booksalacarte's reviews
659 reviews

Sun of Blood and Ruin by Mariely Lares

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adventurous informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Sun of Blood and Ruin- 2⭐️ 2🌶️


Historical Fiction Fantasy Romance
Dual timeline
Coming of age
Prophecy 
Zorro Reimagining
Shape shifting magic
Indigenous mythology
Secret identities



This was such a great premise and I’m so sad I didn’t like it more. Zorro with fantasy elements?! Yes! But unfortunately enough just didn’t work for me that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped.

The world-building was really strong. I think the intricacies of the indigenous people was beautifully done. The anti-colonial theme was strong and compelling. I wish there had been a little more clear explanation for those who may not be familiar with the culture and myths. 

The plot was  but the pacing was really stilted in the beginning. Thankfully things improved a lot in the second half.

The characters were only fine. I was more annoyed with the FMC not being as badass as I hoped. Why have a magical sword when you never have it? I didn’t love the main couple as a couple. They lacked chemistry and I didn’t find myself caring enough about them. The air characters were just flat. 


Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
A Story Spun in Scarlet by Renee Dugan

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adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

A story spun in scarlet- 2.75⭐️ .5🌶️


High Fantasy
Fantasy Romance
Storytelling magic
Amnesia
Friends to loves
Clean romance


This was a lot of exposition and not enough dialogue to make it compelling for me. The prose wasn’t focused enough to move the story forward. This is a slowly paced book. Beautifully written, but slow.

The premise was interesting and unique, just not fast enough for me to get swept up in.



Thank you NetGalley and Wave Walker Press for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey

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funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Fangirl down- 3.5⭐️ 3.75🌶️

Contemporary Romance
Dual POV
Golf
Workplace Romance
Type 1 diabetes rep
Grumpy/sunshine
Allies to lovers
Banter

I now know more about golf than I used to. Props.

This was a really cute rom-com. It was unrealistic and silly and just a lot of fun.

The diabetes rep was really nice. 
The golf romance was fresh.
The anger issues weren’t fun, but a decent character flaw.
The set up for the next couple was solid.
Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Empire of the damned- 4.75⭐️ 3🌶️

Dark Epic Fantasy
Second book
Vampires
Dual POV
Storytelling narration
Catholic inspired religion
War
🏳️‍🌈 representation
Character recap!!!


My confusion is why the first 2 sections of this book weren’t included in the first book. It would have been a full arc of a story. The break in storytelling would have been very natural due to where “book 3” starts/picks up. But I understand the shift in narration necessary to go onto section 3… interesting.

But putting that aside, I loved this book!! It was a great second book that didn’t suffer the sophomore slump. I was engaged and invested and excited for what was revealed through this part of the story. I really enjoy Jay Kristoff’s writing style. I was worried about the addition of a second storyteller, but it worked out!

Messy characters make me love it even more. Give me all the drama and messy relationships/friendships. Make me gasp. And this author delivers. I enjoyed side characters becoming main players.

The things that I didn’t enjoy include misogyny  standard to European medieval feudalism centered around religious orthodoxy. If you thought a book that was inspired by medieval Catholic Europe was going to be without it being present, I don’t know what to tell you. But it’s there, it’s never fun to have to read in excess. But it’s an adult fantasy, with cursing and I get.


Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the eARC of sections 1 & 2 of this book. All opinions are my own.
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Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Empire of the vampire- 4.75⭐️ 3🌶️

Epic Fantasy
Vampires
Catholic inspired religion
Storytelling style narration
Confinement
Secret society 
War
🏳️‍🌈 side characters

Tw: addiction, homofobia

To break it down to the bare minimal… this was an interview with the vampire styled story with dual timelines and a flawed MC. The story was slow, as journeying can be, but entertaining the whole time.

So often male authors, choose to sanitize the softer emotions in their books, to push the physical. Moving the plot forward for the glory and the heroism of their main character. As a woman, the more sterilized approach to emotion in men’s writing, tends to turn me away… 

This book is anything but emotionally sterile. I found myself enjoying the emotional and spiritual journey of the main character and the friendships and bonds created and broken.

There were so many plot twists. Character flaws were aplenty. 

I must have the humor of a 14 year old boy, because some of the insults and jokes had me chuckling.

The things that I didn’t enjoy include misogyny  standard to European medieval feudalism centered around religious orthodoxy. If you thought a book that was inspired by medieval Catholic Europe was going to be without it being present, I don’t know what to tell you. But it’s there, it’s never fun to have to read in excess. But it’s an adult fantasy, with cursing and I get it.

Bad guys as pedophiles. Yup. Tracks. But the other underage sexualization was not great. A lot of times this is used as a chance to show how disgusting the enemy is. And it’s just gross all around… even when the MC is underage. 

I am so looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
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Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Heartless hunter- 3.75⭐️3🌶️


New Adult Fantasy
Dual pov
Morally grey MC’s
True Enemies to lovers
Best friend’s Brother
Forbidden Magic
Witches
Secrets
Revolution

The premise was good. I enjoyed reading the book. The twist was nicely done, although when it was even remotely foreshadowed it was extremely easy to guess before it happened. 

The pacing was ok. It flowed easily from one POV to the next. The world building was easy. I enjoyed the characters, but found myself wondering how the author was going to resolve the little love triangle. I didn’t expect what happened, but hey. That’s one way to do it. I’m wondering how the ending is going to lead to a healthy emotional resolution. I’m basically seeing red flags all over the place. But I look forward to seeing what the author brings to the table. 

Period blood for spells was not the best. Glorifying self harm for spells, also not ideal to have to read about. 

When it came to the characters, for the FMC, I expected a little more badassery and action on her part to back up having a moniker and being public enemy number one. Maybe if we had met her just a few days earlier when she pulled off a successful breakout it would have lent to her character a little more in that regard.

The MMC had depth and a tragic backstory. All of his decisions, no matter how conflicted, made sense. There were some great peeks to the different facets of his character.

The romance was nice and I was constantly pulled between the cinnamon roll and the tall dark and grumpy. Both love interests showed their genuine feelings and it made me not even mind that it was a love triangle.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own
Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana

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adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Lore of the Wilds 3⭐️2.75🌶️


Adult Fantasy Romance
Bipoc
Bodyguard romance
Love triangle
Fae
Chosen one
Secrets
Magic


The premise of the book was good. I was excited for an exclusive bipoc cast. The world building was well done. I loved the enchanted library and nearly-sentient grimoire. 

This is a gorgeous book and I wanted so badly for it to be a 5 star and awesome start of a series. Unfortunately it just didn’t hit as hard as I wanted it to. The writing felt very YA with curse words and an on page romantic scene that didn’t really move the plot forward.

I got to half way and I was still confused as to the tone of the book. I found myself not as invested in how the story played out because of that. I liked all the characters, what I knew of them… the writing was very surface when the action started. I found myself wanting just a little more depth and development. 

The twist ending was interesting! But the cliffhanger felt very juvenile and YA in how it was executed. 

I will be reading this series as it continues because it was a decent debut novel and start to a series. 

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC. All opinions are my own.



Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner

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adventurous mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Sunbringer 2⭐️2.75🌶️

Fantasy Romance
Multi POV
Disabled FMC
Fire injury
Gods/goddesses
🏳️‍🌈 normative society
Disabled rep
Revenge
Journey
Cliffhanger
Intricate world building

Unfortunately this is a series I will not be continuing. I found the first book to be disjointed and suffering from pacing issues. The second book was more of the same, leading to second book syndrome.

Slower pacing and again, not much plot happening until the very end of the book made reading this something I forced myself to do. 

The representation is really great, but not having the plot and pacing to back it up makes me sad. 

Thank you NetGalley and Avon, Harper Voyager for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This could be us- 4.5⭐️ 3.25🌶️

Contemporary romance
Older MC’s
BIPOC
Self exploration
Slow burn
Divorce
Autism Rep
Single parent

I adore that this series has been a love letter to the MC’s first, and to each other second. 

While this read more like a women’s fiction than a romance, I loved reading it. It was a story about learning to trust yourself and centered on a FMC who took what was handed to her and refused to let it keep her down. The resilience and self respect that shone through this story made me adore the cast of characters as they all rallied around the FMC and helped her kick ass and take names. 

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an ARC of this book. All opinions are me own.
Compass and Blade by Rachel Greenlaw

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Compass and Blade- 2⭐️ 2.75🌶️


Fantasy
New adult
Oceanic based powers
Shipwrecks
Smugglers
🏳️‍🌈 side characters
Barely open door, on page romance


The book started out alright. I was compelled by the idea of shipwrecks and the crew that goes out to them. At first it reminded me of Fable by Adrienne Young. But where Fable turned seafaring and the Ocean into a tangible character….. Compass and Blade tried and fell just short. It’s almost like the idea was there, but the author was distracted and forgot to finish the thought. The other characters in the book were so close to being really well done. They just needed to be flushed out more. Given more weight. 

The tropes were troping. The plot was almost organized. The only through line I saw was the deadline to save the FMC’s dad. Everything else was like crammed in. There were just too many plot lines and characters that were introduced, then left unexplored or explained.

A f/f side character romance was hinted at in 2 sentences and then never mentioned again. It felt like checking a box. Either put it in and let it have space, or don’t even mention it.

I wanted to like this book. It just fell short in too many places. Maybe it should have been longer and given itself the space to expand?

At 80% I found myself just annoyed that I wasn’t sure what was going on with the romance aspect of this book, because it was so heavy at parts, but then obviously trope-y and cliche… leaning into the teen style of writing. I knew this was a standalone, but it was reading like it was a first book in a series.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Inkyard Press for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.