alexa_frost's reviews
281 reviews

Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I was given an advanced copy of this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Not even sure where to begin with how much I enjoyed this book! Curious tides is one of the best fantasy books I have read in a long time, even more impressive that this is a debut novel. 

The world building in this book was really well done, with a detailed and unique magic system that was well explained without being spoon fed to the reader. I also loved the way that the mythology within the book was woven throughout to give further insight into its workings. 

Although I did predict to some extent where the story was going, it didn’t feel overly predictable and there was still lots that was a surprise

I cannot wait to read the second book!
Pumpkin Spice by Tagan Shepard

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lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? No

2.75

I was given an advanced copy of this book  by netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Pumpkin spice is a small town romance book centred around Nicki, an awkward introvert who meets Carter at a pumpkin farm. While I enjoyed the premise for a holiday romance and do typically enjoy the hallmark movie style romance books, I struggled to get past how stereotypically millennial it was in every sense. This made many moments which were written to be sweet or relatable as slightly cringey. 
While not a primary character, my favourite part of the book was lily, the protagonists niece who was so perfectly written as a headstrong 9 year old.

Overall pumpkin spice was a quick, easy, and enjoyable read but was not a standout in the genre.