jasmyn9's reviews
1757 reviews

Just the Way I Like It by Erin Nicholas
Did not finish book. Stopped at 34%.

Jumping between four couples/potential couples is way too much going on for such a short book. Very hard to follow and figure out what is going on.

Lady Emily's Exotic Journey by Lillian Marek

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted tense 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

3.5

I really enjoyed how the author wove two stories together - one for Julia and one for Emily. While Emily's romance played the primary role, seeing Julia's alongside it was a nice way to broaden the horizons a bit. Unfortunately, their stories mirrored each other a little too much - especially their adventure near the end.

Doctor Who: Winner Takes All by Jacqueline Rayner

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

This read a bit like a LitRPG story - people are kidnapped and put into a game with other people controlling them (not 100% LitRPG, but a lot of the same concepts). I did find the alien races interesting. And it was nice to see Mickey playing a bigger role in this particular adventure.

Gimme Some Sugar by Molly Harper

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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? Yes

4.0

This was a great wrap-up (at least so far) to the Souther Eclectic series. Duffy and Lucy have a long history that ar first seems to get brushed aside when Lucy returns to town. But I really liked how that shared past gradually came to a head and became very important in a few ways.
Duffy is a great character that often got a little harshly judged by his cousins and family - he has some growing up to do and some issues to figure out (his ex-wife), but he's such a good and geniune person. I couldn't help but like him.
Lucy is struggling with the fact that she isn't struggling with the death of her husband. Throw in a very large helping of meddling/controlling in-laws, and her life isn't feeling so great right now. Lucy has a lot to deal with and worries that she can't keep up with everything - and that may mean cutting Duffy out of her life.
Their romance was a slow, sweet one, and I loved every second they were together (even when they were arguing).

And the Sky Bled by S. Hati

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I really struggled with story and I'm not entirely sure why. The writing was beautiful and the characters intriguing. I feel like the description was just a tad off. I feel like it was accurate for the last 10% of the story and the rest was all buildup. The buildup was important, but I kept wondering where all the things promised were. 

A Few Pecans Short of a Pie by Molly Harper

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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

While this is a bit of a bridge novella between stories - it is a wonderful addition to the series. When an event planner can't manage to plan her own wedding it gets a little intense. It also gives fun little updates on the McCreedy family in general and sets the stage for Duffy's story.

Her Wicked Ways by Darcy Burke

adventurous emotional funny 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? Yes

3.75

Miranda starts out as everything you would expect from a titled young lady from London. And I think her personal transformation is the best part of this story. Being sent to the country and finding out that life isn't just new dresses and social events really opens her eyes to the world. Her time at the orphange was eye-opening for her.
Fox was a mixed bag for me. And I feel like a lot of the bad things happening in the area (not his doing) would have been more prevalent or reported since so many were impacted. But maybe I'm wrong and don't quite grasp the politics of the time fully.

Ain't She a Peach by Molly Harper

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? Yes

5.0

I loved this book. I love Frankie - she is unabashedly different, and while her different isn't the same as my different, I love her acceptance of herself. Sheriff Eric is the leading man I like to see. He isn't some model-like adonis, or amazingly skilled millionaire. He's just a guy getting through life (with a couple of hilarious bumps along the way. They make a great couple, and with most of the book showing them growing closer instead of throwing them at each other and then splitting them up over and over, their romance and connection seemed very real. 

Frankie's feud with the teenager trying to break in to the morgue was a great backdrop to the romance and really helped drive the story forward and create enough tension between Frankie and Eric along the way. I got the catch up with Frankie's cousins (one of which has a bombshell to drop) and the whole McCreedy family is just a joy to visit with.

Peachy Flippin' Keen by Molly Harper

funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.5

This is definitely a bridge novella to introduce some backstory and a new resident. There isn't a whole lot going on other than filling in some blanks before the next full novel. I did get to know Frankie better, and she's a lot of fun.

Sweet Tea and Sympathy by Molly Harper

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

A great mix of wholesome, southern, small town with a bit of attitude and craziness. Margot is completely out of her element when she reconnects with her family for the first time in 30-ish years. She doesn't expect to stay long, but the McCreedy's aren't ready to let their long lost cousin go just yet. No, this isn't a thriller - but their welcoming attitude and quirky personalities quickly make Margot feel at home. But the big city is in her heart - and the big question is will she stay or go?

There is a romance - there are some leading up to smexy times detailed scenes, but the story is really about connections and finding your place in life.