“How about making a bargain with me?” said the demon. “I’ll break your spell if you agree to break this contract I’m under.”
In the land of Ingary, where seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, Sophie Hatter attracts the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste, who puts a curse on her. Determined to make the best of things, Sophie travels to the one place where she might get help – the moving castle which hovers on the nearby hills.
But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl, whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the hearts of young girls . . .
TL;DR: I’m not sure I know where to begin with this review. Let’s start by saying that the Ghibli movie is one of my all-time favourites. It’s comforting and familiar and I rewatch it (along with the other Ghibli’s) several times a year. I’m so glad that I knew in advance how different the book would be because that also helped me manage my expectations. Howl’s Moving Castle fits perfectly under the category of “I loved this book but I can’t begin to tell you why”. Many elements normally would not have worked for me but I found myself enjoying it regardless. Diana Wynne Jones sweeps you along for the ride before you even know it and what a ride it was!
Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m excited to share my thoughts on A Cruel Thirst by Angela Montoya. Thanks to the TBR team for having me on tour and to Joy Revolution for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!
A Cruel Thirst Publisher: Joy Revolution Publication Date: 17 December 2024 Genre: Young Adult Historical Paranormal Romance
Rating: (4 pandas)
📖SYNOPSIS
A fledgling vampire and a headstrong vampire huntress must work together–against their better judgment–to rid the world of monsters in this irresistible romantic fantasy.
Carolina Fuentes wants to join her family in hunting the bloodthirsty vampiros that plague her pueblo. Her father, however, wishes to marry her off to a husband of his choosing, someone who’ll take her away from danger.
Determined to prove she’d make a better slayer than wife, Carolina vows to take down a monster herself. But when she runs intoun vampiro that is somehow extremely attractive and kind, herplan crumbles.
Lalo Villalobos was content leading a perfectly dull life until un vampiro turned him. Now forced to flee his city, he heads to the pueblo where he believes the first vampiro was made. Surely its residents must know how to reverse this dreadful curse. Instead of finding salvation, Lalo collides with a beautiful young woman who’d gladly drive a dagger through his heart.
Fortunately, Lalo and Carolina share a common enemy. They can wipe out this evil. Together. If his fangs and her fists can stay focused, they might just triumph and discover what it feels like to take a bite out of love.
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Blood, death of loved ones (recounted, on page), murder, gun violence, knife violence, death of animals (off page), misogyny
TL;DR:A Cruel Thirst was a great romp of a read! This YA historical paranormal romance had engaging characters who were easy to root for and an entertaining action-packed plot that kept me turning the pages. I loved Carolina and Lalo and enjoyed their enemies-to-reluctant partners-to-lovers dynamic so much. Despite recognising certain flaws in the story that would’ve normally irritated me, the humorous writing and witty banter made this such an enjoyable laugh-out-loud read, that the flaws didn’t seem to matter! I would recommend it to those looking for a relatively light-hearted but action-packed story featuring an interesting vampire x vampire hunter dynamic that’s heavy on fun, romance, and banter!
I won my brother’s rival in a Date the Player auction… and had the best night of my life.
Davis Guidry is Orleans University’s starting rookie pitcher. He’s handsome, charming, and an all-around flirt.
After spending a hot, spontaneous night together, we can’t seem to keep our hands off each other. But our no-strings fun comes crashing down when my overbearing brother, who happens to be Davis’s biggest rival, catches us in action. Even that seems to only make the fire burn hotter when we’re together. And suddenly, our secret fling starts to feel like something more than either of us bid on.
Are these casual hookups between us just a fun way to pass my freshman year…
Or have we made the ultimate rookie mistake and caught feelings?
Rookie Mistake is approximately a 36k word novella in the Orleans University world. It is a complete standalone.
This is high spice, low plot and lots of fun!
Moore describes this as “high spice, low plot, and lots of fun”, which is spot on for this college romance novella. At less than 200 pages, things move unsurprisingly quickly for Zara and Davis but thankfully, even with their instant connection, there are no instant declarations of love. From the go, their chemistry was palpable and I loved seeing them grow closer as friends and romantic partners. Their personalities were complementary and it resulted in some fun and wild times!
The plot: overthrow a kingdom. The goal: world domination. The plan: marriage.
Trained for from birth in espionage and seduction, the triplet princesses of Bessemia must travel to three distant lands to marry three princes and enact their Queen mother’s plan to rule from sea to sea. But when they arrive, each sister discovers her task is not so simple, and their mother’s motives may not be what they seem.
I first read this book in 2023 but didn’t manage to write a proper review so I’m writing it now on re-read and kind of mashing up my first and second read thoughts. Sorry if it’s a mess! 🤭
TL;DR: I loved this more than I thought I would! With three perspectives to contend with, I was worried that I’d find certain perspectives more boring than others but I ended up feeling incredibly invested in all three sisters, their tasks and their romances too. There is plenty of courtly political drama, expected and unexpected betrayals, tenuous romantic bonds, and fragile friendships but through it all, it’s always about family and loyalty. After that absolutely WILD ending, I can’t wait to pick up the next book in the series ASAP. 💜
Gray “Quick Shot” Woodson is the fastest gun west of the Mississippi. Unfortunately, he’s ready to hang up his hat. Sure, being notorious has its perks. But the nomadic lifestyle—and people always tryin’ to kill you—gets old real fast.
Now he just wants to find a place to retire so he can spend his days the way the good Lord intended. Staring at the sunset. And napping.
When his stubborn horse drags him into a hole-in-the-wall town called Desolation, something about the place calls to Gray, and he figures he might actually have a shot at a sleepy retirement.
His optimism lasts about a minute and a half.
Soon he finds himself embroiled in a town vendetta and married to a woman named Mercy. Who, judging by her aggravating personality, doesn’t know the meaning of her own name. In fact, she’s downright impossible.
But dang it if his wife isn’t irresistible. If only she’d stop trying to steal his guns to go after the bad guys herself.
There goes his peace and quiet…
⚠️CONTENT WARNINGS
Death of parent (off page), gambling, alcoholism (side character), gun violence, extortion, attempted murder
Starling House Publisher: Tor Books Pub Date: 3 October 2023 Genre: Gothic Fantasy
Panda Rating: (5 pandas)
📖SYNOPSIS
A grim and gothic new tale from author Alix E. Harrow about a small town haunted by secrets that can’t stay buried and the sinister house that sits at the crossroads of it all.
Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote The Underland–and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. But everyone agrees that it’s best to let the uncanny house―and its last lonely heir, Arthur Starling―go to rot.
Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses or brooding men, but an unexpected job offer might be a chance to get her brother out of Eden. Too quickly, though, Starling House starts to feel dangerously like something she’s never had: a home.
As sinister forces converge on Starling House, Opal and Arthur are going to have to make a dire choice to dig up the buried secrets of the past and confront their own fears, or let Eden be taken over by literal nightmares.
If Opal wants a home, she’ll have to fight for it.
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Grief, death of a parent (recounted), drowning (recounted), car accident (recounted), blackmail, fire, brief imprisonment, asthma attacks, poverty, racism, slavery, implications of sexual assault/incest/paedophilia, child marriage, gun violence (minor), implications of drugging, violence, blood
Why is it always the hardest to review a book you love? The words are swirling around in my head but they just won’t come out in the way I need them to! So sorry if this is a ‘mid’ slightly nonsensical ramble of a review.
TL;DR: Starling House is a hauntingly beautiful Southern Gothic with a rich fairytale-esque atmosphere. It doesn’t matter that I’ve probably read something similar-ish before because the combination of the author’s lush prose, relatable characters, and well-loved tropes mixed with the creepy foreboding vibe felt unique. I fell in love with Opal, Arthur, and the sentient House with its oddly endearing personality. I loved where Harrow took this story and what it turned into—from a slow beginning that steadily builds to an utterly explosive and ultimately satisfying ending.
This was a buddy read with Leslie and Julie and we had so much to gush about! It was a great group read and I’m so happy to say that all of us really loved it! 😍
Bright Young Women Publisher: Macmillan Pub Date: 28 September 2023 Genre: Historical Crime Fiction
Panda Rating: (5 pandas)
📖SYNOPSIS
An extraordinary novel inspired by the real-life sorority targeted by America’s first celebrity serial killer in his final murderous spree.
January 1978. A serial killer has terrorized women across the Pacific Northwest, but his existence couldn’t be further from the minds of the vibrant young women at the top sorority on Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee. Tonight is a night of promise, excitement, and desire, but Pamela Schumacher, president of the sorority, makes the unpopular decision to stay home—a decision that unwittingly saves her life. Startled awake at 3 a.m. by a strange sound, she makes the fateful decision to investigate. What she finds behind the door is a scene of implausible violence—two of her sisters dead; two others, maimed. Over the next few days, Pamela is thrust into a terrifying mystery inspired by the crime that’s captivated public interest for more than four decades.
On the other side of the country, Tina Cannon has found peace in Seattle after years of hardship. A chance encounter brings twenty-five-year-old Ruth Wachowsky into her life, a young woman with painful secrets of her own, and the two form an instant connection. When Ruth goes missing from Lake Sammamish State Park in broad daylight, surrounded by thousands of beachgoers on a beautiful summer day, Tina devotes herself to finding out what happened to her. When she hears about the tragedy in Tallahassee, she knows it’s the man the papers refer to as the All-American Sex Killer. Determined to make him answer for what he did to Ruth, she travels to Florida on a collision course with Pamela—and one last impending tragedy.
Bright Young Women is the story about two women from opposite sides of the country who become sisters in their fervent pursuit of the truth. It proposes a new narrative inspired by evidence that’s been glossed over for decades in favor of more salable headlines—that the so-called brilliant and charismatic serial killer from Seattle was far more average than the countless books, movies, and primetime specials have led us to believe, and that it was the women whose lives he cut short who were the exceptional ones.
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Rape, sexual assault, sexual partner violence, murder, kidnapping, misogyny, forced institutionalisation/corrective therapy for being queer (lesbian) recounted, lesbophobia, paedophilia and grooming recounted, depictions of grief
This review was originally posted on Goodreads on 7 November 2024.
TL;DR: I just finished this book and I’m still feeling heated by it. Anything I say right now probably won’t make much sense since I’m so *emotional* because this book made me SO MAD! I’m mad at the media, at police incompetency, at how society treats women, at how men are given passes and chances and leniency because “they have bright futures, have so much potential and blah blah bs”, and at how pointedly this book shows that after all these years, while so much is different so little has changed. Bright Young Women was just utterly heartbreaking.
I buddy read this book with Becky and it was the best decision because we needed someone to vent to while reading this. We got more emotional and angry the further we read but this also ended up surprising us and has ended up on both our last of 2024 favourites.
A.J. Fikry, the grumpy owner of Island Books, is going through a hard time: his bookshop is failing, he has lost his beloved wife, and a prized rare first edition has been stolen.
But one day A.J. finds two-year-old Maya sitting on the bookshop floor, with a note attached to her asking the owner to look after her. His life – and Maya’s – is changed forever.
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Character experiences multiple absence seizures (on the page), cancer (brain) resulting in aphasia, car accident (on the page, minor details) resulting in the death of a side character, death of a spouse as a result of a car accident (recounted), suicide (off-page), alcoholism, child abandonment, infidelity, suicide ideation, miscarriages (recounted)
TL;DR: I was looking for a book that would make me cry and well, this definitely got the job done! 😅 The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is every bit as wonderful as everyone told me it would be and I’m so happy that I’ve finally read it! I definitely understand why it’s so well-loved by many. There’s something about Zevin’s storytelling that’s so compelling, emotional and human—flaws and all. I would recommend this to those who enjoy a character-driven slice-of-life story that takes place over part of a lifetime, and for those who love a book about books!
Enemies-to-lovers doesn’t get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli’s latest romantic fantasy.
On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can’t help but find herself falling for.
Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?
Kristen Ciccarelli’s The Crimson Moth is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch…is falling in love.
⚠️CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS
Persecution for witchcraft, mass murder of witches recounted, slavery/captivity recounted, abuse (sexual, physical, mental) recounted, rape recounted, drug addiction, alcoholism, gun violence, torture, imprisonment.
TL;DR: The Crimson Moth was exactly what I wanted it to be and what I needed at the time of reading. If you’re searching for a new adult romance fantasy that will absorb you with its storytelling, keep you immersed with its cast, and grab you by your feelings with the enemies-to-lovers mutual pining and angst, then this is an excellent book to check out! With the slow-building tension and turns of events that lead to an action-packed and heart-twisting ending, I’m fully seated and ready to see where Ciccarelli takes us next. I just need it now! 🤣
I only just discovered S.J. Tilly’s books this weekend but I already can’t recall how she came up on my Amazon FYP. Or maybe it was my Twitter FYP? Either way, I’m happy that I followed my curiosity and checked out these titles (happily they are on (UK) KU if you’re keen to check them out)! TL;DR: These first two books in the Darling Series were steamy, funny, quirky small-town age gap romance reads and for the most part, I enjoyed all the characters and their stories. I can’t wait for this series to continue! 😍
dinipandareads 