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bizarrebrunette's reviews
19 reviews
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
5.0
3/29/25 - Re-read. How dare I rate this four stars? This book was as good as when I read it the first time several years ago. Michael is OBSESSED with Stella, and I was here for it. This is one of my favorite romance books I have read.
It's February! I decided to start reading more romance novels despite the fact that Valentine's Day has come and gone. I have heard nothing but good things from this book and I saw it at Barnes & Noble and thought why not? This was very close to being a five-star read for me. It was a really great romance novel.
Stella Lane is a successful econometrist who makes a six-figure salary. Her work drives her routine. She was diagnosed with Asperger's and she struggles with socializing, loud noises and sex..? She claims she's bad at sex and relationships, so she hires a male escort named Michael Phan to help her get better at sex. Similarily to Pretty Woman, they fall in love although they both come from two different backgrounds, can they make it work?
I loved Stella's Aspergers and the way it's written. I have a best friend I grew up with and she has Aspergers. I read this book, keeping her in the back of my mind. This portrayal felt authentic without being too on the nose and being filled with offensive stereotypes. One of the themes seen in this book is how Stella introduces Michael to her parents and how they react. Her father reacts negatively as he feels Stella needs a man who will take care of her. Her mother, on the other hand, knows Stella is fiercely independent and how she doesn't need a man to take care of her, but to love her exactly who she is It goes to show how Asperger's isn't a debilitating syndrome, but more a different way to see the world.
As I read more reviews, some readers had problems with sex in the book. I personally didn't because I think it shows how people on the autism spectrum are still sexual people. The sex to me enhanced the book because it showed how Stella was becoming more in tune with her body and what she wanted. The sex had a big meaning for Stella's character development. Plus it was hot to read :)
This was a solid read. It was one of my favorite romance novels I have ever read. I usually don't like reading romance because of the "cheesy" portions within the book, but this didn't give me that vibe. I highly recommend this book.
It's February! I decided to start reading more romance novels despite the fact that Valentine's Day has come and gone. I have heard nothing but good things from this book and I saw it at Barnes & Noble and thought why not? This was very close to being a five-star read for me. It was a really great romance novel.
Stella Lane is a successful econometrist who makes a six-figure salary. Her work drives her routine. She was diagnosed with Asperger's and she struggles with socializing, loud noises and sex..? She claims she's bad at sex and relationships, so she hires a male escort named Michael Phan to help her get better at sex. Similarily to Pretty Woman, they fall in love although they both come from two different backgrounds, can they make it work?
I loved Stella's Aspergers and the way it's written. I have a best friend I grew up with and she has Aspergers. I read this book, keeping her in the back of my mind. This portrayal felt authentic without being too on the nose and being filled with offensive stereotypes. One of the themes seen in this book is how Stella introduces Michael to her parents and how they react. Her father
As I read more reviews, some readers had problems with sex in the book. I personally didn't because I think it shows how people on the autism spectrum are still sexual people. The sex to me enhanced the book because it showed how Stella was becoming more in tune with her body and what she wanted. The sex had a big meaning for Stella's character development. Plus it was hot to read :)
This was a solid read. It was one of my favorite romance novels I have ever read. I usually don't like reading romance because of the "cheesy" portions within the book, but this didn't give me that vibe. I highly recommend this book.
Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 stars
Helen Brandt sold her soul to a demon and it changed her life forever. Her brother cuts her off and the magical organization she was training under banishes her. Helen pushes through and has established her own PI business. Helen is called to a crime scene of the latest "White City Vampire" victim, a serial killer taunting Chicago. Helen's deal comes back to haunt her and to get her soul back, she must reveal the identity of the killer.
I loved this! Helen is the Sapphic Harry Dresden. I liked reading about this magical society, how Helen became a part of it, and all the magical abilities and skills she has access to. I liked her relationship with Edith and how Helen would do anything to be with her. Including re-selling her soul to a demon to bring Edith back to life even though she just got her soul back. I wish this book was the first in a series because I felt there was so much lore that it's a shame to see that this is a standalone book.
I will say, this is not the book I thought it would be. I thought it would be focused on vampires (hence The White City Vampire) and Helen using magical rituals to catch a serial killer. Halfway through the book, this book took a different direction. The killer was an angel (not a demon or a human) who was putting powers in humans and was caught. God kicked him out of heaven and the angel longed to go back. To go back to heaven, a rift would have to be opened, so the angel was using other human beings to kill people who sold their souls to demons to open this rift. This is very much an "angels vs. demons" story which is fine, but not why I had wanted to read this It's not that it was bad, but it wasn't what I was expecting. It kept me on my toes as Helen unraveled everything piece by piece. There was one other thing that bothered me, but I will hide with spoiler tags Helen seeing her friend at the asylum and realizing she's there for her homosexuality and DOING NOTHING ABOUT IT. I thought it was so odd. Helen recognizes her and then is like "Well off to the next thing". I would have loved an epilogue where Helen goes back and poses as her family member and gets her out. It was odd to mention it in the book and never go back to it again.
This was an interesting read, too bad it's only a standalone. I think this could have easily worked as a series.
Helen Brandt sold her soul to a demon and it changed her life forever. Her brother cuts her off and the magical organization she was training under banishes her. Helen pushes through and has established her own PI business. Helen is called to a crime scene of the latest "White City Vampire" victim, a serial killer taunting Chicago. Helen's deal comes back to haunt her and to get her soul back, she must reveal the identity of the killer.
I loved this! Helen is the Sapphic Harry Dresden. I liked reading about this magical society, how Helen became a part of it, and all the magical abilities and skills she has access to. I liked her relationship with Edith and how Helen would do anything to be with her.
I will say, this is not the book I thought it would be. I thought it would be focused on vampires (hence The White City Vampire) and Helen using magical rituals to catch a serial killer. Halfway through the book, this book took a different direction.
This was an interesting read, too bad it's only a standalone. I think this could have easily worked as a series.
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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? Yes
3.0
3 stars
Washington D.C. 1954. Briarwood House will have new energy when Grace March moves in. Grace has a way of getting the other residents to open up and they have developed a close friendship. Four years later, detectives are at Briarwood House investigating two murders. Who was responsible and what secrets have been revealed in the house?
I loved reading the stories from all the residents. The ones that stood out to me were Nora Nora escaping an abusive relationship and facing the wrath of her family, particularly her brother. Xavier, a man with criminal ties murders the man who hurt Nora. Nora leaves Xavier because she doesn't want to be associated with him. and Fliss Fliss gives up her nursing career and raises her and Dan's daughter, Angela. Fliss felt like a bad mom because motherhood was so much harder than she thought it would be. Having stress from having a second baby Dan seemed so excited about it. Although, all the stories were compelling in different ways. I liked how even the side characters felt important to the story even though they didn't get their chapters , Harland, working at the FBI and being involved with Bea, a woman so opposite to him. Harland also ended up sleeping with Grace, but Bea was kind of off on her own. Xavier trying to win Nora back. Joe. Pete and Lina learn so much from the other women. Lina entered a baking competition. I thought the epilogue tied everything together as far as where the characters went with their lives.
The twist in this book was really interesting. Grace is revealed to be a Russian Spy. She defected after not wanting to serve her country and fled to D.C. where she found the Briarwood house on a whim. The murders were Grace's fake Russian spy husband and Sydney's abusive husband who Arlene murdered because she thought he was a communist. I liked how Kate Quinn at the back of the book wrote about the historical implications of this and where the idea for this book came from.
While I loved the story, I HATED how this book was structured. There were no chapter breaks, each character's perspective was 75 - 100 pages. It would have been so easy to include chapter breaks. I hate books with long chapters, it makes the book feel much longer than it should be. If this is how all Kate Quinn's books are structured, then I'm one and done. I was close to DNFing this book because of how long it took me to get into it. Once I read Nora's story, I was hooked, but it took a bit.
I liked The Briar Club, but I can't with the long chapters.
Washington D.C. 1954. Briarwood House will have new energy when Grace March moves in. Grace has a way of getting the other residents to open up and they have developed a close friendship. Four years later, detectives are at Briarwood House investigating two murders. Who was responsible and what secrets have been revealed in the house?
I loved reading the stories from all the residents. The ones that stood out to me were Nora
The twist in this book was really interesting.
While I loved the story, I HATED how this book was structured. There were no chapter breaks, each character's perspective was 75 - 100 pages. It would have been so easy to include chapter breaks. I hate books with long chapters, it makes the book feel much longer than it should be. If this is how all Kate Quinn's books are structured, then I'm one and done. I was close to DNFing this book because of how long it took me to get into it. Once I read Nora's story, I was hooked, but it took a bit.
I liked The Briar Club, but I can't with the long chapters.
Heroine by Mindy McGinnis
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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
Unrated
CW: Addiction, drug use.
Mickey Catalan is a high school athlete who was injured in a car accident. To help alleviate her pain, she is prescribed OxyContin. Mickey takes Oxy as prescribed, but is in such pain, that she starts to rely on it to get her through. After meeting a woman who says she can help her, Mickey buys Oxy regularly. Heroine is the realistic and horrifying descent of Mickey's addiction.
This book was a heavy and emotional book to read. I felt for Mickey because being an athlete was her identity. Without being able to play, I think that loss combined with Oxy is what led Mickey to become an addict. While this is a story about addiction, there's so much going on that plays into Mickey's story. Her friendship with Josie, how Mickey met her dealer, and all the pressure she faces being a young girl finishing school. As I listened to this, I felt bad for Mickey because she was struggling and had a lot on her plate.
The drug dealer! Horrible. She would get these kids addicted to drugs and then coax them into hanging out with her. It was sick. The drug dealer (Eds) blames Mickey for Josie's overdose. That was unfair and it's gross to see a grown adult take advantage of a child Mickey telling Patrick that everyone is dead and he's like "well call me when you need something". I think that helped Mickey realize that she was in deep shit
I am leaving this book unrated for now. I want to be clear, this is a well-written book. However, I never want to re-read this book ever again. I'm so glad I read it, but man, I need something light-hearted after this.
CW: Addiction, drug use.
Mickey Catalan is a high school athlete who was injured in a car accident. To help alleviate her pain, she is prescribed OxyContin. Mickey takes Oxy as prescribed, but is in such pain, that she starts to rely on it to get her through. After meeting a woman who says she can help her, Mickey buys Oxy regularly. Heroine is the realistic and horrifying descent of Mickey's addiction.
This book was a heavy and emotional book to read. I felt for Mickey because being an athlete was her identity. Without being able to play, I think that loss combined with Oxy is what led Mickey to become an addict. While this is a story about addiction, there's so much going on that plays into Mickey's story. Her friendship with Josie, how Mickey met her dealer, and all the pressure she faces being a young girl finishing school. As I listened to this, I felt bad for Mickey because she was struggling and had a lot on her plate.
I am leaving this book unrated for now. I want to be clear, this is a well-written book. However, I never want to re-read this book ever again. I'm so glad I read it, but man, I need something light-hearted after this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Drug use
Moderate: Vomit
The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson
lighthearted
relaxing
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? Yes
4.5
4.5 stars
CW: Suicide (not described in detail by any means, but still discussed in the book).
Daphne Brink had just signed her divorce papers when she found herself at a Battery baseball game. After having a few beers, she decides it's a great idea to heckle / insult Battery player, Chris Kepler after he doesn't have the best game. Chris looks at her in the crowd and he's photographed crying after the incident. Daphne feels guilty and DMs Chris on social media except she leaves out the part that she was the heckler. Daphne starts to get to know Chris on an intimate level and she starts to fall for him. There is no way this is going to come back to haunt her.
I am not a catfishing fan when it's in romance. However, this book might be the exception. Catfishing in romance can be quite literally romanticized and I didn't feel this way while reading this book. Once Chris finds out Daphne lied, he LETS HER HAVE IT. I don't think Daphne was a bad person or that she was above doing this to someone. She is written as someone who reached out innocently and then the lie was built. She felt she was in too deep to say anything about it. It's not that Daphne's actions were right, but I felt the book did a great job at having characters in Daphne's life politely call her out for this, so it didn't romanticize catfishing.
When I started this book, I felt the interactions Daphne and Chris had were stale. Chris came off as really awkward during their exchanges and he had to grow on me. When I found out more about Chris and what he was going through, I became more of a fan of him. (view spoiler) By the end of the book, I believed Daphne and Chris were meant to be together.
Besides the romance, I liked how baseball was the backdrop for the book. There were several teams mentioned including Daphne and Chris traveling to Minnesota. I love baseball, so I thought it was fun to read how Chris and Daphne were traveling to different places within the US.
I have read several of Alicia Thompson's books and I will continue to do so. This was adorable.
CW: Suicide (not described in detail by any means, but still discussed in the book).
Daphne Brink had just signed her divorce papers when she found herself at a Battery baseball game. After having a few beers, she decides it's a great idea to heckle / insult Battery player, Chris Kepler after he doesn't have the best game. Chris looks at her in the crowd and he's photographed crying after the incident. Daphne feels guilty and DMs Chris on social media except she leaves out the part that she was the heckler. Daphne starts to get to know Chris on an intimate level and she starts to fall for him. There is no way this is going to come back to haunt her.
I am not a catfishing fan when it's in romance. However, this book might be the exception. Catfishing in romance can be quite literally romanticized and I didn't feel this way while reading this book. Once Chris finds out Daphne lied, he LETS HER HAVE IT. I don't think Daphne was a bad person or that she was above doing this to someone. She is written as someone who reached out innocently and then the lie was built. She felt she was in too deep to say anything about it. It's not that Daphne's actions were right, but I felt the book did a great job at having characters in Daphne's life politely call her out for this, so it didn't romanticize catfishing.
When I started this book, I felt the interactions Daphne and Chris had were stale. Chris came off as really awkward during their exchanges and he had to grow on me. When I found out more about Chris and what he was going through, I became more of a fan of him. (view spoiler) By the end of the book, I believed Daphne and Chris were meant to be together.
Besides the romance, I liked how baseball was the backdrop for the book. There were several teams mentioned including Daphne and Chris traveling to Minnesota. I love baseball, so I thought it was fun to read how Chris and Daphne were traveling to different places within the US.
I have read several of Alicia Thompson's books and I will continue to do so. This was adorable.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide
Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 14%.
DNF 15%
I'm not exactly sure what this book was going for. The female MC is an Occultist, but it feels more like she's a psychic who people think is a fraud. She kisses the male MC right away and their whole interaction feels forced. I read ahead and the intimate scenes were not for me.
The premise was interesting, but I did not like how this book played out.
I'm not exactly sure what this book was going for. The female MC is an Occultist, but it feels more like she's a psychic who people think is a fraud. She kisses the male MC right away and their whole interaction feels forced. I read ahead and the intimate scenes were not for me.
The premise was interesting, but I did not like how this book played out.
Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe
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? No
5.0
5 stars
Hallie Barrett is a producer for a popular website that produces short web series. After her relationship ends, she's left without a show to produce. After stumbling upon Hayden Hargrove's Cryptid Hunting docuseries, she asks Hayden to sign on and become the new show she's making. Hayden agrees but asks Hallie to step in as co-host. She's never been a co-host before especially because she's always been behind the camera. As Hallie starts to get to know Hayden, she realizes how great of a guy he is and while they may not find Bigfoot running around, she finds love instead.
This was ADORABLE. Hayden commits to the bit. He has a cat named Cthulhu, I'm obsessed. Hallie and Hayden were cute together and Hallie was THIRSTING over Hayden for a long time and I was here for it. As someone who has been to West Virginia to see Mothman, I liked how I recognized some places they both visited for their web series. I liked the setting; I kept thinking about how Skroll was like Dropout. That's what I pictured in my head which made the story better.
No notes, this book was exactly what I wanted it to be. I will have my eye out for the next book in this series.
Hallie Barrett is a producer for a popular website that produces short web series. After her relationship ends, she's left without a show to produce. After stumbling upon Hayden Hargrove's Cryptid Hunting docuseries, she asks Hayden to sign on and become the new show she's making. Hayden agrees but asks Hallie to step in as co-host. She's never been a co-host before especially because she's always been behind the camera. As Hallie starts to get to know Hayden, she realizes how great of a guy he is and while they may not find Bigfoot running around, she finds love instead.
This was ADORABLE. Hayden commits to the bit. He has a cat named Cthulhu, I'm obsessed. Hallie and Hayden were cute together and Hallie was THIRSTING over Hayden for a long time and I was here for it. As someone who has been to West Virginia to see Mothman, I liked how I recognized some places they both visited for their web series. I liked the setting; I kept thinking about how Skroll was like Dropout. That's what I pictured in my head which made the story better.
No notes, this book was exactly what I wanted it to be. I will have my eye out for the next book in this series.
A Thousand Miles by Bridget Morrissey
adventurous
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? No
5.0
5 stars
Dee Matthews is the cohost of the podcast "Did I Forget To Tell You" which is primarily an interview show. She speaks with friends and family and frequently talks about her experiences, often referring to one person specifically as "Redacted". Redacted is also known as Ben Porter, a science teacher who used to date Dee when they were in high school. While they dated, they buried a time capsule in Ben's grandma's backyard. Presently, Ben turns up at Dee's door asking her to come with him on a road trip to his grandma's house to dig up the capsule. Dee agrees to accompany him because it's not like anything would happen between them anyway. As the miles fly by, Ben and Dee quickly reignite their chemistry from all those years ago.
You know what, I loved this. I loved the road trip as it was the backdrop of the book. The places that Ben and Dee visited were places I have also visited, so I felt drawn to the book especially when they stopped in Nebraska. I liked the adventures Dee and Ben had as I felt it drew them closer together Dee getting food poisoning and Ben taking care of her. Finding Abe, the kitten. Getting kicked out of The Rockies game and being banned for life I found myself looking forward to the moments I could listen to this book. I recommend listening to the audiobook as I think it helped flesh out the story and made Dee's podcast stand out to me versus if I read the transcripts instead.
Ben is 10/10 a Golden Retriever. He's a science teacher, loves baseball, and is a cutie. He adores Dee and his laid-back personality goes well with Dee. Dee is the opposite, she's opinionated, flirty, and stubborn. Of the two, I felt Ben was more established and Dee was immature. I didn't mind that though since a core theme of the book was that Dee and Ben dated in high school. Throughout the book, I felt that Ben and Dee belonged together.
I'm rating this five stars because while this may not be a perfect book, I loved every moment of it. This is one of my favorite audiobooks I have listened to and part of me wants to buy a physical copy of this book to have on my bookshelf to read for the future.
Dee Matthews is the cohost of the podcast "Did I Forget To Tell You" which is primarily an interview show. She speaks with friends and family and frequently talks about her experiences, often referring to one person specifically as "Redacted". Redacted is also known as Ben Porter, a science teacher who used to date Dee when they were in high school. While they dated, they buried a time capsule in Ben's grandma's backyard. Presently, Ben turns up at Dee's door asking her to come with him on a road trip to his grandma's house to dig up the capsule. Dee agrees to accompany him because it's not like anything would happen between them anyway. As the miles fly by, Ben and Dee quickly reignite their chemistry from all those years ago.
You know what, I loved this. I loved the road trip as it was the backdrop of the book. The places that Ben and Dee visited were places I have also visited, so I felt drawn to the book especially when they stopped in Nebraska. I liked the adventures Dee and Ben had as I felt it drew them closer together
Ben is 10/10 a Golden Retriever. He's a science teacher, loves baseball, and is a cutie. He adores Dee and his laid-back personality goes well with Dee. Dee is the opposite, she's opinionated, flirty, and stubborn. Of the two, I felt Ben was more established and Dee was immature. I didn't mind that though since a core theme of the book was that Dee and Ben dated in high school. Throughout the book, I felt that Ben and Dee belonged together.
I'm rating this five stars because while this may not be a perfect book, I loved every moment of it. This is one of my favorite audiobooks I have listened to and part of me wants to buy a physical copy of this book to have on my bookshelf to read for the future.
All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
Read
CW: Homophobia, sexual abuse.
All Boys Aren't Blue is a memoir written by George M. Johnson. As an activist and a journalist, George chronicles their life from childhood to shortly after college graduation. They cover a variety of topics including gender identity, toxic masculinity, and consent.
I love memoirs that have the author as the audiobook narrator. I felt their voice was soothing and easy to listen to. The audiobook was only five hours, this didn't take me long to listen to. I liked the way this book was written. It felt like I was listening to a story instead of each chapter covering a specific topic. I'm glad I listened to the audiobook.
CW: Homophobia, sexual abuse.
All Boys Aren't Blue is a memoir written by George M. Johnson. As an activist and a journalist, George chronicles their life from childhood to shortly after college graduation. They cover a variety of topics including gender identity, toxic masculinity, and consent.
I love memoirs that have the author as the audiobook narrator. I felt their voice was soothing and easy to listen to. The audiobook was only five hours, this didn't take me long to listen to. I liked the way this book was written. It felt like I was listening to a story instead of each chapter covering a specific topic. I'm glad I listened to the audiobook.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault