msrichardsreads89's Reviews (2.64k)

This was such a wonderful and reflective book! In a time where everyone feels so divided, this was a good middle ground for conversation for so many topics. Neil deGrasse Tyson explored both sides of many ideas including race, gender, abortion, and vegetarianism in a rational, nuanced way from a cosmic perspective. His writing style is very conversational and engaging. I highly recommend the audiobook, narrated by the author.


“Differences in opinion enrich the diversity of a nation, and ought to be cherished and respected in any free society, provided everyone remains free to disagree with one another and, most importantly, everyone remains open to rational arguments that could change your mind." 

“To deny objective truths is to be scientifically illiterate, not to be ideologically principled.”

“Objective truths of science are not founded in belief systems. They are not established by the authority of leaders or the power of persuasion. Nor are they learned from repetition or gleaned from magical thinking."

“But we take better care of our cats and dogs than we do of homeless humans in the street. If we serve as pets to aliens, might they take better care of us than we ever will of ourselves?”

“If we instead back away from all that divides us, you might find common, unifying perspectives on the world. If so, watch where you step.”

This was my first cowboy romance, and it will not be my last. We follow Emmy, who returns back to her hometown after an injury. She is an endearing, relatable protagonist. We also follow Luke, who is so sweet and swoony. The small town setting combined with the family and friendships of the characters was so perfect, and I loved the nuance explored with the ADHD rep and post-injury trauma and recovery. I loved this one so much that I immediately picked up the next one! 

MEH. I just couldn't connect to these characters, and I didn't feel their chemistry. I don't buy into their relationship, and at times the plot felt a bit melodramatic. I went into this one with low expectations, and I was still a bit disappointed. I just didn't care by the halfway point but I made myself finish the book. 

Thank you to LibroFM and the publisher for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

I was excited to get to this one because I really enjoyed the first book in the series. The lore of this world is very cool, and I love learning more about the history between the humans, elves, and fae. We got a new POV, which definitely added to the story. I adore the representation we get in this book, including POC, queer and non binary characters and relationships, and disability rep. However, I feel like a lot of this book was telling and not showing, which kept me at a distance as a reader. I also got frustrated with the characters just not talking to one another, which added problems. I am still going to continue because I am interested in finding out how this ends, but this one definitely suffered a bit from middle book syndrome. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

This was such a sweet novel! We follow Jessie who has a heart condition that has given her a new outlook on her life, including a bucket list she wants to complete. We also follow Asher, her best friend's brother. Through a series of circumstances, Jesse and Asher (and his cat Gus-Gus) go on a road trip to check items off of Jesse's bucket list. I loved following these characters and their character growth. Jessie is a fantastic character who is plus sized but that isn't her entire identity. I enjoyed her perspective of not letting her size or heart condition define her. Asher is such a swoony, cinnamon roll character, and I loved him from his first appearance on page! I really appreciated the realistic approach the author took with communication and life scenarios. I could not put this down because I needed to know what happened with our characters! This was my third Kayla Grosse romance, and it will not be my last. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Fat Babe Publishing, Inc for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

This was my first Abby Jimenez, and it will not be my last! Sam and Xavier were such a fun pair to follow! This was a bit insta-lovey, but Jimenez balanced it with reality and communication between the characters, and their chemistry is fantastic. I loved the humor sprinkled throughout this one combined with the heavy topics and experiences that the characters live. The family dynamics were very relatable but not heavy handed, and the characters were written well. I could not put this one down because I needed to know what happened. Jimenez did such a great job conveying the hardships of a long distance relationship, and I love that both Sam and Xavier were caring people who stepped up to help each other when the other one needed it. I cannot wait to read more of Abby Jimenez's work! 

Thank you to Libro.fm for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

The Green Bone Saga is one of my favorite fantasy series, and Jade Shards did not disappoint. It contains four character driven prequel short stories featuring characters from the main books. I loved being back with some of my favorites and learning more about their backstories. The writing was fantastic and the pacing was well done. The narrator for the audio book, Andrew Kishino, was wonderful as always. We don't get a lot of world building in this book, but it was so fleshed out in the Green Bone Saga, that I didn't feel as if I were missing out on anything. Fonda Lee has a way of capturing the atmosphere and emotions of the characters in such a compelling way. It was bittersweet to end with this one, but I look forward to coming back to visit these characters again.