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| 0062321293
| 9780062321299
| B00SRX214K
| 3.75
| 1,179
| Oct 20, 2015
| Oct 20, 2015
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it was ok
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2.5 stars Historical fiction is the genre that I've been trying to delve into much more this year. This paired with a fondness for (at least the idea o 2.5 stars Historical fiction is the genre that I've been trying to delve into much more this year. This paired with a fondness for (at least the idea of) spy thrillers, as soon as I heard about Velvet Undercover, I was excited. A teenage spy sent into Germany from the UK during World War I? Color me intrigued. This book was entertaining... but not exactly mindblowing. I'll start with my biggest point of critique and the thing that kept this book from ever really engaging me fully: the writing. I have this thing with historical fiction - especially those set in Britain or with British characters. I really need the writing to feel authentic and engrossing. If you're in Britain, you should at least attempt to present British-sounding dialogue and terminology. You should not, like this book, talk about a dinner of stew and biscuits - when biscuits in Britain means cookies. *facepalm* Overall the writing was so Americanized and watered down for its target audience. That's not to say it was bad, but it just left me wanting more. And with settings in London and Berlin, I really want a sense of atmosphere to where I can picture the places, the people, and the mannerisms in my mind, but this book never quite got there. The plot, luckily, kept me going. Samantha Donaldson gets recruited by MI5 due to her having lived in Berlin as a child, to dive into the field and save an undercover agent who may very well be compromised. She's been trained at a special school and has a knack for code breaking, so she's glad to be able to put those skills to good use. However, she doesn't go completely voluntarily. She's blackmailed into it, being promised information about her father who went missing during a diplomatic mission. As far as mysteries go, Velvet Undercover does a lot of things right. You're pointed in one direction, Samantha is gradually decrypting clues as she goes along, and before long there are some murders and plot twists that convince you to keep reading. It really is interesting and compulsively readable in that sense. And as the story, for a large part, takes place in the royal palace in Berlin, it was cool to see an image of how one of the enemy countries was governed. Though the book doesn't delve into it too much, you do get a sense of the political maneuvering during the time period (and the foreshadowing about the consequences for the country and the world in the coming decades). But, yet in other things, this book is a bit simplistic and juvenile. And not in the sense that this is a fun, rompy spy novel - it's completely serious - but Samantha can be pretty dumb. She arrives in Berlin knowing that there are two suspects that could be Velvet. She focuses only on that and gets annoyed when it's been like a week and she's not sure who it is yet. Seriously, after like a week, she plans to just ask one of the two if they're Velvet. And I'm supposed to believe she's a top notch spy with a promising future? Her sleuthing was pretty simple, and she jumped to conclusions way too quickly. I kind of expected that she would first spend some time (months, pretty much) adjusting to her surroundings and gaining the trust of the people, doing some sneaky and intelligent poking around here and there, but... no. Not really. That's not to mention that the plot twist that should shock you was about the most obvious you might expect from such a spy novel, and that Velvet ended up being exactly who I thought it was - from the first mention of that character on the page. I still kind of enjoyed figuring out how the pieces fit together, and the story had a pretty solid construction, but it just didn't wow me. At all. I guess it's all about managing expectations. Velvet Undercover is a story you read for the plot and setting, not the characters or the romance (which isn't a big deal - very much a side story - but also gave me pretty much zero feels). The story is solid and mildly addictive to read. And yet, at the same time, you shouldn't expect serious sleuthing, intriguing puzzles, or shocking plot twists. I hate to say it, but remember the 'teenage' in the 'teenage spy novel' label. Summing Up: Though I mostly enjoyed this book for its unusual setting and intriguing premise, Velvet Undercover never really wowed me. Samantha is pretty freaking dumb for a supposedly brilliant teenage spy, and I called the plot twists from a mile away. Above all, though, I really wish the writing had impressed me more. Writing style is more than half the battle in historical fiction with me, and Brown's was so average and bland that I'm doubtful I want to try another one of her novels. But we'll see about that at a later date. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: I... don't really know. *An electronic review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review. Merged review: 2.5 stars Historical fiction is the genre that I've been trying to delve into much more this year. This paired with a fondness for (at least the idea of) spy thrillers, as soon as I heard about Velvet Undercover, I was excited. A teenage spy sent into Germany from the UK during World War I? Color me intrigued. This book was entertaining... but not exactly mindblowing. I'll start with my biggest point of critique and the thing that kept this book from ever really engaging me fully: the writing. I have this thing with historical fiction - especially those set in Britain or with British characters. I really need the writing to feel authentic and engrossing. If you're in Britain, you should at least attempt to present British-sounding dialogue and terminology. You should not, like this book, talk about a dinner of stew and biscuits - when biscuits in Britain means cookies. *facepalm* Overall the writing was so Americanized and watered down for its target audience. That's not to say it was bad, but it just left me wanting more. And with settings in London and Berlin, I really want a sense of atmosphere to where I can picture the places, the people, and the mannerisms in my mind, but this book never quite got there. The plot, luckily, kept me going. Samantha Donaldson gets recruited by MI5 due to her having lived in Berlin as a child, to dive into the field and save an undercover agent who may very well be compromised. She's been trained at a special school and has a knack for code breaking, so she's glad to be able to put those skills to good use. However, she doesn't go completely voluntarily. She's blackmailed into it, being promised information about her father who went missing during a diplomatic mission. As far as mysteries go, Velvet Undercover does a lot of things right. You're pointed in one direction, Samantha is gradually decrypting clues as she goes along, and before long there are some murders and plot twists that convince you to keep reading. It really is interesting and compulsively readable in that sense. And as the story, for a large part, takes place in the royal palace in Berlin, it was cool to see an image of how one of the enemy countries was governed. Though the book doesn't delve into it too much, you do get a sense of the political maneuvering during the time period (and the foreshadowing about the consequences for the country and the world in the coming decades). But, yet in other things, this book is a bit simplistic and juvenile. And not in the sense that this is a fun, rompy spy novel - it's completely serious - but Samantha can be pretty dumb. She arrives in Berlin knowing that there are two suspects that could be Velvet. She focuses only on that and gets annoyed when it's been like a week and she's not sure who it is yet. Seriously, after like a week, she plans to just ask one of the two if they're Velvet. And I'm supposed to believe she's a top notch spy with a promising future? Her sleuthing was pretty simple, and she jumped to conclusions way too quickly. I kind of expected that she would first spend some time (months, pretty much) adjusting to her surroundings and gaining the trust of the people, doing some sneaky and intelligent poking around here and there, but... no. Not really. That's not to mention that the plot twist that should shock you was about the most obvious you might expect from such a spy novel, and that Velvet ended up being exactly who I thought it was - from the first mention of that character on the page. I still kind of enjoyed figuring out how the pieces fit together, and the story had a pretty solid construction, but it just didn't wow me. At all. I guess it's all about managing expectations. Velvet Undercover is a story you read for the plot and setting, not the characters or the romance (which isn't a big deal - very much a side story - but also gave me pretty much zero feels). The story is solid and mildly addictive to read. And yet, at the same time, you shouldn't expect serious sleuthing, intriguing puzzles, or shocking plot twists. I hate to say it, but remember the 'teenage' in the 'teenage spy novel' label. Summing Up: Though I mostly enjoyed this book for its unusual setting and intriguing premise, Velvet Undercover never really wowed me. Samantha is pretty freaking dumb for a supposedly brilliant teenage spy, and I called the plot twists from a mile away. Above all, though, I really wish the writing had impressed me more. Writing style is more than half the battle in historical fiction with me, and Brown's was so average and bland that I'm doubtful I want to try another one of her novels. But we'll see about that at a later date. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: I... don't really know. *An electronic review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Oct 07, 2015
not set
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Oct 12, 2015
not set
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Sep 22, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 1743316518
| 9781743316511
| 1743316518
| 4.21
| 1,756
| Jun 01, 2014
| Jun 01, 2014
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it was amazing
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5 stars I couldn't help myself - I was on such a shipping high when I finished Every Breath that I had to dive into Every Word right away. And I regret 5 stars I couldn't help myself - I was on such a shipping high when I finished Every Breath that I had to dive into Every Word right away. And I regret nothing. This series is seriously shaping up to become one of my favorites. Our heroes, Rachel Watts and James Mycroft, are back in another thrilling adventure that is equal parts intensely dark and incredibly sexy. At the end of Every Breath the ship was a definite THING and now sparks are flying all over the place. Seriously, someone give Ellie Marney all the awards for writing AMAZING kissing scenes. These two have electrifying chemistry, for serious. It's been a longgg time since I've been so infatuated with and flaily about a romance. They are gold. GOLD. But it's not all sunshine and rainbows - oh no. Rachel's parents' disapproval of Mycroft notwithstanding, after a few chapters of shippy bliss, the plot blasts off and OH NO, Mycroft flies off to London to solve a murder that has some similarity to his parents' deaths. And he neglects to really let Rachel know about this at all, aside from what she later realizes was a kiss goodbye. She decides to follow him because he isn't always mentally stable when his parents are involved, and though that might sound a bit clingy and impulsive, it really is for the best. Rachel keeps Mycroft grounded. And boy, he needs that, because Mycroft has some serious emotional issues in this book. He's obviously not coping well with the cold case of his parents' murders. He plays pretend to make people think he's all right, but Rachel can see through it all. He believes he's broken and the real James Mycroft died in that car accident with his parents. He believes Rachel deserves better than a broken person. THE PAIN. THE FREAKING PAIN. When all you want is for two characters to keep kissing and they have so much baggage between them that they refuse to? That hurts. (But no worries, seriously, there's more than enough really good kissing.) *cough* But. Um. The story. Though it's maybe a bit beyond the realm of plausibility that an Australian pathologist would be called in for a carjacking death in England - and that he would be permitted to bring his (admittedly brilliant) teenage assistant with him - it was a great case to read and solve. I got serious Sherlock vibes off of some of the events, general atmosphere, and antagonists. You actually get glimpses of crime scene investigations and autopsies, so mystery fans will probably LOVE this. And, oh boy, this book is intense. I can't even really go into it because of spoilers, but the mystery heats up and gets complicated, and our characters kind of face MORTAL PERIL. I felt VERY INTENSELY about all of this. It's like I was in the room with them, scared for them, and boy did I have to keep reading to find out how it all ends. Definitely more intense and thrilling than book 1, in the best possible way. And the set up for book 3? SO GOOD. Must read now. At the end of the day, though, what I love most about this book are these characters and their beautiful romance. I'm not one for ships with a ton of baggage and drama, but believe me when I say that Mycroft's tortured past works for them. It's complicated, sure, but it's also extremely realistic. They really fight for their relationship and all the scary, heavy shit they went through in this book makes their relationship so much stronger. And they still have banter at the worst of times. And the kissing. Oh god, please keep kissing. Summing Up: This series is DOING THINGS TO ME. Wattscroft is dominating my life right now, and I regret nothing. Every Word has pretty much the perfect combination of Sherlock-like dark and thrilling mystery and oh so swoony romance. That all makes for a freaking addictive read that you won't want to put down for a second. I have gone down the rabbit hole and now I have no choice but to dive into Every Move right away. Oh and someone crown Ellie Marney Queen of Kissing Scenes, 'kay? 'kay. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: Everyoneee. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 19, 2015
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Oct 23, 2015
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Mar 09, 2017
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1743318537
| 9781743318539
| 1743318537
| 4.12
| 1,050
| Feb 02, 2016
| Mar 01, 2015
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really liked it
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4.5 stars On an absolute feels high, it was inevitable that I had to read Every Move immediately after Every Word, finishing my binge of what is now on 4.5 stars On an absolute feels high, it was inevitable that I had to read Every Move immediately after Every Word, finishing my binge of what is now one of my all-time favorite series. Intense action, thrills, and romance make for an addictive and engrossing read. Holy intensity, Batman. Every Move pulls no punches. The stakes are high - like insanely high. After Every Word, I think it was generally understood that Wild is not a friendly guy... But in Every Move, he gets possibly even scarier. Murders start littering the streets of Melbourne, bodies resembling those of Rachel and Mycroft, sending a clear message that they are in danger. A secondary character who became super dear to my heart in this book ends up in mortal peril, and I felt like CRYING SO HARD FOREVER HARD. It was thrilling and action-packed, and obviously I needed to read it as quickly as humanly possible. Page turner? Absolutely. And the climax packs a punch. Mycroft and Rachel aren't about to just go into hiding or surrender to Wild. With their keen wits and intellect, they find out what he's after, and there's one final dramatic showdown. It had me on the edge of my seat, and there were some Sherlock level mindfucks and traps, making this so entertaining to read. No worries: the romance is still mega shippy. Yeah, it doesn't exactly start off well - Mycroft is consumed by his battle with Wild while Rachel is left dealing with PTSD after the events of Every Word. Mycroft doesn't really win any best boyfriend awards as far as that is concerned. But oh man, I was all about Rachel's character growth here. The PTSD stuff was for real, but she overcame it like a boss, while also reconciling with her mother (finally) and clearly fending off Harris's advances, because even though she and Mycroft hadn't been too close recently, that love is real. The two have so much dark shit to deal with, but they come together and are freaking unstoppable and so lovable. Maybe not enough kissing for me, but man oh man, there were plenty of feels. So for all intents and purposes, this book was super feelsy and intense and I enjoyed every second of it - but there are two tiny things that keep me from giving it a full, perfect score. First, yeah, if you know Sherlock, you'll probably guess who the bad guy is. I knew instantly, though it wasn't at all that obvious. Second, oh my god, I'm so tried of YA mysteries hinging on the characters not trusting the police. I get that if they did inform them, they would get shut out of investigating, but seriously, the stakes were so high and the police had done a fine job protecting you thus far. I mean, the book was more exciting because they were on their own, but I don't feel like that's fully realistic. (Also, the fact that it was Rachel who lashed out and contacted Wild seemed really out of character to me.) Summing Up: Short but sweet - because how many more ways can I say that I love Every Move and this series? I'm only sad that it's over now, because I could read about more of Rachel and Mycroft's adventures until the end of time. This book was at times scary (murder!) and heavy (PTSD!) but so well-written and well-developed. These characters - the supporting cast as well - have imprinted on my heart, and I just cared so much about all of them. And at the center of it all is still that absolutely beautiful ship. Rachel and Mycroft 5ever! GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: EVERYONE. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 25, 2015
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Oct 27, 2015
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Mar 09, 2017
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Paperback
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| 0062422855
| 9780062422859
| B019C3WSSM
| 3.85
| 430
| Sep 06, 2016
| Sep 06, 2016
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liked it
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3.5 stars I picked up The Cat King of Havana for one simple and perhaps shallow reason: I'm going to Cuba in November. And I know basically nothing abo 3.5 stars I picked up The Cat King of Havana for one simple and perhaps shallow reason: I'm going to Cuba in November. And I know basically nothing about the island, the culture, the history, and only bits and pieces about the political situation. What better way to get a taste of all of that than through fiction? Well, The Cat King of Havana, while for the rest not being a typically me story, did deliver on that. The Cat King of Havana is about Rick, a Cuban American webmaster of a cat video site who may be considered... a geek. He doesn't get out much, but he doesn't mind, because he likes his realm of internet life... until he gets dumped. In an effort to get out there, he takes up salsa dancing and quickly falls for Ana, an experienced dancer. And together, they travel to Havana for a summer of learning the purest form of Cuban salsa, a trip that ends up being so much more. I should be upfront, because nothing ruins a book like having the wrong expectations. This is not a love story. Rick is obviously crushing hard on Ana in a kind of desperate and idyllic way. He ascribes qualities to her and potential to their relationship that aren't always entirely fair. Ana's pretty clear from the beginning though: she doesn't feel that way about him. That may sound like Rick is too pushy, but it honestly didn't read that way. This is just a classic and realistic tale of unrequited love - in the way that a lot of us probably experienced in high school. Rick discovers so much about himself over the course of this book that eventually he grows out of it too. I came into this book for Cuba, and I definitely feel like that part of the story was strong. You can tell that Crosshill is intimately familiar with the island and its culture. It really felt like an insider perspective, and I felt like I learned SO MUCH. The poverty, the limitations, the heartbreaking push to frame the whole of the country to the lens and wishes of tourists (which is degrading like hell), the contrast between the old and younger generations, the effect of new media and the internet on exposing the political situation - despite the risks that inherently carries... I'm impressed. Though I didn't care overly much for the characters, being introduced to this rich setting alone already kept me reading. The thing about the characters is... I don't know. It's hard to really like them when there's such a focus on a romance that is so hopeless. Rick is kind of cute in the way that he cares so much, but he borders on annoying at certain points. Ana is an admirable free spirit, but kind of distant and idealized from Rick's perspective. Rick's family is... okay. Though I feel so conflicted about his annoying cousin. But I can get behind that group of characters when push comes to shove and they stand up in whatever way they can to the injustice they find in Cuba. It was a little nerve-wracking, but their hearts were 100% in the right place. At the end of the day, though nothing in the book truly grabbed me as being fantastic, it has a lot of great messages: standing up for what's right, respecting foreign cultures, growing into your own person and letting go of childish fantasies, treasuring friendship above love, hard work paying off and being enough to make a distant dream into a reality... This story wasn't what I expected, but I don't regret reading it for a second. Summing Up: With a vibrant and illuminating backdrop of Cuba, The Cat King of Havana was a really interesting read. Interesting is absolutely the best word for it, because it really made me think and taught me quite a bit about a culture I know so little about. I loved seeing the culture and getting glimpses of the salsa scene (must see (and do) on my trip), and ultimately, the way the characters grew in the story was quite admirable. They didn't fully capture my heart, but their adventure was compelling. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: Readers with wanderlust who don't mind having no romance. *An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 30, 2016
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Sep 02, 2016
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Aug 24, 2016
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Kindle Edition
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| 006238015X
| 9780062380159
| 006238015X
| 3.92
| 7,944
| May 31, 2016
| May 31, 2016
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really liked it
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4 stars Sometimes you just need something cute. After being sick for a week and falling slowly into a reading slump, I couldn't help but order, receive 4 stars Sometimes you just need something cute. After being sick for a week and falling slowly into a reading slump, I couldn't help but order, receive, and then immediately read Wanderlost, which Christina was all atwitter about. This book is basically the perfect summer book: cute, sweet, funny, and full of European love. Wanderlost is about Aubree, a recently graduated high school senior, who secretly takes over her sister's position guiding a senior tour through Europe. Except, she doesn't know anything about Europe. Actually, she's just fine staying at home. But throughout her journey she discovers another side to herself, another side of the world, and - of course - a wonderful boy. At first I was a bit hesitant with this book because I've had a Eurotrip book go totally wrong before, and Aubree, with her love of the familiar and fear of anything foreign, didn't initially sound like a character I would like that much. But her voice has SO MUCH LIFE. She's reluctant, yes, to go on her journey, but when she gets there, she discovers so many things to love. Every place she goes she decides it's her 'new favorite'. She also grows herself - from someone very dependent on others, reluctant to take action or responsibility, to someone who can stand on her own two feet. It's not the biggest character growth arc ever, but it's super on point. The places she travels are just AMAZING. They start off in Amsterdam, then travel through Germany, to Salzburg and Vienna, Budapest, Venice, Monaco, and so many other places along the way. There are cheese and clog makers in Holland, kisses by canals in Venice, a Sound of Music tour around Salzburg... I want to TAKE this trip, srsly. As a European, I can vet for the cultural portrayals. As an American, I can vet for Aubree's perceptions and impressions. Yeah, maybe the precise layout of Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport wasn't 100% correct, but these are things you only notice if you know a place by heart. Aubree's open eyed and open minded as she takes everything in and sees the beauty in so much... except the food. She's the pickiest eater and won't eat the food. Mostly because of the strange names, as far as I can tell. And, of course, the boy. The boy, Sam, is pretty darn great. He starts off as Aubree's link to the travel organization, checking in on her each evening. She ends their first phone conversation by accidentally saying "loveyoubye" which is hilarious and adorable and so awkward but so ME. Then they have all of the banter and just can't wait to continue their conversations every day. There's so much cute here, I can't even handle it. Although, with Aubree pretending to be her sister, there's a fair amount of predictable drama as well. Lying never goes well. But though it was a bit cliché, the execution is still cute, realistic, and feelsy. I shipped it loads. There are so many other lovely details to this book that made it really realistic and touching. Aubree's relationship with her sister is strained, because Elizabeth doesn't really believe in her - like she's waiting for her to fail. So Aubree feels this angry urge to prove herself. I may relate to this a LOT. The senior citizens on the trip are honestly ADORABLE. I loved their sparkly personalities and the way that Aubree slowly but surely grew really close to them. Aubree's mother is really overbearing, but there is a lot of love in that family. Honestly, one of the best parts of the book was the way the story was tied up in the end - not a sappy happily ever after, not a romance focus, but a focus on Aubree growing as her own person. A+ ending, would read again. Summing Up: Those who suffer wanderlust absolutely must read Wanderlost. Through this delightfully fluffy book, you get to see so many wonderful sides of Europe while falling in love with quirky characters and an AMAZING ship along the way. This book was just what I needed. A perfect summer pick-me-up. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: Fans of Meant to Be, Just One Day, and Stephanie Perkins. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 14, 2016
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Jun 16, 2016
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May 24, 2016
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 125006645X
| 9781250066459
| 125006645X
| 3.93
| 20,029
| Nov 03, 2015
| Nov 03, 2015
|
really liked it
|
4 stars A little birdie told me that I would absolutely like this book - by which I mean to say, Christina raved about it for weeks and then shoved it 4 stars A little birdie told me that I would absolutely like this book - by which I mean to say, Christina raved about it for weeks and then shoved it in my face by way of a Christmas gift. Yeah. I got the hint. But Christina knows me, so yes, I loved this book. The Anatomical Shape of a Heart is not a contemporary romance I would ordinarily go for. The blurb seems very much like it's saying there's some instalove, some all-encompassing first love, which to me would be a warning sign for sap. That's so not this book. It's cute. It's light. It's heartfelt. And there is depth, with only a modicum of sap. Bex meets Jack on a night bus, and he definitely immediately catches her eye. And she catches his. There is a prolonged stare which honestly already kind of sped up the butterflies in my stomach. From there they really slowly get to know each other, and Bex made me happy because she made Jack work for it. There was insta-attraction, but not instalove. Their relationship is cute and full of banter, and it sometimes gets borderline sappy. But there's a magical quality about Bennett's writing, because the chemistry is so intense that you get swept up in their relationship and don't even mind a dramatic romantic gesture or declaration. I just shipped it a lot a lot. Bex and Jack are great characters who have a clear artsy connection. I loved that so much. Bex really knows exactly what she wants to do - anatomical drawings. Her current project: cadavers. Not something I would ever jump at the chance to do, but her fascination with the human body and her passion for drawing made for a really unique and interesting voice. Jack is a graffiti artist - which is already intriguing. But there's a mystery behind why he does what he does, and that just makes him that much more enticing. Both characters have interesting, complex family dynamics. Bex's parents split up and she's estranged from her father. (Understandably, she has some daddy issues.) Her mother works incredibly long hours at the hospital to cover the bills, but they don't have a cushy life by a long shot - which is why the art competition for a scholarship is so important. Her brother is a great ally and friend - and he has a great boyfriend which led to some awesome family scenes. Jack's family is infinitely more complex and dramatic, and it (understandably) takes him a little bit to trust Bex with all of the details. But when he does, wow. Feelings everywhere. I felt so awful for him - he's really facing some of the toughest issues possible. But that just made his relationship with Bex that much more important. They really balanced each other out and - if you'll let me get sappy for a little bit - saved each other. At the heart of it, The Anatomical Shape of a Heart is just such a romantic story. They have some family stuff, obviously, but character growth is minor, and there's not much friendship aside from the two of them bonding. Really, it's a great first love story. There's some nervousness, some awkwardness... There are definite butterflies. They have great and very unique dates, making the summer holidays so fun and full of adventure. So really, just watching them fall in love made me fall in love with this book. A great, feel good summer read with the Bay Area as a beautiful backdrop. Summing Up: Yes, yes, Christina was right once again. The Anatomical Shape of a Heart is a very shippy, happy-making, romantic book. The characters were super charming, and the writing made it nigh impossible to not fall in love with them. This is Jenn Bennett's first YA book, but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the next one. I love it when authors are just able to convey pure chemistry. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: Fans of Isla and the Happily Ever After and banterfluff ♥ ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 03, 2016
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Aug 04, 2016
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Mar 02, 2016
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0425284581
| 9780425284582
| B018CHA3DQ
| 3.74
| 381
| Jun 21, 2016
| Jun 21, 2016
|
liked it
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3 stars As a huge fan of When Joss Met Matt and Ellie Cahill's YA books (under the name Liz Czukas), I honestly couldn't resist Just a Girl. But if the 3 stars As a huge fan of When Joss Met Matt and Ellie Cahill's YA books (under the name Liz Czukas), I honestly couldn't resist Just a Girl. But if there's anything this book has proven, it's that not all new adult books - even by the same author - are created equal. Sure, there are things that I like about Just A Girl. In fact, the whole music / celebrity aspect of the story would have had me picking this up even if I didn't know the author's previous works. There's something about those kinds of stories that always catches my attention. I just like characters with such a creative edge and ambition. It immediately brings their voice to life. They have a passion - that makes them that much more interesting. And as Presley and Paul share that passion, the chemistry between them was on point right from the start. From their first meeting, I felt the flames between them and almost immediately wanted to push them together. It kind of made me think of one of my favorite TV series, Nashville, because people playing music together kind of gets them to bare their souls and then they can't help but be drawn to each other. So that part of it was really really nice and well-written, and it definitely kept me reading. The performances, the practice times, the conversations about music and what drives them, even Paul's stage fright... it was familiar territory that I basically always enjoy. However, then there's the drama. I know I can't really expect a NA romance to play out without drama, because otherwise what's the whole point of the book? There has to be a kind of rollercoaster - a true story arc. But it was so typical. And so cliché. And so predictable. The premise already gives it all away: Presley gets kicked out of her band and simultaneously dumped by her boyfriend, the lead guitarist, so she returns home. She gets involved with Paul, who's in a band, and when they need a singer, they want Presley. Presley doesn't want to combine romance and a band, for fear of losing everything once again. So... fill in the blank. What do you think happens next? There's probably only one possible answer in your mind, and yes, that's exactly how it goes. Sometimes that kind of predictable plot has me thinking why the hell do I keep reading new adult romances? This kind of thing happens more often than not in this genre. But there's still something inherently enjoyable about these kinds of books. Yes, the quality and story line will be painfully average, but the writing style is easily accessible, the story reads really quickly, the romance has flares of hotness, and it's definitely good enough to lose yourself in for a couple of hours. It's just that, after another couple of hours, I'll have completely forgotten about it again. Summing Up: A short review for a short book that is rather unremarkable. Just a Girl is not bad per se: there's a romance there that I mostly rooted for, with characters who share one of my biggest passions, namely music. However, character growth, real new adult issues, relatability, and atypical (or just no) drama were not the order of the day. So it was fine for a couple of hours, but it was not the gem I was hoping it would be. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: Romance readers, I suppose. *An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 07, 2016
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May 08, 2016
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Feb 09, 2016
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1442466014
| 9781442466012
| 1442466014
| 4.29
| 6,002
| May 17, 2016
| May 17, 2016
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really liked it
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4 stars Ever since I met Claire Legrand in 2014, I've been meaning to read her books. I know, I've been terrible about getting around to it, but the pr 4 stars Ever since I met Claire Legrand in 2014, I've been meaning to read her books. I know, I've been terrible about getting around to it, but the premise of Some Kind of Happiness was so unique that I decided I had to take the plunge right away. And I'm glad I did, because this book sure is special. While Some Kind of Happiness is a middle grade story, its message is so profound that young adults and adults can easily get deeply engrossed in it, because primarily this story focuses on the main character, Finley, and her struggles with anxiety and depression. First off, I want to stress how important this story is. We're getting to a time now where it's generally becoming more acceptable to talk about mental health issues - to admit when you struggle with things and have "blue days" as Finley calls them, and where we encourage each other to seek help. Finding yourself in fiction can be a big part on that road to self-discovery, but even if you don't have any mental health issues, Some Kind of Happiness can give you so much insight into what it feels like to live with one. And since mental health struggles are not limited to adults, I'm so glad this book exists for kids to find as well. It'll ultimately contribute to a more compassionate society. Finley has anxiety which sometimes triggers panic attacks and can send her slowly into a spiral of depression. To a certain extent she's aware of her condition, but in her voice you can still tell that she's very much a child. She's confused about why she's like this. She hates that she can't just be "normal". She's conscious of her blue moods, but as is the case with depression, knowing you're upset without a reason and wishing it away doesn't help you at all. I thought her voice and her thought process were amazingly developed. You could tell that Legrand has firsthand knowledge of these conditions and a heaping dose of sensitivity to boot. You can't help but feel for Finley. I wanted to reach through the pages and give her a hug, basically. But the story's not a dark spiral of depression. There's a subtle magical element that makes this story as enchanting as Narnia. To cope with her anxiety, Finley makes up stories. She invented a world called the Everwood, and when she's sent to stay with her grandparents while her parents evaluate their marriage, she pictures the woods around the house as the Everwood. Together with her cousins, they play out stories about a lady knight, a champion, two squires, and an orphan girl who cross paths with ghosts, pirates, and trolls. To her cousins, it's just a lot of fun - but to Finley it means so much more than that. Her stories reflect her mental state, and she needs to keep going with her adventures to effectively "run away" from her condition. There's such a vivid imagination here - it's seriously impressive. Along the way, though Finley is very hard on herself for not being normal and having odd hobbies and not fitting in with her family, her stories about the Everwood make her so charming that people are naturally drawn to her. She usually never shared them with anyone - even her parents didn't know - but when her cousins start playing out the Everwood with her, they become extremely close friends. They even suddenly prefer to play outdoors than to sit inside with TVs and computers - which makes Finley a welcome addition to the family if you ask her aunts and uncles. There's such an accepting tone to the story: if you are yourself, and better yet, can admit the things you're struggling with, you will not be cast out and left alone. You are special, and the people who love you will be there for you. Family is a big part of this story, and in the end there were scenes that were so touching, I had tears in my eyes. Of course, it's not all easy going and fun times either. There's a mystery around an old burnt up house in the woods which no one will talk about. Her father had never taken her to meet this family before, and no one will talk about why. Communication isn't really this family's strongest suit, and that did get a little frustrating at times. But that's a story that needed to be told as well - adding an important theme about responsibility - it just dragged a little bit in some places, I feel. Finley's voice was so charming that I couldn't help but carry on. Ultimately, this story touched my heart in all of these little, subtle ways, and it's not one I'll soon forget. Summing Up: Some Kind of Happiness is charming, thoughtful, heartwarming, and important. I'm so happy that this book exists to help kids who may struggle with anxiety, depression, or even just simply their parents' divorce. And I'm happy that for everyone else, this book gives us a great view into the mindset of such a person, which ultimately will spawn more compassion and sensitivity in a world that desperately needs it. With its amazing voice, subtle magical elements, beautiful themes about family and friendship, and the lightest touch of a first childhood romance, this story will stay with me for quite a while. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: Anyone at all interested in mental health stories. *An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 14, 2016
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Apr 25, 2016
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Dec 23, 2015
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Hardcover
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| 0062259636
| 9780062259639
| B01415T0F0
| 3.50
| 1,556
| May 10, 2016
| May 10, 2016
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did not like it
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1 star My fond memories of Sarah Strohmeyer's Smart Girls Get What They Want were immediately evoked when I heard her newest title: This Is My Brain on 1 star My fond memories of Sarah Strohmeyer's Smart Girls Get What They Want were immediately evoked when I heard her newest title: This Is My Brain on Boys. Nerdy cute contemporaries are my jam, you might say. But whereas her debut novel was charming, fun, and practically perfect, this book was... not. Uh oh. The premise of this book sure was a promising one. You have a main character who doesn't believe in love. She wants to research the biological aspect of it though, with a theory that any two people can fall in love if they're put into high risk, high stress situations. Heck, she basically tried it out on her best friend and it worked. Now she wants to replicate it to build her case and win the Athenian Award. Throw in herself falling in love along the way, and this book could have been perfect. Here's the thing if you're writing a book about nerdy characters: they can rather understandably come off as a bit sheltered and naive because of a lack of "real world" knowledge and experiences. Not always. But it's a risk you take. Especially when the story is about them being exposed to new situations outside of their books. But that inexperience and naivety can work against you. In the case of Addie, at first it was charming and pretty relatable in a nostalgic way... and then it continued... and her voice began to sound younger and dumber. Part of that certainly is because of the romance though. You know. You know from page one that they're into each other - not only because they're the main characters. But she's so naive about it. She's naive about her own feelings and his for the large majority of the book, even when other people spell it out for her and pretty much just assume they're a couple and everything. Then she's still like, "Oh, I dunno...." This does not really fit with a smart girl. A smart girl, even a book-smart "doesn't get the real world" type girl, would have figured it out earlier. It started cute and became utterly ridiculous. But the science, after its fun and quirky introduction, also quickly went downhill. The experiment she does, involving one girl and two guys (one being Kris, Addie's love interest), has a control love interest and an experimental love interest. The latter (Kris) and the girl get thrust into adrenaline-filled activities. But this experiment has SO MANY FLAWS I could get intensely nerdy explaining all of them to you. First off, there's no way to really account for inherent attraction/repulsion. Addie cannot control the subjects from meeting outside of their experiments, which they obviously would do as they go to the same school. Addie starts getting involved herself when the girl gets too chicken to participate in some of the activities. And obviously she and Kris are attracted to each other from the get go. And after ALL OF THAT, her experiment rightly gets called into question and she still goes on with it, convinced she can prove her theory. Fuck. That. You're supposed to be fucking smart. What even is this. Any reasonable scientist would want to shoot themselves over the flaws in this experiment - and she certainly "seemed" to be that much into science. She practically sounded like a teenage female Sheldon Cooper at the beginning of the book. Sheldon Cooper would die before ever attempting any of this. You know, my original rating for this one was quite a bit higher. But this has turned out to be one of those books where, the longer you think about it, the more angry you get. This book just isn't right. There were a few cute scenes and humorous bits of dialogue at the start, but it all went downhill from there. Ugh. Why, book? You could have been so much more. :( Summing Up: I am so upset right now. This Is My Brain on Boys has an A+ title and a concept that absolutely should have worked for me. But it didn't. The main character was simultaneously a genius and a fucking idiot. The romance was kind of cute at first, but then it dragged on and on and I stopped caring. But the science. If you're going to have science be such a focal point of your story, you can't fuck around this much with the scientific method. In the name of the world's smart girls, I'm insulted. GIF it to me straight! [image] *An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Apr 10, 2016
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Apr 13, 2016
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Dec 17, 2015
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Kindle Edition
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| 1250073901
| 9781250073907
| 1250073901
| 3.55
| 1,544
| Apr 19, 2016
| Apr 19, 2016
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it was ok
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2 stars Fake dating, a.k.a. fauxmance - one of my favorite tropes in romance novels. So, yeah, I couldn't resist No Love Allowed. I like contemporary r 2 stars Fake dating, a.k.a. fauxmance - one of my favorite tropes in romance novels. So, yeah, I couldn't resist No Love Allowed. I like contemporary romances because regardless of quality, they're breezes to read and I can usually find something entertaining or fun about them. No Love Allowed had that... and it didn't. It was rather average, though undeniably disappointing in some parts. Caleb and Didi meet and quickly engage in a fake dating arrangement. Caleb is a notorious heartbreaker who needs a "girlfriend" so that he can get away unscathed during all the high society events. (He's rich as fuck.) Didi is poor, her mother's working two jobs, she just lost her part-time job, and it sounds like a fun enough adventure for the summer. Caleb is clear: no love allowed. He has issues (surprise) because of the death of his mother, which turned his dad into a cold and heartless guy. Better to have no love, than to risk losing it. (Right.) Can you guess at all where this is going? Contemporary romances are cliché nine times out of ten, and most of the time I don't really mind that. If the characters are vibrant enough and the chemistry they have lights up on the page, I can easily give a cliché story five stars. No Love Allowed was not that story. The characters remained rather flat because the story is told in third person. And I could have mapped out the plot from the first chapter. There were a couple of entertaining moments, when there were the slightest sparks of chemistry and I cheered the couple on. Some of the glitz and glamour of the high society parties was fun to read about, in a Gossip Girl kind of way, especially with how Didi actually held her own there. And I did genuinely like reading about her passion for art. But clichés gave way to sap and then before I knew it, the story was over already. Honestly, the way that the book is written from two third person points of view kind of diminishes the effect that the book could have had. Didi is obviously coping with a certain mental health issue - she's seen taking meds in one of the first chapters, so that is not a spoiler. But I think it's sad to have that be such a crucial part of the story but not to delve into her mind and explain what it feels like to live with that condition. When I finished the book I was honestly most disappointed by that. This could have been a really important and eye-opening story. But it wasn't. Lastly, I don't know if it's because I read an advanced copy, but there appeared to be some continuity errors. I hope they were fixed by the time the final copy went to print, because otherwise some of the behavior of these characters would be hella random. For example, at the beginning of the story, Didi gets "fired" from the country club - but after she trips, Amber yells at her, and she's only pretty dumbfounded before throwing her name badge at her manager. Where did she get fired? Where did she have (view spoiler)[a bipolar episode (hide spoiler)] as she describes it later? Another example, so late in the game I'm putting it all behind spoilers: (view spoiler)[after the car accident, Caleb yells at his dad for not mentioning that Didi is bipolar, and his dad says he wouldn't talk to him after their argument so he couldn't have told him. But after he ran out on his dad, he got in the accident, and after he woke up, literally the first thing he's told is that she's bipolar. Where exactly was the delay in him finding out? (hide spoiler)] This book made little sense sometimes. Summing Up: Honestly, No Love Allowed is nothing special. Fake dating has been done before, and it's been done so much better. Romances with a mental health element have been done before, and done infinitely better. The characters here were unremarkable, and though they had some sweet moments, I never had that many feels for them. Even the cute-enough gay ship in the background couldn't save it for me. GIF it to me straight! [image] *An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 16, 2016
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Mar 19, 2016
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Nov 03, 2015
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Paperback
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| 1481405683
| 9781481405683
| 1481405683
| 3.79
| 917
| Mar 22, 2016
| Mar 22, 2016
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really liked it
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4 stars The Storyspinner was without a doubt one of my favorite 2015 debuts. It completely enthralled me with its fun characters, fast-paced plot, and 4 stars The Storyspinner was without a doubt one of my favorite 2015 debuts. It completely enthralled me with its fun characters, fast-paced plot, and engrossing writing style. And with the mild cliffhanger ending, of course I couldn't wait for the sequel. Well. It's finally here. And it did NOT disappoint. The action picks up right where it left off in The Storyspinner - so it might be a good idea to reread at least the last couple of chapters before you dive in here. Whereas I feel like the first book mostly centered on the characters and their relationships against a backdrop of political intrigue, The Skylighter is all about action. War is coming to Santiago, Johanna and Rafi are on the run from the Nata, Pira is captured and undergoes heavy torture from Vibora... There's so much happening all around. And the characters go their different ways before meeting up again in the end - so lots of separate storylines, but the pacing is pitch perfect. Wallace switches with ease and keeps you on the edge of your seat, genuinely curious about each character's journey. First off, there's Johanna and Rafi. You'd think, given the nice ending in The Storyspinner that these two are now going to be happy in love The Skylighter also introduces a new POV character: Dom, Rafi's brother. And I was first kind of confused, like why was he being brought into it now? But seriously, Wallace excels at characterization, because I cared so much about him in pretty much no time. With Rafi gone, taking care of Santiago rests on Dom's thoroughly unprepared shoulders. But boy does he work hard for it, feeling the duty to his people. He's in the trenches, helping them prepare for Belem's invasion, and he's thrust into the political game. There is a bit of romance on that side too - which one could potentially classify as a triangle construction, but MAN I ended up liking it so much. But things don't come easy for Dom, especially when it turns out that there's a spy within his domain. There was a betrayal I did NOT expect. And it pretty much broke my heart. Then, of course, there's also Pira and Leão. They have it rough in this book - particularly Pira. The torture she faces is pretty freaking terrifying. However, the loyalty Leão feels towards her, which drives him to go after her, is adorable. I do feel like they kind of got the short end of the stick in this book. Yeah, they faced some of the worst stuff, but they also as a result got the least page time, and I would have liked to at least see more after the ending from them. There are still a couple things that logically could have been stronger. Though he gets so many chapters for his own POV, I still care so little about Jacaré - maybe because he reveals next to nothing about his own history. He's just like this grumpy little bulldog. And, yeah, I dunno. The world building, while not riddled with plot holes or confusion, could be stronger. At times, distances and the time it took to travel seemed to be glossed over a bit (but I didn't have my map handy). (view spoiler)[And I am extremely puzzled how at the end the collars just came off, when before it had been so impossible for anyone or anything to remove them. (hide spoiler)] The magic seemed a bit random at times, but it did lead to EPIC battles with high, high stakes, so I'm rather okay with that. There *could* have been more kissing (seriously omg so many ships, so little kissing)... But that's a personal issue. Summing Up: I loved The Storyspinner and The Skylighter more than I can adequately express. They're both solid stories with dynamic, complex characters, wonderful ships, and fast-paced, exciting plots. Wallace is an author to watch out for. Seriously. It takes talent to create a whole new world, fill it with incredible characters, weave 6 POVs and storylines together, and ultimately create a perfectly paced, engrossing story. Whatever she comes out with next - I want it. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: Both newbies to fantasy and fans of classic fantasy adventure stories. Sherry Thomas's The Elemental Trilogy may be the best comparison title I can come up with (because awesome characters + ships = ♥). *An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 09, 2016
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Mar 13, 2016
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Oct 25, 2015
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1442490012
| 9781442490017
| 1442490012
| 4.32
| 1,023,000
| Jan 01, 1908
| Jan 14, 2014
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really liked it
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4 stars You know how sometimes you pick up just the right book at exactly the right time? That was Anne of Green Gables for me. Despite it being a clas 4 stars You know how sometimes you pick up just the right book at exactly the right time? That was Anne of Green Gables for me. Despite it being a classic - which fails for me more often than not - I couldn't resist picking this book up after seeing some of my friends still raving about it and this supposedly awesome ship that happens in the series. I'm so glad it was selected for book club. This book is absolutely DELIGHTFUL. To put things in context, I picked up Anne of Green Gables to read after a death in the family. It wasn't someone I was super close to, but feelings of grief crept into my heart anyway, and I was haunted by the mortality of humans. WELL that sounds pretty dark, huh? Anne is the exact right kind of happiness to brush all of that away. Right from the start, her voice JUMPED off the page. I was greeted by this too-adorable-for-words 11 year old who is just so fascinated by the world around her, the endless possibilities, and the places her imagination can take her. She reeked of LIFE. I swear, I fell in love with her right away. Anne is an 11 year old orphan who gets adopted by an elderly farmer and his sister - by mistake. They were actually hoping for a boy, so he could help out on the farm. This isn't ideal - and originally they intend to send Anne back. But then as Matthew takes Anne home, he is enchanted by her cheerful chatter and can't stand the thought of breaking her heart. Marilla is a little more stern... but before long Anne worms her way into her heart as well. Anne will have the same effect on almost all readers. She's just so fascinating and creative. She's inspiring in how she looks at the world and finds beauty in almost everything. She's over-dramatic in a super charming way. She can be a typical kid, with tantrums, stubbornness, and drama, but it fits so well into her character that you basically want to reach through the page and give her a hug no matter what. I can imagine that some people, who aren't character-focused (or voice-focused) readers might find this book a little hard to get through. It can seem a bit aimless as there aren't really big conflicts in the book (it's more of a slice-of-life style novel), and it takes place over five years with some awkward and hasty seeming time jumps. You really are just watching Anne grow up. And if you don't like her voice, you may find the pages upon pages of straight dialogue (or, actually, monologues) tedious. But I was fascinated and enchanted. Just reading Anne's quirky and adorable words put a goofy grin on my face and had me cracking up more than once. And that's exactly what I needed. And for the heavy shippers among us - there is definite hope, though given Anne's age nothing really happens yet. At the beginning of the story she gets a rival and an "enemy" in Gilbert Blythe, who calls her "Carrots" for her red hair. The shipping started then and basically never stopped. It's just adorable childhood love - though Anne is so stubborn that she insists she hates him for the length of the story. It's not hard for readers to see through that though, and that just means there's some slow-burn goodness happening here. Must pick up the next book ASAP!!! Summing Up: Anne of Green Gables is happiness. Plain and simple. Seriously, Anne's voice is AMAZING - filled with hope, happiness, and life. And that's just what I needed. It's been ages since I fell so deeply in love with a main character. I would adopt her if I could. Yes, long run, story-wise, not much happens, but I enjoyed this book thoroughly. And now I must have more Anne and Gilbert Blythe foreverrrrrrrrr ♥ GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: Fans of character-driven novels. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 17, 2015
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Nov 22, 2015
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Oct 06, 2015
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0575104813
| 9780575104815
| 0575104813
| 3.83
| 151
| Dec 10, 2015
| Dec 10, 2015
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it was ok
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2.5 stars Fair is fair, although I wasn't completely in love with Sheehan's first book A Long, Long Sleep, I decided to give her another shot with Spin 2.5 stars Fair is fair, although I wasn't completely in love with Sheehan's first book A Long, Long Sleep, I decided to give her another shot with Spinning Thorns. Though it's ANOTHER Sleeping Beauty retelling, that's one of my favorite fairy tales. And with this cute of a cover, I could hardly resist. But in this case... I wish I had. Spinning Thorns puts another spin on Sleeping Beauty (see wut I did thur). In this version, our main character is one of the original Sleeping Beauty's daughters. She's awoken, but the thorns around the castle remain and the kingdom has come into political and economic turmoil after being without their monarchs for so long. The story is told from two points of view: Willow, the princess, and an Unnamed fairy, who plots for the demise of the royal family. You'd think - hey, that sounds like a hate-to-love thing that's sure to be promising. Yes and no. As far as the romance goes, this book was rather frustrating. Willow is in love with her sister's betrothed, which is hopelessly unrequited and ridiculously intense for a relationship that amounts to one conversation between the two where he happened to be nice to her. (Seriously. And she seriously says she's in love with him because of that.) Her sister and this dude are GROSSLY in love with each other. Like serious crying "I can't live without the other" constantly touching each other and flirting and singing the other's praises and whatever... Ugh. Get a fucking room. And lock the door so I can't walk in on that anymore. So Willow and the Unnamed fairy (who she dubs Reynard because he reminds her of a fox, how creative) do start off hating each other... and eventually grow to care for each other. But it took way too long to get there for me to still care. I did not really have shippy feels. That's also because I care so little for these characters. Like holy crap, they're not cardboard but they're not super voice-y or dynamic. Willow I should logically be cheering on because she's not a helpless, delicate princess and she actually has more of a manly, giant figure. But she's so negative about that all the time that I'm just side-eyeing her. Reynard is so wrapped up in mystery and hatred that I *should* like him, but I dunno. I probably liked his part of the story more than Willow's but I still didn't care too much for it. Overall this story just kind of bored me. It wasn't so bad that I felt like quitting, probably because in a sense there was enough happening to keep the plot moving forward. Willow wants to learn magic, so she can also help to take care of the thorns, and Reynard kind of helps her learn about magic when it's been outlawed for so long. Then another Sleep falls upon the palace and it gets pretty chaotic. Magic becomes outlawed again, political battles are waged with betrothals, treaties, and the like, and the relationship between Willow and her family is put to the test. So the premise, I guess, was interesting enough, but the execution never got me on the edge of my seat. I was lacking the voice to get drawn into the personal conflict and mindset of the characters. I was very much on the outside, looking in. And that's something I seem to remember having with A Long, Long Sleep as well. I liked that one more, but maybe overall Sheehan's writing style lacks something for me - depth or characterization or a general "feelsy" quality. I dunno. I feel very meh about this book. Summing Up: Yeah, this review is uninspired, because this book is so uninspiring. Spinning Thorns was mildly interesting, but it never really sucked me into the story. I couldn't connect to the characters, the romantic drama was exhausting, and overall I was never truly impressed. I wonder if Sheehan just may not be a good author for me. Something in her style is lacking for me. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: asdfjkl; ugh, just go read A Wicked Thing instead. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 28, 2016
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Mar 04, 2016
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Oct 03, 2015
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 148473274X
| 9781484732748
| 148473274X
| 4.15
| 208,282
| May 03, 2016
| May 03, 2016
|
liked it
|
3.5 stars Even I, by now, am wondering if Uncle Rick is just milking it. I mean, to start up yet another series in the same universe is pretty damning. 3.5 stars Even I, by now, am wondering if Uncle Rick is just milking it. I mean, to start up yet another series in the same universe is pretty damning. But at the same time, I love Greek mythology and the possibility of getting glimpses of Percy too much to resist. The Hidden Oracle is fun but still a bit basic. Apollo has been exiled to Earth by Zeus, forced into the form of a chubby, ginger teenage boy with lots and lots of zits. Now, that's not exactly something he's used to. Usually, in this kind of situation (because, yes, it has happened before), he has to serve or help a demigod, thereby showing he has learned to think beyond what he wants for himself. What is already a huge improvement over some other of Riordan's recent works is that this one actually has a strong voice. That's not exactly hard, because Apollo inherently has this kind of arrogance and a truly self-centered nature. But his voice jumps off the page, and amazingly it never gets to be too much - too annoying or irritating. He's flawed, but that's abundantly clear. And he also ever so slightly grows over the course of the story. Cameos galore! Already in the first chapter, you get a mention of Percy that made me jump and wonder if Apollo would serve HIM for this series, because that would be AMAZING. But no, he actually gets a new character as his sidekick - Meg. But Percy shows up just slightly after that. And he is adorably cool, trying so hard not to get involved this time because ANNABETH WOULD KILL HIM. And yes, feels. You also get plenty of Will and Nico, Leo, Rachel Dare, and various other campers at Camp Half-Blood. Yes. Will and Nico are here and they are obviously a thing. They are a truly excellent ship - very sweet, caring, funny, and understanding. But I still have mixed feelings about it, because Riordan almost gets preachy about it in his narrations. Apollo frankly argues too long about how Will and Nico being a thing is just fine, and we shouldn't think twice about it, and in fact he's been with men before, because he falls for the soul more than the person, and in fact he's almost pansexual and can switch genders at will, like basically all the Greek gods are with their weird mating rituals - that even include the fact that a male god can give birth. Like... It's just too preachy to me... or self-congratulatory. I like diversity when it's included and nobody thinks twice about it or feels the need to argue that it's okay, because of course it's okay. There's no earthly reason why it wouldn't be okay. But that might just be a deeply personal preference, and it only came up a couple times in the book. The plot is more or less what you'd expect from Rick Riordan. It's a classic kind of adventure story with mishaps and comedy, magic and mystery. However, the pacing wasn't entirely compelling because Apollo was clueless as to what he was supposed to do for most of the book, and therefore I have yet to really get a sense of where this series is going. When I was close to the end of the book, I had yet to feel a true peak in the story - some kind of suspense. Actually, probably the most "intriguing" part of the story was a betrayal that I basically called from the start. So there's still some work to do as far as the story goes. Summing Up: This definitely isn't one of Riordan's best works, but The Hidden Oracle has enough cameos and Greek mythology to please die-hard Percy Jackson fans such as myself. Apollo's voice is definitely an improvement over The Heroes of Olympus , and that gives me enough hope that the series will turn out to be fun and exciting. Just do something new with the plot please, Rick! GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: Middle grade readers and die-hard Percy Jackson fans. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 14, 2016
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Aug 18, 2016
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Sep 15, 2015
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 162779235X
| 9781627792356
| 162779235X
| 3.91
| 16,785
| Oct 13, 2015
| Oct 13, 2015
|
really liked it
|
4 stars Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights. I mean, did you really need anything more than that to be like OH MAN I WANT THIS NOW? I sure di 4 stars Pride and Prejudice meets Friday Night Lights. I mean, did you really need anything more than that to be like OH MAN I WANT THIS NOW? I sure didn't. Though the positive reviews from fellow fluff-loving friends certainly didn't hurt. First & Then was exactly what I expected - a delight. Now, first off, you shouldn't expect this to be a Pride and Prejudice retelling, because it definitely is not. I kind of made that mistake at the start, and so I was looking here and there trying to draw comparisons between the characters, but it's not a retelling. There are similar themes though, because Ezra is quite like Darcy. He's not very approachable, and he may come off as arrogant and self-centered at first, but he actually has a heart of gold and is deeply protective of the people he cares about. Devon obviously doesn't quite see that at first, and after their first couple of interactions she's not very impressed by him. Hence the link to Pride and Prejudice. There's not a day in my life where I won't fall for these relationship dynamics. So, yes, the shipping is real. I loved picking up on the little moments as the two kind of started feeling things for each other. I loved seeing them gradually become close friends, with Ezra letting his guard down, and Devon's curiosity and protectiveness steadily growing. There were quite a few butterfly-feeling moments, and the end of the book just had me aww-ing out loud. (The confession? Pure gold.) I did not so much love the arguably convoluted but perhaps realistic romantic drama that came in the latter half of the book, which seriously was looking like an elaborate love square at a certain point. But like all romantic comedies (or even dramas) it turned out okay in the end. (But seriously I could live without misunderstandings like this keeping a ship down because it's kind of really cliché.) First & Then also happens to capture so many nostalgic feelings. I feel like Mills accurately depicted the whole high school setting, and it just felt so real. I loved seeing the football games, the parties, the classroom dynamics... Devon was pretty relatable to me when it came to that. And I loved how much of a Jane Austen nerd she was. She would think all the time about how a certain character in one of Jane's novels would react to a situation or say what they're feeling, and I had all of the giggles. And despite this being a really short book, there was a heartfelt message about family too. Foster comes into Devon's family, and he's, well, lame - is the first word that comes to mind. He just experiences the world around him a bit differently, and that leaves Devon both scared that he's going to get bullied and resentful that she has to look out for him. But honestly, Foster turns out to be a super lovable character that everyone is drawn to. He's so pure and open-hearted, and by the end of the book I just wanted to give him a huge hug. Summing Up: First & Then made me happy. The Lizzie/Darcy shipping dynamics grabbed me instantly, and the setting felt so vividly realistic (and nostalgic). I also loved the message about family. The book is short, and arguably some of its aspects are pretty cliché, but it was a breeze to read, and like I said: it made me happy. When it comes to contemporary romance, that's basically all I want. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: Umm, fans of Lizzie/Darcy? Because, yeah. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 15, 2016
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May 16, 2016
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Sep 15, 2015
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 144242673X
| 9781442426733
| 144242673X
| 4.01
| 392,082
| May 26, 2015
| May 26, 2015
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did not like it
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1 star God - fucking - dammit. I think my review of To All the Boys I've Loved Before made it exceedingly obvious that I adored that book. I shouted my 1 star God - fucking - dammit. I think my review of To All the Boys I've Loved Before made it exceedingly obvious that I adored that book. I shouted my love from the rooftops. I couldn't wait to dive into the sequel and have more of the happy shippy feels that so delighted me. BUT NO. THIS. FREAKING. SUCKS. [image] At the end of To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we are left on a pretty exciting and promising cliffhanger: Lara Jean finally admits to having feelings for Peter and maybe they can happen for real. Misunderstandings notwithstanding, he makes her happy, and that's worth an actual shot. So she writes him another letter - which you soon learn is made of cuteness - but then the drama quickly follows. It's not happy times for Peter and Lara Jean. No. Peter is still friends with Gen, his ex and the one-dimensional mean girl who makes Lara Jean's life miserable. Gen can't seem to let Peter go, and he lets it slide because of mysterious things happening in her personal life. Yeah, they were friends for a long time, and maybe Gen doesn't feel that close to anyone else, but if your girlfriend feels uncomfortable with this, you need to AT LEAST meet her halfway. Instead he runs off to Gen the second she calls and leaves Lara Jean in the dark. That's. Wait. What? [image] There's arguably a reason for Gen's meanness - the personal stuff she's working through - but it's nowhere near good enough for Lara Jean to forgive her or for Peter to keep taking her side. Seriously, when it becomes abundantly clear that Gen leaked a video of Lara Jean and Peter making out in a hot tub onto the internet - which looks like they might even be having sex - leading to cyberbullying and actual bullying for Lara Jean? Yeah. No. That shit will never fly with me. Nothing excuses Gen's total bitch moves in this book. Peter is almost the complete opposite of who he was in the first book. He's withdrawn, inattentive, and he pushes Lara Jean away. Lara Jean makes some excuses for him, but arguably when the two are together, they have some cute moments. But there's so much tension building throughout the story, and it's untenable. This book pushed me to start to resent Peter (as much as my head didn't want to), to become tired of Lara Jean's (rightful) jealousy, and to believe the relationship was absolutely doomed to fail. So much drama. WAIT - SERIOUSLY - I DIDN'T SIGN ON FOR THAT. [image] And Josh, the other angle on the love triangle in the previous book? Swept under the table and almost never heard from again. But, we couldn't just let the romantic drama die there, right? NO. Lara Jean has to have another beau come into her life - the last recipient of her love letters: John. John comes out of nowhere, pretty much, and as he lives in a different district, he barely gets any page-time. But when he's there he's being the perfect gentleman (seriously, no negative or complex elements to his personality that we know of; completely adhering to Lara Jean's idealized image of him from three years ago) and he clearly indicates that after so many years, he still has feelings for Lara Jean. YOU CAN'T MAKE ME SWITCH SHIPS THIS LATE IN THE GAME. Honestly, this guy is here being the quintessential good guy, while Peter's being a douche, pretty much. You feel such an urge to just say, fuck the douche, Lara Jean, and be with this guy. (EVEN THOUGH PETER FREAKING KAVINSKY WOULD NEVER BE SUCH A DOUCHE.) John may be completely boring, but at least he's honest with you. But THEN, at the end of the day, Lara Jean decides she's REALLY in love with Peter, and though they don't actually talk about any of their ten billion ISSUES and just retcon a lot of shit instead, they stay... together. Seriously. Wut. [image] This book is for the people who believe that exes can (and should be able to) be friends, that drama is almost a charming part of life, that fighting serves to make a relationship stronger (even if it's not actually resolved *grumble grumble*), that teenagers do stupid shit - and that that kind of realism is fun to read about. Now I'm not saying that I don't like any of those things at certain times, but the combination was deadly and completely the opposite of the first book. This book made me confused, sad, and angry, and I expected happiness. The banter disappeared, Peter was no longer swoon-worthy, and all I got was 337 pages of (arguably avoidable) drama. That's... not what I wanted. Seriously, if all these characters insist on being so stupid and drama-laden, they deserve to all just die alone. [image] Summing Up: P.S. I Still Love You is absolutely one of my biggest disappointments of the year. It reached soap opera levels of drama, and it took a massive surge of willpower to not just toss it into the garbage with 30 pages left, never to be finished. I did finish it, but I'm not at all happy. This is the kind of sequel book that I'm going to sell secondhand and then pretend never happened. To All the Boys I've Loved Before was a standalone. Right? RIGHT?! Right. Okay bye. GIF it to me straight! [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 04, 2015
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Oct 06, 2015
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Sep 04, 2015
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0399171622
| 9780399171628
| 0399171622
| 4.04
| 96,372
| Apr 26, 2016
| Apr 26, 2016
|
it was amazing
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5 stars The Rose and the Dagger was one of my most anticipated books of 2016, being that it followed the flawless and engrossing The Wrath and the Dawn 5 stars The Rose and the Dagger was one of my most anticipated books of 2016, being that it followed the flawless and engrossing The Wrath and the Dawn, one of my favorite books of 2015. Honestly, words will never really do it justice. This book - and this series - is wholly unique. So much so that I finished it thinking, "OH MY GOD SO PERFECT SO MANY FEELINGS," and yet any time I thought, "Well, I should write that review," I was kind of left speechless. So I'm going to keep it short. This book is great. Reasons why you should totally read The Wrath and the Dawn duology, like right now: - Renée Ahdieh's writing is absolutely to die for. She weaves magic into her world so flawlessly, while you still see the definite links to our own world and Middle Eastern mythology. And overall it has just the right amount of embellishment to draw you in, to the point where you'll never want to put the book down. It's reminiscent of Laini Taylor, Libba Bray, and Samantha Shannon - and if you know anything about me, you know that that's just about the highest compliment I can give. - Shazi is a feminist icon and totally badass. Though she does not kick ass physically, she demands respect and admiration the instant she walks into a room. Her values are strong and true, she fights endlessly for what she believes in, and it's not hard to see why she would have multiple suitors. And she's so SMART. This series gets pretty political at times, but Shazi knows how to play the game and get the opposition on their knees. - Khalid. If you ever like the mysterious, dark, broody type, you need to meet Khalid, because I don't think I've ever seen someone do it better than him. Honestly, he nails it. And the chemistry he has with Shazi is amazing. Every time they're together, it's like fire erupts on the page. And though things are at times tough for them in this book, you will have feelings all over the place. Do not worry about a love triangle situation. Technically it is one, but it's so easy to ignore because everything pales in comparison to Khalid and Shazi. - FEELINGS. This book in particular is quite brutal. It will jerk you up to high highs with new characters you grow to love, beautiful romance, old characters you learn to love even more -- and then it will drag you into the depths of despair because WAR is brewing and not everyone makes it out okay. - Because I said so. There. Summing Up: Yes, arguably it's been too long since I read this book, so I can't go into the itty bitty details. But the simple fact that I want to convey to you now is that I loved every single page of this book, it took me on an emotional joy ride, and it was utterly beautiful from start to finish. I will be stalking this author for any new writing. Heck, I'll take a grocery list - anything. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: EVERYONE. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 04, 2016
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Jun 05, 2016
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Aug 24, 2015
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 1427814031
| 9781427814036
| 1427814031
| 4.42
| 71,415
| Sep 05, 2006
| Apr 07, 2009
|
it was amazing
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Series Review: 4.5 stars I don't even really know where to begin with this. Honestly. I've been pretty much staring at a blinking cursor for 45 minutes Series Review: 4.5 stars I don't even really know where to begin with this. Honestly. I've been pretty much staring at a blinking cursor for 45 minutes. This is my favorite shoujo manga and it gives me all the feels in the world ever ever everrrr and how do you convey that well to other people?? Agh. Reviewing is hard. *pouts* Maid Sama! is the story of Misaki, a hardworking, over-achieving student. She serves as the student council president, where she tries to help transform her high school, which was previously an all boys' school, into a girl-friendly environment. Fighting for the rights and safety of women, HELL YEAH. Meanwhile, her family is struggling to make ends meet, because her father deserted them, so she takes up a job in a maid café. As the name implies, this is one of those places where the girls dress up as french maids and address the customers as "master" and "mistress". At school, she has a hard, cold image as the ruling president, so obviously she doesn't want anyone to find out about this. Enter Usui Takumi. Usui is [image] I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE. These two characters are one of the highest ranking OTPs on my list. It is hate-to-love perfection. From the start, Misaki can't really stand Usui because he's better than her in school. Everything comes to him easily. And she's uber competitive about everything. He teases her relentlessly. So she calls him a perverted space alien, and swears there's nothing between them. Well we all know where that's going. Honestly they have one of the best romantic dynamics ever. So much banter, so much cuteness, and through it all you see more and more how Usui would do just about anything for Misaki. He's always there for her to rely on. *swoons* This is one book boyfriend, or I guess manga boyfriend, that I desperately want to steal for myself. [image] Most of the manga's plot centers on the development of their relationship, and honestly I love every second of that. They are both in denial for a while, then Usui tries to make his feelings clear, but Misaki is still doubtful, then CUTENESS AND ADORABLENESS AND I CANNOT EVEN CONTROL MYSELF. [image] So by all means this is a really light and fluffy and adorable manga... until the last 2-3 volumes. They try to interject a plot. WHY. WHY INTERJECT A HALF ASSED PLOT THAT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL. 100% FLUFF IS OKAYYYY. (view spoiler)[But anyway, Usui's family wants to make him the successor for the family, and then for some reason, he decides he has to go to England to tell them no. He gets stuck there. And Misaki decides to go after him. But then she apparently needs to take lessons from Tora (the skeevy president of a rival school) on how to behave in England. Then she's in England for all of like three seconds, where she screws up the plan pretty much and none of those lessons were even necessary at all. And then Tora decides that he loves Misaki, and they try to interject a love triangle this late in the game (WHILE WE ALREADY HAD ONE LOVE TRIANGLE GOING ON). (hide spoiler)] Just. UGH. NOOOO. This last arc was so full of shit, I just couldn't even with it. Why? I have to admit, I was skim reading it at parts because just ugh. We didn't need that. You could have ended the manga earlier. That would have been fiiiiine. I know Usui supposedly had some mysterious past, but you could have simplified and dropped it. We did not need this. Ultimately, the ending I liked. It was very adorable, with the last scene taking place 10 years later. I was very happy with the events there. EXCEPT FOR USUI'S HAIR. They destroyed his lovely porcupine hair. Sad face. Also I did not really appreciate how all the secondary characters were paired off (all with people they met in high school; also gay ship ftw) while Satsuki, the 30-year-old café manager, was still single. That's it guys. If you don't find your soul mate in high school, you're alone forever. That's pretty much what that told me. #mangalifelessons Oops. Well then. *goes off to buy some cats* Summing Up: ALL OF THE FEELS FOR THIS MANGA. Seriously. I don't know how I even managed to write this review. And I feel like I did nothing but say that it was the adorbs in 30 different ways, on repeat. BUT IT IS THE ADORBS GUYS. I love the characters (also the secondary characters), USUI, the relationship dynamics (including familial ones), USUI, the slow-burn hate-to-love romance, USUI, all the cosplaying in the café, USUI, all the other funny activities and hijinks, USUI, my perfect OTP, USUI, let's not forget the GORGEOUS art style (probably my favorite manga art-wise) and, oh yeah, USUIIIIIIIIII. *melts into a puddle of goo* I will wipe those last 2-3 volumes from my mind and just live forever in the glory of the feels and the perfection of the first 15-16 volumes. Feels rating: 5; Plot rating: 4 (damn those last volumes); Overall: 4.5 GIF it to me straight! [image] ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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not set
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not set
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Aug 22, 2015
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1481404547
| 9781481404549
| 1481404547
| 3.99
| 40,804
| May 03, 2016
| May 03, 2016
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it was amazing
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4.5 stars, rounded up just cuz Since reading Since You've Been Gone, Morgan Matson has pretty much gotten on my auto-buy author list. Especially when h 4.5 stars, rounded up just cuz Since reading Since You've Been Gone, Morgan Matson has pretty much gotten on my auto-buy author list. Especially when her covers turn out to be LITERALLY CUTE AS PUPPIES - LIKE, WITH ACTUAL PUPPIES. I mean, I couldn't picture a book more fluffy and all about summer fun times - and that's exactly what this book was. It was DELIGHTFUL. The Unexpected Everything is about Andie, the daughter of a Congressman, who has always been about intense future plans living up to the stringent ideals that her dad's job kind of foists upon her. So her plan for the summer was to do a pre-med camp, until a scandal in her father's office gets her admission revoked. Now for basically the first time ever, she's stuck operating without a plan. She gets a dog walking job - possibly the lowest thing she thought she could resort to but grows to truly love it. And she gets to experience the freedom and fun of summertime without stressing about how it all looks on her resumé. Primarily, the happy fun times that Andie experiences involve Clark. Holy crap guys. I have found a new book boyfriend, and he is raising the bar on the rest of them. I loved Clark from the instant he turned up with his geeky sci-fi shirts and his clear nerves and embarrassment around Andie. He is TOTALLY adorable. I loved how he just didn't conform to any of Andie's expectations. She doesn't really do relationships longer than 3 weeks and is used to it always being shallow "let's-get-to-the-making-out" stuff. Clark is so not about that. After an awkward first date, he makes her lower her guard and I was shipping it SO HARD. And it turns out he's a WRITER. The scenes where they tell stories together were seriously some of my favorite in YA romance ever. And the end? Freaking. Gold. There's also a surprisingly touching father-daughter relationship in this book. If you know me, you know that's my jam. But honestly, they put tears in my eyes. Andie and her dad start off basically estranged from each other - him having mostly lived in DC for the past 5 years since her mother passed and she being used to basically having free reign on how she lives her life. But with both of them home for the summer, they are confronted with the uncomfortable distance between them and start to really get to know each other again - slowly but surely. There were so many adorable moments, with them geeking out about Clark's books together, having their movie marathons, doing the scavenger hunt together... So feelsy. It makes me want to fly over to my dad and give him a great big hug. And the friendship in this is pretty ace as well. You can tell that Andie's best friends have really become her family. They have this understanding of each other that's so thorough and heartfelt. All of their adventures and conversations are a blast. One particular highlight is the aforementioned scavenger hunt that Palmer arranges. That scene just encompassed the glory and happiness of summers in high school and I was basically reading it with the biggest grin ever. Now you may think it sounds like this book doesn't have too much of a plot, and you're not wrong. In fact, with this book being over 500 pages, it's almost surprising how engaging, compelling, and addictive it is to read despite the fact that there's no one big central conflict or story arc. It really just captures that glory of summertime. But that is the reason why this doesn't quite get the perfect rating. And when everything falls apart about 70 pages from the end? That just felt weird and made me unnecessarily antsy. But whatever, the ending was great, partially unexpected, but truly realistic. Summing Up: The Unexpected Everything was basically everything I expected. (I can't not, I make no apologies, I REGRET NOTHING.) It's funny, happy, fluffy, truly romantic, heartwarming, and wonderful. I got completely addicted to this one and blew right through it in spite of its 500+ pages. Honestly, this book could have been 700 pages and I still wouldn't be able to get enough. Clark is officially one of my favorite book boyfriends of all time, and the relationship between Andie and her father gave me all of the feels. I will be sure to revisit this book any time I want a reminder of what summer happiness truly feels like. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: Fans of Kasie West, Stephanie Perkins, and Since You've Been Gone. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 19, 2016
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May 21, 2016
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Jul 28, 2015
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Hardcover
| ||||||||||||||
| 0425284573
| 9780425284575
| B0174PRHNQ
| 3.60
| 635
| Feb 09, 2016
| Feb 09, 2016
|
liked it
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3 stars When Joss Met Matt remains one of my absolute favorite new adult books of all time. So, yeah, when I heard Ellie Cahill was coming out with ano 3 stars When Joss Met Matt remains one of my absolute favorite new adult books of all time. So, yeah, when I heard Ellie Cahill was coming out with another book, I was practically jumping for joy. (Some air kicks may have been done when I received a review copy.) But anyway, long story short, Call Me, Maybe delivered a few giggles and swoons but did not live up to my (admittedly high) expectations. Call Me, Maybe starts off STRONG. Clementine and Justin accidentally switch phones at an airport and keep in contact until they're both back home to switch them back. That first part of their relationship is all about the emotional connection and banter that they have, and man, there are some funny conversations there. But they obviously feel a spark, so when they do meet up - it's go time. The chemistry is on point, and the swoon is good. And the rest... is kind of just your run of the mill new adult book. Heads up to anyone who reads new adult books more often: this book is quite tame. It's not all about the sex scenes, and actually the book fades to black a lot more than I'm used to. There's only one scene that's decently explicit as if the author expects that on all future sexual escapades you more or less know how it goes and can fill in the blanks yourself. That's a good and bad thing. This book could be an awesome gateway book for (primarily YA) readers who are kind of nervous about jumping in on NA books. But if you are used to the status quo RE: sexual content, you may quickly find yourself disappointed by the lack of spiciness. What NA tropes does the book incorporate though? Well, Clementine has a pretty messed up past which blessed her with trust issues. You can probably tell where that's going to go - because she lies about certain parts of her life and identity, and obviously that's going to catch up with her at some point. Yeah, it's pretty typical. Once the book drama-coaster started to trek up its dangerous track, my initial infatuation with the banter and lighthearted swoon of the book started fading. But I do feel like some of the new adult issues covered in the book are on point. Clementine doesn't know what she wants to do with her life, in spite of her family's connections being able to give her basically any job she could ever want. That might sound a bit spoiled and "first world problem"-y, but it did come off as real and relatable. (She's also a book blogger, if we want to talk about relatability.) Justin does have a job, but it's still a long ways off from what he actually wants to do. I also feel like that's a perfect snapshot of what it's like in your 20s - you think your education should land you your dream job right away, but in reality there's usually still a long way to go. And that's basically all I can think to say. The book started off light and cute. Clementine and Justin had a nice banter going on. The connection was tangible and may even have given me a few flutterings. It even kind of inspired me to consider dating again because it felt so real and relatable. It had a kind of romcom quality to it that was very enjoyable and easy to read. And the new adult woes? Not very deep but on point. But then the typical drama happened and the characters just weren't dynamic enough for me to think the book is ultimately much better than average. I have very little sympathy for characters who dig themselves a hole by lying to their partners. Summing Up: Are you looking for a couple of hours of lighthearted cuteness? To turn off your brain and get swept up in a delightful romance? Call Me, Maybe could very well be the book you're looking for. But if you're hoping for intense heat and spice, you might want to keep looking. And if typical drama turns you off, I don't know what to say. Call Me, Maybe was enjoyable. Certainly not bad. Certainly not a waste of my time. But maybe also not the first book I would recommend. GIF it to me straight! [image] Recommended To: New adult newbies. *An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 04, 2016
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Feb 05, 2016
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Jul 12, 2015
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Kindle Edition
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my rating |
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| 3.75
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it was ok
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Oct 12, 2015
not set
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Sep 22, 2024
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| 4.21
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it was amazing
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Oct 23, 2015
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Mar 09, 2017
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| 4.12
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really liked it
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Oct 27, 2015
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Mar 09, 2017
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| 3.85
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liked it
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Sep 02, 2016
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Aug 24, 2016
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|||||
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| 3.92
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really liked it
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Jun 16, 2016
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May 24, 2016
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|||||
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| 3.93
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really liked it
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Aug 04, 2016
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Mar 02, 2016
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|||||
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| 3.74
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liked it
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May 08, 2016
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Feb 09, 2016
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| 4.29
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really liked it
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Apr 25, 2016
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Dec 23, 2015
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| 3.50
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did not like it
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Apr 13, 2016
|
Dec 17, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 3.55
|
it was ok
|
Mar 19, 2016
|
Nov 03, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 3.79
|
really liked it
|
Mar 13, 2016
|
Oct 25, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 4.32
|
really liked it
|
Nov 22, 2015
|
Oct 06, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 3.83
|
it was ok
|
Mar 04, 2016
|
Oct 03, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 4.15
|
liked it
|
Aug 18, 2016
|
Sep 15, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 3.91
|
really liked it
|
May 16, 2016
|
Sep 15, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 4.01
|
did not like it
|
Oct 06, 2015
|
Sep 04, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 4.04
|
it was amazing
|
Jun 05, 2016
|
Aug 24, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 4.42
|
it was amazing
|
not set
|
Aug 22, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 3.99
|
it was amazing
|
May 21, 2016
|
Jul 28, 2015
|
|||||
|
| 3.60
|
liked it
|
Feb 05, 2016
|
Jul 12, 2015
|
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