Andie
4.5 stars
Varsity Tiebreaker is the second book in the Varsity series and I was so excited to read Tory's book! Tory was an amazing character in the first book, so I was counting the days until I could read his story and Ginger Scott never disappoints.
Tory was even more amazing than I thought he would be, he was sweet, funny, cocky, sexy and he was trying so hard to do the right thing. Abby surprised me, I though I wasn't going to like her as much as I did, but this girl was strong, funny, smart and talented. I loved these two and the way they just connected with each other. I enjoyed how Tory really saw the real Abby and how Abby was working hard to achieve her goals and her dreams.
There was so much emotional growth in their story, I loved Abby's relationship with her mother and how real and messy Tory's relationship with his brother, Hayden, felt. Love triangles are hard but love triangles with twin brothers in the mix... Whoa, so freaking hard, but I really felt like it was done very well. I wish that Abby realized a few things a little earlier in the book to avoid one situation or two but overall I loved how angsty and emotional their journey was. These two were so perfect together that the slow burn almost killed me!
Varsity Tiebreaker was funny, entertaining, emotional, angsty and I enjoyed every second of it, these characters are extraordinary and I can't wait to read Cannon's story (baseball player and the coach's daughter: this is going to be so much fun!). You can read it as a standalone but I highly recommend this series if you love mature YA sports romance with stunning strong characters, lots of banter and so many emotions.
Books, Coffee & Passion
Under the Whispering Door tackles a very heavy serious topic: death. Basically, there's death, grief, and what comes next unpacked in this story. Honestly, if I hadn't read The House in the Cerulean Sea and if this book wasn't written by TJ Klune, I don't know if I would read it considering the serious themes in it. But I'm so happy I didn't miss this one.
This story is a journey. Wallace's journey: alive, dead, and then to what comes next. I was hooked by the storytelling from the first page. Wallace was not a good person when he was alive and suddenly, very unexpectedly in his opinion, he is dead. He meets a reaper at his own funeral that takes him to the ferryman. The man who is going to help Wallace cross: Hugo. Hugo owns a tea shop in the middle of nowhere in the cutest house that remains intact defying gravity. The thing is... Wallace is not ready to abandon life and Hugo will help him through it, to get Wallace to where he needs to go.
TJ Klune is a master at creating amazing characters. The cast of characters in this book is fantastic. Wallace, the flawed lawyer that didn't care for anyone other than himself and his job; Hugo, the ferryman with a huge heart and anxiety; Mei, the funniest, in your face, loud Reaper; Nelson the most mischievous, hilarious character ever and Apollo the clumsiest, sweetest dog. I loved every single one of these characters. All of them were so different from each other and yet they fit together perfectly. Wallace's character growth while he was dead, the emotional journey, the connections he forges with other characters, how he falls in love with Hugo... everything was so well done. I couldn't stop reading it. The story was beautifully written, it's cozy and whimsical, sad and heartbreaking, funny and sweet, deep and emotional. I loved every second of it. The plot may be a little predictable but the journey is everything.
On a very personal level, as someone who doesn't deal well at all with death, loss, and grief, Under the Whispering Door will stay with me for a long time. A must-read.
This was a slow-burn mystery. The setting, the town, and the beach community made the story eerie and unique. Jane Harper's descriptions were vivid and impressive. It was like watching a movie.
The story was gripping and intriguing from the start. The community's secrets, lies, sad memories, and tragedies kept me invested in the book as everything unfolded. The layered characters, the mysteries, the emotions, the suspense, and the twists were interesting and very well done. The themes in it were intense and dark, the guilt and the grief were almost overwhelming at some points. I don't think this book will work for everyone.
I was suspicious of almost ALL the characters, so I wasn't sure what the ending would reveal. Unfortunately, I don't think the ending was what it could've been, it was a little rushed. The way it wrapped up felt close to anticlimatic, even though the ending made sense. I read The Survivors in February and I still think about this book. The atmospheric setting was that great. Apparently, an atmospheric, creepy, eerie setting really works for me.
Overall, a very suspenseful, slow, compelling, entertaining story. I definitely need to read more books written by Jane Harper.
Major trigger warnings: Dementia; Death; Grief; Loss of loved ones; Depression; Suicidal thoughts; Survivor's Guilt; Drowning
I had so much fun reading Battle Royal!
The slow burn was amazing, loved the grumpy-sunshine romance!
Sylvie and Dominic were amazing characters, the setting was fantastic too especially Sugar Fair, Sylvie's bakery. If Sugar Fair existed in real life, I would be there 24/7.
I was very invested in the baking competition show and Sylvie and Dom's dynamics as judges were hilarious.
The only thing that didn't quite work for me was the royal mystery/history. It felt over the top and I didn't care much about that.
Only One Chance is the second book in the Only series but it can be read as a standalone. This book is about Miller, the real player off ice, and Layla, a sports talk show host. I really enjoyed their story, Natasha Madison's books never fail to captivate me! Here's what I loved about it:
Layla's grandmother was the best character in the book! She was hilarious. Her first interactions with Miller were amazing, I laughed so much;
Layla and Candace friendship was great and so was Miller's bromance with his teammates, Ralph and Manning;
Miller was so much more than a player, he was so sweet and romantic. Unfortunately, I still wanted to smack him a few times through the book;
Layla's sports show;
Layla was a fighter! She really made Miller work for her attention and I enjoyed their banter a lot;
The angst near the end almost killed me, I was really hurting right along with Layla;
The chemistry between them was so fantastic;
The epilogues were amazing, I was close to tears in one special moment in their lives.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story but I wish Layla's sports talk show had a little more room in the story. Additionally, it bothered me that Miller didn't realize by himself how he behaved with female fans and how he blew his first chance with Layla. I loved how Layla and Miller's story was wrapped up and I'm very curious about Manning's story!
2.5 stars
This book was underwhelming, I was expecting much more.
The premise is amazing and exciting but the execution... not so much.
The characters were underdeveloped and some events felt too convenient.
The story is told through Lore's POV and it might have been better for character development if there were multiple POVs. It felt like the story was unbalanced if that makes sense.
Some aspects of it were very creepy.
I did enjoy the flashbacks that gave us glimpses of Lore's past. The fight scenes were really good and I was curious how it would all end.
There are a lot of trigger warnings, so beware of that if you want to read it.
TWs: murder (including children); rape/sexual assault; loss of loved ones; grief; terminal illness; misogyny; abuse; gore; graphic violence; pedophilia; slavery.
New rock star book boyfriend alert: Griffin is absolutely perfect! I loved Luca and Griffin's story. So many feelings... ❤️
Books, Coffee & Passion
Tweet Cute is the cutest, sweetest YA romance ever!
Pepper moved from Nashville to New York City a few years ago, she struggled to adjust to her elite new school while her family was falling apart but she's an overachiever so she's now top of her class and swim team captain. She doesn't have much time for other stuff besides baking and running her family's fast-food chain, Big League Burger, social media account.
Jack has a very, very popular twin and he's very tired of constantly being in Ethan's shadow. They're identical twins but they have very different personalities. Jack likes to play around with apps, he's a really funny, good guy, works for his family's deli and runs the deli's social media account.
Both Pepper and Jack have inner struggles like any typical teen and I really liked how the story explored their feelings, their expectations, the pressure they were putting in their own shoulders and what they thought their parents expected and demanded from them. Both of them were amazing characters! I'm probably being vague but honestly I don't want to spoil much about this story.
I absolutely loved the Twitter feud, I laughed so much during some of the tweets and I loved Jack and Pepper's antics trying to gain the upper hand. I fell in love with Pepper and Jack and I was very invested in their relationship.
Overall, Tweet Cute was funny, sassy, witty, sweet and emotional. I adored it and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys lighthearted YA contemporary.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Enjoyable, a short novella with a little bit of drama for the sake of drama, but I enjoyed the wedding. :)
I really wanted to love this book but there was a moment when everything went downhill to me. I was loving the story and up until that point it could have been a solid 4 star read and then it blew up right in my face. The writing is great and I usually enjoy Meghan's books, this one just wasn't for me.
Maybe I'll write a more coherent review. Maybe I won't. Who knows.
I think Maddox's character depth spiraled out of control. I was loving Maddox until he went unhinged, it was just too much for me. I get that he had issues in his past but there was this scene with Kinsley that I really think was unforgivable. And his behavior after that was awful.I also think this line of story was reinforcing that growing up with an abusive parent means you'll be abusive too and that really bothers me. Additionally, I think it would be important to see Maddox getting professional help. TW: Drinking problem, anger issues, abusive behavior.
Oh, this book. I don't even know where to start. I was expecting to love this one. I like Jennifer L. Armentrout's writing and I usually enjoy her stories.
This book didn't quite work for me. First of all, it has been marketed as high fantasy and in my opinion it really isn't. Then, the world building is somewhat inconsistent and the first interaction between Poppy and Hawke wasn't the best (consent should be taken very seriously) which ruined most of the romance to me.
Poppy's actions were very out of character because she didn't act like a sheltered character at all. Also, several of her choices... Dumb.
However, I'm curious about where the story is going. The political intrigue and the conflict between atlantians, humans, royals and wolvens was engaging and I wish it was better explored.
I'll probably read the next one. Yeah, it makes no sense that I want to do that. Can't explain it!
Note: I wrote this mini review in my January wrap up. It's now June and I have no desire to keep reading this series. So, I won't be reading the next book.
I wanted to love The Boyfriend Project. I enjoyed it but some things didn't work out for me.
I loved the tech setting, loved Samiah's character (kickass heroine for sure), her friendship with Taylor and London was amazing, actually my favorite moments were when these 3 characters were together. I enjoyed Daniel's character too and his inner struggles and I liked the suspense his character brought to the story. I even enjoyed how much of their tech work was described and discussed even though the romance fell to the sidelines at those moments.
What I really didn't like was Daniel's choice that led to the conflict in their romance. Samiah deserved better, so much better. Also, I didn't think it made much sense that he ended up revealing himself as an undercover agent when they arrested Samiah's coworkers.
Overall, I liked it but I didn't love it.
Wow. This book... I thought Nixon's story couldn't top Quinn's story. I was SO wrong. I freaking loved this book! Definitely my favorite in this series!
3.5 stars
Hush Note is a three book rock star romance series written by three authors: Sarina Bowen, Devney Perry and Rebecca Yarros. Lies & Lullabies is the first book in the series, a sweet emotional second chance romance.
I'm not a fan of the surprise pregnancy trope but I couldn't resist reading Lies & Lullabies. A second chance rock star romance written by Sarina Bowen? Hell yeah!
I loved the setting, the writing and the characters in this story. Jonas had his reasons to skip crucial details like his real name and the fact that he was a rockstar, when he was spending a summer away from all the madness. He definitely wasn't expecting to meet Kira. Kira was going through a rough time when she met Jonas, their friendship came easy until their first and last perfect night together. 5 years later, Jonas decides to go back to Maine and seeing Kira is an unexpected surprise.
Kira and Jonas reconnected fast. It didn't seem too fast because their bond and their chemistry were pretty amazing. The intensity of their feelings made sense and felt real. I absolutely loved the side characters: Vivi was the sweetest little girl; Adam, Kira's brother, was definitely my favorite side character; I loved Ethan and Nixon was definitely a very intriguing character (so excited about reading his story...!). I wish Adam would get his own book! That would be awesome but unfortunately it doesn't seem likely.
There were a few things that frustrated me in the story. I didn't get Kira's reasons to keep Vivi a secret. She could have tried to reach him and tell him, it bothered me that she didn't even try. Kira's ex has a small role that didn't made much sense, that story-line wasn't wrapped up at all. Also, we get a bit of Adam's fling with Ethan and it was left unresolved too, I wanted so much more of both of them!
Overall, Lies & Lullabies was a solid sweet entertaining second chance romance. I'm really excited about the next book, the tension and the chemistry between Graham and Quinn just in a few paragraphs: OFF THE CHARTS!
Varsity Heartbreaker is one of the most compelling mature YA sports romances I've read in the last decade. An angsty roller coaster best friends to enemies to lovers romance.
This story flowed so perfectly and I was hooked almost instantly. June and Lucas grew up together, they're next door neighbors and they were best friends for most of their lives until suddenly they weren't. June changed schools because she was hurt after their fallout, let's call it that for the sake of not revealing too much, but the story begins when she returns to her old high school for her senior year. Her old high school that is Lucas high school too.
I really, really liked June. She wasn't the same girl that used to be Lucas best friend, she changed and that was shown during the first pages of the book. She was reacting differently to certain situations, she didn't back down, she was being brave and fierce, she stopped caring about what people though about her and I loved every moment she pushed back. There was an interesting aspect in the story and I think Ginger Scott was a master at this: when June changed her attitude, it clearly influenced people's behavior toward her. I loved how that was clearly shown in this story. Of course it doesn't work all the time, because some people are just too petty (yes, I'm referring to a specific character that shall not be named) but it does work with most people.
Lucas was a challenge to like, I'll admit it. I was angry with him through most of the book, but there were a few glimpses of the real Lucas that made me ache for so much more! I really couldn't understand what was going on with him, but the mystery was definitely necessary to the plot. Even though I had trouble understating his interactions with June, things progressed in a interesting way and when a huge secret was revealed... everything clicked and I ended up loving him. SO. MUCH.
The secondary characters were amazing too! I loved Abby, June's best friend, but my favorite secondary character was definitely Tory. I absolutely loved Tory, Lucas' best friend. He's the most hilarious character ever and seeing his friendship with June grow was one of my favorite parts of this story. I'm so excited about getting Tory's story next!
Varsity Heartbreak is a must read YA mature sports romance that stole my heart. Ginger Scott is an amazing writer and I need to read more of her books. Highly recommended.
As soon as I read this book was set in a small town in Alabama and it was a fake relationship romance, I knew I had to read it.
The characters were the real stars in this story.
I absolutely loved Sloane, she was an amazing character, her background story, her blog posts, her way of being nice and chatty, her awkwardness, she definitely stood out as unique. Her relationship with Emma, her best friend, and Callum, her brother, brought so many hilarious and nostalgic moments and I loved their moments together. I really, really liked Callum, his love for his sister and his kind heart definitely made him one of my favorite characters too. Brady was a little moody, very grumpy, but he was a very, very hot and charming bartender. I really liked how much he loved the bar and how badly he wanted to save it. Sloane and Brady together were definitely two puzzle pieces that fitted together perfectly! Sloane came alive when she was with Brady and Brady could really relax and be himself with Sloane, it was just so easy for them to be together that it really felt meant to be. Their banter was amazing and they were so cute together, it was so much fun to see their relationship slowly becoming more real than either of them could imagine. I was rooting for these two from their very first interaction.
I didn't care much for the other reason Brady ended up jumping in the fake relationship, that ended up stirring a bit of drama (not much though thankfully), also some hilarious scenes were just a little over the top. Apart from that, I had so much fun reading this book, there were scenes that made me laugh so hard there were tears streaming down my face.
If you love the fake relationship trope, romantic comedies and southern charm, you need to read this book.
Books, Coffee & Passion
In Five Years was the opposite of what I was expecting. The blurb is a little deceiving to say the least. The premise is amazing and that's what made me read the book, I mean a girl got engaged to her boyfriend in 2020 and then suddenly wakes up with a different man and a different engagement ring 5 years in the future, an hour later she wakes up again in 2020... This sounds amazing, right? Unfortunately, in my opinion the execution wasn't. This is not a love story. I expected a light love story with some twists and turns, I wasn't expecting a story of friendship, loss and grief.
If you want to read this book and don't want spoilers, stop reading this review now.
One of my main problems while I was reading the book was that I couldn't empathize with any of these characters except with Bella, Dannie's best friend, but not even with her as a person, it was mostly because everything she was going through and had to endure. I couldn't stand Dannie, the main character, she was so judgy when it came to Bella's lifestyle and relationships. I disliked Dannie even more because she was so obsessed with her life plan. Her obsession went to the point she kept a loveless relationship just because she felt safe and wanted her plan, to marry in a few years and having kids a few years after that, to come true. She was narcissistic, self-entitled and annoying. Her boyfriend was just a bland character and Aaron... I couldn't get Aaron at all.I love plot twists when they're done right, I just felt like it wasn't the case here. Some of Aaron and Dannie's interactions felt forced in order to keep the readers thinking they might be interested in each other. Like the intense looks Aaron gave her occasionally. That meant nothing, it was only inserted in the plot as a way of keeping the readers guessing if they were going to fall in love. It didn't make any sense when the scene Dannie had dreamed in the beginning of the book was wrapped up. It just felt like lazy writing and it really bothered me. I couldn't get Aaron because I think his main role in the story was just to keep the readers believing in a possible romance between Dannie and him. His character development was nonexistent.
Overall, it was disappointing even though it was a page turner.
4.5 stars
I loved this story!
I was rooting for these characters from the first few pages of each of their POVs. JG grabbed my attention and got me emotionally involved in these characters' lives so freaking fast.
Can't wait to read the sequel!
4.5 stars
A Love Song for Dreamers is the third and last book in the Rivals series. Annie and Tyler have come a long, long way since high school and after that cliffhanger at the end of the second book, that almost killed me, I was counting the days until I could read the final book in their journey. It was an emotional rollercoaster and I loved it.
There is a lot going on in this book, Annie and Tyler are dealing with the aftermath of the event that happened in the end of the second book. It's painful, it's very emotional and both of them are struggling in very different ways with their own feelings. Their lives irrevocably changed and they can't go back to what things were. So, where does that leaves Tyler's future and their relationship? I can't say much about how the story progressed but I can say that I really loved this book. I wasn't expecting to love this series so much.
In my opinion this is not a typical rockstar romance. It's not about shows or fans or jealousy or drama for the sake of drama, it's about following your dreams even though sometimes you might have to let someone you love go, it's about talent and hard work and realizing along the way your dreams may shift, it's about true love for music, songwriting, performing, acting, etc. It's about putting yourself out there even though sometimes it feels like nobody believes in you, not even yourself. I really loved the fact that this series is so different from what we usually get in rockstar romances.
The characters are the real stars of this book, Tyler and Annie are flawed and truly amazing and their character growth is so well done. Their relationship isn't perfect but the powerful love they have for each other really shines through their story and their chemistry is breathtaking. I was worried when it seemed like their relationship was going on a different direction, I kept thinking these characters deserved so much more, in fact they deserved everything, but I was SO pleasantly surprised when the author proved me wrong and wrapped everything beautifully. I'm so happy with the final events of their story and how much sense everything made.
There was a detail that made me adjust my rating: the time jump. I think it should have been inserted a little later in the story, I wanted a little more before the gap but like I said it's just a detail.
I'm sad to say goodbye to Tyler and Annie, I highly recommend this series and I'm wishing for Harry's story and hoping to get a little more time with Tyler and Annie as supporting characters.
Not for me.
I should've quit this series as soon as I finished book 1, honestly.
I disliked this one. Again, the premise was interesting but the execution... weak.
The characters were annoying, didn't feel the chemistry, the bdsm stuff felt forced, the choices HR made were so stupid, even the behavior of her dad and brother was completely out of character. Maybe, I'm over MC romances or dark romances. Or maybe this author isn't for me.
I've read The Dark Tide a few months ago but I struggled so much to rate and review it that I decided to reread it again after a while. Finally, I've reread it and I'm still struggling to organize my thoughts about it.
I was really liking the story during the first half of the book but then I felt disconnected. I can't pinpoint the exact moment that my interest in the story started to fade but I'll try to sum up what I liked and disliked.
What I liked:
• Rep (POC; LGBT);
• Captivating premise;
• The dark setting of the palace and the island;
• Witches;
• Lina and Finley's relationship was great, really loved their banter;
• The pet sea serpent was amazing;
• Eva was the most complex character in my opinion and I really liked her POV;
What I didn't like:
• The magic system was underdeveloped;
• The pacing felt off;
• There was no build up in the romance (Lina's transition from being so in love with Thomas to having feelings for Eva came out of nowhere);
• Other than Eva and Lina, the other characters felt flat.
Overall, I liked it but I feel like the story didn't quite fulfill its potential and couldn't keep me invested until the very end. I'm still curious about the next book though.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Books, Coffee & Passion
Noah is a sexy, sweet, nerdy, computer genius that isn't exactly a member of the Bromance Book Club, but Mack is trying his best to recruit him at the beginning of the story. Alexis is a strong, bad-ass, selfless fighter. She's a survivor, she owns a coffee shop that became a safe place for women to share their stories if they want and she also hosts a yoga class to promote mental health and well-being.
Alexis and Noah are best friends, but they have feelings for each other. They are terrified of the Friend Zone, but they don't want to jeopardize the amazing friendship they have. They care deeply for each other and they're scared to risk it. Truly, a perfect friends-to-lovers setup.
These two were the sweetest couple! Both of them had family issues that left deep emotional scars. They had to tackle some stuff while they were trying to give their relationship a shot and things got very emotional. A lot was going on in Alexis' life, suddenly everything changed in her family life and she was struggling to understand what exactly happened between her parents in the past while trying to deal with a huge family drama. On top of that, she had another unpleasant situation regarding a nasty shop owner located across from her coffee shop. Noah, on the other hand, was dealing with some family demons that surprisingly were connected with the sudden family drama in Alexis' life. He also needed to address other issues concerning his family and he was constantly trying to dodge the guys in the Bromance Book Club. As if Mack would allow it! The Bromance Book Club guys were amazing as usual! Loved them all so much! Anyway, there was a lot going on in Noah and Alexis' lives, just as they were taking steps toward a relationship. The chemistry between these two was EVERYTHING. Their moments together were fantastic, emotional and beautiful. I was rooting so much for these characters! Alexis' cat provided several comic moments as well as the Russian and I enjoyed the comic relief.
I love Lyssa Kay Adams' books. I love her writing. I enjoy the way she makes us fall for every single one of her characters and love the way she includes, and develops, important topics in her books. It's no surprise I loved this one! That being said, I think this book tackled too many serious topics, that eventually distracted me a little from Noah and Alexis' romance. I wanted more time with these two and their group of friends and maybe that's why I felt this way. The first book in the Bromance Book Club series is still my favorite, but I enjoyed Crazy Stupid Bromance so much. Can't wait to read the next one!
I understand why you left, but if you think for a second it didn't tear me up, you were wrong.
When I read the first book in this trilogy, A Love Song for Liars, I truly thought that I hit the jackpot. Oh boy, was I wrong because the real gem is the second book: A Love Song for Rebels! Piper Lawson blew me away with the second book. I loved it so much!
Annie and Tyler's romance started in high school in the first book, but now Annie is in college which means the romance shifts from Young Adult to New Adult and the transition is truly blossoming for their relationship. They are older, stronger and highly focused on their careers... but when they bump into each other unexpectedly, they realize their feelings have grown and their chemistry and deep connection can't be ignored anymore.
There's so much going on but I can't share much. There are new amazing secondary characters (yes, Beck looking right at you!), steamy and heart breaking moments, a lot of angst, raw emotions, drama, off the charts chemistry and I couldn't put my Kindle down for a second.
Tyler and Annie are amazing, reckless and selfless characters. I really loved how they wear their hearts on their sleeves and how they embrace their feelings for each other and for music. By the way, I'm still not a fan of Annie's dad but that didn't bother me in this book. The ending crushed me, I screamed and I cried and I can't wait to read the final installment in this trilogy. I'm also equally dreading the final book because it'll mean I'll have to say goodbye to Tyler and Annie and I'm definitely not ready for that.
A Love Song for Rebels is a must read for anyone who loves an angsty, beautifully written college romance. Highly recommended.