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velsbooknook's reviews
243 reviews
4.25
Take a grumpy rancher and a sunshine wellness influencer and you got the perfect combo for a cute, lighthearted and spicy summer read.
Aurora was so fun! She had some strong self doubts but she also was so positive and just so loveable.
Wyatt was a foul mouthed grump on the other hand but it turns out he also is a real gentleman.
I loved that both, Rory and Wyatt came with their own insecurities and their relationship felt very healthy, with them overcomming their past and supporting each other no matter what. I had a blast following their story and reading about all the ideas for Willow Ridge's future.
The story gave me Lindsey Lohan romcom vibes (in the best way possible) but also reminded me of Hannah Montana The Movie (you should have seen my face when it got mentioned in the book).
This book is about biting the bullet and just doing what makes you happy and fulfills your life. Finding yourself and knowing your worth. It may sound cheesy but sometimes it's all you need in life. Take the leap and try something completely new.
Thank you Emma Lucy and her PR-team for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Grief
4.5
This Summer Will be Different is the perfect summer read!
I loved the setting. The description of Prince Edward Island made me want to book a trip right now! I could smell the salty water, taste the delicious food and feel the sun on my skin. The story is told by Lucy's perspective, in past and present. It's a lovestory but also about friendship and found family. I loved the strong bond between the FMC Lucy and her childhood friend Bridget. Them being there for eachother in the good and bad times, having eachother's back and empowering one another.
Felix is Bridget's brother and Lucy clearly has a thing for him. But she and her best friend have three rules when they are in PEI: eat as much oysters as possible, leave the city behind and do not fall in love with Bridget's brother. Lucy is trying her best but their chemistry is undeniable. I could feel the electricity between those pages.
I flew through that book and those characters are simply beautiful, it was pure joy to follow them through the story.
Not only is this story about finding love but also about finding yourself and I can't recommend this book enough.
Thank you for Carley Fortune, Berkley Publishing & NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Miscarriage, and Grief
4.5
The story follows three women. Anna who spent the last three years in prison, then one night before she gets to be set free a horrible thing happens in her prison cell. Lucy who is in love with her professor and Marie who is a recluse, who is not ready to be set free. All women live very different lives but they all will collide at some point.
I was drawn into Anna's story from chapter one. It was fast paced, mysterious and kept me excited for more. I was a little sad when the POV switched to Lucy. Once I got to know Lucy a little better I also was very interested in her story - or to be honest, the professor's story. About Marie, everything you need to know is already said.
I don't want to reveal more because Tyce's books are always best to go into blind. I love her writting and enjoy that they are a little slower than the usual thriller. Her writing style is mysterious and captivating - I rated all her books 4⭐ and higher. A Lesson in Cruelty was right up my alley, like her other works. I can recommend this book with all my heart and I'm excited for people to read this story. I listened to the audiobook and I truly had a very good time.
Thank you so much to Harriet Tyce, Headline Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for me honest opinion.
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, and Murder
3.5
I have some mixed feelings about it. First of all I don't know much about what happened during the Vietnam war. But knowing Kristin Hannah always does a ton of research and reading her author's note makes me believe that it is a quite accurate portrait of women during that time. I loved the first 70% and I flew through them. Kristin Hannah always does a great job with writing strong women and very emotional stories about their lives - also this time. My heart broke for Frankie more than once. When I hit the 70% mark things went a little downhill in my opinion though. Some moments were off, some happened too quickly, some paragraphs just didn't feel like Kristin Hannah. I enjoyed the last 10% again but it's definitely not her strongest work for me. What I really loved about this book is the friendships Frankie made during her time in Vietnam. She saw so much horror but she also had her friends to talk to and rely on and that is something she held on to during the whole book.
Thank you to Kristin Hannah, Pan Macmillian and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and War
2.5
Thank you to Audrey Blake, Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Infidelity, Medical content, and War
3.75
While I still love the world and the diversity of the characters I was missing the dynamics of the characters from book one.
I loved that the group of characters was traveling on a quest and that was the main reason why book two felt a little flat for me. While I was reading I couldn't point out why I struggled with following the story so much, but 80% in it clicked and I understood what was missing. The last 20% were amazing and they were exactly what I wanted. It's been a few days since I finished the book and I feel like I have already forgotten the majority of the plot. Sunbringer definitely isn't a bad book but it didn't click with me as Godkiller did and I'm hopeful that book three will be more to my liking again.
5.0
The story follows Loretta, a young mom in the 1950's. Living an isolated and uneventful life, with her two children and husband, until a local girl gets murdered and Loretta starts to gets visions from beyond.
This book was a mix of historical fiction, mystery and horror. I was captivated from the beginning and I can't remember a time I was that invested in a story and its characters.
The book shows the social norms and especially misogyny in the 1950's very well and it's making Loretta's life living hell. I think she was such a well rounded character and I was rooting for her and her dreams from the first minute. My heart shattered later in the book and I don't want to think about people, outside this fictional world, going through the horrors Loretta had to face.
I loved the side characters and even though this book has some very dark moments there are also equally beautiful scenes between the characters.
The Devil and Mrs. Davenport is not an easy read but if you feel ok after reading content warnings I highly recommend picking this one up. I would love to write more about this amazing novel but I also don't want to spoil the story for you, so I'll stop here. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
Thank you to Paulette Kennedy, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, and Murder
2.75
The book had so many characters and different POVs that I had quite some trouble following. They all had some secrets from eachother, were very unlikeable and I wasn't really invested in them. I had moments I really liked the book and other parts just dragged on. The pacing was very off in my opinion and I'm a little sad I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked. As the secrets start to unravel and the big twist is about to be revealed I sadly was already mentally checked out from the story and I didn't really care about the outcome. It isn't a bad book per se but it simply wasn't my cup of tea.
Thank you to Aggie Blum Thompson, A Forgebooks and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for me honest opinion.
Graphic: Death, Blood, Car accident, and Murder
5.0
Oh how much I love this world and its characters. The description of characters and their surroundings made me feel like watching a movie while reading. Any kind of magic relating to nature and plants is always a big yes for me and Tallulah is such a wonderful character. Seeing Evren and Tallulah struggle with the situation they are in was very captivating and I absolutely loved seeing them together. I wish the novella was longer. For me it was the perfect rainy day read and I can't wait for you all to read it! The pub date is Feb 28. It's recommended to be read in between Through The Wicked Wood and Through A Somber Sky and you really don't want to miss out on this sweet story.
Thank you to the author for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Graphic: Alcoholism and Violence