Tag Archive for: Stand-Alone

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Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight SoilTitle: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil
Author: V.E. Schwab
Genre: Romantasy
Format: Audio
Pages: 535
Length: 18h 26m
Narrator: Katie Leung, and more
Source: Library
Rating:

My Thoughts

I didn’t realize BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL was a vampire story going in. That was a fun discovery. I enjoyed the stories of each of the women. Although, Alice was my favorite because I related to her more than the other two. I wasn’t as interested in or drawn to the sapphic relationships as I was the other aspects of the story. However, I think these relationships were the best way to tell the story Schwab wanted to tell.

Additional Narrators: Marisa Calin, Julia Whelan

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The Poet Empress

The Poet EmpressTitle: The Poet Empress
Author: Shen Tao
Genre: Fantasy
Format: Audio
Pages: 400
Length: 15h 43m
Narrator: Katharine Chin, Eric Yang
Source: Owned
Reason: Recommended
Rating:

My Thoughts

I’m really glad I decided to read THE POET EMPRESS. It’s a lot darker than I normally read and it’s my first anti-romance, but I ended up loving the story and all that was at stake. I especially loved the Chinese historical and poetic influences. The political intrigue and the themes of nature vs. nurture, redemption, and revenge gave me a lot of think about as I read. I’m glad the book ended the way it did. I think it was right for the story and the characters.

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If Not For My Baby

If Not For My BabyTitle: If Not For My Baby
Author: Kate Golden
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
Pages: 448
Length: 11h 38m
Narrator: Ellie Gossage, Eric Nolan
Source: Library
Reason: Recommended
Rating:

My Thoughts

IF NOT FOR MY BABY is my second Kate Golden book. I liked the first one just a tad bit better because of its urban fantasy genre. However, this was a fun, heart-felt romance about love, loss, and moving forward despite the pain. I really loved both Clem and Tom, their sexual tension, and their chemistry. I loved all the supporting characters as well and I’m glad a certain someone got what was coming to them.

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How to Write a Love Story

How to Write a Love StoryTitle: How to Write a Love Story
Author: Catherine Walsh
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
Pages: 336
Length: 9h 10m
Narrator: Jonathan Aarons, Róisín Rankin
Source: Owned
Reason: Book of the Month
Rating:

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed HOW TO WRITE A LOVE STORY. It was a fun premise. I loved the way Walsh wrote grief, its many forms, how it affects our lives, and people don’t grieve the same way. I loved the characters, especially Sam and Ciara. I love watching them get to know each other and learn to care for each other. I loved the setting in Ireland and getting to experience a little of Irish culture.

Hang the Moon

Hang the MoonTitle: Hang the Moon
Author: Jeannette Walls
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: Audio
Pages: 349
Length: 12h 29m
Narrator: Jeannette Walls
Source: Owned
Reason: BotM Backlist
Rating:

My Thoughts

I love prohibition era stories so when I read the synopsis for HANG THE MOON, I was super excited to read it. I didn’t realize until about a third of the way through the story that Walls was using Queen Elizabeth I’s life as inspiration for the main character. At first, I liked the allusion but then it just got to be too much. I wished it hadn’t so closely followed that history because I kept wondering who each character represented in Tudor era England. The story was also a little slow and, at times, really grim and sad. (I get it. Both of the these times in history were grim and sad. I had just hoped for something a little more inspiring.) I’m glad I read the book, even if it was a little disappointing.