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starcake's reviews
224 reviews
Creeping Beauty by Andrea Portes
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Gwen and Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher
adventurous
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? Yes
3.75
Wallflower by Cookie O'Gorman
3.0
Another one of Cookies books I gobbled up before like 2 pm lunch( I'm not even kidding). Like every one of her books, they make me longing for more time with the couple because they are so gosh darn adorable. That being said, this wasn't my favorite of her novels(maybe because of my stagnation of romance novels of reading like 4 in a row)(or cuz I read this novel way too fast). After reading 4 of her books I'm well versed with Cookie's style of romance, and it may be that after reading the same thing for 4 days I've reached a point of stagnation(to be determined later), I like her style but not love it. (More on that later). That may be why I didn't enjoy this novel as much. Other reasons include (me, not you thing)
*I do like opposites attract, it COUDVE BEEN BETTER IF viola remained in the denying feelings phase/not realising feelings phase/ disliking phase longer.The period in which they were "disliking" each other was brief and a lot of time of the novel was spent them just eating really cutesy.I wanted more conflicting feeling from viola but she realized right away she had feelings and totally fell for him and didn't dislike him for very long. Most of the novel was just them acting cutesy
*I think they admitted love a little too quickly. I prefer a couple who know each a little better to declare it.I think I liked it with sadie and colton because they already knew each other .
* This could be because of the stagnation thing but I felt viola and dare were a mismash of the pervious characters (especially sally and becks) and their dynamic in the second half also felt like a mismash of the pervious ones(sally and becks).They did not feel individual to me. I know this was story was about sal and beckss daughter so the author mirroed their story in a way but I guess I was a bit tired.I thought viloa was a bit mean judging Dare so harshly when he started being nice to heras least in sadies case colton actually fun of her so her dislike was valid. I thought blackmailing was kinda mean as well I mean didn't she think about Dare's feelings.
Edit: After reading fauxmance its more clear to me that I think the main reason I didn't like the book was the characters and plot didn't feel original
* Also how cute is it that viloa is sally and becks daughter?This book takes place in the same time period as theirs which weird but okay. Also, how is Becks so dense, that title used to belong to sally but I guess it passed over. I liked how Sally and Viloa were close and liked watching k-drams together. It was also very fitting that all of the Kent brothers had girls.
*Dares' real name being Darcy Fitzwilliam? Funniest thing I've ever seen.
Otherwise a cute novel with a rehashed characters and plot.
*I do like opposites attract, it COUDVE BEEN BETTER IF viola remained in the denying feelings phase/not realising feelings phase/ disliking phase longer.The period in which they were "disliking" each other was brief and a lot of time of the novel was spent them just eating really cutesy.I wanted more conflicting feeling from viola but she realized right away she had feelings and totally fell for him and didn't dislike him for very long. Most of the novel was just them acting cutesy
*I think they admitted love a little too quickly. I prefer a couple who know each a little better to declare it.I think I liked it with sadie and colton because they already knew each other .
* This could be because of the stagnation thing but I felt viola and dare were a mismash of the pervious characters (especially sally and becks) and their dynamic in the second half also felt like a mismash of the pervious ones(sally and becks).They did not feel individual to me. I know this was story was about sal and beckss daughter so the author mirroed their story in a way but I guess I was a bit tired.I thought viloa was a bit mean judging Dare so harshly when he started being nice to heras least in sadies case colton actually fun of her so her dislike was valid. I thought blackmailing was kinda mean as well I mean didn't she think about Dare's feelings.
Edit: After reading fauxmance its more clear to me that I think the main reason I didn't like the book was the characters and plot didn't feel original
* Also how cute is it that viloa is sally and becks daughter?This book takes place in the same time period as theirs which weird but okay. Also, how is Becks so dense, that title used to belong to sally but I guess it passed over. I liked how Sally and Viloa were close and liked watching k-drams together. It was also very fitting that all of the Kent brothers had girls.
*Dares' real name being Darcy Fitzwilliam? Funniest thing I've ever seen.
Otherwise a cute novel with a rehashed characters and plot.
The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad by Cookie O'Gorman
4.0
3.7 stars
I loved this book! This is probably my favorite Cookie Gorman book. I'm a sucker for the enemies to lovers and opposites attract which is probably why I like so much. I loved Sadie and Colton together and their chemistry together and their banter were my favorite parts. I do think the author pushed .They both had more depth than then their good and bad monikers, especially Sadie. She's funny and outgoing and has many interests like filming, books, and dancing! I rather thought her character was super interesting, especially after Ninja Girl, and far from the "good" label she was given( especially since her quips towards Colton are venomous). Colton had the appearance of being bad
I loved this book! This is probably my favorite Cookie Gorman book. I'm a sucker for the enemies to lovers and opposites attract which is probably why I like so much. I loved Sadie and Colton together and their chemistry together and their banter were my favorite parts. I do think the author pushed .They both had more depth than then their good and bad monikers, especially Sadie. She's funny and outgoing and has many interests like filming, books, and dancing! I rather thought her character was super interesting, especially after Ninja Girl, and far from the "good" label she was given( especially since her quips towards Colton are venomous). Colton had the appearance of being bad
Adorkable by Cookie O'Gorman
3.0
3.5 stars
This book was so cute!! I felt like my heart was warmed and I felt exactly the way I did after watching To All the Boys before. It had everything from there, the fake relationship, the misunderstanding, the big gesture in the field, and the long-drawn-out confession at the end( which was soo heart-warming) to not make your heart melt. Although, I did think the drama after they fake broke up after the party was a bit drawn out. The whole thing where she dates Ash and the big gesture at the game was totally unnecessary. They could've just gotten together at the library when they confessed.(Also why didn't she believe him?? seems another thing that was drawn out for drama, that's another thing we'll get into). I think the drama might've worked in a movie. Also, was Sally dense as a rock or what? It was so obvious Becks liked her. Touching lessons? Getting jealous easily? That poem? girl bye
Other thoughts I had-
* My little enemies to lover's heart couldn't resist shipping Ash and Sally. Hello, the whole thing where Ash understood Sallys german confession at the party and later confronted her about it in the closet and confessed his feelings and they later dated could have been a great setup for a romance.As much as I liked Becks and the whole thing, it was such a juicy premise that I cant resist. Why did the author spring that in the middle? As much as liked the sweet childhood best friends(I liked it here) there something so alluring about reading a romance about 2 people who misunderstand or don't like each other(What if they fell for each later had this been a series or a comic?)
*Ive come realise I really like long slow burn romances like in shows or comics(or a book series).The story didn't really satisfy my Webtoon romance heart that I have been craving and made me realise Webtoon romances are on a complaely different tier. *sigh* Why I gotta wait a week to read The Kiss Bet or Down To Eart? Also I gotta stop treating this like a comic and wondering if it were a longer drawn out story.
This book was so cute!! I felt like my heart was warmed and I felt exactly the way I did after watching To All the Boys before. It had everything from there, the fake relationship, the misunderstanding, the big gesture in the field, and the long-drawn-out confession at the end( which was soo heart-warming) to not make your heart melt. Although, I did think the drama after they fake broke up after the party was a bit drawn out. The whole thing where she dates Ash and the big gesture at the game was totally unnecessary. They could've just gotten together at the library when they confessed.(Also why didn't she believe him?? seems another thing that was drawn out for drama, that's another thing we'll get into). I think the drama might've worked in a movie. Also, was Sally dense as a rock or what? It was so obvious Becks liked her. Touching lessons? Getting jealous easily? That poem? girl bye
Other thoughts I had-
* My little enemies to lover's heart couldn't resist shipping Ash and Sally. Hello, the whole thing where Ash understood Sallys german confession at the party and later confronted her about it in the closet and confessed his feelings and they later dated could have been a great setup for a romance.As much as I liked Becks and the whole thing, it was such a juicy premise that I cant resist. Why did the author spring that in the middle? As much as liked the sweet childhood best friends(I liked it here) there something so alluring about reading a romance about 2 people who misunderstand or don't like each other(What if they fell for each later had this been a series or a comic?)
*Ive come realise I really like long slow burn romances like in shows or comics(or a book series).The story didn't really satisfy my Webtoon romance heart that I have been craving and made me realise Webtoon romances are on a complaely different tier. *sigh* Why I gotta wait a week to read The Kiss Bet or Down To Eart? Also I gotta stop treating this like a comic and wondering if it were a longer drawn out story.