notsamwilson's reviews
61 reviews

Christmas At Last: A Heartwarming Christmas Tale by Sidney St James

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funny hopeful fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

My foray back into romance novels. I got this during stuff your kindle day because I wanted to try out the genre again. The relationships were a little fast moving, but there was body positivity and some focus on what the characters enjoyed outside of the relationships. I’m a Christmas nut so I enjoyed that aspect of it. There was a lesson about loving yourself for what you are instead of what you can physically provide. While I did enjoy it, it was linear and not a lot of interconnecting plot points to give the world more substance. I am willing to continue reading romance books though.
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang

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

5.0

No book has ever made such an impact on my brain chemistry as this one has. Sure it was a slow start, but it turned into a cascade of very descriptive and unimaginable things. I cannot fathom, even though I read it, what these characters went through. I cannot fathom the suffering any of them had to endure. And I cannot bring myself to hate them for the decisions they made. This book is such a great window into how situations can break a person. It is a window into how holding onto trauma can influence decisions. I am anxious to finish the series because I struggled getting through one particular part of the book. But I know the next two will be just as altering to my brain chemistry as this. I truly believe this series will be a favorite of mine for quite a long time.
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Wisteria by Adalyn Grace

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I honestly was not sure if I would like this as much as the first two, but boy did it surprise me. The banter between Blythe and Aris was so good. It was at parts heartbreaking, hopeful, and one unexpected moment. About half way through I knew this book was going to make me cry, and it very much did. Right before work was not a good time to finish it. All in all, this book turned out to be my favorite of the series.
Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

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adventurous funny lighthearted tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved the banter and Evie’s humor. I loved seeing her grow as a character and in her relationships with the others. I’m strangely really enjoying the incredibly slow burn romances and hope each gets a happy ending. These characters are a family that mesh so well together. This book, and series, holds a special place my heart because both came along when I needed something light in my life. But dang that cliff hanger at the end.
The Scarlet Throne by Amy Leow

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 16%.
It was an interesting concept, but the book was really slow and it almost felt like a chore to try reading. I’m happy to try it as an audio book if it gets a copy in that format.
Jade City by Fonda Lee

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challenging dark sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I am honestly scared about how the rest of this series is going to go. In a good way. I got so invested in these characters. Even the ones I didn’t like. This book was the best kind of soap opera in written form and I can imagine the rest of the series getting even crazier. Yes I have already cried.

I did struggle to read a physical copy of this so I switched to audio and the narrator was really good.
Epilogues for Lost Gods by Cat Rector

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 43%.
I spent too long trying to read this and getting distracted by other books. When I came back to it I was too disconnected from the characters to enjoy it anymore.
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

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adventurous challenging emotional informative reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

A great addition to the series. Tracy Deonn is good at what she does. You get an even bigger look at the struggles and injustice Bree and her ancestors have had to live through. You get to see the endurance and strength of Bree finding her place along both her ancestral paths and doing what she thinks she must to keep those she cares about safe. The cliffhanger ending was frustrating and impatiently waiting for 2025 and the next book.
Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

4.5

I honestly was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. I thought it was going to be too different from the first book. But it was perfect. A look into Viv’s life before Legends and Lattes. A good story about unexpected friendship with characters I came to truly love. They all had a feel of life to them that brought a little something extra to the story. I’m actually kind of sad I finished it and find myself hoping that we maybe get a reconnection of characters in another book. Travis has done a great job harnessing a sense of whimsy and I look forward to what he writes next.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

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adventurous challenging funny hopeful reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I waited so long to finish this book. I was in a bit of a slump and decided to pick this chonker back up. I couldn’t be happier I did. I was expecting a lot of flowery language, but it was so easy to read. At points I couldn’t believe I was getting through it so quickly. The characters are really relatable and there are funny parts. I loved it so much I’m having to tell myself I can’t speed run through the entire series. There is even a character I added to fictional characters I would fight. This book did make an impact on me and I can’t wait to read everything in the Cosmere, with breaks of course.