ashleyreads88's reviews
681 reviews

The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Elle Kennedy does it again with another great hockey romance.  I loved Gigi and Ryder as individual characters and as a couple.  I loved how even though Gigi's last name is Graham, she rarely used it to get things.  The development of Gigi and Ryder's relationship was great, and I loved how they helped each other.  Even though it took a while

it was nice when Ryder finally opened up to Gigi about his past.  I did not see the surprise Vegas wedding coming but thought it was a great twist.

  It was nice to see Garrett and Hannah as parents, and how they

navigated Gigi and Ryder being married, even though it took Garrett a while to wrap his head around it, the dynamic was entertaining.

  I loved the ending but wish there was an epilogue and bonus epilogue.

Medea by Euripides

challenging dark emotional fast-paced

Medea is a tragic play where we see

Medea get revenge on her husband Jason by killing their children.  The play does not have a happy ending.

  Medea was beautifully written, and I'm happy that I read it.

Rabbit: The Autobiography of Ms. Pat by Jeannine Amber, Patricia Williams

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

At times Rabbit was tough to read because it tackled tough topics.  Rabbit was honest, and the perfect blend of humor and seriousness.  As a privileged White woman, I loved reading what it was like for a Black Woman growing up in America.  I love reading stories, and first-hand accounts of these experiences outside of my own, they are some of the most important stories.  I'm glad I finally read this book.

Up All Night: 13 Stories Between Sunset and Sunrise by Laura Silverman

adventurous emotional lighthearted medium-paced

I loved these stories and how diverse they were.  There was a great mix of stories with humor and seriousness.  The stories taking place between sunset and sunrise were a unique and fun twist.

Whiteout by Nicola Yoon, Dhonielle Clayton, Ashley Woodfolk, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas

emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

Whiteout takes place during the Atlanta Whiteout, it's essentially a love story.  I loved all the characters and how there were multiple stories that all connected. 

The ending was a happy one,

and I loved it.  I enjoyed reading all the stories.

The Mistake by Elle Kennedy

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

The Mistake is John Logan and Grace's story.  I loved how Logan and Grace met, it was cute.  There were times Logan was an idiot

(like how he ended things with Grace and had to do a lot of groveling to make up for it, which he does most adorably.)  Logan screws up again and does another cute thing to win Grace back.

  I loved how the book ended.

The Score by Elle Kennedy

lighthearted fast-paced

I loved this book.  Allie and Dean's story was great.  They were funny together from the first moment.  Also, Tequila is never a good idea,

it leads to things happening that Allie didn't want to happen like her hooking up with Dean who has a reputation as a playboy.

  I loved the development of Allie and Dean's relationship, I also loved how much

Dean learned to love volunteering with the kids' hockey team.

  I loved how the book ended, and how it set up the next book in the series.

The Goal by Elle Kennedy

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

The Goal starts with Sabrina and her trying to leave her not-so-great living situation to go to a dinner party, and then Malone's with her friends and meeting John Tucker (Tuck).

  The back-and-forth banter between Sabrina and Tuck is hilarious.  I loved how their relationship developed and

how they grew to love each other.  I also love how they grow as parents and how well they learn to balance everything, classes, raising Jaimie, and having social lives.

  I loved this book.

The Legacy by Elle Kennedy

lighthearted

The Legacy is a great extension of the Off-Campus series.  I loved getting to see what my favorite couples were up to, and how they've grown.  This was a fun one to read.

Medea by Eilish Quin

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Medea was heartbreaking.  Having been familiar with the original tragedy, I knew it would be.  I loved the relationship between Madea and her brother.  With this reimagining, Madea gets a different ending than the one Euripides gave her,

this story has a happy ending.

  I loved this beautifully written, fresh but still close to the original story.