Book Review – Leave it to Lea

Ranking Every Book I Read in 2022

January 27, 2023January 27, 2023by LeaLeave a Comment

Hey guys! I have finally caught up on all my book reviews and it’s finally time to do my 2022 book blog post! I wanted to get all my individual book reviews up so I could link them in this post.

If you didn’t read last year’s post, I’m going to rank all the books I’ve read this year. I read 18 books this year, just shy of my goal of 20 books. I want to note that I rate series together, so while I read 18 books, there are only 15 entries. I’m going to start at the bottom and finish with my favourite book. Let’s get into it!

Two Star Books

15. I did have one DNF this year, but it’s a part of the Order of Darkness series, which I gave 2 stars overall. It had a good start but the later books just weren’t good. The series was slow and predictable. All of the characters were one-dimensional and I didn’t like where the series was heading which is why I did not finish it. I wouldn’t recommend the series.

Three Star Books

14. At the bottom of my three-star list is Normal People. As I mentioned in my review, I couldn’t decide between giving it two or three stars which is why it’s at the bottom of the list. I didn’t like the main characters and didn’t enjoy reading the book. Yes, there is some literary merit to the novel. But I’ve come to a point where I just want to enjoy what I’m reading and didn’t enjoy reading this book.

13. Unlike Normal People, I didn’t mind reading The Revolution of Sabine. It just wasn’t meant for me. I think this book is on the cusp of young readers and young adults so it was just too simple for me. It’s a good introduction to the ideologies of the American and French Revolutions. But I just want something more.

12. The premise of Bewitching Season was good. It had kidnapping and magic against the backdrop of Victorian England. But it focused too much on the melodrama. Miscommunication is a trope that really bothers me but I could see other people enjoying it.

Three-and-a-half Star Books

11. Another example of a book not being bad but just not for me was The Twelve Topsy-Turvry, Very Messy Days of Christmas. It was a cute, family-friendly novel. You know when you watch a kids’ movie as an adult, sometimes they’re fun and other times they’re just so obviously meant for kids? This book feels like the latter. It was unique and original so I give it props for that.

10. I love a great atmospheric book and Into The Water was that. But it was also confusing with too many points of view and lacking suspense. The pacing was also a little off for me, with the middle section being slow and the ending rushed. Paula Hawkins’ other novel, The Girl on the Train, is much better.

9. One of the few series I read this year was The Remnant Chronicles. This series had a unique premise, something hard to find in the fantasy genre. I also appreciate that the war wasn’t long and dragged out, unlike other fantasy series. That being said, the second book dragged quite a bit. It was a good series and I enjoyed reading it but it doesn’t stick out in my mind compared to other fantasy series I’ve read over the years.

Four Star Books

8. Similar to The Remnant Chronicles, Reminders of Him was a good book but it doesn’t stick out in my mind. The premise was interesting and I appreciate the nuance that was brought forward. But I didn’t have any emotional connection to either of the main character. It’s a good book but not memorable.

7. Another great atmospheric book was The Guest List. It gave me all the spooky vibes I wanted. This was a multiple point-of-view but unlike Into the Water, it wasn’t confusing. My only issue is that I prefer a whodunnit when you know what the crime is at the start and try to figure out what happened. In this book, you don’t know what happened until the end and find out the antagonist about a chapter later.

6. It’s funny because my top six novels are all romance books. I guess that happens to be my favourite genre right now haha. In sixth place, we have The Love Hypothesis. There was a lot of hype online about this one and I liked it but didn’t love it. I loved the setting, the relationship and the banter. I wasn’t a huge fan of the main character. And once again it had miscommunication!!! It’s a fun read though.

5. Cracking into the top five we have November 9. Despite not being a huge fan of the instant-love trope, I did enjoy the book. It was super easy to read and I binge-read it. The plot twist is what sold me on the book.

4. I know I said I rate series together, but I felt like the Bellinger Sisters duology deserved to be separated. I gave Hook, Line and Sinker four stars because while it was super fun and cute. It lost a star because of the miscommunication trope. A super great summer read and follow-up to the first book.

Five Star

3. I feel a little silly putting a Christmas novel so high but I absolutely loved A Merry Little Meet Cute. I love cheesy Christmas movies and it was like that but also self-aware and full of spicy romance. It was just so good.

2. It Happened One Summer was so fun to read. I found myself laughing so much while reading it. The spice was amazing but I also loved the character development. I started off the book a little unsure of the main character and I loved her by the end. This was a little predictable but it was a light-hearted and fun read. I enjoyed it so much.

1. My top book of the year had to be People We Meet On Vacation because I happy cried at the end of the book. If a book can make me happy cry it’s a win in my book because it shows that I was truly invested in the characters. The main character, Poppy, just reminds me so much of myself and I wish to have a great romance just like her. I love reading about all the vacations Poppy and Alex went on. It was full of tension and character growth and just so good. So so good.

And those are all the books I read in 2022! If you guys read any of these books let me know what you think. And also let me know what your favourite book that you read last year was! I’m always on the lookout for new books!

Xoxo

Lea

Book Review

Book Reviews: The Final Books of 2022

January 26, 2023January 26, 2023by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! We are almost all caught up on my 2022 book reviews! Today’s post will feature the last four books I have yet to review on my blog. After that, I’ll be posting my 2022 books round-up and then we’ll be done with book posts for a while haha. Now let’s get into it!

The Guest List

I read The Guest List back in the fall when I was in the mood for a good mystery. This book is a multiple point-of-view at a high-profile wedding off the coast of Ireland. The whole party goes awry when a waitress comes in screaming bloody murder. The book is an adult mystery thriller.

I like the book overall but my biggest issue is that the reader doesn’t find out what the crime was and who the victim was until the very end of the book. This meant that I couldn’t figure out who did the crime since I wasn’t sure what it was until the end of the book. I felt like it didn’t hook me in quite the same way as a classic whodunnit does.

I think the atmosphere created in the book was so great. It was the perfect fall novel. I also like the storyline. While it’s improbable that all of these issues would happen to the same small group of people, I think that each storyline was believable.

Overall I gave this book 4/5 stars. I think it was a good mystery and there were quite a few things that I didn’t guess which I always enjoy.

Bewitching Season

I decided to read Bewitching Season because I thought it would be the perfect spooky season read since it involves witches! The story is about two twin witches, Persephone and Penelope, who are about to start their first season when their governess disappears. This is a YA historical fantasy.

I had high hopes for the book because the premise is so cool. There is secret magic and a kidnapping yet the book focuses mainly on the petty drama of the season and the girls coming out. This had too much teenage melodrama for my liking. There was so much miscommunication that it was antagonizing to read.

I found another one of the issues was the pacing. It just took a little too long for everything to happen. That being said, I think the setting and atmosphere were great. I know a bit about Queen Victoria, so while I was able to guess the villain right away, it was fun to read more about it.

Overall I gave the book 3/5 stars. I think if I was younger I would enjoy the melodrama more. This book would be good for anyone who likes historical fiction and wants a sprinkle of magic.

Normal People

Near the end of the year, I was trying to up my reading total by reading shorter novels, the first being Normal People. This book was very hyped online and has won quite a few awards. The story follows Connell and Marianne, who grow a strange connection as they go through high school and university. The book is an adult contemporary/literacy fiction.

This is the book that made me realize I don’t like literary fiction. If you want something thought-provoking then you’ll probably love this book. But I was bored, depressed and frustrated while reading this book. I can see how this good be a good literary work worth reading as it was full of social commentary. I want to enjoy what I’m reading and I didn’t enjoy this book.

I didn’t like either of the main characters. I thought Connell was spinless and Marianne self-absorbed. There were so many times when I had hoped the characters would do the right thing and then they would do something stupid. By the end, I almost felt betrayed by the online book community because they hyped it up and I didn’t the book.

Overall I give the book 3/5 stars because I do think it has some literary merit. But based on pure emotion and enjoyment I would give the book 2/5 stars. I would recommend this book to anyone studying literature and looking for something to write a research paper about.

The Revolution of Sabine

The final book I read in 2022 was The Revolution of Sabine. I finished this book on New Year’s Eve and just squeaked it right in. The story follows Sabine, the daughter of aristocrats, who learns about classism following a meeting with Benjamin Franklin. This is a YA historical fiction.

It was a quick and simple read. I think this is perfect for younger readers who want to learn more about this time period. For me, I found the story and concepts were oversimplified. I want something to go more in-depth into the topic. I think this is more of a case that this book isn’t meant for me than it being a bad book.

It was a little predictable. I don’t mind predictability when I’m emotionally invested in the story. But since it was so short I hadn’t had the chance to connect with the characters. All the characters are pretty one-dimensional. No character besides Sabine had any development.

Overall I have the book 3/5 stars. It’s not a bad book, just a little too simple for what I prefer nowadays. This would be great for younger readers!

And those are the rest of the books I read in 2022! If you read these books let me know your thoughts in the comments. And if you have any recommendations for me leave them as well because I’m always on the lookout for new books!

xoxo

Lea

Book Review

Book Reviews: Christmas-Themed Novels

January 25, 2023January 24, 2023by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! I am working my way through the books I read in 2022 that I have yet to review. In today’s post, I’m going to focus on the two Christmas-themed novels I read last year. I know I’m out of season but I still wanted to share them so I can include them in my 2022 round-up post. So grab a peppermint late, take the Christmas tree back out and let’s get into it!

A Merry Little Meet Cute

The first of my two Christmas novels is R-rated. A Merry Little Meet Cute follows Bea (a porn star) and Nolan (an ex-boy band, bad boy), who are the two stars in an upcoming Hallmark-esque Christmas movie. This is an adult romance novel.

I have to start off by saying I love cheesy Christmas movies. I start watching them right after Halloween is over. This book is aware of the cheesy tropes and plays into them. The story shows off the behind-the-scenes of being on a movie set. Adding the spicy romance was the cherry on top for me. I loved this book.

I like the relationship between Nolan and Bea, it was perfect. Even though the book was on the longer side (over 400 pages), it was nicely paced. And it had a happy ending like the Hallmark movies!

I gave this book 5/5 stars. I had so much fun reading it and could see myself re-reading this next year to help get myself into the Christmas spirit. I would highly recommend this book.

The Twelve Topsy-Turvy, Very Messy Days of Christmas

This book is more wholesome compared to the last novel. My mom picked up The Twelve Topsy-Turvy, Very Messy Days of Christmas because she’s a big James Paterson fan. This story follows the Sullivan family, who haven’t celebrated Christmas since their wife and mother passed away. The Sullivan family’s holiday gets turned upside down when they start receiving gifts related to the Twelve Days of Christmas from an anonymous sender. This Christmas book would be appropriate for the whole family.

It was a cute and unique story but it wasn’t anything special. It’s a kid-friendly story so I’m not the target audience. I could see this being a great audiobook to listen to with the family on a road trip.

There is some magical realism going on in the novel so if that’s not your thing I would pass on the book. I did find the story dragging a bit, it could have been condensed.

Overall I gave it 3.5/5 stars. I think it’s a cute Christmas story but I prefer the raunchy romance novel over the wholesome one. Not my cup of tea but still objectively good!

And those are the Christmas book I read in 2022. If you read these books let me know your thoughts in the comments. And if you have any recommendations for me leave them as well because I’m always on the lookout for new books!

xoxo

Lea

Book Review

Book Review: Colleen Hoover’s “Reminders of Him” & “November 9”

January 24, 2023January 24, 2023by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! As I mentioned in my last blog post, I am slowly working my way through all the books I still need to review from last year. Today’s post is going to feature two books by Colleen Hoover. I know she’s a big author right now, with her books being featured all over book Tiktok and bestseller lists. Let’s get into the books!

Reminders of Him

I liked Reminders of Him but I didn’t love the book. The story is about Kenna, who is trying to reconnect with her daughter after spending the last five years in prison. After her release, Kenna meets Ledger, who has ties to her daughter. The two form a connection and the story goes from there. This is marketed as an adult romance novel.

I like one of the reasons why I didn’t fall hard for this book is that I didn’t feel strongly about Kenna or Ledger. I can sympathize with what both characters are going through, but I didn’t have a strong emotional connection to either of them. I enjoyed how Hoover portrayed Kenna’s situation, she included a lot of the nuances related to death and grief.

I found myself often thinking of the book when I wasn’t reading it yet I didn’t feel this strong pull to binge-read it. I believe it’s because of the pacing issues, I found the middle section dragging a bit. The ending was a little rushed but I did enjoy it. The ending was a little rushed but I did enjoy it.

Overall I gave this book 4/5 stars. It was unique and unlike anything I have read before, but it didn’t pull on my heartstrings like I think it could have. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for your not-so-typical romance novel.

November 9

I liked November 9 more than Reminder of Him. The story follows Fallon and Ben, who unexpectedly strike up a relationship by meeting once a year – on (you guessed it) November 9. One day Fallon becomes unsure of Ben’s intentions and a big plot twist ensues. This is a new adult romance.

I’m not a huge fan of the instant love trope, so it took me a while to get on board with Fallon and Ben’s relationship. But as the book progressed I got more and more into it.

The plot twist is what really sold me on this novel. I didn’t expect it but reflecting back the plot twist made sense. It took the book to the next level. I also really like how easy it was to read the book. I was binging the book, often reading one ‘year’ in a sitting.

Overall I gave the book 4/5 stars. I think the plot twist made the novel and this book makes me want to read other Colleen Hoover books. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves the instant love trope or enjoys a good plot twist.

I will be reading other Colleen Hoover books in the future – I already own four of her other books. If you’ve read either of these books let me know your thoughts in the comments. And if you have any recommendations for me leave them as well because I’m always on the lookout for new books!

xoxo

Lea

Book Review

Book Review: It Happened One Summer and Hook, Line & Sinker

December 30, 2022December 29, 2022by Lea2 Comments

Hey guys! I’m a little behind with my book reviews. I’ll be posting a bunch in the next few days to get ready for my 2022 book round-up! Today we are throwing it back to the summer with the Bellinger Sisters duology. These books are great so let’s get into it!

It Happened One Summer

I read It Happened One Summer back in July when I was in Vancouver! This book follows Piper, a rich socialite who gets a reality check when her stepfather ships her off to a small fishing town in Washington. There Piper meets Brendan, who finds her insufferable but also can’t deny his attraction. This is an adult romance novel.

I loved this novel. I didn’t think I would like Piper but her character development meant that I loved her by the end of the novel. And Brendan… I think my feelings for him can be summed up by the heart-eyes emoji 😍. While I’m not usually a fan of character-driven novels, I appreciate that the plot was always moving and never dull.

This book was very predictable. If that bothers you then you won’t like this book. But I wanted everything that I predicted to happen so I was happy. I heard this was a spicy novel and people weren’t kidding. I had to use my best poker face while reading this book on the airplane.

Overall I loved this book and was excited for the sequel as well. I gave this book 5/5 stars and would recommend the book to anyone who wants a fun and spicy summer read.

Hook, Line and Sinker

The sequel Hook, Line and Sinker follows Piper’s sister Hannah and Brendan’s right-hand man Fox. While Piper and Brendan were enemies-to-lovers, Hannah and Fox are more friends-to-lovers. Fox has a reputation as being a player but Hannah is fine with that because they’re just friends. This book is also an adult romance.

I didn’t like this book as much as the first but I think that’s due to personal preference and not because it’s a bad book. I like Hannah but I didn’t like Fox as much. The amount of miscommunication is insane and it was antagonizing to read at times. Hannah has more patience than I do. This book was also more slow-burn than the first (which I don’t like as much).

I felt like the character development arc was done well and was rewarding to read. I enjoyed the epilogue as it included a look into Hannah & Fox and Piper & Brendan’s future lives.

Overall I like the book and thought it was a good conclusion to the sisters’ lives, but I didn’t like it as much as the first. I gave it 4/5 stars.

I think both of these books were fun to read and would recommend them to anyone looking for a spicy and summery romance read. If you read these books let me know your thoughts in the comments. And if you have any recommendations for me leave them as well because I’m always on the lookout for new books!

xoxo

Lea

Book Review

Book Review: The Remnant Chronicles

October 11, 2022October 10, 2022by Lea1 Comment

It’s been a while since I posted a book review! I was in a real slump this winter and spring but I have finally been picking the pace up again. I’m much quicker at updating my TikTok and Goodreads so make sure to check those out if you want to stay up-to-date on what I’m reading. Let’s get into today’s book series!

I had been wanting to read a fantasy series and I had quite a few on my TBR. I’ve seen a lot of hype for Mary E. Pearson’s Dance of Thieves duology, which is set in the same universe as The Remnant Chronicles. Since I already owned the first book in the series I thought I would try it out. The series is about Lia (which side note it’s weird to read a book with a character that has the same name – even though she spells it differently), who is a princess. She runs away on her wedding day and is followed by the prince she left at the altar and an assassin who was sent out to kill her. In the first novel, both the prince and assassin have POV chapters, but we don’t know who is who until later in the novel. As the series progresses, Lia must work with the prince and assassin to save her kingdom.

The first book in the series is The Kiss of Deception. I enjoyed the first one! I liked the premise and it was fun to try and guess which character was the prince and which was the assassin. I enjoyed the world and liked how the magic system is much subtler compared to other fantasy novels. My only complaint was I found the book to be a little on the slow side. The plot was good just dragged a little for my liking. I gave the book 4/5 stars.

The second book in the series is The Heart of Betrayal. This was my least favourite book in the series. I’ve never been a fan of the captive trope and that was the majority of this novel. There was also a lot of lying and deception that I found a little difficult to follow. I could see how this book was important to the overarching storyline but it was just a little slow for me. I gave the book 3/5 stars.

The final book in the series is The Beauty of Darkness. The first half of the book was once again slow but the ending was great. Usually, I’m not a huge fan of wars and battles, but this one was the perfect length. It progressed the plot without being drawn out. I think the book did a great job of wrapping up the book. I gave the book 4/5 stars.

Overall I would give the series 3.5/5 stars. It was good and different compared to other fantasy series I’ve read. I’m glad it was a trilogy because any longer would be too much. I think each of the books could have been condescended to make everything a little faster-paced. But I like the word, the magic system and the characters. I think if you like fantasy this is a good series but this wouldn’t be at the top of my recommendation list.

If you’ve read this series let me know what you think in the comments! And if you have any recommendations for me let me know!

xoxo

Lea

Book Review

Book Reviews: “The Love Hypothesis”, “Into the Water” and “People We Meet on Vacation”

July 5, 2022July 3, 2022by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve posted a book review, mainly because I’ve been in a huge reading slump most of this year. But today I have three reviews for you. I posted a reading update on my Youtube recently, so if you prefer audio over reading make sure to check that out! Let’s get into today’s books.

Back in March, I read The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. This book was super popular online so I had to check it out. For those who haven’t heard of this book, the story follows Olive, a graduate student who convinces a professor at her university to fake-date her. This is an adult romance novel.

Let’s start with what I liked about the book. I loved the academic setting – it reminded me of all the fun and struggles my friends and I went through in university. I am also a huge fake-dating trope fan. The situation is almost always ridiculous which is kinda why I love it. Finally, I did enjoy Olive and Adam’s (the male protagonist) relationship. They had funny banter between them and there was a nice amount of tension as well.

Now for the things I didn’t enjoy. I was not a huge fan of Olive. I found her to be pretty immature and naive – and she’s technically older than me so it’s not like I can excuse her actions on her age. It’s always harder to love a book when you don’t love the main character. I dislike miscommunication and one of the lies that Olive told Adam just drove me up a wall. I had to put down the book for a week I was so annoyed. Finally, this book was hyped online to be very spicey (aka a lot of mature content) but there wasn’t much! Now that is more the fault of the reviewers than the book but I was a little disappointed on that end.

Overall I did enjoy the book but I wasn’t in love like many people online are. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a light-hearted romance. I gave the book 4/5 stars.

It had been a while since I had read a thriller so I decided to read Into The Water by Paula Hawkins. I liked Hawkins’ debut, The Girl on the Train so I was excited to read this one. I was thoroughly disappointed, to say the least. This story follows a small, British town that has had two suicides within a matter of months. This is an adult, mystery thriller.

One of the things I didn’t like about the book is that there were way too many point-of-views. It’s nice to have a few but there were close to ten points of view. Many of the characters didn’t connect until halfway through the story so it was so confusing to keep track of what was going on and who was who. The book was also just very slow-paced. Coupled with the fact that there was a lack of suspense and tension meant that I was bored the majority of the novel. Once things finally did happen It was so rushed that I didn’t feel satisfied.

Besides the plot/structural issues, I thought that Hawkins’ writing style was very nice. I will add that while there were so many characters, I felt like each was unique and well developed.

Overall I gave the book 3/5 stars. It took me a while to read the book so maybe if I were to binge-read it I would have found it more impactful? Either way, I would recommend Hawkins’ first book over this one.

The final book is my favourite book I read so far this year – People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry. This was given to me as a birthday gift and wow did my friend pick a great book! The story follows Alex and Poppy, who only see each other when they go on their yearly summer vacation. That is until two years ago when something happens that means that haven’t spoken since. Poppy manages to convince Alex to go on another vacation where she tries to fix their friendship. This is an adult contemporary romance.

I think one of the reasons why I love this book so much is how much I relate to Poppy. She’s loud and eccentric and has her own blog – sounds a lot like me haha. Alex has so many qualities that I personally look for in a partner as well. I just love their relationship and reading their dialogue was often some of my favourite parts of the novel.

The book bounces between the past and present. I loved reading about all their travel and it gave me the itch to travel myself. I like how there was tension and romance sprinkled throughout the novel to keep me engaged but also wanting more. The book was also funny AND didn’t rely on cringe/embarrassment to me funny – something I’m not a huge fan of. Finally, the ending was just so good that I even shed a few happy years. You know a book is good when it makes you happy cry.

Overall I gave this book 5/5 stars. If anyone says they want a romance book this is going to be my recommendation from now on. I know a lot of people like Emily Henry’s Beach Read so I have to check that out soon.

And those are the books I’ve read lately. If you read any of these books let me know your thoughts in the comments. And if you have any recommendations for me leave them as well because I’m always on the lookout for new books.

xoxo

Lea

Book Review

Book Review: “Order of Darkness” Series

April 15, 2022April 15, 2022by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! It’s been a while since I’ve posted a book review, mainly because I’ve been in a reading slump. That slump is in large part due to this series, which is quite unfortunate. So let’s get into it.

I was in a bit of a slump so I decided to start a historical fiction series. Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres so I thought it would do just the trick. The series is set in early Renaissance Italy and follow a ragtag group that includes: a priest, a teenage boy hired by the Pope, an exiled noble lady and their two companions. The group journeys around Europe trying to solve mysteries including werewolves, alchemists, witches, and death-dancers.

The first book, Changeling, really captivated my attention. I was able to read the book in four days! I found that the writing style was simple so it was easy to breeze through. Yet at the same time, the world was built well so I felt immersed. I like that there were many mini-adventures within the larger overarching plotline. And it took me a while to guess the mysteries. I gave this book 4/5 stars.

The second book, Stormbringers, was a little disappointing compared to the first. I guessed the major twist so there wasn’t that element of surprise like in the first book. I found that two of the characters were getting boring and the romance to be progressing super slowly. I found the historical and geopolitical aspects of the novel to be the most interesting. I gave this book 3/5 stars.

The third book, Fool’s Gold, is where things started to go downhill for me. Whereas the other novels had mini-adventures, this one was long and drawn out. I also figured out the mystery very quickly. I also disliked how in previous novels all the magic was actually explained by science and then suddenly this novel had magical elements involved. It felt very inconsistent. I found all the charm that the characters had in past books was gone and they all became one-dimensional. Finally, there was this weird love triangle/square going on that I was just not a fan out. I finished the book but it took me over a month to go so. I gave this book 3/5 stars.

The fourth and final book, Dark Tracks, I ended up DNFing. I started it and was struggling, so I ended up taking a break and reading something else. Then I came back and just couldn’t get into it. I decided it’s better for me to just put a book down than to force myself to read something I’m not enjoying. I just found the characters to be annoying. I also found that the overarching story wasn’t progressing enough for me. I didn’t rate this book since I didn’t finish it. I will say that the simple writing style and commitment to historical realness were consistent throughout the whole series.

Overall I was quite disappointed in this series. I enjoyed the first one but could barely stand to read a single page more by the end. It’s a real shame that a series can go downhill. I would not recommend the series since I don’t think it’s worth reading the first book to only not enjoy the later books.

Hopefully, my reading slump ends soon because I have so many books on my shelf that I need to read! As with all my book reviews, let me know in the comments what you’re currently reading or if you have any recommendations for me!

xoxo

Lea

Book Review, Review

Book Reviews: “Code Name Verity”, “This Lullaby”, “Thirteen Days to Midnight” and “Angelology”

January 18, 2022January 18, 2022by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! Today’s blog post is reviewing the last of the books I read in 2021. I didn’t have the chance to fit this in December, but still wanted to share my thoughts. I did already rank this in my 2021 book rankings post so you might know how I feel about a few of these books. So let’s get into it!

Code Name Verity

We’re going back to early November with this book! Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein is a YA Historical Fiction about two women who worked for the British Army during World War II. It’s hard to describe the novel because the characters’ names are an integral part of the story, so sorry if this is confusing. One of the girls is a spy who gets captured in Nazi-occupied France. The other girl is a pilot who flies the spy into France. The first half of the book is the written transcription of the spy’s interrogation and the second half of the book is told from the pilot’s perspective.

As you can tell from this description, the book is a little confusing. Add to the fact that I don’t know much about the British military and there were a ton of acronyms and places I didn’t know. It took me a bit to get into the book, to say the least. BUT once I did get it, I was hooked. And at the end there was a major plot point that completely shocked me.

Overall I thought it was a really interesting book and I learned something new. The World War II genre is quite saturated, but I think this was an interesting part of history that I didn’t know much about. I have the book 4/4 stars and recommend it to any World War II history lovers.

This Lullaby

I was feeling a bit of a slump so I wanted a fun book, and nothing is more fun for me to read than YA Contemporary Romance. I decided to read This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen. If you were like me and my friends, we grew up reading Sarah Dessen novels in high school. I had this one on my shelf and hadn’t read it yet! This story is about Remy and Dexter. Remy is a little pessimistic when it comes to love, after seeing her mom go through many failed relationships. That is until she meets Dexter, a musician who changes how she views everything.

I liked Remy because she’s not perfect as some of Dessen’s other characters. She’s a bit of a heart-breaker and does things like drink and have sex. She’s a little bit more relatable to me to read as an adult. While Dexter wasn’t my favourite love interest, I still appreciate his and Remy’s relationship. Just want to note if you prefer slowburn books, this isn’t for you. Remy and Dexter have more of an off-and-on again romance. Just something I wanted to note because I know people prefer certain tropes over others.

Overall I enjoyed this book! This book came out twenty years ago so it’s interesting to see how different certain things are while some things are the same. Like sure most people don’t use landlines anymore but friendship and relationship struggles are still the same. I gave the book 4/4 stars. I’ve also decided I want to read all of Sarah Dessen novels, so expect to see some more reviews this year.

Thirteen Days to Midnight

After having two good books I hit a snag. I did not finish (DNF) Thirteen Days to Midnight by Patrick Carman. I decluttered the book, that’s why the image is not the book in front of my bookshelf. The premise of the book is that Jacob gets this power that he can transfer that makes someone indestructible. He meets this new girl Ophelia who convinces him to use the power for good until he realizes that this power is more of a curse.

I found that the actual plot wasn’t lining up with the premise. I read about a 1/3 of the book and felt like the plot was going nowhere. The other big issue I had with the book was the characters. I found Jacob, the main character, to be super bland. It’s a pretty well-known comment within the online book community that white men often suck at writing female characters. And while that is not always the case, this book is not the exception. Ophelia is one of the manic pixie dream girls that you often see in early 2010s novels.

I just couldn’t stand the characters and the book wasn’t going anywhere so I decided to put it down. It’s not often I DNF books since I’m pretty stubborn and like to follow through on things. But since I had been in a slump recently I didn’t want to into one again just for the sake of finishing a book I wasn’t enjoying. So I put it down. I did not rate the book since I DNFed it. I would not recommend it to anyone.

Angelology

I got pretty unlucky because the book I read after that I also DNFed. Angelology by Danielle Trussoni is the first book in an uncompleted series, so I was a little hesitant going into it. The story is about Evangeline, who was abandoned at a convent as a child. As she assists a scholar she uncovers a disturbing secret related to her family. This is an Adult Fantasy.

It’s an interesting story and I found the cast of characters to be unique. It’s beautifully descriptive and the passages flow easily. But man, the book is boring. Trussoni often has the habit of meandering, going back in time or writing long passages from books or the bible. I got about a 1/3 of the way through the book and barely anything had happened.

I decided to put down the book because it was boring. Also, the fact that the series was unfinished because the publisher didn’t want to produce the last book was not motivating me to continue. I didn’t want to invest more time into a story I wouldn’t know the ending of. I did not rate the book since I DNFed it. Unless you’re really into religious fantasies, I would pass on this book.

And those were the last of the books I read in 2021. After having two duds I decided to go through my physical TBR and declutter some books. There were quite a few that just didn’t interest me anymore or had bad reviews online. Hopefully, I won’t have to DNF a book again in the near future. If you’ve read these books let me know your thoughts in the comments. And with all my reviews let me know if you have any suggestions for me!

xoxo

Lea

Book Review

Ranking All The Books I Read In 2021

December 28, 2021January 18, 2022by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! Today I will be ranking all the books I read in 2021. I read 36 books this year, which is under my goal of 50 but still pretty impressive. I slowed down in the second half of the year, which is expected since I started working again. Today I will just be ranking the books, but I will be including links to all the book reviews, except the three I finished that I haven’t written yet. Those reviews will be posted in January and I will update this post once the reviews as up. One more thing before I get into the post – I personally rate the series together. So while I read 36 books, this post will have 23 spots. I believe that series should be read and rated together so that’s how this post will work. Let’s get into it!

Books I Did Not Finish

23. I have two books I did not finish. The worst book I read this year is Thirteen Day to Midnight by Patrick Carman. If you like this book I’m happy for you but there was personally nothing about this book that I enjoyed.

22. The second book I did not finish was Angelology by Danielle Trussoni. The writing was quite beautiful but the story was meandering and not going anywhere. This is also the first book in an unfinished series and I didn’t want to get involved with an unfinished series.

Two Star Books

21. My only two-star book is You by Charles Benoit. I almost hate this book more than the two I didn’t finish because I feel like I wasted my time reading the book. I gave it two stars because there was potential but it just wasn’t executed well. I don’t recommend this book to anyone.

Three Star Books

20. I get that Wuthering Heights is a classic but does anyone actually like it? I gave the book three stars because they were some good sections and it was very poetic, but I had to use Sparknotes to understand what was going on.

19. I was very underwhelmed by Emotions Revealed by Paul Ekman. I thought this book would focus on recognizing faces and improving communication when in reality t was more about the psychology of emotions. I also knew a lot of what was in this book already. Not a bad book just not what I wanted.

18. Another underwhelming book is The Wives by Tarryn Fisher. Based on the description I thought this book was going to be very different. The first half of the book was boring and then the second half of the book was confusing. While there were some good parts, there were also some sections I didn’t enjoy. Not the best thriller.

17. I think I would have liked Debutants by Cora Harrison if I was younger. It gives me middle-grade Downton Abbey vibes. I also guessed the mystery super quickly. Perfect for younger readers who are getting into historical fiction.

Three-and-a-half Star Books

16. I had high expectations before reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. I had heard good reviews and I was a little underwhelmed. I think the story is great but the writing style meant that I wasn’t very emotionally connected to the characters. If you love World War II then I would recommend checking it out, but otherwise I would pass.

Four Star Books

15. I kind of forget I read The Crown of Gilded Bones by Jennifer L. Armentrout this year, which is why I put it so low on the list. It took me a while to remember what was going on and then was thrown all this new information right at the beginning of the novel. I think the second half of the book was way better. Overall I didn’t love the book but I see how it’s important in the overarching series.

14. The next book is The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine. This was a fun book to read. The writing flows well, I read this book in five days! Liv was able to make me root for Amber, even though she was the antagonist. I would say this is more of a drama than a thriller, but would still recommend it to all my thriller fans.

13. I’ve read a lot of World War II novels, but I think Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein manages to be a wonderful, unique edition to the genre. The beginning was confusing but it’s meant to be. It was interesting trying to piece out what was happening and I was shocked by the ending. If you’re interested in spies, check out this book.

12. I’ve read a few thrillers/dramas/mysteries this year and funnily enough a YA one was my favourite. Shine by Lauran Myracle was a well-written mystery, it took me quite a while to piece out the criminal. I also think that Myracle did a good job of painting what it’s like to live in rural North Carolina. It’s a bit of a darker book but it was well done.

11. Sarah Dessen novels will always have a soft spot in my heart, and This Lullaby is no exception. While I like the main character Remy, I will say that the love interest Dexter wasn’t my favourite. The couple got together rather quickly and was on-and-off in the book, just something to note. I love that while this book is almost 20 years old I can still relate to the characters. If you like YA contemporary romance you need to check this one out.

10. Moving into the top ten, we have The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. This book was super hyped online and I will say it’s pretty good. I think Evelyn, the main character, is quite complex which is interesting to love. I wasn’t a huge fan of the main love interest but I can appreciate their love story. I think the lessons in this novel are quite important and would recommend the book.

9. I’m putting the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas at number nine. I liked some of the books in the series but didn’t enjoy other books in the series. I liked the series and enjoyed reading it but I can’t deny that I liked SJM’s Throne of Glass series so much more.

8. It’s been almost a year since I’ve read the Shadow and Bone series by Leigh Bardugo. Even though I’m putting the series at eight, it holds a special place in my heart because of the spin-off duologies. There are some great parts to the book and some more slow parts in the book. I think overall the magical world that Leigh created is just amazing and would recommend it to others.

7. Another series that has a special place in my heart is The Outlands Pentalogy by Rebecca Crunden. Rebecca was kind enough to send me the first book but I purchased the rest of the book myself. I think for a self-published series that this was magnificent. This was a refreshing take on the dystopia genre that I believe deserves more recognition.

Four-and-a-half Stars Books

6. The next book is King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo. I know that the sequel is out but I can’t read it yet because I’m waiting for it to come out in paperback. So my review might change but so far I loved it. There is something so comforting about returning to a cast of characters you already know. I also think Leigh took the world to the next level and loved the book!

Five Star Books

5. Breaking into the top five is Beauty Queens by Libby Bray. I know this book would not be everyone’s cup of tea but I absolutely loved it. This book was super funny and campy, it is a satire so it makes sense. It pokes fun at a lot of late 2000s pop culture which is when I was growing up so it was fun to read. This book is ridiculous but it’s my kind of ridiculous.

4. I am sorry to everyone who can’t stand this series, but I did enjoy Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon. The book requires the suspension of belief a bit. But the romance is just so good! I think this series introduced a lot of people to smutty romances and while I didn’t necessarily fully jump on board I want to read more romances in the future.

3. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab took my heart and shattered it into a million pieces. I do recommend this book because I think it’s beautiful and has so many great lessons in it. But maybe take a day off after you finish it because I wasn’t emotionally stable a couple of days after finishing this book.

2. I, like the majority of people online, absolutely fell in love with the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo. Leigh was able to add a whole new layer to the world she created in Shadow and Bone but managed to create six wonderfully amazing and complex characters. This book series made me laugh and cry and think at the same time. If you haven’t read this series already I highly recommend that you do. The only thing that is keeping it from being number one is that is a companion series and I think it’s necessary to read Shadow and Bone first which makes it a little less accessible.

1. And my number one book this year is The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. This is a hug and a warm cup of tea in book form. There is just something so magical reading about a book of women who love reading books as a woman who loves reading books. Is the book a little predictable? Yes but I still loved it nonetheless. I think all bookworms, especially those who love historical fiction, need to read this novel.

And those are all the books I read this year! If you want to hear more about my rankings, check out the video I will be posting on Sunday where I will be going more in-depth in my top 10 books this year. Let me know in the comments what were your favourite books that you read this year!

xoxo

Lea