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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
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
Sammy Espinoza's Last Review is Tehlor Kay Mejia's adult contemporary debut. It features a small town setting, a second chance romance, a cast of queer characters, a Latinx lead, and witty banter.
I went into this book with no expectations. I read Tehlor's previous book, Lucha of the Night Forest, and did not really like it. I'm so happy I gave this author a second chance because I ended up ADORING Sammy Ezpinoza's Last Review.
Sammy's life is being held together at the seams. She's a people pleaser with a complicated relationship with her mom. Her girlfriend recently broke up with her and she is on the verge of losing her job. As a last ditch effort to save her job, Sammy returns to the small town in Washington where her parents fell in love to interview an ex-flame now rockstar. Here Sammy is thrown into an emotional rollercoaster as she learns how to navigate new and old relationships while finding answers to questions she's held all her life.
Sammy is at times unlikeable. She is flawed and continues to make mistakes throughout the book.
I personally really connected with Sammy's character specially with her complicated relationship with her mother and her attempt to have a deeper connection with her Mexican heritage. She's also learning how to live her life how she wants rather than by what is expected of her.
The tone of the book ranges from light-hearted and witty to emotional and sad.
TW: death of a loved one
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House/Ballantine for an eARC of this book.
I went into this book with no expectations. I read Tehlor's previous book, Lucha of the Night Forest, and did not really like it. I'm so happy I gave this author a second chance because I ended up ADORING Sammy Ezpinoza's Last Review.
Sammy's life is being held together at the seams. She's a people pleaser with a complicated relationship with her mom. Her girlfriend recently broke up with her and she is on the verge of losing her job. As a last ditch effort to save her job, Sammy returns to the small town in Washington where her parents fell in love to interview an ex-flame now rockstar. Here Sammy is thrown into an emotional rollercoaster as she learns how to navigate new and old relationships while finding answers to questions she's held all her life.
Sammy is at times unlikeable. She is flawed and continues to make mistakes throughout the book.
I personally really connected with Sammy's character specially with her complicated relationship with her mother and her attempt to have a deeper connection with her Mexican heritage. She's also learning how to live her life how she wants rather than by what is expected of her.
The tone of the book ranges from light-hearted and witty to emotional and sad.
TW: death of a loved one
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House/Ballantine for an eARC of this book.
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
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
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
Sammy Espinoza’s life is a mess. An attempt to win back her singer ex-girlfriend exploded in her face. The fallout resulted in her being on probation with the threat of her editor pulling her column unless she could redeem herself. And Sammy does plan on redeeming herself. She had just discovered that Max Ryan, a former rockstar and former one-night stand who ghosted her, might be recording his first solo album. If she can get an interview and an inside scoop about his music, she will be redeemed and forgiven. But Max lives in Ridley Falls, Washington, and Sammy doesn’t want to go back. That would mean facing her estranged family and getting answers to questions that she has had for a long time.
When I read the blurb for Sammy Espinoza (I am shortening the title for this review), I knew I wanted to read it. I have a soft spot for damaged heroines, and I love to read about what caused the damage. I decided to wish on it since it wasn’t available on Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine’s NetGalley page. When I got the email that the publisher granted my wish, I was pretty pleased. This book has stuck around in my mind since I had wished for it. And guess what? I am glad that I read this book.
Sammy Espinoza is a fast-paced book set in the fictional town of Ridley Falls, Washington. The pacing for this book was perfect for it. I had no issue following the storyline, and there were zero times I had to backtrack. There was a tiny bit of lag in the middle of the book when Sammy was floating around Ridley Falls, but that didn’t disrupt my reading experience.
I will warn you; you will need Kleenex while reading this book. You will cry because the storyline will have you in emotional knots. Sammy’s issues constitute a significant part of the storyline. It was painful to read in portions (her mother had me seeing red) and, in other parts, joyful and hopeful.
I didn’t like Sammy at the beginning of the book. She was a hot mess. Her character was selfish, childish, and had a massive chip on her shoulder. After cementing that in my head, the author then went on to show the Sammy behind all of that. The real Sammy was insecure, scarred by her childhood, and desperately wanted to be loved. Then that Sammy slowly (it was painful to read at times) morphed into the Sammy I loved. She was a self-confident woman who was happy and surrounded herself with a family she chose.
I wasn’t too sure what to think about Max. He seemed like such a nice guy, but something was also tortured about him. I figured it was part of his act until he saw Sammy after he ghosted her. Then, a side of Max that I didn’t even think existed emerged. I sympathized with him and didn’t blame him for doing what he did after Sammy told him about what she wanted to do.
The secondary characters were the backbone of this book. Sammy had a fantastic friends with Willa and Brooke. Brooke made me laugh. She was blunt and didn’t deal with Sammy’s (or Willa’s) BS. Willa’s parents were characters. And Sammy’s grandmother was just fantastic.
The storyline involving Sammy, her mother, and her father’s side of the family was heartbreaking and infuriating. I got so mad for Sammy as the storyline went on, and it slowly revealed what a jerk and how self-centered her mother was. There was a scene with Willa’s mother and one with Sammy’s grandmother that broke my heart. Sammy’s issues (well, a good part of them) could have been resolved if her mother had done the right thing. I won’t get into that storyline anymore because there will be spoilers.
The storyline involving Sammy, Max, and the article made me irritated. Sammy should have been upfront with Max about why she came to Ridley Falls. But, at the same time, Max should have been upfront with Sammy about his issues and past. But it doesn’t excuse him for just jetting on her. Especially when something very significant happened, and she was left alone.
The end of Sammy Espinonza was perfect. It also gave me one of my favorite quotes, “Three Queers and a Baby.” I did get a giggle out of that. I also liked how hopeful the last chapter was. It made me happy for Sammy and her crew.
I would recommend Sammy Espinoza’s Last Review to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and sexual situations.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell, NetGalley, and Tehlor Kay Mejia for allowing me to read and review Sammy Espinozia’s Last Review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
emotional
reflective
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
Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.
This one is for all the music lovers. Sammy's life starts as a bit of a wreck with her losing her romance and then her career all at once. She has one last chance to save her career writing reviews of musicians: return to Ridley Falls, Washington and preview Max Ryan's rumored new album. The former rock star has been reclusive for years, but he is supposedly working on a comeback solo album.
Strangely, I loved this book despite not especially loving the main characters. Sammy brought most of her problems on herself and keeps digging the hole deeper. And, in part because we only see him through her perspective, Max comes off as rather obnoxious and self-centered.
But there's so much about how they come together and learn to trust and love that is simply gorgeous. And I also really enjoyed the queer representation and the hint of magic in the form of Maeve's tarot readings for Sammy. This book really shows a love of music that even imbues the metaphors and prose. And the themes around found family and how we come to understand love and trust are so powerful.
Victoria Villarreal narrated beautifully. I especially appreciated an audio format for this book.
This one is for all the music lovers. Sammy's life starts as a bit of a wreck with her losing her romance and then her career all at once. She has one last chance to save her career writing reviews of musicians: return to Ridley Falls, Washington and preview Max Ryan's rumored new album. The former rock star has been reclusive for years, but he is supposedly working on a comeback solo album.
Strangely, I loved this book despite not especially loving the main characters. Sammy brought most of her problems on herself and keeps digging the hole deeper. And, in part because we only see him through her perspective, Max comes off as rather obnoxious and self-centered.
But there's so much about how they come together and learn to trust and love that is simply gorgeous. And I also really enjoyed the queer representation and the hint of magic in the form of Maeve's tarot readings for Sammy. This book really shows a love of music that even imbues the metaphors and prose. And the themes around found family and how we come to understand love and trust are so powerful.
Victoria Villarreal narrated beautifully. I especially appreciated an audio format for this book.
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher for review.
I really need to stop requesting Lit Fic books. they always make me so...sad. That being said, I think this one is worth the read. You get a woman on the verge of losing her job get one last chance to redeem herself by basically finding the one guy who she spent one amazing night with, then got ghosted by 10 years prior and writing an article about why he fell off the face of the planet. Along the way Sammy finds herself through meeting the grandmother she never met/was led to believe didn't want her, figures out what she wants from life, and honestly does more healing without a therapist than with.
So overall, I think this book does what it sets out to. we get the second chance romance (kind of), the main character reconnecting with her chosen family and some blood relatives too, and the chance for Sammy to really lay into her deadbeat mother. Here's my issue though, nothing really kept this on my mind enough for me to absolutely fall head over heels for the story, leaving me just feeling very "meh" about it. Like if this kind of healing journey is your thing, you'll definitely enjoy it, but for me it's very YA almost (and I know this is the author's adult debut, but she does come from YA). I do wish in the end, Sammy's chosen family was one member larger, but it's paramount that the thing happens so the ending can happen and I get why, but like I cried when that thing happened.
I really need to stop requesting Lit Fic books. they always make me so...sad. That being said, I think this one is worth the read. You get a woman on the verge of losing her job get one last chance to redeem herself by basically finding the one guy who she spent one amazing night with, then got ghosted by 10 years prior and writing an article about why he fell off the face of the planet. Along the way Sammy finds herself through meeting the grandmother she never met/was led to believe didn't want her, figures out what she wants from life, and honestly does more healing without a therapist than with.
So overall, I think this book does what it sets out to. we get the second chance romance (kind of), the main character reconnecting with her chosen family and some blood relatives too, and the chance for Sammy to really lay into her deadbeat mother. Here's my issue though, nothing really kept this on my mind enough for me to absolutely fall head over heels for the story, leaving me just feeling very "meh" about it. Like if this kind of healing journey is your thing, you'll definitely enjoy it, but for me it's very YA almost (and I know this is the author's adult debut, but she does come from YA). I do wish in the end, Sammy's chosen family was one member larger, but it's paramount that the thing happens so the ending can happen and I get why, but like I cried when that thing happened.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Abandonment
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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