2.5 stars
I am struggling on my rating for this book. I enjoyed the first book quite a bit. I originally read it in 2018 and gave it 4 stars. I re-read it via audiobook before jumping into this second book, and I still enjoyed it, though perhaps not to the same level as when I first read it a year ago. Still, I was looking forward to this second installment, as the first book leaves off on quite the cliffhanger.

I should say, there may be spoilers for book one in this review, so if you haven't read that book yet and don't want any spoilers, it's probably best to click away now.

What I liked:

1. There is a recap of book one. I know that there are books that do this, but I think this is the first book I've read that has actually had a recap. It wasn't long, just a couple pages to jog the memory. Of course, I'd just re-read the first book in order to do that, and I think I still would've re-read even if I'd known, but I really appreciate that it was there. I wish more series would do this.

2. The new characters had a lot of potential. The first book was almost entirely Jules and Mia. There were other characters, but much of the time was just spent with the two of them on their own. This book introduced a handful of new characters. Dex and Atlanta were very interesting. I loved their dynamic and when they were thrown together with our protagonists I was really excited. Neal also had a lot of promise as a character.

What I didn't like:

1. I was bored. Sorry, not sorry. For about 250 pages of this 308 page book, very little happens. And what does happen is very repetitive. Mia and Jules are hiding from someone who wants to hurt/imprison/interrogate them; Mia and Jules have a revelation that they should've had several pages earlier; Mia and Jules find a way to escape; Repeat. I honestly feel like this and the first book could've been streamlined and put together as one book, because there is A LOT of filler here.

2. Wasted potential re: the world and the characters. There was so much potential for this story. I was really intrigued by the world and how everything worked (or didn't) in the future. The glimpses we get of how society works in this futuristic Earth is really fascinating. Unfortunately, it takes backseat to an underwhelming love story. And while I do think the new characters (specifically Dex and Atlanta) showed a lot of promise, they were woefully underutilized. I wanted to know more about them, and I hated that we had to wait until the last 40ish pages to get more than cursory information about them.

3. It was predictable. Mia and Jules are supposed to be intelligent characters. Jules in a bookish way, and Mia in more of a 'street smarts' kind of way. They each had their strengths that complemented each other really well in the first book. It felt like that was all thrown out the window in this second book. It took them forever to realize what was going on. And these were painfully obvious to anyone paying attention. There were actually times when they would learn something that I was positive they'd already learned. Like, they should've been able to put two and two together and get four. But then it would be treated as this huge game-changing reveal and I'm like, "How did they not already know that?" The ultimate explanation of everything that was going on was so obvious that I was bummed it was the actual answer. And when it was revealed it was done in a very info-dumpy manner.

4. I couldn't tell the difference between Jules' and Mia's perspectives in this book. I didn't have this problem at all when I read the first book. I'm not sure what happened, but in this book I felt like I kept getting confused about whose perspective I was in. They sounded identical to one another.

5. The romance was lackluster. I would've been okay with a romance between these characters if there hadn't been so many weak, contrived obstacles to keep them from being together. Especially when they were physically together for so much of the story. Also, this is bordering on insta-love to a degree that I just found eye-roll inducing. I would've been fine with them as a couple in the beginning stages of liking each other, but when Jules says things like, "Wherever she goes is where I belong," after they've only known each other for about five minutes, I just find it a little silly. Especially when you consider the stakes they're dealing with.

I'm really bummed that I didn't enjoy this as much as Unearthed. I felt like there was so much potential wasted and it's really too bad. I still really love both of these authors, and this doesn't change that, but I'm still disappointed.

4.5 stars
I have a love/hate relationship with Colleen Hoover's books. On the one hand, I find her books very quick and engrossing reads. Something about her writing is very accessible without being overly simplistic. I am compelled, even when I end up disliking the book itself. But I do find many of the relationships to be problematic, with shitty and abusive behaviors romanticized.

Before this, my most recent read of one of her books was It Ends With Us. Up to this point, I would have said it was my favorite of her books. It's a portrayal of an abusive relationship that felt very raw and authentic, and I really appreciate that the book didn't feel (to me, at least) like it was romanticizing abusive relationships, which is something I think some of her books have done in the past.

After reading All Your Perfects, I would have to say that it is probably my new favorite of her novels, although I don't think I'll ever be able to re-read it. Too much of this story just hit too close to home for me, and I found myself very emotional afterwards.

I would issue a trigger warning for anyone dealing with infertility. This book is not an easy read for anyone who has wanted to have a baby and has had a hard time making that happen.

I am lucky. I was fortunate enough to have a wonderful son almost 10 years ago, after 8 years of marriage. I always thought I would have several kids, but it wasn't in the cards. There are times I am really sad about that, because it wasn't my choice to only have one child. But I am so thankful every single moment for him and I understand that I am luckier than most people who struggle with fertility.

That being said, I related so much to Quinn and her desperation to be a mother. Especially trying to put up a brave face to people you encounter in your day-to-day lives. If I had ten dollars every time someone asked me an invasive question/comment about my fertility: "Why do you only have one child?" "Didn't you want more kids?" "Was your child an oops baby(as if the idea of choosing to have only one child instead of a boatload is somehow inexplicable)?" "You know, you should have your kids close together so they have a friend." "You're getting up there in age, if you're going to have more kids you should really start trying." "Have you had miscarriages?" "Do you think your weight has made it more difficult for you to conceive?" "Have you ever thought about adoption?" "Don't you like kids?" "It's really not fair to your son to not give him a brother or sister."
Really, it's awful. And most of this comes from people who aren't barely more than acquaintances. It's really the worst. And like I said, I was lucky enough to conceive and birth a healthy, wonderful person. All that to say, Quinn's story got to me. Her story could've easily been my story.

So there is an element in this book that I see referenced as the reason for most of the negative reviews of this book. That would be Graham's infidelity. Now, I'm not going to tell you that what he did was excusable. He kissed another woman, twice, and who knows if he would've admitted it if he hadn't been caught. I also hated his lame attempt to shift the blame off himself. In the end, he did take responsibility, but the way he tried to justify it was not okay.
That being said, while I don't like what he did, I can sort of understand it. There's no excuse for his actions, but there was a reason. I think that there is a differentiation between those two things. Quinn was struggling with depression and completely closing herself off to him, no matter what he did. So while I don't condone it, I see how it could happen. And I don't think it makes him the biggest dirt-bag on the planet...there are far worse behaviors in 'romance' novels (some by this same author) being glorified that are flat-out abusive.

I'd told myself that this was the last Colleen Hoover book I was going to read if I hated it. And I'm honestly not sure how I would feel about this book had it not struck so close to home for me. But it did, and I'm really thankful I read it.

I really enjoyed this memoir. I have read several books about WWII in the past, but not many about the years after WWII taking place in communist countries. Just because Hitler and the Nazis were on the losing end of the war, it didn't mean that everything for European Jews was all of the sudden sunshine and rainbows, and this book is one girl's story about her childhood in the years after the war.

This was very readable. I was nervous when I first chose this book that it was going to be too dense or dry for me to connect with, but I was compelled from the very start of the book. That being said, the writing is relatively simplistic, with very little description or anything beyond: Thing A happened, then Thing B happened, then Person One said this, etc. But at the end of the day, I wanted to read her story. I wanted to know what was going to happen.

There are some family pictures about 3/4 of the way through this book that are really interesting. I would've liked even more of them. I also would've liked to know more about what happened after the events she chronicles in the book. Did her Aunt and Uncle ever get their passports? How did they eventually get to the United States? I don't see any of these things as being spoilers, as the author's bio states that eventually she came to the US.

I'm really glad I gave this book a chance. I feel like this would appeal to anyone who likes historical fiction, specifically WWII historical fiction, and anyone who likes more straightforward narration and slice-of-life stories.

3.5 stars
I was really looking forward to this book. I read Letters to the Lost for the first time about a year and a half ago, and really loved it. It's completely different from this book--a hard-hitting contemporary rather than a fairy tale re-telling--but it still seemed like it would be a slam dunk for me.

I did like this book, and I will absolutely continue on with the duology, but I have to admit, I find that I'm a little mixed on my feelings.

First, as far as a re-telling goes, I love that the author stayed true to the beats of the BATB story while still creating a story that feels very different and unique. I love that Harper is from our world because it gives her a completely different background and set of values to pull from. It makes her tenacity and determination make a lot of sense. I also like the fact that this book has a protagonist with cerebral palsy, but that it isn't something that defines her. It's just a fact of her life, and isn't something that is focused on over other things.

Where this book lost me a bit was with the romantic element. I was looking forward to this story as a BATB re-telling, but honestly, the first half of the book was more about Harper and Grey than it was about Harper and Rhen. I'm not sure if the author intended these two characters to have as much chemistry as they did, but it was difficult to invest in a potential romance between Rhen and Harper when they hardly had any scenes between the two of them that weren't rife with misunderstandings and broody hurt feelings. That is especially true when an angsty scene with them would be followed up with a really cute scene between Harper and Grey that actually PROGRESSED their relationship, something early scenes between Rhen and Harper did not accomplish. That being said, the second half of this book picks up steam with their relationship, but I felt like it took to long to make a connection between them and by that point I was finding it difficult to connect with and ship them. I did end up getting there in the end, and love how their arc wrapped up,

without a full-on HEA, but with the promise of hopeful things to come. It would've been easy to have them fall into each other's arms and profess their undying love, so I liked that the author left it a little ambiguous.

but I wish we could've had a little more with the two of them getting to know each other.

I feel like I will like this book better on re-read, which is something I plan to do when the next book comes out next January. I really enjoyed Grey as a character and want to see where this story goes from there.

If there was ever a case to be made for half-star ratings, this book would be it for me. This is the epitome of a 3.5 star read. There were so many things I thought worked in this book, but it wasn't quite a 4-star. I will say, there was a twist that did catch me by surprise near the end. I'd figured it out, but only just before it was revealed in the story itself.

I thought the dynamic between Hen and Matthew was really interesting. All of the characters were messed up in some way or another, and while none of them are "likable" I still cared about what was going to happen to them.

I thought the end lost it a little for me. I think it's why I didn't round up to 4 stars. Although I enjoyed the reveal, I thought the aftermath of that reveal felt somewhat anti-climactic, with more telling than showing.

That being said, I could absolutely see this as a movie. This is the first book by Peter Swanson that I've picked up, and I plan to look into his other books after this.

Re-read February 2019
3.75 stars

I am really enjoying my re-read of my Nora Roberts books. I've owned many of these books for several years but haven't read them in at least three, possibly more.

I really enjoy Dana as a character. She reminds me a lot of myself -- a moody book lover who isn't ready to face the day without at least one cup of coffee. I can also relate because, like many book nerds out there, I would love to own a bookstore. I don't care if most people get their books from Amazon. (btw, shop indie bookstores, people!!)

Jordan was a good leading man, but I honestly didn't feel like he had much personality aside from: Man. Author.

That being said, I love the scenes with them together. Their banter and flirtiness was great, but I feel like a lot of that is because Dana is so good. I also love stories about reuniting first loves, so this was bound to be a win for me.

My favorite thing about this series--and really, MOST of Nora Roberts books/series--are the friendship groups. The scenes with the guys together or the girls together or any combination of the group is so well-written. The dialogue is witty and sharp and you get the sense that they really care for each other.

I have been going through a major reading slump, so this book took me far longer to read than it normally would, especially considering the fact that it is a re-read. But I won't hold that against the book. I still enjoy this just as much as I used to, if not a little more.

I chose this book as a Book of the Month pick in January 2019. I loved the cover, the title, and the premise was really unique and compelling.

I really loved this book. It may be a little slow for some readers, especially in the beginning, but I loved it. This is an own-voices book, and it was obvious that the author has a deep respect for her cultural heritage. I loved learning about the superstitions surrounding numbers and the mythology surrounding weretigers and the depiction of the afterlife as well. It just all worked for me. The world felt vibrant and real.

There is a hint of mystery in this book as well. And when the book takes a supernatural/magical turn I wasn't expecting it, but it just made the book that much better.

I can't really explain why this book has captured my imagination so thoroughly, but I know it's going to be a book I think about for a long time.

This is just plain bad. It read like really shitty fan fiction. I liked the idea of an adult choose-your-own-adventure story, but the authors (yes, it took TWO authors to churn out this pile of garbage) seemingly decided that the gimmick was enough and they didn't actually have to think about anything else like...you know...character development, plot, and dialogue.

Historical romance is actually a really good vehicle for this kind of story. After all, there are a lot of things about historical romance that isn't exactly realistic. Dukes marrying governesses, courtesans becoming Countesses, marriage of convenience turns to true love, etc. But for me, outlandish premises don't negate the need for establishing characters with personalities and motivations for what they do. It also doesn't negate the need for some sort of plot that isn't just a bunch of tropes strung together.

The fact that this book was anachronistic AF also didn't do it any favors. There are words and phrases in this book that just don't fit in the time period of this story, which only adds to the overall amateurish feel.

Another issue is with the format itself. This is touted as a 'choose your own adventure' historical romance. But a majority of the 'choices' only show one choice, or if there are two you end up having to do them both regardless. So really, the only choice is in the suitor that you follow. Once you establish which man (or woman, as there is apparently one set of choices that leads you to a female love interest) you are going to romance, it pretty much become a run-of-the-mill romance, albeit a poorly-written one.

I read through one 'adventure' and was going to go back and start another, but the love interest didn't actually interest me at all. And I already knew I didn't like the writing or storytelling here at all anyway, so I just called it a day.

I see a lot of four and five star reviews talking about this as a parody. But the thing is, a good parody should be clever, with some nuance in the writing and understanding of the themes they are poking fun at. There is nothing about this that is remotely witty. It feels like a historical romance written by two people who have never read a historical romance in their lives and just went off of their perception of what the genre entails.

The one redeeming quality of this is that it was short, because I only read about of third of the content of the book. And honestly, that was enough.

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this book, but I am also glad that I read Riley Sager's other books first, because I can see his growth as an author very clearly. Where I felt compelled to read The Last Time I Lied and Lock Every Door in one sitting, this just wasn't one I felt that way about. I think it was more difficult to read. Not that it's bad, far from it. But it was difficult to read about Quincy. She was so self-destructive that I had a hard time rooting for her at any point in the book. In all honesty, there's not much redeeming about her at all.

That said, I still really enjoy his books. In none of them have I figured out the truth of the situation before the end, and even if I've gotten little bits figured out it always plays out in a way I wasn't expecting, which isn't something I can say about many suspense thrillers. Also, I can look back and see the threads that led us to that ending. I can't stand when I'm reading a thriller and the twist comes and it's something completely outlandish that wouldn't stand up to a re-read.

I'm really excited to read whatever he comes out with next.