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    Review: A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

    A Magic Steeped in Poison

    Unsure if you’d like to read A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin? This quick review should put your mind at ease.

  • Book Reviews

    Review: The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless

    The Children of Gods and Fighting Men

    Unsure if you’d like to read The Children of Gods and Fighting Men by Shauna Lawless? This quick review should put your mind at ease.

  • Book Reviews

    Review: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

    gideon the ninth review

    Unsure if you’d like to read Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir? This quick review should put your mind at ease.

  • Book Reviews

    Review: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

    the cruel prince review

    Unsure if you’d like to read The Cruel Prince by Holly Black? This quick review should put your mind at ease.

  • Deep Dives, Reading Psychology

    Do Audiobooks Count as Reading?

    do audiobooks count as reading

    The answer to the question: do audiobooks count as reading? Or is it even the same as physically reading a print book? Let’s find out.

  • Book Reviews

    Review: The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

    the wolf den review

    Curious about reading The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper? Here’s an objective and quick review for you to read.

About Gina

About Gina

Hey, I’m Gina!

I'm a 30-something book lover from the UK. I don't just post book reviews on this website. I also explore the psychology of reading too.

Please don't hesitate to say hi!

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Info on book reviews

For collaborations, business enquiries, and more, you can contact me here: houselucia.com/contact

Sometimes you just have to DNF a book, and this wa Sometimes you just have to DNF a book, and this was sadly one of them. A shame, honestly, because I loved the idea, and that cover… gorgeous. I DNFed on page 222. The writing was good, but the plot felt too formulaic. The world itself was interesting, as was the premise, but the romance element took over and made the book, kind of boring. There were no stakes, nothing to latch onto. So I decided to set it aside. I think it’s such a shame when books with really cool-sounding plots don’t balance romance with that plot very well. How do you feel? Are you there for the plot with a romance compliment? Or are you a romance fan through and through? #bookstagram #bookish #booklover #booknerd #bookobsessed #booksofinstagram #bookaddict #bookcommunity #bookworm #readmorebooks #igreads #readersofinstagram #yafantasy #fantasybook #fairyloot #thedarkening
Q: What was the last book that gave you post-book Q: What was the last book that gave you post-book blues? This book did me in. It broke me a little (in a good way). Here’s why… *This review is spoiler-free* Wallace Price, a cold-hearted, unlikable lawyer, unexpectedly dies and finds himself standing over his own body. Guided by a reaper named Mei and a peculiar ferryman named Hugo, Wallace starts his journey to whatever happens next. Under the Whispering Door kicks off like a modern retelling of Scrooge, with a somewhat cliché start. This seems like a common thread while I’ve been reading TJ Klune’s work. One that’s completely smashed to pieces the more I read. This book, just like Klune’s other work, is slow, tender, and thought-provoking. It’s essentially a book of conversations wrapped in an emotional and engrossing narrative. It’s as if you’re learning and growing alongside the characters. Finishing the book left me feeling exhausted and kind of empty, but not because it was bad - quite the opposite. It made me think and feel deeply about death, a subject I usually dread. It's like the book held my hand and guided me through my emotions, leaving me to my thoughts once it was over. If you're craving a story that will stir something inside you, this is the book you need to read next. While it may not have an epic plot or jaw-dropping twists, it offers something just as valuable, if not better. You'll find gentle growth, challenging conversations, intricate relationships, and eye-opening revelations, all wrapped up in a way that makes you feel seen and comforted. Under the Whispering Door won't hurt you. It will only make you think. I feel like I need to say thank you to TJ Klune for that. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 #UnderTheWhisperingDoor #TJKlune #Bookstagram #MustRead #BookLovers #BooksToRemember
Q: Have you tried this technique? Top tip: Be gen Q: Have you tried this technique? Top tip: Be gentle when you get to the middle! Let's avoid cracking those book spines shall we? Unless you actually like to do it. In which case, you do you! #bookstagramuk #bookstagrammer #booklover #booklovers #paperbacklove #bookstagram #bookish #booklover #booknerd #bookobsessed #booksofinstagram #bookaddict #bookcommunity #bookworm #readmorebooks #igreads #readersofinstagram #bookreel
Q: What was the last read that left you feeling di Q: What was the last read that left you feeling disappointed? Mine was sadly this. Eight years after the Battle of the Serpent, Queen Suren lives wild in the human world, haunted by her past. When pursued by storm hag Bogdana, she's rescued by her charming ex-fiancé, Prince Oak. As they embark on a risky quest, Suren must protect her heart and confront the nightmares she thought were long gone. Alright, let's get real here - this latest dive into Holly Black's faerie world just didn't quite hit the mark for me. The enchanting realm she's crafted starts to lose its magical allure when it becomes normal. Which is what this is. Instead of seeing the faerie realm from a human perspective, we see it from a faerie one. So it’s not scary anymore, not magical. It’s just kind of… meh. Enter Suren, our main character, who feels strikingly similar to Jude from the previous books. She's the classic rebellious female lead, complete with anger issues and a moral compass - but haven't we seen this before? In all honesty, this book felt more like fan service than a fresh, captivating tale. The plot meandered without a clear direction, seemingly engineered to keep us hooked just because we've already invested in the world. Don't get me wrong, Holly Black's writing style remains a joy to read - smooth and engaging as ever. But the story just fell flat this time around. ⭐⭐⭐/5 Read the full review on Goodreads - link in my bio #TheStolenHeir #HollyBlack #FantasyReads #BookLovers #Bookstagram #TheCruelPrince #FolkOfTheAir #YAFantasy #FaerieBooks
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Sometimes you just have to DNF a book, and this wa Sometimes you just have to DNF a book, and this was sadly one of them. A shame, honestly, because I loved the idea, and that cover… gorgeous. I DNFed on page 222. The writing was good, but the plot felt too formulaic. The world itself was interesting, as was the premise, but the romance element took over and made the book, kind of boring. There were no stakes, nothing to latch onto. So I decided to set it aside. I think it’s such a shame when books with really cool-sounding plots don’t balance romance with that plot very well. How do you feel? Are you there for the plot with a romance compliment? Or are you a romance fan through and through? #bookstagram #bookish #booklover #booknerd #bookobsessed #booksofinstagram #bookaddict #bookcommunity #bookworm #readmorebooks #igreads #readersofinstagram #yafantasy #fantasybook #fairyloot #thedarkening
Q: What was the last book that gave you post-book Q: What was the last book that gave you post-book blues? This book did me in. It broke me a little (in a good way). Here’s why… *This review is spoiler-free* Wallace Price, a cold-hearted, unlikable lawyer, unexpectedly dies and finds himself standing over his own body. Guided by a reaper named Mei and a peculiar ferryman named Hugo, Wallace starts his journey to whatever happens next. Under the Whispering Door kicks off like a modern retelling of Scrooge, with a somewhat cliché start. This seems like a common thread while I’ve been reading TJ Klune’s work. One that’s completely smashed to pieces the more I read. This book, just like Klune’s other work, is slow, tender, and thought-provoking. It’s essentially a book of conversations wrapped in an emotional and engrossing narrative. It’s as if you’re learning and growing alongside the characters. Finishing the book left me feeling exhausted and kind of empty, but not because it was bad - quite the opposite. It made me think and feel deeply about death, a subject I usually dread. It's like the book held my hand and guided me through my emotions, leaving me to my thoughts once it was over. If you're craving a story that will stir something inside you, this is the book you need to read next. While it may not have an epic plot or jaw-dropping twists, it offers something just as valuable, if not better. You'll find gentle growth, challenging conversations, intricate relationships, and eye-opening revelations, all wrapped up in a way that makes you feel seen and comforted. Under the Whispering Door won't hurt you. It will only make you think. I feel like I need to say thank you to TJ Klune for that. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 #UnderTheWhisperingDoor #TJKlune #Bookstagram #MustRead #BookLovers #BooksToRemember
Q: Have you tried this technique? Top tip: Be gen Q: Have you tried this technique? Top tip: Be gentle when you get to the middle! Let's avoid cracking those book spines shall we? Unless you actually like to do it. In which case, you do you! #bookstagramuk #bookstagrammer #booklover #booklovers #paperbacklove #bookstagram #bookish #booklover #booknerd #bookobsessed #booksofinstagram #bookaddict #bookcommunity #bookworm #readmorebooks #igreads #readersofinstagram #bookreel
Q: What was the last read that left you feeling di Q: What was the last read that left you feeling disappointed? Mine was sadly this. Eight years after the Battle of the Serpent, Queen Suren lives wild in the human world, haunted by her past. When pursued by storm hag Bogdana, she's rescued by her charming ex-fiancé, Prince Oak. As they embark on a risky quest, Suren must protect her heart and confront the nightmares she thought were long gone. Alright, let's get real here - this latest dive into Holly Black's faerie world just didn't quite hit the mark for me. The enchanting realm she's crafted starts to lose its magical allure when it becomes normal. Which is what this is. Instead of seeing the faerie realm from a human perspective, we see it from a faerie one. So it’s not scary anymore, not magical. It’s just kind of… meh. Enter Suren, our main character, who feels strikingly similar to Jude from the previous books. She's the classic rebellious female lead, complete with anger issues and a moral compass - but haven't we seen this before? In all honesty, this book felt more like fan service than a fresh, captivating tale. The plot meandered without a clear direction, seemingly engineered to keep us hooked just because we've already invested in the world. Don't get me wrong, Holly Black's writing style remains a joy to read - smooth and engaging as ever. But the story just fell flat this time around. ⭐⭐⭐/5 Read the full review on Goodreads - link in my bio #TheStolenHeir #HollyBlack #FantasyReads #BookLovers #Bookstagram #TheCruelPrince #FolkOfTheAir #YAFantasy #FaerieBooks
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