Jane
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be transparent, I compare most contemporary romance/romance-comedy books with ‘Animal Husbandry’ by Laura Zigman. It’s a book I read back in my 20s (in the early 2000s). I may not remember all aspects of that book, and I don’t know if I would still love it as much as I did if I do a re-read now, but I remember how I felt when I first read it. And if I don’t feel that when I read a book of the same genre, then I probably won’t rate it high.
That said, Book Lovers didn’t come close to my experience when I read ‘Animal Husbandry’. So now we all know why I rated this the way I did.
This isn’t a bad read and it also isn’t the kind of book that you would immediately forget after reading. But it wasn’t outstanding either. It’s alright.
The premise was interesting enough. The protagonist, Nora, was positioned as the woman the man leaves when he finally finds the one. Not necessarily a woman scorned but more like the wrong match in a conventional love story.
Given that set-up, one should be rooting for the protagonist but I just could not. I don’t know if it’s because I just felt like she didn’t need to be in a relationship or if it’s because I just didn’t find her love interest, Charlie, very interesting. I mean…he’s a good match for her. He’s good looking and shares Nora’s core values. But other than that, he’s…blah. Actually, both of them were blah. While I am not a fan of over-the-top romance, that does not mean I clamor for…this.
I am not averse to normal people being the subject of romance. But the story should somehow convince the reader that they find each other very interesting. I didn’t get that here. Again, there was no build up. There was just attraction, some sad background, and then bam, they’re in love.
Maybe this is, again, an issue I have with the timeline. The whole thing happened in a month’s time. But I don’t think so. A month is long enough to develop a romance. So, I think it’s because I can’t buy into the scenario that two very much guarded, careful, and professional people would easily shift gears without much awkwardness. There was awkwardness but it doesn’t seem enough and it was very run of the mill. Dare I say it…tropey.
Quite a few folks loved this book because the protagonist remained true to herself and didn’t give up her life for the sake of love. It also had a guy who loved her for who she is and didn’t try to change her. Yeah, yeah. Applause for the protagonist and the dude. Boss Babes rule, and all that. But that whole thing was ruined for me by Nora’s sister.
Libby, who loves and understands Nora the best, undermined her by trying to trick her into doing what she wants. And yes, there’s a lot of issues going on between them that would explain why Libby would go this route. However, I think Libby’s actions infantilized Nora. It’s almost as if Libby saw Nora as a child that you have to play “airplane” with in order for them to eat what’s on the spoon.
Another thing I had an issue with is the title. The title is Book Lovers. While loving books was a big factor in the story, the pivotal plot point here is loving city life. Loving books seems incidental compared to how much loving city living factored into the issues that came up in the story. So yeah, I think there’s a mismatch with the title. But given how the author’s other book was titled ‘Beach Read’ when the story’s setting was by a lake, this issue seems to be part of an on-going pattern.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be transparent, I compare most contemporary romance/romance-comedy books with ‘Animal Husbandry’ by Laura Zigman. It’s a book I read back in my 20s (in the early 2000s). I may not remember all aspects of that book, and I don’t know if I would still love it as much as I did if I do a re-read now, but I remember how I felt when I first read it. And if I don’t feel that when I read a book of the same genre, then I probably won’t rate it high.
That said, Book Lovers didn’t come close to my experience when I read ‘Animal Husbandry’. So now we all know why I rated this the way I did.
This isn’t a bad read and it also isn’t the kind of book that you would immediately forget after reading. But it wasn’t outstanding either. It’s alright.
The premise was interesting enough. The protagonist, Nora, was positioned as the woman the man leaves when he finally finds the one. Not necessarily a woman scorned but more like the wrong match in a conventional love story.
Given that set-up, one should be rooting for the protagonist but I just could not. I don’t know if it’s because I just felt like she didn’t need to be in a relationship or if it’s because I just didn’t find her love interest, Charlie, very interesting. I mean…he’s a good match for her. He’s good looking and shares Nora’s core values. But other than that, he’s…blah. Actually, both of them were blah. While I am not a fan of over-the-top romance, that does not mean I clamor for…this.
I am not averse to normal people being the subject of romance. But the story should somehow convince the reader that they find each other very interesting. I didn’t get that here. Again, there was no build up. There was just attraction, some sad background, and then bam, they’re in love.
Maybe this is, again, an issue I have with the timeline. The whole thing happened in a month’s time. But I don’t think so. A month is long enough to develop a romance. So, I think it’s because I can’t buy into the scenario that two very much guarded, careful, and professional people would easily shift gears without much awkwardness. There was awkwardness but it doesn’t seem enough and it was very run of the mill. Dare I say it…tropey.
Quite a few folks loved this book because the protagonist remained true to herself and didn’t give up her life for the sake of love. It also had a guy who loved her for who she is and didn’t try to change her. Yeah, yeah. Applause for the protagonist and the dude. Boss Babes rule, and all that. But that whole thing was ruined for me by Nora’s sister.
Libby, who loves and understands Nora the best, undermined her by trying to trick her into doing what she wants. And yes, there’s a lot of issues going on between them that would explain why Libby would go this route. However, I think Libby’s actions infantilized Nora. It’s almost as if Libby saw Nora as a child that you have to play “airplane” with in order for them to eat what’s on the spoon.
Another thing I had an issue with is the title. The title is Book Lovers. While loving books was a big factor in the story, the pivotal plot point here is loving city life. Loving books seems incidental compared to how much loving city living factored into the issues that came up in the story. So yeah, I think there’s a mismatch with the title. But given how the author’s other book was titled ‘Beach Read’ when the story’s setting was by a lake, this issue seems to be part of an on-going pattern.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be transparent, I compare most contemporary romance/romance-comedy books with ‘Animal Husbandry’ by Laura Zigman. It’s a book I read back in my 20s (in the early 2000s). I may not remember all aspects of that book, and I don’t know if I would still love it as much as I did if I do a re-read now, but I remember how I felt when I first read it. And if I don’t feel that when I read a book of the same genre, then I probably won’t rate it high.
That said, Book Lovers didn’t come close to my experience when I read ‘Animal Husbandry’. So now we all know why I rated this the way I did.
This isn’t a bad read and it also isn’t the kind of book that you would immediately forget after reading. But it wasn’t outstanding either. It’s alright.
The premise was interesting enough. The protagonist, Nora, was positioned as the woman the man leaves when he finally finds the one. Not necessarily a woman scorned but more like the wrong match in a conventional love story.
Given that set-up, one should be rooting for the protagonist but I just could not. I don’t know if it’s because I just felt like she didn’t need to be in a relationship or if it’s because I just didn’t find her love interest, Charlie, very interesting. I mean…he’s a good match for her. He’s good looking and shares Nora’s core values. But other than that, he’s…blah. Actually, both of them were blah. While I am not a fan of over-the-top romance, that does not mean I clamor for…this.
I am not averse to normal people being the subject of romance. But the story should somehow convince the reader that they find each other very interesting. I didn’t get that here. Again, there was no build up. There was just attraction, some sad background, and then bam, they’re in love.
Maybe this is, again, an issue I have with the timeline. The whole thing happened in month’s time. But I don’t think so. A month is long enough to develop a romance. So, I think it’s because I can’t buy into the scenario that two very much guarded, careful, and professional people would easily shift gears without much awkwardness. There was awkwardness but it doesn’t seem enough and it was very run of the mill. Dare I say it…tropey.
Quite a few folks loved this book because the protagonist remained true to herself and didn’t give up her life for the sake of love. It also had a guy who loved her for who she is and didn’t try to change her. Yeah, yeah. Applause for the protagonist and the dude. Boss Babes rule, and all that. But that whole thing was ruined for me by Nora’s sister.
Libby, who loves and understands Nora the best, undermined her by trying to trick her into doing what she wants. And yes, there’s a lot of issues going between them that would explain why Libby would go this route. However, I think Libby’s actions infantilized Nora. It’s almost as if Libby saw Nora as a child that you have to play “airplane” with in order for them to eat what’s on the spoon.
Another thing I had an issue with is the title. The title is Book Lovers. While loving books was a big factor in the story, the pivotal plot point here is loving city life. Loving books seems incidental compared to how much loving city living factored into the issues that came up in the story. So yeah, I think there’s a mismatch with the title. But given how the author’s other book was titled ‘Beach Read’ when the story’s setting was by a lake, this issue seems to be part of an on-going pattern.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be transparent, I compare most contemporary romance/romance-comedy books with ‘Animal Husbandry’ by Laura Zigman. It’s a book I read back in my 20s (in the early 2000s). I may not remember all aspects of that book, and I don’t know if I would still love it as much as I did if I do a re-read now, but I remember how I felt when I first read it. And if I don’t feel that when I read a book of the same genre, then I probably won’t rate it high.
That said, Book Lovers didn’t come close to my experience when I read ‘Animal Husbandry’. So now we all know why I rated this the way I did.
This isn’t a bad read and it also isn’t the kind of book that you would immediately forget after reading. But it wasn’t outstanding either. It’s alright.
The premise was interesting enough. The protagonist, Nora, was positioned as the woman the man leaves when he finally finds the one. Not necessarily a woman scorned but more like the wrong match in a conventional love story.
Given that set-up, one should be rooting for the protagonist but I just could not. I don’t know if it’s because I just felt like she didn’t need to be in a relationship or if it’s because I just didn’t find her love interest, Charlie, very interesting. I mean…he’s a good match for her. He’s good looking and shares Nora’s core values. But other than that, he’s…blah. Actually, both of them were blah. While I am not a fan of over-the-top romance, that does not mean I clamor for…this.
I am not averse to normal people being the subject of romance. But the story should somehow convince the reader that they find each other very interesting. I didn’t get that here. Again, there was no build up. There was just attraction, some sad background, and then bam, they’re in love.
Maybe this is, again, an issue I have with the timeline. The whole thing happened in month’s time. But I don’t think so. A month is long enough to develop a romance. So, I think it’s because I can’t buy into the scenario that two very much guarded, careful, and professional people would easily shift gears without much awkwardness. There was awkwardness but it doesn’t seem enough and it was very run of the mill. Dare I say it…tropey.
Quite a few folks loved this book because the protagonist remained true to herself and didn’t give up her life for the sake of love. It also had a guy who loved her for who she is and didn’t try to change her. Yeah, yeah. Applause for the protagonist and the dude. Boss Babes rule, and all that. But that whole thing was ruined for me by Nora’s sister.
Libby, who loves and understands Nora the best, undermined her by trying to trick her into doing what she wants. And yes, there’s a lot of issues going between them that would explain why Libby would go this route. However, I think Libby’s actions infantilized Nora. It’s almost as if Libby saw Nora as a child that you have to play “airplane” with in order for them to eat what’s on the spoon.
Another thing I had an issue with is the title. The title is Book Lovers. While loving books was a big factor in the story, the pivotal plot point here is loving city life. Loving books seems incidental compared to how much loving city living factored into the issues that came up in the story. So yeah, I think there’s a mismatch with the title. But given how the author’s other book was titled ‘Beach Read’ when the story’s setting was by a lake, this issue seems to be part of an on-going pattern.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was another book I almost DNFed. Why? Because I was well into the middle of the book and I still could not get myself to care about the protagonist or any of the characters.
The summary of the book basically said that Ying went off to the capital to find out why her father was murdered. Uh, we all kind of find out why at chapter 1. The author may not think so but I do. The real question was who was behind the whole thing.
Given how Ying was supposed to be finding out who was behind her father’s murder, there was very little investigating. Sure, she found stuff but it wasn’t because she was intentionally looking for it. For goodness sake, the three 12 yr. old kids in Harry Potter did more investigating than this 18 yr. old. And she didn’t even have to contend with professors or a custodian roaming about the halls looking to give demerits to students. She could have done a lot more which makes me think that she wasn’t all that invested in solving her father’s murder. It came off as if she was more invested in getting into the Guild than finding the real culprit.
But even if she was, I still couldn’t get behind her actions. She wasn’t like Bruce Wayne who was left with no family to care for them, except Alfred. She had a family who probably needed her. You know, since their dad died. The whole thing came off as self serving. Which I could have gotten behind if they were more afront with it. Blind revenge-seeking rage is understandable. What Ying had was…not that.
And Ying had weird reactions to things in certain instances.
1. A person is missing from the assembly, Ying was immediately suspicious. It’s the 1st assembly and she doesn’t even know how things work in the Guild. There was no basis for it.
2. A person said something off putting to her benefactor and she was “seething” even when she basically had the same thought as that person.
3. Then she goes on blaming another person for being complicit in her father’s death. In reality that person was as guilty in her father’s death as Martha Wayne was in her and her husband’s death. How dare Martha wear a necklace that caused the mugger to rob and kill them. Yes, I am still going with the Batman references.
Other issues I had with this book were some word/phrase choices that just took me out of the setting because they were so out of place. Below is the list.
- parked (should have used the word “dock”)
- baby’s got an engine issue (sounds modern)
- scrap piece (scrap and piece are the same)
- cute (sounds modern)
- Bullshit! (sounds modern)
- Kid (sounds modern)
- rosary (sounds Western in an East Asian setting)
- restaurants (sounds modern)
- gang (sounds modern)
- tick off (sounds modern given its usage)
- bored (sounds modern)
What saved this book from becoming a 1 star were the flashbacks of her father. Those actually softened my perception of Ying. Whenever those come in, I could understand why she started this whole thing. Another thing that saved it was the ending. Possibly an unpopular opinion but I appreciated the ending given what happened in the plot.
So, was this downright awful? No. Would I recommend it? If the person was young and getting into fantasy, sure.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was another book I almost DNFed. Why? Because I was well into the middle of the book and I still could not get myself to care about the protagonist or any of the characters.
The summary of the book basically said that Ying went off to the capital to find out why her father was murdered. Uh, we all kind of find out why at chapter 1. The author may not think so but I do. The real question was who was behind the whole thing.
Given how Ying was supposed to be finding out who was behind her father’s murder, there was very little investigating. Sure, she found stuff but it wasn’t because she was intentionally looking for it. For goodness sake, the three 12 yr. old kids in Harry Potter did more investigating than this 18 yr. old. And she didn’t even have to contend with professors or a custodian roaming about the halls looking to give demerits to students. She could have done a lot more which makes me think that she wasn’t all that invested in solving her father’s murder. It came off as if she was more invested in getting into the Guild than finding the real culprit.
But even if she was, I still couldn’t get behind her actions. She wasn’t like Bruce Wayne who was left with no family to care for them, except Alfred. She had a family who probably needed her. You know, since their dad died. The whole thing came off as self serving. Which I could have gotten behind if they were more afront with it. Blind revenge-seeking rage is understandable. What Ying had was…not that.
And Ying had weird reactions to things in certain instances.
1. A person is missing from the assembly, Ying was immediately suspicious. It’s the 1st assembly and she doesn’t even know how things work in the Guild. There was no basis for it.
2. A person said something off putting to her benefactor and she was “seething” even when she basically had the same thought as that person.
3. Then she goes on blaming another person for being complicit in her father’s death. In reality that person was as guilty in her father’s death as Martha Wayne was in her and her husband’s death. How dare Martha wear a necklace that caused the mugger to rob and kill them. Yes, I am still going with the Batman references.
Other issues I had with this book were some word/phrase choices that just took me out of the setting because they were so out of place. Below is the list.
- parked (should have used the word “dock”)
- baby’s got an engine issue (sounds modern)
- scrap piece (scrap and piece are the same)
- cute (sounds modern)
- Bullshit! (sounds modern)
- Kid (sounds modern)
- rosary (sounds Western in an East Asian setting)
- restaurants (sounds modern)
- gang (sounds modern)
- tick off (sounds modern given its usage)
- bored (sounds modern)
What saved this book from becoming a 1 star were the flashbacks of her father. Those actually softened my perception of Ying. Whenever those come in, I could understand why she started this whole thing. Another thing that saved it was the ending. Possibly an unpopular opinion but I appreciated the ending given what happened in the plot.
So, was this downright awful? No. Would I recommend it? If the person was young and getting into fantasy, sure.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be transparent, I compare most contemporary romance/romance-comedy books with ‘Animal Husbandry’ by Laura Zigman. It’s a book I read back in my 20s (in the early 2000s). I may not remember all aspects of that book, and I don’t know if I would still love it as much as I did if I do a re-read now, but I remember how I felt when I first read it. And if I don’t feel that when I read a book of the same genre, then I probably won’t rate it high.
That said, Book Lovers didn’t come close to my experience when I read ‘Animal Husbandry’. So now we all know why I rated this the way I did.
This isn’t a bad read and it also isn’t the kind of book that you would immediately forget after reading. But it wasn’t outstanding either. It’s alright.
The premise is interesting enough. The protagonist was positioned as the woman the man leaves when he finally finds the one. Not necessarily a woman scorned but more like the wrong match in a conventional love story.
Given that set-up, one should be rooting for the protagonist but I just could not. I don’t know if it’s because I just felt like she didn’t need to be in a relationship or if it’s because I just didn’t find her love interest very interesting. I mean…he’s a good match for her. He’s good looking and shares her core values. But other than that, he’s…blah. Actually, both of them are blah. While I am not a fan of over-the-top romance, that does not mean I advocate for…this.
Maybe this is, again, an issue I have with the timeline. The whole thing happened in month’s time. But I don’t think so. A month is long enough to have develop a romance. So, I think it’s because I can’t buy into the thought that two very much guarded, careful, and professional people would easily shift gears without much awkwardness. There is awkwardness but it doesn’t seem enough and it was very run of the mill. Dare I say it…tropey.
Another thing I had an issue with is the title. The title is Book Lovers. While loving books was a big factor in the story, the pivotal plot point here is loving city life. Loving books seems incidental compared to how much loving city living factored into the issues that came up in the story. So yeah, I think there’s a mismatch with the title. But given how the author’s other book was titled ‘Beach Read’ when the story’s setting was by a lake, this issue seems to be part of an on-going pattern.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be transparent, I compare most contemporary romance/romance-comedy books with ‘Animal Husbandry’ by Laura Zigman. It’s a book I read back in my 20s (in the early 2000s). I may not remember all aspects of that book, and I don’t know if I would still love it as much as I did if I do a re-read now, but I remember how I felt when I first read it. And if I don’t feel that when I read a book of the same genre, then I probably won’t rate it high.
That said, Book Lovers didn’t come close to my experience when I read ‘Animal Husbandry’. So now we all know why I rated this the way I did.
This isn’t a bad read and it also isn’t the kind of book that you would immediately forget after reading. But it wasn’t outstanding either. It’s alright.
The premise is interesting enough. The protagonist was positioned as the woman the man leaves when he finally finds the one. Not necessarily a woman scorned but more like the wrong match in a conventional love story.
Given that set-up, one should be rooting for the protagonist but I just could not. I don’t know if it’s because I just felt like she didn’t need to be in a relationship or if it’s because I just didn’t find her love interest very interesting. I mean…he’s a good match for her. He’s good looking and shares her core values. But other than that, he’s…blah. Actually, both of them are blah. While I am not a fan of over-the-top romance, that does not mean I advocate for…this.
Maybe this is, again, an issue I have with the timeline. The whole thing happened in month’s time. But I don’t think so. A month is long enough to have develop a romance. So, I think it’s because I can’t buy into the thought that two very much guarded, careful, and professional people would easily shift gears without much awkwardness. There is awkwardness but it doesn’t seem enough and it was very run of the mill. Dare I say it…tropey.
Another thing I had an issue with is the title. The title is Book Lovers. While loving books was a big factor in the story, the pivotal plot point here is loving city life. Loving books seems incidental compared to how much loving city living factored into the issues that came up in the story. So yeah, I think there’s a mismatch with the title. But given how the author’s other book was titled ‘Beach Read’ when the story’s setting was by a lake, this issue seems to be part of an on-going pattern.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be transparent, I compare most contemporary romance/romance-comedy books with ‘Animal Husbandry’ by Laura Zigman. It’s a book I read back in my 20s (in the early 2000s). I may not remember all aspects of that book, and I don’t know if I would still love it as much as I did if I do a re-read now, but I remember how I felt when I first read it. And if I don’t feel that when I read a book of the same genre, then I probably won’t rate it high.
That said, Book Lovers didn’t come close to my experience when I read ‘Animal Husbandry’. So now we all know why I rated this the way I did.
This isn’t a bad read and it also isn’t the kind of book that you would immediately forget after reading. But it wasn’t outstanding either. It’s alright.
The premise is interesting enough. The protagonist was positioned as the woman the man leaves when he finally finds the one. Not necessarily a woman scorned but more like the wrong match in a conventional love story.
Given that set-up, one should be rooting for the protagonist but I just could not. I don’t know if it’s because I just felt like she didn’t need to be in a relationship or if it’s because I just didn’t find her love interest very interesting. I mean…he’s a good match for her. He’s good looking and shares her core values. But other than that, he’s…blah. Actually, both of them are blah. While I am not a fan of over-the-top romance, that does not mean I advocate for…this.
Maybe this is, again, an issue I have with the timeline. The whole thing happened in month’s time. But I don’t think so. A month is long enough to have develop a romance. So, I think it’s because I can’t buy into the thought that two very much guarded, careful, and professional people would easily shift gears without much awkwardness. There is awkwardness but it doesn’t seem enough and it was very run of the mill. Dare I say it…tropey.
Another thing I had an issue with is the title. The title is Book Lovers. While loving books was a big factor in the story, the pivotal plot point here is loving city life. Loving books seems incidental compared to how much loving city living factored into the issues that came up in the story. So yeah, I think there’s a mismatch with the title. But given how the author’s other book was titled ‘Beach Read’ when the story’s setting was by a lake, this issue seems to be part of an on-going pattern.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To be transparent, I compare most contemporary romance/romance-comedy books with ‘Animal Husbandry’ by Laura Zigman. It’s a book I read back in my 20s (in the early 2000s). I may not remember all aspects of that book, and I don’t know if I would still love it as much as I did if I do a re-read now, but I remember how I felt when I first read it. And if I don’t feel that when I read a book of the same genre, then I probably won’t rate it high.
That said, Book Lovers didn’t come close to my experience when I read ‘Animal Husbandry’. So now we all know why I rated this the way I did.
This isn’t a bad read and it also isn’t the kind of book that you would immediately forget after reading. But it wasn’t outstanding either. It’s alright.
The premise is interesting enough. The protagonist was positioned as the woman the man leaves when he finally finds the one. Not necessarily a woman scorned but more like the wrong match in a conventional love story.
Given that set-up, one should be rooting for the protagonist but I just could not. I don’t know if it’s because I just felt like she didn’t need to be in a relationship or if it’s because I just didn’t find her love interest very interesting. I mean…he’s a good match for her. He’s good looking and shares her core values. But other than that, he’s…blah. Actually, both of them are blah. While I am not a fan of over-the-top romance, that does not mean I advocate for…this.
Maybe this is, again, an issue I have with the timeline. The whole thing happened in month’s time. But I don’t think so. A month is long enough to have develop a romance. So, I think it’s because I can’t buy into the thought that two very much guarded, careful, and professional people would easily shift gears without much awkwardness. There is awkwardness but it doesn’t seem enough and it was very run of the mill. Dare I say it…tropey.
Another thing I had an issue with is the title. The title is Book Lovers. While loving books was a big factor in the story, the pivotal plot point here is loving city life. Loving books seems incidental compared to how much loving city living factored into the issues that came up in the story. So yeah, I think there’s a mismatch with the title. But given how the author’s other book was titled ‘Beach Read’ when the story’s setting was by a lake, this issue seems to be part of an on-going pattern.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have not read anything that was described as “Cosy Fantasy”. This is probably the 1st book I’ve read tagged as such.
It’s a good representative of its genre. It was light, easy to read, and relatively small-stakes. It’s very feel-good.
There is a specific thing that I have an issue with. Had it been fixed; I would have liked this a whole lot more. It’s the timeline.
The bulk of the story happened within a week or two. While it made sense that the protagonist starts to experiment with magic almost immediately due to need, it would have been better if suspicion and the fall out from her actions were delayed. Let her worry about it, settle into the possibility that she got away with it, and then have suspicion build up slowly. But there was basically the worry phase and then someone immediately got suspicious and started a ruckus. There was no suspense. No build up.
It’s the same with the relationships that formed. In that short time, she developed tight friendships and a love interest. I am not a fan of that kind of pacing. I know this is a fantasy but I still find that unbelievable.
So, is this exactly what I want to read in a fantasy book? Not really. I have to be in a certain mood for it. But I won’t say no to reading more of it. In fact, I just saw a second book for this. It’s not a sequel from the looks of it, more of an off-shoot of a character that was mentioned in this book. And I am already thinking of getting it.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have not read anything that was described as “Cosy Fantasy”. This is probably the 1st book I’ve read tagged as such.
It’s a good representative of its genre. It was light, easy to read, and relatively small-stakes. It’s very feel-good.
There is a specific thing that I have an issue with. Had it been fixed; I would have liked this a whole lot more. It’s the timeline.
The bulk of the story happened within a week or two. While it made sense that the protagonist starts to experiment with magic almost immediately due to need, it would have been better if suspicion and the fall out from her actions were delayed. Let her worry about it, settle into the possibility that she got away with it, and then have suspicion build up slowly. But there was basically the worry phase and then someone immediately got suspicious and started a ruckus. There was no suspense. No build up.
It’s the same with the relationships that formed. In that short time, she developed tight friendships and a love interest. I am not a fan of that kind of pacing. I know this is a fantasy but I still find that unbelievable.
So, is this exactly what I want to read in a fantasy book? Not really. I have to be in a certain mood for it. But I won’t say no to reading more of it. In fact, I just saw a second book for this. It’s not a sequel from the looks of it, more of an off-shoot of a character that was mentioned in this book. And I am already thinking of getting it.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First and foremost, this was an easy and enjoyable read. A welcome change of pace given the last 2 books I read before this.
A lot of the reviews will probably say that this is quite similar to The Boys, and I don’t disagree. I actually picked this up for that very reason. But despite the similarities, it does hit differently. While there is violence here, it is not as gory. There was a lot more focus on getting information and translating that data to something that inconvenience the so-called hero. So, they basically started with petty stuff and then they escalated.
This book was probably the best example of a tell don’t show style of writing. While I didn’t mind it much, there was a part near the end wherein I thought the scene would have been better served if the author showed the characters actually doing the action rather than telling the readers about it.
I rate this as 4 stars because I enjoyed it so much that I pre-ordered the next book when I was half way done with this.
Pet peeve:
The copy I got had print issues. Some pages were off-center so they looked like they had weird margins. It was so distracting.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First and foremost, this was an easy and enjoyable read. A welcome change of pace given the last 2 books I read before this.
A lot of the reviews will probably say that this is quite similar to The Boys, and I don’t disagree. I actually picked this up for that very reason. But despite the similarities, it does hit differently. While there is violence here, it is not as gory. There was a lot more focus on getting information and translating that data to something that inconvenience the so-called hero. So, they basically started with petty stuff and then they escalated.
This book was probably the best example of a tell don’t show style of writing. While I didn’t mind it much, there was a part near the end wherein I thought the scene would have been better served if the author showed the characters actually doing the action rather than telling the readers about it.
I rate this as 4 stars because I enjoyed it so much that I pre-ordered the next book when I was half way done with this.
Pet peeve:
The copy I got had print issues. Some pages were off-center so they looked like they had weird margins. It was so distracting.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was another book I almost DNFed. Why? Because I was well into the middle of the book and I still could not get myself to care about the protagonist or any of the characters.
The summary of the book basically said that Ying went off to the capital to find out why her father was murdered. Uh, we all kind of find out why at chapter 1. The author may not think so but I do. The real question was who was behind the whole thing.
Given how Ying was supposed to be finding out who was behind her father’s murder, there was very little investigating. Sure, she found stuff but it wasn’t because she was intentionally looking for it. For goodness sake, the three 12 yr. old kids in Harry Potter did more investigating than this 18 yr. old. And she didn’t even have to contend with professors or a custodian roaming about the halls looking to give demerits to students. She could have done a lot more which makes me think that she wasn’t all that invested in solving her father’s murder. It came off as if she was more invested in getting into the Guild than finding the real culprit.
But even if she was, I still couldn’t get behind her actions. She wasn’t like Bruce Wayne who was left with no family to care for them, except Alfred. She had a family who probably needed her. You know, since their dad died. The whole thing came off as self serving. Which I could have gotten behind if they were more afront with it. Blind revenge seeking rage is understandable. What Ying had was…not that.
And Ying had weird reactions to things in certain instances.
1. A person is missing from the assembly, Ying was immediately suspicious. It’s the 1st assembly and she doesn’t even know how things work in the Guild. There was no basis for it.
2. A person said something off putting to her benefactor and she was “seething” even when she basically had the same thought as that person.
3. Then she goes on blaming another person for being complicit in her father’s death. In reality that person was as guilty in her father’s death as Martha Wayne was in her and her husband’s death. How dare Martha wear a necklace that caused the mugger to rob and kill them. Yes, I am still going with the Batman references.
Other issues I had with this book were some word/phrase choices that just took me out of the setting because they were so out of place. Below is the list.
- parked (should have used the word “dock”)
- baby’s got an engine issue (sounds modern)
- scrap piece (scrap and piece are the same)
- cute (sounds modern)
- Bullshit! (sounds modern)
- Kid (sounds modern)
- rosary (sounds Western in an East Asian setting)
- restaurants (sounds modern)
- gang (sounds modern)
- tick off (sounds modern given its usage)
- bored (sounds modern)
What saved this book from becoming a 1 star were the flashbacks of her father. Those actually softened my perception of Ying. Whenever those come in, I could understand why she started this whole thing. Another thing that saved it was the ending. Possibly an unpopular opinion but I appreciated the ending given what happened in the plot.
So, was this downright awful? No. Would I recommend it? If the person was young and getting into fantasy, sure.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was another book I almost DNFed. Why? Because I was well into the middle of the book and I still could not get myself to care about the protagonist or any of the characters.
The summary of the book basically said that Ying went off to the capital to find out why her father was murdered. Uh, we all kind of find out why at chapter 1. The author may not think so but I do. The real question was who was behind the whole thing.
Given how Ying was supposed to be finding out who was behind her father’s murder, there was very little investigating. Sure, she found stuff but it wasn’t because she was intentionally looking for it. For goodness sake, the three 12 yr. old kids in Harry Potter did more investigating than this 18 yr. old. And she didn’t even have to contend with professors or a custodian roaming about the halls looking to give demerits to students. She could have done a lot more which makes me think that she wasn’t all that invested in solving her father’s murder. It came off as if she was more invested in getting into the Guild than finding the real culprit.
But even if she was, I still couldn’t get behind her actions. She wasn’t like Bruce Wayne who was left with no family to care for them, except Alfred. She had a family who probably needed her. You know, since their dad died. The whole thing came off as self serving. Which I could have gotten behind if they were more afront with it. Blind revenge seeking rage is understandable. What Ying had was…not that.
And Ying had weird reactions to things in certain instances.
1. A person is missing from the assembly, Ying was immediately suspicious. It’s the 1st assembly and she doesn’t even know how things work in the Guild. There was no basis for it.
2. A person said something off putting to her benefactor and she was “seething” even when she basically had the same thought as that person.
3. Then she goes on blaming another person for being complicit in her father’s death. In reality that person was as guilty in her father’s death as Martha Wayne was in her and her husband’s death. How dare Martha wear a necklace that caused the mugger to rob and kill them. Yes, I am still going with the Batman references.
Other issues I had with this book were some word/phrase choices that just took me out of the setting because they were so out of place. Below is the list.
- parked (should have used the word “dock”)
- baby’s got an engine issue (sounds modern)
- scrap piece (scrap and piece are the same)
- cute (sounds modern)
- Bullshit! (sounds modern)
- Kid (sounds modern)
- rosary (sounds Western in an East Asian setting)
- restaurants (sounds modern)
- gang (sounds modern)
- tick off (sounds modern given its usage)
- bored (sounds modern)
What saved this book from becoming a 1 star were the flashbacks of her father. Those actually softened my perception of Ying. Whenever those come in, I could understand why she started this whole thing. Another thing that saved it was the ending. Possibly an unpopular opinion but I appreciated the ending given what happened in the plot.
So, was this downright awful? No. Would I recommend it? If the person was young and getting into fantasy, sure.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First and foremost, this was an easy and enjoyable read. A welcome change of pace given the last 2 books I read before this.
A lot of the reviews will probably say that this is quite similar to The Boys, and I don’t disagree. I actually picked this up for that very reason. But despite the similarities, it does hit differently. While there is violence here, it is not as gory. There was a lot more focus on getting information and translating that data to something that inconvenience the so-called hero. So, they basically started with petty stuff and then they escalated.
This book was probably the best example of a tell don’t show style of writing. While I didn’t mind it much, there was a part near the end wherein I thought the scene would have been better served if the author showed the characters actually doing the action rather than telling the readers about it.
I rate this as 4 stars because I enjoyed it so much that I pre-ordered the next book when I was half way done with this.
Pet peeve:
The copy I got had print issues. Some pages were off-center so they looked they had weird margins. It was so distracting.
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Love but with notes
4.5 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book but still with notes
5.0 - Love it so much I want to highlight the book and notes are very positive
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First and foremost, this was an easy and enjoyable read. A welcome change of pace given the last 2 books I read before this.
A lot of the reviews will probably say that this is quite similar to The Boys, and I don’t disagree. I actually picked this up for that very reason. But despite the similarities, it does hit differently. While there is violence here, it is not as gory. There was a lot more focus on getting information and translating that data to something that inconvenience the so-called hero. So, they basically started with petty stuff and then they escalated.
This book was probably the best example of a tell don’t show style of writing. While I didn’t mind it much, there was a part near the end wherein I thought the scene would have been better served if the author showed the characters actually doing the action rather than telling the readers about it.
I rate this as 4 stars because I enjoyed it so much that I pre-ordered the next book when I was half way done with this.
Pet peeve:
The copy I got had print issues. Some pages were off-center so they looked they had weird margins. It was so distracting.