Fantasy · Fiction · New Adult · Paranormal · Romance · Young Adult

These Twisted Bonds

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Title: These Twisted Bonds

Author: Lexi Ryan

Performer: Casey Holloway

Length: 14 hr

Series: These Hollow Vows, Book 2

Publishing Date/Publisher: 

Format: eAudiobook

Review: Welp the plot of this book went just about how I expected though I will say that I was impressed that the author wrapped this up nicely as a duology – a rarity considering read alike series for this book usually have at least 3 books minimum. Certainly not the best in the genre, but I knew what I signed up for. One of my pet peeves is when a female character makes a point to say how ordinary they are, but then every male in the book falls over themselves trying to be with her. Despite the many obvious tropes in this book, it was still readable.

Unfortunately I did not care much for the reader in this audiobook. Her voice had a bit of a whine, which I suppose is actually accurate to the character.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 3 Stars

Fiction · Horror · Thriller

Jaws

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Title: Jaws

Author: Peter Benchley

Performer: Erik Steele

Length: 9 hours 39 minutes

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: April 7, 2009/Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Format: Audiobook

Review: 

This was, without a doubt, the worst book I have ever read and possible ever will read. I went in expecting a book about hunting down a shark that was attacking people (people who went into his home, but besides the point) and ended up reading about a failed marriage that happened to be imploding at the same time that a shark killed a few people. The marriage was the main plot point, the shark was maybe third in line, if we are being generous.

I understand failed marriages are a big plot device in thrillers and murder mysteries and all that, I don’t have a problem with it being the story, my problem is when the book is literally names Jaws and the book isn’t even about the shark. The characters are all horrible people who garnered no sympathy from me whatsoever.

There was also a part in the book that through me for an absolute loop and actually enraged me quite a lot- the wife plainly states that every woman has rape fantasies, something that is patently not true and extremely harmful as it can be used as an excuse for the violence. It was a disgusting thing to add, and while I am not here to kink-shame if that’s what spins your beanie, I am just pointing out that it is not an ‘every woman’ thing and should not be treated as such.

I haven’t seen the movie (one of the few in the world, I know) so I can’t say how it compares or contrasts, just that I have a deep hatred of this book.

In conclusion:

I was rooting for the shark the whole time.

Reader: Kymberly

Rating: Zero stars

Classic · Fiction · Historical

Les Misérable

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Title: Les Misérable

Author: Victor Hugo

Performer: Bill Homewood

Length: 67 hours 53 minutes

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: April 29 2015/Naxos AudioBooks

Format: Audiobook

Review: At just shy of 68 hours long, this was longest book I’ve listened to, beating out Gone with the Wind by 20 hours. A lot of that time could have been saved if Hugo would stop rambling, but the rambles were pretty interesting (I learned about the Battle of Waterloo and the sewers of Paris), and they always linked back into the general storyline, even if just briefly. It took a while to get into the book because the first part is all about a man that sets the stage for the whole thing but the detail into this man’s life was extremely tedious and he was only mentioned briefly again maybe once or twice, but once the story started following Val Jean, it got more interesting.

Cosette and Marius were incredibly dramatic but entertaining, Javert needed to chill out, and Jean was perfect as always. That being said, I very much enjoyed it and the story was compelling (even if long). I can see why this is a classic and still revered.

Reader: Kymberly

Rating: 4

Fantasy · Fiction · Romance · Science Fiction · Young Adult

Double Review- Tress of the Emerald Sea

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Title: Tress of the Emerald Sea

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Page Count: 369

Series: Secret Projects/within Cosmere Universe

Publishing Date/Publisher: April 4, 2023/Gollancz

Format: Hardback

Review: 

This is easily in my top three books of all time. It was whimsical, delightful, and fun, and while the stakes for Tress were high, it was still a cozy fantasy. Hoid, the narrator, provided funny commentary while also dropping some profound wisdom throughout the story in a way that was surprising but welcomed.

The story is everything I could possibly want- pirates, sorcery, soulmates, and a very unique setting that I would love to live in, despite the dangers. I can’t get enough of this book and have read it three times in the past month (and am on another reread- it’s become a happy and safe place to escape to).

Reader: Kymberly

Rating: 5 stars

Review: 

Woooohooo back after a long hiatus (I had a baby!).

This was truly a delightful adventure. Fantasy books are rarely standalones, but this is a rare book that wraps up nicely without feeling too long or too short. Filled with quirky characters and infused with both humor and wisdom, this is a book that can appeal to nearly all ages. This is my first Sanderson book, so it was also my first foray into the Cosmere. Based on what I’ve read from other reviewers, there may be some characters, settings, or events of significance for fans of this author sprinkled throughout the story, but this did not hinder the reading experience for me in any way. The setting is particularly unusual and the oceans of spores felt more like characters than places. The spores are surprisingly integral to the storyline and drive the plot forward in unique and unexpected ways. I agree with Kym that although the characters are on a high stakes quest, the overall reading experience is very pleasant. I felt like I was learning and growing along with our well-intentioned and goodhearted heroine, Tress. Although I wouldn’t have minded a sequel, I am pleased with the way the story ended.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 4 stars

Fantasy · Romance

The Princess Bride

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Title: The Princess Bride

Author: William Goldman

Page Count: 399

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: 1999/Bloomsbury

Format: Paperback

Review: 

It is unusual for me to find a book where the movie version of it is tied in terms of quality, but this one definitely done that. The asides Goldman (and his alter-ego S. Morgenstern) put in perfectly align with the grandpa/grandson parts of the movie and it’s just as quotable. I loved the background into Fezzik and Inigo, which really explained their motives and how they ended up with Vizzini, I thought that was missing in the mvie.

The only thing I didn’t like were the parts where Westley slaps Buttercup (happens twice), which really rubbed me the wrong way and dropped the rating from a 5 to a 4.

Reader: Kymberly

Rating: 4 stars

Fiction · Historical · Horror · LGBTQ+ · Science Fiction · Young Adult

Deathless Divide

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Title: Deathless Divide

Author: Justina Ireland

Performers: Bahni Turpin & Jordan Cobb

Length: 14 hr, 34 min

Series: Dread Nation, Book 2

Publishing Date/Publisher: February 4, 2020 by HarperAudio

Format: eAudiobook

Review: Dare I say it, I might like the sequel even better than the first book. Considering how impressed I was by Dread Nation, that is high praise. I really loved the dark direction Jane’s story goes in, and we get to know Katherine on a deeper level. In the first book, I felt giving it an LGBT+ label was a bit of a stretch, but after reading this book I have amended my opinion. The romantic relationships, however, are not the focus of this story, at least not in the way you would expect. It is a story of revenge, justice, friendship and women who kick butt – both dead and alive. I personally loved it and was a little sad to learn that this is a duology, not a trilogy. It did have a satisfying ending though, so I can’t complain too much. It was a very creative combination of science fiction, history, and horror.

I highly recommend that readers listen to it in audiobook format.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 5 Stars

Fiction · Historical

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

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Title: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

Author: Kim Michele Richardson

Page Count: 309

Series: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: May 7, 2019 by Sourcebooks Landmark

Format: Hardcover

Review: I first want to start off by saying that the history this book is based on is absolutely fascinating. I had heard of the blue people of Kentucky, but I had never really looked into them too extensively. I had not heard of the Pack Horse Library Project, so that was particularly fascinating to learn about. The author combined the two histories in a unique way that I could appreciate. The story held my interest for the most part, but I would not describe it as unputdownable. Although there is a great deal of conflict spread throughout the story, it oddly doesn’t feel like it. Some of the resolutions felt too tidy, and some traumas are moved past altogether too quickly. I also did not understand the romantic angle. It was clear from the moment a handsome bachelor was introduced that he would become Cussy’s love interest, but there was no relationship building leading up to the professions of love. They actually interact hardly at all throughout the whole story and his easy acceptance of her unusual skin color from their very first encounter did not make a lot of sense in the context of the story. Blue people were reviled and exiled by the community that he grew up in, so you would think that there would be a little social conditioning he would need to shed in order to develop a romantic relationship with her. A lot of readers loved this book, but there was just something missing for me that prevents me from rating it over 3 stars. It is very possible I just did not really connect with the author’s style of storytelling. There is an overall lack of character development, which is something I place a lot of value on as a reader.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 3 Stars

Fantasy · Fiction · LGBTQ+

Black Sun

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Author: Black Sun

Title: Rebecca Roanhorse

Performer: Cara Gee, Nicole Lewis, Kaipo Schwab, & Shaun Taylor-Corbett

Length: 12 hr 47 min

Series: Between Earth and Sky, Book 1

Publishing Date/Publisher: October 13, 2020

Format: eAudiobook

Review: I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book, and it really lived up to my expectations. Set in a lush world inspired by the early civilizations of the Americas, this is a story rich in mythology, culture, and magic. All of the characters were mostly interesting, but I was quite taken by Xiala and Serapio, especially once their stories intersected. In my opinion the story was really about them. The rest of the POVs felt more like periphery characters, particularly Okoa. He had relatively little page time, and I think his perspective could have been removed without damaging the story. Naranpa, the Sun Priestess, had more depth and her importance to the plot was more clearly defined, but I still did not connect with her the same way that I did with Xiala and Serapio. She became infinitely more interesting once more of her backstory was revealed, but by then the book was almost finished.

Although the journeys leading to the story’s climax were fascinating, the climax itself was rather…anticlimactic. As a reader, it became apparent to me a little too early on how things would go down when Serapio made his prophesied return to his mother’s homeland on the day of convergence. The actual ending was rather abrupt and wasn’t really the cliffhanger I was expecting. When I read the synopsis for the next book in the series, I was confused, because it contains the revelations I would have expected to read at the end of the first book. That aside, I think the stage has been set for some great character arcs and I look forward to jumping back in where the story left off.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 4 Stars

Fantasy · Fiction · Romance · Young Adult

Muse of Nightmares

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Title: Muse of Nightmares

Author: Laini Taylor

Performer: Steve West

Length: 15 hr, 54 min

Series: Strange the Dreamer, Book 2

Publishing Date/Publisher: October 2, 2018 by Hachette Audio

Format: eAudiobook

Review: This is a review that is long overdue, considering I finished the book last summer. In summary, a perfect finish to a stunning duology. So imaginative, so masterful. Taylor introduces interesting new character POVs and wraps up the fascinating mystery of Weep with an utterly original conclusion. It’s hard to even describe how I feel about this book because I have never read anything quite like it, which is perhaps why I have taken so long to write any sort of review. I cannot sing it’s praises enough. If you are a lover of fantasy, complex characters, and storylines that connect in surprising ways, READ. THIS. BOOK.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 5 Stars

Contemporary · Fiction · Thriller

The Push

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Title: The Push

Author: Ashley Audrain

Page Count: 307

Series: N/A

Publishing Date/Publisher: January 5, 2021 by Pamela Dorman Books

Format: Hardcover

Review: This was a unique sort of thriller, and I almost don’t want to label it as such. There is some amount of suspense, but it is of the creeping “glance over your shoulder” variety. What makes this novel stand out in my mind is the narration style. Blythe, who is a writer by trade, is telling her story to her ex-husband, who has lived the same path of events, but has experienced them entirely differently. Blythe is a character I felt myself feeling deep sympathy for as she struggles to settle into motherhood. She does not connect with her first child in the way she hoped for and when she starts observing disturbing behavior, she is immediately dismissed by her husband. This is a woman who has virtually no support network. No friends or family she can turn to. No one to validate her feelings and help her process her trauma. As readers we watch the slow dissolution of her marriage and the unraveling of her sanity. She questions her own words and actions, and develops a deep sense of paranoia that permeates the story. But are her fears valid? Is her daughter really a little sociopath? Or is she imagining things? What makes this story so enthralling is that it is difficult to say. It is clear that Blythe is an unreliable narrator and as an outsider, it’s painful to see the fallout of generational trauma, untreated post-partum depression, and crippling grief. If I were to rate this book on the writing alone, I would give it 4+ stars. I rate it lower because the truth is I really did not enjoy it. Blythe is living a mother’s worst nightmare, and quite frankly, it left me feeling anxious and deeply unsettled.

Reader: Bekah

Rating: 3.5 Stars