Mini-Reviews Monday is a monthly series in which I attempt to get caught up on reviews in bulk. These reviews are a highlight reel instead of an in-depth look into my time reading these novels. If you would like an in-depth version of my review, let me know in the comments!
Pretending by Holly Bourne
Genres: ContemporaryPublisher: MIRA, Harper Collins
Publication Date: November 17th 2020
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
WHY BE YOURSELF WHEN YOU CAN BE PERFECT?
‘Perceptive. Hilarious. Reassuring. Brilliant.’ Laura Jane Williams
The highly-anticipated new novel from Holly Bourne, bestselling author of HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW?
He said he was looking for a ‘partner in crime’ which everyone knows is shorthand for ‘a woman who isn’t real’.
April is kind, pretty, and relatively normal – yet she can’t seem to get past date five. Every time she thinks she’s found someone to trust, they reveal themselves to be awful, leaving her heartbroken. And angry.
If only April could be more like Gretel.
Gretel is exactly what men want – she’s a Regular Everyday Manic Pixie Dream Girl Next Door With No Problems.
The problem is, Gretel isn’t real. And April is now claiming to be her.
As soon as April starts ‘being’ Gretel, dating becomes much more fun – especially once she reels in the unsuspecting Joshua.
Finally, April is the one in control, but can she control her own feelings? And as she and Joshua grow closer, how long will she be able to keep pretending?
DNF @ 14%
I unfortunately couldn’t finish this one. I had originally jumped onto this arc thinking that it would be a great contemporary with a great message, however, I got hit with something else entirely than what the synopsis and cover portray. This book was a lot heavier and darker than I had initially believed it to be, and unfortunately deals with heavy topics that desperately needed a trigger warning (TW: rape, sexual assault) that just isn’t given.
Due to my mental health and the place I am at currently in life, I just wasn’t in the right mindset to continue reading this story. I am certain based on other reviews, that this story is an amazing one with a great feminist message—I however just could not handle continuing at this time. Hopefully soon, I will be able to pick it back up though!
ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review
Bane’s Choice (Vampire Motorcycle Club #1) by Alyssa Day
Genres: Paranormal RomancePublisher: Entangled: Amora
Publication Date: October 27th 2020
Source: Publisher
Format: e-arc
Vampires are back for a reason! Meet the sexy, dark hero Bane in New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Day’s smokin’-hot romance.
Bane lost his humanity ages ago. Nothing is more important than protecting his Vampire Motorcycle Club from the death magic invading his territory. The most ancient of vampires, he seeks cold, unfeeling, bloody vengeance…until a frustratingly sexy human doctor is thrust into his path. She tempts Bane to distraction. And distraction is deadly in his world.
Buttoned-up and meticulous Dr. Ryan St. Cloud never thought she’d find herself in the mix of a motorcycle club, let alone one full of terrifyingly badass vampires. Or how intrigued she is by their dark and enigmatic leader, who seems balanced on the knife’s edge of killing her…or claiming her.
But Bane’s choice is harder than it seems, because when that danger hits too close to home, he’s forced to choose between her life and everyone else’s…
DNF @ 35%
I really wanted to love this one! Vampire Motorcycle Club? Like yes please! Unfortunately this book took forever and a day to get the ball rolling and the characters just weren’t that interesting enough to get invested in. I felt like I was walking into a middle of a series instead of a standalone novel, and the characters felt almost stereotypical that left me craving for some authenticity or realness if you will.
The overall concept of this book is very unique, but I just think that the execution could have been done a tad better and left me asking questions.
ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review
Descendant of the Crane by Joan He
Genres: FantasyPublisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Publication Date: April 9th 2019
Source: Netgalley
Format: e-arc
Tyrants cut out hearts. Rulers sacrifice their own.
Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, but when her beloved father is murdered, she’s thrust into power, suddenly the queen of an unstable kingdom. Determined to find her father’s killer, Hesina does something desperate: she engages the aid of a soothsayer—a treasonous act, punishable by death… because in Yan, magic was outlawed centuries ago.
Using the information illicitly provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust even her family, Hesina turns to Akira—a brilliant investigator who’s also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of her kingdom at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?
In this shimmering Chinese-inspired fantasy, debut author Joan He introduces a determined and vulnerable young heroine struggling to do right in a world brimming with deception.
Eventually, I will get over this YA fantasy slump and dive back into the amazing worlds that these authors work hard to create, but unfortunately today is just not that day; and with everything that is going on with the publisher and this author I cannot under good conscious give a review for the book under this publisher. So I will be picking up this book and giving it another try once it has been re-homed.
ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review
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I am so sad to see you couldn’t enjoy these books 🙁
I’ve been meaning to read The Descendant of the Crane as well and was in a reading slump when I began it so I hope I can get back to it soon now that I’m back to reading Fantasy again!