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thereadinghammock's reviews
599 reviews
Funny Story by Emily Henry
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Trying to explain the set up to this plot to someone is like trying to explain how that distant cousin is related to someone outside your family. It 100% makes sense when you can explain it with good details, but gets messy in the TL;DR. But IT WORKS. It's the gentlest friends-to-lovers, found family, "I can't let you hurt me because it will break me" love story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Sanguine by Abigail Kelly
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Can it really be love at first bite? Atticus is thrown into a maelstrom of emotions as soon a he discovers his "easy job" is transporting a vampire blood bride to her groom, the very thing he's been protecting his sister from becoming herself. This man finds ways to twist himself up that would make a pretzel jealous.
Carmine has no social context from which to attempt to survive on her own after being sold off by the crypt she was raised in, but having never been able to trust anyone but herself, could Atticus be the safe haven she's been looking for? She desperately wants to trust him, but also hates feeling like he's only helping out of guilt or obligation.
After much internal debate for both, they both finally get on the same page with an ACTUAL conversation and the sparks they both were afraid were dwindling and reignite, BIG time. I love how Abigail teases is with the "they must not be that into me" only to bait and switch with a perfect "I'm obsessed with you, I can't imagine my life without you in it." Third act break ups? Not in the NPU!
Carmine has no social context from which to attempt to survive on her own after being sold off by the crypt she was raised in, but having never been able to trust anyone but herself, could Atticus be the safe haven she's been looking for? She desperately wants to trust him, but also hates feeling like he's only helping out of guilt or obligation.
After much internal debate for both, they both finally get on the same page with an ACTUAL conversation and the sparks they both were afraid were dwindling and reignite, BIG time. I love how Abigail teases is with the "they must not be that into me" only to bait and switch with a perfect "I'm obsessed with you, I can't imagine my life without you in it." Third act break ups? Not in the NPU!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Blood and Trafficking
Minor: Murder
Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I was excited to finally dive into this buzziest of books from last year. And I found myself delightfully entrancedby the end, but I was also totally thrown off guard by the format of the book. I was not expecting the field journal style narration, but I did come to enjoy Emily's unique take on her time in Hrafnsvik.
I found the "romance" between Emily and Bambleby to be a bit shoe horned for my liking. She clearly enjoyed him as a foil to her own knowledge, but had almost no inkling toward him in a romantic way before he proposed, or nearly after for that matter. I almost would have rather he stayed a dear friend and not entered the arena as a possible lover. It all just felt very afterthought and, yes it gave him a reason to help save her, but it felt like the weakest plot thread, since we got so little of the story from Bambleby's POV.
I found the "romance" between Emily and Bambleby to be a bit shoe horned for my liking. She clearly enjoyed him as a foil to her own knowledge, but had almost no inkling toward him in a romantic way before he proposed, or nearly after for that matter. I almost would have rather he stayed a dear friend and not entered the arena as a possible lover. It all just felt very afterthought and, yes it gave him a reason to help save her, but it felt like the weakest plot thread, since we got so little of the story from Bambleby's POV.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, and Kidnapping
The Scent of Lemon & Rosemary: Working Domestic Magick with Hestia by Raechel Henderson
informative
reflective
slow-paced
The Walk-Off by Megan Cousins
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'm not crying you're crying!! (For all the right reasons, I promise!!) That was such a perfect ending to the Wild Pitches series and then the series epilogues to check in on everyone?? MEGAN IS SO NICE TO US!!
Jax was, well, Jax. Reliable, steadfast, an amazing dad, and doing everything he can to surround Mackenzie and Alice with the love every kid should grow up with. And Emma, I related to soooo much of Emma's anxiety spirals and chaos order. And the loving care Megan approached single parenthood and the awkward line of entering into an established family felt so respectful of that dynamic. As a middle child of a blended family, I could relate to Jax's hesitation and also Emma's struggle of living it from both sides too. And I felt so hard for Mackenzie & Alice in their anxiety and fear of the family they want but weren't sure they'd ever get to have.
This book was EXACTLY the emotional wave of positivity, love, support, and all those good feelings I needed after some big emotions of my own recently.
Jax was, well, Jax. Reliable, steadfast, an amazing dad, and doing everything he can to surround Mackenzie and Alice with the love every kid should grow up with. And Emma, I related to soooo much of Emma's anxiety spirals and chaos order. And the loving care Megan approached single parenthood and the awkward line of entering into an established family felt so respectful of that dynamic. As a middle child of a blended family, I could relate to Jax's hesitation and also Emma's struggle of living it from both sides too. And I felt so hard for Mackenzie & Alice in their anxiety and fear of the family they want but weren't sure they'd ever get to have.
This book was EXACTLY the emotional wave of positivity, love, support, and all those good feelings I needed after some big emotions of my own recently.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Business Casual by B.K. Borison
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Charlie and Nova were a fantastic capstone to the Lovelight Farms quartet. I love Charlie's wit and I 100% empathize with how his brain works. I also related to Nova's bubble wrapped heart and reluctance to let her freedom go in the face of a Relationship™️.
I would give anything to get on the Inglewilde phone tree and to have gotten the video of Charlie falling into the shrubbery trying to not get seen by Beckett.The best part being that Beckett was the one to take the video!! I was howling at that revelation! I also adored the sales pitch to bring Charlie to Inglewilde full time included town wide and person specific perks, like extra tres leches from Abuela and getting on Ms. Beatrice's good coffee list. And then he's MAYOR 3 years later??? I was so proud of him!!
I'm so sad so m to be leaving Inglewilde, but I know I can always go back to visit with a reread when I need the pick me up of a little bit of love at everyone's favorite tree farm
I would give anything to get on the Inglewilde phone tree and to have gotten the video of Charlie falling into the shrubbery trying to not get seen by Beckett.
I'm so sad so m to be leaving Inglewilde, but I know I can always go back to visit with a reread when I need the pick me up of a little bit of love at everyone's favorite tree farm
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying and Emotional abuse
Minor: Pregnancy
Live, Laugh, Lurk by Elsie Winters
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
It's soft, it's fluffy, it's ✨️sparkly✨️. Lilith's predicament felt so relatable, with feeling resentful of a new situation until she realized it felt more like home than home ever felt. Alistair is adorable and I wish I could touch his mantle just to see how soft and fluffy it is! I love revisiting the Boundlands with these short stories and getting to peek in on our favorite characters!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Racism
Fret Me Not by Sarah Estep
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Do you adore fake dating, but "oh no we both caught BIG feels and are too afraid to say it?" In spades. Love banter and teasing (in more ways than one 😏)? Oodles of it. Want chef quality meals as a love language? Order up! The cutest scene stealer of a rescue pup? Oh you know it!
When Sam Shoop decides to make up a fake girlfriend to get the knitting club ladies of Crane Cove to stop offering to set him up with their grandkids, he manages to name a very real town resident who he has some very memorable history with... except he doesn't remember it's her.
Lacey is stuck in that fish-out-of-water feeling that is trying to live in a small town you didn't grow up in. Ever feeling the 13th donut in a dozen, she's just trying to get her debt paid off so she can figure out her next steps.
This book is a has a hurt/comfort that's more than just one character getting sick (though that happens too). It's finding a person who makes you feel safe and secure after the world has left you raw, untrusting, and jaded. It's a showcase of falling in love slowly over things like special lunch delivery, deep conversations, and sharing bowls of strawberry ice cream.
When Sam Shoop decides to make up a fake girlfriend to get the knitting club ladies of Crane Cove to stop offering to set him up with their grandkids, he manages to name a very real town resident who he has some very memorable history with... except he doesn't remember it's her.
Lacey is stuck in that fish-out-of-water feeling that is trying to live in a small town you didn't grow up in. Ever feeling the 13th donut in a dozen, she's just trying to get her debt paid off so she can figure out her next steps.
This book is a has a hurt/comfort that's more than just one character getting sick (though that happens too). It's finding a person who makes you feel safe and secure after the world has left you raw, untrusting, and jaded. It's a showcase of falling in love slowly over things like special lunch delivery, deep conversations, and sharing bowls of strawberry ice cream.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Alcoholism and Death of parent
The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
An extremely unique premise and story telling format, but a dark and humorless reality to have to face. A Jurassic Park success story, but still featuring ethical chasms of "science made it possible, but should science have done it in the first place?"
It was a though read at times as an elephant lover, as an animal lover. But Damira's vengeance with her herd was as good an ending as one could hope for, given the circumstances.
It was a though read at times as an elephant lover, as an animal lover. But Damira's vengeance with her herd was as good an ending as one could hope for, given the circumstances.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Trafficking, Death of parent, and Classism
Minor: Vomit
Maneater by Emily Antoinette
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I fell in love with Shawn and Elle immediately. He is so endearing and she is honestly, #goals. This novella was short and sweet, and oh boy did I want more. I even got Hubs to read along with me! (Thank you shared Kindle library and KU subscriptions!) We were both hoping for a bit more story after their first "I love you's," and not just a 40 year time skip to the epilogue. I could have easily read at least 75 more pages of them just being stupid adorable together for just a little bit longer before the time skip. But if you love a soft domme and an eager to please sub, then you're going to LOVE this read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content