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amandas_reading_nook's Reviews (371)
As far as college/sports romances go, I thought this was a pretty good one! The chemistry between the main characters was definitely there. I loved the dynamic between them and thought they had A+ banter. I also loved all of the other hockey boys and their friendships.
I did feel that the book was a little long, and the pacing dragged in the middle a bit, but overall, I really enjoyed it, and I'm excited to continue the series!
I did feel that the book was a little long, and the pacing dragged in the middle a bit, but overall, I really enjoyed it, and I'm excited to continue the series!
This is one of the most beautifully written memoirs I've ever read. The author's love for her community, her family, and the men whose lives she's memorialized within these pages is evident in every single word. It was absolutely heartbreaking to read about everything that the author has endured, but I think this is such an important book that everyone should read.
Sarah Pinborough is a master at writing a book that keeps me guessing until the very end. I thought I knew exactly what the plot was going to be once spooky stuff started happening in the house, and I was partially right, but there were parts that I could have never guessed, and I was very wrong about the ending. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, though I thought the pacing was a little bit off, which surprised me considering how short it is.
I would recommend listening to the audiobook, as I thought the narrator did a great job bringing all the suspense and scary scenes to life.
I would recommend listening to the audiobook, as I thought the narrator did a great job bringing all the suspense and scary scenes to life.
I'm not normally one for mafia romances, but I had so much fun reading this book!
Loren and Callahan were born into opposing mob families- Callahan the heir to the Keane family business, and Loren the daughter of the right hand to the Bianchi boss. They dated in secret as teenagers until one fateful morning changed everything. Loren has spent the last eleven years avoiding the man she once loved, but when her brother goes missing after being sent on a surveillance mission into Keane territory, she knows that Callahan is the only person who can help her find him. Callahan agrees to help, but only if she marries him.
I absolutely ate up Loren and Callahan's story! Even though this romance was darker than what I normally go for, I was very into Callahan's character and how possessive he was. If you're looking for a book with "get your hands off my wife" vibes, look no further! I also liked how strong Loren's character was. It was fun to read an FMC who didn't shy away from danger and was more than capable of defending herself. And, of course, I love a second-chance romance, especially when the characters never stopped yearning for each other. I know that this is planned to be an interconnected standalone series, and I am very much looking forward to book two!
My only real criticism of this book is that even though it is action-packed, I felt it was missing some bigger reactions from the characters in some of the pivotal moments. There are multiple instances of lying and betrayal, and I was ready for big emotional scenes with all the delicious (verbal) fighting, heartache, and angst, and they never really came. The characters had more internal reactions versus external, which is fine, it was just different from what I was expecting.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it if you are a fan of:
- second-chance romance
- marriage of convenience
- "my wife"
- star-crossed lovers
- secret tattoos
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Loren and Callahan were born into opposing mob families- Callahan the heir to the Keane family business, and Loren the daughter of the right hand to the Bianchi boss. They dated in secret as teenagers until one fateful morning changed everything. Loren has spent the last eleven years avoiding the man she once loved, but when her brother goes missing after being sent on a surveillance mission into Keane territory, she knows that Callahan is the only person who can help her find him. Callahan agrees to help, but only if she marries him.
I absolutely ate up Loren and Callahan's story! Even though this romance was darker than what I normally go for, I was very into Callahan's character and how possessive he was. If you're looking for a book with "get your hands off my wife" vibes, look no further! I also liked how strong Loren's character was. It was fun to read an FMC who didn't shy away from danger and was more than capable of defending herself. And, of course, I love a second-chance romance, especially when the characters never stopped yearning for each other. I know that this is planned to be an interconnected standalone series, and I am very much looking forward to book two!
My only real criticism of this book is that even though it is action-packed, I felt it was missing some bigger reactions from the characters in some of the pivotal moments. There are multiple instances of lying and betrayal, and I was ready for big emotional scenes with all the delicious (verbal) fighting, heartache, and angst, and they never really came. The characters had more internal reactions versus external, which is fine, it was just different from what I was expecting.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it if you are a fan of:
- second-chance romance
- marriage of convenience
- "my wife"
- star-crossed lovers
- secret tattoos
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I applaud the author for her raw and vulnerable account of her experiences with adoption and being a single black mother. I thought this was very well-written, and I liked how she included a few interviews with other single, black adoptive mothers. It was nice to end with some different perspectives.
Unfortunately, this book did not have the same magic as The Woman in Cabin 10 for me. I just found the plot to be too slow-paced and extremely predictable. I felt like I knew exactly what was going to happen before the murder even occurred (and I was right). That being said, I still enjoyed Ruth Ware's writing. Her descriptions and Lo's character were the only things that kept me chugging along instead of DNFing.
I'm not sure what I thought this book was about, but it definitely wasn't an FMC intent on tracking down a bounty hunter to enact her revenge on him, but somehow gets sidetracked by a romance plotline. Honestly, this book felt like a 500-page prologue, as I feel like the real meat of the plot will be in the next one. To be clear, I freaking loved this book. The world that the author created is beautiful, full of lush imagery and a unique magic system. And of course, the romance was top-tier as well. At no point did I feel like I knew where the plot was going, and there were several moments that surprised me.
I am very much looking forward to the next book!
I am very much looking forward to the next book!
Bravo, Holly Jackson, bravo!
Our FMC, Jet, is attacked in her home on Halloween night. She wakes up in the hospital a few days later and learns that she has a bone fragment in her brain that will cause an aneurysm to form, and it will happen quickly. So she can undergo a risky surgery to have it removed and almost certainly die on the table, or she can forgo the operation, leaving her with about a week to live. Jet ultimately decides that if she has the guarantee of some time, then she's going to take it and use it to solve her own murder.
Even though this book is Jackson's first adult thriller, it still has all of my favorite elements from her YA thrillers. An FMC who is strong and kind of a badass? Check. An MMC who is kind, unquestioningly supportive, and down for all of the FMC's unhinged schemes? Check. A thrilling plot with multiple twists and turns? Check. And most importantly- a furry friend who is the best boy? You better believe it.
I loved Jet's character and how her outlook on life shaped this book. At 27 she's still figuring out what she wants to do with her life, only reassured by the fact that she still has time to leave her mark on the world. So when that time is suddenly taken away from her, she has all the motivation to see this through. Throw in the fact that her impending demise means her actions have little consequence, and we are left with a character who's not going to let anything stop her from getting what she wants. I was a little caught off guard by how many emotional scenes there were, but maybe I should have expected it, considering Jet is having to face her own mortality.
If I were rating this book on vibes alone, it would be 5 stars, no question. The characters, the pacing, the suspense, and the tension- it was all top-tier. There were just a few loose ends that I wish had been tied up more neatly. As Jet is digging to find a reason why someone would want to attack her, she naturally uncovers a bunch of secrets, and some of them just get tossed to the wayside when I feel like they should have had more consequences.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and if you've been a fan of Holly Jackson's other novels, I think you will too!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Our FMC, Jet, is attacked in her home on Halloween night. She wakes up in the hospital a few days later and learns that she has a bone fragment in her brain that will cause an aneurysm to form, and it will happen quickly. So she can undergo a risky surgery to have it removed and almost certainly die on the table, or she can forgo the operation, leaving her with about a week to live. Jet ultimately decides that if she has the guarantee of some time, then she's going to take it and use it to solve her own murder.
Even though this book is Jackson's first adult thriller, it still has all of my favorite elements from her YA thrillers. An FMC who is strong and kind of a badass? Check. An MMC who is kind, unquestioningly supportive, and down for all of the FMC's unhinged schemes? Check. A thrilling plot with multiple twists and turns? Check. And most importantly- a furry friend who is the best boy? You better believe it.
I loved Jet's character and how her outlook on life shaped this book. At 27 she's still figuring out what she wants to do with her life, only reassured by the fact that she still has time to leave her mark on the world. So when that time is suddenly taken away from her, she has all the motivation to see this through. Throw in the fact that her impending demise means her actions have little consequence, and we are left with a character who's not going to let anything stop her from getting what she wants. I was a little caught off guard by how many emotional scenes there were, but maybe I should have expected it, considering Jet is having to face her own mortality.
If I were rating this book on vibes alone, it would be 5 stars, no question. The characters, the pacing, the suspense, and the tension- it was all top-tier. There were just a few loose ends that I wish had been tied up more neatly. As Jet is digging to find a reason why someone would want to attack her, she naturally uncovers a bunch of secrets, and some of them just get tossed to the wayside when I feel like they should have had more consequences.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and if you've been a fan of Holly Jackson's other novels, I think you will too!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I thought the author did a beautiful job of writing a compelling love story with one of the most unique plots I've read this year. There were multiple revelations in the ending that I did not see coming. I especially liked the little glimpses into Evelyn and Arden's past lives and felt that the author did a good job nailing all of the different time periods.
I picked this book up hoping for something funny and lighthearted and got something a lot more emotional instead, haha. But that's on me for not reading the synopsis. In general, I liked this book. Was it a little cheesy? Sure. But that's exactly what I would expect from a book titled Kilt Trip. I did enjoy the romance and Addie's journey through her mom's pictures, but I honestly wish we had spent more time on her relationship with her dad. I felt like that was just thrown in there at the end, and it could have made Addie a more well-rounded character.