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blissofalife's reviews
118 reviews
You, Again by Kate Goldbeck
funny
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Listen. I am indeed a fanfiction reader and a Reylo shipper. I didn't know that's what this was originally going into it, but it quickly became obvious. That being said, I think if I had read this on Ao3 as a Reylo fanfic I would've really enjoyed it. You just have certain expectations about how characters are going to act and more suspension of disbelief when it comes to fanfiction. The characters in a fanfiction can be atrocious but you still love them because you loved them in their original stories, that's why you're reading the fanfiction to begin with.
But starting a book with no background expectations or knowledge of characters is a very different experience. This as a published book? I'm conflicted. The characters were all pretty dislikable. Ari and Josh are depressed for nearly the entire book, and though they set clear boundaries and expectations of what their relationship is going to be (which I am personally a fan of, I love some good communication), when Josh's perspective is full of thoughts of Ari as more than a friend and his sexual desire for her it felt like he made no effort whatsoever to respect Ari's CLEARLY COMMUNICATED needs and wants. But later we're supposed to sympathize with him when she rejects him? And cheer for them to get together? No. I don't think so.
Everybody in this book needs therapy. It made for good storytelling for the first half of the book, but after that it became repetitive and hard to root for the characters. Toxic relationships abound. Everybody's mad all the time, nobody's happy ever, and that sucks. The ending felt forced and very rom-com-esque. I give 'em a year.
But starting a book with no background expectations or knowledge of characters is a very different experience. This as a published book? I'm conflicted. The characters were all pretty dislikable. Ari and Josh are depressed for nearly the entire book, and though they set clear boundaries and expectations of what their relationship is going to be (which I am personally a fan of, I love some good communication), when Josh's perspective is full of thoughts of Ari as more than a friend and his sexual desire for her it felt like he made no effort whatsoever to respect Ari's CLEARLY COMMUNICATED needs and wants. But later we're supposed to sympathize with him when she rejects him? And cheer for them to get together? No. I don't think so.
Everybody in this book needs therapy. It made for good storytelling for the first half of the book, but after that it became repetitive and hard to root for the characters. Toxic relationships abound. Everybody's mad all the time, nobody's happy ever, and that sucks. The ending felt forced and very rom-com-esque. I give 'em a year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Gaslighting
The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
A new favorite for sure! Gramazio artfully explores the "what if?" thought exercise to the extreme. I saw so much of myself in Lauren, and couldn't help but wonder if I would go to similar extremes were I in her position. I thought the added details of the apartment changing with each husband and an entire history rewrite were brilliant! I felt her relief, her grief, and her mounting frustration and desperation. Her burnout was nearly palpable.
The ending was satisfying, I think it was the perfect solution and provided a clean wrap-up of events. Part of me hopes that there will be a sequel where we get to explore the final decision and its aftermath, and part of me recognizes how perfect this was as a stand-alone novel. I look forward reading any future works by Holly Gramazio!
The ending was satisfying, I think it was the perfect solution and provided a clean wrap-up of events. Part of me hopes that there will be a sequel where we get to explore the final decision and its aftermath, and part of me recognizes how perfect this was as a stand-alone novel. I look forward reading any future works by Holly Gramazio!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Stalking, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Good Enough Job by Simone Stolzoff
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Very well written and reflective. As one who has been struggling to find “meaningful work“ this was a refreshing read. I appreciate that the author was narrating his own work, it brought an extra level of sincerity to the personal anecdotes. I am both frustrated and relieved that there was no one-size-fits-all solution at the end, but it did leave me feeling unsatisfied-like the book was missing the final chapter.
I did find it a little difficult to relate to many of the stories shared though. They all featured highly motivated individuals who rose to the top of their career and were monetarily well-off because of it before they experienced burnout and changed how they approached work (they all quit their jobs without having anything lined up, floundered a bit, then found something fulfilling that wasn't full-time work). Though they all acknowledged their financial privilege and how it allowed them to make these decisions, I do wish there had been a story from someone NOT at the top of their field finding meaning outside of work without outright quitting and hoping for the best. But I suppose those stories aren't exciting to tell.
I appreciated the studies and statistics cited, and agree with much of the suggested systemic changes that could be made and how it would improve society and the lives of those living in it. An interesting read overall, but I don't think I would've made it through a physical copy.
I did find it a little difficult to relate to many of the stories shared though. They all featured highly motivated individuals who rose to the top of their career and were monetarily well-off because of it before they experienced burnout and changed how they approached work (they all quit their jobs without having anything lined up, floundered a bit, then found something fulfilling that wasn't full-time work). Though they all acknowledged their financial privilege and how it allowed them to make these decisions, I do wish there had been a story from someone NOT at the top of their field finding meaning outside of work without outright quitting and hoping for the best. But I suppose those stories aren't exciting to tell.
I appreciated the studies and statistics cited, and agree with much of the suggested systemic changes that could be made and how it would improve society and the lives of those living in it. An interesting read overall, but I don't think I would've made it through a physical copy.
The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine Heath
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A refreshing addition to the genre! LOVED Penny. And the second epilogue? So sweet. I almost cried.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Child abuse and Classism
Minor: Alcohol
Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Much more fun than I expected it to be! I liked that it was less enemies-to-lovers and more indifferent-to-lovers. Billy wasn’t the typical Tom-boy character, for once the rebelling against dresses and corsets made some sense for a character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
The writing style felt immature and like it needed a few more rounds of editing before being published. It gives middle schooler who is “mature for their age” attempts at edginess. Maybe it gets better as it goes, but I wasn’t interested in finding out.
The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Fun feels like the wrong word to use, but it was a fun premise for a book. Do I wish the sex scenes had just been a fade-to-black instead of flowery descriptions? 100% sex scenes are not this authors, strong suit. But the rest of the book was enjoyable. I don’t know if I could’ve gotten through it reading a print version, but having the audiobook played in the background was enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Vomit, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Sexism, Blood, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
This Is Your Brain on Birth Control: How the Pill Changes Everything by Sarah Hill
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Hill does a fantastic job of simplifying scientific jargon to help the reader understand what is being said, and why it matters. The bibliography was HUGE, with every point well-cited. I read and re-read it several times as I wrote my paper, and would recommend it to anyone who has ever thought about birth control.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, and Pregnancy
Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Sexism, Blood, and Medical trauma
I over-add content warnings just to be safe, but with this book it talks ABOUT them in a very medical content instead of SHOWING them. Everything is bluntly but careful handled.
Scoundrel of My Heart by Lorraine Heath
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? Yes
3.0
An enjoyable listen, definitely sappy but that’s on par for the genre. This author definitely overuses the word “slammed” but I’ll be listening to more so long as there’s more to listen to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol and Classism
Minor: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Classism is the genre-typical stuff the upper crust was so concerned about. Sex scenes lack any real anatomical description, with a focus on emotions
The London Séance Society by Sarah Penner
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An interesting read! I enjoyed reading it, though each time I put it down I struggled to want to pick it back up. The ending was satisfying, and the non-linear timeline was well done!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Misogyny, Violence, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Sexual content, Blood, and Alcohol