paigesonpages's reviews
260 reviews

Spiral by Bal Khabra

4.0

The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea

challenging emotional funny mysterious 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

Do you ever have a book that sits on your shelves for weeks, and when you finally pick it up, you think, “what took me so long?!” 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐞 by Kerry Rea is truly a diamond in the rough, because it was one of those books for me! 

Read if you 💖:
•💞 Opposites Attract
• 🐍 Indiana Jones-style antics
• 🧗‍♀️ Characters out of their comfort zone
• ⛴️ Himbos who would jump a pier for you 

I’ll admit, I’m not one to usually collect “book boyfriends”, but if I did, Ryder Fleet would easily be in my top three. He’s a complete himbo, and despite barely knowing Emily, he’s ready to drop everything for her! It’s definitely a “He Falls First” moment, which I’m all about. 

Another favorite aspect of this novel for me was the banter! It’s like “Indiana Jones” meets “New Girl”, with dramatic moments that are followed by lines so funny I had to pause the audiobook to get my giggles out. The narrators, Andrew Eiden and Emily Lawrence, deserve major credit for this as they bring every character to life and nail both the humor and the heavier moments, like when Emily and Ryder share about their recently deceased family members.

If you’re looking for an action-packed romance with tons of laughter and heart, be sure to grab a copy of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐞 at your favorite local bookstore or wherever audiobooks are sold. 

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

5.0

Yin Yang Love Song by Lauren Kung Jessen

inspiring reflective slow-paced

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

3.0

 Thank you, Forever Romance, for an early copy of "Yin Yang Love Song," by Lauren Kung Jessen!

I knew I had to get my hands on this book as soon as I saw it features a PR romance, nosey aunties, and a family curse—three of my favorite romance tropes! The Hua Family's journey back to love is both hilarious and heartwarming, and watching Chryssy and Vin's relationship bloom can cure anyone's heartsickness. 

While the references to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are intriguing to learn more about, the speeches and discussions about mental health tend to distract from the plot of the romance. I'm all for mental health awareness in books, but a character heart-to-heart every other chapter is unnecessary. I kept going because I wanted to know if/how the curse was broken, but the resolution for both this and the romance felt rushed. However, this is the first book I've read from this author. After speaking with other readers, this is the vibe her previous novels give off as well.

If you're looking for a low-stakes romance and are a fan of Lauren Kung Jessen's books, you should give this one a read. "Yin Yang Love Song" is out at your favorite local bookstores now! 

Heartstopper Volume 5 by Alice Oseman

emotional hopeful fast-paced

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

4.0

Nimona by ND Stevenson

adventurous dark funny mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.0

Drop, Cover, and Hold On by Jasmine Guillory

3.0

I enjoy the premise of this novella, but there’s a lot of miscommunication for such a short story. The banter between the couple is hilarious, but Daisy was too quick to forgive so much past grumpiness.

In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan

adventurous dark emotional funny slow-paced

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

4.0

The narration didn’t match the vibes of the book IMO. I think that’s why I struggled with the beginning of the book. Once I got halfway through and switched from audio to digital, I couldn’t put it down! The ending is the best part, as it’s where everything starts to come together.

The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-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? No

5.0

This one is my favorite out of all the novellas in this series! It could be because we’re able to see the relationship develop despite the small amount of time we have. I loved the aspect of the emails but I know a lot of people are not fans of mixed media like me!

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

5.0

It took me way too long to read this one, and I’m so glad I finally picked it up. Maia’s story is both inspirational and down-to-earth. Stories like this need to be shared with the world, not banned by closed-minded people. Recommending this memoir to everyone I know!