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shannon_cocktailsandbooks's reviews
5586 reviews
Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas
challenging
dark
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
5.0
My favorite note from this re-read: "Pride is a bitch, Chaol." šš
The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers
slow-paced
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this title. I will admit, the cover drew me to this story more than anything else, but I was intrigued by the blurb. The story started off well, but the character development and execution of the overall storyline fell short for me. There were many questions that weren't answered when it was all said and done that made me wonder why I spent the past few days reading it.
Tempting Promises by Corinne Michaels
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I wasn't sure what to expect from Rowan Whitlock, but let me tell you š„š„š„
In this installment of the Whitlock series, youngest brother Rowan tangles with next-door neighbor Charlotte and things get hot pretty fast. There's a bit of history between Rowan and Charlotte. She has a smidgeon of animosity towards Rowan because she thinks he cheated on her sister Aurora. But as they say, there is a fine line between love and hate and these two are almost professional tight-rope walkers. But when they finally submit, I'm surprised they didn't burn down all of Sugarloaf.
I loved Rowan. There was a part of me that identified with his sarcasm and loved him all the more for it. His interactions with Olivia always left a smile on my face, along with his brothers and sisters. But when he was with Charlotte, he went next level. Yes, he was bossy (especially behind closed doors), but he always made sure Charlotte know he was supporting her and she could do whatever she put her mind to.
Charlotte on the other hand. She was mean and witchy a lot of the time. I get it, she was backing her sister, but was her sister really worth that blind loyalty? I think my favorite part of the book was on page 133 (I wrote it down) when Charlotte realized she was a witch! Half the battle is realizing it, Charlotte, so kudos to you.
As with the other books in this series, it was a great mix of fun times, smexy times with a little bit of angst sprinkled in. This was the perfect weekend read.
My Anti-Hero by Tijan
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.5
Billie and Brett had me wondering what was happening a lot of the time. They were both changed by the events of their childhood, dealing with things in their way...making it day by day not making connections. But a meet-cute at a local TV station changed both of them.
Billie had some pretty horrible stuff happen to her, so I don't fault her with finding solace with her chickens. They only wanted to love her and didn't hold anything that happened in her past against her. Billie couldn't see that her adoptive family was the same way. But when Brett came into her life, she latched onto him very quickly and opened up to him in a way she wouldn't with her family. I couldn't understand why, but I kept telling myself to stop worrying about the why and be happy she could open herself up to Brett.
Brett was another tough nut to crack. Unable to forgive himself for what he'd done in the past or recognize that he'd pulled himself out of that situation. Instead, he isolated himself. That is, until Billie. When he met her, all that went out the window. Again, I couldn't understand why. Was this a like calls to like kinda thing? In the end, I kept telling myself to get over it.
The suspense portion of the storyline was fun. I kept vacillating on who I thought it was...almost thinking I was right and then Tijan proved me wrong.
For those who've read the author's Fallen Crest series, this is a series adjacent book so you'll see some familiar characters (Chandler šš).
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
My goodness! Iām emotionally drained after this.