niftyreads's reviews
150 reviews

At this point, I’m a Chloe Gong super fan. After reading this whole series and loving it, I’m now going back through and listening to it. It’s like reading it for the first time. If you’re a fantasy fan, it’s outstanding. If you’re a historical fiction fan, get ready to go back in time with immense detail. And if you’re a Shakespeare fan, be ready for small and large nods to the Bard. Ugh, Gong is brilliant and the cliffhanger is masterful.

All I knew about Vanessa Le’s THE LAST BLOODCARVER was that its tantalizing romance was similar to THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS, which I absolutely adored. Add in the cover that I keep staring at; it’s a fantasy I want to read. I was super happy that it was as excellent as I hoped!

THE LAST BLOODCARVER is a truly unique fantasy tale. I read a good portion of it before I had access to the audiobook. Typically, I will switch back and forth when I have both, but I found that I really enjoyed the audiobook more. VyVy Nguyen is an exceptional narrator. I appreciated the different voices. This unique audiobook experience made me connect with the story more deeply.

Vanessa Le’s creativity in this book knows no bounds. The different characters are interesting, and you always learn more about them. The setting and magical system also differ from what I’ve read before, and I enjoyed that immensely. 

I enjoyed this book and can’t wait to reread it before the sequel comes out!

Thanks, Macmillian Audio, for the ALC!
Thanks, Roaring Brook Press, for the ARC!

I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading JUST SAY YES by Goldy Moldavsky. I saw the fun cover, read the blurb, and went with it. I ended up dual-listening and reading the book, and I was pleased with that decision. It’s always fun to read with my eyes, but this book was a delight to read with my ears. 

Brenda Arteaga-Walsh is a delightful narrator who gets the sound of “ohmigoodness, my world is crashing down around me” seventeen-year-old girl just right. That’s exactly who Jimena Romas is, and I’m glad that Maldavsky didn’t stray from her age, temper, maturity, or personality. Sure, Jimena was annoying at times as a freaked-out teenager. Yes, some of the happenstances were a little fairytale-ish. (It’s a YA novel!) But the book was educational and entertaining. 

The ending was a bit quirky, just like the whole book. I hope it’s not open-ended, and we’ll get a follow-up! I’m kinda excited to see what Jimena does next…

Thanks, Wednesday Books, for the arc!

If I had to describe MISTAKES WE NEVER MADE in one word, I would go with fun. It was fun to read. It had fun characters. It was a fun world to exist in. It was a fun time overall. Did Hannah Brown write a ground-breaking romance novel? No. But has anyone lately? No. Did she write one that kept me entertained? Yes. Is that all I look for in romance reads? Yes, so I can’t complain (too much, haha). 

And before we get further, even with my couple of complaints, I preordered the book after reading it. I’m excited to own a copy!

Ever since Brown has been on my radar, I’ve felt like she radiates sunshine but isn’t afraid to show a cloudy day, which is a good description of this book. MISTAKES WE NEVER MADE may be fun and even downright silly at times (the flying burrito—so good!), but it had heavier moments, too. I liked how Emma worked through her relationship with her father during this whole zany runaway bride road trip.

My complaints: 
•I don’t like infidelity in romance books—well, in any book, but especially romance. I want no part if I know it’s happening between the MCs. I would have wanted no part of this book and almost DNF’d it, but I stuck it out with just an opinion change. 
•Set up the next book, but don’t leave a considerable cliffhanger from this book 😒 Don’t worry—Emma and Finn’s situationship is solved. Still, the side character setup hangs like a cliffhanger before the final rose! 

Do I recommend MISTAKES WE NEVER MADE? Yes. For Hannah Brown’s first romance novel, her ghostwriters and her did a great job. As I said, it’s a fun romance read, which is what you should expect. Will I read more romances by her? Yes, I was entertained. Plus, I need to know what happens next with that cliffhanger setup!


Content warnings: infidelity, panic attacks, car accident, grief, abandonment

My new obsession. Hunger Games + Red Queen + YA fantasy at its best with all the tension it can serve! Frtc

Audiobook review:
Excellent. Fantastic. Perfection. Did I expect less? No. Read it with your eyes or ears - an exceptional book. 

OG review:
“How do you stop and unknown enemy?” Even reading that gives me chills as I think about moments in ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. Honestly, what a fantastic book in every sense of the way. I stayed up way past my bedtime reading each night, but especially last night when I finished because I had to know who Aces was and what was going to happen to Chiamaka and Devon. If I had to describe this in a simple way I would say combine Gossip Girl and Get Out then make it Black, queer, and incredibly thought provoking - sounds amazing, doesn’t it? It was. 

ACE OF SPADES is Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s debut novel. I’m now a full-fledged fan of hers. She will be an auto-buy author for me because this book was a thriller that kept my heart beating at every twist and turn. I was completely enraptured by her writing. She made two very distinct voices with Chiamaka and Devon and their alternating points of view that told the story. And I especially loved her author’s notes at the end of the book, which was a personal touch, but still kept you thinking about the important points that novel made. 

For the ya genre, this book deals with so many important topics such as bullying, classism, racism, and homophobia, and Àbíké-Íyímídé did this extremely well in mixing them into a thriller that keeps you hooked. The story grasps you and doesn’t let go. The thriller keeps you on your toes, but the essence of it makes you think. It’s perfect. It’s a must-read. Pick up ACE OF SPADES, it’s fantastic, I promise. 

Content Warnings: (per author in book, but more can be found on her website) racism, homophobia, bullying, and suicidal ideation 

Thanks so much to Bookish First for the book to review!