Alba's Reading Corner > Recent Status Updates

I'm only 62 pages in and this book is making me both sleepy and quite frustrated. The MC is annoying me quite a lot too.
I really do hope Miss Elspeth grows a pair soon because if I have to read about her running away and crying every couple of pages because of NOTHING, I may just throw the book across the room and never look back.
Also - personality? Not Found. I'll have to push myself to the 100th page mark *sigh*

I audiobooked this book and I must say: I was shocked. SHOCKED! about the quality of the plot. Everyone else can say whatever they want, but I did really enjoy how "basic" murder mystery stories were only a chapter long, followed by an incredibly detailed analysis.

I was let down by the resolution that resolves... everything and nothing at the same time. I feel both fulfilled but wishing for more? Which is striking.

If I have to read one more time "XYZ feeling/moment/thing. THE KIND OF XYZ..." The kind of this, the kind of that... Imma seizure.
I truly honestly almost dnf'd by the 5th time I saw it coming.

HOWEVER. The story was worth it. I didn't feel as much connection or love towards the characters as I did with the 7 Year Slip, but they were good enough to keep me reading.

Yes. I finished yet another book in less than 24 hours this 2026. I expected as much from an Ali Hazelwood book, though.

I also expected her usual quality of writing and extremely predictable plot twist, if you can call it that. (Hint: the bad man is always the same person, different font).

I um, actually had a good time reading this. It being a standalone made me so happy. I'm queuing Mate for the future.

This book felt paaainfully long. The middle drags with extremely forced romance over real stakes. Too many things don't make sense at all? if Dianna and Liam can teleport, why the need for illegal passports? Why wait a month for Camilla while Kaden builds an army? And WHY is everyone a king? The romance had potential but was all cringe banter, VERY rushed feelings, and all telling instead of showing who Dianna is.

3 books in 3 days. I'm definitely on an Emma Hamm roll, and at this point I'll read even her shopping list.

What more can I say about the series that's made me forget about studying and read for hours on end instead? The overall plot keeps getting better and better. By this I mean the plot of the books themselves is quite basic - which is expected - but the overarching story is compelling and so interesting to read.

What? Another one of these in less than 24 hours, finished in less than 12? Yes sir.
Um, I have no excuses for myself, these books are laced with drug. Love the yearning, the misunderstandings... chef's kiss. Does it follow a similar structure to the 1st, and does it have more romance than plot? Yes. Do I care? No. I knew what I was going to get, and this one delivered as expected.
I still think Mira>Anya by miles.

2 stars. I honestly have no idea how I gave this book 5 stars in my first read back in 2019. Or what convinced me to keep reading the rest of the books.
Writing is so basic I felt I was reading a middle-grade book. Jude was not likeable at all, and I didn’t feel any connection to her whatsoever to the point I couldn’t even feel bad for her. Cardan moments saved this one from being my first DNF of 2026… sigh.

I can't think of a better way to end the year than with a 5 star read that I know I'll reread eventually, and more than once.

I am devastated and gleeful at the same time. I feel like my chest's been hollowed and replaced with starlight. I don't know how to explain what this book's done to me. I've finally read quality writing and an unforgettable love story in a fantasy setting.

The prose in this book reminds me so much of Madeline Miller's. It's so beautiful, and I feel like I'm learning new English words with every chapter I read.
I get goosebumps every time Matilda and Vincent are together because I somehow understand how hard and how rare it is for them to be together. It's like I cherish the moments as much as they do.
I read 50% of it on the plane. I couldn't stop reading.

Me compré este libro sin querer y porque los cantos pintados son mi debilidad. Me lo recomendó una librera muy simpática y me dije: ¿Por qué no? Yo venía de leer mucho romantasy del estilo de SJM y me sentía bastante quemada. Todo era demasiado parecido (mira Iron Flame... lleva a medio leer desde hace meses ya).
La verdad es que grata sorpresa, me está encantando... tengo ansias ya de saber cómo termina...

Ma'am... that plot twist and Epilogue?! My feelings? Absolute no consideration for them.

Read this one in 3 days and got me out of a deep reading slump, as Chloe Gong's books tend to do.

Reading YA was also quite refreshing after the spice fest that the romantasy genre has turned into these days. I was yelping and screaming and kicking my feet at them for JUST holding hands!! Loved it and can't wait for Book 2.

3.75 stars. I read this book in two mornings because it was that easy, addictive, and fun. And maybe because there was so much s-x that I may or may not have skipped some of the *many* scenes.

Anyways regardless, I loved both Ilya and Shane, they both have distinct, realistic personalities and are well aware of the reality of the world. I was left both satisfied and unsatisfied with the end, but happy. Extremely so.

I am as shocked as everyone else about this *choice*. I have nothing to say in my defense. Nothing.

Started it for the shits and giggles but here I am, still reading and definitely NOT thinking about the unfinished Iron Flame sitting on my bedside table.

I somehow forgot how good, how rich this book was, and why I gave it 5 stars the first time. I'm still not fully sold on Rhys, but I do love meeting my favourite characters for the first time again after a few years.

After reading ACOSF, I also love seeing how "cute" Nesta and Cas are in the beginning of it all.

I hate to admit it, but I am indeed basic af and will die for whatever SJM comes up with next.

I'm totally procrastinating reading Iron Flame, gosh. And now I've rabbit-holed towards an ACOTAR reread, and the books are basically reading coke so now I can't stop. Send Help.

I've reached *the* Chapter 55 and will take a break to reflect on whether Rhys is a king master manipulator or if I he's actually starting to grow on me, even if he's still horrible in future books. His character butchering is incredible...

6 stars.

My girl Nesta has grown up so much. Her friendship made me tear up. Her love story was so so sweet (quite a lot of spice, but ok).

Everyone complained about the ending. I get it. Politely disagree. Nesta's redemption arc was *there* and I LOVED it. I ate up every single one of the chapters in this book.

I need more from Gwyn and Emeris. And I'm such a team #Gwynriel for the win. Please SJM, I beg you...

Menudo mastodonte de libro, and I mean it in all possible senses of the word.

Nesta, my love. I love you so so much and it makes me so happy you've got your own found family. (Quote by me becasue she is IT).

I've decided this is going to be a 5 stars no doubt, even if there's too many spicy scenes that really don't add much to it, but the ending may bring it up to 6... who knows at this point.

It's almost 1 am in the morning, and I'm debating on whether to make some coffee, push through this book (f*ck it, it's Friday, you know what I mean?) and sleep happy and contempt knowing what happens.

Or go to sleep before the book inevitably veers too much into one stupid side and becomes a stupid book with a stupid story around Feysand.

Also, I've officially proudly joined the Rhys haters support group.

I'm only 2 chapters in and I already hate Feyre and Rhys. Surprise surprise. Nesta needs to grieve, help, support, and definitely NOT being manipulated and forced like this.
Oh and so. Much. Bullshit from Rhys. Yes, "it's-your-choice"-feminist-TM Rhys. He was already annoying me in the other books, now it's just proved how much I actually do hate him.

I'm such a Nesta supporter. Thank God I also like Cassian a lot.

I've actually just finished this one, but wanted to leave a somewhat public review because... it was as exciting as boiled pasta. No sauce.

In Cindy Pham's words: "This book was pointless but okay."
In Sofia's words: "This is the equivalent of a fluffy fanfic with no plot. " In fact, her review is SO ON POINT.

Only read because I was lied to and thought I needed it to read ACOSF... The LIES, THE LIES.

I was not wrong about rereading this one. I feel useful again, my skin is clear and my crops are watered - I'm flying through the book and I'm back to loving reading again.

I missed the OG badass female character Caelena Sardothien. With her faults and flaws, and rawness. She's perfectly imperfect and I'm glad I still love her so much, in this vast sea of wannabes...

I know, I know. It's my 3rd reread of this book.
It's like a comfort read at this point, and the 3rd time in my life where I've thought: maybe I'll reread the Throne of Glass series... and just make it to the end of the book. Forget about the rest of the books (oops).

This is my not stepping out of my comfort zone, or maybe me still too hung up on Alchemised and afraid of future disappointments.

I'm struggling. I don't know why, I can't pinpoint it, but I've put off reading this book for a couple of days. Never a good sign.

I'm disappointed that for some reason I can push through, but maybe I'm saturated. The audiobook is terrible and made me want to punch something, also not great.

And I'm done... Meeting the Crows for the second time was just as thrilling as the first time around. I can't pick a favourite, I love them all.

"I want you to stay. I want you to... I want you." - Just killed me. Dead. Unalived. Kill me now because my heart can't take it.
-> Rata aprieta el puño con rabia. <-

Anyways, now that I'm older, I do recognise I found it harder to stay focused, but it was oh so worth it.

“My ghost won’t associate with your ghost”
“Because I’ve been looking for an excuse to talk to you for two days”

Is WHY I’m rereading Six of Crows… gosh it still makes me giddy after all these years.

I remember giving this book 5 stars, and because of that, now I own a rebound edition that I made myself... which means it's the perfect time for a reread.
I finished rereading Fourth Wing right before I started this one, and feel like I just needed something completely different. Something "fluffy" - well, as fluffy as Kaz Brekker can get - or more like, LESS adult but still heart-tugging.

Finished the book yesterday night - ahem, more like today at 1am but still.

Wow, I'm actually glad I reread this book because I feel like I missed so much depth in the characters the first time around. The eagerness to know what happened was greater than wanting to get to know them the first time around, I guess.

As expected, I flew through the entire 500+ pages, and this time, I did enjoy the ending... even if...

Yup. This reread is going as planned. Basically been living and breathing this book for the past day, and I'm definitely going to stay up to finish it because damn, I forgot how addictive it was.

I can't wait for the floodgates to open in the last third of the book in any of the possible senses of the metaphor. Gosh I love rereading books and knowing everyone I love will always be alive in the beginning :')

Rereading because I need a specific itch scratched, and I know this book will do the job.

I also want to keep reading series (damn you, TikTok hype), and obviously forgot most of it since I first did (back in 2023, ouch).

I know I'll love this one, I just hope it's enough to get me over the boring first pages of Iron Flame, which just made me stop reading the series altogether. I remember FRUSTRATION. Wish me luck.