That’s right, kiddos! It’s time for some mini-reviiiieeeewwwsss!
I spent all weekend reading, writing, posting updates, and generally getting as involved as possible in the 24 in 48 Read-a-thon! Because of which, I’m exhausted. So instead of one, big, long review, you get these!
Honestly, I love mini-reviews because I don’t get to fully review everything that I read and want to tell people about. So let’s do this!
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This. Book. Was. Spectacular. I read Daisy Jones and The Six, by the same author, last week and after falling in love with Reid’s newest phenomenon, I immediately had to pick this one up too. I can’t believe what I was missing!! This book follows journalist, Monique, on the assignment of a lifetime: interviewing timeless Hollywood starlet Evelyn Hugo about her scandalous and luxurious lifetime of fame. The book was phenomenal. I found myself exclaiming and talking out loud when things happened that I didn’t want to happen, when characters grabbed much-deserved victories, when hearts broke. I laughed and cried, and the last sentence of this book made my heart grow three sizes. After these two fantastic novels, I can safely say that I am a hardcore Taylor Jenkins Reid fan. I may do a full review of this one just for the sheer love of it, and I’ll be reviewing Daisy Jones and The Six sometime this week! Wholeheartedly recommend them both.
The Voice of My Mind by T.A. Fish
I hate giving bad reviews, especially when its clear the author worked so hard, but this one didn’t do it for me. This book of poetry was provided to me through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review, and it was…okay. I love poetry and consider myself pretty lenient, though I do have one bias and this book hit it right on the head: everything rhymed. So is that really a critique or just a personal preference? Eh, both, honestly. I can get past any bias of mine if the work is stellar, but this just didn’t move me or touch me emotionally the way I expect poetry to do. The author explores themes of darkness and death, as well as feeling at home in your own mind and trying to understand the world. The work was clear and clean and if you like poetry that rhymes and reads quickly, you may love this way more than I did.
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
This was fun! Excepting the first couple of Harry Potter books, I haven’t read anything considered “Middle Grade” in SO LONG. It was fun to jump back into that childlike mindset! Small Spaces is an eerie little ghost story about a scrappy young girl, Ollie, and the history of the town she lives in. This book was sweet, creepy, and all about the power of strong friendships in the face of evil and selfishness. I had a lot of fun reading it and would recommend it to any kids looking for a fun, new book to enjoy over the Summer.
Bring Me Back by B.A. Paris
Oh, what to say about Bring Me Back. I liked this, but it wasn’t exactly what I wanted. I’m a big B.A. Paris fan, I’ve loved her previous two novels, Behind Closed Doors and The Breakdown, so to be fair to this novel– my expectations were high. And it wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t as deliciously, spine-chillingly, satisfying as her others. The ending left something to be desired for me. If you’re someone who likes their Thrillers a little gentler and more domestic, this might be for you. If you’re someone who likes a long, slow burn, this might be for you. Don’t take it from me, check it out and you can decide for yourself.
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
Oh, this was great. I had a funny time reading this: I borrowed it from my library’s digital audiobook lending service, and then…I had to return it before I was finished. So after that brief intermission of two weeks, it’s finally done! And I really enjoyed this new adventure in the city of Luthadel. This is the second book in the Mistborn trilogy. I loved the first and this one was just as brutal, character-driven, complex, and satisfying as the first. Maybe even more so, if I’m being honest, but I can’t decide. This book broke my heart open, but only because Sanderson does such a good job of making you love and care for the characters in his books. I can’t wait to read the final installment of this series, and I highly recommend the first two!
The Invited by Jennifer McMahon
The Invited was a really good time. I read the bulk of this while on long, monotonous drives and it was my saving grace, haha. The Invited was creepy, startling, interesting, and just perfectly weird, in my opinion. I loved the characters and, even though I kept yelling “Why would you bring haunted things into your house on purpose!!” at them, I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy that part too. The Invited is not an “in your face” jump-scare kind of a novel, instead its a slow unwinding of the historical ghost story that lives in this town and how those stories change with time, judgement, and blame. This book was about family and believing in what you see, and also in reaching out to help someone even when you’re afraid to do it. Definitely a fun read, perfect for dark, Summer nights around a bonfire. But- is that a shadow in the corner of your eye?
The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Last but certainly not least, Gilded Wolves was a fun read that I didn’t expect! While a little derivative sometimes, the sources of inspiration it draws from are some of my favorites and they all come together to create something…more original than I thought it’d be. I was not disappointed! I’ve seen such mixed reviews for this novel that I avoided it for a while, but I can’t deny now that I really enjoyed it. It has so many wonderful facets to the story that just drew me in: magic, mythology, A HEIST, a whole bunch of misfit characters. The world inside this book is so rich and luxurious, so easy to immerse yourself in. And if that wasn’t enough, have you seen this book? It’s gorgeous. The cover is gorgeous, the book under the cover is gorgeous, its beautiful. Regardless, I had a lot of fun reading this, and I think if more people gave it a chance they would too.
And that’s that! What have you been reading lately??
Story-eyed Reviews 