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thebiglittlelibrary's reviews
622 reviews
All of Our Demise by C.L. Herman, Amanda Foody
3.0
3 ⭐️ Decent conclusion to the All of Us Villains duology.
"They'd found another way. They'd told a better story. Now they would end it. Together."
The story picks up where the cliffhanger left off and is just as dark and gruesome, full of betrayal, lies, revelations, and surprises. I enjoyed the story and the character development of each of our champions. The plot twists were unexpected, and once again, some of them completely broke my heart! The sacrifices a few characters make. . . SO UNFAIR! I want to riot! But truly, there were moments that hurt, but call me a masochist because I enjoy a little pain while reading.
Just FYI, this doesn't have a traditional happy ending. It's bittersweet, with some sad and hopeful parts. It's realistic for this dark story and for how incredibly messed up these characters are.
So why am I only giving this 3-stars???
The slow-pace. Look, I'm an incredibly fast reader. Give me a good book that's 300 pages, and I'll finish it in 5 hours. But this took me one freaking month! It was too easy to put down and not exciting enough to pick back up. Sure, there were a few action-packed moments, but they ended too soon, and then there would be a massive lull until the next big scene. I truly believe 50-100 pages should have been cut.
The romantic pairings. While I actually really loved the final pairings, they happened out of the blue, were incredibly forced, and honestly, felt unnecessary. I see why these pairs happened for the storyline progression and character development, but this isn't a romantasy, so having these romances didn't fit the vibe of the story or unfold naturally. And then the one pair I actually cared about didn't get the ending they deserved!
Overall, this was a decent conclusion to this duology and I would recommend reading it if you loved the first book (gave it 5-stars). While the ending is bittersweet, the story is wrapped up well and leaves the reader satisfied.
Thank you to Tor and Tor Teen for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
Favorite Quotes:
"I'm so tired."
"Of the tournament?"
"Of wanting impossible things."
——————————————
The Grieves had raised Gavin to die. The Lowes had raised Alistair to kill.
Both of them deserved a better story.
——————————————
"If you're ashamed of what you're willing to kill for, then maybe it's time to ask yourself what you're willing to die for."
——————————————
After everything he's gone through, one thing remained unchanged: He'd always want what he'd never have.
——————————————
Cursed or not, there was no end to the monster story if, all along, the monster had been him.
——————————————
"They'd found another way. They'd told a better story. Now they would end it. Together."
The story picks up where the cliffhanger left off and is just as dark and gruesome, full of betrayal, lies, revelations, and surprises. I enjoyed the story and the character development of each of our champions. The plot twists were unexpected, and once again, some of them completely broke my heart! The sacrifices a few characters make. . . SO UNFAIR! I want to riot! But truly, there were moments that hurt, but call me a masochist because I enjoy a little pain while reading.
Just FYI, this doesn't have a traditional happy ending. It's bittersweet, with some sad and hopeful parts. It's realistic for this dark story and for how incredibly messed up these characters are.
So why am I only giving this 3-stars???
The slow-pace. Look, I'm an incredibly fast reader. Give me a good book that's 300 pages, and I'll finish it in 5 hours. But this took me one freaking month! It was too easy to put down and not exciting enough to pick back up. Sure, there were a few action-packed moments, but they ended too soon, and then there would be a massive lull until the next big scene. I truly believe 50-100 pages should have been cut.
The romantic pairings. While I actually really loved the final pairings, they happened out of the blue, were incredibly forced, and honestly, felt unnecessary. I see why these pairs happened for the storyline progression and character development, but this isn't a romantasy, so having these romances didn't fit the vibe of the story or unfold naturally. And then the one pair I actually cared about didn't get the ending they deserved!
Overall, this was a decent conclusion to this duology and I would recommend reading it if you loved the first book (gave it 5-stars). While the ending is bittersweet, the story is wrapped up well and leaves the reader satisfied.
Thank you to Tor and Tor Teen for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
Favorite Quotes:
"I'm so tired."
"Of the tournament?"
"Of wanting impossible things."
——————————————
The Grieves had raised Gavin to die. The Lowes had raised Alistair to kill.
Both of them deserved a better story.
——————————————
"If you're ashamed of what you're willing to kill for, then maybe it's time to ask yourself what you're willing to die for."
——————————————
After everything he's gone through, one thing remained unchanged: He'd always want what he'd never have.
——————————————
Cursed or not, there was no end to the monster story if, all along, the monster had been him.
——————————————
Vacations Like This by Carina Taylor
2.0
1.5 ⭐️ A bad Hallmark Christmas story with an unlikable, childish FMC.
I received an e-ARC of this story on NetGalley in November 2021, and I finally finished in October 2022. Better late than never, right??
But honestly, I wish I didn't even waste my time finishing. You would think I'd have enjoyed this book considering it was forced proximity and light 'enemies' to lovers. However, this completely missed the mark.
Before I go further, I want to say that the premise is cute and was only enhanced by the small-town setting and winter season. I also think the author's writing style is pretty good and makes for an easy reading experience.
However . . .
I HATED Kimber, the FMC. It's been a long time since I've had such strong, negative feelings about any character, so it was a bit of a shock this would happen while reading a rom-com. But from Kimber's idiotic reasoning to her blatant crossing of boundaries, there is not a single thing I liked about her. She's just so annoying!!! She always jumps to the worst conclusions and then defends her actions in childish ways.
For my sanity, I cannot go back through and list everything I found problematic about Kimber. But here are some notes I took in the Kindle app about her and the sh*t she pulls. Enjoy!
- Why is she always squeaking around him?
- Wow, she's incredibly immature
- God, she's a child.
- OMG, she's so f*cking ridiculous and annoying.
- What an idiot!
- How is someone who's a reporter so delusional and biased?
- Ugh, not the "I'm so pretty that people don't take me seriously" reason.
- Kill me.
- I can't.
- She's so dumb.
- I hate her.
- RED FLAG ALERT! She stole his phone and went through it?! And they're not even dating??? WTF!
- She's f*cking crazy!
- Did he seriously just tell her he loves her???? After all that?!?
Also, the actual drama of the resort coming to the small town was pointless and all led by Kimber's crazed notion that the resort would destroy the town and the owners were shady. There was no reason for her to think that, and obviously, it wasn't true, so all her anger towards Mack for working on the resort and her signing petitions to have it stopped made her seem like a total idiot. Oh, and she's not even from the town!!! So why would she have this bias?? She should do her job as a reporter and gather facts before making any conclusion.
This entire story just played out like a BAD Hallmark Christmas movie, and I was not about it. But if you want to read something lighthearted and cheesy during the holidays, then this might be something you'd enjoy.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing an e-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
I received an e-ARC of this story on NetGalley in November 2021, and I finally finished in October 2022. Better late than never, right??
But honestly, I wish I didn't even waste my time finishing. You would think I'd have enjoyed this book considering it was forced proximity and light 'enemies' to lovers. However, this completely missed the mark.
Before I go further, I want to say that the premise is cute and was only enhanced by the small-town setting and winter season. I also think the author's writing style is pretty good and makes for an easy reading experience.
However . . .
I HATED Kimber, the FMC. It's been a long time since I've had such strong, negative feelings about any character, so it was a bit of a shock this would happen while reading a rom-com. But from Kimber's idiotic reasoning to her blatant crossing of boundaries, there is not a single thing I liked about her. She's just so annoying!!! She always jumps to the worst conclusions and then defends her actions in childish ways.
For my sanity, I cannot go back through and list everything I found problematic about Kimber. But here are some notes I took in the Kindle app about her and the sh*t she pulls. Enjoy!
- Why is she always squeaking around him?
- Wow, she's incredibly immature
- God, she's a child.
- OMG, she's so f*cking ridiculous and annoying.
- What an idiot!
- How is someone who's a reporter so delusional and biased?
- Ugh, not the "I'm so pretty that people don't take me seriously" reason.
- Kill me.
- I can't.
- She's so dumb.
- I hate her.
- RED FLAG ALERT! She stole his phone and went through it?! And they're not even dating??? WTF!
- She's f*cking crazy!
- Did he seriously just tell her he loves her???? After all that?!?
Also, the actual drama of the resort coming to the small town was pointless and all led by Kimber's crazed notion that the resort would destroy the town and the owners were shady. There was no reason for her to think that, and obviously, it wasn't true, so all her anger towards Mack for working on the resort and her signing petitions to have it stopped made her seem like a total idiot. Oh, and she's not even from the town!!! So why would she have this bias?? She should do her job as a reporter and gather facts before making any conclusion.
This entire story just played out like a BAD Hallmark Christmas movie, and I was not about it. But if you want to read something lighthearted and cheesy during the holidays, then this might be something you'd enjoy.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing an e-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
4.0
3.5 ⭐️ Cute bodyguard, fake-dating romance
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ strong, capable bodyguard FMC
✨ hunky, sweet movie-star MMC
✨ fake-dating
✨ city girl ends up on a ranch
✨ client to friends to lovers
✨ one-bed trope
✨ emotional baggage
✨ crazy stalker drama
✨ fun banter
✨ zero spice
I liked the story. It was fun, sweet, and had some exciting moments near the end.
While there were some heavy topics (death of a family member, past childhood trauma/parental alcoholism), they didn’t weigh down the story, and it remained light-hearted for the most part.
I enjoyed seeing the character growth of both Jack and Hannah. They had a lot of big things to work through and did that on their own and together. I love how they were there for each other as friends, and it was sweet watching them blossom into something more.
Jack’s mom, Connie, is my absolute favorite! I wish we got even more scenes with her!
Jack and Hannah were cute, but I wasn’t 100% convinced of their chemistry. He mentions how ordinary and plain she is to his brother, but then when she confronts him about it, he’s like, “yeah, and I like that about you.” But that’s not really a compliment. We want the love interest to find the MC attractive in some capacity, but he never says anything to that degree. It’s also brought up 3 different times (by her ex, Jack, and Jack’s fake celebrity girlfriend) that she’s nothing special, which rubbed me the wrong way. Idk I would have liked for them to have some sort of obvious physical chemistry or at least have it mentioned a little.
But, the best part about these two was Jack’s teasing and their banter! It was so stinking cute and made me smile. ☺️
The pacing was sometimes off for me. It was hard to get into at the beginning because one bad thing after another kept happening to Hannah, and she was constantly complaining about her work assignments. But once she got to the ranch, things picked up for me. So around 25% of the book. And I know some people said the ending came out of nowhere, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! Nothing like a little conflict during the last 10%!
Overall, this is a cute romance I’d recommend if you want something fun and quick to read.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ strong, capable bodyguard FMC
✨ hunky, sweet movie-star MMC
✨ fake-dating
✨ city girl ends up on a ranch
✨ client to friends to lovers
✨ one-bed trope
✨ emotional baggage
✨ crazy stalker drama
✨ fun banter
✨ zero spice
I liked the story. It was fun, sweet, and had some exciting moments near the end.
While there were some heavy topics (death of a family member, past childhood trauma/parental alcoholism), they didn’t weigh down the story, and it remained light-hearted for the most part.
I enjoyed seeing the character growth of both Jack and Hannah. They had a lot of big things to work through and did that on their own and together. I love how they were there for each other as friends, and it was sweet watching them blossom into something more.
Jack’s mom, Connie, is my absolute favorite! I wish we got even more scenes with her!
Jack and Hannah were cute, but I wasn’t 100% convinced of their chemistry. He mentions how ordinary and plain she is to his brother, but then when she confronts him about it, he’s like, “yeah, and I like that about you.” But that’s not really a compliment. We want the love interest to find the MC attractive in some capacity, but he never says anything to that degree. It’s also brought up 3 different times (by her ex, Jack, and Jack’s fake celebrity girlfriend) that she’s nothing special, which rubbed me the wrong way. Idk I would have liked for them to have some sort of obvious physical chemistry or at least have it mentioned a little.
But, the best part about these two was Jack’s teasing and their banter! It was so stinking cute and made me smile. ☺️
The pacing was sometimes off for me. It was hard to get into at the beginning because one bad thing after another kept happening to Hannah, and she was constantly complaining about her work assignments. But once she got to the ranch, things picked up for me. So around 25% of the book. And I know some people said the ending came out of nowhere, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! Nothing like a little conflict during the last 10%!
Overall, this is a cute romance I’d recommend if you want something fun and quick to read.
Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
4.0
3.5 ⭐️ A sweet, heartfelt romance
"The best things come back. Sometimes it's right after the commercial, sometimes it takes longer. But time and sunshine bring growth, and life unfolds just the way it's supposed to."
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ movie star MMC
✨ divorced screenwriter FMC
✨ small-town romance
✨ miscommunication
✨ angst
✨ HEA
✨ no spice
Summary:
Nora is a recently divorced romance screenwriter who just sold her first big non-romance script. Since the screenplay is based on Nora's life, the director wants to use her home as the film location. So for one week, Nora and her two children will have to deal with the film crew and actors - including Leo Vance - Hollywood's biggest star and "Sexiest Man Alive."
After filming wraps, Leo decides to extend his stay for a couple of weeks. This Hollywood superstar is looking to ground himself in something that looks like a 'normal life'. But as Leo spends more time with Nora and her kids, the more integral he becomes a part of their family. Leo was supposed to be temporary, but what if he is meant to stay?
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this story!!! So much so that I read it in one day!
What I liked:
• The premise is wonderful.
• The writing is straightforward and easy to follow.
• Bernadette and Arthur, Nora’s kids, stole the show.
• Nora’s journey of moving on and learning to love and appreciate herself was honestly beautiful.
• The third act conflict (which happened at 50% of the book) gutted me. My heart physically ached for Nora.
• I didn’t see that plot twist coming, and it was so great! I was wondering how on earth I’d ever forgive Leo.
What I didn’t like:
• While Nora and Leo did not instantly fall in love, it felt like insta-love once they got together because there were hardly any moments where we see them forming a solid romantic connection. It felt a little out of the blue.
• I also didn't really feel the chemistry between Nora and Leo. And I think it had everything to do with this lack of romantic build-up in the beginning.
• I never felt connected to Leo. I didn’t really know him or felt emotionally attached, so he just seemed very two-dimensional. I just wish we had seen more personality or emotions shine through during his interactions with Nora and the kids.
Overall, I thought this was such a wonderful story. I would 100% recommend reading it if you want a mature, sweet romance with angst.
Thank you, NetGalley and Putnam Books, for providing an e-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
"The best things come back. Sometimes it's right after the commercial, sometimes it takes longer. But time and sunshine bring growth, and life unfolds just the way it's supposed to."
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ movie star MMC
✨ divorced screenwriter FMC
✨ small-town romance
✨ miscommunication
✨ angst
✨ HEA
✨ no spice
Summary:
Nora is a recently divorced romance screenwriter who just sold her first big non-romance script. Since the screenplay is based on Nora's life, the director wants to use her home as the film location. So for one week, Nora and her two children will have to deal with the film crew and actors - including Leo Vance - Hollywood's biggest star and "Sexiest Man Alive."
After filming wraps, Leo decides to extend his stay for a couple of weeks. This Hollywood superstar is looking to ground himself in something that looks like a 'normal life'. But as Leo spends more time with Nora and her kids, the more integral he becomes a part of their family. Leo was supposed to be temporary, but what if he is meant to stay?
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this story!!! So much so that I read it in one day!
What I liked:
• The premise is wonderful.
• The writing is straightforward and easy to follow.
• Bernadette and Arthur, Nora’s kids, stole the show.
• Nora’s journey of moving on and learning to love and appreciate herself was honestly beautiful.
• The third act conflict (which happened at 50% of the book) gutted me. My heart physically ached for Nora.
• I didn’t see that plot twist coming, and it was so great! I was wondering how on earth I’d ever forgive Leo.
What I didn’t like:
• While Nora and Leo did not instantly fall in love, it felt like insta-love once they got together because there were hardly any moments where we see them forming a solid romantic connection. It felt a little out of the blue.
• I also didn't really feel the chemistry between Nora and Leo. And I think it had everything to do with this lack of romantic build-up in the beginning.
• I never felt connected to Leo. I didn’t really know him or felt emotionally attached, so he just seemed very two-dimensional. I just wish we had seen more personality or emotions shine through during his interactions with Nora and the kids.
Overall, I thought this was such a wonderful story. I would 100% recommend reading it if you want a mature, sweet romance with angst.
Thank you, NetGalley and Putnam Books, for providing an e-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review! As always, all opinions are my own.
A Cosmic Kind of Love by Samantha Young
3.0
3 ⭐️ A cute, low-stakes rom-com
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ astronaut MMC
✨ party planner FMC
✨ crush to client to friend to lover
✨ a little bit of spice
✨ toxic families
✨ other woman drama (no cheating)
✨ third act ‘break-up’
✨ HEA
I actually really liked the story. The premise was super cute. The characters were interesting. I thought the video messages were a creative way to bring the couple together. And Aunt Richelle and Althea are the real MVPs! Absolutely adore them and their support of the MCs!
My main issue was that I didn't enjoy the family drama, which besides the romance, was the entire focus of the story. Chris and Hallie get together relatively quickly, so once that happened, the story fell a little flat romance-wise. And at that point, it felt like Chris and Hallie's issues with their parents, as well as Chris' identity crisis, are what pushed the plot forward. Of course, characters need something to struggle with, but I hated how both Chris and Hallie allowed people who have repeatedly treated them like garbage to affect their lives so much. And by the end, not that much is resolved. Chris is still on the outs with his dad and Hallie is in a decent place with her parents, which we were told about, instead of really seeing it play out and get resolved. The family drama played such a big role in this story, but it didn't have a very satisfying ending.
Overall, it was an interesting, cute rom-com. I liked the romance and side characters but would have enjoyed it if the family drama had been lessened or resolved better.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ astronaut MMC
✨ party planner FMC
✨ crush to client to friend to lover
✨ a little bit of spice
✨ toxic families
✨ other woman drama (no cheating)
✨ third act ‘break-up’
✨ HEA
I actually really liked the story. The premise was super cute. The characters were interesting. I thought the video messages were a creative way to bring the couple together. And Aunt Richelle and Althea are the real MVPs! Absolutely adore them and their support of the MCs!
My main issue was that I didn't enjoy the family drama, which besides the romance, was the entire focus of the story. Chris and Hallie get together relatively quickly, so once that happened, the story fell a little flat romance-wise. And at that point, it felt like Chris and Hallie's issues with their parents, as well as Chris' identity crisis, are what pushed the plot forward. Of course, characters need something to struggle with, but I hated how both Chris and Hallie allowed people who have repeatedly treated them like garbage to affect their lives so much. And by the end, not that much is resolved. Chris is still on the outs with his dad and Hallie is in a decent place with her parents, which we were told about, instead of really seeing it play out and get resolved. The family drama played such a big role in this story, but it didn't have a very satisfying ending.
Overall, it was an interesting, cute rom-com. I liked the romance and side characters but would have enjoyed it if the family drama had been lessened or resolved better.
Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe
4.0
4 ⭐️ I'm loving this comic as a whole!!
I decided to buy a hard copy of Lore Olympus: Volume One without knowing anything about it because I've seen so many good reviews on Tiktok and Instagram. And OMG! I'm hooked!
I LOVE the modern and mature take on Greek mythology. It's deep, real, and raw while also having a lot of fun and sweet moments as well.
I absolutely adore Hades and Persephone's relationship and how they started as friends and, over time, have been able to show each other love and affection. Watching their love blossom has been an absolute treat.
But I've just got to say . . . FUCK APOLLO! I'm caught up with the entire comic on Webtoons, and that mother-fucker still hasn't been punished! UGH! #justiceforpersephone. I'm sure his time will come, but I want it to be now!
I honestly had no idea what to expect from the story, but I am pleasantly surprised, and I cannot wait to keep up with weekly updates on Webtoon.
I decided to buy a hard copy of Lore Olympus: Volume One without knowing anything about it because I've seen so many good reviews on Tiktok and Instagram. And OMG! I'm hooked!
I LOVE the modern and mature take on Greek mythology. It's deep, real, and raw while also having a lot of fun and sweet moments as well.
I absolutely adore Hades and Persephone's relationship and how they started as friends and, over time, have been able to show each other love and affection. Watching their love blossom has been an absolute treat.
But I've just got to say . . . FUCK APOLLO! I'm caught up with the entire comic on Webtoons, and that mother-fucker still hasn't been punished! UGH! #justiceforpersephone. I'm sure his time will come, but I want it to be now!
I honestly had no idea what to expect from the story, but I am pleasantly surprised, and I cannot wait to keep up with weekly updates on Webtoon.
Lore Olympus: Volume Three by Rachel Smythe
4.0
4 ⭐ I've become obsessed
"Someone just admitted they have a crush and I need to get involved."
Eros is my favorite!!!! I love his relationship with Persephone.
Contains chapters 50-75
"Someone just admitted they have a crush and I need to get involved."
Eros is my favorite!!!! I love his relationship with Persephone.
Contains chapters 50-75
Lore Olympus: Volume Two by Rachel Smythe
4.0
4 ⭐️ Keeps getting better and better
Contains chapters 26-49
Contains chapters 26-49
Love in a Time of the Zombie Apocalypse by Rizzle
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