I was so bored 😭

 This was a really different pick for me. I chose it as my BoTM option and was a bit disappointed with it. We have two timelines going on and I always hate when I prefer one timeline over the other. In this case, I much preferred the past to the current timeline. There were some things with the current timeline that I just couldn’t connect to, for instance, the two main characters. I would have adored this book so much more without the current timeline. It just didn’t work for me and really there’s one sole purpose and it was disappointing. It was my first by this author and it might be my last. I have seen that she does two timelines in many of her books. The story that’s written in the past was so intriguing and full of so much art. The relationship between Helen and Lillian was also an interesting dynamic. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this book but it could just be that the authors’ writing style doesn’t mesh with me. 

I want to thank, Hamad @The Book Prescription for buddy reading this with me. ❤

What can I say? I knew going into this that I was going to expect some emotional damage. It’s CoHo and she delivered. I can’t tell you how many times I cried in this book. I just felt for both sides and I was so conflicted because I could understand both sides. One of the things I love about CoHo is that she knows how to destroy you but by the end, she’s somehow made you happy and whole again? It’s such a crazy thing but I appreciate it immensely.

Kenna just wants to see her daughter and isn’t expecting much. Scotty’s parents don’t want anything to do with her and refuse to let her near Diem. Gosh, it hurt. One of my favorite things about this book is Kenna’s letters to Scotty. She uses it as a form of therapy but they are one of the best things about this book. They were so heart-wrenching but they give you a peek into her soul. Her pain and agony is written so well & you FEEL it all.

Ledger actually is the star of this book, in my opinion. His dedication to Diem is admirable and one of his best qualities. Their relationship is so sweet and so pure, it just made you smile. I loved to see his transformation in this book. To be in such a messy situation was just really intense and emotional.

One of my favorite supporting characters is Lady Diana! She brought some needed relief and laughs with such an intense book. I do wish we got to see more of her and her past. The story itself is addicting. I could not stop thinking about it when I wasn’t reading. I definitely finished this book in one day. Sorry, not sorry. I think because her stories are so impactful it’s always hard for me to stop reading. I just devour them and then I’m kind of sad it’s over. haha

The ending of this book was a tad rushed. I wish that we could have some of the situations fleshed out a bit more but I was happy with the way things ended up. Overall, I loved this and it’s one of my top books by her. I really cannot wait for the next one but I’ll catch up on some of her back ist until then! ❤

This was funny. I found myself laughing out loud several times. He has a lot of stories about meeting famous people and it was interesting and hilarious. I would highly recommend the audiobook. He does a fantastic job narrating and it seems to just flow so easily. There are some really funny stories about when he was growing up, especially, about his grandparents. There are a lot of stories and discussions about getting or being high. I'm not sure, he might have been tripping on acid during the narration of this book. haha, just kidding. It does feel like he just sat down and said, " this one time..." at a bar or something. He does talk about getting high and mushrooms a lot but he doesn't plug his own company, which is cool. The ending was a bit weird though. It kind of just ended without an actual ending. He was telling a story one minute and then the next it was over, just like that. If you like Seth Rogan or you just want a laid-back audiobook that makes you laugh, give this one a go! 

I buddy read this with July @OneBookMore.<–I have linked her review, check it out! It was our first buddy read together and I hope it wasn’t our last! 🙂

I will admit that I have not read the second book in this series. I will definitely go back and do so though. There were so many people hyping up this book and I gave in. For the most part, this was a great read but I was left a little disappointed.

This isn’t really a romance novel but more of a story about Anna learning to face her mental illness and learning to love herself. A lot of this story focuses on her and her struggle. It was a much more intense and deeper read than I thought it would be. I know this was a bit more personal for Hoang and you can definitely see that. Some of the harder parts of this story are when Anna is with her family. It’s hard to digest and it’s also sad to think it happens to people every day. Anna isn’t really living life but just hiding behind a mask. I would also like to know what books she was reading.. haha… Julie and I were both wondering that several times. haha

Quan was amazing. I love how he was just there for Anna. Although, it starts off as a romance book it kind of turns into something else. Their relationship takes a back seat to Anna and that was okay. I just felt like there were times that Quan did things that didn’t quite fit his character. It was rather strange and didn’t make sense at all. I’m not really going to go into it but if you read this then you will understand. Quan is definitely a favorite of mine! Their romance definitely was spicy at times!!

The biggest issue I had with this book was the last 5-6 chapters. So many things happen and years are told in pages. Julie mentioned that it felt like summaries and that’s exactly it. I wanted so much more. I wanted to delve into her mental health, her recovery, her relationship with Quan, and her family. It was all just rushed and left me unsatisfied.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book. It was a very important read when it comes to the topic of mental health. Her struggle is very detailed and helps you feel it. I loved the relationship between Quan and Anna. It was a bit predictable (besides a few chapters with Quan) but it didn’t take away from the story. I will be picking up whatever comes next!

 

This was such an amazing book. I’m so sad that I took so long to read it. It was so hyped that I kept putting it off. This one was definitely worth the hype! There’s so much culture in this book that made it so unique to me. I’m really glad that I went into this book blind because I don’t know that I would have picked it up. Crimes and thriller-type books are my least favorite genre. I just have a really hard time being surprised but this one kept me on my toes. There were some things that seemed really predictable but there were some twists that I was not expecting!

This book is dark and full of triggers. I was surprised with it being a YA novel. Overall, I was hooked from the beginning. The writing is so beautiful and done so well that I couldn’t put it down. I felt so many emotions and I loved the community aspect of this book too. A very wonderful read that I highly recommend! 

Wow! If there is one word that can describe this book it would be HUNGER! He shares so many recipes in this book that it was so hard to not be constantly thinking about food. I'm a huge Tucci fan through his movies. One of my favorites is The Devil Wears Prada and we can't forget about The Hunger Games. This was a very unique memoir with the food and recipes. It was a great listen and I loved learning more about him. I had no idea bout his first wife or his own battle with cancer. I really enjoyed this one!

Thanks to Dini for buddy reading this with me!! <3<3

This is my favorite volume so far!! It was filled with so many emotions and I love that Charlie’s mental health is forefront. Keep that in mind that it can be very triggering. I love how Nick does research and ASKS his mom for help. I swear Nick’s mom is #goals. I want to be that loving and understanding to my son. I love how in tune she is and how she stands up for him.

“Love can’t cure a mental illness.”

I really dislike his brother and it’s so sad. He’s constantly being terrible and it seems to stem from jealousy. I have my own issues with my siblings and maybe that’s why I can’t stand him. Tori is also a favorite of mine! I love how she is like a mother bear but I do wish she would have done a little *more* for Charlie. She clearly sees that something is wrong. I do love that Charlie finally faces what is going on and wants help.

“And on the bad days you can ask what to could do to make things easier. Stand by his side, even when things are hard. But also knowing that sometimes people need more support than just one person can give. That’s love darling”

Anyways, I love Nick and Charlie and somehow these volumes keep getting better and better! I highly recommend this if you want a beautiful and quick read. I say it’s quick because you will not be able to put it down. Plus it’s a graphic novel! There’s also a little extra content about the teachers at the end, which I loved!! ❤