laurenslittlelibrary_'s reviews
674 reviews

A Kingdom of Frost and Fear by Whitney Dean

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

3.75

I feel like it took forever for me to finish this book. There were a couple times where I really wished things would speed up- definitely some pacing issues. And a looooot of smutty scenes, to the point it became distracting from the plot. Don’t get me wrong, I like smut as much as the next person, but it was almost too much & I know it was used as a point to show how obsessed they are with one another and how their bonds are changing. Freaking hate Cade- he’s the literal worst. Mira sucks as a person, but she’s also kinda boring as the villain. River is interesting and I want to see more of him. I did enjoy the friendships blooming with Luca, Jeanine, Edmond, and Gisela! They really add a lot more depth and show more of Raven’s humanity. Overall, I’d say I liked the story, but definitely didn’t love. 
Everything For You by Chloe Liese

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emotional funny lighthearted 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

5.0

I adore the Bergman family and Oliver is no exception. His story is one of growth, being true to yourself, and letting yourself be happy. He and Gavin definitely have to go through hardship and learn to love themselves and one another. I really loved when Gavin showed up at the A frame and FINALLY confessed his feelings. The entire time, they had incredible chemistry and when they were wiling to be open with one another, it made me love them even more. 
A Kingdom of Flame and Fury by Whitney Dean

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

4.0

I absolutely loved this book when I read it the first time, but there were some things that definitely bothered me this time. I can deal with Raven’s seemingly shifting personality- she has a lot going on & too many people keeping secrets for her to possibly deal with everything logically. What I couldn’t stand, or more specifically who, is Cade. This douche canoe is the absolute worst. There’s a lot of dark themes and trigger warnings should be checked beforehand. Zeke made some decisions that come back to bite him in the ass, but I feel like it did help Raven in some ways too. I felt like this version was more fleshed out than the previous & I did really like that aspect. I’m interested to see where the story goes and how it’s changed. 
House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas

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adventurous emotional tense fast-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

5.0

IT'S SO GOOD!!! Sarah Maas and Taylor Swift must be secret best friends because they're both truly masterminds.

There was SO much that happened in this book. It was super fast paced and I feel like I'm still processing everything that went down. The connections, the foreshadowing, the revelations- all incredible. I loved getting to spend time with Nesta and Azriel. Everything we learned about Lidia was seriously mind-blowing- I think she may be my favorite character coming out of this story. Sweet, naive Ithan was just doing his best and became a complete badass by the end. Ruhn and the Frat Pack ended up playing such vital roles throughout the story. And bless his heart, but Tharion seriously needs someone to check his decision making skills, because this male is acts long before he thinks. Granted, I think what he did in Avallen is definitely admirable, but rash for sure. I didn't love Bryce's whole attitude about a lot of things throughout, but it didn't stop me from enjoying her part of story. Hunt, as always, played an important role with many of the characters, but I think I enjoyed seeing his relationship with Baxian develop the most as they both discovered who they are outside of their histories. The last few chapters left me SO excited for what's coming next and I cannot WAIT for the announcement to come! 
With You Forever by Chloe Liese

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

5.0

I am in love with these two 🥹 

Their relationship unfolded so beautifully and there was so much growth- personal and as a couple. Axel and Rooney were so freaking cute together. I loved how Chloe portrayed their love- soft and gentle, quiet and steady. I was drawn into their story and loved watching them come alive. Their secluded little cabin, their sunrise and sunset hikes, their love for the pets, and every small moment felt so genuine. I’m just obsessed and I have no idea how anyone is supposed to choose a favorite Bergman story because they’re all so unique and wonderful in their own ways! 
Ever After Always by Chloe Liese

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emotional hopeful reflective 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

4.0

This book is giving exile ft bon iver vibes throughout a lot of the story, but my goodness, is there so much hope in it too. Freya and Aiden have been married for almost ten years, together for twelve. They have a massive communications breakdown and it understandably puts strain on their relationship. Watching them pull themselves out of the depths of the hard parts of marriage are emotional, heartbreaking, and just plain hard sometimes. You realize how much effort relationships truly take & that you have to TALK to your partner and grow with them through every season of life. While I don’t think this will be my favorite Bergman story, I did enjoy it overall and it’s good if you want some tough emotions with your love. 
Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I really didn’t like the ferris wheel scene & the sort of insta-love trope didn’t do much for me. However, I did actually enjoy their chemistry and banter. The fact that Darcy was so on board with her brother & her best friend was also a win. Annie & Brendan were a fun couple & I liked their story overall. 
Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.0

A fun, super easy to listen to, quick paced sapphic fake dating romance. I liked Elle and Darcy- each were well thought out & had very real flaws. Although, tbh I think Brendan was my favorite. We love a meddlesome matchmaking sibling. I wish the story would’ve had an epilogue because I felt the ending was a little rushed. Overall, I really liked it! 
The Belle and the Blackbird by Sarah M. Cradit

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

3.0

I liked this, but definitely didn’t love it. I had some issues with the pacing & the fact that I felt like I should’ve reread several other books before getting into this one. There were so many references to the other books that I felt like I was forgetting important details. I liked, but didn’t love the characters. Tyreste was just kinda blah & Ana almost had too much going on. Overall, just meh for me.
Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake

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

3.0

Overall, I liked the story but I didn’t love it as much as the others in the series. Iris and Stevie were both disasters in their own ways and while sometimes it worked, other times it felt a little cringey. I felt like I had a harder time connecting to these two and I can’t pinpoint exactly why. Iris irritated me in that she literally refused to accept the fact that she had real feelings for Stevie and just kept brushing it off & making their relationship so much less than it actually was. I also didn’t love the Adrie story line- it still felt like Stevie was hung up on her during certain scenes, Adrie was still trying to be jealous & controlling, & it didn’t feel resolved. I dunno something was just off to me.