diversifyyourreading's reviews
282 reviews

There is nothing better than a novel that transports you to another time and place so vividly that you feel as if the descriptions in the book are your own memories.

Amor Towles brings New York City to life in the pages of Rules of Civility in the most magical way. You'll fall in love with the narrator. You'll root for the supporting characters. And you'll find yourself daydreaming about New York for a long while after you turn the last page.

I really wanted to love this, but it didn't do it for me. I enjoyed the humor and found myself laughing a lot, but don't feel like a really related to any of the 'lessons'. I also found that they didn't go together very well. However, I do recommend people at least check out this book - it's a refreshing take failure and an enjoyable read.

It's been such a long time since I read a thriller like this, and it felt so good to be so gripped by a story again. However, beyond the initial gripping, Beautiful Bad fell a bit short for me.

The book starts on 'The Day of the Killing' with a frantic 911 call. It grips the reader right away. Then, it goes back and forth between the past and the present, counting down to 'The Day of the Killing'.

I enjoyed the character developments and the mix of present day and flashbacks, but I found that I was reading because I just wanted to get to the end, not because I wanted to know what happened throughout the entire story.

This was a good read. But it's not one of the thrillers that's going to stick with me for awhile. So I can really only just say it's an average 3 stars for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an ARC in exchange for a review.

I had absolutely no interest in being somebody else's muse. I am not a muse. I am the somebody. End of fucking story.

First of all, I fell in love with Daisy Jones immediately upon starting this book. Such a complex character. A brilliant character. A creative genius.

Second, the friendship between Simone and Daisy is a small part of this story, but it's absolutely everything. I got so excited every time Simone's name popped up on the page because it meant I'd be treated to another peak inside their relationship.

You need a person who, when the shit hits the fan, grabs your stuff, throws it in a suitcase, and gets you away from the Italian prince.

#RELATABLE, am I right?

And then there's the band. The lyrics. The sex, drugs, and rock & roll. I loved everything about this book. I loved Billy & his issues; Daisy & her issues; Eddie & his issues; all the supporting characters (especially Camila); and THE LYRICS. I'm so excited to hear the original music that features in the upcoming mini series. Also, can we please have that now? Thanks.

I haven't read any other TJR books, but I'm about to go buy ALL OF THEM.

And with that, I'll leave you to go experience Daisy Jones & The Six for yourself. I'm off to listen to Fleetwood Mac on repeat.

All I will tell you is that you show up for your friends on their hardest days. And you hold their hand through the roughest parts. Life is about who is holding your hand and, I think, whose hand you commit to holding.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of We Must Be Brave in exchange for an honest review.

WWII Historical Fiction is my go to genre, and I especially love novels set in the UK. Therefore, I expected to get totally wrapped up in We Must Be Brave, but found it extremely hard to get into and too slow moving. I think the story could've been told and all emotions could've been captured in about half the number of pages.

This story of Ellen and Pamela is absolutely heartbreaking, but I didn't feel my emotions come out as much as they usually do while reading. In fact, I can't even recall if I shed a tear, which is usually a guarantee in any WWII Historical Fiction novel! I think this is a result of the slow pace, but also of my inability to connect with Ellen. I didn't love her as a character and couldn't really figure out what type of person she was meant to be painted as.

On the contrary, I absolutely adored both Lucy and William Kennet and loved their consistency throughout the novel.

I haven't completely ruled out France Liardet and will definitely check out her work in the future; however, with so many other incredible WWII Historical Fiction options out there, I don't really see myself recommending We Must Be Brave.

I received an eARC of Enchantée for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As a historical fiction obsessed reader who is keen to read more YA and Fantasy, Enchantée immediately appealed to me. And, with scenes of Paris and Versailles, magic, and a handsome balloonist, I can confirm that it is a truly enchanting read.

17-year-old Camille is orphaned alongside her sickly younger sister and her drunken older brother, meaning she’s essentially responsible for keeping a roof over their head and food on the table. She uses little bits of magic to help her get by, but stays away from the really powerful dark magic. Until her brothers debts get out of control and she has no other choice but to turn to dark magic. Camille gets so wrapped up in the aristocratic worlds of Paris and Versailles that she begins to lose sight of who she really is, and what she can achieve without magic.

It feels a bit cliche to call a book about magic magical, but that is exactly what Enchantée is, and it's not just because of the magic. It's the descriptions of Paris and the revolution; the excitement of a hot air balloon ride; the mystery surrounding the characters; and the glitz and the glamour of the French aristocracy that make this a truly magical read.

The book is a bit slow to start, but eventually becomes addicting, so don’t give up if it doesn’t grab your attention right away. This is a fun read that will immediately transport you to the world of 18th century Paris.

4.5 STARS! I saw the trailer for the movie before reading this book, meaning that I was picturing Cole Sprouse as Will throughout the entire thing - which definitely helped make it such an addicting read!

This was such a heartwarming and devastating and eye-opening and addicting read all wrapped up into one. I couldn't put it down! Five Feet Apart follows perfectionist Stella and rebel Will, two teens diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), in the hospital at the same time. Both of them have a completely different approach to their condition and their treatment paths, as well as their general outlook on life. They also can't stand within 6 feet of each other because germs bouncing from one CFer to another can be deadly. Not a big deal, considering the two can't stand each other.

But, as the two teens get to know each other, their differences don't matter so much anymore. In fact, they could each learn something from the other. And as they really get to know each other, stepping inside that 6 feet boundary becomes tempting.

Seriously, I will ship Will & Stella forever. I've read other reviews for this book where people complain about the speed at which their relationship moves and some of the rash decisions that are made. But they're teenagers! And they're bored, stuck inside a hospital, separated from their friends and their lives and all the fun, crazy things teenagers should be doing. The fast-paced love and overly dramatic outbursts are part of what make the relationship so magical and so engaging.

I can't wait to watch the film!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC of Five Feet Apart.