I can totally understand why people may not love this just like I can see why they didn’t like THE GOLDEN SPOON. Her mysteries aren’t totally cozy butI can totally understand why people may not love this just like I can see why they didn’t like THE GOLDEN SPOON. Her mysteries aren’t totally cozy but they’re not really fast-paced thrillers either. I know what to expect now so it’s hard to be disappointed tbh. I think this one took a while to get grooving and the ending wasn’t my favorite but I was still drawn to her writing style and the overall premise. ...more
Omg lol. I was hoping to finish this in July since apparently it was my worst reading month and it would have been nice to keep the bad vibes out of AOmg lol. I was hoping to finish this in July since apparently it was my worst reading month and it would have been nice to keep the bad vibes out of August... This book was as boring as his previous book was enthralling/addicting. I could literally sum up this story in three sentences (just did to my husband) - the same thing happens over and over for 80% of the book, no exaggeration. There is no suspense or intrigue, just repetitive events and people telling stories from their time in the military or diving careers. It was not claustrophobic or creepy like I was promised; I could barely picture what it looked like despite diagrams and a glossary. There weren't any clues for the reader to use to try to solve the mystery either. THE LAST ONE was one of my favorite thrillers last year and almost caused me to throw my Kindle across the room by the ending. Same vibe for the ending here except because it was terrible, not shocking or wild. I am so floored by how bad and utterly boring this was!!!!!...more
Give this premise to another author and I’d eat it up. Confirmed Tessa Bailey isn’t for me, I think. Her writing is not bad and pretty easy to read buGive this premise to another author and I’d eat it up. Confirmed Tessa Bailey isn’t for me, I think. Her writing is not bad and pretty easy to read but the CRINGEEEE of this dialogue. I didn’t like the characters -Josephine was fine but Wes was annoying. He was just possessive and jealous enough to piss me off (I’m sure there are worse MMCs out there but I hated it) and was obsessed with her in a weird way WAY too early. They barely knew each other (he even says this very late in the book!) and yet they fell in actual ~ love ~ instantly. NOT TO MENTION his golf storyline made no sense. If I read it correctly he’d been a professional golfer for like 5 years. He spent just TWO years in a decline (that sounded like 5-8 over par? lol) and his clothing line was cancelled and Nike dropped him?? It’s just so unlikely and unrealistic after he won THREE MAJORS possibly in three years. Give me a break. ...more
Really bummed this is the first Annie Rains book that didn't work for me! I've given *fifteen* of her books four stars and higher. I don't know if I jReally bummed this is the first Annie Rains book that didn't work for me! I've given *fifteen* of her books four stars and higher. I don't know if I just wasn't in the mood for this type of romance right now or what, but it was really cheesy and I absolutely never wanted to pick it up to read. The characters annoyed me and I found myself getting frustrated a lot while reading. The second half kind of improved maybe but it could just be because I speed-read it? I'll continue with the series in hopes that it was more of a character and mood thing......more
I read Shaffer’s debut and thought it needed some more actual magic, and she delivered on that for book two. Her plots are so interesting but it’s theI read Shaffer’s debut and thought it needed some more actual magic, and she delivered on that for book two. Her plots are so interesting but it’s the execution that’s lacking for me. I know she’s going for whimsical but instead it usually comes off as juvenile. The dialogue was cheesy and unrealistic and the story meandered along like it didn’t have a point. There is SOMETHING about her books that keeps me interested in whatever she writes next. ...more
Really didn’t love this one. I didn’t feel the chemistry at all. I think all of the other short stories really made me believe in the instalove but thReally didn’t love this one. I didn’t feel the chemistry at all. I think all of the other short stories really made me believe in the instalove but this one didn’t. I didn’t like the writing style at all either. Premise was cute though!...more
Man this was a fucking slog. It took me a month to read, which was shocking considering how quickly I read the first two books. Someone *seriously* neMan this was a fucking slog. It took me a month to read, which was shocking considering how quickly I read the first two books. Someone *seriously* needs to get her an editor because it’s asinine to have a book this long where I could sum up the plot in a paragraph or two. I was excited for this because of the ending of HOSAB but ~that stuff~ didn’t last as long as I wanted it to. I liked the final 20% as usual but wow this was otherwise so boring. ...more
3.5 stars. OK this is a tough one! I really love this author’s first book and was super excited to read her sophomore novel, especially when I read th3.5 stars. OK this is a tough one! I really love this author’s first book and was super excited to read her sophomore novel, especially when I read the synopsis. I love a friend group coming back together and anything relating to summer camp. For whatever reason, the main character and overall romance/love interest just didn’t really do it for me. The friendship vibes were pretty good but missed the mark a bit. I think I loved the final third of this book the most. Overall, my reading experience was a little tough – I started the book last month and then put it aside. Once I picked it back up, I was still never in the mood to read it. I generally liked it while I was reading but it definitely put me in a bit of a slump throughout the month of May. I’m glad I finished it, especially with the excellent ending, but unfortunately not a favorite. Still a good book that I would generally recommend!...more
What a weird little book. This is not a mystery I’d pass along for my mom to read lol. It’s kind of a sci-fi/post-apocalyptic mystery with a lot of coWhat a weird little book. This is not a mystery I’d pass along for my mom to read lol. It’s kind of a sci-fi/post-apocalyptic mystery with a lot of confusing elements that I was kinda gripped reading. It’s not an unputdownable book but for some reason I couldn’t put it down. I think I was just determined to make sense of everything. Too many questions and telling/talking theories out loud instead of showing. Overall, glad I read it, but not going to be a favorite. ...more
DNF at 52%. I was actually enjoying this more than the first one but as it progressed and the two started to get together, I honestly lost interest. TDNF at 52%. I was actually enjoying this more than the first one but as it progressed and the two started to get together, I honestly lost interest. The female main character acts so innocent and young that it felt so weird, despite the fact that she's 30 and the male main character is actually a bit younger. My criticism of the first book is that it was trying to be a cutesy small town romance with the addition of spice, which generally sounds fun for someone like me that enjoys both... but for whatever reason this series is just not jiving with me. I had hope the second book would hit after the first didn't but the characters were more of the issue here. I don't see myself coming back to this as of now but I guess you never know......more
2.5 stars. I put this off for months because I was afraid of this lol. I saw reviews that this was boring and I had no idea how THIS premise could be 2.5 stars. I put this off for months because I was afraid of this lol. I saw reviews that this was boring and I had no idea how THIS premise could be boring but oh man, was it ever. If I read this without knowing who the author was I wouldn’t believe it was Poston. The idea is SO great here but the execution was very bad! She kept describing the MMC as having “minty eyes” and smelling like black tea… over and over AND OVER again. The Kindle keyword search showed “mint” or “minty” a total of *31* times. Genuinely insane! The romance was actually bad, like poorly written, simultaneously too slow and too rushed, and the couple had zero chemistry. The whole thing felt entirely pointless. Let’s hope this was just Poston’s first and only miss!...more
I lost interest because it was just so long. I found myself speed reading and skimming so many parts of this. Raihn and Oraya’s chapters read exactly I lost interest because it was just so long. I found myself speed reading and skimming so many parts of this. Raihn and Oraya’s chapters read exactly the same so I never knew whose POV I was reading. I didn’t care about them any more than in book one unfortunately. I think I’d continue to read future books because they’ll have new settings in this interesting world and feature different main characters. I like Broadbent’s writing enough in general. ...more
I wondered how she would be able to write a cookbook with only salads and have it not be repetitive. Spoiler alert: she didn’t! This was quite repetitI wondered how she would be able to write a cookbook with only salads and have it not be repetitive. Spoiler alert: she didn’t! This was quite repetitive. I’m a firm believer that people who don’t like salads just don’t know how to make good ones, and I was super hopeful I could add more to my rotation. The book is broken up by seasons so you can get fresh produce as appropriate, which was nice, but it just felt meh reading 10 citrus salads in a row. It took 50% of the book before I even found a recipe I could see myself making. And the grand total there is probably 5 recipes. (I love fruit but putting 3 melons and some type of dairy product on a plate doesn’t sound good AND doesn’t feel like a salad??) Everything was pretty pretentious and the stories behind the recipes were so boring that I actually contemplated DNFing a cookbook lol. ...more
Alright that was lowkey bad lol. Clearly I liked it enough to give it three stars but this was kind of lame? The ending of the second book just helpedAlright that was lowkey bad lol. Clearly I liked it enough to give it three stars but this was kind of lame? The ending of the second book just helped manufacture a lot of drama and half of this book existed just because of it. I don’t feel like it added to the story. This could have been two slightly longer books IMO. Maybe I zoned out at times but there are so many plot holes and questions that didn’t get answered. I won’t say I’m that disappointed because I liked the series as a whole but this wasn’t a great way to end it. ...more
That was quite a ride. Definitely addicting but compleeeetely overhyped. It’s a “good read” for sure - loved the story arc and magic system with cool That was quite a ride. Definitely addicting but compleeeetely overhyped. It’s a “good read” for sure - loved the story arc and magic system with cool dragons. But the writing was NOT good and often cringey. I think there are some plot holes that don’t make sense too. The romance was not my favorite. This is a book I would have written off as “not for me” and that’s true in many ways, but I’m glad I read it. I’m going to read the second one for sure. Absolutely saw the ending coming like ???? Too obvious....more
DNF at 32%. Okay after literally sleeping on it and reading a few reviews this morning, I'm quitting this one. I have a lot to say about it but will tDNF at 32%. Okay after literally sleeping on it and reading a few reviews this morning, I'm quitting this one. I have a lot to say about it but will try to keep it brief. I adored the cover, have enjoyed McKinlay in the past, and love Martha's Vineyard. I wanted a great beach read with some bookish elements, family feels, and a cute relationship. There was honestly a lot going on here, which I usually enjoy. I like when the side characters (friends, love interest, family members, etc.) feel well-developed and fleshed out. However, the beginnings of dramatic side plots for Ben and Em were looking like too much for me in a romance (and kind of out of place). I read a few spoilers in reviews to confirm this choice and oh boy did it solidify my decision to quit. Just not necessary. The MC is neurodivergent and has dyslexia. I liked this and was intrigued to know more about something I'm fairly unfamiliar with. I don't think it was well done and she brought it up constantly throughout the story. Yes, I TOTALLY understand why this would be the case and perhaps it's good representation! I don't personally know. But it felt like it was the ONLY thing about her instead of just one part of who she was as a person. There were some utterly cringey moments, like the dancing??? and the fact that Jessica felt so juvenile. The writing was too. It was just reaaally weird and so cheesy! I loved the MV setting, the culinary aspects, and the family feels that I experienced in the first third of the book. Truly did! It's why it took me a while to decide to quit this one. If the book focused more on those and eliminated one or two of the side plots, I think it would have gone down to a reasonable length (it's over 400 pages, almost 500!??). ...more
Truthfully went into this with super high expectations as it was one of my most anticipated romances of the year. I really liked the adventure and IndTruthfully went into this with super high expectations as it was one of my most anticipated romances of the year. I really liked the adventure and Indiana Jones vibes. I didn’t get that five star feeling because the lies and miscommunication got to me a bit. Still recommend if the premise intrigued you!...more
Maybe my expectations were too high because this is a five-star read for so many people but I’m sorry, it just didn’t hit for me. I feel like literaryMaybe my expectations were too high because this is a five-star read for so many people but I’m sorry, it just didn’t hit for me. I feel like literary mysteries run the risk of being a little too boring and only slightly intriguing, which happened here. I was waiting to feel a connection to the characters and I never did. I liked her writing and the overall premise but I definitely expected too much from it. I love time travel and magical realism and mysteries but everything fell short in the end....more
Not sure I’ve ever felt so mixed on a book before! I’ll need to give it some more thought before finalizing a rating I think. This was a whimsical odeNot sure I’ve ever felt so mixed on a book before! I’ll need to give it some more thought before finalizing a rating I think. This was a whimsical ode to children’s books and the lifelong impact they have on us. I loved that aspect! It was so cute in a lot of ways. I appreciate the granting of wishes and foster care/adoption plotline in a general sense but I was really uncomfortable with how Lucy went about it all with Christopher. It’s one thing to want to adopt a child that needs it but I personally found it to be inappropriate that she was kissing his forehead and having him sit on her lap (and discussing her desire to adopt him before she was permitted to - I have to think, if it didn’t happen or come true, wouldn’t the kid be in a worse mental space? She even tried to argue that sleeping on the floor of her bedroom in a house she shared with drunk college students would be a better situation for him than the otherwise okay foster placement he was currently in? How does that show she has the best interest of the child in mind??) I feel like so much of THAT aspect should have been toned down and the book would have been much better for me. I didn’t like Lucy and her behavior for 80% of the book! The game itself was a little quick IMO and could have been fleshed out a little bit but the book is short and sweet overall. The ending was very heartwarming and made up for some of those issues but I can’t cut it too much slack lol. ...more
Similarly cute and charming as the first book, but the mystery was very easy to solve (at least the culprit). I kept expecting there to be a big reveaSimilarly cute and charming as the first book, but the mystery was very easy to solve (at least the culprit). I kept expecting there to be a big reveal since it seemed like such a red herring but alas. I still love the overall vibe of these stories and will be happy to continue for the next book and novella I have left to read. Unlike the first book, where I was totally smitten and too distracted to try to solve the mystery, this one was more obvious to me....more
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