Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and co-hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits and Dini @DiniPandaReads! In this discussion meme, participants get to talk about certain topics, share opinions, and spread the love by visiting each other’s posts! Learn more about LTB, past topics and future topics HERE.

PROMPT:  Immersive reading is when you simultaneously listen to an audiobook while reading the physical or digital book. Do you do any immersive reading? Do you prefer it or is it not for you? Do you think it’s a good way to get everything from a book? Is there a genre that is better to do this with? What are your recommendations for immersive reading? 

First of all, happy Friday to you all! It has been a crazy week, and I have had barely any time for reading, let alone blogging. The little one is having a really bad teething episode and is refusing to eat. Additionally, she won’t sleep or stay without me, so she is glued to me 24/7. It is getting better now, and she started eating a little yesterday, but I am still happy she’s eating even if it is a little. Hopefully you are all doing alright and have a wonderful end of the week!

Do you do any immersive reading? Do you prefer it or is it not for you? Do you think it’s a good way to get everything from a book?

I do! And I really enjoy it and prefer it. The only thing is, I don’t always have the time to indulge in immersive reading. But when I do it, I feel as if I’m sucked into the story, like going to a 4D cinema! I didn’t always enjoy this kind of reading; I found it distracting. But now I prefer it, and it helps me get more out of the story.

For me personally, it is a great way of getting more involved and more intimate with the book, for lack of better wording. It helps me focus on the characters and the plot, and it also helps with reading the book, in case you are not able to get into it from simply reading it. By that I mean there are certain books that I tried reading, be it a physical or digital copy and couldn’t get into it. As soon as I tried the audio version, I loved it from the get-go. Therefore, in that aspect, for me it works perfectly to do both read the book whilst listening to the audio.

I know this might not be everybody’s cup of tea, and that is alright, whatever works as long as we are reading and enjoying the story

Is there a genre that is better to do this with? What are your recommendations for immersive reading? 

Hmm, I suppose the answer will be different for each person. What might work for one might not work for others. I don’t mind any genre; for me, every genre works. I have done with fantasy and fiction as well as non-fiction, and I still found it enjoyable. Although I must say that when it comes to non-fiction, it might come in handy, especially when the book is more complex to follow and doing an immersive reading might help with better grasping the book in question. The same goes for the classics or more hefty books, I guess, that require more attention and thought process to follow the plot.

In short, it depends, but it might work with all genres.

As for the recommendations, I’d just say do whatever works for you and whatever you know you enjoy. Personally, I use the StoryTel app for my audiobooks and Audible if there is a book missing or not yet done in StoryTel, and I read on my Kindle. This is the way I do my immersive reading.

When it comes to books, if you like fantasy, I highly recommend doing an immersive reading with A Discovery of Witches! If you like the classics, The Name of the Rose has been great so far with this method, since it is a hefty and very clever book, and it needs more attention!

Happy reading!

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly meme created by Rukky @Eternity Books and co-hosted by Aria @Book Nook Bits and Dini @DiniPandaReads! In this discussion meme, participants get to talk about certain topics, share opinions, and spread the love by visiting each other’s posts! Learn more about LTB, past topics and future topics HERE.

PROMPT: March is Women’s History Month and March 8 is also International Women’s Day. In honour of this month celebrating women, let’s talk about the women who’ve shaped our reading lives. Was there (or is there)  a woman in your life who sparked your love for reading? Who was the first woman author you remember loving? Do you tend to read more books by women authors and do you think that’s for a reason?

I really love this topic today, unfortunately, I don’t have much time this month, by the looks of it, so I am joining in the meme a little bit later.

Was there (or is there)  a woman in your life who sparked your love for reading?

Yes, there is and was! The very first woman who sparked my love for reading was my late maternal granny. She loved the classics: The Count of Monte Cristo, The Name of the Rose, The Scarlet Letter, Wuthering Heights, etc. She was the first one I recall talking to me about books, even though at the time I wasn’t reading anything except for school assignments. Let’s say she made me curious with all the stories she told, and the way she talked about her favourite books made you stop and listen to her.
The second woman was a friend from the scouts when I was living in Italy. Due to some health issues back in my teenage years, I used to faint a lot, and no one knew the cause, so they decided to write it off as attention-seeking. Lo and behold, I had a bad faint where I hit my head, and they decided to take me to the hospital for a month so they could perform various tests and try to find the mystery surrounding my condition. I was treated like I might be holding the answers to some mysterious new disease. Therefore, while I was stuck in the hospital, a friend of mine came to visit and brought me a copy of The Little Prince. This marked the official start of my reading journey, and I have not looked back since. (For the curious ones, they did find a little hole in my heart, and I was prescribed pills until it closed on its own. My heart would beat very irregularly due to it causing me to hyperventilate and lose consciousness.)

Who was the first woman author you remember loving? Do you tend to read more books by women authors and do you think that’s for a reason?

Maggie Stiefvater, I remember vividly loving the Shiver series and not sleeping so I could read the first book in one sitting. I even skipped school for these books! Mind you, I still love her books, and last year I re-read Shiver, which brought so many memories back. I can’t recall any other author that I used to love as much as her back then.

Honestly, I never actually thought about this, nor have I noticed if the books I read are predominantly written by women. But now that I have given a quick glance, I can see that the majority of the books I read are indeed written by female authors. Personally, I don’t think there is any particular reason, other than that statistically speaking, there are more female writers than there are males. This is a fact you can check for yourself as well. But I read male authors and enjoy their books equally, given the story is worth it, LOL.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and happy reading!

WWW Wednesday, a weekly meme hosted by Sam @Taking On A World of Words, where we gather and answer the following questions:
What are you currently reading?
What did you read last?
What will you read next?

It’s Wednesday, and time for another WWW meme! This week is going slowly for me when it comes to reading, as we are pretty much all day out, and I have only the evenings to myself. After running all day after a toddler and doing other chores at home, I am literally knackered off my socks!

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

• The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco: this read is a part of my very first buddyread with Emma (@WordsandPeace) and Mallika (@Literary Potpourri), I am very excited!
• Wildlands by Brogen Murphy: this is a book we are reading as part of the Rewildyourshelf March bookclub read.

I am only at the beginning of these books, but so far, both look promising, and I am happy to be partaking in these activities

WHAT DID YOU READ LAST?

1. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness: love this one even though I last read it 10 years ago, my feelings are unchanged!
2. Over and Under the Canyon by Kate Messner: this is part of a series, and I will read them all, then do a mini review for each graphic novel. I highly recommend these ones for curious kids and adults, as they are full of useful information and interesting facts about nature and animals.

WHAT WILL YOU READ NEXT?

I will probably read Anne of Green Gables as it is part of my Classics Club Spin reads, and I need to read it before the 29th of this month. Additionally, surprisingly, for the first time ever, I got approved on NetGalley to read the ARC of Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveller. Honestly, I put the request knowing I would get rejected just like the other 14 times prior, but I digress Mind you, I signed up back in 2016, and I never got approved, so I just ended up reading the books that are available on there. So this one came out of the blue, haha. Yey for the small victories, I guess!

Also, I would try to include a nature non-fiction, since it is my priority to make sure I read this genre and learn more about our fauna and flora. These are my candidates, we shall see what my mood says when it comes to choosing the next read, though, as I am notorious for not picking what I said I would, haha.

What are your WWWs for this week?? Happy reading

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
Today’s prompt: Genre Freebie

Ah, today is a freebie, and I don’t really know what to choose… I guess on this one, I will go with Non-fiction books about nature I would love to read:

1. Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
2. Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer
3. The Servingberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
4. Be a Birder by Hamza Yassin
5. Entagled Life by Merlin Sheldrake
6. Ancient by Luke Barley
7. Other Minds by Peter Godfrey-Smith
8. When the Forest Breathes by Suzanne Simard
9. Footprints in the Woods by John Lister-Kaye
10. Elegy for a River by Tom Moorhouse

Non-fiction, especially related to nature, is one of the genres I would like to read more of this year. These books are some of the ones I am eyeing and wanting to read. Recently, I started Footprints in the Woods, which I was enjoying, but had to put it on pause because I need to be in the right headspace to enjoy this particular genre. As a mood reader, this is a struggle, since my brain is craving one thing one minute and something else the very next…

Happy reading, and tell me what you have chosen for today’s topic, or is there a book from this list that tickles your interest?

Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Meeghan Reads — you can check out the upcoming topics here.
The topic for this Tuesday: Top 5 books I could not put down

Happy Tuesday! The weather was great yesterday, and we spent the day outside. Needless to say, we were both knackered, and I fell asleep as soon as I put the little one to bed, then woke up in the middle of the night to pre-schedule a couple of posts for today I will try to catch up with all of your blogs this week! Hope you are well and have a wonderful day!

In no particular order here are my top 5 books of all times I could not put down:

1. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkess: this is a recent re-read for me, and I read it in two days. I was so engrossed by the story and so glad I still love it after so many years
2. Foster by Claire Keegan: a quick but so impactful read I still think about it to this day, would love to watch the movie
3. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune: an all time favourite, my comfort read
4. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman: another impactful and important book in my life that I could not put down, I just love Ove
5. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: a book I try to re-read every year this is my ultimate favourite book if I must say. It has been with me through so much and it helped immensely when I was stuck for a month in the hospital back in my teenage years. Wish everyone could read it

It is never easy to limit myself to only a handful of books when I love so many, but if I had to choose as of now, I suppose these would be my top 5 picks.

What are the top 5 books you would choose?

Synopsis:

Goodreads Choice Award

Nominee for Favorite Book of 2011 (2011), Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Paranormal Fantasy (2011), Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Goodreads Author (2011)

A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together. 

Read More:

Deep in the stacks of Oxford’s Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell. 

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.

• Pages: 672
• Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal
• Publication date: February 8, 2011 by Viking Penguin
• Format: Paperback, Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
• Source: Owned

PURCHASE LINKS:
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
KOBO

REVIEW:

This one was a re-read for me. It has been calling me for a very long time, and this year I decided to try and complete some series, so fingers crossed this will be one of them. It has been exactly 10 years since I last read this book! And it felt like I had read it last year, I loved every bit of it, and I could recall everything.

I still think Matthew and Diana are a powerhouse, and I love their relationship. My feelings have not changed throughout the decade; if anything, they have made me love this book even more.

The plot, the story, and the characters were great. This book has it all: magic, vampires, daemons, witches, mystery, power struggle, history and so much more! The author did an amazing job of combining everything together and making such a delightful masterpiece.

I really appreciate the history and the alchemy research that has gone into this with a touch of magic. This is my type of fantasy; I simply love it when authors base their stories on real historical figures, events, and legends. Harkness’s writing is so captivating and beautiful that it was like I was watching a movie in my head. _{^{(I did watch the show, but surprisingly, I was not envisioning the actual actors, rather what the ones the authors were describing, although I must say that they did a great job at keeping it true to the book when it comes to the TV series)}}.

This is one of those books that has to be read because there is so much going on, and you discover so many things throughout the story as well that speaking about them might actually spoil everything for you. Let me just say that it is worth it! If you love history, books, romance, vampires, witches and magic, and well-crafted characters and plot, this is the right book for you.

A Discovery of Witches is a perfect example of what a strong series introduction should be, showcasing compelling plot development and rich, well-crafted characters.

5 stars! Highly recommend!

Synopsis:

Goodreads Choice Award

Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Fantasy (2022)

After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.

The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

Read More:

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won’t be able to go it alone.

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.

• Pages: 296
• Genre: Cosy Fantasy, LGBT
• Publication date: February 22, 2022
• Format: Paperback, Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
• Source: Owned

PURCHASE LINKS:
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
KOBO

REVIEW:

Well, well, I actually enjoyed a cosy book for a change!

I really loved the writing and the characters here and I am curious to see where the author takes us with the following books and how Viv and Tandri’s relationship will progress.

But I must say, Cal, my man, you took all points! I loved this guy! Also, Thimble comes second! These two characters were so precious, and I am so glad I read this book and have discovered them.

The plot was there, it was interesting, and enough action was going on for me to like it more than the other cosy books I have read so far. There were some heavy undertones, and the sense of danger lingering was very well done, but everything was balanced out with the cosiness of the cafe and the characters. At times, I find it a little too repetitive and a bit slow for my liking, but considering it was lovely, the writing made up for it.

The cat was another fave, I have a feeling it will be a regular in this story, but we shall see. I also feel there might be some “quest” coming on, but I might be wrong. The atmosphere was very D&D-like, I guess the author might have got some inspiration also from some similar games.

Overall, a quick, fun read, 3.5 stars for me, on to the next

Synopsis:

Welcome to the Sunshine Inn, a picturesque coastal inn with sweeping views and two new owners who couldn’t be more opposite. From bestselling author Amy Clipston comes a no spice, grumpy/sunshine romance perfect for fans of Anne-Marie Meyer and RaeAnne Thayne.

Two polar opposites, one cozy inn–and one sweet and surprising chance at unlikely love.

Read More:

When Everleigh Hartnett, a cheerful traveling NICU nurse who can’t sit still, inherits half of her godmother’s beloved seaside bed-and-breakfast, she dreams of selling the place to fund the nonprofit she and her godmother always envisioned. But there’s one tiny her new co-owner. Rugged, grumpy, and fiercely loyal to the inn, Cade Witherspoon isn’t about to let his peaceful life–and his new start–be sold off so easily.

Everleigh and Cade are opposites in every way. She’s sunshine and laughter, while he’s all rough edges and quiet brooding. Their clash of wills over the inn soon has them wondering what on earth Everleigh’s godmother was thinking when she left them both in charge.

As Everleigh gets to know Cade’s softer side–and Cade finds himself drawn to Everleigh’s optimism and kindness–their disagreement over the inn becomes something sweeter. But with the arrival of Cade’s long-lost brother and the looming threat of a developer sniffing around the property, they’ll have to make some hard choices–together.

Can Everleigh and Cade let go of their expectations and build something lasting together? Or will the Sunshine Inn be the place they both leave behind?

Second Chance at Sunshine Inn by bestselling novelist Amy Clipston is a heartwarming, standalone romance, which features the grumpy/sunshine trope and a charming small-town setting that’s Netflix’s Falling Inn Love meets Debbie Macomber set in a seaside bed-and-breakfast. This book delivers all the emotions and butterflies, leaving out the explicit scenes. And it comes with engaging discussion questions, making it a fantastic choice for your next book club pick!

• Pages: 368
• Genre: Contemporary, Christian Romance
• Publication date: July 8, 2025 by Thomas Nelson
• Format: Paperback, Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
• Source: NetGalley Audiobook

PURCHASE LINKS:
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
KOBO

REVIEW:

This is going to be a difficult review, because I really thought I would like this one. This book is a prime example that a good premise does not equal a good execution.

I had a lot of issues here. I understand that authors try to portray realistic characters by making them flawed; nothing wrong with that. However, there is a fine line between realistically flawed and borderline insufferable and totally off the mark. These characters here are just that, 33 and 27-year-old acting and having the thought process of teenagers who have no idea what being an adult and having to deal with important matters actually entails.

Cade and Everleigh were just irritating me page after page. He may have had more sense than she did, but altogether they make a lethal combination. I was so pissed at the FMC she was so annoying and plain stupid at times, I couldn’t.

The plot was all over the place, with tiny subplots out of nowhere. I was really pissed at Cade for how he treated his mother. And pissed at his mother and the author for making whatever was going on sound like something hugeeee had happened, and I was convinced it was really horrible when it actually turned out to be something so normal. There was this great build-up that something terrible had happened to only be left with disappointment that it wasn’t that deep at all!

Additionally, the whole inheritance bit with the inn had so much potential, but I digress. What was her godmother even thinking? And what was that Trevor?(i think this is what he was called) guy? Why was that even in there as a subplot? I called it right after he was introduced and saw right through him, but she didn’t! Everleig was so gullible and naive that it made me roll my eyes more than I could count throughout this book. I lost all sympathy for her a long time ago. How was she a NICU nurse? I don’t know. It would have been nice to see more of her actual job on the line, but nope, we saw none of that.

Also, her sister? What is your problem? Why was everybody in this book so annoying and acting like kids? It’s beyond me. So disappointed, the only parts I liked were the cat, and that’s it, the cat. The romance was not believable at all. I appreciated that it was clean, but other than that not convincing at all.

There are so many other things I could say, but I will stop here, because it makes me angry having to think about them all. If you liked it, I am happy for you.

Overall, 1.5 stars.

It is time for another monthly wrap-up! But first Happy Baba Marta! Here in Bulgaria, today is the 1st of March, and we celebrate it by tying red and white threads called martenitzi to our wrists for health and luck throughout the year. This also marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. So be healthy, happy and have a blessed day!

_{^{Photo courtesy of an online article}}

ALL THE BOOKS I READ THIS MONTH:

1. The Tea Dragon Festival by Kate O’Neill
2. The Tea Dragon Tapestry by Kate O’Neill
3. Loving Romeo by Laura Pavlov
4. The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
5. Seance Tea Party by Reimena Yee
6. Emotional Support Animals by Nicole Georges
7. An Ancient Witch’s Guide to Modern Dating by Cecilia Edward
8. Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz
9. The Witch’s Cottage by Emberly Wyndham
10. Pilu of the Woods by Mai K. Nguyen
11. The Outpost by Devney Perry
12. The White Book by Han Kang
13. The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore
14. That Fine Line by Cindy Steel
15. Christmas Spark by Cindy Steel
16. Double or Nothing by Cindy Steel
17. Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
18. Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
19. Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
20. Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood
21. That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming
22. The Summer of Lost and Found by Toni Blake
23. Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner
24. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
25. Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws
26. The Baby Dragon Cafe by A. F. Qureshi
27. Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree
28. I Met Shiro in a Hidden World by
29. Second Chance at Sunshine Inn by Amy Clipston
30. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
31. Over and Under the Canyon by Kate Messner

Most of the links will take you to my reviews, there are only 6 books that don’t have a written review at the time of me making this post.
Also, I think this is a first for me to read so many books in a month, so I still can’t really wrap my head around it. But I read quite a few graphic novels as well, quick and easy, my preferred palate cleanser!

CHALLANGES

I will also list the challenges for people’s convenience below:

1. A to Z reading challenge: I have ticked A, B, C, D, E, G, I, L, M, N, O, P, S, T, V and W.
2. Valentine’s book boyfriend bingo: the prompts are: Firefighter, Shadow Daddy (whatever this one means lol), Prince, Cinnamon roll hero, Hockey player and Mountain man. Cinnamon roll hero and Mountain man are completed!
3. Romance challenge: I have completed them all: Contemporary romance, Small town romance, Paranormal romance, Military romance, Holiday romance, Sports, Second chance, Western, Fantasy, Romantic comedy, Workplace and Spicy romance.
4. Romance trope bingo: The ones I have got: Grumpy and sunshine, Friends to lovers, Slow burn, Opposites attract, Fake relationship, Forced proximity, Enemies to lovers, Age gap, Forbidden love, One bed, He falls first. I have left only one: Road trip.
5. Thriller challenge: Nothing changed here since last month. This is one of the two challenges that I doubt I will be able to complete, but I have got the Psychological thriller box ticked. What is left is: Domestic thriller, Serial killer, Winter thriller, Revenge, Cold case, Kidnapping, Isolated location, Small town, Legal thriller. Blackmail and FBI.
6. Mystery challenge: here it is going much better than I thought, I have ticked: Missing person, Amateur sleuthing, Cosy mystery and Family secrets. The ones I need still are: Detective, YA mystery, Murder, Heist, Secret society, Historical, Paranormal and Crime-solving duo.
7. Fantasy challenge Magic Path: I have ticked: Witches/Wizards, Mermaids, YA fantasy, Cosy fantasy, Elemental magic, Urban fantasy, Found family. What I have left: Magical school/academy, Magical realism, Mythology, Chosen one, and Historical fantasy.
8. Fantasy Challenge Dark Path: I have ticked: Dragons, High fantasy/Epic fantasy, Assassins, Touch her and die, Forbidden Magic. What is left is: Dark Fantasy, Tournament/ Deadly competition, Fae, Curse, Political intrigue, Betrayal and Pirates.

BOOKS I LOVED:

1. Pilu of the Woods by Mai K. Nguyen
2. The White Book by Han Kang
3. Double or nothing by Cindy Steel
4. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
5. Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
6. Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
7. Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
8. The Summer of Lost and Found by Toni Blake

This is in no particular order, and some of these books did not get 5 stars, however, they were still very impactful to me, and I consider them favourite for that reason.

Happy reading to you all, and tell me what your favourite book/s are from last month?

Synopsis:

The perfect cozy, romantic fantasy BESTSELLER for fans of Gilmore Girls and dragons!

When Saphira opens her cafe welcoming pet baby dragons, she isn’t expecting it to be quite so hard to keep the fires burning. But her young dragon patrons keep incinerating her furniture, which means selling coffee isn’t covering all her costs.

Read More:

Local heart-throb Aiden is a gardener, though his disobedient baby dragon is a major distraction from his beloved plants. However, Saphira’s café gives him an idea – he’ll ask Saphira to train his dragon, and pay her enough to keep the cafe afloat.

They know they’re the answer to each other’s problems, but happy-go-lucky Saphira and gorgeous-but-grumpy Aiden couldn’t be more different. Can they find a way to work together – and maybe even ignite some fire of their own?

The perfect dual POV, grumpy sunshine cozy fantasy, with HEA guaranteed!

• Pages: 317
• Genre: Cosy Fantasy, Romantasy
• Publication date: January 16, 2025 by Avon
• Format: Paperback, Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
• Source: Owned

PURCHASE LINKS:
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
KOBO

REVIEW:

My plan was to read this book last year when it came out, but plans changed, and I couldn’t. So now, I have decided to tackle my TBR!

This was a quick, cosy read indeed, but there wasn’t anything exciting going on. I loved the dragons and the idea behind the cafe. The FMC really pissed me off with what she decided to do towards the end, and it played a huge part in why I rated it the way I did.

I found it repetitive, and I would have liked it more if Aiden’s family were actually not nice. It would have added more interest to the whole plot. His family was portrayed as some sort of evil lords, LOL, and we got none of that. I feel disappointed. It was a letdown in a way, and it feels like the author wanted to go that way but suddenly remembered this is supposed to be a cosy fantasy and changed course.

It was not awful, just left me disappointed, and the whole thing of not belonging and having to prove oneself felt so prolonged and overused, it just irked me.

Not fond of the main characters either, I was more interested in Aiden’s brother and Saphira’s mother, which I hope we get to know more of in the next book. The romance was meh.

Overall, 2.5 stars, will continue with the other books.