azieyosabor's reviews
114 reviews

I Hope This Doesn't Find You by Ann Liang

emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

♾️ stars, actually.

THE END?? I’VE HIT THE END? 😭 I CAN’T OMDS I’LL DIE, I NEED MORE. SADIE & JULIUS ARE SO CUTE 🥹, I LOVE THIS BOOK 💓💘. AND WOW, I'M SPEECHLESS 😵‍💫😵‍💫

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

adventurous emotional funny mysterious slow-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? N/A

3.0

okay, the struggle is real with this rating. it's not the worst, but it dragged on, man! i felt like i was stuck in this book forever. i was legit scared of falling into a reading slump because of it.

jacks, though. if it was all about him, 5 stars, no doubt. but nope, we got evangeline.

i was underwhelmed, and this didn't hit my expectations. thought it'd be 5 stars, given the immense hype. still fun, gonna keep reading the series, with lower expectations this time.

feeling kinda out of place giving this 3 stars when everyone's going 5 stars. oops, sorry, not sorry.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

challenging inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

This Is My America by Kim Johnson

challenging emotional inspiring mysterious reflective fast-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

5.0

this is my america had me on an emotional rollercoaster right from the first chapter. seriously, i need everyone to read this; it should be a high school staple. the story hits you with all the feels—anger, sadness, the whole shebang. it's like a gut-punch, but in a way that makes you sit up and pay attention. kim johnson is not holding back punches, and that's what makes this book so freaking amazing.

the book talks about family values, facing intense racism, growing up with an incarcerated parent, and tackling issues of privilege and influence. it's a must-read for young adults and teens, especially in emphasizing the significance of black lives matter. the narrative sheds light on the unjust accusations and imprisonments of black men who don't get a fair shake in court. the plot, with its betrayal, secrets, and suspense, had me hooked – couldn't put the book down or shift my focus elsewhere.

trust me, you gotta get your hands on this one. it's more than a book; it's a conversation we all need to be having

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

emotional funny lighthearted 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? N/A

4.0

the wedding date is EVERYTHING! i was cracking up with every page turn—funny? check. the romance? oh, so sweet. the meet-cute? adorable, especially that elevator scene had me grinning like an idiot the entire time. likable characters? BIG FAT CHECK! seriously, this book was so good to me.

so, drew needs a plus one for his ex's wedding, and a power outage throws him together with alexa. what starts as a fake date turns into a whole weekend of fun in san francisco. long-distance dating drama ensues, and you're left wondering if they'll make it work. it’s a rollercoaster.

the writing? loved it! first time in jasmine guillory's world, and i want more. easy, casual language—a breath of fresh air after all those intense fantasy reads.

alexa monroe (fmc): she's amazing! smart, funny, relatable anxieties—just an all-around wonderful character. loved how she never let anyone put her down. strong woman vibes all the way.

drew nichols (mmc): at first, he gave off player vibes, but once you get to know him, he's surprisingly sweet. not perfect, but he owns up to his mistakes. the way he talks about alexa had me swooning left and right. super cute guy with beautiful character development.

now their relationship, banter? cute. chemistry? off the charts. watching their love bloom? amazing. their interracial relationship is beautifully portrayed, and the way they handle issues, grow together—so heartwarming. not always perfect, but they communicated and accepted differences. also, they eat CONSTANTLY, but hey, it's kinda hilarious.

special mention to drew's hilarious best friend, carlos! seriously, this book wouldn't be the same without him. i need a book just about carlos, he's gold. someone tell him i'm single!

overall, finished in a day, invested in alexa and drew's love story. predictable but so much fun. if you're into elevator meet-cutes and fake relationships turning real, this is your jam.

”i’m so glad i got stuck in that elevator with you,” she said. “me, too.”

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

lighthearted slow-paced

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

2.0

First things first, it's marketed as a rom-com, but it felt more like a com-com—lots of laughs, but where's the rom? 🤷‍♀️ Abby nailed the comedy, but the romance had me rolling my eyes more than falling in love.

Abby's writing is good, no doubt. Unique style, easy to get into, but this book? It could've definitely been a short story. Dragged out, repetitive, especially with Alexis and her “we can't be together” mantra. Got a bit boring, gotta be real.

Alexis (FMC): Ugh, Alexis was a mess, seriously. Can’t believe she’s 37. So unreasonable, dumb, and a huge pushover. Controlled the relationship, did whatever she wanted, never cared about Daniel’s feelings. I get she had issues, emotionally abused by every man in her life, but that doesn’t justify hurting sweet Angel Daniel. Hated how awful she was to him. She doesn’t deserve Daniel.

But wait, it gets worse. 400 pages of “I can’t fall in love with you,” “You can’t be my boyfriend,” “I love you, but I don’t see a future with you.” Seriously, girl, your twin brother ditched the life your parents planned; why can’t you?! Letting her father run her whole life at almost 40? Girl, bffr?

And don’t even get me started on her treating a full-grown 28 year old man like a child needing to change his diapers. Oh, and the worst part? This 37-year-old woman can deliver a baby but can’t sweep a damn floor or peel potatoes? Come on, she can’t be that clueless. Damsel in distress level is off the charts.

Daniel (MMC): is the ultimate cinnamon roll. He treats Alexis so well, even when she doesn’t deserve it at all. Daniel is just too perfect, maybe a tad forced – felt like he’s the kind of guy written by a woman for women: flawless, no mistakes, no faults, no will of his own. Still, I really loved him; he’s hands down my favorite character in this book. I admire him, and he deserves the world – a world without Alexis in it. Such a sweet guy. The two stars I gave this book? Well, they’re basically for him and him only, the sole saving grace of this book.

Now, I wasn’t convinced by their love either. It was truly meh. Where's the tension, the pining? There was Just Insta-lust, maybe insta-love, because they went from liking each other to full-blown love in the blink of an eye. Zero communication, and the chemistry? Non-existent. Good sex and comfy friendship, that's about it.

Overall, if you're into cheesy romances that skip the emotional depth, give it a whirl. Not really my cup of tea, but I might give the second book a shot. Fingers crossed Abby's characters don't drive me up the wall again.

XOXO by Axie Oh

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

3 stars !! ★

𓍢 ִ ໋ “will we ever have a moment like this again? but none of that matters. i push it all to the back of my mind. because tonight, the world is ours.”

it's like a rollercoaster of cheesy, cringe, and fun vibes, and honestly, i had a blast reading it.

➛ the plot. so, jenny, the award-winning cellist, usually chooses practice over fun. but then she meets jaewoo – mysterious, handsome, and a bit tormented. they spend an unforgettable night in la before he heads back to south korea. fast forward, jenny and her mom move to seoul, and guess who she finds at her new arts academy? yup, jaewoo. plot twist: jaewoo is a member of a massive k-pop band. now, dating him could jeopardize jenny's dream music school and everything jaewoo's worked for. tough choices ahead for the sake of love.

➛ the writing. at first, i thought it was just okay, but then i started noticing it's a bit on the cheesy side. like, it felt a bit wattpad-ish, you know? but hey, even with those quirks, i still enjoyed the heck out of it.

꒰🎻⌗ jenny. she's kind of like a y/n character, you know, where all the cute guys are drawn to her. her journey wasn’t easy at all, she worked hard, and i'm glad she got her happy ending.

𓍢 ִ ໋ ”i'm saying, people do strange things to protect their hearts. but when you're afraid, your heart is closed, and it's never the right time, but when your heart is open, and you're willing to be brave enough to take a chance, the time is always right.

꒰🎤⌗ jaewoo. total anchor material. responsible, cautious, and down-to-earth. he's like the guy you want to have around, and he reminded me of chan from stray kids, shouldering all that responsibility.

𓍢 ִ ໋ ”i meant to tell you earlier," he says with one last devastating smile, even though i just broke his heart and mine,"you were beautiful tonight.”

╰┈➤ jenny and jaewoo. okay, so it's an instalove rollercoaster. i'm more of a slow-burn fan, so the quick kisses had me like 🤨. also, it felt more like jaewoo's story than jenny's. but hey, they were cute, if not a tad cheesy.

𓍢 ִ ໋ ”you're stubborn and loyal and good, and when you love, you love with your whole heart”

꒰❤️‍🩹⌗ sori and nathaniel. move over main couple, because these two stole the show for me. sori's like a pineapple – prickly outside, soft inside. nathaniel? hilarious and accepting from day one. seriously, everyone needs a nathaniel in their friend group.

𓍢 ִ ໋ “in a heartbeat. even after the scandal, even after the accusations and the heartbreak and the pain. he was my first love. i wouldn’t give that up for the world.”

꒰👭⌗ angela and gitaek. total lovelies. their dynamic? so darn special! just wish there were more scenes of them and jenny.

𓍢 ִ ໋ “i don’t have to agree to a secret friendship, not when i have people in my corner willing to be my friend, like angela and gitaek”

➛ overall. k-pop fan or not, this book's a cute, wholesome read. it grazes over some darker k-pop stuff but keeps it light and fun. totally recommend it. and i'm diving into sori and nathaniel's book asap. can't wait!

Snowed in on Valentine's Day by Alana Highbury

funny lighthearted fast-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? No

3.25

3.25 stars!! 💘

hazel and peter start off at a wedding and, to be honest, they're not hitting it off. peter's good-looking but has a resting grump face, and hazel's trying to crack that hard exterior 😭.

guess what? peter ends up being her new neighbor, and despite hazel trying to be all friendly, he's still in grump mode 😅. then, unexpectedly, snowstorm hits, and hazel's forced to shack up with peter. classic setup, right? but, surprise surprise, they start bonding 👀

at first, i was frustrated with these two 😣. grumpy guys and persistent girls, you know the type. but they both come around, realizing there's more to each other than meets the eye. it's a closed-door romance, which means it's not spilling all the steamy details but still gets cozy 🤭

now, my only gripe is, it's a valentine's book, right? so, i expected more v-day stuff. but nope, it's mostly about two people snowed in until valentine's day with a sprinkle of holiday vibes 😕. could've used a bit more heart-shaped chocolate or something 😅

overall, though, it's a quick, cute, and cozy read. perfect for a chill day or when you're in the mood for some low-key romance. give it a shot if you're up for that! 💘

All This Twisted Glory by Tahereh Mafi

adventurous emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

5 stars !! ★

— light spoilers included.

𓍢 ִ ໋ “god, he’d wanted her. he’d wanted her with an all-consuming thirst, with the desperation of a man waiting to die.”

omg, all this twisted glory just put me through the feels! 🥹💘 cyrus being the most devastatingly adorable simp for alizeh? sign me up for that ride 🤭. easy 5 stars, no doubt. but let's talk real talk, i NEED the next book like yesterday. (seriously, 2025? i can't.)

➛ the plot. so, the plot, or lack thereof. not gonna lie, not much real plot in this one 😅. it's like the calm before the storm, building up for the big climax in the next books. but honestly, i don't even care. watching cyrus be a devastating simp was enough to satisfy my book cravings. i'm super satisfied and happy 😋🤷🏾‍♀️

➛ the writing. a whole vibe. magic with words, i tell you. the suspense, the pacing (frustratingly good/bad), the romance—she writes it like no other 😫. her books are masterpieces, and i'm here for all of them! confusing beginning? sure. boring at first? maybe. but when that pacing picks up, hold on tight because it's a wild ride 🤪

꒰🧊⌗ alizeh. my girl, my love 💘. she's grown so much, and i can't wait for her power journey 👀. though, i felt she took a bit of a back seat in this one. i get it;

she was in a magical coma for a month after an accident.

still devoured the crumbs we got of her and excited to see more in the next books! 🤭

𓍢 ִ ໋ “you can’t lie to me forever, cyrus. i’m going to find out the truth about you, and when i do, i promise you this: i’ll ruin him. i’ll make the devil regret the day he was born.”

꒰🔥⌗ cyrus. oh boy. angel this, angel that. i can't help it; he's got me on my knees 🧎🏾‍♀️. desperately pathetic? yes, please. his chapters were my favorite. the man morphs into shakespeare when talking about alizeh, and it’s everything 🥹😅. a chef's kiss. i love him. words can't do justice to how much i adore cyrus. he's my fave, deserves the world! 💘

𓍢 ִ ໋ “she’d been, from the first moment she’d wandered into his dreams, an enduring flame in the endless night, his only haven in the madness that inhaled him.”

╰┈➤ alizeh and cyrus. "cyrus?" "yes, angel?" the nickname? iconic. fire and ice, they're the whole package. even with minimal interaction, tahereh mafi created insane chemistry and banter 😋. the yearning? painful and heart-wrenching in the best way 😣. and can we talk about the steaminess? chapter fourteen? crazy 🤭. i'm giggling just thinking about it. team alizehcyrus forever! 💘

𓍢 ִ ໋ “angel,” he breathed. “my angel.”

꒰👑 ⌗ kamran.  i'm sorry, but he needs to leave 😭. tolerable, but no comparison to cyrus. time to go back and rule your kingdom, man.

𓍢 ִ ໋ “marry me after we’ve buried him, and we might bring together two of the greatest empires on earth. together we would be an indomitable force.”

꒰⚔️ ⌗ hazan. a sweetheart 🥹. major big brother vibes, protective and extremely funny. i love it, especially when he curses 🤭. (it's weird, but this book series isn’t really doing any good for my mental health.)

𓍢 ִ ໋ “for her,” hazan corrected. “without hesitation.”

꒰👗 ⌗ huda. sweet and carefree. the sunshine everyone needs in their group 🥹💘. loud but welcoming, childish in the best way, and probably believes in unicorns 😅.

𓍢 ִ ໋ “what are friends for, if not to kill your enemies?”

꒰🔪⌗ omid and deen. they were there, not leaving a big impression, but not disliked either 🤔. omid's dramatic ass was funny, and deen seemed nice 💓

𓍢 ִ ໋ “you was always a queen to me, miss.”

➛ overall. i'd die for cyrus. the angst is real. the found family? precious 🥹. the bickering? elite 😂. the plot's building up, and i'm ready for action in the next book 😋. thoroughly enjoyed. love this series and can't stop recommending it! 🤷🏾‍♀️💘

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6097076231 | find my review on goodreads, too! <3

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong

adventurous dark emotional tense fast-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? No

4.75

shakespeare wishes he could've written this masterpiece. chloe gong slayed it. this duology? a must-read 😋💞