comegailaway's reviews
36 reviews

Rules We Break by J. Wilder

fast-paced

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

2.5

Short and sweet! It was fine. Seems like the main point was more smut. I like these characters tho, so 2.5 stars it is. 

Rules Of Our Own by J. Wilder

medium-paced

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

3.25

3rd book best book!! 

I think that this series has shown me that the writing style is just not great. There are lots of plot holes, not a whole lot character development, and just overall feels a bit cluttered. However, this 3rd book in the series made all of that much easier to ignore. I won't lie, I did a fair amount of kicking my feet and giggling. 

I truly wish that there would have been more regarding the characters themselves. Everything we learned about who they are was either very surface level or glossed over far too quickly. There was also alooooot of smut. Which is fine, I guess, but personally I would be willing to sacrifice some of it for more actual plot. I really liked the characters - at least what I was given of them. Would have loved more!

The plot of this one seemed much more clear and laid out - definitely moreso than the 2nd book in the series. Still some plot holes and plot points that were not entirely sussed out, but not the worst. I think how much I liked the characters really helped in that. 

I did love getting to see Alex come to terms with his sexuality. And we looove Bi representation, woo!!! I did smile the entire time when Alex tells River he loves him. 

Honestly could have done without the epilogue - it was too short and too many things were just skimmed over. It felt almost pointless. 

Did I love? No. Did I hate? Also no. Would I read again? Maybe. Which is more than I can say for the other two books. 

Also what is with this author and the nicknames?!?! Kitten??? EW! AND it was just way too often. But that was also an issue I had with the other books as well. 

Rules of the Game by J. Wilder

fast-paced

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

2.0

  Oh brother - this guy stinks!!!!

I thought I would enjoy this one because I really liked Piper's and Lucas's characters in Rule Number Five. I also love a good childhood friends / BFB trope. Well, I was mistaken. 

 

Lucas majorly sucks. He really had me at the start. I liked him, I thought their dynamic was fun and flirty. But he lost me at their signing party. First of all, I hate that they immediately just sleep together. Like could we not have some declarations of love first? Whatever, I got past it. But then he was such a conceited asshole after that. I can get into the whole " oh I don't deserve someone because I have trauma and think I am unworthy " if it is done well. But Lucas was such a dick and for what? I just feel like if you blamed yourself for someone's death, you would not then be an absolute cold / hot / cold dickwad to their sibling - who you have also known since you were 7!!!! And also if you have decided you do not deserve her, leave her the hell alone?? That shit he pulled with Eric or whoever his name was at the hockey game was insane and I would have ran away screaming if I was Piper. 

Speaking of Piper .... girl. Stand tf up! Her therapist should really have dove deeper into her insecurities bc why the hell was she so quick to forgive Lucas for everything? He should have had to work wayyyyyy harder for her forgiveness. He did not grovel anywhere near enough. I am not entirely convinced he should be forgiven for the year of ignoring her but also the Grief Anonymous shit?? She let that go WAY TOO FAST. Her lack of a backbone made it really hard to like her.

The overall plot also felt kind of messy? It was almost hard to follow how much shit just kept happening. And too many things were just quickly glossed over. 

I do think it's sweet that they named their kid Marcus, even though Marcus kind of seemed like the worst. 

Giving it 2 stars instead of 1 simply because I like the way the ending set up the next book. Mia, River, and Alex : I am sooo ready for ya.

Rule Number Five by J. Wilder

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

What would happen if people in these books just COMMUNICATED ?! 

All in all, I didn’t hate it. Minus one star bc he called her “Trouble” too much for my taste. 

First Down by Grace Reilly

lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.5

Very predictable but in a comforting way. Bex and James were likable and didn’t get on my nerves too bad.

Darryl does obviously suck but I feel Richard is the real villain. Although! I do appreciate a sports father figure that isn’t all like “you must do sports or we will all die”.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

3.25

I had heard so many mixed reviews of this book so I didn’t really know what to expect going in. I actually liked it a lot. I was itching to find out what actually happened and why she killed her husband. The early excerpts of her diary confused me even more because she seemed to truly love him. One thing I had heard about this book was that the twist was “totally predictable”. Well maybe I’m just stupid but I did NOT see that coming at all?? I actually gasped when it was revealed. And then suddenly everything made sense. I will absolutely be re-reading it to see all the clues I missed. I do hate the way Alicia’s story ended. She had no one in her life that was truly in her corner. I want to give her a hug. I also definitely could have gone without the in-depth beginnings of Kathy and Theo’s love story. I’m not sure if we were ever supposed to like Kathy, but I didn’t. 

Funny Story by Emily Henry

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? No

4.0

My first Emily Henry!! I won’t lie, I didn’t love Miles in the first 20 pages. I was thinking “no way he will be the love interest, that’s way too predictable”. And you know what? Sure, it was. But what wasn’t predictable was the character that Henry was able to create in Miles. I was kicking my feet by the middle of the book. He is so lovely and wonderful and just perfect for Daphne. I also really liked Daphne as a character. I wanted her to be happy and was cheering for her the whole time. Such great characters, such a great story. Oh also, f*** Petra and Peter - and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. Oh and I don’t forgive Sadie. F*** her too!

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

"I am but paper. Brittle and thin. I am held up to the sun, and it shines right through me. I get written on, and I can never be used again. These scratches are a history. They're a story.

They tell things for others to read, but they only see the words, and not what the words are written upon. I am but paper, and though there are many like me, none are exactly the same. I am parched parchment. I have lines. I have holes. Get me wet, and I melt. Light me on fire, and I burn. Take me in hardened hands, and I crumple. I tear. I am but paper. Brittle and thin."

I don’t think I’ve ever read a more beautiful and perfect and wonderful book in my entire life. I was not entirely captivated by the story at first, but it did not take long for me to get to the point of wanting to literally glue the book to my hands and never let it go. I lost count of how many times I sobbed while reading this. I am a bit embarrassed to have read it in a public setting because I simply could not control when I laughed out loud or when I was crying so hard that snot was pouring from my nose. These characters and their stories made me feel, so so deeply. I had butterflies in my stomach while I read, I felt insanely warm and fuzzy inside, and I could feel my heart expanding just from the sheer amount of love I have for them. I feel like I could use every word I have and still not be able to express just how much I freaking loved this book. It’s perfect. Literally and truly perfect. 

“If you asked him why he cared about them so, he would tell you it’s because they exist at all.”

Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake

emotional funny lighthearted medium-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

4.25

Once again, I say: I looooove the characters in this universe. They are so near and dear to me and I was so excited to finally get to read Iris’s story. Iris is loveable, even when she does not believe she could be loved. Seeing her thought process every time she put on her mask broke my heart. And then came Stevie! Another character to love. I relate to Stevie’s anxiety so so much and I personally love the portrayal of how it can impact an individual’s life. I too have thrown up from anxiety before LOL. Seeing their story unfold as Astrid helps Stevie realize she’s been the brave one all along just made my heart swell. Blake also never fails to make me laugh out loud when I’m reading this series. Although I think Astrid’s book is still my favorite, I loved this one too and am sad that we’ve reached the end of Claire, Astrid, and Iris’s stories.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann

dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense slow-paced

5.0

This is the first non-fiction book I have read in a while, mainly because I usually find them hard to read and difficult to follow. This is not the case with KOTFM. Grann was able to tell this story in a way that was succinct and did not confuse. I was able to follow the story and understand what was going on, although I did have to re-read a few parts just to make sure I had the individuals straight. 

It’s heartbreaking to me that so many of us, myself included, don’t know the story of the Osage killings. I was never told about this in school and a lot of people I have talked with about it are also unfamiliar. It’s a depressing reality that we still do not know more, and that we probably never will. But KOFTM does a great job at telling what we do know and shedding light on what is still unknown. I’d recommend this book to anyone.