Quarterly Book Review
Honest reviews about the books I've read
Hello fellow book lovers! I am so excited to share with you the books I read this past and final quarter. I read a decent amount of fantasy and then some other books from varying genres; so, I do to encourage you to read at least one of the books listed below.
If you’re new to my book review club, then here are a few things you should know:
I will dip my toes into any fiction genre
I will always give honest reviews, even it’s an unpopular opinion
I do my best to forewarn any triggers that the book might bring out
I love talking about books with you all, but I would also love for you all to recommend what you’re reading to me! So, drop a comment with your own thoughts / recommendations
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali: 4/5 stars
Trigger Warning: this book contains triggering content such as sexual assault and abuse.
This book was a hard read for two reasons: 1) It’s a slow start. If you can get past the first two-ish chapters of this book, then it’s completely worth it to finish this powerful story of friendship, betrayal, and redemption. 2) It was a hard read in the sense that it was an uncomfortable read - but in the best way! There are some books out there that discuss topics we would rather stay ignorant to, because it’s easier that way. This is one of those books. This brings to light the life of women in Iran and the political turmoil that pushes in around them. It’s a hard reality that I think is important to read and talk about, but Marjan Kamali does a beautiful job of depicting this story and I would recommend you give it a chance.
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn: 5/5 stars
I have absolutely never given a book five stars but Kate Quinn has completely overtaken me with this book. There was comedy, there was mystery, there was love, there was deep meaning and important lessons laced into each character’s lives, there was friendship and forgiveness, and most notably there was murder. What seems like a murder mystery book ends up being SO MUCH MORE with this incredible story of the loves of the Briar Club women. I was left guessing and re-guessing at the end of each chapter. Left stunned in anticipation, unable to put this novel down. I’ve been a fan of Kate Quinn for a long time now, but this book is by far my favorite of hers.
Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli: 4/5 stars
This book is a good to start to what I believe will be a good series. It’s Kristen Ciccarelli’s first novel in The Crimson Moth series with her second one coming out early 2025. I liked this book; I wasn’t in love with it. I do think the plot of the book is interesting and I am looking forward to reading the second one, however, I never felt very attached to the characters for like their love story was unique or powerful in anyway. Maybe that’s just me, maybe you’ll feel differently! It is definitely work the read still.
Powerless by Lauren Roberts: 4.5/5 stars
This book is a great start to what I believe will be a great series! Powerless is Lauren Roberts’ first book in The Powerless Trilogy. This first book was extremely well done! It checked all the boxes for me. The world building was well done, the character building was well done, the character connections were solidly done. I’ve already been recommending this book to other fantasy genre readers because it was just well done! I felt attached to the characters, rooting for them, and connecting with them in a way that I didn’t with the Heartless Hunter. This book, in my opinion, was much better.
Powerful by Lauren Roberts: 3.5/5 starts
This book is Lauren Roberts’ #1.5 book in The Powerless Trilogy. Listen, I raved about Lauren Roberts first book in the trilogy, but this one just wasn’t necessary. It’s a story of a different character and honestly should have been tandem read with the first one, in my opinion, but it fell really flat for me. I thought there was going to be a purpose to it for the third book in her series, but the characters don’t even carry over which was disappointing. So, here’s what I would recommend: tandem read this with the first book or don’t read it at all.
Reckless by Lauren Roberts: 4.5/5 stars
This book is Lauren Roberts’ second book in The Powerless Trilogy. This one was just as well done as the first one. I continually keep wondering what was going to happen next and hoping for an outcome that I was sure wasn’t the case. The book ends on such a cliff hanger that I want to hate Lauren Roberts for it but all I can do is love her because that is what a great author does. If you like fantasy genres, read this series. If you think you might like fantasy novels but have never read them, read this series. If you don’t like fantasy, still read this series because it’s just good! The third book in the trilogy will be out in 2025 and I am anxiously awaiting its arrival!
The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose: 4.5/5 stars
This is book #2.5 in the Molly the Maid series by Nita Prose. I will say that this is different than her other books in the series, which is to be expected since this is a Christmas special book. It’s very small, I think you could finish it in 2 hours or less, and it’s just cute. I love Molly the Maid, she’s quirky and funny and this book highlights all of that once again. There is still the mystery aspect of it which I love, and you really get an inside look into Molly’s life and person relationships. It’s short, it’s cute, it’s absolutely worth the read!
Out of the seven books I read this past quarter, The Briar Club is absolutely my top pick! The entirety of this book was just so well thought out and done. Every time I made a guess within the mystery surrounding The Briar Club women, I was wrong. There was not a single chapter that I felt like I could stop reading. I nearly pulled an all-nighter just to finish because I was so drawn in and hooked to this story.
Let’s continue the conversation:
Have you read any of these books? If so, what were your own ratings / thoughts of them?
What is a book you’ve read recently that you could not put down?
Which one of these books are you most likely to read?
Want to read more Little Bits of Everything?
A short poem on how We Burned Like Flames
A hard letter on whether To Hold On or To Let Go
A note on mental health and how Anxiety is My Puppeteer
A letter on saying No Thanks, I’m Good more often
The most honest Four Gentle Reminders that everyone needs to hear
A popular short story called Everything is Secondary to Loving You