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I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
The Authenticity Project follows the story of how a simple green notebook with the words “The Authenticity Project” written on its cover left in a café leads an eclectic group of strangers to become friends and to confront their deepest truths. The Authenticity Project starts with Julian Jessop, an eccentric artist who is in his 70s, leaving his green notebook in Monica’s Café. In this notebook, he writes the truth about how lonely and invisible he’s been since his wife passed 15 years ago and then he invites the next person who finds it to write their truth. Throughout the story, this green notebook gets picked up by Monica, Hazard, Riley, Alice, and Lizzie, bringing them together and allowing them to reflect on the truth.
I don’t know what I was expecting when I started this book, but I ended up really enjoying it. My favourite thing about this book was how each character was seamlessly introduced to the story. I loved how each character was gradually introduced, how we got to see them react to the stories before them, and how later on, once another character was introduced, we got to see what they wrote in the notebook.
Another thing that made this book stand out to me was the characters. I thought that Julian was a quirky character who brought a memorable amount of razzle-dazzle to the story. I loved Monica and how brave, committed, caring and organized she was. I enjoyed reading about Hazard’s struggle with his addiction and discovering who he really is. Riley kind of reminded me of a puppy dog, and I liked his positive attitude. I also liked reading about Alice and how she struggled with the difference between the picture-perfect life she’s showing on Instagram and reality.
I liked that this book dealt with serious issues, especially addiction. To a certain extent, addiction plays an important role in the life of most of the characters in this book. I also liked that addiction took many different forms in this book, including alcohol addiction, drug addiction, compulsive behaviour, vanity, and lying, to name a few. I think that addiction is an issue that plays a part in the lives of a lot of people, and I like it when it pops up in books in a way that feels real and authentic.
One minor complaint that I have about the book is that Monica felt too much like Monica from Friends. I like Friends, and I appreciate its contribution to pop-culture, but unfortunately, every time Monica was mentioned, I thought of Monica Geller.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and the friendship that formed because of the green notebook. I liked that this book dealt with various kinds of addiction and I enjoyed the discussion of what is authentic. Once I started this book, I had a difficult time putting it down, I definitely recommend it.
The Authenticity Project follows the story of how a simple green notebook with the words “The Authenticity Project” written on its cover left in a café leads an eclectic group of strangers to become friends and to confront their deepest truths. The Authenticity Project starts with Julian Jessop, an eccentric artist who is in his 70s, leaving his green notebook in Monica’s Café. In this notebook, he writes the truth about how lonely and invisible he’s been since his wife passed 15 years ago and then he invites the next person who finds it to write their truth. Throughout the story, this green notebook gets picked up by Monica, Hazard, Riley, Alice, and Lizzie, bringing them together and allowing them to reflect on the truth.
I don’t know what I was expecting when I started this book, but I ended up really enjoying it. My favourite thing about this book was how each character was seamlessly introduced to the story. I loved how each character was gradually introduced, how we got to see them react to the stories before them, and how later on, once another character was introduced, we got to see what they wrote in the notebook.
Another thing that made this book stand out to me was the characters. I thought that Julian was a quirky character who brought a memorable amount of razzle-dazzle to the story. I loved Monica and how brave, committed, caring and organized she was. I enjoyed reading about Hazard’s struggle with his addiction and discovering who he really is. Riley kind of reminded me of a puppy dog, and I liked his positive attitude. I also liked reading about Alice and how she struggled with the difference between the picture-perfect life she’s showing on Instagram and reality.
I liked that this book dealt with serious issues, especially addiction. To a certain extent, addiction plays an important role in the life of most of the characters in this book. I also liked that addiction took many different forms in this book, including alcohol addiction, drug addiction, compulsive behaviour, vanity, and lying, to name a few. I think that addiction is an issue that plays a part in the lives of a lot of people, and I like it when it pops up in books in a way that feels real and authentic.
One minor complaint that I have about the book is that Monica felt too much like Monica from Friends. I like Friends, and I appreciate its contribution to pop-culture, but unfortunately, every time Monica was mentioned, I thought of Monica Geller.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and the friendship that formed because of the green notebook. I liked that this book dealt with various kinds of addiction and I enjoyed the discussion of what is authentic. Once I started this book, I had a difficult time putting it down, I definitely recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book from Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book, and after reading it, I still don’t know what I think of it. When We Were Vikings follows Zelda, a high-functioning adult who has been diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome. Zelda’s life is full of routines, rules, and a few select people who help her navigate the world around her. Zelda lives with her older brother Gert, who has resorted to some illegal ways of scraping by. Zelda also loves Vikings, and when she learns that Gert is in trouble, she goes on a quest to be legendary and to save her tribe.
I’ve never included trigger warnings in a book review before because I haven’t been completely thrown off by a book before. I’ve read books with triggering things in them, but I’ve always expected them, based on the description on the back of the book. With When We Were Vikings, there were a few scenes that I didn’t see coming, and I felt like the reader needed some sort of warning about them. When We Were Vikings contains gang activity, gun violence, and attempted rape. These things aren’t necessarily a problem, but I wish something in the description would have indicated that this book was going to take a dark turn.
As far as the characters go, I liked Zelda, and I was rooting for her along the way. I liked reading about her overcoming obstacles, being brave, and learning to become independent. I also really liked Gert’s girlfriend, Annie, who Zelda refers to as AK47. I especially loved that even though she loved and cared for Zelda and Gert, in the end, she knew that she had to decide to take care of herself. I wasn’t a huge fan of Gert, but I also didn’t hate him. I thought that he was in a tough position and that he made some poor decisions out of a desire to protect himself and his sister.
The story itself was intriguing, and I enjoyed it. Zelda’s quest to become legendary is an interesting one. I liked Zelda’s list of things legends need and I enjoyed reading about her checking each item off. I especially liked that she decided that “the hero must win the love of a fair maiden in danger” requirement was gender-neutral and that her boyfriend, Marxy, could be the fair maiden in danger. Speaking of Marxy, I liked Zelda’s relationship with him, and how it taught Zelda that not everyone is as functioning as she is and that it taught Marxy that he could be brave.
Overall, I didn’t love this book, but I didn’t dislike it either. I liked the characters, and the story was interesting. I wish the description would have given some indication that this book was going to take a dark turn so that I could have been more prepared for it. I think this was a good debut novel and I’m looking forward to seeing what this author writes next.
I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book, and after reading it, I still don’t know what I think of it. When We Were Vikings follows Zelda, a high-functioning adult who has been diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome. Zelda’s life is full of routines, rules, and a few select people who help her navigate the world around her. Zelda lives with her older brother Gert, who has resorted to some illegal ways of scraping by. Zelda also loves Vikings, and when she learns that Gert is in trouble, she goes on a quest to be legendary and to save her tribe.
I’ve never included trigger warnings in a book review before because I haven’t been completely thrown off by a book before. I’ve read books with triggering things in them, but I’ve always expected them, based on the description on the back of the book. With When We Were Vikings, there were a few scenes that I didn’t see coming, and I felt like the reader needed some sort of warning about them. When We Were Vikings contains gang activity, gun violence, and attempted rape. These things aren’t necessarily a problem, but I wish something in the description would have indicated that this book was going to take a dark turn.
As far as the characters go, I liked Zelda, and I was rooting for her along the way. I liked reading about her overcoming obstacles, being brave, and learning to become independent. I also really liked Gert’s girlfriend, Annie, who Zelda refers to as AK47. I especially loved that even though she loved and cared for Zelda and Gert, in the end, she knew that she had to decide to take care of herself. I wasn’t a huge fan of Gert, but I also didn’t hate him. I thought that he was in a tough position and that he made some poor decisions out of a desire to protect himself and his sister.
The story itself was intriguing, and I enjoyed it. Zelda’s quest to become legendary is an interesting one. I liked Zelda’s list of things legends need and I enjoyed reading about her checking each item off. I especially liked that she decided that “the hero must win the love of a fair maiden in danger” requirement was gender-neutral and that her boyfriend, Marxy, could be the fair maiden in danger. Speaking of Marxy, I liked Zelda’s relationship with him, and how it taught Zelda that not everyone is as functioning as she is and that it taught Marxy that he could be brave.
Overall, I didn’t love this book, but I didn’t dislike it either. I liked the characters, and the story was interesting. I wish the description would have given some indication that this book was going to take a dark turn so that I could have been more prepared for it. I think this was a good debut novel and I’m looking forward to seeing what this author writes next.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher, Wednesday Books, and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. I also want to thank Wednesday Books and St Martin’s Press for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour.
Even though Pepper and Jack don’t like each other, they have a lot in common. They both live in New York City, they both go to the same expensive school, they’re both on water-based athletic teams, they both use the anonymous chat app Weazel, and they’re both secretly running company Twitter pages for their parents. This shortlist of things in common is enough to turn the dislike into friendship, and maybe even something more.
My favourite thing about this book was the different relationships between Pepper and Jack. There’s the relationship they have at school, where Pepper is determined to be at the top of the class, and Jack is determined to be the class clown. There’s their unknown relationship on the Weazel app, where they’re both are lost, somewhat vulnerable, and they don’t know how to live up to their family’s expectations. And there’s the relationship they have with the Twitter war, full of memes, jabs, and snarky comments. I loved watching these three different relationships slowly amalgamate into a genuine friendship and eventually something more.
My second favourite thing about this book was the food and baking. The sandwiches at Girl Cheesing all sound amazing, and the Kitchen Sink Macaroons are something that I need in my life. I’m less impressed with the menu at Big League Burger, but Pepper runs a baking blog with her sister Paige and their creations sound divine, especially Monster Cake. I love books that feature food, and food in this book did not disappoint in the food department.
The other thing that I loved about this book is that it showed that perception is often different than reality. Pepper and Jack have both spent most of their life believing things that aren’t true. Throughout the story, both Pepper and Jack realize that these beliefs were incorrect, and it changes things for them. These realizations lead to new friendships, better family relationships, and a romantic relationship between the two of them.
Tweet Cute was my first read of the year, and it was perfectly fluffy. The characters were wonderful, the story was super cute, and it was full of cheesy puns. The story felt original and the pop-culture references weren’t overwhelming. Pepperjack is my first major ship of the year, and I know I’ll be blogging about this book and the characters all year long. I highly recommend it and I can’t wait to see what Emma Lord writes next.
Even though Pepper and Jack don’t like each other, they have a lot in common. They both live in New York City, they both go to the same expensive school, they’re both on water-based athletic teams, they both use the anonymous chat app Weazel, and they’re both secretly running company Twitter pages for their parents. This shortlist of things in common is enough to turn the dislike into friendship, and maybe even something more.
My favourite thing about this book was the different relationships between Pepper and Jack. There’s the relationship they have at school, where Pepper is determined to be at the top of the class, and Jack is determined to be the class clown. There’s their unknown relationship on the Weazel app, where they’re both are lost, somewhat vulnerable, and they don’t know how to live up to their family’s expectations. And there’s the relationship they have with the Twitter war, full of memes, jabs, and snarky comments. I loved watching these three different relationships slowly amalgamate into a genuine friendship and eventually something more.
My second favourite thing about this book was the food and baking. The sandwiches at Girl Cheesing all sound amazing, and the Kitchen Sink Macaroons are something that I need in my life. I’m less impressed with the menu at Big League Burger, but Pepper runs a baking blog with her sister Paige and their creations sound divine, especially Monster Cake. I love books that feature food, and food in this book did not disappoint in the food department.
The other thing that I loved about this book is that it showed that perception is often different than reality. Pepper and Jack have both spent most of their life believing things that aren’t true. Throughout the story, both Pepper and Jack realize that these beliefs were incorrect, and it changes things for them. These realizations lead to new friendships, better family relationships, and a romantic relationship between the two of them.
Tweet Cute was my first read of the year, and it was perfectly fluffy. The characters were wonderful, the story was super cute, and it was full of cheesy puns. The story felt original and the pop-culture references weren’t overwhelming. Pepperjack is my first major ship of the year, and I know I’ll be blogging about this book and the characters all year long. I highly recommend it and I can’t wait to see what Emma Lord writes next.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
First Came Us follows Ellie and Jack Miller and their teenage daughter Sydney. Ellie owns a yoga studio that’s finally starting to turn a profit, Jack is a renowned economics professor at Yale, and Sydney is a straight-A student. They live a relatively normal life until Ellie’s pregnancy test comes back positive, an 18-year-old girl shows up at Jack’s office claiming to be his daughter, and Sydney gets caught up in a secret relationship built on lies with a college boy.
One thing that I liked about this book was the different points of view. My favourite character and point of view was Ellie. I liked that the reader got to see the struggle behind having three children, running her own business, her personal problems, and trying to keep up the charade that everything is picture-perfect. For the most part, I liked Jack, but I did get frustrated with him at times for his lack of honesty and his cluelessness. I really wasn’t a huge fan of Sydney, but that’s because I find that recently I’ve had a difficult time relating to teenagers and their teenage problems.
One thing that annoyed me about this book is that there was so much dishonesty. I found myself wanting to yell at the characters a few times because they were lying, or they weren’t forthcoming with information. I understand that these lies helped fuel the plot and that without them, there wouldn’t be much of a story, but I still found it frustrating. Overall, this book was a reminder that honesty is the best policy and that it helps prevent a lot of major misunderstandings.
My favourite storyline in this book was the relationship between Ellie and Dorothy. Dorothy is an older woman who attends yoga classes at Ellie’s studio, and Ellie takes a special interest in her and her wellbeing. I thought that their relationship was special, and I loved how it helped lead to such a happy ending for the Miller family.
Another thing that annoyed me about this book is the amount of commentary about Ellie’s body. It felt like I was constantly reminded that Ellie was petite and skinny. I understand that part of it was because Ellie didn’t want anyone to know that she was pregnant and that Sydney had self-esteem issues, but I got annoyed with it quickly.
Overall, I liked First Came Us, but I didn’t love it. At times, it felt like it was a bit all over the place, and like there was too much going on. I liked the majority of the characters, and my issues with Sydney stem from a general lack of patience with teenagers. I liked that this book showed a family that wasn’t picture perfect and that was struggling to juggle everything that was going on. I recommend checking out this book if you’re looking for something quick with an ending that will make you smile.
First Came Us follows Ellie and Jack Miller and their teenage daughter Sydney. Ellie owns a yoga studio that’s finally starting to turn a profit, Jack is a renowned economics professor at Yale, and Sydney is a straight-A student. They live a relatively normal life until Ellie’s pregnancy test comes back positive, an 18-year-old girl shows up at Jack’s office claiming to be his daughter, and Sydney gets caught up in a secret relationship built on lies with a college boy.
One thing that I liked about this book was the different points of view. My favourite character and point of view was Ellie. I liked that the reader got to see the struggle behind having three children, running her own business, her personal problems, and trying to keep up the charade that everything is picture-perfect. For the most part, I liked Jack, but I did get frustrated with him at times for his lack of honesty and his cluelessness. I really wasn’t a huge fan of Sydney, but that’s because I find that recently I’ve had a difficult time relating to teenagers and their teenage problems.
One thing that annoyed me about this book is that there was so much dishonesty. I found myself wanting to yell at the characters a few times because they were lying, or they weren’t forthcoming with information. I understand that these lies helped fuel the plot and that without them, there wouldn’t be much of a story, but I still found it frustrating. Overall, this book was a reminder that honesty is the best policy and that it helps prevent a lot of major misunderstandings.
My favourite storyline in this book was the relationship between Ellie and Dorothy. Dorothy is an older woman who attends yoga classes at Ellie’s studio, and Ellie takes a special interest in her and her wellbeing. I thought that their relationship was special, and I loved how it helped lead to such a happy ending for the Miller family.
Another thing that annoyed me about this book is the amount of commentary about Ellie’s body. It felt like I was constantly reminded that Ellie was petite and skinny. I understand that part of it was because Ellie didn’t want anyone to know that she was pregnant and that Sydney had self-esteem issues, but I got annoyed with it quickly.
Overall, I liked First Came Us, but I didn’t love it. At times, it felt like it was a bit all over the place, and like there was too much going on. I liked the majority of the characters, and my issues with Sydney stem from a general lack of patience with teenagers. I liked that this book showed a family that wasn’t picture perfect and that was struggling to juggle everything that was going on. I recommend checking out this book if you’re looking for something quick with an ending that will make you smile.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher, Simon Pulse, and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Of Curses and Kisses is a Beauty and the Beast retelling that follow Princess Jaya Rao and Lord Grey Emerson as they attend St. Rosetta’s Academy together. Jaya follows her sister, Isha, to St. Rosetta’s Academy after the media attacks Isha for behaviour that is unbecoming for a princess. Jaya could have finished her senior year elsewhere, but a source told her that the story was leaked to the media by an Emerson, and Jaya wants revenge. Princess Jaya and Grey Emerson have never met before, but their families have been enemies for generations, and legend has it that the Raos placed a curse on the Emersons that is still plaguing them to this day.
This book was a lot of fun to read. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite fairy tales, and I loved that this was a contemporary retelling of it, with just a hint of magic in it. I know that there have been a ton of Beauty and the Beast retellings in recent years, but a lot of them have been fantasy, and as someone who struggles with fantasy books, I really appreciated this contemporary story. This book was predictable to a certain extent because it is a retelling, but I really enjoyed what this book did with this tale as old as time.
My favourite thing about this book was the strong female characters. Jaya is smart, strong, independent, caring, and protective. Throughout the book, she’s coming up with unique solutions to problems, and she goes out of her way to help people. I loved Isha’s passion for robotics and engineering, and I loved that she was able to talk some sense into Jaya near the end of the book. I liked the relationship between Jaya and Isha, and I enjoyed the scenes where they got into it over their actions and what was expected of them as royals.
I liked the friendship between Daphne and Jaya, and I liked that the reader was able to see Daphne’s struggle with following her heart or her head when it came to her relationship struggles. I liked Catarina, even though she was a bit of a villain and pretty terrible at times. I appreciated reading about her internal struggle and trying to keep a calm front while everything was falling apart around her. I also liked that Jaya kept on extending olive branches to her, even though she didn’t really deserve it.
Grey Emerson is a character who I just want to wrap up in a blanket and hand a hot cup of tea to while telling him that everything is okay. I can’t even begin to imagine how lonely he must have been, especially with how his father treated him. I loved watching him slowly blossom as he grew closer with Jaya, and I spent the whole book rooting for him to get through all the problems his father put him through. Grey and Jaya are definitely OTP material, and I like imagining them taking on the world together after they graduate from St. Rosetta’s Academy.
The other thing that I liked about this book is how many villainous characters there were and how there were different villains in each storyline. Alaric made me want to scream because he was such a jerk, especially to Daphne and Catarina. Grey’s father was frustrating because he was such a coward and so dismissive of his son. Finally, every time Kiran Hedge was mentioned, I thought of Gaston and I’d start singing “no one fights like Gaston” to myself.
Overall, I thought this book was fantastic. The characters were brilliant, and I loved the dynamics between them. I thought the romance was super cute, and I was rooting for Jaya and Grey the whole time. I liked that this book had a magical element in it, but that it was still a contemporary story that takes place in the real world. This is supposed to be the first book in a trilogy, and I can’t wait for the second book to be announced and released.
Of Curses and Kisses is a Beauty and the Beast retelling that follow Princess Jaya Rao and Lord Grey Emerson as they attend St. Rosetta’s Academy together. Jaya follows her sister, Isha, to St. Rosetta’s Academy after the media attacks Isha for behaviour that is unbecoming for a princess. Jaya could have finished her senior year elsewhere, but a source told her that the story was leaked to the media by an Emerson, and Jaya wants revenge. Princess Jaya and Grey Emerson have never met before, but their families have been enemies for generations, and legend has it that the Raos placed a curse on the Emersons that is still plaguing them to this day.
This book was a lot of fun to read. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite fairy tales, and I loved that this was a contemporary retelling of it, with just a hint of magic in it. I know that there have been a ton of Beauty and the Beast retellings in recent years, but a lot of them have been fantasy, and as someone who struggles with fantasy books, I really appreciated this contemporary story. This book was predictable to a certain extent because it is a retelling, but I really enjoyed what this book did with this tale as old as time.
My favourite thing about this book was the strong female characters. Jaya is smart, strong, independent, caring, and protective. Throughout the book, she’s coming up with unique solutions to problems, and she goes out of her way to help people. I loved Isha’s passion for robotics and engineering, and I loved that she was able to talk some sense into Jaya near the end of the book. I liked the relationship between Jaya and Isha, and I enjoyed the scenes where they got into it over their actions and what was expected of them as royals.
I liked the friendship between Daphne and Jaya, and I liked that the reader was able to see Daphne’s struggle with following her heart or her head when it came to her relationship struggles. I liked Catarina, even though she was a bit of a villain and pretty terrible at times. I appreciated reading about her internal struggle and trying to keep a calm front while everything was falling apart around her. I also liked that Jaya kept on extending olive branches to her, even though she didn’t really deserve it.
Grey Emerson is a character who I just want to wrap up in a blanket and hand a hot cup of tea to while telling him that everything is okay. I can’t even begin to imagine how lonely he must have been, especially with how his father treated him. I loved watching him slowly blossom as he grew closer with Jaya, and I spent the whole book rooting for him to get through all the problems his father put him through. Grey and Jaya are definitely OTP material, and I like imagining them taking on the world together after they graduate from St. Rosetta’s Academy.
The other thing that I liked about this book is how many villainous characters there were and how there were different villains in each storyline. Alaric made me want to scream because he was such a jerk, especially to Daphne and Catarina. Grey’s father was frustrating because he was such a coward and so dismissive of his son. Finally, every time Kiran Hedge was mentioned, I thought of Gaston and I’d start singing “no one fights like Gaston” to myself.
Overall, I thought this book was fantastic. The characters were brilliant, and I loved the dynamics between them. I thought the romance was super cute, and I was rooting for Jaya and Grey the whole time. I liked that this book had a magical element in it, but that it was still a contemporary story that takes place in the real world. This is supposed to be the first book in a trilogy, and I can’t wait for the second book to be announced and released.