Category: Reviews

Reviews

The Honeys Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on The Honeys Review

*SOME SPOILERS*

Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline’s radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn all he can about his once-inseparable sister who’d grown tragically distant. Mars’s genderfluidity means he’s often excluded from the traditions — and expectations — of his politically-connected family. This includes attendance at the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy where his sister poured so much of her time. But with his grief still fresh, he insists on attending in her place.

Mars as a character I enjoyed but didn’t connect with as much as I would of liked to. I think because the start of the book is so jarring and intense it took me a little longer to get situated in the plot and understand what was happening. I thought Mars’ reasonings for wanting to go back to Aspen Academy was fair and if was in his place I would of wanted to go back too. I just thought it took him too long to really make a move and start to fully investigate the honeys and Aspen as a whole.

All the other characters aside from Mars were kind of hard to distinguish between. None of them really felt fleshed out to me and were kind of blurred together (I’m even having a hard time remembering any of their names). I just felt like because this was titled as the honeys and they were the ones who were closest to Caroline before she died we would of got to know them a lot more than what we did.

I could in no way predict how this book was going to end. It took a turn for the weird and strange and I wasn’t prepared for it so it definitely took me by surprise! I liked how broad the scope of the book got and it wasn’t just isolated to Aspen and the fact that Mars wasn’t able to escape from the inevitability of this organisation.

The prose was very lyrical and beautiful but almost a little too flowery for me. I think the overly descriptive language and the perceptive shifts that occur throughout the course of the plot kept confusing me which may have been intentional by the author. I don’t really enjoy for the most part not fulling knowing and understanding what was going on so that kind of pulled me out of the story a bit.

⭐️3/5 stars Loved the premise, the pacing was just a bit off

Reviews

Magic, Lies and Deadly Pies Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Magic, Lies and Deadly Pies Review

* A BIT SPOILERY*

Daisy Ellery’s pies have a secret ingredient: The magical ability to avenge women done wrong by men. But Daisy finds herself on the receiving end in Misha Popp’s cozy series debut, a sweet-as-buttercream treat for fans of Ellery Adams and Mary Maxwell. The first time Daisy Ellery killed a man with a pie, it was an accident. Now, it’s her calling. Daisy bakes sweet vengeance into her pastries, which she and her dog Zoe deliver to the men who’ve done dirty deeds to the town’s women. But if she can’t solve the one crime that’s not of her own baking, she’ll be out of the pie pan and into the oven.

Daisy has a very strong moral compass which I really enjoyed about her. She has these strict rules about the murder pies and she doesn’t stray from them and make exceptions for anyone. I did kind of side eye her a little bit because I thought she was literally murdering people with her pies but as the limitations surrounding her magic was revealed I thought her intentions were pure.

I liked that the whole book wasn’t just revolving around the murder pies and the mystery about who was blackmailing Daisy, she still goes about her day baking normal pies, going to the farmers market where she meets Noel and entering the baking competition. There was other things to keep my mind occupied instead of just focusing on the mystery. I definitely didn’t trust Melly’s character from the start. There was something about her do-gooder attitude that made me think maybe there was something else she wasn’t telling us and I was kind of justified when we find out her role in the grand scheme of things.

This was my first foray into cozy mysteries and I have to say I had a lot of fun! Granted you really have to suspend all beliefs and just jump into it expecting an over the top plot with ridiculous schemes and shenanigans.

⭐️4/5 stars This book made me crave pie lol

Reviews

Near the Bone Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on Near the Bone Review

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Mattie can’t remember a time before she and William lived alone on a mountain together. She must never make him upset. But when Mattie discovers the mutilated body of a fox in the woods, she realizes that they’re not alone after all. There’s something in the woods that wasn’t there before, something that makes strange cries in the night, something with sharp teeth and claws. When three strangers appear on the mountaintop looking for the creature in the woods, Mattie knows their presence will anger William. Terrible things happen when William is angry.

Mattie’s character broke my heart in this book. Just how much she has retreated into her mind, blocking out all her old memories and just becoming accustomed to the truly terrible treatment she has had to endure from William. Just the cavalier way her mind just accepts that she is going to be beaten and tortured by this man and yet will still continue to be his dutiful wife was horrifying. I was so proud of her for talking to the strangers when they came to the cabin and listened to herself and escaped when she did.

The fantastical element to the story with the monster I would of liked to be explored a little more. Maybe go into the lore of this creature and why it’s come now. Is it just a coincidence that Mattie comes across the dead fox and can subsequently feel when it’s near or is she just more in tune with her surroundings than everyone else. Is it just a physical representation of William and how monstrous his nature is which turned on him in the end?

The setting and atmosphere really played a big role in this book. The insular setting really showcases just how isolated Mattie has been from the rest of the world and restricts her from any chance of escape most of the time. There was just this overlying sense of dread and helplessness woven into the story that sets the tone of the rest of the plot and how it plays out.

⭐️4/5 stars This was heart wrenching!

Reviews

A Court of Silver Flames Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on A Court of Silver Flames Review

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly – proud, swift to anger and slow to forgive. And since the war – since being made High Fae against her will – she’s struggled to forget the horrors she endured and find a place for herself within the strange and deadly Night Court. The person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred, winged warrior who is there at Nesta’s every turn. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. And when they are forced to train in battle together, sparks become flame.

Nesta is the kind of character that is just so easy to hate but honestly after getting her perspective I find her to be a lot more relatable than Feyre. I’m glad that we get to see the consequences of what she has gone through and the work she has to put in to move past everything. I think it’s very unfair the amount of times the rest of the Night court make decisions without her input and decide when to deign her with crucial information. They seen how long it took for Feyre to get over her time at the Spring Court and didn’t give Nesta enough grace I feel.

Cassian wasn’t as honest with Nesta as I think he should of been but he definitely was her biggest supporter and advocator when they were all discussing what to do and what to tell her when she wasn’t present. I feel as though we only really scratched the surface with him and what he has overcome in his life as well which could of made me feel more connected to him had we got maybe some flashbacks to some of these battles and wars he’s been in.

This was a very emotional book about finding acceptance and trust within yourself. This was definitely the most adult of Sarah J Maas’s books as it gets very smutty which I wasn’t expecting to go to that level but I was pleasantly surprised. I loved seeing Nesta and Cassian grow closer and try not to give into their quite obvious feelings for each other. There was a little bit of the miscommunication trope which I hate but they hash everything out multiple times which placated me.

I have to be honest the mystery surrounding the trove and the queens didn’t really interest me that much. It was a nice way to include all the other characters we know and love but just Nesta’s journey with training and establishing the Valkyrie’s would of been enough for me.

⭐️5/5 stars I am soooo disappointed in myself for not reading this sooner!

Reviews

When No One is Watching Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on When No One is Watching Review

Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block—her neighbor Theo. But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised.

I liked Sydney right from the start when we are introduced to her at the tour of the neighborhood and she challenges the tour guide. She is very unforgiving of her attitude towards these families that have come and are seemingly taking over yet she knows when to leave things alone even though it’s unfair and very racist. She was a little bit of an unreliable character which did get on my nerves a bit but I think it was realistic when we find out what she has had to deal with.

Theo I didn’t feel as connected to as Sydney. It was an interesting perspective to put into the book for sure as we kind of get to see things from the other side of the ‘invaders’. I didn’t really know what his intentions were right up to the climax of the book. I was annoyed that he wouldn’t call out the problematic language his girlfriend would use and make excuses for her when she was obviously racially profiling people and using her white privilege to get what she wanted.

I loved the feeling of comradery between the neighbors and that sense of familiarity and comfort that can be had by knowing so much about the people around you and then how violating that can be when new people keep forcing their way in. The book was a little slow in terms of pace for a good two thirds of the book but the ending does ramp up. There was just this ominous tone that was woven throughout the storyline that kept me hooked and eager to find out what was going to happen next and boy could I not predict that ending!

⭐️4/5 stars Darker than what I was expecting!