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moodreaderhan's Reviews (628)
Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press and Sally Blakely for the arc in exchange for an honest review!
Thoughts:
Thoughts:
Friends to Lovers is one of my favorite tropes, so it was a no-brainer that I would want to pick this up, and while it may not have delivered in every aspect, I got exactly what I came for and I am not mad about it! 🙂
Ren and Joni. Joni and Ren. Tale as old as time with our two main characters, and I aww’d audibly at a few precious moments between them as our book navigated us through their love story.
Ren and Joni truly do have tension and chemistry, and anyone could feel the yearning between this pair from a mile away coming off the page. I absolutely rooted for the both of them even through the clique and really trope-y scenes. However, I do wish there was more development between them in the present instead of just relying on the past to carry us in the story. I also really REALLY wished that we had more of a heart-soaring ending to them and with moments of more tenderness in an epilogue, but I still had heart eyes for this couple all throughout even with the dang ol’ miscommunication trope (*eye twitch*) lol.
Speaking of the past and the timeline, I believe the author did a great job in transitions. However, if I had one ask to make it easier to navigate as a reader, it would be to ask for the year marked on every chapter. The pace of our story bounced around a bit too much for my liking, but the structure of the story was well done! The 3rd act conflict was a touch too melodramatic, but the family drama wasn’t random and was built up and I appreciate that, so I wasn’t too thrown off when it came along.
Friends to Lovers was a cute, fun and trope-y read, and I would happily recommend it to anyone in the mood for a light romance that touches the heart.
Paperback/Hardcover/Audiobook/E-book:
E-book
Pace:
Pace:
Fast to slow to fast to slow to fast again
Cover thoughts:
Cute! It is giving Emily-Henry-esque!
Quotes: *SPOILER SECTION*
“I’ll never forget about you.”
“You clean up nice, Miller” “You don’t look so bad yourself, Webster.”
“Okay, now look at me like you love me,” “I do love you”
“Tell me life is miserable without me” “Life is miserable without you”
“Hi.” “Hi”
“Why is it this good?” “Because it’s us”
“Don’t. Please don’t leave.” “I’m not going anywhere”
“The amount of time I spend thinking about you like this is actually embarrassing. I have to actively put it out of my head more than I’d care to admit to you. I want this to such an uncool degree.”
“I didn’t dream I’d ever get this lucky”
“Careful” “What if I don’t want to be careful”
“I just couldn’t not kiss.”
“I think I’m always going to be waiting for just five minutes of you loving me like I love you.”
“You’re it for me”
“Honestly, I’m just so fucking tired of not being with you.” “I love you,” I tell him again. “And I’m so fucking tired of not being with you too.”
“I’ve decided on us a long time ago”
Triggers:
Blood, Injury, Job Loss, Toxic Relationships, Messy Family Dynamics, etc.
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Thank you NetGalley, Hawk Ridge Press, and Emily Renk Hawthorne for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
Thoughts:
Of Mountains and Seas is an intense YA Chinese fantasy with aspects of politics and difficult family dynamics tied into a mystery. After reading the blurb/summary, I was incredibly excited to pick up this read. However, now that I have read it, I truly don’t know if the blurb/summary really gave me everything I was looking for and excited to read about. I left this book feeling a little dissatisfied with many parts of the book. It is a fast paced read, but not in a good way as everything felt rushed and not fully developed. This is especially so when it comes to the timeline. We bounce around so often in the timeline that it gets a little confusing to know where we are, and what that part of time means for the plot. The characters are also very one note. I felt very separated from them the entire book, so it was hard to become emotionally attached to anyone. Although, I did have a fun time getting the POV of characters that you don’t necessarily root for, but are interested in.
I still believe Of Mountains and Seas had very good potential and had some enjoyable aspects! Our author Emily Renk Hawthorne knows how to peak a reader’s curiosity and keep you wanting to continue forward. The writing style was intriguing to me as well. I don’t believe this is the last book I’ll pick up from this author as it was an interesting debut, but it just wasn’t for me overall. I’m curious enough though to see what comes next.
P.s. the narrator was fantastic!
Paperback/Hardcover/Audiobook/E-book:
Audiobook
Pace:
Fast
Cover thoughts:
BEAUTIFUL! SO BEAUTIFUL!
TWs:
Death, Injury, Family Trauma, Fire, Toxic Relationships, etc.
TWs:
Death, Injury, Family Trauma, Fire, Toxic Relationships, etc.
