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697 reviews
The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Tina Payne Bryson, Daniel J. Siegel
informative
slow-paced
4.0
Practical and easy to understand.
For She is Wrath by Emily Varga
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Review: For She is Wrath by Emily Varga
For She is Wrath is a YA fantasy adventure that will appeal to those who like to read about revenge, dark magic, and second chances.
The story was interesting and the twists and turns could be surprising. However, I did find some of the story a bit predictable at first. That being said, the themes of second chances, friendship, and forgiveness were carefully cultivated to make this a YA story that will appeal to fantasy/dystopian readers but also help the reader consider consequences of revenge and anger.
I highly recommend For She is Wrath to readers who enjoyed Children of Blood and Bone or Hunted by the Sky.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Make Me a Mixtape by Jennifer Whiteford
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Review: Make Me a Mixtape by Jennifer Whiteford
Make Me a Mixtape is an ode to music, dreams, and relationships and what it means to build your community.
Allie Andrews is an ex-punk rocker whose foray into the world of music with her band was successful until their break-up. Since then, she works at her aunt’s cafe in Brooklyn grieving and believing she breaks relationships. In a chance meeting, Allie meets Ryan Abernathy, who surprisingly recognizes her. Their connection is immediate and Allie begins to learn the importance of communication, community, and chasing your dreams.
Make Me a Mixtape is for music lovers as it’s filled with artist and song references and Allie’s palpable passion which jumps for the page. Despite being set in the metropolis of New York, Whiteford gives Brooklyn a small town feel through lovable characters and making the cafe a warm haven of community. I really enjoyed this story. My only caveat is a personal preference of closed door romance (there’s a couple spicy scenes). Otherwise, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and characters.
This story is perfect for lovers of cozy fall and winter reads looking for a Gilmore Girl vibe of quirky, lovable characters and close-knit community.
Thank you to Penguin Canada and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All options are my own.
Make Me a Mixtape is an ode to music, dreams, and relationships and what it means to build your community.
Allie Andrews is an ex-punk rocker whose foray into the world of music with her band was successful until their break-up. Since then, she works at her aunt’s cafe in Brooklyn grieving and believing she breaks relationships. In a chance meeting, Allie meets Ryan Abernathy, who surprisingly recognizes her. Their connection is immediate and Allie begins to learn the importance of communication, community, and chasing your dreams.
Make Me a Mixtape is for music lovers as it’s filled with artist and song references and Allie’s palpable passion which jumps for the page. Despite being set in the metropolis of New York, Whiteford gives Brooklyn a small town feel through lovable characters and making the cafe a warm haven of community. I really enjoyed this story. My only caveat is a personal preference of closed door romance (there’s a couple spicy scenes). Otherwise, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and characters.
This story is perfect for lovers of cozy fall and winter reads looking for a Gilmore Girl vibe of quirky, lovable characters and close-knit community.
Thank you to Penguin Canada and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All options are my own.
The Last Secret: A Novel by Maia Caron
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Review: The Last Secret by Maia Caron
The Last Secret is a dual timeline, multi-POV historical fiction with mystery and intrigue. The story is set in WWII Ukraine/Russia where a family is torn apart by war and later in the 1970s when a woman with a tragic past is realizing she is a captive in her own house. These two disparate timelines seem unconnected, but slowly a web of secrets unfolds. What is the last secret? Will confronting the secrets bring closure or chaos.
This sweeping narrative drew me in from the first few chapters as I tried to tease the mystery from its pages. I grew attached to the character’s stories and loved or loathed them. The multi-POV was fairly easy to follow and added suspense and suspicion as the story unfolded. I highly recommend for those who enjoy Kate Quinn and Julia Kelly books.
Thank you to Penguin Randomhouse Canada and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Betrayal at Blackthorn Park by Julia Kelly
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
4.0
Review: Betrayal at Blackthorn Park by Julia Kelly (book 2 of the series)
Betrayal at Blackthorn Park is an Agatha Christie style historical fiction that will keep you on your toes.
Evelyne Redfern has just finished her training with the SOE and is sent on her first mission. It is supposed to be a straightforward in and out type of mission until she happens upon a murder. Evelyne and her handsome colleague, David Poole, are teamed up yet again to solve the mystery, but it’s not going to be so easy.
I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. The WWII setting sets the stakes and allowed me to get away into a different era for a time. Kelly also used her short chapters and intrigue to draw me in and keep me reading well past my bedtime.
Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Mysterious Ways: A Novel by Wendy Wunder
emotional
medium-paced
2.5
While this book looks at mental health and damaging thoughts in a unique way, it wasn’t a good fit for me. I found myself a bit confused at times and it was difficult to follow the story for the first third of the book.
A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.0
The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord
I love Emma Lord’s YA books, and so it was easy to dive into her adult debut novel.
You should read it if you love:
▪️Fake dating
▪️Second chance romance
▪️Beach reads
▪️Strong friendships
Personally, despite Emma Lord’s lighthearted style dealing with difficult topics (grief, break-ups, hurt), I didn’t love it as much as I hoped. The story hinges on the fake dating trope, which I know a lot of people love, — and if you are a person who loves it, this book is for you — but I found it a bit tedious at times. I think I’ve just discovered that it isn’t my favourite.
Overall, The Break-Up Pact is a cute, sunny getaway of a novel, but one that wasn’t for me.
I love Emma Lord’s YA books, and so it was easy to dive into her adult debut novel.
You should read it if you love:
▪️Fake dating
▪️Second chance romance
▪️Beach reads
▪️Strong friendships
Personally, despite Emma Lord’s lighthearted style dealing with difficult topics (grief, break-ups, hurt), I didn’t love it as much as I hoped. The story hinges on the fake dating trope, which I know a lot of people love, — and if you are a person who loves it, this book is for you — but I found it a bit tedious at times. I think I’ve just discovered that it isn’t my favourite.
Overall, The Break-Up Pact is a cute, sunny getaway of a novel, but one that wasn’t for me.