dearbloveme's reviews
154 reviews

Yours to Hold Forever by Infinite Williams

tense fast-paced

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

3.5

I have the habit of not reading synopsis. I feel like they're more spoilers than anything, so I pick books up by vibes and pretty colors. I picked up 'Yours to Hold Forever' with zero expectations.  As I was introduced to Tempestt, I already saw the set up of the cheating trope, but it didn't go quite the way I expected. 
Tempest and Givenchy make an interesting pair. I had a hard time connecting with either character because I felt they lacked individual identities. I also felt like there were some missed opportunities and some lack of conflict resolution in part of the story. Overall, this was a nice introduction to this author, and I can't wait to watch her grow. 

Pretty Girls Don't Cry by De' Andrea

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

This was a cute story. Mizuri reminded me a lot of Deara. I'm not used to reading books about girls with major social media followings, so this was a nice change of pace for me. The insta love between her and Jamil was light-hearted and fun. I didn't feel like I knew either character on a deeper level. 

The Streets & The Pulpit: Loving in My World is Never Easy by Tatiana Timmons

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I realize Tatiana is creating intrigue and developing her writing style with each book. I loved getting to know Preach, and I find it refreshing that these characters have the ability to tap into their emotions. I am having a hard time because insta Love is a love-hate trope for me. I usually need certain parameters to be able to go with the flow. This is a me issue, not a writer failure. Overall, I'm excited to find out what is next.

Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhhà Lại

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 

This story reminded me that no matter where we are from, foreigners have almost the same experiences. 

Zoo Boyz: Street Chaos by Tatiana Timmons

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Goodness knows it was well past time for me to dive into this book. I feel like holding off on jumping into the next book is take every single strength I possess. Zoo boys follow multiple pov and serve as an introduction to the main leaders of their bike crew. I realized halfway through that even though the boys are selective with who knows their names, we also barely know their names. We meet Zu, Diamond, Chevy, and Foe. Each member is different and has an agenda they're focused on. There's some romance involved, if we want to call it that. However, I don't think it's worth getting into just yet. I will say this book serves as a great starting point to understanding each of the leaders, their lives outside of the club, and their fundamental beliefs.

Honeysuckle and Bone by Trisha Tobias

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I went into this book not quite knowing what to expect. From the beginning I was taken aback. Full disclosure, I hate overly descriptive books and I thought that's what I had in store. This book sucks you into the world very early on. The pacing of the mystery is slower but you feel like you're in the book. I felt like I could see the patties and see the rooms among other things. As we start to peel back the layers of the character, you get even more invested because even though we know early on the main character is unreliable, we assume one thing and we are never right. I say we but I'm speaking for me. This book is excellent and I was particularly moved by the discussion of shame. 

One For The Team by Aria Daze

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

5.0

I think there's something to be said about authors who write books that are hilarious, sexy, and all-around feel good books. I'm not really a huge fan of novellas because I often feel they are incomplete. If someone asked Google what a "why choose" is, this book should pop up immediately because it explains everything while bringing the banter and addressing points readers often bring up. 

Quasim: King Inferno by Jahquel J.

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I love getting to know Quasim and Blair. Their story is very different but I am enjoying the quiet before the storm.

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

This is my first James Baldwin. I took so long because I was afraid I wouldn't understand his message or the hype around his works made me feel the knowledge he was sharing had to be difficult to grasp. Both of these scenarios are untrue. In 'The Fire Next Time,' James Baldwin briefly discusses a myriad of things from his childhood, his understanding of religion, and his perspective on humanity in the United States. His motif of true freedom sits with me the strongest. I've never considered the freedom of Black Americans to be the salvation of White Americans. I recognize everything on earth work conjointly to maintain balance; homeostasis. However, I never extended that thought to the interpersonal relationship we have with White Americans. Now, I feel less intimidated, so I will be getting into more Baldwin.

Maybe in this Lifetime by Asia Monique

emotional lighthearted slow-paced

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

2.75

Girl, I don't care. Before I expand on my perspective, I'll begin by saying I really don't like stories within stories. Maybe in this lifetime was not 2 stories in one perse, but it was. There's an alternate reality, which seemed to exist just to prove the love between Leyland and Clementine could withstand time and space. However, I didn't know enough about either character to be invested in their love. Was this book poorly written? Absolutely not. Was there a beginning, middle, and end? Absolutely. There were also 5 epilogues spanning 7 years and glimpses into the lives of characters irrelevant to this story. I know those were likely breadcrumbs for future or existing books, but girl, I don't care. The concept of the story was great, but I thoroughly disliked the execution.