Tag Archive for: 5 Stars

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The No-Show

The No-ShowTitle: The No-Show
Author: Beth O'Leary
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
Pages: 394
Length: 10h 48m
Narrator: Evanna Lynch, Heather Long, Kathryn Drysdale, Luke Thompson
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

I absolutely adored THE NO-SHOW. I loved listening to the audiobook. Each woman and Joseph had their own narrator and I loved all four voices. It looks like O’Leary is on her way to becoming a new favorite author.

Once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop. I was hooked from the get-go because I wanted to know what was going on. There are plenty of swoon-worthy moments and sexual tension, but THE NO-SHOW is so much more than just a romance. It’s a story about love, forgiveness, redemption, grief, second chances, and healing. I really loved how O’Leary wrote about mental health and healing from abusive relationships (professional and romantic). It felt real and it felt raw.

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Fourth Wing

Fourth WingTitle: Fourth Wing
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Series: Empyrean #1
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 517
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

Also in this series: Iron Flame, Onyx Storm
My Thoughts

FOURTH WING was everything I wanted in a romantasy and more. I adored the characters, especially Violet and Xaden. I could feel the sexual tension between them from the very beginning and I loved it. I loved that there was no instalove, and instead a slow-burn romance that leaves you wanting for more. The secondary characters were amazing too. Rhiannon, Ridoc, and Liam were my favorite.

I loved the world Rebecca Yarros built. It’s a beautiful world based on folktales, lore, war, power, and political drama, which is my recipe for a fantastic story. I loved the Gaelic feel to the story thanks to the names of some of the characters, most of the dragons, and lot of the places. I also loved that riders are bonded to their dragon so we can hear their voices and get to know their personalities. I also adored the mythology. It was fascinating. The magical system with signets was fun to read about and experience.

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This Spells Love

This Spells LoveTitle: This Spells Love
Author: Kate Robb
Genre: Magical Realism, Romance
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 342
Reason Read: Book of the Month
Rating:

My Thoughts

I absolutely adored THIS SPELLS LOVE and zipped right through it because I couldn’t put it down. It hooked me right from the beginning and has left me thinking about the characters and their relationships. Robb’s execution of the friends-to-lovers trope was excellently written, producing a steamy fast-paced romance. The sexual tension between Gemma and Dax is amazing and leaves you wanting for more.

I adored everything about the story. I loved Gemma Wilde, her sister, kooky aunt, and her best friend Daxon McGuire. I loved the setting of Hamilton, Canada, just outside Toronto. The description of the people, shops, pubs, curling lanes, and the waterfront of Lake Ontario had me ready to book a plane ticket so I could experience it first hand. I also loved the lit bit of paranormal, in the form of a love-cleansing spell. It was fun to see it flip Gemma’s world on its head, causing her to figure out what was truly important to her.

Book Lovers

Book LoversTitle: Book Lovers
Author: Emily Henry
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle
Pages: 377
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:

My Thoughts

I absolutely loved BOOK LOVERS. The enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity tropes are two of my favorites and Henry’s execution didn’t disappoint and was excellently written, producing a spicy slow-burn romance with some of the best bantering I’ve ever read. The sexual tension between Nora and Charlie is palpable and leaves you wanting for more. It’s also a story with some meat to it. It explores complicated familial relationships, feelings of not fitting in, extreme anxiety, different types of love, loss, and healing.

Remarkably Bright Creature

Remarkably Bright CreatureTitle: Remarkably Bright Creatures
Author: Shelby Van Pelt
Genre: Literary Fiction
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 360
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:

My Thoughts

I’m so glad my book club chose to read REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES. Otherwise, I might never have read it and I absolutely adored this book. As soon as I started reading it, I could tell it was going to suck me right in. I laughed, I cried, and I mostly smiled as I read this heart-warming story of love, loss, grief, and resilience.

I loved that it’s mostly told in a third-person limited POV and a charming first-person POV from Marcellus, the octopus–the star of the book. Marcellus is smart, snarky, a little bit cranky, and a delightful narrator. I especially loved his friendship with Tova, the main human character. Their friendship reminds us, not in a preachy way, that animals know more than they let on and they each have feelings and deserve our kindness and respect.

I also loved Tova. She was such a likable person despite being a bit closed off because of her grief. She reminded me a bit of my own grandmother whose family, like Tova’s, immigrated to the US while she was very young.