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SPORTS ROMANCE WINNER.
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This is now my current favorite of this series. I read it in a day because it was so easy to fly though. The characters were lovable and relatable. Taylor was full of bravery and passion to make her path work. And while she struggled though some personal things, her character got a gorgeous arc that lead to growth and new horizons because those that loved her helped her (and she accepted the help). Jamar was utterly charming. His support was perfect. I was swooning left and right every time he spoke to Taylor. He was just so cute!!! Ahh, I really love this couple. And I love how Jamar worked through his own history and allowed those around him to help him through it too. These characters were just the best y’all.
For me, the innuendo was a bit heavy. Once again for this one, there are open scenes, but easily skippable if that’s your style and the story is a gem. I am still smitten with it all. Besides the fact that there’s a few Texas longhorns mentions (ew), I didn’t have any glaring issues. I love the writing, the setting, all of these characters. And it’s a football sports romance! What more could I hope for? I’m so excited to get London’s story next!!
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: kisses to open door
- Trigger/Content Warnings: life changing injury (off page), learning disability discussions, anxiety and panic attacks, grief and loss depictions, death of a friend (off page), car + motorcycle accident
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This is now my current favorite of this series. I read it in a day because it was so easy to fly though. The characters were lovable and relatable. Taylor was full of bravery and passion to make her path work. And while she struggled though some personal things, her character got a gorgeous arc that lead to growth and new horizons because those that loved her helped her (and she accepted the help). Jamar was utterly charming. His support was perfect. I was swooning left and right every time he spoke to Taylor. He was just so cute!!! Ahh, I really love this couple. And I love how Jamar worked through his own history and allowed those around him to help him through it too. These characters were just the best y’all.
For me, the innuendo was a bit heavy. Once again for this one, there are open scenes, but easily skippable if that’s your style and the story is a gem. I am still smitten with it all. Besides the fact that there’s a few Texas longhorns mentions (ew), I didn’t have any glaring issues. I love the writing, the setting, all of these characters. And it’s a football sports romance! What more could I hope for? I’m so excited to get London’s story next!!
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: kisses to open door
- Trigger/Content Warnings: life changing injury (off page), learning disability discussions, anxiety and panic attacks, grief and loss depictions, death of a friend (off page), car + motorcycle accident
I DID NOT LIKE THIS.
Whatsoever.
The further this went one the more I cringed. And I don’t like suuuper long rants so I’ll run over the lowlights.
This felt like a girl vs. girl hate fest. Nobody was likeable. And everyone was just terrible to each other. I hate that. I get that, obviously, girls won’t like each other sometimes, but when it takes over the entire book I’m really missing the support of ANYONE to redeem the plot. Not to mention all of the other side characters who weren’t likable either. Everything felt forced to create this culture of hate and it didn’t make this thriller book…thrilling.
Part of the plot is the fact 3 previous girls have been murdered by someone. And guess what? YOU NEVER ACTUALLY FIND OUT WHO. It’s brought up often enough that I expected to get an answer about it. I couldn’t believe there was never closure for those girls too.
And random crap like saying a 3k (5.1 miles) was 6 laps around a track??? No. That’s not right either. For a sports [cross country] based book, I don’t like some clear gaps in reserach.
There’s just a tidbit of my issues with this read. It was not good. And not worth the time.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Thriller
- Language: strong
- Romance: kisses to brief open
- Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, alcoholism (of a parent, who went to rehab, had one relapse and is okay during the book), cheating, abortion, substance abuse (another parent who abuses drugs)
I’M INVESTED.
I didn’t know what to expect when I picked this up. I decided to try the audio (highly recommend) to make it through this tome to really decide if I wanted to invest in this series. Ohhhh did the audio convince me! I really liked this epic fantasy and I feel excited to read book three.
After about 100 pages I started to settle [and remember] who was who and what was happening. By the end I found myself intrigued by the storylines and characters. I wanted to know more about everyone and I am HOOKED on the bit of romance this book is finally adding in. Some books need a dash of romance and this is the case for the series. There’s so much action and politics and things of that nature happening that a bit heavier addition of some soft, tender moments would send this into 5 star land for me.
There’s many maaaany different lines weaving together. I liked the change of POV’s and I was able to keep up with what was happening. They’re journal chapters that gratefully do lead to a HUGE reveal that I think is going to have some great threads for the next book.
I’m excited to continue this high fantasy. It’s nice to have a thick series to work my way through and will definitely be continuing with the audio books.
Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy
- Language: very little
- Violence: physical and magical altercations, murder, loss of loved ones, fires, kidnapping, near death experiences
YOU’RE GONNA HEAR ME ROAR.
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This was a great standalone!
I listened to it on audio and found myself really caught up in the story. It’s not very long yet, gives a good amount of depth for the characters and world-building. I, of course, wish there was more, but liked what I got overall.
Kateri was a strong heroine. I like that she chose her own path and was able to overcome her own prejudices. The romance between Kateri and Cion was my favorite blend of enemies to lovers. And for a standalone, it didn’t feel insta-love at all! There was depth to their conversations and moments and some fun banter as Kateri joined the Desert Boys.
The villains are on the bland, typical side. All got the demise necessary to maintain the plot. The action was engaging at least and I found myself knowing where the story was going, but enjoying the journey I was being taken on.
Overall audience notes:
- Young adult fantasy romance
- Language: very little
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: animal cruelty, death by animal, sandstorms, physical, sword battles, arena battles
- Trigger/Content Warning: description of murder of a loved one and an infant
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This was a great standalone!
I listened to it on audio and found myself really caught up in the story. It’s not very long yet, gives a good amount of depth for the characters and world-building. I, of course, wish there was more, but liked what I got overall.
Kateri was a strong heroine. I like that she chose her own path and was able to overcome her own prejudices. The romance between Kateri and Cion was my favorite blend of enemies to lovers. And for a standalone, it didn’t feel insta-love at all! There was depth to their conversations and moments and some fun banter as Kateri joined the Desert Boys.
The villains are on the bland, typical side. All got the demise necessary to maintain the plot. The action was engaging at least and I found myself knowing where the story was going, but enjoying the journey I was being taken on.
Overall audience notes:
- Young adult fantasy romance
- Language: very little
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: animal cruelty, death by animal, sandstorms, physical, sword battles, arena battles
- Trigger/Content Warning: description of murder of a loved one and an infant
FANCIFUL.
I enjoyed this one! I don’t necessarily think it was intensely memorable or compares to some of the recent YA contemporaries I’ve read, but it had some charm and good moments.
The addition of Disney princess aspects was cute. Her cousins have princess names and the whole vibe of the book reads with different takes. I noticed Cinderella the most. It added a *magical* (no actual magical realism) touch to Rika’s quest.
One of my favorite aspects was Rika’s anger issues. That’s not something I’ve seen a lot of in young adult novels and I love the way it was approached. Many of the conversations made my teenage self feel seen. Rika may have struggle with it at times, but the support of those around her helped her see the strength of her passions. Other conversations such as stereotypes, being biracial, racism and fitting into the Asian community were also addressed.
For the romance, I was initially smitten. But the intense speed at which this flew had me trying to slam on the brakes. It went too fast, and took a turn I couldn’t get behind. Very sweet overall at least. Henry and Rika communicated well and really did lift each other up and I did love that.
It was an enjoyable read and one I would recommend!
Overall audience notes:
- YA Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: kisses to one closed door
- Trigger/Content Warnings: racism, colorism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, parental abandonment, panic attacks, teen pregnancy (recounted)
SUPER SWEET.
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I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I started this, some solid reviews from friends made it sound up my alley. I think I can definitely say it was! I seem to be in a regency romance mood and I’m not mad about it.
The premise of this with an arranged marriage was fun and different. I loved the relationship development and the way Phineas worked towards forming a bond with Kitty. I was also appreciative of Kitty not being totally obstinate and stubborn about her situation. It was a much better read with both wanting to make things work even if it took ironing out some creases first.
I didn’t feel this was overly dramatic. The side plots helped move Phineas and Kitty towards each other and it was pretty cute watching them flounder around with their emotions. A few perfectly regent kissing scenes and I was touched by it all.
Overall audience notes:
- Regency romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
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I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I started this, some solid reviews from friends made it sound up my alley. I think I can definitely say it was! I seem to be in a regency romance mood and I’m not mad about it.
The premise of this with an arranged marriage was fun and different. I loved the relationship development and the way Phineas worked towards forming a bond with Kitty. I was also appreciative of Kitty not being totally obstinate and stubborn about her situation. It was a much better read with both wanting to make things work even if it took ironing out some creases first.
I didn’t feel this was overly dramatic. The side plots helped move Phineas and Kitty towards each other and it was pretty cute watching them flounder around with their emotions. A few perfectly regent kissing scenes and I was touched by it all.
Overall audience notes:
- Regency romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for an eARC.
I LOVED THIS.
Hahn’s books are only getting better and better. Oh wow did I love this. My favorite of her books so far.
I am a religious person so I wasn’t sure how I would feel reading this. But the way that many important topics were discussed and approached made me tear up and want to hug this book. It hit home in many ways and honestly strengthened how I feel in my spirituality. It’s okay to question. It’s okay to love. It’s okay to find what works best for YOU. I may not 100% agree with every little thing in this book, but faith is handled differently by each of us and no two experience life the same way.
The absolutely precious first love romance between Micah and Meg had me grinning from ear to ear. IT WAS SO CUTE. I loved it. They truly hit it off and I couldn’t get enough of their open conversations and meaningful dialogue about their struggles and triumphs. Even better, there wasn’t some wildly dramatic conflict between them. The conflict lied elsewhere and I could shout for joy about how that was handled.
NSYC had me hooked from the first chapter. I read it in a day because I needed more more more. The characters were flawed and beautiful. I ended up loving the themes of faith and the essence of human nature versus God himself. It wasn’t a book of belittling, it was a book of hope and growing up. Being resilient in the torrent of trials and leaning on what matters to you most.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: kisses to heated make-outs; some implied closed door scenes
- Trigger/Content Warnings: brief mentions of suicide and self harm, an incarcerated father, loss of a parent by drunk driving
I LOVED THIS.
Hahn’s books are only getting better and better. Oh wow did I love this. My favorite of her books so far.
I am a religious person so I wasn’t sure how I would feel reading this. But the way that many important topics were discussed and approached made me tear up and want to hug this book. It hit home in many ways and honestly strengthened how I feel in my spirituality. It’s okay to question. It’s okay to love. It’s okay to find what works best for YOU. I may not 100% agree with every little thing in this book, but faith is handled differently by each of us and no two experience life the same way.
The absolutely precious first love romance between Micah and Meg had me grinning from ear to ear. IT WAS SO CUTE. I loved it. They truly hit it off and I couldn’t get enough of their open conversations and meaningful dialogue about their struggles and triumphs. Even better, there wasn’t some wildly dramatic conflict between them. The conflict lied elsewhere and I could shout for joy about how that was handled.
NSYC had me hooked from the first chapter. I read it in a day because I needed more more more. The characters were flawed and beautiful. I ended up loving the themes of faith and the essence of human nature versus God himself. It wasn’t a book of belittling, it was a book of hope and growing up. Being resilient in the torrent of trials and leaning on what matters to you most.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: kisses to heated make-outs; some implied closed door scenes
- Trigger/Content Warnings: brief mentions of suicide and self harm, an incarcerated father, loss of a parent by drunk driving
VIKING FAV.
First off, the audio book is excellent. I love the narration for the Lira. For Reyker, his was great too, but the narrator read faster and it was hard to listen to at the same speed I was listening to Lira’s narrator.
With that tidbit out of the way, I loved this book!! My friend has been pushing this on me for awhile and I finally picked it up and I thought, why did I wait so long?!
I love how fierce Lira was as a character. She had growth in her mindsets and strength to see things through. Lira constantly stood up for what was right and defended those who deserved it. Her connection with Reyker was fantastic. I loved this romance. The initial meeting gave me some Tristan & Isolde vibes. I thought it moved well and didn’t seem rushed. I think there’s so much here for a wonderful continuation throughout the series and I hope it goes that way.
While it was a solid four star throughout, I realized that I had gotten very much caught up in the characters and the story. I was enthralled by the writing and couldn’t stop listening. Those facts alone set this over to five stars for me. I just loved the setting and the Viking-esque nature of it all. There’s lots of action and emotion and I need to get my hands on book two ASAP.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy Romance
- Language: very little
- Romance: kisses to closed door
- Violence: intense and a bit bloody/gory, battle scenes
- Trigger/Content Warnings: attempted rape, sexual assault, implied rape (off page), loss of loved ones
I LIKED THE ROMANCE.
Which is a positive because this is a contemporary romance. The surrounding plot ended up being meh.
We have the quirky heroine who’s a bit of a hot mess who somehow ends up living next to the fictional versions of Harry & Meghan. While I do like the idea of the royals being a part of this story, I think it played waaaaay too heavily into being clones. So much so the characters from the book aren’t even memorable. I wanted them to feel like their own people.
The romance was charming. I’m not I’ve ever read a body guard trope? So that was definitely new and fun for me! There was plenty of tension and I did think the chemistry was there. I could have used some more time with just them rather than sitting over at the royals house all of the time, but it is what it is. I do like how Piper and Harrison’s story wrapped up.
I just disconnected from this story a lot. Some subjects felt preachy, like the push for not hating romance novels. Which, I mean, I’m reading a ROMANCE NOVEL, so, clearly, not against them (nor am I in general in anyway, romance all day every day). There was this continual by-line that there’s no need to hate romance novels and it came up so often I was getting frustrated. Just give me the romance.
Anywho, I digress, the book was fine. I liked how quick of a read it was and the HEA. I needed more from the surrounding stories and characters (only her Mom had a true personality, everyone else was boring). I am curious what the next in this series will be like!
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: kisses to multiple open door
- Trigger/Content Warnings: cheating recounted, anxiety, c-PTSD, a parent with multiple mental health disorders
IT WAS FINE.
I really liked this on audio and recommend that avenue if you love audio books like I do! Easy listen and quick to move through.
The unique setting with high school businesses is what initially drove me to pick this one up. It was one of my favorite parts of the book. I think it would’ve been cool if my school had offered opportunities like that. This was a unique high school contemporary plot.
Wes was my true hero. He was adorable and such a cinnamon roll. I love his shy self, and also the side of him that learned to stand up for his passions and choices. He exhibited the most growth over the story and his relationship with Valerie was precious. Valerie I struggled with because she was intensely stubborn until almost the very end. By then I was over the whole scenario and it created some unnecessary drama. It felt like enemies to lovers with only one person thinking they were enemies.
Lots of great learning topics too. From sibling rivalries and demanding parents, and having to prove yourself over and over again. I liked a lot of these conversations too because it felt true to the YA nature of the book and reminded me of many things I went through in high school too.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Contemporary Romance
- Language: some
- Romance: kisses
- Trigger/Content Warnings: a grandparent with Parkinson’s
I really liked this on audio and recommend that avenue if you love audio books like I do! Easy listen and quick to move through.
The unique setting with high school businesses is what initially drove me to pick this one up. It was one of my favorite parts of the book. I think it would’ve been cool if my school had offered opportunities like that. This was a unique high school contemporary plot.
Wes was my true hero. He was adorable and such a cinnamon roll. I love his shy self, and also the side of him that learned to stand up for his passions and choices. He exhibited the most growth over the story and his relationship with Valerie was precious. Valerie I struggled with because she was intensely stubborn until almost the very end. By then I was over the whole scenario and it created some unnecessary drama. It felt like enemies to lovers with only one person thinking they were enemies.
Lots of great learning topics too. From sibling rivalries and demanding parents, and having to prove yourself over and over again. I liked a lot of these conversations too because it felt true to the YA nature of the book and reminded me of many things I went through in high school too.
Overall audience notes:
- YA Contemporary Romance
- Language: some
- Romance: kisses
- Trigger/Content Warnings: a grandparent with Parkinson’s