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bandherbooks's Reviews (3.65k)
A newly widowed young mother takes her eight year old daughter back to a lake camp in Georgia where she once spent a magical summer. A cast of delightful women, old and young, round out Allen's tale of love, loss, and memory.
A quick read, very sweet and innocent. A good recommendation for those looking for light romance.
A quick read, very sweet and innocent. A good recommendation for those looking for light romance.
Stephanie Perkins, you've done it again. Exactly the sort of sweet, emotional, and lovely romance I needed right now. What draws Isla apart from the other books in this series (don't worry, you don't need to read them to enjoy this novel) and what makes me think I like it the best, is that the road to how the couple finally get together isn't the main focus - it is what happens after they are together. Le sigh. Sign me up for French boarding school, s'il vous plaît.
Thanks to my coworker for sharing the ARC with me!
Thanks to my coworker for sharing the ARC with me!
**Review based off a free ARC received from www.netgalley.com**
Pixie and Levi were friends since childhood, but a tragedy tore them apart. But, will living at the same inn during their summer break break down their walls?
This wasn't terrible! In fact, I rather enjoyed it. Finally a New Adult title that doesn't focus on a personal sexual tragedy for the lady (whew breath of fresh air); instead the tragedy affects them both equally (I won't spoil it here). Bonus, Levi is a steamy handyman and really truly cares about Pixie, and Pixie's dedication to art, work, and friends is laudable. I really wanted these two to work it out.
Also, I must add I keep seeing heroic Levi's in a lot of the books I'm reading...interesting.
Pixie and Levi were friends since childhood, but a tragedy tore them apart. But, will living at the same inn during their summer break break down their walls?
This wasn't terrible! In fact, I rather enjoyed it. Finally a New Adult title that doesn't focus on a personal sexual tragedy for the lady (whew breath of fresh air); instead the tragedy affects them both equally (I won't spoil it here). Bonus, Levi is a steamy handyman and really truly cares about Pixie, and Pixie's dedication to art, work, and friends is laudable. I really wanted these two to work it out.
Also, I must add I keep seeing heroic Levi's in a lot of the books I'm reading...interesting.
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
Svetlana should live in another era. She loves embroidery, D&D, drawing, reading, and opera. She is the Dungeon Master of her High School's table top game club (barely holding onto its official status with five members) and sleeps in a tower (ok, really the attic of her house).
Lesh is a metal-head who gets sucked into playing a MMO game online after he is grounded for coming home drunk. This is the incident where he actually runs into Svetlana, knocking her off her bicycle and ruining her notebook of D&D maps and characters.
After apologizing and becoming her lunch buddy, they start to fall for each other despite each of their hesitations and their respective groups negative attitudes. But, will Svetlana find out Lesh is impersonating her online in his MMO and get grossed out? Can people from two different castes really date?
Super cute and fun, but definitely not the emotional "gut-punch" that the description of this book promised. That was fine with me, but let's not over-sell here people. I really thought Brezenoff had a wonderful handle on the different high school groups he explores, and I love that Lesh wasn't already a hard-core gamer and actually kind of fell into being one due to circumstances. I also loved finding out the "Guy in Real Life" is actually a really horrible internet etiquette failure (G.I.R.L.). Ha. Never knew.
Svetlana should live in another era. She loves embroidery, D&D, drawing, reading, and opera. She is the Dungeon Master of her High School's table top game club (barely holding onto its official status with five members) and sleeps in a tower (ok, really the attic of her house).
Lesh is a metal-head who gets sucked into playing a MMO game online after he is grounded for coming home drunk. This is the incident where he actually runs into Svetlana, knocking her off her bicycle and ruining her notebook of D&D maps and characters.
After apologizing and becoming her lunch buddy, they start to fall for each other despite each of their hesitations and their respective groups negative attitudes. But, will Svetlana find out Lesh is impersonating her online in his MMO and get grossed out? Can people from two different castes really date?
Super cute and fun, but definitely not the emotional "gut-punch" that the description of this book promised. That was fine with me, but let's not over-sell here people. I really thought Brezenoff had a wonderful handle on the different high school groups he explores, and I love that Lesh wasn't already a hard-core gamer and actually kind of fell into being one due to circumstances. I also loved finding out the "Guy in Real Life" is actually a really horrible internet etiquette failure (G.I.R.L.). Ha. Never knew.
Twenty year old Kasey and her fifteen year old sister Livie try to start a new life in Miami after a drunken driving accident kills their family and their guardian tries to molest Livie. Finding a home in a shabby apartment complex, Kasey and Livie try to make ends meet and barely scrape by. Luckily the Barbie wannabe who lives next door has a heart of gold and gets Kasey a job tending bar at Penny's, a local strip joint. Kasey is a tough gal who tries to cope with her severe PTSD (she was in the car when the drunk driver hit) by kick boxing, cracking jokes, but thankfully not with random sex or alcohol anymore. But, the sex part may change after she meets hottie next door Trent after an embarrasing encounter in the laundry room. Trent however, may not be as good for Kasey as he seems to be.
I liked a lot of parts of this, but ALL of the tension in this book between Kasey and Trent was based on omission and lies. Boo. Just talk to one another people! The ending also wrapped up way to prettily for me and came way to quick after Kasey has a severe psychological break.
I liked a lot of parts of this, but ALL of the tension in this book between Kasey and Trent was based on omission and lies. Boo. Just talk to one another people! The ending also wrapped up way to prettily for me and came way to quick after Kasey has a severe psychological break.
re-read via audio 6/24 - 6/27/2023
well, you can certainly feel the age on this one (first published in 2013) in some of the 'jokes' and ableist language, and crappy gender essentialist comments (so do be warned) but i'm still as in love with the swoon of this new adult romance as i was all that time ago. i definitely did feel these two were *young* but in desperate, quick, and new love, and i loved how cade stood up for max.
i really could have done without the poor accent both narrators used for Cade's roommate (the roommate is ESL (i believe from Mexico or Mexican American) and it just sounded stereo-typical to me.
Re-Read from 04.13.15 - 04.14.15. Upgraded review to five stars.
This is my FAVORITE Cora Carmack. holy gee this is a steamy, sexy AND sweet story. I love that this is a "New Adult" not tied up with drugs, rape, and violence. I love that Max ditches her shitty boyfriend to be with Cade that the drama in the story isn't dependent on lies. Both characters tell the truth, which is why there is tension. And oh the glorious tension. PLUS, the characters really like each other and get to know each other. The build up is realistic (which makes it hotter) and the chemistry feels real. AND they laugh together. So important. Bravo.
My favorite lines:
[She] had been exactly what I thought I'd wanted. A friendship evolved into something more. Loving and kind. Sweet and safe. Max scared me shitless. And it was much better.
He fixed his eyes on me, and desire outweighed my fears. The way he looked at me made my skin sing with electricity. It wasn't just that he made me feel attractive. Any guy on the street with wandering eyes...could do that. He made me feel...special, which sounded so damn cheesy that I could choke...He made me feel like the melody instead of the accompaniment.
I'll take my chances against your fickle heart if it means it's mine.
This was a super sweet and fun story. Max is a tattooed badass rock singer who is trying to forget her older sister's death, and Cade is the nice boy who coaches inner city youth in acting and has a broken heart over the girl who got away. When Max's super judgmental parents come to town, she enlists Cade as her pretend boyfriend. Sparks fly, but will Max's hang-ups kill any chance at a real relationship?
well, you can certainly feel the age on this one (first published in 2013) in some of the 'jokes' and ableist language, and crappy gender essentialist comments (so do be warned) but i'm still as in love with the swoon of this new adult romance as i was all that time ago. i definitely did feel these two were *young* but in desperate, quick, and new love, and i loved how cade stood up for max.
i really could have done without the poor accent both narrators used for Cade's roommate (the roommate is ESL (i believe from Mexico or Mexican American) and it just sounded stereo-typical to me.
Re-Read from 04.13.15 - 04.14.15. Upgraded review to five stars.
This is my FAVORITE Cora Carmack. holy gee this is a steamy, sexy AND sweet story. I love that this is a "New Adult" not tied up with drugs, rape, and violence. I love that Max ditches her shitty boyfriend to be with Cade that the drama in the story isn't dependent on lies. Both characters tell the truth, which is why there is tension. And oh the glorious tension. PLUS, the characters really like each other and get to know each other. The build up is realistic (which makes it hotter) and the chemistry feels real. AND they laugh together. So important. Bravo.
My favorite lines:
[She] had been exactly what I thought I'd wanted. A friendship evolved into something more. Loving and kind. Sweet and safe. Max scared me shitless. And it was much better.
He fixed his eyes on me, and desire outweighed my fears. The way he looked at me made my skin sing with electricity. It wasn't just that he made me feel attractive. Any guy on the street with wandering eyes...could do that. He made me feel...special, which sounded so damn cheesy that I could choke...He made me feel like the melody instead of the accompaniment.
I'll take my chances against your fickle heart if it means it's mine.
This was a super sweet and fun story. Max is a tattooed badass rock singer who is trying to forget her older sister's death, and Cade is the nice boy who coaches inner city youth in acting and has a broken heart over the girl who got away. When Max's super judgmental parents come to town, she enlists Cade as her pretend boyfriend. Sparks fly, but will Max's hang-ups kill any chance at a real relationship?
**Review based on an ARC received for free from www.netgalley.com
Kate is a senior in HS and dealing with a recent diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes and a crummy breakup with her boyfriend. Aidan is a 19 year old veteran who lost an arm, and a good friend, to a roadside bomb. Brought together by Kate's best friend as a "make your ex jealous" date, an immediate connection is sparked. However, will secrets keep them from truly finding friendship and a real relationship?
Really cute story with two main characters that kept me interested and invested. The alternating POV worked; both Kate and Aidan had a distinct voices and it was nice to see their individual perspectives on the same events. The sex scene was tastefully done, so this could definitely work for older teens and New Adults.
Kate is a senior in HS and dealing with a recent diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes and a crummy breakup with her boyfriend. Aidan is a 19 year old veteran who lost an arm, and a good friend, to a roadside bomb. Brought together by Kate's best friend as a "make your ex jealous" date, an immediate connection is sparked. However, will secrets keep them from truly finding friendship and a real relationship?
Really cute story with two main characters that kept me interested and invested. The alternating POV worked; both Kate and Aidan had a distinct voices and it was nice to see their individual perspectives on the same events. The sex scene was tastefully done, so this could definitely work for older teens and New Adults.
**Review based off an ARC received for free from www.netgalley.com**
Sweetly saccharine love story between artist Paige and small town mechanic Brendon. When Paige is forced to move back to her small town and in with her parents after her stupid boyfriend dumps her, she soon finds love with the town's mechanic.
That's really it. there are some small test to their relationship, but really it is just about how long they can not have sex, then when they do it is bunny rabbits. If not for the somewhat graphic sex scenes, this could be considered Christian Romance.
Sweetly saccharine love story between artist Paige and small town mechanic Brendon. When Paige is forced to move back to her small town and in with her parents after her stupid boyfriend dumps her, she soon finds love with the town's mechanic.
That's really it. there are some small test to their relationship, but really it is just about how long they can not have sex, then when they do it is bunny rabbits. If not for the somewhat graphic sex scenes, this could be considered Christian Romance.
When Levi's family leaves California and moves to Wisconsin before he starts the 7th grade, he immediately hits it off fellow classmate Macallen, bonding over their obsession with an obscure Irish comedy show. They soon are best friends, but can a boy and a girl really be just best friends, especially when everyone always assumes they are together?
Very sweet, but very by the book romance. I had fun alternating between Levi and Macallen's POVs and giggling over the Wisconsin references, but there was really nothing in this book that made me doubt the ending (the flash-forward sections where Levi and Macallen banter about their path to love pretty much give it away from the start) but it was fun ride. This book also did nothing to challenge the assertion that boys and girls can actually be just friends. Actually, it really just proved that blanket statement right. Oh well, still cute.
Very sweet, but very by the book romance. I had fun alternating between Levi and Macallen's POVs and giggling over the Wisconsin references, but there was really nothing in this book that made me doubt the ending (the flash-forward sections where Levi and Macallen banter about their path to love pretty much give it away from the start) but it was fun ride. This book also did nothing to challenge the assertion that boys and girls can actually be just friends. Actually, it really just proved that blanket statement right. Oh well, still cute.
