Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.I’m starting this review in a brutally honest way & saying that I thought book 1 in this series was really good, book 2 was a slog for me, & book 3–excluding a quibble or two I had at the end of this book—had me saying OH MY THIS IS FUN from the first time the MCs meet. Definitely by the end of their encounter, when they hook up for the first time. Eamon Sullivan is supposed to be accompanying Carla Black on a trip across Ireland for his brother & her BFF’s wedding. But sparks fly in a major way when they meet & after setting the sheets, the bed, the room, that entire side of Ireland on fire with their sexytimes, & after realizing how much pleasure they take in each other, they prolong their road trip in fun random adventures along the way. Off the Map portrays instant attraction & companionship in a beautiful & striking way—I totally believed that they were hot for each other, that they liked each other, & that it was love too. This book feels like it came to me at the right time & I embraced the heck out of this road trip romp. With that being said, there is a sadder story underpinning the book. Carla’s beloved dad has dementia & there is loss & grief on page—see my CW below for more on this. I didn’t totally love how it functions in the plot but the story of their relationship overall is touching & explains Carla’s love of travel. Off the Map was a bubble book for me in terms of reading Trish Doller. Will I be back for more now? You betcha. 4.5⭐️. Out 03/07.CWs: Dad has dementia & dies at the end of the book.
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Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Having lost my dad when I was 19, I’m always struck & moved by YA books that talk grief & the feelings & emotions that come with it. Ashley Schumacher’s The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway is a heartwarming tale set in the world of the Renaissance Faire—where new things are made to look old, a young girl can grow up with two loving parents & then one, & that same girl can one day randomly become a Ren Faire princess. Watching Gwen develop more confidence in her body & in herself as the book progresses is another mark in this book’s favor, as is her relationship with Arthur, the irrepressible & kind son of the owners who is also somewhat insecure about his own appearance. If you’re looking for a book that handles the loss of a parent & finding your way after that loss in a soft & lovely way, check this one out 4⭐️. Out 03/14.CW: Reference to parental judgement (grandparents). Reference to homophobia. Grief over losing a parent.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.If you like Veronica Speedwell, faeries, Naomi Novik books, &/ dry wit, Heather Fawcett’s Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries is for you. This book is so winning & fun! The book is written as a set of journal entries by Emily Wilde, an unruffled, supremely intelligent & research-focused woman exploring a region of Scandinavia for Faerie specific to that area. But when she arrives Emily realizes that the Faerie there are even more dangerous & imminent of a threat than she first supposed. Very much without her approval Emily’s charming-to-other-people colleague—whom she believes is part Faerie—arrives to confound her. I mean help her with her studies. Peppered with an occasional footnote, written in language that’s both matter of fact & stunningly sharp, funny, & captivating, this book had my devotion. While there are romantic elements they are mild but the relationship between leads—watching them navigate life with each other in their cottage & community life etc—is sparkling & all too delightful to watch. There’s one more minor element of the plot that I think gets shortchanged & wish had been considered more but if I could have stayed inside this book longer I would have. 4.5⭐️. Out 01/10.I didn’t record CWs while reading. Sorry!
I’ve read some really great non-Netgalley books that I haven’t shared thoughts about yet *womp womp* so here’s a fast elevator pitch for why I enjoyed all of these.
Left to right Sue Lynn Tan’s Daughter of the Moon Goddess 4⭐️. (Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harpervoyagerus @williammorrowbooks). The protagonist of this fantasy—book 1 in a duology—is basically dropped off into another realm with none of her previous resources & has to make her own way. The worldbuilding in this fantasy is really cool & while there is a love triangle it didn’t rip my heart out or cause major existential angst . Ann Patchett’s These Precious Days 5⭐️. (Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial.) A lovely collection of essays written by a celebrated fiction writer. There are some real standout moments here including an essay about people asking her about when she would have children/expectations surrounding children / & even a moment when she is complicit in those societal expectations. Katee Robert’s Electric Idol 5 ⭐️. This is so great. Katee Robert has really balanced steaming hot chemistry + sweetness in this series & I love (of course) watching the deadly Eros fall fast & hard for Psyche. Erin Sterling’s The Kiss Curse 4.5 ️⭐️. (Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle .) Fun & Halloween-festive, this book features an uptight sweater vest-wearing MMC & a bold FMC. There’s also some back of the truck shenanigans (not a euphemism ). Tessa Dare’s The Governess Game 5⭐️. I had this one on my shelf forever & of course it was soo good! My only minor complaint was that I wanted a bit more grovel but other than that, just lovely & wonderful. Angelina M. Lopez’s After Hours on Milagro Street 5⭐️. (Thank you @harlequinpublicityteam @harlequinbooks for this complimentary copy.) This book is so good! It starts with the glasses-wearing hero & prickly bartender heroine having a one night stand…then the bartender decides she doesn’t like him because he might be taking away her family, her dream, her safe place away from her…then they become allies of sorts & lovers again. It’s a stunning & powerful story. Highly recommend! All opinions my own. Have you read any of these? Are any on your TBR? Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.G. A. Aiken’s Scarred Earth Saga books absolutely go for it & I love that about them. When you read them, expect to find lots of dramatic moments, brawls & near brawls, chaos, & family squabbles & adoration (also betrayal). They’re some of the most fun & wild fantasy books I read. The Heretic Royal is book 3 in the saga & you must read books 1 & 2 before beginning. In this book, Ainsley, a princess & sister of Queen Keeley, is paired with Gruff, a centaur & champion Grudge Holder who's known for being taciturn. The chapters are short, there’s some attempt to build alliances, some family & kingdom-wide drama, & a hot sex payoff. I definitely recommend this series if you’re looking for something bonkers that you don’t want to look away from. 4⭐️. Out 12/27.Please check out a trusted reviewer's list of CWs.
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