crispycritter's Reviews (516)


Reading Mary Oliver is a Divine experience. 

Back After This

Linda Holmes

DID NOT FINISH: 19%

About 60 pages to get a meet cute in what is allegedly a romance. *sigh* Could be wrong but this feels like another Women’s Fiction book trying to capitalize on that sweet, sweet Romance money. Life is too short. Sorry Linda. 

Hellfire Riders: Saxon & Jenny

Kati Wilde

DID NOT FINISH: 24%

It’s no Joanna Wylde, that’s for sure. 

Unromance

Erin Connor

DID NOT FINISH: 7%

The whole “romance writer who doesn’t believe in love” is really tired. It’s also weird to write as a debut - as though this book is some kind of self-insert wish fulfillment. I could have maybe gotten over that. But she calls her vagina Coochie Mane. 

For One Night Only

Jessica James

DID NOT FINISH: 0%

The entire set up for this reunion show is barely plausible. Romance authors, can we try to make there be a reason to fake date your crush that doesn’t feel like a display cake made of styrofoam?!?!

There is an added layer of discomfort for me because this reads like thinly-veiled Paramore fan fiction. Can we all agree it’s weird to write fics about real humans instead of fictional characters? No? Okay the.  

Mr. Nice Spy

Tiana Smith

DID NOT FINISH: 1%

Not vibing with this. 

I somehow accidentally keep discovering hillbilly romances. This is a historical hillbilly romance - set in 1880s TN. 

He calls her his Hillbaby. Do with that information what you will. 

This was surprisingly sweet and heavy on Rainbow Trout facts. I was honestly not expecting much from an early 1990s romance but this freaking delivered. 

I felt very meh about this book despite the accolades and rave reviews. 

Our narrator, Breq, was cold. Our plot was oftentimes plodding. There was extensive discussion throughout about glove-wearing etiquette and noticeable overuse of [insert] gesture (abortive gesture being the primary culprit).

I don’t know why books win Hugo and Nebula awards these days. Recent winners feel so heavy-handed and overwritten. Most recent fantasy & sci-Fi releases do, but that’s an unrelated rant about the loss of nuance and how maybe I’m becoming old and out of touch. 

I’ll give Ancillary Justice credit here - I think its themes were interesting and delivered as though Leckie actually trusts her readers. BUT I was often bored by what should have been an absolutely epic space opera with a bananas twist. Chapter 16 was incredible! *shakes fist* The potential! *sob* The dang potential. 

Best I can gather Ancillary Justice is doing some novel things structurally and that’s why it won the awards. Concept-wise this book is very cool. The story just felt secondary. It was an interesting writing exercise but not compelling enough for me to pick up book 2. 

The Devil You Know

Elizabeth O'Roark

DID NOT FINISH: 7%

In a massive reading slump and grumpy about it. 

You should not feel entitled to make partner when you’ve been practicing law for less than 5 years, Gemma. (I fear this could have been a basic google search)

Does this woman have any interests other than shoes?

No, I will not read a romance where the first sex scene is NON CONSENSUAL.