2.5 stars. This is so fucking boring with a mediocre ship. I can handwave many things (uneven pacing2023 Winter Bingo (#SnowInLoveBingo❄️): Murder
2.5 stars. This is so fucking boring with a mediocre ship. I can handwave many things (uneven pacing, nonsensical worldbuilding, questionable content, etc) for a good ship, but boredom is a killer. Possible that CB improves but I’m not going to stick around to find out.
The half-star is for the narrator. Read via audio (narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb)....more
I will never understand the allure of a vampire’s bloodlust. Drinking blood as a sexual experience is so… this is why I don’t like vampires2.5 stars.
I will never understand the allure of a vampire’s bloodlust. Drinking blood as a sexual experience is so… this is why I don’t like vampires, lol. Blame it on my vegetarianism. Read via library....more
I feel like a grinch because blah blah philosophy, the meaning of life, we improve ourselves by helping each other, what is consciousness, h2.5 stars
I feel like a grinch because blah blah philosophy, the meaning of life, we improve ourselves by helping each other, what is consciousness, how to find purpose in the absence of work, etc. I *get* what this book is trying to achieve, and it didn’t make me feel anything because the tone was so… cloying and saccharine. I’m glad this series brings hope and happiness to fans, but I’m clearly too much of a cynic to be the correct audience.
Furthermore, I *do not* understand the people who keep comparing this series to Murderbot. They are light years apart by every measure. There might be some audience overlap for folks exhausted by epic fantasy, but that doesn’t make them good comps.
This is such a weird book... I'm not the target audience for the "divorced mom gets a new lease on life and love" subgenre of women's fictio2.5 stars
This is such a weird book... I'm not the target audience for the "divorced mom gets a new lease on life and love" subgenre of women's fiction, but the buzz intrigued me. I don't understand how this became so popular. Then again, I feel that way about most big books.
First, nothing about this premise makes sense (like why are they filming this high-budget movie in the screenwriter's house, lol). You gotta suspend disbelief with a million things. Second, the meta discussion on Nora's romance screenwriting seemed vaguely... mocking even when positive. But this book is literally the same thing! So is it ironic commentary? I don't think it was done well at any rate, especially considering that Nora finally wrote an "important" movie on divorce with A-list stars and accolades. Third, I've read a lot of books with bullshit misunderstandings, but this truly takes the cake. It made me dock it down from a consistent 3 star read. Fourth, Nora the Narrator was such an effective commentator of her own life that she felt… removed from it all. Where were the big feelings!? Something shocking happened toward the end; while she narrated the hurt feelings of the people around her, I didn’t get enough from HER. The voice is so weird — not necessarily bad, just not what I’m experienced before.
BUT the writing is dry and entertaining, so I stuck along for the ride. I also enjoyed the commentary on suburbia and small towns. More importantly, the audiobook duration is only 7 hours (Kobo says the word count is 70K). This, I highly endorse. I need shorter options in WF/romance. Publishers, take note because I can't handle another 100K contemporary with unnecessary filler.
Read via library/audio (narrated by Hillary Huber)....more
2.5 stars. I don't think I've read another book where Content Notes: (view spoiler)[ on-page parental cancer death; surprise pregnancy (hide spoiler)]
2.5 stars. I don't think I've read another book where I liked the writing so much and loathed the character/plot decisions. Read via audio (narrated by Jorjeana Marie)....more
I liked the heroine and the romantic interest A LOT, but my god was I angry at the resolution of the cyber bullying/slut shaming storyline. T2.5 stars
I liked the heroine and the romantic interest A LOT, but my god was I angry at the resolution of the cyber bullying/slut shaming storyline. Those jerks needed to be punished. Also, the heroine’s dad is TERRIBLE and I did not like that quasi-forgiveness arc at the end. The book was very readable, but ugh I hated everyone except the teens. I realize that’s the point, but still. Also, this book needed more ship because Nathan is cute. It kinda tapered off at the end.
I feel super conflicted about the grade because I quite liked the teens, but the ending (as explained above) pissed me off so much. So disappointing, because Whitley is a great heroine and deserves better than this crappy family. I’m going to pretend that after she and Nathan go to university, they disown their families and Bailey (Nathan’s sister) lives with them. Now that would be a happily-ever-after.
I’d still rec this with caveats because the stepsibling angst is *chef’s kiss* and I’m glad I read the book because of it.
Unrelated, but it feels weird reading an older YA. Things change so much in just a decade!...more
Kate Noble is a good writer but I wasn't really feeling the romance in this one. The meddling part was nice. Short novella and I got it as a 2.5 stars
Kate Noble is a good writer but I wasn't really feeling the romance in this one. The meddling part was nice. Short novella and I got it as a freebie via kindle....more
Content Notes: (view spoiler)[moose is relocated due to incident with tourist (50% survival rate, unknown if dead or alive) (hide spoiler)]
2.5 stars
AContent Notes: (view spoiler)[moose is relocated due to incident with tourist (50% survival rate, unknown if dead or alive) (hide spoiler)]
2.5 stars
After a rough start (I was ready to DNF at 10% because the hero is such an asshole), the book got better. Still some irritating aspects to make it an overall meh read. Grumpy/sunshine vibes, beautiful scenic descriptions of Alaska, comedy heavily dependent on physical humor, fade-to-black sex scenes, and a rom-com with very little sorrow/grief/trauma.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
When I saw an arc of LITTLE WONDERS available to request, there was no way I wasn’t clicking on it: I’m obsessed with stories featuring “wild2.5 stars
When I saw an arc of LITTLE WONDERS available to request, there was no way I wasn’t clicking on it: I’m obsessed with stories featuring “wild school shenanigans of upper class folks meddling in their children’s education.” It’s a niche genre but publishing always puts out a couple books per year.
I’m not a parent and I have zero experience with preschool. I can’t speak to the accuracy of those things; I can only assess how much I enjoyed the story.
Where the book shines is the discussion of virality and unintended consequences. Quinn’s worst parenting fail is captured on film and broadcast to millions and millions of people. She’s not a saint, but she’s not a monster either. She’s just a mom who had a really bad day and melted down in public. I really liked how the book handled the repercussions to Quinn’s social status, career, marriage, and even her self-worth. Quinn’s arc is the most satisfying part of the story; I was moved by the theme of how aspiring for perfection can lead to the opposite.
The book is readable and occasionally charming, even when you want to shake characters for being so infuriating or groan at how cheesy a storyline is. So what didn’t work for me? It felt like something was missing the entire time, and I couldn’t figure it out until the end. We get the alternating POV of two characters: Quinn and Daisy. Even if they make mistakes and are annoying to others, we can empathize where their bad behavior is coming from. They’re not villains even if they’re constantly and unfairly vilified by the outside. Interestingly enough, there’s another mom Shanna who IS vilified and painted as the Bad Person in the story (by both Quinn and Daisy). We don’t get her POV; the book never bothers to explain where she’s coming from. There is a Big Confrontation at the end and the ensuing fallout allows Shanna to be sympathetic. Her villainous actions are explained away and her sympathetic POV is finally revealed. Everyone ends on good terms as friends. This happens in one chapter and an epilogue.
It doesn’t work. It just doesn’t. You can’t throw in a paragraph and explain away Shanna’s villainous characterization that quickly. To be clear, I think Shanna is a good person. I 100% understand all her actions in the novel and am sympathetic to her motivations. She’s a good person, just like how Quinn and Daisy are good people. Even if they make stupid mistakes or plot schemes that don’t have the nicest of intentions. The book would’ve benefited from showing Shanna’s POV and making her more relatable to the reader. The entire theme is that things aren’t what they look from the outside. But the novel never extends that generosity to Shanna. She has an interesting story to tell and we don’t hear it until the end. It’s a missed opportunity; like Quinn and Daisy, Shanna is struggling with parenting and life. The absence of her POV is like a missing puzzle piece. She’s a one-dimensional villain until she isn’t.
I also wasn’t that interested in the storylines outside the virality (Daisy’s marriage and employment situation, Quinn’s husband, etc). It was lackluster compared to the soul of the book. All in all, this was an okay read with interesting ideas, but not all of it was compelling. YMMV.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
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