Books – 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, Review

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series

November 12, 2021November 12, 2021by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! Thought it was time to take a break from Sephora Sale content and post a book review! I know it’s been a while since my last blog post but it’s taken me about four months to finish this series oops. Today I will be sharing my review of Sarah J Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses (shorten to ACOTAR) series. For those of you who don’t know, ACOTAR is a very popular series online. I had heard a lot about the books before reading the series which affected my opinion. I will do a review on each book, which will contain minor spoilers – such is the nature of reviewing series since each book builds on each other. At the end of this post, I’ll do a spoiler-free overview of the series. So let’s get into it!

A Court of Thorns and Roses

A Court of Thorns is the first book in the series. It follows Feyre, a human who accidentally kills a fae and must go live with a fae lord to make up for her actions. This is a new adult fantasy series.

I heard a lot about this book on book Tiktok before reading it, so I had a lot of preconceived notions. I knew a lot of people didn’t like the love interest, Tamlin, so because of that, I didn’t like him.

I spent a good part of the book waiting for the action that I hear everyone online talk about to happen. It wasn’t until the last 100 pages that the action picked up and I was into the book. I think it sets up nicely for the next book in the series.

I think Feyre is a pretty neutral main character. I don’t hate her but I don’t love her. There are a lot of big side characters in the series, so it helps that she’s tamer.

I gave this book 4/5 stars. It was good but had a real slow start.

A Court of Mist and Fury

A Court of Mist and Fury was much better compared to the first. There is more action and the characters introduced in this book as very interesting. The best part of the book is the romance. I love Feyre and Rhysand’s relationship and how it builds and grows through the book.

I like how Feyre’s mental health struggles are a big part of the book. I felt like the depiction is quite realistic and it was amazing to see it improve throughout the novel.

My only complaint is that the book is quite long. This is a reoccurring complaint I have for the series.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars.

A Court of Wings and Ruin

I’m still not sure if my reading slump just coincided with reading A Court of Wings and Ruin or was because of the book. Whereas the first two took me about 10 pages to get through, the third book took me a month to read.

I found the beginning to be boring after the excitement of the second novel. This book also has a war in it. I’ve mentioned this before but I’m not a huge fan of war novels and this one was no exception. I found the middle section dragged on. As well, a lot of new characters were introduced and it found it confusing to remember everyone.

The last 150 pages were good and redeemed the novel from being a complete flop for me. For reference, I read the last 150 pages in two days.

I gave the book 3.5/5 stars. I was debating not continuing with the series, but I already owned the other books, so I decided to continue.

A Court of Frost and Starlight

A Court of Frost and Starlight is a novella that is supposed to be a bridge between the Feyre, who is the main character in the first three novels, and Nesta, who is the main character in the next novels.

I don’t think this book is necessary for the grand scheme of the series. There are only a few big plot points that could have easily been included at the end of the last novel or the beginning of the next novel.

The book just had a bunch of unnecessary fluff. It’s set in the world’s version of Christmas so I think it could be nice to read around the holiday to get in the spirit. But otherwise, I don’t think it added that much to the series.

I gave the book 3.5/5 stars. It was quick to read but not the most interested.

A Court of Silver Flames

Like I mentioned, this book switches to Nesta (Feyre’s sister) and Cassian’s point of view and focuses on their relationship. A Court of Silver Flames is probably tied with A Court of Mist and Fury as my favourite books in this series. I’ve always liked Nesta but this book made me fall in love with her. She’s just more complex than Feyre.

Similar to ACOMAF, this book is about Nesta processing her trauma and I felt it was quite realistic in the ups and downs and the long period of time it takes to process trauma.

I love Nesta and Cassian’s relationship. I also love the friendship that Feyre develops with Emerie and Gwen. They’re probably some of my favourite side characters in the whole series.

This book was really really long. It was 750 pages but I think this book could have easily been 500 pages. It was just a little long and repetitive in some parts.

This book was also quite character-driven. It focused mainly on Nesta’s growth, otherwise, not much happened plot-wise. I also found the ending to be a little rushed and the conflict resolved a little too quickly.

I gave this book 4.5/5 stars. It was great and I’m excited to see where the series goes.

Overall Thoughts

If you are not familiar with Sarah J Maas, she also wrote the Throne of Glass series, which I absolutely loved and gave 5/5 stars. I had high expectations going into this series. Overall I think it was good but not as great as Throne of Glass.

First, like I mentioned this series is a character-driven book. This means that the growth and development of the characters are what drive the book forward. Whereas Throne of Glass is a plot-driven book, where the plot and conflict are what drive the book forward. Both are acceptable, I just prefer plot-driven books which is why I didn’t like ACOTAR as much.

For this being a character-driven series as well, I found that I didn’t connect to the characters as much compared to Throne of Glass. I loved the characters in that series. I do realize that ACOTAR isn’t finished yet so this might change but it is something to note.

Finally, I find that ACOTAR is quite long and drawn out. I don’t think long books are inherently bad. But I think if your book is going to be long it better be action-filled or just interesting the whole book. I think the books could easily be 50-150 pages shorter and would still be good books. So if you struggle with long books beware.

I think this is a good fantasy and romance series but I don’t think it transcends the genre. Some books are so good that I think everyone should read them. I would recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy but if you’re not a fan of the genre I would pass. I give this series 4/5 stars. I will continue to read the future books that come out.

And those are my thoughts on the ACOTAR series! If you’ve read this series let me know your thoughts in the comments. And with all my book reviews let me know if you have any recommendations for me in the comments!

xoxo

Lea

Book Review, Review

Books Reviews: “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” and “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”

July 27, 2021July 26, 2021by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! I’m back with another book review. I must say that I haven’t been reading as much lately. I usually read at night but I’ve been so tired that I only read for a bit before going to sleep. So it’s been taking me longer than normal to get through books. But here I am with two new book reviews. Let’s get into it.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

The first book is The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. My mom borrowed this from our neighbour and then recommended it to me. This story follows Lale, who is a Slovakian Jew who becomes the tattooist at Auschwitz. He ends up meeting a woman named Gita and he promises her that they will make it out alive and that he will marry her. This is an adult historical fiction novel.

I had high expectations going into this book because I’ve heard many good things about it. And while the book was good, it wasn’t the best World War II book I’ve ever read. Don’t get me wrong, Lale and Gita’s story is incredible – and based on real life. But the storytelling was a little lacklustre.

Morris is a screenwriter by trade and I felt like that was quite evident in her writing. There was a general lack of atmosphere and setting in the book – things that are normally done visually not necessarily written in a screenplay. I think Morris did a great job of explaining the reality of Auschwitz and also mentioned other prisoners such as the Romani, political prisoners, etc. But I didn’t get any sense of fear and tension in the novel.

This was also touted as a great romance and I felt like the romance was a little lacking between Lale and Gita. There are so many World War II books out there on the market and I just don’t think that this was necessarily the best I’ve read in the genre.

Overall I give the book 3.5/5 stars. The story itself was good but the writing needs work. If you’re a big World War II book read then I would check it out. But otherwise, I don’t think it needs to be on the top of everyone’s list.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The second book is The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I’ve heard many good things about the book, so much that I asked for it (and received it) for Christmas this past year. The story is about Evelyn Hugo, a famous movie actress of the 60s and 70s who had seven different husbands. Evelyn asks an unknown writer, Monique, to write her life story and tell the world who her one true love is. This is an adult historical fiction novel as well.

I have to say that I liked the book, but I wasn’t blown away but it. It took me a really long time to get into the novel. The book follows Monique at the beginning and it takes a while for Evelyn to start telling her story. And it wasn’t until her third husband that I really got into the novel.

I also didn’t really feel emotionally connected to any of the characters. There were no characters that I saw myself in or that I really liked and wanted to be my best friend. I respect Evelyn, for she is a complex character but still a strong and powerful woman. But I just didn’t connect with her. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the main love interest (but I won’t say who as to not spoil it). I also loved the LGBTQ + representation in the novel. It’s something I want to read more of in the future and I really like the way it was handled and discussed in the novel.

Overall it’s a good book and I would recommend it to anyone who’s intrigued by it. But it’s not going to be on the top of my book list for this year. I give it 4/5 stars.

It’s interesting because last time I have two five-star books and this time I was a little disappointed by the books I read. Not that they were bad but I just heard such amazing things that I thought they would be better. Anyway, I’m planning to read A Court of Thorns and Roses next, so I won’t have a new book review blog post until I finish that series! So follow me on TikTok (@leaveittolea) because I give more updates there.

xoxo

Lea

Book Review, Review

Book Reviews: “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” and “Beauty Queens”

July 6, 2021July 5, 2021by Lea1 Comment

Hey guys! Sorry for not posting on Friday. Having the day off on Thursday threw me off schedule. I’m still trying to figure out how to balance my time with my new job, so please forgive me. Anyway, today we have a book review post. I posted a Youtube video with my monthly book reviews as well, I’ll link that at the bottom if you prefer an audio-visual version instead. Let’s get into it!

The first book is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. My friends got this for me for my birthday. I’ve heard so many good things online so I was excited to read it. I also heard that the book was sad and was going to give me an existential crisis. And the people on the internet weren’t kidding.

This book follows Addie LaRue, who makes a deal with the devil to live forever. The thing is that no one remembers her. Addie lives over 300 years before she meets someone who does remember her. This is a New Adult historical fantasy.

This book is written so well. There is a nice balance between being straightforward and being poetic. And the poetic sections aren’t pretentious in any way. The writing is very effortless and flows well. The beginning is very strong. It hooked me right away and wasn’t confusing. The book is a little slower-paced. Addie’s life story unfolds throughout the full novel. While it’s slower-paced it’s not boring. I was intrigued by the whole book.

Addie LaRue is a very philosophical book. It dives deep into themes such as the purpose of life, our impact on society and being liked and accepted, to name a few. It can be quite sad at times. I received some personally sad news around the same time I was reading this book, so I think that just amplified how I was feeling. I was sobbing after I finish the book and felt pretty sad and numb the next day.

I didn’t necessarily love this book but I think it still deserves 5 stars. First I don’t think there is anything I would change about the book. V.E. Schwab had a story she wanted to tell and I think she executed it perfectly. Second, while I didn’t love the book, it elicited strong, sad emotions from me. I think the fact that i tcreated such strong emotions shows that it’s an impressive book. So I give it 5/5 stars. I would recommend the book but just be prepared to feel sad and question life after reading the book.

After reading such a sad book I needed something happier. So I decided to read Beauty Queens by Libba Bray. I bought this book back in middle school (it was published in 2011). I’ve read Bray’s Gemma Doyle series and Going Bovine, and liked both of them. Going Bovine is a whacky book and I had a feeling that Beauty Queens would be similar so I was prepared going into this book.

Beauty Queens follows a group of teen beauty pageant contestants who get stranded on what they think is a deserted island. They must work together to survive on this island, but really weird things keep on happening to them. This is a YA contemporary comedy.

This book is a whacky satire that is poking fun at many things include late 2000s media and pop culture, capitalism, big corporations, beauty standards, sexism, racism and many other things. It’s full of late 2000s references (like I said published in 2011). Since I grew up during this time I knew all the references so I found it super funny.

This also might be a random comparison, but it reminded me a lot of the kid tv show Phineas and Ferb. That show was pretty whacky and if you took it at face value it wouldn’t make sense. But if you just go along with the wackiness it’s pretty funny. Same thing with this book. The book has footnotes, fun facts section, commercial scripts that add to the storyline.

I think how this book talked about some serious topics in a fun and light-hearted way. It’s a great way to start a conversation on difficult topics. There was also lots of diversity, with an Indian immigrant, an African-American girl, a trans girl, lesbian and bi characters, and a deaf girl. And they weren’t just side characters. Bray discussed how their identities affected them personally and also related to the world of beauty pageants. Great to see such diversity in a book, because there are books published today that don’t have this level of diversity in them.

There was some romance but it wasn’t the focus of the novel. The book was more about the girls learning to be friends with each other and banding together instead of fighting with one another. And I love novels with good female friendships.

Overall I gave this book 5/5 stars, but I can easily see why people wouldn’t like this book. If satire isn’t your thing or you don’t know much about 2000s pop culture then you might not like this book. Comedy is so subjective so this book isn’t going to be for everyone.

And those are my book reviews for today guys. If you read either of these books let you know what you thought about them. And as always, feel free to leave book recommendations in the comments! Always willing to add books to my endless TBR list haha.

xoxo

Lea