I thought I would share some of my recent reads for the last couple of weeks:
Give the Dark my Love by Beth Revis (July 31st) - 4.25 ⭐
* received an ARC from the publisher exchange for an honest review *
This book really surprised me. After beginning rather slow, the action picked up, the darkness crept in, and Nedra's character truly began to shine. The characters in this novel really impressed me, I found Nedra's development throughout the novel to be engaging, and it became clear where - and who, her priorities lied with. Her strong family loyalties and desire for saving the poor village members that raised her led to her ultimate demise - or led to her rise.
The unique twists and turns really intrigued me, and I was hooked until the last page. I liked the rotating POV's, it made it easier to understand Nedra's and Grey's thoughts and feel their pain. There are some extremely dark elements in this novel, and I personally found them to be a bit too much. However, I am sure that readers who adore bold and dark tales will enjoy this novel very much. I am very excited to read the next in the series.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before Trilogy by Jenny Han (August 3-6th) - 4.5 star ⭐
Mammoth by Jill Baguchinsky (August 9th) - 4.5 ⭐
*Received ARC from publisher in exchange for review*
This novel was so much more than I expected! The bold plus size main character running a fashion + fossils blog was what first caught my eye about this upcoming novel, but once I got into the story, I learned how unique 'Mammoth' was. Readers follow Natalie, a bright and hopeful paleontology intern on a summer term in Austin Texas, as she learns to balance difficult relationships, self confidence, and maybe discover a dinosaur bone or two.
As the novel picked up, I sympathized with Natalie's struggles, from her self consciousness due to her weight, and her amusing mishaps at the dig. The hateful comments and judgemental looks force to hide some of her most beautiful qualities. It is difficult to have the courage to fight back, but Natalie learns to be proud of who she is and embrace her nerdy, crafty qualities. There were many fun science facts that were smoothly added, and even those who are not familiar with paleontology will find engaging. The supporting characters were witty, and added a cute romance flair to the novel.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story, and will be recommending this one to my friends!
#digupyourawesomeness
Catwoman Soulstealer (August 16th) - 5/5 ⭐
*received copy from publisher in exchange for review*
Catwoman Soulstealer stole my heart.
Seline's character was so engaging and readers could feel the raw emotion pulsing through her during each heist around Gotham. Her cat and mouse game with Batwing kept the suspense high, and I loved each calculated scheme throughout the novel. Her merciless training never got in the way of ensuring the ones she loved most were safe. There was humour, love, and action, which created a great balance to please most readers. The conclusion was beautiful (in all honesty, I cried at one point) and not at all what I expected, and Selina's true intentions became clear.Beyond Selina's heroics, Batwing's story was heartwarming and bold. His desire to impress Bruce Wayne, while managing a dangerous game with Catwoman was entertaining, as well as enlightening. The insight into the distraught mind of a war veteran is important to understand, and SJM did an amazing job portraying the suffering and nightmares that follow soldiers home.
Overall, I am so impressed with the novel, it is easiest one of my favourite books of the year!