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bookstolivewith's reviews
327 reviews
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Hello, welcome to my new favorite contemporary romance!! Seriously I’m recommending this to literally everyone. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall has one of my all-time favorite tropes: fake dating!! (With a hefty side of enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, which is also amazing.)
Luc has had a rough, well... life. But the past five years have been especially rough in both the career and romance departments, and he’s not eager to repeat them. So when his job is threatened because of an accidental paparazzi shot (did I mention his parents are both famous rock star has-beens?), he’ll do just about anything to keep it. The “anything” in question? Making sure the paps only get respectable shots of him from now on, by maintaining a fake relationship with Oliver, a lawyer who is a friend of a friend and essentially Luc’s opposite in every way.
I couldn’t get enough of this story! I want a sequel, a prequel, whatever I can get my hands on — I’m already ready for a re-read and I finished the whole book in less than 24 hours! (I even stayed up until 3am because I had to know what happened!! 100% worth it, btw.)
It’s such a funny, sweet read and both Luc and Oliver are so cute, so relatable, so stubborn, have a lot of insecurities, adore each other and just have undeniable chemistry that comes across so perfectly and healthily. I love a healthy relationship!! Also if you’re not into a lot of steamy or explicit scenes, then this story has a nice balance of romantic moments to sexual ones, with lots of fluff in between.
Luc has had a rough, well... life. But the past five years have been especially rough in both the career and romance departments, and he’s not eager to repeat them. So when his job is threatened because of an accidental paparazzi shot (did I mention his parents are both famous rock star has-beens?), he’ll do just about anything to keep it. The “anything” in question? Making sure the paps only get respectable shots of him from now on, by maintaining a fake relationship with Oliver, a lawyer who is a friend of a friend and essentially Luc’s opposite in every way.
I couldn’t get enough of this story! I want a sequel, a prequel, whatever I can get my hands on — I’m already ready for a re-read and I finished the whole book in less than 24 hours! (I even stayed up until 3am because I had to know what happened!! 100% worth it, btw.)
It’s such a funny, sweet read and both Luc and Oliver are so cute, so relatable, so stubborn, have a lot of insecurities, adore each other and just have undeniable chemistry that comes across so perfectly and healthily. I love a healthy relationship!! Also if you’re not into a lot of steamy or explicit scenes, then this story has a nice balance of romantic moments to sexual ones, with lots of fluff in between.
Just Saying by Sophie Ranald
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Just Saying by Sophie Ranald is exactly what I was looking for in a contemporary romance — maybe not the greatest book in the entire world, or even the genre, but overall cozy and comforting and perfect for a rainy afternoon read.
The plot revolves around our darling Alice, who, despite her best efforts, loses her job at a prestigious law firm. On top of that, her incredibly romantic and lovely boyfriend Joe, who has just secured a job at the same law firm, has invited his ex-girlfriend from college to stay at their flat to make ends meet while Alice works at the local pub in the meantime. But what happens when Alice wants her “in the meantime” job to become her forever job?
This story was such a feel-good one, all about the power of change and love and how it can work wonders in your life and in the world, despite any nay-saying otherwise. It had some twists and turns I wasn’t expecting, which is always a delightful surprise, and took on some huge real-world issues as well, including the MeToo Movement, immigration and LGBTQ+ rights. That being said, I want right now to put out a huge TW for sexual assault. (It’s handled delicately and intricately but it’s still not something someone should confront unawares.)
I absolutely loved Alice & Joe, who are just too adorable sometimes, and I desperately wanted to find a pub like the one where Alice works, which sounds incredible. I loved her withdrawal from the fast-paced, high-power life of London, as a girl who prefers a slower scene myself, and I love that at the end (no spoilers!) she found a way to combine her multitude of passions into a fulfilling career.
The plot revolves around our darling Alice, who, despite her best efforts, loses her job at a prestigious law firm. On top of that, her incredibly romantic and lovely boyfriend Joe, who has just secured a job at the same law firm, has invited his ex-girlfriend from college to stay at their flat to make ends meet while Alice works at the local pub in the meantime. But what happens when Alice wants her “in the meantime” job to become her forever job?
This story was such a feel-good one, all about the power of change and love and how it can work wonders in your life and in the world, despite any nay-saying otherwise. It had some twists and turns I wasn’t expecting, which is always a delightful surprise, and took on some huge real-world issues as well, including the MeToo Movement, immigration and LGBTQ+ rights. That being said, I want right now to put out a huge TW for sexual assault. (It’s handled delicately and intricately but it’s still not something someone should confront unawares.)
I absolutely loved Alice & Joe, who are just too adorable sometimes, and I desperately wanted to find a pub like the one where Alice works, which sounds incredible. I loved her withdrawal from the fast-paced, high-power life of London, as a girl who prefers a slower scene myself, and I love that at the end (no spoilers!) she found a way to combine her multitude of passions into a fulfilling career.
Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
A few weeks ago, I made a post discussing how I had never heard the word anti-racism before. However, Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen— which literally won an anti-racism award — uses the word nonchalantly & frequently as an established term, & I really had to process the fact that I could have had that information, that word since at least 2014. I didn’t want it though — I didn’t want to read this book, had zero interest in it until now; I’ve come to terms with that & I’m moving forward.
That being said, this book is an incredible insight into American history — not only does it break down & break apart some of the more pervasive nationalistic myths embodied in American history, it also provides “new” information & advice for publishers, teachers (Loewen has been both a teacher & a textbook author since the 1970s, so he knows what he’s talking about), students & Americans to figure out how to move forward with this “new” information & spread the word.
It’s in no way comprehensive, but Loewen touches on everything from Columbus’ invasion of America to the Iraq War & how our interpretation of history is just as affected by the present moment as it is by the past. For me those were some of the most interesting moments — to see how history was rewritten, even when contemporaries of the event knew exactly what was going on (this especially applies to the Reconstruction era).
It also addresses how textbooks are failing & damaging American students of all socioeconomic classes & races, & how we need to be more honest with our past in order to make history interesting for everyone, not just white dudes (who, as Loewen points out, still often aren’t that interested). He specifically asks us to engage in & wrestle with big questions & embrace the idea that history is in not really linear, or concrete, or fixed and fated. There are so many great points and quotes, I underlined like half the book, I’m pretty sure!
If you’ve been looking for more information about American history, love doing research or are just a history buff, this is definitely for you! It’s highly readable, despite how dense it is, & just totally enrapturing.
That being said, this book is an incredible insight into American history — not only does it break down & break apart some of the more pervasive nationalistic myths embodied in American history, it also provides “new” information & advice for publishers, teachers (Loewen has been both a teacher & a textbook author since the 1970s, so he knows what he’s talking about), students & Americans to figure out how to move forward with this “new” information & spread the word.
It’s in no way comprehensive, but Loewen touches on everything from Columbus’ invasion of America to the Iraq War & how our interpretation of history is just as affected by the present moment as it is by the past. For me those were some of the most interesting moments — to see how history was rewritten, even when contemporaries of the event knew exactly what was going on (this especially applies to the Reconstruction era).
It also addresses how textbooks are failing & damaging American students of all socioeconomic classes & races, & how we need to be more honest with our past in order to make history interesting for everyone, not just white dudes (who, as Loewen points out, still often aren’t that interested). He specifically asks us to engage in & wrestle with big questions & embrace the idea that history is in not really linear, or concrete, or fixed and fated. There are so many great points and quotes, I underlined like half the book, I’m pretty sure!
If you’ve been looking for more information about American history, love doing research or are just a history buff, this is definitely for you! It’s highly readable, despite how dense it is, & just totally enrapturing.
Charming Falls Apart: A Novel by Angela Terry
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Okay y’all — I’ve just gotten back in the NetGalley game, but this one was not for me.
Charming Falls Apart by Angela Terry has an incredible premise. Our protagonist, Allison, goes from having just about everything she thinks she needs to losing all of that (except for one great friend and a new local coffee shop) in 24 hours. So what’s a girl to do? How do you move forward when your whole life suddenly collapses?
It sounds totally intriguing, right? I was expecting lots of girl power, a bit of romance and a well-worn realization that she’s enough, in-and-of herself. And yet, the book was incredibly... boring. Allison was somehow both relatable and generic, the romance plot was so light that at the end, it felt rushed and out of nowhere, and I kept cringing at the way Allison was trying to find help and redemption through self-help books and off-the-beaten-path “Eat Pray Love” type retreats. The only parts I truly loved were anytime Allison’s best friend Jordan, a go-getter out-spoken woman who does her best to help Allison whenever she needs, showed up.
I am 100% aware that I may not be the audience for this book, as someone who has a suspicion of many self-help and self-care ploys as merely pyramid schemes, and I’ve certainly never experienced anything Allison encounters. So, this is to say, that while this book was not for me, it very well might be for someone. After all, the writing was decent and the characters could be quite endearing to the right reader, and I finished it, so it clearly wasn’t terrible, as I have no shame DNF’ing books I really don’t like. It just seemed to lack some depth and momentum that I really hoped it would have.
Charming Falls Apart by Angela Terry has an incredible premise. Our protagonist, Allison, goes from having just about everything she thinks she needs to losing all of that (except for one great friend and a new local coffee shop) in 24 hours. So what’s a girl to do? How do you move forward when your whole life suddenly collapses?
It sounds totally intriguing, right? I was expecting lots of girl power, a bit of romance and a well-worn realization that she’s enough, in-and-of herself. And yet, the book was incredibly... boring. Allison was somehow both relatable and generic, the romance plot was so light that at the end, it felt rushed and out of nowhere, and I kept cringing at the way Allison was trying to find help and redemption through self-help books and off-the-beaten-path “Eat Pray Love” type retreats. The only parts I truly loved were anytime Allison’s best friend Jordan, a go-getter out-spoken woman who does her best to help Allison whenever she needs, showed up.
I am 100% aware that I may not be the audience for this book, as someone who has a suspicion of many self-help and self-care ploys as merely pyramid schemes, and I’ve certainly never experienced anything Allison encounters. So, this is to say, that while this book was not for me, it very well might be for someone. After all, the writing was decent and the characters could be quite endearing to the right reader, and I finished it, so it clearly wasn’t terrible, as I have no shame DNF’ing books I really don’t like. It just seemed to lack some depth and momentum that I really hoped it would have.