Assorted Snack Size Reviews

Since early June I've read a handful of "just for fun" books that I haven't reviewed. I've debated a bit with myself on whether or not I should try writing snack size reviews for all of them, but I've decided to let them go and only focus on a few recent ones today. However, I will say that Full Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer, Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge, All She Wanted by Nicole Deese, and A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd are all reads that I greatly enjoyed for various reasons. If you want to check out my ratings for those books and others I've read, you're always welcome to check out my Shelfari or Goodreads shelves! (They generally contain the same books, but I've kept Shelfari because I like the looks and organization of it, while Goodreads provides a better social connection with other readers.)

Anywho, here are a few snack size reviews I wanted to share... Enjoy!

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Thorn by Intisar Khanani

Rating: Summer

Currently $3.99 for Kindle

Thorn is a dark fairy tale that boldly addresses the evils of humanity while pinpointing the beautiful light of friendships, mercy, bravery, and love like stars in the night. The injustices and bouts of violence might leave you sick—and this read is probably not for everyone—but the moments of grace are exquisite, and the unflinching look at justice vs. revenge is thought-provoking. The heroine is both relatably imperfect and fearful, yet admirably kind, adaptable, and strong. The setting is so vivid as to be nearly tangible. And the romance is subtle, yet it's sweetness is pervasive. I didn't necessarily love every aspect of the plot, but the story as a whole swept me away.

The Bone Knife by Intisar Khanani (Short Story)
Rating: Spring
Currently FREE for Kindle!
The Bone Knife is a follow-up short story that remains in the world of Thorn while establishing the beginning of a new series. The shorter length keeps the suspense and action to a minimum, but the endearing family dynamics completely won me over, and the creativity in the magical aspects as well as the symbolism of the title rounded out the reading experience in a positive way.

Pocket Your Dollars by Carrie Rocha

Currently $5.60 in paperback format

This book was recommended to me by a fellow blogger and friend (thank you, Rachelle Rea!), and I'm so grateful I decided to read it. The timing could not have been more perfect, as I'm settling into a new job and navigating the ins and outs of living on my own for the first time. And who knew a book on taking control of your financial situation could actually be enjoyable to read? Rocha's writing style flows effortlessly, her examples are understandable and real, and her advice completely resonated with me. There are some practical tips at the end, but most of the book is about learning how to change your attitudes about money—and the great part is, some of the skills she describes for changing those attitudes can also apply to other areas of life. Pocket Your Dollars is inspiring, encouraging, and extremely handy. I feel more confident and positive about my financial future, and that sort of reading outcome is invaluable!

Note: Thanks to Juju of Tales of Whimsy for the inspiration regarding mini reviews!