Last month, I wasn’t in the biggest reading mood and that might have been because I wasn’t blown away by everything I read.
I read five books – ranging from fantasy to rom-coms.
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn was an anticipated read and it didn’t disappoint. It’s the second instalment in the Legendborn Cycle series, following Bree as she goes on to discover secrets about her life, her family heritage and the magic that’s hidden in plain sight. It’s a fun series, with a sprinkle of the Welsh language and Arthurian legend stories woven into the plot. The main character is extremely likeable and the side characters are all important to the story. Like the first book, this one does a great job demonstrating grief and how one might navigate the loss of a loved one.
A book I anticipated but didn’t love as much as I wanted was Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros. It took me ages to want to pick it up and finish it. I’ve spent so long thinking how I was going to rate and review this one too. There wasn’t anything inherently bad about it and I will likely continue with the series. But it wasn’t up to the standard of the first book. It did feel predictable at times too. It was entertaining to be back in the world with Violet and the dragons. And finding out more about the dragon history and the world outside of what we already knew was interesting, especially the other leaders and how they ruled.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach is another one that’s talked about a lot in the book world and unfortunately I got spoiled for the ending so it didn’t have the same impact I would have hoped. It follows a depressed woman who arrives at a hotel as she discovers she’s the only guest to not be a part of the wedding being held that weekend. The bride is not happy about the mishap or the fact someone might sour her special day. This is a story of friendship and self-discovery. It’s a lighthearted read with a few sad moments. Overall a good and unique story.
The Rival by Emma Lord was sent to me by the publishers for an honest review. Sadie arrives at university, excited to be away from her arch nemesis, Seb. Sadie wants to be a writer – specifically for the student newspaper. Seb shows up and decides to compete for the same spot on the paper. The journalism setting was interesting especially showing the decline in funding in the industry. There were some funny moments between the two main characters and the friendship developed naturally. One of my biggest issues with this one is a lot of the side characters felt one dimensional and didn’t add much to the plot. There were too many side characters as well.
The final book I read was a novella – The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez. This author is a great writer and makes every character she writes come alive on the page. Charlotte and Seth end up stuck in the top floor of their apartment building when someone accidentally removes the stairs. This makes it impossible for them to leave the building. This is a funny plot point but like all Jimenez books it has layers. The characters are dealing with traumatic events in their lives – from a crazy stalker to a divorce. While it was a nice, quick read, it did feel a bit improbable at times. I think for such serious topics, it could have been a bit longer too so they could flesh it out a bit more. It felt like it had been wrapped up with the perfect ending a bit too quickly.
My ratings:
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Wedding People by Alison Espach ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Rival by Emma Lord ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Have you read any of the books mentioned? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below.
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