Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
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| Pub Date: 5-28-24 Adult - Fantasy |
Evocation- S.T. Gibson: Growing up under the thumb of his oppressive occultist father, David Aristarkhov, played the role of being a psychic prodigy. Now, he's almost thirty, a successful attorney, and moonlights as a powerful medium for a secret society. But when a job goes wrong, and David starts hearing a demon he never summoned, he fears being possessed. Against his better judgment, David reaches out to Rhys, his ex-boyfriend and rival within the secret society, for help. As the pair and Rhys's wife, Moira, delve into David's condition, they learn of an ancestral deal plaguing the Aristarkov line. David's days are numbered, and if the trio can't find a way to break the curse, then the Devil will take what's his.
I always go into Gibson's books with high hopes that never seem to get met. That's not to say her books are bad, but something about them always falls slightly short of what I wanted. I always enjoy her writing style and the premises of her books. I read this in a day because I needed to know how the story would wrap up. There were interesting paranormal and occult elements and complex relationships between our three main characters. But my main hang-up with this was the characters. I loved getting POVs from all three, but some weren't as strong or fleshed out as I would've liked. The trio worked well together, although the throuple dynamic didn't work for me. Despite little nitpicky things, I enjoyed it and will likely continue with the series.
I always go into Gibson's books with high hopes that never seem to get met. That's not to say her books are bad, but something about them always falls slightly short of what I wanted. I always enjoy her writing style and the premises of her books. I read this in a day because I needed to know how the story would wrap up. There were interesting paranormal and occult elements and complex relationships between our three main characters. But my main hang-up with this was the characters. I loved getting POVs from all three, but some weren't as strong or fleshed out as I would've liked. The trio worked well together, although the throuple dynamic didn't work for me. Despite little nitpicky things, I enjoyed it and will likely continue with the series.
Rating: 3.5/5
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| Pub Date: 6-24-22 Adult - Contemporary |
Flawless- Elsie Silver: Summer Hamilton is fresh out of law school and working at her father's agency firm. Rhett Eaton is a professional bull-rider whose recent comments have caused a bit of a commotion, leading to his sponsors dropping him. Summer's father will do whatever it takes to patch up Rhett's image, even if that means sending Summer in to babysit. Neither is thrilled about this situation, but Summer is determined to make it work despite Rhett's grumbling. But it doesn't take long before their friction turns into attraction, and both must decide if they're willing to put their hearts on the line.
I've wanted to pick up something by Silver for a while now because her books are all over BookTok/Bookstagram, and I'm glad I finally did. I'm always wary of romances that are over 400 pages because I usually find them unnecessarily drawn out, but this one flew by. Silver's writing was so breezy that the length never bothered me. I enjoyed the characters. Summer was so endearing, and I could relate to her people-pleasing ways. Rhett was arrogant and had this bad-boy swagger, but was such a softie inside. I loved how they balanced each other out, and their teasing banter was so fun. I also loved the secondary characters and the family dynamic (except for Summer's family, everyone but her dad could kick rocks), and I'm excited to continue the series.
I've wanted to pick up something by Silver for a while now because her books are all over BookTok/Bookstagram, and I'm glad I finally did. I'm always wary of romances that are over 400 pages because I usually find them unnecessarily drawn out, but this one flew by. Silver's writing was so breezy that the length never bothered me. I enjoyed the characters. Summer was so endearing, and I could relate to her people-pleasing ways. Rhett was arrogant and had this bad-boy swagger, but was such a softie inside. I loved how they balanced each other out, and their teasing banter was so fun. I also loved the secondary characters and the family dynamic (except for Summer's family, everyone but her dad could kick rocks), and I'm excited to continue the series.
Rating: 3/5
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| Pub Date: 4-2-24 Adult - Historical Fiction |
A Short Walk Through a Wide World- Douglas Westerbeke: Aubry Tourvel was a spoiled nine-year-old growing up in Paris when her life changed forever. One night, while eating dinner with her family, Aubry began to bleed to death. Her condition puzzled doctors, and no treatment seemed to work. So frustrated, Aubry began to run. Surprisingly, her condition gets better when she reaches the outskirts of town. So Aubry, realizing movement would keep her alive, began to walk. Unable to stay in one place for too long, Aubry's travels soon take her all over the globe, from deserts to jungles to an infinite underground library. As Aubry wanders, she shares her life in snippets with those she meets along the way, all the while learning how to survive and what it truly means to be alive.
I had this on my most anticipated releases list, so I had high hopes for it. While they weren't completely met, I still enjoyed it. I found the first half engaging, but it started to feel repetitive the longer it went on. I was interested in Aubry's journey and all the places she ended up, but because she can't stay in one place for too long, everything just felt like little blips on a radar. She interacts with many side characters, but we never get to stay with them long enough to develop a connection. It also felt like we didn't get a definitive answer regarding the nature of her illness, so I was left scratching my head at the end, wondering how it all came to be. Despite all that, I liked Westerbeke's writing, and the story had its moments, so I'd still recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction with a dash of magical realism.
I had this on my most anticipated releases list, so I had high hopes for it. While they weren't completely met, I still enjoyed it. I found the first half engaging, but it started to feel repetitive the longer it went on. I was interested in Aubry's journey and all the places she ended up, but because she can't stay in one place for too long, everything just felt like little blips on a radar. She interacts with many side characters, but we never get to stay with them long enough to develop a connection. It also felt like we didn't get a definitive answer regarding the nature of her illness, so I was left scratching my head at the end, wondering how it all came to be. Despite all that, I liked Westerbeke's writing, and the story had its moments, so I'd still recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction with a dash of magical realism.
Rating: 3/5
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