Ritika Bhattacharjee

rating- 3/5{thank you to Netgalley, Swift & Lewis Publishing, LLC and Sarah Ready for providing me an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review}publishing date- 25th feb 2022————————————————“When you realize you love someone and that you that you want to spend the rest of forever with them, you want forever to start right now.”The title and the description didn't really appeal to me as much as the fact that this book was about infertility and IVF treatments. I found [b:Josh and Gemma Make a Baby 59796297 Josh and Gemma Make a Baby Sarah Ready https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1639176336l/59796297.SX50.jpg 93060005] on one of my requesting sprees (I get declined for most ARCs sadly, so a spree is a viable option), and didn't think too much before requesting it. I even procrastinated till pretty much right before the archive date to read it. Naturally, I didn't expect to like it.So a three star read was definitely a surprise. The blurb makes the premise sound weirder than it is and the writing style took a while to get used to, but once you do you'll be amused to no end. The banter and the chaotic nature of the plot is top notch. I also like how the problems, and issues faced by infertile women are explored, with an equal balance of humour and romance. Coming to the characters, Josh was an absolute sweetheart. I thought his character was more fleshed out than Gemma's which is weird because the entire story is in Gemma's pov. (maybe it was just me?). I also loved that he was a comic book writer. That's so cool. The whole Grim-Jewel (because GEM. sobbing brb) thing was super cute and different (made the nerd in me, happy). I do think some of the side characters weren't written very well, like Gemma's mum and her family; but I absolutely loved the infertility support group. I would most definitely read a book about Carly, Brook or Hannah if the author decides to write one.Although I loathe Ian; I'm not sure how I feel about all the quotes (there were too many). The illustrations however, were the cutest:) Certain plot points were pretty predictable for instance, I knew the Ian conflict was coming, from almost a mile away. and unrealistic (but then again its fiction. AND romance. So that's acceptable) The plot mostly consists of a feel good romance except for one instance towards the end that could be triggering to some (make sure to look up trigger warnings. I've added a few below).I like that Josh and Gemma didn't get pregnant on their very first try, because that would be way too unrealistic and ideal The humour was silly and weird, boy-toy? really? but had me laughing anyway.Overall, the book isn't groundbreaking or jaw-dropping but will leave you happy and content. It has a few tropes but they aren't blaringly in your face and are eased into the plot. If you want to read a predictable, cheesy romance that'll make you smile then I would definitely recommend [b:Josh and Gemma Make a Baby 59796297 Josh and Gemma Make a Baby Sarah Ready https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1639176336l/59796297.SX50.jpg 93060005] !tw // : infertility, IVF, miscarriage, instances of fat-shaming.

rating - 5/5what is jessa hastings putting in these books????? asking for a friend— I'm genuinely so so so obsessed with these characters, the writing and everything and idek why T_T

(no spoiler review)
okay so my first question is, how the fuck does daisy have so much time as a med student and my second question is, how much sex is too much sex?/ how many love interests are too many love interests? (if you're reading this without having read the book, highly unlikely but yeah, I hope that makes you want to read it heehee.)
Anyway, I went into this with zero expectations, wanting to skip to magnolia's book but ended up obsessed with daisy and wanting to skip magnolia2 and going straight to dh2 instead. As a pre-med student, Daisy's character stood out to me and felt easier to relate to, than magnolia's. The footnotes were a chore, like the outfit description character-trait in book 1, ngl. But it does make the book stand out as the author intended, so no complaints.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book although I might be screaming, crying, throwing up from that ending; I'm genuinely in love with this series and will read the rest of the books as soon as i can:)

rating - 4 / 5
(review contains spoilers)

What even was that? And I don't even know if I mean that in a good way tbf.
“No one is likable from the inside out. One should only walk away from an autobiography with, at best, an uncomfortable distaste for its author.”
Although this isn't an autobiography; THAT is exactly how i feel.
Distaste.. more like unsettled. Not because it was creepy, i guess? Somehow I wasn't extremely disturbed/creeped out? even though there was a valiant effort to do so, I felt disconnected to the characters because I simply wasn't rooting for any of them.
low's in verity's bed? *slight exaggerated shiver * but also eh. do i care if she's dead? not really.

you see what I mean? I didn't trust any of the characters. And thank god for that, because ALL of them are unhinged. They're either murderers or complicit in a murder (by witnessing it, writing about it, etcetera).
It was fast paced, extremely hard to put down, and I read it from cover to cover in like.. two sittings? I think. So props to coho for the engaging plot. It is.. pretty smart if you think about it? author/book inception– author writing about an author reading a manuscript (journal?) by another author.
Despite all that, I feel discontent after reading it; but maybe that's how it is with open endings.

The letter at the end was equivalent to middle school me, writing a story and concluding it with, ‘it was all a dream'. It felt anti-climactic and threw away 300 pages worth of set-up, character arcs and development. Did I hate it though? no.
I know it must be hard to write open ended conclusions since you've got to tie up everything you already did, but with an entirely different possibility. I did think there were multiple loose ends, unanswered questions/plot holes, but somehow they only help by adding further leads or directions to this disarrayed labyrinth for plot.
Crew's character, april being a trained professional and unable to see through verity's lies (we love some oxymorons; verity means truth in case you didn't get that. clever ngl.), chastin's scar, the floorboard knife. It's all a frenzied mess tbh. If that's what the author intended, (i'm guessing not?) she's done a great job.

So the important question: manuscript or letter? Honestly I did, and still think both. I lean towards one sometimes; but the more I think about it, the more confused i get.

“And that's how easy it is for a writer to pretend to be someone they aren't.”

such a darker story

ANTAGONISTIC JOURNALING
(A writing excercise: for funsies lol)

rating - 3 / 5

This was so cute but there were just soooo many things that brought the rating down for me.
*sigh *
Honestly, the most important question is - did this book need to be written? like it absolutely adds nothing to the book universe. The author could've literally added a wedding, elopement, pregnancy and honeymoon epilogue chapter at the end of every book and it would serve the same purpose. The only reason I enjoyed this book were the group chats and the small banter. Those were pretty cute and fun to read:)

A feel-good happy epilogue set in the future, is what I was expecting. What i got instead was a lead-up to a supposed happy ending, without actually giving us this ending. Elle Kennedy literally handed us four parts of chaos and real life problems with dissatisfying character arcs disguised as an epilogue.
There's no denying Alexander was the main character. I did enjoy the joke.. the first 5 times. like??? Oookay you have a haunted doll; Is that all you'll talk about for 300 pages though?? repetitive much?

Overall, somehow it just didn't work for me. Grace and Logan's story was cute, but like? atleast! give! us! the! vows! T_T that's literally what an epilogue is for.
Same with Sabrina and Tuck. I pushed through near plane crashes, coconuts falling and arrests for what?? give us something!!! big happy endings? remember those? a job offer felt really insignificant, in my opinion. A new house, them moving in? Jamie's first day of school? would've felt more like it.
Coming to Hannah and Garett. They were definitely my favourite characters and their story was easily the worst (sorry not sorry). You expect me to believe the IT couple of communicating went 8/10 chapters not talking about their literal baby? AND the author had the nerve to put them last—
Dean and Allie's part, (and Grace and Logan's slightly) was the only one i probably enjoyed. It didn't seem out of character and had just the right amount of conflict.

Another issue I had, was the fact that I haven't read Briar U; so I wasn't able to appreciate the characters from there being in it.
So, although i loved revisiting a few characters I'd loved before; I don't think you'd be missing out on anything in terms of plot if you decided not to read the legacy.

rating- 4.5/5

{thank you to Netgalley, Holiday house and Alexene Farol Follmuth for providing me an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review!}

publishing date- 31st may 2022
—————————————

“Because she surprises me, because she makes me laugh, and because this, whatever it is, with her, is the only thing I ever do that's easy. Because wherever I am, I want her closeby.”

Hands down the best ARC i've received till date, no kidding.

Like the author just SERVEDwoc in STEM and academic rivals to lovers with no warning whatsoever. Did I mention it's also dual pov???? It's definitely making it to my ‘Books i will pay you to read' shelf (The title isn't literal, i'm broke.)

PREMISE
[b:My Mechanical Romance|58857822|My Mechanical Romance|Alexene Farol Follmuth|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1635340383l/58857822.SX50.jpg|92714618] follows Bel who enrols into a new high school. She's fun, easy-going and doesn't know what she's going to do about college. Applications? extracurriculars? nope. However, when she accidentally reveals her talent for engineering, she is forced to join the school's robotics club by her teacher. Enter Mateo (Teo) Luna, captain of the club. He is focused, dedicated and knows exactly what he wants to do. Teo cares too much about Nationals, while Bel does not. But as they begin to spend more time with each other, they realise they've built more than just a combat-ready robot for the championship: they've made space for each other and themselves.

(review may contain spoilers after this point)
THOUGHTS
I absolutely loved this book. The writing style felt very casual that helped the narrative of the book. The plot and the characters were extremely well developed and felt three dimensional and realistic throughout. The friendship dynamics were also really well done. Every single character felt complex, realistic and had their own form of development. Bel had actual problems and thoughts that weren't limited to the male protagonist. Her parents going through a divorce, not knowing what she wanted to do with her life, feeling alone, etc. Teo despite being more privileged than Bel, also had his own set of problems. The evolution of their relationship also felt very natural and was so much fun to read. The side characters felt fleshed out despite little description. Can we please talk about Neelam. Absolutely loved her. Her whole dynamic with Bel seemed super natural, even during the animosity. (no typical mean girl bull-crap. because let's be real, we don't have those in real life after middle school.)
Coming back to Bel and Teo's relationship. my heart. my absolute fucking heart. Teo's pov about Bel>>>. Honestly this is the standard. The quote I put in the beginning of my review is my absolute favourite but was the only quotable one bahahah. the rest is so normal which again, I LOVE SO MUCH. Give me all the normalcy in romantic relationships and i will absolutely devour it.

“Oh my god shut u-“ And then he pulls me in and kisses me”

“He rifles his hair and oh no, oh no, oh no. It looks so soft”“he walks away with a smile and oh no, oh no, oh no. I am definitely in it now.”

“the equal credit we have to fight for, the perception that we are less than we are. The microagressions, the gatekeeping, the dismissal we face sometimes, in our low moments we may mistake for being the truth. But even if that's how our story begins, that's not where it ends.”

“And you don't understand how hard it is to be a girl competing with boys who don't even realise that they unlike us, are perceived as more competent no matter what they do.”

“know they're a part of this even if- especially if-they choose to say nothing.”

questioning my sanity because i rationalised pretty much everything zade did lmfao.

lots of toe-curling, mouth-hanging-open bits in the book...
The potential to be a guilty pleasure, I-can't-believe-I-read-this-stuff, 5 star read was there but the execution was not a 100%.
□ The writing/editing felt slightly messy but we breezed through wattpad in 2016, so this was a cakewalk.
□ The ‘mystery' plotline seemed weak and just felt like an attempt to add something to the plot (not saying i hated it tho; i didn't even expect a mystery plotline going into this book so there's that)

Overall very entertained, so we will be reading the next book (preparing myself)

rating-5/5

“grace costs you nothing.”

how! can! a! book! be! this! perfect!

Overall, focuses on the themes of class difference and important topics like domestic violence in a wholesome, heart-warming story crafted with love, care and imperceptible detail.

afterthought?

AT ALL.

everything seemed intentional.

beautifully thought out.

Wakan

Royaume

spoke to these professionals in order to get the details right,

The best part of this book were the little details. The barn animals with the best names, Hunter the dog, The magical realism of the town, etc.

"You may be tested by the flames, but you need not burn."

rating- 4/5
Fun, fast-paced read that makes you want to keep reading. Honest opinion: was this book needed? Probably not. Do I love it? Nope. But did I still enjoy it? Hell yeah.

The entire Blake plotline did seem sliiiightly contrived BUt, it's fine. It was not terrible.
I liked how it all seemed to fall in place with the chess coming full circle, the poem etcetc & Tobias Hawthorne's message was a good touch because it helped to see things from his pov.

Overall, happy I decided to pick it up but I did take a break in between book 2 & 3 so.., make of that, what you will.

"Careful, Mr Larsen, or I'll think you actually like me.”His mouth curled into a grin. “Baby, we're way beyond like."

screaming.

rating- 3.5/5
Absolutely loved it. Definitely an improvement from book 1; the writing was much better and I was able to connect with the characters so much more.

I've always loved royal romances, enter 12 year old ritika reading princess diaries repeatedly so the whole princess-bodyguard setting, Bridget's royal duties, Eldorra's parliament, The Royal Marriages Law- all of it, extremely fascinated me. Also really really loved Rhys and his backstory. And their relationship. holy hell. (so hot please-)
The amount of jealousy scenes in this book though:

I finally gathered enough of my wits to pull back, but before I could, a loud crash shattered the silence in the greenhouse.Steffan and I jumped apart, and my eyes fell on Rhys, who stood next to a broken pot of lilies.“My hand slipped.” His voice held not an ounce of apology.

tiny revelations and subplots that add to the reading experience.

SETBACKS

“And so it went. Day after day, month after month of the same thing. Fall turned into winter, then into spring and summer, then fall again.

example:

time-skipped numerous times, in between paragraphs

quite predictable, but a fun, entertaining read :)

rating - 3.5/5“There's nothing in the world i'll find more beautiful than her. Not the sun. Not the moon. Not even the entire galaxy compares to the light she radiates wherever she goes.(The fact that i read this less than a week ago and yet i cannot remember a thing for this review as i write it, is highly concerning.)I do remember starting to read this at like 1 in the morning and thinking the book had crack in it, because of how much i enjoyed it. One thing that stands out to me is the Disney land like theme / setting. SO GOOD. The descriptions of the park, the different rides, the creators meetings. Everything felt EXTREMELY real. It was real, right?. It has to be, idc. I refuse to believe all that came out of the author's head and onto paper. IT COULD NOT HAVE. apologise for all the capitalisationLoved Zahra. Mixed feelings about Rowan. But them together? yes. absolutely.{This review contains spoilers after this point}The whole mixed feelings thing is just my high standards getting in the way, but i'll explain it anyway. So a lot of reviews appreciate the grovelling in this book. But i felt like it wasn't good enough for all the things he did? like lying to her about the whole Scott situation, for instance and he literally orders takeout and talks to her. And the hospital situation, he does the whole ppt thing for the board. But you see, that's not like to win her back perse, it's also him doing his job. idk if that makes sense? But i needed actual ‘acts' to see that he cared for her; apart from just his pov yk.Overall I feel like if you take away the magic and the glitz of the dreamland setting, the actual story itself isn't that special. The fact that i cannot remember most of it, is testament to the fact that it's not very memorable. Then again, I did enjoy it a lot so. shrugsI hope i like the sequel more, because I'm excited to see Declan and Iris's whole dynamic; loved whatever little peeks this book offered. I've also never read a marriage of convenience and i know [b:Terms and Conditions 60438355 Terms and Conditions (Dreamland Billionaires, #2) Lauren Asher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1645136977l/60438355.SY75.jpg 91507178] is that because of the whole will situation so yeah. super excited:))

rating - 5/5

let's be fair, we all know this book is toxic and repetitive and the romance is unhealthy to the point of obsession. do we hate that though?...that is a very good question...
(the way i loved you by Taylor Swift playing as i write this, is very fitting *)The drama, the writing and just everything was done so well; the universe had me by a chokehold by like page 2. I was highlighting and screenshotting like my life depended on it and almost ordered a physical copy, only to find out it's extremely expensive to deliver here but we're saving so dw.If that doesn't tell you how much i liked this, i don't know what does.Rooting for BJ and Magnolia like my life depends on it. (slightly less so after that ending but we'll see what occurs). excited for the second book but I'm spacing them out so they don't put me in a slump.After writing like this:The trick shot fails. The disaster of what we've become blitzes right past what we were, circles the drain of what we could be a couple of times before it teeters off to the side and lands smack bang right where we don't want to be. can you blame me??? There was just such beautiful, beautiful writing especially at specific plot points—the hard reset 15 seconds, her reciting all of bj's tattoos while having segs w tom (skull emoji*) and a few other instances. I LoveD it.
just a fun experience reading it all tbhtbh. same way we want to experience a breakup to feel the pain in breakup songs, i wanted to be cheated on just so i could feel magnolia's pain, you know? no? just me? okay- (don't know what that says about me; Bridget would know)

I did think the author did a really really good job at putting those feeling in words, though. The universe was so fleshed out and detailed, it felt extremely real. My only complaint would be more info on a few of the side characters maybe, so they didn't seem two-dimensional compared to magnolia and bj.

But this universe has to be up there with the addicted books. REALLY REALLY loved itt; if this isn't a 5 star book, i don't know what is, honestly.

rating - 7.5 / 5overall series rating - 4.5/5 > Shatter me series: 4.5/5 > Restore me series: 5/5SOBBING. THIS BOOK WAS SO SO SO BEAUTIFUL.
I need more. I want the vows. The entire wedding. I want to read about Aaron and Juliette and dog living together with kenji as their neighbour. give me another novella set in the future where everything is perfect because all the characters deserve it so so so much. Aaron deserves it so fucking much.

“Ella, I don't . . . I've done nothing to deserve you. The way you make me feel—the things you say to me— It's terrifying. I keep thinking the world will realize, any second now, how completely unworthy I am. I keep waiting for something horrible to happen, something to reset the scales and return me to hell, where I belong, and then all of this will just disappear. You'll just disappear. God, just thinking about it—”

AHHHH this book did everything right.

Aaron's pov was just perfect>>>

so upset that it's over

This book took me forever to finish because of how dark and graphic the first half of the book was.

The author's writing had SO MUCH potential: because i was pulled into the darkness and depravity of that house and my mind-space felt similar for quite a few days. I was constantly waiting for the HEA, the rescue and felt Addie's desperation.
However, despite the decent writing, I do think it was slightly wordy and could use a few more rounds of editing at certain points.

Right up to the train scene and even how her PTSD, reclaiming her scars, etc were described felt super realistic and well done. While on the longer side, it still doesn't feel unnecessary.
However, the smut after that, just wasn't for me. The knife-play seemed contrived; especially after the Xavier debacle. (while i get that, THAT is the whole point. The difference between him and Zade i know, i know– I was just put off somehow.) Rio's character was really done well and was a highlight for me. Most of the antagonists' characters & personalities are very black and white and adding motives and grey characters are always a plus. The note from him at the end saved the third act and sort of reminded me of how much i liked the rest of the book.

Overall, a pretty good read but just somehow falls shy of being perfect¡

{thank you to Netgalley, Peachtree and author [a:Anna Gracia 21592280 Anna Gracia https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1624833969p2/21592280.jpg] for providing me an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review!}publishing date- 05th July 2022—————————————rating- 3.5/5[b:Boys I Know 58163787 Boys I Know Anna Gracia https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630513308l/58163787.SY75.jpg 91169148] follows June Chu, a first generation Taiwanese-American as she navigates high school, college applications, relationships, sex and friendships. A sex positive, poignant and realistic coming of age story; June's bad decisions are as maddening as they are cathartic. The book addresses a lot of things from parental issues in Asian households to consent and micro-aggressions faced by asians in the US. It's definitely not an easy, light-hearted read and makes you feel discomfort. But that's what the book aims to do. Reading about actual issues faced by people, ranging from racism to heartbreak written in such an authentic manner was very different from the usual new- adult book. It was an interesting read and delves into so many issues with complex laid out characters. The book refers to June, our protagonist: as ‘just good enough'. As a second child in an Asian household, she constantly feels the need to be as good as her sister, get something other than a third place trophy and manage her relationships well. This low self worth leads her to pursue relationships with the boys she knows. (see what i did there?)Unfortunately, this book like June was also ‘just good enough'. Although it conveys important messages and is realistic in the best way possible, the structure and flow of the narrative seemed a bit disjointed at times. I did read this book over the course of a few days, so it could also be that. But yeah. I found something lacking : maybe in the plot; maybe in the sense of realism it offers; maybe in the way, some instances aren't addressed or the lack of confrontation, calling somebody out and important conversations.But then again maybe that's what the author wanted to capture: the realistic aspect. (sincerely apologise for the number of times i said maybe)Overall, it was a very different reading experience, one that included discomfort (the good, talking about important issues kind of discomfort) and i think everybody should definitely read this book at some point in their lives.

rating- 3/5

Did i like the book? yes. Did I also want to violently shake both the characters to do something about their feelings, throughout the entire book? yes.

this was the first best-friends-to lovers book i've read, and i ABSOLUTELY loved it.
I would reaaallly like a bestfriend who's been in love with me for years, right about now, thank you very much.

Okay but the mutual pining?? fake dating? while also trying not to mess up the friendship?? what an absolute serve.
The book also focused on topics like stress, panic attacks and burnouts, really well. Lily's character stood out to me because i loved how Bree had somebody to turn to.

“Bree, hope is healthy. Even if you prepare yourself for the worst in life, it will never make the fall hurt less. So why not let yourself really and truly want this instead?”

Writing / Plot

writing style may not be for everyone

slowburn

the surprise wedding

very cute, fast paced

rating - 2/5
honestly picked this up at the wrong time. was not in the mood for a slow romance. There were layers to the story, but they somehow didn't work for me.

I kept wanting to just finish the book so i could pick up something else. Tired of the same old shit in rom-com novels. Recently read a few Abby Jiminez books and i don't think i can enjoy any more Lauren Asher or Ana Huang books, simply because they can't do the whole deep backstory thing. When you're in the mood for fun, fast paced, cheesy trashy romance, these books are it. But if you want to take away something meaningful at the end of a read, then reading THIS is pointless.

While i did like Elena, i somehow didn't care enough about anything that was going on. just glad that it's over.

rating - 3/5 honestly, i don't even know how to review this book so I'm going to get right into everything that didn't work, which was.. pretty much everything.➛The idea is great. a sexy bucket list for an over-achieving, planning-out-everything academic who's actually a creative. you already have the setting from book 1; i.e the races since the timeline is parallel to the first book. The characters have already been introduced. All this book had to do was give us a good dual pov with the friends with benefits trope playing out perfectly. So there was great potential; but somehow it just didn't deliver.➛The writing/narrative of the characters was kinda bad and felt very 2014 wattpadesque. the quirky graphic tees, pasta and sneakers was giving not-like-other-girls, which I was willing to overlook if the author hadn't mentioned it like a million times. BUt iT is wHaT iT iS.I think it was a decent book except for the writing (again I'm okay with this since these are her debut novels). ➛I also felt like the conflict at the end, her being in love, leaving, heartbreak, drama i.e i.e was kinda unnecessary. it was also done in a super weird way; with the contract problems it just felt like a lot to take on at once. i don't know what the author could've done instead but yeah, (maybe just her finding out about the contract clause and they could've just had an argument instead of whatever this was) because we didn't really get quality groveling to compensate for all that drama.eitherway i do think it's a pretty good book to read, if you wanna read something without thinking about it too much. I immediately picked this up after [b:Throttled 127561075 Throttled (Dirty Air, #1) Lauren Asher https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1681111333l/127561075.SY75.jpg 73372680], and I've heard that the last two books are considerably better but i don't see myself picking them up immediately.

rating- 3/5
I read both 1 star and 5 star reviews before writing this, and i don't usually do that, (because let's be fair gr reviews make you contemplate your entire existence) but i was thoroughly confused as to whether i liked this book or not? I'm still confused so eh; prepare yourselves for a chaotic review i guess.

{review may contain spoilers!}

INITIAL FEELINGS
Okay so when i read the blurb, i was genuinely confused if this was a fantasy or a contemporary romance. heart of ice? danger? devil blessed with the face of an angel? who uses those phrases in a normal contemporary romance anymore, am i right?
As I continued reading and came to terms with the fact that that's how the writing was going to be, i did start to enjoy it more. a small excerpt to explain what i mean:

“He was a look at me wrong and I'll destroy you and everyone you care about kinda guy, and he'd do it looking so calm and gorgeous you wouldn't notice your world burning down around you until you were already a heap of ashes.”

Literally transported me back in time to reading fanfics on ao3, twilight and fifty shades. Overall different writing style than what i read now, but not complaining.

CHARACTERS
Another issue i had, was with the relationship dynamic. I was amused and had fun for the most part, but there were a few things that bothered me. The first being the transition between Alex ‘wanting and ‘not wanting' Ava. Like one minute he's all cold and indifferent, and the next he's just like:

“She's mine, she just doesn't know it yet”

read in a deep voice to make my review funny plis

douchey possessive.

With her doe eyes and innocent features, she resembled a sacrificial virgin awaiting defilement.My cock throbbed harder.“Take off your clothes,” I said, my soft voice a whip crack in the silence.

intrigued

predictability.

The Uncle and Michael Chen plot twists separately that is, I didn't see or think how it would go together; which was well done I suppose.

‘let her go because i'm not good enough for her'.

interesting

SY75

easy, fun and fast paced read

rating -4/5
okay?? why did i expect to not like this at all?? first ever desi book I've read (if you leave out middle school indian authors like chetan bhagat, nikita singh, durjoy datta etcetc) and i thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed it:)

The concept is super unique. The arranged marriage vs love marriage and love vs compatibility was the perfect setup to explore dynamics and relationships in brown families. The writing was pretty fast paced and flowed really well. So much so that, I was planning to read it in between studying but ended up studying in between reading T_T.

The characters were well done and had good chemistry. Their dates were so so fun! and unique:D a pani puri eating competition and a murder scavenger hunt are such great ideas. i absolutely loved it.

A few complaints that brought down my rating would be the fmc being just a tad bit over dramatic imo. But again, the characterisation was consistent and looking back, it does make sense for her to be on guard and unwilling if a guy she's getting engaged to, doesn't believe in love.
OH OH OH. AND Charlie??? Jalebi??? plis lets not—let's just. not. i cringed everytime.

yep that's pretty much it. happy i picked this up. you should too! :)

“Olive,” Dr. Aslan interrupted her with a stern tone. “What do I always tell you?” “Um . . . ‘Don't misplace the multichannel pipette'?” “The other thing.” She sighed. “ ‘Carry yourself with the confidence of a mediocre white man.' ”

rating- 4.5/5

OHMYGOD. I Literally flew through this book. It was such a fun, fast paced read with the perfect balance of plot, drama and romance. Also the academia setting?? women in STEM? SO GOOD PLIS. It set this book apart from other contemporary romances in the best way possible.

-Plot and Writing
The character and relationship development was amazing. Olive and Adam don't immediately become comfortable around each other. We see them going from mildly awkward to being into each other and the transition is beautifully done and extremely fun to read.
I also loved the individual characterisation. Most romance books become about the couple as soon as they're together. However in this case, both Olive and Adam do their own thing in their careers, while simultaneously growing in their relationship as individuals and together.
My only problem was a minor pace inconsistency towards the end. I felt as though, the situation after the Tom subplot was discussed very briefly and felt slightly rushed. The epilogue was vv cute though, absolutely no complaints.

-Characters
ADAM. CARLSEN. sigh Him and Olive are the cutest. They had me smiling throughout. and also dying because ffj
Olive is also such an amazing mc. Her inner monologue, fandom and romcom quips, trope references and love for science made her extremely relatable.
The writing flows naturally and is beautifully done. The little hypotheses on the top of every chapter was such a fun addition:)!

♡HYPOTHESIS: When compared with multiple types and models of furniture, Adam Carlsen's lap will be rated in the top 5th percentile for comfort, cozinesss and enjoyment.

♡HYPOTHESIS: A private converstaion with Adam Carlsen will become 150 percent more awkward after the word sex is uttered by me.

YOU BOTH LIKE EACH OTHER

grins

“I'm going to kill you,” he gritted out, little more than a growl. “If you say another word about the woman I love, if you look at her, if you even think about her - I'm going to fucking kill you.”

SX50

rating- 3.5/5“We're all too busy looking down to remember to look up at the stars.”

something was just off, throughout: the writing and the foreshadowing were just not it. The narrative felt very conversational to me and the fortune cookie sayings were everywhere. However, I didn't want to put the book down, so credit where it's due.
The ‘plot twist' was pretty good imo because i couldn't predict it bahaha T_T. The past and present pov is also done pretty well and while there were a few plot holes; I thought the letters were from someone else throughout so, i was pretty shocked towards the end.

Overall, creepy, decent imagery and good characterisation with a flowing storyline. You should definitely give it a chance:D

rating - 2/5
started off okay but i was struggling to keep myself interested after the 30% mark. The potential was there but the author somehow just missed the mark;... by a lot. Like kilometres off the target

Speaking to him is like having a conversation with a grouchy calculator.”rating-4/5{this review contains spoilers}okay, wow?? I did not expect to like this as much as I did? The premise sounded really cool and I immediately picked it up! A DNA based matchmaking app? fake dating? grumpy sunshine? guy falls first? (what's not to like?). More often than not, I'm let down by a promising blurb, hence the skepticism. Although I didn't really have anything to worry about, [b:The Soulmate Equation 55692620 The Soulmate Equation Christina Lauren https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1607349080l/55692620.SY75.jpg 86851393] has easily made it to my favorites:)Recently I've been reading a lot of contemporary romance, and pretty much all books with the fake dating trope have had a similar setting. This really made me appreciate the different and out-of-the-box plot of the soulmate equation. I love how science/data-oriented it was, which made it right up my alley.PREMISEJessica Davis is a single mother who hasn't had the best luck in relationships. River Peña is a geneticist working on an app that matches you with people based on your DNA. When Jess impulsively sends in her DNA sample and ends up getting a high genetic compatibility score of 98(!) with River, she's more than surprised because he's rude and quiet and there's no way they could be compatible.. right?PLOT AND CHARACTERSWhile the premise roped me in, the plot had me flying through the book. The whole concept of genetic compatibility is really fascinating and had me super interested from the get-go. Since this is a slightly futuristic theme, the book also dives into the problems such technology would create: like Jess's best friend Fizzy letting her compatibility score dictate the seriousness of the date, the discussion about the app score not being the ultimate criteria and also the themes of destiny vs. choice.“Statistics can't tell us what will happen, they can only tell us what might happen.” The writing draws you in from the very beginning making it a fast paced read while the fun characters were an added bonus. I think this might be the only book where I liked the side characters more than the main characters. Juno, Fizzy, Nana and Pops are an amazing support system to Jess and were super fun to read about! ◽ River- While he's definitely not up there in the list of fictional men I would die for. The quiet, shy geneticist is extremely endearing. His conversations with Juno (Jess's 7 year old daughter) were the cutest and had me smiling throughout:)))“Good night, Jessica Marie and Juno Merriam.” “Good night, River Nicolas.”The only problem I had, was a minor inconsistency with his characterisation, with the way he acted towards the end.◽ Jess- Jess isn't my favourite either but she stands out to me in a sea of female protagonists because she's not perfect and that is exactly how she's portrayed. She's overworked and tired, but still tries her best to be a good mother. The plot-arc with Jess's own mother also helps us get to know her character better, for example: why she tries so hard to be there for Juno, why she doesn't put herself first etc. This gives her more depth than River's character.SETBACKSI had a few minor problems that brought down my rating. The first being, the romance. Jess and River's relationship's pacing was a little off, in my opinion. I felt like it was extremely slow in the beginning, while they're still getting to know each other and kind of moved from the snarky-banter to the I'm in love with you stage a little too fast. For instance, Jess is very on the fence about actually dating River in the hospital, and like, the very next day she suddenly isn't? idk.Second, the conflict towards the end was not what I was expecting. I think what the author intended would've worked well for me if it was written better. For most of the book, my complaint was that their relationship relied too heavily on the 98, so when they found out about the manipulated results, I was surprised and interested to see how the author would make it work. However, I felt let down with the way it played out. River acts super weird when he finds out and they don't talk for like 8 days straight, which feels like unnecessary conflict merely to add a dramatic element to the story. Also like, what was with the new results and the envelope?? i was so confused by the way it was written. I get why the author wouldn't give us the score, although i really really wanna know but like they're still a diamond match??? isn't something along those lines said in the epilogue?? "And as much as he insisted it didn't matter, Jess knew that their new diamond score had confirmed that once upon a time he had discovered something authentic."why was this so vague.. like are they still a diamond match? because THAT'S extreeemelyyy likely. just tell us the score? or don't? why is it this weird in-between thing. OVERALLDespite the minor problems i had, [b:The Soulmate Equation 55692620 The Soulmate Equation Christina Lauren https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1607349080l/55692620.SY75.jpg 86851393] definitely stands out in the crowd due to its unique premise. I'm glad I decided to give this one a chance, because i've read other books by [a:Christina Lauren 6556689 Christina Lauren https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1554664497p2/6556689.jpg] and have somehow not connected with them.Check out my review of the [b:The Unhoneymooners 42201431 The Unhoneymooners Christina Lauren https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548201335l/42201431.SY75.jpg 65813986] by them if you wanna see what i mean:) Anyways, I'm super excited to read other books by this author-bestie duo. Meanwhile, you should definitely add this to your tbr!

rating- 5/5

i've read quite a few biographies and memoirs, but this one stuck with me for some reason. i love the impromptu writing, her way of making things seem so simple. i've always admired Priyanka so i knew i had to read the book, but i didn't know just how much i would enjoy it.

unfinished gives the reader an insight on Priyanka's early life and career. the book talks about her journey from being a tiny little girl to a confident and established woman. a number of things that stand out in this book, for me are:-
first: the chapter about losing her dad and the depression that followed. the description of her grief and how it affected her, helped me a lot. the following quote is from the same chapter and is something i still come back to, days after reading the book.

“For me, one of the hardest things to accept in life is that control is an illusion. I hate that I can't control what happens in my life, but I can't. Loss happens. Failure happens. Sorrow happens. I can't always control where I'm headed, either. Sometimes sadness is the destination, whether or not it's where I want to go. During my time there I had to learn to trust that I was visiting for a reason, but that it would not be my permanent place of residence, my forever state of being. That, like water, I would flow past it eventually and end up where I was meant to be.”

second

lastly,

rating - 4/5

honestly idek what kind of crack the author put in these. like I'm genuinely so so attached to these characters and it's been like that from the first freaking book. like? it doesn't even make sense. There was literally no I'm-beginning-to-like-these-characters phase. i went straight to: i want to absolutely protect lilo with my entire heart.And even if there's phases in the books where nothing's really happening and it's honestly not even that great I'm still reading like my life depends on it. i don't even know what it is about the whole series; it's very weird.Eitherway, this book was honestly such a great way to tie up lilo's story/pov, i guess. I could see how much character growth/development there was, and it was genuinely so so rewarding to see them finally get their ‘happy ending' in Earth 616:)Overall, the subplots weren't too crazy or eventful with the ceo meetings and teenagers (okay sliiiightly eventful). BUT the kids! changed everything honestly. i was so much more invested to see them as parents. It was like introducing layers to the characters, that i haven't seen before and added to the whole experience Introducing garrison and willow was also a fun addition although I'm not really super interested in their story or anything. my favourite part about this book was loren hale! the growth and maturity with handling everything thrown at him was impeccable and made me really really happy. And the wedding? crying, brb.