bookstolivewith's reviews
327 reviews

One Year of Ugly by Caroline Mackenzie

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

One Year of Ugly by Caroline Mackenzie was a struggle for me, and I’m not really sure why. It took me more than two weeks to get through it. I think this one takes some suspension of disbelief to get fully invested in, and you really have to be okay with vulgarity: sex, incest (still not 100% clear about this?), drug references, language, and violence. All that being said, the writing and plot are interesting and engaging, and the book is certainly unpredictable, so if you’re looking to be surprised, this could be your book!

I think what was also holding me back was whether this book was an accurate depiction of Venezuelan immigrants, or any immigrants, to Trinidad, and if so, was it contributing to a negative perception of refugees and “illegal” immigrants, since the Palacios family had come to Trinidad without any “legal” status and had apparently gotten mixed up with some shady characters to do so. Obviously, the plot is meant to draw empathy about their hopelessness and the kind of rock-and-hard-place mentality forced on immigrants and refugees and it certainly does that, but it still seems to suggest that you can’t immigrate without becoming intimately involved with “criminals.”

The other part that frustrated me was our protagonist’s, Yola, infatuation with a man who was helping to keep her family in subordination, and who she often seemed to feel more fear and concern for than for members of her family. I just couldn’t get on board with that. I also think that many of the characters, except for Yola and Aunt Celia, could’ve used more depth but it’s definitely a plot-heavy novel, rather than having a character development focus, so that’s understandable. 

I would love to find some Own Voices reviews from people who have experience with immigration and refugees, particularly if they also have intimate knowledge of Venezuela or Trinidad, which I do not. I know that the author is from Trinidad and that she spoke with Venezuelans living in Trinidad to get a feel for the depth and purpose of the story and that certainly comes through, but I’d still love to find some reviews that address that aspect specifically. 
The Wrong Mr. Darcy by Evelyn Lozada, Holly Lörincz

Go to review page

funny lighthearted tense fast-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Okay The Wrong Mr. Darcy took me by surprise, but maybe not always in a good way? It starts off as a retake on Pride and Prejudice, but soon twists and turns in ways I could not have predicted. 

Synopsis: Hara Isari has just landed her big break: an exclusive interview with Charles Butler, the star of Boston’s NBA team who is notoriously tight-lipped when it comes to the press. But all is not as it seems. The team’s owner and Charles are clearly trying to keep a bigger story under wraps, but Hara will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth. Even if it means making some incredibly dull conversation with Charles’ best friend, Derek Darcy.

I thought this would just be a simple rom-com with a modern twist, but wow, it took a turn into solving a mystery, really violent high stakes and backdoor deals that I was totally unprepared for. The plot was definitely what kept me reading, even past some pretty cringe borderline racist and sexist moments, and the dialogue, which often felt stilted in stereotypes. The writing was... not good. But I saw it through because the plot was interesting to me. It also got somewhat repetitive, with this constant back-and-forth of “will they/won’t they” and I did find myself skimming some of those parts.

There are some steamy moments, so be warned, and there’s definitely some CW moments of sexual violence, miscarriages and threats of violence. I do wish the pacing had been better — there was a lot of exposition on the front end, which I needed, but the ending (which came as a huge shock) felt very quick and wrapped up without excessive detail, which I would’ve appreciated more of. 

Overall, I didn’t love it or hate it, but it kept me engaged from the get-go, as I was wondering what would happen next! This one is out on August 25th and is definitely a library read.
Loathe at First Sight by Suzanne Park

Go to review page

funny lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Synopsis: Melody Joo just landed her dream job as a video game producer but the company she works for is full of issues, including but not limited to its CEO and the new handsome intern, who happens to be the CEO’s nephew. On top of all this, her jokey game pitch is now becoming a reality — and the pressure is on, especially when someone leaks top-secret intel and the internet trolls come after her. Failure is not an option. 

I really, really wanted to like Loathe At First Sight by Suzanne Park and it had some great elements — but something kept holding me back. At first, I thought it was that I just don’t care about video games, but after some consideration, I think I just didn’t really like Melody or really many of the other characters? That sounds incredibly harsh, and I did like Melody’s go-getter attitude, intelligence and how dedicated she was to not letting the bullies get her down, but she wasn’t particularly nice to her friends, in like a concerningly old-fashioned women-hating-women way that acted as an antithesis to the overall message of “girl power” that the book was trying to push, and I felt like I never got to know her on more than a surface level. The male characters also felt somewhat underdeveloped, something I didn’t mind when it came from the sexist CEO, but irritated me when I wanted to know more about the romantic interest.

I also think that this book comes across from the cover and description as somewhat of a romance and I want to warn everyone that it’s an incredibly small portion of the overall plot. Primarily, it deals with the extremely sexist and racist aspects of the gaming industry and how hard it is to be a woman, much less a Korean-American woman, in any male-dominated industry. I want to issue full TWs for sexist and racist remarks, including slurs, threats of violence, and doxing. 

So for me, I’d recommend this one if you’re a woman in the gaming industry, wanting to learn more about the gaming industry or love video games — otherwise, I’m just not sure what I missed because I felt like I should’ve liked it and just didn’t. 
No Offense by Meg Cabot

Go to review page

funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I think I may no longer be a Meg Cabot fan. 

No Offense is the second installment in the Little Bridge Island series and while I did enjoy this one more than the first one, it just lacks something I can’t quite put my finger on. I did appreciate that the story was told in alternating points of view — for some reason, I’m finding contemporary romances with that dual format even more enjoyable recently!

Molly is a small town librarian, new to Little Bridge Island, and responsible for organizing the library’s transition into a new bigger building. She’s also totally avoiding her ex-fiancé on social media. But then she finds a big surprise at the library when she least expects it — soon the sheriff is involved and Molly can’t help but want to solve this mystery herself. And it doesn’t hurt that the sheriff makes her heart beat just a bit faster. 

I was intrigued by the mystery and it was really what kept me turning the pages, because I didn’t feel particularly convinced by the romance between our two protagonists (also, fair warning, there are some steamy moments if that’s not your scene) or connected to the characters in any way. I also wanted more from the resolution of the story quite honestly! I realize this is a tad vague but I’m trying not to spoil the mystery plot, just in case this book is right for you.
Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom

Go to review page

emotional funny informative sad tense medium-paced

5.0

“There is not a single global, national, or local condition to which black women’s intellectual, spiritual, and emotional intelligences cannot be trusted to bring greater clarity.” 

Thick by Tressie McMillian Cottom is a must-read collection of essays about a Black woman’s experience with academia, healthcare, and social culture in the United States, and how those realms (and many others) intersect with race. 

Here’s the thing: Cottom is unbelievably intelligent, keenly observant and a truly wonderful writer. She writes about such heavy and important topics while still maintaining an element of fun, or at least dark humor, and they’re so readable, even if you have to reread a paragraph or two a few times to grasp the full meaning — it just makes you sit with the information in a powerful way. It was such a pleasure to read this collection, despite how many of these essays had me pausing to breathe and blink away tears at the sheer honesty of the experiences Cottom laid out. 

In order of their appearance, the essays that I personally found most impactful (although they are all wonderful): Dying To Be Competent (TW: miscarriage), Know Your Whites, and Black Girlhood, Interrupted (TW: sexual assault). These are essays that will stick with me for a long time. 

I highly encourage getting a copy of this one! For me, this is definitely worth buying because there’s so much to underline and it’s a reread waiting to happen.
Summer Island by Natalie Normann

Go to review page

lighthearted medium-paced

3.0

Summer Island by Natalie Normann follows Ninni Toft, a woman reeling from a shocking break-up who longs to retreat to her childhood home on a remote island, and Jack Greene, a London chef who has just had a few shocking revelations of his own and has to decide what to do next. When they meet, tensions are running high — but they also can’t seem to resist each other. 

I wanted to love this one. It should have been a great summer read: light and breezy, with quirky side characters, a remote island retreat, strong familial ties, lots of Norwegian cultural and language references (which makes sense considering Normann is a prolific Norwegian author, and this is her first book in English, which is awesome!) and some incredulous plot twists. 

But it fell short for me — I didn’t DNF it but I wasn’t emotionally or otherwise invested, and when I finished, I felt... relief that it was done, as mean as that sounds. The romance aspect of the plot felt somewhat rushed and sudden and it didn’t make me laugh either, which I always consider a plus in a summer read, although a few scenes made me smirk and there’s definitely a little peak at some steamy moments. I don’t think it’s a bad book by any stretch, just not for me!
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

Go to review page

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This one was strangely painful to read. One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London follows Bea, a plus-size fashion blogger who has had her heart totally broken and decides to try to find the new love of her life on the Bachelor-inspired show, Main Squeeze. There’s a ton more to this story than this simple sentence, but I don’t want to spoil anything, because my mouth was literally agape by the end of this story and I want y’all to have that same feeling! 

I absolutely loved this one, but at the same time, it brought forth some really strong insecurities and feelings to the surface that I honestly still haven’t processed. It took me much longer to get through this one than a normal contemporary romance might because I often had to pause to reflect on some buried emotions. Long story short: as a “bigger” woman (I always hesitate with that kind of descriptor because nothing ever seems right, but oh well, this is where we're at) who has never had a boyfriend, I could firmly relate to Bea’s insecurities and anxieties, her hopes and dreams, and her fear and anger. There’s so much more to say here but honestly, it wouldn’t all fit in a Instagram caption. Let’s just say, in summation, I felt like Bea understood me and I understood her. 

Now, despite my love for the book, I did feel it dragged a bit in the middle and the back-and-forth “will she/won’t she trust this guy” aspect of the book became a little tedious, although I suspect that this turmoil is part-and-parcel with the Bachelor concept (a show I have never seen and still can’t fathom watching, to be honest). But I did absolutely enjoy that the book interspersed a traditional fiction format with magazine interviews, podcast transcripts, texts, emails and social media comments — it made the story feel very “in-the-moment” and also just fun! 
The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Oh wow, did I enjoy The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon! This one totally made my weekend and when I finished it last night, I couldn’t fall asleep for hours because I was just thinking about it and how much I wanted more of these characters.

First off, there’s a kick-ass main character, Samiah Brooks, who is a woman in STEM (generally a white male-dominated field) — and she’s not just “in” the field but like at the top of it and totally indispensable to her company. (Full disclosure: I am the first to admit that I have zero clue about STEM, so the fact that Rochon could get me through that info and actually comprehend some of what was going on is a true testament to her writing and character development!) Then there’s also a very attractive, good guy undercover male lead, Daniel Collins, who can cook!! And blossoming, supportive, unconditional female friendships!! This book checked soooo many boxes for me!

I took my time with The Boyfriend Project because I was enjoying it so much but I easily could’ve devoured the whole thing in a day if I wanted to. It made me smile, it made me consider the weight that Black women in STEM fields carry at all times, it got me excited to turn the next page, and y’all, fair warning, there are some 🔥🔥🔥 moments between our two main characters that I wholeheartedly appreciated. 

I sincerely hope that books about London and Taylor are in our future — I want to see more of them! I’m particularly invested in London’s reunion and Taylor’s business. Literally one of my very few criticisms of the book would be that I wish we got even more friendship insights from Samiah’s perspective. 
The Village Shop for Lonely Hearts by Alison Sherlock

Go to review page

hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

3.0

Look, The Village Shop for Lonely Hearts by Alison Sherlock is essentially a Hallmark movie. Not that that’s a bad thing — y’all know I love a good Hallmark movie around the holidays and this would definitely rank among the better ones — but it definitely didn’t hit quite right in the midst of the boiling hot summer. 

Amber Green is traveling from New York, where she just lost her job as a window-dresser, to New Zealand, where her parents have decided to become sheep farmers. But on the way, her mother has made her stop in the sleepy English village of Cranbridge to check up on her godmother, Cathy, who runs a store that is on the edge of financial ruin. To her surprise, Amber suddenly feels inspired by the store and the village, kicking into gear to help Cathy save the store — and the fact that her son and co-owner, Josh, is quite handsome definitely doesn’t hurt. 

This one has a slow start and a quick end, with lots of internal monologue moments. It’s cute, quick, and sweet; otherwise, a read-and-dump book. The characters are charming and relatable, the plot predictable and you can turn your brain off. I wasn’t particularly impressed, but I also didn’t hate it. I think if I had read it curled up on a blustery cold day, with a mug of hot cocoa, I might’ve enjoyed it more than I did! 
Ask Me Anything by P.Z. Reizin

Go to review page

funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This one was... weird. Not necessarily bad weird, but definitely on the odder end of things. Ask Me Anything by P.Z Reizin is a little bit sci-fi and a little bit contemporary romance, and yes, the overlap is strange. But good strange. Or at least, neutral strange. Definitely not bad strange. 

Daisy Parsloe is not great at dating the right men — in fact, right now she’s definitely dating the wrong one and everyone can see it but her. Her dating history is a catastrophe, her mom is getting less and less comprehensible by the day, and her job is barely hanging on by a thread. And yet, she’s a great person who by all accounts should have a totally wonderful life. Or at least, that’s what her “smart” fridge-freezer thinks. (Yes, you read that right.) So when he (?) gets together with all of Daisy’s other smart appliances — including her electronic toothbrush but not her laptop — they decide to intervene in her dating life to find her just the right man to turn her life around. But it’s really not as simple as they think.

Look, I’m still not totally sure if I liked this one or not but I definitely couldn’t put it down and it was so weird that I had to know what happened next. Also, it made me want to put a piece of tape over every camera and audio source on every possible piece of smart technology I own, so it’s got paranoia going for it I guess. 

So, if new-age smart tech and lovable characters are your thing, Ask Me Anything might be for you.