ddnreads's reviews
408 reviews

Sammy Espinoza's Last Review by Tehlor Kay Mejia

emotional reflective medium-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? No

3.5

This kind of genre is so out of my comfort zone. As an adult romance debut, this story isn't bad at all. However, it just didn't stand out for my taste.

Sammy is a music critics whose career is on the line. Her romance isn't getting better, too. As an effort to make things better, she needed to stay with best friend in her hometown where the Espinoza's name meant something. And ofc it's where a long lost ons, a rockstar, decided to go back to music and the album might make Sammy able to salvage her work. However, the price she had to pay dealt with her mother issue, the abandonment. The family who isn't feel like one.

The writing is atmospheric, the loneliness Sammy's felt. The way she finally face to face with her mother.

Now about the romance.... I don't really feel the connection between Sammy and Max. It's that time-bomb kind of trope bcs they know they hide something vital from each other. It's not my personal favourite.

I kinda expect more from the journalist thing, but there's really not much. The music passion is very nice and it's my first time reading this kind of genre 💖

Sammy's circle deserved everything good in the world.

If you're into second chance love, found family, family you chose vs blood family, music/rockstar vibes, time-bomb trope that might shatter the entire relationship, GIVE IT A GO!!!

Thankyouuuuu so much for the arc in exchange of honest review 🩷

Content Warnings

The History of Everything by Victoria Evans

Go to review page

emotional lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

I love the artstyle so much!!!! The color palette, the design, the fashion style🤌🏾✨

Story-wise, it's a simple coming of age story between girls friendship vs theboy she just dated. I'd love for the end to be more thorough. Like they really talk it through. It's kinda unfair for Agnes I think~

But overall, highly recommended. If you're into coming of age teenagers kind of story who love gothic-horror, give it a go.

It's a great debut. Thank you so much for the arc in exchange of honest review 🩷

Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen

Go to review page

adventurous emotional lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

3.75

Of Jade and Dragons is a light easy read YA fantasy about Ying who passionately following her father's step to be an excellent engineer. She had to disguise herself as a man (bcs no woman allow) to enter the well-known Engineer Guild and her ambition was fueled after the assassination of her father. She promised to look for who and why her father needed to met his end that way.

This book has such a great potential. I love the premise, the engineering steampunk vibes in a Chinese traditional fantasy kingdom setting sounds very promising. However, this book felt a bit surface level. I'd definitely love for it to be written with more depth and atmospheric vibes.

In general, I love the friendship dynamics. It could use more academic settings and rivalry. Not so much with the romantic vibes, tho.

The kingdom alliance, tricks and twists, and the investigation could be more thorough written.

The plot is okay overall. the ending is kinda nice with the twists and everything. However, the final act felt anti-climatic.

I'd love for the engines, airship, weapon, canons to be more lively and engrossing.

It was an okayish type of story. It was nice but not that great. I might want to read the next installment to see if it improves 👀

If you're into Mulan-coded YA fantasy laced with steampunk settings and a pinch of murder mystery, completed with political kingdom intricts, give this book a go 🥹✨ I see how some people might love this book.

Thankyou for the arc in exchange for honest review 🩷

Content Warnings

If I Loved You Less by Aamna Qureshi

Go to review page

lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.5

She's giving astronomical pick me vibes I can't stand the writing.

Namedropping brands, written as unnecessarily annoying (I don't mind flawed characters, but at least make her has some other personalities. If that make sense(?)), it doesn't help with the plot, there's really nothing going on that could add up the value this book has.

First person pov made it worse bcs we're in her head and it's very shallow...
Girl u could do a lot better.

The slow burn and the couple dynamic is good 👌🏾 predictable but yeah since we're going very light, non distressful story so that's okay. Oh wait this book is actually adult romance. It doesn't feel that way. Probably bcs rich ppl don't really have problems🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️

Since there's nothing else offered on the table, the catch is in the love story. Does is well-written? Not really.

I really want to love this book but it's definitely not for me.

But I can see how the others may like it. Bcs it gets a little better in later part of the book but I have had enough and my interest and care 6ft under the ground.

If you're into halal romance, little to no conflict, ms perfect it made her imperfect, and Emma (bcs turned out this book is the retelling. My bad for not finding out about it sooner), give it a go and good luck🤞🏾

Thanks so much for the arc in exchange for honest review 🩷

Content Warnings

Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce

Go to review page

emotional 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? No

3.5

I heard so much good things about Drama and Dungeon (haven't read it) and I have high hopes for this one. I like it. 3,5⭐ rounded up.

I wish I was 16 and finding this book for the first time. I would be soooo delightful.

It has everything a cute highschool romance needs to be.
- Moving to a new school? ✅
- Friendship vs boy problem? ✅
- Siblings dynamic? ✅
- Grandma Cupid? ✅
- Teenagers being passionate about D&D? ✅

I love how it's indirectly showing how important consent is. I love that Quinn, our main character, is all about finding great friends. It showed u how a healthy group of friends look like.

Oh to be sixteen and need to choose between your D&D group and your love life~ it might not such a problem but that's the kind of problem for many young adults. And I like it a lot for it not to be pretentious.

I love grandma Barbara and the parents are all parenting in this story 🥹

The romance is okayish and cringe at parts. But who doesn't get cringe romance at 16~ so all is good

I love how they're so passionate about D&D and make it familiar with the audience, too. I don't mind the explanation, but understand how some people might find it a bit unnecessarily.

It's nice but not the best highschool romance I've ever read. It doesn't get me giggling or anything. I would prefer the ending to be their usual views to make it more natural~

All and all~
It's recommended 🫶🏾
Thankyou so much for the arc in exchange of honest review.

Naruto, Vol. 18: Tsunade's Choice by Masashi Kishimoto

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.5

The mommy is here 🩷

The Gilded Crown by Marianne Gordon

Go to review page

dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

For a debut, it's not bad but it's not exceptionally great either.

It started with an intriguing premise, cited from the description: Since she was a little girl, Hellevir has been able to raise the dead. Every creature can be saved for a price, a price demanded by the shrouded figure who rules the afterlife, who takes a little more from Hellevir with each soul she resurrects.

Until she resurrected the heir of the kingdom, Princess Sullivain. You think with such a power she would have a better bargaining position. But no, the Queen blackmailed and threatened to hurt her family if she refused to be around just in case the princess was assassinated (again).

And the book becomes frustrated (at least for me). I'd love for Helevir to fight more, be more cunning, more so to survive within the kingdom. Stand up for herself. She did, tho and I love her for that. But in the end, love wins. She couldn't do anything. She would still do what the Queen asked for her no matter how ridiculous the number of princess' deaths that she had to ressurect.

Oh and I think she needed to be more considerate who to help. Like the way the princess acted made it not worthy (honestly).

What I like is her on adventure finding the clues to give the Death. She with her best friend raven. Her relationship with her father. This girl deserves better really. That ending is kinda hopeful.

Oh and in my mind her appearance is kinda horror the way she had to pay the price with her body and her soul. But I think the writing could be more atmospheric bcs sometimes I find it hard to visualise the people, esp in the kingdom. I do love the desc of Death's area and his demeanor, tho.

This is a suitable read in October. Horrorish fantasy with kingdom political intrict.

Thank you for the arc in exchange for honest review 🩷

Content Warnings