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andthensarahread's reviews
101 reviews
Too Soon for Adiós by Annette Chavez Macias
Plot: 3.5
Engagement: 3.5
Characters: 3.5
Style: 4
Overall Rating: 3.63/5
Review: I'm groaning inwardly because I really *wanted* to like this book, I just didn't connect to it.
Billed as a "heartfelt novel about a woman who embarks on an emotional journey when she meets her biological father on the day of her mother’s funeral." It was more of a weird will-they-wont-they romance with a random guy (Mayor Baseball Cap) from the town this woman ends up in while trying to get money from the sale of a great grandmother's home (who the character never met) while ignoring her estranged father. Gabby would rather go on this crazy journey (intending not to get to know her bio father at all and willfully mistreating him) than accept the monetary help of her Auntie. There's also a lot of weirdness with the side characters. The Aunties are judgy and occasionally morally iffy. Why is Mayor Baseball Cap a Mayor and Doctor and Handyman? Convenience? The neighbor is...caring or a witch or her best friend? Chef Dean...did this scene need to exist in the book?
I will say that I appreciated the history and traditions and those few moments of family that were included.
At the core, the problem was I didn't love Gabby. She was negative and off-putting. Granted she had some hardships in her life, but her attitude towards everyone was rude and entitled for a good chunk of the book. Because of this, I didn't connect with the character emotionally and wasn't invested in the outcome.
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Plot: 3.5
Engagement: 3.5
Characters: 3.5
Style: 4
Overall Rating: 3.63/5
Review: I'm groaning inwardly because I really *wanted* to like this book, I just didn't connect to it.
Billed as a "heartfelt novel about a woman who embarks on an emotional journey when she meets her biological father on the day of her mother’s funeral." It was more of a weird will-they-wont-they romance with a random guy (Mayor Baseball Cap) from the town this woman ends up in while trying to get money from the sale of a great grandmother's home (who the character never met) while ignoring her estranged father. Gabby would rather go on this crazy journey (intending not to get to know her bio father at all and willfully mistreating him) than accept the monetary help of her Auntie. There's also a lot of weirdness with the side characters. The Aunties are judgy and occasionally morally iffy. Why is Mayor Baseball Cap a Mayor and Doctor and Handyman? Convenience? The neighbor is...caring or a witch or her best friend? Chef Dean...did this scene need to exist in the book?
I will say that I appreciated the history and traditions and those few moments of family that were included.
At the core, the problem was I didn't love Gabby. She was negative and off-putting. Granted she had some hardships in her life, but her attitude towards everyone was rude and entitled for a good chunk of the book. Because of this, I didn't connect with the character emotionally and wasn't invested in the outcome.
Billionaire Boss by Olivia Hayle
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
I was fortunate enough to ARC read Olivia Hayle's "How To Honeymoon Alone" (highly recommend!) and joined her newsletter. Rewarded with this short sweet little smut story that was very enjoyable!! I'll be reading whatever other Billionaire Boss books she's written! Haha! Thanks Olivia!!
My Book Boyfriend by Kathy Strobos
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Plot: 4
Engagement: 4.25
Characters: 4.5
Style: 4.25
Overall Rating: 4.25/5
Review: I received an advanced review copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a pretty short, quick, easy read that had a lot of classic tropes and feel good moments. Lily is a librarian who helps run a beloved community garden. Rupert is a businessman/property developer whose company bought the land the garden occupies. It's a straightforward story involving the conflict between two people who like each other, but are on opposite sides of a conflict. It's somewhat enemies to lovers, but also Lily and Rupert are both pretty great and don't hate each other per se.
There was some added conflict with Rupert's family dynamics, Lily's father and the loss of her mother, and the Aiden storyline. I thought Rupert's family drama was definitely central to the story and gave a strong reason why he wasn't all in with Lily. I didn't feel that Lily's family dynamic added much to the story, though. And Aiden just sucked haha.
Overall, would recommend, especially if you're looking for a not too heavy, sweet, quick read. Read if you like: rom com, enemies to lovers, clean/closed door romance
Engagement: 4.25
Characters: 4.5
Style: 4.25
Overall Rating: 4.25/5
Review: I received an advanced review copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a pretty short, quick, easy read that had a lot of classic tropes and feel good moments. Lily is a librarian who helps run a beloved community garden. Rupert is a businessman/property developer whose company bought the land the garden occupies. It's a straightforward story involving the conflict between two people who like each other, but are on opposite sides of a conflict. It's somewhat enemies to lovers, but also Lily and Rupert are both pretty great and don't hate each other per se.
There was some added conflict with Rupert's family dynamics, Lily's father and the loss of her mother, and the Aiden storyline. I thought Rupert's family drama was definitely central to the story and gave a strong reason why he wasn't all in with Lily. I didn't feel that Lily's family dynamic added much to the story, though. And Aiden just sucked haha.
Overall, would recommend, especially if you're looking for a not too heavy, sweet, quick read. Read if you like: rom com, enemies to lovers, clean/closed door romance
Barbarian Alien by Ruby Dixon
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Plot: 4.5
Engagement: 5
Characters: 4.5
Style: 5
Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Review: I initially read Ice Planet Barbarians (the first in the series) and thought it was so entertaining! This is the second book in the series and follows Liz (one of the other abducted girls). Liz was probably one of my favorite characters in the initial book. I love her strength, feistiness, and cleverness.
I didn't love this book as much as the first. It's slightly more towards the Stockholm syndrome side and less instalove. I do appreciate that Liz eventually could see the good in Raahosh and that they stuck by each other, but the initial abduction and pushiness was awkward at times.
You kind of have to take these books for what they are: Comedic and crazy sci fi smut. They are short quick reads, with lots of spice and actually some romance, too.
Engagement: 5
Characters: 4.5
Style: 5
Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Review: I initially read Ice Planet Barbarians (the first in the series) and thought it was so entertaining! This is the second book in the series and follows Liz (one of the other abducted girls). Liz was probably one of my favorite characters in the initial book. I love her strength, feistiness, and cleverness.
I didn't love this book as much as the first. It's slightly more towards the Stockholm syndrome side and less instalove. I do appreciate that Liz eventually could see the good in Raahosh and that they stuck by each other, but the initial abduction and pushiness was awkward at times.
You kind of have to take these books for what they are: Comedic and crazy sci fi smut. They are short quick reads, with lots of spice and actually some romance, too.
Root of Time and Treasure by
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Plot: 4.25
Engagement: 4.5
Characters: 4.5
Style: 4.24
Overall Rating: 4.38/5
Review: I received an advanced review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a very quick and simple read, not a full novel length, but well written and interesting. There's a time loop that our FMC (Adeline) cannot seem to escape that is tied to the MMC (Christopher). We see Adeline trying her best to figure out how to solve the issue and break the time loop. Is she a witch? We're not sure, but she certainly has some sort of gift. The characters are cute and sweet (I love Joey). There's also an underlying plot with a little bit of history given that leads into the further books in the series. I'm curious to see if these characters also play a role in the upcoming stories.
There's some flirting and a hookup in this book, but overall it's pretty low on the spice scale.
Fun, quick read. Recommended if you like: fantasy/magic, mystery, low steam.
Engagement: 4.5
Characters: 4.5
Style: 4.24
Overall Rating: 4.38/5
Review: I received an advanced review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a very quick and simple read, not a full novel length, but well written and interesting. There's a time loop that our FMC (Adeline) cannot seem to escape that is tied to the MMC (Christopher). We see Adeline trying her best to figure out how to solve the issue and break the time loop. Is she a witch? We're not sure, but she certainly has some sort of gift. The characters are cute and sweet (I love Joey). There's also an underlying plot with a little bit of history given that leads into the further books in the series. I'm curious to see if these characters also play a role in the upcoming stories.
There's some flirting and a hookup in this book, but overall it's pretty low on the spice scale.
Fun, quick read. Recommended if you like: fantasy/magic, mystery, low steam.
Every Dark Shadow by Sarah Zimm
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Plot: 4.5
Engagement: 4.75
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.63/5
Review: I received an advanced review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I absolutely loved this book and can't wait for the next one. I almost hate that I read it as an ARC because now I have to wait!! Haha
This is a fantasy book with magic, adventure, and mystery. It's got some elements of romance with a few love interests, but is not spicy and would be appropriate for those who aren't into open door spice romantasy.
The plot is full of mystery and adventure. You learn pretty quickly that Ophelia is being passed around between worlds and times to each of her three magies (who are her "keepers") to keep her safe from the Gray King. You are at least partially in the dark regarding exactly why she's so important though, especially at the beginning, which helps build the mystery since Ophelia has her memory erased as well to keep her safe.
Rune, Falcon, and Hart are varied and interesting as her keepers. I kept going back and forth between who I like the best! I think I'm Team Rune at this point. I also liked the multiple POVs so you can see what each character is thinking/feeling and get a sense of their motivations.
The world building is good, but not complicated, which is nice. This was a relatively quick read. Again, I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. Hoping we don't have to wait too long!
Recommended if you like: fantasy, magic, multiple love interests/clean romance, and adventure/save the world type books.
Engagement: 4.75
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.63/5
Review: I received an advanced review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I absolutely loved this book and can't wait for the next one. I almost hate that I read it as an ARC because now I have to wait!! Haha
This is a fantasy book with magic, adventure, and mystery. It's got some elements of romance with a few love interests, but is not spicy and would be appropriate for those who aren't into open door spice romantasy.
The plot is full of mystery and adventure. You learn pretty quickly that Ophelia is being passed around between worlds and times to each of her three magies (who are her "keepers") to keep her safe from the Gray King. You are at least partially in the dark regarding exactly why she's so important though, especially at the beginning, which helps build the mystery since Ophelia has her memory erased as well to keep her safe.
Rune, Falcon, and Hart are varied and interesting as her keepers. I kept going back and forth between who I like the best! I think I'm Team Rune at this point. I also liked the multiple POVs so you can see what each character is thinking/feeling and get a sense of their motivations.
The world building is good, but not complicated, which is nice. This was a relatively quick read. Again, I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. Hoping we don't have to wait too long!
Recommended if you like: fantasy, magic, multiple love interests/clean romance, and adventure/save the world type books.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Plot: 5
Engagement: 5
Characters: 5
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.88/5
Review: Well I just got done sobbing my eyes out, but also what a brilliant story! A small cafe has the ability to send customers back in time. There are rules, however, that generally tend to discourage people from trying, even if they actually believe it's possible. One of the big rules is that you only have until just before the coffee they pour you gets cold before you have to return to the present. This is a multi-perspective story that largely takes place over the course of a fairly short period of time, but you learn a lot about the characters quickly. The characters are either the cafe employees or a few customers (some wanting to travel and others you'll have to read to get to know). This story really hit me in the feels and I loved it. Highly recommend!
Engagement: 5
Characters: 5
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.88/5
Review: Well I just got done sobbing my eyes out, but also what a brilliant story! A small cafe has the ability to send customers back in time. There are rules, however, that generally tend to discourage people from trying, even if they actually believe it's possible. One of the big rules is that you only have until just before the coffee they pour you gets cold before you have to return to the present. This is a multi-perspective story that largely takes place over the course of a fairly short period of time, but you learn a lot about the characters quickly. The characters are either the cafe employees or a few customers (some wanting to travel and others you'll have to read to get to know). This story really hit me in the feels and I loved it. Highly recommend!
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Plot: 5
Engagement: 5
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.81/5
Review: Well I absolutely loved To All The Boys, so I had a feeling I'd enjoy this too. I was correct. I never got to go to a beach house every summer growing up haha, but the book does a wonderful job of evoking the nostalgia of youth. I could definitely relate to the unrequited first love story.
The side stories of the parents, their marriages, and the mothers' relationship with each other was very heartfelt and relatable as well. I love that Beck has this close relationship with Belly, but also tries to show her that her mother loves her deeply, just shows it differently.
Conrad and Jeremiah are multifaceted characters that I ended up having a real soft spot for. Glad this is a series. Looking forward to the next book and watching the show afterwards as well.
Great summer read!
Engagement: 5
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.81/5
Review: Well I absolutely loved To All The Boys, so I had a feeling I'd enjoy this too. I was correct. I never got to go to a beach house every summer growing up haha, but the book does a wonderful job of evoking the nostalgia of youth. I could definitely relate to the unrequited first love story.
The side stories of the parents, their marriages, and the mothers' relationship with each other was very heartfelt and relatable as well. I love that Beck has this close relationship with Belly, but also tries to show her that her mother loves her deeply, just shows it differently.
Conrad and Jeremiah are multifaceted characters that I ended up having a real soft spot for. Glad this is a series. Looking forward to the next book and watching the show afterwards as well.
Great summer read!
Neverscape: Bewilderness Book Three by Kevin Cox
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Plot: 4.5
Engagement: 4.75
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.63/5
Review: Third book in the Bewilderness series takes you on a wild ride. I've said it before, the author is an imaginative writer and the descriptions are extremely detailed. This is not light reading, but if you like great world building, you'll love this series.
At the start of this one, we're firmly in The Hollow and it definitely had a different feel than the first two books.
I loved learning more about The Hollow and the end game as well as seeing more of fighting back against the Nulthereals. I was on the edge of my seat at a couple of the battles.
It's hard to give too much detail in a review without ruining some of the surprises, but I will say I loved to see some characters show up again in book three. I can't wait to see what book four has in store. Hoping for some more reunions!!
Engagement: 4.75
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.63/5
Review: Third book in the Bewilderness series takes you on a wild ride. I've said it before, the author is an imaginative writer and the descriptions are extremely detailed. This is not light reading, but if you like great world building, you'll love this series.
At the start of this one, we're firmly in The Hollow and it definitely had a different feel than the first two books.
I loved learning more about The Hollow and the end game as well as seeing more of fighting back against the Nulthereals. I was on the edge of my seat at a couple of the battles.
It's hard to give too much detail in a review without ruining some of the surprises, but I will say I loved to see some characters show up again in book three. I can't wait to see what book four has in store. Hoping for some more reunions!!
The Threat Below by J.S. Latshaw
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Plot: 4.5
Engagement: 4.75
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.63/5
Review: I was finally able to read this book that's been in my TBR for a bit, and WOW that was an exciting, unique, & emotional story!! I'm so excited to see that the next book is on KU, because it really left me wanting to know what happens next!
At first, I wasn't sure where the story was going to go and the mystery of the ThreatBelows was very vague, but once the journey Down Below got going, I couldn't wait to learn more. The backstory is wild! The author has beautiful world building abilities and the descriptions really painted a picture in my mind. I'll say there are a few things that I'm really interested to see if they're revisited in book 2.
Faves: Icelyn's growth, Istoch and his relationship with Marjan, the backstory of Amperous & Omathis and their relationship, and just TORRAIN (wha?? Yes I was shocked, prob my favorite character in the end).
Really enjoyed this one!
Engagement: 4.75
Characters: 4.75
Style: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.63/5
Review: I was finally able to read this book that's been in my TBR for a bit, and WOW that was an exciting, unique, & emotional story!! I'm so excited to see that the next book is on KU, because it really left me wanting to know what happens next!
At first, I wasn't sure where the story was going to go and the mystery of the ThreatBelows was very vague, but once the journey Down Below got going, I couldn't wait to learn more. The backstory is wild! The author has beautiful world building abilities and the descriptions really painted a picture in my mind. I'll say there are a few things that I'm really interested to see if they're revisited in book 2.
Faves: Icelyn's growth, Istoch and his relationship with Marjan, the backstory of Amperous & Omathis and their relationship, and just TORRAIN (wha?? Yes I was shocked, prob my favorite character in the end).
Really enjoyed this one!