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Bride of the Water God, Volume 1
Bride of the Water God, Volume 1
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
It's not often that I read a manga--or, in this case, a manhwa. But after watching the <i>terrible</i> Kdrama and having this recommended to me so many times, I decided to give it a go.

And I loved it.

I think I'm on volume 10 now and I only just started reading yesterday.

That's how much I loved it.

But I suppose I should explain why I enjoyed it so much. Okay. So....probably one of my favorites elements of Bride of the Water God was the world-building here. It doesn't such an incredibly job introducing Korean mythology and the realm of the gods. While it was hard to keep track of all the characters, I really liked learning about Habaek and Soah, and the complicated fate of their relationtship. It IS a little tropey in many ways, but I am so trash for brooding gods with hidden soft hearts and seemingly weak female characters with tempered strength. I didn't think of Soah as strong at first, to be honest, but I do like how her character is built upon in each volume.

And the kindness of her heart. Yes, she's a bit childish and helpless, but I think this also gives her resilience, strength, and emotional perception.

My only annoyance was Nakbin...who is pretty much the Katherina Petrova of this story. And there were times I wish Habaek would JUST GET THE HECK OVER HER and totally admit feels for Soah. But overall, this tension was what kept me turning the pages.
  
The Secret Bridesmaid
The Secret Bridesmaid
Katy Birchall | 2018 | Romance
9
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sometimes you just need a feel good, light read and that is exactly what this is. I read this book in one sitting and I hardly realised that I’d been sat reading for hours until I had finally finished it. I would definitely give it a 4.5 stars overall.
We follow Sophie Breeze, a professional bridesmaid which is like a wedding planner but doesn’t take over and instead makes sure the bride is completely involved with all of the decisions but has a supportive bridesmaid to lean on. Sophie set this up as a business after her and her ex-boyfriend broke up after 8 years together, completely surprising Sophie.
Sophie is extremely likeable, and I found that I had so much in common with her - she is my age, has different things in common with me and looks at life the same way. Which made it a delight to read. She was also very down to earth and very funny, meaning that sometimes I actually properly laughed at some of the situations that she was in (running down the street in a Chewbacca outfit was my personal favourite!) and I think that’s what made it so enjoyable.
I find Katy Birchall’s writing very similar to Beth O’Leary’s, so if you’re a fan of her I would definitely give this book a try! I can’t believe that this is her first adult novel, it’s not obvious at all from the writing. I will be on the lookout for her future work.
  
The Wife Between Us
The Wife Between Us
Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen | 2018 | Mystery, Thriller
9
8.1 (37 Ratings)
Book Rating
Plot twists and mystery! (0 more)
A little too much going on but still interesting! (0 more)
#GritLit Domestic Thriller Must Read
The premise of this book is captivating.

At first I think it's clear: A man left his wife for his assistant and the ex-wife is left devastated. The new bride is carried away in the new lavish lifestyle her husband-to-be is creating for her and she barely notices the subtle clues that someone is stalking her, watching her every move.

Nellie is cute, bubbly and everything that Vanessa used to be. The ex wife, Vanessa, is a recovering alcoholic living with her aunt, wondering how Richard could leave her. So she sets up on a mission to find out what Nellie has that she doesn't and to find a way to seek revenge.

If the book would have wrapped up after the first major twist in the middle of the book, I would have been impressed but the hits and twists just kept coming so it was impossible to put down.

I think the twists and turns, plus the creepy narration from an unreliable character who is clearly losing her mind were all great. I was really hooked at first. But by the end, there was just too much going on.

It's fast-paced, creepy and so vivid that you may start to think you're even being stalked too...

It's very much like The Couple Next Door, My Husband's Wife and Lie to Me and and similar thrillers. Twisted, interesting and really great characters but just a little too drag towards the end. Still recommend it though!
  
That's Not an Elvis Tribute Artist. That's a Corpse!
Liv, Di, and much of Liv's family is heading to Vegas for Liv's mother's wedding to Earl. They are excited to meet up with Liv's cousin, Little Junior, who is trying to become an Elvis impersonator, but in the meantime is driving a cab in the city. The wedding is supposed to take place in the Burning Love Wedding Chapel, but before the bride and groom can even get to "I Do," the Elvis impersonator who is supposed to be marrying them drops dead. When the police decide it was murder, they begin looking at Liv's cousin as the killer. Even though Liv is far from home, can she still figure out who the killer really is?

I have found the pacing in the series to be off, and this book continues the trend as the murder comes late in the book. We get some set up before that happens, but there is plenty of time spent with some sub-plots early in the book as well. The mystery, when it starts, is strong, providing some fun suspects and surprises before we reach the logical ending. The sub-plots partially allow us to check in with folks back in Dixie, Tennessee, so I'm not complaining too much. Having said that, the sub plot involving Liv's best friend Di and her boyfriend drove me crazy since both of them were behaving stupidly. This book is best for fans of the series since they will fully appreciate some of what happens here. And they will really enjoy this trip.