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| 9781944810184
| B07FYSHWMK
| 3.96
| 1,247
| Oct 01, 2018
| Oct 01, 2018
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really liked it
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https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/09/... I received a free copy through Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/09/... I received a free copy through Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — So I’ve had an up and down ride with Ms. Regnery’s fairytales, and I was worried about whether this one was going to be a hit for me or not. I am so extremely relieved to say I LOVED it! It sucked me in right from the start, and made it hard to put down when I got tired reading in bed!! I just wanted to know how our fair Ashley was going to fair, and the ending was so worth it!! As is clearly noted in the blurb, this is a dark story. I’ve added trigger warnings to my review, but I feel that the blurb does an adequate job of giving the correct feel for the book, so there should be no unexpected surprises. I appreciated that while we learn enough to understand the horror that is living with Mosier, and there are a few disturbing and uncomfortable scenes, Ms. Regnery does not sensationalize the darkness, or use it for shock value…or at least I didn’t feel she did. Ashley was an interesting heroine to follow. Her upbringing molded her into a very naive and sheltered young woman…and I truly felt that. The religious views she held often made me uncomfortable, and I’m not sure how I feel about the role religion played in the story…but I tried explaining my feelings in an earlier rendition of this review, and it just got convoluted, so I’ll leave it at that. Ashley was a perfect example of a troubled young woman who’s trying so hard to become the opposite of her mother. I fully understood how she came to be who she was. I can’t decide how I feel about the constant reminders of her beauty. I understand why it was there…it is an element of who Cinderella is. But it felt…odd. However, I loved the way she tackled it when talking to Julian. And she truly exhibited the kindness that Cinderella is also known for. In the end I liked her, but I had reservations about her. Julian, on the other hand, was pretty easy to love. Even though he enters the story further in, I felt like we still got to know who he was and what he was about. I was glad that his cold attitude wasn’t dragged out too long. I thought the glimpses we saw of his backstory, and seeing him with his sister really helped to make him well rounded, and easy to love. Their romance was actually pretty sweet in the end. I mean, yes, we got the steam as well. But the parts I loved the most were their connections over conversations…their smiles and crushing on one another. Even though the romance was fast in some ways, I believed in it, especially under the circumstances in which it developed. They gave me butterflies, and little smiles, and had me rooting for them to work out. Their romance felt true, and selfless. Oftentimes I’m more about the characters than the plot in a story, but I actually felt like the underlying plot was very compelling…it had a great suspense feel, with just enough breaks to give us some character development. I was also surprised that I ended up enjoying the little interludes with Ashley’s mother’s diary, and seeing the twists that story took that, while hinted at, was still more intriguing that I anticipated. Shout out to a strong set of secondary characters, from Father Joe to Gus and Jock to Noelle to even a certain love interest. They all added to the story and to the development of our main characters. So yeah. I’m a pretty happy girl. It’s always nice when you go into a book with reservations and then are pleasantly surprised and blown away! Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/09/... I received a free copy through Give Me Books Promotions in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — So I’ve had an up and down ride with Ms. Regnery’s fairytales, and I was worried about whether this one was going to be a hit for me or not. I am so extremely relieved to say I LOVED it! It sucked me in right from the start, and made it hard to put down when I got tired reading in bed!! I just wanted to know how our fair Ashley was going to fair, and the ending was so worth it!! As is clearly noted in the blurb, this is a dark story. I’ve added trigger warnings to my review, but I feel that the blurb does an adequate job of giving the correct feel for the book, so there should be no unexpected surprises. I appreciated that while we learn enough to understand the horror that is living with Mosier, and there are a few disturbing and uncomfortable scenes, Ms. Regnery does not sensationalize the darkness, or use it for shock value…or at least I didn’t feel she did. Ashley was an interesting heroine to follow. Her upbringing molded her into a very naive and sheltered young woman…and I truly felt that. The religious views she held often made me uncomfortable, and I’m not sure how I feel about the role religion played in the story…but I tried explaining my feelings in an earlier rendition of this review, and it just got convoluted, so I’ll leave it at that. Ashley was a perfect example of a troubled young woman who’s trying so hard to become the opposite of her mother. I fully understood how she came to be who she was. I can’t decide how I feel about the constant reminders of her beauty. I understand why it was there…it is an element of who Cinderella is. But it felt…odd. However, I loved the way she tackled it when talking to Julian. And she truly exhibited the kindness that Cinderella is also known for. In the end I liked her, but I had reservations about her. Julian, on the other hand, was pretty easy to love. Even though he enters the story further in, I felt like we still got to know who he was and what he was about. I was glad that his cold attitude wasn’t dragged out too long. I thought the glimpses we saw of his backstory, and seeing him with his sister really helped to make him well rounded, and easy to love. Their romance was actually pretty sweet in the end. I mean, yes, we got the steam as well. But the parts I loved the most were their connections over conversations…their smiles and crushing on one another. Even though the romance was fast in some ways, I believed in it, especially under the circumstances in which it developed. They gave me butterflies, and little smiles, and had me rooting for them to work out. Their romance felt true, and selfless. Oftentimes I’m more about the characters than the plot in a story, but I actually felt like the underlying plot was very compelling…it had a great suspense feel, with just enough breaks to give us some character development. I was also surprised that I ended up enjoying the little interludes with Ashley’s mother’s diary, and seeing the twists that story took that, while hinted at, was still more intriguing that I anticipated. Shout out to a strong set of secondary characters, from Father Joe to Gus and Jock to Noelle to even a certain love interest. They all added to the story and to the development of our main characters. So yeah. I’m a pretty happy girl. It’s always nice when you go into a book with reservations and then are pleasantly surprised and blown away! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Sep 26, 2018
not set
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Sep 27, 2018
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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ebook
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| 1250153409
| 9781250153401
| B074SXM3WK
| 3.42
| 204
| Dec 05, 2017
| Dec 05, 2017
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really liked it
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http://celebrityreaders.com/2017/12/0... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — Wel http://celebrityreaders.com/2017/12/0... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — Well this was a whole bowl full of awesome! It was kind of tailor made for me. I mean, I’m not sure how many people know this about me, but I am an Olympic FIEND. It’s my favourite sport (and I realize it’s not a sport, just like rainbow isn’t a colour, but I do what I want). So a sports book that meshes a fictional Olympic type competition (the Snow & Ice Games) with a celebrity romance, this time in the form of a famous pop star from a boy band? SIGN ME UP!!! And it was even cool that the athlete in this case was the heroine, AND she was a luger of all things! Have you watched luge? Those people are certifiable!! I actually loved both characters. They occasionally felt a bit young, but that can make for a more realistic NA in my opinion. I know I still feel young and immature at 38. 😛 And given their professions as it were, it made sense that they would feel young in certain aspects. I LOVED Rowan. She was nothing like I am. NOTHING. But I appreciated how unique she was, and how the author really showcased the dedication and hard work and sacrifices that is synonymous with amateur athletes. I LOVED how she was so blunt and forthright in what she wanted with sex…it was very sex positive in that way. I also appreciated that she didn’t go from fangirl to cool immediately, b/c it felt more realistic then. Sometimes I wanted her to more obviously see him as more than just a pop star…or rather, more quickly. But it was subtle, and it didn’t make the fangirl stuff immediately go away. It frustrated me, but again, felt more realistic. And more than what I loved about her, I LOVED how Zane saw her, and how he appreciated the things about her that she’s often been told are lacking. Like her athletic body was seen as less feminine by some (stupid) men, her strength was intimidating to others, not to mention her dedication to her sport. Which brings us to Zane. Zane was almost too good to be true. I’m not kidding. He’s this pop star, but he was so very down to earth, and just so freaking kind and thoughtful. He was like ultimate book boyfriend material for me. There was no bad boy to him. He felt very practical. I enjoyed seeing him struggle with being tired of the boy band, but still loyal to his boys. I liked reading about his exit strategy, and how he was thinking ahead to the future. And how he seemed truly torn up about wanting to move on. And I appreciated that he knew the importance of his fans and saw how they were truly responsible for all his success, so he wanted to appreciate them (even if it got exhausting). Occasionally the commentary about boy bands felt a bit…snarky, and was surprising. It almost felt as though the author looked down on boy bands and it bled through…but at other times it just felt normal. It was odd…and could all be in my head. And as I said above, I LOVED how he appreciated Rowan. He was so turned on by her aggression. Made me feel very tummy tingly. So needless to say I LOVED the chemistry between them. It was so freaking hot. Like the steamy parts were awesome, and different. And I felt the romance too…I felt the development of their relationship into more. I felt their caring for each other. I will admit the climax and conflict felt a bit tropey, but I appreciated that it didn’t last long and it wasn’t drawn out. And if you couldn’t tell from the beginning of the review, I LOVED all the “SIG” (*cough* Olympics *cough*) descriptions, and seeing different sports showcased, and learning so much about luge (which has always scared the crap out of me). And I ADORED that they talked a bit about curling, though as a Canadian, I was a bit bummed that they didn’t mention us at all in relation to curling…it’s kind of our adopted sport. Like, we may not have invented it, but it’s basically ours…it’s more Canadian than even hockey in some ways. Woah, blew your mind right? So yeah. This took two of my favourite tropes (sports romance and celebrity romance) and blended them seamlessly and made this reader one very happy girl. Obscure sports for the win!! Merged review: http://celebrityreaders.com/2017/12/0... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — Well this was a whole bowl full of awesome! It was kind of tailor made for me. I mean, I’m not sure how many people know this about me, but I am an Olympic FIEND. It’s my favourite sport (and I realize it’s not a sport, just like rainbow isn’t a colour, but I do what I want). So a sports book that meshes a fictional Olympic type competition (the Snow & Ice Games) with a celebrity romance, this time in the form of a famous pop star from a boy band? SIGN ME UP!!! And it was even cool that the athlete in this case was the heroine, AND she was a luger of all things! Have you watched luge? Those people are certifiable!! I actually loved both characters. They occasionally felt a bit young, but that can make for a more realistic NA in my opinion. I know I still feel young and immature at 38. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Dec 2017
not set
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Dec 02, 2017
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| 0425284581
| 9780425284582
| B018CHA3DQ
| 3.74
| 381
| Jun 21, 2016
| Jun 21, 2016
|
really liked it
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https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.co... 4 stars -- I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Earlier https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.co... 4 stars -- I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Earlier in the year I read Ms. Cahill's book Call Me, Maybe, and while overall it was a great read (4 stars), I remember being a bit let down by the ending. Probably b/c it was initially a 5 star read for me and didn't end that way. But I really wanted to give Ms. Cahill another shot, mostly just because of how much I enjoyed the first half of that book. So I requested this book, and while I never got a 5 star feel from it, I was also not disappointed, so it was more of a 4 star read throughout, and that was satisfying enough for me to seek her out in the future. Presley wasn't necessarily my kind of girl...not someone I could naturally vibe with. But I really appreciated how spunky she was, and my heart did hurt for what she went through with her original band. I loved seeing music from her perspective, and how much it meant to her. As with the previous book I read of Ms. Cahill's, I felt like I needed more from Paul's story. It's not that every book needs to be dual POV, but I guess I felt like there was more I could have learned about Paul and I felt a little shortchanged. He was pretty darn swoony, even if a little screwed up. The highlight of this book for me was the steamy bits. But in a strange dichotomy, while I felt like the physical chemistry was oooo baby, I would have appreciated a little more meat in the just general romance department. They really got together based on physical chemistry alone, and while we did get some beyond that, I would have loved to know more of what drew them to each other beyond that. What can I say, I wanted more. Which makes me wonder if this should have been 3.5 instead of 4, but whatever... And I will note that I wasn't really impressed with Presley's initial decision about Paul and the band, but it didn't anger me like the decisions made in Call Me, Maybe did. There were a bunch of smaller side things that I loved in this book. I loved Presley's parents. They were awesome. I loved the relationship she had with them. I loved the musical aspects, and the Thursday nights at the store (even if occasionally I wondered how realistic that would be). I loved the band members of Jukebox Bleu. I loved Paul's sister, even as volatile as she could be. And I even loved the little twitter, texting or playlist breaks between the chapters -- felt like they really added to the story (though I would have loved to actually meet Liz at some point then). I ESPECIALLY loved the playlists. They were spot on. So if you're looking for a steamy new adult read, this one definitely delivers. If I'd been looking for more, I might have rated it lower, but I was satisfied with what I got out of it. Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.co... 4 stars -- I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Earlier in the year I read Ms. Cahill's book Call Me, Maybe, and while overall it was a great read (4 stars), I remember being a bit let down by the ending. Probably b/c it was initially a 5 star read for me and didn't end that way. But I really wanted to give Ms. Cahill another shot, mostly just because of how much I enjoyed the first half of that book. So I requested this book, and while I never got a 5 star feel from it, I was also not disappointed, so it was more of a 4 star read throughout, and that was satisfying enough for me to seek her out in the future. Presley wasn't necessarily my kind of girl...not someone I could naturally vibe with. But I really appreciated how spunky she was, and my heart did hurt for what she went through with her original band. I loved seeing music from her perspective, and how much it meant to her. As with the previous book I read of Ms. Cahill's, I felt like I needed more from Paul's story. It's not that every book needs to be dual POV, but I guess I felt like there was more I could have learned about Paul and I felt a little shortchanged. He was pretty darn swoony, even if a little screwed up. The highlight of this book for me was the steamy bits. But in a strange dichotomy, while I felt like the physical chemistry was oooo baby, I would have appreciated a little more meat in the just general romance department. They really got together based on physical chemistry alone, and while we did get some beyond that, I would have loved to know more of what drew them to each other beyond that. What can I say, I wanted more. Which makes me wonder if this should have been 3.5 instead of 4, but whatever... And I will note that I wasn't really impressed with Presley's initial decision about Paul and the band, but it didn't anger me like the decisions made in Call Me, Maybe did. There were a bunch of smaller side things that I loved in this book. I loved Presley's parents. They were awesome. I loved the relationship she had with them. I loved the musical aspects, and the Thursday nights at the store (even if occasionally I wondered how realistic that would be). I loved the band members of Jukebox Bleu. I loved Paul's sister, even as volatile as she could be. And I even loved the little twitter, texting or playlist breaks between the chapters -- felt like they really added to the story (though I would have loved to actually meet Liz at some point then). I ESPECIALLY loved the playlists. They were spot on. So if you're looking for a steamy new adult read, this one definitely delivers. If I'd been looking for more, I might have rated it lower, but I was satisfied with what I got out of it. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Jun 26, 2016
not set
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Jun 26, 2016
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
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| 0062272616
| 9780062272614
| B00MMET8EG
| 3.79
| 749
| May 05, 2015
| May 05, 2015
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it was ok
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https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/08/... 2.5 stars — Well…I guess this is one series I should NOT have finished. I should have listened to my gut that https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/08/... 2.5 stars — Well…I guess this is one series I should NOT have finished. I should have listened to my gut that had me avoiding reading Garrett’s book, b/c this one definitely disappointed. Or maybe it’s that it lived down to my low expectations. Basically, if you’re hoping that Garrett has a huge transformation, or there is some explanation for his douchebaggery, then you might be disappointed…I was. I honestly did NOT like Garrett in the previous two books, and I was hoping that we’d get some elaboration on why he is the way he is…but for most of the book, he was just the same old asshole I’ve grown to dislike. He was arrogant, pushy, a bully, a know-it-all…just not a lot of redeeming. He never listened to Riley, never tried to get to know why she felt the way she did. He never tried to understand his brothers’ positions. Basically he didn’t show any empathy at all. And I’d like to say I saw softer moments, but other than feeling less than his brothers, and wanting his father’s approval, that was about all I got. He wasn’t all bad, but the little bits that softened me to him were not even remotely enough to redeem him. Riley was somewhat intriguing, I appreciated her odd childhood story. It’s amazing that all the heroine’s in this series have these HORRIBLE childhoods…I wish there’d been some resolution to all of that. Her Mom was a monster, and we didn’t get to see her cut that tie…and I couldn’t help but wonder about her siblings. I enjoyed seeing what she went through on the earlier talent show, and how that affected her…and then seeing how she worked through those fears to come back to something she loves. But then we get to the “romance”. That was flat as a pancake. I have NO IDEA what Riley saw in Garrett other than being starstruck. She claims that she got to see a softer side, but we didn’t really as a reader, so that didn’t help me connect and want to root for them. And their romance didn’t even start until after 60% ((view spoiler)[prior to which Garrett is with a one-night stand in the background -- not what I want over halfway through a *romance* (hide spoiler)]). I was disappointed in how the author used a certain emotional event as a catalyst for Garrett’s change…it was convenient and didn’t feel long-lasting. And the whole wrap up afterwards was super fast. *sigh* I’m just going to stop. Needless to say I was bummed. I kept waiting for more, and I didn’t get it. I’m giving Riley an extra half star, but really I just wish I’d passed on this one… Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/08/... 2.5 stars — Well…I guess this is one series I should NOT have finished. I should have listened to my gut that had me avoiding reading Garrett’s book, b/c this one definitely disappointed. Or maybe it’s that it lived down to my low expectations. Basically, if you’re hoping that Garrett has a huge transformation, or there is some explanation for his douchebaggery, then you might be disappointed…I was. I honestly did NOT like Garrett in the previous two books, and I was hoping that we’d get some elaboration on why he is the way he is…but for most of the book, he was just the same old asshole I’ve grown to dislike. He was arrogant, pushy, a bully, a know-it-all…just not a lot of redeeming. He never listened to Riley, never tried to get to know why she felt the way she did. He never tried to understand his brothers’ positions. Basically he didn’t show any empathy at all. And I’d like to say I saw softer moments, but other than feeling less than his brothers, and wanting his father’s approval, that was about all I got. He wasn’t all bad, but the little bits that softened me to him were not even remotely enough to redeem him. Riley was somewhat intriguing, I appreciated her odd childhood story. It’s amazing that all the heroine’s in this series have these HORRIBLE childhoods…I wish there’d been some resolution to all of that. Her Mom was a monster, and we didn’t get to see her cut that tie…and I couldn’t help but wonder about her siblings. I enjoyed seeing what she went through on the earlier talent show, and how that affected her…and then seeing how she worked through those fears to come back to something she loves. But then we get to the “romance”. That was flat as a pancake. I have NO IDEA what Riley saw in Garrett other than being starstruck. She claims that she got to see a softer side, but we didn’t really as a reader, so that didn’t help me connect and want to root for them. And their romance didn’t even start until after 60% ((view spoiler)[prior to which Garrett is with a one-night stand in the background -- not what I want over halfway through a *romance* (hide spoiler)]). I was disappointed in how the author used a certain emotional event as a catalyst for Garrett’s change…it was convenient and didn’t feel long-lasting. And the whole wrap up afterwards was super fast. *sigh* I’m just going to stop. Needless to say I was bummed. I kept waiting for more, and I didn’t get it. I’m giving Riley an extra half star, but really I just wish I’d passed on this one… ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Aug 13, 2020
not set
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Aug 15, 2020
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1250170532
| 9781250170538
| B071LDSRW2
| 3.79
| 983
| Jul 25, 2017
| Jul 25, 2017
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it was amazing
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https://celebrityreaders.com/2017/07/... 4.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Yu https://celebrityreaders.com/2017/07/... 4.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Yup, that was a whole lot of perfect for Lenore. I was sucked right in, and entertained from start to finish. I loved the humour, I loved the characters, I loved the romance, I loved the geek stuff, I loved the celebrity aspect... Seriously, it was just my kind of book, you know? Hailey was all sorts of unique as a heroine. Not just because she embraced her rockabilly style, but because she was hiding a childhood growing up with grifters, and damage from time spent in the foster system. I liked that she was both tough and independent, but she was also using her sisters as a crutch to avoid being vulnerable. It was surprisingly easy to love her. Jake was just uber adorable. I just wanted to hug him. He was so sincere, and kind, and caring, and passionate about what he loved. I will admit that I saw the Susie thing from like a mile away, and so just kept waiting for him to figure things out. I actually anticipated that resolving with Hailey as a catalyst, but I was satisfied with the way it went anyways. And I liked the two of them together...you could really feel their draw to each other, and the chemistry and sexual attraction. Seriously, it was hot. But, even though it was hella fast, I still really enjoyed the development of their relationship due to spending so much time together in a short span of time. And I found it amusing how tongue in cheek Ms. Yardley was having Hailey despise insta-love in stories and then giving Hailey a fast love story herself. I'm sure it will bother some people, but I loved it. I'm not an insta-love hater though (not a lover, just not a hater). And the secondary cast was pretty great too, from Hailey's sisters to Jake's co-stars. It's definitely setting up future stories, you can totally tell. Honestly, other than totally guessing the Jake side story, the only other thing I was meh on was the stalker storyline. It felt a little thrown in last minute, and like just a plot device. But I loved so much else in the story, I don't even care. Any book that can make me tempted to fight through sleep and keep reading, even though it's 3 am, is my kind of book. I did manage to resist, but I was epically tired. Can't wait for more in this series. Gotta go back and read Level Up now, though those characters are only loosely mentioned in this one...it stands alone pretty well. I concur with the title: Jake and Hailey are my OTP! Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2017/07/... 4.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Yup, that was a whole lot of perfect for Lenore. I was sucked right in, and entertained from start to finish. I loved the humour, I loved the characters, I loved the romance, I loved the geek stuff, I loved the celebrity aspect... Seriously, it was just my kind of book, you know? Hailey was all sorts of unique as a heroine. Not just because she embraced her rockabilly style, but because she was hiding a childhood growing up with grifters, and damage from time spent in the foster system. I liked that she was both tough and independent, but she was also using her sisters as a crutch to avoid being vulnerable. It was surprisingly easy to love her. Jake was just uber adorable. I just wanted to hug him. He was so sincere, and kind, and caring, and passionate about what he loved. I will admit that I saw the Susie thing from like a mile away, and so just kept waiting for him to figure things out. I actually anticipated that resolving with Hailey as a catalyst, but I was satisfied with the way it went anyways. And I liked the two of them together...you could really feel their draw to each other, and the chemistry and sexual attraction. Seriously, it was hot. But, even though it was hella fast, I still really enjoyed the development of their relationship due to spending so much time together in a short span of time. And I found it amusing how tongue in cheek Ms. Yardley was having Hailey despise insta-love in stories and then giving Hailey a fast love story herself. I'm sure it will bother some people, but I loved it. I'm not an insta-love hater though (not a lover, just not a hater). And the secondary cast was pretty great too, from Hailey's sisters to Jake's co-stars. It's definitely setting up future stories, you can totally tell. Honestly, other than totally guessing the Jake side story, the only other thing I was meh on was the stalker storyline. It felt a little thrown in last minute, and like just a plot device. But I loved so much else in the story, I don't even care. Any book that can make me tempted to fight through sleep and keep reading, even though it's 3 am, is my kind of book. I did manage to resist, but I was epically tired. Can't wait for more in this series. Gotta go back and read Level Up now, though those characters are only loosely mentioned in this one...it stands alone pretty well. I concur with the title: Jake and Hailey are my OTP! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Jul 23, 2017
not set
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Jul 24, 2017
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| 1640636773
| 9781640636774
| B07H28K56V
| 4.15
| 59
| Sep 24, 2018
| Sep 24, 2018
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really liked it
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https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/10/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4-stars — OMG!! https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/10/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4-stars — OMG!! I mean, I totally knew this wasn’t going to be the last book in the series, and I know they always end with a lot of questions, but wow…it’s going to be seriously hard waiting for the next book, and I have NO IDEA what’s going to happen! This book went in a lot of different directions from the previous ones! It’s funny how the series started off feeling more urban fantasy, and has progressively been getting more sci-fi, particularly in this book. I mean, we’re dealing with a time traveller in this one! And time travel becomes a very central theme instead of just a side plot. And we get glimpses into 2000 years into the future, so we even see aliens!! I can’t say much more than that, but I really loved the things we discovered in those last few pages. It truly has me intrigued to find out more. As with the previous books, the action/suspense parts of this novel were fantastic. Quinn and Mel truly go on a wild ride in this one. And I thought the sci-fi aspects were done quite well as well! Time travel is kind of a mind-fuck, and it can be so easy to get caught with inconsistencies and paradoxes, but quite a few of them were explored…and I don’t think I ended up confused at the end, which is always a bonus. I connected with both Quinn and Mel and their romance better than Sadie and Ethan in the previous book, but not as much as with Jake and Christa in the first. There was still just a little something missing to really suck me into the characters. Characters tend to be the biggest draw into stories for me, and so I notice it when I want something more. In non-contemporary books I at least have plot and world building to make up the difference, but I still want those characters. I think for both of them on the surface I got a lot of background on both of them, and what was driving them, but I didn’t *feel* it. But maybe that was just me. And as for the two of them together, again, I *definitely* felt the lust and attraction, but I had a harder time understanding the love so quickly. I understand that under extreme circumstances emotions can build faster, but I still didn’t quite buy it. Again, I did moreso than with Sadie and Ethan, but still wanted a bit more. As always, it was awesome to see other members of the Tribe and have them along on different parts of the journey. In this case Rose and Kaitlin were the main secondary characters… I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of the others, but I’m guessing I’ll get that in the next book. So yeah. Super duper intrigued by where this is all going, and it’s going to be hell waiting to find out what’s next. I can honestly say I didn’t see some of the answers coming, but they totally satisfied me. Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/10/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4-stars — OMG!! I mean, I totally knew this wasn’t going to be the last book in the series, and I know they always end with a lot of questions, but wow…it’s going to be seriously hard waiting for the next book, and I have NO IDEA what’s going to happen! This book went in a lot of different directions from the previous ones! It’s funny how the series started off feeling more urban fantasy, and has progressively been getting more sci-fi, particularly in this book. I mean, we’re dealing with a time traveller in this one! And time travel becomes a very central theme instead of just a side plot. And we get glimpses into 2000 years into the future, so we even see aliens!! I can’t say much more than that, but I really loved the things we discovered in those last few pages. It truly has me intrigued to find out more. As with the previous books, the action/suspense parts of this novel were fantastic. Quinn and Mel truly go on a wild ride in this one. And I thought the sci-fi aspects were done quite well as well! Time travel is kind of a mind-fuck, and it can be so easy to get caught with inconsistencies and paradoxes, but quite a few of them were explored…and I don’t think I ended up confused at the end, which is always a bonus. I connected with both Quinn and Mel and their romance better than Sadie and Ethan in the previous book, but not as much as with Jake and Christa in the first. There was still just a little something missing to really suck me into the characters. Characters tend to be the biggest draw into stories for me, and so I notice it when I want something more. In non-contemporary books I at least have plot and world building to make up the difference, but I still want those characters. I think for both of them on the surface I got a lot of background on both of them, and what was driving them, but I didn’t *feel* it. But maybe that was just me. And as for the two of them together, again, I *definitely* felt the lust and attraction, but I had a harder time understanding the love so quickly. I understand that under extreme circumstances emotions can build faster, but I still didn’t quite buy it. Again, I did moreso than with Sadie and Ethan, but still wanted a bit more. As always, it was awesome to see other members of the Tribe and have them along on different parts of the journey. In this case Rose and Kaitlin were the main secondary characters… I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of the others, but I’m guessing I’ll get that in the next book. So yeah. Super duper intrigued by where this is all going, and it’s going to be hell waiting to find out what’s next. I can honestly say I didn’t see some of the answers coming, but they totally satisfied me. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
|
Oct 14, 2018
not set
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Oct 15, 2018
not set
|
Sep 28, 2024
|
ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| 1250105862
| 9781250105868
| B01FQRPPBK
| 3.83
| 289
| Sep 06, 2016
| Sep 06, 2016
|
really liked it
|
https://celebrityreaders.com/2016/09/... 3.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. So https://celebrityreaders.com/2016/09/... 3.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. So I finished this book with a fairly solid 4 star feeling...but the problem is that there were a few things that bothered me, and I made the mistake of going to read other reviews to see if other people were equally bothered, and suddenly I was more bothered. GAH! I have to stop doing that! So now we're at a 3.5 stars and I don't know whether to round up or down. I think I'll still round up since that was my gut feeling upon finishing the book, and I shouldn't be so easily swayed. So the good: I really enjoyed both characters. I felt like they each had quite a bit of depth, and their own interesting story to tell about coming to terms with being gay and all that good stuff. I also really enjoyed the romance in this one, I could really feel the chemistry between the characters. They were playful at times, and seemed to bring out good things in each other, encouraging each to be themselves and reach for goals. I loved how sweet they could be to each other (Emmett taking care of Linc with the migraines and his more recent trauma, and Linc being there for Em with his past struggles, and his current struggles accepting his homosexuality and exploring it). I really enjoyed the addition of so many intriguing secondary characters...they felt real, had depth, and added to the story, added to our view of the characters in general (though I do have a counterpoint later). Also, I will note that I didn't read the first book in this series, and though some of the plot was given away, it did make me intrigued about picking up Dom and Trey's story and reading it. And then there's the things that bothered me: first, and FOREMOST, the secret. OK, so this is the first A.M. Arthur book I've read, and from some of the reviews I've seen, it seems the author is a fan of angst. I'm only a medium fan of angst, so maybe it was a bit of a mismatch for me. The problem for me is that there was SO MUCH of it. I mean, each character individually had enough personal strife to satisfy any craving for angst. And quite honestly, if that was all we had to deal with, I would have enjoyed this book so much more. The problems they were dealing with were intriguing, and heartbreaking, and more than enough to make a great plot and provide conflict and resolution. But the author had to one-up it or something. And so came Emmett's secret. I was not a fan. I think I might have blinked in disbelief. It's not that I haven't read books with this twist in it, but they usually aren't accompanied by a bevy of problems that precede it. The problem lies in that with so many issues being addressed, none of them really got the love and attention and respect that they deserved. I became desensitized, and I didn't truly believe in the resolutions then. (This might get a little plot spoilery in this paragraph, be warned) And it wasn't just that this additional secret existed, it was that it was introduced to Emmett early on in the book, and then he kept it a secret from Linc until towards the end. And I'm not entirely sure I believed in the purpose for him keeping it a secret, and so I felt myself disliking Emmett for making that choice. And then it was just there, causing him guilt, and making me want to know how Lincoln would react. And then when that finally came to a head, it was so close to the end, I didn't really get the believable resolution I wanted. I know...I'm being vague. But I really have to be in this case. So back to the other issues. Wasn't really impressed with the resolution to the issue Linc deals with wrt Tom. Too serious of an issue to be handled so flippantly in some ways. I try to tell myself that everyone deals with things differently, and this very well might be how someone would deal with it, but it became a tiny subplot compared to everything else going on, and so it really didn't need to be there if it wasn't going to be treated with respect and sensitivity. Wasn't really impressed with the additional diversity added for Emmett/Emilio. Could have been so good, and I LOVE diverse books, but making him Muslim felt like a plot device to address the fear, but we got nothing from his religion (and having grown up so devoutly, I would expect to learn more about it regardless of how he feels now). It was a topic that was added, but not given enough time or, again, respect. I'm hoping that Van and Melody get their own book, and that the author actually deals with their sexual challenges with more insight and respect. They were an intriguing addition, but again not really given time or weight (but at least in this aspect I'm assuming it's because they will be getting their own book, otherwise I don't see the point in adding yet another topic to this overloaded story). And that's the basic jist of it for me. The story was overloaded. I feel like the author could have done a much better job if she'd pared down the trauma each character (and the secondary characters) experienced and given more weight and thoughtfulness to any of the gagillion topics she chose to address. By adding so many, she kind of watered it down and missed some great opportunities. So how the hell can I justify a round up to 4 stars now? Hmmm...good question. See? That's the thing. These things that bothered me really did bother me. But the good stuff of the romance and the character interactions cannot be undervalued. They made for a very enjoyable read for me. So I guess the written part of my review is where I rant about those bad things, but the star part of my review is where I convey how much the good parts weighed in the grand scheme of things for me. Well, if nothing else, this book made me think a lot about what I like and all that... (And I thought my last review was long...*rolls eyes*) Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2016/09/... 3.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. So I finished this book with a fairly solid 4 star feeling...but the problem is that there were a few things that bothered me, and I made the mistake of going to read other reviews to see if other people were equally bothered, and suddenly I was more bothered. GAH! I have to stop doing that! So now we're at a 3.5 stars and I don't know whether to round up or down. I think I'll still round up since that was my gut feeling upon finishing the book, and I shouldn't be so easily swayed. So the good: I really enjoyed both characters. I felt like they each had quite a bit of depth, and their own interesting story to tell about coming to terms with being gay and all that good stuff. I also really enjoyed the romance in this one, I could really feel the chemistry between the characters. They were playful at times, and seemed to bring out good things in each other, encouraging each to be themselves and reach for goals. I loved how sweet they could be to each other (Emmett taking care of Linc with the migraines and his more recent trauma, and Linc being there for Em with his past struggles, and his current struggles accepting his homosexuality and exploring it). I really enjoyed the addition of so many intriguing secondary characters...they felt real, had depth, and added to the story, added to our view of the characters in general (though I do have a counterpoint later). Also, I will note that I didn't read the first book in this series, and though some of the plot was given away, it did make me intrigued about picking up Dom and Trey's story and reading it. And then there's the things that bothered me: first, and FOREMOST, the secret. OK, so this is the first A.M. Arthur book I've read, and from some of the reviews I've seen, it seems the author is a fan of angst. I'm only a medium fan of angst, so maybe it was a bit of a mismatch for me. The problem for me is that there was SO MUCH of it. I mean, each character individually had enough personal strife to satisfy any craving for angst. And quite honestly, if that was all we had to deal with, I would have enjoyed this book so much more. The problems they were dealing with were intriguing, and heartbreaking, and more than enough to make a great plot and provide conflict and resolution. But the author had to one-up it or something. And so came Emmett's secret. I was not a fan. I think I might have blinked in disbelief. It's not that I haven't read books with this twist in it, but they usually aren't accompanied by a bevy of problems that precede it. The problem lies in that with so many issues being addressed, none of them really got the love and attention and respect that they deserved. I became desensitized, and I didn't truly believe in the resolutions then. (This might get a little plot spoilery in this paragraph, be warned) And it wasn't just that this additional secret existed, it was that it was introduced to Emmett early on in the book, and then he kept it a secret from Linc until towards the end. And I'm not entirely sure I believed in the purpose for him keeping it a secret, and so I felt myself disliking Emmett for making that choice. And then it was just there, causing him guilt, and making me want to know how Lincoln would react. And then when that finally came to a head, it was so close to the end, I didn't really get the believable resolution I wanted. I know...I'm being vague. But I really have to be in this case. So back to the other issues. Wasn't really impressed with the resolution to the issue Linc deals with wrt Tom. Too serious of an issue to be handled so flippantly in some ways. I try to tell myself that everyone deals with things differently, and this very well might be how someone would deal with it, but it became a tiny subplot compared to everything else going on, and so it really didn't need to be there if it wasn't going to be treated with respect and sensitivity. Wasn't really impressed with the additional diversity added for Emmett/Emilio. Could have been so good, and I LOVE diverse books, but making him Muslim felt like a plot device to address the fear, but we got nothing from his religion (and having grown up so devoutly, I would expect to learn more about it regardless of how he feels now). It was a topic that was added, but not given enough time or, again, respect. I'm hoping that Van and Melody get their own book, and that the author actually deals with their sexual challenges with more insight and respect. They were an intriguing addition, but again not really given time or weight (but at least in this aspect I'm assuming it's because they will be getting their own book, otherwise I don't see the point in adding yet another topic to this overloaded story). And that's the basic jist of it for me. The story was overloaded. I feel like the author could have done a much better job if she'd pared down the trauma each character (and the secondary characters) experienced and given more weight and thoughtfulness to any of the gagillion topics she chose to address. By adding so many, she kind of watered it down and missed some great opportunities. So how the hell can I justify a round up to 4 stars now? Hmmm...good question. See? That's the thing. These things that bothered me really did bother me. But the good stuff of the romance and the character interactions cannot be undervalued. They made for a very enjoyable read for me. So I guess the written part of my review is where I rant about those bad things, but the star part of my review is where I convey how much the good parts weighed in the grand scheme of things for me. Well, if nothing else, this book made me think a lot about what I like and all that... (And I thought my last review was long...*rolls eyes*) ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
|
Sep 04, 2016
not set
|
Sep 06, 2016
not set
|
Sep 27, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 0399180931
| 9780399180934
| B06XFJYWMT
| 3.66
| 235
| Apr 03, 2018
| Apr 03, 2018
|
really liked it
|
https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/11/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 3.5 stars — It’ https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/11/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 3.5 stars — It’s been so long since I read the first one that I actually went back and speed-read it before reading this one. While it does say in the blurb that you don’t need to read the first, I feel like you’d be missing out if you didn’t. I think I still liked Athan and Tendra’s story better, but not by a huge degree. I will admit it took me a bit longer to warm up to Idris. He was so steeped in vengeance that it was hard to get a read on him. He was so impulsive and hot-headed, and I was worried about how he and Celia were going to connect. But I think I was already falling for him when he went to talk to Roxy about the heating pad…like seriously, adorable. I loved how Celia brought out some of the softer sides of him, and that you could really feel how much he cared for her. I was a bit bummed with how the meet with her father went…I wanted Idris to make some different choices. But what can you do? Celia was a lot easier to fall for, even if she was closed off and had her heart walled up. You couldn’t really blame her, and I just felt for how she grew up. I appreciated that as she knew NOTHING about vampires and that world, she wasn’t some badass heroine. She was terrified, and a bit fragile…but with strength at her core to at least do what she could to help Idris out and stand up for herself. I will admit to being a little disappointed that we never got any background from Celia’s father about what happened there…or like, only the barest amount. Basically I was left with some minor unanswered questions. Although it took a bit longer for the connection to establish, once Celia and Idris connected, I definitely felt the chemistry. As always, the steam in this series is extreme. Super enjoyable (at least for me), just fairly racy. I know their feelings established pretty quickly, but I’m always able to buy that moreso when the characters are in these extreme situations. I’m still holding out hope we’ll get a bonus Zeb story. I feel like there is room for more in the series, though as far as I can tell this is the end of it. Not a whole lot of other major secondary characters in this one, but Amelia was pretty easy to like. And I enjoyed Charlie. Even though I’m half a year late, I still was reading my ARC copy, and as with book 1, there were quite a few continuity errors in addition to the usual typos. I sincerely hope those were resolved before publication, b/c I find that stuff irksome. 😛 But I’m also unfairly picky. So yeah. I’m finding I really love Ms. Erickson’s paranormal stories…she writes really intriguing takes on the usual supernatural creatures. Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/11/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 3.5 stars — It’s been so long since I read the first one that I actually went back and speed-read it before reading this one. While it does say in the blurb that you don’t need to read the first, I feel like you’d be missing out if you didn’t. I think I still liked Athan and Tendra’s story better, but not by a huge degree. I will admit it took me a bit longer to warm up to Idris. He was so steeped in vengeance that it was hard to get a read on him. He was so impulsive and hot-headed, and I was worried about how he and Celia were going to connect. But I think I was already falling for him when he went to talk to Roxy about the heating pad…like seriously, adorable. I loved how Celia brought out some of the softer sides of him, and that you could really feel how much he cared for her. I was a bit bummed with how the meet with her father went…I wanted Idris to make some different choices. But what can you do? Celia was a lot easier to fall for, even if she was closed off and had her heart walled up. You couldn’t really blame her, and I just felt for how she grew up. I appreciated that as she knew NOTHING about vampires and that world, she wasn’t some badass heroine. She was terrified, and a bit fragile…but with strength at her core to at least do what she could to help Idris out and stand up for herself. I will admit to being a little disappointed that we never got any background from Celia’s father about what happened there…or like, only the barest amount. Basically I was left with some minor unanswered questions. Although it took a bit longer for the connection to establish, once Celia and Idris connected, I definitely felt the chemistry. As always, the steam in this series is extreme. Super enjoyable (at least for me), just fairly racy. I know their feelings established pretty quickly, but I’m always able to buy that moreso when the characters are in these extreme situations. I’m still holding out hope we’ll get a bonus Zeb story. I feel like there is room for more in the series, though as far as I can tell this is the end of it. Not a whole lot of other major secondary characters in this one, but Amelia was pretty easy to like. And I enjoyed Charlie. Even though I’m half a year late, I still was reading my ARC copy, and as with book 1, there were quite a few continuity errors in addition to the usual typos. I sincerely hope those were resolved before publication, b/c I find that stuff irksome. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Oct 31, 2018
not set
|
Nov 2018
not set
|
Sep 27, 2024
|
ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| 1938876717
| 9781938876714
| B00FDXPUYU
| 3.71
| 665
| Sep 22, 2013
| Sep 22, 2013
|
it was ok
|
2.5 stars -- *sigh* And so my reading slump continues. Which is weird, b/c I thought this would be a sure thing since I love other works by this autho
2.5 stars -- *sigh* And so my reading slump continues. Which is weird, b/c I thought this would be a sure thing since I love other works by this author. I will definitely be taking the rest of this series off my wishlist, just in case.... I probably should have DNF'd this one from the first moment our heroine acted all judgey and rubbed me the wrong way. But there were parts of the romance I was enjoying, and I wanted to see if she would grow up a bit. Unfortunately, that just didn't happen. And then I thought about DNFing it at 60% when she was getting beyond judgey mcjudgerson and I still didn't...I definitely regret that. So yeah. My main issue was with Jenny. And it was a huge issue. Sam kept talking about how kind she was, but she was only kind to *her* kind of people. I mean, the guy has one beer with lunch and she gives him a dirty look and then says "men will have their vices"?? It wasn't in a playful manner either. She was really put out and just put up with it barely. Sam was always feeling guilty for the life he led. It would be one thing if he just wasn't happy with that life anymore (which he wasn't), but she actually made him feel bad for his previous choices. For someone who is supposed to be so kind hearted and religious, that was awfully mean. Example #2 -- she was disgusted and heartbroken when she found out he lived with Pepper. He's a 29 year old man who was in a relationship!!! For realz??? And then there was how she treated Tess (who granted, was making moves on Sam while he was with her, but holy hateful). It just felt like everything about Sam and his lifestyle was wrong and evil and her only issues were supposedly her fear of leaving her family...because apparently no one else saw the other flaws in her character. I just kept waiting for them both to grow up. I understand that they were going to fight and have differences, but the way they argued was so selfish and immature...I guess I just wasn't expecting that. Or at least it would have been nice to see some growth. And it wasn't just Jenny that felt judgmental and holier than thou....the whole book had a judgmental feeling towards "big city life" and non-pure relationships. I don't mind if that's not who *you* are, but I enjoy all kinds of romance stories, and I don't appreciate being made to feel as though others are wrong. My other main issue was the hugely drawn out ending. It felt very repetitive and contained a lot of rehashing of the previous story from both of their perspectives. It really wasn't necessary, and made the book feel ridiculously long and boring. Combine that with the judgemental feel of the book, and it just was a recipe for badness for me. And there's my not so nice review. I hate reviewing books I don't enjoy....it makes me feel like a mean person, and I don't want to be a mean person. Obviously I am in the minority in this opinion, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. But if you start feeling disgusted with Jenny like I was, then take my advice and DNF. It doesn't get better enough to make the little bits of fun and romance worth it. (At least in my opinion). Merged review: 2.5 stars -- *sigh* And so my reading slump continues. Which is weird, b/c I thought this would be a sure thing since I love other works by this author. I will definitely be taking the rest of this series off my wishlist, just in case.... I probably should have DNF'd this one from the first moment our heroine acted all judgey and rubbed me the wrong way. But there were parts of the romance I was enjoying, and I wanted to see if she would grow up a bit. Unfortunately, that just didn't happen. And then I thought about DNFing it at 60% when she was getting beyond judgey mcjudgerson and I still didn't...I definitely regret that. So yeah. My main issue was with Jenny. And it was a huge issue. Sam kept talking about how kind she was, but she was only kind to *her* kind of people. I mean, the guy has one beer with lunch and she gives him a dirty look and then says "men will have their vices"?? It wasn't in a playful manner either. She was really put out and just put up with it barely. Sam was always feeling guilty for the life he led. It would be one thing if he just wasn't happy with that life anymore (which he wasn't), but she actually made him feel bad for his previous choices. For someone who is supposed to be so kind hearted and religious, that was awfully mean. Example #2 -- she was disgusted and heartbroken when she found out he lived with Pepper. He's a 29 year old man who was in a relationship!!! For realz??? And then there was how she treated Tess (who granted, was making moves on Sam while he was with her, but holy hateful). It just felt like everything about Sam and his lifestyle was wrong and evil and her only issues were supposedly her fear of leaving her family...because apparently no one else saw the other flaws in her character. I just kept waiting for them both to grow up. I understand that they were going to fight and have differences, but the way they argued was so selfish and immature...I guess I just wasn't expecting that. Or at least it would have been nice to see some growth. And it wasn't just Jenny that felt judgmental and holier than thou....the whole book had a judgmental feeling towards "big city life" and non-pure relationships. I don't mind if that's not who *you* are, but I enjoy all kinds of romance stories, and I don't appreciate being made to feel as though others are wrong. My other main issue was the hugely drawn out ending. It felt very repetitive and contained a lot of rehashing of the previous story from both of their perspectives. It really wasn't necessary, and made the book feel ridiculously long and boring. Combine that with the judgemental feel of the book, and it just was a recipe for badness for me. And there's my not so nice review. I hate reviewing books I don't enjoy....it makes me feel like a mean person, and I don't want to be a mean person. Obviously I am in the minority in this opinion, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. But if you start feeling disgusted with Jenny like I was, then take my advice and DNF. It doesn't get better enough to make the little bits of fun and romance worth it. (At least in my opinion). ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Dec 08, 2015
not set
|
Dec 10, 2015
not set
|
Sep 27, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1633759296
| 9781633759299
| B06X97L1KQ
| 3.92
| 536
| Mar 13, 2017
| Mar 13, 2017
|
really liked it
|
https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.co... 4 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. OK, https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.co... 4 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. OK, this was a solid next book in the series that I didn't know was going to be a series!! And while I'm a little disappointed Faith and Kyle's BFFs weren't the focus of this story, Tristan and Alyssa were a pretty freaking spectacular consolation prize. ;) And no, you don't have to read book 1, but honestly, why wouldn't you? Shoot, I'm not even a baseball fan, or really a big muscular arms on a guy girl, but DAMN. Ms. Highley knows how to make me swoon. This is exactly what I love from a young adult romance...a fun quick read, lots of lightness and sweetness and swooning, but with just enough depth to give me more. I think the thing I love most about both this book and the previous one is the sweetness of the heroes. Tristan was just adorable! He didn't have the same background that Kyle did, but he was just really down to earth, and he knew what attracted him. He had his own struggles coming from a family with completely different interests to him, and I could really appreciate that aspect to his story. I liked that while he did feel like the odd man out in his family, his family was still good peeps...just lost in the world of baseball. It's an interesting facet that I don't necessarily read a lot, where you have that dichotomy, but still have the love you know? Not that that makes it any easier. It was nice that he had Keller too. And Alyssa was just awesomesauce. I loved her sass, her insecurities, her straight talking, her confidence in certain things. If I swung that way, I would totally be intrigued by her. And I loved her own family dynamic. I loved how close she was, how much her family influenced her, and it was nice to see a story where it wasn't rich guy with poor girl (or vice versa), but there was a money/lifestyle disparity. But it wasn't really the focus. It was about how her family was struggling with their local business in an economy that's hurting everyone. I loved how important Swing Away was to her, and what she was willing to sacrifice for it. And oh wow, Tristan and Alyssa's chemistry was fantastic. Right from their first interaction, you could just feel it. I enjoyed that. I was SERIOUSLY concerned with the way things would play out with Dylan and Lauren, and I was kind of disappointed in how it went initially, but it didn't drag on like I thought it would, and it resolved better than I expected. So phew. And now, this girl who has no interest in baseball whatsoever, is seriously hoping for more from this series. I love book baseball. It's way more exciting. And I want more swoony guys from Ms. Highley, she seriously excels. Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.co... 4 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. OK, this was a solid next book in the series that I didn't know was going to be a series!! And while I'm a little disappointed Faith and Kyle's BFFs weren't the focus of this story, Tristan and Alyssa were a pretty freaking spectacular consolation prize. ;) And no, you don't have to read book 1, but honestly, why wouldn't you? Shoot, I'm not even a baseball fan, or really a big muscular arms on a guy girl, but DAMN. Ms. Highley knows how to make me swoon. This is exactly what I love from a young adult romance...a fun quick read, lots of lightness and sweetness and swooning, but with just enough depth to give me more. I think the thing I love most about both this book and the previous one is the sweetness of the heroes. Tristan was just adorable! He didn't have the same background that Kyle did, but he was just really down to earth, and he knew what attracted him. He had his own struggles coming from a family with completely different interests to him, and I could really appreciate that aspect to his story. I liked that while he did feel like the odd man out in his family, his family was still good peeps...just lost in the world of baseball. It's an interesting facet that I don't necessarily read a lot, where you have that dichotomy, but still have the love you know? Not that that makes it any easier. It was nice that he had Keller too. And Alyssa was just awesomesauce. I loved her sass, her insecurities, her straight talking, her confidence in certain things. If I swung that way, I would totally be intrigued by her. And I loved her own family dynamic. I loved how close she was, how much her family influenced her, and it was nice to see a story where it wasn't rich guy with poor girl (or vice versa), but there was a money/lifestyle disparity. But it wasn't really the focus. It was about how her family was struggling with their local business in an economy that's hurting everyone. I loved how important Swing Away was to her, and what she was willing to sacrifice for it. And oh wow, Tristan and Alyssa's chemistry was fantastic. Right from their first interaction, you could just feel it. I enjoyed that. I was SERIOUSLY concerned with the way things would play out with Dylan and Lauren, and I was kind of disappointed in how it went initially, but it didn't drag on like I thought it would, and it resolved better than I expected. So phew. And now, this girl who has no interest in baseball whatsoever, is seriously hoping for more from this series. I love book baseball. It's way more exciting. And I want more swoony guys from Ms. Highley, she seriously excels. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
|
Mar 11, 2017
not set
|
Mar 12, 2017
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
|
ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| 1640638180
| 9781640638181
| B07P8H7N8D
| 3.93
| 626
| Mar 17, 2019
| Mar 25, 2019
|
really liked it
|
https://celebrityreaders.com/2019/03/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 3.5 stars — Thi https://celebrityreaders.com/2019/03/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 3.5 stars — This book gave me some mixed feelings…there was so much I loved about it and that made me giggle and swoon! But I also totally saw the misunderstanding conflict coming from a mile away, and was kinda bummed that it played out how I anticipated. BUT! Then the ending just pulled me back in!! The star of this book for me was the banter between Lance and Charlotte. They had such amazing witty chemistry, and I loved the way they pushed at each other and didn’t back down…particularly Charlotte with Lance. She gave as good as she got, and I LOVED that about her. She could be really fierce and sassy, and I loved that most of the time she was very sure of her opinions and her smarts…she deserved to be, and it was nice to see that confidence there. I didn’t always connect with the whole rule thing she had going on…I mean, we get some explanation about how her past shaped her, but I think I needed more to really buy in on it for as much as it played into the plot. Then we have Lance…he had my feelings all jumbled up as well!! I LOVED how easily he saw what an asset Charlotte was, and how he didn’t let any gender biases get in the way of appreciating her for what she was worth…it was really refreshing actually! In general he was a good guy…just one who had been hurt in the past and had trust issues. Just like with Charlotte, we’re told about his trust issues and what happened in the past, but I wish I’d understood that part of him better. As I said above, their friendship/banter chemistry was ALL OF THE THINGS. I loved the way they worked together, listened to one another, just balanced one another. And the steamy chemistry was definitely there as well, though I always have a disconnect with how focused Ms. Madsen often makes her heroines on the physical characteristics that they are attracted to on the hero. Just a personal taste thing, I can only hear how amazing their butt is, or how awesome their muscles are and how they make Charlotte drool before I’m losing interest. I will always inevitably be more interested in the hero’s inner character. I loved being introduced to Lance’s adorable family, and seeing the dynamics at work there, and how easily Charlotte fit in. I also appreciated the glimpses of the other major players for the Mustangs, whom I’m assuming will become heroes in future books in this series. The coach in particular has me intrigued. So yeah. Ms. Madsen writes flirty banter like no other, and the climax during the draft saved this book and has me rounding up. Plus, you can’t go wrong with a Sam and Frodo reference. 😉 Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2019/03/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 3.5 stars — This book gave me some mixed feelings…there was so much I loved about it and that made me giggle and swoon! But I also totally saw the misunderstanding conflict coming from a mile away, and was kinda bummed that it played out how I anticipated. BUT! Then the ending just pulled me back in!! The star of this book for me was the banter between Lance and Charlotte. They had such amazing witty chemistry, and I loved the way they pushed at each other and didn’t back down…particularly Charlotte with Lance. She gave as good as she got, and I LOVED that about her. She could be really fierce and sassy, and I loved that most of the time she was very sure of her opinions and her smarts…she deserved to be, and it was nice to see that confidence there. I didn’t always connect with the whole rule thing she had going on…I mean, we get some explanation about how her past shaped her, but I think I needed more to really buy in on it for as much as it played into the plot. Then we have Lance…he had my feelings all jumbled up as well!! I LOVED how easily he saw what an asset Charlotte was, and how he didn’t let any gender biases get in the way of appreciating her for what she was worth…it was really refreshing actually! In general he was a good guy…just one who had been hurt in the past and had trust issues. Just like with Charlotte, we’re told about his trust issues and what happened in the past, but I wish I’d understood that part of him better. As I said above, their friendship/banter chemistry was ALL OF THE THINGS. I loved the way they worked together, listened to one another, just balanced one another. And the steamy chemistry was definitely there as well, though I always have a disconnect with how focused Ms. Madsen often makes her heroines on the physical characteristics that they are attracted to on the hero. Just a personal taste thing, I can only hear how amazing their butt is, or how awesome their muscles are and how they make Charlotte drool before I’m losing interest. I will always inevitably be more interested in the hero’s inner character. I loved being introduced to Lance’s adorable family, and seeing the dynamics at work there, and how easily Charlotte fit in. I also appreciated the glimpses of the other major players for the Mustangs, whom I’m assuming will become heroes in future books in this series. The coach in particular has me intrigued. So yeah. Ms. Madsen writes flirty banter like no other, and the climax during the draft saved this book and has me rounding up. Plus, you can’t go wrong with a Sam and Frodo reference. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Mar 24, 2019
not set
|
Mar 25, 2019
not set
|
Sep 27, 2024
|
ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| 1250105870
| 9781250105875
| B01N8OCBFU
| 4.07
| 223
| Feb 07, 2017
| Feb 07, 2017
|
it was amazing
|
https://celebrityreaders.com/2017/02/... 4.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. We https://celebrityreaders.com/2017/02/... 4.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Well damn, that was even better than I was anticipating. Again, with this series I dove in to the 2nd book without reading the first, and I had some conflicting feelings about that story and the amount of angst it contained. So when I was offered a widget for this book, I took it with some trepidation. Because I don't mind angst, but I don't seek it out as some do. But I was really intrigued finding out that this was Van's story, and while I didn't really know much about Benji and Joshua b/c they were probably more heavily featured in the first book that I missed, I still really wanted to find out what their story would be like. And can I just say before I get to the meat of my review that the blurb really doesn't give a good feel for the story and what all in contains? Because it's really just a taste of the very beginning of the story, but there is so much more to it. And as another side niggle, they usually called him Joshua, rarely Josh. And also, can I just say I'm not a fan of the guy on the cover? I'm assuming that's supposed to be Benji, but I really didn't get the impression that he was that cut. Van's really the only one that would fit that physical description for me. OK, enough with the superficial. So while this book still had the problem of having angst up the hoo-ha, it didn't have a lot of the side story angst that the previous book was bogged down in. I still feel like it seemed a bit much for each main character to have their own tragic childhood story, but I could deal with it a bit more for some reason. Maybe because I expected it? Or maybe it just was because at least there wasn't outside tragedies happening as well that we had to encounter. And even though Van's tragic story was left til the end, it fit with his character and I wasn't surprised by this. I thought each of their childhood traumas were given the proper respect and resolution within their relationship. I had no idea that this story was going to deal with the gray asexual spectrum, and I actually found that it was dealt with quite well, b/c it is really complicated and all over the place, and Benji's story gave us a flavour of someone within the spectrum. I ADORED that part. And I was satisfied in the way it played out in the story. I was a bit disappointed that Van's pansexuality was never explored, but I guess it didn't really need to be. I also really loved the way the story addressed poly relationships, and how much time and thought all 3 men took when considering it for themselves. I was especially intrigued since this story contained an established couple, but I never felt like I missed out on anything. It all flowed really nicely, and I loved the way it all expanded when Van was added to the mix. I felt the chemistry between all 3, and the steamy scenes were fantastic. Honestly, I have no idea why it doesn't get full 5 stars. Just a gut feeling. Probably because of my personal preference away from angst. But yeah, it was nice to see all the things that bothered me about book 2 not becoming a problem in this book as well. And it was nice to see glimpses of the characters we knew from the other stories, I always love that. One tiny note: if you read this book first, you will get a bit of a spoiler for book 2. But I don't think it would spoil it enough that you couldn't go back and read it and enjoy it. Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2017/02/... 4.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. Well damn, that was even better than I was anticipating. Again, with this series I dove in to the 2nd book without reading the first, and I had some conflicting feelings about that story and the amount of angst it contained. So when I was offered a widget for this book, I took it with some trepidation. Because I don't mind angst, but I don't seek it out as some do. But I was really intrigued finding out that this was Van's story, and while I didn't really know much about Benji and Joshua b/c they were probably more heavily featured in the first book that I missed, I still really wanted to find out what their story would be like. And can I just say before I get to the meat of my review that the blurb really doesn't give a good feel for the story and what all in contains? Because it's really just a taste of the very beginning of the story, but there is so much more to it. And as another side niggle, they usually called him Joshua, rarely Josh. And also, can I just say I'm not a fan of the guy on the cover? I'm assuming that's supposed to be Benji, but I really didn't get the impression that he was that cut. Van's really the only one that would fit that physical description for me. OK, enough with the superficial. So while this book still had the problem of having angst up the hoo-ha, it didn't have a lot of the side story angst that the previous book was bogged down in. I still feel like it seemed a bit much for each main character to have their own tragic childhood story, but I could deal with it a bit more for some reason. Maybe because I expected it? Or maybe it just was because at least there wasn't outside tragedies happening as well that we had to encounter. And even though Van's tragic story was left til the end, it fit with his character and I wasn't surprised by this. I thought each of their childhood traumas were given the proper respect and resolution within their relationship. I had no idea that this story was going to deal with the gray asexual spectrum, and I actually found that it was dealt with quite well, b/c it is really complicated and all over the place, and Benji's story gave us a flavour of someone within the spectrum. I ADORED that part. And I was satisfied in the way it played out in the story. I was a bit disappointed that Van's pansexuality was never explored, but I guess it didn't really need to be. I also really loved the way the story addressed poly relationships, and how much time and thought all 3 men took when considering it for themselves. I was especially intrigued since this story contained an established couple, but I never felt like I missed out on anything. It all flowed really nicely, and I loved the way it all expanded when Van was added to the mix. I felt the chemistry between all 3, and the steamy scenes were fantastic. Honestly, I have no idea why it doesn't get full 5 stars. Just a gut feeling. Probably because of my personal preference away from angst. But yeah, it was nice to see all the things that bothered me about book 2 not becoming a problem in this book as well. And it was nice to see glimpses of the characters we knew from the other stories, I always love that. One tiny note: if you read this book first, you will get a bit of a spoiler for book 2. But I don't think it would spoil it enough that you couldn't go back and read it and enjoy it. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Feb 02, 2017
not set
|
Feb 04, 2017
not set
|
Sep 27, 2024
|
ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| 1640636269
| 9781640636262
| B07GDCWBCZ
| 3.74
| 295
| unknown
| Sep 03, 2018
|
really liked it
|
https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/09/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — I d https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/09/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — I don’t know what it was about this one, but I was just sucked in and connected with both Alex and Bailey, hardcore. I felt all the tummy tingles, and even the agony of bad decisions and daily life things they were struggling with…as a result, the entire book being about neither of them communicating their feelings and taking a chance didn’t bother me quite as much. It’s a delicate balance, that trope, and it doesn’t always work for me. But I loved these two so much that my annoyances just got pushed down, you know? Bailey was fun, feisty, and I truly admired her drive to do whatever it took to achieve her goals, and her understanding that that means hard work. She also just felt very normal, you know? Like I could really imagine her existing. I thought her hangup about being poor and being a bit embarrassed by that, as well as defiant when someone judged her for it, was portrayed really well. It’s not that she didn’t frustrate me with that, because that hangup led to her being blinded to other things going on, but it felt very human, you know? How we see things from our own bubble based on our own perspectives, and we always assume other people have it better if their lives are different. It was a really interesting and realistic trait for her to have. I loved how opposite Alex was to Bailey in many ways — he had his own issues and struggles, but they were entirely different things from her. And I loved that despite them being a bit opposite, they still really connected. I thought Alex was actually quite adorable, especially with the way he crushed on Bailey and how that confused him…but my heart also ached for him and his loneliness from having absentee parents. I thought that just like with Bailey, Ms. Mandelski gave us a guy who had flaws and wasn’t perfect, but who had a good heart underneath. You could really feel the change in him, and how he wasn’t sure how to deal with it…and again, just like with Bailey, I appreciated his own growth story, learning to appreciate working for the things you want. Seriously, they both felt so real, and they even felt realistically teenager-y even — like they had bad attitudes occasionally (especially towards their parents), and OMG the whining and dramatics…but instead of making them unlovable, they just sort of reminded me of what it was like to be a teen. I ADORED the chemistry between these two — I had so many butterflies over their crushes on one another. I did get a bit frustrated with both of them being chickens and assuming things about the other, but the tingly moments mostly made up for that. The closet dance, the first kiss…*sigh* GOOD STUFF. While they didn’t take up much space in the story, there was still a good set of secondary characters. The parents were kind of cool in that they were flawed, but not evil or black and white. Same with Devon — I appreciated that author didn’t make her over the top bad, or a slut, or whatever. So many teen books fall into those traps of taking the easy way. I mean, she wasn’t always nice, but she was a normal level of bitchy. I was a bit worried that Caleb was going to get screwed over again (for those that read the first book), but it wasn’t too bad. I don’t want to give that story away, but I was relieved. Although, I seriously want his story. Like please tell me he gets a story. So yeah. This one had me up until 3am finishing it because my tummy was INVESTED yo. I call that a success! Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/09/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — I don’t know what it was about this one, but I was just sucked in and connected with both Alex and Bailey, hardcore. I felt all the tummy tingles, and even the agony of bad decisions and daily life things they were struggling with…as a result, the entire book being about neither of them communicating their feelings and taking a chance didn’t bother me quite as much. It’s a delicate balance, that trope, and it doesn’t always work for me. But I loved these two so much that my annoyances just got pushed down, you know? Bailey was fun, feisty, and I truly admired her drive to do whatever it took to achieve her goals, and her understanding that that means hard work. She also just felt very normal, you know? Like I could really imagine her existing. I thought her hangup about being poor and being a bit embarrassed by that, as well as defiant when someone judged her for it, was portrayed really well. It’s not that she didn’t frustrate me with that, because that hangup led to her being blinded to other things going on, but it felt very human, you know? How we see things from our own bubble based on our own perspectives, and we always assume other people have it better if their lives are different. It was a really interesting and realistic trait for her to have. I loved how opposite Alex was to Bailey in many ways — he had his own issues and struggles, but they were entirely different things from her. And I loved that despite them being a bit opposite, they still really connected. I thought Alex was actually quite adorable, especially with the way he crushed on Bailey and how that confused him…but my heart also ached for him and his loneliness from having absentee parents. I thought that just like with Bailey, Ms. Mandelski gave us a guy who had flaws and wasn’t perfect, but who had a good heart underneath. You could really feel the change in him, and how he wasn’t sure how to deal with it…and again, just like with Bailey, I appreciated his own growth story, learning to appreciate working for the things you want. Seriously, they both felt so real, and they even felt realistically teenager-y even — like they had bad attitudes occasionally (especially towards their parents), and OMG the whining and dramatics…but instead of making them unlovable, they just sort of reminded me of what it was like to be a teen. I ADORED the chemistry between these two — I had so many butterflies over their crushes on one another. I did get a bit frustrated with both of them being chickens and assuming things about the other, but the tingly moments mostly made up for that. The closet dance, the first kiss…*sigh* GOOD STUFF. While they didn’t take up much space in the story, there was still a good set of secondary characters. The parents were kind of cool in that they were flawed, but not evil or black and white. Same with Devon — I appreciated that author didn’t make her over the top bad, or a slut, or whatever. So many teen books fall into those traps of taking the easy way. I mean, she wasn’t always nice, but she was a normal level of bitchy. I was a bit worried that Caleb was going to get screwed over again (for those that read the first book), but it wasn’t too bad. I don’t want to give that story away, but I was relieved. Although, I seriously want his story. Like please tell me he gets a story. So yeah. This one had me up until 3am finishing it because my tummy was INVESTED yo. I call that a success! ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Sep 2018
not set
|
Sep 02, 2018
not set
|
Sep 26, 2024
|
ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| 1944810315
| 9781944810313
| B07D8CJBR7
| 4.08
| 430
| Aug 20, 2018
| Aug 20, 2018
|
really liked it
|
https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/08/... I received a free copy through the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — OK https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/08/... I received a free copy through the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — OK, this was an adorable little novella. It actually felt fairly complete, and only a teeny bit rushed. I was a little worried since their relationship started off extremely quickly with the fling aspect that I wouldn’t completely buy into the development of their feelings…and I will admit, that part is a bit weak. But I guess I just bought into the whole Irish mystical thing that was going on, and so I just decided to buy into it, you know? Like I could see some people having a problem with it, but since I decided I was all in, it was just fine for me. I was also really worried I wouldn’t enjoy Tate, what with the way she clutched onto her refusal to fall in love/like thing. But for some reason I felt for her, and while I could be frustrated with her coldness, I at least understood the root cause of it, you know? So I was willing to go along on her ride. I LOVED that she was this badass captain of a charter boat too…and even though we only got a brief glimpse of her in that role, I admired her chosen career and how she dealt with it. Finian was super easy to love, from his Irish accent, to his caring nature, to even his insecurities. He didn’t have quite as rich of a back story, but I don’t mind…sometimes I can only handle one big emotional thing in a book, you know? And he still had to contend with dealing with his developing feelings for a girl who wanted to keep him at arm’s length. And their chemistry was definitely palpable from a sexual standpoint! Like I said, I also decided to just buy in on the feelings, and so I really ended up enjoying their connection. But that’s gonna depend on the reader. And of course, being a bonus type novella for a series, we got a bunch of fantastic cameos from our triplets and their families!! I loved that, and I LOVED that while we didn’t get a normal epilogue, we did get a catch up! It almost felt like a family Christmas letter!! 😉 So yeah. If you loved the series, you’ll enjoy this book. And if you haven’t read the series, you can totally dive in with this book and not feel lost…it stands fairly well on its own, minus the “Dear Reader” letter at the end. Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/08/... I received a free copy through the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — OK, this was an adorable little novella. It actually felt fairly complete, and only a teeny bit rushed. I was a little worried since their relationship started off extremely quickly with the fling aspect that I wouldn’t completely buy into the development of their feelings…and I will admit, that part is a bit weak. But I guess I just bought into the whole Irish mystical thing that was going on, and so I just decided to buy into it, you know? Like I could see some people having a problem with it, but since I decided I was all in, it was just fine for me. I was also really worried I wouldn’t enjoy Tate, what with the way she clutched onto her refusal to fall in love/like thing. But for some reason I felt for her, and while I could be frustrated with her coldness, I at least understood the root cause of it, you know? So I was willing to go along on her ride. I LOVED that she was this badass captain of a charter boat too…and even though we only got a brief glimpse of her in that role, I admired her chosen career and how she dealt with it. Finian was super easy to love, from his Irish accent, to his caring nature, to even his insecurities. He didn’t have quite as rich of a back story, but I don’t mind…sometimes I can only handle one big emotional thing in a book, you know? And he still had to contend with dealing with his developing feelings for a girl who wanted to keep him at arm’s length. And their chemistry was definitely palpable from a sexual standpoint! Like I said, I also decided to just buy in on the feelings, and so I really ended up enjoying their connection. But that’s gonna depend on the reader. And of course, being a bonus type novella for a series, we got a bunch of fantastic cameos from our triplets and their families!! I loved that, and I LOVED that while we didn’t get a normal epilogue, we did get a catch up! It almost felt like a family Christmas letter!! ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Aug 19, 2018
not set
|
Aug 20, 2018
not set
|
Sep 26, 2024
|
ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| Z., Cari
*
| 1649371179
| 9781649371171
| B08NH93TT4
| 3.92
| 629
| Dec 14, 2020
| Dec 14, 2020
|
really liked it
|
https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/12/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — I s https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/12/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — I seem to be on a bit of a roll! This very much felt like a souped up Hallmark Christmas movie…by which I mean it might have had similarities to loose Hallmark plotlines, but the story was deeper and there was less cheese. And since I’m personally not as interested in the schmaltz, I really loved this. Max was the big city lawyer that has to come back to his hometown, but I really felt why he was wary of his hometown and being back there. Can I say that I loved that it wasn’t because he was gay? Talk about refreshing. He really had a lot to get over in his past, and while I think he only started to tackle some of that by the end of the book, I did love seeing him confront his fears and find them mostly unfounded. Dominic was a freaking sweetheart who was working on his own issues. And I think that’s one of the things that I loved about this story — he was already getting help for his PTSD, meeting Max wasn’t the catalyst for that. Max just brought more into his life. And the two of them together? They made me smile, they made me melt, and they even frustrated me at times — but luckily that didn’t last too long. The steam was…just wow. Definitely a lot of chemistry with one another. I think one of the surprise hits for me in this book was Marnie and Steph. They were just so freaking adorable and precocious, and believable as children. I loved the way they had 3 great men trying their best for them. I loved that they were part of what reminded Max that there was more in life. I also really loved the friendship Max had with Hal. Even though we didn’t see a *lot* of it, what we did see just made my heart happy. They were so solid and caring, you could genuinely feel their love for one another. I also really loved that Hal was another non-toxic male — a cuddly contractor! All in all this gave me everything I always want in a Hallmark movie without all the things I don’t want. Total Christmas hit. Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/12/... I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4.5 stars — I seem to be on a bit of a roll! This very much felt like a souped up Hallmark Christmas movie…by which I mean it might have had similarities to loose Hallmark plotlines, but the story was deeper and there was less cheese. And since I’m personally not as interested in the schmaltz, I really loved this. Max was the big city lawyer that has to come back to his hometown, but I really felt why he was wary of his hometown and being back there. Can I say that I loved that it wasn’t because he was gay? Talk about refreshing. He really had a lot to get over in his past, and while I think he only started to tackle some of that by the end of the book, I did love seeing him confront his fears and find them mostly unfounded. Dominic was a freaking sweetheart who was working on his own issues. And I think that’s one of the things that I loved about this story — he was already getting help for his PTSD, meeting Max wasn’t the catalyst for that. Max just brought more into his life. And the two of them together? They made me smile, they made me melt, and they even frustrated me at times — but luckily that didn’t last too long. The steam was…just wow. Definitely a lot of chemistry with one another. I think one of the surprise hits for me in this book was Marnie and Steph. They were just so freaking adorable and precocious, and believable as children. I loved the way they had 3 great men trying their best for them. I loved that they were part of what reminded Max that there was more in life. I also really loved the friendship Max had with Hal. Even though we didn’t see a *lot* of it, what we did see just made my heart happy. They were so solid and caring, you could genuinely feel their love for one another. I also really loved that Hal was another non-toxic male — a cuddly contractor! All in all this gave me everything I always want in a Hallmark movie without all the things I don’t want. Total Christmas hit. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Dec 08, 2020
not set
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Dec 09, 2020
not set
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Sep 24, 2024
|
ebook
| |||||||||||||
| 1640638318
| 9781640638310
| B07PF632Q2
| 4.03
| 289
| Apr 08, 2019
| Apr 08, 2019
|
really liked it
|
https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/04/... 4 stars — There were parts of this book that were like 5+ stars incredible. So much great humour at times, and https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/04/... 4 stars — There were parts of this book that were like 5+ stars incredible. So much great humour at times, and in general I found Marshall to be super swoony. Plus, bunnies. Unfortunately, Gus frustrated me on *many* occasions, lowering my final rating. I know it was probably a bad idea to read a book so heavily featuring rabbits, but I just couldn’t help myself. And in general it felt like the author got a lot right, and actually depicted them as rabbits, instead of like cats and dogs (which I have seen before). I mean, they were picked up a lot more than many like to be, but I’ll give some grace. In general they were just ridiculously adorable, and as expected just made me long for another bunny of my own…. Marshall was actually pretty hilarious — his humour surprised me on many occasions, and I kind of loved how laid back he was, but also how in touch with wanting to grow and learn. That’s hella sexy. The funny thing is my very first impression of him in the courtroom was meh, but he just got better and better with time. I loved the way he teased Gus, I loved the way he really got into the bunny rescue and made connections with some of the bunnyguard. And obviously I loved that he connected with Thumper too… I appreciated that there was a lot going on inside him, and that his past had shaped him dramatically. And I really loved that when taken to task about his decisions in the past, he took the time and put in the effort to try to figure himself out. Gus, on the other hand, was a mixed bag for me. I loved how passionate and dedicated she was about her job, and the bits of her personality we got to see through there. It was the way she dealt with her past heartbreak and with Marshall that left me wanting. For all that she talked about being haughty, she truly was a prissy heroine. I never quite connected with her heartbreak over Rick, it’s like I didn’t see it but was merely told it. As such, I truly didn’t understand her reactions to her attraction to Marshall. I just didn’t get her. I hated the way she pushed him away, and tried to minimize things. I hated the way she put so much of it on Marshall (which, he had his problems too), instead of owning up to her own problems. I hate that somehow she got over her heartbreak, but it just sort of happened without the reader seeing it — it was super unsatisfying to not get to see her learn and grow. *sigh* The two together had pretty good chemistry, when Gus could get out of her own way. I mostly enjoyed their comradery though. *shrugs* I loved seeing Marshall’s relationship with his brother Jeremy, and how close they were. I also really enjoyed some of the characters in the bunnyguard, particularly Ray. All in all, Marshall and the bunnies made this book. It easily could have been a book I gushed over if Gus had gotten the same depth and leeway that Marshall did. Ah well, I will still look back at my highlights and laugh! Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/04/... 4 stars — There were parts of this book that were like 5+ stars incredible. So much great humour at times, and in general I found Marshall to be super swoony. Plus, bunnies. Unfortunately, Gus frustrated me on *many* occasions, lowering my final rating. I know it was probably a bad idea to read a book so heavily featuring rabbits, but I just couldn’t help myself. And in general it felt like the author got a lot right, and actually depicted them as rabbits, instead of like cats and dogs (which I have seen before). I mean, they were picked up a lot more than many like to be, but I’ll give some grace. In general they were just ridiculously adorable, and as expected just made me long for another bunny of my own…. Marshall was actually pretty hilarious — his humour surprised me on many occasions, and I kind of loved how laid back he was, but also how in touch with wanting to grow and learn. That’s hella sexy. The funny thing is my very first impression of him in the courtroom was meh, but he just got better and better with time. I loved the way he teased Gus, I loved the way he really got into the bunny rescue and made connections with some of the bunnyguard. And obviously I loved that he connected with Thumper too… I appreciated that there was a lot going on inside him, and that his past had shaped him dramatically. And I really loved that when taken to task about his decisions in the past, he took the time and put in the effort to try to figure himself out. Gus, on the other hand, was a mixed bag for me. I loved how passionate and dedicated she was about her job, and the bits of her personality we got to see through there. It was the way she dealt with her past heartbreak and with Marshall that left me wanting. For all that she talked about being haughty, she truly was a prissy heroine. I never quite connected with her heartbreak over Rick, it’s like I didn’t see it but was merely told it. As such, I truly didn’t understand her reactions to her attraction to Marshall. I just didn’t get her. I hated the way she pushed him away, and tried to minimize things. I hated the way she put so much of it on Marshall (which, he had his problems too), instead of owning up to her own problems. I hate that somehow she got over her heartbreak, but it just sort of happened without the reader seeing it — it was super unsatisfying to not get to see her learn and grow. *sigh* The two together had pretty good chemistry, when Gus could get out of her own way. I mostly enjoyed their comradery though. *shrugs* I loved seeing Marshall’s relationship with his brother Jeremy, and how close they were. I also really enjoyed some of the characters in the bunnyguard, particularly Ray. All in all, Marshall and the bunnies made this book. It easily could have been a book I gushed over if Gus had gotten the same depth and leeway that Marshall did. Ah well, I will still look back at my highlights and laugh! ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
|
Apr 13, 2020
not set
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Apr 14, 2020
not set
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Sep 24, 2024
|
ebook
| ||||||||||||||
| 1633755304
| 9781633755307
| B017HTD9L8
| 3.89
| 1,356
| Jan 04, 2016
| Jan 04, 2016
|
really liked it
|
http://celebrityreaders.com/2018/03/1... 4.5 stars — Winner winner chicken dinner!! Even though this one had a bit of a lack of communication problem, http://celebrityreaders.com/2018/03/1... 4.5 stars — Winner winner chicken dinner!! Even though this one had a bit of a lack of communication problem, it fit with the characters and struggles more, so it didn’t bother me as much as it might have. And Chad and Owen just totally won my heart! Chad was actually pretty much exactly as I was expecting. Sometimes his childishness would surprise me, but then I would think about what I know of him, and it would actually fit. I could honestly feel his insecurities, and his fear of living down to the expectations everyone had of him…expectations that he cultivated, but still. It’s hard to break out of that cycle, you know? And I thought we got a great look at that with Chad. I wanted to smack him so many times for the way he lashed out at Owen, but that didn’t mean I didn’t also feel for him and what he was struggling with. I get paralyzed by fear a lot, so I can vibe. I loved his snarky, smart-alecky personality. He may have done a lot of smirking, but it suited him. I think I got a bit of a different feel to Owen in the first book, but since we barely saw him, it was OK that he was somewhat different than I was expecting. He struggled with his own set of insecurities, worried that his tendancy towards uptightness would prove not enough for Chad. I couldn’t help but kind of wonder what his youth was like, but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of his story. I love that in general he didn’t let Chad walk all over him…for some reason Chad brought out a strength in him he didn’t know he had. I also appreciated that he was struggling with overcoming his own shyness/introvertedness at work, trying to make more of a difference and get the notice he deserved. His introvertedness felt much more authentic and natural compared to Chloe in book 2. The two of them together were even kind of different than what I was expecting! I didn’t expect them to have an almost adversarial vibe at the beginning. I mean, I guess it’s sort of hinted at in the blurb, but it went on for longer than I expected. You could really feel the opposites part of the opposites attract in this one…and it was interesting to see how they had this strong pull towards each other, but because they were so different, neither of them trusted that there could be more…it really brought out each of their insecurities in full force. I’m not always good with so much push and pull, but it worked for Chad and Owen for some reason. I think because we got to see these moments of hope…these moments of connection that were more. And it doesn’t hurt that they were smoking together. While this isn’t the last in the series, I read the last one first so it’s *my* last one. And I ended my reading of the Gamers series very satisfied. I felt like the nerdy aspects were well done and not gimicky like they could have been. And I loved that in each book we got a very satisfying epilogue. It was nice to see glimpses of our previous two couples in the background, and I was so happy with the way Owen and Chad’s story resolved. I’m a happy girl. Merged review: http://celebrityreaders.com/2018/03/1... 4.5 stars — Winner winner chicken dinner!! Even though this one had a bit of a lack of communication problem, it fit with the characters and struggles more, so it didn’t bother me as much as it might have. And Chad and Owen just totally won my heart! Chad was actually pretty much exactly as I was expecting. Sometimes his childishness would surprise me, but then I would think about what I know of him, and it would actually fit. I could honestly feel his insecurities, and his fear of living down to the expectations everyone had of him…expectations that he cultivated, but still. It’s hard to break out of that cycle, you know? And I thought we got a great look at that with Chad. I wanted to smack him so many times for the way he lashed out at Owen, but that didn’t mean I didn’t also feel for him and what he was struggling with. I get paralyzed by fear a lot, so I can vibe. I loved his snarky, smart-alecky personality. He may have done a lot of smirking, but it suited him. I think I got a bit of a different feel to Owen in the first book, but since we barely saw him, it was OK that he was somewhat different than I was expecting. He struggled with his own set of insecurities, worried that his tendancy towards uptightness would prove not enough for Chad. I couldn’t help but kind of wonder what his youth was like, but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of his story. I love that in general he didn’t let Chad walk all over him…for some reason Chad brought out a strength in him he didn’t know he had. I also appreciated that he was struggling with overcoming his own shyness/introvertedness at work, trying to make more of a difference and get the notice he deserved. His introvertedness felt much more authentic and natural compared to Chloe in book 2. The two of them together were even kind of different than what I was expecting! I didn’t expect them to have an almost adversarial vibe at the beginning. I mean, I guess it’s sort of hinted at in the blurb, but it went on for longer than I expected. You could really feel the opposites part of the opposites attract in this one…and it was interesting to see how they had this strong pull towards each other, but because they were so different, neither of them trusted that there could be more…it really brought out each of their insecurities in full force. I’m not always good with so much push and pull, but it worked for Chad and Owen for some reason. I think because we got to see these moments of hope…these moments of connection that were more. And it doesn’t hurt that they were smoking together. While this isn’t the last in the series, I read the last one first so it’s *my* last one. And I ended my reading of the Gamers series very satisfied. I felt like the nerdy aspects were well done and not gimicky like they could have been. And I loved that in each book we got a very satisfying epilogue. It was nice to see glimpses of our previous two couples in the background, and I was so happy with the way Owen and Chad’s story resolved. I’m a happy girl. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Mar 09, 2018
not set
|
Mar 10, 2018
not set
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Sep 24, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1250119928
| 9781250119926
| B01KFWOH3I
| 3.85
| 233
| Nov 01, 2016
| Nov 01, 2016
|
really liked it
|
https://celebrityreaders.com/2021/04/... 4.5 stars — Well that was an emotional roller coaster. I think the way this story was told was very unique, and https://celebrityreaders.com/2021/04/... 4.5 stars — Well that was an emotional roller coaster. I think the way this story was told was very unique, and it really added. I mean, there were times I was disappointed that we weren’t getting present Ian’s POV, but that’s because I’m greedy. I think sprinkling through the history really gave you an idea of who Ian was in a way nothing else would. I ached for him. He went through so much, and I felt his grief palpably. He had a journey that I haven’t really seen for a hero, or at least not in this way. I wanted to smack him at times, but it was always tempered by my empathy. Bianca was more our touchpoint in this story. She had her own emotional journey to travel. I can’t imagine all she was feeling and dealing with, and I loved seeing her grow as she completed the list. The same thing happened with her, I wanted to smack her at times, but I also understood how she was protecting herself given her family life. They had the strangest romance, I swear to god. It wasn’t smooth — it was awkward at times. It made sense given what they were both going through, and I still fell in love with them together, but it was still odd. I loved seeing them both attracted to one another, but unsure of the dance. I think one of the things I loved about this story were all the other characters that added to it. I loved the glimpse of Bianca’s friendship with Renée. I ADORED watching her developing friendship with Harper. Even though it’s kind of weird to think, I loved Maggie, and their story. And then there’s Rachel and Ben and Felix and Gavin. Even though we didn’t get much from the band, I enjoyed what we did get. I will admit I’m bummed knowing we probably won’t get Ben and Rachel’s story…I hate when something is teased but other circumstances make it not happen. So yeah. It was a completely unique story, but it captured me. Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2021/04/... 4.5 stars — Well that was an emotional roller coaster. I think the way this story was told was very unique, and it really added. I mean, there were times I was disappointed that we weren’t getting present Ian’s POV, but that’s because I’m greedy. I think sprinkling through the history really gave you an idea of who Ian was in a way nothing else would. I ached for him. He went through so much, and I felt his grief palpably. He had a journey that I haven’t really seen for a hero, or at least not in this way. I wanted to smack him at times, but it was always tempered by my empathy. Bianca was more our touchpoint in this story. She had her own emotional journey to travel. I can’t imagine all she was feeling and dealing with, and I loved seeing her grow as she completed the list. The same thing happened with her, I wanted to smack her at times, but I also understood how she was protecting herself given her family life. They had the strangest romance, I swear to god. It wasn’t smooth — it was awkward at times. It made sense given what they were both going through, and I still fell in love with them together, but it was still odd. I loved seeing them both attracted to one another, but unsure of the dance. I think one of the things I loved about this story were all the other characters that added to it. I loved the glimpse of Bianca’s friendship with Renée. I ADORED watching her developing friendship with Harper. Even though it’s kind of weird to think, I loved Maggie, and their story. And then there’s Rachel and Ben and Felix and Gavin. Even though we didn’t get much from the band, I enjoyed what we did get. I will admit I’m bummed knowing we probably won’t get Ben and Rachel’s story…I hate when something is teased but other circumstances make it not happen. So yeah. It was a completely unique story, but it captured me. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Apr 22, 2021
not set
|
Apr 23, 2021
not set
|
Sep 23, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 0993980686
| 9780993980688
| B01K352W9I
| 3.69
| 664
| Sep 13, 2016
| Sep 13, 2016
|
really liked it
|
https://celebrityreaders.com/2017/02/... 4.5 stars -- I'm a day late, but I started reading this book to fulfill the January theme for one of my Divers https://celebrityreaders.com/2017/02/... 4.5 stars -- I'm a day late, but I started reading this book to fulfill the January theme for one of my Diversity challenges, which was "Stories based on/ inspired by diverse folktales/culture/mythology." This book fit that theme PERFECTLY and I'm so glad I picked it up with this challenge in mind, b/c I was thoroughly entertained by Sora's story! This is not a book that typically piques my interest, as I tend to go for either contemporary or more modern paranormal/sci-fi. But after reading a review from Lillian @Mom With a Reading Problem, it sort of just stuck with me. So when I saw it go on sale, and noticed it matched the diversity theme, I snatched it up. So after that long-winded explanation...ahem. I really loved that this one introduced me to some mythology from Japan. It was all so enchanting, and I loved the blending of the world of the Kami with the modern world in Japan. I'm not really a huge fantasy reader b/c I enjoy the linking back to the real world, so I loved that this was both...I guess kind of urban fantasy then, eh? If you couldn't tell, I'm really not that familiar with the genre. I loved the uniqueness of Sora's journey. So often we read about a seemingly ordinary girl who actually has extraordinary powers and saves everyone. In some ways Sora's story was kind of opposite. She grew up thinking she was a being of extraordinary powers, but in the end she was a normal human. But it was her normal humanness that helped save everyone (sort of). I really LOVED that. I loved seeing her struggle with the lies she had been told, and how she would deal with her new reality, eventually coming to embrace what it meant. I enjoyed Sora as a narrator, I thought her struggles were relatable and she grew in a reasonable way. And the plot kept me hooked!! I enjoyed the journey the whole group went on to fulfill the prophecy and defeat the bad guys. There was exciting fight scenes and intriguing plot twists. I was up til 3am reading this bad boy, before I had to finally put it down. I'm not a fan of love triangles, but this one only bugged me a little since it was pretty shallow, though I will admit that I fell for the first boy and didn't give the second boy nearly enough of a chance, so I didn't really get totally on board with the romance. It's funny, b/c I tend to require romance in the books I read, but I wasn't super invested in this one. It had some great butterfly moments, but I wasn't always convinced of the feelings involved. Perhaps I didn't get what was drawing them together outside of attraction. As for the side characters, I really enjoyed them and loved that they all had some depth, with both admirable qualities and flaws. I thought Chiyo would annoy me, but I actually came to enjoy her and root for her (and I loved her romance with Haru). I felt similarly about Haru, but he really surprised me, and I kind of loved that. I almost wished I knew more about Takeo, b/c I really enjoyed him, and I felt like there could be more there. And then there's Keiji. I had a harder time forgiving his flaws, but I also enjoyed his redeeming moments (and they made me bawl). I also really liked that he was a bit of a nerd and beta boy. I even kind of enjoyed the bad guy and the story surrounding him. One of the things that has me rounding down instead of up is that I found I guessed a few major plot twists, and how to defeat the bad guy, quite early on, and so it was frustrating to wait around while Sora (or the others) figured it out. Sometimes I get giddy when I figure things out, but this was just quite obvious so it wasn't quite as fun. Regardless of all that, I was fully invested in this story, and I LOVED that this was a standalone novel, and I felt like the story got everything it deserved in just one book. And Sora is definitely one of my favourite YA characters, she deals with so much and I admire how she navigated her journey. Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2017/02/... 4.5 stars -- I'm a day late, but I started reading this book to fulfill the January theme for one of my Diversity challenges, which was "Stories based on/ inspired by diverse folktales/culture/mythology." This book fit that theme PERFECTLY and I'm so glad I picked it up with this challenge in mind, b/c I was thoroughly entertained by Sora's story! This is not a book that typically piques my interest, as I tend to go for either contemporary or more modern paranormal/sci-fi. But after reading a review from Lillian @Mom With a Reading Problem, it sort of just stuck with me. So when I saw it go on sale, and noticed it matched the diversity theme, I snatched it up. So after that long-winded explanation...ahem. I really loved that this one introduced me to some mythology from Japan. It was all so enchanting, and I loved the blending of the world of the Kami with the modern world in Japan. I'm not really a huge fantasy reader b/c I enjoy the linking back to the real world, so I loved that this was both...I guess kind of urban fantasy then, eh? If you couldn't tell, I'm really not that familiar with the genre. I loved the uniqueness of Sora's journey. So often we read about a seemingly ordinary girl who actually has extraordinary powers and saves everyone. In some ways Sora's story was kind of opposite. She grew up thinking she was a being of extraordinary powers, but in the end she was a normal human. But it was her normal humanness that helped save everyone (sort of). I really LOVED that. I loved seeing her struggle with the lies she had been told, and how she would deal with her new reality, eventually coming to embrace what it meant. I enjoyed Sora as a narrator, I thought her struggles were relatable and she grew in a reasonable way. And the plot kept me hooked!! I enjoyed the journey the whole group went on to fulfill the prophecy and defeat the bad guys. There was exciting fight scenes and intriguing plot twists. I was up til 3am reading this bad boy, before I had to finally put it down. I'm not a fan of love triangles, but this one only bugged me a little since it was pretty shallow, though I will admit that I fell for the first boy and didn't give the second boy nearly enough of a chance, so I didn't really get totally on board with the romance. It's funny, b/c I tend to require romance in the books I read, but I wasn't super invested in this one. It had some great butterfly moments, but I wasn't always convinced of the feelings involved. Perhaps I didn't get what was drawing them together outside of attraction. As for the side characters, I really enjoyed them and loved that they all had some depth, with both admirable qualities and flaws. I thought Chiyo would annoy me, but I actually came to enjoy her and root for her (and I loved her romance with Haru). I felt similarly about Haru, but he really surprised me, and I kind of loved that. I almost wished I knew more about Takeo, b/c I really enjoyed him, and I felt like there could be more there. And then there's Keiji. I had a harder time forgiving his flaws, but I also enjoyed his redeeming moments (and they made me bawl). I also really liked that he was a bit of a nerd and beta boy. I even kind of enjoyed the bad guy and the story surrounding him. One of the things that has me rounding down instead of up is that I found I guessed a few major plot twists, and how to defeat the bad guy, quite early on, and so it was frustrating to wait around while Sora (or the others) figured it out. Sometimes I get giddy when I figure things out, but this was just quite obvious so it wasn't quite as fun. Regardless of all that, I was fully invested in this story, and I LOVED that this was a standalone novel, and I felt like the story got everything it deserved in just one book. And Sora is definitely one of my favourite YA characters, she deals with so much and I admire how she navigated her journey. ...more |
Notes are private!
|
2
|
Jan 31, 2017
not set
|
Feb 2017
not set
|
Sep 23, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| ||||||||||||||
| 1633758621
| 9781633758629
| B06XR2BKPQ
| 3.98
| 636
| Apr 10, 2017
| Apr 10, 2017
|
really liked it
|
https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/04/... 4 stars — Well…huh. So, this is another mixed bag for me. On the one hand, I found both Cece and Emmett to be https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/04/... 4 stars — Well…huh. So, this is another mixed bag for me. On the one hand, I found both Cece and Emmett to be a bit unbearable in their pretention and snobbery…and I’m not generally a fan of seeing my MCs in a romance getting together/kissing/etc with other people (and we saw that from both of them). Though, I mean really, it’s a Cyrano de Bergerac retelling, so it’s kinda expected (even though I’ve never read the story, I know the gist). On the other hand, I read this one straight through, staying up until 3am finishing it. And I totally cried at certain points, and I definitely highlighted a lot of beautiful things. It’s like while I didn’t enjoy some parts, it wasn’t enough to completely ruin the good things about this book for me. So Cece. I was worried I wasn’t going to like her. And while she grew on me, and I definitely got to see more of her than I’d initially anticipated, she’s never going to be a book girl crush for me. She’s seriously pretentious and snobby, and that was a total turn off. I don’t actually mind if people love literature or weird music or are super into intellectual things…to each their own! But that’s what was missing here. She actually thought herself ABOVE others because of her tastes, and I honestly fucking hate that. I think that’s what’s wrong in this world, where we can’t just let people love what they love without making judgements about them because of it. It was hard to watch the way she treated Bryn. I mean, yeah no…she’s no intellect. She’s superficial. But there was a disdain about Bryn’s attempts at writing that just hurt my heart. And while it mostly came from Cece, Emmett wasn’t much better with his search for more depth, etc. *sigh* Can you tell it hit a nerve? Frankly a lot of what Cece and Emmett wrote to each other had me rolling my eyes, because it feels overdone. But that’s them! That’s what they love! OK enough. So BESIDES ALL THAT, I thought that Cece’s growth in this story was pretty spot on. She had a big ole chip on her shoulder because of her scar, and while she definitely had to deal with a LOT, and my heart ACHED for her at so many points, I did love that she got some wake up calls about how a lot was what she was projecting into the world as well. When she has that conversation with Tuba, it was just perfect. Emmett was the same balance as Cece. He had some great qualities, and he had qualities that made me roll my eyes. I ached for what he was dealing with in his grief, and I loved seeing him balance the football with the music. It’s kind of hard to watch him be almost purposely oblivious to the dichotomies of written Bryn vs in person Bryn (since they weren’t both Bryn), but that’s the nature of the story. I really did appreciate that Emmett mostly saw Cece for who she was and wasn’t bothered by the scar from the start. I enjoyed the friendship that they developed, and that they connected over so many things. And while my romantic heart hated how long I had to wait for them to get there, it was a pretty great kiss in the end. So yeah. Mixed bag, and the things that bugged me really bugged me…but the good outweighed the bad in the end. Merged review: https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/04/... 4 stars — Well…huh. So, this is another mixed bag for me. On the one hand, I found both Cece and Emmett to be a bit unbearable in their pretention and snobbery…and I’m not generally a fan of seeing my MCs in a romance getting together/kissing/etc with other people (and we saw that from both of them). Though, I mean really, it’s a Cyrano de Bergerac retelling, so it’s kinda expected (even though I’ve never read the story, I know the gist). On the other hand, I read this one straight through, staying up until 3am finishing it. And I totally cried at certain points, and I definitely highlighted a lot of beautiful things. It’s like while I didn’t enjoy some parts, it wasn’t enough to completely ruin the good things about this book for me. So Cece. I was worried I wasn’t going to like her. And while she grew on me, and I definitely got to see more of her than I’d initially anticipated, she’s never going to be a book girl crush for me. She’s seriously pretentious and snobby, and that was a total turn off. I don’t actually mind if people love literature or weird music or are super into intellectual things…to each their own! But that’s what was missing here. She actually thought herself ABOVE others because of her tastes, and I honestly fucking hate that. I think that’s what’s wrong in this world, where we can’t just let people love what they love without making judgements about them because of it. It was hard to watch the way she treated Bryn. I mean, yeah no…she’s no intellect. She’s superficial. But there was a disdain about Bryn’s attempts at writing that just hurt my heart. And while it mostly came from Cece, Emmett wasn’t much better with his search for more depth, etc. *sigh* Can you tell it hit a nerve? Frankly a lot of what Cece and Emmett wrote to each other had me rolling my eyes, because it feels overdone. But that’s them! That’s what they love! OK enough. So BESIDES ALL THAT, I thought that Cece’s growth in this story was pretty spot on. She had a big ole chip on her shoulder because of her scar, and while she definitely had to deal with a LOT, and my heart ACHED for her at so many points, I did love that she got some wake up calls about how a lot was what she was projecting into the world as well. When she has that conversation with Tuba, it was just perfect. Emmett was the same balance as Cece. He had some great qualities, and he had qualities that made me roll my eyes. I ached for what he was dealing with in his grief, and I loved seeing him balance the football with the music. It’s kind of hard to watch him be almost purposely oblivious to the dichotomies of written Bryn vs in person Bryn (since they weren’t both Bryn), but that’s the nature of the story. I really did appreciate that Emmett mostly saw Cece for who she was and wasn’t bothered by the scar from the start. I enjoyed the friendship that they developed, and that they connected over so many things. And while my romantic heart hated how long I had to wait for them to get there, it was a pretty great kiss in the end. So yeah. Mixed bag, and the things that bugged me really bugged me…but the good outweighed the bad in the end. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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Apr 14, 2020
not set
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Apr 15, 2020
not set
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Sep 22, 2024
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ebook
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my rating |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| 3.96
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really liked it
|
Sep 27, 2018
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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|||||
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| 3.42
|
really liked it
|
Dec 02, 2017
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
|
|||||
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| 3.74
|
really liked it
|
Jun 26, 2016
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.79
|
it was ok
|
Aug 15, 2020
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.79
|
it was amazing
|
Jul 24, 2017
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 4.15
|
really liked it
|
Oct 15, 2018
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.83
|
really liked it
|
Sep 06, 2016
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.66
|
really liked it
|
Nov 2018
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.71
|
it was ok
|
Dec 10, 2015
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.92
|
really liked it
|
Mar 12, 2017
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.93
|
really liked it
|
Mar 25, 2019
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 4.07
|
it was amazing
|
Feb 04, 2017
not set
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Sep 27, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.74
|
really liked it
|
Sep 02, 2018
not set
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Sep 26, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 4.08
|
really liked it
|
Aug 20, 2018
not set
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Sep 26, 2024
|
|||||
|
| Z., Cari
*
| 3.92
|
really liked it
|
Dec 09, 2020
not set
|
Sep 24, 2024
|
||||
|
| 4.03
|
really liked it
|
Apr 14, 2020
not set
|
Sep 24, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.89
|
really liked it
|
Mar 10, 2018
not set
|
Sep 24, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.85
|
really liked it
|
Apr 23, 2021
not set
|
Sep 23, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.69
|
really liked it
|
Feb 2017
not set
|
Sep 23, 2024
|
|||||
|
| 3.98
|
really liked it
|
Apr 15, 2020
not set
|
Sep 22, 2024
|
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