underrated classic - and one of my all time favorites - as the foundation for this story told me I more or less guaranteed like it, but it far surpassed my expectations. I loved being able to recognize the nods to the original tale throughout, while still being engaged and surprised by Varga’s own unique story. The setting and culture was a refreshing twist that made the story so even more vibrant. Dania and Mazin are enjoyable and resilient characters who show how even the good guys can be a little grey. I loved Noor. She was somehow sweet and innocent but also vicious and focused. The epilogue is bittersweet and a great ending. I think this will end up being one for those books where I wish I could go back and read it for the first time again. 

The Ever Queen by LJ Andrews

4.0

The Queen of Cursed Things by S.M. Gaither

5.0

It’s official: If S.M. Gaither writes it, I LOVE IT. This book was fast paced yet still very detailed with a lot of world building. I really liked Alaya and her unique powers. She is somehow a vulnerable yet badass FMC without leaning too much either way or being too “extreme” - for lack of a better word. The prince is giving some strong Dorian Havilliard vibes, which I am all for, and I am interested to see how he develops as we continue. Kian is simply the best, and I love that he accepts Alaya in all her stages. I really want to like Sade, but that stills remains to be seen. Oh, and Isoni is 1000% the Ianthe of this world. I’m calling it now. 
It’s very interesting coming into this series as someone who has read Flame & Sparrow but not Shadows & Crowns because I know this takes place closer to S&C. The gap in time between F&S and this book means there have been changes to the Marrlands and people that are jarring for me (like the clans). I would love to get my hands on a timeline or to see if the rest of the series dives into those changes. Also, after that ending I simply need book 2 because *sob*😭

The Ever King by LJ Andrews

4.0

I don’t love the narrators but I like them well enough that I will still listen to The Ever Queen next. I do like the story itself! It’s fun, full of morally grey, and embracing your darkness. 

The Last Dragon of the East by Katrina Kwan

4.0

 I was very excited to get this book and I ended up enjoying it even more than I expected to. It’s very sweet and surprisingly emotional towards the end. The first part felt slow to me because I’m not the biggest fan of first person, present tense POV, and I always have to adjust my mindset when I read it. That’s just a personal preference though, and doesn’t affect my rating. Sai definitely is a bit of a mama's boy at first, but this just means his character had good growth later in the story, and I ended up really liking him. Everything really picked up for me after part one, and then I was absolutely hooked from the oasis on. Jyn was a wonderful character with her prickliness and overprotective nature. Plus, she’s just a total BA. I also really liked the chapters in which we followed the tale of the three dragons because it  broke up the journey, and also ended up being quite relevant. It made it more exciting as everything was revealed and you made the conmections. All in all, I think this is a very strong fantasy debut and I look forward to seeing more from Kwan.

Santa Overboard by Carolyn McBride

3.75

Okay so this is on me, but I was definitely expecting more of a romcom than an emotional story. That’s on me, and the book was still good. It is definitely a sweet story of women coming into their own and flexing their power as they deal with loss of love and youth. The camaraderie among all these women is also really refreshing. A wonderful dose of women supporting women to be their best, independent selves. That said, I struggled with Katie. I understand her being upset to find out Deke is going on his research trip for the holidays, but the fact that she keeps punishing him for it when he explained it was planned before they were a couple is total bullshit. I like that Deke called her out on it and the fact that she’s projecting her own issues on to him. I like that he specifically said she wasn’t meeting him halfway. And I guess I’m proud of him for stepping up to make the first gesture in the end. Overall, it was very short and sweet, and a great novella for the upcoming holiday season. Maria’s voice was perfect for how I would have heard Katie sound in my head. She did a great job with expressing emotions and accents.

Honestly, I'm Totally Faking It by Amanda Gambill

4.5

This was so fun! Rach was a little overly “Pollyanna” at the beginning of the story, and I had concerns on whether I’d like her. She grew on me though and her stupid puns were right up my alley. Pres is the best dichotomy of buttoned up nerd and dirty mouthed spice master.  I really enjoyed following him as he loosened up and learned to live a little. His little nicknames were laugh out loud funny and cute. When the spice hit it hit STRONG. That actually surprised me a little but in a really good way (obviously).
Dahlia Summers did a great job bringing these characters to life and voicing all the emotions and quirks in the personalities. 
A huge thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Amanda Gambill for the advanced copy!