Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
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| Pub Date: 2-13-24 Adult - Fantasy |
The Book of Doors- Gareth Brown: Cassie Andrews lives a quiet life as a bookseller in New York City. She loves being surrounded by books all day and chatting with the regulars, especially Mr. Webber. One night, while Cassie's closing the shop, she finds Mr. Webber slumped over a chair. After the police take away his body, Cassie finds a small leather book addressed to her that Mr. Webber left behind. Cassie quickly discovers that this is no ordinary book but the Book of Doors-- a magical item that will transport Cassie anywhere she wants to go. At first, the book seems like the greatest gift, allowing Cassie to explore far-off places whenever she desires, but there's a dark side to owning such an item. Now Cassie, her best friend, and a mysterious librarian must keep themselves and the book safe from a sinister figure who will stop at nothing to retrieve it.
To say that this was a disappointing read would be a vast understatement. I loved all the books it's compared to, so I went in with very high expectations, which were quickly crushed. I could tell within the first 5o pages or so that Brown's writing wasn't for me. I liked the atmosphere and the premise, but his characters were horrible. Every female character felt like a stereotypical caricature (one character even calls herself disgusting for eating pancakes and bacon at midnight after already saying she loves bread but can't eat it because it goes straight to her hips). Like, has Brown ever spoken to a female in his life? Because it didn't seem that way. His male characters weren't any better, with some even coming across as if they were a cartoon villain. The only thing this book delivered for me was the whimsy, but everything else didn't work.
Rating: 2/5
To say that this was a disappointing read would be a vast understatement. I loved all the books it's compared to, so I went in with very high expectations, which were quickly crushed. I could tell within the first 5o pages or so that Brown's writing wasn't for me. I liked the atmosphere and the premise, but his characters were horrible. Every female character felt like a stereotypical caricature (one character even calls herself disgusting for eating pancakes and bacon at midnight after already saying she loves bread but can't eat it because it goes straight to her hips). Like, has Brown ever spoken to a female in his life? Because it didn't seem that way. His male characters weren't any better, with some even coming across as if they were a cartoon villain. The only thing this book delivered for me was the whimsy, but everything else didn't work.
Rating: 2/5
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| Pub Date: 3-5-24 Adult - Contemporary |
Swift and Saddled- Lyla Sage: Ada Hart has learned the hard way not to depend on anyone, especially a man. After a rough patch of failing out of her interior design degree and her short-lived disastrous marriage, Ada is looking for a fresh start for her business. Her chance to prove herself comes in the form of Rebel Blue Ranch. Ada can't wait to start working on renovating one of the ranch's buildings, but things turn sour when she realizes the handsome cowboy she kissed on her first night in Meadowlark is none other than her boss. Weston Ryder has a reputation for being a nice guy. The one everyone can rely on. Wes has never really gone after what he wants, but things change once he meets Ada. The pair can't deny the crackling attraction, but Ada's hesitant to start anything that could jeopardize this opportunity. Will the pair make it through the project without falling for one another? Or will the walls around Ada's heart come tumbling down as well?
I liked the first book in this series. It was cute, but it didn't blow me away, so I thought maybe cowboy romances weren't for me, but Sage has me over here yee'in' and haw'in' with this second installment. I couldn't get enough of it. I even sacrificed sleep so I could finish it all in one sitting. I was hooked and needed to know what would happen between Ada and Wes. I loved how different they were; Ada comes across as aloof and a little cold, whereas Wes always had a smile on his face and a helping hand. But as they got to know one another, you got to see all the different layers of their personalities. Ada has these deep-rooted insecurities that hit so close to home, and Wes struggles with his mental health. Seeing them be vulnerable and care for one another was so sweet. I was swooning and smiling to myself the entire time. I would highly recommend it if you're in the mood for a fun opposites-attract romance, and I can't wait for the next book.
Rating: 5/5
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| Pub Date: 3-19-24 YA - Thriller |
Where Sleeping Girls Lie- Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé: After being homeschooled most of her life, Sade Hussein is about to start her junior year of high school at the prestigious Alfred Nobel Academy boarding school. All of Sade's life, she's felt like a magnet of bad luck, so she's hoping to turn over a new leaf. But on Sade's first night, her roommate goes missing, leaving her new classmates to believe she had something to do with it. Suddenly, Sade is the talk of the school's rumor mill and catches the eye of the most popular girls in school--dubbed the "Unholy Trinity"--and taken under their wing. When another student is found dead, Sade realizes something dangerous is happening on campus and takes it upon herself to find justice. But she didn't count on her secrets coming to light, too.
I enjoyed Ace of Spades, so I was looking forward to picking up another book by this author. I loved how it was another academic setting, this time surrounding the disappearance of our main character's roommate. I liked following along with Sade as she tried to uncover clues about what happened. It's very dark and, sadly, something that happens all too often. My main issue was that the pacing was so slow. You could've cut out ~100 pages and told the same story. So many passages felt mundane and unnecessary, and they kept pulling me out of the story. I couldn't tell how everything would wrap up, so that was a point in its favor, but I couldn't get over what a slog it was to get through.
I enjoyed Ace of Spades, so I was looking forward to picking up another book by this author. I loved how it was another academic setting, this time surrounding the disappearance of our main character's roommate. I liked following along with Sade as she tried to uncover clues about what happened. It's very dark and, sadly, something that happens all too often. My main issue was that the pacing was so slow. You could've cut out ~100 pages and told the same story. So many passages felt mundane and unnecessary, and they kept pulling me out of the story. I couldn't tell how everything would wrap up, so that was a point in its favor, but I couldn't get over what a slog it was to get through.
Rating: 3/5
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