Inside Kimmy's Mind

Who needs him? I’m perfectly fine on my own! Get ready for a brand-new rom-com, perfect for Bridgerton fans and anyone who’s tired of playing second fiddle!

The cover had me gravitate and want to read this manga. The illustration style is really charming and adorable. After reading, I had to immediately purchase a physical copy and add the second volume to my wishlist. Similar to my reasons for liking the main character from the manga, Hitting Rewind with You, I adore a character who isn’t afraid to act or speak their mind.

In this manga, our main character, Nicole, is tired of waiting for her fiancé, Keios, to take an interest in her. And so, she decides to do as she pleases and develops new interests that make her happy. I also can’t help but find it adorable when the male lead is the anxious one and the one who falls even harder for the female lead. Usually, I really despise a miscommunication trope; however, this story is handling it well, and I found myself laughing and feeling all giddy at how our characters are navigating the misunderstanding.

This feels like another charming romance where our main characters will learn more about each other, themselves, and learn how to develop a lasting relationship. At least, that is what I hope happens. I cannot wait to read the next volume! It releases in May!

The publisher provided my ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two college students desperate to live out the high school glory days they never had fall for each other in this silly and sweet romcom manga!

This fun and escapist (non-)age gap romance is brimming with youthful nostalgia and perfect for fans of My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv 999 and In the Clear Moonlit Dusk.

I am a huge fan of both My Love Story with Yamada-Kun and In the Clear Moonlit Dusk, so I was so excited to read this one. I am glad they prefaced this as a non-age-gap romance, because if you didn’t read the synopsis, you might think it was leading to a mistaken-identity plotline where a college student lies to someone in high school. Luckily, that isn’t the case. It is lighthearted and so cutesy, I’m definitely excited to read the next volume.

This is a low-stakes rom-com where our main characters, Wakaba and Fumito, are quickly falling for each other. But what I really like about it, although we are still learning about these characters, Wakaba just speaks her mind. She might get embarrassed afterwards, but she’s not afraid to just say what she is thinking. She is the driving force, which is why our characters end up spending time together. She is unapologetically herself, and I’m so happy seeing a female character just act on her instincts. I definitely recommend!

 The publisher provided my ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

After reading The Book of Doors, I was excited to read this second book by Gareth Brown.

Description: From the author of the internationally bestselling The Book of Doors, another fantastical, stand-alone novel in which a trio of seemingly everyday people are members of a secret society tasked with finding and protecting hidden magical objects—ordinary items with extraordinary properties. 

Brown doesn’t shy away from pushing his characters into dangerous situations. And I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. At times it made me anxious, but the characters were so likable that I had to continue reading to see how things played out for them. I was trying to predict how events would unfold, and at times, I was really shocked when they took a completely different turn.

I think the pacing of the book made sense because once conflicts arose, it was just boom, next thing. Very similar to his first book. However, I do think the first novel allowed for a personal conflict of the unknown, which Cassie was able to resolve with closure on the page for the reader. Magda was able to discover things she had always wondered about Frank and her mother’s last moments. But the face-to-face resolution of that pain, she didn’t get to have that moment on the page. It just felt like it wasn’t touched upon as much as I would have liked. However, I suppose it just shows how the character evolved from the beginning, as a writer hiding in her novels, dreaming of adventure, wanting to be part of something larger than herself, and being closer to her mother in some way, and then finally getting to live a life she wanted. Loved the last scene.

Although it is a standalone novel, I love the tie-in with the universe of his first book. A fun Easter egg for those who have read The Book of Doors, and hopefully for those who have yet to read it, a gentle nudge to start.

The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Today’s book is another audiobook. I’m a little bit unsure what to rate this book.

A deeply dark academia novel from USA Today bestselling author Cassandra Khaw, perfect for fans of A Deadly Education and An Education in Malice who are hungry for something more diabolical.

I’ve been drawn to Cassandra Khaw before, but have yet to read anything by this author. I’ll be honest. The title is the main reason I clicked on this book. Then I read the synopsis, and I was intrigued.

This book doesn’t waste any time; it throws you right into it, leaving you a bit stunned. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook narrated by the wonderful Natalie Naudus. This was the first time I heard Natalie do an array of characters. You are introduced to a list of characters along with our main character. Having a narrator who can perform different voices does enhance the story and helps keep the characters straight. However, there were a few times when I got a bit lost.

For the most part, I enjoyed the alternating timeline. Mainly switching between the “present/future” and the past. And I say, for the most part, as it often helps explain things, although it doesn’t always connect present moments closely to past moments that are related. If that makes sense, sometimes it wouldn’t explain something until halfway through. Or you would return to a moment later on. I would feel impatient at times; however, I still appreciate how this added to the story’s mystery and suspense.

Khaw also has a way with descriptions. I must say, there were some graphic depictions. Vivid, yet somehow also making them mundane for the character performing them. I can’t quite explain it. I do feel a bit confused by the ending. This is the type of book I feel like I have to reread to catch anything I might have missed. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy unusual books.

The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Today’s review is another sequel, well, in this case, a prequel? Or perhaps a story that is a parallel novel to the Spellshop? In any case, this is a cozy fantasy about singing plants, a grumpy gardener, and a talkative librarian seeking second chances.

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel set in the world of The Spellshop! Follow her to The Enchanted Greenhouse, a cozy fantasy nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love.

I was excited to receive an early access copy of this audiobook. I found the first book to be entertaining. However, if I had to choose, I think I enjoyed this one more. It follows a very similar formula to the first one, which, as far as cozy fantasies go, is cute and easy to read.

Terlu is this talkative yet anxious librarian who was wrongfully punished for wanting a friend. Her story is very similar to Kiela’s; both feel the anxiety of being punished or discovered for having or doing magic, and also fear ending up alone. I thought Terlu was relatable, yet she had no filter. Understandable after she was stuck being a statue for so long.

I loved how Yarrow and Terlu interacted with each other. Not quite the same as other forced close-proximity stories. But a trope nonetheless. Parts might be cliche, but again, for a cozy read, I can forgive that. It is exactly what is advertised. Ultimately, the message I took was that you might fail at times, but if possible, try again.

The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Today’s review is the second in a duology scheduled for release next month in July. I was super excited to receive an arc for this one. After reading the first one, which ended on a cliffhanger, I couldn’t wait to see how the story continued.

From the author of Lore of the Wilds comes the exciting and passionate conclusion, as Lore navigates Fae magic amid looming dangers that threaten to destroy her world.

Ultimately, I found the series interesting. However, when compared to the first one, it didn’t carry the same interest for me. Although, I still wanted to finish the story.

It started strong in the beginning, with this tension between our main characters. It was also building up because Lore was coming into this power that she hadn’t been able to fully embrace due to being captured. This is also where the love triangle comes in again. She was torn between the two male characters but was also conflicted by her primary goal of protecting her fellow humans from the fae and the demon king.

I think where it falls flat for me is that there didn’t feel like there was enough time. Lore’s conflict between being human and having a relationship with a fae was mentioned as though it would be a real conflict, but then it was forgotten. I understand that was more of her concern due to her current situation. The characters move from different locations, and Lore can conquer the mini-conflicts in those places to ultimately accomplish the task that will help her reach her overall goal. However, I wish the characters had more time to develop. I still enjoyed the story, but I kept focusing on how much was left and just felt like we were running out of time, which added to the suspense. But I would have preferred it if this was a trilogy. Not that duologies aren’t doable. Another subplot that was mentioned was how the humans were brought to Alytheria. And in the end, they gloss over it. Which, again, is probably just more proof that I’m sad the series isn’t continuing.

Overall, I enjoyed it and look forward to future books by this author.

The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“I like looking at you when you’re enjoying a scent.” On a cobblestone street, a moment was shared by two people. One day, by chance… he, a police officer met she, a runaway heiress. She was looking for a job and he welcomed her as the new police station receptionist. Enjoy witty dialogue and bold illustrations, in this in full-color manga collection by Kotteri!

This is very similar to classic films. Even the art style evokes memories of old movie posters. And even though you are guided through this relationship and see it develop, it also feels like you’ve missed several private conversations because the characters act like they’ve known each other for decades. But it’s so adorable. I love the connection the characters have with each other.

Each chapter is like a vignette with no plot per see, aside from seeing them interact with each other. I love stories that are nice palate cleansers. Where you are excited to continue reading their story, but this is digestible for when you’re in a reading slump or between books. Looking forward to reading the next volume.

 The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Japanese hit manga rom-com comes to print! The sweet smiles across the faces of the “perfect” student council duo hide secret, tough-as-nails personalities. These two-faced angels vie for dominance while keeping up their flawless act…but how long will it take for contention to give way to attraction?

This modern spin for fans of classics like Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances and Kaguya-sama: Love Is War is already a best-seller in Japan!

It’s such an adorable manga! It definitely has Kare Kano vibes. What I love about it so far is how you are thrown into the story fairly quickly. But I’m sure we will learn more about the main characters and their reasons for hiding their true selves as the story progresses.

This feels like it will be a very charming and adorable love story. But I think more importantly it will be a very cute story about their friendship. I’m looking forward to buying this manga when it is released, and I look forward to reading the other volumes.

 The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, we are exploring another bookstore and revisiting different points of time for our main character. However, the title and cover were huge factors that made me stop and want to read this book. But I think this tagline is the main reason.

‘The In-Between Bookstore is a stunning novel of love, self-discovery, and the choices that come with both, for anyone who has ever wondered what their life might be like if they had the chance to go back and take a bigger, braver risk.‘

I appreciate how the story gently pulls you into Darby’s life and explores the reasons behind his feelings of not belonging. Even surrounded by friends, he had unresolved things in his past and present that prevented him from finding meaning in his present.

The use of flashbacks is a great touch; even when certain details come up again, they reveal new layers that help us understand Darby’s thoughts and emotions in a different light. I may not relate to Darby’s experiences in the same way, but especially when you’re young and the world feels so heavy, it is easy not to see the whole picture. Or to be blind when others are struggling, too. I was rooting for him throughout the book. Every time he revisited his younger self, I was excited to see what new things he would learn about himself.

I was so invested in Darby’s search for what was missing in his life. This book got me thinking about my life and what it means to belong. The concept that everything consists of choices and that each decision creates a branch of possible outcomes lingers long after you turn the last page.

 The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Witches, different timelines, and a family curse? These are all things that drew me to this book. I enjoyed the pacing in the beginning. However, although the story was interesting and kept me turning the page, I felt almost rushed towards the end. It alternated between different timelines and would jump between our protagonists and antagonist perspectives. All while keeping things easy to follow.

Even though I wish the bookstore had been featured more throughout the story, I still adored the family bond between the characters. Lenny was my favorite character, and I would love to see side stories featuring her in other lifetimes. Ultimately, it was an enjoyable read, and I would recommend this book to people who enjoy cozy, witchy thrillers.

 The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.