kharlan3's reviews
180 reviews

The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid

emotional hopeful

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book! 

Riley and Adam hooked up regularly when they were best friends and rookies. But, neither being ready to come out or commit, Riley quit hockey and moved to his small Nova Scotia hometown, where he's been for a decade. Adam arrives to attend Riley's father's funeral and decides to stay to try to mend their relationship.

This book was so sweet and lovely. It has the emotional strength of a Cat Sebastian book, plus a hockey background and an extremely strong sense of place in small town Nova Scotia. The characters are lovely and both of their current and past mistakes feel realistic and forgivable. The book is sexy but also tinged with just the perfect amount of sadness. I can't wait for more from Rachel Reid.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Grief

Moderate: Infidelity, Death of parent, and Abandonment

Minor: Homophobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

The Scottish Boy by Alex de Campi

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Torture, Xenophobia, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, and Religious bigotry

Twisted Shadows by Allie Therin

adventurous dark mysterious

5.0

In the first book, empath Reece and emotionless Dead Man Evan must work together to solve a crime against empaths, despite the deleterious impact on Reece of Evan's presence. There's sexual tension, but not extremely. In this book, the perspectives open up, including both leads but also a variety of others. The mystery plot is less cohesive, but it's moving closer and closer to romance, with significantly increasing sexual tension and So. Much. Flirting. I adored it and had such a fabulous time!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Violence, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Gun violence and Fire/Fire injury

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

4.75

I wasn't 1000% in love with Ne'er Duke Well, but Alexandra Vasti is back to her extremely high standards with Earl Crush! Lydia is the perfect mix of anxious and sassy, and Arthur's brooding earnestness balances her perfectly. When she shows up to propose to him after a long correspondence, she discovers that, contradicting the signatures, he didn't write the letters! They embark on a journey of zebras, disguises, and pretending to be newlyweds to unravel who impersonated him and why. A few prime quotes from my buddy read of this one: "Omg but Bacon is such a good dog name", "Shaving- like removing Clark Kent's glasses or putting on a disguise. Whole new guy.", 'So much “trysting”', and "SHE HAS SO MANY BROTHERS". 

Love and Sportsball by Meka James

3.0

When Kadijah hooks up with a hot woman after meeting at a club, she didn't realize that that woman was Shae, a star player on the Atlanta Cannons, the team Kadijah just started a job with as the athletic trainer, Her personal rules insists that she cannot date at work, it might literally be against policy. But Shae is irresistible and doesn't take rejection lightly. Some of this book was great (side characters, consent) but I struggled with some parts. I wish we'd had more backstory on why Kadijah is the way she is, and I wanted a bit more plot other than the will they-won't they back and forth. I'm interested to read more from Meka James! 

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Sierra Simone, Julie Murphy

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I adored this book; Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone have done it again! We finally get to focus on sad boy Isaac, the third member of INK, who has purchased the mansion in Christmas Notch and accidentally on purpose invites Sunny (Bee's best friend) to move in as his roommate after their second one night stand. He needs a muse and she needs somewhere to stay, should be perfect, right? Of course, it's never that simple, no matter how sizzling their bi-for-bi chemistry is. This book is hot, funny and just the campiness we've come to expect, and the characters are endearing, unique, and frustrating, just like real people. Plus, there's a story within a story that develops so beautifully and brought tears to my eyes. I loved it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Grief

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Cancer, and Car accident

The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Genocide, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Xenophobia, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Outing, Alcohol, and Dysphoria

Minor: Excrement and Vomit

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Abandonment

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

oh my GOD I loved this book. Theo and Kit were childhood best friends until they discovered they both wanted to be more. Then, 4 years ago, on the way to a European food and wine tour, they broke up. Now they realize they've both joined the same tour again. The only solution? To have a who-can-have-sex-with-the-most-people competition. Definitely not because of all the sexual tension between them, nope. This book was a delight. The visual descriptions and the food descriptions were lush and the pining was gloriously intense. Like Red, White & Royal Blue, this book is an ideal, optimistic world, but this book is more mature at the same time. Incredible.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Bullying