Regina
Feelings. Lots and lots of FEELINGS.
Let me just say that after reading the prologue, I was already half in love with Bo. I found Spencer to be more complicated, both as a person and for me to connect with.
But I still enjoyed getting to know these two and finding out more about their (shared) history.
This was a very emotional read - which was fully expected (it is a Heidi Hutchinson book, after all ;) ). What I didn't expect though, was who would make me cry the most.
But there were lots of lighter moments, too, that made me smile and complementing all the angst and sad feelings very well. (And the epilogue had me laughing out loud. :) )
The story probably works as a standalone, though if you haven't read the first two books in the series, there might be some spoilers. Also - it sure helps if you are already familiar with the Soaring Bird “family” and their somewhat quirky group dynamics.
This novella is an entertaining spin (sic!) on Dirty Dancing, complete with famous quotes (“I carried a watermelon”, anyone?) and plenty of small - or not so small - nods to this icon of my teen years.
Janey and Frank (Francis ;) ) were fun to get to know and spend some time with, and their story made me smile - and chuckle - a lot.
Bonus point for Mr. Feeney-the-ferret's cameo.
4.5 / 5 nerdy stars
While nerdy heroes and best-friends-to-more are some of my favorite tropes, the whole billionaire thing... isn't. So I was curious to see how that combination would work out in this story.
I was downright delighted (ha!) to see that Oliver is not a spoiled trust-fund kiddo and that, despite his sudden wealth, he's mostly* the same down-to-earth guy as before.
“Honestly, Jackson, sometimes I think all this wealth is wasted on you.”
He didn't miss a beat. His lip curving up on one side in amusement. “That's why I'm giving it away to others.”
No one noticed me—not really—and then Oliver came along and noticed me enough for everybody.
Lovely start to the series!
I really like Hadley and Jeremy, and Hadley's story makes me so glad that smartphones and social media were nowhere near the horizon when I was a teenager... :-s
Hadley's grandpa and his poker friends make a great supporting cast, and I really liked how the story played out in the end.
This one is really difficult for me to rate, so I'm taking the easy way out and just don't.
I was surprised by how much I liked Noah (who was kind of a jerk in the first book in the series), and I'll always have a soft spot for geeky heroines like Lexi.
Noah's story broke my heart, and I don't understand how he couldn't even talk to his best friend about what was happening in his life.
I also struggled with the overprotective-dad part of the plot. While I get where that was coming from, the way the topic of teenage sex / teenage pregnancy / abstinence was handled was frankly alien to me.
This book is a fiting conclusion to the ‘Cult of Ra' story arc, and I especially enjoyed seeing Tiffany kick some cult-a$$ and get her revenge.
Also, two thumbs skyward for Wesley, who was one of my favorite characters anyway, but now really has me curious to find out more about his life before he became a some-letter-in-the-alphabet-list action holo star.
4.5 / 5
When the second-string QB quits football to try out for the cheer squad...
... hilarity ensues! :) I loved this premise, and the story did not disappoint.
I adore Nick and Mia, and it's great to see them both learn to stand up for themselves. I love the supporting characters, too: Sean is a great - if slightly annoying - goofball of a BFF, and the cheer squad is a lot of fun to be around.
I like both Nick's and Mia's moms, especially Nick's mom is one formidable lady!
One of my favorite quotes from Nick's POV:
“I was now officially convinced that girls had no clue what they wanted or what they were feeling.”
Yep. You got that right. :D
4.5/5 stars
Cute YA retelling reminding me of “She's The Man”
Since this series is ALL about the retelling of classics, the story itself is nothing new. And while this adaptation does remind me of the above-mentioned movie version, Jessica Bucher's writing keeps the story fresh, and I found myself rooting for Vi and Owen, but especially for Lily.
All in all, a fun start to this new multi-author series, and I want to read more about Shelfbrooke, but also more stories by Jessica Bucher.
I loved everything about this book - except the last few chapters.
(I think Josh and Hazel would have arrived at that epilogue just fine without that last bit of drama, but that's just me.)
Fantastic characters and great family dynamics (I'm a sucker for those...), lovely writing, equally hilarious, heart-wrenching, and sexy.
The first book I've read by this duo, but definitely not the last.
4.5 / 5
Perfect ending to the series. :)
I really enjoyed Daria and Preston's story, although - as other reviewers have mentioned - I occasionally felt a little exasperated with Preston's cluelessness.
It was great to see Daria figure out what she wanted to do with her “life after high school” and stand up for herself.
And, yeah, it was fun to watch Preston eventually figure out that he and Daria might just be perfect for each other. :)
“I told my heart to quit being a wuss and remain calm. It didn't listen.”
I'm happy that Maggie Dallen's entry in this multi-author series is a crossover with her Briarwood High series, especially since I've “met” the heroine Eleanor before in The Candy Cane Kiss.
I can relate to Eleanor's struggle with her Goody Two-shoes image and her trying to “be everything to everyone” until she feels lost. And I'm glad that she figures out a way back to herself. :)
What I like about Deacon is that he's not Mr. Perfect, and he has struggles of his own, but eventually he turns out to be Mr. Perfect-for-Ellie.
4/5 swoony stars :)
“We all have an inner wild man,” she says. “Or woman. You're just scared to death of yours.”
Oh, James... So far, he's probably my favorite Bracelyn (although I might have felt that way about each of them in their respective books - do I detect a pattern here?), and I'm in awe at the scale he manages to mess things up - and still gets to pull off his HEA.
To be fair, if it weren't for the equally amazeballs Lily, who excels at pushing just the right stuck-up-lawyer buttons, this story wouldn't be half as heartbreaking, or hilarious, or sexy.
Can't wait to read the next book in this wonderful series!
Heart-wrenching, yet uplifting story about loss and resilience, friendship, and love.
Cindy and JJ's story was a very emotional read for me. Kelsie Stelting managed to break my heart on page one, when it became clear what was about to happen. I'm grateful that, by the end of the story, she managed to piece it together again.
One of my favorite quotes: “How do you make a blind girl happy when all she wants is to see the stars?”
This friends-to-lovers story is a fun introduction to the series.
I am seriously in like with Tami Franklin's characters - not only Vi and Kade, who make a good couple, but also the other residents of Holiday Junction like Lena (whose story is already on my TBR) or the “Matchmaking Mamas”.
4 / 5 stars, because I'm not a fan of love triangles, even if they make sense (high school sweetheart vs. best friend).
There are so many little details I loved about this book and the two very different “fake boyfriend” stories.
Robyn, Sidney, Will, and Perry are all interesting protagonists, though I found it much easier to root for Robyn and Will than for Sidney or for Perry (whose ego probably needs its own ZIP code).
As weird and quirky as they all might be, the characters still feel real, and while I'd personally very much prefer to celebrate Chrismukkah with Robyn's family, I couldn't help watching with a sort of cringing fascination how events unfolded (or rather unraveled) at Sidney's parents' mansion.
4.5 / 5 “my kind of quirky” stars
Cuteness overload! <3
I adore Sadie and her Carpe Diem list. I totally get how she wants to get rid of her goody two-shoes image, and her reluctance to let Colton (of all people!) help.
One of my favorite scenes was probably when she got to crossing the prank off her list (and the aftermath - hilarious, and so Sadie-like).
Sadie and Colton are a good match, even if Sadie has to get over her crush on his brother first, and seeing their relationship develop from enemies to friends (with certain kissing benefits ;) ) to finally more gave me all the feels (and giggles... and swoons...).
Bonus points for some old friends (Ash, Snow, ...) making an appearance, and - of course - for Betty being such a marvellous friend and mentor to Sadie.
“Glad you're not dead.”
“Likewise.”
Don't let this exchange fool you - in this fast-paced sequel to Mage's Apprentice, everyone's lives are at stake, and Sean Fletcher won't let you forget it.
The ongoing fight against evil takes Aspen and her friends from New York to Scotland, where they aim to join forces with the Court of the Arcane Arts - though not even the most powerful Mages seem to stand a chance against this otherworldly foe.
I am definitely looking forward to the boss battle in book #3!
To be honest, this is a bit difficult for me to rate. For the most part, I felt sorry for Chloe, and even though there were funny moments, I found the overall story arc a bit depressing.
But I reallyreally liked the resolution, and some of the supporting characters were great (Chloe's mom is a hoot!).
On the technical side, I wish the editing and proofreading had gotten a bit more TLC.
3.5 / 5 stars