You know what? This book was not bad. The topic of loneliness was addressed fairly well and though the point of external conflict towards the end seemed a bit contrived and just for the sake of moving the plot along, it was not at all one of the worst I have seen. I actually enjoyed the budding relationship between the 2 MC's and felt there was no unnecessary angst or obstacle thrown in their path.
I love this series and this along with the Hidden Legacy series and Kate Daniels series will always be on my reread list. Especially the audiobooks. But the thing is I felt that the conclusion to this 4 book series with the Four Horsemen arc was, well, a bit disappointing. For all that the story stayed true to the characters and their growth, I just felt that the ending was a bit forced and anti-climatic. They left never narrowed down their suspect list of the Four Horsemen at all and the reveal for who it was was just not satisfying. I mean they suspected that person but that person was on a suspect list which never reduced and the reasons felt a little meh.
Leaving off all of that, the best part of this book was the interactions and decisions based around Asher. And of course the relationship between …
3.5⭐️
I love this series and this along with the Hidden Legacy series and Kate Daniels series will always be on my reread list. Especially the audiobooks. But the thing is I felt that the conclusion to this 4 book series with the Four Horsemen arc was, well, a bit disappointing. For all that the story stayed true to the characters and their growth, I just felt that the ending was a bit forced and anti-climatic. They left never narrowed down their suspect list of the Four Horsemen at all and the reveal for who it was was just not satisfying. I mean they suspected that person but that person was on a suspect list which never reduced and the reasons felt a little meh.
Leaving off all of that, the best part of this book was the interactions and decisions based around Asher. And of course the relationship between Knox and Harper. There are some great moments between them and the reveal of what Asher is was good. I just would've liked another book with this couple. I know there are more books in this series that are about the sentinels and Harper's friends and I'd probably read about them there, but I do not think I will continue on with those.
All in all this was a good series and after a year and a half of procrastinating and rereading this series I am proud to have finished it at last.
This closed out the chapter in Alex's life that included his mother very well. All of these books in the series so far have made me feel both sad and happy while reading them.
I am loving the journey Alex and Ben are on and seeing an example of a queer couple going through life with not so out of the world issues. Like I mentioned in the review of the last book this reads as a series and has been written as one and I am looking forward to what ithe future holds for our MC's.
This is the first in an 8 book (so far) series. And in a way it shows. By that I mean there are a lot of things left by the end of the book that can be expounded on in later books, like - what is next for Ben and Alex, what trouble will Alex's parents cause and will Alex finally stand up for himself?
Despite all that, I am quite OK even if there were no more books after this one. This was a good romance with a meet cute at a concert and angst in the form of a set of homophobic parents. All in all this was a good read
Review of "Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter, Vol. 1" on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
3⭐️
I have recently discovered the wonderful other world of Isekai and what better manga than one that has BL elements in it. I liked that the main character is the side character to the person the other world summoned and he is the one actually setting things to rights in the government. I am looking forward to see what else happens in this world. Though maybe I should pick up other books that are completed instead of an ongoing series next time.
I was torn about where to start with this series - the publication order or chronological order. In the end I thought I would read the first in the series (with the same characters) chronologically and see if I want to leapfrog to Revelations or stick to Chronicles. From what the author has said the books in Chronicles are more or less stand alone stories while the sequel has a more over arcing story. So maybe I will head on to The Rose and the Thorn after this read.
Now on to how I felt about the book. Knowing the 2 MC's in this book go on to be friends or at least partners in the books set a decade from this one was kind of a spoiler that the 2 would get along by the end of the book. Though this did not spoil my enjoyment of the …
3.25⭐️
I was torn about where to start with this series - the publication order or chronological order. In the end I thought I would read the first in the series (with the same characters) chronologically and see if I want to leapfrog to Revelations or stick to Chronicles. From what the author has said the books in Chronicles are more or less stand alone stories while the sequel has a more over arcing story. So maybe I will head on to The Rose and the Thorn after this read.
Now on to how I felt about the book. Knowing the 2 MC's in this book go on to be friends or at least partners in the books set a decade from this one was kind of a spoiler that the 2 would get along by the end of the book. Though this did not spoil my enjoyment of the book, I think knowing that this was a prequel colored my perception of the book and I did not enjoy it as much. But I think that is the case as this is an introduction to the world and the next will ramp up the plot and the friendship between Hadrian and Royce. That is what I am looking forward to the most really.
Yaaayyy! More Grier and Linus. And we get to read Linus' POV too! This book was a treat to read and I enjoyed seeing how our MC's and their friends fared after their HEA. It gives us an insight into how a relationship fares past the customary ending of the story and the work that goes into keeping it. If I had one gripe it was that we didn't get a complete resolution to the problem at the heart of the book, the mystery I mean. And I would have liked to have read a bit more about the wedding, the actual ceremony and reception itself and seen Grier and Linus interact with their guests. Or at least gotten Linus' POV of it. But I won't complain. I liked what we got and I know there are 2 more epilogue books/novellas and I am looking forward to them.
Review of 'How to Wake an Undead City' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
4⭐️
This was a great end to this arc of Grier and Linus' story. This book in the series was jammed with so much plot. There were a lot of threads here and some of them, though they were doing it to defeat the big bad, didn't seem related to defeating the big bad. This book takes place over the course of a little over 48 hours (I think) and a lot happens in that time. We get insight into why Grier's magic is different to how other necromancers do their magic and that was a great bit that I appreciated. But the loose thread that got taken care of in the last part to do with the assassins seemed a little like it was presented to us with a little bow on it. What with all the other plot threads that filled this book I would have liked that …
4⭐️
This was a great end to this arc of Grier and Linus' story. This book in the series was jammed with so much plot. There were a lot of threads here and some of them, though they were doing it to defeat the big bad, didn't seem related to defeating the big bad. This book takes place over the course of a little over 48 hours (I think) and a lot happens in that time. We get insight into why Grier's magic is different to how other necromancers do their magic and that was a great bit that I appreciated. But the loose thread that got taken care of in the last part to do with the assassins seemed a little like it was presented to us with a little bow on it. What with all the other plot threads that filled this book I would have liked that showdown to have been a bit more fleshed out. But all in all I loved the book.
I know there are "epilogues" that are full fledged books in their own right that deal with the MC's life moving forward and I am excited to read it.
Okay! I caved and immediately picked up the next book in the series. It is difficult to stay away when I find a story I want to stick to. I am very much a mood reader and there are times where I pick up books and do not finish reading them or rarely find amazing books that not just make me go back to see what is next in store for the characters I have come to love but hold my interest after.
In the case of Mindline this was a great sequel to Mindtouch. I still loved the feel of the latter more than the latter. But not by much. There were parts in this book to do with power dynamics (as mentioned in some reviews) that give me pause and make me dissatisfied in the way it was handled, but all in all I loved this read. …
3.5-3.75⭐️
Okay! I caved and immediately picked up the next book in the series. It is difficult to stay away when I find a story I want to stick to. I am very much a mood reader and there are times where I pick up books and do not finish reading them or rarely find amazing books that not just make me go back to see what is next in store for the characters I have come to love but hold my interest after.
In the case of Mindline this was a great sequel to Mindtouch. I still loved the feel of the latter more than the latter. But not by much. There were parts in this book to do with power dynamics (as mentioned in some reviews) that give me pause and make me dissatisfied in the way it was handled, but all in all I loved this read.
In comparison to Mindtouch, Mindline was more intense in the topics it touched upon and it was also more direct in approaching them. Though there were topics you wouldn't think would be in a cozy book, in the end this was a cozy book in the sense that we see 2 people who find a partnership that is beyond ordinary and find contentment in the simple things that make their bond extraordinary. I am unsure how to word the feelings that these stories have evoked in me but for now these stories are still in the cozy universe for me.
I will not make a pronouncement that I will not pick up the next book so soon but I won't promise I will either. Discovering this series has lead me to learn of other books that have intrigued me and I might pick them up soon too. I am looking forward to reading Dreamhearth though and to see what our MC's will get up to now that they are licensed to practice.
I do not know how to feel about this book. It took me a while to get through it and that is not because it was a slog or that I put it down frequently. I just read this book slower than usual. It started off cozy what with it being about the daily life of 2 students, albeit alien students on a planet not their own. It had one of my favourite things to read recently and that is a well crafted world with it's own culture/cultures and well written characters. I absolutely loved Vasih'th and Jahir and their friendship.
I say it was cozy at first because this book quickly delves in to topics of grief, isolation and other deep and shallow feelings and treats them all with respect. It also made me feel seen what with both MC's having trouble deciding what to do with their …
3.75⭐️
I do not know how to feel about this book. It took me a while to get through it and that is not because it was a slog or that I put it down frequently. I just read this book slower than usual. It started off cozy what with it being about the daily life of 2 students, albeit alien students on a planet not their own. It had one of my favourite things to read recently and that is a well crafted world with it's own culture/cultures and well written characters. I absolutely loved Vasih'th and Jahir and their friendship.
I say it was cozy at first because this book quickly delves in to topics of grief, isolation and other deep and shallow feelings and treats them all with respect. It also made me feel seen what with both MC's having trouble deciding what to do with their courses and life after college.
I will definitely be reading the next book but maybe I'll take my time before picking it up? So that I can stew in the feelings that this book has evoked.
Review of "Can't Help Falling in Love with an Alien" on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
4⭐️
Who thought I would love a story centered around a human falling in love with a tentacled alien? But I did. And I am not at all sad about it. For all of the aliens in this book it deals with a lot of issues that face us normal humans - our wish to fit in, family drama, assassins... Ok maybe not the last part but still for all its outlandishness the story is quite grounded and tackles issues of sexuality, consent and homophobia quite well. Plus the narration on the audiobook by Greg Boudreaux was phenomenal. I know the next book is already out but I think I will wait till the 4th is out before I pick it up.