December 2023 Mini Reviews

 Better Hate than Never by Chloe Liese

The Wilmot Sisters #2

Published: 10th October 2023 by Piatkus

I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.

I've read one of Liese's other books before, If Only You in her Bergman Brothers series, and I really enjoyed it, so I couldn't wait to read this one as it looked like the perfect Autumn romance, and it really was! I always appreciate how Liese writes neurodivergent characters, as it doesn't feel forced or that she's doing it for anything other than creating meaningful representation for people who may not have previously been able to see themselves in the characters of romance books, and Better Hate than Never is no exception to this. It was so satisfying to see how people's misconceptions of Katerina changed once, especially Christopher's, as she was finally able to explain herself and the reasons behind her so-called flighty actions, and I felt it really added to the slow-burn between the two of them, making for a great romance! I also loved the little Taming of a Shrew pun with the names.

4 stars

Death Valley by Melissa Broder

Published: 24th October 2023 by Bloomsbury

I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.

I have always been intrigued by Broder's books, and I even own a copy of The Pisces that I just haven't gotten around to yet, so I'm very glad I've finally read one of her works! I always like the premises of her books, of these average women dealing with life through bouts of surrealism as almost coping mechanisms to guide them through, and Broder's take on grief coming out through her mystical experiences in the desert, contrasted with the banality of the motel she resides in and her unfulfilling relationship with her husband at home was truly a great reading experience in Death Valley. The narrative voice of this unnamed protagonist felt so strong and relatable, that although she's clearly going through a terrible time in her personal life and coping in unbelievable ways, she also felt so understandable, and I have been thinking of her since I finished it.

4 stars

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

These Violent Delights #1

Published: 17th November 2020 by Hodder & Stoughton

I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.

I feel like this has recently become a hugely popular series, so I was excited to try it, especially as it is a Romeo and Juliet retelling, and it's set in 1920s Shanghai, which I just think sounds so fun! I really liked when this was set, with the homecoming of Juliette, and how her return to Shanghai affects everyone around her, at the same time as these mysterious murders keep happening. I appreciated the spin on the classic Romeo and Juliet tale with the addition of this monster as I think it provided the story with some more depth, but I wasn't a massive fan of the writing itself or the worldbuilding. Maybe if I were to continue with the series, and its spin-off, that may become stronger, but I don't think I will be.

3 stars

The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy

Campus Diaries #1

Published: 31st October 2023 by Piatkus

I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.

I am slowly becoming a huge Elle Kennedy fan - even though I haven't read her Off-Campus or Briar U series, I have been loving the Avalon Bay books and now this spin-off to her Briar universe with this newest book, The Graham Effect. I do really enjoy a sports romance, and this has made me want to make more of an effort to seek them out, because reading about both Gigi and Luke playing Hockey was really fun, alongside all of the drama and budding romance. Kennedy writes in such a compelling way that, even though this book was over 400 pages, I couldn't put it down and I flew through it! I loved reading about Gigi's parents and their friends from their college days, which I am sure I would appreciate more if I had read those books too, so I'm definitely going to work my way back through them.

4 stars