Tag Archive for: 4 Stars

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Play Nice

Play NiceTitle: Play Nice
Author: Rachel Harrison
Genre: Fantasy, Horror
Format: Audio
Pages: 336
Length: 10h 18m
Narrator: Alex Finke, Natasha Soudek
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

I’m so glad I decided to read PLAY NICE during the “spookiest” month of the year. It was a such a fun take on the haunted house trope. I loved the depth to the story, facing and conquering metaphorical and real demons. Even though Clio seems really selfish and a little bit narcissistic at the beginning, I loved her character arc. I also loved her tenacity and drive to find the truth. I also loved the little bit of romance between her a certain handsome neighbor. My only complaint is that I wanted a less vague ending in regard to Clio and her relationships.

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Darling Girl

Darling GirlTitle: Darling Girl
Author: Liz Michalski
Genre: Magical Realism, Thriller
Format: Audio
Pages: 341
Length: 11h 42m
Narrator: Elizabeth Knowelden
Reason Read: Book of the Month
Rating:

My Thoughts

DARLING GIRL was a very interesting, dark twist on Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. I really enjoyed the topsy turvy nature of this story and flipping everything on its head. I thought the idea of Holly Darling looking for her daughter while trying to keep her son safe from what lurks in the shadows, windows, and wind was a fun concept.

At first, I thought Holly was selfish but as I learned more and more about the truth and what happened to her and her family, I realized that even though many of her decisions and actions were questionable, she did what she thought was best for her family. I liked her arc of character growth. I wish, however, she had done more in the story instead of relying on other people. The ending was a bit anticlimactic because of it. I also didn’t think she spent enough time with Christopher Cooke to warrant him being the love interest. I loved that he was, but I thought he needed more time and pages in the story.

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The Slowest Burn

The Slowest BurnTitle: The Slowest Burn
Author: Sarah Chamberlain
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
Pages: 336
Length: 11h 12m
Narrator: Hunter Johns, Kate Handford
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed THE SLOWEST BURN. I loved both Ellie and Kieran, their chemistry, and banter. I loved that the story switched between Ellie and Kieran’s POVs. I thought it was a fun, spicy, enemies-to-lovers romance that dealt with some hard topics.

I really appreciated the look at grief from different perspectives and how messy it can be. I also loved the look at what it feels like to be a square peg in a round-hole family and never measuring up for the people who are supposed to love you. I loved the sense of found family, the look at neurodivergence, and the lesson of learning to love yourself the way you are.

One-Star Romance

One-Star RomanceTitle: One-Star Romance
Author: Laura Hankin
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
Pages: 383
Length: 10h 57m
Narrator: Laura Hankin
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed ONE-STAR ROMANCE. It was a fun, enemies-to-lovers romance. I loved the chemistry between Natalie and Rob from the very beginning. I normally like romances that don’t span years between when the protagonist and their love interest get together, but I did like how Hankin handled it in ONE-STAR ROMANCE. It felt like the romance was that much more sweet because of how long it took the characters to admit to and act on their feelings. I also loved that the author narrated the audiobook.

Ink Blood Sister Scribe

Ink Blood Sister ScribeTitle: Ink Blood Sister Scribe
Author: Emma Törzs
Genre: Magical Realism
Format: Audio
Pages: 407
Length: 13h 53m
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
Reason Read: Book of the Month
Rating:

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed INK BLOOD SISTER SCRIBE. I thought the concept and magic system were very intriguing. I also thought the mystery aspect of the story was fun. I guessed a lot of what was going on but I still enjoyed reading the story as everything came to fruition.

I loved both Esther and Joanna. I felt for them as they learned the truth that had been hidden from them for most of their lives. Even though I liked Nicholas, I thought he was really naïve and needed to ask more questions. I also liked Collins, just not as a romantic interest for Joanna. I would’ve rather seen her with Nicholas.