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sarahsbookstack's Reviews (2.6k)
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
A Princess who lives in a country that's slowly starving has a plan to take part in a century's old "game" to get a Goddesses eye and restore her country.. If she makes it to the temple alive. But her plans go awry when her sister is the other chosen one and she loses her.
Lia was so great. She is fierce, well trained, and caring. Jason is a swoony man she can't seem to truly deny her feelings for.
I thought the race to the temple would be longer but I absolutely loved that my thought was wrong...I was so happy with the found family of sisterhood Lia found in the temple. I love how they embrace her and eventually the trust they all had for each other. The last few chapters are exciting with secrets revealed and an amazing cliffhanger!
Lia was so great. She is fierce, well trained, and caring. Jason is a swoony man she can't seem to truly deny her feelings for.
I thought the race to the temple would be longer but I absolutely loved that my thought was wrong...I was so happy with the found family of sisterhood Lia found in the temple. I love how they embrace her and eventually the trust they all had for each other. The last few chapters are exciting with secrets revealed and an amazing cliffhanger!
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
I love this One More Chapters series surrounding Bookstagram Geneva who decided to open a bookstore. This was Alice's story and it was adorable.
Alice really complains about their store neighbor Deacon. He's always playing his music too loud, getting his bar set up for customers and he said audiobooks don't count as reading 😮 (EXCUSE me sir!). Alice almost wants nothing to do with him until she meets his sweet niece Lola, who lost her only parent (Deacon's sister) and now has to live with her uncle who is no fun 🤣
I love that Deacon takes Lola to therapy and he also goes. It's so important to them to help with the grief of their loss. I love the small ways that Alice helps Lola navigate the stress of becoming a teen.
The bookstore date and the small vacation they go on 🥰 swoony. This book has a lot of laugh out loud moments and some very serious parts but all were oh so good!!
Alice really complains about their store neighbor Deacon. He's always playing his music too loud, getting his bar set up for customers and he said audiobooks don't count as reading 😮 (EXCUSE me sir!). Alice almost wants nothing to do with him until she meets his sweet niece Lola, who lost her only parent (Deacon's sister) and now has to live with her uncle who is no fun 🤣
I love that Deacon takes Lola to therapy and he also goes. It's so important to them to help with the grief of their loss. I love the small ways that Alice helps Lola navigate the stress of becoming a teen.
The bookstore date and the small vacation they go on 🥰 swoony. This book has a lot of laugh out loud moments and some very serious parts but all were oh so good!!
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
This was a great family drama. After being evicted by his stepparents, Rudy, in a rush decision, grabs one of his stepdad's guns with the intent to sell it for cash. But it will have consequences that aren't readily seen.
Then Rudy meets Laci and starts to turn his life around, going back to college and getting a good job and he thinks the past is behind him. But secrets will come out that change the lives of all these characters and not all for the good.
I wish there was better communication and dedication to each other between Rudy and his stepparents. If they had gone about certain things a different way, then the things that happened could have maybe been prevented a bit.
Then Rudy meets Laci and starts to turn his life around, going back to college and getting a good job and he thinks the past is behind him. But secrets will come out that change the lives of all these characters and not all for the good.
I wish there was better communication and dedication to each other between Rudy and his stepparents. If they had gone about certain things a different way, then the things that happened could have maybe been prevented a bit.
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
A beautifully done and heartfelt story set during Vietnam and after. It shows the effects of war, through disfigured Jack who fought, and through Bao and his Aunt Anh who escaped from Vietnam with tragedy following them. Grace is a central character that is a help to both of the pre-mentioned parties.
I read this book in a day and grew to love these lovely characters and the joy they brought to my heart. The shop where Tom repaired watches seems to be a theme throughout that gives these characters solace and mends their broken hearts.
I read this book in a day and grew to love these lovely characters and the joy they brought to my heart. The shop where Tom repaired watches seems to be a theme throughout that gives these characters solace and mends their broken hearts.
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
If you had told me that a sentient spider plant would be my favorite character from a book, I would have probably laughed at you.... But here we are and Caz is my favorite!
This was a sweet and cozy story. Kiela left her home island at 9 yo and came back after a fire destroyed the library where she worked. She took as many spell books as she could with hopes that she could return and maybe be seen as a hero for keeping them safe.
But on her home island, she becomes part of a found family. These Islanders take care of one another. So Kiera decides to give back the way she can... Even if it's illegal for her to use magic.
This book will warm your heart. You will leave after reading with a big smile. It's full of hope, goodness, not being afraid to take risks and just beautiful, kind people.
This was a sweet and cozy story. Kiela left her home island at 9 yo and came back after a fire destroyed the library where she worked. She took as many spell books as she could with hopes that she could return and maybe be seen as a hero for keeping them safe.
But on her home island, she becomes part of a found family. These Islanders take care of one another. So Kiera decides to give back the way she can... Even if it's illegal for her to use magic.
This book will warm your heart. You will leave after reading with a big smile. It's full of hope, goodness, not being afraid to take risks and just beautiful, kind people.
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Tristan and Evan are young lovers that dream one day of getting out of their small town. Tristan has a terrible home life with a drunk, violent dad and an uncaring mother. Evan lost her dad and her mom isn't that great of a person either. Evan is always saving Tristan.
This book spans years of these two being in each other's orbit and out. A lot of trauma is discussed in this book in many different ways. I love that Evan became a therapist.
Even in the most terrible of times and circumstances, I couldn't help but root for them. I really thought Tristan needed some serious mental help and wished he was more pushed toward it to have him have the chance to heal sooner.
This book spans years of these two being in each other's orbit and out. A lot of trauma is discussed in this book in many different ways. I love that Evan became a therapist.
Even in the most terrible of times and circumstances, I couldn't help but root for them. I really thought Tristan needed some serious mental help and wished he was more pushed toward it to have him have the chance to heal sooner.
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
This was a fun book full of puzzles and racing against a faction to solve The Dragon Box....a 150 year old mystery.
I didn't read book 1 but I didn't feel (?) that I needed to, to enjoy this one. Mike became a savant after a TBI (traumatic brain injury) and now he can solve the most complex puzzles. He gets invited to Japan to a contest to open the box (a contest that only happens every 12 years)...a contest where people have died or disappeared while trying.
I loved the pace of the race through Japan. I loved the drawings that accompany and of the puzzles. I liked to see how Mike thought through things and the help he had throughout.
I didn't read book 1 but I didn't feel (?) that I needed to, to enjoy this one. Mike became a savant after a TBI (traumatic brain injury) and now he can solve the most complex puzzles. He gets invited to Japan to a contest to open the box (a contest that only happens every 12 years)...a contest where people have died or disappeared while trying.
I loved the pace of the race through Japan. I loved the drawings that accompany and of the puzzles. I liked to see how Mike thought through things and the help he had throughout.
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
This book centers around magic and auras.
It is a very easy magic system, doesn't get clogged down with too many details.
Dirk buys an indentured servant's freedom (Estelle) and takes her to his estate to help her find her magic that he can see in her aura but that she has no clue she has. Dirk is dealing with some darkness in him that makes his magic different from what it used to be. Estelle will help him find a cure.
Estelle and Dirk are perfect for each other as they start to open their hearts to one another. Their love story is fade to black but you know what happened and it's still awesome. The addition of Marshall jokingly, but not always, vying for her affections was a fun aspect. I liked how Estelle constantly rolled her eyes at him but he was a good friend.
The characters of Dirk's estate, Berry and Dell, are a great help to Estelle and they all become fast friends. I'm so glad that Estelle was kind to them, she could have easily not befriended "the help" but it just wasn't in her character's nature.
It is a very easy magic system, doesn't get clogged down with too many details.
Dirk buys an indentured servant's freedom (Estelle) and takes her to his estate to help her find her magic that he can see in her aura but that she has no clue she has. Dirk is dealing with some darkness in him that makes his magic different from what it used to be. Estelle will help him find a cure.
Estelle and Dirk are perfect for each other as they start to open their hearts to one another. Their love story is fade to black but you know what happened and it's still awesome. The addition of Marshall jokingly, but not always, vying for her affections was a fun aspect. I liked how Estelle constantly rolled her eyes at him but he was a good friend.
The characters of Dirk's estate, Berry and Dell, are a great help to Estelle and they all become fast friends. I'm so glad that Estelle was kind to them, she could have easily not befriended "the help" but it just wasn't in her character's nature.
challenging
dark
medium-paced
A perfect book to get you in the mood for Halloween time with ghosts and a murder mystery.
Marnie is asked to record local history in Lake Gardner, Georgia. She arrives at this small town with ghosts of her own and embraces this town's people. Where she is staying had a double murder where no one knows what exactly happened but tends to blame it on a coven doing a ritual during the Blue Moon.
The characters here are very nuanced and they tend to have some scuffles/bad blood between some of them. They don't seem to understand Willow, who's a death doula & life coach, they just call her a witch and don't get to know her deeply.
Marnie is asked to record local history in Lake Gardner, Georgia. She arrives at this small town with ghosts of her own and embraces this town's people. Where she is staying had a double murder where no one knows what exactly happened but tends to blame it on a coven doing a ritual during the Blue Moon.
The characters here are very nuanced and they tend to have some scuffles/bad blood between some of them. They don't seem to understand Willow, who's a death doula & life coach, they just call her a witch and don't get to know her deeply.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
This was an absolute delight! It started with a bang (quite literally) and just gets so fun from there though there are serious moments too.
Sara is back in Abieville to get a property her parents bought ready to become a vacation home. A couple of mishaps and now she's stuck taking care of the boy, (who's definitely a MAN now),"Three" Fuller, who broke her heart 10 years ago. This time together will force them to eventually rehash the past.
Three is a good guy. I understand why he did what he did and I understand how hard it was for Sara to try and trust him again. I love the hidden room scene and when Three has to save Sara (that scene, I just knew that would happen! 😬). I love this small town of Abieville and all the past characters we got to see or hear glimpses of. Such a great, fun, and very sweet book.
Sara is back in Abieville to get a property her parents bought ready to become a vacation home. A couple of mishaps and now she's stuck taking care of the boy, (who's definitely a MAN now),"Three" Fuller, who broke her heart 10 years ago. This time together will force them to eventually rehash the past.
Three is a good guy. I understand why he did what he did and I understand how hard it was for Sara to try and trust him again. I love the hidden room scene and when Three has to save Sara (that scene, I just knew that would happen! 😬). I love this small town of Abieville and all the past characters we got to see or hear glimpses of. Such a great, fun, and very sweet book.