So I loved book 1 of this series, I thought book 2 was okay, and I think I feel about the same about book 3. Though I really like the quick-flowing writing style, over the course of the series, I feel like we just kept adding characters to the Scooby Doo crew and in this one they all kind of blended together. The only one that popped for me is Nate, and while I enjoyed getting more of his story, I felt like the climax felt a just little flat. However if you enjoyed book 2, I’d definitely recommend giving this a try!
I knew it would be hard to follow up the first book after I loved it so much, but this wasn’t the sequel I hoped for.
I felt like in so many ways, we were re-treading the ground covered in book one, and I didn’t see as much magical world-building as in the first book. While the writing was wonderful and I still loved the characters, I feel like we didn’t dive deep enough into them in this book. I think all of those elements combined really slowed the pace down. And yet the ending felt weirdly rushed?
Overall, this left me with mixed feelings about this duology, but of course, if you loved the first one, I’d still recommend picking this one up and seeing what you think. (And the audiobook narration is fantastic!)
⭐⭐⭐¾
Sequels are hard, man! (Did I mention I was in a reading slump? x_X)
What I liked: Wes. I totally wished this had been a dual POV! Wes is so obviously head over heels with Liz from the beginning, but he does what he can to help her get what she wants. And he had so many clutch saves when she was in a bind.
What I didn’t like: Liz. The clueless heroine is one of my least favorite tropes and I got pretty impatient with her. She goes through a big lying phase, treats her best friend poorly, does the whole “makeover for a guy” thing, gives the “it’s complicated” excuse for not communicating, and doesn’t treat Wes very well.
Neutral: This book was chock FULL of pop culture, movie, and song references. I don’t really have any strong feelings about them, but I know some do so I’m throwing it in here.
I don’t think this one was really for me, but if you’re interested in a classic-feeling YA romance, it might be for you!
⭐⭐⭐¼
At 3 “not-for-me” books in a row, I think I can’t deny that I’ve entered into the dreaded reading slump.
Okay, this was fabulous. Fresh tongue-in-cheek horror at its finest. I loved rooting for Margaret, as bizarre as she was with her love for her house and her acceptance of its… quirks. Loved the deeper parallels of the cycle of abuse and strength. Even the journey of Catherine’s (audiobook listener, so I’m not sure how she spells it) understanding and acceptance of her mother. Loved how it didn’t pull punches with the graphic horror, but Margaret’s reaction to it had me smiling every time. And then that ending was just *chef’s kiss.*
Excellent audiobook narration and I already recommended it to a friend within seconds of finishing. Such a satisfying read, and highly recommend for anyone looking for a paranormal horror with a likable main character and a straight-up cathartic conclusion.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Chef’s kiss and definitely in the running for a favorite read of the year.
The thought of a whimsical halfway tea house on your way to the afterlife
Lovely writing
Most of the supportive characters were engaging and likable
The audiobook narration was good
What I disliked:
The main character, Wallace. At the beginning he is awful, and I thought his redemption and personality shift was way too quick. Honestly, I think the ending he got was completely undeserved, and the speed in which he changed everything about himself made his relationships with the other characters seem shallow.
The pacing. For me, this book progressed very slowly, with the characters 0ften waxing poetic on life and death.
So overall, I didn’t really think this one was for me, but if you’re looking for a philosophical, whimsical paranormal that takes its time, this could be for you!
⭐⭐⭐½
Another recommendation from my coworker. I love the idea of a magical tea house for obvious reasons, but I can’t even with Wallace.
I’m a sucker for a time loop, and I liked Solomon’s Today, Tonight, Tomorrow, so I picked this one up. Overall, I think it was a satisfying new adult romance with slowburn type of romance, but I also thought it was on the slow side and kind of predictable. The audiobook was well-narrated, so if you’re looking for a college time loop story very similar to Palm Springs with sweet but awkward protagonists, give this one a try.
⭐⭐⭐½
Where are all my breakneck pace books at? I need you in my life.
We interrupt this book review blog for a book release update!
Into the Fire (Into the Churn #2) will be launching on 21 May, but preorders are now live and eARCs go out tomorrow! (Blurb below)
***
The finish line was only the beginning.
Champion race royalers Ezren Hart and Foster Sterling never dreamed winning the Belethea Race Royale and solving their teammate’s murder would only be the start of their troubles. With legal proceedings taking an unfortunate turn, accusations of a sham race, and a divided Belethea of warring ideals, they find themselves in the middle of a storm once again.
However, when a mysterious private investigator shows up at their doorstep with news that Ezren’s long-missing father’s life hangs in the balance, she doesn’t hesitate to chart their course to the incendiary moon of Otho despite Foster’s misgivings. But after political violence separates the pair before they even get off the ground, Foster scrapes together a crew to go after her.
While Ezren and Foster race toward Otho, the growing ripples of corruption bring the system to the brink of war with the two of them balanced on the tipping point. As they run, drive, and fight across an explosive land scarred with bullets and death, they’ll have to decide what sacrifices they’re willing to make for a dangerous discovery in a world prepared to silence their voices forever.
Because on Otho, there are no winners—only survivors.
***
Ebooks are available for preorder Amazon here! If you want to grab the preorder incentives, you’ll need to order directly from Whimsical Publishing, here! (As of this writing, there should be some left, but they’re going fast!)
If you’d prefer to sign up for an advance review copy, you can apply here!
If you want to check out the Into the Fire vibes on Spotify, you can find the playlist here. And you can also add it to your Goodreads, here.
I’m so excited for eARCs to go out today and see what everyone thinks! As always, thank you so much for reading and all of your support—your recommendations, ratings, and reviews give these books wings! (And if you’d like to receive updates like this to your email, you can sign up for my newsletter on the homepage!)
If you want the gorgeous preorder incentives, be sure to preorder from Whimsical Publishing’s website before they sell out!
This was… a very weird book. My coworker begged me for months to read it so that we can talk about the end. So finally, here we are. First of all this book is very dark, so watch the content warnings, and I can honestly say that throughout, I had no idea where it was all going, but I thought the end suitably fit to complete the picture.
While I did appreciate how unique the premise and set up was of this world, my biggest issue was that I didn’t really care or connect with any of the characters, so I felt like I witnessed their bizarre, almost-trippy plight in a kind of detached way. And because of the way this is set up, I felt like the climax was extremely understated. That said, if you’re looking for a dark, strange tale of powerful Gods that feels a “out there,” this might be for you.
⭐⭐⭐½
Yes, you were right, coworker, that book was definitely weird.
I didn’t find this one quite as compelling or novel as some of Gladwell’s other books, but the breakdown of how ideas are spread and the case studies illustrating the points are interesting. The audiobook is only 3 hours, so definitely worth a listen if you’re interested in the nature of virality. Though it doesn’t mention the influence of social media on these ideas, the afterword does include other interesting applications inspired by the principles.
⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Totally ready for my books to hit the tipping point over here, just saying. (A girl can dream.)
This is my second Lisa Jewell book, and it gave me a very similar feeling to the first one. (The Night She Disappeared.) Although it held my attention, I couldn’t quite connect with the characters and didn’t find the (not-so-happy) ending to be as satisfying as I would’ve hoped. However, if you like unreliable main characters and a domestic mystery that runs a bit on the grittier side, check this one out!
⭐⭐⭐½
Ehh… probably not for me, but this could be for you!
Hayley Reese Chow 