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imlaurenshelton's reviews
62 reviews
Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
had no intention of reading through this book so quickly but was able to knock it out in one sitting! The hook is just good enough to keep your attention throughout the story. This is a young adult thriller, with some gore-ish depictions throughout but I would say it’s a pretty enjoyable book. Especially for those more inclined to true crime and mysteries. I was actually very surprised by the ending, totally buying into the character’s mindset throughout the book (well with a few exceptions). The final chapters of the book may be disturbing to some readers, as they involve death, stalking, violence, and drug use. In the end, Mira learns to listen to what her Father told her on the phone: Always trust your gut.
im rating this a 4.5 because it is a great thrill read but did include some disturbing content that may not be well-suited for teens. I think if death and injuries make you queasy this book may not be for you, I’d be happy to recommend a less gruesome thriller for you, just let me know! This book was a fun read, but not worth a purchase for me, a one and done for sure.
im rating this a 4.5 because it is a great thrill read but did include some disturbing content that may not be well-suited for teens. I think if death and injuries make you queasy this book may not be for you, I’d be happy to recommend a less gruesome thriller for you, just let me know! This book was a fun read, but not worth a purchase for me, a one and done for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Stalking, and Car accident
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Medical content and Alcohol
The story follows a teenage girl trying to make it home to her mother on Christmas Eve when the last leg of her flight is cancelled. She decides to hitch a ride home with four strangers after the girl she sat next to on the plane offers her a spot for free. (BTW there is mention of turbulence but no plane crash.) The weather gets increasingly worse throughout the book, and Mira’s nerves are making her increasingly antsy because she feels like someone is watching her, and he is. There are letters written to Mira from the stalker’s perspective throughout the book. Along the ride, mishaps continue and violence ensues. There are car accidents, theft, drug abuse and addiction, and death. In one scene, an unfortunate incident involves running a young man over, it is unknown if he survived. Another man chases the car full of strangers around, toting a gun and threatening them, which leaves them with an ominous feeling, There are a few scenes that take place in hospitals but none are gruesome or overbearing. The final chapters of the book may be disturbing to some readers, as they involve death, stalking, violence, and drug use.
It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Let me start out by giving you hope: This book does in fact have a Happily Ever After. Even a "Romance Writers of America approved" HEA. Which is why I am including this review under the "Contemporary Romance" page of this blog. Now, let me get through a few more things before digging into the meat that is this story. The first rule of my review is that you must, and I truly mean this, read the author's note at the end of this novel (and I do mean at the end). Not a tear shed from my eyes throughout my read of this story but the author's note had me blubbering and reaching for my sweatshirt sleeve. This is and probably always will be the most comprehensive review I have written because I don't take the subject matter lightly. I want to recommend this book to readers over the age of 18 cautiously, and even provide a "clean" read how-to for those of you who want to skip the ick. (that will be included at the very end of the review. if you know me IRL you can borrow my copy, which I am diligently scrubbing to be able to lend out.) I NEED to reiterate that I am not in any way recommending this novel to anyone under the age of 18, if you would like another recommendation please contact me. Finally, as you may have gathered from the CW, this book covers extremely disturbing content matter that may just not be right for you and that is okay. You can live your life well without reading this story, please do not attempt to read this book if you think it may decrease the value of your mental and spiritual health. I do think that it can be very cathartic and healing for those who have been, are in, or know those who have been victims and/or survivors of domestic violence and abuse. With all of that being said, my review is going to begin now, so spoilers below!
This book was so easy for me to read, and yet difficult because, as I tell those around me so often, my brain isn't hard-wired like everyone else's. Sometimes I just don't understand how people can't see how terrible the decisions they are making are or why it's so hard for people to do things that are simple and easy for me. I've lived a lot of life in black and white but by the grace of God - I see color, not just the gray. "Why are you sharing this with us?" I can hear you asking, let me explain - because I did not like the love interest, ever.... until the end. Which is backwards, twisted and makes no sense to those who've read the book I'm sure.
I kept seeing red flags with every action this man took, I mean I even wrote down "stalker" in my notes (yes, i took extensive notes, for the first time ever). I began the book with little knowledge of its contents but not enough to have a bias against him, but I still disliked him greatly. There are moments where I asked myself why the supporting characters thought those things were okay, if maybe they were meant to be complicit to the love-bombing and narcissism. That was until I remembered just how charming these individuals could be in real life. I thought surely others had seen this too, but I saw reviews full of readers who fell in love with Ryle alongside Lily, and I just couldn't understand why. So, I sat on the sidelines of this novel, an ever-involved reader, and pleaded with our main character (that was Lily btw) to leave him and I cheered her on when, spoiler alert, she did.
Now let me backtrack here and explain why I sort of liked Ryle at the end of the book. As I told my mom last week, I'm the girl who feels sorry for the serial killer in Criminal Minds (mind you- not all of them) because they experienced trauma and I think if just one person had helped them or been kind to them, maybe their life would have been different. But I also believe every person reaches a re-breaking point before they can heal, the point where they reset (like an orthopedic surgeon resets a bone) their life to heal back into a path where they can truly live and thrive again. For Ryle, unfortunately, this moment came after causing great harm and trauma to someone that I believe he may have actually loved. There is a scene at the end of the book where I knew, if the book continued on, he would have a huge character development arch of growth and healing. In the hospital room, after giving birth to their daughter, Ryle and Lily are sitting in the hospital bed talking. Lily asks him what he would say to his daughter if she came to him one day saying her husband did to her what Ryle did to Lily. He says he would tell their daughter to leave her husband, and they cry. In this moment, that part of me that has empathy for serial killers and is against the death penalty was spoken to, I could see that this character felt real remorse. It doesn't change what he's done and it will never, ever excuse it, and I expect that his life would be different after that day if the book continued on. We don't get a development arch though, well not in detail... we see a glimpse into the future and see hope that Ryle has truly changed.
I kept seeing red flags with every action this man took, I mean I even wrote down "stalker" in my notes (yes, i took extensive notes, for the first time ever). I began the book with little knowledge of its contents but not enough to have a bias against him, but I still disliked him greatly. There are moments where I asked myself why the supporting characters thought those things were okay, if maybe they were meant to be complicit to the love-bombing and narcissism. That was until I remembered just how charming these individuals could be in real life. I thought surely others had seen this too, but I saw reviews full of readers who fell in love with Ryle alongside Lily, and I just couldn't understand why. So, I sat on the sidelines of this novel, an ever-involved reader, and pleaded with our main character (that was Lily btw) to leave him and I cheered her on when, spoiler alert, she did.
Now let me backtrack here and explain why I sort of liked Ryle at the end of the book. As I told my mom last week, I'm the girl who feels sorry for the serial killer in Criminal Minds (mind you- not all of them) because they experienced trauma and I think if just one person had helped them or been kind to them, maybe their life would have been different. But I also believe every person reaches a re-breaking point before they can heal, the point where they reset (like an orthopedic surgeon resets a bone) their life to heal back into a path where they can truly live and thrive again. For Ryle, unfortunately, this moment came after causing great harm and trauma to someone that I believe he may have actually loved. There is a scene at the end of the book where I knew, if the book continued on, he would have a huge character development arch of growth and healing. In the hospital room, after giving birth to their daughter, Ryle and Lily are sitting in the hospital bed talking. Lily asks him what he would say to his daughter if she came to him one day saying her husband did to her what Ryle did to Lily. He says he would tell their daughter to leave her husband, and they cry. In this moment, that part of me that has empathy for serial killers and is against the death penalty was spoken to, I could see that this character felt real remorse. It doesn't change what he's done and it will never, ever excuse it, and I expect that his life would be different after that day if the book continued on. We don't get a development arch though, well not in detail... we see a glimpse into the future and see hope that Ryle has truly changed.
I was moved for the majority of this book. I found myself mildly irritated by the sex scenes and vulgar language, but thankful that it wasn't overbearingly graphic and I can see why they are important to the storyline. Again, I will be including a how-to Clean Read below for those who wish to read the book without all the icky things.
As for as Lily's character, I loved her because she was a great choice of character, or maybe a better way to convey what I mean is that she was a well-built character. Generational Abuse. Compassionate. Established. Sensible. Intelligent. Successful. She was the perfect build for a character in this situation because she is the person no one expects to go through this situation. Someone who seemingly has their life together is the last person you'd expect to be suffering in silence. Unfortunately our biases and opinions of what an abuse victim or survivor should look like often barricades us from being the extended hand many of them so desperately need. People are quick to judge and blame victims/survivors for staying in their situations with little to no understanding of why they do, and that is why this book is so needed because that perspective shines through here.
I have great respect for the aspect of generational abuse that was included in this novel and that it was the namesake of the book, as "It Ends With Us" stands for the end of the cycle of abuse. I won't drone on about cycles, but generational cycles of all different kinds are the very root of brokenness within families. Healing from your root cycle issue and ending that generational problem is so important. Lily and her first love, Atlas, are both victims of Childhood Abuse, growing up in homes with Domestic Violence. Lily's abuse didn't necessarily reach the extent that Atlas' did but both of them suffered Emotional Abuse and Trauma from a young age. Big spoiler here... This is why I am so delighted that the author brought us, I mean Lily, back to Atlas at the end of the book. Because initially, when I realized "It Ends With Us" meant DV, I thought that would be a phrase shared between Lily & Atlas. (No worries, it is more heartfelt and touching that it was actually shared between Lily & her daughter.) In a way, their relationship also ends cycles of abuse in their families too. A line in this book that really broke my heart was when Lily is writing in her very cool, not-diary, Ellen Journal and states: "I'm a statistic now." Something Lily never thought would happen to her, nay- was adamant would not happen to her, did. She was abused by someone she loved and cared for.
Let's get to the hard part, the abuse. I'm not sure if I am desensitized to the graphic nature of some of what is depicted because of hours of true crime podcasts, but I personally did not feel that the abuse was depicted very graphically. I just wanted to put that note there for anyone who is concerned they may become triggered by reading this book. but I will add it is no easier to read just because its not as detailed. These scenes leave you scared for Lily, and her mom, and Atlas, they are definitely intense. Thankfully there is a bit of a shift in the scene when you can tell something is about to happen, or maybe that was just my own gut warning me. I wasn't shocked when he pushed her, either time, or the way in which he apologized immediately. I wasn't shocked when he attempted to sexually assault her, or bit her, or hit her. I wasn't surprised that all of this took place in less than a year. I was thrown off by the pregnancy, which only made me sad for her because, as my note so delicately put it: "it's just another bargaining chip for him". I could see the path of destruction she was headed down if she had stayed with him. The broken vases, shattered phones, the lack of safety in her flower shop, destroying everything she loved - there's a moment while showing her a balcony, after surprising her with a new apartment, where he mentions room for her to garden and my heart sank because I expected that to be... another bargaining chip. Another thing she loved for him to destroy. Thankfully the author did not go that dark, and I don't think she intended for Ryle's character to ever go there. I think the author truly meant it when she wrote the line, "there's no such thing as bad people, we're all just people who sometimes do bad things." I'm still wrestling with that one. Overall, the abuse was just the right amount of terrifying to convey the gravity of the situation without getting to graphic or overbearing.
As for as Lily's character, I loved her because she was a great choice of character, or maybe a better way to convey what I mean is that she was a well-built character. Generational Abuse. Compassionate. Established. Sensible. Intelligent. Successful. She was the perfect build for a character in this situation because she is the person no one expects to go through this situation. Someone who seemingly has their life together is the last person you'd expect to be suffering in silence. Unfortunately our biases and opinions of what an abuse victim or survivor should look like often barricades us from being the extended hand many of them so desperately need. People are quick to judge and blame victims/survivors for staying in their situations with little to no understanding of why they do, and that is why this book is so needed because that perspective shines through here.
I have great respect for the aspect of generational abuse that was included in this novel and that it was the namesake of the book, as "It Ends With Us" stands for the end of the cycle of abuse. I won't drone on about cycles, but generational cycles of all different kinds are the very root of brokenness within families. Healing from your root cycle issue and ending that generational problem is so important. Lily and her first love, Atlas, are both victims of Childhood Abuse, growing up in homes with Domestic Violence. Lily's abuse didn't necessarily reach the extent that Atlas' did but both of them suffered Emotional Abuse and Trauma from a young age. Big spoiler here... This is why I am so delighted that the author brought us, I mean Lily, back to Atlas at the end of the book. Because initially, when I realized "It Ends With Us" meant DV, I thought that would be a phrase shared between Lily & Atlas. (No worries, it is more heartfelt and touching that it was actually shared between Lily & her daughter.) In a way, their relationship also ends cycles of abuse in their families too. A line in this book that really broke my heart was when Lily is writing in her very cool, not-diary, Ellen Journal and states: "I'm a statistic now." Something Lily never thought would happen to her, nay- was adamant would not happen to her, did. She was abused by someone she loved and cared for.
Let's get to the hard part, the abuse. I'm not sure if I am desensitized to the graphic nature of some of what is depicted because of hours of true crime podcasts, but I personally did not feel that the abuse was depicted very graphically. I just wanted to put that note there for anyone who is concerned they may become triggered by reading this book. but I will add it is no easier to read just because its not as detailed. These scenes leave you scared for Lily, and her mom, and Atlas, they are definitely intense. Thankfully there is a bit of a shift in the scene when you can tell something is about to happen, or maybe that was just my own gut warning me. I wasn't shocked when he pushed her, either time, or the way in which he apologized immediately. I wasn't shocked when he attempted to sexually assault her, or bit her, or hit her. I wasn't surprised that all of this took place in less than a year. I was thrown off by the pregnancy, which only made me sad for her because, as my note so delicately put it: "it's just another bargaining chip for him". I could see the path of destruction she was headed down if she had stayed with him. The broken vases, shattered phones, the lack of safety in her flower shop, destroying everything she loved - there's a moment while showing her a balcony, after surprising her with a new apartment, where he mentions room for her to garden and my heart sank because I expected that to be... another bargaining chip. Another thing she loved for him to destroy. Thankfully the author did not go that dark, and I don't think she intended for Ryle's character to ever go there. I think the author truly meant it when she wrote the line, "there's no such thing as bad people, we're all just people who sometimes do bad things." I'm still wrestling with that one. Overall, the abuse was just the right amount of terrifying to convey the gravity of the situation without getting to graphic or overbearing.
I want to end with the supporting characters because they had me all types of conflicted. First of all, Rylee and Emerson are little angels. (Except I can't forgive the name Rylee, it made me sick to read that paragraph.) Babies aside, I'm not really happy with everyone else, meh except Atlas - he's an angel too. Scratch that, I'm having a flashback to the scene where he decides to confront Ryle about abusing Lily and they fight. For a character who knows how abusers are - that was very dumb. You do not give a person who abuses another "reason" to abuse, and in doing what he did, Atlas kind of put Lily in danger here. However, the blame of abuse always lies on the abuser, so I'd still consider Atlas the best supporting character in the novel. Also, his teen homelessness background really gave me a soft spot for him and gave me a mental note to look into local program to support kids struggling with the same issue. Not far behind is Lily's mom, who suffered DV at the hands of her husband, Lily's father. Never for a moment did I not love this woman. Her telling her daughter "I want to be you when I grow up" would have been cute under a different circumstance. It was so incredibly sweet and raw when she opened up to Lily about her survival at the end of the book and Lily said, "Mom? I want to be you when I grow up". Lily had so much resentment against her but once she was in the same shoes, she understood and I think that helps readers understand. Allysa is a conundrum. On one hand, I love her and I want to be HER when I grow up (no really). On the other, a lot of her decisions were problematic and for a while it felt like she was an aide in sweeping abuse under the rug. I think this can be explained away in a single scene where Lily tells Issa everything and her reaction is "if you take him back, I'll never talk to you again." This is when I understood that she didn't have a real grasp of what was happening between her brother and Lily. I think it would have been interesting to see how family of abusers handle their issues - how do you love someone when you know how badly they have hurt others? I'll end with Marshall because he's my least favorite and frankly serves as a pitiful comedic break - he sucks. My decision boils down to one scene in the book, chapter 30, where Ryle has come home early to talk to Lily (and consequentially finds out she is pregnant) with Marshall in tow so Lily would feel more comfortable. His assignment is to intervene if Ryle loses control of his emotions because Lily states he has "no control over his emotions" - which is a whole other discussion for another day. Ryle says to Marshall, "If you hear me get... If I start to yell..." and the next line says "Marshall knows what Ryle is asking him," and I just had to put the book down because I was so mad. "Why is he still his friend? I know Ryle is his brother in law, but if he knows how mad Ryle can get, what he's capable of, why would he still associate with him to the degree he would name his daughter after that man? Why?" And so, my dislike of Marshall was solidified and it cannot be unbroken. It seemed like everyone around Ryle made excuses for everything that seemed off about him, and I'm sure in real life application this is accurate because a lot of abusers are charming. It was very frustrating to read through those big red flags waving in front of everybody's faces and watch them blatantly dismiss it. (It's just a book, Lauren, just a book.)
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Overall, this book definitely belongs in the Romance category. It's a love story, not the typical one that most of us get to experience - but the dark, traumatic one that many go through. Stories like these deserve to be told and I am excited and hopeful that the rumor of this book becoming a movie is true (from Justin Baldoni no less, *SWOON*). Hopefully the film includes less cursing and sex, or at least less graphic, but the awareness that this book brings to DV should be much more amplified through film. I highly recommend for a final time that everyone should read the author's note on this book, it was incredibly touching and i ugly cried while doing so myself. This is a book you will not regret reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Cancer
I will break this up into categories of book CW and review CW so you can decide if you even want to read my review. Please read "graphic" to mean that the content may be disturbing to read but everyone has a different tolerance.
Review CW: Domestic Violence & Abuse - Mentioned, will not include graphic detail, may include brief description; Sexual Assault - brief detail; Sexual Content - mention of, no detail; Suicidal thoughts
Book CW: Domestic Violence & Abuse - graphic; Sexual Assault - graphic; Sexual Content - Graphic; Suicidal Thoughts & Ideation; Cursing; Cancer; Death of a Parent: Death of a Child - graphic; Infertility; Pregnancy; Injuries - graphic; Abandonment; Teen Homelessness.
A Pho Love Story by Loan Le
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
A tale as old as time, boy and girl of warring families fall in love and either make it, uniting their families, or break up, causing further division. Nothing will ever compare to Romeo & Juliet, as Shakespeare is the ultimate Drama King and had to just kill them off instead of giving us a logical ending. I won’t spoil this book’s ending for you, as I think you will be very content with how the author wrapped up the plot here.
What was particularly unique about this book is that it let us, the readers, get to know each character individually and together, while giving us generational background as well. Learning the families’ histories was just as important to me as learning about what the main characters wanted to do with the rest of their lives (they are in high school). It was also great to see artistic talents featured and encouraged in a predominantly Asian-American cast of characters (well, and just in general).
The only nit-picks I had was that the book was a bit slow and used a bit more cursing than necessary (IMO). I loved hearing about all the Vietnamese dishes and the beautiful sense of community among the characters. I also love reading about other cultures; this was my first fictional novel about Vietnamese-Americans. I saw some reviews complaining that some lines were written or spoken (for audiobook listeners) in Vietnamese and how they had to use Google Translate (which isn’t really effective in general btw), which was an annoying comment to see. It is very easy to read between the lines to understand what is being said in Vietnamese, but also it’s translated back to us in what the kids say most of the time. Of all things to gripe about, that’s just a ridiculous one.
I definitely enjoyed this read and hope to see more novels by this author because her writing style was engaging. I think it would be fun to play off all the main Shakespearean titles now, Hamlet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, etc… I would read or listen to those in a heartbeat.
What was particularly unique about this book is that it let us, the readers, get to know each character individually and together, while giving us generational background as well. Learning the families’ histories was just as important to me as learning about what the main characters wanted to do with the rest of their lives (they are in high school). It was also great to see artistic talents featured and encouraged in a predominantly Asian-American cast of characters (well, and just in general).
The only nit-picks I had was that the book was a bit slow and used a bit more cursing than necessary (IMO). I loved hearing about all the Vietnamese dishes and the beautiful sense of community among the characters. I also love reading about other cultures; this was my first fictional novel about Vietnamese-Americans. I saw some reviews complaining that some lines were written or spoken (for audiobook listeners) in Vietnamese and how they had to use Google Translate (which isn’t really effective in general btw), which was an annoying comment to see. It is very easy to read between the lines to understand what is being said in Vietnamese, but also it’s translated back to us in what the kids say most of the time. Of all things to gripe about, that’s just a ridiculous one.
I definitely enjoyed this read and hope to see more novels by this author because her writing style was engaging. I think it would be fun to play off all the main Shakespearean titles now, Hamlet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, etc… I would read or listen to those in a heartbeat.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Racism, and War
There is a moderate amount of cursing throughout the book. Racism is minor theme in the book, the family is Vietnamese dealing with people telling them to “go home” and the parents hint to worse interactions than that. There is brief mention of the Vietnam War (I can’t remember if it is specifically stated that is what they are referring to, but that was my understanding). This book addresses the racism and War/immigration issues with class and ease.
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
funny
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
DNF. It just got increasingly sexual and vulgar towards the end which completely ruins a lighthearted read. I also think the graphic nature of some of these scenes should have warranted a warning, I tried skipping through the scenes, for my own personal reasons, but ended up just ending the book where I was at. Why? Because I’m sure it’s the same enemies to lovers cliche that there’s a misunderstanding and they break up but eventually get back together and I don’t need to trudge through chapters of ick to get there. Also, I did not like how possessive and demanding the love interest was - I’m sure that’s because it’s a sexual fantasy of some kind but I just, BLEH. I didn’t find either main character likable. I think my favorite character was the mom, maybe TJ. This reading experience soured me, I feel like it was built up to be such a good book and then heavily relied on cursing and sex to sell. If you want to read a book similar to this without the graphic nature (smut), I recommend The Unhoneymooners (fade to black) and I’m still looking for sex-free options.
Edit: Someone said Aaron is the reason they raised their standards for men and I am sobbing. 😭 What planet do we live on now? I don’t want to be here anymore. Good men exist, and they are not love-bombing, possessive, borderline stalkers like Aaron. “But he really loves her!” No- he’s obsessed with her! Find better, don’t settle for the first guy who says he’ll do anything for you, or the second, or the third. 🙄 Know your worth.
Edit: Someone said Aaron is the reason they raised their standards for men and I am sobbing. 😭 What planet do we live on now? I don’t want to be here anymore. Good men exist, and they are not love-bombing, possessive, borderline stalkers like Aaron. “But he really loves her!” No- he’s obsessed with her! Find better, don’t settle for the first guy who says he’ll do anything for you, or the second, or the third. 🙄 Know your worth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Sexual content
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Racism, Grief, and Death of parent
After chapter 20, it is just entirely too graphic in sexual nature for there not to have been a warning or label. I’m sure there’s books with much more depiction but for a lighthearted read, I was disappointed because this is why I DNF this book. There’s also a ridiculous amount of cussing, like an amount that makes me question if the author is getting paid for each word because I’ve never heard anyone use that much vulgar language consistently in real life.
There are mentions of inappropriate sexual relationships, loss of parents, and a hint of racism and/or sexism that the main character experiences.
Plot Twist by Bethany Turner
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I can’t lie here - I got swept up in this one. Totally, 100% into the Fiona mindset of cheering on Olivia throughout the book. As I listened to the audiobook, I was squealing with glee at pivotal moments and jumping excitedly like a dork during the last chapter. There were moments where I fought myself not to cry though it would have been completely valid to - there’s some raw emotions hidden throughout the pages of this cynical rom com. My only “complaint” was the quality of the audiobook as it seemed to be fuzzy and that was mildly irritating but I was so engrossed in the story that I decided not to let it bother me enough to turn away. I think Talon did a great job performing this book, which may have been why the emotional moments felt so raw to me.
Further, I loved the references to the film industry, guessing throughout the book which movie they were referring to based solely on the actors mentioned. It took me a while to realize one of the characters was based on Gerard Butler - even though there is a blurb thanking him at the beginning of the book *big facepalm*. Before that realization, I pictured Heath Ledger (10 Things I Hate About You era) as that character and I have to say - I decided to keep him in that role even after knowing it was supposed to be Butler and Ledger isn’t Scottish.
I will add that initially I did not like that the characters were beginning the story in their 30s. I would have preferred 25 maybe BUT after the entire story played out, I don’t think it could have been anything but a 30s love story set in LA. At 25, I want everything to be happening right now because that’s what society has told me I should want, but the story grounds the younger (& older) readers in displaying that getting to where we are supposed to be takes time for most of us. The main character goes through various internal conflicts and external struggles before deciding to take charge over her life - and still it’s not perfect. She gets her happily ever after, but it wasn’t just magic or irony because she worked for it.
As for content warnings, here’s what I can recall:
There is infidelity in the form of a kiss, twice in two separate chapters but is mentioned in a few other chapters. There’s also mention of adultery in two chapters. To my knowledge that was the only content that really warrants a warning.
Overall, I obviously enjoyed this book and may purchase a paperback or digital copy, as much fun as the audiobook was. I’m giving it 5 stars and I think those are well deserved.
Further, I loved the references to the film industry, guessing throughout the book which movie they were referring to based solely on the actors mentioned. It took me a while to realize one of the characters was based on Gerard Butler - even though there is a blurb thanking him at the beginning of the book *big facepalm*. Before that realization, I pictured Heath Ledger (10 Things I Hate About You era) as that character and I have to say - I decided to keep him in that role even after knowing it was supposed to be Butler and Ledger isn’t Scottish.
I will add that initially I did not like that the characters were beginning the story in their 30s. I would have preferred 25 maybe BUT after the entire story played out, I don’t think it could have been anything but a 30s love story set in LA. At 25, I want everything to be happening right now because that’s what society has told me I should want, but the story grounds the younger (& older) readers in displaying that getting to where we are supposed to be takes time for most of us. The main character goes through various internal conflicts and external struggles before deciding to take charge over her life - and still it’s not perfect. She gets her happily ever after, but it wasn’t just magic or irony because she worked for it.
As for content warnings, here’s what I can recall:
There is infidelity in the form of a kiss, twice in two separate chapters but is mentioned in a few other chapters. There’s also mention of adultery in two chapters. To my knowledge that was the only content that really warrants a warning.
Overall, I obviously enjoyed this book and may purchase a paperback or digital copy, as much fun as the audiobook was. I’m giving it 5 stars and I think those are well deserved.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Sexual content
The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Toxic friendship
Kind of a Big Deal by Shannon Hale
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This book was very enjoyable and I think people are missing out on the growth that the main character experienced. Possibly because they can’t relate or because they weren’t expecting that to be apart of the story. The main character is young, but this story can speak to all ages - and I found that it had just the right amount of humor and suspense. As a former nanny, I also liked a healthy depiction of what a caregiver/family dynamic looks like - yes, relationships like that do exist between nannies and their charges.
Now, onto the content warnings:
There is a scene/chapter that includes transphobia in the book. I didn’t even know one of the characters was trans until this chapter and I don’t think it’s mentioned again after it (which is kinda how it should be right? Just let the character exist without wrapping their identity around one aspect of their life).
Towards the beginning of the book, the main character picks up a book (book inception happens a lot btw) and there is mention of breasts spilling out of corsets. There’s also mentions of make out sessions and smooching and sex (without saying it) throughout when the character reads, for the most part though this book is fairly “clean”. (Which I personally prefer, if you’re going to mention make outs and sex, the way this author did it is a great example.)
There are also scenes that mention alcoholism, stalking, amnesia, heartbreak, abandonment, and mental illnesses. There is a scene at a hospital. There are moments when the character feels she has no control over her life. I personally found the read pretty light, but if you are in a bad head/mental space right now it may not be the time for you to read this book.
Finally, for those of the religious nature (I myself being Christian), there is mention of Greek Mythology in the book. Like a lot but I don’t want to totally give it away. The first time the character said a chant towards some of the Greek characters, albeit just because her drama teacher told her to, I felt uneasy (my gut proved to be right IJS). These characters are made to be real in this book, so if that bothers you then you will not enjoy the book.
Overall: I enjoyed the book! I’m not sorry for it and I’m going to buy a physical copy when I can find one locally. Oh yeah, I listened through Audible, the performance of this book by Amanda Dolan was very good - if you like audiobooks, this is a fun read. I also really love the cover of the book, I just think Shannon Hale did a good job with making this book pretty friendly for all.
Now, onto the content warnings:
There is a scene/chapter that includes transphobia in the book. I didn’t even know one of the characters was trans until this chapter and I don’t think it’s mentioned again after it (which is kinda how it should be right? Just let the character exist without wrapping their identity around one aspect of their life).
Towards the beginning of the book, the main character picks up a book (book inception happens a lot btw) and there is mention of breasts spilling out of corsets. There’s also mentions of make out sessions and smooching and sex (without saying it) throughout when the character reads, for the most part though this book is fairly “clean”. (Which I personally prefer, if you’re going to mention make outs and sex, the way this author did it is a great example.)
There are also scenes that mention alcoholism, stalking, amnesia, heartbreak, abandonment, and mental illnesses. There is a scene at a hospital. There are moments when the character feels she has no control over her life. I personally found the read pretty light, but if you are in a bad head/mental space right now it may not be the time for you to read this book.
Finally, for those of the religious nature (I myself being Christian), there is mention of Greek Mythology in the book. Like a lot but I don’t want to totally give it away. The first time the character said a chant towards some of the Greek characters, albeit just because her drama teacher told her to, I felt uneasy (my gut proved to be right IJS). These characters are made to be real in this book, so if that bothers you then you will not enjoy the book.
Overall: I enjoyed the book! I’m not sorry for it and I’m going to buy a physical copy when I can find one locally. Oh yeah, I listened through Audible, the performance of this book by Amanda Dolan was very good - if you like audiobooks, this is a fun read. I also really love the cover of the book, I just think Shannon Hale did a good job with making this book pretty friendly for all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Transphobia, Medical content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Wooing Cadie McCaffrey by Bethany Turner
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Deliberating over the 🌟 rating to give is the hardest part of this review - I’m truly appreciative of Christian Fiction writers, so I want to automatically give 5🌟 BUT, this book missed some opportunities to really address some things brought up and instead leaves it kind of open. It’s also incredibly cheesy, but who would expect anything less from a romance novel?
Spoilers below:
As someone saving herself for marriage, I appreciate the nod towards doing so (I’ve yet to see someone write a character that actually makes it to marriage, which is a little frustrating but I digress).The couple in this book engages in premarital sex which becomes a point of contention for them, totally understandable. However, everything is explained away by the characters asking God to forgive them and receiving forgiveness - which is completely accurate, God is gracious and forgiving. However, it kind of puts a “sex is bad” idea in its framework, I believe unintentionally and misses the opportunity to address the mishandling of purity within the Christian community. It would have been nice to see an explanation as to why remaining pure is important instead of “it’s just what you’re supposed to do”. There’s a brief discussion between Cadie and her mom about the “sex fiasco” but it’s brushed aside to discuss the proposal issue, never addressing what Cadie is actually feeling and never really letting readers know that shame is not from God and He loves them no matter what. I just feel like it really missed an opportunity here to pour into young women’s lives and let them know their value isn’t tied to their ability to save sex for marriage or not.
Spoilers below:
As someone saving herself for marriage, I appreciate the nod towards doing so (I’ve yet to see someone write a character that actually makes it to marriage, which is a little frustrating but I digress).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Pregnancy