kaelielily's reviews
381 reviews

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

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

4.0

Long Live Evil immediately caught my attention with its unique premise. Who wouldn’t want to jump into their favorite book series? Despite the fun idea, the book often delves into emotional and dark themes, as the main character, Rae, only gets the chance to enter her favorite book because she’s dying of cancer, and this is her only hope of saving her life. What she didn’t expect was to enter the story as a villain.
I instantly fell in love with the characters surrounding Rae, especially Key. Over time, I grew to love the rest of the characters too, and I enjoyed watching them grapple with moral dilemmas as they unexpectedly found themselves on the side of the villains.
However, the story started out pretty slow. While the world-building was interesting and the characters were great, it took until about two-thirds of the way through for me to really get into it. The plot didn’t progress particularly quickly, and Rae took a frustratingly long time to realize that the characters she was surrounded by were more than just side characters with seemingly expendable lives. Her attitude was often unserious and neglectful.
That said, the ending was action-packed and full of surprising twists that finally grabbed my attention. Now, I’m hooked and excited for the sequel. Here’s hoping my favorite characters survive and realize their feelings for each other!
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Todeshauch by Laura Kneidl, Bianca Iosivoni

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

4.5

Todeshauch ist der fünfte Teil der Midnight Chronicles-Reihe, die in einer Welt spielt, die von Hexen, Geistern, Vampiren, Werwölfen und vielen weiteren ungewöhnlichen Wesen bevölkert wird, sowie den Huntern, die diese bekämpfen. 
Roxy und Shaws Geschichte, die in den Bänden 1 und 3 erzählt wurde, findet in diesem Band ihren Abschluss, auch wenn die Charaktere im letzten Buch noch auftauchen werden. Das Buch ist voller packender Action, aber auch mit viel Romantik gefüllt. Es weckt viele Emotionen – besonders das Ende war so berührend, dass sogar ein paar Tränen geflossen sind. Den Cliffhanger hatte ich überhaupt nicht erwartet, und er war wirklich fies. Ich hoffe, dass dieser im sechsten Buch gut aufgelöst wird und nicht noch mehr geliebte Charaktere sterben müssen. 
Das Worldbuilding ist weiterhin hervorragend, und die Charaktere in allen Quartieren sind so offen und liebenswert, dass man sich wünscht, selbst in diese Welt eintauchen zu können. 
Allerdings hätte ich mir gewünscht, dass die Rettung von Roxy aus der Unterwelt nicht so schnell und vergleichsweise problemlos über die Bühne gegangen wäre – auch wenn ich verstehe, dass man den weiblichen Hauptcharakter rasch wieder aktiv in die Handlung integrieren wollte. Dass Kevin tatsächlich der König der Unterwelt, Ulysses, ist, macht im Nachhinein viel mehr Sinn, als dass ein einfacher Todesbote so viel Macht haben könnte. Auch wenn er scheinbar ein weiches Herz für Roxy hat, hoffe ich, dass Roxy und Shaw – wie von Ulysses angedeutet – eine wichtige Rolle im Kampf gegen Baldur spielen werden. So würde erklärt werden, warum er beide hat leben lassen. Zudem bin ich neugierig, auf wessen Seite Ulysses eigentlich steht, da er offensichtlich weder auf Baldurs noch auf Marjories Seite zu sein scheint.
 
Ich bin auf jeden Fall sehr gespannt auf den sechsten Teil, besonders weil ich Jules als Hauptcharakter unglaublich interessant finde und neugierig bin, wie sich seine Geschichte entwickeln wird. 
Meine persönliche Theorie ist, dass Amelias Prophezeiung nach wie vor zutrifft: Baldur wird vom Vampirkönig getötet. Allerdings wurde meines Wissens nie explizit gesagt, dass damit Isaac gemeint war. Vielleicht wird Jules der neue Vampirkönig und bringt Baldur endlich zur Strecke?
Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Raiders of the Lost Heart is a romance novel with a unique setting: two rival archaeologists hunting for treasure in the Mexican jungle. The premise was really intriguing and well-executed, with the perfect mix of action, adventure, and romantic spice. The ending was also handled nicely.

That said, I didn’t fully connect with the main characters. Ford made a lot of questionable choices, and even though he explained them, I didn’t feel like he truly redeemed himself. With Corrie, I would’ve loved to see more of her archaeological skills. The scene where she figures out they were digging in the wrong place and leads them to the real site was great—I just wanted more of that and less of her being focused on Ford.

Overall, it was a fun, enjoyable read that met my expectations, but there were still some areas where it could’ve been better.
Harvey Chapter: Reckless by Elsie Silver

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

2.5

This bonus chapter focuses on Harvey and Cordelia and how Harvey handles the fallout of Winter discovering their relationship. However, the chapter didn’t really go anywhere with the story. Harvey never explicitly explained his relationship to Cade and Willa, as he had intended, leaving things unresolved. This lack of closure defeats the purpose of the bonus scene and felt somewhat unsatisfying.
Reckless Deleted Scene by Elsie Silver

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

4.25

A very quick bonus scene featuring the morning after, as well as Theo’s call to his mother. It was fun to read, would’ve integrated well into the book, and had a wholesome ending.
Reckless by Elsie Silver

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emotional 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

4.75

Reckless is the fourth book in the Chestnut Springs series and follows Winter Hamilton and Theo Silva after a one-night stand leads to an unexpected pregnancy. 

I already liked both characters from the previous books and thought they’d make an interesting match. Their personalities are polar opposites, which works well—Theo helps Winter come out of her shell, and she starts to embrace her family and friends, learning that it’s okay to accept help.

There was significant character growth for both Winter and Theo, which I really appreciated. While there was another third-act conflict, as is typical with Elsie Silver's books, the internal aspect of it was resolved quickly and maturely. The major conflict was external and tied to a storyline that had been left unresolved since the first book, so I was glad to see it come to a conclusion.
Overall, this book was a fantastic read and one of my favorites in the series.
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Harvey Chapter: Powerless by Elsie Silver

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

2.75

As much as I like the characters individually, I’m having trouble getting into Harvey’s story. The writing feels immature and cringey at times, especially given that the character is a 60+ year-old grandfather. I noticed this issue in the main books of the series as well.
I do like Cordelia, but I’m unsure if it’s a good idea for her to jump into a new relationship so soon after leaving a long, toxic marriage—especially with her deceased sister's husband.
Powerless: A Bonus Epilogue by Elsie Silver

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

4.0

Quick and fluffy bonus epilogue showing life for Jasper and Sloane six years later including their two kids. It was nice to see how Jasper still challenges Sloane and helps her fulfill her dreams.
Powerless by Elsie Silver

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emotional slow-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

Powerless is the third book in Elsie Silver's Chestnut Springs series, following a friends-to-lovers storyline between Jasper and Sloane. The first half of the book is relatively slow-paced, and while Silver’s writing is familiar, it can feel a bit formulaic, which may come across as repetitive.

I found it challenging to connect with Jasper and Sloane as much as with the main characters from the previous books; they sometimes felt a bit one-dimensional. However, I did appreciate Sloane’s character growth, as well as the subplot involving her mother finally standing up for herself.

Despite its flaws, the book remained entertaining, delivering the kind of spicy romance that’s sometimes just what you need. I plan to continue with the series, eager to read about Winter's story next.
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Harvey Chapter: Heartless by Elsie Silver

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

4.0

The first part of Harvey’s bonus chapter was definitely full of second-hand embarrassment, but the later part, where he talks with his sons about his first wife and how he’s ready to find someone new, was really touching.