shanaepraystoo's Reviews (925)

Speechless: When Love Hurts

4.0

lighthearted fast-paced

I give Speechless 1 4 stars. I know that it’s either the author’s first book or one of her first books, and it’s a great introduction to her writing style. I was apprehensive about reading Speechless when I saw there were so many characters and that chapters were written from each character’s point of view — but after years of reading urban lit, I know the recipe for disaster for me: new-to-me/new author plus multiple characters plus multiple POVs equals a bad book. But BriAnn Danae impressed me. I hop David and Brooke really suffer and I want the best for Erica and Ant. I’m ready to read the rest of the series. Solid 4 star book for entertaining characters and an engaging storyline.

Content Warnings

The Point of Exhale

Kimberly Brown

5.0

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I have read so many books by Kimberly Brown and each one I think is better than the last. I read Something She Can Feel and said, "This is Kimberly Brown's best book." Then I had the same reaction with For His Pleasure, The Burial of a Player, Not Finished Loving You, Strip Me Bare, and, most recently, Nothin Like You. You'd think I'd stop professing her best book :) At this point, I have just resolved that she is one of my favorite romance writers ever. Her characters are just soooo relatable and she writes them in a way that shifts your perspective and makes you more compassionate.

And The Point of Exhale is no different. I learned so much from this book and really felt for Elise and Safari. I honestly felt myself tearing up at times. All of the characters are so well developed, for example, I felt so badly for Jennifer as an addict, Naz as a woman who was tired of her people pleasing baby daddy Travis, and I was really afraid of Marshall and Rico! Even as a reader. Though really dark and painful in some parts, The Point of Exhale is a beautiful love story with many different layers.

Regarding the audiobook: I've never listened to a book with these narrators, Tony Marks and Georgie Kimble. I found them both to be really good, especially the male narrator, Tony Marks. At times it felt like the female narrator, Georgie Kimble, was reading the book instead of performing it, but midway through either she got better or I got used to it and it wasn't much of a distraction to me at all. If I saw either of them narrating another book, I'd definitely give it a listen!

Content Warnings

King's Distraction

Iesha Bree

3.25

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: No

I had to force myself to finish Iesha Bree's King's Distraction and I always hate that when I'm reading a book. The characters are diverse and there's decent character development, but I just wasn't sold on the FMC, Ayasha, and the MMC, Zeno, was just a bit too "hood" for the role he had in the book, his interactions with the other characters, and his upbringing. While it is not a bad read, I did not enjoy it as much as I had expected.

Content Warnings

With Sugar On Top: A Sugared and Spiced Short

Lady Marie

3.0

Plot or Character Driven: N/A

Strong character development: N/A

Loveable characters: N/A

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

Content Warnings

Christmas Data Breach

K.D. Richards

5.0

adventurous hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Wow! Christmas Data Breach by KD Richards is my first romantic suspense. I didn't even know these two genres could ever meet. With parallel stories going, Richards had me on the edge of my proverbial seat with the twists and turns in this second chance romantic suspense. I also love the way everything came together in the end for both aspects of the story! Mya Rochon and Gideon Wright are enjoyable characters. I also really enjoyed Susan Spain as the narrator...so much so that I'm going to listen to the rest of the West Investigations series.

Content Warnings

To Be Loved

Bree Wright

3.0

funny hopeful fast-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

Mostly average, there are some parts of To Be Loved that I found to be good but most of it was so-so. The synopsis was interesting - a cold couple in an arranged marriage unites and things get spicy? I’m all in!! But something about Anya’s immaturity, Kieran’s weakness, and their hateful parents that really turned me off of the book. And don’t get me started on the side characters James, Mia, and Marvin. Plus the spicy scenes were boring.

Content Warnings

Kevo & Juvi: A Miller's Pointe Christmas

ML Bash

2.75

relaxing fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This novella was a little too predictable for me, much like other books from ML Bash but with a singer and Christmas decorations. The FMC, Juvi, in particular is the same archetype as Kimber Dixon in Bash’s Nobody to Love You Better and I also saw similarities to the FMC in You Hide I’ll Seek.

I think this is my last ML Bash read. I might have gotten all the author has to give me as a reader.

Content Warnings

Last First Kiss

Nicole Falls

4.25

emotional funny relaxing medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

This is my first book from author Nicole Falls and I was very impressed! I listened to the audiobook of Last First Kiss and I am glad that I did. The book itself is a little slow in the beginning, so I think I would've bailed on a physical copy. Because of the audiobook, which had amazing narrators, I got a very cute HFN romance novel with compassionate diverse characters. I highly recommend Last First Kiss.

Content Warnings

Not Finished Loving You

Kimberly Brown

4.5

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Not Finished Loving You by Kimberly Brown is another fantastic story from this brilliant romance writer. I have been running through her catalog and I've enjoyed every novel more than the last. It took me a while to pick up Not Finished Loving You but I am so happy that I did, I finished the book so quickly because I just could not put it down! This second chance romance follows college sweethearts turned enemies, Alexis and Jaceon had an unconventional love story and I appreciate the care with which Brown discussed Alexis's grief and the respect for her journey that Jaceon had. Many times you read romance novels and you might feel that you forget what the book is all about shortly after you finish. But these books are actually about teaching you compassion for scenarios you may or may not encounter. Authors like Brown do so much good with their writing. I cannot make Not Finished Loving You a 5-star read for one major reason: the ages of the characters. I think the story would've been more well-rounded and relatable, if the characters were even 5 to 7 years older. While it is a personal preference, I find that romance novels, like this one that have really heavy subjects like divorce, adultery, and death, are better. That said, I'm glad that the ages of the characters didn't deter me from picking up the novel. The story is engaging with lovable and diverse characters. I highly recommend Not Finished Loving You.

Content Warnings

Defensive Stance

Kasha Thompson

5.0

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Another incredible 5 star book from Kasha Thompson...why's she so good at this? No...for real.

I have been so impressed by her books as of late with Figure of Speech and Sight Unseen both making my list of favorites in 2023, earning 5 stars from me. I even purchased physical copies of the books having read and loved the e-books.

Anyway, Defensive Stance falls right into the same category with interesting, engaging, and lovable characters. Add in the unique storyline, great writing from Kasha Thompson, and you've got a winner in my book.

There are a few negative reviews for this book on goodreads, partly because the FMC Sloane is such a challenging character to like, however, I think Thompson does a good job introducing her to readers and expounding upon her dysfunctional family dynamic. I would've loved to have met her brothers, seen her interact more with her father, and possibly even gotten to know her mother. The MMC Deck is likable, too, even with his brashness, asocial personality, and grief.

Defensive Stance is an enemies to lovers/fake dating romance novel with lots of spice. I read the synopsis but I missed that there'd be a fake dating trope, so that was a nice surprise for me. What I thought was going to be just another sports romance turned out to be so much more.

Content Warnings

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