Archangel’s Kiss by Nalini Singh

  • Twitter summary: Elena, now Angel made, is training against the impeding threat of Lijuan or… is the threat coming from another angel wanting power?
  • The good: I love Elena’s budding relationship with each of Raphael’s Seven. Each character has been beautifully constructed for a specific purpose and I’m curious about their individual stories. Book 2 introduces readers to the remaining Seven members and don’t ask me to pick who is my favourite. I can’t but I think Illium is in the running — love me some blue wings and laidback charisma. This world is getting interesting but also…
  • The bad: I’m confused, seriously confused. I almost think this world is too complicated. Maybe my reading comprehension is not as strong as I thought.
  • Recommendation: Yes but read slowly.
  • Overall rating: 3/5 archangel’s dust
  • Goodreads link

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling (MinaLima illustrated edition)

  • Twitter summary: Not just the book that started it all for Rowling – this edition is beautifully illustrated and it’s stunning.
  • The good: I have no words to describe how beautiful this edition is of the first Harry Potter book. No words. I just want to stare it all day, every day. The book and the pages have a nice weight to it — the interactive illustrations are well protected with card stock or tissue paper. I’m in love. Dare I say that I love this edition more than the movie itself. I love that I can still the majority of the imagination and be completely swept away by Rowling’s words and MinaLima’s visuals.
  • The bad: MinaLima have only illustrated the first book but I really hope they will do the entire series. I’m ready to say goodbye to my money.
  • Recommendation: YES
  • Overall rating: 5/5 Harry Potters
  • Indigo link (for my Canadians)

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

  • Twitter summary: Daphne and the duke make an agreement to help each other out but end up falling in love…
  • The good: I will fully admit the only reason I read this book was because of the Bridgerton Netflix show that I binged watched. I was intrigued by the tv series and thoroughly enjoyed it. So here I am, reading the entire book series to gain some insight on season 2 of the show. Overall, I enjoyed Daphne and Simon’s story — it was a beautiful friendship that morphed into a passionate love. My favourite Bridgerton brother is Colin and I appreciated his lightheartedness and blunt demeanour.
  • The bad: Ugh — the story was ruined by the rape. Also, I couldn’t stop picturing Regé-Jean Page (who is wonderfully eloquent and intelligent) as Simon so truthfully, the Netflix series ruined this book for me.
  • Recommendation: Only if you want to compare the book to the tv show.
  • Overall rating: 2/5 Bridgerton siblings
  • Goodreads link

Angels’ Blood by Nalini Singh

  • Twitter summary: Elena, a vampire hunter, is requested by Raphael, the archangel of New York, to hunt another archangel gone bad.
  • The good: I loved the world-building details and intricacies — I’m still not entirely sure what is going on or what is going to happen and I’m here for it! Who are all these characters? What makes them tick? Why are they like this? I have so many questions and it’s a good thing. It doesn’t hurt that Elena is a kickass hunter and she has amazing chemistry with Raphael. I’m already invested in this series. Someone help me.
  • The bad: Excuse me, I missed how Elena and Raphael fell into true love with each other because when exactly did that happen? I was lost in the world-building details and their obvious lust for each other, but true love? What? I was disappointed with how their love story developed. Singh did not appropriately do their love story justice or are they not end game? I have many questions and it’s not a good thing.
  • Recommendation: Yes and be prepared to have to read this 100 book series. I am exaggerating but I think there are about 7 or 8 main books (the last one was just published recently) and a bunch of prequels…
  • Overall rating: 4/5 wings
  • Goodreads link

Midnight Rescue by Elle Kennedy

  • Twitter summary: Abby is rescued from a psycho but is desperate to get back to Colombia to save young girls being held hostage.
  • The good: Although completely predictable, I enjoyed the storyline overall. Kennedy left multiple doors open to explore other character storylines (hello, Trevor and Isabel!) and I will read them whenever I need a quick and easy-to-read pick me up.
  • The bad: Abby and Kane fell in love faster than Devlin was able to call Kane’s phone 10 times in an hour. The fast romance was disappointing and terribly unrealistic. I was waiting for more from Kennedy as I’ve read her Campus hockey series.
  • Recommendation: Sure, if you want an easy to read book with action-based plot and some steamy scenes.
  • Overall rating: 2/5 midnight rescues (haha I’m being lazy)
  • Goodreads link

Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting

  • Twitter summary: The owners of a cupcake cafe and a Scottish pub are new next door neighbours and then, food clashes.
  • The good: This is exactly what I needed to get me out of my reading slump — lively banter, sexual tension and an actual plot! I loved Blaire (think of a fabulous 50s character who bakes and designs kickass cupcakes) and Ronan (think of a hipster lumberjack with tattoos who loves his Gramps) and can easily devour another whole book about them running their tandem cupcake cafe and pub. I was hooked on their banter right from the start and the book continued in the right trajectory. I seriously need half a dozen cupcakes and three pints of beer.
  • The bad: Blaire’s mini meltdown near the end — good thing, it wasn’t a full blown meltdown about Ronan or I would have knocked this down to 3/5.
  • Recommendation: Bet your sweet tooth on it!
  • Overall rating: 4/5 cupcakes with craft beer
  • Goodreads link

The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren

  • Twitter summary: Two assistants to a famous husband-wife home reno duo are required to spend time with each to keep the marriage alive.
  • The good: I enjoyed the slow burn from enemies (colleagues who can’t stand each other) to friends (we’re in this together) to lovers of Carey and James’ relationship. I think that’s it.
  • The bad: I had a tough time settling into this book — I’m trying not to blame my reading slump but that could have played a small part. I have enjoyed other Christina Lauren books in the past and I might have put too much pressure on the book and myself to like it. I couldn’t stand the Melissa and Rusty characters and kept rolling my eyes on how the story unraveled.
  • Recommendation: Unfortunately, no. This one fell flat.
  • Overall rating: 2/5 home renos
  • Goodreads link

A Promised Land by Barack Obama (audiobook)

  • Twitter summary: The first four years of Obama’s presidency.
  • The good: While listening to the audiobook, I sometimes forgot that this all happened in real life. I throughly enjoyed listening to Obama’s detailed retrospective of his first term as POTUS. However, be prepared to re-read / rewind to fully understand the minute details and anecdotes. He was open, honest, and direct in his narrative of the various events, challenges and experiences as well as personal reflections of his time and impact on his family.
  • The bad: It ended on a cliffhanger! A bit ironic to say that since it’s in the past and I can do my own research but I cannot wait for his second term memoir.
  • Recommendation: I definitely recommend listening to the audiobook! I hear his voice in my dreams now — I’m not complaining.
  • Overall rating: 5/5 presidents
  • Goodreads link

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

  • Twitter summary: Tamlin locks up Feyre. Rhys rescues her and they team up to prepare for the upcoming war. Oh, and they fall in love.
  • The good: I wish I could go back in time and read this book for the first time again. I did the next best thing: listened to the audiobook so I could have a new experience with the book. Verdict is that I still love this book so much. Feyre’s character development blossoms in this book — she figures out who she is, what she is fighting for and why she is where she is. Rhys’ retelling of him falling in love with Feyre will always be my favourite part of the series.
  • The bad: Can I say the King of Hybern or the Human Queens? Necessary to the plot but if I could get rid of them, I would. Then there wouldn’t be a story and the series wouldn’t exist. There is no bad. Just read this book and series!
  • Recommendation: YES YES YES
  • Overall rating: 5/5 rings-held-by-the-Weaver-so-that-Rhys-does-not-marry-someone-who-is-unworthy
  • Goodreads link

Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline

  • Twitter summary: A woman’s husband goes missing and she does everything to get him back.
  • The good: I’m still on the audiobook kick and so, the good of this book is the audiobook narrator. Michelle St. John did a wonderful job narrating this book. She made it entertaining and somewhat bearable.
  • The bad: I was utterly confused and not in a good way. I first tried to read the ebook, struggled and struggled to get into the book. I, then, made the decision to purchase a paperback copy of the book and yet, again, I couldn’t read it. Made it about 1/3 before I decided I’ll give it one more shot and listen to the audiobook. I was bored with the story and felt there were unnecessary sensual and adult components.
  • Recommendation: No
  • Overall rating: 1/5 (I can’t even think of an appropriate rating scale)
  • Goodreads link