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219 reviews by:
philsbookcorner
(Mini-Review) This was such a cute & original holiday read! I've never read anything by Christina Lauren before, so I really didn't know what to expect, but I really enjoyed In a Holidaze! It had all the makings of a true Christmas classic, with a wintery location & tons of holiday references, but the time travel/Groundhog Day-esque twist really took the story to places I wasn't expecting it to go. I found myself constantly nervous as the book went on that something would happen & send Mae right back to the very beginning of the time loop, anyone else feel that way? I loved how the relationship between Andrew & Mae blossomed, it had a ton of heart & I was really rooting for the two of them as the story progressed. Also, Benny was the best! We all need a Benny in our lives. This was a ton of fun & truly a perfect holiday read, I'd love to see what else they can do with a Christmas story! (Maybe next year?)
This was such a good time from beginning to end - charming, cute, hilarious, & even suspenseful, this book has it all! Dial A for Aunties was one of my most anticipated reads of the year & it didn't disappoint one bit.
The book has many strong suits, but the two strongest, in my opinion, were the characters & its inclusion of Chinese-Indonesian culture throughout. These characters were just fantastic - Meddy, her mom & the aunties were such a joy to follow (Fourth Aunt was my favorite, her feathery nails!), I couldn't get enough of them & their shenanigans. Family was such a persistent theme throughout & the issues were very relatable - I think so many of us can relate to feeling the pressures of not meeting familial expectations. I loved learning about Chinese-Indonesian culture & traditions, I had no idea just how much goes into these weddings (& the food - the food! I've never craved dim sum more). There really wasn't a single thing I didn't enjoy about the book, if anything I just wish we would've gotten one more chapter before the epilogue!
I think this is going to be a huge hit & I need a sequel - please don't let this be the end of these characters! Thank you so much to Jesse Q. Sutanto, NetGalley & Berkley for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review!
The book has many strong suits, but the two strongest, in my opinion, were the characters & its inclusion of Chinese-Indonesian culture throughout. These characters were just fantastic - Meddy, her mom & the aunties were such a joy to follow (Fourth Aunt was my favorite, her feathery nails!), I couldn't get enough of them & their shenanigans. Family was such a persistent theme throughout & the issues were very relatable - I think so many of us can relate to feeling the pressures of not meeting familial expectations. I loved learning about Chinese-Indonesian culture & traditions, I had no idea just how much goes into these weddings (& the food - the food! I've never craved dim sum more). There really wasn't a single thing I didn't enjoy about the book, if anything I just wish we would've gotten one more chapter before the epilogue!
I think this is going to be a huge hit & I need a sequel - please don't let this be the end of these characters! Thank you so much to Jesse Q. Sutanto, NetGalley & Berkley for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review!
(Mini-Review) 4.5 Stars - This was so much fun, a heartwarming story about a bisexual single mom competing on a baking show that encompasses much more than meets the eye. Alexis Hall is so gifted when it comes to crafting characters - much like in Boyfriend Material, these all felt like very real & realized people, with their own charms & quirks, & I just adored the supporting cast so much, but not as much as I loved Rosaline. Rosaline has to be one of my favorite MCs as of late - I loved the bi representation here & feel like he did such an excellent job with it. I've seen some reviewers say this comes off as preachy but I respectfully disagree - with her daughter, many situations provided a great deal of teachable moments, particularly through the lens of being a queer parent. & I just loved the slow burn romance here - Harry & his mermaid cakes will forever have my heart. This was on the longer side but oddly enough it was really bittersweet to see this story end - I really fell in love with these characters so, so much. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series, there's just so many places you can go with this format! Highly recommend, especially if you're fans of The Great British Bake Off!
(Mini-Review) If you've been looking for an adult version of Halloweentown meets Hocus Pocus with some (mildly) spicy romance thrown in, look no further than The Ex Hex! This was my first book by Erin Sterling (aka Rachel Hawkins) & I just loved it! This was such a cute, breezy romance with an amazing Halloween aesthetic - I really enjoyed seeing all of the shenanigans Vivi & Rhys founds themselves dealing with. I mean you've got: a talking cat, possessed wind-up toys, a vengeance-seeking ghost, potion dealing - what more could you ask for? Vivi & Rhys had really great chemistry & I loved their banter, it was such a fun mix of second chance romance meets enemies to lovers, two of my favorite tropes. & I really, really loved the supporting cast of characters - if there are going to be more books within this world, we need a book for Gwyn! All in all, this was the perfect dose of Halloween romcom escapism I was looking for - highly recommend this one! & thank you so much to Avon & Erin Sterling for providing a gifted copy!
Narration: 5 Stars
Story: 5 Stars
I've said it before & I'll say it again, Taylor Jenkins Reid is a master at her craft, & Evidence of the Affair goes to show just how incredible her stories can be no matter the page length. In fact, out of the all the books I've read of hers that take place within the Evelyn Hugo world, this might just be my second favorite right under Evelyn.
I was instantly entranced, TJR always knows how to capture your attention & keep it there. This is an epistolary story set in the '70s, told entirely through letters between the couples involved, beginning with Carrie's letter to David informing him that her husband is sleeping with his wife. TJR is incredible at writing people, in just under an hour & a half, I felt like I knew these characters - their lives, their hopes & their dreams, their fears. I empathized so much with Carrie & David, but appreciated that TJR never went out of her way to outright villainize either of their spouses, either (well... there's Ken, a true asshole, but alas); situations like this aren't necessarily always black or white, there were a lot of layers to this story that made me revisit my initial judgments of each character. & I was definitely caught off guard by the ending, albeit very happy with how everyone's situations ultimately unfolded. & I have to give it up for the amazing audiobook cast, particularly Julia Whelan - she was outstanding, I completely understand why she's such a beloved narrator in the audiobook world. Sign me up for anything she narrates (or writes)!
Highly recommend giving this a listen, even if you're new to TJR's work - this is easily one of her best stories! I continue to be impressed with these Audible Originals, there hasn't been a single miss for me yet!
Story: 5 Stars
I've said it before & I'll say it again, Taylor Jenkins Reid is a master at her craft, & Evidence of the Affair goes to show just how incredible her stories can be no matter the page length. In fact, out of the all the books I've read of hers that take place within the Evelyn Hugo world, this might just be my second favorite right under Evelyn.
I was instantly entranced, TJR always knows how to capture your attention & keep it there. This is an epistolary story set in the '70s, told entirely through letters between the couples involved, beginning with Carrie's letter to David informing him that her husband is sleeping with his wife. TJR is incredible at writing people, in just under an hour & a half, I felt like I knew these characters - their lives, their hopes & their dreams, their fears. I empathized so much with Carrie & David, but appreciated that TJR never went out of her way to outright villainize either of their spouses, either (well... there's Ken, a true asshole, but alas); situations like this aren't necessarily always black or white, there were a lot of layers to this story that made me revisit my initial judgments of each character. & I was definitely caught off guard by the ending, albeit very happy with how everyone's situations ultimately unfolded. & I have to give it up for the amazing audiobook cast, particularly Julia Whelan - she was outstanding, I completely understand why she's such a beloved narrator in the audiobook world. Sign me up for anything she narrates (or writes)!
Highly recommend giving this a listen, even if you're new to TJR's work - this is easily one of her best stories! I continue to be impressed with these Audible Originals, there hasn't been a single miss for me yet!
Narration: 5 Stars
Story: 5 Stars
When this was first announced & I read the synopsis, I knew I had to have it - a plus-sized pornstar goes to film a Hallmark-esque Christmas movie with a bad boy ex-boyband member?! Say no more! & I'm so, so happy to report that this didn't disappoint one bit, this was exactly the kind of book my soul needed right now!
This was my first time reading a book by either Julie Murphy or Sierra Simone & I really vibed with their writing styles - this was easy & breezy, full of hilarious, heartfelt & tender moments, & the characters were truly incredible, especially the entire porn crew (apologies if I spell anyone's names wrong, audiobook problems). Sunny, Teddy, Luca, Angel, Kallum (um, yes dad bod Kallum) - I'd love to see other stories in this series revolve around them! & of course, our main stars, Bee & Nolan - I absolutely adored these two! Their banter & chemistry was off the charts, & the steam was through the roof (no seriously, THE STEAM!) There was such incredible representation all throughout - both of our MCs are bisexual (amongst a ton of openly queer side characters), we've got a racially diverse cast, great mental health rep, this was easily one of the most sex positive books I've ever read, the body positivity was so well done & Bee & Nolan's romance never once treaded that line of fetishization. & CHRISTMAS! This was just filled to the brim with Christmas cheer & goodness (sugar cookie lube anyone?), I can't wait to see what other shenanigans lie in Christmas Notch as the series continues. & if you're an audiobook person, highly recommend the audio with this, both of our narrators did a fantastic job of voicing everyone & really sold the emotion & steam!
I just loved this so, so much, highly recommend picking up a copy when it comes out! & thank you so much Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone, NetGalley, Avon, & Harper Audio for providing an ALC in exchange for a honest review!
Story: 5 Stars
When this was first announced & I read the synopsis, I knew I had to have it - a plus-sized pornstar goes to film a Hallmark-esque Christmas movie with a bad boy ex-boyband member?! Say no more! & I'm so, so happy to report that this didn't disappoint one bit, this was exactly the kind of book my soul needed right now!
This was my first time reading a book by either Julie Murphy or Sierra Simone & I really vibed with their writing styles - this was easy & breezy, full of hilarious, heartfelt & tender moments, & the characters were truly incredible, especially the entire porn crew (apologies if I spell anyone's names wrong, audiobook problems). Sunny, Teddy, Luca, Angel, Kallum (um, yes dad bod Kallum) - I'd love to see other stories in this series revolve around them! & of course, our main stars, Bee & Nolan - I absolutely adored these two! Their banter & chemistry was off the charts, & the steam was through the roof (no seriously, THE STEAM!) There was such incredible representation all throughout - both of our MCs are bisexual (amongst a ton of openly queer side characters), we've got a racially diverse cast, great mental health rep, this was easily one of the most sex positive books I've ever read, the body positivity was so well done & Bee & Nolan's romance never once treaded that line of fetishization. & CHRISTMAS! This was just filled to the brim with Christmas cheer & goodness (sugar cookie lube anyone?), I can't wait to see what other shenanigans lie in Christmas Notch as the series continues. & if you're an audiobook person, highly recommend the audio with this, both of our narrators did a fantastic job of voicing everyone & really sold the emotion & steam!
I just loved this so, so much, highly recommend picking up a copy when it comes out! & thank you so much Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone, NetGalley, Avon, & Harper Audio for providing an ALC in exchange for a honest review!
Narration: 5 Stars
Story: 4 Stars
To say I had absolutely no idea what to expect with Sierra Simone's Priest would be an understatement, but I'm so happy I decided to take the plunge & start this series - I'm all the way in!
Listen ya'll, this was easily one of the steamiest books I've ever read, I spent a majority of the book blushing & clutching my pearls
Story: 4 Stars
To say I had absolutely no idea what to expect with Sierra Simone's Priest would be an understatement, but I'm so happy I decided to take the plunge & start this series - I'm all the way in!
Listen ya'll, this was easily one of the steamiest books I've ever read, I spent a majority of the book blushing & clutching my pearls
Narration: 5 Stars
Story: 4.5 Stars
Okay ya'll first things first, spoilers for Priest ahead - it's too hard to talk about what I really enjoyed about Midnight Mass without going into details about the first book, so here's your warning!
Picking up three years after the events of Priest, this novella follows Tyler & Poppy as they're adjusting to married life, Tyler in the midst of writing his dissertation at Princeton & Poppy busy with running her nonprofit. Trust me when I say the steam is still next-level here (that dance studio part?!
Story: 4.5 Stars
Okay ya'll first things first, spoilers for Priest ahead - it's too hard to talk about what I really enjoyed about Midnight Mass without going into details about the first book, so here's your warning!
Picking up three years after the events of Priest, this novella follows Tyler & Poppy as they're adjusting to married life, Tyler in the midst of writing his dissertation at Princeton & Poppy busy with running her nonprofit. Trust me when I say the steam is still next-level here (that dance studio part?!