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erinkellyreads's reviews
632 reviews
Iron Flame (1 of 2) [Dramatized Adaptation] by Rebecca Yarros
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
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
Another Graphic Novel slam dunk, and I appreciated that they took the critiques of the Fourth Wing adaptation and applied them to Iron Flame. Great voice acting with special shoutouts to our new characters this book of Aric, Sloan, and Melgren. I also think that part 1 cut off at the perfect spot. Excited to listen to Part 2 when it comes out on July 12th!
Granite Harbor: A Novel by Peter Nichols
Did not finish book. Stopped at 46%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 46%.
I'm going to have to stop reading this one - I think I am not the audience for this book. There is some good writing happening, and if you love crime thrillers with serial killers, particularly those where you get to see into the killer's past/mind, you'll like this book. A valid criticism I have is that the female characters are written obviously flawed while the MMC has all of his flaws easily brushed away. I tend to read books from mostly female authors, so this might be something that is sticking out to me more in this novel than maybe for another person. There is A LOT of things that made me squirm like animal death, sexual abuse, graphic and gross bullying, etc. I wouldn't usually call myself squeamish, but it was too much for me at this time.
Again, if you're someone who usually enjoys crime, thrillers, and serial killers, you will probably enjoy this book. Check the content warnings (publisher even says to look out for chapter 34). I won this book in a giveaway from Goodreads, and I'm grateful for the chance to read it, even if I am not the target audience after all.
Again, if you're someone who usually enjoys crime, thrillers, and serial killers, you will probably enjoy this book. Check the content warnings (publisher even says to look out for chapter 34). I won this book in a giveaway from Goodreads, and I'm grateful for the chance to read it, even if I am not the target audience after all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent and Alcohol
You're the Problem, It's You by Emma R. Alban
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC - here is my honest review:
This was a very cute story! This is the second in the Mischief and Matchmaking series - queer romantic comedies based in the Victorian era with Taylor Swift lyrics as book titles. The first is called "Don't Want You Like a Best Friend" and follows the love story of Gwen and Beth. "You're the Problem, It's You" follows their cousins, Bobby and James, through their misadventures and love.
Bobby is the charismatic second son of a wealthy and important family rehabbing their image after their drunken and hurtful father passed. He wishes he could do more than just escort his cousins and attend parties to help his older brother, but he is limited by his birth order. On the other hand, anxiety-riddled James has just inherited the title, lands, and money of a viscount from his uncle and has had parliament, the running of a household, and the prospect of finding a wife and heir thrust upon him. However, James doesn't want a wife - he's had an unrequited crush on Bobby since they were in school at Oxford together, when Bobby didn't even notice him. Plus, James is bullied and berated by his stepfather into letting him run the finances and decisions for the family while making James believe he will never be good enough at anything. These two are thrust together during the social season in London, and Bobby is asked by his cousins to try and show James the ropes and introduce him to folks. Unfortunately, what could be a great friendship is quickly turned to sniping and rivalry by misunderstandings and miscommunications. Over time, Bobby and James see who the other truly are and feelings bloom, that is until the two of them get blackmailed by a former lover of them both. Will they be able to help their families, get out of trouble, and fall in love in the process? Is that even possible in Victorian England where they can both be sent to jail if anyone finds out that they are gay? Read on!
I really enjoyed both Bobby and James' characters and the growth you see them have over the course of the book. Their good traits became great and their flaws became things that they could help each other with. The real beauty of this book, and, apparently, this series, is the family the two have and create. That is one of the best parts of being a member of the LGBTQ+ community - we get to build our families and communities and take care of each other. This is very evident in this story, and it is very heartwarming. The joy of these two characters when they align is really a lovely thing to behold, and the ending was one I was shouting at them about from about chapter five. I also appreciated the differences and complications pointed out between the partnership of the ladies and the gentlemen. Gwen and Beth have some protection of their love - Bobby and James do not. Of course, if the ladies' relationship is found out, there will be a scandal, but if the gentlemen's is, they are both going to be in jail along with a scandal. While the men have more freedom in Victorian society, they also can't hide their love as much with the expectations of marriage and heirs, particularly for James. I appreciated the author pointing this out and raising the stakes of the history at the time.
I will say that my one critique was with Beth and Gwen. I haven't read the first book yet, and I intend to while hoping to maybe see if my critique in this one changes post-debut. I like the fact that we get to see them figure out what their happily ever after will look like after their novel, and their relationships with others, including Bobby and James, were really lovely. However, in order to create drama between the two through the book, they were fighting, sniping, and having a lot of miscommunication throughout. It was a little obnoxious, and I don't know that I'll enjoy a whole a book of it. Also, since James and Bobby had a little bit of a "enemies" (using that loosely) to lovers trope, it felt unnecessary and created moments where everybody was grumpy (characters and me). I'm hoping that reading the first book will change my opinion here, but, even if it doesn't, Bobby and James' story is lovely, and you don't need to read the first one to understand and enjoy theirs.
Overall, this was a great little love story to read to kick off Pride Month, and I hope you check out "You're the Problem, It's You" when it comes out in August of this year!
This was a very cute story! This is the second in the Mischief and Matchmaking series - queer romantic comedies based in the Victorian era with Taylor Swift lyrics as book titles. The first is called "Don't Want You Like a Best Friend" and follows the love story of Gwen and Beth. "You're the Problem, It's You" follows their cousins, Bobby and James, through their misadventures and love.
Bobby is the charismatic second son of a wealthy and important family rehabbing their image after their drunken and hurtful father passed. He wishes he could do more than just escort his cousins and attend parties to help his older brother, but he is limited by his birth order. On the other hand, anxiety-riddled James has just inherited the title, lands, and money of a viscount from his uncle and has had parliament, the running of a household, and the prospect of finding a wife and heir thrust upon him. However, James doesn't want a wife - he's had an unrequited crush on Bobby since they were in school at Oxford together, when Bobby didn't even notice him. Plus, James is bullied and berated by his stepfather into letting him run the finances and decisions for the family while making James believe he will never be good enough at anything. These two are thrust together during the social season in London, and Bobby is asked by his cousins to try and show James the ropes and introduce him to folks. Unfortunately, what could be a great friendship is quickly turned to sniping and rivalry by misunderstandings and miscommunications. Over time, Bobby and James see who the other truly are and feelings bloom, that is until the two of them get blackmailed by a former lover of them both. Will they be able to help their families, get out of trouble, and fall in love in the process? Is that even possible in Victorian England where they can both be sent to jail if anyone finds out that they are gay? Read on!
I really enjoyed both Bobby and James' characters and the growth you see them have over the course of the book. Their good traits became great and their flaws became things that they could help each other with. The real beauty of this book, and, apparently, this series, is the family the two have and create. That is one of the best parts of being a member of the LGBTQ+ community - we get to build our families and communities and take care of each other. This is very evident in this story, and it is very heartwarming. The joy of these two characters when they align is really a lovely thing to behold, and the ending was one I was shouting at them about from about chapter five. I also appreciated the differences and complications pointed out between the partnership of the ladies and the gentlemen. Gwen and Beth have some protection of their love - Bobby and James do not. Of course, if the ladies' relationship is found out, there will be a scandal, but if the gentlemen's is, they are both going to be in jail along with a scandal. While the men have more freedom in Victorian society, they also can't hide their love as much with the expectations of marriage and heirs, particularly for James. I appreciated the author pointing this out and raising the stakes of the history at the time.
I will say that my one critique was with Beth and Gwen. I haven't read the first book yet, and I intend to while hoping to maybe see if my critique in this one changes post-debut. I like the fact that we get to see them figure out what their happily ever after will look like after their novel, and their relationships with others, including Bobby and James, were really lovely. However, in order to create drama between the two through the book, they were fighting, sniping, and having a lot of miscommunication throughout. It was a little obnoxious, and I don't know that I'll enjoy a whole a book of it. Also, since James and Bobby had a little bit of a "enemies" (using that loosely) to lovers trope, it felt unnecessary and created moments where everybody was grumpy (characters and me). I'm hoping that reading the first book will change my opinion here, but, even if it doesn't, Bobby and James' story is lovely, and you don't need to read the first one to understand and enjoy theirs.
Overall, this was a great little love story to read to kick off Pride Month, and I hope you check out "You're the Problem, It's You" when it comes out in August of this year!
Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah Gadsby
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Taylor Swift: Era by Era: The Unauthorized Biography by Caroline Sullivan
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.75
Calling all Swifties! I was so excited to be approved to listen the the newest unofficial biography of Taylor Swift on Netgalley!! Thanks to Dreamscape Media for the opportunity, and what a great way to start off June's Audiobook Month!
Taylor is two years older than me, so I've grown up with her music and her story. Though this has evolved over my lifetime, I really love Taylor Swift's music, and I appreciate her as an artist. In my blog, erinkellyreads.wordpress.com, I go deep into my journey with TSwift.
"Taylor: Era by Era" tells the story of Taylor Swift's career from her very first ideas as a child all the way to the release of "The Tortured Poet's Department". I knew a lot of the events that happened throughout the book, but the beginning was really interesting to me because I had no idea that Taylor wrote most of the songs on her debut between the ages of 12-15! I was writing bad fanfiction at the time, not writing songs for a seven time certified platinum album! After the release of her debut, each chapter is titled after one of her eleven albums with each sharing what was happening around the creation of each album all the way through reception and touring. I enjoyed learning more about the business side of Taylor - she clearly is a smart businesswoman, and it sounds like she has been since she got her start. The end of the book touches on the release of "TTPD" and Taylor's romance with NFL tight end, Travis Kelce, so this must've just wrapped up for publication in the last few weeks.
Something I enjoyed about the book is that her various boyfriends across the years were barely mentioned. Mostly, they were brought up in connection to other things such as meeting John Mayer when he tweeted at her to work on a duet with him, or writing music under a pseudonym like she did with Calvin Harris and Joe Alwyn. In fact, even though we briefly mention the all important red scarf of "All Too Well", Jake Gyllenhaal's name isn't even mentioned. These men are part of Taylor's story, but it is Taylor's story. By not focusing on the hype or the speculation about which songs are about which people, we get to focus on Taylor's songwriting, evolution, and business acumen.
It is easy to tell that the author, Caroline Sullivan, also likes Taylor Swift. She writes about her accomplishments with praise, and, there were even some times where I felt she let Taylor off the hook about some of her missteps. However, because Sullivan is also a fan, it made listening to this book feel just like a conversation with a friend about Taylor, her songs, and her story. Even the bits with quotes from the industry, good and bad, or facts and figures were easy to digest and connect narratively.
The audiobook is narrated by Katelyn Levering, and she had a tone that sounded like a combination of a girl you'd meet in line at the bathroom before The Era's Tour meets Ms. Mojo (and I mean that as a compliment!) She was very engaging, and she helped keep the pace swift (pun intended). Just a note to future listeners - Levering reads this book with an American accent, but the dates (and some verbiage) were clearly written in a British vernacular. It threw me the first few times, but I did get used to it.
Overall, this is a great book for those that are interested in learning more about the history of Taylor's Swift's career through the lens of her musical eras. Whether you're a full fledged, friendship bracelet trading Swiftie or just a casual fan, you'll find something to like with this audiobook.
"Taylor: Era by Era" comes out on June 6th (while Taylor herself is performing The Eras Tour in Milan!), and you can get your copy in print or audio wherever books are sold!
Taylor is two years older than me, so I've grown up with her music and her story. Though this has evolved over my lifetime, I really love Taylor Swift's music, and I appreciate her as an artist. In my blog, erinkellyreads.wordpress.com, I go deep into my journey with TSwift.
"Taylor: Era by Era" tells the story of Taylor Swift's career from her very first ideas as a child all the way to the release of "The Tortured Poet's Department". I knew a lot of the events that happened throughout the book, but the beginning was really interesting to me because I had no idea that Taylor wrote most of the songs on her debut between the ages of 12-15! I was writing bad fanfiction at the time, not writing songs for a seven time certified platinum album! After the release of her debut, each chapter is titled after one of her eleven albums with each sharing what was happening around the creation of each album all the way through reception and touring. I enjoyed learning more about the business side of Taylor - she clearly is a smart businesswoman, and it sounds like she has been since she got her start. The end of the book touches on the release of "TTPD" and Taylor's romance with NFL tight end, Travis Kelce, so this must've just wrapped up for publication in the last few weeks.
Something I enjoyed about the book is that her various boyfriends across the years were barely mentioned. Mostly, they were brought up in connection to other things such as meeting John Mayer when he tweeted at her to work on a duet with him, or writing music under a pseudonym like she did with Calvin Harris and Joe Alwyn. In fact, even though we briefly mention the all important red scarf of "All Too Well", Jake Gyllenhaal's name isn't even mentioned. These men are part of Taylor's story, but it is Taylor's story. By not focusing on the hype or the speculation about which songs are about which people, we get to focus on Taylor's songwriting, evolution, and business acumen.
It is easy to tell that the author, Caroline Sullivan, also likes Taylor Swift. She writes about her accomplishments with praise, and, there were even some times where I felt she let Taylor off the hook about some of her missteps. However, because Sullivan is also a fan, it made listening to this book feel just like a conversation with a friend about Taylor, her songs, and her story. Even the bits with quotes from the industry, good and bad, or facts and figures were easy to digest and connect narratively.
The audiobook is narrated by Katelyn Levering, and she had a tone that sounded like a combination of a girl you'd meet in line at the bathroom before The Era's Tour meets Ms. Mojo (and I mean that as a compliment!) She was very engaging, and she helped keep the pace swift (pun intended). Just a note to future listeners - Levering reads this book with an American accent, but the dates (and some verbiage) were clearly written in a British vernacular. It threw me the first few times, but I did get used to it.
Overall, this is a great book for those that are interested in learning more about the history of Taylor's Swift's career through the lens of her musical eras. Whether you're a full fledged, friendship bracelet trading Swiftie or just a casual fan, you'll find something to like with this audiobook.
"Taylor: Era by Era" comes out on June 6th (while Taylor herself is performing The Eras Tour in Milan!), and you can get your copy in print or audio wherever books are sold!
It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway: And Other Thoughts on Moving Forward by Elizabeth Passarella
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.5
I really enjoyed Passarella's voice throughout the essays, and each essay flowed and connected with each other while also standing alone as independent pieces. This was an easy listen while also packing some emotional punches, particularly in the first few chapters about the death of her father and the illness of her husband. I will note for future readers that Passarella adds a note about being religious and adds bible passages or mentions of her faith in small bits throughout - I actually probably wouldn't have picked this up had I known, but it ended up not bothering me. I think folks who like personal essays or memoirs would like this one, and I actually think I may pick up a copy for my mother.
The Witch of Colchis by Rosie Hewlett
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"The Witch of Colchis" by Rosie Hewlett, formerly titled simply "Medea", tells the story of the famed sorceress, Medea, of Greek Mythology. She who betrayed her family to aid Jason and the Argonauts in gaining the Golden Fleece. She who married Jason and gave him two sons in exile. She who was betrayed by Jason and abandoned for him to marry the young and pretty princess of Corinth. She who got her revenge by destroying what Jason loved most, cementing her place in myth as murderess, witch, and one disdained by both gods and men.
I finished this book about two weeks ago, and I just haven't been able to write a review yet because I'm so haunted by the writing of this sad, sad story. For context, I've been a big fan of the mythological character of Medea for a long time - I've directed two plays based on feminist retellings of her story, and I taught Euripides version to my students. As a director, my goal has always been to get the audience to empathize with Medea; I want them to feel her rage and root for her, while simultaneously fearing the end we all know is coming. This book completely succeeds in the goals I've always had for Medea's story.
Hewlett's writing evokes such sadness, bitterness, and those rare fleeting moments of hope that we hang onto. By starting at Medea's childhood, we get to see a rarely explored side of Medea's life - her family, the beginnings of her power, and what would push her to eventually betray them for Jason. There were so many sections where we see that Medea is clinging onto the idea that Jason loves her and her power instead of being disgusted by it - I was sad for her to accept the drippings of love she thought she deserved, and yet, I know that I and many women I know have done and felt that way. The middle section about Jason's family was new to me, and it was horrifying and sad to witness. I felt like this story dealt the best with Medea's children - there was a level of peace there that I haven't felt elsewhere. I think this is due to Hewlett's deft hand with Medea's growth and thought processes.
Overall, if you are a fan of Greek myth retellings, women getting revenge, and tragedies, you'll love this book. I was hooked from the dedication:
"For all the women who have ever been called 'too much' or 'not enough'."
"The Witch of Colchis" by Rosie Hewlett, formerly titled simply "Medea", tells the story of the famed sorceress, Medea, of Greek Mythology. She who betrayed her family to aid Jason and the Argonauts in gaining the Golden Fleece. She who married Jason and gave him two sons in exile. She who was betrayed by Jason and abandoned for him to marry the young and pretty princess of Corinth. She who got her revenge by destroying what Jason loved most, cementing her place in myth as murderess, witch, and one disdained by both gods and men.
I finished this book about two weeks ago, and I just haven't been able to write a review yet because I'm so haunted by the writing of this sad, sad story. For context, I've been a big fan of the mythological character of Medea for a long time - I've directed two plays based on feminist retellings of her story, and I taught Euripides version to my students. As a director, my goal has always been to get the audience to empathize with Medea; I want them to feel her rage and root for her, while simultaneously fearing the end we all know is coming. This book completely succeeds in the goals I've always had for Medea's story.
Hewlett's writing evokes such sadness, bitterness, and those rare fleeting moments of hope that we hang onto. By starting at Medea's childhood, we get to see a rarely explored side of Medea's life - her family, the beginnings of her power, and what would push her to eventually betray them for Jason. There were so many sections where we see that Medea is clinging onto the idea that Jason loves her and her power instead of being disgusted by it - I was sad for her to accept the drippings of love she thought she deserved, and yet, I know that I and many women I know have done and felt that way. The middle section about Jason's family was new to me, and it was horrifying and sad to witness. I felt like this story dealt the best with Medea's children - there was a level of peace there that I haven't felt elsewhere. I think this is due to Hewlett's deft hand with Medea's growth and thought processes.
Overall, if you are a fan of Greek myth retellings, women getting revenge, and tragedies, you'll love this book. I was hooked from the dedication:
"For all the women who have ever been called 'too much' or 'not enough'."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Blood, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
Music Is History by Ben Greenman, Questlove
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
This is an audiobook for every music lover and every history buff! Questlove tells the story of multiple artists, albums, and musical influences along with the historical context that both affected and was effected by the music of the time. He shares personal anecdotes as well, and, if you're not a Questlove or Roots fan yet, I urge you to check them out. I can't recommend this one enough!
Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.0
Based on the viral TikTok videos, this comic romantasy stars Evie, The Villain's assistant, along with a cast of other villainous teammates as they try to discover who is trying to kill the Villain (while continuing to try to cause problems for the king).
This book was so cute and funny! I went into it knowing to not take it too seriously, and I'm glad I did. Going in knowing this was going to be goofy and fun allowed me to really enjoy the stock character nature of Evie and the others at the beginning, which evolved into more nuance throughout the story. The world of the book is interesting (reminding me often of a DnD cartoon), along with the creatures, and I'm curious to see what comes next in the sequel!
This book was so cute and funny! I went into it knowing to not take it too seriously, and I'm glad I did. Going in knowing this was going to be goofy and fun allowed me to really enjoy the stock character nature of Evie and the others at the beginning, which evolved into more nuance throughout the story. The world of the book is interesting (reminding me often of a DnD cartoon), along with the creatures, and I'm curious to see what comes next in the sequel!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Sexual assault, Grief, and Abandonment
Minor: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
The Other Side of the Mirror by Dana Evyn
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
"The Other Side of the Mirror" is an adventure fantasy about a girl who loses her family and the truth about who she is in a fire only to regain that and much more in this romantasy. Thank you to BookSirens and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy. Here is my honest review:
Tropes:
- Insta-love
- Fated mates
- Secret powers
- Found family
- Twins
CW: Kidnapping, family death, fire, sexual assault, open door sex scenes
Things I really enjoyed:
- This was truly an adventure fantasy, and it often felt like I was reading along with a DnD campaign. There were places along the map, different magic users, creatures to fight, and castles and princes galore.
- The idea of the mirror portal system is very cool, especially with the idea that they can also connect into both the modern world and this medieval meets high tech fantasy world.
- I love a red-headed, freckled, kind but flirty MMC. Shadow daddies have been what's hot lately, and I love them, too, but it is nice to have some varieties in love interests.
- The flirty bickering between the FMC and MMC are fun.
Things that I think could've raised my rating:
- I'm not a fan of insta-love - insta-flirting, yes, but we were already completely enamored with each other by page 50 according to the thoughts the characters kept telling us about. Maybe if we were shown more instead of told through inner monologues I would have been more excited.
- The plot had some twists and turns, but they were relatively easy to call. I think if some of the internal monologues were cut, it might have led to more surprise. It felt like the characters knew things very easily (except for the fact that they were in love, surprisingly).
- Our FMC was a tough and knowledgeable girl with few flaws. The chip on her shoulder and high walls were very earned based on what happened to her family, but she learns magic almost too quickly, already is trained and strong in all sorts of combat and weapons (and horseback riding and lockpicking), and adapts to all of these changes really quickly. I just wanted something that made her human-like at some bit - some vulnerability - some chink in her armor to help us connect with her.
- I struggled with the juxtaposition of the YA writing style with the multiple open door spice scenes. I like both, mind you, but I wasn't sure that I liked both in the same story. I know the characters were in their 20's (or 50's? For the fae?), and the spice is not written in a YA style, but something about the non-spice writing style didn't quite match up for me.
Overall, if you like an easy-read adventure romantasy with spice, a tough FMC, and insta-love/fated mates, this could be a good book for you!
Tropes:
- Insta-love
- Fated mates
- Secret powers
- Found family
- Twins
CW: Kidnapping, family death, fire, sexual assault, open door sex scenes
Things I really enjoyed:
- This was truly an adventure fantasy, and it often felt like I was reading along with a DnD campaign. There were places along the map, different magic users, creatures to fight, and castles and princes galore.
- The idea of the mirror portal system is very cool, especially with the idea that they can also connect into both the modern world and this medieval meets high tech fantasy world.
- I love a red-headed, freckled, kind but flirty MMC. Shadow daddies have been what's hot lately, and I love them, too, but it is nice to have some varieties in love interests.
- The flirty bickering between the FMC and MMC are fun.
Things that I think could've raised my rating:
- I'm not a fan of insta-love - insta-flirting, yes, but we were already completely enamored with each other by page 50 according to the thoughts the characters kept telling us about. Maybe if we were shown more instead of told through inner monologues I would have been more excited.
- The plot had some twists and turns, but they were relatively easy to call. I think if some of the internal monologues were cut, it might have led to more surprise. It felt like the characters knew things very easily (except for the fact that they were in love, surprisingly).
- Our FMC was a tough and knowledgeable girl with few flaws. The chip on her shoulder and high walls were very earned based on what happened to her family, but she learns magic almost too quickly, already is trained and strong in all sorts of combat and weapons (and horseback riding and lockpicking), and adapts to all of these changes really quickly. I just wanted something that made her human-like at some bit - some vulnerability - some chink in her armor to help us connect with her.
- I struggled with the juxtaposition of the YA writing style with the multiple open door spice scenes. I like both, mind you, but I wasn't sure that I liked both in the same story. I know the characters were in their 20's (or 50's? For the fae?), and the spice is not written in a YA style, but something about the non-spice writing style didn't quite match up for me.
Overall, if you like an easy-read adventure romantasy with spice, a tough FMC, and insta-love/fated mates, this could be a good book for you!