trice
Genuinely one of the most moving novels I've read...it was not a romance. But Asher's struggles with his past, his family now, with the way he perceives himself, his lies and everything, it is so raw and so real. I loved his character development and the gradual way he finds the value in himself and the side on which he stands on. This was depressing but still so beautiful. Definitely reading more of this author.
Small town romance, sweet and low angst, brings out many themes like racism, sexuality etc. It was a meaningful book, but had 3 major issues.
1. The Side Characters: Kayla and Pam were not okay. They disrespected Jordan's boundaries. Especially in the scene where they dressed up Dorcas when Jordan said no the girls literally just ignored him. Even Jordan himself felt like he was treated like a stereotypical gay best friend. After the first time Jordan says no to Kayla and Pam(finally), the girls apologize and Jordan just accepts it, without setting any firm rules and does not come clean with him feeling like the Gay Best Friend stereotype. These feelings are never mentioned again. Also, as someone who falls within the scope of the YA audience, I can confirm characters do not speak like that in real life - no one says stuff like “dude bro”. Ever. Jordan's mom's actions are also unforgivable. Jordan and his mom's relationship feels kind of toxic imo, but this isn't really resolved.??
2. The Ending: honestly the ending was really abrupt. Definitely felt like the book needed more chapters. The above friendship and parental (plus Max and his dad) issues were not settled properly. And what happened to the food truck and its license?
3. The Plot: maybe it's just me ‘cos I'm reading lots of action manhwas right now but the whole plot was quite anticlimactic. Sure, Max reveals the rape and Jordan punches the dude and Max gets counseling, but the rest of the book is just operating the food truck, conversing with friends, and having some parent-child time.
Also the poetry was just ??? since the title was based off of that one poem but poetry really didn't feel like a major discussion point in the book.
Hence 3 stars. Thank you for reading. Clap for u. Not gonna lie I had higher hopes for this.
Honestly I expected the book to be run-of-the-mill, romance-dominated types with just a sprinkle of action. But in truth this was so much more than that. The plot was absolutely action-packed, a bit like a mystery-thriller with lies and guns and snooping. The romance aspect is still there of course, but definitely less. It was very intriguing and fun to read and I finished the book within a day.??
But I feel like the part where Jacob and Simon got back together was weird, because Jacob still hasn't completely come clean/stopped lying to Simon about his true identity and Simon is willing to accept that? Also Nora's arrest was so abrupt. Her plan spanned over 4 years so why did someone only discover it now? How could she not foresee the DoD not letting contractors give out details of the Syntech's projects?
Finished this just today, and it totally fulfilled my wish for a low-angst, super sweet small-town romance. The sports aspect is really prominent which I like since so many sports romance are often only centered on the romance. There were some enjoyable side characters as well; I loved the interactions with Ollie (such a responsible and accepting big brother) and the scene where Finn was coming out to his parents was hilarious.
The reason I didn't give 5 stars though:
1. The book was very descriptive. Which is good, but there was too much description. There were lengthy details about each other's bodies, and Ty and Finn kept calling each other ???beautiful??? or ‘gorgeous', it became rather uninteresting. The extensive description took time away from character development; I would have liked to see more insight into Finn's personality and hobbies aside from talking to others and dating Ty.
2. I appreciated the rare Australia setting, as a nice change of pace and place. Nothing wrong with the setting, but I feel like the Aboriginal culture part could have been more deeply ingrained into the book. That native culture was really important for Ty as a part of his identity, however the narrative barely mentioned the Aboriginal history of Ty for the first half of the book.
....and this is basically why four stars.
Note: I wrote this review voluntarily after receiving an ARC- and it's honest!
I've recently finished reading this, and as my first Rex Dalton thriller, it's certainly an interesting read. This novel is 15 books deep into the series, so I definitely appreciate the character list given at the start of the copy. The characters were pretty diverse and fun to read about, plus there were a lot of statistics and information about the weaponry and the issue addressed. Also, the plot's second half was quite surprising - definitely didn't expect the Russian's part in the story. But for me there were a lot of problems which brought down the points.
Okay. I did like the statistics and information given, but as I read on the information seemed more and more excessive. At one point I saw a paragraph explaining Gen Z's - is that really relevant or necessary? It just made the narrative uninteresting. And on the topic of boredom, the first 60% was really just surveilling and catching the small fries, which made it rather repetitive.
Another problem was the plot holes/lack of elaboration. There were some parts that I thought required more explaining, like I remember there were supposed to be 3 siblings all raised to be Russian spies? The book only mentioned 2 and honestly the raising Russian kids as spies was such a long term investment there must be other better ways to go about this. Besides, Rex Dalton et al. made it look so easy defeating the enemy but as the enemy is a billionaire who is hosting a presidential candidate, there would definitely be more guards perhaps standing outside the doors and patrolling the grounds so the sneaking in should be much harder. There would definitely be a more advanced security system as well, and really Rex's raids were halved in difficulty level because his hackers could basically hack everything, which was so convenient and made the whole plot seem easy.
The premise was easy and had promise, but I feel like there were so many plot problems it was less fun to read, hence the three stars.
Note: I voluntarily wrote this honest review after receiving an ARC.
Dang this was an absolute mindf*ck, but in a good way. High heat. So many emotions.?? Ezra had a much darker past then I thought. I usually avoid step-sibling romances but this was genuinely heart-wrenching, angsty in the third quarter, but so sweet when they reunited. The MCs' chemistry was sizzling hot.??
I feel like the book was a bit long and some scenes a bit too wordy though, especially in the end (Overtime and Double Overtime). There were side characters at the first but they seemed to fade in importance, which was sad because side characters always add some fun and move the story along. Also honestly the sports aspect wasn't a very a large aspect. But except for these issues this novel is undoubtedly one of the best, if dark romances I've read so far this year.
An okay installation. I haven't picked up a Rick Riordan book for at least a year now and was looking forward to this book. It was definitely more emotionally deep than I expected, with a more detailed look into Nico's past scars, with some mentions of the struggle with coming out as well. There was also much more relationship-related stuff than Percy Jackson novels.
The book was able to juggle both the quest with the heavier topic of facing your inner demons. Will and Nico are one of my favorite couples, and I'm glad to see their characters develop throughout the book. And yes they fought, but talked it out later (communication for the win!!). I was surprised to see the villain was Nyx, since she was ancient, powerful, and one book was definitely not enough to defeat her but I was wrong and she was dealt with nicely. I also really liked the inclusion of Will and Nico's little ‘stories' about their relationship. The struggle between Will and Nico and trying to accept each other's different judgments on the Underworld was real. Persephone, though, unexpected savior??
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But some issues held me back. First, Will. I didn't like that Will's POV suddenly popped up in chapter 10. As the book went on, Will's POV kept popping up randomly. It was really abrupt and hard to adjust, especially if the last couple chapters were all Nico. Also, I feel like Nico's portion took over most of the time. Will didn't really get to shine as much. Persephone said Will should share his darkness. That never happened or was elaborated on. Will felt alone sometimes too. What? When? Why? Answered only briefly and in one sentence.
Second, the pacing. The plot dragged on for the first half because they were all dominated by dreams and flashbacks, so the quest barely made any progress, then really accelerated in the second half. Plus the switches between the present and the dreams were a bit messy and confusing.
Third, the writing style. Maybe it's just me because this is YA and I've basically been consuming adult fiction for the past months, and now I'm older than when I first came upon Percy Jackson, I feel that the dialogue did get cringey at times. Naming the cacodemons 'Cocoa Puffs' ? Really? And the babyish nicknames... Imo it was too childish. I believe that Nico, who's about 14-15, and Will, who's a year older, would use more grown-up vocabulary. Especially since they've been through multiple battles and should have a more mature mentality. And honestly the fighting just felt...anti-climactic. Maybe because it was co-authored? I haven't read a Mark Oshiro ever before, so the writing may be understandably strange. It didn't help that a lot of the plot entailed of trudging back and forth and sleeping.
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Another thing: this book is best for people who've read the all prior series (Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, Trials of Apollo). There were a lot of mentions and appearances of other characters from those said series that new readers would definitely not know about. I didn't read the last 2 books in ToA, so there were characters and events referenced that I didn't get.
I know that many people loved this book, but it didn't hit the spot for me, so 3.5 stars it is.
can goddesses even get hay fever?
This marks my 20th Jodi Picoult novel, it was okay, since her older books are not that good imo. The characters were well written, their conflicting thoughts and emotions felt so raw and real, the writing incredible as usual. The book did well showing how people may react in these circumstances. The parents and Chris all had visible changes in character and demeanor as the novel went on.?? The trial was fun to read too, this was the one Jordan McAfee book I missed until now, and his intelligence and adaptability is always a pleasure to see.
However, there were some issues. The pacing of the book was kind of strange, since the trial actually started at around 70% in. All the previous pages were building up to the trial, and it was fairly drawn out and could turn boring. The trial should be the climax, but it was so far into the book that half the anticipation was gone by then. Some pet peeves: Kate was totally forgotten at the end of the book, and Melanie's destructive behavior was simply disgusting.??
Overall, a nice complex book, albeit having a few problems. Definitely need a lighthearted novel after this one!
Beautiful writing, extensive world building, three dimensional characters. Jack is an admirable, supportive father, Nico has a kind, sympathetic side to him. Could have been better with a dual POV since the romance built up really quickly and it would have been nice to see Nico's thoughts on it, especially seeing as it's an enemies-to-lovers relationship. The ending is pretty much expected. There are some minor unresolved plot points (like Francesca's motivations in faking her death then finding Jack again ). Has the potential to be 5 stars if not for the plot issues.
Okay I liked the first book but what happened to this one...the majority of the plot is Karter insulting his captors then getting beaten up by said captors then sex when he got back home. The character relationships didn't really develop since the MCs spent most of the time apart and communication was like nonexistent in the first part. I really love the characters but this book just didn't hit the spot. Still going to read the rest of the series though, keeping my hopes up.
The worldbuilding was not done well, so many things were glossed over - the mage types were never explained properly, details about the magic clans are vague, and the relationship between the alphas' role in their pack and their bonded mages' magic is confusing as well. Not much character depth for the MC's, and the romance and sex were just okay. The Warrens played a considerably big role in the book but their existence were just introduced around the 50% mark. I don't think the Maken pack ever found out about the theft either and it was so ridiculous because who wouldn't miss an entire person (in this case a valuable mage) missing from your pack lands? ??
Still giving the sequel a shot though, since the blurb does sound more interesting.
Personally, I liked this book more than the first one. Cherryvine is shorter and centers on the romance, unlike Honeythorn which has a bit of action in it. There were also more mentions of the differences between Northern and Southern cultures, which was fun to learn about.??
I particularly liked how the author portrays healing from past trauma, which takes time and slow steps. Emil is a patient and caring character who genuinely tries to help Isak, while Isak tries his best to learn how to trust again.??
Aside from the main couple, there are also some witty side characters that made the story enjoyable.
However, there could have been some warning in the blurb since there was mpreg. Not everyone reads mpreg and in my case I liked the book enough to continue. Nonetheless, this was a lovely sweet romance, really hoping for another installation in the series.
The blurb was intriguing. I didn't think Raphael would be such a cold and cruel character, but I was wrong. There was a redemption arc for him though, even if some of his actions were inexcusable. Milan was headstrong and expressive, and he was really likable. He was so caring and accepting of Raphael and got him to open up about his feelings, developing their relationship.
The pacing was nice, and the storyline was okay. There could have been more depth into Jack's villainous plot imo. I wanted to know more about Jason and the accountant and how they found him. Mostly Jack's lawsuit seemed quickly dealt with.
But except for that issue, everything else was great and I demolished the novel in one night. Definitely reading the sequel!??
I don't usually read nonfiction, so this was like a breath of fresh air. The author does a good job depicting Billy Milligan and his life. It makes Milligan feel like a victim more than a perpetrator honestly, displaying him sympathetically. I wanted more detail about the experience in Lima though. I would also say some parts of the book feel a bit blown up and unbelievable, like how Milligan was allegedly beaten up in Lima. Nevertheless, overall, a compelling narrative.??
I usually enjoy Megan Derr's books and this is not an exception. The characters didn't feel as if they had much chemistry, but I appreciate how their relationship came together. There wasn't strong character development imo. The whole novel was action-packed and pretty fun to read anyhow.
The plot was well done, I don't know why but I did not expect Petrocia coming into the mix. The world building could have been better and more detailed, I was curious about the origin of their magic and the types of mages that exist. The pacing at the beginning was slow but did speed up, although I question the significance of the MCs' first encounter. And contrary to popular opinion, I did like the more open ending of the book, though the arrangement of the epilogue's structure was a bit strange.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book!! It was hilarious, action-packed and filled with sarcasm & wit. Heaps of chemistry between the MCs. I love how the couple talked through the ‘hero vs villain' difference, Nick is definitely a more accepting hero than most. Plus I absolutely love Pat's teasing but supportive family.??
The story is sweet and comedic, a lethal combination!
The plot was way too complicated and overblown and confusing- there must have been better ways for the criminals to execute their evil masterplan. There were so many plot holes as well. The romance could have been done better since there wasn't really any chemistry. Plus Peter established that Katie hated him at the start of the book and suddenly Katie just had a 180 degree turn in her attitude pertaining to Peter.
The MC wasn't that relatable, he was kind of a surface level character. His talents weren't really displayed well, I don't think he even fought a villain and won on his own, his hacking skills were told not shown. Also there were just random side characters popping out and revealing slightly shocking information for no reason at all. Like what was happening?? e.g. there was no explanation whatsoever on why Jonesy was randomly undercover at the school
It's been a while since I've picked up this kind of book (past trauma), and I've got to say I'm pleasantly surprised. Although it was a bit boring, I did enjoy the slower pace, which allowed the characters to adjust comfortably to their newfound relationship. I love them both for taking things slow so they can understand where their boundaries are at.
It's a wonderful novel on how we can heal from past traumas, and I like that the MC's don't only depend on each other to heal and move on - Aodhan and Iona have a complex bond and I'm so happy they are able to work through their issues regarding their family together and repair their relationship. Aodhan and Hunter also have a beautiful friendship, really hoping Hunter gets his HEA as well! Super glad that the author doesn't portray the MC's relationship as a “love heals everything” kind of thing like some other books may end up as.??
The demisexual and indigenous representation is also appreciated!!
I usually love Megan Derr but this book was a bit below standard. The characters had little chemistry - they've only known each other for several days yet they become life-and-death partners and go on a survival road trip together? I don't remember any kind of bonding between Ezhil and Vyra either except for their kiss. Plus some plot developments are improbable, I don't believe Tashi was going to inherit the throne if this was a matriarchal society and that the sister would let Tashi go that easily.
The plot was way too complicated and overblown and confusing- there must have been better ways for the criminals to execute their evil masterplan. There were so many plot holes as well. The romance could have been done better since there wasn't really any chemistry. Plus Peter established that Katie hated him at the start of the book and suddenly Katie just had a 180 degree turn in her attitude pertaining to Peter.
The MC wasn't that relatable, he was kind of a surface level character. His talents weren't really displayed well, I don't think he even fought a villain and won on his own, his hacking skills were told not shown. Also there were just random side characters popping out and revealing slightly shocking information for no reason at all. Like what was happening?? e.g. there was no explanation whatsoever on why Jonesy was randomly undercover at the school
The LI was pretty much a jerk at first. But towards the middle and end the LI definitely got better (character-wise) and the relationship blossomed quickly. Plus the book got into a bit of the LI's backstory which explained why he might have acted like an a*s in the beginning. The side character's story was amazing as well - love Chanwoo and MD!! Points given for cute art style.
The manhwa does contain a certain degree of dubcon in some scenes though.