wendeedeedee36's reviews
173 reviews

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! 

The Summer Girl by Elle Kennedy

4.25

There was a moment at the very end that had me read to take back my opinion that this was the best book in the series, but Kennedy saved it. I loved loved loved Tate, and I found Cassie to be the most relatable FMC in the series. The romantic tension was good, the spice was good, and the emotional bits but hard. Like, I didn’t expect to tear up listening to this and yet it definitely happened at one point. I very much hope there is more to come for Avalon Bay.

Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy

3.75

I’d probably give this a 3.5-3.75 simply because Good Girl Complex was a 4 for me and this falls just lower than that. It was good. I listened to it in one sitting and liked the narrators. I was just very frustrated with Genevieve because she seemed to be playing the men in her life in the name of being a better person, and I think it was very unfair to them. Luckily she got her stuff figured out and I did enjoy the ending.

Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

4.0

This was very fun and silly. It’s a nice lighthearted read that still had some deeper meaning in it. It manages to be full of action while maintaining a cozy vibe. The narrator was entertaining and managed voices & accents very well. I definitely recommend if you looking to just enjoy yourself and chuckle 

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 🥲