Tag: reviews

November & December 2023 Wrap Up

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the Left2 Comments

Happy New Year! I can’t believe another year has finished and gone. 2023 had a lot of ups and downs. I’ve not been as active here as I would have liked. Things have been pretty bumpy with my health, but hopefully things will improve as I now have a new diagnosis which will help me manage it better. I read quite a few books in November and December and ended the year by exceeding my 2023 goal of 18 books by reading 22!

Every Duke Has His Day by Susanne Enoch ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This book was absolutely charming and completely fun to read. I was thoroughly entertained the whole way through and laughed on more than one occasion. I adored the romance and was so happy with the ending I didn’t care whether it was predictable or not. Having been feeling a bit down, this was just the book I needed. If you’re looking for something light-hearted and fun, I would highly recommend this book.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – This is a great YA fantasy with a touching romance and an interesting setting. It kept me reading from start to finish and had a heartbreaking ending. It’s not one of my favourite reads of the year, but I think that’s more down to personal taste than the quality of the book. This is an excellently crafted book and I would definitely recommend it.

Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – The final book in the Grishaverse series! I can’t believe I’ve finally reached the end and won’t be returning to this world again. Unless Leigh Bardugo decides to go back to this world at some point, and I would be perfectly happy if she did. Rule of Wolves is a great conclusion to the series. Some old, favourite characters return which made it feel like a homage to the series as a whole and a bit of a farewell tour.

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – As I enjoyed The Bone Houses, I was looking forward to returning to the same world, with new characters and a new story. This was a fun heist story and there were some great twists towards the end.

Whisked Away at Christmas by Mahi Chesire ⭐⭐⭐ – I was looking for a fun, Christmassy read and came across this on Audible. The story centres around a prestigious baking competition and a second chance romance. While I enjoyed the story, I think I would have enjoyed it more with different narrators, as the ones chosen for this audiobook were a little flat and didn’t bring the story to life.

Sisters of Sword and Shadow by Laura Bates ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – I love Arthurian stories and tales of knights, so I just had to pick this one up when I saw it. The audiobook narration is great and works really well for this one as the writing has the feel of being told a classic tale of brave knights. The ending leaves things open for a sequel and I’d be interested in returning to this world and characters if the author does write another.

I ended the year pretty well, reaching the midpoint of my novel which is really exciting. I’ve been working on it a long time now, so to reach this milestone feels like a great achievement.

What books have you enjoyed this month? Chat with me in the comments!

Audiobook Review: Gods & Monsters by Shelby Mahurin

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

Gods & Monsters by Shelby Mahurin

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance  

Publishing Info: Audiobook, July 2021, narrated by Holter Graham & Saskia Maarleveld

Star Rating: 3/5

Back Cover Summary:
The spellbinding conclusion to the New York Times and IndieBound bestselling trilogy Serpent & Dove. This stunning fantasy take on French witches and forbidden love is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.

Evil always seeks a foothold. We must not give it one.

After a heartbreaking loss, Lou, Reid, Beau, and Coco are bent on vengeance more than ever before—and none more so than Lou.

But this is no longer the Lou they thought they knew. No longer the Lou that captured a chasseur’s heart. A darkness has settled over her, and this time it will take more than love to drive it out.

Gods & Monsters is the concluding novel in Shelby Mahurin’s Serpent & Dove series and, following an unexpected twist at the end of the previous instalment, I was intrigued to see how the story would conclude. While many fans of the first book found Blood & Honey disappointing, I found the character development and evolution of Lou and Reid’s relationship engaging, though there was a little too much filler in the plot department. Still, Gods & Monsters had a lot of work to do to bring the story round to a good conclusion and, while it did have a satisfying ending, the third novel sadly suffered from issues with the overall series structure.

The opening section of Gods & Monsters didn’t quite draw me in as much as I had hoped. Nicholina’s character was incredibly creepy, which I expect was the author’s intention, and the audiobook narrator did an excellent job of making her disturbing. Perhaps too good a job, as I felt a bit uncomfortable listening to this part of the audiobook. Lou also only had a small part in the first section, and without her presence, there was something missing.

After a while, I settled into the familiarity of the characters and Shelby Mahurin’s writing style, simply enjoying being back with these characters and enjoying the story. The character development was once again strong, with the characters challenged to face their deepest fears and truths about themselves they have yet to acknowledge.

Read More »