Book Review – Page 10

Book Review: “It Starts With Us” By Colleen Hoover

“It Ends With Us” Is my all time favorite book so when I heard she was releasing a sequel in Atlas’s perspective I immediately pre ordered the book. Actually, I ordered two copies to be exact, Apparently I was more excited for this boo than I knew. Even though I ordered two copies of this book I ended up listening to it on audio while I was working because I needed to know what happened! Lets get down to my thoughts.

“I can draw a seedling with two tiny branches. Yours and mine. We’ll be on our own brand-new, tiny family tree—one that starts with us.”
Colleen Hoover, It Starts with Us

About The Book

Author: Colleen Hoover

Publisher: Atria Books

Published Date: October 18th, 2022

Page Count: 336 Pages

Main Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction

GoodReads Rating: 4,25

Format: Audio

“She’s my person, and I am hers, and that’s something I’ve known since the first week we met.”
Colleen Hoover, It Starts with Us

Synopsis

Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date.

But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.

Synopsis from Goodreads

“My choice helped me realize that sometimes the hardest decisions a person can make will most likely lead to the best outcomes.”
Colleen Hoover, It Starts with Us

Rating

Review

Atlas and Lily have my whole heart! This book was everything that I hoped it would be plus more! These are my comfort books.

I am happy I chose to listen to this on audio because having the dual perspectives with a cast really adds to the perfection of this book. With that said, I am already wanting to reread this but with the physical copy. I just can’t get enough of their story!

This book showed a lot of character development of all the characters, I think everyone in this book really grew up from the first one. This was something that made me love this book just slightly more than the first one.

I am so happy we got more of Atlas! Getting to know him better and all the things he really had to go through to get to where he is today just made me love him more.

These books will be my favorite romance reads for the rest of my life, I am calling it now! I will forever recommend these to everyone I come across. Please pick these up and send me your thoughts!

“Thank you for being the most comforting part of my life right now. Thank you for always being the beacon I need every time I feel lost. Whether you mean to shine on me or not. I am grateful for you. I’ve missed you. I absolutely should have kissed you.”
Colleen Hoover, It Starts with Us

QOTD: I need a book that will make me cry, send me some recs.

Book Review: “The Perfect Child” By Lucinda Berry

October has been such a great reading month for me! I have had many four and five star reads and this one was no different! I had heard nothing but good reviews for this book so I went in with High expectations and it really did live up to the hype.

“Parenting a traumatized child is horribly difficult. Most of them suffer from severe attachment issues, and mothers are usually the targets of their rage. It can get pretty awful.”
Lucinda Berry, The Perfect Child

About The Book

Author: Lucinda Berry

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

Published Date: March 1st, 2019

Page Count: 371 Pages

Main Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Horror

GoodReads Rating: 4.10

Format: Audio

“She crawled up on my lap and whispered in her sweet voice, “I like hurting people. Do you?”
Lucinda Berry, The Perfect Child

Synopsis

Christopher and Hannah are a happily married surgeon and nurse with picture-perfect lives. All that’s missing is a child. When Janie, an abandoned six-year-old, turns up at their hospital, Christopher forms an instant connection with her, and he convinces Hannah they should take her home as their own.

But Janie is no ordinary child, and her damaged psyche proves to be more than her new parents were expecting. Janie is fiercely devoted to Christopher, but she acts out in increasingly disturbing ways, directing all her rage at Hannah. Unable to bond with Janie, Hannah is drowning under the pressure, and Christopher refuses to see Janie’s true nature.

Hannah knows that Janie is manipulating Christopher and isolating him from her, despite Hannah’s attempts to bring them all together. But as Janie’s behavior threatens to tear Christopher and Hannah apart, the truth behind Janie’s past may be enough to push them all over the edge.

Synopsis From GoodReads

“What are you talking about? We can’t just give her back—we’re her parents. Her parents, Hannah. Whether you like it or not, that’s what we signed on for.” His body shook as he tried to control his anger. “You can’t just give your kids away when it’s rough.” “You can if your kid is a monster.”
Lucinda Berry, The Perfect Child

Rating

Review

If you are going to read this book I highly recommend the audio book! I loved the cast of voices they had and it just made the book really come to life!

Before diving head first into this book like I did, I really recommend checking out the trigger warnings. If things about child abuse, domestic abuse, animal abuse and death happen to be triggers for you then I highly suggest not picking this one up. When reading this book I found myself comparing it to “The Push” by Ashley Audrain which I believe I also gave five stars. So if you liked one of the above maybe try the other!

This book made me cry and a lot of that is due to the specific trigger warnings I mentioned above. The author describes these situations in ways that really get to you which is great writing! This really added to the suspense of the book and overall horror element. This is probably the most unsettling book I have read in quite some time.

“It never crossed anyone’s mind that someone else might be in trouble. I wished it would’ve. Maybe then things would’ve ended differently.”
Lucinda Berry, The Perfect Child

QOTD: Give me a recommendation such as “If you liked this book then you will love this one”.

Book Review: “Every Heart a Doorway” By Seanan McGuire

I have had this book on my radar for probably 6 months and I can’t believe it took me that long to finally pick it up! It is such a short book that I devoured it in one sitting and spoiler alert, I loved every moment of it!

“Their love wanted to fix her, and refused to see that she wasn’t broken.”
Seanan McGuire, Every Heart a Doorway

About The Book

Author: Seanan McGuire

Publisher: Tor

Published Date: April 5th, 2016

Page Count: 173 Pages

Main Genres: Fantasy, YA, Fiction

GoodReads Rating: 3.82

“She was a story, not an epilogue.”
Seanan McGuire, Every Heart a Doorway

Synopsis

No Solicitations
No Visitors
No Quests

Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere… else.

But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.

Nancy tumbled once, but now she’s back. The things she’s experienced… they change a person. The children under Miss West’s care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.

But Nancy’s arrival marks a change at the Home. There’s a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it’s up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of the matter.

No matter the cost.

Synopsis From GoodReads

“We notice the silence of men. We depend upon the silence of women.”
Seanan McGuire, Every Heart a Doorway

Rating

Review

Like most books, I really didn’t know much of anything about it before I started to read it. I had no clue that it was as short as it was or that it had a bit of a mystery tied into it. All I knew is that a few booktubers said it would be a nice cozy read about kids who found doors to other worlds but couldn’t go back, But it was about so much more than just that.

This book had some really good themes about acceptance and honestly some of the conversations were tough to listen to but much needed. I truly loved this cozy YA Fantasy with a mix of mystery. If you are looking for those in a book make sure to check this one out!

“You’re nobody’s doorway but your own, and the only one who gets to tell you how your story ends is you.”
Seanan McGuire, Every Heart a Doorway

QOTD: What is a good Cozy Mystery?

Book Review: “Hidden Pictures” By Jason Rekulak

This book has been read by everyone under the sun, Ok maybe not really, but it does feel like it. I have seen it everywhere with raving reviews so I was extremely excited to finally get my own copy and devour this book and what better time than the beginning of spooky season?!

“hardest things about recovery is coming to terms with the fact that you can’t trust your brain”
Jason Rekulak, Hidden Pictures

About The Book

Author: Jason Rekulak

Publisher: FlatIron Books

Published Date: May 10th, 2022

Page Count: 373 Pages

Main Genres: Horror, Thriller, Mystery

GoodReads Rating: 4.25

“I’m grateful to the judge who sent me to rehab instead of prison.”
Jason Rekulak, Hidden Pictures

Synopsis

Fresh out of rehab, Mallory Quinn takes a job in the affluent suburb of Spring Brook, New Jersey as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell. She is to look after their five-year-old son, Teddy.

Mallory immediately loves this new job. She lives in the Maxwell’s pool house, goes out for nightly runs, and has the stability she craves. And she sincerely bonds with Teddy, a sweet, shy boy who is never without his sketchbook and pencil. His drawings are the usual fare: trees, rabbits, balloons. But one day, he draws something different: a man in a forest, dragging a woman’s lifeless body.

As the days pass, Teddy’s artwork becomes more and more sinister, and his stick figures steadily evolve into more detailed, complex, and lifelike sketches well beyond the ability of any five-year-old. Mallory begins to suspect these are glimpses of an unsolved murder from long ago, perhaps relayed by a supernatural force lingering in the forest behind the Maxwell’s house.

With help from a handsome landscaper and an eccentric neighbor, Mallory sets out to decipher the images and save Teddy—while coming to terms with a tragedy in her own past—before it’s too late.

“seemed so epic. But I mentioned the challenges to Adrian’s mother and she gave me some good advice. She said I shouldn’t try to write a book, I should just sit down at my laptop and tell the story, one sentence at a time, using the same language I’d use to tell a friend over coffee. She said it was okay not to sound like J. K. Rowling. It was fine if I sounded like Mallory Quinn from Philadelphia.”
Jason Rekulak, Hidden Pictures

Synopsis From GoodReads

Rating

Review

This book was everything I hoped for plus so much more!

I used to be a nanny so while I was reading this book I was imagining this happening to me and how I would have handled the situation, and I don’t think I would have made it out of this house alive.

I really loved that this book had pictures because without them I don’t think it would have been as scary as it was. The pictures just really helped you see that something was really weird with this situation. I think I stared at each picture for a good five minutes a piece just to get a real good look at what was going on.

The one thing I want to shout out is that this wasn’t as predictable as most thrillers I have read and I really appreciated that. I think this book is probably the scariest thing I have read in my whole two years of being on bookstagram and I am so glad I was able to finally read this one! I highly Recommend it!

“I see her every night,” Teddy says. “She sleeps under my bed so I can hear her singing.”
Jason Rekulak, Hidden Pictures

QOTD: What is the scariest book you have read?

Book Review: “Spin The Dawn” By Elizabeth Lim

I read this book with my small book club of friends and I wasn’t entirely sure of what I was getting myself into other than the fact that this is a Mulan retelling. I am not a huge Mulan fan but this was a pretty cute take on that story.

“You’re used to being underestimated, so you want to prove yourself. Don’t let that be your crutch. Accept help when you need it.”
Elizabeth Lim, Spin the Dawn

About The Book

Author: Elizabeth Lim

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books For Young Readers

Published Date: July 9th, 2019

Page Count: 392

Main Genres: Fantasy, YA, Romance

GoodReads Rating: 4.00

“I knew then that we were like two pieces of cloth, sewn together for life. Our stitches couldn’t be undone. I wouldn’t let them.”
Elizabeth Lim, Spin the Dawn

Synopsis

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

Synopsis From GoodReads

“I’d battled ghosts and touched the stars. I’d climbed a mountain to the moon and conquered the fury of the sun.”
Elizabeth Lim, Spin the Dawn

Rating

Review

I was a little worried to read this book because I am not a big fan of Mulan. However, I really loved the twist to this story. Her being a tailer was a fun story line that was pretty easy to follow along with.

I thought the characters were all very well written and well rounded. You have characters you loved and hated which made you really want Maia to be victorious.

The Romance aspect in this book was probably my favorite part. I think both Maia and Edan are made for each other and I hope things work out for them in the next book.

I rated this book a 3.5 because part two in this book felt really slow to me and made it really hard for me to want to pick the book up and finish it. While most of the romance was in part two and most of the character development, it was just really slow. I am glad I finished the book and the ending made me really want to pick up the next one to see how the story continues but I am not sure I will be doing that anytime soon.

“Seize the wind,” I whispered. “Don’t become the kite that never flies.”
Elizabeth Lim, Spin the Dawn

QOTD: What is your favorite retelling?

Book Review: “Hotel Magnifique” By Emily J. Taylor

I saw this books cover and I was mesmerized. I had no clue what this book was about when I picked it up other than a magical hotel. There is no need to know anything more about the book other than that, you will be hooked within the first few chapters!

About The Book

Author: Emily J. Taylor

Publisher: Razorbill

Published Date: April 25, 2022

Page Count: 391 Pages

Main Genres: Fantasy, YA, Fiction

GoodReads Rating: 3.82

“But in Aligney I could breathe with every corner of my lungs.”
Emily J. Taylor, Hotel Magnifique

Synopsis

Jani is a 17 year old girl who has been taking care of her 13 year old sister for several years since their mother passed. She promised her sister Zosa that she would one day save up enough money to move them back to their hometown but the only reasonable way to make enough money for this is by getting a job with the Hotel Magnifique. A hotel where magic is practiced safely and travels from place to place every Midnight and you never know where it will be next.

When the Hotel appears in an alleyway near their home Jani and Zosa get in line to interview for a position. When Zosa is the only sister to get a job, Jani refuses to let her leave without her so she does everything she can to convince a worker to let her have a maids job. With both sisters now working for the magical hotel nothing can stand in their way for a better future. Well maybe one thing…. I suggest reading your contracts thoroughly before signing, you never know what rights you might be signing away.

Rating

Review

Like I said above, this book hooked me with just a few chapters. The magic system is fairly simple to grasp onto and is really interesting to learn about the more the book goes on. I really loved how everyone who had any kind of magic ability had their own item that helped them control their magic, it added a fun element to each individual character.

The chapters in this book were all fairly short which made this a really quick read and kept me hooked. After a chapter was done I wanted to just keep reading to find out what happened next!

One thing that I would like to bring up is that this book was fairly predictable but I personally didn’t feel like that took away from my overall enjoyment. I might have guessed one or two big things that happened but they were such interesting twists that I didn’t mind too much.

I would love a second book to this because the ending I felt left us with a great story line to continue on. Plus I loved the characters and would like to know what happens next for them all!

QOTD: What is a magical book that I need to read?

“May your artéfact guide you toward your soul’s desire.”
Emily J. Taylor, Hotel Magnifique