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selbs2004's reviews
89 reviews
Gold by E.J. Noyes
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? It's complicated
4.75
Good God that ending was absolutely everything! I can say for certain that the ending of this book will always be at the back of my mind for a very long time.
There is something so beautiful about a romance that isn't afraid to be unabashedly intimate yet still agonizingly angsty.
The pace at the beginning was unique in a way that it allowed the characters to come together without guilt or shame. It's quick but undeniably purposeful and I absolutely loved it.
Aspen and Cate have really well-written chemistry, that seeped through the story. They spoke to each other like adults allowing for the romance to be filled with clear communication and closeness and it allowed for their love for one another to feel genuine.
I usually despis stories where one character decides what's best for both of them. But the way Noyes writes this trope felt so unparalleled. It was done in a way that integrated a good balance between the characters personalities and the understanding of their trauma that made their conflict and break-up feel organic and not for dramatic purposes. I didn't feel anger or frustration towards either of them because Noyes made it apparent to allow for both sides to shine through.
Aspen's character development is done really well too. The pace felt realistic and balanced perfectly between her own individual growth and the growth within her romantic relationship with Cate, my only wish is that we saw Cate have some time to heal from her PTSD through therapy as well, as my poor girl has really been through it 🥺
Aspen's relationship with Gemma felt wonderfully done too, but I wish the pace slowed down during scenes between them so we could've seen Gemma's trust grow more clearly for Aspen, but the scenes we did get was so emotional and beautiful and I'm happy Noyes took the time show us the honest ups and downs of integrating someone new into a single parent household.
What a book truly! Overall 4.75 rounded up. 7
There is something so beautiful about a romance that isn't afraid to be unabashedly intimate yet still agonizingly angsty.
The pace at the beginning was unique in a way that it allowed the characters to come together without guilt or shame. It's quick but undeniably purposeful and I absolutely loved it.
Aspen and Cate have really well-written chemistry, that seeped through the story. They spoke to each other like adults allowing for the romance to be filled with clear communication and closeness and it allowed for their love for one another to feel genuine.
I usually despis stories where one character decides what's best for both of them. But the way Noyes writes this trope felt so unparalleled. It was done in a way that integrated a good balance between the characters personalities and the understanding of their trauma that made their conflict and break-up feel organic and not for dramatic purposes. I didn't feel anger or frustration towards either of them because Noyes made it apparent to allow for both sides to shine through.
Aspen's character development is done really well too. The pace felt realistic and balanced perfectly between her own individual growth and the growth within her romantic relationship with Cate, my only wish is that we saw Cate have some time to heal from her PTSD through therapy as well, as my poor girl has really been through it 🥺
Aspen's relationship with Gemma felt wonderfully done too, but I wish the pace slowed down during scenes between them so we could've seen Gemma's trust grow more clearly for Aspen, but the scenes we did get was so emotional and beautiful and I'm happy Noyes took the time show us the honest ups and downs of integrating someone new into a single parent household.
What a book truly! Overall 4.75 rounded up. 7
Those Who Wait by Haley Cass
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Yearning truly is an art when it comes to writing, and again I think Haley Cass truly hit the mark when it came to this book.
There were of course moments of frustration, but I would like to start with things I loved first.
The character development of both Sutton and Charlotte was evident throughout this novel in a way that really stood out to me. It felt real and not overly self-indulgent, and it allowed for them to both not be perfect but still maintain the loveabilty of both of them.
The way the side characters were incorporated in Suttons and Charlotte's romance was very well balanced and allowed for all characters to be understood on a deeper level without taking away from the center of the story.
Yes, there were times that the story, exposition, and dialogue felt repetitive, but the pacing felt very well thought out and kept me on the edge of my seat just waiting for Charlotte and Sutton to admit the love they had for one another.
In the beginning, it was difficult to believe in the chemistry between Sutton and Charlotte, mostly due to how the characters weren't as relatable compared to the characters in When You Least Expect It, and often I felt a small distance between me as the reader and the characters due to how the world in this story was built around Sutton and Charlotte. As we get to know them more outside of this very privileged life both Sutton and Charlotte have it became clear to me how much I was going to adore them. And I appreciated the way Cass displayed both their commonalities and differences in a way that fully made me understand the love they had for one another. And Sutton is a remarkable character and I know for a fact that the scene in the coffee shop where she admits she is in love with Charlotte will always be at the back of my mind I'm excited to read more about her and how she grows and brings more of the best out of Charlotte when I read Forever and Day.
Overall 4.5, another wonderful romance from Haley Cass
There were of course moments of frustration, but I would like to start with things I loved first.
The character development of both Sutton and Charlotte was evident throughout this novel in a way that really stood out to me. It felt real and not overly self-indulgent, and it allowed for them to both not be perfect but still maintain the loveabilty of both of them.
The way the side characters were incorporated in Suttons and Charlotte's romance was very well balanced and allowed for all characters to be understood on a deeper level without taking away from the center of the story.
Yes, there were times that the story, exposition, and dialogue felt repetitive, but the pacing felt very well thought out and kept me on the edge of my seat just waiting for Charlotte and Sutton to admit the love they had for one another.
In the beginning, it was difficult to believe in the chemistry between Sutton and Charlotte, mostly due to how the characters weren't as relatable compared to the characters in When You Least Expect It, and often I felt a small distance between me as the reader and the characters due to how the world in this story was built around Sutton and Charlotte. As we get to know them more outside of this very privileged life both Sutton and Charlotte have it became clear to me how much I was going to adore them. And I appreciated the way Cass displayed both their commonalities and differences in a way that fully made me understand the love they had for one another. And Sutton is a remarkable character and I know for a fact that the scene in the coffee shop where she admits she is in love with Charlotte will always be at the back of my mind I'm excited to read more about her and how she grows and brings more of the best out of Charlotte when I read Forever and Day.
Overall 4.5, another wonderful romance from Haley Cass
Better Than Expected by Haley Cass
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.5
Aurora's Angel by Emily Noon
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Touch her and you die but make it lesbians! That's what I'm talking about!
This book definitely understands how to create hot-burning chemistry between two characters. I was hooked on Aurora and Evie since the beginning of the novel and my interest and love for these characters only grew through every chapter. To me this is exactly how you formulate a slow-burn romance. It had a perfect balance of sexual tension, with wholesome moments that allowed us to understand thoroughly the love Aurora and Evie had for each other. And at the end, it left kicking me my feet and giggling because they truly deserve the world and each other.
As some other reviews have pointed out there were often times when the book dragged and felt like it was trying to fit more than what was needed into each chapter, and it would've benefited from more editing so it could better focus on what it wanted to at each checkpoint, but I did feel like the story concluded the plot points nicely at the end. The world was so intricate and complex and sometimes it felt like we were just being thrown information, but I was so invested in the characters themselves that the world-building only ever felt distracting and never where I was left with more questions.
Overall incredible romance that I am desperate for more of. 4.5 stars 🌟
This book definitely understands how to create hot-burning chemistry between two characters. I was hooked on Aurora and Evie since the beginning of the novel and my interest and love for these characters only grew through every chapter. To me this is exactly how you formulate a slow-burn romance. It had a perfect balance of sexual tension, with wholesome moments that allowed us to understand thoroughly the love Aurora and Evie had for each other. And at the end, it left kicking me my feet and giggling because they truly deserve the world and each other.
As some other reviews have pointed out there were often times when the book dragged and felt like it was trying to fit more than what was needed into each chapter, and it would've benefited from more editing so it could better focus on what it wanted to at each checkpoint, but I did feel like the story concluded the plot points nicely at the end. The world was so intricate and complex and sometimes it felt like we were just being thrown information, but I was so invested in the characters themselves that the world-building only ever felt distracting and never where I was left with more questions.
Overall incredible romance that I am desperate for more of. 4.5 stars 🌟
Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
When You Least Expect It by Haley Cass
hopeful
lighthearted
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
5.0
This story is the definition of well-structured, and that may sound like I'm hinting at this being formulaic, but it's quite the opposite.
The novel's pacing is incredibly well thought out, leaving us so much time to understand the growing attraction the characters have for each other as well as the characters as individuals.
Something that truly stood out to me is that Cass puts real effort into showing instead of telling when it comes to not only convincing the reader about how deeply Caroline and Hannah love each other but each of the individual reasons why they do with evidence to back it up. I feel like where a lot of contemporary romances go wrong is that at the moment of their confession of devotion and love, they simply tell us why they love each other without allowing the story to tell us instead and this book does the exact opposite.
The yearning and growth of attraction between the characters felt very honest and organic, and the moment where they finally let go and make love feels like two people who truly fought to love each other and to feel each other in one of the most intimate ways a person can feel another. I found that all the conflict (Michael and the divorce specifically) Caroline's passion for her work, and integrating a person into a family with a single parent and child all added to their love story in a way that I wasn't expecting and was very well done
Caroline, as an individual, is such an incredibly well-woven character, and Cass gives us such time to truly understand her and her motivations at the Caroline feels like truly fleshed out character outside of her relationship to Hannah without it taking away from the romance. She is so emotionally mature and kind in a way that is believable and relatable and watching her grow and fight to be better for Hannah, even if she thought she would never end up her was very emotionally impactful.
Hannah is a character that is also (as Caroline mentioned a lot throughout this book) difficult to not fall in love with. The way she is portrayed through Caroline's perspective still leaves her character feeling whole and usually, I would prefer romances to be dual perspectives, but this one was perfect in shaping both our protagonists.
And Abby has my whole heart in her hands and she deserves the entire world just for being her.
My only wish is that we had longer with Caroline to see her truly handle the conflict she has with some family members regarding her job and her relationship status. I wanted to have her finally break and communicate how hard she works to love her family with everything she has and her brother and her family members have no right to make her feel bad for focusing on her work as well but hopefully we will see more of that in book 2.
And as said above my only wish is that this book was longer because I adored Caroline's POV but I am so excited to read the second book to just get more of them in general.
Overall 5 stars (10 stars if I could lol)
The novel's pacing is incredibly well thought out, leaving us so much time to understand the growing attraction the characters have for each other as well as the characters as individuals.
Something that truly stood out to me is that Cass puts real effort into showing instead of telling when it comes to not only convincing the reader about how deeply Caroline and Hannah love each other but each of the individual reasons why they do with evidence to back it up. I feel like where a lot of contemporary romances go wrong is that at the moment of their confession of devotion and love, they simply tell us why they love each other without allowing the story to tell us instead and this book does the exact opposite.
The yearning and growth of attraction between the characters felt very honest and organic, and the moment where they finally let go and make love feels like two people who truly fought to love each other and to feel each other in one of the most intimate ways a person can feel another. I found that all the conflict (Michael and the divorce specifically) Caroline's passion for her work, and integrating a person into a family with a single parent and child all added to their love story in a way that I wasn't expecting and was very well done
Caroline, as an individual, is such an incredibly well-woven character, and Cass gives us such time to truly understand her and her motivations at the Caroline feels like truly fleshed out character outside of her relationship to Hannah without it taking away from the romance. She is so emotionally mature and kind in a way that is believable and relatable and watching her grow and fight to be better for Hannah, even if she thought she would never end up her was very emotionally impactful.
Hannah is a character that is also (as Caroline mentioned a lot throughout this book) difficult to not fall in love with. The way she is portrayed through Caroline's perspective still leaves her character feeling whole and usually, I would prefer romances to be dual perspectives, but this one was perfect in shaping both our protagonists.
And Abby has my whole heart in her hands and she deserves the entire world just for being her.
My only wish is that we had longer with Caroline to see her truly handle the conflict she has with some family members regarding her job and her relationship status. I wanted to have her finally break and communicate how hard she works to love her family with everything she has and her brother and her family members have no right to make her feel bad for focusing on her work as well but hopefully we will see more of that in book 2.
And as said above my only wish is that this book was longer because I adored Caroline's POV but I am so excited to read the second book to just get more of them in general.
Overall 5 stars (10 stars if I could lol)
A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book aims to represent the history and atrocity of the colonialism, oppression, and genocide of Indigenous people through a fantastical world of humans, fae, elves, and other creatures, and from an overall perspective, it does just that but often lacks depth through the narrative and writing style.
For one I feel as if this story of colonialism and bigotry could've been much more thorough if there were more perspectives to follow than just Keeras. Often I felt like Blair was spoonfeeding to the reader what they should feel at each part of the book, while also not allowing us to truly understand different perspectives specifically from other Shades, halfling females that are used as assassins and protectors of the crown. I wanted to more about the shades outside of Keera a character who even through her work for the crown aimed to protect as many halflings and innocents as she could but to me this doesn't aim to tell the whole story. A lot of what we know about the shades felt shallow and my only hope for the next 3 books is that we dig deeper into the different perspectives of the Shades positive or negative.
The writing style overall is unique, but the pacing often felt clunky and slow in the beginning but gradually got better as we learned more about Keera and the action and plot began to pick up. The dialogue and prose did feel at oftentimes redundant and repetitive and again I felt like all emotions and feelings the author was trying to evoke were being spoonfed to the reader instead of allowing us to truly understand through our insight of the story. Overall a lot of telling instead of showing when it came to the overarching plotlines
Speaking of plotlines that relied heavily on telling instead of showing another thing that largely irritated me is the core romantic plot line between Keera and Riven. That lacked chemistry and felt unnatural to the characters independently and felt like it aimed more to check a box of tropes that a booktok romantasy must follow. I often kept asking myself why Keera liked Riven outside of what was being told to us and we had no true understanding of Keera's attraction except for lust. I mean I can understand why Riven liked Keera, as it was often up to Keera to prove herself to Riven throughout the book, but Keera's attraction to Rievn felt incredibly forced.
Additionally this book was heavily marketed as an LGBT book, and I mean heavily to the point that I was expecting a much better representation of characters than the ones that we got. Keera's bisexuality felt like a shallow half-assed representation especially considering her only female love interest is only used to further Keera's internal character development, is the core root of her trauma, as well as used to push the plot forward as well as push her further into the male love interest and is passive outside of that. And this wouldn't have been such an issue for me if there were any actual same-sex relationships on page instead of constant subtle bisexuality and depthless gender introspection that does nothing for the plot, characters, or story.
Keera as an independent character though was amazing and was one of the only reasons I kept reading. She was strong, morally grey, and three-dimensional in a way that felt real and didn't lean too hard into the strong female character tropes and if it wasn't for the very distracting romantic plotline I would've been more engrossed in her as a character at the end of the book. If the next books focus more on her independently (especially regarding her substance abuse and her technical training) then I am incredibly excited to read more of her journey
Overall 3 stars with a hope for much more depth in the rest of the books.
For one I feel as if this story of colonialism and bigotry could've been much more thorough if there were more perspectives to follow than just Keeras. Often I felt like Blair was spoonfeeding to the reader what they should feel at each part of the book, while also not allowing us to truly understand different perspectives specifically from other Shades, halfling females that are used as assassins and protectors of the crown. I wanted to more about the shades outside of Keera a character who even through her work for the crown aimed to protect as many halflings and innocents as she could but to me this doesn't aim to tell the whole story. A lot of what we know about the shades felt shallow and my only hope for the next 3 books is that we dig deeper into the different perspectives of the Shades positive or negative.
The writing style overall is unique, but the pacing often felt clunky and slow in the beginning but gradually got better as we learned more about Keera and the action and plot began to pick up. The dialogue and prose did feel at oftentimes redundant and repetitive and again I felt like all emotions and feelings the author was trying to evoke were being spoonfed to the reader instead of allowing us to truly understand through our insight of the story. Overall a lot of telling instead of showing when it came to the overarching plotlines
Speaking of plotlines that relied heavily on telling instead of showing another thing that largely irritated me is the core romantic plot line between Keera and Riven. That lacked chemistry and felt unnatural to the characters independently and felt like it aimed more to check a box of tropes that a booktok romantasy must follow. I often kept asking myself why Keera liked Riven outside of what was being told to us and we had no true understanding of Keera's attraction except for lust. I mean I can understand why Riven liked Keera, as it was often up to Keera to prove herself to Riven throughout the book, but Keera's attraction to Rievn felt incredibly forced.
Additionally this book was heavily marketed as an LGBT book, and I mean heavily to the point that I was expecting a much better representation of characters than the ones that we got. Keera's bisexuality felt like a shallow half-assed representation especially considering her only female love interest is only used to further Keera's internal character development, is the core root of her trauma, as well as used to push the plot forward as well as push her further into the male love interest and is passive outside of that. And this wouldn't have been such an issue for me if there were any actual same-sex relationships on page instead of constant subtle bisexuality and depthless gender introspection that does nothing for the plot, characters, or story.
Keera as an independent character though was amazing and was one of the only reasons I kept reading. She was strong, morally grey, and three-dimensional in a way that felt real and didn't lean too hard into the strong female character tropes and if it wasn't for the very distracting romantic plotline I would've been more engrossed in her as a character at the end of the book. If the next books focus more on her independently (especially regarding her substance abuse and her technical training) then I am incredibly excited to read more of her journey
Overall 3 stars with a hope for much more depth in the rest of the books.
She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen
reflective
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? Yes
3.5
This book was so close to being a 3-star read for me but those last couple of chapters won me over.
I would like to start by saying that Honey-Bell, Danielle and Irene deserve the world and we should work together to protect them at all costs!
Saying that this book (to me) had a lot to dislike at the beginning. The first-person narrative that didn't allow us to view Irene's perspective bothered me because I dislike viewing a person of color through the perspective of a white person no matter how well-meaning they are. Irene is this really complicated character that has so much to love about her and I didn't feel like we truly got to know her even through the banter and hijinks for 80% of the book. Her connection to her culture felt very much played to show diversity and less to show respect especially when most instances where her heritage is brought up is to either "school" Scottie or she is shown being the "defensive" person of color which I think is an unfortunate way to represent her and really only gets more frustrated due to her never getting her own perspective in the first place.
Then there was the very clear disparity in maturity between the two characters, which sometimes altered the chemistry between them. Irene seemed so much more emotionally mature compared to Scottie which I know was due to her own difficult situations, but since (again) we only really get to know Irene till the end of the book it taints a lot of thier scenes together and I overall wasn't rooting for them till much closer to the end of the book.
Then there is the dialogue that just screams an adult writing teenage characters that left a lot of the emotional and impactful scenes feeling unnatural, and was one of the reasons it took me so long to get through this one.
But my goodness the character growth and development of Scottie was really well down. Seeing a book discuss the true hardships of a break-up and heartbreak was not what I expected from this book and really blew me away, and I'm happy there is a YA novel that handles this topic so well despite the bumps along the way.
I loved all the side characters, especially Honey Bell and Danielle. And I love that Quindlen left the room to have Irene's relationship with her mom be explored though I wish we could've gotten a scene of them talking to each other and hugging it out.
Overall 3.5 stars rounded up
I would like to start by saying that Honey-Bell, Danielle and Irene deserve the world and we should work together to protect them at all costs!
Saying that this book (to me) had a lot to dislike at the beginning. The first-person narrative that didn't allow us to view Irene's perspective bothered me because I dislike viewing a person of color through the perspective of a white person no matter how well-meaning they are. Irene is this really complicated character that has so much to love about her and I didn't feel like we truly got to know her even through the banter and hijinks for 80% of the book. Her connection to her culture felt very much played to show diversity and less to show respect especially when most instances where her heritage is brought up is to either "school" Scottie or she is shown being the "defensive" person of color which I think is an unfortunate way to represent her and really only gets more frustrated due to her never getting her own perspective in the first place.
Then there was the very clear disparity in maturity between the two characters, which sometimes altered the chemistry between them. Irene seemed so much more emotionally mature compared to Scottie which I know was due to her own difficult situations, but since (again) we only really get to know Irene till the end of the book it taints a lot of thier scenes together and I overall wasn't rooting for them till much closer to the end of the book.
Then there is the dialogue that just screams an adult writing teenage characters that left a lot of the emotional and impactful scenes feeling unnatural, and was one of the reasons it took me so long to get through this one.
But my goodness the character growth and development of Scottie was really well down. Seeing a book discuss the true hardships of a break-up and heartbreak was not what I expected from this book and really blew me away, and I'm happy there is a YA novel that handles this topic so well despite the bumps along the way.
I loved all the side characters, especially Honey Bell and Danielle. And I love that Quindlen left the room to have Irene's relationship with her mom be explored though I wish we could've gotten a scene of them talking to each other and hugging it out.
Overall 3.5 stars rounded up
The X Ingredient by Roslyn Sinclair
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? It's complicated
3.75
(Whistle noises and hooting lol) this book delivered on the steam and the spice for sure. I mean the only word to describe this book is HOT!
I loved the dynamic between our two main protagonists and how they played off one another.
The only thing I wish there was more of was fluff. Like some more soft and sweet moments between these two would've been lovely since the chemistry was already off the charts.
The ending though was too easy for me and I felt like Sinclair could've taken more of a risk there so it didn't end so smoothly. I wanted more drama and angst but when it got to the end it just fell flat. Like there is so much tension and heat building throughout this story only for everything they risked for each other to just turn out fine?
The book paints a picture of this incredibly sexy high-stakes relationship, not only because of how it looks (sleeping around with the boss) but because of Diana's deep-rooted denial of her Sexuality because of her family and taught beliefs of who she should be. Only for nothing to truly come of it. Now don't get me wrong the moment where Diana finally lets go and admits to herself who she truly is beautiful and gut-wrenching, but it also missed the mark for me quite a bit as we got closer to the conclusion of the novel.
But who doesn't love a world where everyone gets their happily ever after? I sure do and it was lovely to see in the end how much these two developed and made each other better.
Overall 3.75 stars (Will definitely be reading Sinclairs' other books after this one because wooo)
I loved the dynamic between our two main protagonists and how they played off one another.
The only thing I wish there was more of was fluff. Like some more soft and sweet moments between these two would've been lovely since the chemistry was already off the charts.
The ending though was too easy for me and I felt like Sinclair could've taken more of a risk there so it didn't end so smoothly. I wanted more drama and angst but when it got to the end it just fell flat. Like there is so much tension and heat building throughout this story only for everything they risked for each other to just turn out fine?
The book paints a picture of this incredibly sexy high-stakes relationship, not only because of how it looks (sleeping around with the boss) but because of Diana's deep-rooted denial of her Sexuality because of her family and taught beliefs of who she should be. Only for nothing to truly come of it. Now don't get me wrong the moment where Diana finally lets go and admits to herself who she truly is beautiful and gut-wrenching, but it also missed the mark for me quite a bit as we got closer to the conclusion of the novel.
But who doesn't love a world where everyone gets their happily ever after? I sure do and it was lovely to see in the end how much these two developed and made each other better.
Overall 3.75 stars (Will definitely be reading Sinclairs' other books after this one because wooo)
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
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