malpal132's reviews
300 reviews

Off the Map by Trish Doller
Did not finish book. Stopped at 0%.

this started out really promising.

she kisses him the first time she meets him and pretends he's her boyfriend?

delish. but i struggle with characters who are emotionally distant because they're also pretty distant with the reader so it's difficult to connect. it started to just feel like we were hopping from one place to another without conflict and i lost interest.

also, i skimmed so granted, i might be wrong, but i'm pretty sure the car never ends up getting flipped over???? and that's on the cover? 

Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry

3.5

I enjoyed this! Their chemistry was great. I really liked the characters. I think it's a difficult plot to pull off, too, with the whole best-friend's-ex-fiance romance. But she did a good job!

Where Bad Boys are Ruined by Holly Renee

3.0

my fav of the series! i liked these two.

him helping her in the bakery, giving her her first tattoo, it was lovely.

Where Bad Girls Go to Fall by Holly Renee

2.75

hoo boy do these two like having sex on uncomfortable surfaces. i had fun! the conflict felt a little forced but it was decent.

Where Good Girls Go To Die by Holly Renee

2.5

i didn't love that he

so obviously strung his fiance along and sort of didn't give a shit?

their characterizations seemed a little bit flimsy to me. but i still had a decent time! reading about obsession is fun.

The Ex Files by Morgan Elizabeth

2.5

honestly i don't remember a ton about this and i only read it a few days ago. it was fine?

The Spire by Kate Canterbary

1.0

i loathed pretty much every second of this, which is a sign it wasn't written for me. and that's okay. i did not have a good time reading about a long-distance relationship that i felt didn't have enough substance. erin bothered me because her dialogue was so obviously not how a human being talks even if they're smart and interested in history and geology. it was like she was reading from a powerpoint. the whole thing had a sense of unreality, like the story didn't have solid legs to stand on. i kind of hated all the other characters, too. just a really fucking long, torturous, drawn-out affair. 

Structural Damage by Sloan Spencer
Did not finish book.

this just wasn't for me, but i also don't think the writing did itself any favors. 

Whisky Business by Elliot Fletcher

2.75

just slightly less than a good experience. i liked delving into how being born with a cleft palate shaped the mmc's childhood and all that. i liked that the first words she spoke to him were fucking hilarious. i didn't love the dialogue and for some reason the chemistry really fizzled out for me about halfway in. i wish her identity as an actor had been more explored. i guess i was looking for more grounding moments and didn't find them. also found the dinner scene when she confronts his dad to be weird as hell. if three other people in that room already knew about his dad's diagnosis, why did they let that situation spiral like it did? i'm cool with families being complex and maybe even shitty but it felt less like a narrative choice and more of an oversight. 

Before Girl by Kate Canterbary

4.0

this was nuts. just balls to the wall instant love and you know what? i had a good time. big fan of just a pathetic wet dog of a man. stella and cal were fun to read.