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_chrstnlvly's reviews
216 reviews
Love Redesigned by Lauren Asher
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Booktok and Booktube saying that this is the best Lauren Asher book so far is a lie. I only read this because it is the book pick of the month for one of my Fable book clubs.
The only positive I had was the cameo of the characters from the Dreamland Billionaire series, but other than that, it gave me nothing.
The pranks Julian and Dahlia pull on each other are very childish, considering they are both 30-year-olds. As for the dialogue, some parts were too cringey, but I can admit that Julian had his moments when he made me swoon. As for the spice, I mostly skimmed them since I thought there were too many for a Lauren Asher book. At one point, I just got exhausted from the spicy scenes and was rolling my eyes.
The pacing was so off, and I'm facing the same issue as with Final Offer: it was longer than necessary. It was so long for no reason. It could have been 200 pages shorter, and the plot would not suffer. I didn't mind the numerous banter between the main characters because I understand that authors need the tension to make readers root for the couple. However, the constant reminder of how they had a falling out 10 years ago started to get annoying (as if it wasn't mentioned enough). It made me dread picking up this book and reading it because of how repetitive it was.
“Romance books don't need to be this long,” that's what we keep on saying. Please, listen to us.
The only positive I had was the cameo of the characters from the Dreamland Billionaire series, but other than that, it gave me nothing.
The pranks Julian and Dahlia pull on each other are very childish, considering they are both 30-year-olds. As for the dialogue, some parts were too cringey, but I can admit that Julian had his moments when he made me swoon. As for the spice, I mostly skimmed them since I thought there were too many for a Lauren Asher book. At one point, I just got exhausted from the spicy scenes and was rolling my eyes.
The pacing was so off, and I'm facing the same issue as with Final Offer: it was longer than necessary. It was so long for no reason. It could have been 200 pages shorter, and the plot would not suffer. I didn't mind the numerous banter between the main characters because I understand that authors need the tension to make readers root for the couple. However, the constant reminder of how they had a falling out 10 years ago started to get annoying (as if it wasn't mentioned enough). It made me dread picking up this book and reading it because of how repetitive it was.
“Romance books don't need to be this long,” that's what we keep on saying. Please, listen to us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Mental illness, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman
Backman, as always, knows how to tap into human emotions and explore humanity. What I appreciate most about his writing is his ability to take a simple truth and delve into it to the extent that it prompts a different perspective, making us recognize the significance of that truth. Kudos to Backman (and the translator!) for always knowing how to articulate the essence of humanity.
I enjoyed reading "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry" (in my opinion, Backman can do no wrong). However, I did notice one flaw that bothered me a little: Elsa, who is almost 8 years old, sometimes seemed unusually mature for her age. The only thing that reminded me that she is still a child was her fascination with the Land-of-Almost-Awake. If it weren't for her interest in this imaginary world, she would come across as someone in her teens who simply enjoys escaping reality by creating a different world in her mind.
However, this book reminded me that being different is not wrong. You should not allow society to bring you down simply because you are different.
As with any of Backman's books, he once again reminded me of the importance of kindness. It serves as a reminder that we never truly know the struggles and experiences that others are going through. We should always keep in mind that even the people we may dislike have their own challenges and reasons for behaving the way they do.
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
4.0
Death's greatest power is not that it can make people die, but that it can make people want to stop living.
Backman, as always, knows how to tap into human emotions and explore humanity. What I appreciate most about his writing is his ability to take a simple truth and delve into it to the extent that it prompts a different perspective, making us recognize the significance of that truth. Kudos to Backman (and the translator!) for always knowing how to articulate the essence of humanity.
I enjoyed reading "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry" (in my opinion, Backman can do no wrong). However, I did notice one flaw that bothered me a little: Elsa, who is almost 8 years old, sometimes seemed unusually mature for her age. The only thing that reminded me that she is still a child was her fascination with the Land-of-Almost-Awake. If it weren't for her interest in this imaginary world, she would come across as someone in her teens who simply enjoys escaping reality by creating a different world in her mind.
However, this book reminded me that being different is not wrong. You should not allow society to bring you down simply because you are different.
As with any of Backman's books, he once again reminded me of the importance of kindness. It serves as a reminder that we never truly know the struggles and experiences that others are going through. We should always keep in mind that even the people we may dislike have their own challenges and reasons for behaving the way they do.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Alcoholism, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Infidelity, Car accident, and Death of parent
The Goal by Elle Kennedy
I never really thought someone would top Garrett as one of my book boyfriends… until I read The Goal. There's something about sweet men and Tucker was the sweetest. As for Sabrina, I related to her not because of her family issues, but because of her drive and strength. Both MCs are much more lovable to me than the others, that's why The Goal made it to my top 1.
If it weren't for Garrett, I wouldn't place The Deal in the second spot. In my opinion, he saved that book. Garrett will always be one of my favorite book boyfriends. I felt that Hannah's character was a bit forced. Her overly cheerful personality seemed like she was trying too hard to be that type of girl.
As for The Mistake and The Score, they were just average for me (The Score was forgettable).
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Now that I have finished the Off-Campus series (I still have yet to read The Legacy, but we all know that it's the epilogue book), I can now rank the books.
- The Goal
- The Deal
- The Mistake
- The Score
I never really thought someone would top Garrett as one of my book boyfriends… until I read The Goal. There's something about sweet men and Tucker was the sweetest. As for Sabrina, I related to her not because of her family issues, but because of her drive and strength. Both MCs are much more lovable to me than the others, that's why The Goal made it to my top 1.
If it weren't for Garrett, I wouldn't place The Deal in the second spot. In my opinion, he saved that book. Garrett will always be one of my favorite book boyfriends. I felt that Hannah's character was a bit forced. Her overly cheerful personality seemed like she was trying too hard to be that type of girl.
As for The Mistake and The Score, they were just average for me (The Score was forgettable).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Pregnancy
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Drug use, Misogyny, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Aside from Noah occasionally being irritating due to his judgmental nature, this was good.
Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa
emotional
reflective
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? No
5.0
I finished this AN HOUR before Christmas, and I was bawling my eyes out. I have so many thoughts I think I need a blog post about it. This book was simple but beautiful.
Set the Record Straight by Hannah Bonam-Young
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
2.0
It's a sapphic Christmas novella. Despite being only 142 pages, it took me a week to finish because it lacked interest. It didn't offer anything special or new.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing and Homophobia
Minor: Infidelity
The Score by Elle Kennedy
As always, Garrett will always be the best Off-campus boyfriend for me.
funny
lighthearted
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? Yes
3.0
It was fine.
As always, Garrett will always be the best Off-campus boyfriend for me.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros
Iron Flame is more action-packed than Fourth Wing. So many things happened that by the time I finished reading, I'm not sure if I only read one book or three.
It was upsetting for some readers, but I enjoyed the fact that Xaden was absent most of the time. It gave Violet the opportunity to explore and discover things in her own way. It also allowed her to become independent and not rely on Xaden for protection or guidance on how to become stronger. Instead, she relied on herself and her squad. Yes, she made some questionable decisions because Xaden was not there interfering with her plans, but at least she learned from them.
However, I do agree that Iron Flame needed more editing. It felt rushed to get published without at least two more rounds of editing. There were chapters that I found slow. I didn't get the same hook as Fourth Wing, where the pacing was good. I had a bit of a problem with Iron Flame's pacing. One minute, everything is happening so fast, and the next minute, it feels like I'm dragging myself through the reading just to make some progress.
adventurous
emotional
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
4.0
“You must save yourself,” Tairn demands. “I chose you not as my next, but as my last, and should you fall, then I will follow.”
Iron Flame is more action-packed than Fourth Wing. So many things happened that by the time I finished reading, I'm not sure if I only read one book or three.
It was upsetting for some readers, but I enjoyed the fact that Xaden was absent most of the time. It gave Violet the opportunity to explore and discover things in her own way. It also allowed her to become independent and not rely on Xaden for protection or guidance on how to become stronger. Instead, she relied on herself and her squad. Yes, she made some questionable decisions because Xaden was not there interfering with her plans, but at least she learned from them.
However, I do agree that Iron Flame needed more editing. It felt rushed to get published without at least two more rounds of editing. There were chapters that I found slow. I didn't get the same hook as Fourth Wing, where the pacing was good. I had a bit of a problem with Iron Flame's pacing. One minute, everything is happening so fast, and the next minute, it feels like I'm dragging myself through the reading just to make some progress.
The Fall of Bradley Reed by Morgan Elizabeth
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
Morgan Elizabeth is my go-to romance author, similar to Freida McFadden for thrillers, when I want to read something that is quick, easy to understand, and enjoyable.