Here at Chapter Break, we don’t always write a full review of every book we read. Well, now we decided to do these monthly wrap-up posts with roundups of our reviews this month and mini-reviews to fill in the gaps. Enjoy!
Mini Book Reviews
I’m moving this month, so not likely to be reading or reviewing much.
Good news though, I finished one book!
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Allies (A Lily Singer Cozy Fantasy Adventure Book 3) I’ve been working my way through this series and it has really grown on me. I do really like the dynamic between our main characters and their budding maybe romance. The fighting back against Lilly’s evil father and unraveling more family secrets makes the story interesting to keep reading.
REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES: This was a genuine pleasure to listen to! I didn’t realize part of the novel was told from the POV of a dry-witted octopus. And Michael Urie does an amazing job with that part of the narration. Marin Ireland also does a great job with the rest of the narration. Great collection of characters. The plot\secrets were somewhat predictable. But that was ok. I enjoyed the journey to get there. Also enjoyed having some adults as characters instead of YA characters. Having lived experiences is a bonus. Well worth the listen.
NINJA AT FIRST SIGHT: Cute short story kicking off the next book in the Knitting in the City series. I enjoyed reading about the beginning of Fiona and Greg’s story. And looking forward to their full story next!
THE SECRET SERVICE OF TEA AND TREASON: An excellent conclusion to a series that I’ve quite enjoyed. This time around, we have Daniel and Alice, rival spies for AUNT, the secret society of downstairs service staff protecting the crown. With hilarious not-MI-6 level gadgets that constantly fail and/or explode. Our two main characters are pretending to be married to infiltrate the pirates. This is a combo trope of fake romance and enemies to lovers which really works. Daniel and Alice manage to both stop an assassination plot and fall in love. The ending\epilogue were especially well done. Elizabeth Knowelden continues her excellent narration. (My inner monologue is now in her crisp British accent.) Great book and series!
HAPPILY EVER NINJA: What I really enjoyed about this book is that it’s a real married couple, dealing with real adulting issues, like Greg’s job taking him away from the family for the majority of time. But when the sh!t hits the fan, Fiona really shines. She uses her secret ninja level spy skills to rescue Greg after he’s been kidnapped! Funnily enough, there’s a quote from SECRET SERVICE (above) about this being a thriller and not a romance that’s much more appropriate for Fiona and Greg’s story than Alice and Daniel’s. I also really appreciated how Fiona learns that she can ask for help when she needs it, instead of doing everything herself. That’s a lesson we can all take to heart. Another excellent book by Penny Reid!
THE ISLES OF THE GODS: Everything was fine. Writing – fine. Narration – fine. Story – fine. But I can’t seem to point to a reason why I didn’t love this book. I have more of a meh feeling about the whole thing. Maybe too much journey? Maybe too many characters that I didn’t really love? Maybe too much fantasy? Not enough pirates? (That was probably the problem!) I really struggled with reconciling the setting. How are there automobiles, steam-powered ships, AND horse-drawn carts? Read at your own risk.
Books we reviewed this month:
- [3 Jul] WHISKEY ON OUR SHOES Book Review, Blog Tour, and #Giveaway #LoneStarLit
- [3 Jul] Whiskey on Our Shoes by Tonya Preece ★★★★
Don’t forget to join our Book Bingo.
It’s hard work to move, so it makes sense reading takes a bit of a back seat.
I read Remarkably Bright a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed the story though I agree the direction of the plot was fairly obvious. That didn’t bother me either though. Happy reading in August!
Terrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
https://www.bookshelfjourneys.com/post/monthly-wrap-up-july-23
Thanks, Terrie!