Category: 5 star

5 star

Review: Beating Heart Baby by Lio Min

Fives @ Down The Rabbit Hole

Lio Min’s Beating Heart Baby is an “achingly romantic” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) love letter to internet friendships, anime, and indie rock

When artistic and sensitive Santi arrives at his new high school, everyone in the wildly talented marching band welcomes him with open arms. Everyone except for the prickly, proud musical prodigy Suwa, who doesn’t think Santi has what it takes to be in the band.

But Santi and Suwa share painful pasts, and when they open up to each other, a tentative friendship begins. And soon, that friendship turns into something more. . . .

Will their fresh start rip at the seams as Suwa seeks out a solo spotlight, and both boys come to terms with what it’ll take, and what they’ll have to let go, to realize their dreams?

Thank you Flatiron Books, a branch of MacMillan for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, where do I even begin. Whenever I am asked to read something I was unaware of previously, it’s usually quite the toss up as to what kind of book it’ll be. But let’s just say (as you can tell by the rating already), that I didn’t really have many expectations going in, but I found so much more than I wanted reading this book. I definitely recommend this one. Don’t be fooled by its slightly eccentric title, it truly does have a lot to offer!

Beating Heart Baby revolves around two parts, labelled “Side A” and “Side B.” Our two protagonists are the ones who will take one POV each. The first protagonist is Santiago, who moves into a new high school where for the first time he feels like he may belong. Welcomed by all except (you guessed it) our second protagonist, Suwa, who seems to take a disliking to him instantly. Both of them share quite a pained history, and it is through that connection where they find friendship and maybe something more. Truly a story of coming-of-age among so many other varied themes, this one is bound to leave you in an emotional state as you read through two stories you just can’t help but feel for.

The characters were amazing. Of course with a 5 Drink Me Potion rating, it’s unsurprising that probably everything in this book can be labelled amazing. But really, the characters were so real, and even those struggling with problems I was unfamiliar with, really made me feel like I could understand a little bit better. Just for the record there are a lot of LGBTQ+ themes being explored by the author in this book, which I felt was executed masterfully through the portrayal of its characters. Nothing was forced, everything was natural as it feels like teenagers might face, rather than having it spoon-fed (read: preached) to us as readers.

The plot was also excellent. There were a couple of times where I predicted an outcome, but then I also remembered I’m not reading a thriller/murder mystery. That being said there really is this element of suspense which drives the book forward, and once the story gets going, it is really hard to stop. There are a few (minor) time skips in the story, or at least where it’s a bit more ambiguous how much time has passed, but I felt like this was a good way of also accelerating the story and making it feel like a seamless transition as time passes in the book.

Again, I can’t stress enough how I felt like the message of the book was good. There were the supportive characters, and of course the “villains.” However, I felt like problems were touched upon delicately, and it really gave me a chance to understand a perspective I really previously had little idea about. It felt like such a personal story, yet had these elements of incredulity as Suwa attempts to rise to stardom. Overall it just felt like a bit of a (dark) fairytale, and you really do get a glimpse into another’s life and I felt that this was really well executed and probably the part that blew me away the most.

The ending was also not sappy, which was honestly what I was expecting at this kind of book. It was appropriate, and again, explores another theme (which I will not spoil). Overall I think it was the pacing of the book, the realness of the characters, the learning component, all tied together by a great ending really makes for the “magic” that deserves a 5 Drink Me Potion review and I happily award it here. Again, I highly recommend this!

Overall Recommendations

Read this. I think all could benefit from reading a story like this. Jest aside, Beating Heart Baby is a wonderful tale of two protagonists who navigate the difficult pasts together and find solace in each other’s company. What blossoms and grows is only a matter of what you put in, and the dynamics between these two characters are carefully and expertly woven over a coming-of-age story. Packed full of sombre and important themes, it is still a ray of sunshine as you follow the two stumble through their way in life, trying to find their way. Full of complex characters that are hard to forget, this one is a must read!

5 star, adult

ARC Review: A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

A whip-smart debut that follows the adventures of an entirely unconventional heroine who throws herself into the London Season to find a wealthy husband. But the last thing she expects is to find love…

Kitty Talbot needs a fortune. Or rather, she needs a husband who has a fortune. Left with her father’s massive debts, she has only twelve weeks to save her family from ruin.

Kitty has never been one to back down from a challenge, so she leaves home and heads toward the most dangerous battleground in all of England: the London season. 

Kitty may be neither accomplished nor especially genteel—but she is utterly single-minded; imbued with cunning and ingenuity, she knows that risk is just part of the game. 

The only thing she doesn’t anticipate is Lord Radcliffe. The worldly Radcliffe sees Kitty for the mercenary fortune-hunter that she really is and is determined to scotch her plans at all costs, until their parrying takes a completely different turn…

This is a frothy pleasure, full of brilliant repartee and enticing wit—one that readers will find an irresistible delight.

**A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting comes out July 12, 2022**

Thank you Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Witty and filled with charming banter between our love interests, A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting was unputdownable and had me smiling and cheering all the way through.

If you love period pieces or in general a fan of writing in the Regency era, look no further! I loved the way the author wrote because it felt like transporting back in time. It wasn’t written in a contemporary style and often used words that were definitely more common in that time period than today. Don’t you just hate it when the book is meant to be of another time but the language itself and the conversations don’t really reflect that? It felt like Jane Austen could’ve written this and I absolutely ADORED that.

The story follows Kitty Talbot, the oldest of 5 girls, who is left to fight for her family with the massive debt her parents left behind after their passing. Putting on charm like armor and utilizing a mind that could strategize like the best of the men, she set to work to offer herself up as a wife to the richest men London society could offer. If only she could pave the way of making their acquaintance.

I loved Kitty’s tenacity and her wit. It takes a lot to go from unnoticed naive girls setting foot in London for the first time to becoming established in Society (yes, with the capital S) well enough to please not only the men she’s trying to catch but also the mothers who must give their blessing to such a union. She often times had to give up her own wants and happiness to provide a better future for her younger sisters and that made me feel for her all the more.

However, her character is very much challenged, especially when going toe to toe with Lord Radcliffe who immediately catches onto her plan. He was the best kind of love interest, total Darcy material if I do say so myself. Initially cold and overprotective of his family, he and Kitty butt heads from their very first meeting. But the slow burn of their ensuing partnership – or I suppose blackmailed allyship – that turns these enemies to lovers was the very best this trope can offer.

Their dialogue was some of my favorite things in the book. They both have such sarcastic and sharp tongues when they let their guards down and allow someone to truly see them. Underneath all the armor and glam shown to the rich and the privileged, these two didn’t truly fit into the rules and the scheming the Society was known for. Together, however, something magical happens and watching the slow transition in their relationship was the absolute best. As character development goes, they each challenged the other to become more of who they wanted to be, not the version they showed the world or the comfortable rut they did not want to leave. If that’s not what a great relationship does, then I don’t know anything about love.

The secondary characters were also fabulous. We only get to know one of Kitty’s sisters well as Cecily travelled to London with Kitty to help her find a wealthy husband. I would’ve loved to read more about Cecily and her own experiences among the ton as she’s more bookish and distracted by intellectual ideas more than what’s going on right in front of her. Although she wasn’t looking for it, I was super glad to see romance was in the cards for her too. It’s a shame we don’t get to see more.

With so much to offer transporting us back to such historical times filled with lovable characters to root for, A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting is something surely everyone should look out for as a next read.

Overall Recommendation:

If you’re looking for a great Regency story with the best slow burn romance, A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting is YOUR book! From a smart protagonist to a totally swoon worthy love interest, the romance is worth rooting. I appreciated the author writing in a style with vocabulary that transported me back to the 1800s as that added an extra layer of authenticity to this world. A great debut that will surely bring me back to anything Sophie Irwin publishes next.

5 star, adult

Review: Stuck With You by Ali Hazelwood

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: The STEMinist novellas #2

Nothing like a little rivalry between scientists to take love to the next level.

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…

Logically, Sadie knows that civil engineers are supposed to build bridges. However, as a woman of STEM she also understands that variables can change, and when you are stuck for hours in a tiny New York elevator with the man who broke your heart, you earn the right to burn that brawny, blond bridge to the ground. Erik can apologize all he wants, but to quote her rebel leader—she’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee.

Not even the most sophisticated of Sadie’s superstitious rituals could have predicted such a disastrous reunion. But while she refuses to acknowledge the siren call of Erik’s steely forearms or the way his voice softens when he offers her his sweater, Sadie can’t help but wonder if there might be more layers to her cold-hearted nemesis than meet the eye. Maybe, possibly, even burned bridges can still be crossed….

For the fact that this is a novella, Stuck With You packs on the chemistry and heat right from the start, once again showing that it isn’t about the length of a novel but the talent of the author to draw us into a story and the lives of its characters.

As always, I’m super invested in these women in STEM stories. Definitely would love to see more romance books featuring such smart and independent protagonists.

Sadie was a firecracker with her oddly specific superstitious rituals for good luck before interviews and her love for engineering in a workforce still dominated by men. I adored her voice, and the narrator on the audiobook did a superb job creating that excitement I vividly picture at Sadie’s passion for what she does. Which brings us to her love-hate relationship with Erik. She brings the passion so that also transfers to things (or PEOPLE) she passionately dislikes.

I liked the format of the story going back and forth between present day wherein she’s trapped in the elevator with the last person she wants to see, and the past explaining how she and Erik met. It keeps us guessing what went down between them when it seemed they really clicked initially. This made the pace go really well and never drag the story too long – if novellas can feel long.

Erik epitomized the kind of male love interests that people love. Stoic, strong, a bit brooding (or maybe because he didn’t speak all that much), and clearly misunderstood. Something clearly wasn’t adding up the more we learned of the past between Erik and Sadie.

And while it’s great to love characters individually, I will have to say that Erik and Sadie together just had sparks flying. Whew, how was that elevator not starting to move again when it could be fueled by their tension and electricity?? Their dynamic rivaled Ali Hazelwood’s debut duo from The Love Hypothesis. Perhaps it’s the grumpy-sunshine character combo but anyhow, this made the story. The angst is real, the miscommunication is probably in there somewhere and not too difficult to figure out near the end, and you just know how they make up for such communication breakdown is gonna be awesome.

And by awesome I mean chemically reactive!

If you haven’t hopped onto the Ali Hazelwood train, I would recommend you do. You can start anywhere with this novella series without ruining the other stories, but I definitely liked Sadie’s story the most so far.

Overall Recommendation:

Stuck With You is the classic forced proximity story that draws together two people with an extreme love-hate relationship. What do you get when you put 2 engineers together in an unmoving elevator late on a Friday evening? A combustive story detailing the mishaps of their initial meeting/attempts at romance and perhaps some steamy ways of making up for what happened. Sadie and Erik’s story may contain those common romance tropes but they’re what make the story so attractive. What makes the rest of it so good is the compelling storytelling all credited to Ali’s amazing writing. Definitely worth the pick up for such a short book.