Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – The Switch

The Switch follows a grandmother and her granddaughter as they seek to cope with a still-raw family tragedy and a recent divorce. They swap apartments for a few months in hopes of a change of scenery to help them with a fresh start.

If this plot sounds like a Hallmark movie, it’s because it definitely could be. Eileen and Leena are both sweet and so easy to root for, and in their new environments, they both manage to instill positive change while also discovering the much needed growth they were looking for. You’ll be able to see the romance coming from a mile away, but the romantic interests are also likeable and have a natural development. The audiobook was well told, with different narrators for the two MCs, and overall I definitely enjoyed this light, sweet romance.

Although there’s nothing very surprising or new here, if you’re a fan of Hallmark movies, you will almost certainly enjoy this one.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

But hey, who doesn’t like a good Hallmark movie now and then?

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Book Review – A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire

Okay, so I had mixed thoughts on the first book (specifically I thought the first half was boring, and the second half was awesome), but it left off on a bit of cliff-hanger so I decided to give book two a try, and I was NOT disappointed.

I INHALED this book. Book two successfully intensified everything I enjoyed from book one. Although once again, I did think the start was a touch slow, I wasn’t bothered too much because I was already so invested in the characters. And the side characters really showed up here too in the best way. I absolutely loved Kieran. And this time, I loved learning about the world. The world-building definitely fleshed out and deepened here, but it was more seamlessly woven into book two.

It’s darker, it’s steamier (kind of veering into the weird, but this is a world of essentially vampires and werewolves so… you know), and in general, it’s just more awesome. Cas and Poppy are borderline dysfunctional and absolutely violent, but they seem so suited to each other, and their dynamic just totally works. If you’re unfazed by sex, violence, and language, and you enjoyed the second half of book one, then I wholeheartedly recommend. On to Book 3!

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Modern day Wolven reporting for duty here.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – The Book of Lost Names

Okay… this review is going to be a little different than the one I posted on Goodreads, because honestly, I’m still mad about the ending. While what I wrote on Goodreads still stands… I’m going to add a little extra because I just need to vent (but I’ll still refrain from spoilers). So here’s my Goodreads review:

A wonderful historical fiction of the forgers in the French resistance in World War II. I loved the characters, their romance, and their story but this definitely left me feeling heavy (which I suppose should be expected from a WWII novel). I picked up the audiobook from the library, and the narrator did a wonderful job with the accents. Although I think the ending technically would be classified as a happy ending, it was super bittersweet, and I still felt really sad for the MCs. I just loved them so much, I was really hoping for more for them. 😭 (No actual tears shed, but definitely a sigh.) Now I need to go listen to something happy. 😭

Okay… now here are my thoughts after stewing over it for a few days. Did I say bittersweet? I meant BITTERsweet. I mean, I did love like 95% of this book… but the whole time, I was basically twisting myself into a knot, saying: This BETTER have a happy ending. They can NOT just build me up like this. There has to be some kind of twist. Etc. Etc. Etc. And then the ending came and… it just wasn’t enough. The near-misses almost seem cruel, and with so much other sad stuff that happens in the book, we couldn’t just have one wonderful thing to hold onto?! I was talking to one of my other author friends… and basically I’m still not over it. If you’re into bittersweet… sure, give it a shot. Or, just stop at the 95% mark and make up your own ending.

⭐⭐⭐1⁄2

Rant over.
Do I feel better?
…Nope… still not over it.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Book Review – Darling, there are Wolves in the Woods

Darling there are Wolves in the Woods by LV Russell follows Teya as she enters an enchanted, dark wood to find her sister who was stolen by the fey ten years past. As she struggles to survive the horrors of the wood, the complex fey, Lathaniel, become inextricably entwined with her journey.

I really loved the writing style of this book. The descriptions were incredibly evocative and painted such a vivid picture of the darkly magical wood. I also super loved just how dark this fairytale-like story was. It was just the right amount of creepy and disturbing without feeling like anything was added for shock value or out of place. Even though the woods are obviously a death trap you wouldn’t want to find yourself in, they sounded so beautiful, I could see how they would draw someone in. And I loved all the interesting descriptions of the dark magic that exists in this world.

I found Lathaniel to be a very interesting, complicated character… which, after countless years as a fey, a cruel race, and with his a thorny past, makes a lot of sense. Even though he’s very forward about his flaws and is dangerous in so many ways, I can see how Teya would be drawn to him. Teya though, was a bit frustrating to me. Teya has definitely had it rough too in life, but I found her to be rather mercurial in her relationship with Lathaniel, and I had trouble understanding her motivation for some of her choices. But I was definitely still rooting for her, and since there are sequels there’s still a lot of room for growth.

Totally recommend to anyone looking for a unique, dark fairytale with complex characters and beautiful writing.

 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐   

And, it’s been set free into the local Little Free Library. I have no doubt it’ll be snapped up in no time!

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Float Plan

Another fabulous impulse check out audiobook from the library! Still reeling from her fiancé’s suicide ten months ago, Anna takes off in his sailboat on a trip they were supposed to take together, and quickly realizes she’s going to need a guide. Enter the handsome Irishman, Keane, who’s still recovering from his own loss.

This is the perfect beach read. Beautiful storytelling, gorgeous imagery of sailing the Caribbean, a lovely romance, and a powerful message about healing. Although I found Anna irritating at some junctures, and I felt like the ending was a little rushed, overall I absolutely Loved listening to this story. The narrator really brought the characters to life, and I would Definitely be on the lookout for more books by Trish Doller. Totally recommend for anyone looking for a beautifully told story of healing, love, and running away to the gorgeous Caribbean. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1⁄2 

My attempt at a finger heart… yeah… I’ve might’ve been watching a lot of K-drama lately. 😂

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – The Dating Dare

The Dating Dare follows Seth and Tara, two people that have had bad luck with relationships in the past, but agree to a short term fling (the dating dare) before Seth leaves for Paris.

Full disclosure, I think this book is considered a stand-alone spin-off of book one, A Sweet Mess, but since I didn’t read book one, this was my first interaction with these characters, which felt a little awkward, and I think reading the first book probably would’ve given me some better context. (i.e. seeing people regard Seth as a playboy rather than just being told that most people think he is one.)

But anyways, let’s start with what I liked: Seth is fantastic. He seems all around just dreamy and wonderful, and the narrative was seamlessly split between his and Tara’s narratives. I really liked the premise, and I am all for characters promising not to fall in love with one another. And the side characters, though they don’t play a large role, were all fleshed out in a way that made me want to learn more about them, building a charming little small town world around the two leads.

That said though, I’m afraid I really didn’t like Tara. I felt like Seth did nearly all the romantic lifting throughout the book, and their banter felt a little forced or cheesy to me. But this may have been in part due to the fact that I thought her voice in the audiobook was a little annoying. Other than that, this book doesn’t pack a whole of lot of surprises. It’s a cute little romance that progresses exactly how you think it would, with a satisfying ending. For this one, I think I’d recommend picking up the first book for context, and then maybe sticking to the ebook instead of the audiobook.

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the free ARC!

⭐⭐⭐1⁄2 

Tula looking a bit whelmed here.

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Audiobook Review – Under a Siena Sun

Under a Siena Sun follows Lucy, a surgeon with Doctors without Borders fresh from the conflict zone, as she moves to Siena for a much-needed change of pace. She soaks up the joys of sunny Siena while working at a private hospital for the rich and famous, but her conscience plagues her as she tries to decide if this is really the meaningful life’s work she wants.

This book really reads like a leisurely tour through the Italian country side. The descriptions are beautiful and it even gets into the medieval history of the area. All of the characters are pleasant and likeable, and honestly any conflicts that arise seem rather minor and are resolved relatively quickly. The romance and language are clean, and if you’re looking for a sauntering stroll of a book (with plenty of friendly dogs there to greet you with a lick), this is probably for you.

But honestly it was a bit on the slow side for me. Although Lucy and her romantic interest are nice, I didn’t really feel the chemistry between them, and I felt like the middle sagged a little from lack of tension. Lucy worries a lot about the prospect of dating a millionaire. Like a lot, a lot. And towards the end it came off a little one note for me. Although both Lucy and her romantic interest definitely have some character growth, I found myself wishing for some twists and turns along the way rather than the straight-forward trajectory they took.

Still, this was a well-written, escape kind of clean romance that I think a lot of people would enjoy. I thought the audiobook narrator did a wonderful job with the different voices and accents, and overall it was a pleasure to listen to. (3.5/5 or this fast-pace loving reader)

Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the free ARC! 

Me really wanting to go to Italy… or you know, anywhere. 😂

Thanks for reading!

Posted on by hrchow12

Book Review – From Blood and Ash

Okay… so, I started out thinking I wouldn’t finish this book… but it won me over.

I put this book on hold from the library months ago after seeing it recommended on Twitter, and to be honest, I spent the first 40% wondering what on earth all the fuss was about. So, keep in mind, I like snappy, fast-paced books as a rule, but I’m not going to lie, this beginning is S.l.o.w. Although the MC is likeable, we are beset with world-building and an overdose of internal monologue (which stretches throughout the book.)

HOWEVER. I was glad I hung in there, because around 50% this book finally came alive. I really liked both Poppy and Hawke, their chemistry pops of the page, the steam is well done, and honestly, their relationship is one of the few I think I can honestly classify as “complicated.” I loved the idea of the ghastly Craven, although I wished we would’ve spent just a little more time with how horrifying this would be, and I really liked the gritty action scenes. With the ample foreshadowing, none of the plot twists were particularly surprising, but I enjoyed them none the less. The Maiden concept seems a bit contrived and cringey (by design) and Poppy’s emotions gave me a little whiplash at the end, but it didn’t seem terribly out of place considering what she goes through.

So, although I’m not exactly dying to read it, I’m definitely still interested to see how she and Hawke’s doomed romance turns out, and I have put it on hold from the library (#15 on 1 copy 😂) . A few caveats: Hawke definitely has the player badboy with a past thing going on, so if you don’t like that, this isn’t for you. There’s also a few F-bombs sprinkled in, so if you don’t like that—also not for you. That said, I’d totally recommend to anyone else looking for a steamy high fantasy that takes its time.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ½ 

A thumbs up for that last 50% which almost made me forget about that first 50%.😂

Thanks for reading!