stitchsaddiction's reviews
1174 reviews

After I had finally got around to binge-reading the STEM romance books by Ali Hazelwood, I was of course curious about Not in Love.

This is a step up in the spice element and a little less of the romance we've come to expect from Ali Hazelwood. However, I'm starting to notice that the leading man are very similar in their looks and personalities. However, I'm not complaining because I couldn't help but love Eli Kilgore and his fierce loyalty to those around him.

I do love that we're back in the STEM world, and there's an incredible backstory for our female protagonist, Rue. She's extremely different to the ladies we’ve encountered before, but she's wonderful nonetheless. Everything about her makes her unique and I loved her from our first encounter on the page. Hazelwood has the ability to bring her world of science and all that it involves to live without making it overwhelming for all those who like myself are utterly useless at science. There's also a brilliance to how Rue's past and her purpose come together that brings so much to the story and it along with the romance side had me unable to put Not In Love down.

Rue is our magician with science, Eli a money man and everything is against them and their chemistry is off the charts regardless of what the rules are. Prepare for steamy moments, an adorable dog that thinks he's the size of a pug and a whole lot of drama.

Better Than the Movies is the YA novel for anyone who can't help but love cheesy rom-coms and always swoons at the end when there's a Happy Ever After no matter how that romance begins.

It's everything you could want in a romance, with the warm fuzziness of will they - won't they romance. Liz,  our protagonist, who loves to create soundtracks to her life both the ups and the downs and her school friends who we meet in the lead-up to Prom. 

Lynn Painter's love of romance is evident throughout the book, and she brings together not just the teens and their various hopes and dreams, along with the realities of being on the cusp of adulthood but also the world around them. I loved reading this for a relaxing read on a cool Autumn day and it's got me wanting to dig out some of my favourite movies - again.

I love how Liz's love of romance and movie soundtracks has her wanting the big romance that she has seen play out on movie screens growing up or after school at home. She's someone every reader, regardless of age, will relate to both for her dreams and her rose-tinted way of seeing some of her world. 

There are beautiful moments throughout the book with a nod to the loss of a parent which is handled with care and the necessary compassion. It reminded me of a few teen movies I watched growing up such as She's All That. Whilst handled well, I would caution against reading this if you've recently lost a parent or loved one.

Sister Spirit is a story of self-discovery and finding one's true identity with Tara our protagonist wanting to know more about where she came from.

We travel alongside Tara to Nigeria as she wishes to study abroad which admittedly did have me as a parent wondering just how her parents can just accept it without question. There's not a chance my child would have been allowed to be left on the other side of the world - fiction or not. (Yes, I'm aware it's a silly thing to be stuck on when this is a book with a heavy focus on magic and the supernatural but there we go. It just niggled the Mum brain too much of the big no in my head.)

I do love how Efua Traoré writes about Olumo Rock, which is located in Abeokuta, Ogun State. For anyone such as myself who hadn't ever heard of this mythical place in Nigerian history? Traoré not only makes it feel as though the reader is facing this vast natural edifice but under the all-knowing gaze of those who protect it from damage. Thanks to Sister Spirit I found myself reading and learning not only about the stone itself but Iya Orissa the Priestess of the rock.

But I digress.

Sister Spirit is a consuming narrative that had me unable to put the book down once the story got going. (It did feel a little slow at first but then wow!) I thought that Tara was a realistic main character in as much as she's very determined and assured in what she needs to do, she also is all top aware once she's in Nigeria that she's suddenly out of her comfort zone and in dire need of support from those around her. With some stereotyping of boarding schools and crushes on the boys in the school across the way as a contrast to the supernatural and darker elements to the story; Sister Spirit will have you on the edge of your seat both literal or metaphorical as the realities of Tara's decisions unfold.

Recommended for 12 and up, I would suggest it's perhaps a little more suited for 14 onwards due to the darker and more elemental parts of the story as it may make a younger reader feel a little unsettled.

I hope that there's more about Tara and her companions both in Nigeria and London as there's so much more I would love to know. 

A Pirate’s Life for Tea is the highly anticipated sequel to Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea and I loved it.

I love this sapphic romance series because first and foremost the main characters Reyna and Kianthe are not your stereotypical lesbian couple from literature - and whilst I have zero issues with the stereotype? These two amazing women are both so fierce and determined to survive and when you see their softer, romantic and sometimes spicier moments together it feels so real and one might blush a little, 

Of course, there’s also the amazing world-building that I loved in Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea, and I wish their bookshop slash tea shop existed as Rebecca Thorne brought the wonder of New Leaf Tomes and Tea to life in such a way that I think anyone who reads this series will join me in wanting to curl up with a good book and a cup of perfect tea.  In A Pirate’s Life for Tea, we get to see so much more of this magical world and the various Diarn’s who rule over their own individual area with either kindness or an iron fist. Our heroines are joined by Serina who’s an interesting pirate and Bobbie who is a loyal guard and really shouldn’t do anything but chase Serina down. These two are beyond adorable and I wanted to give Bobbie the wake-up call she desperately needs because once again, Thorne has written these characters in such a detailed way that it does feel as though they could come to life from the page.

The only time I put A Pirate’s Life for Tea down was when I had to. It was filled with adventure and I liked that we see the way Reyna and Kianthe work together and how they balance one another out as they work together. Kianthe’s almost childlike enthusiasm for everything continues to make me smile and she’s a firm favourite - I do hope there’s going to be more in the series because she’s one of my all-time favourite characters in all the books I’ve read. After all, she's the exact opposite of how she’s no doubt expected to be among many other things. The magical creatures are of course, ever present and I love how we see the young griffon grow and evolve as the story unfolds. If anyone can find me one, or a stray dragon egg could you let me know?

But… the best thing in this book is we get to meet the ultimate object of many a person’s desires and dreams, the Dastardly Pirate Dreggs and he’s everything you could ask for in a charming, charismatic pirate. Prepare for giggles and to see our lovely ladies fall to pieces over him.

This book was everything I could hope for in a sequel, it’s wonderful, it’s romantic and there’s drama all around our heroines and their friends both new and old. I really hope there’s book three coming because I want more from this world.

What a welcome return to the Diablo Disciples MC with club secretary Bash's infatuation with nurse Charlotte.

Every time I read any of V. Theia's books I'm always convinced that the one I'm lost in is my favourite and then a new one comes along. This is the case for Bash - I loved their story from friends to lovers with all the chaos being a 1% MC brings.

Bash is the epitome of Biker with his role being to know everything about everyone both friend and foe. But it's love for Charlotte that will melt many a reader's heart; for me, it was that encounter. No other woman would be worth the trouble and how just being close to her even as a friend. She may not have an interest in the Biker community and be wary but Charlotte doesn't stand a chance against Bash's conviction that she's meant for him but he's gentle with it - and it's adorable.

V Theia always brings this world to life, from the MC and those who live there, to the community around the Disciples. But as always, it's the characters from her imagination that shine and and always unique and I'm in awe of what she does every time. You always feel like you can drop into the fictional world and meet these characters because they feel real... I have a feeling Bash and I would enjoy talking bikes and sharing a drink or two, and Charlotte would be one to vent with over the joys of being let down by others... Poor girl needs several hugs.

Bash is a wonderful, immersive book filled with spice, drama and the fierce loyalty of brothers in arms and the sisterhood of the wives and girlfriends of the MC members. Prepare to be swept away, but remember? V Theia is the mastermind of making your heart drop.

CW. Grief, Kidnapping & Family Separation 

Rumaysa Ever After follows perfectly from the first in the duology; Rumaysa:  A Fairytale. Once again, Radiya Hafiza weaves in her recreation of famous fairy tale characters who live in a magical reimagining of South Asia.

Not only does the author bring these amazing characters to life and give them so much more depth and interesting characterisation; but there is also a beauty to the fictional world we journey through alongside Rumaysa.

Rumaysa is a wonderful main character, and what is good for a young reader is that she is a child albeit one facing drama and chaos at every turn. I think many children will appreciate that the heroes in Rumaysa Ever After are not your typical ones - they're children rather than larger-than-life adults. I also love how they're described and how important their clothing etcetera is mentioned such as a Hijab which I think those who wear one will love to see in a story.

The main character we encounter in the sequel is a reimagining of Snow White as an adult and she's fantastically written as an adult and Queen (promise not a spoiler as it's in the blurb.) There's also I think, a rethinking of George and the Dragon but I'm not sure - some are very clear and some, not so much.

We have more adventure, some mystery and a wonderful web of  Radiya Hafiza's creation in Rumaysa Ever After. This series is fantastic for lovers of fairy tales and a little (or a lot) of imagination.

Everything about this book is perfection.

From the way Sophie Kim weaves together an environment that's an intriguing blend of magic beings and mortals, to each of the Gods and Gumihos we meet along the way? Each stroke of the pen (or press of a key) by the author has gifted the reader a story that draws you into a tumultuous story of survival, death and the conviction and manipulation of the Gods from Korean Mythology.

I couldn't put the book down, because as each thread was gifted to us to explore? It felt like it was swiftly torn away and I was left on the proverbial edge of my seat wondering just how our Gumiho would survive and just what was happening around the fallen trickster God, Seokga and his wary companion, Kim Hani. I enjoyed how there were elements that the reader was aware of when the characters were floundering and that we were unaware of so much. 

It was like you were wandering in the darkness with a torch that kept flickering on but only for a moment before nothing! Sophie Kim clearly is a fan of torturing her readers and testing blood pressure because the cliffhangers we found ourselves on came out of nowhere. 

I can't wait for more of this story to be told, I felt a plethora of emotions along the way from hating Kim Hani at times, to desperately wanting to protect her from what was coming for her. As for our trickster God? I think his caffeine addiction needs looking at because I swear he ran on the scent of beans at times and he's definitely capable of tricking the reader into believing his cold heart is genuine.

Seven Faceless Saints is the debut novel by MK Lobb and what an incredible one it is.

From page one, I was curious and truly invested in this fantasy world that reminded me partially of Renaissance Italy from the evocative world-building that Lobb blesses the reader with. The book gives us everything we could ask for, with a mysterious murder magical saints who have an almost cult following and a rebellion building amongst the citizens who want to destroy the corrupt system that disregards its citizens.

Not only is there the mystery of just why so many people are dying throughout the city and their deaths seeming to be hidden away? But we get a second chance romance too with our heroine and rebellious Rosanna and the Guard who was foolish enough to break her heart; Damian..

Damian has ptsd, a soldier haunted by the realities of war, and he's so beautifully written that his pain and haunted soul is one you wish to protect. Whereas Rosanna is a fierce and loyal disciple who will do what it takes to learn the truth to every doubt she's ever had and if it means the destruction of her enemies as well as the system itself? So be it.

Lobb is a master storyteller and I couldn't believe that this was her first novel because it's incredible. The twists and turns Damian and Roz (alongside the reader as we're in the dark too) encounter are done so well that you're left on the edge of your seat or up to 3am needing to know more. To ensure the duo survive the next chaotic situation they're thrust into.

Lobb has given us a series that takes you away from the chaos of reality, and ensures you're left hungering for more. I have a feeling that MK Lobb's books will find a place on my bookshelves well into the future if they're anything like Seven Faceless Saints.

This is a fun story for little ones from author, Hazel Knox and is the first in a new series that will capture the imagination of little imaginations.

There's a great lesson in The Night Pixie to learn to listen before you act and to trust the advice/rules of your elders. Star our little night pixie doesn't do either of these and ends up in trouble (and chocolate cake) when she breaks the cardinal rule her Mum and Grandmother have given her - Day is dangerous.

The artwork from Chris White brings so much life and humour to the trouble our fearless little pixie, Star and her new human friend, Rose get up to. I can imagine many a night before bed checking for pixies in the dim light for little ones in the hope they'll find a magical companion hunting for something to eat in the shadows of a flower pot.

Expect giggles, groans and lots of joy when you're reading this at bedtime.. but keep an eye on that chocolate cake; you don't know what may find its way onto or into it!

Our return to the world of the Hedgewitch has another adventure and this time we're leaving Hedgely behind and off to the seaside town of Porthmorven in Cornwall, which opens up another world of opportunity and chaos for the young witches. This time we're going to be alongside Cassie and two of her fellow witches from Hedgely as they meet new magical beings both good and old, there will be twists and turns along the way and moments of reflection. I'm so glad that I get to enjoy these books even if I'm not the target audience because they're so well done.

I love once more, how Skye McKenna brings her fictional world to life, and there are moments throughout the book that you can almost smell the salt of the ocean and hear a cacophony of crashing waves. For young readers (and those who can't resist the lure of the innocent magic the author has woven in her tales) this world-building is so spectacularly done that you too may feel like you're stepping over rock pools and facing magical beings beneath the waves.

There's also the challenge of a gender role in Seawitch that is excellently done and justifies McKenna's magic with the pen. Even through fantasy, and at a young age, it's great to see a challenge to the rules and what has been versus what should be. 

I loved the new faces, especially Robin whose determination and loyalty many will appreciate and relate to. He's a wonderful addition to the friends and companions of the ever-determined Cassie. I always like it when new characters open up the story more, and the author ensures that each new face we meet brings something to Cassie's story and her journey to learn the truth about her parents and how they ended up in Fairie. There's some incredibly detailed storytelling woven in from first words to the story's end and the reader will be as captivated as they were when first reading Hedgewitch.

The Seawitch is probably my favourite of the three so far, there are moments thanks to the imaginative and descriptive writing that I was drawn back to the Cornish shore I spent summers at. Filled with magic,wonder, adventure and a fair amount of chaos that has you balancing on the edge of your seat, you're going to love Cassie's latest lessons in witchcraft. 

Once again,Tomislav Tomic's stunning illustrations throughout the book weaves this tale together alongside the beautiful cover art by Saara Katariina Söderlund's cover art that shows the magic the reader will discover along the way. I can't wait to see where this series will take us next.