amyleighreads – Page 98 – Amy Leigh Reads

Best Books I’ve Read According to Goodreads

June 23, 2022June 16, 2022by amyleighreads1 Comment

I’ve done the highest rated books on my TBR according to Goodreads and I thought it would be fun to see from the 500 or so books I’ve read since I started my Goodreads back in 2018 the top 10 that have the highest average rating and what I rated it! (If there are multiple books from one series I just added the highest rated book of that series)

Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson – 4.75 average, I rated it ⭐️5 stars

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – 4.62 average, I rated it ⭐️5 stars

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas – 4.61 average, I rated it ⭐️5 stars

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas – 4.61 average, I rated it ⭐️5 stars

Highball Rush by Claire Kingsley & Lucy Score – 4.60 average, I rated it ⭐️4 stars

The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss – 4.55 average, I rated it ⭐️4 stars

Heartstopper: Volume One by Alice Oseman – 4.55 average, I rated it ⭐️4 stars

The House of Hades by Rick Riordan – 4.54 average, I rated it ⭐️4 stars

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir – 4.52 average, I rated it ⭐️4 stars

Hollowpox: the Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend – 4.52 average , I rated it ⭐️4 stars

Book Lists, WWW Wednesdays

Bookish Wishlist

June 21, 2022June 21, 2022by amyleighreads3 Comments

It’s Top Ten Tuesday time friends! This was definitely a fun prompt here is my Wishlist.. these are all books I read this year and late last year that I got either from the library or read an e-book and would love to own a physical copy for myself. I absolutely don’t expect anyone to gift me any of these so this list is going to serve as my own kind of reminder to treat myself every now and again!

My book wish list includes:

Fable & Namesake by Adrienne Young

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Daughter of the Pirate King and Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller

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Reckless Girls by Paula Hawkins

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Girls of Fate and Fury by Natasha Ngan

Reviews

Under the Whispering Door Review

June 20, 2022June 17, 2022by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead. And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he’s definitely dead. But even in death he’s not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

Wallace from the start is not the most likeable character which is to be expected. I think it was very relatable the way he acts and lashes out on everyone at the tea shop when he first gets there. I appreciate the transformation he undertakes after he dies and the emotional toll it takes on him having to reflect upon his life. I think it was admirable that he chose to resolve some loose ends with his ex wife and chooses to help Nancy and Cameron as one of his last acts before he moves on.

Hugo was lovely though I didn’t feel as much of a connection to him. We learn so much about his history of how he came to be a ferryman and why he chose to give up his life to help those that have died to cross over. But I feel like we don’t feel like we see enough of him just being Hugo. Mei and Nelson on the other hand were delightful characters. They brought some much needed lightness and banter to the story and definitely lifted up everyone’s spirits.

It was frustrating at times when Wallace would ask questions after just getting there and would just keep getting non-answers from both Hugo and Mei. They would just keep saying the answers would come with time and would ask another question to distract Wallace and it was repetitive and boring at times. The never ending existential talks that kept going round and round really slowed down the pace and made the book drag at times. It this condensed into a short story of like 150 pages I think I would of loved this soo much more!

⭐️3/5 stars A bit predictable but heart-warming!

Reviews

Siren Queen Review

June 17, 2022June 17, 2022by amyleighreadsLeave a Comment

Luli Wei is beautiful, talented, and desperate to be a star. Coming of age in pre-Code Hollywood, she knows how dangerous the movie business is and how limited the roles are for a Chinese American girl from Hungarian Hill—but she doesn’t care. She’d rather play a monster than a maid. But in Luli’s world, the worst monsters in Hollywood are not the ones on screen. The studios want to own everything from her face to her name to the women she loves, and they run on a system of bargains made in blood and ancient magic, powered by the endless sacrifice of unlucky starlets like her. For those who do survive to earn their fame, success comes with a steep price. Luli is willing to do whatever it takes—even if that means becoming the monster herself.

Luli was an interesting character for sure. I enjoyed that she maintained her values as much as she could whilst on the rise to fame. She could of easily accepted her place at the studio and became one of the changelings but she stood her ground and never fully gave in or gave too much of herself. You have to be a bit selfish to abandon your family and steal your sisters name in the hopes of becoming a star which made her more realistic and relatable.

The writing was simply beautiful. Lyrical, descriptive and so atmospheric I could picture every single scene with clarity. It was a little difficult to imagine the studio space especially the first time Luli and Greta head to the fires, but you definitely get accustomed to the style and whimsy of this reality. I think not fully being aware of what’s happening and being a disoriented pulls us into the story and we get more a feel of what Luli is dealing with.

This book really teeters on the edge of fantasy without being outright fantastical. It was in your face but it would be brief and unassuming and no one would react to any of it. The Hollywood setting is just so interesting and I would of loved if we could of explored a little more of the filmmaking process than what we got. Being a part of the interviews and the red carpets instead of just being told about them.

There just wasn’t really any kind of built up of anticipation or stakes that kept me invested. In the end I was just reading to pretty much finish the book as opposed to having an interest in how these events were going to unfold.

⭐️3/5 stars A solid story just a touch too long.