bookrecsbyjess's reviews
1006 reviews

The Bride of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor

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funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the ARC of The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor. All opinions are my own.

This book was so fascinating and had such wonderful characters. I loved it so much and can’t wait to read more books by this author in the future.

In this magical book, the characters dealt with a type of magic called scriptomancy, which allowed mail couriers to enchant letters in order to deliver them to other worlds. I found scriptomancy so interesting. I loved learning about different inks and how writing was something that people had to be trained for years to do.

My favorite part of this story was Tristan. He was so misunderstood by everyone, but he was so thoughtful and sweet. I loved how sarcastic he was with Maeve and how he cared so much about her wellbeing.

Maeve was a great protagonist, and I loved seeing her build relationships with people after being isolated for so long. I didn’t always agree with her decisions, but I understood where she was coming from.

The relationship between Tristan and Maeve was so sweet and funny. Their meet cute was hilarious, and I loved how often Tristan brought it up. I also loved how they lifted each other up and believed in one another.

Overall, I loved this story and would recommend it! I would love to read more about these characters in the future too.

Content Warnings

The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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The Favorites by Layne Fargo

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Thank you to Libro.fm for the ALC of The Favorites by Layne Fargo. All opinions are my own.

This book is all about the drama! If you like trashy reality TV shows, then I think you’ll enjoy this book. The characters are brutal and unlikable, but the way the story is told from multiple points of view makes you not want to stop reading.

I was not a fan of how toxic these characters were. They were so terrible to each other, and the world of ice dancing in this book was full of people willing to sabotage each other in order to win.

If I had read the physical book, I think I would have quit before finishing. I read the audiobook though, and it was done so well that I decided to continue on with the story. The audiobook is full cast with different narrators chiming into the story throughout the whole book. This format made the book much more enjoyable.

Overall, this book wasn’t for me. However, if you enjoyed Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, I think you’ll love this book. They very much have the same vibes, and the author is a fan of Reid’s work.

Note: there is a lot of heavy themes throughout this book, so be aware that you may find some content triggering. Some things you could skip over, but toxic relationships are described throughout the whole book.

Content Warnings

Shadow Among Sheaves by Naomi Stephens

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emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? No

3.0

What it's about:

This is a retelling of the story of Ruth from the Bible. It follows a widow named Rena as she moves from India to England with her mother-in-law. She must learn to survive in a place where she's hated and deal with the grief of all her losses.

What I thought:

This story wasn't bad, but as a retelling of Ruth, I was pretty disappointed. The characters were unlikable, and the way the author tried to retell the story was poorly done.

Quick Thoughts:

> I liked the first third of the book

> I didn’t like how the author reinterpreted the story of Ruth in this book because it changed how the characters acted

> the MMC was awful

> the book was pretty slow after the beginning

⚠️ there’s quite a few heavy topics but the biggest were grief from the loss of a spouse and the atrocious way the FMC was treated based on her ethnicity and social status.

🌶️ fade to black kind of

Content Warnings

Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Thank you to Revell Fiction for the ARC of Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin. All opinions are my own.

This was my first time reading from this author, so I didn’t know what to expect. I do like WWII stories, but sometimes I find them too similar to other books I’ve read. This wasn’t the case at all with this story. I found this book to be unique, and I loved learning so much new information about WWII.

Before reading this book, I knew very little about military intelligence during the war. I found the double agents and the whole military agency so fascinating. I never really knew how they went about spying, so I loved learning their tactics and codes.

The setting for this story was a special highlight of the story with the beautiful Scottish landscape and sea views. I thought it was interesting to see how much the war impacted a small community.

Cilla and Lachlan were such wonderful characters that I was rooting for from the very beginning. I loved how they balanced each other out with their personalities, and how they encouraged each other to grow personally and spiritually.

I also appreciated the Christian faith elements throughout the story. It was so nice to see the characters’ spiritual journeys even though that wasn’t the main focus of this book.

Overall, I would recommend this book! I’m excited to read more books by this author in the future.

Content Warnings

Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibañez

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

What it's about:

This book picks right up where

What the River Knows left off. It follows a dangerous journey for the characters with unexpected twists throughout.

What I thought:

While I didn't like this book as much as the first, I did still enjoy this story. The romance gave me anxiety, but I'm happy with how it turned out. I liked never knowing who I could trust.

Quick Thoughts:

> Inez irritated me a lot with her choices

> Whit was still my favorite character

> I didn’t trust most of the characters

> I wish more time would’ve been spent with the Egyptian artifacts

🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: these narrators were great!

⚠️ there is violence, swearing, and blood.

🌶️ there’s a couple intimate scenes, but the details are vague.

Content Warnings

Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel

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emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Thank you to Revell Fiction for the ARC of Heart of the Glen by Jennifer Deibel. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this beautiful story set in an immersive early-1900s Ireland. The romance was sweet, the setting was beautifully described, and the faith themes were interwoven so thoughtfully.

I haven’t read a lot of books set in Ireland, and I loved how well this author described the setting with historical detail. I also enjoyed learning about weaving and all the intricacies that go into mastering that craft.

The romance was definitely a slow burn, but it was so wonderful to watch these characters grow spiritually and then finally realize how God had brought them together. I loved their sweet interactions and their time spent together in the weaving shed.

I think my favorite aspect of this book was how the author included Christianity in such a thoughtful way that encouraged my own faith. While the characters often struggled with their relationship with God, I loved all the reminders of God’s faithfulness even amidst their trials.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who would love to be immersed into this beautiful Irish setting and be encouraged in their faith.

Content Warnings

The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler

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emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

What it's about:

Sienna's friend jokingly puts an ad in the paper, on the day her divorce is final, saying that she's looking for a husband. Guy answers the ad in desperation to have the finances his daughter needs to stay on the kidney transplant list.

What I thought:

This story was so beautiful. It was heartbreaking but also so full of hope. I loved Guy so much. His sacrificial love for his daughter and then Sienna was so admirable. The romance was just so tender, and the family bonds that were created were so beautiful to see.

Quick Thoughts:

This book was very emotional
Guy was such a sweet MMC with a servant heart
I loved the relationships formed in this book
There were so many tender moments that I loved

🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: the narrator was great! I’d recommend this format.

⚠️ divorce, swearing, child illness, parent death, dementia, hospital scenes, & terminal illness

🌶️ fade to black

Content Warnings

The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 51%.

Even though I love this author's writing style, this book just didn't keep my attention.

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bookrecsbyjess's reviews 1006 reviews

bookrecsbyjess's reviews
1006 reviews