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sugardustedbooks
2.5
I am such a huge fan of Christina Lauren’s books and it really pains me to say this but My Favorite Half-Night Stand was not the book for me. This is the first Christina Lauren book I’ve read that I was not rooting for a HEA. I knew from the book description that there would be some deception but it went on for way too long. It made me feel icky and I honestly was not a fan of Millie.
I was so excited at the start as she seemed pretty cool with her serial killer obsession (she’s a criminology professor) and her quick wit. She was smart and a fun person but definitely flawed. This is not my issue. Humans are imperfect people. I love the complexity of a character. What made it hard to enjoy was how long the events of this story took place in contrast to the time spent addressing said events between the two main characters. I don’t want to get into spoiler territory but Reid deserved better!
What has me on the fence between a two and a three is that I really do enjoy learning about all the different characters CLo writes. I loved that they were all professors and their friendship circle was so cute and funny. The times everyone was together were my favorite parts. Their monopoly nights and just hanging out felt so chill. Plus reading about everyone navigating online dating felt so relevant. It was also told from both Millie and Reid’s viewpoints which I enjoy.
I am such a huge fan of Christina Lauren’s books and it really pains me to say this but My Favorite Half-Night Stand was not the book for me. This is the first Christina Lauren book I’ve read that I was not rooting for a HEA. I knew from the book description that there would be some deception but it went on for way too long. It made me feel icky and I honestly was not a fan of Millie.
I was so excited at the start as she seemed pretty cool with her serial killer obsession (she’s a criminology professor) and her quick wit. She was smart and a fun person but definitely flawed. This is not my issue. Humans are imperfect people. I love the complexity of a character. What made it hard to enjoy was how long the events of this story took place in contrast to the time spent addressing said events between the two main characters. I don’t want to get into spoiler territory but Reid deserved better!
What has me on the fence between a two and a three is that I really do enjoy learning about all the different characters CLo writes. I loved that they were all professors and their friendship circle was so cute and funny. The times everyone was together were my favorite parts. Their monopoly nights and just hanging out felt so chill. Plus reading about everyone navigating online dating felt so relevant. It was also told from both Millie and Reid’s viewpoints which I enjoy.
I’ve gone back and forth on rating Hyde & Seek by Layla Frost. There were some truly good moments where I was vibing with the characters. Piper was funny, kind, and always pretty clear on what she wanted. I enjoyed Piper’s connection with her friends and the guys at the shop but if I’m being honest I was more invested in her interactions with the other characters than I was in her relationship with Jake. I don’t typically have anything against the broody and bossy but in this case it just didn’t do it for me. In the end Hyde & Seek just wasn’t for me but I am curious enough about the other characters to read the next book in the series.
I am a huge fan of J.R. Wards Black Dagger Brotherhood Series so i was excited to dive into Covet. I was trying not to compare the two but I think I was too eager and my expectations too high. It was unfair of me but Covet just felt restrained and didn’t pack that same punch I have come to expect.
It had a bit of a slow start but began to pick up about a third of the way in. About half way in and I was reminded of why I enjoy J.R Wards books. There was some mystery, anticipation, action, excitement, tenderness, and steam. Covet was about a 3.5 for me leaning towards a 4 and I do look forward to seeing where this series takes me.
It had a bit of a slow start but began to pick up about a third of the way in. About half way in and I was reminded of why I enjoy J.R Wards books. There was some mystery, anticipation, action, excitement, tenderness, and steam. Covet was about a 3.5 for me leaning towards a 4 and I do look forward to seeing where this series takes me.
The Rogue Not Taken started with a bang and continued to make me laugh and cheer for the heroine. When Sophie Talbot pushes her sisters cheating husband into a pond I knew I was going to love her. Sophie does everything that people do not expect her to do in search of some freedom. To say this takes her on a surprising adventure would be an understatement. I loved that Sophie was willing to push past her comfort zones and always stood up for the things she felt passionate about. King was not my favorite MacLean character. I kind of just wanted to kick him...like get your shit together or leave mister...but my love for Sophie made up for it.
“Wait....what?” Probably my most used phrase while reading The Weight of the Stars. I had so many questions about what was and was not happening in this book. If I’m being honest I probably would have stopped reading if I hadn’t picked it up for a book club I had joined.
Ryann is a girl with big dreams and an even bigger sense of responsibility to the people in her life. With her parents gone she has her brother and a small circle of friends. She holds a lot of anger but also love for the people in her life. When Alexandria shows up Ryann first offers friendship but that quickly turns sour. Alexandria has one focus, trying to pick up radio messages from her mother but when she gets hurt she is forced to rely on Ryann and her friends to continue this. I don’t want to give any spoilers but the circumstances around how they got here are kinda messed up and not really addressed.
I had much more interest in learning about some of the side characters than I did about Ryann and Alexandria. I loved the love and the care this group of friends eventually showed for each other but there was not enough for me to buy a romantic relationship between Ryann and Alexandria. There were definitely elements of love in the story but in my opinion, not a romantic one.
Overall, the Weight Of the Stars is a super-fast read with some friendship and family dynamics that will punch you in the gut. In the end that wasn’t enough for me and I was super confused regarding the character's decisions. I didn’t believe the need or desire to go to space and the short chapters felt like a previously on or a short flashback from a show rather than a fully developed story. The whole time I was reading I just felt like there was something I was missing. Like if only I could piece it together maybe I could also fall in love with the story. In the end, this just was not for me.
Ryann is a girl with big dreams and an even bigger sense of responsibility to the people in her life. With her parents gone she has her brother and a small circle of friends. She holds a lot of anger but also love for the people in her life. When Alexandria shows up Ryann first offers friendship but that quickly turns sour. Alexandria has one focus, trying to pick up radio messages from her mother but when she gets hurt she is forced to rely on Ryann and her friends to continue this. I don’t want to give any spoilers but the circumstances around how they got here are kinda messed up and not really addressed.
I had much more interest in learning about some of the side characters than I did about Ryann and Alexandria. I loved the love and the care this group of friends eventually showed for each other but there was not enough for me to buy a romantic relationship between Ryann and Alexandria. There were definitely elements of love in the story but in my opinion, not a romantic one.
Overall, the Weight Of the Stars is a super-fast read with some friendship and family dynamics that will punch you in the gut. In the end that wasn’t enough for me and I was super confused regarding the character's decisions. I didn’t believe the need or desire to go to space and the short chapters felt like a previously on or a short flashback from a show rather than a fully developed story. The whole time I was reading I just felt like there was something I was missing. Like if only I could piece it together maybe I could also fall in love with the story. In the end, this just was not for me.
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*Originally reviewed on My Pages Of Forbidden Love
When I first heard about this book I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. The summary made it sound like it would be an amazing book and that is exactly what I got. I absolutely loved it. As soon as I finished it I just wanted to read it again. Thankfully I got to read Splintered on my nook but I absolutely need to go buy the physical copy. I need that cover on my shelf! Isn’t it pretty?
Alyssa can hear bugs. They whisper to her. She knows it’s not normal, and it is one of the reasons her own mother lives in a mental hospital, so she hides it and silences the whispers by turning these bugs into art. She fears she is also going insane just like her mother so she keeps the whispers to herself. Everybody already knows that she is related to Alice, Lewis Carroll’s inspiration for Alice In Wonderland, and they already don’t let her forget it so she keeps the real reasons for her mothers treatment a secret from everyone, including her best friend Jeb. As the whispers continue Alyssa starts to dig into her families past and tries to find answers. Then things get worse with her mother and Alyssa knows she needs to do something to save her mother and herself from their families curse. Alyssa begins to think that maybe the curse is real and she decides to take the plunge, find the rabbit hole, and find a way to get her mom back home.
I felt really bad for Alyssa having to live with wondering whether she was going to end up in an asylum like her mother. Alyssa has a scarred childhood that she doesn’t fully remember and that she doesn’t like to talk about but she still loves her mother and hates to see how much her dad misses her. It was sad when Alyssa would talk about her father and how he tried to hide how much it hurt him that her mom wasn’t with them but she could see it anyway. I also felt bad because, although it was understandable, her dad held her so close and everyone else made decisions for her. Her father and Jeb never really let her decide and do things on her own. She was sick of it and I would have been too. Mostly though it takes guts to decide to search for something you don’t really know exists and go through a journey with no idea how it will end. She didn’t really know what she was doing, people kept secrets from her, others pushed her to do what they thought she should do and she had to learn pretty much everything along the way but she kept going and didn’t give up. I loved reading about her finding herself/who she is and sticking up for herself more.
One of the people, besides her dad, always making decisions for her is Jeb. Alyssa has known Jeb for years. He’s her best friend and old time crush but his new girlfriend Taelor and the fact that he makes decisions with Alyssa’s dad for her has pushed them apart slowly. His girlfriend is a bitch who is horrible to Alyssa but he can’t see it and Alyssa gets annoyed with how much he watches out for her. She thinks he acts too much like her older brother and doesn’t see her the way she wished he did. They aren’t as close as they used to be but somehow when Alyssa goes down to Wonderland Jeb is right there with her. Although, it annoyed me that he didn’t trust Alyssa to make all her own decisions I did still like Jeb. He was also an artist with a troubled childhood who had fears of following his fathers footsteps. The connection that those two had was so obvious but of course they both were in denial. I have to say Jeb was a bit pesky but he was also always there for Alyssa and I did like him.
I liked Jeb but I loved Morpheus! He also has a strong connection with Alyssa, one she doesn’t completely understand but knows its there. She is drawn to him which she finds annoying but also thrilling. He was sexy and trouble. You never knew what his real motives were but he always kept things interesting and Alyssa was able to be a different person with him. I loved how he could get under everyone’s skin. He was just my favorite!
Overall, the cover is gorgeous, I loved how each chapter had a beautiful design, and the writing was great. Everything was described so well. I really felt like I was watching everything unfold. While I read I felt like I was watching a movie in my head and I just couldn’t get enough of it. The Wonderland that A.G. Howard created was phenomenal. I love how she made it dark and twisted while also explaining why its not the Wonderland everyone else has read about. There were so many twists and turns which had me asking so many questions throughout the story. I was dying to know how everything would end. There was just a lot to think about and I was never 100% convinced with anybodies motives. Everything was tied together nicely though and although I can’t say I am totally happy with the ending (have to admit I am torn) I was still satisfied. I just loved it and although the book was over I just wasn’t ready for it to end. I wanted more and more. I am so happy I got to read A.G. Howard’s debut novel and I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next.
When I first heard about this book I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. The summary made it sound like it would be an amazing book and that is exactly what I got. I absolutely loved it. As soon as I finished it I just wanted to read it again. Thankfully I got to read Splintered on my nook but I absolutely need to go buy the physical copy. I need that cover on my shelf! Isn’t it pretty?
Alyssa can hear bugs. They whisper to her. She knows it’s not normal, and it is one of the reasons her own mother lives in a mental hospital, so she hides it and silences the whispers by turning these bugs into art. She fears she is also going insane just like her mother so she keeps the whispers to herself. Everybody already knows that she is related to Alice, Lewis Carroll’s inspiration for Alice In Wonderland, and they already don’t let her forget it so she keeps the real reasons for her mothers treatment a secret from everyone, including her best friend Jeb. As the whispers continue Alyssa starts to dig into her families past and tries to find answers. Then things get worse with her mother and Alyssa knows she needs to do something to save her mother and herself from their families curse. Alyssa begins to think that maybe the curse is real and she decides to take the plunge, find the rabbit hole, and find a way to get her mom back home.
I felt really bad for Alyssa having to live with wondering whether she was going to end up in an asylum like her mother. Alyssa has a scarred childhood that she doesn’t fully remember and that she doesn’t like to talk about but she still loves her mother and hates to see how much her dad misses her. It was sad when Alyssa would talk about her father and how he tried to hide how much it hurt him that her mom wasn’t with them but she could see it anyway. I also felt bad because, although it was understandable, her dad held her so close and everyone else made decisions for her. Her father and Jeb never really let her decide and do things on her own. She was sick of it and I would have been too. Mostly though it takes guts to decide to search for something you don’t really know exists and go through a journey with no idea how it will end. She didn’t really know what she was doing, people kept secrets from her, others pushed her to do what they thought she should do and she had to learn pretty much everything along the way but she kept going and didn’t give up. I loved reading about her finding herself/who she is and sticking up for herself more.
One of the people, besides her dad, always making decisions for her is Jeb. Alyssa has known Jeb for years. He’s her best friend and old time crush but his new girlfriend Taelor and the fact that he makes decisions with Alyssa’s dad for her has pushed them apart slowly. His girlfriend is a bitch who is horrible to Alyssa but he can’t see it and Alyssa gets annoyed with how much he watches out for her. She thinks he acts too much like her older brother and doesn’t see her the way she wished he did. They aren’t as close as they used to be but somehow when Alyssa goes down to Wonderland Jeb is right there with her. Although, it annoyed me that he didn’t trust Alyssa to make all her own decisions I did still like Jeb. He was also an artist with a troubled childhood who had fears of following his fathers footsteps. The connection that those two had was so obvious but of course they both were in denial. I have to say Jeb was a bit pesky but he was also always there for Alyssa and I did like him.
I liked Jeb but I loved Morpheus! He also has a strong connection with Alyssa, one she doesn’t completely understand but knows its there. She is drawn to him which she finds annoying but also thrilling. He was sexy and trouble. You never knew what his real motives were but he always kept things interesting and Alyssa was able to be a different person with him. I loved how he could get under everyone’s skin. He was just my favorite!
Overall, the cover is gorgeous, I loved how each chapter had a beautiful design, and the writing was great. Everything was described so well. I really felt like I was watching everything unfold. While I read I felt like I was watching a movie in my head and I just couldn’t get enough of it. The Wonderland that A.G. Howard created was phenomenal. I love how she made it dark and twisted while also explaining why its not the Wonderland everyone else has read about. There were so many twists and turns which had me asking so many questions throughout the story. I was dying to know how everything would end. There was just a lot to think about and I was never 100% convinced with anybodies motives. Everything was tied together nicely though and although I can’t say I am totally happy with the ending (have to admit I am torn) I was still satisfied. I just loved it and although the book was over I just wasn’t ready for it to end. I wanted more and more. I am so happy I got to read A.G. Howard’s debut novel and I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next.