Posts

Stepbrother (Step Dilemma Series Book 1) by Stacy McWilliams – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

StepbrotherStepbrother by Stacy McWilliams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an easy read about forbidden romance. However, I really didn’t connect to the characters. Bailey was boring and inconsistent, while Cooper was arrogant and frankly quite cruel. The mother and the stepfather were so improbably manipulative too. The plotlines were not believable, there were time jumps in the middle of chapters which were quite confusing, and then the final quarter of the book was extremely rushed. This book just wasn’t for me.

View all my reviews

Night Justice (A Chicago Vigilantes Novel Book 1) by India Kells – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Night JusticeNight Justice by India Kells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a dark, romantic suspense about a reporter named Orla who is defending her city from being overtaken by a new illicit drug, and in doing so, encounters the Vigilante, who is essentially a criminal trying to bring about justice. The character development and the relationships were fleshed out and complex, and I really enjoyed all the drama. There was plenty of action, lots of romance, and this was definitely a page-turner.

View all my reviews

Finding Leda; the Science of Happiness (Italian College Novel 1, The Italian Saga) by Gaia B Amman – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Finding Leda, the Science of Happiness (The Italian Saga #5)Finding Leda, the Science of Happiness by Gaia B. Amman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the fifth book in the Italian saga, and can be a standalone read, but I have loved following Leda as she’s grown up. I love the setting in landscapes of Italy, including Milan, Padua, and Garda Lake, but I also love the introduction of new and old characters and how Leda’s relationships with them are still so complicated, even as she starts her biotechnology major in college. I related to Leda so much in this book, being an undergrad university student myself. Leda is such a layered female character who’s learning about life and love as she goes along. There’s some gorgeous writing in this one. I enjoyed this more than previous books in this series.

View all my reviews

Sex-O-S; The Tragicomic Adventure of an Italian Surviving the First Time (Italian Teens, novel 2, The Italian Saga) by Gaia B Amman – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Sex-O-S: The Tragicomic Adventure of an Italian Surviving the First Time (The Italian Saga, #4)Sex-O-S: The Tragicomic Adventure of an Italian Surviving the First Time by Gaia B. Amman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This picks up after the third book and continues the story of Leda and her adventures in young love and growing up as a teenager. I love that although it’s written about teenagers, it’s not written as young adult fiction. It’s really relatable, and the two male main characters, Nico and Ange, are well-developed. Even though sometimes the story seems slightly dramatic, it never goes too far and it’s an enjoyable read.

View all my reviews

Romance in Rehoboth Boxed Set (Books 4-6): A Small Town Romantic Comedy Series by K.L. Montgomery – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

This continues a wonderful romantic comedy series. Each of the stories has strong, funny characters. The stories stand alone, and if only it were summer, they’d be the perfect beach read. The storylines are smooth and uncomplicated, making for an easy read. A bit of sweet romance.

Testament of Feats: Book of Sorrows Book Two by K.H. Jones – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Testament of Feats: Book of Sorrows (Book Two 2)Testament of Feats: Book of Sorrows by Kimm Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The second in an epic high fantasy series. Again, incredibly detailed world-building, although I’d probably read the first book before this one. Lots of action, great character development, and an interesting storyline. Definitely an engrossing read.

View all my reviews

Romance in Rehoboth Boxed Set (Books 1-3): A Small Town Romantic Comedy Series by K.L. Montgomery – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Romance in Rehoboth Boxed Set (Books 1-3)Romance in Rehoboth Boxed Set by K.L. Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All three books in this set are great reads, although I probably wouldn’t read them all in one go (I rarely ever do), but they can also be standalone. They’re romantic comedies but the characters are interesting, passionate people. They’re likable and relatable. I loved the wit and humour. These are easy reads I’d recommend.

View all my reviews

Around Midnight by Zarina Macha – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Around MidnightAround Midnight by Zarina Macha
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a young adult story that I really enjoyed. It had lots of drama and emotion, the characters were complex and imperfect, and the story was certainly believable. Although YA is not my usual thing, I did enjoy this romance and coming-of-age, the prose was lovely, and it had a lot more depth than I anticipated. I also loved the jazz throughlines, since I’m a big jazz fan, and really appreciated all the musical references.

View all my reviews

FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY: Flowers in December, Coming Home, Second Chance by Jane Suen – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

FLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGYFLOWERS IN DECEMBER TRILOGY by Jane Suen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a trilogy about grief, hope, and love. There was a lot of description rather than conversation, and it being a trilogy, a lot of explanation that could have been engineered and embedded more subtly, especially since I read all three books in one go. Nevertheless, this was a charming story, there are multiple storylines that all had satisfactory conclusions, and I enjoyed the character development. An easy, emotional read.

View all my reviews

Forget Nico: Falling for the Wrong Italian (Italian Teens novel 1, The Italian Saga) by Gaia B. Amman – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Forget Nico: Falling for the Wrong Italian (The Italian Saga #3)Forget Nico: Falling for the Wrong Italian by Gaia B. Amman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a young adult romance set in 1990s Italy. There is a lot of teenage drama and angst, which I don’t really like to be perfectly honest, because it just seems really superficial, like they’re too young, and there just wasn’t really much plot. I appreciated a lot of what the main character Leda feels in that it speaks to the realities of life as a teenage girl and the mess of relationships and is thus insightful. At the same time, the pacing is a bit off and the relationship between Leda and her mother Starry isn’t explored as much as I would have liked. Nevertheless, I enjoyed following Leda’s journey, having read Book #2.

View all my reviews

Lisa: Coming Of Age (Book 1 of The Guardian Shifters) by KM Lowe – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Lisa: Coming Of Age (The Guardian Shifters, #1)Lisa: Coming Of Age by K.M. Lowe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

  • I really enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters Lisa and Markus and the way they mature and grow physically and emotionally during the course of the book. There was plenty of drama and passion, and the suspense kept me reading. I loved that it was set in Scotland, as I have a soft spot for the place, and it characterised the speech and the descriptions too. Overall, this was a great fantasy readView all my reviews

2am Secrets by M. Piper – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

2am Secrets2am Secrets by M. Piper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An easy romance read. Although somewhat cliche, with a complicated brother/sister dynamic and forbidden relationship, the characters are well-developed. There isn’t a great deal of plot and it’s heavy on the chemistry. I definitely wanted to know more, even if I felt like I knew where the characters were going.

View all my reviews

The Flame and The Blade (Flame and Blade Series) by Meredith Hart – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

The Flame and The Blade (Flame and Blade #1)The Flame and The Blade by Meredith Hart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a fabulous read. The beginning was a little slow in terms of plot but the writing was just wonderful. I couldn’t read fast enough and was totally invested in the relationship between the two main characters. There are elements of fantasy and action and romance that all pull together to create a compelling read. Can’t wait to read the sequel!

View all my reviews

The Sister Pact: Home is Where The Heart is by Jacquie Biggar – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

The Sister Pact: Home is Where The Heart isThe Sister Pact: Home is Where The Heart is by Jacquie Biggar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a pleasure to read. It was easy, short, and heartwarming. I liked the pace of the book and the relationship between the two sisters and the overall family dynamics.

View all my reviews

A Sun So Bright (Reigning Hearts Book Three) by KG Fletcher – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

A Sun So Bright (Reigning Hearts, #3)A Sun So Bright by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the third book in the series. Although I hadn’t read the previous two, it was easy to get into. It’s definitely a romance and has all the feels. It’s well-paced and well-written. By the end of the story, I was totally invested in the characters.

View all my reviews
Read more

The Wicked Wolves of Windsor: and other fairytales by Byrd Nash – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

The Wicked Wolves of Windsor: and other fairytalesThe Wicked Wolves of Windsor: and other fairytales by Byrd Nash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved this book. The writing was gorgeous, the stories were short and sweet, and I couldn’t get through this book fast enough. I loved the storytelling and the writing. A great collection of fantasy fairytales.

View all my reviews

Journeys Through SpaceTime (Journeys Through Book 1) by James Talisman – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Journeys Through SpaceTimeJourneys Through SpaceTime by James Talisman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a sci-fi/fantasy in which there are multiple storylines following different characters in different universes, realities and timelines. Each is very different and draws on various ancient mythologies which I really enjoyed. Although confusing to follow, I appreciated having to engage more with the story. I also liked the world-building, which was extremely complex, although it was at times more descriptive and wordy than immersive. The ending was definitely action-packed, and the weaving of the story becomes clear in the way the end is tied up but leaves you wanting more.

View all my reviews

The Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body by K.L. Montgomery – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

The Fat Girl's Guide to Loving Your BodyThe Fat Girl’s Guide to Loving Your Body by K.L. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don’t really read a lot of self-help books but this is one I’d definitely recommend. I’ve always been a skinny girl but have in the past few years become much more concerned with how I look. This book really helped me think about the way I think about my body and how that connects with other parts of my life. I loved the addition of the journalling prompts spread out throughout the book and the 365 daily prompts at the end, and the writing style is exactly like chatting with the author over coffee – girl next door and all. Highly recommended.

View all my reviews

Tanuja Ramachandran: Hunter Seeker by Kumar Sivasubramanian – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Tanuja Ramachandran: Hunter-SeekerTanuja Ramachandran: Hunter-Seeker by Kumar Sivasubramanian
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a bizarre book, with a pretty crazy plotline in which Tanuja Ramachandran becomes an instrument of retribution against the criminal underworld after her husband and children were murdered. Having lost everything, she’s out for revenge. It is fast-paced and action-packed but didn’t have much substance in terms of theme or message, so I found myself skimming a lot. It’s chaotic and violent and like a comic book, or more specifically, manga. The plot was confusing, but the writing itself wasn’t terrible.

View all my reviews

Singles and Other Singularities (The woman Scientist Trilogy 2- The Italian Saga Book 8) by Gaia B Amman – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Singles: ...And Other Singularities (Woman Scientist Trilogy 2, The Italian Saga)Singles: …And Other Singularities by Gaia B Amman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I found the beginning difficult to get into and a bit messy to understand, although this might also be because I didn’t realise this was the second in a trilogy and I hadn’t read the first book. Nevertheless, by the halfway point J was hooked and eager to find out what was coming next. It was an interesting look at a slice of life as a graduate student in a science research lab and all that that life entails, along with its take on immigrant America and the ups and downs of personal relationships. I haven’t read a book like this in a while and I really enjoyed it.

View all my reviews

Alice Will: Dreams of Chaos Book 1 by Ashley Chappell – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Alice Will: Dreams of Chaos Book 1Alice Will: Dreams of Chaos Book 1 by Ashley Chappell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alice Will is a well-written, well-paced book. It was an easy read since it’s probably aimed below my age. Nevertheless, I appreciated the world-building and I loved the main character Trotter, who is funny and adventurous and unique. Full of action, magic and fantasy, I haven’t read fantasy for a while and loved dipping back into the genre. I loved the characters and the setting, and there was enough suspense to keep me going. An enjoyable read.

View all my reviews

The Traveler: Chimera Rebellion (The Book of Eleanor Book 1) by Shannon Nemechek – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

The Traveler: Chimera RebellionThe Traveler: Chimera Rebellion by Shannon Nemechek
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. An adventure through time, some historical romance, and a bit of book nerd, this reminded me of ‘Outlander’. This is definitely a page-turner, and I loved the plot and characters. Although the beginning was a little narrative-heavy, the story picks up and I really enjoyed the dialogue and the writing style hooked me in. This is a well-written book with lots of heart and warmth. I can’t wait for the next book.

View all my reviews

Running In Snow: A Holiday Novella by Renee Regent – Review by Netania Lim

/0 Comments/in /by

Running In Snow, A Holiday NovellaRunning In Snow, A Holiday Novella by Renee Regent
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a lovely read for the holiday season, with two heartwarming tales to get you in the mood (plus there’s snow!). Although a quick story with little plot, the way the backstories of the main characters were revealed and the way this played out into the character development was delightful. This was a warm book and super quick and easy to read. I would have loved them to be a bit longer. Nevertheless, the characters were relatable and well-written, and the stories were interesting. A sweet holiday novella.

View all my reviews

 

Reviewed by @littlemissmaudlin