Tag: review

Reviews

The Flatshare Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on The Flatshare Review

41436031._SY475_Tiffany has just recently been dumped by her boyfriend and is in dire need for a place to stay. Funds are short and in a moment of desperation she decided to accept a flatshare with a man she has never met before. From the times of 9am – 6pm Leon has the flat and the rest of the time it’s all hers.

I thought this was such a unique concept! Sharing your life and bed with someone you have never met at different times of the day. I enjoyed all the rules that Tiffany had to comply with and the fact that Leon’s girlfriend was adamant that he was not to meet Tiffany. Gradually coexisting quite well together and getting to know each other through the notes was incredibly cute and highly engaging for me.

I originally thought it was going to this fluffy little contemporary romance that would be a nice palate cleanser for me but the book actually went in an explored some deeper tones that I was not expecting. Case in point was the whole evolution of Tiffy realizing that her ex-boyfriend wasn’t who she thought he was and the way he was manipulating and gas-lighting her throughout the course of their relationship. There was times when I would get so frustrated with how much she would be swayed by him but then just thinking of how for two years she has been second guessing herself and being manipulated by this sociopath who wants to own her basically. I thought she clawed her way out of his clutches so well and I was so glad that she decided to get help and figure out what was happening.

I like the way Leon’s perspective was formatted throughout the book. It really went a ways in demonstrating how little he actually talks and the weight of his thoughts and how he expressed himself. We really see him come out of his shell in the book and get a look into his mind and how he manages to process everything that is changing around him. Leaving his girlfriend after realizing he wasn’t in love with her and developing feelings for Tiffy before he even really met her and dealing with all of the drama with his brother and understanding how much it means to him that people think he’s innocent.

I love that Tiffy and Leon are such contrasting characters that somehow mesh so well together. It was a little insta-lovey I will admit but there was so much back and forth between them that it seemed inevitable really.

It was never easy for Tiffy and Leon at any stage of the book which made me appreciate the ending so much more. It did tie together a little conveniently but at that point I was beyond caring and just was so invested in these characters and the story that I loved every minute of it!

⭐️4.5/5 stars almost perfect!

Reviews

The Poet X Review

by amyleighreads1 Comment on The Poet X Review

y648This was wonderful!

The Poet X follows the story of Xiomara (X) who has had her guard up her entire life. Ever since she developed curves living in her Harlem neighborhood she has had to literally use her fists and fight for her right to be heard.

I loved the concept of this book and the way it was formatted. I think this was the first time that I read a book that was written entirely in verse and even though there wasn’t as many words on the page I feel that I got more of a grasp of the story and X’s feelings through the way she expressed herself in her poems. It really painted a picture in my mind of what X had to deal with on a daily basis and how through her passion for writing and poems she was finally able to find her voice.

X is such a relatable character. I can see so many young girls picking this book up and seeing themselves reflected in the words being written. There is a real feeling of isolation for many young girls out there that X evoked so well throughout the course of the book. It honestly brought me back to my own teenage years and had me reflecting on how I felt at that time of my life.

Even though it was a relatively short book there was a lot of growth shown in all of the characters. At the start X seems really angry with the world and almost resents being a girl and is jealous of her brother even though she is the strong one who always fights for him. She subtly softens throughout the course of the plot line and even though she has to endure so much through her mother and her religious beliefs she really comes out of the other side stronger and more at peace with herself.

It was really fascinating to see the way that something as innocent as writing down your innermost feelings in poems and kissing a boy on the subway could be construed as such a shameful act that literally brought Xiomara’s whole world down around her. I would have liked to see her brother stand up for her a little more seeing as how she was his protector for so many years, especially since her mother loves him so much. But I can understand why, he also had this whole other life that he was trying to protect for himself and he didn’t want to have that exposed like how X’s was. I just felt like she took most of the brunt of her mother’s wrath and he could of lessened it a lot more had he said something.

I adored this book, I loved the diversity of the characters, the setting, the concept, it all really come together beautifully into what I think is a compulsory read for everyone!

⭐️5/5 A MUST Read!!!

Reviews

Vow of Thieves Review

by amyleighreads3 Comments on Vow of Thieves Review

*THERE ARE A FEW SPOILERS*

34196663Absolutely loved this!

Vow of Thieves continues on about a month after the ending of Dance of Thieves. Kazi and Jase are on their way back to Tor’s Watch to let everyone know that the Ballenger’s will no longer be outlaws, they will be recognized as the First Kingdom in the Empire. However, a warning they receive on the journey forces them to rush back and they are ambushed on the road before they enter town.

I really love the direction the plot went. I assumed all of the conflict in the book was going to be between Kazi and the family trying to rebuild the trust that was broken at the end of Dance of Thieves, but I enjoyed this storyline so much more! Straight off the bat Jase and Kazi are thrust apart after being together constantly and are fighting tirelessly to be reunited all while trying to topple the King and reassert their power over Tor’s Watch.

All of the torture and imprisonment that Kazi had to deal with over the course of the book and still not break and relent was an amazing feat. She really proved how committed and in love she is with Jase after she assumed he was dead and to still stuck around and complied with the Kings’ demands in order to save the kids. She endured so much and come out of it still swinging which I love about her!

Jase also really proved his commitment to Kazi above all else. I really thought for a minute that he would focus on overthrowing the King and assuming his Patrei role but he was insistent upon getting better in order to go and find Kazi. The level of dedication he has for her over his family as the Patrei and the wrath he shows when he finds out they handed her over to the King was wonderful to read. You can really see the depth of his love for her and just the way that he expresses that to his family in his rage really encompasses everything that they’ve dealt with thus far. That was a really pivotal moment in the book for me, and the remorsefulness and guilt that they show after the fact proves to me that they are a real family and would do anything for their own.

This book was really a roller coaster from start to finish. Usually with political fantasy I get bored easily and loose interest but the amount of action and intrigue packed into this storyline really grabbed my attention and was highly engaging throughout the course of the book. There was some really touching and emotional moments spattered throughout the plot as well that tugged at my heartstrings and even brought a tear to my eye. I absolutely loved this book and this duology in my opinion really built on the foundation that the Remnant Chronicles forged and just surpassed it!

⭐️5/5 stars AMAZING 100% RECOMMEND

Reviews

King of Fools Review

by amyleighreads3 Comments on King of Fools Review

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

44783320._SY475_After I completed Ace of Shades I immediately knew I had to pick up King of Fools straight away!

King of Fools continues immediately after the events of Ace of Shades. Enne saved Levi’s life in the Shadow Game and now her identity of Séance has become a legend around New Reynes. Now that the Chancellor of the Republic is dead both Enne and Levi have massive bounties placed on their heads. With a street war brewing and the Vianca forcing them to play a dangerous game of crime and politics their demise seems imminent!

There was quite a lot of political maneuverings happening with the election and that kind of threw me off a little. I felt like the plot was leaning more in that direction instead of the more fantastical, fast paced, highly entertaining storyline I came to love from the first book. I am not that big of a fan of politics in fantasy and that was one factor that brought the book down a little for me.

On the other hand I love seeing the progression of Enne’s character. Now that she knows that he mother has passed and she has come into her Mizer powers she has really become this whole new character, who is unapologetically unique. She has embraced her past at the etiquette school and incorporated that into the Spirits which I loved! Their whole aesthetic of being female only, wearing their signature white lace gloves was fantastic. I just wish she tapped a little more into her families powers and made some volts. I would of loved to see her and Levi working together more in this book.

I felt like Levi really struggled throughout the storyline. He has so much riding on his partnership with Harrison and also has to worry about the Irons and building up their empire as well as his decision to send Jac into the underbelly of the Torren crime family. Some of the decisions he made throughout the book was questionable but I felt given the gravity of his situation they all felt realistic. He’s had a slow progression in this book but I think he came out of it stronger and ready to fight!

I like that there are always consequences in these books. The characters don’t really get a pass for anything that they do which makes the stakes so much higher. I thought the ending was a little rushed to be honest and a little all over the place. I really had to slow down my reading and focus on what was happening and who was doing what, which brought me out of the story a little. Definitely ended with a bang and the book went into a lot more detail about the gangs and the north and south side of New Reynes.

⭐️4/5 stars Really liked it, didn’t love as much as Ace of Shades!

Reviews

The Bride Test Review

by amyleighreads5 Comments on The Bride Test Review

39338454Khai has no interest in dating or marriage so when his mum goes over to the Vietnam and brings a potential wife back to live with him for the summer he is outraged. Forced to cohabitate Khai starts to get used to the idea of Esme living with him and she is starting to see that he does have feelings after all.

I absolutely loved this story! It was a very fast paced, quick read for me that I finished in one sitting and I came out of it with just warm fuzzy feelings. I think the book really explored the cultural differences between the generations.  Like how Khai’s mum is perfectly comfortable interviewing for potential wives for Khai and trying to push him to get married ASAP and how uncomfortable and resistant Khai and Quan are about the whole situation. Also Esme’s mum telling her to seduce Khai just to marry him quickly because he lives in America and is handsome.

I love how unique and interesting Khai’s character is. I thought his autism was represented very well throughout the course of the plot and his reactions to certain situations was consistent and felt real. The way he struggled to understand other people’s emotions when he processes things in a very different way was interesting to read. He felt like a truly well rounded character and his naivety and inexperience really endeared him to me. The whole conversation he had with Quan and Michael after his first time was super cute!

I had some mixed feelings about Esme throughout the course of the book. I was a little skeptical about her reasoning’s for accepting the deal in the first place and I can’t help but feel that she was intentionally trying to just seduce Khai at first without even attempting to get to know him. But as the story progressed I definitely warmed up to her as she started to dig into her own background and better herself whilst she was there; trying to find her father and going to back to school and getting her GED.

The whole concept for the story I found super entertaining and I just can’t help but think that this kind of situation really happens in real life; mothers pushing their sons to get married because everyone else in their families is getting married. I don’t know if they would go as far as to return to their home countries to pluck a random girl from a bathroom but that’s the beauty of fiction. I was highly entertained and engaged throughout the book and I can’t wait to see what Helen Hoang comes out with next!

⭐️5/5 stars Loved it!