omqchristi's Reviews (728)

» overview «
stars: ★☆☆☆☆
plot: ★★☆☆☆
readability: ★☆☆☆☆
characters: ★☆☆☆☆
writing: ★☆☆☆☆
recommend: ✗

» liked «
- retellings
- magic in contemporary settings

» disliked «
- this is a book with present tense, 1st person POV. so a lot of the book is written as: "I" this, "I" that, "my" this, and "my" that. It just makes this book really irritating and hard to get through. Not only that, but it's honestly a sign of amateur writing. There are ways to make first person interesting and this just wasn't it.
- also, a lot of info-dumping. Bree is a newbie to the world of magic, so in order to teach her (and us) about the world, everything is just told to her/us straight up. additionally, the info-dumping wasn't even well done, nothing was explained properly or naturally. (evident in the fact that Bree is continuously shocked and confused at situations that have already been explained to her.)
- only one perspective
- the pacing of this book is so slow. this book was unnecessarily long because of the many, many, many irrelevant descriptions of what is happening in each and every scene. There is way too much unnecessary details and filler, this book could've and should've been 300-400 pages.
- this book features discussion surrounding the fact that the main character, Bree is a woman of color. Alongside the fantasy plot-lines, both aspects kind of water each other down.
- at every point of this book, i wanted to DNF. But i don't rate books I don't finished, so i forced myself to finish the audiobook just to give this book 1 star.

» overall «
yikes

» overview «
stars: ★☆☆☆☆
plot: ★★★☆☆
readability: ★☆☆☆☆
characters: ★☆☆☆☆
writing: ★★☆☆☆
recommend: ✗

» liked «
- beauty and the beast retelling

» disliked «
- bad retelling
- characters are idiotic
- resolution was way too fast

» overall «
this was so annoying. none of the characters are redeemable or enjoyable to read about

» overview «
stars: ★★☆☆☆
plot: ★★☆☆☆
readability: ★★☆☆☆
characters: ★★☆☆☆
writing: ★★☆☆☆
recommend: ✗

» liked «
- concept of "road" trip with two strangers

» disliked «
- bland
- uninteresting romance

» overall «
boring, next

» overview «
stars: ★☆☆☆☆
plot: ★☆☆☆☆
readability: ★☆☆☆☆
characters: ★☆☆☆☆
writing: ★☆☆☆☆
recommend: ✗

» liked «
- flawed characters... i guess

» disliked «
- only one POV, in first person
- the nickname "Ace"
- Karina's best friends are so annoying. for teenagers, they act like children (especially with the way the audiobook narrator portrays them)
- every time "NCK group chat" is mentioned, i groan internally
- Ace being the stereotypical bad boy, ew
- the fact that Karina's grandmother's love story is very similar to what Karina is going through
- Karina is a pushover and people-pleaser, not only that, but it is one of the only reason obstacles arise in this book. she is the reason for all of her problems, not just her parents.
- writing style is very simplistic, in a bad way
- did not see any chemistry between the main characters
- did not root for the romance... in this romance book
- Karina's being stereotypical Asian parents, with all of the negative parts heightened
- that playlist Ace made for Karina
- author tries too hard to make the main characters quirky and fun
- turns out the bad boy

isn't a bad boy and that he really does care about school. everything he did in the past was due to other, genuinely good reasons. because you know, blaming it all on the brother makes total sense. he also changes his mind about going to college due to the main character.

what terrible writing and what a fucking cliche.
- the fact that Xander's reason for bullying Ace was due to mommy issues
- Karina's grandmother has to step in to change her parents' ideas, they didn't do anything themselves

» overall «
i expected so much more from the hype it got on tiktok

 » overview «
stars: ★★☆☆☆
plot: ★★☆☆☆
readability: ★★★☆☆
characters: ★★☆☆☆
writing: ★★☆☆☆
recommend: ✗

» liked «
- the writing style, especially the two POVs that are set in third person omniscient
- the main characters' banter and conversations with each other (not including the arguments)
- the audiobook narrator for Meg's POV

» disliked «
- the characters. Colby is infuriating and Meg is annoying. rooting for this relationship was just not an easy thing for me to do.

» overall «
not a bad book, but a bad romance 

 » overview «
stars: ★★☆☆☆
plot: ★★★☆☆
readability: ★★★★☆
characters: ★★☆☆☆
writing: ★★★☆☆
recommend: ✗

» liked «
- the writing style is good, made it easy to get through the book
- dual POV

» disliked «
- instalove, the romance was so fast and i saw no connection
- a lot of tell, not show. everything is just put out in words

» overall «
i expected a lot more spice and a way better romance 

» overview «
stars: ★★☆☆☆
plot: ★★☆☆☆
readability: ★★☆☆☆
characters: ★★☆☆☆
writing: ★★☆☆☆
recommend: ✗

» liked «
- the romance

» disliked «
- first person POV, i feel like it limits the story. not only that, but if you dislike the main character, then you're doomed to have to sit through a (possibly good story) and bad execution.
- i knew this was coming, but the gaming aspect (oops)

» overall «
eh, curious enough to read the wiki on what happened, but not to continue this series

 » overview «
stars: ★★☆☆☆
plot: ★★☆☆☆
readability: ★★★☆☆
characters: ★★★☆☆
writing: ★★☆☆☆
recommend: ✗

» liked «
- simply easy to read

» disliked «
- very slow

» overall «
nothing special, should've audiobooked it 

» overview «
stars: ★★★☆☆
plot: ★★★☆☆
readability: ★★★★☆
characters: ★★★★☆
writing: ★★★☆☆
recommend: ✗

» liked «
- the mystery
- the ending reveal of what really happened

» disliked «
- main character's naïveté

» overall «
a unexpected surprise