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635 reviews by:
ourxstorybegins
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
- I really loved the way perspectives jumped around between chapters -- not just among prisoners who are part of this program, but higher ups, people who work in media, protestors, family members, and even just some random viewers
- Really forces the reader to reckon with the fact that everyone is treating these battles like it's as normal of a sport as football
- Had a moment where I realized I was invested in the storyline of the prisoners - just like the people watching in the book, and had to sit with THAT for a while
- Footnotes included to show where some ideas were taken from in our very true prison history, which ya know...ouch.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
- Author noted that it's "slice of life" at the beginning, and I think that would be fine but there were SO many things skipped over that I think would've been more interesting than what was given
- The characters were great -- I loved Angel and really liked Phee and they are very cute together
- But Phee is a firefighter and there is one fire in the whole book and we get it from the perspective of Angel who is half conscious for it! Show me Phee doing cool and dangerous things!
- There's like, a lot of little things about this that annoyed me but no huge problems, either? Ultimately still had fun reading it, I'd just randomly get mad when something got skipped over that I wanted to see and instead got them talking about after the fact
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Found myself being like "OOH DANG" a lot
- They felt more like poems I'd hear in a spoken word poetry performance, less what I'd usually read in a book
- It was really good, I just know I would've had a better time coming across these on a youtube rabbit hole or something
- THAT SAID, really good and I would still recommend, but I could see it being even better in audiobook form
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
- This was such a delightful way to wrap up the series! Definitely extra fun if you have the context of the first 2 books
- All my fave tropes: fake dating (turned fwb until feelings are caught), only one bed, AND roadtrip
- At the 3rd act breakup, I was genuinely like OH NO THAT WAS MEAN at one of them
- Thought the whole "both of us want to be called by our middle name but won't set that boundary for people" bit was weird, but still sweet
- Tara is SUUUUUCH an enneagram 2 it hurts actually!!
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
- The spice was SPICING, as one would expect from a Meryl Wilsner book tbh
- Miscommunication stuff to THIS extent should simply not be allowed when it's best friends to lovers. You've been besties for HOW LONG and you haven't figured out how to communicate? Come on now. Arguments happen, but damn.
- Just under half of the book was dedicated to Ginny and Elsie
working on their own issues and not speaking to each other. A risky move for a romance and I just don't feel like it landed here. - Spending that much time apart I think also demands at LEAST a full chapter at the end once they're back together and we didn't get it
- It was a fun read, but I just don't really believe they'll last as a couple OOPS
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
- Rating would suggest I like this one as much as Praise, but my ratings are less generous then they were then lmao this one is ABSOLUTELY my favorite
- Avoided this one for a while because I obviously had issues with Beau, but he made a great bratty sub
- Kind of loved that both of them were learning how to do kink together, even if it gave Beau the upper hand at times (and even after this book I never want him to have the upper hand SORRY)
- Maggie seems fairly close to Charlie, so I really wish we'd seen some resolution between the two of them at the end since she was dating Charlie's ex and they just...never had a scene where they talked after that
- Would've also loved to see some more of Maggie standing up to Emerson about all of the issues with their relationship and not just the fact that she's dating his son
- WHY DID MAGGIE CHOOSE THE SAME SAFE WORD AS EMERSON AND CHARLIE?!?!?!?!
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
- Lexi and Riley have the chance to dethrone Emmy & Mav as my favorite couple of this series so far they are CUTIES together
- I'm not sure if I would've bought their relationship had it not been for the hints of buildup from the past books, but I absolutely did and I loved it
- Slutty little glasses! ROPE?! Riley, you DOG
- Absolutely loved watching Riley's journey from becoming an amputee to gaining the strength to being able to skate again, even if it's not with the NHL. As always, the rest of the team is amazing and so supportive
- There's always this Feminism 101/Girl Power vibe to the main female characters in these books that feel a little off for me?? I think there's a way to talk about pride in working in the industry without that part being so stinkin cheesy
- LOVE LOVE LOVE that Lexi acknowledged her friendship with the other women and emphasized their value in her life and that Riley was RIGHT THERE WITH HER on that
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
- I probably shouldn't have been surprised that there's more "rom com" than "zom" since it's a romance
- Banter banter banter banter banter!
- Edie and Chad/Gaston/Max (all of these names DO belong to the same person...well, the same vampire) are so so so cute together and watching him learn to open up to her was a delight
- Very interested in the overarching plot and how things are going to progress in book 2
- Cast of side characters were all funny and/or interesting
- Did I mention there's SO much banter? Almost too much?
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
- Wanna read about the personifications of ADHD and Autism falling in love? Here ya go!
- Buying a house via Facebook Marketplace without seeing the house, getting anyone else involved, etc., is ABSOLUTELY WILD and I love Opal for it but WOW
- The villains of the book were pretty 2-dimensional, but boy oh boy were they good at making me angry (like I felt that anger PHYSICALLY a few different times)
- Read other reviews saying Opal & Pepper had no chemistry - I simply cannot relate
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
- Tom gets his happy ending!
- Tom also seems to...not be close to Eliza anymore? Really looked forward to seeing their friendship more in this book and it just wasn't clicking.
- Really enjoyed Gemma's whole storyline, loved getting into what really happened vs what people believed of her stint on this reality tv show, and REALLY felt for her once she was at home towards the end with everything she was dealing with
- Tom absolutely wins great boyfriend award once they're actually together, clap clap clap
- The f/f moment was...weird? I'd seen something about "f/f exploration" and was like oh hey a little sapphic moment, but it was purely done to get Tom's attention (at the SECOND crew orgy of the book) and just felt kind of icky