Take a photo of a barcode or cover
genieinanovel's Reviews (752)
[full review on blog]
This book was a great story of friendship, hope, and forgiveness. Each of the women found themselves in situations of life they never expected to be in, but then you realize that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. Even when it’s a storm, you’re growing inside as you learn about yourself and if you have the courage to push through. It was just a very uplifting book and I really enjoyed the characters and community that Reay created.
I also enjoyed Reay’s use of perspective in each character’s points of view, and especially how they were even called out within the characters’ narrations. It was something that didn’t actually register with me until I flipped to the discussion questions in back, and then I was more aware of how each woman’s story was told. The interesting thing is that by the end, they all tell the story in first-person present-tense to signify that they’re living in the moment, and I honestly think that was very clever of the author.
A final note on this book is that it is classified as a Christian Fiction book, but don’t let that keep you away from reading it. It’s not going to preach at you, but it does teach of forgiveness and does include some Bible references that are left in Aunt Maddie’s letters to Madeline, Janet, and Claire. Honestly, it’s such a good book and I’d hate to see anyone turn away from it because of its genre placement.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and I also might want to open a bookshop of my own someday!
This book was a great story of friendship, hope, and forgiveness. Each of the women found themselves in situations of life they never expected to be in, but then you realize that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. Even when it’s a storm, you’re growing inside as you learn about yourself and if you have the courage to push through. It was just a very uplifting book and I really enjoyed the characters and community that Reay created.
I also enjoyed Reay’s use of perspective in each character’s points of view, and especially how they were even called out within the characters’ narrations. It was something that didn’t actually register with me until I flipped to the discussion questions in back, and then I was more aware of how each woman’s story was told. The interesting thing is that by the end, they all tell the story in first-person present-tense to signify that they’re living in the moment, and I honestly think that was very clever of the author.
A final note on this book is that it is classified as a Christian Fiction book, but don’t let that keep you away from reading it. It’s not going to preach at you, but it does teach of forgiveness and does include some Bible references that are left in Aunt Maddie’s letters to Madeline, Janet, and Claire. Honestly, it’s such a good book and I’d hate to see anyone turn away from it because of its genre placement.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one and I also might want to open a bookshop of my own someday!
Elle Sheen is a single mother, working as a waitress at the Noel Street Diner in Mistletoe, Utah, and her son is the only person of color who lives there. Other than her son, her son’s baby-sitter Fran, and the girls at the diner… Elle is pretty much alone. Her family abandoned her when she fell in love with and married an African American, whom was later killed in the Vietnam War.
After her car breaks down yet again, she has no idea how she’s going to be able to pay for the repairs on top of her rent and other bills. She’s barely making enough as it is. Then the mechanic’s newest employee – William, a newcomer to Mistletoe – does the repairs on Elle’s car free of labor charge. When William falls ill, Elle shows her appreciation by bringing over some food and medicine, taking care of him.
As William and Elle spend more time together, they find that they cannot keep their feelings hidden. However, William suffers PTSD from his own time in the Vietnam War and scars of his past… and what he’s keeping hidden could affect this blooming connection Elle shares with him.
Overall, this story was beautifully written and I enjoyed the fact that it took place in 1975. As I was not around during that time, it was interesting to read about culture then and there were sutble reminders all throught reading when this book took place. Racism was a big issue, which affected Elle’s relationship with her parents, and her colored son, Dylan, smoking was allowed in restaurants (something I forget didn’t go away until I was a child), and of course the prices were much lower then!
As always, Richard Paul Evans wrote another beautiful story that focuses on healing and forgiveness. It’s definitely one I will recommend!
After her car breaks down yet again, she has no idea how she’s going to be able to pay for the repairs on top of her rent and other bills. She’s barely making enough as it is. Then the mechanic’s newest employee – William, a newcomer to Mistletoe – does the repairs on Elle’s car free of labor charge. When William falls ill, Elle shows her appreciation by bringing over some food and medicine, taking care of him.
As William and Elle spend more time together, they find that they cannot keep their feelings hidden. However, William suffers PTSD from his own time in the Vietnam War and scars of his past… and what he’s keeping hidden could affect this blooming connection Elle shares with him.
Overall, this story was beautifully written and I enjoyed the fact that it took place in 1975. As I was not around during that time, it was interesting to read about culture then and there were sutble reminders all throught reading when this book took place. Racism was a big issue, which affected Elle’s relationship with her parents, and her colored son, Dylan, smoking was allowed in restaurants (something I forget didn’t go away until I was a child), and of course the prices were much lower then!
As always, Richard Paul Evans wrote another beautiful story that focuses on healing and forgiveness. It’s definitely one I will recommend!
Since this an anthology, I will rate the stories individually. Overall though, I enjoyed most of the stories in this collection and I loved how they all connected in some way. Usually, it was by mentioning characters that appear in other stories or the restaurants. Not to mention the themes of each were either food or love, or in some cases, both. Not all the stories were fluffy, some were kind of weird to be honest, but again, I enjoyed most of them.
- Rain by Sangu Mandanna – 5 stars
- Kings and Queens by Elsie Chapman – 5 stars
- The Grand Ishq Adventure by Sandhya Menon – 5 stars
- Sugar and Spite by Rin Chupeco – 2 stars
- Moments to Return by Adi Alsaid – 4.5 stars
- The Slender One by Caroline Tung Richmond – 4 stars
- Gimme Some Sugar by Jay Coles – 4 stars
- The Missing Ingredient by Rebecca Roanhorse – 2.5 stars
- Hearts à la Carte by Karuna Riazi – 3 stars
- Bloom by Phoebe North – 3 stars
- A Bountiful Film by S. K. Ali – 4.5 stars
- Side Work by Sara Farizan – 3.5 stars
- Panaderia ~ Pasteleria by Anna-Marie McLemore – 2 stars
Overall, there were three or four stories that I didn’t care for much. My least two favorites of the collection were Panaderia and Sugar and Spite, I just could not get into them at all. The Missing Ingredient was good up until the end when it took a weird/creepy turn that just ruined it for me.
My favorites from the collection were Rain, Kings and Queens, The Grand Ishq, Moments to Return, and A Bountiful Film. To me, those stories make the book worth reading and those are the ones that have stuck with me since finishing it.
So even though some stories I gave a 2 or 3 star rating to, I’d say the book is overall 5 stars. The individual ratings are just based on how I liked the stories. That’s not to say someone else won’t think they’re worth 5 stars, because the writing of all of them is great. If you haven’t checked out this book yet, you definitely should!
- Rain by Sangu Mandanna – 5 stars
- Kings and Queens by Elsie Chapman – 5 stars
- The Grand Ishq Adventure by Sandhya Menon – 5 stars
- Sugar and Spite by Rin Chupeco – 2 stars
- Moments to Return by Adi Alsaid – 4.5 stars
- The Slender One by Caroline Tung Richmond – 4 stars
- Gimme Some Sugar by Jay Coles – 4 stars
- The Missing Ingredient by Rebecca Roanhorse – 2.5 stars
- Hearts à la Carte by Karuna Riazi – 3 stars
- Bloom by Phoebe North – 3 stars
- A Bountiful Film by S. K. Ali – 4.5 stars
- Side Work by Sara Farizan – 3.5 stars
- Panaderia ~ Pasteleria by Anna-Marie McLemore – 2 stars
Overall, there were three or four stories that I didn’t care for much. My least two favorites of the collection were Panaderia and Sugar and Spite, I just could not get into them at all. The Missing Ingredient was good up until the end when it took a weird/creepy turn that just ruined it for me.
My favorites from the collection were Rain, Kings and Queens, The Grand Ishq, Moments to Return, and A Bountiful Film. To me, those stories make the book worth reading and those are the ones that have stuck with me since finishing it.
So even though some stories I gave a 2 or 3 star rating to, I’d say the book is overall 5 stars. The individual ratings are just based on how I liked the stories. That’s not to say someone else won’t think they’re worth 5 stars, because the writing of all of them is great. If you haven’t checked out this book yet, you definitely should!
This book takes place back in 2001 when our country was devastated by the tragedy of 9/11. The story follows Jessica and her family in the months leading up to the tragedy and in the days after.
Jessica comes from a Christian home, her parents came to faith at young ages and raised both Jessica and her sister to know God. So when the planes hit the World Trade Center, and Jessica’s dad is missing, her faith is tested as she tries to find out where her dad is and why this is happening.
Though the premise of the story was good, I found the book to just… fall flat. The characters were one-dimensional and didn’t grow in any way when faced with this tragedy. There was no struggle of faith for the characters either, from what I noticed. I feel that in a tragedy such as that, there would be more of a test of faith for Jessica and her family in that maybe they’d struggle just a little more during this time.
Just as well, the pacing of the story was kind of shifty in my opinion. It built up nicely, knowing that soon these characters were about go through a major event. And even after the attacks on the Twin Towers happened, there wasn’t a rush and it still felt like the story was going along well… then the end just seemed rushed to wrap up nicely and be done.
It was very disappointing how this book turned out, especially as this is a Christian fiction novel for middle-grade/young adults. Honestly, there needs to be more captivating and inspriational teen fiction in the Christian category, and this one missed its chance to do that.
Jessica comes from a Christian home, her parents came to faith at young ages and raised both Jessica and her sister to know God. So when the planes hit the World Trade Center, and Jessica’s dad is missing, her faith is tested as she tries to find out where her dad is and why this is happening.
Though the premise of the story was good, I found the book to just… fall flat. The characters were one-dimensional and didn’t grow in any way when faced with this tragedy. There was no struggle of faith for the characters either, from what I noticed. I feel that in a tragedy such as that, there would be more of a test of faith for Jessica and her family in that maybe they’d struggle just a little more during this time.
Just as well, the pacing of the story was kind of shifty in my opinion. It built up nicely, knowing that soon these characters were about go through a major event. And even after the attacks on the Twin Towers happened, there wasn’t a rush and it still felt like the story was going along well… then the end just seemed rushed to wrap up nicely and be done.
It was very disappointing how this book turned out, especially as this is a Christian fiction novel for middle-grade/young adults. Honestly, there needs to be more captivating and inspriational teen fiction in the Christian category, and this one missed its chance to do that.
Two years after the events in Perfect Chemistry, we find ourselves following the life of Alex’s younger brother, Carlos. He is sent to live with his older brother in Colorado in order to get his life together, leaving his mother and younger brother in Mexico and the gang life he was getting into. However, the decision wasn’t Carlos’s, it was his mother’s. Carlos wants nothing more than to get back to either Mexico or his old friends in Chicago.
On his first day at his new school, Carlos is paired with Kiara Westford as his peer mentor for the week. Where Carlos is your typical bad-boy, Kiara is your typical good-girl. Though both have more to them than just what’s on the surface. By the end of the first week, there is an obvious connection between the two, which only deepens after Carlos gets into trouble and is ordered to live with Alex’s former professor, Dr. Westford (yep, Kiara’s dad).
Now that the two are spending more time together than before, they’ll be seeing the hidden sides of the other, breaking past their surfaces to deepen their feelings for one another. Though more trouble arises when a ghost from Carlos’s past turns up in Colorado which could jeopardize everything for him.
I really enjoyed Rules of Attraction, just like its predecessor. However I do think I enjoyed Alex and Brittany’s story just a little more, probably because I enjoyed Alex’s character more. He was a little more complex than Carlos, which made him that much more likable. It took me a little more time to warm up to Carlos, but I eventually did and I do love how he was able to have his development throughout the story. Kiara I liked right away because she had different interests that I wasn’t expecting of her and she worked to overcome a stutter – something that usually kept her from interacting too much with her peers.
Overall this book was enjoyable in all aspects. It was witty, romantic, and pulled at the heartstrings a bit. There’s also a few little twists that were like “hmm, I should’ve expected that.” I definitely recommend this one and I can’t wait to read the final Fuentes Brothers book!
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
On his first day at his new school, Carlos is paired with Kiara Westford as his peer mentor for the week. Where Carlos is your typical bad-boy, Kiara is your typical good-girl. Though both have more to them than just what’s on the surface. By the end of the first week, there is an obvious connection between the two, which only deepens after Carlos gets into trouble and is ordered to live with Alex’s former professor, Dr. Westford (yep, Kiara’s dad).
Now that the two are spending more time together than before, they’ll be seeing the hidden sides of the other, breaking past their surfaces to deepen their feelings for one another. Though more trouble arises when a ghost from Carlos’s past turns up in Colorado which could jeopardize everything for him.
I really enjoyed Rules of Attraction, just like its predecessor. However I do think I enjoyed Alex and Brittany’s story just a little more, probably because I enjoyed Alex’s character more. He was a little more complex than Carlos, which made him that much more likable. It took me a little more time to warm up to Carlos, but I eventually did and I do love how he was able to have his development throughout the story. Kiara I liked right away because she had different interests that I wasn’t expecting of her and she worked to overcome a stutter – something that usually kept her from interacting too much with her peers.
Overall this book was enjoyable in all aspects. It was witty, romantic, and pulled at the heartstrings a bit. There’s also a few little twists that were like “hmm, I should’ve expected that.” I definitely recommend this one and I can’t wait to read the final Fuentes Brothers book!
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
This was a book I’d been wanting to read for a while and I can’t believe I didn’t read it sooner! I read it in one sitting over the course of a few hours. Though I will give a warning, the end of the book left me a mess, even though I knew already what would happen. I’m just sensitive that way, I guess. To be honest though, I’m hoping there were others who at least teared up at this so I don’t feel so alone (I know, I’m terrible).
Catching Christmas follows Finn, a former chef who now drives a taxi to make ends meet, and Sydney, a first-year lawyer at a firm who is scraping to keep her job after they make cuts. Finn gets a call to take an old woman, Callie, to an appointment, and quickly finds out she is sick in some way – probably dementia. He wonders why Miss Callie is left to fend for herself, and later finds out that her granddaughter – Sydney – is doing the best she can.
The main focus of this book is on the relationship between Finn and Callie as he sort-of becomes her personal driver. He takes her on errands and learns quickly that this old woman has no filter, which I found hilarious and it reminded me of my grandma. Then a romance develops later in the book between Finn and Sydney, but really, the focus is on their relationships with Callie. I actually found it refreshing that it wasn’t focused on the romance aspect.
Overall, I enjoyed every moment of reading this book, even the parts where I cried. Finn, Sydney, and Callie were great characters to read becuase they were real. They weren’t perfect – they had their flaws – and they are just characters I can imagine in real life.
Catching Christmas follows Finn, a former chef who now drives a taxi to make ends meet, and Sydney, a first-year lawyer at a firm who is scraping to keep her job after they make cuts. Finn gets a call to take an old woman, Callie, to an appointment, and quickly finds out she is sick in some way – probably dementia. He wonders why Miss Callie is left to fend for herself, and later finds out that her granddaughter – Sydney – is doing the best she can.
The main focus of this book is on the relationship between Finn and Callie as he sort-of becomes her personal driver. He takes her on errands and learns quickly that this old woman has no filter, which I found hilarious and it reminded me of my grandma. Then a romance develops later in the book between Finn and Sydney, but really, the focus is on their relationships with Callie. I actually found it refreshing that it wasn’t focused on the romance aspect.
Overall, I enjoyed every moment of reading this book, even the parts where I cried. Finn, Sydney, and Callie were great characters to read becuase they were real. They weren’t perfect – they had their flaws – and they are just characters I can imagine in real life.
Going into this book I was wary because, and I’ll be totally honest here, I’m not a fan of fantasy books that include Faeries and other creatures that are in these types of books. It’s usually hard for me to get into and follow. However, for some reason, I was compelled to read this book and I’m so glad I gave it a shot!
Jude and her sisters, Taryn and Vivi, were only kids when their parents were murdered and they were taken to Faerie by Vivi’s biological father, Madoc. As the years go on, the girls grow up with different attitudes towards their new home – Vivi despises it, while Jude and Taryn want to find their place after finally accepting it as their home.
The story is told by Jude, who desperately wants to be a knight for the prince in line for the throne, Prince Dain, and finally fit into the world of Faerie. Meanwhile, she and Taryn are constantly bullied by the youngest prince, Cardan, which only makes Jude angry and want to prove herself even more. Jude’s story reveals that she is, in fact, not a perfect character, but given her situation at times, you can see why she acts the way she does.
As far as the story goes, it was really interesting. Like I said, I’m not usually into these types of fantasy novels, so learning about a new world was intriguing. I actually enjoyed the political aspect of the Faerie world and how things worked. It wasn’t hard to follow at all and the twists thrown into the story made me keep turning the pages!
Though I don’t dislike Jude, she’s not my favorite character either. I actually like her sister Vivi the best – she’s got spunk and really cares about her family, well, her sisters and brother anyway. I’m still unsure about Taryn, though I’m not a big fan at the moment. Cardan had some redeeming moments towards the end, but even before… who doesn’t end up loving the “bad boy” of the story? Then I loved the members of the Court of Shadows, the Roach, the Ghost, and the Bomb… they were my favorites along with Vivi, and I hope to see more of them in the sequel!
So overall, I really enjoyed The Cruel Prince and I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy, The Wicked King!
Jude and her sisters, Taryn and Vivi, were only kids when their parents were murdered and they were taken to Faerie by Vivi’s biological father, Madoc. As the years go on, the girls grow up with different attitudes towards their new home – Vivi despises it, while Jude and Taryn want to find their place after finally accepting it as their home.
The story is told by Jude, who desperately wants to be a knight for the prince in line for the throne, Prince Dain, and finally fit into the world of Faerie. Meanwhile, she and Taryn are constantly bullied by the youngest prince, Cardan, which only makes Jude angry and want to prove herself even more. Jude’s story reveals that she is, in fact, not a perfect character, but given her situation at times, you can see why she acts the way she does.
As far as the story goes, it was really interesting. Like I said, I’m not usually into these types of fantasy novels, so learning about a new world was intriguing. I actually enjoyed the political aspect of the Faerie world and how things worked. It wasn’t hard to follow at all and the twists thrown into the story made me keep turning the pages!
Though I don’t dislike Jude, she’s not my favorite character either. I actually like her sister Vivi the best – she’s got spunk and really cares about her family, well, her sisters and brother anyway. I’m still unsure about Taryn, though I’m not a big fan at the moment. Cardan had some redeeming moments towards the end, but even before… who doesn’t end up loving the “bad boy” of the story? Then I loved the members of the Court of Shadows, the Roach, the Ghost, and the Bomb… they were my favorites along with Vivi, and I hope to see more of them in the sequel!
So overall, I really enjoyed The Cruel Prince and I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy, The Wicked King!
This is a small short story collection of two stories written by Rainbow Rowell. It features Midnights, which is also seen in My True Love Gave To Me, and then the later published, Kindred Spirits.
Midnights follows Margaret (Mags) over the course of a few years at an annual New Year’s Eve party. The first one she goes to, she meets Noel, and the two later become best friends. However, as it is a lot of times with YA stories, Mags ends up falling for Noel, so seeing him kiss another one of their female friends at midnight of each New Year’s Eve party really stings. Finally, after their first semester of college, she can’t take it anymore and decides to hide out so she doesn’t have to not get kissed by Noel once again. At least, until he comes looking for her.
Kindred Spirits features Elena, a big Star Wars fan, who gets the courage to camp out a few days ahead of the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. However, the line is nothing like she expects. When she gets there, three days ahead of the premiere, there are only two guys there, one is about her age and the other is possibly a year or two older. Troy and Gabe are harmless, in fact, Gabe barely speaks to her the first day and a half. But by the time they enter the movie theater, Gabe and Elena have made a connection, at least on a friendship level.
Both stories were adorable. I loved all the characters involved – Mags, Noel, Elena, Troy, Gabe. They all had their quirks and cute moments and were just all around fun to read. I also enjoyed the illustrations done for this edition of these two stories, they are cute and not at all intrusive to the story. I would love to see more shorts written by Rainbow Rowell, as she is apparently the master of cuteness when it comes to these little stories.
Midnights follows Margaret (Mags) over the course of a few years at an annual New Year’s Eve party. The first one she goes to, she meets Noel, and the two later become best friends. However, as it is a lot of times with YA stories, Mags ends up falling for Noel, so seeing him kiss another one of their female friends at midnight of each New Year’s Eve party really stings. Finally, after their first semester of college, she can’t take it anymore and decides to hide out so she doesn’t have to not get kissed by Noel once again. At least, until he comes looking for her.
Kindred Spirits features Elena, a big Star Wars fan, who gets the courage to camp out a few days ahead of the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. However, the line is nothing like she expects. When she gets there, three days ahead of the premiere, there are only two guys there, one is about her age and the other is possibly a year or two older. Troy and Gabe are harmless, in fact, Gabe barely speaks to her the first day and a half. But by the time they enter the movie theater, Gabe and Elena have made a connection, at least on a friendship level.
Both stories were adorable. I loved all the characters involved – Mags, Noel, Elena, Troy, Gabe. They all had their quirks and cute moments and were just all around fun to read. I also enjoyed the illustrations done for this edition of these two stories, they are cute and not at all intrusive to the story. I would love to see more shorts written by Rainbow Rowell, as she is apparently the master of cuteness when it comes to these little stories.
The Distance Between Us is a classic tale of average (on the verge of struggling) meets rich when Caymen meets Xander in her mom’s doll shop. Due to her mother’s disdain for the rich lifestyle, Caymen views the rich similarly, though there is something about Xander that she cannot let go of. Soon the two begin hanging out and Caymen learns more about herself, and her past, and well… you can’t help who you fall in love with, can you?
This book is a very light and cute read. For myself, it was easy to kind of relate to Caymen’s character and the relationship she has with her mom as well as the struggles her and her mom go through. Though the only difference is that my mother is as sarcastic as I am… that’s where I got it from!
I think what I enjoyed most was the sarcastic banter between the characters. It helped to lighten up parts of the story and just made it fun to read. But overall, I would say this is more like a book that I’d read once, and that’s it. It wasn’t anything that really sticks with me, but I definitely would recommend this book if you’re looking for a light read!
This book is a very light and cute read. For myself, it was easy to kind of relate to Caymen’s character and the relationship she has with her mom as well as the struggles her and her mom go through. Though the only difference is that my mother is as sarcastic as I am… that’s where I got it from!
I think what I enjoyed most was the sarcastic banter between the characters. It helped to lighten up parts of the story and just made it fun to read. But overall, I would say this is more like a book that I’d read once, and that’s it. It wasn’t anything that really sticks with me, but I definitely would recommend this book if you’re looking for a light read!