Short AF Book Review | Blood Over Bright Haven | ARC Received By Netgalley

Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Blood Over Bright Haven" by M.L. Wang. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"Magic has made the city of Tiran an industrial utopia, but magic has a cost - and the collectors have come calling.

An orphan since the age of four, Sciona has always had more to prove than her fellow students. For twenty years, she has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fuelled by a mad  desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry. When she finally claws her way up the ranks to become a highmage, however, she finds that her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues will stop at nothing to let her know she is unwelcome, beginning with giving her a janitor instead of a qualified lab assistant.

What neither Sciona nor her peers realize is that her taciturn assistant was once more than a janitor; before he mopped floors for the mages, Thomil was a nomadic hunter from beyond Tiran's magical barrier. Ten years have passed since he survived the perilous crossing that killed his family. But working for a highmage, he sees the opportunity to finally understand the forces that decimated his tribe, drove him from his homeland, and keep the Tiranish in power.

Though their fractious relationship, mage and outsider uncover an ancient secret that could change the course of magic forever - if it doesn't get them killed first. Sciona has defined her life by the pursuit of truth, but how much is one truth worth the fate of civilization in the balance?

A standalone dark acedemia brimming with mystery, tragedy, and the damning echoes of the past. For fans of Leigh Bardugo, V.E. Schwab, and Fullmetal Alchemist.

(Content warnings for gore, sexual assault, and suicidal ideation.)

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

So the reason I wanted to read this is because the synopsis looked really interesting on Netgalley. I'm not gonna lie friends, I was very 50/50 on this book. First, we'll talk about the good. I have not read a book so far that has been this relevant and realistic in how governmental bodies treat their citizens compared to people who migrate into their systems. This book is so important especially with everything that is currently going on in the world right now. This story was so sad, and beautiful and really installed the hope that it was trying to do so. Now for the bad, I did not feel as emotionally attached to some of the characters as much as I felt I should have, especially with how much of the story we spent with them. Now, this could absolutely be just a me problem, but it made the ending of this book really underwhelming for me and I was low key disappointed. I 100% understood why the book ended the way that it did, but I wish I just felt more about it. All in all, I would absolutely still recommend this book to everyone and anyone because of the importance of it's contents, however I do not think I will be buying myself a physical copy of this book.

I gave this book a 3/5 star rating on Goodreads!

This book is already out!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | The Last Hour Between Worlds | ARC Received By Netgalley

Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "The Last Hour Between Worlds" by Melissa Caruso. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"A whip - smart adventure fantasy packed with rival guilds, reality - bending magic, and sapphic pining, The Last Hour Between Worlds is the brilliant launch of a new series from David Gemmell Award - nominated author, Melissa Caruso.

Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she's determined to enjoy herself at this party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She is a Hound, after all, and she can't help picking up the scent of trouble.

She's not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what's causing the a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood - soaked ritual.

As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they'll need to rely on their wits - and each other - to unravel the secret of the clock and save their home."

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

So we all know me well enough by now to know that the reason I wanted to read this book is because it's a queer fantasy right? I applied for this book on Netgalley and I'm not gonna lie friends, at the start of this story I was going to DNF this book. I am SO GLAD that I didn't. Friends, this book was genuinely so much fun to read. If you do get a chance to read it, there are a couple of chapters that are a little boring and make it seem like motherhood is Kem's only personality trait, but I promise you if you just push through a little bit the story actually gets really amazing. I found the magic system within this book so interesting and I loved getting to learn more and more about each and every character. There were so many cool side characters that I grew to know and love, (and a small few who I grew to hate). The witty banter and yearning within the enemies to lovers relationship in this book genuinely had me giggling in the early hours of the morning. I genuinely had evenings where I struggled to put this book down. There were a few twists and revelations that literally made me gasp out loud. I would 100% recommend this to anyone who wants a good sapphic enemies to lovers romantasy and I will be picking up a physical copy of this book, as well as the rest of the series as/when it comes out.

I gave this book a 4/5 star rating on Goodreads!

This book is already out!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | Don't Let The Forest In

 Hi friends! Today I'm going to be doing a review on "Don't Let The Forest In" by C.G. Drews. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him

Kill for him.

High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality - Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink - stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.

But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won't say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork - whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew's wicked stories.

Desperate to figure out what's wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off - limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster - Thomas's drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters and Andrew begins to fear that the only way stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator..."

So the reason I wanted to read this book is legitimately because I saw the author post a video about the MC being asexual on tiktok and I was like "sign me up". The moment I saw it was on Kindle Unlimited I downloaded this book so fast. Friends, this book destroyed me in all the ways I didn't think it would. I loved every minute of reading this book and even though this was horror it was my perfect read before going to bed book. This book had me questioning EVERYTHING and honestly I don't even feel like all of my questions have been answered but in the BEST way. The way the author described everything was so beautiful and I could imagine myself being in the settings, every sight, smell, sound, taste the characters had felt all too real to me. I also really appreciated the artwork of the monsters within the book because it gave us such a visual representation of how terrifyingly beautiful they were. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone. What a perfect book to possibly end the year with!

 I gave this book a 5/5 star rating on Goodreads! 

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | The Rainfall Market | ARC Received By Netgalley

 Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "The Rainfall Market" by You Yeong - Gwang. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"If you could swap your life for a better one, which would you choose?

On the outskirts of Rainbow Town, there is an old, abandoned house. They say that if you send a letter detailing your misfortunes there, you could receive a ticket. If you bring this ticket to the house on the first day of the rainy season, you'll be granted entrance into the mysterious Rainfall Market - where you can choose to completely change your life.

No one is more surprised than Serin when she receives a ticket. Lonely and with no real prospects for a future, Serin ventures to the market, determined to create a batter life for herself.

There, she meets a magical cat companion named Issha and they search through bookstores, perfumeries, and fantastical realms while Serin tries to determine what her perfect life will look like.

The catch? Serin only has one week to find her happiness or be doomed to vanish into the market forever?

And all the while, a shadow follows quietly behind them..."

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

So the reason I wanted to read this book is because the I saw it on Netgalley and the synopsis sounded so cool! Friends, this book was literally magical. I have not read something so sweet and heart-warming and whimsical as this in a long long time. This book gave me such a feeling of nostalgia as it genuinely reminded me of the movies I used to watch as a child in the 90s early 2000s (Think spirited away/The Labyrinth). This is very much advertised as adult on Goodreads however personally I do think this would be perfectly fine to be in the YA section too. I loved the simplicity of the writing because it genuinely made me not want to put this book down as it was easy to follow along, however was still able to fully immerse me in the world and the story that I was following. I would 100% love to pick up another book by this author, and would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants some nostalgic fantasy vibes!

I gave this book a 5/5 star rating on Goodreads!

This book is already out!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | Kill Joy

Hi friends! Today I'm going to be doing a review on "Kill Joy" by Holly Jackson. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"Find out where it all started for Pip in this prequel novella to the A Good Girl's Guide To Murder.

Pippa Fitz - Amobi is not in the mood for her friend's murder mystery party. Especially one that involves 1920's fancy dress and pretending that their town, Little Kilton, is an island called Joy. But when the game begins, Pip finds herself drawn into the make - believe world of intrigue, deception and murder. But as Pip plays detective, teasing out the identity of the killer clue - by clue, the murder of the fictional Reginald  Remy isn't the only case on her mind... Contains mature content, for older readers."

So the reason I wanted to read "Kill Joy" is because I've finished the whole "A Good Girl's Guide To Murder" series and I wanted to read the prequel to see where it all began! (Also this book was super short and I've still got 6 books to read by the end of the year for my book goal so that was a plus!) I'm really glad I picked this up. This book gave me everything that the rest of the series gave me but in a much more light - hearted fun way. I loved seeing more into Pip's friendship and what caused her to do everything that led into what happened in the main series. As like the rest of this series did, this book very much made you feel everything that Pip felt. I ended up reading this in about two days, and would recommend this to anyone who loved the rest of the "A Good Girl's Guide To Murder" series especially if you need some short books to meet your reading goal!

I gave this book a 4/5 star rating on Goodreads! 

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | Norcliff | ARC Received By Netgalley

Hi friends! So today I'm going to be doing a review on "Norcliff" by KA. Connolly. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"A GREAT LOSS

Erin Hart is devastated when she loses her fiance and parents on her wedding day. To get her parents back, she must choose between bowing to the demands of the neighbouring Mortons or gathering what allies she can and fighting to free herself from their clutches.

A POWERFUL FOE.

The Mortons hold Erin's parents hostage and won't brook any refusal to comply with their wishes. Ardent Morton has demanded Erin's hand in marriage, and with it, the control of Erin's home, Norcliff.

A LOOMING THREAT.

Erin must travel to the capital to seek help from King Ulrich and the nobles at court, but with bandits harrying Arndale from the north, what aid can Erin hope to receive?"

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

So the reason I wanted to read this book is because I saw it on Netgalley and thought the story sounded really interesting! For me, I very much liked this book, I just didn't love it. This book was such an easy read in that it was fast paced, the slow burn romance was adorable and was genuinely had me giggling and kicking my feet at times. I really liked seeing the feminism and female friendship throughout this book and all of the characters were very much likeable. It just seemed sort of rushed in all the wrong places? There would be times where I wanted to know more about what was happening in certain points in the story and to find out more about what happened to specific characters and never got my questions answered. I guess what I'm saying is yes, this book was likeable, but it very much had it's flaws. Would this stop me from reading another K.A. Connolly book? No. Would I pick this up as a physical copy? Also no. However, if you do want a nice easy read which has topics of grief, action and slow burn romance, I would say to go for it when it comes to this one, just maybe don't expect all your questions to be answered.

I gave this book a 3/5 star rating on Goodreads!

This book is already out!

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!

Short AF Book Review | The Ballad Of Songbird And Snakes

 Hi friends! Today I'm going to be doing a review on "The Ballad Of Songbird And Snakes" by Suzanne Collins. This review is going to be short and sweet (like the title suggests) and spoiler free (however there will be the Goodreads synopsis in this and sometimes it can contain spoilers so please keep that in mind!)

"It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the capital, eighteen - year - old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once - mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmanoeuvre his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of the female tribute from district 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined - every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favour or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes."

 So the reason I wanted to read "The Ballad Of Songbird And Snakes" was because I'm still in my little break from ARC reading and I kept seeing spoilers of the movie on tiktok so decided I had to read this book as soon as possible so I could watch the movie as soon as possible (yes I'm one of those girls. I read "The Hunger Games" when the first movie came out and I genuinely did not know how they were going to expand on this story ESPECIALLY considering this is before "The Hunger Games" was set. This book shocked me in so many ways. There were so many things that genuinely took me by surprise and I was not expecting at all. I cannot believe this book started me off loathing a character to somewhat liking them to loathing them again. I really loved learning more about Snow's past and as much as it didn't make me like him any better it certainly made me understand his way of thinking bit more (even if I still don't agree with it). I found myself picking this book up and reading it into the middle of the night because I just didn't want to put it down. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who loved "The Hunger Games" series, or even if you just want a good dystopian. As someone who grew up with a lot of dystopian novels it's really fun to see them coming back! For me, I'm definitely going to take some time next year to re-read "The Hunger Games" series.

I gave this book a 4/5 star rating on Goodreads! 

What did you think of this book? Who were your favourite or least favourite characters? Do you have any books you'd recommend for me to read and do a review on? Please let me know down in the comments below!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, Doe!