Stephanie

Listen - I liked it, but it wasn't good. This is like that shitty rom-com you watch every few years because it's just fun to watch when you are bored or want some background noise - like Twilight or The Proposal. The characters are cookie-cutter romance characters. The best friend, gay roommate, fake dating, he falls first - all the tropes and cliches are in here. It's not bad, but it's not memorable and there's nothing actually interesting that happens. The bad guy is like a cartoon villain, and the description of the main love interest being absolutely so so so tall gets really freaking old. Not to mention the cringe that is the sex scene (it's really really bad).

Overall, read it if you like romances but if it's not your genre, you're going to feel the same way I do.

I finished this in one sitting - I don't really read science fiction much and definitely nothing with time travel, but I think I might love this genre. I think some of the character building is a bit lacking but overall I loved the story. I really enjoy multiple story lines coming together and I felt like it was really well contained for such a quick read - no fluff but just enough information to keep you interested. This is my first time reading anything from this author, so I'll definitely be reading her others very soon.

Favorite quote:
“Pandemics don't approach like wars, with the distant thud of artillery growing louder every day and flashes of bombs on the horizon. They arrive in retrospect, essentially. It's disorienting. The pandemic is far away, and then it's all around you with seemingly no intermediate step.”

What is the point of buying the physical deck if you have to get online to look at the descriptions for each of the tasks? This easily could've been printed on the back of each card, but they were too lazy to do that

I went in blind. Two or three chapters in, I was hooked on the dark fairy tale vibes but by chapter 10, I was bored. This is an incredibly average book and even the trigger warning scenes (that if I had known about prior would have made me skip the book all together) were shockingly boring. It's like the author thought throwing in some trauma would make up for the poorly written characters.

A lot of the plot wasn't even resolved. The ending was lazy as hell (the main character gets drugged while her mom does all the hard work) and then her company gets sold for enough money that she never has to work again, her son is magically healed and she falls in love. This feels like an unfinished project and it's seriously made me consider cancelling my BOTM subscription all together since they thought this was good enough to promote.

I swear this was a rape fantasy draft that got picked up by someone who knew someone. Don't waste your time ☺️

Damn you TJR! I don't give five stars easily, I don't understand tennis, I don't speak Spanish and yet here I am. I finished this in one day and I so badly want this to be a movie because I need to see this on screen. I just really enjoyed this one

Remember that shitty movie, “Lucy”, this is what it should have been. 4.5 stars rounded up.

Wow wow wow. Maybe one of the most fun stories I've read in a long time. The audiobook for this was perfect, I felt like I was watching a movie. I really think this is a book that pretty much anyone would enjoy. It's such a unique story, and the way the characters are written is so well done. This easily could have been corny but it wasn't at all.

I really enjoyed this. I went in expecting a goofy, hallmarky romcom but got a sweet, heartwarming story about a woman rediscovering joy. I liked the side characters, I loved the MC and the love interest was sweet and believable. If Hallmark took the “Stardew Valley” game and swapped a farm for a cafe, this is what you'd get.

First, I want to state the obvious - I am white and maybe less obvious to the random people who will read this review, I am fairly conservative and do not consider myself a modern feminist. So, yes I knew I wasn't going to agree with this book in political terms - However, I read this to better understand the balance of feminism with class issues and ended feeling tired and frustrated.

I found the book's approach to addressing class, racism, and gender issues through the lens of feminism to be problematic. Racism happens to black women, that doesn't make it a feminist issue. There is a severe problem with lack of education in low-class areas, that doesn't mean only little girls need better access to schools. I thought this book was going to touch on how modern feminism tries overtake issues like class, race and gender - this turned out to be the exact opposite.

To be fair, I was hoping for something closer to “Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men” and this just missed the mark completely for me.

I wish we would stop trying to label every single movement and stop categorizing everything into “class disparities” or “race issues” or “feminist movement” and focus more on those who are suffering. We need to stop trying to define it all perfectly and focus on the people who are in pain and living as less-than - REGARDLESS OF THE REASON. Can we just treat humans better and stop arguing about who deserves it most?

There are silly parts but overall I liked it. It's a sweet story and a look at friendship and parents. The cat is 24+ and there's time travel so there are goofy bits but i love the best friend and the dad-daughter relationship.

My only complaint is that Jesus was made to be a husband rather than just a character and piece of this incredible story. I would have preferred the sister of Judas being the tie into the gospel, only because the lack of biblical truths about Jesus and his character leaves his character in the book to feel incomplete.

I don't know if it was the zombies or the fact that I didn't like the characters... but overall this book was depressing to me. The story was fine, but I really disliked the main character and I had a hard time feeling sorry for him, his wife or his boss. I think I need to stop reading zombie books for awhile, they're all starting to sound the same to me.

A very short read, only 120 some pages. I've always liked dystopian stories but this has to be one of my favorites. It's so simple and different that it's enjoyable from beginning to end. I've read this over and over and it's one of my favorites.

I guess I was expecting less of an autobiography and more advice on running a business. Tony Hsieh seems to have stumbled his way into success, which I HIGHLY doubt is the case, but from his story, it really seems like it was all dumb luck. Many of the chapters ran on for too long and felt repetitive. An editor could have told him this, but within the first few moments of the audiobook, he admits the manuscript he is reading from is unedited. It needed some editing. He glazes over the work that went into his business and only focused on the ending success or fails. I thought there were some good bits and his story was entertaining at parts but if you're looking for a book that will help you in your career or business - this isn't it. If you're looking for an autobiography about a successful entrepreneur, this one is a few chapters too long.

My Dad & Mom read this series to me when I was younger and I recently re-read them. I enjoyed the stories very much. They are so strange and unique and I've never read a book quite like it. Everyone should at least read this first book, I'd bet you'll want to read the rest as well. Overall just a great story, good characters and a thrilling plot.

This book managed to make the first two books seem completely pointless. The first books in this series were great and fun stories but this story makes you realize there was a very stupid reason for the first two books to even have happened.

SPOILER

Basically the author couldn't figure out a way to explain how the city ended up being kept away from the outside world. She attempts to explain it by making some prophet tell everyone to make a city underground. The town goes along with the crazy prophet and BOOM. The city of ember is born.

The author shouldn't have written this prequel and instead let the readers wonder about how the city came to be.

This series was very popular when they came out. I read the first 3-5 books before I decided to stop. The story is obviously depressing but what's even worse is that it's essentially the same plot in EVERY SINGLE BOOK. The kids get put with some crappy “caregiver”, they try to get help, they try to escape, only to be put with an even worse person. Overall it's a depressing and boring series.

Another “right book, right time” situation for this one. The audiobook is brilliant, it's like a captivating podcast or Ted talk, the author adds so much character and dimension to her book. Emotions seem like such a simple thing, but they are so easy to mess up, misunderstand and miss. This is a quotable, well organized and science based reference to human emotion and how it should function when healthy. If anyone needs therapy, grew up with generational trauma or struggles communicating their needs - this is a book that might help you start digging into that.

I tend to read books in a day or two. This one was so boring and repetitive that it took me a month. Not good. While the story of success is inspiring and something that can be looked up to, the story telling is awful. From cover to cover the author wants to make sure we know that she is unique, a loner and totally different than every other fashion guru. It gets old quick. I wanted to love this book but unfortunately it's one I won't recommend to anyone.

If you're looking for good business advice, I'll summarize the book for you:
Find something you like to do, use spell check on your resume and don't try to do everything by yourself.

That's it. The rest sounds like the rambling of a teenager who is brought down by “the man” but is also the boss of the “the man”.

A friend recommended this to me and I put off reading it for awhile because I was expecting a diet book, but this was a happy surprise. The way that Tara presents the stories and science is so interesting and I love the way she breaks up the chapters. I learned a ton from this book and I love understanding my body better and know how to approach weight loss if I ever wanted to lose a couple pounds. I also have a lot more respect for my fat after this book. I noticed a bunch of reviews that hated the last chapter, but I really liked it. She used everything she talks about in the book to lose the weight she struggled with for so long. That's the whole point of the book! I really recommend this to anyone who is trying to drop a couple pounds or anyone who is young and would like to keep their current weight as they get older.

I think readers either love or hate this story. I loved it. I love the characters and how the author manages to have SO MANY characters, yet still develop them and keep you from forgetting who's who. The story is unique and even though I don't think the series was well wrapped up, this first book is worth reading.

One of my favorites since childhood. The characters are interesting and the whole plot is absolutely unique. READ THIS BEFORE THE MOVIE COMES OUT.

Incredibly interesting, a page turner but also very sad. I really hate sad stories but this book is an exception. The characters are amazing and even though the story is quite sad and even depressing at times, it really opens your eyes to the horrors that happen in other countries. I had to read this for school but I re-read it again later on and enjoyed it both times. Beautifully written and overall a great read.

I had to stop. I hate hate hate books set in the past with characters acting like they're from 2023. It feels preachy and unrealistic. I am so bored with these quirky characters. Also not sure why this book is described as funny when the first few parts include a rape and various other depressing background stories. I cannot understand why this is so highly rated - This one was not for me.

You know those movies that win all kinds of academy awards but you fell asleep while watching? That's this book. While the world building is slow paced and beautifully written, absolutely nothing of interest happens in this book. The love story fell short for me as well. Their entire relationship is based on their magic abilities, and nothing more. They easily could have been friends or coworkers with something in common, but lovers just doesn't feel like the right fit. Also, they fell in deep, sacrificial love after a few interactions? No. Just no.

I was confident in the first quarter of this book that I would absolutely love this, but somewhere around halfway, I realized it wasn't what I thought. The characters are incredibly flat despite having plenty of time to build them up.

I found myself about 3/4 of the way through the book wondering when we would get to the actual plot. I love magical realism and slow burns but this one just didn't do it for me.

An incredible world building that I loved so much in the first quarter, became incredibly repetitive. You don't get points for building up the circus when you describe it the same way six times.

I debated on two or three stars for this. But I ended up going with two, partially because I feel genuine anger that a writer who has the ability to build such a absolutely incredible world would write such an absolute shit love story. Not to mention the magic was... Stupid? There were no rules or even a basic understanding of the magic used ever established. From what I could tell, anybody can learn to use magic, it has literally no bounds, and you can easily keep yourself from aging. It also, incredibly, doesn't have a purpose except for making pretty things and keeping you dry in a rainstorm.

Anyways, I would not recommend this unless you go in with the full expectation that you're essentially reading for the world building. But even then, I thought this was incredible waste of time. In fact now that I'm writing this review I'm seriously considering giving it one star. If I didn't enjoy the book and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone does it really deserve any stars? I may change it later but for now let's call it a 1.5 and I'll round up.