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worth the wait

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
2 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-20-20

I know this book has had mixed reviews, and it seems like most people are in either “loved it” camp or “loathed it” camp. I am firmly in “loved it”. I normally don’t do reviews with spoilers, but to express why I loved it I have to include them. Proceed if you’ve already read it or don’t mind spoilers!
------------

I loved it so much. It was fascinating to see how Collins dealt with writing an entire book about a character that is so universally loathed. I, like many others, was concerned that she was going to try to write him as a likable character and try to get us to sympathize with him. And while there were times that I felt shreds of compassion for Snow, I thought she did a fantastic job in showing us how spoiled, condescending, and self-entitled Snow was from the very beginning.

I also loved how the mockingjays, the Katniss plant, the poison, and the roses were so intricately entwined in with the original series. It honestly felt like this was something that she had planned all along rather than an afterthought. I wish I could make everybody love it as much as I did because I thought it was beautiful.

Collin’s world-building of the political underbelly of The Capital was really interesting. There were strong supporting characters and antagonists that helped to show the devolution of Snow’s character.

Normally, I like a neat and tidy ending, but the ending about not knowing what happened to Lucy Gray didn’t bother me too much because I thought there was a poetic beauty in her disappearing like her namesake did in the old song. I wouldn’t turn down a sequel though where I could learn about what happened to her and about the demise of Tigress and Snow’s relationship.

I’ve not listened to anything narrated by Santino Fontana before, but my expectations were set pretty high. I have been looking forward to this book since it’s announcement and preordered it months before it was released. Fontana, unfortunately, did not meet those expectations. He sometimes spoke with a monotone voice, and I had difficulty discerning the characters because they lacked their own unique voice. I got used to the narration for the most part, but I’m not sure that I’d listen to another of his narrations unless it was a book I really wanted.

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sweet romance and heart-wrenching storytelling

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-26-20

The first book I read from Mimi Matthews was A Holiday By Gaslight, which I adored. It’s a lot more clean than I usually read, but it was a charming and heartwarming read – perfect for the holiday season.

Because I loved that one so much, I decided to try out The Matrimonial Advertisement. Again, like with before, it’s much cleaner than I’d like but very well written. Matthews creates complex characters with intriguing and mysterious backgrounds. I would have liked more details about Greyfriar’s Abbey because it sounded like such a beautifully haunting setting, but the character development made up for it.

Justin was my favorite of the couple. He was strong, vulnerable, selfless, and loyal. He was raised in an orphanage and joined the army shortly after coming of age, and he bears the scars of both. He has a secret he’s hiding from Helena, which made me wary of him because there were hints to it being quite shameful, but I ended up loving him, even more, when it was revealed.

At the very beginning of the book, Helena’s privileged background is hinted at, but you don’t find out the details until about 1/3 of the way. However, privilege didn’t protect her hardships, such as severe abuse (TRIGGER WARNING WITH DETAILS BELOW), grief, and loneliness. I wavered between not particularly liking her and adoring her. She could sometimes be a little too frail than I like my heroines but finds her backbone when it counts. I think the portrayal of her is honest, raw, and not surprising considering the abuses she’s endured.

The main side characters are the focus of the next book, and Matthews perfectly integrated them into the story, revealing just enough about them to make you want to know more. I can’t wait to read more about Jenny and Tom, especially because Jenny is my favorite type of heroine: sassy, strong, and independent.

Audio:
Justine Eyre is cream of the crop as far as narrators go. She has narrated almost 500 books on Audible, and I’ve listened to her narrations before, so I knew I would love her. As expected, she was fantastic. The cadence of her voice is smooth and pleasant to listen to, and she creates clearly distinct voices for each character. She narrates the descriptions of abuse carefully and with empathy. I won’t hesitate to pick up another of hers to listen to.
Overall, if you’re looking for a sweet romance, heart-wrenching storytelling, and quality writing, I highly recommend this book.

Overall, if you’re looking for a sweet romance, heart-wrenching storytelling, and quality writing, I highly recommend this book.

TRIGGER WARNING DETAILS: physical abuse: choking, electric shock, physical assault, torture

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Fantastic conclusion

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-14-20

The conclusion to Savior is jam-packed with action, angst, and heartache.

Savior picks up just after Carbons ends. Sawyer is back and stronger than ever. Like with book two, the readers are introduced to some new characters who add a lot to the story. One thing I loved about this series is that there were no unnecessary characters or plot-lines added for drama or intrigue. Everything and everyone introduced served a purpose in either the development of one of the main characters or the plot. The "mountain men" were super interesting, and I would read a full-length novel just following their society.

The only thing I didn't love about Savior was the love triangle. I despise them, but since this is a personal preference, I wouldn't say it's fair to rate lower than the rest of the book deserves, which is a full 5/5 stars. Also, my ship didn't sail, so maybe I'm just a little salty about it still lol.

The conclusion of The Watcher series is nicely done in Savior. Throughout the series, I never felt like anything was rushed, and it progressed naturally, slowing down only for character development and then picking back up for more action in near-perfect intervals. If you're looking for a new dystopian sci-fi, I highly recommend checking this one out.

Audio:
These are the same narrators as the previous books, and again, I was impressed with them. As I said in my review of books one and two, both Chelsea Stephens and Steve Campbell are easy to listen to and able to give each character their own unique voice.

This book was given to me for free at my request, and I provided this voluntary review.

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2 people found this helpful

Great second book

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-14-20

Carbon picks up almost immediately after Watcher ends, with Sawyer traveling to The United Isles in search of answers and help. Her travel companion, Max, is someone briefly introduced in book one.

One of the things I was hoping for with this book was the expansion of world-building, which was delivered more fully than in book one. I still wish we could have seen more, but that's just because I love the world Eversley has created so much that I feel like I'd always be wanting more.

The United Isles and the introduction of new characters were a significant change of pace from book one, where the action was almost non-stop. This gave more room for character development of Sawyer and Max, but there was still plenty going on to hold my interest. Sawyer saw a lot of character growth in this installment, with the help of an unlikely ally. Sawyer's grief and survivor guilt were handled with care and explored realistically and honestly. She went through a lot by the end of book one, so it was nice to see her begin to heal and find another part of herself beyond being a watcher.

The bright spot for me, even beyond Sawyer's growth and recovery, was Max, though. I liked his character from the very beginning of Carbon and only grew to adore him as the book went on. His background gives more insight into what happened to people who were left to fend for themselves, unlike Sawyer, who was in the compound. Max is a sweet cinnamon roll and I love him so much!

As I mentioned, there were additional characters introduced in this book, which helped to give answers about the rise of the carbons and some background on Coleman. Book three is set up nicely by the end of Carbon, which I already have, so I'm immediately moving onto it next!

Audio:
5/5 stars
Narrated by: Chelsea Stephens and Steve Campbell
Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins

These are the same narrators as book one, and again, I was impressed with their narrations. As I said in my review of book one, both Chelsea Stephens and Steve Campbell are easy to listen to and able to give each character their unique voice. I'm happy to see they narrate the next one as well.

This book was given to me for free at my request, and I provided this voluntary review.

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1 person found this helpful

Solid first book in a new YA Sci-Fi series

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-11-20

Watcher is the first in A.J. Eversley’s Watcher series. In a future war-torn US, where robots have turned against humans, watchers protect the humans who are left.

My first impression of this book was how much I loved the cover. Although reading a book off the cover alone is risky business, I was hoping it would pay off. Fortunately, it did.

Sawyer is the main protagonist. She’s a watcher for the group she’s lived with over the last ten years. She’s brave and a talented fighter, but she’s also impulsive, which gets her into a couple of tough situations. One of the things I liked the most about Sawyer was that she was flawed and not some prodigy Mary Sue. Is she a good fighter and watcher? Yes. However, her young age also shows in her impulsive decision making and naivety that so many teenagers have. You know the one, we all had it: “that would never happen to me, that only happens to other people”. For the most part, she is level-headed, but these small lapses in judgment make her feel so much more genuine and relatable than a character who always makes impulsive decisions and seldom pays the consequences.

This story is told mostly from Sawyer’s POV, but we also get a few chapters from Kenzie, a mysterious new guy the watchers meet while on a mission. Kenzie left me feeling conflicted in all the best ways throughout the book. I thought I had him figured out, then a twist, thought I had him figured out again, then another twist.

One thing the book lacked for me was world-building. I’m hoping that book two, Carbon, is able to provide more of that, which with how it ended, I suspect it will. The book is more action-oriented than character-driven, which I’m okay with, but I would have liked the supporting characters to be a little more developed because when key characters died, I barely felt the loss. Regardless, this was a solid first book in a new YA Sci-Fi series, and I can give my recommendation with no reservations.

Audio:
5/5 stars
I’ve never listened to anything either of them have narrated before but would listen to both of them again. Chelsea Stevens’ cadence was clear, easy to listen to, and she had distinct voices for each of the characters. One thing I’m hyper-aware of when listening to a male narrator is how they do female voices. I have been able to trudge through a lot of bad narrations, but one sure thing that will make me stop listening is a male narrator who gives females whiny or unrealistic high pitched voices. Steve Campbell is not that kind of narrator. His female voices vary in pitch to make them distinguishable, but none of them sounded breathy, whiny, or squeaky. Like Stephens, he gave each character distinct voices and was pleasant to listen to.

At the end of the audio, there was a sample of book two, which seems to be even better than book one. It immediately hooked me and I was so disappointed when it ended. I’m definitely continuing on with the series.

Note: on the bottom of the blurb, it says “Divergent meets Terminator,” but I would liken it more to Partials by Dan Wells. Partials is one of my favorite series ever and deeply underrated in the world of YA dystopian/Sci-Fi, in my opinion.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

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1 person found this helpful

great fantasy

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-03-20

What Blooms beneath is the story of Kellan and Rhône set in a fantasy 2044. I liked that this was a mix between fantasy and dystopian and the romance was very well done. I was completely enthralled with the world A.D. Ellis created - I would say that this is the book's greatest strength, but the characters were intriguing as well.

I have read M/M/F and books with M/M relationships before, but never as the main couple. This book may have done a slight disservice to my expectations because I don't know if I'll find many M/M books that could be better than this.

Narration: I've never listened to anything by Kory Getman before, but he really did a fantastic job. The voices were distinct and genuine, and the transitions between characters were fluid. I'd listen to another of his narrations.

*This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.*

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Great Regency Romance

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-27-20

A Love So Dark is book four in Chasity Bowlin’s Dark Regency series but it can be read as a standalone, which is what I did.

Throw me in Literary Jail; I’ve never read Jane Eyre and I hated Wuthering Heights. Since I have no knowledge of the former I went into this one a little blind and I’m glad I did because the plot twists and developments were much more interesting than if I had known they were coming. One twist took me by surprise but the plot generally didn’t have many twists and turns and felt more like a puzzle that was being steadily pieced together.

A Love So Dark comes in at just under 6 hours so as you can expect, there is less romantic tension than your typical 10-12 hour+ book, but the romance never felt rushed or forced.

Even though I felt Olympia was more fully developed than Griffin and enjoyed being in her POV the most, they were both likable and easy to root for. There weren’t a great many supporting characters due to it being set in a reclusive mansion, but the ones that were there were interesting and helped to develop the plot and keep the story moving forward.


Audio:
4.5/5 stars
This was the first book I listened to Lillian Yves narrate. She was clear, concise, made smooth transitions from each character, and gave each character a distinct voice. I would listen to a book narrated by her again.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

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interesting

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-06-20

It was great to gain insight into some of the Leigh Bardugo's projects, both upcoming and previous releases.

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I should have waited...

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-06-20

I have made a grave mistake by not waiting until the series is complete before listening to book two. The cliffhanger at the end made my jaw drop and left my mind pacing in impatience as I wait for book three .

**Note** I took one star off for the lack of warning in the description of this book of rape and abuse. While for many this is not a problem, it should still be mentioned for the ones that it is. There are rape and abuse scenes that are described in great detail, but as though I found myself wanting to skip forward to not listen to them, there are often important plot points mixed within them. The rape and abuse is [mostly] not justified or blamed on the victim and the one time it was I think many could see the reason of why a character would justify it, even if disagreeing with it personally.

Lack of trigger warning aside, the book was terrific. We got to learn more about the couples and see their relationships grow more intimate both emotionally and physically. Other than a couple small misunderstandings this book also showed a beautiful budding friendship between the women and women supporting other women rather than pitting them up against each other, which is unfortunately too common in the romance genre.

Audio:
As with book one, the narrators did an excellent job. I enjoy the varying accents and personalities the use of different narrators provides, and as every single narrator was pleasant to listen to, it made the listening to this book seem more like a show playing out in my head rather than a book.

Ultimately, I highly recommend this series if you like strong world building, intricate plots, multiple POVs, and steamy sex scenes (M/F, M/M, M/M/F, M/M/M). Just be aware of the rape and abuse spoken of in graphic detail.

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Not my favorite Penny Reid

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 12-30-19

I first fell in love with Penny's writing while listening to Truth or Beard, the first in her Winston Brothers series. There are a few reasons I prefer that series more than this, most notably the intimate scenes being more hashed out, but that isn't what made me rate the book lower. Mostly, I just had a hard time feeling any connection with the characters. As I'm writing this review I had to think hard about what Janie's name was because I couldn't even remember it. Quinn also didn't seem to have much depth and it annoyed me how possessive he was over Janie almost immediately.

I did like that Janie is an unconventional character. She is awkward, not in a "Mary Sue" way (oh look how beautiful she is but thinks she's awkward *eyeroll*), but a sometimes cringey 'spit random facts out at people' way. She is also not your typical romance female MC - she is tall, more shapely. I find this to be refreshing and see an abundance of this (unconventionally "pretty" women) in both Penny Reid's books and the "Pennyverse".

Overall, while I didn't enjoy every part of this book, I will be continuing on with the series - mostly to read Ashley and Drew's story.


Audio:
Jennifer Grace narrated this story flawlessly. Her male characters were not forced and she was able to transition to each character without it feeling disjointed. She created distinct voices for each of them, making her performance smooth and enjoyable. I would definitely listen to another book narrated by her.

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