regina_04's reviews
343 reviews

Alive and Wells by Bailey Hannah

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing 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

4.5

This had the best vibes. It’s so similar to the chestnut springs series and I’ve been looking for something that filled that hole and this did just that. The setting and the ranch was all so fun and the found family was done so well. I loved cecily as a main character and I love how her story was showcased. I also loved being in her mind and getting to see her adjust adapt and grow. Austin was a perfect mmc for her and I love how loving he was and how he was grumpy but could loosen up. This was also one of the most well titled books I’ve ever read. I loved the dynamic between everyone and the way this story just felt so happy and comforting. 

Rules of the Game by J. Wilder

emotional lighthearted 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? No

3.5

I read this series all out of order so I kinda knew what to expect with this book and it was exactly what I thought it was gonna be. I liked the connection that the two of them shared since they were kids and I enjoyed how they got closer and closer. I didn’t necessarily love Lucas because I thought he had so much of himself to work on before he got in a relationship and he didn’t really seem to do that. I wanted him to work through his trauma and grovel a lot more than he did. I did like their relationship once they got together but I wish there was more of them being together and less of them in a toxic loop. But overall as far as college sports romances go this was a good time. 

The Sinful King by Claire Contreras

emotional funny lighthearted 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

While I didn’t love the first half and thought it was a little slow, the second half of this book completely won me over. I love royal romances and I don’t read a ton of them since they’re not the easiest to find but I had the best time reading this. I loved how they first met and how they started out and then how their relationship grew deeper and they became exactly what the other one needed while also being themselves. I loved the commoner falling in love with the royal storyline and this one was done really well. I also liked how they worked out their relationship and then the book still continued so their growth was showcased. I wanted a bit more of Elias’s pov and I thought the first half was a bit slow and took too long to get to the actual romance but other than that I had such a fun time with this story. 

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

4.25

This was one of the most beautifully written stories I’ve read. The starting point for this story hooked me immediately because the characters already had history and an established relationship. I loved the role that food played in this book and how it brought not only the main characters but the kids and the friends together. I really liked Yasmine and her character. I thought the depiction of mental health was done really well and described really well. I also liked how therapy was talked about and how important it was to the story. I loved the friend group and their back and forth. The only thing I didn’t absolutely love was Josiah. I didn’t love him from the start and as the book went on I started to like him more but I didn’t like him anywhere near as much as Yasmine and the kids. The narrators for this audiobook were also so good and I absolutely loved wesleigh sibohans narration.  

Hidden Truths by Neva Altaj

dark fast-paced

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

3.0

I barely have any thoughts about this. It was fine it was fast and it was easy. It wasn’t the best mafia book I’ve ever read and I didn’t love the captor/captive storyline but I did like both characters individual progression and how they ended up falling for each other. 

Hans by S.J. Tilly

dark 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

4.25

This was such a good ending to this series. I loved both of the main characters especially for not having known them beforehand. Cassie was exactly what Hans needed and I loved how she became more and more open and confidant as the book went on. She also was hilarious and her internal monologue was so relatable. I loved the journey that Hans went on and the closure that he got. I loved the neighbors storyline and how obsessed and possessive they both were. I also loved the ending and seeing the rest of the alliance and seeing them all come together. This was such a good way to wrap up this series and I had such a good time with every book in this world. 

So This Is War by Meghan Quinn
Did not finish book. Stopped at 33%.

I’ve been going back and forth with Meghan Quinn for a bit and this is ultimately just not the type of story I want to read. I didn’t like their first meeting and their first impressions of each other. I didn’t like how they were brought back to one another after a year and I really didn’t like Wiley’s dad’s meddling. This story also felt so physical and there was such an unnecessary amount of sex talk especially for two people who just met each other. The entire thing felt awkward and just so sex focused and personally that’s not what I want to read. 

Dom by S.J. Tilly

dark emotional mysterious tense 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

4.25

This series keeps getting better and better. The outline of this story felt very similar to king so I wasn’t exactly excited for it since I thought it was gonna be the same thing but this ended up being so different. I absolutely loved Valentine and her depth and how emotional she was. She’s definitely my favorite fmc of the series so far. I also loved how her past was shown throughout the book and how it brought everything together. I liked dom and thought he was different from the other two men in this series. He wasn’t my favorite but I enjoyed how he cared for and loved valentine and how he constantly showed her that love. I liked the setting and how it differed from the first two books as well as the progression of the story. It went so quickly that this book didn’t feel anywhere close to 500 pages. The found family in this one was also so good because now there’s established characters and couples which I really enjoyed. 

King by S.J. Tilly

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

I really liked this. I didn’t have high expectations going in which might have made me like this more but I really enjoyed the couple and the storyline and the setting. I loved how their romance started and how even though king had a dark side he was always soft and obsessed with Savannah. I loved Savannah as a character since she had a uniqueness to her as well as a creative artistic side that I really liked. I liked the marriage plot and how that helped push their romance along and I liked kings family and the side characters. My only main issue was that the timeline for this book was a bit all over the place and made it feel a little Stockholm syndromey. But overall I had a great time this was such a good on the lighter side dark read and I truly loved the characters. 

Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

4.0

This story is heartbreakingly beautiful. I absolutely love the idea of this story and thought it was executed pretty well. I really enjoyed the first half of this story and thought it was gonna be 5 stars. I loved Eva as a character and loved how her personality was showcased and how she grew from her past and how she moved forward. I liked Shane but not as much as Eva and I didn’t enjoy his story in the present as much as Eva’s. I really liked the setting and the structure of the book and how it was broken down day by day. However with it being broken down like that it felt like the story was pretty slow paced and never really got moving. I also wanted Audre to have a more prominent storyline and be a bigger part of it because I thought she added a lot and I really liked her as a character. I absolutely loved the chronic illness rep and loved the way her illness was portrayed. As someone who has migraines I felt so seen in eve and her struggles. This was such a well written story and I had a good time reading it.