The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love by India Holton

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love by India Holton

Title: The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love
Author: India Holton
Series: Love’s Academic #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Magic, Romantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2024

Thoughts

Beth and Devon are just way too damn cute, I honestly couldn’t stop reading about them and the insanity that leads to their happily ever after. From the very first sentence, they are a somewhat unorthodox couple in a very unorthodox world. Something that I love about Holton’s writing. They are a cute and hilarious couple, one that obviously belongs together. But, the journey to getting there was so entertaining and fun filled, that I couldn’t put it down.

One of the things I love about this story is just how ruthless and utterly insane the Ornithologists are. I mean, kidnapping, guns, just mayhem and total insanity. All in a race for academic recognition (something that I absolutely can believe). I mean, their insanity had me laughing out loud at moments throughout this story. The fact that there is a façade of hilarious politeness to the ruthlessness was just so very British. I also loved how all of these very British moments and corrections were highlighted with a crossed out line through the more honest words. It just added to the humour and entertainment.

A story that starts out with two ornithologists competing against one another, and then unfolds into a huge conspiracy was vastly entertaining. I absolutely love that there is a huge conspiracy in this competition, and how this steadily unfolds. Plus, there is the structure of the magical world and all of the different types of incredibly dangerous birds messing up Beth and Devon’s plans. Then, there’s the involvement of the media in the conspiracy, constantly trigging and altering the direction of the story line. The power of the media was kind of brilliant, and seriously enjoyable.

I absolutely adored this novel. I couldn’t put it down, and I was laughing throughout the whole thing. Yet, Holton was also able to bring a lot of heart and emotion to the story. Amongst the entertainment and chaos, there is a lot of affection and the building of a great relationship. A relationship that I was completely invested in, something that doesn’t always happen.

<- More India HoltonThe Geographer’s Map to Romance ->

Image source: Penguin Books Australia

Hounded ReRead by Kevin Hearne

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Hounded (The Iron Druid Chronicles, #1) by Kevin Hearne | Goodreads

Title: Hounded ReRead
Author: Kevin Hearne
Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Celtic, Magic, Mythology, Urban fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2011

Thoughts

It’s been a long while since I first read Hounded, and I remember thoroughly enjoying it at the time. But then I had to wait forever to get Hexed, and the series kind of fell into the rest of my TBR. Right now I’m kind of wondering why I did that – this is a great novel and one that I absolutely adored. I mean, I seriously want and need to dive right back into this insanity as soon as humanly possible. There is just something brilliant, fun and wonderfully enjoyable about it. Plus, I want to see where Hearne is going to take the series…

Something about the idea of a 2,000 year old Druid who has managed to somehow piss off a number of Celtic Gods really appealed to me. I also loved how the Celtic Gods seamlessly fit into the world as we know it. The combination was both hilarious and joyful. One that I couldn’t get enough of. Plus, Atticus and all of his experiences, his slight cynicism, but also encompassing joy of the world as we know it. Brilliantly created and had me smiling and laughing throughout.

Atticus and Oberson are most definitely hero and sidekick goals – I love that Atticus is finding himself in situation after situation through Hounded. But, through it all, he has his faithful dog sidekick. The way that Hearne is able to bring Oberon to life was brilliant (as was all of his characterisation throughout this story). I particularly enjoyed how much he emphasised the easily distracted nature of dogs and their unquestioning loyalty to their masters.

The layers of folklore and mythology work brilliantly well together throughout Hounded to create a complex and enjoyable world. I really loved this start to an urban fantasy series, and plan to actually dive into Hexed this time around. There is so much potential drama on the horizon, and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds!

<- The Grimoire of the LambHexed ->

Image source: Goodreads

Trading Names for Polite Sprites by Laura Greenwood

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Trading Names For Polite Sprites : Greenwood, Laura: Amazon.ca: Books

Title: Trading Names for Polite Sprites
Author: Laura Greenwood
Series: Obscure Academy #5.5
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2023

Thoughts

Hints of Essie’s big secret have trickled into the rest of the series. Which made it extra exciting to finally read her and Byron’s romance. I always love teaser couples like this. Romances where the groundwork has been started before you even open the first page. And the fact that this all revolves around Essie, and her secret. It works brilliantly.

One of the things that keeps me coming back to Greenwood’s writing is how low angst it is. Although the stakes are high for Essie and her twin, this works out as a pretty good low stakes switching places story. I also love how it challenges both sisters, but ultimately, the outcome is supremely positive and gives the reader a great happily ever after.

One of the parts of this university romance I really enjoyed was how Essie and Byron reconnected through their group project. Greenwood has obviously experienced the frustrating horrors of doing a group project, and this plays into the story in the most entertaining of ways. I also love how they choose to build back to a friendship before diving into a romance again.

Trading Names for Polite Sprites is a fun, light and easy read. I couldn’t put it down and read it cover to cover. Everything about this had me smiling and reminiscing about my own days of being a young adult and all the discoveries that come with it.

<- Pumpkin Carving for Superstitious WitchesMinor Inconveniences for Annoyed Pixies ->

Image source: Amazon

Swipe Right for Kuk by Lauren Greenwood

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Swipe Right For Kuk (Jinx Paranormal Dating Agency #2) | Parnassus Books

Title: Swipe Right for Kuk
Author: Laura Greenwood
Series: Jinx Paranormal Dating Agency #3.5
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Mythology, Paranormal romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2023

Thoughts

This was a very quick and easy read (one of the many reasons I enjoy Greenwood when I need a quick and enjoyable read). Swipe Right for Kuk was light, pleasant and a whole lot of fun. It was cute and adorable, and I really enjoyed every moment of it. Plus, the shortness gives you a great sense of satisfaction and a happily ever after in a very short amount of time…. Something that I sometimes need between some of the heavier reads on my shelves.

Anise, the witch, and protagonist of this story is all about finding her happily ever after, but too introverted to want to go out and about. I love that, as she goes on this journey, she is able to come out of her shell a little bit. It’s also a reminder of how online dating can be really beneficial for some people, particularly those who aren’t really able to just… go and meet new people. But, because Anise is still brave and wants to find someone, she is able to take the plunge and get to know Kuk without all of the pressure of in-person interactions (something that I also struggle with at times).

Kuk is, admittedly, a god that I know nothing about, and want to know more about. I absolutely adored the Ancient Egyptian Gods when I was growing up, but I really only learnt about the major ones. I don’t really remember Kuk and his twin, which is what makes me want to do more research and find out more about him. After all, this is a mythology that I enjoy, and I love to have the random obscure knowledge that he brings. I really enjoy the research that Greenwood has very obviously put into creating her characters, and how well this is based upon such a well known mythology.

I really loved how Swipe Right For Kuk is mostly about those first blushes of falling in love and getting to know one another. There is so much innocence, joy and hope in this stage of a relationship. Plus, I seriously enjoyed how it ended on a point in which there is so much future potential for both Anise and Kuk… it’s a great image to end on… the two of them starting a long and happy life together.

<- Fake Dating RaSnowed in with Skadi ->

Image source: Parnassus Books

Catering to Aphrodite by Laura Greenwood

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Catering To Aphrodite (Jinx Paranormal Dating Agency Book 2)

Title: Catering to Aphrodite
Author: Laura Greenwood
Series: Jinx Paranormal Dating Agency #2
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Mythology, Paranormal romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2023

Thoughts

Catering to Aphrodite is a quick, easy and fun read. A great diversion for an hour or two with just enough oomph to make it hard to put down. Something I really needed when I picked this up.

There is something really great about the idea of the Goddess of love finding, well love. All of the heavy expectations of holding such a position / mantle also gave a great sense of challenge and uniqueness to the story. After all, how can the Goddess of love not be in love? I really loved how Greenwood approached the idea.

The expectations of others hit heavily on everyone. So having Greenwood explore this through a Goddess (who is still vulnerable to public opinion) was great. I also seriously enjoyed how well Aphrodite was able to manage those expectations of others. Never an easy feat, but one she manages to accomplish with integrity and grace.

Damien is incredibly sweet. I really enjoyed how he falls for Aphrodite because of the woman she is, not her beauty or Goddess aspect. Then, there’s the fact that he has absolutely no expectations on her. Something that, as a stubborn independent woman I can attest is hard to find. Plus, he chooses the cutest and most perfect first date that shows he sees the woman, not the public image.

<- Falling for AineFake Dating Ra ->

Image source: Amazon

The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
The Knight and the Moth: the spellbinding gothic romantasy from multi-million-copy bestseller Rachel Gillig (Stonewater Kingdom) eBook : Gillig, Rachel: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store

Title: The Knight and the Moth
Author: Rachel Gillig
Series: The Stonewater Kingdom #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Gothic, Magic, Romantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2025

Thoughts

Holy crap. Nothing about this story went like I anticipated. I thought it was going to be yet another somewhat predictable young adult novel with a bit of a spin to it. Which, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love. I also didn’t think that it was going to end quite, well, like this. Once I realised how wrong I was about the predictability of the story, I could definitely feel something building and brewing in the story line. And I kind of figured that there was going to be something BIG at the end of the story… but I seriously did not anticipate this ending. I both loved, and kind of hated the fact. Loved it because it was brilliant. Hated it because, well, the second book isn’t quite out yet.

I must admit, at first I was kind of a bit “eh” about this book. I mean, it was good, but it wasn’t, holy crap, I can’t put it down kind of good. To start with, and then Gillig really hit her stride. From that point on, I was completely gone. I honestly couldn’t put this down, and even the small bits that I kind of guessed were coming, tended to hit me from left field. The world building was brilliant, the writing was brilliant, and I completely fell in love with the characters. And had my heart shattered alongside of them.

It was kind of obvious that some of the other Diviners were being set up to not survive the horrors of this story. But, the loss of them was still a physical blow. I read a lot of stories with sadness in them, but this one hit particularly hard. I really enjoyed that, as horrible and difficult as it was. Plus, even with that understanding and the bittersweet texture to the whole story, nothing was quite as it seems, and everything hit as a pretty major surprise.

Like everything about The Knight and the Moth, Rory was kind of a surprise as a love interest. There was something that didn’t necessarily sit perfectly with him from the beginning. But, as his own story unfolded and the layers were peeled back, he was kind of perfect. I also love how, in unravelling Rory’s story, you got to find out more about the horrors and tragedies of this world. And hope like heck that they are all going to be on the way to fixing them in The Kanve and the Moon.

<- More Rachel GilligThe Knave and the Moon ->

Image source: Amazon

Imperfect Chemistry by Mary Frame

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Imperfect Chemistry (Imperfect Series Book 1)

Title: Imperfect Chemistry
Author: Mary Frame
Series: Imperfect #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary romance, Romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2014

Thoughts

I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there is something about Lucy that I really liked. She was socially awkward, and didn’t necessarily make the best choices. But I found her kind of endearing. Yes, she did low key stalk Jenson, but yet, something about her was really likeable. Plus, I’m a bit of a socially awkward blunder at times myself, so it did make her a little bit more relatable – at least for me.

Jenson is nothing like what I expected from the beginning and the blurb. And I kind of love how I was constantly surprised at how this romance unfolded. Normally, I can pigeon hole the characters a little, but Imperfect Chemistry had me constantly guessing about how this story was going to unfold. And I really loved that. It’s why, even though I didn’t devour this romance like others, I’m actually quite keen to dive into Imperfectly Criminal – I can’t wait to be surprised again.

Although this was a romance, it was Lucy’s friendships with Freya, Bethany, Ted, and ultimately Clare that were brilliant. I may enjoy a good romance, but it is the side characters and friendships which always bring me pure joy. As someone who is admittedly a little odd at times, I loved how these four just… took to Lucy’s oddities and decided to keep her.

I read this at a point in my life when I wasn’t really in the mood for romances. And yet, this still managed to hit the spot. It wasn’t so romance heavy that it made me nostalgic for something I no longer had, but it had enough that it gave me constant hope for the future. I really enjoyed this and I’m glad that I have now got a new romance author to add to my bookshelves.

<- More Mary FrameImperfectly Criminal ->

Image source: Amazon

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

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Overview
Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands: the charming light academia Sunday Times bestseller (Emily Wilde Series Book 2)

Title: Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands
Author: Heather Fawcett
Series: Emily Wilde #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Fae, Historical fiction, Romance
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2024

Thoughts

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands is a great follow up to Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. It follows the same entertaining and engaging style. It draws you in from the very beginning. And it is absolutely impossible to put down. Plus, it expands on some of the revelations from Wendell at the end of the first book. Something that I was seriously looking forward to and greatly enjoyed.

I love how Emily is, again, able to use her knowledge of folklore and understandings of the myths to win the day. Her ability to move fluidly within the rules that govern the world of the fae makes her a surprising, but wonderful heroine. She is exactly the kind of unassuming heroine that I sometimes long for. I particularly like, that, even as the series unfolds, it becomes more and more obvious that Emily doesn’t have some hidden secret, she is exactly as human and lacking in power as she seems. Not the typical for a paranormal fantasy story.

Although I enjoyed the fact that there wasn’t much romance in Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, I also enjoyed that there was slightly more throughout the Map of the Otherlands. I did wonder a little at the conclusion of the first book in this trilogy if Wendell was faking his affection for ulterior motives. And, also how Emily would fit into a relationship with someone who is objectionably very sought after. It was fun to see how they settled into their love and affection for one another.

I honestly can’t get enough of this very unique take on the tales of the fae. Fawcett completely leans into the traditional tales of the fae and uses this to create not only a fantastic world, but one that mimics the traditional stories that anyone who is obsessed with folklore will recognise. It creates a story that is kind of familiar and predictable, but also entirely unique in the joy of the voice (and the mistakes made along the way).

Wendell is a fun counterpoint to Emily. Where she is very intellectual, ethical and struggles with emotions, Wendell is, well, her exact opposite. But, I also love that they love each other for exactly who they are. I also enjoy the fact that Wendell is actually genuine, he doesn’t pretend to be anything or anyone less than what he is, and he has found a woman who embraces him for who and what he is, not an idealised version that has been built up in her head.

<- Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of FaeriesEmily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales ->

Image source: Amazon

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavours by Sonali Dev

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Overview
Pride, Prejudice And Other Flavors: A Novel: 1 : Dev, Sonali: Amazon.com.au: Books

Title: Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavours
Author: Sonali Dev
Series: The Rajes #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Retellings, Romance
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2019

Thoughts

I wanted to love this so much more than I did. I definitely enjoyed it, but i suppose I’ve gotten a lot more picky about how quickly a book draws me in. I still read it, but found myself skimming the final chapters. Yes, retelling are predictable, and this one was brilliantly tailored, but I did find it a little bit slow.

Trisha and her challenges with her family and past were something that really drew me in. The original doesn’t go much into the Darcy side of things, beyond his letter, so it was fun to read about it as it unfolded. I also love that she was the Prejudice and privileged one. A great gender flip.

DJ, I get the pride. But then he started to be painful with it. Maybe because you got so much insight into Trisha, it started to be challenging at times and a bit repetitive how he focused on his past. But, still a very likeable and enjoyable male lead.

Overall, I really enjoyed how Dev was able to twist a classic in such a unique way. I also really enjoyed how she created such sympathetic characters that I think half my rush was to just get to the bit when they find their happily ever after. Will definitely read more of this series and author, but maybe not immediately.

<- More Sonali DevRecipe for Persuasion ->

Image source: Amazon

Runaway ReRead by Susan Copperfield

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Runaway (8)

Title: Runaway ReRead
Author: Susan Copperfield
Series: Royal States #8
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Magic, Paranormal romance, Urban fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2021

Thoughts

None of the characters in the Royal States series has the happiest of backgrounds. But something about Cassandra’s history is so much harder than the others. You have to read the book to find out exactly what happened. But wow, is the abuse in this situation hard to read about. Yet, I love how she is able to rise above and find a great happily ever after with Thomas.

I really enjoyed how this romance starts with an overworked aide deciding to run away. And then somehow kidnapping the heir while she was at it. Her immediate connection and frustration with her feelings for Thomas made it even more entertaining. As with the rest of this story, that connection just gets so much cuter as you find out more of the back story to their adventures and relationship.

Runaway is a good, fun book that expands on the Royal States phenomenal of contagious empathy. I seriously enjoyed the running away and falling for each other component of this story. Although, it might have also been how heavily Thomas’ mother encourages all of the shenanigans that really made this adventure adorable.

This whole book was filled with joy, love and shenanigans. And I adored it. I loved how much empathy everyone has for each other. And how Thomas’s has learnt her lessons in love from mistakes made in Cold Flame. I was smiling and chuckling throughout this story. One of the many reasons why I loved this reread.

<- Cold Flame ReReadTrickster King ReRead ->

Image source: Amazon