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pocketsized_pageturner's reviews
1451 reviews
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
4.0
This book was just the right kind of refreshing.
When you are in need of a fun read with characters that you root for and want to yell at and a happy ending that makes you feel good - this is the one for you.
We follow a group of men who read romance novels to help them better understand their wives and girlfriends. This book club is currently rallying around Gavin to help him save his marriage to Thea.
Getting to see the ups and downs of Gavin and Thea's marriage, how outside influences can affect opinions, and just how difficult and scary it can be to open up is refreshing. I love how Lyssa juxtaposed all of these revelations next to the romance novel that Gavin was reading.
Just with a lot of romcoms that are out there, I wish that some of the characters were more fleshed out, and you need to suspend some reality that some of the events happen the way they do - but that is the fun of romcoms.
I really enjoyed this book. It was just what I needed.
When you are in need of a fun read with characters that you root for and want to yell at and a happy ending that makes you feel good - this is the one for you.
We follow a group of men who read romance novels to help them better understand their wives and girlfriends. This book club is currently rallying around Gavin to help him save his marriage to Thea.
Getting to see the ups and downs of Gavin and Thea's marriage, how outside influences can affect opinions, and just how difficult and scary it can be to open up is refreshing. I love how Lyssa juxtaposed all of these revelations next to the romance novel that Gavin was reading.
Just with a lot of romcoms that are out there, I wish that some of the characters were more fleshed out, and you need to suspend some reality that some of the events happen the way they do - but that is the fun of romcoms.
I really enjoyed this book. It was just what I needed.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
5.0
I was blown away by this book! I have heard some reviews limiting this book to a character-driven story. But, while this book does focus on the characters, I think that it is an unfairly narrow view of this book.
The plot points might have been more subtle than other books - but I was on the edge of my seat. I needed to know how certain aspects of the story played out. I was tied to the progression of each character and emotionally invested in what happened to them.
The Vanishing Half is about two sisters, who are Black but white-passing, and how their decisions to embrace this part of themselves shape their futures. Desiree, who is originally desperate to leave their home town - eventually returns with her dark-skinned daughter. Stella made the decision to live as a white woman - and we watch her deal with the burden of living as someone you aren’t.
The decisions that these two sisters made shape the lives of all of those around them - their children, their significant others, and their friends.
With so much on the line, this book was addicting. You could see so much of each sister in their children, but not in the ways you would expect. You felt the weight of each decision that was made and how it impacted the next moves that were made.
And don’t get my started on Jude and Reese!
I loved this book. I can’t recommend it enough. It is written beautifully and it is addicting. Everyone read this book.
The plot points might have been more subtle than other books - but I was on the edge of my seat. I needed to know how certain aspects of the story played out. I was tied to the progression of each character and emotionally invested in what happened to them.
The Vanishing Half is about two sisters, who are Black but white-passing, and how their decisions to embrace this part of themselves shape their futures. Desiree, who is originally desperate to leave their home town - eventually returns with her dark-skinned daughter. Stella made the decision to live as a white woman - and we watch her deal with the burden of living as someone you aren’t.
The decisions that these two sisters made shape the lives of all of those around them - their children, their significant others, and their friends.
With so much on the line, this book was addicting. You could see so much of each sister in their children, but not in the ways you would expect. You felt the weight of each decision that was made and how it impacted the next moves that were made.
And don’t get my started on Jude and Reese!
I loved this book. I can’t recommend it enough. It is written beautifully and it is addicting. Everyone read this book.
The Switch by Beth O'Leary
4.0
The Switch was my first Beth O'Leary book and I can see why she is so popular. I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would.
While there are a few pieces of plot that I could have predicted, part of the reason I love romcoms so much, I still enjoyed the journey.
I really liked Elieen's story more than I thought I would. I think older characters are so often overlooked or typecast that their stories can run together. I loved her adventure and finding herself. I loved how she changed the perception of older adults to Lena's friends. I think her story added a great uniqueness to the story.
I did enjoy Lena's story arch as well - it just was a bit more predictable than Elieen's. But I really love when an already strong female character finds new ways to draw even more strength - especially from avenues she did not expect to find it.
I listened to the audio of The Switch and thought it was well narrated. I was able to follow along quite well and even with a lot of characters, was able to keep track.
I would definitely recommend this book - print or audio.
While there are a few pieces of plot that I could have predicted, part of the reason I love romcoms so much, I still enjoyed the journey.
I really liked Elieen's story more than I thought I would. I think older characters are so often overlooked or typecast that their stories can run together. I loved her adventure and finding herself. I loved how she changed the perception of older adults to Lena's friends. I think her story added a great uniqueness to the story.
I did enjoy Lena's story arch as well - it just was a bit more predictable than Elieen's. But I really love when an already strong female character finds new ways to draw even more strength - especially from avenues she did not expect to find it.
I listened to the audio of The Switch and thought it was well narrated. I was able to follow along quite well and even with a lot of characters, was able to keep track.
I would definitely recommend this book - print or audio.