Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
 |
| Pub Date: 9-10-24 Adult - Horror |
Nightmare of a Trip- Maureen Kilmer: Leigh Somerset and her husband have planned the perfect summer trip for their family, but there's one catch-- they're road-tripping it. Leigh's husband has planned the perfect road trip adventure, which will take them from Milwaukee to Orlando, allowing them to see all the fun sights the road offers. But after stumbling upon an abandoned farmhouse in rural Indiana, Leigh and her family quickly realize their dream trip is more of a nightmare. Somehow, the family unleashes an eerie entity that starts following them along their journey, and it's up to Leigh to figure out how to save her family and turn their trip around.
I've read Kilmer's previous books, and one I loved, and the other I thought was just okay, so I was interested to see where this would land. Turns out it's firmly in the meh category. I'm a fan of B-horror movies, so I always enjoy the camp factor in her books, and I loved the idea of this family's road trip thwarted by some unknown entity. It sounded wacky and right up my alley. Unfortunately, it left me bored. None of the characters felt fleshed out, and the writing was so repetitive. It also wasn't creepy in the slightest. I don't go into her books expecting to get scared (think more along the lines of a '90s horror-comedy film), but I wanted to feel at least a little unsettled. It was a super quick read, so I'll give it that, but ultimately, I wanted more out of it.
I've read Kilmer's previous books, and one I loved, and the other I thought was just okay, so I was interested to see where this would land. Turns out it's firmly in the meh category. I'm a fan of B-horror movies, so I always enjoy the camp factor in her books, and I loved the idea of this family's road trip thwarted by some unknown entity. It sounded wacky and right up my alley. Unfortunately, it left me bored. None of the characters felt fleshed out, and the writing was so repetitive. It also wasn't creepy in the slightest. I don't go into her books expecting to get scared (think more along the lines of a '90s horror-comedy film), but I wanted to feel at least a little unsettled. It was a super quick read, so I'll give it that, but ultimately, I wanted more out of it.
Rating: 2/5
 |
| Pub Date: 4-15-24 Adult - Contemporary |
Wild and Wrangled- Lyla Sage: Cam Ashwood's life has been planned out since she was young. Her parents never gave her a say regarding Cam's life, so why should who she married be any different? Cam can marry a man she doesn't love if it will set her daughter up for the future she deserves. But when the groom backs out at the last minute, Cam's life is thrown for a loop. The one bright side is that the house Cam has loved forever is available to rent, but the one problem is her neighbor, Dusty Tucker. Cam and Dusty fell madly in love in high school and thought they were endgame, but it all fell apart, and Dusty has been running from the past ever since. Now, he's ready to put roots down in Meadowlark and even more to win back the one who got away.
The Rebel Blue series has quickly become one of my favorites, so I was both eagerly awaiting and dreading this book. I couldn't wait to see how Cam and Dusty's story would play out, but that would mean this series is over. We got glimpses into the tension between these two characters in previous books, but I've always wanted more, and Sage delivered. I was enamored with Dusty straight away. He was steadfast in his affection for Cam, and it was everything. The yearning? I cannot. Dusty was the highlight and what saved the book for me. I hate to say it, but I didn't enjoy Cam. I felt like we never broke through her defenses, and it was like being held at arm's length for the whole book. I didn't feel like I got to know her on an emotional level. Because of this, I was questioning how much she even felt for Dusty. His feelings were so in your face, and while she kept saying she loved him, there was no showing it. Despite that, I still enjoyed this conclusion to the series, and I can't wait to see what Sage comes out with next.
The Rebel Blue series has quickly become one of my favorites, so I was both eagerly awaiting and dreading this book. I couldn't wait to see how Cam and Dusty's story would play out, but that would mean this series is over. We got glimpses into the tension between these two characters in previous books, but I've always wanted more, and Sage delivered. I was enamored with Dusty straight away. He was steadfast in his affection for Cam, and it was everything. The yearning? I cannot. Dusty was the highlight and what saved the book for me. I hate to say it, but I didn't enjoy Cam. I felt like we never broke through her defenses, and it was like being held at arm's length for the whole book. I didn't feel like I got to know her on an emotional level. Because of this, I was questioning how much she even felt for Dusty. His feelings were so in your face, and while she kept saying she loved him, there was no showing it. Despite that, I still enjoyed this conclusion to the series, and I can't wait to see what Sage comes out with next.
Rating: 3/5
 |
| Pub Date: 9-19-24 Adult - Contemporary |
Rewitched- Lucy Jane Wood: Belladonna 'Belle' Blackthorn is just shy of her thirtieth birthday and feeling burnt out. She has a job she loves at a bookstore under a boss she hates and spends most of her time hiding the fact that she's a witch from those around her. But as her birthday nears, Belle receives a summons from her coven that requires her to undergo a test to judge her worthiness as a witch, and if she fails, she loses her magic forever. Belle has no time to waste training for the upcoming trial and needs all the help she can get. Luckily, the women in Belle's life, along with an unlikely mentor and a handsome watchman sworn to protect her, band together to help Belle prepare for her test, but they quickly realize that a dark force threatens to sabotage Belle's magic.
I was in the mood for a cozy read, and this delivered! More often than not, I get bored reading cozier-leaning stories, but this had just the right amount of stakes and action to keep me invested. I adored Belle as a main character and found her so relatable. I liked watching her go on this journey of self-discovery and learn to harness her powers while overcoming whatever obstacles stood in her path. The story was a little repetitive, but I enjoyed the found family and magical aspects. There's also the tiniest romance subplot that I thought was very sweet. Overall, it was a pretty lighthearted read, and I'm interested in picking up whatever Wood comes out with next.
I was in the mood for a cozy read, and this delivered! More often than not, I get bored reading cozier-leaning stories, but this had just the right amount of stakes and action to keep me invested. I adored Belle as a main character and found her so relatable. I liked watching her go on this journey of self-discovery and learn to harness her powers while overcoming whatever obstacles stood in her path. The story was a little repetitive, but I enjoyed the found family and magical aspects. There's also the tiniest romance subplot that I thought was very sweet. Overall, it was a pretty lighthearted read, and I'm interested in picking up whatever Wood comes out with next.
Rating: 3/5
Comments
Post a Comment